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+[[[{"Number of team assists": {"Knicks": "11", "Celtics": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"Al Horford": "5", "Marcus Smart": "7"}, "Points": {"Al Horford": "15", "Isaiah Thomas": "27", "Marcus Smart": "15", "Carmelo Anthony": "29", "Kristaps Porzingis": "22", "Derrick Rose": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Horford": "7", "Kristaps Porzingis": "12"}, "Steals": {"Al Horford": "3", "Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1"}}], "The Celtics saw great team play in their Christmas Day win, and it translated to the box score. Boston had 25 assists to just 11 for New York, and the team committed just six turnovers on the night. All-Star Isaiah Thomas once again led Boston with 27 points, while star center Al Horford scored 15 points and stuffed the stat sheet with seven rebounds, five assists, three steals, and two blocks. Third-year point guard Marcus Smart impressed off the bench, dishing seven assists and scoring 15 points including the game - winning three - pointer. New York, meanwhile, saw solid play from its stars. Sophomore big man Kristaps Porzingis had 22 points and 12 rebounds as well as four blocks. All-Star Carmelo Anthony had 29 points, 22 of which came in the second half. Point guard Derrick Rose also had 25 points in one of his highest - scoring outings of the season."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "38", "Jazz": "42"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "87", "Jazz": "85"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "39", "Jazz": "34"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "18"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "21", "Rudy Gobert": "8", "Rodney Hood": "17", "Brandan Wright": "14", "TJ Warren": "4", "Gerald Green": "24"}, "Assists": {"Rudy Gobert": "2", "Brandan Wright": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "1", "Brandan Wright": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Rudy Gobert": "38", "Brandan Wright": "33", "Gerald Green": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "15", "Brandan Wright": "3"}, "Steals": {"Rudy Gobert": "1", "Brandan Wright": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Gerald Green": "3"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (39 - 38) escaped with an 87 - 85 win over the Utah Jazz (34 - 42). Rodney Hood missed the game - winning three - pointer at the buzzer. He was potentially fouled, but the official ruled otherwise. The Suns moved to three and a half games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder for the final playoff spot with five games remaining. Gerald Green scored 24 points in just 22 minutes for the first time since November 26th. After three straight double - figure scoring games, rookie T.J. Warren was limited to four points with Green putting on a show. Brandan Wright continues to start for the injured Alex Len, supplying 14 points, three rebounds, four blocks, three steals and one assist in 33 minutes. Trey Burke was dealing with back issues and didn\u2019t play. Dante Exum was joined in the starting lineup by fellow rookie Rodney Hood, who was cleared of concussion symptoms after missing the previous game. Hood replaced Joe Ingles in the starting lineup and scored 17 points. He entered the game shooting 47 percent from the field since the All-Star break. Gordon Hayward scored 21 points on 18 shots and Rudy Gobert, potential Defensive Player of the Year, provided eight points, 15 rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in 38 minutes. The Suns engage in a four - game road trip Tuesday beginning against the Atlanta Hawks. The Jazz conclude a two - game, two - day road trip when they play the Sacramento Kings on Sunday before hosting them three days later."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "38", "Nuggets": "39"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "122", "Nuggets": "113"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "36", "Nuggets": "35"}}, {"Assists": {"Nikola Jokic": "8", "Jusuf Nurkic": "2"}, "Points": {"Nikola Jokic": "17", "Jusuf Nurkic": "33", "CJ McCollum": "39"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Jokic": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "15", "CJ McCollum": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "12", "CJ McCollum": "15"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "9"}}], "The host Portland Trail Blazers defeated the rivial Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, 122 - 113. It was a big night for two Blazers in particular, as center Jusuf Nurkic and guard C.J. McCollum combined for 72 points for Portland (36 - 38). Nurkic contributed a career - high scoring output of 33 points to go along with a whopping 16 rebounds and three blocks. The output came against his former team, from whom he was traded at the deadline. Nurkic was absolutely deadly from the field, shooting 12 - of - 15 from the field and 9 - of - 11 at the free - throw line. McCollum, meanwhile, shot 15 - of - 24 for a game - high 39 points. The two were the centers of a red - hot Blazers offense, as the team shot over 49 percent from the field and reached the line 33 times on the night. Denver (35 - 39), meanwhile, saw slightly more balanced production from their scorers. Six Nuggets scored in double figures, and their own young big man nearly recorded a triple - double. Sophomore center Nikola Jokic cleaned up, recording 17 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. However, the team simply could not slow down the two hot scorers for Portland. Foul trouble proved problematic as well, as the Nuggets got to the line 20 times but gave up 33 free - throws to Portland. The game was hugely impactful on the playoff standings, as Portland was able to pass Denver for eighth in the conference thanks to the win. Portland will host Houston on Wednesday, while Denver will visit Charlotte on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "1", "Jazz": "3"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "107", "Jazz": "101"}, "Turnovers": {"Clippers": "10", "Jazz": "17"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "3", "Jazz": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Chris Paul": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Gordon Hayward": "36", "Enes Kanter": "27", "Blake Griffin": "38", "Chris Paul": "36", "Jamal Crawford": "34"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "27", "Enes Kanter": "17", "Blake Griffin": "31", "Chris Paul": "13", "Jamal Crawford": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "7", "Enes Kanter": "9", "Chris Paul": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"Blake Griffin": "14"}, "Blocks": {"Chris Paul": "1"}, "Steals": {"Chris Paul": "2"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (3 - 1) defeated the Utah Jazz (1 - 3) 107 - 101 on Monday. Chris Paul recorded the NBA's first triple - double of the 2014 - 15 season, putting up 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists in 36 minutes. He also threw in two steals and a blocked shot for good measure. Teammate Blake Griffin helped Paul convert some of those assists, shooting 14 - of - 21 from the field and finishing with 31 points in 38 minutes. J.J. Redick started at shooting guard but played a season - low 16 minutes as coach Doc Rivers opted to go with Jamal Crawford most of the night. Crawford missed the Clippers' last game with a rib injury but returned to put up 19 points off the bench in 34 minutes. Gordon Hayward put up a LeBron James-esque line of 27 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in 36 minutes. He was aided in keeping the game close by starting power forward Enes Kanter who put up 17 points and nine rebounds in 27 minutes. The Jazz were relatively efficient with their shooting, but they committed 17 turnovers in contrast to the Clippers' 10, giving away the game in some respects. The Clippers' next game is against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, while the Jazz will return home to face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Bulls": "34", "Pistons": "19"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Bulls": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"Bulls": "46", "Pistons": "32"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Jon Leuer": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Jon Leuer": "7"}, "Points": {"Jon Leuer": "16", "Jimmy Butler": "19", "Rajon Rondo": "10"}, "Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "6", "Rajon Rondo": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "8"}}], "Wire-to-wire wins are uncommon in the NBA, but blowouts like this are extremely rare. Chicago dominated from the opening whistle, as they held a double - digit lead for the final 40 - plus minutes. The first half is when it got ugly, as the Bulls shot 73 percent from the field and took a 35 - point lead into the locker room. The rebounding and assisting numbers were lopsided as well, with Chicago winning the rebounding battle, 46 - 32 and the assists, 34 - 19. All the starters on Detroit struggled, as none of the surpassed 10 points, four rebounds or three assists. Jon Leuer led the team in scoring off the bench, as he dropped 16 points on 7 - of - 9 shooting. Jimmy Butler led the Bulls in scoring, as he tallied 19 points, three rebounds and six assists in the win. Rajon Rondo flirted with a triple - double, as he accumulated 10 points, eight rebounds and 14 assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "3", "Rockets": "3"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "107", "Rockets": "119"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "3", "Rockets": "3"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Rockets": "17"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Rockets": "40"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Josh Smith": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Josh Smith": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Josh Smith": "4"}, "Points": {"Josh Smith": "19", "Dwight Howard": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Josh Smith": "6", "Dwight Howard": "21"}, "Minutes played": {"Dwight Howard": "40"}}], "The Houston Rockets (3 - 3) stunned the Los Angeles Clippers (3 - 3) Thursday in Game 6 at the Staples Center, winning 119 - 107 to force Game 7. The Clippers took a commanding 19 - point lead late in the third quarter and appeared to be on their way to clinching the first Western Conference Finals berth in franchise history. The Rockets, using a lineup without James Harden, embarked on a massive comeback in the fourth quarter. Corey Brewer and Josh Smith provided the offense down the stretch for Houston and, more importantly, the Rockets clamped down on defense. The Clippers' offense stagnated and could n't create the shots they were finding with ease through the first 36 minutes. Josh Smith, who was 2 - of - 12 from three point range in the series coming into Game 6, canned 4 out of 7 threes Thursday and finished with 19 points. The series will move back to Houston for the decisive Game 7 on Sunday. Time appeared to be winding down on Houston's season in the third quarter with Los Angeles' Blake Griffin making 360 degree layups and Chris Paul imposing his will. The Rockets never wavered, however, and fought their way back to send the series back to their home floor for Game 7. James Harden, the NBA's runner - up for MVP, did n't play in the fourth quarter. In addition to Smith and Brewer's strong play, Dwight Howard worked his way to a 20 - point, 21 - rebound performance over 40 minutes on the floor. It was one of the most stunning comebacks in franchise history, but it will be for not if the Rockets are unable to come away with a win Sunday. Los Angeles let a chance to advance to the Western Conference Finals slip away in front of a stunned home crowd. After routing the Rockets in the other two games at Staples Center this series, the Clippers seemingly lost their way late on Thursday. Despite holding Houston to 17 points in the third quarter, Los Angeles collapsed on the defensive end and allowed 40 points in the fourth. The Clippers missed their last 14 field goals before Paul's three pointer at the buzzer when the outcome had already been decided. Los Angeles will have two full days to regroup before taking the floor in Houston for Game 7."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "55"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "55"}}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "23", "Derrick Favors": "12", "Rodney Hood": "9", "Joe Johnson": "17", "Boris Diaw": "15", "Jae Crowder": "21", "Al Horford": "21", "Avery Bradley": "14", "Isaiah Thomas": "29", "Marcus Smart": "9", "Jaylen Brown": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Derrick Favors": "29", "Boris Diaw": "15", "Marcus Smart": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "13"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "15"}}], "Isaiah Thomas dished out a career - best 15 assists, while also scoring a game - high 29 points. His standout effort led to a stellar shooting night for Boston, which posted respective success rates of 55 and 55 percent from the field and three - point range. Al Horford and Jae Crowder had matching 21 - point efforts. Avery Bradley compiled 14 points, Jaylen Brown led the second unit with 10, and Marcus Smart went for nine points over 28 minutes despite coming in questionable with an illness. Gordon Hayward's 23 points led Utah, and Derrick Favors had 12 points over 29 minutes. Rodney Hood supplied nine points, while Rudy Gobert brought down 13 rebounds. Joe Johnson and Boris Diaw went for 17 and 15 points off the bench, respectively, with the latter impressively compiling his total in just 15 minutes."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "13", "Suns": "13"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "112", "Suns": "88"}, "Rebounds": {"Thunder": "63", "Suns": "40"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "11", "Suns": "12"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Gerald Green": "26"}, "Points": {"Gerald Green": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Gerald Green": "7"}, "Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Kevin Durant": "6"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kevin Durant": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Durant": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "2"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (11 - 13) defeated the Phoenix Suns (12 - 13) 112 - 88 on Sunday. Oklahoma City has won six straight games, making a defining run following the return of their stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook to the lineup two weeks ago. Their win over the Suns was a drubbing that allowed the Thunder to play their starters limited minutes. Oklahoma City shot 48 percent from the field, but where they truly dominated the game was on the glass, collecting 63 rebounds compared to the Suns' 40 rebounds. The Suns also could n't keep the Thunder off the free - throw line, allowing them to put up 30 free points at the charity stripe. Oklahoma City will start a three - game road trip in Sacramento on Tuesday against the Kings. Phoenix has dropped five straight games and appear to be in a tailspin, but that could correct itself as they embark on an Eastern Conference road trip this week that could allow them to get back in the win column. While the Suns had Isaiah Thomas return to action Friday in their 105 - 103 loss to the Detroit Pistons, the team also played without Goran Dragic on Sunday, as he was forced to sit out with a lower - back strain. Gerald Green earned the spot start in Dragic's absence and finished with 15 points and seven rebounds in 26 minutes. Phoenix will host the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "4"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "93", "Rockets": "104"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "0", "Rockets": "4"}}, {"Assists": {"Trevor Ariza": "7", "Nerlens Noel": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Trevor Ariza": "9", "James Harden": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Trevor Ariza": "6", "James Harden": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Trevor Ariza": "13", "James Harden": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Trevor Ariza": "8", "James Harden": "7"}, "Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "24", "Dwight Howard": "11", "James Harden": "35", "Nerlens Noel": "10", "Tony Wroten": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Ariza": "6", "Dwight Howard": "14", "James Harden": "9", "Nerlens Noel": "1"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Ariza": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "6", "Tony Wroten": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Dwight Howard": "36", "James Harden": "38"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Harden": "18"}, "Free throws made": {"James Harden": "17"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Nerlens Noel": "1"}}], "The Houston Rockets (40) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (0 - 4) 104 - 93 on Monday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. This game was a matchup of the defeated versus the undefeated. The Rockets were able to keep their hold atop the Southwest Division by getting the victory and continuing their dominant start to the season, while the Sixers continued to struggle and are still looking for their first win. James Harden finished with 35 points (7 - 18 FG, 4 - 8 3Pt, 17 - 18 FT) and nine rebounds in 38 minutes. Trevor Ariza had the second most points, as he finished with 24 points, shooting 8 - for - 13 from the field and 6 - for - 9 from beyond the arc. He also contributed six rebounds, seven assists, and two steals. Ariza has lived up to expectations thus far in the four games the Rockets have played, as he's now averaging 15 points and 5 rebounds on the season. Dwight Howard also produced his third double - double of the season and finished this game with 11 points and 14 rebounds. Howard sat out Monday's practice after a knee - to - knee collision during Saturday's game against the Celtics but was able to play 36 minutes Monday, implying that the knee issue is not serious. The Sixers continued to get production from Tony Wroten who has been filling in for Michael Carter-Williams (shoulder) at the point. Wroten had 20 points and five steals in 30 minutes. Rookie K.J.McDaniels came off the bench and shot 5 - for - 9 from the field and 3 - for - 4 from behind the three - point line to finish with 14 points, three rebounds, and an assist. Nerlens Noel filled the stat sheet, posting 10 points, one rebound, five assists, six steals, and one blocked shot. The Rockets' next game is on the road against the Miami Heat on Tuesday, while Sixers will go on the road to Orlando and play the Magic on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "17", "Hawks": "13"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "115", "Hawks": "121"}, "Rebounds": {"Rockets": "46", "Hawks": "45"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "16", "Hawks": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Kent Bazemore": "4", "James Harden": "8", "Ty Lawson": "4"}, "Points": {"Kent Bazemore": "26", "Paul Millsap": "22", "Al Horford": "30", "Jeff Teague": "22", "Trevor Ariza": "10", "Clint Capela": "17", "Dwight Howard": "30", "James Harden": "26", "Patrick Beverley": "9", "Ty Lawson": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Kent Bazemore": "3", "Paul Millsap": "13", "Al Horford": "14", "Trevor Ariza": "1", "Clint Capela": "10", "Dwight Howard": "16", "James Harden": "10", "Ty Lawson": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "5", "Al Horford": "1", "Dwight Howard": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul Millsap": "1"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "1", "Al Horford": "1", "Dwight Howard": "1", "James Harden": "1", "Ty Lawson": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Jeff Teague": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Trevor Ariza": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Clint Capela": "5"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (21 - 13) prevailed over the Houston Rockets (17 - 16) in a wild back - and - forth affair, 121 - 115 on Tuesday. The game provided plenty of fireworks with several outstanding individual stat lines, but the best individual matchup of the night was between the big men. Dwight Howard and Al Horford seemed to bring out each other's best and virtually matched one another point for point and rebound and rebound. Howard finished with a season - high 30 points and added 16 rebounds, while Horford equaled him with a season - high 30 points and 14 rebounds. Due to the game remaining close throughout, both players also received a higher allotment of minutes than usual. The standoff between them also extended to the final statistics down low for both clubs, as they battled to a draw near the basket; Atlanta slightly outscored Houston in the paint, 50 - 46, while the Rockets nipped them in the rebounding department, 46 - 45. Besides Horford's outstanding effort, the Hawks also got a trio of 20 - point - plus efforts from some of their most dependable starters. Kent Bazemore, already a solid contributor in rebounds and assists, turned his scoring up several notches, collecting 26 points on the night along with four assists and three rebounds. Stalwarts Jeff Teague and Paul Millsap contributed a pair of 22 - point tallies, with the latter making it a double - double by hauling in 13 boards as well. The veteran power forward also added a season - high five blocks as he dominated a Houston defense that has been one of the league's weakest against opposing fours. The Hawks improved to 21 - 13 and remain atop the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They will now enjoy an extended break over the New Year's holiday and return to action in New York on Sunday. In addition to Howard's mammoth double - double, Jame Harden pitched in with one of his own, pouring in 26 points, while also impressively grabbing a season - high 10 boards and dishing out eight assists. Clint Capela was the third Rockets starter to accomplish the feat, posting 17 points and 10 rebounds. Trevor Ariza (10 points) and Patrick Beverley (nine points) rounded out the starting five's contributions with modest outputs, while Ty Lawson continued his recent stretch of improved play by pacing the Houston bench with 14 points, four assists, a rebound and a steal. The Rockets fell to 16 - 17 and remain in fourth place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They await the Golden State Warriors for a New Year's Eve matchup at home."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "27", "Nets": "42"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "34", "Nets": "21"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "30", "Nets": "15"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "104"}}, {"Assists": {"Joe Johnson": "4", "CJ McCollum": "6"}, "Points": {"Joe Johnson": "19", "Brook Lopez": "36", "CJ McCollum": "34", "Damian Lillard": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Joe Johnson": "8", "Brook Lopez": "10", "CJ McCollum": "5"}, "Steals": {"Brook Lopez": "4"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (30 - 27) took care of business against the Brooklyn Nets (15 - 42), beating them112 - 104 on Tuesday, The Blazers came into this game scorching hot and carried that form over in this win. They got off to a quick start, as they outscored the Nets 34 - 21 in the first quarter. The three - point shooting was a stark contrast between the two teams, as Brooklyn shot 3 - for - 12, with the Trail Blazers shooting 10 - for - 23. The Nets actually made a run in the third quarter to make it close, but the Blazers made some big shots late to pull out the win. The Nets came into this game with four road wins on the season fought hard in a tough circumstance. Brook Lopez was fantastic in the loss, as he amassed 36 points, 10 rebounds and four steals in the loss. Joe Johnson continued his recent good form as well, as he tallied 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Up next for the Nets is a favorable matchup against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday. This now gives Portland their 10th win in their last 11 games and they continue to climb up the standings. C.J. McCollum was the catalyst in this game, as he accumulated 34 points, six assists and five rebounds in the victory. Damian Lillard continued his torrid stretch as well, as he scored 34 points for his fifth - straight 30 - plus point game. On deck for the Blazers is a matchup against the Houston Rockets on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "38", "Pistons": "36"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "90", "Pistons": "94"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "38", "Pistons": "41"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "42"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pistons": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Tobias Harris": "4", "Andre Drummond": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "4", "Jimmy Butler": "12"}, "Blocks": {"Tobias Harris": "1", "Pau Gasol": "4", "Jimmy Butler": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "3", "Reggie Jackson": "3", "Jimmy Butler": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tobias Harris": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "2", "Jimmy Butler": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "17", "Reggie Jackson": "17", "Jimmy Butler": "25"}, "Field goals made": {"Tobias Harris": "9", "Reggie Jackson": "6", "Jimmy Butler": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "10", "Jimmy Butler": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Tobias Harris": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "8", "Jimmy Butler": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Tobias Harris": "38", "Andre Drummond": "28", "Reggie Jackson": "35", "Pau Gasol": "34", "Jimmy Butler": "39", "Aaron Brooks": "16"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "21", "Andre Drummond": "11", "Reggie Jackson": "22", "Pau Gasol": "16", "Jimmy Butler": "28", "Aaron Brooks": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "7", "Andre Drummond": "11", "Reggie Jackson": "4", "Pau Gasol": "14", "Jimmy Butler": "17"}, "Steals": {"Tobias Harris": "2", "Andre Drummond": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "1", "Jimmy Butler": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Reggie Jackson": "6"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (41 - 36) defeated the host Chicago Bulls (38 - 38) 94 - 90, Saturday night at United Center. Jimmy Butler's first career triple - double was not enough to salvage a win for the Chicago Bulls as they succumbed to the visiting Detroit Pistons. This was a significant game for both teams but the Bulls especially, as a win could have brought them within half a game, or even a tie for the last playoff spot. However, the Pistons did a great job to bounce back from a tough loss at home to the Mavericks on Friday, as they were relentless down the stretch to come out on top. Detroit remains in seventh place in the East, half a game ahead of Indiana and 3 games ahead of ninth place Chicago. The Bulls have six games remaining, while the Pistons have five, as the battle for the last three spots in the East remains a close one. Reggie Jackson hit four clutch free throws in the last 20 seconds to help secure the win for the Pistons. Jackson totaled 22 points (6 - 17 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 8 - 10 FT), four rebounds, four assists and one steal but also gave up six turnovers, in 35 minutes of action. Tobias Harris chipped in 21 points (9 - 17 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and one blocked shot, in 38 minutes; while Andre Drummond recorded his 64th double - double of the season, with 11 points and 11 rebounds, along with four assists and two steals, in 28 minutes. The Pistons shot 42 percent from the field, including 50 percent from long range en route to the win. Jimmy Butler did it all for Chicago, as he tallied 28 points (10 - 25 FG, 1 - 7 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT), 17 rebounds, 12 assists, three steals and two blocked shots, in 39 minutes. Butler's first career triple - double was not enough as only two other Bulls players scored in double digits, while the team shot 37 percent from the field. Pau Gasol added 16 points, 14 rebounds, four blocked shots and three steals, in 34 minutes, while Aaron Brooks tallied 14 points in 16 minutes off the bench. Derrick Rose (elbow) and Taj Gibson (ribs) were both absent from the contest. The Bulls will look to get right back on track as they play in Milwaukee on Sunday. The Pistons will have a few days off before they face the Heat in Miami on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "17", "Heat": "12"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "95", "Heat": "100"}, "Turnovers": {"Jazz": "11"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "6", "Heat": "11"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Heat": "29"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Luol Deng": "2", "Chris Bosh": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "1", "Enes Kanter": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Luol Deng": "1", "Chris Bosh": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "1", "Enes Kanter": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Luol Deng": "7", "Chris Bosh": "16", "Dwyane Wade": "16", "Enes Kanter": "17", "Rudy Gobert": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Luol Deng": "5", "Chris Bosh": "9", "Dwyane Wade": "10", "Enes Kanter": "10", "Rudy Gobert": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Luol Deng": "4", "Chris Bosh": "4", "Enes Kanter": "4", "Rudy Gobert": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Luol Deng": "3", "Chris Bosh": "3", "Enes Kanter": "4", "Rudy Gobert": "5"}, "Points": {"Luol Deng": "14", "Chris Bosh": "22", "Dwyane Wade": "29", "Enes Kanter": "25", "Rudy Gobert": "9"}, "Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "7", "Rudy Gobert": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Dwyane Wade": "1", "Derrick Favors": "1", "Rudy Gobert": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Dwyane Wade": "35", "Derrick Favors": "10", "Rudy Gobert": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwyane Wade": "3", "Enes Kanter": "8", "Rudy Gobert": "11"}, "Steals": {"Dwyane Wade": "1", "Rudy Gobert": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Derrick Favors": "1"}}], "The Miami Heat (11 - 12) took down the Utah Jazz (6 - 17) 100 - 95 on Friday at EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City. The Heat had lost five of their last six before grabbing this road win. Miami got the job done against the Jazz, largely due to an impressive night from Dwyane Wade, who scored 29 points (10 - 16 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 8 - 12 FG) to go with seven assists, three rebounds, one steal and one block in 35 minutes. Chris Bosh and Luol Deng were the only other players to hit double figures, with Bosh scoring 22 points (9 - 16 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) Deng scoring 14 points (5 - 7 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT). The Heat will look to keep it going against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday night. The Jazz were only able to get 10 minutes from Derrick Favors in this one, as he left the game with a sprained ankle. Losing the big man obviously hurt them, and it forced Rudy Gobert into extended action. Gobert scored nine points (2 - 2 FG, 5 - 6 FT) to go with 11 rebounds, five blocks, four assists and one steal in 26 minutes. Enes Kanter had a nice night for the Jazz as well, putting up 25 points (10 - 17 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) to go with eight rebounds. The Jazz are in the midst of a brutal stretch where they've lost 10 of their last 11 games, and they'll face the Washington Wizards on Sunday night."], [[{"Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "106", "Thunder": "89"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "31", "Thunder": "12"}, "Turnovers": {"Trail Blazers": "10"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "1"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "0"}}, {"Assists": {"Serge Ibaka": "2", "Steven Adams": "2", "Lance Thomas": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "6", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Serge Ibaka": "4", "Nicolas Batum": "1", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "Robin Lopez": "2"}, "Points": {"Serge Ibaka": "10", "Steven Adams": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "38", "Lance Thomas": "14", "Nicolas Batum": "16", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "27", "Robin Lopez": "11", "Wesley Matthews": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "8", "Steven Adams": "7", "Lance Thomas": "3", "Nicolas Batum": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "3", "Robin Lopez": "10"}, "Steals": {"Steven Adams": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "1", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Robin Lopez": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Wesley Matthews": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "26", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "19", "Wesley Matthews": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "11", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "10", "Wesley Matthews": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "16", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Russell Westbrook": "15", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "6"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Lance Thomas": "31", "Robin Lopez": "32"}, "3-pointers made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Wesley Matthews": "5"}}], "The Portland Trailblazers (10) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (0 - 1) 106 - 89 on Wednesday at the Moda Center in Portland. The Thunder turned the ball over 15 times compared to the Trail Blazers' 10 in their opening game loss. Despite the turnover difference, the game was very close heading into the fourth quarter. That's when the Trail Blazers caught fire and outscored the Thunder 31 to 12 to close out the game. With Kevin Durant (foot surgery) out for most of the first two months of the season, Russell Westbrook is going to take a lot of shots. He got off 26 total Wednesday, while going 11 - for - 26 from the field for 38 points. Westbrook also got to the line at will and made 15 - of - 16 attempts there. Lance Thomas was the next highest scorer with 14 off the bench. He recorded three rebounds and two assists as well in the 31 minutes of action he received. Serge Ibaka was the only other player in double digits for the Thunder, as he contributed 10 points to go along with eight rebounds, two assists, and four blocked shots. Steven Adams got the start at center and posted eight points with seven rebounds, two assists, and two steals. The Trail Blazers had six players score in double - digits. LaMarcus Aldridge scored 27 points (10 - 19 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 6 - 8 FT) to go with three rebounds, two assists, a steal, and two blocks. Wesley Matthews scored 22 points, going 8 - for - 12 from the field and 5 - for - 9 from the three - point line. Getting his first double - double of the season, Robin Lopez contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds, while also adding a steal and two blocks in 32 minutes of action. Starting at small forward, Nicolas Batum scored 16 points and posted five rebounds, six assists, one steal, and a blocked shot. The Thunder will go on the road and play the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday, while the Trail Blazers will travel to Sacramento to play the Kings on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "21", "Rockets": "8"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "111", "Rockets": "125"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "8", "Rockets": "22"}, "Turnovers": {"Rockets": "11"}}, {"Assists": {"James Harden": "14", "Devin Booker": "7"}, "Points": {"James Harden": "27", "Eric Gordon": "24", "Devin Booker": "28", "Eric Bledsoe": "16", "TJ Warren": "19", "Brandon Knight": "17"}, "3-pointers made": {"Eric Gordon": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Devin Booker": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"TJ Warren": "17"}}], "The visiting Houston Rockets took down the host Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, 125 - 111. Houston (22 - 8) has won 11 of its last 12 contests, bouncing back with the win over the Suns after having lost to the Spurs on Tuesday night. Point guard James Harden continued his ridiculous stretch of play, posting a team - high 27 points to go along with 14 assists. Guard Eric Gordon, meanwhile, scored 24 points off the bench and passed Steph Curry for the league lead in three pointers made thanks to a whopping seven shots from beyond the arc on Wednesday. Seven Rockets scored in double digits in the win, including every member of the Houston starting five. Phoenix (8 - 21) is in the opposite position of Houston, having now lost four straight. The Suns sit near the bottom of the Western Conference despite having seen strong play from star point guard Eric Bledsoe recently. On Wednesday, Bledsoe scored 16, but took a back seat to sophomore guard Devin Booker. Booker poured in a team - high 28 points in addition to six rebounds and seven assists. Bench players TJ Warren and Brandon Knight scored 19 and 17, respectively. The Rockets will visit Memphis on Friday, while the Suns will host the 76ers."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "2"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "97", "Mavericks": "81"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Jazz": "25"}, "Turnovers": {"Jazz": "12"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Mavericks": "14"}}, {"Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "14", "Dirk Nowitzki": "9", "Wesley Matthews": "12", "Deron Williams": "12", "Rodney Hood": "22", "George Hill": "25"}, "Minutes played": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Rodney Hood": "7", "George Hill": "6"}, "Assists": {"George Hill": "4"}}], "The Utah Jazz defeated the Dallas Mavericks 97 - 81 Vivint Smart Home Arena on Wednesday. The Jazz (2 - 2) notched their second straight victory after a slow 0 - 2 start to the regular season thanks in large part to the excellent play of their starting backcourt. Starting point guard George Hill scored 20 - plus points for the second straight night, putting up a team - high 25 points to go along with six rebounds and four assists, while starting shooting guard Rodney Hood managed to record 22 points and seven rebounds of his own. The two combined to shoot 6 - of - 10 from the 3 - point line, while as a team, the Jazz won the game with their long range shooting, hitting 12 of their 25 shots from long range. The Mavericks (0 - 3) did n't have the same success on their attempts from downtown, shooting just 7 - of - 26 shots from long range on their way to dropping their third straight game to start the season. Harrison Barnes, the team's high scorer on the night, managed to score just 14 points, while Dallas' starting backcourt consisting of Deron Williams and Wesley Matthews scored only 12 points a piece. Dirk Nowitzki, who returned to action Wednesday after missing last game with an illness, managed just nine points in 29 minutes of play. In the end, it was a night to forget offensively for the Mavericks. Up next, the Jazz will stay at home for a rematch with the Spurs on Friday, while the Mavericks will head home Friday to take on the Trail Blazers."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "12", "Cavaliers": "25"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "106", "Cavaliers": "97"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "49", "Cavaliers": "39"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"LeBron James": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "5"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"LeBron James": "9", "Kyrie Irving": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyrie Irving": "5"}, "Assists": {"Dennis Schroder": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Dennis Schroder": "24"}, "Points": {"Dennis Schroder": "15"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (49 - 12) asserted their dominance as the top team in the East on Friday by beating the fourth - place Cleveland Cavaliers (39 - 25) 106 - 97 on Friday. As usual, it was a team effort that gave the Hawks the win, with seven players finishing in double digits, including Dennis Schroder's 15 points and eight assists in 24 minutes off the bench. Despite playing a somewhat limited role off the bench, Schroder has averaged 16 points and 9 assists in just 29 minutes per game over his last three outings. The Hawks do n't have an MVP candidate on their roster, but if they keep beating the other top teams in the NBA, it makes the idea of extending the Player of the Month Award that was given to the entire starting five for their perfect 170 run in January an intriguing notion to suggest for the MVP award that is historically only given to one player. They have an 11 - game lead on the second - place Chicago Bulls, and they're the only team in the NBA to already have a playoff spot secured. The Cavaliers are no slouches, but they've struggled a little lately, winning just two of their last five games. They had trouble protecting the ball Friday, as Kyrie Irving coughed up the ball five times, and LeBron James tied his career high for turnovers in regulation by losing the ball nine times. The Hawks forced a lot of those turnovers with great pressure defense to force the ball out of the Cavs' playmakers' hands, and they scored 20 easy points off the Cavs' 18 turnovers. While King James struggled, James Harden was busy putting up a triple - double on the Detroit Pistons on Friday, as both players remain two of the top players in consideration for the MVP award this season, and the narratives about who is more deserving change from night to night as they trade off impressive performances. Cleveland will return home to host the Suns on Saturday, and the Hawks go on the road to face the 76ers on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "39"}, "Turnovers": {"Pelicans": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6", "Pau Gasol": "2", "Patty Mills": "2", "Anthony Davis": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Jrue Holiday": "5"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "31", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "21", "Patty Mills": "15", "Anthony Davis": "29", "DeMarcus Cousins": "19", "Jrue Holiday": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "7", "Patty Mills": "2", "Jrue Holiday": "7"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3", "Patty Mills": "2"}, "Blocks": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "3"}}], "In a game with 11 ties and 11 lead changes in total, neither team led by more than eight points in this overtime thriller. Defense carried the Spurs, as they held the Pelicans to 39 percent shooting, while committing 16 turnovers. San Antonio's bench was huge as well, outscoring New Orleans' bench, 35 - 16. Kawhi Leonard carried the Spurs, as he accumulated 31 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals. LaMarcus Aldridge finished second on the team with 21 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks. Patty Mills provided 15 points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals off the bench, while Pau Gasol amassed 12 points and eight rebounds off the pine as well. Anthony Davis led the Pelicans with 29 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Jrue Holiday finished second on the team with 26 points, seven rebounds and five assists. DeMarcus Cousins totaled 19 points, 23 rebounds and four assists."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "51", "Nuggets": "46"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "28", "Nuggets": "36"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "122", "Nuggets": "116"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "31", "Nuggets": "23"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kenneth Faried": "12", "D.J. Augustin": "14", "Will Barton": "24", "Chandler Parsons": "17", "Dirk Nowitzki": "21", "David Lee": "10", "Raymond Felton": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Kenneth Faried": "8", "D.J. Augustin": "7", "Will Barton": "9", "Chandler Parsons": "10", "Dirk Nowitzki": "10", "David Lee": "6", "Raymond Felton": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kenneth Faried": "6", "D.J. Augustin": "4", "Will Barton": "5", "Chandler Parsons": "4", "David Lee": "4", "Raymond Felton": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Kenneth Faried": "4", "D.J. Augustin": "3", "Will Barton": "4", "Chandler Parsons": "3", "David Lee": "2", "Raymond Felton": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Kenneth Faried": "34", "D.J. Augustin": "36", "Will Barton": "43", "Chandler Parsons": "40", "Dirk Nowitzki": "40", "David Lee": "25", "Raymond Felton": "40"}, "Points": {"Kenneth Faried": "20", "D.J. Augustin": "20", "Will Barton": "22", "Chandler Parsons": "27", "Dirk Nowitzki": "20", "David Lee": "14", "Raymond Felton": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Kenneth Faried": "12", "D.J. Augustin": "2", "Will Barton": "9", "Chandler Parsons": "5", "Dirk Nowitzki": "13", "David Lee": "14", "Raymond Felton": "4"}, "Assists": {"D.J. Augustin": "3", "Will Barton": "3", "Chandler Parsons": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "4", "Raymond Felton": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"D.J. Augustin": "6", "Will Barton": "7", "Chandler Parsons": "10", "Dirk Nowitzki": "3", "Raymond Felton": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"D.J. Augustin": "3", "Will Barton": "0", "Chandler Parsons": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "0", "Raymond Felton": "0"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Raymond Felton": "4"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (31 - 28) defeated the visiting Denver Nuggets (23 - 36) 122 - 116, on Friday night at American Airlines Center. This was a much needed win for the Mavericks, who came into this one losers of six of their last eight games and in danger of slipping out of the top eight in the West with another loss. Meanwhile, Denver was coming off a win against the Clippers but have now lost five of six. It took overtime to solve this one thanks to a huge rally by Dallas that overcame a 14 - point deficit in the fourth quarter to tie the game with 10 seconds left. With the game tied at 108 after four quarters Dallas exploded for 14 points in overtime, led by Raymond Felton, who went off for eight points in the period. Felton finished the game with 16 points (7 - 12 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), six assists and four rebounds, in 40 minutes off the bench. Chandler Parsons tallied a game - high 27 points (10 - 17 FG, 4 - 10 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), along with five rebounds and four assists, in 40 minutes, while Dirk Nowitzki poured in 20 points (10 - 21 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt) along with 13 rebounds and four assists, in 40 minutes. New addition David Lee was effective in 25 minutes off the bench, with 14 points (6 - 10 FG, 2 - 4 FT) and 14 rebounds, in 25 minutes off the bench. Dallas shot 51 percent from the field and hit 21 - of - 27 free throws to earn this much needed win against the tenacious Nuggets. Six players scored in double figures for Denver, including Will Barton, who led the way with 22 points (9 - 24 FG, 0 - 7 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT), along with nine rebounds and three assists, in 43 minutes off the bench. Kenneth Faried tallied a double - double in 34 minutes, with 20 points (8 - 12 FG, 4 - 6 FT) and 12 rebounds. Newly acquired guard D.J. Augustin once again proved his ability to add instant offense to just about any team he joins, as he chipped in 20 points (7 - 14 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), three assists and two rebounds, in 36 minutes off the bench. The Nuggets fell short hitting 46 percent of their field goals, including 9 - of - 29 from deep and missing 10 of their 31 free throw attempts. Next, the Nuggets host the Grizzlies on Monday. The Mavericks will look for their second straight win when they host the Timberwolves on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "40", "Spurs": "15"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "91", "Spurs": "96"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "42", "Spurs": "67"}}, {"Assists": {"Kyle Anderson": "4", "Boban Marjanovic": "1", "Danny Green": "3", "Andre Miller": "5", "Jonathon Simmons": "2", "Dirk Nowitzki": "1", "Wesley Matthews": "3", "Deron Williams": "7", "Raymond Felton": "2"}, "Points": {"Kyle Anderson": "15", "Boban Marjanovic": "22", "Danny Green": "12", "Jonathon Simmons": "19", "Dirk Nowitzki": "19", "Wesley Matthews": "11", "Deron Williams": "13", "Raymond Felton": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Kyle Anderson": "10", "Boban Marjanovic": "12", "Danny Green": "2", "Jonathon Simmons": "7", "Dirk Nowitzki": "7", "Wesley Matthews": "4", "Deron Williams": "2", "Raymond Felton": "4"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Anderson": "5", "Danny Green": "1", "Jonathon Simmons": "2", "Dirk Nowitzki": "1", "Wesley Matthews": "3", "Raymond Felton": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Boban Marjanovic": "2", "Wesley Matthews": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Danny Green": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Danny Green": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Andre Miller": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Jonathon Simmons": "31"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (67 - 15) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (42 - 40) 96 - 91 on Wednesday night. With the second seed guaranteed, and a three - game losing streak having been broken on Tuesday night, coach Gregg Popovich opted to rest the majority of his starters. San Antonio's starting five resembled a unit that could easily be envisioned playing in the fourth quarter of a mid - October exhibtion, with Kyle Anderson, Andre Miller, Kyle Anderson, Danny Green and Boban Marjanovic taking the floor. Despite essentially playing with second and third units, the Spurs were impressively able to garner a road victory against a Dallas team that could have potentially improved its playoff positioning with a victory. San Antonio was led by Marjanovic's 22 - point, 12 - rebound double - double that also included two blocks and an assist. Jonathan Simmons was next, tallying 19 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals in 31 minutes off the bench. Marjanovic's and Simmons' point totals were notably career highs. Anderson contributed a double - double of his own, managing 15 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and five steals. Danny Green supplied 12 points, three assists, two rebounds and a steal. The Spurs finish atop the Western Conference's Southwest Division, with their playoff opponent still to be determined as of this writing. Dallas was led by a 22 - point effort off the bench from Raymond Felton, who also supplied four rebounds, two assists and a steal. Dirk Nowitzki pitched in with 19 points, seven rebounds, an assist and a steal. Deron Williams totaled 13 points, seven assists and two rebounds. Wesley Matthews amassed 11 points, four rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block. The Mavericks finish in third place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They'll be slotted in either the seventh or the sixth seed, with the latter serving as the most probable outcome, as it's dependent on the Warriors defeating the Grizzlies later Wednesday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "23"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "102", "Kings": "99"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "4"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "35", "Paul Zipser": "23"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}, "Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "42", "Jimmy Butler": "23", "Dwyane Wade": "30", "Paul Zipser": "13", "Nikola Mirotic": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "14", "Dwyane Wade": "6"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul Zipser": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul Zipser": "4"}}], "The Chicago Bulls defeated the visiting Sacramento Kings 102 - 99, at United Center on Saturday evening. The Bulls literally stole one from the Kings, as Dwyane Wade came up with two huge steals in the last minute to seal the deal for Chicago. First Wade stole the ball then raced down floor but missed a dunk to go ahead by two, however a foul was called against DeMarcus Cousins on the play to put Wade at the line. Wade missed the first of two free throws but hit the second to put his squad up 100 - 99. The Kings then took a timeout with 14 seconds on the clock. Out of the timeout, they inbounded the ball to Cousins at the three - point line, and he proceeded to take it into the paint, but as he was backing down his defender, Wade swooped in for the game saving steal, and raced away, passing the ball ahead for a dunk which put the game out of reach. The Bulls (22 - 23) really needed this one, as they were coming off two ugly losses. Wade had a rough start to the game but ended up coming through, with a team - high 30 points, to go along with six rebounds, four assists, four blocks and three steals. Three other players scored in double digits for the Bulls, led by Jimmy Butler's 23 points. Paul Zipser came up big for Chicago, as he chipped in 13 points on 4 - of - 8 shooting, in 23 minutes off the bench, while Nikola Mirotic added 11 points off the bench. The Bulls will look to build on this win, as they head to Orlando to take on the Magic on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Kings (18 - 27) were dealt a heartbreaker, as the foul on Wade's would - be go - ahead dunk was a questionable one, and will likely be mentioned in Sunday's L2M report. DeMarcus Cousins did all he could to give his team the edge, as he was the only player to score in double digits for the Kings. Cousins finished with a game - high 42 points, to go along with 14 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal, in 35 minutes. The Kings will have to put the past behind them as they move on to Detroit, where they will face the third game of their current eight - game road trip."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Hawks": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "49", "Heat": "43"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "12", "Heat": "15"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "103", "Heat": "95"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "11", "Heat": "7"}, "Turnovers": {"Heat": "16"}}, {"Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "1", "Paul Millsap": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Hassan Whiteside": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4"}, "Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "8", "Rodney McGruder": "11", "Goran Dragic": "21", "Tyler Johnson": "27", "Paul Millsap": "21", "Dwight Howard": "23", "Dennis Schroder": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "12", "Rodney McGruder": "5", "Paul Millsap": "9", "Dwight Howard": "17", "Dennis Schroder": "4"}, "Assists": {"Rodney McGruder": "5", "Goran Dragic": "4", "Tyler Johnson": "5", "Dwight Howard": "4", "Dennis Schroder": "7"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "4"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Miami Heat, 103 - 95, at Philips Arena on Wednesday. Atlanta was in desperate need of a win and they were able to take care of a shorthanded Miami team here. Defense was key for the Hawks, as they held the Heat to 42 percent shooting and forced them to commit 16 turnovers. Atlanta also dominated in the paint, winning the rebounding battle, 47 - 34, and outscoring them in the paint 58 - 26.The Hawks shot 49 percent from the field and assisted on 27 of their 43 made baskets. This was a near wire - to - wire win for the Hawks, as Miami held just one lead in the first five minutes. Miami (7 - 15) are as beat - up as anyone right now and it's taking a toll on the heavily used starters. Hassan Whiteside really struggled in this game, as he amassed eight points, 12 rebounds and one blocks on 4 - of - 12 shooting. Tyler Johnson was the team's best player, as he tallied 27 points and five assists off the bench. Goran Dragic continued his good form, scoring 21 points and handing out four assists. Rodney McGruder got the start for Justise Winslow and finished with 11 points, five rebounds and five assists. It does n't get any easier for the Heat, as they play the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road for their next game. Atlanta (11 - 12) had lost seven - straight headed into this game, so to say this win was needed would be a drastic understatement. Dwight Howard took a lot of the load on his broad shoulders, as he tallied 23 points, 17 rebounds and four assists. It was n't just offense though, as he held the dominant Hassan Whiteside in check. Paul Millsap also played great, accumulating 21 points, nine rebounds, four steals and three blocks in the victory. Dennis Schroeder was the only other player in double figures, accruing 17 points, four rebounds and seven assists. Atlanta will look to build off this win on Friday, when they play the Milwaukee Bucks on the road."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Hawks": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "48"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "8", "Thunder": "21"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "103", "Thunder": "93"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hawks": "23", "Thunder": "30"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hawks": "25", "Thunder": "17"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "36"}, "Turnovers": {"Thunder": "11"}}, {"Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "1"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "21", "Serge Ibaka": "13", "Russell Westbrook": "22", "DeMarre Carroll": "13", "Paul Millsap": "22", "Al Horford": "14", "Jeff Teague": "17", "Dennis Schroder": "13"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Durant": "1", "Serge Ibaka": "1"}, "Assists": {"Serge Ibaka": "1", "Jeff Teague": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Serge Ibaka": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "10", "Al Horford": "12"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jeff Teague": "13"}}], "The Hawks (36 - 8) rolled to their 15th straight victory Friday, handling the Thunder 103 - 93 at Phillips Arena. Atlanta fell behind 30 - 23 after the first 12 minutes but responded with a big second quarter, outscoring Oklahoma City 25 - 17. The Hawks carried a four - point lead into the fourth quarter, when they would break the game open behind an 80 run spurred by Dennis Schroder. Schroder scored six points and assisted on an Al Horford layup, as the run put Atlanta up 87 - 76 with eight minutes to play. The Thunder never got within eight points the rest of the way, and a Horford three - pointer with two minutes to play put the exclamation point on a signature win for the East-leading Hawks. Atlanta, which shot 48 percent from the field, was led by 22 points and 10 rebounds from Paul Millsap. Horford finished with 14 points and 12 boards, while Jeff Teague added 17 points and nine assists. DeMarre Carroll chipped in 13 points, and Schroder had 13 of his own off the bench. The Hawks registered 27 assists as a team and out - rebounded the Thunder, who lead the NBA in rebounds per game, by an 11 - board margin. Oklahoma City got 22 points from Russell Westbrook and 21 from Kevin Durant, but only one other player, Serge Ibaka, scored in double - figures (13). The Thunder committed just 11 turnovers and connected on 10 three - pointers, but it was their interior defense that ultimately led to the loss. The Hawks scored more than half of their points in the paint (54) and shot 52 percent from two - point range. Up next, the Thunder head to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers on Sunday afternoon. Atlanta remains home to host the Timberwolves on Sunday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "22", "Bucks": "21"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "85", "Bucks": "95"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "19"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "12", "Bucks": "14"}}, {"Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "11", "Greg Monroe": "19", "Andrew Wiggins": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9"}, "Steals": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (14 - 21) recorded a road win against the Minnesota Timberwolves (12 - 22) on Saturday, beating them by a final score of 95 - 85. Milwaukee has had a troubling start to the season after returning to the playoff picture in 2014 - 15. The Bucks, last year's sixth seed, now sit at thirteenth in the Eastern Conference. The win over the Wolves, however, marks the Bucks' second straight win after they defeated division rival Inidana on Thursday. Six players scored in double digits for Milwaukee, with center Greg Monroe leading the way with 19. 21 - year - old small forward Giannis \"The Greek Freak\" Antetenkoumpo delivered a strong defensive showing to go along with 11 points and nine rebounds. The team shot just 42 percent from the field, but performed well from deep on the whole, knocking down 8 - of - 16 from beyond the arc. For the Wolves, meanwhile, rookie sensation Karl-Anthony Towns delivered a rare weak showing. The 20 - year - old center shot just 4 - for - 17, despite delivering a strong performance on the glass (10 rebounds) and on the defensive end (one steal, three blocks). Reigning Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins scored a team - high 19 points for Minnesota while also playing pesky defense, recording three steals. The Bucks are on a two - game win streak, but will face a challenging matchup against the powerhouse Spurs on Monday. The Timberwolves, meanwhile, will hope for a bounceback as they prepare to take on the league - worst 76ers."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "51"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"Taj Gibson": "5", "Doug McDermott": "11"}, "Points": {"Taj Gibson": "18", "Jimmy Butler": "16", "Doug McDermott": "31", "Marc Gasol": "24", "Mike Conley": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Taj Gibson": "8", "Jimmy Butler": "8", "Marc Gasol": "11", "Zach Randolph": "16"}, "Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "6", "Mike Conley": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "5"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "3", "Doug McDermott": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Doug McDermott": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Doug McDermott": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Doug McDermott": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"Doug McDermott": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Zach Randolph": "8"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Zach Randolph": "8"}}], "On Sunday, rising young forward Doug McDermott had one of the better nights of his career. McDermott scored a team - high 31 points with three three - pointers and 10 - of - 11 from the free - throw line. Superstar forward Jimmy Butler anchored the starting five, going for 16 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals. Veteran big man Taj Gibson led the starting five in scoring with 18 points and had eight rebounds. As a team, the Bulls shot a whopping 51 percent from the field and reached the free - throw line 35 times. The Grizzlies, meanwhile, saw strong play from their veteran core. Center Marc Gasol scored 24 points to go with 11 rebounds. Point guard Mike Conley, meanwhile, led the team with 28 points and eight assists. Off the bench, big man Zach Randolph had 16 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "1", "Cavaliers": "2"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "99", "Cavaliers": "96"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bulls": "27"}, "Turnovers": {"Bulls": "7", "Cavaliers": "11"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "2", "Cavaliers": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "14", "JR Smith": "1", "Pau Gasol": "4", "Derrick Rose": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LeBron James": "7", "Nikola Mirotic": "4"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "27", "Tristan Thompson": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "11", "Derrick Rose": "30", "Nikola Mirotic": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "8", "Tristan Thompson": "13", "Kyrie Irving": "4", "Pau Gasol": "4", "Jimmy Butler": "8", "Derrick Rose": "7", "Nikola Mirotic": "8"}, "Turnovers": {"LeBron James": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Tristan Thompson": "3", "Derrick Rose": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Kyrie Irving": "38", "Pau Gasol": "22", "Nikola Mirotic": "22"}, "Steals": {"Kyrie Irving": "2", "Derrick Rose": "1", "Nikola Mirotic": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jimmy Butler": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Jimmy Butler": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Derrick Rose": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Derrick Rose": "1"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (2 - 1) took down the Cleveland Cavaliers (1 - 2) 99 - 96, in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Friday. Derrick Rose hit a wild, three - point buzzer - beater that banked in for the win. That final bucket put Rose at 30 points for the evening to go along with his seven assists and seven rebounds. Pau Gasol injured his hamstring and was n't able to return after playing just 22 minutes. That made the impact of Nikola's Mirotic even more imperative, as the rookie showed he can be a big - game player. Mirotic had 12 points, eight rebounds and two steals in 22 minutes of action, as well as a plus - 19 in the plus/minus statistic, which was the highest of any player on either team. Regardless of his play, the Bulls would love to see Gasol back and healthy for Game 4 in Chicago on Sunday. The Cavaliers thought they were going to overtime, after J.R. Smith nailed a three - pointer with under eleven seconds to play. All they needed was one more stop, but Derrick Rose banked in his miraculous shot to end the Cavs hopes of an extra period. Kyrie Irving seemed to injure his foot in the first quarter and did n't quite look the same the rest of the way. He finished with just 11 points, four rebounds and two steals. Irving also failed to record an assists in 38 minutes. With Irving somewhat hobbled, it was up to LeBron James to take over for Cleveland. James finished with 27 points, 14 assists and eight rebounds but also recorded seven costly turnovers, with the Bulls' Jimmy Butler playing tenacious defense. Tristan Thompson had a nice game with 10 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks, but it was n't enough to regain homecourt advantage for the Cavaliers. If they cane win Game 4 in Chicago on Sunday, they'll head back home with two of the final three games being held in Cleveland."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "24", "Hawks": "12"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "86", "Hawks": "97"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "31", "Hawks": "44"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "20"}}, {"Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "2", "Al Horford": "2", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "3", "Al Horford": "1", "Kyle Korver": "9", "Dennis Schroder": "4", "Khris Middleton": "4", "Jerryd Bayless": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul Millsap": "1", "Al Horford": "0", "Kyle Korver": "4", "Dennis Schroder": "1", "Khris Middleton": "1", "Jerryd Bayless": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul Millsap": "10", "Al Horford": "5", "Kyle Korver": "4", "Jeff Teague": "4", "Dennis Schroder": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7", "Khris Middleton": "6", "Jerryd Bayless": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "2", "Al Horford": "6", "Jeff Teague": "2", "Khris Middleton": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul Millsap": "2", "Al Horford": "5", "Jeff Teague": "2", "Khris Middleton": "6"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "23", "Al Horford": "15", "Kyle Korver": "12", "Jeff Teague": "10", "Dennis Schroder": "12", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "19", "Khris Middleton": "19", "Jerryd Bayless": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "16", "Al Horford": "8", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4", "Khris Middleton": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Al Horford": "12", "Kyle Korver": "11", "Jeff Teague": "8", "Dennis Schroder": "10", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "15", "Khris Middleton": "12", "Jerryd Bayless": "11"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kyle Korver": "4", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1"}, "Steals": {"Jeff Teague": "4", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1", "Jerryd Bayless": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Jeff Teague": "4", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1"}, "Assists": {"Dennis Schroder": "9", "Khris Middleton": "5", "Jerryd Bayless": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Dennis Schroder": "26"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Khris Middleton": "4"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (44 - 12) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (31 - 24) 97 - 86 on Sunday at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee. The Hawks came out firing in this game and built an early lead, out - scoring the Bucks 48 - 35 in the first half alone. The Bucks made a run in the third to bring themselves within two, but the Hawks took off in the fourth quarter and finished with an 11 - point victory on the road. With the win, the Hawks ended the Bucks' four game winstreak, while also getting back in the winning column after losing their last two in a row. It was a relatively sloppy game, with each team committing at least 20 turnovers, but the Hawks were able to overcome and keep themselves positioned atop the Eastern Conference standings. The Hawks had six players reach double figures, including all five starters. Paul Millsap was especially effective, as he went off for 23 points (10 - 21FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), 16 rebounds and two blocked shots. The Bucks' frontcourt just did n't have an answer for him defensively, as Millsap got all the shots he wanted, all game long. Center Al Horford also had an impressive showing, posting 15 points (5 - 12 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT), eight rebounds and two blocked shots. He struggled offensively in his first game back from the All-Star break with only seven points on Friday, so it looked as if Horford was back to his normal ways in Sunday's matchup. The Hawks' backcourt duo of Kyle Korver (4 - 11 FG, 4 - 9 3Pt) and Jeff Teague (4 - 8 FG, 2 - 2 FT) also reached double figures with 12 and 10 points respectively. Teague has scored 12 points or less in each of his last four games, despite averaging 17 points on the season, so he's still trying to get things turned back around. Dennis Schroder added 12 points (3 - 10 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and nine assists off the bench in 26 minutes. Giannis Antetokounmpo had a strong showing in this one, going 7 - for - 15 from the field to score 19 points, while also adding four rebounds and two blocked shots. After shooting just 23 percent (3 - 13 FG) from the field on Friday, it was good to see him get back on track, although he did n't grab as many rebounds as he normally does. Khris Middleton added 19 points (6 - 12 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) of his own, to go along with four rebounds and five assists. He's had a nice stretch of four games, averaging 17 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists over that span, so he showed no signs of slowing down Sunday. Receiving another start at point guard, Jarryd Bayless went 6 - for - 11 from the field and 1 - for - 2 from the three - point line to finish with 13 points, while adding three assists and three steals. It was his second straight start with Michael Carter-Williams still injured, as he's combined for 24 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists over that span, while posing as the replacement point guard in the starting lineup. As soon as Carter-Williams is healthy, it should push Bayless back to the bench. The Hawks' next game will be at home against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, while the Bucks will travel to Chicago to play the Bulls on Monday."], [[{"Total points": {"Magic": "86", "Pistons": "109"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pistons": "34"}, "Turnovers": {"Pistons": "11"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Andre Drummond": "31"}, "Points": {"Andre Drummond": "17", "Jodie Meeks": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "22"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jodie Meeks": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jodie Meeks": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Jodie Meeks": "11"}}], "The Magic were routed at home by the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday by a score of 109 - 86. Detroit's Jodie Meeks stole the show by putting on a three - point clinic, shooting 9 - of - 11 from deep on his way to scoring a season - high 34 points. Meeks began taking over in the second quarter, where he scored 11 consecutive points for the Pistons to help them take a nine - point lead late in the first half. He received from help from starting center Andre Drummond. Drummond put up a double - double of 17 points and 22 rebounds in 31 minutes. The Pistons have now won their last three games by a combined 56 points, which is all the more impressive considering that they had lost four in a row prior to this current win streak. Detroit will look to extend its winning streak on Friday when they travel to Madison Square Garden to take on the Knicks. The Magic were playing their second game in as many days, coming off a win over the Miami Heat on Monday. They entered the fourth quarter down by just ten points, but mustered only three points in the first four minutes of the period while Detroit extended its lead to 19 points. The Magic will play another back - to - back set this weekend when they host the Nets and Hornets on Friday and Saturday respectively."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "43", "Trail Blazers": "52"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "31"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "120", "Trail Blazers": "113"}, "Turnovers": {"Pistons": "7", "Trail Blazers": "24"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "29", "Trail Blazers": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "5", "CJ McCollum": "2", "Damian Lillard": "9", "Marcus Morris": "6", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "3", "Ish Smith": "7"}, "Points": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "19", "CJ McCollum": "25", "Damian Lillard": "34", "Marcus Morris": "37", "Andre Drummond": "19", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "16", "Ish Smith": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "7", "CJ McCollum": "4", "Damian Lillard": "11", "Marcus Morris": "8", "Andre Drummond": "15", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "3"}, "Steals": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "3", "Ish Smith": "7"}}], "The Detroit Pistons defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in overtime, 120 - 113, at Palace of Auburn Hills on Tuesday. There was n't a whole lot to separate these two in this matchup, as it took free basketball to decide a winner. Portland actually led for the majority of the game, as Detroit outscored them by 11 in the fourth quarter and overtime. Turnovers were the glaring difference in the game, as the Pistons committed just seven turnovers, while forcing 24 from the Trail Blazers. Portland dominated the shooting strangely enough, as they shot 52 percent to Detroit's 43 percent. The Blazers (23 - 35) are battling for the eight - seed in the west and overtime losses like this are devastating for that pursuit. Damian Lillard did all he could for Portland, as he led the team with 34 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. C.J. McCollum tallied 25 points, four rebounds and two assists. Jusuf Nurkic continued his good form with Portland, as he accrued 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Those three did combine for 14 turnovers though, which was double the total of the Pistons. Portland will host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday for their next game. The Pistons (29 - 31) are slowly climbing back to .500, as they've now won three of their last four games. Marcus Morris was the player of the game, as he accumulated 37 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Andre Drummond finished second on the team, totaling 19 points and 15 rebounds. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope collected 16 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals. Ish Smith was a huge spark off the bench, providing 12 points, seven assists and seven steals. Detroit's in action again on Wednesday in a road matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "47", "Nuggets": "36"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "39", "Nuggets": "32"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "105", "Nuggets": "104"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "14", "Nuggets": "21"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "47"}}, {"Assists": {"Danilo Gallinari": "7", "Kenneth Faried": "2", "Joe Johnson": "8", "Thaddeus Young": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Danilo Gallinari": "4"}, "Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "24", "Kenneth Faried": "22", "Gary Harris": "17", "Joe Johnson": "12", "Thaddeus Young": "20", "Markel Brown": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Danilo Gallinari": "3", "Kenneth Faried": "13", "Gary Harris": "3", "Thaddeus Young": "7"}, "Steals": {"Danilo Gallinari": "2", "Gary Harris": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Kenneth Faried": "1", "Thaddeus Young": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kenneth Faried": "6"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Gary Harris": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Thaddeus Young": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Thaddeus Young": "9"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets (14 - 39) won a thriller Monday night at Barclays Center over the Denver Nuggets (21 - 32), 105 - 104. Joe Johnson's 27 - foot three - point basket off one leg as time expired snatched victory from the jaws of defeat for the Nets. The Nuggets tied the game 95 - 95 on a Danilo Gallinari free throw with 5:33 to go in the game, and neither team would build more than a two - point lead at any point the rest of the way. With just one second to go, Kenneth Faried nailed a six - foot runner with just over one second to go that looked to seal the victory for the Nuggets, but after the Nets used a timeout to advance the ball, Johnson's buzzer - beater won it for Brooklyn. Johnson finished with 12 points and eight assists, but the Nets were led by Thaddeus Young's 20 points (9 - 15 FG), seven rebounds, three blocks, and two assists as he stuffed the stat sheet all night. Markel Brown made a big impact off the bench, as he scored a career high 19 points on sharp 6 - 10 shooting, including 2 - 4 from three - point land. The Nets shot a cool 47 percent (9 - 19) from three as a team. Gallinari's 24 was a game - high as he sank four three - pointers; he also dished seven assists, grabbed three rebounds and nabbed two steals. Kenneth Faried scored 22 and added 13 rebounds for his third double - double in the past four games. Gary Harris added 17 points on an efficient 8 - 12 night from the floor, but Denver was outshot both overall (52 percent to 47 percent) and from three (47 percent to 36 percent). The Nets will take to the road for a Wednesday matchup against Memphis. The Nuggets continue their road trip Wednesday against the Pistons."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "52"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "58"}}, {"Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "1", "Draymond Green": "1"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "28", "Klay Thompson": "20", "Patrick McCaw": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "10", "Patrick McCaw": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Draymond Green": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Draymond Green": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Draymond Green": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Klay Thompson": "8"}, "Assists": {"Patrick McCaw": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Patrick McCaw": "20"}}], "When the Golden State Warriors shooters find their stroke, opposing teams will find it nearly impossible to cut into early first quarter leads. The Warriors finished with 52 percent from behind the arc and 58 percent from the field as a unit. They simply poured in basket after basket and took a 67 - 36 lead into the half. Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson all finished with 20 - plus points. Durant led the way with 28 points, to go along with 10 rebounds, while Thompson busted out of his shooting slump with 20 points on 8 - of - 13 shooting. Warriors rookie Patrick McCaw saw 20 minutes of action in the win, and finished with five points, three assists and two rebounds. The bench was quiet overall for Golden State, with no one player finishing in double figures, but the second unit had no pressure to score given the heavy minutes seen from starters Durant and Draymond Green."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "30", "Nets": "17"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "30", "Nets": "17"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "40"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "96", "Nets": "73"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bucks": "17"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bucks": "30"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "40"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "33"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "21"}}, {"Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Brook Lopez": "8", "Deron Williams": "11", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "14", "Ersan Ilyasova": "12", "Khris Middleton": "11", "O.J. Mayo": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Brook Lopez": "3", "Deron Williams": "1", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6", "Ersan Ilyasova": "8", "Khris Middleton": "7", "O.J. Mayo": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Brook Lopez": "7", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Brook Lopez": "6", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Brook Lopez": "31", "Deron Williams": "33", "Mason Plumlee": "17", "Jarrett Jack": "24", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "30", "Ersan Ilyasova": "28", "Khris Middleton": "30", "O.J. Mayo": "20"}, "Points": {"Brook Lopez": "12", "Deron Williams": "4", "Mason Plumlee": "11", "Jarrett Jack": "11", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "13", "Ersan Ilyasova": "21", "Khris Middleton": "16", "Michael Carter-Williams": "12", "O.J. Mayo": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "10", "Deron Williams": "7", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9", "Ersan Ilyasova": "5", "Khris Middleton": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Brook Lopez": "1"}, "Assists": {"Deron Williams": "7", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7", "Khris Middleton": "7", "Michael Carter-Williams": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "6", "O.J. Mayo": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "3", "O.J. Mayo": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "2"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (40 - 40) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (47 - 43) 96 - 73 on Sunday in Milwaukee. After holding just a two point lead after the first half, the Bucks used a monster second half to turn this game into a route, outscoring the Nets by 12 in the third period and nine in the fourth. The victory not only brought Milwaukee back to .500, but it also clinched them a playoff birth after holding the worst record in the NBA last season. Ersan Ilyasova led the way for the Bucks, scoring 21 points (8 - 12 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt), 11 of which came in the third quarter, and grabbing five rebounds in 28 minutes. This comes after Ilyasova scored just eight points in his previous two outings combined. Khris Middleton scored 16 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting to along with seven assists and four rebounds in 30 minutes of action. Giannis Antetokounmpo was not far behind, recording 13 points on 6 - of - 14 shooting, nine rebounds and seven assists in 30 minutes. O.J. Mayo scored 17 points (6 - 13 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt) in 20 minutes off the bench, while Michael Carter-Williams scored 12 to round out the five Milwaukee players who scored in double figures. The Bucks recorded 30 total assists on 41 made field goals, and the win leaves them as the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference, which is likely where they will stay as the season comes to an end. The loss is a big one for the Nets, as they are still fighting for their playoff lives, and this loss leaves them with just a half - game lead over the Pacers for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East with two games left on their schedule. Only one Brooklyn starter scored in double figures, as Brook Lopez recorded a double - double of 12 points (3 - 8 FG, 6 - 7 FT) and 10 rebounds in 31 minutes. Off the bench, both Mason Plumlee and Jarrett Jack scored 11 points in 17 and 24 minutes respectively. Deron Williams struggled mightily shooting the ball, going just 1 - for - 11 from the field en route to scoring just four points in 33 minutes. He was, however, able to record seven assists and seven rebounds. As a team, the Nets shot a dreadful 33 percent from the field and 17 percent from three, all while recording 21 turnovers to just 17 assists. Up next, the Bucks will travel to Philadelphia Monday to take on the 76ers, while the Nets head home to Chicago Monday to play the Bulls with their playoff hopes in the balance."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "36", "Spurs": "26"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "88", "Spurs": "113"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Thunder": "10", "Spurs": "29"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "42", "Spurs": "52"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Kawhi Leonard": "24", "Russell Westbrook": "26", "Andre Roberson": "18"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "26", "Russell Westbrook": "17", "Andre Roberson": "5"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Andre Roberson": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Andre Roberson": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Andre Roberson": "2"}, "Steals": {"Andre Roberson": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Andre Roberson": "2"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (52 - 26) continued their torrid stretch Tuesday with a 113 - 88 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder (42 - 36) at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. This game was nearly over before fans could settle into their seats as the Spurs jumped out to a 29 - 10 lead after one quarter. The rout was on from there as the Thunder failed to get into a rhythm on offense and simply could n't get stops to cut into the lead. Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook was held in check, finishing with 17 points, two rebounds, and two assists in 26 minutes before being rested for the fourth quarter. San Antonio has now won eight games in a row and are putting pressure on the teams ahead of it in the Western Conference playoff standings. San Antonio has beaten the likes of Golden State, Memphis, Dallas, and Oklahoma City (twice) during its current win streak. Kawhi Leonard led the charge for the Spurs, scoring 26 points in 24 minutes on the floor. The lone blemish for the Spurs in Tuesday's game was Tony Parker, who missed of the second half with tightness in his Achilles. The Spurs could have just been exercising caution with their veteran guard as they held a 26 - point lead at halftime and have another Game Wednesday against Houston. Oklahoma City once seemed to be a near lock for the eighth seed in the West, but a four - game slide has sent the Thunder tumbling out of the playoff standings. The Pelicans got the win Tuesday and are now in the driver's seat for the last playoff spot. Oklahoma City is at a disadvantage down the stretch because New Orleans holds the head - to - head tiebreaker over the Thunder. On the injury front, Andre Roberson returned to action after missing two and a half weeks with an ankle injury. He finished with five points and two steals in 18 minutes of action. The Thunder will look to snap their losing streak Friday when they host the Kings."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "50", "Nuggets": "44"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "100", "Nuggets": "119"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "22", "Nuggets": "27"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nuggets": "41"}}, {"Blocks": {"Danilo Gallinari": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Danilo Gallinari": "13"}, "3-pointers made": {"Danilo Gallinari": "6"}, "Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "40", "Jameer Nelson": "15", "Andrew Nicholson": "13", "Elfrid Payton": "6"}, "Assists": {"Jameer Nelson": "5", "Elfrid Payton": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Jameer Nelson": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Nicholson": "6", "Elfrid Payton": "8"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (27 - 44) ended their road trip on a high note Sunday with an easy 119 - 100 victory over the Orlando Magic (22 - 50) at the Amway Center. This game was close in the early going, but Denver broke it open with a 41 point outburst in the second quarter to take a 69 - 51 lead into halftime. Denver's Danilo Gallinari exploded for 40 points, including going 6 - for - 13 from beyond the arc as the Nuggets cruised to their 27th victory of the season. Orlando's Elfrid Payton had his triple - double streak halted at two games with a 6 point, eight rebound, and eight assist outing. With Sunday's win, Denver swept the season series over Orlando. Denver had lost three straight on its five game road trip, but was able to salvage a 2 - 3 mark on the swing with Sunday's convincing victory. Jameer Nelson was a question mark coming into this game as he was dealing with a hip injury, but was able to log 17 minutes on the floor and finish with 15 points and five assists against his former club. The Nuggets will return home to face the 76ers on Wednesday. Orlando came into this game on the heels of Friday's 111 - 104 victory over Portland that was arguably its best of the season. The Magic were unable to put together a good defensive effort and were blown out on their home court against a struggling Nuggets club. Andrew Nicholson was thrust into the starting lineup with Channing Frye sidelined and performed ably, finishing with 13 points and six rebounds. Tobias Harris missed his third straight game Sunday as he continues to deal with an ailing ankle, but he is close to a return. The Magic will have two days off before returning to action Wednesday against the Hawks."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "1", "Knicks": "2"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "102", "Knicks": "89"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "3", "Knicks": "1"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Knicks": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "41"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Knicks": "24"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "10"}}, {"Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "24", "Kristaps Porzingis": "18", "Derrick Rose": "19", "Brandon Jennings": "12", "Tobias Harris": "25", "Marcus Morris": "22", "Andre Drummond": "9", "Ish Smith": "10"}, "Steals": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "6", "Derrick Rose": "5", "Tobias Harris": "10", "Andre Drummond": "13"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "12", "Marcus Morris": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Tobias Harris": "8", "Marcus Morris": "9"}, "Assists": {"Ish Smith": "8"}}], "The Detroit Pistons defeated the New York Knicks 102 - 89 at Palace of Auburn Hills on Monday. After starting the season with a rough loss, the Pistons (3 - 1) have now won three - straight games, all at home. The Knicks (1 - 2) offense was held down in this game, shooting just 41 percent from the field and 32 percent from three - point range. Detroit really turned it on late, as they held New York to just 10 points in the fourth quarter. In fact, New York failed to hit a single shot for the final 5:40 of the game. Carmelo Anthony was the leading scorer for the Knicks, scoring 24 points to go along with four steals. Derrick Rose was second on the team, with his 19 points and five rebounds. Kristaps Porzingis was the only other starter in double figures, tallying 18 points and six rebounds. Brandon Jennings provided 12 points of his own off the bench. All five starters scored at least nine points in the Pistons win, as they all played at least 31 minutes. Tobias Harris led the team with his 25 points and 10 rebounds on 8 - for - 12 shooting. Marcus Morris scored 22 points on 9 - for - 14 shooting. Ish Smith and Andre Drummond fell just shy of double - doubles, as Drummond totaled nine points and 13 rebounds, while Smith dropped 10 points and eight assists. New York has a quick turnaround, as they host the Houston Rockets on Wednesday for their next game. The Pistons will also play on Wednesday, as they travel to the Big Apple to play the Brooklyn Nets."], [[{}, {"Personal fouls": {"Paul George": "4"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "36"}}], "Following a week filled with trade rumors, Paul George came out of the All-Star break in fairly unimpressive fashion. In his first four games following the break, George shot a combined 16 - of - 54 (29 percent) from the field and was averaging just 14 points per game over that stretch. However, in his last two games, George has flipped the script entirely and rattled off a pair of incredible offensive performances. Following Monday's 36 - point performance in the Pacers' loss to the Hornets, George has now scored a combined 70 points over his last two games and did so while shooting a scorching 27 - of - 44 (61 percent) from the field and 12 - of - 23 (52 percent) from behind the arc. The performances from George on Sunday and Monday were by far his best back - to - back shooting and scoring performances of the season."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "21", "Heat": "19"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "106", "Heat": "95"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pacers": "20"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "12", "Heat": "14"}, "Turnovers": {"Heat": "11"}}, {"Field goals made": {"Chris Bosh": "7", "George Hill": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Chris Bosh": "38"}, "Points": {"Chris Bosh": "18", "Danny Granger": "14", "Roy Hibbert": "10", "CJ Miles": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Roy Hibbert": "10"}}], "Indiana made a big run in the second half to overcome a nine - point halftime deficit and defeat the Miami Heat by a score of 106 - 95 on Wednesday. The Heat seemed to be in control through the first two quarters but started to let the game slip away in the third. Indiana scored 15 unanswered points from late in the third until the early fourth, which put them ahead by 11 with 11 minutes to go. Chris Bosh hit a three - pointer to cut Indiana's lead to seven with 2:39 remaining, but Indiana answered with three - pointers from George Hill and C.J. Miles to solidify its lead and seal the game. Miami (14 - 19) got 18 points in 38 minutes from Bosh, who was playing in his second game back after missing time with a calf injury. Danny Granger had 14 points in his first game against his former team as a member of the Heat. Miami plays the Rockets in Houston on Saturday. Six of Miami's next seven games are on the road. Indiana (12 - 21) was aided by big performances from Hill and Miles, who scored 20 and 25 points respectively. Roy Hibbert turned in his first double - double since Dec. 13 by scoring 10 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. The Pacers travel to Milwaukee on Friday to play their first game of a four - game road trip."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "7", "76ers": "28"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "108", "76ers": "86"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "18", "76ers": "1"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Robert Covington": "9", "Isaiah Canaan": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Robert Covington": "2", "Isaiah Canaan": "2"}, "Assists": {"Nerlens Noel": "1", "LeBron James": "4", "Kevin Love": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "4", "Matthew Dellavedova": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Nerlens Noel": "1", "LeBron James": "1", "Matthew Dellavedova": "2"}, "Points": {"Nerlens Noel": "15", "Jahlil Okafor": "9", "JaKarr Sampson": "10", "LeBron James": "23", "Kevin Love": "10", "Timofey Mozgov": "8", "Kyrie Irving": "12", "Matthew Dellavedova": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Nerlens Noel": "12", "Jahlil Okafor": "8", "LeBron James": "5", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Steals": {"Nerlens Noel": "1", "LeBron James": "3", "Kevin Love": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "2", "Matthew Dellavedova": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Jahlil Okafor": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LeBron James": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"LeBron James": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "25", "Kevin Love": "22", "Kyrie Irving": "17"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyrie Irving": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (18 - 7) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (1 - 28) 108 - 86 on Sunday. The game marked the return of Kyrie Irving to the court for the first time since suffering a fractured kneecap in last season's NBA Finals. The 23 - year - old gave Cavs fans and management plenty of reason for optimism, as he tallied 12 points, four assists, a rebound and two steals over a highly productive 17 minutes. Irving drained a pair of three - pointers as part of that effort, and looked crisp overall in his first game action. While they are sure to manage his minutes carefully in the first few games, an already formidable Cavs squad now stands to greatly benefit from the talent infusion that the All-Star point guard provides. The Sixers were led by Nerlens Noel's 15 points, which he impressively supplemented with 12 rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block. The power forward was the sole Philadelphia starter with double - digit scoring, as reserves T.J. McConnell and Jakarr Sampson were the only other teammates to join him in that distinction with a pair of 10 - point efforts. Rookie standout Jahlil Okafor struggled against the one of the stingiest defenses in the NBA versus opposing centers, netting only nine points and eight rebounds. Robert Covington and Isaiah Canaan each struggled through a pair of 2 for 9 shooting performances from the field, and the Sixers shot a forgettable 35 percent as a team. Philadelphia fell to 1 - 28 and sports the worst record in the NBA. They currently reside in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division, and head home to face the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday. The comfortable lead the Cavs held in the second half allowed them the luxury of sitting LeBron James for the entire fourth quarter. He filled out the stat sheet through three periods anyhow, collecting 23 points, five rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block over just 25 minutes. Kevin Love joined Irving and James in double - digit scoring with 10 points, and the Cavs power forward added four rebounds, an assist and a steal over a scant 22 minutes. Timofey Mozgov's eight - point, eight - rebound performance rounded out an efficient afternoon for the starters, and Matthew Delladedova was outstanding off the bench in relief of Irving with 20 points, two assists, two steals and two blocks. The Cavaliers improved to 18 - 7 and have a hold of first place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They remain home to face the Knicks on Wednesday."], [[{"Total points": {"Lakers": "120", "Nuggets": "116"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "41"}}, {"Rebounds": {"Kenneth Faried": "17"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nick Young": "5"}, "Points": {"Nick Young": "23", "D'Angelo Russell": "22", "Lou Williams": "21"}, "Assists": {"D'Angelo Russell": "10", "Lou Williams": "7"}, "Blocks": {"D'Angelo Russell": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"D'Angelo Russell": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"D'Angelo Russell": "1"}, "Steals": {"D'Angelo Russell": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"D'Angelo Russell": "2"}}], "The host Los Angeles Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, 120 - 116. For the Lakers (16 - 34), three players scored at least 20 points en route to the high - offense win. Most notably, sophomore point guard D'Angelo Russell had one of his better games of the season, scoring 22 and dishing out 10 assists with only two turnovers. Russell was just one of the bevvy of Lakers guards who had a strong showing on Tuesday. Veteran Nick Young drained five three - pointers and scored a team - high 23 points. Off the bench, sixth man Lou Williams scored another 21 for the Lakers while dishing another seven assists. The Lakers were the beneficiaries of a cold Denver team, as the Nuggets shot just 41 percent and looked frozen in the third quarter. Denver (21 - 25), meanwhile, had some key absences on Tuesday. Star center Nikola Jokic (hip) and point guard Emmanuel Mudiay (hamstring) both missed the contest. Jokic's absence meant no shortage of rebounds for forward Kenneth Faried, who gobbled up 17 boards to lead the team. Thanks in large part to Faried's effort, the Nuggets established a 51 - 44 advantage on the offensive glass. With Jokic out, however, the Nuggets saw some lackluster offense, particularly during stretches in the second half. The team shot only 41 percent, despite knocking down 15 - of - 27 from beyond the three - point line. Denver will host the Grizzlies on Wednesday, while the Lakers will visit Washington on Thurdsay."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "25", "76ers": "32"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "107", "76ers": "89"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pistons": "25", "76ers": "16"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "16", "76ers": "8"}}, {"Points": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "15", "Henry Sims": "12", "Kyle Singler": "20", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "17", "Brandon Jennings": "10", "Jodie Meeks": "15", "D.J. Augustin": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Henry Sims": "17", "Brandon Jennings": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Henry Sims": "10", "Andre Drummond": "15", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "3", "D.J. Augustin": "3"}, "Assists": {"Larry Drew II": "9", "Brandon Jennings": "6", "D.J. Augustin": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Singler": "6", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andre Drummond": "15", "D.J. Augustin": "6"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "3", "D.J. Augustin": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jodie Meeks": "3", "D.J. Augustin": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jodie Meeks": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Jodie Meeks": "6"}, "Steals": {"Jodie Meeks": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"D.J. Augustin": "3"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (16 - 25) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (8 - 32), 107 - 89. Since they waived Josh Smith, the Pistons are winners in 10 of their last 12 games and sit just outside the playoff bubble. The Sixers were without their leading scorer, Tony Wroten, for the third straight game due to a knee injury. Brandon Jennings followed up a 37 - point outing with 10 points and six assists in 22 minutes. The Pistons were led by D.J. Augustin in assists (10), Andre Drummond in rebounds (15) and blocks (3), Jodie Meeks in steals (6), and Kyle Singler in points (20). Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 17 points, knocking in three of the Pistons' 15 three - pointers. The Sixers shot 7 - of - 28 from behind the three - point line, not unusual for the only team shooting under 30 percent from downtown this season. Michael Carter-Williams scored a team - high 15 points, but it was Larry Drew II who led the Sixers with nine assists off the bench in just his second game this season. Henry Sims provided a double - double (12 points, 10 rebounds) off the bench in 17 minutes. The Piston travel to Atlanta to take on the East leading Hawks on Monday. The Sixers will battle the Wizards in Washington come Monday in an afternoon matchup."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "7", "Wizards": "10"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "103", "Wizards": "114"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "12", "Wizards": "9"}}, {"Points": {"Otto Porter": "13", "Jared Dudley": "12", "Bradley Beal": "21", "John Wall": "26", "Gary Neal": "21", "Ramon Sessions": "12", "Gerald Green": "9", "Chris Bosh": "18", "Hassan Whiteside": "14", "Dwyane Wade": "26", "Goran Dragic": "20", "Josh McRoberts": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Otto Porter": "14", "Jared Dudley": "4", "Bradley Beal": "3", "John Wall": "1", "Chris Bosh": "9", "Hassan Whiteside": "4", "Dwyane Wade": "7", "Josh McRoberts": "2"}, "Assists": {"Jared Dudley": "1", "Bradley Beal": "4", "John Wall": "7", "Gerald Green": "1", "Chris Bosh": "4", "Dwyane Wade": "9", "Goran Dragic": "9", "Josh McRoberts": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jared Dudley": "2"}, "Steals": {"Jared Dudley": "1", "Bradley Beal": "1", "John Wall": "1", "Chris Bosh": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "1", "Goran Dragic": "1", "Josh McRoberts": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Chris Bosh": "2", "Hassan Whiteside": "3"}}], "The Washington Wizards (9 - 10) defeated the Miami Heat (12 - 7) 114 - 103 on Monday. It's been an up - and - down season for the Wizards, but they've now surprisingly handed two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference rare home losses. After having tripped up the Cavs at Quicken Loans Arena on Dec. 1, Washington pulled away from Miami in the final period Monday to hand the Heat only their fourth defeat at American Airlines Arena. Just as in their upset of Cleveland, the Wizards benefited from a stellar performance from their offensive linchpin John Wall, who managed 26 points, seven assists, a rebound and a steal, despite coming into the game nursing a sore knee. The visitors also got 21 points from Wall's backcourt mate Bradley Beal, who added four assists, three rebounds and a steal. Otto Porter pitched in with his third straight strong performance, tallying a 13 - point, 14 - rebound double - double. Jared Dudley contributed 12 points, four rebounds, an assist and a steal, an effort that included two three - pointers. Gary Neal (21 points) and Ramon Sessions (12 points) were highly efficient off the bench, with the former overcoming a groin injury to post his third consecutive double - digit scoring game. The Wizards improved to 9 - 10 but still reside in last place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They head home for a showdown with the Houston Rockets on Wednesday. The Heat was unable to keep pace with Washington despite superb efforts from their backcourt duo of Goran Dragic and Dwyane Wade. Dragic, who's struggled to score the majority of the season, managed a season - high 20 points. It marked the third consecutive game with double - digit points for the eight - year veteran, who appears to be finding his way in Miami's offensive system. Meanwhile, Wade came within an assist of his first double - double on the season, totaling 26 points, nine dimes, seven rebounds and a steal. Chris Bosh was ejected with 28 seconds left for arguing with the officials, but pitched in with his own near double - double, amassing 18 points, nine rebounds, four assists, a pair of blocks and a steal. Hassan Whiteside's 14 points, four rebounds and three blocks and Gerald Green's nine points rounded out solid performances from the starters, while Josh McRoberts paced the Miami bench with nine points, a pair of rebounds, an assist and a steal. Miami fell to 12 - 7 but retains control of first place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division by a half - game. They travel to Charlotte for a showdown with the second - place Hornets on Wednesday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Cavaliers": "25", "Spurs": "32"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "12", "Spurs": "9"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "115", "Spurs": "118"}, "Turnovers": {"Cavaliers": "18", "Spurs": "13"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "30", "Spurs": "34"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "6", "Patty Mills": "5", "LeBron James": "7", "Kevin Love": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "9"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "41", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "16", "David Lee": "14", "Patty Mills": "13", "LeBron James": "29", "Kevin Love": "13", "Tristan Thompson": "14", "Kyrie Irving": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "12", "David Lee": "11", "Patty Mills": "3", "LeBron James": "6", "Kevin Love": "11", "Tristan Thompson": "12", "Kyrie Irving": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6", "LeBron James": "7"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kevin Love": "1"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the host Cleveland Cavaliers in overtime, 118 - 115, at Quicken Loans Arena on Saturday. This was a game that was expected to be close throughout and these elite teams did n't disappoint in this overtime thriller. In fact, there were 13 ties and 15 lead changes, with neither team leading by more than 11 points. Free-throw shooting killed Cleveland, as they went 12 - of - 22 from the charity stripe, while the Spurs went 12 - of - 14. The assist - to - turnover ratio was decisive as well, with the Spurs recording 32 assists to 13 turnovers, while the Cavaliers committed 18 turnovers to just 25 assists. The Spurs (34 - 9) are now 18 - 4 on the road, as they continue their quiet success. Kawhi Leonard got to six - straight games with at least 30 points, as he set a career - high with 41 points in this win. He also added six rebounds and five assists on 14 - of - 29 from the field. LaMarcus Aldridge was second on the team, accruing 16 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. David Lee started for Pau Gasol and recorded a 14 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. Patty Mills was a nice spark off the bench, providing 13 points, three rebounds and five assists. The Cavaliers (30 - 12) have now lost four of their last six, with this being the toughest loss in the bunch. LeBron James did contribute 29 points, six rebounds and seven assists, but he committed seven turnovers in the defeat. Kyrie Irving also had 29 points, adding three rebounds, nine assists and two steals to his tally. Kevin Love returned from a one - game absence to total 13 points, 11 rebounds and three assists. Tristan Thompson also record a double - double, amassing 14 points and 12 rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "6", "Cavaliers": "1"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "84", "Cavaliers": "90"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "4", "Cavaliers": "8"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "6", "Kevin Love": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Arron Afflalo": "4", "Jose Calderon": "2"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"LeBron James": "4"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "31", "Kevin Love": "7", "Timofey Mozgov": "11", "Mo Williams": "20", "Carmelo Anthony": "26", "Kristaps Porzingis": "11", "Arron Afflalo": "14", "Jose Calderon": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "3", "Kevin Love": "11", "Timofey Mozgov": "7", "Carmelo Anthony": "5", "Kristaps Porzingis": "7", "Arron Afflalo": "3", "Jose Calderon": "2"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "2", "Kevin Love": "1", "Jose Calderon": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Mo Williams": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Mo Williams": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jose Calderon": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jose Calderon": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jose Calderon": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (8 - 1) snuck away with a victory against the New York Knicks (4 - 6) after a hard fought battle at the Garden, with a final score of 90 - 84. This was the eighth win in a row for the Cavs, after losing their season opener. New York held the lead going into the fourth quarter and it was only with two minutes left that the Cavs managed to tie it up. LeBron led the way in the Cavs' late rally and Mo Williams sealed the deal with four clutch free throws. New York had a good game but could not come up clutch in crunch time to secure the lead. Carmelo Anthony did his best impression of himself, scoring 26 points on 9 - 20 shooting, including 4 - 8 from deep. Carmelo also added five rebounds and four assists. Kristaps Prozingis remained consistent and finished with 11 points and seven rebounds on 5 - 11 shooting, including some sweet post work against the Cavs interior. Arron Afflalo put in some good work in his second start for the Knicks, scoring 14 points, three rebounds and four assists. Jose Calderon was steady at the point guard position with 10 points on 4 - 5 shooting, 2 - 2 from deep, two rebounds, two asssits and three steals. LeBron James did everything to ensure his team came out with the W on Friday night as he led the way for the Cavs with 31 points on 12 - 21 shooting, six assists, three rebounds, two steals and one block. James had help from his old partner - in - crime, Mo Williams, who chipped in 20 points on 7 - 13 shooting. Kevin Love was quiet offensively but along with his seven points, grabbed 11 rebounds, two assists and one steal. Timofey Mozgov went 4 - 5 from the field, totalling 11 points, along with seven rebounds, in 26 minutes. Kyrie Irving and Iman Shumpert were still missing from the line - up and one can only imagine how much they will add to this team when they return. There will be no rest for the Cavs as they head to Milwaukee for a Saturday evening game, where they will look to continue their winning ways against the feisty Bucks. New York will be Hosting New Orleans on Sunday and will have to stay focused to get the win against the struggling Pelicans"], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "35", "Trail Blazers": "53"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "13", "Trail Blazers": "6"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "88", "Trail Blazers": "114"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "13", "Trail Blazers": "22"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Nicolas Batum": "30", "Tyreke Evans": "23", "Austin Rivers": "33"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "3"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "7", "Austin Rivers": "21"}, "Personal fouls": {"Tyreke Evans": "1"}, "Steals": {"Tyreke Evans": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Austin Rivers": "12"}, "Free throws made": {"Austin Rivers": "11"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (22 - 6) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (13 - 13) 114 - 88 on Saturday. Portland extended their win streak to five games with the victory. Nicolas Batum (wrist/knee) returned to the starting lineup after sitting out the team's last game. He played a team - high 30 minutes, illustrating that he appears to be healthy enough to continue playing going forward. Portland shot 53 percent from the field and held the Pelicans to 35 percent shooting from the field. The Trail Blazers will continue their road trip in Houston against the Rockets on Monday. New Orleans saw their two - game win streak come to an end with the loss. Nearly all of the Pelicans' key players struggled to finish on offense. MVP candidate Anthony Davis shot just 3 - of - 14 from the field to post seven points. While the production came in garbage time, Austin Rivers took advantage of his extra minutes and attacked the wrack, earning 12 trips to the foul line and converting 11 of them to help him finish with 21 points in 33 minutes off the bench. Tyreke Evans (knee) returned from a one - game absence but was largely ineffective in 23 minutes. The Pelicans will go on the road for the second game of a back - to - back set on Sunday, facing the Oklahoma City Thunder."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "14", "Timberwolves": "13"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "111", "Timberwolves": "108"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nuggets": "18"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "9", "Timberwolves": "9"}}, {"Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "22", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "14", "Kevin Martin": "22", "Danilo Gallinari": "23", "Jameer Nelson": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "9", "Danilo Gallinari": "7", "Jameer Nelson": "6"}, "Assists": {"Danilo Gallinari": "4", "Jameer Nelson": "7"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (9 - 14) made a huge comeback to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves (9 - 13) 111 - 108 in an overtime thriller. Denver trailed by 15 at the half and by 18 at times in the third quarter, but got the game to overtime and pulled off a big win. All the statistics were incredibly even, as both teams shot 44 percent from the field with both teams recording 21 assists. The benches were the difference though, as Denver's bench outscored Minnesota\u2019s bench 52 - 35. Minnesota is one of the best road teams in the NBA, but they choked away a big lead here. The defense was the downfall, as they allowed 70 points after the halftime buzzer. One positive here was that Kevin Garnett broke an all - time record for most defensive rebounds early in the first quarter. Andrew Wiggins and Kevin Martin both led the team with 22 points scored and Karl-Anthony Towns nearly got a double - double with 14 points and nine boards. The Timberwolves will look to bounce - back in their next game when they take on the Phoenix Suns on Sunday. Denver came into this game 8 - 3 when scoring 100 points, so when it was 100 - 100 going into OT, a win never seemed in doubt. Danilo Gallinari was the hero though, as he scored the final nine points in overtime to carry Denver to a win. Gallinari totaled 23 points, seven rebounds and four assists in the win. Emmanuel Mudiay left this game early due to an ankle injury, but the team played better without him. Jameer Nelson filled - in spectacularly for Mudiay, as he tallied 20 points, seven assists and six rebounds off the bench. This broke a five - game home losing streak for Denver and they'll look to start a winning - streak at home when they host the Houston Rockets on Monday in their next game."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Spurs": "50"}, "Turnovers": {"Spurs": "13"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bulls": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "6"}, "Points": {"Dwyane Wade": "24", "Kawhi Leonard": "25", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwyane Wade": "3", "Kawhi Leonard": "10"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "15"}}], "This scoreline looks lopsided and for the majority of this game, that's just how it was. The Bulls captured their one and only lead in the third quarter, but the Spurs responded with a 120 run to take a double - digit lead and eventually run away with an easy win. San Antonio got off to an amazing start, as they hit 12 of their first 13 shots to take a 20 - point lead in the first quarter. For the game, San Antonio shot 57 from the field and 50 percent from three - point range. Dwyane Wade did all he could to keep the Bulls hanging around, as he tallied 24 points, three rebounds and six assists in the defeat. LaMarcus Aldridge was the player of the game, as he led the Spurs with 33 points on 15 - of - 20 shooting. Kawhi Leonard was just as good, as he collected 25 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three steals."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nuggets": "43", "Lakers": "31"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "50", "Lakers": "48"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "49", "Lakers": "58"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "119", "Lakers": "101"}, "Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "9"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "29", "Lakers": "20"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Ryan Kelly": "3", "Jordan Clarkson": "3", "Dwight Buycks": "2", "Danilo Gallinari": "14", "Randy Foye": "6", "Ty Lawson": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ryan Kelly": "2", "Jordan Clarkson": "0", "Dwight Buycks": "1", "Danilo Gallinari": "7", "Randy Foye": "4", "Ty Lawson": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ryan Kelly": "8", "Jordan Clarkson": "18", "Ed Davis": "9", "Dwight Buycks": "8", "Danilo Gallinari": "19", "Kenneth Faried": "14", "Ty Lawson": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Ryan Kelly": "6", "Jordan Clarkson": "7", "Ed Davis": "6", "Dwight Buycks": "5", "Danilo Gallinari": "9", "Kenneth Faried": "10", "Ty Lawson": "7"}, "Points": {"Ryan Kelly": "17", "Jordan Clarkson": "21", "Ed Davis": "15", "Dwight Buycks": "15", "Danilo Gallinari": "27", "Kenneth Faried": "29", "Randy Foye": "12", "Ty Lawson": "16"}, "Assists": {"Jordan Clarkson": "9", "Randy Foye": "7", "Ty Lawson": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jordan Clarkson": "7", "Ed Davis": "8", "Dwight Buycks": "5", "Kenneth Faried": "9", "Ty Lawson": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "7", "Ed Davis": "3", "Dwight Buycks": "4", "Danilo Gallinari": "2", "Kenneth Faried": "9", "Ty Lawson": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jordan Clarkson": "4"}, "Steals": {"Jordan Clarkson": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Jordan Clarkson": "4", "Danilo Gallinari": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Ed Davis": "31", "Ty Lawson": "39"}, "Rebounds": {"Ed Davis": "12", "Dwight Buycks": "5", "Danilo Gallinari": "7", "Kenneth Faried": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Danilo Gallinari": "2", "Kenneth Faried": "2"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (29 - 49) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (20 - 58) 119 - 101 on Wednesday at the Pepsi Center in Denver. Both teams came into this game riding their own four - game losing streak, but it was the Nuggets who were able to break the steak, grabbing the 18 - point victory in front of their home crowd. The Nuggets were the superior shooters in this one, going 50 percent from the field and 43 percent from the three - point line, while the Lakers finished at 48 percent from the floor and 31 percent from deep. Along with the shooting advantage, the Nuggets also forced the Lakers into 15 turnovers, while committing just nine of their own. The Nuggets' frontcourt were dominant in the winning effort. Kenneth Faried was moved to the starter at center, and he took advantage of the move, going off for a game - high of 29 points (10 - 14 FG, 9 - 9 FT), while also adding 11 rebounds and two blocked shots. This marked Faried's second double - double in a row, a stretch where he's combined for 39 points and 25 rebounds. Faried received a big help from Danilo Gallinari as well. Gallinari went 9 - for - 19 from the field and 7 - for - 14 from the three - point line to score 27 points, to go along with seven rebounds and two blocked shots. He's also put in two impressive games in a row, as he's combined for 47 points and 10 rebounds during that span. He's now averaging 11 points and 4 rebounds on the season. Ty Lawson Played a factor in the win as well though, as his shot looked to be dialed in. In 39 minutes, he finished with 16 points (7 - 13 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT) and eight assists. Lawson missed Saturday's game with a forearm injury, but it did n't look to affect him in his return to the court. Randy Foye reached double figures as well, posting 12 points (4 - 6 3Pt) and seven assists in 27 minutes. With injuries taking its toll on this roster, the Lakers ended up playing just eight players in the loss. Rookie Jordan Clarkson led the way with 21 points (7 - 18 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 7 - 7 FT), nine assists and two steals. While he's only averaging 11 points and 3 assists on the season, he's combined for 41 points and 15 assists over his last two outings. He's also posted 20 or more points in four of his last six games. Ryan Kelly also got hot from the field, scoring 17 points, while shooting 6 - of - 8 from the floor and 2 - of - 3 from deep. After shooting just 18 percent (3 - 17 FG) from the field in Tuesday's game against the Clippers, it was good to see Kelly get back on track with a solid showing. The Lakers saw some big contributions off the bench though as well. Ed Davis finished with 15 points (6 - 9 FG, 3 - 8 FT) and 12 rebounds over 31 minutes, while Dwight Buycks added 15 points (5 - 8 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT) and five rebounds of his own. The Nuggets' next game will be at home against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, while the Lakers will be at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday."], [[{"Total points": {"Pelicans": "101", "Magic": "84"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "1"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "0"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Tobias Harris": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Tobias Harris": "2", "Nikola Vucevic": "2"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "25", "Nikola Vucevic": "15", "Elfrid Payton": "4", "Aaron Gordon": "11", "Anthony Davis": "26", "Omer Asik": "14", "Ryan Anderson": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "8", "Nikola Vucevic": "23", "Anthony Davis": "17", "Omer Asik": "17", "Ryan Anderson": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "2"}, "Assists": {"Elfrid Payton": "7", "Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Elfrid Payton": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Aaron Gordon": "8", "Anthony Davis": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Aaron Gordon": "5", "Anthony Davis": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Aaron Gordon": "28", "Anthony Davis": "36"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "9"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "3"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (10) defeated the Orlando Magic (0 - 1) in convincing fashion 101 - 84 at the Smoothie King Center Tuesday in New Orleans. Anthony Davis took the reins for the Pelicans and came one block shy of posting the first triple - double of the season. In 36 minutes of game action, Davis finished with 26 points (10 - 22 FG), 17 rebounds, two assists, three steals, and nine blocks. To go along with Davis\u2019 huge day, Ryan Anderson played extremely well off the bench scoring 22 points and adding nine rebounds. Omer Asik got his first double - double of the season, scoring 14 points and pulling in 17 rebounds. The Magic struggled due to injuries that kept a large portion of their lineup out of the game. Victor Oladipo is expected to miss most of the first month of the season recovering from surgery to fix a facial fracture, and Channing Frye was unavailable as he continues to work his way back from an MCL sprain in his knee. Frye was a game - time decision Tuesday, meaning he is likely to return to action soon. Lottery pick Elfrid Payton had a somewhat of a disappointing regular season debut, as he only scored four points. On a positive note, he did have seven assists and only two turnovers. Tobias Harris and Nikola Vucevic were the two bright spots for the Magic. Harris finished with 25 points and eight boards, while Vucevic ended with 15 points and 23 rebounds. The Magic\u2019s other lottery pick, Aaron Gordon finished with 11 points (5 - 8 FG) in 28 minutes off the bench. The Magic's next game comes against the Washington Wizards at home Thursday, while the Pelicans will take on the Dallas Mavericks at home Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "9", "Raptors": "10"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "106", "Raptors": "90"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "14", "Raptors": "16"}, "Number of team assists": {"Raptors": "10"}}, {"Points": {"Terrence Ross": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "20", "Kyle Lowry": "20", "Patrick Patterson": "9", "CJ Miles": "17", "Monta Ellis": "18", "Rodney Stuckey": "10", "Jordan Hill": "20"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Bismack Biyombo": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Bismack Biyombo": "13", "Patrick Patterson": "5", "Jordan Hill": "13"}, "Steals": {"Patrick Patterson": "1", "Jordan Hill": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jordan Hill": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Jordan Hill": "31"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (14 - 9) defeated the Toronto Raptors (16 - 10) 106 - 90 on Monday. The first quarter was one of extreme swings for both teams. Toronto opened the game on an eye - popping 26 - 5 run during which linchpins Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan tallied 10 and nine points, respectively. The resilient Pacers then came back with a jaw - dropping 220 response, consisting of contributions from Jordan Hill, Rodney Stuckey, Paul George and Monta Ellis. From that point forward, Indiana outscored Toronto 79 - 64, while absolutely dominating down low. The Pacers managed 48 points in the paint for the game, as compared to only 20 by the Raptors. The vistors received a pair of 20 - point efforts from the backcourt duo of Lowry and DeRozan, although each played their best ball in the frenetic opening period. Terrence Ross was the only other starter with double - digit scoring (10), and Bismack Biyombo was only one point short of a double - double. He also pitched in 13 rebounds, his second game with as many boards in the last five contests. Patrick Patterson paced the Toronto bench with nine points, five rebounds and a steal. The Raptors fell to 16 - 10 but remain in first place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head to Charlotte to face off against the Hornets on Thursday. For a change, the Pacers had a top scorer not named Paul George. While the All-Star small forward had a solid performance with 16 points, three rebounds, three assists and a steal, it was offseason acquisition and reserve Jordan Hill who spearheaded the offensive attack Monday. The veteran center equaled his season high with 20 points, while hauling in a season - best 13 boards over 31 minutes. A big man who's always been known more for his offensive prowess, Hill has now managed five double - digit scoring efforts in seven December games. C. J. Miles (17 points) and Ellis (18 points) joined George as the other starters with double - digit points, while Stuckey checked in as the other notable scorer off the bench (10 points). The Pacers improved to 14 - 9 and remain in third place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They are home for a showdown with the Mavericks on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "4", "Mavericks": "5"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "97", "Mavericks": "109"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "4", "Mavericks": "2"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "52"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "18", "Nick Young": "12", "D'Angelo Russell": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Harrison Barnes": "11", "Nick Young": "7"}, "Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "31", "J.J. Barea": "18", "Dwight Powell": "10", "Seth Curry": "23", "Julius Randle": "15", "Nick Young": "20", "D'Angelo Russell": "12", "Jordan Clarkson": "22"}, "Assists": {"J.J. Barea": "8", "Seth Curry": "4", "D'Angelo Russell": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"J.J. Barea": "7", "Dwight Powell": "4", "Seth Curry": "4", "Julius Randle": "10", "D'Angelo Russell": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dwight Powell": "3", "Seth Curry": "3", "Justin Anderson": "3"}, "Steals": {"Seth Curry": "3", "Jordan Clarkson": "3"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks defeated the host Los Angles Lakers 109 - 97 at Staples Center on Tuesday. In a game that was tight throughout, the veteran Mavericks team prevailed in the final minutes. Dallas actually finished the game on a 20 - 6 run over the final eight minutes, as Los Angles seemingly could n't make a shot. The Mavericks won nearly every statistic, as they led in shooting, assisting, steals, blocks and turnovers. The most notable margin was the shooting, as the Mavericks shot 52 percent from the field and 87 percent from the free - throw line. Dallas (2 - 5) have gotten off to a rough start this season with some injury troubles, but were able to pull out a big road win here. Dirk Nowitzki and Deron Williams are both dealing with injuries, so J.J. Barea and Harrison Barnes have really stepped up in their absence. Barea flirted with a triple - double in this win, totaling 18 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Barnes led the team in scoring, dropping 31 points on 11 - of - 18 shooting. Justin Anderson, Dwight Powell and Seth Curry were the only three players to come off the bench, as they each provided at least 10 points and four rebounds. Curry was especially good, amassing 23 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals. Dallas has a tough task ahead of them though, as they travel to play the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday for their next game. The Lakers (4 - 4) were undefeated in their home building coming into this, but folded late in the fourth quarter. Jordan Clarkson led the team in scoring, as he totaled 22 points and three steals off the bench. Nick Young led all starters, as he dropped 20 points on 7 - of - 12 shooting. Julius Randle recorded a double - double, tallying 15 points and 10 rebounds. D'Angelo Russell too just nine shots in the defeat, but still finished with 12 points, five rebounds and seven assists. Los Angeles will make a small traveling trip for their next game, as they play the Sacramento Kings on Thursday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "46"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "50", "Knicks": "46"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "123", "Knicks": "109"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pacers": "33"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pacers": "29", "Knicks": "14"}, "Turnovers": {"Pacers": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "5", "Kristaps Porzingis": "3", "Derrick Rose": "3", "Paul George": "4", "Thaddeus Young": "2", "Myles Turner": "2", "Jeff Teague": "8", "Al Jefferson": "2"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "17", "Kristaps Porzingis": "16", "Courtney Lee": "9", "Derrick Rose": "14", "Mindaugas Kuzminskas": "13", "Paul George": "19", "Thaddeus Young": "16", "Myles Turner": "13", "Jeff Teague": "19", "Al Jefferson": "14", "CJ Miles": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Kristaps Porzingis": "4", "Courtney Lee": "4", "Derrick Rose": "2", "Mindaugas Kuzminskas": "3", "Paul George": "3", "Thaddeus Young": "9", "Myles Turner": "10", "Jeff Teague": "4", "Al Jefferson": "7", "CJ Miles": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "4"}, "Steals": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "1", "Derrick Rose": "2", "Al Jefferson": "1", "CJ Miles": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Mindaugas Kuzminskas": "15"}}], "The Indiana Pacers defeated the New York Knicks, 123 - 109, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Saturday. The Knicks (17 - 19) were playing on the second game of a back - to - back Saturday, and accordingly, looked sluggish in trying to defend a relentless and balanced attack by the Pacers (19 - 18). Indiana opened the game with a strong 33 - point first quarter, and then proceeded to outscore their visitors by a dominating 29 - 14 margin in the second. That gave them the cushion they'd need to tally their 14th home victory in 19 games this season. The Pacers saw four of their five starters notch double digits in the scoring column and posted 50 and 46 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively. New York was led by a pair of 17 - point efforts from Carmelo Anthony and Justin Holiday. Anthony added five assists and two rebounds, while Holiday dished out four assists and brought down three boards. Kristaps Porzingis went for 16 points, four rebounds, three assists, four blocks and a steal. Derrick Rose, who'd endured a tough shooting night against the Bucks on Friday, bounced back with 14 points, three assists, two rebounds and two steals. Courtney Lee chimed in with nine points, while the emerging Mindauguas Kuzminskas supplied 13 points in just 15 minutes off the bench. Jeff Teague and Paul George set the pace for the Pacers with matching 19 - point tallies, with the former complementing his scoring with eight assists, four rebounds and a steal and the latter also providing four assists, three rebounds and three steals. Thaddeus Young registered a near double - double with 16 points, nine rebounds, two assists and four steals, while Myles Turner posted a 13 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included a pair of assists. C.J. Miles (15 points, four rebounds, two steals) and Al Jefferson (14 points, seven rebounds, two assists and a steal) were highly productive in reserve roles. The Knicks return home to face off with the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night, and the Pacers are off until a Thursday home date versus the Denver Nuggets."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "56"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "1", "Celtics": "2"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "118", "Celtics": "113"}, "Rebounds": {"Mavericks": "36"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "3", "Celtics": "1"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Jeff Green": "12", "Avery Bradley": "6", "Chandler Parsons": "5", "Dirk Nowitzki": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jeff Green": "5", "Avery Bradley": "4", "Chandler Parsons": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jeff Green": "28", "Jared Sullinger": "15", "Avery Bradley": "22", "Chandler Parsons": "15", "Dirk Nowitzki": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Jeff Green": "14", "Jared Sullinger": "6", "Avery Bradley": "13", "Chandler Parsons": "10", "Dirk Nowitzki": "9"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Jeff Green": "50"}, "Points": {"Jeff Green": "35", "Jared Sullinger": "14", "Avery Bradley": "32", "Rajon Rondo": "7", "Marcus Smart": "7", "Chandler Parsons": "29", "Dirk Nowitzki": "27", "Tyson Chandler": "10", "Monta Ellis": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Jared Sullinger": "7", "Marcus Smart": "6", "Tyson Chandler": "12"}, "Assists": {"Rajon Rondo": "15", "Monta Ellis": "6"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (3 - 1) defeated the Boston Celtics (1 - 2) 118 - 113 on Monday at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Despite being out - rebounded 49 to 36 in this matchup, the Mavericks were able to shoot 56 percent from behind the three - point line in a relatively close cross - conference game. Jeff Green and Avery Bradley shouldered the offensive load for the Celtics with both players combining to shoot a total of 50 shots. Green went 14 - for - 28 from the field and 5 - for - 12 from three - point land to score 35 points. Bradley shot 13 - for - 22 from the field and 4 - for - 6 from beyond the arc to score 32 points. With Green and Bradley launching shots, Rajon Rondo got plenty of assists, notching 15 in 36 minutes. Rookie Marcus Smart received 24 minutes off the bench, and he scored seven points and added six rebounds. Starting at power forward, Jared Sullinger went 6 - for - 15 from the field to contribute 14 points while also pulling down seven rebounds. Chandler Parsons eclipsed the 20 - point mark for the third straight game, finishing with 29 points while shooting 10 - for - 15 from the field and 4 - for - 5 from beyond the arc. Dirk Nowitzki shot 9 - for - 14 from the field and 4 - for - 4 from three - point, contributing 27 points of his own. Starting at center, Tyson Chandler had his first double - double of the season, posting 10 points and 12 rebounds. In 34 minutes, Monta Ellis finished with 14 points and six assists. Al-Farouq Aminu had to leave the game with an apparent left knee injury after playing only nine minutes. The severity of the injury is still unknown. The Celtics' next game will be at home against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, while the Mavericks will travel to Portland to play the Trail Blazers on Thursday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "34"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "6"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "84", "Warriors": "100"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Grizzlies": "15", "Warriors": "26"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Grizzlies": "21"}, "Turnovers": {"Grizzlies": "21"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "3", "Warriors": "9"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Warriors": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Harrison Barnes": "3", "Stephen Curry": "5"}, "Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "19", "Stephen Curry": "28", "Marc Gasol": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Harrison Barnes": "4", "Stephen Curry": "5", "Marc Gasol": "7"}, "Steals": {"Harrison Barnes": "3", "Stephen Curry": "5"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (90) handled the Memphis Grizzlies (3 - 6) yet again in a 100 - 84 victory on Wednesday. After a 50 - point loss just nine days ago, the Grizzlies put in another poor performance against the Warriors on Wednesdaym as they lost by 17. It all started with a 26 - 15 first quarter and the Warriors did'nt look back after that. The Golden State defense absolutely stifled Memphis in this game, as the Grizzlies shot just 34 percent, while shooting just 3 - of - 15 from three - point range. The Warriors have one of the best defenses in the NBA and the Grizzlies have one of the worst offenses, so this was simply a mismatch of epic proportions. The Warriors were once again led by MVP Steph Curry, as he recorded 28 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals in the victory. Golden State also got another nice performance from Harrison Barnes, who tallied 19 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals. This is such a scary team right now, considering Klay Thompson has been struggling and the Warriors have been playing without their head coach Steve Kerr. The sky is the limit for this young team and after winning the title last season, it's a nightmare for the rest of the league that they are possibly better this year. They'll look to stay undefeated against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday in the second half of a back - to - back. The Grizzlies offense continues to be putrid, as they nearly matched their turnover total (21) with the amount of baskets they made (24) in this game. This team thrives on its defense and this is now the fifth game they have allowed at least 100 points so far this season. If they ca n't hold teams under 100 points with the offense they have, they simply ca n't win enough games to compete in the Western Conference. One bright spot in the loss has to be center Marc Gasol, who scored a season - high 26 points while grabbing seven boards in the defeat. The Grizzlies also made 33 - of - 36 free - throws in the loss, which is an impressive feat in its own right. Memphis will be happy not to face the Warriors for a while, as they'll host the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday in their next scheduled matchup."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "2", "Trail Blazers": "2"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "92", "Trail Blazers": "108"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "2", "Trail Blazers": "3"}}, {"Field goals made": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "5", "Mason Plumlee": "5", "CJ McCollum": "10", "Damian Lillard": "14", "Maurice Harkless": "5", "Gordon Hayward": "7", "Alec Burks": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "5", "Alec Burks": "15"}, "Points": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "13", "Mason Plumlee": "12", "CJ McCollum": "27", "Damian Lillard": "35", "Maurice Harkless": "15", "Gordon Hayward": "19", "Derrick Favors": "6", "Trey Burke": "17", "Alec Burks": "21"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Mason Plumlee": "13", "Maurice Harkless": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Mason Plumlee": "35", "CJ McCollum": "35", "Damian Lillard": "40", "Derrick Favors": "25", "Trey Burke": "26", "Alec Burks": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Mason Plumlee": "16", "Damian Lillard": "4", "Derrick Favors": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"Mason Plumlee": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "5", "Damian Lillard": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "13", "Damian Lillard": "27", "Gordon Hayward": "20", "Alec Burks": "13"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Damian Lillard": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Maurice Harkless": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Alec Burks": "11"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (3 - 2) defeated the Utah Jazz (2 - 2) on Wednesday by a score of 108 - 92 at EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City. The Trail Blazers, as they have been all season, were led by their backcourt of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, who combined for 62 of the team's 108 points. Lillard led the way, scoring 35 points (14 - 27 FG, 5 - 11 3Pt) on top of four rebounds and three assists in 40 minutes. McCollum added 27 points on an efficient 10 - of - 13 shooting from the field in 35 minutes. Mason Plumlee recorded his first double - double of the season, recording 12 points and a game - high 16 rebounds in 35 minutes, while Maurice Harkless (15) and Al-Farouq Aminu (13) rounded out the five Portland players who scored in double figures. The Jazz\u2019s offensive was abysmal Wednesday, as the team shot 38 percent from the field and hit on just 21 percent of their attempts from behind the arc. Alec Burks still managed to stay effective coming off the bench, finishing with a team - high 21 points (5 - 13 FG, 11 - 15 FT) in 32 minutes. While Gordon Hayward\u2019s shooting struggles continued Wednesday (he went 7 - of - 20 from the field), he still managed a season - high 19 points. Derrick Favors, who was questionable heading into the game due to a case of the flu, grabbed 10 rebounds, but only managed six points in 25 minutes. Trey Burke had his best outing of the season, scoring 17 points in 26 minutes off the bench. Up next, the Trail Blazers will head home Thursday to take on Memphis, while the Jazz will head to Denver to go up against the Nuggets."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "2", "Clippers": "1"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "96", "Clippers": "88"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Clippers": "19"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "2"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "7", "Chris Paul": "21", "Jamal Crawford": "18"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"DeAndre Jordan": "7", "Chris Paul": "1", "CJ McCollum": "2", "Damian Lillard": "2"}, "Points": {"DeAndre Jordan": "11", "Chris Paul": "26", "Jamal Crawford": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "16", "Chris Paul": "3", "Mason Plumlee": "21"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "9", "CJ McCollum": "2", "Damian Lillard": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Chris Paul": "10", "Jamal Crawford": "9"}, "Blocks": {"CJ McCollum": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"CJ McCollum": "2"}, "Steals": {"CJ McCollum": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"CJ McCollum": "2"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers climbed back into the Western Conference first - round playoffs against the visiting Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday with a 96 - 88 win in Game 3 at Moda Center. The Clippers lead the series, 2 - 1. The Portland backcourt was partially the reason for the dropped two games against the Clippers in Los Angeles, but Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum were lights out in the first of two home games for the Blazers. The duo combined for 59 points 21 - of - 42 shooting, while Mason Plumlee was dominant on the glass to the tune of 21 rebounds. Outside of Lillard and McCollum, the Blazers did not need too much offense after shutting down most of the Clippers prowess on the other end of the court. Chris Paul boasted his leadership and skillset as a floor general on the road, but remained the one Clippers player to be composed in the contest. Lillards finished with 32 points, to go with five rebounds and two assists and added three buckets from behind the arc to stave off Los Angeles down the stretch. As for the Clippers, Paul finished with 26 points, three rebounds and nine assists on 10 - of - 21 shooting. Jamal Crawford added some needed offense off the bench, and contributed 19 points on 9 - of - 18 shooting, but DeAndre Jordan was not able to get enough looks under the rim to be the presence that can prove to be the difference maker in Clippers wins. Jordan finished with 11 points, but added 16 rebounds, including seven on the offensive end of the floor. Los Angeles shot just 57 percent from the charity stripe, which fell roughly 15 percent below the Portland mark. Game 4 will take place at Moda Center on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "47"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "5"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "89", "Grizzlies": "91"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Thunder": "22", "Grizzlies": "17"}, "Turnovers": {"Thunder": "17", "Grizzlies": "8"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Grizzlies": "38"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Marc Gasol": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Marc Gasol": "41"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "8", "Courtney Lee": "17", "Mike Conley": "20", "Serge Ibaka": "16", "Steven Adams": "13", "Jeremy Lamb": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "9", "Courtney Lee": "3", "Mike Conley": "3", "Steven Adams": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Courtney Lee": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Courtney Lee": "3", "Mike Conley": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Courtney Lee": "1", "Mike Conley": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Courtney Lee": "1", "Mike Conley": "1", "Steven Adams": "3", "Reggie Jackson": "1"}, "Steals": {"Courtney Lee": "1", "Mike Conley": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "1"}, "Assists": {"Mike Conley": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Mike Conley": "3"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Jeremy Lamb": "17"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Reggie Jackson": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Reggie Jackson": "3"}}], "The Grizzlies moved to 60 on Friday, surviving a late run to knock off the depleted Thunder (1 - 5) 91 - 89. Oklahoma City, which got 12 fourth - quarter points from Reggie Jackson, dropped its third straight since losing Russell Westbrook (knee), in addition to Kevin Durant (leg), who has not played this season. The Thunder traded baskets with Memphis throughout the fourth quarter but did not lead until the final minute, when a Jackson three - pointe put the home team ahead 89 - 87. Mike Conley answered with a three of his own not the other end, putting the Grizzlies back up one with 38 seconds to play. With a chance to re - take the lead, Nick Collison failed to inbound the ball, drawing a five - second violation. Courtney Lee, who was fouled on the other end, made 1 - of - 2 attempts, leaving the Thunder with one final chance to win. Down by two, Serge Ibaka misfired on a three - pointer from the top of the key as time expired. Jackson\u2019s 22 points, seven rebounds and eight assists led the way for the Thunder, who shot nearly 47 percent from the field. Ibaka chipped in 16 points, while Jeremy Lamb added 17. Steven Adams chipped in 13 points and 11 rebounds. Memphis got 20 points and five assists from Conley and 17 points from Courtney Lee, who made all three of his attempts from beyond the arc. Marc Gasol and a quiet night, putting up eight points (4 - 11 FG) and nine boards in 41 minutes. The Grizzlies committed only eight turnovers, compared to 17 for Oklahoma City. Looking ahead, the Grizzlies head east to Milwaukee to take on the Bucks on Saturday evening. Oklahoma City remains home to host the Kings on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "38"}}, {"Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "Jrue Holiday": "7", "Nikola Jokic": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "17", "Nikola Jokic": "14", "Mason Plumlee": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "12", "Nikola Jokic": "4", "Mason Plumlee": "8"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "31", "Jrue Holiday": "13", "Nikola Jokic": "8", "Mason Plumlee": "16"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jrue Holiday": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jrue Holiday": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"E'Twaun Moore": "27", "Jordan Crawford": "24", "Nikola Jokic": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Jokic": "13"}}], "Anthony Davis picked up the workload with superstar DeMarcus Cousins on the bench nursing an ankle injury, as the Nuggets were unable to find efficient shots and the Pelicans bench ran away with the game late. Davis finished with 31 points, 15 rebounds, three assists and one block on 12 - of - 17 shooting. Jrue Holiday added 13 points, six rebounds and seven assists and buried 3 - of - 6 shots from behind the arc. E'Twaun Moore and Jordan Crawford were strong in their 27 minutes and 24 minutes, respectively, and combined for 25 points and nine assists. Nikola Jokic finished with eight points, 13 rebounds and two assists on 4 - of - 14 shooting across 18 minutes. Mason Plumlee had the hot hand off the bench where he scored 16 points on 8 - of - 10 shooting, while Denver shot just 38 percent from the field in the loss."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Heat": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "53"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Heat": "26"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Heat": "26"}}, {"Points": {"Marcus Morris": "14", "Jon Leuer": "8", "Andre Drummond": "17", "Reggie Jackson": "24", "Ish Smith": "8", "Tobias Harris": "16", "Dion Waiters": "17", "Goran Dragic": "23", "Wayne Ellington": "19", "James Johnson": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "12", "James Johnson": "8"}, "Assists": {"James Johnson": "5"}, "Blocks": {"James Johnson": "1"}, "Steals": {"James Johnson": "2"}}], "Detroit shot a superb 57 percent from the field but Miami countered by going 53 percent from the floor and 50 percent from three - point range. Four Heat players drained multiple threes, and seven players shot 50 percent or better. The Heat pulled away with a 26 - point fourth quarter after entering the final period trailing 91 - 90. Reggie Jackson's 24 points paced Detroit. Andre Drummond posted a 17 - point, 20 - rebound double - double. Tobias Harris supplied a bench - leading 16 points, while Marcus Morris provided 14. Jon Leuer and Ish Smith registered matching eight - point efforts. Goran Dragic's 23 points led the Heat. Wayne Ellington paced the bench with 19 points, and James Johnson continued his strong play with 18 points, eight boards, five assists, two steals and a block. Dion Waiters tallied 17 points, and Hassan Whiteside hauled in 12 boards."], [[{}, {"Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "35", "Arron Afflalo": "13", "Darren Collison": "17", "Anthony Tolliver": "14", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "13", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "9", "Marvin Williams": "14", "Nicolas Batum": "19", "Kemba Walker": "26", "Frank Kaminsky": "8", "Spencer Hawes": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "18", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "3", "Nicolas Batum": "7", "Kemba Walker": "3", "Frank Kaminsky": "4"}, "Assists": {"Darren Collison": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "7", "Kemba Walker": "7", "Frank Kaminsky": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Darren Collison": "1", "Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marvin Williams": "12"}, "Steals": {"Kemba Walker": "1"}}], "DeMarcus Cousins 35 - point, 18 - rebound double - double led the way for the Kings, and his driving layup with 14 seconds remaining gave Sacramento a lead it would n't relinquish. Darren Collison was a distant second with 17 points, two assists and a block. Anthony Tolliver posted a bench - leading 14 points, while Arron Afflalo provided 13. Willie Cauley-Stein totaled 13 points and three rebounds in a reserve role as well. Kemba Walker's 26 points led the Hornets, a total he supplement with seven assists, three rebounds, a steal and a block. Nicolas Batum provided 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Marvin Williams posted 14 points, while Spencer Hawes led the bench with 12. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist managed nine points and Frank Kaminsky III was also productive as a reserve, registering eight points, six assists, four rebounds and a block."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "17", "Trail Blazers": "27"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "123", "Trail Blazers": "127"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "26", "Trail Blazers": "19"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"Evan Turner": "4", "Mason Plumlee": "8", "CJ McCollum": "3", "Damian Lillard": "7", "Jae Crowder": "2", "Al Horford": "5", "Marcus Smart": "6", "Isaiah Thomas": "6", "Terry Rozier": "3", "Kelly Olynyk": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Evan Turner": "2", "Damian Lillard": "1", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "1"}, "Points": {"Evan Turner": "12", "Mason Plumlee": "10", "CJ McCollum": "35", "Damian Lillard": "28", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "11", "Meyers Leonard": "17", "Jae Crowder": "16", "Al Horford": "17", "Marcus Smart": "17", "Isaiah Thomas": "41", "Terry Rozier": "15", "Kelly Olynyk": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Evan Turner": "4", "Mason Plumlee": "11", "CJ McCollum": "2", "Damian Lillard": "1", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "7", "Meyers Leonard": "4", "Jae Crowder": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Terry Rozier": "3", "Kelly Olynyk": "8"}, "Steals": {"Evan Turner": "1", "Mason Plumlee": "1", "CJ McCollum": "3", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "1", "Meyers Leonard": "1", "Jae Crowder": "1", "Marcus Smart": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Damian Lillard": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Marcus Smart": "2"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Boston Celtics, 127 - 123, in overtime at TD Garden on Saturday afternoon. The Blazers (19 - 27) checked in to Saturday with only seven road wins in 25 tries this season, and appeared to be facing particularly long odds against a Celtics (26 - 17) squad that had won seven of their past nine contests. However, a strong third quarter helped Portland catch Boston after they'd faced a 65 - 56 deficit at the half, and they appeared poised for a hard - fought victory when Damian Lillard drained a pair of free throws with 10 seconds remaining. Terry Rozier turned the tables just two seconds later, though, making a 27 - foot three - point jumper off a Marcus Smart assist to knot matters up at 113. Following a Lillard missed step - back jumper as time expired, the two teams headed to an extra period. The Celtics gained a temporary 118 - 117 advantage with 1:23 remaining in overtime after an Isaiah Thomas three - pointer, but another pair of Lillard free throws with a second left sealed the victory. C.J. McCollum led the way for Portland with 35 points, three assists, two rebounds and three steals. Lillard provided 28 points, seven assists, a rebound and a block. Meyers Leonard led the bench with 17 points, four boards and a steal. Evan Turner filled out the stat sheet with 12 points, four rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal. Mason Plumlee generated 10 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included eight assists and a steal. Al-Farouq Aminu was productive in a reserve role as well, tallying 11 points, seven boards, a steal and a block. The Celtics saw Thomas score a game - high 41 points, which he supplemented with six assists and three rebounds. Al Horford and Marcus Smart posted matching 17 - point efforts, with the former adding nine rebounds and five assists, and the latter supplying six rebounds, six assists and two steals. Jae Crowder totaled 16 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal. Rozier led the second unit with 15 points, three boards and three assists, while Kelly Olynyk was also productive in a reserve role with 10 points, eight rebounds and an assist. The Trail Blazers head back to home to await the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night, while the Celtics head to the Nation's Capital to tangle with the Washington Wizards on Tuesday evening."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "5", "Nuggets": "12"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "112", "Nuggets": "107"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "16", "Nuggets": "9"}}, {"Assists": {"Wilson Chandler": "3", "Ty Lawson": "12", "Kyle Lowry": "13", "Lou Williams": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Wilson Chandler": "21", "Arron Afflalo": "14", "Ty Lawson": "19", "Kyle Lowry": "13", "Lou Williams": "16", "Patrick Patterson": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Wilson Chandler": "7", "Arron Afflalo": "9", "Ty Lawson": "8", "Lou Williams": "7", "Patrick Patterson": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"Wilson Chandler": "3", "Patrick Patterson": "1"}, "Points": {"Wilson Chandler": "18", "JJ Hickson": "10", "Timofey Mozgov": "15", "Arron Afflalo": "25", "Ty Lawson": "22", "Terrence Ross": "16", "Jonas Valanciunas": "18", "Kyle Lowry": "13", "Lou Williams": "26", "Patrick Patterson": "19"}, "Steals": {"Wilson Chandler": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Timofey Mozgov": "12", "Arron Afflalo": "6", "Jonas Valanciunas": "12", "Lou Williams": "3", "Patrick Patterson": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Arron Afflalo": "7", "Ty Lawson": "8", "Lou Williams": "10", "Patrick Patterson": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Arron Afflalo": "4", "Ty Lawson": "2", "Lou Williams": "3", "Patrick Patterson": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Ty Lawson": "6", "Lou Williams": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Ty Lawson": "4", "Lou Williams": "9"}, "Turnovers": {"Ty Lawson": "3"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Terrence Ross": "13"}, "Blocks": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "4", "Lou Williams": "1", "Patrick Patterson": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Lou Williams": "1"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (16 - 5) defeated the Denver Nuggets (9 - 12) 112 - 107 on Monday at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. The Raptors were able to get out to a 62 - 52 lead after the first half, but the Nuggets turned in a big third quarter and evened it back up going into the fourth. After ending regulation tied 102 - 102, they went into overtime where the Raptors held the Nuggets to only five points, therefore securing the victory. The Raptors received a big contribution off the bench in the overtime win. Louis Williams led all scorers with 26 points (7 - 16 FG, 3 - 10 3Pt, 9 - 10 FT), while also grabbing three rebounds. It was a nice bounce back game for him, after scoring only five points on Friday against the Cavaliers. Patrick Patterson was the other big bench presence, as he went 7 - for - 11 from the field and 5 - for - 7 from the three - point line to score 19 points. He also chipped in eight rebounds, in what was arguably one of his best games of the year. Starting at center, Jonas Valanciunas recorded his fifth double - double of the year, finishing with 18 points and 12 rebounds. He did it on the defensive side of the ball as well and recorded a season - high of four blocks. Kyle Lowry and Terrence Ross had 13 and 16 points respectively, with Lowry handing out 13 assists. The Nuggets backcourt did most of the damage to the Raptors. Arron Afflalo went 9 - for - 14 from the field and 4 - for - 7 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 25 points, while adding six rebounds. Ty Lawson also had a big game and recorded 22 points (8 - 19 FG, 2 - 8 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT) and 12 assists. It was his ninth straight game with at least 10 assists. Wilson Chandler got off a team - high of 21 shots, but only converted on seven, giving him 18 points on the night. He's now combined for 67 points in the last three games, as he continues to get off a ridiculous amount of shots. Both J.J. Hickson and Timofey Mozgov reached double - figures, scoring 10 and 15 points respectively. Mozgov contributed 12 rebounds to go along with his 15 points, giving him his second double - double in a row. The Raptors' next game will be on the road against the Cleveland Cavliers on Tuesday, while the Nuggets will be at home against the Miami Heat on Tuesday as well."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Raptors": "21"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "38"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "89", "Pacers": "84"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Raptors": "11"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "1", "Monta Ellis": "7", "George Hill": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "9"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Paul George": "7", "George Hill": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul George": "4", "George Hill": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul George": "18", "George Hill": "11", "DeMar DeRozan": "32"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul George": "8", "George Hill": "8", "DeMar DeRozan": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul George": "6", "DeMar DeRozan": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul George": "6", "DeMar DeRozan": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Paul George": "46", "DeMar DeRozan": "40", "Norman Powell": "23"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "26", "Monta Ellis": "15", "George Hill": "19", "Jonas Valanciunas": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "30", "Kyle Lowry": "11", "Norman Powell": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "12", "Monta Ellis": "4", "George Hill": "1", "Jonas Valanciunas": "15", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "3", "George Hill": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Paul George": "7"}, "Blocks": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the visiting Indiana Pacers, 89 - 84, in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference first - round playoffs Sunday, advancing to the second - round for the first time in 15 years and only the second time in franchise history. The Raptors started strong and took a six - point lead into half time. They were able to stay on top and push it to a 16 - point lead with 7:30 left in the fourth quarter, but Indiana was not done. The Pacers went on a 15 - 2 run in the next five minutes to make it a one - possession game with two and a half minutes left; however, the Raptors managed to hang on thanks to solid defense and a couple of clutch baskets. DeMar DeRozan came out strong for Toronto and finished with 30 points (10 - 32 FG, 1 - 5 FG, 9 - 9 FT) including 11 of the Raptors last 12 points in the third quarter, along with five rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocked shots, in 40 minutes. Rookie, second - round pick, Norman Powell stepped up big time as he came off the bench on fire, shooting 5 - 6 from the field, including 3 - 4 from long range, to finish with 13 points, in 23 minutes. Kyle Lowry finished with 11 points, nine assists, four rebounds and one steal, while Jonas Valanciunas tallied a double - double with 10 points and 15 rebounds. The Raptors dished 21 assists in the game and hauled in a monstrous 18 offensive rebounds to earn the edge against the relentless Pacers. Paul George led the Pacers in scoring and rebounding, with 26 points (8 - 18 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) and 12 rebounds, along with three steals and one assist, but also had seven turnovers, in 46 minutes. George Hill followed up with 19 points (8 - 11 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt), two assists, one rebound and one steal, while Monta Ellis chipped in 15 points, seven assists and four rebounds. The Pacers held the Raptors to 38 percent shooting from the field, but gave up 15 turnovers as they fell just short. The Raptors will play the Miami Heat in the conference semifinals, which begin Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "3", "Hawks": "3"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "100", "Hawks": "96"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "8", "Hawks": "9"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "46"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hawks": "16"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Kent Bazemore": "2", "Paul Millsap": "1", "Dwight Howard": "2", "Dennis Schroder": "5", "Mike Muscala": "2", "Marvin Williams": "3", "Cody Zeller": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "4", "Kemba Walker": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Kent Bazemore": "2", "Paul Millsap": "1", "Dwight Howard": "2", "Mike Muscala": "1", "Cody Zeller": "3"}, "Points": {"Kent Bazemore": "19", "Paul Millsap": "22", "Dwight Howard": "10", "Dennis Schroder": "11", "Mike Muscala": "11", "Marvin Williams": "8", "Cody Zeller": "23", "Nicolas Batum": "24", "Kemba Walker": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Kent Bazemore": "2", "Paul Millsap": "13", "Dwight Howard": "18", "Dennis Schroder": "1", "Mike Muscala": "5", "Marvin Williams": "11", "Cody Zeller": "3", "Nicolas Batum": "10", "Kemba Walker": "5"}, "Steals": {"Kent Bazemore": "3", "Dwight Howard": "3", "Dennis Schroder": "1", "Cody Zeller": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "2", "Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Cody Zeller": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Cody Zeller": "9"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Atlanta Hawks, 100 - 96, at Spectrum Center on Friday. The battle of Southeastern Division rivals lived up to its billing, with the Hornets (8 - 3) pulling away in the fourth quarter of what was an exciting nip - and - tuck contest. Nicolas Batum, Kemba Walker and Cody Zeller ripped off a trio of 20 - point efforts to spearhead the win, which helped overcome a collective 41 percent field - goal percentage. In contrast, the Hawks (9 - 3) tallied a superior 46 percent success rate, but did turn the ball over 16 times, five more than Charlotte. Despite the defeat, Atlanta can take solace in the effort put in by the returning Dwight Howard, who hauled in 18 boards and also contributed 10 points, two assists, three steals and two blocks. The Hawks were led by Paul Millsap, who posted a 22 - point, 13 - rebound double - double that also included an assist and a block. Kent Bazemore followed with 19 points, two rebounds, two assists, three steals and two blocks. Dennis Schroder contributed 11 points, five assists, a rebound and a steal. Mike Muscala, who turned in a strong performance in Howard's stead on Wednesday, was productive off the bench, totaling 11 points, five rebounds, two assists and a block. Batum paced the Hornets with 24 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals. Zeller was outstanding in compiling a season - high 23 points, as he shot 9 - of - 10 from the field and also hauled in three boards, an assist, three blocks and two steals. Walker, who totaled 21 points, six assists, five rebounds and two steals, helped seal the victory with a go - ahead jumper with 4:3 remaining that he followed up with an acrobatic highlight - reel layup and three - point jumper shortly thereafter. While Marvin Williams was only able to muster eight points, he did haul in 11 rebounds and dished out three assists. The Hawks head to New York for a Sunday afternoon date with the Knicks, while the Hornets head to New Orleans to take on the Pelicans on Saturday night."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Rockets": "51"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "63"}}, {"Assists": {"Victor Oladipo": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "13", "Trevor Ariza": "6", "James Harden": "12", "Lou Williams": "4"}, "Points": {"Victor Oladipo": "15", "Russell Westbrook": "39", "Trevor Ariza": "24", "James Harden": "22", "Lou Williams": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Victor Oladipo": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Enes Kanter": "4", "Trevor Ariza": "6", "James Harden": "5", "Lou Williams": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Trevor Ariza": "11", "Lou Williams": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Trevor Ariza": "9", "Lou Williams": "11"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Ariza": "3"}}], "These are two offenses that can put up points at ease and that was evident in this 262 - point barn burner. Houston's offense was especially easy, as they shot 63 percent from the field and 51 percent from three - point range. It was a wire - to - wire win for the Rockets, as it was a double - digit margin for the majority of the second half. Russell Westbrook carried the Thunder, as he collected 39 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists. Enes Kanter played well off the bench, totaling 24 points and four rebounds. Victor Oladipo accrued 15 points, four rebounds and four assists. Lou Williams led the way for Houston, as he dropped 31 points, three rebounds and four assists on 11 - of - 15 shooting off the Rockets bench. James Harden accrued 22 points, five rebounds and 12 assists. Trevor Ariza shot 9 - of - 11 to total 24 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals,"], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "37"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Clippers": "30"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "4"}}, {"Assists": {"Chris Paul": "11", "Mike Conley": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Chris Paul": "15"}, "Free throws made": {"Chris Paul": "14"}, "Personal fouls": {"Chris Paul": "4"}, "Points": {"Chris Paul": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Chris Paul": "4", "Marc Gasol": "10"}, "Steals": {"Chris Paul": "6"}}], "Chris Paul stepped up his offense as the starting five found points relatively hard to come by for a second straight game. Paul's 27 points and six steals equaled season highs, while his 11 dimes represented a new high - water mark. His 15 free - throw shots were also a game high, and he converted 14 of them into points. The All-Star guard almost outscored his other four teammates on the first unit, who only combined for 36 points, a total that was matched by the five players on the Clippers bench. The Grizzlies received a combined 51 points from Mike Conley and Marc Gasol, but only 37 points from 10 other players who logged minutes. They managed just a 37 percent success rate from the field, while their 19 turnovers led to 30 points for the Clippers."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Heat": "18"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "35"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "13", "Bulls": "8"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "75", "Bulls": "93"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "11", "Bulls": "15"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Mike Dunleavy": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Mike Dunleavy": "8"}, "Points": {"Mike Dunleavy": "22", "Taj Gibson": "15"}, "Minutes played": {"Taj Gibson": "38"}, "Rebounds": {"Taj Gibson": "9"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (15 - 8) defeated the Miami Heat (11 - 13) 93 - 75 on Sunday. Chicago has won four of their last five games. Mike Dunleavy took a rare lead on offense Sunday, finishing with a game - high 22 points on an efficient 8 - of - 11 shooting from the field. Joakim Noah sat out a third straight game to rest his sprained ankle, giving Taj Gibson another spot start. Gibson finished with 15 points and nine rebounds in 38 minutes. The Bulls will continue their two - game road trip in Atlanta on Monday against the Hawks. Miami has lost six of their last eight games, and Sunday they were without both Chris Bosh (calf) and Josh McRoberts (knee), putting them behind the eight ball trying to fight for a win without their starting frontcourt. With Bosh out, the Heat struggled to get anything working on offense and shot a woeful 35 percent from the field and 18 percent from beyond the arc. Miami will go on the road Tuesday to face the Brooklyn Nets."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "57", "Nuggets": "45"}}, {"Assists": {"Nikola Jokic": "2", "Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Tony Parker": "4"}, "Points": {"Nikola Jokic": "11", "Jamal Murray": "20", "Kawhi Leonard": "19", "Tony Parker": "18", "Manu Ginobili": "18", "Jonathon Simmons": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Jokic": "1", "Kawhi Leonard": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jamal Murray": "12", "Tony Parker": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Jamal Murray": "8", "Tony Parker": "8"}, "Steals": {"Tony Parker": "3"}}], "San Antonio has now beat Denver in six - straight meetings, as they continue to dominate the Nuggets. Shooting was the key difference in this game, with San Antonio shooting 57 percent, while holding Denver to under 45 percent from the field. Free-throw shooting was decisive as well, with the Nuggets going just 5 - of - 10, while the Spurs hit 21 - of - 26. Jamal Murray was the only Denver player with more than 11 points, as he dropped 20 points on 8 - of - 12 shooting off the bench. Nikola Jokic led the starters, as he scored 11 points to go along with one rebound and two assists. No other player had more than 10 points or five assists. Kawhi Leonard led the way for San Antonio, as he tallied 19 points, six rebounds and five assists. Tony Parker went 8 - of - 8 from the field to score 18 points, while adding four assists and three steals. Jonathan Simmons and Manu Ginobili came off the bench to score 18 points a piece."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "16", "Lakers": "26"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "112", "Lakers": "96"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "17", "Lakers": "5"}}, {"Assists": {"Kobe Bryant": "3", "Jordan Clarkson": "3", "D'Angelo Russell": "3", "Courtney Lee": "3", "Mike Conley": "5", "Mario Chalmers": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Kobe Bryant": "6", "Courtney Lee": "5"}, "Points": {"Kobe Bryant": "19", "Larry Nance Jr.": "17", "Jordan Clarkson": "12", "D'Angelo Russell": "10", "Jeff Green": "17", "Matt Barnes": "5", "Marc Gasol": "16", "Zach Randolph": "16", "Mario Chalmers": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Kobe Bryant": "2", "Larry Nance Jr.": "11", "Jordan Clarkson": "2", "Jeff Green": "4", "Matt Barnes": "8", "Marc Gasol": "3", "Zach Randolph": "3"}, "Steals": {"D'Angelo Russell": "1", "Marc Gasol": "1", "Zach Randolph": "1", "Mario Chalmers": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Marc Gasol": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Mike Conley": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Zach Randolph": "20", "Mario Chalmers": "29"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (17 - 16) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (5 - 26) 112 - 96 on Sunday. The Grizzlies seem to have discovered a successful formula with their current frontcourt rotation. Coach Dave Joerger moved veteran Zach Randolph to the bench nine games ago, promoting Matt Barnes and Jeff Green to the starting lineup in the process. Since the personnel shift, Randolph has tallied six double - digit scoring performances, while receiving a few extra minutes of valuable rest each night. Meanwhile, both Barnes and Green have put together some productive outings with the additional playing time. Sunday provided a tangible example of the positive results the rotation has brought, with Randolph producing 16 points, three rebounds and a steal over just 20 minutes. Green amassed 17 points and four rebounds himself, while Barnes only managed a modest five points, but hauled in eight boards. The Grizzlies also outscored the Lakers in the paint by the comfortable margin of 44 - 28, and outrebounded them on the defensive glass, 34 - 28. The visitors also received solid efforts from three other members of their starting five, Marc Gasol, Mike Conley and Courtney Lee. Gasol pitched in 16 points and added six rebounds and a steal, while the pair of guards combined for 32 points, six rebounds, eight assists and five swipes. Randolph's aforementioned 16 points paced the Memphis bench, and Mario Chalmers joined him as the other double - digit scoring reserve with 11 points. The backup point guard supplemented his scoring with seven assists and a steal over the season - high 29 minutes he received. The Grizzlies improved their record to 17 - 16 and currently reside in third place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They head home to face the Miami Heat on Tuesday. The Lakers could not follow up their scrappy Christmas Day effort versus the Clippers with a similar performance. They fell into a 59 - 46 hole by halftime, and although they showed some life after intermission, the outcome of the game was never truly in question. Kobe Bryant did continue his stretch of considerably improved play by leading the Lakers with a 19 - point tally on 6 of 15 shooting. He added three assists and a pair of rebounds, and now has 10 straight double - digit scoring games. Rookie Larry Nance, Jr. turned in a notable performance of his own, contributing a career - high 17 points and hauling in 11 boards for his first career double - double. Jordan Clarkson was the only other starter with double - digit points, pouring in 12 and adding three assists and a pair of rebounds. 2015 first - round pick D'Angelo Russell paced the Lakers' reserves with 10 points, three assists and a steal, his third consecutive double - digit scoring effort. Los Angeles fell to 5 - 26 and remains in last place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. They head to Charlotte for a Monday showdown with the Hornets."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "49"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "13", "Knicks": "23"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "116", "Knicks": "101"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Raptors": "27", "Knicks": "8"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Raptors": "20"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "27", "Knicks": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Derrick Rose": "3", "Mindaugas Kuzminskas": "1", "Justin Holiday": "1", "Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Terrence Ross": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Carmelo Anthony": "26", "Lance Thomas": "2", "Mindaugas Kuzminskas": "23", "Justin Holiday": "26", "Terrence Ross": "23", "Norman Powell": "24"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "18", "Joakim Noah": "1", "Derrick Rose": "16", "Mindaugas Kuzminskas": "9", "Justin Holiday": "17", "DeMarre Carroll": "20", "Jonas Valanciunas": "12", "DeMar DeRozan": "23", "Terrence Ross": "12", "Norman Powell": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Derrick Rose": "2", "Mindaugas Kuzminskas": "2", "DeMarre Carroll": "2", "Jonas Valanciunas": "16", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Terrence Ross": "2", "Norman Powell": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Derrick Rose": "1", "DeMarre Carroll": "1"}, "Steals": {"Justin Holiday": "1", "DeMarre Carroll": "2", "Norman Powell": "1"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the New York Knicks, 116 - 101, at Air Canada Centre on Sunday. The Knicks (18 - 23) found themselves without star power forward Kristaps Porzingis for a second consecutive game due to his sore Achilles, and his absence seemed to make a considerable difference, particularly in the middle portion of the game. After hanging tough with the Raptors (27 - 13) through the first period, New York saw their hosts outscore them by a whopping 69 - 38 margin over the second and third quarters. Toronto was particularly dominant coming out of the halftime locker room, as they blasted their visitors by a 27 - 8 spread in the third quarter. The Raptors were able to shoot an impressive 49 percent from the field overall, while seeing three players eclipse the 20 - point mark. The Knicks were led by Carmelo Anthony's 18 points, although he was only able to add a rebound and an assist to his stat line. Justin Holiday was the second - leading scorer for the Knicks and accomplished the distinction from the bench, as he totaled 17 points, three rebounds, an assist and a steal over 26 minutes. Derrick Rose was next with 16 points, three assists, two rebounds and a block. Joakim Noah notably contributed just one point but did haul in eight boards. Lance Thomas had to exit the contest after just two minutes as a result of an elbow to the face. Mindaugas Kuzminskas provided nine points, two rebounds and an assist in 23 minutes off the bench in his stead. DeMar DeRozan paced the Raptors with 23 points, five rebounds and five assists. Norman Powell was right behind him with an impressive performance off the bench, posting 21 points, a rebound and a steal over 24 minutes. DeMarre Carroll went for 20 points, two boards, two steals and a block. Jonas Valanciunas chipped in with a 12 - point, 16 - rebound double - double that also included an assist. Terrence Ross got in the act as well, generating 12 points, two rebounds and an assist in 23 minutes. The Knicks head back home to face off with the Atlanta Hawks on Monday afternoon, while the Raptors head to New York to take on the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday evening."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "39"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "24", "Timberwolves": "36"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "80", "Timberwolves": "107"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "37", "Timberwolves": "25"}}, {"Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "20", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "21", "Shabazz Muhammad": "18", "Dante Exum": "15"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "15"}}], "The visiting Minnesota Timberwolves demolished the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, 107 - 80. Minnesota (25 - 36) saw one of its most convincing wins of the season, as sophomore phenom Karl-Anthony Towns continued his stretch of dominance. Towns took his game to another level in February, averaging over 28 points and 13 rebounds per game while shooting over 60 percent. On Wednesday, he looked as solid as ever, scoring 21 points on 9 - of - 16 shooting to go along with 15 rebounds. Five Timberwolves finished with at least 11 points in what was a well - rounded team effort on offense. Third-year wing Andrew Wiggins scored 20 points for the 18th straight game, while Shabazz Muhammad had 18 in just 23 minutes of play. The Wolves hit 50 percent of their shots from the field, 50 percent from beyond the arc, and over 80 percent from the free - throw line. Utah (37 - 24) has now dropped two straight games in what has been a minor slide in an otherwise great season. Wednesday's game certainly marked a low - point for the Jazz, who shot under 39 percent and made only four three - pointers en route to only 80 points on the night. The team's high scorer was third - year Australian point guard Dante Exum, who had 15 points in 28 minutes off the bench. The game quickly got out of hand for Utah, leading no member of the starting five to play more than 26 minutes on the night. It will likely be a performance the Jazz hope to forget. The Wolves will visit San Antonio on Saturday, while Utah will host the Nets on Friday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "LeBron James": "7"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "41", "LeBron James": "29", "Kyrie Irving": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6", "LeBron James": "6"}}], "In this Finals rematch from nearly a decade ago, these two teams showed why they're still Finals contenders. This overtime thriller was close throughout, as there were 13 ties and 15 lead changes, with neither team leading by more than 11 points. Free-throws killed the Cavs, as they made the same amount of free - throws as the Spurs, but took eight more attempts. They also dominated the assist - to - turnover ratio, with San Antonio recording seven more assists and five less turnovers. Kawhi Leonard was the player of the game, dropping a career - high 41 points in the win. He also added six rebounds and five assists. LaMarcus Aldridge and David Lee both recorded double - doubles for the Spurs in the frontcourt. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving tied the team - lead for Cleveland, scoring 29 points a piece. James added six rebounds and seven assists, while irving provided three rebounds and nine assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "24", "Nuggets": "29"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "113", "Nuggets": "117"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "20", "Nuggets": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "26", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "20", "Will Barton": "15", "John Wall": "17"}, "Blocks": {"Will Barton": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Will Barton": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Will Barton": "3"}, "Steals": {"Will Barton": "2"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"John Wall": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"John Wall": "5"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (18 - 29) handed a 117 - 113 loss to the Washington Wizards (20 - 24) on Washington Bullets throwback night at Verizon Center. After losing four of their previous five outings, the Denver Nuggets were able to turn their luck around against the sliding Washington Wizards. Small forward Danillo Gallinari paved the way for the win with a team - high 26. Meanwhile, rookie Emmanuel Mudiay showed a scoring touch with a season second - best of 20 points. Sixth man Will Barton again posted starter - like numbers off the bench, going for 15 points, three rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block in 26 minutes of play. The team as a whole shot 51 percent from the field and hit 9 of their 18 three - point attempts. Washington also came into Thursday's matchup having lost four of their last five; however, their slide did not show signs of stopping. Despite staging somewhat of a late - game comeback, Washington was unable to lead Denver in the second half. Recently-named All-Star John Wall neared a double - double with 17 points and nine assists, but shot just 5 for 17 from the field. Washington simply could n't out - shoot the red hot Nuggets, despite holding a whopping 37 - 15 advantage on the fast break. The Nuggets will square off next against the Pacers on Sunday in Denver. Meanwhile, the Wizards will take to the road against Houston."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "54", "Raptors": "32"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "99", "Raptors": "101"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Magic": "19", "Raptors": "29"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "25", "Raptors": "47"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Tyler Hansbrough": "12", "DeMar DeRozan": "21", "Lou Williams": "15", "Nikola Vucevic": "18", "Victor Oladipo": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Tyler Hansbrough": "7", "DeMar DeRozan": "10", "Lou Williams": "5", "Victor Oladipo": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Tyler Hansbrough": "36", "DeMar DeRozan": "37", "Kyle Lowry": "33", "Victor Oladipo": "43"}, "Points": {"Tyler Hansbrough": "16", "DeMar DeRozan": "29", "Kyle Lowry": "10", "Lou Williams": "13", "Tobias Harris": "16", "Nikola Vucevic": "16", "Victor Oladipo": "19", "Aaron Gordon": "13", "Evan Fournier": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyler Hansbrough": "7", "DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "8", "Victor Oladipo": "5"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "7", "Victor Oladipo": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Lou Williams": "7", "Victor Oladipo": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Lou Williams": "3", "Victor Oladipo": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "6"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyle Lowry": "7", "Victor Oladipo": "3"}, "Steals": {"Victor Oladipo": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Victor Oladipo": "3"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (47 - 32) defeated the Orlando Magic (25 - 54) 101 - 99 on Friday in Orlando. The game went back and forth until the final buzzer sounded. DeMar DeRozan put the Raptors up two with 18 seconds left, but then Victor Oladipo countered with a three - point bomb of his own to put the Magic up one point with 13 seconds remaining. Finally, it was Lou Williams who hit a three of his own with nine seconds left to give Toronto their two - point lead back. With four seconds left, down two points, the Magic had an opportunity to tie it or win the game, but Oladipo's jumper at the buzzer was just off, giving the Raptors the victory. DeRozan led the way for Toronto, recording a game - high 29 points (10 - 21 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT), five assists and three rebounds in 37 minutes. Tyler Hansbrough also filled in nicely once again for the injured Amir Johnson (ankle), scoring 16 points (7 - 12 FG) and grabbing 7 rebounds in 36 minutes. Lou Williams, in addition to hitting the game - winning shot, scored 13 points on 5 - of - 15 shooting, while Kyle Lowry (back) returned to the starting lineup after sitting the last seven games to post 10 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in 33 minutes. Terrence Ross left Friday's game with a sore left ankle and did not return. The win moves the Raptors into a tie for third place in the East, where they currently hold the tiebreaker over the Bulls with just three games left to play in the regular season. Oladipo led the way for the Magic in the losing effort, posting 19 points (8 - 18 FG), five rebounds and four assists in 43 minutes. Tobias Harris and Nikola Vucevic each scored 16 points, while Evan Fournier (18) and Aaron Gordon (13) combined to score 31 points off the bench. Up next, the Raptors will travel to Miami Saturday to play the Heat, while the Magic will stay at home and take on the Knicks on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Cavaliers": "36", "Celtics": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "48", "Celtics": "35"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "24", "Celtics": "35"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "110", "Celtics": "79"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Cavaliers": "29", "Celtics": "16"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Cavaliers": "34", "Celtics": "17"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "38", "Celtics": "23"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Celtics": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Brandon Bass": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "2", "LeBron James": "5", "Kyrie Irving": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Brandon Bass": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "3", "James Young": "5", "Kevin Love": "6", "Kyrie Irving": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Brandon Bass": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "0", "James Young": "2", "Kevin Love": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Brandon Bass": "15", "Isaiah Thomas": "13", "James Young": "5", "LeBron James": "23", "Kevin Love": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "10", "Tristan Thompson": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Brandon Bass": "7", "Isaiah Thomas": "4", "James Young": "2", "LeBron James": "12", "Kevin Love": "4", "Kyrie Irving": "6", "Tristan Thompson": "4"}, "Points": {"Brandon Bass": "15", "Isaiah Thomas": "11", "James Young": "9", "LeBron James": "27", "Kevin Love": "12", "Kyrie Irving": "18", "Tristan Thompson": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Brandon Bass": "5", "Isaiah Thomas": "2", "LeBron James": "3", "Kevin Love": "8", "Kyrie Irving": "2", "Tristan Thompson": "7"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Isaiah Thomas": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "4", "James Young": "3", "LeBron James": "3", "Kevin Love": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "3", "James Young": "3", "LeBron James": "3", "Kevin Love": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Isaiah Thomas": "20", "James Young": "17", "LeBron James": "26", "Kyrie Irving": "26"}, "Personal fouls": {"Isaiah Thomas": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyrie Irving": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (38 - 24) defeated the Boston Celtics (23 - 35) 110 - 79 on Tuesday at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. The Cavaliers got out to an extremely quick start, out - scoring the Celtics 29 - 16 in the first quarter, while grabbing a 61 - 36 lead by half. They did n't slow down coming out of the half either, out - scoring the Celtics 34 - 17 in the third quarter, therefore setting them up to pull off an impressive 31 - point win in front of their home crowd. The Cavaliers were the superior shooting team in this game, going 48 percent from the field and 36 percent from the three - point line, while the Celtics finished at 35 percent from the floor and just 25 percent from deep. It also did n't help that the Celtics turned the ball over 16 times, while forcing the Cavs into just 11. LeBron James had himself a day Wednesday, going 12 - for - 23 from the field and 3 - for - 3 from the free throw line to finish with 27 points, while adding five assists and three steals in just 26 minutes. He's been absolutely on fire of late, averaging 35 points, 7 rebounds and three steals per game over his last three outings. Returning to the starting lineup after missing two games with a strained left shoulder, Kyrie Irving showed no signs of still being affected by the injury. In 26 minutes, he posted 18 points (6 - 10 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), five assists and two steals. He could've recorded even higher numbers, but considering the blow out and the recent injury, he was limited to just under 25 minutes on the court. Coming just shy of a double - double, Kevin Love finished with 12 points (4 - 10 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and eight rebounds in 24 minutes. Like both Irving and James, he could've had a lot more production, but the Cavaliers were up by so much, that the coaching staff felt it was necessary to rest the starters. He's now averaging 17 points and 10 rebounds on the season. Tristan Thompson added 10 points on 4 - of - 4 shooting from the field, to go along with seven rebounds as well. As shown by their final score, the Celtics really struggled to find a source of scoring. Brandon Bass was one of the only consistent options in this game, as he went 7 - for - 15 from the field and 1 - for - 1 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 15 points, while adding five rebounds as well. He's had a nice start to March offensively, recording two games in a row with 15 points.The only other Celtic to reach double figures was Isaiah Thomas, who came off the bench for 11 points (4 - 13 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt 3 - 4 FT) and two assists in just 20 minutes. Since joining the Celtics just six games ago, he's been arguably their best source of scoring, averaging 20 points over that six game span. Also off the bench, rookie James Young posted nine points (2 - 5 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 3 - 3FT) in just 17 minutes. Other than Bass, the Celtics starters combined for just 19 points, which wo n't win any team very many ball games. The Cavaliers' next game will be on the road against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, while the Celtics will be at home against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Mavericks": "31", "Bulls": "9"}, "Turnovers": {"Bulls": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "4", "Rajon Rondo": "2", "Deron Williams": "15"}, "Minutes played": {"Jimmy Butler": "36", "Rajon Rondo": "24", "Deron Williams": "31", "Dwight Powell": "28"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "26", "Rajon Rondo": "2", "Harrison Barnes": "22", "Wesley Matthews": "26", "Deron Williams": "9", "Dwight Powell": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "9", "Rajon Rondo": "2", "Harrison Barnes": "5"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rajon Rondo": "4", "Wesley Matthews": "17", "Dwight Powell": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Rajon Rondo": "1", "Wesley Matthews": "9", "Dwight Powell": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Wesley Matthews": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Wesley Matthews": "7"}}], "Dwight Powell notched a career - high 17 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting, along with eight rebounds, in 28 minutes off the bench for Dallas. Wesley Matthews was the high - point man for the Mavs as he tied a season - high with 26 points on 9 - of - 17 shooting, including 7 - of - 11 from long range. Harrison Barnes added 22 points and five rebounds. Deron Williams tallied 15 assists to go along with nine points, in 31 minutes. The Mavericks recorded 31 assists on 40 field goals. Jimmy Butler was the only player to score more than 15 points for the Bulls as he finished with 26 points, along with nine rebounds, four assists and two steals, in 36 minutes. Rajon Rondo went 1 - of - 4 from the field as he finished with 2 points, two assists and two rebounds in 24 minutes. The Bulls gave up 20 turnovers and only tallied nine assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "42", "Cavaliers": "29"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "117", "Cavaliers": "78"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Celtics": "34", "Cavaliers": "9"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "38", "Cavaliers": "51"}}, {"Points": {"Tristan Thompson": "14", "Iman Shumpert": "15", "James Jones": "14", "Evan Turner": "15", "Tyler Zeller": "10", "Avery Bradley": "12", "Isaiah Thomas": "17", "Jared Sullinger": "11", "Jonas Jerebko": "10", "Kelly Olynyk": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Iman Shumpert": "15", "James Jones": "7", "Evan Turner": "12", "Isaiah Thomas": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Iman Shumpert": "6", "James Jones": "4", "Evan Turner": "6", "Isaiah Thomas": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Iman Shumpert": "38", "James Jones": "26", "Evan Turner": "27", "Isaiah Thomas": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Iman Shumpert": "10", "Evan Turner": "7"}, "Assists": {"Evan Turner": "5", "Isaiah Thomas": "6"}, "Steals": {"Evan Turner": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "5"}}], "The Boston Celtics (38 - 42) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (51 - 29) 117 - 78 on Sunday in Boston. This was the second game in a row where the Celtics played the Cavaliers and the second in a row where they emerged victorious. This time, however, Cleveland sat most of its star players, including LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. Nevertheless, Boston took advantage, dominating their opponent for the final three quarters, starting with a 34 - 9 thrashing in the second period. Seven Boston players scored in double figures, with Isaiah Thomas leading the way off the bench, scoring 17 points (5 - 10 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT) and dishing out six assists in just 22 minutes. Evan Turner also put together a solid performance, posting 15 points (6 - 12 FG), seven rebounds, five assists and four steals in 27 minutes. Avery Bradley (12) and Tyler Zeller (10) each reached double figures as starters, while Jared Sullinger (11), Kelly Olynyk (10) and Jonas Jerebko (10) each were in double figures off the bench. The Celtics recorded 20 steals and forced 24 turnovers in total, and the win leaves them as the No. 7 in the Eastern Conference. With just two games left to play, they hold a two - game lead over the eighth - place Nets. Cleveland has nothing but pride to play for at this point, as they are locked into the No. 2 seed in the East. With majority of their starters resting, Iman Shumpert lead the way in the starting lineup, recording a double - double of 15 points (6 - 15 FG) and 10 rebounds in 38 minutes. Tristan Thompson (15) was the only other starter to score in double figures, while James Jones scored 14 points (4 - 7 FG) in 26 minutes off the bench. Up next, the Celtics will stay home Tuesday to take on the Raptors, while the Cavaliers will head home on Monday to play the Pistons."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "52", "Rockets": "39"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "51", "Rockets": "43"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "12", "Rockets": "9"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "115", "Rockets": "109"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "20", "Rockets": "22"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Rockets": "31"}}, {"Blocks": {"Ryan Anderson": "2", "Eric Gordon": "1", "Marc Gasol": "2", "Tony Allen": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Ryan Anderson": "7", "Montrezl Harrell": "8", "Patrick Beverley": "6", "James Harden": "7", "Eric Gordon": "2", "Chandler Parsons": "3", "Marc Gasol": "5", "Tony Allen": "4", "Mike Conley": "3", "Zach Randolph": "5"}, "Assists": {"Montrezl Harrell": "1", "Patrick Beverley": "1", "James Harden": "17", "Eric Gordon": "4", "Chandler Parsons": "2", "Marc Gasol": "4", "Tony Allen": "2", "Mike Conley": "5", "Zach Randolph": "4"}, "Points": {"Montrezl Harrell": "16", "Patrick Beverley": "13", "James Harden": "16", "Eric Gordon": "17", "Chandler Parsons": "4", "Marc Gasol": "16", "Tony Allen": "9", "Mike Conley": "24", "Zach Randolph": "16", "Vince Carter": "14"}, "Steals": {"Patrick Beverley": "2", "James Harden": "1", "Eric Gordon": "1", "Chandler Parsons": "1", "Marc Gasol": "1", "Tony Allen": "2", "Mike Conley": "1", "Zach Randolph": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "13", "Eric Gordon": "19"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "9"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Eric Gordon": "16"}, "Minutes played": {"Eric Gordon": "32", "Chandler Parsons": "15"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Houston Rockets, 115 - 109, at FedEx Forum on Friday. The Grizzlies (20 - 12) hold a reputation as one of the true grinding, defensive - minded squads in the NBA, and rightfully so. They checked in to Friday's showdown with the high - octane Rockets (22 - 9) second only to the Jazz in points allowed per game (97), while holding opponents to a 43 percent success rate from the field that also ranked them as second - best behind Utah. However, Memphis flashed the ability to give the scoreboard operator a workout Friday, as they broke out for a season - high 115 points to secure their 12th home victory of the season. Mike Conley, recently recovered from a serious back injury, led the way with 24 points, and the Grizzlies impressively shot 51 percent from the field and 52 percent from three - point range. On the defensive end, they were able to contain the prolific Rockets to 43 percent and 39 percent success rates, respectively. Houston was led by Ryan Anderson's season - high 31 points, which he supplemented with seven rebounds and two blocks. James Harden provided a modest 16 points while only taking 13 shot attempts, but served as a master facilitator, handing out 17 dimes. He also recorded seven rebounds and a steal, but turned the ball over a game - high nine times. Montrezl Harrell compiled 16 points and provided eight rebounds and an assist while drawing another start center. Patrick Beverley went for 13 points, six rebounds, an assist and two steals. Eric Gordon got his money's worth out of his 32 minutes on the floor, posting 17 points, four assists, two rebounds, a steal and a block while taking a whopping 16 of his 19 shot attempts fro three - point range. Conley complemented his aforementioned team - high scoring total with five assists, three rebounds and a steal. Marc Gasol was next with 16 points, five rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal. Tony Allen filled out the stat sheet with nine points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. Chandler Parsons played a scant 15 minutes as he continues to build up his conditioning following a long absence, and he managed four points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal. Zach Randolph led the bench with 16 points, five rebounds, four assists and a steal, while Vince Carter (14 points) and James Ennis (13 points) were productive in reserve roles as well. The Rockets head back home to face the Phoenix Suns on Monday evening, while the Grizzlies head down to Central Florida for a date with the Orlando Magic on Monday night as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "11", "Cavaliers": "7"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "88", "Cavaliers": "110"}, "Rebounds": {"Nets": "33", "Cavaliers": "55"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "8", "Cavaliers": "12"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Cavaliers": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "7", "Dion Waiters": "4", "Deron Williams": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LeBron James": "3", "Kevin Love": "5", "Dion Waiters": "6", "Deron Williams": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"LeBron James": "1", "Kevin Love": "2", "Dion Waiters": "1", "Deron Williams": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "17", "Kevin Love": "14", "Dion Waiters": "21", "Kevin Garnett": "9", "Deron Williams": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "8", "Kevin Love": "7", "Dion Waiters": "11", "Kevin Garnett": "6", "Deron Williams": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LeBron James": "2", "Kevin Love": "6", "Dion Waiters": "3", "Kevin Garnett": "3", "Deron Williams": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"LeBron James": "1", "Kevin Love": "3", "Tristan Thompson": "2", "Dion Waiters": "3", "Kevin Garnett": "2", "Deron Williams": "6"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "18", "Kevin Love": "19", "Tristan Thompson": "14", "Dion Waiters": "26", "Mirza Teletovic": "11", "Kevin Garnett": "14", "Deron Williams": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Love": "14", "Tristan Thompson": "12", "Kevin Garnett": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Tristan Thompson": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Tristan Thompson": "2"}, "Steals": {"Tristan Thompson": "2", "Dion Waiters": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (12 - 7) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (8 - 11) 110 - 88 on Monday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Despite the Cavaliers leading only 50 - 49 going into halftime, they came out on fire in the second half and out - scored the Nets 60 - 39, allowing them to coast to a 22 - point victory on the road. The Cavaliers severely out - rebounded the Nets as well, grabbing 55 compared to only 33 recorded by Brooklyn. The Cavaliers got a huge boost off the bench in this one, with three players scoring at least 12 points. Dion Waiters recorded a season and game - high of 26 points (11 - 21 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), while also handing out four assists. It was only the second time he's reached the 20 - point mark all year, so that should only help his confidence. Tristan Thompson was also a big contributor off the bench and recorded his second double - double in a row, finishing with 14 points and 12 rebounds. He's combined for 35 points and 25 rebounds in the past two games. Although the bench played well, both LeBron James and Kevin Love did their part. James finished with 18 points (8 - 17 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and seven assists, while Love recorded 19 points (7 - 14 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 3 - 6 FT) and 14 rebounds. It was Love's fifth straight double - double. The Nets were led by Kevin Garnett and Deron Williams. Garnett finished with 14 points (6 - 9 FG, 2 - 3 FT) and seven rebounds. He has n't been much of an offensive presence this year and it was only the first time in the past eight games that he's reached double figures in points. Williams really struggled with his shot, as he went only 3 - for - 14 from the field and 1 - for - 4 from the three - point line, but he did convert on all six of his free throws, so that was where the majority of his 13 points came from. Williams also added 11 assists, giving him his second double - double of the year. Mirza Teletovic was the other starter to reach double - digit points, as he finished with 11. The Cavaliers next game will be at home against the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday, while the Nets will travel to Chicago to play the Bulls on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Suns": "61", "Kings": "46"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "54"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "2", "Kings": "4"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "118", "Kings": "97"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Suns": "28", "Kings": "18"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "3", "Kings": "1"}}, {"Points": {"James Anderson": "15", "Darren Collison": "13", "Marco Belinelli": "15", "Kosta Koufos": "16", "Brandon Knight": "17", "Eric Bledsoe": "19"}, "Assists": {"Darren Collison": "6", "Brandon Knight": "7", "Eric Bledsoe": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Darren Collison": "32", "Kosta Koufos": "28", "Brandon Knight": "33", "Eric Bledsoe": "33"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kosta Koufos": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Kosta Koufos": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Kosta Koufos": "7", "Eric Bledsoe": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Eric Bledsoe": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2"}, "Steals": {"Eric Bledsoe": "4"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (3 - 2) defeated the Sacramento Kings (1 - 4) Wednesday by a score of 118 - 97 at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix. The Suns maintained control of the game from the opening tip, outscoring the Kings 28 - 18 in the first quarter and never looking back. The effort was led by Eric Bledsoe, who stuffed the stat sheet on his way to a game - high 19 points (8 - 19 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt), eight assists, six rebounds, and four steals in 33 minutes. His running mate in the backcourt Brandon Knight wasn\u2019t too far behind, accumulating 17 points and seven assists in 33 minutes of his own. As a team, the Suns maintained a scorching - hot shooting effort throughout the night, hitting on 54 percent of their attempts from the field and an incredible 61 percent from behind the arc. Sacramento was unable to be as effective on offense, as their starters combined to score just 46 out of the team's 97 points. Their bench was forced picked up the slack, led by backup center Kosta Koufos, who saw added minutes with DeMarcus Cousins (Achilles) sidelined. Koufos scored 16 points on 8 - of - 11 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench. Marco Belinelli and James Anderson added 15 points of their own, while Darren Collison racked up 13 points and six assists in 32 minutes. Up next, the Suns will stay at home Friday to take on the Pistons, while the Kings will head home Friday and go up against the Rockets."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "22", "Hawks": "21"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "111", "Hawks": "92"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "24", "Hawks": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "40"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hawks": "20"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "14"}}, {"Points": {"Al Horford": "14", "Jeff Teague": "20", "Thabo Sefolosha": "13", "Paul George": "11", "Myles Turner": "20", "Monta Ellis": "25", "George Hill": "18"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "5", "Myles Turner": "1", "Monta Ellis": "6"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jeff Teague": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Jeff Teague": "1", "Monta Ellis": "5", "George Hill": "8"}, "Steals": {"Jeff Teague": "1", "Paul George": "1", "Monta Ellis": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Paul George": "1", "Monta Ellis": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul George": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul George": "2", "Monta Ellis": "7"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Paul George": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Myles Turner": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Myles Turner": "26"}, "3-pointers made": {"Monta Ellis": "5", "George Hill": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"George Hill": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"George Hill": "1"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (24 - 22) picked up a key Eastern Conference home win Thursday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse over the Atlanta Hawks (27 - 21), 111 - 92. The Pacers led for over 30 straight minutes, from 23 - 20 with 1:44 left in the first quarter all the way until the Hawks took a 90 - 88 lead off an Al Horford dunk with 5:55 to remain in the game. But the Pacers were n't fazed, as they would allow just one more basket for the rest of the game as they stepped on the gas and pulled away for good with a 23 - 2 run to close the game. Monta Ellis was on fire from three - point land, as he knocked down five of his seven shots from deep and finished with 25 points, six assists and five steals to lead the Pacers. George Hill knocked down three three - pointers tto fuel an 18 - point, eight - rebound night, and Myles Turner notched an efficient 20 points in 26 minutes to help hide a rare off night from Paul George (2 - 11 FG, 11 points). Jeff Teague led the Hawks with 20 points and dished a team - high five assists, but he was one of the rare bright spots for a stagnant Hawks offense that managed just 40 percent from the field. Al Horford scored 14 on 6 - 12 shooting and Thabo Sefolosha had a sharp 13 points on 4 - 7 shooting off the bench, but the Hawks just could not connect from deep. Kyle Korver managed just 1 - 7 from three - point land, and the team finished a brutal 7 - 28 (25 percent). Atlanta next faces the Heat this Sunday in Miami. The Pacers will remain at home for a matchup against the Nuggets on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "38", "Raptors": "38"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "43", "Raptors": "38"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "32", "Raptors": "26"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "95", "Raptors": "87"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "47", "Raptors": "52"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "21"}, "Points": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "13", "DeMar DeRozan": "16", "Kyle Lowry": "16", "Bismack Biyombo": "10", "Paul Millsap": "13", "Kyle Korver": "14", "Jeff Teague": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "8", "Bismack Biyombo": "9", "Paul Millsap": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "24", "Kyle Lowry": "15", "Jeff Teague": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "7", "Kyle Lowry": "6", "Jeff Teague": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "6", "Kyle Korver": "8", "Jeff Teague": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Lowry": "2", "Kyle Korver": "4", "Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "5"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jeff Teague": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Jeff Teague": "7"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (47 - 32) earned a home win over the Toronto Raptors (52 - 26) Thursday night at Philips Arena, 95 - 87. Atlanta won this one with defense, as they blocked 12 shots and held the Raptors to just 38 percent shooting from the field. Toronto's biggest lead came at 11 - 7 with 8:26 to go in the first quarter. The Hawks immediately rattled off a 60 run to take the lead, and the Raptors never led again, as Toronto's offense could n't generate the big run necessary to turn things around. Jeff Teague led all scorers with 23 points (7 - 13 FG, 2 - 3 3PT, 7 - 9 FT) to go with five assists. Paul Millsap turned in a double - double with 13 points and 14 rebounds to go with five blocked shots, and Kyle Korver knocked down four of eight three - point attempts as he finished with 14 points. Atlanta shot a mediocre 43 percent from the floor but shot a nifty 12 - 32 (38 percent) from three - point land to keep their offense moving. DeMar DeRozan (7 - 24 FG) and Kyle Lowry (6 - 15 FG, 2 - 6 3PT) led the Raptors with 16 points apiece. Jonas Valanciunas scored 13 points and added eight rebounds, and Bismack Biyombo came off the bench to score 10 points and grab nine rebounds in just 21 minutes. But the Raptors just could n't generate offense, and they managed just eight offensive rebounds on 52 missed shots, a meager 15 percent offensive rebound rate, leaving them without the critical second chance opportunities teams need when first shots are n't falling. The Hawks continue their homestand Saturday against the Celtics. The Raptors return home to host the Pacers on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "35", "Warriors": "15"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "103", "Warriors": "100"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "42", "Warriors": "63"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Draymond Green": "7", "Klay Thompson": "5", "Stephen Curry": "8", "Quincy Pondexter": "4", "Anthony Davis": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Draymond Green": "3", "Klay Thompson": "1", "Stephen Curry": "5", "Quincy Pondexter": "4", "Anthony Davis": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Draymond Green": "18", "Klay Thompson": "10", "Stephen Curry": "18", "Quincy Pondexter": "7", "Anthony Davis": "21", "Tyreke Evans": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Draymond Green": "10", "Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "9", "Quincy Pondexter": "6", "Anthony Davis": "10", "Tyreke Evans": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Draymond Green": "2", "Stephen Curry": "2", "Anthony Davis": "12", "Tyreke Evans": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Draymond Green": "1", "Stephen Curry": "2", "Anthony Davis": "9", "Tyreke Evans": "4"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "24", "Klay Thompson": "7", "Stephen Curry": "25", "Quincy Pondexter": "20", "Anthony Davis": "29", "Tyreke Evans": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "14", "Stephen Curry": "6", "Anthony Davis": "10", "Tyreke Evans": "6"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "9", "Tyreke Evans": "9"}, "Turnovers": {"Stephen Curry": "2", "Tyreke Evans": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Anthony Davis": "1", "Tyreke Evans": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Anthony Davis": "1", "Tyreke Evans": "3"}, "Steals": {"Tyreke Evans": "4"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (42 - 35) defeated the Golden State Warriors (63 - 15) 103 - 100 on Tuesday at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The end of this game came down to free throws for the Pelicans, as Tyreke Evans made 1 - of - 2 attempts with 17 seconds left to put them up one, while Anthony Davis hit 2 - of - 2 with just under 10 seconds left in the game to put them up three. Stephen Curry had a shot to tie it at the buzzer, but he missed and gave the Pelicans a huge win. With the victory, the Pelicans overtook the Oklahoma City Thunder for the eighth and final projected playoff seed in the West. The Thunder took a tough loss to the Spurs on Tuesday as well, so the Pelicans now hold a half game lead over the Thunder with just five games left on their schedule. It was the frontcourt duo of Anthony Davis and Quincy Pondexter that pushed the Pelicans to the key victory. Davis finished with 29 points (10 - 21 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 9 - 12 FT), 10 rebounds and four blocked shots, while Pondexter had 20 points, shooting 6 - for - 7 from the field and 4 - for - 4 from the three - point line. Davis has really stepped up ever since the middle of March in order to get this team in position for a playoff berth in the loaded Western Conference. Over his last 10 games, he's averaging 25 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks, so it's not surprising how well he played again in this one. This marked just the second time all season that Pondexter reached the 20 - point mark, so it came at the right time for the Pelicans during their intense battle with the Thunder for that final playoff spot. Tyreke Evans did a little bit of everything as well. He finished with 12 points (4 - 8 FG, 4 - 5 FT), six rebounds, nine assists and four steals, so despite scoring less than his season average, it was still a very productive showing for the guard. Draymond Green and Stephen Curry did their best to keep the Warriors in position to grab the win. Curry finished with 25 points (9 - 18 FG, 5 - 8 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), six rebounds and nine assists, while Green added 24 points (10 - 18 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and 14 rebounds. Curry missed a few big shots late in the game, but he still surpassed the 20 - point mark for the ninth time over his last 10 outings. Green was really struggling of late, combining to go just 4 - for - 18 from the field and 1 - for - 6 from the three - point line in his two previous games, so it was a step in the right direction for him, pushing his season averages to 12 points and eight rebounds on the season. The surprise of the night was Klay Thompson, who just could n't get his shot to fall. He went just 2 - for - 10 from the field and 1 - for - 5 from deep to score seven points, marking his second poor performance in a row. He shot just 3 - of - 11 from the field in Sunday's game against the Spurs, so he needs to get locked back in before the playoffs start next week. The Pelicans' next game will be on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, while the Warriors will be at home against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "37"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "13", "Celtics": "9"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "87", "Celtics": "117"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Magic": "23"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Magic": "23"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "10", "Celtics": "13"}}, {"Points": {"Jae Crowder": "17", "Al Horford": "10", "Avery Bradley": "23", "Evan Fournier": "14", "D.J. Augustin": "15", "Nikola Vucevic": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Jae Crowder": "10", "Al Horford": "6", "Avery Bradley": "4", "Evan Fournier": "3", "Nikola Vucevic": "10"}, "Assists": {"Al Horford": "8", "Avery Bradley": "3", "Evan Fournier": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Al Horford": "9", "Evan Fournier": "14", "D.J. Augustin": "7", "Nikola Vucevic": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Al Horford": "3", "Evan Fournier": "4", "D.J. Augustin": "4", "Nikola Vucevic": "5"}}], "The Boston Celtics defeated the Orlando Magic, 117 - 87, at Amway Center on Wednesday. While this game was expected to be close, the Celtics took it to the Magic in this lopsided victory. Boston really put their foot down in the second half, outscoring the Magic, 68 - 37, after trailing by one headed into halftime. Shooting was the key difference, with Boston shooting 52 percent and Orlando shooting just 37 percent on their end. The Celtics dominated across the board, as they won the shooting, rebounding, assisting and turnover battles. Boston (13 - 9) had to play this game without Isaiah Thomas, but they did n't miss a beat. Avery Bradley stepped up in his absence, tallying 23 points, four rebounds and three assists. Al Horford scored just 10 points on 3 - of - 9 shooting, but added six rebounds and eight assists, as much of the offense was run through the big man. Jae Crowder recorded a double - double, accumulating 17 points and 10 rebounds. Terry Rozier and Marcus Smart took all the point guard minutes and combined for 29 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals in the win. The Celtics next game will be on Friday, when they host the Toronto Raptors. Orlando (10 - 13) has really struggled on offense this season and this 87 - point effort only adds to those deficiencies. Nikola Vucevic did record a double - double off the bench though, totaling 12 points and 10 rebounds on 5 - of - 14 shooting. D.J. Augustin led the team in scoring, dropping 15 points on 4 - of - 7 from the field. The forwards really struggled, as Serge Ibaka and Aaron Gordon combined for just 13 points and 11 rebounds on 5 - of - 19 shooting. Evan Fournier went just 4 - of - 14 from the field, but accrued 14 points, three rebounds and five assists. On deck for the Magic is a road matchup against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday."], [[{}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Isaiah Thomas": "3"}, "Points": {"Isaiah Thomas": "44"}, "Rebounds": {"Isaiah Thomas": "3"}}], "Isaiah Thomas missed three straight games just over a week ago with a groin injury, but in his three games since his return, he has n't skipped a beat. In fact, after Tuesday night's 44 - point performance against the Grizzlies, Thomas officially put together his highest scoring three - game stretch of the regular season thus far. In his three games since returning from injury, Thomas has totaled 93 points. His previous best three - game stretch this season came in mid - November, when Thomas scored 90 points over that stretch. Most importantly, however, Thomas' return is leading the Celtics to victories, as they have now won three straight with Thomas after losing three straight without him. It's important to note, however, that high scoring affairs from the point guard have not always to positive results, as Boston is just 3 - 3 this season when Thomas scores at least 30 points."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "43"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "21", "Pelicans": "25"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "107", "Pelicans": "99"}, "Turnovers": {"Bulls": "10"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "20", "Pelicans": "16"}}, {"Points": {"Solomon Hill": "10", "Anthony Davis": "36", "E'Twaun Moore": "16", "Tyreke Evans": "14", "Jimmy Butler": "28", "Taj Gibson": "15", "Dwyane Wade": "22"}, "Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "2", "Jimmy Butler": "6", "Dwyane Wade": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "Jimmy Butler": "2", "Taj Gibson": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Davis": "39", "Jimmy Butler": "39", "Taj Gibson": "32", "Dwyane Wade": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "14", "Jimmy Butler": "8", "Dwyane Wade": "5"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "1", "Jimmy Butler": "4", "Dwyane Wade": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "16", "Dwyane Wade": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Jimmy Butler": "9", "Dwyane Wade": "9"}}], "The Chicago Bulls hung on to defeat the visiting New Orleans Pelicans, 107 - 99, at United Center on Saturday evening. Jimmy Butler scored 18 points in the first half, to lead the Bulls to a 55 - 45 lead at halftime. They extended their lead to as many as 15 points in the third quarter but the Pelicans were able to battle back to make it a one - point game with 10:53 left in the fourth quarter. However, Dwyane Wade exploded for 17 points in the fourth quarter, where he went 7 - of - 10 from the field to lead Chicago to the win. The Bulls (20 - 21) took a staggering 101 shots from the field, hitting 43 percent, including 8 - of - 20 from long range. They missed 10 of their 23 free throws, but were able to hang on for a much - needed win. Jimmy Butler was the high - point man for Chicago, with 28 points on 9 - of - 16 shooting, to go along with eight rebounds, six assists, four steals and two blocks, in 39 minutes. Dwyane Wade finished the game 9 - of - 24 from the field but came up big when it counted, finishing with 22 points, to go along with five rebounds, five assists and two steals, in 32 minutes. Taj Gibson complimented his guards with a solid night of his own, as he tallied 15 points, 16 rebounds and two blocks, in 32 minutes. The Bulls are now 13 - 8 at home but will have to switch gears, as their next game takes place in Memphis on Sunday. Meanwhile, Anthony Davis did all he could to save his Pelicans (16 - 25), as he poured in a game - high 36 points, to go along with 14 rebounds, three blocks, two assists and one steal, in 39 minutes. The only other starter to score in double digits for New Orleans was Solomon Hill who finished with 10, while E'Twaun Moore added 16 points and Tyreke Evans chipped in 14 points off the bench. Despite having one of the league's top rebounders and inside players, the Pelicans were out - rebounded by 21 and out - scored in the paint. They fall to 6 - 14 on the road and are now one more game away from the eighth spot in the West. The Pelicans will wrap up a five - game road trip as they take on the Pacers in Indiana on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "41"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "10", "Thunder": "8"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "88", "Thunder": "125"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Grizzlies": "16", "Thunder": "39"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "12", "Thunder": "13"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "11"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "32"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (13 - 8) ran circles around the Memphis Grizzlies (12 - 10) on Tuesday, winning 125 - 88. After getting off to a 59 - 47 lead in the first half, the Thunder ran away with the game in the third quarter, dominating the Grizzlies 39 - 16. Per usual, the dynamic duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook led the way for OKC. Despite not playing in the fourth quarter of the blowout, both superstars posted big numbers. Durant shot the lights out, hitting 11 of 14 from the floor en route to a game - high 32 points. The scoring outburst was accompanied by 10 rebounds, six assists, and a trio of steals. Westbrook, meanwhile, took on the role of facilitator for the Thunder offense, making way for Durant's hot hand. The All-Star point guard tallied 16 assists while also recording 13 points on efficient 5 - for - 7 shooting. The Grizzlies, however, saw disappointing play across the board. Star big men Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph simply could n't get the job done on the offensive end, combining for just 20 points. It seemed that no one on Memphis could get their shots to fall, as the Grizzlies shot just 41 percent from the field and knocked down only three three - pointers. The team also looked helpless on the defensive end, as they could do nothing to stop their opponents from knocking down their shots. OKC shot a whopping 56 percent from the field including 50 percent from beyond the arc. Memphis sits towards the middle of the pack of Western Conference playoff contenders. They will hope to push themselves up in the rankings in the second half of their back - to - back, as they travel to Detroit on Wednesday to take on the Pistons. Things look brighter for the third - seed Thunder, as they have two superstars both playing at a high level. Their next contest will come at home on Thursday against Atlanta."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Domantas Sabonis": "12", "Steven Adams": "7", "Victor Oladipo": "17", "Russell Westbrook": "20", "Joffrey Lauvergne": "13", "LeBron James": "25", "Tristan Thompson": "19", "Kyrie Irving": "29", "Richard Jefferson": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Steven Adams": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "12", "LeBron James": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Victor Oladipo": "18", "Russell Westbrook": "26"}, "Field goals made": {"Victor Oladipo": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "10", "Tristan Thompson": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Kevin Love": "12"}, "Blocks": {"Tristan Thompson": "4"}, "Steals": {"Tristan Thompson": "4"}}], "LeBron James and Kyrie Irving helped build a 58 - 45 halftime lead, despite the fact Kevin Love exited after 12 minutes with back spasms. Irving paced Cleveland with a 29 - point, 10 - assist double - double, and James supplied a 25 - point, 14 - rebound effort. Thompson went for 19 and 12 while adding one assist, four steals and four blocks. Reggie Jefferson led the bench with eight points. The Cavs managed to hold their visitors to 37 percent shooting from the field, and a 23 percent success rate from three - point range. Russell Westbrook posted a 20 - point, 12 - rebound, 10 - assist triple - double but went just 7 - of - 26 from the field. Victor Oladipo did n't fare much better, posting 17 points (on 6 - of - 18 shooting). Domantas Sabonis provided 12 points, while Steven Adams tallied seven points but also hauled in 10 boards. Joffrey Lauvergne led the bench with 13 points."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "49", "Pelicans": "42"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "36", "Pelicans": "21"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "99", "Pelicans": "92"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "6", "Pelicans": "20"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Ryan Anderson": "3", "Quincy Pondexter": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Jose Calderon": "1"}, "Assists": {"Tyreke Evans": "3", "Carmelo Anthony": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Tyreke Evans": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tyreke Evans": "20"}, "Free throws made": {"Tyreke Evans": "3", "Quincy Pondexter": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Tyreke Evans": "3", "Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Tyreke Evans": "1", "Quincy Pondexter": "3", "Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "Points": {"Tyreke Evans": "23", "Eric Gordon": "20", "Jason Smith": "12", "Langston Galloway": "21", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "14"}, "Steals": {"Tyreke Evans": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Tyreke Evans": "3", "Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Quincy Pondexter": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Quincy Pondexter": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Quincy Pondexter": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Quincy Pondexter": "3", "Langston Galloway": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Amar'e Stoudemire": "21"}}], "The Knicks (6 - 36) thwarted a late comeback and held on to beat the shorthanded Pelicans (20 - 21) 99 - 92 on Monday evening. The win snapped a 16 - game losing streak, putting an end to one of the most embarrassing stretches in franchise history. New York led by 13 points entering the fourth quarter but allowed the Pelicans, playing without Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday, to slowly creep back into the game. With just over six minutes to play, Quincy Pondexter connected on a three - pointer to bring New Orleans within six, and a Tyreke Evans layup a few minutes later trimmed the deficit to just three with 3:13 to play. Following a Carmelo Anthony layup, Evans knocked down two free throws and hit a jumper to bring the Pelicans within one with 1:55 to play. After Anthony was called for a charge, the Pelicans could not convert two opportunities on the other end, and New York retained possession up one point with 42 seconds remaining. On the ensuing possession, Anthony kicked the ball out to Jose Calderon, who drilled a three - pointer with 32 seconds left. After Anderson misfired on a three, the Knicks secured the rebound and Anthony hit three straight free throws to ice the game. Anthony\u2019s 24 points led the way for the Knicks, who shot nearly 49 percent from the floor as a team. Langston Galloway added 21 points and five rebounds, while Jason Smith chipped in 12 points. Amar\u2019e Stoudemire added 14 points in 21 minutes off the bench. The Pelicans got 23 points from Evans and 20 from Eric Gordon but were simply unable to compensate for the losses of Holiday and, especially, Davis. While New Orleans out - rebounded New York by a 16 - board margin, they blocked just one shot as a team and had just six fast break points. New Orleans has now dropped two of its last three after falling to Philadelphia on Friday and beating the Raptors in Toronto on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "23", "Hawks": "40"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "39", "Hawks": "41"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "13", "Hawks": "10"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "94", "Hawks": "88"}, "Rebounds": {"Grizzlies": "55", "Hawks": "37"}, "Turnovers": {"Grizzlies": "11", "Hawks": "14"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "38", "Hawks": "42"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "6", "Jeff Teague": "2", "Kent Bazemore": "4", "Jeff Green": "3", "Marc Gasol": "1", "Mike Conley": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2", "Jeff Teague": "1", "Kent Bazemore": "2", "Jeff Green": "1", "Marc Gasol": "0", "Mike Conley": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "9", "Jeff Teague": "13", "Kent Bazemore": "11", "Jeff Green": "10", "Zach Randolph": "16", "Marc Gasol": "14", "Mike Conley": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "3", "Jeff Teague": "9", "Kent Bazemore": "5", "Jeff Green": "3", "Zach Randolph": "5", "Marc Gasol": "6", "Mike Conley": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2", "Kent Bazemore": "2", "Jeff Green": "4", "Zach Randolph": "2", "Marc Gasol": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2", "Jeff Teague": "3", "Kent Bazemore": "2", "Jeff Green": "4", "Zach Randolph": "1", "Marc Gasol": "4"}, "Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "10", "Jeff Teague": "22", "Kent Bazemore": "14", "Dennis Schroder": "11", "Mike Scott": "11", "Jeff Green": "11", "Zach Randolph": "11", "Marc Gasol": "16", "Mike Conley": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarre Carroll": "5", "Kent Bazemore": "5", "Jeff Green": "6", "Zach Randolph": "15", "Marc Gasol": "10", "Mike Conley": "3"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "6", "Marc Gasol": "3", "Mike Conley": "6"}, "Steals": {"Kent Bazemore": "2", "Zach Randolph": "2", "Mike Conley": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Mike Conley": "3"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Mike Conley": "50"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (38 - 13) defeated the Atlanta Hakws (42 - 10) 94 - 88 on Sunday at Fed Ex Forum Arena in Memphis. Despite securing the six - point victory, the Grizzlies did n't have as much success shooting the ball as the Hawks did. The Hawks went 41 percent from the field and 40 percent from the three - point line, while the Grizzlies finished at 39 percent from the floor and a meager 23 percent from beyond the arc. While they may not have had the shooting advantage, the Grizzlies did it elsewhere, as they out - rebounded the Hawks 55 - 37 and forced them into 14 turnovers, while committing only 11 of their own. Offensively, the Grizzlies leaned on the duo of Mike Conley and Marc Gasol. Conley went 7 - for - 12 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from the three - point line to finish with a team - high of 21 points, while also adding six assists. He's been shooting the ball really well lately, shooting higher than 50 percent from the field in three out of his last four games. Gasol, on the other hand, recorded 16 points (6 - 14 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), 10 rebounds and two blocked shots. His rebounding numbers were down a bit, as he's recorded less than seven rebounds in each of his last three games, so it was good to see him notch the double - double and get back to producing some higher numbers. Zach Randolph did n't have his best night shooting the ball, but still finished with 11 points (5 - 16 FG, 1 - 2 FT), to go along with 15 rebounds and two steals. He's now had at least 10 rebounds in 21 of his last 22 games. Jeff Green added 11 points (3 - 10 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and six rebounds. For the Hawks, Jeff Teague did most of the damage offensively. He went 9 - for - 13 from the field and 1 - for - 2 from the three - point line to finish with 22 points, while also handing out six assists. He's been on a hot stretch of late, averaging 24 points and seven assists over his last three games. DeMare Carroll was the only other starter in double figures for points, recording 10 points (3 - 9 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and five rebounds in 29 minutes. The other three starters combined to go 7 - for - 27 from the field to score just 18 points, which may have played a big factor in the loss. Coming off the bench, Kent Bazemore had the most success, posting 14 points (5 - 11 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), five rebounds and two steals in 29 minutes. Considering he's averaging only four points per game on the season, it was a nice surprise for the Hawks. Both Mike Scott and Dennis Schroder added 11 points each. The Grizzlies' next game will be at home against the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, while the Hawks will travel to Minnesota to play the Timberwolves on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "28", "Hawks": "34"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "104", "Hawks": "100"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "43", "Hawks": "37"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "40"}}, {"Points": {"Dwight Howard": "14", "Bradley Beal": "28", "John Wall": "22"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"John Wall": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"John Wall": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"John Wall": "34"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the Atlanta Hawks 104 - 100 Wednesday at Verizon Center. After the Hawks (37 - 34) had control of the game in the first half and entered the locker room with a six - point lead, the Wizards (43 - 28) came storming back and the two teams entered the final period all tied up. Ultimately, Washington managed to push their lead to 12 points with just over three minutes to go, and while Atlanta was able to chip away in the closing moments, they eventually just ran out of time. It was n't a great shooting night for John Wall, who shot just 6 - of - 21 from the field, but he still managed to finished with a double - double of 22 points and 10 assists in 34 minutes. Bradley Beal led the way scoring for the team, finishing with a team - high 28 points in 36 minutes. As for the Hawks, they were led by Tim Hardaway Jr., who had a very productive night as the team's starting shooting guard. The former Michigan standout finished with a game - high 29 points on 9 - of - 16 shooting from the field. Dwight Howard was effective down low as well, posting yet another double - double of 14 points and a game - high 16 rebounds, but overall for Atlanta, it was a forgettable offensive night. The team shot a subpar 40 percent from the field en route to their fifth straight loss, and they remain just one game ahead of the Pacers for fifth place in the Eastern Conference."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "33", "Grizzlies": "21"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "96", "Grizzlies": "115"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Suns": "20"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "15", "Grizzlies": "29"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "57"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "12", "Mike Conley": "18", "Marquese Chriss": "12", "Devin Booker": "20"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "18", "Mike Conley": "38", "Zach Randolph": "18", "Marquese Chriss": "20"}, "Assists": {"Mike Conley": "9", "Devin Booker": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Mike Conley": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Mike Conley": "7", "Marquese Chriss": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Mike Conley": "12", "Marquese Chriss": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Mike Conley": "6", "Marquese Chriss": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Marquese Chriss": "2"}, "Steals": {"Marquese Chriss": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Devin Booker": "2"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Phoenix Suns, 115 - 96, at Talking Stick Resort Arena on Monday. Mike Conley was lethal from behind the arc en route to one of his finest performances of the season, as his 38 points were more than enough to lead the Grizzlies (29 - 21) to a rout of the Suns (15 - 33) on the road. Memphis went into the half with an 11 - point lead, and built that into a 20 - point blowout by midway through the third quarter, where Conley sank all three free throws that came on a foul behind the three point line. First-round pick Marquese Chriss had a solid outing for the Suns in the loss, going 8 - of - 12 from the field on his way to 20 points and six boards. Conley's big night was aided by nine assists and six rebounds, in addition to the 7 - of - 10 three point shooting and 12 - of - 18 total from the field. Marc Gasol was efficient in his 18 points, which came on 12 shots, however, the big man has cooled off considerably following a stretch of 30 - plus point performances. Zach Randolph led the bench with 18 points, while the Grizzlies shot a remarkable 57 percent from three - point land. Phoenix got two 20 - plus point performances from Devin Booker and Chriss, but the scoring was far from efficient, which has been a trend for most opponents of Memphis this season, given their strength on the defensive end of the floor. Memphis stole the ball 13 times from the Suns, and had no problem putting the Suns on the charity stripe given their comfortable lead early in the second half. Both teams play on Wednesday, as the Suns host the Los Angeles Clippers, while the Grizzlies visit the Denver Nuggets."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "37"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "3", "Hawks": "1"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "92", "Hawks": "94"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hornets": "37"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "0", "Hawks": "3"}}, {"Blocks": {"Kent Bazemore": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kent Bazemore": "2"}, "Points": {"Kent Bazemore": "20", "Paul Millsap": "16", "Al Horford": "16", "Jeff Teague": "18", "Al Jefferson": "10", "Nicolas Batum": "16", "Kemba Walker": "17"}, "Steals": {"Kent Bazemore": "3"}, "Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "6", "Nicolas Batum": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "6", "Al Horford": "12", "Jeff Teague": "6", "Al Jefferson": "10", "Nicolas Batum": "5"}}], "In their second matchup in three days with the Charlotte Hornets (0 - 3), the Atlanta Hawks (3 - 1) again prevailed, winning 94 - 92 on Sunday. The visiting Hawks received balanced scoring from their starting lineup to guide them to the win column. Point guard Jeff Teague netted 18 points, center Al Horford notched 16 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, and forward Paul Millsap scored 13 points to go along with six boards and six assists. The recent play of Kent Bazemore, who has replaced Thabo Sefolosha as the team\u2019s starting shooting guard, has been a key reason behind the Hawks\u2019 success against the Hornets. In those two games, Bazemore has recorded 39 points, including 20 on Sunday. He also made his presence felt on the defensive end, recording three steals and a blocked shot. Though their attempt to claim their first win fell just short, the Hornets were able to set a club record for three - point attempts with 37 in the contest. However, they\u2019re still struggling to find efficiency, as the team shot just 37 percent from the field Sunday. Kemba Walker finished as the team\u2019s leading scorer with 17 points, while Nicolas Batum added 16 points, eight assists, five rebounds, and a pair of blocks and steals. Al Jefferson notched another double - double with 10 points and 10 boards. The Hawks will head to Miami on Tuesday for their next game, while Charlotte hosts the Bulls at home on the same night."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "46"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "27", "Spurs": "9"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "108", "Spurs": "105"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "13", "Spurs": "31"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "20", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "14", "Devin Booker": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "12", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "6", "Tony Parker": "5", "Devin Booker": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Kawhi Leonard": "32", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "34", "Manu Ginobili": "25"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "38", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "13", "Tony Parker": "14", "Manu Ginobili": "16", "TJ Warren": "12", "Devin Booker": "39", "Eric Bledsoe": "17"}, "Assists": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "Tony Parker": "2", "Eric Bledsoe": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "4", "Eric Bledsoe": "6"}}], "The Phoenix Suns defeated the San Antonio Spurs, 108 - 105, in the Suns' second straight game at Mexico City Arena, on Saturday evening. The Suns gave the Spurs trouble right from the start, matching the top - tier squad in the first quarter, but fell back to trail by seven by halftime. However, the Suns came out of the locker room to win both the third and fourth quarters, out - scoring the Spurs 57 - 47 in the second half. Devin Booker seems to really like playing in Mexico City, as he followed his 39 - point performance on Thursday, with another 39 points on Saturday, to lead his squad past the Spurs. The Suns (13 - 27) shot 46 percent from the field in the contest, while Booker helped boost those numbers, as he went 12 - of - 22 from the field. The only other players to score in double digits for the Suns were Eric Bledsoe, who finished with 17 points, to go along with 10 assists and six rebounds, and T.J. Warren who finished with 12 points. Phoenix won the battle on the glass by 12 and was plus - seven in fast break points, as it's youthful hustle came in handy. The Suns are now 3 - 2 in their last five games but still remain right at the bottom of the West. However, they're still only about five games removed from eighth place. Kawhi Leonard led the way for the Spurs (31 - 9) with 38 points on 12 - of - 20 shooting, in 32 minutes. The next highest scorer was Manu Ginobili, who finished with 16 points, in 25 minutes off the bench. Tony Parker added 14 points, while the only other player to score in double digits for the Spurs was LaMarcus Aldridge, who finished with 13 points on 6 - of - 14 shooting, to go along with four rebounds and two assists, in 34 minutes. The Spurs struggled early, to the point where Gregg Popovic pulled all five of his starters early in the first quarter, but the subs who came in did a good job of getting San Antonio back in the game. However, the sluggishness seemed to stick with them in the long run, as they were out - played by the youthful Suns."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "19", "Bucks": "25"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "79", "Bucks": "91"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "23", "Bucks": "19"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10"}, "Assists": {"Greg Monroe": "1", "Khris Middleton": "7", "Jerryd Bayless": "3", "Luol Deng": "2", "Chris Bosh": "2", "Hassan Whiteside": "1", "Tyler Johnson": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Greg Monroe": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "2"}, "Points": {"Greg Monroe": "15", "Khris Middleton": "22", "Jerryd Bayless": "11", "Luol Deng": "11", "Hassan Whiteside": "23", "Dwyane Wade": "2", "Tyler Johnson": "3", "Gerald Green": "6", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Greg Monroe": "10", "Khris Middleton": "7", "Jerryd Bayless": "3", "Luol Deng": "4", "Chris Bosh": "5", "Hassan Whiteside": "18", "Dwyane Wade": "2", "Tyler Johnson": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Khris Middleton": "8"}, "Steals": {"Khris Middleton": "2", "Jerryd Bayless": "1", "Chris Bosh": "1", "Tyler Johnson": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Luol Deng": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Luol Deng": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Luol Deng": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Dwyane Wade": "21"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (19 - 25) defeated the Miami Heat (23 - 19) 91 - 79 on Tuesday. The Bucks still sport a disappointing record, but have slowly begun piling up victories against some superior teams. Last week saw Milwaukee rattle off wins against the likes of the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks, as well as the talented but underachieving Charlotte Hornets. A new week started with more of the same, as Milwaukee exploited a depleted Heat squad by scoring an impressive road triumph at the American Airlines Arena, where Miami had tallied a 15 - 8 record coming into tonight's contest. The same formula that's largely spearheaded the Bucks' recent successes - - leaning on the talented triumverate of Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greg Monroe - - worked well again Tuesday, and proved pivotal in helping the visitors keep their momentum going. Middleton put together his seventh 20 - point - plus performance in the last eight games, tallying 22 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and a pair of steals. Greg Monroe extended a notable streak himself, posting a sixth straight double - double with 15 points, 10 rebounds, an assist and a block. Meanwhile, the Greek Freak contributed 14 points, six rebounds, four assists and a block. With his talented teammates putting together such productive performances, Antetokounmpo only needed to take 10 shot attempts on the night. Jerryd Bayless paced the Milwaukee bench with 11 points, three rebounds, three assists and a steal. The Bucks improved to 19 - 25 and currently reside in last place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They now head to Houston to take on the Rockets in a Friday showdown. Miami put together a valiant effort with somewhat of a rag - tag lineup, and Hassan Whiteside did his best to put the offense on his shoulders. The four - year pro registered his fourth straight double - double with 23 points, 18 rebounds, an assist and a pair of blocks. Chris Bosh, the next healthiest talented Heat player at the moment, matched Whiteside's scoring output and added five boards, two assists and a steal. Luol Deng was the only other member of the Miami roster with double - digit scoring, totaling 11 points, four rebounds and two assists. The ailing Dwyane Wade, he of the two sore shoulders, could only tally a season - low two points over 21 minutes, while Tyler Johnson pitched in three points, four rebounds, an assist and a pair of steals. Amar'e Stoudemire and Gerald Green paced the Heat bench with a pair of modest six - point efforts. Miami fell to 23 - 19, their fifth loss in the last six games. They currently reside in second place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division and now head to Washington to take on the Wizards in a Wednesday showdown."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"76ers": "21", "Rockets": "33"}}, {"Points": {"Nene": "21", "James Harden": "51", "Joel Embiid": "32", "T.J. McConnell": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Nene": "6", "James Harden": "13", "Joel Embiid": "7"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "13", "Joel Embiid": "4", "T.J. McConnell": "8"}, "Steals": {"Joel Embiid": "3"}}], "Despite there being just five ties and five lead changes, this game was close throughout. In fact, neither team led by more than 13 points, as it came down to the finals seconds. Rebounding was decisive for Houston, as they won that battle, 41 - 29. The third quarter is when the Rockets put a bit of distance between them and the Sixers, as they won that quarter, 33 - 21. James Harden was a monster, as he accumulated 51 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists en route to a triple - double. Nene Hilario got the start and was second on the team with 21 points and six rebounds. Joel Embiid did all he could for Philly, tallying 32 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. T.J. McConnell was second on the team with 13 points and eight assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "7", "Cavaliers": "4"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "90", "Cavaliers": "95"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hornets": "14", "Cavaliers": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Hornets": "38", "Cavaliers": "50"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "9", "Cavaliers": "12"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "5", "Kevin Love": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "4", "Kemba Walker": "4"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "25", "Kevin Love": "18", "Nicolas Batum": "17", "Kemba Walker": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "13", "Kevin Love": "16", "Nicolas Batum": "8", "Kemba Walker": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kemba Walker": "3"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (12 - 4) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (9 - 7) 95 - 90 on Friday. The Hornets have been playing some of the best basketball in the NBA right now, but the Cavaliers are simply better. Cleveland outscored the Hornets 23 - 14 in the final 12 minutes and they closed out the game like the winners they are. Both teams shot exactly 42 percent from the field and 76 percent from the free - throw line. The big difference was the rebounding, as Cleveland snatched 50 boards to the Hornets 38. Cleveland did n't play their best game on Friday, but they escaped with a very impressive win. LeBron James and Kevin Love carried the load like they have been all season and they're becoming one of the best tandems in the NBA right now. James tallied 25 points, 13 rebounds and five assists while Love amassed 18 points and 16 rebounds in the victory. They also got Timofey Mozgov back in this game from a shoulder injury and Tristan Thompson came off the bench to record yet another double - double. This has to be a satisfying win for King James, to beat a scorching - hot Charlotte team in front of Michael Jordan in their home building. The Cavs will look to keep up this nice run against the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday. The Hornets had their four - game winning streak snapped in this loss, but it was n't for a lack of effort. In fact, Charlotte dominated the hustle stats as they committed 14 combined blocks and steals to the Cavs five. The Hornets were led by Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum in the defeat. Walker tallied 18 points, four rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks while Batum totaled 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists in the loss. This still goes down as a loss, but it's a message for the rest of the league that they can compete with anybody on any night. Charlotte will look to start a new winning streak against the struggling Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "1", "Lakers": "2"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "132", "Lakers": "114"}, "Rebounds": {"Kings": "56", "Lakers": "37"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "1", "Lakers": "0"}}, {"Points": {"Jordan Clarkson": "22", "DeMarcus Cousins": "21", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "17", "Rajon Rondo": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "11", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "9", "Omri Casspi": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "30"}, "Assists": {"Rajon Rondo": "8"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (1 - 1) blew out the Los Angeles Lakers (0 - 2) 132 - 114 in Sacramento on Friday night. The Sacramento Kings absolutely manhandled the Los Angeles Lakers in this game, as they were up 74 - 50 at halftime. The Kings were led by a 21 point - 11 rebound double - double from DeMarcus Cousins and a 21 point - eight assist outing from newcomer Rajon Rondo. They both got in those impressive lines in under 30 minutes and if the game weren\u2019t so out of hand, they would have posted some huge numbers. The biggest discrepancy in the game was the rebounding differential, as the Kings outrebounded the Lakers 56 - 37. Only one Lakers starter played more than 22 minutes in this game and that can be attributed to the crooked scoreline. The Lakers were led by Jordan Clarkson, who scored 22 points in his 28 minutes of play. After having a heartbreaking loss in the opener where the Lakers blew a double - digit lead in the fourth quarter, this was a major letdown for a young team that is struggling defensively. The Lakers have now allowed at least 28 points in six of eight quarters this season and the defense could be a major issue all year. The one silver lining is that the Lakers starters will be well rested for their next game on Sunday against the Dallas Mavericks at home. The Kings got some great starts from former All-Stars DeMarcus Cousins, Rajon Rondo and Rudy Gay in this game and also got nice contributions from rookie Willie Cauley-Stein and veteran Omri Casspi. Coach George Karl decided to implement Cauley-Stein into the lineup for this game after not starting him in the opener and he performed admirably, tallying 17 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks across 30 minutes of play. This will be a fluent situation, but the rookie has definitely earned more playing time with a performance like this. It's a good thing the Kings starters got some rest here, as they play the second half of a back - to - back set against the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday in LA."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "2", "Magic": "7"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "98", "Magic": "93"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "7", "Magic": "4"}}, {}], "The Washington Wizards (7 - 2) defeated the Orlando Magic (4 - 7) 98 - 93 on Saturday. Washington is on a three - game win streak, which included wins against the Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons, and Orlando. While their 7 - 2 record is impressive, and everyone expects the Wizards to be a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs next summer, they have had an easy schedule to start the season. In fact, their two losses came against the only two teams they've played this season who are considered locks to make the playoffs (Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors). Bradley Beal has been out since the preseason with a broken wrist, but he is expected to make his debut next Friday. The Wizards have three days off before they'll host the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday. Orlando welcomed Victor Oladipo back to their active roster in the team's 101 - 85 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, but they brought him off the bench. Saturday, they gave him back his starting job at point guard and sent rookie Elfrid Payton to the bench to serve in a backup role. All five starters finished with double - digit scoring Saturday, but it was n't enough to secure the win. The Magic will finish their current two - game roadtrip against the Detroit Pistons on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "20", "Rockets": "32"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "107", "Rockets": "113"}, "Turnovers": {"Raptors": "15"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "41", "Rockets": "31"}}, {"Assists": {"Trevor Ariza": "2", "Dwight Howard": "1", "James Harden": "14", "Patrick Beverley": "3", "Corey Brewer": "3", "DeMar DeRozan": "7", "Kyle Lowry": "9", "Cory Joseph": "3", "Terrence Ross": "1"}, "Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "13", "Dwight Howard": "21", "James Harden": "40", "Patrick Beverley": "7", "Corey Brewer": "23", "Luis Scola": "21", "Jonas Valanciunas": "12", "DeMar DeRozan": "19", "Kyle Lowry": "17", "Cory Joseph": "9", "Terrence Ross": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Ariza": "1", "Dwight Howard": "11", "James Harden": "5", "Corey Brewer": "4", "Luis Scola": "3", "Jonas Valanciunas": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "6", "Kyle Lowry": "4", "Cory Joseph": "5", "Terrence Ross": "2"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Ariza": "3", "Dwight Howard": "1", "James Harden": "1", "Patrick Beverley": "3", "Luis Scola": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "3", "Terrence Ross": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Dwight Howard": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Harden": "19"}}], "The Houston Rockets (31 - 32) defeated the Toronto Raptors (41 - 20) 113 - 107 on Sunday. The importance of the rather unlikely road victory for Houston can not be underscored, as the Rockets had come in to the contest having dropped three of their previous four games and in tangible danger of losing their grip on the eighth seed in the conference. Further dampening their prospects was the Raptors' formidable defense, as well as the 12 - game home winning streak they carried into the Sunday night affair. Despite the rather long odds and a 61 - 51 halftime deficit, the visitors rallied on the strength of a typically remarkable effort from James Harden, who collected at least 40 points for the third time in the last six games. Corey Brewer also played a pivotal role off the bench with a 23 - point tally, and the oft - maligned Houston defense was able to elicit 15 turnovers from Toronto. The superior second - half performance was enough to earn the Rockets their first win north of the border since the 2006 - 2007 campaign. Harden added 14 assists, five rebounds and a steal to his game - high 40 - point total, and made a whopping 19 visits to the charity stripe. Brewer paced the Rockets reserves with his aforementioned 23 points, and supplemented it with four rebounds and a trio of assists. Dwight Howard was right behind with a 21 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included an assist, a steal and two blocks. Trevor Ariza followed with 13 points, two assists, a rebound and three steals. Although he could n't quite get into double digits in scoring, Patrick Beverley generally held his own against Kyle Lowry and filled out the stat sheet with seven points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals. The Rockets are currently in fourth place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division, and they retain a rather tenuous hold on the eighth seed in the conference by one - and - one - half games over the Utah Jazz. They now head to Philadelphia to face off against the Sixers on Wednesday night. For a change, the Raptors were paced on offense by someone not named Lowry or DeMar DeRozan. Luis Scola surprisingly led the way for Toronto, as he capitalized on his matchup against the Rockets' woeful power forward defense to post 21 points, three rebounds and a steal. DeRozan did follow close behind with 19 points, seven assists, six rebounds and two steals. Lowry was next with 17 points, nine assists, four rebounds and three steals. Jonas Valanciunas put in a full day's work against Dwight Howard, posting a 12 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included a trio of blocks. Corey Joseph (nine points, five rebounds and three assists) and Terrence Ross (nine points, two rebounds, an assist and a steal) co - led the Toronto bench. Despite the defeat, the Raptors remain atop the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division, and retain the second seed in the conference. They're home against the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "58"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "56"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "11", "Hornets": "10"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "113", "Hornets": "98"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "14", "Hornets": "14"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"PJ Hairston": "11", "Kemba Walker": "12", "Jeremy Lamb": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"PJ Hairston": "22", "Jeremy Lamb": "24", "Channing Frye": "30", "Evan Fournier": "24", "Victor Oladipo": "25"}, "Points": {"PJ Hairston": "14", "Cody Zeller": "11", "Kemba Walker": "12", "Jeremy Lamb": "16", "Tobias Harris": "13", "Channing Frye": "17", "Nikola Vucevic": "14", "Evan Fournier": "15", "Elfrid Payton": "12", "Victor Oladipo": "11"}, "Assists": {"Jeremy Lamb": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Jeremy Lamb": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Jeremy Lamb": "5", "Nikola Vucevic": "8"}, "Steals": {"Jeremy Lamb": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Channing Frye": "7", "Evan Fournier": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Channing Frye": "5", "Evan Fournier": "3"}}], "The Orlando Magic (14 - 11) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (14 - 10) Wednesday 113 - 98 at the Amway Center in Orlando. The Magic used a balanced offensive attack throughout the game, as all five starters scored in double figures, making for one of the team's best offensive performances of the seaosn thus far. They opened up a 16 - point lead as they entered the final period and had no issues closing out. Channing Frye led the way scoring for Orlando, finishing with 17 points (5 - 7 3Pt) in 30 minutes. Evan Fournier was also hitting from downtown (3 - 5 3Pt) and finished with 15 points in 24 minutes. Nikola Vucevic managed to record 14 points and eight rebounds, while Tobias Harris and Elfrid Payton recorded 13 and 12 points respectively. Victor Oladipo came off the bench to record 11 points in 25 minutes. As a team, the Magic were on fire shooting the ball, shooting an impressive 58 percent from behind the arc and 56 percent overall. The Hornets were not able to be as effective, as their starters severley underperformed Wednesday. P.J. Hairston was the highest scoring starter with just 14 points in 22 minutes, with Kemba Walker and Cody Zeller adding 12 and 11 respectively. As a unit, the team's starting five combined to score just 49 of the team's points. Off the bench, It was Jeremy Lamb that came up big, shooting 7 - of - 10 from the field en route to reording a team - high 16 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals in 24 minutes. Up next, the Magic will stay home Friday to take on the Trail Blazers, while the Hornets will head home Thursday to play the Raptors."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "46", "Hawks": "39"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "28", "Hawks": "23"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "96", "Hawks": "94"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Magic": "18"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "18"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "22", "Hawks": "30"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "46"}}, {"Assists": {"Kent Bazemore": "1", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Al Horford": "6", "Kyle Korver": "2", "Jeff Teague": "5", "Evan Fournier": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "4", "Nikola Vucevic": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "12"}, "Points": {"Kent Bazemore": "23", "Paul Millsap": "14", "Al Horford": "11", "Kyle Korver": "10", "Jeff Teague": "24", "Evan Fournier": "21", "Aaron Gordon": "11", "Nikola Vucevic": "22", "Victor Oladipo": "19", "Elfrid Payton": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Kent Bazemore": "8", "Paul Millsap": "9", "Al Horford": "6", "Kyle Korver": "6", "Jeff Teague": "1", "Evan Fournier": "5", "Aaron Gordon": "13", "Nikola Vucevic": "9", "Victor Oladipo": "5", "Elfrid Payton": "4"}, "Steals": {"Kent Bazemore": "2", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Kyle Korver": "2", "Jeff Teague": "1", "Evan Fournier": "2", "Aaron Gordon": "2", "Nikola Vucevic": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "2", "Al Horford": "2", "Kyle Korver": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "4", "Victor Oladipo": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Aaron Gordon": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Aaron Gordon": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Aaron Gordon": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Nikola Vucevic": "6"}}], "The Orlando Magic (22 - 28) nipped the Atlanta Hawks (30 - 23) 96 - 94 on Sunday. In what was a back - and - forth affair, the Magic awoke from a scoreless slumber at just the right time to secure the win. Having gone blank on the scoreboard over the preceding 3:40 of the fourth quarter, Orlando stole the victory with an 18 - foot shot from Nikola Vucevic off an inbounds pass from Elfrid Payton as the clock hit triple zeroes. Prior to the game - winner, the home team had squandered a 94 - 86 lead due to their lack of offensive proficiency. However, the Magic were still able to outperform the Hawks from the field, tallying a 46 percent success rate as compared to Atlanta's 39 percent tally. They were also notably more efficient around the basket, outscoring the visitors in the paint by a margin of 42 - 28. Both teams enjoyed double - digit scoring afternoons from all members of their respective starting fives, and the Magic also saw two of their young stars post double - doubles. Atlanta was led by Jeff Teague's 24 points, which he supplemented with five assists, a rebound and a steal. Kent Bazemore was right behind him with a 23 - point haul, which was complemented with eight rebounds, an assist and a pair of steals. Paul Millsap had a near double - double with 14 points and nine rebounds, along with two assists, two steals and two blocks. However, he missed a jumper in the closing seconds that would have broken a 94 - 94 tie. Al Horford pitched in with 11 points, six boards, six assists and two blocks, while Kyle Korver contributed 10 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. The Hawks are currently in a first - place tie with the Miami Heat atop the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division, with the result of the Miami Heat-Los Angeles Clippers game concluding later in the afternoon potentially dropping them to second. They head back to Atlanta for the back end of the home - and - home series with the Magic on Monday night. In addition to being the hero on the afternoon, Vucevic also led Orlando with a 22 - point, nine - rebound performance that included two assists and two steals. The stellar contributions helped make up for the team - high six turnovers he committed. Evan Fournier amassed 21 points, five boards, an assist and a pair of steals. Victor Oladipo supplied 19 points, five rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block. Payton was outstanding in stuffing the stat sheet with 12 points, 12 assists, four rebounds, a steal and a block. Aaron Gordon rounded things out for the starting five with an 11 - point, 13 - rebound double - double that also included four assists, two steals and four blocks, an outstanding all - around game after a pair of lackluster performances in the last two contests. The Magic remains in last place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They're in Atlanta tomorrow for a rematch with the Hawks."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "25", "Jazz": "18"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "103", "Jazz": "93"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "19", "Jazz": "29"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "41"}}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "9", "Derrick Favors": "18", "Nikola Jokic": "23"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Derrick Favors": "11", "George Hill": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Derrick Favors": "8", "George Hill": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Nikola Jokic": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Nikola Jokic": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Jokic": "11"}, "Steals": {"Nikola Jokic": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Nikola Jokic": "4"}}], "The host Denver Nuggets beat the Utah Jazz on Tuesday, 103 - 93. Denver (19 - 25) has now won four in a row at home and has become one of the hottest teams in the West, due largely to the emergence of sophomore Nikola Jokic. The 21 - year - old center has been dominant since the start of the new year, and was effective once again on Tuesday despite Utah's tough defensive frontcourt. Jokic scored 23 points and pulled down 11 rebounds and made a surprising impact on defense with two steals and three blocks. The young star's scoring touch and elite passing was the backbone of a strong offensive effort for Denver. The team scored a combined 62 in the second and third quarter and finished the night shooting over 46 percent while dishing out 28 assists. Utah (29 - 18), on the other hand, was not quite as hot on the offensive end. In particular, Gordon Hayward and George Hill, who typically form the crux of the Jazz offense, both struggled from the field. Hayward scored only nine points, while Hill went just 6 - of - 18 from the field. What was reassuring for Utah, however, was that forward Derrick Favors produced a strong performance. Favors, who has seen his season plagued by injuries thus far, led the Jazz with 18 points on 8 - of - 11 shooting and was responsible for a handful of key plays on defense. That said, Tuesday's outing was likely one that Utah will be eager to forget; the Jazz shot just 41 percent from the field as a team and were out - rebounded. The Nuggets will host the Suns on Thursday, while the Jazz will host the Lakers."], [[{"Total points": {"Pacers": "90", "Bulls": "92"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pacers": "25", "Bulls": "11"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "20", "Derrick Rose": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Jimmy Butler": "8", "Derrick Rose": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Jimmy Butler": "44"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "27", "Derrick Rose": "17", "Rodney Stuckey": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "9", "Rodney Stuckey": "2"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "4", "Rodney Stuckey": "2"}, "Assists": {"Derrick Rose": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Derrick Rose": "2"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (21 - 9) defeated the Indiana Pacers (11 - 20) 92 - 90 on Monday. The Bulls led by 16 points going into the fourth quarter, but Indiana managed to make it close by outscoring the Bulls 25 - 11 in the final period. All Chicago starters had a positive or neutral plus/minus, while all of their bench players had a negative plus/minus. The exact opposite was true for the Pacers, whose starters all had a negative plus/minus, and their bench players all finished with a positive plus/minus. Chicago was lead Jimmy Butler with 27 points (8 - 20 FG), nine rebounds and four steals in 44 minutes of play. Derrick Rose shot just 5 - of - 20 from the field, finishing with 17 points, six assists and two blocks. The Bulls will host the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday. Indiana was 4 - 3 over their previous seven games coming into Monday's contest with the Bulls. Rodney Stuckey sobered up from his near - triple - double performance from Saturday, finishing Monday's game with just five points, two rebounds and two steals. The Pacers will host the Miami Heat on Wednesday in a matinee game."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Magic": "13", "Hornets": "35"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "55"}}, {"Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "8", "Serge Ibaka": "3"}, "Points": {"Nicolas Batum": "20", "Kemba Walker": "21", "Serge Ibaka": "20", "Nikola Vucevic": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Nicolas Batum": "9", "Nikola Vucevic": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "10"}}], "The Hornets have one of the best plus - minus marks in the NBA in the third quarter and this performance only adds to that impressive tally. In fact, Charlotte won the third quarter, 35 - 13, en route to a 19 - point win. Rebounding was the biggest difference for Charlotte, as they won that battle, 46 - 34. In addition, they shot 55 percent from the field and 95 percent from the free - throw line. Serge Ibaka was the only Orlando starter to play well, as he scored all of his 20 points in the first half. Nikola Vucevic led the Magic in scoring, as he dropped 21 points on 10 - of - 13 shooting. Nicolas Batum was the catalyst for Charlotte, as he accumulated 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Kemba Walker led the Hornets in scoring, collecting 21 points, five rebounds and three assists of his own."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "13", "Hawks": "9"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "109", "Hawks": "107"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Suns": "36"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Suns": "14"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "6", "Hawks": "10"}}, {"Blocks": {"Kent Bazemore": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "1"}, "Points": {"Kent Bazemore": "22", "Dennis Schroder": "31", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "21", "PJ Tucker": "17", "Devin Booker": "13", "Brandon Knight": "23"}, "Assists": {"Dennis Schroder": "9", "Brandon Knight": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dennis Schroder": "23", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "17", "Devin Booker": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Dennis Schroder": "13", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "9", "Devin Booker": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Dennis Schroder": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Dennis Schroder": "4", "Brandon Knight": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "26", "Brandon Knight": "31"}}], "The Phoenix Suns defeated the Atlanta Hawks 109 - 107 at Talking Stick Resort Arena on Wednesday. The Suns (6 - 13) staved off a hungry Hawks (10 - 9) squad that was being led by Dennis Schroder down the stretch. The Atlanta point guard had one of his best games of the season after scoring 31 points to lead all scorers in the contest, and drew a needed foul from behind the three point line with just one second left remaining in the fourth quarter. Eric Bledsoe drained the free throws on the other end of the court to extend the lead to five points, which rendered Kent Bazemore's buzzer beating three pointer useless, as the Suns came away with the home win. Phoenix followed up a 36 point first quarter with a lowly 14 points in the second, which kept the Hawks within striking distance after they had multiple opportunities to put the game away early. Brandon Knight was the most effective player on the floor for the Suns, evidenced by his 23 points in 31 minutes off the bench, to go along with five rebounds, two assists and two steals. P.J. Tucker led the starters with 17 points, while Devin Booker finished with 13 points on 5 - of - 13 shooting. Schroder added four rebounds, nine assists and one block to his 13 - of - 23 shooting performance, while Bazemore scored 22 points to round out the starters for Atlanta. Tim Hardaway Jr. was the effective bench performer in 26 minutes of play, as he scored 21 points on 9 - of - 17 shooting. Next up, the Hawks host the Detroit Pistons on Friday, while the Suns visit the Golden State Warriors on Saturday."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Wizards": "22"}}, {"Field goals made": {"Marcin Gortat": "4"}, "Points": {"Bradley Beal": "24", "John Wall": "22", "Victor Oladipo": "17", "Elfrid Payton": "11"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "6", "Elfrid Payton": "8"}, "Blocks": {"John Wall": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"John Wall": "7", "Victor Oladipo": "11", "Elfrid Payton": "10"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Tobias Harris": "4"}}], "The Wizards eaked out a tight road win to begin the season over the Magic, behind Bradley Beal's game high 24 points. The closely - contested game consisted of 11 lead changes and six ties. Tobias Harris had a running field goal attempt with 4 seconds left that hung on the rim and appeared to be goaltended by Marcin Gortat, which would have given the Magic a one - point lead. However, following review, Gortat was determined to have legally touched the ball. Nikola Vucevic then bricked a mid - range jumper at the buzzer. Washington was led by John Wall who put up 22 points, seven rebounds, six assists, three steals, and an eye - popping five blocks. The Wizards will head into Milwaukee Friday night and look to open the season 20. Orlando stuck with the NBA's current small ball lineup trend by starting Evan Fournier at the small forward. This allowed Aaron Gordon to ease his way in to his sophomore season by coming off the bench. Victor Oladipo led the way with 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Elfrid Payton neared a triple - double with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists. The Thunder come into Orlando Friday night where the Magic will try and get their first win of the season."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "29", "Knicks": "60"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "111", "Knicks": "80"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "45", "Knicks": "14"}}, {"Assists": {"Andrea Bargnani": "1", "Ricky Ledo": "1", "Nikola Mirotic": "2"}, "Points": {"Andrea Bargnani": "14", "Ricky Ledo": "11", "Pau Gasol": "19", "Nikola Mirotic": "24"}, "3-pointers made": {"Langston Galloway": "1", "Ricky Ledo": "1", "Nikola Mirotic": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Langston Galloway": "14", "Ricky Ledo": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Langston Galloway": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Langston Galloway": "36", "Ricky Ledo": "29", "Pau Gasol": "28", "Nikola Mirotic": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Ricky Ledo": "3", "Pau Gasol": "12", "Nikola Mirotic": "6"}, "Steals": {"Ricky Ledo": "2", "Jimmy Butler": "5", "Nikola Mirotic": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Nikola Mirotic": "1"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (45 - 29) scored more points before the fourth quarter than the New York Knicks (14 - 60) tallied the entire game, winning 111 - 80. The Knicks failed to score 20 points in any of the first three quarters, falling behind 84 - 53 heading into the final period. Potential Rookie of the Year Nikola Mirotic scored a game - high 24 points off the bench, supplemented by six rebounds, two assists, one steal, one block and three three - pointers in 26 minutes. Pau Gasol notched his league - leading 48th double with 19 points and 12 rebounds in a team - high 28 minutes, throwing his name into the Comeback Player of the Year conversation. Jimmy Butler secured five steals to match his total post - All - Star break. The win moved the Bulls one and half games ahead of the four seed Toronto Raptors with eight games remaining. The Knicks broke a record by losing their 60th game, most losses in a single season of the franchise\u2019s 69 - year history. It\u2019s the ninth time in 16 March games the Knicks failed to shoot 40 percent from the field. They've lost seven games in a row and hold a three - game edge over the Minnesota Timberwolves for worst record in the league. Andrea Bargnani scored a team - high 14 points. Langston Galloway played a team - high 36 minutes and shot 5 - of - 14 from the floor, possessing a team - low negative 28 plus/minus. Ricky Ledo may have played his final game with the Knicks as his 10 - day contract expires Sunday. He joined Bargnani and Galloway as the only Knicks to score at least 10 points, contributing 11 points, three rebounds, two steals, one assist and one three - pointer in 29 minutes. The Bulls have three days off before facing the Milwaukee Bucks. The Knicks face a similar layover, hosting the Brooklyn Nets the first day of April."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "4", "Nets": "7"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "98", "Nets": "106"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "4", "Nets": "1"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "47"}}, {"Assists": {"Joe Johnson": "10", "Marcus Thornton": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Joe Johnson": "1", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "2", "Marcus Thornton": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "13", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Joe Johnson": "4", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "10"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Joe Johnson": "1", "Terrence Jones": "1"}, "Points": {"Joe Johnson": "16", "Brook Lopez": "14", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "22", "Marcus Thornton": "21"}, "Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "5", "Dwight Howard": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "12", "Marcus Thornton": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "5", "Terrence Jones": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "34", "Terrence Jones": "16"}, "Steals": {"Marcus Thornton": "4"}}], "The Nets (1 - 7) finally managed to win a game, defeating the Rockets (4 - 4) 106 - 98 at Toyota Center on Wednesday. Brooklyn outscored Houston 25 - 17 in the fourth quarter en route to its first win of the season. The unsung hero of the night was Bojan Bogdanovic, who scored a team - high 22 points (10 - 20 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt) in 34 minutes off the bench. The Rockets went cold from the field in the fourth after shooting the lights out for the entire contest. James Harden had an off night, struggling from beyond the arc (3 - 10) and failing to get to the line enough (4 - 5). The Nets woes from downtown had been documented thoroughly up until tonight when they finally posted a solid percentage from distance (47 percent, 8 - 17). Brook Lopez (foot) had a tough time dealing with Dwight Howard in the paint, but came alive late in the game to finish with 14 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks. It was his fourth double - double of the season. Joe Johnson turned into a distributor for the night, dishing out 10 assists while adding 16 points on 4 - of - 13 shooting from the field. Rockets coach Kevin McHale rode his starters in this one, as nobody off the bench played more than 16 minutes (Terrence Jones). Howard has needed to rest after every couple of games, but it's almost made him more effective when he does play. The all - star center posted 20 points (10 - 16 FG, 0 - 2 FT) while ripping down 17 rebounds and blocking five shots over 37 minutes. Marcus Thornton also chipped in 21 points, hitting three from beyond the arc with seven assists and four steals. Brooklyn will head to Sacramento Friday to face the Kings in the third game of a four - game road trip; Houston will try and bounce back against the Nuggets in Denver."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "37", "Bulls": "47"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "3", "Bulls": "1"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "86", "Bulls": "95"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bucks": "16"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "2", "Bulls": "4"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Taj Gibson": "44", "Jabari Parker": "25", "Khris Middleton": "23", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "27"}, "Points": {"Taj Gibson": "23", "Pau Gasol": "22", "Derrick Rose": "13", "Jabari Parker": "8", "Brandon Knight": "10", "Khris Middleton": "11", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Taj Gibson": "10", "Pau Gasol": "14", "Jimmy Butler": "6", "Brandon Knight": "9", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8"}, "Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "7", "Derrick Rose": "7", "Brandon Knight": "7", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Derrick Rose": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jabari Parker": "12", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Jabari Parker": "4", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1"}}], "The Bulls (4 - 1) knocked off the Bucks (2 - 3) 95 - 86 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on Wednesday night. Playing without Joakim Noah (illness), Chicago once again turned to Taj Gibson to fill the void. And for the second straight night, Gibson did not disappoint. After scoring 16 points in Tuesday\u2019s win over Orlando, Gibson hung 23 points and 10 rebounds on the Bucks in a game - high 44 minutes. Pau Gasol added 22 points and 14 boards, and Jimmy Butler chipped in 13 points, six rebounds and seven assists. Derrick Rose, who missed Tuesday\u2019s contest, scored just 13 points to go with seven assists and four turnovers. The Bulls shot 47 percent from the field and 73 percent (22 - of - 30) at the free throw line. Milwaukee, looking for its first winning streak since the 2012 - 13 season, led by four at halftime but came out flat in the third quarter, allowing Chicago to regain the lead entering the final period. The teams traded baskets for most of the fourth, and a Giannis Antetokounmpo dunk - his third of the quarter - brought the Bucks to within one with 5:31 remaining. The Bulls would make a run, however, capped by a Kirk Hinrich corner three - pointer with 2:15 remaining that put Chicago up 88 - 80. The Bucks would never get back to within six, and the Bulls were able to salt the game away at the free throw line. Antetokounmpo, affectionately known as \u201cThe Greek Freak, \u201d led the way for Milwaukee, scoring 13 points (6 - 11 FG) in 27 minutes off the bench to go with eight boards. Khris Middleton added 11 points in 23 minutes, and Brandon Knight chipped in 10 points, 9 rebounds and seven assists as the only other Bucks player in double - figures. Milwaukee shot a paltry 37 percent from the floor and converted only 3 - of - 15 three - point attempts. Second overall pick Jabari Parker struggled from the floor (4 - 12 FG), scoring only eight points in 25 minutes. All 11 Bucks who entered the game saw at least 12 minutes of playing time. Milwaukee moves on to face the Pistons in Detroit on Friday, while the Bulls head east to take on the winless 76ers, also on Friday night."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Damian Lillard": "22", "Markieff Morris": "17", "Bradley Beal": "25", "John Wall": "24", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Damian Lillard": "7", "Markieff Morris": "13", "John Wall": "4"}, "Assists": {"Markieff Morris": "5", "Bradley Beal": "5", "John Wall": "7"}, "Steals": {"Bradley Beal": "3"}}], "In a battle between two elite backcourts, the Wizards showed who the better team was. It was a wire - to - wire win for Washington, as they led by 16 points after the first quarter and 25 points at the half. Three-point shooting was the decisive statistic, with the Wizards going 13 - of - 23, while the Blazers hit just 8 - of - 26. Washington dominated the stat sheet, winning the shooting, rebounding, assisting, and turnover differentials. Damian Lillard was the only Blazer with more than 14 points, as he tallied 22 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Bradley Beal led the Wizards, as he scored a game - high 25 points to go along with five assists and three steals. John Wall finished with 24 points, four rebounds and seven assists. Markieff Morris accrued 17 points, 13 rebounds and five assists. Kelly Oubre Jr. led the bench with 18 points, while Tomas Satoransky provided a double - double off the bench as well."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "56"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "57"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "35", "Wizards": "34"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "114", "Wizards": "93"}, "Rebounds": {"Jazz": "42", "Wizards": "29"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "30", "Wizards": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Markieff Morris": "2", "Marcin Gortat": "1", "John Wall": "9", "Nene": "1", "Gordon Hayward": "3", "Derrick Favors": "1", "Rodney Hood": "1", "Shelvin Mack": "4", "Raul Neto": "2"}, "Points": {"Markieff Morris": "16", "Marcin Gortat": "8", "John Wall": "24", "Nene": "12", "Gordon Hayward": "18", "Derrick Favors": "14", "Shelvin Mack": "27", "Raul Neto": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "4", "Marcin Gortat": "4", "John Wall": "4", "Nene": "3", "Gordon Hayward": "2", "Derrick Favors": "9", "Rodney Hood": "1", "Shelvin Mack": "3", "Raul Neto": "2"}, "Steals": {"Markieff Morris": "1", "John Wall": "1", "Nene": "2", "Gordon Hayward": "1", "Derrick Favors": "2", "Rodney Hood": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Marcin Gortat": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rodney Hood": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Raul Neto": "14"}, "Turnovers": {"Raul Neto": "5"}}], "The Utah Jazz (30 - 35) defeated the Washington Wizards (30 - 34) 114 - 93 on Friday. The game was the tale of two starting units, with Utah's first group generating a balanced and productive effort, while Washington's offense was decidedly top - heavy. Only stalwart John Wall and Markieff Morris were able to post double - digit point totals for the Wizards, who were missing Bradley Beal (pelvis) for the second straight game. Meanwhile, Utah was able to tally outstanding 57 and 56 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively, while also outrebounding the visitors 42 - 29. They also received double - digit scoring efforts from four members of their starting five. Wall's 24 points paced Washington, and he also dished out nine assists, four rebounds and a steal. Morris supplied 16 points, and added four boards, two assists and a steal. Marcin Gortat endured a tough night versus the defense of Rudy Gobert, totaling a modest eight points, four rebounds, an assist and a block. Nene Hilario paced the reserves with 12 points, three rebounds, an assist and two steals. The Wizards remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division, and 3 games behind the eighth - seeded Detroit Pistons. They head to Denver to take on the Nuggets on Sunday night. Utah was spearheaded by Shelvin Mack, who amassed a career - high 27 points, and complemented it with four assists and three rebounds. Gordon Hayward was next, posting 18 points, three assists, two rebounds and a steal. Derrick Favors managed a near double - double, collecting 14 points, nine boards, an assist and two steals. Rodney Hood matched Favors' point total, and added a rebound, an assist and four steals. Raul Neto paced the reserves with 12 points, two rebounds and two assists, although he did turn the ball over five times over just 14 minutes on the floor. The Jazz remains in third place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division, and are three games behind the eighth - seeded Dallas Mavericks. They head to Sacramento to take on the Kings on Sunday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "36", "Nuggets": "37"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "117", "Nuggets": "125"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pacers": "27"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "36", "Nuggets": "35"}}, {"Assists": {"Wilson Chandler": "2", "Nikola Jokic": "5", "Paul George": "3", "Jeff Teague": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Wilson Chandler": "2", "Myles Turner": "4"}, "Points": {"Wilson Chandler": "24", "Danilo Gallinari": "21", "Nikola Jokic": "30", "Paul George": "27", "Myles Turner": "20", "Jeff Teague": "21", "Monta Ellis": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Wilson Chandler": "4", "Danilo Gallinari": "11", "Paul George": "9", "Myles Turner": "4", "Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Jokic": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Jokic": "12"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "3", "Myles Turner": "2", "Jeff Teague": "2"}}], "The Denver Nuggets defeated the host Indiana Pacers, 125 - 117, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Friday. It's rare to see Indiana struggle so badly at home, but that was just the case here. In fact, Denver pulled out a wire - to - wire win, as they held a double - digit lead for over half of this game. Free-throw shooting was a glaring difference, with Denver going 40 - of - 43 from the free - throw line, while Indiana went just 8 - of - 11. Rebounding was crucial for the Nuggets as well, with Denver winning that battle, 46 - 39. The Nuggets (35 - 37) are holding on to the eight - seed in the west by a fingernail, as this was a crucial road win for that pursuit. Nikola Jokic led the way for Denver. as he tallied 30 points, 17 rebounds and five assists on 12 - of - 18 from the field. Wilson Chandler finished second on the team, totaling 24 points, four rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Danilo Gallinari made his return from a knee injury to amass 21 points and 11 rebounds. On deck for the Nuggets is a home matchup versus the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday. The Pacers (36 - 36) had traded off wins and losses in their previous 15 games, but this defeat snapped that streak. Paul George led Indiana, as he accumulated 27 points, nine rebounds, three assists and three steals. Myles Turner collected 20 points, four rebounds, two steals and four blocks. Jeff Teague accrued 21 points, two rebounds, eight assists and two steals. Monta Ellis led the bench with 17 points. Indiana will look to bounce back on Sunday in a home matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers."], [[{"Total points": {"Hawks": "116", "Lakers": "123"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hawks": "22", "Lakers": "33"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "3"}}, {"Assists": {"D'Angelo Russell": "8"}, "Points": {"D'Angelo Russell": "23", "Dwight Howard": "31", "Kyle Korver": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dwight Howard": "16", "Kyle Korver": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwight Howard": "12", "Kyle Korver": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyle Korver": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Korver": "1"}}], "The visiting Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, 123 - 116. It was the best offensive night of the season for the Lakers, as the team recorded 123 points on 54 percent shooting from the floor. Sophomore point guard D'Angelo Russell led the charge with a team - high 23 points. After coming off the bench for a large portion of the 2015 - 16 season, Russell has seen an expanded role thus far as a starter under new coach Luke Walton. This was evident on Wednesday night, as Russell not only led the Lakers in scoring but dished out eight assists. Los Angeles also saw a boost from their bench, as three players scored at least 14 points for the second unit. Despite trailing at halftime, LA was able to come out strong in the second half and catch up to the Hawks in the third quarter before outscoring Atlanta 33 - 22 in the fourth to seal the win. New acquisition Dwight Howard had his biggest game as a Hawk, scoring 31 on his former team. Howard also recorded 11 rebounds and shot an efficient 12 - of - 16 from the field. While Howard crashed the boards effectively, the team finished with a four - rebound deficit on the night. A cold shooting night from the rest of the starting five also hurt the Hawks. Shooting guard Kyle Korver struggled particularly, as he was just 1 - for - 6 from the field, scoring only three points on the night. The Hawks will visit the Wizards on Friday, while the Lakers will host the Warriors."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "4", "Nets": "13"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "90", "Nets": "88"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "13", "Nets": "3"}}, {"Points": {"Joe Johnson": "17", "Thaddeus Young": "16", "Brook Lopez": "22", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "6", "Jarrett Jack": "12", "LeBron James": "26", "Kevin Love": "26", "Timofey Mozgov": "2", "JR Smith": "6", "Mo Williams": "14", "Tristan Thompson": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Thaddeus Young": "7", "Timofey Mozgov": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Thaddeus Young": "36", "Brook Lopez": "38", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Thaddeus Young": "12", "Brook Lopez": "9", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "10", "Timofey Mozgov": "6", "JR Smith": "5", "Tristan Thompson": "11"}, "Steals": {"Thaddeus Young": "1", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "5"}, "Assists": {"Brook Lopez": "2", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "1", "Jarrett Jack": "14"}, "Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "2", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "4", "Timofey Mozgov": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LeBron James": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LeBron James": "6"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"LeBron James": "2", "Tristan Thompson": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"LeBron James": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (13 - 4) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (3 - 13) 90 - 88 on Saturday. LeBron James likely imagined many moments like tonight's closing sequence on his hometown court when he opted to return to Cleveland. The perennial All-Star scored the final two of his 26 points on the night on an eight - foot jumper to break an 88 - 88 tie and send the Cavs home winners for the second consecutive night. As has become customary in Kyrie Irving's season - long absence while recovering from knee surgery, James and Kevin Love took charge of the Cleveland offense with matching 26 - point efforts to help their team remain perfect at home. The Nets certainly gave a valiant effort and were led by their own \"Big Two\" of Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young, who both stuffed the stat sheet across virtually every category. Lopez contributed 22 points, nine rebounds, a pair of assists, a pair of blocks and a steal over 38 minutes. Meanwhile, Young managed 16 points, 12 rebounds and a steal over 36 minutes on the court, making it his fifth double - double in the last seven contests. Veteran Joe Johnson also turned in a strong bounce - back effort with 17 points, after having only managed five points in Wednesday night's loss to the Thunder. Jarret Jack pitched in with an impressive double - double of his own, tallying 12 points and supplementing it with a season - high 14 assists. Rookie Rondae Hollis-Jefferson posted double - digit rebounds for the third time in four contests, hauling in 10 boards and adding six points, an assist, five steals and a block over 30 minutes. Brooklyn fell to 3 - 13 and currently resides in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head home to face the Detroit Pistons on Sunday. In addition to James' and Loves' outstanding performances, the Cavs also benefited from a 14 - point night from Mo Williams, as well as a 10 - point, 11 - rebound effort from Tristan Thompson, who's now managed six consecutive double - doubles despite coming off the bench in a majority of those games. The remaining Cleveland starters could not muster much on the scoring end. J.R. Smith continued his recent offensive cool - down with a six - point, five - rebound performance, while Timofey Mozgov could only shoot 1 - for - 7 from the field on his way to a two - point, six - rebound outing. The Cleveland center did add a pair of assists, a pair of steals and a block. Cleveland improved to 13 - 4 and currently reside in first place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They next face the Wizards in a home game on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Wizards": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "50"}, "Losses": {"Wizards": "5", "Celtics": "4"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "118", "Celtics": "93"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Wizards": "34"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "2", "Celtics": "3"}}, {"Assists": {"Amir Johnson": "1", "Avery Bradley": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "10", "Marcus Smart": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "2", "John Wall": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Amir Johnson": "1", "Avery Bradley": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "2", "John Wall": "1"}, "Points": {"Amir Johnson": "11", "Avery Bradley": "21", "Isaiah Thomas": "23", "Marcus Smart": "20", "Marcin Gortat": "13", "Bradley Beal": "3", "John Wall": "19", "Marcus Thornton": "16", "Trey Burke": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Amir Johnson": "3", "Avery Bradley": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "6", "Marcus Smart": "3", "Marcin Gortat": "9", "John Wall": "3"}, "Steals": {"Amir Johnson": "1", "Avery Bradley": "2", "Marcus Smart": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Bradley Beal": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Bradley Beal": "11"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the Boston Celtics, 118 - 93, at Verizon Center on Wednesday. The Wizards (2 - 5) completely overwhelmed the Celtics (3 - 4) out of the gate, exploding for 34 points over the first 12 minutes. That stretch included a 160 run within the period that sprung them to an 18 - 2 lead by the 6:26 mark of the first quarter. Otto Porter spearheaded the Wizards' attack with a season - high 34 points, which he complemented with 14 rebounds, four assists, three steals and three blocks. As their final point total would indicate, Washington enjoyed a strong shooting night, tallying a 50 percent success rate from the field, as well as 48 percent from behind the arc. The Celtics were paced by Isaiah Thomas, who posted 23 points, 10 assists and six rebounds. Backcourt mate Avery Bradley was next, supplying 21 points, three rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. Amir Johnson was the only other starter that got into double digits in the scoring column, compiling 11 points, three rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block. Marcus Smart led the bench with 20 points, three rebounds, an assist and a steal. John Wall checked in behind Porter with 19 points, seven assists, three rebounds, a steal and a block. Marcin Gortat managed 13 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Bradley Beal registered only three points in 11 minutes on 1 - for - 8 shooting before exiting with tightness in his right hamstring. The comfortable lead and Beal's absence opened up extra minutes off the bench for Marcus Thornton and Trey Burke, who contributed 16 and 18 points, respectively. The Celtics head back home to face the Knicks on Friday night, while the Wizards remain home to face the Cavaliers in a Friday evening tussle."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "6", "Cavaliers": "11"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "126", "Cavaliers": "91"}, "Rebounds": {"Warriors": "58", "Cavaliers": "35"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "35", "Cavaliers": "29"}, "Number of team assists": {"Cavaliers": "11"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "35"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Cavaliers": "20"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "18", "Kyrie Irving": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "6", "Kyrie Irving": "6"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "20", "Kevin Love": "3", "Stephen Curry": "20"}, "Turnovers": {"LeBron James": "6"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "11"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "4"}}], "The host Golden State Warriors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 126 - 91, in an NBA Finals rematch on Monday. Golden State (35 - 6) avenged its loss on Christmas day with a crushing victory over the Cavaliers on Monday. The Warriors came out strong from the start, establishing a double - digit lead in the first quarter and a 20 - point lead by midway through the second. Everything seemed to be firing for Golden State on both sides of the ball, as the Warriors shot a ridiculous 50 percent from the floor while draining 15 three - pointers. Despite historic matchup troubles with Cleveland, reigning MVP Steph Curry delivered on Monday, scoring 20 points to go with 11 assists and four steals. Curry had recorded a double - double by the end of the Warriors' electrifying first half, playing a major part of the 29 - point lead the team was able to establish. Overall, Golden State absolutely demolished Cleveland in every aspect, including holding a 58 - 35 rebounding advantage. Cleveland (29 - 11) had won four straight against the Warriors prior to Monday's game. The Cavaliers played arguably their worst game of the season, shooting just 35 percent from the field and recording only 11 assists. While pregame statements from team leader LeBron James indicated that Cleveland had undergone no special preparation for Monday's game, the drubbing still came as a surprise to most. James led the team with 20 points but shot just 6 - of - 18 and committed an uncharacteristic six turnovers. Kyrie Irving was just 6 - of - 19, while Kevin Love was held to only three points. The Warriors will host the Thunder on Wednesday, while Cleveland will host the Suns on Thursday."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "9"}, "Points": {"Isaiah Thomas": "25"}}], "There's no question Isaiah Thomas is the team's No. 1 scoring option and has done an admirable job taking on those duties, but it has n't come without the efficiency issues that come with being under six feet tall. Monday's performance was yet another example, as while Thomas managed to score 25 points, he did so on 7 - of - 23 shooting from the field, which is the sixth time in the last nine games that Thomas has shot under 40 percent from the field. He is, however, still scoring 26 points per game over that span and has done so with his ability to not only get to the free throw line, but make most of his free throw attempts. In those nine games, Thomas has gotten to the line 84 times and is shooting an incredible 89 percent from the charity stripe. So, while as a pure shooter from the field, Thomas may not be the most accurate, the way he utilizes his size to draw fouls may make up for it."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "2"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "82", "Cavaliers": "94"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "0", "Cavaliers": "2"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "11", "Matthew Dellavedova": "4", "Kyle Korver": "1"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "1", "Tristan Thompson": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"LeBron James": "2", "Iman Shumpert": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "39", "Iman Shumpert": "34", "Matthew Dellavedova": "37", "Dennis Schroder": "12"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "30", "Iman Shumpert": "16", "Matthew Dellavedova": "11", "Dennis Schroder": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "9", "Tristan Thompson": "16", "Iman Shumpert": "4", "Matthew Dellavedova": "6", "Kyle Korver": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Tristan Thompson": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Tristan Thompson": "5", "DeMarre Carroll": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Tristan Thompson": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Tristan Thompson": "2"}, "Steals": {"Matthew Dellavedova": "1", "Kyle Korver": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyle Korver": "1", "Mike Scott": "4"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (20) grabbed the second game of the Eastern Conference Finals with a 94 - 82 win over the Atlanta Hawks (0 - 2). Kyrie Irving didn\u2019t play due to left knee tendinitis, an injury that stemmed from overcompensating for his right foot strain the previous round. The decision was made after he flew to Florida in the morning to meet with Dr. James Andrews. Irving has already been listed as questionable for Game 3. The Cavaliers pulled away from the Hawks with a 21 - 6 run to start the third quarter, leading to an 84 - 66 advantage heading into the final period. LeBron James narrowly missed a triple - double, closing the contest with 30 points, 11 assists, nine rebounds and one block in 39 minutes. He also hit a playoff - high two three - pointers, improving his overall shooting to 9 - of - 56 from downtown in this postseason. Tristan Thompson hauled 16 rebounds, five of which were offensive, two fewer than the Hawks. Matthew Dellavedova started in place of Irving and finished with 11 points, six rebounds, four assists and one steal in 37 minutes. Iman Shumpert knocked in four of the team\u2019s 12 three - pointers and compiled 16 points in 34 minutes. The loss marks the first time all season the Hawks lost two straight home games. They converted an uncharacteristic 6 - of - 26 three - pointers, a cumulative 10 - of - 49 in two games against the Cavaliers. DeMarre Carroll remained in the starting lineup after suffering a left knee sprain in Game 1. His sticktoitiveness was offset by Kyle Korver\u2019s sprained right ankle late in the third quarter, one that held out the three - point marksman the rest of the game. Al Horford suffered a knee injury to boot, yet gave coach Mike Budenholzer a few minutes even though the game had already been decided. Mike Scott returned to the rotation following four straight DNP-CDs and led the Hawks\u2019 reserves with 18 minutes played. Dennis Schroder led all Hawks with 13 points in just 12 minutes. Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals will take place Sunday at 8:30 PM EST on TNT. Every previous team LeBron James has led to a 20 playoff series lead has gone on to win all previous 14 matchups."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Rockets": "23", "Nuggets": "48"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "1"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "85", "Nuggets": "105"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "0", "Nuggets": "1"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nuggets": "23"}}, {"Blocks": {"Danilo Gallinari": "3", "James Harden": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Danilo Gallinari": "5", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "5", "Terrence Jones": "2", "James Harden": "12", "Ty Lawson": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Danilo Gallinari": "3", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "3", "Terrence Jones": "0", "James Harden": "2", "Ty Lawson": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Danilo Gallinari": "15", "Kenneth Faried": "10", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "13", "Terrence Jones": "13", "Ty Lawson": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Danilo Gallinari": "7", "Kenneth Faried": "8", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "6", "Terrence Jones": "6", "Ty Lawson": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Danilo Gallinari": "6", "Kenneth Faried": "6", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "4", "Terrence Jones": "5", "Ty Lawson": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Danilo Gallinari": "6", "Kenneth Faried": "2", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "2", "Terrence Jones": "3", "Ty Lawson": "4"}, "Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "23", "Kenneth Faried": "18", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "17", "Terrence Jones": "15", "James Harden": "22", "Ty Lawson": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Danilo Gallinari": "8", "Kenneth Faried": "9", "Terrence Jones": "6", "James Harden": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Kenneth Faried": "2", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "11", "Terrence Jones": "2"}, "Assists": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "9"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Terrence Jones": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"James Harden": "2"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "2"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (10) defeated the Houston Rockets (0 - 1) 105 - 85 on Wednesday at the Toyota Center in Houston. Despite opening the season on their home court, the Rockets struggled to find the bottom of the net in this one. As a team, the Rockets shot just 34 percent from the field and limped to a brutal 23 percent clip from deep. The Nuggets, on the other hand, stayed hot all game long, shooting 50 percent from the field and 48 percent from beyond the arc. In a relatively ugly game with 37 combined turnovers between the teams, the Nuggets were able to cash in the most and finished with a surprising 20 - point victory. Emmanuel Mudiay, the Nuggets' seventh overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, made his much anticipated regular season debut. Mudiay had a strong day shooting the ball, finishing with 17 points (6 - 13 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT) over 37 minutes. He nearly completed the unconventional triple - double, as he also posted nine assists and 11 turnovers. While the ridiculous amount of turnovers is concerning, the Nuggets will need to give their rookie some time to settle in and get accustomed to NBA basketball. Danilo Gallinari led the Nuggets in scoring, recording a team - high of 23 points (7 - 15 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT), to go along with eight rebounds and three blocked shots. He averaged just 12 points and 4 rebounds last season, so it was a very nice start for the sixth - year guard. Kenneth Faried was the third Nuggets' starter in double figures with 18 points (8 - 10 FG, 2 - 6 FT) and nine rebounds. With Dwight Howard sitting out on suspension after accumulating a flagrant foul during the 2014 - 15 postseason, it was James Harden and Terrence Jones who did everything they could to make up for his absence. Harden struggled from deep, hitting just two of his twelve attempts from the three - point line, but still finished with a team - high of 22 points. Harden came just short of being named the league MVP last season, so this was not the start he had in mind. Jones recorded 15 points (6 - 13 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 3 - 5 FT) of his own, while pulling down six rebounds. The only other Rocket to reach double figures was Ty Lawson, who scored 12 points (3 - 10 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT) in his Rockets debut. Lawson averaged 15 points and 10 assists with the Nuggets last season, so do n't be surprised to see his numbers rise over the next few games. The Nuggets will be at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, while the Rockets will remain in Houston in a matchup with the Golden State Warriors on Friday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Jazz": "16"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "47", "Hornets": "43"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "19", "Hornets": "28"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "105", "Hornets": "98"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Jazz": "23", "Hornets": "28"}, "Turnovers": {"Jazz": "13", "Hornets": "9"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "32", "Hornets": "23"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hornets": "16"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hornets": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Marvin Williams": "1", "Kemba Walker": "6", "Gordon Hayward": "2", "Rudy Gobert": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Marvin Williams": "1", "Rudy Gobert": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Marvin Williams": "38", "Kemba Walker": "35", "Rudy Gobert": "38"}, "Points": {"Marvin Williams": "16", "Frank Kaminsky": "15", "Kemba Walker": "18", "Gordon Hayward": "33", "Rudy Gobert": "8", "George Hill": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Marvin Williams": "12", "Frank Kaminsky": "2", "Gordon Hayward": "8", "Rudy Gobert": "15"}, "Steals": {"Marvin Williams": "3", "Gordon Hayward": "1", "Rudy Gobert": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"George Hill": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"George Hill": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"George Hill": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"George Hill": "8"}}], "The Utah Jazz defeated the visiting Charlotte Hornets 105 - 98, at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Saturday evening. After trailing by nine at the end of the third, the Jazz rallied back by outscoring the Hornets by 16 in the fourth, behind a season - high 33 points from Gordon Hayward. The Jazz (32 - 19) shot 47 percent from the field and out - rebounded the Hornets by 13, as they battled to earn the impressive home win. Hayward added eight rebounds, two assists and one steal to round out an impressive line that includes a season - high 33 points. George Hill came up big with 25 points on efficient 8 - of - 11 shooting, including 5 - of - 8 from long range, while Rudy Gobert cleaned the glass with 15 rebounds to go along with eight points, three blocks, two assists and two steals, in 38 minutes. The Jazz are now 19 - 9 at home but will have to take their show on the road, as they go on to visit Atlanta on Monday. The Hornets (23 - 28) struggled from the field, hitting only 43 percent of their shots. Kemba Walker was the high - point man for Charlotte, with 18, to go along with six assists, in 35 minutes. Marvin Williams turned in a solid double - double with 16 points and 12 rebounds, to go along with three steals, one assist and one block, in 38 minutes. Frank Kaminsky chipped in 15 points but only grabbed two rebounds, as he got the start at center. This was the seventh straight loss for the Hornets, as they have hit a major slide that has put them in danger of losing their position in the top eight in the East. They will look to end the skid as they play host to the Nets on Tuesday."], [[{"Wins": {"Hawks": "11"}, "Turnovers": {"Heat": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Goran Dragic": "4", "Tyler Johnson": "5", "Dwight Howard": "4", "Dennis Schroder": "7"}, "Points": {"Goran Dragic": "21", "Tyler Johnson": "27", "Paul Millsap": "21", "Dwight Howard": "23", "Dennis Schroder": "17"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "9", "Dwight Howard": "17", "Dennis Schroder": "4"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "4"}}], "Atlanta had lost 10 of their last 11 headed into this game, so a near wire - to - wire win is just what the doctor ordered. The Hawks really dominated down low, winning the rebounding battle, 47 - 34, and outscoring the Heat in the paint, 58 - 26. Defense was also huge for Atlanta, forcing the Heat to shoot 42 percent from the field and commit 16 turnovers. Tyler Johnson did all he could to keep Miami in the game, as he tallied 27 points and five assists off the bench. Goran Dragic also played well, totaling 21 points and four assists. The big men really dominated for Atlanta, as Dwight Howard and Paul Millsap had monster games. Howard accumulated 23 points, 17 rebounds and four assists, while Millsap finished with 21 points, nine rebounds, four steals and three blocks. Dennis Schroeder accrued 17 points, four rebounds and seven assists as well."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "57"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "12", "Russell Westbrook": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "13", "Russell Westbrook": "14"}, "3-pointers made": {"Andre Roberson": "3", "Domantas Sabonis": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Andre Roberson": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Andre Roberson": "4"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Domantas Sabonis": "80"}, "Field goals made": {"Domantas Sabonis": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "9"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Domantas Sabonis": "80"}, "Turnovers": {"Domantas Sabonis": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "4"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "9"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "29"}}], "It remains a seemingly impossible statistical season for Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, as the point guard narrowly missed his third triple - double in the season's first nine games. Westbrook entered Friday's matchup with averages of 31 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds per game. He again built on those numbers, scoring 29 points, recording 14 rebounds, and dishing out nine assists. Westbrook was not the only dominant Thunder player on Friday, though, as the team hit an impressive 16 three - pointers on 57 percent shooting. This included four for rookie Domantas Sabonis, who hit 80 percent of his shots, and three for wing Andre Roberson. The Clippers, meanwhile, saw high scoring totals from the All-Star combo of Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, who combined for 42 points. All-NBA center DeAndre Jordan made an impact with a team - high 13 rebounds, helping keep the Clippers even with the glass - dominating Thunder. However, Jordan weighed Los Angeles down at the free - throw line, as he went just 6 - of - 12 on the night."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "45", "Wizards": "52"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "60", "Wizards": "41"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "111", "Wizards": "120"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nets": "13"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "21", "Wizards": "40"}, "Number of team assists": {"Wizards": "27"}, "Turnovers": {"Wizards": "14"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Marcus Thornton": "15", "Ramon Sessions": "10", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "13", "Shane Larkin": "13", "Sean Kilpatrick": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Marcus Thornton": "7", "Ramon Sessions": "7", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "8", "Shane Larkin": "9", "Sean Kilpatrick": "6"}, "Points": {"Marcus Thornton": "19", "Ramon Sessions": "21", "JJ Hickson": "15", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "20", "Shane Larkin": "20", "Sean Kilpatrick": "17", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "14"}, "Assists": {"Ramon Sessions": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Ramon Sessions": "7", "Sean Kilpatrick": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Ramon Sessions": "7", "Sean Kilpatrick": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "6", "Shane Larkin": "4", "Sean Kilpatrick": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "3", "Shane Larkin": "2", "Sean Kilpatrick": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "30", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "23"}}], "The Washington Wizards (40 - 41) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (21 - 60) on the road Monday night at Barclays Center, 120 - 111. The Wizards opened the game with an explosive 200 run in the first 4:9 of the game, but the Nets slowly crawled their way back, as they closed the gap to just 70 - 69 at halftime. Brooklyn took their first lead at 80 - 79 in the third quarter, but the Wizards hung around and eventually pulled away with great deffense in the fourth quarter. Brooklyn managed just 13 points in the final frame after scoring 98 in the first three quarters, as the Wizards took a 112 - 102 lead with 6:13 to go in the game and coasted from there. With John Wall and Bradley Beal inactive, Ramon Sessions posted game highs with 21 points (7 - 10 FG, 7 - 7 FT) and 12 assists. Marcus Thornton (7 - 15 FG) scored 19 and J.J. Hickson added 15 points off the bench. Washington shot a robust 52 percent from the floor and notched 27 assists against 14 turnovers as their offense was humming all night. Bojan Bogdanovic (8 - 13 FG, 3 - 6 3PT) and Shane Larkin (9 - 13 FG, 2 - 4 3PT) led the Nets with 20 points apiece as Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young continue to sit out with the Nets' season long over. Sean Kilpatrick came off the bench to score 17 points (6 - 15 FG, 2 - 7 3PT, 3 - 5 FT) in 30 minutes, and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson added 14 points in 23 minutes. The Nets shot just 45 percent and had nine shots blocked as their offense clearly missed Lopez's gigantic presence. The Wizards host the Hawks in their season finale Wednesday. The Nets close out with a home matchup Wednesday against Toronto."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Celtics": "36", "Nets": "22"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "54"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "122", "Nets": "117"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Celtics": "25", "Nets": "36"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "1", "Nets": "0"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "1"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "9"}, "Points": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "21", "Jeremy Lin": "18", "Justin Hamilton": "19", "Jae Crowder": "21", "Al Horford": "11", "Avery Bradley": "17", "Isaiah Thomas": "25"}, "Assists": {"Jeremy Lin": "3", "Al Horford": "6", "Avery Bradley": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Jeremy Lin": "3", "Justin Hamilton": "10", "Jae Crowder": "5", "Al Horford": "5", "Avery Bradley": "9", "Isaiah Thomas": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Al Horford": "4"}}], "The Boston Celtics held off the Brooklyn Nets for a 122 - 117 win in the season opener for both teams Wednesday at TD Garden. The Celtics (10) came into this game as a 12 - point favorite, but the Nets (0 - 1) made them work for a relieving win. A 36 - 25 fourth quarter is how Brooklyn crawled back in the game, but Boston did just enough to hold on. The offense was incredibly efficient for the Celtics, as they shot 54 percent from the field and recorded 36 assists on their 48 made baskets. The 22 combined blocks and steals for Boston doubled up that of Brooklyn, who recorded just 11 in total. Brooklyn was expected to be one of the worst teams in the NBA, but they gave an elite team a run for their money in the opener. The bench was key for the Nets, as Sean Kilpatrick, Joe Harris and Justin Hamilton combined for 48 points and 18 rebounds off the pine. Hamilton actually finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds in the best game of his career. Bojan Bogdanovic led the team in scoring, dropping 21 points on 9 - for - 17 shooting. Jeremy Lin played well in his debut as well, amassing 18 points, three rebounds and three assists. Boston made this one a nail biter, but they ended up getting their much deserved win. Isaiah Thomas scored a game - high 25 points in the victory, also adding six rebounds and nine assists. Jae Crowder was second on the team, with his 21 points and five boards. Avery Bradley fell a rebound shy of a double - double, totaling 17 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Al Hoford stuffed the stat sheet in his debut, accumulating 11 points, five rebounds, six assists and four blocks in the win. Boston will have a quick turnaround, as they travel to Illinois to play the Chicago Bulls on Thursday. Brooklyn's next game is on Friday, when they host the Indiana Pacers."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Pelicans": "16", "Celtics": "19"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pelicans": "29", "Celtics": "29"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "9", "Celtics": "5"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "106", "Celtics": "105"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "2", "Celtics": "5"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "40"}}, {"Assists": {"Marcus Smart": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "7", "Tim Frazier": "6"}, "Points": {"Marcus Smart": "15", "Avery Bradley": "19", "Isaiah Thomas": "37", "Anthony Davis": "25", "Tim Frazier": "10", "Terrence Jones": "15", "Langston Galloway": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcus Smart": "6", "Avery Bradley": "10", "Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Anthony Davis": "16", "Tim Frazier": "3", "Terrence Jones": "10"}, "Steals": {"Marcus Smart": "4", "Anthony Davis": "4"}}], "The host New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Boston Celtics, 106 - 105, at Smoothie King Center on Monday. While there were only eight ties and six lead changes, this game came down to the final seconds. The key for New Orleans was their defense, as they held Boston to 40 percent from the field and 29 percent from three - point range. Rim protection killed Boston as well, as they failed to record a block in their loss. The assist - to - turnover ratio kept the Celtics hanging around, as they committed 12 turnovers to 19 assists, while the Pelicans committed 17 turnovers to their 16 assists. The Celtics (5 - 5) continue to struggle without Al Horford (concussion) and Jae Crowder (ankle) and this was easily their worst loss of the season. Isaiah Thomas did his best to carry Boston to a win though, tallying 37 points, three rebounds and seven assists. Avery Bradley continued his surprising rebounding rate, as he totaled 19 points and 10 rebounds in the loss. Marcus Smart was the only other Boston player in double figures, amassing 15 points, six rebounds, three assists and four steals. Boston will look to rebound on Wednesday, when they host the Dallas Mavericks for their next game. The Pelicans (2 - 9) got a much needed win here, but it was far from easy. Anthony Davis once again led the team, as he accumulated 25 points, 16 rebounds and four steals in the win. Tim Frazier was the only other starter in double figures, totaling 10 points, three rebounds and six assists. Langston Galloway and Terrence Jones were both huge off the bench. Galloway finished with 21 points, while Jones double - doubled with a 15 - point, 10 - rebound performance. On deck for the Pelicans is a road matchup against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "13", "Bucks": "20"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "103", "Bucks": "93"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Mavericks": "34", "Bucks": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Mavericks": "34", "Bucks": "52"}, "Turnovers": {"Mavericks": "4", "Bucks": "17"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "18", "Bucks": "12"}, "Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "14"}}, {"Assists": {"Jerryd Bayless": "7", "Zaza Pachulia": "2"}, "Points": {"Jerryd Bayless": "19", "Zaza Pachulia": "17", "Wesley Matthews": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Zaza Pachulia": "8"}, "Steals": {"Zaza Pachulia": "2"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (18 - 13) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (12 - 20) 103 - 93 on Monday night. Dallas led 34 - 24 after the first quarter and never relinquished the lead after that. The Bucks came into this game as the worst rebounding team in the NBA, but actually outrebounded Dallas 52 - 34 in the loss. They also outshot Dallas and that's a rare sight to see a team win when getting outrebounded and outshot. The difference for the Mavericks were the turnovers, as they committed just four to the Bucks 17. Milwaukee has been terrible on the road all season and they didn\u2019t play great here. No player scored more than 19 points and the team had a lack of offensive execution that was clearly evident. In fact, Milwaukee had just 14 assists and that's not good enough in an NBA game. Jerryd Bayless made his return from injury and played brilliantly, contributing 19 points and seven assists off the bench. The road woes are a big worry for this team and it'll likely get worse on Tuesday when they have to take on the Thunder in Oklahoma City. This was one of the first games all year that the team got a full complement of minutes from all of its players. Wesley Matthews and Chandler Parsons both suffered devastating injuries last season, but they both started here and played at least 30 minutes for the first time together. Matthews scored a team - high 22 points and continues to play great defense. The most underrated acquisition from the summer was Zaza Pachulia though, as he had another great game on Monday. Pachulia amassed 17 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals in the win. This team was expected to have a down year, but these veterans simply wo n't allow that to happen. Dallas has a tough task in their next game when they host the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "25", "Knicks": "38"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "105", "Knicks": "104"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "38", "Knicks": "25"}, "Number of team assists": {"Knicks": "22"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Knicks": "39"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "17"}, "Turnovers": {"Knicks": "10"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Jae Crowder": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "8", "Evan Turner": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "8", "Jae Crowder": "6", "Isaiah Thomas": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Jae Crowder": "1", "Avery Bradley": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "27", "Jae Crowder": "19", "Isaiah Thomas": "15", "Evan Turner": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "13", "Jae Crowder": "9", "Isaiah Thomas": "9", "Evan Turner": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Jae Crowder": "4", "Evan Turner": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Jae Crowder": "1", "Evan Turner": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Carmelo Anthony": "40", "Jae Crowder": "35", "Evan Turner": "32"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "30", "Robin Lopez": "12", "Arron Afflalo": "17", "Jae Crowder": "20", "Isaiah Thomas": "32", "Evan Turner": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Robin Lopez": "12", "Jae Crowder": "8", "Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Evan Turner": "8"}, "Steals": {"Avery Bradley": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "2"}}], "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."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "41"}}, {"Rebounds": {"Kenneth Faried": "17", "Wilson Chandler": "9"}, "Points": {"Wilson Chandler": "26", "Nick Young": "23", "D'Angelo Russell": "22", "Lou Williams": "21"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nick Young": "5"}, "Assists": {"D'Angelo Russell": "10", "Lou Williams": "7"}, "Turnovers": {"D'Angelo Russell": "2"}}], "It was a big night for the Lakers backcourt, as three guards scored at least 20 points. Sophomore D'Angelo Russell had a promising double - double, scoring 22 and dishing out 10 assists with only two turnovers. Veteran Nick Young poured in five three - pointers en route to a team - high 23 points. Sixth man Lou Williams added 21 off the bench and dished out another seven assists. As a team, the Lakers shot a highly impressive 52 percent from the floor and knocked down 12 threes. For Denver, meanwhile, forward Kenneth Faried put in work on the glass to come away with a team - high 17 rebounds. Six of Faried's rebounds were offensive, and his tenacity on the offensive glass partially compensated for Denver's poor 41 percent shooting. Off the bench, forward Wilson Chandler led the team with 26 points to go along with nine rebounds."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Timberwolves": "34", "Bulls": "17"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "27"}, "Turnovers": {"Bulls": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Doug McDermott": "16", "Taj Gibson": "2", "Robin Lopez": "10", "Michael Carter-Williams": "12", "Jerian Grant": "8", "Bobby Portis": "16", "Andrew Wiggins": "27", "Gorgui Dieng": "10", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "22", "Ricky Rubio": "17", "Shabazz Muhammad": "12", "Nemanja Bjelica": "16"}, "Minutes played": {"Robin Lopez": "24", "Rajon Rondo": "24", "Nemanja Bjelica": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Gorgui Dieng": "13"}, "Assists": {"Ricky Rubio": "11"}}], "A short - handed Bulls squad that was missing Jimmy Butler, Dwyane Wade, Nikola Mirotic and Paul Zipser due to injury was no match for a full - strength Minnesota unit, which jumped out a 34 - 17 first - quarter lead. Chicago also committed 18 turnovers, further hampering their chances on the afternoon. Andrew Wiggins' 27 points led Minnesota, and Karl-Anthony Towns followed with 22. Ricky Rubio turned in a 17 - point, 11 - assist double - double, while Nemanja Bjelica led the bench with 16 points in 19 minutes. Shabazz Muhammad supplied 12, and Gorgui Dieng posted a 10 - point, 13 - rebound double - double. Doug McDermott's and Bobby Portis' matching 16 - point efforts paced the Bulls. Michael Carter-Williams pitched in 12 points, while Robin Lopez provided 10. Rajon Rondo matched Lopez's scoring total in 24 minutes off the bench. Jerian Grant totaled eight points, and Taj Gibson tallied just two points."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "37"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "31", "Clippers": "21"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "90", "Clippers": "109"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "33", "Clippers": "41"}}, {"Points": {"DeAndre Jordan": "23", "JJ Redick": "22", "Chris Paul": "27", "Dirk Nowitzki": "22", "Raymond Felton": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "20", "Chris Paul": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "6", "Raymond Felton": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"JJ Redick": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"JJ Redick": "4"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "7", "Raymond Felton": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chris Paul": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Chris Paul": "12"}, "Personal fouls": {"Chris Paul": "3"}, "Steals": {"Chris Paul": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Raymond Felton": "30"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (41 - 21) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (33 - 31) 109 - 90 at American Airlines Center on Monday. Chris Paul struggled in the first half, but came out an entirely different player for the second half, scoring 18 points in the third quarter to help the Clippers run up the score. Before Paul\u2019s offensive outburst, the Mavericks kept the game tight knit through the first two quarters of play, but that was mostly on the part of both teams failing to find a shooting rhythm and not capitalizing on turnovers. Paul went on to lead all scorers in the contest with 27 points, in addition to four rebounds, seven assists and three steals on 12 - of - 18 shooting. The Clippers improved to 40 - 7 on the season when Paul surpasses 20 points, as well as picking up a needed win to keep the 3 - seed within striking distance after a resilient 10 game stretch. JJ Reddick and DeAndre Jordan matched Paul\u2019s 20 - plus point night, and played to their strengths. Reddick\u2019s 22 points came on the back of a 4 - for - 6 shooting night from behind the arc, while Jordan did his damage beneath the rim adding 23 points and 20 rebounds. As for the bench, Jamal Crawford and Austin Rivers closed out the game in the fourth quarter, combining for 25 points, six assists and seven boards. Next up, the Clippers will visit the Oklahoma City Thunder (43 - 20) on Wednesday. The Mavericks were unable to get any kind of scoring rhythm, even in the first half where they ended the second quarter down two points. The Dallas starters proved to be the downfall, as only Dirk Nowitzki was able to register any kind of scoring output. The remainder of the Mavericks starting lineup combined a lowly 5 - of - 27 shooting, including no made field goals from Wesley Matthews and Zaza Pachulia. Nowitzki finished with 22 points and six rebounds. The bench was eventful, seeing as Rick Carlisle used eight players sporadically through the game, and once the blowout was on, he turned to Justin Anderson, Salah Mejri and Dwight Powell, who all have seen very little playing time this season. Raymond Felton logged more minutes than starter Deron Williams, and totaled 10 points, three rebounds and two assists in just under 30 minutes of play. Dallas, as a unit, shot 37 percent from the floor, and were outplayed statistically by the Clippers in rebounding, assists, blocks and turnovers. The Mavericks will host the Detroit Pistons (32 - 31) on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "37", "Spurs": "27"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "108", "Spurs": "103"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pelicans": "34", "Spurs": "19"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "45", "Spurs": "55"}}, {"Assists": {"Tony Parker": "6", "Boris Diaw": "5", "Anthony Davis": "2", "Eric Gordon": "1", "Tyreke Evans": "11", "Jrue Holiday": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tony Parker": "17", "Boris Diaw": "14", "Anthony Davis": "26", "Eric Gordon": "12", "Tyreke Evans": "15", "Jrue Holiday": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Tony Parker": "11", "Boris Diaw": "10", "Anthony Davis": "12", "Eric Gordon": "5", "Tyreke Evans": "9", "Jrue Holiday": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Tony Parker": "35", "Boris Diaw": "34", "Anthony Davis": "43", "Eric Gordon": "33", "Tyreke Evans": "34", "Jrue Holiday": "25"}, "Points": {"Tony Parker": "23", "Boris Diaw": "20", "Anthony Davis": "31", "Eric Gordon": "14", "Tyreke Evans": "19", "Jrue Holiday": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Tony Parker": "1", "Boris Diaw": "5", "Anthony Davis": "13", "Eric Gordon": "4", "Tyreke Evans": "4", "Jrue Holiday": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Boris Diaw": "1", "Eric Gordon": "4", "Tyreke Evans": "2", "Jrue Holiday": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Boris Diaw": "0", "Eric Gordon": "2", "Tyreke Evans": "1", "Jrue Holiday": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "Tyreke Evans": "1"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "2", "Eric Gordon": "1", "Tyreke Evans": "3"}}], "The Pelicans (45 - 37) pulled off a 108 - 103 victory over the Spurs (55 - 27) on Wednesday, clinching a playoff berth. The Pelicans controlled their own destiny coming into the game. Eighth place in the Western Conference, they were ahead of the Thunder by way of tiebreaker. San Antonio also had a lot to play for. A win would have ensured home court advantage in the first two rounds of the playoffs. Instead of nailing down the two - seed in the West, the best the Spurs can hope for is third place. Worst-case scenario, the Spurs fall to sixth place with a Rockets loss and a Grizzlies win. The Pelicans jumped out to a 34 - 19 lead in the first quarter. At halftime, they were up 16 points. Going into the fourth, the Pelicans led 82 - 73. The Spurs came as close as three points with 11 seconds on the clock, but Jrue Holiday\u2019s foul shots iced the game. Anthony Davis had a monster day. He was the Pelicans\u2019 leading scorer with 31 points (12 - 26 FG), to go with 13 rebounds, two assists, two steals and three blocks in 43 minutes. Tyreke Evans also stuffed the stats sheet, recording 19 points (9 - 15 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt), four rebounds, 11 assists, three steals and one block in 34 minutes. Eric Gordon contributed 14 points (5 - 12 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt), four rebounds, one assist and one steal in 33 minutes. Jrue Holiday (lower leg), who was listed as questionable coming into Wednesday\u2019s contest, had 11 points (4 - 9 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt), three rebounds and four assists in 25 minutes. Tony Parker was the Spurs\u2019 leading scorer with 23 points (11 - 17 FG), one rebound and six assists in 35 minutes. Boris Diaw came off the bench and recorded 20 points (10 - 14 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt), five rebounds and five assists in 34 minutes. Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard combined for 29 points and 20 rebounds. The Pelicans had the Spurs' number all year, finishing their season series 3 - 1."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "35"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "10", "Blake Griffin": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Damian Lillard": "1", "Blake Griffin": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"Damian Lillard": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Damian Lillard": "3"}, "Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Blake Griffin": "1"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "22", "Marreese Speights": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "13", "Marreese Speights": "8"}, "Steals": {"Blake Griffin": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Marreese Speights": "15"}}], "Blake Griffin turned in the most all - around performance in the win against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday at Staples Center. While the Blazers found it nearly impossible to knock down a shot, especially Damian Lillard, Griffin thrived on the court with 22 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, two steals and one block on 7 - of - 14 shooting. As a unit, Los Angeles shot 44 percent from the field, which bested Portland's lowly effort of 35 percent shooting. Lillard finished just 1 - of - 10 from the field, and was unable to bury a three on four attempts. The matchup with the defensively elite Chris Paul proved to be too much throughout the evening. Marreese Speights turned in another strong performance off the bench after scoring 12 points, to go along with eight rebounds in 15 minutes of action."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "20", "Jazz": "17"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "94", "Jazz": "80"}, "Turnovers": {"Timberwolves": "10", "Jazz": "19"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "12", "Jazz": "13"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "35"}}, {"Points": {"Jeff Withey": "13", "Trey Burke": "23", "Ricky Rubio": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Jeff Withey": "9"}, "Assists": {"Ricky Rubio": "17"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (12 - 20) defeated the Utah Jazz (13 - 17) 94 - 80 on Wednesday in an offensive struggle. This is certainly not the type of game that will make any highlight reel anytime soon. Both teams played some horrendous offense and they may have set basketball back a few years. Both of these teams have been struggling mightily coming into this game and it made this game hard to watch at times. Utah was especially bad, as they shot 35 percent from the field and committed 19 turnovers in the loss. The turnover differential was the key, as the Timberwolves commuted just 10, which is almost half as many as the Jazz. The Jazz had one of their worst offensive performances in franchise history and it's clear the injuries are really starting to hurt this team. It's one thing to play without Rudy Gobert, but this offense has no punch without Derrick Favors and Alec Burks. That can be exemplified by the fact that they started this game just 5 - for - 30 from the field and scored just 13 points in the first 14 minutes. It's not like it got much better after that though, as they failed to crack 21 points outside of the fourth quarter. The lone bright spots were Trey Burke and Jeff Withey. Withey tallied 13 points and nine rebounds filling in for Favors and Burke scored 23 points off the bench. Utah will look to find some offense in their next game on Thursday against the Portland Trail Blazers. While the Jazz offense was a nightmare, the Timberwolves played some of their best defense of the season here. This marked the lowest point total the Wolves have allowed this season and it's a good sign to see them play like this with their struggles at home all year. Ricky Rubio did a great job of setting up the offense, as he dished out 17 assists to go along with 10 points in the win. Rookie Karl Anthony-Towns recorded a double - double as well, tallying 25 points and 10 rebounds in the victory. This wasn\u2019t a pretty game by any means, but a win is a win. Minnesota will look to keep up this defensive momentum on Thursday against the Detroit Pistons."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "30", "Rockets": "17"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "1"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "114", "Rockets": "81"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Warriors": "37", "Rockets": "20"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "4"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Rockets": "17"}, "Turnovers": {"Rockets": "17"}}, {"Points": {"Dwight Howard": "8", "James Harden": "35", "Draymond Green": "15", "Klay Thompson": "27", "Shaun Livingston": "16", "Brandon Rush": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "21", "James Harden": "6", "Draymond Green": "9", "Klay Thompson": "3", "Shaun Livingston": "3"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "6", "Draymond Green": "8", "Shaun Livingston": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"James Harden": "3", "Klay Thompson": "3", "Shaun Livingston": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"James Harden": "3", "Klay Thompson": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "23", "Klay Thompson": "14", "Brandon Rush": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "12", "Klay Thompson": "10", "Brandon Rush": "6"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"James Harden": "3"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "2", "Draymond Green": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "7", "Shaun Livingston": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Draymond Green": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Shaun Livingston": "28"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the visiting Houston Rockets, 114 - 81, to win the Western Conference first - round playoff series 4 - 1 on Wednesday at Oracle Arena. No Stephen Curry, no problem. The Warriors rallied behind Klay Thompson and Draymond Green and made a strong statement with their MVP sidelined with a knee injury for now. The rout was on and it happened quickly, after Golden State stormed out to 37 - 20 lead at the end of the first quarter. Thompson was lights out from behind the arc, as he knocked down 7 - of - 11 shots from deep, while Green stuffed the box score. Shaun Livingston was effective in handling the ball and the minutes he received during all the fourth quarters that the Warriors starters were sitting seemed to be vital to close out the series. James Harden did not go out quietly, and through most of the game, the all - star shooting guard was responsible for half of his team's points through three quarters, but he also committed far too many turnovers. The Warriors capitalized on 17 Rockets turnovers, which only aided to the home team's lead from the get go. Harden finished with 35 points, six rebounds, six assists, two steals and seven turnovers on 12 - of - 23 shooting. Dwight Howard was a monster on the boards and bullied Andrew Bogut around in the paint, as he contributed eight points and 21 rebounds and five assists in the contest. Golden State moved the ball to the tune of 30 team assists, as both Livingston and Green commanded the floor with poise. Thompson found himself constantly open around the perimeter through a series of low screens set by Green and Bogut, and he turned those opportunities into 27 points on 10 - of - 14 shooting. Green added 15 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, one steal and two blocked shots. Livingston finished with 16 points, three rebounds, three assists and only one turnover in 28 minutes of action. Brandon Rush was the spark off the bench and added 15 points on 6 - of - 8 shooting. The Warriors will either play the Portland Trail Blazers or the Los Angeles Clippers (Blazers lead series 3 - 2). Game 1 will take place at Oracle Arena."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "23", "Rockets": "35"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "22", "Rockets": "36"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "111", "Rockets": "107"}, "Turnovers": {"Thunder": "13"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "49", "Rockets": "35"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Rockets": "30"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Dwight Howard": "8", "Kevin Durant": "19", "Russell Westbrook": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwight Howard": "7", "Kevin Durant": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dwight Howard": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Dwight Howard": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Points": {"Dwight Howard": "16", "James Harden": "24", "Patrick Beverley": "16", "Kevin Durant": "23", "Russell Westbrook": "21", "Dion Waiters": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "13", "James Harden": "7", "Jason Terry": "1", "Kevin Durant": "7", "Dion Waiters": "4"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "16", "Kevin Durant": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "15"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "5", "Jason Terry": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Patrick Beverley": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "0"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jason Terry": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Dion Waiters": "25"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (49 - 22) hung on to beat the Houston Rockets (35 - 36) Tuesday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena, 111 - 107. Trailing by five with 30 seconds to go, the Rockets got three - pointers from Jason Terry and James Harden to close the deficit to one possession in the game's final seconds. But Harden's attempt at an entry pass to Dwight Howard for the tie was deflected and eventually stolen by Dion Waiters, and Russell Westbrook nailed both of his free throws to ice the game. Russell Westbrook recorded yet another triple - double, his NBA-leading 15th of the season, giving him four more than second place Draymond Green. Westbrook scored 21 points (7 - 18 FG, 0 - 7 3PT, 7 - 8 FT), dished 15 assists and grabbed 13 rebounds. Kevin Durant helped out with 23 points (8 - 19 FG), seven rebounds and four assists, and Dion Waiters dropped 17 points in 25 minutes off the bench. The Thunder shot just 8 - 35 (23 percent) from deep but grabbed 13 offensive rebounds and shot a robust 59 percent on two - point attempts. James Harden's 24 points were a game - high, and he added 16 assists, seven rebounds and four steals for the Rockets. Dwight Howard scored an efficient 16 points (7 - 8 FG, 2 - 3 FT) and added 13 rebounds, and Patrick Beverly chipped in 16 points behind four three - pointers. The Rockets shot a decent 13 - 37 (35 percent) from three - point land but had seven shots blocked and made just 49 percent of their two - point shots. The Rockets return home to host the Jazz on Wednesday. The Thunder also face the Jazz in their next contest, in Oklahoma City on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "22", "Mavericks": "8"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "87", "Mavericks": "107"}, "Turnovers": {"Knicks": "12"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "5", "Mavericks": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "16", "Carmelo Anthony": "26"}, "Minutes played": {"Chandler Parsons": "23"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3"}, "Steals": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (18 - 8) defeated the New York Knicks (5 - 22) 107 - 87 on Tuesday. Dallas welcomed Chandler Parsons (back) back to the lineup after he missed Saturday's 105 - 98 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. Parsons played just 23 minutes in the win, but his lack of extended run was likely due to the fact that the game was a blowout. Dirk Nowitzki scored a team - high 16 points. New York has dropped two straight and 12 of their last 13. Carmelo Anthony continues to play through his lingering knee soreness, scoring a game - high 26 points Tuesday. Iman Shumper is expected to miss three weeks after separating his shoulder this weekend, and J.R. Smith has missed the last four games dealing with a torn plantar fascia in his foot. Tim Hardaway has stepped into the starting lineup in their absence, and he finished with double - digit points for the fourth straight game Tuesday. Dallas will end their road trip in Detroit on Wednesday against the Pistons. New York will go on the road to Chicago to take on the Bulls on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "26", "Hornets": "25"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "109", "Hornets": "91"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "26", "Hornets": "22"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "22", "Hornets": "22"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "39"}, "Turnovers": {"Hornets": "16"}}, {"Points": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "13", "Marvin Williams": "20", "Kemba Walker": "14", "Brian Roberts": "17", "Damian Lillard": "22", "Allen Crabbe": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "7", "Marvin Williams": "9", "Damian Lillard": "5"}, "Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "8", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Damian Lillard": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nicolas Batum": "11", "Kemba Walker": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Nicolas Batum": "1", "Kemba Walker": "4"}, "Steals": {"Kemba Walker": "4", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "2", "Mason Plumlee": "2", "Damian Lillard": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Mason Plumlee": "2"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (22 - 26) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (22 - 25) 109 - 91 on Friday night. The final score would indicate a blowout, but this game was close throughout. In fact, it was a single - digit deficit with three minutes left, before the Blazers went on a late run to put it out of hand. The Trail Blazers dominated in the second and third quarters, as they outscored the Hornets by 18 points in that 24 - minute stretch. Portland's defense was key, as they held Charlotte to 39 percent shooting and drew 16 turnovers in the win. In the Nicolas Batum return game, things didn\u2019t go as hoped. Batum shot terribly, as he went just 1 - for - 11 from the field, but did dish out eight assists. Kemba Walker didn\u2019t shoot much better, as he went 4 - for - 13 to tally 14 points, four assists and four steals in the loss. It was the bench that kept them in the game, with Brian Roberts scoring 17 points, while Tyler Hansbrough double - doubled. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist played his first game of the season here as well and played pretty well, as he amassed 13 points and seven rebounds in his return. Marvin Williams led the team with 20 points and also snatched down nine rebounds. The Hornets have a much better chance to win in their next game, when they play the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. This now gives Portland three - straight wins with all three coming by at least 15 points. It was Damian Lillard who daggered the Hornets, as he hit some late shots en route to his 22 points, five rebounds, six assists and three steal line. Al-Farouq Aminu and Mason Plumlee each double - doubled with the two combining for 30 points and 24 rebounds in the win. Allen Crabbe also gave the team a nice spark off the bench, as he scored 20 points in the victory. The Trail Blazers now currently sit in the eight - seed in the Western Conference and that's quite the accomplishment considering the preseason expectations. They'll look to keep up their good play against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday in their next game."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "25"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "14"}, "Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "40"}}], "While DeMar DeRozan is easily having the best offensive season of his eight - year NBA career, Thursday's performance marked the first time this season where the All-Star shooting guard had back - to - back games with at least 40 points. DeRozan followed up 42 points on 17 - of - 38 shooting from the field in Tuesday's comeback victory against the Bulls with 40 points on an even more efficient 14 - of - 25 shooting from the field in Thursday's blowout victory over the Heat. And while it may have been the first time DeRozan had back - to - back 40 - point games this season, 40 - point games have not necessarily been a rarity for him, with Thursday's performance serving as his sixth such performance of the year. This comes after a 2015 - 16 campaign where DeRozan did n't have a single 40 - point performance throughout the season, with his season - high being 38 points."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "42"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "25", "Celtics": "22"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "119", "Celtics": "114"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Magic": "24"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "38"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "15"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "21", "Celtics": "27"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Celtics": "22"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Avery Bradley": "21", "Isaiah Thomas": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Avery Bradley": "8", "Isaiah Thomas": "7"}, "Points": {"Avery Bradley": "22", "Isaiah Thomas": "23", "Marcus Smart": "26", "Aaron Gordon": "19", "Nikola Vucevic": "16", "Evan Fournier": "24"}, "Steals": {"Avery Bradley": "3"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Aaron Gordon": "14", "Nikola Vucevic": "13"}}], "The Orlando Magic (21 - 25) scored 72 points in the second half and stormed past the Boston Celtics (27 - 22) Sunday night at Amway Center, 119 - 114 The Magic used a gigantic 38 - point fourth quarter fueled by 15 of Evan Fournier's team - high 24 points to put away Boston and complete a comeback from a 54 - 47 halftime deficit. His explosive final quarter helped stave off a furious Celtics three - point attack, as they knocked down 16 of their 46 attempts from downtown in the losing effort. Fournier caught fire from the three - point line, as he went 4 - 5 from downtown to help get to 24 points in just 22 minutes of action off the bench. Aaron Gordon was a beast inside for the Magic, as he grabbed 14 rebounds and scored 19 points on an efficient 8 - 11 shooting night (including 8 - 9 on two - point shots). The Magic were efficient inside and out, as they shot 42 percent (10 - 24) from three and 59 percent on two - point shots. Nikola Vucevic added a second Magic double - double with a 16 - point, 13 - rebound night. It was another bench player, Celtics guard Marcus Smart, who recorded the game high in points with 26, fueled by a 5 - 9 effort from three - point land. Boston's starting back court duo of Isaiah Thomas (23 points, four assists, 7 - 16 FG) and Avery Bradley (22 points, 8 - 21 FG, three steals) were the only Celtics starters to finish in double digits. Boston attempted only one more two - point shot (47) than three - point shots (46), and they shattered their previous single - game high in three - point attempts by 11. The Celtics will continue an Eastern Conference road trip Tuesday against the Knicks. The Magic head on the road for a Monday matchup against San Antonio."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "17", "Raptors": "15"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "116", "Raptors": "120"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Wizards": "31", "Raptors": "15"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "31", "Raptors": "33"}}, {"Points": {"Kyle Lowry": "23"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "12"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (33 - 15) barely edged out the Washington Wizards (31 - 17) 120 - 116 in overtime Saturday at the Verizon Center. The Raptors took a 16 - point lead into the fourth quarter, but the Wizards fought back to force overtime by outscoring Toronto 31 - 15 in the final period. Toronto's Kyle Lowry and Amir Johnson combined for 10 points in overtime to help the Raptors seal the game. The Raptors now hold a two - game lead over the Wizards. Toronto notched its second overtime victory in as many nights Saturday, narrowly avoiding an embarrassing meltdown to maintain its hold on the second seed in the East. Louis Williams and Patrick Patterson each scored in double figures off the bench while Lowry led the Raptors in scoring with 23 points. James Johnson was sidelined for the second straight game as he is dealing with a hamstring injury. The Raptors will kick off a five - game home stand on Monday when the Bucks come to town. Washington's incredible fourth quarter was nearly enough to vault the Wizards to a huge comeback victory, but it fell short. John Wall and Bradley Beal combined for 54 points and Wall added 12 assists. Nene Hilario returned to action after missing Wednesday's contest with foot soreness. Hilario contributed 16 points and four rebounds over 38 minutes on the floor. Washington will return to action Monday when Charlotte comes to the Verizon Center."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "6", "Clippers": "1"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "105", "Clippers": "119"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Timberwolves": "21"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "2", "Clippers": "9"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Clippers": "46"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "53"}}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "4", "Chris Paul": "8", "Zach LaVine": "4", "Ricky Rubio": "6"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "20", "DeAndre Jordan": "18", "Chris Paul": "19", "Andrew Wiggins": "22", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "24", "Zach LaVine": "15", "Ricky Rubio": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "11", "DeAndre Jordan": "16", "Chris Paul": "4", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "10", "Zach LaVine": "3", "Ricky Rubio": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2"}, "Steals": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the host Minnesota Timberwolves 119 - 105 at Target Center on Saturday. These are two teams headed in opposite directions and this result shows just where they're headed. The Clippers were in control for the majority of the game, as there were only four ties and six lead changes. Los Angeles actually led for the entirety of the second half, as Minnesota never led by more than two points in the first half. The Clippers shot lights - out hitting 53 percent fro the field and 46 percent from three - point range. Los Angeles also took advantage of the whistle, going 28 - of - 37 from the free - throw line, with Minnesota taking just 21 free - throw attempts. The Clippers (9 - 1) are the hottest team in the NBA right now and they used a different recipe to win this one. All five starters were great, as they each scored 15 or more points in the win. Blake Griffin led the team, totaling 20 points, 11 rebounds and four assists. Chris Paul was n't far behind, finishing with 19 points, four rebounds and eight assists. DeAndre Jordan posted a monster double - double, scoring 18 points and grabbing 16 rebounds. The big man also went an efficient 10 - of - 16 from the free - throw line. The Clippers look likely to continue this success, as they host the Brooklyn Nets for their next game on Monday. The Timberwolves (2 - 6) have been one of the biggest disappointments this season and it's a wonder when they'll pull out of this hole. Ricky Rubio did return from an elbow injury in this game, as he accumulated seven points, six rebounds and six assists in the loss. Karl-Anthony Towns led the team in scoring, totaling 24 points, 10 rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Andrew Wiggins went just 8 - of - 24 from the field, but still scored 22 points. Zach LaVine was the only other player in double figures, accruing 15 points, three rebounds and four assists. The Timberwolves will look to get their third win on Sunday, when they host the Los Angeles Lakers for their next game."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "41"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "2", "Raptors": "2"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "111", "Raptors": "113"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hornets": "17", "Raptors": "30"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hornets": "38", "Raptors": "21"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "6", "Raptors": "6"}}, {"Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "10", "Jonas Valanciunas": "12", "DeMar DeRozan": "34", "Kyle Lowry": "19", "Cory Joseph": "12", "Lucas Nogueira": "10", "Marvin Williams": "10", "Nicolas Batum": "18", "Kemba Walker": "40"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "6", "Nicolas Batum": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "8", "Marvin Williams": "13", "Nicolas Batum": "10", "Kemba Walker": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Kemba Walker": "12"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the host Charlotte Hornets 113 - 111 at Spectrum Center on Friday. There are n't many teams in the Eastern Conference playing up to the standards of the Hornets and Raptors and they left it all on the floor on Friday. While there were only four ties and five lead changes, there were some serious swings. In fact, the Raptors won the second quarter 30 - 17, with the Hornets firing back with a 38 - 21 third quarter. Charlotte actually led this game 91 - 81 with nine minutes left, but Toronto responded with a 28 - 11 run over the next seven - plus minutes to pull away. Defense was key for the Raptors, as they held the Hornets to 41 percent from the field. In addition, they won the turnover battle 12 - 5 and the steal differential 8 - 1. The Raptors (6 - 2) continue to fly under the radar and they may have pulled out their biggest win of the season against the Hornets here. DeMar DeRozan continued his torrid scoring, as he led the team with 34 points, three rebounds and three assists. Kyle Lowry was second on the team, as he tallied 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists. DeMarre Carroll, Jonas Valanciunas, Cory Joseph and Lucas Nogueira all scored between 10 and 12 in the Raptors win. Toronto will return to action on Saturday, as they host the New York Knicks for their next game. The Hornets (6 - 2) got some great efforts from their stud players, but fell just short when it mattered the most. Kemba Walker did n't let up though, as he scored a season - high 40 points on 12 - of - 19 shooting. Walker also provided 10 rebounds and six assists with his 40 - spot in the defeat. Nicolas Batum recorded a double - double as well, totaling 18 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Marvin Williams finished the game with 10 points and 13 rebounds of his own. It does n't get any easier for the Hornets, as they travel to play the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday for their next game."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "50"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "21", "Magic": "25"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "113", "Magic": "94"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "27", "Magic": "20"}, "Number of team assists": {"Magic": "17"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Aaron Gordon": "2", "Nikola Vucevic": "4", "Shabazz Napier": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Aaron Gordon": "26"}, "Points": {"Aaron Gordon": "12", "Nikola Vucevic": "14", "Shabazz Napier": "13", "Jared Sullinger": "11", "Isaiah Thomas": "14", "Evan Turner": "15", "Marcus Smart": "16", "Kelly Olynyk": "16", "Jonas Jerebko": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Aaron Gordon": "9", "Nikola Vucevic": "8", "Shabazz Napier": "2", "Jared Sullinger": "11"}}], "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."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "52"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "19", "Jazz": "20"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "103", "Jazz": "94"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Rockets": "33"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "18", "Jazz": "15"}, "Turnovers": {"Jazz": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Trey Lyles": "3", "Terrence Jones": "2", "James Harden": "3", "Jason Terry": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "7", "James Harden": "7", "Jason Terry": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Gordon Hayward": "1", "James Harden": "0", "Jason Terry": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "13", "Trevor Booker": "9", "Terrence Jones": "10", "James Harden": "25", "Jason Terry": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "6", "Trevor Booker": "6", "Terrence Jones": "6", "James Harden": "13", "Jason Terry": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "4", "James Harden": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Gordon Hayward": "2", "James Harden": "7"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "15", "Trey Lyles": "9", "Trevor Booker": "12", "Terrence Jones": "14", "James Harden": "33", "Jason Terry": "12"}, "Blocks": {"Trey Lyles": "2", "James Harden": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Trey Lyles": "9", "Trevor Booker": "9", "Terrence Jones": "8", "James Harden": "8", "Jason Terry": "2"}, "Steals": {"Trey Lyles": "2", "James Harden": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Trevor Booker": "25", "Terrence Jones": "32", "James Harden": "34", "Jason Terry": "20"}}], "The Houston Rockets (18 - 19) earned the 103 - 94 victory against the visiting Utah Jazz (15 - 20) on Thursday night at Toyota Center. This was the second night of a back - to - back for the Jazz, who were coming off a tough loss in San Antonio on Wednesday night. The Jazz have now lost their last seven road games and their last three games in a row. Houston has now won two in a row and is 20 in the season series against Utah. Utah led 44 - 39 at half but the Rockets came out in a lot stronger in the second half. They tied the game at 48 with eight minutes to go in the third and by the mid - fourth they had stretched their lead to nine. Houston had a game of two halves, scoring 39 points in the first half and 64 points in the second half. Houston was missing Dwight Howard who sat out with a sore back, and Ty Lawson who served the first of a three - game suspension for a DUI he picked up last season. This was no worry for James Harden who has been able to carry his team on many occasions. Harden led the Rockets with 33 points (13 - 25 FG, 0 - 7 3Pt, 7 - 10 FT), eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block, in 34 minutes. Terrence Jones started in place of Howard and tallied 14 points (6 - 10 FG), eight rebounds and two assists, in 32 minutes. Jason Terry finished with 12 points (5 - 8 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt), two rebounds and two assists, in 20 minutes. The Rockets shot a solid 52 percent from the field. The Jazz had trouble handling the ball as they gave up eight turnovers in the first quarter alone and a total of 19 turnovers in the game. Rudy Gobert was back in the lineup after missing a few games with an MCL strain but came off the bench for limited minutes, while Alec Burks (fractured fibula) and Derrick Favours (back spasms) remained sidelined. Gordon Hayward led the Jazz in scoring with 15 points (6 - 13 FG, 1 - 7 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT), along with five assists, in 37 minutes. Trevor Booker was solid in 25 minutes off the bench, finishing with 12 points (6 - 9 FG) and nine rebounds. Rookie Trey Lyles started in place of Favours and finished with nine points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocked shots, in 33 minutes. Next the Jazz will host Miami on Saturday. The Jazz have faired a lot better at home than on the road this season. Top scorers Paul George and James Harden will shoot it out on Sunday as the Rockets host the Pacers."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "1", "Jazz": "4"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "104", "Jazz": "98"}, "Turnovers": {"Hornets": "8"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "6", "Jazz": "5"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Jazz": "20"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Jazz": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "4", "Rodney Hood": "4", "Kemba Walker": "6"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "29", "Derrick Favors": "16", "Rodney Hood": "20", "Marvin Williams": "19", "Kemba Walker": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "7", "Derrick Favors": "10", "Rodney Hood": "4", "Marvin Williams": "8", "Kemba Walker": "5"}, "Steals": {"Kemba Walker": "4"}}], "The host Charlotte Hornets defeated the Utah Jazz 104 - 98 at Spectrum Center on Wednesday. In a battle between two defensive - minded teams, there was n't much to differentiate the two in the box score. Both teams went exactly 38 - of - 82 from the field and they both hit eight three - pointers in the tightly contested battle. The key for Charlotte was their bench, as they got 41 points from their four bench players to the 20 points from Utah's five bench players. There were 10 lead changes and eight ties, as the Hornets pulled away late. Utah actually led this game for over 30 minutes, but the beginning of the first quarter and end of the fourth helped Charlotte escape with a win. A 12 - 3 run in the middle of the fourth is when the Hornets put their stamp on their win. Utah (5 - 4) continues to play well, but they could n't quite pull out a road upset against one of the best teams in the league here. Gordon Hayward played great yet again, as he led the team with 29 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Rodney Hood was second on the team, with his 20 points, four rebounds and four assists. Derrick Favors recorded a double - double, as he totaled 16 points and 10 rebounds in a season - high 34 minutes. Utah will travel to Orlando on Friday to face the Magic for their next game. Charlotte (6 - 1) is establishing themselves as an elite team right now and wins like this only improve their stock. Kemba Walker carried the load, as he accumulated 21 points, five rebounds, six assists and four steals in the win. Marvin Williams fell two rebounds shy of a double - double with his 19 points and eight boards. Marco Belinelli, Frank Kaminsky and Spencer Hawes each scored in double figures off the bench, as they combined for 36 points. The Hornets will look to keep things rolling on Friday, as they host the Toronto Raptors for their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "8", "Kings": "12"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "97", "Kings": "92"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "11", "Kings": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Al Horford": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "9", "Al Horford": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jae Crowder": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jae Crowder": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jae Crowder": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Jae Crowder": "6"}, "Points": {"Jae Crowder": "16", "Al Horford": "26", "Isaiah Thomas": "20"}, "Blocks": {"Al Horford": "6"}}], "The Boston Celtics hung on to defeat the visiting Sacramento Kings 97 - 92 on Friday night at TD Garden. After a tight first half the Kings took a 72 - 69 lead into the fourth quarter, however Boston used a 14 - 4 run to take a seven - point lead with six and a half minutes to go. The Celtics were able to hang on thanks to a couple of clutch plays by Al Horford, including a clutch three - pointer and game - saving defense on DeMarcus Cousins, who had the chance to tie the game as the Kings in - bounded the ball with nine seconds left, down by three. The Celtics (11 - 8) improved to 5 - 4 at home and continue moving in the right direction as they have won five of their last seven games. Horford was the high - point man for Boston on Friday, with 26 points to go along with eight rebounds and a monstrous six blocks. Isaiah Thomas added 20 points, while Jae Crowder chipped in 16 points on 6 - of - 12 shooting, including 3 - of - 5 from deep. The Kings (7 - 12) have now lost two straight and fall to 3 - 7 on the road this season as they could not break the spell that has them winless in Boston since 2007. They are 1 - 2 on their current road trip which has them in New York to face the Knicks on Sunday before winding - up the trip in Dallas on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "32", "Bulls": "26"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "107", "Bulls": "112"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Kings": "11"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "20", "Bulls": "26"}}, {"Points": {"Robin Lopez": "17", "Dwyane Wade": "31", "Michael Carter-Williams": "21", "DeMarcus Cousins": "18", "Ty Lawson": "22"}, "Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "3", "Michael Carter-Williams": "4", "DeMarcus Cousins": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "18", "DeMarcus Cousins": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwyane Wade": "12", "DeMarcus Cousins": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwyane Wade": "6", "Michael Carter-Williams": "6", "DeMarcus Cousins": "14"}, "Steals": {"Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Ty Lawson": "35"}}], "The Chicago Bulls defeated the Sacramento Kings, 112 - 107, at Golden 1 Center on Monday. The Bulls (26 - 26) were without starting small forward Jimmy Butler (heel) on Monday, but veteran Dwyane Wade scored 31 points to lead all scorers and also led Chicago to the impressive road victory. DeMarcus Cousins was a monster on the glass, but was unable to pour in the scoring effort needed to keep the Kings (20 - 32) within a true shot of winning. Sacramento fell behind early, exiting the first quarter with just 11 points as a team, but managed a strong fourth quarter effort despite falling short. Wade's 31 points came with six rebounds, three assists and one steal on 12 - of - 18 shooting. Michael Carter-Williams drew the start in favor of Butler, and went on to score 21 points, grab six rebounds and dished out four assists. Robin Lopez went for 17 points, while all five starters finished in double figures in scoring. Ty Lawson was the most effective player offensively for the Kings, and finished with 22 points in 35 minutes off the bench. Cousins' 18 points led the starters, to go with 14 rebounds, five assists and one block on 5 - of - 16 shooting. Both teams play again on Wednesday, as the Kings host the Boston Celtics, while the Bulls visit the Golden State Warriors."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "20", "Suns": "24"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "142", "Suns": "119"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Kings": "31", "Suns": "18"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "13", "Suns": "12"}}, {"Assists": {"TJ Warren": "4", "Devin Booker": "3", "Brandon Knight": "5", "Darren Collison": "6"}, "Points": {"TJ Warren": "19", "Devin Booker": "21", "Brandon Knight": "23", "Mirza Teletovic": "13", "Ronnie Price": "10", "Jon Leuer": "11", "Omri Casspi": "13", "Rudy Gay": "16", "DeMarcus Cousins": "32", "Marco Belinelli": "19", "Darren Collison": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"TJ Warren": "5", "Devin Booker": "1", "Brandon Knight": "5", "Jon Leuer": "4", "Marco Belinelli": "2", "Darren Collison": "2"}, "Steals": {"Devin Booker": "4", "Brandon Knight": "1", "Marco Belinelli": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Mirza Teletovic": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jon Leuer": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jon Leuer": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Jon Leuer": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Jon Leuer": "17", "Darren Collison": "29"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jon Leuer": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "16", "DeMarcus Cousins": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "11"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (13 - 20) defeated the Phoenix Suns (12 - 24) 142 - 119 on Saturday. Two of the worst teams in the Western Conference combined to nearly short circuit the scoreboard in Sacramento's Sleep Train Arena. The Kings posted the highest scoring total by a team in a non - overtime contest this season, while the 261 total points scored were also a high - water mark for a game that ended in regulation. Sacramento ambushed the Suns from the opening tipoff, outscoring them 31 - 18 in the first period. However, Phoenix admirably battled back through the second quarter and early part of the third, to the extent that they were able to hold a four - point lead approximately six minutes after intermission. The Kings then blasted Phoenix 36 - 16 over the next seven minutes of play to carry a 16 - point advantage heading into the final quarter, a lead that had grown to 23 by game's end. The home team naturally had a stellar night offensively, shooting an incredible 61 percent from the field. They also demolished the short - handed Suns down low, outscoring them in the paint by a margin of 60 - 32. Phoenix, which amassed an outstanding point total in their own right, was led by Brandon Knight's 23 points, five rebounds, five assists and a steal. Rookie Devin Booker pitched in with a new career - high figure of 21 points, and added three assists, a rebound and four steals. In what is apparently a lost season for the Suns replete with injury concerns and disciplinary problems, Booker's development over the rest of the campaign figures to give Phoenix fans reasons for optimism. Another potential future centerpiece, T.J. Warren, followed up an outstanding 29 - point effort on New Year's Eve versus the Thunder with a 19 - point, five - rebound, four - assist effort. Three Suns reserves managed double - digit scoring, led by Mirza Teletovic's 13 points. Jon Leuer (11 points) and Ronnie Price (10 points) also made solid contributions from the bench, with the former apparently primed to return to his starting position at the four as early as Sunday after playing 17 minutes tonight. The Suns fell to 12 - 24 and currently reside in fourth place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. They head to Los Angeles to face off against the Lakers on Sunday. The Kings had a smorgasbord of double - digit scorers, led by DeMarcus Cousins' 32 points on outstanding 11 of 15 shooting. The enigmatic big man also added nine rebounds, an assist and two steals. Darren Collison actually was the runner - up points - wise, managing 21 points, six assists and a pair of rebounds off the bench over a highly efficient 29 minutes. The forward tandem of Rudy Gay and Omri Casspi pitched in with 16 and 13 points, respectively, while Rajon Rondo put together a vintage performance that exemplifies what he can bring to the table when his game is hitting on all cylinders. The veteran point guard poured in 15 points, dished out 15 assists, and added six rebounds and a steal. Marco Belinelli was the other notable contributor in a reserve role, tallying 19 points, a pair of rebounds and a steal in just 21 minutes. Sacramento improved to 13 - 20 and remains entrenched in third place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. They head to Oklahoma City to take on the Thunder on Monday night."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "50"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "31", "Pistons": "33"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "115", "Pistons": "98"}, "Turnovers": {"Pacers": "5"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "33", "Pistons": "31"}}, {"Assists": {"Marcus Morris": "2", "Jon Leuer": "1", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Tobias Harris": "1", "Stanley Johnson": "2", "Paul George": "2", "CJ Miles": "2", "Jeff Teague": "6", "Monta Ellis": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Marcus Morris": "1", "Stanley Johnson": "1"}, "Points": {"Marcus Morris": "10", "Jon Leuer": "15", "Andre Drummond": "14", "Tobias Harris": "22", "Stanley Johnson": "17", "Paul George": "21", "Thaddeus Young": "18", "CJ Miles": "15", "Jeff Teague": "10", "Monta Ellis": "12", "Glenn Robinson III": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcus Morris": "1", "Jon Leuer": "4", "Andre Drummond": "15", "Tobias Harris": "5", "Stanley Johnson": "5", "Paul George": "8", "Thaddeus Young": "8", "CJ Miles": "1", "Jeff Teague": "5", "Glenn Robinson III": "4"}, "Steals": {"Andre Drummond": "2", "Stanley Johnson": "1", "Thaddeus Young": "1", "Glenn Robinson III": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Paul George": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Paul George": "29"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Thaddeus Young": "5"}}], "The Indiana Pacers defeated the Detroit Pistons, 115 - 98, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Wednesday evening. The Pacers (33 - 31) have had difficulty finding any measure of consistency overall, with one notable exception - - their performance at home. Indiana had managed a 21 - 10 record at Bankers Life Fieldhouse heading into Wednesday, and the trend of superior play in their familiar digs held true once again versus the Pistons (31 - 33). Paul George led the way with 21 points, 13 of which came in the third quarter, eight rebounds and two assists over 29 minutes, while five other Pacers also posted double digits in the scoring column. It was an outstanding shooting night all around for Indiana, as they posted respective success rates of 50 percent and 48 percent from the field and three - point range, respectively. Tobias Harris paced Detroit with 22 points off the bench, which he supplemented with five rebounds and one assist. Stanley Johnson was next with 17 points, five rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block off the second unit as well. Jon Leuer tallied 15 points, four rebounds and one assist. Andre Drummond turned in a 14 - point, 15 - rebound double - double that also included one assist and two steals. Marcus Morris supplied 10 points, two assists, one rebound and one block. Thaddeus Young snapped a five - game streak of single - digit scoring efforts by checking in second behind George with 18 points, eight rebounds and one steal. C.J. Miles was next with 15 points, two assists and one rebound. Monta Ellis led the bench with 12 points and three assists over just 14 minutes. Glenn Robinson III was right behind him, registering 11 points, four rebounds and only one steal in just eight minutes. Jeff Teague provided 10 points, six assists and five rebounds. The Pistons make the quick trip back home to face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday evening, while the Pacers travel to Milwaukee to face off with the Bucks on Friday night."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "39"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "56"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "6", "Pistons": "23"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "127", "Pistons": "107"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "34", "Pistons": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Marcus Morris": "3", "Kevin Durant": "9", "Draymond Green": "13"}, "Points": {"Marcus Morris": "21", "Tobias Harris": "18", "Andre Drummond": "12", "Boban Marjanovic": "13", "Kevin Durant": "25", "Klay Thompson": "23", "Stephen Curry": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcus Morris": "5", "Tobias Harris": "4", "Andre Drummond": "10", "Boban Marjanovic": "11", "Kevin Durant": "6", "Draymond Green": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Boban Marjanovic": "7", "Kevin Durant": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Boban Marjanovic": "5", "Kevin Durant": "10"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "5"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the Detroit Pistons, 127 - 107, at Oracle Arena on Thursday. The Warriors were heavy favorites headed into this matchup and they left no doubt who the better team was. It was n't lopsided throughout though, as there were 11 ties and 21 lead changes in the first half. That's when Golden State turned it on though, outscoring Detroit, 67 - 49, in the second half. The Warriors offense was on point, shooting 56 percent from the field, 51 percent from three - point range and recording 39 assists. Three-point shooting really killed Detroit, as they went just 6 - of - 28 from long distance. The Pistons (18 - 23) have struggled on the road all season and a matchup against Golden State is the last thing they wanted to see. Marcus Morris was Detroit's best player, as he tallied 21 points, five rebounds and three assists. Andre Drummond recorded another double - double, totaling 12 points and 10 rebounds. Tobias Harris got the start and amassed 18 points and four rebounds. Boban Marjanovic was the only bench player in double figures, amassing 13 points and 11 rebounds on 5 - of - 7 from the field. The Warriors (34 - 6) have been taking it to teams all season and this blowout win was no different. Kevin Durant led the team in scoring, accruing 25 points, six rebounds and nine assists on 10 - of - 15 shooting. Steph Curry was just as good, collecting 24 points, six assists and five steals. Klay Thompson dropped 23 points of his own. Draymond Green failed to hit a shot, but he provided nine rebounds and 13 assists. Ian Clark and Shaun Livingston each scored in double figures off the bench."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "53"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "20", "Celtics": "19"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "120", "Celtics": "114"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Knicks": "26"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "20", "Celtics": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Jae Crowder": "1", "Amir Johnson": "2", "Avery Bradley": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "8", "Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Kristaps Porzingis": "2", "Robin Lopez": "1", "Arron Afflalo": "1", "Jerian Grant": "8"}, "Points": {"Jae Crowder": "21", "Amir Johnson": "11", "Avery Bradley": "10", "Isaiah Thomas": "34", "Jared Sullinger": "14", "Carmelo Anthony": "17", "Kristaps Porzingis": "26", "Robin Lopez": "15", "Arron Afflalo": "24", "Jerian Grant": "16", "Derrick Williams": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Jae Crowder": "8", "Amir Johnson": "6", "Avery Bradley": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Jared Sullinger": "7", "Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Kristaps Porzingis": "6", "Robin Lopez": "5", "Arron Afflalo": "3", "Jerian Grant": "1", "Derrick Williams": "10"}, "Steals": {"Amir Johnson": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "1", "Kristaps Porzingis": "2", "Jerian Grant": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Carmelo Anthony": "18", "Kristaps Porzingis": "27", "Jerian Grant": "23"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Robin Lopez": "1", "Jerian Grant": "1"}}], "The New York Knicks (20 - 20) defeated the Boston Celtics (19 - 19) 120 - 114 on Tuesday. The two division rivals played a game worthy of both clubs' improved play this season, with a back - and - forth battle culminating in a hard - fought victory for the home team. It was a true collective effort for New York, particularly after losing superstar Carmelo Anthony in the second half due to an ankle sprain. Several of his teammates, both starters and reserves, stepped in to help make up the scoring shortfall caused by the All-Star's absence, and the Knicks finished the night with outstanding 53 percent shooting from the field. Boston was once again led by Isaiah Thomas, who's become the unquestioned offensive leader of the Celtics this season and held on to this starting job despite Marcus Smart's return to health. Thomas managed 34 points, eight assists, three rebounds and a steal. Jae Crowder tallied 21 points, eight rebounds and an assist to support Thomas' outstanding performance. Amir Johnson (11 points) and Avery Bradley (10 points) were the only other starters with double - digit scoring, with the former hauling in six boards and adding two assists and a steal, and the latter tallying two rebounds and an assist. Jared Sullinger paced the Celtics' reserves with 14 points and seven rebounds. The Celtics fell to 19 - 19 and into a second - place tie with the Knicks. They face off at home against the Pacers at home on Wednesday. 20 - year - old standout Kristaps Porzingis continued his memorable rookie campaign by leading the Knicks with 26 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals despite amassing six personal fouls over nearly 27 minutes. Arron Afflalo made his presence felt, particularly after the loss of Anthony, pouring in 24 points and adding three rebounds and an assist. Anthony was brilliant during his nearly 18 minutes on the court, collecting 17 points, four rebounds and three assists. Robin Lopez continued his recent stretch of solid offensive play, posting 15 points, five rebounds, an assist and a block. Rookie Jerian Grant stepped in as Anthony's direct replacement and did a commendable job, finishing with 16 points, eight assists, a rebound, a steal and a block over 23 minutes. Derrick Williams, a solid fixture off the bench throughout the majority of the season, contributed a 15 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. The Knicks improved to 20 - 20 and vaulted into a second - place tie with the Celtics in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They make the short trip to Brooklyn to take on the Nets on Wednesday."], [[{}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Otto Porter Jr.": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Otto Porter Jr.": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Otto Porter Jr.": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Otto Porter Jr.": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Otto Porter Jr.": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Otto Porter Jr.": "3"}, "Points": {"Otto Porter Jr.": "23"}, "Steals": {"Otto Porter Jr.": "1"}}], "Otto Porter Jr. has quietly been one of the most effective 3 - point shooters in the entire NBA so far this season, as he shooting an impressive 45 percent from long range. But over the past three weeks, Porter has been shooting better than he has all season. During Thursday's 23 - point performance against New York, Porter did most of his damage from long range, shooting 6 - of - 10 from behind the arc. Now, in his last three contests, Porter has made 15 of his 23 3 - point attempts, giving him an incredible mark of 65 percent. That effective shooting from downtown has led to him averaging 20 points per game in that three - game stretch, making for one of Porter's most effective stretches of the season - - a season that may be the breakout year the Wizards have been waiting on since drafting the Georgetown star No. 3 overall."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "53", "Hornets": "28"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "99", "Hornets": "119"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "8", "Hornets": "32"}}, {"Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "7", "Cody Zeller": "2", "Kemba Walker": "2", "Jeremy Lin": "2", "Robert Covington": "3", "Nerlens Noel": "4", "Ish Smith": "8", "Hollis Thompson": "1"}, "Points": {"Nicolas Batum": "12", "Marvin Williams": "14", "Cody Zeller": "15", "Kemba Walker": "30", "Jeremy Lin": "14", "Ish Smith": "12", "Hollis Thompson": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Nicolas Batum": "4", "Marvin Williams": "9", "Cody Zeller": "6", "Kemba Walker": "7", "Jeremy Lin": "4", "Robert Covington": "9", "Nerlens Noel": "3", "Ish Smith": "5", "Hollis Thompson": "2"}, "Steals": {"Nicolas Batum": "2", "Marvin Williams": "1", "Kemba Walker": "2", "Robert Covington": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "2", "Isaiah Canaan": "2", "Ish Smith": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Marvin Williams": "2", "Cody Zeller": "4", "Robert Covington": "2", "Ish Smith": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Isaiah Canaan": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Isaiah Canaan": "3"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (32 - 28) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (8 - 53) 119 - 99 on Wednesday. Despite a record that speaks for itself, the Sixers have proven to be a feisty nuisance for opposing teams from time to time this season. Such was the case Wednesday, when Philadelphia came in without standout rookie Jahlil Okafor due to his shin injury, and as losers of nine straight games. However, they hung tough with the playoff - contending Hornets, entering the final period trailing only 83 - 74. However, a 9 - 2 run by Charlotte beginning at the 9:15 mark of the fourth quarter opened up a 16 - point lead for the home team that allowed them some breathing room. Although Philadelphia kept coming, the Hornets were able to outscore them 24 - 19 the rest of the way to secure the double - digit win. The Hornets saw four starters and one reserve tally double - digit scoring, and were led for a second consecutive night by Kemba Walker. He managed 30 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. Cody Zeller amassed only half of Walker's point total but it was enough to place him second in team scoring for the night, as he put together a stat line of 15 points, six rebounds, two assists and four blocks. Marvin Williams posted a near double - double with 14 points, nine rebounds, a steal and two blocks. Nicolas Batum was also productive, collecting 12 points, seven assists, four rebounds and a pair of steals. Jeremy Lin paced the reserves with 14 points, four rebounds and a pair of assists. Charlotte remains in third place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division and currently has a hold of the sixth seed in the conference as well. They head back home to face the Indiana Pacers on Friday night. The Sixers received a trio of 17 - point efforts from their short - handed starting five, a key factor in their ability to keep the game competitive throughout. The most productive of the three performances came from Robert Covington, who added nine boards, three assists, a steal and two blocks. Nerlens Noel supplemented his points with four assists, three rebounds and a pair of steals. Isaiah Canaan was only able to add two steals to his point tally, but now is three - for - three in producing double - digit scoring in his latest string of starting opportunities. Ish Smith finished with a well - rounded line of 12 points, eight assists, five rebounds, a steal and a block. Hollis Thompson led the bench with 10 points, two rebounds and an assist. Philadelphia remains in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division with the worst record in the league. They're home again on Friday to face off with the Miami Heat."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "47"}}, {"Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chris Paul": "9", "Jamal Crawford": "12", "Marcus Morris": "13", "Andre Drummond": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Chris Paul": "2", "Jamal Crawford": "4", "Marcus Morris": "8", "Andre Drummond": "8"}, "Points": {"Chris Paul": "8", "Andre Drummond": "16"}}], "The Pistons have consistently performed better at home this season, and the team showed that once again on Friday. All five Pistons starters scored at least 15 points en route to the upset win. Andre Drummond shot 8 - of - 11 for 16 points, while leading scorer Marcus Morris hit 8 - of - 13 for 17. The Pistons hit nine three - pointers on the night on 47 percent shooting from beyond the arc. The Pistons only went to the line seven times on the night, but given the presence of sub - par free - throw shooters like Drummond on their roster, that may have been a blessing in disguise. Los Angeles, meanwhile, saw struggles from some players. Despite passing for 15 assists, Chris Paul shot just 2 - of - 9 for eight points. Guard Jamal Crawford shot just 4 - of - 12 off the bench. Finally, big man Blake Griffin had a weak night on the glass, recording just three rebounds and contributing to Los Angeles's 42 - 32 rebounding deficit."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Kevin Durant": "2", "Klay Thompson": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Kevin Durant": "2", "Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "7", "Stephen Curry": "10", "Damian Lillard": "10", "Jake Layman": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Klay Thompson": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "5", "Ian Clark": "3", "Damian Lillard": "4", "Jake Layman": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Stephen Curry": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Points": {"Ian Clark": "22"}}], "Five of the top 11 individual three - point shooters of the 2015 - 16 season took the floor in Tuesday's matchup between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. Naturally, the game was a high - scoring shootout, but the shots did not all come from the usual suspects. In fact, the game's leading three - point shooter played only eight minutes and was making his NBA debut. Portland wing Jake Layman, a 22 - year - old out of Maryland, hit 5 of 7 attempts from beyond the arc and finished second on the team in scoring despite finishing last in minutes. Steph Curry matched Layman's five three - pointers but took 10 attempts to do so, and Damian Lillard trailed not far behind with four. It was not a stellar shooting night for every high - profile shooter, however, as Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson, two of the league's top shooters, went 0 for 10 from beyond the arc on the night, with seven of those misses coming from Thompson. Golden State made up for their stars' shooting slumps by finding their own diamond in the rough, though, as bench guard Ian Clark delivered 22 points on perfect shooting, including three three - pointers."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "40"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "27", "Grizzlies": "21"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "99", "Grizzlies": "119"}, "Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "17", "Grizzlies": "8"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "21", "Grizzlies": "30"}, "Number of team assists": {"Grizzlies": "28"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "47"}}, {"Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "3", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Marc Gasol": "24", "Jusuf Nurkic": "19", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "26"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "24", "Mike Conley": "18", "Zach Randolph": "14", "Vince Carter": "14", "James Ennis III": "13", "Jusuf Nurkic": "4", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "5", "Jusuf Nurkic": "3", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "1"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Denver Nuggets 119 - 99 Wednesday at Pepsi Center. The Grizzlies (30 - 21) continued to roll with yet another dominant victory, and they have now won three straight games on the road by a grand total of 46 points. Marc Gasol was once again tremendous in the winning effort, scoring an efficient 24 points in 24 minutes on top of five rebounds and three assists. Mike Conley added 18 points of his own, but it was the bench that really carried Memphis through the end of the game, with eight different reserves seeing the court Wednesday. Zach Randolph and Vince Carter each poured in 14 points as reserves, while James Ennis added 13 points, and the entire Grizzlies bench unit managed to produce 59 total points. In the end, with all 13 players, it was an offensive clinic for Memphis, who shot 47 percent from behind the arc and recorded 28 assists to just eight turnovers. As for the Nuggets (21 - 27), they've now dropped two straight games after rattling off three straight victories, as the absence of Nikola Jokic (hip) has really taken a tole on this team. His replacement, Jusuf Nurkic, scored just four points on 1 - of - 4 shooting and grabbed three rebounds in 19 minutes. The Nuggets did get some positive injury news, however, as Emanuel Mudiay (back) returned following a five - game absence, and while it was reported that he would be on a 20 - minute restriction, Mudiay ended up playing 26 minutes and had a solid all - around game, recording 14 points, seven assists and six rebounds. As a team, however, it was a forgettable night for Denver, as they shot just 40 percent from the field and committed 17 turnovers. Up next, the Grizzlies will look to continue their hot streak in Oklahoma City on Friday against the Thunder, while the Nuggets will look to turn things around at home against the Bucks on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "48", "Magic": "37"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hornets": "39"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "27"}}, {"Points": {"Aaron Gordon": "9", "Serge Ibaka": "12", "Bismack Biyombo": "9", "Evan Fournier": "14", "D.J. Augustin": "8", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "16", "Cody Zeller": "9", "Nicolas Batum": "16", "Kemba Walker": "15", "Ramon Sessions": "12", "Jeremy Lamb": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"D.J. Augustin": "19"}}], "The Hornets clamped down on Orlando, which was only able to post 37 percent and 27 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively. The backcourt duo of Kemba Walker (15 points) and Nicolas Batum (16 points) combined for 31 points on 13 - of - 24 shooting to spearhead a 48 percent tally for the Hornets, who pulled away with a 39 - point third quarter. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist supplied 16 points as well, while Cody Zeller registered nine points. The bench was led by a pair of 12 - point efforts from Jeremy Lamb and Ramon Sessions. Orlando was led by a modest 14 points from Evan Fournier, while Serge Ibaka followed with 12 points. Aaron Gordon and Bismack Biyombo supplied a pair of nine - point efforts, and D.J. Augustin managed just eight points in 19 minutes despite drawing another start Friday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Trail Blazers": "29"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "26", "Hawks": "17"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "98", "Hawks": "104"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "19", "Hawks": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"Kent Bazemore": "5", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Jeff Teague": "6", "CJ McCollum": "3", "Damian Lillard": "6"}, "Points": {"Kent Bazemore": "23", "Paul Millsap": "23", "Jeff Teague": "14", "CJ McCollum": "28", "Damian Lillard": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Kent Bazemore": "5", "Paul Millsap": "9", "CJ McCollum": "3", "Damian Lillard": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul Millsap": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "10", "CJ McCollum": "23", "Damian Lillard": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul Millsap": "7", "CJ McCollum": "12"}, "Turnovers": {"Paul Millsap": "1"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (26 - 17) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (19 - 26) 104 - 98 at Moda Center on Wednesday. The Hawks earned a tough road win in what was an all around excellent game that provided drama down to the last few possessions. While Kyle Korver has struggled throughout the season, he did pitch in an important three - pointer that broke a 84 - 84 tie midway through the fourth quarter. Paul Millsap drained a long ball a few possessions later to all but sink the Blazers hopes with just over two minutes left. Millsap was one of the leaders for Atlanta and finished with 23 points, nine rebounds and two assists on 7 - of - 10 shooting, including a perfect 3 of 3 from behind the arc. Kent Bazemore matched Millsap with 23 points, and added five rebounds and five assists. Jeff Teague scored 14 points and dished out six assists, but was better on the defensive end in his matchup against Damian Lillard. The Hawks sit in third place in the Eastern Conference and will continue their west coast trip when they visit the Sacramento Kings (17 - 24) on Thursday. The Blazers play with a lot of heart and even though Millsap\u2019s three - pointer was back breaking down the stretch, they fought tooth and nail through the end, and even forced Kyle Korver to turn the ball over, down four points, with under one minute left. Portland was unable to get within striking distance after the turnover, but were led by C.J. McCollum, who has risen into a star alongside Damian Lillard. McCollum finished with 28 points, which led all scorers, and pitched in three rebounds and three assists on 12 - of - 23 shooting. Lillard was not as effective as his backcourt partner, but still contributed 18 points, five rebounds and six assists on 22 shots in 36 minutes. Portland fell victim to three - point shooting, which can make or break a team in a close game, as they shot just 29 percent from three - point range. It was an unfortunate home loss for Portland, as they won the rebounding battle, but shot themselves out of what could have been one of the better wins of the season. The Blazers will head south to meet with the Los Angeles Lakers (9 - 35) at Staples Center on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "39", "Warriors": "54"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "9", "Warriors": "2"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "115", "Warriors": "136"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "1", "Warriors": "8"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "34"}, "Field goals made": {"Kobe Bryant": "15"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "16"}, "Free throws made": {"Kobe Bryant": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Kobe Bryant": "31"}, "Points": {"Kobe Bryant": "44"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (8 - 2) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (1 - 9) 136 - 115 on Sunday. Golden State is on a three - game win streak. They remain without David Lee (hamstring), but Draymond Green has been more than a capable fill - in. Everyone on their roster that was on the team last season is experiencing a new level of success under new coach Steve Kerr and his offensive system that stresses ball movement. Both Stephen Curry and Andrew Bogut finished with double - doubles Sunday. The Warriors get four days off before hosting the Utah Jazz on Friday. Kobe Bryant scored 44 points in 31 minutes. He shot 15 - of - 34 from the field and 11 - of - 16 from the free - throw line. Los Angeles shot 39 percent from the field as a team, while Warriors shot 54 percent. The Lakers have lost four straight games, and they start a three - game roadtrip Tuesday in Atlanta against the Hawks."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "7"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "108", "Trail Blazers": "103"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "5"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "23"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "37", "James Harden": "47"}, "Points": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "16", "Damian Lillard": "23", "Trevor Ariza": "18", "Dwight Howard": "7", "James Harden": "45", "Corey Brewer": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "15", "Dwight Howard": "19", "James Harden": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Trevor Ariza": "18", "James Harden": "29"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"James Harden": "15"}, "3-pointers made": {"James Harden": "4", "Corey Brewer": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Harden": "20"}, "Free throws made": {"James Harden": "19", "Corey Brewer": "3"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "5"}}], "Houston trailed Portland by 15 points entering the fourth quarter, but came back to defeat them 108 - 103 in overtime. Corey Brewer hit a deep three at the end of regulation to tie it at 99. James Harden then led the way, scoring all nine points in the exra quarter for the Rockets, who improved to 5 - 7 on the season. The comeback victory was much needed for Houston, who took the court the same day they fired head coach Kevin McHale. McHale was coaching his fifth season with the team. The Rockets came into the season with high expections after a playoff run that ended in the Western Conference Finals. Unfortuantely, a lack luster start to the season had them at 4 - 7 entering the day, and the Rockets decided they needed to light a spark under the team. They responded accordingly with their fourth quarter rally, which could potentially be looked back at as a turning point in their season. As usual, Portland was led by Damian Lillard who scored a team high 23 points on 6 - 19 shooting from the field. C.J. McCollum, Al-Farouq Aminu, and Allen Crabbe also chipped in with double - digit point totals. Along with Aminu's 16 points, he also added 15 rebounds in 37 minutes. The Trailblazers fell to 4 - 9 with the loss and will look to bounce back Friday when they welcome the Clippers to town. James Harden nealry had a monster triple double for the Rockets with 45 points (11 - 29 FG, 4 - 15 3PT, 19 - 20 FT), eight rebounds, 11 assists, and five steals in 47 minutes. Trevor Ariza and Corey Brewer each added 18 and 16 points respectively, while Dwight Howard scored seven points and grabbed 19 boards. Houston will look to carry their momentum into Friday's game in Memphis."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "2", "Raptors": "2"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "102", "Raptors": "112"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "6", "Raptors": "5"}}, {"Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "37", "Kyle Lowry": "19", "Steven Adams": "14", "Victor Oladipo": "18", "Russell Westbrook": "36"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "13", "Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyle Lowry": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Kyle Lowry": "43"}, "Rebounds": {"Kyle Lowry": "9", "Steven Adams": "12", "Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "12"}, "3-pointers made": {"Russell Westbrook": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "26"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "18"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "8"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 112 - 102 Chesapeake Energy Arena on Wednesday. The Raptors (5 - 2) did not get off to a hot start in this contest, allowing the Thunder (6 - 2) to go on a 120 run in the first four and half minutes of the game. Toronto, however, kept their composure and continued to whittle away at the lead from there, ultimately snagging a seven - point lead by halftime. They never lost that lead, as the play of their All-Star backcourt of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan proved to be too much for the Thunder to handle. Lowry nearly had a triple - double, recording 19 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds in an astonishing 43 minutes, while DeRozan continues to be the league's top scorer, as he posted 37 points Wednesday \u2014 his sixth 30 - point performance in seven games. For the Thunder, they lost their first home game of the season despite another stat - stuffing performance from Russell Westbrook, who recorded 36 points, seven rebounds and seven assists on the night. The problem for Westbrook, however, is that he shot just 9 - of - 26 from the field, 3 - of - 12 from behind the arc and committed eight turnovers, leading to an overall sloppy performance from the All-Star point guard. Beyond Westbrook, just Victor Oladipo and Steven Adams managed to score in double figures, with 18 and 14 points respectively, but Adams did add 12 rebounds, giving him his second double - double of the season. Up next, the Raptors will hit the road once again on Friday to play the Hornets, while the Thunder will stay home to take on the Clippers on Friday."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Marreese Speights": "8", "Evan Turner": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Marreese Speights": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Marreese Speights": "16", "Allen Crabbe": "32", "Evan Turner": "23"}, "Points": {"Marreese Speights": "15", "Allen Crabbe": "10"}, "Assists": {"Allen Crabbe": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Allen Crabbe": "1", "Evan Turner": "6"}}], "New additions to both the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Clippers saw a solid chunk of minutes in Thursday's matchup. Golden State Warriors import Mo Speights brought his inside game and perimeter shooting to the Clippers in a needed position of depth, and shined in 16 minutes of play where he finished with 15 points on 4 - of - 8 shooting including a pair of threes. Evan Turner, formerly of the Boston Celtics, was not on display as much as Speights, but played 23 minutes. Defensively, Turner was effective on the wing, but was unable to shoot all that efficiently from the floor, evidenced by his six points on eight shots. Turner did add six rebounds in his time off the bench. Allen Crabbe might not be a new addition to the Blazers, but he did get a shiny new contract in the offseason and added 10 points, four assists and a rebound in 32 minutes of action."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "46"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "99", "Knicks": "91"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "40"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Kristaps Porzingis": "2", "Robin Lopez": "2", "Jrue Holiday": "6", "Toney Douglas": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Carmelo Anthony": "36", "Kristaps Porzingis": "35", "Luke Babbitt": "24", "Jrue Holiday": "34"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "22", "Kristaps Porzingis": "16", "Robin Lopez": "17", "Luke Babbitt": "14", "Jrue Holiday": "22", "Toney Douglas": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "5", "Kristaps Porzingis": "10", "Robin Lopez": "5", "Jrue Holiday": "6", "Toney Douglas": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "3"}, "Steals": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "2", "Jrue Holiday": "4"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (27 - 46) defeated visiting New York Knicks (30 - 45) 99 - 91, Monday evening at Smoothie King Center. This win marks the Pelicans first of the season when scoring less than 100 points. Prior to this contest the Pelicans were the only team without a win when scoring below 100 points, with a record of 0 - 33 in those games. This was a tight contest that was tied at 85 with 2:59 left but the Pelicans pulled away in the last few minutes to snap a three - game losing streak. Jrue Holiday left the game late in the fourth quarter after taking a hit to the face. The short - handed Pelicans had five players score in double digits, as guys stepped up to earn their 19th win at home. Jrue Holiday led the way with 22 points, six rebounds, six assists and four steals, in 34 minutes. Luke Babbitt was efficient in 24 minutes, with 14 points on 4 - 6 shooting from the field, including 2 - 3 from long range and 4 - 4 from the foul line. Toney Douglas chipped in 16 points, five rebounds and two assists, in 24 minutes off the bench. The Pelicans shot 8 - 19 from three - point range and 27 - 37 from the foul line. The Knicks struggled as they shot only 40 percent from the field. Carmelo Anthony shot 9 - 22 on his way to 22 points, along with six assists and five rebounds, in 36 minutes. Kristaps Porzingis had a solid outing as he added 16 points, 10 rebounds, three blocked shots, two steals and two assists, in 35 minutes, while Robin Lopez chipped in 17 points and five rebounds. New York has now lost two in a row. Next, the Knicks will visit Dallas for a contest on Wednesday. The Pelicans have a date in San Antonio on Wednesday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Jimmy Butler": "11"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "28", "Dwyane Wade": "18", "Victor Oladipo": "12", "Russell Westbrook": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "4", "Dwyane Wade": "7", "Victor Oladipo": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "5"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "3", "Victor Oladipo": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Dwyane Wade": "24", "Russell Westbrook": "29"}}], "The Chicago Bulls had an impressive game plan in containing Russell Westbrook, as the Thunder point guard fell far short of his triple - double average after finishing with 28 points, eight assists and five rebounds in 29 minutes of action on Wednesday. The Bulls victory came on the back of six players finishing in double figures scoring. Jimmy Butler led the way with 28 points, to go with four rebounds, five assists and three steals on 11 - of - 17 shooting. Dwyane Wade added 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in 24 minutes. Victor Oladipo aided Westbrook in double figures with 12 points alongside five rebounds and one steal, but the starters were simply not able to find a rhythm as a unit. Domantas Sabonis, Andre Roberson and Steven Adams combined for a lowly 15 points and 17 rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "9", "Clippers": "2"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "115", "Clippers": "121"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Kings": "24", "Clippers": "40"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "4", "Clippers": "11"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Clippers": "45"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "53"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "15", "JJ Redick": "12", "Rudy Gay": "11", "DeMarcus Cousins": "29"}, "Field goals made": {"Blake Griffin": "7", "JJ Redick": "8", "Rudy Gay": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "12"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "29", "JJ Redick": "26", "Chris Paul": "11", "Rudy Gay": "9", "DeMarcus Cousins": "38", "Ty Lawson": "18"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"JJ Redick": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"JJ Redick": "6"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "12", "DeMarcus Cousins": "7", "Ty Lawson": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Chris Paul": "33", "DeMarcus Cousins": "37", "Ty Lawson": "36"}, "Rebounds": {"Chris Paul": "9", "DeMarcus Cousins": "13", "Ty Lawson": "7"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Ty Lawson": "1"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the host Sacramento Kings, 121 - 115, at Golden 1 Center on Friday night. The Clippers (11 - 2) jumped out of the gate to a 40 - 24 first - quarter lead, and even increased their lead to 73 - 54 by halftime. The Kings (4 - 9) rallied back late in the fourth quarter, bringing it to a two - point game, 117 - 115, with 2:3 to go but missed shots and turned the ball over down the stretch, which cost them their fourth loss in a row. DeMarcus Cousins was a beast for Sacramento, with 38 points, on 12 - of - 29 shooting, along with 13 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and one block, in 37 minutes. Ty Lawson filled the stat sheet with 18 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and one steal, in 36 minutes. Rudy Gay was quiet, finishing with only nine points on 3 - of - 11 shooting. The Kings go on to host the Raptors on Monday. Blake Griffin led the way offensively for the Clippers with 29 points on 7 - of - 15 shooting, while Chris Paul almost hit a triple - double with 11 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds, along with three steals, in 33 minutes. J.J. Redick added a cool 26 points on 8 - of - 12 shooting, including 6 - of - 8 from long range. The Clippers shot 53 percent from the field and 45 percent from long range to earn their eighth win in nine games. They will be right back in action for the second of a back - to - back set as they host the Bulls at the Staples Center on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "5", "Spurs": "4"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "92", "Spurs": "89"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "10", "Spurs": "14"}}, {"Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "25", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "21", "Tony Parker": "13", "Tony Snell": "11", "Pau Gasol": "18", "Jimmy Butler": "14", "Derrick Rose": "11", "Joakim Noah": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "8", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "12", "Pau Gasol": "13", "Joakim Noah": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Pau Gasol": "30", "Joakim Noah": "23"}, "Assists": {"Joakim Noah": "7"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (10 - 5) defeated the San Antonio Spurs (14 - 4) Monday 92 - 89 at the United Center in Chicago. It was a methodical, balanced approach for the Bulls, as five different players scoring in double figures allowed them to keep pace with and ultimately defeat the red - hot Spurs - who had won five games in a row coming into Monday night\u2019s matchup. Chicago was lead by Pau Gasol, who recorded a double - double of 18 points and 13 rebounds in 30 minutes. Jimmy Butler added 14 points, while Derrick Rose and Tony Snell each added 11 points. Off the bench, Joakim Noah stuffed the box score, recording eight points, 11 rebounds and a team - high seven assists in 23 minutes. For the Spurs, their stars in Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge played up to standard. Leonard finished with a game - high 25 points and eight rebounds, while Aldridge managed a double - double of 21 points and 12 boards. However, the rest of San Antonio struggled, as Tony Parker (13) was the only other player to score in double figures, and the rest of the team combined to score just 30 points. Up next, Chicago will stay home to take on the Nuggets Wednesday, while the Spurs will head back home Wednesday to play the Bucks."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "43", "Knicks": "49"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Heat": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Heat": "46", "Knicks": "53"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "9"}}, {"Blocks": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "27"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "13"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "35", "Derrick Rose": "10", "Goran Dragic": "29"}, "Turnovers": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "Assists": {"Goran Dragic": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Goran Dragic": "4"}}], "In a game that was expected to be tight throughout, the two teams did n't disappoint. There were nine ties and 17 lead changes, with New York taking control in the fourth quarter. Shooting was key, as the Heat were held to 43 percent from the field, while the Knicks shot 49 percent. New York also dominated the rebounding, winning that battle, 53 - 46. Carmelo Anthony had one of his best games of the season, dropping a game - high 35 points on 13 - of - 27 shooting. Kristaps Porzingis and Joakim Noah were huge down low, as they each recorded a double - double. Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside once again carried the load for Miami, as Dragic tallied 29 points, four rebounds and seven assists, while Whiteside accumulated 24 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks. Derrick Rose had to leave this game early, as he was dealing with back spasms in the third quarter, but finished with 10 points."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "53", "Pistons": "39"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "38", "Pistons": "31"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "102", "Pistons": "89"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "26", "Pistons": "31"}, "Number of team assists": {"Pistons": "13"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Tobias Harris": "36", "Andre Drummond": "36", "Steve Blake": "20", "Robin Lopez": "32", "Arron Afflalo": "42"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "18", "Andre Drummond": "21", "Steve Blake": "13", "Robin Lopez": "21", "Arron Afflalo": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "8", "Andre Drummond": "16", "Steve Blake": "4", "Robin Lopez": "9", "Arron Afflalo": "7"}, "Assists": {"Steve Blake": "2", "Robin Lopez": "2", "Arron Afflalo": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Robin Lopez": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Robin Lopez": "12", "Arron Afflalo": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Robin Lopez": "9", "Arron Afflalo": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Robin Lopez": "3", "Arron Afflalo": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Robin Lopez": "3", "Arron Afflalo": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Arron Afflalo": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Arron Afflalo": "1"}}], "The New York Knicks (26 - 38) defeated the visiting Detroit Pistons (31 - 31) 102 - 89, Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. The reeling Knicks seemed rejuvenated as they showed a complete game and strong finish against a formidable Detroit squad. The Knicks had three players score 20 or more points in the same game for the first time this season and shot a blistering 53 percent from the field as a team. New York's offense however was not all that won the game as its defense held the Pistons to only 39 percent shooting from the field and 6 - 26 from downtown. The Knicks improve to 16 - 18 at home this season, where they are fairing well compared to their 10 - 20 road record. Carmelo Anthony was stellar as he led New York in points, rebounds and assists. Melo finished with 24 points (11 - 19 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT), 10 rebounds and six assists, in 41 minutes. Robin Lopez tallied 21 points (9 - 12 FG, 3 - 3 FT), nine rebounds, two assists and a block, in 32 minutes, while Arron Afflalo chipped in another 20 points (9 - 12 FG, 1 - 2 3PT, 1 - 2 FT), along with seven rebounds and three assists, in 42 minutes. The Knicks were missing Kristaps Porzingis, who sat out with a lower leg contusion. The Pistons have now lost two in a row after winning their previous four games, and with this loss risk losing their grip on the eighth spot in the East. Meanwhile, Andre Drummond was a beast inside, finishing with 21 points and 16 rebounds, in 36 minutes. Tobias Harris and Steve Blake were the only other PIstons to score in double digits. Harris chipped in 18 points, along with eight rebounds, in 36 minutes, while Steve Blake added 13 points, four rebounds and two assists, in 20 minutes off the bench. The Pistons finished the game with only 13 assists, as they failed to conduct any kind of offensive rhythm. Next, Detroit hosts the Trail Blazers on Sunday. The Knicks will have a couple of days off before getting back in action on Tuesday in Denver."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "34", "Thunder": "18"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "116", "Thunder": "131"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "24", "Thunder": "42"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "15", "DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "12"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "17", "Russell Westbrook": "8", "Enes Kanter": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "6", "Enes Kanter": "11"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "27", "Russell Westbrook": "20", "Enes Kanter": "23", "DeMarcus Cousins": "35", "Rajon Rondo": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "13", "DeMarcus Cousins": "12", "Rajon Rondo": "9"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Durant": "2", "Rajon Rondo": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Kevin Durant": "2", "Rajon Rondo": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Russell Westbrook": "2", "Rajon Rondo": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Russell Westbrook": "2", "Rajon Rondo": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Enes Kanter": "25", "Rajon Rondo": "36"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rajon Rondo": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Rajon Rondo": "2"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (42 - 18) defeated the Sacramento Kings (24 - 34) 131 - 116 at Sleep Train Arena on Monday. Russell Westbrook nearly registered a triple - double in by the end of the first half, and followed through to complete the feat for his ninth of the season, trailing only the Golden State Warriors Draymond Green, for most in the NBA. Westbrook finished with 20 points, 13 rebounds and 15 assists on 6 - of - 8 shooting, in the all around dominant performance. Kevin Durant was not far behind his counterpart after registering 27 points, 10 rebounds and six assists on 8 - of - 17 shooting, which led all Thunder scorers in the contest. Enes Kanter was on the receiving end of many of Westbrook's dimes and was the definition of perfect shooting, as he scored 23 points on 11 - of - 11 shooting in 25 minutes off the bench. Scoring was not an issue for the Thunder, and their only issue on the defensive end was containing DeMarcus Cousins, who was a force in the paint. Oklahoma City tends to struggle on the defensive end of the floor though, but when the offense clicks and leads to 131 points, few teams will be able to keep up. The Thunder continue their west coast road trip when they visit the Los Angeles Clippers (38 - 20) in the first game of a difficult back - to - back on Wednesday. Heading into Monday, point guard Rajon Rondo (hand) was listed as questionable, followed by doubtful, but still ended up starting and finishing the game. Rondo almost matched Westbrook with a triple - double, falling one rebound shy of the achievement, and finished with 11 points, nine rebounds and 12 assists in 36 minutes. The NBA leading assists per game guard caused some slight controversy at the end of the first half, as he stalled the inbound pass on back - to - back possessions, which led to to two delay of game calls that send Kevin Durant to the free throw line for two easy buckets. DeMarcus Cousins added to the heated matchup after he got tangled up with Durant in the first quarter, as the two all - stars needed to be separated before anything escalated too quickly. Cousins led all scorers to the tune of 35 points, to go along with 12 rebounds and three assists. Sacramento is slipping further away from a playoff spot after dropping their third straight game and currently sit 5 games back of the Houston Rockets from the Houston Rockets for the 8 - seed in the Western Conference. The Kings will look to bounce back when they visit the Memphis Grizzlies (34 - 24) on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "36", "Suns": "53"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "95", "Suns": "91"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "38", "Suns": "22"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Suns": "23"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "37"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Suns": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"TJ Warren": "3", "Tyler Ulis": "10", "Jared Dudley": "7", "Dwight Howard": "4", "Dennis Schroder": "9"}, "Blocks": {"TJ Warren": "2", "Taurean Prince": "2", "Dwight Howard": "4"}, "Points": {"TJ Warren": "24", "Alex Len": "12", "Tyler Ulis": "15", "Jared Dudley": "6", "Taurean Prince": "15", "Ersan Ilyasova": "18", "Dwight Howard": "15", "Dennis Schroder": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"TJ Warren": "8", "Alex Len": "7", "Tyler Ulis": "6", "Jared Dudley": "8", "Taurean Prince": "6", "Ersan Ilyasova": "12", "Dwight Howard": "11", "Dennis Schroder": "6"}, "Steals": {"TJ Warren": "2", "Alex Len": "3"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Phoenix Suns, 95 - 91, at Philips Arena on Tuesday. Atlanta were expected to win this game easily, but Phoenix gave them a run for their money. While there were only two ties and two lead changes, neither team led by more than nine points for the entirety of the second half. Phoenix were stifled by Atlanta's defense, as they shot 37 percent from the field, 23 percent from three - point range and 58 percent from the free - throw line. The Hawks took care of the defensive rebounding too, winning that battle, 42 - 34. The Suns (22 - 53) had to play this game without Devin Booker and Eric Bledsoe, as they did n't have enough in the arsenal to pull out the upset win. T.J. Warren led the way for Phoenix, as he tallied 24 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. Tyler Ulis finished second on the team, accruing 15 points, six rebounds and 10 assists. Alex Len totaled 12 points, seven rebounds and three steals. Jared Dudley played well off the bench, providing six points, eight rebounds and seven assists. On deck for Phoenix is a home matchup versus the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday. The Hawks (38 - 36) had lost seven - straight headed into this game, so to say this win was needed would be a drastic understatement. Dennis Schroder was the player of the game, as he collected 27 points, six rebounds and nine assists. Ersan Ilyasova finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Dwight Howard recorded a double - double, amassing 15 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and four blocks. Taurean Prince got another start and accrued 15 points, six rebounds and two blocks. The Hawks will look to build off this win on Wednesday in a road matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "10", "Wizards": "9"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "91", "Wizards": "94"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "19", "Wizards": "11"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "6", "Wizards": "5"}}, {"Assists": {"Markieff Morris": "2", "Marcin Gortat": "2", "Bradley Beal": "8", "John Wall": "10", "Serge Ibaka": "2", "Nikola Vucevic": "2", "Evan Fournier": "4", "Elfrid Payton": "5", "Aaron Gordon": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Markieff Morris": "1", "Serge Ibaka": "4", "Nikola Vucevic": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Markieff Morris": "5", "Nikola Vucevic": "8", "Evan Fournier": "2"}, "Points": {"Markieff Morris": "11", "Marcin Gortat": "12", "Bradley Beal": "14", "John Wall": "26", "Serge Ibaka": "19", "Nikola Vucevic": "17", "Evan Fournier": "11", "Elfrid Payton": "15", "Aaron Gordon": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "3", "Marcin Gortat": "9", "Bradley Beal": "2", "John Wall": "7", "Serge Ibaka": "8", "Nikola Vucevic": "17", "Evan Fournier": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "5", "Aaron Gordon": "7"}, "Steals": {"Markieff Morris": "3", "Bradley Beal": "1", "John Wall": "3", "Serge Ibaka": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "3", "Evan Fournier": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"John Wall": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"John Wall": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"John Wall": "39"}, "Turnovers": {"John Wall": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "16", "Evan Fournier": "9"}}], "The visiting Washington Wizards defeated the Orlando Magic, 94 - 91, at Amway Center on Friday. The Wizards (5 - 9) rode another double - double from John Wall and a balanced and productive effort from their starting five overall to tally their first road win of the season. Wall led the way with 26 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds and three steals over 39 minutes, his third double - double in the last four games. The remaining four members of the first unit all managed double digits in the scoring column as well, leading to a solid 46 percent performance from the field. Meanwhile, on the defensive side of the ball, Washington elicited 19 turnovers from the Magic (6 - 10), while only committing 11 of their own. The collective effort helped overcome a breakout performance by Orlando's Nikola Vucevic, who posted a 17 - point, 17 - rebound double - double on 8 - of - 16 shooting. Otto Porter was second to Wall, turning in a solid 19 points, seven rebounds and a pair of assists. Bradley Beal checked in with 14 points, eight assists, two rebounds and a steal. Marcin Gortat was just short of a double - double, totaling 12 points, nine rebounds and two assists. Markieff Morris did a little bit of everything while rounding out the starting five's productive night, posting 11 points, three rebounds, two assists, three steals and a block. Vucevic added two assists, three steals and three blocks to his superb all - around effort. Serge Ibaka actually led the Magic in scoring with 19 points, and he added eight rebounds, two assists, a steal and four blocks. Elfrid Payton supplied 15 points, five rebounds and five assists. Evan Fournier had a rough night from the field, going just 2 - of - 9, and provided a modest 11 points, four assists, two rebounds and a steal. Former starter Aaron Gordon led the second unit with nine points, seven rebounds and an assist. The Wizards return home to face the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night, while the Magic remain home to face off with the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday evening."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "48"}, "Turnovers": {"Clippers": "15"}}, {"Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "10", "Raymond Felton": "10", "Luol Deng": "12"}, "Points": {"JJ Redick": "22", "Raymond Felton": "8", "Jamal Crawford": "22", "Marreese Speights": "15", "Luol Deng": "13", "Timofey Mozgov": "19", "Nick Young": "19", "D'Angelo Russell": "14", "Lou Williams": "14"}, "Assists": {"Raymond Felton": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Raymond Felton": "2"}, "Steals": {"Raymond Felton": "2"}}], "The Lakers benefited from balanced production across their roster, as all five starters, and two reserves, hit double digits in the scoring column. The offensive proficiency led to a 48 percent success rate from the field, and their defense managed to elicit 15 turnovers from the Clippers. Timofey Mozgov and Nick Young paced the Lakers with matching 19 - point tallies. D'Angelo Russell went for 14 points, while Luol Deng supplied a 13 - point, 12 - rebound double - double. Julius Randle matched Deng's point total, and Lou Williams paced the second unit with 14 points. The Clippers were co - led by a pair of 22 - point efforts from J.J. Redick and Jamal Crawford. Raymond Felton registered eight points, 10 rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocks. DeAndre Jordan brought down 10 boards, while Mareese Speights produced 15 points off the bench."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "44", "Jazz": "51"}, "Losses": {"Timberwolves": "12", "Jazz": "8"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "103", "Jazz": "112"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "5", "Jazz": "10"}}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "24", "Rudy Gobert": "16", "George Hill": "24", "Trey Lyles": "13", "Andrew Wiggins": "13", "Gorgui Dieng": "11", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "19", "Zach LaVine": "28", "Ricky Rubio": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Rudy Gobert": "17", "George Hill": "8", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "12", "Zach LaVine": "8"}, "Steals": {"Gordon Hayward": "2", "Zach LaVine": "1"}, "Assists": {"George Hill": "4", "Zach LaVine": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Trey Lyles": "8", "Andrew Wiggins": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Trey Lyles": "6", "Andrew Wiggins": "6"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Zach LaVine": "1"}}], "The Utah Jazz defeated the host Minnesota Timberwolves, 112 - 103, at Target Center on Monday. This was your stereotypical veteran versus young team and the more experienced squad was able to prevail with a win. It was close throughout though, as there were 10 ties and seven lead changes, with no team leading by more than 11 points. The Jazz won with their interior play, as they scored 60 points in the paint, while holding the Timberwolves to just 44 bench points. Utah shot 51 percent from the field, while Minnesota shot 44 percent on their end. Utah (10 - 8) have been getting it done with defense this season, but the offense was on display in this win. George Hill was the player of the game, tallying 24 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Gordon Hayward was n't far behind, finishing with 24 points, five rebounds and two steals of his own. Rudy Gobert recorded a double - double, totaling 16 points and 17 rebounds. Trey Lyles was a nice spark off the bench, scoring 13 points on 6 - of - 8 shooting. Utah will have a quick turnaround, as they host the Houston Rockets on Tuesday for their next game. Minnesota (5 - 12) have been a huge disappointment this season and this loss only adds to their struggles. Zach LaVine had one of the best games of his career though, accumulating 28 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Karl-Anthony Towns double - doubled in a 19 - point, 12 - rebound outing. Andrew Wiggins scored 13 points on 6 - of - 16 shooting. Ricky Rubio and Gorgui Dieng finished with 11 points a piece. Minnesota will look to play better on Wednesday, when they host the New York Knicks,"], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "2", "Raptors": "2"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "94", "Raptors": "87"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Heat": "19", "Raptors": "14"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "2", "Raptors": "2"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "30"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "39"}}, {"Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "9"}, "Points": {"Kyle Lowry": "10", "Terrence Ross": "14", "Cory Joseph": "14", "Dwyane Wade": "30", "Justise Winslow": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Kyle Lowry": "7", "Justise Winslow": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Terrence Ross": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Terrence Ross": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Terrence Ross": "10", "Cory Joseph": "17", "Joe Johnson": "13", "Goran Dragic": "16", "Justise Winslow": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Terrence Ross": "4", "Cory Joseph": "7", "Joe Johnson": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "13", "Goran Dragic": "5", "Justise Winslow": "4"}}], "The Miami Heat earned a hard - fought comeback victory over the Toronto Raptors, 94 - 87 in overtime Monday in Game 4, to tie the Eastern Conference semifinal at two games apiece. Things looked bleak in the fourth quarter for the Heat, as a Terrence Ross three - pointer with 6:40 to go in the game gave the Raptors a 77 - 68 lead and the inside track at a 3 - 1 series lead. But the Heat stormed back into the game with a 15 - 6 run to close regulation, led by Dwyane Wade, who scored nine of the final 15 points for the Heat, including a slick finger roll with 13 seconds left to tie the game. The Raptors could n't regain momentum, as they committed more turnovers in overtime (three) than they managed made field goals (two) as the Heat were able to coast through the extra period to the win. Wade shot 13 - 24 from the floor to finish with a game - high 30 points, double the next highest scorer from either team. Goran Dragic (5 - 16 FG) and Joe Johnson (5 - 13 FG) were the only other Heat players in double figures. Justise Winslow added a spark off the bench with nine points (4 - 5 FG) and four rebounds. The Heat had to win this one with defense - - none of the Heat players could find the range, as the club finished a brutal 1 - 15 from three - point range. The Raptors front court of DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry remained cold as ice, as they combined for just 19 points on 6 - 28 shooting, although Lowry did managed nine assists and seven rebounds to go with his 10 points before fouling out. Toronto's leading scorers both came off the bench, as Terrence Ross (4 - 10 FG, 3 - 4 3PT) and Cory Joseph (7 - 17 FG) scored 14 points apiece. The offense clearly missed Jonas Valanciunas, as the Raptors shot just 39 percent from the floor, and they did n't make up for the center's absence with long range shooting either (6 - 20 3PT, 30 percent). Game 5 is scheduled for Wednesday at 8:0 PM Eastern Time at Air Canada Centre."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Nicolas Batum": "9", "Carmelo Anthony": "14"}, "3-pointers made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "35", "Kristaps Porzingis": "16", "Derrick Rose": "16"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "16"}}], "To say this overtime game was close throughout would be a drastic understatement. There were 17 ties and 22 lead changes, as this game was n't decided until the final shot. Carmelo Anthony was the hero, as he hit the game - winner with three seconds left. His final bucket capped off a season - high 35 points and 14 rebounds. Derrick Rose and Kristaps Porzingis each scored 16, as they allowed Anthony to take over. Nicolas Batum nearly triple - doubled, as he accumulated a team - high 17 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Rebounding was a huge factor for the Knicks, as they won that battle 55 - 46. Free-throw shooting stung the Hornets, as they went just 17 - of - 27, with the Knicks shooting 92 percent. These teams will have a rematch on Saturday, as they travel to Charlotte for the rare back - to - back, home - and - home set."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "15", "Pacers": "14"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "90", "Pacers": "105"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "14", "Pacers": "14"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "48"}, "Turnovers": {"Pacers": "9"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "2", "Thaddeus Young": "3", "Myles Turner": "1", "Jeff Teague": "8", "CJ Miles": "1", "Tobias Harris": "2", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "3", "Reggie Jackson": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Paul George": "1", "Myles Turner": "2"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "26", "Thaddeus Young": "12", "Myles Turner": "10", "Glenn Robinson III": "12", "Jeff Teague": "19", "CJ Miles": "10", "Tobias Harris": "13", "Marcus Morris": "9", "Andre Drummond": "9", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "20", "Reggie Jackson": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "7", "Thaddeus Young": "2", "Myles Turner": "5", "Glenn Robinson III": "12", "Jeff Teague": "9", "CJ Miles": "3", "Tobias Harris": "7", "Andre Drummond": "15", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "5", "Reggie Jackson": "3"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "2", "Thaddeus Young": "1", "Jeff Teague": "2", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "1"}}], "The Indiana Pacers defeated the Detroit Pistons, 105 - 90, at Palace of Auburn Hills on Saturday. The Pacers (14 - 14) came in to Saturday's contest with a dubious road record, as they'd managed to only secure three wins in nine tries away from home. However, a standout effort from Paul George led the way to a surprisingly comfortable victory Saturday, as the All-Star tallied 26 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. However, Indiana's entire first unit was impressive as a whole, as all five members of the starting five posted double - digit scoring. The Pacers also shot 48 percent overall, while holding the Pistons (14 - 15) to sub - 40 percent success rates from the field and three - point range. Jeff Teague was second on the visitors with a stat - sheet - stuffing line of 19 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and two steals. Glenn Robinson III and Thaddeus Young contributed a pair of 12 - point efforts, with the former adding an impressive 12 rebounds, and the latter supplying three assists, two boards and a steal. Myles Turner had a modest game by his standards, posting 10 points, five rebounds, an assist and two blocks. C.J. Miles led the way with 10 points, three rebounds and an assist. The Pistons were led by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's 20 points, which he supplemented with five rebounds, three assists and a steal. Reggie Jackson was right behind him with a 19 - point, 10 - assist double - double that also included three rebounds and a steal, and that represented his best overall game of the season. Tobias Harris registered 13 points, seven rebounds and two assists. Andre Drummond and Marcus Morris turned in nine points apiece, with the former also hauling in 15 rebounds. The Pacers head back home to face off with the Washington Wizards on Monday night, while the Pistons head to Chicago to take on the Bulls on Monday evening as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "8"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "95", "Hawks": "68"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Jazz": "24"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Jazz": "24"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "9"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "31"}}, {"Points": {"Paul Millsap": "11", "Dennis Schroder": "16", "Thabo Sefolosha": "11", "Gordon Hayward": "24", "Rudy Gobert": "10", "George Hill": "23", "Trey Lyles": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "5", "Thabo Sefolosha": "7", "Gordon Hayward": "7", "Rudy Gobert": "10", "George Hill": "5", "Trey Lyles": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dennis Schroder": "19", "Rudy Gobert": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Dennis Schroder": "6", "Rudy Gobert": "2"}, "Steals": {"Dennis Schroder": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "5"}}], "The Utah Jazz defeated the visiting Atlanta Hawks, 95 - 68, at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Friday. The Hawks rarely get blown out, but they ran into a buzz saw here with a trip to Utah. The Jazz held the Hawks to just 31 percent shooting and a season - low 68 points. Atlanta really struggled in the middle quarters, scoring just 25 combined points in the second and third quarters. Rebounding was key for Utah, as they won that battle, 55 - 40. The Jazz held the dynamic Atlanta starters to just 37 points on 14 - of - 51 shooting. Atlanta (8 - 6) is in a bit of a slump right now and they'll hope this blowout loss is rock - bottom. Dennis Schroder led the team in scoring, as he recorded 16 points and three steals on an inefficient 6 - of - 19 shooting. Paul Millsap was the only other starter with more than four points, as he tallied 11 points and five rebounds on 5 - of - 11 shooting. Thabo Sefolosha led the bench, dropping 11 points and seven rebounds. Atlanta will look to play better on Sunday in a road matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers. Utah (9 - 8) have the number - one defense headed into this matchup and they showed why in this blowout win. Gordon Hayward led the Jazz in scoring, totaling 24 points and seven rebounds. George Hill was one point shy of Hayward, as he finished with 23 points and five rebounds of his own. Rudy Gobert took just two shots, but finished with a 10 - point, 10 - rebound, five - block double - double. Trey Lyles also recorded a double - double, amassing 13 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Utah will be off until Monday, when they play the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "16", "Celtics": "12"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "102", "Celtics": "109"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pacers": "31", "Celtics": "22"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pacers": "9", "Celtics": "29"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "15", "Celtics": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"Jae Crowder": "2", "Amir Johnson": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "9", "Kelly Olynyk": "2", "Marcus Smart": "3", "Paul George": "5", "Thaddeus Young": "4", "Jeff Teague": "8"}, "Points": {"Jae Crowder": "15", "Amir Johnson": "11", "Al Horford": "8", "Isaiah Thomas": "28", "Kelly Olynyk": "11", "Marcus Smart": "12", "Paul George": "19", "Thaddeus Young": "15", "Myles Turner": "10", "Jeff Teague": "31", "CJ Miles": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Jae Crowder": "6", "Amir Johnson": "6", "Al Horford": "11", "Isaiah Thomas": "1", "Kelly Olynyk": "5", "Marcus Smart": "4", "Paul George": "8", "Thaddeus Young": "12", "CJ Miles": "2"}, "Steals": {"Jae Crowder": "1", "Amir Johnson": "1", "Avery Bradley": "3", "Kelly Olynyk": "1", "Marcus Smart": "2", "Paul George": "2", "Thaddeus Young": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Marcus Smart": "1", "Myles Turner": "1", "Jeff Teague": "1", "CJ Miles": "1"}}], "The Boston Celtics defeated the Indiana Pacers, 109 - 102, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Thursday. The Pacers (15 - 16) got off to a quick start, outscoring the Celtics (17 - 12) by a 31 - 22 margin in the first quarter. However, Boston came roaring back in the second period, which helped propel them to the eventual mark. They blasted their hosts 29 - 9 leading into halftime, building a lead that they'd sustain the rest of the way. As has become the norm, it was Isaiah Thomas who led the way for the visitors, tallying 28 points, nine assists and a rebound. That helped offset a standout effort by the point guard opposite him, as Jeff Teague posted a game - high 31 points for Indiana. Jae Crowder supplied 15 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal. Avery Bradley matched his point total and added six rebounds and three steals. Amir Johnson made some surprising offensive contributions, registering 11 points, six rebounds, an assist and a steal. Al Horford mustered a modest eight points but did haul in 11 boards. Marcus Smart (12 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block) and Kelly Olynyk (11 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal) were productive off the bench. Teague added eight assists, five rebounds and a block to his aforementioned scoring haul. Paul George followed with 19 points, eight boards, five assists and a pair of steals. Thaddeus Young stepped up with a 15 - point, 12 - rebound double - double that also included four assists and a steal. Myles Turner poured in 10 points and supplemented them with eight rebounds and a block. C.J. Miles led the bench with 19 points, along with two rebounds and a block. The Celtics return home to face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday evening, while the Pacers return to action on Monday night in Chicago against the Bulls."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Hawks": "16", "Jazz": "31"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "45", "Jazz": "61"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "22", "Jazz": "19"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "95", "Jazz": "120"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "30", "Jazz": "33"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Derrick Favors": "1", "Rudy Gobert": "3", "George Hill": "8", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "3", "Paul Millsap": "3", "Dennis Schroder": "2"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "30", "Derrick Favors": "20", "Rudy Gobert": "14", "George Hill": "22", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "14", "Paul Millsap": "14", "Dennis Schroder": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "7", "Derrick Favors": "10", "Rudy Gobert": "6", "George Hill": "4", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "3", "Paul Millsap": "8", "Dennis Schroder": "2"}, "Steals": {"Gordon Hayward": "2", "Derrick Favors": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Derrick Favors": "2", "Rudy Gobert": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Derrick Favors": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Derrick Favors": "12", "Paul Millsap": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Derrick Favors": "10", "Paul Millsap": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Derrick Favors": "1"}}], "The Utah Jazz defeated the host Atlanta Hawks, 120 - 95, at Philips Arena on Monday. In a battle between two of the stingiest defenses in the league, the Jazz had their best shooting game of the season. In fact, Utah shot 61 percent from the field and recorded 31 assists. That's far better than Atlanta's 45 percent shooting and 16 assists. Rebounding was a huge factor as well, with Utah winning that battle, 44 - 30. The Jazz did most of their damage in the paint, winning the points in the paint differential, 58 - 44. This was a wire - to - wire win for the Jazz, as they held a double - digit lead for the final 15 minutes. The Jazz (33 - 19) have n't had all their pieces fully healthy much this season, but a win like this shows how scary they can be at full tilt. Gordon Hayward was the player of the game, as he tallied 30 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals. Derrick Favors had one of his best games of the season, totaling 20 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and two blocks on 10 - of - 12 shooting. George Hill finished second on the team in scoring, collecting 22 points, four rebounds and eight assists. Rudy Gobert was the only other Jazz player in double figures, as he provided 14 points, six rebounds, three assists and three blocks. The Hawks (30 - 22) have been inconsistent all season and blowout losses like this at home are head scratchers to say the least. Dennis Schroder carried the load, as he amassed 21 points, two rebounds and two assists. Paul Millsap went just 4 - of - 14 from the field, but finished with 14 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Tim Hardaway Jr. also scored 14 points, adding three rebounds and three assists to his tally."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "45", "Spurs": "10"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "91", "Spurs": "116"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "20", "Spurs": "54"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Kawhi Leonard": "25"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "15", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "29", "Andrew Wiggins": "23", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Andrew Wiggins": "8", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "9"}, "Blocks": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "13", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "11", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "9"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (54 - 10) bounced back from a rare loss with a 116 - 91 blowout of the Minnesota Timberwolves (20 - 45) on Tuesday. All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge paved the way for the Spurs, scoring 29 points on ridiculous 11 - for - 13 shooting. Aldridge, who has seen an uptick in defensive output since joining San Antonio, also contributed four blocks to the effort. The Spurs well - known veteran \"Big Three\" of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker all sat out the game due to injury, allowing players like Aldridge and emerging superstar Kawhi Leonard to control the game. Leonard was only asked to play 25 minutes, but scored 15 points and pulled down five rebounds against the Wolves. San Antonio has been a contender all season while not relying heavily on three - point shooting, as was illustrated by the Spurs' bold 116 points on 56 percent shooting while hitting just four threes. The young Timberwolves saw strong performances from both of their first overall picks despite the blowout loss. Rookie sensation Karl-Anthony Towns showed off with 19 points and nine rebounds while shooting 9 - for - 17 from the field. Sophomore Andrew Wiggins, the reigning Rookie of the Year, led the team with 23 points and also pulled down eight rebounds. While things did seem to click in some aspects for Minnesota, nothing could stop the historic powerhous Spurs. San Antonio will host the Bulls on Thursday. Minnesota will visit the dominant Thunder on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "39"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Lakers": "31"}}, {"Assists": {"Jordan Clarkson": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jordan Clarkson": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "2"}, "Points": {"Jordan Clarkson": "22", "Lou Williams": "31"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Lou Williams": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Lou Williams": "10"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers found victory through a combination of efficient defending and a strong back court showing from both Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. When it mattered most, the Blazers turned to McCollum and Lillard to close out the game, as they combined for 48 points, eight rebounds and six assists. The Lakers starters were almost absent from the contest after shooting 39 percent as a unit, and were bailed out by two strong bench performers in Lou Williams and jordan Clarkson. The reserve back court players kept Los Angeles within striking distance though out the game, as Williams notched 31 points on 10 - of - 20 shooting and Clarkson added 22 points of his own. While both teams struggled from behind the three point line, the Blazers outshot the Lakers from the field. Portland finished with a 48 field goal percentage, compared to that of the Lakers 39 percent effort."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "25", "Hawks": "17"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "108", "Hawks": "101"}, "Rebounds": {"Bucks": "60", "Hawks": "43"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "17", "Hawks": "23"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "43"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "6", "Al Horford": "2", "Jeff Teague": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "4", "Al Horford": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "19", "Al Horford": "23", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul Millsap": "10", "Al Horford": "9", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "23", "Al Horford": "18", "Jeff Teague": "9", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "28", "Jabari Parker": "10", "Greg Monroe": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "10", "Al Horford": "8", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "16", "Jabari Parker": "10", "Greg Monroe": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (17 - 25) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (23 - 17) 108 - 101 on Friday night at BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee. After a close game the whole way through, it took overtime to solve this one. In the overtime period Milwaukee outscored Atlanta 13 - 6, handing the Hawks their second straight loss. The Bucks also extended their home win streak to three games. Six players scored in double digits for the Bucks, including all five starters. Giannis Antetokounmpo had a huge double - double, leading all scorers with 28 points (10 - 18 FG, 7 - 9 FT) and pulling down 16 rebounds. Two other players rebounded in double digits for the Bucks. Greg Monroe hauled in 12 rebounds along with his 15 points, while Jabari Parker finished with 10 points and 10 boards. As a team the Bucks logged a monstrous 60 rebounds but it was their 25 free throws (25 - 37 FT) that really made the difference in this one. The Hawks hurled up 100 shots in this game but only hit 43 of them. Also in contrast to Milwaukee's 37 free throw attempts, Atlanta only got to the line six times. Paul Millsap finished with a solid double - double, including 23 points (10 - 19 FG) and 10 rebounds, along with six assists and four blocks, in 32 minutes. Al Horford struggled from the field but tallied 18 points (9 - 23 FG), eight rebounds, two assists and two blocks, in 40 minutes. Jeff Teague dished 10 assists but only shot 4 - 13, leading to nine points. Atlanta must get back on track as soon as possible because losing another two games could have them right out of the top eight in the East. Next the Hawks will face the second of a back to back as they host the Nets on Saturday. The Bucks will also be facing the second of a back to back as they play in Charlotte on Saturday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "27"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Dwight Howard": "32", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "36"}, "Points": {"Dwight Howard": "20", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "25", "Dennis Schroder": "28", "Khris Middleton": "6", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "34", "Tony Snell": "13", "Malcolm Brogdon": "14", "Greg Monroe": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "12", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "13", "Greg Monroe": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Khris Middleton": "13", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "22", "Tony Snell": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Khris Middleton": "1", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "13", "Tony Snell": "5"}, "Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Tony Snell": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tony Snell": "3"}}], "The Bucks dished 27 assists and scored 50 points in the paint, to help grind this one out. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way, with 34 points on 13 - of - 22 shooting, to go along with 13 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals, in 36 minutes. Malcolm Brogdon and Greg Monroe chipped in 14 points each, with Monroe adding 10 rebounds, to notch the double - double. Tony Snell added 13 points on 5 - of - 9 shooting, including 3 - of - 6 from long range. Khris Middleton really struggled from the field, where he went 1 - of - 13 and finished with six points on the night. Meanwhile, three players topped 20 points for Atlanta, while no one else scored in double digits. Dennis Schroder was the high - point man with 28, while Tim Hardaway Jr. followed up with 25 points. Dwight Howard double - doubled with 20 points and 12 rebounds, in 32 minutes of action."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "4"}, "Points": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "14", "Skal Labissiere": "32", "TJ Warren": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "11", "Skal Labissiere": "11"}, "Steals": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Skal Labissiere": "15", "TJ Warren": "16", "Devin Booker": "26"}, "Field goals made": {"Skal Labissiere": "11", "TJ Warren": "12", "Devin Booker": "6"}}], "Fans got to witness a breakout night from a rookie on Wednesday as Sacramento's Skal Labissiere torched the Suns for 32 points on 11 - of - 15 shooting. Labissiere added a team - high 11 rebounds. With the scoring output, Labissiere became the first member of the 2016 draft class to record a 30 - point game. In addition, sophomore Kings big man Willie Cauley-Stein narrowly missed out on a five - by - five, finishing with 14 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, four blocks, and four steals. Thanks in part to the focus on their big men, the Kings hit only six three - pointers on 14 attempts. Phoenix's young talent looked a bit less impressive, as sophomore star Devin Booker struggled in particular. Booker shot just 6 - of - 26 from the field, a career - high in missed field goals for the youngster. Forward T.J. Warren, however, made up for it a bit, shooting 12 - of - 16 en route to 24 points."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Clippers": "26"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "51"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "28", "Lakers": "61"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "103", "Lakers": "81"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "49", "Lakers": "16"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "12", "Chris Paul": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Kobe Bryant": "2", "Chris Paul": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Kobe Bryant": "2"}, "Points": {"Kobe Bryant": "6", "Chris Paul": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Kobe Bryant": "2", "DeAndre Jordan": "14", "Chris Paul": "4"}, "Steals": {"Kobe Bryant": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Kobe Bryant": "2"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "8"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (49 - 28) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (16 - 61) at Staples Center on Tuesday, 103 - 81. Not long ago, the final score of this game would have favored the Lakers, but over the past few seasons, the Clippers have had little trouble handling their hometown opponents. The Lakers shot their way out of contention early in the game, and the theme continued throughout the remaining quarters. As a unit, Kobe Bryant and company shot 31 percent from the floor with only two starters finishing in low double figures. Jordan Clarkson and D\u2019Angelo Russell looked completely out of whack and combined for just 22 points on 8 - of - 30 shooting, while Bryant finished with a lowly six points on 2 - of - 12 shooting. Clarkson did get his right foot and leg stepped on during a scrap and will receive x - rays. Initial reports suggest he is doubtful for the rematch against the Lakers on Wednesday. The remaining starters, Roy Hibbert and Julius Randle, did not make a field goal. The Clippers were led by Chris Paul and Jeff Greene\u2019s impressive showing off the bench. Paul finished with 25 points, four rebounds and eight assists on a lights out 10 - of - 14 shooting, while Greene added 21 points in 31 minutes. Blake Griffin is still getting accustomed to being back on the court, and struggled in his second game back from injury/suspension. The all - star forward scored only four points on 1 - of - 5 shooting, but only played 16 minutes, as Doc Rivers gets slowly adds more minutes each game back. DeAndre Jordan dominated the glass on his way to 14 rebounds. The Clippers shot 51 percent as a unit and sliced their way through multiple Lakers defensive breakdowns as reflected by their 26 team assists. The Staples Center will host another installment of the Clippers against the Lakers on Wednesday, with the latter getting the technical home game."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "10", "Bulls": "11"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "96", "Bulls": "105"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Thunder": "26", "Bulls": "32"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Thunder": "16", "Bulls": "32"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "20", "Bulls": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Bulls": "53"}}, {"Assists": {"Taj Gibson": "2", "Pau Gasol": "6", "Jimmy Butler": "4", "Kevin Durant": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Taj Gibson": "8", "Pau Gasol": "16", "Jimmy Butler": "20", "Kevin Durant": "21", "Enes Kanter": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Taj Gibson": "6", "Pau Gasol": "8", "Jimmy Butler": "9", "Kevin Durant": "11", "Enes Kanter": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Taj Gibson": "34", "Kevin Durant": "42"}, "Points": {"Taj Gibson": "13", "Pau Gasol": "21", "Jimmy Butler": "23", "Kevin Durant": "29", "Russell Westbrook": "26", "Enes Kanter": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Taj Gibson": "10", "Pau Gasol": "13", "Jimmy Butler": "6", "Kevin Durant": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "7", "Enes Kanter": "13"}, "Steals": {"Taj Gibson": "1", "Jimmy Butler": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Pau Gasol": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Pau Gasol": "6", "Kevin Durant": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Pau Gasol": "5", "Kevin Durant": "6"}, "Personal fouls": {"Pau Gasol": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Durant": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "6"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (16 - 11) defeated the host Oklahoma City Thunder (20 - 10) 105 - 96 on Friday afternoon. Chicago came out sharp and jumped to a 32 - 26 lead by the end of the first quarter. The Thunder fought back and finished the half on a 15 - 3 run that brought it to 54 - 52 at halftime. Despite a few quick runs by the Thunder, the Bulls managed to hold the lead the entire game. The Bulls doubled up the Thunder with a 32 - 16 third quarter and cruised to the finish from there. Jimmy Butler led the Bulls in scoring, with 23 points (9 - 20 FG), along with six rebounds, four assists and four steals, in 42 minutes. Pau Gasol tallied a solid double - double with 21 points (8 - 16 FG, 5 - 6 FT) and 13 rebounds. Gasol also dished six assists and blocked two shots, in 37 minutes. Taj Gibson also tallied a double - double, with 13 points (6 - 8 FG) and 10 rebounds, along with two assists, two blocks and one steal, in 34 minutes. The Bulls grabbed 53 rebounds, a testament to the intensity and focus that they maintained throughout the game. They also shot 90 percent from the free throw line, hitting 18 - 20 as a team. Kevin Durant put on a stellar performance and was leaning toward a triple - double after he did everything he could to help his team, yet it was not enough to get over the hump. Durant finished with 29 points (11 - 21 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT), nine rebounds and seven assists, in 42 minutes. Russell Westbrook struggled shooting, going 9 - 23 from the field, 1 - 7 from long range and 7 - 13 from the free throw line, on his way to 26 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Westbrook grabbed an impressive six steals, however his six turnovers nullified that hard work on defense. Enes Kanter put up solid numbers in 25 minutes off the bench, finishing with 14 points (6 - 12 FG) and 13 rebounds. With this loss, the Thunder are now 6 - 8 versus the East. Next the Thunder will host the Nuggets on Sunday. The Bulls will be right back in action with a game on Saturday in Dallas."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "9", "Clippers": "6"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "102", "Clippers": "91"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "27", "Clippers": "18"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "5", "Clippers": "6"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Clippers": "29"}}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "7", "Damian Lillard": "7"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "21", "DeAndre Jordan": "12", "Jamal Crawford": "20", "Mason Plumlee": "18", "Damian Lillard": "27", "Ed Davis": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "7", "DeAndre Jordan": "15", "Mason Plumlee": "10", "Damian Lillard": "4", "Ed Davis": "15"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Damian Lillard": "38"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (5 - 9) got the win Friday night by a score of 102 - 91 over the inconsistent Los Angeles Clippers (6 - 6). This was a close game most of the way and was tied at the beginning of the fourth but the Blazers had the stronger resolve and out - scored the Clippers 27 - 18 in the last 11 minutes to earn the nine - point victory. The Clippers have been unable to maintain any consistent play so far this season and now find themselves with a 6 - 6 record and in the middle of the pack in the West. They had balanced scoring Friday night, with five players in double digits. Blake Griffin was the high scorer for the Clips, finishing with 21 points, seven assists and seven rebounds. Griffin shot 10 - 20 from the field in 33 minutes. DeAndre Jordan had a double - double with 12 points, 15 rebounds and two blocked shots. Jamal Crawford was big off the bench, shooting 5 - 8 from three - point range and finishing with 20 points. The Clippers as a team however shot a poor 29 percent from three - point range. J.J. Redick made his return to the line up after being out with back - spasms but did not play well. The Trail Blazers were led by none other than their all - star point guard, Damian Lillard, who scored 11 points, including three three pointers in the last six minutes to help Portland seal the deal. Lillard played 38 minutes and finished with 27 points, seven assists and four rebounds. Four other players scored in double digits for Portland, including 18 points and 10 rebounds from Mason Plumlee. C.J. MacCollum also scored 18 points. Ed Davis had a huge game off the bench shooting 7 - 8 from the field and finishing with 17 points and 15 rebounds in 30 minutes. Next up for Portland is a visit to the Staples center in L.A. on Sunday but this time for a match with the Lakers. The Clippers will look to turn their luck around on Sunday as the Toronto Raptors come to town."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nuggets": "42"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "126", "Cavaliers": "113"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "24"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "46"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "5"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "18", "Kyrie Irving": "33", "Gary Harris": "21", "Will Barton": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyrie Irving": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kyrie Irving": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Kyrie Irving": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Kyrie Irving": "27", "Will Barton": "33"}}], "The Denver Nuggets defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 126 - 113 Wednesday at Pepsi Center. The altitude proved to be to much for the visiting team, as the Nuggets had no problem warding off the defending champions on their home floor. After a dominate second quarter, Denver entered halftime with a 14 - point advantage and never let up from that point, as what has been a struggling Cavaliers (46 - 24) defense could n't slow down the fact - paced Nuggets. It was required a complete team effort Wednesday to take down Cleveland, with seven different players managing to score in double figures. Gary Harris led the way scoring 21 points, while his backup off the bench, Will Barton, was n't too far behind as he finished with 20 points in 33 minutes as a reserve. As a team, the Nuggets shot a scorching hot 51 percent from the field and 42 percent from behind the arc in the victory. On the other hand, with the loss, the Cavaliers have now lost five of their last seven road games, and they did n't get much help Wednesday night outside of Kyrie Irving and LeBron James. Irving finished with a game - high 33 points in 27 minutes, while James finished with a solid all - around performance of 18 points, six rebounds and five assists. The only spark off the bench was Derrick Williams, who shot an impressive 8 - of - 10 from the field en route to scoring 19 points, but no other Cleveland player managed to score in double figures. The loss leaves the Cavaliers just one game ahead of the Celtics for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference standings."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Spurs": "32", "Raptors": "8"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "55", "Raptors": "37"}, "Turnovers": {"Spurs": "15"}}, {"Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "26", "Terrence Ross": "17", "Kawhi Leonard": "25", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "23", "Tony Parker": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Terrence Ross": "5", "Kawhi Leonard": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2"}, "Assists": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "6", "Tony Parker": "8"}}], "The Spurs have been dominant at home over recent seasons and wins like this show just how scary they can be. They won each of the first three quarters by at least eight points, as they took a 30 - point lead into the fourth quarter. The assist - to - turnover ratio was decisive, with San Antonio dishing out 32 assists to just 15 turnovers, while Toronto committed 11 turnovers to just eight assists. The Spurs shot 55 percent, while holding the Raptors to just 37 percent from the field. DeMar DeRozan was the only Toronto starter with more than 10 points, as he dropped 26 points in the defeat. Terrence Ross was second on the team, providing 17 points and five rebounds off the bench. Kawhi Leonard led the Spurs in scoring, as he tallied 25 points, four rebounds, two steals and three blocks. LaMarcus Aldridge was second on the team, with 23 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Tony Parker scored 15 of his own to go along with his eight dimes. Those three players combined to go 25 - of - 37 from the field"], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "37", "Warriors": "13"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "103", "Warriors": "102"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Timberwolves": "34", "Warriors": "24"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "27", "Warriors": "52"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Warriors": "26"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "22", "Andrew Wiggins": "21", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Klay Thompson": "12", "Andrew Wiggins": "9", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "10"}, "Points": {"Klay Thompson": "30", "Stephen Curry": "26", "Ian Clark": "10", "Andrew Wiggins": "24", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "23", "Ricky Rubio": "17"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "8", "Andrew Wiggins": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "1", "Andrew Wiggins": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Stephen Curry": "35", "Andrew Wiggins": "37", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "38", "Ricky Rubio": "36"}, "Assists": {"Ricky Rubio": "13"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the visiting Golden State Warriors 103 - 102, at Target Center, on Friday evening. It was a dramatic contest, as the Timberwolves jumped out to a 10 - point lead, with a 34 - 24 first quarter. The Warriors responded in the second, where they out - scored the T-Wolves by one. The Timberwolves came back strong in the third, ensuring themselves a 12 - point lead heading into the final quarter. Minnesota then extended their lead to 14, however the Warriors went on a 130 run to bring the game within one point with 7:28 to go. It was then back and forth, with the T-Wolves staying on top, until the Warriors tied it up with 2:37 left. Minnesota battled ahead once again but almost let it slip away as they were up by one, when Andrew Wiggins missed two free throws, allowing the Warriors the opportunity to go up by one on the next possession. Wiggins made up for his error though, as he sank two free throws with 12 seconds left to seal the one - point win. Andrew Wiggins was the high - point man for the Timberwolves (27 - 37), as he finished with 24 points on 9 - of - 21 shooting, in 37 minutes. Karl-Anthony Towns followed up with 23 points on more efficient 10 - of - 18 shooting, in 38 minutes. This marked Towns' 19th straight game with 20 or more points. Four other players scored in double digits for Minnesota, including Ricky Rubio, who chipped in 17 points and dished 13 assists, in 36 minutes. The T-Wolves go on to face the second night of a back - to - back as they visit Milwaukee on Saturday. Klay Thompson led the way for the Warriors (52 - 13) with a game - high 30 points on 12 - of - 22 shooting, while Stephen Curry followed up with 26 points, but struggled from deep, where he went 1 - of - 8, in 35 minutes. The only other player to score in double digits for Golden State was Ian Clark, who added 10 points off the bench. The Warriors have now lost two straight, and face a tough match up in their next contest, when they visit San Antonio on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "23", "Jazz": "22"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "92", "Jazz": "102"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Wizards": "15", "Jazz": "25"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "34", "Jazz": "37"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "2", "Rudy Gobert": "3", "George Hill": "6", "Bradley Beal": "4", "John Wall": "11"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "30", "Rudy Gobert": "15", "George Hill": "21", "Bradley Beal": "22", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "9", "George Hill": "3", "Bradley Beal": "3", "John Wall": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "4"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"John Wall": "9"}}], "The Utah Jazz defeated the host Washington Wizards, 102 - 92, at Verizon Center on Sunday. Washington have been one of the best home teams in the NBA this season, but this was a tough task against a feisty Utah team. The Jazz dominated from start to finish, as they led for over 42 minutes of this game and led by at least six points for the entirety of the second half. The second quarter is where they spread it out, outscoring the Wizards, 25 - 15. Rebounding was the glaring difference in the game, with Utah wining that battle, 52 - 27. They also dominated the points off turnover differential, winning that, 31 - 16. The Jazz (37 - 22) have quietly been climbing up the standings and road wins like this should surely be opening other teams eyes. Gordon Hayward led the way for Utah, as he tallied 30 points, nine rebounds and two assists. George Hill was n't far behind, finishing with 21 points, three rebounds and six assists. Rudy Gobert finished with another double - double, totaling 15 points, 20 rebounds, three assists and four blocks. On deck for the Jazz is a road matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday. The Wizards (34 - 23) had just seven losses at home coming into this matchup and this was easily their worst home performance of the season. John Wall did collect 30 points, 11 assists and four steals, but committed nine turnovers against this tough Utah defense. Bradley Beal was the only other starter in double figures, as he amassed 22 points, three rebounds and four assists. Bojan Bogdanovic led the bench, as he provided 15 points. Things do n't get any easier, as Washington hosts the Golden State Warriors for their next game on Tuesday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "4", "Myles Turner": "1", "Jeff Teague": "10", "Jrue Holiday": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul George": "13"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "18", "Myles Turner": "26", "Jeff Teague": "21", "Anthony Davis": "35", "Buddy Hield": "21", "Jrue Holiday": "16"}, "Blocks": {"Myles Turner": "1", "Anthony Davis": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Myles Turner": "8", "Jeff Teague": "6", "Jrue Holiday": "7"}}], "In a game between two teams desperate for a win, this contest was tight throughout. In fact, there were 11 ties and 10 lead changes, as neither team led by more than 10 points. Three-point shooting really let the Pacers down, as they went just 3 - of - 21 from long distance. Myles Turner had one of his best games of the year though, as he tallied 26 points and eight rebounds in the defeat. Jeff Teague finished with 21 points, six rebounds and 10 assists. Paul George took just 13 shots, but accrued 18 points, four rebounds and four assists. Anthony Davis was the player of the game, as he accumulated 35 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks in the win. Jrue Holiday was equally as valuable, amassing 16 points, seven rebounds and 14 assists. First-round pick, Buddy Hield dropped a career - high 21 points as well."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "2"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "72", "Hawks": "104"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"76ers": "14"}, "Turnovers": {"76ers": "20"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "0"}}, {"Assists": {"Kyle Korver": "3", "Joel Embiid": "1", "Sergio Rodriguez": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Korver": "3"}, "Points": {"Kyle Korver": "15", "Joel Embiid": "14", "Sergio Rodriguez": "14"}, "Personal fouls": {"Mike Muscala": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "4", "Joel Embiid": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Robert Covington": "23", "Joel Embiid": "15", "Gerald Henderson": "18"}, "Blocks": {"Joel Embiid": "2"}, "Steals": {"Joel Embiid": "1"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers, 104 - 72, at Wells Fargo Center on Saturday. The Hawks (20) cruised in their victory after pulling away with strength in the second quarter. Kyle Korver went back - to - back from the three - point line midway through the breakaway period and opened up a 12 point lead that kept building upon itself. The 76ers (0 - 2) were unable to claw their way back into the game once the Hawks started putting together 100 scoring runs, they were also unable find a field goal themselves, as the brutal period saw two four minutes field goal droughts to open and close the second. The Hawks were balanced in their offensive game plan and spread the ball around to Korver on the perimeter and Paul Millsap in the mid range. Atlanta\u2019s bench was aided by Thabo Sefolosha and Mike Muscala, who combined for 25 points and nine boards on nearly perfect 11 - of - 12 from the field. Korver buried three shots from behind the arc on his way to 15 points, while Milsap added 17 points, four rebounds and four assists in 27 minutes. Joel Embiid was once again the standout performer for the 76ers, as the Kansas product scored 14 points in 15 minutes, to go along with two rebounds, two blocks, one steal and one assist. The efficient showing from the minutes restricted big man is a good sign going forward for a player who has been riddled by foot injuries throughout his young career. As for the rest of the Philadelphia starters, the numbers are not pretty. Robert Covington and Gerald Henderson both were held without any points in 23 minutes and 18 minutes, respectively. Sergio Rodriguez found 14 points and five assists in the effort, and was the only other starter in double figures. The Hawks will host the Sacramento Kings on Monday, while the 76ers will stay at Wells Fargo Center and welcome the Orlando Magic on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "8", "Hawks": "13"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "121", "Hawks": "125"}, "Rebounds": {"Raptors": "28", "Hawks": "44"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "18", "Hawks": "13"}}, {"Points": {"Paul Millsap": "14", "Dwight Howard": "27", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "14", "Dennis Schroder": "24", "Kyle Korver": "19", "DeMar DeRozan": "34", "Kyle Lowry": "27", "Patrick Patterson": "10", "Cory Joseph": "17", "Terrence Ross": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "15", "Dennis Schroder": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Cory Joseph": "4"}, "Assists": {"Dennis Schroder": "6", "DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "6", "Cory Joseph": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyle Korver": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Korver": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyle Korver": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyle Korver": "6"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks defeated the host Toronto Raptors, 125 - 121, at Air Canada Center on Friday. The recent form of these teams would indicate an easy Toronto win, but Atlanta had other ideas. In fact, the Hawks led for nearly every minute of this game, with the Raptors having their only lead in the first quarter. Both offenses were extremely efficient, as they each shot over 53 percent from the field. Atlanta dominated in the interior, as they won the rebounding battle, 44 - 28, and outscored Toronto, 62 - 46 in the paint. Atlanta (13 - 13) has been struggling recently, but a 125 - point outing on the road is just what the doctor ordered. Dwight Howard was the player of the game, as he totaled 27 points and 15 rebounds in the win. Dennis Schroder also played great, tallying 24 points, two rebounds and six assists. Tim Hardaway Jr. and Paul Millsap each provided 14 points, while providing solid defense. Kyle Korver finally got out of his slump, dropping 19 points on 6 - of - 10 shooting off the bench. Atlanta will be in action again on Saturday, when they host the Charlotte Hornets. Toronto (18 - 8) has been dominant on the offensive end this season, but a 121 - point outing did n't quite get it done here. DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry once again carried the load, as they combined for 61 points and 10 assists. DeRozan led the team with 34 points, five rebounds and four assists, while Lowry provided 27 points and six assists. The other three starters combined for just 19 points, six rebounds and three assists. Cory Joseph was a nice spark off the bench, accruing 17 points, four rebounds and four assists. Terrence Ross and Patrick Patterson each dropped 10 points apiece off the bench as well. Toronto will return to action on Sunday in a road matchup against the Orlando Magic."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "47"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "9", "Spurs": "5"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "95", "Spurs": "93"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "10"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "8", "Spurs": "13"}}, {"Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "12", "Tim Duncan": "14", "Danny Green": "20", "Mirza Teletovic": "26", "Brook Lopez": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "13", "Tim Duncan": "17", "Danny Green": "10", "Mirza Teletovic": "15"}, "Assists": {"Danny Green": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Danny Green": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Danny Green": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Danny Green": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Danny Green": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Danny Green": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"Danny Green": "3"}, "Steals": {"Danny Green": "2"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (13 - 5) dropped a close one in overtime to the Brooklyn Nets (8 - 9) 95 - 93 on Wednesday night at the Barclays Center. The Spurs outscored the Nets by 10 in the fourth quarter to get back into this one, but when all was said and done, it just was n't enough. San Antonio got some solid production, specifically from Tim duncan, Kawhi Leonard and Manu Ginobili, but the real star of the night was Danny Green. Green led the team in scoring with 20 points (7 - 14 FG, 6 - 11 3Pt), while pulling down 10 rebounds, blocking three shots and racking up two assists and two steals. Duncan and Leonard both posted double - doubles, with Duncan scoring 14 points and grabbing 17 rebounds, and Leonard scoring 12 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. The Nets were led by a ridiculously impressive night from Mirza Teletovic, who lit it up with 26 points, while also pulling down 15 rebounds. Brook Lopez also had a big night with 16 points and 15 rebounds. The Nets got an all - around effort in this win, as four players scored in double figures, with two others scoring eight points. The real key to their success was the ability to knock down long shots, as they converted 47 percent from behind the three - point line."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Nets": "17", "Heat": "38"}}, {"Assists": {"Dion Waiters": "8", "Goran Dragic": "9", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "2", "Brook Lopez": "3"}, "Points": {"Dion Waiters": "24", "Goran Dragic": "17", "Wayne Ellington": "22", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "17", "Brook Lopez": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"Dion Waiters": "5", "Goran Dragic": "9", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "5", "Brook Lopez": "4"}, "Steals": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "2"}}], "Meltdowns have become all too common for Brooklyn, but this may be the worst loss of the season. The Nets carried an 18 - point lead into the fourth quarter, but were outscored 38 - 17 in that period to lose by three. The Heat dominated nearly every statistic, as they won the shooting, rebounding, assisting, turnover, steals and block differentials. Dion Waiters continued his torrid stretch, as he led the team with 24 points, five rebounds and eight assists. Goran Dragic flirted with a triple - double, accumulating 17 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Wayne Ellington was huge off the bench for Miami, dropping 22 points. Brook Lopez carried the load for the Nets, scoring a game - high 33 points to go along with four rebounds and three assists. Bojan Bogdanovic was second on the team, collecting 17 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "40"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "39", "Heat": "42"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "24", "Heat": "22"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "90", "Heat": "93"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "28", "Heat": "28"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Chris Bosh": "6", "Dirk Nowitzki": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chris Bosh": "0", "Dirk Nowitzki": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chris Bosh": "23", "Dwyane Wade": "19", "Hassan Whiteside": "5", "Chandler Parsons": "13", "Zaza Pachulia": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Chris Bosh": "10", "Dwyane Wade": "6", "Hassan Whiteside": "5", "Chandler Parsons": "4", "Zaza Pachulia": "4"}, "Points": {"Chris Bosh": "20", "Dwyane Wade": "18", "Hassan Whiteside": "10", "Chandler Parsons": "12", "Dirk Nowitzki": "28", "Zaza Pachulia": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Dwyane Wade": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Hassan Whiteside": "17"}, "Personal fouls": {"Hassan Whiteside": "5", "Dirk Nowitzki": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "9", "Zaza Pachulia": "15"}, "Assists": {"Zaza Pachulia": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Zaza Pachulia": "4"}}], "The Miami Heat (28 - 22) picked up a road win over the Dallas Mavericks (28 - 24) Wednesday at American Airlines Center, 93 - 90. Neither team had their shooting stroke going, as the Heat shot just 42 percent from the floor and the Mavericks mustered just a 39 percent mark. Miami made just 2 of their 15 three - point attempts, but they stepped up on defense with 11 blocked shots as they kept the Mavericks supporting cast beyond Dirk Nowitzki from getting in any sort of a rhythm. Chris Bosh had a poor shooting night (10 - 23 FG, 0 - 6 3PT) but med the Heat with 20 points. Dwyane Wade similarly could n't find the stroke (6 - 19 FG) but was efficient at the free throw line (6 - 8 FT) and finished with 18 points. Hassan Whiteside was a huge spark off the bench, as he scored 10 points (5 - 5 FG), grabbed nine rebounds and blocked five shots in just 17 minutes of action. Nowitzki had the best offensive night of any player on the floor, as he scored a game - high 28 points on 10 - 21 shooting, including a perfect 2 - 2 from three - point land. Zaza Pachulia chipped in an efficient 10 points (4 - 7 FG) and 15 rebounds (four offensive) with four assists. But the Mavericks just could n't find the second scorer to help out Nowitzki, as Chandler Parsons finished second on the Mavericks in points with just 12 (4 - 13 FG). The Mavericks shot 8 - 20 (40 percent) from three but a brutal 39 percent on two - pointers, and their inefficiency inside cost them a chance to win. Miami will continue their road trip with a Friday game in Charlotte. The Mavericks welcome the Spurs for a Southwest Division clash Friday at home."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "42", "Magic": "40"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "52", "Magic": "50"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "26", "Magic": "30"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "128", "Magic": "118"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "17", "Magic": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "4", "Evan Fournier": "3", "Brandon Jennings": "21"}, "Blocks": {"Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Kyle O'Quinn": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "2", "Tobias Harris": "2", "Kyle O'Quinn": "1", "Evan Fournier": "3", "Brandon Jennings": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "0", "Victor Oladipo": "1", "Tobias Harris": "1", "Kyle O'Quinn": "0", "Evan Fournier": "2", "Brandon Jennings": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "23", "Victor Oladipo": "18", "Tobias Harris": "15", "Kyle O'Quinn": "9", "Evan Fournier": "8", "Greg Monroe": "16", "Andre Drummond": "14", "Brandon Jennings": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "11", "Victor Oladipo": "9", "Tobias Harris": "7", "Kyle O'Quinn": "6", "Evan Fournier": "4", "Greg Monroe": "11", "Andre Drummond": "10", "Brandon Jennings": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "4", "Victor Oladipo": "4", "Tobias Harris": "4", "Evan Fournier": "4", "Greg Monroe": "2", "Andre Drummond": "8", "Brandon Jennings": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "4", "Victor Oladipo": "4", "Tobias Harris": "4", "Evan Fournier": "4", "Greg Monroe": "2", "Andre Drummond": "6", "Brandon Jennings": "3"}, "Points": {"Nikola Vucevic": "26", "Victor Oladipo": "23", "Tobias Harris": "19", "Kyle O'Quinn": "12", "Evan Fournier": "14", "Kyle Singler": "14", "Greg Monroe": "24", "Andre Drummond": "26", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "10", "Brandon Jennings": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "15", "Victor Oladipo": "5", "Greg Monroe": "10", "Andre Drummond": "17"}, "Minutes played": {"Tobias Harris": "25"}, "Turnovers": {"Greg Monroe": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Andre Drummond": "4"}, "Steals": {"Andre Drummond": "4"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (17 - 26) defeated the Orlando Magic (15 - 30) 128 - 118 on Wednesday at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The Pistons had a very strong first half Wednesday, out - scoring the Magic 65 - 48 to give themselves a large lead going into the third quarter. While the Magic did everything they could to bring themselves back, they came up short in the end, as the Pistons held on to a 10 - point victory. The Pistons shot slightly better in this game, going 52 percent from the field and 42 percent from the three - point line, while the Magic went 50 percent from the floor and 40 percent from beyond the arc. The Pistons saw three players reach the 20 - point mark in this one. They were led by Andre Drummond, who double - doubled with 26 points (10 - 14 FG, 6 - 8 FT), 17 rebounds and four steals. The 26 points matched a season - high, while it was also his third double - double in his last four games. Greg Monroe notched a double - double of his own, finishing with 24 points (11 - 16 FG, 2 - 2 FT) and 10 rebounds. He's played very well lately, combining for 40 points and 30 rebounds over his last two games. Brandon Jennings was the third player to reach the 20 - point mark, recording 24 points (10 - 21 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt, 3 - 5 FT) and a ridiculous 21 assists. His assists total nearly doubled his previous season - high, as Jennings found his teammates at an insane rate Wednesday. Both Kyle Singler and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope reached double figures as well with 14 and 10 points respectively. The Magic were led by the duo of Victor Oladipo and Nikola Vucevic. Vucevic had a field day in this one, recording 26 points (11 - 23 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and 15 rebounds. He's averaging 25 points per game over his last six matchups. Oladipo on the other hand finished with 23 points (9 - 18 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), five rebounds and four assists. It was his second straight night recording 23 points, pushing his season scoring average to 16 points per game. Coming off the bench in his return from an ankle injury, Tobias Harris had 19 points (7 - 15 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) in 25 minutes. He had n't played since January 9, so it was a good sign for his ankle with how well he performed. Both Evan Fournier and Kyle O'Quinn reached double figures off the bench as well. Fournier had 14 points (4 - 8 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and three assists, while O'Quinn had 12 points (6 - 9 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt) and three blocked shots. The Pistons' next game will be on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday, while the Magic will travel to New York to play the Knicks on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "44", "Pacers": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Raptors": "51", "Pacers": "33"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "41"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pacers": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "2", "Jeff Teague": "7", "DeMar DeRozan": "4"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "18", "Thaddeus Young": "16", "Jeff Teague": "16", "Serge Ibaka": "16", "Jonas Valanciunas": "11", "DeMar DeRozan": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "4", "Thaddeus Young": "4", "Serge Ibaka": "5", "Jonas Valanciunas": "13", "DeMar DeRozan": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Thaddeus Young": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Thaddeus Young": "7"}}], "Toronto really dominated this game, as they led for the final 42 minutes and held a double - digit lead for the entirety of the second half. The Raptors shot 49 percent from the field and 44 percent from three - point range, while holding the Pacers to 41 percent from the field and 26 percent from long range. Toronto also abused Indiana on the boards, winning that battle, 51 - 33. Paul George led Indiana with 18 points, four rebounds and two assists. Jeff Teague finished with 16 points and seven assists. Thaddeus Young also scored 16 points, adding four rebounds to his tally on 7 - of - 9 shooting. DeMar DeRozan carried Toronto, as he tallied 22 points, three rebounds and four assists. Jonas Valanciunas gathered up 11 points and 13 rebounds en route to a double - double. Serge Ibaka totaled 16 points and five rebounds."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "34"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "23", "Knicks": "24"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "97", "Knicks": "84"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "21", "Knicks": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Jeremy Lin": "5", "Kemba Walker": "5"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "9", "Kristaps Porzingis": "13", "Jeremy Lin": "26", "Kemba Walker": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Jeremy Lin": "5", "Kemba Walker": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kemba Walker": "2"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (21 - 23) defeated the New York Knicks (22 - 24) on Saturday, 97 - 84, to improve to 16 - 8 at home. For Charlotte, a promising week ended on a high note, as the team won its third of four games since Monday and now sits just two games shy of .500. The week went even better for point guard Kemba Walker, who set a franchise record with 52 points against Utah to kick off the week, only to drop 40 two games later. Walker was once again the team's top scorer against New York, scoring 26 points to go along with six rebounds and five assists. Backcourt partner Jeremy Lin nearly matched Walker's outputs, scoring 26 points and recording five rebounds and five assists. Charlotte converted on just 34 percent of attempts from the field on Saturday, but were able to win comfortably by holding their opponents to 38 percent and by holding an enormous advantage at the free - throw line. Charlotte hit 32 of 37 free - throw attempts, while New York went an abysmal 19 for 32. The Knicks are now on a two - game slide, losing both matchups by double - digits. Rookie Kristaps Porzingis bounced back from a poor 4 - for - 17 performance on Friday, posting 13 points on 4 for 9 shooting and recording three blocks. All-Star starter Carmelo Anthony, however, struggled mightily, tallying just nine points, six rebounds, and two assists. New York will have two days to rest after completing a back - to - back. They play host to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday. Charlotte, meanwhile, will visit the Sacramento Kings on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "15", "Lakers": "23"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "24", "Lakers": "43"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "89", "Lakers": "87"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pacers": "23"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pacers": "23"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "28", "Lakers": "11"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "25"}, "Points": {"Kobe Bryant": "19", "Julius Randle": "15", "Lou Williams": "13", "Jordan Clarkson": "10", "D'Angelo Russell": "16", "Paul George": "21", "Myles Turner": "14", "Ian Mahinmi": "11", "George Hill": "15", "Jordan Hill": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Kobe Bryant": "5", "Julius Randle": "19", "Lou Williams": "3", "Jordan Clarkson": "3", "D'Angelo Russell": "5", "Paul George": "9", "Myles Turner": "13", "Ian Mahinmi": "5", "George Hill": "1", "Jordan Hill": "9"}, "Assists": {"Julius Randle": "3", "Lou Williams": "1", "Jordan Clarkson": "2", "D'Angelo Russell": "5", "Paul George": "2", "Myles Turner": "1", "Ian Mahinmi": "1", "George Hill": "6", "Jordan Hill": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Julius Randle": "1", "Paul George": "2"}, "Steals": {"Lou Williams": "2", "Jordan Clarkson": "2", "D'Angelo Russell": "4", "Paul George": "1", "George Hill": "3"}, "Blocks": {"D'Angelo Russell": "1", "Paul George": "2", "Ian Mahinmi": "1", "Jordan Hill": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul George": "7"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Myles Turner": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"George Hill": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"George Hill": "1"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (28 - 24) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (11 - 43) 89 - 87 on Monday. A feisty Lakers squad kept the pressure on the Pacers for the majority of the contest, but Paul George and Indiana's efficiency down low helped to seal the hard - fought victory. George scored seven of his team - leading 21 points in the last 1:10 of the game, accounting for all but two of Indiana's final nine points. The home team was also a force on the glass and around the basket throughout all four quarters against one of the more vulnerable frontcourts in the league that was also playing without starting center Roy Hibbert. They hauled in 53 rebounds, while also doubling up Los Angeles in the paint, 44 - 22. Conversely, neither team was able to muster anything of note from the perimeter, with the Lakers and Pacers posting respective 23 and 15 percent tallies from behind the arc. The Lakers were spearheaded by Kobe Bryant's 19 points, which he supplemented with five rebounds. As has been the case for a good portion of the season, Bryant's poor accuracy necessitated a voluminous amount of shot attempts, 25 in this particular contest, to allow him to hit his scoring total. Julius Randle was right behind him with a momentous 15 - point, 19 - rebound double - double which he supplemented with three assists. Lou Williams tallied 13 points, three rebounds, an assist and a pair of steals. Jordan Clarkson contributed 10 points, three rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals as the fourth starter with double - digit scoring. 2015 first - rounder D'Angelo Russell outperformed Clarkson off the bench, pacing the reserves with a stat - sheet - stuffing performance consisting of 16 points, five rebounds, five assists, four steals and a block. The Lakers remain in last place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. They now head to Cleveland to face off against the Cavaliers on Wednesday. George added nine rebounds, two assists, a steal and two blocks to his team - leading point total. George Hill was next in line with 15 points, six assists, a rebound and three steals. Myles Turner waged an entertaining one - on - one battle down low with Randle, recording his own double - double with 14 points, 13 rebounds and an assist. Ian Mahinmi pitched in with 11 points, five rebounds, an assist and a block, while Jordan Hill had a near double - double against his former squad, supplying nine points, nine rebounds, an assist and a block. With the victory, the Pacers moved into second place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They remain home to face the Hornets on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "19", "Clippers": "19"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "98", "Clippers": "115"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "35", "Clippers": "34"}}, {"Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"DeAndre Jordan": "39", "Tyson Chandler": "1", "Monta Ellis": "4", "Charlie Villanueva": "23"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeAndre Jordan": "3", "Chris Paul": "3", "J.J. Barea": "3"}, "Points": {"DeAndre Jordan": "22", "Chris Paul": "25", "J.J. Barea": "15", "Charlie Villanueva": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "27"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Chris Paul": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Chris Paul": "3"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (34 - 19) beat the Dallas Mavericks (35 - 19), 115 - 98, on Monday. The Clippers were in their second game without Blake Griffin, who had surgery Monday to remove a staff infection. They had lost four straight coming into Monday's tilt against the Mavs. DeAndre Jordan dominated the Dallas interior after Tyson Chandler left with an ankle injury in the second minute of the game and did n't return. While he had 22 points, 27 rebounds and three blocks, he miraculously hit 6 - of - 9 free throws in 39 minutes. The performance marked his second game of at least 20 points and 20 rebounds in February, which he had n't done that all season until this month. Chris Paul stepped up his scoring in an attempt to help make up for the loss of Griffin, putting up 25 points to go along with six assists and 13 rebounds. Meanwhile, J.J. Reddick (back) made his return to the starting lineup after missing three straight games, posting 15 points in 31 minutes. The Dallas Mavericks had a tough time keeping their starters healthy against the Clippers. In addition to Chandler leaving after playing just over one minute, Monta Ellis suffered a hip injury and did not return after the first four minutes. The Mavs were already without Rajon Rondo (face), who is out until after the All-Star break. However, Dallas did get a bump in production from Charlie Villanueva, who had a game - high 26 points in 23 minutes off the bench. The Clippers will take on the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, and the Mavericks will play the Utah Jazz on Wednesday."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Nets": "21"}}, {"Points": {"Otto Porter": "18", "Bradley Beal": "18", "John Wall": "25", "Trevor Booker": "14", "Brook Lopez": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Otto Porter": "4", "Bradley Beal": "4", "Brook Lopez": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Otto Porter": "1", "Bradley Beal": "1", "Brook Lopez": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Bradley Beal": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Bradley Beal": "1"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "13", "Trevor Booker": "1", "Brook Lopez": "5"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Trevor Booker": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Trevor Booker": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Trevor Booker": "1"}}], "Washington had to overcome a 15 - point halftime deficit to eventually win by five points in an impressive comeback effort. The Nets' carelessness ended up proving costly, as they committed 21 turnovers and forced just nine from the Wizards. Washington actually recorded a season - high 17 steals, with four starters grabbing at least three apiece. Both offenses shot over 48 percent from the field, with the two teams combining for 51 assists in the game. John Wall was the Wizards' best player, tallying 25 points, 13 assists and three steals in the win. Bradley Beal and Otto Porter both finished with 18 points and four rebounds. Brook Lopez did all he could for the Nets, accruing 25 points, six rebounds, five assists and three blocks in the defeat. Trevor Booker recorded another double - double, totaling 14 points and 14 rebounds in his return from a one - game absence."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Knicks": "18", "Magic": "35"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "18", "Magic": "20"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "103", "Magic": "115"}, "Turnovers": {"Knicks": "18", "Magic": "12"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "16", "Magic": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Aaron Gordon": "6", "Elfrid Payton": "14", "Nikola Vucevic": "5", "Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Derrick Rose": "4", "Brandon Jennings": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Aaron Gordon": "1", "Jodie Meeks": "1"}, "Points": {"Aaron Gordon": "22", "Serge Ibaka": "22", "Jodie Meeks": "23", "Elfrid Payton": "13", "Nikola Vucevic": "14", "Carmelo Anthony": "19", "Derrick Rose": "18", "Brandon Jennings": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Aaron Gordon": "6", "Serge Ibaka": "6", "Nikola Vucevic": "13", "Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Derrick Rose": "3", "Brandon Jennings": "3"}, "Steals": {"Aaron Gordon": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Jodie Meeks": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jodie Meeks": "9", "Carmelo Anthony": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Jodie Meeks": "7", "Carmelo Anthony": "6"}}], "The Orlando Magic defeated the host New York Knicks, 115 - 103, at Madison Square Garden on Monday. These are two teams who will battle to sneak into the playoffs, but the Magic looked like the far superior team in this game. They nearly pulled out a wire - to - wire win, as the Knicks never led by more than one and failed to tie or recapture the lead after the first quarter. The assist - to - turnover differential was the decisive statistic, as the Magic recorded 35 assists to just 12 turnovers, while New York committed 18 turnovers to match their 18 assists. Three-point shooting was a big factor as well, with the Magic going 15 - of - 31, to the Knicks, 8 - of - 21. The Magic (16 - 20) have been playing much better on the offensive end recently and this performance only adds to those numbers. Serge Ibaka continued his good form, as he tallied 22 points and six rebounds in the win. Aaron Gordon had a nice all - around game too, collecting 22 points, six rebounds and six assists. Jodie Meeks had one of his best games of the season, as he led the team with 23 points on 7 - of - 9 shooting. Nikola Vucevic recorded a double - double off the bench, totaling 14 points, 13 rebounds and five assists. Elfrid Payton also came off the bench to score 13 points and hand out 14 assists. Orlando will look to build off this win on Wednesday against the Atlanta Hawks. The Knicks (16 - 18) have now lost five - straight games, as they continue to fall down the standings. Carmelo Anthony did play despite being ruled questionable with a knee injury and led the team with 19 points, seven rebounds and three assists on 6 - of - 17 shooting. Derrick Rose was second on the team, as he accrued 18 points, three rebounds and four assists. Brandon Jennings was the only bench player in double figures, as he accumulated 12 points, three rebounds and four assists. The Knicks had to play this game without Kristaps Porzingis, who continues to nurse an Achilles' injury. New York will host the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday for their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "22", "Nuggets": "30"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "109", "Nuggets": "105"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "25", "Nuggets": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Kenneth Faried": "16", "Danilo Gallinari": "23", "Nikola Jokic": "16", "Gary Harris": "18", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "11", "Paul George": "19", "Myles Turner": "8", "Jordan Hill": "20", "Monta Ellis": "32"}, "Assists": {"Danilo Gallinari": "2", "Gary Harris": "3", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "8", "Paul George": "7", "Myles Turner": "3", "Jordan Hill": "3", "Monta Ellis": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Danilo Gallinari": "3", "Gary Harris": "1", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "5", "Paul George": "3", "Myles Turner": "9", "Jordan Hill": "7", "Monta Ellis": "9"}, "Steals": {"Danilo Gallinari": "1", "Gary Harris": "1", "Jordan Hill": "1", "Monta Ellis": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Gary Harris": "1", "Myles Turner": "4", "Jordan Hill": "6"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Monta Ellis": "28"}, "Field goals made": {"Monta Ellis": "13"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (25 - 22) defeated the Denver Nuggets (18 - 30) 109 - 105 in overtime on Saturday. A terrific back - and - forth Saturday night shootout ended in a hard - fought victory for the Pacers, whose aggressiveness on offense was a key to withstanding a feisty Nugggets squad. Indiana put up a robust 100 shot attempts on the night, including a team - high 28 from sharpshooting guard Monta Ellis. The veteran drained 13 of those tries on his way to a team - high 32 points. Even though he missed a three - point jumper as time expired in regulation, his driving layup with 20 seconds remaining in overtime helped Indiana extend their lead to 108 - 105. He also drew a shooting foul from Kenneth Faried on the play, and sunk the subsequent free throw for the final margin of victory. Danilo Gallinari led the way for Denver with 23 points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal. Gary Harris was right behind him, tallying 18 points, three assists, a rebound, a steal and a block. Nikola Jokic and Kenneth Faried turned in a pair of 16 - point efforts that were also double - doubles. The former hauled in 11 boards, two assists and recorded an outstanding five steals, while the latter posted 12 rebounds and managed a steal as well. Emmanuel Mudiay rounded out a strong night for the starting five with 11 points, eight assists and five rebounds. The Nuggets remain in fourth place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division. They head home to face the Toronto Raptors on Monday. Ellis supplemented his stellar scoring total with nine rebounds, six assists and three steals. Jordan Hill drew the start in place of Ian Mahinmi (back) and responded with 20 points, seven rebounds, three assists, a steal and a notable six blocks. Paul George was right behind with 19 points, seven assists and three rebounds. Myles Turner turned in a stat - sheet - stuffing effort with eight points, nine rebounds, three assists and four blocks, as he continues to quickly develop into a force in the Pacers frontcourt. Indiana remains in third place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They're home again for a date with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "34", "Clippers": "18"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "114", "Clippers": "124"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "15", "Clippers": "31"}}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "5"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "29", "Eric Bledsoe": "41"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeAndre Jordan": "4"}, "Steals": {"DeAndre Jordan": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Eric Bledsoe": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "13"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Eric Bledsoe": "15"}, "Free throws made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "13"}}], "The visiting Los Angeles Clippers took down the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, 124 - 114. The Clippers (31 - 18) have had a rocky couple months after a hot start to the season. Injuries first sidelined star forward Blake Griffin and soon after took out veteran superstar Chris Paul. On Wednesday, Paul (thumb) remained out. In his stead, the recently - returned Griffin led the offense, scoring a team - high 29 points and dishing out five assists. The Clippers, with Griffin at the helm, seemingly could n't miss from inside the arc. The team shot over 52 percent from the field despite a dismal 5 - of - 19 from beyond the three - point line. On the defensive end, center DeAndre Jordan delivered a big game, recording two steals and blocking four shots. The Suns (15 - 34), on the other hand, have struggled for the entire season. Phoenix sits at last place in the Western Conference and 29th in the NBA overall. On Wednesday, point guard Eric Bledsoe kept the team in the game almost single - handedly. Bledsoe recorded his second 41 - point game of the season, shooting a stellar 13 - of - 22 from the field and 13 - of - 15 from the free - throw line. The young star also dished out a team - high eight assists. Ultimately, Bledsoe was one of only a few Suns who managed to get his shots to fall on Wednesday. The team hit just 41 percent of its shots on the night. The Clippers host the Warriors on Thursday, while the Suns visit the Kings on Friday."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Mavericks": "6"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "6"}}, {"Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "21", "Deron Williams": "18", "Gordon Hayward": "13", "Rudy Gobert": "16", "Derrick Favors": "7"}, "Assists": {"Deron Williams": "7", "Gordon Hayward": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "9", "Rudy Gobert": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"Gordon Hayward": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Derrick Favors": "14"}}], "The Jazz saw little in the way of individual dominance in Friday's win, but solid team play pushed them over the top. Rudy Gobert had team highs of only 16 points and 10 rebounds as six members of the team scored in double - digits against Dallas. The team shot over 56 percent from the field and over 36 percent from beyond the arc on Friday. Star forward Gordon Hayward had 13 points, nine rebounds, and four assists, but also committed seven turnovers in what was an unusually sloppy outing. Forward Derrick Favors, who is recovering from a recent knee injury, scored seven points in 14 minutes off the bench. For Dallas, it was a team performance as well, with six Mavericks also scoring in double figures. Forward Harrison Barnes led the way with 21 points. The team knocked down 12 three - pointers on the night but only pulled down 27 rebounds, a weak showing on the glass. Point guard Deron Williams had 18 points and seven assists."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Cavaliers": "14"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "49"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "49"}}, {"Points": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "17", "Justin Hamilton": "12", "Randy Foye": "16", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "10", "Sean Kilpatrick": "18", "Isaiah Whitehead": "16", "LeBron James": "31", "Kevin Love": "13", "Tristan Thompson": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "28", "Kyle Korver": "14"}, "Assists": {"LeBron James": "11", "Kevin Love": "2", "Tristan Thompson": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "5", "Kevin Love": "14", "Tristan Thompson": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Love": "1", "Tristan Thompson": "1"}}], "Despite missing Brook Lopez, Caris LeVert and Trevor Booker, the Nets put up a valiant effort overall, seeing six players put up double - digit scoring, shooting 49 percent from the field and 49 percent from three - point range, and prompting Cleveland into 14 turnovers. Sean Kilpatrick's 18 points led the way for Brooklyn. Bojan Bogdanovic followed with 17 points, while Randy Foye and Isaiah Whitehead supplied matching 16 - point efforts. Justin Hamilton went for 12 points while taking over at center for Lopez, and Spencer Dinwiddie tallied 10. LeBron James paced the Cavs with 31 points, 11 assists and five rebounds. Kyrie Irving posted 28 points, and Kyle Korver totaled a bench - leading 14 points. Kevin Love registered a 13 - point, 14 - rebound double - double, and Tristan Thompson posted a 10 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included two assists and a block."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "53"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "12", "Knicks": "17"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "117", "Knicks": "98"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hawks": "22", "Knicks": "32"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "9", "Knicks": "22"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "20", "Knicks": "14"}}, {"Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "18", "Mike Scott": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "12"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (20 - 12) dominated in the second half to beat the New York Knicks (14 - 17) 117 - 98 on Saturday night. The Knicks had a double - digit lead after a 32 - point first quarter and it was downhill after that. The Hawks outscored them by 22 points over the second and third quarter and ran away with an easy win. The key was the second half defense, as the Hawks allowed just 35 points over the final 24 minutes. Both teams shot well, as they both shot over 48 percent from the field with Atlanta shooting 53 percent. The turnovers were the difference in the game though, as the Knicks committed 22 to the Hawks nine. No Knicks player scored more than 18 points and they were absolutely shut down in the second half. Carmelo Anthony was the only player who showed signs of life, as he recorded a 18 point - 12 rebound double - double. The Knicks are in a rough stretch right now and it's hard to imagine it getting better with this lack of offense. They'll look to play better on Sunday against the Boston Celtics in the back end of a back - to - back. The Hawks were sick of their bad defense in the first half and shut down this weak offense to pull away with an impressive win. The frontcourt was spectacular tonight for Atlanta, as Al Horford, Paul Millsap and Mike Scott all played well. Mike Scott scored 18 points off the bench and Horford and Millsap stuffed the stat sheet. In fact, Millsap and Horford combined for 41 points, 13 rebounds, 14 assists, five steals, and three blocks. When these two are playing like that, this team is hard to stop. The Hawks will look to keep this momentum going against the Indiana Pacers on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "3", "Hawks": "6"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "109", "Hawks": "97"}, "Rebounds": {"Cavaliers": "51", "Hawks": "38"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "10", "Hawks": "9"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "37"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "5", "LeBron James": "8", "Tristan Thompson": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "2", "Kevin Love": "1"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "14", "LeBron James": "19", "Kevin Love": "25", "Tristan Thompson": "9"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "4", "Kevin Love": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"LeBron James": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"LeBron James": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "11", "Kevin Love": "11", "Tristan Thompson": "16"}, "Free throws made": {"Tristan Thompson": "1"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (10 - 3) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (9 - 6) 109 - 97 on Saturday. In a rematch of the Eastern Conference Finals from last season, the Cavaliers showed once again who's boss. Cleveland took a 15 - point lead at half and never looked back. The defense was the key for the Cavs on Saturday, as they held Atlanta to 37 percent shooting and outrebounded them 51 - 38. LeBron James, Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love all recorded double - digit rebounds against one of the worst rebounding teams in the league. The Hawks had a very frustrating game on Saturday, as Coach Mike Budenholzer was tossed in the third quarter. The ejection was a bit innocuous, but his frustration clearly boiled over. No Atlanta player scored more than 14 points in the loss and no one could fine their stroke against this vaunted Cleveland defense. The Hawks were led by another strong outing from Paul Millsap, who collected 14 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, four steals and two blocks in the defeat. Millsap is proving to be one of the best stat - stuffers in the NBA right now and arguably one of the best power forwards in the association. Jeff Teague did return for this game, but came off the bench to ease him in from his ankle injury. The Hawks will look to play better om Tuesday when they host the surging Boston Celtics. Cleveland played their first game without center Timofey Mozgov and they didn\u2019t miss a beat. Tristan Thompson filled - in for him and had a spectacular game, tallying nine points, 16 rebounds and five assists in the win. There wasn\u2019t much bench depth for the Cavs in this game, but all four players who played at least two minutes off the bench scored at least six points. LeBron James didn\u2019t have great numbers at the half, but he finished strong by totaling 19 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists in the victory. Kevin Love also provided 25 points and 11 rebounds in what's proving to be a bounce - back season for the All-Star. This defense has been truly impressive this season for Cleveland and that was exemplified on Saturday against a potent Hawks offense. The Cavaliers will look to continue their wining ways against the Orlando Magic on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "50"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "6", "Celtics": "7"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "121", "Celtics": "97"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "10", "Celtics": "7"}}, {"Points": {"Jae Crowder": "6", "Amir Johnson": "4", "Jared Sullinger": "7", "Avery Bradley": "25", "Isaiah Thomas": "14", "David Lee": "10", "RJ Hunter": "12", "Thabo Sefolosha": "15", "Paul Millsap": "25", "Al Horford": "11", "Kyle Korver": "15", "Jeff Teague": "16", "Mike Scott": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Amir Johnson": "7", "David Lee": "6", "Paul Millsap": "9", "Al Horford": "4"}, "Assists": {"Avery Bradley": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "2", "David Lee": "3", "Paul Millsap": "3", "Al Horford": "4", "Jeff Teague": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Avery Bradley": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Avery Bradley": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Avery Bradley": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Avery Bradley": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Avery Bradley": "2"}, "Steals": {"Avery Bradley": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "3", "David Lee": "2", "RJ Hunter": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Avery Bradley": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "5"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (10 - 6) defeated the Boston Celtics (7 - 7) 121 - 97 on Tuesday. Even in losing efforts, Avery Bradley\u2019s drastic offensive improvement is evident. The Celtics guard has been shooting well all season, but has taken his game up a notch over his last three contests, all starts. Bradley has posted three consecutive performances of 21 points or greater, shooting an outstanding 58 percent from the field over that span. Wednesday, he collected 25 points on 10 - for - 17 shooting, including four buckets from beyond the arc. The three - pointers give Bradley 11 combined over his last two games. Unfortunately for Boston, the rest of their starters couldn\u2019t provide their scorching shooting guard much support. Isaiah Thomas shook off two early turnovers in the first quarter to tally 14 points, a pair of assists, and three steals, but was the only other member of the starting five to post double - digit scoring. Jared Sullinger (seven points) and Jae Crowder (six points) mustered single - digit points for the second consecutive game, while Amir Johnson managed four points and seven rebounds. Encouragingly, rookie hopeful R.J. Hunter paced the Boston bench with a career - high 12 points, while David Lee also pitched in 10 points, six rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals. Given their respective recent performances, Lee may soon find himself back in the starting rotation in Johnson\u2019s stead. The Celtics fell to 7 - 7 and currently reside in third place in the Eastern Conference\u2019s Atlantic Division. They head home for a Wednesday tilt versus the Sixers. The Hawks are known as one of the most balanced offensive teams in the league, and the performance of their starting five Tuesday was a testament to that reputation. All of Atlanta\u2019s starters tallied double - digit scoring performances, with Paul Millsap spearheading the effort with a 25 - point, nine - rebound, three - assist night. Jeff Teague complemented Millsap with an efficient performance in his second game back from an ankle injury, collecting 16 points and nine assists. Thabo Sefolosha acquitted himself very well in his spot start with 15 points, a total matched by guard Kyle Korver. Al Horford pitched in 11 points, four rebounds, and four assists in a game that his frontcourt mate largely took over. Mike Scott paced the Atlanta bench with 15 points of his own, a season high. Atlanta also notably shot an outstanding 50 percent from beyond the three - point line, led by Korver\u2019s trio of long - range buckets. The Hawks improved to 10 - 6 and currently reside in second place in the Eastern Conference\u2019s Southeast Division, a half - game behind the Heat. They head to Minnesota for a Wednesday showdown versus the Timberwolves."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "34", "Hornets": "33"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "85", "Hornets": "99"}, "Rebounds": {"Kings": "41", "Hornets": "50"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "25", "Hornets": "25"}}, {"Points": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "6", "Marvin Williams": "16", "Frank Kaminsky": "23", "Nicolas Batum": "15", "Kemba Walker": "12", "Marco Belinelli": "13", "Tyreke Evans": "11", "Anthony Tolliver": "11", "Ben McLemore": "18", "Darren Collison": "10", "Buddy Hield": "15", "Skal Labissiere": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "12", "Marvin Williams": "6", "Frank Kaminsky": "13", "Nicolas Batum": "6", "Kemba Walker": "3", "Marco Belinelli": "2", "Tyreke Evans": "5", "Anthony Tolliver": "4", "Ben McLemore": "2", "Darren Collison": "2", "Buddy Hield": "1", "Skal Labissiere": "13"}, "Blocks": {"Marvin Williams": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "1", "Tyreke Evans": "2"}, "Steals": {"Marvin Williams": "2", "Frank Kaminsky": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "1", "Kemba Walker": "1", "Marco Belinelli": "1", "Ben McLemore": "1", "Darren Collison": "1", "Skal Labissiere": "1"}, "Assists": {"Frank Kaminsky": "3", "Nicolas Batum": "3", "Kemba Walker": "6", "Marco Belinelli": "6", "Tyreke Evans": "5", "Anthony Tolliver": "1", "Darren Collison": "5", "Buddy Hield": "2", "Skal Labissiere": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Tyreke Evans": "5", "Ben McLemore": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Buddy Hield": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Buddy Hield": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Skal Labissiere": "23"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Sacramento Kings, 99 - 85, at Golden 1 Center on Saturday afternoon. The Hornets (25 - 33) have been playing without the services of starting center Cody Zeller since late January due to his calf injury, but his absence has come with a silver lining. Second-year big man Frank Kaminsky III had taken the opportunity afforded him and parlayed it into a string of impressive performances, with the most recent having come in Saturday's contest against the new - look Kings (25 - 34). Kaminsky posted a 23 - point, 13 - rebound double - double that also included three assists and two steals to lead the way for Charlotte, his fifth straight double - digit scoring effort and third double - double in the last seven contests. His efforts on the glass spearheaded a 50 - 41 rebounding advantage for the visitors as they dominated a Sacramento team that clearly misses the departed DeMarcus Cousins on the glass. Marvin Williams followed Kaminsky with 16 points, six rebounds, two steals and one block. Nicolas Batum was next with 15 points, six boards, three assists, one steal and one block. Marco Belinelli paced the bench with 13 points, six assists, two rebounds and one steal. Kemba Walker provided 12 points, six assists, three rebounds and one steal in a supporting role that was somewhat uncharacteristic. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist could n't muster much on the scoreboard with only six points but made up for it by hauling in 12 boards. With Cousins now in New Orleans, it could well be a different player taking the offensive lead every night in Sacramento. Saturday was Ben McLemore's turn, as the two - guard led the way with 18 points, two rebounds and one steal. Newly-acquired Buddy Hield had his second strong effort in as many games in a Kings uniform, posting a bench - leading 15 points, as well as two assists and one rebound. Anthony Tolliver and Tyreke Evans produced matching 11 - point efforts, with the latter making his debut in the starting five. Tolliver added four boards and one assist, while Evans supplemented his scoring with five rebounds, five assists and a pair of blocks. Darren Collison was quiet by his standards, offering a modest 10 points, along with five assists, two rebounds and one steal. Promising rookie Skal Labissiere, now part of the rotation in the wake of Cousins' departure, supplied eight points, 13 rebounds, one assist and one steal in 23 minutes off the bench. The Hornets continue their trip through California with a visit to Los Angeles for a Sunday night date with the Clippers, while the Kings tangle with the Minnesota Timberwolves at home on Monday evening."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "38"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "17", "Lakers": "18"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "107", "Lakers": "97"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "7", "Lakers": "10"}, "Number of team assists": {"Lakers": "11"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Lakers": "22"}, "Turnovers": {"Lakers": "10"}}, {"Points": {"Timofey Mozgov": "12", "Lou Williams": "16", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "23", "Sean Kilpatrick": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Timofey Mozgov": "13"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 107 - 97, Wednesday at Barclays Center. The Nets (7 - 17) came into Wednesday's matchup as losers of five of their last six games, but were able to pull out a victory thanks to a pair of great performances from their starting wings. Bojan Bogdanovic scored a team - high 23 points, while Sean Kilpatrick added 22 points of his own. And while neither shot particularly well from the field, as they combined for a 11 - of - 26 shooting performance, they did excel at the free throw line, hitting 17 - of - 20 from the stripe. In fact, as a team, the Nets really struggled from the field overall, shooting just 38 percent overall. But again, they got to the line and hit their free throws, shooting 30 - of - 40 from the charity stripe, and it was those free shots that ultimately led them to victory. The Lakers (10 - 18), on the other hand, managed to have an even worse night shooting than Brooklyn en route to their eighth straight loss, as Los Angeles shot 38 percent from the field themselves and a sorry 22 percent from behind the arc. On top of that, they shot just 68 percent from the free throw line. No Laker in particular stood out Wednesday, as Lou Williams led the team in scoring with just 16 points off the bench, while Timofey Mozgov posted a double - double of 12 points and 13 rebounds. The Lakers just failed to be on the same page throughout Wednesday's contest, managing just 11 total assists to their 10 turnovers. Up next, the Nets will travel to Orlando on Friday to take on the Magic, while the Lakers will head to Philadelphia on Friday to play the 76ers."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "18", "Clippers": "7"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "98", "Clippers": "102"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "9", "Clippers": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "4", "Chris Paul": "6", "Goran Dragic": "11"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "20", "DeAndre Jordan": "12", "Chris Paul": "17", "Goran Dragic": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "19", "Hassan Whiteside": "17"}}], "The visiting Los Angeles Clippers took down the Miami Heat on Friday, 102 - 98. The Clippers (20 - 7) took a 14 - point lead by the end of the first half, but saw a scare as the Heat launched a comeback effort coming out of halftime. Los Angeles' saw strong play from its stars, however, en route to the victory. Forward Blake Griffin led the team with 20 points to go along with nine rebounds and four assists. Meanwhile, center DeAndre Jordan pulled down a ridiculous 19 rebounds in addition to 12 points scored. Chris Paul dished out only six assists, well below his average, but scored 17 points. The team shot only 43 percent and made just seven three - pointers, but was still able to score enough to win the game. The win was the team's fourth straight. Miami (9 - 18) saw its struggles continue despite a valiant second - half effort on Friday. The team protected the ball exceptionally well, committing just four turnovers on the night. Despite being able to retain possession of the ball, the Heat had trouble putting it in the hoop consistently. Miami shot just 40 percent and hit only six three - pointers in the contest. Top performers for Miami were guard Goran Dragic, who scored 21 points and had an impressive 11 assists, and center Hassan Whiteside, who pulled down 17 rebounds. The Clippers will visit Washington on Sunday, while the Heat will host the Celtics."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "38", "Pelicans": "57"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "42", "Pelicans": "52"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "37", "Pelicans": "29"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "91", "Pelicans": "111"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "19", "Pelicans": "32"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nets": "15"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "25", "Pelicans": "36"}}, {"Assists": {"Quincy Pondexter": "4", "Norris Cole": "4", "Alexis Ajinca": "4", "Thaddeus Young": "2", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "1", "Jarrett Jack": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Quincy Pondexter": "6", "Norris Cole": "6", "Thaddeus Young": "2", "Deron Williams": "2", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "3", "Jarrett Jack": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Quincy Pondexter": "5", "Norris Cole": "4", "Thaddeus Young": "1", "Deron Williams": "0", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "2", "Jarrett Jack": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Quincy Pondexter": "9", "Norris Cole": "11", "Alexis Ajinca": "14", "Thaddeus Young": "14", "Brook Lopez": "14", "Deron Williams": "10", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "7", "Jarrett Jack": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Quincy Pondexter": "6", "Norris Cole": "6", "Alexis Ajinca": "7", "Thaddeus Young": "4", "Brook Lopez": "7", "Deron Williams": "3", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "5", "Jarrett Jack": "5"}, "Points": {"Quincy Pondexter": "17", "Norris Cole": "16", "Alexis Ajinca": "17", "Thaddeus Young": "10", "Brook Lopez": "15", "Deron Williams": "10", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "12", "Jarrett Jack": "15"}, "Minutes played": {"Norris Cole": "29", "Alexis Ajinca": "23", "Thaddeus Young": "27", "Brook Lopez": "25", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "17"}, "Steals": {"Norris Cole": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Alexis Ajinca": "3", "Thaddeus Young": "2", "Brook Lopez": "4", "Deron Williams": "4", "Jarrett Jack": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Alexis Ajinca": "3", "Thaddeus Young": "1", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Deron Williams": "4", "Jarrett Jack": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Alexis Ajinca": "5", "Thaddeus Young": "6", "Brook Lopez": "9"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Thaddeus Young": "50"}, "Free throw percentage": {"Thaddeus Young": "50"}, "Personal fouls": {"Thaddeus Young": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Brook Lopez": "3"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (36 - 29) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (25 - 37) 111 - 91 on Tuesday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Using a big second quarter, where they outscored the Nets 32 - 19, the Pelicans were able to pick up a large enough lead by halftime that they could coast to an easy 20 - point victory on the road in Brooklyn. They shot extremely well in this game, going 52 percent from the field and 57 percent from the three - point line, while the Nets shot 42 percent from the floor and 38 percent from deep. This was another big win for the Pelicans, who have now pulled themselves even with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the final projected playoff seed in the Western Conference standings. Despite securing the win, the Pelicans received a scare in the fourth quarter, as superstar Anthony Davis went to the locker room with an apparent injury to his head or face. While it may be concerning he never returned to the game, the Pelicans did have a substantial lead at that time, so they could have just been resting him. We should find out more during the after hours of this game. Before leaving, he finished with 15 points (5 - 16 FG, 5 - 6 FT), six rebounds and three blocked shots. Norris Cole entered the starting lineup Tuesday, with Tyreke Evans sitting out due to an ankle injury. Cole took advantage of the start and posted 16 points (6 - 11 FG, 4 - 6 3Pt), four assists and three steals in 29 minutes. Since joining the Pelicans 11 games ago, he's averaged 11 points, 2 rebounds and 4 assists per game. Quincy Pondexter had another positive showing and scored 17 points (6 - 9 FG, 5 - 6 3Pt), to go along with four assists. He had failed to reach double - digit points in six straight games, so it was good to see him get back on track offensively Tuesday. The Pelicans also got a boost from their bench, as Alexis Ajinca finished with 17 points (7 - 14 FG, 3 - 3 FT), five rebounds and four assists in just 23 minutes. Continuing to run with the starters, Brook Lopez recorded 15 points (7 - 14 FG, 1 - 4 FT), nine rebounds and three blocked shots in 25 minutes. He came just shy of posting his third double - double in a row, as he's averaging 18 points and 11 rebounds over his last three games. Also doing his best to keep the Nets in this game was Jarrett Jack, who came off the bench for 15 points (5 - 9 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT) and three assists. He looked to be the more effective guard for the Nets tonight, as Deron Williams (3 - 10 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt 4 - 4 FT) struggled to just 10 points. Also struggling offensively was Thaddeus Young, who finished with 10 points (4 - 14 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and six rebounds in 27 minutes. He had shot over 50 percent in nine out of his last ten games prior to Tuesday, but has now shot under 40 percent in two out of his last three. Also off the bench, Bojan Bogdanovic added 12 points (5 - 7 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt) and an assist in just 17 minutes. The Pelicans' next game will be at home against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday, while the Nets will travel to Miami to play the Heat on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "6", "Knicks": "20"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "100", "Knicks": "99"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "32", "Knicks": "18"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Knicks": "19"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "12", "Kristaps Porzingis": "11", "Kawhi Leonard": "12", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "9"}, "Points": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "28", "Kawhi Leonard": "19", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "16"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (32 - 6) advanced to 220 at home on the season with a 100 - 99 win over the New York Knicks (18 - 20). Rising superstar Kawhi Leonard continued his dominance, posting a team - high 19 points and 12 rebounds while playing lockdown defense on Knicks star Carmelo Anthony. Offseason addition LaMarcus Aldridge complimented Leonard's strong performance with one of his own, delivering 16 points and nine rebounds. The narrow win marked perhaps the team's biggest scare at home on the season, but ultimately they were able to defeat the middling Knicks. The story of the game for New York was rookie sensation Kristaps Porzingis, who impressed with a game - high 28 points and 11 rebounds. The Latvian forward has silenced critics and established himself as a Rookie of the Year contender early this season, posting averages of 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game. Superstar Carmelo Anthony, meanwhlie, struggled against reigning Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard, shooting just 5 - for - 15 on the night. New York is now two games below .500 and sits at fourth in the Atlantic Division. New York will hope to bounce back as they take on the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday. The Spurs, meanwhile, will take on the struggling Nets in Brooklyn on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Clippers": "29"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "38"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "92", "Kings": "98"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Clippers": "19", "Kings": "25"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "2"}}, {"Assists": {"Rudy Gay": "6", "DeMarcus Cousins": "5"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gay": "25", "DeMarcus Cousins": "34", "Darren Collison": "14", "Omri Casspi": "6", "Blake Griffin": "17", "JJ Redick": "12", "Chris Paul": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "7", "DeMarcus Cousins": "17", "Omri Casspi": "6", "Blake Griffin": "8"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Omri Casspi": "16"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Blake Griffin": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Blake Griffin": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"JJ Redick": "2", "Chris Paul": "2"}}], "The Kings used a strong fourth quarter to pull away from the Clippers en route to a 98 - 92 victory at the Staples Center on Sunday. The game, which tipped off around 12:30 P.M. local time, featured a pair of division foes, as well as two of the best young big men in the league in Blake Griffin and DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins got the best of Griffin, leading all players with 34 points and 17 rebounds (six offensive) to go with five assists and three blocks. After a 40 - point effort Friday against Portland, Rudy Gay added 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Darren Collison chipped in 14 points, and Omri Casspi added six points and six boards in 16 minutes off the bench. The Clippers had easily their worst offensive output of the season two days after scoring 118 points against the Lakers on Friday. They shot just 38 percent from the field and 29 percent (9 - of - 31) from three, while Sacramento connected on half (34 - of - 68) of its field goals. Griffin led the way with 17 points and eight rebounds, but he connected on only 6 - of - 20 shot attempts. Chris Paul posted 16 points and 11 rebounds, while J.J. Redick added 12 points, including a pair of three - pointers. The Kings jumped out to an early 25 - 19 first quarter lead but found themselves trailing 51 - 45 at halftime. Sacramento slowly chipped away at the Los Angeles lead throughout the second half, finally breaking through in the fourth quarter. A Carl Landry free throw put the Kings up 83 - 82 with 7:26 to play, and the lead would never be relinquished. Looking ahead, Sacramento travels to Denver to face the 1 - 1 Nuggets on Monday night. The Clippers host the 1 - 2 Jazz on Monday in their fourth game in five nights."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "9", "76ers": "24"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "96", "76ers": "76"}, "Turnovers": {"Raptors": "8"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "16", "76ers": "1"}}, {"Points": {"Jahlil Okafor": "23", "Luis Scola": "22", "DeMar DeRozan": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Jahlil Okafor": "14", "Luis Scola": "5", "DeMar DeRozan": "8"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (16 - 9) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (1 - 24) 96 - 76 on Sunday. This game was much closer than the final score would indicate, as the Raptors had just a six - point lead with about eight minutes left. They pulled away late and made it look like the dominating victory that most anticipated. What had plagued this Philly team all year were turnovers and shooting, which was the key on Sunday. The Sixers shot just 33 percent and committed 22 turnovers to the Raptors eight. Philadelphia came into this game as huge underdogs and they played much better than the final score would indicate. The 20 - point loss was due to some poor late execution and ugly turnovers down the stretch. The shooting was just atrocious as they shot 24 - for - 84 from the field. They did grab an impressive 52 rebounds in the loss though. Jahlil Okafor carried the team with 23 points and 14 rebounds and continues to be a candidate for Rookie of the Year. The Sixers will look to grab that second elusive win when they take on the Chicago Bulls on Monday as huge underdogs. The Raptors stifled this Sixers team, by holding them to just 52 points in the final three quarters. This was a great team effort, as three starters scored at least 16 points. DeMar DeRozan led the team with 25 points and eight rebounds, while Luis Scola provided a surprising 22 points and five boards. This was a game that the Raptors were expected to win by double - digits and while they didn\u2019t play their best, they still accomplished that goal. They'll take their third ranked defense into Indiana on Monday to take on the Pacers in their next game."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Noah Vonleh": "11", "Jusuf Nurkic": "17", "CJ McCollum": "21", "Damian Lillard": "22", "Allen Crabbe": "23", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "12", "Andre Roberson": "9", "Domantas Sabonis": "8", "Victor Oladipo": "16", "Russell Westbrook": "58", "Enes Kanter": "11"}, "Steals": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "1", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Allen Crabbe": "28"}, "Blocks": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "39"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "21"}}], "Russell Westbrook's career - high 58 points, which he partly accomplished through a spectacular 21 - for - 39 tally from the field, was n't enough against a balanced Portland squad that saw seven players hit double digits in the scoring column. The Blazers' second unit was particularly key, combining for 49 points. Reserve Allen Crabbe's 23 points over 28 minutes paced Portland. Damian Lillard followed with 22 points, while C.J. McCollum poured in 21. Jusuf Nurkic contributed 17 points and eight boards, and Al-Farouq Aminu provided 12 points, seven rebounds, three blocks and one steal. Meyers Leonard matched Aminu's point total and Noah Vonleh chipped in with 11. Victor Oladipo was a distant second on OKC with 16 points. Enes Kanter, the only other player in double digits, posted 11. Andre Roberson managed nine points, while Domantas Sabonis tallied eight."], [[{}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Amir Johnson": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Amir Johnson": "4"}, "Points": {"Amir Johnson": "23"}}], "The biggest standout from Wednesday's box score was the shooting display put on by Amir Johnson. Typically seen as someone who does most of his damage inside the arc, Johnson hit all four of his 3 - point attempts en route to scoring a team - high 23 points on the night. Johnson hit just 10 total shots from behind the arc in all 79 of his court appearances last season. He also never scored 23 points in each of those 79 appearances. For the Bulls, Dwyane Wade continues to struggle after his 22 - point heroic performance in the team's first game of the season. Since then, Wade has shot just 14 - of - 33 from the field (42 percent) and 1 - of - 6 from behind the arc. Coming off a season where he shot the lowest field goal percentage of his career \u2014 46 percent \u2014 Wade looks to be trending in the wrong direction, shooting just 41 percent out the gates in 2016."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "24", "Rockets": "19"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "103", "Rockets": "122"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "36", "Rockets": "43"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Ryan Anderson": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ryan Anderson": "6", "James Harden": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Ryan Anderson": "30", "James Harden": "36", "Blake Griffin": "35"}, "Points": {"Ryan Anderson": "23", "James Harden": "26", "Blake Griffin": "17", "Chris Paul": "16"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "9", "Blake Griffin": "5", "Chris Paul": "11"}, "Personal fouls": {"James Harden": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chris Paul": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Chris Paul": "5"}}], "The Houston Rockets defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 122 - 103 Wednesday at Staples Center. After a high - scoring, competitive first quarter, the Rockets (43 - 19) wasted no time opening up the game in the second period and building their lead up to 12 points before entering the locker room. From there, Houston continued to pour it on from there and reached a lead as large as 30 points as the two teams entered the fourth quarter. James Harden led the way scoring four the Rockets with a game - high 26 points to go along with nine assists in 36 minutes, while Ryan Andersen was hitting on all cylinders Wednesday night, hitting 6 - of - 11 shots from behind the arc en route to scoring 23 points in 30 minutes. His shooting was contagious, as the entire Houston team hit 20 threes, proving to have too much firepower for their opponent. Their opponent, the Clippers (36 - 24), proved to be overmatched once again by a Western Conference foe and have now lost three of their last four games after entering the All-Star break on a four - game winning streak. As a result of the loss, the Clippers are now just a half - game ahead of the sixth - place Grizzlies and one game ahead of the Thunder at the No. 7 spot. Blake Griffin led the way scoring for Los Angeles, but had just 17 points, four rebounds and five assists in 35 minutes. Chris Paul had a double - double of 16 points and 11 assists, but he shot a disappointing 5 - of - 13 from the field. As a team, the Clippers managed to shoot just 44 percent from the field in the embarrassing defeat. Up next, the Rockets will head home Saturday to take on the Grizzlies, while the Clippers will look to get back on the right track in Milwaukee on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "37", "Raptors": "29"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "84", "Raptors": "101"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Heat": "16"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "35", "Raptors": "43"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "25"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "14"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "13"}, "Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "40", "Norman Powell": "14", "Delon Wright": "13", "Hassan Whiteside": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMar DeRozan": "6", "Hassan Whiteside": "14"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the Miami Heat 101 - 84 Thursday at AmericanAirlines Arena. The Heat (35 - 37) got off to a strong start on both sides of the ball, as they opened up a 10 - point lead in the first quarter. From that point, however, it was all Raptors (43 - 29). Over the course of the next three quarters, Toronto outscored Miami by 27 points thanks in large part to the tremendous play of All-Star DeMar DeRozan, who scored a game - high 40 points on 14 - of - 25 shooting from the field. DeRozan was the only starter to score in double figures for the Raptors, but the team's bench managed to come up with an important 36 points, led by 14 points from Norman Powell and 13 from Delon Wright. As for the Heat, six different players managed to score in double figures, but they failed to get a standout performance to counter that of DeRozan's in some way. Hassan Whiteside ended up leading the way with a team - high 16 points and 14 rebounds, but no other Miami player scored more than 13 points. The poor offensive play was contagious across the board, as the team shot just 39 percent from the field and 26 percent from behind the arc in Thursday's contest. It was a crucial loss for the Heat, as they now hold just a one - game advantage over both the Bulls and Pistons for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Heat": "15"}}, {"Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "8", "Wayne Ellington": "10", "Goran Dragic": "15", "Tyler Johnson": "12", "Derrick Williams": "17", "Willie Reed": "10", "LeBron James": "27", "Kevin Love": "28", "Kyrie Irving": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "12", "Willie Reed": "11", "Kevin Love": "15"}, "Free throws made": {"Goran Dragic": "5"}}], "After building a 57 - 46 halftime lead, the Cavs outscored their visitors by a 57 - 38 margin in the second half. The Big Three of Kevin Love, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving impressively combined to go 32 - of - 55 from the field and were led by Love, whose back injury rendered him a game - time decision. He posted a 28 - point, 15 - rebound double - double, while James went for 27 against his former squad. Irving also supplied 23 points. Collectively, the Cavs had the hot hand, shooting 55 percent overall. Goran Dragic's 15 points led the Heat's starting five, while Wayne Ellington supplied 10 points. Hassan Whiteside could only pour in eight points, but hauled in 12 rebounds. The second unit was highly productive, as Derrick Williams (17 points) Tyler Johnson (12 points), and Willie Reed (10 points, 11 rebounds) made impressive contributions."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "1"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "4", "Kemba Walker": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "4", "Kemba Walker": "7"}, "Points": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "13", "Kemba Walker": "24", "Spencer Hawes": "13"}, "Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Kemba Walker": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kemba Walker": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Kemba Walker": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Kemba Walker": "2", "Spencer Hawes": "13"}, "Steals": {"Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Spencer Hawes": "22"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets spread the ball around in impressive fashion, with almost every one of their players in the rotation getting a fair share of minutes and shots on Monday. Nine players finished in double figures, led by Kemba Walker's all - around impressive performance. Walker finished with 24 points, 10 assists, two rebounds, two steals and one block on 7 - of - 11 shooting. The UConn product was also lethal from behind the arc, as he buried 5 - of - 6 shots from three - point territory, helping extend the Hornets' double - digit lead in the second half. While many of the Hornets players had standout performances alongside Walker, Spencer Hawes' 13 points and 13 rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench was most noteworthy, especially with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist exiting the game twice with back soreness. Before exiting, Kidd-Gilchrist pitched in 13 points on a perfect 4 - of - 4 shooting."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "24", "Kings": "48"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "115", "Kings": "111"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "51", "Kings": "26"}, "Number of team assists": {"Kings": "30"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Kings": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Omri Casspi": "4", "DeMarcus Cousins": "10", "Ben McLemore": "2", "Trevor Ariza": "2", "Terrence Jones": "3", "James Harden": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Omri Casspi": "2", "Ben McLemore": "3", "Trevor Ariza": "14", "Terrence Jones": "3", "James Harden": "9", "Jason Terry": "7", "Corey Brewer": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Omri Casspi": "0", "Ben McLemore": "2", "Trevor Ariza": "6", "Terrence Jones": "2", "James Harden": "8", "Jason Terry": "1", "Corey Brewer": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Omri Casspi": "17", "DeMarcus Cousins": "25", "Ben McLemore": "10", "Trevor Ariza": "16", "Terrence Jones": "10", "James Harden": "25", "Jason Terry": "10", "Corey Brewer": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Omri Casspi": "8", "DeMarcus Cousins": "11", "Ben McLemore": "6", "Trevor Ariza": "8", "Terrence Jones": "6", "James Harden": "16", "Jason Terry": "3", "Corey Brewer": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Omri Casspi": "38", "DeMarcus Cousins": "39", "Ben McLemore": "31", "Trevor Ariza": "38", "Terrence Jones": "32", "James Harden": "38"}, "Points": {"Omri Casspi": "18", "DeMarcus Cousins": "24", "Ben McLemore": "14", "Trevor Ariza": "22", "Terrence Jones": "16", "James Harden": "51", "Jason Terry": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Omri Casspi": "7", "DeMarcus Cousins": "21", "Ben McLemore": "4", "Trevor Ariza": "3", "Terrence Jones": "7", "James Harden": "8"}, "Steals": {"Omri Casspi": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Ben McLemore": "1", "Trevor Ariza": "3", "Terrence Jones": "1", "James Harden": "3"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "6", "Ben McLemore": "1", "Terrence Jones": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Terrence Jones": "6"}}], "The Rockets (51 - 24) defeated the Kings (26 - 48) 115 - 111 at the Toyota Center on Wednesday. Wednesday night was the James Harden Show. He had 51 points. The Rockets had an 11 - point lead going into the fourth quarter, but the Kings battled to within two points with six and a half minutes remaining. Harden came off the bench and put the game away, scoring 10 of Houston's next 11 points. Harden went 16 - of - 25 from the field and 8 - for - 9 from three - point range. He had eight rebounds, six assists and three steals in 38 minutes. Trevor Ariza had 22 points (8 - 16 FG, 6 - 14 3Pt), three rebounds, two assists and three steals in 38 minutes. Terrence Jones (ribs) returned to the starting lineup after a six - game absence. He contributed 16 points (6 - 10 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt), seven rebounds, three assists, one steal and seven blocks in 32 minutes. Jason Terry (neck) had 7 points (3 - 10 FG, 1 - 7 3Pt). Corey Brewer, who has been battling an oblique injury, shot poorly on Wednesday, going 1 - for - 10 from the field and 0 - for - 2 from beyond the arc. DeMarcus Cousins' triple - double kept the Kings in the game. He had 24 points (11 - 25 FG), 21 rebounds, 10 assists, three steals and six blocks in 39 minutes. Omri Casspi had 18 points (8 - 17 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt), seven rebounds, four assists and three steals in 38 minutes. Ben McLemore contributed 14 points (6 - 10 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt), four rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in 31 minutes. The Rockets are currently third in the Western Conference. They've clinched a playoff spot. The Kings are thirteenth in the West and have been eliminated from playoff contention. The Rockets have completed the season series sweep of the Kings, 30."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "29", "Hornets": "27"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "86", "Hornets": "104"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nuggets": "15", "Hornets": "30"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nuggets": "15"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "19", "Hornets": "20"}, "Turnovers": {"Hornets": "10"}}, {"Points": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "17", "Danilo Gallinari": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "13", "Danilo Gallinari": "4"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (20 - 27) defeated the Denver Nuggets (19 - 29) 104 - 86 on Saturday at the Pepsi Center. Charlotte was coming off two days rest and was able to easily defeat a Denver club that had lost eight of its last nine games coming into Saturday. The Hornets held the Nuggets to just 15 first quarter points as they jumped out to a 30 - 15 lead. Charlotte's Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had a double - double with 17 points and 13 rebounds. The Hornets are 7 - 3 in their last ten games and have pulled to just a half game behind the Heat for the seventh seed in the East. Charlotte was missing Bismack Biyombo and Marvin Williams, but that did n't matter as it made quick work of Denver. The Hornets begin a home - and - home set with the Wizards on Monday. Denver's struggles continued Saturday as its playoff hopes continue to dwindle after sitting at 18 - 20 with a chance at the eighth seed earlier this month. Danilo Gallinari joined the starting lineup after Kenneth Faried and Darrell Arthur were both sidelined. Gallinari finished with 15 points and four rebounds in 23 minutes. Denver will return to action Tuesday in Philadelphia."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Clippers": "30", "Bulls": "18"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bulls": "19"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "18", "Blake Griffin": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Jimmy Butler": "5", "Blake Griffin": "8"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "22", "Dwyane Wade": "28", "Blake Griffin": "26"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dwyane Wade": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Dwyane Wade": "36", "Blake Griffin": "39"}, "Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "13"}, "Steals": {"Blake Griffin": "1"}}], "The Clippers took the lead for the first time with seven minutes left in the fourth quarter since leading 4 - 2. They managed to erase a 19 - point deficit in the second quarter, coming within five points of the Bulls heading into the fourth and finishing the job with a 30 - 18 final quarter. The Clippers out - scored the Bulls 79 - 62 in the final three quarters. Dwyane Wade was hot from long range, hitting 5 - of - 9, he also led the Bulls in scoring with 28 points, in 36 minutes. Jimmy Butler tallied 22 points but struggled in the process, shooting only 5 - of - 18 from the field. Meanwhile, Blake Griffin was on a mission, finishing with 26 points on 8 - of - 15 shooting, along with 13 rebounds, five assists and one steal, in 39 minutes. Marreese Speights provided a huge boost off the bench for the Clippers, hitting 4 - of - 5 of his three point attempts and scoring 11 points in the fourth quarter alone."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "16", "Trail Blazers": "5"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "90", "Trail Blazers": "82"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Timberwolves": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Timberwolves": "56", "Trail Blazers": "38"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "5", "Trail Blazers": "17"}, "Number of team assists": {"Trail Blazers": "20"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "39"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "20"}, "Turnovers": {"Trail Blazers": "20"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Andrew Wiggins": "44"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "10"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (5 - 16) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (17 - 5) 90 - 82 on Wednesday. Minnesota put a basic lid on their six - game losing streak with the win. They remain without several of their key players as Ricky Rubio (ankle), Kevin Martin (wrist) and Nikola Pekovic (wrist) are all expected to be out for at least a few more weeks. Andrew Wiggins has struggled to find consistency in his first 21 games as a rookie, but he came up big with his second straight 20 - point game Wednesday, finishing with a double - double of 23 points and 10 rebounds in 44 minutes. Coach Flip Saunders wanted to compete for a playoff spot this season, but the team's injuries and place in the standings has caused him to consider the possibility of changing the team's focus toward the development of their younger players. That could mean the team looks at moving some of their veteran players later this season. The Timberwolves will have another great test Friday when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder. Portland had their five - game win streak snapped with the loss. Playing on the second night of a back - to - back, the Trail Blazers did n't seem to have enough spring left in their legs, as they shot just 39 percent from the field and were out - rebounded 56 - 38, giving up 20 offensive rebounds to the Timberwolves. Portland has two games left on their road trip, with their next matchup coming against the Chicago Bulls on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Wizards": "53"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "53"}}, {"Points": {"Blake Griffin": "26", "JJ Redick": "17", "Austin Rivers": "13", "Marreese Speights": "14", "Markieff Morris": "23", "Marcin Gortat": "9", "Bradley Beal": "41", "John Wall": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "17"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "12", "John Wall": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"Bradley Beal": "13"}}], "Bradley Beal's season - high 41 points on 13 - of - 23 shooting led the way for Washington, which shot 53 percent from the field and 53 percent from three - point range in the high - scoring affair. Markieff Morris was second with 23 points, 12 of which came in the fourth quarter, while John Wall registered an 18 - point, 11 - assist double - double. Otto Porter and Marcin Gortat had nine points apiece. The Wizards finished the game on a 22 - 8 run to key the comeback victory at home. Blake Griffin's 26 points paced the Clippers, while J.J. Redick checked in a rather distant second with 17 points. Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan both tallied double - doubles, with the former also dishing out 12 assists and the latter hauling in 17 boards. Marreese Speights and Austin Rivers were highly productive off the bench, turning in 14 and 13 points, respectively."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "1"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "94", "Spurs": "102"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "15", "Spurs": "9"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Ty Lawson": "9"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Kawhi Leonard": "20"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "30", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "16", "Dewayne Dedmon": "12", "David Lee": "12", "Rudy Gay": "17", "DeMarcus Cousins": "37", "Ty Lawson": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "5", "Rudy Gay": "7", "DeMarcus Cousins": "16", "Ty Lawson": "4"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "16"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "14"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the host Sacramento Kings, 102 - 94, at the opening of Golden One Center on Thursday. In a game that was tight throughout, the Spurs used elite defense to pull away in the second half. In fact, San Antonio held Sacramento to 37 points on 10 - for - 35 shooting over the final 24 minutes. The Spurs outshot the Kings from the free - throw line, three - point range and from the field while also winning the turnover battle 15 - 9. Rim protection was huge as well, with San Antonio recording eight blocks and Sacramento failing to swat away a single shot. The Spurs (20) have handed over the reins to Kawhi Leonard and it was evident in this game. Leonard finished with 30 points, five assists, three rebounds and five steals in the victory. At one point, he recorded three steals and 10 points in a span where the Spurs were able to create a double - digit lead spanning between the third and fourth quarters. LaMarcus Aldridge was second on the team, as he scored 16 points to go along with his five boards. Dewayne Dedmon and David Lee came off the bench to score 12 a piece. Sacramento (1 - 1) had a tough task in the opening of their new home arena and they nearly pulled out an upset win. DeMarcus Cousins carried the load, as he totaled 37 points and 16 rebounds, while going 14 - for - 16 from the free - throw line. Rudy Gay was the only other starter in double figures, as he tallied 17 points and seven rebounds. Ty Lawson posted a seven - point, nine - assist, four - rebound line, while filling in for the suspended Darren Collison. Both teams are in action again Saturday, as the Kings play host to the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Spurs face the visiting New Orleans Pelicans."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Nuggets": "31"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "35"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "129", "Clippers": "114"}, "Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "10"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "33"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Clippers": "50"}}, {"Assists": {"Chris Paul": "14"}, "Points": {"Chris Paul": "18", "Nikola Jokic": "17", "Will Barton": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Jokic": "14"}, "3-pointers made": {"Will Barton": "7"}}], "The host Denver Nuggets blew out the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday, 129 - 114. Denver (33 - 35) saw strong play on the back of phenomenal sophomore center Nikola Jokic. Jokic posted a triple - double, recording 17 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists. While Jokic stuffed the stat sheet out of the low post, wing Will Barton dominated the perimeter. Barton scored a game - high 35 points including seven made three - pointers. It was an up - tempo and dominant game for the Nuggets' offense, as the team sank over 53 percent of its shots including 15 three - pointers. The team also went a stellar 22 - of - 26 from beyond the arc. Denver dished out 31 team assists and turned the ball over only 10 times on the night. Los Angeles (40 - 28) has dropped three straight games and sits amid a tight playoff race at the middle of the Western Conference. On Thursday, superstar Chris Paul bounced back from a disaster of a night on Wednesday to record 18 points and 14 assists. However, fellow All-Stars Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan sat the game out for rest. The Clippers' offense was hardly stagnant in the duo's absence, however, as the team shot over 50 percent from the field and hit 16 three - pointers. Their defense, though, failed to keep up with the ridiculous pace of the Nuggets' high - powered offense. Los Angeles will host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday, while Denver will host the Houston Rockets."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pelicans": "28", "Thunder": "33"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "23", "Thunder": "24"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "91", "Thunder": "102"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "26", "Thunder": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "53"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Dion Waiters": "2", "Serge Ibaka": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "6", "Anthony Morrow": "4", "Tyreke Evans": "5", "Quincy Pondexter": "5", "Ryan Anderson": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dion Waiters": "0", "Serge Ibaka": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "2", "Anthony Morrow": "2", "Tyreke Evans": "1", "Quincy Pondexter": "2", "Ryan Anderson": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dion Waiters": "14", "Serge Ibaka": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "31", "Anthony Morrow": "11", "Anthony Davis": "21", "Tyreke Evans": "20", "Quincy Pondexter": "8", "Ryan Anderson": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Dion Waiters": "6", "Serge Ibaka": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "18", "Anthony Morrow": "6", "Anthony Davis": "9", "Tyreke Evans": "5", "Quincy Pondexter": "4", "Ryan Anderson": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dion Waiters": "2", "Anthony Davis": "6", "Ryan Anderson": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Dion Waiters": "0", "Anthony Davis": "5", "Ryan Anderson": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Dion Waiters": "33", "Anthony Davis": "39"}, "Points": {"Dion Waiters": "12", "Serge Ibaka": "13", "Russell Westbrook": "45", "Anthony Morrow": "14", "Anthony Davis": "23", "Tyreke Evans": "11", "Quincy Pondexter": "10", "Ryan Anderson": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Dion Waiters": "6", "Serge Ibaka": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "6", "Anthony Morrow": "4", "Tyreke Evans": "7", "Quincy Pondexter": "7", "Ryan Anderson": "5"}, "Steals": {"Dion Waiters": "2", "Ryan Anderson": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Serge Ibaka": "7"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Serge Ibaka": "2"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "6", "Tyreke Evans": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (25 - 24) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (26 - 23) 102 - 91 on Wednesday at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The Thunder shot much better than the Pelicans in this game, going 53 percent from the field and 33 percent from the three - point line, while the Pelicans went just 39 percent from the floor and a meager 28 percent from beyond the arc. While the Thunder were down 57 - 51 at half, they had a huge second half where they out - scored the Pelicans 51 - 34, allowing them to steal a victory over the Pelicans. It was a big win, as they will be fighting against the Pelicans to secure one of the last spots in the Western Conference playoffs moving forward. With Kevin Durant still sitting out with a toe injury, Russell Westbrook again took it on himself to do the bulk of the work offensively for the Thunder. Westbrook went 18 - for - 31 from the field and 2 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 45 points, while also adding six rebounds and six assists. It was his second 40 - point outing in his last four games, a stretch where he's averaging 31 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists per game. Serge Ibaka had a big game defensively, as he posted seven blocks, to go along with 13 points (6 - 9 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt) and six rebounds. Over his last two games, he's combined for 29 points, 14 rebounds and 10 blocks. Dion Waiters was in the starting lineup again with Durant out. He finished with 12 points (6 - 14 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 0 - 2 FT), six rebounds and two steals in 33 minutes. The only other Thunder player to reach double figures was Anthony Morrow, who had 14 points (6 - 11 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt) and four rebounds off the bench. The Pelicans got most of their production from Anthony Davis, who posted 23 points (9 - 21 FG, 5 - 6 FT) and eight rebounds in 39 minutes. He's continued to stay dominant over his last four games, averaging 27 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocks over that stretch. Giving Davis the most help was Ryan Anderson, who came off the bench to score 19 points (7 - 17 FG, 3 - 8 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), to go along with five rebounds and two steals in 28 minutes. He's been the most reliable player off the bench for the Pelicans this season, so it was good to see him have another positive showing Wednesday. Despite shooting quite poorly, Tyreke Evans came close to a triple - double, finishing with 11 points (5 - 20 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt), seven rebounds and seven assists. Quincy Pondexter reached double figures as well and posted 10 points (4 - 8 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt) and seven rebounds off the bench. These two teams will play each other again on Friday in Oklahoma."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "16", "Nets": "18"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "118", "Nets": "111"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "7", "Nets": "17"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "12", "Nets": "7"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Trevor Booker": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Trevor Booker": "0"}, "Points": {"Trevor Booker": "2", "Brook Lopez": "22", "Jeremy Lin": "17", "Serge Ibaka": "18", "Evan Fournier": "21", "D.J. Augustin": "17", "Nikola Vucevic": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Booker": "9", "Brook Lopez": "6", "Jeremy Lin": "3", "Evan Fournier": "4", "Nikola Vucevic": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "5", "Serge Ibaka": "5", "Nikola Vucevic": "3"}, "Assists": {"Jeremy Lin": "3", "D.J. Augustin": "4", "Nikola Vucevic": "4"}}], "The host Orlando Magic defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 118 - 111, at Amway Center on Friday. While these teams have struggled throughout the season, they left it all on the floor in this close fought battle. In fact, there were 15 lead changes and 15 ties, with no team leading by more than nine points. Orlando took advantage of their opportunities, as they took 14 more shots than Brooklyn. The reason for that were turnovers and offensive rebounding, as they won the turnover battle, 17 - 7, and the offensive rebounding, 13 - 6. Free-throws were also huge for Orlando, as they went 33 - of - 42 from the charity stripe, with Brooklyn committing 32 fouls. Brooklyn (7 - 18) has really struggled on the defensive end this season and a 118 - point outing to the 29th ranked offense shows just that. Brook Lopez once again led the team in scoring, as he tallied 22 points, six rebounds and five blocks before fouling out in the final seconds. Jeremy Lin was second on the team, as he accrued 17 points, three rebounds and three assists off the bench. While Trevor Booker did snatch down nine boards, he went 0 - of - 5 from the field to score just two points. On deck for the Nets is a road matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday. Orlando (12 - 16) had lost six - straight home games coming into this matchup, so to say this win was needed would be a drastic understatement. Nikola Vucevic made his return from a back injury to drop 21 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three blocks off the bench. Evan Fournier also scored 21 points, adding four rebounds to his tally. Serge Ibaka may have been the most valuable player though, as he accumulated 18 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks in the victory. D.J. Augustin recorded 17 points, six rebounds and four assists as the starting point guard. Orlando will host the Toronto Raptors on Sunday for their next game."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Rockets": "40"}, "Turnovers": {"Rockets": "16"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "16"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Kings": "25"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Kings": "31"}}, {}], "Houston's 16 turnovers per game is one of the highest marks in the NBA this year, but they have been so effective with their ball movement and assist numbers that it has n't really mattered. Wednesday's team performance was the perfect example. As a team, the Rockets had 16 turnovers against Sacramento, a number that lines up with their 16 per game average. However, they also managed an unbelievable 40 assists as a team, a mark that is 15 points over their average of 25 per game and an entire nine assists higher than the Warrior's league - leading 31 per game. So, while Houston does have the fifth highest turnovers per game in the NBA this season, they happen to be ranked 15th in the assist to turnover ratio, making their fast - paced play and mistakes that come along with it completely worth it."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "53", "Heat": "39"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "51", "Heat": "53"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "14", "Heat": "24"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "117", "Heat": "114"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "20", "Heat": "10"}}, {"Assists": {"Justise Winslow": "6", "Josh Richardson": "8", "Tyler Johnson": "6", "James Johnson": "6", "Al Horford": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Justise Winslow": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "1", "Tyler Johnson": "1"}, "Points": {"Justise Winslow": "11", "Hassan Whiteside": "11", "Josh Richardson": "19", "Tyler Johnson": "19", "James Johnson": "22", "Wayne Ellington": "14", "Al Horford": "21", "Isaiah Thomas": "52"}, "Rebounds": {"Justise Winslow": "9", "Hassan Whiteside": "8", "Josh Richardson": "6", "Tyler Johnson": "4", "James Johnson": "3", "Al Horford": "6"}, "Steals": {"Josh Richardson": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Al Horford": "12", "Isaiah Thomas": "26"}, "Field goals made": {"Al Horford": "8", "Isaiah Thomas": "15"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "13"}, "3-pointers made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "9"}}], "The Boston Celtics defeated the Miami Heat, 117 - 114, at TD Garden on Friday. Boston were expected to win this game rather easily, but the Heat gave them a run for their money. There were 12 ties and 18 lead changes in total, as neither squad led by more than eight points. Both offenses were impressive, as Boston shot 51 percent, while Miami shot 53 percent. It was three - point shooting and free - throw shooting that decided the game, with the Celtics going 83 percent (24 - of - 29) from the free - throw line and 53 percent (17 - of - 32) from long distance. The Heat went just 70 percent (7 - of - 10) from the charity stripe and 39 percent from three (11 - of - 28) on their end. Miami (10 - 24) have made a habit of losing close games throughout the season, as this marks their 22nd loss by 12 points or less. Josh Richardson stepped up in the absence of Goran Dragic though, as he led the starters with 19 points, six rebounds, eight assists and four steals. The bench is what kept the Heat hanging around, as Wayne Ellington, James Johnson and Tyler Johnson all scored at least 14 points. Tyler Johnson finished the game with 19 points, four rebounds and six assists, while James Johnson led the team with 22 points, three rebounds and six assists. Justise Winslow accumulated 11 points, nine rebounds and six assists of his own. Hassan Whiteside's recent struggles continued, as he totaled just 11 points, eight rebounds and one block in the loss. Miami will return to action on Sunday versus the Detroit Pistons. Boston (20 - 14) have gotten a career year out of Isaiah Thomas this season and they got a career night out of him in this win. Thomas dropped a career - high 52 points, with 27 of those coming in the fourth quarter. Strangely, he failed to provide an assist, but he went 15 - of - 26 from the field and 9 - of - 13 from three - point range in his historic night. Al Horford was the only other player in double figures, as he accrued 21 points, six rebounds and four assists on 8 - of - 12 shooting. No other player on the roster had more than nine points, five rebounds or five assists. The Celtics will be off until Tuesday, when they play the Utah Jazz for their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "44"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "78", "Bulls": "89"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Heat": "33", "Bulls": "12"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Heat": "8", "Bulls": "33"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Heat": "19"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "35"}}, {"Assists": {"Pau Gasol": "1", "Tony Snell": "1", "Derrick Rose": "2", "Goran Dragic": "1", "Michael Beasley": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Pau Gasol": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "1", "Goran Dragic": "1", "Michael Beasley": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Pau Gasol": "17", "Tony Snell": "8", "Derrick Rose": "15", "Hassan Whiteside": "15", "Goran Dragic": "16", "Michael Beasley": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Pau Gasol": "8", "Tony Snell": "2", "Derrick Rose": "5", "Hassan Whiteside": "9", "Goran Dragic": "7", "Michael Beasley": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Pau Gasol": "34", "Tony Snell": "38", "Derrick Rose": "20", "Hassan Whiteside": "38", "Goran Dragic": "33", "Michael Beasley": "19"}, "Points": {"Pau Gasol": "16", "Tony Snell": "7", "Derrick Rose": "12", "Hassan Whiteside": "19", "Goran Dragic": "15", "Michael Beasley": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "15", "Tony Snell": "5", "Derrick Rose": "4", "Hassan Whiteside": "16", "Goran Dragic": "2", "Michael Beasley": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Tony Snell": "3", "Derrick Rose": "3", "Goran Dragic": "4", "Michael Beasley": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tony Snell": "1", "Derrick Rose": "0", "Goran Dragic": "1", "Michael Beasley": "3"}}], "The Bulls (46 - 32) defeated the Heat (35 - 44) 89 - 78 at the AmericanAirlines Arena on Thursday. The Heat were firing on all cylinders in the second quarter, outscoring the Bulls 33 - 12. They went into halftime with a 19 - point lead. But the Bulls turned the tables in the third quarter, outscoring the Heat 33 - 8. The Bulls entered the fourth quarter up six points and maintained a comfortable lead for the rest of the game. Pau Gasol was Chicago\u2019s leading scorer with 16 points (8 - 17 FG), to go with 15 rebounds, one assist and one block in 34 minutes. In his second game back and under a minutes restriction, Derrick Rose had 12 points (5 - 15 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt), four rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes. Tony Snell filled in for Jimmy Butler (calf) and scored seven points (2 - 8 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt), to go with five rebounds and one assist in 38 minutes. Hassan Whiteside led the Heat in scoring with 19 points (9 - 15 FG), to go with 16 rebounds and one block in 38 minutes. Goran Dragic had 15 points (7 - 16 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt), two rebounds, one assist and one block in 33 minutes. Michael Beasley contributed 13 points (5 - 8 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt), two rebounds, one assist and one block in 19 minutes off the bench. This is a particularly painful loss for the Heat, one they probably ca n't afford with only three games remaining on their schedule. They\u2019re 2 games behind the eighth place Nets in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls are sitting pretty at third in the East, trying to maintain home - court advantage. The Bulls have won the season series with the Heat 2 - 1."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "7", "Bucks": "11"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "87", "Bucks": "82"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hornets": "23", "Bucks": "9"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "10", "Bucks": "6"}}, {"Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "3"}, "Points": {"Kemba Walker": "22"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (10 - 7) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (6 - 11) 87 - 82 on Sunday. This was a sloppier game than expected, as the two team's combined to shoot under 40 percent from the field. The second quarter was when the tide turned, as the Hornets outscored the Bucks 23 - 9 in that 12 - minute stretch. Charlotte is now 8 - 2 at home and Milwaukee is now 2 - 7 on the road and these are two teams going in opposite directions right now. The Bucks have been playing poorly lately and that continued on Sunday. The team shot just 57 percent from the free - throw line and the bench amassed just 15 total points. Milwaukee has now lost eight of their last 10 and they are starting to look like a bad team. The good news is that the defense has been the problem all year and that really wasn\u2019t the issue today. The Bucks will look to bounce - back against the Denver Nuggets on Monday. The Hornets are one of the hottest teams in the NBA and they showed why on Sunday. They didn\u2019t play well, but knuckled down defensively to pick up an impressive win. The team was led by Kemba Walker, who tallied 22 points and three assists in the victory. After losing their first three games, Charlotte has now won 10 of their last 14 games and are steadily moving up the Eastern Conference standings. They'll have their biggest test of the season in their next game, when they take on the undefeated Golden State Warriors on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "1", "76ers": "9"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "88", "76ers": "87"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Rockets": "25", "76ers": "19"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "8", "76ers": "0"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"76ers": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Tony Wroten": "8", "James Harden": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Tony Wroten": "6", "James Harden": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tony Wroten": "2", "James Harden": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tony Wroten": "16", "Dwight Howard": "14", "James Harden": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Tony Wroten": "7", "Dwight Howard": "9", "James Harden": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tony Wroten": "6", "Dwight Howard": "12", "James Harden": "16"}, "Free throws made": {"Tony Wroten": "3", "Dwight Howard": "3", "James Harden": "14"}, "Points": {"Tony Wroten": "19", "Dwight Howard": "21", "James Harden": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"Tony Wroten": "4", "Dwight Howard": "16", "James Harden": "6"}, "Steals": {"Tony Wroten": "1", "James Harden": "3"}, "Blocks": {"James Harden": "1"}}], "The Houston Rockets (8 - 1) took down the Philadelphia 76ers (0 - 9) 88 - 87 at the Toyota Center on Friday night. Close, but no cigar for the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers were looking to grab their first win of the season, and nearly did so, losing by one to the Rockets. Philadelphia got a big game from Tony Wroten with 19 points (7 - 16 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 3 - 6 FT) to go with eight assists, four rebounds and one steal. The key for Philadelphia on Friday was simply being balanced across the board though, as 10 players scored. They rebounded the ball well and everyone did their part. Unfortunately, they could n't overcome a fourth quarter run by the Rockets, as they were outscored 25 - 19 in the final quarter. Philadelphia will get the rest of the weekend off before heading to San Antonio to take on the Spurs. The Rockets got a huge game from James Harden, as he scored 35 points (10 - 24 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 14 - 16 FT) to go with seven assists, six rebounds, three steals and one block. He literally did everything for this team, and the Rockets only saw three players score in double figures on Friday. Dwight Howard had a nice game as well, posting a double - double with 21 points (9 - 14 FG, 3 - 12 FT) and 16 rebounds. Houston has been very impressive this year, and they look like a serious contender. The Rockets will get Saturday off, and they head to Oklahoma City to take on the Thunder on Sunday."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hawks": "35"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"James Harden": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"James Harden": "37", "KJ McDaniels": "19"}, "Points": {"James Harden": "30", "KJ McDaniels": "13", "Kent Bazemore": "20", "Paul Millsap": "23", "Dwight Howard": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "9", "Paul Millsap": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"KJ McDaniels": "6", "Kent Bazemore": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"KJ McDaniels": "5", "Kent Bazemore": "7"}}], "The Rockets gave up 25 turnovers, which translated into 35 points for the Hawks. They were also heavily out - scored in the paint, 62 - 46. Houston was limited to only 13 free throw attempts, seven of them by James Harden. Harden continued his solid point guard play, with another near - triple - double, consisting of 30 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds, in 37 minutes. Houston's next highest scorer was K.J. McDaniels, who finished with 13 points, on 5 - of - 6 shooting, in 19 minutes off the bench. The Hawks were led by Dwight Howard, who was huge against his old team. Howard finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Two other players scored at least 20 points for the Hawks, including Paul Millsap, who double - doubled with 23 points and 11 rebounds and Kent Bazemore, who added 20 points on 7 - of - 12 shooting. The Hawks bench only contributed 22 points."], [[{"Total points": {"Thunder": "113", "Pelicans": "116"}, "Turnovers": {"Pelicans": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "2", "Tyreke Evans": "1", "Kevin Durant": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "Tyreke Evans": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "41", "Tyreke Evans": "22", "Ryan Anderson": "17", "Quincy Pondexter": "15", "Kevin Durant": "27", "Serge Ibaka": "10", "Steven Adams": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "48"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "9"}, "Turnovers": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Tyreke Evans": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tyreke Evans": "17", "Kevin Durant": "26"}, "Steals": {"Tyreke Evans": "1", "Steven Adams": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Quincy Pondexter": "3", "Kevin Durant": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "15"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Serge Ibaka": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "15"}, "Free throws made": {"Steven Adams": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "15"}, "Minutes played": {"Russell Westbrook": "40"}}], "Anthony Davis hit a contested three - pointer as time expired, and the Pelicans knocked off the Thunder 116 - 113 in Oklahoma City on Friday. With the Thunder trailing by one with nine seconds to play, Kevin Durant missed a pull - up jumper and Tyreke Evans came down with the board. In an effort to run time off the clock, Evans attempted to throw the ball into the backcourt, but Durant picked off the heave. He\u2019d miss a floater in the lane, and Davis brought down the rebound and went to the free throw line with less than three second remaining. Davis hit both free throws, putting New Orleans up 113 - 110. On the ensuing Thunder possession, Russell Westbrook caught the inbounds pass and was fouled on a three - point attempt by Quincy Pondexter. Westbrook hit all three free throws, tying the game with 2 seconds remaining. The Pelicans called timeout to advance the ball, and inbounded to Davis, who double - clutched at the top of the key and drilled a three with two defenders in the vicinity. Davis finished with 41 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks, helping the Pelicans avenge Wednesday\u2019s loss to Oklahoma City. Evans added 22 points for New Orleans, while Ryan Anderson had 17 off the bench. Pondexter finished with 15 points, including three three - pointers. Westbrook led the way for Oklahoma City, going for 48 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds in 40 minutes. Westbrook, who had 45 points in Wednesday\u2019s win, made all 15 of his free throws and committed only three turnovers. Kevin Durant struggled mightily in his return from a toe sprain, scoring 27 points on 9 - of - 26 shooting (3 - 10 3Pt). Serge Ibaka and Steven Adams each added 10 points for the Thunder, who now trail the Pelicans by two games in the Western Conference standings."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Rudy Gobert": "3", "George Hill": "8", "Ty Lawson": "5", "Darren Collison": "5"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "23", "Rudy Gobert": "16", "Rodney Hood": "28", "George Hill": "15", "Kosta Koufos": "12", "Ty Lawson": "19", "Darren Collison": "18"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "3"}, "Steals": {"Rudy Gobert": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Rodney Hood": "4", "George Hill": "5", "Kosta Koufos": "10", "Ty Lawson": "4", "Darren Collison": "3"}}], "Despite the Kings leading for nearly 45 minutes of this game, the Jazz were able to prevail in overtime. Rudy Gobert was the hero, as he tipped in an air - ball at the buzzer to win by one. Utah made their presence felt down low, as they won the rebounding differential, 46 - 37 and outscored them in the paint, 46 - 38. Gobert was a monster all night, as he accrued 16 points, 24 rebounds, three assists and three blocks. Gordon Hayward finished second on the team with 23 points, five rebounds and five assists. Rodney Hood led the team in scoring by dropping 28 points, as George Hill provided 15 points, five rebounds and eight assists. Ty Lawson led Sacramento, as he accumulated 19 points, four rebounds and five assists. Darren Collison finished with 18 points, three rebounds and five assists. Kosta Koufos recorded a 12 - point, 10 - rebound double - double."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "54"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "27", "Celtics": "24"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "111", "Celtics": "93"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "27", "Celtics": "32"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Celtics": "25"}}, {"Points": {"Jae Crowder": "17", "Avery Bradley": "12", "Isaiah Thomas": "25", "Evan Turner": "10", "Gordon Hayward": "22", "Derrick Favors": "23", "Rudy Gobert": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Avery Bradley": "12", "Isaiah Thomas": "19", "Gordon Hayward": "16", "Derrick Favors": "14"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "6", "Gordon Hayward": "4", "Derrick Favors": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "6", "Gordon Hayward": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "2", "Gordon Hayward": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "7", "Gordon Hayward": "6", "Derrick Favors": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "10", "Derrick Favors": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "9", "Derrick Favors": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Isaiah Thomas": "2", "Gordon Hayward": "3", "Derrick Favors": "10", "Rudy Gobert": "15"}, "Blocks": {"Derrick Favors": "3", "Rudy Gobert": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Rudy Gobert": "33"}}], "The Utah Jazz (27 - 27) defeated the visiting Boston Celtics (32 - 24) 111 - 93, Friday night at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Despite the Celtics averaging almost 110 points in their last 19 games, the Jazz held the high - octane Boston offense to only 93 points. Utah's recent resurgence has been in large part thanks to their defense and that is exactly what got them the win in this one. The Jazz have now won eight of their last 10 games and sit just outside of the top - eight in the West. This game featured eight lead changes in the first quarter, before Utah took the lead for good. The Jazz won every quarter, as they quieted every Boston counter. All five starters scored in double digits for the Jazz. Derrick Favors led the way in scoring for the Jazz and tallied a double - double, with 23 points (9 - 14 FG, 5 - 5 FT) and 10 rebounds, along with six assists and three blocked shots. Gordon Hayward struggled shooting but still tallied 22 points (6 - 16 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt, 9 - 15 FG), along with four assists and three rebounds. Rudy Gobert double - doubled with 11 points and a monstrous 15 rebounds, and also tallied four blocks, in 33 minutes. As a team the Jazz shot 54 percent from the field, 43 percent from deep and were plus - 17 on the glass. All-star Isaiah Thomas led the Celtics in scoring as he tallied a game - high 25 points (7 - 19 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 9 - 10 FT), along with six assists and two rebounds. Jae Crowder chipped in 17 points, while Avery Bradley chipped in 12. The only other player to reach double digits in the scoring column for Boston was Evan Turner with 10. The Celtics were missing Kelly Olynyk's contribution off the bench as he sat out with a strained shoulder. They also fouled a lot, leading to 44 free throw attempts for Utah. With this loss Boston's position at third in the East becomes vulnerable, as they came in only 2 games ahead of fourth and fifth. The Celtics will now head to Denver to face the Nuggets on Sunday. The Jazz will be in Portland on Sunday to face off against the Trail Blazers."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Tyler Johnson": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Tyler Johnson": "7"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Tyler Johnson": "54"}, "Points": {"Tyler Johnson": "23"}}], "Heads were turned when Tyler Johnson signed four - year, $50 million contract this offseason, but so far this year, he has lived up to that payday, and his performance Thursday night was yet another example. On a night where the Heat starters were struggling to produce, Johnson came off the bench to score 23 points on 7 - of - 13 shooting from the field, which included hitting both of his 3 - point attempts. Thursday was Johnson's second 23 - point performance in January and his 15th straight game with double - digit scoring - - a streak that started with an incredible 32 - point performance against Orlando back in December. And while Johnson did shoot 54 percent from the field against Dallas, he has not been as consistent in that regard, as he is shooting just 43 percent from the field overall so far this season."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "3", "Kings": "6"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "102", "Kings": "89"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Rockets": "25", "Kings": "16"}, "Turnovers": {"Rockets": "4"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "12", "Kings": "9"}}, {"Points": {"Omri Casspi": "14", "DeMarcus Cousins": "29", "Ben McLemore": "14", "Ramon Sessions": "8", "Donatas Motiejunas": "21", "James Harden": "26", "Isaiah Canaan": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Omri Casspi": "7", "DeMarcus Cousins": "17", "Donatas Motiejunas": "6", "James Harden": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Ben McLemore": "9", "Donatas Motiejunas": "2", "James Harden": "9", "Isaiah Canaan": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ben McLemore": "2", "Donatas Motiejunas": "1", "James Harden": "2", "Isaiah Canaan": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ben McLemore": "17", "Donatas Motiejunas": "15", "James Harden": "31", "Isaiah Canaan": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Ben McLemore": "6", "Donatas Motiejunas": "10", "James Harden": "10", "Isaiah Canaan": "9"}, "Turnovers": {"Ramon Sessions": "5"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "8"}}], "The Houston Rockets (12 - 3) defeated the Sacramento Kings (9 - 6) 102 - 89 on Wednesday at the Toyota Center in Houston. At the end of the third quarter, this was a tight game as the Rockets led by only four points. The Rockets were able to go on a run in the fourth quarter though, as they out - scored the Kings 25 - 16 to seal the victory at home. The Kings also were forced into a brutal 21 turnovers compared to only four from the Rockets, so that very well could have been the difference in this one. The Rockets were again led by their superstar James Harden. Harden was able to shoot 10 - for - 31 from the field and 2 - for - 9 from the three - point line to score 26 points, while also grabbing seven rebounds and handing out eight assists. With Patrick Beverley still sitting out with an injury, Isaiah Canaan took advantage of the start. He finished with 24 points, as he shot 9 - for - 16 from the field and 6 - for - 10 from the three - point line. Donatas Motiejunas was also in the starting lineup as an injury fill - in, with Terrence Jones sitting out. Motiejunas played well and was the third Rocket to reach the 20 - point mark as he sored 21 points (10 - 15 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt) and pulled in six rebounds. Despite the victory, the Rockets' bench did n't offer much help Wednesday, considering they only contributed 16 of the 102 points. DeMarcus Cousins continued his spectacular season Wednesday. He finished the game with 29 points and 17 rebounds. It was his eigth straight double - double and and twelth on the year. With Rudy Gay still out with an Achilles injury, Omri Casspi filled in again and socred 14 points, while also contributing seven rebounds. Ben McLemore was the only other King in double figures for scoring, as he shot 6 - for - 17 from the field and 2 - for - 9 from beyond he arc to score 14 points of his own. Ramon Sessions started in place of Darren Collison at the point, but did n't contributed much as he finished with only eight points and five turnovers. The Rockets' next game will be at home against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday, while the Kings will travel to San Antonio to play the Spurs on Friday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Pistons": "17", "Grizzlies": "25"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "26"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "36"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "17"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "86", "Grizzlies": "98"}, "Turnovers": {"Pistons": "17", "Grizzlies": "8"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "14"}}, {"Points": {"JaMychal Green": "10", "Marc Gasol": "38", "Marcus Morris": "12", "Andre Drummond": "13", "Reggie Jackson": "18", "Jon Leuer": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"JaMychal Green": "9", "Marc Gasol": "5", "Marcus Morris": "5", "Andre Drummond": "19"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Marc Gasol": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "17", "Marcus Morris": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Marc Gasol": "14", "Marcus Morris": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Marc Gasol": "8"}, "Steals": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the host Detroit Pistons, 98 - 86, at Palace of Auburn Hills on Wednesday. These are two defensive - minded teams and that showed with both of these offense struggling mightily in this matchup. Detroit was especially bad, as they shot 36 percent from the field and 26 percent from three - point range. The key for Memphis was the assist - to - turnover ratio, as they recorded 25 assists to just eight turnovers, while the Pistons committed 17 turnovers to just 17 assists. This was a near wire - to - wire win for the Grizzlies, as the Pistons never tied or led after the first quarter. Memphis (18 - 13) came into this game losing four of their last five, so a road win is just what the doctor ordered. Marc Gasol was easily the player of the game, as he tallied 38 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks on 14 - of - 17 shooting. In fact, Gasol was the only Memphis player to score more than 10 points, as they had eight players score between five and 10 points. JaMychal Green was the only other player in double figures, as he amassed 10 points and nine rebounds in the win. Andrew Harrison and Mike Conley played all the point guard minutes and combined for 18 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists. On deck for Memphis is a home matchup against the Houston Rockets on Friday. Detroit (14 - 17) is in the midst of their worst stretch of the season and this marks their fourth - straight loss by at least 12 points. Reggie Jackson left in the first three minutes due to a leg injury, but returned to drop a team - high 18 points and seven assists in the defeat. Jon Leuer matched that 18 - point total, as he added six rebounds off the bench. Andre Drummond recorded a double - double, totaling 13 points and 19 rebounds. Marcus Morris did score 12 points and grab five rebounds, but went just 1 - of - 11 from the field. Detroit will look to get out of this slide on Friday in a tough matchup against the Golden State Warriors."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "18", "Trail Blazers": "20"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "94", "Trail Blazers": "98"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "12", "Trail Blazers": "13"}}, {"Points": {"Allen Crabbe": "10", "CJ McCollum": "35", "Meyers Leonard": "16", "Maurice Harkless": "13", "Omri Casspi": "14", "DeMarcus Cousins": "36", "Rajon Rondo": "9", "Darren Collison": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Allen Crabbe": "5", "CJ McCollum": "11", "Meyers Leonard": "11", "DeMarcus Cousins": "6"}, "Assists": {"CJ McCollum": "9", "DeMarcus Cousins": "2", "Rajon Rondo": "15"}, "Field goals attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "28", "DeMarcus Cousins": "26"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ McCollum": "14", "DeMarcus Cousins": "12"}, "Steals": {"CJ McCollum": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Maurice Harkless": "33"}, "Turnovers": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "5", "Rajon Rondo": "8"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (13 - 20) defeated the Sacramento Kings (12 - 18) 98 - 94 on Sunday. Damian LIllard (foot) sat out a fourth consecutive game, but the all star point guard was not needed, as the Blazers won the second game of a difficult back - to - back. Coming off a blowout performance against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday, Portland turned to C.J. McCollum to carry the weight at Sleep Train Arena. McCollum fell one assist shy of a triple - double and rounded out the box score to the tune of 35 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists and four steals on 14 - of - 28 shooting. Allen Crabbe started in the backcourt alongside McCollum and added 10 points and five rebounds. The Portland bench made up for a weak starting frontcourt, with Meyers Leonard pitching in 16 points and 11 rebounds (his first double - double of the season) and Maurice Harkless adding 13 points in 33 minutes. Portland will look to make it three straight wins when they host the Denver Nuggets (12 - 19) on Wednesday. DeMarcus Cousins led all scorers with 36 points, to go along with six rebounds and two assists on 12 - of - 26 shooting. Cousins committed five turnovers in the losing effort, while point guard Rajon Rondo added eight turnovers of his own. The turnovers proved detrimental to the Kings, especially out of their two star players, as they slipped up midway through the fourth quarter, sparking the Blazers to take the lead. Rondo added nine points and 15 assists. Omri Casspi and Darren Collison were the only other Kings\u2019 to finish in double figures, with 14 points and 10 points, respectively. Sacramento will take the short trip to visit the Golden State Warriors (28 - 1) on Monday."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Lakers": "30"}, "Number of team assists": {"Nuggets": "29"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "57"}}, {"Blocks": {"Nikola Jokic": "3"}, "Points": {"Nikola Jokic": "29", "Will Barton": "26", "D'Angelo Russell": "5", "Jordan Clarkson": "19", "Lou Williams": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Jokic": "15"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Will Barton": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Will Barton": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Julius Randle": "8", "D'Angelo Russell": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Julius Randle": "2", "D'Angelo Russell": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Julius Randle": "5"}, "Assists": {"D'Angelo Russell": "3"}}], "Sophomore big man Nikola Jokic has showed no sign of slowing down for the Denver Nuggets. Fresh off a career - high 30 points against Orlando, Jokic scored 29 to go with 15 rebounds and three blocks on Tuesday in Los Angeles. Denver's offense was in top form on Tuesday, shooting a whopping 57 percent from the field and dishing out 29 assists. Eight of the assists came from versatile wing Will Barton, who stepped into the starting lineup in place of an injured Gary Harris. Barton added 26 points while shooting a perfect 5 - of - 5 on three - point attempts. For the Lakers, it was a big night for the bench. Four bench players scored in double digits, including 24 points from sixth man Lou Williams. Guard Jordan Clarkson added 19 points despite being questionable to play in the game due to an ankle injury. However, the starting five struggled. Forward Julius Randle shot only 2 - of - 8 and committed five turnovers, while point guard D'Angelo Russell had only 5 points and three assists while shooting 2 - of - 9."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Cavaliers": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "41"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "8", "Bulls": "18"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "94", "Bulls": "106"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "26", "Bulls": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "8", "LeBron James": "7", "Jordan McRae": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jimmy Butler": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jimmy Butler": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Jimmy Butler": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jimmy Butler": "3"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "20", "Taj Gibson": "18", "LeBron James": "31", "Channing Frye": "15", "Jordan McRae": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "6", "Taj Gibson": "7", "LeBron James": "8", "Channing Frye": "5", "Jordan McRae": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Taj Gibson": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Taj Gibson": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Jordan McRae": "2"}}], "The Chicago Bulls defeated the host Cleveland Cavaliers, 106 - 94, at Quicken Loans Arena on Wednesday. This marks Cleveland's third home loss of the season, as they did n't have enough in the arsenal to pull out a win. They really struggled late, as they made just one shot over the final six - plus minutes. Defense carried Chicago all night long, as they held Cleveland to 41 percent from the field and 32 percent from three - point range. The assist - to - turnover ratio was decisive as well, with the Bulls recording 10 more assists than the Cavaliers, while committing two less turnovers. The Bulls (18 - 18) have been playing terribly recently, but a road win against the Cavaliers is just what they need to get going. Jimmy Butler struggled through the first three quarters, but finished the game with 20 points, six rebounds and eight assists, with 14 of those points coming in the fourth quarter. Taj Gibson went 9 - of - 10 from the field to collect 18 points and seven rebounds. Doug McDermott and Nikola Mirotic came off the bench to combine for 33 points and 10 rebounds. Chicago will host the Toronto Bulls for their next game on Saturday. The Cavaliers (26 - 8) had to play this game without Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving, as they simply did n't have enough in the tank to beat a hungry Bulls team. LeBron James had to carry the load, as he led the team with 31 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Jordan McRae got the start for Irving and accrued 21 points, three rebounds, two assists and two blocks in the loss. Channing Frye was the only other starter with more than two points, as he amassed 15 points and five rebounds. Cleveland should fair better in their next game, as they take on the struggling Brooklyn Nets on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "3", "Clippers": "3"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "96", "Clippers": "102"}, "Turnovers": {"Spurs": "13"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "3", "Clippers": "3"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Blake Griffin": "41"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "26", "DeAndre Jordan": "15", "Chris Paul": "19", "Kawhi Leonard": "12", "Marco Belinelli": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "12", "DeAndre Jordan": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3", "Marco Belinelli": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Boris Diaw": "1", "Marco Belinelli": "7"}, "Steals": {"Boris Diaw": "1", "Marco Belinelli": "1"}, "Assists": {"Marco Belinelli": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Marco Belinelli": "11"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (3 - 3) held on to defeat the San Antonio Spurs (3 - 3), 102 - 96, in Game 6 on Thursday at the AT & T Center. With their season on the line, the Clippers were able to hold off the Spurs on the road to force Game 7 on Saturday. Offensive basket interference helped seal the win for the Spurs in Game 5, but that same infraction helped the Clippers finish with the victory Thursday. Boris Diaw interfered on a three - point attempt from Marco Belinelli that would have cut San Antonio's deficit to one point with one second remaining, all but extinguishing its chances to complete the comeback. The Clippers were led once again by Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. Paul finished with 19 points and 15 rebounds while Griffin had 26 points and 12 rebounds. Game 7 will take place Saturday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Los Angeles faced elimination in Game 6 after taking a tough four - point loss at home Tuesday, but managed to extend the series to a definitive Game 7. In addition to Paul and Griffin's big outings, DeAndre Jordan posted a double - double with 15 points and 14 rebounds. The Clippers' bench took a potential hit, however, as Glen Davis exited the game with a left ankle sprain and did not return. If he is unable to go for Game 7, Blake Griffin will have to log heavy minutes once again after playing 41 minutes Thursday. San Antonio committed 13 turnovers and no starter scored more than 12 points. Rising star Kawhi Leonard had a tough night shooting, going 3 - for - 15 from the floor and finished with 12 points. Marco Belinelli helped keep the Spurs' chances alive with 23 points. Belinelli hit seven of his 11 attempts from three point range, which helped prevent the Clippers from pulling away down the stretch. The Spurs will have to win on the road in Game 7 in order to advance, but have won two of their three road games in this series."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "50", "Kings": "53"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "122", "Kings": "111"}, "Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "18", "Kings": "20"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "30", "Kings": "27"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Kings": "28"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "51"}}, {"Assists": {"Omri Casspi": "7", "Ben McLemore": "7", "Ray McCallum": "3", "Wilson Chandler": "4", "Randy Foye": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Omri Casspi": "3", "Ben McLemore": "5", "Ray McCallum": "2", "Wilson Chandler": "6", "Randy Foye": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Omri Casspi": "1", "Ben McLemore": "2", "Ray McCallum": "1", "Wilson Chandler": "3", "Randy Foye": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Omri Casspi": "13", "Ben McLemore": "12", "Ray McCallum": "10", "Wilson Chandler": "15", "Kenneth Faried": "14", "Randy Foye": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Omri Casspi": "8", "Ben McLemore": "6", "Ray McCallum": "6", "Wilson Chandler": "8", "Kenneth Faried": "12", "Randy Foye": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Omri Casspi": "8", "Ben McLemore": "8", "Ray McCallum": "2", "Wilson Chandler": "2", "Kenneth Faried": "8", "Randy Foye": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Omri Casspi": "5", "Ben McLemore": "6", "Ray McCallum": "1", "Wilson Chandler": "2", "Kenneth Faried": "6", "Randy Foye": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"Omri Casspi": "4", "Ben McLemore": "3", "Kenneth Faried": "4", "Randy Foye": "3"}, "Points": {"Omri Casspi": "22", "Ben McLemore": "20", "Ray McCallum": "14", "Wilson Chandler": "21", "Kenneth Faried": "30", "Randy Foye": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Omri Casspi": "7", "Wilson Chandler": "9", "Kenneth Faried": "7"}, "Turnovers": {"Omri Casspi": "4", "Ben McLemore": "4", "Kenneth Faried": "3", "Randy Foye": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Ben McLemore": "4", "Ray McCallum": "2", "Kenneth Faried": "4"}, "Steals": {"Ben McLemore": "4", "Wilson Chandler": "3", "Kenneth Faried": "3", "Randy Foye": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kenneth Faried": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Randy Foye": "29"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (30 - 50) defeated the Sacramento Kings (27 - 53) 122 - 111 on Sunday at the Pepsi Center in Denver. The Nuggets finished as the superior shooters in this game, going 56 percent from the field and 36 percent from the three - point line, while the Kings went 51 percent from the floor and just 28 percent from deep. The Nuggets also came out with the advantage on the boards, out - rebounding the Kings 43 - 32. While it was a high scoring game, both teams were quite sloppy with the ball, as the Nuggets recorded 18 turnovers and the Kings finished with 20. Kenneth Faried had another excellent showing as the Nuggets continued to use their small lineup with him at the center position. Faried went an impressive 12 - for - 14 from the field and 6 - for - 8 from the free throw line to score a game - high of 30 points, while also chipping in with seven rebounds and three steals. He's really picked up his play of late and is averaging 24 points and 6 rebounds over his last three games. Wilson Chandler also did his part in the win as well and finished with 21 points (8 - 15 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), nine rebounds and three steals. He's put in two solid performances in a row now, combining for 41 points and 20 rebounds during that stretch. He's now averaging 14 points and 6 rebounds on the year. Despite struggling with his shot, Randy Foye still posted 16 points (3 - 11 FG, 3 - 9 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT) and two steals over 29 minutes. He has shot below 40 percent from the field in three of his last four games, so he'll look to build on those percentages with the regular season winding down. With scoring leaders DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay still sitting out, it was Ben McLemore and Omri Casspi who did the bulk of the work offensively. Casspi nearly triple - doubled with 22 points (8 - 13 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 8 FT), seven rebounds and seven assists, while McLemore finished with 20 points (6 - 12 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 6 - 8 FT), seven assists and four steals. Casspi has taken it on himself to make up for the Kings' injury issues of late, as he's now averaging 21 points and 6 rebounds over his last four games. McLemore has struggled with his consistency all season long, so it's also a very positive sign for the Kings that he's recorded three solid performances in a row. Ray McCallum shot the ball well Sunday, going 6 - for - 10 from the field and 1 - for - 2 from the three - point line to score 14 points, while also adding three assists. He's been on fire the last two games, combining to go 14 - for - 21 from from the field and 2 - for - 4 from deep during that span. The Nuggets' next game will be on the road against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday, while the Kings will be at home against the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "48", "Bucks": "37"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "20", "Bucks": "28"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "103", "Bucks": "83"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "27", "Bucks": "20"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bucks": "21"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bucks": "21"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10", "Khris Middleton": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Khris Middleton": "6"}, "Points": {"Greg Monroe": "21", "Marc Gasol": "15", "Jeff Green": "21"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "8"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (27 - 20) earned an emphatic 103 - 83 victory over the visiting Milwaukee Bucks (20 - 28) at FedEx Forum on Thursday. The Grizzlies have sat comfortably at fifth in the Western Conference for the majority of the season, and Thursday's win only solidifies the team's spot in the rankings. Memphis's reputation as a grind - it - out defensive team came to fruition against the Bucks, as they held Milwaukee to a platry 37 percent from the field. On offense, however, Memphis shot a respectable 48 percent. Sixth man Jeff Green delivered a 21 - point spark off the bench, while center Marc Gasol notched 15 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. Milwaukee's loss puts the team even further outside the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference. While center Greg Monroe posted a much - needed 21 points, the rest of the Bucks simply could not find the basket: Giannis Antetokounmpo went just 2 of 10 from the field, while Khris Middleton shot 6 for 18 on the night. The team's scoring troubles were compounded by their inability to hit from deep; Milwaukee hit just one three - pointer on the night. The Bucks face the second half of a back - to - back on Friday, as they return home to host the Miami Heat. Memphis, meanwhile, sees action Sunday against the surging Sacramento Kings."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "2", "Thaddeus Young": "3", "Jeff Teague": "7", "George Hill": "5"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "19", "Thaddeus Young": "19", "Myles Turner": "13", "Jeff Teague": "19", "Monta Ellis": "15", "Gordon Hayward": "27", "Rudy Gobert": "19", "George Hill": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "4", "Thaddeus Young": "9", "Jeff Teague": "4", "Rudy Gobert": "11", "George Hill": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Myles Turner": "33", "Monta Ellis": "33", "George Hill": "34"}, "Steals": {"Jeff Teague": "3", "George Hill": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Monta Ellis": "10", "Gordon Hayward": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Monta Ellis": "6", "Gordon Hayward": "8"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"George Hill": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"George Hill": "1"}}], "Thaddeus Young, Paul George and Jeff Teague all scored a team - high 19 points, but the Pacers needed something more, as they fell short in Utah. Young added nine rebounds and three assists; Teague added seven assists, four rebounds and three steals; and George added four rebounds and two assists. Monta Ellis chipped in 15 points on 6 - of - 10 shooting, in 33 minutes off the bench, while the only other player to score in double digits was Myles Turner, who chipped in 13 points. Meanwhile, a few big performances lifted the Jazz in this one, including a game - high 30 points from George Hill, to go along with six rebounds and five assists, in 34 minutes. Gordon Hayward followed up with 27 points on 8 - of - 13 shooting, while Rudy Gobert did his job, with 19 points and 11 rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "3", "Nuggets": "3"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "107", "Nuggets": "123"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Celtics": "23", "Nuggets": "42"}, "Rebounds": {"Celtics": "39", "Nuggets": "47"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "3", "Nuggets": "3"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "52"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Gary Harris": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Gary Harris": "5"}, "Points": {"Gary Harris": "12", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "30", "Isaiah Thomas": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "8"}}], "The Denver Nuggets annihilated the host Boston Celtics on their home court, 123 - 107. Denver (3 - 3) came out strong, finishing the first quarter with a 42 - 23 lead. Sophomore point guard Emmanuel Mudiay, who had been struggling, scored 24 points in the first quarter alone, while shooting 9 - of - 10 from the field. Mudiay finished with a career - high 30 points, also grabbing eight rebounds. Denver entered the game with the highest rebounding differential of any team (12), and continued the trend, holding a 47 - 39 advantage on the boards. Guard Gary Harris also returned to the starting lineup, scoring 12 points on 5 - of - 10 shooting. Boston (3 - 3), meanwhile, has been dealing with the injury bug early in the season. Free agent acquisition Al Horford, as well as starter Jae Crowder and backup center Kelly Olynyk, were sidelined in Sunday's contest. All-Star guard Isaiah Thomas stepped it up in his teammates' absence, scoring 30 points on the night. However, the rest of the team struggled, particularly on the defensive end. Denver was able to convert on 52 percent of its shots from the field on Sunday. The Nuggets will visit Memphis on Tuesday, while the Celtics will see Washington on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "26"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "41"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "16"}}, {"Points": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "20", "Trevor Booker": "9", "Brook Lopez": "14", "Isaiah Whitehead": "7", "Luis Scola": "15", "Kawhi Leonard": "30", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "12", "Pau Gasol": "15", "Tony Parker": "12", "Patty Mills": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "5"}, "Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Patty Mills": "16"}}], "The host Spurs forced 16 turnovers from the visiting Nets and held them to 41 percent and 26 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively. Kawhi Leonard went off for 30 points, six rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block to lead the way. Pau Gasol was second on the squad with 15 points and six boards. LaMarcus Aldridge and Tony Parker contributed a pair of 12 - point efforts, and Patty Mills paced the second unit with 16 points over 16 minutes. Bojan Bogdanovic's 20 points led Brooklyn, and Brook Lopez was next with a 14 - point, five - rebound performance. That was it for double - digit scoring from the first unit, as Trevor Booker (nine points), Isaiah Whitehead (seven points) and Sean Kilpatrick (four points) underwhelmed. Luis Scola led the bench with a 15 - point contribution."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "38", "Bulls": "30"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "95", "Bulls": "91"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "37", "Bulls": "45"}}, {"Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "25", "Nikola Mirotic": "6", "Kirk Hinrich": "3", "Khris Middleton": "14", "Michael Carter-Williams": "21", "John Henson": "11"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "3", "Aaron Brooks": "3", "Kirk Hinrich": "1", "Jared Dudley": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Aaron Brooks": "37", "Nikola Mirotic": "23", "Kirk Hinrich": "10", "John Henson": "19", "Jared Dudley": "17"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Mirotic": "10", "Khris Middleton": "15", "Michael Carter-Williams": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Mirotic": "3", "Khris Middleton": "5", "Michael Carter-Williams": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Mirotic": "6", "Michael Carter-Williams": "10", "John Henson": "5", "Jared Dudley": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Khris Middleton": "6"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "6"}, "Blocks": {"John Henson": "3"}, "Assists": {"Jared Dudley": "3"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (37 - 38) took down the Chicago Bulls (45 - 30) 95 - 91 on Wednesday. Michael Carter-Williams finally broke out of his shooting slump with a 9 - for - 19 performance from the field. He scored 21 points to go along with 10 rebounds, both of which were team - highs. Khris Middleton struggled early, missing his first six shots, but came on strong late as he was finished with 14 points on 5 - for - 15 shooting. Jared Dudley returned to the Milwaukee rotation after missing Monday's contest against the Hawks, a 101 - 88 loss in Atlanta. Dudley has missed seven of the past 10 games with a back injury. He had two steals, three assists and three rebounds in 17 minutes. The Bucks got a nice spark from John Henson off the bench. He played just 19 minutes but had 11 points, five rebounds and three blocked shots. The Bucks currently own the sixth best record in the Eastern Conference with the Nets and Heat behind them with records of 34 - 40. Jimmy Butler returned to the Bradley Center where he played his college ball at Marquette. He led his team with game - highs of 25 points and three steals. Aaron Brooks also recorded three steals in his 37 minutes of action. Kirk Hinrich left Wednesday's games with a knee injury after he recorded three points and a steal in 10 minutes, he did not return. The Bucks found a way to cool down rookie Nikola Mirotic. Mirotic had an insane month of March where he averaged more than 20 points and eight rebounds a contest. He had just six points on 3 - for - 10 shooting to go along with six rebounds in 23 minutes in Milwaukee. The Bulls have already clinched a playoff spot but would like to gain home - court advantage for the at least the first round. As long as they keep the Washington Wizards behind them, they will do just that. The Bulls will host Reggie Jackson and the Detroit Pistons on Friday, as the Bucks will head to Boston to face - off with the Celtics."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "7", "Hornets": "3"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "108", "Hornets": "115"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "28", "Hornets": "15"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "17", "Hornets": "36"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "3", "Hornets": "7"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "46"}}, {"Rebounds": {"Cody Zeller": "9", "Nicolas Batum": "5", "Kemba Walker": "5", "Frank Kaminsky": "4", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "8", "Ricky Rubio": "8"}, "Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "7", "Kemba Walker": "6", "Frank Kaminsky": "5", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "4", "Ricky Rubio": "8"}, "Points": {"Nicolas Batum": "16", "Kemba Walker": "30", "Frank Kaminsky": "20", "Andrew Wiggins": "29", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "21", "Ricky Rubio": "11"}, "Steals": {"Nicolas Batum": "3", "Kemba Walker": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "24", "Zach LaVine": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "10", "Zach LaVine": "7"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets defeated the host Minnesota Timberwolves, 115 - 108, at Target Center on Tuesday. In a game full of swings, the Hornets made the final and most decisive one. A 21 - 4 run in the third quarter gave Charlotte a lead after trailing by double - digits in the first half. In fact, the Timberwolves won the second quarter 28 - 15, while the Hornets responded with a 36 - 17 third quarter of their own. The Hornets were lights out with their jumpers, as they shot 53 percent from the field and 46 percent from three - point range. Charlotte also dominated in the lane, scoring 50 paint points to the Timberwolves' 28. There were nine ties and 16 lead changes in total. The Hornets (7 - 3) have been one of the surprises of the season and a comeback road win here just adds to their impressive resume '. Kemba Walker continued his great play, as he tallied 30 points, five rebounds, six assists and five steals in the win. Frank Kaminsky was second on the team, as he totaled 20 points, four rebounds and five assists off the bench. Nicolas Batum provided 16 points, five rebounds, seven assists and three steals of his own. Cody Zeller fell a rebound shy of a double - double, finishing with 16 points and nine rebounds. Charlotte will be off until Friday, when they host the Atlanta Hawks for their next game. The Timberwolves (3 - 7) continue to disappoint and falling apart in the third quarter has become all too common of a trend. They were being outscored by eight points a game in the third coming into this matchup and a 19 - point third quarter deficit Tuesday only worsens those numbers. Andrew Wiggins led the team in scoring, as he dropped 29 points on 10 - of - 24 shooting. Karl-Anthony Towns was second on the team, with his 21 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Ricky Rubio flirted with a triple - double, accumulating 11 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in the loss. Zach LaVine made his return from a one - game absence to score 21 points on 7 - of - 16 shooting. Minnesota will look to play better on Thursday in a favorable home matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "2"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "106", "Clippers": "103"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "2"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "14"}, "Points": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "3", "Jeff Green": "11", "DeAndre Jordan": "15", "JJ Redick": "15", "Austin Rivers": "21", "Jamal Crawford": "32", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "10", "Maurice Harkless": "14", "CJ McCollum": "20", "Damian Lillard": "28", "Allen Crabbe": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "2", "Jeff Green": "5", "DeAndre Jordan": "20", "JJ Redick": "1", "Austin Rivers": "6", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "6", "Maurice Harkless": "3", "Mason Plumlee": "14", "CJ McCollum": "2", "Damian Lillard": "5", "Allen Crabbe": "5"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Green": "2", "DeAndre Jordan": "1", "JJ Redick": "1", "Austin Rivers": "8", "Jamal Crawford": "1", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "2", "Maurice Harkless": "1", "CJ McCollum": "4", "Damian Lillard": "7", "Allen Crabbe": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jeff Green": "2"}, "Steals": {"Jeff Green": "1", "DeAndre Jordan": "2", "Austin Rivers": "1", "Jamal Crawford": "3", "Maurice Harkless": "1", "CJ McCollum": "1", "Damian Lillard": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Mason Plumlee": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Mason Plumlee": "2", "Damian Lillard": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Damian Lillard": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Damian Lillard": "2"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Los Angeles Clippers, 106 - 103, to clinch the Western Conference first - round playoffs at the Moda Center on Friday. Postseason-ending injuries to Chris Paul and Blake Griffin clearly turned the tide of this series, despite the fact that the Clippers had some experienced and able replacements for them. Austin Rivers and Jamal Crawford were both highly productive Friday, with the latter actually leading all scorers with 32 points, along with an assist and three steals. However, the Blazers saw their All-Star point guard Damian Lillard bounce back from a pair of modest efforts over the last two games. He paced the Portland attack with 28 points, seven assists, five rebounds and a steal, and they needed every one of his points by game's end. The Clippers tied matters up at 103 after two free throws by Crawford with 32 seconds left. However, Mason Plumlee was able to draw a loose ball foul from Jeff Green, and sank the two subsequent free throws with 14 seconds remaining to give Portland a lead they would n't surrender. Crawford added an assist and three steals to his team - high point total. Rivers followed with 21 points, eight assists, six rebounds and a steal. DeAndre Jordan contributed a 15 - point, 20 - rebound double - double with an assist and two steals. J.J. Redick was next with 15 points, a rebound and an assist. Green tallied 11 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal. After not seeing any time at all in Game 5, Luc Mbah a Moute was back in the starting lineup, but only played 14 minutes. He netted three points and a pair of rebounds. McCollum followed Lillard's team - high point total with 20 of his own, and he complemented the scoring with four assists, two rebounds and a steal. Maurice Harkless collected 14 points, three rebounds, an assist and a steal. Al-Farouq Aminu tallied 10 points, six rebounds and two assists. Allen Crabbe paced the second unit with 13 points, five rebounds and an assist. Portland moves on to face the Golden State Warriors in the second round, beginning with a road tilt at Oracle Arena on Sunday afternoon."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "3", "Pistons": "1"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "92", "Pistons": "100"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Suns": "14"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "3", "Pistons": "4"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "36"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "50"}}, {"Rebounds": {"Marcus Morris": "6", "Andre Drummond": "17", "Reggie Jackson": "6", "Markieff Morris": "4"}, "Points": {"Andre Drummond": "12", "Markieff Morris": "18"}, "Assists": {"Reggie Jackson": "7"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (4 - 1) defeated the Phoenix Suns (3 - 3) 100 - 92 on Friday. In a battle of the Morris twins, Detroit and Marcus Morris ended up the victor, though brother Markieff performed admirably for Phoenix. Usually the better free - throw shooting team comes away with the win, but Detroit somehow prevailed while shooting just 50 percent from the charity stripe, lowlighted by a 2 - for - 11 effort from big man Andre Drummond. It very well may have been a case of how many times each team got to the free - throw line, as Detroit took 36 free - throws compared to Phoenix's 13 attempts. The Pistons continued their fantastic form Friday and look like a major threat to make the playoffs for the first time since 2008 - 9. The success this season has to be attributed to Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson. Drummond put together a 12 - point, 17 - rebound performance in the win, which actually brought down his season average to around 19 rebounds a game. Reggie Jackson put together an all - around fantastic line as well, as he tallied 22 points, seven assists and six rebounds in the victory. Marcus Morris tallied 18 points and six rebounds. If these three continue to play at this level, they are a serious threat in the Eastern Conference this season. Detroit's next game comes on Sunday in Portland against the surprising Trail Blazers. The Suns fell down by seven in a 14 - point first quarter, and they simply couldn\u2019t bounce back after that. Phoenix was once again led by its guards, Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight, who totaled a combined 44 points, seven assists, and four steals in the loss. Markieff Morris matched his brother's scoring total by amassing 18 points and four rebounds in the defeat. The last two losses for Phoenix have been against the Los Angeles Clippers and Detroit Pistons, and that may be due to the fact that those teams have two of the best rim protectors in the NBA. Phoenix will be in for another tough game on Sunday when they have to travel to Oklahoma City to take on the Thunder and their own dominant shot blocker in Serge Ibaka."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "11", "Suns": "18"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "122", "Suns": "110"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Grizzlies": "26", "Suns": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"Grizzlies": "54", "Suns": "46"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "26", "Suns": "22"}}, {"Points": {"PJ Tucker": "11", "Markieff Morris": "17", "Alex Len": "14", "Eric Bledsoe": "11", "Isaiah Thomas": "20", "Tony Allen": "12", "Zach Randolph": "27", "Marc Gasol": "12", "Courtney Lee": "18", "Mike Conley": "25"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Markieff Morris": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "7", "Courtney Lee": "5", "Mike Conley": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Markieff Morris": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "2", "Courtney Lee": "2", "Mike Conley": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Markieff Morris": "15", "Isaiah Thomas": "16", "Zach Randolph": "16", "Courtney Lee": "13", "Mike Conley": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Markieff Morris": "7", "Isaiah Thomas": "7", "Zach Randolph": "11", "Courtney Lee": "7", "Mike Conley": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Markieff Morris": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "4", "Zach Randolph": "6", "Mike Conley": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Markieff Morris": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "4", "Zach Randolph": "5", "Mike Conley": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "6", "Alex Len": "13", "Zach Randolph": "17", "Mike Conley": "7"}, "Steals": {"Markieff Morris": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Zach Randolph": "2"}, "Assists": {"Mike Conley": "8"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (26 - 11) defeated the Phoenix Suns (22 - 18) 122 - 110 on Monday at Fed Ex Forum Arena in Memphis. After finishing the third quarter down 75 - 66, the Suns made a fourth quarter run, out - scoring the Grizzlies 35 - 26 to tie the game at 101 with five seconds left in the game, eventually pushing it to overtime. After Eric Bledsoe missed a game - winner in the first overtime, it went to a second, where the Suns went ice cold from the field and were out - scored 14 - 2 to close out the game. The Grizzlies were able to out - rebound the Suns 54 - 46, giving them a slight advantage in this one. In his second game back from a nine - game absence, Zach Randolph went off, going 11 - for - 16 from the field and 5 - for - 6 from the free throw line to score 27 points, while also adding 17 rebounds and two blocked shots. It was a season - high in points for Randolph, who also posted his second double - double in as many games. Mike Conley was n't too far behind him though, nearly recording a triple - double with 25 points (9 - 18 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), seven rebounds and eight assists. He's had a strong couple of games in row, combining for 44 points and 15 assists over the last two. Courtney Lee put in a strong performance as well. He went 7 - for - 13 from the field and 2 - for - 5 from beyond the arc to score 18 points. After struggling with his shot on Friday, it was a nice bounce back game for him. Both Tony Allen and Marc Gasol reached double figures in points with 12 points apiece. The Suns received their biggest contribution off the bench, as Isaiah Thomas scored 20 points (7 - 16 FG, 2 - 7 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT). He's continued to be a reliable option off the bench as he's averaged 17 points per game over his last five outings. Markieff Morris recorded the most points of the starters. He contributed 17 points (7 - 15 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), six rebounds and three steals before fouling out in the second overtime. He had an extremely poor outing on Friday where he went 1 - for - 13 from the floor, so it was good to see his confidence restored despite the loss. Alex Len finished with his second consecutive double - digit rebounding performance. It was his fourth double - double of the season with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Both P.J. Tucker and Eric Bledsoe had 11 points each. The Grizzlies' next game will be on the road against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, while the Suns will be at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Lakers": "21"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "86", "Hawks": "91"}, "Turnovers": {"Lakers": "21", "Hawks": "10"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"Al Horford": "3", "Dennis Schroder": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Al Horford": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Al Horford": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Al Horford": "0", "Dennis Schroder": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Al Horford": "21", "Dennis Schroder": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Al Horford": "10", "Dennis Schroder": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Al Horford": "35", "Dennis Schroder": "38"}, "Points": {"Al Horford": "21", "Dennis Schroder": "24", "Carlos Boozer": "13", "Ryan Kelly": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Horford": "5", "Dennis Schroder": "3"}, "Steals": {"Al Horford": "5", "Dennis Schroder": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Carlos Boozer": "4"}}], "The Hawks (51 - 14) held on to defeat the Lakers (17 - 47) 91 - 86 at the Staples Center on Sunday. Atlanta was able to come away with the victory despite being severely short - handed. Starters Jeff Teague, DeMarre Carroll and Paul Millsap sat out to rest, while Kyle Korver left the game early in the second quarter with a broken nose. The Lakers cut a 15 - point fourth quarter deficit down to a single basket with 30 seconds left on the clock. But they could n't hold off the Hawks when it counted, as Dennis Schroder extended the lead for Atlanta to four points with 13 seconds remaining. Schroder had a great game, scoring 24 points (7 - 16 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt) to go with three rebounds, 10 assists and one steal in 38 minutes as a starter. Al Horford contributed 21 points (10 - 21 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt), five rebounds, three assists, five steals and one block in 35 minutes. The Lakers did not take care of the basketball, turning it over 21 times. Carlos Boozer and Ryan Kelly led the team in scoring with 13 apiece. Boozer also led the team in turnovers with four. The Hawks are currently the top team in the Eastern Conference, 10 games ahead of the Cavaliers. They've won nine of their last 11 games. With only 17 games left on their schedule, the Lakers have been eliminated from playoff contention. The Hawks and Lakers split the season series 1 - 1. The Hawks' next game will be on the road against the Sacramento Kings on Monday, while the Lakers will travel to Oakland to play the Golden State Warriors on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "3"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nuggets": "14"}}, {"Points": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "18", "Andrew Wiggins": "25", "Gorgui Dieng": "2", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "32", "Zach LaVine": "14", "Kris Dunn": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "5", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "14", "Zach LaVine": "5"}, "Steals": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jamal Murray": "8", "Gorgui Dieng": "6", "Kris Dunn": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Jamal Murray": "0", "Gorgui Dieng": "1", "Kris Dunn": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Gorgui Dieng": "4", "Kris Dunn": "4"}, "Assists": {"Kris Dunn": "9"}}], "Thursday night's showdown between the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves featured some of the league's premier young talent, as upwards of six lottery picks from the past three drafts took the floor at Target Center. It was an evening of highs and lows, however, as the young players saw a wide range of performances. For Minnesota's duo of Rookie of the Year winners, it was a strong showing. Towns, the reigning recipient and first overall pick in 2015, dominated the game with 32 points and 14 rebounds. Andrew Wiggins, the previous year's first overall pick and Rookie of the Year, scored 25. Strong play was also on display for Zach LaVine (14 points, five rebounds) and Denver's Jusuf Nurkic, who scored 18 points while recording two blocks and two steals. Some players were less fortunate, however. 2016's fifth overall pick Kris Dunn did dish out nine assists, but recorded four turnovers and just three points while shooting 1 - of - 6. Big man Gorgui Dieng posted essentially the same stat line minus the high assists total. Dieng went 1 - for - 6 with four turnovers and just two points. Denver's backcourt of rookie guard Jamal Murray, 2016's seventh overall pick, and sophomore Emmanuel Mudiay, the seventh pick in 2015, had an even bleaker night, combining for just 4 - of - 26 shooting, seven turnovers, and 0 - of - 8 from three - point range."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "41"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "56", "Nets": "39"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "37", "Nets": "59"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "129", "Nets": "105"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pacers": "39", "Nets": "19"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pacers": "30", "Nets": "22"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pacers": "35", "Nets": "31"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "43", "Nets": "21"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"Markel Brown": "4", "Donald Sloan": "5", "George Hill": "4", "Ty Lawson": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Markel Brown": "3"}, "Points": {"Markel Brown": "18", "Sean Kilpatrick": "26", "Donald Sloan": "19", "George Hill": "18", "Ty Lawson": "7", "Myles Turner": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Markel Brown": "11", "Donald Sloan": "3", "George Hill": "5", "Ty Lawson": "6", "Myles Turner": "10"}, "Steals": {"Markel Brown": "6", "George Hill": "1", "Ty Lawson": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Ty Lawson": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Ty Lawson": "1"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (43 - 37) blew out the Brooklyn Nets (21 - 59) on Sunday, 129 - 105. A win here would have guaranteed a a playoff spot for the Pacers and they made sure there was no doubt that would happen. The game was well out of hand early, as they led 39 - 19 after the first quarter, won the second quarter 30 - 22 and won the third quarter 35 to 31. The 28 - point halftime lead was the Pacers high of the season and it shows how much motivation they had coming into this game. The defense was key, as they held the Nets to 39 percent shooting and forced them to commit 15 turnovers. The Indiana offense wasn\u2019t shabby either, as they shot a cool 56 percent from the field and 41 percent from three - point range. This game meant very little for the Nets and they clearly didn\u2019t show up. Thomas Robinson has been the teams best player over recent weeks, but he left early due to a knee injury. Markel Brown stepped up off the bench though, as he amassed 18 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, six steals and three blocks. Donald Sloan contributed 19 points, three rebounds and five assists of his own off the bench as well. Sean Kilpatrick led the team with 26 points, as he also came off the bench. Up next for the Nets is a matchup with the Washington Wizards on Monday. Indiana wanted to make sure they'd secure a spot in the postseason, as they put it on the Nets in this lopsided game. Myles Turner was the player of the game, as he tallied 28 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. George Hill led the starters with 18 points, while also providing five rebounds and four assists. Ty Lawson had one of his best games in a Pacer uniform, as he accumulated seven points, six rebounds and nine assists. On deck for the Pacers is a matchup with the New York Knicks on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "38"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "24", "Hornets": "24"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "90", "Hornets": "98"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Magic": "9"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "13", "Hornets": "11"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "36", "Bismack Biyombo": "17", "Kemba Walker": "39", "Nikola Vucevic": "35", "Elfrid Payton": "35"}, "Points": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "17", "Kemba Walker": "30", "Nikola Vucevic": "20", "Elfrid Payton": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "12", "Kemba Walker": "7", "Nikola Vucevic": "10", "Elfrid Payton": "3"}, "Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "6", "Nikola Vucevic": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Kemba Walker": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kemba Walker": "4"}, "Steals": {"Kemba Walker": "2", "Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "4"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (11 - 24) had revenge on the mind after losing the previous two contests against the Orlando Magic (13 - 24). They used a 220 first - half run to propel them to a 98 - 90 victory and end a five - game losing streak. Channing Frye did n't play the second half due to a strained right elbow. The Hornets jumped out to a 52 - 29 halftime lead, limiting the Magic to nine points in the second quarter and their season low in points scored for a half. The Magic stayed competitive by not committing a turnover in the second half and outscoring the Hornets 50 - 34 in the paint. Kemba Walker contributed 30 points, seven rebounds, six assists, two steals, one block, and four three - pointers in 39 minutes without the services of Al Jefferson (groin) and Lance Stephenson (pelvis). Michael Kidd-Gilchrist recorded his fourth double - double of the season, 17 points and 12 rebounds in 36 minutes, as the only other Hornet to play more than 30 minutes. Jefferson's replacement, Bismack Biyombo, was held scoreless in 17 minutes. The Magic shot 38 percent from the field and are now mired in a three - game losing streak. Nikola Vucevic recorded his 18th double - double, tallying 20 points (8 - 16 FG, 4 - 4 FT), 10 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and two blocks in 35 minutes. Rookie Elfrid Payton was unable to follow his near triple - double from Friday with a similar performance, providing seven points, seven assists, three rebounds, and two steals in 35 minutes. The Magic rest for three days before starting a four - game road trip in Denver on Wednesday. The Hornets travel to Boston to take on the Celtics this Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "2", "Pelicans": "7"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "106", "Pelicans": "98"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "8", "Pelicans": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Pelicans": "19"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Ryan Anderson": "5", "Eric Gordon": "6", "Ish Smith": "4", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Al Horford": "6", "Jeff Teague": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ryan Anderson": "2", "Eric Gordon": "4", "Ish Smith": "2", "Paul Millsap": "0", "Al Horford": "4", "Jeff Teague": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ryan Anderson": "16", "Eric Gordon": "20", "Ish Smith": "17", "Paul Millsap": "14", "Al Horford": "15", "Jeff Teague": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Ryan Anderson": "7", "Eric Gordon": "10", "Ish Smith": "8", "Paul Millsap": "6", "Al Horford": "11", "Jeff Teague": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Ryan Anderson": "1", "Paul Millsap": "8", "Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Ryan Anderson": "1", "Paul Millsap": "7", "Jeff Teague": "1"}, "Points": {"Ryan Anderson": "17", "Eric Gordon": "26", "Ish Smith": "18", "Paul Millsap": "19", "Al Horford": "26", "Jeff Teague": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Ryan Anderson": "11", "Paul Millsap": "16", "Al Horford": "8"}, "Personal fouls": {"Eric Gordon": "4"}, "Assists": {"Ish Smith": "10", "Jeff Teague": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Ish Smith": "39"}, "Blocks": {"Al Horford": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Al Horford": "2"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (8 - 2) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (1 - 7) 106 - 98 on Wednesday at Philips Arena in Atlanta. The Hawks got off to a slow start in this one, falling behind nine points by the end of the first half. They had some fight left in them, though, exploding out in the second half, where they out - scored the Pelicans 59 - 42 the rest of the game to seal the eight - point victory in front of their home crowd. Despite shooting lower percentages from the field, the Hawks made up for it on the defensive side of the ball, forcing the Pelicans into 19 turnovers as a team. The Hawks' frontcourt duo of Al Horford and Paul Millsap did the majority of the damage to the injury - plagued Pelicans. Without Anthony Davis defending in the post, they were able to take the advantage down low. Horford was the main beneficiary and went an efficient 11 - for - 15 from the field and 4 - for - 6 from the three - point line for a game - high of 26 points, while also adding eight rebounds and three blocked shots. Horford shot below 40 percent in each of his last two games, so Wednesday's showing was a nice bounce - back effort for the center. Millsap, on the other hand, posted an impressive 19 - point (6 - 14 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT), 16 - rebound double - double of his own. It marked his fourth double - double of the season, pushing his season averages to 17 points and 9 rebounds per game. Jeff Teague chipped in with 14 points (6 - 16 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and 10 assists as well. Davis (hip), Jrue Holiday (lower leg) and Tyreke Evans (knee) all remained sidelined Wednesday. Without Davis' normal production, both Ish Smith and Eric Gordon took it on themselves to make up for his absence. Gordon went 10 - for - 20 from the field and 4 - for - 6 from the three - point line for 26 points in 31 minutes. The points were a new season - high for the seventh - year guard out of Indiana, who's now surpassed the 20 - point plateau in four of his last five games. Smith finished with 18 points (8 - 17 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt) and 10 assists over 39 minutes. He had 16 of those 18 points in the first half, but really cooled down in the second, letting Gordon take over for the most part. Filling in for Davis at power forward, Ryan Andersen added a productive 17 points (7 - 16 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT) and 11 rebounds. The Pelicans' next game will be on the road against the Toronto Raptors on Friday, while the Hawks will travel to Boston to take on the Celtics on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "18", "Rockets": "19"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "91", "Rockets": "93"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "15", "Rockets": "17"}}, {"Points": {"Dwight Howard": "16", "James Harden": "30", "Gordon Hayward": "20", "Trey Lyles": "13", "Rodney Hood": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "13", "James Harden": "5", "Gordon Hayward": "7"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "7", "Gordon Hayward": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "25", "Trey Lyles": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "9", "Trey Lyles": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Harden": "9"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Gordon Hayward": "39"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rodney Hood": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rodney Hood": "5"}}], "The Houston Rockets (17 - 19) defeated the Utah Jazz (15 - 18) 93 - 91 on Monday. The Rockets looked like two entirely different teams during the first and second halves while visiting Utah. Down 58 - 48 at halftime and surrendering 37 second quarter points, the defensive breakdowns and sloppy fouls began to bury the Rockets early on. James Harden provided a major spark to the offense during the second half, combined with Montrezl Harrell's boost on defense, and the result was a Rockets win. Harden finished with 30 points, five rebounds and seven assists on 9 - of - 25 shooting. Dwight Howard added 16 points and 13 rebounds, while Harrell's defensive prowess was only highlighted statistically by his plus/minus of nine. The Rockets were dealing with an onslaught of injuries heading into the game. Ty Lawson (ankle), Donatas Motiejunas (back) and Marcus Thornton (personal reasons) were unavailable for Houston in the win. The Jazz were unable to execute their second half game plan down the stretch, and once James Harden got going, there was not much any defense can do to stop the current second best scorer in the league. Injuries also riddled Utah heading into Monday, as Derrick Favors (back) was sidelined. The bright side to Favors' injury is the playing time that Trey Lyles has been seeing in his absence. The Kentucky product and No. 12 pick in the draft, Lyles finished with 13 points in 20 minutes on 6 - of - 10 shooting. Utah continued to find Rodney Hood around the perimeter and the starting guard turned in 23 points on 5 - of - 6 3 - point shooting. Gordon Hayward continues to regress in 2015 - 2016, as the max contract forward added 20 points on 39 percent shooting, to go along with seven rebounds and three assists. The Jazz and Rockets will meet again on Thursday in Houston."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "56"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"TJ Warren": "13", "Zach Randolph": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"TJ Warren": "8", "Zach Randolph": "10"}, "Points": {"TJ Warren": "17", "Eric Bledsoe": "20", "Marc Gasol": "28", "Mike Conley": "29", "Zach Randolph": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"TJ Warren": "6", "Marc Gasol": "7", "Mike Conley": "3", "Zach Randolph": "8"}, "Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "8", "Marc Gasol": "5", "Mike Conley": "8"}}], "The lopsided scoreline is unfair to Phoenix, as there were five ties and 10 lead changes in the first three quarters. They really fell apart in the second half though, allowing Memphis to outscore them, 75 - 56. The Grizzlies offense was on point, as they shot 56 percent from the field and 48 percent from long distance. Memphis also outrebounded Phoenix, 39 - 33. Eric Bledsoe led the way for Phoenix, as he accrued 20 points, five rebounds and eight assists. T.J. Warren went 8 - of - 13 from the field to accumulate 17 points and six rebounds. Mike Conley led Memphis in scoring, collecting 29 points, three rebounds and eight assists. Marc Gasol was just as good, amassing 28 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Zach Randolph was a beast off the bench, providing 23 points and eight rebounds on 10 - of - 15 shooting."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "32"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "34", "Hawks": "29"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "114", "Hawks": "118"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pistons": "30"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "34", "Hawks": "39"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "44"}}, {"Points": {"Kent Bazemore": "15", "Paul Millsap": "13", "Al Horford": "21", "Jeff Teague": "22", "Tobias Harris": "19", "Andre Drummond": "18", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "24", "Reggie Jackson": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Kent Bazemore": "10", "Paul Millsap": "10", "Al Horford": "11", "Tobias Harris": "11", "Andre Drummond": "18"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "3", "Jeff Teague": "13", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul Millsap": "1", "Jeff Teague": "12", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Al Horford": "15", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Al Horford": "9", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "7"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "9", "Reggie Jackson": "10"}, "Free throw percentage": {"Andre Drummond": "47"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "3"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (39 - 29) won a shootout over the Detroit Pistons (34 - 34) Wednesday night at the Palace of Auburn Hills, 118 - 114. This one was explosive from the start, as each team scored at least 30 points in both the first and second quarters, with the Pistons taking a narrow 62 - 61 lead into halftime. The Pistons built their largest lead of the game in the third quarter at 82 - 71, but an Al Horford three - pointer kickstarted a 13 - 2 Hawks run to tie the game. The game remained tight until the final minutes, but the Pistons could n't buy a bucket late in the fourth quarter, as they went without a field goal from 4:34 to 1:18 remaining in the game. Over that span, Atlanta turned a 103 - 103 tie into a 113 - 104 lead, a lead they would n't relinquish. Jeff Teague led the Hawks with 22 points and nine assists, as he did the majority of his scoring at the free throw line (12 - 13 FT). Al Horford posted one of three Hawks double - doubles with 21 points (9 - 15 FG) and 11 rebounds; he was joined by Kent Bazemore (15 points, 10 rebounds) and Paul Millsap (13 points, 10 rebounds). The Hawks shot just 44 percent from the floor but nailed 12 three - pointers and made 28 of their 34 free - throw attempts (82 percent). Kentavius Caldwell-Pope scored a game - high 24 points (7 - 15 FG, 3 - 8 3PT, 7 - 9 FT). Andre Drummond scored 18 and grabbed 18 rebounds but missed nine free throws (8 - 17, 47 percent). Tobias Harris (19 points, 11 rebounds) and Reggie Jackson (17 points, 10 assists) also recorded double - doubles. The Pistons had their offense working inside, as they shot 53 percent from inside and earned 39 trips to the free throw line, but because of their inability to connect from deep (8 - 32 3PT, 32 percent) they could n't keep up with the Hawks attack. The Hawks host the Nuggets on Thursday. The Pistons return home for a Friday matchup against the Kings."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "13", "Raptors": "4"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "129", "Raptors": "122"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "4", "Raptors": "13"}}, {"Assists": {"Greivis Vasquez": "5", "Kobe Bryant": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Greivis Vasquez": "34", "Kyle Lowry": "41", "Kobe Bryant": "42", "Nick Young": "31"}, "Points": {"Greivis Vasquez": "19", "Kyle Lowry": "29", "Kobe Bryant": "31", "Nick Young": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Kobe Bryant": "11"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers (4 - 13) defeated the Toronto Raptors (13 - 4) 129 - 122 in overtime on Sunday. Los Angeles broke their four - game losing streak with this win. Seven players finished in double digits for the Lakers. Kobe Bryant led the way with a triple - double of 31 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists in 42 minutes. Nick Young put up 20 points in 31 minutes off the bench. The Lakers will embark on a three - game road trip that begins Tuesday against the Pistons. Toronto was playing their first game without DeMar DeRozan this season. DeRozan suffered a torn left aductor longus tendon in Friday's 106 - 102 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Friday. Greivis Vasquez stepped into the starting shooting guard spot in DeRozan's absence and put up 19 points and five assists in 34 minutes. Kyle Lowry picked up some of the slack left behind by DeRozan, scoring a team - high 29 points in 41 minutes. They've dropped consecutive games for the first time this season, and it'll be interesting to see how they keep things together with DeRozan expected to be out at least four weeks. The Raptors will continue their road trip in Sacramento on Tuesday against the Kings."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "10", "Trail Blazers": "18"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "116", "Trail Blazers": "109"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Heat": "29"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "16", "Trail Blazers": "11"}}, {"Assists": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "2", "CJ McCollum": "6", "Damian Lillard": "9", "Luol Deng": "1", "Chris Bosh": "4", "Hassan Whiteside": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "7"}, "Points": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "16", "CJ McCollum": "20", "Damian Lillard": "32", "Meyers Leonard": "8", "Allen Crabbe": "8", "Luol Deng": "17", "Chris Bosh": "29", "Hassan Whiteside": "22", "Dwyane Wade": "18", "Gerald Green": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "4", "CJ McCollum": "3", "Damian Lillard": "2", "Luol Deng": "2", "Chris Bosh": "6", "Hassan Whiteside": "11", "Dwyane Wade": "2"}, "Steals": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "3", "Damian Lillard": "1", "Chris Bosh": "2", "Hassan Whiteside": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "2", "CJ McCollum": "2", "Hassan Whiteside": "2"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Damian Lillard": "56"}, "3-pointers made": {"Luol Deng": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Chris Bosh": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Hassan Whiteside": "2"}}], "The Miami Heat (16 - 10) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (11 - 18) 116 - 109 on Sunday. The Trail Blazers' frontcourt defense has been an Achilles' heel all season long, and the Heat were able to exploit the glaring weakness on the way to a high - scoring victory on Sunday. Miami rode a pair of double - doubles from their two big men to victory, with Chris Bosh (29 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals) and Hassan Whiteside (22 points, 11 rebounds, one assist, five blocks and two steals) both posting their best all - around performances in over a month. The home team also clamped down on defense in the second half, allowing only 47 points following intermission after surrendering 62 in the first half. The visitors were unsurprisingly led by Damian Lillard, who tallied 32 points, nine assists, two rebounds and a steal. Lillard's success rate from the field (56 percent) was his best since a 56 percent figure on Nov. 2 against the Timberwolves. Backcourt mate C.J. McCollum pitched in with 20 points, six assists and three rebounds, while Al-Farouq Aminu (16 points, four rebounds, two assists, three steals) and Miles Plumlee (11 points, seven rebounds, two assists) were the other two members of the starting five with notable contributions. Meyers Leonard and Allen Crabbe paced the Portland bench with a pair of eight - point efforts. The Trail Blazers fell to 11 - 18 and currently reside in last place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division. They head to Atlanta to face off against the Hawks on Monday. Dwyane Wade (18 points, seven assists, two rebounds, two steals) and Luol Deng (17 points, two rebounds and an assist) supported the outstanding efforts of Whiteside and Bosh. The point total for Deng largely consisted of the season - high five three - pointers that he drained on the afternoon. The Heat also received excellent production off the bench from Gerald Green, who poured in 17 points and helped make up for some of the offensive shortfall that resulted from the ejection of point guard Goran Dragic early in the fourth quarter for arguing calls with the referees. Miami improved to 16 - 10 and remains in first place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They face off against the Pistons at American Airlines Arena on Tuesday."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Celtics": "13"}}, {"Assists": {"Jae Crowder": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Jae Crowder": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jae Crowder": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jae Crowder": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Jae Crowder": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Jae Crowder": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Jae Crowder": "38"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jae Crowder": "3"}, "Points": {"Jae Crowder": "16"}, "Steals": {"Jae Crowder": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Jae Crowder": "1"}}], "Midway through March, Jae Crowder went through a tough stretch where he failed to score in double figures for five straight games. That's far behind him now, however, as following his performance in Monday's victory over the Wizards, Crowder has put together one of his better three - game stretches of the season. Against Washington, Crowder scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds in 38 minutes. Over his last three games, the swingman is now averaging 18 points and 9 rebounds per game. And while Crowder's scoring is a bonus for this team, his rebounding is what is most important for their success moving forward. In Boston's last 13 games, Crowder has grabbed at least nine rebounds seven times, and they are 6 - 1 in those contests. In the six games where he failed to reach nine, the Celtics are just 2 - 4."], [[{"Total points": {"Warriors": "125", "Trail Blazers": "117"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Warriors": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"CJ McCollum": "5", "Stephen Curry": "5"}, "Blocks": {"CJ McCollum": "2", "Klay Thompson": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "31"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ McCollum": "13"}, "Free throws attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"CJ McCollum": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"CJ McCollum": "38"}, "Points": {"CJ McCollum": "35", "Kevin Durant": "30", "Stephen Curry": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"CJ McCollum": "9"}, "Turnovers": {"CJ McCollum": "5", "Stephen Curry": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Stephen Curry": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Stephen Curry": "1"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "1"}}], "Three players went for 30 - plus points in the Golden State Warriors 125 - 117 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday. C.J. McCollum looked like he was going to be the ninth player this season to go for 50 points in a game after he scored 26 points in the first half, to go along with six rebounds, three assists and two blocks, but a defensive switch that saw Klay Thompson guard McCollum in the second half slowed down the shooting guards momentum very quickly. McCollum went on to finish with 35 points, nine rebounds and five assists on 13 - of - 31 shooting in 38 minutes. Stephen Curry matched McCollum with 35 points of his own and buried five shots from behind the arc. Kevin Durant was third player to break the 30 - point plane when he scored exactly 30 points, which included the dagger and - 1 with a few minutes left in the fourth quarter."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "35", "Cavaliers": "19"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "94", "Cavaliers": "85"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "32", "Cavaliers": "47"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "3", "Shelvin Mack": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "20", "Kyrie Irving": "23", "Shelvin Mack": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "7", "Shelvin Mack": "7"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "23", "Kyrie Irving": "15", "Rodney Hood": "28", "Shelvin Mack": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "12", "Kyrie Irving": "4", "Shelvin Mack": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rodney Hood": "4"}}], "The Utah Jazz (32 - 35) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (47 - 19) 94 - 85 at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Monday. Channing Frye and Trey Lyles were both ejected with four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter after Lyles appeared to elbow Frye below the belt. The frustration was beginning to overcome Cleveland, although the timing could not have been worse seeing as they just ripped off seven straight points to bring the Jazz lead within striking distance. Kyrie Irving shot his team out of many opportunities, but the poor shot selection was not entirely on the point guard, as the Cavs shot just under 40 percent as a unit. Irving finished with 15 points on 7 - of - 23 shooting, to go along with four rebounds and three assists. LeBron James rounded out the box score, and did provide a dunk of the year candidate after finishing a lob pass from J.R. Smith. James finished with 23 points, 12 rebounds and three assists on 10 - of - 20 shooting. The Jazz were unable to stop the Cavs from getting decent looks at the basket, but just the right amount of defense was in play to give them the edge late in the game. The Utah backcourt was out to impress against the Eastern Conference\u2019s best team, as Rodney Hood and Shelvin Mack both provided some of their best games of the season. Mack almost completed a triple - double after scoring 17 points, to go along with seven rebounds and 10 assists on 7 - of - 14 shooting. Rodney Hood matched Mack\u2019s efficient game with a game high 28 points including four buckets from behind the arc. Before his ejection, Trey Lyles added double figures off the bench. The win came without the Jazz\u2019s best player in Gordon Hayward (foot), who is likely to miss out on a few more games with the nagging injury. The Cavs will host the Dallas Mavericks (34 - 33) on Wednesday, while the Jazz welcome the Phoenix Suns (17 - 49) on Thursday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "25", "Wizards": "40"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "39", "Wizards": "54"}}, {"Points": {"Markieff Morris": "23", "Marcin Gortat": "8", "Bradley Beal": "18", "John Wall": "24", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "10", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "8", "Marvin Williams": "13", "Cody Zeller": "13", "Nicolas Batum": "4", "Kemba Walker": "21", "Marco Belinelli": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "7", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "7", "Nicolas Batum": "7"}, "Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "6"}}], "The Wizards put together a complete performance, shooting 54 and 40 percent from the field and three - point range, respectively, and also limiting Charlotte to 39 and 25 percent figures in those categories. John Wall and Markieff Morris combined for 47 points and 52 percent shooting. Wall's 24 points led the way, and Morris followed with 23. Bradley Beal registered 18 points, while Otto Porter, Jr. contributed a 14 - point, 13 - rebound double - double. Marcin Gortat registered a modest eight points and seven boards, and Kelly Oubre, Jr. (10 points) lead the bench. Kemba Walker's 21 points paced Charlotte. Marco Belinelli tallied a second unit - leading 18 points. Cody Zeller and Marvin Williams supplied matching 13 - point efforts. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist totaled eight points, while Nicolas Batum had a quiet game by his standards, posting four points, six assists and seven rebounds."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "33", "Cavaliers": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "42", "Cavaliers": "42"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "29", "Cavaliers": "20"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "95", "Cavaliers": "103"}, "Rebounds": {"Pistons": "51", "Cavaliers": "47"}, "Turnovers": {"Pistons": "18", "Cavaliers": "9"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "17", "Cavaliers": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kyrie Irving": "6", "D.J. Augustin": "9", "Anthony Tolliver": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LeBron James": "4", "Kevin Love": "8", "Kyrie Irving": "10", "D.J. Augustin": "6", "Anthony Tolliver": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"LeBron James": "0", "Kevin Love": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "6", "D.J. Augustin": "3", "Anthony Tolliver": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "24", "Kevin Love": "11", "Kyrie Irving": "23", "Greg Monroe": "15", "Andre Drummond": "17", "D.J. Augustin": "15", "Anthony Tolliver": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "11", "Kevin Love": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "13", "Greg Monroe": "7", "Andre Drummond": "6", "D.J. Augustin": "8", "Anthony Tolliver": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LeBron James": "11", "Kyrie Irving": "6", "Greg Monroe": "3", "Andre Drummond": "4", "Anthony Tolliver": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"LeBron James": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "6", "Greg Monroe": "3", "Andre Drummond": "0", "Anthony Tolliver": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"LeBron James": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "32", "Kevin Love": "7", "Kyrie Irving": "38", "Greg Monroe": "17", "Andre Drummond": "12", "D.J. Augustin": "19", "Anthony Tolliver": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "6", "Kevin Love": "8", "Kyrie Irving": "3", "Greg Monroe": "12", "Andre Drummond": "17"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyrie Irving": "2", "Anthony Tolliver": "3"}, "Steals": {"Kyrie Irving": "3", "D.J. Augustin": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyrie Irving": "3", "Anthony Tolliver": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "6"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (26 - 20) defeated the Detroit Pistons (17 - 29) 103 - 95 on Tuesday at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Despite securing the victory, the Cavliers were out - shot in this matchup. The Pistons went 42 percent from the field and 33 percent from the three - point line, while the Cavaliers went 42 percent from the field and just 27 percent from beyond the arc. The Cavaliers were also out - rebounded 51 - 47 by the Pistons. Where the Cavaliers gained the advantage though was in turnovers, as they forced the Pistons into 18 turnovers, while committing only nine of their own. It was just enough of an advantage, that it may have been the difference that pushed them to a win. Kyrie Irving and LeBron James were unstoppable Tuesday, combining for 70 of the Cavaliers' 103 total points. Irving led the team with 38 points (13 - 23 FG, 6 - 10 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT), while also adding six assists and three steals. He's now combined for 59 points over his last two games, as he's been a big part in the Cavaliers' seven - game win streak. James on the other hand finished with 32 points (11 - 24 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt, 10 - 11 FT), six rebounds and seven assists. He's been on an absolute tear lately, averaging 30 points during their last seven wins. While James and Irving had huge outings, the third member of the big three, Kevin Love, did n't have his best game. He struggled with his shot, scoring only seven points (3 - 11 FG, 1 - 8 3Pt), but did at least add eight rebounds as well. Starting at point guard, D.J. Augustin was the a big reason the Pistons were able to keep this game close. Augustin nearly double - doubled, finishing with 19 points (8 - 15 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt), nine assists and two steals. In the two games since Brandon Jennings went down with a season - ending injury, Augustin has combined for 54 points and 17 assists. Both Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond had strong showings as well, with each notching a double - double of their own. Monroe had 17 points (7 - 15 FG, 3 - 3 FT) and 12 rebounds, while Drummond had 12 points (6 - 17 FG, 0 - 4 FT), 17 rebounds and six blocked shots. The six blocks were a new season - high for Drummond, as he dominated the paint Tuesday. Coming off the bench, Anthony Tolliver shot really well, scoring 16 points (4 - 5 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT) in 29 minutes. He's now reached double figures in scoring during two out of his last three games, despite averaging only 5 points per game this season. The Cavaliers' next game will be at home against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, while the Pistons will travel to Philadelphia to play the 76ers on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "6", "Celtics": "11"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "109", "Celtics": "105"}, "Rebounds": {"Hawks": "31", "Celtics": "42"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "10", "Celtics": "4"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Jeff Green": "3", "Jared Sullinger": "7", "Kyle Korver": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jeff Green": "1", "Jared Sullinger": "4", "Kyle Korver": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jeff Green": "16", "Jared Sullinger": "16", "Kyle Korver": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Jeff Green": "10", "Jared Sullinger": "9", "Kyle Korver": "8"}, "Points": {"Jeff Green": "25", "Jared Sullinger": "22", "Rajon Rondo": "2", "Paul Millsap": "19", "Al Horford": "16", "Kyle Korver": "24"}, "Turnovers": {"Jeff Green": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Jared Sullinger": "9", "Rajon Rondo": "12", "Paul Millsap": "6", "Al Horford": "6", "Kyle Korver": "6"}, "Assists": {"Rajon Rondo": "19", "Paul Millsap": "7", "Al Horford": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "3", "Kyle Korver": "1"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "3", "Kyle Korver": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kyle Korver": "1"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (10 - 6) defeated the Boston Celtics (4 - 11) 109 - 105 Tuesday at Philips Arena in Atlanta. The Celtics had a big first half, out - scoring the Hawks 66 - 50, but were unable to keep their momentum going into the third quarter, and allowed the Hawks to come all the way back and take the victory. Despite being out - rebounded 42 - 31, the Hawks were still able to force the Celtics into 23 turnovers, giving them enough of an advantage to grab a four - point victory. Kyle Korver was almost impossible to stop in this one. He shot a ridiculous 8 - for - 9 from the floor and 6 - for - 7 from beyond the arc to finish with a team - high of 24 points. Considering he's averaging 13 points on the year, it was a nice surprise for the Hawks to get some extra offensive production out of Korver. Paul Millsap played a big role in the win as well, as he recorded 19 points, six rebounds and seven assists. The seven assists were a season - high for Millsap, as he came into this game averaging just 3. Al Horford was the other starter for the Hawks to reach double - digit points. He finished with 16 points and six rebounds. Horford's scoring average is way down from the last two seasons, but this game offered a step in the right direction, and will hopefully give him some confidence for the future. Despite the loss, Jeff Green had a solid offensive outing. He shot 10 - for - 16 from the field and 1 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 25 points in 35 minutes. Green has really struggled from the three - point line in the past two weeks, but has still been able to keep his season scoring average at 18 points per game. Jared Sullinger had an efficient game. He scored 22 points (9 - 16 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt) and grabbed nine rebounds in 29 minutes. After struggling against the Spurs on Sunday, it was a nice confidence builder for Sullinger. Rajon Rondo struggled with his shot all night and finished with only two points. He did all of the other things right though and contributed a ridiculous 19 assists and 12 rebounds. The 19 assists and 12 rebounds were both season - highs for Rondo. The Celtics' next game will at home against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday, while the Hawks will travel to Miami to play the Heat on Wednesday."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Nuggets": "21"}}, {"Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "32", "Kenneth Faried": "21", "Jameer Nelson": "17", "Jamal Murray": "18", "Tyson Chandler": "15", "Devin Booker": "23", "Eric Bledsoe": "41", "PJ Tucker": "12"}, "Assists": {"Jameer Nelson": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jamal Murray": "10", "Devin Booker": "16", "Eric Bledsoe": "27"}, "Field goals made": {"Jamal Murray": "7", "Devin Booker": "8", "Eric Bledsoe": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Jamal Murray": "23", "Tyson Chandler": "40", "Eric Bledsoe": "45"}, "Rebounds": {"Eric Bledsoe": "6"}, "Steals": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2"}}], "Eric Bledsoe poured in a career - high 41 points, on 12 - of - 27 shooting, to go along with eight assists, six rebounds and two steals, in 45 minutes. Devin Booker followed up with 23 points on 8 - of - 16 shooting, while Tyson Chandler was solid with 15 points and 13 rebounds, in 40 minutes of action. P.J. Tucker chipped in 12 points off the bench for Phoenix. The Nuggets were able to rack up a ridiculous 42 free throw attempts and took advantage by hitting 37 of them, in comparison to the Suns, who went 24 - of - 32 from the foul line. Danilo Gallinari led the way with 32 points for Denver, while Kenneth Faried followed up with 21 points and 13 rebounds. Jameer Nelson was solid at the point, with 17 points and six assists, while Jamal Murray chipped in 18 points, on 7 - of - 10 shooting, in 23 minutes off the bench."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Spurs": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "52"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Spurs": "25"}}, {"Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "25", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "16", "Dewayne Dedmon": "11", "Tony Parker": "8", "Patty Mills": "9", "Pau Gasol": "15", "Kyle Anderson": "9", "Brandon Ingram": "22", "Julius Randle": "6", "D'Angelo Russell": "18", "Jordan Clarkson": "19", "Thomas Robinson": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "9", "Dewayne Dedmon": "9", "Julius Randle": "12", "Thomas Robinson": "8"}, "Assists": {"Tony Parker": "9"}}], "The Spurs shot 52 percent from the field and 48 percent from three - point range, while also eliciting 18 turnovers from their over - matched hosts. Kawhi Leonard's 25 points led the Spurs. LaMarcus Aldridge followed with a near double - double of 16 points and nine rebounds, while Pau Gasol came off the bench to tally 15 points. Dewayne Dedmon supplied 11 points and nine boards. Tony Parker supplied eight points and nine assists. Patty Mills and Kyle Anderson led the second unit with matching nine - point efforts. Brandon Ingram's career - high 22 points paced the Lakers. Jordan Clarkson generated a bench - leading 19 points. D'Angelo Russell was right behind him with 18 points, and Julius Randle totaled just six points but also hauled in 12 rebounds. Thomas Robinson turned in strong work off the bench with nine points and eight rebounds."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "45"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "55"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "20", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "17"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "21", "Marcus Morris": "20", "Andre Drummond": "20", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "25", "Ish Smith": "19", "Jon Leuer": "12", "Jae Crowder": "14", "Avery Bradley": "14", "Isaiah Thomas": "27", "Kelly Olynyk": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "17", "Ish Smith": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "10"}, "Assists": {"Ish Smith": "8"}}], "Led by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's 25 points on 10 - of - 17 shooting, the Pistons posted a 55 percent success rate from the floor and 45 percent mark from three - point range. Three other members of the first unit also scored at least 20 points, including Tobias Harris who posted his third straight 20 - plus - point performance with 21 points overall. Andre Drummond and Marcus Morris turned in respective 20 - point efforts, with the former also hauling in 17 rebounds. Meanwhile, Ish Smith filled out the stat sheet with 19 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Jon Leuer's 12 - point effort led the bench. Isaiah Thomas' 27 points paced the Celtics and Jae Crowder and Avery Bradley had a pair of 14 - point contributions. However, Amir Johnson and Al Horford combined for just 20 points. Kelly Olynyk led the second unit with 19 points."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "44"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "14", "Knicks": "20"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "7", "Knicks": "5"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "9"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "22", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "20", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "16", "Jason Smith": "12", "Jeff Green": "28", "Tyler Zeller": "19", "Evan Turner": "13", "Rajon Rondo": "2", "Kelly Olynyk": "11", "Marcus Thornton": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "5", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "7", "Jason Smith": "5", "Rajon Rondo": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jeff Green": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jeff Green": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Evan Turner": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Kelly Olynyk": "21"}}], "The Knicks (5 - 20) snapped a 10 - game losing streak, knocking off the Celtics (7 - 14) Friday in Boston. Carmelo Anthony led New York with 22 points on 9 - of - 20 shooting to go with five rebounds and three assists. Amar\u2019e Stoudemire added 20 points and seven rebounds, and Tim Hardaway, Jr. had 16 points off the bench. Jason Smith added 12 points and five rebounds. The Knicks were without J.R. Smith, who sat out due to a heel injury. The Celtics, who shot 44 percent from the floor, got 28 points from Jeff Green (4 - 8 3Pt). Tyler Zeller added 19, and Evan Turner had 13 points and five turnovers. Rajon Rondo turned in a vintage Rondo line, finishing with two points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. Marcus Thornton chipped in 13 points off the bench, and Kelly Olynyk had 11 in 21 minutes. Up next, New York returns home to host the East-leading Raptors on Sunday. The Celtics are off until Monday, when they travel to Philadelphia to take on the Sixers."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "8", "Warriors": "2"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "7"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Klay Thompson": "3"}, "Points": {"Klay Thompson": "25", "Rodney Stuckey": "21"}, "Steals": {"Klay Thompson": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Klay Thompson": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Rodney Stuckey": "24"}}], "Klay Thompson has become an x - factor for this Warriors team, as while his up - and - down start to the regular season has n't really had a huge impact on the team's overall performance, when he's hitting his shots, the team is nearly unbeatable. As of late, Thompson's shot has really come together, as he has now, after Monday's 25 - point performance, led the team in scoring in two of their last three games. They've also won those games by a combined 53 points. The Pacers, on the other hand, are going in a much different direction, as they are now 7 - 8 on the season. It's been due in large part to their lack of bench production, as they currently rank in the bottom 10 of the NBA. The return of Rodney Stuckey, however, may be able to turn that around. The 24 minutes he played Monday night was his highest of the season and it went along with a season - high 21 points. If Stuckey can stay healthy, the Pacers may have a legitimate sixth man that can lead to successful bench production."], [[{}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwyane Wade": "1", "Monta Ellis": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwyane Wade": "1", "Monta Ellis": "7"}, "Steals": {"Dwyane Wade": "1", "Myles Turner": "2", "Monta Ellis": "2"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "13", "Myles Turner": "16", "Monta Ellis": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Paul George": "1", "Myles Turner": "1", "Monta Ellis": "1"}, "Assists": {"Myles Turner": "1", "Monta Ellis": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Myles Turner": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Myles Turner": "1", "Monta Ellis": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Myles Turner": "28"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Myles Turner": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Monta Ellis": "1"}}], "Wire-to-wire wins are quite the accomplishment in the NBA and it feels even better against a division rival. Indiana did just that, as this game was out of hand early. All five starters played well for the Pacers, as they all had at least one assist and one steal en route to a double - digit plus - minus margin. Myles Turner continues to shine, as he tallied 16 points, four rebounds, two steals and four blocks in the win, Monta Ellis scored just two points, but provided seven rebounds and eight assists in an efficient night. Paul George was ejected for kicking the ball into the stands and he may face a suspension considering it hit a fan in the face after he scored 13 points in 28 minutes. Dwyane Wade has been surprising spectators with his ability to shoot from long distance this season, but his 1 - of - 9 performance here is one to forget. He actually recorded just one rebound and no assists aside from that, as he looked tired in the second half of a back - to - back set. Indiana still dominated this game, despite scoring just two fastbreak points."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "7", "Lakers": "16"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "110", "Lakers": "112"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Spurs": "25"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Spurs": "25"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Spurs": "25"}, "Turnovers": {"Spurs": "19"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "16", "Lakers": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"Kobe Bryant": "9", "Jeremy Lin": "8"}, "Points": {"Kobe Bryant": "22", "Jeremy Lin": "14", "Carlos Boozer": "14", "Nick Young": "29", "Tim Duncan": "19"}, "Minutes played": {"Jeremy Lin": "30", "Carlos Boozer": "31", "Tim Duncan": "40", "Tiago Splitter": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Carlos Boozer": "13", "Tim Duncan": "18"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers (7 - 16) defeated the San Antonio Spurs (16 - 7) 112 - 110 in overtime on Friday. Los Angeles has won two straight games and four of their last seven. Nick Young paced all scorers with a season - high 29 points off the bench. Kobe Bryant followed close behind with 22 points and also dealt out nine assists. The recently benched Jeremy Lin and Carlos Boozer had productive games off the bench as they work to earn their starting spots back or at least assure themselves lots of minutes off the bench. Lin had 14 points and eight assists in 30 minutes, and Boozer finished with a double - double of 14 points and 13 rebounds in 31 minutes. The Lakers will have a chance to extend their win streak on the road against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday. San Antonio has dropped two of their last three games. Kawhi Leonard's (hand) absence meant a drop - off in defense for the Spurs on Friday, but they also welcomed back Tony Parker (hamstring), Tim Duncan (rest) and Manu Ginobili (rest) to the active roster. The Spurs coughed up an uncharacteristic 19 turnovers in the game, giving up 25 easy points off the loss of possessions. Tiago Splitter (calf) played in a second straight game, earning a season - high 15 minutes of run off the bench. Duncan kept the Spurs alive with a huge double - double of 19 points and 18 rebounds in 40 minutes, but it was n't enough to get them the win. San Antonio will go on the road to play the Denver Nuggets on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "3", "Suns": "4"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "124", "Suns": "103"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "4", "Suns": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Suns": "23"}}, {"Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "11", "Russell Westbrook": "13"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Eric Bledsoe": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Eric Bledsoe": "1"}, "Points": {"Eric Bledsoe": "28", "TJ Warren": "17", "Kevin Durant": "32", "Russell Westbrook": "21", "Dion Waiters": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "11"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (4 - 3) defeated the Phoenix Suns (3 - 4) 124 - 103 on Sunday. The Thunder were letting the Suns hang around in the first half, but pulled away after that, out - scoring the Suns 64 - 49 in the second half. This was a domination in every fashion for the Thunder, as they recorded more assists, rebounds, steals and blocks than the Suns in the victory. The Suns bit themselves in the foot as well, committing 23 turnovers in the defeat. The Thunder did what they do best as they led by double - doubles from superstars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook on Sunday. Durant tallied 32 points and 11 rebounds, while Westbrook totaled 21 points and 13 assists. They also combined for seven steals and it's clear that this is the best tandem in the NBA at this point. Oklahoma City also got some nice production off the bench, as Enes Kanter and Dion Waiters both scored 19 points in the victory. The 4 - 3 record doesn\u2019t look too great, but it sounds much better when you look deeper and see that the losses came to the Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls and Houston Rockets, who are all top - notch contenders this season. The Thunder play the Washington Wizards on Tuesday in their next game in a homecoming for Durant. The Suns got a brilliant performance from Eric Bledsoe on Sunday, but got very little aside from that. Bledsoe tallied 28 points and 11 assists in the loss and he is looking like one of the best guards in the NBA at this point. One positive that the Suns can take out of the loss is a 17 - point performance from T. J. Warren from off the bench, as he continues to develop as a great sixth man. With the recent struggles of starter P.J. Tucker, Phoenix very well may opt to switch to Warren in an effort to boost the offense. The Suns have a few days off until they host the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday in their next matchup."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "26", "Heat": "38"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "112", "Heat": "108"}, "Turnovers": {"Celtics": "16"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "48", "Heat": "35"}}, {"Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "19", "Tyler Johnson": "24", "Jae Crowder": "25", "Isaiah Thomas": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "15"}, "Blocks": {"Jae Crowder": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jae Crowder": "3"}, "Steals": {"Jae Crowder": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Jae Crowder": "3"}}], "The host Boston Celtics hung on to beat the Miami Heat on Sunday, 112 - 108. Boston (48 - 26) is now in a tie with the Cavaliers for the first seed in the Eastern Conference. Sunday's game marked a huge win for the Celtics, as the team not only earned its fourth straight victory, but moved into first place for the first time all season. Strong ball movement and shooting helped propel the Celtics to victory, as Miami was characteristically tenacious on the glass. The Cs shot over 53 percent from the field and dished out 32 team assists. Two Boston starters, star point guard Isaiah Thomas and forward Jae Crowder, led the team's offensive charge. Thomas, the league's second - leading scorer, dropped 30 points on the night. Crowder, meanwhile, had a season - high 25 points including three huge three - pointers. Crowder was also immensely impactful on the defensive end, coming away with two blocks and two steals. Miami (35 - 38), meanwhile, has been surging lately, pushing their way to the playoff picture after a dismal 13 - 30 start to the season. On Sunday, the Heat showed the intensity that led them to their playoff push, out - rebounding the Celtics by seven and coming away with 16 forced turnovers. Center Hassan Whiteside was at the heart of the win, scoring 19 points to go along with 15 rebounds. The Heat also enjoyed bench production in droves, with sixth man Tyler Johnson coming away with a team - high 24 points off the bench. Boston will host the Bucks on Wednesday, while the Heat will visit Detroit on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "6", "Nets": "14"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "105", "Nets": "89"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Raptors": "29", "Nets": "16"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "20", "Nets": "10"}}, {"Assists": {"Joe Johnson": "3", "Mirza Teletovic": "2", "Mason Plumlee": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "12", "Greivis Vasquez": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "4", "Mirza Teletovic": "8", "Mason Plumlee": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "3", "Greivis Vasquez": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Joe Johnson": "1", "Mirza Teletovic": "4", "Mason Plumlee": "0", "Kyle Lowry": "2", "Patrick Patterson": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "17", "Mirza Teletovic": "10", "Mason Plumlee": "13", "Jonas Valanciunas": "7", "Kyle Lowry": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Joe Johnson": "8", "Mirza Teletovic": "5", "Mason Plumlee": "9", "Jonas Valanciunas": "6", "Kyle Lowry": "7", "Greivis Vasquez": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "3", "Mason Plumlee": "11", "Jonas Valanciunas": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Joe Johnson": "0", "Mason Plumlee": "5", "Jonas Valanciunas": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Joe Johnson": "38", "Mirza Teletovic": "21", "Mason Plumlee": "37", "Jonas Valanciunas": "28", "Kyle Lowry": "32"}, "Points": {"Joe Johnson": "17", "Mirza Teletovic": "14", "Mason Plumlee": "23", "Jonas Valanciunas": "16", "Kyle Lowry": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Joe Johnson": "8", "Mirza Teletovic": "3", "Mason Plumlee": "8", "Deron Williams": "3", "Jonas Valanciunas": "10", "Kyle Lowry": "3", "Greivis Vasquez": "3"}, "Steals": {"Joe Johnson": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Mason Plumlee": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Deron Williams": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Deron Williams": "3", "Patrick Patterson": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Greivis Vasquez": "3"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (20 - 6) knocked off the Brooklyn Nets (10 - 14) 105 - 89 on Wednesday. The Nets were once again without Brook Lopez (back), giving Mason Plumlee another start at center. Lopez is expected to be out until at least Sunday. Kevin Garnett was also held out to rest his foot injury on the second night of a back - to - back, which sent Mirza Teletovic into the starting lineup. Both Plumlee and Teletovic got plenty of work, and both produced nicely. Plumlee played 37 minutes, scoring 23 points (9 - 13 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 5 - 11 FT) to go with eight rebounds, two assists and two blocks, while Teletovic scored 14 points (5 - 10 FG, 4 - 8 3Pt) to go with three rebounds and two assists in 21 minutes. Joe Johnson had a solid night as well, scoring 17 points (8 - 17 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 0 - 3 FT) to go with eight rebounds, three assists and one steal in 38 minutes. The Raptors rallied in the fourth, outscoring the Nets 29 - 16 to run away with the game. They were led by a big night from Kyle Lowry, who had 20 points (7 - 13 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) to go with 12 assists, three rebounds and two steals in 32 minutes. Jonas Valanciunas also posted a double - double, posting 16 points (6 - 7 FG, 4 - 4 FT) and 10 rebounds in 28 minutes. It was a well - rounded effort for the Raptors, as six players scored in double figures, with three of those players coming off the bench (Patrick Patterson, Greivis Vasquez and Louis Williams). The win streak is now up to four in a row for Toronto, and they'll look to keep it going against the Detroit Pistons on Friday night."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "39", "Warriors": "57"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "7", "Warriors": "2"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "97", "Warriors": "114"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Heat": "11", "Warriors": "23"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "8", "Warriors": "11"}}, {"Assists": {"Harrison Barnes": "2", "Stephen Curry": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "2", "Luol Deng": "3", "Mario Chalmers": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Harrison Barnes": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Harrison Barnes": "2"}, "Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "12", "Draymond Green": "11", "Klay Thompson": "24", "Stephen Curry": "40", "Luol Deng": "16", "Chris Bosh": "26", "Mario Chalmers": "14"}, "Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Draymond Green": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "7", "Stephen Curry": "11", "Luol Deng": "3", "Chris Bosh": "3", "Mario Chalmers": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "8", "Luol Deng": "2", "Chris Bosh": "2", "Mario Chalmers": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "19", "Stephen Curry": "19", "Luol Deng": "11", "Chris Bosh": "19", "Mario Chalmers": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Klay Thompson": "10", "Stephen Curry": "12", "Luol Deng": "6", "Chris Bosh": "10", "Mario Chalmers": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Stephen Curry": "6", "Chris Bosh": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Luol Deng": "2", "Chris Bosh": "4", "Mario Chalmers": "4"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (11 - 2) defeated the Miami Heat (8 - 7) 114 - 97 on Tuesday at American Airlines Arena in Miami. With the score at 91 - 86 in favor of the Warriors going into the fourth quarter, it looked like a close finish was destined to be on its way. Instead, the Warriors were able to out - score the Heat 23 - 11 in the fourth quarter, giving them their sixth victory in a row. They were also able to shoot 57 percent from the field in this game, while the Heat struggled and shot only 39 percent from the floor. Steph Curry and Klay Thompson were a big reason the Warriors shot so well Tuesday. Curry went 12 - for - 19 from the field and 8 - for - 11 from the three - point line in a dominating performance. He finished with a season - high 40 points, while also recording seven assists and six rebounds. Klay Thompson on the other hand shot 10 - for - 19 from the field and 3 - for - 7 from beyond the arc to score 24 points. The duo has now pushed Golden State into the second spot in the Western Conference standings. The other two players to reach double figures in points for the Warriors were Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green, who scored 12 and 11 points apiece. The bench really was n't a factor, as only one bench player recorded over 15 minutes. With Dwyane Wade still sidelined with a hamstring injury, Chris Bosh continued to take it on himself to do the scoring for this Heat team. Bosh shot 10 - for - 19 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from beyond the arc to score 26 points, while also recording nine rebounds. Bosh has now scored 20 points or more in the past four games and is averaging 21 points on the year. Luol Deng also shot well, going 6 - for - 11 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line, scoring 16 points in 31 minutes. Mario Chalmers was n't as successful with his shot, but still scored 14 points (4 - 17 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT) as a starter. The Heat just could n't find an answer for the Warriors dominant backcourt. The Warriors' next game will be on the road against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, while the Heat will travel to New York to play the Knicks on Sunday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Thunder": "32"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "52"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "52", "Nuggets": "38"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "117", "Nuggets": "93"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Thunder": "37", "Nuggets": "20"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "3", "Nuggets": "1"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "2"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Danilo Gallinari": "13", "Will Barton": "12", "Kevin Durant": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Danilo Gallinari": "3", "Will Barton": "6", "Kevin Durant": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Danilo Gallinari": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Danilo Gallinari": "7"}, "Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "15", "Jameer Nelson": "13", "Will Barton": "15", "Kevin Durant": "25", "Serge Ibaka": "18", "Russell Westbrook": "15", "Enes Kanter": "12"}, "Assists": {"Jameer Nelson": "7", "Serge Ibaka": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Will Barton": "24"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Durant": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Serge Ibaka": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "9", "Enes Kanter": "10"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (30) won their third game in a row to start the season, defeating the Denver Nuggets (1 - 2) by a score of 117 - 93. This game was all but over after the third quarter, during which the Thunder outscored the Nuggets 37 - 20 and pushed their lead to 25 heading into the fourth. The difference in this game was the Thunder shooting a great 52 percent from the field, including 52 percent from three. The Thunder had seven players score in double digits, and dished out an impressive 32 assists on 45 made field goals. Kevin Durant led his team in scoring with 25 points on 8 - for - 11 shooting, including a 3 - for - 5 mark from deep. Russell Westbrook flirted with a triple - double with 15 points, eight assists and nine rebounds, and Serge Ibaka imposed his will on the game with five blocks, not to mention 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Also worth noting was the performance of Enes Kanter, who tallied a double - double in only 17 minutes off the bench with 12 points and 10 rebounds. The Nuggets could n't take advantage of their opportunities and shot 38 percent from the field. Denver had seven players play over 20 minutes, but no one scored over 20 points. Will Barton had a solid game in 24 minutes off the bench, scoring 15 points on 6 - for - 12 shooting. Danilo Gallinari also scored 15 points, but on poor 3 - for - 13 shooting. He did go 7 - of - 8 from the foul line though. Jameer Nelson also had a solid game off the bench with 13 points and seven assists. The Nuggets were missing Wilson Chandler due to a hip injury and lacked production from \u201cThe Manimal\u201d Kenneth Faried, so maybe on another night, this would have been a closer game. Next up for the Nuggets is a match with the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday. The Thunder will be visiting Houston to face James Harden and the Rockets in their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "31", "Pelicans": "36"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "100", "Pelicans": "95"}, "Rebounds": {"Rockets": "51", "Pelicans": "43"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "30", "Pelicans": "23"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "12", "Norris Cole": "21", "Dwight Howard": "16", "James Harden": "39", "Patrick Beverley": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "8", "Norris Cole": "4", "Dwight Howard": "9", "James Harden": "12", "Patrick Beverley": "9"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "2", "Dwight Howard": "2", "James Harden": "4"}, "Assists": {"Norris Cole": "8", "James Harden": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Dwight Howard": "3"}}], "The Houston Rockets (30 - 31) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (23 - 36) 100 - 95 on Wednesday. Most would have anticipated a much higher - scoring game, but the shooting was dreadful between both teams. Houston actually had one of the worst shooting nights of the season in the NBA, as they went 3 - for - 34 from three - point range in the win. Both teams also shot under 70 percent from the free - throw line as well. The key for the Rockets was a 13 - 2 run to end the game that was led by James Harden. Another key was the rebounding, as they snatched down 51 rebounds to the Pelicans 43 boards. New Orleans got back Anthony Davis after a two - game absence, but it didn\u2019t help much. Davis finished the game with just 12 points and eight rebounds, while going just 5 - for - 13 from the field. Norris Cole led the team with 21 points and also added four rebounds and eight assists in a great performance. Six players scored in double - digits for the Pelicans, but the other four players combined for just four points. On deck for New Orleans is a matchup against the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday. James Harden wasn\u2019t going to let his team lose tonight and he put it all on the line. Harden accumulated 39 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists and four steals in an MVP-type performance. Patrick Beverley also played with a chip on his shoulder, as he tallied 15 points and nine rebounds in the victory. The only other player in double figures was Dwight Howard, as he totaled 16 points, nine rebounds, two steals and three blocks in the win. Houston wo n't play again until Saturday, when they take on the reeling Chicago Bulls."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "45", "Clippers": "25"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "105", "Clippers": "116"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "22", "Clippers": "44"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Hedo Turkoglu": "12", "Blake Griffin": "16", "JJ Redick": "16", "Chris Paul": "20", "Rudy Gay": "19", "Jason Thompson": "10", "Ben McLemore": "5", "Nik Stauskas": "6", "Andre Miller": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Hedo Turkoglu": "7", "Blake Griffin": "7", "JJ Redick": "9", "Chris Paul": "13", "Rudy Gay": "6", "Jason Thompson": "5", "Ben McLemore": "0", "Nik Stauskas": "4", "Andre Miller": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Hedo Turkoglu": "33", "Chris Paul": "39", "Jason Thompson": "34", "Nik Stauskas": "23", "Andre Miller": "25"}, "Points": {"Hedo Turkoglu": "19", "Blake Griffin": "19", "DeAndre Jordan": "6", "JJ Redick": "27", "Chris Paul": "30", "Rudy Gay": "23", "Jason Thompson": "12", "Nik Stauskas": "13", "Andre Miller": "16"}, "Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "5", "Chris Paul": "11", "Rudy Gay": "4", "Andre Miller": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Blake Griffin": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Blake Griffin": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "10", "DeAndre Jordan": "15", "Chris Paul": "3", "Rudy Gay": "6", "Jason Thompson": "8", "Nik Stauskas": "3", "Andre Miller": "3"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"JJ Redick": "12"}, "3-pointers made": {"JJ Redick": "7"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Chris Paul": "3"}, "Steals": {"Chris Paul": "1", "Rudy Gay": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Rudy Gay": "2"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (44 - 25) defeated the Sacramento Kings (22 - 45) 116 - 105 on Wednesday in Sacramento. Chris Paul was outstanding in the victory, as he played one of his better games of the season. Paul scored a game - high 30 points on 13 - of - 20 shooting and dished out 11 assists in 39 minutes. The All-Star point guard has now had 20 - plus points and five - plus assists in each of his last three games. J.J. Redick also had a very impressive outing, scoring 27 points on 9 - of - 16 shooting from the field and 7 - of - 12 from the three - point line. Blake Griffin also continues to be solid since returning from his extended absence due to an elbow injury. He recorded 19 points Wednesday on 7 - of - 16 shooting, 10 rebounds and five assists, giving him three double - doubles in his last three games since the injury. Matt Barnes sat out Wednesday's game with a hamstring injury, while Hedo Turkoglu was thrust into the starting lineup in his place. Turkoglu played well, scoring 19 points on 7 - of - 12 shooting in 33 minutes. DeAndre Jordan only scored six points, but had 15 rebounds and four blocks on the night. The win moves the Clippers up to fifth place in the Western Conference, as they are holding a tiebreaker over the Mavericks for that position. Los Angeles also is just one and a half games behind the Trail Blazers for fourth place. The Kings were without All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins, who was out with a calf injury, and his absence hurt the team as they were unable to close down the stretch. Rudy Gay, however, after missing two games with a knee injury, did play and led the team in scoring with 23 points on 6 - of - 19 shooting, to go along with six rebounds, four assists and three steals. Jason Thompson was the only other Sacramento starter in double figures, recording 12 points on 5 - of - 10 shooting and eight rebounds in 34 minutes. Andre Miller contributed a solid 16 points on 8 - of - 11 shooting, four assists and three rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench, while Nik Stauskas scored 13 points on 4 - of - 6 shooting in 23 minutes off the bench. Ben McLemore played beyond poorly, shooting 0 - for - 5 from the field and scoring zero points. Up next, the Clippers will head home to take on the Wizards on Friday, while the Kings will go up against the Hornets on Friday in Sacramento."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "44", "Thunder": "51"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "22", "Thunder": "12"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "94", "Thunder": "106"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "10", "Thunder": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Steven Adams": "15", "Russell Westbrook": "29", "Enes Kanter": "19", "Hassan Whiteside": "12", "Josh Richardson": "22", "James Johnson": "16", "Tyler Johnson": "15"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "11", "Josh Richardson": "3", "James Johnson": "2", "Tyler Johnson": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "17", "Enes Kanter": "8", "Hassan Whiteside": "8", "Josh Richardson": "5", "James Johnson": "5", "Tyler Johnson": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Hassan Whiteside": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the host Miami Heat, 106 - 94, at America Airlines Arena on Tuesday. While Miami got out to an early lead, that was the only one they'd have all game. In fact, the Thunder led for the final 40 - plus minutes, as they pulled out a near wire - to - wire win. Rebounding was the biggest factor to the Thunder's success, as they won that battle, 46 - 32. Fastbreak points and points in the paint were also decisive, as Oklahoma City outscored Miami, 58 - 32 in the paint and 16 - 4 in fastbreak points. The Thunder finished the game shooting 51 percent from the field, while holding the Heat to just 44 percent. Oklahoma City (20 - 12) have riden the back of Russell Westbrook all season and he carried the load once again here. Westbrook notched his 15th triple - double of the season, as he accumulated 29 points, 17 rebounds and 11 assists in the win. Steven Adams was the only other starter in double figures, as he totaled 15 points and eight rebounds. Enes Kanter was a nice spark off the bench, providing 19 points and eight rebounds. On deck for the Thunder is a road matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday. Miami (10 - 22) had to play this game without Goran Dragic and it clearly hampered them in this loss. Josh Richardson had been struggling this season, but he was a nice bright spot in this loss, tallying a career - high 22 points, five rebounds and three assists. The Johnson's once again led the bench in scoring, as Josh Johnson accrued 16 points and five rebounds, while Tyler Johnson dropped 15 points, two rebounds and two assists. Hassan Whiteside really struggled, as he went 4 - of - 11 from the field and committed four turnovers en route to a 12 - point and eight - rebound dud. The Heat will look to play better on Thursday in a road matchup against the Charlotte Hornets."], [[{"Total points": {"Celtics": "110", "Bulls": "101"}}, {"Points": {"Tony Snell": "2", "Taj Gibson": "9", "Pau Gasol": "18", "Jimmy Butler": "28", "Derrick Rose": "27", "Bobby Portis": "8", "Kelly Olynyk": "12", "Jared Sullinger": "18", "Isaiah Thomas": "22", "Marcus Smart": "8", "Evan Turner": "10", "Tyler Zeller": "7"}, "Steals": {"Tony Snell": "1", "Jimmy Butler": "2", "Bobby Portis": "1", "Jared Sullinger": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "1", "Marcus Smart": "1", "Evan Turner": "1", "Tyler Zeller": "1"}, "Assists": {"Pau Gasol": "3", "Jimmy Butler": "3", "Derrick Rose": "3", "Kelly Olynyk": "2", "Jared Sullinger": "5", "Isaiah Thomas": "5", "Evan Turner": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "11", "Jimmy Butler": "14", "Derrick Rose": "7", "Bobby Portis": "3", "Kelly Olynyk": "9", "Jared Sullinger": "12", "Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Marcus Smart": "5", "Evan Turner": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Bobby Portis": "1", "Kelly Olynyk": "1", "Jared Sullinger": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Marcus Smart": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Evan Turner": "5"}}], "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."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "35", "Celtics": "36"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "90", "Celtics": "100"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "28", "Celtics": "26"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Brandon Bass": "14", "Isaiah Thomas": "17", "Dwyane Wade": "23", "Michael Beasley": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Brandon Bass": "7", "Isaiah Thomas": "7", "Dwyane Wade": "13", "Michael Beasley": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Brandon Bass": "33", "Isaiah Thomas": "31", "Hassan Whiteside": "22", "Dwyane Wade": "35", "Michael Beasley": "32"}, "Points": {"Brandon Bass": "14", "Isaiah Thomas": "25", "Gigi Datome": "13", "Luol Deng": "11", "Hassan Whiteside": "7", "Dwyane Wade": "34", "Mario Chalmers": "12", "Michael Beasley": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Brandon Bass": "9", "Hassan Whiteside": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "8"}, "Personal fouls": {"Isaiah Thomas": "2"}}], "The Boston Celtics (26 - 36) defeated the Miami Heat (28 - 35) 100 - 90 in Miami on Monday. Isaiah Thomas carried the Celtics down the stretch of the fourth quarter and scored a team - high 25 points on 7 - of - 17 shooting and went a perfect 8 - for - 8 from the free throw line in 31 minutes. Brandon Bass put in his second solid performance in a row, recording 14 points on 7 - of - 14 shooting and nine rebounds in 33 minutes. In his last two games, Bass has logged 33 points and 26 rebounds in 71 minutes. Luigi Datome (13) and Kelly Olynyk round out the Celtics players in double figures. The win brings Boston within two games of the eighth - place Charlotte Hornets in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt. Dwyane Wade led the way in Miami's losing effort, scoring a game - high 34 points on 13 - of - 23 shooting in 35 minutes. Michael Beasley played 32 minutes off the bench and scored 14 points on 6 - of - 16 shooting. Mario Chalmers (12) and Luol Deng (11) round out the Heat players in double figures. Hassan Whiteside was ejected from the game after forcefully shoving Boston's Kelly Olynyk in the back of the neck. He had seven points and nine rebounds in 22 minutes prior to his ejection. Goran Dragic (back) was held out for the second straight game. The loss drops the Heat to a half - game behind the Hornets for the final playoff spot in the East. Up next, Boston will head home Wednesday and go up against the Grizzlies, while Miami will stay home to take on the Nets on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "43", "Jazz": "50"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "4"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "29", "Derrick Favors": "19", "Rudy Gobert": "15", "George Hill": "19", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "33", "Michael Beasley": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "3", "Derrick Favors": "7", "Rudy Gobert": "16", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "12", "Michael Beasley": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Derrick Favors": "2"}, "Steals": {"George Hill": "4"}}], "Utah dominated this game from start to finish, as they led by at least eight points for the final 32 minutes. The Jazz took care of business down low, as they won the rebounding battle, 42 - 35 and the points in the paint differential, 52 - 34. The Jazz ended up shooting 50 percent from the field, while holding the Bucks to 43 percent. Gordon Hayward was the player of the game, as he tallied 29 points, three rebounds and four assists. Derrick Favors finished with 19 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. Rudy Gobert recorded a 15 - point, 16 - rebound double - double, while adding four blocks to his tally. George Hill provided 19 points and four steals. Giannis Antetokounmpo put in a valiant effort, accumulating 33 points, 12 rebounds and five steals to lead Milwaukee in the defeat. Michael Beasley was the only other Buck in double figures, as he collected 22 points and six rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "34", "Kings": "46"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "102", "Kings": "88"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "38", "Kings": "26"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "44"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Kings": "24"}}, {"Points": {"Omri Casspi": "10", "Rudy Gay": "18", "DeMarcus Cousins": "39", "Anthony Davis": "24", "Eric Gordon": "4", "Tyreke Evans": "25"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "18", "Omer Asik": "2"}, "Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2", "Anthony Davis": "2", "Tyreke Evans": "10"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Anthony Davis": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "41", "Anthony Davis": "41", "Omer Asik": "36", "Eric Gordon": "20", "Tyreke Evans": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "20", "Anthony Davis": "9", "Omer Asik": "12"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1", "Anthony Davis": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Omer Asik": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Omer Asik": "2"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (38 - 34) kept their playoff hopes alive with a 102 - 88 win over the Sacramento Kings (26 - 46). They\u2019re three games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder for the eighth spot in the Western Conference. Conventional wisdom says Anthony Davis has to make the playoffs in order to become an MVP candidate. He did his best against the Kings, tallying 24 points, nine rebounds, six blocks, two assists, and one steal in 41 minutes. It\u2019s the seventh time he\u2019s registered at least 24 points, nine boards, and six blocks in a game this season; no other players has even done it once. Former King Tyreke Evans added team - highs of 25 points and 10 assists in 33 minutes. Omer Asik corralled 12 rebounds but only attempted two shots in 36 minutes. Eric Gordon was limited to 20 minutes and four points, failing to grab a rebound or hit a three - pointer for the second consecutive game. DeMarcus Cousins picked up his 12th technical foul. He also accounted for 44 percent of the Kings points and 54 percent of their rebounds, accumulating 39 points, 20 rebounds, three blocks, two assists, and one steal in 41 minutes. It\u2019s his 44th double - double this season, second only to Pau Gasol of the Chicago Bulls. Sophomores Ray McCallum and Ben McLemore combined for nine points on 3 - of - 13 shooting in 64 minutes. Rudy Gay and Omri Casspi joined Cousins as the only other players to reach double - digit scoring, providing 18 and 10 respectively. The Pelicans conclude a three - game homestand Sunday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Kings play their third straight road game then they face the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "14", "Hornets": "11"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "109", "Hornets": "101"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Wizards": "27"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "11", "Hornets": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"PJ Hairston": "2", "Marvin Williams": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "8", "Kemba Walker": "2", "Jared Dudley": "4", "Marcin Gortat": "1", "Garrett Temple": "3", "John Wall": "12"}, "3-pointers made": {"PJ Hairston": "2", "John Wall": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"PJ Hairston": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"PJ Hairston": "2"}, "Points": {"PJ Hairston": "10", "Nicolas Batum": "14", "Kemba Walker": "18", "Jeremy Lin": "15", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "8", "Jared Dudley": "19", "Marcin Gortat": "18", "Garrett Temple": "21", "John Wall": "27"}, "Blocks": {"Nicolas Batum": "1", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "1", "John Wall": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Nicolas Batum": "6", "Kemba Walker": "3", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "5", "Jared Dudley": "9", "Marcin Gortat": "6", "Garrett Temple": "5", "John Wall": "4"}, "Steals": {"Nicolas Batum": "3", "Kemba Walker": "3", "Jared Dudley": "2", "Marcin Gortat": "1", "John Wall": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Kelly Oubre Jr.": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Kelly Oubre Jr.": "22", "John Wall": "42"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Garrett Temple": "3"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Garrett Temple": "78"}}], "The Washington Wizards (11 - 14) defeated the Charlotte Hornets 109 - 101 on Saturday. Ever since Bradley Beal was diagnosed with the initial stages of a stress fracture in his lower right fibula on December 12, the Wizards have been even more reliant than usual on All-Star point guard John Wall. The 25 - year - old has responded well with 20 - and - 26 - point efforts in two of the three games since, but his own health was in question heading into Saturday's contest. Wall had sprained an ankle in Friday's practice, and there had been some doubt shortly thereafter as to whether he'd be healthy enough to take the court. With Otto Porter already ruled out for the game with a thigh bruise, the Wizards were facing the grim possibility of taking on a talented Hornets squad without three starters. However, Wall answered the bell and shook off the ankle tweak to post his fifth straight double - double performance. He amassed 27 points, 12 assists, four rebounds, three steals and a block over 42 outstanding minutes to lead Washington to an important Eastern Conference victory. Charlotte received a balance offensive effort from their starters, with Kemba Walker leading the way with 18 points, three rebounds, two assists and three steals. Nicolas Batum, who'd missed Charlotte's last game with an illness, came back to contribute across the stat sheet, tallying 14 points, eight assists, six rebounds, three steals and a block. Cody Zeller and P.J. Hairston were the other two starters in double digits, with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Marvin Williams was the only Hornets starter to score under ten points, but still came within a point and an assist of a double - double. Jeremy Lin followed up his stellar 35 - point effort as a starter in Batum's stead on Thursday with a 15 - point outing that paced the Hornets bench. The Hornets fell to 15 - 11 and are now in a second - place tie with the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They travel to Houston to face the Rockets on Monday. In addition to Wall's memorable performance, the Wizards also got quality play from the fill - ins for their two injured starters. Kelly Oubre, Jr. did a solid job replacing Otto Porter for the evening, managing eight points, five rebounds and a block over 22 minutes. Meanwhile, Garrett Temple, who'd turned in sub - par efforts in Bradley Beal's stead in the first three games as his replacement, exploded for a season - high 21 points (on a season - best 78 shooting percentage from the field), five rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Jared Dudley (19 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals) and Marcin Gortat (18 points, six rebounds, an assist, a steal and four blocks) rounded out what was an outstanding night for the Washington starters. With such productive outings from their front - line players, the Wizards only needed 16 points from their bench in the victory. Washington improved to 11 - 14 but remains in last place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They face off against the Sacramento Kings at home on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "53", "Grizzlies": "48"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "37", "Grizzlies": "24"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "96", "Grizzlies": "103"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nuggets": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Nuggets": "40", "Grizzlies": "27"}, "Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "19", "Grizzlies": "8"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "23", "Grizzlies": "35"}}, {"Assists": {"Matt Barnes": "5", "Zach Randolph": "6", "Kenneth Faried": "4"}, "Points": {"Matt Barnes": "16", "Zach Randolph": "22", "Kenneth Faried": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Matt Barnes": "5", "Zach Randolph": "4", "Kenneth Faried": "11"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (35 - 24) defeated the Denver Nuggets (23 - 37) 103 - 96 on Monday. The statistics would indicate a win for the Nuggets, but that simply wasn\u2019t the case. Denver shot 53 percent from the field, while holding Memphis to 48 percent shooting. The Grizzlies had a nightmare game from three - point range, as they went just 3 - for - 20. The Nuggets also outrebounded the Grizzlies 40 - 27. The reason Memphis hung around and won was the turnover battle, as they committed just eight turnovers to the Nuggets 19 and scored 30 points off those turnovers. While the Grizzlies were dominated in the stat sheet, they did a great job of hanging around and pulling out a big road win. Zach Randolph was the catalyst for the offense, as he tallied a game - high 22 points, four rebounds and six assists in the victory. Matt Barnes also had a nice game, as he amassed 16 points, five rebounds and five assists. The bench was key too, with Lance Stephenson and Mario Chalmers combining for 29 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals. Up next for the Grizzlies is a matchup against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday. This was Denver\u2019s first game without Danilo Gallinari and it really hurt them down the stretch. Kenneth Faried played well though, as he accumulated a team - high 16 points with 11 rebounds and four assists in the defeat. The bench did a good job as well with D.J. Augustin, Joffrey Lauvergne, Darrell Arthur and Will Barton combining for 40 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists. Those were the only four players to come off the bench, as this Nuggets team is extremely shorthanded. On deck is a winnable game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "17"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "102", "76ers": "100"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Kings": "19", "76ers": "30"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "14"}}, {"Assists": {"Robert Covington": "1", "Jahlil Okafor": "2", "Gerald Henderson": "1", "Sergio Rodriguez": "5", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Dario Saric": "2", "Rudy Gay": "2", "DeMarcus Cousins": "5", "Darren Collison": "4", "Ty Lawson": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Robert Covington": "2", "Rudy Gay": "1", "DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}, "Points": {"Robert Covington": "5", "Joel Embiid": "25", "Jahlil Okafor": "6", "Gerald Henderson": "6", "Sergio Rodriguez": "18", "Ersan Ilyasova": "17", "Dario Saric": "12", "Rudy Gay": "17", "DeMarcus Cousins": "30", "Darren Collison": "9", "Ty Lawson": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Robert Covington": "6", "Jahlil Okafor": "2", "Gerald Henderson": "2", "Sergio Rodriguez": "3", "Rudy Gay": "9", "DeMarcus Cousins": "7", "Darren Collison": "1", "Ty Lawson": "4"}, "Steals": {"Robert Covington": "2", "Jahlil Okafor": "1", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Darren Collison": "1", "Ty Lawson": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Robert Covington": "3", "Jahlil Okafor": "3"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Joel Embiid": "25"}, "Personal fouls": {"Joel Embiid": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Jahlil Okafor": "3", "Gerald Henderson": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Gerald Henderson": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Dario Saric": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "2"}}], "The Sacramento Kings defeated the Philadelphia 76ers, 102 - 100, at Golden 1 Center on Monday. The two clubs nearly matched each other point for point in the first half, with the Kings (14 - 17) holding a slim 51 - 47 edge at halftime. However, the Sixers (7 - 23) stormed out of intermission to take the third quarter by a 30 - 19 margin, leaving them with a seven - point lead heading into the final period. Sacramento then turned the tables in the fourth, and DeMarcus Cousins made sure the visitors did n't prevail. First, the mercurial big man sunk a 26 - foot three - point jumper with 20 seconds left to give the Kings a 99 - 97 lead. He subsequently netted one of two free throws with five seconds remaining to extend the advantage to three, and then stuffed a 25 - foot shot attempt by the Sixers' Joel Embiid with three ticks on the clock. Embiid managed to get his hands on the ball again in time to hoist a 28 - footer a second later, but the home team was assured the win when that shot failed to find the net. Despite the failed heroics, Philadelphia's emerging big man did pace them with 25 points, eight rebounds, an assist, two steals and two blocks. Sergio Rodriguez followed with 18 points, five assists, three rebounds and a trio of steals. The remaining three members of the first unit failed to hit double digits in the scoring column, however, as Jahlil Okafor (six points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal), Gerald Henderson (six points, two rebounds and an assist) and Robert Covington (five points, six rebounds, an assist, two steals and two blocks) under - performed on offense. However, the scoring void was partly made up by two big men off the bench, as Ersan Ilyasova and Dario Saric went for 17 and 12 points, respectively. Cousins led the way for the home squad with 30 points, seven rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks. Rudy Gay went for a near double - double with 17 points, nine boards, two assists and a block. Ty Lawson compiled 12 points off the bench, a total he supplemented with four rebounds, four assists and two steals. Darren Collison produced nine points, four assists, a rebound and a steal, but Ben McLemore and Kosta Koufos could only supply a combined 10 points. The Sixers next visit the Utah Jazz on Thursday evening, while the Kings travel to Portland to face off with the Blazers on Wednesday night."], [[{"Total points": {"Mavericks": "105", "Nets": "96"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Mavericks": "23", "Nets": "26"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "53"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nets": "24"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "11"}}, {"Points": {"Quincy Acy": "12", "Jeremy Lin": "18", "Isaiah Whitehead": "24", "Trevor Booker": "15", "Harrison Barnes": "21", "Seth Curry": "18", "Yogi Ferrell": "17", "J.J. Barea": "9"}, "Assists": {"Jeremy Lin": "3", "Seth Curry": "4", "J.J. Barea": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Jeremy Lin": "27", "Isaiah Whitehead": "25", "Harrison Barnes": "37", "J.J. Barea": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Jeremy Lin": "5", "J.J. Barea": "1"}, "Steals": {"Jeremy Lin": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Isaiah Whitehead": "12", "Harrison Barnes": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Isaiah Whitehead": "8", "Harrison Barnes": "7"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks defeated the visiting Brooklyn Nets, 105 - 96, at American Airlines Center on Friday evening. The Nets (11 - 53) led 26 - 23 after the first quarter and maintained the three - point lead going into halftime. The Mavericks dominated the second half though, out - scoring the Nets 59 - 47, to take their fourth straight win and get one step closer to that coveted eighth spot in the West. Harrison Barnes led the way for the Mavs with 21 points on 7 - of - 15 shooting, along with seven rebounds, in 37 minutes. Seth Curry followed up with 18 points, five rebounds and four assists, while Yogi Ferrell added 17 points. Seven players came off the bench for Dallas, including J.J. Barea, who made his return after missing 20 games with a calf injury. Barea finished with nine points, three assists and one rebound, in 14 minutes. The Mavs face the second night of a back - to - back as they face off against the Suns, in Phoenix on Saturday. Meanwhile, Isaiah Whitehead led the Nets with a game - high 24 points on 8 - of - 12 shooting, in only 25 minutes off the bench. Jeremy Lin followed up with 18 points, to go along with five rebounds, three assists and two steals, in 27 minutes. Quincy Acy added 12 points, while the only other player to hit double digits for the Nets was Trevor Booker, who added 15 off the bench. The Nets go on to host the Knicks on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Spurs": "47"}, "Losses": {"Spurs": "14", "Hawks": "30"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "107", "Hawks": "99"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "52", "Hawks": "37"}}, {"Assists": {"Dennis Schroder": "10", "Kawhi Leonard": "4"}, "Points": {"Dennis Schroder": "22", "Kawhi Leonard": "31"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Kawhi Leonard": "39"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Atlanta Hawks 107 - 99 Monday at AT & T Center. Monday's contest marked the return of superstar Kawhi Leonard, who had been out with a concussion, for the Spurs (52 - 14), and his impact was felt immediately. San Antonio opened up a early lead and managed to hang on throughout the contest, and it was thanks in large part to yet another great performance from Leonard. Leonard finished with a game - high 31 points in 10 - of - 24 shooting to go along with five rebounds and four assists in 39 minutes. And it was Leonard and the other four starters that managed to carry the team, as those five ended up scoring 78 of the team's 107 points. In the end, it was the Spurs' hot shooting from outside that won them Monday's contest, as they shot a scorching 47 percent as a team from behind the arc. For the Hawks (37 - 30), the loss ended a three - game winning streak, and they did not have the same sort of success from three. The team finished shooting just 27 percent from behind the arc, with the starting five going just 1 - of - 9 from deep. Atlanta was equally unsuccessful from the free throw line Monday, where they shot 19 - of - 30 (63 percent) from the charity stripe. Dennis Schroeder led the way for the Hawks on the offensive end, scoring a team - high 22 points and dishing out a game - high 10 assists. Up next, the Spurs will remain home Wednesday to take on the Trail Blazers, while the Hawks will have until Thursday before they play the Grizzlies at home."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "11", "Spurs": "3"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "104", "Spurs": "90"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "2", "Spurs": "9"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Spurs": "20"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "20"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "22", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "20", "Tim Duncan": "6", "Anthony Davis": "20", "Eric Gordon": "11", "Ish Smith": "17", "Ryan Anderson": "30"}, "Assists": {"Tim Duncan": "2", "Eric Gordon": "2", "Ish Smith": "13"}, "Minutes played": {"Tim Duncan": "19", "Ryan Anderson": "33"}, "Steals": {"Tim Duncan": "1", "Eric Gordon": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "18", "Eric Gordon": "1"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (2 - 11) defeated the San Antonio Spurs (9 - 3) 104 - 90 on Friday. The Pelicans pulled off what would easily be considered the season\u2019s biggest upset to date, with forwards Anthony Davis and Ryan Anderson accounting for nearly half of New Orleans\u2019 points. Davis made a strong return from his recent shoulder injury by posting his fifth double - double of the campaign, while Anderson managed a second consecutive 30 - point performance in just 33 minutes. The Spurs looked poised to dominate as expected in the early going, opening up the game with a quick 80 lead. LaMarcus Aldridge and Kawhi Leonard lead the way with 20 and 22 points, respectively, but no other San Antonio starter managed much of an impact. Tim Duncan notably struggled against a New Orleans defense that had generally been vulnerable against centers, collecting only six points, two assists, and a steal over 19 minutes. San Antonio fell to 9 - 3 but remains in first place in the Western Conference\u2019s Southwest Division. They head home for a showdown versus the Grizzlies on Saturday. For the home team, Davis tallied 20 points and 18 rebounds in an intriguing matchup against LaMarcus Aldridge. Eric Gordon had less of an offensive role with Davis in the lineup, but still pitched in with 11 points, two assists, a rebound, and a pair of steals. In addition to Anderson\u2019s outstanding efforts, Ish Smith also represented the Pelicans bench extremely well, tallying 17 points and 13 assists in 33 minutes. It marked the point guard\u2019s third consecutive double - digit scoring night, as he continues to receive a considerable allotment of playing time even when Jrue Holiday is active due to the latter\u2019s minutes cap. The Pelicans improved to 2 - 11 but remain in last place in the Western Conference\u2019s Southwest Division. They remain home for a matchup versus Phoenix on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "26", "Heat": "14"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "95", "Heat": "103"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "13", "Heat": "22"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Heat": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "2", "Goran Dragic": "7", "Gerald Green": "3", "Devin Booker": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Dwyane Wade": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "14", "Goran Dragic": "15", "Gerald Green": "11", "Devin Booker": "17", "Brandon Knight": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwyane Wade": "9", "Goran Dragic": "8", "Gerald Green": "7", "Devin Booker": "6", "Brandon Knight": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "10", "Goran Dragic": "4", "Gerald Green": "7", "Devin Booker": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Dwyane Wade": "9", "Goran Dragic": "3", "Gerald Green": "5", "Devin Booker": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Dwyane Wade": "33", "Goran Dragic": "36", "Gerald Green": "34"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "Points": {"Dwyane Wade": "27", "Goran Dragic": "22", "Gerald Green": "21", "Devin Booker": "16", "Brandon Knight": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwyane Wade": "2", "Goran Dragic": "2", "Gerald Green": "4", "Devin Booker": "6"}, "Steals": {"Dwyane Wade": "1", "Goran Dragic": "2", "Devin Booker": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Goran Dragic": "5", "Gerald Green": "5", "Devin Booker": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Goran Dragic": "3", "Gerald Green": "2", "Devin Booker": "1"}}], "The Miami Heat (22 - 14) defeated the host Phoenix Suns (13 - 26) 103 - 95 on Friday night. It was a back and forth game with 16 lead changes. Phoenix was up 87 - 83 with 5:45 left in the fourth but Miami battled back thanks to some clutch shooting by Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Miami has now won its last 11 games against Phoenix. Dwyane Wade was on fire in this one. He led the Heat with 27 points (9 - 14 FG, 9 - 10 FT), two assists, two rebounds and two blocked shots, in 33 minutes. Goran Dragic showed well against his old team, finishing with 22 points (8 - 15 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), seven assists, two rebounds and two steals, in 36 minutes. Gerald Green gave Miami a huge spark in 34 minutes off the bench, with 21 points (7 - 11 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 5 - 7 FT), four rebounds and three assists. Brandon Knight led the Suns in scoring, with 26 points (11 - 24 FG. 1 - 6 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), along with four rebounds and four assists, in 36 minutes. Rookie Devin Booker had a decent game starting at shooting guard. He finished with 16 points (6 - 17 FG, 1 - 7 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), six rebounds and two assists, while matched up against one of the position's masters, Dwyane Wade. No one else scored in double digits for the Suns, who have had trouble filling the offensive void left by Eric Bledsoe. Bledsoe is out recovering from knee surgery. The Suns have been slipping and are 1 - 9 in their last 10 games. The Suns will have a couple days off before embarking on a three - game road trip, which begins in Indiana on Tuesday. The Heat will move on to Utah for the second game of their current six - game road trip, on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "42", "Suns": "26"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "111", "Suns": "109"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "12", "Suns": "29"}}, {"Points": {"Markieff Morris": "31", "Alex Len": "11", "Anthony Bennett": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "10", "Gorgui Dieng": "15"}, "Blocks": {"Alex Len": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Alex Len": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Alex Len": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Alex Len": "35", "Anthony Bennett": "9", "Gorgui Dieng": "38"}, "Rebounds": {"Alex Len": "10", "Anthony Bennett": "4", "Ricky Rubio": "8", "Gorgui Dieng": "12"}, "Assists": {"Kevin Martin": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Martin": "10"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (12 - 42) defeated the Phoenix Suns (29 - 26) 111 - 109 on Friday. Kevin Martin continued his hot streak against the Suns. Since returning from a wrist injury that forced him to miss more than two months of the season, Martin has scored 19 points or more in eight of the Timberwolves' last 10 games. Gorgui Dieng has a double - double off the bench for Minnesota. He finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds in 38 minutes. Anthony Bennett started at power forward in place of the departed Thaddeus Young. Bennett played just nine minutes, recording two points and four rebounds in his limited time on the floor. Ricky Rubio nearly had a triple - double with 10 points, 14 assists and eight rebounds. Minnesota is enjoying its best stretch of the season having gone 4 - 2 over their last six games. The Suns got a game - high, 31 - point performance from Markieff Morris. Alex Len put up an 11 - point, 10 - rebound double - double to go along with six blocks. Len had sat out Phoenix's previous three games leading up to the All-Star break with an ankle injury. He played 35 minutes against Minnesota, the second - most he's played all season long. New acquisitions Brandon Knight, Danny Granger and Marcus Thornton were all unavailable Friday night. The Timberwolves will have two days off before taking on the Rockets in Houston on Monday. The Suns will play the Bulls in Chicago on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "49", "76ers": "40"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "1", "76ers": "4"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "109", "76ers": "93"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hornets": "39", "76ers": "20"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "3", "76ers": "0"}}, {"Assists": {"Dario Saric": "1", "Sergio Rodriguez": "5", "Jahlil Okafor": "1", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "1", "Marvin Williams": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "4", "Kemba Walker": "7", "Frank Kaminsky": "1"}, "Points": {"Dario Saric": "14", "Richaun Holmes": "11", "Gerald Henderson": "11", "Sergio Rodriguez": "10", "Jahlil Okafor": "12", "Ersan Ilyasova": "14", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "6", "Marvin Williams": "11", "Cody Zeller": "13", "Nicolas Batum": "20", "Kemba Walker": "22", "Frank Kaminsky": "14", "Marco Belinelli": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Dario Saric": "7", "Richaun Holmes": "3", "Gerald Henderson": "3", "Sergio Rodriguez": "3", "Jahlil Okafor": "5", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "13", "Marvin Williams": "8", "Cody Zeller": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "7", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Frank Kaminsky": "5", "Marco Belinelli": "3"}, "Steals": {"Dario Saric": "1", "Jahlil Okafor": "1", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "3", "Marvin Williams": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "1", "Frank Kaminsky": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Richaun Holmes": "1", "Sergio Rodriguez": "1", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "1", "Cody Zeller": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "23"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Philadelphia 76ers, 109 - 93, at Spectrum Center on Wednesday. As was the case Tuesday against the Magic, Philadelphia (0 - 4) put together a strong first half that resulted in a halftime advantage. However, as Orlando had done a night prior, the Hornets (3 - 1) came storming out of the locker room for the third period and quickly erased the 53 - 46 deficit they'd reached intermission with. They outscored the Sixers by a margin of 39 - 20 over the next 12 minutes, establishing enough of a cushion to keep the visitors at bay in the fourth. Charlotte established a particular advantage with their overall shooting, as they outperformed Philadelphia by a near - 10 percent margin (49 to 40) from the field. The Sixers once again received a strong effort from third - year man Dario Saric, who co - led the team with 14 points, which he complemented with seven rebounds, an assist and a steal. Newcomer Ersan Ilyasova, just traded to Philadelphia from Oklahoma City, made a splash in his debut with a 14 - point effort himself from the bench over 23 minutes. Gerald Henderson and Richaun Holmes turned in a pair of 11 - point efforts, with the latter getting the start at center in place of the resting Joel Embiid and ahead of Jahlil Okafor. Sergio Rodriguez continued his solid play with 10 points, five assists, three rebounds and a block. Okafor checked in second on the reserves with 12 points, five boards, an assist and a steal. As usual, the Hornets were paced by Kemba Walker, who totaled 22 points, seven assists and four boards. Backcourt mate Nicolas Batum was right behind with 20 points, seven rebounds, four assists and a steal. Combined, the two guards went 14 - of - 29 from the field and 6 - of - 15 from beyond the arc. Cody Zeller received another start with Roy Hibbert still sidelined with a knee injury and tallied 13 points, a rebound and a block. Marvin Williams supplied 11 points, eight rebounds, an assist and a pair of steals while Michael Kidd-Gilchrist mustered a modest six points but brought down 13 boards, dished out an assist, recorded three steals and also had one block. Frank Kaminsky III, getting some extra run as well due to Hibbert's absence, led the bench with 14 points, five rebounds, an assist and a steal, while Marco Belinelli went for 11 points, three rebounds and a pair of dimes in a reserve role as well. Philadelphia heads back home to face off with the defending champion Cavaliers on Saturday night, while the Hornets head up north to Brooklyn to tangle with the Nets on Friday evening."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "48"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "34", "Kings": "42"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "115", "Kings": "108"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "35", "Kings": "26"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "1", "DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Marcus Morris": "7", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rudy Gay": "1", "DeMarcus Cousins": "0", "Marcus Morris": "6", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "12", "DeMarcus Cousins": "21", "Marcus Morris": "13", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gay": "7", "DeMarcus Cousins": "11", "Marcus Morris": "8", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "4", "DeMarcus Cousins": "11", "Marcus Morris": "2", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Rudy Gay": "4", "DeMarcus Cousins": "9", "Marcus Morris": "2", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "4"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gay": "19", "DeMarcus Cousins": "31", "Rajon Rondo": "10", "Marcus Morris": "24", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "23", "Reggie Jackson": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "10", "Rajon Rondo": "8", "Marcus Morris": "3", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "6", "Reggie Jackson": "7"}, "Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "13", "Marcus Morris": "2", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "9"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "35", "Rajon Rondo": "37", "Marcus Morris": "39", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "37", "Reggie Jackson": "34"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2", "Rajon Rondo": "3", "Marcus Morris": "2", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Rajon Rondo": "5", "Reggie Jackson": "5"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (35 - 34) defeated the Sacramento Kings (26 - 42) 115 - 108, Friday evening at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Things have been rough for both these teams lately, but the Pistons are certainly in the better position as they are in the midst of a battle for eighth spot in the East, while the Kings are slipping into oblivion. With this win the Pistons improved to 20 - 12 at home, and despite coming into this one losers of three of their last four games, once again boast a winning record. Meanwhile, Sacramento has now lost seven of its last eight games and falls to 4 - 12 since the All-Star break. The Kings did battle back in this one though. After being down 13 at half - time, they cut it to a one - point deficit with 6:53 left in the fourth, before the Pistons created separation once again, thanks in large part to eight - straight points from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. All five starters scored in double digits for Detroit, as Caldwell-Pope posted 23 points (8 - 16 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), six rebounds, two assists and two steals, in 37 minutes, while Marcus Morris lead the team in scoring with 24 points (8 - 13 FG, 6 - 7 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), three rebounds, two assists and two steals, in 39 minutes. Reggie Jackson was solid with 19 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, but gave up five turnovers, in 34 minutes. The Pistons gave up 17 turnovers but tallied more rebounds and assists than the Kings and shot a solid 48 percent from the field, in order to make up for it. The Kings had a chance in this one but could not come up clutch when they needed. They shot 50 percent from the field but only 4 - 15 from deep and were significantly out - rebounded. DeMarcus Cousins put in work with 31 points (11 - 21 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 9 - 11 FT), 10 rebounds, three assists, two steals and one blocked shot, in 35 minutes. Rajon Rondo tallied 10 points along with 13 assists, eight rebounds and three steals, but also had five turnovers, in 37 minutes. Rudy Gay added 19 points (7 - 12 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and three rebounds. The Kings have now lost two in a row. Next, the Kings will move on to New York to face the Knicks on Sunday, in what will be the second game of their current four - game road trip. The Pistons will have a chance to reclaim eighth spot as they host the Nets on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "4", "Kings": "7"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "122", "Kings": "120"}, "Rebounds": {"Trail Blazers": "36", "Kings": "48"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "6", "Kings": "4"}}, {"Points": {"Rudy Gay": "29", "DeMarcus Cousins": "33", "Arron Afflalo": "15", "CJ McCollum": "31", "Damian Lillard": "36", "Allen Crabbe": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "14", "Allen Crabbe": "7"}, "Steals": {"CJ McCollum": "4"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "7", "Allen Crabbe": "4"}}], "The host Portland Trail Blazers defeated the visiting Sacramento Kings, 122 - 120, in overtime on Friday. The dynamic backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum was vital to the Blazers' (6 - 4) victory, as the guards each scored over 30 points on the night. Lillard scored 36 to go with a team - high seven assists, while McCollum added four steals to his 31 points. Strong perimeter play helped push Portland over the top, as the Blazers hit 13 threes while allowing just six for the Kings. The starting Sacramento backcourt of Ty Lawson and Aaron Afflalo struggled, combining for just 15 points. Blazers wing Allen Crabbe, the recent recipient of a max contract, provided a major boost off the bench for Portland, scoring 16 points to go with seven rebounds and four assists. The game remained close throughout, with Portland unable to establish a secure lead until the final seconds of overtime. For Sacramento (4 - 7), All-Star big man DeMarcus Cousins exploited the thin Portland frontcourt, scoring a team - high 33 points. Forward Rudy Gay was not far behind, scoring 29 points and pulling down 14 rebounds. Sacramento was able to make up for disadvantages in perimeter shooting and overall field goal percentage by out - rebounding Portland 48 - 36. Despite the dominance of Sacramento's frontcourt, strong overtime play from Portland's guards tipped the game in the Blazers' favor. Portland will host the Denver Nuggets on Sunday, while Sacramento will enjoy a long three - day rest."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "45", "Cavaliers": "22"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "83", "Cavaliers": "101"}, "Turnovers": {"Knicks": "11"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "10", "Cavaliers": "35"}}, {"Points": {"Langston Galloway": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Langston Galloway": "6"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (35 - 22) defeated the New York Knicks (10 - 45) 101 - 83 on Sunday. After losing their first matchup of the season on Opening Night, the Cavaliers took home wins in the final two games of their season series, as the Cavs and Knicks wo n't play each other again the rest of this season. Cleveland has won two straight games coming out of the All-Star break. Sunday's win was the result of a team effort, as four players finished in double digits, but no player scored more than 18 points. They're heading into a tough stretch of games that will see the Cavs play nine of their next 12 games on the road, but they'll have some extra help guarding the paint, as the Cavs are expected to have the recently - signed Kendrick Perkins available for Tuesday's game in Detroit. New York has dropped their first two games coming out of the All-Star break, and they've lost 11 straight reaching back to Feb. 3. Since Carmelo Anthony (knee) announced he'd sit out the rest of the season, Cleanthony Early and Lance Thomas have been the first players to earn spot starts at small forward for the Knicks, and as with all things for the Knicks this season, the results have been less than exciting. While six players scored in double digits for the Knicks on Sunday, the team - high was an underwhelming 13 points scored from Langston Galloway."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "45"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "19", "Jazz": "19"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "94", "Jazz": "101"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "10", "Jazz": "8"}, "Number of team assists": {"Jazz": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Gordon Hayward": "36", "Derrick Favors": "34"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "20", "Derrick Favors": "23", "Tobias Harris": "24", "Evan Fournier": "21"}, "Blocks": {"Derrick Favors": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Derrick Favors": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Derrick Favors": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Derrick Favors": "10"}}], "The Utah Jazz (8 - 19) defeated the Orlando Magic (10 - 19) 101 - 94 on Friday. Utah is on a two - game win streak, the first time they've won back - to - back games this season. Derrick Favors appears to be back to full health following the ankle injury that sidelined him for two games earlier this week. He put up a team - high 23 points and 10 rebounds in 34 minutes. Gordon Hayward got into the action with 20 points and six assists in 36 minutes. Orlando has lost three straight and five of their last six games. They shot decent from the field, converting 45 percent of their shots, but the Magic committed a lot of fouls, putting the Jazz at the charity stripe for 19 free points on 24 attempts. Tobias Harris finished with a game - high 24 points, and Evan Fournier backed his play with 21 points. The Jazz will continue their road trip in Charlotte on Saturday against the Hornets. Orlando will stay home to host the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "32", "Magic": "36"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "107", "Magic": "116"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "24", "Magic": "21"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Magic": "24"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Serge Ibaka": "9", "Evan Fournier": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Serge Ibaka": "7", "Evan Fournier": "10"}, "Points": {"Serge Ibaka": "17", "Nikola Vucevic": "13", "Evan Fournier": "24", "Elfrid Payton": "20", "Hassan Whiteside": "12", "Dion Waiters": "23", "Goran Dragic": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "8", "Nikola Vucevic": "17", "Elfrid Payton": "5", "Hassan Whiteside": "19", "Dion Waiters": "2", "Goran Dragic": "3"}, "Assists": {"Nikola Vucevic": "3", "Evan Fournier": "4", "Elfrid Payton": "4", "Dion Waiters": "6"}, "Steals": {"Nikola Vucevic": "3", "Hassan Whiteside": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "2"}}], "The Orlando Magic defeated the host Miami Heat, 116 - 107, at American Airlines Arena on Monday. Despite Orlando leading for nearly the entirety of this game, it was close throughout. In fact, it was a single - digit margin for over 40 minutes, as it came down to the final seconds. Three-point shooting was a huge factor for the Magic, as they went 8 - of - 14 from long range, while Miami hit just 6 - of - 22. Rebounding was decisive as well, with Orlando winning that battle, 52 - 37. The Magic (21 - 36) had lost 16 of 20 headed into this game, so a road win against someone as hot as Miami has to be an encouraging sign. Evan Fouriner carried the load for Orlando, as he tallied 24 points and four assists on 10 - of - 17 from the field. Nikola Vucevic was equally as big, totaling 13 points, 17 rebounds, three assists and three steals. Serge Ibaka was second among starters in scoring, as he amassed 17 points and eight rebounds on 7 - of - 9 shooting. Elfrid Payton was huge off the bench, providing 20 points, five rebounds and four assists. On deck for the Magic is a home matchup against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. The Heat (24 - 32) have now lost their last two games, which strangely came after a season - high 13 - straight wins. Dion Waiters made his return from an ankle injury to lead the team with 23 points, two rebounds and six assists. Goran Dragic was n't far behind, accruing 22 points and three rebounds. Hassan Whiteside recorded another double - double, collecting 12 points, 19 rebounds, two blocks and two steals. James Jonson and Tyler Johnson combined for 28 points, six rebounds and five assists off the bench. Miami will look to snap this small slide in a road game against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "28", "Thunder": "26"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "117", "Thunder": "113"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "31", "Thunder": "32"}}, {"Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "11", "Markieff Morris": "3", "Eric Bledsoe": "9"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Russell Westbrook": "3", "Markieff Morris": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Russell Westbrook": "3"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "39", "Eric Bledsoe": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "14", "Eric Bledsoe": "13"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "4", "Markieff Morris": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Markieff Morris": "3"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (31 - 28) held on to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder (32 - 26) 117 - 113 in overtime Thursday at the US Airways Center. With the Sun setting on Phoenix's playoff hopes, the Suns picked up a huge victory over one of the NBA's hottest teams. Oklahoma City absorbed Phoenix's early haymakers and responded with some big runs of their own. When Markieff Morris converted a three - point play to put the Suns up three with time winding down, Russell Westbrook responded with a three - point play of his own to help force the second overtime game between these teams this season. Russell Westbrook had his second straight triple - double with 39 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists, but the rest of the Thunder were unable to produce in the overtime period. These two teams will meet again on March 29 in Phoenix. Oklahoma City Westbrook continued to make his case for MVP with an incredible outing, but the Thunder fell short. Outside of Westbrook's incredible outing, the Thunder struggled to score the basketball. Westbrook's 39 points were more than the other four starters combined. Oklahoma City travels to Portland on Friday for the second half of a back - to - back set. Phoenix has responded after a rough start to the post All-Star push with two victories in two nights. Eric Bledsoe was up to the challenge Thursday, just missing out on a triple - double of his own as he lit up the Thunder for 28 points, 13 rebounds, and nine assists. The Suns get another chance to gain ground in the West on Saturday when they host the Spurs."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Bulls": "67"}}, {"Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "27", "Damian Lillard": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "12", "Taj Gibson": "11", "Robin Lopez": "11"}}], "It was a double - double bonanza for the Bulls as they took the floor in Portland on Tuesday. All three members of Chicago's starting frontcourt tallied double digits in both scoring and rebounding en route to a blowout win and a sky - high 67 rebounds on the night. All-Star Jimmy Butler followed up his season - high 37 points against Washington on Saturday with another team - leading performance, scoring 27 points and pulling down 12 rebounds. Big men Taj Gibson and Robin Lopez each pulled down 11 rebounds as well. Portland, meanwhile, saw absolutely stagnant offense in response. The Blazers' starting five scored just 18 points in the first half, and finished with disappointing totals. The team shot just 35 percent from the field and 26 percent from three - point range, and elite scorer Damian Lillard scored a season - low 19 points on the night."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "58"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "110", "Knicks": "99"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Brook Lopez": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Deron Williams": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Deron Williams": "2"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Carmelo Anthony": "25"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "20", "Brook Lopez": "10", "Deron Williams": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "5", "Brook Lopez": "6", "Deron Williams": "10"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Carmelo Anthony": "25"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "9", "Brook Lopez": "10", "Deron Williams": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "8", "Brook Lopez": "8", "Deron Williams": "7"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "19", "Brook Lopez": "20", "Deron Williams": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Brook Lopez": "9"}, "Steals": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Brook Lopez": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "2"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets were too much to handle for the New York Knicks in a 110 - 99 win at the Barclays Center on Friday. Coach Derek Fisher decided to go with an unusual starting lineup without a prototypical point guard, which presumably is not needed in the triangle offense. Iman Shumpert and Tim Hardaway Jr. got the start instead of normal starter Shane Larkin, who was regulated to a bench role tonight. The strategy did not pay off as the Knicks got burnt often at the three - point line. Brooklyn went 14 - 24 as a team from three - point land, connecting at a 58 percent clip. Brook Lopez looked like his awkward, yet effective self, scoring 20 points (6 - 10 FG, 8 - 10 FT) with nine rebounds, one assist, one steal, and two blocks. Deron Williams also showed his full repertoire tonight scoring a team - high 29 points (10 - 15 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 7 - 10 FT). Carmelo Anthony had a poor shooting night for the third straight game, shooting 25 percent from the field. He scored 19 points (5 - 20 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 8 - 9 FT) with four rebounds, four assists, and one steal while turning the ball over once. The Knicks will look to right the ship Saturday against the Atlanta Hawks while the Nets take on the Orlando Magic on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "4", "Jazz": "5"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "96", "Jazz": "97"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "8", "Jazz": "5"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Jazz": "23"}}, {"Points": {"Derrick Favors": "23", "Alec Burks": "18", "Paul Millsap": "28", "Dennis Schroder": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Derrick Favors": "9", "Alec Burks": "6", "Paul Millsap": "6", "Dennis Schroder": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "3"}, "Steals": {"Rudy Gobert": "2", "Paul Millsap": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul Millsap": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Paul Millsap": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "1"}, "Assists": {"Dennis Schroder": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dennis Schroder": "6"}}], "The Utah Jazz (5 - 5) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (8 - 4) 97 - 96 on Sunday. In a battle of two defensively strong teams, there was some efficient offense and great shooting on Sunday. The two teams combined to shoot 50 percent from the field and the game was close all evening long. The win for Utah cracked a three - game losing streak, while the loss for Atlanta continued a poor stretch in which they have lost three of their last four. The Jazz got center Rudy Gobert back in this game and that proved to be the difference in a one - point game. Gobert recorded a double - double while contributing two steals and three blocks in the victory. The best player for the Jazz on Sunday was Derrick Favors, who totaled 23 points and nine rebounds. He has been spectacular this season and he very well may make his first All-Star team if he continues to play at this level. Utah also got 18 points and six boards off the bench from Alec Burks, who is playing like a sixth - man of the year candidate at this point of the season. This is a young, scary team that thrives off defense and that's a good recipe for a winning team. Utah has a few days off until they play the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday in their next matchup. The Hawks played this game without point guard Jeff Teague (ankle) and that proved to be a huge factor. Dennis Schroeder filled in for Teague and put in 11 points, nine assists and six rebounds in the loss. It's not so much that they missed Teague's production as much as it was that they missed him facilitating the offense and Schroeder's spark off the bench. Paul Millsap continued his fantastic season, as he collected 28 points and six redounds in the defeat. Millsap is playing at an all - time high level right now and he's truly one of the most underrated players in the league right now. The bench really killed Atlanta in this game though, as they totaled just 14 points between five players. Atlanta will play the struggling Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday in their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "4"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "98", "Warriors": "109"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "0", "Warriors": "4"}}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "8", "Anthony Davis": "1"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Draymond Green": "50"}, "Free throw percentage": {"Draymond Green": "50"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "22", "Klay Thompson": "25", "Stephen Curry": "39", "Anthony Davis": "36", "Eric Gordon": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "10", "Anthony Davis": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Anthony Davis": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Anthony Davis": "1", "Eric Gordon": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Eric Gordon": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"Eric Gordon": "12"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Eric Gordon": "1"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (40) advanced to the second - round of the postseason by defeating the New Orleans Pelicans (0 - 4), 109 - 98, on Saturday at the Smoothie King Center. Where New Orleans' lack of playoff experience was on display in Game 3 as it squandered a 20 - point fourth quarter lead, Golden State showed resolve by holding onto its sizeable fourth quarter lead in Game 4 on Saturday to close out the series. The Pelicans were able to cut the Warriors' lead to seven with just under two minutes remaining, but the Warriors had an answer every time down the floor. Stephen Curry led the charge for the Warriors, scoring 13 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter to complete the sweep. Golden State finished its first series sweep for the first time since winning the championship in 1975 with Saturday's win. Golden State has punched its ticket for the second round of the playoff and now awaits the results of another Western Conference series. Outside of Curry's big performance, the Warriors benefited from solid efforts by Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Thompson finished with 25 points and shot over 50 percent from the floor while Green barely missed out on a triple - double with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. Andrew Bogut's early foul trouble forced coach Steve Kerr to adjust his lineup, but the Warriors still managed to out - rebound the Pelicans despite not having Bogut at their disposal for much of the game. The top - seeded Warriors will return to action to face the winner of the Grizzlies-Train Blazers series. For New Orleans, it was an uphill climb to try to unseat the West's top team. Anthony Davis put forth another Herculean effort with 36 points and 11 rebounds, but the Pelicans' other four starters combined for just 36 points. 29 of those 36 points came from the hot shooting of Eric Gordon, who converted on 12 of his 21 shots from the floor. The Pelicans have reasons to be optimistic for next season as Anthony Davis is entering his prime and is one of the league's best players already. Although Saturday officially ended New Orleans' playoff run, it will wonder what could have been in the series had it held on to its big lead in Game 3."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "2"}}, {"Points": {"Kevin Durant": "30", "Anthony Davis": "45"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "17", "Anthony Davis": "17"}, "Assists": {"Draymond Green": "7", "Klay Thompson": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Draymond Green": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Klay Thompson": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}}], "While impressive stat lines were in abundance on Friday, few have inspired the same level of chatter as Anthony Davis. With 45 points and 17 rebounds against the Pelicans, Davis is the first player since Michael Jordan in 1991 to score 90 or more points in the first two games of the season. Davis is also the first player 23 or younger to ever have multiple 45 - point, 15 - rebound outings in the same season, a feat he has managed to accomplish in just two games. Despite Davis's absurd individual achievements, the Pelicans remain winless. For the Warriors, meanwhile, the big four of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, and Draymond Green contributed big numbers in Friday's win. Durant led the team with 30 points and 17 rebounds, while Curry and Green dished out seven assists each. Curry also hit four three - pointers, including the 1,600th of his career. Curry is just the 19th player in NBA history to reach the mark, and the fastest to do so, having played just 497 career games."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "36", "Spurs": "6"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "95", "Spurs": "108"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "9", "Spurs": "38"}, "Number of team assists": {"Spurs": "26"}, "Turnovers": {"Spurs": "6"}}, {"Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3", "Manu Ginobili": "2"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "18", "Manu Ginobili": "20", "Kobe Bryant": "5", "Julius Randle": "12", "Lou Williams": "16", "Jordan Clarkson": "16", "D'Angelo Russell": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4", "Manu Ginobili": "4", "Julius Randle": "14"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2", "Manu Ginobili": "5"}, "Assists": {"Manu Ginobili": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Manu Ginobili": "19"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Kobe Bryant": "2"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (38 - 6) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (9 - 36) 108 - 95 on Friday night. This used to be a marquee matchup in years past, but these franchises are going in different directions right now. Not only did this extend a winning streak to 13 games for the Spurs, it gave the Lakers their eighth loss in their last nine games. San Antonio just papercut this Lakers team to death, as they never went on any huge runs, but won the first three quarters by a combined 16 points. It was good old Spurs basketball that won them the game here, as they committed just six turnovers while dishing out 26 assists. They also held the Lakers to just 40 percent shooting for the majority of the game, before letting up late with bench players playing garbage time. A total of 13 players played in this game for the Spurs and it marked yet another easy win for the most dominant team in basketball right now. The bench combined for 56 points, which has been a regular occurrence considering they rank first in bench points and bench minutes this season. Manu Ginobili was spectacular tonight off the bench, as he tallied 20 points, four rebounds, four assists, five steals and two blocks in a renaissance performance in just 19 minutes of action. Kawhi Leonard also had a nice game, as he totaled 18 points, four rebounds, two steals and three blocks in another defensive showcase. Nobody on the team played more than 23 minutes aside from Leonard and that's just what Gregg Popovich wanted in the back end of a back - to - back set. Up next is one of the games of the season, as the Spurs take on the Golden State Warriors on Monday. Times are tough in La-La Land right now and this expected blowout ended up playing out just as people anticipated. It wasn\u2019t for a lack of effort though, as the team didn\u2019t lose any individual quarter by double - digits. Kobe Bryant had to deal with Kawhi Leonard defense, which is downright cruel in his farewell season, as he went 2 - for - 9 from the field to score just five points. Every other starter actually scored in double - figures, with Lou Williams and Jordan Clarkson leading the starters with 16 points a piece. Julius Randle got a start here and recorded an impressive double - double, as he scored 12 points to go along with 14 rebounds. D'Angelo Russell led the team in scoring with 18 points off the bench. Los Angeles will have to play again on Saturday in a back - to - back, as they travel to Portland to take on the Trail Blazers."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "31", "Mavericks": "35"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "41", "Mavericks": "51"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "5", "Mavericks": "4"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "102", "Mavericks": "106"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Celtics": "31", "Mavericks": "16"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Celtics": "24", "Mavericks": "36"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "6", "Mavericks": "8"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Jared Sullinger": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "8", "Avery Bradley": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "1", "Wesley Matthews": "3", "Jared Sullinger": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "1", "Avery Bradley": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "14", "Jared Sullinger": "19", "Isaiah Thomas": "16", "Avery Bradley": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "9", "Jared Sullinger": "7", "Isaiah Thomas": "7", "Avery Bradley": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "4", "Jared Sullinger": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "6", "Avery Bradley": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "4", "Jared Sullinger": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "4", "Avery Bradley": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "34", "Wesley Matthews": "33", "Jared Sullinger": "30", "Avery Bradley": "31"}, "Points": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "23", "Zaza Pachulia": "14", "Wesley Matthews": "18", "Jared Sullinger": "18", "Isaiah Thomas": "19", "Avery Bradley": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "7", "Zaza Pachulia": "12", "Jared Sullinger": "12", "Avery Bradley": "6"}, "Assists": {"Zaza Pachulia": "3", "Wesley Matthews": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "6", "Avery Bradley": "3"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Wesley Matthews": "33"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Wesley Matthews": "33"}, "Personal fouls": {"Wesley Matthews": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "3"}, "Steals": {"Wesley Matthews": "1", "Avery Bradley": "4"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (8 - 4) defeated the Boston Celtics (6 - 5) 106 - 102 on Wednesday at the TD Garden in Boston. The Celtics built a strong lead early in this game, out - scoring the Mavericks 31 - 16 in the first quarter alone. With an eight - point lead heading into the fourth quarter, the Celtics had a chance to close it out, but the Mavericks took off on a 36 - 24 run in the end to secure the four - point victory on the road in Boston. The Mavericks were the superior shooters in this game, finishing at 51 percent from the field and 35 percent from the three - point line, while the Celtics went 41 percent from the field and just 31 percent from deep. Behind a strong performance from Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavericks won their fifth straight game, which gives them the third best record in the stacked Western Conference. Nowitzki finished with a game - high of 23 points (9 - 14 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), 14 of which came in the first half, while also adding seven rebounds over 34 minutes. The 37 - year - old German has combined for 44 points and 13 rebounds over the last two games and is a big reason for the Mavericks continued success this season. Wes Matthews had one of his better scoring performances of the year. He posted 18 points and three assists over 33 minutes, despite shooting just 33 percent from the field. Matthews has really struggled with his shot of late, combining to shoot a dreadful 8 - of - 33 from the floor over his last three games. Matthews is a career 44 percent shooter from the field, though, so expect his numbers to increase moving forward. Zaza Pachulia chipped in with a 14 - point, 12 - rebound double - double as well. Despite coming off the bench for his third straight game following a minor calf injury, Avery Bradley still was able to have some decent production. In 31 minutes, he did a little bit of everything, recording 18 points (7 - 17 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT), six rebounds, three assists and four steals before fouling out late. The rebounds and steals were both season - highs for the guard, who could move back into the starting lineup as early as Friday. Starting in his place, Isaiah Thomas had a solid all - around showing. He finished with a team - high of 19 points (7 - 16 FG, 1 - 8 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT), to go along with six assists and three steals. Thomas had scored 20 points or more over the Cetlics' last three games, all of which resulted in wins, but his production Wednesday was n't enough to keep the streak going. Jared Sullinger added a double - double with 18 points (7 - 19 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) and 12 rebounds over 30 minutes. The Celtics will remain at home to play the Brooklyn Nets on Friday, while the Mavericks will be at home against the Utah Jazz on Friday as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "12", "Trail Blazers": "13"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "118", "Trail Blazers": "111"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pacers": "28", "Trail Blazers": "13"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "12", "Trail Blazers": "12"}}, {"Points": {"Paul George": "37", "Thaddeus Young": "24"}}], "The Indiana Pacers battled back from a 20 - point first half deficit to defeat the visiting Portland Trail Blazers 118 - 111 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, on Saturday evening. After giving up 71 points in the first half the Pacers (12 - 12) battled back in the second half, earning their first lead of the game with 8:42 remaining in the fourth quarter. Portland (12 - 13) responded to retake the lead again but then Paul George went off, scoring 15 points straight over the final six minutes to lead the Pacers from a two - point deficit to a seven - point lead, which was enough to ice the game. Indiana's comeback is very impressive considering it was the second night of a back - to - back for the Pacers, who were also coming off the fifth game of a grueling road trip. Paul George finished with a season - high 37 points, while Thaddeus Young tied his season - high, with 24 points. Monta Ellis left the game in the third quarter with a groin injury and did not return. The Pacers move to 9 - 4 at home with the win and will look to keep it up as they host the Hornets on Monday. Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum combined for 67 points but no other player scored in double digits for Portland. The Blazers had trouble with turnovers, giving up 19 in the game. They led most of the game but fell apart in the fourth, where they were out - scored 28 - 13 in the quarter. Portland has lost three straight, while in the midst of a five - game road trip. The Trail Blazers go on to face the fifth and final game of their road trip as they face - off against the Clippers in Los Angeles on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "25", "Wizards": "24"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "122", "Wizards": "123"}, "Rebounds": {"Rockets": "37", "Wizards": "45"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "25", "Wizards": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"John Wall": "13", "James Harden": "11"}, "Points": {"John Wall": "19", "Ramon Sessions": "17", "Dwight Howard": "20", "James Harden": "40"}, "Rebounds": {"John Wall": "8", "Dwight Howard": "7", "James Harden": "7"}}], "The Washington Wizards (21 - 24) defeated the Houston Rockets (25 - 25) 123 - 122 on Saturday night. In a battle between two high - paced teams, offense was on display. Both teams shot right around 50 percent from the field, with both surpassing the 100 - point threshold early in the fourth quarter. The benches were a huge discrepancy, as the Wizards bench scored 65 points to the Rockets 25. What was also big for Washington was the rebounding, as they snatched down 45 boards to Houston's 37. This was a much needed win for a Washington team who had lost three - straight coming into this game. The bench was spectacular tonight, as four players scored in double - figures with Ramon Sessions leading the bench with 17 points. John Wall had a huge game as well, as he tallied 19 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds in the win. Up next is a very tough matchup, as the Wizards travel to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday. The Rockets got some great performances from their studs here, but it was one again the defense that let them down. Not only did they allow 123 points, they allowed Washington to shoot 53 percent from the field. James Harden was his usual self though, as he accumulated 40 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds in the loss. Dwight Howard had 20 points and seven rebounds before being ejected for the second - straight game. He got in a scuffle with Nene Hilario and once again let down his team with his immaturity. The Miami Heat are on deck, as the Rockets will host them on Tuesday in their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "13", "76ers": "24"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "100", "76ers": "83"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Jazz": "30", "76ers": "9"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "20", "76ers": "7"}}, {"Points": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "16", "George Hill": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "12", "Rudy Gobert": "13", "George Hill": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "2"}, "Steals": {"Rudy Gobert": "2"}, "Assists": {"George Hill": "6"}}], "The host Utah Jazz blew out the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, 100 - 83. Utah (20 - 13) has won two in a row after sliding a bit towards the middle of the month. The team welcomed the return of point guard George Hill (toe) on Thursday, and Hill made an immediate impact while sliding into his old starting role. Hill led the team with 21 points to go along with eight rebounds and six assists. Center Rudy Gobert, meanwhile, led the team with 13 rebounds and played lockdown defense, coming away with two blocks and two steals. The game was close heading into the fourth, when Utah took over and turned the contest into an utter shellacking. The Jazz outscored the Sixers 30 - 9 in the fourth quarter. Philadelphia (7 - 24) holds the league's worst record once again, a title it finished with in two of the previous three seasons. On Thursday, rookie Joel Embiid sat out for rest, leaving Philadelphia with little in the way of offensive firepower. Forward Ersan Ilyasova led the team with 16 points and had a team - high 12 rebounds. The Sixers looked truly lost down the stretch, scoring only nine in the final quarter. Philly will take on Denver on Friday, while the Jazz will host Phoenix on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "53", "Timberwolves": "38"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "28", "Timberwolves": "41"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "128", "Timberwolves": "101"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Mavericks": "39", "Timberwolves": "24"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Mavericks": "29"}, "Turnovers": {"Mavericks": "8", "Timberwolves": "15"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "32", "Timberwolves": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "3", "Zach LaVine": "4", "Ricky Rubio": "5", "Chandler Parsons": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "1", "Zaza Pachulia": "3", "Wesley Matthews": "2", "Deron Williams": "9", "David Lee": "1", "J.J. Barea": "7"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "15", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "12", "Zach LaVine": "10", "Ricky Rubio": "14", "Shabazz Muhammad": "24", "Chandler Parsons": "29", "Dirk Nowitzki": "10", "Wesley Matthews": "15", "Deron Williams": "10", "David Lee": "13", "J.J. Barea": "12", "Justin Anderson": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "11", "Ricky Rubio": "2", "Shabazz Muhammad": "5", "Chandler Parsons": "6", "Dirk Nowitzki": "4", "Zaza Pachulia": "7", "Deron Williams": "4", "David Lee": "9", "J.J. Barea": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "7", "Zaza Pachulia": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "4", "Zaza Pachulia": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "3", "Zaza Pachulia": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "4"}, "Steals": {"Zach LaVine": "2", "Chandler Parsons": "1", "Wesley Matthews": "1", "David Lee": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "1", "Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Wesley Matthews": "1", "David Lee": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "34", "Justin Anderson": "9"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Zaza Pachulia": "4"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (32 - 28) blew out the Minnesota Timberwolves (19 - 41) 128 - 101 on Sunday. The outcome of the game was seemingly never in question, with Dallas jumping out to a 39 - 24 lead after one period and never looking back. The Mavs enjoyed an advantage in most of the major categories, with their biggest edge coming in the area of shooting percentage. Dallas shot a stellar 53 percent from the field, while limiting Minnesota to an underwhelming 38 percent figure. They also took outstanding care of the ball, committing only eight turnovers on the night, while eliciting 15 from the visitors. Zaza Pachulia notably helped keep standout rookie Karl-Anthony Towns relatively under control, while seven Dallas players - - four starters and three reserves - - tallied double - digit scoring to key the easy victory. Minnesota's top scoring effort emanated from the bench, as Shabazz Muhammad was outstanding in tallying 24 points, five rebounds and a block in 34 minutes of play. Andrew Wiggins was next in line while pacing the starters with 15 points, four rebounds and an assist. Ricky Rubio followed with 14 points, which he complemented with five assists and a pair of rebounds. Towns still turned in a solid effort in the defeat, compiling a 12 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included three assists. Zach LaVine overcame a rough night from the field to still provide strong production across the stat sheet, registering 10 points, nine rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals. The Timberwolves remain in last place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division. They're off until Wednesday, when they face off against the Washington Wizards at home. Chandler Parsons continued his extended stretch of outstanding play in leading the Dallas attack with 29 points, six rebounds, four assists and a steal. It was Parsons' fifth effort of over 20 points in the last seven contests. Wesley Matthews followed with 15 points, two assists, a steal and a block. Deron Williams and Dirk Nowitzki pitched in a pair of 10 - point efforts, with the former also supplying nine assists and four rebounds, and the latter posting four rebounds, an assist and a pair of blocks. David Lee led the way for the reserves with 13 points, nine rebounds, an assist, two steals and a block, while J.J. Barea got in on the fun with 12 points, seven assists and a pair of rebounds as well. Justin Anderson was the third bench player with double - digit points, and he impressively generated his 10 - point tally in just nine minutes of action. The rookie from Virginia also hauled in a pair of rebounds. The Mavericks retain a hold on third place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division, and are currently in possession of the sixth seed in the conference as well. They're home Tuesday versus the Orlando Magic."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "54", "Hawks": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "58", "Hawks": "40"}}, {"Points": {"Dwight Howard": "10", "Dennis Schroder": "15", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "15", "Kris Humphries": "10", "DeMarre Carroll": "10", "Pascal Siakam": "14", "DeMar DeRozan": "21", "Kyle Lowry": "17", "Patrick Patterson": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "8"}}], "The Hawks suffered a season - worst 44 - point loss one night after falling by 36 to the Pistons. Saturday, they shot just 40 percent from the field and 25 percent from three - point range while surrendering 58 and 54 percent success rates to the Raptors in those respective categories. The Raptors saw eight players manage double - digit scoring and were led by DeMar DeRozan's 21 points. Kyle Lowry (17 points), Pascal Siakam (career - high 14 points) and DeMarre Carroll (10 points) rounded out the first unit's strong night. The bench totaled another 53 points, led by Patrick Patterson's 17. Dennis Schroder's and Tim Hardaway, Jr.'s pair of 15 - point efforts led Atlanta, while Dwight Howard supplied a 10 - point, 17 - rebound double - double. Mike Muscala, Kyle Korver and Kent Bazemore combined for just 21 points and Kris Humphries led the bench with 10."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "1", "Rockets": "4"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "104", "Rockets": "90"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Warriors": "17"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "4", "Rockets": "1"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "35"}}, {"Assists": {"James Harden": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Harden": "13"}, "Personal fouls": {"James Harden": "5"}, "Points": {"James Harden": "14", "Stephen Curry": "26"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (4 - 1) defeated the Houston Rockets (1 - 4), 104 - 90, Wednesday in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals to advance to the NBA Finals. After dropping Game 4 on the road, the Warriors had the chance to punch their ticked to the NBA finals in front of their home crowd at the Oracle Arena. Golden State fell behind early and managed just 17 points in the first quarter, their lowest scoring output in any quarter this season. The Warriors then went on the type of run that fans have grown accustomed to over the season to take a six point lead at the half. Houston's James Harden struggled mightily throughout Game 5 as he had almost as many turnovers (13) as points (14). The Rockets trailed by six going into the fourth, but then the Warriors seized control thanks to the performance of an unlikely candidate. Harrison Barnes scored nine straight Warriors points as their lead ballooned up to 15, which is their magic number. The Warriors are undefeated in games in which they've led by 15 or more points this season. Golden State will be in their first NBA finals since winning the title in 1975. For Houston, it had played some of its basketball in the postseason with its back against the wall. After an impressive Game 4 victory to extend the series, the Rockets ran out of gas Wednesday. Harden struggled and Corey Brewer was the only non - starter to make it into the scoring column. The Rockets were held to just 35% shooting Wednesday as their season came to a close. Still, the Rockets can be proud of their season in which they had the third best regular season record and bowed out in the Western Conference Finals to the West's top seed. Golden State's magical season will continue for at least four more games after capturing the Western Conference title. There were some bumps and bruises over the last two games, but the Warriors remained resilient. Stephen Curry played through some elbow soreness Wednesday after taking a hard fall in Game 4 and finished with 26 points. Klay Thompson took a knee to the side of the head, which resulted in an ear laceration, but he contended that he'll be ready for the Finals. The Warriors will look to cap off their historic season with a Finals victory, but will have to go through the LeBron James-led Cavaliers. The NBA finals will kick off Thursday, June 4 at the Oracle Arena."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "3"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "119", "Suns": "108"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "4"}}, {"Assists": {"TJ Warren": "3", "Devin Booker": "7", "Eric Bledsoe": "2", "Julius Randle": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"TJ Warren": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"TJ Warren": "3", "Devin Booker": "10", "Nick Young": "3"}, "Points": {"TJ Warren": "22", "Devin Booker": "39", "Eric Bledsoe": "19", "Julius Randle": "18", "Nick Young": "22", "Jordan Clarkson": "18"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Devin Booker": "29"}, "Field goals made": {"Devin Booker": "13"}, "Free throws made": {"Devin Booker": "10", "Nick Young": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Devin Booker": "3", "Eric Bledsoe": "2", "Julius Randle": "5", "Nick Young": "7"}, "Steals": {"Julius Randle": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nick Young": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Jordan Clarkson": "30", "Lou Williams": "26"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Phoenix Suns, 119 - 108, at Staples Center on Sunday. The Lakers (4 - 3) notched their third straight win and remain undefeated at home after another strong performance by their young, talented core. Los Angeles built upon an eight - point first quarter lead in the second period, where a series of scoring runs capped off the first half. The Suns made the game a heated contest in the fourth quarter. Devin Booker buried a 10 - foot jump shot with 6:39 left in the final period and drew a foul, sinking a free throw to pull the game within one point. The Lakers were able to outlast the Phoenix comeback attempt and did not let up their lead, even after it dwindled to just one possession. Nick Young and D'Angelo Russell nailed much needed back - to - back three pointers to put the game out of reach and secure the rest of the victory from the charity stripe. Devin Booker had a standout performance, as his sophomore season continues where he left off from his rookie year. Booker finished with 39 points, seven assists and three rebounds on 13 - of - 29 shooting. T.J. Warren added 22 points, while Eric Bledsoe finished with 19 points, two assists and two boards. Nick Young provided his best game of the young season with 22 points and seven rebounds, in addition to three buckets from behind the arc. Jordan Clarkson and Lou Williams were impressive off the bench, adding a combined 32 points on 13 - of - 28 shooting in 26 minutes and 30 minutes, respectively. Julius Randle had the most well - rounded game for the Lakers on his way to 18 points, five rebounds, four assists and one steal. Both teams play on Tuesday, as the Lakers look for their fourth straight win hosting the Dallas Mavericks, while the Suns head north to take on the Portland Trail Blazers."], [[{"Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "125", "Warriors": "132"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "1"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "3"}}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "5", "CJ McCollum": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Draymond Green": "9", "Stephen Curry": "32"}, "Free throws made": {"Draymond Green": "9"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "21", "Klay Thompson": "23", "Stephen Curry": "40", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "18", "CJ McCollum": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "9", "Stephen Curry": "9", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "13", "CJ McCollum": "3"}, "Steals": {"Draymond Green": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "10", "Stephen Curry": "16"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "5", "Stephen Curry": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Stephen Curry": "16"}, "Turnovers": {"Stephen Curry": "4"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the host Portland Trail Blazers, 132 - 125, in overtime Monday in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals to take a 3 - 1 series lead at Moda Center. Stephen Curry was upgraded to questionable heading into Game 4, and by game time, he was listed as the starting point guard. While it looked like the recently named MVP for a second consecutive year was a bit rusty, fast forward to the fourth quarter and overtime and Curry quickly reminded the world how terrifyingly dominant he could be. Curry stormed out to score the Warriors first 12 points in OT, and closed the door for the Warriors, on the road, on their way to a commanding series lead. The game featured a handful of lead changes in the fourth quarter, but up until that point, the Blazers set the pace and made Golden State play their game. Damian LIllard and C.J. McCollum were terrific in the backcourt, and kept staving off the Warriors constant knack at ripping off low double figure runs. Everything seemed to be going in the Blazers favor in the first half, especially after Shaun Livingston was ejected from the game after back - to - back technical fouls for arguing with the ref. The second half saw Draymond Green step up immensely on the defensive end, and once Curry got cooking, their was no looking back. Curry finished with 40 points, eight rebounds and nine assists on 16 - of - 32 shooting, and was held without a three - pointer on his first nine attempts. He did manage to flip the script on that front by burying 5 - of - 16 by the conclusion of the game. Green managed to once again round out the box score with an impressive 21 points, nine rebounds, five assists, four steals and seven blocks, while Klay Thompson added 23 points on 5 - of - 10 shooting from deep. LIllard contributed 36 points, six rebounds and 10 assists, while McCollum poured in 24 points, three boards and two assists. The Blazers point guard ignited Moda Center in the fourth quarter and kept the fans on their feet as they carried momentum to the overtime period. Al-Farouq Aminu was efficient on the wings, and scored 18 points, to go along with 13 rebounds. Game 5 will move back to Oracle Arena on Wednesday."], [[{"Total points": {"76ers": "117", "Heat": "109"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "31"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "24"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Hassan Whiteside": "11", "James Johnson": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Hassan Whiteside": "5", "James Johnson": "8"}, "Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "12", "Goran Dragic": "30", "James Johnson": "26", "Tyler Johnson": "17", "Robert Covington": "19", "Ersan Ilyasova": "14", "Nerlens Noel": "19", "Gerald Henderson": "14", "Dario Saric": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "19", "Goran Dragic": "5"}, "Assists": {"Goran Dragic": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Goran Dragic": "37", "James Johnson": "36"}, "Steals": {"Goran Dragic": "2"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the visiting Miami Heat, 117 - 109, at Wells Fargo Center on Saturday evening. The Heat saw their historic 13 - game win streak come to an end, as the Sixers, another team from the lower half of the Eastern Conference that has impressed this season, took them down with good team basketball. The Sixers tallied 27 assists and only gave up 10 turnovers, while forcing 20 out of the Heat, to help gain the edge. The Sixers (20 - 34) hit 30 - of - 38 from the free throw line and shot 45 percent from the field. Seven players scored in double digits for Philadelphia, including all five starters. Nerlens Noel, Robert Covington and Dario Saric each finished with a team - high 19 points, while Ersan Ilyasova and Gerald Henderson added 14 points each. This marks the 76ers' second straight win, and they will look to keep things rolling, as they go on to visit Charlotte on Monday. Meanwhile, the Heat (24 - 31) were led by Goran Dragic, who poured in 30 points to go along with five rebounds, two assists and two steals, in 37 minutes. James Johnson followed up with 26 points on 8 - of - 15 shooting, in 36 minutes off the bench, while Tyler Johnson chipped in 17 off the bench. Hassan Whiteside gobbled up 19 rebounds but was relatively quite in the points column, as he finished with 12 on 5 - of - 11 shooting. The Heat fell apart as they gave up 20 turnovers, including a few of them during crunch time. The Heat will look to bounce back, as they go on to play host to the Magic on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "7", "Nets": "5"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "104", "Nets": "122"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "3", "Nets": "4"}}, {"Assists": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "4", "Trevor Booker": "4", "Brook Lopez": "2", "Sean Kilpatrick": "4", "TJ Warren": "2", "Devin Booker": "3", "Jared Dudley": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "1", "Trevor Booker": "1", "Brook Lopez": "5", "Luis Scola": "1", "TJ Warren": "1"}, "Points": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "20", "Trevor Booker": "19", "Brook Lopez": "11", "Joe Harris": "19", "Luis Scola": "10", "TJ Warren": "18", "Marquese Chriss": "16", "Alex Len": "10", "Devin Booker": "11", "Jared Dudley": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "13", "Trevor Booker": "8", "Brook Lopez": "5", "Sean Kilpatrick": "9", "Luis Scola": "5", "TJ Warren": "3", "Marquese Chriss": "5", "Alex Len": "11", "Devin Booker": "6", "Jared Dudley": "6"}, "Steals": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "1", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Sean Kilpatrick": "1", "TJ Warren": "3", "Marquese Chriss": "1", "Devin Booker": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Marquese Chriss": "18"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets defeated the Phoenix Suns, 122 - 104, at Talking Stick Resort Arena on Saturday. The Nets (4 - 5) came in as a better offensive team that had been imagined back in preseason, yet nevertheless still in search of their first road victory. A balanced offensive effort not only led to their first win away from the Barclays Center, but to a season - high point total as well. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who posted a personal season - best 20 points, led the way, and also pulled in 13 rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block. Six other players, three starters and three reserves, also posted double - digit scoring, leading the way to success rates of 48 percent from the field and 43 percent from three - point range. Trevor Booker poured in 19 points and added eight rebounds, four assists and a block. Sean Kilpatrick matched Booker's point total and complemented it with nine rebounds, four assists and a steal. Brook Lopez had a rather rare opportunity to take a step back offensively, posting a modest 11 points, five rebounds, two assists, five blocks and a steal. Joe Harris paced the bench with a 19 - point effort of his own, while Luis Scola was also a strong contributor off the bench with 10 points, five rebounds and a block. The Suns (3 - 7) were spearheaded by T.J. Warren, who managed 18 points, three rebounds, two assists, three steals and a block. Marquese Chriss put together the best game of his young career, tallying 16 points, five rebounds and a steal in just 18 minutes. The rookie big man with the deft shooting touch impressively drained seven of 15 field - goal attempts, including two of four three - point tries. Devin Booker supplied 11 points, six rebounds, three assists and a steal. Alex Len contributed a 10 - point, 11 - rebound double - double, while Jared Dudley paced the bench with 17 points, six rebounds and two assists. The Nets head to Los Angeles for a Monday night date with the Clippers, while the Suns face off with the Golden State Warriors on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "3", "Nuggets": "2"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "99", "Nuggets": "102"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "14", "Nuggets": "33"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "1", "Nuggets": "2"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Danilo Gallinari": "4"}, "Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "19", "Jusuf Nurkic": "18", "Wilson Chandler": "19", "Andrew Wiggins": "25", "Gorgui Dieng": "2", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "32"}, "Steals": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Gorgui Dieng": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "14"}}], "The Denver Nuggets defeated the host Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, 102 - 99. Minnesota (1 - 3) ended the first quarter with a comfortable 12 - point lead, but quickly saw the Nuggets (2 - 2) mount a major comeback. Strong shooting to start the second half allowed the Nuggets to take a commanding lead, as they outscored the Wolves 33 - 14 in the third quarter. Small forward Danilo Gallinari led the team with 19 points, which included four three - point shots. Sophomore center Jusuf Nurkic, meanwhile, posted 18 to go along with two blocks and two steals. Nurkic's play jumped out despite him being tasked with facing the powerhouse young frontcourt of Karl-Anthony Towns and Gorgui Dieng. Strong bench play also bolstered the Nuggets, as forward Wilson Chandler contributed 19 points for the second unit. Despite their second - half implosion, the Wolves saw promising play from a number of young stars. Towns posted game highs in points and rebounds, scoring 32 and grabbing 14 boards. It was the highest - scoring night of the season thus far for the reigning Rookie of the Year. Another recent Rookie of the Year winner, Andrew Wiggins, finished second in the points column, contributing 25 on the night. Big man Gorgui Dieng, who the Wolves recently signed to a large extension, made a minimal impact, however. Dieng scored only two points and had four turnovers in the game. Both teams will travel on Saturday, with the Wolves taking on the Thunder in OKC and the Nuggets heading East to Detroit."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "9", "Heat": "6"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "92", "Heat": "99"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "6", "Heat": "7"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Heat": "27"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Chris Bosh": "6", "Mario Chalmers": "5", "Shabazz Napier": "5", "Evan Fournier": "5", "Victor Oladipo": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chris Bosh": "4", "Mario Chalmers": "2", "Shabazz Napier": "2", "Evan Fournier": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chris Bosh": "20", "Mario Chalmers": "16", "Shabazz Napier": "8", "Evan Fournier": "15", "Nikola Vucevic": "24", "Victor Oladipo": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Chris Bosh": "13", "Mario Chalmers": "10", "Shabazz Napier": "4", "Evan Fournier": "5", "Nikola Vucevic": "12", "Victor Oladipo": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Chris Bosh": "2", "Mario Chalmers": "4", "Shabazz Napier": "4", "Nikola Vucevic": "11", "Victor Oladipo": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Chris Bosh": "2", "Mario Chalmers": "2", "Shabazz Napier": "2", "Nikola Vucevic": "9", "Victor Oladipo": "3"}, "Points": {"Chris Bosh": "32", "Mario Chalmers": "24", "Shabazz Napier": "12", "Evan Fournier": "11", "Nikola Vucevic": "33", "Victor Oladipo": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Chris Bosh": "10", "Mario Chalmers": "5", "Shabazz Napier": "2", "Evan Fournier": "6", "Nikola Vucevic": "17", "Victor Oladipo": "4"}, "Assists": {"Mario Chalmers": "8", "Shabazz Napier": "1", "Evan Fournier": "6", "Victor Oladipo": "2"}, "Steals": {"Shabazz Napier": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Nikola Vucevic": "11"}}], "The Miami Heat (7 - 6) took down the Orlando Magic (6 - 9) 99 - 92 on Saturday night at the Amway Center in Orlando. The Heat were just too much for the Magic when all was said and done, as they made a nice run in the fourth to get a seven - point win. What makes the win even more impressive is that Miami did it without guard Dwyane Wade (hamstring). The Heat got plenty of production from some key players to help get the job done though. They were led in scoring by Chris Bosh, who put up 32 points (13 - 20 FG, 4 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) to go with 10 rebounds. Mario Chalmers had a huge night also, scoring 24 points (10 - 16 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT) to go with eight assists and five rebounds. Miami fans have to be happy to see rookie Shabazz Napier stepping up big, as he played extended minutes (27), and scored 12 points (4 - 8 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT) to go with two rebounds, two steals and one assist. Miami has a quick turnaround, as they take on the Charlotte Hornets at home Sunday night. The Magic just could n't get enough production to outscore the Heat on this night, as only three players hit double digits, with Nikola Vucevic having a monster night, scoring 33 points (12 - 24 FG, 9 - 11 FT), with 17 rebounds. Vucevic was just dominate, and grabbed 11 offensive boards on the night. The other production came from Victor Oladipo, who had 14 points (5 - 11 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 3 - 5 FT), with four rebounds, two assist and two steals, as well as Evan Fournier, who scored 11 points (5 - 15 FG, 1 - 5 3PT) with six assists and six rebounds. The Magic get a night off now, before taking on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "18", "Thunder": "13"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "94", "Thunder": "96"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pistons": "20", "Thunder": "29"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pistons": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Pistons": "39", "Thunder": "50"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "3", "Thunder": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "7", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "5", "Brandon Jennings": "9"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "3", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "5", "Brandon Jennings": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Durant": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "1", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1", "Brandon Jennings": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "19", "Russell Westbrook": "19", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "12", "Brandon Jennings": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "9", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "6", "Brandon Jennings": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Kevin Durant": "7"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "28", "Serge Ibaka": "13", "Russell Westbrook": "22", "Jeremy Lamb": "12", "Josh Smith": "12", "Andre Drummond": "16", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "19", "Brandon Jennings": "6", "Greg Monroe": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "4", "Serge Ibaka": "13", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Andre Drummond": "9", "Greg Monroe": "8"}, "Personal fouls": {"Serge Ibaka": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (7 - 13) defeated the Detroit Pistons (3 - 18) 96 - 94 on Sunday at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The Pistons came up just shy of ending their losing streak, but instead extended it to a twelth straight game Sunday. The Pistons were up 55 - 48 at halftime, but came out of the half struggling and were out - scored 29 - 20 in what would be the difference in this game. The Thunder also out - rebounded Detroit 50 - 39, giving them even more of an advantage. In just his third game of the season, Kevin Durant went off for 28 points (10 - 19 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT), four rebounds and four assists. After scoring only 10 points on Friday against the Sixers, Durant really turned it around and pushed his season averages to 22 points and 4 rebounds after Sunday's matchup. Superstar Russell Westbrook also had a big game. He went 9 - for - 19 from the field and 1 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 22 points. He had 11 rebounds and seven assists, coming just shy of recording his first triple - double of the year. Like Durant, he's missed most of the season up until this point, but has come out strong in his first six games and is averaging 24 points and 6 assists. The third member of the Thunder's big three, Serge Ibaka, finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds. It was his fifth double - double of the season. Jeremy Lamb was the only other Thunder to reach double - digits in points with 12 off the bench. Despite getting to the line 28 times compared to only 17 attempts from the Thunder, the Pistons could n't close out the game. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led all scorers for Detroit, going 6 - for - 12 from the field and 1 - for - 5 from beyond the arc to score 19 points. He also chipped in with a season - high of five assists, after not recording more than two since the season opener. Andre Drummond played well in the loss. He scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds, coming one rebound shy of his tenth double - double of the year. Both Josh Smith and Greg Monroe also chipped in 12 points respectively, with Monroe adding eight rebounds, as the most consistent player off the bench. Brandon Jennings had a tough night offensively and finished with only six points (3 - 6 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt). He did have nine assists though, so it was n't all bad for the starting guard. The Thunders' next game will be at home against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday, while the Pistons will play the Portland Trail Blazers at home on Tuesday."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Grizzlies": "61"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Tony Allen": "14"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "28", "Troy Daniels": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Troy Daniels": "7"}}], "Memphis's Marc Gasol posted an impressive triple - double in Monday's thrilling double - OT win over the Pelicans. Gasol scored 28 points to go along with 11 rebounds and 11 assists. The former Defensive Player of the Year also had two blocks and two steals. It was a big night on the boards for Memphis, as the team finished with 61 rebounds. Forward Jeff Green led the team with 15, while guard Tony Allen had 14. Meanwhile, bench guard Troy Daniels had a career night, scoring a team - high 29 points and hitting seven three - pointers. For the Pelicans, the game was all about Anthony Davis. The All-Star entered the game having played 43 minutes the night before, but still logged a whopping 48 minutes on the night. Davis was still able to lead the game with 17 rebounds and four blocks, and maintained his league lead in scoring with 28 points on the night as well."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "52", "Clippers": "38"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "45", "Clippers": "40"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "7", "Clippers": "10"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "107", "Clippers": "104"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hawks": "26", "Clippers": "21"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "21", "Clippers": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "11", "Chris Paul": "7", "Paul Millsap": "7", "Kyle Korver": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "1", "Chris Paul": "7", "Jamal Crawford": "7", "DeMarre Carroll": "6", "Paul Millsap": "4", "Al Horford": "1", "Kyle Korver": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Blake Griffin": "0", "Chris Paul": "3", "Jamal Crawford": "3", "DeMarre Carroll": "5", "Paul Millsap": "1", "Al Horford": "0", "Kyle Korver": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "17", "Chris Paul": "18", "Jamal Crawford": "19", "DeMarre Carroll": "12", "Paul Millsap": "12", "Al Horford": "18", "Kyle Korver": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Blake Griffin": "9", "Chris Paul": "7", "Jamal Crawford": "5", "DeMarre Carroll": "9", "Paul Millsap": "4", "Al Horford": "7", "Kyle Korver": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "4", "Paul Millsap": "9", "Al Horford": "8", "Kyle Korver": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Blake Griffin": "3", "Paul Millsap": "8", "Al Horford": "6", "Kyle Korver": "2"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "21", "DeAndre Jordan": "15", "Chris Paul": "19", "Jamal Crawford": "18", "DeMarre Carroll": "25", "Paul Millsap": "17", "Al Horford": "20", "Kyle Korver": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "8", "DeAndre Jordan": "22", "Chris Paul": "6", "Jamal Crawford": "7", "DeMarre Carroll": "10", "Paul Millsap": "9", "Al Horford": "5"}, "Steals": {"Chris Paul": "5"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (21 - 7) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers (19 - 10) 107 - 104 on Tuesday at Philips Arena in Atlanta. At the end of the third quarter, the Clippers were holding on to a 83 - 81 point lead over the Hawks, but Atlanta was able to out - score Los Angeles 26 - 21 in the fourth quarter to secure the victory at home. Despite being out - rebounded 51 - 41 by the Clippers, the Hawks were the superior shooters in this one, as they finished at 45 percent from the field and 52 percent from the three - point line, while the Clippers shot 40 percent from the field and only 38 percent from deep. The Hawks starters had a big night in this one. DeMarre Carroll went 9 - for - 12 from the field and 5 - for - 6 from the beyond the arc to score 25 points, while also grabbing 10 rebounds and notching his second double - double of the year. It was a season - high in points for Carroll and arguably his best game of the season thus far. Al Horford was also a force, finishing with 20 points (7 - 18 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 6 - 8 FT) and five rebounds. Considering he's averaging 15 points, it was good to seem him have a better offensive game than what we've come accustomed to. Paul Millsap and Kyle Korver both reached double figures in points as well. Millsap finished with 17 points (4 - 12 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 8 - 9 FT) and nine rebounds, while Korver had 14 points (4 - 9 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and four assists. Chris Paul continued his strong play, as he went 7 - for - 18 from the field and 3 - for - 7 from deep to score 19 points. He also contributed seven assists, six rebounds and five steals, doing a little bit of everything for the Clippers. Blake Griffin finished with 21 points (9 - 17 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), 11 assists and eight rebounds, coming just shy of a triple - double. The 11 assists were a season - high for him. DeAndre Jordan had a monster night on the boards, as he was a big reason the Clippers secured the rebounding advantage. Jordan finished with 15 points and 22 rebounds and has now had at least 10 rebounds in fourteen out of his last fifteen games. Coming off the bench, Jamal Crawford shot 5 - for - 19 from the field and 3 - for - 7 from deep to score 18 points, while recording seven rebounds. The Hawks' next game will be at home against the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, while the Clippers will be at home against the Golden State Warriors on Thursday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "48"}}, {"Points": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "20", "Trevor Booker": "19", "Sean Kilpatrick": "19", "Joe Harris": "19", "TJ Warren": "18", "Marquese Chriss": "16", "Jared Dudley": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "13"}, "3-pointers made": {"Joe Harris": "5", "Marquese Chriss": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Marquese Chriss": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marquese Chriss": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Marquese Chriss": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Marquese Chriss": "18"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets utilized six double - digit scoring performances and 48 percent shooting to tally their first road victory. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson led the way with a 20 - point, 13 - rebound double - double, while Trevor Booker, Sean Kilpatrick and Joe Harris turned in a trio of 19 - point efforts. Harris also paced the team with five made three - pointers. Brook Lopez and Luis Scola combined for 21 points as well, helping the Nets reach a season - high point total. The Suns saw T.J. Warren lead the way with 18 points, as well as rookie Marquese Chriss supply a career - high 16 points that included a 7 - of - 15 tally from the field and 2 - of - 4 from three - point range. He impressively managed to accomplish his line in just 18 minutes. Jared Dudley totaled 17 points behind Chriss while also outpacing him by 10 minutes on the floor."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Knicks": "29"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "47", "Magic": "51"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "36", "Magic": "31"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "113", "Magic": "106"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "8", "Magic": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"Channing Frye": "3", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "11", "Carmelo Anthony": "4"}, "Points": {"Channing Frye": "14", "Nikola Vucevic": "34", "Victor Oladipo": "15", "Carmelo Anthony": "25", "Jason Smith": "19", "Langston Galloway": "15", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "13"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "22", "Victor Oladipo": "20", "Elfrid Payton": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "16", "Victor Oladipo": "6", "Elfrid Payton": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Nikola Vucevic": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "18", "Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Langston Galloway": "8"}, "Steals": {"Victor Oladipo": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Elfrid Payton": "37", "Carmelo Anthony": "42", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "17"}}], "The Knicks (8 - 36) notched their third straight win Friday, knocking off the Magic (15 - 31) 113 - 106. The Knicks have been on a veritable tear since dropping a franchise record 16 straight games. They\u2019ve knocked off the Pelicans, 76ers and Magic in succession and will have a chance to extend the streak to four games Saturday in Charlotte. Carmelo Anthony led the way with 25 points Friday, adding seven rebounds and four assists in a game - high 42 minutes. Jason Smith chipped in 19 points, while Langston Galloway added 15 and eight rebounds. Tim Hardaway, Jr. was the high man off the bench, finishing with 13 points in 17 minutes. The Knicks shot 47 percent from the field and knocked down 10 - of - 25 three - point attempts. They also registered 29 assists on 43 field goals. Orlando, which has now dropped four straight, shot nearly 51 percent from the field and registered 62 points in the paint, thanks in large part to a big night from Nikola Vucevic. The big man had 34 points (16 - 22 FG) and 18 rebounds, notching his eighth double - double of the month. Channing Frye added 14 points for the Magic, while Victor Oladipo had 15 (6 - 20 FG) to go with three assists and two steals. Elfrid Payton had a quiet shooting night (3 - 6 FG) but registered 11 assists in 37 minutes. Up next, the Magic take on the Pacers on Sunday. The Knicks play in Charlotte on Saturday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "56", "Pistons": "37"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "98", "Pistons": "96"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nets": "22", "Pistons": "31"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "28", "Pistons": "13"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "14", "Pistons": "34"}}, {"Assists": {"Tobias Harris": "1", "Marcus Morris": "2", "Andre Drummond": "2", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "3", "Ish Smith": "4", "Caris LeVert": "1", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "4", "KJ McDaniels": "1", "Archie Goodwin": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Tobias Harris": "3", "Marcus Morris": "1", "Andre Drummond": "2", "Ish Smith": "1", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "2", "Archie Goodwin": "2"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "24", "Andre Drummond": "13", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "19", "Ish Smith": "16", "Caris LeVert": "15", "Brook Lopez": "29", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "10", "KJ McDaniels": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "5", "Marcus Morris": "4", "Andre Drummond": "17", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "4", "Ish Smith": "7", "Brook Lopez": "7", "KJ McDaniels": "2", "Archie Goodwin": "5"}, "Steals": {"Tobias Harris": "2", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Ish Smith": "3", "Caris LeVert": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Ish Smith": "28"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Brook Lopez": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Brook Lopez": "2"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets defeated the Detroit Pistons, 98 - 96, at Barclays Center on Tuesday evening. The Nets (14 - 56) may sport the worst record in the league, but they may be one of the feistiest cellar dwellers in the history of the NBA. Brooklyn has kept their competitive spirit thriving despite the disappointing season, and has often played as if they're capable of beating virtually any team in the NBA on the right night. The Pistons (34 - 37) were the latest unit to learn that lesson the hard way, as they first saw the Nets storm back from a 31 - 22 first - quarter deficit to forge a six - point halftime lead by outscoring Detroit, 28 - 13, in the second quarter. They added to that advantage in the third before the Pistons staged a rally of their own in the fourth, coming back from a 94 - 87 deficit with 1:52 to play to tie the game at both 94 and 96 in the closing seconds. Taking the ball for a final possession with two seconds remaining, the Nets saw Brook Lopez drain a jumper off a Randy Foye assist as time expired for the win. Tobias Harris led the way for Detroit with 24 points, five boards, one assist, three blocks and two steals. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope followed with 19 points, four rebounds and three assists. Andre Drummond contributed a 13 - point, 17 - rebound double - double that also included two assists, two blocks and one steal. Maurice Morris matched Drummond's point total and added four boards, two assists and a block. With Reggie Jackson struggling with his shot again, Ish Smith came off the bench to lead the second unit with 16 points, seven rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block over 28 minutes. Lopez paced the Nets with a game - high 29 points, which he supplemented with seven rebounds and one assist. Caris LeVert supplied 15 points, two boards, one assist and one steal. K.J. McDaniels led the bench with 11 points, two boards and one assist. Spencer Dinwiddie drew the start for Jeremy Lin (ankle) and filled out the stat sheet with 10 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Archie Goodwin matched Dinwiddie's point total off the bench and complemented it with five rebounds, three assists and two blocks. The Pistons head to the Windy City to tangle with the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night, while the Nets remain home and await the Phoenix Suns on Thursday evening."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Solomon Hill": "14", "Terrence Jones": "24", "Buddy Hield": "5", "Jrue Holiday": "21", "Tyreke Evans": "29", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "10", "Trevor Booker": "8", "Brook Lopez": "20", "Joe Harris": "15", "Sean Kilpatrick": "18", "Caris LeVert": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Terrence Jones": "12", "Trevor Booker": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Omer Asik": "5", "Buddy Hield": "24", "Tyreke Evans": "28"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Buddy Hield": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Buddy Hield": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Buddy Hield": "9", "Joe Harris": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Buddy Hield": "2"}}], "Terrence Jones and Tyreke Evans combined for 53 points, more than half of the Pelicans' total. Evans led all scorers with 29 points in just 28 minutes, while Jones posted a 24 - point, 12 - rebound double - double in Anthony Davis' (hip) stead. Jrue Holiday tallied 21 points and Solomon Hill went for 14. Not all was clicking for New Orleans, however, as Omer Asik went scoreless over five minutes, while Buddy Hield compiled just five points over 24 minutes, shooting 2 - of - 9 from the field and 1 - of - 6 from three - point range. Brook Lopez's 20 points paced the Nets. Joe Harris produced 15 points, Bojan Bogdanovic supplied 10, and Trevor Booker generated a modest eight points but complemented them with 12 boards. Sean Kilpatrick led the second unit with 18 points, while Caris LeVert produced 10 points in a reserve role."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "35", "Timberwolves": "40"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "110", "Timberwolves": "112"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pelicans": "30"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pelicans": "30"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "23", "Timberwolves": "19"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "50"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Zach LaVine": "4", "Ryan Anderson": "7", "Eric Gordon": "9", "Jrue Holiday": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "0", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "0", "Zach LaVine": "2", "Ryan Anderson": "3", "Eric Gordon": "4", "Jrue Holiday": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "15", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "20", "Zach LaVine": "17", "Ryan Anderson": "18", "Eric Gordon": "17", "Jrue Holiday": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "5", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "13", "Zach LaVine": "11", "Ricky Rubio": "2", "Ryan Anderson": "10", "Eric Gordon": "9", "Jrue Holiday": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "10", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "8", "Zach LaVine": "1", "Ryan Anderson": "9", "Eric Gordon": "10", "Jrue Holiday": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "10", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "4", "Zach LaVine": "1", "Ryan Anderson": "8", "Eric Gordon": "9", "Jrue Holiday": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "2"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "20", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "30", "Zach LaVine": "25", "Ricky Rubio": "9", "Ryan Anderson": "31", "Eric Gordon": "31", "Jrue Holiday": "20"}, "Turnovers": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Zach LaVine": "2"}, "Assists": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "4", "Ricky Rubio": "10", "Eric Gordon": "2", "Jrue Holiday": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Ryan Anderson": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "35", "Ryan Anderson": "40", "Eric Gordon": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "15", "Zach LaVine": "5", "Ryan Anderson": "14", "Eric Gordon": "3"}, "Steals": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2", "Eric Gordon": "3"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (19 - 40) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (23 - 35) 112 - 110, on Saturday at Smoothie King Center. Anthony Davis, one of the league's hottest players lately, had to leave the floor after injuring his foot in the pre - game warm up and did not return. With Davis then missing from the line - up and Omer Asik still out, the Pelicans had to look down their bench, while sharpshooter Ryan Anderson filled in as starter. Despite missing their all - star, the Pelicans held the lead for most of the game but the tides turned as the Timberwolves took the lead with 2:40 left, 104 - 103. Once the Timberwolves got on top, they hung on to steal the win in New Orleans, behind Karl-Anthony Towns' team - high 30 points. The youngsters had huge games for Minnesota. Karl-Anthony Towns was a beast as he tallied a team - high 30 points (13 - 20 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 4 - 8 FT), along with 15 rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block, in 35 minutes. Zach LaVine chipped in 25 points (11 - 17 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT) and five rebounds, in 35 minutes, while Ricky Rubio dished 10 assists, along with is nine points, in 35 minutes. Andrew Wiggins struggled from the field but made up for it from the free throw line, as he added 20 points (5 - 15 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 10 - 10 FT), including two clutch free throws with three seconds left that ultimately won the game. The Timberwolves shot 50 percent from the field and only attempted 15 three - points, of which five were successful. New Orleans came into this game winners of five of their last seven and with the good news that Eric Gordon would be returning to the line - up after missing 16 games, but things took a turn for the worst when Anthony Davis injured his foot in pre - game warm up. Ryan Anderson stepped it up as he scored 13 points in his first 13 minutes on the floor and finished with 31 points (10 - 18 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt, 8 - 9 FT), 14 rebounds, and two blocked shots, in 40 minutes, while Eric Gordon provided another bright spot for the Pelicans as he totaled 31 points (9 - 17 FG, 4 - 9 3Pt, 9 - 10 FT), three rebounds, three steals and two assists, in 34 minutes. Jrue Holiday added 20 points (8 - 13 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT) and eight assists, in 35 minutes off the bench. The Pelicans will have a few days off before playing in Houston next Wednesday, giving Davis some time to perhaps recover. The Timberwolves will wind - up their current three - game road trip with a game in Dallas on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "48", "Thunder": "35"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "52", "Thunder": "39"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "1", "Thunder": "3"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "116", "Thunder": "85"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "8"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "2", "Thunder": "1"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Serge Ibaka": "29", "Andre Roberson": "11", "Brook Lopez": "24"}, "Points": {"Serge Ibaka": "15", "Reggie Jackson": "23", "Sebastian Telfair": "16", "Joe Johnson": "13", "Brook Lopez": "18", "Deron Williams": "17", "Alan Anderson": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "9", "Brook Lopez": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andre Roberson": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Andre Roberson": "2"}, "Assists": {"Reggie Jackson": "5", "Sebastian Telfair": "6", "Joe Johnson": "6", "Deron Williams": "9"}, "Turnovers": {"Reggie Jackson": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "2", "Alan Anderson": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Joe Johnson": "2", "Alan Anderson": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "10", "Alan Anderson": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Joe Johnson": "5", "Alan Anderson": "7"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets (2 - 1) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (1 - 3) 116 - 85 on Monday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The Thunder struggled to keep a handle on the ball during this matchup, as they had 18 turnovers compared to the Nets' eight. The Nets also trumped the Thunder in shooting percentage, going 52 percent from the field and 48 percent from behind the three - point line, while the Thunder went only 39 percent from the field and 35 percent from beyond the arc. Already wrought with injuries, the Thunder caught even more bad news during this game. Andre Roberson, who has been starting at shooting guard with all the injuries to the team, had to leave the game with a sprained left foot. He was only able to play 11 minutes. Reggie Jackson made his regular season debut and started at point guard. He lead the team with 23 points and five assists. Jackson had seven turnovers, but after sitting out due to a sprained ankle, he's still shaking the rust off and should round into form soon. With the injury to Roberson, Sebastian Telfair played an extended 34 minutes, scoring 16 points and dishing out six assists. He'll be relied upon even further in the next few games, as Roberson will miss Tuesday's game, and the Thunder only have two healthy guards at the moment. Nearing a double - double, Serge Ibaka finished with 15 points and nine rebounds in 29 minutes. The Nets had six players finish with double - digit scoring. Brook Lopez (foot) made his season debut, scoring 18 points and collecting six rebounds in 24 minutes. Deron Williams came one assist shy of a double - double, posting 17 points and nine assists. Coming off the bench, Alan Anderson found his stroke and hit 7 - of - 8 from the field and 4 - of - 4 from behind the three - point line to finish with 18 points in only 15 minutes. Veteran Joe Johnson chipped in 13 points and six assists, shooting 5 - of - 10 from the field and 2 - of - 2 from beyond the arc. The Thunder's next game is on the road against the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday, while Nets will go on the road to Minnesota and play the Timberwolves on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "44", "Pacers": "44"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "47"}}, {"Points": {"CJ Miles": "19", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "27", "Jabari Parker": "27", "Greg Monroe": "16"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jabari Parker": "17"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Jabari Parker": "65"}, "Minutes played": {"Greg Monroe": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Greg Monroe": "16"}}], "The Bucks took advantage of a faltering Pacers defense to shoot 58 percent from the field and 44 percent from three - point range. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker combined for 54 points, with each posting half that total. The 27 - point scoring haul was a season - high for Parker, as was his 65 percent success rate on 17 shot attempts. Greg Monroe was another standout performer for Milwaukee, as he posted a 16 - point, 16 - rebound double - double in just 26 minutes. Indiana was shot 47 percent from the field, a solid figure that nevertheless fell short of the pace set by a Bucks squad that outscored them by a 96 - 77 margin after the first quarter. Paul George, Jeff Teague and Myles Turner accounted for just over half of the Pacer's scoring total, while C.J. Miles contributed a bench - leading 19 points."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Celtics": "27", "Pacers": "20"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "51", "Pacers": "44"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "26", "Pacers": "35"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "109", "Pacers": "100"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "46", "Pacers": "36"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "2", "Al Horford": "8", "Isaiah Thomas": "5"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "37", "Myles Turner": "7", "Jeff Teague": "25", "Lavoy Allen": "8", "Al Horford": "15", "Avery Bradley": "18", "Isaiah Thomas": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "5", "Myles Turner": "9", "Jeff Teague": "2", "Lavoy Allen": "14", "Al Horford": "8", "Avery Bradley": "8"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "3", "Myles Turner": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Myles Turner": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jeff Teague": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Jeff Teague": "10"}}], "The Boston Celtics defeated the Indiana Pacers, 109 - 100, at TD Garden on Wednesday. This concludes the season sweep for Boston in this series, as they thoroughly dominated Indiana all year. Shooting was key for the Celtics, as they shot over 51 percent, while the Pacers could n't crack 44 percent from the field. Boston also took care of the defensive rebounding, winning that battle, 33 - 27. The Celtics also recorded 27 assists, while the Pacers could only muster up 20. The Pacers (36 - 35) continue their unbelievable run of mediocrity, as they have now traded off wins and losses across their last 15 games. Paul George carried the load, as he tallied 37 points, five rebounds, two assists and three steals. Jeff Teague was the only other player for Indiana to reach double figures in scoring, as he accrued 25 points, two rebounds and six assists on 10 - of - 15 shooting. Myles Turner accumulated seven points, nine rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks. Lavoy Allen led the bench with eight points and 14 rebounds. On deck for the Pacers is a home matchup against the Denver Nuggets on Friday. The Celtics (46 - 26) have now won five of their last six games, as they continue to battle for the top - spot in the east. Isaiah Thomas led the way for Boston, as he collected 25 points and five assists. Avery Bradley finished second on the team, totaling 18 points and eight rebounds. Al Horford flirted with a triple - double, amassing 15 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Boston will host the Phoenix Suns on Friday for their next matchup."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "1", "Rockets": "3"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "109", "Rockets": "89"}, "Rebounds": {"Heat": "48", "Rockets": "34"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "2", "Rockets": "0"}}, {"Points": {"Marcus Thornton": "21", "Hassan Whiteside": "25", "Dwyane Wade": "20", "Goran Dragic": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"James Harden": "2"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "15"}, "Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Goran Dragic": "24"}}], "Despite trailing by 21 points early in the game, the Miami Heat (2 - 1) were able to comfortably defeat the Houston Rockets (0 - 3), 109 - 89. With star center Dwight Howard sidelined by a back injury, coach Kevin McHale rolled out a \"small ball\" lineup on the road against Miami. While guard Marcus Thornton, a new addition to the starting lineup, exploded for 21 points, Miami's frontcourt was able to take advantage of Howard's absence. Heat center Hassan Whiteside delivered a whopping 25 points and 15 rebound to go with a pair of blocks, and effort that helped fuel Miami's 48 - 34 rebounding advantage. Veteran guard Dwyane Wade was also able to exploit holes in the Houston defense, posting 20 points and dishing out 8 assists. Point guard Gordan Dragic's struggles have continued, however, as he delivered just 8 points and played only 24 minutes. Houston, the second seed in the West last season, came into the season near the top of many power rankings. However, their loss to the Heat is their third consecutive defeat by a margin of twenty points. While Howard's absence in two of the team's three games has helped, star guard James Harden has struggled with inefficiency thus far, shooting just 26 percent from the field. The Rockets will likely look to adjust going forward. Houston will seak a bounceback performance as they take on the powerhouse Oklahoma City Thunder at home on Monday night. Meanwhile, the Heat will seek to carry the momentum from their victory into their next game, a home matchup against Atlanta."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "48"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "6", "Kings": "27"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "126", "Kings": "101"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "35", "Kings": "16"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Kings": "28"}}, {"Points": {"Derrick Williams": "9", "DeMarcus Cousins": "28", "Darren Collison": "15", "Quincy Miller": "13", "Klay Thompson": "52", "Stephen Curry": "10", "Marreese Speights": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "11"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "11"}}], "The Warriors (35 - 6) got 52 points from Klay Thompson en rout to a 126 - 101 rout of the Kings (16 - 27) on Friday. Thompson caught fire in the third quarter, putting up an NBA record 37 points in the period on 13 - of - 13 shooting. He hit all nine of his three - point attempts in the quarter and finished 11 - of - 15 from beyond the arc. Thompson also posted five assists and four steals in just 33 minutes. Stephen Curry added 10 points and 11 assists for Golden State, and Marresse Speights chipped in 19 points. Golden State shot 48 percent from the field and knocked down 17 three - pointers.The Warriors led by only five at the half, but Thompson's explosion quickly put the game out of reach. The Kings, meanwhile, got 28 points and 11 rebounds from DeMarcus Cousins. Derrick Williams added nine points, and Darren Collison chipped in 15 points. Recent acquisition Quincy Miller added 13 points off the bench. Up next, the Warriors host the Celtics on Sunday. Sacramento travels to New York to take on the Knicks on Monday."], [[{"Total points": {"Hawks": "114", "Wizards": "99"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hawks": "28"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hawks": "33", "Wizards": "19"}, "Losses": {"Wizards": "1"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "0"}}, {"Assists": {"Markieff Morris": "2", "Bradley Beal": "4", "John Wall": "10", "Paul Millsap": "6", "Dwight Howard": "2", "Dennis Schroder": "2", "Thabo Sefolosha": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Markieff Morris": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "1", "John Wall": "1", "Paul Millsap": "1", "Dwight Howard": "3"}, "Points": {"Markieff Morris": "22", "Bradley Beal": "13", "John Wall": "12", "Paul Millsap": "28", "Dwight Howard": "11", "Dennis Schroder": "14", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "21", "Thabo Sefolosha": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "4", "Marcin Gortat": "11", "Paul Millsap": "7", "Dwight Howard": "19", "Dennis Schroder": "2", "Thabo Sefolosha": "7"}, "Steals": {"Markieff Morris": "2", "John Wall": "4", "Dwight Howard": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "1", "Thabo Sefolosha": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"John Wall": "30", "Dennis Schroder": "25"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Washington Wizards, 114 - 99, at Philips Arena on Thursday. A back - and - forth tussle through three quarters turned into a relatively comfortable double - digit victory for the Hawks (10) after they outscored the Wizards 33 - 19 in the final period. The game was largely a battle of both frontcourts, with impressive performances on each club. Offseason signee Dwight Howard, making his Hawks regular - season debut in his hometown, contributed an 11 - point, 19 - rebound double - double and Paul Millsap paced all scorers with a 28 - point effort. Markieff Morris (0 - 1) led Washington with 22 points, while Marcin Gortat hauled in 11 boards in a tough matchup against Howard. Morris supplemented his team - high scoring total with four rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. Bradley Beal was next with 13 points, which he complemented with four assists. John Wall turned in a 12 - point, 10 - assist double - double in 30 minutes on the court, and added four steals and a block. Otto Porter was the fourth member of the first unit with double - digit scoring, tallying 10 points and adding six rebounds, an assist and two steals. Millsap added seven rebounds, six assists and a block to his 28 points. Howard rounded out his aforementioned stat line with two assists, three blocks and a steal. Dennis Schroder, now the full - time starter at point guard with Jeff Teague's departure to Indiana, finished with 14 points, two assists, two rebounds and a steal. He notably received just 25 minutes on the floor, an allotment reminscent of his days as a reserve. Kyle Korver and Kent Bazemore failed to hit double digits on the scoreboard, combining for 12 points on 3 - for - 11 shooting. However, Tim Hardaway, Jr. and Thabo Sefolosha made up for the shortfall from the Atlanta bench, with the former supplying 21 points and the latter turning in a full stat line of 13 points, seven rebounds, five assists and five steals. The Wizards remain on the road and head to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies on Sunday night, while the Hawks head to Philadelphia for a Saturday afternoon showdown with the Sixers."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "50"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "37", "Pistons": "32"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "109", "Pistons": "86"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "24", "Pistons": "29"}}, {"Points": {"Jon Leuer": "22", "Andre Drummond": "13", "Tobias Harris": "15", "Dante Cunningham": "16", "Anthony Davis": "33", "Jrue Holiday": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Jon Leuer": "7", "Andre Drummond": "17", "Tobias Harris": "6", "Dante Cunningham": "5", "Anthony Davis": "14", "Jrue Holiday": "4"}, "Steals": {"Jon Leuer": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andre Drummond": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Andre Drummond": "1"}, "Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "Jrue Holiday": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "11"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Detroit Pistons, 109 - 86, at Smoothie King Center on Wednesday. New Orleans was desperate for a win and this dominating victory inches them a little closer to the eight - seed in the west. They did all their damage in the first and fourth quarter, as they outscored Detroit, 62 - 34. The Pistons had one of the worst shooting games of the season, as they went 40 - of - 103 from the field, 3 - of - 17 from the free - throw line and 3 - of - 23 from three - point range. The Pelicans shot well on their end, hitting 50 percent of their shots, while going 22 - of - 23 from the free - throw line. Defensive rebounding was decisive as well, with New Orleans winning that battle, 45 - 27. The Pistons (29 - 32) had won three of four headed into this matchup, so this 23 - point loss is obviously disappointing. Jon Leuer led Detroit, as he collected 22 points, seven rebounds and three steals. Andre Drummond did get ejected, but still totaled 13 points and 17 rebounds, despite going 1 - of - 10 from the free - throw line. Tobias Harris led the bench with 15 points and six rebounds. The Pelicans (24 - 37) were 0 - 3 with DeMarcus Cousins and this marks their first win since the trade, despite the fact that Cousins was suspended for this matchup (technicals). Anthony Davis carried the load, as he tallied 33 points, 14 rebounds and three assists on 11 - of - 17 shooting. Jrue Holiday finished second on the team with 22 points, four rebounds and five assists. Dante Cunningham was a surprise, providing 16 points and five rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "36", "Cavaliers": "26"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "106", "Cavaliers": "92"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "30", "Cavaliers": "43"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "4", "Kyrie Irving": "6", "Dwyane Wade": "2", "Goran Dragic": "9", "Mario Chalmers": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "19", "Kyrie Irving": "15", "Dwyane Wade": "18", "Goran Dragic": "13", "Mario Chalmers": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "8", "Kyrie Irving": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "13", "Goran Dragic": "7", "Mario Chalmers": "6"}, "Personal fouls": {"LeBron James": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "2"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "26", "Timofey Mozgov": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "21", "Hassan Whiteside": "16", "Dwyane Wade": "32", "Goran Dragic": "20", "Mario Chalmers": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "2", "Hassan Whiteside": "11", "Dwyane Wade": "2", "Goran Dragic": "5", "Mario Chalmers": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyrie Irving": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Kyrie Irving": "34", "Hassan Whiteside": "32", "Dwyane Wade": "31", "Goran Dragic": "40", "Mario Chalmers": "29"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyrie Irving": "2", "Hassan Whiteside": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "3", "Mario Chalmers": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Hassan Whiteside": "1"}, "Steals": {"Dwyane Wade": "5", "Mario Chalmers": "1"}}], "The Miami Heat (30 - 36) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (43 - 26) in convincing fashion Monday, winning 106 - 92 in Miami. LeBron James is now 0 - for - 2 in his returns to Miami this season, and his former teammate Dwyane Wade has outplayed him in both of those outings. Wade scored an amazingly efficient 32 points on 13 - of - 18 shooting, to go along with five steals in 31 minutes. In his two games against Cleveland in Miami this season, Wade has scored 43 points in 68 minutes. Following Wade was Goran Dragic, who recorded 20 points on 7 - of - 13 shooting, nine assists and five rebounds in 40 minutes. Hassan Whiteside recorded yet another double - double, posting 16 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks in 32 minutes. Mario Chalmers played one of his best games as a reserve, scoring 16 points on 6 - of - 10 shooting, to go along with five rebounds and three assists in 29 minutes off the bench. The win for Miami not only gives them the lead in the season series over James and the Cavaliers, but it also pushes them into eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings with tiebreakers over Boston and Charlotte. Despite the loss, James still put in a solid performance, posting 26 points on 8 - of - 19 shooting and four assists. After scoring 90 points in his previous two games, Kyrie Irving cooled off a bit, scoring 21 points on just 5 - of - 15 shooting and dishing out six assists in 34 minutes. Timofey Mozgov scored 10 points and was the only other Cleveland player to score in double figures. Kevin Love (rest) sat out for the second consecutive game. Despite the loss, the Cavaliers still hold a two - game lead over the Toronto Raptors for second place in the Eastern Conference. Up next, the Heat will stay home Wednesday and go up against the Trail Blazers, while Cleveland will head home to take on the Nets on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "44", "Magic": "44"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "9", "Magic": "12"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "98", "Magic": "83"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "7", "Magic": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "18"}}, {"Minutes played": {"David West": "24", "Luis Scola": "22", "CJ Watson": "18"}, "Points": {"David West": "18", "CJ Watson": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"David West": "6"}, "Assists": {"CJ Watson": "4"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (7 - 9) defeated the Orlando Magic (6 - 12) 98 - 83 on Friday. Indiana has won four of their last six games despite being severely depleted by injuries. Roy Hibbert (ankle) missed a third straight game Friday, but David West (ankle) made his season debut, stepping immediately into the starting lineup at power forward. West put up 18 points and six rebounds in 24 minutes. Luis Scola moved back to a bench role with West healthy, playing 22 minutes off the bench. C.J. Watson (foot) also made his season debut, putting up nine points and four assists in 18 minutes off the bench. The Pacers will kick off a four - game road trip Saturday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Orlando has dropped four straight games, including the first game of the six - game road trip they began in Indiana on Friday. The Pacers beat them on the boards, held them to 44 percent shooting from the field and also foced the Magic into 18 turnovers. Orlando's roster got healthy over the last few games, and it seems their talent is having trouble finding out how to play together, though that should iron itself out as the season progresses. The Magic will take on the Suns in Phoenix on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "7", "Nuggets": "6"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "87", "Nuggets": "108"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "3", "Nuggets": "2"}}, {"Assists": {"Ty Lawson": "10", "Roy Hibbert": "1", "A.J. Price": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Ty Lawson": "4", "A.J. Price": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ty Lawson": "1", "A.J. Price": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ty Lawson": "13", "Roy Hibbert": "9", "A.J. Price": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Ty Lawson": "4", "Roy Hibbert": "3", "A.J. Price": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Ty Lawson": "2", "Roy Hibbert": "4", "A.J. Price": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Ty Lawson": "2", "Roy Hibbert": "3", "A.J. Price": "2"}, "Points": {"Ty Lawson": "11", "Roy Hibbert": "9", "A.J. Price": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Ty Lawson": "3", "Roy Hibbert": "4", "A.J. Price": "2"}, "Steals": {"Ty Lawson": "1", "A.J. Price": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Roy Hibbert": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"A.J. Price": "24"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (2 - 6) went into Indiana and got their second win of the year, beating the Pacers (3 - 7) 108 - 87 on Friday night. The Nuggets fans are probably feeling a bit more relaxed after this one, since their loss on Thursday night to the Trail Blazers was just painful to watch. The Nuggets looked like a different team on Friday, as they had seven players score in double figures, and 11 players score in total. Ty Lawson led the charge, scoring 11 points (4 - 13 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) to go with 10 assists, three rebounds and one steal. Head coach Brian Shaw spread his minutes out well on Friday, and is still in the midst of finding the right starting five. Denver now heads to New York to take on the Knicks Sunday. For the Pacers, it was just a tough outing. They were down by 25 going into the fourth quarter, and turned to their bench pretty early on in this one. A total of eight players saw 22 or more minutes on Friday night, and A.J. Price actually led the team in scoring off the bench, with 14 points (5 - 9 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT), four assists, two rebounds and one steal in 24 minutes. Big man Roy Hibbert was very quiet on Friday, scoring only nine points (3 - 9 FG, 3 - 4 FT) to go with four rebounds, two blocks and one assist. The Pacers will now head to Chicago on Saturday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "26", "Knicks": "37"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "76", "Knicks": "71"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "19", "Knicks": "8"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Knicks": "17"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "35", "Bismack Biyombo": "7"}, "Points": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "25", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "1", "Brian Roberts": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Amar'e Stoudemire": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Amar'e Stoudemire": "1"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (19 - 26) defeated the New York Knicks (8 - 37), 76 - 71. The loss snapped a Knicks' three - game winning streak. Both squads shot less than 36 percent from the field. Kemba Walker did n't play due to left knee soreness. His replacement, Brian Roberts, scored a team - high 17 points. Bismack Biyombo suffered a right knee contusion in the contest, limiting him to seven minutes. Al Jefferson started at center in the second half. Marvin Williams is believed to have suffered a concussion, but he'll certainly adhere to the league's protocol. The Hornets attempted just seven three - pointers, sinking two of them. Carmelo Anthony rested after playing 42 minutes the previous night, Jose Calderon did n't play after suffering a knee contusion Friday and Amar'e Stoudemire played after resting one game. Coach Derek Fisher started Langston Galloway, Tim Hardaway, Jr., Lance Thomas, Louis Amundson and Jason Smith. Three of their starters are currently on 10 - day contracts. The Knicks failed to score more than 17 points in any of the final three quarters. Tim Hardaway added 25 points, six rebounds, five assists and five three - pointers in 35 minutes. The Hornets have three days off before they start a three - game road trip against the San Antonio Spurs. The Knicks travel back home to battle the Sacramento Kings on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "39"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "4", "Clippers": "5"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "85", "Clippers": "102"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "12", "Clippers": "10"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Matt Barnes": "2", "James Harden": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Matt Barnes": "20", "Blake Griffin": "31", "James Harden": "38"}, "Points": {"Matt Barnes": "2", "Blake Griffin": "30", "James Harden": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Matt Barnes": "5"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (10 - 5) defeated the Houston Rockets (12 - 4) 102 - 85 on Friday. Los Angeles has won three straight games. Matt Barnes sat out their last two games with calf soreness, but he was back in the starting lineup at small forward Friday. He put up two points and five rebounds in 20 minutes. Blake Griffin paced the team with a game - high 30 points in 31 minutes. The Clippers will finish up their current seven - game road trip in Utah on Saturday against the Jazz. Houston saw their three - game win streak come to an end with this loss. The Clippers held them to 39 percent shooting from the field, and James Harden only got off 12 shot attempts in his 38 minutes. Harden finished with 16 points. Isaiah Canaan left the game with a sprained ankle in the first half and did not return. He has already been ruled out of Saturday's game. Dwight Howard (knee) and Patrick Beverley (hamstring) did not play Friday and are doubtful for Saturday's game against the Bucks in Milwaukee."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"76ers": "21", "Kings": "35"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "20"}}, {"Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "46", "Arron Afflalo": "8", "Darren Collison": "8", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "17", "Matt Barnes": "16", "Robert Covington": "23", "Ersan Ilyasova": "10", "Jahlil Okafor": "15", "Nik Stauskas": "16", "Dario Saric": "17", "Nerlens Noel": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "15", "Robert Covington": "10", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Gerald Henderson": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "8", "Nerlens Noel": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Jahlil Okafor": "2"}, "Assists": {"Jahlil Okafor": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Gerald Henderson": "2"}, "Steals": {"Gerald Henderson": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Nerlens Noel": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Nerlens Noel": "2"}}], "The Kings built a 35 - 21 lead after one quarter, but the Sixers chipped away and gained separation with an impressive 42 points during the third quarter. DeMarcus Cousins posted an eye - popping 46 - point, 15 - rebound double - double, but also committed eight of Sacramento's 20 turnovers. Willie Cauley-Stein (17 points) and Matt Barnes (16 points) were the only other double - digit scorers, and accomplished the feat from the bench. Darren Collison and Arron Afflalo put forth a pair of eight - point efforts. Robert Covington's 23 - point, 10 - rebound double - double led the Sixers. Dario Saric was next with a bench - leading 17 points. Nik Stauskas posted 16 points, and Jahlil Okafor registered 15. Gerald Henderson matched Okafor's point total and drained two late free throws to seal the win, while Nerlens Noel (12 points) and Ersan Ilyasova (10 points) were key contributors as well."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Hawks": "33"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Wizards": "30"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "43"}}, {"Points": {"Markieff Morris": "22", "John Wall": "12", "Paul Millsap": "28", "Dwight Howard": "11"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "10", "Thabo Sefolosha": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "7", "Dwight Howard": "19", "Thabo Sefolosha": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "22"}, "Steals": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "5"}}], "Atlanta's new frontcourt tandem enabled them to separate from the Wizards with a 33 - point fourth quarter Thursday. Paul Millsap excelled in all facets, totaling 28 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. New center Dwight Howard made a strong first impression with 11 points and 19 boards. Tim Hardaway, Jr. and Thabo Sefolosha made up for a poor offensive showing from starters Kent Bazemore and Kyle Korver, combining for 34 points on 14 - for - 21 shooting. Sefolosha also racked up seven rebounds, five assists and five steals in a stellar performance over 22 minutes. Washington received a 22 - point contribution from their stalwart power forward in Markieff Morris, but the rest of the first unit could n't keep pace. John Wall managed a 12 - point, 10 - assist double - double, but the Wizards shot just 43 percent from the field and 30 percent from three - point range."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "50"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "32", "Clippers": "21"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "115", "Clippers": "119"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "22", "Clippers": "32"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Clippers": "32"}}, {"Points": {"Blake Griffin": "32", "DeAndre Jordan": "28"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Austin Rivers": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Austin Rivers": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Austin Rivers": "5"}}], "The visiting Los Angeles Clippers took down the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, 119 - 115. During the first half, Knicks legend Charles Oakley was escorted out by security and later arrested by New York City police after a confrontation with franchise owner James Dolan. Oakley had been in attendance of the game. The Knicks quickly issued a PR statement condemning Oakley's behavior and stating that the organization \"hopes he will get help soon.\" The incident did not detract from the competitiveness of the basketball game, however, as the Clippers (32 - 21) narrowly escaped with the win. Superstar point guard Chris Paul (thumb) remained out, and point guard Austin Rivers struggled in his place. Rivers shot just 3 - of - 10 with five turnovers. Offense was still fairly easy to come by for the Clippers, though, as center DeAndre Jordan recorded a career - high 28 points on 11 - of - 13 shooting while All-Star forward Blake Griffin scored another 32. Los Angeles entered the fourth quarter trailing by seven but went on an offensive tear to finish the game, establishing a lead in the final minutes. The Knicks (22 - 32), meanwhile, have had the league's second - worst record since the start of the new year. Though four starters scored at least 18 points, bench production was nowhere to be found for the struggling Knicks. No member of New York's second unit scored more than five points, and the bench combined to shoot just 6 - of - 20 from the field. Despite that, the Knicks shot 50 percent as a team and were able to take a solid Clippers team to the brink of defeat. New York will host the Nuggets on Friday, while the Clippers will visit Charlotte on Saturday."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "23", "Nikola Jokic": "24", "Gary Harris": "10", "Kenneth Faried": "8", "Will Barton": "23", "DeAndre Jordan": "12", "Jamal Crawford": "24", "Austin Rivers": "19", "Raymond Felton": "10", "Brandon Bass": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Danilo Gallinari": "11", "Nikola Jokic": "10", "Kenneth Faried": "10", "DeAndre Jordan": "11", "Jamal Crawford": "4", "Austin Rivers": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Kenneth Faried": "19"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "1"}, "Steals": {"DeAndre Jordan": "3", "Jamal Crawford": "2", "Austin Rivers": "1"}, "Assists": {"Jamal Crawford": "6", "Austin Rivers": "5"}}], "Nikola Jokic's 24 - point, 10 - rebound double - double led the way for the visitors, and Danilo Gallinari added a 23 - point, 11 - rebound double - double of his own. Will Barton chipped in off the bench with 23 points, while Gary Harris contributed a modest 10 points. Kenneth Faried produced eight points and 10 boards in just 19 minutes. Jamal Crawford and Austin Rivers jumped into the starting lineup with Chris Paul and J.J. Redick both felled by hamstring injuries, and they turned in 24 and 19 points, respectively. Crawford complemented his aforementioned scoring total with six assists, four rebounds and two steals, while Rivers supplied five assists, three rebounds and a steal. DeAndre Jordan tallied a 12 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included three steals and a block. Brandon Bass and Raymond Felton registered 11 and 10 points, respectively, off the bench."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Heat": "15"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Hassan Whiteside": "34", "Nerlens Noel": "32", "T.J. McConnell": "32"}, "Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "12", "Goran Dragic": "30", "James Johnson": "26", "Robert Covington": "19", "Ersan Ilyasova": "14", "Nerlens Noel": "19", "Gerald Henderson": "14", "T.J. McConnell": "11", "Dario Saric": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "19", "Ersan Ilyasova": "4", "T.J. McConnell": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Johnson": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"James Johnson": "8"}, "Assists": {"T.J. McConnell": "10"}, "Steals": {"T.J. McConnell": "2", "Dario Saric": "2"}}], "Seven players scored in double digits for the Sixers, as they dished 27 assists on their way to a solid team win. Nerlens Noel, Robert Covington and Dario Saric each finished with a team - high 19 points, while Ersan Ilyasova and Gerald Henderson added 14 points each. T.J. McConnell came up big in the clutch, as he finished with 11 points, 10 assists, four rebounds and two steals in 32 minutes. The Sixers hit 30 - of - 38 from the free throw line and 36 percent from long range. Meanwhile, the Heat gave up an ugly 20 turnovers in comparison to only 15 assists. Goran Dragic led the Heat with 30 points, while Hassan Whiteside grabbed 19 rebounds, to go along with 12 points, in 34 minutes. James Johnson finished with 26 points for the second game in a row, this time on 8 - of - 15 shooting."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Trail Blazers": "24"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "31", "Wizards": "33"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "116", "Wizards": "109"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "34", "Wizards": "30"}}, {"Points": {"Marcin Gortat": "19", "John Wall": "20", "Ramon Sessions": "21", "CJ McCollum": "18", "Damian Lillard": "41", "Meyers Leonard": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "10", "John Wall": "5", "Damian Lillard": "5", "Meyers Leonard": "6"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "11", "Damian Lillard": "11", "Meyers Leonard": "3"}, "Blocks": {"John Wall": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"John Wall": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"John Wall": "25", "Ramon Sessions": "12", "Damian Lillard": "25"}, "Field goals made": {"John Wall": "8", "Ramon Sessions": "9", "Damian Lillard": "12"}, "Free throws made": {"John Wall": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"John Wall": "1"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "2", "Damian Lillard": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"John Wall": "1", "CJ McCollum": "6", "Damian Lillard": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Damian Lillard": "2"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (34 - 31) defeated the Washington Wizards (30 - 33) 116 - 109 in overtime at Moda Center on Tuesday. In Portland, the fourth quarter has aptly been named \u201cLillard Time\u201d and the nickname is fitting for the point guard who posted 41 points. While the ball normally finds Lillard\u2019s hands when the game is on the line, it was C.J. McCollum who hit the clutch mid range jumper with 5 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to tie the game, which led to an extra five minutes of play. John Wall had an open opportunity to win the game at the buzzer, but the shot bounced off the front of the rim, granted, Wall was essential in putting the Blazers on their heels late in the game. The two all - star point guards traded baskets in the overtime period, as Lillard hit a three pointer to go ahead by five points, but one possession later, Wall buried a three of his own to bring the game back within striking distance. Two and half minutes of missed opportunities from both teams dragged by until Lillard drove the lane and finished at the rim to put Portland up by four points with 24 seconds left, and they did not look back after that. The Wizards did a terrific job keeping Lillard off the ball during the fourth quarter, but overtime proved too much to handle. Alongside Lillard\u2019s 41 points, he added 11 assists, five rebounds and one steal on 12 - of - 25 shooting. C.J. McCollum scored 18 points, but struggled with possession and turned the ball over six times in the rare outing for the shooting guard. The Portland Bench bailed out the rest of the starters, who combined for a lowly 14 points, as Meyers Leonard led the way 10 points, six rebounds and three assists. He earned some quality minutes in the fourth quarter and overtime, as coach Terry Stotts seemed to be a lot of trust in him down the stretch. John Wall and Marcin Gortat led the Wizards, and although Wall\u2019s shooting rhythm took a while to get going, he played tremendous defense late in the game and kept his team in the game. Wall finished with 20 points, 11 assists and five rebounds on 8 - of - 25 shooting, including three buckets from behind the arc. Gortat added 19 points and 10 rebounds to complete the double - double, while Ramon Sessions put on a shooting clinic off the bench after scoring 21 points on 9 - of - 12 from the field. Both teams will be on the road on Friday, as the Wizards will take on the Utah Jazz (29 - 34), while the Blazers will take on the Golden State Warriors (56 - 6)."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Wizards": "33"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "37", "Raptors": "51"}, "Losses": {"Wizards": "24", "Raptors": "25"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "106", "Raptors": "114"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "36", "Raptors": "37"}, "Turnovers": {"Raptors": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"Serge Ibaka": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Cory Joseph": "3", "Norman Powell": "1", "Markieff Morris": "5", "Marcin Gortat": "1", "Bradley Beal": "4", "John Wall": "7"}, "Points": {"Serge Ibaka": "14", "DeMar DeRozan": "32", "Cory Joseph": "15", "Norman Powell": "21", "Markieff Morris": "11", "Marcin Gortat": "6", "Bradley Beal": "27", "John Wall": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "8", "DeMar DeRozan": "13", "Cory Joseph": "5", "Norman Powell": "6", "Markieff Morris": "8", "Marcin Gortat": "6", "Bradley Beal": "7", "John Wall": "8"}, "Steals": {"Norman Powell": "1", "Markieff Morris": "1", "Bradley Beal": "1", "John Wall": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Markieff Morris": "1", "John Wall": "3"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the Washington Wizards, 114 - 106, at Verizon Center on Friday evening. The Raptors (37 - 25) had come up short on Wednesday evening against this same Wizards (36 - 24) squad at home, as Washington had turned in a solid defensive effort by holding Toronto under 40 percent shooting. The Raptors had revenge on their mind Friday and successfully turned the tables, limiting their hosts to 37 percent shooting overall, including 33 percent from three - point range. Meanwhile, they overcame their own struggles from the floor from two nights prior, tallying a 51 percent success rate overall that allowed them to overcome the 17 turnovers they were guilty of on the night. DeMar DeRozan once again led the way for the Raptors with 32 points, which he supplemented with 13 rebounds and five assists. Norman Powell was next with a bench - leading 21 points, along with six rebounds, one assist and one steal. Cory Joseph provided 15 points, five rebounds and three assists. Serge Ibaka supplied 14 points, eight rebounds, one assist and two steals. John Wall paced the Wizards with 30 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, three blocks and one steal. Backcourt mate Bradley Beal followed closely behind with 27 points, which he complemented with seven rebounds, four assists and one steal. Otto Porter, Jr. bounced back from a scoreless outing over 19 minutes Wednesday to generate a full stat line of 18 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block. Markieff Morris managed 11 points, eight boards, five assists, one steal and one block. Marcin Gortat had a rather atypical unproductive game with a modest six points, six rebounds and one assist. The Raptors remain on the road and head to Milwaukee to face the Bucks on Saturday night, while the Wizards remain home to tangle with the Orlando Magic on Sunday afternoon."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "39", "Hawks": "33"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "105", "Hawks": "90"}, "Rebounds": {"Hornets": "33", "Hawks": "45"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "31", "Hawks": "37"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "32"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "4", "Dwight Howard": "3", "Dennis Schroder": "6", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "3", "Marvin Williams": "3", "Nicolas Batum": "6", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Frank Kaminsky": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "1", "Dwight Howard": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "2", "Frank Kaminsky": "2"}, "Points": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "11", "Dwight Howard": "13", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "11", "Dennis Schroder": "20", "Taurean Prince": "11", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "9", "Marvin Williams": "13", "Cody Zeller": "8", "Nicolas Batum": "16", "Kemba Walker": "16", "Frank Kaminsky": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "8", "Ersan Ilyasova": "6", "Dwight Howard": "10", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "3", "Taurean Prince": "4", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "2", "Marvin Williams": "8", "Cody Zeller": "5", "Nicolas Batum": "1", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Frank Kaminsky": "3"}, "Steals": {"Dwight Howard": "1", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "3", "Marvin Williams": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "1", "Kemba Walker": "1"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Atlanta Hawks, 105 - 90, at Spectrum Center on Monday night. The Hornets (31 - 39) came into Monday's contest still chasing the playoff dream, a quest that has been made exponentially difficult with recent losses. Charlotte needed the home win to remain within striking distance of the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference and accomplished the feat on the strength of solid shooting, a 64 - 49 run in the middle quarters, and a strong defensive effort against the dangerous Dennis Schroder. The Hawks (37 - 33) also committed 15 turnovers and could n't get their three - point game on track, as they shot just 32 percent from long range. Charlotte prevailed by a comfortable margin despite losing the rebounding battle, 45 - 33. Atlanta did see all five members of their starting five hit double digits in the scoring column, beginning with Schroder, who tallied 20 points, six assists, three rebounds and two blocks. Dwight Howard followed with a 13 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included three assists, a steal and a block. Ersan Ilyasova drew another start for Paul Millsap (knee) and matched Howard's scoring total while adding six boards and one assist. Tim Hardaway, Jr. and Thabo Sefolosha provided matching 11 - point efforts, with the former supplying three assists and one rebound and the latter posting eight rebounds, four assists and one block. Rookie Taurean Prince continued his solid play with 11 points, four rebounds and one assist while leading the bench. The backcourt duo of Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum posted 16 - point efforts to lead the Hornets. Walker added four rebounds, four assists and one steal while Batum registered six assists, one rebound and one steal. Marvin Williams managed 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (nine points, three assists, two rebounds, three steals) and Cody Zeller (eight points, five rebounds) turned in modest efforts but Frank Kaminsky III led the bench with 14 points, five assists, three rebounds, two blocks and one steal. The Hawks head to the Nation's Capital to tangle with the Wizards on Tuesday night, while the Hornets also hit the road and face off with the Orlando Magic on Tuesday evening as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "15", "Nuggets": "14"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "116", "Nuggets": "111"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "32"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "6", "Nuggets": "8"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nuggets": "27"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nuggets": "32"}}, {"Assists": {"Danilo Gallinari": "3", "Jusuf Nurkic": "1", "Will Barton": "2", "Nikola Jokic": "3", "Jamal Murray": "3", "Jameer Nelson": "5", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "3", "Trevor Booker": "5", "Brook Lopez": "4", "Sean Kilpatrick": "3", "Isaiah Whitehead": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Danilo Gallinari": "3", "Will Barton": "6"}, "Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "5", "Jusuf Nurkic": "11", "Will Barton": "15", "Wilson Chandler": "27", "Nikola Jokic": "14", "Jamal Murray": "12", "Jameer Nelson": "14", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "19", "Trevor Booker": "15", "Brook Lopez": "24", "Sean Kilpatrick": "22", "Isaiah Whitehead": "14", "Joe Harris": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Danilo Gallinari": "3", "Jusuf Nurkic": "3", "Will Barton": "9", "Jamal Murray": "5", "Jameer Nelson": "5", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "1", "Trevor Booker": "12", "Brook Lopez": "8", "Sean Kilpatrick": "6", "Isaiah Whitehead": "2", "Joe Harris": "2"}, "Steals": {"Danilo Gallinari": "1", "Will Barton": "2", "Wilson Chandler": "1", "Jamal Murray": "1", "Jameer Nelson": "2", "Trevor Booker": "1", "Sean Kilpatrick": "1", "Isaiah Whitehead": "4", "Joe Harris": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Will Barton": "1", "Nikola Jokic": "1", "Brook Lopez": "2", "Isaiah Whitehead": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Will Barton": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Will Barton": "6", "Wilson Chandler": "2", "Sean Kilpatrick": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Wilson Chandler": "3", "Sean Kilpatrick": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Wilson Chandler": "35"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Wilson Chandler": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Wilson Chandler": "3", "Sean Kilpatrick": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "8"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets defeated the Denver Nuggets, 116 - 111, at Barclays Center on Wednesday. The Nets (6 - 15) likely left the visiting Nuggets (8 - 14) in a state of first - half shock, as they built a 68 - 52 lead by halftime. However, Denver, which had begun to show signs of regrouping in the second quarter, came out of the locker room much sharper, matching their hosts nearly point for point in the third quarter. They then exploded for 32 points in the final period, led by a standout effort from Wilson Chandler, who tallied a game - high 27 points off the bench over 35 minutes. Chandler clearly had the hot hand over starting small forward Danilo Gallinari, and also posted 15 rebounds and recorded a steal. He led a 70 - point effort from the second unit on the night, which helped overcome three single - digit scoring tallies from the starting five. However, it was the Nets' Sean Kilpatrick who drew a foul from Chandler and sunk the two subsequent free throws with eight seconds remaining, sealing the hard - fought home win. Will Barton led the Denver starters with 15 points, nine rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block, but did turn the ball over a game - high six times. Jusuf Nurkic pitched in with 11 points, three rebounds and an assist. On the bench, Jameer Nelson and Nikola Jokic managed a pair of 14 - point efforts, with the former adding five rebounds, five assists and two steals and the latter contributing 11 boards, three assists and a block. Jamal Murray supplied 12 points, five rebounds, three assists and a steal in a reserve role as well. Brook Lopez led the way for Brooklyn with 24 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Kilpatrick was next with 22 points, six rebounds, three assists and a steal. Bojan Bogdanovic compiled 19 points, three assists and a rebound, while Trevor Booker continued his stellar play down low, posting a 15 - point, 12 - rebound double - double that also included five assists and a steal. Isaiah Whitehead drew the start at point guard and responded with 14 points, two rebounds, two assists, four steals and a block. Joe Harris paced the second unit with 16 points, two rebounds and two steals. The Nuggets next head to Washington to face the Wizards on Thursday night, while the Nets head to San Antonio for a Saturday night showdown with the Spurs."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "40", "Trail Blazers": "58"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "9", "Trail Blazers": "7"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "109", "Trail Blazers": "129"}, "Rebounds": {"Nets": "36", "Trail Blazers": "50"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "4", "Trail Blazers": "8"}, "Number of team assists": {"Trail Blazers": "23"}}, {"Assists": {"CJ McCollum": "5", "Damian Lillard": "5", "Brook Lopez": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "19", "Trevor Booker": "9", "Brook Lopez": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ McCollum": "12", "Trevor Booker": "7", "Brook Lopez": "8"}, "Points": {"CJ McCollum": "33", "Damian Lillard": "18", "Meyers Leonard": "14", "Allen Crabbe": "14", "Trevor Booker": "16", "Brook Lopez": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"CJ McCollum": "4", "Damian Lillard": "4", "Trevor Booker": "4", "Brook Lopez": "6"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the host Brooklyn Nets, 129 - 109, at Barclay's Center on Sunday. In a battle between two of the worst defenses in the NBA, the more potent offense was able to prevail with a victory. Portland was hitting on all cylinders offensively, as they hit 58 percent of their shots in their win. One huge factor for the Blazers was their ability to rebound, as they snatched down 50 rebounds, while holding the Nets to 36 boards on their end. Portland never took their foot off the pedal, as they won each quarter and led by 23 at times in their victory. Their subpar defense was n't shabby either, as they held the Nets to under 40 percent shooting. Portland (8 - 7) have been struggling on defense over recent weeks, but they showed some promising signs here in their win here. C.J McCollum was the player of the game, as he tallied 33 points, four rebounds and five assists on 12 - of - 19 shooting, Damian Lillard also played well, accumulating 18 points, four rebounds and five assists of his own. The bench was a nice spark, as Evan Turner, Meyers Leonard and Allen Crabbe all scored at least 14 points. The Trail Blazers will stay on the road for their next game, as they travel to New York to face the Knicks on Tuesday. This marks Brooklyn's (4 - 9) fourth - straight loss and a once promising season is turning into an ugly one. Brook Lopez did all he could to keep the Nets hanging around, as he scored a team - high 21 points on 8 - of - 14 shooting. He also provided six rebounds and four assists, as he was a perfect 7 - of - 7 in the first half to score 17 of his 21 points. Trevor Booker was second on the team, totaling 16 points and four rebounds on 7 - of - 9 shooting. The backcourt really struggled, as Isaiah Whitehead and Sean Kilpatrick combed to go just 3 - of - 19 from the field. Brooklyn will be off until Wednesday, when they host the Boston Celtics for their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "25", "Bucks": "30"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "100", "Bucks": "116"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "29", "Bucks": "23"}, "Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "28"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "55"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "48"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10", "Paul George": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "34", "Mirza Teletovic": "17"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "20", "Malcolm Brogdon": "17", "Greg Monroe": "17", "Mirza Teletovic": "19", "CJ Miles": "23", "Jeff Teague": "2", "Monta Ellis": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Myles Turner": "4", "Jeff Teague": "3"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Mirza Teletovic": "9", "Paul George": "3", "Myles Turner": "3", "CJ Miles": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Mirza Teletovic": "5", "Paul George": "2", "CJ Miles": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Mirza Teletovic": "10", "Paul George": "11", "Myles Turner": "12", "CJ Miles": "16", "Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Mirza Teletovic": "6", "Paul George": "4", "Myles Turner": "4", "CJ Miles": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul George": "3", "Myles Turner": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul George": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Myles Turner": "3", "Jeff Teague": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Myles Turner": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Myles Turner": "2"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the host Indiana Pacers, 116 - 100, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Saturday evening. The Bucks hit a season - high 17 three - pointers, on 17 - of - 31 shooting from long range, as they handed the Pacers their third straight loss. Both teams shot exactly the same, 35 - of - 73, 48 percent from the field, but the Bucks hit seven more threes, to gain the edge. The Bucks (23 - 30) dished 28 assists, as everyone got involved in the efforts to make up for the lack of Jabari Parker in the line up. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way with 20 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds, two blocks and one steal, in 34 minutes. Mirza Teletovic came up huge with 19 points on 6 - of - 10 shooting, including 5 - of - 9 from long range, in only 17 minutes off the bench. Greg Monroe and Malcolm Brogdon each chipped in 17 points off the bench, to contribute to a total of 55 bench points for Milwaukee. The Bucks will look to build on this win, as they look ahead to Monday, when they will play host to the Pistons. The Pacers (29 - 25) saw their top three players really struggle from the field, as Paul George, Jeff Teague and Myles Turner combined to shoot 9 - of - 25. Jeff Teague only attempted two shots, while George and Turner attempted 11 and 12 respectively, hitting four each. Monta Ellis came up with 18 points off the bench, while C.J. Miles led the way for Indiana, with 23 points on 8 - of - 16 shooting, including 6 - of - 11 from long range. The Pacers still have a grip on sixth place in the East but need to get back on track as soon as possible, in order to maintain that spot. They will look to get back on track, as they go on to play host to the Spurs on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "2", "Knicks": "6"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "118", "Knicks": "107"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "7", "Knicks": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Knicks": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Joakim Noah": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "6"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "31", "Kristaps Porzingis": "21", "Joakim Noah": "4", "Derrick Rose": "21", "Norman Powell": "19", "DeMar DeRozan": "33", "Kyle Lowry": "16", "Lucas Nogueira": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Kristaps Porzingis": "4", "Joakim Noah": "18", "Derrick Rose": "4", "DeMar DeRozan": "7", "Kyle Lowry": "6", "Lucas Nogueira": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Norman Powell": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Norman Powell": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Lucas Nogueira": "5"}, "Steals": {"Lucas Nogueira": "3"}}], "The host Toronto Raptors defeated the New York Knicks 118 - 107 at Air Canada Centre on Saturday. Despite the scoreline showing a double - digit margin, this game was close throughout. In fact, there were 20 ties and 27 lead changes, with these two teams battling all night long. The Raptors turned it on late though, as they turned a tied ball game with six minutes left into an 11 - point win. Free-throw shooting was the difference in the game, as Toronto went 33 - of - 38, while New York went just 12 - of - 16. The Raptors also dominated the hustle stats, recording 16 combined steals and blocks to the Knicks' five. That also led to 20 fastbreak points for Toronto, with New York finishing with only six. New York (3 - 6) has gotten off to a rough start this season, but this is not a loss to be concerned with. After getting ejected on Friday, Carmelo Anthony bounced back with 31 points, six rebounds and four assists here. Derrick Rose and Kristaps Porzingis tied for second on the team in scoring, as they each dropped 21 points and grabbed four boards in the loss. While Joakim Noah finished with just four points and one assist, he did grab 18 rebounds out of the center position. The Knicks next game will be on Monday, when they host the struggling Dallas Mavericks. Toronto (7 - 2) is as dominant as anyone at home and they continue to abuse weak Eastern Conference teams. DeMar DeRozan added on to his torrid pace, as he tallied 33 points, seven rebounds and four assists in this win. Norman Powell got his first start of the season and scored 19 points thanks to an 8 - of - 8 showing from the free - throw line. Kyle Lowry accumulated 16 points, six rebounds and six assists in 40 minutes of action. Lucas Nogueira was a huge spark off the bench, totaling six points, 10 rebounds, three steals and five blocks in the victory. Toronto is off until Tuesday, when they travel to face the Cleveland Cavaliers."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "8", "Kings": "15"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "98", "Kings": "95"}, "Rebounds": {"Thunder": "62"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "12", "Kings": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"Rudy Gay": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "10", "Kevin Durant": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "10"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gay": "20", "Rajon Rondo": "7", "Marco Belinelli": "16", "Darren Collison": "16", "Steven Adams": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "19", "Enes Kanter": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "7", "DeMarcus Cousins": "10", "Rajon Rondo": "9", "Kevin Durant": "10", "Steven Adams": "12", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Enes Kanter": "10"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Rajon Rondo": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Rajon Rondo": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "13", "Russell Westbrook": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Enes Kanter": "20"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (12 - 8) defeated the Sacramento Kings (7 - 15) 98 - 95 on Sunday. The Thunder turned to their superstars in Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant to edge the Kings. Westbrook tallied his third triple - double of the season and finished with 19 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists on 7 - of - 13 shooting in 37 minutes played. Kevin Durant nailed a mid range jumper with :5 remaining in the 4th quarter to take a 96 - 95 lead, the game winner was his 20th point of the game, to go along with 10 rebounds and four assists. Steven Adams was a force on the glass and proved to win the matchup against DeMarcus Cousins, as he finished with six points and 12 rebounds, including a defensive stop on Rudy Gay following Durant\u2019s clutch jumper. Enes Kanter played an efficient 20 minutes off the bench and earned a double - double of his own after scoring 14 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. The Thunder dominated the rebound war, racking up 62 boards, 19 of which came on the offensive end. Rajon Rondo fell short of triple - double and tallied seven points, nine rebounds and 10 assists. DeMarcus Cousins continues to struggle, which strings together two consecutive games where the big man was unable to provide for his team and finished well below his season averages. Cousins\u2019 13 points and 10 rebounds came on 5 - of - 20 shooting and a plus/minus of - 7. Rudy Gay led all Kings scorers with 20 points, in addition to seven rebounds and three assists. Marco Belinelli and Darren Collison contributed 16 points each off the bench. Both teams shot under 30 percent from the 3 - point line and hovered the 40 percent mark from the field. The Kings return home for a three game stretch starting with the Utah Jazz (9 - 9) on Tuesday, while the Thunder visit the Memphis Grizzlies (12 - 9) that same night."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "28", "Bulls": "21"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "102", "Bulls": "107"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "21", "Bulls": "27"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Pau Gasol": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Pau Gasol": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Pau Gasol": "36"}, "Points": {"Pau Gasol": "16", "E'Twaun Moore": "24", "Derrick Rose": "21", "Doug McDermott": "11", "DeMarcus Cousins": "30", "Marco Belinelli": "18", "Darren Collison": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "13", "E'Twaun Moore": "5", "Derrick Rose": "6", "DeMarcus Cousins": "11"}, "Assists": {"E'Twaun Moore": "4", "Derrick Rose": "9", "DeMarcus Cousins": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "6"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (27 - 21) defeated the Sacramento Kings (21 - 28) 107 - 102 at Sleep Train Arena on Wednesday. DeMarcus Cousins (ankle) returned to the lineup after missing just one game with a sprained ankle. The start came as no surprise, seeing that Cousins participated in the team's shootaround earlier on Wednesday. The hottest shooting big man throughout the month of January has continued his hot streak into February and finished with 30 points, 11 rebounds and four assists, but committed six costly turnovers, including a lane violation while on the free throw line in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter. Darren Collison and Marco Belinelli pitched in 18 points and 19 points, respectively, to aid Cousins in the effort, but it was not enough to earn the home win. The game was kept close throughout its entirety, but the final minute came to a crawling finish, with multiple missed free throws and turnovers, eventually leaning in the Bulls favor. Chicago was without their superstar as well, as Jimmy Butler (ankle) was sidelined with knee soreness. Unlike Cousins, this news came as a surprise considering Butler was not listed on the injury report heading into Wednesday. Butler did come off a 47 minute performance on Monday, so it is possible that it was a strategic rest on the Bulls part. E'Twaun Moore earned the start, while Doug McDermott saw increased minutes off the bench. Moore finished with 24 points, five boards and four assists, while McDermott added 11 points, doing just enough combined to make up for their missing all - star. Pau Gasol keeps chugging along in the Chicago system, and added his 28th double - double of the season, and finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds on 6 - of - 16 shooting in 36 minutes. Derrick Rose flashed his explosive first step and turned in another strong performance, as he scored 21 points, to go along with six rebounds and nine assists. Both teams play on Friday, as the Bulls will visit the Denver Nuggets (19 - 31) and the Kings will visit the Brooklyn Nets (12 - 38)."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Spurs": "32", "Raptors": "8"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "55", "Raptors": "37"}, "Losses": {"Spurs": "7", "Raptors": "11"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "110", "Raptors": "82"}, "Turnovers": {"Spurs": "15"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "28", "Raptors": "23"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "21", "Kyle Lowry": "9", "Kawhi Leonard": "12", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "12", "Kyle Lowry": "2", "Kawhi Leonard": "8", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "11"}, "Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "26", "Kyle Lowry": "6", "Terrence Ross": "17", "Kawhi Leonard": "25", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "23", "Tony Parker": "15"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "6", "Tony Parker": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Terrence Ross": "5", "Kawhi Leonard": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Toronto Raptors, 110 - 82, at AT & T Center on Tuesday. These are two teams at the top of the standings, but the Spurs really took it to the Raptors in this beatdown. It was a near wire - to - wire win for San Antonio, as Toronto held just one lead in the first three minutes, with the Spurs leading the rest of the way. Each quarter was decisive, as they won the first quarter by 11, the second quarter by eight and the third quarter by 11. The assist - to - turnover ratio was the biggest difference, with San Antonio dishing out 32 assists to just 15 turnovers, while Toronto committed 11 turnovers to just eight assists. The Spurs shot 55 percent from the field, while holding the Raptors to just 37 percent. Toronto (23 - 11) have been dominant all season, but playing in San Antonio is a different beast altogether. DeMar DeRozan was the only starter with more than 10 points, as he dropped 26 points on 12 - of - 21 from the field. Kyle Lowry struggled mightily, scoring six points and handing out two assists on 2 - of - 9 shooting. Terrence Ross was a lone bright spot off the bench, as he provided 17 points and five rebounds. Toronto will have another tough game on Thursday when it hosts the Utah Jazz. Kawhi Leonard scored a game - high 25 points for San Antonio (28 - 7), while adding four rebounds, two steals and three blocks on 8 - of - 12 shooting. LaMarcus Aldridge was second on the team, accumulating 23 points, eight rebounds and six assists on 11 - of - 16 shooting. Tony Parker continued his recent surge, scoring 15 points and dishing out eight assists. Those were the only San Antonio players in double figures, but the Spurs had 10 other players score in this win. San Antonio will look to keep rolling on Thursday against the Denver Nuggets."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "9", "Pelicans": "5"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "94", "Pelicans": "106"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "5", "Pelicans": "7"}}, {"Points": {"Anthony Davis": "43", "Gordon Hayward": "31"}, "Minutes played": {"Gordon Hayward": "39"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "8"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (7 - 5) defeated the Utah Jazz (5 - 9) 106 - 94 on Friday. New Orleans was coming off a 117 - 97 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Friday, but they finished their three - game road trip with a win to give them two of out three on the trip. Anthony Davis scored a career - high 43 points to pace the Pelicans. They'll return home to host the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday. Utah has lost two straight, and while they have tons of talent on their roster, it looks like the Jazz will be focusing on development this season instead of fighting for a playoff spot. It's obvious watching the team that they are improving under coach Quin Snyder, so time and experience will be the test to see if the Jazz have the right guys to build a winning team around. Gordon Hayward paced the Jazz on Saturday, finishing with 31 points and eight rebounds in 39 minutes. Utah's next game is at home against the Chicago Bulls."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "38", "Spurs": "54"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "4", "Spurs": "3"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "100", "Spurs": "106"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "5", "Spurs": "7"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "16", "Tony Parker": "9", "Ryan Anderson": "13", "Eric Gordon": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "9", "Tony Parker": "6", "Ryan Anderson": "1", "Eric Gordon": "10"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "20", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "16", "Pau Gasol": "15", "Tony Parker": "16", "Ryan Anderson": "6", "Clint Capela": "12", "James Harden": "25", "Eric Gordon": "27"}, "Blocks": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "10", "Pau Gasol": "7", "Clint Capela": "10", "James Harden": "11"}, "Assists": {"Pau Gasol": "6", "James Harden": "13"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the host Houston Rockets 106 - 100 at Toyota Center on Saturday. In a rematch from earlier this week, the Spurs avenged a rare home loss by beating the Rockets here in their home building. San Antonio played very efficiently, as they shot 41 - of - 76 to go 54 percent from the field, while the Rockets went just 34 - of - 89 to shoot 38 percent from the field. Houston lived beyond the arc, as they went 15 - of - 47 from three - point range in the defeat. That led to San Antonio dominating in the paint, as they won that battle 48 - 34. The Spurs (7 - 3) are now 50 on the road this season and they continue to win with elite defense. Kawhi Leonard led the team in scoring, dropping 20 points on 9 - of - 16 shooting. LaMarcus Aldridge recorded a double - double, totaling 16 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. Pau Gasol built off his best game of the year on Friday, by accumulating 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Tony Parker had his best game all season as well, scoring 16 points on 6 - of - 9 shooting. The Spurs will host the Miami Heat on Monday for their next game. The Rockets (5 - 4) planned to win this game through pace, but it led to some inefficiencies on the offensive end. While they took 13 more shots than the Spurs, they made seven less baskets. James Harden added to his MVP-type numbers though, as he tallied 25 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists en route to a triple - double. Eric Gordon led the team in scoring, dropping 27 points on 10 - of - 16 shooting off the bench. Clint Capela totaled 12 points and 10 rebounds of his own. Ryan Anderson struggled mightily, as he scored six points on 1 - of - 13 shooting. Houston returns to action on Monday in a favorable home matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers."], [[{}, {"Blocks": {"Serge Ibaka": "1", "Bismack Biyombo": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Serge Ibaka": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Serge Ibaka": "19"}, "Points": {"Serge Ibaka": "4", "Bismack Biyombo": "2", "Jeff Green": "10", "Mario Hezonja": "13", "Ish Smith": "16", "Aron Baynes": "13", "Beno Udrih": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "3", "Bismack Biyombo": "3", "Andre Drummond": "20"}, "Turnovers": {"Serge Ibaka": "1", "Bismack Biyombo": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Bismack Biyombo": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Bismack Biyombo": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Bismack Biyombo": "1"}, "Assists": {"Ish Smith": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Beno Udrih": "10"}}], "Both teams took exactly 95 shots in Friday's game, but the Pistons made 48 compared to the Magic's 33. Despite Orlando recording more offensive rebounds than Detroit, they lost the defensive rebounding battle 44 - 30. Despite playing just 27 minutes, Andre Drummond grabbed 20 rebounds after recording seven 20 - rebound games last season. Ish Smith filled in for the injured Reggie Jackson to have his best game of the year, totaling 16 points and eight assists. More importantly, the notoriously bad shooter went 8 - for - 13 from the field and committed just two turnovers in the blowout victory. Serge Ibaka had his second - straight disappointing game for the Magic, as he tallied just four points and three rebounds in 19 minutes of play. Bismack Biyombo did make his season debut after a one - game suspension, amassing just two points and three rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench. Four players came off the bench to score in double figures in this lopsided game, as the Pistons got 13 a piece from Beno Udrih and Aaron Baynes, while the Magic got 10 from Jeff Green and 13 from Mario Hezonja."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "33", "Grizzlies": "25"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "98", "Grizzlies": "105"}, "Rebounds": {"Nuggets": "39", "Grizzlies": "49"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "26", "Grizzlies": "35"}}, {"Points": {"JaMychal Green": "9", "Marc Gasol": "23", "Mike Conley": "31", "Zach Randolph": "20", "Danilo Gallinari": "24", "Wilson Chandler": "14", "Nikola Jokic": "10", "Gary Harris": "19", "Jameer Nelson": "12", "Jamal Murray": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"JaMychal Green": "10", "Marc Gasol": "5", "Mike Conley": "4", "Zach Randolph": "11", "Danilo Gallinari": "4", "Wilson Chandler": "9", "Nikola Jokic": "11", "Gary Harris": "3", "Jameer Nelson": "2", "Jamal Murray": "4"}, "Steals": {"JaMychal Green": "1", "Mike Conley": "2", "Danilo Gallinari": "2", "Wilson Chandler": "1", "Nikola Jokic": "1", "Gary Harris": "1", "Jameer Nelson": "1"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "6", "Mike Conley": "5", "Zach Randolph": "2", "Danilo Gallinari": "1", "Wilson Chandler": "6", "Nikola Jokic": "6", "Gary Harris": "3", "Jameer Nelson": "4", "Jamal Murray": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Marc Gasol": "9", "Mike Conley": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Marc Gasol": "38", "Mike Conley": "35"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Mike Conley": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Nikola Jokic": "1", "Gary Harris": "1", "Jameer Nelson": "1"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Denver Nuggets, 105 - 98, at Pepsi Center on Sunday evening. The Grizzlies (35 - 25) utilized their tried - and - true formula - - solid defense and stellar play from their three most reliable veterans - - to hang on for a hard - fought road win. The improving Nuggets (26 - 33) hung tough through three quarters, and the two teams entered the final period knotted at 68. However, Mike Conley, who led the way with a game - high 31 points, scored 13 in the final 12 minutes to seal the win. Memphis also outrebounded Denver by a 49 - 39 margin and outscored their hosts 21 - 13 in second - chance points. Conley supplemented his aforementioned scoring total with five assists, four rebounds and two steals. Marc Gasol was excellent in a supporting role, totaling 23 points, six assists and five boards, with his scoring total partly consisting of a trio of three - pointers. Zach Randolph led the bench with 20 points, 11 rebounds and two assists. JaMychal Green had a near double - double with nine points, 10 rebounds and one steal. The Grizzlies notably stuck with a tight rotation of just nine players, with Gasol and Conley playing 38 and 35 minutes, respectively. The Nuggets saw all five members of their starting five hit double digits in the scoring column. Danilo Gallinari paced Denver with 24 points, four rebounds, one assist and two steals. Gary Harris continued his recent stretch of strong play with 19 points, three rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. Wilson Chandler filled out the stat sheet with 14 points, nine boards, six assists and one steal. Jameer Nelson tallied 12 points, four assists, two rebounds, one steal and one block. Nikola Jokic posted a 10 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included six assists, one steal and one block. Jamal Murray led the second unit with 11 points, four rebounds and one assist. The Grizzlies head back home to tangle with the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday evening, while the Nuggets head to the Windy City for a Tuesday night date with the Chicago Bulls."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "49", "Knicks": "45"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "114", "Knicks": "105"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "43"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "27"}}, {"Points": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "18", "Blake Griffin": "30", "Chris Paul": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "11"}, "Steals": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "2"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "13"}}], "The host Los Angeles Clippers defeated the New York Knicks on Monday, 114 - 105. Los Angeles (42 - 29) has now won two games in a row after hitting a bit of a late - season slide after the All-Star break. Superstar point guard Chris Paul helped lead the team to Monday's victory, as he dished out a team - high 13 assists to go along with 13 points. On top of Paul, fellow All-Star Blake Griffin had a major scoring burst, delivering a team - high 30 points. The Clippers led for the strong majority of the game, though the Knicks pulled closer near the close of the fourth quarter. As a team, LA shot over 49 percent and hit 10 three - pointers on the night while holding the Knicks to just 45 percent and six made threes. The Knicks (27 - 43) appear to have given up on their playoff push as they continue to slide at the end of the season. While New York lost by only single digits, the team trailed by double figures for almost the entirety of the second half. Perhaps the team's top performer was sophomore big man Kristaps Porzingis, who impressed with a team - high 18 points and 11 rebounds to go along with two steals. One of the only advantages the Knicks managed to hold in the game was in the rebounding column, where they out - rebounded the Clippers 48 - 42. The Clippers will play the Lakers on Tuesday, while the Knicks will visit Utah on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "50", "Wizards": "42"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "26", "Wizards": "30"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "109", "Wizards": "104"}, "Rebounds": {"Bulls": "50", "Wizards": "42"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "30", "Wizards": "26"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Garrett Temple": "4"}, "Points": {"Garrett Temple": "18", "Bradley Beal": "19", "Ramon Sessions": "16", "Taj Gibson": "17", "E'Twaun Moore": "17"}}], "The shorthanded Chicago Bulls (30 - 26) defeated the Washington Wizards (26 - 30) 109 - 104 on Wednesday. Chicago had to play this game without three of their top - four scorers and still prevailed with an impressive team - win. The Bulls shot 50 percent from the field in the victory, while holding the Wizards to just 42 percent on their end. The rebounding was key, as Chicago snatched down 50 rebounds to the Wizards 42. In a game where Washington was a small favorite, they simply didn\u2019t do enough to win. The top - three scorers on the team were an unusual bunch, with two of them coming off the bench. Bradley Beal led the team with 19 points and Ramon Sessions played well off the bench as well, providing 16 points of his own. Garrett Temple also had a nice game, as he hit four three - pointer en route to an 18 - point outing. Up next for the Wizards is a much needed matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday. The Bulls played this game without Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler, Nikola Mirotic and Joakim Noah and showed some serious resiliency in a great win. The big men were especially good, as Taj Gibson and Pau Gasol both flirted with triple - doubles. In fact, the two combined for 27 points, 22 rebounds, and 16 assists in the win. Seven Chicago players scored in double figures with E'Twaun Moore and Gibson tying the team lead with 17 points. On deck for Chicago is a game against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "4", "Magic": "5"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "97", "Magic": "84"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pacers": "23"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "4", "Magic": "3"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Evan Fournier": "4", "Channing Frye": "4", "Paul George": "3", "George Hill": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Evan Fournier": "4", "George Hill": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Evan Fournier": "40", "Channing Frye": "23", "Paul George": "36", "Rodney Stuckey": "18"}, "Personal fouls": {"Evan Fournier": "4"}, "Points": {"Evan Fournier": "21", "Channing Frye": "14", "Paul George": "27", "George Hill": "23", "Rodney Stuckey": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Channing Frye": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Channing Frye": "8", "Paul George": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Channing Frye": "2"}, "Assists": {"Paul George": "7"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "1"}, "Blocks": {"George Hill": "1"}}], "The Pacers (4 - 4) pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 97 - 84 win over the Magic (3 - 5) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Monday. In a back - and - forth contest, Indiana was able to outscore Orlando 25 - 14 in the final frame to draw even at .500 on the season. Paul George scored 19 of his 27 points in the first half and added seven assists and four rebounds in 36 minutes. The Magic had another tough time scoring down low with center Nikola Vucevic sidelined for the third straight game because of a knee injury. Jason Smith was also out with a knee injury of his own. With two important forwards on the skids, Orlando employed Channing Frye, who finished 4 - of - 9 from distance with 14 points and eight rebounds in 23 minutes. Evan Fournier has gotten back on track after struggling against Toronto last Friday, pouring in 21 points with four treys in 40 minutes. George has given Pacers' fans something to get excited about, looking better and better every game. He's averaging just over 30 points per game and has three double - double's over his last four contests. George Hill remained one of the hottest shooters in the NBA, scoring 23 points and hitting four from downtown to provide Indiana with plenty of secondary scoring behind George. Guard Rodney Stuckey briefly left the game due to an ankle injury, but was able to return finishing with just six points in 18 minutes. The Magic head home to take on the Lakers on Wednesday, while the Pacers will travel to Boston for a date with the Celtics."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "40"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "38", "Warriors": "7"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "96"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "37", "Warriors": "68"}, "Turnovers": {"Warriors": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "15", "Draymond Green": "13", "Klay Thompson": "18", "Stephen Curry": "31", "Gordon Hayward": "21", "Rudy Gobert": "11", "Rodney Hood": "20", "Shelvin Mack": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Harrison Barnes": "11", "Draymond Green": "8", "Stephen Curry": "7", "Rudy Gobert": "18", "Rodney Hood": "6", "Shelvin Mack": "6"}, "Assists": {"Draymond Green": "6", "Stephen Curry": "4", "Shelvin Mack": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Draymond Green": "43", "Stephen Curry": "42", "Shelvin Mack": "41"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "15", "Stephen Curry": "23"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Stephen Curry": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "2", "Shelvin Mack": "2"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (68 - 7) defeated the host Utah Jazz (37 - 38) in overtime,103 - 96, Wednesday at Vivint Smart Home Arena. The Jazz put up a very strong fight but fell short as they were out - played in the overtime period, by a record - chasing Warriors squad. Utah led by eight points with seven minutes left in regulation but the Warriors turned it up late, in order to earn an important victory in their quest for NBA history. Klay Thompson managed to sink a desperation three - pointer with only 15 seconds left, to tie the game and ultimately send it to overtime, where the Warriors dominated. Meanwhile, this comes as a devastating loss for the Jazz, who came into this game only half a game ahead of eighth and ninth place in the Western Conference standings, as they are now at risk of falling outside the top - eight. Stephen Curry was business as usual as he dropped 31 points (11 - 23 FG, 5 - 10 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT), along with seven rebounds, four assists and two steals, in 42 minutes. Klay Thompson chipped in 18 points, while Harrison Barnes added 15 points and 11 rebounds. Draymond Green impacted all facets of the game, with 13 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three blocked shots, in 43 minutes. The Warriors gave up an ugly 18 turnovers but managed to overcome that by rebounding well and holding the Jazz to only 40 percent shooting from the field. All five starters scored in double figures for Utah. Gordon Hayward led the way with 21 points, although he struggled shooting, going 7 - 20 from the field. Rudy Gobert chipped in 11 points along with a monstrous 18 rebounds, while Rodney Hood contributed 20 points and six rebounds. Shelvin Mack was solid at the point, with 12 points, nine assists, six rebounds and two steals, in 41 minutes. The Jazz struggled from deep, as they shot 9 - 32 from long range, and also struggled from the free throw line, where they went 13 - 29. The Jazz will look to keep their playoff hopes alive, as they host the Timberwolves on Friday. The Warriors will continue to pursue history, as they host the Celtics on Friday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Pelicans": "28", "Suns": "18"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pelicans": "18"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Suns": "28"}, "Turnovers": {"Suns": "15"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "2"}}, {"Assists": {"Tyson Chandler": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Tyson Chandler": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyson Chandler": "18"}, "Points": {"Devin Booker": "38"}}], "It took a lot of big shots to get to overtime, as there were 12 ties in this OT thriller. Devin Booker tied the game twice in the final 20 seconds, as his 38 points were a career - high. Many of the statistics were lopsided, but the biggest differential was in the blocks department, as the Pelicans swatted away 14 shots to the Suns two. New Orleans also dominated the assist - to - turnover ratio, as they assisted on 28 made baskets with nine turnovers, while the Suns assisted on 18 buckets with 15 turnovers. The rebounding is what won the game for Phoenix though, as they brought down 58 boards to the Pelicans 45. The 18 rebounds for Tyson Chandler may look like an outlying number, but he's now had 18 rebounds in three games this season and has had at least 10 boards in all but one game."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "6", "Trail Blazers": "32"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "128", "Trail Blazers": "112"}, "Rebounds": {"Warriors": "56", "Trail Blazers": "39"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "58", "Trail Blazers": "34"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Damian Lillard": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Damian Lillard": "2"}, "Points": {"Damian Lillard": "17", "Meyers Leonard": "10", "Draymond Green": "17", "Klay Thompson": "37", "Stephen Curry": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Damian Lillard": "2", "Meyers Leonard": "13", "Draymond Green": "13", "Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Damian Lillard": "2"}, "Assists": {"Meyers Leonard": "3", "Draymond Green": "7", "Stephen Curry": "4"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (58 - 6) rolled over the Portland Trail Blazers (34 - 32) 128 - 112 on Friday. The Last time these two teams squared off, the Blazers put it to the Warriors in a 32 - point blowout. It was clear that Golden State wanted to exact some revenge here, as they came out on fire. In fact, the Warriors scored 81 first half points to take a 20 - point lead. The rebounding was key, as Golden State snatched down 56 boards, while holding the Blazers to just 39 on their end. Both teams were light - out from three - point range, as they combined to go 37 - for - 76. Portland is starting to hit a bit of a wall, as they have now lost four of their last five. After dropping a career - high 52 points on Golden State in their last matchup, Damian Lillard could only muster up 17 points here. Lillard went just 5 - for - 19 from the field and scored his lowest point total since February 2. Meyers Leonard played well off the bench though, as he tallied 10 points, 13 rebounds and three assists in the defeat. The Trail Blazers will look to get out of this rut on Saturday in a much better matchup against the Orlando Magic. The Splash brothers really took it to the Blazers here in what was definitely a revenge game. Klay Thompson led the team with 37 points and also snatched down six rebounds. Steph Curry accumulated 34 points, three rebounds and four assists despite playing under 30 minutes of action. Draymond Green was the only other player in double - figures, as he amassed 17 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists. On deck for the Warriors is a very favorable matchup against the Phoenix Suns on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "40", "Cavaliers": "24"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "105", "Cavaliers": "102"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "40", "Cavaliers": "56"}}, {"Points": {"LeBron James": "33", "Kevin Love": "20", "JR Smith": "24", "Pau Gasol": "11", "Jimmy Butler": "21", "Cristiano Felicio": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kevin Love": "13", "JR Smith": "6", "Pau Gasol": "12", "Cristiano Felicio": "5"}, "Assists": {"JR Smith": "4", "Jimmy Butler": "6"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "3"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (40 - 40) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (56 - 24) 105 - 102 on Saturday. The recent form of these teams would have indicated a different result, but the Bulls played with some serious desperation. The big difference in the game were the benches, as Chicago got 44 points from their bench, while the Cavaliers got just 11 bench points. The free - throw shooting was a big differ as well, with Chicago going 17 - for - 21 and Cleveland going just 11 - for - 18. This win could have guaranteed the Cavaliers with the one - seed in the east, but they simply weren\u2019t motivated enough to win this game. LeBron James was though, as he tallied 33 points and seven rebounds in the loss. Kevin Love recorded another double - double in a 20 - point, 13 - rebound outing. J.R. Smith provided 24 points, six rebounds and four assists of his own. On deck for Cleveland is a matchup with the Atlanta Hawks on Monday. Chicago's playoff hopes are slim, but this kept them alive for another day. Jimmy Butler was the player of the game, as he amassed 21 points, six assists and three steals in the win. Cristiano Felicio was a huge surprise off the bench, as he scored 16 points and grabbed five rebounds. Pau Gasol scored 11 points of his own and grabbed 12 rebounds in yet another double - double. Up next for the Bulls is a matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "4", "Celtics": "3"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "83", "Celtics": "99"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bucks": "17", "Celtics": "30"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "4", "Celtics": "3"}}, {"Assists": {"Jared Sullinger": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "1", "David Lee": "3", "Jabari Parker": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Jared Sullinger": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jared Sullinger": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "1"}, "Points": {"Jared Sullinger": "11", "Isaiah Thomas": "20", "David Lee": "13", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "16", "Jabari Parker": "8", "Khris Middleton": "13", "Jerryd Bayless": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Jared Sullinger": "10", "David Lee": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Jabari Parker": "8"}, "Steals": {"Jared Sullinger": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "1", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Jabari Parker": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Isaiah Thomas": "1", "David Lee": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Isaiah Thomas": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"David Lee": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"David Lee": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"David Lee": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"David Lee": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"David Lee": "21", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "24", "Jabari Parker": "24"}, "Turnovers": {"David Lee": "1", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4"}}], "The Boston Celtics came into Milwaukee and knocked out the Bucks 99 - 83 to improve to a 3 - 3 record. Boston snapped Milwaukee's four game winning streak to start a two game winning streak of their own. Entering the third quarter, Milwaukee trailed by four in a tightly conested ball game. However, Boston dominated the third 30 - 17 to take control of the contest. It was an all - around team game for the Celtics who had six players reach double figures and ten players score overall. Isaiah Thomas led the way for Boston with 20 points, while Jared Sullinger provided the only double - double for the Celtics. Along with Sullinger's 11 points and 10 rebounds, he provided three assists, one steal, and one triple. After being traded to Boston in the offseason, David Lee put together one of his more impressive games. He had 13 points (5 - 7 FG, 3 - 4 FT), five rebounds, and three assists in 21 minutes. Boston will attempt to improve on their 3 - 3 record Wednesday versus the Pacers. Giannis Antetokounmpo had his poorest perfomance of the year for the Bucks due to foul trouble. He put up 16 points, three boards, two steals, one three, and four turnovers in 24 minutes. Jabari Parker continued his comeback from an ACL injury with an efficient eight pioints, eight rebounds, one assist, and two steals in 24 minutes. Khris Middleton and Jerryd Bayless also scored in double figures with 13 and 12 points a piece. Milwaukee will look to rebound and start a new winning streak Wednesday in Denver."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "8"}, "Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "9"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}}], "DeMarcus Cousins was to blame for both the Kings surge in the first half, and their falter in the second half, allowing the Los Angeles Lakers to come away with a 10 point victory. Cousins box score numbers are prettier than the game implied, as he finished with 28 points, nine rebounds and four assists, to go along with two steals. The Kentucky big man only got to the foul line eight times, although there was a handful of calls that could have gone his way, the result was they did not and it affected the mood that Cousins was playing with. After some rest after a major scoring drought for both Cousins and the Kings in the third quarter, Boogie came back with some re - found energy, but it was too little too late."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "46"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "53", "Knicks": "41"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "120", "Knicks": "112"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nets": "24", "Knicks": "31"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "12", "Knicks": "26"}, "Turnovers": {"Knicks": "9"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Kristaps Porzingis": "4", "Courtney Lee": "1", "Derrick Rose": "2", "Lance Thomas": "4", "Brook Lopez": "2", "Jeremy Lin": "5", "Isaiah Whitehead": "2", "Quincy Acy": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Kristaps Porzingis": "5", "Lance Thomas": "1", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "1", "Brook Lopez": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Jeremy Lin": "1"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "27", "Kristaps Porzingis": "19", "Courtney Lee": "15", "Derrick Rose": "17", "Lance Thomas": "13", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "14", "Brook Lopez": "25", "Jeremy Lin": "13", "Isaiah Whitehead": "10", "Quincy Acy": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Kristaps Porzingis": "10", "Courtney Lee": "2", "Derrick Rose": "5", "Lance Thomas": "5", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "11", "Brook Lopez": "6", "Jeremy Lin": "4", "Trevor Booker": "9", "Isaiah Whitehead": "3", "Quincy Acy": "6"}, "Steals": {"Courtney Lee": "1", "Derrick Rose": "2", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Jeremy Lin": "1", "Isaiah Whitehead": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Lance Thomas": "1", "Brook Lopez": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jeremy Lin": "9"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets defeated the New York Knicks, 120 - 112, at Barclays Center on Sunday evening. The Nets (12 - 53) had come in to Saturday's game on somewhat of a high note by their standards, as they'd notched two of their 11 victories on the season within the previous six games. They played an inspired first half as well, jumping out to a 67 - 49 lead by intermission. However, the Knicks (26 - 41) regrouped at halftime and came out firing in the third, outscoring their hosts by a 31 - 24 margin during the period. They managed to get as close as 106 - 101 with 5:9 remaining in the game after a Carmelo Anthony three - point jumper, but Jeremy Lin, who'd missed his first nine shots from the field, drained a three - pointer, and rookie Caris LaVert drained a 25 - footer of his own just over 30 seconds later to push the lead back up to nine. New York made one last surge by getting to within 118 - 112 after a Derrick Rose basket with 1:8 remaining but would go scoreless the rest of the way. The Nets emerged victorious thanks in large part to their marksmanship, as they shot 46 percent from the field and 50 percent from three - point range, while also seeing seven players tally double digits in the scoring column. Carmelo Anthony led the way for the Knicks with 27 points, which he supplemented with seven rebounds, three assists and one block. Kristaps Porzingis contributed a 19 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included four assists and five blocks. Derrick Rose provided 17 points, five boards, two assists and two steals. Courtney Lee went for 15 points, two rebounds, one assist and one steal. Lance Thomas led the bench with 13 points, five rebounds, four assists and one block. Brook Lopez paced the Nets in his return from a one - game absence with 25 points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson posted a 14 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included one block. Trevor Booker matched Hollis-Jefferson's point total off the bench and added nine rebounds. Lin and LaVert supplied matching 13 - point efforts, with the former adding five assists, four rebounds and one steal, and the latter registering four rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals. Quincy Acy (12 points, six boards, one assist) and Isaiah Whitehead (10 points, three rebounds, two assists, two steals) were productive in reserve roles as well. The Knicks head back across town to tangle with the visiting Indiana Pacers on Tuesday evening, while the Nets remain home against the Oklahoma City Thunder on the same night."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "18", "Wizards": "18"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "101", "Wizards": "107"}, "Turnovers": {"Bucks": "16", "Wizards": "19"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "18", "Wizards": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Markieff Morris": "1", "Bradley Beal": "2", "John Wall": "7", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "1", "Mirza Teletovic": "2", "Jabari Parker": "7", "Malcolm Brogdon": "5", "Greg Monroe": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Markieff Morris": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Markieff Morris": "1"}, "Points": {"Markieff Morris": "20", "Bradley Beal": "26", "John Wall": "16", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "17", "Mirza Teletovic": "5", "Jabari Parker": "28", "Tony Snell": "7", "Malcolm Brogdon": "22", "Greg Monroe": "12", "Michael Beasley": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "10", "Bradley Beal": "4", "John Wall": "3", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "5", "Mirza Teletovic": "4", "Jabari Parker": "8", "Malcolm Brogdon": "1", "Greg Monroe": "12", "Michael Beasley": "1"}, "Steals": {"Markieff Morris": "3", "John Wall": "1", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "1", "Mirza Teletovic": "1", "Jabari Parker": "2", "Malcolm Brogdon": "3", "Greg Monroe": "4", "Michael Beasley": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Bradley Beal": "1", "Jabari Parker": "1", "Malcolm Brogdon": "1", "Greg Monroe": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Bradley Beal": "1"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, 107 - 101, at BMO Harris Bradley Center on Sunday. The Wizards (18 - 18) caught a break when Giannis Antetokounmpo was ruled out of Sunday's contest with an illness, but they still encountered a game Bucks (18 - 18) squad that was eager to defend their home court. Jabari Parker stepped up in his teammate's absence by scoring a game - high 28 points, which he supplemented with eight rebounds, seven assists, two steals and a block. However, Bradley Beal practically countered Parker point - for - point, totaling a team - high 26 to help the Wizards stay a step ahead. The two teams' propensity for handing the ball to the opposition also played a pivotal part in neither being able to pull away from the other, as Washington was guilty of 19 turnovers, while Milwaukee committed 16 of their own. Beal supplemented his aforementioned scoring total with four rebounds, two assists and a block. Markieff Morris followed with 20 points, 10 rebounds, an assist and three steals, one of his most complete performances of the season. John Wall supplied 16 points, seven assists, three boards and a steal. Otto Porter turned in a typically full stat line of 13 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and a steal. Kelly Oubre, Jr. led the second unit with 17 points, five boards, an assist and a steal. Impressive rookie Malcolm Brogdon complemented Parker's effort with 22 points of his own, along with five assists, a rebound, three steals and a block. Tony Snell provided a modest seven points, while Mirza Teletovic, in the starting lineup as a result of Antetokounmpo's absence, registered just five points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal. Michael Beasley paced the bench with 18 points, a rebound and a steal, while Greg Monroe provided another stellar performance off the bench, posting a 12 - point, 12 - rebound double - double that also included three assists, four steals and a block. The Wizards head back home to face the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night, while the Bucks head to the Lone Star State for a Tuesday evening date with the San Antonio Spurs."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "2", "Warriors": "2"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "82", "Warriors": "103"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Cavaliers": "12"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "2", "Warriors": "2"}}, {"Points": {"Andre Iguodala": "22", "LeBron James": "20", "Timofey Mozgov": "28"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Draymond Green": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Stephen Curry": "41", "Andrew Bogut": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Andrew Bogut": "3"}, "Assists": {"LeBron James": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "12", "Timofey Mozgov": "10"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (2 - 2) tied up the NBA Final with a 103 - 82 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers (2 - 2) in Game 4. Coach Steve Kerr promoted Andre Iguodala to the starting lineup, shifted Draymond Green to center, and decided to bring Andrew Bogut off the bench in a move that altered the NBA Finals to a best - of - three series. LeBron James suffered a cranial gash after careening headfirst into a camera near the baseline. He was down for several moments and was attended to immediately. James was one of three Cavaliers to record a double - double, joined by Tristan Thompson and Timofey Mozgov. Unable to meet his lofty Finals\u2019 scoring average, James ended the night with 20 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. Mozgov scored a career - high 28 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Thompson notched 12 points and 13 rebounds in 38 minutes. The Cavaliers suffered their second home loss this postseason and shot 29 percent from the floor in the second half, culminating in a 12 - point fourth quarter. Iguodala responded in his first start all season with a season - high 22 points and stellar defense on LeBron James. As a reserve, Bogut entered the game midway through second quarter, racked up three fouls in a three - minute span, and never reentered the ballgame. The lineup shakeup resulted in an NBA Finals high of 31 first quarter points combined with nine assists and zero turnovers. The Warriors improved to 570 when building at least a 15 - point lead this season and hit their 215th three - pointer in the 2015 playoffs, a postseason record. MVP Stephen Curry matched Iguodala\u2019s point output and added six assists and four three - pointers in 41 minutes. Game 5 will be held at Oracle Arena on Sunday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "24", "Nets": "21"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "98", "Nets": "93"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "13", "Nets": "16"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Garnett": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Garnett": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kevin Garnett": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Kevin Garnett": "1", "Brandon Jennings": "1"}, "Points": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "14", "Brook Lopez": "11", "Greg Monroe": "16", "Andre Drummond": "14", "Brandon Jennings": "20"}, "Assists": {"Brook Lopez": "1", "Brandon Jennings": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "1", "Andre Drummond": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Brook Lopez": "1", "Brandon Jennings": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Brook Lopez": "27", "Andre Drummond": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "15", "Greg Monroe": "17", "Andre Drummond": "9", "Brandon Jennings": "3"}, "Steals": {"Brook Lopez": "1", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Brandon Jennings": "2"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (13 - 24) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (16 - 21), 98 - 93. The Pistons pulled to within two and half games of the final playoff seed in the Eastern Conference and avoided the season sweep at the hands of the Nets. After a scoreless first half, Brandon Jennings changed his sneakers and scored 20 second - half points. He added 11 assists, three rebounds, two steals, and three three - pointers while committing one turnover. Greg Monroe also double - doubled (16 points, 17 rebounds), and Andre Drummond provided 14 points, nine rebounds, two blocks, and one steal in 28 minutes. Coach Lionel Hollins replaced Sergey Karasev with Bojan Bogdanovic in the starting lineup. Bogdanovic responded with 14 points in his first start since December 8th. Kevin Garnett returned to the starting lineup after resting one game, relegating Brook Lopez to a reserve role. Lopez contributed 11 points and a team - high 15 rebounds in 27 minutes. The Nets converted just 9 - of - 31 three - pointers and were limited to six fast break points. The Nets square off against the Houston Rockets on Monday, and the Pistons travel north of the border to compete with the Toronto Raptors after one day off."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Suns": "23"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "28", "Jazz": "16"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "101", "Jazz": "106"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "13", "Jazz": "27"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"Rudy Gobert": "5"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gobert": "18", "Devin Booker": "25", "Eric Bledsoe": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "17"}, "Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "9"}, "Personal fouls": {"Eric Bledsoe": "1"}, "Steals": {"Eric Bledsoe": "1"}}], "The Utah Jazz defeated the Phoenix Suns 106 - 101 at Talking Stick Resort Arena on Monday. The neck - and - neck tilt needed all four quarters up until the last few possessions to decide a winner, one in which the Suns (13 - 28) were able to hang around given Eric Bledsoe's 31 points, which was good to lead all scorers. Phoenix took a six point lead into the second half, but the Jazz (27 - 16) found more life behind Joe Ingles and Joe Johnson midway through the third quarter, where each player had their hand in rebounding and midrange jumpers that eventually pulled the game within one point with just over :30 remaining in the quarter. George Hill assisted Rudy Gobert on a dunk that tied the game 88 - 88 with 7:24 left in the fourth quarter, and the back - and - forth continued throughout the remaining minutes. Gordon Hayward and Joe Johnson closed the game out from the free throw line after Bledsoe and T.J. Warren made some clutch baskets down the stretch. Bledsoe finished with 31 points, which led all scorers in the loss, to go along with nine points and nine assists, while Devin Booker cooled off from his back - to - back 39 point performances, and went for 25 points in the effort. The Jazz spread the ball in the win, and their top ranked defense was seen most effective behind the arc where they held the Suns to 23 percent shooting. All five starters finished in double figures scoring, led by Gobert's 18 points and 17 rebounds. Next up, the Suns visit the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, while the Jazz visit the Dallas Mavericks on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "12", "Bucks": "21"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "111", "Bucks": "92"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "33", "Bucks": "20"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "40"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6", "James Harden": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Patrick Beverley": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "13"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "32", "Montrezl Harrell": "12", "Patrick Beverley": "12", "James Harden": "38"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "11", "James Harden": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4", "Montrezl Harrell": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Montrezl Harrell": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Montrezl Harrell": "2", "Patrick Beverley": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Patrick Beverley": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Patrick Beverley": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"James Harden": "37"}}], "The Houston Rockets defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 111 - 92 Wednesday at Toyota Center. It was a battle between All-Stars, with James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo going head - to - head Wednesday night, with each managing to put on a show. Ultimately, while the Greek Freak made things interesting for a moment, Harden managed to lead an offensive onslaught that helped the Rockets (33 - 12) pull away in the fourth quarter. Harden finished the game with 38 points, eight assists and and six rebounds in 37 minutes. Meanwhile, Eric Gordon, who was coming off a brutal 3 - of - 17 shooting performance in Tuesday's loss to the Heat, bounced back in a huge way. The shooting guard finished with 25 points on 9 - of - 20 shooting from the field, which included hitting seven shots from behind the arc. Beyond those two, however, only two other Houston players managed to score in double figures, with Patrick Beverly and Montrezl Harrell each notching 12 points of their own. For the Bucks (20 - 21), Antetokounmpo scored a team - high 32 points on top of 11 rebounds, six assists and three blocks as the team dropped below .500 once again. Unfortunately for the Bucks, Wednesday ended up being a one - man show, with the rest of the Bucks' starters struggling mightily to get the ball in the hoop. While Antetokounmpo went an impressive 13 - of - 20 from the field, the other four starters went just 13 - of - 36 (36 percent). Overall as a team, Milwaukee managed to shoot just 40 percent from the field and a poor 25 percent from long range in the losing effort. Up next, the Rockets will look to continue their winning ways Friday in a big - time matchup with the Warriors, while the Bucks will look to end their three - game losing streak Friday in Orlando."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Robin Lopez": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Robin Lopez": "3", "Jimmy Butler": "2"}, "Points": {"Robin Lopez": "12", "Jimmy Butler": "37", "Rajon Rondo": "24", "Bobby Portis": "9", "DeMarre Carroll": "8", "Serge Ibaka": "16", "Jonas Valanciunas": "8", "DeMar DeRozan": "42", "Cory Joseph": "19", "Norman Powell": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Robin Lopez": "4", "Jimmy Butler": "10"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jimmy Butler": "2"}}], "The Raptors rallied from a 94 - 79 fourth - quarter deficit and overcome Serge Ibaka's ejection for fighting with Chicago's Robin Lopez to force overtime. Toronto had a 122 - 117 edge with just nine seconds remaining in the extra period before a Jimmy Butler three - pointer with two seconds left made it close. The Raptors were able to grab an offensive rebound on the final possession to seal the win. DeMar DeRozan's 42 points paced Toronto. Cory Joseph tallied 19 points and Ibaka posted 16. DeMarre Carroll and Jonas Valanciunas supplied matching eight - point efforts, while Norman Powell's nine points led the bench. Butler's 37 - point, 10 - rebound double - double led Chicago. Rajon Rondo scored 24 points, while Lopez had 12 points, four rebounds, one assist and three blocks before exiting. Paul Zipser matched Lopez's point total and Bobby Portis's nine points led the bench."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "24", "Thunder": "34"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "100", "Thunder": "92"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Grizzlies": "24"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "52", "Thunder": "42"}}, {"Points": {"Enes Kanter": "24", "Russell Westbrook": "18", "Jeff Green": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Enes Kanter": "17"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "5"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (52 - 24) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (42 - 34), 100 - 92, on Friday at the FedEX Forum. Memphis came into this game trailing idle Houston by a half game, needing a win to keep pace. The Grizzlies attacked the paint, knowing that Serge Ibaka was n't available to protect the rim. Memphis ended up scoring 60 points in the paint, with Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol doing most of the damage. Neither team was able to score from the perimeter, as the Thunder and Grizzlies were a combined 8 - for - 38 from beyond the arc. Russell Westbrook had trouble solving Memphis' defense, finishing with 18 points on 5 - of - 20 shooting from the field. With Oklahoma City's loss Friday, Portland secured the Northwest Division title. Oklahoma City has now dropped four of its last five, leaving the door open for New Orleans to move within a half game of it should the Pelicans win Friday. Enes Kanter had a good outing on the offensive end with 24 points to go with 17 rebounds, but his defensive struggles attributed to Memphis' success in the paint. The Thunder will look to bounce back Sunday when they host the Rockets. Memphis moved back into a tie with Houston for the second seed in the West with the victory Friday. Jeff Green not only led the team in scoring with 22 points, but his defense on Russell Westbrook limited the MVP candidate's impact. The Grizzlies have now won two straight after a three - game losing skid last week allowed the Rockets to climb the standings. Memphis will host Washington on Saturday before getting three full days of rest prior to its matchup with New Orleans on Wednesday."], [[{"Total points": {"Warriors": "127", "Lakers": "104"}, "Turnovers": {"Warriors": "20"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "4"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Lakers": "20"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "0"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Jordan Hill": "33", "Kobe Bryant": "36", "Klay Thompson": "34", "Stephen Curry": "34"}, "Points": {"Jordan Hill": "23", "Kobe Bryant": "28", "Klay Thompson": "41", "Stephen Curry": "31"}, "Turnovers": {"Jordan Hill": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Kobe Bryant": "6"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "10"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (20) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (0 - 4) 127 - 104 on Saturday. Klay Thompson celebrated his new four - year contract extension with a career - high 41 points in 34 minutes. Stephen Curry recored his second straight double - double to start the season. He finished with 31 points and 10 assists in 34 minutes. David Lee missed his second straight game with a hamstring injury. Draymond Green started at power forward in Lee's place. Kobe Bryant paced the Lakers with 28 points and six rebounds in 36 minutes. Jordan Hill scored 23 points in 33 minutes, giving himself two consecutive 23 - point outings. Carlos Boozer continues to struggle, and if Ed Davis continues to play well off the bench, a timeshare could develop. The Lakers have two days off before hosting the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. The Warriors will complete a back - to - back set on the road Sunday against the Portland Trail Blazers."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Heat": "29"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "59"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "35", "Timberwolves": "40"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "123", "Timberwolves": "105"}, "Rebounds": {"Heat": "40", "Timberwolves": "28"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "34", "Timberwolves": "28"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "26"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "32"}}, {"Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "26", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "31", "Ricky Rubio": "20", "Shabazz Muhammad": "15", "Hassan Whiteside": "23", "Goran Dragic": "19", "Tyler Johnson": "23", "James Johnson": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "11", "Hassan Whiteside": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "10", "Hassan Whiteside": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "7", "Hassan Whiteside": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "28", "Hassan Whiteside": "33", "Goran Dragic": "33"}, "Assists": {"Goran Dragic": "10"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves, 123 - 105, at American Airlines Arena on Friday evening. The Heat owned a significant 64 - 49 lead at halftime, however the Timberwolves came back with a 32 - point third quarter to cut the deficit to nine heading into the fourth. The Heat got right back to business in the fourth though, led by Goran Dragic, who poured in 12 points in the quarter, to help seal the win and keep Miami's playoff hopes alive. Unfortunately for Miami, Dion Waiters was forced to leave the game in the second quarter after rolling his ankle. The Heat (34 - 35) dished 29 assists and shot a blistering 59 percent from the field, to earn their 20th home win of the season. Hassan Whiteside led the way for Miami with 23 points on 10 - of - 11 shooting and 14 rebounds, in 33 minutes. Tyler Johnson also poured in 23 points, while James Johnson chipped in 17 points, as they continued to provide the Heat with a huge spark off the bench. Goran Dragic added 19 points and dished 10 assists, in 33 minutes of action. With the Pistons and the Bulls both taking loses on Friday night, this win is extremely valuable for Miami's playoff aspirations, as it puts them one game ahead of the ninth - place Pistons and two games ahead of the tenth - place Bulls. The Heat will look to continue their effort, as they play host to the Trail Blazers on Sunday. Meanwhile, Karl-Anthony Towns led the Timberwolves (28 - 40) with 31 points and 11 rebounds, while Andrew Wiggins followed up with 26 points and Ricky Rubio added 20. The only other player to score in double digits for the T-Wolves was Shabazz Muhammad, who chipped in 15 on 7 - of - 10 shooting, in 28 minutes off the bench. The Timberwolves now sit five games out of eighth in the West, and will continue to battle, as they visit New Orleans to take on the Pelicans on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "5", "Lakers": "14"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "111", "Lakers": "95"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Wizards": "27"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Wizards": "27"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Wizards": "24", "Lakers": "17"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Wizards": "33", "Lakers": "26"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "12", "Lakers": "5"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "39"}, "Turnovers": {"Lakers": "13"}}, {"Points": {"Carlos Boozer": "10", "Kobe Bryant": "29", "Ronnie Price": "11", "Nick Young": "21", "Paul Pierce": "14", "Marcin Gortat": "21", "Bradley Beal": "27", "John Wall": "17", "Rasual Butler": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Carlos Boozer": "8", "Marcin Gortat": "11", "Rasual Butler": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Kobe Bryant": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "14"}, "Free throws made": {"Kobe Bryant": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nick Young": "5"}, "Assists": {"Bradley Beal": "7"}}], "The Wizards (12 - 5) extended their winning streak to three games, defeating the Lakers (5 - 14) 111 - 95 on Wednesday night. Washington, which trailed by six at the end of the first quarter, pulled away in the second half, outscoring Los Angeles 24 - 17 in the third period and 33 - 26 in the fourth. The Wizards were led by 27 points and seven assists from Bradley Beal and 17 points and 15 assists from John Wall. Marcin Gortat added 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Paul Pierce chipped in 14 points. Rasaul Butler contributed 14 points and four boards off the bench. The Lakers, whose brief, two - game winning streak was snapped, shot a paltry 39 percent from the floor and committed 13 turnovers, which turned into 20 Washington points. Kobe Bryant led the way with 29 points (11 - 14 FT), but the veteran shot just 8 - of - 22 from the field. Nick Young had 21 points, including five three - pointers, off the bench, and Ronnie Price added 11. Carlos Boozer was the only other Lakers player in double - figures, chipping in 10 points and eight rebounds. Up next, the Lakers travel to Boston to take on the Celtics on Friday. Washington plays host to the Nuggets, also on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "25", "Kings": "28"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "106", "Kings": "109"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "23", "Kings": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Arron Afflalo": "4", "Darren Collison": "2", "Anthony Tolliver": "3", "Marvin Williams": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "7", "Kemba Walker": "7", "Frank Kaminsky": "6", "Spencer Hawes": "1"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1", "Darren Collison": "1", "Anthony Tolliver": "1", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "4", "Kemba Walker": "1", "Spencer Hawes": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}, "Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "35", "Arron Afflalo": "13", "Darren Collison": "17", "Anthony Tolliver": "14", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "13", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "9", "Marvin Williams": "14", "Nicolas Batum": "19", "Kemba Walker": "26", "Frank Kaminsky": "8", "Spencer Hawes": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "18", "Arron Afflalo": "2", "Anthony Tolliver": "7", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "3", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "6", "Marvin Williams": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "7", "Kemba Walker": "3", "Frank Kaminsky": "4", "Spencer Hawes": "7"}, "Turnovers": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}, "Steals": {"Arron Afflalo": "1", "Anthony Tolliver": "2", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "1", "Kemba Walker": "1"}}], "The Sacramento Kings defeated the Charlotte Hornets, 109 - 106, at Spectrum Center on Saturday. DeMarcus Cousins is always the centerpiece of the Sacramento offense due to his immense talent. However, any time that a fellow member of the starting five goes down, the mercurial big man's importance and usage rate both tend to go through the roof. Such has been the case in the wake of the loss of Rudy Gay for the season to an Achilles injury, and the most recent example came Saturday as the Kings (19 - 28) handed the Hornets (23 - 25) their fourth straight loss. Cousins led the way with a massive 35 - point, 18 - rebound double - double and made two pivotal plays in the closing seconds. He netted a driving layup with 14 seconds left to give the Kings the lead, and then drained a free throw for the final margin of victory. Cousins added four assists and a block to his aforementioned numbers. Darren Collison was a distant second with 17 points, two assists and a block. Anthony Tolliver posted a bench - leading 14 points that he supplemented with seven boards, three assists, two steals and a block. Arron Afflalo provided 13 points, four assists, two rebounds and a steal. Willie Cauley-Stein totaled 13 points and three rebounds in a reserve role as well. The Hornets were led by Kemba Walker, who went for 26 points, seven assists, three rebounds, a steal and a block. Nicolas Batum provided 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Marvin Williams posted 14 points, two rebounds and an assist. Spencer Hawes led the bench with 12 points, seven boards, an assist and a block. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist managed a full stat line of nine points, six rebounds, four blocks and a steal. Frank Kaminsky III was also productive as a reserve, registering eight points, six assists, four rebounds and a block. The Kings head to Philadelphia to take on the Sixers for a Monday night showdown, while the Hornets head west to Portland to take on the Trail Blazers."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "7", "Pacers": "10"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "109", "Pacers": "97"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "8", "Pacers": "7"}}, {"Minutes played": {"David West": "24", "Kevin Love": "33", "Tristan Thompson": "39"}, "Points": {"David West": "14", "Kevin Love": "28", "Tristan Thompson": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"David West": "6", "Kevin Love": "10", "Tristan Thompson": "11"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (8 - 7) defeated the Indiana Pacers (7 - 10) 109 - 97 on Saturday. Cleveland is on a three - game win streak. Kevin Love has struggled to find his place the Cavaliers' offense so far this season, but he was the key cog for them Saturday as he put up 28 points and 10 rebounds in 33 minutes. Anderson Varejao sat out the game with a rib contusion. Tristan Thompson filled in as a spot starter at center and put up a double - double of 13 points and 11 rebounds in 39 minutes. The Cavs stay home and will host the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday. Indiana has won six of their last ten to keep themselves in the playoff conversation while weathering the injuries they've had early in the season. Roy Hibbert (ankle) missed his fourth straight game. David West, in just his second game of the season, put up 14 points and six rebounds in 24 minutes. George Hill (knee) is expected to miss at least another two weeks. The Pacers will continue their road trip in Phoenix against the Suns on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "49"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "133"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"TJ Warren": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"TJ Warren": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Devin Booker": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Devin Booker": "6"}, "Points": {"Devin Booker": "19", "Kevin Durant": "29", "Draymond Green": "14", "Klay Thompson": "30", "Stephen Curry": "30"}, "Assists": {"Draymond Green": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Klay Thompson": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Klay Thompson": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Stephen Curry": "3"}}], "Offense was the story in Sunday's Warriors-Suns matchup, as the two teams combined for 253 points. For the Warriors, 89 of their 133 points came from their top three scorers: Reigning MVP Steph Curry (30 points), All-Star Guard Klay Thompson (30 points), and former MVP Kevin Durant (29 points). The trio also contributed 12 of the team's 16 three - pointers. Golden State was draining seemingly everything from beyond the arc, as the team shot 49 percent from deep on the night. Triple-double threat Draymond Green nearly notched his first of the season, finishing with 14 points, 11 assists, and seven rebounds. For the Suns, although shooting was a focus, the team did not see the same success from long - range. Phoenix hit just eight three - pointers on the night, and leading scorer T.J. Warren was 0 - of - 1 from three - point territory. It was a quiet night for guard Devin Booker, who scored 19 but could only hit 6 - of - 18 from the field."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "18", "Lakers": "30"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "115", "Lakers": "100"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "25", "Lakers": "12"}}, {"Assists": {"Jeremy Lin": "10", "Nick Young": "3", "Goran Dragic": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "7", "Isaiah Thomas": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Jeremy Lin": "31", "Nick Young": "26", "Goran Dragic": "36", "Eric Bledsoe": "31", "Isaiah Thomas": "30"}, "Points": {"Jeremy Lin": "10", "Nick Young": "24", "Goran Dragic": "24", "Eric Bledsoe": "17", "Isaiah Thomas": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Nick Young": "4", "Goran Dragic": "9", "Eric Bledsoe": "5"}, "Steals": {"Nick Young": "2", "Eric Bledsoe": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "5"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (25 - 18) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (12 - 30) 115 - 100 on Monday. Isaiah Thomas was a lightening rod off the bench for the Suns. He had 24 points to go along with four assists and five steals in 30 minutes. His starting counterparts, Eric Bledsoe and Goran Dragic, also had solid performances. Bledsoe recorded 17 points, five rebounds, seven assists, and three steals in 31 minutes, while Dragic put up 24 points, nine rebounds and five assists in 36 minutes. The three - headed monster continues to put up good stat lines as the Suns look to improve on the eighth - best record in the Western Conference. Jeremy Lin got the start as Ronnie Price (elbow) sat out again, and Kobe Bryant continues to sit regularly to keep his aging body rested. Lin had a double - double, recording 10 points and 10 assists in 31 minutes. Nick Young was a bright spot as well, scoring 24 points off the bench with four rebounds, three assists, and two steals in 26 minutes. The Lakers will go to New Orleans to take on the Pelicans, and the Suns will face the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "2", "Hawks": "1"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "92", "Hawks": "98"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "2", "Hawks": "4"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hawks": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"Kent Bazemore": "3", "Al Horford": "2", "Jeff Teague": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Kent Bazemore": "32", "Al Horford": "34", "Jeff Teague": "34", "Hassan Whiteside": "31"}, "Points": {"Kent Bazemore": "10", "Al Horford": "17", "Jeff Teague": "26", "Hassan Whiteside": "23", "Dwyane Wade": "21", "Goran Dragic": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Kent Bazemore": "5", "Al Horford": "13", "Jeff Teague": "6", "Hassan Whiteside": "14"}, "Steals": {"Kent Bazemore": "1", "Al Horford": "1", "Jeff Teague": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jeff Teague": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Hassan Whiteside": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Hassan Whiteside": "11"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (4 - 1) handed the Heat (2 - 2) a 98 - 92 loss in Miami, thanks to a strong outing from their starters. Jeff Teague was questionable to play prior to the game due to a hand injury. His hand did n't hold him back, however, as he ended up leading the way for Atlanta by putting up 26 points, nine assists, six rebounds, one steal, and two threes in 34 minutes of action. Al Horford continued his strong start to the season by chipping in 17 points, 13 boards, two assists, and one steal in 34 minutes. After going 0 - of - 5 from long distance in his previous game, it was Horford's first game this season without a three - point attempt. Kent Bazemore continued his impressive start to the season, replacing the departing DeMarre Carroll in the starting lineup and providing 10 points, five rebounds, three assists, and one steal in 32 minutes. The Hawks will look to add on to their four - game winning streak Wednesday, as they welcome the Nets to Atlanta. The Heat were led by Hassan Whiteside, who put up 23 points, 14 rebounds, and four blocks in 31 minutes. He was also nearly perfect from the field, going 11 - for - 12. Dwyane Wade and Goran Dragic each provided 21 and 19 points, respectively. Miami will look to bounce back Thursday in Minnesota."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Spurs": "30"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Spurs": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Kawhi Leonard": "67"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Kawhi Leonard": "39"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "7"}}], "After a moderately slow start, by his standards, to the new year, Kawhi Leonard has been absolutely unstoppable over his last four games. While the Spurs as a team have gone just 2 - 2 in those four outings, Leonard is not at all to blame with his four consecutive performances of at least 30 points. After his 34 - point, seven - rebound, five - assist effort in 39 minutes Tuesday in a win over the Timberwolves, not only is Leonard averaging 33 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists per game over that four - game stretch, but he is also shooting a remarkable 67 percent from the field and 56 percent from behind the arc. To top it all off, after shooting 8 - of - 9 from the free throw line Tuesday, Leonard is shooting an impressive 86 percent from the charity stripe over those four games."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "13", "Lakers": "27"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "108", "Lakers": "98"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hornets": "23"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "17", "Lakers": "5"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Lakers": "23"}}, {"Assists": {"Kobe Bryant": "2", "Lou Williams": "7", "Brandon Bass": "1", "Nick Young": "2", "Cody Zeller": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "11", "Jeremy Lin": "4"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Kobe Bryant": "25"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "20", "Kemba Walker": "25"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Kobe Bryant": "25", "Kemba Walker": "56"}, "Points": {"Kobe Bryant": "20", "Larry Nance Jr.": "12", "Lou Williams": "11", "Julius Randle": "11", "Brandon Bass": "12", "Nick Young": "11", "PJ Hairston": "13", "Cody Zeller": "16", "Nicolas Batum": "15", "Kemba Walker": "38", "Jeremy Lin": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Kobe Bryant": "4", "Larry Nance Jr.": "7", "Lou Williams": "4", "Julius Randle": "6", "Brandon Bass": "3", "Nick Young": "1", "Cody Zeller": "8", "Nicolas Batum": "5", "Kemba Walker": "6", "Jeremy Lin": "6"}, "Steals": {"Brandon Bass": "2", "Jeremy Lin": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Cody Zeller": "33"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Kemba Walker": "14"}, "Blocks": {"Jeremy Lin": "2"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (17 - 13) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (5 - 27) 108 - 98 on Monday. After a lackluster showing against the Grizzlies on Sunday, the Lakers came ready to play, looking like a team that was capable of much more than the five wins they had amassed on the season. The two teams hit intermission all knotted up at 58, Los Angeles' best first - half point tally of the current campaign. However, Kemba Walker took control of the game in the second half for the Hornets, particularly in the final period. The 25 - year - old guard collected 18 of his 23 second - half points in the fourth quarter, helping Charlotte pull away from the Lakers by a 10 - point margin at game's end. Walker shot an outstanding 56 percent (14 - for - 25) from the field, and drained half of his six three - point attempts for an eye - popping 38 points overall. Los Angeles was led once again by Kobe Bryant, who amassed 20 points, four rebounds and a pair of assists. Although he was the Lakers' top scorer, some of the shooting struggles that he'd left behind in recent games did resurface. The future Hall of Famer could only sink 25 percent of his 20 attempts from the field, making it his worst figure in that category since a 13 percent - outing versus Detroit on December 6. Larry Nance, Jr. did follow up his first career double - double on Sunday with a 12 - point, seven - rebound encore, and Louis Williams pitched in with a nicely rounded line of 11 points, seven assists and four boards. The bench also provided outstanding production, as Brandon Bass (12 points, three rebounds, an assist and two steals) was joined by Julius Randle (11 points, six rebounds) and Nick Young (11 points, two assists and a rebound) as double - digit scoring reserves. The Lakers fell to 5 - 27 and remain in last place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. They head to Boston to face off against the Celtics on Wednesday. In addition to Walker's memorable performance, the Hornets also benefitted from another productive effort from Cody Zeller, Even though Al Jefferson was active for his second game after missing 11 contests with a calf injury and suspension, Zeller still received 33 minutes and managed 16 points, eight rebounds and a pair of assists. Nicolas Batum posted a second straight double - double, collecting 15 points, dishing out 11 assists, and topping it off with five boards. P.J. Hairston added 13 points, and Jeremy Lin matched his scoring total from the bench, while adding six rebounds, four assists, a pair of blocks and a steal against his former teammates. Charlotte improved to 17 - 13 and currently resides in third place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They remain home to face the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "11", "Wizards": "12"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "111", "Wizards": "114"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "13", "Wizards": "10"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Otto Porter": "4", "Wesley Matthews": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Otto Porter": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Otto Porter": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Otto Porter": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Otto Porter": "2", "John Wall": "2"}, "Points": {"Otto Porter": "28", "Jared Dudley": "13", "Marcin Gortat": "14", "John Wall": "26", "Ramon Sessions": "17", "Dirk Nowitzki": "13", "Zaza Pachulia": "10", "Wesley Matthews": "28", "Raymond Felton": "10", "J.J. Barea": "21"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marcin Gortat": "9", "Garrett Temple": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "12", "Dirk Nowitzki": "6", "Zaza Pachulia": "12", "Raymond Felton": "11"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "16", "Ramon Sessions": "6", "Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Raymond Felton": "11"}, "Blocks": {"John Wall": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Wesley Matthews": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"J.J. Barea": "29"}}], "The Washington Wizards (10 - 12) outlasted the Dallas Mavericks (13 - 11) 114 - 111 on Saturday. Washington found out before the game that starting shooting guard Bradley Beal will miss a minimum of two weeks with what is being termed as an initial - stage stress reaction in his lower right fibula. The development thrust Garrett Temple into the starting lineup in Beal's stead, a situation that the six - year pro had played well in earlier this season. It also figured to add more offensive responsibility to Beal's backcourt mate John Wall and small forward Otto Porter, Jr. Both responded in fine fashion Saturday, with Wall posting his fourth consecutive 26 - point outing and adding a season - high 16 assists. It was the All-Star point guard's third consecutive double - double, and he also drained two key free throws in the closing seconds to extend a razor - thin 112 - 111 lead to the final margin of victory. Meanwhile, Porter managed a career - high 28 points and four three - pointers, also a high - water mark. The visitors also benefited from Marcin Gortat's fifth double - double in six games, with the nine - year pro tallying 14 points and 12 rebounds. Jared Dudley also pitched in with 13 points, and Ramon Sessions paced the Washington bench with 17 points and six assists. Overall, the Wizards outplayed the normally fast - paced Mavericks at their own game, amassing 31 fast - break points to Dallas' 14. Washington improved to 11 - 12 but remains in last place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They head to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies on Monday. The Mavericks received another outstanding effort from the resurgent Wesley Matthews, who continues to round back into form after the Achilles surgery that cut short his 2014 - 15 campaign in Portland. Matthews poured in 28 points and was 6 - for - 11 from beyond the arc, his second - best total from long range this season. J.J. Barea was actually the second - highest scorer for Dallas and accomplished it in a reserve role, amassing 21 points over 29 minutes in his second game back after an ankle injury. Zaza Pachulia and Raymond Felton posted a double - double and triple - double, respectively, with the former collecting 10 points and 12 rebounds and the latter tallying 10 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. Dirk Nowitzki pitched in with 13 points, six rebounds and a pair of assists. Dallas dropped to 13 - 11 and is currently in a second - place tie with Memphis in the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They remain home to face the Suns on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "42"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Aaron Gordon": "4", "JJ Redick": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Aaron Gordon": "4"}, "Points": {"Aaron Gordon": "28", "Nikola Vucevic": "16", "JJ Redick": "22", "Chris Paul": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "12", "DeAndre Jordan": "20", "Chris Paul": "7"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "3"}, "Steals": {"DeAndre Jordan": "2", "Chris Paul": "4"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "6"}}], "The Clippers secured yet another win without Blake Griffin on Wednesday. All of Los Angeles' healthy stars made significant contributions to help secure the victory. Center DeAndre Jordan recorded a team - high 20 rebounds and also had two steals and three blocks. Superstar point guard Chris Paul scored 18 points to go with seven rebounds, six assists, and four steals. Guard J.J. Redick led the team with 22 points and knocked down three three - pointers. The team shot a stellar 51 percent and had nine three - pointers on the night. Orlando, meanwhile, made just six threes and shot only 42 percent. Forward Aaron Gordon had four of those threes while leading the team with 28 points. Center Nikola Vucevic also made a big impact for the Magic in his return to the starting lineup, recording a 16 - point, 12 - rebound double - double."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "47"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "56", "Magic": "45"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "28", "Magic": "33"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "121", "Magic": "108"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "33", "Magic": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Magic": "45"}}, {"Points": {"Nikola Vucevic": "18", "Ersan Ilyasova": "22", "Zaza Pachulia": "17", "Wesley Matthews": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "7", "Ersan Ilyasova": "10", "Zaza Pachulia": "10"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (33 - 28) handled the Orlando Magic (26 - 33) in a 121 - 108 win on Tuesday. Dallas had one of their best offensive games of the season, as they came just a few points shy of a season - high. The shooting was incredible, as the Mavericks shot 56 percent from the field, 84 percent from the free - throw line and 47 percent from long distance. The starters were the difference, as Dallas' starters scored 81 points to Orlando's 45. Orlando had to lean on their bench heavily in this game, with only one starter scoring more than 12 points. That was Nikola Vucevic, as he finished with 18 points and seven rebounds in just 23 minutes of action. Ersan Ilyasova had his best game in a Magic uniform, as he amassed a team - high 22 points and 10 rebounds in the loss. The bench actually outscored the starters by 18 points. Orlando has a quick turnaround, as they play the struggling Chicago Bulls on Wednesday in their next game. Dallas has been playing some incredible offense as of late, as they are averaging 120 points a game across their last seven games. Five different players scored at least 17 points in the win, with Wesley Matthews leading the team with 21 points. Zaza Pachulia had a nice game, as he double - doubled in a 17 - point, 10 - rebound performance. On deck for the Mavericks is a matchup with the Sacramento Kings on Thursday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "36"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "54"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "3", "Kings": "16"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "128", "Kings": "108"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Warriors": "36", "Kings": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Warriors": "45", "Kings": "39"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "23", "Kings": "12"}}, {"Points": {"Rudy Gay": "13", "DeMarcus Cousins": "22", "Darren Collison": "17", "Omri Casspi": "16", "Festus Ezeli": "15", "Klay Thompson": "25", "Stephen Curry": "12", "Justin Holiday": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "9", "DeMarcus Cousins": "8", "Omri Casspi": "8", "Festus Ezeli": "6"}, "Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "6", "Darren Collison": "5", "Stephen Curry": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "19", "Darren Collison": "14", "Omri Casspi": "10", "Festus Ezeli": "11", "Klay Thompson": "16", "Justin Holiday": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "9", "Darren Collison": "7", "Omri Casspi": "7", "Festus Ezeli": "7", "Klay Thompson": "10", "Justin Holiday": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "6", "Omri Casspi": "4", "Festus Ezeli": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Omri Casspi": "2", "Festus Ezeli": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Darren Collison": "4", "Klay Thompson": "4", "Justin Holiday": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Darren Collison": "2", "Klay Thompson": "2", "Justin Holiday": "3"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (23 - 3) defeated the Sacramento Kings (12 - 16) 128 - 108 on Monday at Oracle Arena in Oakland. The Warriors got up quickly in this one, out - scoring the Kings 36 - 20 in the first quarter and 64 - 50 by the end of the second quarter. The Warriors finished the game shooting 54 percent from the field and 36 percent from the three - point line, as the Kings did n't have enough of a defensive presence to keep them in check. The Warriors also out - rebounded the Kings 45 - 39, giving them even more of an edge. Stephen Curry was n't his usual self on the offensive side of the ball, scoring only 12 points, but was still able to hand out 11 assists, getting his team involved despite his struggles. It was his lowest scoring output in the last fourteen games. Klay Thompson on the other hand picked up the slack, shooting 10 - for - 16 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 25 points. He's averaged 24 points per game over his last five outings. In only 17 minutes, Festus Ezeli was extremely efficient and scored 15 points (7 - 11 FG, 1 - 2 FT), while grabbing six rebounds. It was a season - high for Ezeli, who had n't reached double figures yet this year. Also, in a surprise performance off the bench, Justin Holiday went 7 - for - 12 from the field and 3 - for - 7 from beyond the arc to score 18 points. He's scored a total of only 11 points in 11 games so far this season, so this performance came out of nowhere. As usual, the Kings were led by DeMarcus Cousins who scored 22 points (9 - 19 FG, 4 - 6 FT), while also adding eight rebounds and six assists. He's been an absolute force lately, averaging 27 points over his last four games. Darren Collison also had a solid all - around game. He went 7 - for - 14 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score 17 points, while recording five assists. He's now averaging 16 points per game, and has gotten hot offensively over his last three games. Coming off the bench, Omri Casspi shot well, going 7 - for - 10 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from the free throw line to record 16 points and eight rebounds. Averaging only 8 points this season, it was a nice surprise for the Kings. Rudy Gay finished with 13 points and nine rebounds. The Warriors' next game will be on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, while the Kings will be at home against the Phoenix Suns on Friday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "28"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "48"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "14"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "111"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "7", "Stephen Curry": "7"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Stephen Curry": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "4"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "15"}}], "In the season's final matchup between the Warriors and the Thunder, things continued to go almost exclusively Golden State's way. Despite the absence of superstar Kevin Durant, the Warriors enjoyed a comfortable victory over their Western Conference foes. Steph Curry and Klay Thompson were the biggest part of that, as each backcourt sharpshooter poured in seven three - pointers. The duo combined for 14 of Golden State's 15 three - pointers and 57 of their 111 points. Curry, despite turning the ball over five times, added six assists. As a whole, the Warriors hit over 48 percent of their shots from the field and dished out 28 team assists. It was a terrible offensive night for OKC, as the team hit just 42 percent of its shots and went 4 - of - 21 from beyond the arc. A major piece of this outcome was their own superstar, Russell Westbrook. Westbrook shot just 4 - of - 16 for 15 points and had five turnovers on the night."], [[{"Total points": {"Knicks": "98", "Nets": "100"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "27", "Nets": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Knicks": "40"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "14"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "40"}}, {"Assists": {"Thaddeus Young": "2", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Deron Williams": "7", "Langston Galloway": "4", "Cleanthony Early": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Thaddeus Young": "1", "Brook Lopez": "5", "Andrea Bargnani": "1", "Cleanthony Early": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Thaddeus Young": "1", "Deron Williams": "7", "Andrea Bargnani": "3", "Langston Galloway": "6", "Cleanthony Early": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Thaddeus Young": "0", "Deron Williams": "4", "Andrea Bargnani": "2", "Langston Galloway": "2", "Cleanthony Early": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Thaddeus Young": "9", "Brook Lopez": "15", "Deron Williams": "21", "Andrea Bargnani": "16", "Langston Galloway": "12", "Cleanthony Early": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Thaddeus Young": "5", "Brook Lopez": "9", "Deron Williams": "11", "Andrea Bargnani": "9", "Langston Galloway": "5", "Cleanthony Early": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Thaddeus Young": "34", "Brook Lopez": "34", "Deron Williams": "34", "Andrea Bargnani": "27", "Langston Galloway": "32", "Cleanthony Early": "27"}, "Points": {"Thaddeus Young": "12", "Brook Lopez": "18", "Deron Williams": "26", "Andrea Bargnani": "22", "Langston Galloway": "13", "Cleanthony Early": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Thaddeus Young": "9", "Brook Lopez": "7", "Deron Williams": "7", "Andrea Bargnani": "5", "Langston Galloway": "5", "Cleanthony Early": "6"}, "Steals": {"Deron Williams": "1", "Langston Galloway": "3", "Cleanthony Early": "1"}}], "The Nets (33 - 40) took down the lowly Knicks (14 - 60) in a 100 - 98 thriller at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday. The Nets went into halftime up five points, a lead they extended to fourteen by the end of the third quarter. But the Knicks came to life in the fourth, outscoring the Nets 27 - 15. Cleanthony Early caught fire, scoring all 14 of his points in the fourth quarter. He hit a three - pointer with one minute remaining that tied the score 98 - 98. Brooklyn's Brook Lopez grabbed his own rebound and scored with only two seconds left on the clock, giving the Nets a two - point lead. Cleanthony Early was unable to hit a 26 - foot desperation three - pointer as time expired. Deron Williams was the Nets' leading scorer with 26 points (11 - 21 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt), to go with seven rebounds, seven assists and one steal in 34 minutes. Brook Lopez had 18 points (9 - 15 FG), seven rebounds, one assist and five blocks in 34 minutes. Wednesday marks the first time Lopez has failed to score at least 20 points in his last eight games. Thaddeus Young (knee) contributed 12 points (5 - 9 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt), nine rebounds, two assists and one block in 34 minutes. Andrea Bargnani was the Knicks' leading scorer with 22 points (9 - 16 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt), to go with five rebounds and one block in 27 minutes. Langston Galloway contributed 13 points (5 - 12 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt), five rebounds, four assists and three steals in 32 minutes. Cleanthony Early came off the bench to score 14 points (6 - 11 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt), to go with six rebounds, one assist, one steal and two blocks in 27 minutes. The Nets have extended their winning streak to five games. They've won nine of their last 11. Brooklyn is currently the eight seed in the Eastern Conference, one game ahead of the ninth place Celtics. The Knicks are last place in the East, elminated from playoff contention. With Wednesday's victory, the Nets have completed the season series sweep of the Knicks, 40."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "47", "Rockets": "40"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "30", "Rockets": "12"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "109", "Rockets": "103"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "12", "Rockets": "32"}}, {"Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "11", "Patrick Beverley": "12", "James Harden": "40", "Eric Gordon": "7", "Hassan Whiteside": "14", "Dion Waiters": "17", "Goran Dragic": "21", "James Johnson": "15"}, "Assists": {"Patrick Beverley": "3", "James Harden": "10", "Eric Gordon": "1", "Dion Waiters": "3", "Goran Dragic": "8", "James Johnson": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Patrick Beverley": "7", "James Harden": "12", "Eric Gordon": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "15", "Dion Waiters": "5", "Goran Dragic": "8", "James Johnson": "8"}, "Steals": {"Patrick Beverley": "2", "James Johnson": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Eric Gordon": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Eric Gordon": "3"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the Houston Rockets, 109 - 103, at American Airlines Arena on Tuesday. This appeared like an easy Houston win on paper, but Miami had other ideas with this impressive performance. A 20 - 3 run in the fourth quarter was the decisive stretch for the Heat, as that gave Miami their largest lead of the game. It was tight throughout though, as there were 15 ties and 19 lead changes, with no team leading by more than seven points until that huge run at the end. Shooting was the key difference, with Miami hitting 47 percent of their shots, while Houston were held to just 40 percent. The Heat also did work in the paint, winning that battle, 64 - 50. The Rockets (32 - 12) are in a bit of a rut right now, as this marks their third loss in their last four games. James Harden picked up yet another triple - double though, accumulating 40 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Patrick Beverley was second among starters, totaling 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Trevor Ariza amassed 11 points and eight rebounds. Eric Gordon really hurt the Rockets off the bench, providing just seven points, one rebound and one assist on 3 - of - 17 shooting. The Heat (12 - 30) have been unlucky in terms of results this season and a win over the Rockets shows just how good they can be. Goran Dragic led the team in scoring, accruing 21 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Hassan Whiteside recorded another double - double, dropping 14 points and 15 rebounds. Dion Waiters was the only other starter in double figures, collecting 17 points, five rebounds and three assists. James Johnson was huge off the bench, providing 15 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals. Tyler Johnson and Wayne Ellington were also great off the bench, combining for 34 points and six rebounds."], [[{"Total points": {"Wizards": "107"}}, {"Points": {"Marcin Gortat": "17", "Bradley Beal": "27", "John Wall": "18", "Jrue Holiday": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "11"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "19", "Jrue Holiday": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "3"}}], "It did n't take much of an effort from Washington's bench to earn the win on Sunday. The Wizards saw 96 of their 107 points come from their starting five. Leading the offense was All-Star point guard John Wall, who recorded 18 points while dishing out a season - high 19 assists. Shooting guard Bradley Beal, meanwhile, poured in a team - high 27 points. In the frontcourt, center Marcin Gortat scored 17 and pulled down a team - high 11 rebounds. The Wiz shot over 50 percent on the night and had 10 three - pointers. For the Pelicans, it was the Anthony Davis show. The 23 - year - old superstar led the team with 36 points and 17 rebounds. Davis added three steals and two blocks. Point guard Jrue Holiday, meanwhile, scored 26 and dished out 11 assists on the night. The team's bench, however, weighed it down, as the second unit shot just 36 percent."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "40"}}, {"3-pointer percentage": {"Nicolas Batum": "40"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nicolas Batum": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Nicolas Batum": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kemba Walker": "3"}}], "It's rare to see a game finish so close and have just one lead change, but that was the case here. The Nets led by 12 points early in the third quarter, but trailed heading into the fourth. In fact, the Nets had a 57 - 47 lead with 10 minutes left in the third and allowed the Hornets to go on a 19 - 3 run to lead by six points with three minutes left in the third. In Jeremy Lin's absence, everyone stepped up. Seven players had at least eight points for Brooklyn, with all of them providing at least two rebounds and an assist. Kemba Walker, Nicolas Batum and Spencer Hawes carried the load in the first half, as they scored 40 of the teams 43 first half points. Marvin Williams struggled mightily, as he was 1 - of - 12 from the field, before hitting a dagger three with under a minute left in the game. Both teams will get at least three days off before their next scheduled game."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "12", "Heat": "12"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "102", "Heat": "82"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "10", "Heat": "10"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "37"}}, {"Points": {"Luol Deng": "12", "Chris Bosh": "14", "Dwyane Wade": "10", "Mario Chalmers": "11", "Wilson Chandler": "17", "Timofey Mozgov": "9", "Arron Afflalo": "16", "Ty Lawson": "10", "Kenneth Faried": "13"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chris Bosh": "12", "Dwyane Wade": "15", "Arron Afflalo": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Chris Bosh": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "4", "Arron Afflalo": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Chris Bosh": "2", "Wilson Chandler": "8", "Timofey Mozgov": "10"}, "Assists": {"Ty Lawson": "9"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kenneth Faried": "2"}}], "The Nuggets (10 - 12) sent the Heat (10 - 12) to their fifth loss in six games with a 102 - 82 beatdown in Denver on Wednesday night. The Nuggets were led by 17 points and eight rebounds from Wilson Chandler and 16 points (6 - 8 FG) from Arron Afflalo. Ty Lawson added 10 points and nine assists, while Timofey Mozgov chipped in nine points and 10 rebounds. Kenneth Faried, who missed the last two games with a back injury, added 13 points and eight assists off the bench. With the game tied at halftime, Denver turned things on in the third quarter, opening the period on a 11 - 2 run and never looking back. The Nuggets would go on to outscore Miami by 17 in the period, essentially sealing the victory with 12 minutes to play. Miami struggled offensively for the majority of the night, shooting 37 percent as a team and connecting on 7 - of - 22 attempts from downtown. Dwyane Wade, in particularly, had a rough outing, going 4 - of - 15 from he field for 10 points. Chris Bosh had 14 points (5 - 12 FG) but managed only two rebounds. Luol Deng and Mario Chalmers were the only other Heat players in double - figures, chipping in 12 and 11 points, respectively. Miami continues its roadtrip in Utah on Friday, while Denver heads to Houston to take on the Rockets in the first half of a home - in - home Saturday night."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Domantas Sabonis": "20", "Steven Adams": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "45", "Enes Kanter": "20", "Amir Johnson": "17", "Al Horford": "23", "Avery Bradley": "16", "Isaiah Thomas": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Steven Adams": "11", "Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "11", "Isaiah Thomas": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "16"}, "Free throws made": {"Russell Westbrook": "14"}, "Minutes played": {"Enes Kanter": "23"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Al Horford": "17"}}], "Russell Westbrook's 45 - point, 11 - rebound, 11 - assist triple - double led the way for the Thunder, with the dynamic point guard going to the line a game - high 16 times and converting 14 of those opportunities into points. OKC boasted a hot hand shooting - wise, posting success rates of 51 and 42 percent, respectively, from the field and three - point range. Domantas Sabonis was a surprising second with a career - high 20 points, and Steven Adams supplied eight points and 11 boards. Enes Kanter was the only other Thunder player in double digits, tallying 20 points in 23 minutes. Isaiah Thomas' 34 - point, 10 - assist double - double paced the Celtics. Al Horford was next with 23 points, while Amir Johnson posted 17, supplying consecutive double - digit scoring performances for the first time this season. Avery Bradley registered 16 points to round out the first unit's productive night."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Garrett Temple": "14", "DeMarcus Cousins": "19", "Kosta Koufos": "8", "Arron Afflalo": "5", "Darren Collison": "4", "Ty Lawson": "13", "James Ennis III": "10", "Marc Gasol": "28", "Tony Allen": "13", "Mike Conley": "16", "Zach Randolph": "20", "Vince Carter": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Garrett Temple": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "10", "Kosta Koufos": "2", "Arron Afflalo": "2", "Darren Collison": "3", "James Ennis III": "6", "Marc Gasol": "9", "Tony Allen": "10", "Mike Conley": "8", "Zach Randolph": "10"}, "Assists": {"Darren Collison": "4", "James Ennis III": "3", "Marc Gasol": "4", "Mike Conley": "8"}, "Blocks": {"James Ennis III": "2"}, "Steals": {"Marc Gasol": "1", "Mike Conley": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Vince Carter": "22"}}], "Marc Gasol went for 28 points and added nine boards, four assists and a steal. Zach Randolph managed a 20 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Mike Conley generated a full stat line of 16 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and two steals. Tony Allen posted a 13 - point, 10 - rebound double - double, while James Ennis registered 10 points, six boards, three assists and a pair of blocks. Vince Carter provided 11 points in 22 minutes off the bench. DeMarcus Cousins was limited to a 19 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Garrett Temple went for 14 points but no other starter managed double - digit scoring, with Kosta Koufos (eight points, two rebounds), Arron Afflalo (five points, two rebounds, four steals) and Darren Collison (four points, four assists, three rebounds) all underwhelming. Sacramento's bench contributed a collective 41 points, led by Ty Lawson's 13 points."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "37", "Bucks": "47"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "22", "Bucks": "16"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "94", "Bucks": "104"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "10", "Bucks": "16"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Brandon Knight": "19", "Jared Dudley": "10", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "10", "Al Jefferson": "12", "Gerald Henderson": "13", "Kemba Walker": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7", "Brandon Knight": "8", "Jared Dudley": "5", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "5", "Al Jefferson": "3", "Gerald Henderson": "7", "Kemba Walker": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Jared Dudley": "5", "Kemba Walker": "13"}, "Free throws made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Jared Dudley": "5", "Kemba Walker": "12"}, "Personal fouls": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Gerald Henderson": "2"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "16", "Brandon Knight": "18", "Jared Dudley": "17", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "10", "Gerald Henderson": "19", "Kemba Walker": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Jared Dudley": "9"}, "Assists": {"Brandon Knight": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Brandon Knight": "5", "Jared Dudley": "4", "Gerald Henderson": "3", "Kemba Walker": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Brandon Knight": "2", "Jared Dudley": "2", "Gerald Henderson": "1", "Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Brandon Knight": "8"}, "Steals": {"Gerald Henderson": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Kemba Walker": "4"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (16 - 16) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (10 - 22) 104 - 94 on Monday at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte. After taking a big lead into halftime and then letting the Hornets make a comeback leading to this overtime thriller, the Bucks were able to save themselves in the extra period and out - scored the Hornets 21 - 11 to seal the victory on the road. The Bucks as a whole shot much better than the Hornets, going 47 percent from the field, while New Orleans went just 37 percent from the floor. This win puts the Bucks winning percentage back at .500 on the season. The Bucks had six players reach double figures, with three of them coming off the bench. Brandon Knight led all scorers for the Bucks, finishing with 18 points (8 - 19 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt) and four assists. Despite a solid showing offensively, he did record a season - high of eight turnovers, so it was n't all good for the guard. Giannis Antetokounmpo was the other big contributor in the starting lineup. He was very efficient in this game, going 7 - for - 8 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the free throw line to finish with 16 points, while also adding eight rebounds. He's struggled over the Bucks' last two games, combining for only 12 points, so it was good to see him get back on track. The biggest bench contributor was Jared Dudley, who came one rebound shy of a double - double. He posted 17 points (5 - 10 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT) and nine rebounds in the victory. Most of the production for the Hornets came from the duo of Gerald Henderson and Kemba Walker. Walker had a game - high of 28 points (7 - 22 FG, 2 - 8 3Pt), while adding an uncharacteristic four blocked shots. A huge portion of his points came from the free throw line, where he made 12 - of - 13 attempts. Henderson on the other hand shot well, going 7 - for - 13 from the field and 1 - for - 3 from beyond the arc to score 19 points. He's combined for only nine points over the last two games, so this marked a bounce back game for the shooting guard. The only other Hornet to reach double figures in points was Michael Kidd-Gilchrist who finished with 10 points (5 - 10 FG). With Al Jefferson having a tough night from the field (3 - 12 FG) and leaving the game in the fourth quarter with a groin strain, it figured to limit the Hornets overall success. The Bucks' next game will be on the road against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, while the Hornets will travel to Houston to play the Rockets on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "7", "Thunder": "10"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "107", "Thunder": "100"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nuggets": "34", "Thunder": "25"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nuggets": "19", "Thunder": "26"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "4", "Thunder": "3"}}, {"Points": {"Serge Ibaka": "22", "Reggie Jackson": "16", "Anthony Morrow": "10", "Sebastian Telfair": "18", "Wilson Chandler": "21", "Timofey Mozgov": "17", "Ty Lawson": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "13", "Wilson Chandler": "9", "Timofey Mozgov": "7"}, "Assists": {"Reggie Jackson": "9", "Timofey Mozgov": "2", "Ty Lawson": "15"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Reggie Jackson": "3", "Sebastian Telfair": "4", "Wilson Chandler": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Reggie Jackson": "0", "Sebastian Telfair": "4", "Wilson Chandler": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Reggie Jackson": "20", "Sebastian Telfair": "7", "Wilson Chandler": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Reggie Jackson": "5", "Sebastian Telfair": "7", "Wilson Chandler": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Reggie Jackson": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Reggie Jackson": "6", "Wilson Chandler": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Morrow": "28"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Wilson Chandler": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Wilson Chandler": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Timofey Mozgov": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Timofey Mozgov": "2"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (4 - 7) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (3 - 10) 107 - 100 on Wednesday at the Pepsi Center in Denver. The Thunder were out - scored 34 - 25 by the Nuggets in the third quarter, putting them down 88 - 74 going into the fourth. To open the final quarter, the Thunder made a run as they were able to out - score the Nuggets 26 - 19, but came up just short in their comeback attempt and will take their tenth loss of the season, and third in as many games. The Nuggets were led by Wilson Chandler, who shot 8 - for - 15 from the field and 3 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 21 points, while also grabbing nine rebounds. It was a season - high in points for Chandler, who had n't reached the 20 - point mark yet this season. Timofey Mozgov also had himself a game, as he contributed 17 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. Not necessarily known for his offensive game, Mozgov has now combined for 31 points in his last two outings. The other Denver player who really stood out was Ty Lawson. He recorded his second double - double in a row and third of the season, going off for 15 points and 15 assists. He's now averaging 17 points and 8 assists on the year. The Thunder on the other hand received most of their production from the trio of Serge Ibaka, Reggie Jackson and Sebastian Telfair. Telfair came off the bench for 29 minutes and went a perfect 7 - for - 7 from the field and 4 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score 18 points, as he arguably had his best game of the season. Ibaka recorded a 22 - point, 13 rebound double - double, giving him his third on the year. He's now averaging 16 points and 8 rebounds on the season. Jackson came one assist shy of a double - double, as he posted 16 points (5 - 20 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) and nine assists. It was n't his most impressive shooting night, but he got it done from the free throw line. Anthony Morrow was the only other Thunder player to reach double figures, scoring 10 points in 28 minutes. The Nuggets' next game will be at home against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, while the Thunder will be at home against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Pistons": "5"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "6"}}, {"Blocks": {"Jae Crowder": "1", "Al Horford": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jae Crowder": "1"}, "Steals": {"Jae Crowder": "1", "Al Horford": "2"}, "Assists": {"Al Horford": "5"}, "Points": {"Al Horford": "18", "Isaiah Thomas": "24", "Andre Drummond": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Horford": "11", "Andre Drummond": "17"}, "Turnovers": {"Al Horford": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "7"}}], "Boston really struggled with Al Horford and Jae Crowder sidelined, but they returned here in spectacular fashion. Horford was especially good, as he tallied 18 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, two steals and three blocks in 33 minutes. More importantly, he hit the game - winner with one second left and sealed the win with a game - saving block at the buzzer. Despite going just 7 - of - 22 from the field, Isaiah Thomas led Boston in scoring, by dropping 24 points. After all five Detroit starters failed to reach double figures in scoring during a blowout loss to Cleveland on Friday, they had four of them combine for 75 points here. Andre Drummond was a beast down low, as he totaled 20 points and 17 rebounds in the defeat. The Pistons' bench struggled once again, as they combined for just 13 points between four players. On the contrary, the Celtics' six bench players combined for 28 points. No team led by double - digits at any point in this game."], [[{"Rebounds": {"76ers": "40", "Hawks": "47"}}, {"Assists": {"Dwight Howard": "4", "Dennis Schroder": "5", "Kent Bazemore": "4", "Dario Saric": "4", "T.J. McConnell": "8"}, "Points": {"Dwight Howard": "22", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "19", "Dennis Schroder": "14", "Kent Bazemore": "19", "Dario Saric": "15", "Richaun Holmes": "25", "T.J. McConnell": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "20", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "3", "Dennis Schroder": "3", "Kent Bazemore": "4", "Dario Saric": "7", "Richaun Holmes": "8", "T.J. McConnell": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Richaun Holmes": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Richaun Holmes": "11"}, "Steals": {"T.J. McConnell": "2"}}], "Atlanta have dominated this series, as this marks the season sweep, with the four games being decided by 77 points. The key in this game was three - point shooting, with the Hawks going 9 - of - 18 to the Sixers 11 - of - 38. Atlanta also dominated the rebounding, winning that battle, 47 - 40. Dwight Howard was a presence, as he led Atlanta with 22 points, 20 rebounds and four assists. Tim Hardaway Jr. finished with 19 points and three rebounds. Kent Bazemore was huge off the bench, providing 19 points, four rebounds and four assists. Denis Schroder tallied 14 points, three rebounds and five assists. Richaun Holmes led the Sixers, as he totaled 25 points and eight rebounds on 11 - of - 16 shooting. Dario Saric finished second on the team, accruing 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists. T.J. McConnell accumulated 13 points, three rebounds, eight assists and two steals."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bulls": "31", "Mavericks": "50"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "7", "Mavericks": "5"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "129", "Mavericks": "132"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "11", "Mavericks": "14"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Chandler Parsons": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "7", "Monta Ellis": "4", "Devin Harris": "6", "Derrick Rose": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chandler Parsons": "3", "Monta Ellis": "1", "Devin Harris": "6", "Derrick Rose": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "16", "Monta Ellis": "35", "Derrick Rose": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Chandler Parsons": "7", "Monta Ellis": "16", "Derrick Rose": "6"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "24", "Dirk Nowitzki": "22", "Monta Ellis": "38", "Devin Harris": "20", "Mike Dunleavy": "20", "Pau Gasol": "29", "Jimmy Butler": "23", "Derrick Rose": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Chandler Parsons": "7", "Dirk Nowitzki": "7", "Pau Gasol": "14", "Jimmy Butler": "8"}, "Assists": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "10", "Devin Harris": "8", "Pau Gasol": "2", "Jimmy Butler": "7", "Derrick Rose": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Monta Ellis": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Monta Ellis": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Monta Ellis": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Mike Dunleavy": "1"}, "Steals": {"Mike Dunleavy": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Jimmy Butler": "46"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (14 - 5) defeated the Chicago Bulls (11 - 7) 132 - 129 in a double overtime thriller at the United Center on Tuesday. With just under 40 seconds to go in the second overtime, Monta Ellis was able to hit a clutch three - pointer for the Mavericks, giving them their fourth straight victory. The Mavericks were outstanding from beyond the arc Tuesday as they shot 50 percent from deep compared to only 31 percent from the Bulls. The three - point shot for the victory was n't all Ellis did for the Mavs on Tuesday. He was able to score a season - high of 38 points (16 - 35 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT) and has now combined for 86 points in his last three outings. Dirk Nowitzki had a big game as well. He finished with 22 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists, coming up just short of a triple - double. Nowitzki is now averaging 19 points and 6 rebounds on the year. Chandler Parsons came out shooting and went 7 - for - 16 from the field and 3 - for - 7 from the three - point line to score 24 points, while also adding seven rebounds. It was his first time reaching the 20 - point mark in the last six games. Coming off the bench, Devin Harris was very efficient. He went a perfect 6 - for - 6 from deep to give him 20 points, but also handed out eight assists in arguably his best game of the season. The Bulls were led by Pau Gasol who scored 29 points and contributed 14 rebounds. It was his fourth straight double - double and tenth on the year. He has combined for 54 points and 27 rebounds in his last two games as he continues to put together a solid season. Jimmy Butler continued to score in bunches as he finished with 23 points. Butler also had eight rebounds and seven assists, while playing 46 minutes for the Bulls. Mike Dunleavy was the other Bull to reach the 20 - point mark. With a season average of only 10 points per game, the Bulls got a nice extra boost from him in this one. Derrick Rose chipped in a double - double of his own, as he shot 6 - for - 20 from the field and 4 - for - 11 from the three - point line to score 18 points, while adding 10 assists. The Mavericks' next game will be on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, while the Bulls will travel to Charlotte to play the Hornets on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "24", "Jazz": "21"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "99", "Jazz": "85"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "22"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "17", "Jazz": "17"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Jazz": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "9", "Trey Burke": "2", "CJ McCollum": "8", "Damian Lillard": "10", "Gerald Henderson": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Gordon Hayward": "33", "Gerald Henderson": "16"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "19", "Trey Lyles": "16", "Rodney Hood": "19", "Trey Burke": "15", "CJ McCollum": "15", "Damian Lillard": "21", "Gerald Henderson": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "6", "Trey Lyles": "2", "Trey Burke": "3", "CJ McCollum": "3", "Damian Lillard": "7", "Gerald Henderson": "2"}, "Steals": {"Gordon Hayward": "2", "Trey Burke": "1", "Damian Lillard": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Trey Lyles": "2", "Damian Lillard": "7", "Gerald Henderson": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Trey Lyles": "2", "Damian Lillard": "4", "Gerald Henderson": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Trey Lyles": "7", "Trey Burke": "14", "Damian Lillard": "14", "Gerald Henderson": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Trey Lyles": "6", "Trey Burke": "7", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "4", "Damian Lillard": "8", "Gerald Henderson": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "4"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (17 - 24) defeated the visiting Utah Jazz (17 - 21) 99 - 85 at Moda Center on Wednesday. The Trail Blazers came into this game 3 games behind the Jazz for eighth spot in the West, making it a huge contest for either team. Portland outplayed Utah in this one, fair and square. The Trail Blazers pulled down 17 offensive rebounds and were plus - 16 on the glass in total. The Blazers' dominance on the glass was a big factor in them being able to take 22 more field goal attempts than the Jazz. Utah was missing Derrick Favours, who was a game - time decision. Portland is now 2 - 1 in the season series versus Utah. Six players scored in double digits for Portland. Damian Lillard was three rebounds away from a triple - double as he notched 21 points (8 - 14 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt), 10 assists and seven rebounds, along with two steals, in 28 minutes. C.J. McCollum shot a poor 6 - 20 from the field but still contributed 15 points, eight assists and three rebounds, in 33 minutes. Gerald Henderson chipped in 12 points (4 - 7 FG, 3 - 3 3Pt), two assists and two rebounds, in 16 minutes off the bench. Portland logged 10 blocks in the game, including four by Al-Farouq Aminu. Gordon Hayward and Rodney Hood both scored 19 points for the Jazz. Hayward added nine assists, six rebounds and two steals, in 33 minutes. Rookie Trey Lyles was solid, starting in place of Favours. He finished with 16 points (6 - 7 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt) and two rebounds, in 25 minutes. Trey Burke chipped in 15 points (7 - 14 FG), three rebounds, two assists and one steal, in 28 minutes off the bench. The Jazz will face the second night of a back to back, as they host the Kings on Thursday. The Kings are another team that is just behind the Jazz in the standings and looking to change that. The Trail Blazers will begin a three - game road trip against the Nets, on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "5", "Spurs": "2"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "101", "Spurs": "113"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "4", "Spurs": "6"}}, {"Minutes played": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "35", "Kawhi Leonard": "35", "Gerald Henderson": "18"}, "Points": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "23", "Kawhi Leonard": "20", "Manu Ginobili": "14", "Gerald Henderson": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "6", "Kawhi Leonard": "7", "Damian Lillard": "6"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gerald Henderson": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Gerald Henderson": "6"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (6 - 2) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (4 - 5) Wednesday 113 - 101 at the Moda Center in Portland. It wasn\u2019t the most dominating performance by the Spurs, but it was steady and methodical. LaMarcus Aldridge led the way in his return to Portland, scoring a game - high 23 points and grabbing six rebounds in 35 minutes amongst the boos that rained down on him from fans every time touched the ball. Kawhi Leonard was equally as effective, recording 20 points and seven rebounds in 35 minutes of his own. Many Ginobili put in his best performance of the season, coming off the bench to score 14 points and play some crucial defense down the stretch. For the Trail Blazers, they were once again led by their dynamic backcourt pairing of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, who combined to score 43 points, but shot just 16 - for - 40 from the field. Lillard added nine assists and six rebounds of his own. Beyond those two, no Trail Blazers put in very impressive performances. However, Gerald Henderson looked healthy for the first time since having hip surgery in July, scoring 12 points on 6 - of - 10 shooting in just 18 minutes off the bench. Up next, the Spurs will head home Saturday to take on the 76ers, while the Trail Blazers will travel to Memphis Friday to play the Grizzlies."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "9", "Pistons": "12"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "144", "Pistons": "147"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "15", "Pistons": "16"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pistons": "31"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Andre Drummond": "54"}, "Points": {"Andre Drummond": "33", "Reggie Jackson": "31", "Pau Gasol": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "21", "Pau Gasol": "15"}, "Assists": {"Reggie Jackson": "13"}, "Blocks": {"Pau Gasol": "5"}}], "In the longest and highest - scoring game of the 2015 - 16 season, the Detroit Pistons (16 - 12) defeated the Chicago Bulls (15 - 9) by a score of 147 - 144. The game saw six players crack 50 minutes played, and featured five scoring performances of 30 or more points. Andre Drummond continued his absolutely monstrous season, logging 54 minutes played and recording 33 points and a game - high 21 rebounds. The 22 - year - old center came into the game leading the league with an astonishing 16 rebounds per game, a figure only solidified by tonight's dominant performance. Potential All-Star Reggie Jackson was also vital to the Pistons' win, as he posted 31 points and 13 assists. The win puts Detroit at 20 on the season against their division rival Bulls. The Bulls, meanwhile, were led in both points and minutes by workhorse wing Jimmy Butler. The reigning All-Star recorded a whopping 43 points while logging an impressive 56 minutes. Big man Pau Gasol did his best to match the efforts of Andre Drummond, posting 30 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks. The Bulls were able to match the Pistons blow for blow; however, in the end, someone had to come out on top. The Pistons will enjoy a weekend of rest following the excruciating 68 - minute game. Their next matchup will be against the Heat on Tuesday. On the other hand, the Bulls will be forced to travel to New York for the second half of a back - to - back on Saturday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "5", "Andre Iguodala": "3", "Matthew Dellavedova": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "17", "Klay Thompson": "17", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "23", "Jabari Parker": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "10", "Klay Thompson": "9", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10", "Jabari Parker": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Kevin Durant": "36", "Andre Iguodala": "25", "Matthew Dellavedova": "34"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "33", "Klay Thompson": "29", "Stephen Curry": "20", "Andre Iguodala": "10", "Jabari Parker": "28", "Matthew Dellavedova": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "6", "Andre Iguodala": "3", "Matthew Dellavedova": "3"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Durant": "2", "Andre Iguodala": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Klay Thompson": "1"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "33"}}], "Kevin Durant led the way again for the Warriors, with 33 points on 10 - of - 17 shooting, along with six rebounds, five assists, two steals and one block, in 36 minutes. Klay Thompson had one of his better games of the season, with 29 points on 9 - of - 17 shooting, including 5 - of - 10 from downtown. Durant, Thompson and Stephen Curry combined for 82 points, as Curry added 20 of his own, to fill out the most dangerous offensive trio in the league. Andre Iguodala continues to be solid off the bench, finishing with 10 points, three rebounds, three assists and one steal, in 25 minutes. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker combined for 58 points, as Giannis had 33 on 10 - of - 23 shooting and Jabari had 28 on 11 - of - 18 shooting. The only other player to score in double figures for Milwaukee was Matthew Dellavedova who finished with 10 points, five assists and three rebounds, in 34 minutes."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "27", "Wizards": "20"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "94", "Wizards": "87"}, "Rebounds": {"Hornets": "50", "Wizards": "37"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "22", "Wizards": "31"}}, {"Points": {"Paul Pierce": "19", "John Wall": "15", "Brian Roberts": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Bradley Beal": "11"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (22 - 27) defeated the Washington Wizards (31 - 20) for the second time this week, winning 94 - 87 on Thursday. They say that familiarity breeds contempt, and though these two teams had n't met this season until Monday, two games in a span of four days caused things to get chippy Thursday at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte. The game was physical throughout, most notably when John Wall knocked Brian Roberts to the floor on a hard screen in the first half. Tensions boiled over in the fourth when Cody Zeller and Nene Hilario got tangled up, drawing a double technical. The Wizards recent free fall continued and to make things worse, Bradley Beal left the game after 11 minutes with a toe injury. Washington has now dropped five in a row, including two this week to Charlotte. The Wizards got another great showing from John Wall, who finished with 15 points and 13 rebounds while Paul Pierce led the team in scoring with 19 points. Washington's losing streak has caused it to lose ground in the East and is at risk of being tied by Cleveland depending on how the Cavaliers' game ends later Thursday evening. The Wizards will look to snap their losing streak Saturday when they host the Nets. Charlotte is quietly one of the hottest teams in the East right now, having won three in a row and seven of its last ten. Brian Roberts was able to return to the game after being shaken up on the aforementioned pick by Wall and finished with 12 points. Even in Bismack Biyombo's absence, the Hornets were able to out - rebound the Wizards 50 - 37. The Hornets will return to action Saturday in Philadelphia."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Magic": "25"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "18", "Trail Blazers": "35"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "51"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "112"}, "Turnovers": {"Trail Blazers": "19"}}, {"Points": {"Maurice Harkless": "12", "Jusuf Nurkic": "12", "CJ McCollum": "22", "Damian Lillard": "33", "Shabazz Napier": "10", "Terrence Ross": "13", "Aaron Gordon": "9", "Nikola Vucevic": "25", "Evan Fournier": "20", "Mario Hezonja": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "12", "Shabazz Napier": "7", "Aaron Gordon": "9"}, "Assists": {"Shabazz Napier": "6"}, "Steals": {"Shabazz Napier": "2"}}], "Damian Lillard (33 points) and C.J. McCollum (22 points) combined for nearly half of Portland's 112 points to spearhead the road win. The Blazers' stellar shooting (51 percent overall, 47 percent from long range) helped them overcome 19 turnovers and a 55 - 46 halftime deficit. They dominated the fourth quarter, outscoring the Magic by a 35 - 18 margin. Jusuf Nurkic and Maurice Harkless contributed matching 12 - point efforts, with the former also hauling in 12 boards. Shabazz Napier led the second unit with 10 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals. Nikola Vucevic's 25 points paced Orlando. Evan Fournier contributed 20 points, while Terrence Ross, drawing his first start in an Orlando uniform, tallied 13 points. Aaron Gordon went for a near double - double, providing nine points and nine boards. Mario Hezonja led the bench with 10 points."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Raptors": "19", "Rockets": "27"}, "Turnovers": {"Raptors": "17", "Rockets": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"Trevor Ariza": "3", "DeMar DeRozan": "5"}, "Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "17", "James Harden": "40", "DeMarre Carroll": "26", "DeMar DeRozan": "36"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Ariza": "7", "James Harden": "10", "DeMarre Carroll": "8", "DeMar DeRozan": "6"}, "Blocks": {"James Harden": "2"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Montrezl Harrell": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Montrezl Harrell": "12"}}], "In a battle between two of the top - three offenses in the league, the 251 combined points scored in this game did n't let fans down. Where the Rockets won the game was on the inside, as they outscored the Raptors, 66 - 50, in the paint. The assist - to - turnover ratio was huge as well, with the Rockets recording 27 assists to 15 turnovers, while the Raptors committed 17 turnovers to 19 assists. James Harden added another triple - double to his tally, collecting 40 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in the win. He also added two blocks and two steals, but committed 10 turnovers. Trevor Ariza was the only other starter in double figures, tallying 17 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Montrezl Harrell was a beast off the bench, dropping 18 points on 12 - of - 13 from the field. DeMar DeRozan went step for step with Harden, accruing 36 points, six rebounds and five assists. DeMarre Carroll was second on the team, scoring a season - high 26 points, adding eight rebounds to his best game of the year."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "3", "Nets": "7"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "94", "Nets": "86"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "4", "Nets": "0"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "10", "Jarrett Jack": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Joe Johnson": "3", "Jarrett Jack": "3"}, "Points": {"Joe Johnson": "8", "Thaddeus Young": "18", "Brook Lopez": "20", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "2", "Jarrett Jack": "10", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "11", "Greg Monroe": "20", "Khris Middleton": "14", "Tyler Ennis": "9", "Jerryd Bayless": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Thaddeus Young": "13", "Greg Monroe": "8", "Tyler Ennis": "1"}, "Steals": {"Thaddeus Young": "2", "Greg Monroe": "2", "Tyler Ennis": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Brook Lopez": "3"}, "Assists": {"Greg Monroe": "2", "Tyler Ennis": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Greg Monroe": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Tyler Ennis": "16", "Jerryd Bayless": "32"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (4 - 3) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (0 - 7) 94 - 86 on Saturday. Thaddeus Young has always been a reliable, albeit unspectacular performer who nevertheless turns in a solid effort virtually every time he is on the floor. The veteran forward, along with center Brook Lopez, put the Nets\u2019 offense on his back Saturday in a valiant effort that fell just short of netting Brooklyn their first win of the season. Young posted his second double - double in the last three games, tallying 18 points, 13 rebounds, and two steals. Lopez has been the heart and soul of a Nets offense that was ranked 29th in points scored coming into Saturday\u2019s contest. The 27 - year - old posted his third consecutive game with at least 20 points, although he played under 30 minutes for the first time since last Saturday versus Memphis. Besides Young and Lopez, the rest of the Nets starters were unable to provide much in the way of offensive support, with only Jarrett Jack (10 points) scoring in double figures. Richard Hollis-Jefferson could only muster two points in his second career start, while Joe Johnson continued his season - long struggles with only eight points on 3 - for - 10 shooting from the field. The Nets dropped to 0 - 7 and remain in last place in the Eastern Conference\u2019s Atlantic Division. Brooklyn gets a three - day break before a date with the Rockets in Houston on Wednesday. The Bucks enjoyed another strong effort from new center Greg Monroe, who rebounded from an eight - point outing versus the Knicks on Friday to tally 20 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks. Tyler Ennis was serviceable in starting for Michael Carter-Williams (ankle), amassing nine points, a rebound, an assist, and a steal in an efficient 16 minutes. Jerryd Bayless, who had started Wednesday for Carter-Williams, finished with the bulk of the playing time at point guard, totaling 32 minutes on the floor and producing 19 points to pace Milwaukee\u2019s bench. Khris Middleton (14 points) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (11 points) chipped in nice complementary performances in the victory. The Bucks improved to 4 - 3 on the season and are in a third - place tie with the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference\u2019s Central Division. They remain home for a Tuesday tilt with the surging Boston Celtics."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "21", "Lakers": "48"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "139", "Lakers": "100"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Rockets": "46"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "47", "Lakers": "20"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Lakers": "12"}, "Turnovers": {"Lakers": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Brandon Ingram": "3", "Julius Randle": "2", "Ivica Zubac": "1", "Jordan Clarkson": "3", "Trevor Ariza": "2", "Clint Capela": "2", "James Harden": "13", "Lou Williams": "7"}, "Points": {"Brandon Ingram": "18", "Julius Randle": "32", "Ivica Zubac": "2", "Trevor Ariza": "20", "Clint Capela": "15", "James Harden": "18", "Eric Gordon": "10", "Nene": "10", "Lou Williams": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Brandon Ingram": "6", "Julius Randle": "8", "Ivica Zubac": "2", "Jordan Clarkson": "2", "Trevor Ariza": "3", "Clint Capela": "10", "James Harden": "12", "Lou Williams": "4"}, "Steals": {"Brandon Ingram": "1", "Jordan Clarkson": "2", "Trevor Ariza": "4", "James Harden": "2", "Lou Williams": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "9"}}], "The Houston Rockets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 139 - 100, at Toyota Center on Wednesday night. The Rockets (47 - 21) not only came into Wednesday's game having prevailed in four of their previous six contests, but they also had a 134 - point outing against the Lakers (20 - 48) on their ledger from earlier in the season. They managed to top that spectacular mark by jumping out to a 66 - 52 halftime lead and then erupting for 46 points in the fourth period to put an exclamation point on the rout. Six Houston players hit double digits in the scoring column, and the Rockets also forced 22 turnovers from the Lakers while limiting them to a paltry 12 percent success rate from long range. Julius Randle was the only bright spot for Los Angeles, as he posted 32 points, eight rebounds and two assists. Brandon Ingram managed 18 points, six rebounds, three assists and one steal. Jordan Clarkson matched Ingram's point total and added three assists, two rebounds and two steals. Ivica Zubac played only nine minutes due to foul trouble, recording two points, two rebounds and one assist. With the comfortable lead in the fourth quarter, no Houston starter except for James Harden played more than 30 minutes. Lou Williams burned his old team once again while pacing the Rockets, as he tallied 30 points, seven assists, four rebounds and two steals. Trevor Ariza led the first unit with 20 points, three rebounds, two assists and four steals. Harden turned in an 18 - point, 13 - assist, 12 - rebound triple - double that also included two steals, although he did commit nine turnovers. Clint Capela followed with a 15 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also featured a pair of assists. Nene Hilario and Eric Gordon were productive as reserves as well with matching 10 - point efforts. The Lakers head back home to tangle with the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night, while the Rockets head to the Big Easy to face off with the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday evening as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "38", "Rockets": "40"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "88", "Rockets": "86"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Mavericks": "34", "Rockets": "22"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "40", "Rockets": "38"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Rockets": "22"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Rockets": "15"}}, {"Points": {"Dwight Howard": "14", "James Harden": "26", "Wesley Matthews": "16", "J.J. Barea": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "16", "J.J. Barea": "5"}, "Assists": {"J.J. Barea": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"J.J. Barea": "16"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (40 - 38) defeated the Houston Rockets (38 - 40) 88 - 86 on Wednesday. In what was a pseudo playoff game, the hotter team escaped with a win. This now gives Dallas their fifth - straight win and gives Houston their eighth loss in their last 13 games. The second quarter was when the Mavericks made their mark, as they outscored the Rockets 34 to 22. Dallas also turned on their defense in the fourth quarter, as they held the Rockets to 15 points, with only three of those coming from players other than James Harden. The Rockets fought hard in this game, but couldn\u2019t quite escape with a crucial win. Harden struggled for the first three quarters, but scored 12 in the fourth to cap off a 26 - point performance. The rest of the team really struggled though, as they went 1 - for - 11 in the final 12 minutes. Dwight Howard had a nice game as well though, as he scored 14 points and grabbed 16 rebounds. The Rockets have a short turnaround, as they play the Phoenix Suns on Thursday in a must win game. Dallas had ugly stretches throughout this game and narrowly escaped with a huge win. J.J. Barea once again led the team with 27 points to mark his fourth - straight 20 - point game. He also dished out eight assists and grabbed five rebounds in an all around great performance. Wesley Matthews scored 16 of his own, while locking down Harden for long stretches of this game. On deck for Dallas is a matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "22", "Bucks": "26"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "102", "Bucks": "98"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "23", "Bucks": "19"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bucks": "32"}, "Turnovers": {"Bucks": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Greg Monroe": "3", "Khris Middleton": "7", "Trevor Ariza": "2", "James Harden": "8", "Josh Smith": "6"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "18", "Greg Monroe": "21", "Khris Middleton": "21", "Trevor Ariza": "19", "James Harden": "30", "Terrence Jones": "14", "Josh Smith": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6", "Greg Monroe": "9", "Trevor Ariza": "5", "James Harden": "5", "Terrence Jones": "8", "Josh Smith": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Greg Monroe": "4", "Trevor Ariza": "1", "Terrence Jones": "4", "Josh Smith": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Greg Monroe": "17", "Khris Middleton": "21", "James Harden": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Greg Monroe": "10", "Khris Middleton": "8", "Trevor Ariza": "6", "James Harden": "9"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Khris Middleton": "7", "Trevor Ariza": "11", "James Harden": "8", "Terrence Jones": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Khris Middleton": "1", "Trevor Ariza": "5", "James Harden": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Trevor Ariza": "2", "James Harden": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Trevor Ariza": "2", "James Harden": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"James Harden": "34"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "2", "Josh Smith": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Terrence Jones": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Josh Smith": "3"}}], "The Houston Rockets (23 - 22) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (19 - 26) 102 - 98, on Friday night at Toyota Center in Houston. Houston came into this game with quite a shake - up in their lineup. Dwight Howard and Patrick Beverley both sat this one out with sprained ankles but it was not about who was missing for the Rockets, rather who had joined. Josh Smith made his debut for Houston after being traded from the Clippers earlier on Friday. The Rockets had lost their last two games and three of their last four previous to this game but managed to grind out the win. Houston has now won its last five versus the Bucks. The Rockets led by as many as 15 in the fourth quarter but Milwaukee battled back with a 32 - point fourth quarter. The Bucks brought it to a two - point game with six seconds left but Trevor Ariza hit two clutch free throws to put the game just out of reach. Ariza finished the game with 19 points (5 - 15 FG, 5 - 11 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), five rebounds, two assists and one block, in 36 minutes. James Harden led Houston in scoring with 30 points (9 - 15 FG, 5 - 8 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT), along with eight assists, five rebounds and two steals, in 34 minutes. Terrence Jones was solid off the bench, with 14 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots. Meanwhile, Josh Smith only scored two points but dished six assists, grabbed five rebounds, two steals and blocked three shots, in his Rockets season debut. Greg Monroe led the way for Milwaukee. Monroe finished with 21 points (10 - 17 FG), nine rebounds, four blocks and three assists, in 29 minutes. Khris Middleton also finished with 21 points (8 - 21 FG, 1 - 7 3Pt, 3 - 5 FT), along with seven assists, in 42 minutes. Giannis Antetokounmpo was solid in 33 minutes, with 18 points, six rebounds and two assists. This loss snapped a three - game win streak for the Bucks, who needed this win to stay within three games of eighth in the East. The Bucks will finish up their current four - game road trip on the second night of a back to back, in New Orleans on Saturday. The Rockets will host the Mavericks on Sunday for a big Southwest Division match up."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "40"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "10", "Heat": "13"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "99", "Heat": "92"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "11", "Heat": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"Josh McRoberts": "4", "Goran Dragic": "8", "CJ McCollum": "4", "Damian Lillard": "6"}, "Points": {"Josh McRoberts": "13", "Hassan Whiteside": "28", "Goran Dragic": "18", "Maurice Harkless": "17", "CJ McCollum": "17", "Damian Lillard": "19", "Allen Crabbe": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Josh McRoberts": "2", "Hassan Whiteside": "16", "Goran Dragic": "9", "Maurice Harkless": "7", "CJ McCollum": "4", "Damian Lillard": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "5"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Miami Heat, 99 - 92, at Moda Center on Saturday. The Trail Blazers came into this game as a heavy favorite, but it took a late run to pull out the close win. In fact, Portland finished the game on a 14 - 1 run over the final three minutes. There were six ties and nine lead changes, with no team leading by more than 12 points. Three-point shooting was the biggest difference in the game, with Miami shooting just 29 percent to Portand's 38 percent. The Trail Blazers won despite shooting just 40 percent from the field. Miami (7 - 13) came into this game winning two - straight and it would be three - straight if it were n't for poor late game execution. Hassan Whiteside was the player of the game though, accumulating 28 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks in the defeat. Goran Dragic flirted with a triple - double, accruing 18 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Josh McRoberts got a rare start, tallying 13 points two rebounds and four assists. Only three players came off the bench, as Miami played extremely shorthanded. The Heat will look to bounce back on Tuesday, as they host the New York Knicks for their next game. This was only the second time this season that the Blazers (11 - 10) did n't get at least 50 points from Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, but they were still able to prevail with a win. They still played well though, as Lillard tallied 19 points, four rebounds and six assists, while McCollum finished with 17 points, four rebounds and four assists. Neither player shot well, as they combined to go 13 - of - 37 from the field. Maurice Harkless was the quiet hero, as he totaled 17 points and seven rebounds in the win. Allen Crabbe was huge off the bench, scoring 16 points. The Trail Blazers will return to action on Monday in a road game against the Chicago Bulls."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "20", "Wizards": "20"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "86", "Wizards": "112"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "19"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "27", "Wizards": "26"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul Millsap": "1"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "4"}}], "The visiting Washington Wizards blew out the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, 112 - 86 The Wizards (26 - 20) appear to have found their groove in 2017, as they have now won seven of their last eight contests. Every piece seemed to be clicking for Washington on Friday, as the team hopped out to a 10 - point lead in the game's first three minutes and only ran further away from there. Though the Wizards rank as the league's second - worst three - point shooting team, the deep ball played a major part in their approach on Friday. The team shot 13 - of - 31 from beyond the arc. It was truly an all - encompassing victory, however, as defense and tenacity on the glass played an equally major role in earning the win. Washington held a 52 - 41 advantage on the glass and recorded 12 steals along with 10 blocked shots. Atlanta was forced into a ridiculous 19 turnovers on the night. The Hawks (27 - 20) seemed to be in good shape heading into Friday but received a complete beat - down. The loss comes at an inopportune time for Atlanta, who had been just one game back from second place in the Eastern Conference prior to Friday's loss. The team suffered one of its worst defeats of the season in the matchup, shooting just 36 percent and under 30 percent from beyond the arc. In particular, recently - named All-Star Paul Millsap struggled, shooting just 1 - of - 7 for four points with four rebounds. Atlanta will host the Knicks on Sunday, while the Wizards will visit New Orleans."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "24", "Kings": "47"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "97", "Kings": "83"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "51", "Kings": "26"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Rudy Gay": "29"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gay": "24"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "6"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (51 - 24) beat the Sacramento Kings (26 - 47) 97 - 83 on Monday. The Grizzlies badly needed a slump buster, as they had lost three straight in a tough stretch of their schedule against the Cavaliers, Warriors and Spurs coming into Monday. That's just what they got in the form of the DeMarcus Cousin-less Sacramento Kings. Marc Gasol did n't have a field day scoring the ball as Reggie Evans, who stepped in for Cousins, is a bothersome defender. Instead Gasol was able to find passing lanes that led to baskets as he finished with six assists, leading his team in that category from the center position. Memphis is elated that March is over, as they piled up eight losses, making it their worst month of the season. Former Memphis star Rudy Gay did his best to pick up the slack for Cousins. Gay put up 24 points in 29 minutes but left the game in the third quarter after being elbowed by Gasol. He did n't return as he was suffering from concussion like symptoms. The Kings went into the final period down 11 and with their go - to scorer. They were unable to muster enough points to surpass the Grizzlies and garnered their second straight loss after a four - game win streak. The Houston Rockets will welcome the Kings to town on Wednesday, as Memphis will bring in the Oklahoma City Thunder."], [[{}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Kelly Olynyk": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kelly Olynyk": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Kelly Olynyk": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Kelly Olynyk": "29"}, "Points": {"Kelly Olynyk": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Kelly Olynyk": "7"}}], "Frontcourt depth was one of the biggest concerns for the Celtics heading into their 2016 - 17 season. And while for the most part, the play behind starer Al Horford has been inconsistent at best, Kelly Olynyk is showing that he can be a legitimate reserve option for Boston with his play over the last three games. In Monday's outing, Olynyk played 29 minutes off the bench and scored 15 points on 6 - of - 10 shooting from the field to go along with seven rebounds. Now, over the course of Boston's current three - game win streak, Olynyk has averaged 16 points and 7 rebounds over 26 minutes per game while shooting an impressive 6 - of - 12 (50 percent) from behind the arc and 19 - of - 30 (63 percent) from the field overall. There have been trade rumors brewing all season surrounding Boston and another big man, but Olynyk is doing his best to put those to rest."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "40", "Trail Blazers": "49"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Mason Plumlee": "9", "CJ McCollum": "25", "Andrew Wiggins": "20", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Mason Plumlee": "6", "CJ McCollum": "16", "Andrew Wiggins": "10", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "3"}, "Points": {"Mason Plumlee": "18", "CJ McCollum": "43", "Andrew Wiggins": "24"}, "Assists": {"CJ McCollum": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"CJ McCollum": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"CJ McCollum": "5"}, "Steals": {"CJ McCollum": "3"}}], "New Year's Day saw a career night for Portland shooting guard C.J. McCollum, who set a new personal best with 43 points. McCollum was an impressive 16 - of - 25 from the field with three three - pointers. He added five rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Once again, McCollum successfully shouldered the offensive load for Portland with star Damian Lillard (ankle) unable to play. The Blazers shot a horrendous 6 - of - 22 from three - point range, but made up for it with their interior shooting, as the team finished having it over 49 percent of its shots. Center Mason Plumlee had an efficient 18 points on 6 - of - 9 shooting. The Timberwolves, meanwhile, were much less efficient, shooting just 40 percent on the night. Guard Andrew Wiggins led the team with 24 points on 10 - of - 20 shooting, but the rest of the Wolves could not seem to keep up. Star center Karl-Anthony Towns struggled to find his shot, going just 3 - of - 15 from the floor."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "10", "76ers": "17"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "116", "76ers": "114"}, "Rebounds": {"Rockets": "49"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "6", "76ers": "0"}}, {"Assists": {"Robert Covington": "5", "Jerami Grant": "1", "Isaiah Canaan": "2", "Dwight Howard": "4", "James Harden": "8"}, "Points": {"Robert Covington": "28", "Jerami Grant": "18", "Isaiah Canaan": "23", "Clint Capela": "13", "Dwight Howard": "14", "James Harden": "50"}, "Rebounds": {"Robert Covington": "7", "Jerami Grant": "3", "Isaiah Canaan": "2", "Clint Capela": "10", "Dwight Howard": "13", "James Harden": "9"}, "Steals": {"Robert Covington": "8", "Jerami Grant": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "9"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers (0 - 17) came very close to humiliating the Houston Rockets (6 - 10) in Houston Friday night but fell short by two as Houston came out on top 116 - 114. The Rockets were up most of the way but Phili came up with a big fourth quarter and actually had the lead 104 - 97 with 6:41 left. Houston had to play this one to the very end in order to avoid falling victim to the winless Sixers. Philadelphia's Robert Covington had his best game of the season so far as he finished with a career high 28 points on 7 - 12 shooting, including 6 - 9 from deep, seven rebounds, five assists, along with a whopping eight steals. Isaiah Canaan also had a great game with 23 points on 9 - 17 shooting, two rebounds and two assists. Jerami Grant chipped in 18 points, three rebounds one assist and one steal. T.J. McConnell scored six points on 3 - 4 shooting and filled the stat sheet with six assists, five rebounds and two steals, in 25 minutes off the bench. Nerlens Noel sat this one out with a sore knee. James Harden made sure his team did not suffer humilation on Friday night as he put up a giant 50 points on 14 - 28 shooting, 6 - 12 from deep, along with eight assists and nine rebounds. Despite his great game Harden gave up an ugly nine turnovers. Dwight Howard did his job in the paint, scoring a double double with 14 points and 13 rebounds, he also dished four assists. Clint Capela also tallied a double double for the Rockets, with 13 points and 10 rebounds. The Rockets absolutely cleaned the glass, with a team total 49 rebounds. Next up for Houston is a dance in New York with the Knicks on Sunday. The Sixers will be visiting Memphis on Sunday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "10", "DeMarcus Cousins": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "36", "Enes Kanter": "29", "Rudy Gay": "22", "DeMarcus Cousins": "31", "Darren Collison": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "11", "Enes Kanter": "12", "DeMarcus Cousins": "11"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "4", "DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Enes Kanter": "32", "DeMarcus Cousins": "34"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}}], "Russell Westbrook will live on in NBA history with his box scores across the 2016 - 2017 season, as the Thunder point guard contributed his 20th triple - double of the season, which is good for leading the league and his average for the season. Westbrook finished with 36 points, 10 assists, 11 rebounds, four steals and seven turnovers on 11 - of - 21 shooting. DeMarcus Cousins deserves credit for the performance he added in trying to carry the Kings to victory, as he contributed 31 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and one block across 34 minutes. Rudy Gay attempted to bring the Kings back to life late, and went on to score 22 points, while Darren Collison added 21 points. Enes Kanter was a valuable difference maker, especially rotating with Steven Adams, evidenced by his big 29 points and 12 rebounds in 32 minute off the bench."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Heat": "23"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "52"}, "Turnovers": {"Heat": "23"}}, {"Points": {"Jae Crowder": "15", "Al Horford": "17", "Avery Bradley": "20", "Isaiah Thomas": "23", "Hassan Whiteside": "23", "Goran Dragic": "31"}, "Assists": {"Al Horford": "8", "Goran Dragic": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Horford": "7", "Hassan Whiteside": "17"}}], "Despite missing over a week of action with a groin injury, point guard Isaiah Thomas looks as though he has not missed a step. Thomas has been the Celtics' top scorer in both games since returning from injury, scoring a team - high 23 in Sunday's win against the Heat. Center Al Horford had a well - rounded game, scoring 17 points, dishing out eight assists, and pulling down seven rebounds. Guard Avery Bradley had 20 points, and forward Jae Crowder scored 15 while grabbing five steals. The team forced 23 Miami turnovers, in part with 13 total steals. Miami hit 52 percent of its shots but had 23 turnovers and hit just 56 percent of its free - throws. Point guard Goran Dragic and center Hassan Whiteside, however, continued to perform. Dragic had 31 points, five rebounds, and seven assists, while Whiteside scored 23 and pulled down 17 rebounds."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "41", "Warriors": "52"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "11", "Warriors": "2"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "96", "Warriors": "111"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "6", "Warriors": "12"}}, {"Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "16", "Draymond Green": "10", "Andrew Bogut": "6", "Klay Thompson": "12", "Stephen Curry": "28", "Andre Iguodala": "13", "Marreese Speights": "11", "Shaun Livingston": "15", "Tobias Harris": "16", "Nikola Vucevic": "11", "Victor Oladipo": "12", "Elfrid Payton": "13", "Ben Gordon": "13", "Kyle O'Quinn": "6"}, "Assists": {"Andrew Bogut": "7", "Stephen Curry": "8", "Shaun Livingston": "5", "Tobias Harris": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "5", "Kyle O'Quinn": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Andrew Bogut": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Andrew Bogut": "24", "Stephen Curry": "24", "Shaun Livingston": "27", "Tobias Harris": "30", "Elfrid Payton": "20", "Kyle O'Quinn": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Bogut": "12", "Stephen Curry": "5", "Shaun Livingston": "3", "Tobias Harris": "10", "Nikola Vucevic": "13", "Kyle O'Quinn": "7"}, "Steals": {"Andrew Bogut": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Kyle O'Quinn": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "8", "Tobias Harris": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "6", "Tobias Harris": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "13", "Shaun Livingston": "10", "Tobias Harris": "10", "Nikola Vucevic": "15", "Victor Oladipo": "17", "Kyle O'Quinn": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Stephen Curry": "9", "Shaun Livingston": "7", "Tobias Harris": "6", "Nikola Vucevic": "4", "Victor Oladipo": "4", "Kyle O'Quinn": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Shaun Livingston": "2", "Tobias Harris": "6", "Nikola Vucevic": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Shaun Livingston": "1", "Tobias Harris": "4", "Nikola Vucevic": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Nikola Vucevic": "7"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (12 - 2) defeated the Orlando Magic (6 - 11) 111 - 96 on Wednesday at the Amway Center in Orlando. The Warriors got off to a hot start, totaling 65 points in the first half alone, to open an insurmountable 13 point lead at the break. It was the Warriors' seventh consecutive victory, and the second in as many nights, after defeating the Heat on Tuesday in Miami. The Warriors hit 52 percent of their field goal attempts, compared with the Magic hitting just 41 percent. Once again, Steph Curry led the way, scoring 28 points on 9 - for - 13 shooting, including 6 - for - 8 from beyond the three - point line. He is now 14 - for - 19 from deep in his last two games. Curry also added eight assists and five boards in another virtuoso performance, in just 24 minutes. Due to the blowout nature of the game, Shaun Livingston was able to play a season - high 27 minutes, scoring 15 points (7 - 10 FG, 1 - 2 FT) with three rebounds and five assists. It was also the first time he scored in double - digits in a Warriors uniform. Andrew Bogut, although not scoring heavily with just six points, stuffed the rest of the stat sheet, adding 12 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and two blocks in his 24 minutes. Both Marreese Speights (11 points) and Andre Iguodala (13 points) contributed off the bench, joining Harrison Barnes (16 points), Draymond Green (10 points), and Klay Thompson (12 points) in reaching double figures. For the Magic, they welcomed both Tobias Harris and Kyle O'Quinn back into the lineup, and both players performed admirably in their returns. Harris double - doubled with a team - high 16 points (6 - 10 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT), adding 10 rebounds and two assists in 30 minutes, while O'Quinn, playing for the first time since the first game of the season after suffering an ankle sprain, put up six points (3 - 4 FG) with seven rebounds, three assists and one steal in only 12 minutes. Nikola Vucevic also had a double - double, his seventh in succession, scoring 11 points (4 - 15 FG, 3 - 4 FT) with 13 rebounds, including seven on the offensive glass. Victor Oladipo continued to struggle to find his shot after returning from a facial fracture, going 4 - for - 17 from the field to register 12 points. The three steals he racked up were a season - high. Both Ben Gordon and Elfrid Payton scored 13 points off the bench, with Payton also putting up five assists in his 20 minutes. The Warriors next play Friday as they travel to Charlotte to take on the Hornets, while the Magic square off against the Pacers in Indiana on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "13", "Pistons": "9"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "87", "Pistons": "83"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "4", "Pistons": "8"}}, {"Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "1", "Thaddeus Young": "1", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andre Drummond": "19", "Reggie Jackson": "20", "Thaddeus Young": "12", "Brook Lopez": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Andre Drummond": "9", "Reggie Jackson": "4", "Thaddeus Young": "9", "Brook Lopez": "6"}, "Personal fouls": {"Andre Drummond": "1", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "1"}, "Points": {"Andre Drummond": "20", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "21", "Reggie Jackson": "8", "Thaddeus Young": "19", "Brook Lopez": "15", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "18", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "7", "Reggie Jackson": "6", "Thaddeus Young": "10", "Brook Lopez": "9", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "4"}, "Steals": {"Andre Drummond": "3", "Thaddeus Young": "1"}, "Assists": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "9", "Thaddeus Young": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Thaddeus Young": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Thaddeus Young": "31"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Thaddeus Young": "1", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "1"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets (4 - 13) defeated the Detroit Pistons (8 - 9) 87 - 83 on Sunday. The free throw line proved to be vital for the Brooklyn Nets, after it was the deciding factor in their fourth win of the season. Brook Lopez broke a 83 - 83 tie with 0:29 left in the fourth quarter at the charity stripe, while the Pistons were unable to convert points on the following possessions to close out the game. Lopez finished with 15 points and nine rebounds on 6 - for - 18 shooting. Thaddeus Young was the difference maker for the Nets, adding 19 points, 10 rebounds and three assists on a lights out 9 - for - 12 shooting in 31 minutes played. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who has flown under the radar in his rookie season, did not impress in his outing and finished with two points and four rebounds. He failed to hit any shot, but is currently second in real plus - minus amongst rookies, trailing only the Knicks\u2019 Kristaps Porzingis. Andre Drummond contributed his league leading 15th double - double after scoring 20 points, 18 rebounds and three steals on 9 - for - 19 shooting. Offensively he has become one of the best big men in 2015 - 2016, but his defensive flaws opened the door for Brook Lopez to score key points down the stretch. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led all scorers with 21 points, to go along with seven rebounds and one assist. Reggie Jackson struggled from the floor, scoring eight points on 4 - for - 20 shooting, in addition to nine assists and six rebounds. The Pistons host the Houston Rockets (6 - 10) on Monday, while the Nets host the Phoenix Suns (7 - 9) on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "3", "Nets": "3"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "112", "Nets": "104"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Suns": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Suns": "44", "Nets": "37"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "5", "Nets": "4"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "3", "Goran Dragic": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Joe Johnson": "1", "Goran Dragic": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "16", "Goran Dragic": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Joe Johnson": "7", "Goran Dragic": "7"}, "Points": {"Joe Johnson": "21", "Kevin Garnett": "12", "Mirza Teletovic": "16", "Goran Dragic": "18", "Isaiah Thomas": "21", "Gerald Green": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Joe Johnson": "5", "Kevin Garnett": "10", "Mirza Teletovic": "7", "Miles Plumlee": "10"}, "Assists": {"Goran Dragic": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Gerald Green": "12"}, "Free throws made": {"Gerald Green": "11"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (5 - 3) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (4 - 3) 112 - 104 on Wednesday at the US Airways Center in Phoenix. Phoenix was down 63 - 49 at the half but were able to comeback in the second half and finished the game scoring 34 in the fourth quarter. They were also able to out - rebound the Nets 44 - 37 with Miles Plumlee leading the way and contributing 10. This marks the second straight victory for the Suns. Phoenix found a majority of their production off the bench for their second game in a row. Gerald Green scored a season - high 28 points, after contributing 19 on Sunday. He was able to get to the line 12 times and converted on 11 of them. Isaiah Thomas also had a big day offensively off the bench, as he scored 21 points and added two steals. Like Green, this was his second game in a row putting up big numbers, considering he posted 22 points on Sunday. Goran Dragic had the most production of the starters. He went 7 - for - 15 from the field and 3 - for - 6 from beyond the three - point line to score 18 points, while adding six assists. Despite the loss, the Nets had six players reach double figures, with all their starters included in that feat. Joe Johnson scored a team - high 21 points as he shot 7 - for - 16 from the field and 1 - for - 3 from the three - point line. Kevin Garnet recorded his second double - double of the season, going for 12 points and 10 rebounds. Despite not being a big offensive weapon anymore, he's still relied upon to clean up the boards. Mirza Teletovic had solid production off the bench as he contributed 16 points and seven rebounds in 32 minutes. He's now averaging 13 points and 5 rebounds on the year. The Suns' next game will be at home against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday, while the Nets will go on the road to play the Golden State Warriors on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "43", "Celtics": "36"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "103", "Celtics": "98"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "21", "Celtics": "25"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Jae Crowder": "12", "Brandon Bass": "14", "Marcus Smart": "16", "Isaiah Thomas": "14", "Victor Oladipo": "16", "Elfrid Payton": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Jae Crowder": "2", "Brandon Bass": "9", "Isaiah Thomas": "5", "Victor Oladipo": "7", "Elfrid Payton": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Jae Crowder": "32", "Brandon Bass": "38", "Isaiah Thomas": "30", "Gigi Datome": "10", "Dewayne Dedmon": "28", "Victor Oladipo": "42", "Elfrid Payton": "42"}, "Points": {"Jae Crowder": "7", "Brandon Bass": "19", "Evan Turner": "10", "Marcus Smart": "16", "Isaiah Thomas": "21", "Gigi Datome": "10", "Tobias Harris": "21", "Dewayne Dedmon": "11", "Victor Oladipo": "22", "Elfrid Payton": "19", "Maurice Harkless": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Jae Crowder": "6", "Brandon Bass": "17", "Isaiah Thomas": "5", "Dewayne Dedmon": "16", "Victor Oladipo": "7", "Elfrid Payton": "10"}, "Assists": {"Brandon Bass": "5", "Isaiah Thomas": "9", "Victor Oladipo": "5", "Elfrid Payton": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"Victor Oladipo": "4"}}], "The Orlando Magic (21 - 43) defeated the Boston Celtics (25 - 36) 103 - 98 on Sunday in Orlando. The game was tied heading into the final period, but with the Celtics up five midway through the fourth quarter, the Magic were able to rattle off a 19 - 6 run that put them on top for good. Orlando was once again led by Victor Oladipo, who scored a game - high 22 points on 7 - of - 16 shooting to go along with seven rebounds and five assists in 42 minutes. Oladipo has been playing his best basketball of the season as of late, averaging 28 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds in his last four outings. Rookie Elfrid Payton also put together a solid performance, recording 19 points on 7 - of - 16 shooting, 10 rebounds, and seven assists in 42 minutes. Nikola Vucevic (ankle) missed his second game in a row, but Dewayne Dedmon did an adequate job filling in as the starting center, putting up 11 points and 16 rebounds in 28 minutes. Tobias Harris (21) and Maurice Harkless (14) round out the Magic players who scored in double figures. Brandon Bass led the Celtics in their losing effort, recording 19 points on 9 - of - 14 shooting, 17 rebounds, and five assists in 38 minutes. Isaiah Thomas scored a team - high 21 points on 5 - of - 14 shooting to go along with nine assists and five rebounds in 30 minutes off the bench. Marcus Smart (16), Evan Turner (10), and Luigi Datome (10) round out the Celtics in double figures. With Avery Bradley (elbow) still out, Jae Crowder was put into the starting lineup for the second straight game. Crowder struggled shooting the ball in this outing, scoring just seven points on 2 - of - 12 shooting and grabbing six rebounds in 32 minutes. Up next, the Magic will travel to Indiana Tuesday to take on the Pacers, while Boston, who remains 3 games out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, will head to Miami to take on the Heat on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "2", "Nets": "4"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "107", "Nets": "99"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "6", "Nets": "4"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Garnett": "1", "Jarrett Jack": "3", "Mason Plumlee": "1", "Draymond Green": "7", "Andrew Bogut": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Garnett": "5", "Jarrett Jack": "10", "Mason Plumlee": "9", "Draymond Green": "14", "Andrew Bogut": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Garnett": "2", "Jarrett Jack": "10", "Mason Plumlee": "3", "Draymond Green": "7", "Andrew Bogut": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Kevin Garnett": "13", "Mason Plumlee": "20"}, "Points": {"Kevin Garnett": "4", "Jarrett Jack": "23", "Mason Plumlee": "13", "Draymond Green": "17", "Andrew Bogut": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Garnett": "4", "Jarrett Jack": "3", "Mason Plumlee": "8", "Draymond Green": "8", "Andrew Bogut": "14"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jarrett Jack": "4", "Mason Plumlee": "8", "Andrew Bogut": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Jarrett Jack": "3", "Mason Plumlee": "7", "Andrew Bogut": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Mason Plumlee": "1", "Draymond Green": "2", "Andrew Bogut": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Mason Plumlee": "1", "Draymond Green": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Mason Plumlee": "0", "Draymond Green": "3"}, "Steals": {"Draymond Green": "1"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (6 - 2) grabbed yet another win, this time over the Brooklyn Nets (4 - 4) 107 - 99 on Thursday night at the Oracle Arena in Oakland. Golden State saw all five of their starters score in double figures, with a few key players stepping up when it mattered most. Draymond Green filled up the stat sheet on Thursday, scoring 17 points (7 - 14 FG, 3 - 8 3Pt) with eight rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and one steal. Andrew Bogut handled things in the paint, as he posted a double - double, bringing in 14 rebounds, while scoring 11 points (4 - 7 FG, 3 - 5 FT) and tacking on five assists and four blocks as well. Golden State is off to a strong start in 2014, and they'll be at home against the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night. For the Nets, they've now lost two in a row, and have another tough game ahead on Saturday when they take on the Portland Trail Blazers on the road. Brooklyn got some strong bench production on Thursday, specifically from Jarrett Jack, who had 23 points (10 - 10 FG, 3 - 4 FT), three assists and three rebounds. As for the starters, we saw Kevin Garnett play only 13 minutes, scoring just four points (2 - 5 FG) with four rebounds and one assist. Mason Plumlee had a solid game off the bench for Brooklyn, scoring 13 points (3 - 9 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT) with eight rebounds, one assist and one block in 20 minutes of action."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "4", "Thunder": "6"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "85", "Thunder": "78"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bucks": "16", "Thunder": "14"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "4", "Thunder": "2"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Thunder": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Serge Ibaka": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "4", "Brandon Knight": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Serge Ibaka": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Serge Ibaka": "5", "Reggie Jackson": "6", "Brandon Knight": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Serge Ibaka": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "2", "Brandon Knight": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Serge Ibaka": "13", "Reggie Jackson": "21", "Brandon Knight": "15", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Serge Ibaka": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "12", "Brandon Knight": "6", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Serge Ibaka": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Serge Ibaka": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}, "Points": {"Serge Ibaka": "14", "Reggie Jackson": "29", "Brandon Knight": "16", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "7", "Reggie Jackson": "4", "Brandon Knight": "4", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9"}, "Steals": {"Reggie Jackson": "2", "Brandon Knight": "1"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (4 - 4) got their record up to .500 by beating the Oklahoma City Thunder (2 - 6) 85 - 78 on Tuesday night at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. The Thunder just ca n't seem to get the ball rolling right now, but it's understandable since they're currently without two of the best players in the NBA in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Reggie Jackson and Serge Ibaka did everything they could, with Jackson scoring 29 points (12 - 21 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), to go along with four rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block, and Ibaka posting 14 points (4 - 13 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), with seven rebounds, two assists and one block. In the end though, the Bucks just had more bench proudction which allowed the Bucks to stop the Thunder from stealing a road win. Oklahoma City now heads to Boston to take on the Celtics on Wednesday. The Bucks may have only had one player score in double figures from their starting lineup in Brandon Knight, who scored 16 points (6 - 15 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 3 - 5 FT), with four assists, four rebounds and one steal, but the bench picked up the slack. Milwaukee had 53 bench points in this game, and were led by 19 points (6 - 15 FG, 2 - 7 3Pt, 5 - 7 FT) and four rebounds from O.J. Mayo. Giannis Antetokounmpo also had a big night, nearly posting a double - double, with 14 points (6 - 13 FG, 2 - 4 FT), and nine rebounds. The Bucks will look to get above .500 on Friday night when they head on the road to Orlando to play the Magic."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "20", "Raptors": "14"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "89", "Raptors": "92"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "21", "Raptors": "27"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "3", "Brandon Knight": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "9", "Kyle Lowry": "25", "Kenyon Martin": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "0", "Kyle Lowry": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMar DeRozan": "26", "Kyle Lowry": "36", "Brandon Knight": "41", "Ersan Ilyasova": "23", "Kenyon Martin": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Kenyon Martin": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "5", "Brandon Knight": "5", "Ersan Ilyasova": "7", "Kenyon Martin": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Kyle Lowry": "1", "Brandon Knight": "1", "Ersan Ilyasova": "1"}, "Points": {"Kyle Lowry": "18", "Brandon Knight": "20", "Ersan Ilyasova": "14"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Lowry": "1", "Brandon Knight": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kenyon Martin": "1"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (27 - 14) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (21 - 20) 92 - 89 on Monday. The Raptors were led by Kyle Lowry with an 18 - point performance on 8 - of - 25 shooting from the field. He also had five rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block in 36 minutes of play. DeMar DeRozan had an 0 - for - 9 shooting night to go along with three rebounds and four assists in 26 minutes. DeRozan had averaged 22 points in his 3 previous games since returning from a groin injury. The Raptors still hold the Eastern Conference's third best record. Brandon Knight was the only Bucks starter to reach double - digits in points. He had a nice all - around game with 20 points, five rebounds, five assists, four steals and one block in a team - high 41 minutes. Ersan Ilyasova came up big off the bench, scoring 14 points to go along with seven rebounds in 23 minutes. Kenyon Martin signed his second 10 - day contract with the Bucks on Monday. He had one rebound and one technical foul in just four minutes. The Raptors will play the Grizzlies in Memphis on Wednesday, and the Bucks will face the Utah Jazz on Thursday."], [[{"Total points": {"Bucks": "109", "Pistons": "88"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "7"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "7"}}, {"Points": {"Andre Drummond": "15", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "17", "Anthony Tolliver": "13", "Stanley Johnson": "16", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "17", "Jabari Parker": "12", "Greg Monroe": "20", "Khris Middleton": "16", "Michael Carter-Williams": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "15", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6", "Greg Monroe": "13"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Anthony Tolliver": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Anthony Tolliver": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Stanley Johnson": "3"}, "Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "27", "Greg Monroe": "31"}, "Field goals made": {"Jabari Parker": "5", "Khris Middleton": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Khris Middleton": "5"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (7 - 8) defeated the Detroit Pistons (7 - 7) Monday 109 - 88 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee. After losing the first quarter, the Bucks bounced back in a big way, winning the next two periods 63 - 36. They eventually pulled out what is their more impressive win in what has been a rather slow start to the regular season. Going against his former team, Greg Monroe shined, recording his second consecutive double - double and finishing with 20 points and 13 rebounds in 31 minutes. Giannis Antetokounmpo continued his strong start to the season recording 17 points, six rebounds and four assists in 27 minutes. Khris Middleton scored 16 points, while Jabari Parker and Michael Carter-Williams each added 12 points, rounding out all five Bucks starters scoring in double figures. For the Pistons, Andre Drummond recorded a double - double of 15 points and 15 rebounds after failing to do so in his previous game. Beyond Drummond, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was the only other starter to score in double figures, finishing with a team - high 17. The other three Detroit starters combined to score just 11 points, while Stanley Johnson and Anthony Tolliver scored 16 and 13 points respectively off the bench. Up next, the Bucks will stay at home Wednesday to take on the Kings, while the Pistons will head home Wednesday and play the Heat."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "56"}}, {"Assists": {"Rudy Gay": "4", "DeMarcus Cousins": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "14", "Darren Collison": "10", "Garrett Temple": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gay": "8", "Darren Collison": "5"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gay": "19", "DeMarcus Cousins": "24", "Darren Collison": "19", "Garrett Temple": "17", "Wesley Matthews": "16"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Garrett Temple": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Darren Collison": "4", "Garrett Temple": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Garrett Temple": "4", "Wesley Matthews": "4"}}], "Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins posted an impressive stat line en route to Sacramento's blowout of the Mavericks on Wednesday. Cousins scored 24 points and pulled down 14 rebounds while dishing out seven assists. He led the team in all three categories. It was an extremely efficient shooting night for the Kings, as the team made 56 percent of its field goal attempts. Forward Rudy Gay hit 8 - of - 14 shots from the field and had 19 points, while point guard Darren Collison scored 19 on 5 - of - 10 shooting. Bench guard Garrett Temple added 17 points on just six shots, as he made all four of his three - point attempts. The Mavericks, meanwhile, struggled yet again on the offensive end. The team turned it over 20 times in total, including 16 from the starting five. It was a solid outing for guard Wesley Matthews, however, as he scored 16 points and hit four three - pointers."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "2", "Hawks": "2"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "120", "Hawks": "115"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "2", "Hawks": "2"}}, {"Personal fouls": {"Kyle Korver": "1"}, "Points": {"Kyle Korver": "16", "Brook Lopez": "26", "Deron Williams": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"Kyle Korver": "11", "Brook Lopez": "10", "Deron Williams": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyle Korver": "1", "Deron Williams": "2"}, "Assists": {"Brook Lopez": "3", "Deron Williams": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Brook Lopez": "4", "Deron Williams": "2"}, "Steals": {"Brook Lopez": "2", "Deron Williams": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Deron Williams": "25"}, "Field goals made": {"Deron Williams": "13"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Deron Williams": "2"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets (2 - 2) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (2 - 2) 120 - 115, in overtime on Monday. The Nets tied the series up at two games apiece and will head to Atlanta for Game 5, to try and take their first lead in the series. Deron Williams came up huge in Brooklyn. After scoring just five points combined in Game 2 and Game 3, he dropped 35 points on 13 - of - 25 shooting from the floor to go along with seven assists, five rebounds and three steals. 16 of his points came in a spectacular fourth quarter performance, where he looked to be unstoppable. Brook Lopez was also a major cog in the Brooklyn machine on Monday. Lopez had 26 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, two steals and four big blocked shots that proved to be vital in the Nets' Game 4 win. After barely making the playoffs, the Nets are proving that they can hang with anyone. With the win, they guaranteed themselves at least one more home game, with Game 6 being held in Brooklyn. Atlanta did a great job coming together at the end of regulation and succeeded at forcing overtime. However they could n't stop the Nets from tying up the series. Kyle Korver had a solid game with 16 points and 11 rebounds. At the end of regulation he was 3 - of - 8 from beyond the arc, but went cold in overtime and made just one of his five attempts in the extra period. The Hawks had a great balanced scoring attack, and all five starters managed to score 16 points or more but it was n't enough to keep their lead on Brooklyn. The Nets and Hawks will face off again on Wednesday in Game 5 in Atlanta."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Knicks": "20", "Heat": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "37", "Heat": "48"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Knicks": "52", "Heat": "40"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "37"}}, {"Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "11", "Goran Dragic": "20", "Josh Richardson": "17", "James Johnson": "18", "Tyler Johnson": "12", "Carmelo Anthony": "9", "Kristaps Porzingis": "20", "Willy Hernangomez": "12", "Courtney Lee": "10", "Chasson Randle": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "9", "Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Willy Hernangomez": "9"}, "Assists": {"Goran Dragic": "9"}}], "Miami shot 48 percent from the field and 48 percent from three - point range while limiting the Knicks to respective figures of 37 and 20 percent in those categories. New York notably won the rebound battle by a 52 - 40 margin but trailed in every quarter on the way to the double - digit loss. Goran Dragic's 20 points and nine assists paced Miami. Josh Richardson followed with 17 points. Hassan Whiteside had a near double - double with 11 points and nine boards. James Johnson's 18 points led the bench. Tyler Johnson was productive as a reserve as well with 12 points. Kristaps Porzingis' 20 points led New York. Willy Herangomez provided 12 points and nine boards. Courtney Lee registered 10 points. Carmelo Anthony had a modest game with nine points and seven boards. Chasson Randle's nine points led the bench."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "9", "Suns": "11"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "106", "Suns": "101"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Wizards": "31", "Suns": "21"}, "Turnovers": {"Wizards": "11", "Suns": "21"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "4", "Suns": "4"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Devin Booker": "26", "Bradley Beal": "22", "John Wall": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Devin Booker": "12", "Bradley Beal": "14", "John Wall": "6"}, "Points": {"Devin Booker": "30", "Alex Len": "11", "Eric Bledsoe": "29", "Marcin Gortat": "10", "Bradley Beal": "42", "John Wall": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Alex Len": "10", "Eric Bledsoe": "9", "Marcin Gortat": "13", "John Wall": "4"}, "Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "6", "John Wall": "15"}, "Blocks": {"John Wall": "3"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "4"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the visiting Phoenix Suns, 106 - 101, at Verizon Center on Monday. While these are two teams that have struggled all season long, these two talented backcourts put on a display in this matchup. John Wall and Bradley Beal combined for 60 points, eight rebounds and 15 assists, while the Suns' backcourt of Devin Booker and Eric Bledsoe combined for 59 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists of their own. Washington took care of business when it mattered most, as they outscored Phoenix 31 - 21 in the fourth quarter. The biggest difference in the game were the turnovers, as the Wizards forced 21 from the Suns, while committing just 11 on their end. The fastbreak points were decisive as well, with Washington winning that battle 25 - 6. There were 13 ties and 20 lead changes in a game that came down to the final seconds. Phoenix (4 - 11) put in a strong effort in this loss, but could n't hold off a hungry Wizards bunch. Devin Booker led the team in scoring, as he dropped 30 points on 12 - of - 26 shooting. Eric Bledsoe stuffed the stat sheet, accruing 29 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Alex Len started for Tyson Chandler once again, amassing 11 points and 10 rebounds en route to a double - double. No other player on the team had more than seven points aside from Bledsoe, Len and Booker. On deck for the Suns is a road matchup against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. Washington (4 - 9) had been very disappointing this season, but a comeback win here may be the boost they need going forward. Bradley Beal dropped a career - high in the win, as he scored 42 points on 14 - of - 22 shooting. John Wall went just 6 - of - 24 from the field, but did everything else, accumulating 18 points, four rebounds, 15 assists, four steals and three blocks. Marcin Gortat was the only other Wizard in double figures, as he totaled 10 points and 13 rebounds. Otto Porter provided nine points and nine rebounds of his own. The Wizards will be off until Friday, when they travel to play the Orlando Magic."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "42", "Warriors": "35"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "48", "Warriors": "38"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "33", "Warriors": "10"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pacers": "26", "Warriors": "38"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "23", "Warriors": "43"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "13", "Andre Iguodala": "6", "CJ Miles": "6", "Rodney Stuckey": "4", "CJ Watson": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "5", "Andre Iguodala": "2", "CJ Miles": "3", "Rodney Stuckey": "2", "CJ Watson": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "28", "Andre Iguodala": "11", "CJ Miles": "11", "Rodney Stuckey": "17", "CJ Watson": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Klay Thompson": "12", "Andre Iguodala": "4", "CJ Miles": "5", "Rodney Stuckey": "11", "CJ Watson": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "10", "Andre Iguodala": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Klay Thompson": "10", "Andre Iguodala": "4", "CJ Watson": "3"}, "Points": {"Klay Thompson": "39", "Andre Iguodala": "14", "David Lee": "6", "CJ Miles": "13", "Rodney Stuckey": "30"}, "Turnovers": {"Klay Thompson": "2"}, "Assists": {"Andre Iguodala": "4", "Rodney Stuckey": "5", "CJ Watson": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Andre Iguodala": "32", "CJ Watson": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"David Lee": "12", "CJ Miles": "9"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (23 - 33) defeated the Golden State Warriors (43 - 10) 106 - 98 on Sunday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Despite being down 38 - 26 after the first quarter, the Pacers made a statement in the second, out - scoring the Warriors 34 - 19 to finish the half. After taking the lead in the second, they were able to hold on throughout the rest of the game and secure the win over an extremely tough opponent in front of their home crowd. The Pacers were the superior shooters in this one, going 48 percent from the field and 42 percent from the three - point line, while the Warriors went just 38 percent from the floor and 35 percent from deep. The Pacers' saw a huge contribution from their bench Sunday, with 63 of their 106 points coming off the bench. Rodney Stuckey led that charge, going 11 - for - 17 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 30 points, while also adding five assists. He's come out of the All-Star break on fire, recording two 30 - point games in a row, as he's been a huge reason for the Pacers recent success. C.J. Watson was another one of those bench players who got hot and finished with 14 points (4 - 6 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT) and five assists in 26 minutes. He had failed to reach double figures in three straight games prior to Sunday, so it was good to see him get back on track. For the starters, George Hill and C.J. Miles were the only relatively effective players. Miles posted 13 points (5 - 11 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt) and nine rebounds, including a clutch three - pointer to put the Pacers up four points with less than a minute left in the game, while Hill added 12 points (4 - 13 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT) and a pair of assists. The Pacers' guards did all the work in this one, and it paid off with a win. Quite uncharacteristicly, the Warriors struggled to get going, with only two players reaching double - digits in points. With Stephen Curry sitting out, Klay Thompson did far - and - away the most damage for the Warriors, finishing with a game - high of 39 points, as he went 12 - for - 28 from the field and 5 - for - 13 from the three - point line. He also was able to get to the free throw line 10 times, converting on a perfect 10 - of - 10. He's played well since returning from the All-Star break, combining for 59 points over his last two games. Andre Iguodala was the only other significant offensive contributor, posting 14 points (4 - 11 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and four assists in 32 minutes off the bench. It was his second straight game with 14 points, despite averaging only 7 points per game on the season. Also off the bench, David Lee chipped in with six points and 12 rebounds. The Warriors' next game will be on the road against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday, while the Pacers will travel to Oklahoma City to play the Thunder on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "56"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "29"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "108", "Pelicans": "100"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "45"}}, {"Assists": {"Jrue Holiday": "5", "George Hill": "5", "Joe Johnson": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Jrue Holiday": "38", "George Hill": "33"}, "Points": {"Jrue Holiday": "19", "Rudy Gobert": "20", "Rodney Hood": "20", "George Hill": "17", "Joe Johnson": "14"}, "Steals": {"Jrue Holiday": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "19", "George Hill": "2", "Joe Johnson": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rodney Hood": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rodney Hood": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Joe Johnson": "5"}}], "The Utah Jazz defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, 108 - 100, at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Monday. The Jazz (45 - 29) improved upon their slight lead over the Clippers for the fourth seed in the Western Conference with a win over the shorthanded Pelicans, as DeMarcus Cousins (ankle) was sidelined for a second straight game. Anthony Davis did nearly everything for New Orleans, but it was not enough to combat the well - rounded Jazz who shared the ball and saw four of their five starters score at least 17 points. Utah took a 10 point lead into the fourth quarter, but New Orleans was unable to match the efficiency from the Jazz, especially behind the arc where they finished a lights out 56 percent. Utah was led by Rudy Gobert, Rodney Hood and George Hill. Gobert finished with 20 points, 19 rebounds and five blocks, while Hood buried 4 - of - 7 from three point land and scored 20 points as well. George Hill added 17 points, five assists and two rebounds across 33 minutes of action. Joe Johnson was the most effective off the bench for the Jazz and added 14 points on 5 - of - 10 shooting, to go with six assists and seven rebounds. Davis had the most impressive performance of the game, though his team fell short. The big man scored 36 points, grabbed 17 rebounds and added three assists, three steals and three blocks. Jrue Holiday contributed 19 points, five assists and two steals in 38 minutes, while Jordan Crawford pitched in 12 points off the bench. Both teams play on Wednesday, as the Jazz visit the Sacramento Kings, while the Pelicans host the Dallas Mavericks."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Russell Westbrook": "8", "Eric Gordon": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "34"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "16"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "49"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "8"}}], "It was a superstar showdown in Houston on Thursday, as Russell Westbrook and James Harden squared off for the first time in the new year. Harden led the Rockets to victory, while Westbrook posted more impressive individual numbers. \"The Beard\" led Houston with 26 points and 12 assists, also notching eight rebounds. However, he shot just 6 - of - 16 and made only two three - pointers while committing six turnovers. On the other side, Westbrook poured in 49 points, his second - highest total of the season, while shooting 16 - of - 34 and hitting eight threes. Westbrook added eight rebounds and five assists. Houston shot over 47 percent from the field and made it rain from deep, hitting 15 threes on the night. OKC, on the other hand, shot a slightly inferior 45 percent while hitting only 12 three - pointers. Houston's Eric Gordon scored 20 points and had five three - pointers, building on his NBA lead in the category."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Trail Blazers": "40"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "52"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "2", "Mavericks": "2"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "108", "Mavericks": "87"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "20"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "35", "Mavericks": "18"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "3", "Mavericks": "3"}}, {"Minutes played": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "30", "CJ McCollum": "21"}, "Points": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "20", "CJ McCollum": "13"}, "3-pointers made": {"CJ McCollum": "3"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (3 - 2) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (3 - 2) 108 - 87 at the Moda Center in Portland on Thursday. The Mavericks were up by four points at halftime, but the Trail Blazers separated from the Mavs with a huge 35 - 18 third quarter, and the outcome of the game never came back into question. Portland held the Mavs to 37 percent shooting from the field and 22 percent from beyond the arc, while the Trail Blazers finished shooting 52 percent from the field and 40 percent from beyond the arc. LaMarcus Aldridge finished with a game - high 20 points in 30 minutes, and the Blazers rested their starters down the stretch to give some of their bench players extended run. C.J. McCollum and Chris Kaman finished with double - digit points off the bench. McCollum had 13 points in 21 minutes, converting three three - pointers. The Mavericks will finish off a back - to - back set Friday when they play on the road against the Utah Jazz. The Trail Blazers have Friday off before going on the road to face the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "47", "Pistons": "44"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "25", "Pistons": "38"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "110", "Pistons": "112"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Cavaliers": "31", "Pistons": "21"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "57", "Pistons": "44"}, "Number of team assists": {"Pistons": "24"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "49"}, "Turnovers": {"Pistons": "12"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Anthony Tolliver": "9", "Reggie Bullock": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Anthony Tolliver": "5", "Reggie Bullock": "3", "Jodie Meeks": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Tolliver": "10", "Reggie Bullock": "8", "Richard Jefferson": "11", "Channing Frye": "10", "Timofey Mozgov": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Tolliver": "5", "Reggie Bullock": "5", "Richard Jefferson": "5", "Channing Frye": "6", "Timofey Mozgov": "7"}, "Points": {"Anthony Tolliver": "15", "Reggie Bullock": "15", "Jodie Meeks": "20", "Richard Jefferson": "16", "Channing Frye": "14", "Jordan McRae": "36", "Timofey Mozgov": "14"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jordan McRae": "1"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (44 - 38) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (57 - 25) in the season finale Wednesday at Quicken Loans Arena, 112 - 110 in overtime. Many of the top players for both teams sat out with their clubs locked into their playoff seeds, as LeBron James, Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving, Andre Drummond, and Reggie Jackson all watched this one from the benches. Detroit opened up a 58 - 44 lead by halftime, but the Cavaliers clawed their way back into the game. Cleveland won the fourth quarter 31 - 21 and forced overtime on the strength of a Jordan McRae three - pointer with 15 seconds left. But Detroit held on in the overtime as McRae missed two of his three free throw attempts with 1 remaining in the extra frame as the Cavaliers fell by two. Jodie Meeks hit four three - pointers off the bench and led the Pistons with 20 points. Anthony Tolliver (5 - 10 FG, 5 - 9 3PT) and Reggie Bullock (5 - 8 FG, 3 - 5 3PT) added 15 each. Detroit shot just 44 perrcent from the field but made 16 - 33 (49 percent) from three - point land and notched 24 assists against 12 turnovers to keep their offense moving. McRae's 36 points led all scorers, as he shot a robust 14 - 29 from the field, including 3 - 5 from three - point land. Richard Jefferson scored 16 (5 - 11 FG) and Channing Frye (6 - 10 FG) and Timofey Mozgov (7 - 12 FG) added 14 points apiece. Cleveland outshot Detroit 47 percent to 44 percent, but the Pistons scored 27 more points from the three - point line and 11 more from the free throw line, too much for Cleveland to overcome in the end. The Cavaliers will enter the playoffs with the first seed in the Eastern Conference and will face the Pistons, the eighth seed, in the first round."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "23", "Clippers": "28"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "119", "Clippers": "117"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Thunder": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Thunder": "46", "Clippers": "26"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "53", "Clippers": "47"}}, {"Assists": {"Jamal Crawford": "7", "Austin Rivers": "5", "Kevin Durant": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Points": {"Jamal Crawford": "32", "Austin Rivers": "32", "Kevin Durant": "31", "Russell Westbrook": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Austin Rivers": "4", "Kevin Durant": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "4"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (53 - 23) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers (47 - 28) 119 - 117 on Thursday. The Clippers were without the majority of their players for this game and nearly pulled out a miraculous win. The Thunder ended the game on a 9 - 2 run to win their ninth game in their last 10. The rebounding was key for the Thunder, as they brought down 46 boards to the Clippers' 26. The Clippers played this game without Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan, J.J. Redick and Blake Griffin and may have had their best performance of the season. Jamal Crawford stepped up big time, as he scored 32 points and dished out seven assists. Austin Rivers scored a career - high 32 points as well, while also providing four rebounds and five assists. Los Angeles wo n't play again until Sunday against the Washington Wizards and Blake Griffin is expected to make his return for that matchup. The Thunder were a 17 - point favorite in this game and narrowly had one of their worst losses of the year. Russell Westbrook flirted with yet another triple - double, as he accumulated 26 points, 11 assists, eight rebounds and four steals. Kevin Durant led the team with 31 points and also recorded eight rebounds and five assists On deck for Oklahoma City is a matchup with the Houston Rockets on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "2"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "110", "Celtics": "83"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hawks": "15", "Celtics": "20"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hawks": "32"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "3"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "38"}, "Turnovers": {"Celtics": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Jae Crowder": "10", "Evan Turner": "15", "Isaiah Thomas": "7", "Marcus Smart": "10", "Jared Sullinger": "10", "Kent Bazemore": "16", "Paul Millsap": "10", "Jeff Teague": "16", "Mike Scott": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Evan Turner": "5", "Paul Millsap": "8"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Paul Millsap": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "12", "Mike Scott": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Mike Scott": "7"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks dominated the visiting Boston Celtics, 110 - 83, at Philips Arena on Tuesday to take a 3 - 2 series lead in the Eastern Conference first - round playoffs. This series has been full of wild swings, but none matched the ones in this Game 5. The Celtics got out to a hot start, by winning the first quarter 20 - 15, but allowed the Hawks to dominate the rest of the game. Atlanta started the game 6 - for - 34 from the field, before hitting 11 - of - 12 late in the second quarter and then proceeding to shoot over 60 percent for the final two and a half quarters. The Hawks defense was key, as they held the Celtics to 38 percent shooting and forced them to commit 20 turnovers. Atlanta scored 74 points in the second and third quarters, while outscoring the Celtics by 32 points. This was just one of those games for Boston where they simply didn\u2019t have it. Isaiah Thomas shot just 3 - for - 12 from the field in a seven - point, three - assist outing. Evan Turner led the team with 15 points and also brought down five boards. Jae Crowder, Marcus Smart and Jared Sullinger all provided 10 points each, but all shot under 45 percent from the field. While no one player played spectacularly, the Hawks thoroughly dominated the Celtics in their Game 5 win. Paul Millsap scored just 10 points, but provided eight rebounds and six assists in 27 minutes of action. Mike Scott led the team with 17 points, going 7 - for - 9 from the field coming off the bench. Kent Bazemore and Jeff Teague each scored 16 as well in the victory. The Hawks will look to close out the series in Boston on Thursday in Game 6."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "27", "Bulls": "27"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "103", "Bulls": "88"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "32", "Bulls": "30"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Bulls": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "36"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Pau Gasol": "22", "Paul Millsap": "12", "Al Horford": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Pau Gasol": "6", "Al Horford": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "17"}, "Minutes played": {"Doug McDermott": "31"}, "Points": {"Doug McDermott": "20", "Paul Millsap": "12", "Al Horford": "18", "Jeff Teague": "19"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "5", "Al Horford": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Paul Millsap": "5"}, "Assists": {"Al Horford": "4", "Jeff Teague": "9"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jeff Teague": "4"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (32 - 27) handily defeated the Chicago Bulls (30 - 27) on Friday, 103 - 88. Chicago was shorthanded, playing without Jimmy Butler, Derrick Rose, Nikola Mirotic, and Joakim Noah. For Atlanta, the win serves to end a slide in which the team went just 1 - 5. The Hawks' struggles did n't show on Friday, as they secured a decisive victory on the backs of their starting five's solid offensive output. Point guard Jeff Teague led the team with 19 points while also dishing out nine assists. His scoring was nearly matched by All-Star center Al Horford, who scored 18 points on 8 - for - 11 shooting and blocked 4 shots. Atlanta swatted 12 shots as a team, including another five from All-Star power forward Paul Millsap. The team also found strength in the passing game, recording 28 team assits. Atlanta managed to force 20 turnovers, leading to 27 points on the other end. The Bulls have managed to stay fixed in the playoff picture despite the onslaught of inuries. Heading into Friday's matchup, the Bulls had won three straight and sat at fifth in the Eastern Conference. Friday's loss does come as a bit of a momentum killer, however, as the team simply could not get the job done on either end. Chicago shot just 36 percent from the field, including just 25 percent from deep. Big man Pau Gasol was part of the problem, going just 6 - for - 22 from the field despite notching 17 rebounds. Sophomore Doug McDermott was a bright spot for the Bulls, however, as he led the team with 20 points in 31 minutes off the bench. Atlanta will play host to the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday. The Bulls, meanwhile, will return home to face the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "14", "Rockets": "21"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "140", "Rockets": "132"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Clippers": "28"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "27", "Rockets": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Dwight Howard": "36", "James Harden": "20", "Marcus Thornton": "23", "DeAndre Jordan": "16", "JJ Redick": "40", "Chris Paul": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "26", "DeAndre Jordan": "15"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "8", "Chris Paul": "12"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"James Harden": "40", "Marcus Thornton": "22"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Marcus Thornton": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Marcus Thornton": "5", "JJ Redick": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"JJ Redick": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"JJ Redick": "9"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (27 - 14) defeated the Houston Rockets (22 - 21) 140 - 132 in overtime at Staples Center on Monday. The Rockets clawed their way back from a 20 - point deficit to begin the fourth quarter by ripping off a 24 - 10 run to end the game, peaking when Marcus Thornton dropped in a game - tying three - pointer with seven seconds remaining in regulation. While Houston took advantage of what was a far too relaxed Clippers squad late in the second half, Thornton\u2019s bench performance was a major spark plug, as he added 23 points on 5 - of - 9 shooting from behind the arc in 22 minutes. Dwight Howard led all Rockets scorers with 36 points, grabbed an absurd 26 rebounds and out muscled DeAndre Jordan (illness), who was overcoming pneumonia in his first game back. James Harden played more to the point guard position than his standard score first mentality, and finished with 20 points and eight assists on only 12 shots in 40 minutes of action. Houston did lose Patrick Beverley early on, as he sprained his ankle, a new ailment from an already beat up ankle injury that kept him sidelined earlier. The Rockets will get a day off before hosting the Detroit Pistons (22 - 19) on Wednesday. The Clippers set a franchise record with 22 3 - point shots made, spearheaded by JJ Reddick, who set career highs of 40 points and nine treys. Reddick was the definition of lights out shooting (11 - of - 19 FG, 9 - of - 12 3PT, 9 - of - 9 FT) and played a crucial role in the Clippers hanging on to survive in overtime, as the Rockets were not going away lightly. Without Reddick\u2019s clutch free throws down the stretch, Thornton\u2019s game tying 3 - pointer towards the end of regulation may have been enough to complete the comeback. Regardless, it was a well deserved career night for Reddick, who continues to thrive from deep with Blake Griffin (quad) sidelined. DeAndre Jordan\u2019s return came with a double - double to the tune of 16 points and 15 rebounds, although he did not seem strong enough to prevent Dwight Howard from almost doubling his own stats. Chris Paul failed to convert the game winning shot as time expired in the 4th quarter, but knocked down clutch baskets in overtime, and contributed 28 points and 12 assists in the win.The Clippers will visit LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers (28 - 12) on Thursday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Tim Frazier": "14"}, "Minutes played": {"Tim Frazier": "35"}, "Points": {"Tim Frazier": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Tim Frazier": "5"}}], "As the possibility of losing his starting job nears, Tim Frazier put together his best performance of the season Tuesday against the Hawks. Frazier finished with 21 points, 14 assists and five rebounds in 35 minutes. And while this was the point guard's most productive game, it was hardly anything out of the ordinary for him. Tuesday night was the fifth time this season that Frazier has recorded at least 15 points, eight assists and five rebounds and his fifth double - double of the season. With Jrue Holiday back and playing well off the bench and Tyreke Evans (knee) close to returning, Frazier may see his minutes and ball - handling duties decline, but there is no doubt the third - year player out of Penn State has more than earned a spot in the team's regular rotation moving forward with how he's performed this season."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "4", "Timberwolves": "3"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "112", "Timberwolves": "103"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "20", "Timberwolves": "17"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "2", "Timberwolves": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Timberwolves": "12"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Pekovic": "13", "Kevin Martin": "20", "Tobias Harris": "15", "Evan Fournier": "15", "Aaron Gordon": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Pekovic": "6", "Kevin Martin": "7", "Tobias Harris": "7", "Evan Fournier": "8", "Aaron Gordon": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nikola Pekovic": "5", "Kevin Martin": "4", "Corey Brewer": "6", "Tobias Harris": "4", "Evan Fournier": "3", "Aaron Gordon": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Nikola Pekovic": "4", "Kevin Martin": "4", "Corey Brewer": "4", "Tobias Harris": "2", "Evan Fournier": "2", "Aaron Gordon": "3"}, "Points": {"Nikola Pekovic": "16", "Kevin Martin": "21", "Corey Brewer": "16", "Tobias Harris": "17", "Evan Fournier": "20", "Aaron Gordon": "17"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Martin": "11", "Evan Fournier": "3", "Aaron Gordon": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Martin": "3", "Evan Fournier": "2", "Aaron Gordon": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "16", "Aaron Gordon": "6"}, "Assists": {"Evan Fournier": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Evan Fournier": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Evan Fournier": "3"}}], "The Magic (2 - 4) knocked off the Timberwolves (2 - 3) 112 - 103 in overtime at the Amway Center on Friday night. In what was a great game to watch, the Timberwolves just could n't steal one on the road. They were led by Kevin Martin's 21 points (7 - 20 FG, 3 - 11 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), and NIkola Pekovic's 16 points (6 - 13 FG, 4 - 5 FT). While it was really an all - around effort from the Timberwolves, who saw 12 players score in this game, including 16 points (6 - 11 FG, 4 - 6 FT) from reserve Corey Brewer, they did get some bad news. Minnesota lost Ricky Rubio to an ankle injury, which they're awaiting MRI results on. The Timberwolves will head to Miami and take on the Heat on Saturday. The Magic put up 18 points in overtime to walk away with their second win of the season, and saw a total of six players score in double - digits. They were led by 20 points (8 - 15 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT) from Evan Fournier, as well as a huge double - double from Tobias Harris, who scored 17 points (7 - 15 FG, 1 - 2 3 Pt, 2 - 4 FT), with 16 rebounds. While the starters played heavy minutes, Aaron Gordon chipped in 17 points (6 - 9 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT) with six rebounds off of the bench. The Magic will get a day off before playing against the Nets in Brooklyn on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pelicans": "24"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "24", "Bulls": "20"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "72", "Bulls": "107"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "27", "Bulls": "31"}}, {"Assists": {"Pau Gasol": "4", "Tyreke Evans": "3", "Toney Douglas": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Pau Gasol": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Pau Gasol": "28", "Kirk Hinrich": "15", "Doug McDermott": "4", "Toney Douglas": "16"}, "Points": {"Pau Gasol": "20", "Tony Snell": "19", "Doug McDermott": "9", "Toney Douglas": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "15"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tyreke Evans": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tyreke Evans": "12"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (31 - 20) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (27 - 24), 107 - 72. Anthony Davis suffered a right shoulder contusion after landing awkwardly following a dunk attempt. X-rays were negative. The game was played in just under two hours. Tony Snell scored a season - high 19 points, and rookie Doug McDermott provided nine points in four minutes. Joakim Noah did n't record an assist, but Pau Gasol compiled his league - leading 32nd double - double, finishing with 20 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, and three blocks in just 28 minutes. Kirk Hinrich exited early due to turf toe, lasting 15 minutes. The Pelicans scored a season - low 72 points, shot 24 percent from downtown and 57 percent from the free - throw line. Tyreke Evans extended his streak of at least one three - pointer to 12 consecutive games. Toney Douglas played his first game with the Pelicans since signing Wednesday, scoring five points and registering three assists in 16 minutes. The Bulls conclude a six - game road trip in Orlando on Sunday night. The Pelicans host the Utah Jazz on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "39", "Heat": "34"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "110", "Heat": "99"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Magic": "33", "Heat": "25"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "23", "Heat": "28"}}, {"Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "15", "Goran Dragic": "15", "James Johnson": "19", "Terrence Ross": "10", "Aaron Gordon": "21", "Nikola Vucevic": "25", "Jeff Green": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "18", "James Johnson": "4", "Terrence Ross": "4", "Aaron Gordon": "10", "Jeff Green": "3"}, "Assists": {"James Johnson": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"James Johnson": "34", "Aaron Gordon": "32"}, "Steals": {"James Johnson": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Terrence Ross": "4", "Jeff Green": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Terrence Ross": "9", "Nikola Vucevic": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Terrence Ross": "5", "Nikola Vucevic": "11"}}], "The Orlando Magic defeated the visiting Miami Heat 110 - 99, at Amway Center on Friday evening. The Magic got out to a great start, with a 33 - 25 first quarter, and managed to hold the lead going into half time. They then out - scored the Heat by five in the third quarter, behind 12 points in the quarter from Nikola Vucevic, and were able to hang on to close it out at home. With this win the Magic take the season series 3 - 1. The Magic (23 - 39) are now 2 - 2 in their four games since trading Serge Ibaka and running with Terrence Ross as their starting small forward. Ross finished with 10 points on 5 - of - 9 shooting in the contest, while Nikola Vuvecic led the way with 25 points on 11 - of - 18 shooting. Orlando's three other starters also scored in double digits, including Aaron Gordon with 21 points and 10 rebounds in 32 minutes, while Jeff Green chipped in 11 points off the bench. The Magic will go on to visit Washington on Sunday, as they look for a second straight win. Meanwhile, the Heat (28 - 34) trailed by as many as 19 in the second half and were never able to fully recover. James Johnson led the way for Miami, with 19 points, six assists, four rebounds, two assists and two steals, in 34 minutes off the bench. Hassan Whiteside hauled in a monstrous 18 rebounds to go along with 15 points, while Goran Dragic also chipped in 15 points. This marks the second loss in the three games for the Heat, as they teeter on the edge of the top eight in the East. The Heat go on to face the second night of a back - to - back as they play host to the Cavaliers on Saturday evening."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "37", "Heat": "41"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "21", "Heat": "21"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "91", "Heat": "87"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "11", "Heat": "10"}, "Number of team assists": {"Heat": "19"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Heat": "19"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Heat": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Justise Winslow": "3", "Goran Dragic": "5", "Jrue Holiday": "6"}, "Points": {"Justise Winslow": "12", "Hassan Whiteside": "10", "Goran Dragic": "23", "Tyler Johnson": "11", "James Johnson": "11", "Anthony Davis": "28", "Jrue Holiday": "22", "Langston Galloway": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Justise Winslow": "7", "Hassan Whiteside": "18", "Goran Dragic": "4", "Anthony Davis": "22", "Jrue Holiday": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Hassan Whiteside": "10", "Anthony Davis": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4", "Anthony Davis": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Hassan Whiteside": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Hassan Whiteside": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}}], "The New Orleans Pelican defeated the Miami Heat, 91 - 87, at Smoothie King Center on Friday. This was a game full of swings, as the final one was the most decisive for the Pelicans. Miami actually led by eight points with six minutes left, but they allowed New Orleans to finish the game on a 24 - 10 run to win by four. Both offenses really struggled, as the Heat shot 41 percent from the field to the Pelicans 37 percent. Despite the Heat winning the shooting, assisting and rebounding differentials, the Pelicans were able to prevail thanks to eight steals and nine blocks recorded by their defense. Miami (10 - 21) has lost 19 games this season by 12 points or less and this tough defeat adds to that total. Goran Dragic led the team in scoring, as he tallied 23 points, four rebounds and five assists. Hassan Whiteside struggled with his shot, as he totaled 10 points and 18 rebounds on 4 - of - 10 shooting from the field and 2 - of - 6 from the free - throw line. Justise Winslow was second on the team, as he accrued 12 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Tyler Johnson and James Johnson each scored 11 points a piece off the bench. Miami is off until Tuesday, when they host Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder for their next game. New Orleans (11 - 21) has riden the back the back of Anthony Davis all season long and they did that yet again here. Davis finished the game with 28 points, 22 rebounds and four blocks on 10 - of - 17 shooting. Jrue Holiday was second on the team, as he accrued 22 points, two rebounds and six assists in 26 minutes of action. The only other Pelicans player in double figures was Langston Galloway, who scored 11 points off the bench. The Pelicans return to action on Monday, when they host the Dallas Mavericks for their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "30", "Heat": "27"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "108", "Heat": "91"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "19", "Heat": "21"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Chris Bosh": "5"}, "Points": {"Chris Bosh": "34", "Hassan Whiteside": "11", "D.J. Augustin": "25", "John Lucas III": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Hassan Whiteside": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Hassan Whiteside": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Hassan Whiteside": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "10", "John Lucas III": "1"}, "Assists": {"D.J. Augustin": "13", "John Lucas III": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"John Lucas III": "6"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (19 - 30) picked up the win over the Miami Heat (21 - 27) 108 - 91 on Tuesday at the Palace of Auburn Hills. D.J Augustin's resurgence continued Tuesday as he lit Miami up for 25 points and 13 assists to help the Pistons to their 19th win on the season. Not only did Augustin record his second straight double - double, he did so without committing a single turnover. Detroit built a comfortable lead in the early going and withstood a 21 - point outburst from Chris Bosh in the third quarter to secure its second straight win. Miami is one of the East's better road teams and was 13 - 11 away from home entering Tuesday's tilt, but was unable to notch a win against a rested Detroit club. Chris Bosh erupted for 34 points, with 21 of them coming in a 9 - for - 9 shooting performance in the third quarter. Hassan Whiteside had 11 points and 10 rebounds to notch his fourth double - double in five games. He also added five blocks in the contest. Miami will finish up its back - to - back set Wednesday in Minnesota. Detroit's win puts the Pistons two 3 games out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Point guard John Lucas III, who was signed to a 10 - day contract just a couple days ago, saw his first NBA minutes since Oct. 22. Lucas had three points, one rebound, and one assist in six minutes of action. The Pistons will face the Pacers on Wednesday in Indiana."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "36", "Mavericks": "38"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "89", "Mavericks": "98"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "40", "Mavericks": "38"}}, {"Assists": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "3", "Zaza Pachulia": "3", "Wesley Matthews": "1", "J.J. Barea": "3", "Devin Harris": "3", "Marcus Morris": "4", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "10"}, "Points": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "19", "Zaza Pachulia": "6", "Wesley Matthews": "17", "J.J. Barea": "29", "Devin Harris": "13", "Tobias Harris": "14", "Marcus Morris": "31", "Andre Drummond": "12", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "15", "Reggie Jackson": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "5", "Zaza Pachulia": "11", "Wesley Matthews": "6", "J.J. Barea": "3", "Devin Harris": "2", "Tobias Harris": "5", "Marcus Morris": "12", "Andre Drummond": "17", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "5"}, "Steals": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "1", "Wesley Matthews": "1", "Marcus Morris": "1", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Tobias Harris": "2", "Marcus Morris": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tobias Harris": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Tobias Harris": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Reggie Jackson": "6"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (38 - 38) defeated the Detroit Pistons (40 - 36) 98 - 89 on Friday. The Mavericks made a couple of lineup changes prior to the contest, with one being a strategic move, and another due to injury. Zaza Pachulia returned to the starting lineup, in an attempt to slow down Andre Drummond down low. Pachulia tallied a modest six points, but did haul in 11 rebounds and hand out three assists. Meanwhile, J.J. Barea got the start in place of Raymond Felton, whose right groin strain prevented him from taking the court. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Dallas, which got the former's second - highest scoring total of the season in return. His performance helped offset a remarkable night from the Pistons' starting five, including a season - high scoring output from Marcus Morris. Barea totaled 29 points, which he complemented with three rebounds and three assists. Dirk Nowitzki was next, contributing 19 points, five rebounds, three assists and a steal. Wesley Matthews pitched in with 17 points, six rebounds, an assist and a steal. Devin Harris contributed 13 points, two rebounds and three assists while pacing the bench. The Mavericks are currently in third place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division, and are slotted in the seventh seed as well. They head to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves on Sunday. Detroit was spearheaded by Morris' remarkable 31 - point, 12 - rebound double - double, which also included four assists, two blocks and a steal. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope poured in 15 points, and added two rebounds and an assist. Tobias Harris was right behind with 14 points, five rebounds and two blocks. Andre Drummond contributed one of his trademark double - doubles, registering 12 points, 17 boards, an assist and a steal. Reggie Jackson filled out the stat sheet with 11 points, 10 assists, five rebounds and two steals. The only blemish on an otherwise stellar performance was his game - high six turnovers. With the high level of efficiency from the starting five, the Pistons bench scored a scant six points on the night. The Pistons remain in second place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They head to Chicago to take on the Bulls in a Saturday night showdown."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "39", "Hawks": "39"}, "Losses": {"Wizards": "3"}}, {"Blocks": {"Kent Bazemore": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kent Bazemore": "2"}, "Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "2", "Kyle Korver": "2"}, "Steals": {"Dwight Howard": "2", "Markieff Morris": "3"}, "Points": {"Kyle Korver": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Markieff Morris": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Marcin Gortat": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "15"}}], "The dynamic guard duo of John Wall and Bradley Beal helped insure the Wizards' first victory, accounting for over half the team's scoring. They totaled a combined 49 points despite a subpar 13 - of - 33 tally from the field. Washington shot just 39 percent overall, but four members of the first unit did manage double digits in the scoring column and Marcin Gortat also brought down 15 rebounds. The Wizards almost had three players go for double - doubles as well, with Markieff Morris falling just a rebound short. The Hawks fared no better shooting - wise, managing just a 39 percent success rate themselves. Although Dwight Howard, Dennis Schroder and Paul Millsap were able to combine for 56 points, the other two members of the first unit, Kyle Korver and Kent Bazemore manage a combined three points on 1 - of - 16 shooting."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "41"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "25"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "95", "Heat": "98"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nuggets": "31", "Heat": "20"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nuggets": "31"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nuggets": "16"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "15"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Chris Bosh": "13", "Hassan Whiteside": "13"}, "Points": {"Chris Bosh": "24", "Hassan Whiteside": "19", "Beno Udrih": "11", "Darrell Arthur": "18", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "16"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "17", "Darrell Arthur": "8", "Will Barton": "8"}, "Assists": {"Beno Udrih": "11"}}], "The Miami Heat (32 - 17) came back in the second half to beat the Denver Nuggets (15 - 25) 98 - 95 on Friday. The Nuggets got out to a great start on Friday by recording two 31 - point quarters in the first half to take a 16 - point lead, but collapsed in the second half. The Heat outscored the Nuggets 52 - 33 in the second half in an impressive comeback win. The key for Miami was their stellar defense, as they held Denver to 41 percent shooting while recording 13 blocks. What's most impressive is that they got this win with no Dwyane Wade or Goran Dragic in the lineup. Miami came into this game extremely shorthanded, but walked away with a huge road win. Hassan Whiteside was an absolute monster in this game, as he recorded his second triple - double of the season. He finished the game with 19 points, 17 rebounds and 11 blocks in a spectacular game. Chris Bosh was efficient in this game as well, as he scored 24 points on just 13 shot attempts. The darkhorse hero was Beno Udrih though, as he collected 11 points and 11 assists while filing in for Dragic in the victory. On deck for Miami is an even tougher task, as they travel to Oklahoma City on Sunday to take on the Thunder. Denver was coming off two of their biggest wins of the season and really should have had their third - straight here. The offense fell apart in the second half and all the momentum was in Miami's favor for the final 15 minutes of this game. Danilo Gallinari and Will Barton have been carrying this team all year long, but they combined for just 20 points and 12 rebounds while going 4 - for - 18 from the field. Darrell Arthur got a rare start in the absence of Jusuf Nurkic and had the best game for Denver, as he finished with 18 points and eight rebounds in the loss. Rookie Emmanuel Mudiay also had a nice game off the bench, as he scored 16 points. The Nuggets will continue their eight - game homestand on Sunday when they host the Indiana Pacers in their next fixture."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "52"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "15", "Heat": "21"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "101", "Heat": "81"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "28", "Heat": "23"}}, {"Points": {"Chris Bosh": "26", "Dwyane Wade": "22", "DeMar DeRozan": "33", "Kyle Lowry": "15"}, "Free throw percentage": {"Dwyane Wade": "33"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Kyle Lowry": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Lowry": "2"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (28 - 15) held onto second place in the turbulent Eastern Conference with a 101 - 81 home win over the Miami Heat (23 - 21) on Friday. Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry earned starting All-Star honors this week, joining his opponent, Miami guard Dwyane Wade, in the Eastern Conference backcourt. Lowry filled the stat sheet on Friday, delivering 15 points, four rebounds, six assists, a pair of steals, and a block. It was his fellow guard DeMar DeRozan, however, that made the biggest splash, lighting up the Heat defense for 33 points. The Raptors were red - hot from behind the three - point arc, shooting 52 percent on attempts from deep. Miami, meanwhile, hit just 4 of 17 attempts from beyond the arc. Wade recorded 22 points while fellow star Chris Bosh posted 26, but no other Miami player reached double - digits. The Heat bench contributed just 12 points, and outside of Wade and Bosh, the team shot a paltry 33 percent from the field. Center Hassan Whiteside, who has taken to social media to make a fierce All-Star campaign, was absent from Friday's contest due to a strained left hip. Miami will have two days of rest before traveling to Chicago on Monday. Meanwhile, Toronto plays host to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday afternoon."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "35"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "34"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "84", "Hawks": "91"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "29"}}, {"Points": {"Paul Millsap": "18", "Jeff Teague": "24", "Gordon Hayward": "22", "Rudy Gobert": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "9", "Rudy Gobert": "15"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "3"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "18", "Shelvin Mack": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "6", "Shelvin Mack": "2"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (35 - 28) stifled the Utah Jazz (29 - 34) en route to a 91 - 84 win on Tuesday. In a battle between two elite defenses, offense became an epic struggle. The Jazz were especially bad, as they shot 35 percent from the field and 27 percent from three - point range. The second and third quarters is where the Hawks won the game, as they outscored the Jazz 50 - 30 in that 24 - minute stretch. Atlanta has been playing the best defense in the NBA over recent weeks and continued that form here. Jeff Teague scored a game - high 24 points and also dished out six assists in the victory. Paul Millsap was the only other player who scored more than 11 for Atlanta, as he tallied 18 points, nine rebounds and three steals in the win. On deck for the Hawks is a matchup against the Toronto Raptors on Thursday. The Jazz have been struggling mightily recently and this performance is indicative of their form since the All-Star break, as they've lost nine of their last 12. Gordon Hayward led the team with 22 points, despite going just 6 - for - 18 from the field. Shelvin Mack had a nightmare revenge game, as he went just 2 - for - 13 in the loss against the team that traded him earlier in the season. Rudy Gobert was the only Jazz player to shoot over 50 percent, as he totaled six points and 15 rebounds in the defeat. Those three players also combined for 13 turnovers in an ugly performance. It doesn\u2019t get any easier for the Jazz, as they travel to Oakland to play the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday in their next game."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "54"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "13", "Heat": "11"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "101", "Heat": "108"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "17", "Heat": "18"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Heat": "50"}}, {"Turnovers": {"Chris Bosh": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Dwyane Wade": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Goran Dragic": "1"}, "Steals": {"Goran Dragic": "1"}, "Assists": {"Nikola Vucevic": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "1"}, "Points": {"Nikola Vucevic": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "10"}}], "The Miami Heat (18 - 11) defeated the Orlando Magic (17 - 13) 108 - 101 on Saturday night thanks to a second half surge. The Magic took a 12 - point lead into the half, but couldn\u2019t quite hold on for the win. The Heat scored 64 points in the second half and got one of the best team performances they've had all season. Shooting was key for Miami on Saturday, as they nearly shot 50 percent from the field and from three - point range. They also dominated at the free - throw line, going 22 - for - 23 in the game versus the Magic's 6 - for - 13. The Heat looked down and out early in this game but showed some major fight to come back and win. What is most impressive is that this was the second half of a back - to - back set and it was on the road. This was one of the first times that Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Goran Dragic all played well in the same game and that's a scary sight for other Eastern Conference teams. All three players scored at least 22 points and combined for 68 all together. Miami's next game will be a favorable one, as they host the Brooklyn nets on Monday. The Magic fell apart here in the second half and showed their lack of maturity. They actually shot an outstanding 54 percent from the field against an elite Miami defense, but played bad defense themselves in the second half. Nikola Vucevic had one of his best all - around games of the season, as he collected 22 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in the defeat. All five starters actually scored in double - figures and the bench was a letdown all evening long. Orlando will look to play better in their next game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "41"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "16", "Cavaliers": "14"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "92", "Cavaliers": "115"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "40", "Cavaliers": "40"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Cavaliers": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "11", "Kevin Love": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LeBron James": "5", "Kevin Love": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"LeBron James": "2", "Kevin Love": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "22", "Kevin Love": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "11", "Kevin Love": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LeBron James": "1", "Kevin Love": "12"}, "Free throws made": {"LeBron James": "1", "Kevin Love": "11"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "25", "Kevin Love": "29", "Tristan Thompson": "14", "Serge Ibaka": "12", "Russell Westbrook": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kevin Love": "11", "Tristan Thompson": "14", "Serge Ibaka": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "9"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "3", "Serge Ibaka": "2"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Kyrie Irving": "20"}, "Blocks": {"Serge Ibaka": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Russell Westbrook": "33"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (40 - 14) defeated the host Oklahoma City Thunder (40 - 16) 115 - 92, on Sunday at Chesapeake Energy Arena. This game started off tight, with the Thunder leading by one after the first quarter, however the Cavs blew the game wide open as they outscored the Thunder 68 - 45 in the second and third quarters. Cleveland then cruised to victory after entering the final quarter already up by 22. This was an impressive victory for the Cavs as they were against Oklahoma City's strong home record, which is now 25 - 7. This loss also marks the first back - to - back losses for the Thunder since early December. The Cavs win streak is now at four games, as they are the first team in the East to earn 40 wins. Kyrie Irving left the game mid - way through the second quarter with flu - like symptoms and did not return. Irving missed the first meeting between these teams, which the Cavs also won. The season series is now 20 for Cleveland, despite being without Irving both times. Of those players active for Cleveland, six scored in double digits and three logged double - doubles. LeBron James finished the game with 25 points (11 - 22 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT), 11 assists, seven rebounds and three steals, in 37 minutes. Meanwhile, Kevin Love tallied a game - high 29 points (9 - 18 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt, 11 - 12 FT), along with 11 rebounds, and four assists, in 37 minutes. Tristan Thompson contributed a solid 14 points and 14 rebounds, in 35 minutes at the starting center position. The Cavs shot over 50 percent from the field and hit 23 - of - 27 free throws as they cruised past the Thunder. OKC struggled getting shots to fall, as only 41 percent of their attempts were successful, including only 5 - of - 22 from deep. Kevin Duran led the Thunder in scoring with 26 points (10 - 21 FG, 4 - 8 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT), along with five rebounds, three assists and three blocked shots, in 33 minutes. Russell Westbrook was one rebound away from a triple - double as he finished with 20 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds, in 33 minutes. The only other player to score in double digits for the Thunder was Serge Ibaka, with 12 points. Ibaka also tallied three rebounds, two steals and two blocks, in 30 minutes. The Thunder will move on to Dallas where they will take on the Mavericks, on Wednesday. The Thunder will be looking to avoid a third straight loss. The Cavaliers next game will be on Monday when they host the Detroit Pistons."], [[{"Total points": {"Raptors": "99", "Cavaliers": "84"}, "Rebounds": {"Raptors": "54", "Cavaliers": "40"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "1", "Cavaliers": "2"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "1"}}, {"Points": {"LeBron James": "24", "Kevin Love": "3", "DeMar DeRozan": "32", "Kyle Lowry": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Love": "4", "Bismack Biyombo": "26"}, "Blocks": {"Bismack Biyombo": "4"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 99 - 84, on Saturday at Air Canada Centre, whittling the Cavs' lead in the Eastern Conference Finals to 2 - 1. Toronto's first home Conference Finals game in franchise history was a big one, as the the team was able to hand the red - hot Cavaliers their first loss of this postseason. Leading the charge was center Bismack Biyombo, who crashed the boards relentlessly, pulling down 26 rebounds on the night. Biyombo also tallied four big blocks on the defensive end. Biyombo's rebounding effort helped contribute to a 54 - 40 rebounding advantage for the Raptors, while Biyombo was also able to hold the Cavs' big man duo of Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love to a combined three points on the night. Offensively, DeMar DeRozan led the way for the Raptors, scoring 32 points on the night. All-Star Kyle Lowry also tallied 20 points. The Raptors were able to hold on to a 13 - point lead established at halftime, leading by double digits for the majority of the game. On Cleveland's side, the night was a disappointing return to Earth for the NBA's hottest team. A major part of the teams offensive struggles stemmed from All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, who combined for just 16 points on 4 - for - 28 shooting from the field. Love also struggled in the low post, recording just four rebounds on the night. LeBron James, meanwhile, delivered a characteristically impressive performance, posting team highs in points, rebounds, and assists. LeBron's 24 could only do so much for the struggling Cavs, however, as the team finished just 28 - for - 79 from the field on the night. Game 4 will take place at Air Canada Centre on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "13", "Jazz": "9"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "101", "Jazz": "107"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "10", "Jazz": "13"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Lou Williams": "7"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Gordon Hayward": "5"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "23", "Rudy Gobert": "14", "Lou Williams": "38"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Rudy Gobert": "39", "Lou Williams": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "17", "Lou Williams": "6"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Rodney Hood": "25"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Lou Williams": "27"}, "Field goals made": {"Lou Williams": "13"}}], "The Utah Jazz defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 107 - 101 at Staples Center on Monday. The Jazz (13 - 9) edged out a close victory down the stretch after the Lakers (10 - 13) found life late in the second half. The see - saw third and fourth quarters saw scoring runs in favor of Utah in the third, while the Lakers bounced back in the fourth behind Lou William's streaky scoring bursts and Julius Randle's explosiveness under the rim. Williams dropped in a two point shot to close the Jazz lead to three point with 3:26 remaining in the final period, but Rodney Hoot responded for Utah with a 25 - foot three pointer. The Lakers only managed two points over a three minute stretch, while Utah closed out the game. Williams finished with 38 points, six rebounds and seven assists on 13 - of - 27 shooting to lead all scorers in his 34 minutes off the bench. Worth noting was the Lakers starting lineup, which consisted of Brandon Ingram, Luol Deng, Metta World Peace, Julius Randle and Timofey Mozgov. Head coach Luke Walton was experimental with the lineup, and it seemed to funnel the Jazz into more isolation style basketball, which was the game plan as discussed in the post - game press conference. All five Utah starters finished in double figures scoring, led by Gordon Hayward and his 23 points. Rudy Gobert finished with 14 points, 17 rebounds and five blocks in 39 minutes. Next up, the Jazz play the second game of a back - to - back when they host Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, while the Lakers travel to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "35", "Lakers": "41"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "97", "Lakers": "100"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Jazz": "19", "Lakers": "31"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "21", "Lakers": "15"}, "Turnovers": {"Lakers": "9"}}, {"Points": {"Wayne Ellington": "15", "Jordan Clarkson": "22", "Gordon Hayward": "20", "Rudy Gobert": "16", "Elijah Millsap": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Wayne Ellington": "10", "Rudy Gobert": "14", "Elijah Millsap": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Jordan Clarkson": "34", "Elijah Millsap": "30"}, "Turnovers": {"Gordon Hayward": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "3"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers (15 - 41) beat the Utah Jazz (21 - 35) 100 - 97 on Wednesday. The Lakers rattled off a 31 - 19 fourth quarter after finding themselves down nine at the end of the third. Jordan Clarkson led the scoring attack, starting at point guard and putting up 22 points in 34 minutes, as he filled in for Ronnie Price, who had surgery earlier Wednesday to remove bone spurs and chips in his right elbow. Wayne Ellington dropped a 15 - point, 10 - rebound double - double on the Jazz. He and Clarkson were the only Lakers to play more than 30 minutes, yet none of the eight players that saw the floor logged less than 20 minutes. Los Angeles has now won two straight after going 0 - 7 to start the month of February. Utah had won four of their last five games until coughing up a close one to the Lakers. Gordon Hayward nearly banked in a miraculous three - pointer at the buzzer that would've sent the game into overtime. While he finished with 20 points, he also had six turnovers. Rudy Gobert turned in another nice performance with 16 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks. Off the bench, Elijah Millsap led all reserves with 17 points to go along with seven rebounds in 30 minutes. The Jazz will head to Denver to face the Nuggets on Friday, as the Lakers travel home to host the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "8", "Clippers": "4"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "90", "Clippers": "114"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "5", "Clippers": "6"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "18", "Chris Paul": "13", "Jamal Crawford": "12", "Tobias Harris": "14", "Nikola Vucevic": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Blake Griffin": "8", "Chris Paul": "8", "Jamal Crawford": "8", "Tobias Harris": "8", "Nikola Vucevic": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "6", "Jamal Crawford": "4", "Tobias Harris": "7", "Nikola Vucevic": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Blake Griffin": "4", "Jamal Crawford": "4", "Tobias Harris": "7", "Nikola Vucevic": "3"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "20", "Chris Paul": "16", "Jamal Crawford": "22", "Tobias Harris": "25", "Nikola Vucevic": "19"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "9", "Tobias Harris": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Chris Paul": "2", "Jamal Crawford": "3", "Tobias Harris": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chris Paul": "0", "Jamal Crawford": "2", "Tobias Harris": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Chris Paul": "4", "Tobias Harris": "3", "Nikola Vucevic": "14"}, "Steals": {"Chris Paul": "2", "Tobias Harris": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Tobias Harris": "2"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (6 - 4) went into Orlando and took down the Magic (5 - 8) 114 - 90 on Wednesday night at the Amway Center. The Clippers received production from all over the board, with six players scoring in double figures. This included a 22 - point performance (8 - 12 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) from Jamal Crawford, as well as a 20 - point game (8 - 18 FG, 4 - 6 FT) from Blake Griffin. Los Angeles was able to spread the minutes out quite a bit in this blowout win, as 13 players got on the floor, and 10 of them played at least 15 minutes on the night. Chris Paul had yet another impressive night, but was n't asked to do much, scoring 16 points (8 - 13 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt), to go along with nine assists, four rebounds and two steals. The Clippers now head to Miami on Thursday to take on the Heat. For the Magic, they simply struggled to shoot the ball, posting a team average of 39 percent from the field. They did get strong outings from two of their leaders in Tobias Harris and Nikola Vucevic. Harris posted 25 points (8 - 14 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt, 7 - 7 FT), while also contributing three rebounds, one assist and one steal, while Vucevic put up a double - double with 19 points (8 - 14 FG, 3 - 4 FT) and 14 rebounds. He also had two assists and one steal. Orlando heads on the road next, as they'll take on the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "27", "Timberwolves": "27"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "98", "Timberwolves": "87"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Mavericks": "19"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "13", "Timberwolves": "14"}}, {"Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "3", "Zach LaVine": "1", "Ricky Rubio": "10", "Nemanja Bjelica": "1", "Wesley Matthews": "1", "Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Deron Williams": "10", "Devin Harris": "3", "J.J. Barea": "3"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "19", "Gorgui Dieng": "21", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "18", "Zach LaVine": "11", "Ricky Rubio": "8", "Nemanja Bjelica": "10", "Wesley Matthews": "19", "Dirk Nowitzki": "17", "Deron Williams": "13", "Devin Harris": "10", "J.J. Barea": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "8", "Gorgui Dieng": "8", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "9", "Zach LaVine": "5", "Nemanja Bjelica": "4", "Wesley Matthews": "7", "Harrison Barnes": "3", "Dirk Nowitzki": "6", "Deron Williams": "4", "Devin Harris": "3", "J.J. Barea": "3"}, "Steals": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Gorgui Dieng": "1", "Zach LaVine": "1", "Nemanja Bjelica": "1", "Deron Williams": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "38", "Nemanja Bjelica": "22"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Zach LaVine": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Zach LaVine": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Wesley Matthews": "1", "Harrison Barnes": "1", "Dirk Nowitzki": "3"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, 98 - 87, at American Airlines Center on Sunday. The Timberwolves (14 - 27) had handled the Mavericks last Monday night at the Target Center on the strength of a 34 - point, 11 - rebound double - double from Karl-Anthony Towns. However, the Mavericks (13 - 27) appeared intent on not allowing that to transpire again, and their focus on limiting Minnesota's best all - around player was effective enough to insure themselves a home victory. Dallas limited Towns to a solid but tolerable stat line of 18 points, nine rebounds, three assists, steal and block over 38 minutes, while also turning in a balanced offensive effort on their end. The Mavs shot 47 percent from the field and 41 percent from three - point range, while seeing six players hit double digits in the scoring column. The T-Wolves were actually paced by Gorgui Dieng, who managed 21 points, eight boards and a steal. Andrew Wiggins posted a full stat line of 19 points, eight rebounds, four assists and a steal. Zach LaVine returned to the starting lineup after missing the previous two games with a hip injury and registered 11 points, five boards, an assist and a steal. Ricky Rubio tallied a modest eight points but did dish out 10 assists, while Nemanja Bjelica went for 10 points, four rebounds, an assist and a steal in 22 minutes off the bench. Dallas was led by Wesley Matthews, who tallied 19 points, along with seven rebounds, an assist and a block. Dirk Nowitzki continued his recent resurgence with 17 points, six rebounds, two assists and three blocks. Deron Williams supplied a 13 - point, 10 - assist double - double that also included four rebounds and two steals. Harrison Barnes matched Williams' scoring total and added three boards, a block and steal. J.J. Barea led the second unit with 15 points, three rebounds and three assists, while Devin Harris posted 10 points, three rebounds and three assists. The Timberwolves remain in the Lone Star State to do battle with the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday evening, while the Mavericks head to the Windy City for a showdown with the Chicago Bulls on that same night."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "46"}}, {"Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "27", "Kristaps Porzingis": "19", "Courtney Lee": "15", "Derrick Rose": "17", "Lance Thomas": "13", "Caris LeVert": "13", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "14", "Brook Lopez": "25", "Jeremy Lin": "13", "Trevor Booker": "14", "Isaiah Whitehead": "10", "Quincy Acy": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "10", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "11", "Trevor Booker": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Derrick Rose": "15"}}], "The Nets built a 67 - 49 halftime lead and withstood a second - half New York rally, holding the Knicks scoreless over the final 1:8 to seal the win. Brooklyn shot 46 percent from the field and 50 percent from three - point range, while seven Nets players tallied double digits in the scoring column. Brook Lopez's 25 points led the Nets. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson posted a 14 - point, 11 - rebound double - double, while Trevor Booker matched Hollis-Jefferson's point total off the bench and added nine rebounds. Jeremy Lin and Caris LaVert supplied matching 13 - point efforts. Quincy Acy (12 points) and Isaiah Whitehead (10 points) were productive in reserve roles as well. Carmelo Anthony's 27 points paced New York. Kristaps Porzingis contributed a 19 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Derrick Rose provided 17 points, while Courtney Lee went for 15. Lance Thomas' 13 points led the bench."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "28", "Wizards": "40"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "114", "Wizards": "109"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Clippers": "27"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "48", "Wizards": "37"}}, {"Points": {"Marcin Gortat": "21", "Blake Griffin": "6", "Chris Paul": "27"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "13", "Chris Paul": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "5"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (48 - 28) beat the Washington Wizards (37 - 40) 114 - 109 on Sunday in All-Star Blake Griffin's return from injury and suspension. Veteran star Chris Paul led the way for the Clippers with 27 points and 12 assists, adding clutch baskets in the final minutes to secure the Los Angeles victory. All eyes, of course, were on All-Star Blake Griffin in his first game back from his extended absence. After suffering a broken hand in a quarrel with the team equipment manager and serving a subsequent suspension for the fight, Griffin showed signs of rust on Sunday, finishing the game with just six points and five rebounds. Still, the All-NBA forward looked like his old self in his first points of the game, finishing a massive alley - oop from Chris Paul. The Clippers currently sit at fourth place in the West, a position that looks unlikely to change before the season's end. For the Wizards, a second - round playoff team in 2014 - 15, the season looks unlikely to end in another trip to the postseason. The tenth - place Wizards sit three games below .500, and remain unlikely to secure the eighth seed before the season's close. All-Star John Wall dished out a game - high 13 assists, while Marcin Gortat led the team with 21 points. The team blocked just one shot on the night and forced only 11 turnovers, generally struggling on the defensive end. The Clippers will see a same - city matchup on Tuesday against the Lakers. The Wizards, meanwhile, will host the struggling Nets on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "48", "Magic": "52"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "2", "Magic": "5"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "104", "Magic": "96"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nets": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Nets": "45", "Magic": "31"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "4", "Magic": "2"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "53"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "13", "Evan Fournier": "9", "Elfrid Payton": "5", "Joe Johnson": "14", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Tobias Harris": "4", "Evan Fournier": "6", "Elfrid Payton": "1", "Joe Johnson": "5", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "9"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "11", "Nikola Vucevic": "27", "Evan Fournier": "19", "Elfrid Payton": "2", "Joe Johnson": "13", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "22", "Deron Williams": "18", "Mason Plumlee": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "12", "Evan Fournier": "1", "Joe Johnson": "5", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "6", "Mason Plumlee": "10"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Evan Fournier": "1", "Joe Johnson": "5", "Mason Plumlee": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Evan Fournier": "2", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Evan Fournier": "2", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "2"}, "Assists": {"Elfrid Payton": "6", "Deron Williams": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Joe Johnson": "32", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "32", "Mason Plumlee": "16"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Mason Plumlee": "5"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets (4 - 2) defeated the Orlando Magic (2 - 5) 104 - 96 on Sunday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The Magic shot 52 percent from the field and 53 percent from behind the arc compared to the Nets 48 percent from the field and 28 percent from three - point. The Nets were able to out - rebound the Magic 45 to 31, with Mason Plumlee leading the way as he recorded a team - leading 10. This win marks the second consecutive victory for Brooklyn as they now sit one game out of first place behind the Toronto Raptors, who they'll play Wednesday in an attempt to take a share of the lead in the Atlantic Division. The Nets got a huge contribution out of starting shooting guard, Bojan Bogdanovic. He shot 9 - for - 12 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line, finishing with a team - high 22 points and six rebounds. Considering he's only reached double figures in points once this season, it was an unexpected season - high for Bogdanovic. Deron Williams was the next highest scorer, as he added 18 points and seven assists, which is right on par with his season averages of 20 points and seven assists. Coming off the bench, Plumlee turned in his first double - double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds in only 16 minutes. Joe Johnson struggled to find his shot, and hit only five of his 14 shots from the field to add 13 points in 32 minutes. The Magic continued to see Nikola Vucevic shine, as he recorded his fifth double - double of the season, going off for 27 points and 12 rebounds. He's now averaging 17 points and 12 rebounds on the year. Evan Fournier, who's still filling in for Victor Oladipo, continued to do a stand up job and finished with 19 points on 6 - of - 9 shooting from the field and 2 - of - 2 from three - point land. After coming off one of his best games of the year against Minnesota when he finished with 15 points and four assists, Elfrid Payton came back down to earth and only provided two points (1 - 5 FG). It was n't all bad though, as he did chip in six assists. Tobias Harris was uncharacteristicly quiet, as he shot only 4 - for - 13 from the field for 11 points. The Nets' next game will be on the road against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, while the Magic will go on the road to Toronto to play the Raptors on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "42"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "51"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "28", "Rockets": "29"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "117", "Rockets": "114"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "28", "Rockets": "28"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"James Harden": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "30", "Jason Terry": "9", "Gordon Hayward": "7", "Rodney Hood": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "16", "Jason Terry": "2", "Gordon Hayward": "6", "Rodney Hood": "6"}, "Points": {"James Harden": "42", "Gordon Hayward": "28", "Rodney Hood": "18"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "2", "Rodney Hood": "5"}, "Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "15"}, "Free throws made": {"Gordon Hayward": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "7"}}], "The Utah Jazz (28 - 28) caught the Houston Rockets (28 - 29) in the standings on Tuesday with a narrow overtime win, 117 - 114. Utah centerpiece Gordon Hayward was the team's leading scorer per usual, dropping in 28 points on impressive 6 - for - 7 shooting and 13 - for - 15 from the line. Hayward rounded out his statline with seven rebounds and five assists. It was sophomore teammate Rodney Hood, however, who ultimately propelled the Jazz to victory. Hood went 6 - for - 10 for 18 points while also grabbing five steals on the defensive end. The Jazz were able to overcome poor ball management, leading to 21 team turnovers, by shooting the lights out. Utah shot 51 percent from the floor and 42 percent from three. With the win, the Jazz are back in the Western Conference playoff picture despite losing three of their last four headed into Tuesday's matchup. James Harden posted a valiant resistance to the Jazz's shooting onslaught, going 16 - for - 30 for 42 points. He currently sits at second in the league in scoring behind reigning MVP Steph Curry, and Tuesday's performance served to close the narrowing gap between the two. Harden could only do so much, however, as the team shot a collective 41 percent. Bench veteran Jason Terry was among the biggest offenders, shooting just 2 - for - 9 on the night. Despite forcing the issue on defense to force 21 turnovers, Houston's offensive effort simply could not push them over the top. The Jazz face a tough matchup against a historically good Spurs team on Wednesday. Houston, meanwhile, will travel to face the red - hot Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "24", "76ers": "27"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "109", "76ers": "114"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bucks": "19"}, "Turnovers": {"Bucks": "19"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "21", "76ers": "17"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"76ers": "46"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"76ers": "53"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Nerlens Noel": "28", "Greg Monroe": "30"}, "Points": {"Nerlens Noel": "16", "Gerald Henderson": "20", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "17", "Jabari Parker": "20", "Greg Monroe": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Nerlens Noel": "13", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "12", "Greg Monroe": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gerald Henderson": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Gerald Henderson": "7"}, "Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Jabari Parker": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jabari Parker": "3", "Greg Monroe": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jabari Parker": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Jabari Parker": "3"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 114 - 109 Wednesday at BMO Harris Bradley Center. One night after the Bucks (21 - 24) get a much - needed win at home against the Rockets, the 76ers (17 - 27) come to town and play spoiler. On the second night of a back - to - back set without both Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor, Philadelphia managed to find a way to pull away late and end Milwaukee's win streak at one game. Meanwhile, the 76ers themselves extended their win streak to two games and have now won five of their last six games. Wednesday's win came on the shoulders off an excellent performance from Gerald Henderson off the bench, as the shooting guard scored a team - high 20 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting from the field. Additionally, Nerlens Noel, who was filling the shoes of both Embiid and Okafor, came up with a double - double of 16 points and 13 rebounds in just 28 minutes. As a team, it was a very strong shooting night for Philadelphia, as they shot 53 percent from the field overall and 46 percent from behind the arc. For the Bucks, they continue to struggle, as they have now lost six of their last seven games - - two of which have now come at home to the 76ers. This was despite a terrific performance off the bench from Greg Monroe, who posted 28 points and nine rebounds in 30 minutes off the bench. Jabari Parker added 20 points of his own, while Giannis Antetokounmpo had a solid overall game of 17 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and four steals, but ultimately it was n't enough, as the other three Milwaukee starters managed to score just 22 combined points. On top of it all, the Bucks ending the game on two consecutive turnovers was indicative of the night they had taking care of the ball, as they finished the game with a total of 19."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "38"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"James Harden": "11", "Eric Gordon": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"James Harden": "1", "Eric Gordon": "1"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"James Harden": "9"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"James Harden": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"James Harden": "1", "Eric Gordon": "2"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Eric Gordon": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Eric Gordon": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Eric Gordon": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Eric Gordon": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Eric Gordon": "1"}}], "For the Rockets top two scorers, MVP-candidate James Harden and Sixth Man of the Year-candidate Eric Gordon, it was an uncharacteristically bad shooting night. In fact, for both, in their own regard, it was their worst of the season. For Harden, it was his 3 - point shooting performance that was his worst of the season, as his nine percent (1 - of - 11) mark from long range beat out his previous worst of 2 - of - 11 (18 percent) from deep. Meanwhile, Eric Gordon came off the bench Tuesday to not only shoot a season - worst 4 - of - 15 (26 percent) from the field overall, but also managed to hit just 1 - of - 8 shots from behind the arc - - his worst percentage of the season when making at least one 3 - point attempt. The shooting performances from the backcourt were contagious in the end, as the Rockets finished the game making just six of their 38 attempts from long range."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Clippers": "22"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "41"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "2"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"George Hill": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"George Hill": "2", "Dante Exum": "2", "Blake Griffin": "10"}, "Steals": {"George Hill": "2", "Blake Griffin": "1", "Jamal Crawford": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"George Hill": "2"}, "Assists": {"Dante Exum": "2", "Blake Griffin": "1", "Chris Paul": "9", "Jamal Crawford": "1", "Austin Rivers": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dante Exum": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Dante Exum": "2"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "18"}}], "As is likely to often be the case this season, a healthy and reinvigorated Blake Griffin led the way for the Clippers, despite the Jazz's suffocating defense. His line of 18 points, 10 rebounds, an assist and a steal paced the team, with only reserves Austin Rivers and Jamal Crawford joining him with double digits in the scoring column. Chris Paul's nine assists and four steals were pivotal non - scoring contributions, as well, helping the Clippers to prevail despite 41 and 22 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively. With George Hill and Dante Exum the only two players to tally double - digit scoring, the Jazz struggled offensively throughout the afternoon. Rodney Hood and Joe Johnson, dependable sources of scoring in the early going, mustered a combined 12 points on just 5 - for - 19 shooting."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "43"}, "Losses": {"Spurs": "1", "Jazz": "2"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "91", "Jazz": "106"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Spurs": "22"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "4", "Jazz": "2"}}, {"Assists": {"George Hill": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"George Hill": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"George Hill": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"George Hill": "33", "Trey Lyles": "29", "Kawhi Leonard": "36"}, "Points": {"George Hill": "22", "Trey Lyles": "15", "Kawhi Leonard": "30", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Trey Lyles": "7", "Kawhi Leonard": "7"}}], "The Utah Jazz defeated the San Antonio Spurs 106 - 91 at AT & T Center on Tuesday. The Jazz (2 - 2) used a 100 run to end the fourth quarter to take home an upset victory and hand the Spurs (4 - 1) their first loss of the regular season. Utah, who did n't allow San Antonio to score a single point in the final 3:47 of the game, was led by the play of starting point guard George Hill, who recorded 22 points, on an impressive 9 - of - 13 shooting from the field, and seven assists in 33 minutes. Off the bench, it was Trey Lyles who came up big, playing 29 minutes with starting power forward Derrick Favors on a minutes restriction and recording 15 points and seven rebounds in that time. As a team, the Jazz won the game at the 3 - point line, shooting a scorching 15 - of - 31 from behind the arc. For the Spurs, it was a slow start and a slow finish, but Kawhi Leonard continues to shine with another superstar performance. Leonard recorded 30 points, his third time reaching that number this season, and seven rebounds in 36 minutes. Unfortunately for Leonard, he did n't receive much help from his teammates, as LaMarcus Aldridge's 21 points made him the only other Spur to score in double figures. In the end, it was the Spurs' ineffective shooting performance that led to the loss, as they hit just 43 percent of their shots from the field. Up next, the Jazz will head home Wednesday to take on the Mavericks, while the Spurs will have off until Friday, when they take on the Jazz once again."], [[{}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Buddy Hield": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Buddy Hield": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Buddy Hield": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Buddy Hield": "6"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Buddy Hield": "1"}, "Points": {"Buddy Hield": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Buddy Hield": "1"}}], "It's a small sample size, but in the four games Buddy Hield has played as a members of the Sacramento Kings since the DeMarcus Cousins trade prior to the All-Star break, the former National Player of the Year has already looked more impressive than he ever did during his tenure with Pelicans. Hield's performance in the loss against the Nets on Wednesday was his best with the Kings and one of the best of the season, as the rookie scored a team - high 16 points on 6 - of - 11 shooting from the field and 4 - of - 6 shooting from behind the arc. In his four games in Sacramento, Hield is now averaging 14 points per game while shooting 20 - of - 39 (51 percent) from the field, 8 - of - 19 from behind the arc (42 percent) and hitting 88 percent of his free throw attempts."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "19", "Thunder": "16"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "94", "Thunder": "109"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "19", "Thunder": "23"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "57"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Steven Adams": "14", "Enes Kanter": "11", "Jimmy Butler": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Steven Adams": "11", "Enes Kanter": "9", "Jimmy Butler": "0"}, "Points": {"Steven Adams": "22", "Russell Westbrook": "21", "Enes Kanter": "20", "Jimmy Butler": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "22", "Michael Carter-Williams": "15", "Cristiano Felicio": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Steven Adams": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "9", "Enes Kanter": "11", "Jimmy Butler": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "4", "Cristiano Felicio": "11"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "14", "Jimmy Butler": "7", "Dwyane Wade": "6", "Michael Carter-Williams": "2"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the host Chicago Bulls, 109 - 94, at United Center on Monday. In a game that was expected to be close, the Thunder gave it to the Bulls in this lopsided result. In fact, Oklahoma City won all of the first three quarters by at least six points, as they took a 22 - point lead into the fourth quarter. Aside from Chicago grabbing the first lead of the game, the Thunder led for the final 45 - plus minutes. All the statistics were one - sided, with the Thunder winning the shooting, rebounding and assisting differentials. The Thunder shot 57 percent from the field, while the Bulls barely cracked 40 percent shooting. In addition, Oklahoma City outscored Chicago 25 - 4 in fastbreak points and 60 - 36 in the paint. The Thunder (23 - 16) were in a bit of a slide, so a road win against the Bulls is just what the doctor ordered. Russell Westbrook was once again the catalyst, accumulating 21 points, nine rebounds and 14 assists. Steven Adams led the team in scoring, totaling 22 points and five rebounds on 11 - of - 14 from the field. Enes Kanter was a nice spark off the bench, collecting 20 points and 11 rebounds on 9 - of - 11 shooting. On deck for Oklahoma City is a home matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday. The Bulls (19 - 19) came into this game in the midst of a three - game winning streak, but that ended in rather embarrassing fashion. After winning player of the week last week, Jimmy Butler finished this game with one point, two rebounds and seven assists on 0 - of - 6 shooting, as he was clearly hampered by the sickness that made him questionable coming in. Dwyane Wade was the teams best player, tallying 22 points, four rebounds and six assists. Michael Carter-Williams was the only other starter in double figures, dropping 15 points and adding two assists. Cristiano Felicio got a bunch of garbage minutes and recorded an 11 - point, 11 - rebound double - double off the bench. Chicago will be in action again on Tuesday, as they play the Washington Wizards on the road."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "53"}}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "6", "Chris Paul": "12", "DeMarcus Cousins": "7", "Ty Lawson": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "15", "JJ Redick": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Blake Griffin": "7", "JJ Redick": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "16"}, "Free throws made": {"Blake Griffin": "15"}, "Minutes played": {"Blake Griffin": "37", "Chris Paul": "33", "DeMarcus Cousins": "37", "Darren Collison": "33"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "29", "JJ Redick": "26", "Chris Paul": "11", "DeMarcus Cousins": "38", "Ty Lawson": "18", "Darren Collison": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "7", "Chris Paul": "9", "DeMarcus Cousins": "13", "Ty Lawson": "7"}, "Steals": {"Blake Griffin": "2", "Chris Paul": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"JJ Redick": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"JJ Redick": "6"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}}], "The Clippers gave up 115 points Friday, which is much more than they average in terms of points against this season. However, they shot 53 percent from the field and 13 - of - 29 from long range. They also hit 28 - of - 34 free throws. Blake Griffin finished with 29 points on 7 - of - 15 shooting, while going 15 - of - 16 from the free throw line. Griffin added seven rebounds, six assists and two steals, in 37 minutes. J.J. Redick followed up with 26 points on 8 - of - 12 shooting, including 6 - of - 8 from downtown. Chris Paul neared a triple - double with 11 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds, along with three steals, in 33 minutes. DeMarcus Cousins dominated for the Kings, with 38 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and one block, in 37 minutes. Ty Lawson finished with 18 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, while Darren Collison chipped in 16 points in 33 minutes off the bench."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Suns": "50", "Lakers": "31"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "55", "Lakers": "43"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "119", "Lakers": "99"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Suns": "21"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "2"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Lakers": "19"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "0"}}, {"Assists": {"Kobe Bryant": "3", "Ed Davis": "3", "Eric Bledsoe": "9", "Isaiah Thomas": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "25", "Jeremy Lin": "5", "Wayne Ellington": "9", "Miles Plumlee": "7", "Isaiah Thomas": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Kobe Bryant": "11", "Jeremy Lin": "2", "Wayne Ellington": "6", "Miles Plumlee": "5", "Isaiah Thomas": "9"}, "Points": {"Kobe Bryant": "31", "Jeremy Lin": "6", "Ed Davis": "14", "Wayne Ellington": "13", "Marcus Morris": "21", "Markieff Morris": "12", "Miles Plumlee": "10", "Goran Dragic": "18", "Eric Bledsoe": "16", "Isaiah Thomas": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Kobe Bryant": "4", "Ed Davis": "9", "Marcus Morris": "1", "Miles Plumlee": "6", "Isaiah Thomas": "1"}, "Steals": {"Kobe Bryant": "2", "Ed Davis": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Ed Davis": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Wayne Ellington": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Wayne Ellington": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "5"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (10) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (0 - 2) 119 - 99 on Wednesday at the US Airways Center in Phoenix. In a winning effort, the Suns finished the game shooting 55 percent from the field and 50 percent from beyond the arc. The Lakers shot 43 percent from the field and only 31 percent from the three - point line. After being outscored 33 to 19 in the first quarter, the Lakers were never able to fight their way back into contention. For the depleted Lakers, Kobe Bryant again led the way. He hoisted 25 shots of his own, making 11 - of - 25 and scoring 31 points. He also had four rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Ed Davis came off the bench for 14 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two blocked shots. Wayne Ellington hit 6 - for - 9 from the field and 1 - for - 3 from the three - point line to finish with 13 points in 24 minutes. Jeremy Lin had his second disappointing game in a row as the Lakers' starting point guard, going 2 - for - 5 from the field and scoring only six points. Lin's backup Ronnie Price played eight more minutes than him. The Suns had six players finish in double - digits, including the Morris twins, as Marcus had 21 points and Markieff had 12. Isaiah Thomas was extremely efficient off the bench shooting 9 - for - 11 from the field and 5 - for - 7 from behind the arc to give him 23 points on the night. He also had one rebound and three assists. Guards Goran Dragic and Eric Bledsoe contributed 18 and 16 points respectively. Bledsoe nearly had a double - double by adding nine assists to go along with his points. Starting center Miles Plumlee went 5 - for - 7 from the field and scored 10 points with six rebounds. The Lakers will be on the road Friday to play the Los Angeles Clippers, while the Suns will travel to San Antonio on Friday to play the Spurs."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "34", "Spurs": "22"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "90", "Spurs": "81"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "21", "Spurs": "34"}}, {"Blocks": {"Tim Duncan": "3", "Rudy Gobert": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Tim Duncan": "28", "Trey Burke": "28"}, "Points": {"Tim Duncan": "14", "Cory Joseph": "10", "Rudy Gobert": "7", "Trey Burke": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Tim Duncan": "10", "Rudy Gobert": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Trey Burke": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Trey Burke": "9"}}], "The Utah Jazz (21 - 34) defeated the San Antonio Spurs (34 - 22) 90 - 81 on Monday. The Enes Kanter trade has allowed Rudy Gobert to take over at center for Utah. Gobert proceeded to put up seven points, 14 rebounds and three blocks against the defending NBA champion Spurs. Meanwhile, Trey Burke had a game - high 23 points on 9 - for - 17 from the field. He came off the bench and played 28 minutes. The Jazz are 20 since the All-Star break and have won four of their last five games. Tim Duncan was the lone Spurs starter to score in double figures. He had 14 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks in 28 minutes. Boris Diaw and Cory Joseph combined for 23 points off the bench and were the only other San Antonio players to reach 10 points. In all, 13 players played for the Spurs, and everyone but Jeff Ayres and Tiago Splitter reached the nine - minute plateau. San Antonio sits at the seven spot in the Western Conference and has a three - game lead on the Oklahoma City Thunder, the next best team. The Spurs will take on the Trail Blazers in Portland on Wednesday. The Jazz will host the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, as they look to have a 30 homestand."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "42", "Celtics": "41"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "104", "Celtics": "116"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "31", "Celtics": "33"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Celtics": "30"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Avery Bradley": "39", "Al Jefferson": "25"}, "Points": {"Avery Bradley": "30", "Marcus Smart": "14", "Isaiah Thomas": "10", "Al Jefferson": "12", "Kemba Walker": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Avery Bradley": "8", "Marcus Smart": "6", "Al Jefferson": "5"}, "Assists": {"Marcus Smart": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "7", "Al Jefferson": "4", "Kemba Walker": "12"}, "Blocks": {"Marcus Smart": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Marcus Smart": "1", "Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Steals": {"Marcus Smart": "3", "Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Kemba Walker": "9"}, "Personal fouls": {"Isaiah Thomas": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Al Jefferson": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"Al Jefferson": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "9"}}], "The Boston Celtics (33 - 41) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (31 - 42) 116 - 104 on Monday. Rookie point guard Marcus Smart bounced back after going scoreless against the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. He put in 14 points to go along with six boards, four assists three steals and one black. His backcourt mate Avery Bradley led the Celtics with 30 points and eight rebounds in 39 minutes of action. Boston got loads of backcourt production, as Isaiah Thomas came off the bench and had 10 points and seven assists. Thomas has been great since putting up a dud in his first game back from injury four games ago. Over his last three games Thomas is averaging 16 points and 7 assists in less than 25 minutes a game. Their three - headed backcourt has put them in the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference with the Brooklyn Nets hot on their heels. Kemba Walker led the Hornets with 28 points and 12 assists in 39 minutes. Charlotte's other star Al Jefferson was able to play despite needing to have his knee drained of fluid two times over the past week. He finished with 12 points, five rebounds and four assists in 25 minutes. Cody Zeller was unable to play again on Monday with a shoulder injury, he's missed nine of the last ten games, including five straight. The Hornets are 3 - 7 in his absence. Charlotte will welcome the Detroit Pistons to town, as Boston will host the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "17", "Warriors": "14"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "98", "Warriors": "110"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Spurs": "33", "Warriors": "17"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "57", "Warriors": "61"}}, {"Points": {"Klay Thompson": "23", "Stephen Curry": "29", "Kawhi Leonard": "19"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "7"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the San Antonio Spurs 110 - 98 Wednesday at AT & T Center. It was n't the best start for the winning team Wednesday night. In fact, it was an awful one, as the Warriors (61 - 14) found themselves down 23 - 3 to the Spurs (57 - 17) before they could blink. That sort of beat down carried on throughout the remainder of the first quarter, as the Spurs held a 33 - 17 advantage after the first 12 minutes, and the game seemed all but over. Golden State had other plans, however, and they elected to dominate the ball game over the final 36 minutes. In the end, they outscored the home team by 28 points over the next three quarters, which ended in a seemingly effortless victory from Golden State. Steph Curry led the way scoring with 29 points on top of 11 assists, while Klay Thompson added 23 points of his own. Overall, the team simply caught fire after their slow start, finishing the game shooting 51 percent from the field and 50 percent from behind the arc. As for San Antonio, their hot start was short - lived, as they not only had an eight - game winning streak come to an end, but they also failed to complete the season sweep of the Warriors. The Spurs have tended to go as their superstar wing Kawhi Leonard goes, and Wednesday night, the swingman struggled. Leonard finished with just 19 points on 7 - of - 20 shooting from the field and 0 - of - 5 shooting from downtown. Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Danny Green and Paul Gasol managed to combine for 70 points in the loss, with no other Spur able to score more than eight points. This included the zero points Tony Parker was able to score in 21 minutes on the floor. Following the victory, the Warriors once again have a comfortable lead as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference standings, sitting 4 games ahead of the second - place Spurs and extending their winning streak to nine games."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "8", "Spurs": "6"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "106", "Spurs": "101"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "22", "Spurs": "23"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Jonathon Simmons": "22"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Chris Paul": "5"}, "Points": {"Chris Paul": "19"}, "Steals": {"Chris Paul": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Marreese Speights": "1"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the San Antonio Spurs 106 - 101 at Staples Center on Thursday. The Clippers (22 - 8) snapped the Spurs (23 - 6) five game winning streak, even without Blake Griffin (knee) and Chris Paul (hamstring). Paul left towards the end of the third quarter and was questionable to return, leaving the reigns to Raymond Felton. Los Angeles maintained a steady lead throughout most of the second half, picking apart a weak defensive effort, save from that of Kawhi Leoanrd. The Clippers leaned on a handful of reserve players like Austin Rivers, Felton and Jamal Crawford to come away with the edgy victory. Aside from a minor lapse during the waning seconds of the fourth quarter, the score finished far closer than most of the game showed. Before leaving, Paul scored scored 19 points, to go along with seven rebounds, six assists, and two steals across 24 minutes. Marreese Speights and Felton combined for 27 points off the bench, and the Warriors implant pretty much closed out the game for Los Angeles with a three - pointer that salvaged a 0 - of - 5 effort up to that point late in the fourth quarter. Kawhi Leonard added another strong performance to his already impressive first half of the season. The Spurs forward scored 27 points, grabbed nine rebounds and dished out five assists on 8 - of - 19 shooting. San Antonio went seven players deep on the bench, led by Jonathon Simmons eight points and five rebounds across 22 minutes. Both teams play the second game of a back - to - back on Friday, as the Spurs visit the Portland Trail Blazers, while the Clippers host the Dallas Mavericks."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "28", "Raptors": "15"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "122", "Raptors": "127"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "18", "Raptors": "32"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "9", "Jarrett Jack": "13"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMar DeRozan": "41"}, "Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "26", "Jarrett Jack": "35", "Brook Lopez": "35"}, "Free throws made": {"Lou Williams": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "12"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (32 - 15) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (18 - 28) 127 - 122 in double overtime on Friday. Toronto went through a rough patch early in January, but they've collected five straight wins to help right the ship. The improved play of DeMar DeRozan over the last week has been the most obvious improvement seen from the Raptors, and it was DeRozan who led the Raptors on Friday, putting up a team - high 26 points and nine assists in 41 minutes. While they hold the distinguished position of being in second place in the Eastern Conference standings, the Raptors are also a wide birth of 8 games behind the conference - leading Atlanta Hawks. Brooklyn has dropped four straight games, and they've only won three games in January as they continue to fall out of the playoff conversation. Jarrett Jack put up a fight Friday, scoring a game - high 35 points, but the Nets continue to struggle with Deron Williams (ribs) missing the last 10 games, and while Williams appears close to returning, there's no target date that has been released to the public. Brook Lopez took advantage of getting 40 minutes off the bench for Brooklyn on Friday and matched Jack's game high with 35 points of his own. Jack also handed out 13 assists, and Lopez pulled down 12 rebounds, but their combined effort could n't get them over the hump against the Raptors. Toronto will continue their road trip against the Washington Wizards on Saturday. The Nets will host the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "30"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "31", "Grizzlies": "30"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "91", "Grizzlies": "103"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "37", "Grizzlies": "39"}}, {"Blocks": {"JaMychal Green": "2", "Dwight Howard": "3", "Taurean Prince": "4"}, "Points": {"JaMychal Green": "14", "Marc Gasol": "18", "Mike Conley": "22", "Dwight Howard": "10", "Kent Bazemore": "16", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "18", "Taurean Prince": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"JaMychal Green": "12", "Marc Gasol": "10", "Mike Conley": "4", "Dwight Howard": "11", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "4", "Taurean Prince": "6"}, "Steals": {"JaMychal Green": "2"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "10", "Mike Conley": "12", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "3"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the host Atlanta Hawks, 103 - 91, at Philips Arena on Thursday. While this game was tight throughout the first half, Atlanta really made their mark in the second half. In fact, they outscored the Hawks, 48 - 39, across the final two quarters. Defense was key for the Grizzlies, as they held the Hawks to 40 percent from the field and 30 percent from three - point range. Rebounding was a decisive statistic as well, with Memphis winning that battle, 48 - 38. The Grizzlies also dominated the assist ratio, recording 28 assists to Atlanta's 18. The Grizzlies (39 - 30) have now won three - straight games, as they appear to be out of the slump that ailed them just last week. Marc Gasol picked up a rare triple - double, as he collected 18 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Mike Conley led the team in scoring, as he accrued 22 points, four rebounds and 12 assists. JaMychal Green recorded a double - double, totaling 14 points, 12 rebounds, two steals and two blocks. On deck for Memphis is a home matchup against the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday. The Hawks (37 - 31) are rarely dominated in their home building, but playing this rough Memphis team is a serious task. Tim Hardaway Jr 'led the team in scoring, as he provided 18 points, four rebounds and three assists off the bench. Kent Bazemore led the starters, as he dropped 16 points. Dwight Howard recorded a double - double, amassing 10 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks. Taurean Prince also played well off the bench, producing 16 points, six rebounds and four blocks. Atlanta will look to play better on Saturday in a home matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Hawks": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "48"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hawks": "40"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "6", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1", "Jabari Parker": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "3"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "23", "Dennis Schroder": "33", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "14", "Jabari Parker": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "14", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6", "Jabari Parker": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dennis Schroder": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Dennis Schroder": "12"}, "Steals": {"Jabari Parker": "3"}}], "With the form of these two teams, a 20 - point halftime lead for the Bucks would look like a guaranteed win. That simply was n't the case though, as Atlanta outscored Milwaukee by 24 in the second half to pull out a huge comeback victory. The Hawks offense was very efficient, as they shot 48 percent from the field and assisted on 32 of their 40 made baskets. Dennis Schroeder was the player of the game, scoring a career - high 33 points on 12 - of - 19 shooting. Paul Millsap did a little bit of everything, accumulating 23 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and three blocks. Jabari Parker did all he could to keep Milwaukee in this game, as he accrued 27 points, four rebound, four assists and three steals. Giannis Antetokounmpo dealt with foul trouble all night long, as he finished with just 14 points, six rebounds and one assist."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "6", "Trail Blazers": "3"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "113", "Trail Blazers": "130"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "1", "Trail Blazers": "6"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Trail Blazers": "49"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "51"}}, {"Points": {"Allen Crabbe": "7", "Robin Lopez": "19", "Damian Lillard": "27", "Kenneth Faried": "10", "Ty Lawson": "32", "JJ Hickson": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Robin Lopez": "11", "Damian Lillard": "16", "Ty Lawson": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Robin Lopez": "8", "Damian Lillard": "10", "Ty Lawson": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Robin Lopez": "3", "Ty Lawson": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Robin Lopez": "3", "Ty Lawson": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Robin Lopez": "5", "Damian Lillard": "5", "Kenneth Faried": "4", "JJ Hickson": "11"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "9", "Ty Lawson": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "6", "Ty Lawson": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Damian Lillard": "5", "Ty Lawson": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"JJ Hickson": "21"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (6 - 3) defeated the Denver Nuggets (1 - 6) 130 - 113 on Wednesday at the Pepsi Center in Denver. The Blazers were scorching hot from the beginning of this game, torching the Nuggets for 84 points in the first half. They shot 51 percent from the field and 49 percent from behind the three - point line, to give them a season - high scoring total of 130 points. Despite out - rebounding the Trail Blazers and having less turnovers, the Nuggets just could n't keep the Blazers from scoring at will. This was the second matchup this week between the two teams. After LaMarcus Aldridge and Wesley Matthews did most of the damage on Sunday, it was Damian Lillard and Robin Lopez who led the charge Wednesday. Lillard finished the game with 27 points and nine assists. He shot 10 - for - 16 from the field and 5 - for - 6 from beyond the arc. Lopez contributed 19 points of his own (8 - 11 FG, 3 - 3 FT), while also adding five rebounds. The Blazers had plenty of help off the bench with Chris Kaman and C.J. McCollum combining for 31 points on 10 - for - 15 shooting from the floor. This was Kaman's third game in a row scoring double figures off the bench. Taking Nicolas Batum's spot in the starting lineup, the inexperienced Allen Crabbe totaled seven points in 17 minutes. The Nuggets were led by Ty Lawson, who scored 32 points (11 - 17 FG, 4 - 5 3Pt, 6 - 7 FT), while dishing out six assists. The 32 points was a season - high for Lawson. J.J. Hickson continued to receive minutes in his second game of the season after returning from suspension. He posted his first double - double of the year, going for 14 points and 11 rebounds in 21 minutes. Kenneth Faried had a relatively quiet game as he only scored 10 points and pulled in four rebounds. Faried is now averaging 12 points and 9 rebounds on the season. The Blazers' next game will be at home against the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday, while the Nuggets will travel to Indiana to play the Pacers on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "35", "Bulls": "37"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "96", "Bulls": "98"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "39", "Bulls": "37"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Bulls": "28"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Taj Gibson": "10", "Nikola Mirotic": "37"}, "Assists": {"Pau Gasol": "7", "Jimmy Butler": "3", "Derrick Rose": "4", "Nikola Mirotic": "2", "Paul George": "5", "Ian Mahinmi": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Pau Gasol": "4", "Paul George": "1", "Ian Mahinmi": "2"}, "Points": {"Pau Gasol": "10", "Jimmy Butler": "14", "Derrick Rose": "8", "Nikola Mirotic": "28", "Paul George": "20", "Ian Mahinmi": "18", "Lavoy Allen": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "11", "Jimmy Butler": "4", "Derrick Rose": "1", "Nikola Mirotic": "10", "Paul George": "9", "Ian Mahinmi": "7", "Lavoy Allen": "6"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jimmy Butler": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "10"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "2", "Nikola Mirotic": "1", "Paul George": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nikola Mirotic": "7"}, "Field goal percentage": {"CJ Miles": "29"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (37 - 37) defeated the Indiana Pacers (39 - 35) on Tuesday, 98 - 96. Jimmy Butler has endured an injury - riddled second half of the season, and the ailments have admittedly affected his play. The stellar two - guard has experienced a recent general downturn in scoring, failing to hit the 20 - point mark in seven straight contests. However, with Chicago's playoff hopes and the game potentially slipping away Tuesday, it was Butler that came through in the clutch. He drained a 10 - foot jump shoot with three seconds remaining to break a 96 - 96 deadlock. The Bulls then survived a C.J. Miles 29 - foot pullup jump shot at the buzzer that could n't find its target, sealing the victory. Chicago was paced by Nikola Mirotic's outstanding effort off the bench, which consisted of 28 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and a steal over 37 minutes. His total included seven made three - pointers, and his extended playing time came as a result of a rib contusion suffered by Taj Gibson after only 10 minutes on the court. Butler followed with 14 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals, which led the starters. Pau Gasol was next with 10 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists and four blocks. No other Bulls player managed to get into double - digit scoring, with Derrick Rose (eight points, four assists and a rebound) notably underperforming. The Bulls remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division, and are currently two games back of the eighth - seeded Detroit Pistons. They head to Houston to take on the Rockets on Thursday. Indiana was paced by Paul George, who took advantage of the Bulls' vulnerable defense versus small forwards to tally 20 points, nine rebounds, five assists, four steals and a block. Ian Mahinmi was right behind him with a third straight strong performance, compiling 18 points, seven rebounds, an assist and two blocks. Lavoy Allen paced the Pacers' reserves with a modest line of nine points and six rebounds. The Pacers are currently in second place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division, and slotted in the seventh seed in the conference as well. They're home again against the Magic on Thursday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Trail Blazers": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Trail Blazers": "55", "76ers": "44"}}, {"Assists": {"Robert Covington": "2", "Jusuf Nurkic": "8", "CJ McCollum": "3", "Damian Lillard": "4"}, "Points": {"Robert Covington": "24", "Dario Saric": "28", "Jahlil Okafor": "16", "Jusuf Nurkic": "28", "CJ McCollum": "23", "Damian Lillard": "24", "Allen Crabbe": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Robert Covington": "13", "Dario Saric": "9", "Jahlil Okafor": "8", "Jusuf Nurkic": "20", "CJ McCollum": "4", "Damian Lillard": "4"}, "Steals": {"Robert Covington": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dario Saric": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Dario Saric": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "6"}}], "Portland was expected to win this game easily, but it took an overtime session to pull out the victory. The key for Portland was rebounding, as they won that differential, 55 - 44. The Trail Blazers also dominated the assist differential, recording 25 assists to the Sixers' 18. Dario Saric carried Philadelphia, as he tallied 28 points, nine rebounds and two steals on 11 - of - 16 shooting. Robert Covington accrued 24 points, 13 rebounds, two assists and two steals. Jahlil Okafor amassed 16 points and eight rebounds. Jusuf Nurkic had the game of his career, as he collected 28 points, 20 rebounds, eight assists and six blocks. Damian Lillard finished second on the team, amassing 24 points, four rebounds and four assists. C.J. McCollum totaled 23 points, four rebounds and three assists. Allen Crabbe came off the bench to provide 18 points."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "42", "Timberwolves": "45"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "48", "Timberwolves": "52"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "97", "Timberwolves": "105"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "19"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "31", "Timberwolves": "27"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Timberwolves": "52"}}, {"Points": {"Gorgui Dieng": "18", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "17", "Zach LaVine": "18", "Nemanja Bjelica": "18", "Rudy Gay": "13", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "15", "Darren Collison": "19", "Quincy Acy": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Gorgui Dieng": "13", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "10", "Rudy Gay": "13", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "6"}, "Steals": {"Zach LaVine": "3", "Rudy Gay": "5", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "3"}, "Assists": {"Darren Collison": "6"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (27 - 52) defeated the Sacramento Kings (31 - 48) 105 - 97 on Thursday. Minnesota came into this game as a rare road favorite and didn\u2019t disappoint. In fact, they either won or tied every quarter in this game. The key for them was the shooting, as they shot 45 percent from the field and 52 percent from three - point range. The defense was solid as well, as the Kings were held to 42 percent shooting on their end, while committing 19 turnovers. After coming off their biggest win of the season, the T'Wolves didn\u2019t have a letdown. Gorgui Dieng was the player of the game, as he scored 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the win. Zach LaVine scored 18 of his own, while also recording three steals. Nemanja Bjelica scored 18 points of his own off the bench as well. Karl-Anthony Towns recorded yet another double - double in a 17 - point, 10 - rebound performance. On deck for Minnesota is a matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday. The Kings played this game without DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo and they clearly weren\u2019t the same team. Rudy Gay did step up though, as he accumulated 13 points, 13 rebounds and five steals in the defeat. The leading scorer was Darren Collison, as he scored 19 while dishing out six assists. Willie Cauley-Stein started again to tally 15 points, six rebounds and three steals. Quincy Acy came off the bench to scored 17 in a solid performance. Up next for Sacramento is a matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "39"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Ryan Anderson": "11", "James Harden": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ryan Anderson": "4", "James Harden": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Ryan Anderson": "32", "Eric Gordon": "33"}, "Points": {"Ryan Anderson": "14", "James Harden": "21", "Eric Gordon": "17", "Steven Adams": "24", "Victor Oladipo": "12", "Russell Westbrook": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Ryan Anderson": "8", "James Harden": "9", "Steven Adams": "10", "Victor Oladipo": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "10"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "12", "Russell Westbrook": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "23", "Eric Gordon": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "6", "Eric Gordon": "5"}}], "James Harden led the way for the Rockets with 21 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds. Harden struggled shooting, going 6 - of - 23 from the field and 2 - of - 11 from distance. He was also scoreless until midway through the second quarter. Eric Gordon came up big off the bench with 17 points on 5 - of - 10 shooting, in 33 minutes. Ryan Anderson went 4 - of - 11 from long range on his way to 14 points, along with eight rebounds, in 32 minutes. The Rockets had an ugly shooting night, going 11 - of - 42 from distance and 39 percent overall. Russell Westbrook led the way for the Thunder as he notched his seventh straight triple - double, with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Steven Adams finished with a double - double 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Victor Oladipo chipped in 12 points and seven rebounds. The Thunder went 7 - of - 28 from long range and gave up 18 turnovers in the game."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "33", "Clippers": "28"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "49", "Clippers": "42"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "2", "Clippers": "5"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "107", "Clippers": "91"}, "Rebounds": {"Grizzlies": "52", "Clippers": "32"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "12", "Clippers": "7"}}, {"Minutes played": {"DeAndre Jordan": "20", "Chris Paul": "34"}, "Points": {"DeAndre Jordan": "2", "JJ Redick": "15", "Chris Paul": "22", "Jamal Crawford": "19", "Zach Randolph": "10", "Marc Gasol": "30", "Courtney Lee": "13", "Beno Udrih": "11", "Quincy Pondexter": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "3", "Chris Paul": "5", "Zach Randolph": "8", "Marc Gasol": "12"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"JJ Redick": "6", "Chris Paul": "2", "Jamal Crawford": "6", "Courtney Lee": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"JJ Redick": "3", "Chris Paul": "1", "Jamal Crawford": "2", "Courtney Lee": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"JJ Redick": "10", "Chris Paul": "13", "Jamal Crawford": "13", "Marc Gasol": "18", "Courtney Lee": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"JJ Redick": "5", "Chris Paul": "7", "Jamal Crawford": "5", "Marc Gasol": "13", "Courtney Lee": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"JJ Redick": "2", "Chris Paul": "7", "Jamal Crawford": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"JJ Redick": "2", "Chris Paul": "7", "Jamal Crawford": "7"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "5"}, "Steals": {"Chris Paul": "4"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (12 - 2) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers (7 - 5) 107 - 91 on Sunday at FedExForum Arena in Memphis. The Grizzlies continued to show their dominance this season with the 16 - point victory over the Clippers. Memphis was able to out - score Los Angeles 53 - 40 in the first half, allowing them the opportunity to coast to the victory in the second half. They also shot 49 percent from the field and 33 percent from the three - point line, compared to the Clippers, who shot only 42 percent from the floor and 28 percent from beyond the arc. The Grizzlies were led by Marc Gasol, who killed the Clippers inside with a 30 - point (13 - 18 FG), 12 - rebound performance. It was his third double - double of the season, with the 12 rebounds helping to give the Grizzlies a 52 - 32 rebounding advantage over the Clippers. Courtney Lee chipped in 13 points as well, shooting 4 - for - 10 from the field and 3 - for - 5 from the three - point line. With Gasol having as big of a game as he did, Zach Randolph did n't have to do as much scoring for Memphis, as he finished with only 10 points, while also adding eight rebounds. Both were below his season averages of 16 points and 12 rebounds, but he was n't relied upon with Gasol having the hot hand. Coming off the bench, both Beno Udrih and Quincy Pondexter chipped in 11 points each to give the Grizzlies some scoring in the second unit. The Clippers saw a big game from Chris Paul, who shot 7 - for - 13 from the field and 1 - for - 2 from beyond the arc to score 22 points in 34 minutes. He also had five rebounds, five assists and four steals, as he was able to stuff the stat sheet against a tough opponent. Coming off the bench, Jamal Crawford did all he could to help Paul try and keep up with the Grizzlies. He shot 5 - for - 13 from the field and 2 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 19 points. He also converted a perfect 7 - for - 7 from the free throw line. He continues to be a very consistent offensive weapon off the bench and is now averaging 17 points on the year. J.J. Redick was able to contribute 15 points (5 - 10 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) of his own, but did n't do much else in the loss. DeAndre Jordan struggled with Marc Gasol covering him, and only posted two points and three rebounds in 20 minutes. The Grizzlies' next game will be on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, while the Clippers will travel to Charlotte to play the Hornets on Monday."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "28", "Hornets": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Marvin Williams": "17", "Nicolas Batum": "15", "Kemba Walker": "31", "Marco Belinelli": "15", "Carmelo Anthony": "18", "Kristaps Porzingis": "18", "Brandon Jennings": "15"}, "Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "9", "Kemba Walker": "5", "Brandon Jennings": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Nicolas Batum": "11", "Kemba Walker": "10", "Carmelo Anthony": "11", "Kristaps Porzingis": "4", "Brandon Jennings": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "3"}}], "New York has struggled on defense all season, but that was the key in their win. In fact, they recorded eight steals and 10 blocks, while the Hornets could only muster up five steals and four blocks. The Knicks really turned it on in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Hornets, 28 - 20. Kemba Walker did all he could for Charlotte, as he dropped a game - high 31 points to go along with 10 rebounds and five assists. Nicolas Batum flirted with a triple - double, accumulating 15 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. Marvin Williams scored 17 points, while Marco Belinelli dropped 15 points off the bench. Carmelo Anthony tied the team - lead for New York, totaling 18 points and 11 rebounds. Kristaps Porzingis also scored 18 points, adding four rebounds and three blocks before fouling out. Brandon Jennings was huge off the bench, tallying 15 points, three rebounds and three assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "35", "Bulls": "27"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "101", "Bulls": "91"}, "Rebounds": {"Hornets": "55", "Bulls": "36"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "29", "Bulls": "40"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Tony Snell": "5", "Doug McDermott": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Tony Snell": "36", "Bismack Biyombo": "22", "Kemba Walker": "28"}, "Points": {"Tony Snell": "17", "Joakim Noah": "1", "Nikola Mirotic": "15", "Doug McDermott": "13", "Bismack Biyombo": "10", "Gerald Henderson": "20"}, "Free throws made": {"Joakim Noah": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Joakim Noah": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Mirotic": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Mirotic": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Bismack Biyombo": "10"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (29 - 35) pulled out the win over the Chicago Bulls (40 - 27), 101 - 91, by limiting them to 31 second - half points. Joakim Noah was assessed his seventh technical foul in his return to the starting lineup after missing one game for rest. The Bulls were outrebounded 55 - 36 and are now one game behind the Toronto Raptors in the loss column. Bismack Biyombo filled in for the injured Al Jefferson and Cody Zeller, compiling 10 points and 10 rebounds in 22 minutes. Kemba Walker, in his second game since returning from a knee injury, played 28 minutes. Seven different Hornets scored at least 10 points, led by Gerald Henderson\u2019s 20. The Hornets moved into the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference. Though the Bulls\u2019 youngsters were asked to shoulder more of an offensive load, it wasn\u2019t enough to secure a win over the eight - seeded Hornets. Nikola Mirotic, a contender for Rookie of the Year, scored 15 points on 5 - of - 15 shooting. Doug McDermott added 13 points and three three - pointers and Tony Snell matched his career - high with five three - pointers, notching 17 points in 36 minutes. Pau Gasol failed to record a double - double for just the 20th time all season. The Hornets have two days off before commencing a five - game road trip against the resurging Utah Jazz. The Bulls conclude a three - game road trip Sunday against the Oklahoma City Thunder."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "22", "Trail Blazers": "27"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "106", "Trail Blazers": "112"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "30", "Trail Blazers": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"CJ McCollum": "6", "Damian Lillard": "5"}, "Points": {"CJ McCollum": "21", "Damian Lillard": "33", "Zach Randolph": "26", "Mike Conley": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"CJ McCollum": "3", "Damian Lillard": "4", "Zach Randolph": "9"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (26 - 27) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (30 - 22) 112 - 106 in overtime on Monday night. There wasn\u2019t a whole lot to decipher these two teams on the stat sheet, as nearly every statistic was tight. Both teams hovered around 50 percent shooting in a surprisingly offensive game. The key for Portal was the bench production, as they got 47 bench points to the Grizzlies 31. Portland looked dead and buried late in the fourth quarter, but made a tip - in with less than a second left to send this one into overtime. Damian Lillard was the star of the show, as he tallied 33 points, four rebounds and five assists in the victory. C.J. McCollum was great as well, as he amassed 21 points, six assists and three rebounds. The Trail Blazers will play the Houston Rockets in their last game before the All-Star break on Wednesday. Memphis has been playing great lately, but they lost more than a game here. Marc Gasol left after 10 minutes of action due to a foot injury. Zach Randolph did step up in his absence though, as he scored 26 points to go along with nine rebounds. Mike Conley led the team with 27 points, but no other player scored more than 12 in the loss. On deck for Memphis is a date with the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "20", "Nuggets": "35"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "81", "Nuggets": "87"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "37", "Nuggets": "23"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kenneth Faried": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Kenneth Faried": "10", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "1"}, "Points": {"Kenneth Faried": "21", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "4", "Chris Paul": "17", "Jamal Crawford": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Kenneth Faried": "11", "Chris Paul": "6"}, "Assists": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "6", "Chris Paul": "10"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "1", "Chris Paul": "1"}, "Steals": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "1"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (23 - 35) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers (37 - 20) 87 - 81 at Staples Center on Wednesday. The low scoring and poor shooting affair riddled both the Clippers and Nuggets on Wednesday, as neither team broke 40 percent shooting as a unit. Matchup wise, the Clippers had the advantage in two places. One was behind Chris Paul, who had little trouble handling rookie Emmanuel Mudiay, while the other was behind another youngster in Nikola Jokic, who matched up against DeAndre Jordan. Kenneth Faried proved to be the difference maker throughout the game, as he aggressively crashed the glass. Faried was the exception to the poor shooting performance from both teams after scoring 21 points, to go along with 11 rebounds on 10 - of - 15 shooting. Mudiay struggled, as expected when matched up against one of the better defensive point guards in Chris Paul, and scored a lowly four points and dished out six assists. The Clippers were able to get well rounded scoring performances from Paul, JJ Reddick and Jamal Crawford, but struggled greatly to see help from the rest of the starters and bench in the points department. Since basketball resumed after the all - star break, this has been a common theme with the Clippers. Paul rounded out the box score with 17 points, 10 assists and six rebounds, while Reddick and Crawford both scored 20 points each. Nobody else in a Clippers uniform was able to register double figures, but Jordan\u2019s 12 rebounds was good to lead all big men in the contest. The Clippers will visit the Sacramento Kings (24 - 32) on Friday, and the Nuggets will play the same day when they visit the Dallas Mavericks (30 - 28)."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Kings": "32", "Mavericks": "22"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "62"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "44", "Mavericks": "38"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "133", "Mavericks": "111"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "29", "Mavericks": "35"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Mavericks": "32"}}, {"Assists": {"J.J. Barea": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "5"}, "Points": {"J.J. Barea": "14", "Raymond Felton": "15", "DeMarcus Cousins": "20", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"J.J. Barea": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "12"}, "Turnovers": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "5"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (29 - 44) blew out the Dallas Mavericks (35 - 38) in a 133 - 111 win on Sunday. Some people may have anticipated a blowout here, but it probably wasn\u2019t the team you'd expect. Sacramento dominated throughout, as they led by 23 headed into the fourth. The Kings shot an incredible 62 percent from the field, which is one of the high marks of the season. Sacramento also handed out 10 more assists than the Mavericks, as they dished out 32 to Dallas' 22. Dallas has been struggling mightily recently and this result is their second half in a microcosm. This marks their fifth loss in their last six games and they continue to lose bodies as well. Eight players scored in double figures, with Raymond Felton leading the team with 15 points. J.J. Barea played well while filling in for Deron Williams, as he tallied 14 points, three rebounds and three assists. Dallas has to play again on Monday, when they take on the Denver Nuggets. This was one of Sacramento's best games of the season, as they got to sit the starters for the entirety of the fourth quarter. DeMarcus Cousins still impressed in three quarters, as he amassed 20 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. The bench was spectacular, as five players scored in double figures with Willie Cauley-Stein leading the team with 21 points. In fact, the bench outscored the starters by 21 points. On deck for the Kings is a matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "28"}, "Turnovers": {"Bucks": "10"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10"}}], "Many have tossed around the term \"unicorn\" to describe Milwaukee forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, and on Wednesday, he made it obvious why. The 22 - year - old athletic marvel scored a team - high 32 points to go along with 13 rebounds, six assists, two steals, a block, and most impressively, zero turnovers. Antetokounmpo shot an efficient 12 - of - 22 from the field and went to the free - throw line ten times. Moreover, he was the cornerstone of an excellent offensive night for the Bucks as a whole. The surging team shot over 54 percent from the field and a stellar 16 - of - 34 from three - point range. Milwaukee also dished out a very respectable 28 team assists while committing only ten turnovers in the game. A three - rebound advantage on the boards was just the icing on the cake in what was a convincing win for the Bucks."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "44"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "51"}}, {"Points": {"Trey Lyles": "21", "Rudy Gobert": "12", "Rodney Hood": "25", "Clint Capela": "20", "James Harden": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Trey Lyles": "5", "Rudy Gobert": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gobert": "5", "Clint Capela": "10", "James Harden": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Clint Capela": "19"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"James Harden": "10"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Eric Gordon": "5", "Nene": "5"}}], "Rodney Hood's 25 - point outburst, his best scoring total since the opener, led the way for the Jazz. Trey Lyles drew another start in place of Derrick Favors (knee) and contributed 21 points and five boards. Rudy Gobert put together a 12 - point, 14 - rebound double - double within the starting five as well, and the Jazz actually posted impressive 51 and 44 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively, despite the defeat. Harden's 31 - point, 10 - assist double - double, which paced the Rockets, was his ninth in the last 10 games. Clint Capela posted a season - high 20 points as well on 10 - of - 19 shooting. No other member of the starting five was able to tally double - digit scoring, but Eric Gordon and Nene Hilario combined for 36 points on 13 - of - 25 shooting off the bench, and also contributed 13 rebounds."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "41", "Bucks": "54"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "34", "Bucks": "41"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "92", "Bucks": "91"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pistons": "17"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pistons": "27", "Bucks": "17"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "37", "Bucks": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5", "Marcus Morris": "4"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "21", "Greg Monroe": "18", "Khris Middleton": "27", "Marcus Morris": "21", "Andre Drummond": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "12", "Greg Monroe": "10", "Marcus Morris": "3", "Andre Drummond": "16"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (37 - 34) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (30 - 41) 92 - 91 in a thriller on Monday. With two teams battling for their playoff lives, everything was left on the floor. What ultimately decided the game was a game - winning tip in at the buzzer by Andre Drummond. The shooting numbers would indicate a Milwaukee blowout, but that simply wasn\u2019t the case. The Bucks shot 54 percent from the field and 50 percent from three - point range, while the Pistons shot 41 percent from the field and 27 percent from long distance. Detroit really buckled down in the fourth quarter though, as they held the Bucks to 17 points, while scoring 27 of their own. Milwaukee had some slim hopes for playoff chances, but this win very well may have ended those. The bench really let them down, as no player scored more than four points. Khris Middleton led the team with 27 points and hit some huge baskets late. Giannis Antetokonmpo continued his good form, as he tallied 21 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. Greg Monroe double - doubled in a revenge game, as he totaled 18 points and 10 rebounds. On deck for Milwaukee is a matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. Detroit was tied for the eight - seed headed into this game, so to say this was a much needed win would be a drastic understatement. Drummond was the hero, as he had the game - winning tip in, but also finished with 14 points and 16 rebounds. Marcus Morris led the team with 21 points and also provided three rebounds and four assists. Detroit will look to build on this win Wednesday against the Orlando Magic in their next matchup."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "24", "Warriors": "3"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "112", "Warriors": "110"}, "Rebounds": {"Nuggets": "49", "Warriors": "39"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "15", "Warriors": "36"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "39"}}, {"Blocks": {"Andrew Bogut": "3"}, "Points": {"Andrew Bogut": "15", "Stephen Curry": "38", "Harrison Barnes": "18", "Danilo Gallinari": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Bogut": "7"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "9"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (15 - 24) beat the Golden State Warriors (36 - 3) 112 - 110 on Wednesday night. This is the fourth time that these teams have squared off with all four being close. In the most recent one, the Nuggets lost a heartbreaker in overtime, but prevailed here. What won it for Denver was their rebounding, as they grabbed 49 rebounds to the Warriors 39. The Nuggets were also fantastic from the free - throw line, as they went 33 - for - 37 with some clutch throws down the stretch. Steph Curry went bananas in the fourth quarter to nearly cap off a big comeback, but they fell just short. Golden State has been the best team in the NBA this season, but this was the first time they played without playmaker Draymond Green. The defense is what suffered most without Green, as they allowed 112 points in the loss. Curry was in his MVP form, as he scored 20 fourth quarter points en route to a 38 point - nine assist line. Harrison Barnes had his best game since returning from injury, as he finished with 18 points off the bench. Andrew Bogut has been struggling all season, but he played well here, finishing with 15 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks in the loss. Luckily for Golden State, they get a date against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday in their next game. Denver has been struggling at home all season, but easily got their biggest win of the year here. It was an all - around team effort, as four different players scored at least 18 points. Those players included Danilo Gallinari, Will Barton, Gary Harris and Darrell Arthur. Gallinari has been averaging over 25 points a game since his return from injury and he was huge here, as he finished the game with 28 points in the win. Denver has now played the Warriors four times this season and all four games came down to the fourth quarter. It's a strange occurrence, but it shows the talent that this young teams has. The Nuggets will host the Miami Heat on Friday in their next scheduled game."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "37"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "42"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "106", "Kings": "95"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hawks": "27", "Kings": "14"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "2"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "2"}}, {"Assists": {"Rudy Gay": "5", "Paul Millsap": "8", "Dennis Schroder": "5"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gay": "22", "DeMarcus Cousins": "14", "Dwight Howard": "18", "Kyle Korver": "17", "Dennis Schroder": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "12", "Dwight Howard": "11", "Dennis Schroder": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "16", "Dennis Schroder": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "6", "Dennis Schroder": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Ben McLemore": "26"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Dwight Howard": "4"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks took care of business at home in a 106 - 95 win over the Sacramento Kings on Monday at Philips Arena. Many looked at the Hawks (30) as a project coming into the year, but they remain one of few undefeated teams in the league. The Kings (2 - 2) actually took a lead into the fourth quarter, but Atlanta outscored Sacramento 27 - 14 over the final 12 minutes to come away with a win. Free throw shooting was the difference, as the Hawks went 29 - of - 47, while the Kings went 13 - of - 19. Sacramento committed 34 fouls in the defeat, as a number of their regulars were in foul trouble all game long. Atlanta won this game despite allowing Sacramento to shoot better from the field, the free - throw line, and from three - point range. Sacramento has put an emphasis on defense this season and that showed once again Monday. In fact, the Kings forced the Hawks to shoot under 42 percent from the field and 37 percent from three - point range. DeMarcus Cousins scored his lowest total of the season, but recorded his second double - double of the year. Cousins finished the game with 14 points and 12 rebounds on 6 - for - 16 shooting. Rudy Gay once again led the team in scoring, tallying 22 points, three rebounds and five assists in the defeat. Matt Barnes and Ben McLemore provided 26 combined points off the bench. All five starters scored in double figures for Atlanta, with no player scoring more than 18 points. That player was Dwight Howard, who totaled 18 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks in the win. Kyle Korver was second on the team with 17 points of his own. Paul Millsap stuffed the stat sheet once again, accumulating 12 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists and three steals in the victory. Dennis Schroder went just 5 - of - 14 from the field, but finished with 17 points, three rebounds and five assists. Sacramento has a quick turnaround for their its game, as the Kings travel to Miami to play the Heat. Atlanta, on the other hand, returns to action on Wednesday, when they host the Los Angeles Lakers."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "1", "Magic": "2"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "108", "Magic": "82"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pistons": "30", "Magic": "9"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pistons": "32", "Magic": "20"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "1", "Magic": "0"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "35"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "9"}}, {"Points": {"Aaron Gordon": "17", "Nikola Vucevic": "7", "Tobias Harris": "18", "Marcus Morris": "17", "Andre Drummond": "12", "Ish Smith": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Aaron Gordon": "7", "Nikola Vucevic": "14", "Tobias Harris": "4", "Marcus Morris": "8", "Andre Drummond": "20"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "12", "Ish Smith": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "3", "Ish Smith": "8"}, "Steals": {"Mario Hezonja": "2", "Andre Drummond": "2"}, "Assists": {"Ish Smith": "8"}, "Turnovers": {"Ish Smith": "2"}}], "The Detroit Pistons did n't disappoint in their home opener, dominating the Orlando Magic, 108 - 82, at the Palace of Auburn Hills on Friday. The Pistons (1 - 1) came into this game off a disappointing opening loss and put it to the Magic (0 - 2) in this game. The second quarter was especially decisive, as Detroit scored 30 points, while holding Orlando to just nine in that 12 - minute stretch. They did n't let up in the third quarter either, outscoring the Magic 32 - 20. The Pistons were clicking on both ends, as they shot over 50 percent from the field and held the Magic to under 35 percent shooting. After playing all five starters 35 - plus minutes in the opener, the Magic were clearly tired here. No player reached the 30 - minute total in this blowout, as 12 players played at least eight minutes. Aaron Gordon was a lone bright spot, recording 17 points and seven rebounds in the loss. Nikola Vucevic did grab 14 boards, but scored just seven points on a 3 - for - 12 night. Mario Hezonja and Jeff Green both scored in double figures off the bench. After leading the league in rebounding last year, Andre Drummond bounced back from his weak opener to grab 20 boards in this blowout win. He also added 12 points and two steals, while doing that damage in just 27 minutes of play. Tobias Harris led the team in scoring, dropping 18 points and four rebounds in the win. Ish Smith was very efficient as the starting point guard, tallying 16 points and eight assists, while going 8 - for - 13 from the field and committing just two turnovers. Marcus Morris provided 17 points and eight rebounds of his own. Orlando has a tough task ahead of them, as they play the second half of a back - to - back against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday for their next game. Detroit is off until Sunday, when they host the Milwaukee Bucks for their next fixture."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "28", "Timberwolves": "45"}}, {"Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "17", "Gorgui Dieng": "19", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "37", "Ricky Rubio": "21", "Paul George": "37", "Myles Turner": "15", "Monta Ellis": "19", "Jeff Teague": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "5", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "12", "Ricky Rubio": "5", "Paul George": "7", "Myles Turner": "8", "Jeff Teague": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Gorgui Dieng": "2", "Myles Turner": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Ricky Rubio": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Ricky Rubio": "2"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "4"}, "Assists": {"Myles Turner": "4", "Monta Ellis": "5", "Jeff Teague": "10"}}], "This was a very tight game, as neither team was able to grab a double - digit lead. It was a costly foul late that decided it, as three free - throws by Ricky Rubio with two seconds left was the difference in the game. Three-point shooting was the only real advantage for Minnesota, as they shot 45 percent from long distance, to Indiana's 28 percent. Karl-Anthony Towns led Minnesota, as he totaled 37 points and 12 rebounds. Rubio accrued 21 points, five rebounds and 10 assists. Gorgui Dieng amassed 19 points, six rebounds and two blocks. Andrew Wiggins contributed 17 points and five rebounds. Paul George led Indiana with 37 points, seven rebounds and four steals. Jeff Teague accumulated 20 points, three rebounds and 10 assists. Monta Eliis started and provided 19 points, four rebounds and five assists. Myles Turner totaled 15 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two blocks."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "7", "Wizards": "38"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "102", "Wizards": "94"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "67", "Wizards": "36"}}, {"Points": {"Marcin Gortat": "9", "Bradley Beal": "17", "John Wall": "8", "Draymond Green": "15", "Klay Thompson": "16", "Stephen Curry": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "10", "Draymond Green": "16", "Stephen Curry": "7"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "11", "Draymond Green": "9", "Klay Thompson": "1", "Stephen Curry": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"John Wall": "14", "Klay Thompson": "19", "Stephen Curry": "20"}, "Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Klay Thompson": "7", "Stephen Curry": "9"}, "Turnovers": {"Klay Thompson": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "8"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "5"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (67 - 7) defeated the Washington Wizards (36 - 38) 102 - 94 at Oracle Arena on Tuesday. The Warriors continued to pursue perfection on their home court and keep the NBA record for most wins in the regular season alive and well after holding off the Wizards. A series of strong runs to end each of the second, third and fourth quarters made up for a motivated Washington team. John Wall and Bradley Beal had an fluid moving offense running in their favor just before the half, but the Warriors ripped off a 120 run in just three minutes to swing the momentum in their favor. The same result occurred in the second half, although the rush transition defense and hounding of Stephen Curry well beyond the three point line proved to be working more often than not. Curry still finished with a game high 26 points, to go with seven rebounds, seven assists and five steals on 9 - of - 20 shooting, including 6 - of - 8 from behind the arc. Klay Thompson cooled off after scoring 80 points over the last two contests, and added 16 points on 7 - of - 19 shooting. Draymond Green stuffed the box score and fell one assist shy of a triple - double, his numbers jumped off the page to the tune of 15 points, 16 rebounds, nine assists and two blocked shots. Wall had a difficult time shooting the ball, and only managed 8 points on 14 shots, but he did distribute well and completed 11 assists. Bradley Beal led all Wizards scorers with 17 points, while Marcin Gortat added nine points and 10 rebounds. The Wizards are on the outside looking into a playoff spot, but the loss has them trailing the Pacers by 4 games for the 8 - seed in the Eastern Conference. Both teams play the second game of a back - to - back on the road on Wednesday, with Wizards taking on the Sacramento Kings (29 - 45) and the Warriors visiting the Utah Jazz (37 - 37)."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "24", "Wizards": "20"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "113", "Wizards": "112"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pistons": "15", "Wizards": "30"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "21", "Wizards": "23"}}, {"Assists": {"Markieff Morris": "2", "Marcin Gortat": "2", "Bradley Beal": "4", "John Wall": "10", "Tobias Harris": "5", "Reggie Bullock": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "8", "Jon Leuer": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Markieff Morris": "1", "Bradley Beal": "1", "Jon Leuer": "2"}, "Points": {"Markieff Morris": "19", "Marcin Gortat": "12", "Bradley Beal": "17", "John Wall": "19", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "11", "Jason Smith": "16", "Tobias Harris": "18", "Reggie Bullock": "9", "Reggie Jackson": "19", "Stanley Johnson": "9", "Jon Leuer": "10", "Ish Smith": "9", "Aron Baynes": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "9", "Marcin Gortat": "7", "Bradley Beal": "5", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "4", "Jason Smith": "4", "Tobias Harris": "9", "Reggie Bullock": "5", "Reggie Jackson": "3", "Jon Leuer": "5"}, "Steals": {"Markieff Morris": "2", "Marcin Gortat": "2", "Bradley Beal": "2", "John Wall": "2", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "1", "Jon Leuer": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Bradley Beal": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Bradley Beal": "4"}}], "The Detroit Pistons defeated the Washington Wizards, 113 - 112, at Palace of Auburn Hills on Saturday evening. The Wizards (23 - 20) mounted a furious comeback over the final 12 minutes after entering the fourth quarter with a 98 - 82 deficit. The Wizards outscored the Pistons (21 - 24) by a 30 - 15 margin during the period, but still ultimately came up short due to a heads - up play at the end of the game by Marcus Morris. The game - winning sequence began with a Bradley Beal block of a Tobias Harris' 23 - foot three - point jumper with four seconds left. Harris managed an offensive rebound and hoisted another shot attempt, which also misfired. However, Morris was in position to turn the miss into a game - winning tip - in basket, sending the Pistons to their third straight victory. John Wall co - led Washington with a 19 - point, 10 - assist double - double that also included eight rebounds and two steals. Markieff Morris also went for 19 points and added nine rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. Beal produced 17 points, five boards, four assists, two steals and a block. Marcin Gortat generated 12 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. Otto Porter posted 11 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Jason Smith paced the second unit with 16 points, four boards and a steal. Kelly Oubre, Jr. was also productive as a reserve, supplying 11 points, four rebounds and two steals. Maurice Morris not only was the hero on the night, but also paced the Pistons with a 25 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included three assists and a steal. Reggie Jackson was next with 19 points, eight assists, three rebounds and a steal. Harris followed with a near double - double of 18 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Reggie Bullock supplied nine points, five rebounds and an assist. Jon Leuer led the bench with 10 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks. Stanley Johnson, Arron Baynes and Ish Smith were also highly productive with a trio of nine - point efforts as reserves. The Wizards head to Charlotte to take on the Hornets on Monday night, while the Pistons remain home to tangle with the Kings on Monday evening."], [[{"Total points": {"Kings": "100", "Nets": "109"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Kings": "28", "Nets": "28"}, "Number of team assists": {"Nets": "16"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "49"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nets": "24"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "10"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Brook Lopez": "17", "Buddy Hield": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Brook Lopez": "9", "Buddy Hield": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Brook Lopez": "30", "Jeremy Lin": "20", "Isaiah Whitehead": "18"}, "Points": {"Brook Lopez": "24", "Jeremy Lin": "17", "Isaiah Whitehead": "14", "Ty Lawson": "15", "Buddy Hield": "16", "Tyreke Evans": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Isaiah Whitehead": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Isaiah Whitehead": "7"}, "Assists": {"Ty Lawson": "9"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Buddy Hield": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Buddy Hield": "4"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets defeated the Sacramento Kings 109 - 100 Wednesday at Golden 1 Center. After 16 straight losses and losing 27 of their last 28 games, the Nets (10 - 49) finally were on the winning side Wednesday night, and they did so in fairly convincing fashion. Brooklyn opened up the game with a 14 - 4 lead and never looked back, as they managed to hold onto the lead for all 48 minutes against Sacramento. Brook Lopez led the way offensively for the Nets, scoring a game - high 24 points on 9 - of - 17 shooting from the field and grabbing eight rebounds in 30 minutes. Jeremy Lin added an efficient 17 points in 20 minutes, while his backup, Isaiah Whitehead, came off the bench to shoot 7 - of - 7 shooting from the free throw line en route to scoring 14 points in just 18 minutes. As a team, Brooklyn managed to get to the line at their own will and convert, hitting 30 - of - 36 foul shots Wednesday. As for the Kings (25 - 35), Wednesday's loss marked their third straight and brought their record to 1 - 3 in the post - DeMarcus Cousins era of the franchise. It was the performance from their bench players that kept Sacramento in the game, with the team's three top scorers all being reserves. The newest King, Buddy Hield, scored a game - high 16 points on 6 - of - 11 shooting from the field and 4 - of - 6 shoot from behind the arc, while Ty Lawson and Tyreke Evans each scored 15 points, with Lawson adding a game - high nine assists. Sacramento as a team overall was actually had a solid shooting performance from the outside, hitting 11 of their 22 three - pointers, but in the end, it was n't enough. Up next, the Nets will head to Utah on Friday to take on the Jazz, while the Kings will be waiting at home Sunday to take on the same opponent."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "19"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "48", "Grizzlies": "46"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "36", "Grizzlies": "26"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "104", "Grizzlies": "100"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Mavericks": "20", "Grizzlies": "22"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "25", "Grizzlies": "36"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "11", "Seth Curry": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Chandler Parsons": "3", "Seth Curry": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Chandler Parsons": "24", "Mike Conley": "36", "Zach Randolph": "29", "Seth Curry": "37"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "7", "Mike Conley": "30", "Zach Randolph": "24", "Harrison Barnes": "18", "Nerlens Noel": "15", "Seth Curry": "24"}, "Assists": {"Mike Conley": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Mike Conley": "2", "Zach Randolph": "10", "Nerlens Noel": "17", "Seth Curry": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Seth Curry": "5"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks defeated the visiting Memphis Grizzlies 104 - 100, at American Airlines Center on Friday evening. The Grizzlies led 22 - 20 after a tight first quarter, but the Mavs pushed back in the middle two quarters, where they out - scored Memphis 59 - 50. The Mavs led 90 - 78 with 7:43 left in the fourth but then went cold, scoring only four points over the next seven minutes, allowing the Grizzlies to bring the deficit down to four points with 46 seconds left. The Mavs were then able to seal the deal with clutch free throw shooting down the stretch, including a freebee thanks to a technical foul called on Memphis' coach, David Fizdale. The Mavericks (25 - 36) shot 48 percent from the field, but struggled from long range, where they hit only 19 percent. All five starters scored in double digits for Dallas, while Seth Curry led the way with 24 points on 8 - of - 15 shooting, in 37 minutes. Harrison Barnes followed up with 18 points, while Nerlens Noel chipped in 15 points and a career - high - tying 17 rebounds, in his first start as a member of the Mavericks. The Mavs are now three games behind the eighth - place Nuggets, and will look to inch closer by going for another upset win, as they play host to the Thunder on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies (36 - 26) nearly completed the comeback but fell just short, ending a two - game winning streak. Mike Conley was the high - point man for Memphis, with 30 points, to go along with four assists and two rebounds, in 36 minutes. Three other players scored in double digits for the Grizz, including Zach Randolph, who added 24 points and 10 rebounds, in 29 minutes off the bench. Chandler Parsons failed to make an impact against his former team, as he finished with only seven points on 3 - of - 11 shooting, in 24 minutes. The Grizzlies will look to shake this one off, as they are right back in action on Saturday for the second night of a back - to - back, when they visit Houston to take on the Rockets."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "49"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "22", "Lakers": "33"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "109", "Lakers": "82"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "18", "Lakers": "9"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "1", "Jordan Clarkson": "1", "Trey Lyles": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Kobe Bryant": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Kobe Bryant": "15", "Larry Nance Jr.": "3", "Rudy Gobert": "30"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kobe Bryant": "1", "Rudy Gobert": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Kobe Bryant": "1", "Gordon Hayward": "5", "Rudy Gobert": "18", "Rodney Hood": "5"}, "Points": {"Lou Williams": "20", "Gordon Hayward": "14", "Rudy Gobert": "18", "Rodney Hood": "14"}, "Assists": {"Jordan Clarkson": "1", "Julius Randle": "1", "Gordon Hayward": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jordan Clarkson": "1", "Gordon Hayward": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jordan Clarkson": "1", "Gordon Hayward": "4", "Trey Lyles": "4"}, "Steals": {"Julius Randle": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"D'Angelo Russell": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rodney Hood": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Rodney Hood": "4", "Joe Ingles": "4"}}], "The Utah Jazz (18 - 22) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (9 - 33) 109 - 82 on Saturday. The Lakers injury problems suffered a few more setbacks before the game wrapped up, as Kobe Bryant (achilles) left midway through the game to nurse his nagging achilles and rookie Larry Nance Jr. left with knee soreness after just three minutes of playing time. The beat up Lakers squad is far from an excuse for their play halfway through the season and the offensive miscues only add to their troubled year. Developing the young talent combination of Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle and D\u2019Angelo Russell does not seem to be the number one priority with the Kobe Bryant retirement tour in full swing, and the wasted experience will take its toll. Los Angeles turned to Lou Williams to score in volume, but managed 20 points on 15 shots and fell short of what was needed for his team to keep the game within reach at any point. Jordan Clarkson and D\u2019Angelo Russell joined Williams in scoring double figures. The Lakers will look to get their 10th when they host the Houston Rockets (21 - 20) on Sunday. Utah has been experiencing a fair share of injury troubles as well, with both Trevor Booker (concussion) and Derrick Favors (back), sidelined on Saturday. Favors missed his 13th consecutive game, and it is still unclear if their is another issue or if the Jazz are taking his return slowly. Rudy Gobert led the way with a monstrous performance, scoring 18 points, grabbing 18 rebounds and blocking five shots in 30 minutes. Gordon Hayward contributed 14 points, five rebounds and five assists, while four additional Jazz players finished in double figures (Trey Lyles, Rodney Hood, Trey Burke and Joe Ingles) in a strong team effort. Utah shot 49 percent from the floor and kept the game out of reach from the Lakers from the 2nd quarter on. Utah continues to battle for the 8 - seed in the Western Conference, and will look to pick up another win when they visit the Charlotte Hornets (18 - 22) on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "7", "Raptors": "2"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "93", "Raptors": "110"}, "Turnovers": {"Cavaliers": "18"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "5", "Raptors": "11"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "40"}}, {"Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "20", "Kyle Lowry": "23", "Lou Williams": "36", "LeBron James": "15", "Kevin Love": "23", "Anderson Varejao": "13", "Kyrie Irving": "21"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "8", "LeBron James": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Lou Williams": "19", "LeBron James": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Lou Williams": "9", "LeBron James": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Lou Williams": "15"}, "Free throws made": {"Lou Williams": "15"}, "Turnovers": {"LeBron James": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Love": "7", "Anderson Varejao": "12"}}], "The Raptors (11 - 2) extended their winning streak to four games Saturday, knocking off the Cavaliers (5 - 7) 110 - 93 in Cleveland. Toronto was led by a huge performance from Lou Williams, who led all scorers with 36 points (9 - 19 FG, 15 - 15 FT) off the bench. Kyle Lowry added 23 points and eight assists, and DeMar DeRozan chipped in 20 points. Toronto shot only 40 percent as a team but knocked down 38 - of - 42 free throw attempts. The Raptors remain atop the Eastern Conference and are the third - highest - scoring team in the league. Cleveland, which has now dropped four straight games, continues to struggle offensively and looked completely out of sorts yet again Saturday. A 13 - point first quarter lead quickly evaporated in the second period, and the Raptors took a two - point lead by halftime. The Cavs\u2019 offense continued to stagnate in the second half, allowing Toronto to blow the game open in the third quarter. Kevin Love paced the Cavaliers with 23 points and seven rebounds, while LeBron James added 15 points (6 - 12 FG) and 10 assists to go with a game - high five turnovers. Kyrie Irving finished with 21 points, and Anderson Varejao had a 13 - point, 12 - rebound double - double. Cleveland committed 18 turnovers and shot 3 - of - 16 as a team from beyond the arc. Up next, the Cavaliers remain home to host the Magic on Monday. The Raptors return to Toronto to take on the streaking Suns, also on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "6", "Thunder": "19"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "121", "Thunder": "100"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "36", "Thunder": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "13", "Stephen Curry": "8"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "27", "Enes Kanter": "22", "Kevin Durant": "40", "Stephen Curry": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "15", "Enes Kanter": "9", "Kevin Durant": "12"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "13"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "3"}}], "The host Golden State Warriors took down the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, 121 - 100. The Warriors (36 - 6) have now won five straight and nine of their last ten. Prior to Wednesday's matchup against his former team, Golden State's Kevin Durant said that it would not be a \"normal game.\" Durant's play indicated a special level of effort, as the former MVP scored 40 points and shot 13 - of - 16 while pulling down 12 rebounds. Reigning MVP Steph Curry also impressed, scoring 24 points to go with eight assists and three steals. The Warriors were able to pull away in the third quarter, going on a scoring tear while Russell Westbrook sat on the bench. The team shot almost 55 percent and dished out a whopping 35 assists on the night. The Thunder (25 - 19) saw strong play from a handful of players but could not get the job done as a team. In what has almost become a normal night for the superstar, Russell Westbrook posted a massive triple - double. Westbrook scored 27 points to go with 15 rebounds and 13 assists. However, the elite point guard did commit 10 turnovers on the night. Sixth man Enes Kanter delivered 22 points and nine rebounds off the bench. The team had issues keeping up with the Warriors' star power on defense and had a problem crashing the glass, finishing with a 10 rebound deficit. The Warriors will face the Rockets on Friday, while OKC will enjoy the rest of the week off."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Grizzlies": "26", "Rockets": "15"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "6", "Rockets": "8"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "96", "Rockets": "84"}, "Turnovers": {"Grizzlies": "11", "Rockets": "23"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "7", "Rockets": "5"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "38"}}, {"Points": {"Dwight Howard": "12", "James Harden": "22", "Marc Gasol": "16", "Mike Conley": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "15", "James Harden": "6", "Marc Gasol": "11", "Mike Conley": "3"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "5", "Marc Gasol": "11", "Mike Conley": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}, "Steals": {"Marc Gasol": "4", "Mike Conley": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (7 - 6) defeated the Houston Rockets (5 - 8) 96 - 84 thanks to a Gasol triple - double on Friday. In a battle of two struggling Western Conference teams, the Grizzlies prevailed thanks to a triple - double from Marc Gasol. This was the good old Memphis defense of the past, as they held the Rockets to under 38 percent shooting and won the turnover battle 23 - 11. The Grizzlies also outassisted the Rockets 26 - 15 in what ended up being a lopsided game. If it weren\u2019t for a prayer from Corey Brewer in their last game, the Rockets would have lost their sixth - straight game tonight. There's a lot of holes on this team right now, as they are shooting poorly, playing bad defense and now playing team - ball. The team was led by James Harden, who tallied 22 points, six rebounds and five assists in the loss. Dwight Howard had another solid game as well, as he totaled 12 points and 15 boards in the defeat. The firing of coach Kevin McHale was a questionable decision and games like this make it look even more questionable. Houston will look to play better against the New York Knicks on Saturday, as both teams are playing the second half of a back - to - back set. This was definitely the Grizzlies best performance of the season, as they got it done on both ends. Not only did they play good offense, they stifled a potent Rockets offense. Memphis were led by a career - performance from Marc Gasol, who tallied 16 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists and four steals in a spectacular game. Mike Conley was also very good, as he collected 26 points, five assists, three rebounds and three steals in the win. Hopefully this is the start of a good run for Memphis, as they played this game without Zach Randolph, who is dealing with some knee swellness. Memphis will take on the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday in the second half of a back - to - back for both teams."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Pistons": "14"}}, {"Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "7", "DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Points": {"Andre Drummond": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "12"}, "Steals": {"Andre Drummond": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "11", "DeMarcus Cousins": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gay": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}}], "Per usual, Sacramento center DeMarcus Cousins did it all on Tuesday. The All-Star led the team in scoring, rebounding, and assists, posting a line of 24 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists in the team's win over the Pistons. Cousins added a steal and a block. He shot a stellar 8 - of - 14, including 4 - of - 5 from three. As a team, Sacramento shot impeccably from beyond the arc, going 13 - of - 24 from deep. However, the team struggled a bit with turnovers, coughing the ball up 17 times on the night. Seven of those turnovers came from forward Rudy Gay, who also shot just 3 - of - 11 on the night. Detroit saw stellar play from its own young star center. While Andre Drummond scored only nine points, he made a big impact on the defensive end, blocking seven shots and coming away with three steals. Drummond also pulled down a team - high 12 rebounds. The Pistons had trouble moving the ball on Tuesday, recording just 14 team assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "24", "Timberwolves": "51"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "123", "Timberwolves": "97"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Spurs": "33"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "41", "Timberwolves": "14"}, "Turnovers": {"Timberwolves": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Martin": "2", "Zach LaVine": "6", "Kawhi Leonard": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Martin": "3", "Zach LaVine": "4", "Kawhi Leonard": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Martin": "2", "Zach LaVine": "3", "Kawhi Leonard": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Martin": "18", "Zach LaVine": "13", "Kawhi Leonard": "13", "Manu Ginobili": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Martin": "7", "Zach LaVine": "7", "Kawhi Leonard": "6", "Manu Ginobili": "4"}, "Points": {"Kevin Martin": "19", "Zach LaVine": "18", "Kawhi Leonard": "15", "Manu Ginobili": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Martin": "5", "Zach LaVine": "6", "Kawhi Leonard": "6", "Manu Ginobili": "3"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Martin": "1", "Kawhi Leonard": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Zach LaVine": "2", "Manu Ginobili": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Zach LaVine": "1", "Manu Ginobili": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Kawhi Leonard": "25"}}], "The Spurs (41 - 24) trounced the Timberwolves (14 - 51) 123 - 97 in San Antonio on Sunday. Coming off a 125 - point performance against Cleveland on Thursday, San Antonio posted its second - highest point total of the season against the Timberwolves. The Spurs scored the first basket of the game and never surrendered the lead. San Antonio had eight players score in double digits. Kawhi Leonard led the team in scoring with 15 points (6 - 13 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt), to go along with six rebounds, one assist, five steals and one block in 25 minutes. Manu Ginobili left the game with what appeared to be a right ankle injury in the third quarter, but still finished with 11 points (4 - 5 FG, 3 - 4 FT) and three rebounds over 18 minutes. Facing a litany of injuries, the Timberwolves were short - handed on Sunday with only eight healthy players. Minnesota had trouble holding onto the basketball, turning the ball over 15 times. Those turnovers translated into 33 points for the Spurs. Kevin Martin led the team in scoring with 19 points (7 - 18 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt), to go with five rebounds, two assists and one steal. With Ricky Rubio out with an ankle injury, Zach LaVine moved into the starting lineup at guard, and took advantage of the start to score 18 points (7 - 13 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT), while also adding six rebounds and six assists. San Antonio is currently fifth in the Western Conference, 11 games behind the West-leading Warriors. Up next, the Spurs travel to New York to take on the Knicks on Tuesday. Minnesota will host the Nets on Monday."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Kings": "46", "Pelicans": "36"}}, {"Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "7", "Darren Collison": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Davis": "40"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "32", "DeMarcus Cousins": "28", "Darren Collison": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "10", "DeMarcus Cousins": "14", "Darren Collison": "6"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "14", "Darren Collison": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "7", "Darren Collison": "7"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2", "Darren Collison": "3"}}], "The Sacramento Kings pulled out their 13th home victory of the season behind DeMarcus Cousins big effort in the paint. Cousins finished with 28 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and one block on 7 - of - 14 shooting. Darren Collison also put forth a supreme box score contest with 20 points, eight assists, six rebounds and three steals on 7 - of - 16 shooting. Aaron Afflalo and Ben McLemore started in the backcourt alongside Collison and and combined for 21 points on 14 shots. The Pelicans saw their best effort from Anthony Davis, who registered 40 minutes of action and scored 32 points to go with 10 rebounds and three assists. New Orleans struggled from the field as a unit, but was effective behind the arc, as they finished 13 - of - 31 from deep. The Kings were more dominant on the rebounding, evidenced by the 46 - 36 effort on the glass."], [[{"Total points": {"Clippers": "96", "Bucks": "97"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "34"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "33"}}, {"Points": {"Khris Middleton": "16", "Blake Griffin": "18", "DeAndre Jordan": "22", "Chris Paul": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Khris Middleton": "7", "Blake Griffin": "7", "DeAndre Jordan": "17"}, "Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "9"}, "Turnovers": {"Chris Paul": "6"}}], "The visiting Milwaukee Bucks took down the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday, 97 - 96. Milwaukee (33 - 34) has come alive of late and has now won eight of its last ten games. The Bucks narrowly escaped with the win in Los Angeles, avoiding a potential Blake Griffin buzzer - beater that decided the game. No single member of the Bucks took over the game, as a healthy team approach helped propel Milwaukee to the win. Six Bucks scored in double digits, but no single player scored more than 16 points in the game. The high man was wing Khris Middleton, who had 16 points to go along with seven rebounds. Los Angeles (40 - 28) has hit a bit of a rough patch in its season. The Clippers are now just 5 - 6 in their last 11 games. Center DeAndre Jordan enjoyed a feast in the low post on Wednesday, leading the Clippers with 22 points on 9 - of - 12 shooting along with 17 rebounds. Star forward Blake Griffin, meanwhile, had 18 points to go with seven rebounds and four assists. If Los Angeles was able to get the same level of production from its third star, veteran superstar Chris Paul, the end result likely would have been very different. Paul, however, struggled mightily, committing six turnovers and scoring only six points. The Clippers will visit Denver on Thursday, while the Bucks will see the Lakers on Friday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Hawks": "21"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "21", "Spurs": "50"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "11", "Spurs": "5"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "78", "Spurs": "103"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "14", "Spurs": "20"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Spurs": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Manu Ginobili": "1", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Al Horford": "3", "Dennis Schroder": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Kawhi Leonard": "32", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "27"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "22", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "13", "Manu Ginobili": "17", "Paul Millsap": "22", "Al Horford": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "8", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "6", "Paul Millsap": "5", "Al Horford": "7", "Dennis Schroder": "3"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Al Horford": "2"}, "Blocks": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Paul Millsap": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Manu Ginobili": "1", "Paul Millsap": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Manu Ginobili": "1"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (20 - 5) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (14 - 11) by the convincing score of 103 - 78, Saturday in Atlanta. The Spurs came out in domination mode, amassing a 47 - 25 lead by half - time. The Spurs shot a steaming 50 percent from deep, while the Hawks only managed 20 percent. They also hit 21 out of their 22 free - throw attempts. Kawhi Leonard was the man for his team, leading on both ends of the floor. Leonard finished with 22 points on 7 - 13 shooting, including hitting 7 - 7 from the foul - line, along with eight rebounds, five steals and four assists, in 32 minutes. LaMarcus Aldridge tallied 13 points, six rebounds and one assist in 27 minutes. Manu Ginobili shot a convincing 5 - 7 from the field, as well as 3 - 3 from deep, on his was to 17 points, in only 18 minutes. Paul Millsap was on his game but unfortunately he did not have much company, as no one else could tally more than 10 points, rebounds or assists for the Hawks. Millsap finished with 22 points on 9 - 13 shooting, including 2 - 3 from deep, along with five rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks. Al Horford finished with nine points and seven rebounds, three assists and two steals, in 25 minutes. Dennis Shroder struggled shooting, going 2 - 10 from the field, but dished seven assists and grabbed three rebounds. Next up Atlanta will host Miami on Monday, in a crucial Southeast Division match - up. The Spurs will host the feisty Utah Jazz on Monday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Jazz": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "51"}}, {"Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "2", "Rudy Gobert": "2"}, "Points": {"Brook Lopez": "17", "Quincy Acy": "18", "Gordon Hayward": "12", "Derrick Favors": "19", "Rudy Gobert": "11", "George Hill": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "5", "Gordon Hayward": "3", "Derrick Favors": "12", "Rudy Gobert": "7"}, "Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "6", "George Hill": "7"}, "Steals": {"Gordon Hayward": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Derrick Favors": "9", "Rudy Gobert": "4", "George Hill": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Derrick Favors": "8", "Rudy Gobert": "4", "George Hill": "10"}}], "Utah pulled out a wire - to - wire win in this lopsided matchup, as they held a double - digit lead for the final 20 - plus minutes. Efficiency was key, as the Jazz recorded 25 assists, while shooting 51 percent from the field. Brook Lopez was the only starter in double figures for Brooklyn, as he tallied 17 points, five rebounds and two blocks. Quincy Acy led the team in scoring, dropping 18 points off the bench. Trevor Booker also came off the bench to provide 11 points and eight rebounds. George Hill was the best player on the floor, as he accumulated 34 points and seven assists on 10 - of - 12 shooting. Derrick Favors finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds on 8 - of - 9 from the field. Rudy Gobert contributed 11 points, seven rebounds and two blocks on a perfect 4 - of - 4. Gordon Hayward amassed 12 points, three rebounds, six assists and two steals."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "27"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "38", "Heat": "27"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "114", "Heat": "108"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "27", "Heat": "37"}}, {"Assists": {"Luol Deng": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "6", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6", "Khris Middleton": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Luol Deng": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Luol Deng": "4", "Jabari Parker": "1", "Khris Middleton": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Luol Deng": "2", "Jabari Parker": "1", "Khris Middleton": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Luol Deng": "17", "Hassan Whiteside": "13", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "15", "Jabari Parker": "13", "Khris Middleton": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Luol Deng": "9", "Dwyane Wade": "6", "Hassan Whiteside": "9", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9", "Jabari Parker": "7", "Khris Middleton": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Luol Deng": "38", "Dwyane Wade": "34", "Hassan Whiteside": "29", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "37", "Jabari Parker": "38", "Khris Middleton": "40"}, "Points": {"Luol Deng": "20", "Dwyane Wade": "18", "Hassan Whiteside": "23", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "24", "Jabari Parker": "23", "Khris Middleton": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Luol Deng": "11", "Dwyane Wade": "3", "Hassan Whiteside": "13", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7", "Jabari Parker": "3", "Khris Middleton": "7"}, "Steals": {"Luol Deng": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "2", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Jabari Parker": "2", "Khris Middleton": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "6", "Hassan Whiteside": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10", "Jabari Parker": "11", "Khris Middleton": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Dwyane Wade": "6", "Hassan Whiteside": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6", "Jabari Parker": "8", "Khris Middleton": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Dwyane Wade": "6"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (27 - 38) defeated the visiting Miami Heat (37 - 27) 114 - 108, Wednesday evening at BMO Harris Bradley Center. The Bucks improved to 19 - 12 at home as they protected their court against the Miami Heat. The Heat came in winners of their last five games and seated fourth place in the East, 2 games ahead of Atlanta, but could not improve on their season - high win streak. Milwaukee got out to a quick 70 start and held the lead until Miami fought back late in the third to gain its first lead. The Heat led by five to start the final quarter but the Bucks did not give in and reclaimed the lead with seven minutes to go. Finally, Khris Middleton hit a floater to put the Bucks up by five with 27 seconds left, before the teams exchanged free throws to close it out. Milwaukee saw another great game from its budding stars, as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jabari Parker and Khris Middleton all dropped more than 20 points. Giannis finished with 24 points (9 - 15 FG, 6 - 10 FT), along with seven rebounds, six assists and two steals, in 37 minutes, while Parker added 23 points (7 - 13 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 8 - 11 FT), three rebounds and two steals, in 38 minutes. Khris Middleton filled up the stat sheet with 22 points (8 - 15 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT), eight assists, seven rebounds and one steal, in 40 minutes. In total the Bucks shot a very strong 52 percent from the field and tallied 27 assists as a team. Miami fell just short of winning a season - high sixth straight game, as they dropped the first game of a three - game road trip. Luol Deng had a strong game for the Heat as he tallied his eighth double - double of the season, with 20 points (9 - 17 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt) and 11 rebounds, along with two assists, two steals and one block, in 38 minutes. Dwyane Wade contributed 18 points, six assists, three rebounds and two steals, but turned the ball over six times in his 34 minutes on the floor. Hassan Whiteside was big in 29 minutes off the bench with 23 points (9 - 13 FG, 5 - 5 FT), 13 rebounds and three blocked shots. Miami also shot 52 percent from the field but gave up a few too many turnovers, with 17. The Heat now travel straight to Chicago for a match on Friday. The Bucks host the Pelicans on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "49", "Clippers": "40"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "43", "Clippers": "26"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "109", "Clippers": "105"}, "Rebounds": {"Pelicans": "54", "Clippers": "35"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "26", "Clippers": "43"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"JJ Redick": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"JJ Redick": "9"}, "Points": {"JJ Redick": "24", "Chris Paul": "24", "Omer Asik": "15", "Toney Douglas": "15"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "13", "Jrue Holiday": "8", "Toney Douglas": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Chris Paul": "6", "Omer Asik": "14", "Toney Douglas": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Jrue Holiday": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Jrue Holiday": "5"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (26 - 43) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers (43 - 26) 109 - 105 on Sunday. The Pelicans led 102 - 88 with two minutes left and barely held on for a much needed win. The key for New Orleans was the rebounding, as they brought down 54 boards to the Clippers 35. That marks the 10tth - straight game that the Clippers have been outrebounded, with nine of those being by at least 12 boards. The Pelicans shot 49 percent from the field, while holding Los Angeles to just 40 percent in their victory. The Clippers continue to struggle and the return of Blake Griffin is becoming more envious every day. This marks their fourth loss in their last five games and their sixth loss in their last eight. Chris Paul had yet another superb outing though, as he tallied 24 points, 13 assists, six rebounds and four assists. J.J. Redick scored 24 of his own on 9 - for - 11 shooting. Up next for the Clippers is a rivalry match against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, so the tough times look likely to continue. New Orleans has had to play many games without Anthony Davis, but this may have been their best performance. They also played without Ryan Anderson and Tyreke Evans, so it was a true team effort. All five starters scored at least 14 points, with Jrue Holiday leading the team while also contributing eight assists. Omer Asik got the start and double - doubled, in a 15 - point, 14 - rebound effort. Toney Douglas flirted with a triple - double as well, as he accumulated 15 points, seven rebounds and nine assists. New Orleans will look to build off this win on Tuesday against the Miami Heat."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "56"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "15", "Jazz": "10"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "114", "Jazz": "106"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "15"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "8", "Jazz": "9"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "6"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "18", "Rudy Gay": "23", "DeMarcus Cousins": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "8"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (8 - 15) defeated the Utah Jazz (9 - 10) 114 - 106 on Tuesday night. In a battle of a dominant defense versus a potent offense, the better offense prevailed. The Kings were at full force tonight, as they shot an amazing 56 percent from the field in their victory. The Jazz continue to play poor defense without Rudy Gobert and that can be exemplified by the fact that they failed to record a block in this game. The Jazz have been the better team this season, but the Kings simply have more talent and that proved to be the difference on Tuesday. Utah is known for their stifling defense, but it simply hasn\u2019t been the same with Gobert. They are now allowing nearly 115 points a game without Gobert in the lineup and they simply ca n't score enough to win those types of games. Utah actually got off 15 more shots than the Kings, but were outshot by 15 percent. Utah's best player on this night was Gordon Hayward yet again, as he tallied 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists in the defeat. The bench also played well, as Trevor Booker, Trey Burke and Alec Burks combined for 42 points. Utah's going to have to learn to play better defense without Gobert or the recent struggles will continue. Utah will host the New York Knicks on Wednesday in their next scheduled game. This win ended a three - game skid for the Kings and it came with a great team performance. The starters were simply fantastic, as they combined for 92 points in the win. Rudy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins both led the team with 23 points and Omri Casspi and Rajon Rondo pitched in with some nice double - doubles. This is the George Karl offense at its finest, as the starters combined for 26 assists and made great passes one after another. Sacramento will look to build off this win when they host the New York Knicks on Thursday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Kings": "29"}}, {"Points": {"Rudy Gay": "29", "DeMarcus Cousins": "33", "CJ McCollum": "31", "Damian Lillard": "36"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "14", "DeMarcus Cousins": "9"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "24", "Damian Lillard": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ McCollum": "13", "Damian Lillard": "12"}, "Steals": {"CJ McCollum": "4"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "7"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Damian Lillard": "50"}}], "Portland's emerging backcourt has looked stronger than ever in the new season, and Friday put that on full display. Guards C.J. McCollum and Damian Lillard scored 31 and 36 respectively, with Lillard also dishing out a team - high seven assists. McCollum grabbed four steals on defense, and the pair combined for seven of Portland's 13 three - pointers as a team. The duo shot well over 50 percent, with Lillard hitting 12 - of - 19 shots from the filed, and McCollum hitting 13 - of - 24. Sacramento, meanwhile, saw limited contributions from its backcourt but enjoyed another dominant night for the frontcourt pairing of DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay. Cousins led the team with 33 points, while also pulling down nine rebounds and blocking two shots. Gay, meanwhile, scored 29 and helped establish Sacramento's dominance on the boards, pulling down 14 rebounds on the night."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "41", "Kings": "49"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "116", "Kings": "81"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Rockets": "34", "Kings": "18"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "41", "Kings": "33"}}, {"Assists": {"James Anderson": "5", "Kosta Koufos": "1", "Ben McLemore": "3", "Seth Curry": "5", "Quincy Acy": "2", "James Harden": "4", "Patrick Beverley": "12", "Michael Beasley": "2"}, "Points": {"James Anderson": "13", "Kosta Koufos": "12", "Ben McLemore": "24", "Seth Curry": "10", "Quincy Acy": "10", "Dwight Howard": "14", "James Harden": "38", "Patrick Beverley": "9", "Michael Beasley": "10", "KJ McDaniels": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"James Anderson": "4", "Kosta Koufos": "11", "Ben McLemore": "5", "Seth Curry": "6", "Quincy Acy": "8", "Dwight Howard": "10", "James Harden": "4", "Patrick Beverley": "4", "Michael Beasley": "5", "KJ McDaniels": "4"}, "Steals": {"James Anderson": "3", "Kosta Koufos": "1", "Ben McLemore": "2", "Quincy Acy": "2", "Patrick Beverley": "6", "Michael Beasley": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Kosta Koufos": "2", "Quincy Acy": "1", "Dwight Howard": "1", "Michael Beasley": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Dwight Howard": "25"}}], "The Houston Rockets (41 - 41) defeated the Sacramento Kings (34 - 48) 116 - 81 on Wednesday. The Rockets came in to the game with a simple mission; prevail over a significantly undermanned Kings squad and by doing so, clinch the final Western Conference playoff spot. The outcome was seemingly never in question, as Houston jumped out to a 34 - 18 lead after one quarter. The veteran trio of James Harden, Patrick Beverley and Dwight Howard stepped up when it mattered most, tallying 61 of the Rockets' 116 points on the night. The victory allowed Houston to finish the season with three straight wins, even their record at .500 and most important, grab the eighth seed in the conference. Sacramento played without the resting DeMarcus Cousins, Rudy Gay and Rajon Rondo, so it was Ben McLemore who led the way with 24 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. James Anderson was next with 13 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals. Kosta Koufos turned in his second consecutive double - double, tallying 12 points, 11 rebounds, an assist, two blocks and a steal. Seth Curry pitched in with 10 points, six rebounds and five assists. Quincy Acy paced the reserves with 10 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. The Kings finish with a 33 - 49 record and third in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. The Rockets were spearheaded by Harden, who supplied 38 points, four rebounds and four assists. Howard was a distant second with 14 points, 10 rebounds and a block in just 25 minutes. Beverley stuffed the stat sheet with nine points, 12 assists, four rebounds and an outstanding six steals. K.J. McDaniels and Michael Beasley were both productive off the bench, with respective point totals of 11 and 10 points. McDaniels supplemented his scoring with four rebounds, while Beasley pitched in with five rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. Houston finishes with a 41 - 41 record and in fourth place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They'll face off with the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "16", "Kings": "16"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "99", "Kings": "95"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Timberwolves": "16"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "10", "Kings": "10"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Kings": "24"}}, {"Points": {"Omri Casspi": "11", "Rudy Gay": "20", "Rajon Rondo": "11", "Darren Collison": "15", "Andrew Wiggins": "32", "Ricky Rubio": "12", "Shabazz Muhammad": "16"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gay": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "5", "Andrew Wiggins": "10", "Ricky Rubio": "7", "Gorgui Dieng": "11", "Shabazz Muhammad": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"Rajon Rondo": "5", "Andrew Wiggins": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Rajon Rondo": "2"}, "Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "6", "Ricky Rubio": "8", "Gorgui Dieng": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "11"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Ricky Rubio": "5", "Shabazz Muhammad": "5"}, "Steals": {"Ricky Rubio": "2"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (10 - 16) defeated the Sacramento Kings (10 - 16) 99 - 95 on Friday. Andrew Wiggins has endured the up - and - down offensive performances typical of a young player over the course of his sophomore campaign. However, the 2014 first - round pick has been heating up from the field in recent games, and his increasingly proficient shooting culminated in his first double - double of the 2015 - 16 campaign. Wiggins managed 32 points by draining 11 of his 20 shot attempts, and added season - high totals of 10 rebounds and six assists. He also sank two late free throws with one second left to seal the hard - fought victory. Sacramento received outstanding double - double efforts from their dynamic duo of DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo. The Kings' big man collected 24 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, four steals and a block, while the stat - sheet - stuffing point guard tallied 11 points, 13 assists, four rebounds and three steals. Both players did turn the ball over five times apiece, and Rondo missed a key free throw with two seconds left. Rudy Gay supported his teammates' respective efforts with 20 points, five rebounds and a block, while Omri Casspi was the fourth member of the starting unit with double - digit points (11). Darren Collison paced the Sacramento bench with 15 points. The Kings fell to 10 - 16 and currently reside in fourth place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. They head to Toronto to face the Raptors on Sunday. Ricky Rubio and Karl-Anthony Towns supported Wiggins' breakout game with solid efforts of their own. Rubio filled out the stat sheet in typical fashion, collecting 12 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and two steals, while the rookie big man pitched in with 15 points, eight rebounds and a block. Shabazz Muhammad led the Timberwolves reserves, equaling his season high with 16 points and hauling in seven rebounds. Gorgui Dieng added 11 boards of his own off the bench, meaning that five Minnesota players collected at least seven rebounds. This led to a 49 - 31 advantage for the home team on the glass, a key factor in the victory. Minnesota improved to 10 - 16 and currently resides in last place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division. They head to Brooklyn to take on the Nets on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "54"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "9", "Spurs": "13"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "112", "Spurs": "101"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "70", "Spurs": "65"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "David West": "7", "Kyle Anderson": "3", "Kevin Martin": "4", "Harrison Barnes": "1", "Draymond Green": "7", "Andrew Bogut": "3", "Klay Thompson": "6", "Stephen Curry": "9"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "23", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "11", "Tony Parker": "10", "David West": "11", "Kyle Anderson": "8", "Kevin Martin": "10", "Harrison Barnes": "21", "Draymond Green": "18", "Andrew Bogut": "6", "Klay Thompson": "14", "Stephen Curry": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "3", "Kyle Anderson": "11", "Kevin Martin": "4", "Harrison Barnes": "8", "Draymond Green": "6", "Andrew Bogut": "11", "Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "5"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "Kevin Martin": "1", "Draymond Green": "1", "Andrew Bogut": "1", "Klay Thompson": "1", "Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Andrew Bogut": "2"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (70 - 9) defeated the San Antonio Spurs (65 - 13) 112 - 101 on Thursday. The Warriors came in to Thursday's game out for redemption, having not only lost two of the last three games, but incredibly, having endured both defeats at home. Their opponent certainly did n't seem likely to facilitate an easy route to getting back on track, as the Spurs have been the closest team in both caliber and record to the Warriors all season. However, Golden State looked prepared from early on, and won each of the first three periods to help set up the eventual double - digit victory. They also regained their shooting stroke against a stalwart Spurs defense, managing a 54 percent success rate from the field, and 48 percent figure from three - point range. San Antonio was led by Kawhi Leonard, who managed 23 points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal. LaMarcus Aldridge was next with a modest 11 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals. He suffered a finger dislocation in the first half but did manage to return. Tony Parker tallied 10 points, three rebounds and two assists. David West paced the bench with 11 points and seven assists. Two other players performed well in reserve roles as well, with Kevin Martin supplying 10 points, four rebounds, four assists and a steal, and Kyle Anderson pitching in with eight points, 11 boards and three assists. The Spurs are officially locked into the second seed going into the postseason. They travel to Denver to take on the Nuggets on Friday. Golden State was led by Stephen Curry, who posted a game - high 27 points, nine assists, five rebounds and two steals. The reigning MVP shot a stellar 11 - for - 19 after a 7 - for - 25 performance against the Timberwolves on Tuesday. Harrison Barnes followed with 21 points, eight boards and an assist. Draymond Green compiled 18 points, seven assists, six rebounds and a steal. Klay Thompson collected 14 points, six assists, three rebounds and a steal. Although Andrew Bogut only put up a modest six points, he did haul in 11 boards, along with three assists, two blocks and a steal. The Warriors have now clinched the top seed in the Western Conference. They hed to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies on Saturday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "25", "Wizards": "23"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "96", "Wizards": "105"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Raptors": "36", "Wizards": "23"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "36", "Wizards": "36"}}, {"Assists": {"Markieff Morris": "5", "Marcin Gortat": "1", "Bradley Beal": "3", "John Wall": "13", "Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Cory Joseph": "1", "Norman Powell": "2"}, "Points": {"Markieff Morris": "13", "Bradley Beal": "23", "John Wall": "12", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "27", "Serge Ibaka": "22", "Jonas Valanciunas": "7", "DeMar DeRozan": "24", "Cory Joseph": "11", "Norman Powell": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "8", "Marcin Gortat": "8", "Bradley Beal": "1", "John Wall": "4", "Jonas Valanciunas": "11", "Cory Joseph": "4", "Norman Powell": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Bradley Beal": "1", "John Wall": "1", "Serge Ibaka": "2"}, "Steals": {"Bradley Beal": "2", "Serge Ibaka": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "6"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the Toronto Raptors, 105 - 96, at Air Canada Centre on Wednesday evening. The Raptors (36 - 25) have put up valiant efforts thus far in the absence of All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry, with DeMar DeRozan particularly taking on an elevated role. However, when quality opponents come calling, the void felt by the absence of a player of Lowry's caliber eventually rears its ugly head. Such was the case Wednesday, as the Wizards (36 - 23) leveraged superb efforts from trade - deadline acquisition Bojan Bogdanovic and trusted shooting guard Bradley Beal to pull out the tough road win. The pair combined for nearly half of Washington's point total, and the visitors made a game - changing statement in the second quarter by outscoring their hosts by a whopping 26 - 1 in the first 5:54 of the period. On the defensive end, the Wizards stymied Toronto to the tune of sub - 40 percent success rates from both the field and three - point range overall. Bogdanovic paced the Wizards overall with 27 points, his best scoring haul since donning his new team's uniform. His effort included a sensational 6 - for - 7 tally from behind the arc. Beal followed with 23 points, three assists, one rebound, two steals and one block. Markieff Morris was next with a productive stat line of 13 points, eight rebounds and five assists. John Wall generated a 12 - point, 13 - assist double - double that also included four rebounds and one block. Marcin Gortat matched Wall's scoring total and added eight boards and one assist. Otto Porter, Jr. surprisingly went scoreless over 19 minutes, contributing only three rebounds and one steal. Bogdanovic's aforementioned hot hand combined with Porter's struggles allowed the former ample playing time. As customary, DeMar DeRozan led Toronto, totaling 24 points, four rebounds and two assists. Serge Ibaka, whose offensive presence has been especially valued in the wake of Lowry's injury, provided 22 points, 12 rebounds, two blocks and one steal. Norman Powell was next with a bench - leading 17 points, which he supplemented two boards and two assists. Cory Joseph provided 11 points, four rebounds, one assist and one steal. Jonas Valanciunas mustered a modest seven points but did haul in 11 boards and dish out one assist. The two teams now head back to the Nation's Capital for the second game of the home - and - home series, which unfolds on Friday night."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "53", "Nets": "44"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "1", "Nets": "6"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "127", "Nets": "95"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Clippers": "39", "Nets": "14"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "10", "Nets": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Anthony Bennett": "1", "Blake Griffin": "6", "Chris Paul": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Anthony Bennett": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Bennett": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Bennett": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Bennett": "26"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Anthony Bennett": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Anthony Bennett": "1"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "20", "Chris Paul": "21"}, "Blocks": {"Marreese Speights": "3"}, "Steals": {"Marreese Speights": "2"}}], "The host Los Angeles Clippers demolished the Brooklyn Nets, 127 - 95, at Staples Center on Monday night. The Clippers (10 - 1) became the first team to reach 10 wins on the season with Monday's victory, and have made quick work of most teams on their run. One of the key factors to their success has been its league - best defense, which was on full display against Brooklyn. The Clippers held their opponents to 44 percent shooting and forced 21 turnovers on the night. Big man Mo Speights provided an extra defensive boost for LA, recording two steals and three blocks off the bench. Defense was n't the only story, however, as the Clippers were able to score a ridiculous 127 points on 53 percent shooting. Point guard Chris Paul led the offense with 21 points and nine assists, while All-Star power forward Blake Griffin trailed not far behind with 20 points and six assists. Los Angeles was able to score seemingly at will from beyond the three - point line, as the team shot 56 percent from three - point range. Brooklyn (4 - 6), meanwhile, was bitten with the injury bug prior to the contest. Point guard Jeremy Lin (hamstring) as well as backup Isaiah Whitehead (concussion) were sidelined, while star center Brook Lopez was given the game off to rest. The absence of key players did the Nets no favors, as the team struggled mightily on both ends of the floor. Former No. 1 overall pick turned D-League call - up, Anthony Bennett was forced to play 26 minutes, shooting just 2 - of - 8 during that stretch. The game was put out of reach for Brooklyn almost immediately, as Los Angeles took a 39 - 14 lead in the first quarter. The Nets will stay at Staples Center to play the Lakers on Tuesday, while the Clippers will host the Grizzlies on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "30", "Timberwolves": "28"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "111", "Timberwolves": "112"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Suns": "32"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "15", "Timberwolves": "17"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "52"}}, {"Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "31", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "18", "Devin Booker": "26"}, "Steals": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "10"}}], "The visiting Minnesota Timberwolves took down the Phoenix Suns in dramatic fashion on Tuesday, 112 - 111. Tuesday's matchup offered a clash of two of the league's brightest young teams. The end result was a thriller, as Minnesota (17 - 28) managed to come away with the win following a contested buzzer - beater from small forward Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins finished the night as the game's leading scorer with 31 points and came up clutch on the defensive end with two steals. Reigning Rookie of the Year and star Karl-Anthony Towns also played a big part in the Wolves' win, as he came away with 18 points and 10 rebounds on the night. While Minnesota made plenty of mistakes, including sending Phoenix to the free - throw line 32 times, the Wolves were ultimately able to capitalize on their 52 percent shooting from the field to earn the victory. Phoenix (15 - 30), meanwhile, sits near the bottom of the league but had won two straight before hosting Minny on Tuesday. A big piece of the Suns' recent success has been another sophomore phenom, Devin Booker. Booker scored 26 against the Timberwolves to lead the team and extend his 20 - point game streak to ten. The Suns also saw perhaps the biggest game of the season for aging veteran Tyson Chandler. The center had 22 points on 9 - of - 9 shooting and pulled down 17 rebounds. The Suns will visit Denver on Thursday, while Minnesota will host the Pacers."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "42", "Hawks": "22"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "86", "Hawks": "124"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "7", "Hawks": "29"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "52"}}, {"Assists": {"Kent Bazemore": "2", "Paul Millsap": "3", "Jeff Teague": "3", "Thabo Sefolosha": "2", "Dennis Schroder": "2", "Mike Scott": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "5", "Jahlil Okafor": "3", "Nik Stauskas": "2", "Isaiah Canaan": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Kent Bazemore": "1", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Thabo Sefolosha": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "1", "Jahlil Okafor": "1"}, "Points": {"Kent Bazemore": "12", "Paul Millsap": "10", "Jeff Teague": "10", "Mike Muscala": "12", "Thabo Sefolosha": "12", "Dennis Schroder": "12", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "13", "Mike Scott": "13", "Nerlens Noel": "10", "Jahlil Okafor": "10", "Nik Stauskas": "17", "Isaiah Canaan": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Kent Bazemore": "3", "Paul Millsap": "4", "Jeff Teague": "3", "Mike Scott": "9", "Nerlens Noel": "7", "Jahlil Okafor": "5", "Nik Stauskas": "4", "Isaiah Canaan": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kent Bazemore": "1", "Paul Millsap": "1", "Jeff Teague": "3", "Mike Muscala": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "1", "Mike Scott": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "2", "Jahlil Okafor": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Nerlens Noel": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nerlens Noel": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Nerlens Noel": "5", "Jahlil Okafor": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Jahlil Okafor": "5"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (29 - 22) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (7 - 42) 124 - 86 on Wednesday. The Hawks already had a double - digit lead after one quarter, and gradually pulled away from an overmatched Sixers squad that was coming off three full days of rest following a near upset of the reigning NBA champion Warriors last Saturday. Atlanta shot 52 percent from the field and 50 percent from beyond the arc, and with a comfortable lead throughout the second half, was able to give their bench players extended playing time. The reserves maximized the extra opportunity, scoring a whopping 80 of the team's 124 total points on the night. Five members of the second unit tallied double - digit scoring, and the Hawks enjoyed a lead as large as 43 points at one point in the fourth quarter. Atlanta was led by a pair of 13 - point efforts from Tim Hardaway, Jr. and Mike Scott. Hardway added seven rebounds, four assists and a steal, while Scott contributed a near double - double, hauling in nine boards, dishing out an assist and recording a steal. Three additional reserves - - Dennis Schroder, Thabo Sefolosha and Mike Muscala - - pitched in with 12 points apiece. Among the starters, Kent Bazemore led the way with his own 12 - point tally, which he complemented with three rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. Paul Millsap and Jeff Teague followed with matching 10 - point performances, with the former also registering four rebounds, three assists, a steal and two blocks, and the latter amassing three rebounds, three assists and three steals. With the victory, the Hawks remain in first place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They head home for a Friday night showdown with the Indiana Pacers. The Sixers predictably had little to celebrate on the stat sheet, with a 17 - point outing by Nik Stauskas leading the way. He also managed four rebounds and a pair of assists. The frontcourt duo of Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel were next in line with 10 points apiece, along with five and seven rebounds, respectively. Okafor also had three assists, a steal and a block, but turned the ball over five times as well. Noel dished out five assists of his own, along with two steals and a block. Isaiah Canaan paced the reserves with 11 points, two rebounds and an assist. The Sixers remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head to Washington to take on the Wizards on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "7", "Cavaliers": "5"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "112", "Cavaliers": "116"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Raptors": "31"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "14", "Cavaliers": "14"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "7", "Tristan Thompson": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "7", "Channing Frye": "2", "Pascal Siakam": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "9", "Terrence Ross": "1"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "34", "Kevin Love": "28", "Tristan Thompson": "6", "Kyrie Irving": "24", "Channing Frye": "10", "Jonas Valanciunas": "4", "DeMar DeRozan": "31", "Kyle Lowry": "24", "Patrick Patterson": "12", "Terrence Ross": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "8", "Kevin Love": "14", "Tristan Thompson": "14", "Kyrie Irving": "2", "Channing Frye": "5", "Jonas Valanciunas": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "3", "Patrick Patterson": "9", "Terrence Ross": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Tristan Thompson": "2", "Terrence Ross": "4"}, "Steals": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "1"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Toronto Raptors, 116 - 112, at Air Canada Centre on Monday. The Cavs (14 - 5) came in to Monday's contest facing their first crisis of the season, having lost three consecutive games for the first time in the current campaign. However, as has been the case during their time together, Cleveland's Big Three of Kyrie Irving, LeBron James and Kevin Love stepped up their collective game, combining for 86 of Cleveland's 116 points. Fittingly, it was James, the elder statesmen of the group, who led the way, tallying 34 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. The stellar efforts helped lead to 48 and 44 percent tallies from the field and three - point range, respectively. Love was equally spectacular to James in many respects, posting a 28 - point, 14 - rebound double - double. Irving totaled 24 points, seven assists and two rebounds. Tristan Thompson contributed a modest six points, but did also bring down 14 rebounds and also recorded an assist and posted a pair of blocks. Channing Frye led the bench with 10 points, five rebounds and two assists. The Raptors (14 - 7) saw their dynamic duo of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan step up with their own impressive performances, with the latter's 31 points, which were supplemented with five assists, four rebounds and three steals, pacing the offense. Lowry managed a near double - double with 24 points, nine assists, three rebounds and a steal. Jonas Valanciunas continued to battle a sore ankle to total four points and 10 rebounds. DeMarre Carroll and Pascal Siakam were only able to combine for 14 points, but Terrence Ross (14 points, a rebound, an assist and four blocks) and Patrick Patterson (12 points, nine boards) helped make up for the scoring void off the bench. The Cavs now head to New York on Wednesday to face the Knicks, which will conclude their current road trip. The Raptors remain home to face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "11", "Mavericks": "4"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "86", "Mavericks": "92"}, "Rebounds": {"76ers": "46", "Mavericks": "39"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "0", "Mavericks": "7"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "40"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Chandler Parsons": "21", "Jahlil Okafor": "33"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "20", "Dirk Nowitzki": "21", "Deron Williams": "12", "Jahlil Okafor": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Jahlil Okafor": "11"}}], "The Mavericks (7 - 4) held on to defeat the 76ers (0 - 11) 92 - 86 at Wells Fargo Center on Monday. The 76ers gave the Mavericks a bit of a scare, but ultimately were unable to capture their first win of the season. Dirk Nowitzki scored 12 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter, hitting a handful of clutch free throws along with Deron Williams to ice the game. Philadelphia had the advantage on the glass, outrebounding the Mavericks 46 - 39, but too many turnovers led to the 76ers demise. Chandler Parsons has been working his way back from a surgically - repaired knee, but has seen his minutes slowly increase. He scored a season - high 20 points in a season - high 21 minutes and took over the game early in the first half. Dallas really needs Parsons to get things going and this was certainly a step in the right direction. The Mavericks struggled from the field, shooting a lowly 40 percent, with Nowitzki, Williams and Wesley Matthews all having off nights shooting the basketball. Regardless, the win propelled Dallas into third place in the Western Conference. It's beginning to look like the season is lost for the 76ers, but they still have Jahlil Okafor to look forward to, as he continued his trek towards Rookie of the Year. The former Duke Blue Devil turned in his second straight double - double, scoring 19 points and pulling down 11 rebounds over 33 minutes. But perhaps the most surprising player for Philly has been point guard T.J. McConnell, who keeps filling up the score sheet night in and night out. The undrafted rookie out of Arizona scored 13 points with seven rebounds and six assists over 34 minutes. The Mavericks continue their road trip Wednesday against the Celtics, while the 76ers will eye their first win of the season against the Pacers at home."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "44", "Clippers": "17"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "92", "Clippers": "98"}, "Turnovers": {"76ers": "20", "Clippers": "12"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "8", "Clippers": "35"}}, {"Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "21", "Chris Paul": "6", "Jamal Crawford": "3", "Ish Smith": "9", "Jerami Grant": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"JJ Redick": "3"}, "Points": {"JJ Redick": "23", "Chris Paul": "19", "Jamal Crawford": "23", "Ish Smith": "16", "Jerami Grant": "17"}, "Turnovers": {"JJ Redick": "3", "Chris Paul": "3"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "7", "Jamal Crawford": "3", "Ish Smith": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Chris Paul": "3", "Jamal Crawford": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Chris Paul": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jamal Crawford": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Ish Smith": "33"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (35 - 17) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (8 - 44) in overtime for a 98 - 92 win on Monday. The Sixers carried a double - digit lead into the half, but just couldn\u2019t hold off the Clippers for the full 48 minutes. The overtime got off to an ugly start as well, with Los Angeles scoring the first eight points. Both teams shot below 38 percent from the field and 25 percent from three - point range in the overtime thriller. The turnovers were the difference, as Philadelphia committed 20 turnovers to the Clippers 12. Los Angeles came into this game as a huge favorite and were lucky to escape with a win. Jamal Crawford and J.J. Redick led the team with 23 points a piece. Chris Paul had a good all - around game, as he tallied 19 points, six rebounds and seven assists in the win. DeAndre Jordan destroyed the Sixers in the paint, as he snatched down 21 rebounds and swatted away three shots in the victory. On deck for the Clippers is a matchup with the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. The Sixers have been a much more competitive team recently and nearly pulled out a statement win against a potent Clippers team. Jerami Grant led the team in both points and rebounds, as he amassed 17 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. Ish Smith was on a supposed 24 - minute restriction, but accumulated 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists in over 33 minutes of action. Up next for Philly is a game against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Robert Covington": "12", "Andrew Wiggins": "20", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Robert Covington": "1", "Andrew Wiggins": "14", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "12"}, "Points": {"Robert Covington": "4", "Joel Embiid": "10", "Andrew Wiggins": "35", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Joel Embiid": "10", "Andrew Wiggins": "10", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2"}}], "Youngsters were on display in this matchup of struggling teams and Andrew Wiggins shined the brightest. Wiggins finished the game with 35 points and 10 rebounds on 14 - of - 20 shooting. He's on quite the tear right now, as he has scored 111 points across his last three games. Karl-Anthony Towns played well too, as he accumulated 25 points and 10 rebounds on 12 - of - 18 shooting. That shooting percentage was especially encouraging, considering he was just 16 - of - 45 across his last two games. Robert Covington continues to struggle for the Sixers, as he went just 1 - of - 12 from the field here en route to four points. In fact, that's the seventh game this season that Covington has shot below 22 percent from the field, while taking at least six shots. Joel Embiid did finish with a 10 - point, 10 - rebound double - double, but most of that production came in meaningless minutes."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "26", "Bucks": "44"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "32", "Bucks": "41"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "16", "Bucks": "22"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "75", "Bucks": "82"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Raptors": "15", "Bucks": "9"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "33", "Bucks": "26"}}, {"Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1", "Jared Dudley": "7", "Khris Middleton": "4", "DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "2", "Lou Williams": "7", "Terrence Ross": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "0", "Jared Dudley": "3", "Khris Middleton": "3", "DeMar DeRozan": "0", "Kyle Lowry": "0", "Lou Williams": "1", "Terrence Ross": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9", "Jared Dudley": "12", "John Henson": "8", "Khris Middleton": "17", "DeMar DeRozan": "16", "Jonas Valanciunas": "9", "Kyle Lowry": "7", "Lou Williams": "12", "Terrence Ross": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4", "Jared Dudley": "5", "John Henson": "5", "Khris Middleton": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Jonas Valanciunas": "6", "Kyle Lowry": "1", "Lou Williams": "1", "Terrence Ross": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Jared Dudley": "4", "John Henson": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Lou Williams": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4", "Jared Dudley": "1", "John Henson": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "6", "Lou Williams": "9"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "12", "Jared Dudley": "14", "John Henson": "12", "Khris Middleton": "25", "DeMar DeRozan": "16", "Jonas Valanciunas": "12", "Kyle Lowry": "2", "Lou Williams": "12", "Terrence Ross": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "12", "John Henson": "4", "Khris Middleton": "9", "Jonas Valanciunas": "13", "Lou Williams": "1", "Terrence Ross": "4"}, "Assists": {"Jared Dudley": "5", "DeMar DeRozan": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"John Henson": "29", "DeMar DeRozan": "25", "Jonas Valanciunas": "25", "Kyle Lowry": "29"}, "Steals": {"Khris Middleton": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (26 - 22) defeated the Toronto Raptors (33 - 16) 82 - 75 on Monday at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. Coming out of the third quarter, the Bucks had built a 73 - 60 lead and looked to be on the verge of coasting to an easy win. The Raptors made a run in the fourth quarter though, out - scoring the Bucks 15 - 9, but their comeback came up just short, as the Bucks secured the seven - point victory and ended the Raptors win streak at six. The Bucks were the superior shooters in this matchup, going 41 percent from the field and 44 percent from the three - point line, while the Raptors went just 32 percent from the floor and a meager 26 percent from beyond the arc. Khris Middleton led the Bucks with a very impressive performance Monday. He went 10 - for - 17 from the field and 3 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 25 points, while also adding nine rebounds and three steals. With Brandon Knight sitting out due to a quad injury and Jorge Gutierrez going scoreless as his replacement in the starting lineup, Middleton took it on himself to keep the Bucks moving forward, and was the biggest reason for the Bucks' success. Giannis Antetokounmpo added a double - double, finishing with 12 points (4 - 9 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 4 - 8 FT) and 12 rebounds. It was his second double - double in a row, as he's combined for 22 points and 22 rebounds over those two outings. Also reaching double figures in points was Jared Dudley, who scored 14 points (5 - 12 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt, 1 - 4 FT) and handed out five assists. He's had a nice stretch of three games where he's averaging 16 points. John Henson also pitched in with 12 points (5 - 8 FG, 2 - 2 FT) and four rebounds. In limited playing time, DeMar DeRozan did everything he could to keep the Raptors alive in this game, finishing with 16 points (5 - 16 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 6 - 8 FT) and two assists in only 25 minutes. He's averaging 19 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists over his last three games. Kyle Lowry really struggled with his shot Monday, while he also was dealing with a tight hamstring, which forced him from the game in the first quarter before returning in the second. He went only 1 - for - 7 from the field and 0 - for - 2 from the three - point line to score two points in 29 minutes. Recording a double - double, Jonas Valanciunas recorded 12 points (6 - 9 FG) and 13 rebounds in 25 minutes. He was dealing with an ankle injury during Saturday's win over the Wizards and played only 17 minutes in that game, so it was good to see get some extended time on the court. The Raptors did see some contribution from their bench, with both Louis Williams and Terrence Ross reaching double figures in points. Williams had 12 points (1 - 12 FG, 1 - 7 3Pt, 9 - 10 FT) and one rebound, while Ross finished with 10 points (4 - 12 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt) and four rebounds. The Bucks' next game will be at home against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, while the Raptors will be at home against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "22", "Spurs": "46"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "87", "Spurs": "96"}, "Turnovers": {"Grizzlies": "14"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "46"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Manu Ginobili": "5", "Matt Barnes": "4", "Zach Randolph": "1", "JaMychal Green": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Danny Green": "3", "JaMychal Green": "2"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "32", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "16", "Danny Green": "11", "Manu Ginobili": "11", "Vince Carter": "11", "Matt Barnes": "17", "Zach Randolph": "20", "JaMychal Green": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "7", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "10", "Danny Green": "4", "Manu Ginobili": "3", "Vince Carter": "8", "Matt Barnes": "11", "Zach Randolph": "11", "JaMychal Green": "4"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4", "Danny Green": "1", "Manu Ginobili": "1", "Matt Barnes": "2"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the host Memphis Grizzlies, 96 - 87, to take a 30 lead Friday in the Western Conference first - round playoffs at FedEx Forum. Despite the change of scenery, the end result was the same as the first two games of the series. The short - handed Grizzlies simply did n't have enough offense to overcome an already - dominant Spurs defense, and now face the seemingly impossible task of trying to steal Game 4 on Sunday to salvage their season. Friday, the Spurs were able to hold the Grizzlies to a paltry 22 percent success rate from three - point range, while also causing 14 turnovers. Conversely, they enjoyed a strong offensive game themselves, shooting 46 percent from the field, and 46 percent from three - point range. Kawhi Leonard led the way for San Antonio with a game - high 32 points, which he complemented with seven rebounds, two assists, five blocks and four steals. LaMarcus Aldridge supported him with a 16 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included an assist and a block. Danny Green stepped up with 11 points, four rebounds, three blocks and a steal. Manu Ginobli paced the reserves with 11 points, five assists, three rebounds and a steal. Zach Randolph spearheaded Memphis' attack with 20 points, 11 rebounds and an assist. Matt Barnes was next with 17 points, 11 boards, four assists and two steals. Vince Carter drew the start and tallied 11 points and eight rebounds. JaMychal Green led the second unit with 10 points, four rebounds, two assists and two blocks. The two teams will reconvene for Game 4 of the series on Sunday afternoon at FedEx Forum. A Spurs victory will give them a first - round sweep, while a Grizzlies upset will send the series back to San Antonio for Game 5."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "4", "Timberwolves": "11"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "107", "Timberwolves": "93"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "26", "Timberwolves": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Trail Blazers": "54", "Timberwolves": "43"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "13", "Timberwolves": "4"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Timberwolves": "26"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Andrew Wiggins": "18", "Damian Lillard": "36"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "7", "Thaddeus Young": "14", "Gorgui Dieng": "11", "Mo Williams": "21", "Shabazz Muhammad": "28", "Nicolas Batum": "10", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "26", "Wesley Matthews": "23", "Damian Lillard": "17"}, "Assists": {"Mo Williams": "11", "Damian Lillard": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Mo Williams": "5", "Shabazz Muhammad": "8", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Mo Williams": "5", "Damian Lillard": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Mo Williams": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "15", "Wesley Matthews": "6", "Damian Lillard": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "17", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "17", "Wesley Matthews": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "12", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "11", "Wesley Matthews": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "4", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Wesley Matthews": "10", "Damian Lillard": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Wesley Matthews": "6", "Damian Lillard": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Wesley Matthews": "3", "Damian Lillard": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Damian Lillard": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Damian Lillard": "1"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (13 - 4) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (4 - 11) 107 - 93 on Sunday at the Moda Center in Oregon. The Blazers had a strong sencond quarter both offensively and defensively. They were able to hold the Timberwolves to only 14 points, while also scoring 26 of their own. The Blazers were able to take a 54 - 43 rebounding advantage, which may have also given them exactly what they needed to pull out the victory at home Monday. LaMarcus Aldridge and Wes Matthews did most of the damage to the Timberwolves in this game. Aldridge went an efficient 11 - for - 17 from the floor to score 26 points, while also grabbing 15 rebounds. He's now recorded four double - doubles in the past five games, increasing his season total to seven. Matthews on the other hand shot 8 - for - 13 from the field and 6 - for - 10 from beyond the arc to score 23 points combined with six rebounds. He's now averaging 26 points in his last three games, as he's been on fire of late. Damian Lillard struggled from deep in this one. He was only able to hit 1 - of - 7 three - pointers, but still contributed 17 points and eight assists in 36 minutes. He's averaging 20 points and 7 assists on the season. Nicolas Batum was the only other Blazer to reach double - digit points with 10. Despite being questionable with an illness coming into Sunday's game, Andrew Wiggins made the start and tried to play through it. He only ended up recording 18 minutes though, while finishing with seven points. Most of the Timberwolves production came from Shabazz Muhammad and Maurice Williams. Muhammad had arguably his best game of the season. He shot 12 - for - 17 from the field and 4 - for - 8 from the free throw line to score a season - high 28 points. He has n't reached the 20 - point mark yet this season, so it was a surprise performance for the forward who benefitted from the extra time he was given. Williams also had a big game and finished with 21 points and 11 assists. It was his third double - double in a row and fourth in five games. Thaddeus Young and Gorgui Dieng had 14 points and 11 points respectively in the loss. The Trail Blazers' next game will be on the road against the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, while the Timberwolves will travel to Los Angeles to play the Clippers on Monday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Pistons": "26"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pistons": "30", "Bulls": "16"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Bulls": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "4", "Cameron Payne": "3", "Reggie Jackson": "6"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "27", "Robin Lopez": "18", "Cameron Payne": "14", "Reggie Jackson": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "9", "Robin Lopez": "4", "Cameron Payne": "3", "Jon Leuer": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Reggie Jackson": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Reggie Jackson": "11"}}], "Chicago got out to a hot start by leading by 12 after the first quarter, but Detroit dominated from there. In fact, Detroit outscored Chicago by 26 from that point and won the fourth quarter, 30 - 16. Rebounding was key, as the Pistons won that battle, 48 - 37. Detroit also dominated scoring in the paint in addition to the rebounding, as they outscored Chicago, 58 - 32 in the paint. Jimmy Butler led the way for Chicago, as he tallied 27 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Robin Lopez finished with 18 points and four rebounds. Cameron Payne came off the bench to provide 14 points, three rebounds and three assists. Reggie Jackson scored 24 of his team - leading 26 points during the second half, also adding six assists to his tally on 11 - of - 16 shooting. Jon Leuer finished second on the team, totaling 16 points and six rebounds."], [[{"Total points": {"Spurs": "98", "Pelicans": "79"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "37"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "3"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "0"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "6"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "18", "E'Twaun Moore": "18", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "12", "Patty Mills": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "6"}, "Assists": {"Patty Mills": "5"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs took care of the visiting New Orleans Pelicans in a 98 - 79 win at AT & T Center on Saturday. San Antonio (30) came into this game as a huge favorite and they did n't disappoint against a struggling New Orleans (0 - 3) team. The Spurs led by 10 at the half and extended that lead to 23 headed into the fourth quarter. Defense was key for San Antonio, as they held New Orleans to 37 percent from the field and 17 percent from three - point range. The Pelicans were held to just 34 points in the second half, as they had to play this game in the back end of a back - to - back set. Anthony Davis was averaging nearly 50 points and 15 rebounds in his first two games, but struggled against an elite Spurs defense. Davis was held to 18 points and five rebounds on 6 - for - 15 shooting in the loss. E'Twaun Moore tied the team - lead with 18 points of his own. No other player scored in double figures for the Pelicans, as the other three starters combined for just 10 points. The bench did combine for 29 points and 25 rebounds, but most of that came in garbage time. Kawhi Leonard continued his torrid start, as he scored 22 points in just 27 minutes of play. He actually scored 16 of those points in the third quarter, which is a career - high for a single quarter for Leonard. Patty Mills started for Tony Parker and finished second on the team with 18 points and five assists. The only other starter in double figures was LaMarcus Aldridge, who totaled 12 points and six boards. San Antonio will hop on a plane to travel to Miami for a game on Sunday. It would n't be a surprise to see Gregg Popovich rest some starters in that sort of circumstance with his history. New Orleans is off until Tuesday, when they host the Milwaukee Bucks."], [[{"Total points": {"Celtics": "111", "Wizards": "78"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "32"}}, {"Assists": {"John Wall": "6", "Jared Sullinger": "3"}, "Points": {"John Wall": "10", "Jared Dudley": "19", "Jared Sullinger": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"John Wall": "4", "Jared Sullinger": "15"}, "Blocks": {"Jared Sullinger": "2"}}], "The Boston Celtics dominated the Washington Wizards 111 - 78 on Friday. This was a non - competitive game and it was no surprise with both team's last results. The Celtics had a comeback win over the Philadelphia 76ers in their last game in which they finished the game on a 16 - 4 run. The Wizards on the other hand, scored six points in the fourth quarter to blow a double - digit lead against the Charlotte Hornets in the fourth quarter of their last game. Clearly that epic collapse carried over here for the Wizards and they ca n't allow that to hang over them too much longer. Boston outshot, outrebounded, outassisted, and committed less turnovers than the Wizards in the blowout. They also beat them in every quarter by at least five points and this was the definition of a start - to - finish blowout. The Wizards shot just 32 percent in this loss and it was a downright ugly performance. The most worrisome part is the lack of hustle this team showed, as they were nearly doubled in the steals and blocks categories. John Wall had another bad game with just 10 points, six assists and four rebounds. He's been in a rut as of late and they need him to play like a star if the team is to get out of this slump. The only Washington player who showed up was Jared Dudley, who dropped 19 points off the bench. The Wizards will try to get back on track on Saturday against the Toronto Raptors. This was one of Boston's best games of the season, as they handled an Eastern Conference foe extremely easily. The Celtics were clicking on all cylinders, but their defense was the key, as they held the Wizards to 32 percent shooting. All the starters played well, as four of them scored at least 16 points and all five recorded at least three assists. Jared Sullinger was especially good, as he tallied 18 points, 15 rebounds, three assists and two blocks in the win. This is a deep team that plays some of the best team - ball in the NBA and these are the types of games that make them a true threat. Boston will look to keep up this form against an equally surprising Orlando Magic squad on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "48", "Rockets": "40"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "59"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "23", "Rockets": "14"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "127", "Rockets": "114"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "21", "Rockets": "34"}}, {"Assists": {"James Harden": "12", "Jabari Parker": "7"}, "Points": {"James Harden": "26", "Sam Dekker": "4", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "31", "Jabari Parker": "28"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Sam Dekker": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Sam Dekker": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Sam Dekker": "16", "Jabari Parker": "39"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Jabari Parker": "8"}, "Steals": {"Jabari Parker": "3"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Houston Rockets 127 - 114 Monday at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Not even a week after the Bucks (21 - 23) got blown out by the Rockets (34 - 14) in Houston, they return the favor on their home floor in Milwaukee, as the Bucks' young stars put on a show to earn the victory and end the team's five - game losing streak. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way with a game - high 31 points on top of seven points, three rebounds and four blocked shots, while Jabari Parker had an impressive all - around game himself, recording 28 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals in 39 minutes. The two also combined to shoot a combined 22 - of - 36 from the field on a night where the entire team was finding their stroke. Overall, Milwaukee shot a ridicluous 59 percent from the field and 48 percent from behind the arc; numbers the very efficient Rockets could n't even match. As for those Rockets, they did still shoot the ball very well in the loss, hitting 40 percent of their shots from behind the arc 50 percent from the field overall. James Harden fell a rebound shy of a triple - double, as he finished with a team - high 26 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds, but he also recorded 11 turnovers. Additionally, a big storyline headed into Monday's matchup was the return of Wisconsin-born Sam Dekker to his home state fresh off a career - high 30 point performance in his first career start. Monday did not go as well for the young Rocket in his return to the bench, however, as he managed just four points on 2 - of - 7 shooting in 16 minutes. Up next, the Bucks will stay home Wednesday to take on the 76ers, while the Rockets will head to Boston on Wednesday to play the Celtics."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "28", "Pistons": "28"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "98", "Pistons": "86"}, "Turnovers": {"Wizards": "9"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "25", "Pistons": "27"}}, {"Points": {"Tobias Harris": "21", "Marcin Gortat": "15", "John Wall": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "9", "John Wall": "8"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "8"}}], "The Washington Wizards (25 - 28) won their second straight game out of the All-Star break Friday, defeating the Detroit Pistons (27 - 28) 98 - 86. Trade deadline acquisition Markieff Morris made his debut with the Wizards on Friday after being dealt just before the deadline by the Phoenix Suns. The controversial power forward had been the center of trade talks for much of the 2015 - 16 season, and was finally moved to Washington in exchange for a top - nine protected pick, Kris Humphries, and Dejuan Blair. Morris underwhelmed in 22 minutes of play, going just 2 - for - 8 from the field for six points while pulling down two rebounds. The Wizards as a whole, however, did not disappoint, carrying the momentum from their emphatic win over Utah into Friday's contest. All-Star John Wall took the game over, leading the team with 22 points while also notching eight rebounds and dishing out eight assists. The former first overall pick continues to be a bright spot for the team as they attempt to find their way back into the playoff picture. Center Marcin Gortat, meanwhile, neared a double - double, recording 15 points and nine rebounds. The Pistons also introduced a new face on Friday, as forward Tobias Harris debuted with the team. Harris made an immediate impact, leading the team with 21 points. The former Orlando wing's performance was complemented by yet another double - double from monster center Andre Drummond. The 22 - year - old first - time All-Star leads the league in both double - doubles and rebounds as of Friday. The loss keeps Detroit at ninth in the Eastern Conference, with a tight race for the playoffs sure to ensue. Washington now sits just two games out from the playoffs, and the sixth through tenth teams in the East are separated by a matter of only a few games. Both teams next face the Pelicans, with the Pistons taking on New Orleans on Sunday and the Wizards seeing them on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "3", "Hornets": "5"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "102", "Hornets": "100"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "27", "Hornets": "15"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "5", "Hornets": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Hornets": "13"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Lance Stephenson": "4", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Brian Roberts": "2", "Damian Lillard": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Lance Stephenson": "2", "Kemba Walker": "1", "Brian Roberts": "2", "Damian Lillard": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Lance Stephenson": "10", "Kemba Walker": "16", "Brian Roberts": "7", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "21", "Damian Lillard": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"Lance Stephenson": "5", "Kemba Walker": "6", "Brian Roberts": "4", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "10", "Damian Lillard": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Lance Stephenson": "4", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Brian Roberts": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Lance Stephenson": "2", "Kemba Walker": "3", "Brian Roberts": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "5"}, "Points": {"Lance Stephenson": "14", "Kemba Walker": "16", "Brian Roberts": "12", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "25", "Damian Lillard": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Lance Stephenson": "14", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "14", "Damian Lillard": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Brian Roberts": "12"}, "Assists": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "3", "Damian Lillard": "7"}, "Steals": {"Damian Lillard": "2"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (3 - 5) were outscored 27 - 15 in the fourth quarter by the Portland Trail Blazers (5 - 3) on Tuesday at the Moda Center in Portland and took a 102 - 100 loss. The Hornets were up big early on in this one, reaching a 23 point lead in the first half, while eventually going into halftime up 13. Charlotte just could n't hold on to the lead though, and ended up losing a close one on the road in Portland. The Hornets were led by a double - double from Lance Stephenson with 14 points (5 - 10 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT) and 14 rebounds. Charlotte had a well - balanced attack offensively, with eight total players scoring, and each of them scoring at least seven points. Brian Roberts chipped in 12 points (4 - 7 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) in only 12 minutes of action, while Kemba Walker struggled to knock down his shot, scoring 16 points on 6 - 16 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt and 3 - 4 FT. The Hornets continue their tough road stretch against the Phoenix Suns on Friday night. The Trail Blazers came storming back in this one, and did so in impressive fashion. Portland was led by their dynamic duo of Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge, but got solid production from multiple players on Tuesday night. Lillard scored 29 points (12 - 21 FG, 5 - 8 3Pt), with seven assists, four rebounds and two steals, while Aldridge scored 25 points (10 - 21 FG, 5 - 5 FT), with 14 rebounds and three assists. The Blazers have won two in a row now, and head on the road to take on the Nuggets tomorrow night in Denver."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "40"}, "Turnovers": {"Pelicans": "19"}}, {"Points": {"Anthony Davis": "39", "DeMarcus Cousins": "12", "Jrue Holiday": "18", "Harrison Barnes": "19", "Dirk Nowitzki": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "14", "DeMarcus Cousins": "15", "Jrue Holiday": "7", "Harrison Barnes": "3", "Dirk Nowitzki": "9"}, "Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "6", "Jrue Holiday": "6"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Harrison Barnes": "3", "Dirk Nowitzki": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Salah Mejri": "1"}}], "These are two teams battling to capture that eight - seed in the west and this veteran Dallas team gave it to this new - look New Orleans bunch. Defense was key for the Mavericks, as they held the Pelicans to under 40 percent shooting, while forcing them to commit 19 turnovers. Anthony Davis carried the load for New Orleans, as he tallied 39 points and 14 rebounds. Jrue Holiday finished second on the team with 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists. DeMarcus Cousins accumulated 12 points, 15 rebounds, six assists and three steals in his second game with the Pelicans. Harrison Barnes led Dallas in scoring, as he accrued 19 points, three rebounds and three steals. Dirk Nowitzki finished second on the team, collecting 18 points and nine boards. Salah Mejri had one of the ugliest lines in the history of the NBA, as he fouled out in five minutes, while failing to record a single stat aside from a turnover."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "45", "Heat": "33"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "112", "Heat": "109"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "34", "Heat": "46"}}, {"Points": {"Joe Johnson": "13", "Luol Deng": "10", "Dwyane Wade": "17", "Hassan Whiteside": "13", "Evan Fournier": "28", "Nikola Vucevic": "29", "Victor Oladipo": "13", "Elfrid Payton": "16"}, "Minutes played": {"Luol Deng": "32", "Dwyane Wade": "31", "Hassan Whiteside": "28", "Evan Fournier": "46", "Nikola Vucevic": "35", "Victor Oladipo": "28", "Elfrid Payton": "37"}, "Rebounds": {"Luol Deng": "10", "Hassan Whiteside": "16", "Evan Fournier": "7", "Nikola Vucevic": "6", "Victor Oladipo": "4", "Elfrid Payton": "3"}, "Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "5", "Evan Fournier": "7", "Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4", "Nikola Vucevic": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Evan Fournier": "12", "Nikola Vucevic": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Evan Fournier": "7", "Nikola Vucevic": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Evan Fournier": "15", "Nikola Vucevic": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Evan Fournier": "12", "Nikola Vucevic": "5"}, "Steals": {"Evan Fournier": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "1"}}], "The Orlando Magic (34 - 45) defeated the visiting Miami Heat (46 - 33) 112 - 109, Friday evening at Amway Center. The Heat came into this game in fifth place, only half a game behind the third place Hawks and half a game ahead of the sixth place Hornets, but the Magic put a damper on the Heat as they managed to keep them from making any progress in the Eastern Conference standings. Evan Fournier and Nikola Vucevic combined for 57 points as they led the Magic in a valiant effort to avoid a third season - sweep by the Heat in the last four seasons. Fournier finished with 28 points (7 - 12 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt, 12 - 15 FT), seven assists, seven rebounds and one steal, in a whopping 46 minutes. Nikola Vucevic tallied a game - high 29 points (12 - 20 FG, 5 - 6 FT), along with six rebounds, two blocked shots, one assist and one steal, in 35 minutes. Victor Oladipo tallied 13 points and four rebounds, in 28 minutes before he had to leave the game in the third quarter after taking an elbow to the face. Elfrid Payton notched a double - double with 16 points and 10 assists, along with three rebounds and one steal, in 37 minutes. The Heat had seven players score in double digits and had the game tied with 30 seconds left thanks to a clutch three - pointer from Joe Johnson, but could not execute on their last possession after Orlando had re - claimed the lead. Dwyane Wade was the high - point man for the Heat as he dropped 17 points, along with five assists, in 31 minutes. Hassan Whiteside put in work down low as he finished with 13 points, 16 rebounds and four blocked shots, in 28 minutes off the bench. Luol Deng also finished with a double - double, including 10 points and 10 rebounds, in 32 minutes. The Heat missed 10 free throws in the game, an awful stat in a three - point loss. These two teams meet again for the second of a home - and - home series on Sunday, in Miami."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Heat": "33", "Spurs": "44"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "41", "Spurs": "50"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "40", "Spurs": "26"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "81", "Spurs": "95"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Heat": "20"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "34", "Spurs": "48"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3", "Tim Duncan": "1", "Tony Parker": "5", "Chris Andersen": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "1", "Goran Dragic": "3", "Hassan Whiteside": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2", "Tim Duncan": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "3", "Goran Dragic": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "1", "Goran Dragic": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "13", "Tim Duncan": "10", "Tony Parker": "12", "Chris Andersen": "8", "Dwyane Wade": "20", "Goran Dragic": "14", "Hassan Whiteside": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "8", "Tim Duncan": "5", "Tony Parker": "7", "Chris Andersen": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "6", "Goran Dragic": "6", "Hassan Whiteside": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Kawhi Leonard": "38", "Tim Duncan": "24", "Tony Parker": "26", "Chris Andersen": "24", "Dwyane Wade": "34", "Goran Dragic": "39", "Hassan Whiteside": "23"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "22", "Tim Duncan": "12", "Tony Parker": "16", "Chris Andersen": "4", "Dwyane Wade": "15", "Goran Dragic": "19", "Hassan Whiteside": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "9", "Tim Duncan": "11", "Tony Parker": "2", "Chris Andersen": "10", "Dwyane Wade": "5", "Goran Dragic": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "6"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4", "Tim Duncan": "1", "Tony Parker": "1", "Chris Andersen": "2", "Hassan Whiteside": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Hassan Whiteside": "3"}}], "The Spurs (48 - 26) defeated the Heat (34 - 40) 95 - 81 at the AmericanAirlines Arena on Tuesday. The game was tight until midway through the third quarter, when the Spurs began to pull away. By the end of the third, they'd established an 11 - point lead. Shooting percentages were probably the difference - maker, as the Spurs went 50 percent from the field (37 - 74 FG) and 44 percent from three - point range (8 - 18), while the Heat hit 41 percent of their shots from the field (32 - 79) and 33 percent from beyond the arc (5 - 15). Kawhi Leonard led the Spurs in scoring with 22 points (8 - 13 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt), to go with nine rebounds, three assists, four steals and two blocks in 38 minutes. Tony Parker had 16 points (7 - 12 FG), two rebounds, five assists and one steal in 26 minutes. Tim Duncan contributed 12 points (5 - 10 FG), 11 rebounds, one assist, one steal and three blocks in 24 minutes. Goran Dragic was Miami's leading scorer with 19 points (6 - 14 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt), to go with one rebound and three assists in 39 minutes. Dwayne Wade added 15 points (6 - 20 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt), five rebounds and one assist in 34 minutes. Chris Andersen (calf) started Tuesday's game despite sitting out Sunday against the Pistons. He had four points (2 - 8 FG), 10 rebounds and two steals in 24 minutes. Hassan Whiteside (hand) returned from a three - game absence to spell Andersen at center. He finished with 10 points (5 - 7 FG), six rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block in 23 minutes. The Spurs are sixth in the Western Conference, three games ahead of the seventh - place Mavericks. Miami is currently the seven seed in the Eastern Conference, only a half - game ahead of the eighth - place Nets. With Tuesday's victory, the Spurs have swept the season series with the Heat, 20."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "51", "Bulls": "40"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "116", "Bulls": "121"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "30", "Bulls": "41"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "57"}}, {"Assists": {"Nikola Mirotic": "3", "Jimmy Butler": "11", "James Ennis III": "4", "Tim Frazier": "11"}, "Points": {"Nikola Mirotic": "20", "Jimmy Butler": "23", "James Ennis III": "29", "Toney Douglas": "21", "Tim Frazier": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Mirotic": "4", "James Ennis III": "5", "Tim Frazier": "6"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (41 - 40) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (30 - 51) 121 - 116 on Monday. With both of these teams playing for nothing, defense became an option rather than a necessity. Both teams shot over 50 percent, with the Bulls shooting 57 percent. Chicago turned it on in the second half, as they outscored the Pelicans by 14 points over the final 24 minutes. The list of players who sat out in this game looks like an All-Star roster, so it's no surprise both of these teams missed out in the playoffs. The Bulls playoffs hopes ended just last week, but they showed some resiliency here with this win. Jimmy Butler was the player of the game, as he tallied 23 points and 11 assists. Nikola Mirotic also played well, as he totaled 20 points, four rebounds and three assists. The Bulls final game will be on Wednesday against the Philadelphia 76ers. The season has been over for New Orleans for some time now, but these youngsters continue to develop and play good ball. James Ennis was fantastic, as scored a game - high 29 points and also provided five rebounds and four assists. Tim Frazier continued his great form off the bench, as he accumulated 20 points, 11 assists and six rebounds of his own. Toney Douglas also scored 21 in the loss. New Orleans will finish out the season on Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "38"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "37", "Thunder": "20"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "96", "Thunder": "104"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Bucks": "12", "Thunder": "32"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "26", "Thunder": "43"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Thunder": "20"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Thunder": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "8", "Steven Adams": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10", "Jabari Parker": "4", "Khris Middleton": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "1", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4", "Jabari Parker": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Jabari Parker": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Durant": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "1", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "0", "Jabari Parker": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "14", "Russell Westbrook": "7", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "20", "Jabari Parker": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Jabari Parker": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "18", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "11", "Jabari Parker": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Kevin Durant": "16", "Russell Westbrook": "8", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10", "Jabari Parker": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Kevin Durant": "40", "Steven Adams": "28", "Russell Westbrook": "39", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "42", "Jabari Parker": "36", "Khris Middleton": "40"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "32", "Steven Adams": "14", "Russell Westbrook": "15", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "26", "Jabari Parker": "26", "Khris Middleton": "18"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Durant": "2", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Jabari Parker": "2", "Khris Middleton": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "10", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "12", "Jabari Parker": "5", "Khris Middleton": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "7", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (43 - 20) defeated the host Milwaukee Bucks (26 - 37) 104 - 96 on Sunday at BMO Harris Bradley Center. The Thunder have been struggling lately, coming into this game on a two - game losing streak and with a 2 - 6 record since the All-Star break. However, they looked strong in this one, jumping out to a 32 - 12 first quarter lead. Milwaukee fought back in the second and third quarters in order to close the gap to five, heading into the fourth. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook took over from there, combining for 16 of OKC's 20 points in the final frame to seal the deal for the Thunder. Durant led all scorers with 32 points (6 - 14 FG, 4 - 9 3Pt, 16 - 18 FT) and tallied an excellent 11 rebounds, eight assists, two steals and one blocked shot, in his 40 minutes on the floor. Russell Westbrook notched his 10th triple - double of the season as he clocked in 15 points (3 - 7 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 8 - 11 FT), 11 assists and 10 rebounds, in 39 minutes. Westbrook however gave up seven of the team's total 22 turnovers on the game. Steven Adams was solid at the center position and finished with 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists, in 28 minutes. The Thunder shot only 43 percent from the field but managed to hold the Bucks to an even lower 38 percent, which allowed them to storm off with their 18th road win. The Bucks entered this contest 6 games out of eighth spot in the East and this loss only dampens their chances of catching up, however they did see a huge plus - side in the performances of young stars Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Parker poured in an efficient 26 points (12 - 23 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT), along with five rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block, in 36 minutes, while Giannis recorded his third triple - double of the season, with 26 points (8 - 20 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 10 - 11 FT), 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Antetokounmpo also tallied four blocked shots and three steals, with only two turnovers, in 42 minutes. Meanwhile, Khris Middleton chipped in 18 points, five rebounds, five steals and three assists, in 40 minutes. Despite some great performances by the home team players, Milwaukee could not quiet the Thunder. The Bucks will now pack up and head to Chicago for a Monday evening contest. The Thunder have a couple of days off before hosting the Clippers on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "7", "Trail Blazers": "14"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "105", "Trail Blazers": "100"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "14", "Trail Blazers": "9"}}, {"Blocks": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "1", "Mason Plumlee": "1", "LeBron James": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "1"}, "Points": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "4", "Noah Vonleh": "2", "Mason Plumlee": "10", "CJ McCollum": "24", "Damian Lillard": "33", "LeBron James": "33", "Kevin Love": "18", "Matthew Dellavedova": "17", "Mo Williams": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "5", "Noah Vonleh": "4", "Mason Plumlee": "4", "CJ McCollum": "3", "Damian Lillard": "6", "LeBron James": "10", "Kevin Love": "4", "Mo Williams": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "1"}, "Assists": {"Mason Plumlee": "4", "CJ McCollum": "5", "Damian Lillard": "6", "LeBron James": "3", "Kevin Love": "4", "Mo Williams": "2"}, "Steals": {"CJ McCollum": "2", "LeBron James": "2", "Kevin Love": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Love": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Mo Williams": "21"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (14 - 7) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (9 - 14) 105 - 100 on Tuesday. The Cavs entered the night trying to not only end a rare three - game losing streak, but also get back on track at home after dropping their first game in Quicken Loans Arena last Thursday versus the Wizards. Things were n't exactly looking up for the home team at the half, as Cleveland faced a 56 - 47 deficit by intermission. A resurgent and resolute Cavs squad took the floor in the third quarter however, handily outscoring the visitors 30 - 19 during the period on the back of Kevin Love's nine points. Then it was LeBron James' turn in the fourth quarter, during which he tallied 12 of his 33 points on the night to help Cleveland escape with the victory. Portland received typically outstanding performances from their dynamic backcourt duo of Damian Lillard (33 points, six rebounds, six assists) and C.J. McCollum (24 points, five assists, three rebounds and a pair of steals). However, it was the insufficient production from their other three starters that played a crucial part in Portland coming up just short of handing Cleveland a second straight home loss. Mason Plumlee, slumping as of late, contributed a modest 10 points, four rebounds, four assists and a block against the Cavs' top - five ranked defense versus centers. Al-Farouq Aminu had one of his worst games since donning a Blazers uniform this offseason, tallying only four points, five rebounds and a block. Meanwhile, Noah Vonleh contributed next to nothing in a start at power forward, only pitching in two points and four rebounds. Allen Crabbe continued his string of solid performances from the bench, posting a fifth consecutive double - digit scoring effort to pace the Portland reserves. The third - year pro managed 14 points, three rebounds and an assist. The Trail Blazers fell to 9 - 14 and currently reside in fourth place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division. They now head to Phoenix for a Friday matchup versus the Suns. James complemented his game - high 33 points with 10 rebounds, three assists, two steals and three blocks. The perennial All-Star looked refreshed after being held out of the Cavs' most recent contest, a road tilt versus the Heat last Saturday. Love's aforementioned third - period tally of nine points represented half of his scoring on the night, as he totaled 18 points, along with four rebounds, four assists and four steals. Matthew Delladedova received another start in place of Mo Williams, and responded with a strong 17 - point effort. Williams was active as well, and paced the Cleveland bench with 13 points, a pair of rebounds and a pair of assists over a highly efficient 21 minutes. Cleveland improved to 14 - 7 and remains in first place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They now head to Orlando to take on the Magic on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "13", "Rockets": "20"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "112", "Rockets": "110"}, "Turnovers": {"Spurs": "9"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "49", "Rockets": "44"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Rockets": "39"}}, {"Assists": {"James Harden": "12", "Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Tony Parker": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"James Harden": "36", "Kawhi Leonard": "39"}, "Points": {"James Harden": "39", "Lou Williams": "5", "Kawhi Leonard": "39", "Tony Parker": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "3", "Kawhi Leonard": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Lou Williams": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Lou Williams": "10", "Kawhi Leonard": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Lou Williams": "1", "Kawhi Leonard": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Lou Williams": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Lou Williams": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tony Parker": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Tony Parker": "3"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Houston Rockets, 112 - 110, Monday at AT & T Center. The game did n't take long to get out of hand, as the Rockets (44 - 20) opened up a 16 - point lead in the first quarter and looked to be well on their way to a big road victory. Kawhi Leonard and the Spurs (49 - 13), however, had different plans. San Antonio slowly chipped away at the lead over the next three quarters. In the end, it was a sequence that included a go - ahead three - pointer, a block on a James Harden layup and a pair of game - clinching free throws, all from Leonard, that ended Monday's contest. Leonard finished with a team - high 39 points on an impressive 12 - of - 18 shooting from the field to go along with six rebounds and five assists in 39 minutes. Additionally, what was key for the Spurs was Tony Parker's ability to slip out of a funk, as after three straight games in single digits, Parker finished with 19 points, six rebounds and three assists. As for Houston, James Harden was once again sensational, scoring 39 points on 12 - of - 20 shooting from the field and dishing out a game - high 12 assists in 36 minutes. In contrast, Lou Williams had a dreadful night from the field, hitting just 1 - of - 10 shots en route to scoring five points, and the favorite to win Sixth Man of the Year has now had three straight games where he has failed to score in double figures. In the end, five Rockets players managed to score in double figures, but it was n't enough to end the Spurs' seven - game win streak. Up next, San Antonio will look to extend their streak to nine games against the Kings on Wednesday, while the Rockets will look to bounce back against the Jazz at home Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "21", "Cavaliers": "22"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "117", "Cavaliers": "112"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "46", "Cavaliers": "43"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "5", "Kyrie Irving": "8", "James Harden": "11"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "30", "Richard Jefferson": "16", "Kyrie Irving": "28", "Ryan Anderson": "16", "James Harden": "38", "Eric Gordon": "13", "Nene": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kyrie Irving": "3", "Ryan Anderson": "6", "James Harden": "10", "Nene": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"LeBron James": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Richard Jefferson": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Richard Jefferson": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Steals": {"Nene": "3"}}], "The Houston Rockets defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 117 - 112, at Toyota Center on Sunday. This was a matchup full of stars and none of them disappointed. There was an NBA record tied in this game, as there were 88 combined three - point attempts. There were eight ties and 16 lead changes in total, with neither team leading by more than 14 points. Cleveland actually dominated the shooting, as they outshot Houston from the field, from three - point range and from the free - throw line. Rebounding was the glaring difference for the Rockets, as they won that differential, 52 - 38. Houston were also playing great defense, recording 10 steals to Cleveland's three. The Cavaliers (43 - 22) have now lost five of their last seven games, as they continue to struggle on defense. LeBron James led the way for Cleveland, as he accumulated 30 points, seven rebounds and five assists, despite committing eight turnovers. Kyrie Irving accrued 28 points, three rebounds, eight assists and two blocks. Richard Jefferson was the only other player in double figures, as he dropped 16 points on a perfect 6 - of - 6 shooting. On deck for the Cavaliers is a home matchup against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday. The Rockets (46 - 21) continue to take their three - point shooting barrage through the NBA and a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers shows just how much they have improved. James Harden recorded his 16th triple - double of the season, as he collected 38 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists. Ryan Anderson finished second on the team, totaling 16 points and six rebounds. Nene Hilario came off the bench to provide 12 points, six rebounds and three steals, while Eric Gordon led the bench with 13 points. Houston will look to keep rolling on Wednesday in a favorable home matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "40"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "32", "Pacers": "22"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "88", "Pacers": "98"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "19", "Pacers": "26"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Paul George": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul George": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Paul George": "5"}, "Assists": {"Thaddeus Young": "1", "Myles Turner": "3", "Jeff Teague": "9", "Al Jefferson": "3", "Serge Ibaka": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "5", "Evan Fournier": "4", "Elfrid Payton": "3"}, "Points": {"Thaddeus Young": "12", "Myles Turner": "11", "CJ Miles": "16", "Jeff Teague": "13", "Al Jefferson": "10", "Glenn Robinson III": "14", "Serge Ibaka": "20", "Nikola Vucevic": "15", "Evan Fournier": "12", "Elfrid Payton": "11", "D.J. Augustin": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Thaddeus Young": "5", "Myles Turner": "3", "CJ Miles": "4", "Jeff Teague": "1", "Al Jefferson": "7", "Glenn Robinson III": "7", "Serge Ibaka": "9", "Nikola Vucevic": "15", "Evan Fournier": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "6"}, "Steals": {"Thaddeus Young": "3", "Myles Turner": "1", "Serge Ibaka": "2", "Nikola Vucevic": "2", "Evan Fournier": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Al Jefferson": "16"}}], "The Indiana Pacers defeated the Orlando Magic, 98 - 88, at Amway Center on Wednesday evening. The Pacers (26 - 22) typically rely on Paul George to spearhead their offensive attack, and more often than not, that approach provides very favorable returns. However, on occasions when the star forward is n't quite on his A-game, there are still plenty of other options for Indiana to fall back on. Such was the case Wednesday, with George shooting just 3 - of - 14 from the field, but the four other members of the starting five hitting double - digit scoring. Their contributions, along with those of Glenn Robinson and Al Jefferson off the bench, helped lead the Pacers to the double - digit road victory. Excellent defense also played a pivotal role, as Indiana held the Magic (19 - 32) to 40 percent shooting, including 26 percent from three - point range. C.J. Miles led the way with 16 points and four rebounds. Jeff Teague was next with 13 points, nine assists and a rebound. Thaddeus Young stepped up with 12 points, five rebounds, an assist and three steals. Myles Turner posted 11 points, three rebounds, three assists and a steal. Robinson led the bench with 14 points and seven rebounds, while Jefferson provided a full stat line of 10 points, seven rebounds and three assists in just 16 minutes. The Magic were paced by Serge Ibaka's 20 points, which he supplemented with nine rebounds, an assist and two steals. Nicola Vucevic generated a 15 - point, 15 - rebound double - double that also included five assists and a pair of steals. Evan Fournier was next with 12 points, four assists, a rebound and two steals. Elfrid Payton registered 11 points, six rebounds and three assists. D.J. Augustin led the second unit with 10 points. The Pacers next head to New York to tangle with the Brooklyn Nets on Friday evening, while the Magic remain home and await the Toronto Raptors for a Friday night showdown as well."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "52"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "113", "Jazz": "104"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Jazz": "26"}}, {"Points": {"Joe Johnson": "29", "Rodney Hood": "26", "Damian Lillard": "39", "Allen Crabbe": "18"}, "Steals": {"Rodney Hood": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Allen Crabbe": "4"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the visiting Utah Jazz, 113 - 104, in the first game of the season on Tuesday. The game became a back - and - forth battle in the second half, with Utah establishing a lead that was quickly reclaimed by the Blazers in the fourth quarter. The emerging dynamic duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum helped pave the way for Portland's high - octane offensive outing, combining for 64 points, including 39 for Lillard. The pair helped facilitate a perimeter attack for the Blazers, as they contributed six of the team's 13 three - point makes. Portland also received a boost off the bench from recently re - signed wing Allen Crabbe, who provided 18 points and four more shots from behind the arc. Utah, meanwhile, is struggling to remain healthy despite the season having barely begun. Star forwards Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors were sidelined with injuries, as well as bench guard Alec Burks. Utah's offense was able to fill the void, however, with significant contributions coming from newly - acquired veteran Joe Johnson (29 points, 12 - 16 shooting) and sophomore Rodney Hood (26 points, two steals). It was the defensive end where Utah ultimately came up short, as the Blazers were allowed to convert on 52 percent of their field goal attempts. The Blazers will face the Clippers in Portland on Wednesday, while the Jazz will see the Lakers on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "8", "Warriors": "4"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "110", "Warriors": "89"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "17", "Warriors": "20"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "33"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Warriors": "16"}, "Turnovers": {"Warriors": "23"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "1", "Stephen Curry": "3", "Tony Allen": "1", "JaMychal Green": "2", "Marc Gasol": "6", "Jarell Martin": "1", "Zach Randolph": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "2", "Tony Allen": "1", "Marc Gasol": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kevin Durant": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "7", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "5"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "21", "Draymond Green": "7", "Klay Thompson": "8", "Stephen Curry": "17", "Ian Clark": "10", "Tony Allen": "19", "JaMychal Green": "14", "Marc Gasol": "19", "Troy Williams": "11", "Andrew Harrison": "11", "Jarell Martin": "13", "Zach Randolph": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "7", "Stephen Curry": "8", "Tony Allen": "4", "JaMychal Green": "10", "Marc Gasol": "8", "Jarell Martin": "7", "Zach Randolph": "7"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Durant": "1", "Tony Allen": "1", "JaMychal Green": "1", "Marc Gasol": "1", "Jarell Martin": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Anderson Varejao": "18"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "14"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Golden State Warriors, 110 - 89, at FedEx Forum. The Warriors (20 - 4) had rolled in to the Volunteer State riding high, with victories in 16 of their last 17 games. That impressive streak was harshly halted Saturday, however, as a defensive - minded Grizzlies squad managed to hold Golden State to a season - low point total. They also forced 23 turnovers from the Warriors, and held their dangerous long - range shooters to a collective 33 percent success rate from beyond the arc. While only Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry were able to post double - digit scoring for the visitors, the Grizzlies (17 - 8) countered with seven such performances, including one from each member of their starting five. Durant's relatively modest 21 points led the way for Golden State, a total he complemented with seven rebounds, an assist, two blocks and a steal. Curry supplied 17 points, eight rebounds and three assists, going just 4 - of - 14 from three - point range in the process. Klay Thompson (eight points) and Draymond Green (seven points) underwhelmed, while Anderson Varejao went scoreless over 18 minutes in a start at center. Ian Clark's 10 points paced the second unit. The Grizzlies saw Marc Gasol and Tony Allen lead the way with a pair of 19 - point efforts, with the former adding eight rebounds, six assists, two blocks and a steal, while the latter supplied four rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block. JaMychal Green was next with a 14 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included two assists and a steal. Matching 11 - point tallies from Andrew Harrison and Troy Williams rounded things out for the first unit, while Zach Randolph (14 points, seven rebounds, an assist) and Jarell Martin (13 points, seven rebounds, an assist and a steal) were strong in reserve roles. The Warriors head to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves on Sunday evening, while the Grizzlies next face the Cavaliers in Cleveland on Tuesday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "27", "Cavaliers": "8"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "108", "Cavaliers": "116"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "19"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "19", "Cavaliers": "12"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "8", "Cavaliers": "27"}, "Number of team assists": {"Cavaliers": "19"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "43"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Cavaliers": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "6", "Kyrie Irving": "4", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "4", "Trevor Booker": "4", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Caris LeVert": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "14"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "36", "Kevin Love": "17", "Tristan Thompson": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "32", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "23", "Trevor Booker": "13", "Brook Lopez": "17", "Caris LeVert": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "9", "Kevin Love": "13", "Tristan Thompson": "9", "Trevor Booker": "12", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Caris LeVert": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Tristan Thompson": "2"}, "Steals": {"Tristan Thompson": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Brook Lopez": "5"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the host Brooklyn Nets, 116 - 108, at Barclay's Center on Friday. Cleveland was expected to win this game rather easily and they took care of business, thanks to full health. In fact, the Cavaliers led for the final 30 minutes, leading by 24 at times in their easy win. Despite shooting worse from the free - throw line, the aggressiveness of Cleveland to get there was the difference, as they attempted 43 free - throws to the Nets 19. The turnovers were decisive as well, with the Cavaliers winning that battle, 19 - 12. Much of that is attributed to the fact that Cleveland recorded 14 steals in the win. The Cavaliers (27 - 8) did n't close out quite like they'd expect, but they got the result they wanted. LeBron James carried the load, as he tallied 36 points, nine rebounds and six assists on 14 - of - 20 from the field. Kyrie Irving was n't far behind, as he scored 32 of his own, while handing out four assists. Kevin Love recorded a double - double, totaling 17 points and 13 rebounds. Tristan Thompson was the only other Cavs player in double figures, accumulating 10 points, nine rebounds, three steals and two blocks. On deck for the Cavaliers is a road matchup with the Phoenix Suns on Sunday. The Nets (8 - 27) did a nice job of sticking around in this game, but they simply did n't have enough to hang around with a team like the Cavaliers. Bojan Bogdanovic was easily the teams best player, as he accrued 23 points and four assists. Trevor Booker recorded a 13 - point, 12 - rebound, four - assist double - double in the defeat. Brook Lopez did score 17 points, but he committed five turnovers and added just one rebound, one assist and no defensive statistics to his tally. Caris LeVert led the bench with 19 points, four rebounds and five assists. Brooklyn have a winnable game in their next fixture, as they host the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "49", "Celtics": "55"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "39", "Celtics": "30"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "97", "Celtics": "108"}, "Rebounds": {"Knicks": "35", "Celtics": "39"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "10", "Celtics": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"Jared Sullinger": "6", "Avery Bradley": "4", "Marcus Smart": "3", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "2", "Lance Thomas": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jared Sullinger": "3", "Avery Bradley": "5", "Marcus Smart": "7", "Carmelo Anthony": "5", "Jose Calderon": "4", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jared Sullinger": "0", "Avery Bradley": "3", "Marcus Smart": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Jose Calderon": "3", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jared Sullinger": "19", "Avery Bradley": "14", "Marcus Smart": "9", "Tyler Zeller": "3", "Carmelo Anthony": "23", "Jose Calderon": "12", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "11", "Lance Thomas": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Jared Sullinger": "11", "Avery Bradley": "11", "Marcus Smart": "3", "Tyler Zeller": "3", "Carmelo Anthony": "9", "Jose Calderon": "7", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "5", "Lance Thomas": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jared Sullinger": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jared Sullinger": "2", "Avery Bradley": "2", "Tyler Zeller": "3"}, "Points": {"Jared Sullinger": "22", "Brandon Bass": "12", "Avery Bradley": "26", "Marcus Smart": "13", "Carmelo Anthony": "21", "Jose Calderon": "17", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "14", "Lance Thomas": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Jared Sullinger": "9", "Brandon Bass": "4", "Carmelo Anthony": "6"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Brandon Bass": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Brandon Bass": "30", "Marcus Smart": "37", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "23", "Lance Thomas": "25"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Marcus Smart": "6", "Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "2", "Lance Thomas": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Marcus Smart": "5", "Tyler Zeller": "3", "Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "2", "Lance Thomas": "3"}, "Steals": {"Marcus Smart": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "2"}}], "The Boston Celtics (17 - 30) defeated the New York Knicks (10 - 39) 108 - 97 on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Celtics got out to a quick lead in this matchup, going up 57 - 44 by halftime. The Knicks made a run in the third quarter, but could n't continue it in the fourth, as the Celtics stole the 11 - point victory on the road. The Celtics were the better shooters in this game, going 55 percent from the field, while the Knicks shot just 49 percent. The Celtics also out - rebounded the Knicks 39 - 35, even furthering their advantage Tuesday. Already the two scoring leaders for the Celtics this season, both Jared Sullinger and Avery Bradley did the most damage in this game. Bradley went an impressive 11 - for - 14 from the field and 3 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 26 points, while also adding four assists. He's had a decent two - game stretch, combining for 43 points, six assists and three steals. Sullinger on the other hand nearly double - doubled, recording 22 points (11 - 19 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt), nine rebounds and six assists. He had a poor showing in Sunday's game against the Heat, so it was good to see him get back on track Tuesday. Replacing Tyler Zeller as the starting center, Brandon Bass finished with 12 points and four rebounds in 30 minutes. Over his last three games he's averaged 15 points and six rebounds, so we'll see if his play continues to improve with more time in the starting lineup. Despite temporarily leaving the game with an injury, Marcus Smart returned and posted 13 points (3 - 9 FG, 2 - 7 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT) and three assists in 37 minutes. Carmelo Anthony did everything he could to keep the Knicks in this game, going for 21 points (9 - 23 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), six rebounds and a steal. He's now combined for 52 points and 14 rebounds over his last two games, as he continues to be the team scoring leader. Jose Calderon shot very well, going 7 - for - 12 from the field and 3 - for - 4 from the three - point line to record 17 points. It was a nice surprise for the Knicks, as he's averaging only nine points per game on the season. Despite the loss, the Knicks also saw some decent production from the bench with both Tim Hardaway Jr and Lance Thomas finishing in double figures. Hardaway Jr had 14 points (5 - 11 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and two assists in 23 minutes, while Thomas posted 11 points (4 - 7 FG, 3 - 4 FT) and two assists in 25 minutes. The Celtics' next game will be at home against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, while the Knicks will travel to Brooklyn to play the Nets on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "1"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "91", "Cavaliers": "94"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kevin Love": "2", "Tristan Thompson": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "6", "DeMarre Carroll": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "21", "Kevin Love": "18", "Tristan Thompson": "11", "Kyrie Irving": "26", "DeMarre Carroll": "8", "Jonas Valanciunas": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "32", "Kyle Lowry": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "8", "Kevin Love": "10", "Tristan Thompson": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "6", "DeMarre Carroll": "6", "Jonas Valanciunas": "17", "DeMar DeRozan": "7", "Kyle Lowry": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Love": "1", "DeMarre Carroll": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Patrick Patterson": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kyrie Irving": "1", "Patrick Patterson": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyrie Irving": "7", "Kyle Lowry": "6"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2", "Jonas Valanciunas": "1"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Kyle Lowry": "20"}, "3-pointers made": {"Patrick Patterson": "1"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers edged the Toronto Raptors, 94 - 91, at Air Canada Centre on Friday. Through two games, Kyrie Irving has looked like the Cavs' MVP, and led the team in scoring once again Friday night. However, he was nearly responsible for allowing a tightly - contested game to potentially go into overtime when he had the ball stolen from him by the Raptors' Patrick Patterson with one second remaining. Following an ensuing Toronto timeout, Kyle Lowry put up a 32 - foot last - gasp shot as time expired that failed to find the net, allowing the Cavs (20) to escape victorious. The Raptors (1 - 1) fell short after having come back from a 50 - 40 halftime deficit by outscoring Cleveland by a 51 - 44 margin in the second half. Irving's stat line consisted of 26 points, six rebounds and six assists, but he did commit a game - high seven turnovers. LeBron James turned it on in the fourth quarter after an ordinary first three periods, collecting 21 points, eight boards and seven assists. Kevin Love turned in an 18 - point, 10 - rebound double - double and added two assists, two blocks and a steal. Tristan Thompson accomplished the feat as well after a lackluster opener, managing 11 points, 10 rebounds, an assist and a block. The Raptors were once again led by DeMar DeRozan, who tallied a game - high 32 points and added seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. Lowry stepped up with 17 points, four assists and two rebounds, although, like his point guard counterpart on the Cavs, he had trouble hanging on to the ball, committing six turnovers overall. Jonas Valanciunas continued his stellar start to the season with a 10 - point, 17 - rebound double - double, and added a block. DeMarre Carroll turned in a modest but full stat line with eight points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks. The Cavs head back home to take on the Magic on Saturday night while the Raptors face off with the Nuggets at Air Canada Centre on Monday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "3"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "109", "Grizzlies": "115"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "30"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "26"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "0", "Grizzlies": "3"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Grizzlies": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Mike Conley": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Mike Conley": "26", "CJ McCollum": "27"}, "Points": {"Mike Conley": "14", "Nick Calathes": "13", "Nicolas Batum": "27", "Damian Lillard": "22", "CJ McCollum": "26"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (30) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (0 - 3), 115 - 109, in Game 3 on Saturday at the Moda Center to take a commanding three - game lead in the series. Memphis led this game from the opening tip to the final buzzer as it cruised to another victory over Portland. Portland trailed by 10 points entering the fourth quarter, but a 90 Trail Blazers run cut the Grizzlies' lead to just three with 2:23 remaining. The Grizzlies responded with a run of their own and forced the Trail Blazers to foul in order to keep their faint chances alive. Memphis hit 13 out of 14 free throw attempts in the final minute to put the game on ice and hand Portland its tenth loss at home this season. The Trail Blazers are facing elimination and will look to extend the series with a win in Game 5 on Monday. While Memphis did manage to win Saturday, it did suffer a loss in Game 4. With Beno Udrih already sidelined with an ankle injury, the Grizzlies needed Mike Conley to shoulder the load at point guard. Conley suffered a head injury in the second half and was taken to a local medical facility for further examination, leaving his status for Game 4 up in the air. He had 14 points and four assists in 26 minutes before exiting the game. Backup point guard Nick Calathes ran the point for the remainder of the game and finished with 13 points and zero turnovers. The Grizzlies will look to complete the sweep over the Trail Blazers in Game 4 on Monday to advance to the second round. Portland was already in desperation mode heading into Game 3 after dropping the first two games of the series by a combined 29 points. The Trail Blazers could n't take advantage of a thin Grizzlies backcourt and are now at risk of being swept. Damian Lillard finished with 22 points, but only managed three points in the fourth quarter. A bright spot for the Trail Blazers was the play of Nicolas Batum and C.J McCollum, who finished with 27 and 26 points respectively. If Portland wins Monday, the series will move back to Memphis for Game 5 on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "52"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "111", "Trail Blazers": "88"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "33"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "23"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Damian Lillard": "3"}, "Points": {"Damian Lillard": "13", "Jusuf Nurkic": "13", "Gordon Hayward": "22"}, "Steals": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "3"}, "Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "6", "Rudy Gobert": "12"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Rudy Gobert": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Rudy Gobert": "3"}}], "The host Utah Jazz demolished the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, 111 - 88. Utah (33 - 22) entered the All-Star Break on a high note, blowing out the Blazers and reaching 11 games above .500. The Jazz were firing on all cylinders as they took Portland down, as the team shot 52 percent with six players scoring in double figures. All-Star Gordon Hayward scored a team - high 22 points while also grabbing six rebounds and dishing seven assists. Per usual, center Rudy Gobert backed up Hayward's scoring with dynamic defense and a solid effort on the glass. Gobert had 12 rebounds and blocked three shots. Portland (23 - 33) was as cold as Utah was hot. The Blazers shot an unimpressive 40 percent from the field, a large part of which was due to severe struggled from star point guard Damian Lillard. Lillard shot a hideous 3 - of - 19 from the field, ending with just 13 points. It was a stellar Blazers debut, however, for recently - acquired big man Jusuf Nurkic. Nurkic impressed off the bench, scoring 13 points and coming down with seven rebounds and three steals. The Nuggets, who dealt Nurkic to the Blazers earlier in the week, saw stellar play from former Blazer Mason Plumlee in his Denver debut. Thus far, both teams should be happy with their new big men's performance. Both teams will enter the All-Star Break."], [[{}, {"Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "25", "Kyle Lowry": "27", "Blake Griffin": "26", "JJ Redick": "20", "Chris Paul": "26"}, "Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "7", "Chris Paul": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "14", "JJ Redick": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "9", "JJ Redick": "9"}}], "It was an offensive showcase as the Clippers and the Raptors faced off at Staples Center on Monday night. Both teams shot at least 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from three - point range. The offensive output came from the usual suspects, as Los Angeles was led by Blake Griffin and Chris Paul with 26 points each. In addition to the scoring, Paul dished 12 assists and Griffin had six rebounds and seven assists. J.J Redick had another 20 points for the Clippers, including 9 - of - 9 from the free - throw line. DeAndre Jordan also hit nine free - throws, doing so on 14 attempts. The big man scored 17 and pulled down 15 rebounds. For Toronto, league - leading scorer DeMar DeRozan scored 25 points, while All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry scored 27. The two guards each dished out seven assists and combined for just four turnovers."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Raptors": "33", "Celtics": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Jae Crowder": "19", "Al Horford": "8", "Jaylen Brown": "13", "Isaiah Thomas": "20", "Marcus Smart": "19", "Serge Ibaka": "15", "DeMar DeRozan": "43", "Cory Joseph": "11", "Patrick Patterson": "11"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Isaiah Thomas": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "28"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "15"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "12"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "12"}}], "The tightly - contested affair saw the Celtics enter the fourth period holding a slim 77 - 74 lead, but the Raptors mounted a comeback, outscoring their visitors by a 33 - 20 margin over the final 12 minutes. DeMar DeRozan's career - high 43 - point tally led Toronto. With Kyle Lowry (wrist) out of the lineup, DeRozan took 28 shot attempts overall, draining 15, and also visited the charity stripe a game - high 12 times. Serge Ibaka put up 15 points and seven boards in his Toronto debut. Cory Joseph amassed 11 points in his spot start, and Patrick Patterson matched his scoring total while leading the bench. Isaiah Thomas' 20 points led Boston, but shot just 35 percent overall. Jae Crowder and Marcus Smart followed with matching 19 - point efforts. Jaylen Brown produced 13 points, while Al Horford turned in a modest eight - point tally."], [[{"Total points": {"76ers": "88", "Magic": "105"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "47"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "12"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "8"}}, {"Blocks": {"Aaron Gordon": "1", "Serge Ibaka": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Jahlil Okafor": "2"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Aaron Gordon": "50"}, "Personal fouls": {"Aaron Gordon": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Aaron Gordon": "2", "Serge Ibaka": "4", "Bismack Biyombo": "13", "Evan Fournier": "4", "D.J. Augustin": "3", "Nikola Vucevic": "11", "Robert Covington": "6", "Joel Embiid": "10", "Gerald Henderson": "3", "Jahlil Okafor": "13"}, "Turnovers": {"Aaron Gordon": "1"}, "Assists": {"Serge Ibaka": "1", "Bismack Biyombo": "4", "Evan Fournier": "3", "D.J. Augustin": "4", "Nikola Vucevic": "5", "Robert Covington": "1", "Joel Embiid": "4"}, "Points": {"Serge Ibaka": "16", "Bismack Biyombo": "4", "Evan Fournier": "16", "D.J. Augustin": "9", "Nikola Vucevic": "12", "Jeff Green": "16", "Robert Covington": "9", "Joel Embiid": "25", "Gerald Henderson": "9", "Jahlil Okafor": "16"}, "Steals": {"Serge Ibaka": "1", "Evan Fournier": "2", "Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Robert Covington": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"D.J. Augustin": "22"}}], "The Orlando Magic defeated the Philadelphia 76ers, 105 - 88, at Wells Fargo Center on Friday. The Magic's Aaron Gordon has been having a rough go of it this season, even suffering a demotion from the starting lineup at one point. However, Friday may ultimately prove to be a turning point, as the third - year forward collected a season - high 20 points to key Orlando's (8 - 12) fourth road victory. Gordon complemented the offense with a pair of rebounds and a block, and the Magic enjoyed one of their better shooting nights of the campaign on the way to their best scoring haul yet, tallying success rates of 47 percent from the field and 50 percent from three - point range. Evan Fournier and Serge Ibaka followed with a pair of 16 - point efforts for the Magic, with the former adding four boards, three assists and two steals, and the latter posting four rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block. D.J. Augustin got another start at point guard and supplied nine points, four assists and three rebounds over 22 minutes, while Bismack Biyombo registered four points but brought down 13 rebounds. Jeff Green and Nicola Vucevic were excellent off the bench, with 16 and 12 points, respectively. Vucevic also tallied 11 rebounds, dished out five assists and had both a steal and a block. The Sixers (4 - 15) were once again led by Joel Embiid, who celebrated the raising of his minutes limit by putting together a 25 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included four assists. No other member of the starting five hit double digits in the scoring column, but Gerald Henderson (nine points, three rebounds) and Robert Covington (nine points, six rebounds, an assist and two steals) were productive. Sergio Rodriguez and Ersan Ilyasova combined for another 15 points, Jahlil Okafor paced the second unit with a 16 - point, 13 - rebound double - double that also featured a pair of blocks. The Magic continue on their road trip with a trip to Detroit for a Sunday evening date with the Pistons, while the Sixers are home again on Saturday evening to face off with the Boston Celtics."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "31", "Warriors": "5"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "114", "Warriors": "130"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "25", "Warriors": "52"}, "Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "35"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "60"}, "Turnovers": {"Warriors": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "8", "Stephen Curry": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "27", "Aaron Gordon": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Stephen Curry": "20", "Aaron Gordon": "9"}, "Points": {"Stephen Curry": "51", "Aaron Gordon": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Stephen Curry": "7", "Aaron Gordon": "8"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (52 - 5) continued their historic season with a 130 - 114 win over the Orlando Magic (25 - 31) on Thursday. Reigning MVP Steph Curry took over the game, scoring 51 points on 20 - for - 27 shooting including 10 three - pointers. Golden State continues to dominate at an all - time level, with the win keeping them on track to break the 1995 - 96 Bulls' regular season record of 72 - 10. Leading the charge has been reigning MVP Steph Curry, who delivered perhaps his best performance of the season on Thursday night. Curry shot the lights out while also recording seven rebounds and eight assists. The game also marked Curry's 128th consecutive outing with a made three - pointer, breaking the record for longest streak in NBA history. This may be unsurprising, though, as Curry is on track for countless all - time shooting records this year. With 266 three - pointers made this season, Curry is just 20 back from his own all - time record with 25 games remaining. Curry's season is currently fourth all - time in terms of three - pointers made, with Ray Allen being the only name ahead of him that is not his own. Curry's 32 PER is also on pace to break the single - season record held by Wilt Chamberlain. Now averaging 30 points per game, Curry is on pace to become just the second player of the 2010s to score in the 30s, after Kevin Durant. The star also figures to become the seventh member of the 50 - 40 - 90 club, as he boasts a shooting slash line of .508/.455/.912. Though Curry stole the show, Golden State saw solid performances top - to - bottom in Orlando. All-Star power forward Draymond Green made an impact on the defensive end with five steals while also dishing out eight assists on offense. As a team, Golden State recorded a whopping 35 assists and was simply unconscious from the field, shooting an elite 60 percent. The Warriors also managed to edge out Orlando on the glass, in what was an all - around win for the NBA's top team. Orlando, meanwhile, saw a solid and well - rounded effort against the reigning champs. All five members of the team's starting lineup scored at least 12 points, and the team managed to force 20 turnovers from the movement - oriented Warriors. Sophomore Aaron Gordon, who entered the starting lineup following the deadline trade of forward Tobias Harris, went for 19 points and eight rebounds on 9 - for - 14 shooting. Gordon made a name for himself on All-Star weekend as runner - up in the highly - rated Sprite Slam Dunk Contest, and he has played plenty of minutes since. He is averaging 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 steals since the All-Star break. The Warriors face a primetime matchup in Oklahoma City on Saturday night. The Magic will visit New York to take on the Knicks on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "48"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Marc Gasol": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Marc Gasol": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "6"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Marc Gasol": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Marc Gasol": "1"}, "Steals": {"Marc Gasol": "1"}}], "In one of the season's more interesting statistical developments, it seems some veterans are beginning to add the three - point shot to their offensive arsenals. This has certainly been the case for Memphis's Marc Gasol, who drilled a career - high four three - pointers in Sunday's win over the Wizards. The veteran big man now has six three - point makes in the season's first three games, more than he has made in the previous two full seasons combined. Gasol's three - point renaissance is just one component of Memphis's increasingly three - heavy offense. After finishing in the bottom five three - point shooting teams for multiple years in a row, the Grizzlies showed surprising range on Friday, hitting 15 three - pointers on 48 percent shooting. The same could not be said for Washington, however, as the Wizards struggled heavily from long - range. The team hit just 20 percent of its shots from deep, including a dismal 0 - of - 5 for starter Otto Porter, Jr."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Heat": "18", "Grizzlies": "23"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "11", "Grizzlies": "6"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "107", "Grizzlies": "110"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "5", "Grizzlies": "11"}, "Turnovers": {"Grizzlies": "6"}}, {"Points": {"Tony Allen": "11", "Marc Gasol": "28", "Troy Williams": "18", "Mike Conley": "21", "Josh Richardson": "15", "Hassan Whiteside": "15", "Dion Waiters": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Tony Allen": "8", "Marc Gasol": "3", "Josh Richardson": "3", "Hassan Whiteside": "12", "Dion Waiters": "5"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "6", "Mike Conley": "7", "Josh Richardson": "5", "Dion Waiters": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Marc Gasol": "35", "Troy Williams": "35"}, "3-pointers made": {"Josh Richardson": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Josh Richardson": "3"}}], "The visiting Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Miami Heat, 110 - 107, at American Airlines Arena on Saturday. In a battle between two defensive - minded teams, offense was on display. In fact, both teams show over 49 percent from the field and there were only 16 combined turnovers and 19 combined steals/blocks. Those are extremely low numbers and it comes as a big surprise with these inefficient offenses squaring off. Free-throw shooting was key for the Grizzlies, as they went 27 - of - 33 to the Heat's 16 - of - 24. The assist - to - turnover differential was huge as well, with Memphis recording 23 assists - to - six turnovers, while Miami recorded just 18 assists - to - 10 turnovers. There were five ties and 13 lead changes, with no team leading by double - digits for the entirety of the game. Memphis (11 - 6) have been thriving off their elite defense lately, but the offense was key in this victory. Marc Gasol was the player of the game, as he tied a season - high with 28 points, adding three rebounds and six assists to his tally. Troy Williams got the first start of his rookie campaign and scored a career - high 18 points in a career - high 35 minutes. Tony Allen also got a rare start, totaling 11 points and eight rebounds in the win. Mike Conley finished the game with 21 points and seven assists, hitting numerous big shots in the fourth quarter. On deck for Memphis is a home matchup against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday. Miami (5 - 11) had to play this game without Goran Dragic and Justise Winslow, but they fought to the final whistle. In fact, all five starters scored in double figures, with none of them shooting below 40 percent from the field. Dion Waiters stepped up in Dragic's absence, accumulating a team - high 28 points, five rebounds and six assists. Hassan Whiteside recorded another double - double despite dealing with foul trouble, scoring 15 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in the defeat. Josh Richardson amassed 15 points, three rebounds and five assists, but missed a game - tying three at the buzzer. Miami will host the Boston Celtics for their next game on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "55"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "33", "Clippers": "25"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "112", "Clippers": "101"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "27", "Clippers": "36"}, "Number of team assists": {"Clippers": "23"}, "Turnovers": {"Clippers": "23"}}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "8", "JJ Redick": "4", "Chris Paul": "5", "Khris Middleton": "9", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Greg Monroe": "5", "Matthew Dellavedova": "8"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "21", "DeAndre Jordan": "14", "JJ Redick": "10", "Jamal Crawford": "9", "Khris Middleton": "19", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "24", "Malcolm Brogdon": "12", "Matthew Dellavedova": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "9", "DeAndre Jordan": "10", "Jamal Crawford": "1", "Khris Middleton": "4", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5", "Malcolm Brogdon": "3", "Greg Monroe": "5", "Matthew Dellavedova": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Blake Griffin": "5", "Jamal Crawford": "5"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "1", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Greg Monroe": "1"}, "Steals": {"Chris Paul": "1", "Khris Middleton": "4", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Greg Monroe": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jamal Crawford": "5"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Los Angeles Clippers, 112 - 101, at BMO Harris Bradley Center on Friday evening. The Clippers (36 - 25) have a well - earned reputation for playing solid defense and taking good care of the ball, but both of those trends failed to materialize Friday. The Bucks (27 - 33) saw Giannis Antetokounmpo break out of a recent slump, as he tallied 24 points, eight assists, five rebounds, two steals and two blocks. After shooting 9 - for - 26 over the previous two contests, the Greek Freak drained 10 of 13 shots from the field and Milwaukee shot 55 percent from the field overall. Meanwhile, the Clippers turned the ball over a whopping 23 times, with Blake Griffin and Jamal Crawford having the dubious distinction of leading the way with five apiece. Griffin did co - lead Los Angeles in scoring with 21 points, which he supplemented with nine rebounds and eight assists. Chris Paul matched Griffin's scoring total and added five assists, three rebounds and one steal. DeAndre Jordan posted a 14 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included one block. J.J. Redick contributed 10 points, four rebounds and four assists. Crawford paced the second unit with nine points and one rebound. Greg Monroe matched Antetokounmpo's scoring total and added five rebounds, five assists, two steals and one block. Khris Middleton started and produced 19 points, nine assists, four rebounds and four steals. Matthew Delladedova was productive in a reserve role, supplying 15 points, eight assists and one rebound. Malcolm Brogdon totaled 12 points and three rebounds. The Clippers are on their way to the Windy City for a Saturday night showdown with the Chicago Bulls while the Bucks remain home to tangle with the Toronto Raptors on Saturday evening as well."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nuggets": "31", "Lakers": "56"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "45", "Lakers": "53"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "19", "Lakers": "22"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "103", "Lakers": "111"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "13", "Lakers": "10"}}, {"Points": {"Wesley Johnson": "16", "Jordan Hill": "12", "Kobe Bryant": "23", "Ronnie Price": "18", "Carlos Boozer": "19", "Timofey Mozgov": "11", "Arron Afflalo": "11", "Ty Lawson": "16", "Jusuf Nurkic": "16", "Nate Robinson": "13"}, "Assists": {"Kobe Bryant": "11", "Ty Lawson": "9", "Nate Robinson": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Kobe Bryant": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "5", "Ronnie Price": "6", "Nate Robinson": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kobe Bryant": "3", "Ronnie Price": "5", "Nate Robinson": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "11", "Ronnie Price": "10", "Ty Lawson": "11", "Jusuf Nurkic": "10", "Nate Robinson": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Kobe Bryant": "6", "Ronnie Price": "6", "Ty Lawson": "5", "Jusuf Nurkic": "7", "Nate Robinson": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "11", "Ty Lawson": "9", "Jusuf Nurkic": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Kobe Bryant": "8", "Ty Lawson": "5", "Jusuf Nurkic": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kobe Bryant": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kobe Bryant": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Kobe Bryant": "11", "Carlos Boozer": "9", "Nate Robinson": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Kobe Bryant": "9", "Nate Robinson": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Nate Robinson": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Nate Robinson": "22"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers (10 - 22) defeated the Denver Nuggets (13 - 19) 111 - 103 on Tuesday at the Pepsi Center in Denver. Behind a strong first half, where the Lakers out - scored the Nuggets 62 - 46, the Lakers were able to steal a victory on the road. They shot 53 percent from the field and 56 percent from the three - point line, while the Nuggets shot 45 percent from the floor and only 31 percent from beyond the arc. Despite turning the ball over 20 times, the Lakers' superior shooting kept them ahead. Kobe Bryant was the star Tuesday as usual, recording his first triple - double of the year with 23 points (6 - 11 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 8 - 11 FT), 11 rebounds and 11 assists. He nearly had the unconventional quadruple - double as well, considering he recorded nine turnovers. Bryant was basically able to do whatever he wanted against a poor Nuggets defense in this one. Coming off the bench, Carlos Boozer had a solid game. He scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds in 28 minutes. After recording only eight points on Sunday, it was a nice bounce back game for him. Starting at point guard, Ronnie Price had arguably his best game of the season. He went 6 - for - 10 from the field and 5 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score a season - high of 18 points. Considering he averages only five points a game, it was a nice boost for the Lakers. Wesley Johnson and Jordan Hill both reached double figures as well with 16 and 12 points respectively. As has been the case nearly all season, Ty Lawson did most of the damage offensively for the Nuggets. He went 5 - for - 11 from the floor and 5 - for - 9 from the free throw line to score 16 points, while also chipping in nine assists. It was about right on his season averages of 16 points and 10 assists per game. Coming off the bench Jusuf Nurkic had a surprising game, matching Lawson with 16 points (7 - 10 FG, 2 - 2 FT). He had only reached double figures in points twice this year, so the 16 points were a nice season - high for him. Despite having a poor showing from the three - point line, Nate Robinson was able to chip in 13 points (6 - 13 FG, 1 - 7 3Pt) off the bench. He played 22 minutes in this one, which was much more than usual, and was also able to capitalize with a season - high of six assists. Both Timofey Mozgov and Arron Afflalo had 11 points apiece. The Lakers' next game will be at home against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, while the Nuggets will travel to Chicago to play the Bulls on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "5", "Nuggets": "20"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "127", "Nuggets": "119"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "30", "Nuggets": "14"}}, {"Points": {"Wilson Chandler": "21", "Nikola Jokic": "21", "Will Barton": "14", "Kevin Durant": "21", "Draymond Green": "15", "Klay Thompson": "25", "Stephen Curry": "22"}, "Assists": {"Nikola Jokic": "5", "Draymond Green": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Jokic": "13", "Kevin Durant": "3", "Draymond Green": "10", "Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Will Barton": "27"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kevin Durant": "3", "Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "10"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Draymond Green": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Draymond Green": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Stephen Curry": "3"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the Denver Nuggets 127 - 119 at Oracle Arena on Monday. The Warriors (30 - 5) picked up their eighth straight home win behind a strong all - around performance from their big scoring three. With the likes of Draymond Green in the mix as the team leader in assists per game this season, he found himself as the outside part of the big three consisting of Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry. Green benefited off of his three hot shooting teammates on his way to a triple - double to the tune of 15 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds. Durant rocked the rim multiple times, beating his matchup's off the dribble consistently, while also efficiently connecting from the mid - range. Durant finished with 21 points on 10 - of - 19 shooting, while Curry added 22 points and Thompson led all scorers with 25 points. The former MVP brought the Warriors within four points of the Nuggets lead with a wild and heavily contested buzzer - beating three point shot to close out the half, and Golden State took the momentum into the third quarter. The Nuggets (14 - 20), who were coming off of a difficult loss to the 76ers on Friday, hung with the high paced Warriors offense for three quarters of basketball. Nikola Jokic flashed big man handles after going behind the back and slamming home a highlight reel dunk, while Will Barton went flying towards the rim on a similar transition possession, as Denver exploited the Warriors weak defensive effort in the paint early on. Jokic finished with 21 points, 13 rebounds and five assists, while Barton added 14 points in 27 minutes. Wilson Chandler matched Jokic's 21 points, but was overmatched when up against Draymond Green or Kevin Durant on the defensive end. The Nuggets will visit the Kings in the second game of a back - to - back on Tuesday, while the Warriors host the Trail Blazers on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Cavaliers": "55", "Lakers": "30"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "55", "Lakers": "41"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "21", "Lakers": "38"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "120", "Lakers": "105"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Cavaliers": "32", "Lakers": "21"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "32", "Lakers": "13"}}, {"Assists": {"Jordan Clarkson": "4", "Wesley Johnson": "2", "LeBron James": "8", "Kevin Love": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jordan Clarkson": "2", "Wesley Johnson": "4", "LeBron James": "7", "Kevin Love": "8", "Kyrie Irving": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "0", "Wesley Johnson": "2", "LeBron James": "2", "Kevin Love": "7", "Kyrie Irving": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jordan Clarkson": "14", "Wesley Johnson": "14", "Ed Davis": "7", "LeBron James": "16", "Kevin Love": "18", "Kyrie Irving": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "6", "Wesley Johnson": "5", "Ed Davis": "6", "LeBron James": "8", "Kevin Love": "11", "Kyrie Irving": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jordan Clarkson": "9", "Wesley Johnson": "3", "Ed Davis": "4", "LeBron James": "5", "Kevin Love": "5", "Kyrie Irving": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "8", "Wesley Johnson": "3", "Ed Davis": "4", "LeBron James": "4", "Kevin Love": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "3"}, "Points": {"Jordan Clarkson": "20", "Wesley Johnson": "15", "Ed Davis": "16", "LeBron James": "22", "Kevin Love": "32", "Kyrie Irving": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Jordan Clarkson": "6", "Ed Davis": "9", "LeBron James": "10", "Kevin Love": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Wesley Johnson": "29", "Ed Davis": "24"}, "Steals": {"Wesley Johnson": "2", "LeBron James": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Kevin Love": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (32 - 21) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (13 - 38) 120 - 105 on Sunday at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. In a dominating effort, the Cavaliers got out to a quick start in this matchup, out - scoring the Lakers 64 - 49 in the first half alone. The Cavaliers were the superior shooters in this game as well, going 55 percent from the field and 55 percent from the three - point line, while the Lakers went just 41 percent from the floor and 30 percent from beyond the arc. The Cavaliers' big three of LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving did most of the damage in this one. Love led all scorers, finishing with 32 points (11 - 18 FG, 7 - 8 3Pt, 3 - 5 FT), 10 rebounds and three assists. After a dissapointing performance in Friday's game against the Pacers, where he finished with just five points, it was good to see him get things turned back around and play well. Also having an impressive showing, Irving recorded 28 points (10 - 14 FG, 5 - 8 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), four rebounds and ten assists. It marked his fifth double - double of the season. Over his last two games, he's now combined for 57 points, eight rebounds and 15 assists, as he's been dominating his competition. James on the other hand, totaled 22 points (8 - 16 FG, 2 - 7 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT), 10 rebounds and eight assists, nearly recording a triple - double Sunday. He did n't have to do as much work as usual, considering the success of both Love and Irving. For the Lakers, rookie point guard Jordan Clarkson had a solid perfomance, finishing with 20 points (6 - 14 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 8 - 9 FT), six rebounds and four assists. It was a season - high in points for the rookie, who has now scored 14 points or more in five out his last six games, despite averaging only 7 per game on the season. He's been getting more and more comfortable in the starting lineup, and its beginning to show with more consistent play. Without much production from the rest of the starters, the Lakers bench had to put up some numbers. Ed Davis went 6 - for - 7 from the floor and 4 - for - 4 from the free throw line to finish with 16 points and nine rebounds in just 24 minutes. He's averaging only 8 points per game so far this season, so it was a nice surprise for the Lakers. Also coming off the bench, Wesley Johnson played well. In 29 minutes, he finished with 15 points (5 - 14 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), two assists and two steals. The two steals matched a season - high. The Cavaliers' next game will be at home against the Miami Heat on Wednesday, while the Lakers will be at home against the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "44", "Timberwolves": "21"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "52", "Timberwolves": "39"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "1", "Timberwolves": "4"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "112", "Timberwolves": "92"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "5", "Timberwolves": "1"}}, {"Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "7", "Gorgui Dieng": "8", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "33", "Zach LaVine": "4", "Shabazz Muhammad": "15", "Steven Adams": "14", "Victor Oladipo": "12", "Russell Westbrook": "28", "Enes Kanter": "20"}, "Blocks": {"Gorgui Dieng": "4", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Steven Adams": "2", "Enes Kanter": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Gorgui Dieng": "8", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "6", "Shabazz Muhammad": "4", "Steven Adams": "8", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "6", "Enes Kanter": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "5"}, "Assists": {"Steven Adams": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "8", "Enes Kanter": "1"}, "Steals": {"Steven Adams": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "3", "Enes Kanter": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "5"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, 112 - 92, at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Saturday. Although the focal point of the Thunder's (1 - 4) offense is usually located square at the point guard position, the team's big men are certainly capable of impressively contributing in their own right. That facet was on full display Saturday, as Steven Adams and Enes Kanter combined for 34 points and 18 boards, helping to set the tone down low. Coupled with Russell Westbrook's typically stellar output, Oklahoma City (5 - 1) posted an excellent 52 percent success rate from the field, as well as 44 percent from behind the arc, notably superior to the Timberwolves' respective 39 and 21 percent figures in those categories. The Timberwolves' starting five was decidedly top - heavy in terms of production, as Karl-Anthony Towns led the way with a game - high 33 points, which he supplemented with six rebounds and a block. He had little precious little help, however, as no other starter managed to even get into double digits on the scoring column. Gorgui Dieng struggled offensively for the second straight game, finishing with just eight points along with eight boards and four blocks. Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine were particularly underwhelming, totaling just seven and four points, respectively, on a combined 4 - of - 19 shooting tally. Shabazz Muhammed led the bench with 15 points and four rebounds. Westbrook led the Thunder with 28 points, eight assists, six rebounds and three steals. Adams contributed 14 points, eight boards, two assists, two steals and two blocks. Victor Oladipo posted 12 points, three rebounds, an assist and a steal, while Kanter paced the bench with a 20 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included an assist, a steal and a block. Minnesota has three days to get their act together, as they next take the court against the Brooklyn Nets in New York on Tuesday. The Thunder remain home to take on the Miami Heat on Monday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "33"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "115", "Suns": "98"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Heat": "39", "Suns": "24"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "26"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"Alex Len": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Alex Len": "2"}, "Steals": {"Alex Len": "2", "Hassan Whiteside": "2"}, "Assists": {"Brandon Knight": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Brandon Knight": "40", "Goran Dragic": "15"}, "Points": {"Brandon Knight": "13", "Goran Dragic": "21", "Tyler Johnson": "26"}, "Turnovers": {"Brandon Knight": "5", "Hassan Whiteside": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "2"}}], "The Miami Heat (26 - 33) defeated the Phoenix Suns (31 - 29) 115 - 98 on Monday. The Heat's Tyler Johnson came out of nowhere to score a game - high 26 points off the bench, 11 of which came in the fourth quarter. Johnson was n't even on an NBA roster two months ago and had n't seen the floor since Feb. 23 when he played three minutes against the Philadelphia 76ers. Miami outscored Phoenix 39 - 24 in the second quarter, which gave them a 14 - point lead at halftime, allowing them to get the reserves some well - deserved court time. The Suns' Alex Len got into a bit of a brouhaha with Heat center Hassan Whiteside. The two players got tangled on a play where Whiteside grabbed an offensive rebound and threw it down for the dunk, and then he and Len were ejected for their physical altercation that ensued. The Suns' new shooting guard Brandon Knight faced off against their recently - departed former shooting guard Goran Dragic. Knight played 40 minutes despite a hip pointer he suffered against the San Antonio Spurs over the weekend. He finished with 13 points, seven assists and five turnovers. Dragic played very well in limited time, scoring 21 points in just 15 minutes as he was limited by foul trouble. The Heat will play the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday, and the Suns will head to Orlando to take on the Magic."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "36", "Jazz": "38"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "37", "Jazz": "38"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "19", "Jazz": "34"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "87", "Jazz": "82"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Mavericks": "22", "Jazz": "9"}, "Turnovers": {"Mavericks": "11"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "36", "Jazz": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "8", "Trey Burke": "4", "J.J. Barea": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Trey Burke": "6", "Steve Novak": "6", "Dirk Nowitzki": "3", "Monta Ellis": "2", "J.J. Barea": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Gordon Hayward": "1", "Trey Burke": "4", "Steve Novak": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "0", "Monta Ellis": "1", "J.J. Barea": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "14", "Derrick Favors": "10", "Trey Burke": "15", "Dirk Nowitzki": "14", "Monta Ellis": "6", "J.J. Barea": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Derrick Favors": "5", "Trey Burke": "6", "Dirk Nowitzki": "5", "Monta Ellis": "1", "J.J. Barea": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "2", "Derrick Favors": "6", "Dirk Nowitzki": "6", "Monta Ellis": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Gordon Hayward": "1", "Derrick Favors": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "5", "Monta Ellis": "4"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "12", "Derrick Favors": "14", "Trey Burke": "16", "Steve Novak": "12", "Dirk Nowitzki": "15", "Monta Ellis": "7", "J.J. Barea": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "9", "Derrick Favors": "5", "Trey Burke": "6", "Dirk Nowitzki": "14", "J.J. Barea": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Derrick Favors": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Derrick Favors": "4", "J.J. Barea": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Trey Burke": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Steve Novak": "12", "Dirk Nowitzki": "33"}, "Steals": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Monta Ellis": "7"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (36 - 19) defeated the Utah Jazz (19 - 34) 87 - 82 on Wednesday at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. The Mavericks got off to a quick start Wednesday, out - scoring the Jazz 22 - 9 in the first quarter alone. Despite the defeat, the Jazz were the superior shooters, going 38 percent from the field and 38 percent from the three - point line, while the Mavericks went 37 percent from the floor and 36 percent from deep. The Mavericks did force the Jazz into 19 turnovers though, while committing only 11 of their own, which may have been the difference in this one. The Mavericks had only two players reach double figures in points. J.J. Barea led the team as the starting point guard, goint 8 - for - 15 from the field and 4 - for - 7 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 22 points, to go along with four rebounds and three assists. He's turned it on offensively, scoring 15 or more points in three out of his last four games. Dirk Nowitzki was the other high scorer, finishing with 15 points (5 - 14 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT), 14 rebounds and two steals in 33 minutes. It marked a season - high in rebounds for him, while the double - double was his first since December seventeenth. While he did n't do too much on the offensive side of the ball with only seven points (1 - 6 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), Monta Ellis had a huge impact defensively, grabbing a season - high of seven steals, as he was a big part in forcing the Jazz into 19 turnovers. The Jazz were led by Trey Burke off the bench, who went 6 - for - 15 from the field and 4 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 16 points, while also adding six rebounds and four assists. The 16 points were more than he's scored over his last three games, as he combined for only 15 points during that stretch. Steve Novak was also very efficient off the bench, scoring 12 points (4 - 6 3Pt) in just 12 minutes. It was his second straight night posting 12 points in a very limited amount of time on the court. In the starting lineup, Derrick Favors had the best game offensively, posting 14 points (5 - 10 FG, 4 - 6 FT), five rebounds and three blocked shots. He's had a nice stretch of four games, averaging 18 points and 7 rebounds over that span. Gordon Hayward added 12 points (5 - 14 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT), nine rebounds and eight assists, nearly recording a triple - double. The Mavericks' next game will be on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday after the All-Star break, while the Jazz will be at home against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday after the All-Star break as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "29", "Trail Blazers": "35"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "121", "Trail Blazers": "126"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "35", "Trail Blazers": "27"}}, {"Assists": {"Noah Vonleh": "2", "Jusuf Nurkic": "4", "Damian Lillard": "8", "Allen Crabbe": "2", "Meyers Leonard": "1", "Enes Kanter": "1"}, "Points": {"Noah Vonleh": "11", "Jusuf Nurkic": "17", "CJ McCollum": "21", "Damian Lillard": "22", "Allen Crabbe": "23", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "12", "Andre Roberson": "9", "Domantas Sabonis": "8", "Victor Oladipo": "16", "Enes Kanter": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Noah Vonleh": "5", "Damian Lillard": "3", "Allen Crabbe": "4", "Meyers Leonard": "1", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "7", "Andre Roberson": "6", "Domantas Sabonis": "4", "Victor Oladipo": "5", "Enes Kanter": "7"}, "Steals": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "1", "Damian Lillard": "1", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Allen Crabbe": "28", "Enes Kanter": "18"}, "Blocks": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Victor Oladipo": "9"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, 126 - 121, at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Tuesday evening. The Thunder (35 - 29) were playing their fourth game in six nights Tuesday, but Russell Westbrook simply seems immune to the concept of fatigue. In a season of superhuman efforts, the perennial All-Star even outdid himself against the Trail Blazers (27 - 35), scoring a career - high 58 points to go along with nine assists, three rebounds, three steals and one block. He took an astounding 39 shots from the field, draining 21 of them. By comparison, the next highest - scoring player on Oklahoma City, backcourt mate Victor Oladipo, put up a modest nine attempts and scored 16 points. However, despite the herculean performance, a balanced Portland squad that saw seven players hit double digits in the scoring column was able to pull out the hard - fought road win. The second unit was particularly key, combining for 49 points overall. A trio of guards paced the Blazers, with reserve Allen Crabbe surprisingly at the top of the list. He managed 23 points, four rebounds and two assists over 28 minutes. Damian Lillard followed with 22 points, eight assists, three rebounds and one steal. C.J. McCollum poured in 21 points and added a pair of boards. Jusuf Nurkic contributed 17 points, eight rebounds, four assists and one steal. Al-Farouq Aminu continued his recent stretch of strong play off the bench, submitting 12 points, seven rebounds, three blocks and one steal. Meyers Leonard matched Aminu's point total and added one rebound and one assist. Noah Vonleh chipped in with 11 points, five rebounds and two assists in a start at power forward. Oladipo added five rebounds to his aforementioned scoring total. Enes Kanter was the only other player in double digits on OKC, posting 11 points, seven rebounds and one assist over 18 minutes. Andre Roberson managed nine points and six boards, while Domantas Sabonis chipped in with eight points and four boards. The Trail Blazers head back home to tangle with the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday evening, while the Thunder are home against the San Antonio Spurs on the same night."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "16", "Rockets": "20"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "29", "Rockets": "29"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "8", "Rockets": "1"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "65", "Rockets": "69"}, "Rebounds": {"Thunder": "45", "Rockets": "54"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "3", "Rockets": "9"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Trevor Ariza": "4", "James Harden": "9", "Francisco Garcia": "6", "Anthony Morrow": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Trevor Ariza": "1", "James Harden": "2", "Anthony Morrow": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Trevor Ariza": "11", "Reggie Jackson": "11", "Anthony Morrow": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Trevor Ariza": "4", "Patrick Beverley": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "3", "Anthony Morrow": "1"}, "Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "11", "Dwight Howard": "12", "James Harden": "19", "Francisco Garcia": "6", "Lance Thomas": "15", "Serge Ibaka": "10", "Reggie Jackson": "15", "Anthony Morrow": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "9", "James Harden": "9", "Serge Ibaka": "6", "Reggie Jackson": "11"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Patrick Beverley": "29"}, "Free throws made": {"Lance Thomas": "7", "Reggie Jackson": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Reggie Jackson": "9"}}], "The Houston Rockets (9 - 1) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (3 - 8) 69 - 65 on Sunday at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City. This was an all - around ugly game for both teams, marked by a few scuffles and technicals along the way. Both teams shot very poorly, as Houston shot 29 percent from the field and 20 percent from the three - point line, while Oklahoma City shot 29 percent from the field and 16 percent from beyond the arc. The Rockets did take a 54 - 45 rebounding advantage by the end of the game, which may have allowed them the ugly victory. For the Rockets, James Harden had a game - high 19 points, while also adding nine rebounds and five assists. He struggled with his three - point shot though, as he only went 2 - for - 9 from behind the three - point line. Dwight Howard came one rebound shy of his eigth double - double of the season, as he finished with 12 points and nine rebounds. He struggled offensively and could n't reach his season average of 19 points per game. Trevor Ariza chipped in 11 points, but also shot pretty poorly, as he went 4 - for - 11 from the field and 1 - for - 4 from the three - point line. The Rockets bench had a meager eight total points, with Francisco Garcia scoring six of those eight, so they did n't offer much help to the starters. Patrick Beverley (hamstring) returned to action for the Rockets after missing four game. He played 29 minutes as the starting point guard. The Thunder were led by Lance Thomas and Reggie Jackson, who scored 15 points a piece. Jackson had a surprising season - high 11 rebounds, but shot only 3 - for - 11 from the field. Most of his points came from the free - throw line as he converted on a perfect nine for nine. The 15 points for Thomas were also a season - high for him, although like Jackson, he got most of his production from the free - throw line, where he made 7 - of - 8.The only other Thunder player to reach double figures was Serge Ibaka, as he contributed 10 points and six rebounds. Continuing to come off the bench since returning from MCL surgery, Anthony Morrow struggled mightily as well, shooting only 1 - for - 9 from the field and 0 - for - 2 from beyond the arc for four points. Normally, scoring only 65 points would mean a blowout, but surprisingly, it kept the Thunder very much alive in this one. The Rockets' next game will be on the road against the Memphis Grizzles on Monday, while the Thunder will also go on the road to Utah to play the Jazz on Tuesday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Magic": "22"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "49", "Trail Blazers": "23"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "111", "Trail Blazers": "104"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "22", "Trail Blazers": "44"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "24", "Damian Lillard": "15", "CJ McCollum": "9", "Elfrid Payton": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "12", "Damian Lillard": "6", "CJ McCollum": "5", "Elfrid Payton": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "36", "Robin Lopez": "26", "Damian Lillard": "37", "CJ McCollum": "19", "Channing Frye": "31", "Ben Gordon": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "10", "Damian Lillard": "4", "Nikola Vucevic": "8", "Victor Oladipo": "8", "Elfrid Payton": "10"}, "Points": {"Robin Lopez": "10", "Damian Lillard": "18", "CJ McCollum": "15", "Channing Frye": "10", "Nikola Vucevic": "22", "Victor Oladipo": "22", "Elfrid Payton": "22", "Ben Gordon": "11"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "4", "Elfrid Payton": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Victor Oladipo": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Victor Oladipo": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Elfrid Payton": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Elfrid Payton": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Elfrid Payton": "2"}, "Steals": {"Elfrid Payton": "4"}}], "The Orlando Magic (22 - 49) defeated the Portland Trailblazers (44 - 23) 111 - 104 on Friday in Orlando. The win ended a six - game losing streak for the Magic and were led to the upset victory by Elfrid Payton, who recorded his second consecutive triple - double, putting up 22 points on 10 - of - 13 shooting, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and four steals in 36 minutes. Now, in his previous two games, Payton has totaled 35 points, 20 rebounds and 22 assists. Nikola Vucevic and Victor Oladipo also each scored the team - high 22 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. However, they shot a sub - par 17 - 45 from the field. The shooting struggles have been apparent for Oladipo as of late, as in his last two games he has shot just 14 - 43 from the field and 2 - of - 8 from long range. Channing Frye was the only other Orlando starter to score in double figures with 10 points in 31 minutes, while Ben Gordon contributed a solid 11 points in 17 minutes off the bench. In injury news, Tobias Harris sat out his second consecutive game with a sprained ankle. LaMarcus Aldridge scored a game - high 36 points in the losing effort for the Trail Blazers on 12 - of - 24 shooting to go along with 10 rebounds in 36 minutes. This was Aldridge's second straight game with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds and his fourth straight double - double. From there, there was a big drop off in Portland production, as Damian Lillard scored 18 points on 6 - of - 15 shooting and also recorded four rebounds and four assists in 37 minutes. Robin Lopez was the only other Trail Blazers starter to score in double figures, putting up 10 points in 26 minutes. Off the bench, C.J. McCollum played 19 minutes and scored 15 points on 5 - of - 9 shooting in that span. The loss gives Portland a three game win streak, and they currently find themselves in fourth place in the Western Conference and 2 games behind the Houston Rockets for third. They also hold just a one - game lead over the Clippers and Mavericks for fifth and sixth place. Up next, the Magic will stay home and go up against the Nuggets, while Portland will travel to Memphis Saturday to take on the Grizzlies in a matchup with big - time playoff implications."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "8", "Pistons": "5"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "86", "Pistons": "96"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "21", "Pistons": "30"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "5", "Pistons": "7"}}, {"Points": {"Marcus Morris": "16", "Andre Drummond": "21", "Reggie Jackson": "18", "Stanley Johnson": "15", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "18", "Andrew Wiggins": "21", "Ricky Rubio": "12", "Zach LaVine": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcus Morris": "11", "Andre Drummond": "11", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andre Drummond": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Andre Drummond": "29"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Andre Drummond": "2"}, "Steals": {"Andre Drummond": "2", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "3"}, "Assists": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ricky Rubio": "12"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (7 - 5) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (5 - 8) 96 - 86 on Friday. It was a tale of two halves, with the Timberwolves jumping out to a 44 - 38 halftime lead while holding Pistons superstar center Andre Drummond largely in check. However, Detroit came back with a strong third quarter, outscoring Minnesota 30 - 21 in the third period led by Drummond's 11 points over that span. The Pistons then hung on in the fourth, with Reggie Jackson, Marcus Morris, and rookie Stanley Johnson making sizable contributions to help seal the victory. Drummond came back after a lackluster first half to extend his impressive double - double streak to 12 games. He posted 21 points and 11 rebounds over 29 minutes. Morris got in on the act as well, collecting 16 points and 11 boards, while Jackson (18 points) posted double - digit scoring for the 11th time in 12 contests. Johnson enjoyed the second - best outing of his rookie campaign with 15 points off the bench. The Pistons improved to 7 - 5 and reside in third place in the Eastern Conference\u2019s Central Division. They head home for a Saturday night showdown with the Wizards. Karl-Anthony Towns took another notable step in his development by holding his own against Drummond. The rookie collected 18 points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals, and two blocks, while helping to hold the Pistons center to his second - lowest total of boards in a game this season. Andrew Wiggins pitched in a team - high 21 points, the fifth consecutive contest that he has tallied at least 20 on the stat sheet. Ricky Rubio was the other T-Wolves\u2019 starter to post double - digit points (12), while his backup Zach LaVine continued to produce despite coming off the bench, totaling 14 points to pace Minnesota\u2019s reserves. Minnesota fell to 5 - 8 and resides in third place in the Western Conference\u2019s Northwest Division. They remain home to face Philadelphia on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "31", "Lakers": "36"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "107", "Lakers": "121"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Knicks": "26"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "22", "Lakers": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Brandon Ingram": "2", "Julius Randle": "2", "D'Angelo Russell": "6", "Lou Williams": "4", "Carmelo Anthony": "5", "Kyle O'Quinn": "1", "Derrick Rose": "3", "Willy Hernangomez": "1", "Brandon Jennings": "5"}, "Points": {"Brandon Ingram": "14", "Julius Randle": "14", "Tarik Black": "9", "D'Angelo Russell": "4", "Nick Young": "17", "Ivica Zubac": "10", "Jordan Clarkson": "12", "Lou Williams": "22", "Carmelo Anthony": "26", "Kristaps Porzingis": "16", "Kyle O'Quinn": "10", "Derrick Rose": "5", "Willy Hernangomez": "8", "Justin Holiday": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Brandon Ingram": "7", "Julius Randle": "2", "Tarik Black": "10", "D'Angelo Russell": "2", "Nick Young": "5", "Lou Williams": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Kristaps Porzingis": "9", "Kyle O'Quinn": "2", "Derrick Rose": "4", "Willy Hernangomez": "13", "Justin Holiday": "1", "Brandon Jennings": "3"}, "Steals": {"Brandon Ingram": "1", "Tarik Black": "1", "Nick Young": "1", "Ivica Zubac": "1", "Lou Williams": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Willy Hernangomez": "2", "Brandon Jennings": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Julius Randle": "1", "Kristaps Porzingis": "2", "Willy Hernangomez": "1", "Justin Holiday": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Lou Williams": "26", "Derrick Rose": "32", "Willy Hernangomez": "24"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Derrick Rose": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the New York Knicks, 121 - 107, at Madison Square Garden on Monday night. The Knicks (22 - 31) have been mired in controversy on and off the court in recent weeks, with rumors swirling about a possible trade of franchise cornerstone Carmelo Anthony and losses in three of their last four games. The Lakers (18 - 36) are n't in much better shape, however, and came into Monday's contest with only five road wins in 28 games away from the Staples Center this season. However, a sterling effort from the Los Angeles bench that generated over half of the team's scoring total helped lead the way to a relatively easy victory. The visitors were sharp from the jump, building a 29 - 19 lead after one and a 61 - 45 advantage by halftime. That edge was 97 - 73 after three quarters, and even with New York showing some signs of life in garbage time, the Lakers still coasted to a double - digit road victory. The Lakers were led by Lou Williams off the bench, who tallied 22 points, four assists, two rebounds and one steal in 26 minutes. Nick Young was next and paced the starters with 17 points, which he complemented with five rebounds and one steal. Brandon Ingram and Julius Randle followed with matching 14 - point efforts, with the former also providing seven boards, two assists and one steal, and the latter offering two rebounds, two assists and one block. Tarik Black posted a modest nine points but hauled in 10 boards and recorded one steal. D'Angelo Russell (four points, six assists, two rebounds) was minimally involved, but Jordan Clarkson (12 points) and emerging rookie Ivica Zubac (10 points) were productive as reserves as well. The Knicks were paced by Anthony's 26 points, which he supplemented with five assists, three rebounds and one steal. Kristaps Porzingis registered a near double - double of 16 points, nine boards and a pair of blocks. Brandon Jennings matched his total off the bench and added five assists, three rebounds and one steal. Justin Holiday was productive on the second unit as well with 14 points, one rebound and one block. Kyle O'Quinn drew the start at center and produced 10 points, two rebounds and one assist, while Derrick Rose, back in the starting lineup after a four - game absence due to an ankle injury, generated just five points, four rebounds and three assists over 32 minutes. Willy Hernangomez continued his strong play by tallying eight points, 13 rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block over 24 minutes off the bench. The Lakers continue their trek through the Eastern Conference with a visit to the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night, while the Knicks remain home to face the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday evening as well."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Wizards": "29", "Pelicans": "17"}, "Losses": {"Wizards": "29", "Pelicans": "34"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "109", "Pelicans": "89"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "26", "Pelicans": "22"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "35"}}, {"Assists": {"Jrue Holiday": "7", "John Wall": "11"}, "Points": {"Jrue Holiday": "20", "John Wall": "16"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jared Dudley": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"John Wall": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"John Wall": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"John Wall": "12"}}], "With a triple - double from John Wall and six three - pointers from Jared Dudley providing a spark, the Washington Wizards (26 - 29) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (22 - 34) 109 - 89 on Tuesday. John Wall, the Wizards' perennial All-Star point guard, once again cleared a path for the Wizards to win, recording 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists. Despite the strong counting stats, Wall went just 5 - for - 17 from the field. His less than stellar shooting was made up for, however, by a strong shooting performance from forward Jared Dudley, who hit a season - high six three - pointers. As a team, the Wizards posted an admirable 29 assists while managing to disrupt New Orleans' ball movement, holding the Pelicans to just 17 total dimes. The blowout win advances the Wizards to 3 - 1 out of the All-Star break, with the sole loss coming on the third day of a rare back - to - back - to - back caused by a postponed game. Washington now sits at tenth in the East, and has a chance to make a push for the hotly - contested eighth seed down the stretch. For New Orleans, Anthony Davis has been making headlines across the NBA over the past week. On Sunday, the 22 - year - old became just the fourth active player to score 59 points in a single game, and did it while also pulling down a whopping 20 rebounds. The superstar followed up the monster night with another 20 - rebound performance on Tuesday, though he failed to reach double - digit scoring. In fact, it was a weak outing overall for the Pelicans' starting five, as no starter scored more than nine points on the night. Sixth man Jrue Holiday, however, stepped up to deliver 20 points and seven assists off the bench. Overall, however, it was not New Orleans' night, as the team shot a paltry 35 percent from the field. The loss snaps a brief two - game win streak for New Orleans following the break. New Orleans will face a challenging matchup against the 40 - win Thunder on Thursday. Washington, meanwhile, will hope to continue to win as they travel to Chicago on Wednesday."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hawks": "20"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "44"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "49"}}, {"Free throws made": {"Marvin Williams": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Marvin Williams": "30", "Marco Belinelli": "30"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Marvin Williams": "1", "Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Marvin Williams": "1", "Kemba Walker": "1", "Marco Belinelli": "1"}, "Points": {"Marvin Williams": "19", "Cody Zeller": "16", "Kemba Walker": "18", "Marco Belinelli": "19", "Paul Millsap": "20", "Dwight Howard": "10", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "21", "Dennis Schroder": "12", "Kent Bazemore": "17"}, "Steals": {"Marvin Williams": "1", "Cody Zeller": "1", "Paul Millsap": "1", "Dwight Howard": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Marvin Williams": "1", "Kemba Walker": "1", "Marco Belinelli": "1", "Dwight Howard": "1"}, "Assists": {"Cody Zeller": "1", "Kemba Walker": "10", "Marco Belinelli": "1", "Dwight Howard": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Cody Zeller": "11", "Dwight Howard": "23"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kent Bazemore": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Kent Bazemore": "7"}}], "The Hornets' 49 percent success rate from the field and 44 percent tally from three - point range helped them overcome some impressive performances from several members of the Hawks, including a 23 - rebound effort from Dwight Howard. Marvin Williams equaled a season high with 19 points, while Marco Belinelli matched his point total while playing 30 minutes off the bench. Kemba Walker returned from a one - game absence for personal reasons to post an 18 - point, 10 - assist double - double, while Cody Zeller fashioned a 16 - point, 11 - rebound double - double of his own. Tim Hardaway, Jr.'s 21 points paced the Hawks, and Paul Millsap was right behind him with 20 points. Dennis Schroder registered 12 points, while Howard added 10 points, an assist and a steal to his game - high rebound total. Kent Bazemore led the bench with a 17 - point total on 7 - of - 13 shooting."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Robert Covington": "15", "Ersan Ilyasova": "14", "Joel Embiid": "20", "Nik Stauskas": "15", "Dario Saric": "18", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "12", "Brook Lopez": "26", "Sean Kilpatrick": "10", "Justin Hamilton": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Robert Covington": "11"}, "Steals": {"Robert Covington": "5"}}], "The Sixers notched their fourth road victory overall behind a balanced offensive effort and opportunistic defense. Joel Embiid led the way with 20 points, while Robert Covington produced a 15 - point, 11 - rebound double - double along with a game - high five steals. Nik Stauskas totaled 15 points, Ersan Ilyasova went for 14 points and Dario Saric paced the second unit with 18 points. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia defense elicited 22 turnovers from the NBA's most mistake - prone team, which played a pivotal part in the rare double - digit road win. Brook Lopez's 26 points led the way for Brooklyn, and Bojan Bogdanovic provided 12 points. Isaiah Whitehead, Trevor Booker and Joe Harris combined for only nine points, but Justin Hamilton's 16 points off the bench helped make up some offense. Sean Kilpatrick registered 10 points in a reserve role as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "20", "Rockets": "21"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "105", "Rockets": "100"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "42", "Rockets": "43"}}, {"Assists": {"Trevor Ariza": "6", "James Harden": "6", "Nicolas Batum": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Trevor Ariza": "6", "Terrence Jones": "2", "James Harden": "3", "Corey Brewer": "5", "Nicolas Batum": "6", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "3", "Robin Lopez": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Trevor Ariza": "3", "Terrence Jones": "0", "James Harden": "0", "Corey Brewer": "3", "Nicolas Batum": "3", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Robin Lopez": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Trevor Ariza": "7", "Terrence Jones": "13", "James Harden": "19", "Corey Brewer": "16", "Nicolas Batum": "13", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "20", "Robin Lopez": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Trevor Ariza": "3", "Terrence Jones": "6", "James Harden": "7", "Corey Brewer": "9", "Nicolas Batum": "7", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "12", "Robin Lopez": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Trevor Ariza": "2", "Terrence Jones": "7", "James Harden": "5", "Corey Brewer": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Robin Lopez": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Trevor Ariza": "2", "Terrence Jones": "5", "James Harden": "4", "Corey Brewer": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Robin Lopez": "2", "Damian Lillard": "3"}, "Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "11", "Terrence Jones": "17", "James Harden": "18", "Corey Brewer": "23", "Nicolas Batum": "18", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "26", "Robin Lopez": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Ariza": "6", "Terrence Jones": "12", "Nicolas Batum": "9", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "14", "Robin Lopez": "10"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Terrence Jones": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"James Harden": "38", "Corey Brewer": "25", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "33", "Robin Lopez": "30"}, "Personal fouls": {"James Harden": "3"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "3", "Corey Brewer": "2"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Nicolas Batum": "50"}, "Free throw percentage": {"Nicolas Batum": "50"}, "Turnovers": {"Nicolas Batum": "4", "Damian Lillard": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "6"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (42 - 20) defeated the Houston Rockets (43 - 21) 105 - 100 on Wednesday at the Moda Center in Portland. While the Blazers looked to be in control and destined for a win in the closing few minutes of the fourth quarter, the Rockets came back in a hurry and made it a real interesting finish. With 15 seconds left in the game, Corey Brewer was able to grab a steal and score a bucket to bring the game within one point. Damian Lillard then went on to hit two free throws to put the Blazers back up three. With 12 seconds left, the Rockets had the ball and gave it to Corey Brewer, who launched a three - pointer in an attempt to tie the game, but came up just short and the Rockets went on to fall to the Blazers. Coming into this matchup just a game back from the Rockets for the third spot in the Western Conference standings, this was a big win for the Blazers, as this pulled the two teams even in the standings. Leading the charge was LaMarcus Aldridge, who posted a game - high of 26 points (12 - 20 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT), while also posting 14 rebounds in 33 minutes. It marked the fifth time in his last sixth games surpassing the 20 - point mark, a six - game stretch where he's averaging 25 points and 12 rebounds. Aldridge did receive some help though, as Nicolas Batum went 7 - for - 13 from the field and 3 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 18 points, while adding nine rebounds and six assists as well. He's dialed in at the moment and has shot 50 percent or higher from the field in each of his last four games. Over those four games, he's averaging 18 points and 9 rebounds. Notching a double - double, Robin Lopez finished with 16 points (7 - 10 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT) and 10 rebounds in 30 minutes. It marked his first double - double since the start of February. The Rockets received their biggest boost from their bench, with Corey Brewer recording a team - high of 23 points (9 - 16 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 5 FT), while also adding two steals in 25 minutes. 17 of his 23 points came in the fourth quarter, as he nearly self - propelled the Rockets to a comeback win. James Harden finished with 18 points (7 - 19 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT), six assists and three steals in 38 minutes. Over his last three games, he's averaging 28 points and 8 assists, which included the triple - double he posted against Detroit on Friday. Terrence Jones posted a double - double of his own, with 17 points (6 - 13 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 5 - 7 FT) and 12 rebounds. He's also been scoring at a high rate lately, averaging 18 points over his last seven games. Trevor Ariza chipped in with 11 points (3 - 7 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), six rebounds and six assists as well. The Trail Blazers' next game will be at home against the Detroit Pistons on Friday, while the Rockets will travel to Utah to play the Jazz on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "12", "Lakers": "19"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "123", "Lakers": "122"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "9", "Lakers": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Lakers": "9"}}, {"Points": {"Kobe Bryant": "11", "Lou Williams": "19", "D'Angelo Russell": "23", "Julius Randle": "20", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "26", "Kevin Martin": "37", "Ricky Rubio": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"D'Angelo Russell": "32"}, "Field goals made": {"Julius Randle": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Julius Randle": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Julius Randle": "12", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "14", "Ricky Rubio": "9"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "5"}, "Assists": {"Ricky Rubio": "12"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Ricky Rubio": "7"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (9 - 12) survived a comeback attempt from the Los Angeles Lakers (3 - 19) to win in overtime, 123 - 122, Wednesday night at the Target Center to break a four - game losing streak. Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell nailed a seven - foot running two - point basket to send the game into overtime tied at 114 - 114, but it was n't enough. Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio scored or assisted on seven of Minnesota's nine overtime points to help lead the way as they managed to finish what they started in the final five minutes. Kevin Martin went off for a season - high 37 points fueled by a brilliant 6 - 9 shooting night from three - point land to lead the Timberwolves. Rookie sensation Karl-Anthony Towns filled the statsheet once again, as he scored 26 points and hauled in 14 rebounds, five of them coming on the offensive end. Ricky Rubio scored just five points and did n't make a field goal, but his 12 assists and nine rebounds were key, as was his overtime production. Russell scored 23 points in 32 minutes off the bench to lead the Lakers. Louis Williams was the high - scoring starter with 19 (7 - 11 shooting) and Julius Randle tallied a double - double with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Kobe Bryant suffered another poor shooting night (5 - 13) and managed just 11 points. The Lakers next face the Spurs on Friday in San Antonio. Minnesota plays next on the road Friday in Denver."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "12", "Pacers": "5"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "85", "Pacers": "112"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "0", "Pacers": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "5", "CJ Miles": "4", "TJ McConnell": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Paul George": "10", "CJ Miles": "7", "Chase Budinger": "4", "Jerami Grant": "1", "TJ McConnell": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul George": "5", "CJ Miles": "4", "Chase Budinger": "1", "Jerami Grant": "0", "TJ McConnell": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul George": "24", "CJ Miles": "12", "Chase Budinger": "13", "Jerami Grant": "6", "Jahlil Okafor": "11", "TJ McConnell": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul George": "13", "CJ Miles": "7", "Chase Budinger": "5", "Jerami Grant": "4", "Jahlil Okafor": "6", "TJ McConnell": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul George": "4", "CJ Miles": "2", "Chase Budinger": "4", "Jerami Grant": "6", "Jahlil Okafor": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul George": "3", "CJ Miles": "2", "Chase Budinger": "4", "Jerami Grant": "5", "Jahlil Okafor": "2"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "34", "CJ Miles": "20", "Chase Budinger": "15", "Jerami Grant": "13", "Jahlil Okafor": "14", "TJ McConnell": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "8", "CJ Miles": "2", "Chase Budinger": "6", "Jerami Grant": "4", "Jahlil Okafor": "6", "TJ McConnell": "6"}, "Personal fouls": {"CJ Miles": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Jerami Grant": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Jerami Grant": "29"}, "Turnovers": {"Jahlil Okafor": "3"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (7 - 5) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (0 - 12) 112 - 85 on Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Dominating in all facets of this game, the Pacers got a much needed bounce back win after falling to the Bulls on Monday. They started quick, cruising to a 52 - 38 lead at the half. They then went on a 15 - 2 run to start the third quarter, pushing their lead to 27 points, which was too much for the Sixers to come back from. The Pacers put on a strong defensive performance as well, forcing the Sixers into a whopping 29 turnovers, 17 of which came in the first half. Paul George continued to put the team on his back Wednesday, finishing with a game - high of 34 points (13 - 24 FG, 5 - 10 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), to go along with eight rebounds and five assists. His re - emergence has been huge for the Pacers, as he's now posted eight straight games with 26 or more points. The fifth - year pro out of Fresno State is now averaging 25 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists on the season. With both Rodney Stuckey (ankle) and George Hill (upper respiratory infection) sidelined, C.J. Miles saw extended run on the court. He took advantage of the extra minutes, posting a season - high of 20 points (7 - 12 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), while also adding four assists. Miles is on fire right now, combining to shoot an impressive 13 - of - 24 from the field and 9 - of - 15 from the three - point line over his last two outings. Chase Budinger chipped in with 15 points (5 - 13 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and six rebounds as well. Jahlil Okafor and T.J. McConnell were the only Sixers' players who got anything going Wednesday. Okafor finished with 14 points (6 - 11 FG, 2 - 4 FT) and six rebounds, while McConnell added a team - high of 16 points (7 - 9 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt), to go along with six rebounds and three assists. Okafor was coming off two impressive double - doubles prior to this game, so it was somewhat of a disappointing performance for the rookie scoring leader out of Duke. He's now averaging 19 points, 8 rebounds and 1 assists on the season. McConnell, on the other hand, has now reached double figures in points in three out of his last four games, which was something he previously had n't done this season. Jerami Grant added 13 points (4 - 6 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT), four rebounds and three blocked shots over 29 minutes as well. The Pacers' next game will be at home against the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday, while the Sixers will travel to Charlotte to take on the Hornets on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "25", "Pelicans": "19"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "94", "Pelicans": "105"}, "Rebounds": {"Pistons": "30", "Pelicans": "47"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "14", "Pelicans": "19"}}, {"Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "18", "Tyreke Evans": "14", "Ryan Anderson": "12", "Greg Monroe": "11", "Brandon Jennings": "12", "Jodie Meeks": "8", "D.J. Augustin": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "11", "Tyreke Evans": "6", "Ryan Anderson": "6", "Greg Monroe": "6", "Brandon Jennings": "4", "Jodie Meeks": "5", "D.J. Augustin": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "5", "Tyreke Evans": "8", "Ryan Anderson": "4", "Greg Monroe": "7", "Brandon Jennings": "10", "D.J. Augustin": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Anthony Davis": "5", "Tyreke Evans": "5", "Ryan Anderson": "3", "Greg Monroe": "4", "Brandon Jennings": "9", "D.J. Augustin": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "27", "Eric Gordon": "12", "Tyreke Evans": "18", "Ryan Anderson": "17", "Greg Monroe": "16", "Brandon Jennings": "19", "Jodie Meeks": "11", "D.J. Augustin": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "10", "Tyreke Evans": "8", "Ryan Anderson": "3", "Greg Monroe": "8", "Jodie Meeks": "2"}, "Assists": {"Eric Gordon": "5", "Tyreke Evans": "9", "Greg Monroe": "5", "Brandon Jennings": "3", "D.J. Augustin": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Tyreke Evans": "2", "Ryan Anderson": "5", "Brandon Jennings": "6", "Jodie Meeks": "3", "D.J. Augustin": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tyreke Evans": "1", "Ryan Anderson": "2", "Brandon Jennings": "2", "Jodie Meeks": "1", "D.J. Augustin": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Greg Monroe": "7"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (19 - 19) defeated the Detroit Pistons (14 - 25) 105 - 94 on Wednesday at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The Pelicans had a very strong first half defensively, holding the Pistons under 20 points in both quarters. They also got it done offensively, out - scoring the Pistons 58 - 36 over that span. The Pelicans were able to out - rebound the Pistons 47 - 30, giving them even more of an advantage and helping push them further to the victory. As has been the case all season, Anthony Davis did the most damage for the Pelicans. He went 11 - for - 18 from the field and 5 - for - 5 from the free throw line to score 27 points, while adding 10 rebounds and four blocked shots as well. He's been a force over his last two games, combining for 61 points, 19 rebounds and seven blocked shots. With Jrue Holiday sitting out with an ankle injury, Tyreke Evans moved back into the starting lineup, nearly recording a triple - double with 18 points (6 - 14 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 5 - 8 FT), eight rebounds and nine assists. He's had a strong three game stretch over this last week, averaging 19 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists per game. The bench also gave a nice contribution, led by Ryan Anderson with 17 points (6 - 12 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) and three rebounds. The only other Pelican to reach double figures in points was Eric Gordon, who recorded 12 points and five assists. For the Pistons, the duo of Brandon Jennings and Greg Monroe were the most productive Wednesday. Jennings did n't have his best night shooting (4 - 12 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt), but got it done from the free throw line, converting on 9 - of - 10 to push his total to 19 points. He only had three assists though, which was his lowest total through his last seven games. Monroe on the other hand went 6 - for - 11 from the field and 4 - for - 7 from the free throw line to score 16 points, while adding eight rebounds and five assists as well. He came two rebounds shy of a double - double, ending his streak at seven in a row. Coming off the bench, the Pistons had solid contributions from D.J. Augustin and Jodie Meeks. Augustin had 13 points (4 - 5 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and four assists, while Meeks had 11 points (5 - 8 FG, 1 - 3 3PT) and two rebounds. The Pelicans' next game will be on the road against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday, while the Pistons will travel to Indiana to play the Pacers on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "45"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "112", "76ers": "109"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "24"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "26"}}, {"Blocks": {"Robert Covington": "2"}, "Points": {"Robert Covington": "24", "Richaun Holmes": "24", "T.J. McConnell": "16", "Nik Stauskas": "20", "Aaron Gordon": "17", "Nikola Vucevic": "26", "Evan Fournier": "19", "Elfrid Payton": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Robert Covington": "13", "Dario Saric": "5", "Richaun Holmes": "14", "Nik Stauskas": "5", "Aaron Gordon": "3", "Nikola Vucevic": "13", "Evan Fournier": "4", "Elfrid Payton": "13"}, "Steals": {"T.J. McConnell": "3"}, "Assists": {"Aaron Gordon": "4", "Evan Fournier": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "4"}}], "The Orlando Magic defeated the Philadelphia 76ers, 112 - 109, in overtime at Amway Center on Monday. This was a tale of two halves, as these lottery contenders left it all on the floor. The Sixers actually took a 15 - point lead into the half, but the Magic responded by sending the game into overtime. It was tight throughout, as there were 11 ties and 10 lead changes in total. The difference for Orlando was their ability to get to the free - throw line, as they finished the game 38 - of - 46 from the charity stripe. Both teams really struggled shooting, as they both failed to crack 39 percent from the field and 26 percent from three - point range. The Sixers (26 - 44) had to play this game extremely shorthanded and they did n't have enough to hold on to a big lead. Richaun Holmes got the start and had the game of his career though, totaling 24 points, 14 rebounds and four assists. Robert Covington was just as good, accruing 24 points, 13 rebounds, four steals and two blocks. Dario Saric finished with 16 points and five rebounds before fouling out in regulation. T.J. McConnell amassed 16 points, 11 assists and three steals. Nik Stauskas was the only bench player with more than four points, as he provided 20 points and five rebounds. On deck for Philly is a road matchup versus the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday. The Magic (26 - 45) have been struggling mightily, but this overtime win may give them some momentum for the final few weeks. Nikola Vucevic led the way for Orlando, as he collected 26 points and 13 rebounds. Evan Fournier finished second on the team with 19 points, four rebounds and three assists. Elfrid Payton tallied 10 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and three steals. Aaron Gordon produced 17 points, three rebounds and four assists before fouling out. Orlando's next game will be a home matchup against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "59"}}, {"Points": {"Serge Ibaka": "29", "Evan Fournier": "23", "Elfrid Payton": "26", "Jeff Green": "16", "Jodie Meeks": "20", "Thabo Sefolosha": "17", "Paul Millsap": "17", "Dwight Howard": "20", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "12", "Dennis Schroder": "19", "Kyle Korver": "12"}, "Assists": {"Elfrid Payton": "14", "Dennis Schroder": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "16"}, "Turnovers": {"Dwight Howard": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Kyle Korver": "27"}}], "The Magic bench posted 62 points and were led by Elfrid Payton, who tallied career highs of 26 points and 14 assists. Serge Ibaka paced the Magic overall with 29 points, while Evan Fournier was next on the first unit with 23 points. Jodie Meeks (20 points) and Jeff Green (16 points) rounded out the bench's stellar night, and Orlando tallied an impressive 59 percent success rate from the field. The Hawks saw all five members of the first unit hit double - digit scoring, led by Dwight Howard's 20 - point, 16 - rebound double - double. Dennis Schroder supplied 19 points and 13 assists, while Thabo Sefolosha and Paul Millsap tallied a pair of 17 - point efforts. Tim Hardaway Jr. parlayed another start into 12 points, while Kyle Korver came off the bench for 12 points in 27 minutes overall."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "48", "Wizards": "50"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "40"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "122", "Wizards": "130"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Kings": "19", "Wizards": "34"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"Markieff Morris": "2", "John Wall": "12", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "1", "Arron Afflalo": "1", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "3", "Buddy Hield": "1", "Darren Collison": "10"}, "Points": {"Markieff Morris": "10", "Bradley Beal": "38", "John Wall": "25", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "17", "Arron Afflalo": "18", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "20", "Buddy Hield": "18", "Darren Collison": "14", "Anthony Tolliver": "10", "Ben McLemore": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "6", "Bradley Beal": "10", "John Wall": "4", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "2", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "13", "Darren Collison": "2", "Anthony Tolliver": "3", "Ben McLemore": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Bradley Beal": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "24"}, "Steals": {"Bradley Beal": "1", "John Wall": "2", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "1", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"John Wall": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"John Wall": "4"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the Sacramento Kings in overtime, 130 - 122, at Golden 1 Center on Friday night. The Wizards' (39 - 24) prospects looked rather bleak coming into the fourth quarter, as they trailed by a 97 - 82 margin. However, the light went on at that point for Washington, as they outscored the Kings (25 - 40) by a 34 - 19 margin in the final period to force overtime. John Wall gave the Wizards their final lead of regulation by draining a 13 - foot basket with 19 seconds remaining, but Willie Cauley-Stein knotted matters up at 116 just four seconds later. Wall's missed 16 - footer at the buzzer prompted overtime, and Bradley Beal, who scored a game - high 38 points, 21 which came in the final 17 minutes, gave the visitors the lead for good with a 24 - foot three - pointer at the 2:23 mark of the extra period. The game featured outstanding shooting from both squads, as the Wizards tallied a 50 percent success rate from the floor and Sacramento countered with 48 percent. Beal added 10 rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block to his aforementioned scoring total. Wall followed with a 25 - point, 12 - assist, double - double that also included four rebounds and two steals. Otto Porter, Jr. provided 18 points, six rebounds, two steals, one assist and one block. Markieff Morris turned in 10 points, six boards and two assists, while Bojan Bogdanovic led the bench with 17 points, two rebounds, one assist and one steal. Cauley-Stein paced the Kings with a 20 - point, 13 - rebound double - double that also included three assists and one steal. Buddy Hield and Arron Afflalo supplied matching 18 - point efforts, with the former adding five rebounds and one assist, and the latter registering two boards and one assist. Darren Collison compiled a 14 - point, 10 - assist double - double and added two rebounds. Ben McLemore paced the second unit with 11 points and four boards, while Anthony Tolliver turned in 10 points and three rebounds off the bench. The Wizards continue their Western Conference swing with a Saturday night trip to Portland, while the Kings remain home to tangle with the Denver Nuggets on Saturday evening as well."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "48", "Rockets": "56"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "114", "Rockets": "130"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "6"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "11"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Clint Capela": "12", "James Harden": "22", "Damian Lillard": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Clint Capela": "9", "James Harden": "11", "Damian Lillard": "7"}, "Points": {"Clint Capela": "21", "James Harden": "38", "Eric Gordon": "26", "CJ McCollum": "28", "Damian Lillard": "27"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "10", "CJ McCollum": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Harden": "13"}, "Free throws made": {"James Harden": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Eric Gordon": "6"}, "Steals": {"CJ McCollum": "2"}}], "The visiting Houston Rockets defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, 130 - 114, on Sunday night. James Harden once again led the Rockets (11 - 6) in scoring and assists, posting 38 and 10 respectively. Harden has seen his assist numbers skyrocket since the arrival of new head coach Mike D'Antoni, and the trend continued on Sunday. Despite playing the role of distributor, Harden took a team - high 22 shots, making 11, and also got to the line 13 times. While the superstar was the focal point of Houston's run - and - gun offense, multiple other Rockets made heavy contributions. Guard Eric Gordon scored 26 points off the bench, including six three - pointers, while starter Clint Capela scored 21 on 9 - of - 12 shooting. The team was able to hit 17 three - pointers on the night, just a game after hitting 21 on an NBA-record 50 attempts. Houston shot over 56 percent from the field. Despite hanging close through three quarters, Portland (10 - 9) let the game slip away in the fourth quarter. Though the team shot a respectable 48 percent from the field, the Blazers struggled on the defensive end, allowing a three - point barrage for Houston. Blazers star Damian Lillard was unable to shoot Portland out of its deficit, going just 7 - of - 20 from the field. Lillard was still able to contribute 27 points, however. Guard C.J. McCollum, meanwhile, scored a team - high 28 points to go with seven assists and two steals. The Rockets will visit Utah on Tuesday, while the Blazers will host the Pacers on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "37", "Rockets": "51"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Sam Dekker": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Sam Dekker": "12"}, "Points": {"Sam Dekker": "30", "James Harden": "29", "Eric Gordon": "21", "Marc Gasol": "32", "Mike Conley": "15"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "10", "Eric Gordon": "5", "Mike Conley": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "6", "Eric Gordon": "3", "Marc Gasol": "5", "Mike Conley": "4"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "3"}}], "The Grizzlies are one of the best home teams in the NBA, but the Rockets really gave it to them in the \"Grind House\". Shooting was the glaring difference, with Houston shooting 51 percent, while the Grizzlies could n't crack 37 percent. The Rockets also dominated the defensive rebounding battle, winning it, 40 - 27. Sam Dekker got his first start and scored a career - high 30 points on 12 - of - 19 shooting. James Harden was the catalyst though, accumulating 29 points, six rebounds, 10 assists and three steals. Eric Gordon came off the bench to provide 21 points, three rebounds and five assists. Marc Gasol did all he could for Memphis, leading the team with 32 points, five rebounds and three blocks, Mike Conley was second on the team, collecting 15 points four rebounds and six assists. The Grizzlies bench combined to go just 8 - of - 29 from the field, with all of them having a negative plus - minus."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "7", "Wizards": "5"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "113", "Wizards": "87"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "7", "Wizards": "9"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Paul Pierce": "5", "Rasual Butler": "15", "LeBron James": "14", "Kevin Love": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "15", "Dion Waiters": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul Pierce": "4", "Rasual Butler": "9", "LeBron James": "7", "Kevin Love": "7", "Kyrie Irving": "7", "Dion Waiters": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul Pierce": "10", "LeBron James": "17", "Kevin Love": "7", "Kyrie Irving": "4", "Dion Waiters": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul Pierce": "7", "LeBron James": "14", "Kevin Love": "6", "Kyrie Irving": "1", "Dion Waiters": "2"}, "Points": {"Paul Pierce": "15", "Rasual Butler": "23", "LeBron James": "29", "Kevin Love": "21", "Kyrie Irving": "18", "Dion Waiters": "15"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rasual Butler": "5", "LeBron James": "5", "Kevin Love": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "5", "Dion Waiters": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rasual Butler": "3", "LeBron James": "1", "Kevin Love": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "3", "Dion Waiters": "1"}, "Assists": {"LeBron James": "8", "Kyrie Irving": "5", "Dion Waiters": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "10", "Kevin Love": "5", "Dion Waiters": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kevin Love": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Kevin Love": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dion Waiters": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Dion Waiters": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (7 - 7) defeated the Washington Wizards (9 - 5) 113 - 87 on Wednesday at Quciken Loans Arena in Cleveland. LeBron James took over the Cavs' home arena on Wednesday night, with a near triple - double performance. James had 29 points (7 - 14 FG, 1 - 5 3PT, 14 - 17 FT), 10 rebounds and eight assists. Kevin Love contributed an additional 21 points (7 - 10 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 6 - 7 FT) and five rebounds. While the two off - season additions (James and Love) were able to help lead the charge, Cavs mainstays Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters were still able to be huge contributors. Irving had 18 points (7 - 15 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 1 - 4 FT) and five assists, while Dion Waiters had 15 points (6 - 17 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and six assists. The Washington Wizards were lead by the strong, veteran presence of Paul Pierce who had 15 points (4 - 5 FG, 7 - 10 FT). Washington's other big - time contributor was veteran journeyman Rasual Butler who had a team - high 23 points (9 - 15 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt). Washington will continue their road stretch when they travel to New Orleans to take on the Pelicans for a Saturday night affair, while Cleveland will be staying home to take on the struggling Indiana Pacers."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "37"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "49"}}, {"Assists": {"Buddy Hield": "7", "Skal Labissiere": "8", "Draymond Green": "8", "Stephen Curry": "12"}, "3-pointers made": {"Buddy Hield": "4", "Stephen Curry": "5"}, "Points": {"Buddy Hield": "22", "Skal Labissiere": "10", "Draymond Green": "23", "Stephen Curry": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Buddy Hield": "8", "Skal Labissiere": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Skal Labissiere": "11", "Stephen Curry": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Skal Labissiere": "5", "Stephen Curry": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "1"}, "Steals": {"Draymond Green": "3", "Stephen Curry": "6"}}], "It should come as no surprise to most fans, but Golden State saw staggering offensive output on Friday night en route to a blowout of the Sacramento Kings. Reigning MVP Steph Curry took the reigns of the offense, scoring 27 points on 9 - of - 18 shooting with five made three - pointers. Curry added a team - high 12 assists and came away with six steals on the defensive end. All-Star forward Draymond Green, meanwhile, contributed 23 points and eight assists on offense while also coming away with three steals and a block. As a whole, the Warriors shot over 49 percent and dished out an astronomical 37 assists. For Sacramento, strong rookie output was the big story. Shooting guard Buddy Hield hit four three - pointers en route to 22 points and also had eight rebounds and seven assists. Skal Labissiere, meanwhile, shot 5 - of - 11 en route to 10 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists."], [[{"Total points": {"Hawks": "96", "Nets": "91"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nets": "20"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Thaddeus Young": "7", "Deron Williams": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Thaddeus Young": "1", "Deron Williams": "1"}, "Assists": {"Al Horford": "7", "Dennis Schroder": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Al Horford": "2"}, "Points": {"Al Horford": "14", "Dennis Schroder": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Horford": "13"}, "Steals": {"Al Horford": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Dennis Schroder": "19"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (60 - 22) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (38 - 44) 96 - 91 to take a 20 lead in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs on Wednesday. Al Horford had a big game and led his team with 13 rebounds, seven assists and two blocks to go along with 14 points. He was n't the only one showing off his passing skills, as he was one of four Hawk's players to record five or more assists on the night. Paul Millsap and Kyle Korver combined for 36 points to fortify the Atlanta scoring attack, and also hit seven three - pointers. Dennis Schroder had a solid performance off the bench, he had 12 points, six assists and two steals in 19 minutes. He's now averaging 13 points, 4 assists and 2 steals in the series. The Hawks will try and take a 30 lead when they take on the Nets in game three on Saturday. The Nets nearly came back from a 10 - point, fourth quarter deficit, but could n't quite get over the hump as the Hawks were able to knock down four of their final six free throws with under :30 remaining. Brooklyn had a hard time staying hot on offense as Thaddeus Young and Deron Williams each went 1 - for - 7 from the field for a combined four points. Joe Johnson, Brook Lopez and Jarrett Jack were forced to carry the scoring load. They combined for 62 points but Brooklyn still fell short of tying up the series at one game a piece. The Nets will try and take game three against the Hawks in Brooklyn on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "42", "Lakers": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "50", "Lakers": "42"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "22", "Lakers": "36"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "113", "Lakers": "105"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bucks": "20"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bucks": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Bucks": "35", "Lakers": "53"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "27", "Lakers": "13"}}, {"Points": {"Robert Sacre": "10", "Wayne Ellington": "19", "Carlos Boozer": "28", "Nick Young": "16", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "25", "Khris Middleton": "21", "Brandon Knight": "24", "O.J. Mayo": "21"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Wayne Ellington": "12", "Nick Young": "8", "Khris Middleton": "5", "Brandon Knight": "7", "O.J. Mayo": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Wayne Ellington": "5", "Nick Young": "2", "Khris Middleton": "1", "Brandon Knight": "4", "O.J. Mayo": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Wayne Ellington": "17", "Nick Young": "12", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "14", "Khris Middleton": "13", "Brandon Knight": "17", "O.J. Mayo": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Wayne Ellington": "7", "Nick Young": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10", "Khris Middleton": "7", "Brandon Knight": "7", "O.J. Mayo": "8"}, "Assists": {"Carlos Boozer": "4", "Khris Middleton": "7", "Brandon Knight": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Carlos Boozer": "37", "Nick Young": "34", "Brandon Knight": "36", "O.J. Mayo": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"Carlos Boozer": "9", "Nick Young": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6", "Khris Middleton": "7", "Brandon Knight": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5", "Khris Middleton": "7", "Brandon Knight": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5", "Khris Middleton": "6", "Brandon Knight": "6"}, "Steals": {"Khris Middleton": "3"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (27 - 22) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (13 - 36) 113 - 105 on Wednesday at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee. The Bucks were the superior shooters in this game, going 50 percent from the field and 42 percent from the three - point line, while the Lakers shot just 42 percent from the floor and 32 percent from beyond the arc. Despite being out - rebounded 53 - 35, the Bucks forced the Lakers into 18 turnovers, while only committing 12 of their own. The Bucks had four players reach the 20 - point mark in this game. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the team with 25 points (10 - 14 FG, 5 - 5 FT), while also adding six rebounds and two blocked shots. The 25 points were a new season - high for him and a nice surprise for the Bucks, as he's averaging only 11 points per game so far this season. Brandon Knight had a very solid performance as well, posting 24 points (7 - 17 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT), seven rebounds and eight assists in 36 minutes. He had a poor showing in Saturday's game against the Trail Blazers, going only 3 - of - 13 from the field, so it was good to see him have a better night shooting the ball. Khris Middleton came close to a triple - double, with 21 points (7 - 13 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 6 - 7 FT), seven rebounds and seven assists. He also did it on the defensive side of the ball with three steals, marking the fourth straight game with at least two steals. Coming off the bench, O.J. Mayo was the fourth member to reach the 20 - point plateau, scoring 21 points (8 - 15 FG, 5 - 8 3Pt) in 33 minutes. Carlos Boozer had a huge outing off the bench for the Lakers, posting a game - high of 28 points, to go along with nine rebounds and four assists in 37 minutes. He's played outstanding over his last three games, averaging 21 points and nine rebounds over that stretch. Leading the starters, Wayne Ellington found his stroke, scoring 19 points (7 - 17 FG, 5 - 12 3Pt) in 37 minutes. He had a very poor game against the Knicks on Sunday, so it was a nice bounce back showing for him. Also providing a bunch of production off the bench was Nick Young. Young went 5 - for - 12 from the field and 2 - for - 8 from the three - point line to score 16 points. He missed three games in a row with an ankle injury, so it was a positive sign for his ankle that he played 34 minutes. Robert Sacre added 10 points as the starting center. The Bucks' next game will be on the road against the Houston Rockets on Friday, while the Lakers will travel to Orlando to play the Magic on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "29", "Bulls": "38"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "122", "Bulls": "120"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "42", "Bulls": "33"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul Zipser": "4", "Robin Lopez": "1", "Jimmy Butler": "6", "Rajon Rondo": "8", "Serge Ibaka": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Cory Joseph": "2", "Norman Powell": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Zipser": "2", "Robin Lopez": "3", "Jimmy Butler": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "1"}, "Points": {"Paul Zipser": "12", "Robin Lopez": "12", "Jimmy Butler": "37", "Rajon Rondo": "24", "Bobby Portis": "9", "DeMarre Carroll": "8", "Serge Ibaka": "16", "Jonas Valanciunas": "8", "DeMar DeRozan": "42", "Cory Joseph": "19", "Norman Powell": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Zipser": "5", "Robin Lopez": "4", "Jimmy Butler": "10", "Rajon Rondo": "5", "Bobby Portis": "5", "Serge Ibaka": "6", "DeMar DeRozan": "7", "Cory Joseph": "1", "Norman Powell": "2"}, "Steals": {"Paul Zipser": "1", "Jimmy Butler": "1", "Rajon Rondo": "4", "DeMar DeRozan": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Robin Lopez": "25"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jimmy Butler": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the Chicago Bulls in overtime, 122 - 120, at Air Canada Centre on Tuesday night. The game was not for the faint of heart, as it featured a bit of everything. That included a third - quarter fight that saw Chicago's Robin Lopez Toronto's Serge Ibaka both get ejected, as well as a rally in the fourth quarter by the Raptors (42 - 29) from a 94 - 79 deficit. In overtime, Toronto looked like it had pulled away when it forged a 122 - 117 edge with just nine seconds remaining after two free throws from DeMar DeRozan but Jimmy Butler's three - pointer with two seconds left brought the Bulls (33 - 38) back within two. DeRozan missed a shot on the ensuing possession but the Raptors were able to grab the offensive rebound, sealing the win. Butler paced the Bulls with 37 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, two blocks and one steal. Rajon Rondo followed with 24 points, eight assists, five rebounds and four steals. Lopez had 12 points, four rebounds, one assist and three blocks in 25 minutes before exiting. Paul Zipser drew the start and also pitched in with 12 points, along with five rebounds, four assists, two blocks and one steal. Bobby Portis led the bench with nine points and five boards. The Raptors were led by DeMar DeRozan, who poured in 42 points and added eight assists, seven rebounds, one steal and one block. Cory Joseph tallied 19 points, two assists, one rebound and one steal. Ibaka posted 16 points, six boards and one assist prior to his ejection. DeMarre Carroll and Jonas Valanciunas supplied matching eight - point efforts, while Norman Powell led the second unit with nine points, two rebounds and one assist. The Bulls head back home to tangle with the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night, while the Raptors head down to Miami for a Thursday night showdown with the Miami Heat."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "24"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "42"}}, {"Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "20", "Seth Curry": "31", "Andrew Wiggins": "27", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "26", "Ricky Rubio": "13"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Seth Curry": "17", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Seth Curry": "13", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "7", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "18", "Ricky Rubio": "5"}, "Assists": {"Ricky Rubio": "14"}, "Steals": {"Ricky Rubio": "3"}}], "Minnesota are battling for the eight - seed in the west with Dallas and this dominating win shows just how important it was to win this game. In fact, the Mavericks led for over 45 minutes of this game, as they never looked close to relinquishing the lead. Defense carried the T'Wolves, as they held the Mavericks to 42 percent from the field and 24 percent from three - point range, Seth Curry did all he could for Dallas, as he dropped a career - high 31 points on 13 - of - 17 shooting. Harrison Barnes was the only other Maverick in double figures, as he totaled 20 points and seven rebounds. Andrew Wiggins led Minnesota in scoring, as he provided 27 points and seven rebounds. Karl-Anthony Towns dominated down low, as he collected 26 points and 18 rebounds on 12 - of - 18 from the field. Ricky Rubio led the team in assists, accruing 13 points, five rebounds, 14 assists and three steals."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Suns": "33", "Knicks": "36"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "49", "Knicks": "44"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "33", "Knicks": "53"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "102", "Knicks": "89"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "35", "Knicks": "13"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Lance Thomas": "8", "Andrea Bargnani": "16", "Alexey Shved": "15", "Marcus Morris": "14", "Brandan Wright": "8", "Eric Bledsoe": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Lance Thomas": "4", "Andrea Bargnani": "7", "Alexey Shved": "6", "Marcus Morris": "9", "Brandan Wright": "7", "Eric Bledsoe": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Lance Thomas": "10", "Andrea Bargnani": "5", "Alexey Shved": "8", "Brandan Wright": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Lance Thomas": "6", "Andrea Bargnani": "4", "Alexey Shved": "4", "Brandan Wright": "4", "Eric Bledsoe": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Lance Thomas": "29", "Brandan Wright": "37"}, "Points": {"Lance Thomas": "14", "Andrea Bargnani": "18", "Alexey Shved": "18", "Marcus Morris": "20", "Brandan Wright": "18", "Eric Bledsoe": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Lance Thomas": "4", "Andrea Bargnani": "1", "Alexey Shved": "4", "Brandan Wright": "11", "Eric Bledsoe": "9"}, "Assists": {"Andrea Bargnani": "3", "Alexey Shved": "3", "Marcus Morris": "2", "Eric Bledsoe": "11"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Andrea Bargnani": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Andrea Bargnani": "3", "Alexey Shved": "6", "Marcus Morris": "3", "Eric Bledsoe": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Andrea Bargnani": "0", "Alexey Shved": "2", "Marcus Morris": "2", "Eric Bledsoe": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Alexey Shved": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Alexey Shved": "1", "Marcus Morris": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Marcus Morris": "2"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (35 - 33) defeated the New York Knicks (13 - 53) 102 - 89 on Sunday at the US Airways Center in Phoenix. This was a huge win for the Suns, as they were starting to lose ground on both the Oklahoma City Thunder and New Orleans Pelicans for the final projected playoff seed in the Western Conference standings. They now sit two games behind the Pelicans and three games behind the Thunder, so there wo n't be much room for anymore losses moving forward in their fight to get into the playoffs. The Suns shot well in this game, finishing at 49 percent from the field and 33 percent from the three - point line, while the Knicks went 44 percent from the floor and 36 percent from deep. With Brandon Knight still sidelined with an ankle injury, Eric Bledsoe again stepped up for the Suns and posted a team - high of 21 points (8 - 15 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT), to go along with nine rebounds and 11 assists as well. He's on a strong stretch of four games, averaging 20 points and 7 assists during that span. Brandan Wright moved into the starting lineup at center for the first time this season, with Alex Len sitting out with an ankle injury. Wright took advantage of the start and finished with 18 points (7 - 8 FG, 4 - 5 FT) and 11 rebounds in 37 minutes. It was a new season - high in points for him, while also marking his first double - double since his first game of the season back in November. Marcus Morris was dialed in with his shot as well, going 9 - for - 14 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 20 points. It was his second strong performance in a row, as he's combined for 38 points and 10 rebounds over his last two. As has been the case all season, the Knicks struggled to get anything going offensively. Andrea Bargnani and Alexey Shved did the majority of the scoring. Bargnani finished with 18 points (7 - 16 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT) and three assists, while Shved added 18 points (6 - 15 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 8 FT) and four rebounds. Shved has been one of the few bright spots of late, averaging 17 points and 6 rebounds over his last five games. Bargnani has also been solid over his last few games, as this marked his second 18 - point performance in as many games. The only other Knick in double figures was Lance Thomas, who recorded 14 points (4 - 8 FG, 6 - 10 FT) and four rebounds in 29 minutes. The Suns' next game will be at home against the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday, while the Knicks will be at home against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "2", "Raptors": "1"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "91", "Raptors": "95"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "2"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "22", "Hassan Whiteside": "8"}, "Points": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "16", "Kyle Lowry": "33", "Hassan Whiteside": "6", "Dwyane Wade": "38"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "12", "Dwyane Wade": "8"}, "Turnovers": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Lowry": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Kyle Lowry": "6"}, "Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "4"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the Miami Heat, 95 - 91, on Saturday at American Airlines Arena to take a 2 - 1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Raptors star Kyle Lowry led the way with an impressive 33 points, hitting five three - pointers and hitting all six of his free throws en route to the team's close victory. After an underwhelming first round, the All-Star point guard was able to take control in Miami, producing a major portion of his team's offensive output. Also dominating was center Jonas Valanciunas, who posted 16 points and 12 rebounds in just 22 minutes of play. While two of Toronto's stars had big nights, shooting guard DeMar DeRozan's struggles continued. \"The Quadruple Capital\" was just 6 - for - 17 from the field on the night, continuing an underwhelming stretch of playoff play. Despire the loss, Miami star Dwyane Wade led the game with 38 points. Wade also had eight rebounds and four assists, taking control for his team in the first home matchup of the semifinals. The rest of the team was underwhelming, however, as no other member of the Heat scored more than 12. Star big Hassan Whiteside saw a particularly disappointing eight minutes and just six points off the bench. The team received troubling news before the game, with reports that All-Star Chris Bosh may be forced into early retirement beginning to surface. Game 4 will once again see the two teams take the court in Miami."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "37", "Pistons": "30"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "89", "Pistons": "69"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "9", "Pistons": "17"}}, {"Points": {"Greg Monroe": "20", "D.J. Augustin": "2", "Michael Carter-Williams": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Greg Monroe": "11", "Michael Carter-Williams": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"D.J. Augustin": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"D.J. Augustin": "0"}, "Free throws attempted": {"D.J. Augustin": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"D.J. Augustin": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"D.J. Augustin": "34"}, "Steals": {"D.J. Augustin": "2"}, "Assists": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "10"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers (9 - 37) defeated the Detroit Pistons (17 - 30) 89 - 69 on Wednesday. Philadelphia welcomed Michael Carter-Williams back after he missed Monday's 99 - 74 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans with an illness. He was one rebound shy of a triple - double with 14 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists. After giving up a Kentavious Caldwell-Pope layup to start the game, Michael Carter-Williams hit a layup of his own and Philadelphia was off to the races.They would never relinquish the lead and held the Pistons to less than 22 points in each quarter. The Sixers are enjoying their best month of the season, having recorded five wins so far in January. Greg Monroe had a 20 - point, 11 - rebound double - double as the lone bright spot for the Pistons. The four other starters only managed to combine for 12 points total. D.J. Augustin had been filling in nicely at point guard for the Pistons, who will be without Brandon Jennings (Achilles) for the remainder of the season. Augustin averaged 27 points, 9 assists, four rebounds and one steal in his first two starts since taking over but could n't find the magic Wednesday. He was 0 - for - 7 on Wednesday, scoring two points in 34 minutes in the Pistons' lowest - scoring output of the season. The Pistons will face the Houston Rockets on Saturday, and the 76ers will take on the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "32", "Lakers": "16"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "111", "Lakers": "77"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "16", "Lakers": "2"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "12"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Kobe Bryant": "1"}, "Points": {"Kobe Bryant": "4", "Stephen Curry": "24"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Stephen Curry": "30"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (160) crushed the Los Angeles Lakers (2 - 12) 111 - 77 on Tuesday to set a league record for the most consecutive wins to start a season. This was a mismatch and blowout on paper and that proved to be the case on the court. The Warriors dominated from start to finish and it's unclear if the Lakers even showed up to the game. This sort of game exemplifies which directions these franchises are going right now and we should give more credit to Golden State rather than belittling the Lakers. The biggest difference in the game was the passing, as the Warriors accumulated 32 assists compared to the Lakers 16. The Lakers came into this game as 18 - point underdogs and it was far worse than that. The Lakers got down by 20 points extremely early and never could bounce - back. This was a mismatch in nearly every facet, as the Warriors are the best offensive team in basketball, while the Lakers are one of the worst defenses. No starter for the Lakers scored over 10 points and that exemplifies the nightmare performance. Kobe Bryant also had another terrible game, as he shot just 1 - for - 14 to accumulate four points in the loss. Bryant is simply taking too many bad shots right now and while he could make those in the past, his legs just simply ca n't handle them anymore. We've never seen him throw up air - balls and wedgies like he did in this game and it's just hard to watch as a basketball fan right now. This is a bad team right now and with an aging veteran who dominates the ball, it's hard to see them get any better. They have a few days off until they face the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday in their next scheduled game. The Warriors came into this game trying to set a record for most wins to start a season and they achieved it in spectacular fashion. They destroyed a disheartened Lakers team and they appear to be the new Lakers of the past. In this game they had an amazing 32:8 assists - to - turnover ratio and that has been the key all season. Steph Curry played just 30 minutes in this game, but still totaled 24 points and nine assists in the blowout win. This is a scary team right now and the sky is the limit with the way they are currently playing. The Warriors will play the Phoenix Suns on Friday in their next game to try to extend their already record - breaking streak."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "19", "Pistons": "18"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "103", "Pistons": "101"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "22", "Pistons": "21"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pistons": "19"}, "Turnovers": {"Pistons": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Marc Gasol": "4", "Mario Chalmers": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "5", "Stanley Johnson": "9", "Mario Chalmers": "6", "Matt Barnes": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "3", "Stanley Johnson": "5", "Mario Chalmers": "2", "Matt Barnes": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "13", "Stanley Johnson": "14", "Marc Gasol": "20", "Mario Chalmers": "15", "Matt Barnes": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "6", "Stanley Johnson": "7", "Marc Gasol": "8", "Mario Chalmers": "9", "Matt Barnes": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "26", "Stanley Johnson": "25", "Marc Gasol": "37"}, "Points": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "17", "Andre Drummond": "11", "Stanley Johnson": "19", "Marc Gasol": "19", "Mario Chalmers": "25", "Matt Barnes": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "9", "Andre Drummond": "11", "Marc Gasol": "5", "Mario Chalmers": "3", "Matt Barnes": "3"}, "Steals": {"Stanley Johnson": "2", "Mario Chalmers": "4", "Matt Barnes": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Mario Chalmers": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Mario Chalmers": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Mario Chalmers": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Mario Chalmers": "3", "Matt Barnes": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Mario Chalmers": "3"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (22 - 19) defeated the Detroit Pistons (21 - 18) 103 - 101 at FedEx Forum on Thursday night. A wild fourth quarter made for an exciting finish in Memphis. The Grizzlies entered the fourth up by eight and even extended that lead to as many as 13 but Detroit did not flinch and quickly rallied back to take the lead, with seven minutes to go. The Pistons got up by as many as eight in the fourth but found themselves up 101 - 96 with three minutes left. From there until the end of the game Mario Chalmers was the only player to record any points, as he scored seven straight. First a lay up, then he got fouled on a three and hit all three free throws, tying the game at 101. Then after a steal by Matt Barnes, he managed to hit a wild jumper and was fouled, putting Memphis up 103 - 101 with .8 seconds on the clock and Chalmers at the line. Mario missed the free throw on purpose, in order to allow the clock to expire, improving the Grizzlies home record to 14 - 7. Matt Barnes was back in the line up after missing one game with a thumb contusion. Barnes' 18 points (6 - 7 FG, 6 - 6 3Pt), including sizzling 6 - 6 shooting from long range, three rebounds and two steals played an integral role in Memphis grinding out this victory. Mario Chalmers led all scorers, with 25 points (9 - 15 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT), along with eight assists, four steals and three rebounds, in 41 minutes. Chalmers started in place of Mike Conley, who missed his fifth game with a sore left achilles. Marc Gasol struggled shooting but still finished the game with 19 points (8 - 20 FG), five rebounds and four assists, in 37 minutes. Detroit had six players score in double digits. Stanley Johnson led the Pistons in scoring with 19 points (7 - 14 FG, 5 - 9 3Pt), along with five rebounds and two steals, in 25 minutes off the bench. Ersan Ilyasova had 17 points (6 - 13 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt), nine rebounds and two assists, in 26 minutes, while Andre Drummond finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds, in 33 minutes. As a team the Pistons gave up 20 turnovers. The Pistons have now lost two in a row and will need to shape up quick before they fall out of the top eight in the East. The Pistons will be heading home to host the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. Another loss would put Detroit's position in the top eight in jeopardy. The Grizzlies will host the Knicks on Saturday."], [[{"Total points": {"Wizards": "135", "Cavaliers": "140"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "15"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "35"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "17", "Kevin Love": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "5", "Bradley Beal": "8", "John Wall": "12"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"LeBron James": "0"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "32", "Kevin Love": "39", "Tristan Thompson": "22", "Kyrie Irving": "23", "Bradley Beal": "41", "John Wall": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kevin Love": "12", "Tristan Thompson": "12", "Bradley Beal": "5", "John Wall": "4"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "2", "Kevin Love": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Love": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kevin Love": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Kevin Love": "11"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the host Washington Wizards in overtime, 140 - 135, at Verizon Center on Monday. Best game of the season gets thrown around a lot in this racket far too often, but this overtime thriller certainly placed its name in the running. In order to get to the overtime, LeBron James banked in a miracle fadeaway three - pointer to tie the game with 0 seconds left. Prior to that, there were five ties and five lead changes in the fourth quarter alone, with both teams making shot after shot. For the game, there were 15 ties and 16 lead changes, with neither team ever leading by double - digits. The key for Cleveland was the three - point shooting, as they went 19 - of - 38, while Washington went just 12 - of - 29 from long distance. The Cavaliers (35 - 15) have now won five of their last six games, as this might be their most impressive victory of the season. Despite fouling out in overtime, LeBron James was the player of the game, finishing with 32 points, seven rebounds, 17 assists, two steals and two blocks. Kevin Love led the team in scoring, as he accumulated 39 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and three steals. Kyrie Irving scored 11 of his 23 points in overtime, adding five assists to his tally. Tristan Thompson totaled 22 points and 12 rebounds. Cleveland will play the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday for their next game. The Wizards (31 - 21) had won 17 - straight home games headed into this matchup and it took a monster effort from the Cavaliers to snap that lengthy streak. Bradley Beal was Washington's best player, as he led the team with 41 points, five rebounds and eight assists. Otto Porter was second on the team, collecting 25 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals. John Wall accumulated 22 points, four rebounds and 12 assists. On deck for Washington is a road game against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday."], [[{}, {"Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "7"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Anthony Davis": "35"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "8"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Anthony Davis": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"Anthony Davis": "5"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "20"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}}], "Anthony Davis has had a rough start to January on the offensive end, putting together back - to - back performances where he has shut under 37 percent from the field and has scored just 20 points in each game after shooting over 50 percent in five straight games and averaging 26 points per game through the month of December. His rebounding efforts, however, have never been better. His 19 - rebound performance against a stout Atlanta backcourt on Thursday was his second best performance on the glass this season after he recorded 22 boards in late - December against the Heat. He has also now recorded 35 total rebounds in two games to start the new year and has posted at least 14 total rebounds in seven of his last eight outings. Davis' performance Thursday also marked the 15th time this season the big man has had at least 15 rebounds in a game."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "12", "Bulls": "12"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "108", "Bulls": "97"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Bucks": "30", "Bulls": "18"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "12", "Bulls": "13"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "47"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bulls": "21"}, "Turnovers": {"Bulls": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "3", "Taj Gibson": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "6", "Rajon Rondo": "8", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Jabari Parker": "3", "Matthew Dellavedova": "9", "Mirza Teletovic": "2"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "21", "Taj Gibson": "19", "Robin Lopez": "6", "Dwyane Wade": "20", "Rajon Rondo": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "30", "Jabari Parker": "28", "John Henson": "4", "Matthew Dellavedova": "9", "Mirza Teletovic": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "3", "Taj Gibson": "4", "Robin Lopez": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "6", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "14", "Jabari Parker": "5", "John Henson": "10", "Matthew Dellavedova": "1"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "1", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Jabari Parker": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Taj Gibson": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "1", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Chicago Bulls, 108 - 97, at Bradley Center on Thursday. Although the final score would seem to indicate a fairly competitive contest, it belies the domination the Bucks (12 - 12) exercised over the Bulls (13 - 12) for most of the first three quarters. Milwaukee jumped out to a 30 - 18 lead after one quarter, had built up a 64 - 45 advantage by halftime, and held an 88 - 66 edge heading into the final 12 minutes. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker were too much for the Bulls, combining for 58 points. The hosts also shot 47 percent from the field and an outstanding 55 percent from three - point range, while eliciting 16 turnovers from their visitors as well. Jimmy Butler led the Bulls with 21 points, a total he supplemented with three assists, three rebounds and two steals. Dwyane Wade was next with 20 points, six assists, three rebounds, a steal and a block. Taj Gibson collected 19 points, four rebounds, an assist and a block. Robin Lopez (six points, six rebounds) and Rajon Rondo (five points, eight assists, five rebounds) were n't able to provide much on the scoreboard. Antetokounmpo led the way for Milwaukee with a stellar 30 - point, 14 - rebound double - double that also included three assists, three steals and a block. Parker was right behind with 28 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Matthew Dellavedova came within a hair of a double - double himself with nine points, nine assists and a rebound. John Henson mustered only four points but hauled in 10 boards, while Mirza Teletovic led the second unit with 13 points and a pair of assists. The two teams meet for a rematch on Friday evening in Chicago."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "14", "Hornets": "13"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "99", "Hornets": "107"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "13", "Hornets": "15"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "44"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "49"}}, {"Assists": {"Marvin Williams": "2", "Cody Zeller": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "4", "Kemba Walker": "10", "Marco Belinelli": "1", "Paul Millsap": "5", "Dwight Howard": "1", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "4", "Dennis Schroder": "6", "Kent Bazemore": "5"}, "Points": {"Marvin Williams": "19", "Cody Zeller": "16", "Nicolas Batum": "7", "Kemba Walker": "18", "Marco Belinelli": "19", "Paul Millsap": "20", "Dwight Howard": "10", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "21", "Dennis Schroder": "12", "Kent Bazemore": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Marvin Williams": "6", "Cody Zeller": "11", "Nicolas Batum": "3", "Kemba Walker": "6", "Marco Belinelli": "3", "Paul Millsap": "5", "Dwight Howard": "23", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "4", "Dennis Schroder": "4", "Kent Bazemore": "4"}, "Steals": {"Marvin Williams": "1", "Cody Zeller": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "4", "Paul Millsap": "1", "Dwight Howard": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "1", "Kent Bazemore": "1"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Atlanta Hawks, 107 - 99, at Phillips Arena on Saturday. A strong shooting night overall helped the Hornets (15 - 13) score an impressive road victory over their conference rival. Charlotte shot 49 percent from the field and 44 percent from three - point range, which helped them overcome some impressive performances from several members of the Hawks (13 - 14), including a 23 - rebound effort from Dwight Howard. Marco Belinelli and Marvin Williams were the somewhat surprising co - leaders in scoring on the night for the visitors with a pair of 19 - point tallies. Williams added six rebounds, two assists and a steal while pacing to his first unit - leading scoring haul. Kemba Walker returned from a one - game absence for personal reasons to post an 18 - point, 10 - assist double - double that also included six rebounds. Cody Zeller fashioned a 16 - point, 11 - rebound double - double of his own, while also supplying an assist and a steal. Nicolas Batum, who led the Hornets' offense in Walker's absence Friday, posted a modest seven points, four assists, three rebounds and four steals. Belinelli complemented his aforementioned 19 - point contribution with three rebounds and an assist. Tim Hardaway, Jr. paced the Hawks with 21 points, four rebounds, four assists and a block. Paul Millsap was right behind him with 20 points, five rebounds, five assists and a steal. Dennis Schroder registered 12 points, six assists and four rebounds. Howard added 10 points, an assist and a steal to his game - high rebound total. Kent Bazemore led the second unit with 17 points, five assists, four rebounds and a block. The Hornets head back home to face off with the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday evening, while the Hawks head to Oklahoma City to tangle with the Thunder on Monday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "1", "Trail Blazers": "4"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "99", "Trail Blazers": "93"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Grizzlies": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Grizzlies": "56", "Trail Blazers": "38"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "4", "Trail Blazers": "1"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "18", "Damian Lillard": "19", "CJ McCollum": "20", "Zach Randolph": "19", "Marc Gasol": "15", "Courtney Lee": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "5", "Damian Lillard": "8", "CJ McCollum": "12", "Zach Randolph": "7", "Marc Gasol": "9", "Courtney Lee": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "5", "Damian Lillard": "6", "Zach Randolph": "4", "Marc Gasol": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "4", "Damian Lillard": "5", "Zach Randolph": "2", "Marc Gasol": "8"}, "Points": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "14", "Damian Lillard": "22", "CJ McCollum": "33", "Zach Randolph": "16", "Marc Gasol": "26", "Courtney Lee": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "9", "Damian Lillard": "6", "Zach Randolph": "8", "Marc Gasol": "14"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "8", "CJ McCollum": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Damian Lillard": "1", "CJ McCollum": "7"}, "Turnovers": {"Damian Lillard": "6"}, "Assists": {"Zach Randolph": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Courtney Lee": "35"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (4 - 1) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (1 - 4) 99 - 93 on Wednesday at Fed Ex Forum Arena in Memphis during game five of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. After the Grizzlies got off to a 100 to start the game, the Trail Blazers quickly came back and evened the score at the completion of the first quarter. The Grizzlies then again took a lead into half, but the Trail Blazers returned the favor in the third quarter and brought it back to within two. With the game going back and forth all throughout the fourth quarter, the Grizzlies finally got some separation with about four minutes left in the game and never looked back to secure the six - point victory in front of their raucous home crowd. Despite shooting just 1 - of - 14 from the three - point line, the Grizzlies still had enough production from their stars to pull off the win. With Mike Conley out with an injury, it was the Grizzlies' frontcourt that had the pressure on their shoulders. They did n't disappoint, as Marc Gasol finished with 26 points (9 - 15 FG, 8 - 10 FT), 14 rebounds and two blocked shots, while Zach Randolph added 16 points (7 - 19 FG, 2 - 4 FT), eight rebounds and two assists. They did it on the defensive side of the ball as well though, limiting the Trail Blazers' frontcourt to a combined 24 points. The 14 rebounds from Gasol also helped the Grizzlies secure a huge 56 - 38 rebounding advantage over the Trail Blazers. Gasol has been one of the most consistent scorers throughout the playoffs thus far as well, as he boasts a 20 points per game average over five games. Courtney Lee was another player who did a fantastic job of making up for the loss of Conley in the backcourt. He went 8 - for - 12 from the field to score 20 points over 35 minutes. While they may have taken the loss, it was still a game to remember for the Blazers and CJ McCollum. McCollum went 12 - for - 20 from the field and 7 - for - 11 from the three - point line to score a career - high of 33 points. He actually surpassed his career - high even before the fourth quarter started, so it was even more impressive than originally thought. His performance broke a few records, as it was the first time in Blazers' history that a player hit seven three - pointers in a playoff game, while it was also the most bench points from a player so far in the 2015 NBA playoffs. Damian Lillard put his heart and soul into this game, but just could n't connect on enough shots to keep his Blazers ahead. He finished with 22 points (8 - 19 FG, 1 - 8 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT) and six rebounds, but he did have six turnovers, so it was n't the best performance for Lillard. In potentially his last game as a Blazer, LaMarcus Aldridge recorded just 14 points (5 - 18 FG, 4 - 5 FT) and nine rebounds before fouling out. It definitely was n't the way he'd hoped to go out as he'll now test free agency. The Grizzlies will head to Oracle Arena on Sunday, where they'll face off with the Golden State Warriors in game one of their second round series."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "26"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "46"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "51"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "101", "Grizzlies": "86"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Warriors": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Warriors": "39"}, "Turnovers": {"Warriors": "15"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "1"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "1"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Grizzlies": "20"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Tony Allen": "11", "Zach Randolph": "15", "Marc Gasol": "10", "Nick Calathes": "4", "Draymond Green": "11", "Klay Thompson": "16", "Stephen Curry": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Tony Allen": "6", "Zach Randolph": "9", "Marc Gasol": "5", "Nick Calathes": "0", "Draymond Green": "5", "Klay Thompson": "8", "Stephen Curry": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Tony Allen": "38", "Zach Randolph": "36", "Nick Calathes": "21", "Harrison Barnes": "25", "Draymond Green": "27", "Klay Thompson": "38", "Stephen Curry": "38", "Marreese Speights": "13"}, "Points": {"Tony Allen": "15", "Zach Randolph": "20", "Marc Gasol": "21", "Harrison Barnes": "11", "Draymond Green": "16", "Klay Thompson": "18", "Stephen Curry": "22", "Marreese Speights": "10"}, "Assists": {"Zach Randolph": "5", "Marc Gasol": "3", "Nick Calathes": "2", "Draymond Green": "3", "Klay Thompson": "6", "Stephen Curry": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "9", "Marc Gasol": "9", "Marreese Speights": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "12", "Marreese Speights": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Marc Gasol": "11"}, "Steals": {"Marc Gasol": "3", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Draymond Green": "8", "Klay Thompson": "5", "Stephen Curry": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Draymond Green": "4", "Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Draymond Green": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Marreese Speights": "5"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (50) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (4 - 2) 101 - 86 in Game 1 of their second - round playoff series on Monday in Oracle Arena. The Warriors had full control of this game from start to finish. They were able to jump out to an early lead and never look back, proving to have just too much offensive firepower that the Grizzlies were just unable to keep up with. Stephen Curry lead the way scoring for Golden State, scoring 22 points (8 - 18 FG, 4 - 8 3Pt) to go along with seven assists and four steals in 38 minutes. His running - mate in the backcourt, Klay Thompson, was not far behind, scoring 18 points (8 - 16 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt) and dishing out six assists in 38 minutes. Draymond Green\u2019s streak of four straight games with a double - double came to an end, but he was still able to manage 16 points (5 - 11 FG, 4 - 8 3Pt), four rebounds and three assists in just 27 minutes. Harrison Barnes scored 11 points in 25 minutes, while Marreese Speights had 10 points in 13 minutes off the bench to round out the five Warriors players to score in double figures. As a team, the Warriors shot a fantastic 51 percent from the field and 46 percent from three while they recorded 26 assists on 39 made field goals to just 15 turnovers. For the Grizzlies, Marc Gasol lead the way scoring in the losing effort, putting up 21 points (5 - 10 FG, 11 - 12 FT), nine rebounds, three assists and three steals in 28 minutes, while Zach Randolph was not far behind, scoring 20 points (9 - 15 FG), grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out 5 assists in 36 minutes. Tony Allen was the only other Memphis player to score in double figures, finishing with 15 points on 6 - of - 11 shooting in 38 minutes. Offensively, it is clear the Grizzlies miss Mike Conley Jr., who sat out with an eye injury, as Conley\u2019s replacement in the starting lineup, Nick Calathes, scored zero points on 0 - for - 4 shooting and dished out just two assists in 21 minutes. If Memphis wants any chance at winning this series, it is appears that they\u2019ll need Conley back as soon as possible. Game 2 between these two teams is scheduled go tip - off at 10:30 EST on Tuesday back in Oracle Arena in Oakland."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "25", "Gorgui Dieng": "20", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "15", "Zach LaVine": "17", "Danilo Gallinari": "18", "Wilson Chandler": "17", "Nikola Jokic": "16", "Gary Harris": "17"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gorgui Dieng": "11", "Zach LaVine": "17", "Wilson Chandler": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Gorgui Dieng": "9"}, "Assists": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "10", "Nikola Jokic": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "11", "Nikola Jokic": "8"}, "Turnovers": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "3"}}], "Both benches made minimal impact in Wednesday's Nuggets-Timberwolves game, as the starters led the way for both teams. All ten starters scored in double - digits, as both sides saw the game determined by their primary rotation. For Denver, forward Danilo Gallinari led the way with 18 points. Sophomore Nikola Jokic had an impressive near - triple - double, scoring 16 points to go with a team - high 11 assists and eight rebounds. Guard Gary Harris and forward Wilson Chandler each scored 17. The Nuggets hit over 51 percent of their shots and hit 10 three - pointers on the night. For Minnesota, the young big three of Karl-Anthony Towns, Zach LaVine, and Andrew Wiggins showcased their skill once again. Towns had 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists for a triple - double. LaVine scored 17, and Wiggins had a game - high 25 points. Big man Gorgui Dieng also impressed, scoring 20 points on 9 - of - 11 shooting."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "5", "Wizards": "8"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "85", "Wizards": "97"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "13", "Wizards": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"Otto Porter": "2", "Jared Dudley": "3", "Bradley Beal": "6", "John Wall": "10", "LeBron James": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Otto Porter": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "4", "LeBron James": "1"}, "Points": {"Otto Porter": "6", "Jared Dudley": "12", "Marcin Gortat": "15", "Bradley Beal": "18", "John Wall": "35", "Garrett Temple": "7", "LeBron James": "24", "Kevin Love": "8", "JR Smith": "13", "Mo Williams": "12", "Matthew Dellavedova": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Otto Porter": "5", "Jared Dudley": "2", "Marcin Gortat": "11", "Bradley Beal": "9", "John Wall": "4", "Garrett Temple": "5", "LeBron James": "13", "Kevin Love": "8"}, "Steals": {"Marcin Gortat": "1", "Bradley Beal": "1", "John Wall": "5", "LeBron James": "1", "Kevin Love": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"John Wall": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"John Wall": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"John Wall": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"John Wall": "14"}, "Field goal percentage": {"John Wall": "58", "Kevin Love": "22"}, "Free throws attempted": {"John Wall": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"John Wall": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"John Wall": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Garrett Temple": "28", "Kevin Love": "33", "Matthew Dellavedova": "27"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kevin Love": "1"}}], "The Washington Wizards (7 - 8) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (13 - 5) 97 - 85 on Tuesday, handing the Cavs their first home loss of the 2015 - 16 campaign. The Wizards had been mired in an offensive slump of epic proportions recently, having scored 87 points or less over their last three games. If they were going to pull off the near - unimaginable Tuesday by upsetting the undefeated Cavs in Quicken Loans Arena, they would need a resurgent performance from their offensive linchipin, John Wall. The All-Star's recent performances had served as a microcosm of the team's overall offensive struggles, with Wall having tallied 20 points or less in all 11 of Washington's November contests, and having scored in single digits twice over that span. However, the light went on for the Wizards' point guard on Tuesday, as he exploded for a season - high 35 points and added 10 assists, four rebounds and five steals. After shooting 36 percent or worse in four of his preceding five games, the 25 - year - old enjoyed a stellar night from the field, draining 14 buckets in 24 attempts (58 percent). If Wall can begin to put together more efforts of this caliber, the Wizards have an opportunity to climb out of their early - season hole and eventually grab an Eastern Conference playoff spot. Wall's backcourt mate Bradley Beal posted his fifth consecutive game with double - digit points to support the offensive cause, amassing 18 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Marcin Gortat pitched in with his second consecutive double - double and third in four games, totaling an impressive 15 points, 11 rebounds, four blocks and a steal versus a Cleveland defense that had come into Tuesday yielding the second - least points and the least amount of rebounds per game to opposing centers. Jared Dudley fared better in his second start at power forward, collecting 12 points, three assists and a pair of rebounds, after only totaling seven points on Saturday versus the Raptors. Otto Porter (six points, five rebounds, two assists, one block) was the only Washington starter in single digits, while Garrett Temple paced the reserves with seven points and five rebounds over 28 minutes. The Wizards improved to 7 - 8 but still reside in last place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They head home to face the Lakers on Wednesday. LeBron James unsurprisingly led the Cavs in every offensive category, but Tuesday was a night where that simply was not enough. A key factor was the lack of support from James' season - long wing man in Kyrie Irving's absence, Kevin Love. While James was able to put together one of his typically stellar outings (24 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, a block and a steal), Love could only muster eight points, eight rebounds and a steal over 33 minutes. The fact that the Wizards had come in to Tuesday's game giving up the fifth - most points per game to opposing power forwards (22) made Love's final stat line all the more disappointing. J.R. Smith (13 points) and Mo Williams (12 points) did their best to contribute, but Smith in particular suffered through a third consecutive sub - par shooting night (3 - for - 14). Matthew Delladedova paced the Cavs' bench with a 15 - point effort over 27 minutes. Cleveland fell to 13 - 5 but still retains sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They head to New Orleans to face the Pelicans on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "52", "Raptors": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "58", "Raptors": "49"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "29", "Raptors": "19"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "114", "Raptors": "101"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pistons": "37", "Raptors": "20"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "31", "Raptors": "39"}, "Number of team assists": {"Raptors": "21"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Raptors": "27"}, "Turnovers": {"Raptors": "5"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "7", "Reggie Jackson": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "21", "Terrence Ross": "19", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "10", "Reggie Jackson": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "9", "Terrence Ross": "10", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "7", "Reggie Jackson": "7"}, "Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "20", "Terrence Ross": "27", "Tobias Harris": "14", "Marcus Morris": "14", "Andre Drummond": "15", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "16", "Reggie Jackson": "19"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Terrence Ross": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Terrence Ross": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "18"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (31 - 29) rolled past the Toronto Raptors (39 - 19) Sunday at the Palace of Auburn Hills, 114 - 101. The Raptors led for much of the first half and the two teams went into the break tied at 52. But the Pistons caught fire in the third quarter as they scored 37 points in the frame and entered the fourth quarter with an insurmountable 17 - point lead. The Pistons would extend their lead as far as 26 before stepping off the gas in the final period. All five Pistons starters finished in double - figures as Detroit presented a balanced attack. Reggie Jackson led the way with 19 points (7 - 12 FG) and added eight assists, and Andre Drummond notched his 14th straight double - double with 15 points and 18 rebounds. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added an efficient 16 points (7 - 10 FG) and Tobias Harris and Marcus Morris poured in 14 points apiece. The Pistons shot an absurdly efficient 58 percent from the floor and 52 percent (12 - 23) from three - point land as their offense was too much for the Raptors to handle. Terrence Ross scored 27 points (10 - 19 FG, 4 - 7 3PT) off the bench for the Raptors to lead all scorers. DeMar Deroan added 20 (9 - 21 FG) and seven assists, but no other Raptors player managed more than 13 points. But the issue here was defense; Toronto shot a robust 49 percent from the floor, 10 - 21 (48 percent) from three, and managed 21 assists against five turnovers. They just could n't do anything to stop Detroit's offensive attack, and they could n't shoot the way out of the hole they dug in the third quarter. The Raptors return home for a Wednesday matchup against the Jazz. The Pistons begin a road trip Wednesday with a game in San Antonio."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "10", "Hawks": "7"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "98", "Hawks": "127"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "14", "Hawks": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Dennis Schroder": "10", "Shelvin Mack": "3", "LeBron James": "2", "Dion Waiters": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Dennis Schroder": "1", "Shelvin Mack": "6", "LeBron James": "2", "Dion Waiters": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dennis Schroder": "0", "Shelvin Mack": "6", "LeBron James": "0", "Dion Waiters": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dennis Schroder": "6", "Shelvin Mack": "8", "LeBron James": "16", "Dion Waiters": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Dennis Schroder": "4", "Shelvin Mack": "7", "LeBron James": "8", "Dion Waiters": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dennis Schroder": "2", "Shelvin Mack": "4", "LeBron James": "7", "Dion Waiters": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Dennis Schroder": "2", "Shelvin Mack": "4", "LeBron James": "5", "Dion Waiters": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Dennis Schroder": "22", "Shelvin Mack": "23", "Dion Waiters": "27"}, "Points": {"Dennis Schroder": "10", "Shelvin Mack": "24", "LeBron James": "21", "Kevin Love": "13", "Dion Waiters": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Shelvin Mack": "2", "LeBron James": "3", "Kevin Love": "10", "Dion Waiters": "3"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "2"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (18 - 7) went on the road and made a statement, beating the Cleveland Cavaliers (14 - 10) 127 - 98 on Wednesday. Atlanta came into this game as one of the hottest teams in the NBA, and it showed on Wednesday, as they put on a show while dominating LeBron James and the Cavaliers. What made this even more impressive is that the team was without Jeff Teague (hamstring), so Dennis Schroder earned the start. Schroder did a nice job running the offense, and in just 22 minutes, he had 10 points (4 - 6 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), with 10 assists. The most surprising showing though, had to be from Shelvin Mack off the bench, who racked up 23 minutes and scored an impressive 24 points (7 - 8 FG, 6 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), with three assists and two rebounds. Atlanta showed up across the board, with eight players scoring at least nine points in an impressive win. For the Cavaliers, it was just a struggle. James scored well, with 21 points (8 - 16 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 5 - 7 FT), but had only three rebounds, two assists and two steals. It was a pretty quiet game for the superstar. Dion Waiters had a nice night off the bench, scoring 21 points (9 - 18 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) to go with four assists and three rebounds in 27 minutes. Kevin Love was slowed by an illness, but played through it to get a double - double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. No other Cavaliers player topped 10 points."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "1", "Spurs": "1"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "107", "Spurs": "111"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "1", "Spurs": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Spurs": "9"}}, {"Assists": {"Tim Duncan": "4", "Blake Griffin": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Tim Duncan": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Tim Duncan": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tim Duncan": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Tim Duncan": "1"}, "Points": {"Tim Duncan": "28", "Blake Griffin": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Tim Duncan": "11", "Blake Griffin": "12"}, "Steals": {"Tim Duncan": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Tim Duncan": "1", "Blake Griffin": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Blake Griffin": "47"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"DeAndre Jordan": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "6", "Chris Paul": "2"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (55 - 27) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers (56 - 26) 111 - 107 in overtime of game three of the Western Conference playoffs on Wednesday. The Spurs have no problem implementing Hack-A-Shaq if they are n't confident in an opposing player's ability to hit free throws. So it was no surprise that DeAndre Jordan, a career 42 percent free throw shooter, shot 17 free throws before the end of regulation in game two. Despite knocking down just six of his attempts, the Clippers were able to come back and force overtime, after being down by ten in the fourth quarter. The game was tied at 92 with under a minute to play when Patty Mills fouled Chris Paul and Paul knocked down two free throws to put the Clippers up 94 - 92. Paul then fouled Mills on the other end and Mills returned the favor and put in two free throws of his own. With the victory San Antonio wil now head home with a 1 - 1 series in their favor in terms of home court advantage. This series between the Clippers and Spurs is the now the only one that a sweep is no longer a possibility, now that two games have been completed in each matchup. Tim Duncan followed up a disappointing game one with 28 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and two steals. Blake Griffin and J.J. Reddick won the battle of minutes in this iron man match, they each played a game - high 47. Griffin recorded a triple - double with 29 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists. He also had five turnovers. The Spurs as a team only had nine. Reddick went 4 - for - 9 from long distance and finished with 16 points."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "10", "Bucks": "7"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "86", "Bucks": "103"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Timberwolves": "24"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "3", "Bucks": "9"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "12", "Larry Sanders": "10", "Corey Brewer": "17", "Anthony Bennett": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6", "Larry Sanders": "7", "Corey Brewer": "7", "Anthony Bennett": "6"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "13", "Larry Sanders": "15", "Corey Brewer": "19", "Anthony Bennett": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Larry Sanders": "7", "Corey Brewer": "6", "Anthony Bennett": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Larry Sanders": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Larry Sanders": "1", "Corey Brewer": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Larry Sanders": "1", "Corey Brewer": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Corey Brewer": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Corey Brewer": "0"}, "Steals": {"Corey Brewer": "3", "Anthony Bennett": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Bennett": "21"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Anthony Bennett": "1"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (9 - 7) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (3 - 10) in a 103 - 86 blowout at the Target Center on Wednesday night. The Bucks were lead by their upstart teenage duo (Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker) who combined to score 24 points. Antetokounmpo had an all - around night with 13 points (6 - 12 FG), eight rebounds and four assists. The resurgence of Larry Sanders continues as he had a season - high 15 points (7 - 10 FG, 1 - 1 FT) to go with seven rebounds and five blocks. Despite the hype surrounding Wiggins squaring off against Parker for the first time in their NBA careers, veteran guard Corey Brewer lead the way with 19 points (7 - 17 FG, 0 - 5 3Pt, 5 - 9 FT), six boards and three steals. Meanwhile, former No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett contributed 12 points (6 - 11 FG) and four boards in only 21 minutes. The Bucks will continue their road trip by traveling to Detroit to take on the Pistons on Friday, while Minnesota will head to Los Angeles to square off against the Lakers on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "24", "Clippers": "14"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "108"}, "Rebounds": {"Kings": "54", "Clippers": "34"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "17", "Clippers": "5"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "16", "Clippers": "27"}}, {"Points": {"Matt Barnes": "26", "Blake Griffin": "30", "Jason Thompson": "23", "Darren Collison": "17", "Rudy Gay": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Matt Barnes": "10", "Blake Griffin": "5", "Jason Thompson": "22", "Darren Collison": "3", "Rudy Gay": "5"}, "Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "5", "Darren Collison": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Blake Griffin": "37", "Darren Collison": "39", "Rudy Gay": "34"}, "Steals": {"Blake Griffin": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Darren Collison": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Darren Collison": "3"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (27 - 14) defeated the Sacramento Kings (16 - 24) ,117 - 108. Rudy Gay was ruled out beforehand but checked into the game near the end of the first quarter. DeMarcus Cousins was a late scratch due to an injured right ankle. Omri Casspi lasted 43 seconds after suffering a right eye abrasion. The Clippers committed five turnovers to the Kings' 17. Before fouling out, Matt Barnes matched his season - high of 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Blake Griffin added 30 points, five rebounds, five assists and one steal in 37 minutes. The Kings outrebounded the Clippers, 54 - 34. Ryan Hollins started at center and was overshadowed by Jason Thompson's 23 points and career - high 22 rebounds. Rudy Gay entered the game at the 2:35 mark, compiling 22 points, five rebounds and two assists in 34 minutes off the bench. Former Clipper Darren Collison provided 17 points, four assists, three rebounds, one block and three three - pointers in 39 minutes. The Clippers compete against the Boston Celtics on Monday in Los Angeles, and the Kings travel to Portland to take on the Trail Blazers after one day off."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "50"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "24", "Hawks": "18"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "118", "Hawks": "95"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pistons": "42"}, "Rebounds": {"Pistons": "60", "Hawks": "32"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "20", "Hawks": "24"}}, {"Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "17"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Reggie Jackson": "50"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Reggie Jackson": "50"}, "Points": {"Reggie Jackson": "26"}}], "The host Detroit Pistons blew out the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, 118 - 95. Detroit (20 - 24) overcame inconsistent play and a sub - par bench performance for a blowout win against Atlanta. While finding production from their bench has been an issue for the Pistons throughout the season, the starting five was able to more than make up for it on Wednesday. Every starter scored at least 13, and the starting five helped lead a 42 - point first quarter that established an almost insurmountable lead for the Pistons. Pistons point guard Reggie Jackson led the team with 26 points on 50 percent shooting, while All-Star Andre Drummond crashed the glass for 17 rebounds. Altogether, Detroit showed very little weakness in the crushing win, shooting almost 50 percent and holding a 60 - 32 advantage in the rebounding column. The Hawks (24 - 18) had seen hot play in recent weeks but struggled severely on Tuesday. The team shot under 39 percent from the floor and was absolutely demolished on the boards. One area in which the Hawks struggled was three - point shooting, where the team went just 6 - of - 25 from the field. Atlanta was also unable to match up with Detroit's powerful starting five, as the Hawks' own starters looked shaky at best. Two starters combined for just four points and the starting five as a whole committed eight turnovers on the night. The Pistons will host the Wizards on Saturday while the Hawks will face the Bulls on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "3", "Cavaliers": "1"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "100", "Cavaliers": "107"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"76ers": "32", "Cavaliers": "18"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "0", "Cavaliers": "3"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "11", "Matthew Dellavedova": "9"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "19", "Mo Williams": "10", "Matthew Dellavedova": "8", "Nerlens Noel": "13", "Jahlil Okafor": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "9", "Mo Williams": "8", "Matthew Dellavedova": "5", "Nerlens Noel": "7", "Jahlil Okafor": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "33", "JR Smith": "5", "Mo Williams": "28", "Matthew Dellavedova": "34", "Nerlens Noel": "33", "Jahlil Okafor": "27"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "22", "Mo Williams": "21", "Matthew Dellavedova": "12", "Nerlens Noel": "14", "Jahlil Okafor": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "9", "Nerlens Noel": "8", "Jahlil Okafor": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Nerlens Noel": "3"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (3 - 1) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (0 - 3) 107 - 100 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on Monday. It wasn\u2019t easy going for the Cavaliers against one of the worst teams in the NBA, as they quickly fell behind 32 - 18 to the Sixers after one quarter. However, on the coattails of LeBron James, Cleveland didn\u2019t panic and came back strong, outscoring Philadelphia 64 - 40 over the next two quarters. James finished with a team - high 22 points (9 - 19 FG) and fell one rebound shy of a triple double, dishing out 11 assists and grabbing nine boards in 33 minutes. Mo Williams also was effective and continues to fill in nicely for Kyrie Irving, as the veteran point guard recorded 21 points in 28 minutes on 8 - of - 10 shooting from the field. J.R. Smith left Monday\u2019s game after just five minutes with a right knee contusion, and as a result, Matthew Dellavedova saw more playing time off the bench and finished with 12 points (5 - 8 FG) and nine assists in 34 minutes. For the 76ers, Jahlil Okafor was once again efficient on offense, scoring a game - high 24 points (11 - 21 FG), but managed to grab just three rebounds in 27 minutes. Okafor\u2019s partner in the frontcourt Nerlens Noel scored 14 points (7 - 13 FG), grabbed eight rebounds, and blocked three shots in 33 minutes. However, the surprise performance of the game came from backup rookie point guard T.J. McConnell, who played 23 minutes off the bench and recorded six points (3 - 4 FG), 12 assists and seven rebounds in the losing effort. Up next, the Cavaliers will head home Wednesday to take on the Knicks, while the 76ers will travel to Milwaukee on Wednesday to play the Bucks."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "32", "Heat": "35"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "102", "Heat": "98"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "34", "Heat": "32"}}, {"Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "26", "Dion Waiters": "20", "James Johnson": "14", "Wayne Ellington": "19", "Paul George": "28", "Thaddeus Young": "13", "Myles Turner": "15", "Jeff Teague": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "21", "Dion Waiters": "8", "James Johnson": "4", "Paul George": "10", "Thaddeus Young": "5", "Myles Turner": "8", "Jeff Teague": "5"}, "Assists": {"Dion Waiters": "6", "Jeff Teague": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Wayne Ellington": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Wayne Ellington": "7"}}], "The Indiana Pacers defeated the Miami Heat, 102 - 98, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday. In a battle between two teams battling for a playoff spot in the east, Indiana were able to prevail with a much needed victory. They led for the majority of this game, as Miami never led by more than four points and only held the lead for a total of five minutes. Free-throw shooting was the decisive statistic, with Indiana going 27 - of - 32 from the charity stripe, while Miami could only go 11 - of - 16. Fastbreak points was also a glaring difference, with the Pacers winning that battle, 160. The Heat (32 - 35) had to play this game without Goran Dragic (eye), as they simply did n't have enough bullets to beat this hungry Pacers team. Hassan Whiteside did all he could for Miami, as he totaled 26 points and 21 rebounds in the defeat. Dion Waiters was the only other starter in double figures, as he collected 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Wayne Ellington led the bench, as he dropped 19 points on 7 - of - 13 shooting. James Johnson also played well off the bench, providing 14 points and four rebounds. The Heat will be off until Wednesday, when they host the struggling New Orleans Pelicans for their next game. The Pacers (34 - 32) have been dominant at home all season, with this win giving them their 23rd home victory of the year. Paul George was the player of the game, tallying 28 points and 10 rebounds. Myles Turner finished with 15 points and eight rebounds. Jeff Teague accrued 12 points, five rebounds and four assists. Thaddeus Young was the only other Pacer in double figures, as he amassed 13 points and five rebounds. Indiana's next game is on Tuesday in a road matchup against the New York Knicks."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "26", "Hornets": "21"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "109", "Hornets": "107"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "13", "Hornets": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "8", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Anthony Davis": "4", "Tyreke Evans": "7", "Jrue Holiday": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Nicolas Batum": "9", "Kemba Walker": "7", "Frank Kaminsky": "2", "Ryan Anderson": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nicolas Batum": "2", "Kemba Walker": "5", "Frank Kaminsky": "2", "Ryan Anderson": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nicolas Batum": "22", "Kemba Walker": "17", "Frank Kaminsky": "9", "Anthony Davis": "14", "Jrue Holiday": "14", "Ryan Anderson": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Nicolas Batum": "11", "Kemba Walker": "9", "Frank Kaminsky": "7", "Anthony Davis": "8", "Jrue Holiday": "6", "Ryan Anderson": "12"}, "Points": {"Nicolas Batum": "25", "Kemba Walker": "25", "Frank Kaminsky": "18", "Anthony Davis": "22", "Tyreke Evans": "12", "Jrue Holiday": "13", "Ryan Anderson": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Nicolas Batum": "4", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Frank Kaminsky": "6", "Anthony Davis": "5", "Jrue Holiday": "6", "Ryan Anderson": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "2", "Anthony Davis": "7", "Ryan Anderson": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Kemba Walker": "2", "Anthony Davis": "6", "Ryan Anderson": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Jrue Holiday": "27"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (13 - 26) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (18 - 21) 109 - 107 on Friday night at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. This was a close game the whole way, going back and forth with 14 lead changes and 12 ties. After Kemba Walker tied it up at 107 with 2 seconds left, the Pelicans called time out to set themselves up with a side inbound. The ball was inbounded to Jrue Holiday who ran a quick pick and roll with Anthony Davis. Holiday threw a perfect alley - oop pass to Davis who converted the play and sealed the win for the Pelicans. The Pelicans snapped a three - game home losing streak and gave Charlotte its ninth straight road loss. New Orleans has now won both its games since Anthony Davis returned to the lineup last Wednesday. Davis contributed a solid 22 points (8 - 14 FG, 6 - 7 FT), five rebounds, four assists, two blocked shots and one steal. Ryan Anderson was the hero though, as he finished with a game - high 32 points, (12 - 19 FG, 6 - 8 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and eight rebounds, in 28 minutes off the bench. Jrue Holiday chipped in 13 points (6 - 14 FG), 10 assists and six rebounds, in 27 minutes off the bench. Tyreke Evans was back in the lineup after missing games with a sore knee. He finished with 12 points and seven assists, in 26 minutes. The Hornets are now 4 - 14 on the road as their struggles continue. Kemba Walker did everything he could in this one, finishing with 25 points (9 - 17 FG, 5 - 7 3Pt), four assists and four rebounds, in 41 minutes. Nicolas Batum also poured in 25 (11 - 22 FG, 2 - 9 3Pt), along with eight assists and four rebounds, in 40 minutes. Frank Kaminsky had a good game with 18 points (7 - 9 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt) and six rebounds, in 24 minutes off the bench. Charlotte still has a chance to turn things around as their strong start to the season gave them a bit of a cushion; they are only 3 games out of eighth in the East. Next the Hornets host the Bucks on Saturday, which will be the second of a back to back for both teams. The Pelicans will visit Memphis to play the Grizzlies on Monday."], [[{"Total points": {"76ers": "93", "Pacers": "92"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"76ers": "29", "Pacers": "21"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "33"}}, {"Blocks": {"David West": "2", "Roy Hibbert": "2", "KJ McDaniels": "2", "Michael Carter-Williams": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"David West": "18", "Michael Carter-Williams": "17", "Tony Wroten": "17"}, "Points": {"David West": "28", "Roy Hibbert": "7", "KJ McDaniels": "10", "Michael Carter-Williams": "15", "Tony Wroten": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"David West": "9", "Roy Hibbert": "13", "KJ McDaniels": "3", "Michael Carter-Williams": "5", "Tony Wroten": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"David West": "1", "Roy Hibbert": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Roy Hibbert": "1", "Tony Wroten": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Roy Hibbert": "1", "Tony Wroten": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Roy Hibbert": "19", "Rodney Stuckey": "35", "KJ McDaniels": "33"}, "Assists": {"KJ McDaniels": "1", "Michael Carter-Williams": "9", "Tony Wroten": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "6", "Tony Wroten": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Tony Wroten": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tony Wroten": "2"}, "Steals": {"Tony Wroten": "2"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers (6 - 29) defeated the Indiana Pacers (15 - 23), 93 - 92, in a back - and - forth affair Saturday. Facing a six - point deficit at halftime, the Sixers set themselves up for victory by outscoring the Pacers, 29 - 21, in the third quarter, and Michael Carter-Williams brushed off a poor shooting night, driving for a layup with nine seconds remaining for the game winner. Putting his 6 - for - 17 performance from the field aside, he posted 15 points, nine assists, five rebounds, and one block. Tony Wroten nearly matched Carter-Williams off the bench, recording 20 points (6 - 17 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 6 - 7 FT), nine dimes, four rebounds, and two steals. Prior to the opening tip, coach Brett Brown exchanged Henry Sims for K.J. McDaniels in the starting five, and the latter responded with a modest 10 points, three rebounds, two blocks, and one assist in 33 minutes. The Sixers will next take the court Tuesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Meanwhile, the Pacers' bottom - tier offense upheld the standard set this season, hitting only 33 percent from the field, including a disastrous 4 - for - 18 from three - point range. David West led the way with 28 points and nine rebounds, but after putting his side ahead with a 12 - foot jumper with 18 seconds remaining, his evening ended with a missed 13 - footer as the final horn sounded. His frontcourt mate, Roy Hibbert, only garnered 19 minutes one night removed from logging 35 on a sprained ankle. The reduced run did n't afflict his output, though, as he accrued seven points, 13 rebounds, and two blocks. On the injury front, C.J. Miles left for good after suffering an eye abrasion with 42 seconds left in the first quarter, which allowed starting shooting guard Rodney Stuckey to pick up more minutes (35) than his typical 27 per game. As the Pacers return to Indiana for Tuesday's tilt against the Atlanta Hawks, George Hill will attempt to return from a six - game absence due to a sore left groin."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "48", "Hornets": "33"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "97", "Hornets": "111"}, "Turnovers": {"Knicks": "18", "Hornets": "8"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "31", "Hornets": "45"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Kemba Walker": "7"}, "Points": {"Kemba Walker": "34", "Al Jefferson": "24", "Carmelo Anthony": "15", "Derrick Williams": "17"}, "Assists": {"Al Jefferson": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Jefferson": "8", "Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Derrick Williams": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"Al Jefferson": "1"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (45 - 33) took care of the New York Knicks (31 - 48) in a 111 - 97 win on Wednesday. The talent discrepancy in this game was truly decisive, as the Hornets cruised to an easy win. Despite being outshot and outrebounded, Charlotte huckered down and capitalized on New York's mistakes. In fact, the Knicks committed 18 turnovers to the Hornets eight. Kemba Walker was back in the building that made him famous and he had another stellar performance. Walker finished the game with 34 points, while hitting a career - high seven three - pointers. Al Jefferson had one of his best games of the season off the bench, as he scored 24 points and grabbed eight boards. Up next is a matchup with the Brooklyn Nets on Friday. The Knicks had six players in double figures, but it wasn\u2019t enough to escape with a win. Derrick Williams led the team with 17 points and also snatched down 10 boards. Carmelo Anthony accumulated 15 points, six rebounds and seven assists in the loss. On deck is a matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "30", "Warriors": "8"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "110", "Warriors": "100"}, "Rebounds": {"Jazz": "55", "Warriors": "41"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "17", "Warriors": "36"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "0"}, "Minutes played": {"Klay Thompson": "31", "Gordon Hayward": "38"}, "Points": {"Klay Thompson": "12", "Gordon Hayward": "26"}, "Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "15"}, "Steals": {"Gordon Hayward": "3"}}], "The Utah Jazz (17 - 30) defeated the Golden State Warriors (36 - 8) 110 - 100 on Friday. Gordon Hayward led the Jazz with 26 points, 15 rebounds and three steals in Utah's biggest win of the season. He also had six assists in 38 minutes in beating the NBA's top team in either conference. Dante Exum, who's been starting at point guard for the Jazz as of late, did n't have a great statistical line but had a plus - 19 plus/minus. The Jazz were 0 - 2 against the Warriors coming into Friday. They lost both games by an average of 12 points. Trevor Booker and Rudy Gobert gave them a spark off the bench, combining for 27 points and 17 rebounds. The Warriors have lost back - to - back games for the third time this season. Klay Thomson was kept in check on Friday, scoring just 12 points in 31 minutes while going 0 - for - 3 from beyond the three - point line. The Warriors were on the losing end of the rebounding battle 55 - 41, which turned out to be one of the keys in their surprising loss. Golden State now holds just a three - game lead over the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference standings. The Warriors will head home to take on the Phoenix Suns on Saturday. The Jazz will be off until Tuesday when they face the Trail Blazers in Portland."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "30", "Lakers": "52"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "94", "Lakers": "83"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "43", "Lakers": "19"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "35"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Jordan Clarkson": "33", "Jeremy Lin": "36", "Jonas Valanciunas": "27", "James Johnson": "26"}, "Points": {"Jordan Clarkson": "14", "Jeremy Lin": "18", "Jonas Valanciunas": "19", "DeMar DeRozan": "6", "Lou Williams": "18", "James Johnson": "17"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Ed Davis": "50"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "7", "James Johnson": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMar DeRozan": "10", "James Johnson": "6"}, "Steals": {"James Johnson": "2"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (43 - 30) clinched the Atlantic Division for the second straight season with a 94 - 83 win over the Los Angeles Lakers (19 - 52). The Lakers scored 35 second half points in coach Byron Scott\u2019s return after missing two games for personal matters. Kyle Lowry was held out for the fourth time in five games with lingering back issues. DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors with seven assists and 10 rebounds, but he only scored six points on 1 - of - 10 shooting. Jonas Valanciunas scored a team - high 19 points in 27 minutes, and rookie Bruno Caboclo played for the second time since February 4th. Lou Williams contributed 18 points off the bench as he keeps his Sixth Man of the Year hopes alive. James Johnson, who scored 17 points the previous six contests combined, chipped in 17 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals in 26 minutes. The Lakers have the fourth - worst record in the league and are still in danger of losing their top - 5 protected draft pick this summer. They\u2019re two games behind the Philadelphia 76ers, the team the Lakers would convey their pick to, for third - worst record. Ed Davis was the only Laker to shoot at least 50 percent from the floor. The team shot 34 percent overall and 4 - of - 17 from downtown. Jeremy Lin, questionable heading into tipoff, scored a team - high 18 points in 36 minutes. Rookie Jordan Clarkson was the only other Laker to score in double figures, notching 14 points in 33 minutes. Wesley Johnson and Wayne Ellington combined for 15 points on 6 - of - 25 shooting. The Raptors have two days off before finishing a three - game homestand Monday against the Houston Rockets. The Lakers continue a brutal stretch of five road games in seven days when they return to American soil to face the Brooklyn Nets."], [[{"Total points": {"Mavericks": "104", "Clippers": "124"}}, {"Points": {"DeAndre Jordan": "16", "Chris Paul": "18", "Austin Rivers": "22", "Harrison Barnes": "22", "Dirk Nowitzki": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "8", "Dirk Nowitzki": "6"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Austin Rivers": "26", "Harrison Barnes": "30", "Dirk Nowitzki": "20"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Harrison Barnes": "10"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Dallas Mavericks 124 - 104 at American Airlines Center on Wednesday. After falling behind early to the Mavericks (2 - 11), the Clippers (13 - 2) quickly kicked it into high gear as they maintained their best record in the NBA. Following a dominate second - quarter performance, Los Angeles, and their 23 - point lead heading into halftime, proved to be too much for Dallas. The Clippers starters all played 26 minutes or less after resting in the fourth quarter, so it was Austin Rivers off the bench who led the team in scoring, as he posted an efficient 22 points in 26 minutes. Chris Paul led the starters with 18 points and four assists, while DeAndre Jordan was n't far behind, recording 16 points and a team - high eight rebounds. For the Mavericks, it was the return of star power forward Dirk Nowitzki to the starting lineup after the German missed the last eight games due to an Achilles tendon injury. Prior to the game, head coach Rick Carlisle said Nowitzki would be on a strict minutes restriction, but he still managed to play 20 minutes, scoring 10 points and grabbing six rebounds in that time. Harrison Barnes led the way for the Mavericks as he returned to his regular spot as the team's starting small forward, scoring 22 points on 10 - of - 19 shooting in 30 minutes. Dallas, however, lost their seventh straight game as they continue to slide in this young season. Up next, the Clippers will look to stay hot on the road when they take on the Pistons on Friday, while the Mavericks will look to end their losing streak against the Cavaliers in Cleveland."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "41"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Raymond Felton": "14", "Blake Griffin": "14", "Eric Bledsoe": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Raymond Felton": "7", "Blake Griffin": "10", "Eric Bledsoe": "13"}, "Points": {"Raymond Felton": "18", "Blake Griffin": "29", "Eric Bledsoe": "41"}, "Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "8"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeAndre Jordan": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "12"}, "Steals": {"DeAndre Jordan": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Eric Bledsoe": "15"}, "Free throws made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "13"}}], "Wednesday's Clippers-Suns matchup saw a great deal of offensive firepower on both sides. For the Clippers, star forward Blake Griffin led the team with 29 points on impressive 10 - of - 14 shooting. Griffin added eight rebounds and five assists. Point guard Raymond Felton, meanwhile, scored another 18 and shot 7 - of - 14 from the field. On the defensive end for the Clips, center DeAndre Jordan recorded two steals and blocked four shots. Jordan also led the team with 12 rebounds. For the Suns, meanwhile, Eric Bledsoe put on a one - man show. Bledsoe dished out a team - high eight assists while tying his career - high with 41 points. Bledsoe shot 13 - of - 22 on the night and went 13 - of - 15 at the free - throw line. The rest of the Suns did not fair as well, as the team shot just 41 percent on the night."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "31", "Hawks": "19"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "98", "Hawks": "95"}, "Rebounds": {"Suns": "52", "Hawks": "43"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "14", "Hawks": "26"}}, {"Points": {"Kent Bazemore": "21", "Al Horford": "9", "Alex Len": "16", "Tyson Chandler": "13", "Archie Goodwin": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Kent Bazemore": "6", "Al Horford": "16", "Alex Len": "12", "Tyson Chandler": "27"}, "Assists": {"Al Horford": "5", "Alex Len": "5", "Tyson Chandler": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Al Horford": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Archie Goodwin": "3"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (14 - 31) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (26 - 19) 98 - 95 on Saturday night. This was expected to be a high - scoring game, but the two offenses really struggled with both rosters being extremely shorthanded. That doesn\u2019t mean it wasn\u2019t a good game though, as the action in the closing minutes was just fantastic. Archie Goodwin was the hero, as he hit the game - winning three with less than a second to go. What won the game for the Suns was the rebounding though, as they snatched down 52 boards to the Hawks 43. Both teams shot 40 percent from the field and took a combined 58 three - pointers. Atlanta actually came into this game as a double - digit favorite, so it ended up being quite the upset. The Atlanta Hawks had to play this game without Paul Millsap and it's obvious with this result how important he is to this team. Atlanta struggled mightily on the offensive end of the floor, as the post players for the Suns dominated this game. Kent Bazemore kept his team in it with some huge shots late and finished with 21 points and six rebounds. Al Horford had a nice all - around game as well, as he tallied nine points, 16 rebounds, five assists and two blocks in the defeat. Dennis Schroder once again played down the stretch and scored 16 points with Jeff Teague's continuing to struggle. The Hawks will look to play better in their next game on Monday against the Denver Nuggets. The Suns played with some fire here for the first time in quite a while and the future is bright even though the present is dark. This was only their second win in their last 16 games, and it was easily their best defensive performance. Tyson Chandler was just a monster down low, as he snatched 17 rebounds in the first half alone. Chandler finished the game with 13 points, 27 rebounds and five assists in a spectacular performance. All the starters played well here, as all five players scored in double - figures and combined for 84 points. Archie Goodwin led the team with 24 points and has been filling in brilliantly for Brandon Knight, who is dealing with an abductor strain. Alex Len was a beast down low as well, as he amassed 16 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. Phoenix will look to build on this win when they take on the Philadelphia 76ers in their next game on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "21", "Raptors": "15"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "113", "Raptors": "78"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hornets": "26", "Raptors": "18"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "22", "Raptors": "28"}}, {"Points": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "11", "DeMar DeRozan": "23", "Kyle Lowry": "24", "Kemba Walker": "32", "Frank Kaminsky": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "17", "Kyle Lowry": "18", "Kemba Walker": "16", "Frank Kaminsky": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Kyle Lowry": "7", "Kemba Walker": "11", "Frank Kaminsky": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kemba Walker": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Frank Kaminsky": "27"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets defeated the visiting Toronto Raptors 113 - 78, at Time Warner Cable Arena on Friday evening. The Hornets led right from the start, as they led 26 - 18 after the first quarter. The Raptors managed to close the gap to one point but Charlotte pulled away again before half. The Hornets then came out and dominated the third quarter, behind a dominant showing from Kemba Walker. The Hornets outscored the Raptors 58 - 30 in the second half, en route to the dominating victory. This marked the Raptors (28 - 15) lowest point total of the season, as they were not able to match the Hornets' intensity from the start. Kyle Lowry was the high - point man for Toronto, with 24 points on 7 - of - 18 shooting, while DeMar DeRozan followed up with 23 points on 8 - of - 17 shooting. The only other player to score in double digits for the Raptors was Jonas Valanciunas, who finished with 11 points and six rebounds. This marks the second straight loss for the Raptors, who will remain second place in the East. They will look to turn things around, as they head back home to play host to the Suns on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Hornets (22 - 21) have bounced back from a five - game losing streak by winning their second straight game. This was a huge win for Charlotte, against a solid Eastern Conference opponent. Kemba Walker was unstoppable, as he led his team with 32 points on 11 - of - 16 shooting, including a blazing 6 - of - 9 from long range. Five other players scored in double digits for the Hornets, with Frank Kaminsky III standing as the second - highest scorer, with 16 points on 5 - of - 10 shooting, in 27 minutes off the bench. The Hornets needed this win to maintain their chances of remaining in the top eight in the East, as the standings are pretty tight from seventh to tenth place. The Hornets will look to keep it rolling as they play host to the Nets on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "39"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Knicks": "27"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "14"}, "Turnovers": {"Knicks": "25"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "3"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Carmelo Anthony": "12", "Kelly Olynyk": "30"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "12", "Kristaps Porzingis": "14", "Derrick Rose": "11", "Marcus Smart": "12", "Kelly Olynyk": "19", "Avery Bradley": "15", "Isaiah Thomas": "29"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Derrick Rose": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Derrick Rose": "10", "Isaiah Thomas": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Derrick Rose": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "9"}, "Assists": {"Marcus Smart": "10", "Kelly Olynyk": "3", "Avery Bradley": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcus Smart": "6", "Kelly Olynyk": "7", "Avery Bradley": "10"}, "Steals": {"Marcus Smart": "3"}}], "Carmelo Anthony scored 12 points in 12 minutes before getting ejected. Only three other players scored in double figures for the Knicks, including Derrick Rose with 11, Kristaps Porzingis with 14 and Justin Hamilton with 10 off the bench. Both teams shot less than 39 percent from the field, while the Celtics managed to hit 40 percent from long range. The Knicks gave up 25 turnovers leading to 27 points for Boston. The teams were matched closely for points in the paint as well as rebounds. Isaiah Thomas filled it up with 29 points on 9 - of - 17 shooting. Marcus Smart neared a triple - double with 12 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds, along with three steals. Avery Bradley was similarly diverse with 15 points, 10 rebounds, four steals and two assists. Kelly Olynyk looked good in his second game back with 19 points, seven rebounds, three assists and one steal, in 30 minutes."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Lakers": "13"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "37"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "11", "Nuggets": "7"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "94", "Nuggets": "101"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "3", "Nuggets": "6"}}, {"Assists": {"Ty Lawson": "16"}, "Points": {"Ty Lawson": "18", "Jordan Hill": "11", "Kobe Bryant": "27", "Jeremy Lin": "17"}, "Free throws made": {"Danilo Gallinari": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Danilo Gallinari": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Jordan Hill": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Kobe Bryant": "10"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (6 - 7) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (3 - 11) 101 - 94 in overtime Sunday. Denver has won four straight games and five of their last six. After starting the season 1 - 6, it looked like the Nuggets were headed for the lottery again next offseason, but they righted the ship over the last week. Ty Lawson paced the Nuggets with a double - double of 18 points and 16 assists. Danilo Gallinari played a season - high 31 minutes, which is significant as he is still making his bid for a full return from knee surgery. He tied the game with 15 seconds left on the first of two free throws but then missed the second free throw, which pushed the game to overtime. The Nuggets return home to host the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday. Los Angeles has lost two straight games. They shot a woeful 37 percent from the field and 13 percent from beyond the arc Sunday. Kobe Bryant led the way with 27 points on 10 - of - 24 shooting from the field. Jeremy Lin recorded 17 points, and Jordan Hill had a double - double of 11 points and 14 rebounds. The Lakers have two days off and will then host the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "55"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "9", "Nets": "11"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "118", "Nets": "97"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "8", "Nets": "4"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Brook Lopez": "20", "Isaiah Whitehead": "4", "Glenn Robinson III": "20"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Isaiah Whitehead": "5", "Glenn Robinson III": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Isaiah Whitehead": "1", "Glenn Robinson III": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Glenn Robinson III": "40"}, "Rebounds": {"Glenn Robinson III": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Myles Turner": "4"}, "Steals": {"Myles Turner": "1"}}], "The Indiana Pacers demolished the visiting Brooklyn Nets, 118 - 97, at Bankers Life Field House on Friday. Despite the absence of star forward Paul George with a back injury, Indiana (8 - 9) was able to run away with Friday's game early on. The Pacers hopped out to a 15 - point halftime lead which reached 27 by the end of the third quarter. Guard Glenn Robinson III stepped into the starting lineup in George's absence and impressed, playing 40 minutes while no other Pacer saw more than 26. Robinson led the team in scoring with 20 points and shot 6 - of - 10 on the night while pulling down six rebounds. Overall, the Pacers saw brilliant offense, shooting over 55 percent from the field and knocking down 11 three - pointers. On defense, sophomore center Myles Turner stepped up and delivered four blocks and a steal. Brooklyn (4 - 11) started a highly promising 4 - 5 after many projections had them finishing near the bottom of the league. The team seems to be slowing down, however, as Friday's loss marked their sixth straight. Point guard Jeremy Lin remains out with a hamstring injury, forcing rookie Isaiah Whitehead into the starting lineup. Whitehead scored just four points on 1 - of - 5 shooting on Friday. Veteran Brook Lopez once again led the Nets in scoring, racking up 20 points on the night. The team is now just 2 - 8 with Lin out of the lineup and 1 - 7 away from Brooklyn. The Nets will host the Kings and the Pacers will host the Clippers on Sunday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Cavaliers": "29"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "20", "Hornets": "26"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "129", "Hornets": "90"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "24", "Hornets": "18"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "13"}}, {"Points": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "15", "Bismack Biyombo": "10", "Kemba Walker": "8", "Al Jefferson": "22", "LeBron James": "25", "Kevin Love": "9", "Timofey Mozgov": "14", "Kyrie Irving": "18"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Kemba Walker": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Jefferson": "11", "LeBron James": "6", "Timofey Mozgov": "10"}, "Assists": {"LeBron James": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Kevin Love": "30"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Timofey Mozgov": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Timofey Mozgov": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"JR Smith": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"JR Smith": "7"}}], "The Cavaliers (24 - 20) routed the Hornets (18 - 26) 129 - 90 on Friday in Cleveland. Cleveland put a whipping on the Hornets in this one - sided affair in which every Cavs starter regustered a plus/minus rating of at least 29. Cleveland put up one of the most dominant halfs of the season, outscoring the Hornets by 20 points in the first quarter and 15 points in the second quarter. All 13 Cavaliers who suited up played at least seven minutes and scored a field goal. Timofey Mozgov has been a great addition for the Cavs since coming over from Denver. He recorded a double - double in his third - straight game. Mozgov finished with 14 points and went 6 - of - 7 from the free - throw line to go with 10 rebounds. LeBron James led all scorers with 25 points, nine assists and six rebounds, and Kyrie Irving chipped in 18 points. Kevin Love finished with nine points (4 - 7 FG) in 30 minutes. The Cavaliers have now won five straight games, including three - straight at home. The Hornets had no answer for the Cavs, who held a 40 - point lead heading into the fourth quarter. Charlotte was hot coming in, winning eight of their last nine games, but could n't contend with the Cavs' great all - around performance. Cavaliers shooting guard J.R. Smith outscored the entire Hornets team from the three - pointline. Smith hit 7 - of - 11 threes and Charlotte was just 2 - of - 16 for a 13 percent shooting night from beyond the arc. Al Jefferson was Charlotte's high scorer with 22 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist added 15 points, and Bismack Biyombo finished with 10. Kemba Walker struggled mightily, conveting just 3 - of - 14 field goals for eight points. The Hornets will take on the New York Knicks on Saturday. The Cavaliers will play the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "25", "Heat": "24"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "78", "Heat": "76"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "18", "Heat": "18"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Danny Granger": "20", "Chris Andersen": "20", "Lance Stephenson": "22", "Al Jefferson": "19"}, "Points": {"Danny Granger": "3", "Kemba Walker": "15", "Al Jefferson": "12"}, "Blocks": {"Chris Andersen": "3", "Bismack Biyombo": "2", "Al Jefferson": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Chris Andersen": "4", "Bismack Biyombo": "12", "Kemba Walker": "2", "Lance Stephenson": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Mario Chalmers": "1", "Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Bismack Biyombo": "5", "Kemba Walker": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Bismack Biyombo": "8"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "17"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Kemba Walker": "5"}, "Assists": {"Lance Stephenson": "4"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (18 - 25) defeated the Miami Heat (18 - 24) 78 - 76 on Wednesday. Kemba Walker shot just 4 - of - 17, yet led the Hornets scoring attack with a team - high 15 points in Wednesday's low - scoring affair. He missed the last two games with a knee injury but felt good in shootaround and gave it a go. Walker also shot 5 - of - 6 from the free - throw line, all six attempts came in the final 1:14 and helped seal the win for Charlotte. 22 year - old Bismack Biyombo has had a good five - game stretch, averaging 11 points, 12 rebounds and 2 blocks in less than 27 minutes per game. Biyombo came down with eight offensive rebounds Wednesday, helping his team to win the battle of the boards 56 - 41. He combined with teammate's Cody Zeller and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist for 38 of those rebounds. Two of Charlotte's biggest stars, Al Jefferson (groin) and Lance Stephenson (pelvis) have been coming off the bench since returning from injuries. Jefferson had 12 points and two blocks in 19 minutes, while Stephenson had four assists and three rebounds in 22 minutes. The Heat were playing from behind for most of this game until Mario Chalmers hit a three - pointer to give them the lead with 3:36 left in the fourth. However, it would be their last lead of the game as Kemba Walker and Marvin Williams hit some key free throws down the stretch. In the final 12, Chalmers and Chris Bosh each missed three - pointers that likely would have won the game for Miami. Chris Andersen started in place of the injured Hassan Whiteside, who sprained his ankle Tuesday against the Thunder. Andersen had four rebounds and three blocks in 20 minutes. Danny Granger was put into the starting lineup for Luol Deng, who was out with an illness. Granger finished with three points in 20 minutes of action. The Heat will face the Indiana Pacers on Friday, and the Hornets will take on the Cavaliers on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "54", "Timberwolves": "38"}}, {"Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "13", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "9", "Anthony Davis": "45", "Terrence Jones": "17"}, "Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Anthony Davis": "63", "Terrence Jones": "70"}, "Turnovers": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}}], "Win or lose, Anthony Davis has been posting historic numbers left and right this season. On Tuesday, that translated into 45 points and 10 rebounds en route to a shattering blowout of the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves. The game marked Davis's third 45 - point outing in just 16 this season, a league - high. It was also Davis's eighth double - double of the season. Davis has now scored 38 or more points in three of his last four comments, only failing to do so in a blowout in which he sat due to a minor injury. Thanks in large part to Davis's 63 percent shooting from the field, the Pelicans were able to hit over 54 percent of their shot attempts. Forward Terrence Jones did his part as well, scoring 17 points on 70 percent shooting. On Minnesota's side, the picture was considerably grimmer. Star big man Karl Towns was held to just nine points, while the team's leading season scorer, Andrew Wiggins, had just 13. Minnesota hit just 38 percent of shots from the field and 17 percent from beyond the arc."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "50"}, "Losses": {"Wizards": "37", "Timberwolves": "48"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "129", "Timberwolves": "132"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "35", "Timberwolves": "24"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Timberwolves": "27"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Timberwolves": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Gorgui Dieng": "5", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "5", "Zach LaVine": "4", "Ricky Rubio": "7", "Otto Porter": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "2", "Bradley Beal": "5", "John Wall": "16"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "16", "Gorgui Dieng": "18", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "27", "Zach LaVine": "25", "Ricky Rubio": "13", "Otto Porter": "14", "Marcin Gortat": "19", "Bradley Beal": "26", "John Wall": "22", "Nene": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "7", "Gorgui Dieng": "9", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "10", "Ricky Rubio": "5", "Otto Porter": "13", "Marcin Gortat": "14", "Bradley Beal": "4", "John Wall": "3"}, "Steals": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Zach LaVine": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "2", "Marcin Gortat": "1", "Bradley Beal": "1", "John Wall": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Gorgui Dieng": "2", "Otto Porter": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Gorgui Dieng": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "5"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Gorgui Dieng": "50"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Ricky Rubio": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Ricky Rubio": "5", "Marcin Gortat": "2", "Bradley Beal": "2", "Jared Dudley": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Marcin Gortat": "43"}, "Turnovers": {"Bradley Beal": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jared Dudley": "2"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (24 - 48) defeated the Washington Wizards (35 - 37) 132 - 129 in double overtime on Friday. The team that is already out of playoff contention apparently wanted it just a bit more Friday. The Timberwolves mounted an improbable comeback in the final minutes of regulation to force overtime, and then hit a clutch three - pointer in the final seconds of the first extra period to set up the unlikely victory. The Wizards held a 108 - 101 lead with 2:23 remaining when Minnesota began to chip away at their deficit. A quick 50 run by the Timberwolves got them within two, and after a Nene Hilario free throw, Gorgui Dieng managed to tie the game with a 24 - foot three - pointer with 19 seconds remaining. Bradley Beal's missed three - pointer with a second left sent the game into the first overtime in a 109 - 109 deadlock. The fifth quarter saw the two teams trade the advantage multiple times, and then a Zach LaVine 29 - foot three - pointer with 11 seconds left tied matters up at 121. Beal missed a second game - winning trey at the buzzer, as the two teams lived on to play past the 60 - minute mark. The second overtime period saw Minnesota score the last four points of the game over the final 43 seconds, as Jared Dudley missed a pair of three - pointers and Marcin Gortat was unable to drain either of his two free - throw attempts for the Wizards over that span. Karl-Anthony Towns spearheaded a successful night for the Timberwolves starting unit, totaling 27 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and a steal. Zach LaVine was next with 25 points, four assists and two steals. Dieng contributed 18 points, nine rebounds, five assists and two blocks. Andrew Wiggins supplied 16 points, seven rebounds, three assists and a steal. Ricky Rubio rounded things out for the starting five with 13 points, seven assists, five rebounds and two steals. The Timberwolves remain in last place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division. They head home to face the Utah Jazz on Saturday night. Despite coming up short in crunch time, Beal led the way for the Wizards with 26 points, five assists, four rebounds and a steal. John Wall was right behind him with 22 points, 16 assists, three rebounds and two steals. Gortat contributed a 19 - point, 14 - rebound double - double that also included two assists and a steal. Otto Porter, Jr. was outstanding in his own right, managing 14 points, 13 rebounds, an assist and a block. Hilario paced the reserves with 19 points, four assists, three rebounds, a steal and a block. The Wizards are currently in third place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head to Los Angeles to take on the Lakers in Sunday tilt."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "19", "Grizzlies": "14"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "92", "Grizzlies": "98"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "36", "Grizzlies": "40"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Marc Gasol": "36", "Meyers Leonard": "17", "Arron Afflalo": "24"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "21", "Meyers Leonard": "11", "Arron Afflalo": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Meyers Leonard": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Meyers Leonard": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Meyers Leonard": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Arron Afflalo": "4"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (40 - 14) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (36 - 19) 98 - 92 on Sunday. The Trail Blazers were without LaMarcus Aldridge (sprained thumb), putting them at a disadvantage from the outset. Meyers Leonard stepped into the starting lineup in Aldridge's place and did his best to replace the 23 points Portland needed to make up without Aldridge. Leonard scored 11 points in 17 minutes. He has been encouraged to use his face - up game this season, and it's resulted in Leonard extending his range beyond the three - point line, where he converted three of his five attempts from Sunday, a number which may have been higher had he not collected five fouls to limit his time on the court. The newly - acquired Arron Afflalo made his debut with the Blazers, playing 24 minutes off the bench and putting up eight points and four rebounds. Memphis had all five starters finish with double - digit points to help them collect the win in their first game back from the All-Star break. Marc Gasol was questionable for the game with an illness but was able to play through it to score a team - high 21 points in 36 minutes. Portland remains 5 games back from Memphis in the Western Conference standings. The Grizzlies are in second place, and the Blazers sit in fourth place, with Houston resting between them in third, one game ahead of Portland. Memphis will continue their road trip in Los Angeles on Monday, and Portland will look to stop their two - game skid at home Wednesday against the Spurs."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "22", "Grizzlies": "12"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "101", "Grizzlies": "102"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "28", "Grizzlies": "36"}}, {"Field goals made": {"Jeff Green": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jeff Green": "4"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "8", "Eric Bledsoe": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "3", "Eric Bledsoe": "2"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "15", "Eric Bledsoe": "21", "Isaiah Thomas": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "6", "Eric Bledsoe": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2"}, "Steals": {"Eric Bledsoe": "4"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (36 - 12) pulled out a victory over the Phoenix Suns (28 - 22) on Monday. Marc Gasol continued his stellar season, showing off his spectacular passing ability from the center position. He finished with 15 points, six rebounds, three blocks and eight assists. He has averaged five assists over his past five games, while shooting 91 percent from the free throw line during that stretch, which is n't an easy feat for one of the game's few true centers. The Grizzlies are now 11 - 1 over their last 12 games, and only have one game against an opponent with a record better than .500 before the All-Star break. Isaiah Thomas led the Suns in scoring, putting up 24 points to give Phoenix a spark off the bench. Eric Bledsoe turned in a good game with 21 points, seven rebounds, eight assists, four steals and two blocks. He hit two free throws to give the Suns a 98 - 91 lead with 3:31 remaining in the game. Memphis' Zach Randolph went on to score five points in the final 2:33 to give his team a fighting chance. Jeff Green then hit a bucket, was fouled in the process with four seconds left, and went on to make the free throw to give the Grizzlies a lead and a 102 - 101 victory. The Grizzlies will play the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, and the Suns will head to the Moda Center to face the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "57", "Jazz": "38"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "86", "Jazz": "101"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Suns": "10", "Jazz": "30"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "20", "Jazz": "39"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "37"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "48"}, "Turnovers": {"Jazz": "10"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Derrick Favors": "3", "Rodney Hood": "7", "Devin Booker": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Gordon Hayward": "1", "Rodney Hood": "2", "Devin Booker": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Gordon Hayward": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "16", "Tyson Chandler": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "8", "Tyson Chandler": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Tyson Chandler": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Tyson Chandler": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Gordon Hayward": "35", "Tyson Chandler": "38", "Devin Booker": "41", "Mirza Teletovic": "31"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "22", "Derrick Favors": "17", "Rodney Hood": "18", "Tyson Chandler": "21", "Devin Booker": "14", "Mirza Teletovic": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Derrick Favors": "2", "Rodney Hood": "2", "Tyson Chandler": "18", "Devin Booker": "2", "Mirza Teletovic": "6"}, "Steals": {"Gordon Hayward": "1", "Derrick Favors": "2", "Rodney Hood": "2", "Devin Booker": "2"}}], "The Utah Jazz (39 - 38) defeated the host Phoenix Suns (20 - 57) 101 - 86, on Sunday at Talking Stick Resort Arena. This was another very important victory for the Jazz, who have now won six of their last eight games, as they look to hold on to eighth place despite the Houston Rockets being hot on their tail. After a slow start the Jazz woke up in the second quarter, out - scoring the Suns 30 - 10, to go up 46 - 33 by halftime. The Jazz were able to maintain the lead for the remainder of the game, as they cruised to their fourth win over the Suns this season. The Jazz shot 48 percent from the field and 37 percent from long range, while assisting on 27 - of - 39 field goals and giving up only 10 turnovers. Gordon Hayward led the way in scoring with 22 points (8 - 16 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT), along with five rebounds, five assists, one steal and one blocked shot, in 35 minutes. Rodney Hood tallied 18 points, seven assists, two rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots, while Derrick Favors added 17 points, three assists, two rebounds and two steals. The Jazz have now won four of their last five road games. The Suns had a couple of players put up good numbers but a total of 22 turnovers contributed to the team losing their sixth contest in a row. Tyson Chandler had a big game, with 21 points (10 - 12 FG, 1 - 4 FT) and 18 rebounds, in 38 minutes; while Mirza Teletovic tallied 24 points and six rebounds, in 31 minutes off the bench. Devin Booker chipped in 14 points, along with seven assists, two rebounds, two steals and one blocked shot, in 41 minutes. Next, the Suns will head to Atlanta to face the Hawks on Tuesday. The Jazz have their work cut out for them as they host the Spurs on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "2", "Raptors": "2"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "6", "Raptors": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Raptors": "5"}}, {"Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "34", "Kyle Lowry": "19", "Kemba Walker": "40"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Kyle Lowry": "8", "Kemba Walker": "10"}}], "This result put the Raptors and Hornets at an even 6 - 2 record and these are two teams that will be in it for the long haul. DeMar DeRozan's 34 points marked the seventh game this season in which DeRozan has scored at least 32 points. Kyle Lowry is n't quite scoring like he'd hope, but he continues to stuff the stat sheet with his 19 - point, eight - rebound and six - assist outing in this win. Kemba Walker's 40 points marks a season - high, along with his 10 rebounds. The Hornets actually had three players finish with a double - double for the first time all season. One key difference was the hustle stats, as the Raptors combined for 13 blocks and steals, while the Hornets finished with just five. Points in the paint were huge as well, with Toronto getting 50 paint points to Charlotte's 32. The Raptors also dominated fastbreak points, winning that battle 24 - 4."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "46", "Hornets": "39"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "102", "Hornets": "109"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "20", "Hornets": "32"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "26", "Hornets": "32"}}, {"Assists": {"Marvin Williams": "2", "Cody Zeller": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "6", "Kemba Walker": "7", "Frank Kaminsky": "1", "Marco Belinelli": "1", "Terrence Ross": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "8", "Evan Fournier": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "5"}, "Points": {"Marvin Williams": "7", "Cody Zeller": "15", "Nicolas Batum": "10", "Kemba Walker": "22", "Frank Kaminsky": "18", "Marco Belinelli": "20", "Terrence Ross": "19", "Nikola Vucevic": "14", "Evan Fournier": "15", "Jodie Meeks": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Marvin Williams": "10", "Cody Zeller": "6", "Nicolas Batum": "2", "Kemba Walker": "3", "Frank Kaminsky": "5", "Marco Belinelli": "3", "Terrence Ross": "2", "Nikola Vucevic": "12", "Evan Fournier": "5", "Elfrid Payton": "5", "Jodie Meeks": "2"}, "Steals": {"Cody Zeller": "3", "Nicolas Batum": "2", "Marco Belinelli": "1", "Terrence Ross": "2", "Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Evan Fournier": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kemba Walker": "1", "Marco Belinelli": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Frank Kaminsky": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Frank Kaminsky": "13"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Orlando Magic, 109 - 102, at Amway Center on Wednesday night. The Hornets (32 - 39) came into Wednesday's contest looking to keep their faint playoff hopes alive and to complete a season sweep of the Magic (26 - 46). Given that they'd blasted Orlando by 40 points in their most recent meeting, it appeared the chances for another win were high. The hosts had other plans, though, as they jumped out to a 54 - 48 halftime lead. However, led by a superb bench effort from Marco Belinelli and an equally impressive one from Kemba Walker, Charlotte outscored the Magic by a 32 - 20 margin in the fourth quarter to post their third consecutive win. Walker led the way for the Hornets with 22 points, seven assists and three rebounds. Belinelli followed with a second unit - leading 20 points, which he supplemented with three rebounds, one assist and one steal. Frank Kaminsky III was productive in a reserve role as well with 18 points (13 which came in the fourth quarter), five boards, an assist and a block. Cody Zeller followed with 15 points, six rebounds, two assists and three steals. Nicolas Batum provided a full stat line of 10 points, six assists, two rebounds and two steals. Marvin Williams managed a modest seven points but hauled in 10 rebounds and dished out two assists. Terrence Ross paced the Magic with 19 points, two rebounds, one assist and two steals. Evan Fournier poured in 15 points and added four boards, three assists and a steal. Elfrid Payton matched Fournier's point total and added five rebounds and five assists. Nikola Vucevic posted a 14 - point, 12 - rebound double - double that also included eight assists, three blocks and one steal. Jodie Meeks led the bench with 10 points and a pair of boards. The Hornets head back home to face off with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday evening, while the Magic remain home to tangle with the Detroit Pistons on Friday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "21"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "98", "Clippers": "106"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Kings": "12", "Clippers": "34"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "15"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "46"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "9"}, "Points": {"DeAndre Jordan": "20", "Chris Paul": "14", "DeMarcus Cousins": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "9", "DeMarcus Cousins": "11"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "12", "DeMarcus Cousins": "7"}, "Steals": {"Chris Paul": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the host Sacramento Kings on Friday, 106 - 98. Los Angeles (25 - 14) enjoyed the return of superstar point guard Chris Paul, who had missed the previous week of action with a hamstring injury. Paul immediately got back to his pass - first play style, dishing out a team - high 12 assists to go with 14 points and three steals. DeAndre Jordan, who narrowly edged out Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins last season for All-NBA First Team center, had an impressive performance of his own, scoring 20 points on 9 - of - 10 shooting and grabbing nine rebounds. As a team, the Clippers saw relatively potent offense, shooting over 46 percent and hitting 13 three - pointers. Sacramento (15 - 21), meanwhile, is vying for the eighth seed in the Western Conference, hoping for its first playoff berth since 2006. The Kings came out strong on Friday, hopping out to a double - digit lead in the first quarter, but saw an intense collapse in the second. LA was able to go on a whopping 34 - 12 run in the second quarter, establishing a lead that eventually led them to victory. The collapse was largely due to the horrid play of the Kings' bench, as the second unit shot just 6 - of - 20 for 14 points. Sacramento's starters, on the other hand, saw solid performances. Star center DeMarcus Cousins led the team with 25 points and 11 rebounds to go with seven assists, three steals, and two blocks. Los Angeles will host the Heat on Sunday, while Sacramento will host the Warriors."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "14", "Nets": "37"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "124", "Nets": "116"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Cavaliers": "39"}, "Turnovers": {"Cavaliers": "14"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "31", "Nets": "9"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "49"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "49"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "3", "Randy Foye": "5", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "1", "Sean Kilpatrick": "3", "Isaiah Whitehead": "3", "LeBron James": "11", "Kevin Love": "2", "Tristan Thompson": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "6"}, "Points": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "17", "Justin Hamilton": "12", "Randy Foye": "16", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "10", "Sean Kilpatrick": "18", "Isaiah Whitehead": "16", "LeBron James": "31", "Kevin Love": "13", "Tristan Thompson": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "28", "Kyle Korver": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "2", "Justin Hamilton": "5", "Randy Foye": "8", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "1", "Sean Kilpatrick": "2", "Isaiah Whitehead": "3", "LeBron James": "5", "Kevin Love": "14", "Tristan Thompson": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "4", "Kyle Korver": "2"}, "Steals": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "1", "Justin Hamilton": "1", "Sean Kilpatrick": "2", "Kevin Love": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Justin Hamilton": "1", "Kevin Love": "1", "Tristan Thompson": "1"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 124 - 116, at Quicken Loans Arena on Friday. The Cavaliers (31 - 14) checked in to Friday desperate to snap out of a three - game losing streak, and appeared to have the right opponent to do it with. The Nets (9 - 37) came in with only two road victories in 22 contests away from Barclays Center, and also opted to rest Brook Lopez and rookie Caris LeVert against Cleveland. Starting power forward Trevor Booker was also absent due to illness, seemingly making a victory a proverbial slam dunk for the defending champs. However, Brooklyn certainly did n't adopt a defeatist mentality, going into halftime with only a 55 - 47 deficit. Although the Cavs pulled away in a 39 - point third period, the Nets put up a valiant effort overall, seeing six players record double - digit scoring, shooting 49 percent from the field and 49 percent from three - point range, and prompting Cleveland into 14 turnovers. Sean Kilpatrick led the way for the visitors with 18 points, three assists, two rebounds and two steals. Bojan Bogdanovic followed with 17 points, three assists, two rebound and a steal. Randy Foye and Isaiah Whitehead supplied matching 16 - point efforts, with the former adding eight boards and five assists and the latter providing three rebounds and three assists. Justin Hamilton went for 12 points, five rebounds, a steal and a block while taking over at center for Lopez, and Spencer Dinwiddie tallied 10 points, one rebound and one assist. LeBron James paced the Cavs with 31 points, 11 assists and five rebounds. Kyrie Irving posted 28 points, six assists, four rebounds and two blocks. Kyle Korver totaled 14 points to lead the bench, a total he supplemented with two boards. Kevin Love registered a 13 - point, 14 - rebound double - double and added two assists, a steal and a block. Tristan Thompson posted a 10 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included two assists and a block. The Nets next travel to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves on Saturday night, while the Cavaliers are home against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday afternoon."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "17", "Bucks": "22"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "101", "Bucks": "95"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "29", "Bucks": "22"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Khris Middleton": "5", "Jerryd Bayless": "1", "Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Tony Parker": "2", "Manu Ginobili": "2", "Boris Diaw": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "1", "Khris Middleton": "3", "Jerryd Bayless": "0", "Kawhi Leonard": "1", "Tony Parker": "0", "Manu Ginobili": "1", "Boris Diaw": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "8", "Zaza Pachulia": "11", "Khris Middleton": "14", "Jerryd Bayless": "10", "Kawhi Leonard": "11", "Tim Duncan": "13", "Tony Parker": "13", "Manu Ginobili": "8", "Boris Diaw": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "4", "Zaza Pachulia": "5", "Khris Middleton": "9", "Jerryd Bayless": "5", "Kawhi Leonard": "4", "Tim Duncan": "9", "Tony Parker": "3", "Manu Ginobili": "3", "Boris Diaw": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "4", "Zaza Pachulia": "2", "Jerryd Bayless": "7", "Kawhi Leonard": "12", "Tim Duncan": "2", "Tony Parker": "4", "Manu Ginobili": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Zaza Pachulia": "2", "Jerryd Bayless": "5", "Kawhi Leonard": "10", "Tim Duncan": "2", "Tony Parker": "4", "Manu Ginobili": "6"}, "Points": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "11", "Zaza Pachulia": "12", "Khris Middleton": "21", "Jerryd Bayless": "15", "Kawhi Leonard": "19", "Tim Duncan": "20", "Tony Parker": "10", "Manu Ginobili": "13", "Boris Diaw": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "6", "Zaza Pachulia": "6", "Khris Middleton": "5", "Kawhi Leonard": "14", "Tim Duncan": "11", "Boris Diaw": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Zaza Pachulia": "24", "Kawhi Leonard": "36", "Tim Duncan": "31"}, "Assists": {"Khris Middleton": "2", "Jerryd Bayless": "5", "Tony Parker": "5", "Manu Ginobili": "3", "Boris Diaw": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4", "Tim Duncan": "4"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (29 - 17) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (22 - 22) 101 - 95 on Sunday at the AT & T Center in San Antonio. Despite a strong first half where the Bucks out - scored the Spurs 55 - 47, they were n't able to hold off the reigning NBA champion Spurs in the secondf, suffering a tough six - point loss on the road. While the Bucks shot better from field and the three - point line, they were dominated at the free throw line where the Spurs went 26 - for - 30 and the Bucks finished just 9 - for - 13. The Bucks also committed 21 turnovers, which may have been another big difference in this game. The Spurs had a strong showing from their frontcourt, as forwards Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard were the team - leaders in both points and rebounds. In 31 minutes, Duncan finished with 20 points (9 - 13 FG, 2 - 2 FT) and 11 rebounds, while Leonard had 19 points (4 - 11 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 10 - 12 FT) and 14 rebounds in 36 minutes. It was Leonard's third double - double in his last four games, recording at least 14 rebounds in each of those matchups. Tony Parker really struggled with his shot for the Spurs (3 - 13 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), but still contributed 10 points and five assists. He's now averaging 15 points and 5 assists on the season. The Spurs did find some production off their bench, with two players finishing in double figures in points. Boris Diaw had 14 points (7 - 11 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt) and three rebounds, while Manu Ginobili finished with 13 points (3 - 8 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 6 - 8 FT) and three assists. Despite the loss, Kris Middleton played well, going 9 - for - 14 from the field and 3 - for - 5 from the three - point line to finish with 21 points and five rebounds as a starter at shooting guard. He's had two strong showings in a row, combining for 37 points, 12 rebounds and four steals over that span. Jerryd Bayless played very well off the bench for the Bucks. In 22 minutes, he added 15 points (5 - 10 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 5 - 7 FT) and five assists, as he was very efficient with his time on the court. Bayless had n't scored in double figures since the beginning of January, so it was good to see him turn things around on the offensive side of the ball and play well against a tough Spurs team. Zaza Puchulia added 12 points (5 - 11 FG, 2 - 2 FT) and six rebounds in 24 minutes, while Ersan Ilyasova finished with 11 points (4 - 8 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT) and six rebounds in just over 22 minutes. The Spurs' next game will be at home against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday, while the Bucks will travel to Miami to play the Heat on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "30", "Hawks": "8"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "87", "Hawks": "105"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "7", "Hawks": "30"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hawks": "25"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hawks": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"Al Horford": "10"}, "Points": {"Al Horford": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Horford": "10"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (30 - 8) easily handled the Philadelphia 76ers (7 - 30) on Tuesday, 105 - 87. Despite trotting out a less than optimum starting lineup, Atlanta cruised to an easy victory in Philadelphia. Al Horford led the way with his first career triple - double as he torched Philadelphia for 21 points, 10 rebounds, and ten assists. Over the course of his career, The Hawks are 46 - 14 when Horford has 20 points and 10 rebounds in a game. Atlanta rested three of its usual starters on Tuesday so that Jeff Teague, Paul Millsap, and DeMarre Carroll could be fresh for Wednesday's game in Boston. The Hawks' reserves thrived, however, with big performances from Kent Bazemore, Denis Schroder, and even a double - double from Shelvin Mack. Atlanta has now won 23 of its last 25 games, including a franchise - record nine straight road wins. Philadelphia kept the game competitive early on, but was unable to keep up with the red - hot Hawks. Guard Tony Wroten left the game in the fourth quarter with a right knee sprain and did not return. The 76ers will travel to Toronto on Wednesday for the second half of a back - to - back set."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "16", "Mavericks": "18"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "77", "Mavericks": "83"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "23", "Mavericks": "23"}}, {"Blocks": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "1"}, "Points": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "21", "Zaza Pachulia": "9", "Deron Williams": "18", "J.J. Barea": "9", "Taj Gibson": "9", "Pau Gasol": "17", "Jimmy Butler": "4", "Derrick Rose": "18", "E'Twaun Moore": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "7", "Zaza Pachulia": "10", "Deron Williams": "3", "J.J. Barea": "2", "Taj Gibson": "11", "Pau Gasol": "8", "Jimmy Butler": "5", "Derrick Rose": "4", "E'Twaun Moore": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Zaza Pachulia": "8"}, "Assists": {"Deron Williams": "6", "J.J. Barea": "3", "Pau Gasol": "4", "Jimmy Butler": "6", "Derrick Rose": "2", "E'Twaun Moore": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"J.J. Barea": "20", "Jimmy Butler": "36"}, "Steals": {"Pau Gasol": "1", "Jimmy Butler": "2", "Derrick Rose": "2"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (23 - 18) defeated the Chicago Bulls (23 - 16) 83 - 77 on Friday. The effects of four games in five nights finally started to show on the Bulls in the second half. The home team did start off impressively well, with Pau Gasol and Derrick Rose bringing some fresher legs to the contest after having sat out the Thursday night tilt against the Sixers. They jumped out to a 46 - 36 lead by halftime, but it was a different story after intermission. An exhausted Chicago squad could only manage 31 total points in the second half, and two double - digit scorers over the entire game. Jimmy Butler, fresh off a jaw - dropping 53 - point performance versus the Sixers, posted a paltry four points, five rebounds, six assists and a pair of steals over 36 minutes. The Mavericks were led by Dirk Nowitzki's 21 points, which he supplemented with seven rebounds and a block. Deron Williams provided excellent support with 18 points, six assists and three rebounds. Zaza Pachulia posted a solid nine points and 10 rebounds, his fourth straight game with double - digit boards and seventh in his last eight contests. J.J. Barea led the Mavericks' bench with nine points, three assists and a pair of rebounds over an efficient 20 minutes. Dallas improved to 23 - 18 and remain in second place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They take on the first - place Spurs in San Antonio on Sunday. Chicago was unsurprisingly led by their two most rested starters. Rose posted a team - high 18 points, and complemented it with four rebounds, a pair of assists and a pair of steals, while Gasol was able to tally 17 points, eight rebounds, four assists and a steal. Taj Gibson turned in a typically solid performance with nine points and 11 rebounds, his second consecutive game with double - digit boards. Etwaun Moore paced the reserves with eight points, three rebounds and an assist. The Bulls fell to 23 - 16 and remain in second place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They head to Detroit to take on the Pistons on Monday afternoon."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Spurs": "50"}, "Losses": {"Spurs": "12", "Pelicans": "47"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "100", "Pelicans": "92"}, "Rebounds": {"Spurs": "38"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "63", "Pelicans": "27"}, "Number of team assists": {"Pelicans": "27"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Alexis Ajinca": "32", "James Ennis III": "24", "Kawhi Leonard": "22", "Manu Ginobili": "24"}, "Points": {"Alexis Ajinca": "18", "Jordan Hamilton": "14", "James Ennis III": "13", "Kawhi Leonard": "16", "Danny Green": "16", "Manu Ginobili": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Alexis Ajinca": "9", "Jordan Hamilton": "5", "James Ennis III": "5", "Kawhi Leonard": "6", "Danny Green": "4", "Manu Ginobili": "1"}, "Steals": {"Alexis Ajinca": "1", "Jordan Hamilton": "1", "Kawhi Leonard": "3", "Manu Ginobili": "3"}, "Assists": {"Jordan Hamilton": "4", "James Ennis III": "4", "Kawhi Leonard": "4", "Danny Green": "1", "Manu Ginobili": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2", "Danny Green": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Manu Ginobili": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Manu Ginobili": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Manu Ginobili": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Manu Ginobili": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Manu Ginobili": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Manu Ginobili": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Manu Ginobili": "1"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (63 - 12) defeated the visiting New Orleans Pelicans (27 - 47) on Wednesday at AT & T Center, 100 - 92, setting an NBA record for most consecutive home wins to start a season with 38. The Spurs passed the 1995 - 96 Chicago Bulls, who won 37 consecutive at home. The Spurs were missing David West and Andre Miller, while the majority of the squad suited up to host the injury - riddled Pelicans. It became a closer game than expected as the Pelicans got within six points, with 50 seconds left, but the Spurs held on to make history. Manu Ginobili shot very well as he led the Spurs in scoring, with 20 points (7 - 10 FG, 5 - 6 3Pt, 1 - 1FT), along with three steals, two assists and one rebound, in 24 minutes off the bench. Kawhi Leonard added 16 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocked shots, in 22 minutes, while Danny Green added 16 points of his own, along with four rebounds, two blocked shots and one assist, in only 17 minutes. The Spurs went deep into their bench as 13 players logged more than five minutes, while the starters minutes were limited. Along with their NBA record - setting home winning streak, the Spurs have won four of their last five and their last two in a row. Despite an incredible amount of injuries, seemingly to all their top players, the Pelicans had seven players score in double digits, as they put up a valiant effort at the AT & T Center. Alexis Ajinca was the high - point man for New Orleans, finishing with 18 points, along with nine rebounds and one steal, in 32 minutes. Jordan Hamilton added 14 points, five rebounds, four assists and one steal, while James Ennis chipped in 13 points, five rebounds and four assists, in 24 minutes off the bench. Despite a few new faces and the absence of their leading playmakers, the Pelicans were gelling as they registered 27 assists on 36 field goals. The Pelicans will be right back in action as they host the Nuggets on Thursday night. The Spurs have some time to rest as they host the Raptors on Saturday."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Khris Middleton": "16", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "16", "Blake Griffin": "18", "DeAndre Jordan": "22", "Chris Paul": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Khris Middleton": "7", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5", "Blake Griffin": "7", "DeAndre Jordan": "17"}, "Steals": {"Khris Middleton": "2"}, "Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5", "Blake Griffin": "4", "DeAndre Jordan": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Blake Griffin": "2", "DeAndre Jordan": "2"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "12", "Chris Paul": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "9", "Chris Paul": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"DeAndre Jordan": "2", "Chris Paul": "6"}}], "It was an odd night for the \"big three\" of the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. All-Star DeAndre Jordan dominated the low post throughout the night, leading the team with 22 points on 9 - of - 12 shooting and 17 rebounds. Jordan also blocked two shots. Blake Griffin, meanwhile, scored 18 points to go along with seven rebounds and four assists. While the two big men enjoyed stellar production, superstar point guard Chris Paul had perhaps his worst night of the season. Paul turned the ball over six times while scoring only six points on 2 - of - 10 shooting. The Bucks, meanwhile, saw fairly balanced production. All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 16 points to go along with five rebounds and five assists. Wing Khris Middleton, meanwhile, scored another 16 to go along with seven rebounds and two steals."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "25", "Rockets": "16"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "118", "Rockets": "127"}, "Rebounds": {"Suns": "39", "Rockets": "47"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "29", "Rockets": "36"}}, {"Assists": {"James Harden": "9", "Eric Bledsoe": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"James Harden": "43"}, "Points": {"James Harden": "40", "Eric Bledsoe": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "12", "Eric Bledsoe": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Eric Bledsoe": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Eric Bledsoe": "1"}}], "The Houston Rockets (36 - 16) held off the Phoenix Suns (29 - 25) in a shootout Tuesday, winning 127 - 118. James Harden was once again the story of the night as he torched the Suns for his sixth 40 - point performance of the season. Harden finished the night with 40 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists in 43 minutes on the floor. 20 of his 40 points came in the fourth quarter as the Rockets were able to stave off a huge comeback by the Suns. Houston has now won all three games against Phoenix this season. Houston was coming off a tough 109 - 98 loss at home to Portland on Sunday, but was able to bounce back in Phoenix. The Rockets were without Terrence Jones for this game after being ruled out with flu - like symptoms. Despite being under - manned up front, the Rockets were able to out - rebound the Suns 47 - 39. The Rockets have a meeting with the Clippers in Los Angeles on Wednesday before heading into the All-Star Break. Phoenix heads into the break having lost four of its last five games. The Suns stormed back from an early 18 - point deficit to make the game competitive, but were unable to secure the victory. Eric Bledsoe returned from his one - game absence (paternity leave) and played very well. Bledsoe ended the night with 32 points, four rebounds, and four assists. The Suns will return to action Feb. 20 against the Timberwolves."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Marvin Williams": "1", "Kemba Walker": "6", "Gordon Hayward": "2", "Rudy Gobert": "2", "Joe Johnson": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Marvin Williams": "1", "Rudy Gobert": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Marvin Williams": "38", "Gordon Hayward": "37", "Rudy Gobert": "38", "Joe Johnson": "30"}, "Points": {"Marvin Williams": "16", "Kemba Walker": "18", "Gordon Hayward": "33", "Rudy Gobert": "8", "George Hill": "25", "Joe Johnson": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Marvin Williams": "12", "Gordon Hayward": "8", "Rudy Gobert": "15", "Joe Johnson": "6"}, "Steals": {"Marvin Williams": "3", "Gordon Hayward": "1", "Rudy Gobert": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Kemba Walker": "6", "Gordon Hayward": "13", "George Hill": "8", "Joe Johnson": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "20", "George Hill": "11", "Joe Johnson": "12"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"George Hill": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"George Hill": "5"}}], "Gordon Hayward poured in a season - high 33 points on efficient 13 - of - 20 shooting, to go along with eight rebounds, two assists and one steal, in 37 minutes. George Hill followed up with 25 points, while also shooting an efficient 8 - of - 11 from the field, including 5 - of - 8 from deep. Rudy Gobert was solid in the middled, as he hauled in 15 rebounds, to go along with eight points, three blocks, two steals and two assists, in 38 minutes. Joe Johnson came up big with 18 points on 7 - of - 12 shooting, to go along with six rebounds and four assists, in 30 minutes off the bench. Meanwhile, six players scored in double digits for the Hornets, led by Kemba Walker, who finished with 18 points and six assists. Marvin Williams finished with a nice double - double consisting of 16 points and 12 rebounds, to go along with three steals, a block and an assist, in 38 minutes."], [[{"Total points": {"Pacers": "104", "Mavericks": "99"}, "Number of team assists": {"Mavericks": "20"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Mavericks": "27"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Mavericks": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Chandler Parsons": "1", "Rajon Rondo": "10", "Roy Hibbert": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Chandler Parsons": "1", "Rajon Rondo": "1", "Roy Hibbert": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "1", "CJ Miles": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chandler Parsons": "2", "Dirk Nowitzki": "1", "CJ Miles": "5", "George Hill": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "20", "Rajon Rondo": "14", "Roy Hibbert": "10", "CJ Miles": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Chandler Parsons": "11", "Rajon Rondo": "8", "Roy Hibbert": "5", "CJ Miles": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Chandler Parsons": "37", "Dirk Nowitzki": "34", "Rajon Rondo": "38", "Roy Hibbert": "25"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "27", "Dirk Nowitzki": "19", "Rajon Rondo": "17", "Roy Hibbert": "14", "CJ Miles": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Chandler Parsons": "10", "Dirk Nowitzki": "5", "Rajon Rondo": "7", "Roy Hibbert": "7"}, "Steals": {"Rajon Rondo": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"CJ Miles": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"CJ Miles": "5"}}], "The Pacers (31 - 41) edged out the Mavericks (45 - 28) 104 - 99 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday. It was a tight contest from start to finish. After three quarters of play, the Mavericks had a one - point lead. With around five minutes remaining, the Pacers\u2019 George Hill hit two successive three - pointers that gave Indiana a six - point lead and probably decided the game. The Pacers\u2019 C.J. Miles was a sharpshooter Sunday night. He had 28 points, going 9 - for - 12 from the field and 5 - for - 6 from three - point range. Miles has been hot lately, putting up 26 points on Thursday against the Bucks. Hill finished with 14 points (6 - 12 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt), four rebounds, five assists and one block in 36 minutes. Roy Hibbert had 14 points (5 - 10 FG), seven rebounds, two assists and one block in 25 minutes. Chandler Parsons led the Mavericks in scoring with 27 points (11 - 20 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt), to go with 10 rebounds, one assist and one block in 37 minutes. Dirk Nowitzki had 19 points (7 - 13, 1 - 1 3Pt) and five rebounds in 34 minutes. Rajon Rondo contributed 17 points (8 - 14 FG), seven rebounds, 10 assists, two steals and one block in 38 minutes. Coming down to the wire, the Mavericks are seventh in the Western Conference, 5 games ahead of eighth place Oklahoma City. The Pacers are tied with the Celtics for ninth in the Eastern Conference. They\u2019re only a half - game behind the eighth place Nets, so Sunday\u2019s victory was crucial. With Sunday\u2019s game in the books, the Pacers have completed the season series sweep of the Mavericks, 20."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "6", "Norman Powell": "21", "Kyle Lowry": "29", "Tony Allen": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "12", "Marc Gasol": "7", "Tony Allen": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Norman Powell": "21"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Tony Allen": "2"}}], "Veteran Marc Gasol will likely remember Memphis's win on Wednesday for a long time. The Grizzlies star scored a career - high 42 points, shooting 14 - of - 25 and 5 - of - 10 from three - point range. Gasol posted just seven rebounds, but his lack of emphasis on the boards was supplemented by strong output from veteran guard Tony Allen. Allen posted 15 points and 11 rebounds to go with two blocks on the night. Every Memphis starter played at least 35 minutes, as the banged - up Grizz only put eight players on the floor all night. The Raptors, meanwhile, saw veteran point guard Kyle Lowry lead the way with 29 points and eight assists. Young wing Norman Powell scored 21 while filling in for an injured DeMar DeRozan. Despite just six points, center Jonas Valanciunas pulled down a stellar 12 rebounds."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Cavaliers": "44", "Wizards": "15"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "17", "Wizards": "31"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "108", "Wizards": "83"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "43", "Wizards": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Markieff Morris": "2", "John Wall": "7", "Bradley Beal": "1", "Ramon Sessions": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "8", "Matthew Dellavedova": "1"}, "Points": {"Markieff Morris": "13", "Marcin Gortat": "10", "John Wall": "17", "Bradley Beal": "11", "Ramon Sessions": "12", "LeBron James": "19", "Timofey Mozgov": "14", "JR Smith": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "21", "Tristan Thompson": "10", "Matthew Dellavedova": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "5", "Marcin Gortat": "9", "John Wall": "8", "Bradley Beal": "3", "Ramon Sessions": "3", "LeBron James": "13", "Timofey Mozgov": "5", "JR Smith": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "5", "Tristan Thompson": "7", "Matthew Dellavedova": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Marcin Gortat": "3", "Ramon Sessions": "1", "Tristan Thompson": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Garrett Temple": "27", "Timofey Mozgov": "20"}, "Steals": {"Bradley Beal": "1", "LeBron James": "3", "JR Smith": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "1", "Tristan Thompson": "1", "Matthew Dellavedova": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Timofey Mozgov": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyrie Irving": "1"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (43 - 17) defeated the Washington Wizards (30 - 31) 108 - 83 on Friday. Despite opting to give star forward Kevin Love the day off for rest purposes, the Cavs encountered surprisingly little difficulty in pulling away from a Wizards team that had soundly defeated them last Sunday. The main difference in this contest was the presence of LeBron James, who'd sat out the 113 - 99 loss in Washington. Following a week of controversy in which his intentions to remain in Cleveland long - term were called into question, James responded with a 19 - point, 13 - rebound double - double that also included seven assists and three steals. The Cavs outperformed the Wizards in virtually every major offensive category during the dominating performance, particularly from long distance. Cleveland amassed an impressive 44 percent accuracy rate from beyond the arc, while limiting Washington to a paltry 15 percent tally. The visitors were led by John Wall, who managed 17 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Markieff Morris was next in line, contributing 13 points, five rebounds and two assists. Marcin Gortat posted a near double - double, registering 10 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. Ramon Sessions paced the bench with 12 points, three rebounds, two assists and a block. Bradley Beal, still coming off the bench despite Garrett Temple's monumental struggles as a starter (scoreless in 27 minutes Friday), pitched in with 11 points, three rebounds, an assist and a steal as well. The Wizards are currently in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division, and a game back of the eighth - seeded Detroit Pistons. They're home against the Pacers on Saturday night. Kyrie Irving spearheaded the Cavs' attack with 21 points, eight assists, five rebounds and a steal. Timofey Mozgov turned in one of his best offensive performances of the season, totaling 14 points and five rebounds over a productive 20 minutes. J.R. Smith contributed a modest 10 points, four assists, a rebound and a pair of steals, while Matthew Delladedova led the reserves with a 12 - point effort that was supplemented with three rebounds, an assist and a steal. Tristan Thompson scored in double digits off the bench as well, picking up 10 points, seven boards, a steal and two blocks. The Cavs remain atop the Eastern Conference's Central Division, and retain a two - game lead for the top seed in the conference over the Toronto Raptors. They're home again on Saturday night for a tussle with the Celtics."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "59"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "54"}, "Rebounds": {"Pistons": "54"}}, {"Points": {"Tobias Harris": "18", "Marcus Morris": "12", "Andre Drummond": "14", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "23", "Ish Smith": "11", "Jon Leuer": "16", "Thabo Sefolosha": "5", "Dwight Howard": "2", "Dennis Schroder": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Marcus Morris": "5", "Ish Smith": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "14", "Ish Smith": "5", "Jon Leuer": "9", "Dwight Howard": "6"}, "Assists": {"Ish Smith": "13"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Ish Smith": "5"}}], "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's 23 points paced the Pistons, and Detroit managed impressive success rates of 54 and 59 percent from the field and beyond the arc, respectively. Tobias Harris (18 points), Andre Drummond (14 points, 14 rebounds), Marcus Morris (12 points) and Ish Smith (11 points, 13 assists) rounded out the starting five's strong night. Jon Leuer's 16 points and nine boards led the bench, while Beno Udrih and Darrun Hilliard combined for another 22 points in reserve roles. Dennis Schroder was the only Hawks starter to manage double - digit scoring, posting 17 points. Kent Bazemore and Kyle Korver combined for just 14 points, while Thabo Sefolosha posted five points in place of Paul Millsap. Dwight Howard notably had only two points and six boards. Mike Muscala, Tim Hardaway 'and Kris Humphries totaled 32 points from the bench."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "48", "Celtics": "42"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "103", "Celtics": "113"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "30", "Celtics": "36"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Brandon Bass": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "8", "Jae Crowder": "1", "Kelly Olynyk": "1", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "2", "Jodie Meeks": "3", "Tayshaun Prince": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Brandon Bass": "0", "Isaiah Thomas": "4", "Jae Crowder": "0", "Kelly Olynyk": "0", "Andre Drummond": "0", "Reggie Jackson": "1", "Jodie Meeks": "3", "Tayshaun Prince": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Brandon Bass": "7", "Jae Crowder": "8", "Kelly Olynyk": "9", "Greg Monroe": "14", "Andre Drummond": "19", "Reggie Jackson": "18", "Jodie Meeks": "4", "Tayshaun Prince": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Brandon Bass": "5", "Jae Crowder": "4", "Kelly Olynyk": "5", "Greg Monroe": "9", "Andre Drummond": "11", "Reggie Jackson": "10", "Jodie Meeks": "4", "Tayshaun Prince": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Brandon Bass": "6", "Jae Crowder": "9", "Kelly Olynyk": "2", "Greg Monroe": "2", "Andre Drummond": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Brandon Bass": "6", "Jae Crowder": "9", "Kelly Olynyk": "2", "Greg Monroe": "1", "Andre Drummond": "0"}, "Points": {"Brandon Bass": "16", "Isaiah Thomas": "34", "Jae Crowder": "17", "Kelly Olynyk": "12", "Greg Monroe": "19", "Andre Drummond": "22", "Reggie Jackson": "21", "Jodie Meeks": "13", "Tayshaun Prince": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Brandon Bass": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Jae Crowder": "6", "Greg Monroe": "10", "Andre Drummond": "14"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "6", "Reggie Jackson": "15"}, "Minutes played": {"Kelly Olynyk": "18"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Andre Drummond": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Reggie Jackson": "7"}}], "The Boston Celtics (36 - 42) defeated the Detroit Pistons (30 - 48) 113 - 103 on Wednesday at the Palace of Auburn Hills. By taking the loss Wednesday, the Pistons were officially eliminated from playoff contention. The Celtics, on the other hand, picked up a much needed win, as they continue to sit as the eighth and final projected playoff seed in the Eastern Conference standings. They own just a one game lead over the Miami Heat, while also holding just a game and a half lead over the Indiana Pacers. With just four games left in the regular season, they Celtics will need to win the majority of their games from here on out. The Celtics saw another monster performance from Isaiah Thomas off the bench. He went 10 - for - 17 from the field and 4 - for - 8 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 34 points while also adding six assists in 29 minutes. He's been dominant lately for the Celtics offensively, averaging 27 points over his last three games. Thomas received some help from Brandon Bass though, who added 16 points (5 - 7 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) and four rebounds in 20 minutes as a starter. He's now pushed his season averages to 11 points and 5 rebounds on the year. Also coming off the bench for an impressive performance was Jae Crowder, who chipped in with 17 points 4 - 8 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 9 - 9 FT) and six rebounds. Crowder has been dealing with an ankle injury recently, but he did n't seem to have too many problems with it Wednesday. Kelly Olynyk reached double figures off the bench as well with 12 points (5 - 9 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) in just 18 minutes. Despite taking the loss, it was Reggie Jackson who continued his strong play of late. He finished with a double - double, going for 21 points (10 - 18 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt) and 15 assists. It was n't all good for the guard though, as he did record seven turnovers as well. It marked his second double - double in a row, a stretch where he's combined to go 21 - for - 36 from the field and 3 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 50 points. Both Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe posted a double - double of their own. Drummond finished with 22 points (11 - 19 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 0 - 3 FT) and 14 rebounds, while Monroe had 19 points (9 - 14 FG, 1 - 2 FT) and 10 rebounds. This marked the fifth game out of the last six that Drummond recorded double - digit rebounds. Both Jodie Meeks and Tayshaun Prince finished in double figures off the bench. Meeks went a perfect 4 - for - 4 from the field and 3 - for - 3 from deep to score 13 points, while Prince went 7 - for - 8 from the field and 1 - for - 1 from beyond the arc to finish with 15 points. The Celtics' next game will be on the road against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, while the Pistons will be at home against the Indiana Pacers on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Knicks": "20", "Heat": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "37", "Heat": "48"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "47", "Heat": "38"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "88", "Heat": "105"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Knicks": "52", "Heat": "40"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "28", "Heat": "37"}}, {"Assists": {"Hassan Whiteside": "1", "Goran Dragic": "9", "Josh Richardson": "1", "James Johnson": "4", "Tyler Johnson": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Kristaps Porzingis": "2", "Willy Hernangomez": "1", "Courtney Lee": "1", "Chasson Randle": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4", "Josh Richardson": "1", "James Johnson": "2", "Kristaps Porzingis": "3", "Courtney Lee": "1"}, "Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "11", "Goran Dragic": "20", "Josh Richardson": "17", "James Johnson": "18", "Tyler Johnson": "12", "Carmelo Anthony": "9", "Kristaps Porzingis": "20", "Willy Hernangomez": "12", "Courtney Lee": "10", "Chasson Randle": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "9", "Goran Dragic": "7", "Josh Richardson": "1", "James Johnson": "7", "Tyler Johnson": "7", "Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Kristaps Porzingis": "8", "Willy Hernangomez": "9", "Courtney Lee": "2", "Chasson Randle": "4"}, "Steals": {"Goran Dragic": "2", "Josh Richardson": "5", "James Johnson": "3", "Courtney Lee": "2"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the New York Knicks, 105 - 88, at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday evening. The Heat (37 - 38) continued their fight to preserve the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference against a Knicks (28 - 47) that was missing Derrick Rose (knee) and exploited New York's short - handedness. Miami shot 48 percent from the field and 48 percent from three - point range while limiting the Knicks to respective figures of 37 and 20 percent in those categories. New York notably won the rebound battle by a 52 - 40 margin but trailed in every quarter on the way to the double - digit loss. Miami was led by Goran Dragic, who tallied 20 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and two steals. Josh Richardson followed with 17 points, one assist, one rebound, five steals and one block. Hassan Whiteside had a near double - double with 11 points, nine boards, one assist and four blocks. James Johnson led the bench with 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks. Tyler Johnson was productive as a reserve as well with 12 points, seven rebounds and one assist. Kristaps Porzingis paced New York with 20 points, eight boards, two assists and three blocks. Willy Herangomez provided 12 points, nine rebounds and one assist. Courtney Lee registered 10 points, two rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block. Carmelo Anthony had a modest game by his standards with nine points, seven boards and one assist. Chasson Randle led the bench with nine points, four rebounds and three assists. The Heat and Knicks reconvene in Miami on Friday night for the second game of the home - and - home series."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "11"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "109", "Pistons": "102"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "5"}}, {"Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "5", "Kelly Olynyk": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andre Drummond": "18", "Brandon Jennings": "11", "Greg Monroe": "17", "Jeff Green": "22", "Kelly Olynyk": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Andre Drummond": "12", "Greg Monroe": "9", "Jeff Green": "8", "Kelly Olynyk": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andre Drummond": "8", "Greg Monroe": "11", "Jeff Green": "10", "Kelly Olynyk": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Andre Drummond": "3", "Greg Monroe": "11", "Jeff Green": "10", "Kelly Olynyk": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Andre Drummond": "42", "Greg Monroe": "32", "Kelly Olynyk": "27"}, "Points": {"Andre Drummond": "27", "Greg Monroe": "29", "Jeff Green": "32", "Kelly Olynyk": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "14", "Greg Monroe": "7", "Jeff Green": "5", "Kelly Olynyk": "7"}, "Steals": {"Andre Drummond": "4", "Kelly Olynyk": "2"}, "Assists": {"Brandon Jennings": "12"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jeff Green": "10", "Kelly Olynyk": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jeff Green": "6", "Kelly Olynyk": "2"}}], "The Boston Celtics (5 - 11) defended their home court well in this game, knocking off the Detroit Pistons (3 - 15) 109 - 102 in overtime on Wednesday night at the TD Garden. Detroit pushed hard to try to break their losing streak, but in the end, it just was n't enough. They have now lost 10 games in a row, and ca n't seem to find an answer. The bright spots for Detroit on this night were their big men, as Greg Monroe came off the bench to score 29 points (9 - 17 FG, 11 - 11 FT) to go with seven rebounds in 32 minutes. Andre Drummond dominated through 42 minutes of play, as he scored 27 points (12 - 18 FG, 3 - 8 FT) to go with 14 rebounds, five blocks and four steals. Brandon Jennings, who has had an up - and - down year, missed all 11 of the shots he took but dished out 12 assists. As for the Celtics, they were led by an impressive game from Jeff Green, who scored 32 points (8 - 22 FG, 6 - 10 3Pt, 10 - 10 Ft) to go with five rebounds. This was the type of night that Green is capable of having, and he was lighting it up from behind the three - point line. Kelly Olynyk was big off of the bench in 27 minutes, as he scored 20 points (8 - 13 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 5 FT) to go with seven rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals. While only three players scored in double figures for the Celtics, it ended up being enough, and they saw a total of 10 players score throughout the game. It was a nice win to get back into the win column for the Celtics on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "39"}}, {"Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "21", "Goran Dragic": "17", "Tyler Johnson": "16", "Terrence Ross": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "16"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Terrence Ross": "43"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Terrence Ross": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Terrence Ross": "8"}}], "The Raptors usually need little else besides DeMar DeRozan to conquer opponents. Such was the case again Friday, when the All-Star guard went for a game - high 34 points. While Kyle Lowry was the only other member of the first unit to tally double - digit scoring, Terrence Ross posted 20 points off the bench on 8 - of - 15 shooting to lend a sizable boost to the Raptors offense. DeRozan and Ross were a combined 22 - of - 41 from the field, but the rest of the team drained just 15 of a collective 43 attempts. The Heat received a trio of strong efforts from Hassan Whiteside (21 points, 16 rebounds), Goran Dragic (17 points) and Tyler Johnson (16 points), yet managed just a 39 percent success rate from the field. They were also whistled for 22 fouls, leading to 16 Raptors points."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "13", "Clippers": "5"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "96", "Clippers": "114"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pelicans": "20"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "7", "Clippers": "16"}, "Turnovers": {"Clippers": "9"}}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "4", "Chris Paul": "13", "Anthony Davis": "4", "Tim Frazier": "8"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "27", "DeAndre Jordan": "6", "Chris Paul": "17", "Jamal Crawford": "21", "Anthony Davis": "21", "Tim Frazier": "8", "E'Twaun Moore": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "13", "Chris Paul": "8"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the host New Orleans Pelicans, 114 - 96, at Smoothie King Center on Friday. The Clippers are the far superior team and they showed why in this win. In fact, they led for the entirety of the second half, leading by 20 points at times in their victory. Los Angeles was lights - out from the field, shooting 51 percent from the field, 42 percent from three - point range and 88 percent from the free - three line. Turnovers really killed the Pelicans, as they committed 14, while forcing just nine from the Clippers. The Los Angeles starters controlled the game, outscoring the New Orleans starters, 77 - 48. The Clippers (16 - 5) were playing the second half of a back - to - back, but that did n't appear to slow them down a bit. Blake Griffin was the player of the game, as he accumulated 27 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in the win. Chris Paul flirted with a triple - double, amassing 17 points, eight rebounds and 13 assists. DeAndre Jordan scored just six points, but grabbed 13 rebounds and recorded two blocks. Jamal Crawford dropped 21 important points off the bench as well. On deck for Los Angeles is a home matchup against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. The Pelicans (7 - 13) have been much better recently, but this was a tough task against an elite Clippers team. Anthony Davis was the only starter in double figures, as he tallied 21 points, six rebounds and four assists. E'Twaun Moore was second on the team, scoring 15 points off the bench. Tim Frazier accrued eight points and eight assists as the starting point guard. Terrence Jones had a nice game off the bench, totaling 12 points and nine rebounds. The Pelicans will return to action on Sunday, when they face the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road."], [[{"Wins": {"Hornets": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "10", "James Harden": "10"}, "Points": {"Kemba Walker": "25", "James Harden": "40"}, "Rebounds": {"Kemba Walker": "6", "James Harden": "15"}}], "This looked like a laugher early on, but this shorthanded Charlotte team fought back in the second half to make it a game. In fact, the Rockets led by 20 at the half, as the Hornets fought all the way back to take a lead with a few minutes left. The key difference for Houston was their transition offense, as they won the fastbreak battle, 25 - 2. The Rockets also took advantage of the whistle, attempting 24 more free - throws than the Hornets. James Harden added another triple - double to his tally, leading the team with 40 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists. Only seven other players took the court for Houston, but they all scored between five and 16 points. Kemba Walker had to carry the load with Nicolas Batum (knee) injured, as he led Charlotte with 25 points, six rebounds and 10 assists. The Hornets bench kept them hanging around, as Spencer Hawes, Marco Belinelli and Frank Kaminsky combined for 53 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "25", "Rockets": "26"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "42", "Rockets": "39"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "99", "Rockets": "102"}}, {"Assists": {"James Harden": "12", "Russell Westbrook": "10"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"James Harden": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Harden": "8"}, "Points": {"James Harden": "21", "Russell Westbrook": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "8"}}], "The Houston Rockets escaped with a 102 - 99 victory over the host Oklahoma City Thunder, after a chaotic final few minutes at Chesapeake Energy Arena, on Friday. The Rockets led by as many as 13 in the fourth quarter before the Thunder went on a 13 - 2 run bringing the score to 94 - 92 for Houston with 3:20 to go. The final minutes were full of steals, turnovers, rebounds and all - out desperation, but the Rockets were able to come out with the win, evening the season series with Oklahoma City at 1 - 1. James Harden led the way for the Rockets with 21 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds, while his counterpart Russell Westbrook notched his seventh straight triple - double, with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Both teams struggled shooting, as the Rockets shot 39 percent overall and 26 percent from long range, while the Thunder shot 42 percent overall and 25 percent from long range. The Thunder won the match - up at the foul line, scoring 24 free throws, compared to 19 from the Rockets. Both teams also gave up a large amount of turnovers, while Russell Westbrook and James Harden each had eight on their own. All things considered it was not the prettiest game but the result is just as important nonetheless, given both team's battle for position in the West. The Rockets have won five straight and will look to continue rolling as they play host to the Mavericks on Saturday, in the second night of a back - to - back for both teams. The Thunder saw their six - game win streak come to an end but will look to get back on track as they play host to the Celtics on Sunday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Timberwolves": "17", "Warriors": "30"}, "Losses": {"Timberwolves": "18", "Warriors": "4"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "108", "Warriors": "116"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Timberwolves": "20", "Warriors": "38"}, "Rebounds": {"Timberwolves": "51", "Warriors": "37"}, "Turnovers": {"Timberwolves": "14", "Warriors": "8"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "6", "Warriors": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "5", "Draymond Green": "4", "Stephen Curry": "9", "Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Zach LaVine": "4"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "22", "Draymond Green": "18", "Klay Thompson": "30", "Stephen Curry": "22", "Andrew Wiggins": "25", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "25", "Zach LaVine": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "8", "Draymond Green": "5", "Klay Thompson": "6", "Stephen Curry": "4", "Andrew Wiggins": "5", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "18", "Zach LaVine": "3"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the host Minnesota Timberwolves, 116 - 108, at Target Center on Sunday. While Golden State did pull out the result most expected, it did n't come in easy fashion. In fact, the Warriors had to rally in a 38 - 20 fourth quarter to come back and win this game. The biggest factor was the assist - to - turnover ratio, with Golden State dishing out 30 assists to just eight turnovers, while Minnesota assisted just 17 times, while committing 14 turnovers. The Timberwolves lost this game despite winning the rebounding battle, 51 - 37. Free-throw shooting was also huge for the Warriors, as they went 27 - of - 30 from the charity stripe in their comeback win. The Warriors (21 - 4) are coming off their worst loss of the season, so a comeback win is all they could ask for to get right back on track. Klay Thompson led the team in scoring, as he dropped 30 points and six rebounds. Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant each scored 22 apiece, as Durant added eight rebounds and five assists, while Curry provided four rebounds and nine assists. Draymond Green was the only other Warrior in double figures, totaling 18 points, five rebounds and four assists. Golden State will look to build off this win in a road matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday. The Timberwolves (6 - 18) have struggled all season and a meltdown like this to the best team in the league only adds to the troubles. Karl-Anthony Towns did all he could to keep the T'Wolves hanging around, as he tallied 25 points and 18 rebounds in the defeat. Zach LaVine and Andrew Wiggins also scored 25 points apiece, as the only other Minnesota players with at least 11 points. LaVine also added three rebounds and four assists, with Wiggins including five rebounds and two assists to his line. The Timberwolves next game will be on Tuesday, as they play the Chicago Bulls on the road."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Rockets": "29", "Clippers": "22"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "56"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "9", "Clippers": "13"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "140", "Clippers": "116"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Rockets": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Rockets": "45", "Clippers": "38"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "25", "Clippers": "22"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "11", "James Harden": "15", "Montrezl Harrell": "14", "Eric Gordon": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "9", "James Harden": "10", "Montrezl Harrell": "10", "Eric Gordon": "5"}, "Points": {"DeAndre Jordan": "20", "Raymond Felton": "26", "Marreese Speights": "15", "Trevor Ariza": "18", "Patrick Beverley": "15", "James Harden": "30", "Montrezl Harrell": "29", "Eric Gordon": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "13", "Raymond Felton": "5", "Marreese Speights": "7", "Trevor Ariza": "4", "Patrick Beverley": "7", "James Harden": "13"}, "Assists": {"Raymond Felton": "8", "Trevor Ariza": "7", "Patrick Beverley": "3", "James Harden": "10", "Montrezl Harrell": "3"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "5"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Houston Rockets, 140 - 116, at Toyota Center on Friday. These are two teams going in opposite directions right now, as the Rockets put it to the Clippers in this blowout win. Not only did they score at least 32 points in every quarter, they shot 56 percent from the field against one of the best defenses in the NBA. The Rockets did have a 26 - point lead that was brought down to six in the fourth quarter, but they responded with a 160 run to take control late. Houston took advantage of a happy whistle, as they went 36 - of - 43 from the free - throw line, while Los Angles took just 16 free - throw attempts. The Rockets also won the rebounding (45 - 38) and assisting (29 - 22) differential by seven a piece, as they never trailed after the first quarter. The Clippers (22 - 13) had to play this game without Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, as they were simply outmatched against a hot Rockets bunch. The frustration hit the fan too, as Austin Rivers and Doc Rivers were both ejected in the second quarter. Raymond Felton did all he could to keep them hanging around, as he led the team with 26 points, five rebounds and eight assists off the bench. DeAndre Jordan led the starters in his homecoming game, as he totaled 20 points and 13 rebounds on 9 - of - 11 shooting. Jamal Crawford and J.J. Redick struggled, as they combined for 13 points on 5 - of - 19 shooting. Marreese Speights played well off the bench, accruing 15 points and seven rebounds. Los Angeles will look to play better on Saturday, when they play the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road. The Rockets (25 - 9) have been dominant on offense all season, but this 140 - spot marked their high of the year. James Harden recorded yet another triple - double, as he accumulated 30 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists and five steals on 10 - of - 15 shooting. Montrezl Harrell was second on the team, as he dropped a career - high 29 points on 10 - of - 14 shooting off the bench. Trevor Ariza collected 18 points, four rebounds and seven assists, while Patrick Beverley provided 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists of his own. Eric Gordon scored 19 points off the bench on 5 - of - 7 shooting. Houston plays again on Saturday, as they host the New York Knicks for their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "4", "Celtics": "9"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "108", "Celtics": "105"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "17", "Celtics": "11"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "45"}}, {"Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "8"}, "Points": {"Isaiah Thomas": "23", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Isaiah Thomas": "4", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "8"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (17 - 4) held off the Boston Celtics (11 - 9) 108 - 105 to keep their home court undefeated streak alive. The Spurs came into this game 100 at home with a dominating 17 - point differential average and they were fortunate to keep that streak alive here. This game came down to the wire, even though the Spurs led by 17 points late in the third quarter. San Antonio outrebounded Boston 48 - 39 and outshot them 52 percent to 45 percent. Even though it goes down as a loss in the record book, this is a game the young Celtics can build off of. Boston came into this game as double - digit underdogs and nearly escaped with an impressive win. They were trailing big, but fought back to make it a two - point game with 10 seconds left. They couldn\u2019t quite pull it off, but it was a great effort all - around. Boston was led by Isaiah Thomas, who tallied 23 points, eight assists and four rebounds in the loss. The team had four players score 16 or more points and that\u2019s indicative of this teams nature, as they play team - ball in an individualized sport. The Celtics will look to rebound when they take on the disappointing New Orleans Pelicans on Monday. The Spurs did not have a single player who scored more than 17 points, but that's not a huge surprise with this San Antonio team. The bench was spectacular, as they combined for 54 points, 22 rebounds and 11 assists in the win. The high - scorer for the Spurs on this evening was LaMarcus Aldridge, who collected 17 points and eight rebounds. The Spurs are quietly putting together another fantastic start to the season and they are going to be tough to beat at home come playoff time. Up next for San Antonio is the one - win Philadelphia 76ers on Monday, in what could very well be a lopsided game."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pelicans": "29", "Celtics": "29"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "2"}}, {"Personal fouls": {"Avery Bradley": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Avery Bradley": "10", "Anthony Davis": "16"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "7"}, "Points": {"Isaiah Thomas": "37", "Anthony Davis": "25"}, "Blocks": {"Terrence Jones": "2"}}], "In a battle between two injury - riddled teams, the Pelicans were able to prevail for their second win. Both teams shot just 29 percent from three - point range, but the Celtics took 41 attempts to the Pelicans 21. New Orleans took advantage of the happy whistle, as they went 30 - of - 36 from the free - throw line, to Boston's 17 - of - 20. Avery Bradley's 18 points and 10 rebounds continued a rare feat, as he now has four double - doubles this season, while leading the Celtics in rebounding. Isaiah Thomas carried the load though, as he scored a game - high 37 points and dished out seven assists. Anthony Davis had to do even more than Thomas, as his 25 points and 16 rebounds left him as the only Pelican starter with more than 10 points or four boards. Terrence Jones and Langston Galloway were a huge spark off the bench, as they combined for 36 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks in the win. In contrast, the six players who came off the Boston bench combined for just 20 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and four steals."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "26", "Rockets": "10"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "119", "Rockets": "105"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "13", "Rockets": "31"}}, {"Assists": {"James Harden": "12", "Andrew Wiggins": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"James Harden": "39", "Andrew Wiggins": "38", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "38", "Shabazz Muhammad": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "6", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "18", "Shabazz Muhammad": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "28", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "23", "Shabazz Muhammad": "20"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2"}, "Steals": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1"}}], "The visiting Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Houston Rockets, 119 - 105, Wednesday at Target Center. The Timberwolves (13 - 26) were without one of their young stars in Zach LaVine (hip) in Wednesday's showdown with one of the NBA's best teams, but it ended up not mattering, as Minnesota managed to lead from start to finish on the backs of their other two stars, Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns. Wiggins led the way scoring, putting up 28 points in 38 minutes, while Towns managed to post a monster double - double of 23 points and 18 rebounds. Shabazz Muhammed also added a stellar performance off the bench, as he scored 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds in 30 minutes as a reserve. As a team, it was a great all - around effort for the Wolves, as six players managed to score in double - figures Wednesday night. As for the Rockets (31 - 10), the loss ended their nine - game win streak, but even in defeat, MVP-candidate James Harden still managed to put up spectacular numbers, posting 30 points, 12 assists and six rebounds in 39 minutes. Their problems stemmed from their lack of bench production, however, as without Eric Gordon (toe) for the second straight game, the bench lacked its usual luster and produced just 29 total points. The loss is just a minor scratch on the Rockets' season however, as the team has now put win streaks of nine and ten games together over the past month and remain just a half - game behind the Spurs for first place in the Southwest Division. Up next, the Timberwolves will look to extend their win streak to three games when they take on the Thunder on Friday, while the Rockets look to start a new win streak Friday against the Grizzlies."], [[{"Total points": {"Wizards": "104", "Hawks": "100"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hawks": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "9"}, "Personal fouls": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "4"}, "Points": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "29"}}], "Tim Hardaway Jr. is easily having the most productive season of his young NBA career this year, and he has had plenty of standout performances as a result. However, those performances have not always translated to wins for his team, and Wednesday was yet another example. Hardaway Jr. finished with a game - high 29 points on an efficient 9 - of - 16 shooting from the field, but his team fell short against the Wizards 104 - 100. In the 18 games this season where Hardaway Jr. has scored at least 20 points, the Hawks are just 9 - 9 and have lost three of their last four contests when the shooting guard reaches that milestone of 20 points. That should not take away from the fact, however, that Hardaway Jr. has those 18 performances of at least 20 points after scoring at least 20 points just twice all of last season."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Suns": "23"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "5"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "18", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "19", "Tyson Chandler": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "7", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "8", "Tyson Chandler": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "10"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "25", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "22", "Alex Len": "6", "Eric Bledsoe": "23", "Tyson Chandler": "6"}, "Assists": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "4", "Eric Bledsoe": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "10", "Alex Len": "11", "Eric Bledsoe": "6", "Tyson Chandler": "7"}, "Steals": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Eric Bledsoe": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Eric Bledsoe": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Tyson Chandler": "11"}}], "All five starters scored in double - digits for the Timberwolves. Andrew Wiggins led the way as he broke - out of a cold streak with 25 points on 7 - of - 18 shooting, including 1 - of - 3 from long distance. Wiggins went 10 - of - 11 from the free throw line. Karl-Anthony Towns was solid with 22 points on 8 - of - 19 shooting, including 2 - of - 6 from long range, along with 10 rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block. Minnesota went 23 - of - 25 from the free throw line. The Suns on the other hand went 15 - of - 21 from the free throw line and struggled from three - point range, shooting 6 - of - 26. Eric Bledsoe led the way for Phoenix with 23 points, 10 assists, six rebounds and three steals but gave up an ugly seven turnovers. Alex Len tallied six points and 11 rebounds, while Tyson Chandler went 3 - of - 3 in 11 minutes off the bench on his way to six points in addition to seven rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "6"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "105", "Hornets": "75"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "9"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"PJ Hairston": "7", "Al Horford": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"PJ Hairston": "3", "Al Horford": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"PJ Hairston": "13", "Paul Millsap": "10", "Al Horford": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"PJ Hairston": "5", "Paul Millsap": "7", "Al Horford": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"PJ Hairston": "2", "Paul Millsap": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"PJ Hairston": "2", "Paul Millsap": "4"}, "Points": {"PJ Hairston": "15", "Paul Millsap": "18", "Al Horford": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "6"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (9 - 6) demolished the Charlotte Hornets (4 - 15) with a 105 - 75 victory at Phillips Arena on Saturday. With Marvin Williams (shoulder), Gary Neal (shoulder) and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (foot) still out of the Hornets rotation, the Hawks front - court was easily able to take control of the game. The offensive onslaught was lead by Paul Millsap who finished with a 18 points (7 - 10 FG, 4 - 5 FT) and six rebounds. Millsap's front - court partner, Al Horford, also contributed 11 points (5 - 6 FG, 1 - 1 3PT) and five rebounds. Atlanta had six players that finished in double - digit scoring. The Hornets' leading scorer was rookie P.J. Hairston who finished with a career - high 15 points (5 - 13 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT). Charlotte will look to redeem themselves as they'll go back home to face the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, while the Hawks will stay home to face the Celtics on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "20", "Grizzlies": "9"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "114", "Grizzlies": "85"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "14", "Grizzlies": "24"}}, {"Points": {"Marc Gasol": "18", "Jordan Adams": "12", "Arron Afflalo": "23", "Ty Lawson": "25", "Jusuf Nurkic": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jordan Adams": "1", "Ty Lawson": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jordan Adams": "1", "Ty Lawson": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jordan Adams": "6", "Ty Lawson": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Jordan Adams": "5", "Ty Lawson": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jordan Adams": "2", "Ty Lawson": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Jordan Adams": "1", "Ty Lawson": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Jordan Adams": "6", "Ty Lawson": "37", "Jusuf Nurkic": "23", "Nate Robinson": "5"}, "Assists": {"Ty Lawson": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Ty Lawson": "2", "Jusuf Nurkic": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Ty Lawson": "5", "Jusuf Nurkic": "10"}, "Steals": {"Ty Lawson": "2", "Jusuf Nurkic": "2"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (14 - 20) beat the Memphis Grizzlies (24 - 9) 114 - 85. Zach Randolph (knee) missed his seventh consecutive game, and teammate Beno Udrih (leg contusion) was a late scratch. Nate Robinson was limited to five minutes after spraining his right wrist. Rookie Jusuf Nurkic recorded his second straight double - double (11 points, 10 rebounds) in just 23 minutes. He also blocked a career - high five shots and earned a technical foul. Arron Afflalo scored 14 of his 23 points in the penultimate quarter, and Ty Lawson paced the Nuggets with 25 points (10 - 14 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT), 11 assists, five rebounds, two steals and two blocks in 37 minutes. Eleven different Grizzlies played at least 15 minutes but no more than 27 in the route. Marc Gasol scored 10 of his 18 points in the first quarter, and Jordan Adams scored 12 points (5 - 6 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) in just six minutes off the bench. Jon Leuer was the only starter to play in the fourth quarter. The team finished 2 - of - 14 from downtown. The Grizzlies return home Monday from a two - game road trip to take on the New York Knicks (5 - 30), losers of ten straight. Denver will travel to Minnesota (5 - 27) on Monday to face the team with a league - leading eleven straight losses."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Justin Hamilton": "21"}}], "The more they play together, Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis have increasingly become a difficult duo for opponents to contain. That manifested itself again Wednesday, when they simultaneously went over the 20 - point mark for the third straight game. Anthony and Porzingis combined for 43 points, 15 boards, three assists, three steals and three blocks, making up a large amount of the Knicks' offense on the night. It was a different story for the Nets, who once again relied heavily on Brook Lopez. The big man came through with 21 points, four boards, an assist and three blocks. However, the rest of the starting five went just 6 - of - 28 from the field, totaling just 26 combined points. Ironically, the only other double - digit scorer was fellow big man Justin Hamilton, who compiled 21 points to lead the reserves."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "26", "Pistons": "36"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "99", "Pistons": "95"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "34", "Pistons": "23"}}, {"Blocks": {"Greg Monroe": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Greg Monroe": "33", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "25", "Paul Pierce": "34", "Marcin Gortat": "39", "Bradley Beal": "33"}, "Points": {"Greg Monroe": "21", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "20", "Paul Pierce": "14", "Bradley Beal": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Greg Monroe": "10", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "4", "Paul Pierce": "5", "Marcin Gortat": "17", "Bradley Beal": "6"}, "Steals": {"Greg Monroe": "1", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "1", "Bradley Beal": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Greg Monroe": "6", "Paul Pierce": "2"}, "Assists": {"Spencer Dinwiddie": "8", "Paul Pierce": "5", "Bradley Beal": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Spencer Dinwiddie": "1", "Paul Pierce": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Spencer Dinwiddie": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Paul Pierce": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul Pierce": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Bradley Beal": "2"}}], "The Washington Wizards (34 - 26) snapped a six - game losing streak while extending the Detroit Pistons\u2019 (23 - 36) streak to three straight losses in their 99 - 95 victory. Bradley Beal and Paul Pierce returned to the lineup after lengthy injury absences. Beal played 33 minutes after missing the previous eight games due to a stress reaction in his foot, compiling eight points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals on 2 - of - 10 shooting. Pierce jumped back into the starting lineup after missing two games with knee soreness, helping the Wizards with 14 points, five rebounds, five assists, and four three - pointers in 34 minutes. Marcin Gortat grabbed a season - high 17 rebounds in 39 minutes. Rookie Spencer Dinwiddie led the Piston with 20 points, eight assists, four rebounds, and one steal in 25 minutes one game after receiving a DNP-CD. His performance relegated recently acquired Reggie Jackson to bench the final quarter. Greg Monroe recorded his 28th double - double, finishing with 21 points, 10 rebounds, one steal, one block and six turnovers in a team - high 33 minutes. The Pistons have three days off before battling the Pelicans in New Orleans. The Wizards take on the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "5", "Cavaliers": "3"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "104", "Cavaliers": "99"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pistons": "20"}, "Turnovers": {"Pistons": "13"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "6", "Cavaliers": "8"}}, {"Points": {"LeBron James": "30", "Kevin Love": "19", "JR Smith": "15", "Mo Williams": "15", "Marcus Morris": "14", "Ersan Ilyasova": "20", "Andre Drummond": "25", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "13", "Reggie Jackson": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Love": "9", "Andre Drummond": "18"}, "Assists": {"Reggie Jackson": "12"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (6 - 5) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (8 - 3) 104 - 99 on Tuesday. At this rate, anything less than a monster double - double will be a disappointment for Andre Drummond. The Pistons\u2019 superstar center tallied his 11th straight performance with double - digit points and boards, meaning he\u2019s achieved the feat in each of Detroit\u2019s contests this season. He contributed a team - high 25 points and 18 rebounds Tuesday to spearhead an impressive victory, which featured Detroit rallying after entering the fourth quarter trailing 81 - 75. The Cavs were led by LeBron James, who contributed a game - high 30 points. The remaining four starters accounted for virtually the rest of the Cleveland offense, as the bench could only pitch in 10 points overall. Kevin Love backed up James\u2019 effort with a 19 - point, nine - rebound outing, while J.R. Smith and Mo Williams notably pitched in 15 points apiece. Cleveland fell to 8 - 3 but remains in first place in the Eastern Conference\u2019s Central Division. They head home to face the Bucks on Thursday. Drummond wasn\u2019t the only Piston lighting up the scoreboard Tuesday, as Reggie Jackson bounced back from a tough outing Sunday versus the Lakers by contributing a double - double of his own. The Detroit point guard poured in 23 points while handing out 12 assists, several to teammate Ersan Ilyasova, who posted a season high 20 points of his own. The streaky Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and the dependable Marcus Morris made it a perfect five - for - five in double - digit scoring for the Pistons starters, with 13 and 14 points, respectively. The Pistons improved to 6 - 5 and reside in third place in the Eastern Conference\u2019s Central Division. They now travel to Minnesota for a Friday date with the Timberwolves."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "42", "Celtics": "23"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "109", "Celtics": "106"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "21", "Celtics": "40"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "38"}}, {"Points": {"Jae Crowder": "16", "Amir Johnson": "13", "Isaiah Thomas": "35", "Terry Rozier": "14", "TJ Warren": "14", "Devin Booker": "16", "Eric Bledsoe": "28", "Alan Williams": "11", "Tyler Ulis": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Jae Crowder": "10", "Isaiah Thomas": "2", "Terry Rozier": "4", "TJ Warren": "7", "Devin Booker": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "6", "Alan Williams": "15"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "9", "Tyler Ulis": "5"}, "Steals": {"Isaiah Thomas": "2", "Tyler Ulis": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tyler Ulis": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tyler Ulis": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Tyler Ulis": "3"}}], "The Phoenix Suns defeated the Boston Celtics, 109 - 106, at Talking Stick Resort Arena on Sunday. Boston appeared to be the heavy favorite on paper, but Phoenix has been a much better team over recent weeks. The fourth quarter was especially tight, as there were five ties and eight lead changes alone in the fourth quarter. It was a hectic last 15 seconds, as Phoenix hit a lay - up with 12 seconds left to tie and then recorded a steal to eventually win on a game - winning three at the buzzer by Tyler Ulis. Defense was key for the Suns, as they held the Celtics to 38 percent shooting, while winning the turnover battle. Scoring in the paint was a huge factor as well, with Phoenix winning that battle, 52 - 32. The Celtics (40 - 23) had to play this game without Al Horford and Avery Bradley, as they did n't have enough bullets in the arsenal to hold off the Suns. Isaiah Thomas carried the load, as he tallied 35 points, two rebounds, five assists and two steals. Jae Crowder finished second on the team, totaling 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Jaylen Brown and Amir Johnson scored 13 points apiece. Terry Rozier led the bench with 14 points and four rebounds. On deck for Boston is a road matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday. The Suns (21 - 42) achieved their first three - game winning streak of them season with this victory, as this stretch gives them some hope for the future. Eric Bledsoe was the star, as he collected 28 points, six rebounds and nine assists. Tyler Ulis provided 20 points and five assists off the bench, including the game - winning three. Alan Williams also had a nice game off the bench, amassing 11 points and 15 rebounds. Devin Booker scored 16 points to go along with five rebounds, while T.J. Warren accrued 14 points and seven rebounds. Phoenix will host the Washington Wizards for their next game on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "42"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "19"}}, {"Points": {"Dwight Howard": "20", "Andrew Wiggins": "21", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "22", "Zach LaVine": "21"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "3", "Zach LaVine": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "3"}}], "It was a big night for Minnesota's three young 20 point per game scorers on Monday, as all three scored in the 20s once again. Reigning Rookie of the Year Karl-Anthony Towns led the team with 22 points on perfect shooting. Towns went 8 - of - 8 from the field with three three - pointers and shot a perfect 3 - of - 3 at the free - throw line. Meanwhile, Zach LaVine and Andrew Wiggins scored 21 points each. LaVine had six of the Timberwolves' 15 three - pointers. As a whole, the team shot a respectable 45 percent. Atlanta shot just 42 percent and turned the ball over 19 times, two issues that contributed to the Hawks falling behind early in the game. Center Dwight Howard traded blows with Towns, scoring 20 points on perfect shooting himself. However, the effort was not enough to carry the struggling Hawks to victory, as the team hit only eight threes and made just 70 percent of its free - throws."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Magic": "20", "Celtics": "29"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "37"}, "Rebounds": {"Magic": "37"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Celtics": "23"}}, {"Points": {"Jae Crowder": "17", "Al Horford": "10", "Avery Bradley": "23", "D.J. Augustin": "15", "Nikola Vucevic": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Jae Crowder": "10", "Al Horford": "6", "Nikola Vucevic": "10"}, "Assists": {"Al Horford": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Al Horford": "9", "Nikola Vucevic": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Al Horford": "3", "Nikola Vucevic": "5"}}], "While this game was tight throughout the first half, the Celtics really took it to the Magic in their 30 - point win. In fact, Orlando had a one - point lead at the half, but were outscored in the second half, 68 - 37. Shooting was the big difference, with Boston shooting 52 percent and Orlando hitting just 37 percent of their shots. The rebounding and assisting numbers were lopsided as well, with the Celtics recording 48 rebounds and 29 assists, while the Magic grabbed just 37 rebounds and 20 assists. Seven players scored in double figures for Boston, as Avery Bradley leading the team with 23 points. Al Horford scored just 10 points on 3 - of - 9 shooting, but provided six rebounds and eight assists in the victory. Jae Crowder recorded a double - double for the Celtics, totaling 17 points and 10 rebounds. No player on the Magic had more than 15 points or five assists, as D.J. Augustin led the team with his 15 points. Nikola Vucevic came off the bench to record 12 points and 10 rebounds on 5 - of - 14 shooting."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "30", "Spurs": "9"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "94", "Spurs": "104"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "29", "Spurs": "50"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Spurs": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Tim Duncan": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "27", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "26", "Tim Duncan": "6", "James Harden": "27"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "16", "Tim Duncan": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (50 - 9) became the second team in the NBA this season to reach 50 wins Saturday, defeating the Houston Rockets (29 - 30) 104 - 94. Despite a close final score, San Antonio had its way with Houston from the get - go, leading by as much as 31 at points in the game. The Spurs new duo of top scorers, Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge, paved the road to the win with 27 and 26 points respectively. Aldridge added 16 total rebounds in what was one of his best statistical performances of the night. Aging veteran Tim Duncan contributed an unfortunate box score of 6 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists, but provided playmaking that helped bolster the Spurs' blowout win. The team remains second in the Western Conference behind the historic Golden State Warriors, despite still boasting a superior point differential and an undefeated home record. The Rockets are now in ninth place despite reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2014 - 15. The team has hovered around .500 for the majority of the season, and dips back below the mark with the loss to their division rival. Shooting guard James Harden, who remains second in the league in points per game, led the effort against the Spurs with 27 points, but no other starter topped 11. As a whole, the team shot a weak 42 percent from the field. The outcome also holds significance for the playoff picture as Houston's loss makes the conference - leading Warriors the first team in the NBA to clinch playoff berth. San Antonio has three days of rest before hosting the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday. Houston, meanwhile, will visit Milwaukee on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nuggets": "47", "Warriors": "42"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "50", "Warriors": "42"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "41", "Warriors": "13"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "114", "Warriors": "103"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "25", "Warriors": "51"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Justin Holiday": "7", "Leandro Barbosa": "4", "Danilo Gallinari": "3", "Randy Foye": "9", "Jameer Nelson": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Justin Holiday": "5", "Leandro Barbosa": "3", "Danilo Gallinari": "1", "Randy Foye": "4", "Jameer Nelson": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Justin Holiday": "16", "Shaun Livingston": "13", "Leandro Barbosa": "13", "James Michael McAdoo": "10", "Danilo Gallinari": "16", "Kenneth Faried": "18", "Randy Foye": "12", "Jameer Nelson": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Justin Holiday": "9", "Shaun Livingston": "5", "Leandro Barbosa": "5", "James Michael McAdoo": "6", "Danilo Gallinari": "7", "Kenneth Faried": "10", "Randy Foye": "6", "Jameer Nelson": "7"}, "Points": {"Justin Holiday": "23", "Shaun Livingston": "12", "Leandro Barbosa": "14", "James Michael McAdoo": "16", "Danilo Gallinari": "24", "Kenneth Faried": "24", "Randy Foye": "20", "Jameer Nelson": "17"}, "Assists": {"Shaun Livingston": "8", "Leandro Barbosa": "9", "Randy Foye": "8", "Jameer Nelson": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Shaun Livingston": "2", "Leandro Barbosa": "2", "James Michael McAdoo": "6", "Danilo Gallinari": "11", "Kenneth Faried": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Shaun Livingston": "2", "Leandro Barbosa": "1", "James Michael McAdoo": "4", "Danilo Gallinari": "9", "Kenneth Faried": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"James Michael McAdoo": "28", "Danilo Gallinari": "34", "Kenneth Faried": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"James Michael McAdoo": "5", "Danilo Gallinari": "7", "Kenneth Faried": "17", "Randy Foye": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Danilo Gallinari": "5", "Randy Foye": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Danilo Gallinari": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kenneth Faried": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Kenneth Faried": "2"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (25 - 41) defeated the Golden State Warriors (51 - 13) 114 - 103 on Friday at the Pepsi Center in Denver. With the Warriors resting Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry, Andrew Bogut and Andre Iguodala, the Nuggets were able to come out and end the Warriors' five - game win streak. Despite the loss, the Warriors remain six and a half games ahead of the Grizzlies for the number one spot in the Western Conference standings. Helping pull off the win for the Nuggets was their shooting, as they went 50 percent from the field and 47 percent from the three - point line, while the Warriors finished at 42 percent from the floor and 42 percent from deep. The Nuggets continued to use their small lineup during Friday's game, with Kenneth Faried getting the start at center. He was quite successful this time around, finishing with 24 points (10 - 18 FG, 4 - 6 FT) and 17 rebounds in 34 minutes. It marked his second double - double over his last three games, a stretch where he's averaging 19 points and 11 rebounds, while shooting over 55 percent from the field. Danilo Gallinari matched Faried with 24 points (7 - 16 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 9 - 11 FT) of his own, to go along with seven rebounds in 34 minutes. He's on a nice two - game stretch where he's combined for 47 points and 12 rebounds. Randy Foye was the third memeber of the starting lineup to reach the 20 - point mark, as he went 6 - for - 12 from the field and 4 - for - 9 from the three - point line to score 20 points, while adding eight assists. He's been very inconsistent with his scoring, as he's posted anywhere between three and 20 points over his last five games. Jameer Nelson chipped in with 17 points (7 - 12 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt) and seven assists as well. With Curry and Thompson on the bench, Shaun Livingston and Justin Holiday got the start at the guard spots. Holiday finished with a team - high of 23 points (9 - 16 FG, 5 - 7 3Pt), while Livingston added 12 points (5 - 13 FG, 2 - 2 FT) and eight assists as well. This was just the sixth time Holiday has reached double figures in points this season, and a nice surprise for the Warriors, as he's averaging just 4 points on the season. Also helping to keep the Warriors in the game was a couple of their bench players. Rookie James Michael-McAdoo went 6 - for - 10 from the field and 4 - for - 6 from the free throw line to score 16 points, to go along with five rebounds in 28 minutes. It was just his fifth game of the season, as he's spent the majority of his time in the NBA D-League since being signed for the rest of the season by the Warriors in mid - February. It was a career - high in points for the guard. Leandro Barbosa chipped in with 14 points (5 - 13 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and nine assists as well. The Nuggets' next game will be on the road against the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday, while the Warriors will be at home against the New York Knicks on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "18", "Thunder": "14"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "103", "Thunder": "104"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "8", "Thunder": "13"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Thunder": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "31", "Reggie Jackson": "25", "Ed Davis": "18", "Kobe Bryant": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Ed Davis": "32", "Kobe Bryant": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"Ed Davis": "9"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (13 - 14) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (8 - 18) 104 - 103 on Friday. Oklahoma City made their way quickly back into the win column after losing 114 - 109 to the Golden State Warriors on Thursday. Kevin Durant sat out the game as a precautionary measure. He sprained his ankle in Thursday's game, and while Durant wanted to play, the Thunder do n't want him trying to compensate for his sprained ankle, putting himself at risk of reinjuring his surgically repaired foot. Russell Westbrook and Reggie Jackson carried the weight for the Thunder. Westbrook scored a game - high 31 points, and Jackson had 25 points off the bench. Oklahoma City will return home to host the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday. Los Angeles has dropped two straight. Though Kobe Bryant scored just nine points in 35 minutes, the Lakers matched up well with the Thunder in nearly every relevant statistical category. Where the Thunder gained an advantage was at the free - throw line. Los Angeles sent the Thunder to the charity stripe 29 times, with the Thunder converting 22 of their attempts. The Lakers only earned 15 trips to the line, making 11 of their attempts. Ed Davis had his best game of the season, putting up 18 points and nine rebounds in 32 minutes. Los Angeles will go to Sacramento on Sunday to play the Kings."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"James Harden": "15"}, "3-pointers made": {"James Harden": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Harden": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"James Harden": "1"}, "Points": {"James Harden": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "12"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "8"}}], "James Harden's numbers have been off the chart, as the point guard for the Houston Rockets has dropped multiple 15 - plus assist games this season, and added another one against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. The impressive box score effort also played a major role in rallying his team to a difficult victory. While Tony Parker (knee) was sidelined for another game, Harden did see a lot of Patty Mills and Kawhi Leonard, however, the matchup went in favor of the Rockets point guard. Harden finished with 24 points, 15 assists, 12 rebounds, one steal and eight turnovers on 9 - of - 19 shooting. He only got to the free throw line seven times, but was more than effective on the pick - and - roll and working with Clint Capela. The turnovers are of note, given it was his second straight game with eight turnovers, which matched his season high."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "22", "Raptors": "6"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "100", "Raptors": "110"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "5", "Raptors": "21"}}, {"Points": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "17", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "18", "Brandon Jennings": "22", "Jodie Meeks": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "27", "Jodie Meeks": "25"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (21 - 6) defeated the Detroit Pistons (5 - 22) 110 - 100 on Friday. Toronto has won five straight games, knocking down most of the Eastern Conference's lottery contingent over the last week. Six players scored in double figures for the Raptors. Jonas Valanciunas scored a team - high 17 points and pulled down seven rebounds. They continue to win even without DeMar DeRozan (adductor) in the lineup, maintaining their seat atop the Eastern Conference standings, but a scary injury happened to Landry Fields in Friday's game. Fields took a bad fall and had his head hit the court, causing him to suffer a cut in his head that required eight stitches. Considering the serious potential of the situation, Fields came out OK, even passing a concussion test. The Raptors will play the New York Knicks on Sunday. Detroit has lost their last three games, as they were navigating a murder's row of the Clippers, Mavericks and Raptors. Brandon Jennings scored a game - high 22 points, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope backed his play with 18 points in 27 minutes. Jodie Meeks played 25 minutes off the bench but finished with just four points in 25 minutes. Detroit will try to right the ship when they travel to Brooklyn to take on the Nets on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "46", "Raptors": "37"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "101", "Raptors": "83"}}, {"Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "15", "Jonas Valanciunas": "14", "DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Kyle Lowry": "10", "Cory Joseph": "15", "Paul George": "21", "Myles Turner": "15", "Monta Ellis": "14", "George Hill": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "9", "Kyle Lowry": "5", "Paul George": "11", "Myles Turner": "9", "George Hill": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "13", "Kyle Lowry": "14", "Paul George": "14", "Myles Turner": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "4", "Paul George": "5", "Myles Turner": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMar DeRozan": "37", "Paul George": "40", "Myles Turner": "33"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "10", "Paul George": "6", "Monta Ellis": "5", "George Hill": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "7", "Paul George": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Lowry": "1", "Paul George": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "2", "Paul George": "10", "Myles Turner": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Kyle Lowry": "1", "Paul George": "10", "Myles Turner": "3"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Lowry": "2", "Paul George": "2", "Myles Turner": "1", "Monta Ellis": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Paul George": "1", "Myles Turner": "4"}}], "The Indiana Pacers evened their Eastern Conference first - round playoff series against the visiting Toronto Raptors on Friday with a 101 - 83 victory in Game 6 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Pacers rebounded from a four - point deficit at halftime by outscoring the Raptors 61 - 39 in the second half, including an 180 run. The Raptors did not score a point for more than six minutes beginning from 1:49 left in the third quarter until 7:13 left in the fourth. All five starters scored in double digits for Indiana, led by Paul George who finished with a game - high 21 points (5 - 14 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 10 - 10 FT). George struggled shooting in the first half especially, but contributed across the board with 11 rebounds, six assists, two steals and one block, in 40 minutes. Myles Turner was big, finishing with 15 points (6 - 11 FG, 3 - 3 FT), nine rebounds, four blocked shots, and one steal, in 33 minutes. George Hill chipped in 12 points, five rebounds and four assists, while Monta Ellis added 14 points, five assists and four steals. The Pacers shot 46 percent from the field and 23 - 26 from the free throw line, to avoid elimination. The Raptors started out strong but fell apart in the second half, where they really struggled offensively. The Raptors shot 37 percent from the field, 16 - 25 from the free throw line and gave up 17 turnovers in the game. Kyle Lowry logged a double - double with 10 points (4 - 14 FG, 1 - 7 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and 10 assists, along with five rebounds and two steals, in 38 minutes. DeMarre Carroll and Cory Joseph each tallied a team - high 15 points, while Jonas Valanciunas added 14 points and nine rebounds. The Pacers managed to shut down DeMar DeRozan, who finished with only eight points (3 - 13 FG) in 37 minutes. The series now heads back to Toronto for Game 7. The Raptors will have to lay it all on the line if they want to avoid a third - straight first - round playoff exit."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "18", "Timberwolves": "30"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "98", "Timberwolves": "84"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "20", "Timberwolves": "5"}}, {"Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "5", "Zach LaVine": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Andrew Wiggins": "39", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "29", "Kenyon Martin": "8"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "20", "Zach LaVine": "6", "Kenyon Martin": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "7", "Zach LaVine": "6", "Jerryd Bayless": "5", "Kenyon Martin": "2"}, "Steals": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Zach LaVine": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Kenyon Martin": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kenyon Martin": "3"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (20 - 18) beat the Minnesota Timberwolves (5 - 30) 98 - 84 on Friday. Andrew Wiggins continued his recent surge, finishing with 20 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals in 39 minutes. Wiggins has scored 20 points in eight of the last nine games after scoring 20 just four times in his first 26 games. Zach Levine had six points, six rebounds, four assists and one steal starting in place of Mo Williams (ankle) while Ricky Rubio (ankle) continues to sit out. The Timberwolves only lost one quarter in this game, unfortunately it was by 18 points in the second. They have not won a game since Dec. 10, losing 14 games in that span. The Milwaukee Bucks won their first home game since Dec. 13, going nearly a month between home victories. Kenyon Martin made his Bucks debut, reuniting with former point guard and now head coach Jason Kidd. Martin had six points, two rebounds, one block and three fouls in eight minutes. Milwaukee was lead in minutes by Giannis Antetokounmpo with 29. Nate Wolters was waived Friday to make room for Martin on a 10 - day contract. Backup point guards Jerryd Bayless and Kendall Marshall combined to have 13 points, five rebounds, 14 assists and three steals. The Bucks will move on to play Chicago on Saturday, and the Timberwolves will head home to face the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "29", "Knicks": "27"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "103", "Knicks": "95"}, "Turnovers": {"Mavericks": "7", "Knicks": "18"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "16", "Knicks": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "30", "Harrison Barnes": "23", "Dirk Nowitzki": "19"}, "Assists": {"Harrison Barnes": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Harrison Barnes": "1"}}], "The host Dallas Mavericks beat the New York Knicks on Wednesday, 103 - 95. Dallas (16 - 29) has now won five of its last seven contests and is looking like a team that could cause trouble in the wide - open eighth seed race in the Western Conference. After a 49 - point drubbing of the Lakers on Sunday, the Mavs handed a loss to another big - market team when the Knicks came to town. Forward Harrison Barnes contributed heavily to the win, leading the team with 23 points. The team also saw encouraging play from veteran big man Dirk Nowitzki, who contributed 19 points in one of his better performances in what has been an up - and - down season. The Mavs put together a stellar offensive night from the floor, shooting 47 percent, despite an abysmal performance from beyond the arc. The Knicks (20 - 27) have been sliding lately, having now dropped five of their last seven. Amidst rumors that he was shopped around to teams such as Cleveland, aging star Carmelo Anthony led the team with 30 points on Wednesday. The stellar outing was not enough for the win, however, as New York's struggles continued to show. New York posted an abysmal turnover differential, coughing the ball up 18 times while forcing only seven turnovers from Dallas. Additionally, the team shot just 42 percent and hit only seven three - pointers. The Mavericks will play in OKC on Thursday, while the Knicks will host the Hornets on Friday."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Victor Oladipo": "21", "Russell Westbrook": "25", "Caris LeVert": "16", "Brook Lopez": "25", "Jeremy Lin": "24"}, "Steals": {"Victor Oladipo": "4"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "19", "Jeremy Lin": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "12"}}], "The scoreline makes this game look much more lopsided than it really was, as the Thunder did n't lead by double - digits until the final eight minutes. In fact, there were eight ties and 11 lead changes in total, as Oklahoma City outscored Brooklyn, 60 - 42, in the second half to pull away. Rebounding was a huge factor, with the Thunder winning that battle, 44 - 30. Russell Westbrook added another triple - double to his tally, as he accumulated 25 points, 12 rebounds and 19 assists. Victor Oladipo finished second on the team, finishing with 21 points and four steals. Taj Gibson provided 19 points and eight rebounds. Brook Lopez led the Nets, as he totaled 25 points and six rebounds. Jeremy Lin accrued 24 points and five assists. Caris LeVert started and amassed 16 points, five rebounds and three steals."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Pacers": "21"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "36", "Raptors": "27"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "98", "Raptors": "117"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pacers": "17"}, "Turnovers": {"Pacers": "4"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "30", "Raptors": "40"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Terrence Ross": "21", "Jonas Valanciunas": "26", "DeMar DeRozan": "37", "Kyle Lowry": "38", "Lou Williams": "23", "George Hill": "34"}, "Points": {"Amir Johnson": "11", "Jonas Valanciunas": "14", "DeMar DeRozan": "22", "Kyle Lowry": "20", "Lou Williams": "24", "Solomon Hill": "11", "Roy Hibbert": "17", "CJ Miles": "12", "George Hill": "23", "Rodney Stuckey": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Amir Johnson": "9", "Jonas Valanciunas": "12", "Kyle Lowry": "11", "Solomon Hill": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "19", "Kyle Lowry": "13", "Lou Williams": "17", "CJ Miles": "12", "George Hill": "15", "Rodney Stuckey": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "6", "Kyle Lowry": "7", "Lou Williams": "8", "Solomon Hill": "4", "Roy Hibbert": "5", "CJ Miles": "4", "George Hill": "9", "Rodney Stuckey": "9"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "10", "Solomon Hill": "4", "Rodney Stuckey": "4"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Solomon Hill": "4", "Roy Hibbert": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Solomon Hill": "4", "CJ Miles": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Solomon Hill": "3", "CJ Miles": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"CJ Miles": "3"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (40 - 27) defeated the Indiana Pacers (30 - 36) 117 - 98 on Monday in Indianapolis. The Raptors were led by their All-Star point guard, Kyle Lowry, who recorded a triple - double of 20 points on 7 - of - 13 shooting, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in 38 minutes. He also had three steals. It was Lou Williams, however, who led the team in scoring, putting up an efficient 24 points on 8 - of - 17 shooting in just 23 minutes. DeMar DeRozan was not far behind, scoring 22 points on 6 - of - 19 shooting in 37 minutes. Jonas Valanciunas recorded his first double - double in six games, recording 14 points on 7 - of - 12 shooting and 12 rebounds in 26 minutes. Valanciunas' partner in the front court, Amir Williams, also had a solid night, posting 11 points and nine rebounds in 19 minutes. Terrence Ross left the game with back spasms after just 21 minutes on the court. For Toronto, the win brings them within 3 games of the Cavaliers for second place in the Eastern Conference standings with just 15 games left on the schedule. The Pacers were led in the losing effort by starting point guard George Hill. Hill scored 23 points on 9 - of - 15 shooting in 34 minutes, while the effort was his second game in a row scoring 20 - plus points. Four of the five Indiana starters scored in double figures, with Roy Hibbert (17), C.J. Miles (12) and Solomon Hill (11) rounding out the four. Rodney Stuckey also continued his strong play as of late, scoring 20 points on 9 - of - 16 shooting off the bench. Stuckey has scored 20 - plus points in three of his last four games now. Despite recording 21 assists to just four turnovers, the Pacers still fell short, and the loss leaves them tied with the Hornets for the eigth seed in the East, with Miami just a half game behind them. Up next, the Raptors will head home Wednesday to take on the Timberwolves, while Indiana will travel to Chicago and go up against the Bulls on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bulls": "26"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Robin Lopez": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Robin Lopez": "12"}, "Points": {"Robin Lopez": "25", "Jimmy Butler": "28", "Jason Smith": "17", "Bradley Beal": "24", "John Wall": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Robin Lopez": "12", "Jimmy Butler": "5", "Jason Smith": "7", "Bradley Beal": "4"}, "Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "5", "Jason Smith": "2", "John Wall": "20"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "3", "Jason Smith": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Jason Smith": "2"}}], "Despite this finishing as a five - point game, Chicago led for the final 45 minutes to take control. What really won them the game was the assist - to - turnover ratio, as they committed nine less turnovers than Washington, while recording six more assists. Chicago could only muster up 26 percent shooting from three - point range and 67 percent from the free - throw line. Jimmy Butler carried the Bulls, as he collected 28 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals. Robin Lopez went 12 - of - 16 from the field to total 25 points and 12 rebounds. John Wall scored only 14 points, but dished out a career - high 20 assists in the win. Bradley Beal led the team in scoring, as he amassed 24 points and four rebounds Jason Smith started and accumulated 17 points, two assists, seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "29"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "22", "Wizards": "14"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "96", "Wizards": "111"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nets": "19", "Wizards": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Nets": "50", "Wizards": "39"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "8", "Wizards": "14"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "50"}}, {"Assists": {"Kelly Oubre Jr.": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "3", "Garrett Temple": "3", "John Wall": "13", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "2", "Jarrett Jack": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Kelly Oubre Jr.": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "1", "Garrett Temple": "1", "John Wall": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kelly Oubre Jr.": "4"}, "Points": {"Kelly Oubre Jr.": "12", "Jared Dudley": "3", "Marcin Gortat": "25", "Garrett Temple": "9", "John Wall": "22", "Kris Humphries": "10", "Jarell Eddie": "12", "Thaddeus Young": "16", "Brook Lopez": "19", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "14", "Jarrett Jack": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Kelly Oubre Jr.": "6", "Marcin Gortat": "7", "Garrett Temple": "1", "John Wall": "4", "Kris Humphries": "8", "Thaddeus Young": "14", "Brook Lopez": "11", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "5"}, "Steals": {"Kelly Oubre Jr.": "1", "Jared Dudley": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "1", "Garrett Temple": "2", "Thaddeus Young": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Marcin Gortat": "2", "John Wall": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Marcin Gortat": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Marcin Gortat": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"John Wall": "2", "Brook Lopez": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"John Wall": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"John Wall": "17"}, "Field goal percentage": {"John Wall": "53"}, "Free throws made": {"John Wall": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Thaddeus Young": "4"}}], "The Washington Wizards (14 - 14) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (8 - 22) 111 - 96 on Saturday. Washington entered Saturday's contest without the services of starters Bradley Beal (leg) and Otto Porter Jr. (thigh) once again, meaning that another heavy offensive load was likely in store for veteran leaders John Wall and Marcin Gortat, and to a lesser extent, the injured pair's replacements, Garrett Temple and Kelly Oubre, Jr. As has been the case in several recent games, all four made notable contributions of varying degrees to help secure another victory for the surging Wizards. Gortat led the way scoring - wise with 25 points, and added seven rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal. Meanwhile, Wall racked up his fifth straight game with double - digit assists, dishing out 13 dimes and also posting 22 points of his own. Just as important, the 25 - year - old emerged from a 9 of 33 shooting funk over the preceding two games to drain 53 percent of his 17 attempts from the field. Overall, the Wizards' relentless attack allowed them to wear down Brooklyn, and they won going away on the strength of a final period in which they outscored the home team by the sizable margin of 32 - 19. Oubre's tally of 12 points, six rebounds, an assist, a block and a steal were especially welcome on a night when frontcourt mate Jared Dudley considerably underwhelmed with only three points. Temple was a bit more understated than in recent games, but still pitched in nine points, three assists, a rebound, two steals and a block. Jarrell Eddie, just signed on Tuesday, paced the Washington bench with 12 points in his debut, while Kris Humphries poured in 10 of his own and added eight rebounds. The Wizards evened their record at 14 - 14 but remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They head home to face the Clippers on Monday. Brooklyn received a trio of impressive double - doubles from their most dependable players, making the double - digit defeat even more frustrating. Brook Lopez (19 points, 11 rebounds) and Thaddeus Young (16 points, 14 rebounds) were a major reason the Nets outrebounded the Wizards 50 to 39, and both extended a streak of particularly strong recent play. It was the third double - double for Lopez in the last four games, while Young's performance qualified as the fourth time in the last five contests that he's posted double - digit points and boards. Meanwhile, Jarrett Jack was outstanding in his own right, contributing 15 points and dishing out 11 assists. Second-year forward Bojan Bogdanovic pitched in with his fourth straight double - digit scoring effort, managing 14 points and adding five rebounds and a pair of assists. Despite the strong contributions from most of the starters and the aforementioned advantage on the glass, the Nets were largely done in by a poor shooting night from three - point range (29 percent over 17 attempts) and the 20 total team turnovers they were guilty of. The Nets fell to 8 - 22 and remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head to Miami to take on the Heat in a Monday night matchup."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "24", "Clippers": "16"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "123", "Clippers": "98"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "18", "Clippers": "29"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "42"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Clippers": "18"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Marreese Speights": "28", "Nikola Jokic": "21"}, "Points": {"Marreese Speights": "18", "DeAndre Jordan": "14", "Danilo Gallinari": "18", "Nikola Jokic": "19", "Will Barton": "18", "Wilson Chandler": "18"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"DeAndre Jordan": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeAndre Jordan": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "13", "Nikola Jokic": "10"}}], "The Denver Nuggets defeated the visiting Los Angeles Clippers 123 - 98, at Pepsi Center on Saturday evening. The Nuggets led wire to - wire as they controlled this one right from the start. Denver took a nine - point lead after one quarter and went on to win each of the remaining three quarters. They managed to build up a 35 - point lead by the mid - point of the fourth quarter, which was their biggest lead at any point this season. Six players scored in double digits for the Nuggets (18 - 24), but none of them scored more than 20, as this was truly a team effort. Nikola Jokic had the line of the night for the Nuggets, as he double - doubled with 19 points and 10 rebounds, in 21 minutes. Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler and Will Barton each added 18 points, to help push the Nuggets to a solid win. Unfortunately for Denver, Emmanuel Mudiay went down early in the game, and left with an aggravated back. He is ruled out for the Nuggets' next game on Sunday. The Nuggets will look to build off this win, as they head straight to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves on Sunday, for their second game in as many nights. Meanwhile, the Clippers (29 - 16) struggled in this one, shooting only 42 percent from the field. Nonetheless, five players scored in double digits for Los Angeles, including DeAndre Jordan, who finished with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Marreese Speights was the high - point man for the Clippers, as he finished with 18 points, in 28 minutes as a starter. The Clippers hope to have Blake Griffin back soon, as they look ahead to their next game, which will take place in Atlanta on Monday. It will be the second game of their current five - game road trip."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "6", "Lakers": "19"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "119", "Lakers": "108"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Cavaliers": "26", "Lakers": "31"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "19", "Lakers": "11"}}, {"Assists": {"Julius Randle": "7", "LeBron James": "9", "Kevin Love": "4", "Kyrie Irving": "12"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Julius Randle": "15", "Nick Young": "19", "Kevin Love": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Julius Randle": "8", "Nick Young": "12", "Kevin Love": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Julius Randle": "28", "Nick Young": "38", "Jordan Clarkson": "31", "Kevin Love": "33"}, "Points": {"Julius Randle": "16", "Nick Young": "32", "Jordan Clarkson": "20", "LeBron James": "26", "Kevin Love": "27", "Kyrie Irving": "21"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nick Young": "8"}, "Personal fouls": {"Nick Young": "5"}, "Steals": {"Nick Young": "1", "LeBron James": "2", "Kevin Love": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "3"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kevin Love": "17", "Kyrie Irving": "6"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the visiting Los Angeles Lakers, 119 - 108, at Quicken Loans Arena on Saturday evening. It was the second night of a back - to - back and fourth game of a seven - game road trip for the Lakers (11 - 19) and despite leading 31 - 26 after one quarter they were out - scored in the following three quarters, leading to their ninth loss in 10 games. Meanwhile the Cavs (19 - 6) rested their big three during their last game on Wednesday and it paid off as they all turned in monstrous nights. Cleveland owned the paint, where they out - scored the Lakers 50 - 30. Both teams tallied 30 assists and shot over 40 percent from long range in the back - and - forth contest. Kevin Love came up big as he finished with 27 points on 11 - of - 20 shooting, along with 17 rebounds, four assists and one steal, in 33 minutes. LeBron James added an equally impressive 26 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter, to go along with nine assists, seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Kyrie Irving joined the party with 21 points, 12 assists, six rebounds and three steals. The Cavs sit atop the East and are 6 - 4 on the road as they go on to play in Milwaukee on Tuesday. D'Angelo Russell sat this one out for rest but nonetheless, five players scored in double figures for the Lakers, including Nick Young who drained a career - high eight three - pointers, on his way to a game - high 32 points, on 12 - of - 19 shooting, in 38 minutes. Julius Randle chipped in 16 points on 8 - of - 15 shooting and dished seven assists, in 28 minutes, while Jordan Clarkson tallied 20 points, in 31 minutes off the bench. The Lakers will take on the Hornets in Charlotte on Tuesday, while they are 5 - 12 on the road so far this season."], [[{}, {"Points": {"TJ Warren": "17", "Marquese Chriss": "17", "Devin Booker": "27", "Eric Bledsoe": "17", "Alan Williams": "16", "Jimmy Butler": "22", "Robin Lopez": "19", "Dwyane Wade": "23", "Denzel Valentine": "15", "Nikola Mirotic": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Devin Booker": "10"}, "Assists": {"Alan Williams": "1", "Jimmy Butler": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Alan Williams": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Nikola Mirotic": "37"}}], "The Bulls mounted a comeback from a 102 - 91 deficit with 4:31 left, and took a 108 - 106 lead after a Jimmy Butler basket with nine seconds left. Two Devin Booker free throws eventually sent the game to overtime, when Dwyane Wade poured in 10 of Chicago's 20 points to seal the win. Wade's 23 points paced Chicago, and Butler was right behind him with 22. Robin Lopez totaled 19 points, and Nikola Mirotic led the second unit with 20 points over 37 minutes. Denzel Valentine was productive in a reserve role as well, posting 15 points. Booker's game - high 27 points led Phoenix. Eric Bledsoe, T.J. Warren and Marquese Chriss followed with a trio of 17 - point efforts, with Bledsoe also adding 10 assists. Alan Williams led the bench with 16 points, three boards and one assist."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Solomon Hill": "11", "DeMarcus Cousins": "11", "Jordan Crawford": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Solomon Hill": "7", "DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Jordan Crawford": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Solomon Hill": "43", "Anthony Davis": "45", "DeMarcus Cousins": "25", "Jrue Holiday": "42", "Jordan Crawford": "27"}, "Points": {"Solomon Hill": "16", "Anthony Davis": "46", "DeMarcus Cousins": "11", "Jrue Holiday": "15", "Jordan Crawford": "19", "Nicolas Batum": "24", "Kemba Walker": "24"}, "Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "Jrue Holiday": "13", "Nicolas Batum": "8", "Kemba Walker": "12"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "1", "Jrue Holiday": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "21", "Jrue Holiday": "4", "Nicolas Batum": "6", "Kemba Walker": "8"}, "Steals": {"Jrue Holiday": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jordan Crawford": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jordan Crawford": "5"}}], "Anthony Davis came up huge for the Pelicans, as he led the way with 46 points, 21 rebounds, three assists and one block, in 45 minutes. Jrue Holiday tallied a nice double - double with 15 points and 13 assists, to go along with four rebounds, three steals and one block, in 42 minutes. Jordan Crawford came up big in his third game with the Pelicans, with 19 points on 7 - of - 12 shooting, including 5 - of - 7 from distance, in 27 minutes off the bench. Solomon Hill chipped in 16 points on efficient 7 - of - 11 shooting, in 43 minutes. DeMarcus Cousins only played 25 minutes, as he struggled from the field, going 4 - of - 11 on his way to 11 points. Meanwhile, Nicolas Batum and Kemba Walker tallied 24 points each. Batum added eight assists and six rebounds, while Walker added 12 assists and eight rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "35", "Pelicans": "21"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "84", "Pelicans": "92"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "7", "Pelicans": "22"}}, {"Free throws made": {"Anthony Davis": "3"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "21", "Eric Gordon": "20", "Tyreke Evans": "17", "Nate Wolters": "5", "Thaddeus Young": "15", "Gorgui Dieng": "14", "Andrew Wiggins": "13", "Nikola Pekovic": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "12", "Gorgui Dieng": "15", "Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Nikola Pekovic": "9"}, "Assists": {"Eric Gordon": "5", "Tyreke Evans": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Nate Wolters": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Thaddeus Young": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Thaddeus Young": "7"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (22 - 21) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (7 - 35) 92 - 84 on Friday. The Pelicans went into halftime with a 45 - 44 lead that was never relinquished in the second half as they picked up their third victory in their last four games. Anthony Davis recorded 21 points and 12 rebounds in his second game back from a toe injury that forced him to miss three games. Davis is averaging 25 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks and 3 steals in 40 minutes per game since returning, and the Pelicans are 20 in that span. Tyreke Evans has been filling in at point guard for New Orleans while Jrue Holiday (ankle) recovers from injury. Evans had 17 points and eight assists, while Eric Gordon chipped in 20 points and five helpers. Nate Wolters, whom the Pelicans signed to a second 10 - day contract earlier this week, had five points in 14 minutes off the bench. Minnesota has now lost three - straight games and has dropped its last 10 road games, including seven in the month of January. The Wolves' last home victory came against the Trail Blazers on Dec. 10. In his second game back from injury, Nikola Pekovic had 13 points and nine rebounds off the bench. Pekovic is averaging 14 points and 7 rebounds in 22 minutes per game since his return. Gorgui Dieng finished with 14 points and 15 rebounds, and Thaddeus Young had 15 points on 7 - of - 15 shooting. Andrew Wiggins, who has been red - hot this month, cooled down a bit, scoring just 13 points to go with two boards. The Timberwolves still hold the NBA's worst overall record. Up next, Minnesota will travel to Atlanta to take on the Hawks, who are riding a 15 - game winning streak. The Pelicans will return home to face the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Love": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Love": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Kevin Love": "22"}, "Points": {"Kevin Love": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Love": "7"}}], "Kevin Love is having his most productive season since joining the Cavaliers in 2015, averaging a double - double of 20 points and 11 rebounds per game, and that's what made his performance in Wednesday's loss so troubling for Cleveland. In 22 minutes against the Nuggets, Love scored just nine points on 3 - of - 9 shooting from the field and grabbed seven rebounds. It was the first time all season where Love played at least 20 minutes and failed to score in double figures, as in the other team games he failed to reach 10 points, he was hurt midway through and failed to return. However, the fact that it was Love's first time is a testament to how much more productive he has been this season, especially when he failed to score 10 points in at least 20 minutes of action nine different times last season."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "12", "Heat": "9"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "88", "Heat": "100"}, "Rebounds": {"Hawks": "37", "Heat": "54"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "14", "Heat": "14"}}, {"Assists": {"Chris Bosh": "3"}, "Points": {"Chris Bosh": "24", "Gerald Green": "20", "Kent Bazemore": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Chris Bosh": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gerald Green": "14", "Kent Bazemore": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Gerald Green": "9", "Kent Bazemore": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Gerald Green": "31", "Kent Bazemore": "40"}, "Blocks": {"Kent Bazemore": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kent Bazemore": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kent Bazemore": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Kent Bazemore": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kent Bazemore": "1"}, "Steals": {"Kent Bazemore": "1"}}], "The Heat (14 - 9) locked down the Hawks (14 - 12) in a 100 - 88 victory at Philips Arena on Monday. Playing their second game in as many nights, the Heat turned in a dominant defensive performance, particularly on Hawks' guards Jeff Teague and Kyle Korver, who combined to shoot 4 - of - 24 from the field. Miami also did nice work on the boards, outrebounding Atlanta 54 - 37, perhaps the biggest difference in the game. Chris Bosh led the way for the Heat, scoring a team - high 24 points to go along with 10 rebounds for his second double - double in three games. But the MVP of the game was Gerald Green, who came off the bench to score 20 points on 9 - of - 14 shooting over 31 minutes. It was the fourth straight game that Green reached double - digit scoring, as the veteran guard has taken advantage of the absence of Tyler Johnson, who missed his third straight game due to a shoulder injury. The Hawks were really hurt by a poor first half, scoring just 38 points over the first two quarters of the game. Aside from the poor guard play, Paul Millsap and Al Horford had a tough time down low and were held in check by Bosh and Hassan Whiteside. That left just one starter left, Kent Bazemore, who had a monster game with a season - high 28 points on 11 - of - 18 shooting along with three 3 - pointers over 40 minutes - - which was also a season high. The Heat travel to Brooklyn to face the Nets on Wednesday; the Hawks will look to end a three - game losing streak against the 76ers."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Thunder": "20"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Thunder": "20"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Clint Capela": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Clint Capela": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Clint Capela": "1"}, "Points": {"Clint Capela": "13", "Victor Oladipo": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Clint Capela": "14"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Victor Oladipo": "9"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Victor Oladipo": "67"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Victor Oladipo": "1"}}], "Clint Capela has quietly been having a solid season in his first year as the Rockets' full - time starting center despite being in a Mike D'Antoni-led offense that does n't utilize big men as much. Following Capela's 13 - point, 14 - rebound game against the Thunder on Wednesday, Capela notched his third double - double of the season and his seventh game with at least nine rebounds. He also shot 5 - of - 8 against Oklahoma City, making Wednesday his eighth game this season where he has made over 50 percent of his field goal attempts. For the Thunder's Victor Oladipo, his monster 29 - point night is just the second time in the last nine games where the shooting guard has managed to score over 20 points. He also made 67 percent of his shots Wednesday, which was just the third time he was able to do so this season. As of now, the Thunder are 4 - 1 when Oladipo scores over 20 points, with the one loss coming at the hands of the Warriors, so if he can get going, he gives Oklahoma City a shot to win."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Celtics": "24", "Raptors": "12"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "37"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "10", "Raptors": "7"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "94", "Raptors": "101"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Celtics": "18", "Raptors": "33"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "13", "Raptors": "16"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Raptors": "17"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Norman Powell": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "25", "Avery Bradley": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Norman Powell": "7", "DeMar DeRozan": "9", "Avery Bradley": "7"}, "Points": {"Norman Powell": "20", "DeMar DeRozan": "24", "Kyle Lowry": "34", "Al Horford": "19", "Avery Bradley": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Norman Powell": "3", "Jonas Valanciunas": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "7", "Patrick Patterson": "10", "Al Horford": "7", "Avery Bradley": "5"}, "Steals": {"Norman Powell": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kyle Lowry": "1"}, "Assists": {"Al Horford": "6"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the host Boston Celtics, 101 - 94, at TD Garden on Friday. In a battle between two Eastern Conference contenders, both squads left it all on the floor. The third quarter was the decisive one for the Raptors, as they outscored the Celtics, 33 - 18. In fact, Boston won or tied the other three quarters, but could n't quite make the full comeback in the fourth. Defense was key for Toronto, as they held Boston to 37 percent shooting and forced them to fire up 42 three - pointers in their loss, making just 17 of them. The Raptors also won the points in the paint battle, 38 - 22, and won the fastbreak points, 14 - 5. Amazingly, the Celtics doubled up the Raptors in assists, winning that, 24 - 12. Toronto (16 - 7) continues to ride their backcourt to wins and they did that yet again here. Kyle Lowry was the star in this one, tallying 34 points, seven rebounds and three steals. DeMar DeRozan was n't far behind, finishing with 24 points and five rebounds on 9 - of - 25 shooting. Norman Powell got the start for the resting DeMarre Carroll and totaled 20 points, three rebounds and five steals on 7 - of - 10 from the field. Patrick Patterson and Jonas Valanciunas both failed to reach double figures in scoring, but snatched down 10 boards a piece. The Raptors are off until Monday, when they host the surging Milwaukee Bucks. Boston (13 - 10) had to play this game without Isaiah Thomas and it really hurt them late when they needed a clutch basket. Al Horford did all he could to keep Boston hanging around, as he accumulated 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the defeat. Avery Bradley matched Horford with 19 points and five rebounds on 7 - of - 11 from the field. Marcus Smart and Jae Crowder really struggled shooting, as they combined to go 5 - of - 22 from the field. Boston will look to bounce back on Sunday in a road matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "54", "Lakers": "43"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "35", "Lakers": "47"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "129", "Lakers": "101"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "32", "Lakers": "20"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Lakers": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Brandon Ingram": "2", "Ivica Zubac": "1"}, "Points": {"Brandon Ingram": "14", "Ivica Zubac": "25", "Jordan Clarkson": "19", "Danilo Gallinari": "18", "Mason Plumlee": "15", "Nikola Jokic": "18", "Jamal Murray": "22", "Will Barton": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Brandon Ingram": "1", "Ivica Zubac": "11", "Mason Plumlee": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Ivica Zubac": "30", "Mason Plumlee": "36", "Jamal Murray": "30", "Will Barton": "30"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jordan Clarkson": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "7"}}], "The Denver Nuggets blew out the Los Angeles Lakers 129 - 101 at Staples Center on Monday. Denver (32 - 35) inches closer to a .500 record for the season and more importantly, show cased their ability to blow out the bottom tier teams while also staving off the Portland Trail Blazers for the 8 - seed in the Western Conference playoffs picture. Depth was on display for the Nuggets in the rout, as they went up 67 - 43 at the half and handed over much of the work to the bench, who also flexed their scoring prowess in the win. The Lakers (20 - 47) were unable to match the shooting efficiency the Nuggets had going, and finished 30 percent from three point range and 43 percent from the field, compared to the lights out 54 percent effort by Denver. Nikola Jokic and Danilo Gallinari each scored 18 points, and combined for 12 rebounds and nine assists. Mason Plumlee scored 15 points and added 10 rebounds across 36 minutes. Jamal Murray and Will Barton each pitched in 22 points and each played 30 minutes, and combined for nine three - pointers. Lakers Ivan Zubac drew the start at center and offered a bright spot in the box score. Zubac scored 25 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out an assist in 30 minutes. Jordan Clarkson added 19 points on 7 - of - 18 shooting, while Brandon Ingram pitched in 14 points, one rebound and two assists. Next up, the Lakers visit the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, while the Nuggets host the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "5", "Pelicans": "8"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "83", "Pelicans": "80"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "10", "Pelicans": "7"}}, {"Field goals made": {"Tyreke Evans": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "30", "Austin Rivers": "4", "Jrue Holiday": "17", "Ryan Anderson": "11", "Marcin Gortat": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "13", "Kris Humphries": "11", "Marcin Gortat": "13"}, "Assists": {"Austin Rivers": "3", "Jrue Holiday": "2", "Ryan Anderson": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Austin Rivers": "29", "Kris Humphries": "26"}, "Free throws made": {"Ryan Anderson": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Marcin Gortat": "4"}, "Steals": {"Marcin Gortat": "2"}}], "The Washington Wizards (10 - 5) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (7 - 8) 83 - 80 at the Verizon Center on Saturday. Washington got back onto the winner's list, snapping a two - game losing streak when Tyreke Evans' game - tying three - point shot hit the front of the rim in the dying seconds. Marcin Gortat led the Wizards with 24 points and 13 rebounds, and also was a big presence defensively, blocking a season - high four shots to go with two steals. Kris Humphries started in place of the injured Nene (foot) and was a beast on the glass, pulling down 11 rebounds of his own in just 26 minutes. After starting the first 13 games of the season in place of Bradley Beal, Garrett Temple failed to get into the game, logging his first healthy scratch of the season. The Wizards take on the visiting Miami Heat on Monday. The Pelicans tried desperately to break their own two - game losing streak, but fell short, and have now lost four out of their last five contests. Emerging superstar Anthony Davis carried his team with 30 points and 13 rebounds and was joined by only two other teammates in scoring in double digits, Ryan Anderson (11 points) and Jrue Holiday (17 points). Notably, it was the first game all season that Davis failed to block a shot, as he is averaging 3 blocks per game. Austin Rivers got his second consecutive start in place of Eric Gordon, but scored just four points, adding three assists in his 29 minutes. The Pelicans are off until Tuesday, when they take on the Thunder in New Orleans."], [[{"Total points": {"Bulls": "118", "Pacers": "101"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "2"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pacers": "20"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "1"}}, {"Points": {"Paul George": "20", "Myles Turner": "20", "Doug McDermott": "23"}, "Assists": {"Rajon Rondo": "13"}}], "The Chicago Bulls defeated the visiting Indiana Pacers, 118 - 101, on Saturday night at United Center. The Bulls made a statement once again by defeating another formidable conference rival and defending their home court for the second time in a row, to remain undefeated at home and in their 2016 - 17 season. The Bulls have defeated the Celtics and now the Pacers, after many people questioned how this new look team would gel. Chicago (20) came ready to play in this one as they poured in 62 points in the first half, while holding Indiana to only 41. Chicago then held on to maintain the lead for the entire second half. The Bulls had good contribution throughout their roster as they were dominated the rebounds and had six players scoring in double figures. Doug McDermott was the high - point man, with 23, while Rajon Rondo dished 13 assists to get his guys going. The Bulls will be back in action on Monday, when they visit Brooklyn. The Pacers (1 - 2) were perhaps fatigued on the second night of a back - to - back, which began with a loss against Brooklyn on Friday night. Paul George and Myles Turner both dropped 20 points but they did not have a ton of support in terms of scoring. The Pacers added some great pieces like Al Jefferson and Thaddeus Young over the offseason but have not been able to get things together in a consistent way yet this season. Indiana will enjoy a couple days rest before it hosts the Lakers on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "47"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "51", "Warriors": "6"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "112", "Warriors": "95"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "13", "Warriors": "55"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Stephen Curry": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Julius Randle": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jordan Clarkson": "21"}, "Assists": {"D'Angelo Russell": "5", "Marcelo Huertas": "9"}, "Points": {"D'Angelo Russell": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"Marcelo Huertas": "4"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers (13 - 51) upset the league - leading Golden State Warriors (55 - 6) on Sunday, 112 - 95. The difference between LA's .190 and Golden State's .911 win percentages was the largest in NBA history headed into Sunday's matchup. Seven Lakers reached double digits in scoring, with the young backcourt duo of sophomore Jordan Clarkson and rookie D'Angelo Russell combining for 46 points. Russell, less than a week removed from his career - high 39 points on Tuesday, scored 21 while dishing out five assists. The rookie was also a pest on the defensive end, grabbing four steals. European rookie Marcelo Huertas led the team with nine assists off the bench, giving fire to the second unit in the stunning upset. Coach Byron Scott said Huertas was \"probably [the team's] MVP\" when asked for comment on the rookie's impressive showing.The Lakers smoked Golden State in terms of shooting, hitting nine three - pointers to the Warrior's four, and shooting an efficient 47 percent from the field. Though LA maintains the league's second - worst record, they were able to expose the Warriors, dealing them their sixth and second - largest loss of the season. Normally the best three - point shooting team in the league, Golden State hit just four from deep in Los Angeles. After one of the most impressive individual weeks in recent memory last week, Steph Curry went just 1 - for - 10 from three - point land on Sunday. Curry was one of just two Warriors to reach double digit scoring, as seemingly nothing would fall for the NBA's top team. Turnovers also presented an issue, as the team coughed the ball up 20 times as a whole. Seven of those turnovers came from first - time All-Star Draymond Green, who also failed to prevent sophomore Julius Randle from crashing the board 14 times by the day's end. Golden State will now need a record of at least 18 - 3 to finish the season in order to be in sole possession of the best single season in NBA history. The Warriors will hope for a comeback on Monday when they host the Orlando Magic. The Lakers will host the Magic the next day."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Wizards": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Marcin Gortat": "21", "Bradley Beal": "22", "John Wall": "19", "Paul George": "27", "Thaddeus Young": "12", "Myles Turner": "20", "Jeff Teague": "23", "CJ Miles": "10", "Al Jefferson": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "13", "Thaddeus Young": "11", "Jeff Teague": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bradley Beal": "3"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "10", "Jeff Teague": "10"}, "Steals": {"Jeff Teague": "3"}}], "A back - and - forth affair came down to the buzzer, with Bradley Beal missing a 22 - foot three - point jumper that would have given the Wizards the win. Both teams boasted four double - digit scorers among their respective starting fives. Beal led the way with 22 points, but was only 3 - of - 11 from behind the arc. Marcin Gortat delivered a 21 - point, 13 - rebound double - double, while John Wall went for 19 points and 10 assists. Otto Porter, Jr. registered 17 points and nine boards. Paul George tallied a game - high 27 points for the Pacers, while Jeff Teague filled out the stat sheet with 23 points, 10 assists, four rebounds and three steals. Myles Turner registered 20 points, eight boards and five blocks. Young posted 12 points but hauled in 11 rebounds. C.J. Miles and Al Jefferson had matching 10 - point efforts off the bench."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "44", "Trail Blazers": "50"}}, {"Points": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "12", "CJ McCollum": "26", "Damian Lillard": "39", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "9", "Devin Booker": "28", "Eric Bledsoe": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "11", "CJ McCollum": "4", "Damian Lillard": "6", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "12", "Devin Booker": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "3"}, "Assists": {"CJ McCollum": "4", "Devin Booker": "3"}}], "The Blazers needed to win this game to stay in contention for the eight - seed in the west and they did just that. It took a late run by the Blazers, as they ended the game on a 11 - 4 run to pull away. Shooting was the difference in the game, with Portland shooting 50 percent to Phoenix's 44 percent. The Trail Blazers also took care of the glass, winning the rebounding differential, 49 - 42. Damian Lillard carried the load for Portland, as he led the team with 39 points and six rebounds. C.J. McCollum finished with 26 points, four rebounds and four assists. Jusuf Nurkic totaled 12 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks. Al-Farouq Aminu came off the bench to provide nine points and 12 boards. Devin Booker led the way for the Suns, as he tallied 28 points, five rebounds and three assists. Eric Bledsoe collected 19 points, three rebounds and five assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "1", "Hawks": "2"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "103", "Hawks": "101"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Wizards": "18", "Hawks": "35"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "2", "Hawks": "1"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kyle Korver": "5", "Ramon Sessions": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyle Korver": "2", "Ramon Sessions": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul Pierce": "3", "Otto Porter": "2"}, "Points": {"Nene": "17", "Bradley Beal": "17", "Otto Porter": "17"}, "Assists": {"Bradley Beal": "8"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Bradley Beal": "1"}, "Steals": {"Bradley Beal": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Otto Porter": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Otto Porter": "40"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Otto Porter": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Otto Porter": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Otto Porter": "9"}}], "The Washington Wizards (2 - 1) escaped with a 103 - 101 victory over the Atlanta Hawks (1 - 2). In his 155th career playoff game, Paul Pierce banked in the game - winning stepback jumper over three defenders at the buzzer to give the Wizards a Game 3 win. The Wizards\u2019 non - All - Stars won their first game without John Wall this postseason. Five different players scored in double figures, and coach Randy Wittman utilized nine players in his rotation. Nene Hilario finally made his first basket of the series, exploding for a team - high 17 points. Otto Porter matched Hilario by scoring playoff career - high 17 points and grabbed a team - high nine rebounds in a game - high 40 minutes off the bench. Wall\u2019s replacement, Ramon Sessions, was unable to duplicate his Game 2 performance, connecting on 2 - of - 10 shots. Bradley Beal rounded out the Wizards\u2019 17 - point scorers with a team - high eight assists. The Hawks faltered early in the first quarter and nearly recovered, outscoring the Wizards 35 - 18 in the fourth quarter. Coach Mike Budenholzer pulled his starters with seven minutes remaining, only to have his third string unit dwindle a 20 - point deficit to within three points in less than four minutes. Mike Muscala hit the game - tying three - pointer with 14 second on the game clock. Al Horford left the game early in the fourth quarter with a right leg injury. Even though he never returned, the Hawks reported no long - term concerns. Pero Antic started over an ill Paul Millsap, who started the second half in place of Antic. Kyle Korver didn\u2019t hit a field goal after the four - minute mark of the first quarter, finishing the night 2 - of - 5 from the field. Jeff Teague was assessed a Flagrant Foul 1 after swiping Bradley Beal across the head on a layup attempt. He was later nailed with a technical foul after Beal covertly retaliated on a Teague fast break. Game 4 will air on TNT this Monday in Washington."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Mavericks": "22", "Raptors": "30"}}, {"Points": {"PJ Tucker": "9", "Serge Ibaka": "18", "DeMar DeRozan": "18", "Cory Joseph": "8", "Patrick Patterson": "14", "Harrison Barnes": "23", "Dirk Nowitzki": "9", "Nerlens Noel": "3", "Wesley Matthews": "4", "Seth Curry": "11", "Yogi Ferrell": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"PJ Tucker": "9", "Jonas Valanciunas": "6", "Nerlens Noel": "8", "Wesley Matthews": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Nerlens Noel": "1", "Wesley Matthews": "2"}, "Assists": {"Wesley Matthews": "5"}, "Steals": {"Wesley Matthews": "2"}}], "The Mavs fell behind by a 30 - 22 score after one quarter and never could catch up against a suffocating Raptors defense that limited them to 38 percent shooting overall and a 25 percent mark from three - point range. DeMar DeRozan and Serge Ibaka co - led Toronto with matching 18 - point efforts. P.J. Tucker drew the start and produced a near double - double with nine points and nine rebounds. Jonas Valanciunas matched Tucker's scoring total and added six rebounds. Cory Joseph generated eight points, while Patrick Patterson's 14 led the bench. Harrison Barnes' 23 points led Dallas. Seth Curry poured in 11 points and Dirk Nowitzki registered nine. Wesley Matthews (four points, six rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks) and Nerlens Noel (three points, eight rebounds, a block) provided modest but solid performances. Yogi Ferrell's 10 points led the bench."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "17", "Timberwolves": "36"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "102", "Timberwolves": "108"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "32", "Timberwolves": "15"}}, {"Points": {"Gorgui Dieng": "12", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "17", "Andrew Wiggins": "31", "DeAndre Jordan": "18", "JJ Redick": "5", "Chris Paul": "22", "Jamal Crawford": "21", "Austin Rivers": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Gorgui Dieng": "10", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "12", "Andrew Wiggins": "4", "DeAndre Jordan": "15", "Chris Paul": "4"}, "Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Chris Paul": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "21", "JJ Redick": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "12", "JJ Redick": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Ricky Rubio": "30", "DeAndre Jordan": "36"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "10", "Jamal Crawford": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Jamal Crawford": "10"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (15 - 36) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers (32 - 17) 108 - 102 at Staples Center on Wednesday. A controversial Wednesday at Staples Center went down after Austin Rivers was ejected for arguing a call and Chris Paul was issued a technical foul with under one minute to play, which stretched the Timberwolves lead to four points. The ensuing possession in crunch time was a mishandled inbound pass off of J.J. Reddick\u2019s foot, all but putting the nail in the coffin for the Clippers, especially after Ricky Rubio dropped a pass between the legs of DeAndre Jordan to an awaiting Karl-Anthony Towns, who finished at the rim. The Timberwolves were led by Andrew Wiggins, who put forth his second back - to - back 30 - plus point performance of his career, and finished with 31 points, four rebounds and three assists on 12 - of - 21 shooting in 36 minutes. Wiggins was on fire in the first half, scoring 21 points and helping the Timberwolves break out of a five game losing streak. Karl-Anthony Towns totaled 17 points and 12 rebounds, which marked his 27th double - double of the season, while Gorgui Dieng added 12 points and 10 rebounds alongside Towns in the frontcourt. The Clippers have owned the Timberwolves over the past few years and took a 14 game winning streak against Minnesota into the contest. It ended up being a frustrating night for Los Angeles, who had two controversial calls go against them in the game. Austin Rivers ejection is up for debate, as arguing with a referee is always going to hover a thin line, while Chris Paul\u2019s technical foul late in the fourth quarter was simply a bad call. Paul was clicking with DeAndre Jordan in the pick - and - roll all night long, resulting in monstrous Jordan slam dunks, as the point guard finished with 22 points, eight assists and four rebounds, while Jordan added 18 points and 15 rebounds. JJ Reddick had a difficult time finiding a rhythm and totaled a lowly five points on 1 - of - 9 shooting, but Jamal Crawford bailed him out with a strong performance off the bench to the tune of 21 points, most of which coming from the free throw line, where he drained all 10 attempts. The Clippers will vist the Orlando Magic (21 - 27) on Friday, while the Timberwolves will host the Chicago Bulls (27 - 21) on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Rockets": "32", "Timberwolves": "28"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "42", "Timberwolves": "33"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "18", "Timberwolves": "43"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "113", "Timberwolves": "102"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Rockets": "28", "Timberwolves": "19"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "38", "Timberwolves": "12"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Kevin Martin": "7", "Ricky Rubio": "4", "Trevor Ariza": "8", "James Harden": "11", "Josh Smith": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Kevin Martin": "3", "Ricky Rubio": "0", "Trevor Ariza": "2", "James Harden": "5", "Josh Smith": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "24", "Nikola Pekovic": "18", "Kevin Martin": "18", "Ricky Rubio": "9", "Trevor Ariza": "11", "Terrence Jones": "9", "James Harden": "20", "Josh Smith": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "12", "Nikola Pekovic": "6", "Kevin Martin": "5", "Ricky Rubio": "2", "Trevor Ariza": "4", "Terrence Jones": "6", "James Harden": "7", "Josh Smith": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "5", "Nikola Pekovic": "4", "Kevin Martin": "8", "Ricky Rubio": "10", "Terrence Jones": "5", "Josh Smith": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "5", "Nikola Pekovic": "4", "Kevin Martin": "8", "Ricky Rubio": "10", "Terrence Jones": "3", "Josh Smith": "1"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "30", "Nikola Pekovic": "16", "Kevin Martin": "21", "Ricky Rubio": "14", "Trevor Ariza": "10", "Terrence Jones": "15", "James Harden": "31", "Josh Smith": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "6", "Nikola Pekovic": "13", "Ricky Rubio": "9", "Trevor Ariza": "8", "Terrence Jones": "15", "James Harden": "11", "Josh Smith": "4"}, "Assists": {"Kevin Martin": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "7", "James Harden": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"Kevin Martin": "6", "Terrence Jones": "1", "James Harden": "3"}, "Steals": {"Ricky Rubio": "4", "Trevor Ariza": "4", "Terrence Jones": "1", "James Harden": "1", "Josh Smith": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Terrence Jones": "2", "James Harden": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Terrence Jones": "32"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"James Harden": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"James Harden": "3", "Josh Smith": "6"}}], "The Houston Rockets (38 - 18) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (12 - 43) 113 - 102 on Monday at the Toyota Center in Houston. The Rockets shot well in this game, going 42 percent from the field and 32 percent from the three - point line, while the Timberwolves went 33 percent from the floor and just 28 percent from beyond the arc. While the game was tied 56 - 56 at half, the Rockets went off in the third quarter, out - scoring the Timberwolves 28 - 19, which eventually set them up to secure the win in front of their home crowd. Exploding for his second triple - double of the year, James Harden showed again why he's one of the best players in the league. He shot 7 - for - 20 from the field and 5 - for - 11 from the three - point line to finish with a game - high of 31 points, while adding 11 rebounds, 10 assists and four blocked shots. Coming out of the All-Star break he's looked very well rested, averaging 26 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists over his last three games. He did receive plenty of help though, starting with Terrence Jones, who posted 15 points (6 - 9 FG, 3 - 5 FT) and 15 rebounds in 32 minutes. It was one of his most productive games of the short season he's had, including a new season - high in rebounds. He's also now had at least two blocks in each of his last three games. Coming off the bench, Josh Smith had a strong performance, posting 17 points (7 - 15 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT), four rebounds and three steals before fouling out. He's now scored 15 or more points in five of his last six games, despite averaging 12 points per game on the season. Trevor Ariza added 10 points (4 - 11 FG, 2 - 8 3Pt), eight rebounds and four steals as well. The Timberwolves were able to keep it close, having all five starters reach double figures in points. They just did n't have enough of a bench presence though, as their bench was out - scored 36 - 10 by the Rockets. Doing everything he could to keep the Timberwolves in the game, Andrew Wiggins finished with 30 points (12 - 24 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT) and six rebounds. He's gone a combined 21 - of - 39 from the field to score 50 points over his last two games since returning from the All-Star break, as his confidence is through the roof. Kevin Martin had a solid showing as well. He recorded 21 points (5 - 18 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt, 8 - 8 FT) and two assists, but did turn the ball over six times. He has scored 20 or more points in each of his last five games, pushing his average to 21 points per game on the season. Ricky Rubio nearly had a triple - double, scoring 14 points (2 - 9 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt, 10 - 10 FT), to go along with nine rebounds, seven assists and four steals, while Nikola Pekovic posted a double - double of his own with 16 points (6 - 18 FG, 4 - 4 FT) and 13 rebounds. The Rockets' next game will be at home against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday, while the Timberwolves will be at home against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "37", "Heat": "42"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "30", "Heat": "26"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "75", "Heat": "83"}, "Rebounds": {"Celtics": "40", "Heat": "46"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "16", "Heat": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Chris Bosh": "2", "Tyler Johnson": "4", "Tyler Zeller": "4", "Avery Bradley": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Chris Bosh": "4", "Tyler Johnson": "3", "Avery Bradley": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chris Bosh": "1", "Tyler Johnson": "1", "Avery Bradley": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chris Bosh": "19", "Hassan Whiteside": "17", "Tyler Johnson": "9", "Brandon Bass": "14", "Tyler Zeller": "13", "Avery Bradley": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Chris Bosh": "6", "Hassan Whiteside": "10", "Tyler Johnson": "4", "Brandon Bass": "7", "Tyler Zeller": "6", "Avery Bradley": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Chris Bosh": "7", "Tyler Johnson": "6", "Brandon Bass": "2", "Tyler Zeller": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Chris Bosh": "5", "Tyler Johnson": "4", "Tyler Zeller": "5"}, "Points": {"Chris Bosh": "18", "Hassan Whiteside": "20", "Tyler Johnson": "13", "Brandon Bass": "15", "Tyler Zeller": "17", "Avery Bradley": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Chris Bosh": "7", "Hassan Whiteside": "9", "Tyler Johnson": "9", "Brandon Bass": "6", "Tyler Zeller": "6", "Avery Bradley": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "3", "Brandon Bass": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Tyler Johnson": "27"}, "Steals": {"Tyler Johnson": "2", "Avery Bradley": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Brandon Bass": "2", "Tyler Zeller": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Tyler Zeller": "2", "Avery Bradley": "2"}}], "The Miami Heat (21 - 26) defeated the Boston Celtics (16 - 30) 83 - 75 on Sunday at the TD Garden in Boston. The Heat got off to a strong start in this one, out - scoring the Celtics 44 - 31 in the first half alone. They were superior shooters in this game, going 42 percent from the field, while the Celtics went just 37 percent from the floor. The Heat also secured a 46 - 40 rebounding advantage. For the Heat, Hassan Whiteside just kept on going Sunday, recording another impressive performance. In 29 minutes, Whiteside finished with 20 points (10 - 17 FG), nine rebounds and three blocks. He came just one rebound shy of notching his fourth double - double in a row, a stretch where he's averaging 17 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks over those four games. Chris Bosh also had a solid showing, posting 18 points (6 - 19 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 5 - 7 FT), seven rebounds and two assists. It was n't his best day shooting the ball, but he still did enough to help secure the victory, even with both Dwyane Wade (hamstring) and Luol Deng (calf) sitting out with injuries. Coming off the bench, Tyler Johnson was the only other player in double figures, fininshing with 13 points (4 - 9 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT), nine rebounds, four assists and two steals in 27 minutes. This was only his third game of the season, while the points, rebounds and assists were all season - highs for the rookie. The Celtics saw their biggest production from the duo of Avery Bradley and Tyler Zeller. Bradley finished with 17 points (8 - 15 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt), four rebounds and two assists, while Zeller had 17 points (6 - 13 FG, 5 - 8 FT), six rebounds and four assists. Bradley shot a combined 8 - for - 27 from the field over his last two games, so it was good to see him shoot the ball a little better on Sunday. Zeller is only averaging 9 points per game so far this season, so his points totals were a nice surprise for the Celtics, despite the loss. The only other Celtic to reach double figures in points was Brandon Bass, who went 7 - for - 14 from the field to record 15 points, while also adding six rebounds and two blocked shots. He's started to heat up, as he's combined for 32 points and 14 rebounds over his last two games. The Heat's next game will be on the road against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, while the Celtics will travel to New York to play the Knicks on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "26", "Mavericks": "38"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "107", "Mavericks": "112"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Wizards": "39", "Mavericks": "32"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Wizards": "27", "Mavericks": "39"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "41", "Mavericks": "29"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "44"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "51"}}, {"Assists": {"Harrison Barnes": "2", "Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Seth Curry": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "1", "Devin Harris": "1", "Bradley Beal": "5", "John Wall": "11", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "1"}, "Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "22", "Dirk Nowitzki": "20", "Seth Curry": "19", "Nerlens Noel": "12", "Nicolas Brussino": "11", "Devin Harris": "10", "Marcin Gortat": "8", "Bradley Beal": "24", "John Wall": "26", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Harrison Barnes": "9", "Dirk Nowitzki": "4", "Nerlens Noel": "3", "Nicolas Brussino": "9", "Devin Harris": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "10", "Bradley Beal": "2", "John Wall": "1", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "3"}, "Steals": {"Seth Curry": "2", "Nicolas Brussino": "2", "Devin Harris": "1", "John Wall": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nicolas Brussino": "5", "Devin Harris": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Nicolas Brussino": "23"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"John Wall": "5"}, "Field goal percentage": {"John Wall": "50"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Washington Wizards, 112 - 107, at Verizon Center on Wednesday night. The Mavericks (29 - 38) came into Wednesday's contest with only eight victories over 39 road contests this season, while the Wizards (41 - 26) had prevailed in 26 of their 35 home games. As the old adage goes, \"that's why they play the games.\" Dallas overcame an early 39 - 32 first - quarter deficit to stay close through the next two quarters before outscoring Washington by a 39 - 27 margin in the final 12 minutes. The Mavs did it with stellar shooting, as they tallied a 51 percent success rate from the field and 44 percent mark from three - point range. Their effort was just enough to overcome those of the dynamic duo of John Wall and Bradley Beal, who combined for 50 of the Wizards' 107 points. Harrison Barnes led the way for the Mavs with a near - double - double of 22 points, nine rebounds and two assists. Dirk Nowitzki was close behind him with 20 points, four rebounds and two assists. Seth Curry pitched in with 19 points, one assist and two steals. Nerlens Noel led the bench with 12 points, three rebounds, one assist and one block. Nicolas Brussino stepped up with 11 points, nine boards and two steals in 23 minutes, while Devin Harris was also productive as a reserve with 10 points, one rebound, one assist and one steal. Wall paced the Wizards with 26 points, which he supplemented with 11 assists, one rebound and three steals. Beal was right behind him with 24 points, five dimes and a pair of boards. Bojan Bogdanovic continued his stellar work off the bench with 19 points, three rebounds and one assist. Otto Porter, Jr. posted a 14 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included five assists. Marcin Gortat mustered a modest eight points but did haul in 10 rebounds. The Mavericks next head to Philadelphia where they'll take on the Sixers in a Friday night showdown, while the Wizards remain home to tangle with the Chicago Bulls on Friday evening as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "2"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "116", "Raptors": "78"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Cavaliers": "37", "Raptors": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Cavaliers": "48", "Raptors": "27"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "3", "Raptors": "2"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "18"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "39"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2", "Luis Scola": "3", "DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "6", "Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "LeBron James": "8", "Kevin Love": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "3", "Richard Jefferson": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2", "Kevin Love": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2"}, "Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "5", "Bismack Biyombo": "7", "DeMar DeRozan": "14", "Kyle Lowry": "13", "Jonas Valanciunas": "9", "LeBron James": "23", "Kevin Love": "25", "Tristan Thompson": "9", "Kyrie Irving": "23", "Richard Jefferson": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2", "Bismack Biyombo": "4", "DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "3", "LeBron James": "6", "Kevin Love": "2", "Tristan Thompson": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "3", "Richard Jefferson": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Luis Scola": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Bismack Biyombo": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "1", "LeBron James": "1", "Kevin Love": "2", "Tristan Thompson": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Steals": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "1", "LeBron James": "2", "Kevin Love": "1", "Tristan Thompson": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "18", "Richard Jefferson": "20"}, "Turnovers": {"Kevin Love": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Toronto Raptors, 116 - 78, on Wednesday night at Quicken Loans Arena to take a 3 - 2 lead in the Eastern Conference finals. Likely a bit spooked by both their performance over the last two games, and the throttling suffered by the other postseason presumptive favorite down in Oklahoma City in their last pair of contests, the Cavaliers came out with impressive tunnel vision in Game 5. They ambushed the visiting Raptors right out of the gate, winning the first quarter by a margin of 37 - 19. The rout was on, as Cleveland took a massive 65 - 34 advantage into halftime, a lead that eventually ballooned to 100 - 60 by the end of the third period. A major difference Wednesday night was the return to prominence of Kevin Love, who'd shot 5 - for - 23 over the previous two games. Love exploded for a game - high 25 points, and supplemented the scoring with two assists, two rebounds, two blocks and a steal. As the final score would indicate, the Cavs outclassed Toronto in every offensive category. They shot 57 percent from the field while holding their guests to a 39 percent figure, and drained 48 percent of their three - point attempts while limiting the Raptors to a 18 percent success rate from beyond the arc. The domination continued down low, where they outrebounded Toronto by a 48 - 27 margin and outscored them in the paint, 46 - 32. The Raptors were led by DeMar DeRozan, who compiled 14 points, three rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. Kyle Lowry followed with 13 points, six assists, three rebounds and a steal. Bismack Biyombo was held in check, as he supplied a modest seven points, four rebounds and a block. DeMarre Carroll and Luis Scola, the other two members of the starting five, could only combine to supply 12 points. One bright spot for Toronto in the lopsided loss was Jonas Valanciunas' return, as he collected nine points and an assist in just over 18 minutes on the court to lead the second unit. LeBron James was second to Love on Cleveland with a 23 - point tally, which he complemented with eight assists, six rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot. Kyrie Irving was next with 23 points, and he added three rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block. Tristan Thompson provided a near double - double with nine points, 10 boards, a steal and a block. Reggie Jefferson paced the reserves with 11 points, six rebounds and an assist in 20 minutes. With the comfortable margin of victory, the Cavs were able to give their first unit plenty of rest, as James' 31 minutes served as the highest allotment of playing time among the starters. The series returns to the Air Canada Centre in Toronto for Game 6 on Friday night, as the Raptors will try to stave off elimination."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "6"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kemba Walker": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Kemba Walker": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Kemba Walker": "42"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kemba Walker": "1", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1"}, "Points": {"Kemba Walker": "34", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "33"}, "Steals": {"Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1"}}], "Both Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Kemba Walker were having a rough time playing in the month of February, with the two combining for six games of single - digit scoring before Thursday night. That all changed in Thursday's contest, however, as the two combined to to score the final six baskets of regulation en route to each having their best performances in weeks. Walker finished with a game - high 34 points in 42 minutes. It was just his third time in the last nine games where he has scored at least 20 points and his first time scoring 30 points since Jan. 27. As for Caldwell-Pope, who ended up leading Detroit's comeback in the fourth quarter, he scored a team - high 33 points Thursday. It was his first 30 - point game since Feb. 1 against the Pelicans and just his third game with at least 20 points in his last 13."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "21", "Mavericks": "8"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "106", "Mavericks": "117"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "5", "Mavericks": "19"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Mavericks": "32"}}, {"Assists": {"Chandler Parsons": "2", "Monta Ellis": "8", "Andre Drummond": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Chandler Parsons": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "6", "Monta Ellis": "2", "Andre Drummond": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chandler Parsons": "4", "Monta Ellis": "1", "Andre Drummond": "0", "Brandon Jennings": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "17", "Monta Ellis": "20", "Andre Drummond": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Chandler Parsons": "10", "Monta Ellis": "11", "Andre Drummond": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "9", "Monta Ellis": "4", "Andre Drummond": "6", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Chandler Parsons": "8", "Monta Ellis": "2", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "32", "Dirk Nowitzki": "18", "Tyson Chandler": "16", "Monta Ellis": "25", "Andre Drummond": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Chandler Parsons": "7", "Dirk Nowitzki": "10", "Tyson Chandler": "9", "Andre Drummond": "24"}, "Steals": {"Chandler Parsons": "2", "Andre Drummond": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Andre Drummond": "41"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1", "Brandon Jennings": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Brandon Jennings": "1"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (19 - 8) went on the road and knocked off the Detroit Pistons (5 - 21) 117 - 106 on Wednesday. The Mavericks have a knack for defeating the teams who they're supposed to defeat, and that showed once again on Wednesday, with another double - digit victory. The \"big four\" for the Mavericks all chipped in by doing their part, as Chandler Parsons had a huge game, scoring 32 points (10 - 17 FG, 4 - 6 3Pt, 8 - 9 FT) to go with seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. Monta Ellis was at it again, scoring 25 points (11 - 20 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT), with eight assists, while Dirk Nowitzki posted a double - double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Tyson Chandler fell just short of his own double - double, posting 16 points and nine rebounds. The Pistons gave the game away at the foul line, putting the Mavericks at the charity stripe for 27 easy points on 35 free throw attempts. The only starter who played over 28 minutes was Andre Drummond (41). The bench saw four players go over 20 minutes, showing that the Pistons are trying to find any lineup that can produce consistently. Drummond put up a stellar line, scoring 19 points (9 - 16 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 1 - 6 FT) to go with 24 rebounds, four steals, three blocks and an assist. Aside from that though, no one lit up the box score, and both Brandon Jennings and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope struggled shooting the ball on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "43"}}, {"Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "19", "Goran Dragic": "24", "Harrison Barnes": "24", "Dirk Nowitzki": "8", "Seth Curry": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "19", "Goran Dragic": "5", "Dirk Nowitzki": "12"}, "Assists": {"Goran Dragic": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Goran Dragic": "21", "Harrison Barnes": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Goran Dragic": "10", "Harrison Barnes": "9"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Seth Curry": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Seth Curry": "5"}}], "On Monday, the Mavericks' offense was almost entirely dependent on two players: Seth Curry and Harrison Barnes. Curry neared his career high, scoring 29 to lead the team and hitting 5 - of - 7 from beyond the arc. Barnes, meanwhile, shot 9 - of - 18 overall, good for 24 points on the night. Veteran star Dirk Nowitzki, meanwhile, led the team with 12 rebounds despite scoring only eight points. As a team, Dallas hit only 43 percent of its shots but made 50 percent from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Miami's Hassan Whiteside scored 19 points and came down with a whopping 19 rebounds. Still, Miami finished with an advantage of only four rebounds over the Mavs. Point guard Goran Dragic also had a solid night, shooting 10 - of - 21 for 24 points to go along with five rebounds and six assists."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "53", "Wizards": "42"}, "Losses": {"Spurs": "5", "Wizards": "14"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "114", "Wizards": "95"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Spurs": "31"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "22", "Wizards": "10"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Wizards": "20"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Wizards": "31"}}, {"Blocks": {"Marcin Gortat": "3", "Boban Marjanovic": "2"}, "Points": {"Marcin Gortat": "20", "John Wall": "20", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "18", "Kawhi Leonard": "27", "Tony Parker": "10", "Manu Ginobili": "11", "Boban Marjanovic": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "10", "Boban Marjanovic": "6"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "11", "Tony Parker": "10", "Manu Ginobili": "8"}, "Turnovers": {"John Wall": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Kelly Oubre Jr.": "25", "Manu Ginobili": "18", "Boban Marjanovic": "15"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (22 - 5) remained unbeaten at the AT & T Center with a 114 - 95 victory over the Washington Wizards (10 - 14) Wednesday night. The Spurs hit six of their eight three - point baskets in the second half, as they used a 31 - point third quarter to open the gap and run away from the Wizards. The Wizards led by as many as six in the first quarter, but went dreadfully cold, as they finished 3 - 15 (20 percent) from three - point land and 35 - 84 (42 percent) shooting overall. Forward Kawhi Leonard continues to show an improved all - around offensive game, as he poured in 27 points on a slick 9 - 15 shooting, including four three - pointers. Tony Parker finished with a 10 - point, 10 - assist double - double. In the resting Tim Duncan's absence, Manu Ginobili (11 points, eight assists in 18 minutes) and Boban Marjanovic (seven points, six rebounds two blocks in 15 minutes) both stepped up with efficient performances as the Spurs shot 53 percent from the floor. The Wizards offense stalled out despite 20 point games from both Marcin Gortat (9 - 15 shooting) and John Wall (6 - 18 shooting). Both finished with double - doubles, as Gortat nabbed 10 rebounds (and three blocks) and Wall dished out 11 assists (despite five turnovers). Kelly Oubre Jr. was a bright spot off the bench, as he scored a quick 18 points in 25 minutes, but the Wizards just could n't overcome their cold shoooting. Washington has lost four of their last five and will look to turn things around with their next contest at home Saturday against Charlotte. The Spurs are now on a four - game winning streak and have won eight of nine. They'll look to keep their undefeated home record going Friday against the Clippers."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "44", "Pacers": "26"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "29", "Pacers": "34"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "116", "Pacers": "91"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "41", "Pacers": "35"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "41"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pacers": "18"}, "Turnovers": {"Pacers": "13"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "2", "Jeff Teague": "7", "Monta Ellis": "3", "DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Cory Joseph": "9"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "18", "Thaddeus Young": "16", "Jeff Teague": "16", "Monta Ellis": "10", "Serge Ibaka": "16", "Jonas Valanciunas": "11", "DeMar DeRozan": "22", "Cory Joseph": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "4", "Thaddeus Young": "4", "Serge Ibaka": "5", "Jonas Valanciunas": "13", "DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Cory Joseph": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Thaddeus Young": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Thaddeus Young": "7"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the Indiana Pacers, 116 - 91, at Air Canada Center on Sunday. In this potential playoff preview, Toronto showed just how good they can be in their home building. It was a near wire - to - wire win for the Raptors, as they led for the final 42 minutes. In addition, Toronto held a double - digit lead for the entirety of the second half. Shooting was decisive, with the Raptors hitting 49 percent from the field and 44 percent from three - point range. The Pacers shot just 41 percent from the field and 26 percent from long range. Rebounding was a glaring difference as well, with Toronto winning that battle, 51 - 33. The Pacers (35 - 34) have now traded off wins and losses across their last 13 games, as they continue their pursuit for mediocrity. Paul George led the way for Indiana, as he tallied 18 points, four rebounds and two assists. Thaddeus Young finished with 16 points and four rebounds on 7 - of - 9 shooting. Jeff Teague accrued 16 points and seven assists. Monta Ellis was the only other Pacer in double figures, as he provided 10 points and three assists off the bench. On deck for the Pacers is a home matchup against the Utah Jazz on Monday. The Raptors (41 - 29) have been struggling without Kyle Lowry, but this was a huge win over a conference rival. DeMar DeRozan was the player of the game, as he accumulated 22 points, three rebounds and four assists. Serge Ibaka totaled 16 points and five rebounds. Jonas Valanciunas recorded a double - double, amassing 11 points and 13 rebounds. Cory Joseph started for Lowry and collected 11 points, four rebounds and nine assists. Norman Powell and Jakob Poeltl each scored in double figures off the bench. Toronto will look to build off this win on Tuesday against the Chicago Bulls."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "16", "Pistons": "16"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "94", "Pistons": "99"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Celtics": "22", "Pistons": "24"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Celtics": "20"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Celtics": "19"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "19", "Pistons": "20"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pistons": "24"}}, {"Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "2"}, "Points": {"Andre Drummond": "13", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "20", "Reggie Jackson": "24", "Stanley Johnson": "11", "Jae Crowder": "16", "Amir Johnson": "16", "Kelly Olynyk": "10", "Evan Turner": "17", "Isaiah Thomas": "22", "Jared Sullinger": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "5", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "2", "Stanley Johnson": "10", "Jae Crowder": "4", "Amir Johnson": "11", "Kelly Olynyk": "5", "Evan Turner": "6", "Isaiah Thomas": "5"}, "Steals": {"Andre Drummond": "2", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1", "Jae Crowder": "2"}, "Assists": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "6", "Kelly Olynyk": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Stanley Johnson": "23"}}], "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."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "46", "Nets": "55"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "105", "Nets": "91"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "31", "Nets": "21"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "17"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "36"}}, {"Points": {"Thomas Robinson": "14", "Jerian Grant": "14", "Langston Galloway": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Thomas Robinson": "13", "Langston Galloway": "6"}, "Assists": {"Jerian Grant": "4", "Langston Galloway": "7"}, "Turnovers": {"Jerian Grant": "2"}}], "The New York Knicks (31 - 46) took down the neighboring Brooklyn Nets (21 - 55) at Madison Square Garden on Friday night, 105 - 91. Both teams sit firmly out of the playoffs and neither owns its own pick in the 2016 draft, making Friday's matchup fairly inconsequential for both teams in the grand scheme of things. However, Madison Square Garden saw a hard - fought game with big performances from young players on both sides. For the Knicks, rookie Jerian Grant took the reigns as a starter and rolled with them, scoring 14 points and dishing out four assists while commiting just two turnovers. While lottery pick Kristaps Porzingis sat out with a shoulder injury, the team saw promise in the form of Grant's command of the floor. Guard Langston Galloway also had a big night off the bench, contributing a team - high 18 points as well as seven assists and six rebounds. For the Nets, meanwhile, young power forward Thomas Robinson exploded for a 14 - point, 13 - rebound double - double. With no Thaddeus Young, the youngster showed promise on both ends, also nabbing five steals on the defensive side of things. Ultimately, however, the Nets shot just a dismal 36 percent from the field and an even more paltry 17 percent from beyond the arc. The team remains fourteenth in the East with almost no chance of upping its standing before the season's end. Brooklyn will host the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday, while New York will play host to the Indiana Pacers."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Rockets": "30"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "111", "Mavericks": "99"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Rockets": "30"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Rockets": "28"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Rockets": "30", "Mavericks": "19"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "2", "Mavericks": "0"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "2"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "2"}, "Points": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "10", "Rajon Rondo": "4", "Dwight Howard": "28", "James Harden": "24", "Josh Smith": "15"}, "Minutes played": {"Rajon Rondo": "10", "Dwight Howard": "33"}, "Personal fouls": {"Rajon Rondo": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Rajon Rondo": "2", "Dwight Howard": "12", "Josh Smith": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "3", "Dwight Howard": "2"}, "Steals": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"James Harden": "13"}, "Assists": {"Josh Smith": "9"}}], "The Houston Rockets (20) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (0 - 2), 111 - 99, in Game 2 on Tuesday at the Toyota Center. The Rockets had several opportunities to pull away throughout the game, but Dallas always seemed to find an answer. That is, until the fourth quarter, when Dallas stopped being able to counter Houston's haymakers. The Rockets were able to space the floor and find open cutters throughout the fourth, which led to them outscoring the Mavericks 30 - 19 to close out the game. Josh Smith led the charge in the fourth with his passing as he dished out seven assists, including a couple alley - oops, in the final period. Smith matched his playoff career - high for assists with nine and also added 15 points and eight rebounds to help Houston hold serve on its home court. The series will transition to Dallas on Friday for Game 3. Dallas was short - handed coming into Game 2 with Chandler Parsons (knee) and Devin Harris (toe) sidelined, but things were made worse by Rajon Rondo's unimpactful outing. In just 10 minutes on the floor, Rondo picked up four fouls, including a technical foul, and four points before being replaced by a combination of J.J Barea and Raymond Felton. Coach Rick Carlisle said after the game that it was his decision to hold Rondo out of the game after picking up four fouls. Dirk Nowitzki finished with just 10 points on an uncharacteristically poor 3 - of - 14 shooting performance. Al-Farouq Aminu provided a spark off the bench on the defensive end with two steals and three blocks. The Mavericks will look to get back into the series Friday on their home floor. Houston looks to be a more formidable team now that Dwight Howard has gotten back into a rhythm. Howard played 33 minutes Tuesday and led the Rockets with 28 points while also adding 12 rebounds and two blocks. A healthy Howard helps alleviate some of the scoring pressure on MVP Candidate James Harden, who hit all of his 13 free throws en route to scoring 24 in the game. The Rockets have a chance to take a commanding 30 lead in the series Friday in Dallas."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "29", "Grizzlies": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "36", "Grizzlies": "36"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "1"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "69", "Grizzlies": "71"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "1"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Tayshaun Prince": "18"}, "Points": {"Tayshaun Prince": "2", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "12"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (30) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (1 - 1) 71 - 69 on Saturday. Tayshaun Prince was given the start at small forward with Courtney Lee out due to a concussion that he suffered in Friday's game. Lee will be reevaluated before Monday's game to determine if he's past any symptoms that would exclude him from playing. Prince finished with just two points in 18 minutes. This was a gritty game between two defense - first teams, and it showed in the box score. The Grizzlies shot 36 percent from the field and 27 percent from beyond the arc. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist capitalized on the teams' shooting woes to corral 12 rebounds to go with 11 points in recording his first double - double of the season. The Hornets shot 36 percent from the field and 29 percent from beyond the arc, matching the Grizzlies' futility on offense. Bismack Biyombo was once again left on the bench for the entire game, and if the Hornets are n't going to use the young athletic big man against a large frontcourt like the Grizzlies who stress getting their offense close to the rim, Biyombo may find himself tied to the bench for most of the season. The Grizzlies' next game is at home Monday against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Hornets will complete a back - to - back set on the road Sunday against the New York Knicks."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "30", "Clippers": "21"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "102", "Clippers": "107"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "24", "Clippers": "33"}}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "8", "Frank Kaminsky": "5", "Nicolas Batum": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Blake Griffin": "1", "Frank Kaminsky": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Blake Griffin": "35", "Jamal Crawford": "27", "Frank Kaminsky": "36", "Nicolas Batum": "37"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "20", "Austin Rivers": "18", "Jamal Crawford": "22", "Frank Kaminsky": "20", "Nicolas Batum": "25", "Kemba Walker": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "12", "Frank Kaminsky": "8", "Nicolas Batum": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Austin Rivers": "6", "Kemba Walker": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Austin Rivers": "4", "Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Austin Rivers": "12", "Jamal Crawford": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Austin Rivers": "7", "Jamal Crawford": "6"}, "Steals": {"Frank Kaminsky": "1"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the host Charlotte Hornets, 107 - 102, at Spectrum Center on Saturday evening. The Clippers led by two at half time and boosted that lead, as they took a seven - point advantage into the fourth. The Hornets gave it a push in the fourth but were not able to make up the full difference. Jamal Crawford was the high - point man for the Clippers (33 - 21), as he led the way with 22 points on 6 - of - 11 shooting, in 27 minutes off the bench. Blake Griffin filled the stat sheet with 20 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists and one block, in 35 minutes, while Austin Rivers chipped in 18 points on 7 - of - 12 shooting, including 4 - of - 6 from downtown. The Clippers won the rebounding battle and outscored the Hornets by 14 in the paint. The Clippers will look for their third straight win, as they go on to visit Utah to take on the Jazz on Monday. Meanwhile, the Hornets (24 - 30) struggled from the field, shooting only 43 percent. Kemba Walker was the main contributor to Charlotte's poor shooting percentage, as he went 4 - of - 18 from the field, including 1 - of - 9 from long range, on his way to only 10 points. Nicolas Batum was the high - point man for the Hornets, with 25, to go along with eight assists, six rebounds and one block, in 37 minutes. Frank Kaminsky came up big, as he got the start in place of the injured Cody Zeller. Kaminsky finished with 20 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two blocks and one steal, in 36 minutes. The Hornets will look to snap a two - game losing streak, as they go on to host the 76ers on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "44", "Nuggets": "47"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "41", "Nuggets": "35"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "92", "Nuggets": "105"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "25", "Nuggets": "31"}}, {"Assists": {"Danilo Gallinari": "2", "Nikola Jokic": "2", "Gary Harris": "2", "Mason Plumlee": "8", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "5", "Buddy Hield": "3", "Tyreke Evans": "2"}, "Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "15", "Nikola Jokic": "20", "Gary Harris": "24", "Mason Plumlee": "8", "Jamal Murray": "14", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "13", "Buddy Hield": "17", "Tyreke Evans": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Danilo Gallinari": "5", "Nikola Jokic": "14", "Gary Harris": "3", "Mason Plumlee": "7", "Jamal Murray": "3", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "5", "Buddy Hield": "6", "Tyreke Evans": "3"}, "Steals": {"Nikola Jokic": "2", "Gary Harris": "2", "Jamal Murray": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gary Harris": "15", "Buddy Hield": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Gary Harris": "10", "Buddy Hield": "6"}}], "The Denver Nuggets defeated the host Sacramento Kings, 105 - 92, at Golden One Center on Saturday. This was a game that meant a lot more to Denver than Sacramento, as they really took control from start to finish. In fact, the Kings held just one one - point lead in the first quarter, with Denver leading for 47 minutes of this game. Free-throw shooting was decisive, with the Nuggets going 16 - of - 18 from the charity stripe, while the Kings could only go 12 - of - 20. Denver ended up shooting 47 percent from the field, while Sacramento fell just shy of 44 percent. The Nuggets (31 - 35) are barely holding on to the eight - seed in the west, so to say this win was needed is a drastic understatement. Gary Harris led the way for Denver, as he tallied 24 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals on 10 - of - 15 shooting. Nikola Jokic finished second on the team, totaling 20 points, 14 rebounds, two assists and two steals. Danilo Gallinari accrued 15 points, five rebounds and two assists. Jamal Murray led the bench with 14 points, three rebounds and two steals, while Mason Plumlee provided eight points, seven rebounds and eight assists of his own off the pine. On deck for Denver is a home matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday. The Kings (25 - 41) continue to struggle without DeMarcus Cousins, as they have now lost eight - straight games. Buddy Hield led Sacramento in scoring, as he amassed 17 points, six rebounds and three assists on 6 - of - 8 shooting. Tyreke Evans finished second on the team with 16 points, three rebounds and two assists off the bench. Willie Cauley-Stein collected 13 points, five rebounds and five assists. Sacramento will look to snap this slide on Monday in a home matchup with the Orlando Magic."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "51"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Mike Conley": "4", "Elfrid Payton": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Mike Conley": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Mike Conley": "6"}, "Points": {"Mike Conley": "17", "Troy Daniels": "16", "Aaron Gordon": "30", "Elfrid Payton": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Mike Conley": "2", "Troy Daniels": "4", "Elfrid Payton": "4"}}], "In a battle between two defensive - minded teams, offense was on display in this lopsided game. The Magic's offense was especially good, as they shot 51 percent from the field and 50 percent from three - point range. This game was well out of hand early, as Orlando led by 25 at halftime in their wire - to - wire win. Mike Conley was the only starter to play well for the Grizzlies, as he tallied 17 points, two rebounds and four assists on 6 - of - 8 shooting. Troy Daniels led the bench in scoring, as he collected 16 points and four rebounds. Aaron Gordon was the player of the game, as he approached a career - high with 30 points on 11 - of - 15 shooting. Elfrid Payton was huge off the bench for Orlando, accumulating 16 points, four rebounds and seven assists in the win. All five starters scored in double figures for Orlando, as they outscored the Memphis starters, 79 - 48."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "21", "Pacers": "18"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "116", "Pacers": "121"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pistons": "24", "Pacers": "29"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "16", "Pacers": "18"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "56"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "58"}, "Turnovers": {"Pacers": "11"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Paul George": "17", "Monta Ellis": "6", "Tobias Harris": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul George": "10", "Monta Ellis": "6", "Tobias Harris": "9"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "32", "Myles Turner": "17", "Jeff Teague": "17", "Jon Leuer": "14", "Marcus Morris": "14", "Andre Drummond": "20", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "16", "Reggie Jackson": "20", "Tobias Harris": "22"}, "Blocks": {"Myles Turner": "2", "Andre Drummond": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Myles Turner": "7", "Jeff Teague": "3", "Andre Drummond": "14", "Reggie Jackson": "7", "Tobias Harris": "5"}, "Steals": {"Myles Turner": "2"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "8", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "5", "Reggie Jackson": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Reggie Jackson": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Reggie Jackson": "1"}}], "The Indiana Pacers defeated the Detroit Pistons, 121 - 116, at Palace of Auburn Hills on Tuesday. In a battle between two middling Eastern Conference teams, the Pacers were able to prevail, thanks to a big fourth quarter. Indiana outscored Detroit 29 - 24 in the fourth quarter and held them to just 13 points through the first nine minutes of that period. The Pacers offense was on point all evening, as they shot 58 percent from the field, 87 percent from the free - throw line and 56 percent from three - point range. Detroit lost despite winning the rebounding, assisting and turnover battles. Indiana (18 - 18) had just four road wins headed into this matchup, so a fourth quarter surge to grab their fifth is just what they need to find some momentum. Paul George was the player of the game, as he scored a game - high 32 points on 10 - of - 17 shooting. George actually scored 12 of his 32 points in the final six minutes to secure the win for Indiana. Jeff Teague accrued 17 points, three rebounds and eight assists. Myles Turner totaled 17 points, seven rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Monta Ellis was a huge spark off the bench, dropping 17 points on 6 - of - 6 shooting. The Pacers have another favorable matchup in their next game, when they host the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday. Detroit (16 - 21) are now just 3 - 8 across their last 11 games and fourth quarter collapses like this are par for the course right now. The good news is that Reggie Jackson had one of his best games of the year, as he accumulated 20 points, seven rebounds and 12 assists. Andre Drummond recorded another double - double, amassing 20 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks. Tobias Harris led the team in scoring off the bench, as he scored 22 points on 9 - of - 14 shooting to go along with five boards. Jon Leuer and Marcus Morris scored 14 points a piece, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 16 points and five assists. The Pistons will look to get out of this slide on Thursday against the Charlotte Hornets."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Grizzlies": "24"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "58"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "22", "Suns": "37"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "110", "Suns": "91"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Grizzlies": "22"}, "Turnovers": {"Grizzlies": "22"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "33", "Suns": "16"}}, {"Points": {"Devin Booker": "20", "Eric Bledsoe": "16", "Marc Gasol": "19"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Eric Bledsoe": "15", "Mike Conley": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "3", "Marc Gasol": "6", "Mike Conley": "7"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Marc Gasol": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Marc Gasol": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Mike Conley": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Mike Conley": "4"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Phoenix Suns, 110 - 91, on Wednesday at FedExForum. This was a wire - to - wire win for the Grizzlies (33 - 22), as they have now won three straight games and six of their last seven. Mike Conley led the way for Memphis, shooting an impressive 4 - of - 5 from behind the arc and 7 - of - 10 from the field overall. Marc Gasol added 19 points, seven rebounds and three assists, and six total Grizzlies ended up scoring in double - figures. As a team, Memphis managed to do heavy damage from long range, shooting a hot 14 - of - 24 (58 percent) from behind the arc. The victory did come, however, with a bit of recklessness, as the Grizzlies recorded 22 total turnovers on just 24 assists. For the Suns (16 - 37), their struggles continued, as Wednesday's loss was their third in a row and eighth in the last nine games. And this one was one of the more forgetful outings, as the team shot just 33 percent from the field and 22 percent from behind the arc. They also managed to play rather recklessly, recording just 13 assists to their 15 total turnovers. Devin Booker ended up leading the way with a team - high 20 points, while Eric Bledsoe had a disastrous night shooting from the field, going just 3 - of - 15 en route to scoring 16 points. Up next, the Grizzlies will look to keep rolling at home against the Warriors on Friday, while the Suns will look to turn things around Friday at home against the Bulls."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "23"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "50"}}, {"Field goals made": {"Tobias Harris": "5", "Reggie Jackson": "5", "Jon Leuer": "5"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "15", "Marcus Morris": "15", "Andre Drummond": "22", "Reggie Jackson": "16", "Jon Leuer": "17", "Ish Smith": "8", "Andrew Wiggins": "16"}, "Minutes played": {"Andre Drummond": "28", "Jon Leuer": "28", "Ish Smith": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "22"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Reggie Jackson": "15", "Jon Leuer": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jon Leuer": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Jon Leuer": "7"}, "Assists": {"Ish Smith": "6"}}], "Andre Drummond notched his second straight and third 20/20 game of the season, with 22 points on 10 - 13 shooting and 22 rebounds, in 28 minutes. All five starters scored in double digits for the Pistons, including Reggie Jackson with 16 points, and Tobias Harris and Marcus Morris with 15 each. John Leuer was solid off the bench as he finished with 17 points on 5 - of - 10 shooting and 7 - of - 8 from the foul line, in 28 minutes. Ish Smith only played 15 minutes and finished with eight points and six assists. The Pistons shot 14 - of - 29 from downtown and 50 percent from the field. The Timberwolves struggled shooting from distance, going 3 - of - 16. All five starters scored in double figures for the Timberwolves, led by Andrew Wiggins with 16 points. Minnesota continues to lack bench production as seven players combined for 91 minutes but only 23 points off the bench for the Timberwolves."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Heat": "22", "Hornets": "14"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "34", "Hornets": "36"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "108", "Hornets": "101"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Heat": "27", "Hornets": "15"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "31", "Hornets": "28"}}, {"Assists": {"Marvin Williams": "3", "Dion Waiters": "5", "Goran Dragic": "10", "James Johnson": "5"}, "Points": {"Marvin Williams": "14", "Nicolas Batum": "16", "Kemba Walker": "33", "Hassan Whiteside": "10", "Dion Waiters": "24", "Goran Dragic": "22", "James Johnson": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Marvin Williams": "12", "Nicolas Batum": "7", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Hassan Whiteside": "15", "Dion Waiters": "3", "Goran Dragic": "6", "James Johnson": "6"}, "Steals": {"Nicolas Batum": "4", "Hassan Whiteside": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the Charlotte Hornets, 108 - 101, at American Airlines Arena on Wednesday. These are two teams battling for a playoff spot in the East and it had that sort of atmosphere. This was tight throughout, as there were eight ties and 11 lead changes, with neither team leading by more than 12 points. Miami took care of business in the fourth quarter, outscoring Charlotte, 27 - 15. Rebounding was a huge factor, with the Heat winning that battle, 46 - 39. They also dominated the assists differential, winning that, 22 - 14. The Hornets (28 - 36) have just four wins in their last 11 games and losses like this are crucial to their pursuit of a playoff berth. Kemba Walker did all he could, leading the team with 33 points and four rebounds. Nicolas Batum finished second on the team, accumulating 16 points, seven rebounds and four steals. Marvin Williams amassed 14 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and three steals. On deck for Charlotte is a home matchup against the Orlando Magic on Friday. The Heat (31 - 34) have now gotten their winning streak to three games, as they continue their incredible run, now sitting within a game of the eight - seed in the East. Dion Waiters led the team with 24 points, three rebounds and five assists. Goran Dragic accrued 22 points, six rebounds and 10 assists. Hassan Whiteside recorded a double - double, totaling 10 points, 15 rebounds, two steals and four blocks. James Johnson was a nice spark off the bench, collecting 10 points, six rebounds and five assists. Miami will look to keep rolling on Saturday in a home matchup with the Toronto Raptors."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "10"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "104", "Knicks": "93"}, "Rebounds": {"Pelicans": "43", "Knicks": "30"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "10"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Tyreke Evans": "2", "Jrue Holiday": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Tyreke Evans": "1", "Jrue Holiday": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "11", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "18", "Anthony Davis": "14", "Tyreke Evans": "15", "Jrue Holiday": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "11", "Jason Smith": "2", "Anthony Davis": "6", "Tyreke Evans": "11", "Jrue Holiday": "6"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "17", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "26", "Anthony Davis": "18", "Omer Asik": "16", "Tyreke Evans": "27", "Jrue Holiday": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "8", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "5", "Anthony Davis": "8", "Omer Asik": "14", "Jrue Holiday": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Amar'e Stoudemire": "6", "Anthony Davis": "9", "Jrue Holiday": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Amar'e Stoudemire": "4", "Anthony Davis": "6", "Jrue Holiday": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Amar'e Stoudemire": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "3"}, "Assists": {"Tyreke Evans": "6", "Jrue Holiday": "7"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (10 - 10) defeated the New York Knicks (4 - 19) 104 - 93 on Tuesday at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The Pelicans had only a two - point lead heading into halftime, but were able to out - score the Knicks 50 - 41 in the second half, allowing them to coast to a victory in front of their home crowd. The Pelicans secured a heavy rebounding advantage, as they out - rebounded the Knicks 43 - 30, only furthering the advantage to the Pelicans in this one. While Anthony Davis is usually relied upon to guide the Pelicans, it was Tyreke Evans who took the lead on Tuesday. Evans shot a fantastic 11 - for - 15 from the field and 1 - for - 2 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 27 points, while also handing out six assists. It was nice bounce back game for him after shooting only 33 percent against the Lakers on Sunday. While Davis did n't have the most points, he still contributed 18 points (6 - 14 FG, 6 - 9 FT), eight rebounds and three blocks. While his totals were well below his season averages of 25 points and 11 assists, it was still enough to get the Pelicans a victory. Omer Asik chipped in with 16 points and 14 rebounds, giving him his fifth game in a row with at least 10 rebounds. It was also his fifth double - double of the year. Jrue Holiday was the only other Pelican to reach double figures in points, as he finished with 13 points (6 - 10 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT), seven assists and six rebounds. As has been the case over the last few weeks, the Knicks received most of their production from Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire. Stoudemire led all scorers with 26 points (11 - 18 FG, 4 - 6 FT), while also grabbing five rebounds. It was a season high for Stoudemire, who's only reached the 20 - point mark one other time this season. Anthony on the other hand shot 6 - for - 11 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score 17 points and added eight rebounds. He did n't get nearly as many shots off as he has most of the season so far, so it resulted in scoring less than his season average of 23 points per game. With the other starters struggling to make an impact, the only other player to reach double figures was Jason Smith, who came off the bench to score 17 points (6 - 18 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT). He's now combined for 37 points in the last two games, as he's been a big factor off the bench for the Knicks. The Pelicans next game will be on the road against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, while the Knicks will travel to San Antonio to play the Spurs on Wednesday."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Kings": "24"}}, {"Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "20", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "21", "Pau Gasol": "24", "DeMarcus Cousins": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6", "Pau Gasol": "7", "DeMarcus Cousins": "17"}, "Blocks": {"Pau Gasol": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Pau Gasol": "4", "DeMarcus Cousins": "11"}, "Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "6"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "14"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "14"}}], "Despite a tough start to the season, veteran Pau Gasol seems to have found his groove in San Antonio. The All-Star big man has scored in double digits and recorded at least seven rebounds in each of his last four games. Wednesday's matchup against the Kings saw Gasol's biggest output of the season thus far, as the big man posted 24 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks. The veteran lead San Antonio in both scoring and rebounding, while his frontcourt partners LaMarcus Aldridge and Kawhi Leonard trailed not far behind him. Aldridge scored 21 and Leonard scored 20, while both contributed six rebounds. For the Kings, meanwhile, the frontcourt was more of a one - man show. Dominant center DeMarcus Cousins lead the game with 26 points and 17 rebounds while also dishing a team - high six assists. Cousins also reached the free - throw line 14 times, growing his average of 11 attempts per game."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "44"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "46"}, "Number of team assists": {"Nets": "20"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "5", "Trevor Booker": "11", "Luis Scola": "9", "Sean Kilpatrick": "8", "Jeremy Lin": "12", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "19", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "14", "DeMarre Carroll": "17", "Jonas Valanciunas": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "15", "Kyle Lowry": "23"}, "Minutes played": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "20"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "14", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Kyle Lowry": "1"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Lowry": "3"}}], "The Raptors tallied success rates of 46 and 44 percent, respectively, from the field and three - point range, while holding their visitors to under 40 percent shooting overall. Lowry contributed 23 points, eight assists, four rebounds, three steals and a block. DeMarre Carroll's 17 points came on the strength of a 7 - of - 11 shooting effort. DeMar DeRozan had a modest 15 points, while Jonas Valanciunas stepped up with a 10 - point, 14 - rebound double - double. Terrence Ross led the second unit with a season - high 21 points and added five steals. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson's 19 points in 20 bench minutes led the Nets. Spencer Dinwiddie was second with 14 points, and Jeremy Lin paced the first unit with 12 points. Trevor Booker supplied 11 points, but Luis Scola (nine points), Sean Kilpatrick (eight points) and Bojan Bogdanovic (five points) notably underperformed."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "35", "Knicks": "46"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "115", "Knicks": "121"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "23", "Knicks": "11"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Knicks": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"Lou Amundson": "2", "Andrea Bargnani": "4", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "4", "Shane Larkin": "3", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "3", "Reggie Jackson": "5", "Jodie Meeks": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Lou Amundson": "3", "Greg Monroe": "2", "Andre Drummond": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Lou Amundson": "16", "Andrea Bargnani": "20", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "14", "Shane Larkin": "9", "Greg Monroe": "13", "Andre Drummond": "11", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "18", "Reggie Jackson": "24", "Jodie Meeks": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Lou Amundson": "8", "Andrea Bargnani": "10", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "7", "Shane Larkin": "5", "Greg Monroe": "9", "Andre Drummond": "9", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "7", "Reggie Jackson": "5", "Jodie Meeks": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Lou Amundson": "1", "Andrea Bargnani": "5", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "2", "Shane Larkin": "5", "Greg Monroe": "15", "Andre Drummond": "7", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "5", "Jodie Meeks": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Lou Amundson": "1", "Andrea Bargnani": "4", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "2", "Shane Larkin": "5", "Greg Monroe": "10", "Andre Drummond": "3", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "5", "Jodie Meeks": "4"}, "Points": {"Lou Amundson": "17", "Andrea Bargnani": "25", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "18", "Shane Larkin": "16", "Greg Monroe": "28", "Andre Drummond": "21", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "19", "Reggie Jackson": "16", "Jodie Meeks": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Lou Amundson": "14", "Andrea Bargnani": "12", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "2", "Langston Galloway": "6", "Greg Monroe": "13", "Andre Drummond": "15", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Andrea Bargnani": "2", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "5", "Shane Larkin": "3", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "11", "Reggie Jackson": "5", "Jodie Meeks": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Andrea Bargnani": "1", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "2", "Shane Larkin": "1", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "3", "Reggie Jackson": "1", "Jodie Meeks": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "2", "Langston Galloway": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Andre Drummond": "3"}}], "The New York Knicks (11 - 46) defeated the Detroit Pistons (23 - 35) 121 - 115 on Friday at the Palace of Auburn Hills. While currently riding an eight - game losing streak, the Knicks were able to overcome the drought and secured a victory in a double - overtime thriller. With just six seconds left in regulation, Langston Galloway came up clutch for the Knicks and hit a three - point shot to tie the game. Anthony Tolliver had a shot to win it at the buzzer, but instead it went into overtime. In the first overtime, it was the Pistons who came up with the clutch bucket at the end of the period, as Greg Monroe made a layup to even the score with 12 seconds left, eventually pushing it to a second overtime. The Knicks took off in the second overtime though, and finished off the surprising six - point victory on road, which marked just their eleventh total win on the season. The Knicks saw a huge contribution from Andrea Bargnani, who posted a team - high of 25 points (10 - 20 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT), to go along with 12 rebounds and four assists. He has only played eight games so far this season, and this was far - and - away his most productive showing. The point, rebound and assist numbers were all season - highs, while the double - double was his first of the year as well. Posting a double - double of his own, Lou Amundson was very effective, finishing with 17 points (8 - 16 FG, 1 - 1 FT), 14 rebounds and three blocked shots. Despite averaging just 4 points per game, he's now posted double figures in points in three straight games, after previously hitting that mark only once so far this year. Tim Hardaway Jr was dialed in with his shot, going 7 - for - 14 from the field and 2 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score 18 points, while also adding four assists. He shot a combined 7 - for - 24 from the field over his last two games, so it was refreshing to see him find increased succes during Friday's matchup. Coming off the bench, Shane Larkin added 16 points (5 - 9 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT) and three assists. For the Pistons, the frontcourt duo of Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond were a huge reason for their success. Each recorded a double - double, as Monroe posted 28 points (9 - 13 FG, 10 - 15 FT), 13 rebounds and two blocked shots, while Drummond finished with 21 points (9 - 11 FG, 3 - 7 FT), 15 rebounds and four blocked shots. Drummond has been on an absolute tear of late, posting four double - doubles in a row, while averaging 19 points and 15 rebounds over that span. He's averaging 13 points and 13 rebounds on the season. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope gave the frontcourt some help as well and recorded 19 points (7 - 18 FG, 3 - 11 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and six rebounds. Like Drummond, he's playing at a very high rate, averaging 21 points over his last three games. Both Reggie Jackson and Jodie Meeks reached double - digit points as well. Jackson finished with 16 points (5 - 24 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT) and five assists, while Meeks notched 16 points (5 - 8 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT) and two assists. The Pistons just could n't limit the Knicks enough to secure a win. The Knicks' next game will be at home against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday, while the Pistons will travel to Washington to play the Wizards on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "26", "Grizzlies": "26"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "94", "Grizzlies": "86"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "54", "Grizzlies": "54"}}, {"Assists": {"Zach Randolph": "5", "Beno Udrih": "3", "Chris Paul": "14"}, "Free throws made": {"Zach Randolph": "5", "DeAndre Jordan": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Zach Randolph": "39", "Beno Udrih": "29", "DeAndre Jordan": "37", "Chris Paul": "35"}, "Points": {"Zach Randolph": "21", "Beno Udrih": "14", "Blake Griffin": "18", "DeAndre Jordan": "16", "JJ Redick": "18", "Chris Paul": "15", "Jamal Crawford": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "13", "DeAndre Jordan": "16", "Chris Paul": "5"}, "Steals": {"Zach Randolph": "3", "DeAndre Jordan": "3", "Chris Paul": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "3"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "2", "Chris Paul": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "5"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (54 - 26) improved their chances of hosting a series in the playoffs with a 94 - 86 win over the Memphis Grizzlies (54 - 26). Marc Gasol suffered a left ankle injury and tried to play through it. He left early in the first half and his availability moving forward is unknown. The Clippers climbed to the three seed in the Western Conference with their fifth straight win. They\u2019re tied with the Grizzlies and five seed San Antonio Spurs. Matt Barnes left briefly with a right foot injury and returned to start the second half. DeAndre Jordan converted an impressive 4 - of - 5 free throws, supplemented by 16 points, 16 rebounds, three steals and two blocks in 37 minutes in his attempt to win the Defensive Player of the Year vote. Chris Paul, the league\u2019s leading assist man, recorded 15 points, 14 assists, five rebounds, one steal and one block in 35 minutes. Blake Griffin and J.J. Redick each scored a team - high 18 points, and Jamal Crawford added 11 points off the bench in his second game back from a calf injury. The Grizzlies are still locked into the two seed after the unfortunate loss, possessing the same record as the three seed Clippers and five seed Spurs. Mike Conley missed his second straight game due to a right foot sprain. He participated in warmups, but ultimately didn\u2019t play. Beno Udrih scored 14 points and added three assists in 29 minutes. Zach Randolph did the heavy lifting without Conley and Gasol with team - highs of points (21), rebounds (13), assists (5) and steals (3) in 39 minutes. The Clippers end the season with a back - to - back set beginning Monday against the Denver Nuggets, their final home game of the regular season. The Grizzlies conclude a three - game road trip Monday against the Golden State Warriors."], [[{"Wins": {"Spurs": "7"}}, {"Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "20", "Ryan Anderson": "6", "James Harden": "25", "Eric Gordon": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2", "Ryan Anderson": "8", "James Harden": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ryan Anderson": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Ryan Anderson": "1"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "13"}}], "While the Rockets took 13 more shots than the Spurs, they made seven less baskets. That led to San Antonio shooting over 50 percent and Houston shooting under 40 percent. Three-point shooting is the only reason Houston hung around, as they went 15 - of - 47 in the loss. Pau Gasol and Tony Parker have really struggled this season, but they stepped up here. In fact, they both scored in double figures together for the first time all season. While Leonard recorded just two rebounds and no assists, he led the team with 20 points scored in the victory. James Harden's 25 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists added to his already ridiculous averages of 31 points, 8 rebounds and 13 assists per game. Ryan Anderson had a historically bad game, going just 1 - of - 13 from the field, en route to a six - point, eight - rebound line. Eric Gordon's 27 points off the bench marks a season - high. There were just two ties and two lead changes, as the Spurs led for nearly the entirety of the game."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "4", "Mavericks": "2"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "82", "Mavericks": "105"}, "Turnovers": {"Jazz": "21"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "2", "Mavericks": "4"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Chandler Parsons": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "28", "Tyson Chandler": "30"}, "Points": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "27", "Tyson Chandler": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "10", "Tyson Chandler": "13"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (4 - 2) defeated the Utah Jazz (2 - 4) 105 - 82 on Friday. Dirk Nowitzki was coming off a subpar game in the Mavericks' 108 - 87 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, and he made sure he had a better game Friday. He put up 27 points to go with 10 reboudnds and five three - pointers in collecting his first double - double of the season, doing all of his damage in just 28 minutes. Tyson Chandler also corralled a double - double, posting 15 points and 13 rebounds in 30 minutes. Chandler Parsons struggled with his shot, finishing 1 - for - 11 from the field, but his defense was on point Friday as he had a plus - 21 rating. The Jazz were riding a high after coming away with a 102 - 100 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, which came on the back of a Gordon Hayward buzzer - beater to win the game as time expired. Utah had 21 turnovers Friday, dooming all their other efforts against a determined Mavericks team that was agressive on defense, collecting 12 steals. The Mavericks have Saturday off before taking on the Miami Heat at home Sunday. Utah will travel to Detroit to face the Pistons on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "40", "Heat": "31"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "90", "Heat": "93"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "19", "Heat": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"Luol Deng": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Luol Deng": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Luol Deng": "2", "Henry Walker": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "3"}, "Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "15", "Nikola Vucevic": "26", "Victor Oladipo": "13", "Aaron Gordon": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "13", "Victor Oladipo": "13"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "19", "Victor Oladipo": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwyane Wade": "6", "Henry Walker": "3", "Victor Oladipo": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Dwyane Wade": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Victor Oladipo": "42", "Aaron Gordon": "9"}}], "The Miami Heat (25 - 31) defeated the Orlando Magic (19 - 40) 93 - 90 in overtime Wednesday. Luol Deng has stepped up his point production since the team lost Chris Bosh for the remainder of the season due to blood clots in his lung. Over his last two games, Deng has averaged 25 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Hassan Whiteside continued his breakout season with 15 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks. Dwyane Wade went 6 - for - 19 but had a huge assist on Henry Walker's three - pointer that sent the game into overtime, overcoming an eight - point deficit with 42 seconds remaining in regulation. It looked like the Magic had wrapped up their fourth straight victory until they gave up a Walker three - pointer with less than three seconds to go, forcing the game into an extra session. Nikola Vucevic led the Magic in points with 26 and scored all five Orlando points in overtime, but it was n't enough to stop Wade and the Heat from stealing a victory at the Amway Center. Victor Oladipo did n't have a great shooting night, going 4 - for - 13 from the field for 13 points. However, he led Orlando in rebounding with 13 to go along with four assists in 42 minutes. Aaron Gordon left Wednesday's game with an ankle sprain and did n't return after recording six points in nine minutes of action in the first half. Miami will travel to New Orleans to take on the Pelicans on Friday. The Magic will face the Eastern Conference-leading Atlanta Hawks from Phillips Arena on Friday."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Spurs": "21"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "29"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "36"}}, {"Assists": {"Matt Barnes": "4", "Kyle Anderson": "6", "Patty Mills": "4"}, "Points": {"Matt Barnes": "14", "Ian Clark": "36", "Kyle Anderson": "13", "Patty Mills": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Matt Barnes": "9", "Kyle Anderson": "8", "Patty Mills": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ian Clark": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"Ian Clark": "15"}}], "This was not the Spurs-Warriors game everyone was looking forward to, as Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker, LaMarcus Aldridge, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant and Draymond Green all sat out this game. The Spurs capitalized though, as their B-unit is the far superior one over the Warriors second - unit. It was a near wire - to - wire win, with San Antonio leading by double - digits for the entirety of the second half. The Warriors really struggled on offense, hitting just 36 percent from the field and 29 percent from three - point range. Ian Clark was the lone bright spot for Golden State, as he led the team with 36 points on 15 - of - 21 shooting off the bench. Matt Barnes led the starters, as he collected 14 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Patty Mills was San Antonio's best player, as he accumulated 21 points, two rebounds and four assists. Kyle Anderson tallied 13 points, eight rebounds and six assists."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Rockets": "28"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Rockets": "28"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Ryan Anderson": "16"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ryan Anderson": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ryan Anderson": "19", "James Harden": "20", "Andrew Wiggins": "17", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "28"}, "Field goals made": {"Ryan Anderson": "9", "Andrew Wiggins": "5", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "15"}, "Minutes played": {"Ryan Anderson": "36", "James Harden": "43", "Eric Gordon": "36", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "43"}, "Points": {"Ryan Anderson": "28", "James Harden": "28", "Eric Gordon": "20", "Andrew Wiggins": "13", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "41", "Zach LaVine": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Ryan Anderson": "6", "James Harden": "9", "Eric Gordon": "6"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "13", "Eric Gordon": "4", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "5"}, "Blocks": {"James Harden": "2"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "1", "Eric Gordon": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Zach LaVine": "8"}}], "The Rockets launched 51 three - point attempts and converted on 17 of them. Three players scored 20 or more points for Houston, led by James Harden, who finished with 28 points, along with 13 assists, nine rebounds, two blocks and one steal, in 43 minutes. Ryan Anderson poured in 28 points of his own, on 9 - of - 19 shooting, including 7 - of - 16 from long range. Eric Gordon continued his strong play as he chipped in 20 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals, in 36 minutes off the bench. Meanwhile, Karl-Anthony Towns came up with the line of the night as he dropped 41 points on 15 - of - 28 shooting, to go along with 15 rebounds and five assists, in 43 minutes. Zach LaVine added 24 points but had a troublesome eight turnovers, while Andrew Wiggins struggled shooting, going 5 - of - 17 from the field, on his way to 13 points."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "55"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "6", "Grizzlies": "8"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "120", "Grizzlies": "105"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Raptors": "30"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "12", "Grizzlies": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Grizzlies": "30"}}, {"Points": {"JaMychal Green": "16", "Marc Gasol": "18", "Andrew Harrison": "21", "Troy Daniels": "19", "DeMar DeRozan": "24", "Kyle Lowry": "29", "Cory Joseph": "16", "Patrick Patterson": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"JaMychal Green": "5", "Marc Gasol": "8", "DeMar DeRozan": "9", "Kyle Lowry": "3", "Cory Joseph": "8", "Patrick Patterson": "13"}, "Steals": {"JaMychal Green": "5", "Andrew Harrison": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "2"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "3", "Andrew Harrison": "4", "DeMar DeRozan": "6", "Kyle Lowry": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Troy Daniels": "12", "DeMar DeRozan": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Troy Daniels": "6"}}], "The host Toronto Raptors defeated the Memphis Grizzlies, 120 - 105, at Air Canada Center on Wednesday. Despite the final scoreline, this game was tight throughout. In fact, neither team had more than a nine - point lead until the final six minutes, as there were nine ties and 15 lead changes in total. The second half is where the Raptors really turned it on, outscoring Memphis, 65 - 48 over the final 24 minutes. Toronto was lights - out from the field, shooting 55 percent from the field and 50 percent from three - point range. Rebounding was huge as well, with the Raptors grabbing 42 boards to the Grizzlies 30. Memphis (11 - 8) had to play this game without Mike Conley and Zach Randolph and that was simply too much to overcome. Andrew Harrison was great filling - in for Conley though, tallying 21 points, four assists and three steals in the defeat. JaMychal Green finished the game with 16 points, five rebounds and five steals. Much of the offense was run through Marc Gasol, as he totaled 18 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Troy Daniels was a nice spark off the bench, dropping 19 points on 6 - of - 12 shooting. Memphis will finish their back - to - back set on Thursday, when they host the Orlando Magic. Toronto (12 - 6) allowed a beat - up Memphis team to hang around longer than they'd hope, but they got the result they needed. Kyle Lowry was the player of the game, accumulating 29 points, three rebounds, eight assists and two steals in the victory. DeMar DeRozan took just nine shots, but still finished with 24 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Those two combined to go 19 - of - 21 from the free - throw line and 14 - of - 22 from the field. Cory Joseph and Patrick Patterson were huge off the bench. Joseph accrued 16 points and eight rebounds, while Patterson amassed 14 points and 13 boards. On deck for the Raptors is a home matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "60", "Magic": "53"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "84", "Magic": "97"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "16", "Magic": "23"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Tobias Harris": "4"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "25", "Nikola Vucevic": "37", "Andrew Wiggins": "22", "Justin Hamilton": "14", "Kevin Martin": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "12", "Nikola Vucevic": "17", "Justin Hamilton": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Nikola Vucevic": "40", "Aaron Gordon": "30", "Andrew Wiggins": "37", "Justin Hamilton": "38"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Victor Oladipo": "19", "Kevin Martin": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Victor Oladipo": "4"}, "Assists": {"Justin Hamilton": "2", "Kevin Martin": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Justin Hamilton": "1"}, "Steals": {"Justin Hamilton": "2", "Kevin Martin": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Kevin Martin": "6"}}], "The Orlando Magic (23 - 53) snapped their four - game losing streak against the worst team in the Western Conference, defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves (16 - 60), 97 - 84. They matched their win total from last season. Nikola Vucevic scored a career - high 37 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in 40 minutes. Restricted free agent to be, Tobias Harris, added 25 points, 12 rebounds and four three - pointers. Rookie of the Year hopeful Elfrid Payton missed a triple - double by four rebounds or six steals. He made both free throws and has made 13 of his last 15 freebies. Fellow rookie Aaron Gordon played a career - high 30 minutes and Channing Frye received his second straight DNP-CD. Last year\u2019s Rookie of the Year runner - up Victor Oladipo was held to 4 - of - 19 shooting and missed all six three - pointers. The Timberwolves are two games behind the New York Knicks for the worst record in the league. Kevin Martin returned to the starting lineup after missing six games with a strained hamstring. He was one of six Timberwolves to score at least 10 points, producing 12 points on 12 shots to go along with three steals and three assists. Andrew Wiggins, the Rookie of the Year frontrunner, scored 22 points in 37 minutes. He\u2019s played in all 76 games this season and is tied for third in total minutes played (2,720). Justin Hamilton helped out in almost every category, registering 14 points, a team - high nine rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block in 38 minutes as he continues to start for the concussed Gorgui Dieng. The Magic play their second road game in as many days when the face the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday. The Timberwolves have three days off before a grueling, four road games in five nights excursion commencing against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "50"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "43", "Wizards": "24"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "127", "Wizards": "131"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "21", "Wizards": "38"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Wizards": "30"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Wizards": "26"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Bradley Beal": "33", "John Wall": "37", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "29", "Devin Booker": "38", "Eric Bledsoe": "27"}, "Points": {"Bradley Beal": "27", "John Wall": "25", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "29", "Devin Booker": "25", "Eric Bledsoe": "30"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "14", "Devin Booker": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "16"}, "Free throws made": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "16"}, "3-pointers made": {"Devin Booker": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Devin Booker": "4"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Eric Bledsoe": "50"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the Phoenix Suns, 131 - 127, Tuesday at Talking Stick Resort Arena. It was a back - and - forth game between these teams, as after the Wizards (38 - 24) opened up the game early with a 13 - point lead after one quarter, the Suns (21 - 43) chipped away and ultimately opened up their own lead of 11 points in the third quarter. From there, after Washington countered, the game was neck and neck until the very end. With two minutes to go, the Wizards gained a 10 - point lead, which then dropped to an eight - point lead with 30 seconds left. Phoenix's Devin Booker would n't let his team go away, however, and managed to score nine points over the next 26 seconds, but ultimately, it was not enough, and the Suns could n't extend their win streak to four games. The Washington backcourt led the way all night for the Wizards, as Bradley Beal scored 27 points in 33 minutes, while John Wall notched 25 points and 14 assists in 37 minutes. The most important for Washington, however, came from one of their newest members, as Bojan Bogdanovic scored a team - high 29 points in 29 minutes off the bench. Most of those came at the free throw line, as Bogdanovic hit an impressive 16 - of - 16 shots from the charity stripe. It was a similar story for the Suns, as the starting backcourt of Eric Bledsoe and Devin Booker carried the team to the bitter end. Bledsoe finished with a game - high 30 points on 50 percent shooting in just 27 minutes. Booker, after his late - game spurt, scored 25 points to go along with six assists and four rebounds in 38 minutes. As a team, Phoenix shot very well, as they hit 50 percent of their shots overall from the field. In the end, it was their carelessness with the basketball that resulted in 19 team turnovers that cost them Tuesday's outing."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "44", "Hornets": "31"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "91", "Hornets": "115"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "30", "Hornets": "42"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "55"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "55"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hornets": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "8", "Jabari Parker": "4", "Tyler Ennis": "12"}, "Points": {"Nicolas Batum": "25", "Marvin Williams": "21", "Jabari Parker": "15", "John Henson": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Nicolas Batum": "7", "Marvin Williams": "8", "Jabari Parker": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Marvin Williams": "3"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (42 - 31) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (30 - 44) 115 - 91 on Saturday. The recent form of these teams would have indicated a result like this and it was well out of hand early. In fact, the Hornets had a 26 - point lead headed into the fourth quarter. Charlotte was unconscious from the field, as they hit 55 percent of their shots and 55 percent of their three's in their blowout win. The Hornets have been playing some great ball and wins like this puts an exclamation point on their season. Nicolas Batum was fantastic, as he tallied 25 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Marvin Williams continued his underrated season, as he amassed 21 points, eight rebounds and three blocks. Up next for the Hornets is another favorable matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday. This ugly loss now gives Milwaukee four - straight losses and the season is now officially lost. Jabari Parker had a nice game though, as he totaled 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists. The bench was a lone bright spot in this game, as John Henson led the team with 19 points and Tyler Ennis dished out a career - high 12 assists. The Bucks do n't play again until Wednesday, when they host the Phoenix Suns in their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "30", "Spurs": "16"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "104", "Spurs": "96"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "40", "Spurs": "52"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "4", "Marc Gasol": "7", "Mike Conley": "6"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "22", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "21", "Jonathon Simmons": "14", "Marc Gasol": "16", "Mike Conley": "19", "Zach Randolph": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "7", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "9", "Marc Gasol": "5", "Mike Conley": "7", "Zach Randolph": "7"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the San Antonio Spurs, 104 - 96, at FedEx Forum on Saturday. In this potential playoff preview, Memphis showed San Antonio just how hard it is to win in FedEx Forum. The first 26 minutes were tight, as there were six ties and 15 lead changes in total. The Grizzlies took control from there, as they led for the final 22 minutes. Three-point shooting was the only true advantage for Memphis, as they went 13 - of - 30 from long range, while San Antonio struggled at 9 - of - 28. The assist - to - turnover ratio was decisive as well, with Memphis recording two more assists than San Antonio, while committing five less turnovers. The Spurs (52 - 16) had a tough task here against a hot Grizzlies team, as they simply did n't have enough in the arsenal to win this game. Kawhi Leonard led the way, as he tallied 22 points, seven rebounds and three assists. LaMarcus Aldridge was the only other starter with more than four points, as he finished with 21 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Jonathan Simmons was a nice spark off the bench, dropping 14 points in 17 minutes. On deck for San Antonio is a home matchup against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday. The Grizzlies (40 - 30) have extended their winning streak to four games, with this win being the most impressive of the bunch. Mike Conley was the player of the game, as he collected 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Marc Gasol totaled 16 points, five rebounds and seven assists. Zach Randolph was huge off the bench, providing 18 points and seven rebounds. The Grizzlies are off until Tuesday, when they take on the New Orleans Pelicans on the road."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Magic": "23"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "51"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "18", "Grizzlies": "13"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "112", "Grizzlies": "102"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "9"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "15", "Grizzlies": "20"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Grizzlies": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"Mike Conley": "4", "James Ennis III": "1", "Troy Daniels": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Mike Conley": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Mike Conley": "1", "Zach Randolph": "1"}, "Points": {"Mike Conley": "17", "Aaron Gordon": "30", "Bismack Biyombo": "10", "Elfrid Payton": "16"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"James Ennis III": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"James Ennis III": "1", "Zach Randolph": "1", "Troy Daniels": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "1"}, "Steals": {"James Ennis III": "1", "Zach Randolph": "1", "Troy Daniels": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Zach Randolph": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Zach Randolph": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Elfrid Payton": "4"}}], "The Orlando Magic defeated the Memphis Grizzlies, 112 - 102, at Amway Center on Monday. While this scoreline looks moderately close, the Magic had this game well in hand early on. In fact, they led by 25 points at the half in a rare wire - to - wire win, as it took a 30 - 16 fourth quarter for Memphis to make the scoreline respectable. Orlando's offense was extremely efficient, as they shot 51 percent from the field and 50 percent from three - point range, while committing just nine turnovers and 23 assists. Rebounding was also a huge factor, with Orlando winning that battle, 44 - 35. Memphis (20 - 13) have thrived off their dominant defense all season, but they simply did n't have it tonight. Mike Conley had one of his best games since returning from injury though, as he tallied 17 points, twp rebounds and four assists. The bench was one of the only bright spots, as Zach Randolph, Troy Daniels and James Ennis III all scored in double figures. The Grizzlies will look to play better on Tuesday in a road matchup with the Boston Celtics. Orlando (15 - 18) have really struggled on the offensive end this season, but they had one of their best games here against a stifling Grizzlies defense. Aaron Gordon had one of the best games of his career, as he led the Magic with 30 points on 11 - of - 15 shooting. Bismack Biyombo recorded a double - double in the win, totaling 10 points and 12 boards in just 23 minutes. Elfrid Payton continued his great form off the bench, as he accumulated 16 points, four rebounds and seven assists. The Magic will look to keep rolling on Wednesday in a home matchup against the Charlotte Hornets."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "5", "Pelicans": "4"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "100", "Pelicans": "106"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Kings": "15", "Pelicans": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Kings": "52", "Pelicans": "32"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "6", "Pelicans": "6"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "49"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Tyreke Evans": "2", "Ryan Anderson": "12", "Darren Collison": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tyreke Evans": "1", "Ryan Anderson": "4", "Darren Collison": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tyreke Evans": "11", "Anthony Davis": "19", "Ryan Anderson": "17", "DeMarcus Cousins": "18", "Darren Collison": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Tyreke Evans": "5", "Anthony Davis": "11", "Ryan Anderson": "9", "DeMarcus Cousins": "10", "Darren Collison": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tyreke Evans": "8", "Anthony Davis": "8", "DeMarcus Cousins": "7", "Darren Collison": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Tyreke Evans": "7", "Anthony Davis": "6", "DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Darren Collison": "5"}, "Points": {"Tyreke Evans": "18", "Anthony Davis": "28", "Eric Gordon": "17", "Ryan Anderson": "22", "Rudy Gay": "15", "DeMarcus Cousins": "24", "Darren Collison": "13", "Omri Casspi": "13"}, "Assists": {"Eric Gordon": "4", "Rudy Gay": "5", "Darren Collison": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Eric Gordon": "37"}, "Rebounds": {"Ryan Anderson": "4", "DeMarcus Cousins": "17"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (6 - 4) defeated the Sacramento Kings (6 - 5) 106 - 100 on Tuesday at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento. The Kings continue to struggle and have now lost four of their last five games, after starting the season 5 - 1. Despite out - rebounding the Pelicans 52 - 32 in this one, the Kings were out - scored 31 - 15 in the third - quarter, setting up the Pelicans victory. The Pelicans shot 49 percent from the field and 37 percent from behind the three - point line. Anthony Davis was unstoppable Tuesday, as he went 11 - for - 19 from the field and 6 - for - 8 from the free - throw line to score 28 points, while also coming one rebound short of his eigth double - double. He's now averaging 25 points and 12 rebounds on the season. Ryan Anderson also had himself a night. He finished with 22 points (9 - 17 FG, 4 - 12 3Pt) off the bench, while also grabbing four rebounds. Eric Gordon came alive, after having a relatively quiet season up to this point. He scored 17 points and dished out four assists in 37 minutes. The only other Pelican to reach double figures was Tyreke Evans, who contributed 18 points (5 - 11 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT). DeMarcus Cousins did everything he could to keep the Kings in position for a victory. He finished with another characteristic monster line, scoring 24 points (10 - 18 FG, 4 - 7 FT) and grabbing 17 rebounds. It was Cousins' fourth straight double - double, giving him his eigth total on the year. Despite dealing with an Achilles injury, Rudy Gay was able to start and played 36 minutes, while scoring 15 points and tallying five assists. He showed no signs of being slowed by the injury. At the point, Darren Collison contributed 13 points (3 - 10 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT) and 11 assists, giving him his first double - double of the year. The largest contribution off the bench came from Omri Casspi, who notched 27 minutes and scored 13 points. The Pelicans' next game will be on the road Friday against the Denver Nuggets, while the Kings will remain at home to play the Chicago Bulls on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "31", "Nuggets": "23"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "121", "Nuggets": "127"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "15", "Nuggets": "17"}, "Number of team assists": {"Nuggets": "29"}}, {"Blocks": {"Nikola Jokic": "3"}, "Points": {"Nikola Jokic": "29", "Will Barton": "26", "Julius Randle": "7", "D'Angelo Russell": "5", "Jordan Clarkson": "19", "Lou Williams": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Jokic": "15"}, "Assists": {"Will Barton": "8", "D'Angelo Russell": "3"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Will Barton": "56"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Will Barton": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Will Barton": "1", "Julius Randle": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Julius Randle": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Julius Randle": "2"}}], "The Denver Nuggets took down the host Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, 127 - 121. The Nuggets (17 - 23) have now won three straight games. One of the key components of Denver's win streak has been the play of sophomore big man Nikola Jokic. Jokic came off a career - high 30 points against the Magic for 29 on Tuesday, also recording 15 rebounds and three blocks. Seven of Jokic's rebounds came on the offensive end, as the young center made a major impact for the Nuggets' offense. Although starting shooting guard Gary Harris (ankle) missed the tilt in Los Angeles, Denver seemingly had no trouble making up for his missing offensive output. Versatile wing Will Barton slid into the starting lineup in Harris's place and contributed 26 points to go with eight assists. Barton was just one piece of a well - oiled Denver offense, as the team dished out 29 assists and shot over 56 percent on the night. The Lakers (15 - 31) very nearly came back from a double - digit deficit in the fourth quarter. Despite trailing by just two with under a minute to play, Los Angeles was unable to come away with a much - needed home win. One of Los Angeles's main issues on Tuesday was one that has plagued the team throughout the season - disappointing play from the starting five. Four Lakers came off the bench for double digit points, including 24 for former Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams and 19 for guard Jordan Clarkson, who was listed as questionable with an ankle injury prior to the game. Nevertheless, struggles from the starters ended up burying the Lakers. Big man Julius Randle shot just 2 - of - 8 for seven points and had five turnovers, while point guard D'Angelo Russell had only five points and three assists. The Nuggets will play in San Antonio on Thursday, while the Lakers will host the Pacers on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "2", "Warriors": "1"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "114", "Warriors": "122"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "0", "Warriors": "1"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Warriors": "30"}}, {"Points": {"Kevin Durant": "30", "Klay Thompson": "28", "Stephen Curry": "23", "Anthony Davis": "45", "Tim Frazier": "21", "Buddy Hield": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "17", "Anthony Davis": "17"}, "Assists": {"Tim Frazier": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Buddy Hield": "19"}, "Turnovers": {"Buddy Hield": "2"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the host New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, 122 - 114. The Warriors (1 - 1) bounced back from a nationally - televised 29 - point loss to the San Antonio Spurs on opening night. High-profile free agency acquisition Kevin Durant was the difference maker for Golden State on Friday, leading the team with 30 points and 17 rebounds. The Warriors depth also showed, as the team was able to pull away with the lead during Anthony Davis's rest at the end of the third quarter. All-Stars Steph Curry and Klay Thompson made major contributions in the points column as well, scoring 23 and 28 respectively. The team displayed impressive ball movement, recording 32 assists on the night. While the Warriors saw major top - down contributions, the Pelicans (0 - 2) were able to stay in contention on the back of Anthony Davis. After opening the season with a 50 - point, 16 - rebound, near - five - by - five, Davis continued to dominate with a game - high 45 points and 17 rebounds.'The Brow 'was able to convert on a whopping 17 of 31 field goal attempts, including one of two tries from beyond the arc. Davis did see help from guard Tim Frazier, who posted a 21 - point, 10 - assist double - double. Outside of Davis and Frazier, however, no Pelicans starter scored more than four points. Sixth overall pick Buddy Hield particularly struggled, scoring just two points on 16 percent shooting with two turnovers in 19 minutes. The Pelicans will see the Spurs in San Antonio on Saturday, while the Warriors will visit Phoenix on Sunday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Bulls": "25"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "18", "Raptors": "12"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "123", "Raptors": "118"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "19", "Raptors": "24"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "26"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "44"}}, {"Blocks": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "1", "Nikola Mirotic": "1"}, "Points": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "14", "DeMar DeRozan": "36", "Kyle Lowry": "27", "Cory Joseph": "14", "Jimmy Butler": "42", "Taj Gibson": "8", "Robin Lopez": "6", "Dwyane Wade": "20", "Michael Carter-Williams": "5", "Doug McDermott": "17", "Nikola Mirotic": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "7", "DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Kyle Lowry": "9", "Cory Joseph": "3", "Jimmy Butler": "10", "Taj Gibson": "6", "Robin Lopez": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "4", "Michael Carter-Williams": "5", "Doug McDermott": "10", "Nikola Mirotic": "9"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "12", "Cory Joseph": "1", "Jimmy Butler": "5", "Taj Gibson": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "7", "Michael Carter-Williams": "4", "Doug McDermott": "1", "Nikola Mirotic": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "17"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "16"}, "Steals": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "3", "Cory Joseph": "1", "Doug McDermott": "1", "Nikola Mirotic": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Lowry": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "17", "Jimmy Butler": "25"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kyle Lowry": "2"}}], "The Chicago Bulls defeated the Toronto Raptors, 123 - 118, in overtime at United Center on Saturday. The Bulls (19 - 18) survived a difficult second quarter and two last - second game - winning shot attempts by Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan at the end of regulation to eventually secure the overtime win. Jimmy Butler spearheaded the victory with a game - high 42 points, which he supplemented with 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals. He also put matters away for good with a 25 - foot jumper with 17 seconds remaining in overtime that gave Chicago a 121 - 116 lead at the time. The Bulls also played some solid defense against one of the best offenses in the league, limiting the Raptors (24 - 12) to 44 percent shooting overall, and a 26 percent tally from three - point range. Toronto was led by DeRozan's 36 points, which he supplemented with eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. His scoring haul included a 16 - for - 17 performance from the foul line. Lowry followed with a 27 - point, 12 - assist double - double that also included nine rebounds, three steals and a block. Jonas Valanciunas contributed 14 points, seven boards and a pair of blocks, while Cory Joseph led the bench with 14 points, three rebounds, an assist and a steal. Dwayne Wade checked in second behind Butler with 20 points, seven assists, four rebounds and a block. Taj Gibson (eight points, six rebounds), Robin Lopez (six points, five rebounds) and Michael Carter-Williams (five points, five rebounds, four assists) turned in modest performances, but Doug McDermott checked in with a 17 - point, 10 - rebound double - double off the bench that also included an assist and a steal, and Nikola Mirotic supplied 12 points, nine rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block in a reserve role as well. The Raptors return home to face off with the Houston Rockets on Sunday, while the Bulls remain home to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday evening."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Rockets": "32", "Mavericks": "19"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "45", "Mavericks": "38"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "1", "Mavericks": "4"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "103", "Mavericks": "94"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Rockets": "31", "Mavericks": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Rockets": "53", "Mavericks": "47"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "4", "Mavericks": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Mavericks": "18"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "1", "Dirk Nowitzki": "6", "Monta Ellis": "7", "James Harden": "8", "Josh Smith": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "1", "Dirk Nowitzki": "0", "Monta Ellis": "2", "James Harden": "4", "Josh Smith": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "8", "Dirk Nowitzki": "23", "Monta Ellis": "26", "Dwight Howard": "14", "James Harden": "19", "Josh Smith": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "3", "Dirk Nowitzki": "8", "Monta Ellis": "11", "Dwight Howard": "7", "James Harden": "9", "Josh Smith": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "8", "Dirk Nowitzki": "8", "Monta Ellis": "1", "Dwight Howard": "10", "James Harden": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "7", "Dirk Nowitzki": "6", "Monta Ellis": "1", "Dwight Howard": "4", "James Harden": "6"}, "Points": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "14", "Dirk Nowitzki": "22", "Monta Ellis": "25", "Dwight Howard": "18", "James Harden": "28", "Josh Smith": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "9", "Dwight Howard": "19", "Josh Smith": "8"}, "Steals": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "5", "Monta Ellis": "4"}, "Assists": {"Monta Ellis": "7", "James Harden": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Dwight Howard": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Josh Smith": "22"}}], "The Houston Rockets (4 - 1) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (1 - 4) 103 - 94 on Tuesday at the Toyota Center in Houston. Coming out with just their second playoff series win in the last 18 years, the Rockets were able to close out the Mavericks in front of their home crowd. Houston got off to a quick start Tuesday, out - scoring the Mavericks 31 - 22 right away in the first quarter. The Mavericks were able to slowly make their way back throughout the game though, eventually coming to within five points with just over two minutes left in the game. The Rockets never let off the gas pedal though and closed out strong for the series clinching nine - point victory. The Rockets finished at 45 percent from the field and 32 percent from the three - point line, while the Mavericks shot 38 percent from the floor and just 19 percent from deep. Superstars James Harden and Dwight Howard were the biggest reasons that the Rockets were finally able to take the next step in the playoffs. Howard finished with 18 points (7 - 14 FG, 4 - 10 FT), 19 rebounds and four blocked shots, while Harden recorded a game - high of 28 points (9 - 19 FG, 4 - 8 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT), to go along with eight assists. Howard was a force on the boards, helping the Rockets secure a 53 - 47 rebounding advantage. It marked his 32nd career playoff game with at least 15 rebounds. Harden, on the other hand, did what he does best and that's score the ball at a very high rate. The Mavericks just did n't have an answer for him on the defensive side of the ball and he continued his season dominance. The Rockets also continued to reap the benefits of their Josh Smith pickup this season. He shot an impressive 7 - for - 12 from the field and 2 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 20 points off the bench, while also adding eight rebounds over 22 minutes. He averaged 17 points and 6 rebounds during this five - game series. Monta Ellis and Dirk Nowitzki did everything they could to keep the Mavericks' alive in the playoffs. Ellis finished with 25 points (11 - 26 FG, 2 - 7 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT), seven assists and four steals, while Nowitzki had 22 points (8 - 23 FG, 0 - 6 3Pt, 6 - 8 FT) and 14 rebounds. Nowitzki really struggled with his shot early in the game, as he was never really able to get himself into a groove, but he played with a lot of heart and continually tried to bring his team back. Ellis, on the other hand, had a nice game shooting the ball. He did seem to bang up his knee late in the fourth quarter, so that's something to watch heading into the offseason. Al-Forouq Aminu had a solid showing as well, finishing with 14 points (3 - 8 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT), nine rebounds and five steals. He's been a pleasant surprise for the Mavericks all series long, and it looks as if he has established himself as a valuable player moving forward into next season. The Rockets will now await the winner of the Los Angeles Clippers/San Antonio Spurs series, which is currently tied at 2 - 2."], [[{"Total points": {"76ers": "108", "Cavaliers": "112"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"76ers": "30", "Cavaliers": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "13", "Kevin Love": "1", "JR Smith": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "2", "Ersan Ilyasova": "1", "Joel Embiid": "4", "Gerald Henderson": "4", "Sergio Rodriguez": "7"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "26", "Kevin Love": "25", "Tristan Thompson": "12", "Kyrie Irving": "39", "Ersan Ilyasova": "13", "Joel Embiid": "22", "Gerald Henderson": "13", "Sergio Rodriguez": "12", "Jahlil Okafor": "14", "Dario Saric": "10", "Nik Stauskas": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "10", "Kevin Love": "11", "Tristan Thompson": "12", "JR Smith": "5", "Kyrie Irving": "4", "Ersan Ilyasova": "6", "Joel Embiid": "9", "Gerald Henderson": "5", "Sergio Rodriguez": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kevin Love": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Tristan Thompson": "2", "Joel Embiid": "3", "Gerald Henderson": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Tristan Thompson": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"JR Smith": "11", "Jahlil Okafor": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"JR Smith": "0"}, "Minutes played": {"JR Smith": "39"}, "Personal fouls": {"JR Smith": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyrie Irving": "3"}, "Steals": {"Gerald Henderson": "1", "Sergio Rodriguez": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers, 112 - 108, at Wells Fargo Center on Sunday. Considering the Cavs (13 - 2) came in to Sunday as one of the hottest offensive teams in the league, the start to the contest could hardly have been more auspicious. Cleveland misfired on their first 14 shots and the Sixers (4 - 13) capitalized to build a 30 - 24 lead after one quarter. The visitors began to claw their way back in the second period, but still entered halftime trailing by a surprising 58 - 52 margin. However, they used intermission to regroup, as they outscored their hosts in the second half by a 60 - 50 margin, doing just enough to overcome their deficit and hang on to a slim advantage. Kyrie Irving was superb in keying the win, scoring a team - leading 39 points that he supplemented with four rebounds and two assists, while LeBron James and Kevin Love combined for 51 points of their own. James compiled 26 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds for his second triple - double of the season, both of which have come in the last three games. Love tallied 25 points, 11 rebounds and an assist. Tristan Thompson culled together a 12 - point, 12 - rebound double - double. J.R. Smith's epic shooting struggles continued, as he went scoreless (along with five rebounds and an assist) over 39 minutes on an 0 - for - 11 shooting tally, making him 1 - of - 22 from the field over his last two games. The Sixers were paced by Joel Embiid, who supplied 22 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three blocks. Ersan Ilyasova and Gerald Henderson managed a pair of 13 - point efforts, with the former adding six rebounds and an assist and the latter contributing five rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block. Sergio Rodriguez got the start at point guard and registered 12 points, seven assists, two rebounds and two steals. The bench was highly productive as well, posting a collective 40 points. They were led by Jahlil Okafor's 14 - point total, while Nik Stauskas and Dario Saric totaled 11 and 10 points, respectively. The Cavs now travel to Milwaukee for a Tuesday night tilt versus the Bucks, while the Sixers head north of the border to face the Toronto Raptors on Monday night."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Heat": "28"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "56"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "33", "Magic": "46"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "118", "Magic": "96"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "47", "Magic": "34"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Magic": "21"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Magic": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Evan Fournier": "5"}, "Points": {"Evan Fournier": "21", "Nikola Vucevic": "19", "Hassan Whiteside": "18", "Dwyane Wade": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "8", "Hassan Whiteside": "15"}}], "The Miami Heat (47 - 33) took care of business in a 118 - 96 win over the Orlando Magic (34 - 46) on Sunday. This game was meaningful to one team and not the other and that was evident with the on the court result. The Heat just slowly took it to the Magic, as they won all four quarters and took a 20 - point lead into the fourth. Miami's offense was on point, as they shot 56 percent from the field and recorded 28 assists on their 43 made baskets. Orlando had very little to play for here and they simply didn\u2019t play well in this meaningless game. The injuries to Victor Oladipo and Aaron Gordon were a huge difference, as their fill - ins really struggled. Evan Fournier did play well though, as he led the team with 21 points and five assists. Nikola Vucevic had a nice game too, as he totaled 19 points and eight rebounds. Up next for Orlando is a matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday. Miami is only one game out of landing the three - spot in the east and this win was a big step to that goal. Hassan Whiteside got his first start in months and amassed 18 points and 15 rebounds in another dominating performance. Goran Dragic, Dwyane Wade and Luol Deng all scored at least 17 points in their win as well. On deck for Miami is a matchup with the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "31", "Bulls": "22"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "115", "Bulls": "110"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nuggets": "18", "Bulls": "32"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nuggets": "42", "Bulls": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Nuggets": "48"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "20", "Bulls": "27"}, "Turnovers": {"Bulls": "10"}}, {"Blocks": {"Taj Gibson": "3"}, "Points": {"Taj Gibson": "18", "Derrick Rose": "30", "Danilo Gallinari": "33", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Taj Gibson": "7", "Derrick Rose": "9"}, "Assists": {"Derrick Rose": "8", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Danilo Gallinari": "18"}, "Free throws made": {"Danilo Gallinari": "18"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (20 - 31) came back to beat the Chicago Bulls (27 - 22) 115 - 110 on Friday. This was a tight game throughout the first half, but the Nuggets put together an unbelievable fourth quarter to win. Chicago outscored Denver 32 to 18 in the third quarter, but the Nuggets outscored the Bulls 42 - 21 over the last 12 minutes. This marked the Bulls ninth - straight loss in Denver, but they lost more than that. Jimmy Butler had to be carted off seconds before the half and that just adds to a myriad of injuries the Bulls are suffering from at this time. The most surprising stat was the rebounding, as Denver snatched down 48 boards to Chicago\u2019s 40. The Bulls had to play this game without Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah and Nikola Mirotic and it was obvious they missed all of them equally. Jimmy Butler's injury appeared to spark the Bulls in the third quarter, but they couldn\u2019t muster up enough to hold off the Nuggets in the fourth. Derrick Rose was the star for Chicago, as he nearly triple - doubled in a 30 - point, nine - rebound and eight - assist line in the loss. Taj Gibson also played well, as he amassed 18 points, seven rebounds and three blocks in the defeat. The Bulls have now lost 10 of their last 15 and will try to improve on that Saturday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. This game seemed well out of hand to start the fourth, but Denver made one of their biggest comebacks in franchise history to win. Danilo Gallinari once again carried the load, as he scored 33 points and went 18 - for - 18 from the free - throw line. Emmanuel Mudiay also scored 22 of his own and dished out five assists in the victory. Nikola Jokic and Kennth Faried both double - doubled in the comeback as well. Up next for the Nuggets is a matchup against the New York Knicks on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "7", "Suns": "9"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "96", "Suns": "116"}, "Rebounds": {"Pacers": "35", "Suns": "46"}, "Turnovers": {"Pacers": "18", "Suns": "11"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "6", "Suns": "4"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Suns": "32"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Alan Williams": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Alan Williams": "6"}, "Points": {"Alan Williams": "15", "Brandon Knight": "17", "Jared Dudley": "16", "Thaddeus Young": "9", "Myles Turner": "22", "Monta Ellis": "9", "Jeff Teague": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Alan Williams": "15", "Jared Dudley": "5", "Myles Turner": "6", "Jeff Teague": "4"}, "Assists": {"Brandon Knight": "5", "Jared Dudley": "6", "Jeff Teague": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Myles Turner": "2"}}], "The Phoenix Suns defeated the host Indiana Pacers, 116 - 96, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Friday. Most home teams thrive in the first and fourth quarters due to home field advantage, but the Suns took it to the Pacers in that stretch. In fact, they outscored Indiana by 22 points in that 24 - minute period and held them to just 32 points. The bench was huge for Phoenix, as they had all six bench players score at least seven points in their win. The Suns also dominated the rebounding and turnover differential, as they won the rebounding battle 46 - 35 and the turnover differential 18 - 11. The Suns (4 - 9) had just one road win coming into this game, but they let their frustrations out on an injury - riddled Indiana team here. The bench was spectacular, as they had six bench players combine for 78 points. Brandon Knight led the team in scoring off the bench, totaling 17 points and five assists. Alan Williams recorded a double - double off the pine, amassing 15 points and 15 rebounds on 6 - of - 7 shooting. Jared Dudley turned back the clock, as he accumulated 16 points, five rebounds and six assists in 31 minutes of action. Phoenix will look to build off this win on Saturday, when they travel to Philadelphia to face the Sixers for their next game. Indiana (6 - 7) came into this game as a huge favorite, but they simply could n't overcome some notable injuries. Not only did Paul George miss this game with an ankle injury, C.J. Miles had to depart in the first quarter due to a knee injury. Myles Turner carried the load for the Pacers, as he tallied 22 points, six rebounds and two blocks in the loss. Jeff Teague was second on the team, as he finished with 21 points, four rebounds and seven assists. No other player scored in double figures, as Thaddeus Young and Monta Ellis finished with nine points apiece. Indiana will return to action on Sunday, when they play the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Greg Monroe": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Greg Monroe": "7"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Greg Monroe": "54"}, "Free throws made": {"Greg Monroe": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Greg Monroe": "27"}, "Personal fouls": {"Greg Monroe": "3"}, "Points": {"Greg Monroe": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Greg Monroe": "10"}, "Steals": {"Greg Monroe": "3"}}], "Since Greg Monroe signed his three - year deal with the Bucks last offseason, he's been involved in a countless number of trade rumors, but as of late, the former Georgetown star has been proving his worth with his play off the bench. In Monday's victory over the Rockets, Monroe recorded 17 points and 10 rebounds in 27 minutes as a reserve while shooting 7 - of - 13 from the field, and there is a trend so far this January that shows this is starting to become a regular thing for the big man. In the seven games this January where Monroe played at least 25 minutes, Monroe is averaging 16 points and 9 rebounds. But what may be even more impressive is the level of efficiency he is producing at, as Monroe has shot an impressive 54 percent from the field in those seven games. On top of it all, the Bucks are 9 - 4 this season when Monroe plays at least 25 minutes."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "35"}}, {"Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "2", "Tony Allen": "2", "Marc Gasol": "5", "Andrew Harrison": "2", "Deyonta Davis": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Hassan Whiteside": "8", "Deyonta Davis": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Hassan Whiteside": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Tony Allen": "2", "Marc Gasol": "2", "Andrew Harrison": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Tony Allen": "2", "Deyonta Davis": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Tony Allen": "2"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Andrew Harrison": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Andrew Harrison": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Deyonta Davis": "5"}}], "In any game with Hassan Whiteside on the floor, viewers can expect to see plenty of blocked shots. This was the case on both sides in Friday's Grizzlies-Heat showdown. Whiteside, the league's leading shot blocker, sent just two shots back, but his team joined the party, rejecting eight shots in total. Memphis, meanwhile, was even more aggressive on defense, blocking a whopping 15 shots. Former Defensive Player of the Year Marc Gasol sent back an impressive five shots, while rookie Deyonta Davis blocked two. Guards Andrew Harrison and Tony Allen surprisingly rejected two shots each. Due in large part to the block party, both teams struggled when shooting from the floor. Miami ended up shooting just over 38 percent as a team, while Memphis finished around 35 percent on the night. For Memphis, Harrison and point guard Mike Conley shot a combined 5 - of - 23 from the floor, while Miami saw an abysmal 1 - of - 11 from its starting frontcourt."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "43", "Hawks": "61"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "89", "Hawks": "110"}, "Turnovers": {"Raptors": "17", "Hawks": "17"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "8"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "32"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "4", "Jeff Teague": "9"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "16", "Al Horford": "22", "Kyle Korver": "11", "Jeff Teague": "13", "Amir Johnson": "8", "DeMar DeRozan": "25", "Kyle Lowry": "11", "James Johnson": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "8"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Kyle Korver": "29", "Amir Johnson": "23", "Jonas Valanciunas": "23"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "18", "Kyle Lowry": "13", "James Johnson": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "11", "Kyle Lowry": "5", "James Johnson": "7"}}], "The Hawks (32 - 8) got 22 points from Al Horford and held off the Raptors (23 - 16) 110 - 89 on Friday in Toronto. The win was Atlanta\u2019s 11th in a row since falling to Milwaukee on Dec. 26 and its fourth consecutive win by at least 10 points. All five starters scored in double - figures, led by Horford\u2019s 22. The big man also had five rebounds and five assists in 28 minutes after sitting out to rest Wednesday. Kyle Korver, who was also rested against Boston, returned to the lineup and added 11 points in 29 minutes. Jeff Teague pitched in 13 points and nine assists, and Paul Millsap added 16 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals. The Hawks were out - rebounded by Toronto and committed 17 turnovers but shot a scorching - hot 61 percent from the floor. Toronto, losers of six of its last eight, matched Atlanta\u2019s 17 turnovers but managed only 43 percent shooting. DeMar DeRozan, in his second game back from injury, led all scorers with 25 points on 11 - of - 18 shooting. His backcourt mate, Kyle Lowry, struggled, finishing with only 11 points (5 - 13 FG). Terrence Ross and Jonas Valanciunas combined for nine points on 2 - of - 12 shooting, and Amir Johnson added eight points in 23 minutes. James Johnson had a productive night off the bench, finishing with 17 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting. Up next, the Raptors finish off a six - game homestand Sunday against New Orleans. Atlanta ends its four - game road swing Saturday night in Chicago."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Clippers": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "49"}, "Turnovers": {"Clippers": "9"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "19", "Chris Paul": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Blake Griffin": "12", "Chris Paul": "5"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "30", "DeAndre Jordan": "14", "Chris Paul": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "6", "DeAndre Jordan": "10", "Chris Paul": "5"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "3"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "13"}}], "While the Los Angeles Clippers have struggled since the All-Star Break, their three All-Stars helped them earn a convincing win on Monday. Star big man Blake Griffin led the team with 30 points, shooting 12 - of - 19 from the field and pulling down six rebounds. Superstar point guard Chris Paul helped run the offense effectively, scoring 13 points on 5 - of - 11 shooting while dishing out a whopping 13 assists and pulling down another five rebounds. Center DeAndre Jordan was the team's top rebounder, pulling down 10 rebounds along with 14 points and three blocks. It was an excellent overall team performance from LA. The Clippers shot over 49 percent from the field and dished out 25 assists. They also sank 10 three - pointers on the night and also limited themselves to nine turnovers."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Trail Blazers": "15", "Celtics": "8"}}, {"Assists": {"Jaylen Brown": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jaylen Brown": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Jaylen Brown": "33"}, "Points": {"Jaylen Brown": "14", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Jaylen Brown": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "8"}}], "The Blazers backcourt got off to a strong start in the scoring department early, but a fourth quarter that belonged mostly to Damian Lillard last season, has been shifted to Boston's Isaiah Thomas, who poured in another big 15 points in the final period in leading the Celtics to victory. The Blazers backcourt still finished with a good scoring effort, as they combined for 48 points on 38 shots, while Al-Farouq Aminu poured in 26 points on 8 - of - 12 shooting off the bench. Portland out shot the Celtics from both the field and behind the arc, but Boston held a major advantage on steals (8 - 4) and turnovers (8 - 15). A standout performance came from Celtics rookie Jaylen Brown in a starting role, where he logged 33 minutes and finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two three - pointers made."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "38", "Jazz": "25"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "89", "Jazz": "98"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "14", "Jazz": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "3", "Markieff Morris": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Gordon Hayward": "2", "Rudy Gobert": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "6", "Rudy Gobert": "13", "Rodney Hood": "4", "Markieff Morris": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Rudy Gobert": "12"}, "Free throws made": {"Rudy Gobert": "9"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gobert": "13", "Markieff Morris": "17", "Archie Goodwin": "14"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Rodney Hood": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rodney Hood": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Rodney Hood": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Trey Lyles": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Markieff Morris": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Markieff Morris": "6"}}], "The Utah Jazz (25 - 25) defeated the Phoenix Suns (14 - 38) 98 - 89 at Talking Stick Arena on Saturday. The Suns overcame a double digit deficit to pull the game within striking distance in the fourth quarter after a pair of free throws and a three - point bucket from Markieff Morris had Phoenix down nine points, but Rudy Gobert was rock solid from the free throw line, draining six straight to aid the Jazz in what could have been a tight game down the stretch. Devin Booker put the nail in the coffin after dunking home the last needed basket with just over :30 remaining. The Jazz were led by both Rodney Hood and Gordon Hayward, who combined for 47 points 16 - of - 35 shooting. Hayward added six rebounds, three assists and two blocks to round out the box score, while Hood pitched in four boards and three baskets from behind the arc. Rudy Gobert did the majority of his damage from the charity stripe down the stretch and finished with 13 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks on 9 - of - 12 free throw shooting in 34 minutes. Derrick Favors and Raul Neto each finished in double figures to round out an all around strong performance from the Utah starters. The bench was stretched a bit thin as Trey Burke (illness) did not play and Trey Lyles only saw five minutes of court time. The Jazz will visit the Dallas Mavericks (28 - 25) on Tuesday. The Suns were handed their seventh straight loss and continue to look sloppy on both ends of the floor. With Brandon Knight (groin) sidelined, Phoenix turned to Archie Goodwin and Devin Booker to lead the backcourt, but neither player has Knight\u2019s impact and that was evident in Saturday\u2019s matchup. Booker pitched in 18 points and Goodwin scored 14, but they combined for a lowly four assists, as the frontcourt was unable to finish at the rim. Markieff Morris was given a volume shooting role, but was inefficient throughout the game, scoring 17 points on 22 shots, to go along with seven rebounds and eight assists. The Suns will look to bounce back when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder (38 - 14) on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "53", "Pelicans": "52"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "144", "Pelicans": "109"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Timberwolves": "40"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "29", "Pelicans": "30"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Omer Asik": "32", "Toney Douglas": "42", "Tyus Jones": "26"}, "Points": {"Omer Asik": "24", "James Ennis III": "28", "Toney Douglas": "22", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "28", "Tyus Jones": "9", "Shabazz Muhammad": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Omer Asik": "11", "Toney Douglas": "4", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "14"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"James Ennis III": "11", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "5", "Shabazz Muhammad": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"James Ennis III": "6", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "2", "Shabazz Muhammad": "1"}, "Assists": {"Toney Douglas": "5", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "3", "Tyus Jones": "12"}, "Steals": {"Toney Douglas": "4", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "17", "Shabazz Muhammad": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "12", "Shabazz Muhammad": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2", "Shabazz Muhammad": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2", "Shabazz Muhammad": "3"}}], "Karl-Anthony Towns became only the sixth player since 1973 - 74 to record at least 1,400 points, 850 rebounds and 100 blocks in his rookie season, as the Minnesota Timberwolves (29 - 53) crushed the visiting New Orleans Pelicans (30 - 52) on Wednesday night, 144 - 109, at Target Center. The Timberwolves' 144 points is a franchise high. After a close first couple of minutes the Timberwolves ran away with this one, beginning with a 40 - point first quarter. Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a game - high 28 points (12 - 17 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) on stellar shooting, along with 14 rebounds, three assists, two blocked shots and one steal. This was Towns' 51st double - double of the season. Shabazz Muhammad also had a great shooting night as he poured in 28 points (12 - 16 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT) of his own. Tyus Jones dished a career - high 12 assists, along with nine points and no turnovers, in 26 minutes off the bench. Although their season comes to an end, the Timberwolves have plenty to look forward to with their solid young core. James Ennis led the way for the Pelicans, with 28 points (10 - 20 FG, 6 - 11 3Pt). Omer Asik put up big numbers with 24 points and 11 rebounds, in 32 minutes, while Toney Douglas added 22 points, five assists, four rebounds and four steals, in 42 minutes. This has been an injury - riddled season for the Pelicans, who can only hope for better luck next year."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "6", "Evan Turner": "6", "Damian Lillard": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "26", "Evan Turner": "17", "CJ McCollum": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "13", "Evan Turner": "8", "CJ McCollum": "10"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "33", "Andre Iguodala": "12", "Evan Turner": "18", "CJ McCollum": "28", "Damian Lillard": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "10", "Andre Iguodala": "3", "Evan Turner": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Kevin Durant": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "15"}, "Free throws made": {"Klay Thompson": "13"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Andre Iguodala": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Andre Iguodala": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Evan Turner": "33", "Damian Lillard": "36"}}], "The Golden State Warriors were without reigning MVP Stephen Curry (illness), but Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant had no problem leading the offense in his absence. Thompson found most of his success from the free throw line, where he finished 13 - of - 15 from the charity stripe. Kevin Durant finished with 33 points, which led all scorers, to go along with 10 rebounds, six assists, one block and seven turnovers on 13 - of - 26 shooting. The bench was led by Andre Iguodala's 12 points including three treys. The Blazers back court was led by C.J. McCollum who scored 28 points on 10 - of - 16 shooting, while Lillard scored 19 points alongside eight assists in 36 minutes. Evan Turner was most effective on the defensive end of the floor, but added 18 points, four rebounds and six assists on 8 - of - 17 shooting across 33 minutes."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "14", "Celtics": "13"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "114", "Celtics": "119"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "16", "Celtics": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Al Horford": "5", "Marcus Smart": "7"}, "Points": {"Al Horford": "15", "Isaiah Thomas": "27", "Marcus Smart": "15", "Kristaps Porzingis": "22", "Derrick Rose": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Horford": "7", "Kristaps Porzingis": "12"}, "Steals": {"Al Horford": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marcus Smart": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Marcus Smart": "5"}}], "The visiting Boston Celtics took down the New York Knicks, 119 - 114, in a classic Christmas rivalry matchup at Madison Square Garden. Boston (18 - 13) has heated up since the return of star point guard Isaiah Thomas, and is now 5 - 1 in its last six games. The Celtics are now 12 - 7 on the road, having won more road games than any other team in the Eastern Conference. On Sunday, the Celtics staved off a late comeback effort from the Knicks. With the game tied and under a minute to go, guard Marcus Smart hit a clutch three - pointer from the corner to take the lead. Smart had a terrific game off the bench, scoring 15 points on 5 - of - 9 shooting and dishing out seven assists. Boston doubled down on the defensive end, with a clutch steal from shooting guard Avery Bradley and a game - ending block from All-Star center Al Horford. Horford finished with 15 points, seven rebounds, five assists, three steals, and two blocks. Thomas, the Celtics' leader in scoring average, led the team once again with 27 points. New York (16 - 14), meanwhile, made a valiant comeback in the last three minutes of the game. The Knicks went on a 16 - 3 run to tie the game after trailing by double digits. Much of the comeback was due to the play of star forward Carmelo Anthony, who had 22 points in the second half. Despite the clutch play, Melo ended up committing a costly crunch - time turnover when switched onto Avery Bradley. Sophomore big man Kristaps Porzingis had 22 points and 12 rebounds, while point guard Derrick Rose contributed 25. The Cavs will visit Detroit on Monday, while Golden State will host Toronto on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "7", "Pelicans": "5"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "117", "Pelicans": "97"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "5", "Pelicans": "6"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "40"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Kenneth Faried": "27"}, "Points": {"Kenneth Faried": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Kenneth Faried": "8"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (5 - 7) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (6 - 5) 117 - 97 on Friday. Denver started off the season jittery as a June bug, losing six of their first seven games, but over their last five games, they've stolen four wins. It's hard to get a read on where the team is headed, but the narrative right now has at least a glimmer of hope for their prospects going forward. Kenneth Faried paced the Nuggets, finishing with 19 points and eight rebounds in 27 minutes. Denver will go on the road to face the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. New Orleans has had a tough schedule to start the season, so the fact they're still able to breathe above the .500 mark is impressive. They had six players finish in double - digits, but the team shot just 40 percent from the field, making it hard to secure the win. The Pelicans have one more game left on their current four - game road trip. They'll travel to Utah to take on the Jazz on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "47"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "56"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "18", "Magic": "30"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "128", "Magic": "98"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "28", "Magic": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Aaron Gordon": "13", "Nikola Vucevic": "14", "C.J. Watson": "9", "Bismack Biyombo": "10", "Damjan Rudez": "14", "Jae Crowder": "19", "Amir Johnson": "10", "Jaylen Brown": "20", "Isaiah Thomas": "21", "Tyler Zeller": "10", "Kelly Olynyk": "16"}, "Steals": {"Aaron Gordon": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "1", "C.J. Watson": "1", "Damjan Rudez": "2", "Jae Crowder": "2", "Tyler Zeller": "1"}, "Assists": {"Nikola Vucevic": "2", "C.J. Watson": "4", "Bismack Biyombo": "3", "Damjan Rudez": "1", "Jae Crowder": "4", "Amir Johnson": "2", "Jaylen Brown": "2", "Tyler Zeller": "2", "Kelly Olynyk": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "7", "C.J. Watson": "1", "Bismack Biyombo": "7", "Jae Crowder": "6", "Amir Johnson": "4", "Jaylen Brown": "8", "Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Tyler Zeller": "3", "Kelly Olynyk": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Bismack Biyombo": "25"}, "Blocks": {"Damjan Rudez": "1", "Jae Crowder": "1", "Tyler Zeller": "1"}}], "The Boston Celtics defeated the Orlando Magic, 128 - 98, at TD Garden on Friday evening. The Celtics (28 - 18) came in to Friday fresh off a big victory over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night, a win spearheaded by an explosive 38 - point effort from Isaiah Thomas. Their offensive momentum carried over into Friday and generated even better results overall, as Boston posted success rates of 56 and 47 percent from the field and three - point range, respectively. Instead of Wednesday's top - heavy scoring effort, the Celtics saw six players hit double digits in the scoring column, and played superbly on the defensive end as well, holding the Magic (18 - 30) to just 65 points through three quarters. The Magic were led by a pair of 14 - point efforts from Nikola Vucevic and Damjan Rudez, with the latter providing his scoring off the bench. Vucevic added seven boards, two assists and a steal, while Rudez provided an assist, two steals and a block. Aaron Gordon went for 13 points, five boards and a steal. Bismack Biyombo generated 10 points, seven rebounds and three assists in 25 minutes on the second unit. C.J. Watson went for nine points, four assists, a rebound and a steal. The Celtics were paced by Thomas' 21 points, a total he supplemented with eight assists, three rebounds and two steals. Rookie Jaylen Brown totaled a career - high 20 points, along with eight boards and two assists. Jae Crowder contributed a full stat line of 19 points, six boards, four assists, two steals and a block. Amir Johnson made the start for Al Horford (groin), managing 10 points, four rebounds, three assists and a block. Kelly Olynyk led the second unit with 16 points, five rebounds and an assist, while Tyler Zeller provided 10 points, three rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block, his first game action since Dec. 29. The Magic travel to Toronto to take on the Raptors on Sunday evening, while the Celtics head to Milwaukee to face the Bucks on Saturday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "18", "Rockets": "15"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "120", "Rockets": "109"}, "Turnovers": {"Celtics": "18", "Rockets": "17"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "27", "Rockets": "34"}}, {"Assists": {"Trevor Ariza": "2", "Ryan Anderson": "1", "Clint Capela": "1", "James Harden": "12", "Montrezl Harrell": "3", "Jae Crowder": "4", "Al Horford": "9", "Isaiah Thomas": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Trevor Ariza": "4", "James Harden": "2"}, "Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "12", "Ryan Anderson": "19", "Clint Capela": "12", "James Harden": "30", "Montrezl Harrell": "11", "Sam Dekker": "15", "Jae Crowder": "23", "Jonas Jerebko": "7", "Al Horford": "20", "Isaiah Thomas": "38", "Marcus Smart": "7", "Gerald Green": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Ariza": "2", "Ryan Anderson": "5", "Clint Capela": "7", "James Harden": "6", "Montrezl Harrell": "2", "Sam Dekker": "4", "Jae Crowder": "10", "Jonas Jerebko": "7", "Al Horford": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "5"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Ariza": "1", "Ryan Anderson": "1", "James Harden": "1", "Montrezl Harrell": "1", "Sam Dekker": "1", "Jae Crowder": "1", "Al Horford": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Clint Capela": "2", "James Harden": "1", "Sam Dekker": "1", "Al Horford": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Isaiah Thomas": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "27"}, "Personal fouls": {"Isaiah Thomas": "1"}}], "The Boston Celtics defeated the Houston Rockets, 120 - 109, at TD Garden on Wednesday evening. The Celtics (27 - 18) could n't quite keep up with the fast - paced Rockets (34 - 15) in the first half, but they made up for it after intermission. Boston outscored their visitors by a 68 - 51 margin over the third and fourth periods, despite the game being knotted at 98 as late as the 5:12 mark of the final quarter. That's when Isaiah Thomas drained two clutch free throws after a flagrant - 1 foul on James Harden for hitting Jonas Jerebko in the face, and then followed those points with a jumper and a driving hook. The Celtics then scored 16 points the rest of the way while holding the Rockets to 11, sealing the double - digit home win. Both teams had a hard time hanging on to the ball, as Houston was guilty of 17 turnovers while Boston gave it away 18 times. James Harden led the way for the Rockets with a 30 - point, 12 - assist double - double that also included six rebounds, a steal and a block. Ryan Anderson produced 19 points, five rebounds, an assist and a steal. Trevor Ariza and Clint Capela followed with matching 12 - point efforts, with the former adding two rebounds, two assists and a steal, and the latter registering seven boards, an assist and two blocks. All of Ariza's points notably came on four three - pointers. Sam Dekker paced the second unit with 15 points, four rebounds, a steal and a block, while Montrezl Harrell tallied 11 points, three assists, two rebounds and a steal in a reserve role as well. Isaiah Thomas continued his stellar play while leading the Celtics with 38 points, nine assists, five rebounds and a steal. With Avery Bradley (Achilles) still out, his usage continues to be at a sky - high rate, as evidenced by Wednesday's 27 shot attempts. Jae Crowder stepped up with a 23 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included four assists and a steal. Al Horford supplied a near double - double of 20 points, nine assists, three rebounds, three steals and two blocks, and had a first - half ending buzzer - beating three - pointer. Jonas Jerebko and Jaylen Brown, making starts in place of Amir Johnson and Bradley, respectively, could only combine for nine points and took just seven shot attempts between them. Marcus Smart, who went to the bench in favor of Brown, and Gerald Green led the second unit with matching seven - point tallies. The Rockets next travel to Philadelphia to do battle with the Sixers on Friday night, while the Celtics remain home to tangle with the Orlando Magic on Friday evening as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "22", "Rockets": "14"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "87", "Rockets": "107"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Lakers": "18", "Rockets": "29"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "4", "Rockets": "13"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Rockets": "23"}}, {"Points": {"Clint Capela": "10", "Dwight Howard": "16", "James Harden": "25", "Kobe Bryant": "22", "Julius Randle": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Clint Capela": "12", "Dwight Howard": "15", "James Harden": "6", "Kobe Bryant": "8", "Julius Randle": "10"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Kobe Bryant": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kobe Bryant": "1"}}], "The Houston Rockets (13 - 14) took down the Los Angeles Lakers (4 - 22) by a 107 - 87 final Thursday night at the Staples Center. The Rockets nailed five three - pointers in the first quarter to jump out to a 29 - 18 lead after the first frame. They would hold that lead for the entire game, as the Lakers were never closer than six points down in the second half. James Harden\u2019s 25 points led all scorers despite a rough shooting night (7 - 24 field goals, 2 - 9 three - pointers), and he added six assists and six rebounds. Clint Capela (10 points, 12 rebounds) and Dwight Howard (16 points, 15 rebounds) both recorded double - doubles out of the Houston front court. Houston\u2019s size advantage was a factor all game long, as the Rockets pulled down a ridiculous 23 offensive rebounds, over 40 percent of their missed shots on the offensive end. The Lakers weren\u2019t competitive despite one of Kobe Bryant\u2019s most effective games of the season, as he scored a team - high 22 points on 9 - 16 shooting and added eight rebounds. Julius Randle was active off the bench, scoring 18 points (6 - 15 shooting) and grabbing 10 rebounds. The Lakers couldn\u2019t shoot themselves out of their early deficit, as they went just 5 - 24 from three - point land as a team. The Lakers have lost seven of eight and will face a difficult test in their next contest Sunday in Oklahoma City. Houston ended a two - game losing streak with Thursday\u2019s victory and will look to make it a winning streak Sunday at home against the Clippers."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "65", "Pistons": "50"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "90", "Pistons": "112"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "17", "Pistons": "32"}}, {"Points": {"Greg Monroe": "10", "Andre Drummond": "17", "Reggie Jackson": "24", "Cole Aldrich": "24", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "25"}, "Steals": {"Greg Monroe": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "12", "Reggie Jackson": "4", "Cole Aldrich": "15"}, "Assists": {"Reggie Jackson": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Reggie Jackson": "32", "Cole Aldrich": "27"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "5"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (32 - 50) ended the season with an 112 - 90 victory over the New York Knicks (17 - 65). Seven Pistons finished with at least 10 points in the season finale. In what may be his final game in a Pistons uniform, Greg Monroe compiled 10 points and four steals as he heads into the offseason an unrestricted free agent. Impending restricted free agent Reggie Jackson performed marvelously, supplying 24 points, 11 assists, four rebounds and three steals in 32 minutes. Andre Drummond scored 17 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. He completed the season second to the Los Angeles Clippers\u2019 DeAndre Jordan in rebounds per game while leading the league in offensive rebounds per game. Jodie Meeks sank both free throws and ends the season behind only the Golden State Warriors\u2019 Stephen Curry in free - throw percentage. The Pistons head into the offseason with the eighth - worst record in the league. The Knicks ended the season with their worst record in franchise history. Their futility gives them the second - worst record in the league and a 20 percent chance of winning the NBA Draft Lottery. They\u2019re guaranteed at least a top - five pick. Langston Galloway ended the year second in minutes per game and scoring average among rookies. He also connected on a rookie high 1 three - pointers per game. Cole Aldrich scored a career - high 24 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in 27 minutes, taking advantage of garbage time. Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 14 of his season - high 25 points in the first quarter and hit five three - pointers, ending the season as the Knicks\u2019 leading scorer. Jason Smith was the only Knick to play every game this season."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "43", "Pacers": "23"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "50", "Pacers": "46"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "5", "Pacers": "23"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "117", "Pacers": "102"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "28", "Pacers": "14"}, "Turnovers": {"Pacers": "17"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Solomon Hill": "5", "Donald Sloan": "3", "Klay Thompson": "11", "Stephen Curry": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Solomon Hill": "2", "Donald Sloan": "0", "Klay Thompson": "6", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Solomon Hill": "15", "David West": "11", "Donald Sloan": "11", "Luis Scola": "12", "Marreese Speights": "12", "Klay Thompson": "25", "Stephen Curry": "17", "David Lee": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Solomon Hill": "8", "David West": "6", "Donald Sloan": "6", "Luis Scola": "5", "Marreese Speights": "8", "Klay Thompson": "14", "Stephen Curry": "8", "David Lee": "6"}, "Points": {"Solomon Hill": "21", "David West": "16", "Donald Sloan": "14", "Luis Scola": "14", "Marreese Speights": "18", "Klay Thompson": "40", "Stephen Curry": "21", "David Lee": "13"}, "Assists": {"David West": "6", "Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "15"}, "Free throws attempted": {"David West": "4", "Donald Sloan": "2", "Luis Scola": "4", "Stephen Curry": "1", "David Lee": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"David West": "4", "Donald Sloan": "2", "Luis Scola": "4", "Stephen Curry": "1", "David Lee": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"David West": "7", "Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Klay Thompson": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Klay Thompson": "1"}, "Steals": {"Klay Thompson": "1", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Stephen Curry": "3"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (28 - 5) defeated the Indiana Pacers (14 - 23) 117 - 102 on Wednesday at Oracle Arena in Oakland. Despite a close first half, the Warriors got hot in the second half, out - scoring the Pacers 67 - 52 to close out the game at home in front of their home crowd. They were the superior shooters, going an impressive 50 percent from the field and 43 percent from the three - point line, while the Pacers went 46 percent from the floor and just 23 percent from beyond the arc. The Warriors were able to force the Pacers into 17 turnovers. Klay Thompson was unstoppable in this one. He went 14 - for - 25 from the field and 6 - for - 11 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 40 points. It was his second 40 - point game of the year, after torching the Lakers for 41 points back in early November. Stephen Curry had a strong showing of his own, scoring 21 points (8 - 17 FG, 4 - 8 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT) while adding 15 assists and four steals. The assists matched a season - high for him, while the double - double was his second in the last three games. It was also his second game in a row with four steals, as he keeps getting it done on the defensive side of the ball as well. Filling in as the starting center, Marreese Speights went 8 - for - 12 from the floor to score 18 points. Even with a six point outing on Monday, Speights is averaging 18 points over his last four games as he continues to roll with a hot hand. David Lee had 13 points (6 - 10 FG, 1 - 2 FT) off the bench. With Roy Hibbert going down with an ankle injury after only five minutes, the Pacers were even further out - matched. Solomon Hill did everything he could to keep them in the game, going 8 - for - 15 from the three - point line and 2 - for - 5 from beyond the arc to score 21 points. It was his best offensive showing since back in mid - November, so it was good to see him having success. David West did a little bit of everything in this game, as he finished with 16 points (6 - 11 FG, 4 - 4 FT), seven rebounds and six assists. The assists matched a season - high for West. Coming off the bench both Donald Sloan (6 - 11 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and Luis Scola (5 - 12 FG, 4 - 4 FT) pitched in 14 points of their own. The Pacers just did n't have the scoring power to keep up with an excellent Warriors squad. The Warriors' next game will be at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, while the Pacers will be at home against the Boston Celtics on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "9", "Knicks": "17"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "129", "Knicks": "122"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "26", "Knicks": "16"}}, {"Points": {"Joakim Noah": "15", "Brandon Jennings": "32", "Derrick Rose": "21", "Ryan Anderson": "25", "Montrezl Harrell": "13", "James Harden": "53"}, "Rebounds": {"Joakim Noah": "16", "Brandon Jennings": "5", "Derrick Rose": "5", "Ryan Anderson": "6", "Montrezl Harrell": "4", "James Harden": "16"}, "Assists": {"Brandon Jennings": "7", "Derrick Rose": "7", "Montrezl Harrell": "4", "James Harden": "17"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ryan Anderson": "12", "Montrezl Harrell": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Ryan Anderson": "8", "Montrezl Harrell": "6"}}], "The Houston Rockets defeated the New York Knicks, 129 - 122, at Toyota Center on Saturday. This has been the year of the triple - double, but there has n't been a performance like this in quite some time. James Harden accumulated 53 points, 16 rebounds and 17 assists on the way to his best game of his career. His game carried this offense to some gaudy numbers too, as they recorded 30 assists and went 21 - of - 55 from three - point range. There were no ties and only one lead change, as the Rockets never relinquished the lead after the second quarter. New York (16 - 17) had to play this game extremely shorthanded and they did a good job of hanging around against a potent Houston attack. Kristaps Porzingis sat this game out with an Achilles injury and Carmelo Anthony had to depart early due to renewed knee soreness. That put Brandon Jennings in the starting lineup and he did n't disappoint, as he led the team with 32 points, five rebounds and seven assists. Derrick Rose also played well, accumulating 21 points, five rebounds and seven assists. Joakim Noah recorded a 15 - point, 16 - rebound double - double in the loss. On deck for the Knicks is a home matchup against the Orlando Magic on Monday. Houston (26 - 9) have gotten some unbelievable performances from James Harden this season, but this one tops them all. Harden finished the game with 53 points, 16 rebounds and 17 assists in the best game of his career. Ryan Anderson helped him get those assists up, as he was second on the team with 25 points and six rebounds on 8 - of - 12 shooting. Montrezl Harrell got a rare start at center and amassed 13 points, four rebounds and four assists on 6 - of - 7 shooting. They'll look to keep rolling on Monday against the Washington Wizards."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "27", "Timberwolves": "53"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "105", "Timberwolves": "100"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "41", "Timberwolves": "14"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "9", "Kevin Martin": "28", "Ricky Rubio": "4", "Chase Budinger": "18", "Terrence Ross": "9", "Jonas Valanciunas": "9", "DeMar DeRozan": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "6", "Kevin Martin": "14", "Ricky Rubio": "1", "Chase Budinger": "9", "Terrence Ross": "6", "Jonas Valanciunas": "7", "DeMar DeRozan": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Kevin Martin": "4", "Chase Budinger": "1", "Jonas Valanciunas": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "12"}, "Free throws made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Kevin Martin": "4", "Chase Budinger": "0", "Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "12"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "15", "Kevin Martin": "37", "Ricky Rubio": "2", "Chase Budinger": "19", "Terrence Ross": "15", "Jonas Valanciunas": "15", "DeMar DeRozan": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Kevin Martin": "7", "Chase Budinger": "8", "Jonas Valanciunas": "15"}, "Turnovers": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Ricky Rubio": "2", "Jonas Valanciunas": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Martin": "9", "Ricky Rubio": "1", "Chase Budinger": "5", "Terrence Ross": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Martin": "5", "Ricky Rubio": "0", "Chase Budinger": "1", "Terrence Ross": "3"}, "Assists": {"Ricky Rubio": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Ricky Rubio": "30"}, "Steals": {"Ricky Rubio": "2"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (41 - 27) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (14 - 53) 105 - 100 on Wednesday at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. By securing this victory, the Raptors remained within two games of the Cleveland Cavaliers, who sit in the second projected playoff seed in the Eastern Conference standings. The Cavaliers took down the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday as well, so the Raptors avoided dropping another game back with a loss. The Timberwolves have now tied the New York Knicks for the worst record in the league, so they'll battle it out to see who will give themselves the best chance of landing the number one overall pick in this year's draft from here on out. DeMar DeRozan really struggled with his shot in this game, going just 4 - of - 14 from the field. He made up for it at the free throw line though, as he forced his way into 12 attempts, while converting on all 12 of those attempts to push his scoring total to a team - high of 21 points. DeRozan continues to score at a very high rate, considering he's surpassed the 20 - point mark in eight of his last nine games. Over his last 10 games, he's now averaging 22 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Jonas Valanciunas put in a good effort as well, notching a double - double with 15 points (7 - 9 FG, 1 - 2 FT) and 15 rebounds in just 23 minutes. It was his second double - double in a row, as he's combined for 29 points and 27 rebounds over his last two games. Terrence Ross was dialed in with his shot as well. He went 6 - for - 9 from the field and 3 - for - 5 from beyond the arc to score 15 points. Unfortunately for the Raptors, Kyle Lowry had to leave the game during the third quarter with what looked like a lower back injury and was not able to return. While they were unable to pull off the win, Kevin Martin had himself a game. He went 14 - for - 28 from the floor and 5 - for - 9 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 37 points, while also adding seven rebounds. He's picked up his scoring of late with so many injuries affecting this team, as he's averaging 18 points while shooting 45 percent from the field during his last four games. Andrew Wiggins also did his best to keep his team close. He went 6 - for - 9 from the field and 3 - for - 4 from the free throw line to score 15 points. After shooting 40 percent or lower in each of his last three games, it was good to see the forward get back on track Wednesday. Coming off the bench, Chase Budinger matched a season - high of 19 points (9 - 18 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 0 - 1 FT), to go along with eight rebounds. It was his second solid showing in a row, after scoring 18 points Monday. Ricky Rubio returned after missing two games, but had just two points (1 - 4 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt) and eight assists in 30 minutes. The Raptors' next game will be on the road against the Chicago Bulls on Friday, while the Timberwolves will travel to New York to play the Knicks on Thursday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "56"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "36", "Cavaliers": "23"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "123", "Cavaliers": "109"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pacers": "26"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "42", "Cavaliers": "56"}, "Turnovers": {"Cavaliers": "10"}}, {"Points": {"Kyrie Irving": "26", "Paul George": "29", "Monta Ellis": "13"}, "Assists": {"Paul George": "1", "Monta Ellis": "8"}, "Personal fouls": {"Paul George": "1"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "1"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (42 - 36) have nearly secured playoff berth after dismantling the Cleveland Cavaliers (56 - 23) on Wednesday, 123 - 109. Cleveland star LeBron James rested during the contest. Indiana now simply needs a win or a Bulls loss to secure playoff berth. Superstar forward Paul George elevated his play for one of his biggest performances of the season, dropping in a massively efficient 29 points on the first - seeded Cavaliers. Backcourt star Monta Ellis, meanwhile, chipped in 13 points and dished out eight assists. As a team, Indiana simply shot the lights out, converting on 56 percent of shots from the field and draining 16 three - pointers. Indiana's massive shooting night was bolstered in part by 21 points and six threes from C.J. Miles off the bench. Cleveland, meanwhile, failed to take the record for most consectuive games with 10 or more made three - pointers. With eight threes and 47 percent from the field, the team still shot respectably, but clearly suffered on the defensive end in LeBron's absence. All-Star Kyrie Irving led the way with 26 points, but overall the team could not get it done against the playoff - hungry Pacers. The Cavs have a chance to formally eliminate the Bulls on Saturday. Indiana, meanwhile, will take the court on Friday in Toronto."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Wizards": "47", "76ers": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "48", "76ers": "41"}, "Losses": {"Wizards": "19", "76ers": "26"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "109", "76ers": "93"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Wizards": "21", "76ers": "30"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "20", "76ers": "12"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"76ers": "15"}}, {"Points": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "18", "Jahlil Okafor": "26", "Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot": "12", "Bradley Beal": "20", "John Wall": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "7", "Jahlil Okafor": "9", "T.J. McConnell": "3", "Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot": "6", "Bradley Beal": "4", "John Wall": "7"}, "Assists": {"Nik Stauskas": "3", "Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot": "2", "John Wall": "7"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"T.J. McConnell": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"T.J. McConnell": "3"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the Philadelphia 76ers, 109 - 93, at Verizon Center on Saturday. The Wizards were expected to win this game rather easily and they took care of business after the first quarter. Philadelphia actually led, 30 - 21 after the first quarter, but it was all Washington from there. In fact, they outscored the Sixers by nine in the second quarter and 15 in the third quarter to eventually pull away. Defense was key for the Wizards, as they held the Sixers to 41 percent from the field, 52 percent from the free - throw line and 32 percent from three - point range. Washington were very efficient on their end, as they shot 48 percent from the field and 47 percent from three - point range. The Sixers (12 - 26) had to play this game without Joel Embiid, as they clearly could n't make up for his absence. Jahlil Okafor got the start for Embiid and led the team with 26 points and nine rebounds. Ersan Ilyasova was n't far behind, totaling 18 points and seven rebounds. The other three starters really struggled, as Nik Stauskas, Robert Convington and T.J. McConnell combined for 13 points on 5 - of - 23 shooting. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot was a nice spark off the bench, collecting 12 points, six rebounds and two assists. The Wizards (20 - 19) were in a must win against a shorthanded Sixers team and they did n't disappoint with an easy victory. John Wall was the player of the game, as he accumulated 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Bradley Beal was second on the team, as he dropped 20 points to go along with four rebounds. Markieff Morris and Marcin Gortat did a great job down low, combining for 26 points and 19 rebounds. All five starters scored in double figures, despite none of them playing the final eight minutes."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "2", "Cavaliers": "2"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "84", "Cavaliers": "86"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "2", "Cavaliers": "2"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Cavaliers": "12"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "8", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "2", "Timofey Mozgov": "3", "Jimmy Butler": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kyrie Irving": "2", "Jimmy Butler": "5", "Derrick Rose": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"LeBron James": "1", "Jimmy Butler": "3", "Derrick Rose": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "30", "Timofey Mozgov": "5", "JR Smith": "10", "Jimmy Butler": "21", "Derrick Rose": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "10", "Timofey Mozgov": "4", "Kyrie Irving": "2", "JR Smith": "5", "Jimmy Butler": "8", "Derrick Rose": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "43", "Kyrie Irving": "41", "Jimmy Butler": "45", "Derrick Rose": "41"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"LeBron James": "2", "Jimmy Butler": "1"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "25", "Tristan Thompson": "12", "Timofey Mozgov": "15", "Kyrie Irving": "12", "JR Smith": "13", "Jimmy Butler": "19", "Derrick Rose": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "14", "Timofey Mozgov": "9", "Jimmy Butler": "5", "Derrick Rose": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tristan Thompson": "2", "Timofey Mozgov": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Tristan Thompson": "2", "Timofey Mozgov": "7"}, "Steals": {"Kyrie Irving": "2", "Jimmy Butler": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Jimmy Butler": "1", "Derrick Rose": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Derrick Rose": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (6 - 2) defeated the Chicago Bulls (6 - 4) 86 - 84 in Game 4 of their second - round playoff series on Sunday at the United Center. The series is now tied at two games a piece, and this meeting came down to the wire once again. After LeBron James was called for an offensive foul with the Cavaliers up two, Derrick Rose came back down the other way for the Bulls and hit a shot to tie things up at 84. Then, after James\u2019 game - winning attempt was blocked out of bounds, Cleveland had one last shot with 2 seconds remaining to win the game. Lebron cut to the corner and buried a long - range jumper at the buzzer, giving the Cavaliers the victory and tying the series. James did not shoot particularly well, as he shot 10 - for - 30 from the floor and 1 - of - 7 from behind the arc, but it ultimately did not matter, and he finished with 25 points, 14 rebounds and 8 assists in 43 minutes to lead his team to victory. Timofey Mozgov played effective in the paint, as he posted 15 points (4 - 5 FG, 7 - 8 FT), nine rebounds and three blocks in 38 minutes. Tristan Thompson and Kyrie Irving each scored 12 points as members of the starting lineup, while J.R. Smith came off the bench in this game and scored 13 points (5 - 10 FG, 3 - 6 FT), including a hot streak of shots that kept Cleveland in the game. As for the Bulls, Rose continues to lead the way for them, as he scored 31 points on 11 - of - 23 shooting in 41 minutes. Rose has now scored a combined 61 points in his last two outings. Beyond Rose, however, Chicago did not get much help, with Jimmy Butler serving as the only other Bull to score in double figures, finishing with 19 points (8 - 21 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt) and five rebounds in 45 minutes.The other three starters shot a combined 7 - of - 26 from the field and scored just 18 points in the losing effort. Chicago, however, was without Pau Gasol (hamstring) in their starting lineup and he is considered day - to - day at this point. Game 5 will be on Tuesday, giving Gasol one day to rest, but he will remain questionable until then. The series will move back to Cleveland for Game 5, with tip - off scheduled for 7 p.m. EST."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "26", "Warriors": "13"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "106", "Warriors": "110"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "49", "Warriors": "61"}}, {"Points": {"David Lee": "17", "Klay Thompson": "25", "Marreese Speights": "13", "Blake Griffin": "40"}, "Minutes played": {"Marreese Speights": "15"}, "Blocks": {"Blake Griffin": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "25"}, "Field goals made": {"Blake Griffin": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "12"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (61 - 13) overcame a big deficit to pull out a 110 - 106 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers (49 - 26) on Tuesday at the Staples Center. The final regular season meeting between the Clippers and Warriors did not disappoint. After the Clippers opened up a 17 point lead in the second quarter, the Warriors woke up and started chipping away at the deficit. Los Angeles took a six point lead into the fourth, but Golden State's reserves opened the period on a 90 run to grab the lead. The Clippers, who had 88 points through three quarters, went cold from the floor in the fourth, hitting just three of their 13 field goal attempts. The Warriors clinched the season series 3 - 1. Golden State withstood an offensive barrage from Los Angeles to make a run of its own to notch its 61st victory of the season. Klay Thompson had a quiet first half, but started to heat up in the third with 13 points on 5 - of - 6 shooting from the floor. Thompson finished with 25 points. While the \"Splash Brothers\" combined for 52 points, the Warriors' role players were key in keeping them in the game. Marreese Speights had 13 points in 15 minutes off the bench and David Lee, who started in place of the injured Draymond Green, scored 17. The Warriors will look to extend their winning streak to 11 on Thursday when they host the Suns. Los Angeles did everything right through the first 36 minutes of this contest, but a fourth quarter collapse cost the Clippers a signature win over their rival. Blake Griffin had a tremendous game with 40 points (16 - 25 FG) to go with 12 rebounds and three blocks. Griffin was automatic on his mid - range and turnaround jumpers for the majority of the game, but only made one field goal in the fourth. The Clippers have another tough test on the docket Wednesday with a matchup against the Trail Blazers."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "19", "Rockets": "7"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "109", "Rockets": "111"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "7", "Rockets": "21"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "41"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Trevor Ariza": "3", "Ryan Anderson": "7", "James Harden": "3"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Ariza": "3", "Andrew Wiggins": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Trevor Ariza": "2", "James Harden": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Ryan Anderson": "16"}, "Minutes played": {"Ryan Anderson": "36", "James Harden": "43", "Eric Gordon": "36", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "43"}, "Points": {"Ryan Anderson": "28", "James Harden": "28", "Eric Gordon": "20", "Andrew Wiggins": "13", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "41", "Zach LaVine": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Ryan Anderson": "6", "James Harden": "9", "Eric Gordon": "6", "Andrew Wiggins": "6"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "13", "Eric Gordon": "4", "Andrew Wiggins": "5", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "5", "Zach LaVine": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Eric Gordon": "7", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "15"}, "Personal fouls": {"Eric Gordon": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "28"}}], "The Houston Rockets earned their tenth - straight win and did it in epic fashion as they came back from a 12 - point deficit with two and a half minutes left in the fourth quarter, to defeat the host Minnesota Timberwolves, 111 - 109, in overtime, at Target Center on Saturday evening. The Timberwolves (7 - 19) led the entire second half and were ahead 93 - 81 with two and a half minutes to go but fell apart in the final minutes, allowing the Rockets (21 - 7) to come back thanks to a clutch three by Trevor Ariza with six seconds remaining, that sent the game to overtime. James Harden scored the Rockets' first seven points in overtime, followed by a three from Eric Gordon and some clutch team free throw shooting to finish off a 30 - 16 run by Houston in the final seven and a half minutes of action, and seal the win. Harden was one assist shy of his third - straight triple - double as he finished with 28 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds, in 43 minutes of action. Ryan Anderson got out to a hot start, shooting 3 - of - 5 from long range in the first quarter; he finished the game 7 - of - 16 from downtown, with 28 points. Eric Gordon continued his strong play, with 20 points, six rebounds and four assists, in 36 minutes off the bench. The Rockets shot 17 - of - 51 from long range and 41 percent from the field overall. This marked the second night of a back - to - back and third game in four nights for the Rockets, however they dug deep to move to 50 on the second night of a back - to back, and 11 - 5 on the road. Houston now looks ahead to Tuesday when it hosts the Spurs. Karl-Anthony Towns had a monstrous night for the T-Wolves, with a game - high 41 points on 15 - of - 28 shooting, along with 15 rebounds and five assists, in 43 minutes. Zach LaVine added 24 points, along with six assists, while Andrew Wiggins was quiet offensively with only 13 points, to go along with six rebounds, five assists and three steals. The Timberwolves gave up 22 turnovers in the game including a few late, which cost them what could have been a great win. They will look to bounce back as they play host to the Suns on Monday."], [[{"Total points": {"Cavaliers": "102", "Bucks": "95"}, "Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "27"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "32"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "26"}}, {"Field goals made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4", "Derrick Williams": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "42", "Michael Beasley": "9", "Malcolm Brogdon": "31", "Derrick Williams": "27"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9", "Michael Beasley": "11", "Malcolm Brogdon": "20", "LeBron James": "24", "Kyrie Irving": "25", "Derrick Williams": "14"}, "Assists": {"Malcolm Brogdon": "5", "LeBron James": "6", "Kyrie Irving": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "10", "Derrick Williams": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Derrick Williams": "7"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 102 - 95 Monday at Quicken Loans Arena. The Bucks (26 - 32) managed to hang around for majority of Monday's contest, entering the fourth quarter down just four points. That's when the Cavaliers (40 - 17) decided to turn it on, however, as they opened up the lead to as large as 11 points late in the final period and managed to hold on. Kyrie Irving led the way scoring, finishing with a game - high 25 points and nine assists, while LeBron James was n't too far behind with 24 points, 10 rebounds and six assists of his own. The most crucial performance for Cleveland, however, came from Derrick Williams, who continues to be a productive late - season signing for this team. Williams finished with 14 points on 5 - of - 7 shooting and seven rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench. For Milwaukee, it was a brutal game for their starting five, as Michael Beasley was the only starter to score in double figures with 11 points, but he left the game after nine minutes with a knee injury and did n't return. The other four Bucks starters combined to score just 27, with the glaring performance coming from Giannis Antetokounmpo, who scored just nine points in 42 minutes. Thankfully for Milwaukee, the bench unit picked up the starters' slack and were led by a solid performance from rookie Malcolm Brogdon, who scored a game - high 20 points and dished out five assists in 31 minutes. Now, the Bucks, after entering the All-Star break on a three - game winning streak, have dropped two of their last three outings. Up next, the Cavaliers will head to Boston on Wednesday for a matchup between Eastern Conference powers, while the Bucks will head home Wednesday to play the Nuggets."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "44", "Trail Blazers": "50"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "45", "Trail Blazers": "36"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "101", "Trail Blazers": "110"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "22", "Trail Blazers": "29"}}, {"Assists": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "2", "CJ McCollum": "4", "Damian Lillard": "2", "Devin Booker": "3"}, "Points": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "12", "CJ McCollum": "26", "Damian Lillard": "39", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "9", "Devin Booker": "28", "Eric Bledsoe": "19", "Alan Williams": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "11", "CJ McCollum": "4", "Damian Lillard": "6", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "12", "Devin Booker": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "3", "Alan Williams": "10"}, "Steals": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the host Phoenix Suns, 110 - 101, at Talking Stick Resort Arena on Sunday. This game meant much more to the Blazers than the Suns and that proved to be the case with this important Portland win. Despite the Suns leading for the majority of the first quarter, Portland actually held the lead for 40 of the final 42 minutes. Portland ended the game on an 11 - 4 run to pull away and eventually win. Shooting was key, as the Blazers hit 50 percent of their shots, while holding the Suns to 44 percent shooting. Rebounding was also a big factor, with Portland winning that battle, 49 - 42. The Blazers (29 - 36) are battling for the eight - seed in the west and to say this win was crucial would be a drastic understatement. Damian Lillard was the star, as he led the team with 39 points, six rebounds and two assists. C.J. McCollum finished with 26 points, four rebounds and four assists. Jusuf Nurkic was the only other player in double figures, as he tallied 12 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and three blocks. Al-Farouq Aminu was a nice spark off the bench, providing nine points and 12 rebounds. On deck for the Blazers is a road matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday. The Suns (22 - 45) had won four of six headed into this game, but they could n't quite hold off a hungry Portland bunch. Devin Booker led Phoenix in scoring, as he accumulated 28 points, five rebounds and three assists. Eric Bledsoe finished second on the team, accruing 19 points, three rebounds, five assists and two steals. Alan Williams came off the bench to produce another double - double, totaling 12 points and 10 rebounds. Phoenix wo n't play until Wednesday, when they host the Sacramento Kings for their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "9", "Kings": "5"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "101", "Kings": "113"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "3", "Kings": "8"}}, {"Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "31", "Ben McLemore": "22", "Derrick Williams": "12", "Andrew Wiggins": "29", "Mo Williams": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "18", "Ben McLemore": "9", "Derrick Williams": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Derrick Williams": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Derrick Williams": "30", "Andrew Wiggins": "41"}, "Turnovers": {"Derrick Williams": "3"}, "Assists": {"Mo Williams": "12"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (8 - 5) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (3 - 9) 113 - 101 on Friday. Sacramento has won two straight games. They've had a terrific start to the season and have n't shown any signs of slowing down. While DeMarcus Cousins' line of 31 points and 18 rebounds is no great shock due to the frequency in which he put up such amazing lines, Ben McLemore's 22 points and nine rebounds gave McLemore the best game of his young career. Even retread Derrick Williams got in on the funk train Saturday against his former team. Williams put up 12 points and six rebounds in 30 minutes. The Kings continue their road trip against the Pelicans in New Orleans on Tuesday. Minnesota has lost two straight and seven of their last eight games. Injuries can be blamed for the depth of the Timberwolves' struggles this season, but they were never considered a team with much of a shot at a playoff spot in the stacked Western Conference. An argument could be made that the injuries the Timberwolves continue to suffer are a blessing in disguise considering that it's forcing the team to give their young talent run against top - flight teams. Andrew Wiggins scored a career - high 29 points in 41 minutes Saturday. Mo Williams helped Wiggins get those points. Williams finished with 11 points and 12 assists for his second double - double in the last three games. The Timberwolves have three days off before hosting the Milwuakee Bucks on Wednesday. By Wednesday's game, the Timberwolves expect to have Thaddeus Young (personal) and Nikola Pekovic (wrist) back in the active lineup."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bulls": "41"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "48"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bulls": "20"}, "Turnovers": {"Bulls": "17"}}, {"Points": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "12", "DeMar DeRozan": "18", "Kyle Lowry": "22", "Cory Joseph": "10", "Norman Powell": "13", "Jimmy Butler": "19", "Taj Gibson": "14", "Robin Lopez": "8", "Michael Carter-Williams": "8", "Doug McDermott": "20", "Rajon Rondo": "12", "Cristiano Felicio": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "9", "Taj Gibson": "4", "Michael Carter-Williams": "5"}, "Assists": {"Cory Joseph": "1", "Jimmy Butler": "12"}, "Steals": {"Cory Joseph": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "5"}}], "The returning Jimmy Butler's 19 - point, 12 - assist double - double and Doug McDermott's 20 - point effort off the bench spearheaded Chicago's impressive home win. The Bulls also overcame 17 turnovers by shooting a solid 48 percent from the field and 41 percent from three - point range. Taj Gibson managed 14 points and four boards. Rajon Rondo was next with 12 points, while Cristiano Felicio supplied 10 as a reserve as well. Michael Carter-Williams and Robin Lopez registered matching eight - point efforts on the starting five. Kyle Lowry's 22 points paced Toronto. DeMar DeRozan followed with 18 points, while Norman Powell generated 13 points off the bench. Jonas Valanciunas posted a near double - double of 12 points and nine boards. Cory Joseph was productive as a reserve as well, as he tallied 10 points, four rebounds, one assist and one steal."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "28", "Trail Blazers": "45"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "47", "Trail Blazers": "52"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "27", "Trail Blazers": "20"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "97", "Trail Blazers": "113"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Raptors": "22"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "39", "Trail Blazers": "44"}, "Turnovers": {"Trail Blazers": "10"}}, {"Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "12", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "5", "Damian Lillard": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Nicolas Batum": "2", "Damian Lillard": "8", "DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nicolas Batum": "2", "Damian Lillard": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "0", "Kyle Lowry": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nicolas Batum": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "14", "Jonas Valanciunas": "7", "DeMar DeRozan": "18", "Kyle Lowry": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Nicolas Batum": "3", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "9", "Jonas Valanciunas": "7", "DeMar DeRozan": "9", "Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nicolas Batum": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "8", "Damian Lillard": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Nicolas Batum": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "6", "Damian Lillard": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Nicolas Batum": "34", "Jonas Valanciunas": "22"}, "Points": {"Nicolas Batum": "10", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "24", "Damian Lillard": "23", "Jonas Valanciunas": "14", "DeMar DeRozan": "22", "Kyle Lowry": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "10", "Jonas Valanciunas": "9", "DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Damian Lillard": "2", "Jonas Valanciunas": "2"}, "Steals": {"Damian Lillard": "2"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (44 - 20) defeated the Toronto Raptors (39 - 27) 113 - 97 on Sunday at the Air Canade Centre in Toronto. This win marks the third in a row for the Blazers, as they currently sit as the third projected playoff seed in the Western Conference standings, just one game back from the Grizzlies and one game ahead of the Rockets. The Raptors, on the other hand, have lost eight of their last ten games, but sit tied for the third projected playoff seed with the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference standings. The Trail Blazers shot well in this outing, going 52 percent from the field and 45 percent from the three - point line, while the Raptors went 47 percent from the floor and just 28 percent from deep. With all five starters reaching double figures in points, it was a nice team - effort win for the Trail Blazers on Sunday. Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge led the way, as each surpassed the 20 - point mark. Aldridge went 9 - for - 14 from the field and 6 - for - 8 from the free throw line to score a team - high of 24 points, while also adding 10 rebounds and five assists. It marked his second double - double over his last three games, a stretch where he's averaging 24 points and 10 rebounds. Lillard, on the other hand, finished with 23 points (10 - 2 - FG, 2 - 8 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) of his own, to go along with five assists and two steals. He's played well of late, combining for 51 points and 14 assists over his last two games. On the season, he's now averaging 21 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists per game. Nicolas Batum was able to notch a double - double as well, posting 10 points (3 - 5 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and 12 assists over 34 minutes. It was just the second time this season that he's reached double - digit assists. Despite suffering the loss, DeMar DeRozan had a solid performance for the Raptors, finishing with 22 points (9 - 18 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT) and eight rebounds. He really struggled with his shot in Friday's game against the Heat, shooting just 25 percent (3 - 12 FG) from the field in that outing, so it was good to see him get things pointed back in the right direction Sunday. Jonas Valanciunas went a perfect 7 - for - 7 from the field to score 14 points, while also pulling down nine rebounds in 22 minutes. Valanciunas missed Friday's game following the birth of his son, so it was good to see him come back without missing a beat. Struggling with his shot, Kyle Lowry ended with just 10 points (3 - 11 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), but added six assists and four rebounds. He had shot a combined 17 - for - 31 from the field and 10 - for - 17 from the three - point line over his last two games, so his performance Sunday was somewhat of a disappointment. The Trail Blazers' next game will be on the road against the Washington Wizards on Monday, while the Raptors will travel to Indiana to play the Pacers on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "48", "Suns": "45"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "44", "Suns": "55"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "105", "Suns": "94"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bucks": "27"}, "Turnovers": {"Bucks": "13", "Suns": "22"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "31", "Suns": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"PJ Tucker": "7", "Alex Len": "5", "Tyson Chandler": "3", "Devin Booker": "4", "Brandon Knight": "2", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6", "Jabari Parker": "3", "Greg Monroe": "4", "Khris Middleton": "1", "John Henson": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"PJ Tucker": "7"}, "Points": {"PJ Tucker": "20", "Alex Len": "17", "Tyson Chandler": "13", "Devin Booker": "18", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10", "Jabari Parker": "21", "Greg Monroe": "14", "Khris Middleton": "26", "John Henson": "10", "Tyler Ennis": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"PJ Tucker": "10", "Alex Len": "15", "Tyson Chandler": "13", "Devin Booker": "4", "Brandon Knight": "2", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Jabari Parker": "5", "Greg Monroe": "5", "Khris Middleton": "7", "John Henson": "5", "Tyler Ennis": "4"}, "Steals": {"PJ Tucker": "3", "Jabari Parker": "4", "Greg Monroe": "2", "John Henson": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Alex Len": "2", "Tyson Chandler": "2", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1", "Greg Monroe": "2", "John Henson": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Tyson Chandler": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Devin Booker": "7", "Brandon Knight": "5"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (31 - 44) defeated the Phoenix Suns (20 - 55) 105 - 94 on Wednesday night. A game between two teams officially out of playoff contention turned out to be a competitive and entertaining affair. With defense being an Achilles' heel of both clubs, there were plenty of strong offensive performances to go around. Both the Suns and Bucks enjoyed particularly strong shooting nights, with Phoenix's solid 45 percent success rate from the field exceeded by Milwaukee's even stronger 48 percent figure. The pivotal factor in the loss for the Suns was the turnover battle, which they lost by a notable margin of 22 - 13. The starting backcourt of Devin Booker and Brandon Knight was unfortunately guilty of 12 of those miscues, and Milwaukee was able to convert Phoenix's mistakes to 27 points overall. The Suns were led by an outstanding effort from P.J. Tucker, who contributed 20 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and three steals. Booker had a relatively quiet night on the scoreboard by his recent standards, but still totaled 18 points, four rebounds and four assists. The rookie did get in his own way plenty however, turning the ball over a game - high seven times. Alex Len followed with a remarkable double - double of his own, totaling 17 points, 15 boards, five assists and two blocks. Knight matched Len's point total, and added two rebounds, two assists and five turnovers of his own. Tyson Chandler rounded out the starting five's successful night with 13 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots. Phoenix remains in fourth place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. They head back home to face off against the Washington Wizards on Friday. Milwaukee was spearheaded by a resurgent effort from Khris Middleton, who managed a game - high 26 points, and added seven rebounds and an assist. It was an encouraging performance for the Bucks' guard, considering he'd averaged just a shade above 10 points per game over his previous trio of contests. Jabari Parker followed with a solid outing consisting of 21 points, five rebounds, three assists and four steals. Greg Monroe was next with 14 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks. Giannis Antetokounmpo continued his recent slump, managing a modest 10 points, six assists, three rebounds and a block. John Henson and Tyler Ennis followed with a pair of 10 - point efforts. The former supplemented his scoring with five boards, two assists, a steal and four blocks, while the latter supplied four rebounds as well. The Bucks continue to reside in last place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They remain home to face the Orlando Magic on Friday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "12", "76ers": "20"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "88", "76ers": "70"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "9", "76ers": "2"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"76ers": "32"}}, {"Points": {"Robert Covington": "20", "Joe Johnson": "12", "Mason Plumlee": "18"}, "Assists": {"Joe Johnson": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Joe Johnson": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Joe Johnson": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Joe Johnson": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Joe Johnson": "2", "Mason Plumlee": "10"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets (9 - 12) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (2 - 20) 88 - 70 on Friday. Brooklyn stopped a three - game skid with the win. Joe Johnson sat out the last two games with an illness but returned to the lineup Friday and put up 12 points in 27 minutes. Kevin Garnett played through the foot soreness he began suffering in Wednesday's loss. Mason Plumlee made another start in place of Brook Lopez, whom remains out with a back injury. Mirza Teleovic missed the game as he continues to recover from a hip pointer injury. Plumlee led the way for Brooklyn, finishing with a double - double of 18 points and 10 rebounds. The Nets will finish of a back - to - back set Saturday in Charlotte against the Hornets. Philadelphia has a two - game losing streak started. They made a switch to the staring lineup Friday, putting Robert Covington in at power forward while shifting Nerlens Noel to center and moving Henry Sims to a bench role. Covington paced the Sixers with a game - high 20 points. Philadelphia shot 32 percent from the field, taking the wind out of pretty much any chance they had of winning the game Friday. They may shoot an even worse percentage from the field Saturday when they host the Memphis Grizzlies."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "44", "Pacers": "44"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "125", "Pacers": "107"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bucks": "35"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "3"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "47"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "3"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "1", "Myles Turner": "1", "Monta Ellis": "10", "Jeff Teague": "6", "CJ Miles": "2", "Jabari Parker": "3", "Tony Snell": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Paul George": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul George": "4"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "23", "Myles Turner": "15", "Monta Ellis": "6", "Jeff Teague": "16", "CJ Miles": "19", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "27", "Jabari Parker": "27", "Tony Snell": "14", "Greg Monroe": "16", "Malcolm Brogdon": "12"}, "Turnovers": {"Paul George": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Myles Turner": "2", "Monta Ellis": "3", "Jeff Teague": "4", "CJ Miles": "3", "Tony Snell": "1", "Greg Monroe": "16", "Malcolm Brogdon": "2"}, "Steals": {"Myles Turner": "2", "Monta Ellis": "3", "Jeff Teague": "3", "CJ Miles": "3", "Malcolm Brogdon": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Monta Ellis": "4", "Tony Snell": "9"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jabari Parker": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Tony Snell": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Greg Monroe": "1", "Malcolm Brogdon": "1"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Indiana Pacers, 125 - 107, at BMO Harris Bradley Center on Thursday. The Pacers have been surprisingly porous on defense over the early going of the new campaign, and they appeared to bottom out Thursday. The Bucks were able to shoot a stellar 58 percent from the field and 44 percent from three - point range. Eight players shot 50 percent or better for Milwaukee, including four starters, as well as three players who took double - digit shot attempts. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker combined for 54 points on 35 field - goal tries, leading the way for a Bucks squad that outscored Indiana by a 96 - 77 margin over the final three quarters. Indiana had a strong shooting night in their own right, managing success rates of 47 and 44 percent from the field and three - point range, respectively. They were paced by Paul George, who totaled 23 points, four rebounds, an assist, two steals and two blocks. He was, however, guilty of a game - high six turnovers, with four of them coming in the first quarter. Jeff Teague followed with 16 points, six assists, four rebounds and three steals. Myles Turner had a strong night on offense with 15 points, but could only otherwise contribute two rebounds, an assist and a pair of steals. Monta Ellis had an odd stat line of only six points on just four shot attempts, but he also provided 10 assists, three rebounds and three steals. C.J. Miles continued his early - season success with a bench - leading 19 points, which he supplemented with three rebounds, two assists and three steals. Antetokounmpo shared the game - high scoring total of 27 points with Parker. The former also registered nine assists, seven boards, two steals and two blocks, while the latter supplied eight rebounds, three assists and a block. Tony Snell was a pleasant surprise on offense once again, managing 14 points on 6 - of - 9 shooting and adding two assists, a rebound and a pair of thefts. He now has consecutive double - digit scoring efforts. Greg Monroe once again received more minutes off the bench than starter Miles Plumlee and was highly productive with them, posting a 16 - point, 16 - rebound double - double that also included six assists and a block. Rookie Malcolm Brodgon put together a second straight strong outing, going for 12 points, five assists, two rebounds, a block and three steals. The Pacers head right back home for a Friday night date with the Chicago Bulls, while the Bucks host the Kings for a Friday night showdown as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "14", "Magic": "18"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "109", "Magic": "92"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "9", "Magic": "10"}, "Number of team assists": {"Magic": "17"}}, {"Points": {"Tobias Harris": "17", "Channing Frye": "13", "Nikola Vucevic": "18", "Evan Fournier": "13", "Jeff Green": "16", "Jared Sullinger": "16", "Rajon Rondo": "13", "Brandon Bass": "18"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "19", "Rajon Rondo": "12", "Brandon Bass": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "9", "Rajon Rondo": "6", "Brandon Bass": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "13", "Rajon Rondo": "7"}, "Assists": {"Rajon Rondo": "15"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rajon Rondo": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rajon Rondo": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Brandon Bass": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Brandon Bass": "6"}}], "The Orlando Magic (10 - 18) dropped a tough one against the Boston Celtics (9 - 14) 109 - 92 on Wednesday. Despite getting double - digit scoring from five players on Wednesday, the Magic were outdone by the Celtics in the second half, and went on to lose by 17. Nikola Vucevic was the leading man for the Magic, as he scored 18 points (9 - 19 FG) and tacked on 13 rebounds as well. Evan Fournier and Channing Frye each chipped in 13 points, and Tobias Harris scored 17, but the team's struggles from the outside were too much to overcome. They shot just 5 - 19 from three - point land. For the Celtics, Rajon Rondo led the way with a strong performance, scoring 13 points (6 - 12 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt) to go with 15 assists and seven rebounds. While he did n't lead the team in scoring, he's the man who fuels the entire offense. Brandon Bass had a very nice game off the bench, scoring 18 points (6 - 10 FG, 6 - 6 FT), while both Jared Sullinger and Jeff Green chipped in 16 points each. The Celtics have some impressive young talent, but they've lacked consistency from game to game."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "37"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "13", "Celtics": "26"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "89", "Celtics": "90"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "31", "Celtics": "14"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"Thomas Robinson": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Thomas Robinson": "3"}, "Points": {"Thomas Robinson": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Thomas Robinson": "12"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (31 - 13) fell to the Boston Celtics (14 - 26) 90 - 89 Thursday at the Moda Center. With news coming down that star big man LaMarcus Aldrige will miss 6 - to - 8 weeks with a torn ligament in his thumb, the Trail Blazers got to see first hand how much Aldridge will be missed. Thomas Robinson got the start at power forward and performed admirably, scoring nine points and pulling down 12 rebounds. In the final seconds, Jared Sullinger had the ball knocked away, recovered it, and fired a pass from his backside to a wide - open Evan Turner, who buried a three from the corner to give Boston the lead. The Trail Blazer dropped just its fifth game at home. Boston is now 1 - 1 on its six - game Western Conference road trip after getting a surprise win over Portland. This win took a concerted effort from the Celtics starters, with Sullinger, Brandon Bass, and Avery Bradley turning in solid performances. Boston will have a quick turnaround as it will travel to Denver to take on the Nuggets on Friday. The Trail Blazers had one second on the clock to salvage a win over a Boston team that had lost twice as many games as it had won entering Thursday, but their inbound play was doomed from the start as they were unable to get a shot off before the clock hit zero. While rebounding was n't an issue for Portland in Aldridge's absence, their offensive efficiency was a cause for concern. Portland shot just 37 percent from the floor and got very little scoring from Aldridge's replacements. The Trail Blazers will try to right the ship Saturday against the Wizards before embarking on a four - game road swing."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "41", "Bulls": "35"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "101", "Bulls": "90"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Rockets": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Rockets": "47", "Bulls": "60"}, "Turnovers": {"Rockets": "6"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "5", "Joakim Noah": "1", "Derrick Rose": "9", "Trevor Ariza": "5", "Donatas Motiejunas": "3", "James Harden": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jimmy Butler": "3", "Joakim Noah": "0", "Derrick Rose": "2", "Trevor Ariza": "3", "Donatas Motiejunas": "0", "James Harden": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "18", "Pau Gasol": "10", "Joakim Noah": "8", "Derrick Rose": "22", "Taj Gibson": "9", "Trevor Ariza": "10", "Donatas Motiejunas": "15", "James Harden": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Jimmy Butler": "9", "Pau Gasol": "5", "Joakim Noah": "0", "Derrick Rose": "9", "Taj Gibson": "4", "Trevor Ariza": "7", "Donatas Motiejunas": "7", "James Harden": "9"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jimmy Butler": "2", "James Harden": "2"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "27", "Pau Gasol": "16", "Joakim Noah": "1", "Derrick Rose": "23", "Taj Gibson": "12", "Trevor Ariza": "20", "Donatas Motiejunas": "15", "James Harden": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "6", "Pau Gasol": "12", "Joakim Noah": "19", "Derrick Rose": "4", "Taj Gibson": "10", "Trevor Ariza": "5", "Donatas Motiejunas": "10", "James Harden": "3"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "2", "Trevor Ariza": "2", "James Harden": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Pau Gasol": "7", "Derrick Rose": "4", "Taj Gibson": "6", "Trevor Ariza": "3", "Donatas Motiejunas": "2", "James Harden": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Pau Gasol": "6", "Derrick Rose": "3", "Taj Gibson": "4", "Trevor Ariza": "3", "Donatas Motiejunas": "1", "James Harden": "6"}, "Assists": {"Derrick Rose": "2", "James Harden": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "31"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "3", "James Harden": "1"}, "Blocks": {"James Harden": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"James Harden": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "2"}}], "The Houston Rockets defeated the Chicago Bulls 101 - 90 on Wednesday at the Toyota Center in Houston. The Rockets were the superior shooters in this one, going 41 percent from the field, while the Bulls went just 35 percent. The Bulls were able to out - rebound the Rockets 60 - 47, but they were forced into 13 turnovers, compared to only six from the Rockets. The Bulls have now lost three straight. Like he's done all season, James Harden led the Rockets in this one, finishing with a team - high 27 points (9 - 20 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT), to go along with four assists and two blocked shots. He's now had two impressive games in a row, combining for 53 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists. Trevor Ariza was dialed in with his shot, going 7 - for - 10 from the field and 3 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score 20 points, while also adding five rebounds and two steals. He's combined to go 13 - for - 25 from the field and 6 - for - 12 from the three - point line over his last two games, as he'll look to continue with his hot shooting moving forward. Recording his second double - double in his last three games, Donatas Motiejunas posted 15 points (7 - 15 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and 10 rebounds in 31 minutes. In those last three games he's averaging 21 points and 9 rebounds as he's turned it on a bit. Both Jimmy Butler and Derrick Rose did everything they could to keep the Bulls in this game. Butler went 9 - for - 18 from the field and 3 - for - 5 from the three - point line to record 27 points, while also adding six rebounds. He's combined for 49 points and 13 rebounds over his last two games, pushing his season averages to 21 points and six rebounds per game. Rose on the other hand recorded 23 points (9 - 22 FG, 2 - 9 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), four rebounds and two assists. It was his second straight night posting 23 points. Both Taj Gibson and Pau Gasol posted double - doubles. Gibson had 12 points (4 - 9 FG, 4 - 6 FT) and 10 rebounds, while Gasol finished with 16 points (5 - 10 FG, 6 - 7 FT) and 12 rebounds. Joakim Noah had an awful game offensively (0 - 8 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt), posting one point, but he did grab 19 rebounds as he was a force on the boards. The Rockets' next game will be at home against the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, while the Bulls will travel to New Orleans to play the Pelicans on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "59", "Wizards": "35"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "94", "Wizards": "99"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "9", "Wizards": "33"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Wizards": "22"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Wizards": "15"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Marcin Gortat": "10", "Ish Smith": "25"}, "Field goals made": {"Marcin Gortat": "8", "Ish Smith": "9"}, "Points": {"Marcin Gortat": "16", "John Wall": "16", "Marcus Thornton": "18", "Hollis Thompson": "15", "Nerlens Noel": "14", "Ish Smith": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "13", "John Wall": "13", "Nerlens Noel": "16", "Ish Smith": "2"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "14", "Ish Smith": "7"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "7", "Ish Smith": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"John Wall": "9"}}], "The Washington Wizards (33 - 35) barely held on for a road win over the Philadelphia 76ers (9 - 59) Thursday night at Wells Fargo Center, 99 - 94. Washington coasted into halftime with a 58 - 39 lead and extended the gap to as many as 24 points in the third quarter. The Sixers slowly chipped away as the Wizards left off the gas in the second half, as they sliced the gap in half by the end of the third quarter. Trailing 78 - 63, Philadelphia went on a 21 - 6 run to tie the game with 4:25 to go. But John Wall made sure the Wizards kept the lead, as he scored 10 of Washington's 15 points down the stretch and assisted on two more as Philadelphia's comeback bid fell short. Six players finished in double figures for the Wizards, including Wall. The Wizards point guard notched a triple double with 16 points, 14 assists and 13 rebounds, but it was hardly a flawless performance - - he missed 13 shots (4 - 17) and turned the ball over nine times. Marcus Thornton led the Wizards with 18 points off the bench, and Gortat added a double - double with 16 points (8 - 10 FG) and 13 rebounds. The Wizards won despite shooting a brutal 6 - 27 (22 percent) from the three - point line. Ish Smith's 20 points (9 - 25 FG) for Philadelphia led all scorers, and he added seven assists, three steals and two rebounds. Nerlens Noel scored 14 points and added 16 rebounds and seven steals as he was active all game. Hollis Thompson made 15 points but shot just 5 - 15 and 3 - 11 from three - point land. The Sixers as a whole could n't buy a bucket - - they managed just 39 percent from the floor and 6 - 33 (18 percent) from deep. The Wizards return home to host the Knicks on Saturday. The Sixers welcome the Thunder for a Friday matchup in Philadelphia."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "51"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "11", "Suns": "29"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "118", "Suns": "103"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "30", "Suns": "13"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Suns": "21"}, "Turnovers": {"Suns": "14"}}, {"Assists": {"TJ Warren": "1", "Marquese Chriss": "1", "Tyson Chandler": "1", "Devin Booker": "8", "Eric Bledsoe": "9", "LeBron James": "15", "James Jones": "2", "Iman Shumpert": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "4", "Channing Frye": "2"}, "Blocks": {"TJ Warren": "1", "Tyson Chandler": "1", "LeBron James": "2", "James Jones": "1", "Iman Shumpert": "1"}, "Points": {"TJ Warren": "18", "Marquese Chriss": "6", "Tyson Chandler": "22", "Devin Booker": "21", "Eric Bledsoe": "22", "LeBron James": "21", "James Jones": "14", "Iman Shumpert": "17", "Kyrie Irving": "26", "Channing Frye": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"TJ Warren": "3", "Marquese Chriss": "4", "Tyson Chandler": "16", "Devin Booker": "7", "Eric Bledsoe": "6", "LeBron James": "9", "Iman Shumpert": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "2", "Channing Frye": "10"}, "Steals": {"TJ Warren": "2", "Marquese Chriss": "1", "Eric Bledsoe": "4", "LeBron James": "1", "Iman Shumpert": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "2", "Channing Frye": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Channing Frye": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Channing Frye": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Channing Frye": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Phoenix Suns, 118 - 103, at Quicken Loans Arena on Thursday. The Cavaliers (30 - 11) learned earlier in the day that they would n't have Kevin Love at their disposal to attempt to help them stop a rare slide that had seen them lose three of their last four, as the star forward would be sidelined with his lower back ailment. However, the other two members of the Big Three, along with some help from trusty veteran Channing Frye, helped insure that the Cavs got back on track against the defensively - challenged Suns (13 - 29). Irving and James combined for 47 points, and Cleveland was able to post a success rate of 51 percent from the field and 44 percent from three - point range. On the defensive end, they held the Suns to a 21 percent tally from behind the arc and also forced them into 14 turnovers. Phoenix was led by a pair of 22 - point efforts from Eric Bledsoe and Tyson Chandler, with the former adding nine assists, six rebounds and four steals, and the latter hauling in 16 boards, dishing out an assist and recording a block. Devin Booker was right behind with 21 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. T.J. Warren registered 18 points, three rebounds, an assist, two steals and a block. Marquese Chriss rounded out the starting five's night with six points, four rebounds, an assist and a steal. Irving's 26 points paced Cleveland, a total he supplemented with four assists, two rebounds and two steals. James generated a near triple - double with 21 points, 15 assists, nine rebounds, two blocks and a steal. Frye led the second unit with an 18 - point, 10 - rebound double - double, along with two assists and a steal. Iman Shumpert provided 17 points, two boards, an assist, a steal and a block. James Jones, drawing the start for Love, compiled 14 points, two assists and a block. The Suns next head to the Big Apple to take on the New York Knicks on Saturday night, while the Cavaliers remain home for a showdown with the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday evening as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "9", "Kings": "33"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "109", "Kings": "86"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "47", "Kings": "24"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Kings": "15"}}, {"Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "13", "Matt Barnes": "15", "Kevin Durant": "21", "Klay Thompson": "35"}, "Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "7", "Klay Thompson": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "7", "Klay Thompson": "5"}}], "The host Golden State Warriors destroyed the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, 109 - 86. The game was close until the third quarter, when Golden State (47 - 9) pulled away with a massive 47 - 12 run. Prior to the run, All-Star forward Draymond Green had been ejected from the game after arguing over a call he disagreed with. Green's absence did not hinder the Warriors, however, as the \"splash brothers\" helped lead a massive run to earn the blowout victory. Shooting guard Klay Thompson led the team with 35 points and also finished with five rebounds and four assists. Former MVP Kevin Durant had 21 points to go along with seven rebounds and seven assists. Sacramento (24 - 33), meanwhile, had won four games in a row before Wednesday's rout. On Wednesday, however, even superstar center DeMarcus Cousins struggled, scoring just 13 points and no points in the game's final 20 mnutes. The team's top scorer was forward Matt Barnes with 15, but the contest ultimately proved to be far too lopsided for Sacramento to overcome. The 42 - 15 third quarter was the worst quarter seen by any single team thus far this season. Both teams will enter the All-Star Break."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "4"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "127", "Mavericks": "107"}, "Rebounds": {"Warriors": "40"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "42"}}, {"Assists": {"Chandler Parsons": "1", "Draymond Green": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "13", "Harrison Barnes": "9", "Klay Thompson": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Chandler Parsons": "8", "Harrison Barnes": "5", "Klay Thompson": "14"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "23", "Wesley Matthews": "9", "Salah Mejri": "2", "Deron Williams": "12", "Harrison Barnes": "13", "Draymond Green": "10", "Klay Thompson": "45"}, "Rebounds": {"Chandler Parsons": "7", "Salah Mejri": "3", "Draymond Green": "3"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (42 - 4) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (26 - 21) at Oracle Arena 127 - 107 on Wednesday. Klay Thompson exploded for his second 40 - point game of the season and led the Warriors with 45 on points on 14 - of - 20 of shooting. Thompson\u2019s effort improved Golden State to the best start in NBA history and 40 consecutive home wins in the regular season. The scoring outburst came at an opportune time, seeing that Stephen Curry struggled early and was unable to get a rhythm going until the third quarter. The reigning MVP finished with 14 points, nine assists and two rebounds in 31 minutes. Dallas was able to pull the game within one point early in the second half, but the Warriors followed up with a 17 - point swing in seven minutes to put the game away before entering the fourth quarter. It was the usual drill for the NBA\u2019s best team, as the final period was led by the reserves, save for Klay Thompson, who was kept in throughout his hot shooting night. Draymond Green had a quiet performance, adding 10 points, three rebounds and four assists, while Harrison Barnes contributed 13 points on 5 - of - 9 shooting to round out the starters. The Warriors begin a road trip with a meeting against the Philadelphia 76ers (7 - 40) on Saturday. The Mavericks were led by Chandler Parsons, as they strategically decided to rest Dirk Nowitzki in the second game of a back - to - back, after the 18 year veteran drained the game winning shot against the Lakers on Tuesday. Parsons scored 23 points, to go along with seven rebounds and one assist on 8 - of - 13 shooting. Dallas came out in the second half firing behind Deron Williams and Wes Matthews, who finished with 12 points and nine points, respectively, but containing Klay Thompson was an ongoing issue, and when Stephen Curry was able to hit his first few three - pointers, there was not much Dallas could do to compete. Salah Mejri got his second straight start at center in favor of the injured Zaza Pachulia (leg), and finished with a lowly two points and three rebounds in 13 minutes. The Mavericks will host the Brooklyn Nets (12 - 34) on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "4", "Hornets": "1"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "95", "Hornets": "99"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "2", "Hornets": "4"}}, {"Assists": {"Cody Zeller": "6", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "6", "Sean Kilpatrick": "4"}, "Points": {"Cody Zeller": "10", "Nicolas Batum": "18", "Kemba Walker": "30", "Spencer Hawes": "13", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "11", "Trevor Booker": "12", "Brook Lopez": "18", "Sean Kilpatrick": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Cody Zeller": "6", "Nicolas Batum": "9", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "8", "Trevor Booker": "13", "Brook Lopez": "3", "Sean Kilpatrick": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "22", "Spencer Hawes": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Kemba Walker": "11", "Spencer Hawes": "5"}, "Steals": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "4"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets defeated the host Brooklyn Nets 99 - 95 at Barclay's Center on Friday. In a game that was tight throughout the fourth quarter, it took a lot of swings to get Charlotte their win. The most decisive stretch for the Hornets was a 19 - 3 run in the third quarter, as they took a lead after trailing by double - digits just six minutes earlier. Brooklyn actually led this game for the first 30 minutes, as there were only two ties and one lead change for the entirety of the game. Both teams shot poorly in this game, as they both shot under 41 percent from the field and under 33 percent from three - point range. Charlotte (4 - 1) continues to grow after a resurgent 2015 - 16 season, as they overcame a double - digit deficit in this road win. Kemba Walker was the player of the game, scoring a game - high 30 points on 11 - of - 22 shooting. Nicolas Batum was second on the team, with his 18 points and nine rebounds. Cody Zeller was the only other starter in double figures, tallying 10 points, six rebounds and six assists. Spencer Hawes led the bench, dropping 13 points on 5 - of - 8 shooting. Charlotte will be off until Monday, when they host the Indiana Pacers. The Nets (2 - 4) have been one of the surprises of the season and they nearly pulled out another upset here. It was a team effort for Brooklyn, as they had seven players score at least eight points. Sean Kilpatrick led the team in scoring with his 19 points, four rebounds and four assists off the bench. Brook Lopez was second on the team, with his 18 points and three boards. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had his best game of the season, accumulating 11 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals in the loss. Trevor Booker double - doubled as well, totaling 12 points and 13 rebounds. The Nets have an even longer break that the Hornets, as they host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday for their next game."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Lakers": "24"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "45"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "49", "Bucks": "34"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "103", "Bucks": "107"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "20", "Bucks": "34"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Khris Middleton": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Khris Middleton": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Khris Middleton": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Khris Middleton": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Julius Randle": "12"}, "Assists": {"Julius Randle": "8"}, "Points": {"Julius Randle": "4"}}], "The host Milwaukee Bucks took down the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, 107 - 103. Milwaukee (34 - 34) broke even in the win and loss columns with Friday's victory. The star duo of wings, Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo, combined for 56 points on the night, more than half of Milwaukee's offensive output. Antetokounmpo added eight rebounds, five assists, and two blocks on the night. Middleton, meanwhile, was 11 - of - 18 from the field and 8 - of - 9 from the free - throw line. It was an impressive defensive night for the Bucks, as the team blocked nine shots in total. Los Angeles (20 - 49) continues to remain near the bottom of the league in terms of record. The team recently shut down veteran center Timofey Mozgov in order to give more play time to its young players. Julius Randle, the third - year forward, scored four points to go with 12 rebounds and eight assists in what was a nice night for the young star. As a team, LA functioned very well, as they dished out 24 assists on the night. They shot over 45 percent and made 11 three - pointers as well. The Bucks move up the coast to play at the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. The Lakers next play Sunday vs. the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers."], [[{"Total points": {"Clippers": "97", "Kings": "98"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Clippers": "20"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Clippers": "21", "Kings": "33"}}, {"Points": {"Tyreke Evans": "8", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "8", "Buddy Hield": "15", "Darren Collison": "19", "Georgios Papagiannis": "12", "Anthony Tolliver": "15", "Blake Griffin": "17", "DeAndre Jordan": "20", "Austin Rivers": "10", "Chris Paul": "17", "Jamal Crawford": "9"}, "Personal fouls": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "14", "DeAndre Jordan": "11", "Austin Rivers": "9"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Chris Paul": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chris Paul": "3"}}], "The Kings trailed 89 - 71 with 7:58 remaining but clawed back for the upset win. The Clippers failed to score between the 5:16 and 3:3 marks of the fourth period and were ultimately outscored 33 - 21 in the quarter. Willie Cauley-Stein's basket with three seconds remaining gave the Kings the 98 - 97 lead, and Chris Paul missed a would - be game - winning 21 - foot jumper at the buzzer. Darren Collison's 19 points led Sacramento. Buddy Hield posted 15 points and Anthony Tolliver matched Hield's scoring total. Georgios Papagiannis provided 12 points, while Cauley-Stein mustered a modest eight points but hauled in 14 rebounds. Tyreke Evans had eight points while starting at small forward. DeAndre Jordan's 20 - point, 11 - rebound double - double led the Clippers. Paul and Blake Griffin both tallied 17 points. Austin Rivers registered 10 points and Jamal Crawford supplied a bench - leading nine."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "6", "Knicks": "41"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "121", "Knicks": "85"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "61", "Knicks": "28"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Carmelo Anthony": "30", "Stephen Curry": "28"}, "Assists": {"Draymond Green": "10", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "6", "Klay Thompson": "19", "Stephen Curry": "34", "Marreese Speights": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "11", "Stephen Curry": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "13", "Marreese Speights": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "8", "Marreese Speights": "3"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (61 - 6) defeated the New York Knicks (28 - 41) 121 - 85 at Oracle Arena on Wednesday. The Knicks presented no challenge to the Warriors perfect home record after Stephen Curry lit up the first quarter for 16 points, which opened the floodgates throughout the rest of the game. Curry finished with 34 points, six rebounds and four assists on 8 - of - 13 shooting from behind the arc and did it all in just 28 minutes. Klay Thompson aided Curry to round out the backcourt and scored 19 points, while Marreese Speights flexed his range like his teammates and scored 13 points on 3 - of - 5 shooting from deep. The Warriors continue to play without Andre Iguodala (ankle) and Shaun Livingston has received a boost in minutes with the NBA Finals MVP on the sideline.. Livingston was not a standout in the box score, but still posted a 22 plus - minus with impressive defense and poise. Draymond Green was not flashy in the scoring department, but was effective in the rebounding battle after scoring 6 points, in addition to 11 rebounds and 10 assists in 28 minutes. New York was unable to pressure the perimeter, and even if they did, the Warriors attacked with a high speed pace that drained what looks like a tired Knicks team. Kristaps Porzingis has hit a rookie wall, and his rebounding number are dropping off since his hot first half of the season. The Latvian rookie scored only two points on 1 - of - 11 shooting and was outplayed under the basket. Carmelo Anthony played efficiently, but it was far from enough to cut into the eventual 30 - plus point blowout. Melo contributed 18 points, six rebounds and six assists on 7 - of - 13 shooting. The New York bench played the most effectively behind Langston Galloway and Arron Afflalo who combined for 29 points. Both players put in 30 - plus minutes of work in the loss. The Warriors will travel to Texas to play the Dallas Mavericks (34 - 34) on Friday, while the Knicks head to the nation's capital to play the Washington Wizards (32 - 35) on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "23", "Cavaliers": "10"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "102", "Cavaliers": "86"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "27"}, "Turnovers": {"Trail Blazers": "9", "Cavaliers": "15"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "18", "Cavaliers": "28"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "34"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "4"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "20", "Allen Crabbe": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "11", "Kyrie Irving": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Love": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kyrie Irving": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyrie Irving": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Allen Crabbe": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Allen Crabbe": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Allen Crabbe": "31"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 102 - 86, at Moda Center on Wednesday. The Trail Blazers (18 - 23) outscored the Cavaliers (28 - 10) in every quarter, and were able to contain Cleveland's big three of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love with transition defense and contested jump shots. Allen Crabbe's 24 points off the bench, with a lights out 9 - of - 11 shooting, proved to be the main difference maker throughout the contest. Across 31 minutes of action, Crabbe simply could not miss, which made up for a still sluggish offensive return from Damian Lillard. The star point guard for the Blazers turned in 14 points, three rebounds and three assists, and continued to defer the scoring to the hot hand of C.J. McCollum. The Blazers shooting guard, who has been averaging over 30 points per game over the last seven contests, added 27 points on 11 - of - 20 shooting. The Cavaliers shot just 34 percent from the field as a unit, and while LeBron James' box score numbers stood out, the actual game plan seemed to lack communication. Cleveland turned the ball over 15 times, compared to that of the Blazers, who made only nine errors throughout the game. James went on to finish with 20 points, 11 rebounds and four assists, while Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love combined for 28 points. Both teams play on Friday, as the Blazers host the Orlando Magic, while the Cavaliers visit the Sacramento Kings."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "27", "Grizzlies": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "49", "Grizzlies": "53"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "16", "Grizzlies": "12"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "90", "Grizzlies": "109"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Mavericks": "24", "Grizzlies": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Mavericks": "35", "Grizzlies": "40"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "30", "Grizzlies": "33"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Zach Randolph": "15", "Marc Gasol": "13", "Courtney Lee": "7", "Nick Calathes": "8", "Vince Carter": "10", "Chandler Parsons": "11", "Monta Ellis": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Zach Randolph": "10", "Marc Gasol": "7", "Courtney Lee": "5", "Nick Calathes": "4", "Vince Carter": "3", "Chandler Parsons": "7", "Monta Ellis": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Zach Randolph": "4", "Marc Gasol": "1", "Nick Calathes": "4", "Vince Carter": "5", "Chandler Parsons": "2", "Monta Ellis": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Zach Randolph": "2", "Marc Gasol": "1", "Nick Calathes": "3", "Vince Carter": "5", "Chandler Parsons": "2", "Monta Ellis": "2"}, "Points": {"Zach Randolph": "22", "Marc Gasol": "15", "Courtney Lee": "13", "Nick Calathes": "13", "Vince Carter": "12", "Chandler Parsons": "19", "Dirk Nowitzki": "11", "Tyson Chandler": "10", "Monta Ellis": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "10", "Marc Gasol": "4", "Nick Calathes": "5", "Vince Carter": "3", "Chandler Parsons": "2", "Monta Ellis": "1"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "6", "Courtney Lee": "2", "Chandler Parsons": "3", "Monta Ellis": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "1", "Courtney Lee": "4", "Nick Calathes": "3", "Vince Carter": "7", "Chandler Parsons": "5", "Monta Ellis": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Marc Gasol": "0", "Courtney Lee": "3", "Nick Calathes": "2", "Vince Carter": "1", "Chandler Parsons": "3", "Monta Ellis": "1"}, "Steals": {"Nick Calathes": "2", "Vince Carter": "2", "Monta Ellis": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Chandler Parsons": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Chandler Parsons": "2"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (33 - 12) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (30 - 16) 109 - 90 on Tuesday at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. After finishing the first quarter tied at 24, the Grizzlies went off and never looked back, out - scoring the Mavericks 85 - 66 in the final three quarters. The Grizzlies were the more effective shooters in this game, going 53 percent from the field and 48 percent from the three - point line, while the Mavericks shot 49 percent from the field and just 27 percent from beyond the arc. The Grizzlies also secured a 40 - 35 rebounding advantage, further helping to secure an impressive 19 - point victory on the road. Zach Randolph was a force in this game, going 10 - for - 15 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from the free throw line to score 22 points, while also adding 10 rebounds. It was his second impressive performance in a row, combining for 46 points and 20 rebounds over that span. It was also his tenth straight double - double. Marc Gasol had a strong showing as well, finishing with 15 points (7 - 13 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT), four rebounds and six assists. The Grizzlies' front court was very effective, out - playing the tough defensive front court of the Mavericks. Playing 30 minutes, Courtney Lee was dialed in with his shot, scoring 13 points (5 - 7 Fg, 3 - 4 3Pt) and handing out a pair of assists. The Grizzlies also saw a great effort from Nick Calathes and Vince Carter off the bench. Calathes had 13 points (4 - 8 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), five rebounds and two steals, while Carter finished with 12 points (3 - 10 FG, 1 - 7 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT), three rebounds and two steals of his own. The Mavericks on the other hand saw most of their production from the duo of Chandler Parsons and Monta Ellis. Parsons shot 7 - for - 11 from the field and 3 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score 19 points, while also adding three assists. He struggled to only six points on Sunday, so it was good to see him turn things around. Ellis finished with 19 points (8 - 16 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) of his own, but did n't do much else with only one rebound and one assist. He's been impressive offensively over his last two games, combining for 55 points. Dirk Nowitzki and Tyson Chandler reached double figures in points as well, with 11 and 10 points respectively, but were n't able to do it defensively as both Randolph and Gasol were very effective against them. The Grizzlies' next game will be at home against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday, while the Mavericks will travel to Houston to play the Rockets on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Spurs": "29", "Mavericks": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "41", "Mavericks": "41"}, "Losses": {"Spurs": "3", "Mavericks": "7"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "88", "Mavericks": "83"}, "Rebounds": {"Spurs": "52", "Mavericks": "46"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "12", "Mavericks": "9"}}, {"Assists": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Tony Parker": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "1", "Wesley Matthews": "10", "Devin Harris": "2", "Kawhi Leonard": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "0", "Wesley Matthews": "3", "Devin Harris": "1", "Kawhi Leonard": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "8", "Wesley Matthews": "16", "Devin Harris": "5", "Kawhi Leonard": "16", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "17", "Tony Parker": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "5", "Wesley Matthews": "6", "Devin Harris": "4", "Kawhi Leonard": "9", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "8", "Tony Parker": "7"}, "Points": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "13", "Wesley Matthews": "15", "Devin Harris": "11", "Kawhi Leonard": "26", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "18", "Tony Parker": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "14", "Wesley Matthews": "4", "Devin Harris": "3", "Kawhi Leonard": "8", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "7", "Tony Parker": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Wesley Matthews": "36"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Devin Harris": "3", "Kawhi Leonard": "4", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Devin Harris": "2", "Kawhi Leonard": "4", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2"}, "Blocks": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "2"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (12 - 3) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (9 - 7) 88 - 83 on Wednesday at the AT & T Center in San Antonio. In a tight battle between two of the more experienced teams in the league, the Spurs were able to hold on in the fourth quarter to secure the five - point victory in front of their home crowd. The Spurs shot 41 percent from the field and 29 percent from the three - point line, while the Mavericks finished at 41 percent from the field and 27 percent from deep. While the majority of the outing had the two teams interlocked, the Spurs were able to secure a 52 - 46 rebounding advantage, which may have been just enough to pull out the victory. The Spurs leaned on Kawhi Leonard again in this one. He came in the clutch, scoring five of the Spurs' final six points, all within the last minute of the fourth quarter. Including the final five, Leonard recorded a game - high of 26 points (9 - 16 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), while also adding eight rebounds, five assists and two steals. Despite being questionable coming into Wednesday's contest, LaMarcus Aldridge still performed at a high level, scoring 18 points (8 - 17 FG, 2 - 3 FT), to go along with seven rebounds and a blocked shot. Aldridge sat out the last two games with an ankle injury, so it was good to see the ninth - year forward finish the game without any setbacks. Tony Parker was the only other Spurs' player in double figures, chipping in with 16 points on 7 - of - 11 shots from the field. He also added eight rebounds and eight assists, coming just shy of his first triple - double of the season. Parker is averaging 14 points, 5 assists and 2 rebounds on the year. Despite taking the loss, Dirk Nowitzki continued his strong play. He went 5 - for - 8 from the field and 0 - for - 1 from the three - point line to score 13 points, to go along with 14 rebounds and a pair of assists. At 37 years old, the 17 - year veteran out of Germany has already recorded three double - doubles on the season. Wesley Matthews was the only other starter to find some success for the Mavericks. He finished with a team - high of 15 points (6 - 16 FG, 3 - 10 3Pt), while also adding four rebounds over 36 minutes. Matthews has really struggled with his shot this season, averaging a career - low 35 percent from the field and just 33 percent from the three - point line, so after Wednesday's outing, it appears he still has n't been able to make any noticeable improvements. Coming off the bench, Devin Harris posted 11 points (4 - 5 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT) and three rebounds before fouling out. The Spurs' next game will be on the road in Denver against the Nuggets on Friday, while the Mavericks will be at home against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "22"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "72", "Clippers": "88"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "34"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "44"}}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "6"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "26", "Gordon Hayward": "7", "Derrick Favors": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "10", "Derrick Favors": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Derrick Favors": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Rudy Gobert": "8"}}], "The visiting Los Angeles Clippers took down the Utah Jazz on Monday, 88 - 72. Los Angeles (34 - 21) passed Utah in the standings with the win, claiming fourth place in the Western Conference. Superstar Chris Paul remains sidelined with a thumb injury, but LA has managed to win three straight in his absence. One of the keys to the Clippers' success has been the strong play of star forward Blake Griffin. Griffin led the team with 26 points on Monday, also notching 10 rebounds and six assists. Griffin was the key to the Clippers' offense in what was a slow - paced and defense - dominated game. LA was able to shoot 44 percent from the field, far ahead of the dismal 33 percent managed by Utah. Utah (34 - 22) is trending in the opposite direction of LA, as the team has now lost three contests in a row. Monday was a particularly poor showing for the Jazz, as the team saw its lowest offensive output of the season. Only three team members scored in double figures and the high scorer was forward Derrick Favors with just 13. All-Star Gordon Hayward, meanwhile, fell completely flat, scoring only seven points on 2 - of - 12 shooting. The Jazz had plenty of second chances on Monday, as center Rudy Gobert came down with eight offensive rebounds. Nevertheless, the team still struggled to find the basket. The Clippers will host the Hawks on Wednesday, while the Jazz will host the Trail Blazers."], [[{"Total points": {"Grizzlies": "96", "Bucks": "83"}}, {"Assists": {"Tyler Ennis": "11", "Marc Gasol": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Tyler Ennis": "36", "O.J. Mayo": "7", "Tony Allen": "32"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Courtney Lee": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Courtney Lee": "6"}, "Points": {"Courtney Lee": "17"}, "Steals": {"Tony Allen": "4"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (46 - 30) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, 96 - 83, extending their eight - game road losing streak. Marc Gasol left the game after bumping knees with Zaza Pachulia, but he did return to lead the team with seven assists. Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, and Tony Allen all played after sitting out the previous game due to rest. After going 13 - of - 51 in the previous six games, Courtney Lee scored a team - high 17 points on 6 - of - 10 shooting. Mike Conley didn\u2019t play in the second straight game while nursing a right ankle issue, opening the door for Beno Udrih to start. Tony Allen swiped four steals in 32 minutes, increasing his averaging to 3 steals per game since the All-Star break. The Bucks still maintain a three and a half game edge over the Indiana Pacers for the six seed in the East. Michael Carter-Williams was a late scratch dealing with ankle problems. Tyler Ennis supplied a game - high 11 assists in his first career start, sullied by his 11 missed shots in 36 minutes. O.J. Mayo played seven minutes after missing the previous game with a hamstring strain. The Bucks conclude a three - game road trip Tuesday against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Grizzlies host the Denver Nuggets on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "26", "Nets": "24"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "100", "Nets": "103"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Kings": "23"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "16", "Nets": "18"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Mason Plumlee": "11", "Brook Lopez": "38", "Rudy Gay": "42", "Ramon Sessions": "22"}, "Assists": {"Jarrett Jack": "8", "Rudy Gay": "6", "Ramon Sessions": "4"}, "Points": {"Jarrett Jack": "16", "Brook Lopez": "22", "Rudy Gay": "25", "DeMarcus Cousins": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Jarrett Jack": "4", "Brook Lopez": "6", "Rudy Gay": "8", "DeMarcus Cousins": "14", "Ramon Sessions": "4"}, "Steals": {"Jarrett Jack": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Brook Lopez": "6"}, "Field goal percentage": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "42"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets (18 - 24) defeated the Sacramento Kings (16 - 26) 103 - 100 on Wednesday. The Nets were in control for much of this one. The Kings took a 5 - 4 lead early in the first quarter, and it was the only lead they'd hold all game, falling down by as much as 23 points late in the second quarter. In the second half, Sacramento closed the gap and made the score respectable, outscoring the Nets by 13 in the second half. However, it was n't enough as Brook Lopez stepped up with a big game, putting in 22 points and blocking six shots in 38 minutes off the bench. Mason Plumlee started but got into foul trouble and only played 11 minutes. Jarrett Jack continues to be solid in place of Deron Williams (ribs). Jack had 16 points, eight assists, four rebounds and two steals. DeMarcus Cousins had 28 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Kings. Rudy Gay continues to play well in spite on a knee injury, leading his team in minutes with 42. Gay scored 25 points to go with eight rebounds and six assists. Ramon Sessions made his return from a back injury that has kept him out since Dec. 22. Sessions had four assists and four rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench. The Kings could've used a little more from their bench, as they were outscored 51 - 18 by the Brooklyn reserves. The Kings will play the Warriors on Friday, and the Nets will take on the Clippers on Thursday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "42", "Nets": "57"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "23", "Nets": "16"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "98", "Nets": "100"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Magic": "25"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "13", "Nets": "16"}}, {"Blocks": {"Mason Plumlee": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Mason Plumlee": "10", "Brook Lopez": "8", "Deron Williams": "10", "Victor Oladipo": "13", "Ben Gordon": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Mason Plumlee": "9", "Brook Lopez": "7", "Deron Williams": "5", "Victor Oladipo": "7", "Ben Gordon": "5"}, "Points": {"Mason Plumlee": "18", "Brook Lopez": "16", "Deron Williams": "16", "Tobias Harris": "12", "Nikola Vucevic": "10", "Victor Oladipo": "17", "Elfrid Payton": "16", "Ben Gordon": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Mason Plumlee": "9", "Brook Lopez": "8", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Brook Lopez": "3", "Deron Williams": "4", "Victor Oladipo": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Brook Lopez": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "1"}, "Assists": {"Deron Williams": "7", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Deron Williams": "3", "Victor Oladipo": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Deron Williams": "3", "Victor Oladipo": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "1", "Ben Gordon": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Deron Williams": "29", "Ben Gordon": "19"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Victor Oladipo": "3"}, "Steals": {"Ben Gordon": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Ben Gordon": "1"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets (16 - 16) defeated the Orlando Magic (13 - 23) 100 - 98 on Friday at the Amway Center in Orlando. After a second and third quarter where the Nets combined to out - score the Magic 64 - 36, they entered the fourth riding a 25 - point lead. The Magic were n't done though, and went on a huge fourth quarter comeback, pulling all the way back to within two points. Their comeback effort came up just short though, as they just did n't have enough time to complete it. The Nets used superior shooting in this one, as they went 57 percent from the field compared to the Magic who went just 42 percent from the floor. The Nets continued to bring both Brook Lopez and Deron Williams off the bench, as they they both came in on a minutes restriction. Williams seemed to get a much longer run Friday, as he played 29 minutes compared to playing closer to 20 minutes the last four games. He cashed in on the extra time, going 5 - for - 10 from the field and 3 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 16 points, while also handing out seven assists. Lopez on the other hand played just 17 minutes, but was very efficient with his time on the court and recorded 16 points (7 - 8 FG, 2 - 3 FT) and eight rebounds. He was placed in the starting lineup on Tuesday because of an injury to Kevin Garnett, but was reduced to a bench role again with his return. Mason Plumlee also had a strong game and continued to start at center. He went 9 - for - 10 from the field to score a team - high of 18 points, while also grabbing nine rebounds and adding two blocks. The Magic got help from all over the place, with seven players reaching double figures in points. Victor Oladipo led the team, going 7 - for - 13 from the field and 2 - for - 2 from beyond the arc to score 17 points. He's improved his scoring of late, and is now averaging 18 points per game over his last three outings. Rookie Elfrid Payton had one of his best games of his career thus far. He came just shy of his first ever triple - double, as he finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists. The nine rebounds matched a season - high, while it was his second double - double of the year. Ben Gordon also gave a solid contribution off the bench. He went 5 - for - 9 from the field and 1 - for3 from the three - point line to score 14 points in 19 minutes. Tobias Harris and Nikola Vucevic had 12 and 10 points respectively. The Nets' next game will be on the road against the Miami Heat on Sunday, while the Magic will be at home against the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "44", "Clippers": "48"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "33", "Clippers": "20"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "107", "Clippers": "117"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Kings": "16", "Clippers": "34"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "16", "Clippers": "8"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "24", "Clippers": "38"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Clippers": "34"}}, {"Points": {"Jeff Green": "22", "Chris Paul": "40", "DeMarcus Cousins": "26", "Seth Curry": "19"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "13", "DeMarcus Cousins": "9"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Chris Paul": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Chris Paul": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Chris Paul": "8", "DeMarcus Cousins": "15"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (38 - 20) defeated the Sacramento Kings (24 - 33) 117 - 107 on Friday. In a battle between two of the best offenses in the NBA, the defenses showed their true form. The key for the Clippers was protecting the ball, as they committed just eight turnovers, while forcing the Kings to commit 16. Los Angeles shot 48 percent from the field, with Sacramento shooting 44 percent on their end. The game really changed in the third quarter, as the Clippers outscored the Kings 34 to 16. Los Angeles had lost three of five coming into this and got a much needed dose of poor opposition. Chris Paul had one of his best games of the season, as he tallied 40 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds in the win. Jeff Green also had his best game with the Clippers, as he scored 22 points in his first start. On deck for the Clippers is a matchup against the Brooklyn Nets on Monday. Sacramento has been let down by their defense all season and it let them down once again in this matchup. DeMarcus Cousins had yet another spectacular game though, as he accumulated 26 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists. Sacramento had to play this game without Rajon Rondo, but it opened up the door for Seth Curry to drop a career - high 19 points off the bench. Up next for the Kings is another tough game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "47"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "101", "Nuggets": "95"}, "Rebounds": {"Pelicans": "51", "Nuggets": "40"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "28"}}, {"Points": {"Kenneth Faried": "10", "Darrell Arthur": "24", "Luke Babbitt": "22", "Toney Douglas": "20", "Tim Frazier": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Kenneth Faried": "12", "Darrell Arthur": "9", "Luke Babbitt": "10", "Tim Frazier": "5"}, "Assists": {"Toney Douglas": "10", "Tim Frazier": "8"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (28 - 47) defeated the Denver Nuggets (32 - 44) 101 - 95 on Thursday. Denver came into this game as a rare road favorite and couldn\u2019t muster up enough for a win. The key for New Orleans was their rebounding, as they brought down 51 boards to the Nuggets 40. The Pelicans also shot well from long distance, as they went 13 - for - 29 in their win. The Nuggets have been playing better ball recently, but this loss guaranteed that they'd miss the playoffs yet again. Darrell Arthur was great off the bench in this loss though, as he scored 24 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Kenneth Faried recorded his 22nd double - double, as he tallied 10 points and 12 rebounds. On deck for the Nuggets is a matchup with the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. The Pelicans are extremely shorthanded right now, so this was a true team win. Toney Douglas was the leader, as he totaled 20 points and 10 assists in the victory. Luke Babbitt led the team with 22 points, while also grabbing 10 rebounds. Tim Frazier was a great spark off the bench, as he accumulated 17 points, five rebounds and eight assists. The Pelicans next game wo n't be until Sunday, when they face the Brooklyn Nets on the road."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "43", "Nuggets": "17"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "30", "Nuggets": "31"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "104", "Nuggets": "100"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Celtics": "35", "Nuggets": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Celtics": "51", "Nuggets": "48"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "18", "Nuggets": "19"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kenneth Faried": "8", "Jusuf Nurkic": "7", "Arron Afflalo": "17", "Ty Lawson": "15", "Tyler Zeller": "12", "Avery Bradley": "15", "Jae Crowder": "12", "Marcus Thornton": "9", "Jared Sullinger": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Kenneth Faried": "6", "Jusuf Nurkic": "4", "Arron Afflalo": "6", "Ty Lawson": "9", "Tyler Zeller": "6", "Avery Bradley": "7", "Jae Crowder": "5", "Marcus Thornton": "5", "Jared Sullinger": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kenneth Faried": "5", "Jusuf Nurkic": "6", "Arron Afflalo": "4", "Ty Lawson": "4", "Tyler Zeller": "3", "Avery Bradley": "2", "Jae Crowder": "2", "Marcus Thornton": "3", "Jared Sullinger": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Kenneth Faried": "5", "Jusuf Nurkic": "6", "Arron Afflalo": "3", "Ty Lawson": "4", "Tyler Zeller": "2", "Avery Bradley": "2", "Jae Crowder": "2", "Marcus Thornton": "3", "Jared Sullinger": "2"}, "Points": {"Kenneth Faried": "17", "Jusuf Nurkic": "14", "Arron Afflalo": "18", "Ty Lawson": "23", "Tyler Zeller": "14", "Avery Bradley": "17", "Jae Crowder": "14", "Marcus Thornton": "17", "Jared Sullinger": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Kenneth Faried": "11", "Jusuf Nurkic": "7", "Avery Bradley": "4", "Marcus Thornton": "5", "Jared Sullinger": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "3"}, "Assists": {"Arron Afflalo": "3", "Ty Lawson": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Arron Afflalo": "9", "Ty Lawson": "3", "Avery Bradley": "2", "Jae Crowder": "6", "Marcus Thornton": "5", "Jared Sullinger": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Arron Afflalo": "3", "Ty Lawson": "1", "Avery Bradley": "1", "Jae Crowder": "2", "Marcus Thornton": "4", "Jared Sullinger": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Arron Afflalo": "36", "Marcus Thornton": "20", "Jared Sullinger": "21"}, "Steals": {"Ty Lawson": "2", "Marcus Thornton": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Ty Lawson": "4", "Avery Bradley": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Avery Bradley": "3"}}], "The Boston Celtics (18 - 30) defeated the Denver Nuggets (19 - 31) 104 - 100 on Wednesday at the TD Garden in Boston. While they were down three points coming out of the first quarter, the Celtics had a monster second quarter, out - scoring the Nuggets 35 - 22 and set themselves up to seal the four - point victory in the end. Despite each team shooting close to the same percentage from the floor, the Celtics took a huge advantage from behind the arc, going 43 percent from the three - point line, while the Nuggets finished at a meager 17 percent from deep. The Celtics also out - rebounded the Nuggets 51 - 48. The Celtics spread the scoring around in this game, with five players reaching double figures. Avery Bradley led the starters, finishing with 17 points (7 - 15 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and four rebounds in 31 minutes. He's posted three impressive games in a row, averaging 20 points over that stretch. Marcus Thornton matched Bradley, as he came off the bench for 17 points (5 - 9 FG, 4 - 5 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), five rebounds and two steals in 20 minutes. He was very efficient with his time on the court, playing well on both offense and defense. It was his third straight game with two steals. Jared Sullinger was forced into a bench role, as he showed up late for the Celtics' walk - through. He was still productive though, posting 14 points (5 - 12 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT) and seven rebounds in only 21 minutes. Both Tyler Zeller (6 - 12 FG, 2 - 3 FT) and Jae Crowder (5 - 12 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) each had 14 points as well. The Nuggets continued their tough stretch, losing their fourth game in a row. After struggling to score recently, Ty Lawson finally got things going, finishing with 23 points (9 - 15 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), eight assists and two steals. He had posted 10 or less points in each of his last four games, so will see if this builds his confidence moving forward. Arron Afflalo also had a strong showing. He recorded 18 points (6 - 17 FG, 3 - 9 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) and three assists in 36 minutes. He's now averaging 15 points and 4 rebounds per game on the year. Kenneth Faried recorded a double - double with 17 points (6 - 8 FG, 5 - 5 FT) and 11 rebounds. He went scoreless in 19 minues against the 76ers on Tuesday, so the Nuggets were happy he was able to turn things around Wednesday. Jusuf Nurkic added 14 points (4 - 7 FG, 6 - 6 FT), seven rebounds and three blocks. The Nuggets' next game will be on the road against the Detroit Pistons on Friday, while the Celtics will be at home against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nuggets": "46", "Raptors": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "54", "Raptors": "37"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "30", "Raptors": "16"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "112", "Raptors": "93"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nuggets": "20"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "19", "Raptors": "32"}}, {"Blocks": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "Nikola Jokic": "1", "Will Barton": "1", "Randy Foye": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "19"}, "Points": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "24", "Kyle Lowry": "10", "Terrence Ross": "12", "Danilo Gallinari": "13", "Kenneth Faried": "13", "Nikola Jokic": "27", "Will Barton": "20", "Randy Foye": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "8", "DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "2", "Terrence Ross": "4", "Danilo Gallinari": "4", "Kenneth Faried": "7", "Nikola Jokic": "14", "Jusuf Nurkic": "7", "Will Barton": "7", "Randy Foye": "5"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "2", "Danilo Gallinari": "4", "Kenneth Faried": "2", "Nikola Jokic": "4", "Will Barton": "3", "Randy Foye": "3"}, "Steals": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Terrence Ross": "1", "Danilo Gallinari": "1", "Kenneth Faried": "1", "Randy Foye": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Nikola Jokic": "11"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (19 - 30) defeated the Toronto Raptors (32 - 16) 112 - 93 on Monday. Despite a sterling record, impressive 11 - game winning streak and comfortable division lead coming into Monday, the Raptors did n't exactly travel well into Denver's mile - high altitude.Toronto was held to pedestrian 37 and 32 percent tallies from the field and three - point range, respectively, while yielding 54 and 46 percent figures to Denver in those same categories. Even more surprisingly, a Nuggets team with a multi - season reputation of struggling against opposing big men down did a complete about - face Monday, dominating the Raptors on the boards and in the paint. They outscored the visitors by the margin of 60 - 26 down low, and outrebounded them 49 - 26. The charge was led by the emerging Nikola Jokic, who posted 27 points and hauled in 14 rebounds, 11 of them coming on the defensive glass. Three other Denver players - - Kenneth Faried, Will Barton and Jusuf Nurkic - - collected seven boards apiece as well, in a game that turned into a thoroughly unexpected rout. DeMar DeRozan was essentially the lone bright spot for Toronto, registering a team - high 24 points and adding four assists, a rebound and a steal. Terrence Ross was actually the next biggest contributor, scoring 12 points, hauling in four rebounds and collecting a steal off the bench. Kyle Lowry posted a modest 10 points, which he supplemented with a pair of rebounds, a pair of assists and a trio of thefts. Jonas Valanciunas, saddled with a thumb sprain suffered on Saturday versus the Pistons, held his own against Jokic early before exiting after 19 minutes. He amassed 10 points, eight rebounds and a block over his relatively brief time on the floor. Despite the loss, the Raptors sit atop the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They are in Phoenix on Tuesday night for a date with the Suns. Jokic added four assists and a block to his game - high scoring and rebounding totals. Barton paced the Nuggets bench with the next - highest scoring haul of the game, collecting 20 points and adding the aforementioned seven rebounds, three assists and a block. Fellow reserve Randy Foye was right behind him with 16 points of his own, which he complemented with five rebounds, three assists, a steal and a pair of blocks. Danilo Gallinari and Kenneth Faried followed with a pair of 13 - point efforts. Gallinari also pitched in four rebounds, four assists and a steal, while Faried secured his seven boards and also dished out two assists and recorded a steal. The Nuggets remain in fourth place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division. They head to Utah to take on the Jazz on Wednesday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Magic": "24", "Bucks": "24"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Magic": "46", "Bucks": "53"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Nikola Vucevic": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "16"}}], "Giannis Antetokounmpo was the difference maker for the Milwaukee Bucks en route to their victory over the Orlando Magic on Sunday. The Greek Freak posted an all around stat line including 18 points, nine rebounds, four assists, three blocks and one steal on 7 - of - 11 shooting across 31 minutes. While both the Bucks and the Magic were equal in terms of assists (24), one key to the game came from the rebounding battle. Milwaukee out - rebounded Orlando 53 - 46, which is in part due to the depth of the Bucks bench compared to that of the Magic, who only went three players deep. Greg Monroe and Michael Beasley combined for 13 boards off the bench, which was enough to counteract the freak performance from Nikola Vucevic, who totaled 16 rebounds across 30 minutes in the loss for the Magic."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "30"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "13", "Bucks": "12"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "69", "Bucks": "95"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "13", "Bucks": "13"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "11", "Jabari Parker": "1", "Jimmy Butler": "6", "Dwyane Wade": "1", "Rajon Rondo": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1", "John Henson": "2"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "22", "Jabari Parker": "12", "John Henson": "10", "Tony Snell": "10", "Mirza Teletovic": "13", "Greg Monroe": "14", "Jimmy Butler": "7", "Taj Gibson": "8", "Robin Lopez": "8", "Dwyane Wade": "12", "Rajon Rondo": "7", "Bobby Portis": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7", "Jabari Parker": "7", "John Henson": "4", "Tony Snell": "5", "Mirza Teletovic": "8", "Greg Monroe": "12", "Jimmy Butler": "7", "Dwyane Wade": "5", "Rajon Rondo": "4", "Bobby Portis": "8"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Jabari Parker": "1", "John Henson": "1", "Jimmy Butler": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "1", "Rajon Rondo": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Greg Monroe": "23", "Bobby Portis": "19"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Chicago Bulls, 95 - 69, at United Center on Friday. Fresh off a double - digit home victory over the Bulls (13 - 13) on Thursday night, the Bucks (13 - 12) bounced back with an even more dominating effort Friday. Chicago's offense had no answer for a stifling Milwaukee defense that held them to a season - low scoring total, while also limiting them to a 30 percent success rate from the field. Giannis Antetokounmpo once again proved to be a thorn in the side of the visitors, leading the way with a 22 - point, 11 - assist double - double that also included seven boards, three steals and a block. Jabari Parker could n't come close to his 26 - point effort from Thursday, but he managed 12 points, seven rebounds, an assist and a steal. John Henson and Tony Snell posted a pair of 10 - point efforts, supplemented by four rebounds, a steal and a pair of blocks by Henson, to go along with five rebounds and a pair of dimes from Snell. Greg Monroe came off the bench to tally a 14 - point, 12 - rebound double - double over 23 minutes, while Mirza Teletovic compiled 13 points for the second straight night in a reserve role, and also hauled in eight boards. A nightmarish outing for the Bulls saw Dwyane Wade pace them in scoring with a modest 12 points, which he complemented with five boards, an assist and a steal. Taj Gibson and Robin Lopez posted a pair of eight - point efforts on a combined 7 - of - 20 shooting, although they at least managed 11 boards between them. Jimmy Butler and Rajon Rondo had matching seven - point contributions as well, with the former also supplying seven boards, six assists and a steal, and the latter dishing out four dimes and recording four rebounds. Bobby Portis actually served as the second - leading scorer on the team despite coming off the bench, posting 10 points and eight rebounds in 19 minutes. The Bucks are now off until Tuesday night, when the Cleveland Cavaliers will come calling to the Bradley Center. The Bulls are home again Monday night, when the Detroit Pistons come to town."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "56"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "3", "Bucks": "7"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "115", "Bucks": "100"}, "Rebounds": {"Cavaliers": "43", "Bucks": "22"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "9", "Bucks": "5"}, "Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "22"}, "Turnovers": {"Bucks": "11"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1", "LeBron James": "1"}, "Assists": {"Jabari Parker": "1", "Greg Monroe": "1", "Michael Carter-Williams": "5", "LeBron James": "6", "Kevin Love": "1", "Matthew Dellavedova": "13"}, "Points": {"Jabari Parker": "14", "Greg Monroe": "17", "Khris Middleton": "15", "Michael Carter-Williams": "9", "LeBron James": "27", "JR Smith": "18", "Matthew Dellavedova": "7", "Tristan Thompson": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Jabari Parker": "3", "Michael Carter-Williams": "1", "LeBron James": "9", "Kevin Love": "15", "Tristan Thompson": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LeBron James": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Love": "1"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Love": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Tristan Thompson": "26"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (9 - 3) beat the Milwaukee Bucks (5 - 7) 115 - 100 on Thursday. After a grueling 108 - 105 double overtime loss to the Bucks last Saturday in Milwaukee, Cleveland unleashed an offensive barrage Thursday while also dominating on the glass. The Cavs put up a robust 24 shots from beyond the arc, draining 11 of them. They also shot a superb 56 percent from the field overall while nearly doubling up the Bucks on rebounds, 43 to 22. After building a dominating 63 - 48 halftime lead, the Cavs withstood a particularly strong third period from the Bucks and pulled away late to seal the victory. Milwaukee's Giannis Antetotkoumpo is apparently one of the few players in the NBA who does n't necessarily mind a dose of LeBron James defense. The Greek Freak had posted a 16 - point, 12 - rebound double - double in last Saturday's double - overtime showdown, and poured in a season - high 33 points on eye - popping 80 percent shooting from the field (12 - for - 15) Thursday. The Bucks also received double - digit performances from all but one of the rest of their starting five, as point guard Michael Carter-Williams finished with a nine - point tally on the night. Jabari Parker had a solid return from a foot injury with 14 points, three rebounds, and an assist, while Greg Monroe (17 points) and Khris Middleton (15 points) made significant contributions of their own. The Bucks fell to 5 - 7 and now reside in last place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They head to Indiana for a matchup versus the Pacers on Saturday. LeBron James and Kevin Love, as they have on several occasions already this season, led the way for the Cavs. James stuffed the stat sheet with 27 points, nine rebounds, and six assists, while Love enjoyed his matchup versus the Bucks' worst - ranked defense in points surrendered to power forwards, posting a huge double - double. Love amassed 24 points, hauled in 15 boards, and collected an assist, a steal, and a block. J.R. Smith managed a season - high 18 points, while Matthew Delladedova filled in admirably for late scratch Mo Williams (leg) by pitching in 13 assists to go along with seven points. Tristan Thompson paced the Cleveland bench with an efficient double - double of his own in 26 minutes, pouring in 12 points and collecting 11 rebounds. The Cavs improved to 9 - 3 and remain atop the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They remain home for a showdown on Saturday night versus the Hawks."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "22", "Pelicans": "42"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "117", "Pelicans": "107"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Rockets": "28", "Pelicans": "33"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "50", "Pelicans": "30"}}, {"Points": {"Anthony Davis": "33", "DeMarcus Cousins": "29", "Jrue Holiday": "18", "Jordan Crawford": "12", "Clint Capela": "10", "Patrick Beverley": "17", "James Harden": "38", "Eric Gordon": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "16", "DeMarcus Cousins": "6", "Patrick Beverley": "6", "James Harden": "7"}, "Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Jrue Holiday": "9", "Patrick Beverley": "2", "James Harden": "17"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jrue Holiday": "12", "Eric Gordon": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Patrick Beverley": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Patrick Beverley": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Patrick Beverley": "31", "James Harden": "38", "Eric Gordon": "33"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Eric Gordon": "5"}}], "The Houston Rockets defeated the visiting New Orleans Pelicans, 117 - 107, at Toyota Center on Friday evening. The Pelicans (30 - 42) started out strong, leading 33 - 28 after one quarter, and managed to stay on top, with a one - point lead at halftime. The game remained close through the third quarter, while the Rockets (50 - 22) managed to grab a one - point lead heading into the final frame. The Rockets came out with intensity in the fourth, and closed out strong, as they out - scored the Pelicans 37 - 38 in the quarter to seal their 50th win of the season. This marks Houston's third straight win, while the Pelicans' three game winning streak was put to rest. James Harden led the way for the Rockets with 38 points, 17 assists and seven rebounds, while managing to restrict himself to only three turnovers, in 38 minutes. Patrick Beverley went 4 - of - 7 from long range, on his way to 17 points, to go along with six rebounds and two assists, in 31 minutes. Eric Gordon chipped in 14 points on 5 - of - 10 shooting, in 33 minutes off the bench, while Clint Capela double - doubled with 10 points and 14 rebounds. The Rockets now look ahead to Sunday, when they play host to the Thunder. Meanwhile, Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins combined for 62 points, as they came up just short of what would have been a very impressive win, had they been able to hold on. Davis finished with 33 points and 16 rebounds, while Cousins followed up with 29 points, six rebounds four assists and four blocked shots. Jrue Holiday chipped in 18 points and dished nine assists, while the only other player to score in double digits for New Orleans was Jordan Crawford, who finished with 12. The Pelicans playoff hopes are dwindling, but they will look to continue the push, as they visit Denver to take on the Nuggets on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "28", "Suns": "22"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "40", "Suns": "37"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "22", "Suns": "35"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "91", "Suns": "78"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "28", "Suns": "14"}, "Number of team assists": {"Suns": "13"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Suns": "9"}, "Turnovers": {"Suns": "19"}}, {"Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Tyson Chandler": "5", "Zaza Pachulia": "4"}, "Points": {"Tyson Chandler": "12", "Devin Booker": "19", "Markieff Morris": "13", "Chandler Parsons": "15", "Deron Williams": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyson Chandler": "13", "Devin Booker": "7", "Markieff Morris": "4", "Zaza Pachulia": "15"}, "Assists": {"Devin Booker": "4", "Markieff Morris": "4", "Deron Williams": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Devin Booker": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Markieff Morris": "5"}, "Steals": {"Markieff Morris": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "4", "Zaza Pachulia": "4"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (28 - 22) used a strong defensive effort to defeat the Phoenix Suns (14 - 35) Sunday night at American Airlines Center, 91 - 78. Dallas held the Suns to just 37 percent shooting, including a rough 5 - 23 (22 percent) from three. The Mavericks really clamped down in the fourth quarter, as Phoenix mustered just nine points in the final period, as Markief Morris was the only Suns player to score in the quarter. The defensive effort allowed the Mavericks to record the win despite star Dirk Nowitzki resting as Dallas is keeping him out of back - to - back games. Mavericks point guard Deron Williams turned in a vintage performance, as he dropped a game - high 27 points on 10 - 19 shooting and dished four assists. Chandler Parsons scored 15 points on 5 - 14 shooting and Zaza Pachulia grabbed a game - high 15 rebounds (four offensive). It was a slog for Dallas, as they shot just 40 percent and made just 8 of 29 three - pointers (28 percent). Devin Booker led the suns with 19 points and filled up the box score with seven rebounds, four assists and a blocked shot. Tyson Chandler was efficient with 12 points on 6 - 8 shooting and 13 rebounds (five offensive), and Markieff Morris scored 13 points and added four assists, four rebounds and four steals off the bench. The Suns committed 19 turnovers and recorded just 13 assists as their offense struggled to get in gear. The Mavericks head on the road for a Monday matchup with Atlanta. Phoenix will return home to face Toronto on Tuesday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "8", "Frank Kaminsky": "5", "Nicolas Batum": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Blake Griffin": "1", "JJ Redick": "1", "Frank Kaminsky": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "1", "Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Blake Griffin": "35", "Jamal Crawford": "27", "Frank Kaminsky": "36", "Nicolas Batum": "37"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "20", "JJ Redick": "10", "Austin Rivers": "18", "Jamal Crawford": "22", "Frank Kaminsky": "20", "Nicolas Batum": "25", "Kemba Walker": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "12", "Frank Kaminsky": "8", "Nicolas Batum": "6"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"JJ Redick": "25"}, "Field goals attempted": {"JJ Redick": "11", "Austin Rivers": "12", "Jamal Crawford": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"JJ Redick": "3", "Austin Rivers": "7", "Jamal Crawford": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Austin Rivers": "6", "Jamal Crawford": "8", "Kemba Walker": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Austin Rivers": "4", "Jamal Crawford": "5", "Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Steals": {"Frank Kaminsky": "1"}}], "Jamal Crawford was the high - point man for the Clippers, with 22 points on 6 - of - 11 shooting, including 5 - of - 8 from long range, in 27 minutes off the bench. Blake Griffin followed up with 20 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists and one block, in 35 minutes, while Austin Rivers chipped in 18 points on 7 - of - 12 shooting, including 4 - of - 6 from downtown. The only other player to score in double digits for Los Angeles was J.J. Redick, who added 10 points on 3 - of - 11 shooting. Meanwhile, Kemba Walker struggled form the field, as he went 4 - of - 18, including 1 - of - 9 from long range, finishing with only 10 points. Nicolas Batum was the high - point man for the Hornets, as he poured in 25, to go along with eight assists, six rebounds and one block, in 37 minutes. Frank Kaminsky added 20 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two blocks and one steal, in 36 minutes."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "18", "Clippers": "15"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "85", "Clippers": "105"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "30", "Clippers": "33"}}, {"Points": {"Blake Griffin": "31", "DeAndre Jordan": "8", "Austin Rivers": "11", "Kawhi Leonard": "24", "Tiago Splitter": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "13", "DeAndre Jordan": "19", "Austin Rivers": "2", "Tiago Splitter": "1", "Matt Bonner": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Austin Rivers": "18", "Tiago Splitter": "17"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (33 - 15) defeated the San Antonio Spurs (30 - 18) 105 - 85 Saturday at the AT & T Center. Los Angeles finished its back - to - back set with a strong road victory against a rested San Antonio club. Blake Griffin had a huge game with 31 points and 13 rebounds while DeAndre Jordan had eight points and 19 rebounds. San Antonio had its three - game win streak snapped Saturday and currently holds the seventh seed in the Western Conference. The Clippers bounced back nicely after losing to a Pelicans team Friday that was without super star Anthony Davis. Austin Rivers saw 18 minutes of playing time and contributed 11 points and two rebounds. The Clippers are now 3 games behind the Grizzlies for the second seed in the West. Los Angeles will return to action Monday in Brooklyn. San Antonio came into this game on two days rest, but was unable to withstand a barrage from Los Angeles. Tiago Splitter moved into the starting lineup for Matt Bonner, but only had eight points and one rebound over 17 minutes. Kawhi Leonard hit four three - pointers on his was to a team - high 24 points. The Spurs are idle until Wednesday when they host the Magic."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "38", "Thunder": "30"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "46", "Thunder": "44"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "16"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "123", "Thunder": "112"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hornets": "33", "Thunder": "33"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hornets": "36", "Thunder": "24"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "20"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Thunder": "33"}}, {"Points": {"Andre Roberson": "2", "Domantas Sabonis": "2", "Steven Adams": "18", "Victor Oladipo": "18", "Russell Westbrook": "33", "Enes Kanter": "22", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "14", "Marvin Williams": "8", "Nicolas Batum": "28", "Kemba Walker": "20", "Jeremy Lamb": "9", "Frank Kaminsky": "17", "Spencer Hawes": "8", "Ramon Sessions": "9"}, "Assists": {"Steven Adams": "3", "Victor Oladipo": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "8", "Marvin Williams": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "4", "Kemba Walker": "9", "Frank Kaminsky": "2", "Spencer Hawes": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Steven Adams": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "1", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "1", "Marvin Williams": "3", "Roy Hibbert": "2", "Jeremy Lamb": "1", "Frank Kaminsky": "1", "Spencer Hawes": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Steven Adams": "12", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "15", "Enes Kanter": "8", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "11", "Marvin Williams": "8", "Nicolas Batum": "3", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Frank Kaminsky": "6", "Spencer Hawes": "4"}, "Steals": {"Steven Adams": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "2", "Kemba Walker": "2", "Frank Kaminsky": "2", "Spencer Hawes": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Enes Kanter": "20", "Spencer Hawes": "24"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, 123 - 112, at Spectrum Center on Wednesday. The Hornets (20 - 16) came in to Wednesday looking to cut a short two - game losing streak off at the pass, but faced the high hurdle known as Russell Westbrook in their attempt to do so. However, the dynamic duo of Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum stepped up as they have so many times already this season, combining for 48 points to help offset a 33 - point, 15 - rebound, eight - assist effort from Westbrook that also included two steals and a block. The Hornets were also able to outperform the Thunder (21 - 14) shooting - wise, with their respective 46 and 38 percent tallies from the field and three - point range outpacing the corresponding 44 and 30 percent figures from the visitors on those categories. Charlotte was at its best in the fourth quarter, which they entered with a slight 88 - 87 deficit, outscoring OKC by a 36 - 24 margin over the final 12 minutes. Victor Oladipo and Steven Adams were next behind Westbrook with matching 18 - point efforts, with the former supplementing his scoring with five assists, three rebounds and a steal, and the latter also providing 12 boards, three assists, a steal and a block. Andre Roberson and Domantas Sabonis only contributed two points apiece, but Enes Kanter made up for some of the scoring void from the bench, registering 22 points and eight rebounds in just 20 minutes. Batum led the Hornets with 28 points, four assists, three rebounds and a block. Walker had a near double - double with 20 points, nine assists, four rebounds and two steals. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist posted a 14 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included a block. Marvin Williams provided a solid stat line of eight points, eight rebounds, an assist and three blocks. Frank Kaminsky III totaled 17 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block while leading the bench, while Ramon Sessions and Jeremy Lamb stepped up with a pair of nine efforts in reserve roles as well. With Cody Zeller out with a concussion and Roy Hibbert largely ineffective as a starter, even Spencer Hawes got into the act Wednesday, compiling eight points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks in 24 minutes off the bench. The Thunder next visit the Houston Rockets on Thursday night, while the Hornets head to Motown to face off with the Detroit Pistons on Thursday evening as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "26", "Bucks": "33"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "109", "Bucks": "117"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "31", "Bucks": "23"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Michael Carter-Williams": "2", "Paul Millsap": "6", "Al Horford": "2", "Dennis Schroder": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Michael Carter-Williams": "3", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Al Horford": "3", "Dennis Schroder": "1"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "19", "Jabari Parker": "28", "Michael Carter-Williams": "17", "Greg Monroe": "24", "Paul Millsap": "27", "Al Horford": "17", "Dennis Schroder": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "12", "Jabari Parker": "13", "Michael Carter-Williams": "9", "Greg Monroe": "12", "Paul Millsap": "11", "Al Horford": "9", "Dennis Schroder": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jabari Parker": "21", "Michael Carter-Williams": "14", "Paul Millsap": "24", "Al Horford": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Jabari Parker": "11", "Michael Carter-Williams": "6", "Paul Millsap": "10", "Al Horford": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jabari Parker": "7", "Michael Carter-Williams": "8", "Paul Millsap": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Jabari Parker": "6", "Michael Carter-Williams": "5", "Paul Millsap": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Jabari Parker": "51", "Michael Carter-Williams": "38", "Greg Monroe": "36", "Paul Millsap": "46", "Dennis Schroder": "40"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "3", "Paul Millsap": "7", "Al Horford": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "0", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Al Horford": "1"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "1"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (23 - 33) snapped a six - game road losing streak as they defeated the host Atlanta Hawks (31 - 26) 117 - 109 on Saturday at Phillips Arena. Both the Hawks and the Bucks came into this game after suffering losses on Friday night but neither team showed any signs of fatigue as they went back and forth viciously for four quarters and two overtime periods. Michael Carter-Williams took over in the second overtime period and put the game out of reach by scoring three straight, unanswered buckets to begin the period. Carter-Williams tallied 17 points (6 - 14 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 8 FT), nine rebounds, three assists and two assists, in 38 minutes off the bench. Nine of Carter-Williams' points came in overtime, as he came through clutch. Jabari Parker had a career night as he tallied a double - double with a career - high 28 points (11 - 21 FG, 6 - 7 FT) and a season - high 13 rebounds, in 51 minutes. Parker's career night comes just after he tied his previous career - high in points, with 23 on Friday night versus Charlotte, which along with this night's performance marks the first time Parker has tallied 20 points and 10 rebounds in back to back games. Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 19 points, 12 boards, three assists and two blocks, while Greg Monroe tallied a double - double as well, with 24 points and 12 rebounds, in 36 minutes off the bench. This marks the fourth game in a row that Monroe has come off the bench. Paul Millsap led the Hawks in scoring with 27 points (10 - 24 FG, 2 - 7 3Pt, 5 - 8 FT), along with 11 rebounds, six assists, two blocks and one steal, in 46 minutes. Dennis Schroder was huge as he finished a nice lay - up at the end of regulation to send the game to overtime and added nine points in the extra time. He tallied 25 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds, one steal and one block, in 40 minutes off the bench. Al Horford finished with 17 points (8 - 14 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt), nine rebounds, three blocked shots and two assists. The Hawks have now lost four of their last five and their last two in a row. Atlanta will look to avoid a third straight loss when the Hawks host the Golden State Warriors on Monday. The Bucks host the Lakers on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "29", "Spurs": "8"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "96", "Spurs": "98"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Magic": "23", "Spurs": "29"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Magic": "28"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Magic": "28"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "15"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "23", "Spurs": "45"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Spurs": "31"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "Tim Duncan": "5", "Danny Green": "2", "Patty Mills": "7", "Evan Fournier": "5", "Aaron Gordon": "3", "Nikola Vucevic": "5", "Victor Oladipo": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "7", "Mario Hezonja": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "Tim Duncan": "3", "Danny Green": "1", "Patty Mills": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "2", "Nikola Vucevic": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "19"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "29", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "21", "Tim Duncan": "5", "Danny Green": "12", "Patty Mills": "17", "Evan Fournier": "28", "Aaron Gordon": "4", "Nikola Vucevic": "20", "Victor Oladipo": "14", "Elfrid Payton": "13", "Mario Hezonja": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "7", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "7", "Tim Duncan": "7", "Danny Green": "5", "Patty Mills": "6", "Evan Fournier": "2", "Aaron Gordon": "14", "Nikola Vucevic": "13", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "6"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2", "Patty Mills": "2", "Aaron Gordon": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "2", "Mario Hezonja": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Evan Fournier": "1"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (45 - 8) defeated the Orlando Magic (23 - 29) 98 - 96 on Wednesday. It appeared to be business as usual for the Spurs through the game's first 12 minutes, as they held a 29 - 23 lead over the underdog Magic after one period. Things turned quickly in the middle portion of the game however, as Orlando surprisingly outscored San Antonio 56 - 38 over the second and third quarter. The visitors finally snapped back to life on both sides of the ball early in the fourth period, after falling behind by a margin of 81 - 67 with only 10:22 left in the game. The Spurs crawled their way back through the efforts of Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, Patty Mills and LaMarcus Aldridge, with the foursome scoring the team's final 31 points. With San Antonio finally holding a 96 - 93 lead with with 15 seconds left, Evan Fournier drained a clutch three - point shot for Orlando to knot the game up at 96, their first points since the 3:9 mark of the fourth quarter. However, Leonard insured the valiant comeback was n't in vain, draining a 19 - foot shot with 1 seconds left to give his team the 98 - 96 advantage. One very anxious moment remained, as Evan Fournier alertly found Elfrid Payton roaming free downcourt on the subsequent inbound pass. Payton attempted a desperation layup that banked too hard off the backboard and fell harmlessly to the floor, sending the Spurs home winners. San Antonio was led by Leonard's 29 points, to which he added seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. Aldridge was next with 21 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Green contributed 12 points, five rebounds, two assists and a block. Tim Duncan notably returned from a multi - game absence and pitched in with five points, seven rebounds, five assists and three blocks. Mills was outstanding in pacing the reserves with 17 points, seven assists, six rebounds, two steals and a block. It was rare stat - sheet - stuffing performance for the normally scoring - dependent point guard. The Spurs remain comfortably atop the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They're back in action after the All-Star break on Thursday, February 18th in Los Angeles against the Clippers. Orlando's attack was spearheaded by Fournier's 28 - point explosion, which was complemented with five assists and a pair of rebounds. Nikola Vucevic managed an impressive double - double against one of the toughest frontcourts in the league, tallying 20 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, a steal and a pair of blocks. Victor Oladipo collected 14 points, three rebounds, an assist and a pair of steals. Payton had a solid game other than his untimely miss, posting 13 points, seven assists, six rebounds and two steals. Aaron Gordon was the only member of the starting five with single - digit scoring (four points), but hauled in 14 rebounds, dished out three assists, recorded a steal and posted two blocks. Rookie Mario Hezonja had another strong game in a reserve role, pacing the bench with 12 points, an assist and a steal. The Magic remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They resume play after the All-Star break on Friday, February 19th at home against the Dallas Mavericks."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "46"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "50"}}, {"Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "17", "Kristaps Porzingis": "16", "Derrick Rose": "14", "Mindaugas Kuzminskas": "13", "Paul George": "19", "Thaddeus Young": "16", "Myles Turner": "13", "Jeff Teague": "19", "Al Jefferson": "14", "CJ Miles": "15"}, "Minutes played": {"Mindaugas Kuzminskas": "15"}, "Assists": {"Thaddeus Young": "2", "Myles Turner": "2", "Al Jefferson": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Thaddeus Young": "9", "Myles Turner": "10", "Al Jefferson": "7", "CJ Miles": "4"}, "Steals": {"Al Jefferson": "1", "CJ Miles": "2"}}], "Four of five Pacers starters notched double digits in the scoring column and posted 50 and 46 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively. Jeff Teague and Paul George led Indiana with matching 19 - point tallies, Thaddeus Young registered a near double - double with 16 points and nine rebounds, and Myles Turner posted a 13 - point, 10 - rebound double - double with two assists. C.J. Miles (15 points, four rebounds, two steals) and Al Jefferson (14 points, seven rebounds, two assists and a steal) were highly productive in reserve roles. Carmelo Anthony and Justin Holiday's 17 - point efforts led the Knicks. Kristaps Porzingis went for 16 points and Derrick Rose, who'd endured a tough shooting night against the Bucks on Friday, bounced back with 14 points. The emerging Mindauguas Kuzminskas supplied 13 points in just 15 minutes off the bench."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "60"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "58"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "121", "Clippers": "104"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "2"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "3"}}, {"Points": {"Blake Griffin": "14", "DeAndre Jordan": "17", "JJ Redick": "12", "Chris Paul": "15", "Jamal Crawford": "24", "Draymond Green": "24", "Klay Thompson": "19", "Stephen Curry": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "1", "DeAndre Jordan": "13", "Draymond Green": "8", "Klay Thompson": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"JJ Redick": "23", "David Lee": "7"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "12", "Klay Thompson": "1", "Stephen Curry": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jamal Crawford": "6", "Draymond Green": "8", "Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jamal Crawford": "3", "Draymond Green": "4", "Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jamal Crawford": "13", "Draymond Green": "13", "Klay Thompson": "13", "Stephen Curry": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Jamal Crawford": "8", "Draymond Green": "8", "Klay Thompson": "7", "Stephen Curry": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Draymond Green": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Draymond Green": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Klay Thompson": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Klay Thompson": "1"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (40) stayed undefeated with a 121 - 104 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers (3 - 2) on Wednesday at Oracle Arena in Oakland. With the victory Wednesday, the Warriors will now have a coveted matchup of undefeated teams Saturday against the 50 Rockets. There was no slowing the Warriors down as they shot 58 percent from the field and an unheard of 60 percent from beyond the three - point line. They were able to outscore the Clippers 65 - 42 in the first half, allowing them to coast to a victory in the second half. David Lee returned to the court Wednesday, but was going to be used in a limited bench role, as he just came off a hamstring injury. After playing in just seven minutes of time, he aggravated the hamstring and was held out of the rest of the game. Draymond Green continued to take Lee's spot in the starting lineup and went off for a season - high 24 points (8 - 13 FG, 4 - 8 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and eight rebounds. Steph Curry led all scorers in this matchup, going for 28 points and seven assists, while shooting 9 - for - 18 from the field and 4 - for - 8 for beyond the three - point line. Klay Thompson went off for 29 points Sunday but came down to earth slightly in this one and recorded 19 points (7 - 13 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt). The Warriors went a combined 20 - for - 20 from the free - throw line. The Clippers received a big boost from the bench with Jamal Crawford shooting 8 - for - 13 from the field and 3 - for - 6 from the three - point line to finish with 24 points on the night. DeAndre Jordan and Chris Paul both finished with double - doubles as Paul went for 15 points and 12 assists, and Jordan scored 17 points with 13 rebounds. This production comes a game after Paul's triple - double on Monday against the Jazz. Blake Griffin did n't have as much impact as usual, as he only recorded one rebound, but he still was able to add 14 points. J.J. Redick was the only other Clipper to score in double digits, as he had 12 points in 23 minutes. The Warriors' next game will be on the road against the Houston Rockets on Saturday, while the Clippers will be at home against the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "33", "Grizzlies": "28"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "130", "Grizzlies": "81"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "34", "Grizzlies": "39"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "30"}, "Turnovers": {"Grizzlies": "19"}}, {"Points": {"Jarell Martin": "17", "Alex Stepheson": "12", "Donatas Motiejunas": "18", "Dwight Howard": "7", "James Harden": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Jarell Martin": "8", "Alex Stepheson": "15", "Dwight Howard": "13", "James Harden": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "3", "Dwight Howard": "3"}, "Assists": {"Dwight Howard": "3", "James Harden": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Dwight Howard": "5", "James Harden": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Dwight Howard": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "3"}}], "The Houston Rockets (34 - 33) obliterated the Memphis Grizzlies (39 - 28) 130 - 81 on Monday. The talent on paper in this matchup was a huge discrepancy and that paper game played out on the floor. Houston won all four quarters by at least eight points and took a 41 - point lead into the fourth. Their defense was key for once, as they held Memphis to 30 percent shooting and forced them to commit 19 turnovers. The Rockets were lights out from long distance, as they finished the game going 16 - for - 33 in their win. The injuries are finally catching up to the Grizzlies and a game like this was expected at some point. They played this game without Mike Conley, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol, Mario Chalmers and Lance Stephenson and that's simply too hard to overcome. Alex Stepheson was signed to a 10 - day contract earlier in the week and was the only bright spot n this blowout, as he double - doubled in a 12 - point, 15 - rebounds performance off the bench. Jarell Martin led the team with 17 points and also snatched down eight rebounds. Memphis will look to bounce back on Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. This type of win shows just how good the Rockets can be and this may be their final push at a playoff run. James Harden flirted with a triple - double in just three quarters of play, as he accumulated 15 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in the victory. Dwight Howard also played only three quarters and beasted down low, by finishing with seven points, 13 rebounds and five blocks in the win Donatas Montiejunas led the team with 18 points, which is a great sign coming off his recent injury. Up next for Houston is a matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nuggets": "43"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "56"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nuggets": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "22", "Wilson Chandler": "20", "Nikola Jokic": "19", "Gary Harris": "15", "Jameer Nelson": "12", "Will Barton": "15", "Jamal Murray": "14", "Jimmy Butler": "8", "Bobby Portis": "12", "Robin Lopez": "10", "Dwyane Wade": "19", "Rajon Rondo": "19"}, "Assists": {"Nikola Jokic": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Jokic": "16"}, "Minutes played": {"Jamal Murray": "18"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Jimmy Butler": "3"}}], "The Nuggets saw seven players post double - digit scoring and they collectively shoot an outstanding 56 percent from the floor and 43 percent from three - point range. Chicago's cause was significantly undermined by an atypically poor shooting night from Jimmy Butler, who posted only eight points on a 3 - of - 13 tally from the floor. Danilo Gallinari led the Nuggets with 22 points, and Wilson Chandler followed closely with 20 points. Nikola Jokic posted a 19 - point, 16 - rebound, 10 - assist triple - double. Gary Harris went for 15 points, and Will Barton matched Harris' point total while leading the second unit. Jameer Nelson managed 12 points, while Jamal Murray tallied 14 points over 18 efficient minutes off the bench. Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo paced the Bulls with matching 19 - point efforts. Bobby Portis stepped up with 12 points, while Robin Lopez supplied 10 points."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "10", "Spurs": "4"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "89", "Spurs": "111"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "4", "Spurs": "12"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Danny Green": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Danny Green": "35", "Tyler Zeller": "23", "Kelly Olynyk": "25"}, "Points": {"Danny Green": "18", "Tyler Zeller": "7", "Kelly Olynyk": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyler Zeller": "10", "Kelly Olynyk": "3"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (12 - 4) defeated the Boston Celtics (4 - 10) 111 - 89 on Sunday. San Antonio had five players score in double digits, including Danny Green, who paced the team with 18 points in 35 minutes. Tiago Splitter missed his 14th straight game. Despite Splitter's absence, the Spurs have strung together a seven - game win streak. They'll continue their road trip in Philadelphia on Monday against the Sixers. Boston has dropped four straight and seven of their last eight games. Coach Brad Stevens opted for a change at center to try and mix things up. Kelly Olynyk was moved to a bench role in favor of starting Tyler Zeller. It's unknown if this change is merely to get a point across to Olynyk or if Stevens is considering using Zeller there for the foreseeable future. Zeller put up seven points and 10 rebounds in 23 minutes, while Olynyk put up three points and three rebounds in 25 minutes. The Celtics' next game is on the road in Atlanta on Tuesday against the Hawks."], [[{"Total points": {"76ers": "101", "Cavaliers": "102"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"76ers": "34"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Cavaliers": "34"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "14", "Kevin Love": "1", "JR Smith": "1", "Channing Frye": "2", "Joel Embiid": "2", "Gerald Henderson": "1", "Sergio Rodriguez": "11"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "1", "Kevin Love": "1", "JR Smith": "1", "Joel Embiid": "4"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "25", "Kevin Love": "20", "Tristan Thompson": "7", "JR Smith": "11", "Channing Frye": "12", "Joel Embiid": "22", "Gerald Henderson": "11", "Sergio Rodriguez": "7", "Ersan Ilyasova": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "8", "Kevin Love": "11", "Tristan Thompson": "13", "JR Smith": "1", "Channing Frye": "2", "Joel Embiid": "6", "Gerald Henderson": "2", "Sergio Rodriguez": "6", "Ersan Ilyasova": "4"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "2", "JR Smith": "3", "Iman Shumpert": "1", "Joel Embiid": "1", "Gerald Henderson": "2", "Sergio Rodriguez": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Iman Shumpert": "1", "Gerald Henderson": "1", "Ersan Ilyasova": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Iman Shumpert": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Iman Shumpert": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Iman Shumpert": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Joel Embiid": "25"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "6"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers, 102 - 101, at Wells Fargo Center on Saturday. The Cavaliers (60) looked fully in control following a 34 - point outburst in the first quarter, which gave them a seemingly comfortable 15 - point lead. However, the winless Sixers (0 - 5) impressively chipped away, outscoring Cleveland by a 61 - 48 margin over the second and third periods. That set up a photo finish in the final 12 minutes, one that saw an Iman Shumpert steal of Gerald Henderson save the day for the visitors as time expired. Prior to that, a clutch three - pointer by Channing Frye with 1:5 remaining gave Cleveland the 102 - 101 lead. Neither team was able to find the basket after that point, setting the stage for Shumpert's heroics. LeBron James led the Cavs with 25 points, 14 assists, eight rebounds and two steals. Kevin Love was next with a double - double of his own, tallying 20 points, 11 boards, an assist and a block. Tristan Thompson provided a typically modest point total of seven points but added 13 rebounds and recorded a pair of stuffs. J.R. Smith totaled 11 points, a rebound, an assist, three steals and a block. Frye paced the bench with 12 points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal. Joel Embiid continued his stretch of excellent early - season play, posting a season - high 22 points and adding six rebounds, two assists, four blocks and a steal over 25 minutes. Henderson was the only other Philadelphia player to manage double - digit scoring, compiling 11 points, two rebounds, an assist and two steals. Sergio Rodriguez managed only seven points but did dish out 11 assists, brought down six boards and recorded a pair of steals. Ersan Ilyasova paced the bench with 21 points and four rebounds, a tally that included 4 - of - 6 shooting from behind the arc. The Cavaliers return home to face off with the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday, while the Sixers remain home to tangle with the Utah Jazz on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "10", "Trail Blazers": "6"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "119", "Trail Blazers": "129"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "17", "Trail Blazers": "21"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Allen Crabbe": "13", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "52", "Joel Freeland": "21", "Damian Lillard": "53", "Dorell Wright": "33", "Thomas Robinson": "27", "Tim Duncan": "43", "Danny Green": "44"}, "Points": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "32", "Joel Freeland": "8", "Damian Lillard": "43", "Dorell Wright": "12", "Thomas Robinson": "2", "Tim Duncan": "32", "Danny Green": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "16", "Joel Freeland": "6", "Dorell Wright": "8", "Thomas Robinson": "6", "Tim Duncan": "10", "Danny Green": "10"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (21 - 6) defeated the San Antonio Spurs (17 - 10) in triple - overtime 129 - 119 on Friday. Portland has won four straight games. Damian Lillard led the way with a game - high 43 points in 53 minutes. LaMarcus Aldridge had a dominant double - double of 32 points and 16 rebounds in 52 minutes. With Robin Lopez out for the next 1 - 2 months with a broken right hand, the Trail Blazers appear as though they'll use a match - up based approach to determing who they start in Lopez's absence from game to game. They started Thomas Robinson in Wednesday's 104 - 97 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, but Joel Freeland was moved into the starting lineup Friday. Freeland put up eight points and six rebounds in 21 minutes. Thomas Robinson played 27 minutes off the bench but only provided two points and six rebounds. Nicolas Batum (wrist/knee) sat out the game. Allen Crabbe earned the start in Batum's absence but played just 13 mintues, while Dorell Wright put up 12 points and eight rebounds in 33 minutes off the bench. Portland will continue their road trip against the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday. San Antonio has dropped three straight games, with their last two games both going to triple - overtime. Tony Parker (hamstring) and Kawhi Leonard (hand) sat out, giving Cory Joseph and Kyle Anderson another game in the starting lineup. Tim Duncan scored a team - high 32 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in 43 minutes. Danny Green pitched in a double - double of 27 points and 10 rebounds in 44 minutes. The Spurs will look to turn around their fortunes when they go on the road to face the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "4", "Hornets": "16"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "113", "Hornets": "107"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Grizzlies": "22"}, "Turnovers": {"Grizzlies": "20"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "18", "Hornets": "6"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "42"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hornets": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Al Jefferson": "16", "Kemba Walker": "28", "Gary Neal": "25", "Zach Randolph": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Jefferson": "9", "Zach Randolph": "11"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (18 - 4) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (6 - 16) 113 - 107 in double overtime Friday. Memphis has a three - game winning streak going. They held the Hornets to just 42 percent shooting from the field Friday, but the Grizzlies also turned the ball over 20 times, giving up 22 easy points off those turnovers, which allowed the Hornets to stay in the game and push the contest to two extra periods. Zach Randolph scored a team - high 20 points and pulled down 11 rebounds for a double - double. Memphis should have an easier night Saturday when they take on the experience - challenged Philadelphia 76ers on the road. Charlotte had their two - game win streak snapped with the loss Friday, but the fact that they've started to compete on a nightly basis is a positive for the Hornets after their prolonged struggle to start the season. Kemba Walker scored a game - high 28 points and was aided by Gary Neal's 25 points off the bench. Al Jefferson nearly recorded a double - double, putting up 16 points and nine rebounds. The Hornets will have a lighter opponent Saturday when they host the Brooklyn Nets, but it'll be interesting to see if they'll have their legs after playing the extra minutes Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "27", "Trail Blazers": "36"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "96", "Trail Blazers": "94"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "44", "Trail Blazers": "37"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Mason Plumlee": "11", "CJ McCollum": "17", "DeAndre Jordan": "12", "Chris Paul": "25", "Jamal Crawford": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Mason Plumlee": "6", "Damian Lillard": "3", "DeAndre Jordan": "13", "Chris Paul": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "12", "Paul Pierce": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ McCollum": "6", "DeAndre Jordan": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Damian Lillard": "3", "DeAndre Jordan": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Paul Pierce": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Paul Pierce": "3", "Jamal Crawford": "6"}, "Assists": {"DeAndre Jordan": "3", "Chris Paul": "7"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"DeAndre Jordan": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeAndre Jordan": "5"}, "Steals": {"DeAndre Jordan": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jamal Crawford": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Jamal Crawford": "33"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (44 - 27) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (37 - 36) 96 - 94 at Staples Center on Thursday. J.J. Redick capped off a wild fourth quarter with a fading buzzer beater from just inside the three point line. Chris Paul inbounded the ball with a pretty between the legs pass, as Redick came off a DeAndre Jordan screen, which sent Staples Center into a frenzy. The fourth quarter was a roller coaster for Los Angeles, as they went from letting the game slip away, to rallying behind an inspired Jamal Crawford. Prior to Redick\u2019s bucket, Damian Lillard, in typical late game fashion, buried a contested step - back three to take a three point lead, but Crawford answered right back with a deep, high arcing trey to tie the game. Los Angeles looked gassed during most of the second half, and Portland had them playing ugly basketball, which they took advantage of throughout the third quarter. Jamal Crawford was pivotal down the stretch, and finished with 25 points on 3 - of - 6 shooting from deep in 33 minutes off the bench. Reddick added a 11 points in his starting role, but his lone three pointer came at the most needed moment of the game. Paul added 25 points, five rebounds and seven assists, but his biggest play of the game came on the possession before the game winner, where Paul played tremendous defense disallowing Lillard to get the ball when the Blazers needed him most. DeAndre Jordan completed a double - double with 12 points and 13 rebounds, while Paul Pierce went scoreless on five shots in his 14 minutes of action. Lillard lives for the fourth quarter, and almost sucked the life out of the Clippers when he hit the game tying three, but leading up to that point, he came close to shooting his team out of contention. The Portland point guard finished with 18 points on 4 - of - 16 shooting. The absence of Meyers Leonard (shoulder), who received season ending shoulder surgery, proved to be troubling for coach Terry Stotts, as he had to heavily rely on his other bigs in moments where Leonard was growing accustomed to playing. Mason Plumlee saw increased playing time, and added 11 points and six rebounds, while C.J. McCollum scored 17 points on 6 - of - 12 shooting. The Blazers will host the Philadelphia 76ers (9 - 63) on Saturday, while the Clippers will welcome the Denver Nuggets (30 - 42) on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "18", "Timberwolves": "36"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "142", "Timberwolves": "130"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "42", "Timberwolves": "23"}}, {"Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "30", "Gorgui Dieng": "16", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "37", "Ricky Rubio": "14", "Ryan Anderson": "18", "Clint Capela": "16", "James Harden": "24"}, "Steals": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gorgui Dieng": "10", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "24", "Clint Capela": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Gorgui Dieng": "7", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "16", "Clint Capela": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Gorgui Dieng": "13", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "22", "Ryan Anderson": "2", "Clint Capela": "9", "James Harden": "5"}, "Assists": {"Ricky Rubio": "11", "Ryan Anderson": "3", "James Harden": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"Ricky Rubio": "6"}}], "The Houston Rockets defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, 142 - 130, at Toyota Center on Saturday. Three-point shooting has become customary in this new style of NBA, but the Rockets continue to fire at an unbelievable pace. In this game, Houston went 22 - of - 58 from three - point range, while the Timberwolves went just 9 - of - 26. Minnesota dominated the rebounding though, winning that battle, 58 - 31. Houston abused the assist - to - turnover ratio, recording four more assists and 10 less turnovers than Minnesota. This was a wire - to - wire win for the Rockets, as they led by at least seven points for the final 20 minutes. The Timberwolves (23 - 36) had beat two playoff contenders in their last two games, but this was a tough task against a potent Houston offense. Karl-Anthony Towns was a beast in the loss, as he led the team with 37 points and 22 rebounds on 16 - of - 24 from the field. Andrew Wiggins was n't far behind, as he tallied 30 points and three steals. Gorgui Dieng finished third on the team, totaling 16 points, 13 rebounds and three steals on 7 - of - 10 shooting. Ricky Rubio accrued 14 points and 11 assists, but did commit six turnovers. The Rockets (42 - 18) have now won six of their last seven games, as they continue to fire up three's at will. James Harden led the way for Houston, as he accumulated 24 points, five rebounds and 10 assists. Ryan Anderson was second among starters, finishing with 18 points, two rebounds and three assists. Clint Capela started and amassed 16 points and nine rebounds on 7 - of - 9 shooting. All five starters scored at least 15 points. Eric Gordon and Lou Williams came off the bench to combine for 31 points, six assists and five steals. Both teams return to action on Monday, as the Rockets host the Indiana Pacers and the Minnesota Timberwolves play the Sacramento Kings on the road."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "35", "Pelicans": "37"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "13", "Marc Gasol": "18", "Tony Allen": "8", "Zach Randolph": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "Marc Gasol": "3", "Tony Allen": "1", "Zach Randolph": "5"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "10", "Marc Gasol": "8"}}], "In a defensive battle, both New Orleans and Memphis struggled to find their shot from the floor. The Grizzlies hit just 35 percent of their shots from the field, while the Pelicans hit only 37 percent. It was a particularly poor shooting night for the game's more high - profile players. Anthony Davis scored just 10 points on 3 - of - 13 from the floor, while Marc Gasol scored only eight on 3 - of - 18. Meanwhile, Memphis's Tony Allen hit just 1 - of - 8 and forward Zach Randolph hit just 5 - of - 18. The tough shooting night extended to the line, as both teams hit just 75 percent of their shots from the line. Memphis struggled to get things going from beyond the arc as well, hitting just 29 percent of their shots after an impressive 15 - three performance earlier in the week."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"76ers": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Russell Westbrook": "36", "Joel Embiid": "22"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "32", "Dario Saric": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "12"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Dario Saric": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dario Saric": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dario Saric": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Dario Saric": "2"}}], "While all eyes were on Joel Embiid making his regular - season debut with the 76ers, there was another rookie making his first appearance in a 76ers uniform Wednesday night in a loss to the Thunder. Dario Saric, the 22 - year - old rookie who was drafted by the 76ers in 2014, finally made his way over to the NBA this season. His debut, however, was rather underwhelming, as he managed just five points on 2 - of - 12 shooting form the field and went 0 - for - 4 form behind the arc. This performance comes after a preseason where Saric averaged 10 points while shooting 45 percent from the field and 31 percent from long range. For the Thunder, Russell Westbrook made a debut of sorts himself, playing in his first game without Kevin Durant. He did not disappoint as the undisputed leader of the team, recording 32 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists in 36 minutes. He recorded those totals just once all last season, and it did n't come until Game 5 of their first - round playoff series with the Mavericks, when he recorded 36 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists in 38 minutes."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "3", "Magic": "3"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "101", "Magic": "103"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"76ers": "28"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "0", "Magic": "1"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Magic": "24"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Magic": "41"}}, {"Blocks": {"Serge Ibaka": "2", "Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "1", "Joel Embiid": "4", "Hollis Thompson": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Serge Ibaka": "3", "T.J. McConnell": "3"}, "Points": {"Serge Ibaka": "21", "Nikola Vucevic": "24", "Evan Fournier": "17", "Elfrid Payton": "18", "Dario Saric": "21", "Joel Embiid": "18", "Gerald Henderson": "18", "Sergio Rodriguez": "12", "Hollis Thompson": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "4", "Nikola Vucevic": "14", "Evan Fournier": "5", "Elfrid Payton": "3", "Dario Saric": "3", "Joel Embiid": "10", "Gerald Henderson": "4", "Sergio Rodriguez": "5", "Hollis Thompson": "7"}, "Assists": {"Nikola Vucevic": "4", "Evan Fournier": "5", "Elfrid Payton": "10", "Dario Saric": "1", "Joel Embiid": "3", "Gerald Henderson": "1", "Sergio Rodriguez": "11", "Hollis Thompson": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "16", "T.J. McConnell": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "3"}, "Steals": {"Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Evan Fournier": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "2", "Dario Saric": "1", "Gerald Henderson": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Robert Covington": "28"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Joel Embiid": "3"}}], "The Orlando Magic defeated the Philadelphia 76ers, 103 - 101, at Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday. A 28 - point second quarter allowed the Sixers (0 - 3) to take a 57 - 43 lead into intermission, with their strong first half having been spearheaded by third - year players Dario Saric and Joel Embiid. Coming in to Tuesday, the latter had been primed for a bump in playing time, as fellow center Jahlil Okafor was given the night off to rest. However, Orlando (1 - 3) came roaring out of the locker room in the third quarter, tallying 41 points during the next 12 minutes. Despite the Magic regaining the advantage, it was a nip - and - tuck defensive struggle in the fourth quarter, with the two teams combining for just 33 points. Overtime looked very probable until T.J. McConnell was charged with a flagrant - one foul on Serge Ibaka, and the latter converted both of his free - throw opportunities into points to seal the first win of the season for the Magic. Nikola Vucevic and Embiid waged an entertaining battle throughout the night, and Orlando's big man held his own with 24 points, 14 boards, four assists, a steal and a block. Vucevic notably went to the charity stripe only three times, with the bulk of his scoring coming from his strong 11 - for - 16 tally from the field. Ibaka was right behind him with his first 20 - point - plus performance in a Magic uniform, supplying 21 points, four rebounds and two blocks. Elfrid Payton joined Vucevic on the team's double - double club from the night, posting 18 points, 10 assists, three rebounds, two steals and a block. Evan Fournier continued his strong start to the season with 17 points, five rebounds, five assists and a steal. Saric paced the Sixers with 21 points and complemented them with three rebounds, an assist and a steal. Embiid was next with an 18 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included three assists and four blocks. Veteran Gerald Henderson registered 18 points, four rebounds, an assist and a steal. Sergio Rodriguez continued to surprise with 12 points, 11 assists and five rebounds while manning the point. Robert Covington was notably scoreless over 28 minutes, the second straight game in which he's notched a zero in the scoring column. However, Hollis Thompson came off the bench to supply 22 points, along with seven rebounds, an assist and a block. The Magic return home to face off with the Sacramento Kings on Thursday, while the Sixers hit the road to Charlotte for a Wednesday night date with the Hornets."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "38", "Knicks": "37"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "105", "Knicks": "102"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"76ers": "29", "Knicks": "35"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"76ers": "34", "Knicks": "18"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"76ers": "16", "Knicks": "28"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "23", "Knicks": "25"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Kristaps Porzingis": "1", "Courtney Lee": "3", "Derrick Rose": "5", "Robert Covington": "3", "Dario Saric": "4", "Jahlil Okafor": "1", "T.J. McConnell": "4", "Justin Anderson": "2"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "18", "Lance Thomas": "21", "Kristaps Porzingis": "18", "Courtney Lee": "16", "Derrick Rose": "20", "Robert Covington": "16", "Dario Saric": "21", "Jahlil Okafor": "12", "T.J. McConnell": "11", "Richaun Holmes": "10", "Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot": "10", "Justin Anderson": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Derrick Rose": "4", "Robert Covington": "4", "Dario Saric": "10", "Jahlil Okafor": "8", "T.J. McConnell": "4", "Justin Anderson": "5"}, "Steals": {"Lance Thomas": "2", "Kristaps Porzingis": "1", "Courtney Lee": "2", "Derrick Rose": "2", "Robert Covington": "1", "T.J. McConnell": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Robert Covington": "5", "Jahlil Okafor": "1", "T.J. McConnell": "1", "Justin Anderson": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Dario Saric": "6"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Justin Anderson": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Justin Anderson": "6"}, "Personal fouls": {"Justin Anderson": "2"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the New York Knicks, 105 - 102, at Wells Fargo Center on Friday evening. The two teams engaged in a rollercoaster affair, one that saw each of them dominate a quarter apiece and the Sixers make a modest comeback in the final minute to seal the win. The Sixers (23 - 38) decisively erased a 35 - 29 first - quarter deficit by exploding for 34 points of their own in the second period and limiting the Knicks (25 - 37) to 18 overall. New York turned the tables coming out of intermission, winning the third period by a 28 - 16 margin. That set up a nip - and - tuck fourth quarter that was decided in the final minute. The Knicks had a 102 - 100 lead at the one - minute mark after two Derrick Rose free throws but would n't score again, with Dario Saric sinking three of four free throws and Justin Anderson draining a six - foot jumper over the final 48 seconds to seal the win. Lance Thomas led the way for New York with 21 points, which he supplemented with seven rebounds and two steals. Rose was right behind him with 20 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals. Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis supplied matching 18 - point efforts, with the former adding six rebounds, two assists, three steals and one block, and the latter providing seven rebounds, one assist and one steal. Courtney Lee tallied 16 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Saric bounced back from a subpar effort against the Miami Heat on Wednesday to pace Philadelphia with a 21 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included four assists. Anderson turned in his best game since joining the Sixers, leading the second unit with 19 points, five rebounds, two assists and one block. Robert Covington registered 16 points, four rebounds, three assists, five blocks and one steal. Jahlil Okafor compiled 12 points, eight boards, one assist and one block. T.J. McConnell submitted 11 points, four rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block. Richaun Holmes and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot were productive as reserves as well with matching 10 - point tallies. The Knicks head back home to tangle with the Golden State Warriors on Sunday afternoon, while the Sixers remain home to face the Detroit Pistons on Saturday evening."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "41", "Hawks": "46"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hawks": "16"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul Millsap": "1"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "22", "Dwight Howard": "10", "Dennis Schroder": "11", "Mike Muscala": "11", "Cody Zeller": "23", "Nicolas Batum": "24", "Kemba Walker": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "13", "Dwight Howard": "18", "Marvin Williams": "11"}, "Turnovers": {"Dwight Howard": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Cody Zeller": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Cody Zeller": "9"}}], "Nicolas Batum, Kemba Walker and Cody Zeller ripped off a trio of 20 - point efforts to spearhead the hard - fought division win, helping the Hornets overcome a collective 41 percent field - goal percentage. Batum's 24 points led the way, while Zeller was outstanding in compiling a season - high 23 points on a 9 - of - 10 shooting tally. Walker totaled 21 points and Marvin Williams hauled in 11 rebounds. The Hawks posted a superior 46 percent success rate from the field, but did also turn the ball over 16 times, five more than the Hornets. Dwight Howard returned from a one - game absence to post a 10 - point, 18 - rebound double - double, but it was Paul Millsap's 22 - point, 13 - rebound performance that paced Atlanta. Kent Bazemore and Dennis Schroder combined for 30 points, while Mike Muscala (11 points) led the reserves in his return to the second unit."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "20", "Celtics": "19"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "117", "Celtics": "119"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "19", "Celtics": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Jae Crowder": "6", "Isaiah Thomas": "5", "Jared Dudley": "4", "Marcin Gortat": "1", "Garrett Temple": "3", "John Wall": "13"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jae Crowder": "2", "John Wall": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jae Crowder": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Jae Crowder": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jae Crowder": "2", "John Wall": "1"}, "Points": {"Jae Crowder": "22", "Jared Sullinger": "14", "Isaiah Thomas": "32", "Marcus Smart": "13", "Kelly Olynyk": "11", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "10", "Jared Dudley": "15", "Marcin Gortat": "18", "Garrett Temple": "12", "John Wall": "36", "Gary Neal": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Jae Crowder": "8", "Jared Sullinger": "9", "Isaiah Thomas": "4", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "6", "Jared Dudley": "7", "Marcin Gortat": "11", "Garrett Temple": "3", "John Wall": "7", "Gary Neal": "3"}, "Steals": {"Isaiah Thomas": "1", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "2", "Jared Dudley": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "1", "John Wall": "7", "Gary Neal": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Isaiah Thomas": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Marcin Gortat": "2", "Garrett Temple": "1", "John Wall": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Marcin Gortat": "36"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"John Wall": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"John Wall": "3"}}], "The Boston Celtics (22 - 19) defeated the Washington Wizards (19 - 20) 119 - 117 on Saturday. With backcourt mate Bradley Beal taking the night off to rest, John Wall predictably exploded across the stat sheet, managing 36 points, 13 assists, seven rebounds, seven steals and a block. It was the All-Star point guard's third straight double - double when Beal has been out of the lineup. However, the game's final play turned the night into a bittersweet one for both Wall and the team. Following a Jae Crowder basket with just under three seconds left and the Celtics up by two, Wall ran the length of the court and appeared to have a game - tying gim me layup in his sights. However, the 25 - year - old put a bit too much mustard on the ball and it bounced out as time expired, sending Boston home winners. The Celtics were led by Isaiah Thomas, who in conjunction with Wall, put on a terrific show. Thomas managed 32 points, five assists, four rebounds and a steal, but did commit seven turnovers. Crowder was outstanding in support, collecting 22 points, eight rebounds and six assists, including the game - winning basket. Jared Sullinger came just a rebound short of a double - double, tallying 14 points and hauling in nine boards. Marcus Smart and Kelly Olynyk paced the Boston reserves with 13 and 11 points, respectively. No other Wizards player came close to Wall's oustanding scoring total, but Marcin Gortat did return from a knee infection to post a solid 18 points, 11 rebounds, an assist, a steal and a pair of blocks. The big man encouragingly played 36 minutes and did not appear to show any ill effects from his recent injury. Jared Dudley was next with 15 points, seven rebounds, four assists and a steal, while Garrett Temple turned in another serviceable performance in Beal's stead, collecting 12 points, three rebounds, three assists and a block. Kelly Oubre filled in productively for Otto Porter, Jr., registering 10 points, six rebounds and two steals. Gary Neal paced the Washington reserves with 10 points, three rebounds and a steal. The Celtics head to Dallas for a Monday matchup against the Mavericks, while the Wizards remain home and await the Portland Trail Blazers."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Raptors": "25", "Lakers": "16"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "54", "Lakers": "34"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "6", "Lakers": "11"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "113", "Lakers": "80"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Raptors": "41"}, "Turnovers": {"Raptors": "10", "Lakers": "16"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "13", "Lakers": "10"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Lakers": "14"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Julius Randle": "22"}, "Points": {"Julius Randle": "8", "Brandon Ingram": "17", "Jordan Clarkson": "14", "Lou Williams": "13", "Norman Powell": "16", "DeMar DeRozan": "16", "Kyle Lowry": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Julius Randle": "8", "Brandon Ingram": "6", "Norman Powell": "7", "DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jordan Clarkson": "15", "Lou Williams": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "4", "Lou Williams": "4"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "6", "Kyle Lowry": "7"}}], "The host Toronto Raptors defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 113 - 80, at Air Canada Center on Friday. The Raptors came into this game as a sizable favorite and they left no doubt with this result. In fact, Toronto pulled out the rare wire - to - wire win, as they dominated from start to finish. The second quarter is when it really fell apart for Los Angeles, as they allowed Toronto to drop 41 points, as they trailed by 21 headed into the half. The assist - to - turnover ratio was a huge difference, with Toronto recording 25 assists to 10 turnovers, while Los Angeles matched their turnovers and assists at 16 a piece. The Raptors shot 54 percent from the field, while the Lakers shot just 34 percent. Los Angeles (10 - 11) has been regressing over recent weeks and this was a tough task north of the border. The bench was the only thing keeping them around, as Jordan Clarkson and Lou Williams both scored in double figures yet again. They did struggle shooting though, as Williams went 4 - of - 14 on his way to 13 points and Clarkson went 4 - of - 15 for 14 points. Brandon Ingram was the lone starter in double figures, as he totaled 17 points and six rebounds in the defeat. Julius Randle finished with eight points and eight rebounds in just 22 minutes. The Lakers will have to play again on Saturday, as they face the Memphis Grizzlies on the road. Toronto (13 - 6) has now won five - straight games and are scoring at will. In fact, they are averaging just shy of 120 points a game in that span. The Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan duo once again carried the load. Lowry tallied 24 points, four rebounds and seven assists, while DeRozan finished with 16 points, four rebounds and six assists. Norman Powell started for DeMarre Carroll and accrued 16 points and seven rebounds as a nice fill - in small forward. Cory Joseph and Lucas Nogueira combined for 27 points on 12 - of - 15 shooting off the bench. Toronto will remain at home, as they host the struggling Atlanta Hawks on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "8", "Bucks": "6"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "96", "Bucks": "73"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "3", "Bucks": "5"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Jabari Parker": "20", "Hassan Whiteside": "12", "Dion Waiters": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Jabari Parker": "5", "Hassan Whiteside": "5", "Dion Waiters": "10"}, "Points": {"Jabari Parker": "11", "Hassan Whiteside": "12", "Dion Waiters": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Jabari Parker": "8", "Hassan Whiteside": "17"}, "Steals": {"Hassan Whiteside": "2"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, 96 - 73, at American Airlines Arena on Thursday. The length of the Bucks (5 - 6) caused some issues early on for the Heat (3 - 8), but the Heat pushed through it and turned to their big man Hassan Whiteside on both ends of the court to finish the job at home. It was only the third win of the season for Miami, but the starters rounded out the scoring sheet, as only Derrick Williams finished below double figures. Goran Dragic (ankle) started the game after successfully going through practice and shootaround, while sophomore Justice Winslow (wrist) was ruled out. The neck - and - neck game was close all the way up until the fourth quarter, but the Bucks simply ran out of steam and had a handful of bad breaks, even after an all - around performance from Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Greek Freak finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three blocks, while Jabari Parker struggled to string together another solid contest after finishing with 11 points and eight rebounds on 5 - of - 20 shooting. Whiteside dominated the offensive and defensive ends of the floor after putting up 12 points, 17 rebounds and seven blocks, to go along with two steals on 5 - of - 12 shooting. Dion Waiters had the hot hand on the scoring front after contributing 23 points on 10 - of - 22 shooting. Both teams play on Saturday, as the Heat take on the Wizards in Washington, while the Bucks host the Warriors."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "30", "Mavericks": "28"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "99", "Mavericks": "95"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "13", "Mavericks": "14"}}, {"Points": {"Wesley Matthews": "18", "Harrison Barnes": "15", "Dirk Nowitzki": "19", "Seth Curry": "15", "J.J. Barea": "13", "Goran Dragic": "32", "Tyler Johnson": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Seth Curry": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Goran Dragic": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Goran Dragic": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Goran Dragic": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Goran Dragic": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Goran Dragic": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Tyler Johnson": "28"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the Dallas Mavericks 99 - 95 Thursday at AmericanAirlines Arena. While the Heat (13 - 30) managed to open up a seven - point lead at the end of the first quarter, but a brutal second quarter, which they lost by 16 points, put their chances of winning against the red - hot Mavericks (14 - 28), who came in as winners of three straight games, in serious doubt. But Miami managed to gain back the lead and pull away in the second half on the back of yet another great performance from starting point guard Goran Dragic. Dragic finished with a game - high 32 points on 11 - of - 15 shooting from the field, which included hitting all four of his shots from behind the arc. Tyler Johnson also added yet another solid performance off the bench, scoring an efficient 23 points in 28 minutes as a reserve. For Dallas, they came just short of extending their win streak to four games despite having a solid all - around team effort. Dirk Nowitzki continues his return to form, as he led the way for the Mavericks with 19 points, while Wesley Matthews added 18 points of his own. Harrison Barnes and Seth Curry each added 15 points, while J.J. Barea added 13 points off the bench, but the other four Mavericks that played Thursday combined to score just 15 points. Up next, the Heat will look to extend their win streak to three games against the Bucks on Saturday, while the Mavericks will play again Friday against the Jazz."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "53"}, "Rebounds": {"Pelicans": "41", "Mavericks": "32"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Mavericks": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"Deron Williams": "9", "Seth Curry": "7", "Anthony Davis": "4"}, "Points": {"Deron Williams": "24", "Seth Curry": "16", "Anthony Davis": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "16"}}], "While there were only six ties and four lead changes in total, this game was close with neither team leading by more than 11 points. The Pelicans offense was very efficient, as they shot 53 percent from the field. Transition defense was important for New Orleans as well, as they held the Mavericks to no fastbreak points, while scoring seven of their own. The Pelicans dominated the boards, winning the rebounding battle, 41 - 32. Deron Williams was Dallas' best player, as he tallied 24 points and nine assists in the defeat. Seth Curry was the Mavericks only bench player in double figures, as he totaled 16 points and seven assists. Anthony Davis was the player of the game, as he accumulated 28 points, 16 rebounds and four assists in the win. Langston Galloway and E'Twaun Moore were huge off the bench, combining for 33 points on 13 - of - 18 shooting."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "10", "Timberwolves": "10"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "117", "Timberwolves": "96"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "6", "Timberwolves": "4"}}, {"Free throws made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "9"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "13", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "9", "Zach LaVine": "26", "Anthony Davis": "45", "Jrue Holiday": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2", "Anthony Davis": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Steals": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Anthony Davis": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Anthony Davis": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "10"}, "Assists": {"Jrue Holiday": "8"}}], "The host New Orleans Pelicans blew out the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves, 117 - 96, at Smoothie King Center on Wednesday. New Orleans (6 - 10) has now won five of its last six contests, turning things around completely after starting the season with eight straight losses. The win comes on the second half of a back - to - back after the Pelicans blew out the Atlanta Hawks, largely without star big man Anthony Davis on the floor. Davis was back in full force on Wednesday, however, contributing 45 points and 10 rebounds while holding opposing big man Karl-Anthony Towns to just nine points. Davis is now one of only two players in the NBA averaging over 30 points per game, and he edged closer to league leader Russell Westbrook with Tuesday's scoring outburst. The return of former All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday has also energized the Pelicans on their win streak. Holiday scored only seven points in Tuesday's win, but led the offense effectively, dishing out eight assists. Minnesota (4 - 10), meanwhile, has now lost three contests in a row. After receiving offseason hype, the Timberwolves have turned out a fairly slow start to the 2016 - 17 campaign. Although the team has struggled, youngsters Zach LaVine, Andrew Wiggins, and Towns have shown signs of progress. LaVine demonstrated that progress by leading the Wolves with 26 points in New Orleans. Wiggins and Towns, meanwhile, had off nights, posting 13 and nine respectively. The Pelicans will play in Portland on Friday, while the Timberwolves will travel to Oracle Arena on Saturday to face the surging Golden State Warriors."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "52", "Knicks": "55"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "97", "Knicks": "81"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"76ers": "29"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "17", "Knicks": "14"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "36"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Lou Amundson": "16", "Langston Galloway": "33", "Nerlens Noel": "32"}, "3-pointers made": {"Alexey Shved": "7", "Isaiah Canaan": "4"}, "Points": {"Alexey Shved": "25", "Langston Galloway": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "23", "Ish Smith": "15"}, "Assists": {"Nerlens Noel": "1", "Ish Smith": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Nerlens Noel": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Nerlens Noel": "14", "Ish Smith": "4"}, "Steals": {"Nerlens Noel": "5", "Ish Smith": "2"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers (17 - 52) defeated the New York Knicks (14 - 55), 97 - 81, in a battle of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference. It was the first time all season the Sixers were the pregame favorite, and they scored 29 points off 20 Knicks\u2019 turnovers. Nerlens Noel added to his Rookie of the Year resume, scoring a career - high 23 points, grabbing 14 rebounds, recording five steals, blocking three shots and notching one assist in 32 minutes. Newly promoted Ish Smith added 15 points, nine assists, four rebounds, and two steals. Isaiah Canaan hit four three - pointer off the bench, and his 115 three - point attempts after the All-Star break ties Stephen Curry for most. Thomas Robinson was held out as he deals with a rib contusion. He plans to return for the Sixers\u2019 next game. Tim Hardaway Jr. and Cleanthony Early each missed their third straight game due to injury. Lou Amundson was limited to 16 minutes as he fought off an illness. Former Sixer Alexey Shved scored a career - high 25 points and made a career - high seven three - pointers. Langston Galloway struggled the second night of a back - to - back, scoring two points in 33 minutes in his return to his hometown. Cole Aldrich failed to block a shot for the first time in nine contests. The Knicks were held to 32 second - half points and shot 36 percent overall. The Sixers begin a three - game Western Conference road trip Sunday against the Lakers. The Knicks concluded a mini two - game road trip Sunday in Toronto, they\u2019re third game in four days."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "1"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "96", "Heat": "108"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "0"}, "Turnovers": {"Heat": "10"}}, {"Assists": {"Justise Winslow": "4", "Goran Dragic": "6", "Aaron Gordon": "4", "Evan Fournier": "4"}, "Points": {"Justise Winslow": "15", "Hassan Whiteside": "18", "Goran Dragic": "16", "Aaron Gordon": "12", "Nikola Vucevic": "17", "Evan Fournier": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Justise Winslow": "8", "Hassan Whiteside": "14", "Goran Dragic": "6", "Aaron Gordon": "8", "Nikola Vucevic": "14", "Evan Fournier": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Aaron Gordon": "35"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the host Orlando Magic, 108 - 96, on Wednesday in the season opener for both teams at Amway Center. Orlando (0 - 1) was expected to be the more improved team while the Heat (10) were supposed to decline, but that did n't show in the opener. A 37 - 16 run in the second half is when the Heat really pulled away and the Magic simply could n't respond. Defense was key for Miami, as they held Orlando to 39 percent shooting and outrebounded them 53 - 44. Points in the paint was a huge factor as well, with the Heat recording 74 paint points to the Magic's 36. Many people pegged the Heat as a subpar team, but they showed some resiliency in an impressive opener. Hassan Whiteside tallied a team - high 18 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks in the win. Justice Winslow played well too, accumulating 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Goran Dragic was in foul trouble all night, but still finished with 16 points, six rebounds and six assists. Orlando went with a short eight - man rotation in the opener and it simply did n't go well. All five starters did score in double figures, but none of them shot over 50 percent from the field. Evan Fournier led the team in scoring, totaling 20 points, four rebounds and four assists in the defeat. Nikola Vucevic recorded a double - double, amassing 17 points and 14 rebounds. Aaron Gordon played 35 minutes in the defeat, scoring 12 points, grabbing eight boards and dishing out four assists. Both teams return to action on Friday, as the Magic travel to Detroit to play the Pistons and the Heat host the Charlotte Hornets."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "40", "Wizards": "52"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "14", "Wizards": "15"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "97", "Wizards": "107"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bulls": "20", "Wizards": "30"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "14", "Wizards": "13"}, "Turnovers": {"Wizards": "10"}}, {"Points": {"Marcin Gortat": "14", "Bradley Beal": "21", "John Wall": "23", "Jimmy Butler": "20", "Taj Gibson": "17", "Dwyane Wade": "19", "Rajon Rondo": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "11", "John Wall": "6", "Jimmy Butler": "11", "Taj Gibson": "11", "Dwyane Wade": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "6"}, "Assists": {"Bradley Beal": "5", "John Wall": "9", "Jimmy Butler": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "10"}, "Steals": {"Bradley Beal": "2", "John Wall": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rajon Rondo": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Rajon Rondo": "1"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the host Chicago Bulls, 107 - 97, at United Center on Wednesday. These are two teams going in opposite directions and this result shows just which way. This game was close throughout though, as there were 11 ties and 17 lead changes in total, with neither team leading by more than 13 points. The fourth quarter is when things really separated, with Washington winning that quarter, 30 - 20. The shooting was the glaring difference, as the Wizards shot 52 percent from the field, while the Bulls barely cracked 40 percent. In addition, Chicago went just 3 - of - 18 from three - point range and 18 - of - 25 from the free - throw line. Fastbreak points was the only other big differential, with Washington doubling up Chicago, 32 - 16 in that category. Washington (13 - 15) have now won six of their last eight games and road wins against a tough team like the Bulls shows their recent progression. John Wall was once again the catalyst, as he tallied 23 points, six rebounds, nine assists and three steals. Bradley Beal was n't far behind, as he accrued 21 points, five assists and two steals. Marcin Gortat recorded a double - double, totaling 14 points and 11 rebounds. Otto Porter played just 12 minutes, as he left with back spasms in the second quarter. The Wizards will look to keep rolling on Friday in a road matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks. Chicago (14 - 14) has now lost seven of their last 10 games and home losses against teams like the Wizards simply wo n't get it done. Jimmy Butler did all he could for the Bulls, as he led the team with 20 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. Taj Gibson also played well, amassing 17 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks in the defeat. Rajon Rondo did provide six rebounds and 10 assists, but shot just 1 - of - 10 from the field to score three points. Dwyane Wade also shot poorly, but accumulated 19 points, three rebounds and three assists. Butler, Rondo and Wade combined to shoot 14 - of - 50 in the loss. The Bulls will look to get out of this slump on Friday in a road matchup against the Charlotte Hornets."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "9", "Hornets": "23"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "102", "Hornets": "83"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "22", "Hornets": "10"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "17"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "38"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "28", "Josh Smith": "28"}, "Points": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "16", "Josh Smith": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "8", "Josh Smith": "4"}, "Assists": {"Josh Smith": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Josh Smith": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Josh Smith": "3"}, "Steals": {"Josh Smith": "3"}}], "The Houston Rockets (22 - 9) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (10 - 23) 102 - 83 on Wednesday. Houston snapped their two - game losing streak with the win. Josh Smith continues to struggle with his shot since moving into the starting lineup three games ago, but he had a productive night in other categories, finishing with a line of five points, four rebounds, three assists, three steals and three blocks in 28 minutes. The Rockets had a poor showing on offense Wednesday. It was their defense that got the win. They held the Hornets to 38 percent shooting from the field and 17 percent from beyond the arc. Houston will go on the road to face the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday. Charlotte has lost four straight, and with Al Jefferson (groin) expected to miss at least the next four weeks, it's getting hard to find reasons to think the Hornets could climb back into the playoff conversation this season. Lance Stephenson (pelvic) has started to do some work in practice but is n't considered too close to returning. Most of Charlotte's options in the frontcourt right now are underwhelming, but Michael Kidd-Gilchrist showed up well Wednesday with 16 points and eight rebounds in 28 minutes. They'll return home to host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "21"}, "Turnovers": {"Celtics": "17"}}, {"Points": {"Jae Crowder": "15", "Al Horford": "27", "Avery Bradley": "13", "Marcus Smart": "8", "Terry Rozier": "14", "Kelly Olynyk": "12", "Robert Covington": "16", "Dario Saric": "23", "Jahlil Okafor": "4", "Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot": "13", "Gerald Henderson": "9", "Nik Stauskas": "9", "Sergio Rodriguez": "9"}, "Assists": {"Marcus Smart": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcus Smart": "6", "Terry Rozier": "10"}, "Steals": {"Marcus Smart": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Jahlil Okafor": "12"}}], "Philadelphia overcame a 13 - point fourth - quarter deficit, forced 17 turnovers and limited Boston to 40 percent shooting from the field and 21 percent from three - point range. Dario Saric's 23 points led the Sixers. Robert Covington tallied 16 points and drained the go - ahead three - pointer. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot supplied 13 points. Jahlil Okdafor (knee) had four points in 12 minutes before exiting. A trio of nine - point efforts from Sergio Rodriguez, Gerald Henderson and Nik Stauskas paced the reserves. Al Horford's 27 points paced the Celtics. Jae Crowder registered 15 points, while Terry Rozier was next with a bench - leading 14 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Avery Bradley supplied 13 point and Kelly Olynyk was productive off the bench as well with 12. Marcus Smart drew a second straight start for Isaiah Thomas (knee) and produced eight points, eight assists, six rebounds and two steals."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "45", "Heat": "33"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "47", "Heat": "42"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "5", "Heat": "22"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "104", "Heat": "89"}, "Turnovers": {"Warriors": "13"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "31", "Heat": "17"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Luol Deng": "4", "Chris Bosh": "4", "Shabazz Napier": "3", "Klay Thompson": "9", "Stephen Curry": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Luol Deng": "2", "Chris Bosh": "2", "Shabazz Napier": "1", "Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Luol Deng": "11", "Chris Bosh": "18", "Shabazz Napier": "7", "Klay Thompson": "17", "Stephen Curry": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Luol Deng": "6", "Chris Bosh": "8", "Shabazz Napier": "3", "Klay Thompson": "7", "Stephen Curry": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Luol Deng": "8", "Chris Bosh": "8", "Shabazz Napier": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Luol Deng": "5", "Chris Bosh": "8", "Shabazz Napier": "3"}, "Points": {"Luol Deng": "19", "Chris Bosh": "26", "Hassan Whiteside": "10", "Shabazz Napier": "10", "Klay Thompson": "19", "Stephen Curry": "32", "Andre Iguodala": "9", "Leandro Barbosa": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Luol Deng": "7", "Chris Bosh": "7", "Hassan Whiteside": "12"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Hassan Whiteside": "3", "Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Hassan Whiteside": "3"}, "Assists": {"Shabazz Napier": "6", "Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (31 - 5) defeated the Miami Heat (17 - 22) 104 - 89 on Wednesday at Oracle Arena in Oakland. The Warriors got off to an extremely fast start in this game, out - scoring the Heat 55 - 38 in the first half alone. The Warriors were the superior shooters in this game, going 47 percent from the field and 45 percent from the three - point line, while the Heat went 42 percent from the floor and just 33 percent from beyond the arc. The Warriors were also able to force the Heat into 19 turnovers, while only committing 13 of their own. The Warriors were led by their superstar backcourt of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, as they were the only players on the team to reach double figures in points. Curry went an impressive 11 - for - 19 from the field and 7 - for - 10 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 32 points, while also adding three assists and two steals. He's combined for 59 points over his last two games, as he continues to have the hot hand. Thompson on the other hand went 7 - for - 17 from the floor and 3 - for - 9 from beyond the arc to score 19 points. The Warriors had a solid bench contribution in this one, as they scored 41 points to help out the starters. Both Andre Iguodala and Leaondro Barbosa were the bench scoring leaders with nine points apiece. Chris Bosh and Luol Deng were the biggest contributions from the Heat in this game. Bosh finished with 26 points (8 - 18 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 8 - 8 FT) and seven rebounds, while Deng had 19 points (6 - 11 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 5 - 8 FT) and seven rebounds. Bosh was coming off a a very poor shooting performance (4 - 17 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt) on Tuesday, so it was good to see him have a bounce back game. With Dwyane Wade sitting out with a hamstring injury, rookie Shabazz Napier moved into the starting lineup for the first time in his career. He finished with 10 points (3 - 7 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) and six assists, marking a new season - high in assists. The only other Heat player to reach double figures was Hassan Whiteside, who also moved into the starting lineup, and finished with 10 points. He added 12 rebounds, notching his second double - double in the last three games. The Warriors' next game will be on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday, while the Heat will travel to Sacramento to play the Kings on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "29", "Grizzlies": "27"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "95", "Grizzlies": "83"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "37", "Grizzlies": "39"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "26"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "35"}, "Turnovers": {"Grizzlies": "16"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Tony Allen": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tony Allen": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tony Allen": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Tony Allen": "5"}, "Points": {"Tony Allen": "15", "Jarell Martin": "10", "Ray McCallum": "13", "Lance Stephenson": "18", "Paul Millsap": "21", "Al Horford": "19", "Kyle Korver": "15", "Jeff Teague": "18", "Thabo Sefolosha": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Tony Allen": "9", "Jarell Martin": "4", "Ray McCallum": "4", "Lance Stephenson": "8", "Paul Millsap": "7", "Al Horford": "8", "Kyle Korver": "4", "Jeff Teague": "2", "Thabo Sefolosha": "11"}, "Steals": {"Tony Allen": "2", "Jarell Martin": "1", "Ray McCallum": "2", "Paul Millsap": "1", "Kyle Korver": "2", "Jeff Teague": "1", "Thabo Sefolosha": "1"}, "Assists": {"Ray McCallum": "2", "Lance Stephenson": "6", "Paul Millsap": "5", "Al Horford": "2", "Kyle Korver": "3", "Jeff Teague": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Ray McCallum": "1", "Paul Millsap": "1", "Al Horford": "4", "Kyle Korver": "2", "Jeff Teague": "2", "Thabo Sefolosha": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Lance Stephenson": "30"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (37 - 29) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (39 - 27) 95 - 83 on Saturday. The Hawks put together one of their strongest defensive efforts of the year in stifling a depleted Grizzlies offense, which finally seemed to hit a wall after playing well in recent games despite numerous injuries. Saturday, they were once again without Zach Randolph (knee), Mike Conley (foot) and Chris Andersen (shoulder), leaving them considerably short - handed. Memphis also appeared spent after an exhilirating overtime victory over the Pelicans on Friday night, and saw only one starter, Tony Allen, post double - digit scoring. They managed a lackluster 35 percent success rate from the field, and a 26 percent figure from three - point range. Their fatigue also was reflected in their 16 turnovers, and their overall sluggish performance. Allen's 15 points paced the Memphis starting five, and he added nine rebounds and two steals. Lance Stephenson was the overall team leader on offense for the second straight night, posting 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists over 30 minutes. The newly - signed Ray McCallum acquitted himself well in his first game with the Grizzlies, totaling 13 points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. Jarell Martin was the third reserve to post double - digit scoring, registering 10 points, four rebounds and a steal. The Grizzlies remain in second place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division, and currently hold the fifth seed in the conference. They head to Houston to face the Rockets on Monday night. Atlanta was paced by Paul Millsap, who posted 21 points, seven rebounds, five assists, a steal and a block. Al Horford followed with 19 points, eight boards, two assists and four blocks. Jeff Teague was next in line with 18 points, seven assists, two rebounds, a steal and two blocks. Kyle Korver contributed 15 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. Thabo Sefolosha led the Hawks bench with 13 points, 11 rebounds, a steal and two blocks. Atlanta remains in third place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division, and has a hold of the sixth seed in the conference as well. They're home again against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "19", "Spurs": "6"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "90", "Spurs": "110"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "13", "Spurs": "24"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Spurs": "60"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "50"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "10"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "33", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "18", "Patty Mills": "23", "CJ McCollum": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "14"}, "Assists": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "6"}}], "The visiting San Antonio Spurs demolished the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday, 110 - 90. The Spurs (24 - 6) bounced back from a loss to the Clippers on Thursday with a crushing defeat of the Blazers on Friday. San Antonio advanced to 16 - 2 on the road, remaining the league's best road team. On Friday, star forward Kawhi Leonard led the way with 33 points on incredible efficiency. Leonard shot 9 - of - 15 including 5 - of - 7 from three and made all ten of his free - throw attempts. Forward LaMarcus Aldridge upped his production in the absence of big man Pau Gasol (rest), dropping 18 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists. Bench guard Patty Mills also added 23. Portland (13 - 19) is in the midst of a midseason crisis, as the team has now gone just 1 - 9 in its last ten games. The Blazers' defense currently ranks as the worst of any team in this decade, and it showed on Friday. Portland allowed the Spurs to shoot a scorching 50 percent from the field and 60 percent from beyond the arc. The team also saw underwhelming offensive production, as star guards Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum scored only 16 points each. The Spurs will play host to the Chicago Bulls on Christmas Day."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "23", "Warriors": "13"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "84", "Warriors": "107"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "50", "Warriors": "59"}}, {"Points": {"Klay Thompson": "28", "Stephen Curry": "38", "Marc Gasol": "13", "Jeff Green": "16"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "10", "Jeff Green": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Marc Gasol": "1", "Jeff Green": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "5", "Jeff Green": "8"}, "Turnovers": {"Marc Gasol": "4", "Jeff Green": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jeff Green": "1"}, "Steals": {"Jeff Green": "1"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (59 - 13) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (50 - 23) 107 - 84. The Splash brothers, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, turned the most intriguing matchup of the night into a slaughter. Curry put up 38 point and 10 assists, as Thompson poured in 28 points of his own to help their team take down the second best team in the Western Conference. Andrew Bogut played a big role in slowing down Marc Gasol, who's having his best season as a pro. The Warriors have a white - knuckle grip on the top seed in the and also own the best record in all of the NBA this season. They combine good chemistry with the ability to play multiple styles of offence to back up their spectacular defense. They stand a chance at ending the regular season with one of the best team records of all - time. Memphis was unable to successfully defend their homecourt against the Warriors on Friday. Most teams have been unable to do that this year but few would've expected the laugher that ensued when these two teams matched up. Jeff Green was probably the top performer for the Griz, he finished with 16 points and eight boards to go along with a negative 16 in the plus/minus statistic. Marc Gasol had one of his worst games of the year posting 13 points, five rebounds, four turnovers and a mind boggling negative 27 in the plus/minus. The Grizzlies will look to forget this game as they will take on the Spurs in San Antonio on Sunday. The Warriors will try and continue their spectacular play when they take on the Bucks in Milwaukee on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "14", "Jazz": "14"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "115", "Jazz": "104"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Celtics": "28", "Jazz": "29"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "21", "Jazz": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "2", "Derrick Favors": "7", "Rodney Hood": "4", "Joe Johnson": "2", "Jae Crowder": "1", "Al Horford": "4", "Avery Bradley": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "15", "Marcus Smart": "3"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "23", "Derrick Favors": "12", "Rudy Gobert": "8", "Rodney Hood": "9", "Joe Johnson": "17", "Boris Diaw": "15", "Jae Crowder": "21", "Al Horford": "21", "Avery Bradley": "14", "Isaiah Thomas": "29", "Marcus Smart": "9", "Jaylen Brown": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "2", "Derrick Favors": "6", "Rudy Gobert": "13", "Rodney Hood": "3", "Joe Johnson": "3", "Jae Crowder": "3", "Al Horford": "5", "Avery Bradley": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "4", "Marcus Smart": "1"}, "Steals": {"Gordon Hayward": "1", "Joe Johnson": "1", "Boris Diaw": "1", "Jae Crowder": "1", "Al Horford": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Derrick Favors": "29", "Boris Diaw": "15", "Marcus Smart": "28"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "1", "Joe Johnson": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Isaiah Thomas": "1"}}], "The Boston Celtics defeated the Utah Jazz, 115 - 104, at TD Center on Tuesday. The Celtics (21 - 14) came in to the game refreshed, having last played when the calendar still read 2016. Isaiah Thomas, who'd posted a career - high 52 points in that Dec. 30 victory, decided that he wanted to get the new year off on a momentous note as well. This time his remarkable accomplishment came in the assist category, as the point guard dished out a career - best 15 dimes, and scored 29 points, hauled in four rebounds and recorded a steal. His standout effort helped Boston overcome a slim 29 - 28 deficit after one quarter and outscore the Jazz (22 - 14) by an 87 - 75 margin the rest of the way. Utah was led by Gordon Hayward's 23 points, which he supplemented with two rebounds, two assists and a steal. Derrick Favors saw 29 minutes, his highest allotment since returning from a lengthy absence due to knee trouble, and produced 12 points, seven assists and six boards. Rodney Hood supplied nine points, four assists and three rebounds. Rudy Gobert could only tally eight points but did haul in 13 rebounds and record a block. A pair of wily veterans led the bench, as Joe Johnson generated 17 points, three rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal, while Boris Diaw went for 15 points in just 15 minutes. Al Horford and Jae Crowder checked in behind Thomas with matching 21 - point efforts, with the former adding five rebounds, four assists and a steal, and the latter posting three boards, an assist and a steal. Avery Bradley returned from a recent illness to compile 14 points, three rebounds and two assists. Jaylen Brown led the second unit with 10 - point tally, while Marcus Smart overcame the same stomach virus that had afflicted Bradley to suit up and go for nine points, three assists and a rebound off the bench over 28 minutes. The Jazz cross the border and take on the Toronto Raptors in their next contest on Thursday night, while the Celtics remain home and await the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday evening."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "14", "Hornets": "12"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "102", "Hornets": "95"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "15", "Hornets": "15"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "35"}}, {"Assists": {"James Harden": "7"}, "Blocks": {"James Harden": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"James Harden": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"James Harden": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "16", "Terrence Jones": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "9", "Terrence Jones": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Harden": "19"}, "Free throws made": {"James Harden": "16"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"James Harden": "1"}, "Points": {"James Harden": "36", "Terrence Jones": "17", "Marcus Thornton": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "5"}}], "The Rockets (15 - 14) defeated the Hornets (15 - 12) 102 - 95 at Toyota Center on Monday. After a very tight first half, the Rockets managed to jump out to a nine - point lead heading into the fourth quarter. But the Hornets responded to even the score, though they were unable to contain James Harden. After scoring just 18 points in Saturday's win, Harden turned in a vintage performance with 36 points (9 - 16 FG, 2 - 7 3Pt, 16 - 19 FT) to go along with seven assists and five rebounds. It was the third straight win for the Rockets, who are over the .500 mark on the season for the first time since Nov. 7. Harden did n't get much help from the rest of the Rockets' starters, but he did get some support from the bench. Terrence Jones posted 17 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting from the field and Marcus Thornton put up 13 with a pair of 3 - pointers. Dwight Howard was relatively quiet after recording back - to - back double - doubles. Houston will get a chance to extend its win streak to four games Wednesday against the Magic. The Hornets - - for the most part - - played a pretty tight defensive game, but had no one to slow down Harden, which was the difference in the end. They also experienced one of their worst offensive games of the season, shooting just under 35 percent from the field while hitting just 12 - of - 41 attempts from beyond the arc. Charlotte tried to spread the ball around with seven players taking eight or more shot attempts, but it did n't translate into winning basketball. The Hornets will look to end their mini two - game skid Wednesday against the Celtics at home."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "48", "Nuggets": "39"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "27", "Nuggets": "43"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "105", "Nuggets": "90"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "45", "Nuggets": "31"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Nuggets": "24"}, "Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "15"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Gary Harris": "29", "Jusuf Nurkic": "24", "D.J. Augustin": "34"}, "Points": {"Gary Harris": "11", "Jusuf Nurkic": "19", "D.J. Augustin": "18", "DeAndre Jordan": "16", "Chris Paul": "14"}, "Assists": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "3", "D.J. Augustin": "10", "DeAndre Jordan": "2", "Chris Paul": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "7", "DeAndre Jordan": "16", "Chris Paul": "6"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "6", "Chris Paul": "1"}, "Steals": {"DeAndre Jordan": "2", "Chris Paul": "1"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (45 - 27) defeated the visiting Denver Nuggets (31 - 43) 105 - 90, Sunday afternoon at Staples Center. The Nuggets entered Sunday winners of three of their last four, while the Clippers had lost three of four, however the trends did not continue as the Clippers downed the Nuggets, defending home court and clinching a playoff berth for the fifth year in a row. Clippers sit comfortably in fourth place, 5 games ahead of Memphis, while Denver needs to go nearly perfect in the rest of its games in order to have a shot at eighth. The Nuggets' window of opportunity is closing, as they play two of their next three games on the road, where they are now 14 - 24. Six players scored in double digits, while 11 players logged over 10 minutes and no starters played more than 30 minutes for the Clippers as they used a sound team effort in the victory. DeAndre Jordan finished with 16 points, 16 rebounds, six blocked shots, two assists and two steals, while Chris Paul added 14 points, nine assists, six rebounds, one steal and one block, to lead the team. The Clippers shot 48 percent from the field and gave up 15 turnovers but also forced Denver into 15 turnovers, while holding them to only 39 percent shooting from the field and 24 percent from long range. The Nugget's bench out - scored their starters 62 - 28. D.J Augustin was solid in 34 minutes off the bench, with 18 points and 10 assists. Jusuf Nurkic added 19 points, seven rebounds and three assists, in 24 minutes off the bench. Gary Harris was the only starter to score in double digits, as he chipped in 11 points in 29 minutes. Next, the Nuggets host Dallas on Monday, in a game that can make or break either team's playoff hopes. The Clippers host the Celtics on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "15", "Timberwolves": "64"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "110", "Timberwolves": "101"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "65", "Timberwolves": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "9", "Draymond Green": "5", "Stephen Curry": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Draymond Green": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Andrew Wiggins": "44", "Harrison Barnes": "29", "Draymond Green": "37", "Stephen Curry": "35"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "17", "Justin Hamilton": "12", "Kevin Martin": "12", "Zach LaVine": "37", "Chase Budinger": "12", "Harrison Barnes": "13", "Draymond Green": "13", "Stephen Curry": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "6", "Harrison Barnes": "12", "Draymond Green": "14", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Steals": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Draymond Green": "2", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "5"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (65 - 15), the best team in the Western Conference, defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (16 - 64), the worst team in the Western Conference, 110 - 101. The Warriors continue to win even though they\u2019ve nothing to play for, having clinched home - court advantage throughout the playoffs already. Leandro Barbosa was given the second straight night off as he deals with an Achilles issue. Stephen Curry added to his NBA record three - pointers made in a season, sinking five to push his total 281 with two games left. He finished the night with 34 points, seven assists, four rebounds and four steals in 35 minutes, improving his bid for Most Valuable Player. Draymond Green, potential Defensive Player of the Year, added 13 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block in 37 minutes. Harrison Barnes, the only Warrior to play every game this season, secured his sixth double - double with 13 points and 12 rebounds in 29 minutes. The Timberwolves 10 - game losing streak gives them the same record as the New York Knicks, both claiming the league\u2019s worst record. Since they Wolves swept the season series, the Knicks hold the inside track for the best chance of landing the first overall selection. Both teams are two games better than the Philadelphia 76ers with two games remaining. Down to eight healthy players, the Wolves learned earlier in the day Ricky Rubio will have arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle early next week, essentially ending his season. Rookie of the Year frontrunner Andrew Wiggins supplied 17 points, a career - high nine assists, six rebounds, three steals, and one block in 44 minutes. He currently leads the NBA in minutes played, surpassing the Rockets\u2019 James Harden by eight minutes for a total of 2,887. Fellow rookie Zach LaVine put on a performance of his own, scoring a career - high 37 points against the league's best defense. Kevin Martin, Justin Hamilton, and Chase Budinger all chipped in with 12 points each. The Warriors host the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, a contest which will help clear up the top of the Western Conference playoff seeding. The Timberwolves begin a two - game homestand Monday against the Pelicans."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "19", "Pistons": "13"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "85", "Pistons": "95"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "6", "Pistons": "14"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Andre Drummond": "3", "Deron Williams": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Andre Drummond": "1", "Deron Williams": "3"}, "Points": {"Andre Drummond": "3", "Reggie Jackson": "20", "Jon Leuer": "19", "Harrison Barnes": "19", "Deron Williams": "16"}, "Assists": {"Harrison Barnes": "2", "Deron Williams": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Harrison Barnes": "2"}, "Steals": {"Harrison Barnes": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Harrison Barnes": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Deron Williams": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Deron Williams": "9"}}], "The Detroit Pistons defeated the host Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, 95 - 85. Detroit (14 - 13) bounced back with the win after losing 97 - 79 to the lowly 76ers on Sunday. Wednesday's game went the opposite direction for the Pistons, in part due to their utter domination on the glass. The team held a 50 - 30 rebounding advantage and had 10 offensive boards. Big man Andre Drummond led the team with a whopping 17 rebounds, despite a marginal contribution on offense (three points, 1 - of - 3 shooting). Point guard Reggie Jackson led the team with 20 points, while forward Jon Leuer came off the bench for 19. The team shot an impressive 50 percent overall on the night. Dallas (6 - 19) sits at the bottom of the Western Conference despite a six - game stretch of .500 basketball heading into Wednesday. The team struggled on offense in Wednesday's contest, shooting just 41 percent from the field. Only two Mavericks scored in double figures, as forward Harrison Barnes led the team with 19 points. Guard Deron Williams scored 16 and shot 9 - of - 9 at the line but was just 3 - of - 13 from the field. Williams also recorded a team - high five assists. The Pistons will play in Washington on Friday against the Wizards, while the Mavericks will head to Utah to take on the Jazz."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "32", "Jazz": "20"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "112", "Jazz": "105"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "21", "Jazz": "34"}}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "36", "Harrison Barnes": "31", "Dirk Nowitzki": "20"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Harrison Barnes": "12"}}], "The host Dallas Mavericks defeated the Utah Jazz on Thursday, 112 - 105, in overtime at American Airlines Center. Dallas (21 - 32) bounced back from two straight losses with a clutch overtime victory against the surging Jazz. Despite Utah leading for much of the game, Dallas was able to pull close at the end of regulation and dominate OT. Forward Harrison Barnes led the Mavericks' offense, scoring 31 points on 12 - of - 20 shooting. Veteran Dirk Nowitzki, meanwhile, scored 20 points including the shot that forced the Jazz into overtime. Nowitzki's veteran presence and scoring touch has been an integral part of the Mavericks' season beginning to turn around. The team failed to find outside shooting on Thursday, hitting only five three - pointers, but made over 50 percent of its shots from the field on the night. Utah (34 - 20), meanwhile, snapped a four - game winning streak with the overtime collapse. The Jazz had led for most of regulation but seemingly ran out of steam at the end of the game, ceding plenty of offense to the Mavericks in OT. Utah saw 36 points from All-Star forward Gordon Hayward, but had a sub - par offensive night outside of his performance. The team hit 13 three - pointers but shot five percent worse from the field than their opponent. Dallas will host the Magic on Saturday, while Utah will host the Celtics."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "1", "Rockets": "2"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "124", "Rockets": "99"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "2", "Rockets": "1"}}, {"Free throws made": {"Dwight Howard": "4"}, "Free throw percentage": {"Dwight Howard": "36"}, "Personal fouls": {"Dwight Howard": "3", "James Harden": "3"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "11"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"James Harden": "3", "DeAndre Jordan": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"James Harden": "4"}, "Points": {"James Harden": "25", "JJ Redick": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"DeAndre Jordan": "36", "Chris Paul": "23", "Austin Rivers": "23"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (2 - 1) defeated the Houston Rockets (1 - 2) 124 - 99, in Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals on Friday. Chris Paul (hamstring) was able to play limited minutes, and started off with a bang. After his first stint in the first quarter he had four points and five assists to get off to a nice start. His teammates kept their foot on the gas which made coach Doc Rivers life easy, as we was only needed to play for 23 minutes. Rivers' son Austin played maybe the best game of his career. He had the crowd in a frenzy, screaming his name at the top of their lungs in the third. He scored 16 points in the third and helped Los Angeles end the quarter on a 170 run. J.J. Redick also blasted 31 points for a new career, playoff - high. DeAndre Jordan was an immaculate plus - 36 in the plus/minus statistic, compared to the negative - 10 of his defensive assignment Dwight Howard. The Rockets looked sluggish for most of Game 3, and clearly did n't have the gusto that the Clippers seemed to have an unlimited supply of. Once the game was out of reach in the third quarter, both teams became chippy. That was to be expected from the get - go seeing as Matt Barnes recieved a $50,0 fine for cursing out the mother of Most Valuable Player runner - up James Harden. 25 points and 11 assists was the final line for Harden, who also had five turnovers. Houston will need a big game from him and Dwight Howard in Game 4 on Sunday to regain some confidence after the blowout suffered in Game 3."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "40", "Pistons": "49"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pistons": "24"}}, {"Points": {"Tobias Harris": "24", "Marcus Morris": "18", "Andre Drummond": "3", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "18", "Jon Leuer": "12", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "10", "Cody Zeller": "8", "Nicolas Batum": "8", "Kemba Walker": "23", "Marco Belinelli": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Andre Drummond": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Cody Zeller": "10", "Nicolas Batum": "11"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Nicolas Batum": "10"}}], "Tobias Harris' team - high 24 points helped the Pistons notch just their second road victory of the season. He was aided by a pair of 18 - point efforts from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Marcus Morris, which helped make up for an ejection of Andre Drummond for elbowing Roy Hibbert. Drummond scored just three points over 13 minutes. Jon Leuer was once again solid off the bench, leading the second unit with 12 points. The Pistons shot 49 percent overall while limiting the Hornets to sub - 40 percent tallies from the field and three - point range. Only three Hornets players scored in double digits. Kemba Walker's 23 points led the way, while Michael Kidd-Gilchrist poured in 10 points overall. Cody Zeller and Nicolas Batum supplemented their eight - point outputs with 10 and 11 rebounds, respectively. Marco Belinelli's 11 points lead the second unit."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "20", "Kings": "29"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "101", "Kings": "90"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Cavaliers": "15"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "28", "Kings": "16"}}, {"Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "21", "Omri Casspi": "15", "LeBron James": "19", "Kevin Love": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "13", "Kevin Love": "10"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "5", "LeBron James": "4"}, "Assists": {"LeBron James": "7"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"LeBron James": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "33", "Kevin Love": "29"}, "Personal fouls": {"LeBron James": "1"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (28 - 20) defeated the Sacramento Kings (16 - 29) 101 - 90 on Friday. Cleveland went into beast mode in the middle of January. They've rattled off nine straight wins to adequately squelch any erroneous chatter about coach David Blatt being on the hot seat. LeBron James returned from a one - game absence Friday after having sat out Wednesday's 99 - 94 win over the Portland Trail Blazers with a wrist injury. James put up 19 points, seven assists, four steals and two blocks in 33 minutes, putting to rest most injury concerns regarding his wrist. Kevin Love rebounded from a poor 3 - for - 15 shooting performance Wednesday to put a game - high 23 points and 10 rebounds in 29 minutes. The Cavaliers are in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings, 12 games behind the conference - leading Atlanta Hawks. Sacramento has lost eight straight games as their playoff chances continue to sputter and die. Even with another two and a half months of the regular season, the Kings sit 10 games behind the Suns for the final playoff spot, and between the Kings and Suns sit two playoff - worthy teams in the Thunder and Pelicans. DeMarcus Cousins was named as an injury replacement for Kobe Bryant (shoulder) on Friday for the All-Star Game, and he celebrated with 21 points, 13 rebounds and five steals. Omri Casspi chipped in 15 points off the bench to help, but the Kings were no match for the ascending Cavaliers. The Cavaliers will go on the road to face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday. The Kings will finish up their four - game road trip against the Indiana Pacers on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "3", "Heat": "2"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "96", "Heat": "105"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "4", "Heat": "5"}}, {"Assists": {"Luol Deng": "4", "Chris Bosh": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "10", "Monta Ellis": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Luol Deng": "9", "Chris Bosh": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "1", "Chandler Parsons": "4", "Monta Ellis": "5", "J.J. Barea": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Luol Deng": "4", "Chris Bosh": "0", "Dwyane Wade": "1", "Chandler Parsons": "0", "Monta Ellis": "2", "J.J. Barea": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Luol Deng": "19", "Chris Bosh": "10", "Dwyane Wade": "18", "Chandler Parsons": "9", "Tyson Chandler": "10", "Monta Ellis": "14", "J.J. Barea": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Luol Deng": "13", "Chris Bosh": "7", "Dwyane Wade": "9", "Chandler Parsons": "1", "Tyson Chandler": "7", "Monta Ellis": "8", "J.J. Barea": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Luol Deng": "2", "Chris Bosh": "11", "Dwyane Wade": "2", "Chandler Parsons": "2", "Monta Ellis": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Luol Deng": "0", "Chris Bosh": "6", "Dwyane Wade": "1", "Chandler Parsons": "2", "Monta Ellis": "5"}, "Points": {"Luol Deng": "30", "Chris Bosh": "20", "Dwyane Wade": "20", "Chandler Parsons": "4", "Tyson Chandler": "16", "Monta Ellis": "23", "J.J. Barea": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Luol Deng": "5", "Chris Bosh": "10", "Tyson Chandler": "15"}, "Steals": {"Luol Deng": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Chris Bosh": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Chris Bosh": "3"}}], "The Miami Heat (5 - 2) took down the Dallas Mavericks (4 - 3) 105 - 96 at the American Airlines Center on Sunday. The Heat did n't need LeBron James to take down the Mavericks on Sunday night, as it was newly acquired Luol Deng who led the charge with 30 points (13 - 19 FG, 4 - 9 3Pt, 0 - 2 FT), to go along with five rebounds, four assists and one steal. The Heat have gotten off on the right foot to start 2014, and the two players left from the \"big three\" stepped up once again in this win, with Chris Bosh posting a double - double of 20 points (7 - 10 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 6 - 11 FT) and 10 rebounds, while also dishing out five assists. Dwyane Wade had a double - double of his own, with 20 points (9 - 18 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and 10 assists. The Heat head back home to take on the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night. The Mavericks could n't use the home court to their advantage in this game, even though they had five players score in double figures. Tyson Chandler had a big double - double with 16 points (7 - 10 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt) and 15 rebounds, while Monta Ellis chipped in 23 points (8 - 14 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT) with five assists. Dallas had a few players really struggle shooting the ball though, as Chandler Parsons scored just four points (1 - 9 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), and J.J. Barea had only three points (1 - 9 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt). The Mavericks are at home once again on Tuesday night against the Sacramento Kings."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "20", "Clippers": "16"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "83", "Clippers": "85"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hawks": "23", "Clippers": "17"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "27", "Clippers": "30"}}, {"Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "1", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Kyle Korver": "1"}, "Points": {"DeAndre Jordan": "13", "JJ Redick": "12", "Chris Paul": "11", "Jamal Crawford": "21", "Kent Bazemore": "12", "Paul Millsap": "14", "Al Horford": "15", "Kyle Korver": "14", "Jeff Teague": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "19", "Jamal Crawford": "1", "Kent Bazemore": "5", "Paul Millsap": "12", "Al Horford": "8", "Kyle Korver": "3", "Jeff Teague": "3"}, "Steals": {"JJ Redick": "1", "Jamal Crawford": "1", "Kent Bazemore": "1", "Paul Millsap": "1", "Al Horford": "1", "Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "10", "Jamal Crawford": "2", "Kent Bazemore": "2", "Paul Millsap": "4", "Al Horford": "6", "Kyle Korver": "3", "Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kent Bazemore": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Kent Bazemore": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Kent Bazemore": "5", "Jeff Teague": "5"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (30 - 16) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (27 - 20) 85 - 83 on Wednesday. The Clippers improved to 4 - 2 on their East Coast swing largely by taking care of the ball and playing some suffocating defense. Los Angeles managed to force 23 turnovers from the Hawks on the night, while also holding them to 60 points over the final three periods after Atlanta had build a 23 - 17 lead through one quarter. Despite their efforts, the Hawks were in prime position to send matters into overtime as regulation expired, with the ball in the hands of the dependable Paul Millsap. However, the stalwart power forward missed his driving layup with a second on the clock, and the Clippers' DeAndre Jordan came down with a 15th defensive rebound for the second consecutive night to seal the win. The visitors actually struggled somewhat from the field, tallying a 39 percent success rate overall and only 19 percent from three - point range. Their lack of offensive proficiency was evidenced by Jamal Crawford serving as the leading scorer on the night off the bench with a 21 - point total. He added a pair of assists, a rebound and a steal. Jordan came on strong in the fourth quarter to finish with a 13 - point, 19 - rebound double - double, while also adding a block. Chris Paul chipped in with a double - double of his own that consisted of 11 points and 10 assists, with a trio of steals thrown in for good measure. J.J. Redick managed 12 points but could only add a steal to his stat line otherwise. The Clippers remain in second place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. They now return home and take on the Lakers in an intra - city matchup on Friday. The home team tallied 42 and 44 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively, and saw all five starters hit double - digit scoring. Jeff Teague led the way with 16 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals. However, he also matched Kent Bazemore for the team lead with five turnovers. Al Horford held his own in his tussle with Jordan, managing 15 points, eight boards, six assists and a steal. Kyle Korver and Millsap pitched in with a pair of 14 - point efforts, with the former adding three rebounds, three assists and a block, and the former putting together a 14 - point, 12 - rebound double - double that was supplemented with four assists, a steal and a pair of blocks. Bazemore rounded out the productive night for the starting five with 12 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal. Despite the loss, the Hawks retain a hold on first place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They're back on the court Thursday night in Indiana to tangle with the Pacers."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "2", "Grizzlies": "2"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "96", "Grizzlies": "92"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "9", "Grizzlies": "10"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Tayshaun Prince": "34"}, "Points": {"Tayshaun Prince": "15", "Zach Randolph": "18", "Marc Gasol": "22", "Mike Conley": "19", "Terrence Ross": "16", "DeMar DeRozan": "21", "Kyle Lowry": "18", "Lou Williams": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "18", "Marc Gasol": "12", "Mike Conley": "10"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Lowry": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Kyle Lowry": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Lowry": "2"}}], "The Raptors (9 - 2) handed the Grizzlies (10 - 2) their second loss of the season Wednesday, pulling out a 96 - 92 victory at the Air Canada Centre. Toronto trailed by four entering the fourth quarter but quickly battled back courtesy of third - year guard Terrence Ross. Ross scored 11 straight points in less than three minutes, giving the Raptors an 83 - 82 advantage with 6:11 to play. Memphis would regain the lead but a Kyle Lowry jumper with 1:38 remaining put the Raptors up two, a lead they wouldn\u2019t relinquish. DeMar DeRozan led the way with 21 points for Toronto, shooting 10 - of - 22 from the field. Lowry finished with 18 points and seven assists, while Ross added 16 points. Lou Williams had 13 points off the bench. Memphis, which had its four - game winning streak snapped, got 22 points and 12 rebounds from Marc Gasol. Mike Conley added 19 points and 10 rebounds of his own, while Zach Randolph had an 18 - point, 18 - rebound double - double. Tayshaun Prince chipped in 15 points in 34 minutes. Up next, the Grizzlies host Boston on Friday. Toronto stays home to host the streaking Bucks, also on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "28", "Pelicans": "39"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "122", "Pelicans": "113"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hornets": "32"}, "Turnovers": {"Hornets": "5"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "35", "Pelicans": "24"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "26"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "40", "Jrue Holiday": "38", "Kemba Walker": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "13"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jrue Holiday": "5", "Kemba Walker": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Jrue Holiday": "13"}, "Minutes played": {"Jrue Holiday": "38"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (35 - 28) defeated the visiting New Orleans Pelicans (24 - 39) on Wenesday 122 - 113. Kemba Walker led the team with 35 points, his fourth straight outing of 30 or more points. Walker has been on an absolute tear of late, averaging 32 points per game over the duration of Charlotte's current five - game win streak. The point guard has also knocked down an average of four three - pointers per game on 51 percent from beyond the arc during this stretch, and has been shooting 53 percent from the field as a whole. He is now just the second player in Charlotte's history to score 30 or more in four consecutive contests. Even excluding Kemba Walker, the Hornets had a strong showing on the floor. Seven Charlotte players scored in double - digits, with all five starters reaching at least 13. The team shot 46 percent from the floor, but even more importantly had just five team turnovers on the night. The Hornets have been a model of safety and efficiency over the course of their win streak, only proving their ability to make wise decisions in Wednesday's contest. 40 points from Anthony Davis and 38 from Jrue Holiday were not enough to earn New Orleans the win. Davis was the unequivocal focal point for the Pels on Wednesday, taking a team - high 26 shots and pulling down 13 rebounds. Holiday, meanwhile, was lights - out from deep, hitting five three - pointers en route to 13 field goals made. The issue for New Orleans was team play, as the rest of the Pelicans shot just 36 percent from the field on the night. Charlotte held a major advantage in turnovers, as New Orleans committed 13. The Pelicans will visit the Grizzlies on Friday. The Hornets will look to extend their win streak on Friday as they host the Pistons."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pacers": "27"}}, {"Points": {"Wilson Chandler": "24", "Danilo Gallinari": "21", "Nikola Jokic": "30", "Paul George": "27", "Myles Turner": "20", "Jeff Teague": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Wilson Chandler": "4", "Danilo Gallinari": "11", "Paul George": "9", "Myles Turner": "4"}, "Assists": {"Paul George": "3", "Jeff Teague": "8"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Myles Turner": "4"}}], "Indiana have been dominant at home all season, but this wire - to - wire win for Denver shows just how dangerous they can be going forward. Free-throw shooting was the difference in the game, with Denver hitting 40 - of - 43, while Indiana only went 8 - of - 11 from the charity stripe. The Nuggets also took care of the glass, winning the rebounding battle, 46 - 39. Nikola Jokic was the player of the game, as he collected 30 points, 17 rebounds and four assists. Wilson Chandler finished with 24 points and four rebounds. Danilo Gallinari made his return from a knee injury to total 21 points and 11 rebounds. Paul George led the way for the Pacers, as he accumulated 27 points, nine rebounds, three assists and three steals. Myles Turner amassed 20 points, four rebounds and four blocks. Jeff Teague accrued 21 points and eight assists."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Rockets": "30"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Rockets": "42", "Lakers": "43"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "41", "Lakers": "64"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "130", "Lakers": "110"}, "Turnovers": {"Rockets": "13", "Lakers": "18"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "39", "Lakers": "16"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "49"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kobe Bryant": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "11", "Jordan Clarkson": "8", "Trevor Ariza": "7", "James Harden": "14", "Patrick Beverley": "6", "Jason Terry": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kobe Bryant": "4", "Jordan Clarkson": "3", "Trevor Ariza": "3", "James Harden": "6", "Patrick Beverley": "3", "Jason Terry": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "22", "Jordan Clarkson": "17", "Trevor Ariza": "14", "James Harden": "31", "Patrick Beverley": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Kobe Bryant": "10", "Jordan Clarkson": "9", "Trevor Ariza": "8", "James Harden": "14", "Patrick Beverley": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "11", "James Harden": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Kobe Bryant": "11", "James Harden": "6"}, "Points": {"Kobe Bryant": "35", "Julius Randle": "11", "Jordan Clarkson": "21", "Trevor Ariza": "19", "James Harden": "40", "Patrick Beverley": "19", "Jason Terry": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Kobe Bryant": "2", "James Harden": "4"}, "Steals": {"Kobe Bryant": "2", "James Harden": "4"}, "Assists": {"Trevor Ariza": "3", "James Harden": "13"}, "Turnovers": {"Trevor Ariza": "3"}}], "The Houston Rockets (39 - 41) steamrolled the Los Angeles Lakers (16 - 64) Sunday afternoon at Toyota Center, 130 - 110. Houston knocked down 17 of their 41 three - point attempts (42 percent) and recorded an absurdly efficient 60 effective field goal percentage as the Lakers defense put up no resistance. Four different Rockets hit at least three shots from downtown as Los Angeles couldn\u2019t run them off the three - point line. James Harden scored 40 points (14 - 31 FG, 6 - 14 3PT, 6 - 8 FT) dished 13 assists and added four rebounds and four steals in an all - around dominant performance. Trevor Ariza (8 - 14 FG, 3 - 7 3PT) and Patrick Beverley (7 - 11 FG, 3 - 6 3PT) added 19 points apiece, and Jason Terry came off the bench to hit three shots from deep and add 11 points in just 20 minutes. The Rockets did whatever they wanted offensively, as they assisted on 30 of their 50 made field goals and committed just 13 turnovers. Kobe Bryant showed flashes of his old self as he scored 35 points (10 - 22 FG, 4 - 11 3PT, 11 - 11 FT), his second - highest output of the season. Bryant has just two games left in his final season. Jordan Clarkson added 21 points (9 - 17 FG, 3 - 8 3PT), but the next high scorer for Los Angeles was Julius Randle with just 11. The Lakers shot well, at 49 percent from the floor and 12 - 28 (43 percent) from three - point land, but they committed 18 turnovers and allowed Houston to grab 16 offensive rebounds as the Rockets dominated every other facet of the game. The Rockets travel to Minnesota for their next game on Monday. The Lakers head to Oklahoma City for a Monday matchup against the Thunder."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Spurs": "23"}}, {"Assists": {"Hassan Whiteside": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Hassan Whiteside": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Hassan Whiteside": "9"}, "Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "23", "Kawhi Leonard": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "12"}}], "Despite the lack of success for his team, Hassan Whiteside continues to be a one - man wrecking crew in the paint, as his 23 - point, 17 - rebound performance on Monday against the Spurs was his fifth game this season with at least 20 points and 15 rebounds and was also his eighth double - double in nine games. Whiteside is also the only player in the NBA currently averaging at least 17 points and 14 rebounds per game. Whiteside's unbelievably productive start to the 2016 - 17 season is big reason as to why the Heat are ranked in the top 10 in the NBA in points in the paint. While Whiteside's start has n't led to positive team results, the play of Spurs' star Kawhi Leonard has. With 24 points and 12 rebounds on Monday, Leonard led the team in both points and rebounds. And this should n't come as a surprise despite the fact that Leonard plays alongside both LaMarcus Aldridge and Paul Gasol, as this is already the third time this season the small forward has led the team in both categories."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "7"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "111", "Cavaliers": "105"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "11"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "13", "Kyrie Irving": "8", "Rajon Rondo": "12"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "27", "Kyrie Irving": "20", "Jimmy Butler": "26", "Dwyane Wade": "24", "Rajon Rondo": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "5", "Kyrie Irving": "6"}}], "The Chicago Bulls continue to impress as they earned perhaps their biggest win of the season, defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 111 - 105 at United Center on Friday. The Cavaliers have a problem on their hands as they dropped their third straight while following the same trend of winning the first and fourth quarters and being dominated in the middle two quarters. In their last two losses combined the Cavs were out - scored 123 - 79 over the second and third quarters and in this contest added to that deficit as they were out - scored 58 - 47 over the second and third quarters. Again, they won the first and fourth quarters on Friday, even cutting the gap to four with eight seconds to go, but fell short once again, leading to a season - high losing streak of three games and counting. LeBron James led the way for the Cavs (13 - 5) with 27 points, 13 assists and five rebounds, while Kyrie Irving added 20 points, eight assists and six rebounds. The Cavs shot 54 percent from the field but only got to the foul line 10 times where they hit 5 - of - 10. The Cavs go on to visit Toronto on Monday, in what will be the second game of a three - game road trip. Jimmy Butler was the high - point man for the Bulls (11 - 7) with 26 points, while Dwyane Wade was right behind with 24 points. All five starters scored in double figures for Chicago, including Rajon Rondo who finished with a triple - double consisting of 15 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds. The Bulls move to 5 - 2 at home but face the second night of a back - to - back as they travel to Dallas to take on the Mavericks Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Knicks": "31", "Raptors": "38"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "37", "Raptors": "46"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "21", "Raptors": "6"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "90", "Raptors": "95"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "5", "Raptors": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Terrence Ross": "22", "Carmelo Anthony": "34"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Assists": {"Lou Williams": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Lou Williams": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Lou Williams": "3"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (18 - 6) defeated the New York Knicks (5 - 21) 95 - 90 in overtime on Sunday. Toronto is on a two - game win streak and have taken three of their last four games, showing up spectacularly well despite being without DeMar DeRozan (adductor) for what is expected to be at least another couple weeks. Landry Fields has started the last three games in DeRozan's absence, but it's been the increased workloads of Kyle Lowry and Louis Williams that has carried the Raptors. Terrence Ross even got in on the fun Sunday, putting up a team - high 22 points. The Raptors shot 46 percent from the field and 38 percent from beyond the arc to secure the win. They'll host the Orlando Magic on Monday. New York has lost 11 of their last 12 games, and the bleakness will be hard for them to overcome anytime soon as they're currently trudging through a difficult part of their schedule. Playing without Iman Shumpert (shoulder) and J.R. Smith (plantar fascitis) on Sunday, the Knicks struggled, shooting just 37 percent from the field and 31 percent from beyond the arc. Carmelo Anthony scored a game - high 34 points. The Knicks will host the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "13", "Timberwolves": "37"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "97", "Timberwolves": "90"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "48", "Timberwolves": "25"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Timberwolves": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "39"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "6"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "17", "Gorgui Dieng": "13", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "24", "Ricky Rubio": "11", "Kawhi Leonard": "34", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "18", "Pau Gasol": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Gorgui Dieng": "11", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "14", "Ricky Rubio": "13", "Kawhi Leonard": "10", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "10", "Pau Gasol": "8"}, "Assists": {"Ricky Rubio": "10", "Kawhi Leonard": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "Pau Gasol": "3"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6"}, "Blocks": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "2"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves in overtime, 97 - 90, at AT & T Center on Saturday. Despite Minnesota leading for the first 44 minutes, this ended up being an overtime thriller. San Antonio really turned it on in the second half, as they overcame a 12 - point halftime deficit and held the T'Wolves to just 28 points in the second half. Defense was key all night, as Minnesota shot just 39 percent form the field and 25 percent from three - point range. San Antonio also combined for 18 blocks and steals, while the Timberwolves could only muster up nine of their own. The Spurs bench was huge as well, outscoring Minnesota's bench, 30 - 18. The Timberwolves (25 - 37) had won three of four headed into this game, so an overtime loss against the Spurs is nothing to be ashamed of. Karl-Anthony Towns led the way for Minnesota, tallying 24 points and 14 rebounds. Ricky Rubio was their most valuable player, as he collected 11 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists en route to a triple - double. Andrew Wiggins finished second in scoring, totaling 17 points and four rebounds, despite going just 6 - of - 24 from the field. Gorgui Dieng recorded a 13 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. On deck for Minnesota is a home matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday. The Spurs (48 - 13) have now won seven - straight games, as this was their second - straight overtime victory. Kawhi Leonard once again carried the load, as he accumulated 34 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and six steals. LaMarcus Aldridge finished second on the team, totaling 18 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Pau Gasol was the only other Spur in double figures, providing 17 points, eight rebounds and three assists off the bench. San Antonio will look to keep rolling on Monday against the Houston Rockets."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Bulls": "49", "Warriors": "41"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "20"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "39"}, "Turnovers": {"Warriors": "15"}}, {"Points": {"Patrick McCaw": "11", "Draymond Green": "12", "Klay Thompson": "13", "Stephen Curry": "23", "Andre Iguodala": "10", "Jimmy Butler": "22", "Bobby Portis": "17", "Robin Lopez": "10", "Dwyane Wade": "12", "Paul Zipser": "9"}, "Assists": {"Draymond Green": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "8", "Bobby Portis": "13"}, "Steals": {"Draymond Green": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Klay Thompson": "5"}}], "In their first full game without Kevin Durant (knee), Golden State shot an atypical 39 percent overall, including an unsightly 20 percent (6 - for - 30) from behind the arc. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson managed to drain only 15 of their combined 49 shot attempts. The Bulls also won the rebounding battle, 49 - 41. Curry's 23 points led the Warriors. Thompson netted only 13 points (5 - 22 FG, 1 - 11 3Pt). Draymond Green's full line consisted of 12 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and one steal. Rookie Patrick McCaw started in Durant's stead and tallied 11 points, while Andre Iguodala led the bench with 10 points. Jimmy Butler's 22 points paced the Bulls. Bobby Portis managed a 17 - point, 13 - rebound double - double, while Dwyane Wade supplied 12 points. Robin Lopez registered 10 points, and Paul Zipser's nine points led the bench."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "54"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "56"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "8", "Bulls": "27"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "123", "Bulls": "92"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "44", "Bulls": "26"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Paul Zipser": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Paul Zipser": "1", "Klay Thompson": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul Zipser": "1", "Michael Carter-Williams": "9", "Klay Thompson": "18"}, "Minutes played": {"Paul Zipser": "10", "Robin Lopez": "29", "Kevin Durant": "31", "Draymond Green": "32"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Paul Zipser": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Paul Zipser": "1"}, "Steals": {"Paul Zipser": "1"}, "Points": {"Robin Lopez": "17", "Michael Carter-Williams": "3", "Draymond Green": "19", "Klay Thompson": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Robin Lopez": "10", "Kevin Durant": "10", "Draymond Green": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "1", "Klay Thompson": "10"}, "Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "7", "Draymond Green": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "6"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the Chicago Bulls, 123 - 92, on Wednesday at Oracle Arena. This game was essentially over before it started, with the Bulls (26 - 27) ruling out both Jimmy Butler (heel) and Dwyane Wade (illness) prior to tip - off. As a result, the Warriors (44 - 8) stomped all over the undermanned Bulls, and while Chicago did their best to hang around, Golden State made sure with a dominant fourth quarter that there would be no upset that night. Klay Thompson led the way for the Warriors, shooting 10 - of - 18 from the field and 6 - of - 9 from behind the arc en route to a game - high 28 points. Kevin Durant put together a great all - around performance, recording 20 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in just 31 minutes, while Draymond Green produced a lighter version of that stat line, posting 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists in 32 minutes. As a team, Golden State was hitting on all cylinders, shooting 56 percent from the field and 54 percent from behind the arc. As for the Bulls, Paul Zipser filled in for Wade in the starting lineup while Michael Carter-Williams continued to fill the gap left by Butler. However, the two combined to go just 1 - of - 10 from the field with Zipser leaving the game due to an ankle injury after playing just 10 minutes and taking one shot. That left Carter-Williams to go just 1 - of - 9 from the field and finish with three points. Robin Lopez ended up leading the way with a rare double - double for the big man, posting a team - high 17 points and 10 rebounds in 29 minutes. In the end, the absence of Wade and Butler proved to be too much, as the team struggled mightily offensively, shooting just 40 percent from the field and 17 percent from behind the arc. Up next, the Warriors will look to keep things rolling in Memphis against the Grizzlies on Friday, while the Bulls will head to Phoenix on Friday to take on the Suns."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "46", "Celtics": "33"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "47"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "13", "Celtics": "15"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "114", "Celtics": "106"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "25", "Celtics": "23"}}, {"Assists": {"Al Horford": "4", "Marcus Smart": "5", "Isaiah Thomas": "7", "Kelly Olynyk": "1", "DeMarre Carroll": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "9"}, "Points": {"Al Horford": "14", "Marcus Smart": "16", "Isaiah Thomas": "27", "Kelly Olynyk": "13", "Gerald Green": "14", "DeMarre Carroll": "11", "Jonas Valanciunas": "18", "DeMar DeRozan": "41", "Kyle Lowry": "24", "Lucas Nogueira": "7", "Cory Joseph": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Horford": "9", "Marcus Smart": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "1", "Kelly Olynyk": "4", "Gerald Green": "5", "DeMarre Carroll": "4", "Jonas Valanciunas": "23", "DeMar DeRozan": "13", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Steals": {"Al Horford": "1", "Marcus Smart": "4", "DeMarre Carroll": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Marcus Smart": "1", "Kelly Olynyk": "1", "DeMarre Carroll": "1", "Jonas Valanciunas": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Patrick Patterson": "21"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the Boston Celtics, 114 - 106, at Air Canada Centre on Tuesday. Throughout his first seven seasons, DeMar DeRozan had managed two performances of over 40 points. In what has already proven to be a stellar 2016 - 17 campaign, the All-Star shooting guard has already accomplished the feat on three occasions, with Tuesday night being one of those. DeRozan led all scorers with 41 points, which he complemented with 13 boards and two steals. The effort included a 16 - of - 29 tally from the field, and even a rather rare three - pointer on two attempts from beyond the arc. Toronto (25 - 13) was hot collectively from long range, and it proved to be the difference in the game. Both teams equaled the others' solid 47 percent success rate from the field, yet the Raptors managed to drain their 22 three - point attempts at a 46 percent clip. The Celtics (23 - 15), meanwhile, noticeably lagged behind with a 33 percent figure. Isaiah Thomas led the way for Boston with 27 points, seven assists and a rebound. Marcus Smart logged another start for Avery Bradley (Achilles) and went for 16 points, five assists, four rebounds, four steals and a block. Al Horford managed a near double - double with 14 points, nine rebounds, four assists and a steal. Jae Crowder and Amir Johnson combined for just 13 points, but Gerald Green and Kelly Olynyk helped make up for the void off the bench. Green led the second unit with 14 points and five rebounds, and Olynyk provided 13 points, four boards, an assist and a block. DeRozan's usual partner - in - crime, Kyle Lowry, backed him up with 24 points, nine assists, four rebounds, two steals and a block. Jonas Valanciunas contributed an impressive 18 - point, 23 - rebound double - double that also included a pair of blocks. DeMarre Carroll supplied 11 points, four rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. Patrick Patterson drew the start but went scoreless over 21 minutes. Lucas Nogueira and Cory Joseph paced the bench with matching seven - point efforts. The Celtics return home to face off with the Washington Wizards on Wednesday evening, while the Raptors remain home and next tangle with the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "21", "76ers": "40"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "110", "76ers": "97"}, "Turnovers": {"Pistons": "10"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "25", "76ers": "7"}}, {"Points": {"Robert Covington": "8", "Ish Smith": "13", "Hollis Thompson": "12", "Marcus Morris": "10", "Andre Drummond": "25", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "14", "Stanley Johnson": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Robert Covington": "8", "Jerami Grant": "8", "Nerlens Noel": "7", "Ish Smith": "3", "Marcus Morris": "7", "Andre Drummond": "18", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "2", "Stanley Johnson": "3"}, "Assists": {"Jerami Grant": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "4", "Ish Smith": "6", "Marcus Morris": "3", "Stanley Johnson": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Jerami Grant": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "1", "Ish Smith": "1", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1"}, "Steals": {"Jerami Grant": "3", "Nerlens Noel": "1", "Andre Drummond": "2", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1", "Stanley Johnson": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Andre Drummond": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Andre Drummond": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Reggie Jackson": "2"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (25 - 21) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (7 - 40) 110 - 97 on Wednesday night. The Sixers have shown marked improvement over the last several weeks, as seven wins qualify as such when a team starts the season 0 - 18. However, coming off an impressive victory over a depleted Suns team at home Tuesday, Philadelphia ran into much stiffer competition in the form of the Pistons' top 10 defense. Detroit elicited 17 turnovers from the visitors, which led to 24 points. In contast, a night earlier, the Sixers had taken the ball 17 times themselves from the Suns, which they'd converted to 28 points. Despite the loss, Philadelphia's re - shuffled frontcourt was very productive, with Jerami Grant and Nerlens Noel turning in notable efforts. The pair tallied 21 and 20 points, respectively, helping make up for the absence of Jahlil Okafor (illness). Grant added eight rebounds, two assists, three steals and a block to his team - high scoring total, while Noel also hauled in seven boards, four assists, a steal and a block. Ish Smith was the only other starter with double - digit scoring, totaling 13 points and dishing out six assists, hauling in three boards and posting a block. Robert Covington turned in a modest but productive outing with eight points and eight rebounds. Hollis Thompson paced the Sixers bench with 12 points, two rebounds and an assist. The Sixers remain firmly entrenched in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head back home to await the Golden State Warriors for a Saturday afternoon tilt. Detroit received a pair of 20 - point - plus efforts from two of their most dependable stars, Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson. The latter contributed a team - high 27 points, and added three assists, a pair of rebounds and a steal. Meanwhile, Drummond put together one of his trademark double - doubles, slamming home 25 points and grabbing 18 boards. He also added a pair of steals and a block. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope poured in 14 points and added four rebounds, a steal and a block. Marcus Morris was the fourth starter with double - digit scoring, totaling 10 points, seven rebounds and a trio of dimes. However, it was his backup, rookie Stanley Johnson, who outplayed him while also pacing the reserves with 18 points, three rebounds, three assists and a steal. The Pistons retain a hold on third place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They remain home for a Friday night tussle with the Cleveland Cavaliers."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "27", "Cavaliers": "20"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "24", "Cavaliers": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "4"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "20", "CJ McCollum": "27", "Allen Crabbe": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "11"}, "Blocks": {"CJ McCollum": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "20", "Damian Lillard": "15", "Allen Crabbe": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ McCollum": "11", "Damian Lillard": "5", "Allen Crabbe": "9"}, "Personal fouls": {"CJ McCollum": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Allen Crabbe": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Allen Crabbe": "3"}}], "C.J. McCollum may have the hot hand at the moment for the Portland Trail Blazers, and his 27 points led all scorers in the win over the Cleveland Cavaliers at home on Wednesday, but it was Allen Crabbe's 24 points off the bench that led to the Blazers' big home win. Crabbe was lights out from the field, evidenced by his 9 - of - 11 shooting, which included three buckets from behind the arc and four assists. McCollum entered the contest averaging 33 points over his last seven games, and Damian Lillard has taken notice, given his deferment of scoring duties. Lillard went 5 - of - 15 from the field, while McCollum finished 11 - of - 20. As for the Cavaliers, LeBron James went on to finish with 20 points, 11 rebounds and four assists, while Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love combined for 28 points."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "54", "Nets": "47"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "13", "Nets": "31"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "132", "Nets": "113"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Raptors": "42", "Nets": "24"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "26", "Nets": "8"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "47"}}, {"Assists": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "2", "Brook Lopez": "5", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "3", "Justin Hamilton": "2", "Lucas Nogueira": "2", "Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "6", "Cory Joseph": "7"}, "Points": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "23", "Brook Lopez": "20", "Joe Harris": "11", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "10", "Justin Hamilton": "11", "Randy Foye": "9", "Quincy Acy": "9", "DeMarre Carroll": "18", "Lucas Nogueira": "10", "Jonas Valanciunas": "14", "DeMar DeRozan": "28", "Kyle Lowry": "20", "Terrence Ross": "12", "Cory Joseph": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "4", "Brook Lopez": "3", "Joe Harris": "4", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "5", "Justin Hamilton": "2", "DeMarre Carroll": "11", "Lucas Nogueira": "9", "Jonas Valanciunas": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "6", "Cory Joseph": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "1", "Lucas Nogueira": "4", "Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "2"}, "Steals": {"Brook Lopez": "1", "Joe Harris": "1", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "1", "Justin Hamilton": "1", "Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "2", "Cory Joseph": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"DeMarre Carroll": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"DeMarre Carroll": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kyle Lowry": "1"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 132 - 113, at Air Canada Centre on Friday. The Raptors (26 - 13) likely strolled into Friday night's contest with a healthy degree of confidence, considering the Nets (8 - 31) checked in with only one road victory on the season, as well as the NBA's worst defense in terms of points allowed. However, Brooklyn approached the game with a very different mindset, and as a result, found themselves with only a one - point deficit (90 - 89) entering the fourth quarter. That's when Toronto seemingly woke up, opening the period on an 110 run and outscoring their visitors by a 42 - 24 margin over the final 12 minutes overall. The Raptors finished the night with a stellar 54 percent success rate from the field, helping to offset an even better shooting night from the Nets, who shot 47 percent overall, as well as 47 percent from three - point range. Brooklyn saw Bojan Bogdanovic lead the way with 23 points, which he supplemented with four rebounds and two assists. Brook Lopez managed 20 points, five assists, three rebounds, a steal and a block. Joe Harris produced 11 points, four rebounds and a steal in a start at shooting guard, while Spencer Dinwiddie supplied 10 points, five rebounds, three assists and a steal. Justin Hamilton led the second unit with 11 points, two assists, two rebounds and a steal. Quincy Acy and Randy Foye were productive in reserve roles as well with matching nine - point efforts. DeMar DeRozan's 28 points paced the Raptors, a total that he complemented with four rebounds and two assists. Kyle Lowry followed with 20 points, six boards, six assists, two steals and two blocks. DeMarre Carroll enjoyed one of his best games of the season, posting an 18 - point, 11 - rebound double - double, with 10 of those boards coming on the defensive glass. Jonas Valanciunas generated a 14 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included an assist, a steal and a block. Lucas Nogueira got the start at power forward and totaled 10 points, nine rebounds, two assists and four blocks. Cory Joseph led the bench with 16 points, seven assists, four rebounds and two steals, while Terrence Ross supplied 12 points in a reserve role as well. The Nets head back home to face off with the Houston Rockets on Sunday evening, while the Raptors remain home to face off with the New York Knicks on Sunday afternoon."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "3", "Rockets": "2"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "99", "Rockets": "118"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "21"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "1", "Rockets": "3"}}, {"Points": {"Ryan Anderson": "16", "Trevor Ariza": "8", "Eric Gordon": "21", "Montrezl Harrell": "17", "Carmelo Anthony": "21", "Kristaps Porzingis": "3", "Courtney Lee": "16", "Derrick Rose": "16", "Brandon Jennings": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Ryan Anderson": "9", "Trevor Ariza": "4", "Eric Gordon": "3", "Montrezl Harrell": "10", "Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Derrick Rose": "4", "Brandon Jennings": "3"}, "Assists": {"Trevor Ariza": "3", "Eric Gordon": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Courtney Lee": "1", "Derrick Rose": "4", "Brandon Jennings": "3"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Ariza": "4", "Eric Gordon": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Courtney Lee": "2", "Derrick Rose": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "16"}, "Minutes played": {"Montrezl Harrell": "27"}, "Blocks": {"Courtney Lee": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Brandon Jennings": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Brandon Jennings": "3"}}], "The Houston Rockets defeated the New York Knicks, 118 - 99, at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday. The James Harden Experiment at point guard had been an unqualified success over the first four games of the season, and Wednesday was yet another testament to its efficacy. The perennial All-Star led the way for Houston (3 - 2) once again with a 30 - point, 15 - assist effort that also included six rebounds and a pair of steals. Despite serving as an excellent facilitator for scoring opportunities for his teammates, Harden continues to also put up plenty of shots, recording 16 attempts in the victory. Houston impressively bounced back on the second game of a back - to - back after suffering a 128 - 120 loss to the Cavaliers on Tuesday. Harden's backcourt mate Eric Gordon continues to serve as an outstanding complementary presence, managing 21 points, three rebounds, an assist and a steal. Ryan Anderson was just a rebound short of a double - double with 16 points and nine boards. Trevor Ariza took the court despite suffering a facial laceration in Tuesday's game and managed eight points, four rebounds, three assists and four steals in a gutsy performance. Montrezl Harrell paced the bench with a 17 - point, 10 - rebound double - double in 27 minutes. The Knicks' (1 - 3) attack was spearheaded by Carmelo Anthony, who finished with 21 points, seven rebounds, an assist and a steal. Derrick Rose and Courtney Lee were next with a pair of 16 - point outings, with the former also posting four rebounds, four assists and two steals and the latter managing an assist, two steals and a block. Big men Joakim Noah and Kristaps Porzingis notably came up small on the stat sheet, combining for just three points, which all came from the latter. Brandon Jennings led the reserves with 12 points, three rebounds and three dimes. The Rockets head south to Atlanta for a Saturday night tussle with the Hawks, while the Knicks tangle with the Bulls on Friday night in Chicago."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Pistons": "24"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "21", "Hornets": "17"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "115", "Hornets": "114"}, "Turnovers": {"Pistons": "7"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "17", "Hornets": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "5", "Reggie Jackson": "11"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Points": {"Kemba Walker": "32", "Marcus Morris": "20", "Reggie Jackson": "22", "Tobias Harris": "25", "Boban Marjanovic": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Kemba Walker": "7"}, "Turnovers": {"Kemba Walker": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Tobias Harris": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Boban Marjanovic": "22"}}], "The Detroit Pistons defeated the Charlotte Hornets 115 - 114 Thursday at the Palace in Auburn Hills. The game ended up being a lot closer than one would have thought as the final period kicked off, as the the Pistons (17 - 21) opened up a lead as large as 19 points before Kemba Walker and the Hornets (20 - 17) decided to come storming back. After tying the game late, Charlotte ultimately found themselves down one with 1 seconds remaining on the game clock. Marco Belinelli, without a teammate open, threw a pass off a defender's back and drained a jumper off the glass, but it ended up leaving his hands long after the buzzer had sounded. In their victory, the Pistons got a pair of nearly perfect performances off the bench Thursday night, with Tobias Harris continuing his hot streak off the bench, and Boban Marjanovic putting together his best performance of the season. Harris finished with a team - high 25 points on 10 - of - 16 shooting, while Marjanovic, recorded a double - double of 15 points and 18 rebounds in just 22 minutes. For the starters, Marcus Morris posted a double - double of his own of 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Reggie Jackson, on top of hitting some crucial free throws in crunch time, recorded 22 points and 11 assists. Detroit managed to move the ball efficiently and effectively, posting 24 assists to just seven turnovers as a team. For the Hornets, it was a very cold start with a very hot finish, as Walker carried the team on his back after struggling through the first three quarters. Walker shot 9 - of - 11 from the field in the fourth quarter en route to scoring 20 of his 32 points in the final period. He also finished with seven rebounds and five assists on top of that, but the team's subpar performance through the first three quarters ultimately led to a deficit that was too big to overcome."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "5", "Pacers": "11"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "106", "Pacers": "92"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "24", "Pacers": "16"}}, {"Points": {"George Hill": "15", "Jordan Hill": "15", "Rodney Stuckey": "16", "Kawhi Leonard": "24", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "10", "Tony Parker": "15", "Patty Mills": "10", "Boris Diaw": "14"}, "Minutes played": {"Jordan Hill": "25", "Rodney Stuckey": "27", "Kawhi Leonard": "35"}, "Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (24 - 5) defeated the Indiana Pacers (16 - 11) Monday 106 - 92 at the AT & T Center in San Antonio. The Spurs continued their dominance at home, extending their home record this season to 160. The Pacers hung with San Antonio in the first half, but the home team proved to be too much for the visitors in the second 24 minutes, outscoring Indiana by 12 points. The Spurs were led once again by Kawhi Leonard, who finished with a game - high 24 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals in 35 minutes. Tony Parker and LaMarcus Aldridge added 15 and 10 points respectively, while Boris Diaw and Patty Mills came off the bench to record 14 and 10 points respectively. The team\u2019s efficient play continues to doom their opponents, as they recorded 27 assists to just nine turnovers on the night. The Pacers left a lot to be desired from their starting lineup, as George Hill (15) was the lone starter who managed to reach double figure scoring, while Monta Ellis and Paul George combined to shoot just 4 - of - 24 from the field and score 13 points. The team\u2019s bench gave it a fighting chance, but ultimately it was not enough, as Jordan Hill scored 15 points in 25 minutes off the bench, while Rodney Stuckey scored a game - high 16 points in 27 minutes. Up next, the Spurs will travel to Minnesota Wednesday to take on the Timberwolves, while the Pacers will head home Wednesday to play the Kings."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Spurs": "43"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "56"}, "Losses": {"Spurs": "5", "Jazz": "13"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "118", "Jazz": "81"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "21", "Jazz": "10"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Derrick Favors": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Derrick Favors": "24", "Raul Neto": "21", "Trey Burke": "24", "Matt Bonner": "18"}, "Points": {"Derrick Favors": "16", "Raul Neto": "12", "Trey Burke": "10", "Tony Parker": "18", "Patty Mills": "11", "Matt Bonner": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Derrick Favors": "3"}, "Assists": {"Tony Parker": "5"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (21 - 5) defeated the Utah Jazz (10 - 13) Monday 118 - 81 at the AT & T Center in San Antonio. This game was over from the start, as the Spurs opened up a 14 - point lead after the first quarter and continued to pile it on throughout the rest of the game. By the time the fourth period rolled around, San Antonio had opened up a 40 - point lead. All 13 active Spurs played double - digit minutes in this game and each of them scored. They were once again led by Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge, who combined to score 40 points in just 49 minutes. In just 18 minutes, Tony Parker scored 18 points and dished out five assists, while Patty Mills and Matt Bonner scored 11 and 10 points respectively off the bench. It was a clinic for the Spurs, as they shot 56 percent from the field and 43 percent from behind the arc. For the Jazz, it was simply a struggle. Just three players managed to score in double figures, with Derek Favors leading the way with 16 points and just three rebounds in 24 minutes. Raul Neto scored 12 points in 21 minutes, while Trey Burke managed 10 points in 24 minutes off the bench. Starters Trey Lyles, Gordon Hayward and Rodney Hood combined to score just 10 total points. Up next, the Spurs will stay home Wednesday to play the Wizards, while the Jazz will head back home Wednesday to go up against the Pelicans."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "3", "Grizzlies": "1"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "99", "Grizzlies": "92"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "1", "Grizzlies": "3"}}, {"Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "6", "Damian Lillard": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "1", "Meyers Leonard": "3"}, "Points": {"Damian Lillard": "32", "CJ McCollum": "18", "Meyers Leonard": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"CJ McCollum": "5", "Meyers Leonard": "13"}, "Steals": {"CJ McCollum": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Meyers Leonard": "3"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (1 - 3) beat the Memphis Grizzlies (3 - 1) 99 - 92 in Game 4, to keep the series alive on Tuesday. Damian Lillard came up big with 32 points and seven assists to help push this series to a fifth game. LaMarcus Aldridge did n't have his best game and went 0 - for - 10 in the second half. That made Lillards play even more dire. However, the Trail Blazers got huge production from their bench, as Meyers Leonard and C.J. McCollum played huge roles in forcing Game 5. They each had a plus - 23 in the plus/minus statistic. Leonard finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds, and also went 3 - for - 3 from long range and had a valiant effort guarding Marc Gasol. McCollum hit both of his three - point attempts ended the game with 18 vital points to go along with five rebounds and two steals. The Trail Blazers will try and keep their season alive in Game 5, with hopes of forcing a Game 6 in Portland. The Grizzlies could n't quite seal the deal to complete the sweep in Portland, and will try again when they take on the Trail Blazers from Memphis in Game 5. Gasol and Zach Randolph had sub - par first halfs, but came back strong and finished with a combined 33 points, 19 rebounds. Gasol also dished out six assists and blocked one shot. Mike Conley's absence was very apparent, as Lillard was able to get what he wanted, especially in the second half. In a somewhat questionable decision, Jon Leuer entered the game in the fourth quarter and the Grizzlies gave up six points in what may have been the turning point in the game. Memphis will get a chance to win the series in front of their home crowd in Game 5. The winner of this series will take on the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference semifinals."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "5", "Clippers": "11"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "115", "Clippers": "107"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "23", "Clippers": "16"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Clippers": "19"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "20"}, "Free throws made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "8"}, "Points": {"DeAndre Jordan": "16", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "17", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "13"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "10"}, "Blocks": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (23 - 5) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers (16 - 11) 115 - 107 on Friday. In a battle of Western Conference hopefuls, this was a beautiful game at times and an ugly game at others. Both teams fought throughout and played some great offense, but the hack - a - Jordan strategy ruined it's luster at times. The strategy worked though, as it ruined the Clippers momentum in the fourth quarter en route to a 5 - for - 18, 19 - point quarter. The Spurs started the fourth on an 110 run and that proved to be the difference. The Clippers have nothing to be disappointed about, as they played a great game against an elite defense. They did fall just short, but a game like this can give them some momentum going forward. All the Clippers stars played well, as Blake Griffin and Chris Paul combined for 52 points and 10 assists. DeAndre Jordan put in a 16 point - 17 rebound game, but did shoot 8 - for - 20 from the free - throw line, thanks to the hack - a - Jordan strategy. Putting up 107 points against this defense is an impressive feat though, win or loss. The Clippers will play the Houston Rockets in their next game on Saturday in a playoff revenge game. The Spurs are now 150 at home and playing some of the best basketball in the NBA. Their defense has been carrying them this season, but it was subpar tonight. They did turn on the defense in the fourth quarter though and that's when it truly matters. The three - point shooting was spectacular for San Antonio tonight, as they went 10 - for - 19 from long distance. LaMarcus Aldridge had one of his best games in a silver uniform, as he tallied 26 points and 13 rebounds in the win. The Spurs will look to keep up that home - streak when they host the Indiana Pacers on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "54"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "6", "Nuggets": "23"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "122", "Nuggets": "79"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Warriors": "25"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "33", "Nuggets": "18"}}, {}], "The Golden State Warriors (33 - 6) dominated the Denver Nuggets (18 - 23) 122 - 79 on Monday at the Oracle Arena. This contest was over from the early goings, with Golden State taking a 27 - point lead into halftime. The Nuggets had a six - minute scoring drought in the second quarter that put them too far behind to catch the sharp shooting Warriors. Golden State shot 54 percent from the floor for the second straight game en route to another easy victory. Denver has tailed off after its five - game winning streak and has now dropped three in a row to further hurt its slim playoff chances. The Nuggets offensive woes returned as they failed to score 90 points for the second time in three games. They will return home Tuesday to host the Spurs to finish up its fourth game in five days. Golden State rested its starters after this game was well in hand. No starter logged more than 25 minutes on the floor as eight reserves got into the game. The Warriors will take on a Rockets team Wednesday that they just beat by 25 points on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "9", "Wizards": "8"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "103", "Wizards": "104"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Rockets": "36", "Wizards": "26"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "21", "Wizards": "22"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Paul Pierce": "9", "Bradley Beal": "17", "John Wall": "10", "Trevor Ariza": "15", "Corey Brewer": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul Pierce": "7", "Bradley Beal": "9", "John Wall": "4", "Trevor Ariza": "6", "Corey Brewer": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul Pierce": "6", "Bradley Beal": "10", "Trevor Ariza": "1", "Corey Brewer": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul Pierce": "6", "Bradley Beal": "10", "Trevor Ariza": "1", "Corey Brewer": "3"}, "Points": {"Paul Pierce": "21", "Bradley Beal": "33", "John Wall": "13", "Trevor Ariza": "15", "James Harden": "33", "Corey Brewer": "15"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "11", "John Wall": "1", "Trevor Ariza": "8", "Corey Brewer": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bradley Beal": "5", "John Wall": "0", "Trevor Ariza": "2", "Corey Brewer": "2"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "12", "James Harden": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Ariza": "5", "James Harden": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "2"}, "Steals": {"Corey Brewer": "2"}}], "The Washington Wizards (22 - 8) defeated the Houston Rockets (21 - 9) 104 - 103 on Monday at the Toyota Center in Houston. Despite out - scoring the Wizards 36 - 26, marked by a big late quarter run, the Rockets just ran out of time and were n't able to complete the comeback to get the victory in front of their home fans. Free throws may have been the difference in this one, with the Wizards converting on 26 - of - 28, while the Rockets only hit 14 - of - 23 from the line. The Wizards victory was largely the result of an outstanding performance from Bradley Beal. Beal went 9 - for - 17 from the field and 5 - for - 11 from the three - point line to score a season - high of 33 points. He was able to get to the line at will, converting on a perfect 10 - of - 10 on his free throws. It was a nice breakout performance for him, as he's averaged 15 points thus far this season. Another solid contributor was Paul Pierce who had an efficient 21 points, where he went 7 - for - 9 from the floor and 6 - for - 6 from the free throw line. He's bumped up his scoring the last few games, combining for 38 points over that span. John Wall did n't have his best shooting performance (4 - 10 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt), but he still finished with 13 points and was able to add 12 assists, giving him a double - double. The Wizards' bench had only 16 points in the win. Continuing to perform with MVP-like numbers, James Harden again had a strong showing. He matched a game - high with 33 points, while also contributing six rebounds and four assists. He's been unstoppable the past two weeks, as he's averaging an incredible 34 points per game over his last four outings. Providing Harden some help was Trevor Ariza, who scored 15 points (6 - 15 FG, 2 - 8 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT) and recorded five rebounds. After a poor showing on Sunday, it was good to see him turn things around. Also, in his second impressive performance in a row, Corey Brewer came off the bench for 15 points (5 - 13 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) and two steals. Although he did n't reach the 25 - point mark like he did Sunday, he continued to be a nice spark off the bench since being aquired a little over a week ago from the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Wizards' next game will be on the road against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, while the Rockets will be at home against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "43", "Celtics": "51"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Celtics": "23"}}, {"Assists": {"Amir Johnson": "4", "Al Horford": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "8", "Julius Randle": "3", "D'Angelo Russell": "4", "Jordan Clarkson": "3"}, "Points": {"Amir Johnson": "13", "Al Horford": "17", "Isaiah Thomas": "18", "Jaylen Brown": "16", "Julius Randle": "13", "D'Angelo Russell": "17", "Jordan Clarkson": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Amir Johnson": "6", "Al Horford": "4", "Jaylen Brown": "8", "Julius Randle": "7", "D'Angelo Russell": "3", "Jordan Clarkson": "4"}, "Steals": {"Jordan Clarkson": "3"}}], "This game was over early and often, as Boston led by 23 headed into halftime. Rebounding was key, as the Celtics won that differential, 46 - 34. In addition, Boston shot 51 percent from the field, while holding Los Angeles to under 43 percent shooting. Isaiah Thomas led Boston, as he accumulated 18 points and eight assists. Al Horford contributed 17 points, four rebounds and three assists. Jaylen Brown led the bench, as he provided 16 points and eight rebounds. Amir Johnson amassed 13 points, six rebounds and four assists. Jordan Clarkson was a bright spot for Los Angeles, as he tallied 20 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals off the bench. D'Angelo Russell led the starters with 17 points, three rebounds and four assists. Julius Randle totaled 13 points, seven rebounds and three assists."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Devin Booker": "21", "Gordon Hayward": "28", "Rudy Gobert": "22"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Leandro Barbosa": "10", "Gordon Hayward": "16"}, "3-pointers made": {"Gordon Hayward": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Rudy Gobert": "38"}, "Personal fouls": {"Rudy Gobert": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "11"}}], "The Utah Jazz claimed their third straight victory and their seventh win over the last eight games. The streaking Jazz are being led mainly by two players, Rudy Gobert and Gordon Hayward. Gobert's play on both sides of the floor has made his a matchup nightmare for opposing frontcourts. In Tuesday's game,, Gobert finished with 22 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and racked up four blocks in 38 minutes. Hayward completed another game with 20 - plus points, and is among the Top 15 scorers in the NBA, adding to his impressive start to the season with 28 points on 8 - of - 16 shooting. The Suns, meanwhile, were primarily led by their bench. Three Phoenix reserves reached double figures, with Alex Len, Leandro Barbosa and Brandon Knight all amassed 20 - plus minutes and 10 - plus points in the contest. Starting shooting guard Devin Booker also tallied 21 points for the second straight contest."], [[{"Total points": {"Spurs": "97", "Thunder": "98"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "4", "Serge Ibaka": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "10", "Kawhi Leonard": "3", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "3", "Manu Ginobili": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "19", "Russell Westbrook": "25"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "11", "Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "28", "Serge Ibaka": "12", "Steven Adams": "12", "Russell Westbrook": "29", "Kawhi Leonard": "14", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "41"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "7", "Steven Adams": "17", "Russell Westbrook": "7", "Kawhi Leonard": "7", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Serge Ibaka": "2", "Steven Adams": "1", "Kawhi Leonard": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "Manu Ginobili": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Serge Ibaka": "1"}, "Steals": {"Serge Ibaka": "1", "Steven Adams": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "2", "Kawhi Leonard": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Serge Ibaka": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Steven Adams": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Manu Ginobili": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Manu Ginobili": "1"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the host San Antonio Spurs, 98 - 97, in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals to even the series Monday at AT & T Center. The final possession was as climactic as one possession can get after the home team stole the inbound pass, drove the length of the court and left the ball in Manu Ginobili's hands to beat the buzzer. In a perfect world, Ginobili's shot banks of the glass and fall through the hoop, but a controversial no call left the Spurs stunned on their home court. Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant looked like they returned to their superstar form in the win. Durant finished with 28 points, seven rebounds and four assists on 11 - of - 19 shooting, while Westbrook 29 points, seven rebounds, 10 assists and two steals on 11 - of - 25 shooting. It is obvious that the Thunder will only win the series if the Durant-Westbrook duo are in the drivers seat, but down the stretch, Serge Ibaka came up big with a handful of midrange jumpers. Ibaka contributed 12 points, while Steven Adams pitched in 12 points and 17 rebounds. LaMarcus Aldridge, who is truly showing his playoff colors, finished with 41 points, which led all scorers. It was Aldridge\u2019s second straight game in which he led the scoring department, and his footwork in the lane is becoming, arguably, the biggest threat in the league. The big man import from the Trail Blazers only one year ago, added eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks to his tremendous performance. Kawhi Leonard was less efficient on the offensive end, but also proved how valuable he is for his end - to - end play. Leonard added 14 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks in the contest. Game 3 is Friday at Oklahoma City."], [[{"Total points": {"Clippers": "115", "Grizzlies": "106"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "16"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Marc Gasol": "23", "Mike Conley": "17", "Austin Rivers": "28", "DeAndre Jordan": "18", "Raymond Felton": "11"}, "Assists": {"Mike Conley": "12", "Austin Rivers": "7", "Raymond Felton": "6"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "20"}, "Minutes played": {"Raymond Felton": "37"}, "Steals": {"Raymond Felton": "4"}}], "The host Los Angeles Clippers took down the visiting Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, 115 - 106. Los Angeles (24 - 14) has been devastated by injuries midway through the season. Stars Chris Paul (hamstring) and Blake Griffin (knee surgery) both sat on Wednesday, leaving LA shorthanded and reliant on its backups. Fortunately for the Clippers, the bench pulled through, as point guard Austin Rivers had 28 points and seven assists. Raymond Felton also played 37 minutes and had 11 points, six assists, and four steals. The true star of the show, however, was All-NBA center and well - known ironman DeAndre Jordan. Jordan had 18 points to go with a whopping 20 rebounds and two blocks. As a team, the Clippers shot a solid 50 percent from the floor and poured in nine three - pointers. The Grizzlies (22 - 16) have now dropped two games in two days on their road trip to Los Angeles, as the team lost by double - digits to the Lakers on Tuesday. Memphis had ailments of its own, as the oft - injured Chandler Parsons missed yet another contest on Wednesday. Marc Gasol had a strong night, scoring 23 points, and Mike Conley had a 17 - point, 12 - assist double - double. While the team saw strong play from its stars, it shot just 43 percent from the field and 76 percent at the free - throw line. The Grizzlies will visit the Warriors on Friday, while the Clippers will take on the Kings."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "9", "Lakers": "23"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "118", "Lakers": "78"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "18", "Lakers": "4"}}, {"Points": {"Jordan Clarkson": "15", "Kevin Durant": "22", "Russell Westbrook": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Jordan Clarkson": "4", "Kevin Durant": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Kevin Durant": "30"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "11"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (18 - 9) dealt the struggling Los Angeles Lakers (4 - 23) yet another loss, winning 118 - 78. Per usual, stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook led the way for the Thunder. Durant wowed with 22 points in 30 minutes, made more impressive alongside 8 rebounds. Westbrook, coming off a 27 - point performance against Cleveland, put up just 13. However, the All-Star also tacked on 11 assists, and his average of 9 per game puts him at second in the NBA behind the Kings' Rajon Rondo. The Thunder's win came as no surprise, as the Lakers have struggled mightily thus far this season. The team sits at last in the Western Conference, and holds the unfortunate distinction of second - worst record in the NBA, edging out only the Philadelphia 76ers. Despite the loss, Jordan Clarkson delivered a strong performance, posting 15 points and 4 rebounds. Clarkson has shown off his high potential of late, posting 12 points, four assists, and two steals in the Lakers' previous matchup against Houston. The Lakers' woes have persisted throughout the season, and their bad luck looks unlikely to change any time soon, as they face road matchups in four of their final six games of the calendar year. Their next game will be in Denver on Tuesday. OKC, on the other hand, has established themselves as a legitimate contender early on in the season. They will face the fourth - seed Clippers on Monday in Los Angeles."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Trail Blazers": "68"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "52"}}, {}], "Many spent the offseason pondering who would be the first player to drop 40 points in the 2016 - 17 season, and Damian Lillard very nearly offered an immediate answer. The star point guard scored 39 points in the Trail Blazers' win Tuesday against the Utah Jazz, grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out six assists to go along with it. With Lillard at the helm, Portland was able to pull off a phenomenal 52 percent shooting from the field. The shots seemed to fall more the farther the Blazers got from the basket, as they shot an impeccable 68 percent from 3 - point range. Neither figure stacks up to the free - throw shooting displayed by both sides, however; of the 38 free - throws attempted by both sides in the game, there was not a single miss. Truly, an impressive shooting exhibition all - around."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "48"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "24", "Pacers": "30"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "89", "Pacers": "87"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "19", "Pacers": "15"}}, {"Points": {"David West": "12", "CJ Watson": "13", "Luis Scola": "14", "Luol Deng": "23", "Chris Bosh": "19", "Dwyane Wade": "13", "Mario Chalmers": "9", "Shawne Williams": "6", "Danny Granger": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rodney Stuckey": "11", "Chris Bosh": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Rodney Stuckey": "4", "Chris Bosh": "8"}, "Personal fouls": {"Rodney Stuckey": "4", "George Hill": "1"}, "Steals": {"George Hill": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Luis Scola": "15", "Luol Deng": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"Luol Deng": "5", "Chris Bosh": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Chris Bosh": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Chris Bosh": "4"}, "Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Dwyane Wade": "6"}}], "The Heat (19 - 24) held on to beat the Pacers (15 - 30) 89 - 87 in Miami on Friday night. Miami opened the second half with a 17 - point lead but allowed Indiana to slowly crawl back into the game. The lead was down to 11 at the start of the fourth, and a Rodney Stuckey jumper - plus - the - foul with 3:32 remaining trimmed it to just six. David West hit a jumper on the ensuing possession to cut the lead to four, but Chris Bosh responded with a mid - range shot of his own on the other end. With seven seconds to play, George Hill put in a layup to bring Indiana within one, and the Pacers sent Dwyane Wade to the line with six seconds left. Wade split the pair, giving the Pacers an opportunity to win or tie, but a C.J. Watson could not connect on a jumper as time expired. Luol Deng led the way for Miami with 23 points and five rebounds in 35 minutes. Wade, who was battling through an illness, finished with 13 points and four assists, while Bosh had 19 points on 8 - of - 16 shooting. Mario Chalmers chipped in nine points, and Danny Granger and Shawne Williams each had six off the bench. The Heat shot 48 percent as a team but made only 4 - of - 17 three - point attempts. Indiana didn\u2019t fair any better, hitting just three of its 15 attempts from beyond the arc. West (12 points) and Watson (13) were the only starters in double - figures. Luis Scola was the high man with 14 points in 15 minutes off the bench, while Hill finished with 13 points on 5 - of - 10 shooting. Next up, the Heat travel to Chicago to take on the Bulls on Sunday afternoon. Indiana plays in Orlando on Sunday night."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "43"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "39", "Pelicans": "34"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "108", "Pelicans": "110"}, "Turnovers": {"Suns": "18"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "17", "Pelicans": "22"}}, {"Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Davis": "40"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "24", "Devin Booker": "21", "Eric Bledsoe": "37"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Devin Booker": "2"}, "Steals": {"Eric Bledsoe": "3"}}], "The visiting New Orleans Pelicans narrowly defeated the Phoenix Suns on Monday, 110 - 108. New Orleans (22 - 34) was led to the win by strong play from superstar Anthony Davis. Davis led the team with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks and played a whopping 40 minutes. Per usual, the 23 - year - old superstar did everything on the court, including going a perfect 8 - of - 8 from the line. Free-throw shooting was a major edge for the Pelicans, as they reached the line 35 times and shot 80 percent. It took an edge at the line and holding Phoenix to just 43 percent shooting to squeeze out the win, as the Suns managed to come away with an impressive 13 offensive rebounds for second chances. Phoenix (17 - 39) also saw an extremely strong game from point guard Eric Bledsoe. Bledsoe scored a team - high 37 points and came away with three steals. Bledsoe, who had his season shortened by a torn meniscus in 2015 - 16, has been enjoying the best year of his career thus far. The 37 - point explosion nears his career high of 42 set earlier in the season. Sophomore Devin Booker continued his scoring tear as well. Booker hit two three - pointers and scored 21 points on the night. In the end, though, the Suns made too many costly turnovers. Phoenix turned it over 18 times on the night. The Pelicans will visit the Grizzlies on Wednesday while the Suns host the Lakers."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "53", "Rockets": "40"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "9", "Rockets": "11"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "116", "Rockets": "105"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "9", "Rockets": "7"}}, {"Points": {"Clint Capela": "11", "James Harden": "29", "Patrick Beverley": "10", "Andre Drummond": "24", "Reggie Jackson": "31", "Stanley Johnson": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Clint Capela": "5", "James Harden": "9", "Andre Drummond": "13", "Reggie Jackson": "5", "Stanley Johnson": "10"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "7", "Reggie Jackson": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"James Harden": "4", "Patrick Beverley": "5", "Reggie Jackson": "4", "Stanley Johnson": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"James Harden": "2", "Patrick Beverley": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "3", "Stanley Johnson": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "15", "Patrick Beverley": "12", "Reggie Jackson": "18", "Stanley Johnson": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "6", "Patrick Beverley": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "11", "Stanley Johnson": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Harden": "17", "Reggie Jackson": "8", "Stanley Johnson": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"James Harden": "15", "Reggie Jackson": "6", "Stanley Johnson": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Stanley Johnson": "2"}}], "The Pistons (9 - 9) ran away with a 116 - 105 win over the Rockets (7 - 11) at The Palace of Auburn Hills on Monday. After scoring 17 in the first half, Pistons point guard Reggie Jackson went on to finish with a game - high 31 points (11 - 18 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt, 6 - 8 FT) with eight assists and five rebounds. Detroit forced Houston into 40 percent shooting from the field to its 53 percent. James Harden struggled to find his shot, but managed to get to the line enough to post 29 points (6 - 15 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 15 - 17 FT) along with nine rebounds and seven assists. Harden had been on a tear since the firing of coach Kevin McHale on Nov. 18, but his scoring has cooled down since Sunday when he scored just 26 points. The Rockets rotation has looked a bit different under interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff, as Clint Capela and Patrick Beverley are now in the starting lineup. Capela's production shot up, but he only managed 11 points and five rebounds against Detroit. Beverley finished with 10 points (4 - 12 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt). Despite Jackson's 31 and a 24 - point, 13 - rebound performance from Andre Drummond, the player of the game award definitely goes to rookie Stanley Johnson. The forward out of Arizona came off the bench and scored 19 points (6 - 11 FG, 4 - 5 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) with 10 rebounds for his first career double - double. Johnson hit plenty of big 3 - point shots and even showed flashes of his defensive ability with a pair of blocks. point guard Spencer Dinwiddie missed his fourth straight game due to a knee injury. The Rockets return to Honda Center for a date with the Pelicans on Wednesday; the Pistons play the second of a four - game homestand against the Suns."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "8", "Bulls": "6"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "110", "Bulls": "107"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nuggets": "19", "Bulls": "31"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "6", "Bulls": "9"}}, {"Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "5", "Rajon Rondo": "8", "Jusuf Nurkic": "4"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "35", "Taj Gibson": "12", "Robin Lopez": "12", "Dwyane Wade": "22", "Rajon Rondo": "13", "Danilo Gallinari": "15", "Jusuf Nurkic": "14", "Wilson Chandler": "16", "Jamal Murray": "24"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Taj Gibson": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "21", "Danilo Gallinari": "9", "Jamal Murray": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwyane Wade": "9", "Danilo Gallinari": "6", "Jamal Murray": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Rajon Rondo": "11", "Jusuf Nurkic": "14", "Wilson Chandler": "9"}}], "The Denver Nuggets defeated the visiting Chicago Bulls, 110 - 107, at Pepsi Center on Tuesday. While there were some huge swings in the first half, this game stayed close throughout the second half. The Bulls started the game up 31 - 19 after the first quarter, but the Nuggets responded with a 220 run in the second quarter to recapture the lead. From there, it was even throughout, as there were 13 ties in total with no team leading by more than six points for the final 14 minutes. Bench scoring was the biggest difference in this game, with the Nuggets bench combining for 61 points to the Bulls 13 combined bench points. Denver won many of the stats, as they won the rebounding battle, assist differential, points in the paint and fastbreak points. Chicago (9 - 6) is in the midst of the circus road trip and this tight loss made them 3 - 2 through five games. Jimmy Butler did all he could, as he tallied 35 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the defeat. Dwyane Wade was second on the team, as he scored 22 points on 9 - of - 21 shooting. Rajon Rondo accumulated 13 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists of his own. All five starters scored in double figures, with Taj Gibson and Robin Lopez each scoring 12 points a piece. On deck for the Bulls is a road matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday. Denver (6 - 8) has struggled in close games all season, but they were able to prevail here. Rookie Jamal Murray was the player of the game, as he scored a career - high 24 points on 9 - of - 13 shooting off the pine. Wilson Chandler was second on the team, as he provided 16 points and nine rebounds off the bench as well. Jusuf Nurkic recorded a double - double in the win, totaling 14 points, 14 rebounds and four assists. Danilo Gallinari led the starters in scoring with 15 points on 6 - of - 9 shooting. Denver will be in action again on Wednesday, as they travel to play the Utah Jazz for their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "49", "Pelicans": "34"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "95", "Pelicans": "101"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "26", "Pelicans": "41"}}, {"Points": {"Anthony Davis": "20", "Tyreke Evans": "19", "DeMarcus Cousins": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "10", "Tyreke Evans": "12", "DeMarcus Cousins": "20"}, "Assists": {"Tyreke Evans": "9", "DeMarcus Cousins": "13"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "20"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "10"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (41 - 34) defeated the Sacramento Kings (26 - 49) 101 - 95 on Friday. The Pelicans had dropped four in a row but are now on a four - game win streak after their victory at Sleep Train Arena. Tyreke Evans was just one assist shy of a triple - double. He had 19 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists. Anthony Davis had 20 points and ten rebounds in another stellar game for the \"Smoothie King Superstar\". New Orleans is just a half a game back of the Oklahoma City Thunder for the eighth seed in the Western Conference. They could finish as high as the seventh seed but are in danger of missing the playoffs once again. DeMarcus Cousins put up an awe - inspiring performance in another tough loss. Cousins had 24 points, 20 rebounds and 13 assists, all of which were game - highs. He's now put up back - to - back games of 20 - plus points, 20 - plus rebounds and 10 - plus assists from the center position. Russell Westbrook is n't the only one playing out of his mind right now, as Cousins has averaged 28 points, 18 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 blocks and 2 steals over his last four games. The Kings will welcome the Utah Jazz to Sacramento on Sunday, as New Orleans will host the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "18", "Wizards": "19"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "99", "Wizards": "105"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "20", "Wizards": "16"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "55"}}, {"Assists": {"Otto Porter": "2", "Jared Dudley": "4", "Marcin Gortat": "1", "Garrett Temple": "4", "John Wall": "10", "Gary Neal": "3", "Victor Oladipo": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Otto Porter": "4", "Gary Neal": "2", "Channing Frye": "1"}, "Points": {"Otto Porter": "16", "Jared Dudley": "16", "Marcin Gortat": "12", "Garrett Temple": "11", "John Wall": "24", "Gary Neal": "16", "Tobias Harris": "11", "Channing Frye": "12", "Evan Fournier": "11", "Victor Oladipo": "17", "Aaron Gordon": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Otto Porter": "2", "Jared Dudley": "3", "Marcin Gortat": "10", "Garrett Temple": "4", "John Wall": "5", "Gary Neal": "1", "Channing Frye": "4", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Aaron Gordon": "10"}, "Steals": {"Otto Porter": "4", "Marcin Gortat": "1", "John Wall": "4", "Victor Oladipo": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jared Dudley": "4", "Gary Neal": "2", "Channing Frye": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Marcin Gortat": "1", "Gary Neal": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Garrett Temple": "5", "Evan Fournier": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"John Wall": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"John Wall": "1", "Channing Frye": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Gary Neal": "22", "Aaron Gordon": "30"}, "Personal fouls": {"Gary Neal": "2", "Channing Frye": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Channing Frye": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Channing Frye": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "6"}}], "The Washington Wizards (16 - 19) defeated the Orlando Magic (20 - 18) 105 - 99 on Saturday. The Wizards snapped a three - game skid on the strength of an outstanding shooting night. All five starters managed double - digit points, and Washington was able to shoot a stellar 55 percent from the field and 57 percent from beyond the arc. Four members of the first unit were able to tally at least one three - pointer, and Gary Neal also pitched in with two treys of his own off the bench. The performance provided a glimpse of the significant potential the Wizards' offense possesses, even with Bradley Beal out of the lineup. However, their inability to put together outings such as Saturday's with any type of consistency has been at the root of their mediocre record over the first 35 games. John Wall led the way for the visitors with another one of his patented double - doubles, tallying 24 points, 10 assists, five rebounds and four steals. It was the All-Star point guard's 13th double - double outing in the last 16 games, an amazing stretch that has helped keep Washington afloat in Beal's absence. Otto Porter and Jared Dudley were next in line with a pair of 16 - point efforts, with the former adding two rebounds, two assists and four steals, while the latter dished out four dimes and hauled in three boards. Marcin Gortat managed 12 points for the fourth straight contest, and added 10 rebounds, an assist, a block and a steal. It was the Wizards' big man's sixth double - double over the last seven games. Garrett Temple rounded out the starting five's productive night with 11 points, four rebounds and four assists, and Neal collected 16 points, three assists, a rebound and a block over 22 minutes to pace the reserves. The Wizards improved to 16 - 19 and but still reside in last place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They next head to Chicago for a Monday night showdown with the Bulls. The Magic was spearheaded by Nikola Vucevic, who turned in an impressive performance against Gortat's stout defense. Orlando's big man registered 23 points, nine rebounds, five assists and a steal. Victor Oladipo received another start at point guard and was solid once again, pouring in 17 points and adding five assists, three rebounds, a steal and a block. However, he had trouble keeping the ball away from the opposition, equaling his season high with six turnovers. Channing Frye managed one of his most fruitful offensive nights of the year, tallying 12 points and bringing down four rebounds. Tobias Harris and Evan Fournier rounded out the starting five with a pair of 11 - point outings. Aaron Gordon was highly efficient from the bench, posting a 10 - point, 10 - rebound double - double over 30 minutes. Orlando fell to 20 - 18 but remains in second place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They'll now take a jaunt across the Atlantic to face off against the Toronto Raptors in London on Thursday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "5", "Rajon Rondo": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "19", "Rajon Rondo": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "10", "Rajon Rondo": "6"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "24", "Rajon Rondo": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "8", "Rajon Rondo": "10"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "13"}, "Free throws made": {"Dwyane Wade": "9"}}], "Kawhi Leonard's box score numbers did not accurately reflect his defensive effort against the Chicago Bulls, and although the Spurs suffered just their first road loss of the season, Leonard's defensive efficiency was on full display. The San Antonio forward held Jimmy Butler to zero points in the first half, contesting every shot Butler had to force up in an attempt to get some rhythm going. Leonard went on to dominate his matchup to the tune of 24 points, eight rebounds, five assists and one steal on 10 - of - 19 shooting, but it was not enough to keep Dwyane Wade from the free throw line and iron out a win. Wade did his damage from the charity stripe, where his 9 - of - 13 shooting kept the Spurs comeback just out of reach. Rajon Rondo put together the best all around box score performance of the night, evidenced by his 12 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists on 6 - of - 12 shooting."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "17"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "38"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Grizzlies": "20"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "6", "Dennis Schroder": "8", "Taurean Prince": "2", "Mike Conley": "5"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "16", "Dennis Schroder": "16", "Taurean Prince": "17", "JaMychal Green": "20", "Mike Conley": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "11", "Dennis Schroder": "7", "Taurean Prince": "3", "JaMychal Green": "11"}, "Steals": {"Dennis Schroder": "3", "Taurean Prince": "2", "Mike Conley": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Taurean Prince": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Taurean Prince": "5"}}], "Lopsided games are n't shocking in Memphis, but they are when it's the road team doing the damage. That was just the case here, with Atlanta leading by 18 after the first quarter in their wire - to - wire win. Defense was key, as they held the Grizzlies to 38 percent from the field and 17 percent from three - point range, The Hawks also dominated the defensive rebounding, winning that battle, 40 - 28. Dennis Schroeder accumulated 16 points, seven rebounds, eight assists and three steals. Paul Millsap matched that 16 points, by adding 11 rebounds and six assists to his line. Taurean Prince led the bench by providing 17 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals on 5 - of - 6 shooting. JaMychal Green was a bright spot for Memphis, as he led the team with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Mike Conley collected 16 points, five assists and five steals."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "25"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Raptors": "33"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Raptors": "29"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "2"}}, {"Rebounds": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "18"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "5"}, "Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "33", "Kyle Lowry": "29"}}], "Kyle Lowry shook off his early - season doldrums to supply a 29 - point effort, which when combined with backcourt mate DeMar DeRozan's 33 points, represented nearly 60 percent of the Raptors' scoring on the night. Four-fifths of the starting five was sharp from the field, as Jonas Valanciunas and DeMarre Carroll joined the dynamic guard duo to generate a collective 52 percent (33 - for - 63) success rate. Notably, DeRozan and Lowry combined for 19 of Toronto's 25 free - throw attempts and were the only members of the first unit to visit the charity stripe. The Nuggets enjoyed another strong performance from Jusuf Nurkic, who hauled in 18 rebounds and is now averaging 11 boards per contest. All five members of Denver's first unit managed double - digit scoring for the second straight game, and the two teams combined for just 16 turnovers."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "2", "Bulls": "1"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "105", "Bulls": "106"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "1", "Bulls": "2"}}, {"Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "2", "Kirk Hinrich": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "17"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "15"}, "Free throws made": {"Jimmy Butler": "11"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "24", "Nikola Mirotic": "12", "Kevin Martin": "33", "Corey Brewer": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Jimmy Butler": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kirk Hinrich": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kirk Hinrich": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Kirk Hinrich": "2", "Nikola Mirotic": "8", "Kevin Martin": "7", "Ricky Rubio": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Nikola Mirotic": "28", "Thaddeus Young": "17", "Kevin Martin": "36", "Corey Brewer": "17"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (2 - 1) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (1 - 2) 106 - 105 on Saturday. Derrick Rose sat out the game as a precaution. He sprained his ankle in Friday's loss to the Cavaliers. Rose was originally listed in the starting lineup before being removed just before tip - off. He said he could have played if the game was a must - win but that it's more important to make sure he does n't injure himself further at this time of the season. Kirk Hinrich started at point guard in Rose's absence, and Jimmy Butler, who had missed the first two games of the season with a thumb injury, returned to the lineup and started at shooting guard. Butler finished with 24 points in 38 minutes, shooting 11 - of - 15 at the free - throw line. Rookie Nikola Mirotic posted 12 points and eight rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench. Thaddeus Young suffered a scary neck injury and had to leave after playing just 17 minutes. He was diagnosed with a neck strain and never returned to the game. Anthony Bennett started the second half at power forward in Young's absence. Kevin Martin moved into the starting lineup for the Timberwolves on Saturday. He finished with 33 points and seven rebounds in 36 minutes. Corey Brewer moved to the bench so that Andrew Wiggins could remain in the starting lineup at small forward. Brewer played just 17 minutes. Ricky Rubio tied his career - high mark with 17 assists, celebrating the four - year, $55 million contract extension he signed with the Timberwolves on Friday. The Bulls have two days off before hosting the Orlando Magic on Tuesday. The Timberwolves have three days off before going on the road to face the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "18", "Kings": "19"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "106", "Kings": "84"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "11", "Kings": "13"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "37"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Kings": "20"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Kings": "22"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "16"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Jared Sullinger": "27", "Marcus Smart": "28"}, "Points": {"Jared Sullinger": "20", "Evan Turner": "10", "Marcus Smart": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Jared Sullinger": "11", "Evan Turner": "6", "Marcus Smart": "6"}, "Assists": {"Evan Turner": "11"}}], "The Boston Celtics (11 - 18) defeated the Sacramento Kings (13 - 19) 106 - 84 on Wednesday in a matinee matchup. Boston snapped their four - game losing streak with the win. Despite tweaking his ankle near the end of their last game Saturday, Jared Sullinger led the way with 20 points and 11 rebounds in 27 minutes. This game got out of reach for the Kings early enough that both teams used most of their benches for significant stretches. The Celtics gained their biggest advantage on defense, holding the Kings to 37 percent shooting from the field while also forcing them into giving up 22 points off 16 turnovers. Evan Turner started at point guard instead of Marcus Smart, who had started the last few games. Turner posted a double - double of 10 points and 11 assists, and Smart played well off the bench, putting up 11 points and six rebounds in 28 minutes. Boston will try to keep the good times rolling when they host the Dallas Mavericks and welcome back Rajon Rondo for his first game in TD Garden as a member of the Mavericks. Sacramento has lost four of their last five games, and their poor performance Wednesday feels like a new low for the mercurial franchise. Jason Thompson started every single game this season coming into Wednesday, but he was moved to the bench in favor of Ryan Hollins and never entered the game. It was believed Thompson might be one of the pieces to fall out of the rotation after the Kings made a coaching change a couple weeks back, but coach Ty Corbin has been slow to make changes, leaving the Kings players questioning what exactly the direction of the team is. They\u2019ll continue their road trip against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, giving them a quick turnaround and a new opportunity to get moving in the right direction."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "21", "Thunder": "12"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "110", "Thunder": "121"}, "Turnovers": {"Pelicans": "9"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "10", "Thunder": "17"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "39"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "51"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Thunder": "34"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Thunder": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Thunder": "49"}}, {"Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Russell Westbrook": "34", "Enes Kanter": "34", "Alex Abrines": "30", "Anthony Davis": "36"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "42", "Enes Kanter": "14", "Alex Abrines": "18", "Anthony Davis": "34", "Jrue Holiday": "23", "Terrence Jones": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Jrue Holiday": "9", "Terrence Jones": "9"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 121 - 110 Wednesday at Smoothie King Center. The Thunder (17 - 12) were once again led by their fearless leader Russell Westbrook, who put together another 40 - point performance with 42 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in just 34 minutes. Westbrook once again carried a team that failed to get many significant contributions from its starters. Alex Abrines, however, did have a surprise performance off the bench Wednesday, scoring 18 points in 30 minutes - - just his second double - digit performance of the season. Additionally, Enes Kanter posted yet another double - double as a reserve, posting 14 points and 14 rebounds in 34 minutes. As a team, the Thunder did shoot the ball rather effectively, hitting 51 percent of their shots overall and 39 percent of their threes. The Pelicans (10 - 21) got another stellar performance out of their superstar forward Anthony Davis, as he posted 34 points and 15 rebounds in 36 minutes. And while Jrue Holiday and Terrence Jones each had great nights themselves, scoring 23 and 21 points respectively, the other nine players who saw the floor for New Orleans managed to score a total of just 32 points. Despite not having a full team effort, the game was ultimately lost for New Orleans on the boards, as they were out - rebounded by the Thunder 49 - to - 34. Up next, the Thunder will travel to Boston on Friday to take on the Celtics, while the Pelicans will stay home Friday and play the Heat."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "46", "Celtics": "38"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "31", "Celtics": "28"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "103", "Celtics": "98"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pacers": "32"}, "Turnovers": {"Pacers": "13", "Celtics": "13"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "36", "Celtics": "39"}}, {"Assists": {"Marcus Smart": "2", "Jared Sullinger": "3", "Avery Bradley": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "8", "Jonas Jerebko": "2", "Paul George": "4", "Ian Mahinmi": "1", "Monta Ellis": "6", "George Hill": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Marcus Smart": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "1", "Paul George": "1", "George Hill": "1", "Jordan Hill": "1"}, "Points": {"Marcus Smart": "12", "Jared Sullinger": "15", "Avery Bradley": "10", "Isaiah Thomas": "21", "Jonas Jerebko": "17", "Paul George": "25", "Ian Mahinmi": "13", "Monta Ellis": "16", "George Hill": "10", "Jordan Hill": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcus Smart": "4", "Jared Sullinger": "11", "Avery Bradley": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "6", "Jonas Jerebko": "3", "Paul George": "7", "Ian Mahinmi": "6", "Monta Ellis": "7", "George Hill": "5", "Jordan Hill": "3"}, "Steals": {"Marcus Smart": "1", "Jared Sullinger": "2", "Avery Bradley": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "2", "Paul George": "4", "Monta Ellis": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "3"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (36 - 31) defeated the Boston Celtics (39 - 28) 103 - 98 on Tuesday. An exciting back - and - forth battle featured a strong fourth quarter from the home team that led them to victory. The Pacers managed a game - high 32 points in the final period, including a 15 - 4 run that provided enough of a cushion to hold off Boston when it counted most. Indiana utilized a strong shooting night to key the victory, as they posted 46 and 46 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively. Conversely, they held the Celtics to 38 percent and 25 percent figures in those categories, while also forcing 13 turnovers. Boston was led by Isaiah Thomas' 21 points, which he supplemented with eight assists, six rebounds, two steals and a block. However, he struggled from three - point range, going 3 - for - 11 from beyond the arc. Jared Sullinger followed with a 15 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included three assists and two steals. Marcus Smart drew the start for the ailing Jae Crowder (ankle), and tallied 12 points, four rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. Avery Bradley contributed 10 points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal. Jonas Jerebko paced the Boston bench with 17 points, three rebounds and a pair of assists. The Celtics remain in second place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division, and hold the third seed in the conference as well. They're home versus the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. Indiana was led by Paul George, who supplied 25 points, seven rebounds, four assists, four steals and a block. Monta Ellis was next with 16 points, seven rebounds, six assists and a pair of steals. Ian Mahinmi followed with 13 points, six boards and an assist, while George Hill, nursing a sore toe, was able to pitch in with 10 points, five rebounds, three assists and a block. Jordan Hill led the reserves with 15 points, three rebounds and a block. The Pacers remain in second place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division, and are currently slotted in the seventh seed in the conference as well. They take on the Toronto Raptors at home on Thursday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "4", "Warriors": "2"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "97", "Warriors": "105"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "2", "Warriors": "4"}}, {"Assists": {"Andre Iguodala": "5", "Draymond Green": "10"}, "Points": {"Andre Iguodala": "25", "Draymond Green": "16", "LeBron James": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "11", "LeBron James": "18"}, "3-pointers made": {"LeBron James": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "47"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"LeBron James": "6"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (4 - 2) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (2 - 4), 105 - 97, on Tuesday at the Quicken Loans Arena to capture their first NBA Title since the 1974 - 75 season. Knowing that they had just one game standing between themselves and history, the Warriors came out on Tuesday and showed why they were the league's best team this season. The Warriors took over in the second half, and although they never built a massive lead, they played so well on both ends of the floor that even a ten point lead seemed insurmountable for the Cavaliers. It was n't necessarily Golden State's \"Splash Brothers\" that made the biggest impact in the decisive Game 6, either. Andre Iguodala had his highest scoring total of the season with 25 points and also added five assists. He had averaged 10 points per game in the playoffs leading into Game 6. Iguodala's tremendous play on both ends of the floor earned him Finals MVP honors despite not making a single start in the regular season. Draymond Green, who had struggled early in the series, posted a triple - double with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. Cleveland would not go down with out a fight, however. The Cavaliers chipped away at a 13 - point deficit with just under two minutes left to cut the Warriors' lead to just four points with 33 seconds remaining. In the end, the Warriors would not be denied the championship they had fought so hard to capture. The Warriors' championship cements their place among the best single seasons that the league has seen as they proved that a jump shooting team could be about more than just finesse. Golden State's lock - down defense throughout the season was equal to its offensive fire power, which made this team one of the most unique and impressive champions in recent memory. For Cleveland, the season ends in disappointment, but it should be encouraged by the path that took the Cavaliers to Game 6 of the NBA Finals. A first - year NBA coach in David Blatt, a largely playoff - inexperienced roster, and a rash of injuries could have derailed a lesser team, but the Cavaliers battled until the bitter end. LeBron James' performance in the Finals nearly negated all of the injuries and bad luck that the Cavaliers endured during the postseason. James had 32 points and 18 rebounds over 47 minutes in Game 6. He had at least 30 points in five of the six games in this series and also posted two triple - doubles. James' Herculean efforts were n't enough to knock off the full - strength Warriors, however. Still, James and the Cavaliers should be commended for their tremendous playoff run. The Cavaliers will undoubtedly be back in contention next season with a battle tested and talented roster. Golden State reached the pinnacle of basketball on Tuesday after many difficult and disappointing seasons. The Warriors began to look like a championship caliber team last season by finishing 20 games above .500 for the first time since the 1991 - 92 season. The addition of Steve Kerr as the coach this season vaulted the Warriors from contender to powerhouse, winning 67 regular season games to secure the top seed in the Western Conference. The Warriors had the best record in the NBA this season, the MVP of the league in Stephen Curry, and one of the best all - around teams in years. Golden State's first title in 40 years will be one to remember, and its star - studded nucleus means that the Warriors will be formidable for years to come."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "55", "Trail Blazers": "26"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "77", "Trail Blazers": "107"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Lakers": "12", "Trail Blazers": "26"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Lakers": "27"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Lakers": "14", "Trail Blazers": "33"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "20", "Trail Blazers": "49"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Damian Lillard": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Damian Lillard": "8"}, "Points": {"Damian Lillard": "20", "CJ McCollum": "27", "Jordan Clarkson": "27"}, "Minutes played": {"CJ McCollum": "27", "Jordan Clarkson": "35"}, "Assists": {"Jordan Clarkson": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jordan Clarkson": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jordan Clarkson": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Jordan Clarkson": "7"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (49 - 26) routed the Los Angeles Lakers (20 - 55) at the Staples Center on Friday by a score of 107 - 77. Portland clinched the Northwest Division shortly before tip - off after Oklahoma City fell to Memphis, but that did n't stop the Trail Blazers from putting the exclamation point on the night. The Trail Blazers started hot and finished hot, outscoring the Lakers 26 - 12 in the first quarter and 33 - 14 in the fourth. Second-year guard C.J McCollum poured in a team - high 27 points in 27 minutes off the bench. With Friday's win, the Trail Blazers completed the season sweep over the Lakers. Portland had n't won a division title outright since the 1998 - 99 season when it was a member of the Pacific Division. Damian Lillard posted 20 points on an efficient 8 - of - 15 shooting performance that included going 4 - of - 8 from beyond the arc. The Trail Blazers currently hold the fourth spot in the Western Conference, but have one less win than the Clippers and Spurs. The division title looms large in this case as the Warriors have already clinched the Clippers' division and the Spurs have an uphill climb to unseat the Grizzlies and Rockets in the Southwest. The Trail Blazers will play the second half of a back - to - back set Saturday when they host the Pelicans. Los Angeles' season - long woes continued Friday with another blowout loss in front of the home crowd. Friday's defeat tied a not - so - prestigious franchise record for most losses in a single season. The Lakers are almost assured to have one of the bottom - five records in the league this season, which should allow them to have a top - five pick in the upcoming draft. Jordan Clarkson was again one of the few bright spots for the Lakers as he led them in scoring with 27 points. Clarkson also pulled down seven rebounds and dished out five assists in 35 minutes of action. The Lakers will kick off their \"home - and - home\" set against the Clippers on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "52"}}, {"Points": {"Rodney McGruder": "11", "Hassan Whiteside": "23", "Dion Waiters": "23", "Goran Dragic": "21", "Tyler Johnson": "16", "Ryan Anderson": "17", "Clint Capela": "12", "James Harden": "38"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "14", "James Harden": "12"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "12"}, "3-pointers made": {"James Harden": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"James Harden": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Eric Gordon": "32"}}], "The Heat posted a 52 percent success rate from the field, with four members of the first unit managing double digits in the scoring column. James Harden did generate 38 - point, 12 - rebound, 12 - assist triple - double, but the other four members of their starting five combined for just 41 points. Matching 23 - point efforts from Hassan Whiteside and Dion Waiters led the Heat, with the former also hauling in 14 boards. Goran Dragic contributed 21 points, while Rodney McGruder supplied 11. Tyler Johnson paced the second unit with 16 points. Ryan Anderson was a distant second behind Harden with 17 points, while Clint Capela posted 12. Eric Gordon matched Capela's point total in 32 minutes off the bench. Patrick Beverley and Trevor Ariza notably combined for just 12 points, with the former exiting after 12 minutes with a groin strain."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "42", "Bucks": "63"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "35", "Bucks": "28"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "112", "Bucks": "137"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "16", "Bucks": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "30", "Jabari Parker": "18", "Mirza Teletovic": "19", "Marquese Chriss": "27", "Devin Booker": "31", "PJ Tucker": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "12", "Jabari Parker": "9", "Marquese Chriss": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jabari Parker": "10", "Mirza Teletovic": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Jabari Parker": "7", "Mirza Teletovic": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Jabari Parker": "31", "Marquese Chriss": "24"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the host Phoenix Suns, 137 - 112, at Talking Stick Resort Arena on Saturday evening. The Bucks turned in their highest point total of the season, as they ran past the struggling Suns. The Bucks (22 - 28) shot a blistering 63 percent from the field, as they scorched the Suns' defense. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way for Milwaukee with 30 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and four blocks to stuff the stat sheet. Mirza Teletovic followed up with 19 points on 6 - of - 10 shooting, to burn his former team. Jabari Parker added 18 points on 7 - of - 10 shooting, and nine rebounds, as he was solid in 31 minutes. The Bucks are still stuck outside the top eight in the East but will look to continue to claw their way back, as they play host to the Heat on Wednesday. The Suns (16 - 35) shot only 42 percent from the field, and were dominated in the paint, where they were outscored 74 - 42. However, Phoenix saw some great performances from some of it's youngsters, as Marquese Chriss tallied a career - high 27 points on 9 - of - 16 shooting, to go along with six rebounds, in only 24 minutes. Devin Booker went off for 27 points in the second quarter alone, but cooled down, as he finished with 31 points in the contest. Tyson Chandler grabbed 13 rebounds, while Eric Bledsoe and P.J. Tucker chipped in 13 points each. The Suns remain last place in the West but will continue to fight, as they go on to visit New Orleans on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "39"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "19", "Knicks": "36"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "95", "Knicks": "79"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Bucks": "31", "Knicks": "13"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bucks": "26"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "21", "Knicks": "5"}}, {"Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "25", "Jose Calderon": "11", "Travis Wear": "13", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "16", "Zaza Pachulia": "11", "Khris Middleton": "14", "Brandon Knight": "20", "O.J. Mayo": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5", "Zaza Pachulia": "14", "Khris Middleton": "6", "Brandon Knight": "5", "O.J. Mayo": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Amar'e Stoudemire": "8", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "33", "Zaza Pachulia": "28"}, "Assists": {"Jose Calderon": "9", "Brandon Knight": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Zaza Pachulia": "7", "O.J. Mayo": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Zaza Pachulia": "7", "O.J. Mayo": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Zaza Pachulia": "7"}, "Steals": {"Brandon Knight": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"O.J. Mayo": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"O.J. Mayo": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"O.J. Mayo": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"O.J. Mayo": "1"}}], "The Bucks (21 - 19) handled the Knicks (5 - 36) 95 - 79 at the O2 in London, England on Thursday. Milwaukee jumped out to an early 31 - 13 lead and never looked back, as the lead reached as many as 26 points in the third quarter. The Knicks mounted a mini - comeback midway through the fourth, cutting the lead to 11 at one point, but a pair of Zaza Pachulia free throws followed by an O.J. Mayo three - pointer brought advantage back to 16 with under three minutes to play. Mayo led Milwaukee with 22 points (4 - 6 3Pt) off the bench but he was one of only two Bucks to make more than half of his shots, as Milwaukee converted at just a 39 percent clip as a team. Giannis Antetokounmpo was the other, contributing 16 points (6 - 10 FG) and five rebounds in 33 minutes. Brandon Knight added 20 points, six assists, six steals and five rebounds, and Khris Middleton added 14 points go to with six boards. Zaza Pachulia posted a double - double with 11 points and 14 rebounds (seven offensive) in just 28 minutes. New York, meanwhile, careened to its 16th straight loss despite the best efforts of Carmelo Anthony, who finished with 25 points and three rebounds. Jose Calderon added 11 points and nine assists, and Travis Wear scored 13 points off the bench. Amar\u2019e Stoudemire started at center but played only eight minutes and was held scoreless. Up next, the Bucks return stateside to face the Raptors in Milwaukee on Monday. New York is also off until Monday, when they welcome the Pelicans to Madison Square Garden."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "5", "Cavaliers": "2"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "108", "Cavaliers": "105"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "5", "Cavaliers": "8"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "5"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "3"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "37", "Kevin Love": "24", "Greg Monroe": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "12", "Kevin Love": "14", "Greg Monroe": "17"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (5 - 5) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (8 - 2) 108 - 105 in double - overtime thriller on Saturday. The final tally doesn\u2019t represent how much of a defensive struggle this was between two defensive - centric teams. The Cavaliers committed a season - high 21 turnovers and that very well may have been the difference in a close game. Both teams struggled shooting the ball, as they both barely shot above 40 percent from the field and hovered around 70 percent from the free - throw line. This was a hard - fought defensive game that was 88 - 88 going into the first overtime. The Cavaliers were on the second half of a back - to - back and left it all on the floor on Saturday. The tired legs were evident though, as they set a season - high in turnovers and missed 24 three - point shots. They were led by LeBron James who put together a ridiculous line. King James tallied 37 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and three blocks in the loss. Kevin Love also had another strong double - double, as he recorded 24 points and 14 boards in the defeat. This was a tough situation for Cleveland and the effort - filled loss is still a good sign for the morale of this team. They'll get a few days off and then play the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday. The Bucks carried a two - game losing streak coming into this game and put in quite the effort against the defending Eastern Conference champs. In the Bucks five wins this season, they have allowed under 90 points per game on average and that defense held true tonight. The 105 points looks like a lot from Cleveland, but its an unfair indicator considering the Cavs scored 88 points going into overtime. Milwaukee was led by Greg Monroe, who totaled 16 points and 17 rebounds, while grabbing a game - capping offensive rebound in the final seconds. This is a young and exciting team and they should be a threat to any team on any given night. They'll look to start a new winning - streak on Tuesday against the Washington Wizards."], [[{}, {"Field goals made": {"Hassan Whiteside": "7", "Andre Drummond": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4"}, "Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "17", "Andre Drummond": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "9", "Andre Drummond": "13"}, "Assists": {"Andre Drummond": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Andre Drummond": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andre Drummond": "7"}, "Steals": {"Andre Drummond": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Andre Drummond": "2"}}], "It was a battle between two star big men in Tuesday's matchup between the Heat and Pistons, and while Miami's Hassan Whiteside ultimately got the best of Drummond by hitting a game - winning tip shot over Detroit's center as time expired, both players saw failed to do what they have grown accustomed to doing all season: recording a double - double. Whiteside finished one rebound shy of the double - double, posting 17 points and nine rebounds in the contest, while Drummond fell one point shy, posting nine points and 13 rebounds of his own. For Whiteside, it was the first time since Feb. 24 that he failed to record a double - double, and it was the first time since Jan. 25 where he failed to record at least nine rebounds. For Drummond, it was actually the third time in his last four games where he failed to reach double - digit scoring, but he still has recorded at least 13 rebounds in each of his last seven games."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "25", "Warriors": "13"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "108", "Warriors": "122"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "44", "Warriors": "58"}, "Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "37"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "60"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Warriors": "36"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Points": {"Stephen Curry": "33", "Damian Lillard": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (58 - 13) had an emphatic victory Tuesday in Portland, defeating the Trail Blazers (44 - 25) 122 - 108 to clinch the Pacific Division. Golden State saved its best for the best competition with its best shooting performance of the year. The Warriors shot a remarkable 60% from the floor on their way to putting up 122 points against the Trail Blazers, who were missing LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum. This matchup showcased two of the best point guards in the game with Steph Curry putting up 33 points while Damian Lillard finished with 29. The Warriors broke the game open in the third quarter with a 21 - 3 run, leading to a 36 point quarter. The Trail Blazers and Warriors will wrap up the season series on April 9 at the Oracle Arena. Just one night after dismantling the East's fifth - best team, the Wizards, the Warriors put on a show against the West's fourth seed. Golden State had n't won a division title since the 1975 - 76 season where it lost in the conference finals. They are now one win shy of tying the franchise record for wins, a mark they should easily top. The Warriors dished out 37 assists in the game and scored 52 points in the paint. Golden State will return to action Friday when it hosts Memphis. Portland has started to slide over the past week with five straight losses. LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum, and Chris Kaman were all sidelined with injuries, which forced Portland to reach deep into its bench with players like C.J McCollum and Joel Freeland both playing more than 20 minutes. It's unclear if any of those three players will be available for Wednesday's tilt in Utah."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "11", "Magic": "12"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "92", "Magic": "98"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "11", "Magic": "9"}}, {"Points": {"Aaron Gordon": "10", "Serge Ibaka": "21", "Evan Fournier": "5", "D.J. Augustin": "12", "Jeff Green": "14", "Tobias Harris": "11", "Marcus Morris": "21", "Andre Drummond": "10", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "9", "Reggie Jackson": "18", "Ish Smith": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Aaron Gordon": "3", "Serge Ibaka": "7", "Evan Fournier": "1", "D.J. Augustin": "3", "Nikola Vucevic": "8", "Jeff Green": "5", "Tobias Harris": "4", "Marcus Morris": "5", "Andre Drummond": "10", "Reggie Jackson": "1", "Ish Smith": "1"}, "Assists": {"Serge Ibaka": "4", "Evan Fournier": "2", "D.J. Augustin": "3", "Nikola Vucevic": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "3", "Jeff Green": "3", "Tobias Harris": "1", "Marcus Morris": "1", "Andre Drummond": "3", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "4", "Ish Smith": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Serge Ibaka": "4", "Nikola Vucevic": "2", "Andre Drummond": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Serge Ibaka": "9", "Evan Fournier": "1", "D.J. Augustin": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Serge Ibaka": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Serge Ibaka": "1"}, "Steals": {"Serge Ibaka": "3", "Evan Fournier": "3", "Marcus Morris": "2", "Andre Drummond": "3", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Serge Ibaka": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Evan Fournier": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"D.J. Augustin": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Marcus Morris": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Marcus Morris": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Reggie Jackson": "23"}}], "The Orlando Magic defeated the Detroit Pistons, 98 - 92, at Palace at Auburn Hills on Sunday. The Magic (9 - 12) embarked on their current road trip as losers of four in a row, and appeared like a team in disarray all the way around. However, they've found a way to turn things around away from the confines of Amway Center, as they've now managed to rattle off victories in four of their last five games, including three straight. Serge Ibaka played a pivotal role in Sunday's win, as he posted a team - high 21 points and added seven rebounds, four assists, four blocks and three steals. The performance was an extension of a resurgent stretch by the veteran forward, one in which he's posted double - digit scoring efforts in nine of 10 games and multiple blocks in seven of his last nine. Orlando has also developed a strong second unit in the the last several contests, with Nikola Vucevic and Jeff Green providing starter - quality production in reserve roles. Sunday, the pair posted 16 and 14 points, respectively, and the bench accounted for 45 of the Magic's 98 points. D.J. Augustin logged another start in place of Elfrid Payton and was second to Ibaka on the starting five with 12 points, three rebounds and three assists. Aaron Gordon was next, supplying 10 points and three rebounds. Evan Fournier underwhelmed, however, registering just five points on 1 - of - 7 shooting, along with two assists, a rebound and three steals. Vucevic added eight rebounds, two assists and two blocks to his bench - leading scoring total, while Green supplemented his aforementioned 14 points with five rebounds and three assists. Detroit (11 - 11) actually received a balanced effort from their starting five, which was led by Marcus Morris' 21 points. He added five rebounds, an assist and a pair of steals. Reggie Jackson made his season debut and looked outstanding, collecting 18 points, four assists and a rebound over just 23 minutes while proving that his troublesome knee was in playing shape. Tobias Harris was able to provide 11 points, four rebounds and an assist against his former Magic teammates. Andre Drummond posted a 10 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included three assists, three steals and two blocks. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope cooled off from recent performances with a tally of nine points, nine rebounds, four assists and a steal. Ish Smith, who went back to the bench with Jackson's return, managed 11 points, two assists and a rebound while leading the second unit in scoring. The Magic continue their swing through the Northeast with a trip to the nation's capital to face off with the Washington Wizards on Tuesday evening. The Pistons remain home and await the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday evening as well."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "22", "Dewayne Dedmon": "10", "Danny Green": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "11", "Dewayne Dedmon": "8", "Danny Green": "4"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "32", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "19", "Dewayne Dedmon": "17", "Danny Green": "12", "Tobias Harris": "16", "Ish Smith": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "11", "Dewayne Dedmon": "17"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1"}, "Blocks": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "Dewayne Dedmon": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Dewayne Dedmon": "32", "Danny Green": "30", "Ish Smith": "19"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Danny Green": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Danny Green": "4"}}], "Kawhi Leonard finished with a game - high 32 points on efficient 11 - of - 22 shooting, to go along with six rebounds, five assists and one steal. LaMarcus Aldridge followed up with 19 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks, while Dewayne Dedmon came up huge in yet another start, as he fills in for the injured Pau Gasol. Dedmon tallied 17 points on 8 - of - 10 shooting, to go along with 17 rebounds and two blocks, in 32 minutes. Danny Green was on fire from deep, where he hit 4 - of - 5, on his way to 12 points, in 30 minutes of action. Meanwhile, despite seven players scoring in double digits, the Pistons fell short. Tobias Harris was the high - point man for Detroit, with 16, while Ish Smith followed up with 15 points, in 19 minutes off the bench. Two players scored 12, while three more added 10 each."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "50"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "19", "Warriors": "7"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "120", "Warriors": "133"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Clippers": "22", "Warriors": "33"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "31", "Warriors": "43"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "10", "Stephen Curry": "11"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "26", "Stephen Curry": "29", "Blake Griffin": "31", "Jamal Crawford": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jamal Crawford": "5"}}], "The visiting Golden State Warriors took down the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday, 133 - 120. The Warriors (43 - 7) saw stellar top - down play even despite the absence of All-Star Draymond Green. The reigning conference Player of the Month duo, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, recorded a pair of double - doubles. Curry led the team with 29 points and dished out 11 assists, while Durant scored 26 to go with 10 assists and eight rebounds. It was a typically dominant game for the loaded superteam, as the Warriors shot over 52 percent from the field and poured in 14 three - pointers. Seven players scored in double - digits and the team dished out a whopping 38 assists. Golden State was able to quickly get ahead of the Clippers with a 33 - 22 advantage in the first quarter. The Clippers (31 - 19) remain without injured superstar Chris Paul, and could have used him in Thursday's double - digit loss. Star forward Blake Griffin took the reigns on offense in Paul's stead, scoring a game - high 31 points. Off the bench, sixth man Jamal Crawford scored 21 and hit five three - pointers. However, not even 50 percent shooting as a team and ten three - pointers was enough for LA to best the stacked Warriors' squad. 15 team turnovers did little to help the Clippers' case. The Warriors will travel to Sacramento on Saturday, while the Clippers will play in Boston on Sunday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Jazz": "17", "Suns": "9"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "48", "Suns": "41"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Suns": "41"}}, {"Points": {"Tyson Chandler": "8", "Devin Booker": "20", "Eric Bledsoe": "19", "Gordon Hayward": "18", "Rudy Gobert": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyson Chandler": "11", "Eric Bledsoe": "8", "Gordon Hayward": "9", "Rudy Gobert": "13"}, "Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "8", "Gordon Hayward": "4"}}], "The Jazz are the far superior team over the Suns, but it took a monster effort to escape with a win. In fact, there were eight ties and 20 lead changes, with neither team leading by more than nine points. Defense was key for Utah, as they held Phoenix to 41 percent shooting and just nine assists. Utah shot 48 percent from the field and recorded 17 assists. Devin Booker and Eric Bledsoe carried the load, as they were the only starters in double figures, Booker led the team with 20 points, while Bledsoe tallied 19 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Tyson Chandler totaled eight points and 11 rebounds as the Suns starting center. Rudy Gobert and Gordon Hayward tied the team - lead for Utah with 18 points a piece. Gobert added 13 rebounds to his tally, while Hayward provided nine rebounds and four assists."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "37"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "1", "Pistons": "7"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "95", "Pistons": "88"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Grizzlies": "25", "Pistons": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Grizzlies": "53", "Pistons": "43"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "9", "Pistons": "3"}}, {"Points": {"Greg Monroe": "16", "Kyle Singler": "21", "Marc Gasol": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Greg Monroe": "11", "Zach Randolph": "22"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Kyle Singler": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyle Singler": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Singler": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kyle Singler": "1"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies improved their record to an NBA-best 9 - 1 with a 95 - 88 victory over the Detroit Pistons (3 - 7) Saturday at FedExForum. Detroit was out - scored 25 - 16 in the opening quarter, but rallied behind a Kyle Singler three - point barrage to cut the deficit to one at halftime and take a brief lead during the third quarter before the Grizzlies ultimately pulled away. Singler finished with a season - high 21 points on 5 - of - 7 shooting from downtown. The 21 - point effort was Singler's first double - digit scoring game of the season. Greg Monroe added a 16 - point, 11 - rebound double double for Detroit. The Grizzlies were led by the front court duo of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, who combined for 40 points and 30 rebounds. Randolph's 22 boards were a season - high, and Gasol's 23 points gave the Memphis center his fifth game this season of 20 or more points. Memphis shot just 37 percent from the field, but controlled the glass and made a living at the free - throw line to take the victory. The Grizzlies out - rebounded Detroit 53 - 43, and shot 27 - 33 from the charity stripe. The Pistons were unable to get efficient production out of their back court against the tough Memphis defense that allows the fewest points per game in the NBA. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope shot 1 - for - 11 while Brandon Jennings and D.J. Augustin each shot below 40 percent."], [[{"Total points": {"Timberwolves": "107", "Kings": "110"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Kings": "42"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "54"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "20"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"Derrick Williams": "2", "Andrew Wiggins": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Derrick Williams": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Derrick Williams": "31", "Gorgui Dieng": "30", "Andrew Wiggins": "40"}, "Points": {"Derrick Williams": "17", "Gorgui Dieng": "15", "Andrew Wiggins": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Derrick Williams": "5", "Gorgui Dieng": "10", "Andrew Wiggins": "9"}, "Steals": {"Derrick Williams": "2", "Andrew Wiggins": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Derrick Williams": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Andrew Wiggins": "5"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (15 - 19) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (5 - 27) 110 - 107 on Thursday. Sacramento broke their two - game losing streak with the win. Derrick Williams moved into the starting lineup in place of Ryan Hollins, giving Kings fans the first significant change in the team's rotation since Ty Corbin was asked to take over the head coach position and start making changes over two weeks ago. Williams should be used with Rudy Gay at the forward positions to help Sacramento stretch the floor and play at a faster pace. He put up 17 points and five rebounds in 31 minutes. The Kings got what they wanted on offense, shooting 54 percent from the field and 42 percent from beyond the arc, but they let the Timberwolves keep it close by giving away 21 points on 20 turnovers. Minnesota has lost ten straight games, but No. 1 pick Andrew Wiggins has started to show some exciting improvements. He scored a game - high 27 points to go with nine rebounds and four steals in 40 minutes Thursday, and over his last five games, Wiggins has averaged 21 points and 4 rebounds on 51 percent shooting in 36 minutes per game. Gorgui Dieng helped keep the Timberwolves in the game Thurday, putting up 15 points and 10 rebounds in 30 minutes. The Kings will wrap up their road trip against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, while the Timberwolves will stay home to host the Utah Jazz on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "8", "Suns": "21"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "106", "Suns": "87"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "37", "Suns": "28"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Markieff Morris": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Markieff Morris": "31", "Klay Thompson": "33"}, "Points": {"Markieff Morris": "17", "Klay Thompson": "22", "Stephen Curry": "25", "Leandro Barbosa": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "11", "Eric Bledsoe": "3", "Klay Thompson": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Goran Dragic": "7"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "5", "Klay Thompson": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Klay Thompson": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "3"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (37 - 8) beat the Phoenix Suns (28 - 21), 106 - 87. The win improves the Warriors' home record to 22 - 2. Marcus Morris received his sixth technical foul. Both starting centers, Andrew Bogut and Alex Len, were limited due to foul trouble. Markieff Morris scored 11 of his team - high 17 points in the first quarter and grabbed 11 rebounds in 31 minutes. Goran Dragic, Eric Bledsoe, and Isaiah Thomas shot a combined 13 - of - 39 for 39 points. Thomas led the team with five assists, Dragic committed seven turnovers, and Bledsoe was a team - low negative 26 when on the court. Stephen Curry scored 19 of his 25 points in the first half. His All-Star backcourt teammate, Klay Thompson, added 22 points three rebounds, four assists, two blocks and three three - pointers in 33 minutes. Leandro Barbosa followed up a 15 - point outing with 14 points off the bench. The Warriors battle the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, the first of four games in five nights. The Suns welcome the Memphis Grizzlies after one day off."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "27", "Rockets": "28"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "116", "Rockets": "103"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "27", "Rockets": "27"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Dwight Howard": "17", "Maurice Harkless": "11", "Damian Lillard": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwight Howard": "13", "Maurice Harkless": "8", "Damian Lillard": "9"}, "Points": {"Dwight Howard": "28", "James Harden": "34", "Maurice Harkless": "19", "CJ McCollum": "14", "Damian Lillard": "31", "Meyers Leonard": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "13", "James Harden": "9", "Maurice Harkless": "13", "Damian Lillard": "3"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "11", "Damian Lillard": "9"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "8"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Damian Lillard": "1"}, "Steals": {"Damian Lillard": "3"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (27 - 27) defeated the Houston Rockets (27 - 28) 116 - 103 at Moda Center on Wednesday. Damian Lillard was one of the controversial names left off the Western Conference All-Star roster, as he was the only player in the top 10 in scoring to not make the team. Lillard got the best of the Rockets, especially in the fourth quarter, aptly named \"Lillard Time\" by the Blazers fans and finished with 31 points, three rebounds, nine assists and three steals on 9 - of - 22 shooting. The Weber State point guard dropped 13 points in the fourth quarter, including two clutch three - pointers. Portland entered the fourth quarter with an 11 point lead, and continued to stave off James Harden\u2019s comeback attempts. Maurice Harkless stepped up in his starting frontcourt role, completing a double - double by dominating the glass, as he finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds on 8 - of - 11 shooting. Lillard\u2019s backcourt partner, CJ McCollum added 14 points, while Myles Leonard and Gerald Henderson combined for 27 points off the bench. The Blazers will continue to battle for a Western Conference playoff seed when they host the Golden State Warriors (48 - 4) after the all - star break on Friday, February 19. James Harden was electrifying in trying to single handedly bring the Rockets back to life, but it was far from enough to erase the Blazers ongoing scoring runs. Harden, in signature fashion, did damage with his step back jumper and constant willingness to find a way to the free throw line, as he finished with 34 points to lead all scorers. He added nine rebounds and 11 assists in 41 minutes to round out the box score. The downside to the league\u2019s second leader in minutes per game was the eight turnovers he committed. Dwight Howard was a force underneath the rim, scoring 28 points on 13 - of - 17 shooting, almost all of which coming from the post or restricted area. Howard grabbed 13 rebounds in the contest to complete a double - double. The Rockets were unable to get scoring options out of the rest of the starters, and the bench was not a viable option to turn to. The 20 team turnovers made the difference for Houston, and the sloppy play could not be covered up by the scoring outbursts from their two superstars. The Rockets will visit the Phoenix Suns (14 - 40) on Friday, February 19."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "47", "Bucks": "30"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "125", "Bucks": "129"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "17", "Bucks": "10"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "9", "Bucks": "25"}, "Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "27"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "47"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "57"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Greg Monroe": "3", "Khris Middleton": "7", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "8", "Trevor Booker": "3"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "33", "Greg Monroe": "25", "Khris Middleton": "20", "Brook Lopez": "36", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "19", "Trevor Booker": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9", "Greg Monroe": "8", "Khris Middleton": "3", "Brook Lopez": "4", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "5", "Trevor Booker": "5"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4", "Greg Monroe": "2", "Khris Middleton": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Greg Monroe": "16", "Trevor Booker": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Greg Monroe": "12", "Trevor Booker": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "8"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the host Brooklyn Nets, 129 - 125, at Barclay's Center on Wednesday. Despite there being just four ties and six lead changes in this game, it came down to the final seconds. It took a late run for Brooklyn to get back into the game though, as Milwaukee outscored Brooklyn by 11 in the third quarter, but they outscored the Bucks by nine in the fourth to cut the lead to four. The Bucks led for the entirety of the second half though, as Brooklyn could n't muster up enough stops to take a lead. Milwaukee's offense was cruising, as they recorded 27 assists on 57 percent shooting from the field and 47 percent from three - point range. The Bucks 16 steals was a huge factor as well, as they won the turnover differential, 17 - 10. The Bucks (25 - 30) are now carrying a three - game winning streak into the All-Star break, as they continue to fight for a playoff berth. Giannis Antetokounmpo was the player of the game, as he tallied 33 points, nine rebounds, three assists and four steals. Greg Monroe was second on the team, providing 25 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals on 12 - of - 16 shooting off the bench. Khris Middleton recorded season - highs across the board, as he accumulated 20 points, three rebounds, seven assists and three steals in 25 minutes of action. The Nets (9 - 47) have now lost 14 - straight, as they simply ca n't get any stops on the defensive end. Brook Lopez did all he could for Brooklyn, as he led the team with 36 points, four rebounds and eight blocks. Spencer Dinwiddie was second on the team, amassing 19 points, five rebounds and eight assists, Trevor Booker was huge off the bench, providing 18 points, five rebounds and three assists on 7 - of - 8 shooting,"], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "68"}}, {"Points": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "11", "Robert Covington": "20", "Sergio Rodriguez": "11", "Nik Stauskas": "11", "Richaun Holmes": "11", "DeMar DeRozan": "14", "Kyle Lowry": "24", "Terrence Ross": "22"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Robert Covington": "11", "Terrence Ross": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Robert Covington": "7", "Terrence Ross": "8"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}}], "Despite the Sixers hanging around in the first quarter, this game was out of hand early. In fact, Toronto led for the final 35 - plus minutes and won each quarter by at least four points. The Raptors were lights - out from long distance, hitting 68 percent of their three - pointers. Robert Covington has struggled shooting all season long for the Sixers, but finished this game with a team - high 20 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting. Sergio Rodriguez, Richaun Holmes, Nik Stauskas and Ersan Ilyasova all scored 11 points a piece in the loss. Kyle Lowry was the Raptors best player, totaling 24 points, four rebounds and eight assists. Terrence Ross was a big reason for the lights - out three - point shooting, as he scored 22 points off the bench on 8 - of - 11 shooting. DeMar DeRozan was n't scoring like usual, but he still finished with 14 points, five rebounds and five assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "4", "Nuggets": "5"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "105", "Nuggets": "81"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "5", "Nuggets": "5"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Nuggets": "17"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "35"}}, {"Assists": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "1", "Will Barton": "4", "Eric Bledsoe": "4"}, "Points": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "13", "Will Barton": "19", "Eric Bledsoe": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "5", "Will Barton": "12", "Eric Bledsoe": "7"}, "Turnovers": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Will Barton": "16", "Eric Bledsoe": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Will Barton": "8", "Eric Bledsoe": "11"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (5 - 4) defeated the Denver Nuggets (5 - 5) 105 - 81 on Saturday night. The Denver Nuggets struggled shooting in Saturday night\u2019s loss, as the team finished 35 percent from the field and 17 percent from the 3 - point line. Rookie point guard Emmanuel Mudiay finished with 13 points, five rebounds and one assist, to go along with three turnovers, a major improvement from his nine turnover outing against Houston on Friday night. The Nuggets received their most efficient performance from Will Barton, who contributed 19 points, 12 rebounds and four assists on 8 - for - 16 shooting. Randy Foye was the only other Nugget in double figures, but continued the poor shooting trend, as he finished with 10 points on 5 - for - 14 shooting (0 - 4 from 3 - point range), to along with 3 rebounds in 22:42 off the bench. Eric Bledsoe put on a show at the Talking Stick Resort Arena and led all scorers in the win, finishing with 30 points, seven rebounds and four assists. While Denver had some tough luck driving the ball to the rim, Bledsoe showed elegant touch and finished 11 - for - 16 from the field. The Suns were without starting forward Markieff Morris (knee), but it had no negative affect the team, as the Suns took a massive 32 point lead into the half. Tyson Chandler, Archie Goodwin, Brandon Knight and Mirza Teletovic also scored in double figures, as the team shot 44 percent from the floor. Denver will look to bounce back when they visit the New Orleans Pelicans (1 - 8) on Tuesday, while the Suns host the Los Angeles Lakers (1 - 8) on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "39"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "11", "Cavaliers": "7"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "76", "Cavaliers": "111"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Magic": "17", "Cavaliers": "31"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "12", "Cavaliers": "15"}}, {"Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "29", "Channing Frye": "12"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "25", "Iman Shumpert": "14", "Tobias Harris": "0", "Channing Frye": "0"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Channing Frye": "3"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (15 - 7) absolutely dominated the Orlando Magic (12 - 11) for all four quarters Friday, winning by a score of 111 - 76. Guard Iman Shumpert made his long - awaited return, coming off the bench for 14 points on 5 - 7 shooting. Still absent, however, was All-Star Kyrie Irving, who has been sidelined all season with an injury sustained in last year's NBA finals. The Cavs pulled away in the second quarter, outscoring the Magic 31 - 17. From there, it was the LeBron & Co. show, as the Cavs controlled the third quarter by a margin of 30 - 15. Per usual, James led the way for the Cavs, delivering 25 points, eights assists, and four steals in only 29 minutes in the blowout. With the win, Cleveland extends their lead on the Eastern Conference, comfortably holding the first seed. For the hot and cold Magic, however, nothing seemed to work on either end of the floor. Starter Tobias Harris disappointed with 0 points and two rebounds, while forward Channing Frye posted no stats of any kind in 12 minutes, save for three missed field goals. These weak performances only furthered the Magic's overall struggles, as the team shot just 39 percent on the night while allowing the opposition to hit 57 percent of their shots. The Cavs will look to assert themselves even further as they take on Boston on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Magic have an upcoming road game on Monday in Brooklyn."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Pacers": "28"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "24", "Paul George": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "16", "Paul George": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Gordon Hayward": "37"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "38", "Paul George": "19"}}], "It was a battle between All-Stars Monday night with Paul George of the Pacers and Gordon Hayward of the Jazz squaring off. And while George got the win, it was Hayward who put together the more impressive performance. While George did hit a late jumper to seal the deal for Indiana, he finished with just 19 points on a rough 6 - of - 20 shooting from the field. Hayward, on the other hand, scored a career - high 38 points on 16 - of - 24 shooting from the field in 37 minutes. The difference ended up being that George had the support of his teammates, while Hayward did not. Five other Pacers starters scored in double figures Monday and Indiana got 28 points from its reserves. Meanwhile, Utah had just three other players score in double figures and their bench managed to produce just 17 points in the loss."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "4", "Bucks": "6"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "115", "Bucks": "86"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Wizards": "27", "Bucks": "29"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Wizards": "37", "Bucks": "17"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "5", "Bucks": "5"}}, {"Points": {"Khris Middleton": "14", "Greg Monroe": "4", "Michael Carter-Williams": "12", "Greivis Vasquez": "12", "John Henson": "10", "Otto Porter": "19", "Kris Humphries": "9", "Marcin Gortat": "12", "Garrett Temple": "10", "John Wall": "19", "Gary Neal": "10", "Jared Dudley": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Khris Middleton": "2", "Greg Monroe": "5", "Marcin Gortat": "9", "Garrett Temple": "2"}, "Steals": {"Khris Middleton": "1", "Garrett Temple": "2"}, "Assists": {"Greg Monroe": "4", "Garrett Temple": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Greg Monroe": "26", "Jerryd Bayless": "37"}}], "The Washington Wizards (5 - 4) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (5 - 6) 115 - 86 on Tuesday. The Wizards put forth a true team effort in toppling the Bucks, with four starters and one reserve all tallying double - digit scoring. Washington played its third consecutive game without standout shooting guard Bradley Beal (shoulder), but benefited from a second straight productive performance from his replacement, Garrett Temple (10 points, two rebounds, two assists, and two steals). Washington took its game to another level in the second quarter and never looked back, outscoring Milwaukee 37 - 17 after the Bucks opened the period leading 29 - 27. In their first game following a rousing double - overtime victory over Cleveland on Saturday, the Bucks could not generate much offense against a tough Wizards squad. Khris Middleton led Milwaukee with 14 points, a pair of rebounds, and a steal, while Jerryd Bayless pitched in across the stat sheet over a team - high 37 minutes on the floor. The eight - year veteran poured in 13 points, and added six rebounds, three assists, and two steals. He also drained another three buckets from beyond the arc, giving him nine three - pointers over the last three contests. Michael Carter-Williams was not as productive as he was Saturday in his first game back from his ankle injury, managing a modest 12 points and a sole rebound. Greg Monroe endured his worst game in a Bucks uniform to date, amassing only four points, five rebounds, and four assists over 26 minutes. Greivis Vasquez and John Henson led Milwaukee\u2019s reserves with 12 and 10 points, respectively. The Bucks dropped to 5 - 6 and are currently in last place in the Eastern Conference\u2019s Central Division. They head to Cleveland for a matchup versus the Cavaliers on Thursday. For Washington, John Wall and Otto Porter also pitched in 19 points apiece, with the former coming just one assist short of a second consecutive double - double. Marcin Gortat contributed 12 points and nine rebounds, while Kris Humphries was the only member of the starting five in single digits with nine points. Jared Dudley paced the Wizards\u2019 bench with a 13 - point performance against his former team, while veteran Gary Neal helped supplement Temple\u2019s efforts at the shooting guard spot with 10 points of his own. The Wizards currently reside in third place in the Eastern Conference\u2019s Southeast Division, with the outcome of tonight\u2019s Hornets-Knicks contest potentially dropping the Wizards to fourth if Charlotte notches the victory. They travel to Detroit for a road tilt versus the Pistons on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "41"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "28", "Thunder": "16"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "103", "Thunder": "116"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Mavericks": "24"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "30", "Thunder": "41"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "13"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "24", "Steven Adams": "15", "Russell Westbrook": "24", "Dion Waiters": "14", "Enes Kanter": "14", "Dirk Nowitzki": "33", "Wesley Matthews": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "7", "Enes Kanter": "9"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Durant": "2", "Dion Waiters": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Steven Adams": "1", "Dirk Nowitzki": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Dion Waiters": "6", "Wesley Matthews": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dion Waiters": "4", "Wesley Matthews": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "16", "Wesley Matthews": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "10", "Wesley Matthews": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "12"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "1"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (41 - 16) rolled past the Dallas Mavericks (30 - 28) in a potential playoff preview matchup Wednesday at American Airlines Center, 116 - 103. After trailing the entire first half, Dallas worked its way to a brief third quarter lead, and Oklahoma City carried just a six - point lead into the fourth quarter. But the Thunder dominated the final frame, as they opened with 150 run and coasted to the win in the final minutes. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook scored 24 points apiece to lead the Thunder, and they both shot an identical 8 - 17 from the floor. Westbrook dished out a game - high 13 assists and grabbed seven rebounds while Durant nabbed eight rebounds, had six assists, and grabbed two steals. Stephen Adams scored 15 on 7 - 9 shooting and the Thunder got major contributions from bench players Dion Waiters (4 - 6 3PT) and Enes Kanter (nine rebounds), who scored 14 points each. Dirk Nowitzki scored a game - high 33 points (10 - 16 FG, 11 - 12 FT), but he was one of the few bright spots for a Mavericks offense that could n't find its shots. Dallas shot just 41 percent from the field and 9 - 28 (32 percent) from three. Wes Matthews was the Mavericks second leading scorer with 15 points (5 - 16 FG, 5 - 11 3PT) as Dallas could n't get anybody going besides Nowitzki. The Mavericks continue their homestand with a matchup Friday against the Nuggets. The Thunder continue their travels Thursday in New Orleans."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "4", "Grizzlies": "3"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "105", "Grizzlies": "96"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "14", "Grizzlies": "15"}}, {"Field goals made": {"Zach Randolph": "2", "Mike Conley": "5", "Tarik Black": "5", "James Harden": "6"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Zach Randolph": "2"}, "Points": {"Zach Randolph": "8", "Marc Gasol": "8", "Mike Conley": "15", "Tarik Black": "10", "James Harden": "21"}, "Assists": {"Mike Conley": "6", "James Harden": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Mike Conley": "4", "James Harden": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Mike Conley": "1", "James Harden": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Mike Conley": "9", "Tarik Black": "9", "James Harden": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Mike Conley": "4", "James Harden": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Mike Conley": "4", "James Harden": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Mike Conley": "27", "James Harden": "28"}, "Steals": {"Mike Conley": "3", "James Harden": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Tarik Black": "11", "James Harden": "4"}, "Blocks": {"James Harden": "1"}}], "The Houston Rockets (14 - 4) defended their home court, knocking off the Memphis Grizzlies (15 - 3) 105 - 96 and grabbing a statement victory. The Grizzlies came into this game with a 7 - 2 road record, and look like a serious contender. The Rockets were looking to spoil that, and did so while making life tough from the outside for the Grizzlies. Memphis only saw three players score in double figures\\, but nine players scored at least seven points. Mike Conley led the way with 15 points (5 - 9 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), six assists and three steals in 27 minutes. Both Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol had quiet nights, as both had eight points and managed just 13 total rebounds between the two. What made this win even more impressive for the Rockets, was the fact that they got it done without Dwight Howard. Howard was out with a strained right knee, but six players stepped up to score in double figures during his absence. James Harden led the way, scoring 21 points (6 - 11 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT) to go with four assists, four rebounds, three steals and one block in 28 minutes. Tarik Black, who started in place of Howard, posted a double - double with 10 points (5 - 9 FG), with 11 rebounds. It was an impressive, well - rounded effort from Houston."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "9", "Celtics": "10"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hornets": "17"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "14", "Celtics": "14"}}, {"Points": {"Avery Bradley": "23", "Isaiah Thomas": "21"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "13"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nicolas Batum": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Nicolas Batum": "1"}}], "The Boston Celtics (14 - 10) beat the rising Charlotte Hornets (14 - 9) after the teams traded three - pointers in the final 30 seconds. For Boston, the win came on the coattails of a devestating loss in double overtime against the Golden State Warriors. Despite the extended matchup on Friday, the Celtics came out guns blazing in Charlotte. Rising star Avery Bradley led the way with 23 points, while point guard Isaiah Thomas had a 21 - point, 13 - assist double - double. Boston has exceeded most expert's expectations this season, now sitting four games above .500 and coming off a back - to - back in which they defeated the Eastern Conference's second seed and came seconds away from snapping the Golden State Warriors' historic win streak. The young team, along with third - year coach Brad Stevens will hope to improve upon last year's surprising playoff run. Meanwhile, the loss comes as a bit of a momentum killer for Charlotte, who had won five of their previous six games. Even in the face of a loss, small forward Nicolas Batum put up strong numbers. In his first year with the Hornets, Batum has been impeccable, putting up impressive averages of 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists and helping the lottery team transform into one of the Eastern Conference's toughest matchups. Point guard Kemba Walker, meanwhile, had an off shooting night, going just 5 - 15 from the floor. After what was a heartbreaking Friday night for Boston, the win against Charlotte should help the team regain its momentum before a big game against Cleveland on Tuesday. Charlotte's next matchup will be against the Magic in Orlando on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "25", "Cavaliers": "9"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "99", "Cavaliers": "125"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "12", "Cavaliers": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "8", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "13", "Kevin Love": "20", "JR Smith": "27", "Kyrie Irving": "13", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "22", "Andrew Wiggins": "35", "Shabazz Muhammad": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "12", "Kevin Love": "9", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"JR Smith": "19"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (25 - 9) extended their win streak to six games after defeating the struggling Minnesota Timberwolves (12 - 25) 125 - 99. Streaky shooting guard J.R. Smith led the dominant Cavs with a season - high 27 points in just 19 minutes. Smith has been in the zone of late, pouring in 24 or more points in each of his last three outings. As always, superstars LeBron James and Kevin Love made a big impact on the box score. Love scored 20 points and pulled down nine rebounds, while James flirted with a triple - double, posting 13 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists. All-Star Kyrie Irving, however, had an off night, posting just 13 points, two rebounds, and two assists. Overall, the team was dominant, shooting 53 percent from the field and 48 percent from beyond the arc. The Wolves, meanwhile, saw promising performances from their young stars, but still put up a poor team effort against the powerhouse Cavs. Sophomore Andrew Wiggins dropped a game - high 35 points, while sophomore Shabazz Muhammed and rookie Karl-Anthony Towns posted 22 points each. Despite the trio's strong efforts, no one else on the team scored in double - digits, and only one other player posted more than two points. Towns, the first overall pick in the 2015 draft, has been electric so far this season, and has made a strong case for Rookie of the Year, averaging 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game. Even with a promising young roster, Minnesota has struggled lately. The Wolves have dropped nine of their last 10 games, and are now sitting on a five - game losing streak. Minnesota will look to turn their luck around against Dallas, as they face off against the Mavs on Sunday. Cleveland, meanwhile, visits the league - worst Sixers for their next contest on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "35", "Pelicans": "36"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "96", "Pelicans": "83"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "23", "Pelicans": "23"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pelicans": "21"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "40"}, "Turnovers": {"Pelicans": "19"}}, {"Points": {"Anthony Davis": "39", "DeMarcus Cousins": "12", "Jrue Holiday": "18", "Harrison Barnes": "19", "Dirk Nowitzki": "18", "Nerlens Noel": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "14", "DeMarcus Cousins": "15", "Jrue Holiday": "7", "Harrison Barnes": "3", "Dirk Nowitzki": "9", "Nerlens Noel": "10"}, "Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "6", "Jrue Holiday": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Harrison Barnes": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Yogi Ferrell": "1", "Salah Mejri": "1"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, 96 - 83, at American Airlines Center on Saturday. These are two teams on the outside looking in for the playoffs and the Mavericks were able to escape with a huge win to get them closer to that eight - seed. Despite New Orleans leading by six points after the first quarter, Dallas took care of business from there by winning the other three quarters by at least four points. In fact, the Mavericks outscored the Pelicans, 49 - 34, in the second half. Defense was key, as they held New Orleans to 40 percent from the field and 21 percent from three - point range, while forcing 19 turnovers. The Pelicans (23 - 36) now have two double - digit losses since acquiring DeMarcus Cousins and the growing pains are slower than most anticipated. Anthony Davis stepped up though, as he led the team with 39 points and 14 rebounds. Cousins finished with just 12 points, but provided 15 rebounds, six assists and three steals. Jrue Holiday was the only other Pelican in double figures, as he collected 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists. The other six players combined for just 14 points, nine rebounds, nine assists and no blocks. The Mavericks (23 - 35) have been surging since a terrible start and a win over a growing team like the Pelicans is just what they need to get some momentum going. Harrison Barnes led the way, as he tallied 19 points, three rebounds and three steals. Dirk Nowitzki finished second on the team, totaling 18 points and nine rebounds. Seth Curry and Yogi Ferrell combined for 20 points, 12 rebounds and 15 assists as the starting backcourt. Nerlens Noel made his debut and amassed nine points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Salah Mejri had a historically bad game, as he fouled out in five minutes, while failing to record a single stat aside from a turnover."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "63", "Pacers": "43"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "86", "Pacers": "102"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Knicks": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Knicks": "34", "Pacers": "54"}, "Turnovers": {"Knicks": "11", "Pacers": "17"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "15", "Pacers": "35"}}, {"Blocks": {"Solomon Hill": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Solomon Hill": "1", "Andrea Bargnani": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Solomon Hill": "1", "Roy Hibbert": "11", "George Hill": "6", "CJ Miles": "4", "Andrea Bargnani": "6", "Langston Galloway": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Solomon Hill": "1", "Andrea Bargnani": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"David West": "5", "Roy Hibbert": "9", "George Hill": "11", "CJ Miles": "14", "Andrea Bargnani": "11", "Langston Galloway": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"David West": "5", "Roy Hibbert": "5", "George Hill": "7", "CJ Miles": "5", "Andrea Bargnani": "5", "Langston Galloway": "6"}, "Points": {"David West": "11", "Roy Hibbert": "11", "George Hill": "20", "CJ Miles": "13", "Andrea Bargnani": "15", "Langston Galloway": "19", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "12", "Quincy Acy": "12", "Jason Smith": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Roy Hibbert": "2", "CJ Miles": "2", "Andrea Bargnani": "3", "Langston Galloway": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Roy Hibbert": "1", "CJ Miles": "2", "Andrea Bargnani": "3", "Langston Galloway": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Roy Hibbert": "16"}, "Assists": {"George Hill": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"George Hill": "2", "CJ Miles": "5", "Andrea Bargnani": "2", "Langston Galloway": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"George Hill": "1", "CJ Miles": "1", "Andrea Bargnani": "2", "Langston Galloway": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"George Hill": "1", "Andrea Bargnani": "2"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (35 - 43) defeated the New York Knicks (15 - 63) 102 - 86 on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Pacers picked up a very big win in this one, as they're in a fight for the eighth and final projected playoff seed in the Eastern Conference. The Nets remain in that eighth spot and own just a one game lead over the Pacers, so they'll need to come out victorious in the majority of their final four games of the regular season if they want to play in the postseason. Despite turning the ball over 17 times compared to just 11 from the Knicks, the Pacers made up for it with their rebounding, as they posted a 54 - 34 advantage. As he's done for the majority of the time that he's been healthy, George Hill was the player that led this team to the win. He went 7 - for - 11 from the field and 1 - for - 2 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 20 points, while also adding six rebounds and five assists. Hill was away from the team Tuesday for personal reasons, but he was able to come back for this one and pick up where he left off with another strong performance. Roy Hibbert notched a double - double in the win, finishing with 11 points (5 - 9 FG, 1 - 2 FT) and 11 rebounds over just 16 minutes. It was his first double - double over his last seven games, as the big man was able to have a bunch of success against a struggling Knicks' team. Both CJ Miles and David West finished in double figures as well in their run with the starters. West went a perfect 5 - of - 5 from the field to score 11 points, while Miles added 13 points (5 - 14 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and four rebounds as well. Langston Galloway and Andrea Bargnani were the few Knicks' players to have some success Wednesday. Galloway finished with 19 points (6 - 14 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) and five rebounds, while Bargnani chipped in with 15 points (5 - 11 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT) and six rebounds. Galloway has shot under 40 percent from the field in five of his last six games prior to Wednesday, so he'll likely look to try and establish more consistency in the final few games of the 2015 regular season. Bargnani has put in a couple of solid games in a row, combining for 40 points and 14 rebounds over his last two matchups. He's now averaging 15 points and 4 rebounds on the season. Tim Hardaway JR, Quincy Acy and Jason Smith all added 12 points of their own off the bench. The Pacers' next game will be on the road against the Detroit Pistons on Friday, while the Knicks will be at home against the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "18", "Heat": "9"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "98", "Heat": "104"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "20"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nets": "20"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "7", "Heat": "15"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "53"}, "Turnovers": {"Heat": "12"}}, {"Personal fouls": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4", "Goran Dragic": "4"}, "Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "20", "Dwyane Wade": "28", "Goran Dragic": "16", "Brook Lopez": "25", "Jarrett Jack": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "13", "Dwyane Wade": "5", "Goran Dragic": "3"}, "Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "2", "Goran Dragic": "5", "Jarrett Jack": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Dwyane Wade": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dwyane Wade": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwyane Wade": "13"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Goran Dragic": "4"}, "Steals": {"Goran Dragic": "2"}}], "The Miami Heat (15 - 9) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (7 - 18) 104 - 98 on Wednesday night. This game was tight throughout and the Nets had yet another close loss. It was a second quarter in which Brooklyn allowed 33 points and scored just 20 of their own that very well may have decided this game. Miami shot 53 percent from the field and outrebounded the Nets 44 - 35 in the win. There were only 18 combined turnovers, so it was a well - played, clean game all - around. Dwyane Wade shot just 3 - for - 16 in his most previous game, but was spectacular here. He went 13 - for - 17 from the field to accumulate 28 points, five rebounds, two assists and three blocks in the win. When Wade is playing like this, the Heat are a hard team to beat. Hassan Whiteside had been struggling lately but had a nice game here, tallying 20 points and 13 rebounds. Goran Dragic also continued his recent good form, as he totaled 16 points, five assists, three rebounds and two steals in the victory. This four - headed monster of Wade, Whiteside, Dragic and Chris Bosh is a scary combo and they should be able to compete with anyone if all four are on their game. Miami will look to keep up the momentum when they host the Toronto Raptors on Friday in their next game. The Nets haven\u2019t been as bad as their 7 - 18 record would indicate and they just ca n't seem to close games out late. They played poor defense here as well, as they allowed 53 percent shooting and drew just 12 turnovers in the loss. Brook Lopez led the team with 25 points, but Jarrett Jack was the best player on Wednesday. Jack tallied 22 points and 10 assists and continues to show that he's a legitimate starting point guard in this league. Brooklyn will have another tough task, when they travel to Indiana to take on the Pacers in their next game on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "10", "Bucks": "21"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "131", "Bucks": "123"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "22", "Bucks": "12"}}, {"Points": {"Khris Middleton": "36", "Michael Carter-Williams": "19", "Kevin Durant": "26", "Russell Westbrook": "27", "Cameron Payne": "16"}, "Assists": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "9", "Kevin Durant": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "9", "Kevin Durant": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Cameron Payne": "16"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (22 - 10) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (12 - 21) 131 - 123 on Tuesday night. In an anticipated blowout, the Bucks kept this game with an unlikely recipe. Milwaukee came into this game as the worst rebounding team in the NBA and actually outrebounded the Thunder, who rank second in the NBA in rebounding. The game was played at an incredible fast pace, as the 24 - second shot clock didn\u2019t even need to be on. The difference in the game was the free - throw shooting, as the Thunder went 37 - for - 40 from the charity stripe, while the Bucks went just 15 - for - 22. Milwaukee came into this game as a huge underdog, but held their own to keep it close throughout. This was one of the best offensive performances that the Bucks have had all season and it's a shame they couldn\u2019t keep the Thunder off the free - throw line. Khris Middleton has been fantastic lately and that form continued here, as he scored a career - high 36 points in the loss. Michael Carter-Williams also played well, as he tallied 19 points, nine assists and nine rebounds in the defeat. This goes down as a loss, but Milwaukee did some good things here that they can definitely build upon for future endeavors. The Bucks next game will be on Thursday against the Pacers in Indiana. Oklahoma City has been the second - best offense in the NBA this season and they improved on that scoring average tonight. Per usual, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant were the stars of the show and put up very similar lines. In fact, Westbrook totaled 27 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and five steals, while Durant amassed 26 points, six rebounds and eight assists. Those two also went a combined 20 - for - 21 from the free - throw line and continue to carry this team. Cameron Payne also had his best game as a pro, as he scored a career - high 16 points off the bench in just 16 minutes. The bench was good all - around, as they scored 53 points in the win. If the bench can score 40 - plus regularly with Durant and Westbrook doing what they do, this team will be impossible to beat. The Thunder will look to continue their good play against the struggling Phoenix Suns on Thursday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "20"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "41"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Magic": "16"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Lance Thomas": "5"}, "Points": {"Lance Thomas": "11", "Carmelo Anthony": "17", "Kristaps Porzingis": "20", "Derrick Rose": "19", "Justin Holiday": "14", "Aaron Gordon": "10", "Nikola Vucevic": "14", "Evan Fournier": "22", "D.J. Augustin": "15", "Jeff Green": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Lance Thomas": "5", "Nikola Vucevic": "10"}}], "Kristaps Porzingis tallied 20 points in his return to lead the Knicks. New York also limited the Magic to 41 percent shooting overall and 20 percent (5 - for - 25) from three - point range. They were particularly stingy coming out of halftime, as they stymied Orlando to the tune of 16 points in the third period. Derrick Rose followed with 19 points, while Carmelo Anthony tallied a near double - double with 17 points and nine rebounds. Lance Thomas remained in the starting five at power forward and produced 11 points. Justin Holiday led the second unit with 14 points. Evan Fournier's 22 points paced Orlando. D.J. Augustin followed with a bench - leading 15 points. Nikola Vucevic supplied a 14 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Aaron Gordon shook off a quad contusion to register 10 points. Jeff Green chipped in with 11 points off the bench."], [[{"Total points": {"Suns": "110"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Suns": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Suns": "44"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "44"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "51"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "5"}}], "Westbrook's 51 - point triple - double was far from efficient, as the guard committed five turnovers and took 44 shots in the effort - filled performance Friday against the Suns. Oklahoma City could have ended the game much earlier, as they missed the last three shots in the final 30 seconds of regulation to send the game to overtime. Westbrook actually recorded his 10th assist in overtime, so if it weren\u2019t for the extra session, Westbrook would have fallen an assist shy of a triple - double in back - to - back games. T.J Warren, Devin Booker, Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight combined for 87 of the Suns 110 points. In contrast, the Thunder got 72 combined points from Westbrook and Victor Oladipo. That means 159 of the total 223 points came from just six players, with none of the other 15 players scoring in double figures. The projected total of 210 was only eclipsed because of the overtime session."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "16", "Hornets": "9"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "101", "Hornets": "109"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "4", "Hornets": "12"}}, {"Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "7", "Kemba Walker": "4"}, "Points": {"Nicolas Batum": "14", "Kemba Walker": "19", "Dorian Finney-Smith": "1", "Harrison Barnes": "29"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Kemba Walker": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Kemba Walker": "3"}}], "The visiting Charlotte Hornets defeated the host Dallas Mavericks, 109 - 101, on Monday. The Hornets (12 - 9) needed the win badly after having gone 4 - 6 in their previous ten games. Monday's matchup was among the easier on the Hornets' schedule, as Dallas sits near the bottom of the league standings. Still, Charlotte saw a hard - fought game, with the team's lead in single digits as the game neared its end. Guard Kemba Walker led the team with 19 points on 8 - of - 15 shooting, but had just three rebounds and four assists. Nicolas Batum, meanwhile, recorded 14 points and an impressive 15 rebounds from the shooting guard position. Batum also dished out a team - high seven assists. Dallas (4 - 16), meanwhile, sits only half a game above the league - worst 76ers following Monday's loss. Dallas has been heavily depleted by injury early this season, most notably to veteran star Dirk Nowitzki (achilles). On Monday, starters Dorian Finney-Smith and Andrew Bogut combined for just 35 minutes and one point, showcasing the dire state of Dallas's roster. Newly acquired forward Harrison Barnes, however, led the team with an impressive 29 points. Barnes has stepped up in his larger role with Dallas after spending years as a fourth option on offense in Golden State. The Hornets will host the Pistons on Thursday while Dallas will host the Kings."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "15", "Hornets": "21"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "108", "Hornets": "98"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Celtics": "21"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "26", "Hornets": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Marvin Williams": "21", "Nicolas Batum": "8", "Kemba Walker": "24", "Al Horford": "22", "Avery Bradley": "5", "Isaiah Thomas": "35", "Kelly Olynyk": "15"}, "Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Nicolas Batum": "10", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Al Horford": "6", "Kelly Olynyk": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Avery Bradley": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Avery Bradley": "2"}}], "The host Boston Celtics took down the Charlotte Hornets at TD Garden on Monday, 108 - 98. Boston (26 - 15) is now 13 - 3 in its last 16 contests and has seen star point guard Isaiah Thomas ascend to a new level through his recent play. Thomas leads the NBA in scoring in the fourth quarter and posted another big final 12 minutes on Monday, scoring 17 points in the fourth to give him 35 on the night. The All-Star drained seven three - pointers and had five rebounds and four assists in what was yet another astounding night for the Celtics' star. While the game was close throughout, Boston held the lead from the second quarter and on, never allowing Charlotte to regain control of the game. A big part of the Celtics' success was All-Star center Al Horford, who quietly scored 22 points while pulling in six rebounds. Off the bench, center Kelly Olynyk came through for 15 points and nine rebounds after an extremely strong 26 - point outing in Atlanta on Friday. The Celtics also saw the return of injured shooting guard Avery Bradley, who had missed the previous week of play with an achilles injury. Bradley appeared rusty, however, going for just five points on 2 - of - 9 shooting and committing a pair of costly turnovers. Charlotte (20 - 21) fell to 0 - 5 on its road trip with Monday's loss. The team has struggled mightily after a strong 6 - 1 start to the season. Monday, however, showed some promise, as the Hornets were able to hold close to the surging Celtics. Star point guard Kemba Walker led the team with 24 points while adding four rebounds. Shooting guard Nicolas Batum was a key factor in almost every element, playing tough defense and narrowly missing a triple - double. Batum finished with eight points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Big man Marvin Williams caused problems for the Boston frontcourt with his athletic scoring touch, finishing the night with 21 points. The Celtics will host the Knicks on Wednesday, while the Hornets will host the Trail Blazers."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "3", "Hornets": "3"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "94", "Hornets": "108"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Mavericks": "14"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "2", "Hornets": "2"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Marvin Williams": "5", "Kemba Walker": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Al Jefferson": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Al Jefferson": "15"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Al Jefferson": "83"}, "Free throws made": {"Kemba Walker": "5"}, "Points": {"Kemba Walker": "14", "Cody Zeller": "11", "Raymond Felton": "7", "Dwight Powell": "14"}, "Minutes played": {"Cody Zeller": "19"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (2 - 3) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (2 - 3) 108 - 94 on Thursday. Veteran Al Jefferson had been relatively quiet on the offensive front over his first four games, scoring no higher than 17 points in any of those contests. The Hornets center exploded Thursday for his highest scoring output in almost a full year, coming within three points of the 34 he\u2019d posted Nov. 7, 2014 versus the Hawks. The most eye - popping statistic from Jefferson\u2019s stellar night was undoubtedly his accuracy from the field, with Big Al draining buckets at a blistering 83 percent clip (15 - of - 18). The Hornets were also the beneficiaries of Marvin Williams\u2019 third double - double in five games, and Kemba Walker\u2019s 14 - point effort. Jeremy Lamb followed up a strong 20 - point performance in Tuesday\u2019s blowout of the Bulls by posting a second consecutive double - digit scoring night to pace Charlotte\u2019s reserves. Cody Zeller pitched in a season - high 11 points over a highly efficient 19 minutes on the floor. The Hornets improve to 2 - 3 and are in third place in the Eastern Conference\u2019s Southeast Division. Charlotte heads to San Antonio for what should be a tough Saturday tilt versus the Spurs. The Mavs enjoyed fairly solid shooting nights from four of their starting five, who all scored in double digits. Zaza Pachulia, looking like a strong offseason acquisition, posted his third double - double of the year and second in the last three contests. However, Raymond Felton, drawing the start at shooting guard, could only muster seven points. Dwight Powell was able to lead the Dallas bench with a 14 - point contribution. The Mavs fall to 2 - 3 and reside in second place in the Western Conference\u2019s Southwest Division. They remain home for a date with the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "19", "Mavericks": "23"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "94", "Mavericks": "75"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "41", "Mavericks": "40"}}, {"Personal fouls": {"Tyson Chandler": "3"}, "Points": {"Tyson Chandler": "4", "Nicolas Batum": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyson Chandler": "14", "Nicolas Batum": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Nicolas Batum": "36"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (41 - 19) won their fifth straight game Thursday, defeating the Dallas Mavericks (40 - 23) 94 - 75 at the Moda Center. Dallas cut Portland's lead to 10 with just over four minutes to go in the fourth but did not register another point as the Trail Blazers pulled away en route to an easy victory. However, the bigger story for Portland on Thursday night was Wesley Matthews, who went down with a left foot injury. Matthews reportedly went in for an MRI shortly after exiting the game in the third. If Matthews' injury turns out to be serious, Portland will be missing its best three point shooter. Dallas came into the game on two days rest, but had a rough night from the floor. The Mavericks were held to 37 percent from the field and went just 2 - for - 16 from beyond the arc. Tyson Chandler returned from a three - game absence and finished with four points and 14 rebounds over 28 minutes. The Mavericks have another tough game on the docket as they will travel to the Oracle Arena to take on the Warriors on Friday. Portland was playing its second game in as many nights after grinding out an overtime victory in Los Angeles against the Clippers on Wednesday. Nicolas Batum turned in another big performance with 15 points and 12 rebounds in 36 minutes on the floor. The Trail Blazers will await the results of Matthews MRI, but if he is forced to miss time, Arron Afflalo will likely step into the shooting guard role. Portland will return to action Saturday in Minnesota."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "12", "Spurs": "8"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "117", "Spurs": "103"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "34", "Spurs": "39"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2", "David West": "1", "Manu Ginobili": "1", "LeBron James": "7", "Kevin Love": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "15", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "11", "LeBron James": "17", "Kevin Love": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "7", "LeBron James": "10", "Kevin Love": "8"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "24", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "15", "David West": "8", "LeBron James": "29", "Kevin Love": "21", "Kyrie Irving": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "David West": "3", "LeBron James": "5", "Kevin Love": "11", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Manu Ginobili": "20"}, "Steals": {"Manu Ginobili": "1"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "2", "Kevin Love": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "34"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"LeBron James": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Kevin Love": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (34 - 12) defeated the San Antonio Spurs (39 - 8) 117 - 103 at Quicken Loans Arena on Saturday. Two of the toughest competitors have bested the Spurs over the past week, as the Cleveland Cavaliers joined the Golden State Warriors in defeating Gregg Popovich and his basketball machine. The Spurs were once again without Tim Duncan (knee), who should return to the lineup on Tuesday, and the effects are beginning to take notice. Before the injury, Duncan was leading the league in defensive efficiency and his passing ability has always been a staple to the Spurs game. David West got the nod in Duncan\u2019s absence, but is far from as efficient to the five time champions. West finished with eight points, three rebounds and one assist in 23 minutes. Kawhi Leonard led San Antonio in scoring and contributed 24 points, six rebounds and two assists on 7 - of - 15 shooting. LaMarcus Aldridge was efficient in the effort, scoring 15 points on 11 shots, but was almost invisible in the rebounding battle, as he grabbed a lowly two boards. The Spurs will host the Orlando Magic (20 - 25) on Monday. Cleveland was able to exploit the Duncan-less smallball lineup and earned strong performances from all five starters, who finished in double figures. LeBron James was unstoppable on the drive, and more impressive chasing down Manu Ginobili in transition. James finished with a game high 29 points, five rebounds, seven assists and two blocks (both on Ginobili) on 10 - of - 17 shooting in 34 minutes. Kevin Love put together one of his best games of the season, scoring 21 points, to go along with 11 rebounds and three assists on 8 - of - 13 shooting, while Kyrie Irving was the third Cavs member to score 20 - plus points. The Cavs will visit Indiana Pacers (25 - 22) on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "4", "Pacers": "20"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "122", "Pacers": "110"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "40", "Pacers": "23"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "1", "Joe Young": "8", "Stephen Curry": "12"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul George": "1", "Monta Ellis": "1", "Joe Young": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul George": "1", "Monta Ellis": "1"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "12", "Monta Ellis": "18", "Joe Young": "16", "Myles Turner": "31", "Draymond Green": "22", "Stephen Curry": "39"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "2", "Myles Turner": "8", "Draymond Green": "11", "Stephen Curry": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Monta Ellis": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Monta Ellis": "1", "Joe Young": "1"}, "Steals": {"Monta Ellis": "1", "Joe Young": "1", "Myles Turner": "1", "Draymond Green": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Myles Turner": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Myles Turner": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Myles Turner": "1"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (40 - 4) beat the Indiana Pacers (23 - 20) 122 - 110 on Friday night. These are two of the fastest - paced teams in the NBA right now and it made for a fun game to watch. The difference in this game was as simple as shooting, as the Pacers really struggled from three - point range and from the free - throw line. In fact, they went just 3 - for - 17 from long distance and 11 - for - 19 from the charity stripe through the first 44 minutes. Golden State also turned it on in the final 12 minutes, as they shot over 60 percent from the field in the fourth quarter. Steve Kerr made his return to coaching here for the Warriors and they were obviously happy to get him a win in his first game back after dealing with migraines from back surgery for the first half of the year. The Pacers actually did a great job of hanging around in this game, but didn\u2019t execute enough to pull out a big win. Not only did they shoot poorly, they also had far too many defensive breakdowns against this potent Warriors offense. The bench is what kept Indiana in the game, as they got 60 points and 26 rebounds from just five players with rookies Joe Young and Myles Turner leading the bunch. Turner scored a career - high 31 points while also snatching down eight boards with Young amassing 16 points and eight assists. Monta Ellis scored all of his 18 points in the second half after playing just five minutes in the first half because of foul trouble. If he were to play a full complement of minutes here, this result very well may have been different with how well he was playing. Paul George had one of his worst games of the year, as he tallied 12 points, two rebounds and one assist while dealing with foul trouble of his own. Indiana will have to hop on a plane just hours after this game to get ready for a matchup with the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. Steph Curry has had a great season, but he was just majestic on Friday. Curry accumulated 39 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists en route to his seventh triple - double of his career. Draymond Green also played well, as he grabbed 22 points, 11 rebounds and four steals while shutting down George on the other end. The Warriors played great team - ball, as they dished out 30 - plus assists for the 22nd time this season, which is easily tops in the league. Golden State has had one of the easiest schedules in the NBA this season thus far and they face their biggest test in their next game, as the Warriors take on the San Antonio Spurs on Monday, who are in the midst of a 13 - game winning streak and a franchise - best start."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "12", "Mavericks": "13"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "95", "Mavericks": "103"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "29", "Mavericks": "29"}}, {"Rebounds": {"Tyson Chandler": "16"}, "Points": {"Monta Ellis": "25", "Mike Conley": "22"}, "3-pointers made": {"Mike Conley": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Mike Conley": "30"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (29 - 12) fell to the Dallas Mavericks (29 - 13) 103 - 95 at home Monday. In a tightly contested game between two of the top five seeds in the West, Dallas got a huge win on the road against a Memphis squad that had won four in a row. Dirk Nowitzki took the game over down the stretch, scoring Dallas' final eight points to put the game on ice. Dallas has now won three of its last four games to move to just a half game behind Memphis for the third seed in the West. Monta Ellis led the way in the scoring column, pouring in 25 points while Tyson Chandler was dominant on the boards, pulling down 16 rebounds. The Mavericks will travel to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves on Wednesday. Memphis lost at home for the first time since Dec. 26 against Houston. Mike Conley returned to action for the Grizzlies after missing two games with an ankle injury. He logged 30 minutes of playing time and scored 22 points. Memphis will look to rebound from this loss Wednesday when a struggling Toronto team comes to town."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "25", "Pistons": "20"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "98", "Pistons": "107"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "10", "Pistons": "16"}}, {"Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "2"}, "Points": {"Andre Drummond": "25", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "23", "Reggie Jackson": "27", "Wayne Ellington": "18", "Josh Richardson": "14", "James Johnson": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "18", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "6", "Reggie Jackson": "2", "Wayne Ellington": "4", "James Johnson": "7"}, "Assists": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "5", "Reggie Jackson": "4", "Wayne Ellington": "3", "Josh Richardson": "8", "James Johnson": "3"}, "Steals": {"Josh Richardson": "2"}}], "The Detroit Pistons defeated the Miami Heat, 107 - 98, at American Airlines Arena on Sunday. While there were only two ties and five lead changes in total, this game was close throughout. Miami actually led for the first 30 minutes, while the Pistons took their first lead in the third quarter and never looked back. Defense in the second half was key for Detroit, as they held Miami to just 32 points in that 24 - minute stretch. Rebounding was the biggest factor in Detroit's win, as they won that battle, 48 - 34. They also dominated scoring down low as well, as they outscored the Heat, 42 - 26 in the paint. The Pistons (16 - 20) have been in a terrible rut recently, but this is a big road win to get them closer to .500. Reggie Jackson had his best game of the season, as he led the team with 27 points, two rebounds and four assists. Andre Drummond was equally as good, as he totaled 25 points, 18 rebounds and two blocks. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was the only other starter with more than 11, as he tallied 23 points, six rebounds and five assists. More importantly, those three players combined to go 31 - of - 51 from the field. Detroit will return to action on Tuesday in a home matchup against the Indiana Pacers. The Heat (10 - 25) had to play this game without Goran Dragic, Hassan Whiteside and Justise Winslow, as they simply did n't have enough bullets to win this fight. Josh Richardson had to carry the load, as he accumulated 14 points, eight assists and two steals in the loss. Wayne Ellington led the starters in scoring, as he accrued 18 points, four rebounds and three assists. James Johnson led the team in scoring off the bench, collecting 20 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Miami will look to get out of this slide on Thursday against the Phoenix Suns."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "47"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "37", "Wizards": "41"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "112", "Wizards": "99"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pistons": "39"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "43", "Wizards": "38"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Wizards": "29"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Markieff Morris": "6", "Bradley Beal": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Markieff Morris": "2", "Bradley Beal": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Markieff Morris": "20", "Bradley Beal": "22", "Reggie Jackson": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Markieff Morris": "10", "Bradley Beal": "10", "Reggie Jackson": "14"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Markieff Morris": "9", "Bradley Beal": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Markieff Morris": "7", "Bradley Beal": "3"}, "Points": {"Markieff Morris": "29", "Bradley Beal": "25", "Tobias Harris": "17", "Reggie Jackson": "39"}, "Assists": {"Bradley Beal": "3", "Ramon Sessions": "6", "Tobias Harris": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Bradley Beal": "6", "Ramon Sessions": "1", "Tobias Harris": "9", "Reggie Jackson": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Bradley Beal": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Ramon Sessions": "32", "Marcus Morris": "38", "Reggie Jackson": "34"}, "Steals": {"Ramon Sessions": "1"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (43 - 37) defeated the visiting Washington Wizards (38 - 41) 112 - 99, Friday evening at Palace of Auburn Hills. Reggie Jackson put on a show with 39 points, while the Pistons put together strong first and fourth quarters to earn a win and their first playoff berth since the 2008 - 2009 season. On the other hand the Washington Wizards are now eliminated from playoff contention, while John Wall had to sat this one out with a sore knee. Jackson had a great game at home for the Pistons as he shot 14 - for - 20 on his way to a game - high 39 points. Jackson also added nine assists and four rebounds, in 34 minutes. Tobias Harris finished with 17 points, nine rebounds and one assist, in 36 minutes, while Marcus Morris chipped in 14 points and four rebounds, in 38 minutes. The Pistons hit 26 - 29 free throws, shot 47 percent from the field and 43 percent from downtown in the win. Markieff Morris won the battle against his brother in terms of personal stats, but his team - high 29 points (10 - 20 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 7 - 9 FT) was not enough to get the Wizards over the hump in this one. Bradley Beal added 25 points (10 - 22 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 3 - 6 FT), six rebounds and three assists, but also had six turnovers, in 40 minutes. Ramon Sessions started in place of John Wall and finished with 13 points, six assists, one rebound and one steal, in 32 minutes. Next, the Wizards will host the Hornets on Sunday and will have to dig deep to find motivation, given their recent elimination from playoff contention. The Pistons host the Heat on Tuesday, in what will be their last, regular - season home game."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "51"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "37", "Knicks": "50"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "102", "Knicks": "90"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "44", "Knicks": "32"}}, {"Points": {"Derrick Williams": "21", "Jerian Grant": "18", "Paul George": "19", "Ian Mahinmi": "14", "Ty Lawson": "9"}, "Assists": {"Jerian Grant": "6", "Ty Lawson": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Jerian Grant": "6", "Ian Mahinmi": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul George": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul George": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Paul George": "29", "Ty Lawson": "24"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (44 - 37) took a half - game lead for seventh in the Eastern Conference after a 102 - 90 win over the New York Knicks (32 - 50) on Tuesday. Indiana shot 51 percent from the field on Tuesday, a trend that bodes well for the playoff - bound team. Superstar Paul George hit half his shots, going 6 - for - 12 en route to 19 points in 29 minutes. The forward tacked on four rebounds and six assists. Center Ian Mahinmi, meanwhile, had a respectable outing of 14 points and eight rebounds. Mahinmi has made a name for himself in the Pacers starting five this year, and is now high on many experts' lists for both Most Improved Player and Defensive Player of the Year contention. Another promising sign for Indiana heading into the playoffs was the strong play of bench guard Ty Lawson. Lawson, a borderline All-Star for much of his career in Denver, has seen a rocky 2015 - 16 season both on and off the court. The point guard has dealt with multiple DUI charges and had a disappointing stint in Houston before being cut, eventually landing himself in a Pacers uniform. The acquisition paid dividends for Indiana on Tuesday, as Lawson scored nine points and dished out eight assists in 24 minutes of play. The Knicks, meanwhile, became the first team to see its season end following Tuesday's loss. At 30 - 52, the Knicks will miss the playoffs for the third straight season. On Tuesday, the team's top two options, veteran superstar Carmelo Antony and rookie sensation Kristaps Porzingis, both sat. Forward Derrick Williams led the team with 21 points, while rookie point guard Jerian Grant put up a promising 18 points, six assists, and six rebounds. Overall, however, it was a quiet night for the Knicks on Tuesday, rounding out what has been a quiet year for basketball in the city that never sleeps. The Pacers will play their last regular season game on Wednesday in Milwaukee."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "41", "Heat": "38"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "96", "Heat": "97"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "34", "Heat": "36"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Hassan Whiteside": "30", "Goran Dragic": "34", "James Johnson": "33", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "37", "Tobias Harris": "30"}, "Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "17", "Goran Dragic": "28", "James Johnson": "16", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "25", "Tobias Harris": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "9", "Goran Dragic": "4", "James Johnson": "6", "Tobias Harris": "6"}, "Assists": {"Goran Dragic": "4", "Ish Smith": "6"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the Detroit Pistons 97 - 96 Tuesday at the Palace in Auburn Hills. With 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter of Tuesday's game, the Heat (36 - 38) found themselves down by four points after having blown a double - digit lead. After that, madness occurred, as a Stanley Johnson technical foul, a Goran Dragic jumper and a jump ball that ended up in Miami's hands over the next 20 seconds gave the visiting team the ball with a chance to win. After a James Johnson missed jumper and a missed put - back from Dragic, Hassan Whiteside came to the Heat's rescue with a gentle tip - in as the buzzer sounded. With that tip, the Heat greatly improved their chances of making the playoffs, while the Pistons chances worsened. Dragic led the way for Miami with a game - high 28 points to go along with four rebounds and four assists in 34 minutes, while Whiteside's streak of 15 straight games with a double - double came to an end Tuesday, but just barely, as the big man finished with 17 points and nine rebounds in 30 minutes. Off the bench, James Johnson produced in a big way, making important plays down the stretch and recording 16 points and six rebounds in 33 minutes as a reserve. Most importantly, the Heat maintained their spot as the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. As for the Pistons (34 - 41), their collapse results in them now being 3 games behind Miami for the last playoff spot, as they have now lost five games in a row. They were led Tuesday night by the heroics of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who led the team back after falling behind by double figures and finished with a team - high 25 points in 37 minutes. Ish Smith also came up big as the team's starting point guard, scoring 16 points and dishing out six assists. Tobias Harris, in a return to a role off the bench, scored 19 points and grabbed six rebounds in 30 minutes. Up next, the Pistons will look to end their losing streak at home against Brooklyn on Thursday, while the Heat will head to New York on Wednesday to take on the Knicks."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "21", "Cavaliers": "19"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "103", "Cavaliers": "84"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "4"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "16", "Cavaliers": "19"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Mike Miller": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Mike Miller": "3"}, "Points": {"Mike Miller": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "13"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (16 - 21) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (19 - 19) 103 - 84 on Sunday. Sacramento has won three of their last five games, finally starting to find some success following the firing of ex - head coach Mike Malone. DeMarcus Cousins led the way with a game - high 26 points and 13 rebounds. The Kings won the first three quarters and were up 59 - 44 at halftime. They turned the ball over just four times the entire game, taking away the Cavaliers' chances for easy points on offense. Cleveland has been active on the trade front, completing two separate deals in the last week to help improve their roster, but they've also seen their record worsen and are currently riding a five - game losing streak. LeBron James is nearing a return from his knee and back strains, which will give the team a talent boost, but talent has n't been their issue this season, consistency has. Playing in the Eastern Conference gives the Cavaliers a lot of time to find their footing, as they're in essentially no risk of missing the playoffs given the depths to the depravity in the East. At just .500, Cleveland is still the sixth seed. In the West, a .500 record would leave the Cavs on the outside looking in at the playoffs. Sacramento will stay home to host the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, while the Cavaliers will continue their road trip against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "17"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "10", "Hawks": "6"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "75", "Hawks": "98"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "13"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nets": "20"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "8", "Hawks": "12"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"DeMarre Carroll": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "4"}, "Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "18", "Dennis Schroder": "13", "Brook Lopez": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Jerome Jordan": "9"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (12 - 6) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (8 - 10) 98 - 75 at the Barclays Center on Friday. The easy victory extends the Hawks' winning streak to five games, with an average margin on victory of 15 points in those five games. DeMarre Carroll led the Hawks with 18 points, hitting a season - high four three - pointers, on just five attempts. Coach Mike Budenholzer was able to rest his starters, with no player playing over 27 minutes. Backup point guard, Dennis Schroder, scored 13 points to lead the bench unit. It was his sixth consecutive game scoring in double - digits. The German national also added four steals. The margin could've been greater had the Hawks converted their free - throw attempts more efficiently, hitting only 63 percent of their shots from the line. The Hawks host the Nuggets on Sunday. Despite looking impressive in beating the reigning champion San Antonio Spurs in overtime Wednesday, Brooklyn failed to get anything going and have now not been at .500 since Nov. 13, failing in their bid to square their ledger Friday. Brook Lopez led the way for Brooklyn, scoring 20 points with seven rebounds, but had little support, with only Joe Johnson (13) joining him in double - digits. Much like their opponents, the Nets could n't convert their free throws, going 63 percent from the line. Not only could they not hit free throws, the Nets were an abysmal 17 percent from behind the three - point arc, hitting just three for the night. The Nets played 13 players, with only Jerome Jordan (nine minutes) playing less than 10 minutes. The Nets take on the surging Cleveland Cavaliers at home Monday and will look to steady the ship."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "30"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "38"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "13", "Bucks": "8"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "93", "Bucks": "111"}, "Rebounds": {"Nets": "40", "Bucks": "48"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "5", "Bucks": "9"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4", "Trevor Booker": "2"}, "Points": {"Jabari Parker": "22", "John Henson": "12", "Malcolm Brogdon": "13", "Trevor Booker": "9", "Brook Lopez": "15", "Sean Kilpatrick": "14", "Joe Harris": "11"}, "Blocks": {"John Henson": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"John Henson": "8", "Malcolm Brogdon": "4", "Trevor Booker": "8", "Brook Lopez": "4", "Sean Kilpatrick": "6", "Joe Harris": "4"}, "Assists": {"Malcolm Brogdon": "4", "Sean Kilpatrick": "4", "Joe Harris": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Brook Lopez": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Brook Lopez": "4"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the host Brooklyn Nets, 111 - 93, at Barclay's Center on Thursday. These are two teams going in opposite directions and this result shows which way they're heading. The second half is when Milwaukee really turned it on, as they outscored Brooklyn, 59 - 42 in that 24 - minute span. Prior to that, there were 12 lead changes and six ties, as it was close throughout the first half. Defense was key for the Bucks, as they held the Nets to 38 percent from the field and 30 percent from three - point range. Milwaukee also dominated the paint, winning the rebounding battle 48 - 40 and recording 10 blocks in their win. Milwaukee (9 - 8) has now won four of their last five and much of that success has to be attributed to the play of Giannis Antetokounmpo. The man known as the \"Greek Freak\" flirted with a triple - double in this win, accumulating 23 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and four steals in just 29 minutes of action. In fact, he sat out the entirety of the fourth quarter, as the game continued to get out of hand. Jabari Parker was second on the team with his 22 points on 8 - of - 14 shooting. John Henson started at center, totaling 12 points, eight rebounds and five blocks. Malcolm Brogdon had a nice game off the bench, tallying 13 points, four rebounds and four assists. Brooklyn (5 - 13) has really struggled on defense this season and this blowout loss only adds to those troubles. Sean Kilpatrick continued his good play though, accruing 14 points, six rebounds and four assists as the starting point guard. Brook Lopez finished with just 15 points and four rebounds on 4 - of - 12 shooting. Trevor Booker amassed nine points, eight rebounds and two steals in the defeat. Joe Harris led the bench in scoring, dropping 11 points, four rebounds and three assists. These two teams will face each other again on Saturday, as they travel to Milwaukee for that fixture."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Cavaliers": "39"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "39"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "27", "76ers": "56"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "87", "76ers": "86"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Cavaliers": "19"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "48", "76ers": "18"}}, {"Steals": {"Nerlens Noel": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Nerlens Noel": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Furkan Aldemir": "27"}, "Points": {"Furkan Aldemir": "11", "Robert Covington": "19", "LeBron James": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Furkan Aldemir": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LeBron James": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"LeBron James": "3"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (48 - 27) survived a scare from the Philadelphia 76ers (18 - 56) as they edged them out by a score of 87 - 86 at the Quicken Loans Arena. The 76ers gave the Cavaliers everything they could handle Sunday, but fell just short of pulling off the upset as Nerlens Noel missed the potential go - ahead jumper with two seconds remaining. The Cavaliers narrowly avoided their second straight loss despite being held to just 39% shooting from the field. The 76ers missed too many free throws down the stretch, finishing just 8 - for - 15 from the stripe in a one point loss. Philadelphia could have taken the season series from Cleveland had it won Sunday's contest. Philadelphia put forth a valiant effort Sunday against the East's second seed on Sunday, but poor free throw shooting prevented the upset. Robert Covington bounced back from a disappointing two point outing Friday to score 19 against the Cavaliers. Furkan Aldemir got the start at center and responded with 11 points and 10 rebounds over 27 minutes. The 76ers will finish out their back - to - back set on Monday when they host the Lakers. Cleveland had its full complement of players on the floor to start the game, but it did n't end that way. Iman Shumpert left the game with an ankle injury and Kevin Love had an early exit due to a lower back injury. LeBron James had 20 points, but it came on 8 - of - 24 shooting from the floor and 3 - of - 6 shooting from the line. The Cavaliers will be idle Monday before hosting the Heat on Tuesday."], [[{}, {"Blocks": {"Serge Ibaka": "4", "DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}, "Points": {"Serge Ibaka": "12", "Jonas Valanciunas": "25", "DeMar DeRozan": "14", "Cory Joseph": "11", "DeMarcus Cousins": "25", "Jordan Crawford": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "5", "Cory Joseph": "5", "DeMarcus Cousins": "10", "Jordan Crawford": "3"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "6", "DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Jordan Crawford": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Davis": "17"}}], "This game was close throughout, as neither team led by more than 10 points. The statistics were incredibly even, as rebounding, assists, steals, blocks and turnovers were all within two of one another. Three-point shooting was the only noticeable difference, with Toronto going 8 - of - 21, while New Orleans went 9 - of - 29. Jonas Valanciunas led Toronto with 25 points and 13 rebounds. DeMar DeRozan tallied 14 points and six assists. Serge Ibaka collected 12 points, five rebounds, two steals and four blocks. Cory Joseph started for Lowry and accumulated 11 points, five rebounds and five assists. DeMarcus Cousins led New Orleans, by amassing 25 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Anthony Davis left with yet another injury, as he played 17 minutes before departing with a wrist issue. Jordan Crawford played well off the bench, accruing 10 points, three rebounds and three assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "5", "Hornets": "4"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "1", "Hornets": "3"}}, {"Assists": {"Al Jefferson": "1", "Kobe Bryant": "4", "Jeremy Lin": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Al Jefferson": "23", "Kobe Bryant": "20", "Jeremy Lin": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Al Jefferson": "10", "Lance Stephenson": "3", "Kobe Bryant": "7", "Jeremy Lin": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Al Jefferson": "6", "Kobe Bryant": "7", "Jeremy Lin": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Al Jefferson": "3", "Kobe Bryant": "6", "Jeremy Lin": "2"}, "Points": {"Al Jefferson": "23", "Kobe Bryant": "21", "Jeremy Lin": "21"}, "Steals": {"Al Jefferson": "1", "Kobe Bryant": "1", "Jeremy Lin": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "5", "Jeremy Lin": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kobe Bryant": "1", "Jeremy Lin": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Kobe Bryant": "6", "Jeremy Lin": "3"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (3 - 4) had a brutal third quarter to lose to the Los Angeles Lakers (1 - 5) on Sunday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The Hornets were fresh off of a double - overtime thriller that featured a crazy bank - shot three from Lance Stephenson to give them the win. They did n't have much time to rest, and it seemed that their legs started to give in a bit during the second half of this one, as they were oustcored 65 - 41 over the span of the final two quarters. The Hornets were led by 23 points (10 - 23 FG, 3 - 6 FT) from Al Jefferson, as well as eight rebounds, one assist and one steal. The Hornets went deep into the bench in this one, but it was n't enough. They now head to Portland on Tuesday to take on the Trail Blazers. For the Lakers, it's a sigh of relief getting to put one in the win column. They had a well - rounded team effort in this game, with five players scoring in double figures, and nine players scoring in total. The team was led by 21 points (7 - 20 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 6 - 7 FT) with six rebounds, four assists and one steal from Kobe Bryant, as well as 21 points (8 - 12 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), with seven assists, three rebounds and a steal from Jeremy Lin. With the Lakers officially in the win column, they now head on the road to take on the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Lakers": "14"}, "Turnovers": {"Lakers": "25", "Pelicans": "13"}}, {"Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "2", "DeMarcus Cousins": "2", "Jrue Holiday": "12", "Brandon Ingram": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "10"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "31", "DeMarcus Cousins": "26", "Jrue Holiday": "20", "Brandon Ingram": "16", "Nick Young": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "9", "DeMarcus Cousins": "15", "Jrue Holiday": "5", "Brandon Ingram": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "31"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nick Young": "4"}}], "The Lakers turnovers ended up sinking them in the long run as they fell short of capturing their 20th win of the season. Los Angeles out rebounded the Pelicans, but the 25 turnovers compared to the 13 on New Orleans was instrumental. DeMarcus Cousins, Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday were too much for the Lakers to handle in the long run, and the defensive effort in the third quarter holding the Lakers to just 14 points was key. Cousins finished with 26 points, 15 rebounds and two assists across 31 minutes, while Davis posted 31 points on 10 - of - 22 shooting. Davis added nine rebounds and two assists and led all scorers in the contest. Jrue Holiday scored 20 points, to go with 12 assists and five boards. Brandon Ingram scored 16 points, alongside six rebounds and two assists, while Nick Young buried four three - pointers on his way to 19 points."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "36", "Heat": "22"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "43", "Heat": "44"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "26", "Heat": "36"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "102", "Heat": "92"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "39", "Heat": "29"}}, {"Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Hassan Whiteside": "6", "Dwyane Wade": "13", "Goran Dragic": "17", "Michael Beasley": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "12", "Kyle Lowry": "12", "Lou Williams": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4", "Dwyane Wade": "9", "Goran Dragic": "8", "Michael Beasley": "4", "DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "7", "Lou Williams": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4", "Goran Dragic": "2", "Michael Beasley": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "13", "Lou Williams": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Hassan Whiteside": "1", "Goran Dragic": "2", "Michael Beasley": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "12", "Lou Williams": "4"}, "Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "9", "Dwyane Wade": "25", "Goran Dragic": "18", "Michael Beasley": "11", "DeMar DeRozan": "18", "Kyle Lowry": "19", "Lou Williams": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "12", "Goran Dragic": "3", "Michael Beasley": "9", "DeMar DeRozan": "6", "Kyle Lowry": "8", "Lou Williams": "4"}, "Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "4", "Goran Dragic": "5", "DeMar DeRozan": "6", "Kyle Lowry": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "2", "Goran Dragic": "4", "Michael Beasley": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "8", "Lou Williams": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dwyane Wade": "1", "Goran Dragic": "0", "Michael Beasley": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "0", "Kyle Lowry": "5", "Lou Williams": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Dwyane Wade": "5"}, "Steals": {"Goran Dragic": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Michael Beasley": "26", "Kyle Lowry": "37", "Lou Williams": "23"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (39 - 26) defeated the Miami Heat (29 - 36) 102 - 92 on Friday at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. The Raptors got out to a quick start in this game, out - scoring the Heat 50 - 41 right away in the first half. The Raptors shot 43 percent from the field and 36 percent from the three - point line, while the Heat finished at 44 percent from the floor and 22 percent from deep. With the win, Toronto moves into a tie with the Chicago Bulls (who lost to the Hornets Friday) for the third projected playoff seed in the Eastern Conference standings, while the Heat drop to a half game behind the Hornets (who beat the Bulls Friday) for the eigth and final projected playoff seed. Giving the Raptors their biggest contribution was Kyle Lowry, who filled up the stat sheet and came quite close to recording a quadruple - double. He went 7 - for - 12 from the field and 5 - for - 8 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 19 points, while adding eight rebounds, eight assists and seven steals over 37 minutes. It was a season - high in steals for the guard, who's averaging 2 steals on the year. Over his last two games, he's combined for 51 points, 12 rebounds, 13 assists and nine steals. Despite shooting pretty poorly from the floor, DeMar DeRozan forced his way to the free throw line and finished with 18 points (3 - 12 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 12 - 13 FT), six rebounds and six assists. He matched a season - high in both free throws made and attempted, and improved his free throw percentage to just over 81 percent on the season. It was the first time he's scored less than 20 points in five games, but the Raptors were still able to grab the win and end their losing streak. Coming off the bench, Louis Williams posted 14 points (4 - 12 FG, 2 - 8 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT) and four rebounds in 23 minutes. For the Heat, Dwyane Wade continued his impressive stretch for the Heat, as he shot 40 percent or higher from the field for the fifth straight game. Wade went 9 - for - 13 from the field and 1 - for - 2 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 25 points, to go along with four assists. Over his last five games, he's averaging 28 points and five assists per matchup. Goran Dragic also had a nice showing and posted 18 points (8 - 17 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and five assists. Since joining the Heat nine games ago, he's averaging 16 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals per game. Michael Beasley gave the Heat the biggest contribution off the bench, as he recorded 11 points (4 - 10 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and nine rebounds over 26 minutes. After playing just 14 minutes in Wednesday's game against the Nets, he got a nice boost in court time, which he was able to convert into his fifth outing in double figures this season. Hassan Whiteside added nine points (4 - 6 FG, 1 - 4 FT), 12 rebounds and three blocks while back with the starters. The Raptors' next game will be at home against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday, while the Heat will be at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Clippers": "50", "Pistons": "30"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "54", "Pistons": "42"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "7", "Pistons": "20"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "113", "Pistons": "91"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Clippers": "27"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "17", "Pistons": "5"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pistons": "27"}, "Turnovers": {"Pistons": "17"}}, {"Points": {"Jodie Meeks": "20", "DeAndre Jordan": "16", "Jordan Farmar": "15"}, "Free throw percentage": {"DeAndre Jordan": "50"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "15"}, "Assists": {"Jordan Farmar": "5"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (17 - 7) defeated the Detroit Pistons (5 - 20) 113 - 91 on Monday. Los Angeles stopped their two - game losing streak with the win. The Clippers used every available player they had in the blowout, and six of their players finished in double digits. DeAndre Jordan had an impressive double - double of 16 points and 15 rebounds, while the Clippers shot 54 percent from the field and 50 percent from beyond the arc as a team. Jordan Farmar led the bench with 15 points and five assists. His shot was dropping from everywhere Monday. Detroit saw their two - game win streak come to an end with the loss. Jodie Meeks tried his best to keep the Pistons in the game, scoring a game - high 20 points off the bench in just his third game of the season. Detroit shot 42 percent from the floor and 30 percent from beyond the arc, but their biggest issue against the Clippers was allowing 27 easy points on 17 turnovers. Los Angeles will host another struggling Eastern Conference team on Wednesday when the Indiana Pacers come into town. Detroit will return home to host the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "51"}}, {"Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Zach LaVine": "6", "DeMarre Carroll": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "19", "Zach LaVine": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "10", "Zach LaVine": "12"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "25", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "17", "Zach LaVine": "29", "DeMarre Carroll": "10", "Jonas Valanciunas": "20", "DeMar DeRozan": "27", "Kyle Lowry": "25"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "11", "Zach LaVine": "2", "DeMarre Carroll": "5", "Jonas Valanciunas": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "8"}, "Steals": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "13"}}], "DeMar DeRozan paced Toronto overall with 27 points, eight rebounds and five assists while visiting the foul line a game - high 13 times. Kyle Lowry was close behind with a 25 - point, 11 - assist double - double. Jonas Valanciunas bounced back from some recent ankle problems to post 20 points and 10 rebounds, while DeMarre Carroll filled out the stat sheet with 10 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals. The Timberwolves were led by Zach LaVine, who went for a game - high 29 points on 12 - of - 20 shooting, and who added six assists and two rebounds. Andrew Wiggins supplied 25 points, six rebounds and an assist while going 10 - of - 19 from the field. Karl-Anthony Towns contributed a 17 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included an assist and a block. Despite the loss, Minnesota shot an impressive 51 percent from the field."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "39", "Celtics": "21"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "92", "Celtics": "112"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "6", "Celtics": "24"}, "Number of team assists": {"Celtics": "29"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "44"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "44"}}, {"Points": {"Jae Crowder": "20", "Jared Sullinger": "8", "Isaiah Thomas": "20", "Marcus Smart": "16", "Robert Covington": "25"}, "Assists": {"Jared Sullinger": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Jared Sullinger": "11", "Robert Covington": "8"}, "Steals": {"Marcus Smart": "4"}}], "The Boston Celtics (24 - 21) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (6 - 39) 112 - 92 on Sunday night. Boston was favored by a significant margin coming into this game and they showed why here. They really dominated the second and third quarters, as they outscored the Sixers by 10 points in each. The assist - to - turnover ratios were the huge difference in this game, as the Celtics outassisted the Sixers 29 to 17 and drew 23 Philly turnovers. Whenever you commit six more turnovers than assists, that's an almost guaranteed loss. Philadelphia was also held to under 40 percent shooting with Boston hitting over 44 percent of their shots. Boston has been playing much better recently, as this was their fifth win in their last seven games. It was once again a team effort, as Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder tied the team - lead with 20 points scored. Marcus Smart came off the bench and gave the team a nice spark as well, as he scored 16 points and recorded four steals in the win. Jared Sullinger flirted with a triple - double too, as he tallied eight points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in the victory. Up next for the Celtics is the Washington Wizards, as they play Monday in the second portion of a back - to - back set. The Sixers have had very few of these types of games since the acquisition of Ish Smith, but this was simply an ugly loss. Committing 23 turnovers is a disastrous number and the game was well out of hand early in the fourth quarter. Robert Covington was the lone bright spot in the defeat, as he hit six three's en route to a 25 - point, eight - rebound performance. No other player on the roster scored more than 12 points or grabbed double - digit rebounds. That's a recipe for disaster and it's even worse considering no one had more than four assists either. Philadelphia will look to play better on Tuesday against the struggling Phoenix Suns."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Jazz": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "51"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "24", "Nets": "50"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "112", "Nets": "97"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Jazz": "38"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "38", "Nets": "10"}}, {"Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "2", "Rudy Gobert": "2"}, "Points": {"Brook Lopez": "17", "Trevor Booker": "8", "Quincy Acy": "18", "Gordon Hayward": "12", "Derrick Favors": "19", "Rudy Gobert": "11", "George Hill": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "5", "Trevor Booker": "11", "Gordon Hayward": "3", "Derrick Favors": "12", "Rudy Gobert": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Quincy Acy": "7", "Derrick Favors": "9", "Rudy Gobert": "4", "George Hill": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Quincy Acy": "5", "Derrick Favors": "8", "Rudy Gobert": "4", "George Hill": "10"}, "Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "6", "George Hill": "7"}, "Steals": {"Gordon Hayward": "2"}}], "The Utah Jazz defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 112 - 97, at Vivnt Smart Home Arena on Friday. Utah was expected to win this game easily and a wire - to - wire victory shows just how much they took care of business. In fact, Utah led by double - digits for the final 20 minutes. The Jazz were efficient on offense, recording 25 assists on 38 made shots, while hitting over 51 percent of their attempts. Three-point shooting was also decisive, as Brooklyn went just 7 - of - 29 from long distance, while Utah went 12 - of - 26. The Nets (10 - 50) ended their 16 - game losing streak in their most recent game, but this was a tough task against a feisty Utah bunch. Quincy Acy led the way for the Nets, as he dropped 18 points on 5 - of - 7 shooting off the bench. Brook Lopez was the only starter in double figures, as he totaled 17 points, five rebounds and two blocks. Trevor Booker came off the bench to provide eight points and 11 rebounds. On deck for Brooklyn is a road matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday. The Jazz (38 - 24) came into this fixture in the midst of a two - game losing streak, so a matchup against the Nets is just what the doctor ordered. George Hill was the player of the game, as he amassed 34 points and seven assists on 10 - of - 12 shooting. Derrick Favors finished second on the team with 19 points and 12 rebounds on 8 - of - 9 shooting. Rudy Gobert went a perfect 4 - of - 4 from the field to collect 11 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. Gordon Hayward contributed 12 points, three rebounds, six assists and two steals. The Jazz 'next game is on Sunday against the Sacramento Kings."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "8", "Heat": "9"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "96", "Heat": "83"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "13", "Heat": "12"}, "Turnovers": {"Heat": "19"}}, {"Blocks": {"Chris Bosh": "3"}, "Points": {"Chris Bosh": "23", "Dwyane Wade": "20", "Paul George": "23", "Monta Ellis": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Chris Bosh": "10", "Dwyane Wade": "5", "Paul George": "8"}, "Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "5", "Monta Ellis": "6"}, "Steals": {"Monta Ellis": "6"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (13 - 8) jumped ahead of the Miami Heat (12 - 9) in the standings after beating them 96 - 83 on Friday. Coming fresh off a loss to the powerhouse Golden State Warriors, the Pacers looked determined to prove themselves in the contest against their fellow Eastern Conference contender. Guard Monta Ellis, coming off a cold streak coupled with a back injury, took over the game, pouring in 24 points and dishing out six assists while racking up a whopping six steals. Of course, the always - dominant Paul George continued to establish himself as an MVP contender, recording 23 points and eight rebounds in the win. The Heat played a solid defensive game, but ultimately saw their downfall come in the form of turnovers as they coughed the ball up 19 times. Stars Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, however, looked as electric as ever, with Bosh recording 23 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks, and Wade posting 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Both teams have had strong starts to the season, which they will look to further in their upcoming matchups. The Heat will take on the Grizzlies on Sunday, while the Pacers play host to the Pistons in the second half of a back - to - back."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"76ers": "21"}}, {"Points": {"Robert Covington": "21", "Dario Saric": "23", "Richaun Holmes": "13", "Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot": "17", "T.J. McConnell": "8", "Nik Stauskas": "11", "Caris LeVert": "9", "Brook Lopez": "26", "Jeremy Lin": "11", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Robert Covington": "13", "Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot": "9", "T.J. McConnell": "2", "Brook Lopez": "9", "Jeremy Lin": "6"}, "Assists": {"T.J. McConnell": "10", "Brook Lopez": "6", "Jeremy Lin": "7"}, "Blocks": {"T.J. McConnell": "1", "Brook Lopez": "2"}, "Steals": {"T.J. McConnell": "3", "Jeremy Lin": "4"}}], "The Sixers built a razor - thin 58 - 57 halftime lead and had to fight until the closing seconds to secure their 11th road win of the season. Dario Saric paced Philadelphia with 23 points, while Robert Covington produced a 21 - point, 13 - rebound double - double. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot produced a near double - double with 17 points and nine boards. Richaun Holmes generated 13 points and T.J. McConnell supplied a full stat line of eight points, 10 assists, two rebounds, three steals and a block. Nik Stauskas led the bench with 11 points. Brook Lopez led Brooklyn with 26 points, nine rebounds, six assists and two blocks. Jeremy Lin filled out the stat sheet with 11 points, seven assists, six rebounds and four steals. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson matched Lin's point total, and Caris LaVert turned in nine points. Spencer Dinwiddie's 10 points led the bench."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "28", "Raptors": "25"}, "Turnovers": {"Thunder": "18", "Raptors": "8"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "35", "Raptors": "38"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Terrence Ross": "12", "Jonas Valanciunas": "11", "DeMar DeRozan": "22", "Kyle Lowry": "15", "Lou Williams": "10", "Serge Ibaka": "16", "Enes Kanter": "14", "Russell Westbrook": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"Terrence Ross": "7", "DeMar DeRozan": "11", "Kyle Lowry": "5", "Serge Ibaka": "10", "Enes Kanter": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "9"}, "Points": {"Terrence Ross": "20", "Jonas Valanciunas": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "24", "Kyle Lowry": "14", "Lou Williams": "11", "Greivis Vasquez": "10", "Serge Ibaka": "21", "Enes Kanter": "21", "Russell Westbrook": "30"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "9", "Kyle Lowry": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "17"}, "Blocks": {"Serge Ibaka": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "7", "Enes Kanter": "12", "Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Russell Westbrook": "40"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (35 - 28) defeated the Toronto Raptors (38 - 25) 109 - 104 on Sunday. Russell Westbrook continued his unbelievable statistical hot streak in the Thunders' winning effort, recording 30 points on 9 - of - 21 shooting, 17 assists, and 11 rebounds in 40 minutes. The triple - double is Westbrook's fifth in six games played and he has averaged 37 points 11 assists, and 12 rebounds over that stretch. Enes Kanter put together his best performance since joining the Thunder at the trade deadline, putting up 21 points on 9 - of - 14 shooting and 12 rebounds. Serge Ibaka also scored 21 points on 10 - of - 16 shooting to go along with seven rebounds and five blocks. As a team, Oklahoma City committed 18 turnovers to Toronto's eight, but were also able to score 17 points off turnovers, while the Raptors were only able to score nine. It was Toronto's wings that lead the way in the losing effort, with DeMar DeRozan scoring a team - high 24 points on 11 - of - 22 shooting and dishing out nine assists, while Terrence Ross added 20 points on 7 - of - 12 shooting. This was the first time Ross scored over 20 points in a game since the beginning of February. In his second game back since being returning from being inactive, Kyle Lowry struggled shooting from the field, going 5 - of - 15 en route to 14 points and five assists. Lou Williams (11), Greivis Vasquez (10), and Jonas Valanciunas (10) round out the Raptors who scored in double figures. Up next, the Thunder, who are holding onto a one - game lead for the eighth seed in the West, will stay at home to go up against the Clippers on Wednesday. Toronto, who are the fourth seed in the East, will travel to San Antonio Tuesday to take on the Spurs."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "20", "Trail Blazers": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Cavaliers": "46", "Trail Blazers": "39"}, "Turnovers": {"Cavaliers": "8"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "27", "Trail Blazers": "32"}}, {"Assists": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "Wesley Matthews": "2", "Damian Lillard": "5", "Kyrie Irving": "5"}, "Blocks": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "3", "Wesley Matthews": "8", "Damian Lillard": "10", "Kevin Love": "8", "Kyrie Irving": "19"}, "3-pointers made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "Wesley Matthews": "3", "Damian Lillard": "3", "Kevin Love": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "23", "Wesley Matthews": "10", "Damian Lillard": "19", "Kevin Love": "15", "Timofey Mozgov": "9", "Kyrie Irving": "36"}, "Field goals made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "13", "Wesley Matthews": "4", "Damian Lillard": "4", "Kevin Love": "3", "Timofey Mozgov": "4", "Kyrie Irving": "17"}, "Points": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "38", "Wesley Matthews": "11", "Damian Lillard": "14", "Kevin Love": "10", "Timofey Mozgov": "12", "Kyrie Irving": "55"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "11", "Kevin Love": "12", "Timofey Mozgov": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Wesley Matthews": "1", "Damian Lillard": "4", "Kevin Love": "2", "Timofey Mozgov": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Wesley Matthews": "0", "Damian Lillard": "3", "Kevin Love": "2", "Timofey Mozgov": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kyrie Irving": "2"}}], "Kyrie Irving erupted for the highest - scoring night of his career as the Cavaliers (27 - 20) held on to defeat the Trail Blazers (32 - 14) on Wednesady night. With LeBron James (wrist) sitting out, this matchup was all about Irving, who was absolutely unstoppable all game long. He went 17 - for - 36 from the field and a ridiculous 11 - for - 19 from the three - point line to score a season - high of 55 points, while also adding four rebounds, five assists and two steals. He was extremely clutch for the Cavaliers, scoring their last five points, therefore giving the home crowd the win that they came for and extending the team's winning streak to eight games in a row. Irving is on an unbelievable stretch over his last two games, combining for 93 points, 11 assists and five steals. While Irving did most of it on his own, Kevin Love at least gave a little help, finishing with 10 points (3 - 15 FG, 2 - 8 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and 12 rebounds. He shot very poorly, but he still was able to record his fourth double - double in his last six games. Timofey Mozgov had a double - double of his own as well, scoring 12 points (4 - 9 FG, 4 - 6 FT) and grabbing 10 rebounds. Doing his best to match the numbers Irving was having Wednesday, LaMarcus Aldridge had a very impressive performance as well. Aldridge went 13 - for - 23 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 38 points, while adding 11 rebounds and two blocked shots as well. While he has n't produced as much as Irving, Aldridge has still recorded two solid games in a row, combining for 64 points and 20 rebounds over that span. After scoring 27 points on the Cavaliers the last time they played, Damian Lillard struggled this time around, finishing with only 14 points (4 - 19 FG, 3 - 10 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) and five assists. This game marked his worst shooting percentage that he's had all year, so it was a big reason the Trail Blazers ended with a loss. The only other Blazer to reach double figures in points was Wesley Matthews, who hadd 11 points (4 - 10 FG, 3 - 8 3Pt, 0 - 1 FT) and two assists. Both the Trail Blazers and Cavaliers struggled to find any help from their bench Wednesday. The Blazers' bench totaled 17 points, while the Cavaliers' bench had only 11 points. While the Blazers may have taken the advantage in that category, the Cavaliers took the advantage in rebounding, out - rebounding the Blazers 46 - 39. That may have just been enough to push them to a victory. The Trail Blazers' next game will be on the road against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, while the Cavaliers will be at home against the Sacramento Kings on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "30", "Pelicans": "24"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "95", "Pelicans": "104"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "16", "Pelicans": "16"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "8", "Pelicans": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Solomon Hill": "3", "Terrence Jones": "1", "Buddy Hield": "1", "Jrue Holiday": "4", "Tyreke Evans": "3", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "2", "Trevor Booker": "4", "Brook Lopez": "3", "Joe Harris": "2", "Sean Kilpatrick": "1", "Caris LeVert": "1"}, "Points": {"Solomon Hill": "14", "Terrence Jones": "24", "Buddy Hield": "5", "Jrue Holiday": "21", "Tyreke Evans": "29", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "10", "Trevor Booker": "8", "Brook Lopez": "20", "Joe Harris": "15", "Sean Kilpatrick": "18", "Caris LeVert": "10"}, "Steals": {"Solomon Hill": "2", "Terrence Jones": "1", "Jrue Holiday": "2", "Tyreke Evans": "4", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "1", "Trevor Booker": "1", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Sean Kilpatrick": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Terrence Jones": "12", "Buddy Hield": "5", "Tyreke Evans": "4", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "3", "Trevor Booker": "12", "Brook Lopez": "6", "Joe Harris": "2", "Sean Kilpatrick": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Omer Asik": "5", "Buddy Hield": "24", "Tyreke Evans": "28"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Buddy Hield": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Buddy Hield": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Buddy Hield": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Buddy Hield": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Tyreke Evans": "1", "Trevor Booker": "1", "Brook Lopez": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Brook Lopez": "6"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 104 - 95, at Barclays Center on Thursday. The Pelicans (16 - 24) learned earlier in the day that Anthony Davis would miss the contest with the hip injury that he suffered after a flagrant foul by the Knicks' Kyle O'Quinn on Monday. However, that did n't deter them from notching their sixth road victory of the season on the strength of standout efforts from Davis' replacement Terrence Jones and the surging Tyreke Evans off the bench. The two combined for more than half of the Pelicans' points on the night, and New Orleans also forced 16 turnovers from the Nets (8 - 30), which continue to give the ball away at the league's highest clip. Evans led all scorers with 29 points, which he supplemented with four rebounds, three assists, four steals and a block over 28 minutes. Jones posted a 24 - point, 12 - rebound double - double that also included an assist and a steal. Jrue Holiday tallied 21 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals. Solomon Hill went for 14 points, 10 boards, three assists and a pair of steals. Not all was clicking on the New Orleans side, however, as Omer Asik received only five minutes and went scoreless, while Buddy Hield compiled just five points, five rebounds and an assist over 24 minutes, shooting just 2 - of - 9 from the field and 1 - of - 6 from three - point range. Brook Lopez paced the Nets with 20 points, six rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block, but also committed a game - high six turnovers. Joe Harris produced 15 points, two rebounds and two assists. Bojan Bogdanovic supplied 10 points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal, while Trevor Booker generated a modest eight points but complemented them with 12 boards, four assists, a steal and a block. Sean Kilpatrick led the second unit with 18 points, seven boards, an assist and a steal, and Caris LeVert was productive in a reserve role as well with 10 points. The Pelicans continue on the road and visit the Chicago Bulls on Saturday afternoon, while the Nets head north of the border to tangle with the Toronto Raptors on Friday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "44", "Bulls": "29"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "107", "Bulls": "91"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "25", "Bulls": "42"}}, {"Points": {"Pau Gasol": "27", "Reggie Jackson": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "10"}, "Assists": {"Reggie Jackson": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Reggie Jackson": "28"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (25 - 44) had a lights - out shooting performance in the second half to rout the Chicago Bulls (42 - 29), 107 - 91, on Saturday at The Palace of Auburn Hills. The Pistons trailed by as many as 19 midway through the third quarter before starting a furious comeback. Performances from role players like Caron Butler, Joel Anthony, Tayshaun Prince, and Jodie Meeks helped make the difference. In the end, Detroit outscored Chicago 54 - 19 from the 6:41 mark in the third quarter. Chicago was coming off a convincing 108 - 92 win over Toronto on Friday, but was unable to maintain that momentum through Saturday's contest. Pau Gasol led the way for Chicago with 27 points and 10 rebounds. Mike Dunleavy and Nikola Mirotic struggled from beyond the arc, combining for 1 - for - 10 from three point range. The Bulls are hopeful that Jimmy Butler, who is out with an elbow injury, can return within a week. Chicago will return to action Monday at home against Charlotte. Detroit has now notched two wins over playoff teams this week after defeating Memphis on Tuesday and Chicago on Saturday. Reggie Jackson had another big outing with 22 points and 11 assists over 28 minutes. The Pistons outscored the Bulls in the paint 50 - 36 and were only out - rebounded by one despite Greg Monroe missing the game with a knee injury. Detroit will finish its back - to - back set Sunday against Boston."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "50"}}, {"Points": {"Serge Ibaka": "20", "Evan Fournier": "26", "Nikola Vucevic": "26", "Elfrid Payton": "22", "Hassan Whiteside": "32", "Tyler Johnson": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "9", "Hassan Whiteside": "15", "Tyler Johnson": "5"}, "Assists": {"Nikola Vucevic": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "6", "Tyler Johnson": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "5"}, "Steals": {"Tyler Johnson": "3"}}], "These are two teams that have struggled this season, but they left it all on the floor in this double - overtime thriller. There were 10 ties and 27 lead changes in total, with neither team leading by more than 12 points. The Magic got it done through offense, as they shot 50 percent from the field and from three - point range. Nikola Vucevic and Evan Fournier carried the load for Orlando, as they scored 26 points a piece. Serge Ibaka finished with 20 points and nine rebounds of his own. Elfrid Payton came off the bench with Vucevic to provide 22 points and six assists. Hassan Whiteside was the player of the game despite the loss, as he totaled 32 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks. Tyler Johnson was huge off the bench for Miami, as he matched Whiteside's 32 points, while adding five rebounds, three assists and three steals."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "50", "Pacers": "21"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "29", "Pacers": "31"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "104", "Pacers": "75"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "38", "Pacers": "35"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pacers": "18"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pacers": "19"}}, {"Field goals made": {"Paul George": "3"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "7", "Myles Turner": "19", "Monta Ellis": "10", "Paul Millsap": "18", "Al Horford": "18", "Kyle Korver": "14"}, "Blocks": {"Myles Turner": "1", "Paul Millsap": "3", "Kyle Korver": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Myles Turner": "5", "Monta Ellis": "3", "Paul Millsap": "9", "Al Horford": "4", "Kyle Korver": "5"}, "Steals": {"Myles Turner": "2", "Paul Millsap": "3"}, "Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "4", "Al Horford": "4", "Kyle Korver": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul Millsap": "2", "Al Horford": "2", "Kyle Korver": "4"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Paul Millsap": "50", "Al Horford": "50"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Paul Millsap": "50"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (38 - 29) routed the Indiana Pacers (35 - 31) Sunday night at Phillips Arena, 104 - 75. The 20 lead the Pacers took 18 seconds into the game was the last one they'd enjoy, as the Hawks immediately rattled off a 160 run. The Pacers led by at least six points for the entirety of the final 45 minutes. Any chance of a comeback was squelched by a 30 - 5 Atlanta run to end the third quarter. The Hawks used a balanced attack, as Paul Millsap and Al Horford led the club with 18 points apiece. Millsap added nine rebounds, four assists, three steals and three blocks, and Horford shot a sharp 8 - 12 (2 - 4 3PT) and grabbed four rebounds. Kyle Korver hit four of his nine shots from deep to finish with 14 points as the Hawks shot 50 percent (15 - 30) from beyond the arc overall. Myles Tuner led all scorers as he poured in 19 for the Pacers on 9 - 17 shooting to go with five rebounds, two steals and a block. Monta Ellis (10 points, 4 - 9 shooting) was the only other Pacer to finish in double - digits. Pacers star Paul George made just three of his 15 field goal attempts and finished with seven points. Nothing worked for Indiana, as they shot 21 percent (5 - 24) from three, 44 percent on twos, and earned just seven free throw attempts. Atlanta heads on the road to face Detroit on Wednesday. The Pacers return home Tuesday to host the Celtics."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "41", "Pelicans": "36"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "24"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "88", "Pelicans": "83"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "40"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Anthony Davis": "37", "Rudy Gobert": "36"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "20", "DeMarcus Cousins": "15", "Gordon Hayward": "23", "Rudy Gobert": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "12", "DeMarcus Cousins": "8"}, "Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Rudy Gobert": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "15", "Gordon Hayward": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "5", "Gordon Hayward": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "2"}, "Steals": {"Rudy Gobert": "2"}}], "The Utah Jazz defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, 88 - 83, at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Monday. The Jazz (40 - 24) picked up their 40th win of the season and continue to rise in the Western Conference behind stellar play from Rudy Gobert. The elite center for Utah tipped in the buzzer beater for the win over the Kings on Sunday, and came up with another ridiculous stat line on Monday, as he finished with 15 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks across 36 minutes of action. The Pelicans simply could not find a rhythm shooting the ball, and finished with a season worst 36 percent as a unit. They allowed multiple Jazz scoring runs and did not have a single lead throughout the entirety of the game. The Pelicans picked up their first win with DeMarcus Cousins on Sunday, but were unable to do the same on the second game of a back - to - back. Cousins finished with 15 points, eight boards and three assists on 5 - of - 15 shooting, while Anthony Davis added 20 points and 12 rebounds across 37 minutes. The Jazz were led in scoring by Gordon Hayward, who finished with 23 points on 10 - of - 20 shooting. He was the only efficient scorer amongst the starters, as Utah finished just 41 percent shooting from the field as a team. Next up, the Jazz visit the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, while the Pelicans play the same day when they host the Toronto Raptors."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "19", "Nuggets": "17"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "96", "Nuggets": "104"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Suns": "21", "Nuggets": "33"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "12", "Nuggets": "12"}}, {"Turnovers": {"Mike Miller": "3", "Ronnie Price": "1"}, "Assists": {"Randy Foye": "6", "Brandon Knight": "10", "Ronnie Price": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Randy Foye": "1"}, "Points": {"Randy Foye": "31", "Brandon Knight": "21", "Ronnie Price": "20"}, "Blocks": {"Darrell Arthur": "2"}}], "The shorthanded Denver Nuggets (12 - 17) defeated the Phoenix Suns (12 - 19) 104 - 96 on Wednesday. This was a bizarre game, but Denver took a 33 - 21 lead in the first quarter and never looked back after that. The free - throw shooting was pathetic from both teams, as Denver went 6 - for - 13, while the Suns went 11 - for - 17. This was Denver's third time winning the second half of a back - to - back this season and that's a good sign of resiliency for this young team. That snapped a three - game losing streak for Denver, which is a great sign with Oklahoma City, San Antonio and Cleveland next on the schedule. The Nuggets training staff is one of the busiest in the NBA right now and it's amazing they pulled off a win here. They were missing Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Jusuf Nurkic, Emmanuel Mudiay and Jameer Nelson in this game, yet still pulled it out. They went with an eight - man rotation and Randy Foye played one of the games of his career. Foye scored a season - high 31 points and dished out six assists. The bench was spectacular as well, as Will Barton, Nikola Jokic and Darrell Arthur combined for 49 points, 28 rebounds, 10 assists, three steals and two blocks in the victory. Those were the only three players to come off the bench and it was a hell of a coaching job by Mike Malone to manage everyones minutes. Denver's next game will be a tough one though, as they take on a San Antonio Spurs who are undefeated at home this season. The Suns came into this game as nearly a double - digit favorite, but let down big time here. They let a shorthanded Nuggets team run them up and down the floor and they simply didn\u2019t put in enough effort to win. Brandon Knight played well though, as he scored a team - high 21 points and handed out 10 assists. Ronnie Price also scored a career - high 20 points off the bench and was one of the only Suns playing good defense. This is a concerning loss for Phoenix and it says more about them than it does the Nuggets. Phoenix has a great chance to win in their next game though, as they host the one - win Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "41"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "42", "Thunder": "31"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "91", "Thunder": "92"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "31", "Thunder": "42"}}, {"Points": {"Taj Gibson": "13", "Victor Oladipo": "15", "Russell Westbrook": "37", "Nerlens Noel": "15"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Victor Oladipo": "15", "Russell Westbrook": "30", "Nerlens Noel": "12"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "10", "Nerlens Noel": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "15", "Nerlens Noel": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Russell Westbrook": "36", "Nerlens Noel": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "13", "Nerlens Noel": "8"}, "Turnovers": {"Nerlens Noel": "1"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Dallas Mavericks 92 - 91 Monday at American Airlines Center. With just over three minutes remaining in Monday's contest, the Thunder (42 - 31) looked dead in the water, as they were down 13 and the Mavericks (31 - 42) had control for majority of the game. Russell Westbrook, however, had other plans, as he led the team on a 140 run to end the game that was topped off by a game - winning jumper from the free throw line. Westbrook finished with yet another triple - double of 37 points (16 of which came in the final quarter), 13 rebounds and 10 assists in 36 minutes, and he did so while shooting an efficient 15 - of - 30 from the field. And the MVP-candidate carried the load for Oklahoma City, as Victor Oladipo (15) and Taj Gibson (13) were the only other players to score in double figures for the Thunder. As for Dallas, they played a strong 45 minutes before collapsing down the stretch and missing their final six shots from the field. Six different Mavericks players managed to score in double figures, but overall, it ended up being a subpar offensive performance from the team, as they shot just 41 percent from the field. It was, however, one of the better performances from Nerlens Noel since he was traded to Dallas, as he recorded 15 points on 6 - of - 12 shooting and eight rebounds - - both of which were team - highs - - in 28 minutes. Up next, the Thunder will head to Orlando on Wednesday to take on the Magic, while the Mavericks will look to avoid dropping their third straight game in New Orleans on Wednesday."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pistons": "36"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "43"}, "Turnovers": {"Lakers": "21"}}, {"Points": {"Brandon Ingram": "15", "Julius Randle": "17", "Tarik Black": "8", "Nick Young": "9", "Jordan Clarkson": "12", "Lou Williams": "17", "Marcus Morris": "14", "Jon Leuer": "20", "Andre Drummond": "24", "Tobias Harris": "19", "Ish Smith": "10", "Aron Baynes": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Tarik Black": "10", "Marcus Morris": "6", "Andre Drummond": "17"}, "Minutes played": {"Jordan Clarkson": "22"}, "Assists": {"Marcus Morris": "3"}, "Steals": {"Marcus Morris": "1"}}], "The Pistons elicited 21 turnovers while also limiting the Lakers to 43 percent shooting. They pulled away with a 36 - point third quarter, establishing the cushion they needed to seal a comfortable home win. Andre Drummond's 24 - point, 17 - rebound double led the way for Detroit. Jon Leuer was next with 20 points, while Tobias Harris led the second unit with 19 points. Marcus Morris managed 14 points, six rebounds, three assists and one steal. Aron Baynes and Ish Smith turned in matching 10 - point efforts off the bench. The Lakers were led by matching 17 - point efforts from Julius Randle and Lou Williams. Brandon Ingram pitched in with 15 points, while Jordan Clarkson totaled 12 points over 22 minutes off the bench. Nick Young supplied nine points, and Tarik Black posted eight points but also brought down 10 boards."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "17", "Lakers": "17"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "110", "Lakers": "91"}, "Rebounds": {"Pacers": "53", "Lakers": "38"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "8", "Lakers": "8"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "33"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "26"}, "Field goals made": {"Kobe Bryant": "8"}, "Points": {"Kobe Bryant": "21", "Rodney Stuckey": "20", "CJ Miles": "20"}, "Assists": {"Rodney Stuckey": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"Rodney Stuckey": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Rodney Stuckey": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"Rodney Stuckey": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"CJ Miles": "1"}, "Steals": {"CJ Miles": "1"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (8 - 17) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (8 - 17) 110 - 91 on Monday. Indiana broke their eight - game losing streak with the win. They were wading through one of the more difficult stretches of their schedule, so the prolonged losing streak was n't entirely surprising, and neither was the fact that they were able to snap their losing streak against the Lakers. Indiana's defense is nothing to write home about, but the Lakers shot just 33 percent from the field and were out - rebounded 53 - 38, putting the game out their reach in more than one telling category. C.J. Miles (knee) returned to action and scored 20 points off the bench, while Rodney Stuckey had one of his Blue Moon great performances, approaching a triple - double with 20 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Los Angeles' recent success and three - game winning streak came to a brutal end. After passing Michael Jordan for third on the all - time scoring list in Sunday's game, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers were coming down from an emotional milestone game which put them at risk of coming into Monday's back - to - back without the energy to put up a proper fight. Bryant chucked his way to 21 points, shooting 8 - of - 26 from the field to take the wind out of the Lakers' sails. Indiana will embark on a three - game road trip that starts Wednesday in Los Angeles against the Clippers. The Lakers will have three days off before hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Celtics": "28"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "37", "Lakers": "37"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "48", "Lakers": "39"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "18", "Lakers": "36"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "113", "Lakers": "107"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Celtics": "33", "Lakers": "21"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "32", "Lakers": "17"}, "Turnovers": {"Lakers": "12"}}, {"Assists": {"Nick Young": "3", "D'Angelo Russell": "6", "Larry Nance Jr.": "4", "Lou Williams": "4", "Al Horford": "8", "Isaiah Thomas": "4", "Marcus Smart": "7"}, "Points": {"Nick Young": "17", "D'Angelo Russell": "20", "Larry Nance Jr.": "18", "Lou Williams": "21", "Jae Crowder": "18", "Al Horford": "11", "Isaiah Thomas": "38", "Marcus Smart": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Nick Young": "3", "D'Angelo Russell": "6", "Larry Nance Jr.": "11", "Lou Williams": "4", "Jae Crowder": "6", "Al Horford": "8", "Isaiah Thomas": "2"}, "Steals": {"Jae Crowder": "2", "Marcus Smart": "5"}}], "The Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 113 - 107, at TD Garden on Friday. These two teams came into this matchup tied for the most wins in NBA history and the Celtics were able to pull ahead of the Lakers with this victory. The second quarter was the difference in the game, as Boston outscored Los Angeles, 33 - 21. Defense was also key for the Celtics, as they held the Lakers to 39 percent from the field and 37 percent from three - point range. Boston shot 48 percent on their end and recorded 28 assists on their 39 made baskets. The Lakers (17 - 36) have now lost 10 of their last 12 games, as they ca n't get out of their own way. Lou Williams led Los Angeles in scoring, as he provided 21 points, four rebounds and four assists off the bench. D'Angelo Russell led the starters, collecting 20 points, six rebounds and six assists. Nick Young was the only other starter with more than four points, as he dropped 17 points to add to his three rebounds and three assists. Larry Nance Jr. recorded an 18 - point, 11 - rebound double - double off the bench. The Celtics (32 - 18) have rode Isaiah Thomas' absurd fourth quarter numbers all season and he was at it yet again here. Thomas scored 17 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter, to go along with two rebounds and four assists. Al Horford flirted with a triple - double, accumulating 11 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Jae Crowder was second on the team in scoring, totaling 18 points, six rebounds and two steals. Marcus Smart was a spark plug off the bench, accruing nine points, seven assists and five steals."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "11", "Thunder": "8"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "90", "Thunder": "94"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Jazz": "15", "Thunder": "27"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "10", "Thunder": "15"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "47"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "3", "Trey Burke": "4"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "19", "Alec Burks": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "8", "Alec Burks": "3", "Trey Burke": "3"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (15 - 8) defeated the Utah Jazz (10 - 11) 94 - 90 on Friday night. The Thunder took a 27 - 15 lead after the first quarter and did n't relinquish the lead after that. Not only did they outrebound the Jazz, they shot 47 percent from the field and 87 percent from the free - throw line. The starters were the big difference, as the Oklahoma City starters scored 64 points to Utah's 43 points. Oklahoma City did n't play the cleanest game, but they came away with a hard fought win in a tough environment. That now gives them eight wins in their last 10 games and they appear to be back at full - force. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook carried the load once again, as they totaled 45 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists and four steals in the win. No other player had more than 11, but this is one of the few teams in the NBA who can live off just two players. The Thunder will look to keep this hot stretch going when they take on these same Jazz on Sunday. Utah did a great job of climbing back in this game, but just could n't pull it out late. They got it down to a two - point lead late in the fourth quarter, but did n't get any help from OKC. Gordon Hayward led the team with 19 points, eight rebounds and three assists in the loss. Alec Burks and Trey Burke also had nice games off the bench, as they each recorded at least 15 points, three rebounds and four assists. They needed more from their other starters though, as they combined for just 11 points outside of Hayward and Derrick Favors. The Jazz will look to avenge this loss when they get a rematch against these same Thunder on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "16", "Celtics": "8"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "106", "Celtics": "107"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"76ers": "30"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"76ers": "21"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "4"}}, {"Points": {"Avery Bradley": "20", "Isaiah Thomas": "37", "Ersan Ilyasova": "18", "Sergio Rodriguez": "15", "Dario Saric": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Avery Bradley": "9", "Isaiah Thomas": "4", "Sergio Rodriguez": "5"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "7", "Sergio Rodriguez": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "11", "Sergio Rodriguez": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Isaiah Thomas": "33", "Sergio Rodriguez": "32", "Dario Saric": "27"}, "Steals": {"Sergio Rodriguez": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dario Saric": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Dario Saric": "4"}, "Free throw percentage": {"Dario Saric": "100"}}], "The Boston Celtics earned a 107 - 106 win as they survived a hard - fought game in Philadelphia as the 76ers took them down to the wire at Wells Fargo Center on Saturday evening. The 76ers started out strong with a 30 - point first quarter and held on to lead by eight at halftime. The Celtics battled back early in the third to tie it up at 74 heading into the fourth. With 1:8 left in the game the Celtics led by four before a couple of hustle plays by Dario Saric tied it up at 100 with 30 seconds left. However, Isaiah Thomas answered with a flash to the basket for the go - ahead layup, which served to put Boston in control the rest of the way. The Celtics (11 - 8) earned their second win in as many nights as they hung - in on the second night of a back - to - back. Isaiah Thomas led the way, tying his season - high in points with 37 on 11 - of - 19 shooting, along with seven assists and four rebounds, in 33 minutes, while Avery Bradley was solid with 20 points and nine rebounds. The Celtics have won six of their last eight games and will look to continue the momentum as they visit Houston on Monday. The 76ers (4 - 16) put up a solid fight, led by rookie Dario Saric, who tied his career - high with 21 points, and grabbed 12 rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench. Meanwhile, all five starters scored in double figures Philly, including Ersan Ilyasova with 18 points and Sergio Rodriguez, who tallied a career - high 15 points, along with eight assists and two steals, in 32 minutes. The Sixers shot 15 - of - 33 from long range and 46 percent from the field over all, but gave up 17 turnovers in the loss. They will look to avoid their seventh straight loss as they play host to the Nuggets on Monday."], [[{}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Anthony Davis": "3"}, "Assists": {"Rudy Gay": "6"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gay": "21", "DeMarcus Cousins": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "11"}}], "Tuesday night was a continuation of what has been a dominant start to the season for forward Anthony Davis. After becoming the first player in over three decades to combine for 95 points in his first two games of the season, Davis has seen even more statistical success. On Tuesday, the big man scored 34 points on 14 - of - 22 shooting, while also contributing eight rebounds, two steals, and four blocks. The remainder of the Pelicans' roster did not enjoy the same success, however, as three other members of the starting five contributed just five points each. For Sacramento, another dominant young big man stood out: All-Star DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins shot 11 - of - 20 and scored a team - high 28 points. He was followed closely by teammate Rudy Gay, who scored 21, grabbed six rebounds, and dished out six assists."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bucks": "34"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "34", "Michael Beasley": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "12"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Michael Beasley": "7"}}], "Giannis Antetokounmpo has been a model of consistency for the Bucks all season long and Tuesday night was his most impressive performance of the season, as he posted 34 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and five steals. The 34 points was a season - high, while the 12 rebounds was his second highest total of the season. Tuesday also marked the second time this year Antetokounmpo recorded 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and five steals as he continues to stuff the stat sheet as well as any player in the NBA. However, it was the play of Michael Beasley that may have been just as, if not more, important for Milwaukee's upset victory. Beasley's 17 points Tuesday night were his second highest total of the season and the seventh time he has reach double - digit scoring. In those seven games, the Bucks are 6 - 1, as Beasley's contributions off the bench have had a positive effect on Milwaukee's offensive attack."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "32"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pacers": "32"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pacers": "28"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "32"}}, {"Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "26", "Dion Waiters": "20", "Paul George": "28", "Myles Turner": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "21", "Dion Waiters": "8", "Paul George": "10", "Myles Turner": "8", "Jeff Teague": "5"}, "Assists": {"Dion Waiters": "6", "Jeff Teague": "4"}}], "Despite the Pacers leading for over 40 minutes of this game, the Heat battled and kept it close all night long. In fact, there were 10 lead changes, with neither team leading by more than 12 points. Fastbreak points was the most notable difference, with the Pacers winning that battle, 160. They also dominated the free - throw shooting, hitting 84 percent of their 32 free - throw attempts, while Miami only hit 69 percent of their 16 attempts. Hassan Whiteside was a load, as he led Miami with 26 points and 21 rebounds. Dion Waiters was the only other starter in double figures, totaling 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Paul George carried Indiana, as he accumulated 28 points and 10 rebounds. Jeff Teague collected 13 points, five rebounds and four assists. Myles Turner provided 15 points and eight rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "5", "Trail Blazers": "6"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "126", "Trail Blazers": "109"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Rockets": "41"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Rockets": "38"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "7", "Trail Blazers": "7"}}, {"Points": {"CJ McCollum": "26", "Damian Lillard": "18", "Patrick Beverley": "11", "James Harden": "26"}, "Assists": {"Patrick Beverley": "3", "James Harden": "14"}, "Blocks": {"Patrick Beverley": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Patrick Beverley": "25", "James Harden": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Patrick Beverley": "2", "James Harden": "12"}}], "The Houston Rockets defeated the visiting Portland Trail Blazers, 126 - 109, in a high - scoring affair on Thursday evening at Toyota Center. James Harden and the Rockets (7 - 5) certainly did not let Wednesday's loss to the Thunder, or the fact that they were playing on the second night of a back - to - back, shake them off their game. Instead, they came out guns - blazing, with a 41 - point first quarter and although they slipped a little in the second, came out of halftime cooking with a 38 - point third quarter. Harden notched his third triple - double of the season, with 26 points, 14 assists and 12 rebounds, in 32 minutes. Meanwhile, Patrick Beverley made his season - debut for Houston, after missing time due to knee surgery. Beverley was featured in Coach Mike D'Antoni's starting lineup and finished with 11 points, three assists, three blocks and two rebounds, in 25 minutes. The Rockets will have a day off before they host the Jazz on Saturday. The Trail Blazers (7 - 6) have now lost two games in a row by a combined total of 42 points. Defense has certainly been a problem for Portland as it came into this game averaging 111 points - against this season, the second - worst in the league. The Blazers were out - hustled in this one, giving up 17 offensive rebounds and 25 fast - break points. This was only the third time this season that Damian Lillard did not lead his team in scoring. Lillard finished with 18 points, while C.J. McCollum was the high - point man with 26. The Trail Blazers had four players score in double figures and nine players score five or more points, but once again their defense let them down. The Blazers will face the second night of a back - to - back as they visit New Orleans to play the Pelicans on Friday."], [[{"Total points": {"Pacers": "100", "Raptors": "83"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Raptors": "16"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Raptors": "16"}}, {"Rebounds": {"DeMarre Carroll": "6", "Jonas Valanciunas": "6", "DeMar DeRozan": "6", "Kyle Lowry": "3", "Patrick Patterson": "1", "Paul George": "4", "Ian Mahinmi": "10", "George Hill": "4", "Solomon Hill": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "Patrick Patterson": "1", "Ian Mahinmi": "1"}, "Points": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "16", "DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Kyle Lowry": "12", "Patrick Patterson": "8", "Paul George": "19", "Ian Mahinmi": "22", "George Hill": "22", "Solomon Hill": "7"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "5", "Patrick Patterson": "2", "Paul George": "2", "Ian Mahinmi": "5", "George Hill": "3", "Solomon Hill": "3"}, "Steals": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "1", "Paul George": "1", "Ian Mahinmi": "2", "Solomon Hill": "1"}}], "The Indiana Pacers evened their Eastern Conference first - round playoff series against the visiting Toronto Raptors with a 100 - 83 victory Saturday in Game 4 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Up to this point in the series, the Pacers had seemingly placed an inordinate amount of pressue on their most talented player, Paul George. The All-Star forward had led Indiana in scoring over the first three games, but they'd received rather modest contributions from the other members of the starting five. The key to a rather surprising double - digit victory Saturday was a departure from this trend, as Ian Mahinmi and George Hill managed matching 22 - point totals, marking the first time that either had eclipsed the 20 - point mark in the series. This made for a much more balanced scoring performance for the home squad, allowing them to knot the series up at two. The Raptors were led by Jonas Valanciunas' 16 points, six rebounds and a block. Kyle Lowry followed with 12 points, five assists, three rebounds and a steal. DeMarre Carroll matched Lowry's point total and added six boards. One game after getting over the 20 - point mark for the first time in the series, DeMar DeRozan was back to single - digit scoring, collecting eight points, six rebounds, four assists and a steal. Patrick Patterson led the second unit with eight points, two assists, a rebound and a block. Mahinmi added ten rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block to his stat line, while Hill complemented his scoring total with four boards and three assists. George pitched in with 19 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal. Solomon Hill paced the bench with seven points, three assists, three rebounds and a steal. The series now shifts back to the Air Canada Centre for Game 5 on Tuesday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "25", "Celtics": "24"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "116", "Celtics": "102"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "38", "Celtics": "40"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Celtics": "21"}}, {"Points": {"Avery Bradley": "14", "Isaiah Thomas": "32", "Marcus Smart": "21", "Blake Griffin": "26", "DeAndre Jordan": "15", "Chris Paul": "23", "Jamal Crawford": "19"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "5", "Marcus Smart": "3", "Chris Paul": "4", "Jamal Crawford": "5"}, "Steals": {"Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Marcus Smart": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Marcus Smart": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcus Smart": "3", "Blake Griffin": "8", "DeAndre Jordan": "12", "Chris Paul": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Chris Paul": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jamal Crawford": "5"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Boston Celtics, 116 - 102, at Staples Center on Monday. The Clippers (38 - 25) needed to sub in the likes of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin late in the fourth quarter after Brad Steven's testy defensive unit was able to compete down the stretch. The last four minutes added some drama after Jamal Crawford and DeAndre Jordan hooked up time and time again to put the Clippers up as many as 16 points with under 7:0 minutes remaining in the final period. Paul and Griffin were sitting on the bench late, leaving the game in the hands of Raymond Felton and Crawford, and both players had body parts wrapped in ice. Los Angeles has had trouble closing out games this season, but even a motivated Celtics (40 - 24) squad without Al Horford (elbow) was not able to overcome the deficit. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin did their damage early, and went on to finish with 23 points and 26 points, respectively. Paul added five rebounds and four assists, while Griffin contributed eight boards and five dimes. Crawford missed his first five shots from the field, but went on to sink the next five and finished with 19 points and five assists. DeAndre Jordan also grabbed most of his points late, and added 15 points and 12 boards in the win. Isaiah Thomas led the Celtics and all scorers with 32 points, to go with five assists and three steals, while Avery Bradley pitched in 14 points. Marcus Smart was the next most effective Boston player on the floor, and added 21 points in 32 minutes off the bench, to go with three rebounds, three assists and one steal. Next up, the Celtics visit the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, while the Clippers play the same night and visit the Minnesota Timberwolves."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "30", "Jazz": "29"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "108", "Jazz": "95"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Clippers": "28", "Jazz": "14"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Clippers": "36", "Jazz": "25"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "44", "Jazz": "44"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "3", "Blake Griffin": "1", "DeAndre Jordan": "1"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "13", "Rudy Gobert": "26", "Joe Johnson": "17", "Blake Griffin": "15", "DeAndre Jordan": "7", "Jamal Crawford": "28", "Marreese Speights": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Rudy Gobert": "14", "Blake Griffin": "6", "DeAndre Jordan": "15", "Marreese Speights": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gobert": "13", "Jamal Crawford": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gobert": "10", "Jamal Crawford": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Rudy Gobert": "36", "Joe Johnson": "26", "DeAndre Jordan": "26", "Jamal Crawford": "25", "Marreese Speights": "22"}, "Steals": {"Blake Griffin": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jamal Crawford": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jamal Crawford": "3"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the visiting Utah Jazz, 108 - 95, at Staples Center on Saturday afternoon. The Clippers (44 - 30) jumped out of the gates with a 28 - 14 first quarter, but let off the gas in the second and third quarters, allowing the Jazz (44 - 29) to bring it to a two - point game, with the score 72 - 70, heading into the fourth. However, the Clippers pulled away in the fourth, behind Jamal Crawford, who poured in 17 of his season - high 28 points in the quarter. The Clippers out - scored the Jazz 36 - 25 in the final frame to earn the win and clinch their sixth straight postseason berth. This was a huge win for the Clippers, as it brings them within 1 games of the Jazz, who hold on to fourth in the West. Jamal Crawford led the way for Los Angeles, with 28 points on 8 - of - 12 shooting, including 3 - of - 6 from long range, in 25 minutes off the bench. Blake Griffin finished with 15 points, six rebounds, three steals and an assist, while DeAndre Jordan hauled in 15 rebounds, to go along with seven points, in 26 minutes. Marreese Speights came up big off the bench for the Clippers, as he double - doubled with 11 points and 10 rebounds, in 22 minutes. The Clippers will look to build on this victory, as they face the second night of a back - to - back, when they play host to the Kings on Sunday. Meanwhile, Rudy Gobert was doing it all for the Jazz, as he led the way in scoring with 26 points on 10 - of - 13 shooting, and rebounding, with 14 rebounds, in 36 minutes. Joe Johnson followed up with 17 points, in 26 minutes off the bench, while Gordon Hayward chipped in 13 points, five rebounds and three assists. Hayward left the game mid way through the fourth with knee soreness and did not return. The Jazz will look to bounce back, as they play host to the Pelicans on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Kings": "33", "Jazz": "33"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "48", "Jazz": "46"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "50", "Jazz": "42"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "95", "Jazz": "101"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "26", "Jazz": "35"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Gordon Hayward": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "3", "Omri Casspi": "3", "Ben McLemore": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Gordon Hayward": "1", "Omri Casspi": "1", "Ben McLemore": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "11", "Derrick Favors": "11", "Rudy Gobert": "7", "Omri Casspi": "10", "DeMarcus Cousins": "22", "Ben McLemore": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "2", "Derrick Favors": "5", "Rudy Gobert": "5", "Omri Casspi": "5", "DeMarcus Cousins": "11", "Ben McLemore": "8"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Derrick Favors": "11", "Rudy Gobert": "10", "Omri Casspi": "14", "DeMarcus Cousins": "26", "Ben McLemore": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Derrick Favors": "5", "Rudy Gobert": "9", "Omri Casspi": "5", "DeMarcus Cousins": "12", "Ben McLemore": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Derrick Favors": "1", "Omri Casspi": "4", "DeMarcus Cousins": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Derrick Favors": "1", "Omri Casspi": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Derrick Favors": "16"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "2"}, "Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4"}, "Steals": {"Ben McLemore": "4"}}], "The Utah Jazz (35 - 42) defeated the Sacramento Kings (26 - 50) 101 - 95 on Sunday at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento. While both teams have already been eliminated from playoff contention, it was still another hard fought game Sunday. Both teams shot very similar percentages, with the Jazz going 46 percent from the field and 33 percent from the three - point line, while the Kings went 48 percent from the floor and 33 percent from deep. This marked the fifth straight loss for the Kings, as they look to improve their draft positioning for the 2015 NBA Draft. The Jazz got their biggest offensive contribution from Rodney Hood, who led this team to the close victory. The rookie finished with a team - high of 25 points (9 - 17 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt, 6 - 7 FT), to go along with four steals. He's only averaging 8 points on the season, but he's put together two impressive performances in a row, combining for 42 points and five steals. His four steals were also a career - high. While Gordon Hayward struggled to just five points (2 - 11 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt), it was Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors who gave Hood the most help. Gobert finished with 10 points (5 - 7 FG), nine rebounds and two blocked shots, while Favors added 11 points (5 - 11 FG, 1 - 1 FT) and five rebounds of his own. Favors could have put up some higher numbers, but he was limited to just 16 minutes, as he was given a light work load due to the season wearing down and nothing much left to play for. Favors has averaged 16 points and 8 rebounds so far this season, both of which are the best numbers of his five - year career. With Rudy Gay sitting out another game due to suffering a concussion earlier last week, it was Ben McLemore who gave DeMarcus Cousins the most help on the offensive side of the ball. McLemore shot 8 - for - 12 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 20 points, while also contributing five rebounds and four steals. McLemore has struggled with his consistency over the course of this season, so the Kings' coaching staff would love to see McLemore show some added improvement as the second - year guard's season comes near to its end. The four steals also matched a season - high for him. Cousins, on the other hand, posted a game - high of 26 points (11 - 22 FG, 4 - 9 FT), to go along with 12 rebounds and four assists. It marked his sixth double - double in a row, a stretch where he's averaging an impressive 28 points and 17 rebounds. The only other King in double figures was Omri Casspi, who chipped in with 14 points (5 - 10 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) and five rebounds. The Kings' next game will be at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday, while the Jazz will head home to play the Kings again on Wednesday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Cavaliers": "21", "Bulls": "12"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "14", "Bulls": "26"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "106", "Bulls": "95"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Cavaliers": "30", "Bulls": "22"}, "Turnovers": {"Cavaliers": "10", "Bulls": "13"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "39", "Bulls": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "40"}}, {"Assists": {"Pau Gasol": "4", "Derrick Rose": "2", "Bobby Portis": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Pau Gasol": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Pau Gasol": "1", "Bobby Portis": "1"}, "Points": {"Pau Gasol": "14", "Derrick Rose": "28", "Bobby Portis": "13", "LeBron James": "25", "Kevin Love": "15", "Tristan Thompson": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "9", "Derrick Rose": "7", "Bobby Portis": "10", "Tristan Thompson": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"Pau Gasol": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Derrick Rose": "19", "Kevin Love": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Derrick Rose": "11", "Kevin Love": "5"}, "Steals": {"Derrick Rose": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bobby Portis": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Bobby Portis": "26"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (39 - 14) defeated their division rival Chicago Bulls (27 - 26) Thursday night at Quicken Loans Arena, 106 - 95. The Bulls took their only lead of the game at 20. The Cavaliers swiftly rattled off a 10 - 2 run and held the lead for the rest of the game. Cleveland led by just six at halftime, but a 30 - 22 third quarter put the game away, as the Cavaliers led by double - digits for the entire final period. LeBron James finished one rebound and one assist away from a triple - double and scored a team - high 25 points on an efficient 11 - 19 shooting night. Triston Thompson was a beast inside, as he scored 16 on 8 - 10 shooting and added 10 rebounds. Kevin Love joined the double - double party with 15 points (5 - 10 FG) and 15 rebounds. The Cavaliers were tidy on offense, as they recorded 21 assists and turned the ball over just 10 times. Derrick Rose led all scorers with 28 points (11 - 19 FG) and added seven rebounds, two assists and a steal. Pau Gasol was the only other Bulls starter to reach double - digits, as he scored 14 to go with nine rebounds, four assists and a block. Bobby Portis was one of the few bright spots for Chicago, as he poured in 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in just 26 minutes off the bench. The Bulls shot just 40 percent from the floor and recorded more turnovers (13) than assists (12). The Bulls return home Friday for a matchup against the Raptors. The Cavaliers hit the road for a matchup Sunday afternoon against the Thunder."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "31", "Suns": "34"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "103", "Suns": "105"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "19", "Suns": "16"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Suns": "41"}}, {"Points": {"TJ Warren": "21", "Devin Booker": "33", "Eric Bledsoe": "20", "DeMarcus Cousins": "22", "Ty Lawson": "18"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Devin Booker": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Devin Booker": "11"}, "Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Ty Lawson": "28"}}], "The Phoenix Suns took down the Sacramento Kings on Friday, 105 - 103. Phoenix (16 - 34) saw strong play from sophomore Devin Booker in the win, as Booker led the team with 33 points on 11 - of - 24 shooting. Per usual, strong backcourt play kept the Suns in the game, as point guard Eric Bledsoe added another 20 points. The duo of guards contributed seven of Phoenix's 12 three - pointers on the night. Forward T.J. Warren was also an integral piece of the win, as the young wing scored 21 points for the Suns. Though the team shot just over 41 percent from the field, they were able to compensate with stellar shooting from beyond the arc and at the free - throw line. Sacramento (19 - 31) left the game with a disappointing result, as the team needed a win to stay close to Denver for eighth in the Western Conference. The team was narrowly edged out on Friday, despite shooting almost four percent better from the field than their opponent. Even in the loss, center DeMarcus Cousins was able to make a considerable impact. Cousins posted a triple - double, scoring 22 points and dishing 12 assists while pulling down 12 rebounds. Off the bench, point guard Ty Lawson showed flashes of his former self, scoring 18 points in 28 minutes. The Kings will host the Warriors on Saturday, while Phoenix will host the Bucks."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "48", "Magic": "30"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "115", "Magic": "124"}, "Turnovers": {"76ers": "22"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "8", "Magic": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"Evan Fournier": "4", "Aaron Gordon": "3", "Victor Oladipo": "4", "Robert Covington": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "4", "Ish Smith": "5", "Hollis Thompson": "2"}, "Points": {"Evan Fournier": "21", "Aaron Gordon": "11", "Victor Oladipo": "22", "Ersan Ilyasova": "10", "Robert Covington": "12", "Jahlil Okafor": "17", "Nerlens Noel": "16", "Ish Smith": "22", "Hollis Thompson": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Evan Fournier": "3", "Aaron Gordon": "11", "Victor Oladipo": "4", "Ersan Ilyasova": "8", "Robert Covington": "4", "Jahlil Okafor": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "11", "Ish Smith": "1", "Hollis Thompson": "3"}, "Steals": {"Evan Fournier": "2", "Aaron Gordon": "3", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Robert Covington": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "2", "Hollis Thompson": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Aaron Gordon": "1", "Jahlil Okafor": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "1"}}], "The Orlando Magic (25 - 30) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (8 - 48) 124 - 115 on Tuesday. A contest between two sub - .500 teams turned into an explosive affair, with Nikola Vucevic leading the way against his former team. The Magic's big man posted a season - high 35 points, along with nine rebounds, four assists and a block, dominating a Sixers frontcourt that's one of the most permeable in the league. Philadelphia's penchant for handing the ball to the opposition persisted as well, with Orlando eliciting 22 turnovers from them, which was one of their undoings in the loss. The Sixers actually hung with Orlando until early in the final period, which they'd entered trailing only 97 - 93. However, Victor Oladipo spearheaded the visitors' attack by scoring 10 of his 22 points in the quarter, helping to seal the victory. Oladipo added four rebounds, four assists and three steals to his point total. Evan Fournier was right behind him with 21 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals. Aaron Gordon managed his second straight double - double, totaling 11 points, 11 boards, three assists, three steals and a block. Ersan Ilyasova paced the Magic bench with 10 points and eight rebounds. Orlando remains in last place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division, and is currently four games behind the eighth - seeded Chicago Bulls. They head home for a showdown with the Golden State Warriors on Thursday. The Sixers were spearheaded by Ish Smith, who amassed 22 points, five assists and a rebound in a major bounce - back performance after a three - point outing against the Mavericks on Sunday. Jahlil Okafor supplied 17 points, two rebounds and a pair of blocks. Nerlens Noel registered a 16 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included four assists, two steals and a block. Robert Covington pitched in with 12 points, four rebounds, an assist and a steal. Hollis Thompson paced the Sixers bench with 14 points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal. Philadelphia remains in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head to Detroit for a tussle with the Pistons on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "31", "Raptors": "15"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "91", "Raptors": "104"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "16", "Raptors": "30"}}, {"Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "24", "Kyle Lowry": "19", "George Hill": "13"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "8", "George Hill": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Kyle Lowry": "34", "George Hill": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Kyle Lowry": "7", "George Hill": "2"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (30 - 15) notched their 30th win of the season Tuesday, defeating the Indiana Pacers (16 - 31) 104 - 91 at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Raptors held a five - point lead mid way through the third quarter before reeling off a 17 - 6 run to go up by double digits. Toronto's DeMar DeRozan snapped out of his cold streak on the road by scoring a game - high 24 points after managing just 14 points in his previous three games away from the Air Canada Centre. Toronto has now won both of its meetings with Indiana this season. Toronto has now won three straight to move into a tie for second place in the East. Kyle Lowry had a terrific performance with 19 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds in 34 minutes on the floor. The Raptors will play the second installment of a back - to - back set Wednesday when they host the Kings. Indiana snapped its seven - game losing streak Sunday against Orlando, but was unable to carry that momentum into Tuesday's contest. C.J Miles missed his second consecutive game with a groin injury and is considered questionable for Thursday's match up with the Knicks. George Hill was able to play his third straight game, but was on a minutes limit. He compiled 13 points, three assists, and two rebounds in 20 minutes of action. The Pacers have four games remaining on their current homestand."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "29", "Pacers": "22"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "103", "Pacers": "109"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "26"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "17", "Pacers": "23"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "56"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "5", "Jeff Teague": "13", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Paul George": "37"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Paul George": "1"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "32", "Myles Turner": "23", "Jeff Teague": "20", "Andrew Wiggins": "21", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "33", "Zach LaVine": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "4", "Jeff Teague": "8", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "10"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "1", "Myles Turner": "1", "Jeff Teague": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Myles Turner": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Myles Turner": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Myles Turner": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Jeff Teague": "1"}}], "The Indiana Pacers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 109 - 103 Thursday at Target Center. The Pacers (23 - 22) came into Thursday's matchup as one of the worst road teams in the NBA, boasting a 6 - 16 record away from home. They were, however, able to end a three - game losing streak and pull this one out, but it did n't come without a few heroic offensive performances. Paul George led the way with a team - high 32 points, five assists and four rebounds in 37 minutes, while young star Myles Turner an efficient 23 points on 10 - of - 14 shooting from the field on top of six rebounds. But in the backcourt, point guard Jeff Teague put together one of the best all - around performances of his first season with the Pacers, scoring 20 points, dishing out 13 assists and grabbing what ended up being a team - high eight rebounds. The three ended up accounting for 75 of the team's 109 points, with no other Indiana player managing to score in double figures. In the end, the Pacers won the game through their play on the perimeter, with the team shooting an impressive 10 - of - 18 (56 percent) from downtown. As for the Timberwolves (17 - 29), the biggest issues they've faced all season - - poor defense and lack of depth - - surfaced in Thursday's contest. Despite getting three stellar performances from their three young stars, they got no help from any of their teammates, and no one could stop the Pacers' offensive attack. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with a game - high 33 points on top of 10 rebounds and four assists, while Zach LaVine added 23 points and Andrew Wiggins posted 21 of his own. Their Minnesota teammates, however, managed to score just 26 points, causing them to fall just short and putting their three - game win streak to an end. Up next, the Pacers will head home Friday to take on the Kings, while the Timberwolves will look to get back on the right track Saturday against the Nets."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Timberwolves": "48", "Wizards": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "52", "Wizards": "43"}, "Losses": {"Timberwolves": "38", "Wizards": "25"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "119", "Wizards": "104"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "28", "Wizards": "41"}}, {"Points": {"Bradley Beal": "20", "John Wall": "27", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "12", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "39", "Ricky Rubio": "22"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "11", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "26"}, "Field goals made": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "3", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "13"}, "Assists": {"Ricky Rubio": "19"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Washington Wizards 119 - 104 Monday at Target Center. The Timberwolves (28 - 38) did n't waste any time opening up Monday's contest, as they ended the first quarter with an 18 - point lead and never let the Wizards (41 - 25) within one possession, as their smallest lead from that point was five points. Karl-Anthony Towns had his way in the outing, scoring a game - high 39 points on 17 - of - 26 shooting and grabbing 13 rebounds. Those offensive opportunities for Towns came in large part to the play of Ricky Rubio, who scored 22 points and recorded 19 assists in Monday's matchup. It was a hot shooting night for the team overall, as Minnesota shot 52 percent from the field and a scorching 48 percent from behind the arc. As for Washington, the loss ended a five - game winning streak, but the team has still won seven of its last nine games. They were led, once again, by their backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal. Wall finished with a game - high 27 points, while scored 20 points of his own. The next highest scorer for the Wizards, however, was Bojan Bogdanovic, who shot just 3 - of - 11 from the field en route to scoring 12 points. It was a poor shooting night all around for Washington, as the team shot just 43 percent from the field and 27 percent from behind the arc. Up next, the Timberwolves will travel to Boston on Wednesday to take on the Celtics, while the Wizards will head home to play the Mavericks on Wednesday."], [[{"Total points": {"Clippers": "116", "Suns": "98"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "3", "Suns": "0"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "4"}}, {"Points": {"Brandon Knight": "18", "Eric Bledsoe": "12", "Blake Griffin": "21", "Jamal Crawford": "14"}, "Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "5", "Blake Griffin": "5", "Jamal Crawford": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Eric Bledsoe": "8", "Blake Griffin": "11", "Jamal Crawford": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Blake Griffin": "4", "Jamal Crawford": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Chris Paul": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Chris Paul": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jamal Crawford": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jamal Crawford": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Jamal Crawford": "27"}, "Steals": {"Jamal Crawford": "2"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Phoenix Suns 116 - 98 at Staples Center on Monday. The Clippers (40) rallied behind their core four starters in Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and JJ Reddick in the blowout win over the Suns. The two teams battled it out through three quarters, and Phoenix was able to keep the game within striking distance towards the end of the fourth quarter, but the Clippers started to pull away through effective pick - and - roll play and Jamal Crawford\u2019s bench performances. Crawford aided the starters after making back - to - back baskets early in the final period, and then added a trip to the free throw line, which put the Clippers up by 17 points with 7:50 left to play. Crawford finished with 14 points on 5 - of - 10 shooting in 27 minutes. The aforementioned core four starters all finished in double figures, led by Paul\u2019s 24 points, eight assists and five rebounds, while Griffin totalled 21 points, five assists and 11 rebounds. The Suns (0 - 4) fail to grab their first win of the season, but got a solid performance from Brandon Knight and hung with one of the Western Conference\u2019s most complete teams through three quarters. Knight scored 18 points, but did not add any assists or rebounds, while Eric Bledsoe rounded out the box score with 12 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Sophomore Devin Booker was ruled out for the game as he nursed a sprained right big toe. Next up, the Suns host the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, while the Clippers stay at home the same day to face the Oklahoma City Thunder."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Kosta Koufos": "14", "Darren Collison": "17", "Buddy Hield": "14", "Danilo Gallinari": "18", "Wilson Chandler": "36", "Mason Plumlee": "10", "Gary Harris": "15", "Will Barton": "9"}, "Assists": {"Darren Collison": "5", "Wilson Chandler": "4", "Gary Harris": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Buddy Hield": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Buddy Hield": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Buddy Hield": "7", "Danilo Gallinari": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Buddy Hield": "4", "Danilo Gallinari": "5", "Wilson Chandler": "13"}, "Minutes played": {"Danilo Gallinari": "31", "Will Barton": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Gary Harris": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Will Barton": "4"}}], "The Denver Nuggets did n't need to play most of their stars, including rising center Nikola Jokic, to grab a home victory against a weak Sacramento Kings lineup. Wilson Chandler led the way for Denver, as he scored 36 points, draining 13 shots and adding 12 rebounds and four assists. Danilo Gallinari scored 18 points on an efficient 5 - of - 7 shooting across 31 minutes of action. The bench only stretched four players deep, with Will Barton leading the scoring with a lowly nine points in 27 minutes. Mason Plumlee pitched in a double - double with 10 points and 12 boards, while Gary Harris added 15 points, three rebounds and three assists. Darren Collison led the Kings scorers with 17 points, to go with two boards and five assists. Kosta Koufos contributed 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Buddy Hield had 14 points on 4 - of - 7 shooting including 2 - of - 2 from three - point range."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"76ers": "36", "Wizards": "24"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"76ers": "35", "Wizards": "32"}, "Losses": {"76ers": "45", "Wizards": "26"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "89", "Wizards": "81"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "13", "Wizards": "33"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Otto Porter": "19", "Marcin Gortat": "8", "John Wall": "26", "Ramon Sessions": "10", "Robert Covington": "9", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "9", "Nerlens Noel": "9", "Jason Richardson": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Otto Porter": "8", "Marcin Gortat": "4", "John Wall": "7", "Ramon Sessions": "4", "Robert Covington": "3", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "4", "Nerlens Noel": "5", "Jason Richardson": "4"}, "Points": {"Otto Porter": "19", "Marcin Gortat": "8", "John Wall": "21", "Ramon Sessions": "14", "Robert Covington": "13", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "10", "Nerlens Noel": "14", "Jason Richardson": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Marcin Gortat": "2", "John Wall": "8", "Ramon Sessions": "7", "Robert Covington": "5", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "4", "Nerlens Noel": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Marcin Gortat": "0", "John Wall": "7", "Ramon Sessions": "5", "Robert Covington": "5", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "0", "Nerlens Noel": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "14", "Ramon Sessions": "4", "Robert Covington": "6", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "8", "Nerlens Noel": "13"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "11", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "4", "Jason Richardson": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"John Wall": "4", "Robert Covington": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"John Wall": "2", "Ramon Sessions": "1", "Robert Covington": "7", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "6", "Jason Richardson": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"John Wall": "0", "Ramon Sessions": "1", "Robert Covington": "2", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "2", "Jason Richardson": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"John Wall": "4", "Robert Covington": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"John Wall": "4", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Ramon Sessions": "21", "Robert Covington": "26", "Jason Richardson": "26"}, "Steals": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Nerlens Noel": "3"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers (13 - 45) defeated the Washington Wizards (33 - 26) 89 - 81 on Friday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. With both teams riding their respective five - game losing streak, each were looking to get things turned around with a victory on Friday. In a surprising effort, the Sixers were able to come out victorious and end their drought. While they did n't necessarily have the best game shooting the ball, finishing at 35 percent from the field and 36 percent from the three - point line, they still shot better than the Wizards, who finished at just 32 percent from the field and a meager 24 percent from beyond the arc. Leading the way for the Sixers was Nerlens Noel, who went 5 - for - 9 from the floor and 4 - for - 6 from the free throw line for a team - high of 14 points, to go along with 13 rebounds, two steals and three blocked shots. He's really started to get it going offensively, averaging 12 points per game over his last five. It was also his first double - double since the end of January, so it was good to see that type of production. Robert Covington was a key contributor in the win. In just 26 minutes, he posted 13 points (3 - 9 FG, 2 - 7 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT) and six rebounds. He's played well following the All-Star break, averaging 13 points and 5 rebounds over five games. Coming just short of his own double - double, Luc Richard Mbah A Moute recorded 10 points (4 - 9 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 0 - 4 FT), eight rebounds and four assists. He combined for just 12 points and eight rebounds over his previous two games, so it was good to seem him have a little more success Friday. The only other Sixer to reach double figures in points was Jason Richards, who finished with 12 points (4 - 9 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt) and five assists in 26 minutes. For the Wizards, John Wall did the bulk of the damage despite the loss. He went off for 21 points (7 - 26 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT) and 11 assists, notching his third double - double over his last four games. During that four game stretch, he's averaged 13 points and 11 assists, but made just 1 - of - 10 from the three - point line over that same span, so it was n't all good for the guard. Another surprise performance came from Otto Porter, who went 8 - for - 19 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 19 points as the starter at small forward. It was a new season - high for the forward, as he received extended playing time with Paul Pierce sitting due to a knee injury. It was his second solid showing in a row, as he's combined for 32 points on 14 - of - 30 shooting from the floor. Coming off the bench, Ramon Sessions added 14 points (4 - 10 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 5 - 7 FT) and four rebounds in 21 minutes. Considering he's averaging just 5 points on the season, it was a nice surprise for the Wizards. Marcin Gortat chipped in with eight points (4 - 8 FG, 0 - 2 FT) and 14 rebounds as well. The Sixers' next game will be on the road against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, while the Wizards will be at home against the Detroit Pistons on Saturday."], [[{}, {"Minutes played": {"Bradley Beal": "42"}, "Points": {"Bradley Beal": "31"}}], "Bradley Beal has been playing like an offensive juggernaut since returning from a hamstring injury that held him out for three games, and his 31 - point performance on Wednesday continued that trend. Since returning, Beal has been averaging 28 points while shooting 50 percent from the field overall. And while those numbers jump off the page, what may jump even higher off the page is the number of minutes he has been playing. Beal, who already has a rich injury history in this young season, has played at least 38 minutes in his last six games with the 42 he played against Oklahoma City being the highest he's played all season. Head coach Scott Brooks has said that he needs Beal on the floor to give the Wizards a chance of winning the game, but with Beal failing to put together anything close complete NBA season in his career, the wear and tear on an already fragile body could be dangerous for a struggling Washington team."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "30", "Clippers": "25"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "113", "Clippers": "102"}, "Rebounds": {"Grizzlies": "44", "Clippers": "30"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "40", "Clippers": "43"}}, {"Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "2"}, "Points": {"DeAndre Jordan": "16", "Chris Paul": "25", "Tony Allen": "22", "JaMychal Green": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "7", "Zach Randolph": "11", "JaMychal Green": "7"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "6", "Zach Randolph": "10", "JaMychal Green": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Zach Randolph": "1"}, "Steals": {"JaMychal Green": "4"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (40 - 30) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers (43 - 25) 113 - 102 on Saturday. Memphis came into this game as a double - digit underdog, but walked away with a huge win. Zach Randolph returned from a seven - game absence and was clearly the star, as he recorded his first career triple - double. The key for the Grizzlies was the rebounding, as they snatched down 44 rebounds to the Clippers 30. Los Angeles hasn\u2019t been playing their best ball recently and this may be their worst loss in that stretch. Chris Paul still showed up though, as he tallied 25 points and six assists in the defeat. DeAndre Jordan was the only other player who scored more than 12, as he totaled 16 points, seven rebounds, two blocks and two steals. The Clippers have a quick turnaround, as they play the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday in their next matchup. The Grizzlies continue to surprise and these sort of wins are a credit to their resiliency and grittiness. Zach Randolph played one of his best games of his career, as he accumulated 29 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in the win. Tony Allen continued his offensive surge as well, as he scored 22 of his own. JaMychal Green was a great energizer off the bench, as he amassed 11 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals. The Grizzlies will look to build off this win against the Phoenix Suns on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "3", "Pacers": "11"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "142", "Pacers": "106"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "18", "Pacers": "10"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "3", "Kevin Durant": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul George": "12", "Kevin Durant": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul George": "4"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "21", "Kevin Durant": "20", "Klay Thompson": "60", "Stephen Curry": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "10", "Kevin Durant": "8"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Klay Thompson": "29"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the Indiana Pacers 142 - 106 at Oracle Arena on Monday. Klay Thompson scored 60 points in 29 minutes and led the Warriors (18 - 3) to an incredible rout of the Pacers (10 - 11) to grab their ninth home win of the season. The remarkable scoring effort started early and had Oracle Arena rowdy for the three quarters of play in which Thompson dominated from every square inch of the court. Golden State racked up 80 points by the half, and took a 30 point lead into the third quarter, where Thompson added 20 more points to the 40 points he scored in the first half. The Pacers simply had no answer for Thompson, even when they finally switched Paul George onto the hot shooting guard after he broke the 50 point mark. Thompson\u2019s final line was 60 points, two rebounds and one assist 21 - of - 33 shooting including 8 - of - 14 from behind the arc and 10 - 11 from the free throw line. Kevin Durant added 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists on 14 shots, while Stephen Curry scored 13 points on 2 - of - 7 shooting from deep. As for the Pacers, the game was out of reach from midway through the second quarter, and the defensive effort and game play focuses on Curry and Durant. Paul George led Indiana with 21 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and one steal on 4 - of - 12 shooting. Next up, the Pacers visit the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, while the Warriors visit the Los Angeles Clippers."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "52"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "51"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bucks": "25"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bucks": "28"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "28", "Jabari Parker": "8", "John Henson": "14", "Matthew Dellavedova": "6", "Mirza Teletovic": "25", "Malcolm Brogdon": "11", "Marcin Gortat": "9", "Bradley Beal": "20", "John Wall": "24", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "13", "Marcin Gortat": "14"}, "Field goal percentage": {"John Henson": "70"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Mirza Teletovic": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Mirza Teletovic": "8"}}], "John Wall and Bradley Beal combined for 44 points to lead Washington. Their effort helped overcome that of Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokunmpo, (28 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists). Wall led with 24 points, while Beal followed with 20 points. Markieff Morris and Otto Porter combined for 25 points. Kelly Oubre, Jr. continued his strong play, pacing the second unit with 19 points. Marcin Gortat contributed just nine points but hauled in 14 boards. Mirza Teletovic was Milwaukee's second - leading scorer, posting 25 points on 8 - of - 12 shooting from the bench. John Henson supplied 14 points (on 70 percent shooting). Jabari Parker (eight points) and Matthew Dellavedova (six points) underwhelmed, but Malcolm Brogdon poured in 11 points off the bench. Despite the defeat, the Bucks posted 51 and 52 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"76ers": "49"}, "Losses": {"76ers": "35", "Wizards": "22"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "120", "Wizards": "112"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "22", "Wizards": "34"}}, {"Points": {"Markieff Morris": "14", "Marcin Gortat": "11", "Bradley Beal": "40", "John Wall": "29", "Robert Covington": "25", "Dario Saric": "20", "Jahlil Okafor": "11", "Gerald Henderson": "20", "T.J. McConnell": "10", "Richaun Holmes": "12", "Nik Stauskas": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "7", "Marcin Gortat": "11", "Bradley Beal": "4", "John Wall": "8", "Robert Covington": "11", "Dario Saric": "11", "Jahlil Okafor": "2", "Gerald Henderson": "5", "T.J. McConnell": "4", "Richaun Holmes": "10", "Nik Stauskas": "3"}, "Steals": {"Markieff Morris": "1", "Robert Covington": "4", "Dario Saric": "1", "T.J. McConnell": "2", "Richaun Holmes": "2"}, "Assists": {"Marcin Gortat": "1", "Bradley Beal": "2", "John Wall": "14", "Robert Covington": "3", "Dario Saric": "4", "Jahlil Okafor": "2", "T.J. McConnell": "8", "Richaun Holmes": "1", "Nik Stauskas": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Marcin Gortat": "1", "John Wall": "2", "T.J. McConnell": "1", "Richaun Holmes": "5", "Nik Stauskas": "1"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Washington Wizards, 120 - 112, at Wells Fargo Center on Friday evening. The Sixers' first game after the All-Star break featured Dario Saric's debut as the permanent starting power forward, and the 2014 first - round pick did not disappoint. Saric contributed a 20 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included four assists and one steal. All five members of the Sixers (22 - 35) starting five posted double - digit scoring, and Philadelphia managed a 49 percent success rate from the floor in an explosive offensive showing overall. The impressive effort helped the home team overcome a spectacular 40 - point effort from the Wizards' Bradley Beal. Beal added four rebounds, two assists and two steals to his game - high scoring total. John Wall was right behind with a 29 - point, 14 - assist double - double that also included eight boards and a pair of blocks. Markieff Morris was a distant third for the Wizards (34 - 22), generating 14 points, seven rebounds and one steal. Marcin Gortat compiled an 11 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included one assist and one block. Robert Covington paced the Sixers with 25 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and four steals. Gerald Henderson tallied 20 points and five boards. Richaun Holmes, seeing an expanded role off the bench with the departures of Nerlens Noel and Ersan Ilyasova at the trade deadline, supplied 12 points, 10 rebounds, one assist, five blocks and two steals. Jahlik Okafor and Nik Stauskas produced matching 11 - point efforts, with the former adding two rebounds and two assists, and the latter registering three boards, one assist and one block. T.J. McConnell amassed 10 points, eight assists, four rebounds, two steals and one block. The Wizards head back home to tangle with the Utah Jazz on Sunday afternoon, while the Sixers head to New York to take on the Knicks on Saturday evening."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "54", "Timberwolves": "44"}}, {"Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "23", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "26", "Ricky Rubio": "14", "LeBron James": "27", "Kyrie Irving": "14"}, "Assists": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "4", "Ricky Rubio": "13", "LeBron James": "12", "Kyrie Irving": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "12", "LeBron James": "8", "Tristan Thompson": "14"}}], "These were two teams going in opposite directions headed into this matchup, but the Cavaliers bucked that trend with a 28 - point win over the T'Wolves. Cleveland did most of their damage in the second half, winning that 24 - minute period, 62 - 37. The Cavaliers dominated the shooting, hitting 54 percent of their shots, while holding Minnesota to just 44 percent on their end. Karl-Anthony Towns tallied 26 points, 12 rebounds and four assists in the defeat. Andrew Wiggins was second on the team with 23 points, in an otherwise empty line. Ricky Rubio scored 14 points, while handing out 13 assists. LeBron James was the player of the game, as he accumulated 27 points, eight rebounds and 12 assists. Kyrie Irving scored just 14 points, but dished out a career - high 14 assists. Tristan Thompson was a presence down low, totaling 16 points and 14 rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "22", "Pelicans": "28"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "102", "Pelicans": "93"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "40", "Pelicans": "32"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Norris Cole": "36"}, "Points": {"Norris Cole": "19", "Rajon Rondo": "19", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "14"}, "Blocks": {"Bernard James": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Bernard James": "6", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rajon Rondo": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Rajon Rondo": "9"}, "Assists": {"Amar'e Stoudemire": "2"}, "Steals": {"Amar'e Stoudemire": "2"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (40 - 22) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (32 - 28) 102 - 93 on Monday. Dallas was without big man Tyson Chandler, who was out with a hip injury. Coach Rick Carlisle gave Bernard James the start at center. James had two blocks, six rebounds and zero points but led his team with a plus - 23 rating during his time on the court. Rajon Rondo pitched in with 19 points on a team - best 9 - for - 15 shooting night from the field. The recently - acquired Amar'e Stoudemire came off the bench and put up 14 points to go along with four rebounds, two assists and two steals. The Mavs are 8 - 5 since the beginning of February, and they'll begin a three - game road trip on Thursday against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Pelicans were lead in points by Norris Cole. Cole came off the bench and scored 19 points in 36 minutes, but it was n't enough to extend New Orleans' win streak to six games, ending it at five. The five - game span started with the re - injuring of Anthony Davis' shoulder, and he remains out without a firm timetable for his return. The Pelicans will look to begin a new streak when they welcome the Detroit Pistons to the Smoothie King Center on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "4", "Nuggets": "7"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "112", "Nuggets": "105"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "30"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "36", "Nuggets": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Trail Blazers": "44", "Nuggets": "59"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "7", "Nuggets": "3"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "3"}, "Points": {"CJ McCollum": "21", "Damian Lillard": "32"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Damian Lillard": "8"}}], "The host Portland Trail Blazers defeated the visiting Denver Nuggets on Sunday, 112 - 105. After trailing by double - digits midway through the second quarter, Portland rallied to catch up and establish a significant lead. A 36 - 15 advantage in the third quarter helped the Blazers (7 - 4) to regain control of the game. It was another strong performance for star point guard Damian Lillard, who is averaging over 30 points per game and leading the Blazers in assists. Lillard scored 32 on Sunday to go along with eight rebounds and six assists. Lillard's backcourt partner, C.J. McCollum, contributed significantly as well, scoring 21 points. While Portland's starting five saw success, the Blazers' bench struggled, shooting just 7 - of - 29 on the night. After what had been a promising start to the season for Denver (3 - 7), the Nuggets have now lost four consecutive games. The Nuggets remain among the league's top rebounding teams, as the team displayed by earning a 59 - 44 rebounding advantage against the Blazers. However, Denver's shooting woes were on full display Sunday, particularly among their young players. The team shot just 39 percent from the field, with sophomore point guard Emmanuel Mudiay shooting just 3 - of - 16 on the night. Portland will host the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday, while Denver will host the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "9", "Spurs": "4"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "96", "Spurs": "97"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "10", "Spurs": "17"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Spurs": "9"}}, {"Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "21", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "18", "Pau Gasol": "15", "Dewayne Dedmon": "10", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "22", "Greg Monroe": "10", "Mirza Teletovic": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "9", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "9", "Pau Gasol": "9", "Dewayne Dedmon": "6", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "11", "Greg Monroe": "13"}, "Assists": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 97 - 96 Monday at BMO Harris Bradley Center. It was a remarkable comeback effort for the Spurs (17 - 4), who, after scoring just 35 points in the first half and just nine in the second quarter, used a terrific second - half effort to earn the victory and improve to a perfect 120 on the road this season. Overall, San Antonio outscored Milwaukee (10 - 9) by 14 points in the second half and their run was topped off by a game - winning layup from LaMarcus Aldridge, who finished with 18 points, nine rebounds and five assists, with just over 20 seconds remaining. Kawhi Leonard led the way for the Spurs, scoring a team - high 21 points and grabbing nine rebounds of his own, while Pau Gasol posted 15 points and nine boards. It was a matchup won in the frontcourt for the Spurs, as the only other San Antonio player to reach double figures was Dewyane Dedmon, who finished with 10 points and six rebounds off the bench. For the Bucks, they were led once again by their young stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker. Antetokounmpo 22 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and two steals, while Parker managed 23 points, eight rebounds and two assists. The rest of the Bucks starters, meanwhile, combined to score just 20 points, and it was the contributions from Milwaukee's reserves that kept them ahead, with Greg Monroe posting a double - double of 10 points and 13 rebounds and Mirza Teletovic scoring 11 points off the bench. The Bucks could potentially get themselves into trouble as the season goes on if they do n't have a legitimate scoring option after Parker and Antetokounmpo, as teams will focus more and more on the young stars with both putting together stellar seasons. Up next, the Spurs will look to win their 13th straight on the road when they take on the Timberwolves on Tuesday, while the Bucks will stay home Wednesday and play the Trail Blazers."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "9", "Clippers": "13"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "94", "Clippers": "100"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "30", "Clippers": "26"}}, {"Minutes played": {"DeAndre Jordan": "35"}, "Points": {"DeAndre Jordan": "17", "Chris Paul": "23", "Jamal Crawford": "25", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "37", "Damian Lillard": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "18", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "12", "Damian Lillard": "3"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "10", "Damian Lillard": "4"}, "Steals": {"Chris Paul": "2", "Damian Lillard": "1"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (26 - 13) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (30 - 9) 100 - 94 on Wednesday. It was the usual suspects turning in big performances for the Clippers on Wednesday. Chris Paul finished with 23 points, ten assists and two steals in 40 minutes. DeAndre Jordan had 13 points and 11 rebounds in the first half and finished with 17 points and 18 rebounds in 35 minutes. Jamal Crawford was hot off the bench, putting up 25 points in 30 minutes. The Clippers hold the Western Conference's sixth best record. Portland got big performances from its frontcourt, including three double - doubles. Meyers Leonard and Chris Kaman each recorded a double - double, along with LaMarcus Aldridge's huge 37 - point, 12 - rebound performance. Damian Lillard was held in - check for most of the game by Chris Paul, finishing with 15 points, three rebounds, four assists and one steal. The Trail Blazers' win streak was snapped at four games. It was the their fifth win streak of at least four games this season. The Trail Blazers will play the Spurs on Friday, and the Clippers will head home to face the Cavaliers on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "12", "Pistons": "13"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "107", "Pistons": "100"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "19", "Pistons": "17"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"Andre Drummond": "18"}, "Free throws made": {"Andre Drummond": "7"}, "Points": {"Andre Drummond": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "12"}}], "The Hawks (19 - 12) escaped a scare from the Pistons (17 - 13) for a 107 - 100 win at Philips Arena on Wednesday. After a fairly even first quarter, the Hawks took control with a 19 - 7 run to end the first half with a 16 - point lead. Atlanta shot well over 50 percent from the field through three quarters and were still employing the \"Hack-a-Drummond\" strategy late in the game despite the score. Andre Drummond would go on to finish 7 - of - 18 from the charity stripe. The Pistons got hot in the fourth quarter and cut the deficit to seven points, but were unable to complete the comeback. The loss for Detroit ended a three - game win streak which landed the Pistons in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race. But an inconsistent effort Wednesday - - particularly on the offensive side of the ball - - knocked them back a bit with teams so close in the standings. There were n't many bright spots in the game - - besides the fourth quarter - - and while Drummond's free - throw shooting put the Pistons in a bind, he still managed to finish with 25 points and 12 rebounds for his league - leading 26th double - double. It was a fifth straight win for the Hawks and fifth game scoring 100 or more points as Atlanta is playing its best basketball since starting the season 7 - 1. The win also thrusts the Hawks into sole possession of second place in the Eastern Conference behind the Cavaliers, who defeated the Knicks 91 - 84 to improve to 19 - 7. The big shot of the night came from Kyle Korver, who moved into a tie with Rashard Lewis for ninth on the NBA/ABA all - time 3 - pointers made list with his 1,787th career trey. The Hawks bench outscored the Pistons reserves 34 - 17."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "52"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "52"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "30", "Bucks": "34"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "113", "Bucks": "93"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "37", "Bucks": "32"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4", "Malcolm Brogdon": "8", "Marc Gasol": "7", "Mike Conley": "10"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "18", "Malcolm Brogdon": "15", "Vince Carter": "24", "Marc Gasol": "13", "Mike Conley": "20", "Zach Randolph": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5", "Marc Gasol": "7", "Zach Randolph": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Vince Carter": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Vince Carter": "8"}, "Steals": {"Marc Gasol": "2", "Mike Conley": "3"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, 113 - 93, at FedEx Forum on Monday. The recent form of these teams would have indicated a closer game, but Memphis took care of business in this wire - to - wire win. In fact, the Grizzlies led by at least seven points for the entirety of the second half, as the final 20 - point margin was their largest lead of the game. Memphis was very efficient on offense, shooting 52 percent from the field and 52 percent from three - point range. The Grizzlies also dominated the assist - to - turnover ratio, recording nine more assists than Milwaukee, despite committing five less turnovers. The Bucks (32 - 34) snapped a six - game winning streak with this loss, as they simply could n't match the energy of this hungry Grizzlies team. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way for Milwaukee, as he tallied 18 points, five rebounds and four assists. Malcolm Brogdon finished second on the team, providing 15 points and eight assists off the bench. No other player on the roster finished with more than 13 points, five rebounds or four assists. On deck for Milwaukee is a road matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. The Grizzlies (37 - 30) carried a five - game losing streak into this matchup, so a dominating win is just what they needed to get out of this rut. Vince Carter turned back the clock, as he dropped a game - high 24 points on a perfect 8 - of - 8 shooting. Mike Conley finished second on the team, totaling 20 points, 10 assists and three steals. Marc Gasol collected 13 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and two steals. Zach Randolph was the lone bench player in double figures, amassing 14 points and seven rebounds. Memphis will look to build off this win on Wednesday in a road matchup versus the Chicago Bulls."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pistons": "26"}, "Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "36"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "57"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Jabari Parker": "7"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "23", "Jabari Parker": "31", "Andre Drummond": "16", "Tobias Harris": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5", "Jabari Parker": "9", "Andre Drummond": "9", "Tobias Harris": "12"}}], "The Pistons are in a terrible slide right now and losses like this show just how badly they are struggling. Not only did Milwaukee win each individual quarter, they outscored the Pistons by 26 points over the final 29 minutes. The Bucks offense was extremely efficient, as they recorded 36 assists on 57 percent shooting. Jabari Parker was the player of the game, as he tallied 31 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Giannis Antetokounmpo was just as good, accumulating 23 points, five rebounds and eight assists of his own. Tobias Harris was recently moved to the bench and he's been the Pistons best player since, as he led the team with 23 points and 12 rebounds in this loss. Andre Drummond led the Detroit starters in scoring, as he totaled 16 points and nine rebounds."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Celtics": "18", "Raptors": "33"}}, {"Points": {"Norman Powell": "20", "DeMar DeRozan": "24", "Kyle Lowry": "34", "Al Horford": "19", "Avery Bradley": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Kyle Lowry": "7", "Al Horford": "7"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Assists": {"Al Horford": "6"}}], "These are two teams who expect to be in it for the long haul and this game had a playoff atmosphere to it. The third quarter is what truly decided this matchup, as the Raptors outscored the Celtics, 33 - 18 in that 12 - minute stretch. Boston relied way too heavily on three's, as they went 17 - of - 42 from long distance. Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan and Norman Powell were the only Toronto players in double figures, as they each finished with at least 20 points. Lowry scored game - high 34 points, while adding seven rebounds and three steals. DeRozan scored 24, while Powell dropped 20 of his own. Avery Bradley and Al Horford led the Celtics in scoring, as they dropped 19 points a piece. Horford also added seven rebounds and six assists in an all - around great game. Backcourt players really struggled for Boston, as Jae Crowder, Marcus Smart, and Terry Rozier combined to go 9 - of - 34 from the field in the absence of Isaiah Thomas."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Knicks": "44"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "10", "Nets": "14"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "108", "Nets": "91"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Knicks": "42", "Nets": "21"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "10", "Nets": "5"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "21"}}, {"Rebounds": {"Thaddeus Young": "11", "Brook Lopez": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Thaddeus Young": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Brook Lopez": "3"}, "Points": {"Brook Lopez": "21", "Carmelo Anthony": "28"}, "3-pointers made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "5"}}], "The New York Knicks (10 - 10) evened out their record to .500 on Friday, defeating the Broooklyn Nets (5 - 14) 108 - 91 in a New York City showdown. The Knicks started the game with an explosive 42 point first quarter, and their dominance of the game only continued from there. Superstar Carmelo Anthony led the way for the Knicks, dropping in 28 points including five makes from beyond the three - point line. The Knicks as a whole looked strong from deep, shooting 44 percent from beyond the arc. Even more impressive, however, was their perimeter defense, as they held the Nets to just 3 - for - 11 from three - point range. Also impressing for the Knicks was power forward Kristaps Porzingis. The reigning Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month posted yet another double - double, scoring 19 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. Porzingis has been sensational thus far this season. Despite projecting as a project player, the Latvian forward is looking like a strong candidate for Rookie of the Year. For the Nets, meanwhile, the loss marked a dropoff in momentum after two straight wins. Brooklyn holds the unfortunate title of second - worst record in the Eastern Conference, a problem only confounded by the fact that Boston owns the rights to their draft pick this year. Despite solid play from the frontcourt tandem of Brook Lopez (21 points, four rebounds, two blocks) and Thaddeus Young (19 points, 11 rebounds), the Nets were simply unable to get anything going tonight, trailing by at least 15 points for the last three and a half quarters. The Knicks currently sit at eleventh in the Eastern Conference, trailing one and a half games behind the Celtics, Magic, and Hawks. New York will look to carry momentum from the strong showing against the Nets into their next matchup, a trip to Milwaukee on Saturday to face the Bucks. Meanwhile, the Nets will look to regain their mojo after the blowout. They take on the undefeated Warriors on Sunday in Brooklyn."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "21"}}, {"Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "18", "Lance Thomas": "21", "Kristaps Porzingis": "18", "Courtney Lee": "16", "Derrick Rose": "20", "Robert Covington": "16", "Dario Saric": "21", "Jahlil Okafor": "12", "T.J. McConnell": "11", "Richaun Holmes": "10", "Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot": "10", "Justin Anderson": "19"}, "Steals": {"Derrick Rose": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Dario Saric": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Dario Saric": "10", "Justin Anderson": "5"}, "Assists": {"Justin Anderson": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Justin Anderson": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Justin Anderson": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Justin Anderson": "6"}, "Personal fouls": {"Justin Anderson": "2"}}], "The Knicks forged a 102 - 100 lead at the one - minute mark after two Derrick Rose free throws but would n't score again, with Dario Saric sinking three of four shots from the charity stripe and Justin Anderson draining a six - foot jumper over the final 48 seconds to seal the Sixers win. Lance Thomas' 21 points led the way for the Knicks. Rose was right behind him with 20 points. Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis supplied matching 18 - point efforts, while Courtney Lee tallied 16 points. Saric paced Philadelphia with a 21 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Anderson led the second unit with 19 points, five rebounds, two assists and one block. Robert Covington registered 16 points and Jahlil Okafor compiled 12 points. T.J. McConnell submitted 11 points, while Richaun Holmes and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot were productive as reserves with matching 10 - point tallies."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "41", "Pacers": "33"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "87", "Pacers": "81"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Knicks": "18"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "27", "Pacers": "34"}, "Number of team assists": {"Pacers": "16"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "28"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "37"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pacers": "17"}, "Turnovers": {"Pacers": "16"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Paul George": "22", "Kristaps Porzingis": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul George": "9", "Kristaps Porzingis": "5"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "22", "Myles Turner": "17", "Carmelo Anthony": "22", "Kristaps Porzingis": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Myles Turner": "31", "Carmelo Anthony": "41"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "13"}}], "The New York Knicks defeated the Indiana Pacers 87 - 81 Tuesday at Madison Square Garden. It was a rough start for the Knicks (27 - 41), who scored just 18 points in the first quarter. Those struggles carried into the second quarter, and the team found themselves down by 10 at the half and they appeared ready to earn their fourth straight loss. A big second half, however, helped turn this around, and they managed to outscore the Pacers (34 - 33) by 16 in the second half en route to the victory. Carmelo Anthony led the way for New York, recording a double - double of 22 points and 13 rebounds in 41 minutes. Kristaps Porzingis struggled in the outing, shooting just 5 - of - 17 from the field en route to scoring 11 points, and to make matters worse, he left the game early in the fourth quarter and did not return due to a thigh bruise. As for Indiana, it was a forgettable shooting night for them in every aspect of the game. As a team, the Pacers shot just 37 percent from the field, 28 percent from behind the arc and 60 percent from the free throw line - - although they only attempted 15 shots at the charity stripe. Paul George led the way with over a quarter of the team's points, finishing with 22 points on a rough 9 - of - 22 shooting performance from the field. Myles Turner was the only other Indiana player to score in double figures, with the big man notching a double - double of 17 points and 12 rebounds in 31 minutes. Up next, the Knicks will have a rematch with the Nets on Thursday, while the Pacers will head home Wednesday to play the Hornets."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "14", "Heat": "23"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "91", "Heat": "82"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "19", "Heat": "10"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "40"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Heat": "17"}, "Turnovers": {"Heat": "16"}}, {"Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "2", "Josh Richardson": "1", "Tyler Johnson": "1", "Cody Zeller": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "1", "Jeremy Lamb": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Hassan Whiteside": "7", "Goran Dragic": "11"}, "Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "8", "Josh Richardson": "20", "Goran Dragic": "5", "Tyler Johnson": "18", "Wayne Ellington": "12", "Marvin Williams": "13", "Cody Zeller": "9", "Nicolas Batum": "16", "Kemba Walker": "22", "Jeremy Lamb": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "10", "Josh Richardson": "4", "Goran Dragic": "3", "Tyler Johnson": "7", "Wayne Ellington": "2", "Marvin Williams": "1", "Cody Zeller": "7", "Nicolas Batum": "13", "Kemba Walker": "7"}, "Assists": {"Josh Richardson": "2", "Goran Dragic": "8", "Tyler Johnson": "5", "Wayne Ellington": "1", "Marvin Williams": "2", "Cody Zeller": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "8", "Kemba Walker": "4"}, "Steals": {"Josh Richardson": "1", "Tyler Johnson": "2", "Marvin Williams": "1", "Cody Zeller": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "3", "Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Goran Dragic": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Kemba Walker": "1"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Miami Heat, 91 - 82, at Spectrum Center on Thursday. The refrain is a familiar one for the Hornets (19 - 14), but does n't seem to get old: The dynamic duo of Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum supply a significant portion of the offense, and the complementary pieces around them step up in support as needed. That formula equaled another home victory for Charlotte on Thursday, their 11th of the season in 17 home games. Walker scored a game - high 22 points, while Batum provided 16. The hosts also played superior team defense, holding the Heat (10 - 23) to 40 percent shooting overall and inducing 16 turnovers. Miami was paced by Josh Richardson, who followed up a 22 - point outing against the Thunder on Tuesday with another 20 points on Thursday, along with four rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal. Tyler Johnson came off the bench to supply 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block. Wayne Ellington provided 12 points, two boards and an assist in a reserve role as well. The returning Goran Dragic could only muster five points on 2 - of - 11 shooting, although he did add eight assists, three rebounds and a steal. Hassan Whiteside went for eight points, 10 rebounds and two blocks, notably taking only seven shots on the night. Walker complemented his aforementioned scoring total with seven rebounds, four assists and a steal. Batum filled out the stat sheet with 13 rebounds, eight assists, three steals and a block. Marvin Williams registered 13 points, two assists, a rebound and a steal. Cody Zeller offered nine points, seven rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block, while Jeremy Lamb led the second unit with 10 points, eight rebounds and a block. The Heat next head to Boston for a Friday night battle with the Celtics, while the Hornets host the Cleveland Cavaliers for a New Year's Eve showdown on Saturday night."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Hassan Whiteside": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Hassan Whiteside": "10"}, "Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "23", "Goran Dragic": "16", "James Johnson": "20", "Jabari Parker": "14", "Khris Middleton": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "16", "Goran Dragic": "4", "James Johnson": "4", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Khris Middleton": "2"}, "Assists": {"Goran Dragic": "7", "James Johnson": "4", "Jabari Parker": "2", "Khris Middleton": "2"}, "Steals": {"Goran Dragic": "2", "James Johnson": "2"}, "Blocks": {"James Johnson": "2"}}], "There are n't many teams as hot as the Heat and as cold as the Bucks and those trends played out in this wire - to - wire win for Miami. The Heat dominated down low, as they won the rebounding differential, 48 - 34 and the points in the paint battle, 54 - 44. Hassan Whiteside recorded another monster double - double, as he totaled 23 points and 16 rebounds on 10 - of - 12 shooting. Goran Dragic finished with 16 points, four rebounds and seven assists. James Johnson was huge off the bench, as he provided 20 points, four rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks. Giannis Antetokounmpo was the lone bright spot for the Bucks, as he led the team with 20 points and eight rebounds. Jabari Parker was second on the team, scoring 14 points to go along with two assists. Khris Middleton made his season debut and totaled five points, two rebounds and two assists in 14 minutes of action."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "28", "Celtics": "42"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "90", "Celtics": "99"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "51", "Celtics": "37"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Celtics": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"Evan Turner": "13", "LeBron James": "7"}, "Points": {"Evan Turner": "4", "Avery Bradley": "15", "Marcus Smart": "19", "Isaiah Thomas": "17", "LeBron James": "14", "Kevin Love": "19", "Timofey Mozgov": "13", "Mike Miller": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Evan Turner": "6", "Kevin Love": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Avery Bradley": "12", "Marcus Smart": "10", "Isaiah Thomas": "12", "LeBron James": "14", "Kevin Love": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Avery Bradley": "7", "Marcus Smart": "7", "Isaiah Thomas": "4", "LeBron James": "5", "Kevin Love": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Avery Bradley": "31", "Marcus Smart": "34", "Isaiah Thomas": "23", "LeBron James": "26", "Kevin Love": "31", "Timofey Mozgov": "17", "JR Smith": "18"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "6", "LeBron James": "5", "Kevin Love": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "2", "LeBron James": "0", "Kevin Love": "4"}}], "The Boston Celtics (37 - 42) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (51 - 28) 99 - 90 on Friday in Cleveland. With the Cavaliers solidified as the No. 2 seed for the Eastern Conference playoffs, they did not try particularly hard to win this game, starting with sitting Kyrie Irving (hip) to make sure he stays healthy. Regardless, the Celtics took advantage, picking up a huge victory as they fight to stay in the playoffs. Marcus Smart led the way scoring for Boston, posting 19 points on 7 - of - 10 shooting in 34 minutes. Avery Bradley was close behind, scoring 15 points (7 - 12 FG) in 31 minutes. The Celtics starting frontcourt of Tyler Zeller and Brandon Bass combined to score 25 points and grab 11 rebounds. Boston's final starter, Evan Turner, struggled shooting the ball and only scored four points, but still managed to dish out 13 assists and grab six rebounds. Isaiah Thomas, as he has done so well since joining the Celtics, provided solid production off the bench, scoring 17 points (4 - 12 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt) in 23 minutes. The victory keeps Boston in the playoff chase, as they are tied with the Nets for the final playoff spot, but currently hold the tiebreaker. They are 2 games behind the Bucks for sixth place. For Cleveland this was essentially a night off, as both Lebron James and Kevin Love played less than their normal load of minutes and sat out during crunch time. James scored 14 points (5 - 14 FG, 0 - 5 3Pt) and dished out seven assists in 26 minutes, while Kevin Love scored 19 (6 - 12 FG, 4 - 8 3Pt) and grabbed six rebounds in 31 minutes. Timofey Mozgov played just 17 minutes, but scored 13 points, and J.R. Smith scored zero points in 18 minutes. Mike Miller was the only other Cavalier player to score in double figures with 11. Up next, these teams will both head to Boston on Sunday for a rematch."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Tyler Johnson": "2", "Anthony Tolliver": "2", "Garrett Temple": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Tyler Johnson": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tyler Johnson": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Tyler Johnson": "7"}, "Points": {"Tyler Johnson": "23", "Anthony Tolliver": "14", "Garrett Temple": "15", "Arron Afflalo": "15", "Ty Lawson": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyler Johnson": "6", "Anthony Tolliver": "3"}, "Steals": {"Tyler Johnson": "1", "Garrett Temple": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Anthony Tolliver": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Anthony Tolliver": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Anthony Tolliver": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Tolliver": "29", "Ty Lawson": "29"}, "Personal fouls": {"Anthony Tolliver": "3", "Garrett Temple": "3", "Ty Lawson": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Arron Afflalo": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Arron Afflalo": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Arron Afflalo": "3"}}], "The benches for both the Miami Heat and the Sacramento Kings bailed out the starters in a wild tilt that saw the Kings erase a 19 point lead midway through the fourth quarter. Four Kings bench players finished in double figures scoring, three of which went for 15 points (Aaron Afflalo, Garrett Temple and Ty Lawson), while Anthony Tolliver had the most well - rounded performance amongst the reserves with 14 points, three rebounds and two assists across 29 minutes. The Heat, on the other hand, got the game's best performance from their bench as well. Tyler Johnson led all scorers with 23 points, to go along with six rebounds, two assists, one steal and two blocks on 7 - of - 11 shooting. Johnson was also responsible for the game winning and - 1 that came with under :20 remaining in the fourth quarter."], [[{}, {"Points": {"JaMychal Green": "20", "Marc Gasol": "17", "Mike Conley": "23", "Clint Capela": "24", "James Harden": "33", "Eric Gordon": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"JaMychal Green": "10", "Marc Gasol": "4", "Mike Conley": "6", "Clint Capela": "11", "James Harden": "7"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "7", "Mike Conley": "7", "James Harden": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Eric Gordon": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Eric Gordon": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Eric Gordon": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Eric Gordon": "6"}}], "These are two teams that play different styles of basketball and the Rockets proved how hard they are to keep up with in this 13 - point win. Their three - point shooting was once again the factor, with Houston going 18 - of - 42 from long distance, while Memphis hit just 8 - of - 28. The Rockets also dominated the fastbreak points differential, winning that battle, 17 - 4. Mike Conley was the Grizzlies best player, collecting 23 points, six rebounds and seven assists. Marc Gasol accumulated 17 points, four rebounds, seven assists and four blocks. JaMychal Green totaled 20 points and 10 rebounds en route to a double - double. James Harden led the way for Houston, as he accrued 33 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists. Eric Gordon led all bench players with 18 points on 6 - of - 9 from three - point range. Clint Capela recorded a 24 - point, 11 - rebound double - double."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "14"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "99", "Pelicans": "84"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Cavaliers": "28", "Pelicans": "20"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Cavaliers": "20"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Cavaliers": "25", "Pelicans": "14"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "36"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pelicans": "22"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "39"}}, {"Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "24", "Norris Cole": "26", "Jrue Holiday": "12", "LeBron James": "27", "JR Smith": "20", "Kyrie Irving": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "11", "Norris Cole": "2", "Jrue Holiday": "5", "LeBron James": "3", "Tristan Thompson": "15", "JR Smith": "4", "Kyrie Irving": "4"}, "Assists": {"Norris Cole": "5", "Jrue Holiday": "4", "LeBron James": "8", "Tristan Thompson": "1", "JR Smith": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "3"}, "Steals": {"Norris Cole": "1", "Jrue Holiday": "2", "LeBron James": "1", "JR Smith": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Norris Cole": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Tristan Thompson": "33"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"JR Smith": "16"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyrie Irving": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kyrie Irving": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Kyrie Irving": "4"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (36 - 14) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (18 - 33) 99 - 84 on Saturday. One night removed from a heartbreaking 104 - 103 home defeat at the hands of Avery Bradley's buzzer beater, the Cavaliers were tasked with taking on Anthony Davis and a feisty Pelicans squad with designs on an eighth playoff seed in the Western Conference. Cleveland proved it was up to the task in the second half of their back - to - back set, jumping on New Orleans early and then pulling away in the final period. The Cavaliers jumped out to a 28 - 20 lead after one quarter despite playing without starting power forward Kevin Love, who was nursing a bruised thigh. Although they trailed by as much as 15 in the second quarter, New Orleans battled back and closed the gap to four points on several occasions throughout the second half. However, Cleveland's stars turned it up a notch when they needed it most, as Lebron James and Kyrie Irving combined for 17 points in a final period that the Cavs won by a margin of 25 - 14. Three Cleveland starters - James, Irving and J.R. Smith - - turned in 20 - point - plus performances, and accounted for the bulk of the home team's scoring on the night. The Pelicans were led by Norris Cole's career - high 26 points, which he supplemented with five assists, two rebounds and a steal. His only blemish on the night was his five turnovers. Anthony Davis was the only other starter to tally double - digit scoring, scoring 24 points, and adding 11 rebounds and two blocks. Jrue Holiday paced the Pelicans bench with 12 points, five rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals. The visitors were largely stymied by Cleveland's suffocating defense, as they managed to only shoot 39 percent from the field and 22 percent from behind the arc. New Orleans remains in last place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They head to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves on Monday night. Irving scored a game - high 29 points in spearheading Cleveland's attack. He also managed four rebounds, three assists and two steals, and has now scored over 20 points in four of his last five contests. James was right behind him with 27 points, eight assists, three rebounds and a steal. J.R. Smith was chucking all night along, uncorking 16 three - point attempts and scoring 20 points overall, along with four rebounds, three assists and a steal. Tristan Thompson, who got the starting nod in Love's stead, notably went scoreless over 33 minutes but was a force on the glass, hauling in 15 rebounds while also dishing out an assist. The Cavaliers remain comfortably atop the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They're at home again Monday for a tussle with the turmoil - laden Sacramento Kings."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Robin Lopez": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Robin Lopez": "10"}, "Points": {"Robin Lopez": "21"}}], "It has n't been the most productive season thus far for Robin Lopez. In fact, it's been the big man's least productive year since 2011 when he was playing just 14 minutes per game in Phoenix. After a solid start in November, in which Lopez recorded four double - doubles en route to averaging 10 points and 8 rebounds per game, Lopez struggled with consistency in his production. However, Tuesday's big - time performance from the big man showed what he is capable of when he can get things rolling offensively. Lopez finished with a season - high 21 points - - his first 20 - point game since April 8, 2016 - - on an effective 10 - of - 15 shooting, as the team looked to get him the ball early in often and it led to a productive night. And while Chicago was unable to get the win, it shows that Chicago may have some production inside that can take the pressure off of their perimeter players."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Mavericks": "32", "Magic": "16"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "13"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "39"}}, {"Points": {"Evan Fournier": "14", "Bismack Biyombo": "15", "Wesley Matthews": "20", "Dirk Nowitzki": "14", "Seth Curry": "14", "Salah Mejri": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Evan Fournier": "2", "Bismack Biyombo": "7", "Wesley Matthews": "4", "Salah Mejri": "15"}, "Assists": {"Wesley Matthews": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Wesley Matthews": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Wesley Matthews": "7"}}], "These are the two - worst offenses in the NBA based on points allowed and that clearly hampered the Magic here. The Mavericks defense did a lot of that damage in this game, as they held Orlando to 39 percent from the field and 13 percent from three - point range. They did that while doubling them up in assists, 32 - 16. Evan Fournier led the starters for Orlando, as he tallied 14 points and two rebounds. Bismack Biyombo scored a team - high 15 points to go along with seven rebounds off the bench. Biyombo was the only player on the Magic roster to shoot over 44 percent from the field. Wesley Matthews was the player of the game, as he accumulated 20 points, four rebounds and six assists on 7 - of - 10 shooting. Dirk Nowiztki and Seth Curry were second on the team, with 14 points a piece. Salah Mejri was huge off the bench, as he provided four points and 15 rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "14", "Clippers": "9"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "95", "Clippers": "109"}, "Rebounds": {"Bucks": "40", "Clippers": "51"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "9", "Clippers": "13"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "18", "JJ Redick": "18", "Chris Paul": "13", "Michael Carter-Williams": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Blake Griffin": "8", "JJ Redick": "11", "Chris Paul": "7", "Michael Carter-Williams": "9"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "21", "JJ Redick": "31", "Chris Paul": "18", "Michael Carter-Williams": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "14", "DeAndre Jordan": "19", "Michael Carter-Williams": "1"}, "Assists": {"JJ Redick": "2", "Chris Paul": "18", "Michael Carter-Williams": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"JJ Redick": "9", "Chris Paul": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"JJ Redick": "6", "Chris Paul": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"JJ Redick": "4", "Chris Paul": "2", "Michael Carter-Williams": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"JJ Redick": "2", "Chris Paul": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Chris Paul": "2", "Michael Carter-Williams": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Chris Paul": "38", "Michael Carter-Williams": "32"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "1"}, "Steals": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "1"}}], "The Clippers (13 - 9) pulled away in the second half to defeat the Bucks (9 - 14) 109 - 95 at BMO Harris Bradley Center on Wednesday. The Clippers won their third straight game on the back of J.J. Redick's season - high 31 points. Redick shot a blistering 11 - of - 18 from the field to pair with 6 - of - 9 shooting from downtown. He had been dealing with a rib injury that forced him to miss two of the past four games, but Redick really caught fire after shooting 1 - of - 9 from the field and missing all five of his 3 - point attempts in Monday's win against the Timberwolves. Redick's hottest stretch helped the Clippers jump out to a big lead in the third quarter, as he scored 11 points over a four - minute stretch. Los Angeles has now won six of its past seven games and has a firm grasp on second place in the Pacific Division behind the undefeated Warriors. Chris Paul, who also missed two games last week due to a rib injury, returned to action Monday, but looked like the best point guard in the league against Milwaukee. He finished the night with 18 points (7 - 13 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and a season - high 18 assists over 38 minutes (which matched his season high). The Clippers were dominant on the glass, outrebounding the Bucks 51 - 40 behind a 19 - rebound performance from DeAndre Jordan and 14 boards from Blake Griffin, who also chipped in 21 points on 8 - of - 18 shooting from the field. For the Bucks, it was the same old story, as Milwaukee was unable to hang with a superior team for longer than a half of basketball. They have played better at home this season, but were no match defensively for the Clippers offense. The one bright spot from Wednesday was the performance of Michael Carter-Williams, who was banished to the bench in favor of Jerryd Bayless initially, but with Bayless sidelined, O.J. Mayo took over at point guard. Carter-Williams finished with a team - high 20 points (9 - 16 FG, 2 - 3 FT) and matched his season high of 11 assists over 32 minutes. The Clippers go right back to work on the road Thursday against the Bulls; the Bucks travel to Toronto for a Friday bout with the Raptors."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "26"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "39", "76ers": "43"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "103", "76ers": "98"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "15"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "19", "76ers": "12"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Robert Covington": "9", "Isaiah Canaan": "9", "JaKarr Sampson": "4", "Victor Oladipo": "4", "Willie Green": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Robert Covington": "3", "Isaiah Canaan": "4", "JaKarr Sampson": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "1", "Willie Green": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Robert Covington": "13", "Isaiah Canaan": "12", "JaKarr Sampson": "9", "Nikola Vucevic": "24", "Victor Oladipo": "11", "Elfrid Payton": "7", "Willie Green": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Robert Covington": "6", "Isaiah Canaan": "5", "JaKarr Sampson": "6", "Nikola Vucevic": "14", "Victor Oladipo": "4", "Elfrid Payton": "3", "Willie Green": "6"}, "Points": {"Robert Covington": "16", "Isaiah Canaan": "14", "JaKarr Sampson": "16", "Nikola Vucevic": "31", "Victor Oladipo": "17", "Elfrid Payton": "10", "Willie Green": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Robert Covington": "9", "Isaiah Canaan": "4", "Nikola Vucevic": "14", "Elfrid Payton": "8"}, "Steals": {"Robert Covington": "2"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Canaan": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"JaKarr Sampson": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "9", "Elfrid Payton": "8", "Willie Green": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"JaKarr Sampson": "2", "Nikola Vucevic": "3", "Victor Oladipo": "8", "Elfrid Payton": "4", "Willie Green": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"JaKarr Sampson": "21"}}], "The Orlando Magic (19 - 39) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (12 - 43) 103 - 98 on Sunday at the Amway Center in Orlando. The Magic got off to a quick start in this game and took an early lead, finishing the first half up 55 - 47. Despite shooting better from the field, the Magic did n't have as much success from the three - point line, where they went a meager 26 percent compared to the Sixers, who went 38 percent. Making up for their poor three - point shooting, the Magic did it on the defensive side of the ball and forced the Sixers into 21 turnovers, while committing just 15 of their own, which may have ultimately been the difference in this game. Nikola Vucevic had his way with the Sixers' bigs. He went 14 - of - 24 from the field to score a game - high of 31 points, while also adding 14 rebounds in 37 minutes. He's been extremely consistent all season and it continues to show, as he's posted three double - doubles in a row, a stretch where he's averaging 26 points and 15 rebounds per game. He's now averaging 20 points and 11 rebounds on the season. Victor Oladipo was another player with a solid showing. He did n't have his best shooting performance on the season (4 - 11 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 8 - 9 FT), but he still finished with 17 points, as he was able to get to the free throw line at a high rate. In the two games since returning from the All-Star break, he's combined for 39 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Rookie Elfrid Payton nearly notched a triple - double, as he recorded 10 points (3 - 7 FG, 4 - 8 FT), eight rebounds and seven assists. He's been filling up the stat sheet lately, combining for 20 points, 15 rebounds and 18 assists over his last two games. Willie Green had a big game off the bench with 16 points (6 - 10 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) in 31 minutes. Robert Covington had the most success for the Sixers, going 6 - for - 13 from the field and 3 - for - 9 from the three - point line to finish with 16 points, while also adding nine rebounds and two steals before fouling out. He had a very poor showing in Friday's game against the Pacers, shooting just 20 percent (2 - 10 FG), so it was good to see him get things turned back around. Coming off the bench, Jakarr Sampson had a very efficient showing. In just 21 minutes, he posted 16 points (6 - 9 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), marking a new season - high in points. He's scored in double figures for three straight games now, after only doing it five times previously in the season. In his Sixers debut, Isaiah Canaan moved into the starting lineup at point guard and had 14 points (5 - 12 FG, 4 - 9 3Pt), four rebounds and three assists. He should only continue to get better with the huge increase in minutes, as he did n't get much playing time with the Rockets. The Magic's next game will be at home against the Miami Heat on Wednesday, while the Sixers will travel to Miami to play the Heat on Monday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Mavericks": "9"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "64"}, "Turnovers": {"Mavericks": "17"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Grizzlies": "17"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "7", "Harrison Barnes": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Chandler Parsons": "4", "Harrison Barnes": "5"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "12", "Harrison Barnes": "15"}}], "Injuries to Deron Williams (calf), J.J. Barea (calf) and Dirk Nowitzki (Achilles) have really hurt this Dallas team and it came to a head in this game. The Mavericks' 64 points was easily the lowest mark in the NBA this season and the 17 turnovers to nine assists was one of the worst marks in NBA history. No player scored more than 15 points in this game, as Harrison Barnes scored his 15 points on 5 - of - 17 shooting. This was a revenge game for Chandler Parsons and he led the Grizzlies in scoring, dropping 12 points on 4 - of - 7 shooting. Amazingly, the Mavericks scored 27 of their 64 points off turnovers, which shows just how bad they were shooting the ball. They made just 21 shots in this game, as they got 17 of their points from the free - throw line and went just 5 - of - 25 from three - point range. Both teams will return to action on Saturday, as they'll desperately want to forget about this game as soon as possible."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "9", "Lakers": "4"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "99", "Lakers": "126"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pelicans": "15", "Lakers": "29"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pelicans": "28", "Lakers": "42"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "1", "Lakers": "6"}, "Number of team assists": {"Lakers": "36"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Lakers": "53"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "55"}}, {"Assists": {"Julius Randle": "8", "D'Angelo Russell": "6", "Lou Williams": "4", "Tim Frazier": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Julius Randle": "2", "Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Points": {"Julius Randle": "8", "D'Angelo Russell": "22", "Jordan Clarkson": "23", "Lou Williams": "21", "Anthony Davis": "34", "Tim Frazier": "4", "Buddy Hield": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Julius Randle": "11", "Jordan Clarkson": "3", "Lou Williams": "3", "Anthony Davis": "8"}, "Steals": {"Julius Randle": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jordan Clarkson": "12", "Buddy Hield": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "8", "Buddy Hield": "8"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the host New Orleans Pelicans 126 - 99 at Smoothie King Center on Saturday. The third quarter is when Los Angeles pulled away, as they outscored New Orleans 29 - 15. The fourth was just as ugly, with Los Angeles outscoring New Orleans 42 - 28. The Lakers actually went on a 140 run after Anthony Davis suffered a back injury in the third, as the Pelicans let the game get away. Luckily, Davis was able to return, but the game was too far out of hand at that point to recover. The Lakers won this game through offensive efficiency, as they shot 55 percent from the field and 53 percent from three - point range. In addition, they assisted on 36 of their 51 made baskets. The Lakers (6 - 4) have been one of the surprise teams of the league and they took advantage of a disheartened Pelicans team here. Much of the offense was run through Julius Randle, as he accumulated eight points, 11 rebounds, eight assists, two steals and two blocks in the victory. Lou Williams and Jordan Clarkson were fantastic off the bench, as they each scored 20 - plus in the win. Clarkson led the team in scoring, tallying 23 points on 8 - of - 12 shooting, while Williams finished with 21 points, three rebounds and four assists. D'Angelo Russell amassed 22 points and six assists of his own. Los Angeles will play again on Sunday, as they travel to play the Minnesota Timberwolves The Pelicans (1 - 9) continue to be a huge disappointment and losses to teams like the Lakers does n't help their cause. Anthony Davis did leave for a few minutes in the third quarter with a back injury, but still dominated with 34 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in 34 minutes. Tim Frazier was the only other starter to play well, as he totaled four points and 10 assists. The other three starters combined for just 12 points, 12 rebounds and one assist. Buddy Hield had his best game in the NBA, scoring a career - high 18 points on 8 - of - 13 shooting off the bench. New Orleans returns to action on Monday, when they host the Boston Celtics for their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "32", "Kings": "29"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "94", "Kings": "99"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "17", "Kings": "17"}}, {"Points": {"Rudy Gay": "31", "DeMarcus Cousins": "20", "Luis Scola": "13"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "19", "Luis Scola": "5"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (17 - 29) defeated the Indiana Pacers (17 - 32) 99 - 94 Saturday at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Although the Kings were playing for the second night in a row, Sacramento took control early with a 19 - 2 run to take a 30 - 12 with under two minutes to go in the first. However, Indiana stormed back in the fourth quarter with a run of its own to cut into Sacramento's lead. The Pacers did n't have an answer for DeMarcus Cousins, though, as Cousins ended up with 20 points and 19 rebounds before fouling out late in the fourth. Sacramento's eight - game losing streak finally came to an end Saturday thanks to huge performances from Cousins and Rudy Gay. Rudy Gay led all scoreers with 31 points, which was his tenth 20 - point outing of January. The Kings made 26 of their 29 free throw attempts to help ice the game. Sacramento has two days off before hosting Golden State on Tuesday. Indiana cruised to an easy 103 - 82 victory over New York on Friday, but was unable to have a repeat performance Saturday against Sacramento. The Pacers were hindered by poor outside shooting, going just 5 - for - 25 from beyond the arc. C.J Miles was responsible for eight of those misses from deep. Luis Scola returned to the rotation after being rested Friday and contributed 13 points and five rebounds off the bench. Indiana is off until Wednesday when it hosts Detroit."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "21", "Jazz": "28"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "99", "Jazz": "101"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "21", "Jazz": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"Dante Exum": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dante Exum": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Dante Exum": "5"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5"}}], "The Utah Jazz (15 - 28) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (21 - 21) 101 - 99 Thursday at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. Utah had an eight - point lead late in the fourth quarter, but Milwaukee stormed back to cut it to a one - possession game with seven seconds remaining. Brandon Knight had an open look with the clock ticking, but the shot rimmed out and the Bucks dropped their second game in a row at home. Utah entered the game having lost five of its last six contests, but was able to steal a win on the road in Milwaukee. The Jazz had a patch work starting five, with Derrick Favors missing the game for personal reasons and Trey Burke being replaced in the starting lineup for rookie Dante Exum. The rookie rose to the challenge, however, scoring 15 points and adding five assists. The Jazz are off on Friday before returning home to face the Nets on Saturday. Milwaukee has now lost its last two games by a combined five points but are still well - positioned in the top heavy Eastern Conference. Despite shooting 45% from the floor and forcing 22 turnovers, the Bucks were unable to secure the win on Thursday. Giannis Antetokounmpo had a solid game, adding 13 points, six rebounds, and five steals. The Bucks are also idle Friday before hosting the Pistons on Saturday to wrap up their four - game home stand."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "2", "Hawks": "1"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "91", "Hawks": "83"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nets": "31", "Hawks": "16"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "15", "Hawks": "15"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "1", "Hawks": "2"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "36"}}, {"Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "22", "Al Horford": "7", "Kyle Korver": "2", "Thaddeus Young": "18", "Brook Lopez": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarre Carroll": "6", "Thaddeus Young": "11", "Brook Lopez": "13"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyle Korver": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyle Korver": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kyle Korver": "4"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets (1 - 2) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (2 - 1), 91 - 83, in Game 3 on Saturday at the Barclays Center. The Nets got off to a strong start, taking a 31 - 16 lead after one quarter. The Hawks battled back in the third and briefly took a four point lead, but the Nets answered with a 90 run to end the frame. Atlanta was unable to get into a rhythm on offense and simply could n't hit enough shots to cut into the lead. The Hawks shot just under 36 percent from the floor and committed 15 turnovers as they failed to take a 30 lead in the series. Brooklyn will look to even the series in Game 4 on Monday. Atlanta looked out of sorts for much of Game 3 and could n't find a way to get a win on the road. DeMarre Carroll's strong performance with 22 points and six rebounds was offset by an off game from Kyle Korver. The sharp shooting Korver finished with just two points on 1 - of - 8 shooting, including 0 - 5 from three point range. The Hawks will need a stronger showing from Korver and Al Horford, who finished with just seven points, to secure a victory in Game 4. Brooklyn sustained its momentum from the strong start and managed to close out Atlanta to avoid an 0 - 3 start to the series. Three of Brooklyn's starters posted double - doubles, highlighted by Brook Lopez's 22 - point, 13 - rebound effort. Thaddeus Young also had a strong outing with 18 points and 11 rebounds. The Nets were also effective on the defensive end, forcing eight steals and 15 turnovers overall. Brooklyn has a chance to even the series at two games apiece Monday on its home floor."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nuggets": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "51"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "16", "Trail Blazers": "15"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "132", "Trail Blazers": "120"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "10", "Trail Blazers": "13"}}, {"Assists": {"Mason Plumlee": "4", "CJ McCollum": "4", "Damian Lillard": "10", "Danilo Gallinari": "3", "Gary Harris": "6"}, "Points": {"Mason Plumlee": "19", "CJ McCollum": "23", "Damian Lillard": "40", "Danilo Gallinari": "27", "Wilson Chandler": "17", "Gary Harris": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Mason Plumlee": "7", "CJ McCollum": "3", "Danilo Gallinari": "4", "Wilson Chandler": "8", "Gary Harris": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Danilo Gallinari": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Danilo Gallinari": "8"}, "Steals": {"Danilo Gallinari": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Gary Harris": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Gary Harris": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Gary Harris": "1"}}], "The Denver Nuggets defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, 132 - 120, at Pepsi Center on Thursday. These are two teams that have struggled on the defensive end this season and it was clearly evident here in this 252 - point game. The Denver offense was lights - out, as they shot 51 percent from the field, 89 percent from the free - throw line and 48 percent from three - point range. While the scoreline shows a 12 - point spread, the Nuggets pulled out the rare wire - to - wire win, as the Blazers never looked like a threat. In fact, the Nuggets led by 25 at times in their win and the final 12 - point difference was one of the lowest of the game. Portland (13 - 15) has been terrible on defense all year and this performance may be rock - bottom. Damian Lillard did all he could though, as he tallied 40 points and 10 assists in the defeat. C.J. McCollum also played well, accruing 23 points, three rebounds and four assists. Mason Plumlee was the only other Blazer in double figures, as he totaled 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists. The defense is unlikely to improve in the next game, as they face the Golden State Warriors on the road on Saturday. Denver (10 - 16) got a great team effort here, as their five starters combined for 81 points. Danilo Gallinari led the team in scoring, dropping 27 points, four rebounds and three assists on 8 - of - 13 shooting. Gary Harris had a strong showing in one of his first games of the season off a foot injury, as he amassed 18 points, four rebounds and six assists in the win. Wilson Chandler provided 17 points and eight rebounds of his own. Kenneth Faried, Jameer Nelson and Will Barton all scored in double figures off the bench. Denver's next game will be on Saturday, when they host the New York Knicks."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "2"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "128", "Mavericks": "90"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Cavaliers": "36", "Mavericks": "16"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "12"}}, {"Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "12", "Dirk Nowitzki": "15", "Seth Curry": "13", "LeBron James": "19", "Kevin Love": "27", "Tristan Thompson": "11", "JR Smith": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Harrison Barnes": "5", "Dirk Nowitzki": "6", "Seth Curry": "4", "LeBron James": "5", "Kevin Love": "10", "Tristan Thompson": "12", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Assists": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "3", "Seth Curry": "3", "LeBron James": "11", "Kevin Love": "4", "Tristan Thompson": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Seth Curry": "26"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "1", "Kevin Love": "3", "Tristan Thompson": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"JR Smith": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"JR Smith": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Kyrie Irving": "1"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the visiting Dallas Mavericks, 128 - 90, at Quicken Loans Arena on Friday. Almost from the opening tip, the game looked like the mismatch it had been expected to be. The Mavs (2 - 13) held an early 20 lead before Cleveland (12 - 2) systematically began to exert their dominance. They held a 36 - 16 advantage by the end of the first quarter, and a whopping 72 - 38 lead by halftime. Four of the five members of the first unit posted double - digit scoring, and the team posted an excellent 51 percent success rate from the field overall, and an equally impressive 47 percent tally from beyond the arc. Dallas saw Dirk Nowitzki lead the way in only his second game back from an eight - game absence due to an Achilles injury, as he registered 15 points, six rebounds and three assists. Harrison Barnes was the only other member of the first unit with double digits in the scoring column, as he collected 12 points and added five boards. Wesley Matthews, Deron Williams and Andrew Bogut could only combine for 12 points overall on 5 - of - 17 shooting. Seth Curry received 26 minutes off the bench in the blowout and supplied 13 points, four rebounds and three assists. Kevin Love continued his stretch of excellent play, leading the way for the Cavs with a 27 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included four assists and three steals. Kyrie Irving was next with a stat line that was almost entirely comprised of scoring, as he managed 25 points but only a rebound, an assist and a block. LeBron James compiled a 19 - point, 11 - assist double - double that also included five rebounds and a steal. Tristan Thompson posted his own double - double with 11 points, 12 rebounds, an assist and a steal. J.R. Smith was notably the only Cleveland player to struggle, totaling only three points on a 1 - of - 11 shooting effort. The Mavs return home to face off with the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday, while the Cavs visit the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday afternoon."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "47", "Celtics": "43"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "6", "Celtics": "27"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "114", "Celtics": "111"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Warriors": "25", "Celtics": "34"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "36", "Celtics": "15"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Celtics": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"Jared Sullinger": "3", "Evan Turner": "7", "Klay Thompson": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jared Sullinger": "5", "Evan Turner": "1", "Draymond Green": "6", "Klay Thompson": "7", "Stephen Curry": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jared Sullinger": "1", "Evan Turner": "1", "Draymond Green": "1", "Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jared Sullinger": "17", "Evan Turner": "12", "Draymond Green": "12", "Andrew Bogut": "10", "Klay Thompson": "19", "Stephen Curry": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Jared Sullinger": "9", "Evan Turner": "7", "Draymond Green": "5", "Andrew Bogut": "6", "Klay Thompson": "11", "Stephen Curry": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jared Sullinger": "9", "Draymond Green": "3", "Andrew Bogut": "1", "Stephen Curry": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Jared Sullinger": "7", "Draymond Green": "3", "Andrew Bogut": "1", "Stephen Curry": "9"}, "Points": {"Jared Sullinger": "26", "Avery Bradley": "15", "Evan Turner": "19", "Tyler Zeller": "15", "Draymond Green": "14", "Andrew Bogut": "13", "Klay Thompson": "31", "Stephen Curry": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Jared Sullinger": "9", "Evan Turner": "7", "Draymond Green": "9", "Andrew Bogut": "13", "Klay Thompson": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Evan Turner": "5", "Klay Thompson": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Andrew Bogut": "28", "Klay Thompson": "32"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Klay Thompson": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Klay Thompson": "1"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (36 - 6) defeated the Boston Celtics (15 - 27) 114 - 111 on Sunday at Oracle Arena in Oakland. Despite a fourth quarter comeback attempt where the Celtics out - scored the Warriors 34 - 25, the Warriors were able to hold the surge off just long enough to secure the three - point victory in front of their home crowd. The Warriors used their superior shooting to seal the win, going 47 percent from the field, while the Celtics went just 43 percent from the floor. The Warriors' superstar backcourt of Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry did it again Sunday, as they were both nearly unstoppable. Thompson led all scorers, going 11 - for - 19 from the field and 3 - for - 7 from the three - point line to score 31 points in 32 minutes. This performance comes just one game after his historic 52 - point outing on Friday, as he's now combined for a ridiculous 83 points in two games. On the season, he's pushed his season scoring average to 23 points per game. Curry on the other hand finished with 22 points (6 - 16 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 9 - 9 FT), 11 rebounds and two steals. This marked the fourth time in his last five games that he's recorded at least 10 assists. Curry and Thompson did receive some help though, as Andrew Bogut had a strong showing. He notched a double - double, contributing 13 points (6 - 10 FG, 1 - 1 FT) and 13 rebounds in 28 minutes. This was his first game since late November that he reached double - digit points, so it was good to see him get things going offensively. Draymond Green nearly double - doubled with 14 points (5 - 12 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT) and nine rebounds of his own. Jared Sullinger was the most productive player for the Celtics, finishing with an impressive 26 points (9 - 17 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 7 - 9 FT), nine rebounds and three assists. He's now pushed his season averages to 14 points and 8 rebounds per game on the year. Evan Turner did as much as he could to help Sullinger. Turner went 7 - for - 12 from the field and 1 - for - 1 from the three - point line to score 19 points, while also adding seven rebounds and seven assists. He's now scored in double figures in his last five games, despite averaging only nine points on the season. Both Avery Bradley and Tyler Zeller added 15 points apiece. The Warriors' next game will be at home against the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday, while the Celtics will travel to Utah to play the Jazz on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "37", "Wizards": "49"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "2", "Wizards": "1"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Knicks": "15", "Wizards": "32"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "2", "Wizards": "3"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Wizards": "17"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Paul Pierce": "5", "Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Iman Shumpert": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul Pierce": "3", "Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Iman Shumpert": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul Pierce": "10", "Garrett Temple": "10", "Carmelo Anthony": "23", "Iman Shumpert": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul Pierce": "5", "Garrett Temple": "5", "Carmelo Anthony": "8", "Iman Shumpert": "6"}, "Points": {"Paul Pierce": "17", "Garrett Temple": "17", "Kevin Seraphin": "15", "Carmelo Anthony": "18", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "6", "Iman Shumpert": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Pierce": "5", "Garrett Temple": "5", "Kevin Seraphin": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kevin Seraphin": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Kevin Seraphin": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Kevin Seraphin": "22", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "28"}}], "The Washington Wizards (3 - 1) defeated the New York Knicks (2 - 2) 98 - 93 on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Wizards got hot from the field and finished the game shooting 49 percent from the floor, compared to the Knicks' 37 percent. Washington was able to outscore the Knicks 32 - 15 in the third quarter, which allowed them to pull away for the victory. Garrett Temple continues to fill in admirably for Bradley Beal (wrist) as the starting shooting guard. After scoring 18 points in Saturday's game, he posted another 17 points Tuesday to go along with five rebounds. Paul Pierce used the extra rest he received after being ejected in the Wizards' previous game and went off for 17 points and five rebounds on 5 - for - 10 shooting from the field and 3 - for - 5 shooting from beyond the arc. Kevin Seraphin came off the bench and contributed 15 points and two rebounds in 22 minutes after receiving only 10 minutes of time and going scoreless in the first three games of the season. The Knicks struggled to find their offense. Carmelo Anthony scored 18 points (8 - 23 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt) and pulled in six rebounds. Iman Shumpert was the only other Knicks' scorer in double - digits, as he posted 19 points on 6 - of - 11 shooting from the field and 4 - for - 4 shooting from the three - point line. Despite being available off the bench, Quincy Acy (wrist) was held out of action, and Amar'e Stoudemire started in his place, producing six points and 12 rebounds in 28 minutes. The Wizards' next game will be at home against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, while the Knicks will go on the road to Detroit to play the Pistons on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "28", "Clippers": "17"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "93", "Clippers": "107"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "20", "Clippers": "30"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "18"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "21", "Clippers": "33"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul Pierce": "1", "DeAndre Jordan": "1", "Chris Paul": "6", "Jamal Crawford": "2", "Lance Stephenson": "3", "Nikola Vucevic": "4", "Victor Oladipo": "3"}, "Points": {"Paul Pierce": "12", "DeAndre Jordan": "12", "JJ Redick": "20", "Chris Paul": "21", "Jamal Crawford": "20", "Lance Stephenson": "13", "Tobias Harris": "13", "Nikola Vucevic": "13", "Victor Oladipo": "18", "Evan Fournier": "16"}, "Steals": {"Paul Pierce": "1", "DeAndre Jordan": "1", "JJ Redick": "1", "Chris Paul": "4", "Jamal Crawford": "3", "Lance Stephenson": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "1", "Evan Fournier": "1"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "18", "JJ Redick": "3", "Chris Paul": "4", "Jamal Crawford": "1", "Lance Stephenson": "1", "Tobias Harris": "8", "Nikola Vucevic": "9", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Evan Fournier": "6"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"JJ Redick": "3"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (33 - 17) defeated the Orlando Magic (21 - 28) 107 - 93 on Friday. In a turnover - laden affair, the Clippers were able to secure the victory on the back of productive performances from across their roster. Four starters tallied double - digit scoring, while two members of the second unit accomplished the feat as well. The two teams combined for 40 turnovers, with Los Angeles converting the 18 committed by the Magic into 30 points. A trio of Clippers guards - - Chris Paul, J.J. Redick and Jamal Crawford - - scored 20 points or better, and DeAndre Jordan had a double - double. Although the Magic made a run in the third quarter, Los Angeles pulled away with a 30 - 20 final period to seal the road win. Paul led the way with 21 points, six assists, four rebounds and four steals. Redick and Crawford were next with a pair of 20 - point tallies, with the former adding three rebounds and a steal, and the latter supplying a rebound, two assists and three thefts. Jordan's double - double consisted of 12 points, 18 rebounds, an assist, a steal and three blocks, while Paul Pierce added 12 points of his own and threw in a trio of rebounds, an assist and a steal. Lance Stephenson also had double - digit points from the bench, tallying 13 and complementing them with three assists, a rebound and a steal. The Clippers remain in second place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. They travel to Miami to take on the Heat on Super Bowl Sunday. Orlando was spearheaded by Victor Oladipo's 18 points, which he supplemented with three rebounds, three assists and a steal. Tobias Harris and Nikola Vucevic each had a pair of 13 - point outings, and both were near double - doubles. Harris amassed eight rebounds as well, while Vucevic hauled in nine boards, four assists and a pair of steals. Evan Fournier was productive off the bench with a 16 - point effort that also included six rebounds, three assists and a steal. The Magic remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They're home on Sunday to take on the Atlanta Hawks."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "17", "Hawks": "21"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "108", "Hawks": "113"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "36", "Hawks": "29"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "20"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "12"}, "Points": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "33", "Dwight Howard": "24", "Clint Capela": "22", "James Harden": "41"}, "Minutes played": {"Dwight Howard": "37", "Clint Capela": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "23", "Clint Capela": "9", "James Harden": "8"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "8"}, "Personal fouls": {"James Harden": "3"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "4"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Houston Rockets 113 - 108 Thursday at Toyota Center. With 8:30 left in the fourth quarter and the Rockets (36 - 17) up 20, the same seemed all but over, especially with both Paul Millsap and Dennis Schroeder on the bench and not looking to return for the Hawks (29 - 21). But then, from there, Houston stopped hitting their shots and Tim Hardaway Jr. refused to miss his. Hardaway went on to score 23 points in the final quarter, outscoring the Rockets 23 - 22 all by himself and willing the Hawks to a much - needed road victory. Hardaway finished with 33 points on 12 - of - 18 shooting from the field, and his performance ended up overshadowing the return to Houston for Dwight Howard, who put together his best performance of the season against his old team, recording 24 points and 23 rebounds in 37 minutes. For the Rockets, everything was going right for them through three quarters, and more importantly, everything was going right for James Harden, who had been going through a bit of a slump as of late. Harden finished with a game - high 41 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and four steals. Clint Capela also put together a nice game down low, scoring 22 points and grabbing nine boards in 31 minutes. Unfortunately for Houston, no lead was safe, and in the end, their poor shooting down the stretch cost them. The team ended up shooting just 38 percent from the field and 26 percent from behind the arc. Up next, the Hawks will head home Saturday to take on the Magic, while the Rockets will look to bounce back Friday against the Bulls."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Cavaliers": "24", "Bulls": "34"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Cavaliers": "34"}, "Turnovers": {"Cavaliers": "12", "Bulls": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "10", "Dwyane Wade": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "7"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "18", "Dwyane Wade": "20", "Nikola Mirotic": "14", "Kyrie Irving": "34", "James Jones": "14", "Kyle Korver": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "10", "Dwyane Wade": "9", "Nikola Mirotic": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "9"}}], "The Cavaliers had a tough task here without LeBron James and Kevin Love, as their absences was simply too much to overcome. The assist - to - turnover ratio was decisive, as the Bulls recorded 34 assists to seven turnovers, while the Cavaliers committed 12 turnovers to 24 assists. Dwyane Wade led the way for Chicago, as he collected 20 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists. Jimmy Butler was right there with him, as he accumulated 18 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists en route to a triple - double. Nikola Mirotic came off the bench to provide 14 points and 10 rebounds. Kyrie Irving had to carry the load for Cleveland, as he led the team with 34 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Kyle Korver and James Jones came off the bench to score 14 points a piece on 8 - of - 12 from three - point range combined."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kyrie Irving": "4", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "2"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "18", "Kevin Love": "15", "Kyrie Irving": "28", "Steven Adams": "20", "Victor Oladipo": "23", "Russell Westbrook": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "5", "Kevin Love": "12", "Steven Adams": "13", "Victor Oladipo": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "12"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Love": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kevin Love": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "1"}}], "This game was close throughout, as there were nine ties and seven lead changes, with neither team leading by more than 12 points. Rebounding was the difference in the game, with Oklahoma City winning that battle, 51 - 35. They also dominated the assist - to - turnover ratio, recording 10 more assists and committing three less turnovers. Kyrie Irving led the Cavaliers in scoring, as he tallied 28 points and four assists. LeBron James finished second on the team, with 18 points, five rebounds, seven assists, two steals and two blocks. Kevin Love recorded another double - double, totaling 15 points and 12 rebounds. Russell Westbrook added another triple - double to his tally, collecting 29 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists. Victor Oladipo had one of his best games for the Thunder, accruing 23 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Steven Adams totaled 20 points and 13 rebounds."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Hawks": "21", "Bucks": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7", "Paul Millsap": "3"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "26", "Paul Millsap": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "15", "Paul Millsap": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul Millsap": "8"}}], "Atlanta is now 30 in the second half of back - to - back sets and that shows how deep this Hawks team is. The Bucks actually took 26 more shots than Atlanta, but made only four more shots. Much of that is attributed to their offensive rebounding, as they snatched down 15 offensive boards to the Hawks' three. Milwaukee also outscored them in the paint, 50 - 28, so it's a wonder how they lost this game with so many more opportunities. Giannis Antetokounmpo continued his superb form, as he accumulated 26 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists in the defeat. Paul Millsap carried the load for Atlanta, as he tallied 21 points, eight rebounds and three assists on 8 - of - 11 shooting. All five starters for Atlanta had at least 11 points, three rebounds and three assists. These teams will have a rematch on December 9th in Atlanta."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "27", "Grizzlies": "21"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "112", "Grizzlies": "109"}, "Rebounds": {"Trail Blazers": "33", "Grizzlies": "42"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "21", "Grizzlies": "27"}}, {"Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "5", "Mike Conley": "10"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "32", "Mike Conley": "17", "Damian Lillard": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Damian Lillard": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Damian Lillard": "10"}}], "The host Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, 112 - 109. Portland (21 - 27) has looked stronger lately after a dismal start to the season. On Friday, the Blazers pushed past the more than likely playoff - bound Grizzlies thanks in large part to the play of star point guard Damian Lillard. Lillard scored a team - high 33 points and hit five three - pointers to go with 10 - of - 11 at the free - throw line. Lillard's top notch shooting was just part of an impressive output for the Blazers from beyond the arc. The team relied heavily on the deep ball, shooting 16 - of - 35 from beyond the arc. The solid shooting night was crucial for Portland, as the team was characteristically weak on the boards. The Blazers were out - rebounded 42 - 33 on the night. Memphis (27 - 21) was coming off a big win over Toronto in which All-Star center Marc Gasol scored a career - high 42. Gasol hardly slowed down on Friday, scoring 32 points to go with eight rebounds and five assists. Point guard Mike Conley added 17 points and 10 assists, helping to spark a fair amount of offense for the veteran - heavy Grizz. The team played effectively all night, shooting a solid 48 percent from the field and dishing 24 assists. Ultimately, the team was unable to limit Portland's outside scoring enough to earn the win. The Grizzlies will play in Utah on Saturday, while Portland will host the Warriors on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "1", "Pacers": "1"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "103", "Pacers": "94"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nets": "31", "Pacers": "15"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "1", "Pacers": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "2", "Thaddeus Young": "3", "Monta Ellis": "4", "Trevor Booker": "2", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Jeremy Lin": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul George": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul George": "8", "Monta Ellis": "5"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "22", "Thaddeus Young": "19", "Myles Turner": "13", "Monta Ellis": "11", "Trevor Booker": "10", "Brook Lopez": "25", "Jeremy Lin": "21", "Sean Kilpatrick": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "9", "Myles Turner": "11", "Monta Ellis": "2", "Trevor Booker": "11", "Brook Lopez": "5", "Jeremy Lin": "9"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "2", "Thaddeus Young": "1", "Monta Ellis": "2", "Trevor Booker": "1", "Brook Lopez": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Thaddeus Young": "1", "Myles Turner": "3", "Jeremy Lin": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Thaddeus Young": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Thaddeus Young": "3", "Myles Turner": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Thaddeus Young": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Myles Turner": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Monta Ellis": "5"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets defeated the Indiana Pacers, 103 - 94, at Barclays Center on Friday. The two teams engaged in a true see - saw battle, with each club dominating in alternate quarters. It was the Nets (1 - 1) who got hot at the right time, however, as they outscored the Pacers (1 - 1) by a margin of 31 - 15 in the final period. After coming into the regular season with serious concerns about potential sources of offense beyond Jeremy Lin and Brook Lopez, Brooklyn had surprised in the opener against the Celtics on Wednesday by tallying 117 points despite the latter only totaling seven points on the night. The box score Friday more closely resembled what had been expected in the preseason, as the pair paced the Nets on offense, with only two other teammates reaching double digits in the scoring column. Indiana had a more balanced attack overall, which was led by Paul George's 22 points. He added nine rebounds, two assists and two steals, but only managed an 8 - for - 22 tally from the field. Thaddeus Young turned in a solid outing against his old teammates, posting 19 points, eight rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block. Myles Turner supplied a solid encore to his standout opening night performance, posting a 13 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included three rejections. Monta Ellis was the fourth member of the starting five to reach double - digit scoring, managing 11 points, four assists, two rebounds and two steals. Lopez's 25 points paced the Nets, and he supplemented the game - high scoring total with five rebounds, an assist and a steal. Lin came within a shade of a triple - double, totaling 21 points, nine rebounds, nine assists and a block. Trevor Booker registered 10 points, 11 boards, two assists and a steal. Bojan Bogdanovic and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson could only muster a combined six points on 2 - for - 11 shooting, but Sean Kilpatrick helped make up for the shortfall with 18 points to lead the reserves. Both teams return to action Saturday night, with the Pacers taking on the Bulls in Chicago and Brooklyn facing off with the Bucks in Milwaukee."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "26", "Spurs": "26"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "103", "Spurs": "104"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "53", "Spurs": "54"}}, {"Assists": {"Tim Duncan": "2", "James Harden": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Tim Duncan": "34"}, "Points": {"Tim Duncan": "29", "Josh Smith": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Tim Duncan": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "19", "Josh Smith": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "5", "Josh Smith": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"James Harden": "4", "Josh Smith": "12"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Josh Smith": "26"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (54 - 26) defeated the Houston Rockets (53 - 26) 104 - 103 on Friday. The Spurs have now beaten the Rockets two straight times in a three day span. On Wednesday in San Antonio they beat the Rockets 110 - 98, and the change of venue did n't alter the result, as they took them down again Friday in Houston. Tim Duncan put on a show with 29 points, 10 rebounds and three assists in 34 minutes. Duncan is putting up 4 blocks a game in his last two against Houston, a likely candidate to oppose the Spurs in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. San Antonio has played its way up to the third seed and hope to dethrone the Memphis Grizzlies as the second best team in the west with just two games remaining. The Spurs have gone on impressive streak, which has seen them win 10 straight games dating back to Mar. 24. James Harden struggled on Friday, shooting just 5 - for - 19 from the field. The Spurs did a great job not letting him get to the free throw line, which is a massive part of his game. He shot just six free throw attempts, and put in four of them. The Rockets' shooting woes were n't limited to Harden though, as Josh Smith shot 12 - of - 26 from charity stripe. Gregg Popovich used that to his advantage and proceeded to foul Smith as often as possible. Harden and Smith were n't totally neutralized as Harden dished out 10 assists with three steals and Smith scored 20 points on 4 - for - 9 from the field. Houston is now 3 - 3 over their last six games. Their remaining games are against the New Orleans Pelicans, Charlotte Hornets and Utah Jazz. Houston will host the Pelicans, as the Spurs will welcome the Phoenix Suns to town on Sunday."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Thunder": "59", "Lakers": "51"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Lakers": "20"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "40"}}, {"Points": {"Julius Randle": "13", "D'Angelo Russell": "29", "Andre Roberson": "19", "Steven Adams": "15", "Alex Abrines": "19", "Russell Westbrook": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Julius Randle": "11", "D'Angelo Russell": "4", "Steven Adams": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "18"}, "Assists": {"D'Angelo Russell": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "17"}, "Steals": {"Steven Adams": "3"}}], "Oklahoma City made some major moves at the trade deadline and a near wire - to - wire win is all they could ask for coming out of the All-Star break. Defense was key, as Los Angeles went just 40 percent from the field, 20 percent from three - point range and 43 percent from the free - throw line. The Thunder also dominated the rebounding, winning that differential, 59 - 51. D'Angelo Russell was a bright spot for the Lakers, as he led the team with 29 points, four rebounds and six assists. Julius Randle recorded a double - double, totaling 13 points and 11 rebounds. Russell Westbrook added to his triple - double barrage, collecting 17 points, 18 rebounds and 17 assists in the win. Alex Abrines and Andre Roberson tied the team lead with 19 points a piece. Steven Adams accrued 15 points, 10 rebounds and three steals."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "33", "Thunder": "42"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "41"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "24", "Thunder": "22"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "100", "Thunder": "119"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "49", "Thunder": "52"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Thunder": "34"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "12"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "1", "Norman Powell": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "10", "Norman Powell": "7", "Kyle Lowry": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Durant": "3", "Norman Powell": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "27", "Russell Westbrook": "16", "DeMar DeRozan": "22", "Kyle Lowry": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "11", "Russell Westbrook": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Kevin Durant": "9"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "34", "Russell Westbrook": "26", "Norman Powell": "18", "DeMar DeRozan": "19", "Kyle Lowry": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "8", "Norman Powell": "4"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Durant": "1"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (52 - 22) earned a road win over the Toronto Raptors (49 - 24) Monday night at Air Canada Centre, 119 - 100. Toronto took its first lead at 31 - 30 with 9:30 to go in the second quarter after a Kyle Lowry three - pointer polished off a 100 run for the Raptors. It would be all downhill from there, as the Thunder immediately rattled off an 110 run of their own and never trailed for the rest of the game. Oklahoma City entered the second half with a 13 - point lead and Toronto never got it within double - digits in the second half. Kevin Durant led all scorers with 34 points for the Thunder despite a cold shooting night (11 - 27 FG, 3 - 10 3PT, 9 - 10 FT), and he added eight assists, eight rebounds, a block and a steal. Russell Westbrook added his league - leading 16th triple - double of the season with 26 points (10 - 16 FG), 12 assists and 11 rebounds, the latter both representing game highs. Oklahoma City shot a sharp 11 - 26) 42 percent) on three - pointers and 26 - 32 (81 percent) as their offense powered them to the victory. DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors with 19 points on a poor shooting night (8 - 22 FG), and Kyle Lowry (4 - 14 FG, 2 - 8 3PT) struggled from the floor as well and managed only 14 points. Norman Powell had the best offensive game for Toronto, pouring in 18 points on 7 - 13 shooting (4 - 7 3PT), and he added four rebounds and a pair of blocks in 27 minutes. But the shooting woes - - 41 percent from the floor and 8 - 24 (33 percent) from three - - were too much for the Raptors to overcome the blistering performances from the Thunder's superstar duo. The Thunder continue their road trip Tuesday against Detroit. The Raptors continue their homestand Wednesday against the Hawks."], [[{"Total points": {"Nuggets": "106", "Trail Blazers": "112"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "21"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "32"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "15"}}, {"Points": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "14", "Allen Crabbe": "14", "CJ McCollum": "25", "Gerald Henderson": "19", "Danilo Gallinari": "29", "Jameer Nelson": "17", "Will Barton": "5"}, "Assists": {"CJ McCollum": "7", "Danilo Gallinari": "3", "Jameer Nelson": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"CJ McCollum": "3", "Danilo Gallinari": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Will Barton": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Will Barton": "2"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (15 - 21) defeated the Denver Nuggets (12 - 22) 112 - 106 on Sunday night. In a close game throughout, the Blazers simply made more plays late to close out a big road win. Denver allowed Portland to get too many easy baskets and it was clear they had some tired legs here in the back end of a back - to - back set. The Trail Blazers shot over 50 percent from the field and scored 32 points over the final 12 minutes to close things out. Nuggets power forward Kenneth Faried made a shocking start here, as he was carted off the court with what appeared to be a serious neck injury just the night before. Portland has now won four of their last five games, with all of those wins coming without Damian Lillard. C.J. McCollum continues to play at an All-Star level in his absence, as he tallied 25 points, seven assists and three rebounds in the win. Allen Crabbe and Al-Farouq Aminu provided 14 points a piece as well. Gerald Henderson was the hero off the bench, as he scored 19 points in just 24 minutes. Portland came into this game with a 6 - 15 record on the road, so a win like this can be a big momentum booster going forward in a tough environment like Denver. They have a tough task on Monday though, as they have to take on the Memphis Grizzlies in a back - to - back. Denver was coming off a grueling overtime loss to the Golden State Warriors on Saturday and it was clear they simply didn\u2019t have their legs tonight in a back - to - back set. They really struggled in the fourth quarter and allowed way too many easy baskets in the closing minutes. This was Danilo Gallinari's second game back and he played great yet again, amassing 29 points, five rebounds and three assists in the loss. Jameer Nelson also had a nice game, as he contributed 17 points and seven assists. The godsend for this team all year has been Will Barton, but he really struggled tonight scoring just five points on 2 - for - 10 shooting. The Nuggets are now just 5 - 11 at home and that's a scary trend considering they used to have one of the best home advantages in the NBA in years past. Denver has now lost nine of their last 10 games and they'll look to break that slide on Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "36"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "56"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Wizards": "20"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Wizards": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Markieff Morris": "14", "Bradley Beal": "10", "John Wall": "18", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "39", "Jabari Parker": "21", "Malcolm Brogdon": "17"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "10", "John Wall": "18", "Jabari Parker": "15", "Malcolm Brogdon": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Bradley Beal": "3", "John Wall": "8", "Jabari Parker": "9", "Malcolm Brogdon": "7"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "10", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6", "Jabari Parker": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"John Wall": "32", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "33", "Malcolm Brogdon": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"John Wall": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Jabari Parker": "8"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "1", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Malcolm Brogdon": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Malcolm Brogdon": "3"}}], "The Bucks shot a blistering 56 percent from the field, including 36 percent from long range as they breezed passed the Wizards. The Bucks outscored the Wizards by 20 in the paint, 66 - 46. Giannis Antetokounmpo poured in a career - high 39 points, along with eight rebounds, six assists and two steals, in 33 minutes. Jabari Parker followed up with 21 points on 9 - of - 15 shooting, along with eight rebounds and three assists, while Malcolm Brogdon added 17 points on perfect 7 - of - 7 shooting, including 3 - of - 3 from long range, in 29 minutes off the bench. John Wall led the way for the Wizards, with 18 points on 8 - of - 18 shooting, along with 10 assists, three rebounds and one steal, in 32 minutes. Otto Porter Jr. also came up with 18 points, while Markieff Morris added 14. Bradley Beal struggled shooting, going 3 - of - 10 from the field on his way to 10 points."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "27", "Grizzlies": "19"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "101", "Grizzlies": "102"}, "Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "10"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "16", "Grizzlies": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"Matt Barnes": "5", "Marc Gasol": "6", "Mike Conley": "2", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "8", "Will Barton": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Matt Barnes": "1", "Marc Gasol": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Matt Barnes": "1", "Mike Conley": "2", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "2", "Will Barton": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Matt Barnes": "1", "Mike Conley": "1"}, "Points": {"Matt Barnes": "7", "Zach Randolph": "13", "Marc Gasol": "27", "Mike Conley": "20", "Danilo Gallinari": "17", "Kenneth Faried": "17", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "14", "Will Barton": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Matt Barnes": "7", "Zach Randolph": "6", "Marc Gasol": "4", "Mike Conley": "3", "Danilo Gallinari": "3", "Kenneth Faried": "12", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "3", "Will Barton": "6"}, "Steals": {"Matt Barnes": "3", "Marc Gasol": "1", "Mike Conley": "1", "Will Barton": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Matt Barnes": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Zach Randolph": "29", "Marc Gasol": "35", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "33", "Will Barton": "29"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "14", "Mike Conley": "9", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "13", "Will Barton": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Marc Gasol": "9", "Mike Conley": "5", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "6", "Will Barton": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "10", "Mike Conley": "10", "Will Barton": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Marc Gasol": "9", "Mike Conley": "8", "Will Barton": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Mike Conley": "2", "Danilo Gallinari": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Mike Conley": "3", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "5", "Will Barton": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Danilo Gallinari": "2"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (25 - 19) defeated the host Denver Nuggets (16 - 27) 102 - 101 on Thursday night at Pepsi Center. The Grizzlies were up by as many as 16 in the second quarter but the Nuggets battled back, making it a two - point game heading into the fourth. Denver continued to push and after a hard - fought 11 minutes, the Nuggets were up 98 - 97. Memphis answered though, converting an and - one thanks to an offensive rebound and assist by Mike Conley and Marc Gasol with the finish. Denver was then down by two, with 12 seconds to either tie or win but Danilo Gallinari could not get his shot to fall. With two seconds left on the clock Denver fouled, putting the Grizzlies on the line where they hit both to go up by four. Those turned out to be huge free throws because Denver called timeout and managed to sink a three pointer in the final second remaining. This was the Grizzlies' fourth win in a row, while they have also won 10 of their last 13 and eight of their last 10 on the road. Marc Gasol led Memphis in scoring with 27 points (9 - 14 FG, 9 - 10 FT), along with six assists, four rebounds and three blocked shots, in 35 minutes. Mike Conley provided 20 points (5 - 9 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 8 - 10 FT), three rebounds and two assists, in 26 minutes. Meanwhile, Zach Randolph chipped in 13 points and six rebounds, in 29 minutes. Matt Barnes started in place of Tony Allen, who sat this one out with a sore leg. Barnes was solid with seven points, seven rebounds, five assists, three steals and one block, in 35 minutes. Danilo Gallinari and Kenneth Faried both dropped 17 points for the Nuggets. Faried coupled his points with a beastly 12 rebounds, while Gallinari pulled in three rebounds of his own. Emmanuel Mudiay was solid in 33 minutes, as he finished with 14 points (6 - 13 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt), eight assists and three rebounds. Will Barton tallied 14 points (5 - 10 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT) of his own, along with six rebounds, two assists and two steals, in 29 minutes off the bench. Jameer Nelson sat this one out with a sore wrist. Next the Nuggets will host the Pistons on Saturday, in what will be the seventh game of an eight - game home stand. The Grizzlies will visit Minnesota to face the Timberwolves, on Saturday."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Jazz": "27"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Jazz": "26"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Jazz": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "4", "Deron Williams": "8"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "26", "Rudy Gobert": "27", "Harrison Barnes": "19", "Dirk Nowitzki": "3", "Deron Williams": "16"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Rudy Gobert": "17", "Dirk Nowitzki": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Rudy Gobert": "11", "Dirk Nowitzki": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "25"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "1"}}], "It was a career night for Jazz center Rudy Gobert, as the young 7 - footer scored a career - high 27 points while pulling down a massive 25 rebounds. Gobert was 8 - of - 11 from the field and went 11 - of - 17 from the free - throw line and pulled down 10 rebounds on the offensive end. Forward Gordon Hayward also made a significant contribution to Utah's offense, scoring 26 points while dishing out four assists. As a team, Utah finished with a big advantage on the glass, out - rebounding Dallas 53 - 42. Dallas saw a rounded offensive night, as seven players scored in double digits. Surprisingly, veteran Dirk Nowitzki was not one of them, as the future Hall of Famer finished shooting just 1 - of - 13 for three points. The team was led by forward Harrison Barnes, who scored 19 points on the night. Point guard Deron Williams added 16 points and eight assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "22", "Cavaliers": "18"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "103", "Cavaliers": "99"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "39", "Cavaliers": "41"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "10", "Al Horford": "10"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "28", "Kyrie Irving": "28", "Al Horford": "9", "Avery Bradley": "11", "Isaiah Thomas": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "13", "Al Horford": "10"}}], "The host Boston Celtics beat the reigning champion Cleveland Cavaliers, 103 - 99, in a dramatic Wednesday-night thriller. Boston (39 - 22) moved to just three games back from the first seed with the win. It was a much - needed boost for the Celtics, as the team was coming off a blowout loss to the Atlanta Hawks and had been just 1 - 2 coming out of the All-Star Break. Boston looked like it was back in the swing of things on Wednesday, however, as the team earned a hard - fought win over the Eastern Conference's top team. All-Star Isaiah Thomas bounced back from his worst outing of the season against Atlanta to score 31 points over Cleveland, including a three - pointer to put the Celtics ahead with 45 seconds remaining. In his third game back from injury, guard Avery Bradley looked brilliant, scoring 11 points and locking down Cleveland's Kyrie Irving on the game's final possession. Big man Al Horford, meanwhile, broke out of a bit of a slump with a near triple - double, recording nine points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Overall, it was a much - needed and energizing win for the Celtics as they look to fight for the top spot in the East going down the stretch. Cleveland (41 - 18) saw new addition Deron Williams debut in Wednesday's game. The veteran made an immediate impact, playing 31 minutes and scoring 13 on 5 - of - 10 shooting. Superstar LeBron James, meanwhile, led the team with his seventh triple - double of the season. James had 28 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists on the night. All-Star Kyrie Irving also scored 28, but failed to convert when given the opportunity to take the team's last shot after being smothered by tight defense from Avery Bradley. One issue for Cleveland was rebounding, where the Celtics held a 47 - 40 edge despite struggles for most of the season. The Celtics will visit the Lakers on Friday, while Cleveland will see Atlanta."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Celtics": "21"}}, {"Points": {"Avery Bradley": "14", "Isaiah Thomas": "32", "Marcus Smart": "21", "Blake Griffin": "26", "DeAndre Jordan": "15", "Chris Paul": "23"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "5", "Marcus Smart": "3", "Chris Paul": "4"}, "Steals": {"Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Marcus Smart": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Marcus Smart": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcus Smart": "3", "Blake Griffin": "8", "DeAndre Jordan": "12", "Chris Paul": "5"}}], "The Celtics were testy down the stretch and the creativity of Brad Stevens' defensive lineups almost paid dividends for Boston, but in the end, Chris Paul was able take the Clippers home. Paul finished with 23 points, five rebounds and four assists, while Griffin led the Clippers in scoring 26 points, to go with eight rebounds and five assists. DeAndre Jordan also grabbed most of his points late, and added 15 points and 12 boards in the win. Isaiah Thomas led the Celtics and all scorers with 32 points, to go with five assists and three steals, while Avery Bradley pitched in 14 points. Marcus Smart was the next most effective Boston player on the floor, and added 21 points in 32 minutes off the bench, to go with three rebounds, three assists and one steal."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "32", "Pelicans": "34"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "105", "Pelicans": "99"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "23", "Pelicans": "21"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pelicans": "42"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "42"}}, {"Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "7", "Darren Collison": "8", "Matt Barnes": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Davis": "40"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "32", "DeMarcus Cousins": "28", "Darren Collison": "20", "Matt Barnes": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "10", "DeMarcus Cousins": "14", "Darren Collison": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jrue Holiday": "14", "DeMarcus Cousins": "14"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "7"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}}], "The Sacramento Kings defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 105 - 99 at Golden 1 Center on Sunday. The Kings (23 - 32) came away with their 13th home victory of the season after a rather sloppy performance from the Pelicans (21 - 34). Buddy Heild was ejected early on after a below the belt foul to Kings center DeMarcus Cousins, and Anthony Davis' 32 points were not enough to help get the road win. Langston Galloway buried a three pointer for New Orleans with 4:18 remaining in the fourth quarter to bring the game within four points, but Cousins answered immediately with a driving dunk. From then on, Sacramento was able to stave off any comeback and put away the contest. Cousins finished with 28 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and one block on 7 - of - 14 shooting. Darren Collison pitched in on the scoring effort with 20 points, to go with eight assists and six rebounds, while Matt Barnes led the bench with 12 points. Davis was effective across his 40 minutes of work, putting forth 32 points, 10 rebounds and three assists, while New Orleans got little help from other scorers. Jrue Holiday added 14 points on 14 shots, and the Pelicans shot just 42 percent from the field. Next up, the Pelicans visit the Phoenix Suns on Monday, while the Kings visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "19", "Kings": "26"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "107", "Kings": "91"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Grizzlies": "15", "Kings": "23"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "26", "Kings": "16"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Kings": "21"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "41"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Kings": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Garrett Temple": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "2", "Darren Collison": "4", "Ty Lawson": "5", "Matt Barnes": "2", "James Ennis III": "3", "Marc Gasol": "4", "Mike Conley": "8", "Zach Randolph": "2", "Vince Carter": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Garrett Temple": "2", "DeMarcus Cousins": "1", "James Ennis III": "2"}, "Points": {"Garrett Temple": "14", "DeMarcus Cousins": "19", "Kosta Koufos": "8", "Arron Afflalo": "5", "Darren Collison": "4", "Ty Lawson": "13", "Anthony Tolliver": "6", "Matt Barnes": "8", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "6", "James Ennis III": "10", "Marc Gasol": "28", "Tony Allen": "13", "Mike Conley": "16", "Zach Randolph": "20", "Vince Carter": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Garrett Temple": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "10", "Kosta Koufos": "2", "Arron Afflalo": "2", "Darren Collison": "3", "Ty Lawson": "4", "James Ennis III": "6", "Marc Gasol": "9", "Tony Allen": "10", "Mike Conley": "8", "Zach Randolph": "10", "Vince Carter": "4"}, "Steals": {"Garrett Temple": "1", "Ty Lawson": "1", "Anthony Tolliver": "1", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "1", "Marc Gasol": "1", "Mike Conley": "2", "Vince Carter": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "28", "Vince Carter": "22"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Anthony Tolliver": "6"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Sacramento Kings, 107 - 91, at FedEx Forum on Friday night. After a shaky first quarter, the Grizzlies (26 - 19) put their best foot forward on both ends of the floor Friday, showing while they remain a solid Western Conference power season after season. Memphis was surprisingly outscored by a 23 - 15 margin over the first 12 minutes, but they came back to post 68 points over the subsequent two periods to pull away. They held the Kings (16 - 26) to 41 percent shooting overall and a paltry 21 percent from three - point range, while also boasting five double - digit scorers. Two of their most dependable veterans, Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, led the way on the first and second units with respective tallies of 28 and 20 points, and they also helped limit DeMarcus Cousins to a modest 19 points and 10 rebounds. Cousins added two assists and a block to his team - high scoring total. Garrett Temple went for 14 points, three rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal. However, no other starter managed double - digit scoring, as Kosta Koufos (eight points, two rebounds), Arron Afflalo (five points, two rebounds, four steals) and Darren Collison (four points, four assists, three rebounds) significantly underwhelmed. Ty Lawson led the second unit with 13 points, five assists, four rebounds and a steal. Sacramento's bench contributed a collective 41 points, as Anthony Tolliver, Willie Cauley-Stein and Matt Barnes all scored between six and eight points to back up Lawson's output. Gasol added nine boards, four assists and a steal to his game - high scoring haul. Randolph hauled in 10 rebounds and dished out two assists to his 20 - point tally. Mike Conley generated a full stat line of 16 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and two steals. Tony Allen posted a 13 - point, 10 - rebound double - double, while James Ennis registered 10 points, six boards, three assists and a pair of blocks. Vince Carter provided 11 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals.in 22 minutes off the bench. The Kings next head to the Windy City for a Saturday night tilt against the Chicago Bulls, while the Grizzlies remain home to do battle with the Houston Rockets on Saturday evening as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "27", "Heat": "41"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "114", "Heat": "88"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Cavaliers": "23"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "49", "Heat": "34"}}, {"Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "17", "LeBron James": "23", "Kyrie Irving": "23", "Iman Shumpert": "17", "Tristan Thompson": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "8", "Tristan Thompson": "15"}, "Assists": {"Iman Shumpert": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Iman Shumpert": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Iman Shumpert": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Iman Shumpert": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Tristan Thompson": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Tristan Thompson": "1"}, "Steals": {"Tristan Thompson": "1"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (49 - 27) defeated the Miami Heat (34 - 41) 114 - 88 on Thursday at the Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland seized control from the early going Thursday, but its road to victory got significantly easier when Dwayne Wade left the game midway through the second quarter. Wade slipped and took an awkward fall, suffering a bruised left knee that sidelined him for the remainder of the game. Cleveland allowed Miami to get as close as 10 points in the third before completely pulling away. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving each poured in 23 points to help notch the Cavaliers' 17th consecutive home win. Miami was already a banged up unit coming into Thursday's game, but losing Dwayne Wade for any amount of time could put its playoff chances in serious jeopardy. Thursday's loss drops Miami to the eighth spot in the East, with teams like Boston, Charlotte, and Indiana all within striking distance. Wade's injury occured to the same knee that he had drained last Saturday, leaving his status ahead of Saturday's game in Detroit in question. The Heat did have a key player return to the starting lineup Thursday with Hassan Whiteside getting the nod at center. Whiteside finished with 17 points and eight rebounds. The Heat have a couple games with major playoff implications on the horizon with matchups against the Pacers and Hornets following Saturday's game. Cleveland did n't have its full complement of players available for this game, but its reserves rose to the occasion. Kevin Love sat out with a sore back, but Tristan Thompson was a difference maker with his increased playing time. Thompson pulled down 15 rebounds to go with eight points and Iman Shumpert had one of his best games as a Cavalier, pouring in 17 points on 7 - of - 12 shooting. Cleveland will have a couple days off before returning to action Sunday against Chicago."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "15"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "39"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "5", "Bulls": "9"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "97", "Bulls": "103"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Grizzlies": "21"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "21", "Bulls": "17"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jimmy Butler": "2"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "31", "Aaron Brooks": "17", "Nikola Mirotic": "27", "Tayshaun Prince": "8", "Mike Conley": "21"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Aaron Brooks": "32", "Tayshaun Prince": "24"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nikola Mirotic": "6"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Mike Conley": "39"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (17 - 9) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (21 - 5) 103 - 97 on Friday. Chicago has won two straight and five of their last six games. Derrick Rose has sat out their last two wins, with Jimmy Butler picking up the slack, and some. Butler scored a game - high 31 points, nearly matching the career - high 35 points he scored in Thursday's win over the Knicks. Taj Gibson (ankle) missed a second straight game, and in his place, Nikola Mirotic put up a career - high 27 points ad six three - pointers off the bench. Aaron Brooks also chipped in with 17 points in 32 minutes off the bench. Chicago's schedule continues to feed them tough match - ups. They'll host the Toronto Raptors on Monday. Memphis had their six - game win streak snapped with the loss. Tony Allen sat out a second straight game with a scractched eye. While the Grizzlies used Quincy Pondexter as Allen's replacement in the staring lineup in their 117 - 116 triple - overtime win over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, Tayshaun Prince moved into the starting lineup over Pondexter on Friday. Prince put up eight points in 24 minutes. Mike Conley scored a team - high 21 points, but the Grizzlies shot just 39 percent from the field and 15 percent from beyond the arc."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "29", "Magic": "31"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "111", "Magic": "105"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "19", "Magic": "19"}}, {"Points": {"C.J. Watson": "18", "Elfrid Payton": "21", "Andrew Wiggins": "27", "Ricky Rubio": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Elfrid Payton": "4", "Ricky Rubio": "8"}, "Steals": {"Elfrid Payton": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "10"}, "Assists": {"Ricky Rubio": "8"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Orlando Magic, 111 - 105, in overtime Monday at Target Center. The Timberwolves (19 - 29), now winners of five of their last six, actually found themselves down for most of Monday's game before opening up a lead in the fourth quarter as large as nine points. The Magic (19 - 31) managed to storm back, however, closing the gap and even taking the lead with under a minute remaining. But Andrew Wiggins would n't let the game end there, as his 21 - foot jumper with 10 seconds remaining ultimately sent the game into overtime. At that point, there was no stopping Minnesota as they pulled away in the five - minute period. Wiggins finished the outing with a game - high 27 points, while Karl Anthony-Towns added yet another double - double of 23 points and 12 rebounds on top of seven assists. Ricky Rubio came close to a triple - double of his own, recording 22 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. As for the Magic, they put together a valiant effort just one night removed from upsetting the Toronto Raptors. And it was an all - around team effort Monday night, as all five starts and six total Orlando players managed to score in double figures. It was the starting backcourt, however, that led the way, with Elfrid Payton recording a team - high 21 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals, while C.J. Watson scored 18 points of his own. In the end, the Magic just left too many points at the free throw line, hitting just 13 - of - 19 shot from the charity stripe for the game, which ended up being the difference. Up next, the Timberwolves will head to Cleveland on Wednesday to take on the Cavaliers, while the Magic will head home Wednesday and play the Pacers."], [[{"Total points": {"Thunder": "113", "Suns": "110"}, "Rebounds": {"Thunder": "57", "Suns": "44"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "2"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "0"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"TJ Warren": "18", "Devin Booker": "25", "Russell Westbrook": "44"}, "Field goals made": {"TJ Warren": "13", "Devin Booker": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "17"}, "Points": {"TJ Warren": "30", "Devin Booker": "21", "Eric Bledsoe": "17", "Brandon Knight": "19", "Steven Adams": "9", "Victor Oladipo": "21", "Russell Westbrook": "51"}, "Rebounds": {"TJ Warren": "9", "Devin Booker": "6", "Steven Adams": "10", "Victor Oladipo": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "13"}, "Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "10"}, "Steals": {"Eric Bledsoe": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "20"}, "Free throws made": {"Russell Westbrook": "15"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder come back in overtime thanks to Westbrook's 51 - point triple - double to beat the Phoenix Suns, 113 - 110, at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Friday. Despite trailing for nearly the entirety of the game, the Thunder (20) were able to prevail in overtime to win their home opener. The Suns (0 - 2) had an 18 - point lead at one point and held a lead until 4:40 left in the fourth quarter, when Oklahoma City took their first lead of the game. In fact, the three - point winning margin was the largest lead the Thunder had all game long. Russell Westbrook carried the load, as he dropped 51 points en route to a triple - double. Rebounding was key for Oklahoma City, as they brought down 57 boards, while holding the Suns to just 44. The Suns were blown out in their home opener, but showed some resiliency here. T.J. Warren led the team in scoring, dropping a career - high 30 points on 13 - for - 18 shooting to go along with nine rebounds. Devin Booker was second on the team, tallying 21 points and six rebounds of his own, going just 8 - for - 25 from the field. Eric Bledsoe totaled 17 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals in the defeat. The only other player in double figures was Brandon Knight, who dropped 19 points off the bench. This was Oklahoma City's first game without Durant in their home building and Russell Westbrook made fans quickly forget about the former MVP. Westbrook put together a 51 - point, 13 - rebound, 10 - assist triple - double to carry the Thunder to a win. He also went 17 - for - 44 from the field and made 15 - of - 20 from the free - throw line. The only other player in double figures was Victor Oladipo, who accumulated 21 points and five rebounds. Steven Adams was a point shy of a double - double, scoring nine and grabbing 10 boards. Both teams return to action on Sunday, as the Thunder host the Los Angeles Lakers and the Suns host the Golden State Warriors."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Hawks": "30", "Pacers": "19"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hawks": "24"}}, {"Points": {"Paul George": "34", "CJ Miles": "13", "Jeff Teague": "16", "Glenn Robinson III": "11", "Thabo Sefolosha": "12", "Paul Millsap": "23", "Dennis Schroder": "18", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "24"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"CJ Miles": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"CJ Miles": "1"}, "Assists": {"Glenn Robinson III": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Glenn Robinson III": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Glenn Robinson III": "23", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "35"}, "Steals": {"Glenn Robinson III": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "10", "Dwight Howard": "14"}}], "The Pacers overcame a 30 - 19 first quarter deficit to forge a 50 - 50 halftime tie. Indiana then mounted an exciting comeback over the final 1:43, with Jeff Teague and C.J. Miles each draining jumpers, setting up a 23 - foot three - pointer from the left corner by Glenn Robinson III with 1 seconds remaining for the one - point victory. Paul George's 34 points led Indiana. Teague was a distant second with 16 points. Miles followed with 13 points, while Robinson led the bench with 11. Thaddeus Young and Myles Turner notably struggled, combining for just nine points on 4 - of - 12 shooting. Tim Hardaway, Jr.'s 24 points in 35 minutes off the bench led Atlanta. Paul Millsap led the first unit with a 23 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Dennis Schroder tallied 18 points, while Thabo Sefolosha compiled 12. Dwight Howard brought down 14 rebounds."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "17", "Jabari Parker": "25", "John Henson": "8", "Malcolm Brogdon": "16", "Rashad Vaughn": "8", "Aaron Gordon": "17", "Serge Ibaka": "13", "Nikola Vucevic": "13", "Elfrid Payton": "20", "Jeff Green": "18", "D.J. Augustin": "10", "Bismack Biyombo": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "14", "John Henson": "5", "Rashad Vaughn": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "4", "D.J. Augustin": "2", "Bismack Biyombo": "13"}, "Assists": {"John Henson": "2", "Rashad Vaughn": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "6", "D.J. Augustin": "8"}, "Blocks": {"John Henson": "1"}, "Steals": {"Rashad Vaughn": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "3"}}], "The Magic had seven players hit double digits in scoring, led by Elfrid Payton, who managed a full stat line of 20 points, six assists, four rebounds and three steals. Aaron Gordon was right behind with 17 points and eight boards. Serge Ibaka and Nikola Vucevic provided matching 13 - point efforts. The bench tallied a collective 44 points on the night, led by Jeff Green's 18 points. Bismack Biyombo followed with a 13 - point, 13 - rebound double - double, and D.J. Augustin managed 10 points, eight assists and a pair of boards. Jabari Parker's game - high 25 points led Milwaukee. Giannis Antetokounmpo provided a 17 - point, 14 - rebound double - double, while Malcolm Brogdon posted 16 points. John Henson provided eight points, five rebounds, two assists and a block. Rashad Vaughn registered a bench - leading eight points, two rebounds, an assist and a steal."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "37", "Clippers": "26"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "107", "Clippers": "91"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Timberwolves": "31", "Clippers": "19"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "24", "Clippers": "13"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "26", "Clippers": "38"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Clippers": "36"}, "Turnovers": {"Clippers": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "2", "DeAndre Jordan": "1", "JJ Redick": "1", "Chris Paul": "10", "Austin Rivers": "3", "Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Gorgui Dieng": "2", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "12"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "16", "DeAndre Jordan": "20", "JJ Redick": "14", "Chris Paul": "7", "Austin Rivers": "10", "Marreese Speights": "12", "Andrew Wiggins": "20", "Gorgui Dieng": "7", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "29", "Shabazz Muhammad": "17", "Ricky Rubio": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "4", "DeAndre Jordan": "13", "JJ Redick": "1", "Chris Paul": "3", "Austin Rivers": "2", "Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Gorgui Dieng": "9", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "14", "Shabazz Muhammad": "6", "Ricky Rubio": "6"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "1", "JJ Redick": "1", "Austin Rivers": "1", "Gorgui Dieng": "2"}, "Steals": {"JJ Redick": "2", "Chris Paul": "1", "Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Gorgui Dieng": "4", "Shabazz Muhammad": "1", "Ricky Rubio": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chris Paul": "9", "Andrew Wiggins": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Chris Paul": "3", "Andrew Wiggins": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "10"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Los Angeles Clippers, 107 - 91, at Target Center on Wednesday evening. The Timberwolves (26 - 37) boast some of the most exciting young talent in the league, but have consistently found defense to be their Achilles' heel. However, they found a way to impressively reverse course Wednesday, styming a talented Clippers (38 - 26) squad at full strength and goading them into an uncharacteristic 16 turnovers. Minnesota ambushed their visitors to the tune of a 31 - 19 lead after one quarter, before Los Angeles made up some ground before halftime with a 36 - point explosion of their own in the second period. However, the Timberwolves effectively put the game away in the third, outscoring the Clippers by a double - digit margin a second time, 24 - 13. That left them with a comfortable 82 - 68 lead heading into the final 12 minutes, one they were able to sustain without much struggle. DeAndre Jordan led the way for Los Angeles with a 20 - point, 13 - rebound double - double that also included one assist and one block. Blake Griffin provided 16 points, four rebounds and two assists. J.J. Redick turned in 14 points, one rebound, one assist, two steals and one block. Marreese Speights led the second unit with 12 points and six rebounds, while Austin Rivers totaled 10 points, three assists, two rebounds and one block off the bench as well. Chris Paul had an off night shooting (3 - 9 FG), but he managed to add 10 assists, three rebounds and one steal to his seven points. Karl-Anthony Towns once again paced the Timberwolves, generating a 29 - point, 14 - rebound double - double and adding two assists, all over just 27 minutes. Andrew Wiggins overcame a 5 - for - 17 shooting night with a perfect 10 - for - 10 tally from the free - throw line to compile 20 points. He added three assists, two rebounds and one steal. Shabazz Muhammad drew a rather rare start and went for 17 points, six rebounds and one steal. Ricky Rubio managed a 15 - point, 12 - assist double - double that also included six rebounds and two steals. Gorgui Dieng chipped in a modest seven points but also provided nine rebounds, two assists, four steals and two blocks. The Clippers will try to put the loss behind them quickly, as they have a Thursday night road showdown on tap with the Memphis Grizzlies. The Timberwolves remain home to tangle with the Golden State Warriors on Friday night."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "21"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "42"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "32", "Cavaliers": "11"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "78", "Cavaliers": "91"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "11", "Cavaliers": "29"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "5", "Thaddeus Young": "1", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Donald Sloan": "9", "Shane Larkin": "7"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "1", "Brook Lopez": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "1", "Kevin Love": "18", "Timofey Mozgov": "5", "Tristan Thompson": "10", "Thaddeus Young": "5", "Brook Lopez": "10", "Wayne Ellington": "2", "Donald Sloan": "1"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "1", "Kevin Love": "2", "Thaddeus Young": "1", "Donald Sloan": "1"}, "Points": {"Kevin Love": "17", "Timofey Mozgov": "11", "Tristan Thompson": "14", "Joe Johnson": "3", "Thaddeus Young": "14", "Brook Lopez": "16", "Wayne Ellington": "3", "Donald Sloan": "12", "Shane Larkin": "7"}, "Turnovers": {"Joe Johnson": "2", "Brook Lopez": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Brook Lopez": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Wayne Ellington": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Wayne Ellington": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Shane Larkin": "23"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (29 - 11) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (11 - 32) 91 - 78 on Wednesday. The Cavs were looking for a resurgent performance after Monday night's embarassment versus the Golden State Warriors. While they still did n't quite hit on all cylinders, their performance, particularly on defense, was certainly enough to score the road victory. Cleveland stymied Brooklyn to the extent that they only surrendered 55 points to them through three quarters, and held them to stingy 42 - and - 21 percent totals from the field and three - point range, respectively. Brook Lopez was the Nets' top scorer, but with only a modest 16 points, and two starters, Joe Johnson and Wayne Ellington, managed only three points apiece. The visitors were led by an outstanding effort from Kevin Love, tallying 17 points, 18 boards and two steals. It was a great bounce - back effort for the power forward, who had put together a miserable three - point performance against the Warriors. LeBron James equaled Love's point total and added five assists, a rebound, a steal and a block. Timofey Mozgov provided some rare offensive production, pitching in with 11 points and five rebounds. Tristan Thompson paced the Cleveland reserves with a double - double, tallying 14 points and hauling in 10 boards. The Cavs improved to 29 - 11 and remain atop the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They head back to home to face off against the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday. Lopez did haul in 10 rebounds in addition to his 16 points, and also had an assist and a block. Thaddeus Young registered 14 points, five rebounds, an assist and a steal. Donald Sloan continued his recent stretch of solid play as a starter, coming an assist short of a double - double with 12 points, nine dimes, a rebound and a steal. Shane Larkin paced the Nets bench with seven points and seven assists over 23 minutes. Brooklyn fell to 11 - 32 and remains in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They will next face off against the Utah Jazz on Friday at home."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "25", "Hawks": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Paul Millsap": "14", "Dwight Howard": "14", "Dennis Schroder": "24", "Kevin Durant": "25", "Klay Thompson": "20", "Stephen Curry": "25"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Klay Thompson": "3"}}], "The Warriors once again showed off their stars' scoring ability on Monday night. Former MVPs Kevin Durant and Steph Curry scored 25 points each, with Curry knocking down four three - pointers. All-Star Klay Thompson, meanwhile, scored 20 and hit three threes on the night. The team hit 12 three - pointers in total on 34 percent shooting from beyond the arc, blowing away Atlanta's seven threes on 25 percent. The Warriors also held the advantage in assists, where they beat the Hawks 25 - 20. Atlanta, meanwhile, saw strong play from their big men. Both Dwight Howard and Paul Millsap notched double - doubles, and the duo combined for 30 rebounds. The Hawks ended with a large advantage on the glass, out - rebounding Golden State 51 - 41. Howard and Millsap each finished with 14 points, tying for the second - highest on the team behind guard Dennis Schroeder's 24."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "44", "Bucks": "35"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "98", "Bucks": "116"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "27", "Bucks": "36"}}, {"Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "12"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "32"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks blew out the host Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, 116 - 98. Milwaukee (36 - 35) finally crept above .500 as the team enters an air - tight Eastern Conference playoff race. The Bucks lagged for most of the season but have seen a stretch of stellar play recently thanks in large part to the return of dynamic wing Khris Middleton. Wednesday's win was one of Milwaukee's more convincing victories, as the team held a double - digit lead fairly consistently. The highlight of the night was the performance of emerging superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, who led the Bucks with 32 points on 12 - of - 22 shooting. It was the rest of the Greek Freak's stat line that was especially impressive, though, as he pulled down 13 rebounds to go along with six assists, two steals, and a block while not turning the ball over once. Sacramento (27 - 44) has seen things turn fairly bleak after trading away star center DeMarcus Cousins. The team has won just two games in its last 11 contests and saw an embarrassing loss at home on Wednesday. Defensive lapses were the story for the Kings, as they allowed the Bucks to shoot a whopping 54 percent from the field and bury 16 three - pointers. Three-point shooting on Sacramento's end, meanwhile, has been a problem area. The Kings hit only nine three - pointers and have seen a sharp decline in both three - point makes and attempts since their deadline dealings. The Kings will play in Golden State on Friday, while Milwaukee will host the Atlanta Hawks."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "25", "Hornets": "33"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "96", "Hornets": "90"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Raptors": "26"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "52", "Hornets": "44"}}, {"Assists": {"Courtney Lee": "2", "Marvin Williams": "1", "Jeremy Lin": "7", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Frank Kaminsky": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "6", "Kyle Lowry": "6", "Patrick Patterson": "3", "Cory Joseph": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Courtney Lee": "1", "Kemba Walker": "1", "Frank Kaminsky": "1", "Jonas Valanciunas": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "1"}, "Points": {"Courtney Lee": "11", "Marvin Williams": "15", "Jeremy Lin": "21", "Kemba Walker": "11", "Frank Kaminsky": "9", "Jonas Valanciunas": "12", "DeMar DeRozan": "26", "Kyle Lowry": "21", "Patrick Patterson": "10", "Cory Joseph": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Courtney Lee": "2", "Marvin Williams": "6", "Jeremy Lin": "4", "Kemba Walker": "2", "Al Jefferson": "11", "Frank Kaminsky": "6", "Jonas Valanciunas": "12", "DeMar DeRozan": "7", "Kyle Lowry": "4", "Patrick Patterson": "3", "Cory Joseph": "4"}, "Steals": {"Courtney Lee": "1", "Marvin Williams": "2", "Jeremy Lin": "1", "Kemba Walker": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Patrick Patterson": "2", "Cory Joseph": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kemba Walker": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kemba Walker": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Cory Joseph": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Kemba Walker": "2", "Cory Joseph": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Kemba Walker": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Al Jefferson": "20"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Cory Joseph": "2"}, "Field goal percentage": {"DeMar DeRozan": "37"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Cory Joseph": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Cory Joseph": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Cory Joseph": "2"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (52 - 25) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (44 - 33) 96 - 90 on Tuesday. The Hornets came in to the contest with a playoff spot in hand, while the Raptors were trying to keep their faint chances of catching the top - seeded Cleveland Cavaliers alive. Charlotte, which had won five of their last seven games, and five of their last seven road contests as well, gave Toronto all they could handle until the closing seconds after mounting a furious rally in the fourth quarter. The vistors had entered the final 12 minutes trailing 75 - 59, but a strong effort by Jeremy Lin, who started for the injured Nicolas Batum (knee), helped key the comeback. The Hornets got as close as 93 - 88 with 37 seconds remaining after Kemba Walker successfully converted an and - one, but DeMar DeRozan and Corey Joseph were able to sink two key free throws apiece to seal the win. The Hornets were led by Lin's 21 points, which he supplemented with seven assists, four rebounds and a steal. Marvin Williams followed with 15 points, six rebounds, an assist and two steals. Walker was next with 11 points, two rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block. Courtney Lee managed 11 points, two rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. Frank Kaminsky III paced the bench with nine points, six rebounds, an assist and a block, while Al Jefferson notably hauled in 11 boards in 20 minutes as a reserve. Charlotte is in third place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division, and is slotted in the sixth seed as well. They head to New York to take on the Knicks on Wednesday. Toronto's attack was spearheaded by DeRozan, who poured in a game - high 26 points and added seven rebounds, six assists and a steal. Kyle Lowry tallied 21 points, six assists, four rebounds and a block. Jonas Valanciunas posted a 12 - point, 12 - rebound double - double, and recorded three blocks. Joseph paced the reserves with 11 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal. Patrick Patterson was productive off the bench as well, managing 10 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals. The Raptors remain atop the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division, and due to a Cavs win on Tuesday, remain 4 games back of the top spot in the conference. They head to Atlanta to take on the Hawks on Thursday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "37"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "6", "Warriors": "2"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "88", "Warriors": "104"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Celtics": "9", "Warriors": "31"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "6", "Warriors": "10"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Warriors": "29"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "7", "Klay Thompson": "3", "Marcus Smart": "1", "Avery Bradley": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "4", "Terry Rozier": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "1", "Avery Bradley": "1"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "23", "Zaza Pachulia": "4", "Klay Thompson": "28", "Stephen Curry": "16", "Marcus Smart": "10", "Avery Bradley": "17", "Isaiah Thomas": "18", "Jaylen Brown": "11", "Terry Rozier": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "10", "Avery Bradley": "10", "Isaiah Thomas": "2", "Terry Rozier": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Stephen Curry": "7"}, "Steals": {"Marcus Smart": "2", "Avery Bradley": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Avery Bradley": "35"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics, 104 - 88, at TD Garden on Friday. The Warriors (10 - 2) turned a slim seven - point lead at halftime into a robust 29 - point edge by the end of the third quarter, as they outscored the Celtics (6 - 6) by a 31 - 9 margin during the period. That included a 13 - point outburst over a three - and - a - half - minute stretch, helping Golden State build an advantage they would n't relinquish. The visitors shot 49 percent from the field overall despite a 7 - of - 20 effort from Stephen Curry, while also holding Boston to a 37 percent tally. The Warriors were led by Klay Thompson, who totaled a game - high 28 points that he supplemented with five rebounds and three assists. Kevin Durant was close behind with a 23 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included seven assists, three steals and a block. Curry provided a modest 16 points, along with seven assists, two rebounds, three steals and two blocks. He was only 2 - of - 10 from three - point range, his second - worst effort in that category this season. Zaza Pachulia totaled only four points, but did haul in 12 rebounds. Isaiah Thomas paced the Celtics with 18 points, four assists and two rebounds. Avery Bradley was next with 17 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block while playing a team - high 35 minutes. Marcus Smart drew the start once again at small forward, but left with an ankle contusion after 24 minutes, supplying 10 points, an assist and two steals before exiting. Jaylen Brown and Terry Rozier led the reserves with a pair of 11 - point efforts, with the latter also filling out the stat sheet with seven rebounds and five assists. The Warriors head to Milwaukee for a Saturday night date with the Bucks, while the Celtics head to Detroit to take on the Pistons on Saturday evening as well."], [[{}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kemba Walker": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"Kemba Walker": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Kemba Walker": "6"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Points": {"Kemba Walker": "26"}}], "Kemba Walker is currently in the middle of putting the finishing touches on his 2016 All-Star Game campaign, and while his numbers have been, for the most part, impressive, they have, more often than not, come with a cost. For example, in Wednesday's contest with Golden State, Walker posted an impressive team - high 26 points. He did, however, shoot a fairly poor 9 - of - 23 from the field. This kind of performance has come more often than either Walker or the Hornets would like. In back - to - back games, Walker has scored a total of 47 points, but he's also shot just 16 - of - 47 (34 percent) from the field in those two outings. In fact, in four of his last six games, while Walker is averaging 24 points per game, he has failed to shoot over 40 percent four times. So while the numbers look good on paper, they are tending to come at the cost of efficiency."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "52"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "22", "Spurs": "12"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "111", "Spurs": "92"}, "Rebounds": {"Thunder": "47", "Spurs": "34"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "51", "Spurs": "61"}}, {"Assists": {"David West": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "Points": {"David West": "17", "Jonathon Simmons": "17", "Kevin Durant": "31", "Russell Westbrook": "29", "Enes Kanter": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"David West": "6", "Kevin Durant": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "6", "Enes Kanter": "10"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (51 - 22) defeated the San Antonio Spurs (61 - 12) 111 - 92 on Saturday. The Spurs came into this game extremely shorthanded and it truly showed. It was the second and third quarters when the Thunder put it to the Spurs, as they outscored them by 22 points. The key for Oklahoma City was their rebounding, as they brought down 47 boards to San Antonio's 34. The Thunder shot 52 percent from the field, which is rare for this stingy San Antonio defense. The Spurs played this game without Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker and Tim Duncan and they really struggled. David West was the lone bright spot off the bench, as he tallied 17 points, six rebounds and three assists. Johnathan Simmons also scored 17 off then bench, which tied the team - lead. On deck for San Antonio is a matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday. This was a game that the Thunder were supposed to win and they did a great job of leaving nothing to chance. Russell Westbrook was spectacular, as he accumulated 29 points, six rebounds and eight assists. Kevin Durant led the team with 31 points, while also snatching down 10 rebounds in the win. Enes Kanter double - doubled off the bench, as he scored 20 points to go along with 10 boards. The Thunder will look to extend their winning streak to eight games on Monday against the Toronto Raptors."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "13", "Bulls": "15"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "103", "Bulls": "91"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hornets": "22", "Bulls": "26"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hornets": "26", "Bulls": "14"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "17", "Bulls": "14"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bulls": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "4", "Dwyane Wade": "2", "Rajon Rondo": "10", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "2", "Cody Zeller": "4", "Nicolas Batum": "10", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Frank Kaminsky": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Jimmy Butler": "1", "Taj Gibson": "2", "Nikola Mirotic": "1", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "4", "Cody Zeller": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "1", "Frank Kaminsky": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "4", "Taj Gibson": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "7", "Rajon Rondo": "9", "Nikola Mirotic": "10", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "9", "Cody Zeller": "7", "Nicolas Batum": "11", "Kemba Walker": "5", "Frank Kaminsky": "5"}, "Points": {"Taj Gibson": "10", "Dwyane Wade": "12", "Rajon Rondo": "7", "Doug McDermott": "15", "Nikola Mirotic": "11", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "12", "Cody Zeller": "13", "Nicolas Batum": "20", "Kemba Walker": "20", "Frank Kaminsky": "13"}, "Steals": {"Dwyane Wade": "2", "Rajon Rondo": "2", "Nikola Mirotic": "1", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "1", "Cody Zeller": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "1", "Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Nikola Mirotic": "19"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Chicago Bulls, 103 - 91, at Spectrum Center on Friday night. The Bulls (14 - 15) checked in to Friday night on a downturn, as they'd lost four of their last five. They were able to get off to a fast start, however, outscoring the host Hornets (17 - 13) by a 26 - 22 margin in the first quarter. Charlotte turned the table quickly in the second period, however, almost doubling up the visitors with a 26 - 14 advantage. Although the Bulls bounced back in the third, the Hornets were able to keep pace every step of the way throughout the second half, which resulted in their tenth home win of the season. While Chicago failed to find much scoring from their starting five outside of Jimmy Butler, Charlotte benefited from a balanced effort across their first unit. As customary, the effective backcourt duo of Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum led the way, as they supplied matching 20 - point contributions. Butler's 24 points led the Bulls, a total he supplemented with four rebounds, four assists and a block. Dwyane Wade was second, registering 12 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. Taj Gibson supplied 10 points, three rebounds and a pair of blocks. Rajon Rondo mustered a modest seven points but also provided 10 assists, nine rebounds and two steals. Doug McDermott led the second unit with 15 points, while Nikola Mirotic managed an 11 - point, 10 - rebound double that also included a steal and a block in just 19 minutes off the bench. Walker added five rebounds, four assists and a steal to his co - leading point total, while Batum's performance was a triple - double that also consisted of 11 rebounds, 10 assists, a steal and a block. Cody Zeller went for 13 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had a near double - double with 12 points, nine rebounds, two assists, a steal and four blocks. Frank Kaminsky III paced the bench with 13 points, five boards, an assist and a block. The Bulls are in San Antonio on Christmas Day to take on the Spurs, while the Hornets visit the Brooklyn Nets on Monday evening."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "19", "Nets": "41"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "131", "Nets": "99"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "57", "Nets": "35"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "21"}}, {"Points": {"Brook Lopez": "11", "Al Horford": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Al Horford": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Al Horford": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Al Horford": "21"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (57 - 19) throttled the Brooklyn Nets (35 - 41) by a score of 131 - 99 to tie the franchise record for wins Saturday at the Philips Arena. Atlanta came into Saturday's game on three days rest and it showed early on against a Brooklyn team that ground out a 114 - 109 victory over Toronto on Friday. The Hawks got off to a torrid start, shooting 64 percent in the first half on their way to putting up 66 points through the first 24 minutes. Brooklyn had a difficult time solving Atlanta's defense, which led to 21 turnovers on the night. The Nets will look to avenge this loss Wednesday when these teams match up again in Brooklyn. Brooklyn had vaulted into seventh place in the East with six straight wins coming into Saturday, but sloppy play against the conference's top team was a recipe for disaster. Brook Lopez cooled off from his recent offensive tear, scoring just 11 points and pulling down six rebounds after a 30 point, 17 rebound performance Friday. One positive that can be taken away is that Brooklyn was able to rest its starters for the fourth quarter, giving them some added down time ahead of Monday's game against Portland. Atlanta had n't been playing its best basketball of late, but looked every bit like the best team in the East on Saturday with a dominant performance. Al Horford was the catalyst on offense with 20 points on 10 - of - 13 shooting in just 21 minutes of action. It was an all - around team effort with 40 assists on 49 made baskets. Eight Hawks connected from three point range, totalling 17 made threes for the game. The lone blemish for the Hawks in this game was Paul Millsap, who suffered a shoulder injury and did not return. The Hawks will look to set a new franchise record for wins Tuesday when they host the Suns."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Nets": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Rodney McGruder": "3"}, "Points": {"Rodney McGruder": "11", "Hassan Whiteside": "8", "Wayne Ellington": "9", "Goran Dragic": "21", "Tyler Johnson": "18", "James Johnson": "26", "Okaro White": "10", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "10", "Brook Lopez": "30", "Randy Foye": "15", "Trevor Booker": "8", "Caris LeVert": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Rodney McGruder": "6", "Hassan Whiteside": "9", "Trevor Booker": "10"}, "Steals": {"Rodney McGruder": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Goran Dragic": "18"}, "Minutes played": {"Trevor Booker": "25"}}], "The Nets committed 22 turnovers and were outscored by a 59 - 46 margin in the second half, leading to their 12th straight defeat. The Heat bench compiled 56 points, with James Johnson scoring a team - high 26 points. Goran Dragic was next with 21 points, while Tyler Johnson totaled 18 as a reserve. Rodney McGruder chipped in with a full line of 11 points, six rebounds, three assists and four steals. Okaro White supplied 10 points, while Wayne Ellington went for nine points in a start for Dion Waiters (ankle). Hassan Whiteside supplied a modest line of eight points and nine boards. Brook Lopez's 30 points led Brooklyn, and Randy Foye tallied 15. Bojan Bogdanovic posted 10 points, while Caris LeVert submitted a bench - leading nine points. Trevor Booker managed eight points and 10 boards in 25 minutes."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "10", "Clippers": "24"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "108", "Clippers": "87"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Spurs": "37", "Clippers": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Spurs": "42", "Clippers": "27"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "57", "Clippers": "42"}}, {"Points": {"DeAndre Jordan": "16", "Chris Paul": "22", "Kawhi Leonard": "20", "Patty Mills": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "14", "Chris Paul": "4", "Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Patty Mills": "5"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "8", "Kawhi Leonard": "4", "Patty Mills": "6"}, "Steals": {"Chris Paul": "3", "Kawhi Leonard": "3"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (57 - 10) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers (42 - 24) 108 - 87 on Tuesday. This was a close game throughout, until the fourth quarter. The Spurs bench came in and ran away with the win en route to a 37 - point fourth quarter. They also held the Clippers to just 17 points in that 12 - minute stretch. The rebounding differential was huge, with San Antonio grabbing 42 rebounds to the Clippers 27. Los Angeles did a good job of hanging around, but their weak bench really hurt them down the stretch. Four starters scored at least 14 points, but no bench player scored more than seven. Chris Paul was great though, as he tallied 22 points, eight assists, four rebounds and three steals in the loss. DeAndre Jordan grabbed over half of the teams rebounds, as he snatched 14 rebounds to go along with 16 points. The Clippers will look to play better on Wednesday against the Houston Rockets. No player scored more than 20 for the Spurs, but they put in yet another great team - performance to win a big game. Kawhi Leonard was that leading scorer, as he totaled 20 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals in the win. Patty Mills was a huge spark off the bench, as he amassed 15 points, five rebounds and six assists. San Antonio will look to keep their undefeated home streak alive on Thursday against the Portland Trail Blazers."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "44"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "52"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "2", "Hornets": "17"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "111", "Hornets": "101"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "32", "Hornets": "17"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Marvin Williams": "6"}, "Points": {"Marvin Williams": "8", "Cody Zeller": "8", "Kemba Walker": "22", "Jeremy Lamb": "22", "Brandon Rush": "10", "Draymond Green": "13", "Klay Thompson": "30", "Stephen Curry": "30", "Harrison Barnes": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Marvin Williams": "6", "Kemba Walker": "7", "Draymond Green": "15"}, "Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "3", "Draymond Green": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "21", "Brandon Rush": "7", "Harrison Barnes": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Kemba Walker": "9", "Brandon Rush": "4", "Harrison Barnes": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kemba Walker": "2"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Stephen Curry": "50"}, "Minutes played": {"Harrison Barnes": "20"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (32 - 2) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (17 - 17) 111 - 101 on Monday. Charlotte entered Oracle Arena with an above .500 record as part of an impressive start to the 2015 - 2016 season. While the game was never as close as the final score came out to be, the Hornets played well as a unit and moved the ball fluidly against the league\u2019s best team. Kemba Walker, who has been on a tear over the last week, including two 30 - plus point performances, contributed 22 points, seven rebounds and three assists on 9 - of - 21 shooting. Most notably, Walker is finishing over 50 percent in the paint, a trend that many analysts are highlighting Stephen Curry for improving during the offseason as well. The UCONN product\u2019s touch in the lane is up 10 percent from last season, and is a great sign for the point guard moving forward. The Hornets also look to Jeremy Lamb, who came over from Oklahoma City during the offseason, and matched Walker\u2019s 22 points in 29 minutes off the bench. The loss of Al Jefferson for a reported six weeks is a major blow to the frontcourt, and Marvin Williams and Cody Zeller combo was only good eight points and 16 boards. Shooting 44 percent as a unit will likely get you a competitive game with solid chance at a win, but the Warriors completed 52 percent of their shots, which almost always will result in a loss for the opposition. The Hornets will look to bounce back when they visit the Phoenix Suns (12 - 25) on Wednesday. The Warriors extended their home winning streak to 17 games and Draymond Green complete a triple - double for the third straight game. The early MVP votes may be in favor of Stephen Curry right now, but Draymond Green\u2019s all around impact on the floor is beginning to transcend the league's best forwards. Green finished with 13 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists. Curry and Klay Thompson lit up the arena with 30 points, each, and combined to go 11 - for - 21 from 3 - point territory. The crowd welcomed back Harrison Barnes, who missed the last 16 games with an ankle injury, and pitched in 8 points in 20 minutes off the bench. Brandon Rush started in favor of Barnes, and added an efficient 10 points on 4 - of - 7 shooting. The Warriors head to Staples Center to face the Los Angeles Lakers (8 - 27) on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "37", "Timberwolves": "38"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "103", "Timberwolves": "94"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "10", "Timberwolves": "8"}}, {"Points": {"Nikola Pekovic": "18", "Kevin Martin": "19", "Nerlens Noel": "14", "Michael Carter-Williams": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Pekovic": "7", "Nerlens Noel": "6", "Michael Carter-Williams": "10"}, "Assists": {"Kevin Martin": "5", "Michael Carter-Williams": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Kevin Martin": "30"}, "Blocks": {"Nerlens Noel": "6"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers (10 - 37) notched their 10th win of the season Friday, knocking off the Minnesota Timberwolves (8 - 38) 103 - 94 at the Wells Fargo Center. After starting the season 0 - 17, Philadelphia has played much better of late and has gone 10 - 20 over its last 30 games. While its record in that span may not jump off the page, the emergence of its young players has been encouraging. Michael Carter-Williams had his third triple - double of the season Friday, putting up 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Carter-Williams is now tied with Rajon Rondo for the league lead in triple - doubles. In addition, the 76ers had 16 fast break points, compared to just five such points for the Timberwolves. Minnesota was unable to close the gap late with some poor shooting and a poor defensive effort. There were some bright spots for the Timberwolves, however. Kevin Martin, in his second game back from a wrist injury, had 19 points and five assists in 30 minutes off the bench. Nikola Pekovic looked strong as well, putting up 18 points and seven rebounds. The Timberwolves will play the second half of a back - to - back set Saturday when they host the Cavaliers. Philadelphia scored over 100 points for the first time since a Dec. 13 overtime loss to Memphis. Nerlens Noel continued to be a defensive force Friday, recording six blocks to go along with 14 points and six rebounds. Friday's win was just the third time this season Philadelphia has strung together consecutive wins. Philadelphia will wrap up its back - to - back set Saturday in Atlanta."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "21", "Warriors": "4"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "101", "Warriors": "117"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "26", "Warriors": "12"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "7", "Warriors": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "7", "Zaza Pachulia": "4", "Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "7", "David West": "2", "Brook Lopez": "2", "Sean Kilpatrick": "2", "Jeremy Lin": "11", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "1"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "26", "Zaza Pachulia": "15", "Klay Thompson": "23", "Stephen Curry": "15", "David West": "10", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "12", "Brook Lopez": "28", "Sean Kilpatrick": "14", "Jeremy Lin": "10", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "9", "Zaza Pachulia": "14", "Klay Thompson": "5", "Stephen Curry": "2", "David West": "6", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "3", "Brook Lopez": "8", "Sean Kilpatrick": "4", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "6"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Durant": "3", "Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "5", "Jeremy Lin": "2", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Zaza Pachulia": "1", "David West": "2", "Brook Lopez": "2", "Jeremy Lin": "2", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "13"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Stephen Curry": "6"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 117 - 101, at Barclays Center on Thursday. The Warriors (26 - 4) have a reputation for being just slightly less prolific on the road, but they had no trouble generating offense against the lowest - ranked defensive unit in the league Thursday, even without Draymond Green, who missed the contest for the birth of his child. Kevin Durant led the way with a near double - double consisting of 26 points and nine rebounds, and he added seven assists and three steals. The Golden State defense was the other star on the night, as they elicited 26 turnovers from the Nets, while only committing 12 of their own. Klay Thompson was second with 23 points, five rebounds, two assists and four steals. Stephen Curry had one of his poorer shooting nights, going for only 15 points (6 - 19 FG, 3 - 13 3Pt) and adding seven assists, two rebounds and five steals. Zaza Pachulia was particularly productive, supplying 15 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and a block. David West led the bench with 10 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks. The Nets (7 - 21) were paced by Brook Lopez, who registered 28 points, eight boards, two assists and two blocks. Sean Kilpatrick totaled 14 points, four boards and two assists. Bojan Bogdanovic was next with 12 points and three boards. Jeremy Lin put together a 10 - point, 11 - assist double - double that also included two steals and two blocks. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson collected 13 points, six rebounds, an assist, two steals and a block while leading the second unit. The Warriors visit the Detroit Pistons on Friday night, while the Nets visit the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday evening as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "23", "Heat": "22"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "83", "Heat": "95"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Kings": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Kings": "35", "Heat": "38"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "15", "Heat": "9"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "16", "Heat": "18"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Heat": "47"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "47"}}, {"Assists": {"Luol Deng": "4", "Mario Chalmers": "4", "Shabazz Napier": "5", "DeMarcus Cousins": "5"}, "Points": {"Luol Deng": "25", "Chris Bosh": "30", "Shabazz Napier": "12", "Derrick Williams": "10", "DeMarcus Cousins": "17", "Ben McLemore": "15", "Darren Collison": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Luol Deng": "6", "Shabazz Napier": "6", "DeMarcus Cousins": "11"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Mario Chalmers": "25"}, "Minutes played": {"Shabazz Napier": "38", "Derrick Williams": "33"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "8"}}], "The Heat (18 - 22) knocked off the Kings (16 - 23) 95 - 83 Friday behind 30 points from Chris Bosh. Bosh led all scorers, as the Heat shot 47 percent from the floor and converted 17 - of - 21 free throw attempts. Playing without Dwyane Wade, rookie Shabazz Napier got the start at shooting guard and finished with 12 points, five assists and six rebounds in 38 minutes. Mario Chalmers added 10 points, and Luol Deng had 25 to go with six boards and four assists. Miami won the rebounding battle 38 - 35 and committed only nine turnovers as a team. Sacramento, meanwhile, turned it over 15 times en route to their third loss in four games. The Kings placed four starters in double - figures, led by 17 points from DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins also added 11 rebounds and five assists, but he had eight turnovers and shot 4 - of - 12 from the field. Darren Collison added 13 points for Sacramento and Ben McLemore had 15. Starting in place of the injured Rudy Gay, Derrick Williams chipped in 10 points in 33 minutes. Up next, the Kings host the Clippers on Saturday. Miami is off until Thursday when they return home to face the Thunder."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "18", "Bucks": "38"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "101", "Bucks": "88"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "56", "Bucks": "36"}}, {"Points": {"Zaza Pachulia": "17", "Michael Carter-Williams": "4", "Kyle Korver": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Zaza Pachulia": "13"}, "Assists": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "21"}, "Turnovers": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Korver": "3"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (56 - 18) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (36 - 38) 101 - 88 on Monday at the Philips Arena. When the Bucks cut the Hawks' lead to five midway through the third quarter, it appeared to be anyone's game. However, after an Atlanta timeout, the Hawks' Kyle Korver made his mark on the game. Korver scored 11 straight points, including three three - pointers, help break the game open. The Hawks are now one game away from tying the single season franchise record for wins. Milwaukee was coming off a 108 - 95 loss to Golden State at home Saturday and fell again Monday. The Bucks, who are just 2 games ahead of the Heat for the sixth seed in the East, have now dropped eight of their last ten. Michael Carter-Williams was able to play after being away from the team to attend the funeral of a family member. Carter-Williams shot just 1 - for - 6 from the floor and finished with four points, five assists, and four turnovers in 21 minutes. Zaza Pachulia had 17 points and 13 rebounds against his former team. The Bucks will look to bounce back Wednesday against the Bulls in what could be a playoff preview. Atlanta deployed all of its usual starters Monday after resting them against Charlotte one night after clinching the number one seed in the East. Dennis Schroder suffered a left toe injury during Monday's contest and coach Mike Budenholzer said in his post game press conference that the second year guard will not travel with the team to Detroit for Tuesday's game. Schroder has been a great contributor off the bench and in spot start situations this season, so the Hawks will be cautious with him as they already have the top seed secured."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "26", "Clippers": "26"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "122", "Clippers": "126"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "30", "Clippers": "41"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "48", "Clippers": "50"}}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "8", "Chris Paul": "17", "Nicolas Batum": "4", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "Damian Lillard": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Blake Griffin": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "2", "JJ Redick": "9", "Chris Paul": "9", "Nicolas Batum": "7", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Damian Lillard": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Blake Griffin": "2", "JJ Redick": "5", "Chris Paul": "5", "Nicolas Batum": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "0", "Damian Lillard": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "18", "JJ Redick": "20", "Chris Paul": "21", "Nicolas Batum": "11", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "22", "Damian Lillard": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Blake Griffin": "10", "JJ Redick": "9", "Chris Paul": "13", "Nicolas Batum": "7", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "10", "Damian Lillard": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Blake Griffin": "38", "JJ Redick": "35", "Chris Paul": "39", "Nicolas Batum": "33", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "37", "Damian Lillard": "36"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "24", "JJ Redick": "25", "Chris Paul": "41", "Nicolas Batum": "21", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "29", "Damian Lillard": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "7", "JJ Redick": "8", "Chris Paul": "5", "Nicolas Batum": "4", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "6", "Damian Lillard": "3"}, "Steals": {"Blake Griffin": "1", "Chris Paul": "4", "Nicolas Batum": "3", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Chris Paul": "4"}}], "The Clippers (50 - 26) defeated the Trail Blazers (48 - 26) 126 - 122 at the Moda Center on Wednesday. The Trail Blazers led by 13 points at halftime, but the Clippers methodically crept back into the game, cutting the lead to seven points by the end of the third quarter. In the fourth, the Clippers outscored the Trail Blazers 41 - 30. With less than seven minutes remaining, they took the lead 100 - 98. Three-pointers from Blake Griffin and Chris Paul on back - to - back Clippers' possessions extended the lead to six points. With less than two minutes to go, the Clippers led by 10. The Trail Blazers were able to cut the lead to three points with 19 seconds on the clock, but Chris Paul made four consecutive free throws to ice the game. Chris Paul had a monster game, putting up 41 points (13 - 21 FG, 5 - 9 3Pt), to go with five rebounds, 17 assists and four steals in 39 minutes. At one point, Chris Kaman shoved Paul to the ground after it appeared Paul hit him in the groin. J.J. Redick had 25 points (9 - 20 FG, 5 - 9 3Pt) and eight rebounds in 35 minutes. He's averaging 20 points over his last five games. Blake Griffin had 24 points (10 - 18 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt), seven rebounds, eight assists, one steal and one block in 38 minutes. LaMarcus Aldridge was the Trail Blazers' leading scorer with 29 points (10 - 22 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt), to go with six rebounds, two assists and one steal in 37 minutes. Nicolas Batum had 21 points (7 - 11 FG, 5 - 7 3Pt), four rebounds, four assists and three steals in 33 minutes. Damian Lillard had 18 points (7 - 14 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt), three rebounds and 10 assists in 36 minutes. The Trail Blazers are fourth in the Western Conference, ahead of the fifth place Clippers by way of tiebreaker. The Clippers finished the season series with the Trail Blazers up 3 - 1."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Celtics": "28"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hornets": "28"}}, {"Points": {"Marvin Williams": "12", "Nicolas Batum": "22", "Ramon Sessions": "13", "Marco Belinelli": "11", "Jeremy Lamb": "10", "Jae Crowder": "12", "Al Horford": "18", "Avery Bradley": "12", "Jonas Jerebko": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Nicolas Batum": "10"}}], "The returning Isaiah Thomas' game - high 28 points led the Celtics, while the Hornets had trouble compensating for the absence of their star point guard Kemba Walker, who missed Friday's tilt for personal reasons. Fill-in Ramon Sessions did a respectable job on the offensive end with 13 points, but allowed Thomas to shoot 50 percent (10 - of - 20) from the field. Boston won the game with a second - half surge that saw them erase a 50 - 41 halftime deficit with a 55 - 38 edge over the third and fourth periods. Al Horford (18 points), Jae Crowder (12 points) and Avery Bradley (12 points) were productive, while Jonas Jerebko's nine points led the second unit. Nicolas Batum's 22 - point, 10 - rebound double - double partly helped to make up for Walker's absence. Marvin Williams supplied 12 points, followed by reserves Marco Belinelli (11 points) and Jeremy Lamb (10 points)."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Grizzlies": "22"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "7", "Jazz": "20"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "91", "Jazz": "97"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Grizzlies": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Grizzlies": "34", "Jazz": "49"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "21", "Jazz": "9"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "4", "Alec Burks": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "2", "Alec Burks": "4", "Marc Gasol": "1", "Courtney Lee": "7", "Mike Conley": "6", "Vince Carter": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Gordon Hayward": "2", "Alec Burks": "2", "Courtney Lee": "0", "Mike Conley": "4", "Vince Carter": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "12", "Alec Burks": "14", "Marc Gasol": "22", "Mike Conley": "22", "Vince Carter": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "7", "Alec Burks": "7", "Marc Gasol": "10", "Mike Conley": "12", "Vince Carter": "4"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "21", "Enes Kanter": "13", "Alec Burks": "23", "Rudy Gobert": "2", "Marc Gasol": "24", "Courtney Lee": "13", "Mike Conley": "28", "Vince Carter": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "4", "Enes Kanter": "9", "Rudy Gobert": "16", "Marc Gasol": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Alec Burks": "8", "Vince Carter": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Alec Burks": "7", "Vince Carter": "2"}}], "The Utah Jazz (9 - 20) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (21 - 7) 97 - 91 on Monday at Fed Ex Forum Arena in Memphis. The Jazz secured a surprising victory over one of the best teams in the Western Conference on Monday. Despite turning the ball over eight more times than the Grizzlies, the Jazz were able to out - rebound them 49 - 34, which gave them just enough of an advantage to steal the victory on the road. The Jazz had four starters reach double figures in points in this one. Alec Burks led the team with 23 points (7 - 14 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT) and four assists. After struggling offensively with his shot in the past two outings, Burks was able to turn it around against the Grizzlies, and give them a a big boost in the win. Gordon Hayward was also a solid contributor, as he shot 7 - for - 12 from the field and 2 - for - 2 from the three - point line to score 21 points, while also adding four rebounds and four assists. He's now averaging 19 points and 5 rebounds on the year. Coming one rebound short of a double - double, Enes Kanter finished with 13 points and nine rebounds. He only had four points on Saturday, so it was good to see him get back on track. Also, coming off the bench, Rudy Gobert had a monster day on the boards, recording 16 rebounds despite scoring only two points. He was a big reason the Jazz took home the rebounding advantage. The Grizzlies got most of their production from Mike Conley and Marc Gasol, as both were able to get off 22 shots of their own. Gasol went 10 - for - 22 from the field to score 24 points, while also grabbing 12 rebounds. Continuing to show himself as one of the best centers in the league, it was Gasol's third straight double - double. Conley on the other hand went 12 - for - 22 from the field and 4 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 28 points. It was good enough for his second highest scoring output of the season. The only other starter to have any sort of production was Courtney Lee, who despite going 0 - for - 7 from the three - point line, scored 13 points in 37 minutes. Vince Carter led the bench with 12 points (4 - 7 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) in 21 minutes. The Jazz's next game will be at home against the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday, while the Grizzlies will be at home against the Houston Rockets on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "39", "Timberwolves": "54"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "104", "Timberwolves": "106"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "31", "Timberwolves": "16"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Timberwolves": "20"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "22"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Zach LaVine": "6", "Chase Budinger": "8", "Sean Kilpatrick": "4", "Joe Ingles": "6", "Trey Burke": "13"}, "3-pointers made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "0", "Zach LaVine": "5", "Chase Budinger": "4", "Sean Kilpatrick": "3", "Joe Ingles": "4", "Trey Burke": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "19", "Zach LaVine": "19", "Chase Budinger": "13", "Sean Kilpatrick": "7", "Joe Ingles": "10", "Derrick Favors": "13", "Rudy Gobert": "11", "Trey Burke": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "10", "Zach LaVine": "7", "Chase Budinger": "4", "Sean Kilpatrick": "4", "Joe Ingles": "7", "Derrick Favors": "8", "Rudy Gobert": "7", "Trey Burke": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Chase Budinger": "3", "Sean Kilpatrick": "2", "Derrick Favors": "7", "Rudy Gobert": "8", "Trey Burke": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Chase Budinger": "3", "Sean Kilpatrick": "2", "Derrick Favors": "3", "Rudy Gobert": "4", "Trey Burke": "6"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "22", "Zach LaVine": "27", "Chase Budinger": "15", "Sean Kilpatrick": "13", "Joe Ingles": "18", "Derrick Favors": "19", "Rudy Gobert": "18", "Trey Burke": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "7", "Zach LaVine": "3", "Derrick Favors": "12", "Rudy Gobert": "17"}, "Steals": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Trey Burke": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Andrew Wiggins": "4"}, "Assists": {"Zach LaVine": "4", "Chase Budinger": "5", "Trey Burke": "6"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Zach LaVine": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Zach LaVine": "46", "Trey Burke": "38"}, "Personal fouls": {"Zach LaVine": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Derrick Favors": "2", "Rudy Gobert": "6"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (16 - 54) defeated the Utah Jazz (31 - 39) 106 - 104 on Monday at Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City. After Trey Burke hit two free throws to put the Utah Jazz up by three with just under 20 seconds left in the game, rookie guard Zach LaVine came back and hit a three - pointer for the Timberwolves to tie the game with just over 12 seconds left in regulation. Burke then had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but he missed a three - point shot and it went to overtime. While it was a close overtime battle, the Timberwolves were able to come out on top, securing the two - point victory on the road, something they've only done seven times this season. Including two three - pointers in the final 22 seconds of regulation that kept Minnesota in the game and some clutch free throws at the end of overtime, LaVine was the star for the Timberwolves Monday. He went 7 - for - 19 from the field and 5 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 27 points, while also posting four assists in 46 minutes. It was a career - high in points for the guard, who's now scored 20 points or more three times over his last five games. During that five - game stretch, he's averaging 15 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists as he's beginning to find his groove. Do n't overlook the performance from Andrew Wiggins though, who finished with 22 points (10 - 19 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT) of his own, to go along with seven rebounds and two steals. He's shot the ball well of late, going 50 percent or higher from the field in three out of his last four games. Coming off the bench, Chase Budinger added 15 points (4 - 13 FG, 4 - 8 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT) and five assists, while Sean Kilpatrick added a career - high of 13 points (4 - 7 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) in just his second NBA regular season game ever. With Gordon Hayward out due to a collarbone injury, Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert did everything they could to keep the Jazz afloat. Each recorded a double - double, as Favors posted 19 points (8 - 13 FG, 3 - 7 FT) and 12 rebounds, while Gobert had 18 points (7 - 11 FG, 4 - 8 FT), 17 rebounds and six blocked shots. Favors has posted two double - doubles in a row now, combining for 40 points and 23 rebounds during that span. Starting for Hayward, Joe Ingles made the most of the start, going 7 - for - 10 from the field and 4 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 18 points. It was a season - high in points for Ingles, who's only reached double - digit points in 10 games this season. Trey Burke really struggled with his shot off the bench, but still chipped in with 16 points (4 - 22 FG, 2 - 13 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT), six assists and four steals in 38 minutes. The Jazz's next game will be at home against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, while the Timberwolves will be at home against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "37", "Hawks": "41"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "22", "Hawks": "8"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "92", "Hawks": "98"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "11", "Hawks": "24"}}, {"Personal fouls": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2", "Gordon Hayward": "4"}, "Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "10", "Paul Millsap": "15", "Al Horford": "13", "Jeff Teague": "26", "Gordon Hayward": "18", "Enes Kanter": "11", "Dante Exum": "13", "Rudy Gobert": "11"}, "Turnovers": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2", "Al Horford": "2", "Dante Exum": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "11", "Al Horford": "13", "Jeff Teague": "17", "Gordon Hayward": "14", "Dante Exum": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul Millsap": "2", "Jeff Teague": "9", "Gordon Hayward": "6", "Dante Exum": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "10", "Al Horford": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul Millsap": "10", "Gordon Hayward": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "11", "Dante Exum": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Al Horford": "2"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "8", "Dante Exum": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jeff Teague": "4", "Gordon Hayward": "3", "Dante Exum": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jeff Teague": "2", "Gordon Hayward": "2", "Dante Exum": "3"}, "Steals": {"Jeff Teague": "3", "Dante Exum": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Gordon Hayward": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Gordon Hayward": "1"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (24 - 8) defeated the Utah Jazz (11 - 22) 98 - 92 on Friday at Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City. Notching their third victory in a row, the Hawks were able to hold off a fourth quarter comeback attempt from the Jazz. The Hawks were the superior shooters in this one, going 41 percent from the field compared to the Jazz who went just 37 percent. Free throws were also a factor, as Atlanta went 26 - for - 30 from the line, while Utah went 18 - for - 24 from the line. With the superior shooting and the free throw advantage, the Hawks were able to secure a cross - conference road victory. The Hawks were led by Jeff Teague in this one. Teague went 9 - for - 17 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from the three - point line to finish with 26 points and eight assists. Over his last three outings, he's now averaging 25 points and 9 assists per game as the unquestioned offensive leader of this team. Paul Millsap also had a productive game despite going only 2 - for - 11 from the field. He scored 15 points, but most of it came from the free throw line where he went a perfect 10 - of - 10 on the night. Along with the 15 points, he added 11 rebounds, giving him his eigth double - double of the year. The other two Hawks to reach double figures in points were Al Horford and DeMarre Carroll, as they finished with 13 and 10 points respectively. Gordon Hayward had the biggest day for the Jazz. He went 6 - for - 14 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line to have a team - high of 18 points. It was n't quite on par with his two previous games, where he recorded 26 and 22 points, but on a night where the team as a whole really struggled, it was the best that he could do. He's now averaging 19 points and 5 rebounds on the year. Rookie Dante Exum had one of his better offensive outings of the year. He had a career - high of 13 points (5 - 9 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt), while also chipping in two rebounds two assists and another career - high of three steals. He's only reached double figures in points four other times this season, so it was somewhat of a surprise performance. Enes Kanter and Rudy Gobert had 11 points each. The Hawks' next game will be on the road against the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday, while the Jazz will travel to Minnesota to play the Timberwolves on Saturday."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Robert Covington": "19", "Ersan Ilyasova": "23", "Joel Embiid": "23", "Dario Saric": "13", "Nikola Jokic": "25", "Gary Harris": "17", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "13", "Joel Embiid": "6", "Dario Saric": "11", "Gary Harris": "4"}, "Assists": {"Joel Embiid": "5", "T.J. McConnell": "8", "Dario Saric": "5", "Gary Harris": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Joel Embiid": "3"}, "Steals": {"Joel Embiid": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "7"}}], "Philadelphia saw a surprisingly strong offensive night in Denver on Friday. The team hit 16 three - pointers and shot over 48 percent from three - point range. Center Joel Embiid scored 23 points and stuffed the stat sheet, recording six rebounds, five assists, two steals, and three blocks. Forward Ersan Ilyasova, meanwhile, led the team with 13 rebounds and had 23 points of his own. Forward Dario Saric posted a double - double off the bench, scoring 13 to go wtih 11 rebounds and five assists. Robert Covington scored 19, and point guard T.J. McConnell had 18 points and eight assists. Denver, on the other hand, shot a superior 47 percent from the field but did not match Philly's three - point output. Center Nikola Jokic led the way with 25 points, while point guard Emmanuel Mudiay had 22 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting. Gary Harris scored 17 along with four rebounds and four assists."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "4", "Marc Gasol": "7", "Mike Conley": "6"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "22", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "21", "Marc Gasol": "16", "Mike Conley": "19", "Zach Randolph": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "7", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "9", "Marc Gasol": "5", "Mike Conley": "7", "Zach Randolph": "7"}}], "This was a potential playoff preview and it had a playoff atmosphere to it. In fact, there were six ties and 15 lead changes in total, with neither team leading by more than 11 points. Memphis actually led for the final 22 minutes, as they held San Antonio at bay in the second half. Three-point shooting was the only real advantage for Memphis, as they went 13 - of - 30 from long range, while the Spurs hit just 9 - of - 28. Kawhi Leonard led San Antonio in scoring, as he accrued 22 points, seven rebounds and three assists. LaMarcus Aldridge finished second on the team, collecting 21 points, nine rebounds and four assists. No other starter had more than four points, five rebounds or two assists. Mike Conley carried Memphis to victory, as he accumulated 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Marc Gasol finished with 16 points, five rebounds and seven assists. Zach Randolph led the bench with 18 points and seven rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "32", "Hawks": "22"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "91", "Hawks": "85"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "50", "Hawks": "60"}}, {"Minutes played": {"DeMarre Carroll": "27", "Paul Millsap": "27", "Dennis Schroder": "17", "Derrick Rose": "10", "Aaron Brooks": "33"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dennis Schroder": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Dennis Schroder": "9"}, "Points": {"Dennis Schroder": "21", "Aaron Brooks": "23"}, "Assists": {"Aaron Brooks": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Aaron Brooks": "6"}, "Steals": {"Aaron Brooks": "4"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (50 - 32) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (60 - 22) 91 - 85 on Wednesday. Derrick Rose played just ten minutes but the Bulls were able to take the regular season finale, in a game with lots of playoff implications. With the victory, Chicago was able to secure the third seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Toronto Raptors won earlier in the night, which put the Bulls in jeopardy of dropping to the fourth seed. However, that was not the case as they were able to beat the number one seeded Atlanta Hawks. Aaron Brooks stepped his game up with Rose still getting the rust off from his most recent knee injury. Brooks played 33 minutes and had 23 points, six rebounds, three assists and four steals. The Bulls will take on the sixth seeded Milwaukee Bucks (41 - 41) when the playoffs begin this weekend. The Hawks wrapped up the first seed long ago and had little to play for as the regular season wound down. Dennis Schroder was a spark plug off the bench. He scored 21 points in 17 minutes of 9 - of - 13 shooting from the field. Paul Millsap and DeMarre Carroll each played 27 minutes but other than that no Atlanta player saw the floor for more than 23 minutes. They ended the season on a three - game losing streak but were looking to stay healthy and rested for their up - coming playoff appearance as the first seed in the Eastern Conference."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Mike Conley": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Mike Conley": "3"}, "Points": {"Mike Conley": "13"}}], "Mike Conley's horrid 3 - of - 14 shooting performance that led to 13 points Thursday against the Clippers was as uncharacteristic as it gets for the veteran point guard, especially when you consider what he was producing coming into Thursday's game. In the five games prior to Thursday's blowout, Conley was averaging 29 points per game, but most importantly, he was doing so at a very efficient rate, shooting 55 percent from the field in those five games. Not only did Conley's 13 points leave him well short of his recent average, but Thursday was the first time since Jan. 25 that the point guard shot under 30 percent from the field and it was his worst shooting performance since Dec. 8, when he hit just 3 - of - 16 shots from the field overall in a loss to the Jazz."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Celtics": "36"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "44"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nets": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Nets": "44"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Brook Lopez": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Brook Lopez": "1"}, "Points": {"Brook Lopez": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "5"}}], "If it were not for the Nets bench Wednesday, the Celtics might have blown out Brooklyn. The four bench players who played at least 20 minutes for the Nets combined for 56 points and 19 rebounds. In contrast, the five bench players for the Celtics combined for just 40 points and 15 rebounds. Brook Lopez is Brooklyn's best player, but he tallied just seven points and five rebounds on 1 - for - 7 shooting in the loss. The 36 assists for the Celtics is a trend that is likely to continue, as they finished in the top five in the NBA in team assists last season and record more passes than almost any other team. The 44 three - point attempts for the Nets were a franchise record, topping their previous high of 40. These teams will square off again Nov. 23 at Brooklyn."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Thunder": "19"}, "Turnovers": {"Thunder": "19", "Lakers": "21"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "3"}}, {"Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "16"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"Russell Westbrook": "3"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "33"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "7"}}], "Triple-doubles are becoming the norm for Russell Westbrook, who now has two through three games. Sunday's 33 - point, 12 - rebound, 16 - assist outing was the 39th triple - double of Westbrook's career and his second straight. The Thunder point guard is now the first player ever to record 100 points, 30 rebounds, and 30 assists through the first three games of a season. The game comes on the heels of a historic night for Westbrook on Friday, in which the guard recorded the first 50 - point triple - double since 1975. There was a downside to Westbrook's night, however, as he turned the ball over seven times. It was a turnover - heavy night for both sides, with the Thunder coughing the ball up 19 times and the Lakers turning it over 21 times. The Lakers' starting five alone committed 11 TOs."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Grizzlies": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "2", "Marc Gasol": "1", "Mike Conley": "9", "Zach Randolph": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Gordon Hayward": "34", "Chandler Parsons": "16", "Marc Gasol": "34", "Mike Conley": "35", "Zach Randolph": "27"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "22", "George Hill": "15", "Trey Lyles": "11", "Chandler Parsons": "9", "Marc Gasol": "17", "Mike Conley": "19", "Zach Randolph": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Marc Gasol": "4", "Mike Conley": "2", "Zach Randolph": "11"}, "Steals": {"Gordon Hayward": "2", "Marc Gasol": "3", "Mike Conley": "1", "Zach Randolph": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chandler Parsons": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Chandler Parsons": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Mike Conley": "3"}}], "Only three players scored in double digits for the Grizzlies, led by Mike Conley, who finished with 19 points, to go along with nine assists, two rebounds and one steal, in 35 minutes. Marc Gasol finished with 17 points, four rebounds, three steals and one assist, in 34 minutes, while Zach Randolph chipped in 13 points, 11 rebounds, three steals, two blocks and one assist, in 27 minutes off the bench. Chandler Parsons was limited to only 16 minutes, and finished with nine points on 3 - of - 4 shooting, including 2 - of - 3 from deep. Utah also only had three players score in double digits in this defense - oriented contest. Gordon Hayward led the way for the Jazz, with 22 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals, in 34 minutes. George Hill finished with 15 points, and Trey Lyles chipped in 11 off the bench."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "16", "Clippers": "10"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "100", "Clippers": "105"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "7", "Clippers": "14"}}, {"Points": {"Blake Griffin": "21", "Thaddeus Young": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "9"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Thaddeus Young": "1"}, "Steals": {"Thaddeus Young": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Thaddeus Young": "1"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (14 - 10) recorded the franchise's first ever win in Brooklyn on Saturday, defeating the Nets (7 - 16) by a score of 105 - 100. The Clippers, after getting off to a rocky start, have now won seven of their last nine games, and are quickly establishing position in the Western Conference playoff picture. All-Star power forward Blake Griffin once again came up big for the Clippers, tying for the team lead in points with 21 and also pulling down nine rebounds. With point guard Chris Paul having a slightly substandard year, largely due to being hampered by nagging injuries, Griffin has many saying that he has emerged as the face of the franchise. The superstar had a career year in 2013 - 14 when Paul missed time due to injury, finishing third in MVP voting. Now, the 26 - year - old looks as though he has elevated his game to a new level, as he is currently tied for his career high in scoring while having brought up his rebounding and percentages from last season. Brooklyn was also surging heading into Saturday's matchup. The previously struggling team had won four of their last six before facing off against the Clippers. Despite this stretch of strong play, the Nets (currently holders of the second - worst record in the East) still find themselves in a troubling spot, particularly as they do not own their own pick in the 2016 draft. Despite the loss, however, Brooklyn was able to keep the game close against the Western Conference contenders. The Nets were able to take a balanced approach on offense, as all five starters scored in the teens. Power forward Thaddeus Young shone once again, posting 18 points on 9 - 16 shooting to add to what has been an impressive season for the veteran. Young's shooting on the season sits at 53 percent, and his offense has been one of the bright spots of Brooklyn's 2015 - 16 campaign. The Clippers got the result they wanted in Brooklyn, and will now prepare to travel to Detroit to take on Andre Drummond and the Pistons on Sunday. Brooklyn, meanwhile, will be challenged by Orlando as they play host to the Magic this Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "39"}}, {"Points": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "22", "Brook Lopez": "20", "Joe Harris": "12", "Trevor Booker": "10", "Isaiah Whitehead": "11", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "14", "Marvin Williams": "14", "Frank Kaminsky": "12", "Nicolas Batum": "17", "Kemba Walker": "17", "Jeremy Lamb": "16", "Marco Belinelli": "17"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Trevor Booker": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Trevor Booker": "11", "Isaiah Whitehead": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Booker": "12", "Frank Kaminsky": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Jeremy Lamb": "19"}}], "Brooklyn limited the Hornets to 39 and 27 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively, but also battled back from a 54 - 37 halftime deficit to score 70 points in the second half. Ultimately, however, two clutch free throws by Marco Belinelli with six seconds remaining sealed the win for Charlotte. Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum supplied matching 17 - point efforts. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Marvin Williams managed 14 points apiece. Frank Kaminsky turned in a 12 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. Belinelli's 17 points led the bench, while Jeremy Lamb provided 16 points in 19 minutes. Bojan Bogdanovic's 22 points and his two three - pointers in the closing seconds kept things interesting. Brook Lopez registered 20 points, and Joe Harris' 12 points led the bench. Isaiah Whitehead submitted 11, while Trevor Booker posted a 10 - point, 12 - rebound double - double."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "50"}}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "5"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "32", "DeAndre Jordan": "28", "Jamal Crawford": "20", "Carmelo Anthony": "28", "Kristaps Porzingis": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "15"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "27"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers saw strong play to overcome a stellar night from the Knicks on Wednesday. Center DeAndre Jordan recorded a career - high 28 points on 11 - of - 13 shooting to go along with a team - high 15 rebounds on the night. Superstar Blake Griffin, meanwhile, scored 32 points and dished out five assists. Off the bench, sixth man Jamal Crawford scored 20. The team shot 49 percent from the field as a whole and hit 10 three - pointers. The Knicks, on the other hand, shot 50 percent but just 29 percent from beyond the arc, good for eight three - pointers. Veteran Carmelo Anthony led the team with 28 points, while sophomore phenom Kristaps Porzingis added another 27 on 10 - of - 19 shooting. Four starters finished with at least 18 points, but the bench proved to be the Knicks' downfall, as no member of the second unit scored more than five points on the night."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "50", "Spurs": "42"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "18", "Spurs": "9"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "105", "Spurs": "86"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Clippers": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"Clippers": "45", "Spurs": "33"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "36", "Spurs": "45"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "3"}, "Points": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "10", "Tony Parker": "14", "Chris Paul": "28", "Jamal Crawford": "19"}, "Assists": {"Tony Parker": "4", "Chris Paul": "12", "Jamal Crawford": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "17", "Chris Paul": "5"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (36 - 18) defeated the San Antonio Spurs (45 - 9) 105 - 86 in a grinder of a game on Thursday night. Both teams came into this game with a lengthy lay - off and it was evident by their play. The two teams combined for just 76 points in the first half on 40 percent shooting. In fact, the 34 - point first half for the Spurs was their lowest - scoring half of the season. It was the rebounding that won the game for the Clippers, as they snatched down 45 boards to the Spurs 33. Los Angeles finished the game shooting 50 percent, with the Spurs shooting just 42 percent on their end. The Spurs had to play this game without their only 2015 - 16 All-Star and it was clear they missed him. Kawhi Leonard had to miss the game with a calf injury and no one stepped up in his absence. LaMarcus Aldridge scored 10 points, shooting just 3 - for - 12 from the field. Tony Parker led the team with 14 points and dished out four assists in the defeat. San Antonio has a short turnaround, as they play the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday in a back - to - back set. The Clippers played one of their best defensive games of the season in a statement win. Chris Paul had a huge night, as he finished the game with 28 points, 12 assists and five rebounds, with 24 of those points coming in the second half. DeAndre Jordan controlled the rebounding, as he snatched down 17 rebounds in the victory. Jamal Crawford continued his good play off the bench, as he totaled 19 points and six assists in the win. Up next for the Clippers is a rivalry game against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Timberwolves": "24"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "24"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "13", "Andrew Wiggins": "19", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "13", "Zach LaVine": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "4", "George Hill": "5", "Andrew Wiggins": "6", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "5", "Zach LaVine": "10"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "16", "Rudy Gobert": "12", "George Hill": "19", "Andrew Wiggins": "16", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "18", "Zach LaVine": "24"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Rudy Gobert": "31", "George Hill": "33", "Andrew Wiggins": "38", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "41", "Zach LaVine": "38"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "13", "George Hill": "5", "Andrew Wiggins": "5", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "15", "Zach LaVine": "9"}, "Assists": {"George Hill": "7", "Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Zach LaVine": "4"}, "Steals": {"Zach LaVine": "1"}}], "All five starters scored in double digits for the Timberwolves, led by Zach LaVine who finished with 24 points on 10 - of - 21 shooting, and added nine rebounds, four assists and one steal, in 38 minutes. Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 18 points and 15 rebounds, in 41 minutes, as he went only 5 - of - 13 from the field. Andrew Wiggins shot 6 - of - 19 on his way to 16 points to go along with five rebounds and four assists, in 38 minutes. Five players only combined for 11 points off Minnesota's bench. Meanwhile, The Jazz also had five players score in double digits, as George Hill led the way with 19 points, along with seven assists and five rebounds, in 33 minutes. Gordon Hayward followed up with 16 points but struggled, shooting 4 - of - 13 from the field. Rudy Gobert was solid in the paint, as he finished with 12 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks, in 31 minutes."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "19"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "95", "Grizzlies": "102"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Jazz": "16", "Grizzlies": "26"}, "Turnovers": {"Jazz": "13", "Grizzlies": "7"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "30"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "42"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "51"}}, {"Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "5", "Mike Conley": "3", "Gordon Hayward": "5", "George Hill": "5"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "18", "Mike Conley": "23", "Zach Randolph": "28", "Gordon Hayward": "14", "Rudy Gobert": "15", "Rodney Hood": "20", "George Hill": "16", "Alec Burks": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "4", "Mike Conley": "3", "Zach Randolph": "9", "George Hill": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "13", "Alec Burks": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "4", "Alec Burks": "4"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the host Utah Jazz, 102 - 95, at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Saturday. In a battle between two of the best defenses in the NBA, this game was tight throughout. Despite there being just two ties and seven lead changes, neither team led by more than 12 points. The Grizzlies did their most damage in the second quarter, winning that quarter, 26 - 16. Memphis had one of their best shooting games of the season, hitting 51 percent from the field, 90 percent from the free - throw line and 42 percent from three - point range. The turnover differential was big for the Grizzlies, as they won that battle, 13 - 7. The Grizzlies (28 - 20) have struggled on offense all season long, but a 102 - point outing against the Utah Jazz is just what the doctor ordered. Zach Randolph was the catalyst, as he scored a season - high 28 points off the bench, while also grabbing nine boards. Mike Conley led the starters in scoring, tallying 23 points, three rebounds and three assists. Marc Gasol was the only other Memphis player in double figures, as he accumulated 18 points, four rebounds and five assists. The Grizzlies will be on the road for their next game on Monday against the Phoenix Suns. The Jazz (30 - 19) did have five players score at least 14 points, but the other five players combined for just 15 points in total. Rodney Hood led the team in scoring, as he dropped 20 points, with very little else to his name. Gordon Hayward went just 4 - of - 13 from the field, but accrued 14 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Rudy Gobert totaled 15 points and nine rebounds, while George Hill collected 16 points, three rebounds and five assists. Alec Burks led the bench in scoring, dropping 15 points on 4 - of - 5 from the field. Utah will return to action on Tuesday in a home matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks."], [[{"Total points": {"Wizards": "91", "Hawks": "94"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "2"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "4"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "5", "Kyle Korver": "7", "Bradley Beal": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "3", "Kyle Korver": "0", "Bradley Beal": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "14", "Kyle Korver": "8", "Bradley Beal": "24", "John Wall": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "9", "Kyle Korver": "1", "Bradley Beal": "11", "John Wall": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMarre Carroll": "37", "Kyle Korver": "40", "Jeff Teague": "36", "Bradley Beal": "43", "John Wall": "44", "Kevin Seraphin": "28"}, "Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "25", "Al Horford": "13", "Kyle Korver": "2", "Jeff Teague": "20", "Bradley Beal": "29", "John Wall": "20", "Kevin Seraphin": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarre Carroll": "10", "Jeff Teague": "5", "Bradley Beal": "6", "John Wall": "6", "Kevin Seraphin": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Al Horford": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Al Horford": "2"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Korver": "2", "Jeff Teague": "7", "Bradley Beal": "3", "John Wall": "13"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Kyle Korver": "13"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kyle Korver": "2"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (8 - 4) defeated the Washington Wizards (6 - 4) 94 - 91 in Game 6 of their second - round playoff series on Friday in Washington and have won the series 4 - 2. While it appeared as though the Hawks were about to run away with it, boasting a double - digit lead early in the fourth quarter, the Wizards established they weren\u2019t going to go down without a fight. After storming back to tie the game late, it was a battle till the bitter end. Down three, Washington had one final possession to tie the game and send it into overtime. Paul Pierce got the ball on the wing, dribbled to the corner and hoisted up a desperation three. It went in, and after the Wizards thought they had extended their season, further review showed that Pierce did not get off the shot in time, giving Atlanta the victory. DeMarre Carroll led the way for the Hawks, posting a team - high 25 points (9 - 14 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt) and grabbing 10 rebounds in 37 minutes. Paul Milsap was close behind, posting a double - double of his own of 20 points (7 - 20 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt) and 13 rebounds in 40 minutes. Jeff Teague was able to add 20 points of his own to go along with five rebounds and seven assists in 36 minutes. Al Horford (13) was the only other Atlanta player to score in double figures, while Kyle Korver continues to struggle in the playoffs, going 1 - of - 8 from the field and 0 - of - 7 from behind the arc and finishing with just two points in 40 minutes. After two days rest, it was clear that head coach Mike Budenholzer dominantly played his starters in an effort to close out the series while they had the chance, seeing as though their bench in total scored just 14 points, and it paid off. Now, Atlanta will head back home and begin their Eastern Conference Finals series with the Cleveland Cavaliers. As for Washington, they were led by Bradley Beal, who had been consistently great throughout the playoffs. Beal finished with 29 points (11 - 24 FG, 3 - 8 3Pt), six rebounds and three assists in 43 minutes. John Wall appeared to have put the injury bug behind him for good, as he played a game - high 44 minutes and recorded 20 points (7 - 21 FG), six rebounds and 13 assists in that time. However, the efforts of Beal and Wall were simply not enough, as the rest of the Wizards\u2019 starters combined to score just 11 points and Kevin Seraphin was the only other player to score in double figures, posting 13 points and eight rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "6", "Mavericks": "19"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "112", "Mavericks": "83"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "36", "Mavericks": "23"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "26"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "36"}}, {"Assists": {"Chandler Parsons": "1", "Dirk Nowitzki": "3", "Zaza Pachulia": "1", "Wesley Matthews": "1", "Deron Williams": "3", "Kawhi Leonard": "1", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Tony Parker": "7", "Boris Diaw": "3", "Jonathon Simmons": "2"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "5", "Dirk Nowitzki": "4", "Zaza Pachulia": "5", "Wesley Matthews": "12", "Deron Williams": "8", "Dwight Powell": "15", "Kawhi Leonard": "15", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "23", "Tony Parker": "2", "Boris Diaw": "16", "Jonathon Simmons": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Chandler Parsons": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "5", "Zaza Pachulia": "7", "Wesley Matthews": "1", "Deron Williams": "5", "Dwight Powell": "2", "Kawhi Leonard": "4", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "7", "Tony Parker": "5", "Boris Diaw": "3"}, "Steals": {"Chandler Parsons": "2", "Zaza Pachulia": "1", "Kawhi Leonard": "2", "Tony Parker": "2", "Boris Diaw": "1", "Jonathon Simmons": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Dwight Powell": "1", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Tony Parker": "25", "Boris Diaw": "16", "Jonathon Simmons": "15"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (36 - 6) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (23 - 19) 112 - 83 on Sunday. San Antonio has been flying slightly under the radar all season due to the remarkable success of the Golden State Warriors in their very same conference. However, the gap between the two teams continues to close, with the Warriors beginning to amass a few losses and the Spurs upping their already impressive level of play even further. With Sunday's dominating win, San Antonio is now 240 at home, and have a franchise - record 11 victories by a margin of 25 points or greater. They suffocated Dallas over the last three quarters, outscoring them by a margin of 98 - 67 over that span. Additionally, they held the visitors to a mediocre 36 shooting percentage from the field, and an abysmal 26 percent from beyond the arc. Tellingly, the high score for Dallas on the night was a modest 15 points, and came from a bench player, Dwight Powell. The reserve forward added a pair of rebounds and a block to his stat line. Wesley Matthews paced the starters with 12 points, and supplemented it with a rebound and an assist. Deron Williams produced eight points, five rebounds and three assists. Chandler Parsons and Zaza Pachulia could only contribute a pair of five - point efforts, with the former also hauling in four boards, an assist and a pair of steals, and the latter pitching in with seven rebounds, an assist and a steal. Dirk Nowitzki rounded out a forgettable night for the starting five with his worst performance of the season, a four - point, five - rebound, three - assist effort that featured a 2 - for - 10 tally from the floor. The Mavericks fell to 23 - 19 and are currently tied for second place with Memphis in the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They remain home to face the Boston Celtics on Monday. San Antonio was led by LaMarcus Aldridge's 23 points, which he complemented with seven rebounds, an assist and a block. Kawhi Leonard was next in line with 15 points, four rebounds, an assist and a pair of steals. With the comfortable lead, the rest of the starters were able to play an abbreviated amount of minutes. However, Tony Parker did n't exit the game by choice, as lingering hip soreness sent him to the bench after 25 minutes on the court. The veteran point guard managed only two points, but did dish out seven assists, five rebounds and two steals during his time on the floor. Boris Diaw paced the Spurs bench with 16 points, three assists, three rebounds and a steal over a highly efficient 16 minutes. Rookie shooting guard Jonathon Simmons was also impressive in a reserve role, tallying 14 points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal over 15 minutes. The Spurs improved to 36 - 6 and remain atop the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They are off until Thursday, when they square off against the Suns in Phoenix."], [[{"Total points": {"Clippers": "88", "Mavericks": "90"}, "Turnovers": {"Clippers": "20"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "21"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "9"}}, {"Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "24", "Dirk Nowitzki": "17", "Jamal Crawford": "26"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "15"}}], "The visiting Dallas Mavericks upset the powerhouse Los Angeles Clippers on Friday, 90 - 88. Dallas (9 - 21) has now won four of its last seven games after a horrendous start to the season that had seated them at last in the Western Conference. On Friday, the team saw the return of star forward Dirk Nowitzki (Achilles). Despite only playing 15 minutes, Nowitzki was a difference - maker for the Mavs, scoring 17 points on 7 - of - 12 shooting. Forward Harrison Barnes, meanwhile, led the team with 24 points. The Mavericks played tough defense, forcing 20 Clippers turnovers on the night. Los Angeles (22 - 9) defeated the San Antonio Spurs in a major win on Thursday, but saw a fourth quarter collapse against the Mavericks. Despite leading by as much as eight early in the fourth, the Clippers walked away with a loss at the end of the day. LA is missing star forward Blake Griffin, who recently underwent surgery and is expected to be sidelined until mid - January. Griffin's absence was felt, as the Clippers' starting five combined for just 34 points. Sixth man Jamal Crawford led the team with 26 off the bench. The Clippers will play the Lakers on Christmas Day."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Joe Johnson": "5", "Kawhi Leonard": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "5"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2"}}], "Tuesday's game was won on the team's bench production, or lack thereof in the Spurs' case. While San Antonio got plenty of production from its two stars, with LeMarcus Aldridge and Kawhi Leonard combining for 51 points on 18 - of - 34 shooting form the field, the rest of the team was unable to provide any assistance whatsoever. The rest of the three Spurs starters combined for just 16 points, while their bench managed a disappointing 24 points of production. Besides Aldridge and Leonard, San Antonio managed to shoot just 15 - of - 42 (36 percent) from the field. Conversely, the Jazz got great production from their bench with three of their five starters unable to reach double figures. Led by Trey Lyles and Shelvin Mack, Utah recorded 45 points from just five players, which ultimately made up for Derrick Favors, Joe Johnson and Rudy Gobert combining to score just 20 points on the night."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Knicks": "47", "Warriors": "35"}, "Turnovers": {"Knicks": "15", "Warriors": "8"}}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "4", "Lance Thomas": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "1"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "13", "Zaza Pachulia": "10", "Stephen Curry": "31", "Klay Thompson": "29", "Carmelo Anthony": "15", "Kristaps Porzingis": "24", "Derrick Rose": "28", "Justin Holiday": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "7", "Lance Thomas": "7", "Kristaps Porzingis": "15"}, "Steals": {"Draymond Green": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Lance Thomas": "27"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Derrick Rose": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Derrick Rose": "9"}}], "Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson engaged in an entertaining nip - and - tuck battle with Derrick Rose and Kristaps Porzingis, as the dynamic duos combined for 60 and 53 points, respectively. Golden State lost the rebound battle by a 47 - 35 margin, but New York committed 15 turnovers to the Warriors' eight. Curry led the way with a game - high 31 points and Thompson followed with 29. Draymond Green filled out the stat sheet with 13 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block. Zaza Pachulia provided 10 points. Rose paced the Knicks with 28 points on 9 - of - 18 shooting. Porzingis compiled a 24 - point, 15 - rebound double - double. Carmelo Anthony turned in a rather modest 15 points. Lance Thomas went scoreless over 27 minutes but supplied seven boards and two assists. Justin Holiday led the bench with 10 points."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "18"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "37"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Solomon Hill": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Solomon Hill": "8"}, "Points": {"Solomon Hill": "23", "Alexis Ajinca": "12", "Jrue Holiday": "19", "Marc Gasol": "15", "Mike Conley": "17", "Zach Randolph": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Solomon Hill": "5", "Alexis Ajinca": "10", "Jrue Holiday": "7", "Marc Gasol": "12", "Zach Randolph": "9"}, "Steals": {"Solomon Hill": "2", "Alexis Ajinca": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Alexis Ajinca": "2"}, "Assists": {"Jrue Holiday": "7", "Marc Gasol": "9", "Mike Conley": "4"}}], "These teams always play each other competitively, as this was the first time in their last four meetings that it did n't take overtime to determine a winner. Defense was key for New Orleans, as they held Memphis to 37 percent from the field and 18 percent from three - point range. Solomon Hill led the Pelicans in scoring, as he tallied 23 points, five rebounds and two steals on 8 - of - 11 shooting. Jrue Holiday was their best player, as he accumulated 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Alexis Ajinca got a rare start and totaled 12 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Mike Conley led the way for Memphis, as he amassed 17 points and four assists. Mark Gasol flirted with a triple - double, as he collected 15 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists. Zach Randolph led the bench with 16 points and nine rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "2", "Cavaliers": "2"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "105", "Cavaliers": "99"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Raptors": "30"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "2", "Cavaliers": "2"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "6", "Kyrie Irving": "6", "Kyle Lowry": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LeBron James": "6", "DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"LeBron James": "6", "DeMar DeRozan": "4"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "29", "JR Smith": "9", "Kyrie Irving": "26", "Channing Frye": "12", "DeMarre Carroll": "11", "Bismack Biyombo": "5", "DeMar DeRozan": "32", "Kyle Lowry": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "9", "Kyrie Irving": "3", "Bismack Biyombo": "14", "Kyle Lowry": "5"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"JR Smith": "11", "DeMarre Carroll": "7"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Channing Frye": "50"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Channing Frye": "50"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Bismack Biyombo": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "23", "Kyle Lowry": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "14", "Kyle Lowry": "14"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyle Lowry": "4"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers, 105 - 99, to even the Eastern Conference finals in Game 4 on Monday at Air Canada Center. The Toronto backcourt has consistently been the make - or - break factor for their success throughout the playoffs, and both Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan saved their best basketball of the playoffs for the important Game 4 of the series. The Raptors evened the series at two game apiece after falling behind to Cleveland, who took the first two games at Quicken Loans Arena, behind Lowry's leadership and DeRozan's ability to nail some extremely difficult runners, floaters and created shots off the dribble. Toronto stormed out to a double digit halftime lead after taking advantage of a pivotal second quarter that showcased hounding defense from Dwane Casey's group. The second half saw the Cavaliers make a valiant comeback, as the Raptors gave up an 18 - point lead. It started with Channing Frye, who got the hot hand from behind the arc, and followed with tremendous pick - and - roll play from LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. Richard Jefferson found himself wide open lanes to the rim and was on the receiving end of many James assists, which eventually tied the game midway through the fourth quarter. Offensive rebounding proved to be the difference down the stretch, and Bismack Biyombo's prowess on both ends of the floor helped the Raptors close out the game after taking a 103 - 99 lead with just less than 30 seconds remaining. Lowry iced the game with a driving layup with 22 seconds left in regulation. Lowry finished with 35 points on 14 - of - 20 shooting, to go along with five rebounds, five assists and three steals, while DeRozan added 32 points on 14 - of - 23 shooting. DeMarre Carrol was the only other Raptors player in double - figures and contributed 11 points on a rough 1 - of - 7 shooting from the three - point line. Biyombo added five points, 14 rebounds and three blocked shots. James led all Cavaliers scorers with 29 points, in addition to nine rebounds, six assists and two steals, while Irving contributed 26 points, three boards and six dimes. J.R. Smith looked to get hot from behind the arc, but but managed just nine points on 11 three - point attempts. Frye helped Cleveland climb back into the game in the second half with 12 points on 50 percent three - point shooting. Game 5 moves back to Cleveland on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "44", "Nets": "37"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "22", "Nets": "54"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "107", "Nets": "87"}, "Turnovers": {"Cavaliers": "17"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "53", "Nets": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "3", "Shane Larkin": "8", "LeBron James": "11", "Kevin Love": "2", "Channing Frye": "2"}, "Points": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "14", "Thaddeus Young": "18", "Shane Larkin": "13", "LeBron James": "24", "Kevin Love": "19", "Timofey Mozgov": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "10", "Channing Frye": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "5", "Thaddeus Young": "8", "Shane Larkin": "5", "LeBron James": "4", "Kevin Love": "10", "Channing Frye": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Thaddeus Young": "28", "LeBron James": "31", "Kevin Love": "25"}, "Steals": {"Thaddeus Young": "1", "Shane Larkin": "2", "LeBron James": "2", "Kevin Love": "1"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "1", "Kevin Love": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "11", "Kevin Love": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "8", "Kevin Love": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LeBron James": "10", "Kevin Love": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"LeBron James": "8", "Kevin Love": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Love": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Love": "4"}}], "LeBron James passed Dominique Wilkins to become the 12th highest scoring player in NBA history as the Cleveland Cavaliers (53 - 22) defeated the visiting Brooklyn Nets (21 - 54) 107 - 87, Thursday evening at Quicken Loans Arena. James was back in the line up after sitting out last game and made sure the Cavs did not suffer back - to - back home losses as he led all scorers. After four lead changes in the first quarter the Cavs turned on the jets, out - scoring Brooklyn 27 - 6 to close out the first half. Cleveland cruised the rest of the way to a 20 - point victory. Cavs sit 3 games ahead of the second - place Toronto Raptors with seven games remaining, including four on the road. LeBron finished with 24 points (8 - 11 FG, 8 - 10 FT), 11 assists, four rebounds, two steals and one blocked shot, to lead the Cavs in 31 minutes of action. Kevin Love followed up with a solid 19 points (6 - 10 FG, 4 - 8 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), 10 rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal, in 25 minutes. Channing Frye chipped in 13 points, eight rebounds and two assists, while Kyrie Irving and Timofey Mozgov added 10 points each. Cleveland shot only 44 percent from the field and gave up 17 turnovers but rebounded and assisted well, to earn their 31st home victory. The Nets were held to only 37 percent shooting from the field, including 4 - 21 from long range, as they were stifled by the Cavs. Thaddeus Young led Brooklyn in scoring with 18 points, along with eight rebounds and one steal, in 28 minutes, after sitting out last game to rest. Bojan Bogdanovic added 14 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Shane Larkin added 13 points, eight assists, five rebounds and two steals. Brooklyn was missing Brook Lopez, who sat this one out to rest. The Nets will be right back in action as they visit their cross - town rivals, the Knicks, on Friday at Madison Square Garden. The Cavaliers will be in Atlanta Friday to play the third - place Hawks."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "29", "Warriors": "47"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "37", "Warriors": "52"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "8"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "99", "Warriors": "116"}, "Rebounds": {"Hornets": "41", "Warriors": "53"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "10"}}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "9", "Stephen Curry": "5", "Nicolas Batum": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Draymond Green": "4", "Klay Thompson": "10", "Stephen Curry": "11", "Nicolas Batum": "6", "Jeremy Lamb": "5", "Frank Kaminsky": "3", "Spencer Hawes": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Draymond Green": "0", "Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "8", "Nicolas Batum": "1", "Jeremy Lamb": "2", "Frank Kaminsky": "3", "Spencer Hawes": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Draymond Green": "9", "Klay Thompson": "18", "Stephen Curry": "18", "Nicolas Batum": "15", "Jeremy Lamb": "13", "Frank Kaminsky": "8", "Spencer Hawes": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Draymond Green": "2", "Klay Thompson": "8", "Stephen Curry": "14", "Nicolas Batum": "6", "Jeremy Lamb": "5", "Frank Kaminsky": "5", "Spencer Hawes": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Draymond Green": "2", "Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "4", "Nicolas Batum": "5", "Jeremy Lamb": "2", "Spencer Hawes": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Draymond Green": "0", "Klay Thompson": "1", "Stephen Curry": "4", "Nicolas Batum": "4", "Jeremy Lamb": "1", "Spencer Hawes": "2"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "4", "Klay Thompson": "21", "Stephen Curry": "40", "Nicolas Batum": "17", "Jeremy Lamb": "13", "Frank Kaminsky": "16", "Spencer Hawes": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "11", "Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "3", "Nicolas Batum": "8", "Jeremy Lamb": "4", "Spencer Hawes": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Klay Thompson": "29"}, "Turnovers": {"Klay Thompson": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Steals": {"Nicolas Batum": "3"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (200) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (10 - 8) 116 - 99 on Wednesday at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte. As audiences have become accustomed to so far this NBA season, the Warriors again put on another offensive clinic. As a team, they shot an impressive 52 percent from the field and 47 percent from the three - point line, while the Hornets finished at just 37 percent from the floor and a meager 29 percent from deep. The Hornets forced the Warriors into a whopping 21 turnovers, but could n't get their shots to fall offensively and ended up taking a 17 - point loss in front of their home crowd Wednesday. It was the Stephen Curry show for the Warriors.Curry was nearly perfect with his shot, ending the night with a game - high of 40 points (14 - 18 FG, 8 - 11 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), while also adding three rebounds and five assists. The sixth - year, reigning MVP is moving at an unbelievable pace behind the arc so far this season and has currently shot 50 percent or higher in four straight games. He's now averaging 32 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists on the year. Curry did n't do it alone, though, as Klay Thompson added 21 points (8 - 18 FG, 4 - 10 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and three rebounds over 29 minutes. Thompson has picked up his production of late as well, combining for 41 points and eight rebounds over his last two games. Draymond Green struggled offensively with just four points (2 - 9 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt, 0 - 2 FT), but did a little bit of everything else with 11 rebounds, nine assists and three blocked shots. His 11 rebounds helped the Warriors secure a 53 - 41 advantage as a team on the boards. Nicolas Batum was the only Hornets' starter to get anything going. Batum went off for a team - high of 17 points (6 - 15 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT), to go along with eight rebounds and three steals. Batum has hit just 5 - of - 21 three - point attempts over his last three games, so his 1 - for - 6 showing Wednesday did n't give any indication of him turning things around. Jeremy Lamb, Frank Kaminsky and Spencer Hawes all reached double figures in points off the bench. Kaminsky, the rookie out of Wisconsin, led the group with 16 points, while shooting an efficient 5 - for - 8 from the field and 3 - for - 3 from beyond the arc. It was arguably the best game of his young career, with the 18 points registering as a new career - high. Lamb added 13 points (5 - 13 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and four rebounds, while Hawes recorded 12 points (5 - 9 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and five rebounds. The Warriors' next game will be on the road against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday, while the Hornets will travel to Chicago to play the Bulls on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "47"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "46"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "11", "Grizzlies": "18"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "112", "Grizzlies": "94"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "25", "Grizzlies": "19"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Grizzlies": "16"}, "Turnovers": {"Grizzlies": "8"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "11", "Mario Chalmers": "19", "Kevin Durant": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Marc Gasol": "2", "Mario Chalmers": "8", "Kevin Durant": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Marc Gasol": "24", "Dion Waiters": "31"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "8", "Zach Randolph": "12", "Mario Chalmers": "23", "Kevin Durant": "26", "Russell Westbrook": "20", "Dion Waiters": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "6", "Kevin Durant": "17", "Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "1"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Durant": "1"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (25 - 11) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (19 - 18) 112 - 94 at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Wednesday. Memphis was without point guard Mike Conley (achilles), who added an achilles injury to an already banged up lower back and watched from the sideline, as his team was outpaced by Oklahoma City the entire evening. The Grizzlies staple is their defense, and they played strong throughout December allowing just over 92 points per game, but this was not the case against the Thunder, who found defensive breakdowns and favorable matchups right out of the gate. An offensive spark was provided from Mario Chalmers off the bench, who contributed 23 points on 8 - of - 19 shooting, to lead all Grizzlies in scoring. Zach Randolph was reserved to the bench and added 12 points and six rebounds, a less effective performance in comparison to his double - double against the Blazers on Monday. Marc Gasol finished with a lowly eight points on 2 - of - 11 shooting in 24 minutes. When Gasol scores less than 15 points, the Grizzlies struggle to find ways to win games. With the loss, Memphis falls to 6 - 14 against teams above .500 in 2015 - 2016. The Memphis Grizzlies will look to bounce back when they host the Denver Nuggets (12 - 23) on Friday. The Oklahoma City Thunder entered Wednesday with a transition heavy gameplan led by the blinding speed and athleticism of Russell Westbrook. Combine the all star guard with Kevin Durant (toe) back in the lineup, and the Grizzlies were simply outmatched on both ends of the floor. The Thunder are coming off a bad loss to the Kings as double - digit favorites on Monday, but bounced back in emphatic fashion behind Durant, who finished with 26 points, 17 rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block on 9 - of - 18 shooting, while Westbrook poured in 20 points of his own, to go along with seven rebounds and seven assists. As a unit, the Thunder shot 46 percent from the floor and 47 percent from behind the arc, and although they turned the ball over 16 times (compared to the Grizzlies eight turnovers), their ability to score and work the shot clock resulted in a blowout home win, especially at the rim. Dion Waiters added 15 points in 31 minutes off the bench and was pivotal in extending a quick first quarter lead. The Thunder will look to continue to compete for a top spot in the Western Conference when they visit the Los Angeles Lakers (8 - 28) on Friday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Grizzlies": "19", "Rockets": "27"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "37", "Rockets": "51"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "20", "Rockets": "13"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "95", "Rockets": "119"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Grizzlies": "27"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "26", "Rockets": "34"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Sam Dekker": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Sam Dekker": "12"}, "Points": {"Sam Dekker": "30", "James Harden": "29", "Eric Gordon": "21", "Marc Gasol": "32", "Mike Conley": "15"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "10", "Eric Gordon": "5", "Mike Conley": "6"}, "Blocks": {"James Harden": "2", "Marc Gasol": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "6", "Eric Gordon": "3", "Marc Gasol": "5", "Mike Conley": "4"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "3"}}], "The Houston Rockets defeated the host Memphis Grizzlies, 119 - 95, at FedEx Forum on Saturday. It's rare to see Memphis dominated in their home building, but that was just the case here in this near wire - to - wire win for Houston. The Rockets actually led by 10 after the first quarter and never relinquished the lead from there. Shooting was the difference in the game, with the Rockets shooting 51 percent, while they held the Grizzlies to just 37 percent. The assist - to - turnover ratio was decisive as well, with the two teams matching in turnovers, while Houston won the assist battle, 27 - 19. Defensive rebounding was dominant for the Rockets as well, as they snatched down 40 defensive boards to Memphis' 27. The Rockets (34 - 13) have been stifling teams with their rocket launcher mentality and dominating wins over teams like the Grizzlies show just how good they've become. James Harden was once again the catalyst, accumulating 29 points, six rebounds, 10 assists, three steals and two blocks. Sam Dekker got his first start and dropped a career - high 30 points on 12 - of - 19 shooting. No other starter scored in double figures, but Eric Gordon led the bench with 21 points, three rebounds and five assists. The Rockets will play the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday for their next game. The Grizzlies (26 - 20) live and die by their defense and they simply did n't have enough to stop this potent Rockets attack in this blowout loss. Marc Gasol did all he could for Memphis, leading the team with 32 points, five rebounds, two steals and three blocks. Mike Conley was second on the team, finishing with 15 points, four rebounds and six assists. The bench really struggled, as the six bench players combined to go 8 - of - 29 from the field. The Grizzlies will be off until Wednesday, when they host the Toronto Raptors for their next matchup."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Wizards": "54"}}, {"Blocks": {"Terrence Ross": "2"}, "Points": {"Terrence Ross": "20", "Aaron Gordon": "15", "Bismack Biyombo": "14", "Bradley Beal": "32", "John Wall": "19", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Terrence Ross": "4", "Aaron Gordon": "11", "Bismack Biyombo": "15", "Bradley Beal": "3", "John Wall": "6"}, "Steals": {"Terrence Ross": "2", "Bradley Beal": "2"}, "Assists": {"Bradley Beal": "4", "John Wall": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "8"}}], "Despite Orlando leading for over 90 percent of this game, Washington was able to prevail in this comeback win. In fact, Washington's largest lead was just two points, as they had to outscore Orlando by 17 in the second half to win by one. Shooting was key, with the Wizards hitting 54 percent of their three - pointers and 92 percent of their free - throws. Terrence Ross led Orlando with 20 points, four rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Bismack Biyombo got the start at center and totaled 14 points and 15 rebounds. Aaron Gordon recorded 15 points and 11 rebounds en route to a double - double. Bradley Beal carried Washington, as he contributed 32 points, three rebounds, four assists and two steals. John Wall collected 19 points, six rebounds and 10 assists. Bojan Bogdanovic was huge off the bench, providing 27 points on 8 - of - 10 from long distance."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "1"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "100", "Spurs": "129"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "0"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "15", "Jonathon Simmons": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "15"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "35", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "26", "Jonathon Simmons": "20", "Kevin Durant": "27", "Draymond Green": "18", "Klay Thompson": "11", "Stephen Curry": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "14", "Kevin Durant": "10", "Draymond Green": "12", "Klay Thompson": "1"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Draymond Green": "5"}, "Assists": {"Jonathon Simmons": "3", "Kevin Durant": "4", "Draymond Green": "6", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jonathon Simmons": "3", "Klay Thompson": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jonathon Simmons": "3", "Klay Thompson": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Klay Thompson": "1"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs blew out the host Golden State Warriors, 129 - 100, on Tuesday night at Oracle Arena. Some wondered if the Warriors (0 - 1) could possibly go undefeated with this superstar team, but that notion ended on opening night. The Spurs (10) controlled from start to finish, as they won all four quarters and led by double - digits for the majority of the game. In addition, they outrebounded the Warriors 54 - 35 in their dominating win. Bench production was huge as well, as the Spurs dropped 54 bench points, while holding Golden State to just 16 points off their pine. Kawhi Leonard was the star, as he scored a career - high 35 points, while going 15 - for - 15 from the free - throw line. He also provided defense in the victory, as he grabbed five rebounds and took away five steals. LaMarcus Aldridge contributed 26 points and 14 rebounds of his own. The three other starters combined for just 14 points, while Jonathon Simmons was third on the team with 20 points off the bench. This was Kevin Durant's first game in a Golden State uniform and he didnt disappoint, as he collected 27 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and a pair of blocks and steals in the defeat. Stephen Curry wasnt shabby either, as he provided 26 points and four assists of his own. Draymond Green stuffed the stat sheet once again, tallying 18 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and five steals in the loss. Other than Klay Thompson's 11 points, not one of the other nine Warriors who played scored more than five points. Golden State is off until Friday, when they travel to play the New Orleans Pelicans. The Spurs play again on Thursday, as they face the host Sacramento Kings."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Hawks": "21"}, "Number of team assists": {"Jazz": "31"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "61"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "George Hill": "8", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "3", "Paul Millsap": "3", "Dennis Schroder": "2"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "30", "Derrick Favors": "20", "George Hill": "22", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "14", "Paul Millsap": "14", "Dennis Schroder": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "7", "Derrick Favors": "10", "George Hill": "4", "Dennis Schroder": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Derrick Favors": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Derrick Favors": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Derrick Favors": "10"}, "Steals": {"Derrick Favors": "3"}}], "The Jazz have struggled on offense all season, but this was easily their best showing of the 2016 - 17 campaign. In fact, Utah shot 61 percent from the field and recorded 31 assists. It was a wire - to - wire win for the Jazz, as they led by double - digits for the majority of the game. Gordon Hayward was the player of the game, as he tallied 30 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Derrick Favors went 10 - of - 12 from the field to total 20 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and two blocks. George Hill finished with 22 points, four rebounds and eight assists. Dennis Schroder led the Hawks in scoring, as he amassed 21 points, two rebounds and two assists. Paul Millsap and Tim Hardaway Jr. tied for second on the team in scoring, dropping 14 points and three assists apiece."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "48"}}, {"Points": {"Paul George": "26", "Thaddeus Young": "12", "Myles Turner": "10", "Glenn Robinson III": "12", "Jeff Teague": "19", "Tobias Harris": "13", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "20", "Reggie Jackson": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Myles Turner": "5", "Glenn Robinson III": "12", "Jeff Teague": "9", "Andre Drummond": "15"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "8", "Reggie Jackson": "10"}, "Steals": {"Jeff Teague": "2"}}], "Paul George's 26 point - effort paced Indiana, which managed what was only their fourth road victory of the season. All five members of the starting five posted double - digit scoring, and the Pacers shot 48 percent overall, while holding the Pistons to sub - 40 percent success rates from the field and three - point range. Jeff Teague had a stat - sheet - stuffing line of 19 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and two steals. Glenn Robinson III and Thaddeus Young contributed a pair of 12 - point efforts, with the former adding an impressive 12 rebounds. Myles Turner tallied 10 points and five boards, while C.J. Miles matched his scoring total from the bench. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's 20 points paced Detroit. Reggie Jackson's 19 - point, 10 - assist double - double represented his best contribution of the season. Tobias Harris posted 13 points, while Andre Drummond hauled in 15 boards."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "47"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "54"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "4", "76ers": "7"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "122", "76ers": "115"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "4", "76ers": "0"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Robert Covington": "16", "Hollis Thompson": "12", "Al Jefferson": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Robert Covington": "8", "Hollis Thompson": "7", "Al Jefferson": "9"}, "Points": {"Robert Covington": "23", "Dario Saric": "14", "Gerald Henderson": "17", "Hollis Thompson": "19", "Paul George": "28", "Myles Turner": "15", "Jeff Teague": "30", "Al Jefferson": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Dario Saric": "12", "Myles Turner": "9"}, "Assists": {"Paul George": "3", "Jeff Teague": "9"}}], "The host Indiana Pacers held off the Philadelphia 76ers for a 122 - 115 overtime win at Banker Life Fieldhouse on Wednesday. The Pacers came into this game as a double - digit favorite, but narrowly pulled out a win against the winless Sixers. It was tight throughout, as there were 15 lead changes and seven ties. Shooting was key for the Pacers, as they outshot the Sixers from the field, from three - point range and from the free - throw line. Indiana actually shot 54 percent from the field and 47 percent from long distance. The Pacers also won the turnover battle and scored more points in the paint than the Sixers. Philadelphia (0 - 7) has yet to get a win, but they showed some fight here as a bug underdog. Dario Saric had the best game of his young career, as he double - doubled in a 14 - point, 12 - rebound outing. Robert Covington led the team in scoring, as he scored a season - high 23 points on 8 - of - 16 shooting. Gerald Henderson provided 17 points and five rebounds of his own. Hollis Thompson was a great spark off the bench, scoring 19 points on 7 - of - 12 shooting. Indiana (4 - 4) is now a perfect 40 at home, but this one was far from easy. Jeff Teague had his best game in a Pacer uniform, as he led the team with 30 points and nine assists. Paul George was n't far behind, as he accumulated 28 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Myles Turner was the only other starter in double figures, as he totaled 15 points and nine rebounds. Al Jefferson led the bench, as he dropped 18 points and six rebounds on 9 - of - 12 shooting. These two teams have a rematch for their next game as they play in Philly on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "38", "Warriors": "44"}, "Losses": {"Spurs": "15", "Warriors": "9"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "86", "Warriors": "92"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "65", "Warriors": "72"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Draymond Green": "2", "Stephen Curry": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Draymond Green": "2", "Stephen Curry": "7"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "11", "Stephen Curry": "37", "Kawhi Leonard": "20", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "24"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Klay Thompson": "2"}, "Steals": {"Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "2", "Kawhi Leonard": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Klay Thompson": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "5", "Kawhi Leonard": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Stephen Curry": "13"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Stephen Curry": "35", "Kawhi Leonard": "39", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"Stephen Curry": "5", "Kawhi Leonard": "13", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (72 - 9) defeated the host San Antonio Spurs (65 - 15) on Sunday, 92 - 86, tying the 1995 - 96 Chicago Bulls for the NBA single - season record for wins at 72. The Warriors have one game remaining, against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, to pass the Bulls and set the all - time mark. Golden State set another NBA record with its 34th road win of the season, while spoiling San Antonio's bid to become the first team in league history to finish a season perfect at home. The Warriors also ended a 33 - game losing streak at San Antonio, where they had not won since 1997. Stephen Curry led the way for the Warriors by pouring in 37 points (13 - 22 FG, 4 - 9 3Pt, 7 - 7 FT), along with five assists, five rebounds and two steals, in 35 minutes. Only two other players scored more than nine points for the Warriors, including Klay Thompson who chipped in 17 points and Draymond Green who added 11. The Warriors shot 44 percent from the field, while they managed to hold the Spurs to only 38 percent shooting. The Spurs struggled shooting the ball in this one, with the exception of LaMarcus Aldridge and Kawhi Leonard, who were the only players to score more than nine points for the Spurs. Aldridge finished with a team - high 24 points, along with 10 rebounds, in 33 minutes. Leonard also had a double - double, with 20 points and 13 rebounds, along with five assists, three blocked shots and two steals, in 39 minutes. No other player took more than eight shot attempts for the Spurs, who were out - played by a very determined Golden State squad. The Spurs wrap up their regular season Tuesday against the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Spurs": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "50"}, "Losses": {"Spurs": "6", "Trail Blazers": "21"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "110", "Trail Blazers": "94"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Spurs": "30"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "27", "Trail Blazers": "14"}, "Turnovers": {"Trail Blazers": "11"}}, {"Points": {"Maurice Harkless": "12", "Allen Crabbe": "11", "CJ McCollum": "29", "Danny Green": "18", "Tony Parker": "18", "Jonathon Simmons": "19"}, "Field goals attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ McCollum": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Jonathon Simmons": "30"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs dominated the second half in order to rally back and defeat the visiting Portland Trail Blazers 110 - 94, at AT & T center on Friday evening. The Spurs outscored the Blazers 63 - 42 in the second half to completely nullify the five - point deficit that they had faced at half time, and earn their fourth straight win. The Spurs (27 - 6) were without Kawhi Leonard for the second straight game as he remained sideline with an illness. However, Jonathon Simmons stepped up to lead San Antonio in scoring with 19 points, in 30 minutes off the bench. Four other players scored in double digits for the Spurs, including Tony Parker and Danny Green, who finished with 18 points each. The Spurs gave up an uncharacteristic 17 turnovers, including nine in the first quarter alone, but were able to make up for it by shooting 50 percent from the field, including hitting 11 - of - 22 from long range. The Spurs move to 11 - 4 at home, as they went 30 on their three - game home stand. They now look ahead to a contest in Atlanta on Sunday. The Blazers (14 - 21) were also without a star player, as Damian Lillard missed his third straight game with a sprained ankle. Meanwhile, C.J. McCollum led the way in scoring for the Blazers for the fourth game in a row, as he finished with 29 points, on 10 - of - 19 shooting, in the contest. The only other players to score in double digits for Portland were Maurice Harkless, who finished with 12 points, and Allen Crabbe, who chipped in 11 points. Eight players came off the bench for the Trail Blazers, and combined for only 28 points. The Blazers dropped to 5 - 14 on the road and are 2 - 9 in their last 11 games. They face a tough challenge ahead as their next game, on Sunday in Minnesota, marks the second game of a three - game road trip, which ends in Golden State on January 4th."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "53", "Knicks": "42"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "16", "Knicks": "35"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "119", "Knicks": "104"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "40", "Knicks": "23"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "25"}}, {"Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "20", "Willy Hernangomez": "11", "Courtney Lee": "25", "LeBron James": "18", "Tristan Thompson": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "23", "Kyle Korver": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "5", "Courtney Lee": "6", "LeBron James": "13"}, "Assists": {"Courtney Lee": "5", "LeBron James": "15", "Kyrie Irving": "6", "Kyle Korver": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Courtney Lee": "15", "Tristan Thompson": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Courtney Lee": "10", "Tristan Thompson": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Tristan Thompson": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyle Korver": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Korver": "6"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the New York Knicks, 119 - 104, at Quicken Loans Arena on Thursday. Cleveland has now beat New York in 10 - straight games, as they continue to own the Knicks. It was the second and fourth quarters that were decisive, as Cleveland outscored New York, 67 - 43 in that 24 - minute span. The Cavaliers ended up shooting 53 percent from the field, while holding the Knicks to just 42 percent from the field. A 42 - 28 differential in the paint was huge as well, as Cleveland dominated down low. The Knicks (23 - 35) were surprisingly quiet at the trade deadline and this result is no surprise with the recent form of these two teams. Courtney Lee was New York's best player, as he led the team with 25 points, six rebounds and five assists on 10 - of - 15 shooting. Carmelo Anthony finished second on the team with 20 points, five rebounds and five assists. Wily Hernangomez got the start at center and totaled 11 points, 10 rebounds and four assists en route to a double - double. The Knicks will host the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday for their next game. The Cavaliers (40 - 16) have now won nine of their last 11 games, as they continue to surge. LeBron James added another triple - double to his tally, as he accumulated 18 points, 13 rebounds and 15 assists. Kyrie Irving led the team in scoring, as he provided 23 points, three rebounds and six assists. Tristan Thompson was a beast down low, amassing 10 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks on 5 - of - 7 shooting. Kyle Korver came off the bench to collect 20 points, two rebounds and three assists, while going 6 - of - 10 from three - point range. Cleveland will return to action on Saturday against the Chicago Bulls."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "30", "Cavaliers": "15"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "104", "Cavaliers": "97"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "18", "Cavaliers": "32"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "9", "Kyrie Irving": "5"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "23", "Kyrie Irving": "18", "Harrison Barnes": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyrie Irving": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyrie Irving": "7"}}], "The host Dallas Mavericks beat the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday, 104 - 97. Dallas (18 - 30) is now 7 - 4 in its last 11 games, and is coming off its best two - game stretch of the season. The Mavs were able to take down two of the league's top three teams on consecutive days, following a win over the Spurs by taking down the reigning champion Cavaliers. With Cleveland missing Kevin Love, the Mavericks were able to force the Cavs to rely extremely heavily on Kyrie Irving and LeBron James. Dallas, meanwhile, took a more balanced approach. Five Mavericks took at least 11 shot attempts, and all five scored in double figures. Forward Harrison Barnes led the team with 24 points and 11 rebounds. Cleveland (32 - 15) is floundering in the new year, having now dropped to three games under .500 in 2017. The team now holds only a 3 game lead on the first seed in the Eastern Conference. Superstar LeBron James characteristically put his work in on Monday, scoring 23 points to go with nine rebounds and nine assists. Kyrie Irving, meanwhile, shot only 7 - of - 21 for 18 points and dished out just five assists on the night. The Cavs struggled again with ball movement, recording only 17 team assists in the game. Cleveland will host the Timberwolves on Wednesday, while Dallas will host Philadelphia."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "17", "Pacers": "54"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "43", "Pacers": "47"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "23", "Pacers": "22"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "101", "Pacers": "105"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "12", "Pacers": "14"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pacers": "22"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Roy Hibbert": "13", "Rodney Stuckey": "7", "CJ Miles": "12", "Luis Scola": "9", "Gordon Hayward": "17", "Derrick Favors": "16", "Rudy Gobert": "5", "Dante Exum": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Roy Hibbert": "8", "Rodney Stuckey": "4", "CJ Miles": "4", "Luis Scola": "7", "Gordon Hayward": "6", "Derrick Favors": "10", "Rudy Gobert": "4", "Dante Exum": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Roy Hibbert": "6", "Rodney Stuckey": "4", "CJ Miles": "2", "Luis Scola": "2", "Gordon Hayward": "13", "Derrick Favors": "10", "Rudy Gobert": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Roy Hibbert": "6", "Rodney Stuckey": "4", "CJ Miles": "2", "Luis Scola": "2", "Gordon Hayward": "12", "Derrick Favors": "7", "Rudy Gobert": "3"}, "Points": {"Roy Hibbert": "22", "Rodney Stuckey": "13", "CJ Miles": "13", "Luis Scola": "16", "Gordon Hayward": "24", "Derrick Favors": "27", "Rudy Gobert": "11", "Dante Exum": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Roy Hibbert": "8", "CJ Miles": "6", "Derrick Favors": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rodney Stuckey": "1", "CJ Miles": "7", "Gordon Hayward": "5", "Dante Exum": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rodney Stuckey": "1", "CJ Miles": "3", "Gordon Hayward": "0", "Dante Exum": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Rodney Stuckey": "20", "Rudy Gobert": "29"}, "Steals": {"Rodney Stuckey": "2", "Derrick Favors": "1"}, "Assists": {"Luis Scola": "1", "Derrick Favors": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Luis Scola": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Derrick Favors": "1"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (14 - 22) defeated the Utah Jazz (12 - 23) 105 - 101 on Monday at Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City. After ending the third quarter down 74 - 62, the Jazz looked to have only an outside shot of securing a victory, but they were able to have a huge fourth quarter, narrowing the gap to just one point in the final minute of the game. The comeback came up just short though, as the Pacers were able to hit their free throws in the end and seal the win on the road. Indiana shot much better in this game, going 47 percent from the field and 54 percent from the three - point line, while the Jazz shot 43 percent from the floor and only 17 percent from deep. The Pacers got their biggest contribution from Roy Hibbert, who finished with 22 points (8 - 13 FG, 6 - 6 FT) and eight rebounds. He was able to use his veteran experience against the younger frontcourt of the Jazz, increasing his production from what it's been throughout the season thus far. Rodney Stuckey also had a solid game. He scored 13 points (4 - 7 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and had two steals in 20 minutes. Where the Pacers had the biggest advantage though was in their bench production. Luis Scola had a very efficient game off the bench, going 7 - for - 9 from the field and 2 - for - 2 from the free throw line to score 16 points. He's only scored 16 points or more one other time this season, so it was somewhat of a surprise performance for him. Also coming off the bench, C.J. Miles recorded 13 points (4 - 12 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and six rebounds. He continues to be very productive, as he averaged 22 points in the three games prior to this outing. The Jazz were again led by the duo of Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors. Favors had a team - high of 27 points (10 - 16 FG, 7 - 10 FT), while also pulling in 11 rebounds as well. It was one of his best games of the season, but their was n't enough production elsewhere in order to turn his performance into a win. Hayward on the other hand did n't necessarily have his best shooting night (6 - 17 FG, 0 - 5 3Pt), but he was able to convert on 12 - of - 13 free throws, giving him 24 points at the finish. After struggling to nine points on Saturday against the Timberwolves, it was good to see him turn things back around. Dante Exum got the start at point guard and finished with 13 points (5 - 14 FG, 3 - 9 3Pt) in 29 minutes, while Rudy Gobert started at center and finished with 11 points (4 - 5 FG, 3 - 6 FT) in 29 minutes of his own. The Pacers' next game will be on the road against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, while the Jazz will travel to Chicago to play the Bulls on Wednesday."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Kent Bazemore": "16", "Paul Millsap": "17", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "20", "Dennis Schroder": "28", "Kris Humphries": "14", "Carmelo Anthony": "30", "Mindaugas Kuzminskas": "14", "Joakim Noah": "7", "Derrick Rose": "18", "Justin Holiday": "11"}, "Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "6", "Derrick Rose": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "3", "Joakim Noah": "2", "Derrick Rose": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "7", "Joakim Noah": "17", "Derrick Rose": "4"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "3", "Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Derrick Rose": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Joakim Noah": "2"}}], "Dennis Schroder's 28 points led the Hawks, and his three - pointer with 22 seconds remaining ended up being the game - winning basket. Tim Hardaway, Jr. checked in second with 20 points, while Paul Millsap drew the start at center for Dwight Howard (rest) and posted 17 points, seven rebounds, six assists, three steals and three blocks. Kent Bazemore followed with 16 points, and Kris Humphries led the second unit with 14 points. Carmelo Anthony's 30 points led New York, and Derrick Rose followed with a near double - double consisting of 18 points, nine assists, four rebounds, a steal and a block. Mindaugas Kuzminskas supplied 14 points while starting for Lance Thomas (orbital). Joakim Noah registered seven points and hauled in 17 boards, but missed a game - winning shot with two seconds remaining. Justin Holiday paced the bench with 11 points."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "4", "Seth Curry": "7", "Yogi Ferrell": "4", "J.J. Barea": "11", "Robert Covington": "18", "Dario Saric": "10", "Richaun Holmes": "17", "Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot": "12", "Justin Anderson": "19", "Jahlil Okafor": "10", "Sergio Rodriguez": "13"}, "Minutes played": {"J.J. Barea": "17"}, "Assists": {"Dario Saric": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Dario Saric": "1", "Jahlil Okafor": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Dario Saric": "7"}, "Steals": {"Dario Saric": "1", "Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot": "1", "Sergio Rodriguez": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Sergio Rodriguez": "1"}}], "The Sixers limited the Mavs to 35 percent shooting overall and 22 percent from three - point range. Philadelphia ripped off 66 points over the second and third quarters while limiting their visitors to exactly half that total, spearheading their most lopsided victory of the season. Justin Anderson's career - high 19 points off the bench led the Sixers. Robert Covington totaled 18 points, while Richaun Holmes poured in 17. Sergio Rodriguez tallied 13 points, while Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, one of several promising young players, supplied 12. Dario Saric provided 10 points, seven rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block and Jahlil Okafor matched his point total off the bench. Dwight Powell's14 points led Dallas, while J.J. Barea followed with 11 points in 17 minutes. Seth Curry managed only seven points, while Harrison Barnes and Yogi Ferrell contributed four - point efforts."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "43", "Bulls": "36"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "111", "Bulls": "89"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Magic": "36"}, "Rebounds": {"Magic": "50", "Bulls": "40"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "30", "Bulls": "36"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Taj Gibson": "9", "Dewayne Dedmon": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Taj Gibson": "8", "Dewayne Dedmon": "9"}, "Points": {"Taj Gibson": "16", "Derrick Rose": "9", "Dewayne Dedmon": "18", "Elfrid Payton": "15", "Andrew Nicholson": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Taj Gibson": "3", "Derrick Rose": "3"}, "Assists": {"Derrick Rose": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Derrick Rose": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Derrick Rose": "1"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Brandon Jennings": "100"}}], "The Orlando Magic (30 - 43) defeated the Chicago Bulls (36 - 36) 111 - 89 at Amway Center on Saturday. The Magic dropped 36 points in the first quarter on their home court and did not look back, easily handling Chicago throughout the rest of the game. Orlando dominated the rebounding battle (50 - 40) and shot 53 percent from the field through impressive floor spacing. Dewayne Dedmon led all scorers in the contest with 18 points on an impressive 9 - of - 14 shooting, while Elfrid Payton added a double - double with 15 points and 10 assists. The Magic bench saw Andrew Nicholson and Brandon Jennings each score 14 points, and the depth helped stave off any chance the Bulls had at pulling the game within reach. The Bulls are a banged up squad at this point in the season with Jimmy Butler (knee) contemplating surgery to repair his knee and Pau Gasol (knee) both not playing at 100 percent. Derrick Rose was charged with leading the group, but underwhelmed with nine points, three rebounds and two assists on 1 - of - 4 shooting. Taj Gibson received increased minutes in his starting role and added 16 points and three rebounds on 8 - of - 9 shooting. Chicago shot just over 40 percent as a unit, and are now on the outside looking in to the NBA playoffs. The Bulls will host the Atlanta Hawks (43 - 30) on Monday, while the Magic host the Brooklyn Nets (21 - 51) on Tuesday."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Celtics": "16"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "45"}}, {"Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "19", "Tyler Johnson": "24", "Jae Crowder": "25", "Isaiah Thomas": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "15", "Jae Crowder": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Jae Crowder": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jae Crowder": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jae Crowder": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jae Crowder": "13", "Isaiah Thomas": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Jae Crowder": "8", "Isaiah Thomas": "10"}, "Steals": {"Jae Crowder": "2"}}], "It was a big night for the Celtics on the backs of strong offensive play. Superstar point guard Isaiah Thomas led the team with 30 points while shooting 10 - of - 18 from the field. It was a season - best night for forward Jae Crowder as well, as he shot 8 - of - 13 from the field and 3 - of - 5 from three - point range en route to a season - high 25 points. Crowder added six rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. As a team, the Cs shot over 53 percent from the field and dished out 32 team assists. The Heat, meanwhile, shot 45 percent from the field but out - rebounded the Celtics 40 - 36 and forced 16 Boston turnovers. Center Hassan Whiteside had a double - double with 19 points and 15 rebounds. Meanwhile, sixth man Tyler Johnson led the team in scoring off the bench with 24 points."], [[{"Total points": {"Hornets": "96", "Heat": "80"}, "Turnovers": {"Hornets": "3", "Heat": "14"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "34"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "1"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Heat": "14"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "2"}}, {"Points": {"Luol Deng": "19", "Marvin Williams": "12", "Kemba Walker": "17", "Jeremy Lin": "18"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "18", "Marvin Williams": "14"}, "Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "7"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets defeated the visiting Miami Heat, 96 - 80, in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference first - round playoffs Saturday at Time Warner Cable Arena. Miami leads the series, 2 - 1. Charlotte took its home court by storm, leading throughout the first half and quickly pulling away to start the second. Point guard Kemba Walker, this year's runner - up in Most Improved Player voting, played a crucial role in the team's first playoff victory. Walker had 17 points and was a major distributor, dishing out seven dimes. Forward Marvin Williams also came up big, delivering a 12 - point, 14 - rebound double - double. Jeremy Lin came off the bench for a team - high 18. Six players scored in double - digits for the Hornets, as the team clearly came out with a must - win mindset as they took the court in Charlotte. The team protected the ball at a ridiculously high level, turning it over just three times in total on the night. Miami, meanwhile, struggled mightily on the offensive end. The team shot just 34 percent from the field and turned it over 14 times, a stark contrast from the high - powered offense they displayed in Games 1 and 2. Center Hassan Whiteside delivered a massive 18 rebounds and four blocked shots. Whiteside was the second runner - up in Defensive Player of the Year voting this season, finishing behind Kawhi Leonard and Draymond Green. Forward Luol Deng also impressed, scoring 19 points. Ultimately, neither performance was enough, as Miami simply looked stagnant on Saturday. Game 4 will be held in Charlotte on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "25", "Hornets": "24"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "102", "Hornets": "73"}, "Rebounds": {"Jazz": "45", "Hornets": "35"}, "Turnovers": {"Jazz": "10"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "20", "Hornets": "22"}, "Number of team assists": {"Hornets": "10"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hornets": "20"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Nicolas Batum": "30", "Jeremy Lin": "17"}, "Points": {"Nicolas Batum": "6", "Kemba Walker": "15", "Jeremy Lin": "4", "Gordon Hayward": "22", "Rodney Hood": "24", "Derrick Favors": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Nicolas Batum": "10", "Kemba Walker": "5", "Jeremy Lin": "2", "Rudy Gobert": "12", "Derrick Favors": "3"}, "Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "1", "Jeremy Lin": "1", "Derrick Favors": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "11", "Derrick Favors": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Kemba Walker": "7", "Derrick Favors": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "3"}}], "The Utah Jazz (20 - 25) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (22 - 24) 102 - 73 at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Wednesday. The Hornets fell behind early in the contest and were not able to cut into the lead after the Jazz went up by 12 point before the half. Charlotte was banged up heading into the matchup, but the return of Nicolas Batum (toe), who missed three consecutive games, was a bright spot. Jeremy Lin (ankle) exited the game after logging 17 minutes with a right ankle sprain, but the severity of the injury is unknown until further evaluation. Lin scored four points and grabbed two rebounds before exiting. Batum was strong on the defensive glass, as shown by his 10 rebounds, to go along with six points in just under 30 minutes in his return to the starting lineup. Kemba Walker shot efficiently from the floor, but the volume of shots was not available to keep the Hornets in contention, as he finished with 15 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting, in addition to five rebounds and one assist. The Hornets will visit the Portland Trail Blazers (21 - 26) on Friday. Utah overpowered their opponent in the second quarter and did not look after building a 12 point lead into a 20 - plus lead by the end of the third quarter. The team stats went in favor of the Jazz, specifically the rebounding battle, which they won 45 - 35, and scoring points off turnovers, which Charlotte coughed up 20, as compared to Utah\u2019s 10 total. Rodney Hood and Gordon Hayward poured in 24 and 22 points, respectively, and combined for 11 rebounds and nine assists. Derrick Favors came off the bench in his second game back from injury and logged an equal 20 minutes to his performance on Monday. The Jazz were in need of Favors to return to health, which helps stretch the depth of their squad. Favors finished with 12 points, three rebounds and two assists on 6 - of - 9 shooting. Rudy Gobert was too much for Charlotte to handle on the defensive end of the floor, where he totalled 12 rebounds and three blocks in the contest. The Jazz will host the Minnesota Timberwolves (14 - 33) on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "24"}}, {"Points": {"Serge Ibaka": "21", "Nikola Vucevic": "24", "Dario Saric": "21", "Joel Embiid": "18", "Sergio Rodriguez": "12"}, "Free throws made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "2", "Gerald Henderson": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "14", "Joel Embiid": "10", "Gerald Henderson": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Joel Embiid": "4"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Joel Embiid": "50"}, "Turnovers": {"Joel Embiid": "4", "Sergio Rodriguez": "4"}, "Assists": {"Sergio Rodriguez": "11"}}], "Nikola Vucevic, posted an impressive 24 - point, 14 - rebound double - double while doing battle with impressive third - year man Joel Embiid. Meawhile, frontcourt mate Serge Ibaka's 21 points were the most he's notched in a Magic uniform and his two free throws with a second remaining sealed the win. However, Orlando did struggle from three - point range, tallying only a 24 percent success rate (6 - for - 25).. Despite still sporting a winless record, the Sixers are seeing some encouraging play from a mix of young players and vets. Sergio Rodriguez once again impressed Tuesday with a 12 - point, 11 - assist double - double, while Embiid continued fulfilling his considerable potential with an 18 - point, 10 - rebound performance. In all, four - fifths of Philadelphia's first unit shot 50 percent or better, with Rodriguez and Embiid joined in that category by Gerald Henderson and team - high scorer Dario Saric (21 points)."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "47"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "56"}}, {"Points": {"Aaron Gordon": "13", "Nikola Vucevic": "14", "C.J. Watson": "9", "Bismack Biyombo": "10", "Damjan Rudez": "14", "Jae Crowder": "19", "Amir Johnson": "10", "Jaylen Brown": "20", "Isaiah Thomas": "21", "Tyler Zeller": "10", "Kelly Olynyk": "16"}, "Assists": {"C.J. Watson": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"C.J. Watson": "1"}, "Steals": {"C.J. Watson": "1"}}], "Boston posted success rates of 56 and 47 percent from the field and three - point range, respectively, and six players posted double - digit scoring. They played superbly on defense also, holding the Magic to just 65 points through three quarters. Isaiah Thomas' 21 points led the way. Rookie Jaylen Brown totaled a career - high 20 points in another start for Avery Bradley (Achilles). Jae Crowder contributed 19 points, and Amir Johnson managed 10 points while drawing the start for Al Horford (groin). Kelly Olynyk (16 points) paced the bench, while Tyler Zeller provided 10 in his first game since Dec. 29. Nikola Vucevic's and Damjan Rudez's 14 - point efforts led Orlando. Aaron Gordon went for 13 points, while Bismack Biyombo generated 10 points from the bench. C.J. Watson went for nine points, four assists, a rebound and a steal."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "43", "Celtics": "40"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "8", "Celtics": "6"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "92", "Celtics": "94"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "6", "Celtics": "7"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Jae Crowder": "9", "Isaiah Thomas": "22", "Marcus Morris": "16"}, "Points": {"Jae Crowder": "9", "Al Horford": "18", "Avery Bradley": "13", "Isaiah Thomas": "24", "Marcus Morris": "24", "Andre Drummond": "20", "Ish Smith": "12"}, "Assists": {"Al Horford": "5", "Avery Bradley": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "8", "Ish Smith": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Al Horford": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Al Horford": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Horford": "11", "Avery Bradley": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "4", "Andre Drummond": "17", "Ish Smith": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Al Horford": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "7", "Marcus Morris": "10"}}], "The Boston Celtics defeated the host Detroit Pistons, 94 - 92, at Palace of Auburn Hills on Saturday. Al Horford had missed the previous nine games due to some concussion issues, but he made an epic return here. In a tied ball game, Horford snatched down an offensive rebound with 1 seconds left and tipped in a game - winner to get Boston a much - needed win. In the next possession, he blocked a jump shot at the buzzer to seal the victory. While most statistics were even, the free - throw shooting was not. In fact, the Celtics went 16 - of - 17 from the charity stripe, while the Pistons went just 11 - of - 16. Both teams struggled from the field, with Boston shooting 40 percent and Detroit shooting 43 percent on their end. There were 19 lead changes and nine ties in a hard - fought battle. Boston (7 - 6) was missing the defensive presences of Jae Crowder and Al Horford, but both players made their returns here from a nine - game absence. Horford was the star, as he tallied 18 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three blocks, in addition to his game - winner. Isaiah Thomas led the team in scoring, totaling 24 points, four rebounds and eight assists on 7 - of - 22 shooting. Avery Bradley was the only other Boston player in double figures, accumulating 13 points, four rebounds and three assists. The Celtics next game will be on Monday against the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road. Detroit (6 - 8) was undefeated at home coming into this game, but they could n't quite hold off a revived Celtics squad. Marcus Morris led the team, dropping 24 points on 10 - of - 16 shooting. Andre Drummond recorded another double - double, scoring 20 points and grabbing 17 rebounds in the loss. Ish Smith tallied 12 points, four rebounds and seven assists of his own. Detroit will remain at home for their next game, when they host the Houston Rockets on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "27", "Rockets": "12"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "120", "Rockets": "113"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "36", "Rockets": "28"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "15", "Rockets": "27"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Rockets": "33"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Rockets": "33"}}, {"Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "15", "Donatas Motiejunas": "12", "Dwight Howard": "23", "James Harden": "26", "Patrick Beverley": "17", "Channing Frye": "15", "Nikola Vucevic": "25", "Victor Oladipo": "32", "Elfrid Payton": "15"}, "Blocks": {"Dwight Howard": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dwight Howard": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dwight Howard": "15", "James Harden": "16", "Patrick Beverley": "11", "Channing Frye": "10", "Victor Oladipo": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwight Howard": "8", "James Harden": "10", "Patrick Beverley": "7", "Channing Frye": "5", "Victor Oladipo": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dwight Howard": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Dwight Howard": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "8", "Nikola Vucevic": "12", "Victor Oladipo": "6", "Elfrid Payton": "6"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "10", "Channing Frye": "5", "Victor Oladipo": "6", "Elfrid Payton": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"James Harden": "5", "Patrick Beverley": "5", "Channing Frye": "9", "Victor Oladipo": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"James Harden": "1", "Patrick Beverley": "3", "Channing Frye": "5", "Victor Oladipo": "3"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "5", "Victor Oladipo": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Patrick Beverley": "34"}, "Turnovers": {"Nikola Vucevic": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Victor Oladipo": "2"}}], "The Orlando Magic (15 - 27) defeated the Houston Rockets (27 - 12) 120 - 113 on Wednesday at the Amway Center in Orlando. After ending the third quarter down 85 - 84, the Magic took off in the fourth quarter, out - scoring the Rockets 36 - 28 to seal the victory in front of their home crowd. The Magic were able to force the Rockets into 21 turnovers, which may have been the difference in this game. The Magic were led by Victor Oladipo, who went 12 - for - 19 from the field and 3 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 32 points, while also adding six rebounds, six assists and three steals. He's averaging 33 points over his last two games, as he's taken it on himself to lead this team against two very tough opponents in the Rockets and Chicago Bulls. Nikola Vucevic was another huge reason for the Magic's succes. He finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds, despite being matched up with Dwight Howard, one of the most intimidating defensive players in the league. It marked his sixth double - double over his last six games. Rookie Elfrid Payton had one of his better outings of the season. He came one point shy of matching a season - high in points with 15, while also recording six rebounds and four assists. Channing Frye was effective as well with 15 points (5 - 10 FG, 5 - 9 3Pt) and five assists. Despite taking the loss, the Rockets had all five starters finish in double figures in points. James Harden led the way, going 10 - for - 16 from the field and 1 - for - 5 from the three - point line for a team - high of 26 points. He found his teammates at a high rate as well with 10 assists, while also notching five steals. The double - double marked his ninth of the season. Dwight Howard had a big game as well, finishing with 23 points (8 - 15 FG, 7 - 7FT) and eight rebounds. While he's known for struggling with his free throws, he made them count in this one, converting on all seven of his attempts. Uncharacteristically, Patrick Beverley was very impressive shooting the ball. He went 7 - for - 11 from the field and 3 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score 17 points in 34 minutes. Both Trevor Ariza and Donatas Motiejunas reached double - digit points as well with 15 and 12 points respectively. The Rockets' next game will be at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, while the Magic will be at home against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "49"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "42", "Hornets": "34"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "104", "Hornets": "109"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "19", "Hornets": "26"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "41"}}, {"Points": {"Frank Kaminsky": "24", "Kemba Walker": "30", "Julius Randle": "23", "D'Angelo Russell": "23", "Jordan Clarkson": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Frank Kaminsky": "12"}, "Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"D'Angelo Russell": "5"}}], "The visiting Charlotte Hornets took down the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, 109 - 104. Both teams entered the game struggling, but Charlotte (26 - 34) was able to pull out the win in the game's final minute. The Hornets are just 3 - 8 in their last 11 games, but saw some life on Tuesday. All-Star point guard Kemba Walker led the team with a stellar 30 points while dishing out seven assists. One of those assists came on a three - pointer from Marvin Williams to seal the win. Sophomore big man Frank Kaminsky, meanwhile, scored an impressive 24 points and pulled down a team - high 12 rebounds. One of the major factors for Charlotte in the win was three - point shooting, as the team shot 41 percent from beyond the arc for 16 triples. Los Angeles (19 - 42), meanwhile, is in the midst of a five - game losing streak. The loss was actually fairly promising for the Lakers, as five players scored in double figures including 23 apiece for sophomore point guard D'Angelo Russell and third - year big man Julius Randle. However, trading Sixth Man of the Year front - runner Lou Williams has left a vacancy in the Lakers' bench production. While guard Jordan Clarkson saw 16 points, it was a fairly unproductive night for the remainder of LA's second unit. As a team, LA shot 49 percent from the field but could not match Charlotte's three - point shooting and reached the free - throw line just 13 times. The Hornets will visit the Suns on Thursday, while LA will visit their historic rival, the Boston Celtics on Friday."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Nuggets": "24"}}, {"Points": {"Gary Harris": "24", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "18", "Jamal Murray": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jamal Murray": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Jamal Murray": "14"}}], "Both the Denver Nuggets and Dallas Mavericks shot beyond efficiently from the field, and it is a shame that the 53 percent effort from Dallas was not enough to secure their second road win of the year. The Nuggets, on the other hand, shot 57 percent as a unit in the impressive performance, led by Nikola Jokic. The Nuggets power forward finished with 27 points, which led all scorers, to go along with 15 rebounds and nine assists on 13 - of - 17 shooting. Jamal Murray saw 14 minutes of action after dealing with soreness in his foot, but only contributed three points on four shots. All five starters for the Nuggets finished in double figures scoring, including a 24 point performance from Gary Harris, and an 18 point contribution from Emmanuel Mudiay. Danilo Gallinari was the only Nuggets starter to shoot under 50 percent from the field."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "22", "Clippers": "16"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "89", "Clippers": "91"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "23", "Clippers": "29"}}, {"Assists": {"DeAndre Jordan": "2", "JJ Redick": "2", "Wesley Johnson": "1", "Paul George": "3", "Ian Mahinmi": "2", "George Hill": "2"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "3", "Paul George": "1", "Myles Turner": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"DeAndre Jordan": "15"}, "Points": {"DeAndre Jordan": "9", "JJ Redick": "19", "Wesley Johnson": "15", "Paul George": "31", "Ian Mahinmi": "12", "George Hill": "15", "Myles Turner": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "19", "JJ Redick": "2", "Paul George": "11", "Ian Mahinmi": "10", "George Hill": "1", "Myles Turner": "6"}, "Steals": {"JJ Redick": "1", "Wesley Johnson": "1", "Paul George": "1", "Ian Mahinmi": "2", "George Hill": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Ian Mahinmi": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"George Hill": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Myles Turner": "18"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (29 - 16) defeated the Indiana Pacers (23 - 22) 91 - 89 on Tuesday. The Clippers found out earlier in the day that superstar forward Blake Griffin will be sidelined for much longer than originally anticipated, but his problematic quadriceps tendon is n't the cause. Instead, it's a broken right hand allegedly suffered during an altercation with a team employee in Toronto that will apparently keep him out 4 - 6 additional weeks. His continued absence keeps the spotlight squarely on Chris Paul, who has more often than not already served as the team's scoring leader during the time Griffin has already missed. The All-Star point guard did not disappoint in that role Tuesday, scoring a team - high 26 points and adding seven assists, six rebounds and a steal. With only J.J. Redick joining him as a starter with double - digit points, Paul's contributions were integral in a tough road victory. Redick was solid himself with 19 points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal. DeAndre Jordan cleaned up on the glass, particularly on the defensive end, tallying 19 boards, 15 which were off missed Pacers shots. He also added nine points, two assists and three blocks. Wesley Johnson paced the Clippers bench with 15 points, and supplemented it with an assist and a steal. With the victory, Los Angeles remains in second place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. They now head to Atlanta to take on the Hawks on Wednesday. Indiana was unsurprisingly led by Paul George, who tallied 31 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block. Ten of those points came in the fourth quarter, when George managed to get the Pacers within their final two - point margin of defeat by draining a three - pointer with 28 seconds remaining. George Hill posted 15 points, two assists, a rebound and a steal. Ian Mahinmi returned from a three - game absence due to ankle and heel ailments to post a 12 - point, 10 - rebound double - double, which he complemented with a pair of assists and a pair of steals. Standout rookie Myles Turner managed to extend his stretch of impressive play despite Mahinmi's return, registering 16 points, six rebounds and a block over a highly efficient 18 minutes to lead the Indiana reserves. With the loss, the Pacers currently reside in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They await the Atlanta Hawks for a Thursday matchup at home."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "8", "Raptors": "6"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "82", "Raptors": "84"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "6", "Raptors": "11"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "46"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "43"}, "Turnovers": {"Raptors": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Bismack Biyombo": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "3", "Jared Dudley": "2", "Bradley Beal": "6", "John Wall": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Bismack Biyombo": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "1", "Cory Joseph": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Bismack Biyombo": "15"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Bismack Biyombo": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Bismack Biyombo": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Bismack Biyombo": "16", "DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "7", "Jared Dudley": "4", "Marcin Gortat": "10", "Bradley Beal": "6", "John Wall": "3"}, "Steals": {"Bismack Biyombo": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "2", "Bradley Beal": "3", "John Wall": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Lowry": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Kyle Lowry": "34", "Cory Joseph": "34", "Bradley Beal": "41"}, "Points": {"Kyle Lowry": "27", "Otto Porter": "13", "Jared Dudley": "7", "Marcin Gortat": "16", "Bradley Beal": "20", "John Wall": "18", "Kris Humphries": "4"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (11 - 6) defeated the Washington Wizards (6 - 8) 84 - 82 on Saturday. These days, it seems as if the Wizards ca n't buy a victory. Losers of three straight entering Saturday's contest, Washington was trying to bounce back on their home court after enduring a 33 - point loss to the Celtics on Friday in which they'd mustered a season - low 78 points. Although their offensive output was barely any better versus the Raptors, the Wizards had ridden an outstanding defensive effort to a 68 - 62 lead entering the final quarter. During that fourth period, the Raptors benefited from the hot shooting stroke of offensive linchpin Kyle Lowry, who scored eight of his game - high 27 points during that span and helped close the deficit to a razor - thin 82 - 81 with three seconds remaining. Then, on Toronto's final possession, it was DeMar DeRozan who alertly was able to feed Cory Joseph in the left corner for a game - winning three - point shot as time expired. Lowry sunk six three - pointers as part of his offensive barrage, and kicked in seven rebounds, three assists, a pair of steals and a block in a highly productive 34 minutes against the normally stout defense of John Wall. In addition to his game - winning assist, DeRozan pitched in with 23 points after a slow first half, and added three rebounds and two assists. The performance marked the third consecutive game the standout shooting guard has scored 20 points or more. The rest of the Toronto starters were notably quiet with respect to points, but Bismack Biyombo provided what was likely one of the most productive scoreless outings in NBA history by hauling in 16 boards (15 on the defensive glass), and posting four blocks, a pair of assists and a steal. Joseph paced the Raptors' bench with nine points, including his game - winning bucket from beyond the arc. Notably, Toronto escaped with the win despite committing 22 turnovers and having a slightly better shooting percentage from three - point range (46) than from the field (43). The Raptors improved to 11 - 6 and currently have sole posession of first place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Divison. They head home for a date with the Phoenix Suns on Sunday. The Wizards once again were hampered by a lack of overall offense, despite the fact that four of their starting five tallied double - digit scoring nights. Bradley Beal led the way with a 20 - point effort that also featured six rebounds, six assists and three steals over 41 minutes. The boards equaled a season - high for Beal, while the assists were his second - best total on the year in that category. John Wall was able to contribute 18 points and supplement it with three rebounds, five assists and three steals. Marcin Gortat pitched in with a 16 - point, 10 - rebound double - double, while Otto Porter poured in 13 points. The sole holdout in single digits was spot starter Jared Dudley, who tallied seven points, four rebounds and two assists while taking Kris Humphries' place in the lineup. The Wizards' reserves could offer no help on this night however, with Humphries' four points representing the bench's highest scoring output. Washington fell to 6 - 8 and currently resides in last place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They head to Cleveland to face the Cavs on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "28", "Trail Blazers": "28"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "95", "Trail Blazers": "103"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bulls": "20"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bulls": "22"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "30", "Trail Blazers": "31"}, "Number of team assists": {"Trail Blazers": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Mason Plumlee": "2", "CJ McCollum": "7", "Damian Lillard": "4", "Allen Crabbe": "2", "Gerald Henderson": "2", "Mike Dunleavy": "5", "Pau Gasol": "14", "E'Twaun Moore": "3", "Doug McDermott": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Mason Plumlee": "1"}, "Points": {"Mason Plumlee": "16", "CJ McCollum": "6", "Damian Lillard": "31", "Allen Crabbe": "11", "Gerald Henderson": "13", "Mike Dunleavy": "13", "Pau Gasol": "22", "E'Twaun Moore": "19", "Doug McDermott": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Mason Plumlee": "9", "CJ McCollum": "3", "Damian Lillard": "4", "Allen Crabbe": "3", "Gerald Henderson": "4", "Mike Dunleavy": "5", "Pau Gasol": "16", "E'Twaun Moore": "3", "Doug McDermott": "1"}, "Steals": {"Mason Plumlee": "1", "Allen Crabbe": "1", "E'Twaun Moore": "1", "Doug McDermott": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Doug McDermott": "32"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (31 - 28) defeated the Chicago Bulls (30 - 28) 103 - 95 on Saturday. Portland was able to secure a win for the 16th time in the last 20 games on the strength of a typically stellar effort from offensive linchpin Damian Lillard, along with strong performances from two of their best bench players. After a dead - even first period, Portland forged ahead in the second quarter to build a 10 - point lead by halftime. Both teams played relatively mistake - free basketball, with only 19 turnovers between them, but the Trail Blazers managed to stay a step ahead of the Bulls on the night to secure the relatively comfortable victory. Lillard's 31 points paced Portland, and he added four rebounds and four assists. Mason Plumlee was next with a near double - double, amassing 16 points, nine rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. No other starter managed double - digit scoring, including sharpshooter C.J. McCollum, who was notably limited to six points and seven assists. Gerald Henderson paced the reserves with 13 points, four rebounds and a pair of assists, while Allen Crabbe was right behind him with 11 points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal. The Trail Blazers are currently in second place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division, and in possession of the seventh seed in the conference as well. They head to Indiana for a Sunday evening showdown with the Pacers. The Bulls were led by a remarkable triple - double from Pau Gasol, who totaled 22 points, 16 rebounds and 14 assists. E'twaun Moore bounced back from a lackluster effort on Friday to produce 19 points, three rebounds, three assists and a steal. Doug McDermott continued his recent stretch of impressive play with 18 points, a rebound, an assist and a steal in 32 minutes off the bench. Mike Dunleavy pitched in with 13 points, five rebounds and five assists. Chicago remains in third place in the Eatern Conference's Central Division and has vaulted into the eighth seed in the conference as well. They head to Miami to face the Heat on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "14", "Pistons": "16"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "94", "Pistons": "82"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "19", "Pistons": "18"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "15"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "36"}}, {"Assists": {"Marcus Morris": "4", "Ersan Ilyasova": "1", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "5", "George Hill": "1"}, "Points": {"Marcus Morris": "11", "Ersan Ilyasova": "12", "Andre Drummond": "11", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "16", "Reggie Jackson": "12", "Aron Baynes": "10", "Paul George": "32", "George Hill": "18", "Jordan Hill": "8", "CJ Miles": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcus Morris": "2", "Ersan Ilyasova": "7", "Andre Drummond": "18", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "10", "Reggie Jackson": "3", "Aron Baynes": "3", "Paul George": "14", "George Hill": "4"}, "Steals": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "1", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "1", "Paul George": "1", "George Hill": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (19 - 14) defeated the Detroit Pistons (18 - 16) 94 - 82 on Saturday. Indiana came into Saturday's contest as one of the top defensive units in the Eastern Conference, tied for fourth - best in points allowed (99 per game). However, this same Pistons squad had gotten the best of them when they'd last faced off, Dec. 12 at the Palace in Detroit. The Pacers had been touched up for 118 points that night, and Indiana was apparently ready to exact some revenge Saturday. Their suffocating defense negated any possibility of an encore performance by limiting Detroit to 36 percent shooting from the field and an astoundingly minuscule 15 percent (3 - for - 20) from beyond the arc. They allowed a high scorer of only 16 points (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope) and also wore the visitors down in the second half, taking the final two quarters by a margin of 53 - 40 to close out the victory. Caldwell-Pope supplemented his team - high point total with a season - high 10 rebounds and one assist. Reggie Jackson and Ersan Ilyasova followed with a pair of 12 - point efforts, with the former adding five assists and three rebounds and the latter pitching in seven rebounds, an assist and a steal. Andre Drummond did contribute yet another double - double, posting 11 points, 18 rebounds, a pair of blocks and a steal. Marcus Morris helped make it a perfect 5 - for - 5 in terms of double - digit scoring for the starters, collecting 11 points of his own and adding four assists and a pair of rebounds. Aron Baynes paced the Detroit bench with 10 points and three boards. The Pistons dropped to 18 - 16 and remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They head home to face the Orlando Magic on Monday. For Indiana, Paul George encouragingly continued his resurgent play, tallying a huge 32 - point, 14 - rebound double - double that he supplemented with a trio of assists and a steal. After a slump in late December, George now has back - to - back 30 - point - plus performances. George Hill extended his own streak of strong offensive play by posting 18 points and adding four rebounds, an assist and a steal. Monta Ellis was the third starter in double digits with 13 points, while C.J. Miles and Jordan Hill managed matching eight - point outings to lead the reserves. The starting frontcourt duo of Ian Mahinmi and Lavoy Allen notably underwhelmed with a combined three points, but did haul in 11 boards between them. The Pacers improved to 19 - 14 and continue in third place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They now head to Miami for a Monday showdown versus the Heat."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "57", "Pistons": "32"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "111", "Pistons": "125"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "9", "Pistons": "34"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "50"}}, {"Assists": {"Tobias Harris": "1", "Marcus Morris": "4", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "6", "Reggie Jackson": "10", "Carl Landry": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "4", "Isaiah Canaan": "1", "Ish Smith": "2", "Nik Stauskas": "4"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "21", "Andre Drummond": "19", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "23", "Reggie Jackson": "24", "Carl Landry": "18", "Nerlens Noel": "12", "Isaiah Canaan": "22", "Ish Smith": "16", "Nik Stauskas": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "8", "Marcus Morris": "7", "Andre Drummond": "15", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "3", "Carl Landry": "6", "Nerlens Noel": "6", "Isaiah Canaan": "1", "Ish Smith": "4", "Nik Stauskas": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Marcus Morris": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "1"}, "Steals": {"Andre Drummond": "1", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "1", "Carl Landry": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "2", "Isaiah Canaan": "2", "Nik Stauskas": "1"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (34 - 32) trampled the Philadelphia 76ers (9 - 57) 125 - 111 on Saturday. A Sixers squad that came into the game with a significantly depleted frontcourt nevertheless once again hung tough for almost all four quarters against a considerably superior opponent. Philadelphia learned on Friday that standout rookie Jahlil Okafor would miss the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus, and also knew that both Jerami Grant and Robert Covington would be sidelined Saturday under the concussion protocol after a scary collision with each other on Friday. Reserve forward Richaun Holmes was ruled out Saturday as well, after having departed the contest versus the Nets the night prior with Achilles soreness. This left Nerlens Noel and veteran Carl Landry to log heavy time against the Pistons' talented duo of Andre Drummond and Tobias Harris, and they largely responded. However, an impressively balanced Pistons offense saw all five starters post double - digit scoring, and manage 50 percent or better success rates from both the field and three - point range. Detroit was spearheaded by Reggie Jackson's 24 - point, 10 - assist double - double, which also included three rebounds and a steal. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was next, posting 23 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals. Harris followed with 21 points, eight rebounds and an assist. Drummond posted a 19 - point, 15 - rebound double - double, and added an assist and a steal. Marcus Morris matched Drummond's point total, and complemented it with seven rebounds, four assists and a block. The Pistons are currently in third place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division, and currently have a hold on the eighth seed in the conference as well. They head to Washington to take on the Wizards on Monday night. Isaiah Canaan led the starters with 22 points, and added a rebound, an assist and two steals. Landry pitched in with 18 points, six rebounds, an assist and a steal. Ish Smith followed with 16 points, four rebounds and two assists. Noel managed 12 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block. Nik Stauskas paced the bench with 15 points, four assists, two rebounds and a steal. The Sixers remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They now head to Brooklyn to face the Nets on Tuesday night."], [[{"Total points": {"Spurs": "116", "Bulls": "105"}, "Turnovers": {"Spurs": "7", "Bulls": "20"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"Pau Gasol": "6"}, "Points": {"Pau Gasol": "23", "Aaron Brooks": "22", "Kawhi Leonard": "20", "Tony Parker": "32"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4", "Tony Parker": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "0", "Tony Parker": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "20", "Tony Parker": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "9", "Tony Parker": "13"}, "Minutes played": {"Tony Parker": "30"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (38 - 23) defeated the Chicago Bulls (39 - 24) 116 - 105 on Sunday. The Bulls looked sloppy throughout the game, forcing passes and mishandling the basketball. Without offensive stand - outs Jimmy Butler (elbow) and Derrick Rose (knee), the Bulls were forced to rely on Aaron Brooks (22 points) and Pau Gasol (23 points). While they led the team in scoring, Brooks and Gasol also combined for six of the team's 20 turnovers. The Spurs defense created chaos all over the court, racking up 15 steals. While both teams shot around 50 percent from the field, the Spurs got off 17 more shots as a result of the Bulls' turnovers. Tony Parker had a monster day, finishing with a season - high 32 points (13 - 19 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt) in 30 minutes. Small forward Kawhi Leonard contributed 20 points (9 - 20 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt) in 27 minutes. The Bulls and Spurs finished their season series at 1 - 1. They last met on Jan. 22, when the Bulls won 104 - 81 at the United Center in Chicago. That night, Rose was the high - scorer with 22 points, and Butler second - highest with 17. Sunday's game demonstrates how much the Bulls need their stars back in the lineup if they have any hopes of a deep playoff run. Taj Gibson (ankle) also missed the game for the Bulls. The Spurs are currently the seven seed in the Western Conference, enjoying a five - game winning streak. The Spurs will host the Raptors on Tuesday, and the Bulls will return home to face the Grizzlies on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "35", "Knicks": "42"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "99", "Knicks": "89"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Wizards": "20", "Knicks": "29"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Wizards": "33", "Knicks": "13"}, "Turnovers": {"Wizards": "8", "Knicks": "17"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "34", "Knicks": "28"}}, {"Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "20", "Kristaps Porzingis": "20", "Jose Calderon": "10", "Arron Afflalo": "10", "Otto Porter": "15", "Markieff Morris": "17", "Marcin Gortat": "15", "Bradley Beal": "10", "John Wall": "24"}, "Assists": {"Jose Calderon": "2", "Arron Afflalo": "1", "Otto Porter": "1", "Markieff Morris": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "2", "Bradley Beal": "6", "John Wall": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Jose Calderon": "1", "Arron Afflalo": "3", "Otto Porter": "6", "Markieff Morris": "4", "Marcin Gortat": "11", "Bradley Beal": "3", "John Wall": "2"}, "Steals": {"Markieff Morris": "3", "Bradley Beal": "1", "John Wall": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Marcin Gortat": "1", "John Wall": "1"}}], "The Washington Wizards (34 - 35) defeated the New York Knicks (28 - 42) 99 - 89 on Saturday. The game between the two conference rivals turned in a pivotal third quarter that the Wizards won handily, 33 - 13. Washington was able to maximize the value of their starting five, with each member of the first unit managing double - digit scoring. The Wizards were particularly effective on defense after a first quarter in which the Knicks prevailed in, 29 - 20. They elicited 17 turnovers from the visitors, while only committing eight themselves. They also drastically outperformed New York in the paint, 48 - 24. The Knicks were led by a pair of 20 - point efforts from Kristaps Porzingis and Carmelo Anthony. The former added seven rebounds, two assists and three blocks, while the latter hauled in seven boards, dished out five assists and recorded a steal. Jose Calderon was the only other starter that scored in double digits, tallying 10 points, two assists and a rebound. Arron Afflalo paced the bench with 10 points, three rebounds and an assist. New York remains in third place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division, and is eight games behind the eighth - seeded Detroit Pistons. They head home to take on the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. The Wizards' attack was led by John Wall, who posted a 24 - point, 10 - assist double - double which also consisted of two rebounds, a steal and a block. Markieff Morris followed with 17 points, four rebounds, an assist and three steals. Otto Porter and Marcin Gortat contributed a pair of 15 - point outings, with the former adding six rebounds and an assist, and the latter supplying 11 boards, two assists and a block. Bradley Beal rounded things out for the first team with 10 points, six assists, three rebounds and a steal. The Wizards are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division, and 2 games behind the eighth - seeded Detroit Pistons. They head to Atlanta to take on the Hawks on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "5", "Nets": "7"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "125", "Nets": "118"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "7", "Nets": "4"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nets": "29"}}, {"Points": {"Brook Lopez": "30", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "29", "Julius Randle": "17", "D'Angelo Russell": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "10", "Julius Randle": "14"}, "Assists": {"Julius Randle": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"D'Angelo Russell": "7"}}], "The host Los Angeles Lakers beat the visiting Brooklyn Nets, 125 - 118, on Tuesday. Tuesday's match was an exhibition of the young talent that Los Angeles (7 - 5) has, as third - year forward Julius Randle and sophomore point guard D'Angelo Russell helped guide the team to victory. Randle earned his second career triple - double, posting 17 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists. Russell, meanwhile, scored a season - high 32 points and hit a whopping seven three - pointers. Another youngster, guard Jordan Clarkson, had a near double - double off the bench, scoring 12 points and coming away with nine rebounds. Overall, the Lakers were able to ride solid rebounding to a narrow victory, as they came away with an eight - board advantage at the end of the day. Brooklyn (4 - 7) suffered its second loss in two days at Staples Center, after being demolished by the Clippers on Monday. Center Brook Lopez was able to rest in Monday's matchup and showed off his fresh legs with a 30 - point, 10 - rebound double - double against the Lakers. Guard Bojan Bogdanovic, meanwhile, built on a solid performance on Monday to deliver an impressive 29 - point outing in the second half of Brooklyn's back - to - back. Minimal bench contributions were seen for Brooklyn, however, as the team fell to two games below .500. The Nets will visit the Thunder on Friday, while the Lakers will host the Spurs on that same day."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "35", "Hawks": "35"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "100", "Hawks": "97"}, "Turnovers": {"Bucks": "8"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "37", "Hawks": "37"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Dwight Howard": "32", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "36"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Dwight Howard": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Dwight Howard": "2", "Greg Monroe": "2"}, "Points": {"Dwight Howard": "20", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "25", "Dennis Schroder": "28", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "34", "Tony Snell": "13", "Malcolm Brogdon": "14", "Greg Monroe": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "12", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "13"}, "Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "13"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the visiting Atlanta Hawks, 100 - 97, at BMO Harris Bradley Center on Friday evening. The Bucks (37 - 35) led by eight after a strong first quarter, but the Hawks pushed back to make it a two - point game heading into half time. The Hawks (37 - 35) continued to apply pressure, as they jumped ahead by two heading into the fourth. The game went right down to the wire, as the teams traded buckets and the lead throughout the fourth, until it was tied up at 96 with 29 seconds to go. Greg Monroe put the Bucks up by two with a layup with 17 seconds left, before Dwight Howard was fouled and made 1 - of - 2 at the line, making it a one - point game. Khris Middleton then nailed two free throws, to take the three - point lead and ultimately seal the win. This was a huge win for the Bucks, as they are now tied with the Hawks for fifth place in the East. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way for Milwaukee, with 34 points on 13 - of - 22 shooting, to go along with 13 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals, in 36 minutes. Malcolm Brogdon and Greg Monroe chipped in 14 points each, while Tony Snell added 13. This marked the third straight win for the Bucks, who now look ahead to Sunday, when they play host to the Bulls. Meanwhile, three players topped 20 points for Atlanta, while no one else scored in double digits. Dennis Schroder was the high - point man with 28, while Tim Hardaway Jr. followed up with 25 points. Dwight Howard double - doubled with 20 points and 12 rebounds, in 32 minutes of action. This marked the sixth straight loss for the Hawks, as their struggles only worsened when Paul Millsap went down with a knee injury four games ago. The Hawks will look to break the ugly streak when they play host to the Nets on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "2", "Grizzlies": "2"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "116", "Grizzlies": "80"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "1", "Grizzlies": "2"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "17"}}, {"Points": {"Troy Williams": "14", "Andrew Harrison": "12", "Deyonta Davis": "17", "Andrew Wiggins": "17", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "11", "Zach LaVine": "31", "Kris Dunn": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Deyonta Davis": "26", "Zach LaVine": "29", "Kris Dunn": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Deyonta Davis": "6", "Zach LaVine": "4", "Kris Dunn": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Zach LaVine": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Zach LaVine": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Zach LaVine": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Zach LaVine": "11"}, "Assists": {"Kris Dunn": "6"}, "Steals": {"Kris Dunn": "5"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 116 - 80 at Target Center on Tuesday. The Grizzlies (2 - 2) had essentially conceded the game before tip - off, as they rested both Marc Gasol and Mike Conley on the front end of a back - to - back. This resulted in some major offensive struggles for the Grizzlies, with four of their five starters failing to score in double figures, despite all of them playing at least 20 minutes. Additionally, as a team, Memphis shot a lowly 37 percent from the field and 17 percent from behind the arc. Rookie power forward Deyonta Davis led the way for the Grizzlies, scoring 17 points and grabbing six rebounds in 26 minutes off the bench. Troy Williams and Andrew Harrison were the only other Memphis players to score in double figures, scoring 14 and 12 points respectively in extended action. For the Timberwolves (1 - 2), they notched their first win of the season in effortless fashion. Zach LaVine shined in the outing, scoring a game - high 31 points in just 29 minutes. LaVine could n't miss, shooting a scorching 11 - of - 18 from the field and 5 - of - 9 from long range. Rookie point guard Kris Dunn also stood out in his rookie debut with Ricky Rubio out with a sprained right elbow, recording 10 points, six assists, four rebounds and five steals in 29 minutes. Everything else was the status quo for Minnesota, as Andrew Wiggins managed to record 17 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns posted a double - double of 11 points and 10 rebounds. For the Grizzlies, they'll head home Wednesday to take on the Pelicans, while the Timberwolves will return to action on Thursday against the Nuggets."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "46"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "25", "Suns": "46"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "100", "Suns": "109"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "37", "Suns": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"Alex Len": "6", "Devin Booker": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Alex Len": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Alex Len": "12", "Devin Booker": "17", "Matt Barnes": "11", "Mike Conley": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Alex Len": "5", "Devin Booker": "8", "Matt Barnes": "6", "Mike Conley": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Alex Len": "13", "Devin Booker": "7", "Mike Conley": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Alex Len": "9", "Devin Booker": "7", "Mike Conley": "5"}, "Points": {"Alex Len": "19", "Devin Booker": "27", "Mirza Teletovic": "18", "Matt Barnes": "17", "Mike Conley": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Alex Len": "16"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Devin Booker": "11", "Matt Barnes": "6", "Mike Conley": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Devin Booker": "4", "Matt Barnes": "4", "Mike Conley": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Mirza Teletovic": "20"}, "Free throw percentage": {"Matt Barnes": "50"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (17 - 46) earned a road win over the Memphis Grizzlies (37 - 25) Sunday afternoon at FedExForum, 109 - 100. The Grizzlies led for much of the first half and took a six - point advantage into the halftime break. But the Suns exploded out of the break with a 25 - 6 run that included a four - minute scoreless drought by the Grizzlies. The Suns took an 11 - point lead into the final frame and the Grizzlies couldn\u2019t even trim the deficit below five points in the fourth quarter. Suns guard Devin Booker led all scorers with 27 points (8 - 17 FG, 4 - 11 3PT, 7 - 7 FT) and added nine assists as he powered the Phoenix offense. Alex Len notched a double - double with 19 points (5 - 12 FG, 9 - 13 FT) and 16 rebounds to go with six assists and a pair of blocks. Mirza Teletovic scored 18 in just 20 minutes off the bench behind 4 - 7 shooting on three - pointers. He was just part of Phoenix\u2019s lights out shooting, as they shot 52 percent from the floor and a sharp 12 - 28 (42 percent) from deep. Mike Conley\u2019s 22 points (7 - 13 FG, 3 - 5 3PT, 5 - 6 FT) led the Grizzlies. Matt Barnes was the only other Memphis starter in double figures with 17 points (6 - 11 FG, 4 - 6 3PT). The Grizzlies offense sputtered despite a solid 10 - 22 (46 percent) shooting performance from three - point land, as they just couldn\u2019t get it going inside. Memphis shot just 22 - 58 (38 percent) on two - point shots. Conley, Barnes and Jeff Green, who scored 17 points on 5 - 7 shooting off the bench, were the only Grizzlies to shoot at least 50 percent. The Suns return home to host the Knicks on Wednesday. The Grizzlies head on the road for a Monday matchup against the Cavaliers."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "24"}}, {"Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "21", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "24", "Zach LaVine": "20", "Ricky Rubio": "16", "Marcus Morris": "36", "Jon Leuer": "24", "Andre Drummond": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "33", "Marcus Morris": "38"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "11", "Ricky Rubio": "2", "Andre Drummond": "18"}, "Assists": {"Ricky Rubio": "7", "Marcus Morris": "2"}, "Steals": {"Ricky Rubio": "2", "Marcus Morris": "1", "Andre Drummond": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Ricky Rubio": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Marcus Morris": "9", "Jon Leuer": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Marcus Morris": "5", "Jon Leuer": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marcus Morris": "19", "Jon Leuer": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Marcus Morris": "12", "Jon Leuer": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Marcus Morris": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Marcus Morris": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "3"}}], "Marcus Morris poured in a career - high 36 points on 12 - of - 19 shooting, including 5 - of - 9 from long range and 7 - of - 11 from the foul line, to go along six rebounds, two assists and one steal, in 38 minutes. Jon Leuer followed up with 24 points on 8 - of - 16 shooting, including 4 - of - 7 from long range. Andre Drummond double - doubled with 12 points and 18 rebounds, while adding two steals and three blocked shots, as he owned the paint. Three other players scored in double digits for Detroit, including Reggie Jackson, Tobias Harris and Ish Smith. Meanwhile, Karl-Anthony Towns led the way for the Timberwolves, with 24 points and 11 rebounds, in 33 minutes. Andrew Wiggins followed up with 21 points, while Zach LaVine added 20 points. Ricky Rubio was also solid, as he finished with 16 points, seven assists, two rebounds and two steals, but gave up an ugly six turnovers."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "20"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "29", "Timberwolves": "46"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "108", "Timberwolves": "114"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Grizzlies": "25", "Timberwolves": "42"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "39", "Timberwolves": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "4", "Lance Stephenson": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "8"}, "Points": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "18", "Zach LaVine": "28", "Matt Barnes": "14", "Lance Stephenson": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "10", "Matt Barnes": "10", "Lance Stephenson": "11"}, "Steals": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Zach LaVine": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Lance Stephenson": "36"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (22 - 46) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (39 - 29) Wednesday night at FedExForum, 114 - 108. The final score made this one look closer than it was, as the Timberwolves opened up a 17 - point lead with a 42 - 25 first quarter, and the Grizzlies did n't pull any closer than nine points until late in the fourth quarter. Minnesota's largest lead was 20 in the third quarter as Memphis's lineup was exceptionally thin - - with Mike Conley, P.J. Hairston and Marc Gasol already out long - term, Zach Randolph (knee), Chris Andersen (shoulder) and Vince Carter (calf) were unable to suit up, and Lance Stephenson had to play 36 minutes despite suffering a wrist injury over the weekend. Zach LaVine led all scorers with 28 points, tying his second - highest output this season, as he knocked down six three - pointers and shot 11 - 19 from the floor. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 18 points (5 - 8 FG, 8 - 9 FT), grabbed 10 rebounds, dished four assists, nabbed two steals and blocked a shot. The Wolves ran ragged over the Grizzlies defense, as they shot 56 percent from the floor and 10 - 21 (48 percent) from the three - point line and assisted on 31 of their 40 made baskets. Stephenson's 24 points off the bench led the Grizzlies, and he added 11 rebounds and seven assists in a valiant effort. Memphis got double - doubles from Jeff Green (18 points, 10 rebounds) and Matt Barnes (14 points, 10 rebounds) and managed to grab an absurd 27 offensive rebounds on 56 missed shots. Their work on the boards almost fueled an unlikely comeback, but their poor shooting from deep (4 - 20, 20 percent) was too much to overcome. The Timberwolves continue their road trip Friday against the Rockets. The Grizzlies take off for a Thursday matchup against the Bucks."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "47", "Magic": "45"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "103", "Magic": "109"}, "Rebounds": {"Suns": "49", "Magic": "43"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "22", "Magic": "25"}}, {"Points": {"Nikola Vucevic": "18", "TJ Warren": "26", "Tyler Ulis": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "17"}, "3-pointers made": {"Evan Fournier": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"TJ Warren": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"TJ Warren": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"TJ Warren": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"TJ Warren": "10"}, "Assists": {"Tyler Ulis": "8"}}], "The visiting Orlando Magic took down the Phoenix Suns on Friday, 109 - 103. Orlando (25 - 45) avoided a five - game losing streak by beating the Suns on Friday. Center Nikola Vucevic led the team with a whopping 17 rebounds on top of an efficient 18 points. Vucevic's monster contribution was necessary, as Orlando actually lost the team battle on the boards, 49 - 43. The Magic were able to squeak by with the win, though, on the basis of a superior three - point shooting night. Despite sinking only seven threes of their own, Orlando's perimeter defense was stifling, holding Phoenix to just 2 - of - 14 from three - point range. Orlando's Evan Fournier led the effort for the Magic from beyond the arc, as he sank three three - pointers on the night. Phoenix (22 - 47) has had a rough time this season, and recently shut down veteran point guard Eric Bledsoe for the season to increase the role of its young players. On Friday, that strategy seemed to work, as rookie point guard Tyler Ulis went for 19 points and eight assists in a starting role. Third-year forward T.J. Warren also continued his strong production. Warren shot 8 - of - 13 and went 10 - of - 10 from the free - throw line en route to a team - high 26 points. However, the two youngsters were not enough to propel Orlando to victory. The Suns will visit Detroit on Sunday, while the Magic host the 76ers on Monday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "31", "Warriors": "23"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "49"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "15", "Warriors": "1"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "108", "Warriors": "95"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "10", "Warriors": "24"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Klay Thompson": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Klay Thompson": "1"}, "Steals": {"Klay Thompson": "1", "Stephen Curry": "1"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "5"}, "Points": {"Stephen Curry": "28", "Greg Monroe": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Stephen Curry": "7"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (10 - 15) pulled off a big upset and ended a historic streak by beating the undefeated Golden State Warriors (24 - 1) 108 - 95 on Saturday. The Bucks have now stopped the two - longest streaks in NBA history and they did it in dominating fashion on Saturday. It was clear there was an extra fire in the building and the Warriors just couldn\u2019t muster up enough energy in the second half of a back - to - back to keep on winning. Milwaukee outshot the Warriors 49 percent to 41 percent and made just as many threes in 12 less attempts. The Warriors played a double - overtime thriller on Friday and that really hampered them here. Golden State looked extremely tired and just didn\u2019t have their legs underneath them, by shooting just 6 - for - 26 from three - point range. They were also outassisted 31 - 23 and that's even more rare to see from this Golden State team. Steph Curry was still spectacular though, as he tallied 28 points, seven rebounds and five assists in the loss. Klay Thompson also made his return from a one - game absence and that's a silver lining in a tough result. The 24 - game winning streak is over, but it's time to reflect and appreciate how special of a run that actually was. Golden State wo n't play again until Wednesday when they host the Phoenix Suns to start a new winning - streak. The Bucks have had a rough season, but this win could be a springboard for a needed run. This shows how good this team can be at times, but the inconsistency is just so frustrating. Four players scored at least 17 points in the win, with the high - scorer being Greg Monroe with 28. Giannis Antetokounmpo had his first career triple - double as well and it couldn\u2019t have come at a better time. The team also combined for an incredible 31 assists on 44 made baskets and that's a Warriors-esque stat. This is a much needed win for this young team, but it wo n't matter unless they keep this form going into their next game. They'll look to build off this win against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "36", "Raptors": "16"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "97", "Raptors": "104"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "14", "Raptors": "33"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Raptors": "26"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Raptors": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3"}, "Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "22", "Kyle Lowry": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Lowry": "2"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (33 - 16) handed the Phoenix Suns (14 - 36) a 104 - 97 loss in the Suns' first game since firing coach Jeff Hornacek. The Raptors have been among the NBA's hottest teams since the turn of the new year. On Monday, Toronto saw a season - high 11 - game win streak finally come to a close with a loss to Denver. The disappointment seemed not to carry into Tuesday, however, as the Raptors dealt a loss to the struggling Suns. Toronto's All-Star backcourt - mates Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan shared Eastern Conference Player of the Month honors for January, as the duo helped lead the team to within three games of the Cavaliers for control of the East. Unsurprisingly, the tandem posted the Raptors' two highest scoring totals on Tuesday, with Lowry going for 26 and DeRozan scoring 22. It was an overall strong offensive showing for the Raps, as the team shot a combined 48 percent and turned the ball over just 12 times. Phoenix, meanwhile, has been in a tailspin since losing point guard Eric Bledsoe to a torn meniscus. The team has won just two of their last 22 games, and will now face the challenge of finding a new coach in addition to righting their sinking ship. One bright spot, however, has been rookie standout Devin Booker. The former Kentucky Wildcat exploded for 27 points on Tuesday, including six makes from beyond the arc. Booker has assumed heavy minutes and a starting role due to the absences of Bledsoe and injured shooting guard Brandon Knight. Phoenix will host Houston on Thursday. Toronto will also face off Thursday, traveling to Portland to take on the Trail Blazers."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pelicans": "22", "Bucks": "34"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pelicans": "32", "Bucks": "21"}}, {"Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "9"}, "Assists": {"Tim Frazier": "9"}, "Points": {"Tim Frazier": "20"}}], "Very little separated these teams in the box score, as they stayed close all evening long. Ball movement was key for Milwaukee, as they assisted on nearly 75 percent of their made baskets. Giannis Antetokounmpo continues his great play, as he is averaging 23 points, 10 rebounds and six assists a game so far this season. Anthony Davis is putting those numbers to shame though, as this game lowered his averages to 36 points and 13 rebounds per game. Tim Frazier continues to fill in admirably for Tyreke Evans and Jrue Holiday, as his 20 points and nine dimes were also on pace with his season averages. The Pelicans need more from their bench, as they got just 19 points on 7 - for - 17 shooting. There were some huge swings in the middle of this game, as the Bucks outscored the Pelicans 34 - 22 in the second quarter, while New Orleans countered with a 32 - 21 third quarter of their own."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "17", "Cavaliers": "9"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "107", "Cavaliers": "110"}, "Turnovers": {"Mavericks": "16", "Cavaliers": "9"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "22", "Cavaliers": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "41"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kyrie Irving": "9", "Dirk Nowitzki": "3", "Zaza Pachulia": "3"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "27", "Kyrie Irving": "22", "Chandler Parsons": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "10", "Chandler Parsons": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyrie Irving": "3", "Dirk Nowitzki": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Kyrie Irving": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyrie Irving": "3", "Dirk Nowitzki": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Deron Williams": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Deron Williams": "3"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (27 - 9) beat the Dallas Mavericks (22 - 17) 110 - 107 in an overtime thriller on Tuesday. Dallas has made a living off winning the turnover battle this season, but it was dominated in that department Tuesday. The Mavericks committed 16 turnovers to the Cavaliers' nine and that was ultimately the difference in the game. The Mavericks actually shot nearly 50 percent from the field which far outweighed the 41 percent Cleveland shot, but the Cavs simply made more big plays in overtime to pull out the big win. Cleveland is happy to have Kyrie Irving back in the fold and that couldn\u2019t have been more evident than with this performance here. Not only did he hit a huge three late in OT, he finished the game with 22 points and nine assists. LeBron James was the star of the show though, as he tallied 27 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in another MVP-type performance. Only four bench players played for the Cavs, but the three who played at least 20 minutes all scored in double - figures. On deck for the Cavaliers is a fantastic matchup, in which they'll stay in Texas to take on a San Antonio Spurs team that has yet to lose at home this season. The Mavericks continue to be an undervalued team and they nearly pulled off a huge win here. In fact, the last six times they have been an underdog by six or more points, they have covered five of those games including this one here. It was the starters that carried the load for this deep Dallas team, as the five of them combined for 83 points. Chandler Parsons scored a season - high 25 points and also grabbed eight rebounds in a great game. Deron Williams, Dirk Nowitzki and Zaza Pachulia all recorded double - doubles in what's been bounce - back years for all three of these veterans. This does go down as a loss in the record book, but other teams are surely taking note of the Mavs continuous quality play. Dallas will look to keep up the good ball against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday in their next game. Keep in mind that that matchup will be the second half of a back - to - back and some starters may be rested after this overtime loss."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pelicans": "29"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pelicans": "8"}, "Turnovers": {"Pelicans": "15"}}, {"Points": {"Terrence Jones": "15", "Anthony Davis": "25", "Jrue Holiday": "13", "Markieff Morris": "18", "Marcin Gortat": "12", "John Wall": "24", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "10", "Jrue Holiday": "10", "Marcin Gortat": "17", "John Wall": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Marcin Gortat": "1", "John Wall": "1"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "13"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "5"}}], "The Wizards continued their dominance at home, limiting New Orleans to just eight points in the fourth quarter to seal the win. The Pelicans posted just a 29 percent success rate from three - point range and also committed 15 turnovers. John Wall generated a 24 - point, 13 - assist double - double that also featured three rebounds, five steals and one block. Markieff Morris collected 18 points. Marcin Gortat was a force on the boards once again, totaling 12 points, 17 rebounds and one block. Otto Porter and Bradley Beal both equaled Gortat's scoring total, and Kelly Oubre, Jr. led the second unit with 10 points. Anthony Davis posted a 25 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Terrence Jones got the start at power forward and provided 15 points. Tyreke Evans equaled his scoring total to lead the bench. Jrue Holiday posted a 13 - point, 10 - rebound double - double."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "54"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Suns": "28"}}, {"Points": {"TJ Warren": "21", "Devin Booker": "24", "Eric Bledsoe": "28", "Danilo Gallinari": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"TJ Warren": "8", "Eric Bledsoe": "4", "Danilo Gallinari": "7", "Nikola Jokic": "14"}, "Assists": {"Devin Booker": "6", "Eric Bledsoe": "5", "Nikola Jokic": "8"}}], "In a game between two poor defenses, offense was on display. In fact, both teams shot over 50 percent from the field, with Phoenix leading the way at 54 percent. Rebounding was the difference for the Nuggets, as they won that battle, 46 - 28. Denver also took advantage of the whistle, going 30 - of - 35 from the free - throw line. Eric Bledsoe carried the load for Phoenix, accumulating 28 points, four rebounds and five assists. Devin Booker was second on the team, scoring 24 points and handing out six assists. T.J. Warren finished with 21 points and eight rebounds. Nikola Jokic continued his ridiculous 2017, collecting 19 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists. Danilo Gallinari was second on the team, totaling 25 points and seven rebounds. Wilson Chandler was a huge spark off the bench for Denver, amassing 16 points, two rebounds and four assists. These teams will face off again on Saturday in Phoenix."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "42"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "53"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "7", "76ers": "65"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "117", "76ers": "105"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "66", "76ers": "9"}}, {"Assists": {"Carl Landry": "3", "Isaiah Canaan": "2", "Ish Smith": "10", "Elton Brand": "2", "Harrison Barnes": "1", "Draymond Green": "11", "Stephen Curry": "8", "Marreese Speights": "3"}, "Points": {"Carl Landry": "22", "Isaiah Canaan": "15", "Ish Smith": "20", "Robert Covington": "16", "Elton Brand": "10", "Harrison Barnes": "10", "Draymond Green": "13", "Stephen Curry": "20", "Marreese Speights": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Carl Landry": "8", "Ish Smith": "3", "Robert Covington": "11", "Elton Brand": "3", "Harrison Barnes": "2", "Draymond Green": "11", "Stephen Curry": "3", "Marreese Speights": "7"}, "Steals": {"Carl Landry": "1", "Ish Smith": "3", "Harrison Barnes": "1", "Draymond Green": "1", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Klay Thompson": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Stephen Curry": "3"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (66 - 7) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (9 - 65) 117 - 105 on Sunday. While backcourt mate Stephen Curry rightfully gets the majority of press, Klay Thompson has made sure that he's not a forgetten man by any stretch, averaging 37 points over the last three contests. Sunday saw the talented two - guard explode for 40 points for a second straight game, while also hauling in a pair of rebounds and recording a block. His standout performance was part of a remarkable night from the field for the Warriors, who managed a 53 percent success rate from the field, and a 42 percent figure from beyond the arc. The Sixers were led by Carl Landry, who garnered a third straight start in place of Nerlens Noel (knee). Landry managed 22 points, eight rebounds, three assists and a steal. Ish Smith followed with a 20 - point, 10 - assist double - double that also featured three rebounds and three steals. Isaiah Canaan managed 15 points and two assists. Robert Covington paced the reserves with a second straight double - double off the bench, totaling 16 points and 11 rebounds. Elton Brand was also productive off the bench, amassing 10 points, three rebounds, two assists and three blocks. Philadelphia remains in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They're back home on Tuesday to face the Charlotte Hornets. Stephen Curry followed Thompson's stellar effort with 20 points, eight assists, three rebounds and four steals. Draymond Green was next with a triple - double, totaling 13 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, a steal and three blocks. Harrison Barnes managed 10 points, two rebounds, an assist and a steal. Mareese Speights paced the bench with 17 points, seven rebounds and three assists. The Warriors continue to have a hold of the top seed in the Western Conference, and currently have a five - game lead over the second - seeded San Antonio Spurs. They're home again on Tuesday versus the Washington Wizards."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Kings": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "52"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Jokic": "7", "Gary Harris": "19", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "22", "Buddy Hield": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Jokic": "2", "Gary Harris": "9", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "14", "Buddy Hield": "6"}, "Points": {"Nikola Jokic": "4", "Gary Harris": "23", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "29", "Buddy Hield": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "10"}}], "The Sacramento Kings saw a bevy of strong performances in their first game since trading star center DeMarcus Cousins. Rookie shooting guard Buddy Hield scored 16 while shooting 6 - of - 10 in his debut with Sacramento. It was sophomore center Willie Cauley-Stein who made the biggest impression on Thursday, though. Cauley-Stein scored a team - high 29 points on 14 - of - 22 shooting and pulled down 10 rebounds. As a team, Sacramento shot 52 percent from the field and 50 percent from beyond the arc. Denver's sophomore center, meanwhile, saw an off night. Nikola Jokic was limited to just four points on 2 - of - 7 shooting, albeit with 10 rebounds. The team shot only 44 percent and was out - rebounded 49 - 42. Shooting guard Gary Harris was the team's high scorer, shooting 9 - of - 19 for 23 points."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Bulls": "28"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "33", "Kings": "43"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "109", "Kings": "102"}, "Turnovers": {"Bulls": "9"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "36", "Kings": "27"}}, {"Points": {"Rudy Gay": "18", "DeMarcus Cousins": "19", "Darren Collison": "19", "Taj Gibson": "18", "Jimmy Butler": "11", "Derrick Rose": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "18", "Pau Gasol": "14", "Jimmy Butler": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "5"}, "Assists": {"Pau Gasol": "3", "Jimmy Butler": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Pau Gasol": "3"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "5"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (36 - 33) defeated the visiting Sacramento Kings (27 - 43) 109 - 102, Monday evening at United Center. After a back - and - forth start the Bulls amassed a 10 - point lead early in the third, but the Kings responded by outscoring Chicago 38 - 25, to gain their first lead with 8:40 left in the final quarter. The Bulls would not fold and kept pressing in order to grind out the victory at home, where they are now 24 - 12 this season. This marks the Bulls' third win in a row, a trend they will need to continue due to the close race for the bottom few spots in the East. Meanwhile, the Kings fall to 2 - 8 in their last 10 games and have almost no chance of making a push for eighth. Chicago used a balanced team effort to come out victorious. They totaled 28 assists on 41 field goals, with five players scoring in double figures. The Bulls limited themselves to nine turnovers and forced a whopping 20 turnovers by Sacramento. Taj Gibson and Derrick Rose both tallied 18 points, while Pau Gasol added 11 points, 14 rebounds, three assists and three blocks. Jimmy Butler was also very impactful with 11 points, eight assists, five steals and three rebounds. Ten players logged at least 15 minutes for Chicago, while E'Twaun Moore sat out with a sore hamstring. The Kings also had five players score in double figures and utilized their bench, with 10 players logging at least 10 minutes. Willie Cauley-Stein played only five minutes after being questionable to play due to illness. DeMarcus Cousins put up solid numbers with 19 points and 18 rebounds, but gave up eight turnovers. Darren Collison chipped in 19 points as well, while Rudy Gay added 18. The Kings struggled from deep, despite Gay who shot 3 - 4 and Collison 4 - 5, the rest of the team was 2 - 20 from downtown. Next, the Kings will head to Minnesota, where they will wrap - up their current four - game road trip, on Wednesday. The Bulls will finish up a four - game home stand when they play the Knicks on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "38", "Knicks": "39"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "110", "Knicks": "94"}, "Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "6"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "26", "Knicks": "26"}, "Number of team assists": {"Knicks": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Nikola Jokic": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "18", "Kenneth Faried": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "9", "Kenneth Faried": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "11"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "30", "Kenneth Faried": "24", "Nikola Jokic": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Kenneth Faried": "10", "Nikola Jokic": "9"}, "Turnovers": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (26 - 38) defeated the visiting New York Knicks (26 - 39) on Tuesday, 110 - 94. Denver was bolstered by strong play from forward Kenneth Faried, who exploded for an efficient 24 points while pulling down 10 rebounds. Faried had an unusually strong performance, hitting 10 of 16 shots from the field and leading the Nuggets in scoring. Rookie Nikola Jokic also played a huge part in the Denver win, scoring 20 points and grabbing nine boards while dishing out three assists. The rookie has played few minutes thus far this season, but has shown signs of high potential, as evidenced by his strong showing on Tuesday. 30 points from Carmelo Anthony was not enough for the Knicks to secure a win, as no other starter reached double digits in scoring. Melo hit all of his 11 free - throws while going 9 - for - 18 from the floor, putting the team on his shoulders in an otherwise sloppy performance by the struggling Knicks. Anthony also led the team in rebounding with seven and assists with four, in what was an impressive individual showing. The Knicks forced just six total turnovers from Denver, allowing the Nuggets a 21 - shot advantage in attempts from the field. New York will face the Suns on Wednesday, while Denver will also take on the Suns this Thursday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "45", "Clippers": "56"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "12", "Clippers": "5"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "96", "Clippers": "112"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "5", "Clippers": "11"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Clippers": "28"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Clippers": "22"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Blake Griffin": "4"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "28", "Jamal Crawford": "22", "Gordon Hayward": "30", "Enes Kanter": "6", "Trevor Booker": "15"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "12", "Chris Paul": "3", "Jamal Crawford": "2", "Enes Kanter": "2", "Trevor Booker": "9"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Chris Paul": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jamal Crawford": "4", "Gordon Hayward": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Jamal Crawford": "28", "Gordon Hayward": "36", "Enes Kanter": "18", "Trevor Booker": "24"}, "Turnovers": {"Jamal Crawford": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "18"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Gordon Hayward": "4"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Booker": "3"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (11 - 5) defeated the Utah Jazz (5 - 12) 112 - 96 Saturday at EnergySolutions Arena. Los Angeles extended their winning streak to four games on the back of 28 points from Blake Griffin and 22 points from Jamal Crawford in his familiar sixth man role. Crawford hit four shots from three - point range in his 28 minutes. Chris Paul handed out 10 assists, while DeAndre Jordan was a presence on the boards with 12 rebounds and blocked three shots to boot. The Clippers host the Minnesota Timberwolves back at Staples Center on Monday looking to keep their winning streak intact. Utah also kept their streak intact, losing for the fifth consecutive game, despite Gordon Hayward's game - high 30 points. Like Crawford, Hayward hit four three - pointers, but struggled yet again from the free - throw line, going 4 - for - 8. Hayward began the season hitting 35 of his first 36 shots from the charity stripe, but has proceeded to go 43 - for - 64 since. Trevor Booker was a spark plug off the bench, scoring 15 points with nine rebounds and three steals in 24 minutes, while starting center Enes Kanter struggled his way to six points and two rebounds in 18 largely ineffective minutes. As a team, the Jazz shot 45 percent from the field, compared the Clippers' stellar 56 percent, a telling difference. The Jazz host the Denver Nuggets on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "23", "Cavaliers": "10"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "108", "Cavaliers": "120"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Kings": "15"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "21"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "16", "Cavaliers": "29"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "15", "DeMarcus Cousins": "11"}, "Points": {"Kyrie Irving": "26", "Kyle Korver": "18", "DeMarcus Cousins": "26"}}], "The visiting Cleveland Cavaliers took down the Sacramento Kings on Friday, 120 - 108. Cleveland (29 - 10) snapped a surprising two - game losing streak with the convincing win on Friday. The Cavs had dropped both games since trading for veteran sharpshooter Kyle Korver, but picked up the win against the middling Kings. The Cavaliers' big three played to each of their strengths on Friday. Kevin Love posted a double - double and led the team with a whopping 18 rebounds, while LeBron James dished out 15 assists and Kyrie Irving scored a team - high 26 points. Five Cavaliers scored in double figures, including Korver, who came off the bench for 18. Sacramento (16 - 23) has struggled lately, having now lost six of its last eight games. On Friday, the Kings were once again led by superstar DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins scored 26 points and dished out 11 assists while pulling down eight rebounds. As a whole, the Kings were superb when shooting the ball, hitting 52 percent of their shots. However, they could not match the Cavs from deep, hitting only nine three - pointers to Cleveland's 15. Turnovers were also an issue for Sacramento, as the Kings coughed the ball up 21 times in the game. The Kings will host the Thunder on Sunday, while the Cavs will take on the Warriors on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "29"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "42"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "3", "Heat": "3"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "90", "Heat": "97"}, "Rebounds": {"Hornets": "31", "Heat": "46"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "3", "Heat": "3"}}, {"Points": {"Luol Deng": "21", "Hassan Whiteside": "12", "Dwyane Wade": "23", "Frank Kaminsky": "7", "Al Jefferson": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Luol Deng": "4", "Hassan Whiteside": "7", "Dwyane Wade": "6", "Frank Kaminsky": "7", "Al Jefferson": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4", "Dwyane Wade": "3"}, "Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "4", "Frank Kaminsky": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "2", "Frank Kaminsky": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dwyane Wade": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "2"}, "Steals": {"Dwyane Wade": "2", "Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Dwyane Wade": "2", "Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Frank Kaminsky": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kemba Walker": "2"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the Charlotte Hornets, 97 - 90, in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference first - round playoffs to even the series 3 - 3 on Friday at Time Warner Cable Arena. In a must win game, Dwyane Wade showed up big time. Not only did Wade hit two huge shots late, he made the game sealing block on Kemba Walker in the final seconds. Miami's defense was key, as they held Charlotte to 42 percent shooting from the field and 29 percent from three - point range. The rebounding was a big difference as well, with the Heat snatching down 46 boards to the Hornets 31. The Heat had everything to play for in this Game 6 do or die and they left it all on the floor. Wade was the star, as he finished the game with 23 points, six rebounds, four assists and three blocks in the win. Luol Deng provided 21 points and four rebounds of his own. Hassan Whiteside tallied 12 points, seven rebounds and four blocks before prematurely fouling out. The Hornets had a prime opportunity to win a playoff series in their home building, but couldn\u2019t get much help outside Kemba Walker. The star point guard scored a game - high 37 points, while also recording three rebounds and five assists. Al Jefferson was the only player to score more than 12, as he collected 18 points and nine rebounds in the loss. The other three starters combined for just nine points, with seven of those coming from Frank Kaminsky. The Hornets will have to travel to Miami for Game 7 on Sunday with the Heat being a projected four - point favorite."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Grizzlies": "21"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Jeremy Lamb": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jeremy Lamb": "2"}, "Points": {"Jeremy Lamb": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Jeremy Lamb": "9"}}], "The Hornets had lost four games in a row after starting the season 8 - 3. They have now won their last two games thanks in large part to the explosive play of a now - healthy Jeremy Lamb, who scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the team's win over Memphis on Monday night. In his two games since making a full return to the Hornets' rotation, Lamb has posted a total of 39 points and 26 rebounds, which included a career - high 17 rebounds in their win over the Knicks. Impressive rebounding has n't been a key part of Lamb's game either, as the nine rebounds he recorded against the Grizzlies would have matched the second - highest rebounding total of his career. Above all, Lamb now gives a Charlotte bench that was already averaging 38 points per game - - the eighth highest average in the league - - an added punch of offense and a legitimate reserve backcourt player after they've been shuffling through some underwhelming talent at both shooting guard and point guard."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "4", "Jazz": "6"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "102", "Jazz": "93"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Mavericks": "35", "Jazz": "17"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "9", "Jazz": "6"}, "Number of team assists": {"Jazz": "14"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Jazz": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "4", "Derrick Favors": "2", "Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Deron Williams": "8"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "22", "Derrick Favors": "18", "Rudy Gobert": "8", "Alec Burks": "15", "Dirk Nowitzki": "19", "Zaza Pachulia": "15", "Deron Williams": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "7", "Derrick Favors": "7", "Rudy Gobert": "12", "Dirk Nowitzki": "4", "Zaza Pachulia": "12", "Deron Williams": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Alec Burks": "30", "Dirk Nowitzki": "32"}, "Blocks": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "3"}, "Steals": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "1", "Deron Williams": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "1", "Zaza Pachulia": "1"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (9 - 4) continued thier hot start to the season and grabbed their sixth win in a row Friday night as they beat the Utah Jazz (6 - 6) 102 - 93. It was a close game but Dallas' 35 - 17 second quarter gave them a big enough cushion to be able to maintain the lead for the whole second half. Utah was led by Gordon Hayward who finished with 22 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Hayward shot a strong 8 - 14 from the field and 2 - 4 from deep. Derrick Favors had another big night for the Jazz with 18 points on 9 - 14 shooting, seven rebounds and two assists. Rudy Gobert was looking healthy in his third game back after being out with an ankle injury. Gobert tallied 12 rebounds and eight points in 35 minutes. Alec Burks did not shoot well, going 4 - 14 and 1 - 5 from deep, but went 6 - 6 from the free - throw line and finished with 15 points in 30 minutes off the bench. The Jazz as a team had a meagre 14 assists on 35 made field goals. Dirk Nowitzki had lots of help from his teammates but that did not stop him from putting in work of his own against the agile Utah big men on Friday night. Dirk finished with 19 points on efficient 8 - 12 shooting, including 3 - 3 from long range; he also had four rebounds, two assists and three blocks in 32 minutes. Deron Williams led the Mavs in scoring with 23 points, on 7 - 13 shooting, along with eight assists, six rebounds and three steals. Zaza Pachulia is still getting it done as he put up a formidable 15 points and 12 rebounds in 38 minutes for the Mavericks. Dirk and Zaza have to be one of the oldest starting front - courts in the league but that has not seemed to be a problem so far this season. Next up for Dallas is a visit to OKC on Sunday where they will look to prove their rank as one of the top dogs in the West. Meanwhile, Utah is going to catch OKC on the second night of a back to back as OKC visits on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "3", "Thunder": "2"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "91", "Thunder": "95"}, "Rebounds": {"Spurs": "36", "Thunder": "54"}, "Turnovers": {"Thunder": "20"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "3"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "9"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "23", "Russell Westbrook": "35", "Kawhi Leonard": "26", "Danny Green": "20", "Manu Ginobili": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Tim Duncan": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Russell Westbrook": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Russell Westbrook": "4", "Tim Duncan": "3"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Tim Duncan": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Danny Green": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Danny Green": "7"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Tony Parker": "3"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder earned a down - to - the - wire win over the San Antonio Spurs, 95 - 91, on Tuesday at AT & T Center, taking a 3 - 2 series lead in the Western Conference semifinals. Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook took control in Game 5, offering up late - game heroics to seal the deal and cap off a 35 - point, 11 - rebound, 9 - assist night. Westbrook was a major part of OKC's impressive effort on the boards, offering four of the Thunder's 15 offensive boards and contributing to the team's 54 - 36 overall rebounding advantage. Also impressing, per usual, was former MVP and superstar Kevin Durant, who offered 23 points, six rebounds, and five assists. Despite the key win and a big night for the dynamic duo, the Thunder struggled mightily with turnovers, coughing the ball up 20 times while forcing just seven turnovers on the defensive end. Regardless, the Thunder now have a chance to close out the series against the 67 - win Spurs in OKC in Game 6. For the Spurs, a more balanced approach built the team's offensive output, with three players scoring 20 points or more. All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard led the team with 26 points while also nabbing five steals on the defensive end. Sharpshooter Danny Green, meanwhile, busted out of a slump to deliver 20 points on an impressive 7 - for - 10 shooting. While the Spurs' young stars shined brightly, the veteran \"big 3\" of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker combined for just 17 points on 6 - of - 22 shooting from the field. The team also struggled to crash the glass, with no one reaching double - digit rebounding on the night. Game 6 will see the Thunder return to Chesapeake Energy Arena with a chance to close out the series at home."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "44", "Raptors": "29"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "108", "Raptors": "104"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "27", "Raptors": "42"}}, {"Points": {"Lou Williams": "19", "Greivis Vasquez": "7", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "26", "Reggie Jackson": "28"}, "Assists": {"Reggie Jackson": "9"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (27 - 44) topped the Toronto Raptors (42 - 29), 108 - 104, on Tuesday at The Palace of Auburn Hills. The Pistons exploded for 60 points in the first half to take a 12 point lead into the locker room. Toronto's Kyle Lowry gave it a go to start the game, but his back spasms flared back up and he was forced from the game. The Raptors went on a run and briefly took the lead in the fourth quarter until Reggie Jackson's free throws gave the Pistons the advantage. The Pistons and Raptors split the season series at two games apiece. Toronto made a game of it despite Lowry's injury, but could n't close it out for the win. Greivis Vasquez filled in a point guard with seven points and four assists and Louis Williams poured in 19 points off the bench. The Raptors have a big matchup Wednesday against the Bulls, who lead them by a half game for the third seed in the Eastern Conference. Detroit has now won three straight games to improve to 27 - 44 on the season. Reggie Jackson had another big game for the Pistons with 28 points, nine assists, and zero turnovers. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope continued his hot shooting stretch with 26 points, 15 of which came on three pointers. Greg Monroe sat out of this game but is reportedly nearing a return to the floor. The Pistons will return to action Friday against the Magic."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "40"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Paul George": "14", "Thaddeus Young": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul George": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Paul George": "5"}, "Points": {"Thaddeus Young": "12", "Myles Turner": "11", "CJ Miles": "16", "Jeff Teague": "13", "Al Jefferson": "10", "Serge Ibaka": "20", "Nikola Vucevic": "15", "Evan Fournier": "12", "Elfrid Payton": "11", "D.J. Augustin": "10"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "9", "Al Jefferson": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Al Jefferson": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Jefferson": "7", "Nikola Vucevic": "15"}}], "Paul George shot just 3 - of - 14 from the field, but the four other members of the starting five hitting double - digit scoring. Indiana also held the Magic to 40 percent shooting, including 26 percent from three - point range. C.J. Miles' 16 points led the way for the Pacers. Jeff Teague with a near double - double of 13 points and nine assists, while Thaddeus Young stepped up with 12 points. Myles Turner posted 11 of his own, and Glenn Robinson led the bench with 14 points and seven rebounds. Al Jefferson provided a full stat line of 10 points, seven rebounds and three assists in just 16 minutes. Serge Ibaka's 20 points led Orlando. Nicola Vucevic generated a 15 - point, 15 - rebound double - double. Evan Fournier and Elfrid Payton registered 12 and 11 points, respectively. D.J. Augustin's 10 points led the bench."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "15", "Celtics": "21"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "115", "Celtics": "109"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Raptors": "35", "Celtics": "27"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Raptors": "21", "Celtics": "35"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Raptors": "40", "Celtics": "28"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "27", "Celtics": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "10", "Marcus Smart": "4", "Kelly Olynyk": "4", "DeMar DeRozan": "6"}, "Points": {"Isaiah Thomas": "21", "Marcus Smart": "6", "Kelly Olynyk": "18", "Luis Scola": "18", "Jonas Valanciunas": "19", "DeMar DeRozan": "34"}, "Turnovers": {"Isaiah Thomas": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcus Smart": "4", "Kelly Olynyk": "4", "Luis Scola": "5", "Jonas Valanciunas": "12"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "9"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (27 - 15) defeated the Boston Celtics (22 - 21) 115 - 109 in a game full of momentum swings Wednesday night. In a battle between two stout defenses, guarding your opponent became an optional aspect of this game. Not only did both teams shoot over 50 percent from the field, both squads nearly reached the century mark to start the fourth quarter. The two teams defensive natures took over after that though, as they combined for just 38 points in the final 12 minutes. It was truly a game of swings and that's evident by the box score. The Raptors won the first quarter 35 - 27 and the third quarter 40 - 28. The only reason the Celtics hung around is because they won the second quarter 35 - 21. Those are just bizarre scores from quarter - to - quarter and both coaches must've needed heavy doses of Ibuprofen after a game like this. The starting units are what made the difference for the Raptors, as they outscored the Celtics starting - five 90 - 62. This result is indicative of where this Celtics team is right now, as they are on the border of being a contender, but haven\u2019t quite hurdled over that hump yet. Isaiah Thomas has been the teams best player this season and while he had the best night of any Boston player on Wednesday, he made two crucial turnovers late that ultimately helped the Raptors get their win. With that said, those were his only two turnovers on the night while recording a 21 - point 10 - assist double - double. The second - unit was spectacular for Boston tonight and single - handedly kept them in the game, as Kelly Olynyk, Marcus Smart and Evan Tuner all had at least six points, four rebounds and four assists in the defeat with Olynyk leading the group by dropping 18 points. This was still a good showing from this Boston team and they continue to battle elite teams in difficult environments. Up next for the Celtics is another tough task against the Chicago Bulls on Friday. Toronto has quietly been taking care of business over recent weeks and they now sit in the two - seed in the East at the midpoint of the year. Much of that has to be credited to DeMar DeRozan, who had yet another great game here. DeRozan finished with 34 points and six assists while hitting some daggers in the final minutes to cap off the win. Jonas Valanciunas also had an impressive outing, as he went 9 - for - 9 from the field to accumulate 19 points and 12 rebounds in the win. Luis Scola also put in an 18 - point, five - rebound line and he's been a darkhorse hero for this team all season. Toronto will look to keep the momentum going on Friday in their next game against the reeling Miami Heat."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "5", "Jazz": "7"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "111", "Jazz": "102"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "8", "Jazz": "7"}}, {"Points": {"Trey Lyles": "21", "Rudy Gobert": "12", "Rodney Hood": "25", "Dante Exum": "10", "Clint Capela": "20", "James Harden": "31", "Eric Gordon": "20", "Nene": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Trey Lyles": "5", "Rudy Gobert": "14", "Rodney Hood": "4", "Dante Exum": "1", "Clint Capela": "8", "James Harden": "4", "Nene": "6"}, "Assists": {"Rudy Gobert": "1", "Rodney Hood": "3", "Dante Exum": "1", "Clint Capela": "5", "James Harden": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "4", "Clint Capela": "1"}, "Steals": {"Rudy Gobert": "2", "Nene": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"James Harden": "10", "Eric Gordon": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "10"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Eric Gordon": "5", "Nene": "5"}}], "The Houston Rockets defeated the Utah Jazz, 111 - 102, on Saturday at Toyota Center. Despite the return of Patrick Beverly to the starting lineup, Eric Gordon is still finding ways to contribute. The veteran guard tallied a robust 37 minutes off the bench Saturday, parlaying them into a line of 20 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals. The minutes were actually the second - highest of the season for Gordon, while his scoring total marked only his third time over the 20 - point mark on the campaign. He impressively drained half of his eight three - point attempts to share the team lead with James Harden, helping the Rockets (8 - 5) to their fourth home win in five tries. The Jazz (7 - 7) were led by a 25 - point outburst from Rodney Hood, his best scoring total since the opener. He also added four rebounds and three assists. Trey Lyles drew another start in place of Derrick Favors (knee), posting 21 points and five boards. Rudy Gobert put together a 12 - point, 14 - rebound double - double that also included an assist, four blocks and two steals. Dante Exum was in the first unit again in George Hill's (thumb) stead, supplying 10 points, a rebound and an assist. Harden paced the Rockets with a 31 - point, 10 - assist double - double, his ninth in the last 10 games. The Beard also provided three rebounds and two blocks. Clint Capela was next in line with 20 points, eight rebounds, five assists and a block, with his scoring total representing a season high. No other member of the starting five was able to tally double - digit scoring, but Nene Hilario joined Gordon in accomplishing the feat off the bench, registering 16 points, six boards and a steal. The Jazz continue on the road to Denver, where they'll take on the Nuggets on Sunday evening, while the Rockets head to Detroit to take on the Pistons on Monday night."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Jazz": "26", "Kings": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Jazz": "54", "Kings": "34"}}, {"Points": {"Rudy Gay": "20", "DeMarcus Cousins": "16", "Gordon Hayward": "26", "Rudy Gobert": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "5", "DeMarcus Cousins": "10", "Gordon Hayward": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "7"}, "Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "3"}, "Steals": {"Gordon Hayward": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "6"}}], "Sacramento did start this game up 110, but it was all downhill from there. While things tightened up in the middle quarters, Utah outscored Sacramento 26 - 8 in the fourth to pull away and eventually win by 20. Defense was key once again, as they held the Kings to 39 percent shooting and outrebounded them, 54 - 34. DeMarcus Cousins was frustrated all night long by Rudy Gobert, as he finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds on 7 - of - 22 shooting. Rudy Gay was a lone bright spot for the Kings, tallying 20 points and five rebounds in the defeat. The aforementioned Rudy Gobert was a beast in this game, totaling 17 points, 14 rebounds and a season - high six blocks in the win. Gordon Hayward returned from a one - game absence to lead the team with 26 points, seven rebounds and three assists."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "19"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "19", "Cavaliers": "12"}, "Number of team assists": {"Cavaliers": "19"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "43"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "6", "Kyrie Irving": "4", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "4", "Caris LeVert": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "14"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "36", "Kevin Love": "17", "Kyrie Irving": "32", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "23", "Trevor Booker": "13", "Caris LeVert": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "9", "Kevin Love": "13", "Trevor Booker": "12", "Caris LeVert": "4"}}], "Cleveland were expected to roll in this game and they looked like the far superior team, despite the close scoreline. The Cavaliers aggressiveness was key, as they attempted 43 free - throws to the Nets 19. In addition, Cleveland recorded 14 steals, winning the turnover battle, 19 - 12. LeBron James was the player of the game, accumulating 36 points, nine rebounds and six assists on 14 - of - 20 from the field. Kyrie Irving struggled with his shot, but finished second on the team with 32 points and four assists. Kevin Love totaled 17 points and 13 rebounds on his way to a double - double. Bojan Boganovic led the Nets in scoring, as he dropped 23 points and added four assists. Caris LeVert led the bench in scoring, accruing 19 points, four rebounds and five assists. Trevor Booker recorded another double - double, amassing 13 points and 12 rebounds in the defeat,"], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Hornets": "28", "Trail Blazers": "18"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "21", "Trail Blazers": "26"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "107", "Trail Blazers": "85"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hornets": "28", "Trail Blazers": "13"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "21", "Trail Blazers": "18"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "35"}, "Turnovers": {"Trail Blazers": "15"}}, {"Points": {"CJ McCollum": "18", "Damian Lillard": "21", "Evan Turner": "8", "Nicolas Batum": "17", "Kemba Walker": "23", "Roy Hibbert": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"CJ McCollum": "2", "Damian Lillard": "7", "Evan Turner": "9", "Nicolas Batum": "7", "Roy Hibbert": "6"}, "Steals": {"CJ McCollum": "4", "Kemba Walker": "3"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "6", "Evan Turner": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "7", "Kemba Walker": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Nicolas Batum": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Roy Hibbert": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Roy Hibbert": "7"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, 107 - 85, at Spectrum Center on Wednesday. In a battle between two teams in the midst of losing streaks, the Hornets rode a huge fourth quarter en route to a 22 - point win. In fact, Charlotte won the fourth quarter, 28 - 13. The Hornets defense was huge, as they forced the Blazers to commit 15 turnovers and shoot just 35 percent from the field. They did that damage while dominating the assist ratio, with Charlotte recording 28 assists to Portland's 18. Despite the game being close throughout the first half, Charlotte led for the entirety of the second half. The Blazers (18 - 26) have now lost three - straight games, as their defense continues to let them down. Damian Lillard was a nice bright spot for Portland though, as he tallied 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists. C.J. McCollum was the only other Blazer in double figures, totaling 18 points, two rebounds and four steals. Evan Turner was the best player off the bench, providing eight points, nine rebounds and two assists. On deck for the Blazers is a road matchup against the revived Philadelphia 76ers on Friday. The Hornets (21 - 21) were back home after a nightmare five - game road trip, as they took care of business here to snap a five - game losing streak. Kemba Walker was the player of the game, as he accumulated 23 points, five assists and three steals. Nicolas Batum accrued 17 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, despite committing five turnovers. Roy Hibbert was a nice spark off the bench, dropping 16 points and six rebounds on 7 - of - 8 from the field. Frank Kaminsky and Marco Belinelli also scored in double figures off the bench, combining for 24 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals. The Hornets will host the Toronto Raptors on Friday for their next game"], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "20", "Nets": "43"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "105", "Nets": "95"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "39", "Nets": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"Brook Lopez": "4", "Chris Paul": "12"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Brook Lopez": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Brook Lopez": "9", "Paul Pierce": "3"}, "Points": {"Brook Lopez": "25", "DeAndre Jordan": "10", "JJ Redick": "19", "Chris Paul": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "10", "DeAndre Jordan": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"Brook Lopez": "3", "Jamal Crawford": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Paul Pierce": "3", "JJ Redick": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Paul Pierce": "3", "DeAndre Jordan": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"JJ Redick": "3", "Jamal Crawford": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Jamal Crawford": "3"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (39 - 20) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (17 - 43) 105 - 95 at Staples Center on Monday. The backcourt proved to be the difference maker for the Clippers, as Chris Paul, Jamal Crawford and JJ Reddick found themselves grooving in the second half. Crawford\u2019s 26 points was good enough to lead all scorers in the contest, as Los Angeles found success through their three guard lineup, which paired remarkably well with Paul Pierce at power forward and DeAndre Jordan dominating the paint. Paul completed a double - double with 23 points and 12 assists, while JJ Reddick went 3 - of - 5 from behind the arc and totaled 19 points. The combination of the three guard system caused frequent mismatches and opened up Crawford to get hot through iso plays. When the iso - ball became stagnant, Jordan found himself with an open lane to the rim multiple times, leading to 10 points and 10 rebounds. The Brooklyn Nets competed with the Clippers through three quarters of play, and constantly frustrated their opponent behind the play of Brook Lopez. The fourth quarter proved to be dire for the Nets, as they failed to register a basket for the first half of that final period, opening the door for the Clippers to finally pull away. Lopez finished with 25 points, 10 rebounds and four assists on 9 - of - 17 shooting to lead Brooklyn in the overmatched contest. Three Nets starters matched Lopez in double figures (Donald Sloan, Wayne Ellington and Bojan Bogdanovich). Ellington left the game early after suffering what might be a possible concussion after colliding with Jordan. The Clippers host the Oklahoma City Thunder (42 - 18) on Thursday, while the Nets play the second game of a back - to - back and stay in Los Angeles to face the Lakers (11 - 49) on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "53", "Wizards": "28"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "108", "Wizards": "119"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Lakers": "13", "Wizards": "37"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "21", "Wizards": "46"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "51"}}, {"Assists": {"John Wall": "14", "D'Angelo Russell": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"John Wall": "37"}, "Points": {"John Wall": "34", "D'Angelo Russell": "28"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "4"}}], "The visiting Washington Wizards took down the Los Angeles Lakers in a comeback win on Tuesday, 119 - 108. Washington (46 - 28) won its fourth straight game despite entering the fourth quarter with a double - digit deficit. The Wizards came back quickly, thanks in large part to strong play from star point guard John Wall. Wall continued his dominant season with 34 points, 14 assists, and four steals. Largely due to his offense, the Wizards were able to shoot over 51 percent from the field and scored 37 fourth - quarter points. The fourth quarter seemed to be the Wizards' territory on Tuesday, as they outscored LA 37 - 13 for the stunning comeback victory. Thanks to the win, Washington remains seated in third place in the Eastern Conference. Los Angeles (21 - 53) nearly pulled off a major upset but may be better off without it as they eye the upcoming draft lottery. The team simply fell apart late in the game, as their youthful lack of NBA experience began to show against one of the league's top teams. The star of the night for LA was sophomore point guard D'Angelo Russell, who has had even more opportunity to flourish since the Lakers parted ways with sixth man Lou Williams at the trade deadline. Russell had a big night and showed the skill that made him the draft's second pick, scoring 28 points and dishing out a team - high nine assists. The Wizards will stay in LA and play the Clippers on Wednesday, while the Lakers will visit Minnesota on Thursday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "49"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hornets": "39"}, "Rebounds": {"Hornets": "44", "76ers": "37"}}, {"Points": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "14"}}], "The Hornets entered intermission on the wrong side of a 53 - 46 score, but their 39 - point surge in the third quarter essentially put the game out of reach. The backcourt duo of Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum combined for 42 points on 14 - of - 29 shooting from the field, and Charlotte shot 49 percent overall from the field. Cody Zeller and Frank Kaminsky III also combined for 27 points in the absence of Roy Hibbert (knee). Richaun Holmes and Jahlil Okafor helped fill in for the resting Joel Embiid on Wednesday, combining for 23 points, although Philadelphia was nevertheless outrebounded by a 44 - 37 margin overall. Ersan Ilyasova provided a spark in his first game in a Sixers uniform with 14 points off the bench, but the visitors still managed just a 40 percent success rate from the field."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Andre Drummond": "28", "Reggie Jackson": "12", "Jae Crowder": "21", "Al Horford": "13", "Marcus Smart": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "22", "Al Horford": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Reggie Jackson": "12", "Marcus Smart": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Reggie Jackson": "4", "Marcus Smart": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Reggie Jackson": "28"}, "Assists": {"Al Horford": "6", "Isaiah Thomas": "8", "Marcus Smart": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "15"}, "Free throws made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "15"}}], "In Boston, Isaiah Thomas has been given the nickname \"The King in the Fourth.\" On Monday, he showed why. The two - time All-Star scored 41, with 24 of those points coming in the fourth quarter. Thomas was a perfect 15 - of - 15 from the free - throw line and hit four three - pointers. The game marked Thomas's fourth career 40 - point game, all of which have come in the Celtics' last 21 outings. On top of the massive scoring output, Thomas dished a respectable eight assists. Also recording eight assists was bench guard Marcus Smart, who scored 13 but shot just 3 - of - 13 from the field. Veteran All-Star Al Horford scored 13 and added six rebounds and six assists, while forward Jae Crowder impressed with an efficient 21 points. For Detroit, star center Andre Drummond was dominant. Drummond led the Pistons with 28 points and pulled down a whopping 22 rebounds. Point guard Reggie Jackson, on the other hand, shot only 4 - of - 12 for 12 points and fouled out in 28 minutes."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nuggets": "25", "Jazz": "43"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "33", "Jazz": "57"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "38", "Jazz": "35"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "82", "Jazz": "104"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nuggets": "17", "Jazz": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Nuggets": "36", "Jazz": "43"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "20", "Jazz": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Trey Burke": "4", "Will Barton": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Trey Burke": "4", "Rodney Hood": "3", "Danilo Gallinari": "8", "Will Barton": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Gordon Hayward": "1", "Trey Burke": "3", "Rodney Hood": "3", "Danilo Gallinari": "2", "Will Barton": "1"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Gordon Hayward": "20"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "12", "Derrick Favors": "10", "Trey Burke": "12", "Rodney Hood": "8", "Danilo Gallinari": "15", "Kenneth Faried": "9", "Will Barton": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Derrick Favors": "7", "Trey Burke": "8", "Rodney Hood": "5", "Danilo Gallinari": "5", "Kenneth Faried": "4", "Will Barton": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Derrick Favors": "8", "Rodney Hood": "2", "Danilo Gallinari": "2", "Kenneth Faried": "4", "Will Barton": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Gordon Hayward": "4", "Derrick Favors": "7", "Rodney Hood": "1", "Danilo Gallinari": "1", "Kenneth Faried": "4", "Will Barton": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Gordon Hayward": "26", "Trey Burke": "23", "Will Barton": "31"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "15", "Derrick Favors": "21", "Trey Burke": "19", "Rodney Hood": "14", "Danilo Gallinari": "13", "Kenneth Faried": "12", "Will Barton": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Derrick Favors": "10", "Kenneth Faried": "8"}, "Steals": {"Gordon Hayward": "2", "Trey Burke": "4", "Danilo Gallinari": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Gordon Hayward": "7", "Derrick Favors": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Derrick Favors": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Derrick Favors": "3"}}], "The Utah Jazz (22 - 35) defeated the Denver Nuggets (20 - 38) 104 - 82 on Friday at the Pepsi Center in Denver. The Jazz got off to a quick start Friday, out - scoring the Nuggets 28 - 17 in the first quarter, while eventually taking a 50 - 34 lead at half. Along with the strong start, the Jazz also shot much better, going 57 percent from the field and 43 percent from the three - point line, while the Nuggets finished at just 33 percent from the floor and a meager 25 percent from deep. Despite turning the ball over 23 times, the Jazz made up for it with a 43 - 36 rebounding advantage. Leading the way for the Jazz was Derrick Favors, who went 7 - for - 10 from the field and 7 - for - 8 from the free throw line to finish with a team - high of 21 points, while adding 10 rebounds and three blocked shots as well. The double - double marked his second over his last three games, a stretch where he's averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds. Coming off the bench, Trey Burke was a huge factor in the win, scoring 19 points (8 - 12 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt), to go along with four assists and four steals in 23 minutes. He continues to be a great source of points off the bench, averaging 17 points over last five games. Despite turning the ball over seven times, Gordon Hayward had a solid overall effort. In just 26 minutes, he recorded 15 points (5 - 12 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT), five assists and two steals. He now boasts season averages of 20 ponts, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Also off the bench, Rodney Hood posted an efficient 14 points (5 - 8 FG, 3 - 3 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) in 19 minutes. Continuing his hot streak, Will Barton finished with a game - high of 22 points (8 - 15 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT), to go along with two assists off the bench in 31 minutes. He's been a fantastic producer for the Nuggets ever since joing them through a trade at the deadline, as he's now averaging 15 points and three rebounds in the four games since coming over. He did n't reach double figures once in his time with the Trail Blazers, so it's great to see him have so much success with more of an opportunity. Another strong contribution from the bench came from Kenneth Faried, who posted 12 points (4 - 9 FG, 4 - 4 FT) and eight rebounds. He missed Wednesday's game with a thumb injury, so the Nuggets decided to bring him off the bench in his return. The only other Nugget to reach double figures in points was Danilo Gallinari. In 25 minutes as a starter, he finished with 13 points (5 - 15 FG, 2 - 8 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and two steals. The Jazz's next game will be at home against the Milwuakee Bucks on Saturday, while the Nuggets will be at home against the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "46", "Grizzlies": "34"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Kings": "23", "Grizzlies": "22"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Kings": "23", "Grizzlies": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Kings": "36", "Grizzlies": "45"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "19"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Grizzlies": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Mike Conley": "9", "Darren Collison": "7"}, "Points": {"Mike Conley": "22", "Darren Collison": "23"}}], "Made baskets were few and far between in Monday's Kings-Grizzlies game. For Sacramento, the team shot a respectable 46 percent from the field. However, the team shot the ball only 67 times due to lack of rebounding and struggles with turnovers. The Grizzlies were able to pull down 19 offensive rebounds on the night and held a 45 - 36 advantage on the glass in total. The Kings saw five players score in double digits in total, with Darren Collison posting a team - high 23 points to go along with seven assists. On the other end, Memphis point guard Mike Conley responded with 22 points and nine assists of his own. His teammates did not have the same luck, however, as the Grizzlies shot just 34 percent from the field and 19 percent from beyond the arc on the night."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Trail Blazers": "50", "Spurs": "38"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "51", "Spurs": "44"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "19", "Spurs": "23"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "111", "Spurs": "95"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "32", "Spurs": "16"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "37", "Spurs": "34"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4", "Danny Green": "7", "Nicolas Batum": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Wesley Matthews": "10", "Damian Lillard": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1", "Danny Green": "3", "Nicolas Batum": "3", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "0", "Wesley Matthews": "4", "Damian Lillard": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "13", "Tim Duncan": "12", "Danny Green": "9", "Tony Parker": "8", "Nicolas Batum": "8", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "19", "Wesley Matthews": "18", "Damian Lillard": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Tim Duncan": "9", "Danny Green": "4", "Tony Parker": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "6", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "5", "Wesley Matthews": "11", "Damian Lillard": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3", "Tim Duncan": "2", "Danny Green": "6", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "Damian Lillard": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3", "Tim Duncan": "2", "Danny Green": "6", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Damian Lillard": "1"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "14", "Tim Duncan": "20", "Danny Green": "17", "Tony Parker": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "15", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "11", "Wesley Matthews": "31", "Damian Lillard": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "8", "Tim Duncan": "8", "Danny Green": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "13", "Wesley Matthews": "5", "Damian Lillard": "7"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4", "Nicolas Batum": "2", "Wesley Matthews": "3"}, "Assists": {"Tim Duncan": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "9", "Damian Lillard": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Tim Duncan": "2"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (37 - 19) defeated the San Antonio Spurs (34 - 23) 111 - 95 on Wednesday at the Moda Center in Portland. The Trail Blazers came out firing in this one, out - scoring the Spurs 32 - 16 right away in the first quarter. After the Spurs came all the way back to within one point going into halftime, the Trail Blazers took over in the second, out - scoring the Spurs 60 - 45 to finish the game. The Trail Blazers went 51 percent from the field and 50 percent from the three - point line, while the Spurs went just 44 percent from the field and 38 percent from deep. This loss marked the Spurs fourth in a row. For the Trail Blazers, Wesley Matthews was dialed in, going 11 - for - 18 from the field and 4 - for - 10 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 31 points, while also adding five rebounds and three steals. After missing all of his shots (0 - 7 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt) during Sunday's game against the Grizzlies, it was a night and day difference for the guard. Damian Lillard also did his part in the win, finishing with 18 points (7 - 15 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT), seven rebounds and five assists. His scoring has dipped lately, scoring under his average in four straight games, but it did n't matter Wednesday, as the Blazers still secured the win. Nicolas Batum was also firing on all cylinders. He scored 15 points (6 - 8 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt), to go along with nine assists and two steals. He's been on a roll over his last two games, shooting a combined 13 - for - 21 from the field and 6 - for - 12 from deep to score 32 points. LaMarcus Aldridge added a double - double with 11 points (5 - 19 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and 13 rebounds. The Spurs got most of their production from both Danny Green and Tim Duncan. Green finished with 17 points (4 - 9 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) and five rebounds, marking his first time in double figures over his last four games. Duncan, on the other hand, went 9 - for - 12 from the field to post a team - high of 20 points, while also adding eight rebounds. He's combined for 34 points and 18 rebounds over his last two games. Kawhi Leonard did n't shoot the best, but still recorded 14 points (5 - 13 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), eight rebounds and four steals. He's now averaging 15 points and 7 rebounds on the season. Tony Parker really struggled to get it going as well, shooting just 1 - of - 8 from the field for two points. The Trail Blazers' next game will be at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday, while the Spurs will travel to Sacramento to play the Kings on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "53", "Grizzlies": "45"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "4", "Grizzlies": "5"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "106", "Grizzlies": "96"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "5", "Grizzlies": "4"}}, {"Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "12", "Marc Gasol": "18", "Mike Conley": "15", "Vince Carter": "17", "Zach Randolph": "12", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "27", "Jabari Parker": "16", "Michael Beasley": "19"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "6", "Mike Conley": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6", "Jabari Parker": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Vince Carter": "11", "Michael Beasley": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Vince Carter": "7", "Michael Beasley": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jabari Parker": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Jabari Parker": "6"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 106 - 96 at BMO Harris Bradley Center on Saturday. In a battle between two defensive - minded teams, the Milwaukee offense played as well as they have all season. The Bucks actually shot 53 percent from the field and held the Grizzlies to just 45 percent on their end. Three-point shooting killed Memphis, as they went 6 - of - 30, while Milwaukee went 7 - of - 19. The Bucks dominated the points in the paint as well, scoring 50 to the Grizzlies' 38. Milwaukee actually led for the majority of this game, with Memphis never leading by more than one point. Memphis (4 - 5) have now lost three of four and one has to wonder if they have enough offense to make the playoffs. Marc Gasol ran the offense tonight through the post, as he tallied 18 points, five rebounds and six assists. Vince Carter was second on the team, as he scored a season - high 17 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting. Mike Conley finished the game with 15 points, five rebounds and three assists. Zach Randolph and Chandler Parsons were the only other Grizzlies in double figures, as they scored 12 a piece. Memphis will look to bounce back on Monday when they travel to Salt Lake City to play the Utah Jazz. Milwaukee (5 - 4) is quietly playing some great ball and it's the shoulders of Giannis Antetokounmpo whose carrying them there. Antetokounmpo stuffed the stat sheet in this win, accumulating 27 points, six rebounds, five assists, four steals and four blocks. Jabari Parker was the only other starter in double figures, amassing 16 points and four rebounds of his own. Michael Beasley had his best game in a Bucks uniform, scoring 19 points off the bench on 6 - of - 8 shooting. Milwaukee will look to remain above .500, as they travel to play the Atlanta Hawks for their next game on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "24", "Magic": "24"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "109", "Magic": "115"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "18", "Magic": "17"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "49"}}, {"Points": {"Serge Ibaka": "13", "Nikola Vucevic": "30", "CJ McCollum": "26", "Damian Lillard": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "10", "Nikola Vucevic": "10", "Damian Lillard": "8"}}], "The visiting Orlando Magic took down the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday, 115 - 109. Orlando (17 - 24) got off to a hot start in Portland, establishing a double - digit lead by the end of the first quarter. Center Nikola Vucevic helped power the Magic's stellar offense, scoring a team - high 30 points to go with 10 rebounds. It was an excellent night for the Magic on the offensive end, as the team shot over 49 percent from the field and 55 percent from beyond the arc. Five players scored in double digits, including two off the bench. Power forward Serge Ibaka added his own double - double, scoring 13 along with 10 rebounds. Portland (18 - 24) managed to take care of the ball effectively and force turnovers, but struggled when shooting the ball. The team hit just 40 percent of its shots and 29 percent of its three - pointers. Star Damian Lillard returned to peak form on Friday with 34 points and eight rebounds. Guard C.J. McCollum added a stellar 26 points. However, the rest of Portland's starting five struggled particularly badly on the offensive end, going a combined 8 - of - 26 from the field. The Magic will see Utah on Saturday, while the Trail Blazers will visit Washington on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "40", "Hornets": "49"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "21", "Hornets": "24"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "95", "Hornets": "104"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Celtics": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Celtics": "33", "Hornets": "48"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "11", "Hornets": "12"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Cody Zeller": "8", "Gerald Henderson": "9", "Kemba Walker": "26", "Jared Sullinger": "16", "Jae Crowder": "10", "James Young": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Cody Zeller": "8", "Gerald Henderson": "4", "Kemba Walker": "12", "Jared Sullinger": "8", "Jae Crowder": "5", "James Young": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Cody Zeller": "4", "Gerald Henderson": "6", "Jared Sullinger": "6", "Jae Crowder": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Cody Zeller": "4", "Gerald Henderson": "5", "Jared Sullinger": "6", "Jae Crowder": "1"}, "Points": {"Cody Zeller": "20", "Gerald Henderson": "13", "Kemba Walker": "33", "Marvin Williams": "10", "Jared Sullinger": "22", "Marcus Smart": "9", "Jae Crowder": "13", "James Young": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Cody Zeller": "7", "Jared Sullinger": "8"}, "Assists": {"Gerald Henderson": "8", "Kemba Walker": "5", "Marcus Smart": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Gerald Henderson": "1", "Kemba Walker": "7", "Jae Crowder": "6", "James Young": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Gerald Henderson": "0", "Kemba Walker": "2", "Jae Crowder": "2", "James Young": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Steals": {"Jared Sullinger": "2"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (12 - 24) defeated the Boston Celtics (11 - 21) 104 - 95 on Monday at the TD Garden in Boston. Behind a strong first half where the Hornets out - scored the Celtics 50 - 36, Charlotte was then able to coast to the victory in the second half as they shot a superior 49 percent from the field, while Boston shot just 40 percent from the floor. The Hornets were also able to out - rebound the Celtics by a wide margin of 48 - 33, despite turning the ball over 16 times. The Hornets were led by starting point guard Kemba Walker. Walker went 12 - for - 26 from the floor and 2 - for - 7 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 33 points, while also adding five assists. It was his second 30 - point outing in a row for the team, as he's now combined for 63 points over his last two games. The Hornets also received a solid contribution from Cody Zeller who went a perfect 8 - for - 8 from the field and 4 - for - 4 from the free throw line to finish with 20 points and seven rebounds. It was a season - high in points for Zeller and a surprising performance, as he's averaging just 8 points per game thus far in the season. Gerald Henderson came just shy of a double - double, recording 13 points (4 - 9 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT) and eight assists. The only other Hornet to reach double - digit points was Marvin Williams, who came off the bench for 10 points of his own. Jared Sullinger was the only member of the Celtics starting rotation to really get something going in this game. He went 8 - for - 16 from the field and 6 - for - 6 from the free throw line to score 22 points, while also chipping in eight rebounds. It was one point shy of a season - high for him, as he's now put together a very strong string of games over the last two weeks. The majority of the rest of the Celtics production came from the bench. Jae Crowder played 25 minutes and was able to record 13 points (5 - 10 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT), while James Young recorded an efficient 13 points (5 - 7 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt) of his own, playing in only 17 minutes. Rookie Marcus Smart had nine points and four assists off the bench in 20 minutes as well. The Hornets' next game will be at home against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, while the Celtics will travel to Brooklyn to play the Nets on Wednesday."], [[{}, {"Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "17", "Jonas Valanciunas": "23", "DeMar DeRozan": "12", "Kyle Lowry": "25", "Rudy Gay": "23", "DeMarcus Cousins": "19", "Darren Collison": "15", "Arron Afflalo": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "15", "Rudy Gay": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Rudy Gay": "9"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Terrence Ross": "40"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "10"}, "Assists": {"Darren Collison": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Arron Afflalo": "20"}}], "The Kings shot eclipsed 40 percent from both the field and three - point range in a see - saw battle that came down to Terrence Ross' last - second three - pointer being waved off after further review on instant replay. Rudy Gay's 23 points led Sacramento, which partly consisted of an outstanding 9 - of - 13 shooting tally. DeMarcus Cousins was right behind him with a 19 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Darren Collison posted 15 points and nine assists while drawing a start, and Arron Afflalo paced the reserves with 14 points over 20 minutes. The Raptors were led by Kyle Lowry's 25 points, while Jonas Valanciunas was right behind him with a 23 - point, 14 - rebound double - double. DeMarre Carroll also furnished 17 points, his best scoring total of the season. The trio's production overcame a season - low 12 points from DeMar DeRozan, stemming from his 3 - of - 15 shooting tally."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "53"}}, {"Field goal percentage": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "53"}, "Points": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "24", "Pau Gasol": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "7", "Pau Gasol": "10", "Marcin Gortat": "10"}, "Steals": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Pau Gasol": "1"}, "Assists": {"Pau Gasol": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Patty Mills": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Patty Mills": "4"}}], "LaMarcus Aldridge bounced back from a 4 - of - 12 shooting night Friday to lead the Spurs with 24 points, seven rebounds and a steal. His performance spearheaded a 53 percent tally from the field for San Antonio. Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard combined for another 39 points. Pau Gasol got some redemption as well, supplying eight points, 10 rebounds, two assists and a steal after going scoreless over 17 minutes against the Celtics on Friday. Jonathan Simmons and Patty Mills contributed from the bench, combining for 28 points on 9 - of - 13 shooting, including 4 - of - 7 from beyond the arc. The dynamic duo of Bradley Beal and John Wall had nearly half the Wizards' scoring total with a combined 46 points. Otto Porter, Markieff Morris and Marcin Gortat combined for another 36, with the latter also hauling in 10 boards."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "43"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "104", "Cavaliers": "116"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "24"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "14", "Evan Fournier": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "38", "Nikola Vucevic": "28"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "24", "Iman Shumpert": "15", "Kyrie Irving": "22", "Aaron Gordon": "16", "Nikola Vucevic": "20", "Evan Fournier": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "4"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the host Orlando Magic, 116 - 104, at Amway Center on Saturday evening. The Magic (24 - 43) started out strong and owned a one - point advantage after the first quarter. However, LeBron James and the Cavs (43 - 21) were not about to drop their fourth straight, as they came back strong in the second, to take a 59 - 51 lead into half time. The teams tied the third quarter, before the Cavs pulled further away in the fourth. LeBron James notched a triple - double, as he led the way for the Cavs with 24 points on 8 - of - 14 shooting, 13 assists and 12 rebounds, in 38 minutes. Six other players scored in double digits in Cleveland's well - rounded attack, including Kyrie Irving, who poured in 22 points and Iman Shumpert, with 15 points. Channing Frye, Deron Williams and J.R. Smith all scored in double figures off the bench. The Cavs needed this win to end their three - game losing streak. They will look to begin a winning streak, as they face the second game of a back - to - back, in Houston on Sunday. Meanwhile, Nikola Vucevic led the way for the Magic, with 20 points on 9 - of - 20 shooting, to go along with 16 rebounds, in 28 minutes, in his first game back after missing four games due to injury. Aaron Gordon chipped in 16 points and Evan Fournier added 15 points, while Terrence Ross was the only other player to score in double digits, as he added 10. This is the Magic's second straight loss. They will look to bounce back, when they visit Sacramento to take on the Kings on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "6", "Spurs": "3"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "107", "Spurs": "116"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Lakers": "24", "Spurs": "39"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "7", "Spurs": "10"}, "Number of team assists": {"Spurs": "30"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Spurs": "42"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "56"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "7", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "Lou Williams": "3", "Jordan Clarkson": "3"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "23", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "23", "Pau Gasol": "16", "Tony Parker": "16", "Manu Ginobili": "10", "Nick Young": "22", "Lou Williams": "24", "Jordan Clarkson": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "12", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "6", "Lou Williams": "3", "Jordan Clarkson": "3"}, "Blocks": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "36", "Manu Ginobili": "21", "Nick Young": "28", "Lou Williams": "27", "Jordan Clarkson": "31"}, "Steals": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "Lou Williams": "2", "Jordan Clarkson": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tony Parker": "10", "Manu Ginobili": "6", "Nick Young": "12", "Lou Williams": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Tony Parker": "6", "Manu Ginobili": "4", "Nick Young": "7", "Lou Williams": "9"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Nick Young": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nick Young": "4"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the host Los Angeles Lakers, 116 - 107, at Staples Center on Friday night. With this win the Spurs (10 - 3) move to 70 on the road this season. It also marks coach Gregg Popovic's 1099th career win, moving him to seventh on the all - time wins list for coaches. It was tied at 52 after two quarters but the Spurs came out of halftime with a 39 - point third quarter to pull ahead by 15 heading into the fourth. The Lakers (7 - 6) battled back late, coming within four points at 109 - 105 with 1:23 to go, but the Spurs were able to close it out. Kawhi Leonard led the Spurs with 23 points, 12 rebounds and tied a career - high with seven assists. LaMarcus Aldridge also tallied 23 points, and added six rebounds, three blocks, two steals and two assists, in 36 minutes. The veterans Tony Parker and Pau Gasol chipped in 16 points each, while Manu Ginobili shot 4 - of - 6 for 10 points in 21 minutes off the bench. The Spurs shot a steaming 56 percent from the field, including 42 percent from distance and tallied 30 assists in the game. The Spurs go on to host the Mavericks on Monday. The Lakers had 57 bench points, as Lou Williams led the way in scoring with 24 points on 9 - of - 13 shooting, along with three rebounds, three assists and two steals, in 27 minutes off the bench, while Jordan Clarkson added another 20, in 31 minutes. Nick Young tallied 22 points in 28 minutes on 7 - of - 12 shooting, including 4 - of - 7 from long range. This was only the Lakers' second home loss of the season. Next up they host the Bulls on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "23", "Jazz": "13"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "100", "Jazz": "102"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "12", "Jazz": "19"}}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "31", "Julius Randle": "25", "Lou Williams": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "9", "Rudy Gobert": "11", "Julius Randle": "12", "Lou Williams": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Julius Randle": "2", "Lou Williams": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Julius Randle": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Lou Williams": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Lou Williams": "2"}}], "The visiting Utah Jazz defeated the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, 102 - 100. Utah (19 - 13) snapped a three - game losing streak with Tuesday's win. The Jazz remain among the NBA's most injury - depleted teams, as guards George Hill, Dante Exum, and Alec Burks were all sidelined for Tuesday's contest. Forward Derrick Favors, meanwhile, is on a minutes restriction after recently returning from a knee injury. None of those absences kept Utah from emerging victorious on Tuesday, however. The Jazz shot over 50 percent from the field and hit nine three - pointers. Star forward Gordon Hayward scored 31 points and pulled down nine rebounds en route to the win. Center Rudy Gobert, meanwhile, had a team - high 11 rebounds as well as two blocks. The Lakers (12 - 23) have had injury issues of their own, but were close to full health on Tuesday. Los Angeles has seen a monumental slide since beginning the season in the hunt for a playoff seed, as the team is now 2 - 9 in its last 11 games. On Tuesday, offense came largely from two players: forward Julius Randle and sixth man Lou Williams. Randle scored a team - high 25 along with 12 rebounds. Williams, meanwhile, continued his impressive season with 22 points off the bench. The Jazz will host the 76ers on Thursday, while the Lakers will host the Mavericks."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Cavaliers": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "52"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "10", "Timberwolves": "22"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "125", "Timberwolves": "104"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "17", "Timberwolves": "5"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "2", "Andrew Wiggins": "3", "LeBron James": "7", "Kevin Love": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "0", "Andrew Wiggins": "3", "LeBron James": "4", "Kevin Love": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "17", "Thaddeus Young": "18", "Gorgui Dieng": "10", "Andrew Wiggins": "16", "LeBron James": "16", "Kevin Love": "11", "Kyrie Irving": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "7", "Thaddeus Young": "6", "Gorgui Dieng": "6", "Andrew Wiggins": "9", "LeBron James": "8", "Kevin Love": "5", "Kyrie Irving": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "6", "Thaddeus Young": "2", "Gorgui Dieng": "8", "Andrew Wiggins": "8", "LeBron James": "5", "Kevin Love": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "4", "Thaddeus Young": "1", "Gorgui Dieng": "8", "Andrew Wiggins": "6", "LeBron James": "4", "Kevin Love": "9"}, "Points": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "18", "Thaddeus Young": "13", "Gorgui Dieng": "20", "Andrew Wiggins": "27", "LeBron James": "24", "Kevin Love": "20", "Kyrie Irving": "29", "Dion Waiters": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "6", "Thaddeus Young": "6", "Gorgui Dieng": "11", "LeBron James": "4", "Kevin Love": "10"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyrie Irving": "6"}, "Assists": {"Dion Waiters": "4"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (17 - 10) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (5 - 22) 125 - 104 on Tuesday at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. The Cavaliers used a dominant second half, out - scoring the Timberwovles 61 - 48, to coast to an easy 21 - point victory at home in front of their home fans. Cleveland finished the game shooting 52 percent from the field and an impressive 50 percent from the three - point line, while the Timberwovles shot 44 percent from the field and only 31 percent from beyond the arc. Kyrie Irving led the team, going 12 - for - 19 from the floor and 2 - for - 4 from deep to score a game - high of 29 points. While he was able to have success with his shot, he did turn the ball over a season - high of six times, so it was n't all good for the point guard. LeBron James also had a big impact. He finished with 24 points, (8 - 16 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT) four rebounds and three blocks. He's now averaging 25 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds on the year. Kevin Love was able to record a double - double, as he finished with 20 points (5 - 11 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt) and 10 rebounds. He got most of his offensive production from the free throw line, as he finished 9 - of - 11 from the line. Also, coming off the bench, Dion Waiters finished with 19 points and four assists. The Timberwolves received most of their production from their starters, as the bench was n't much of an impact in this one. Andrew Wiggins had arguably his best offensive outing of the year, going 9 - for - 16 from the field and 3 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 27 points. He was able to get to the free throw line eight times as well, converting on six of those attempts. Starting center Gorgui Dieng gave Wiggins the most help, as he recorded 20 points (6 - 10 FG, 8 - 8 FT) and 11 rebounds. It was his fifth double - double of the season. Shabazz Muhammad continued to play well, as he finished with 18 points (7 - 17 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT) and six rebounds, while Thaddeus Young scored 13 points (6 - 18 FG, 1 - 2 FT) and had six rebounds of his own. The Cavaliers' next game will on the road against the Miami Heat on Thursday, while the Timberwolves will travel to Denver to play the Nuggets on Friday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Mavericks": "30"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "33", "Pacers": "30"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "105", "Pacers": "112"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Mavericks": "30"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "33", "Pacers": "35"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul George": "16", "Dirk Nowitzki": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul George": "6", "Dirk Nowitzki": "10"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "20", "Myles Turner": "15", "Dirk Nowitzki": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "10", "Myles Turner": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Myles Turner": "19"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (35 - 30) dealt another blow to the struggling Dallas Mavericks (33 - 33) on Saturday afternoon, winning 112 - 105. All five Pacers starters scored in double - digits on Saturday in what was a well - rounded win for the Central Division squad. The team shot 47 percent from the field and doled out 24 assists as a team, earning a narrow win with solid team play. Star forward Paul George led the way with 20 points, notching a double - double as he also pulled down 10 rebounds. George also dished out six assists, making up for a bit of a shooting lapse as he went just 6 - for - 16 from the field. Rookie Myles Turner also turned heads with 15 points and seven rebounds in just 19 minutes played. Dallas has now lost five straight games, and will have to jockey for position in the Western Conference playoff race. Aging veteran Dirk Nowitzki was almost able to snap the streak on Saturday, shooting 10 - for - 16 for a game - high 30 points. Dallas's team play was prominent, as the team dished out 30 dimes on the whole. It was also a strong shooting day for the team, hitting 48 percent of shots from the field. The Pacers will visit Atlanta on Sunday, while the Mavs will square off against the Hornets on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "13", "Hornets": "19"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "97", "Hornets": "83"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "24", "Hornets": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"Jeremy Lin": "4", "Chris Paul": "7"}, "Points": {"Jeremy Lin": "26", "Chris Paul": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Jeremy Lin": "4", "DeAndre Jordan": "19", "Chris Paul": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Kemba Walker": "4"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "4"}}], "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."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "1", "Hawks": "1"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "101", "Hawks": "112"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Knicks": "25"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "1", "Hawks": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"Kent Bazemore": "5", "Paul Millsap": "5", "Al Horford": "1", "Robin Lopez": "1"}, "Points": {"Kent Bazemore": "5", "Paul Millsap": "11", "Dennis Schroder": "13", "Carmelo Anthony": "25", "Kristaps Porzingis": "10", "Robin Lopez": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "11", "Kristaps Porzingis": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Al Horford": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Dennis Schroder": "18"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "27", "Robin Lopez": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "10", "Robin Lopez": "8"}, "Steals": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Robin Lopez": "1"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (1 - 1) defeated the New York Knicks (1 - 1) by a score of 112 - 101 on Thursday. The Knicks had a pleasantly surprising opening night offensive outburst, tallying 122 points and doing so on a poor shooting night from star Carmelo Anthony. The All-Star small forward regained his stroke Thursday, albeit in defeat, pouring in 25 points, despite still struggling somewhat from the field on 10 - for - 27 shooting. The Hawks capitalized on strong scoring nights from stalwarts Jeff Teague and Al Horford, and a gritty double - double effort from Paul Millsap at power forward. Millsap hauled in 11 boards to go along with his 11 points, which were not easy to come by on a night where his accuracy from the field was subpar. Small forward Kent Bazemore tallied his first five points of the season after going scoreless in the opener, and pitched in five assists. Dennis Schroder provided his usual infusion of offense off the bench, totaling 13 points in just over 18 minutes on the court. The Hawks evened their record at 1 - 1 and currently reside in second place in the Eastern Conference\u2019s Southeastern Division. Atlanta heads home to face off against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday. In addition to Anthony\u2019s 25 - point night, the Knicks benefited from offensive contributions on the part of free agent signee Robin Lopez, who chipped in 18 points on 8 - of - 11 shooting while often matched up against one of the tougher defensive centers in the NBA in Al Horford. Rookie Kristaps Porzingis followed up a strong 16 - point, five - rebound opener with a respectable 10 points, eight boards, and three steals. However, with starters Jose Calderon and Sasha Vujacic only scoring in single digits and Anthony struggling with his shot early, the Knicks fell into a 61 - 45 hole by halftime that they never recovered from.The Knicks fall to 1 - 1 and second place in the Eastern Conference\u2019s Atlantic Division. They head to Washington for a date with the Wizards on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Heat": "36", "Nets": "29"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "46", "Nets": "40"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "20", "Nets": "17"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "88", "Nets": "84"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Heat": "30", "Nets": "21"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "15", "Nets": "16"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "19"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nets": "19"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "6", "Mirza Teletovic": "11", "Deron Williams": "2", "Chris Bosh": "4", "Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Joe Johnson": "2", "Mirza Teletovic": "4", "Deron Williams": "1", "Chris Bosh": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "22", "Mirza Teletovic": "15", "Brook Lopez": "11", "Chris Bosh": "16", "Dwyane Wade": "20", "Hassan Whiteside": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Joe Johnson": "8", "Mirza Teletovic": "5", "Brook Lopez": "6", "Chris Bosh": "10", "Dwyane Wade": "9", "Hassan Whiteside": "5"}, "Points": {"Joe Johnson": "19", "Mirza Teletovic": "14", "Brook Lopez": "16", "Deron Williams": "13", "Chris Bosh": "26", "Dwyane Wade": "25", "Hassan Whiteside": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Brook Lopez": "25", "Deron Williams": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "7", "Deron Williams": "6", "Chris Bosh": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "6", "Hassan Whiteside": "10"}, "Assists": {"Deron Williams": "8", "Dwyane Wade": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Deron Williams": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Deron Williams": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"Deron Williams": "2"}, "Steals": {"Deron Williams": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dwyane Wade": "4"}}], "The Miami Heat (15 - 20) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (16 - 17) 88 - 84 on Sunday at American Airlines Arena in Miami. The Heat came out hot in this game, out - scoring the Nets 30 - 21 in the first quarter. The Nets continued to claw back throughout the whole game, but in the end the Heat were able to hold them off and secure the victory in front of their home crowd. The Heat shot 46 percent from the field and 36 percent from the three - point line, while the Nets finished at 40 percent from the floor and only 29 percent from beyond the arc. The Heat were again led by their dynamic duo of Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. Bosh had a fantastic night shooting, going 10 - for - 16 from the field and 3 - for - 4 from the three - point line to finish with 26 points and five rebounds. He's now pushed his season averages to 21 points and 8 rebounds per game. Wade on the other hand recorded 25 points (9 - 20 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 7 - 9 FT), six rebounds, and seven assists, doing a little bit of everything for the Heat in this one. He's now had 25 points or more in four out of his last six games. The Nets just did n't have a defensive answer to keep the pair in check. In a surprise performance off the bench, Hassan Whiteside went 5 - for - 7 from the field to score 11 points, while also notching 10 rebounds, giving him his first double - double of the season. He's now reached double - digit points in two straight games, after failing to do that all season long. The Nets received their biggest contribution from Joe Johnson, who went 8 - for - 22 from the field and 2 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 19 points. With Deron Williams and Brook Lopez continuing to come off the bench in limited minutes, Johnson has taken it on himself to get off the bulk of the shots for this team. Williams played 26 minutes off the bench in this one, finishing with 13 points, six rebounds and eight assists. He came quite near a triple - double, as he was very efficient in his limited time on the court. Lopez notched 25 minutes of his own, going 6 - for - 11 from the field to score 16 points, while also adding seven rebounds. He's combined for 32 points and 15 rebounds over the last two outings, despite not playing his normal amount of minutes. Mirza Teletovic also was able to reach double figures in points with 14 (5 - 15 FG, 4 - 11 3Pt, 0 - 2) off the bench. The Heat's next game will be on the road against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, while the Nets will be at home against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "48"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "38", "Cavaliers": "18"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "111", "Cavaliers": "120"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "25", "Cavaliers": "45"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "6", "Kyrie Irving": "4", "DeMarcus Cousins": "2", "Rajon Rondo": "6"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "25", "Kevin Love": "17", "Tristan Thompson": "18", "Kyrie Irving": "30", "Rudy Gay": "19", "DeMarcus Cousins": "29", "Rajon Rondo": "11", "Omri Casspi": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "11", "Kevin Love": "10", "Tristan Thompson": "15", "Kyrie Irving": "1", "DeMarcus Cousins": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyrie Irving": "22", "Rudy Gay": "13", "DeMarcus Cousins": "22", "Omri Casspi": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyrie Irving": "11", "DeMarcus Cousins": "8", "Omri Casspi": "6"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Omri Casspi": "23"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (45 - 18) defeated the Sacramento Kings (25 - 38) 120 - 111 at Sleep Train Arena on Wednesday. Cleveland only went nine players deep on the road, but the starters had no trouble in the scoring department, as all five put up double figures. Led by Kyrie Irving\u2019s 30 points, including back - to - back threes just before the end of the half to cut the Kings lead, the point guard shot 11 - of - 22 from the field alongside one rebound and four assists. LeBron James pitched in 25 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, while Kevin Love contributed a double - double, as he scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. The double - double party continued with Tristan Thompson\u2019s 18 points and 15 rebounds, and the box score reflected the rebounding domination that the Cavaliers put on the Kings, especially on the offensive end, where Cleveland grabbed 15 offensive boards compared the the lowly five rebounds Sacramento was able to pull down. Sacramento was efficient in their shooting and found their spots throughout the contest, and although they brought the game within one point of tying the game midway through the fourth quarter, the Cavs kept pulling out scoring runs on the back of the aforementioned offensive rebounds. DeMarcus Cousins led the Kings, as the all - star and fourth leading points scorer in the league finished with 29 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and two steals on 8 - of - 22 shooting. Rajon Rondo finished with half of his league leading assist numbers, as the crafty point guard scored 11 points and dished out six assists, while Rudy Gay was routinely on the receiving end of those dimes. Gay contributed 19 points on 13 shots, as the Kings shot just under 48 percent from the field as unit. Unlike the Cavs, the Kings went to their bench for depth, but only received quality minutes from Omri Casspi, who pitched in 13 points on 6 - of - 9 shooting in 23 minutes. The Cavaliers will play their second game of a back - to - back on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers (14 - 51) on Thursday, while the Kings will host the Orlando Magic (27 - 36) on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "21", "Thunder": "25"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "120", "Thunder": "98"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "33", "Thunder": "31"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "35"}}, {"Assists": {"Domantas Sabonis": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "4", "Joffrey Lauvergne": "4", "Cameron Payne": "2", "Markieff Morris": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "2", "Bradley Beal": "3", "John Wall": "14", "Trey Burke": "4"}, "Points": {"Domantas Sabonis": "6", "Steven Adams": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "17", "Cameron Payne": "12", "Alex Abrines": "8", "Markieff Morris": "23", "Marcin Gortat": "12", "Bradley Beal": "22", "John Wall": "15", "Trey Burke": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Domantas Sabonis": "7", "Steven Adams": "11", "Russell Westbrook": "4", "Joffrey Lauvergne": "6", "Cameron Payne": "3", "Markieff Morris": "6", "Marcin Gortat": "5", "John Wall": "5", "Trey Burke": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Steven Adams": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "3", "John Wall": "2"}, "Steals": {"Steven Adams": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "2", "Cameron Payne": "2", "Markieff Morris": "2", "John Wall": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Russell Westbrook": "24"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, 120 - 98, at Verizon Center on Monday evening. The Wizards (33 - 21) knew they'd have to hit on all cylinders to insure that they could keep pace with Russell Westbrook and company, and they managed to do that and then some Monday. Washington posted outstanding 58 - and - 62 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively, while seeing six players tally double - digit scoring. Meanwhile, they did a superb defensive job on Westbrook, limiting him to a modest 17 points on 5 - of - 19 shooting, and the Thunder (31 - 25) to 35 percent shooting overall, including one stretch of 24 consecutive missed shots. Westbrook played just 24 minutes, as he sat for good in the third quarter. Westbrook added four rebounds, four assists and two steals to his scoring total. Joffrey Lauvergne matched Westbrook's scoring total while leading the bench and added six rebounds and four assists. Cameron Payne provided 12 points, three boards, two assists and two steals as a reserve. Steven Adams posted nine points and hauled in 11 rebounds, while also recording one block and one steal. Domantas Sabonis tallied six points, seven rebounds, one assist and one block. Jerian Grant and Alex Abrines posted matching eight - point efforts off the bench as well. Markieff Morris paced Washington with 23 points, six rebounds, one assist and two steals. Bradley Beal posted 22 points and three assists. Otto Porter, Jr. managed an 18 - point, 12 - rebound double - double that also included two blocks. John Wall turned in a spectacular 15 - point, 14 - assist double - double that also included five rebounds, two blocks and one steal. Marcin Gortat totaled 12 points, five rebounds, two assists and three blocks. Trey Burke led the bench with 11 points, four rebounds and four assists. The Thunder heads back home to tangle with the New York Knicks on Wednesday, while the Wizards travel to Indiana to tangle with the Pacers on Thursday evening."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "57"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "34", "Timberwolves": "57"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "110", "Timberwolves": "88"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "39", "Timberwolves": "16"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Gorgui Dieng": "9", "Robbie Hummel": "18", "Anthony Davis": "37"}, "Points": {"Robbie Hummel": "6", "Anthony Davis": "28"}, "Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "9"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (39 - 34) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (16 - 57), 110 - 88, on Sunday at the Smoothie King Center. New Orleans needed to take advantage of Sunday's favorable matchup in order to keep its playoff hopes alive, and that's exactly what it did. The short - handed Timberwolves simply did n't have enough talent available to hang with the Pelicans. Anthony Davis turned in another strong outing with 28 points, nine rebounds, and five assists over 37 minutes. The Pelicans are now two games behind the Thunder for the final playoff spot in the West. Minnesota was already missing Kevin Martin, Kevin Garnett, Nikola Pekovic, and Ricky Rubio for this game, and things got worse when Gorgui Dieng had to leave the game with a facial contusion. Dieng was held scoreless in nine minutes before exiting the contest. Robbie Hummel returned from a 29 - game absence due to a broken hand and finished with six points in 18 minutes off the bench. The Timberwolves will look to end their three game losing streak Monday when they host the Jazz. New Orleans took care of business Sunday, but a tough stretch awaits it starting Saturday. The Pelicans will start a three game road trip Wednesday against the Lakers and will then take on the Kings on Friday. From there, the Pelicans play the Trail Blazers, Warriors, Grizzlies, and Suns in a crucial stretch. Sunday's game was a solid all - around effort by the Pelicans, who shot 57 percent from the floor and will look to continue that sort of efficiency Wednesday against the Lakers."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "60"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "50"}}, {"Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "19", "Goran Dragic": "19", "James Johnson": "10", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "19", "Jabari Parker": "24", "Greg Monroe": "16"}, "Assists": {"James Johnson": "12", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Jabari Parker": "5", "Greg Monroe": "11"}}], "Milwaukee was expected to win this game rather easily and a wire - to - wire win would just confirm that notion. In fact, the Bucks took a 12 - point lead after the first quarter, as the game never got within seven points after that. Rebounding was the key for the Bucks, winning that battle, 46 - 27. Milwaukee was also unconscious shooting the ball, as they hit 50 percent from the field and 60 percent from three - point range. Hassan Whiteside and Goran Dragic tied the team - lead with 19 points apiece for the Heat. James Johnson was huge off the bench for Miami, accruing 10 points and 12 assists. Giannis Antetokounmpo was the Bucks best player, accumulating 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists on 8 - of - 12 shooting. Jabari Parker led the team in scoring, dropping 24 points to go along with five boards. Greg Monroe recorded a double - double off the bench, totaling 16 points and 11 rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "1"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "89", "Grizzlies": "97"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "1"}, "Number of team assists": {"Grizzlies": "20"}}, {}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (20) defeated the Indiana Pacers (1 - 1) 97 - 89 on Friday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Starting shooting guard Courtney Lee was forced to leave the game after he was kneed in the back of his head while on the ground during a scrum under the hoop. Lee suffered a mild concussion and will likely have to undergo the league's concussion protocol testing, which could lead to him missing some games going forward. Tayshaun Prince, who did n't get off the bench in the Grizzlies' first game, started the second half in Lee's place. The Pacers are trying to stay afloat despite all of the injuries they've had to start the season. George Hill (knee) is still two weeks from returning; C.J. Watson (foot) will likely be out at least another week; and David West (ankle) has n't been cleared for practice, meaning he may miss more than the three games he was originally projected to sit out. The Pacers were considered a fringe playoff team before those three players fell prey to injuries, and if the team continues to have injury issues pile up, it'll be hard for their backups to overcome powerhouses like Memphis. The Grizzlies' next game is on the road Saturday against the Charlotte Hornets. The Pacers' next game is on the road Saturday against the Atlanta Hawks."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Trevor Booker": "16", "Sean Kilpatrick": "13", "Justin Hamilton": "16", "Paul George": "26", "Myles Turner": "25", "Jeff Teague": "21"}, "Assists": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "5", "Jeff Teague": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "8", "Myles Turner": "15", "Jeff Teague": "7"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Myles Turner": "5"}}], "The Pacers were expected to win this game rather easily and they did n't let up against a struggling Nets team. Brooklyn actually held a lead late in the second quarter, but Indiana followed that up with a 33 - 11 run to open up things up. The Pacers dominated in the paint, winning that differential, 52 - 30. Jeff Teague, Myles Turner and Paul George all played well for the Pacers, as they outscored the Nets starters, 72 - 48. George led the team with 26 points and three steals, while Teague accumulated 21 points, seven rebounds and 15 assists. Turner recorded a monster double - double, totaling 25 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks. Justin Hamilton and Trevor Booker tied the team - lead for the Nets, scoring 16 points a piece. Sean Kilpatrick was demoted to the bench, but provided 13 points, eight rebounds and five assists."], [[{"Total points": {"Hornets": "102", "Pistons": "78"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hornets": "29", "Pistons": "16"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "23"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "35"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Andre Drummond": "15", "Reggie Jackson": "16", "Jodie Meeks": "13", "Marvin Williams": "11", "Al Jefferson": "12", "Kemba Walker": "13", "Mo Williams": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Andre Drummond": "6", "Reggie Jackson": "3", "Jodie Meeks": "6", "Marvin Williams": "7", "Al Jefferson": "4", "Kemba Walker": "7", "Mo Williams": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Andre Drummond": "28", "Reggie Jackson": "29", "Jodie Meeks": "34", "Marvin Williams": "29", "Al Jefferson": "26", "Kemba Walker": "33", "Mo Williams": "25"}, "Points": {"Andre Drummond": "13", "Reggie Jackson": "9", "Jodie Meeks": "15", "Marvin Williams": "18", "Al Jefferson": "11", "Kemba Walker": "17", "Mo Williams": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "9", "Reggie Jackson": "7", "Jodie Meeks": "5", "Marvin Williams": "6", "Al Jefferson": "9", "Mo Williams": "2"}, "Steals": {"Andre Drummond": "2", "Marvin Williams": "1", "Mo Williams": "1"}, "Assists": {"Reggie Jackson": "8", "Marvin Williams": "1", "Al Jefferson": "3", "Mo Williams": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Reggie Jackson": "4", "Jodie Meeks": "4", "Marvin Williams": "6", "Kemba Walker": "2", "Mo Williams": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Reggie Jackson": "1", "Jodie Meeks": "1", "Marvin Williams": "3", "Kemba Walker": "2", "Mo Williams": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Reggie Jackson": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Reggie Jackson": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Marvin Williams": "1", "Al Jefferson": "4"}}], "The Hornets (31 - 42) defeated the Pistons (29 - 45) 102 - 78 at Time Warner Cable Arena on Wednesday. The Pistons had a tough time shooting all night long, hitting 35 percent of their shots from the field and just 23 percent from beyond the arc. The Hornets jumped out to an eight - point lead in the first quarter, one they extended to 11 points by halftime. In the fourth quarter, the Hornets outscored the Pistons 29 - 16 to complete the rout. The Hornets shared the love, with six players scoring in double digits. Marvin Williams was the Hornets' leading scorer with 18 points (7 - 11 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt), to go with six rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block in 29 minutes. Kemba Walker had 17 points (7 - 13 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt), nine rebounds, three assists and four blocks in 33 minutes. Mo Williams (knee) contributed 13 points (6 - 16 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt), two rebounds, six assists and one steal in 25 minutes. Al Jefferson (knee) played through the pain, putting up 11 points (4 - 12 FG), to go with nine rebounds, three assists and four blocks in 26 minutes. The Pistons leading scorer, Jodie Meeks, came off the bench. He had 15 points (6 - 13 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt) and five rebounds in 34 minutes. Andre Drummond had 13 points (6 - 15 FG), nine rebounds and two steals in 28 minutes. Reggie Jackson only recorded nine points (3 - 16 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt), but he did have seven rebounds and eight assists in 29 minutes. Jackson, whose production has fallen off over the last two games, is battling an illness. Wednesday's win was crucial for the Hornets, who have struggled down the stretch. They're currently eleventh in the Eastern Conference, 2 games behind the eighth - place Nets. The Pistons are now five games behind the Nets in the East, and their playoff chances look bleak. The Hornets lead the season series with the Pistons 2 - 1. They will play once more on Apr. 10."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "8", "Rockets": "7"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "120", "Rockets": "101"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "11", "Rockets": "11"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Rockets": "37"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "41"}}, {"Assists": {"James Harden": "7", "Gordon Hayward": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "23", "Eric Gordon": "17", "Rudy Gobert": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "8", "Rudy Gobert": "5"}, "Points": {"James Harden": "26", "Eric Gordon": "24", "Gordon Hayward": "31", "Rudy Gobert": "16", "Rodney Hood": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "5", "Gordon Hayward": "5", "Rudy Gobert": "14", "Rodney Hood": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Eric Gordon": "32", "Rudy Gobert": "33", "Rodney Hood": "20"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "13", "Rodney Hood": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Gordon Hayward": "12", "Rodney Hood": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Rudy Gobert": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Rudy Gobert": "2", "Rodney Hood": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Rodney Hood": "2"}}], "The Utah Jazz defeated the Houston Rockets 120 - 101 at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Tuesday. The Jazz (11 - 8) found two big performances from two of their best players in Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gobert, but also suffered a blow when Rodney Hood injured his right hamstring after logging 19 points in 20 minutes of action. The high scoring affair got off to a quick start, but Hood's mid range jumper with just over four minutes remaining in the first quarter started a 14 - 7 jazz run to end the period with a nine point lead. The Rockets trailed by double figures for almost all of the remaining three quarters, save for a brief stint at the start of the second half. Hayward led the way with 31 points, seven assists and five rebounds, to go along with a trio of three pointers and an impressive 12 - of - 13 free throw shooting. Gobert added his 11th double - double of the season behind 16 points and 14 rebounds, in addition to three blocks on 5 - of - 7 shooting across 33 minutes. The Rockets (11 - 7) were led by James Harden and his 26 points, seven assists and five rebounds on 8 - of - 23 shooting, while Eric Gordon pitched in 24 points on 17 shots in 32 minutes off the bench. Houston was unable to match the shooting efficiency on display by the Jazz, as the Rockets shot just 41 percent from the field and 37 percent from behind the arc. Both teams play on Thursday, as the Rockets visit the Golden State Warriors, while the Jazz host the Miami Heat."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Clippers": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "51"}}, {"Points": {"Iman Shumpert": "10", "Channing Frye": "10", "Tristan Thompson": "11", "JR Smith": "10", "Deron Williams": "11", "Richard Jefferson": "12", "Blake Griffin": "23", "DeAndre Jordan": "13", "JJ Redick": "16"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Richard Jefferson": "9", "Blake Griffin": "17", "JJ Redick": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Richard Jefferson": "4", "Blake Griffin": "10", "JJ Redick": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Richard Jefferson": "28", "Blake Griffin": "31", "JJ Redick": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Richard Jefferson": "6", "Blake Griffin": "8", "DeAndre Jordan": "17"}, "Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "4", "DeAndre Jordan": "2"}, "Steals": {"DeAndre Jordan": "1"}}], "The Clippers shot 51 percent from the field and dished 27 assists on their way to an easy win. Blake Griffin led the way for Los Angeles with 23 points on 10 - of - 17 shooting, eight rebounds and four assists, in 31 minutes, while DeAndre Jordan double - doubled with 13 points, 17 rebounds, two assists and one steal. J.J. Redick finished with 16 points on 6 - of - 11 shooting in only 19 minutes. Meanwhile, the Cavs struggled from the field, shooting a poor 39 percent. Richard Jefferson was the high - point man for the Cavs, with 12 points on 4 - of - 9 shooting, to go along with six rebounds, in 28 minutes off the bench. Six other players scored in double digits for Cleveland, including Channing Frye, J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert and DeAndre Liggins, who chipped in 10 points each. Tristan Thompson and Deron Williams added 11 points each."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "38"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "27", "76ers": "32"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "93", "76ers": "84"}, "Turnovers": {"Lakers": "10"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "7", "76ers": "3"}}, {"Assists": {"Nerlens Noel": "3", "Lou Williams": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Nerlens Noel": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nerlens Noel": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Nerlens Noel": "5"}, "Points": {"Nerlens Noel": "15", "Lou Williams": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Nerlens Noel": "12", "Larry Nance Jr.": "14", "Lou Williams": "4"}, "Steals": {"Nerlens Noel": "3"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers (7 - 27) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (3 - 32) 93 - 84 on Friday night. In a battle of the two worst teams in the NBA, the less worse team prevailed. Philly's first win of the season came against the Lakers and it was evident Los Angeles wanted to return the favor in their home building. They played some of the best defense they've played all season, as they allowed just 84 points on 37 percent shooting. They also dominated the turnover battle, as the Sixers committed 16 turnovers while the Lakers committed just 10. Both teams shot under 38 percent from the field and they shot a combined 9 - for - 40 from long distance for an atrocious 23 percent. The Sixers have been a revived team recently, but couldn\u2019t muster up much here. The worst offense in the NBA showed it's true colors tonight and couldn\u2019t get anything going. The only player who played well was Nerlens Noel, who tallied 15 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, three steals and three blocks in the loss. T.J. McConnell also had a solid game off the bench, as he amassed 12 points, seven assists and four rebounds. Jahlil Okafor came off the bench here once again and it may be time to re - insert him into the starting - five, considering he is the best offensive player on this team. The Sixers will have a tough task on Saturday, as they'll have to play the Los Angeles Clippers in the second half of a back - to - back set. The Lakers played this game without Kobe Bryant and it was one of their best games of the season. The bench brought in some great energy, as all four players grabbed at least three rebounds and combined for an impressive 10 steals. Lou Williams was the star of the night though, as he contributed 24 points, five assists and four rebounds in the win. Larry Nance Jr. also had a nice game, as he set a career - high with 14 rebounds in the victory. This isn\u2019t a great win by any means, but it's definitely something for them to build off of going forward. The Lakers will take on the Phoenix suns on Sunday in their next game."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Hornets": "24", "Bulls": "36"}}, {"Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "23", "Bobby Portis": "5", "Robin Lopez": "6", "Dwyane Wade": "23", "Rajon Rondo": "20", "Denzel Valentine": "11", "Nikola Mirotic": "24", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "22", "Marvin Williams": "13", "Cody Zeller": "11", "Jeremy Lamb": "26", "Kemba Walker": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Mirotic": "11", "Marvin Williams": "18"}, "Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Frank Kaminsky": "2", "Marco Belinelli": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Marco Belinelli": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Marco Belinelli": "2"}}], "Rajon Rondo and Nikola Mirotic sparked the road victory after seeing reduced roles recently. Mirotic led Chicago with a 24 - point, 11 - rebound double - double while Rondo provided 20 points. Chicago forged a 36 - 24 lead after one quarter, a foundation that ultimately helped them hold on for the hard - fought win. Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade followed Mirotic with matching 23 - point efforts. Denzel Valentine pitched in 11 points off the bench. Robin Lopez and Bobby Portis tallied just six and five points, respectively. Jeremy Lamb's 26 points led the Hornets, while Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was next with 22. Kemba Walker was right behind with a 21 - point, 10 - assist double - double. Marvin Williams produced a 13 - point, 18 - rebound double - double and Cody Zeller managed 11 points. The second unit produced a collective 16 points despite two players (Frank Kaminsky and Marco Belinelli) logging over 20 minutes."], [[{"Total points": {"Grizzlies": "76", "Cavaliers": "106"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Grizzlies": "10", "Cavaliers": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "31", "Tristan Thompson": "20"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "12", "Kevin Love": "17", "Zach Randolph": "12", "Marc Gasol": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kevin Love": "13"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "3"}}], "The Cavaliers came out hot and stayed hot in their 106 - 76 victory over the Grizzlies, led by Kevin Love's game high 17 points. After losing their season opener Tuesday to Chicago, Cleveland atoned in an easy win versus Memphis. They went up 26 - 10 in the first quarter and never looked back, outscoring the Grizzlies in every quarter the rest of the way. Richard Jefferson, Jared Cunningham, and Matthew Dellavedova all scored in double figures off the bench. Love grabbed 13 rebounds to go along with his 17 points to record the only double - double of the game. LeBron James added 12 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals in 31 minutes. After playing 25 minutes Opening Night, Tristan Thompson received 20 minutes Wednesday and appears to be settling nicely after missing almost all of the preseason while in contract negotiations. Cleveland welcomes Miami into town Friday night. Memphis did n't have much going for them Wednesday and was led by Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol with 12 points each. The Grizzlies will look to bounce back Thursday in Indiana."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "9"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Kings": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "32"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Rudy Gay": "4"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}, "Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "36", "Rudy Gay": "22", "Matt Barnes": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "20", "Kristaps Porzingis": "15", "Derrick Rose": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "9", "Kristaps Porzingis": "14"}, "Steals": {"Rudy Gay": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Matt Barnes": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Matt Barnes": "1"}}], "The Knicks came into this game as a two - point favorite, as they took care of business to win their seventh game in their last nine. Defense was key, as they held Sacramento to 32 percent shooting from both the field and from three - point range. DeMarcus Cousins put up a huge line in the defeat, as tallied 36 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three blocks. Rudy Gay also stuffed the stat sheet, accumulating 22 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals. The issue was their inefficiency, as they combined to go just 16 - of - 48 from the field. Matt Barnes had a nightmare shooting game off the bench as well, scoring two points on 1 - of - 11 shooting. Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose tied the team - lead in scoring, dropping 20 points a piece. Kristaps Porzingis was the Knicks best player though, accruing 15 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "1", "Tim Frazier": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Anthony Davis": "1", "Stephen Curry": "13"}, "Free throws made": {"Anthony Davis": "10"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Anthony Davis": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Anthony Davis": "1"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "33", "Tim Frazier": "13"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "17"}}], "Anthony Davis continues to be the only sign of offensive life on this banged - up New Orleans Pelicans team. On Monday night he scored 33 points - - nearly one - third of the team's 106 - point total. This has been a trend this season, as while Davis has managed to average 30 points per game to start the season, his team is averaging just 101 points. That is 30 percent of his team's total points, and while the overall numbers Davis is putting up are impressive, they are n't translating to wins. In fact, they are n't coming close, and with the next highest per - game average Tim Frazier's 13 points per game, Davis will desperately need some help offensively going forward if the Pelicans want to notch a single victory. For the Warriors' Stephen Curry, his 76 percent (13 - of - 17) shooting performance from three - point land was his highest mark when shooting at least 10 treys since he shot 12 - of - 16 (75 percent) in a thriller last season against the Oklahoma City Thunder. That game was also when he tied the single - game record for three - pointers made - - a record which he broke Monday night."], [[{}, {"Minutes played": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "32"}, "Points": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "8"}}], "In the 13 games prior to Wednesday night LaMarcus Aldridge played at least 30 minutes, he never failed to score less than 10 points. In fact, Aldridge scored less than 10 points while playing at least 30 minutes just twice in all of last season. Wednesday night against the Mavericks, Aldridge notched his lowest scoring total - - five points - - since joining San Antonio, and he did so in 32 minutes of playing time. And while Wednesday's struggle does not indicate the season Aldridge has had so far, as he is still averaging 18 points and 7 rebounds. Those numbers, however, are still subpar by Aldridge's standards, as after averaging at least 21 points and eight rebounds in five straight years with Portland, the power forward's numbers have dipped to 18 points and under seven rebounds per game. With Tim Duncan retired and gone, the Spurs will need Aldridge to channel the player he was in Portland if they want a chance to compete in the Western Conference again."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Trail Blazers": "22"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "106", "Clippers": "114"}}, {"Assists": {"Chris Paul": "5", "Damian Lillard": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Maurice Harkless": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ McCollum": "5", "Damian Lillard": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"CJ McCollum": "5", "Damian Lillard": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "24"}, "Points": {"Damian Lillard": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Damian Lillard": "10"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, 114 - 106, at Moda Center on Thursday. The Clippers (10) were the last team to tip off for an opening game amongst the league and capped it off with an impressive road win. The matchup continued where Los Angeles left off at the end of last season's first - round playoffs, save for a fully healthy unit and one that was in a physical mentality throughout the game. DeAndre Jordan and Mason Plumlee got into a scrap after a hard foul landed both in the courtside seats beneath the rim in the third quarter, while C.J. McCollum returned a hard foul Jordan's way at the other end of the floor in the fourth quarter. The referring was also in question at times, much to the home crowd's disapproval, as Blake Griffin and JJ Reddick had flagrant fouls go there way in the second half. The back - and - forth affair was tight knit through the first three quarters of play, but the Clippers were able to pull away by 15 points with 2:54 left in the fourth quarter. A series of inspired plays from Harkless, McCollum and Lillard cut the lead to five after a driving layup from the star point guard with :22 left on the clock. Paul drew a foul from Shabazz Napier on the ensuing possession to ice the game at the free throw line. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin led the Clippers, as both players were everywhere on both ends of the court, striking from the mid range, putting back dunks, running down the Blazers backcourt in transition and keeping Reddick and Jordan active at the perimeter and under the rim. Paul and Griffin combined for 54 points, 18 rebounds and five assists in the win. Lillard poured in 29 points on 11 - of - 24 shooting, to go along with 10 rebounds and three assists. Harkless, Plumlee and McCollum joined Lillard in double figures, but the 22 percent three - point shooting was far from where coach Terry Stotts would have liked the Blazers to be on their home court. The Blazers will visit the Denver Nuggets on Saturday, while the Clippers play their first home game hosting the Utah Jazz on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "13", "Bucks": "11"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "110", "Bucks": "105"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Wizards": "23", "Bucks": "32"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "9", "Bucks": "11"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "52"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "51"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bucks": "25"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bucks": "28"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7", "Matthew Dellavedova": "4", "Malcolm Brogdon": "2", "Markieff Morris": "3", "Bradley Beal": "6", "John Wall": "11", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1", "Mirza Teletovic": "5"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "28", "Jabari Parker": "8", "John Henson": "14", "Matthew Dellavedova": "6", "Mirza Teletovic": "25", "Malcolm Brogdon": "11", "Markieff Morris": "15", "Marcin Gortat": "9", "Bradley Beal": "20", "John Wall": "24", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "13", "Jabari Parker": "4", "John Henson": "4", "Matthew Dellavedova": "2", "Mirza Teletovic": "3", "Markieff Morris": "9", "Marcin Gortat": "14", "John Wall": "4", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "9"}, "Blocks": {"John Henson": "2", "Mirza Teletovic": "1", "Markieff Morris": "1", "John Wall": "1"}, "Field goal percentage": {"John Henson": "70"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Mirza Teletovic": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Mirza Teletovic": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Mirza Teletovic": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Mirza Teletovic": "26"}, "Steals": {"Malcolm Brogdon": "1", "Markieff Morris": "3", "John Wall": "2", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "3"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, 110 - 105, at Verizon Center on Saturday. The dynamic duo of John Wall and Bradley Beal has been leading the Wizards' successes all season, and Saturday was no different. John Wall and Bradley Beal combined for 44 points to lead Washington (9 - 13) its seventh home win. The Bucks (11 - 11) jumped on their hosts early, building a 32 - 23 lead after one quarter. The Wizards made up that deficit in the second quarter, and the two teams entered halftime knotted up at 52. The stellar performance from their guards helped overcome a typically spectacular one from Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokunmpo, who filled out the stat sheet with 28 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists. Despite the defeat, the Bucks had the collective hot hand throughout the night, posting 51 and 52 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively. Mirza Teletovic was Milwaukee's second - leading scorer and accomplished the feat from the bench, posting 25 points, three rebounds an a block over 26 minutes on 8 - of - 12 shooting, including 5 - of - 6 from the beyond the arc. John Henson was the only other member of the starting five with double - digit scoring, supplying 14 points (on 70 percent shooting), four rebounds and two blocks. Jabari Parker (eight points, four rebounds) and Matthew Dellavedova (six points, four assists, two rebounds) underwhelmed, but Malcolm Brogdon was strong in a reserve role with 11 points, two assists and a steal. Wall paced the Wizards with 24 points, 11 assists, four rebounds, two steals and a block. Beal followed with 20 points and six assists. Markieff Morris was strong down low, registering 15 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block. Otto Porter, Jr. turned in another modest performance, going for 10 points, two steals, a rebound and an assist. His backup, Kelly Oubre, Jr. notably outshined him once again, pacing the second unit with 19 points, nine rebounds, an assist and three steals. Marcin Gortat contributed nine points but hauled in 14 boards. The Bucks head north of the border to take on the Toronto Raptors on Monday night, while the Wizards head down to South Florida to take on the Miami Heat on Monday evening as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "7", "76ers": "16"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "84", "76ers": "80"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "8", "76ers": "0"}}, {"Points": {"Jahlil Okafor": "19", "Isaiah Thomas": "30", "Evan Turner": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Jared Sullinger": "15", "Isaiah Thomas": "4", "Evan Turner": "9"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "6", "Evan Turner": "3"}}], "The Boston Celtics (8 - 7) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (0 - 16) 84 - 80 on Wednesday in yet another late - game collapse for Philly.. The Sixers played very well in this game, but choked it away late to extend their horrible losing - streak. The Celtics ended the game on an 18 - 3 run over the last six minutes and that's the Sixers season in a nutshell. Both teams shot poorly in this game, as they both shot below 38 percent from the field. This definitely was n't a pretty game by any means, but Boston fans will be happy that they were n't the ones to allow that first elusive win to the Sixers. The Sixers usually lose games early, but when it's close at the end, they do n't know how to finish games either. It's a sad reality for a team in a deep hole, but losses like these still have to be looked at positively. They were ahead for the majority of the second half and it was still one of their best performances of the year, despite the loss. Jahlil Okafor once again led the team in scoring, as he tallied 19 points and 11 rebounds in the defeat. He is definitely a major bright spot in a dark tunnel and Philly fans can be somewhat hopeful for the future with his strong play this season. Philadelphia will look to crack this losing - streak when they take on the struggling Houston Rockets on Friday. The Celtics played poorly on Wednesday, but somehow escaped with a win. Only two Boston players scored more than 10 points in this game and they were lucky to grab a win in such a poor performance. Despite the struggles, Isaiah Thomas had a great game, totaling 30 points, six assists and four rebounds in the victory. Evan Turner also had a nice game off the bench, as he collected 16 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Jared Sullinger also snatched 15 boards, so it was n't all bad for Boston. The gritty nature to go on a big run and pull out a win like this late can be a huge momentum booster for a young team. They'll host a Washington Wizards team on Friday, who are coming off one of the biggest chokes of the season as well, as they scored six points in the fourth quarter in Wednesday's loss to the Charlotte Hornets.."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "51"}}, {"Points": {"Bradley Beal": "29", "John Wall": "30", "Hassan Whiteside": "17", "Goran Dragic": "34"}, "Steals": {"Bradley Beal": "4"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "8", "Goran Dragic": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"John Wall": "6", "Hassan Whiteside": "16", "Goran Dragic": "5", "Josh Richardson": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Goran Dragic": "31", "Josh Richardson": "29"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Josh Richardson": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Josh Richardson": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Johnson": "4"}}], "While these teams are playing below expectations, they put on a show in this game, There were 10 ties and 11 lead changes in total, as neither team led by more than 11 points. The Miami offense fell just shy of a season - high in points, as they shot a boastly 51 percent from the field. John Wall and Bradley Beal were the only Wizards players with more than 10 points in their defeat, as everyone else really struggled. Wall finished with 30 points, six rebounds and eight assists, while Beal totaled 29 points and four steals. Goran Dragic was in foul trouble for the majority of the game, but still accumulated a season - high 34 points, five rebounds and five assists in 31 minutes of play. Hassan Whiteside had another monster double - double, accruing 17 points and 16 rebounds. The Heat had just four players come off the bench, but James Johnson, Tyler Johnson and Josh Richardson all played at least 29 minutes and all scored in double figures."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "52"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "48", "76ers": "58"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "131", "76ers": "114"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "19", "76ers": "9"}}, {"Personal fouls": {"Nerlens Noel": "5", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Nerlens Noel": "5", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "3"}, "Assists": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "27"}, "Field goals made": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "17"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "2"}, "Points": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "44"}}], "In a battle of the Eastern Conference's bottom two teams, the Brooklyn Nets (19 - 48) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (9 - 58) 131 - 114 behind a career - high 44 points from Bojan Bogdanovic. Guard Bojan Bogdanovic came out of seemingly nowhere with one of the year's most impressive performances, dropping 44 points on 17 - for - 27 shooting. The shooting guard hit four three - pointers and was fouled only three times, getting most of his work done from inside the arc. With the lights - out shooting night, Bogdanovic not only sets a personal career high, but ties the career high of his childhood hero, All-Star Drazen Petrovic. Despite the can't - miss night, the Euro star remained unselfish to the very end, even making room for big man Brook Lopez to hit a rare three - pointer. All in all, the win came in emphatic fashion for the Nets, who seemed unfazed by Philly fans' taunting changts of \"we've got draft picks.\" The team shot 52 percent from the field on the night and 87 percent at the line, easily securing one of their biggest wins of the season. The Sixers still sit at single - digits in the win column, despite no longer being at risk for setting a record - low in wins. Even facing one of the league's most helpless teams, Philadelphia was unable to come particularly close, allowing the lead to rocket up to 20 by halftime. While all five starters scored in double - digits, foul trouble from standout center Nerlens Noel coupled with turnover issues made it difficult for the Sixers to get things going. There was a lone bright spot, however, in sophomore Nik Stauskas. \"Sauce Castillo\" scored 18 points off the bench, knocking down a couple three - pointers and recording seven rebounds as well. Overall, though, Philadelphia was handily blown out at the hands of their division rival. Philadelphia will take on the Washington Wizards on Tuesday, while the Nets will face the Bulls in Chicago."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "36", "Rockets": "22"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "105", "Rockets": "109"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nuggets": "18", "Rockets": "29"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "33", "Rockets": "48"}}, {"Points": {"Clint Capela": "16", "James Harden": "40", "Nene": "14", "Nikola Jokic": "16", "Gary Harris": "17", "Jameer Nelson": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Clint Capela": "8", "James Harden": "10", "Nene": "7", "Nikola Jokic": "5", "Gary Harris": "6", "Jameer Nelson": "7"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "10", "Nikola Jokic": "4", "Jameer Nelson": "11"}}], "The Houston Rockets defeated the Denver Nuggets, 109 - 105, at Pepsi Center on Saturday. There have been some lopsided matchups between these teams recently, but this one was incredibly close. In fact, there were 16 ties and 11 lead changes, with neither team capturing a double - digit lead. Houston really took control in the second half, as they led for the final 18 minutes, thanks to a 29 - 18 third quarter. Free-throw shooting was a huge advantage for the Rockets, as they went 28 - of - 35, while the Nuggets hit just 19 - of - 30. Houston also dominated down low, winning the scoring in the paint battle, 60 - 48. The Rockets (48 - 22) now have four wins in their last five games, as they continue to add impressive wins in their resume '. James Harden carried the load, as he collected 40 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists en route to another triple - double. Clint Capela finished second on the team, totaling 16 points and eight rebounds. Nene Hilario was a nice spark off the bench, providing 14 points and seven rebounds. The Nuggets (33 - 36) had won four - straight headed into this game, but this was a disappointing loss at home. Jameer Nelson was Denver's best player, as he accrued 15 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists. Nikola Jokic amassed 16 points, five rebounds and four assists. Gary Harris totaled 17 points and six rebounds. Will Barton, Jamal Murray and Kenneth Faried were the only bench players to feature and they all scored in double figures. These two teams next game will be a rematch on Monday back in Houston."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "14", "Bulls": "12"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "113", "Bulls": "115"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "21", "Bulls": "20"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "51"}}, {"Assists": {"Nikola Mirotic": "1", "Pau Gasol": "6", "Jimmy Butler": "5", "Luis Scola": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Nikola Mirotic": "6", "Jimmy Butler": "3", "Luis Scola": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nikola Mirotic": "3", "Jimmy Butler": "2", "Luis Scola": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Mirotic": "9", "Pau Gasol": "16", "Luis Scola": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Mirotic": "4", "Pau Gasol": "7", "Luis Scola": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nikola Mirotic": "6", "Pau Gasol": "6", "Jimmy Butler": "11", "Luis Scola": "3", "DeMar DeRozan": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Nikola Mirotic": "6", "Pau Gasol": "5", "Jimmy Butler": "10", "Luis Scola": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "7"}, "Points": {"Nikola Mirotic": "17", "Pau Gasol": "19", "Jimmy Butler": "42", "Luis Scola": "22", "DeMar DeRozan": "24", "Kyle Lowry": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Mirotic": "3", "Pau Gasol": "13", "Jimmy Butler": "4", "Luis Scola": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Pau Gasol": "4", "Jimmy Butler": "1", "Luis Scola": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jimmy Butler": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jimmy Butler": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jimmy Butler": "3"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "1", "Luis Scola": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Jimmy Butler": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMar DeRozan": "35", "Kyle Lowry": "39"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (20 - 12) fought to the end for a 115 - 113 victory over the host Toronto Raptors (21 - 14), on Sunday afternoon. This was the second match up in a week between the Bulls and Raptors. Chicago won the last game as well and have now won their last seven versus the Raptors. With this win the Bulls have also extended their current win streak to four. Toronto was up 103 - 91 with six minutes left in the game, it was from then on that the Bulls went on a 24 - 10 run to steal the road win. Jimmy Butler hit a huge three with the defense right in his face, which put the Bulls up by one with 30 seconds left. The Raptors were not able to hit a counter - punch, missing three straight shots, while Chicago faired well enough from the foul line in the last seconds to stay on top. Jimmy Butler led the Bulls with a monstrous 42 points on very solid 15 - 23 shooting from the field (2 - 3 3Pt, 10 - 11 FT). Butler also logged five assists, four rebounds, one steal and one block, in 38 minutes. Pau Gasol had a very strong performance, finishing with 19 points (7 - 16 FG, 5 - 6 FT), 13 rebounds, six assists and four blocked shots, in 33 minutes. Nikola Mirotic chipped in 17 points (4 - 9 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT), three rebounds and one assist, in 28 minutes. The Bulls as a team shot very well, going 51 percent from the field, 88 percent from the foul - line and 42 percent from distance. Derrick Rose sat this one out with a sore hamstring, while Joakim Noah remained out with a shoulder injury. Toronto was led by guard - combo Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, who combined for 46 points on the game. Lowry finished with a full stat - line, including 22 points, 10 assists, five rebounds, one steal and one blocked shot, in 39 minutes. DeRozan led the Raptors in scoring with 24 points on 7 - 17 shooting from the field (3 - 6 3PT, 7 - 8 FT), in 35 minutes. Luis Scola was the third prong of the Raptors attack, as he finished with 22 points (9 - 17 FG, 2 - 2 3PT, 2 - 3 FT), along with five rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block, in 27 minutes. The Raptors will be right back in action on Monday as they begin a five - game road trip in Cleveland. This will be an important stretch for Toronto if they want to establish themselves at the top of the East. Meanwhile, the Bulls will be back in action on Tuesday, when they host Milwaukee."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pistons": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Jon Leuer": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "8", "Paul Millsap": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jon Leuer": "16", "Reggie Jackson": "17", "Kyle Korver": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Jon Leuer": "9", "Reggie Jackson": "7", "Kyle Korver": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Jon Leuer": "37", "Reggie Jackson": "32", "Paul Millsap": "37", "Kyle Korver": "29"}, "Points": {"Jon Leuer": "22", "Reggie Jackson": "20", "Paul Millsap": "26", "Kyle Korver": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Jon Leuer": "6", "Reggie Jackson": "4", "Paul Millsap": "6"}, "Steals": {"Jon Leuer": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "1", "Paul Millsap": "2"}}], "All five starters scored in double digits for the Pistons, but the contribution from the bench was very minimal as only three players entered the game off the bench, and combined for 15 points. Jon Leuer was the high - point man for Detroit, as he finished with 22 points on 9 - of - 16 shooting, along with six rebounds, two steals and one assist, in 37 minutes. Reggie Jackson went 7 - of - 17 from the field, as he came up with 20 points, along with eight assists, four rebounds and one steal, in 32 minutes. Five players scored in double digits for the Hawks, including Kyle Korver, who poured in 22 points on 7 - of - 13 shooting, in 29 minutes off the bench. Paul Millsap led the way for the Hawks, with 26 points, along with six rebounds, five assists and two steals, in 37 minutes."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "49", "Warriors": "57"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "9"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "116", "Warriors": "135"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Suns": "27", "Warriors": "44"}, "Rebounds": {"Suns": "30", "Warriors": "53"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "7", "Warriors": "17"}}, {"Steals": {"Draymond Green": "1"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "8", "TJ Warren": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "16"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "9"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Stephen Curry": "1"}, "Points": {"Stephen Curry": "41", "TJ Warren": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Stephen Curry": "6", "TJ Warren": "6"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (170) shot the lights out against the Phoenix Suns (7 - 9), defeating them 135 - 116 on Friday. There are some nights when a team just ca n't miss and that becomes even scarier when it's the Warriors. Golden State went an incredible 22 - 38 from three - point range and shot 57 percent from the field in this game. They also outrebounded the Suns 53 - 30 and it was a mismatch on all cylinders. That now give Golden State 17 straight wins and it's an incredible thing to watch at this point. Some experts thought this would be the game the Warriors historic streak would end, but they are eating their words now. Golden State simply shot the Suns out of the building and ended this contest well before the final whistle. The Warriors won the first quarter 44 - 27 and never looked back after that. Steph Curry had another ridiculous game, as he tallied 41 points, eight assists and six rebounds in just three quarters of play. He also went 9 - for - 16 from long distance and was embarrassing Phoenix players all night long. Draymond Green also recorded a triple - double in the game and he's been one of the unheralded hero's of this undefeated team. Luckily, the starters got quite a bit of rest here, as they'll have to play on Saturday in the second half of a back - to - back against the Sacramento Kings. The Suns actually played well offensively in this game, but you ca n't allow 135 points and win. Phoenix shot a robust 49 percent, but could n't stop this potent offense a lick. That's been the problem all season for the Suns, as they rank in the bottom - five in points allowed. Much of that can be credited to their ridiculously high - pace, but they need to play some defense to win. T.J. Warren was a major bright spot off the bench though, as he amassed a career - high 28 points, six rebounds and two assists in the loss. This was a tough game for Phoenix, but it's one of those that you can just simply tip your cap and move on. They'll look to bounce - back against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday in their next scheduled game."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "30", "Rockets": "15"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "114", "Rockets": "101"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pistons": "28"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "18", "Rockets": "33"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "13", "Josh Smith": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "10", "Josh Smith": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "29", "Kostas Papanikolaou": "12", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "40", "D.J. Augustin": "37"}, "Points": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "21", "James Harden": "26", "Kostas Papanikolaou": "8", "Andre Drummond": "11", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "28", "D.J. Augustin": "28"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "9", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "4", "D.J. Augustin": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "7", "Kostas Papanikolaou": "2", "Greg Monroe": "12", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kostas Papanikolaou": "2", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "6"}, "Steals": {"Kostas Papanikolaou": "2", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "3"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (18 - 30) outscored the Houston Rockets (33 - 15), 114 - 101. The Rockets suffered a scare when James Harden headed to the locker room clutching his knee. He returned at the start of the second half and nearly triple - doubled with 26 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. Dwight Howard missed his fourth straight game due to ankle and knee issues. John Smith could not find success in his first game against the team that released him last month, shooting 3 - of - 11 from the field. After two consecutive DCP-CDs, Kostas Papanikolaou played 12 minutes and scored eight points. Donatas Motiejunas followed up a career - high 26 - point game with 21 points on 10 - of - 13 shooting in 29 minutes. D.J. Augustin bounced back from a two - point outing to scored 28 points and dish 12 assists in 37 minutes. All five Pistons starters scored in double figures, highlighted by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's 28 points, five rebounds, four assists, three blocks, one steal, and six three - pointers in 40 minutes. Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe double - doubled, each grabbing at least 12 rebounds and scoring at least 11 points. The Pistons do n't play again until Tuesday, squaring off against the Miami Heat. The Rockets will get three days off before starting a three - game homestand against the Chicago Bulls."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "1"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "87", "Warriors": "98"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Rockets": "13", "Warriors": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Rockets": "46", "Warriors": "54"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "6"}}, {"Points": {"Andrew Bogut": "8", "Klay Thompson": "11", "Stephen Curry": "34", "Andre Iguodala": "15", "Trevor Ariza": "7", "James Harden": "22", "Isaiah Canaan": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Bogut": "18", "Trevor Ariza": "11", "Isaiah Canaan": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "16", "Stephen Curry": "19", "Trevor Ariza": "16", "James Harden": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "13", "Trevor Ariza": "3", "James Harden": "8"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "9", "James Harden": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "6", "James Harden": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Trevor Ariza": "39"}}], "In a battle of undefeated Western Conference teams, the Warriors (50) prevailed over the Rockets (6 - 1) 98 - 87 at the Toyota Center in Houston. Houston held an eight - point halftime advantage, but the Warriors stormed back with a strong third quarter, outscoring the Rockets 28 - 13 in the frame. Down five points entering the final period, the Rockets made an early run, as an Isaiah Canaan three - pointer tied the game with 8:27 to play. The score remained tied until Stephen Curry hit a jumper with just over six minutes remaining to put the Warriors back up two. Curry and Andrew Bogut then scored the game\u2019s next seven points, putting Golden State ahead for good. Curry led all scorers with 34 points to go with 10 rebounds, five assists and four steals. He made 13 - of - 19 field goal attempts and went 6 - of - 9 from beyond the arc. On a night when Klay Thompson (3 - 16 FG, 11 points) struggled, Andre Iguodala contributed 15 points off the bench, and Andrew Bogut chipped in eight points to go with a game - high 18 boards. The Warriors out - rebounded Houston 54 - 46 overall, though the Rockets grabbed one more offensive rebound. James Harden struggled from the field, finishing with 22 points on 8 - of - 24 shooting. Harden converted just 1 - of - 11 three - point attempts. Isaiah Canaan, starting in place of the injured Patrick Beverley, scored 21 points to go with four rebounds. Trevor Ariza added seven points (3 - 16 FG) and 11 rebounds in 39 minutes. Looking ahead, the Rockets head to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves on Wednesday. Golden State turns around and faces the Suns in Phoenix on Sunday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "32", "Pacers": "30"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "99", "Pacers": "100"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "30", "Pacers": "33"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "2", "Monta Ellis": "4", "George Hill": "5", "Bradley Beal": "3", "John Wall": "12", "Garrett Temple": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Paul George": "3", "Jordan Hill": "5"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "38", "Monta Ellis": "17", "George Hill": "12", "Jordan Hill": "10", "Markieff Morris": "14", "Bradley Beal": "12", "John Wall": "25", "Garrett Temple": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "6", "Monta Ellis": "6", "George Hill": "3", "Jordan Hill": "9", "Markieff Morris": "8", "Bradley Beal": "2", "John Wall": "6", "Alan Anderson": "3", "Garrett Temple": "4"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "1", "Monta Ellis": "4", "Markieff Morris": "1", "John Wall": "2", "Garrett Temple": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Paul George": "3", "Jordan Hill": "5"}, "Blocks": {"George Hill": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Markieff Morris": "5", "Alan Anderson": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Bradley Beal": "5", "Alan Anderson": "3", "Garrett Temple": "5"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (33 - 30) defeated the Washington Wizards (30 - 32) 100 - 99 on Saturday. The competitive battle between the conference rivals saw Washington jump out to a 64 - 56 halftime lead on the strength of some stellar shooting, and solid work on the glass by their frontcourt duo of Markieff Morris and Marcin Gortat. However, the Pacers came out of intermission reinvigorated, and outscored the Wizards 44 - 35 in the second half. The game was n't decided until the last shot, as Washington's Alan Anderson committed a back - breaking shooting foul on Paul George with three seconds remaining and the Wizards clinging to a 99 - 98 lead. George drained both attempts from the charity stripe, giving Indiana the one - point advantage and leaving the home team with a final possession to secure the win. The ball found its way into the hands of the man who gave the Wizards the best chance at a victory, John Wall, but the All-Star guard could n't get a 17 - footer to fall as time expired. George's mammoth 38 - point night led the Pacers, and he added six rebounds, two assists and a steal. Monta Ellis was a distant second with a solid 17 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals. George Hill contributed 12 points, five assists, three rebounds and a block. Jordan Hill led the reserves with 10 points and nine boards, although he also turned the ball over five times. The Pacers are currently in second place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division, and currently slotted in the seventh seed in the conference as well. They're home on Monday to take on the San Antonio Spurs. Wall led the way for the Wizards with a 25 - point, 12 - assist double - double that also included six rebounds and two steals. Morris pitched in with 14 points, eight rebounds and a steal. Bradley Beal celebrated his return to the starting lineup with a 12 - point, three - assist, two - rebound effort. Garrett Temple, the man he replaced in the starting five, rebounded from a scoreless outing on Friday to supply 11 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal while pacing the reserves. The Wizards are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division, and a game back of the eighth - seeded Detroit Pistons. They head to Portland to take on the Trail Blazers on Tuesday."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Cavaliers": "8"}}, {"Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "11", "LeBron James": "4", "Kyrie Irving": "7"}, "Points": {"Jeff Teague": "15", "LeBron James": "31", "Kyrie Irving": "26", "Kyle Korver": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Jeff Teague": "4", "LeBron James": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "12"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyle Korver": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Korver": "6"}}], "The Pacers have now lost five - straight games, as they are reeling headed into the All-Star break. This was a tied ball game early on in the fourth quarter, as the Cavaliers ripped off a 23 - 6 run to open things up. Cleveland limited mistakes, by committing just eight turnovers and having Indiana record just three combined blocks and steals. Glenn Robinson!!! led the Pacers in scoring, as he totaled 19 points and six rebounds. Jeff Teague was their best player, as he accumulated 15 points, four rebounds and 11 assists. LeBron James was the player of the game, collecting 31 points, five rebounds and four assists on 12 - of - 17 shooting. Kyrie Irving was n't far behind, tallying 26 points and seven assists. Kyle Korver was huge off the bench, providing 22 points on 6 - of - 8 from three - point range."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "9", "Bucks": "15"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "90", "Bucks": "83"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "15", "Bucks": "9"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Jabari Parker": "1", "Greg Monroe": "2", "O.J. Mayo": "4", "Cory Joseph": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1", "Luis Scola": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Cory Joseph": "1"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "15", "Jabari Parker": "10", "Greg Monroe": "13", "Khris Middleton": "26", "O.J. Mayo": "9", "Luis Scola": "12", "DeMar DeRozan": "27", "Kyle Lowry": "12", "Cory Joseph": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7", "Jabari Parker": "6", "Greg Monroe": "7", "O.J. Mayo": "3", "DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Cory Joseph": "3"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Greg Monroe": "3", "O.J. Mayo": "3", "Cory Joseph": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Khris Middleton": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyle Lowry": "5"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (15 - 9) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (9 - 15) 90 - 83 on Friday. Milwaukee continues to struggle mightily with respect to scoring points, and came into Friday night's contest behind only the Sixers as the most impotent offense in the league. The Bucks were averaging 96 points per game before Friday's 83 - point effort, which marked the eighth time in the last nine games that they failed to reach the century mark on the scoreboard. Outside of Khris Middleton's team - high 26 points, the other four starters managed solid but unspectacular totals, and Milwaukee received a paltry 10 points from their bench over the 61 total minutes tallied by the reserves. Middleton's scoring haul represented a season - high for the shooting guard, whose previous best was the 21 points he'd posted on four different occasions. Prized offseason acquisition Greg Monroe mustered 13 points, seven rebounds, a pair of assists and three steals, a performance that would be considered underwhelming for a player who's demonsrated he's capable of much better production. Giannis Antetokounmpo filled out the stat sheet with 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists, a pair of steals and a block, while Jabari Parker managed 10 points, six rebounds and an assist. Veteran guard O.J. Mayo was the only starter in single digits, pitching in with nine points and adding four assists, three rebounds and three steals. The Bucks dropped to 9 - 15 and remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They head home to face the reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors on Saturday night. Toronto was led by DeMar DeRozan, who posted a game - high 27 points, following a 28 - point outburst in a big victory over the Spurs on Wednesday. They did n't get much else from their starters, as Kyle Lowry and Luis Scola were next behind DeRozan with a pair of 12 - point efforts. The total represented a season - low figure for Lowry, who struggled considerably with his shot and drained only five of 16 attempts. Cory Joseph continued his trend of strong showings off the bench, pacing the Raptors reserves with 13 points, three rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block. Toronto improved to 15 - 9 and remains in first place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They will face the one - win Philadelphia 76ers in Toronto on Sunday."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Rockets": "30"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Rockets": "32"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6", "James Harden": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "32", "James Harden": "38"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "11", "James Harden": "6"}}], "James Harden's January has been off to an unbelievable start. Following his 38 - point, eight - assist, six - rebound performance against Milwaukee on Wednesday night, Harden has posted averages of 30 points, 10 rebounds and 9 rebounds per game through 10 contests so far this month. That has included three 40 - point performances and 5 performances of 30 or more points. Likewise, Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has continued to be a superstar in the making through the start of the new year. Despite a two - game stretch mid - way through the month where he was dealing with an illness, the Greek Freak has been a model of consistency. Following his 32 - point, 11 - rebound, six - assist performance against Houston, Antetokounmpo now has three double - doubles, two games of 30 - plus points and five games with at least 25 points so far in the month of January."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "58", "Jazz": "41"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "84", "Jazz": "104"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "17", "Jazz": "31"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Timberwolves": "27"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "16", "Jazz": "33"}}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "22", "Trevor Booker": "17", "Trey Burke": "19", "Zach LaVine": "21", "Robbie Hummel": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Booker": "13", "Zach LaVine": "5", "Robbie Hummel": "7"}, "Assists": {"Zach LaVine": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Robbie Hummel": "29"}}], "The Utah Jazz (33 - 41) routed the Minnesota Timberwolves (16 - 58), 104 - 84, on Monday at the Target Center. Utah took a 10 - point lead into the half, but turned this contest into a blowout in the third quarter. The Jazz outscored the short - handed Timberwolves 31 - 17 in the third and led by as many as 27 in the game. Gordon Hayward led the Jazz with 22 points and Trey Burke added 19 off the bench to help secure the victory. With Monday's win, the Jazz win the season series with the Timberwolves 3 - 1. Utah finished March with a 10 - 6 record, holding opponents to under 100 points in all but three of those games. Derrick Favors, who has been having an excellent second half of the season, sat out of this game with back spasms despite being able to participate in Monday's shootaround. Trevor Booker filled in at power forward and had a Favors-like stat line of 17 points and 13 rebounds. Rodney Hood left the contest with concussion - like symptoms and did not return. The Jazz will return to action Wednesday against the Nuggets. Minnesota was once again without several of its regular starters Monday and was outmatched. The Timberwolves were missing Ricky Rubio, Kevin Martin, Gorgui Dieng, and Gary Neal and Nikola Pekovic was ruled out for the rest of the season earlier on Monday. The eight players Minnesota had at its disposal Monday finished with a 36 percent field goal percentage, making just 28 - of - 76 of their shots from the field. Zach Lavine made another start at point guard and posted 21 points, six assists, and five rebounds. Robbie Hummel had nine points and seven rebounds in his second game back after a broken hand sidelined him for 29 games. The Timberwolves will return to action Wednesday against Toronto."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "2"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hawks": "23"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"76ers": "18"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul Millsap": "3"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "4"}}], "Covering a 15 - point spread in the NBA is not an easy task, but Atlanta made it look extremely easy here against Philadelphia. While the Sixers had five players score in double figures, they had no one surpass 18 points or seven rebounds. They actually had 10 players play at least 20 minutes, with no one playing more than 27 minutes. The Hawks dominated despite Paul Millsap having his worst game of the season, as he finished with six points, four rebounds and three assists on 3 - of - 10 shooting. Kris Humphries and Dwight Howard dominated down low, as they combined for 23 points and 20 rebounds on 10 - of - 14 shooting in 46 combined minutes. In the two Philadelphia-Atlanta matchups this season, the Hawks have outscored the Sixers by 53 total points. Luckily for the Sixers, they do n't play again until the calendar turns to 2017."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "53", "Knicks": "42"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "25"}}, {"Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "20", "Willy Hernangomez": "11", "Courtney Lee": "25", "LeBron James": "18", "Kyrie Irving": "23", "Kyle Korver": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "5", "Courtney Lee": "6", "LeBron James": "13"}, "Assists": {"Courtney Lee": "5", "LeBron James": "15", "Kyrie Irving": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyle Korver": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Korver": "6"}}], "Cleveland has now defeated New York in 10 - straight games, as they continue to add to the Knicks struggles. Shooting was the key in the game, with the Cavaliers shooting 53 percent, while holding the Knicks to 42 percent from the field. Courtney Lee was New York's best player, as he accrued 25 points, six rebounds and five assists. Carmelo Anthony was second on the team, finishing with 20 points, five rebounds and five assists. Wily Hernangomez started for Joakim Noah and totaled 11 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. LeBron James recorded another triple - double, as he accumulated 18 points, 13 rebounds and 15 assists. Kyrie Irving led the team with 23 points, adding three rebounds and six assists to his tally. Kyle Korver provided 20 points off the bench, hitting 6 - of - 10 from long distance."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "27", "Jazz": "22"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "89", "Jazz": "101"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "5", "Jazz": "12"}}, {"Assists": {"Rudy Gobert": "1", "Trey Burke": "6", "Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Mo Williams": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "6", "Andrew Wiggins": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gobert": "7", "Trey Burke": "16", "Andrew Wiggins": "15", "Mo Williams": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gobert": "5", "Trey Burke": "10", "Andrew Wiggins": "8", "Mo Williams": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Rudy Gobert": "6", "Trey Burke": "6", "Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Mo Williams": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Rudy Gobert": "3", "Trey Burke": "4", "Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Mo Williams": "1"}, "Free throw percentage": {"Rudy Gobert": "50"}, "Minutes played": {"Rudy Gobert": "31", "Trey Burke": "39", "Gorgui Dieng": "33", "Andrew Wiggins": "37"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Rudy Gobert": "2", "Andrew Wiggins": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "11", "Trey Burke": "6", "Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Mo Williams": "5"}, "Steals": {"Rudy Gobert": "1", "Trey Burke": "1", "Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Mo Williams": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Trey Burke": "6", "Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Mo Williams": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Trey Burke": "4", "Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Mo Williams": "3"}, "Points": {"Trey Burke": "28", "Gorgui Dieng": "10", "Andrew Wiggins": "20", "Mo Williams": "20"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (5 - 27) lost their league - leading 11th straight game, falling 101 - 89 to the depleted Utah Jazz (12 - 22). The neophyte Timberwolves were pestered by 7 - foot - 2 Rudy Gobert, converting just 34 percent of their shots when he was on the court compared to 50 percent when he sat. Chase Budinger was a scratch due to illness. No. 1 draft pick Andrew Wiggins tallied 20 points (8 - 15 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), four rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in 37 minutes. It's the fifth time in his last six games that he's scored at least 20 points. Veteran Mo Williams chipped in 20 points (8 - 16 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 1 - 3 FT), five rebounds, three assists and two steals off the bench, and Gorgui Dieng was the only other Timberwolve to score in double figures, adding 10 points in 33 minutes. The Jazz introduced Joe Ingles and Rudy Gobert into the starting lineup with the injuries to Rodney Hood (heel), Patrick Christopher (knee) and Enes Kanter (ankle). Gobert supplied 12 points (5 - 7 FG, 3 - 6 FT), 11 rebounds, one assist, one steal and a career - high six blocks in 31 minutes. Trey Burke followed up a 2 - of - 19 shooting game with a season - high 28 points (10 - 16 FG, 4 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT), six rebounds, six assists and one steal in a team - high 39 minutes. The Jazz host the Pacers on Monday, and the Timberwolves entertain the Nuggets on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "21", "Grizzlies": "4"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "115", "Grizzlies": "120"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"76ers": "29", "Grizzlies": "41"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "2", "Grizzlies": "19"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Mike Conley": "42"}, "Points": {"Mike Conley": "36", "Robert Covington": "24", "Michael Carter-Williams": "16"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Hollis Thompson": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Hollis Thompson": "5"}, "Assists": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "11"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (19 - 4) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (2 - 21) 120 - 115 in overtime on Saturday. Memphis was trailing the first three quarters, and coach Dave Joerger started extending his rotation to try and find a lineup willing to fight against the 76ers' attack. The Grizzlies waited until the fourth quarter to take the Sixers seriously, but in the fourth, Memphis went on a run to win the quarter 41 - 29 to tie the game and force overtime. The Grizzlies then continued their takeover in the extra period, winning overtime 11 - 6 to complete the win. In addition to hitting the game - tying three - pointer to send it to overtime, Mike Conley finished with 36 points in 42 minutes. They have two days off to rest before hosting the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday. Philadelphia has dropped three straight games, but the way the young team played against one of the league's best defenses showed the promise of several of their prospects. Michael Carter-Williams attacked all night, never shying away from playing his game against an opponent that all - but assured the Sixers would take home a loss, collecting his second triple - double of the season (16 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists). Robert Covington attacked the basket off the dribble, challenging the Grizzlies' defense to finish with 24 points, and Hollis Thompson was deadeye from beyond the arc, finishing 5 - of - 5 on his three - point attempts. The Sixers gave the game away with their turnovers, allowing the Grizzlies to score 29 easy points off of 17 Sixers turnovers. Philadelphia will host the Boston Celtics on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "33", "Timberwolves": "23"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "109", "Timberwolves": "99"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "4", "Timberwolves": "12"}}, {"Blocks": {"Gorgui Dieng": "2"}, "Points": {"Gorgui Dieng": "14", "Shabazz Muhammad": "20", "Ish Smith": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Gorgui Dieng": "8", "Ish Smith": "4"}, "Steals": {"Gorgui Dieng": "2", "Ish Smith": "3"}, "Assists": {"Ish Smith": "11"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers (4 - 33) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (12 - 23) 109 - 99 on Monday night. In a game between two of the worst teams in the NBA, the two teams played surprisingly efficient. Both teams shot over 53 percent from the field and got all - around great team efforts. Both benches were huge tonight, as Philly's reserves scored 61 points while Minnesota's bench players scored 55 of their own. In fact, four of the top six scorers in this game came from their respective benches. Philly has been known to fold late in games, but they won the fourth quarter by nine points to overcome a second half deficit and run away with the win. These are two teams at the bottom of the totem pole right now, but they both have bright futures and showed some promise here. The Timberwolves came into this game with a better record on the road than at home, but they couldn\u2019t pull off a road win against the worst team in the NBA. The strange part about this game was the minutes distribution, as Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns played just 49 minutes combined. As mentioned before, the bench was the only bright spot for the Wolves. Shabazz Muhammad led the team with 20 points and Gorgui Dieng tallied 14 points, eight rebounds, two steals and two blocks off the bench. It's just too difficult for this team to compete unless Towns and Wiggins gets the 30 - plus minutes they deserve. Minnesota will look to play better on Wednesday when they host the struggling Denver Nuggets. This Philadelphia team is simply a different team since the acquisition of Ish Smith. They are now 3 - 4 since trading for him and he's had a huge impact in every win. Smith was spectacular here, as he tallied 21 points, 11 assists, four rebounds and three steals. The big surprise in this game was the bench play, as Carl Landry and Richaun Holmes combined for an impressive 33 points in 40 minutes of play. There's not much to smile about as a Sixers fan these days, but the recent play has to be encouraging and at worst draw a smirk. They'll look to continue their recent success on Thursday against the Atlanta Hawks."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "12", "Rockets": "5"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "109", "Rockets": "113"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "21"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "11", "Rockets": "17"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Trevor Ariza": "13", "Rudy Gay": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Trevor Ariza": "4", "Rudy Gay": "4"}, "Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "15", "James Harden": "44", "Patrick Beverley": "15", "Rudy Gay": "13", "Ben McLemore": "21", "Darren Collison": "24", "Derrick Williams": "17"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "8", "Rudy Gay": "8", "Ben McLemore": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "4", "Patrick Beverley": "10", "Rudy Gay": "8", "Ben McLemore": "2"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Rudy Gay": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Rudy Gay": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Ben McLemore": "2", "Darren Collison": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ben McLemore": "2", "Darren Collison": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Darren Collison": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Darren Collison": "2"}}], "After falling to Golden State on Wednesday, the Rockets (17 - 5) got back on track Thursday, knocking off the Kings (11 - 12) 113 - 109 in overtime. Houston, which trailed by eight entering the fourth quarter, clawed back behind a monster game from James Harden, who scored 30 points in the second half and overtime period combined. Harden finished with 44 points to go with four rebounds, eight assists and three steals. Patrick Beverley added 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Trevor Ariza had 15 points on 4 - of - 13 shooting. The Rockets were again without Dwight Howard, as well as a number of role players, but Howard is expected to return within the next few games. Sacramento, losers of two straight after falling to the Lakers on Tuesday, got 24 points from Darren Collison and 21 from Ben McLemore. Rudy gay struggled mightily, missing two key jumpers near the end of the fourth quarter and finish with 13 points on 4 - of - 18 shooting. Gay also contributed eight rebounds and eight assists. Derrick Williams added 17 points off the bench. Up next, the Kings host the Pistons on Saturday. The Rockets welcome the Nuggets to Houston, also on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Heat": "43"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "105", "Warriors": "102"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "7"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "38"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "8", "Dion Waiters": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Durant": "1", "Dion Waiters": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "23", "Dion Waiters": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "12", "Dion Waiters": "13"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "27", "Klay Thompson": "22", "Stephen Curry": "21", "JaVale McGee": "10", "Dion Waiters": "33"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Stephen Curry": "37", "Dion Waiters": "33"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the Golden State Warriors 105 - 102 Monday at AmericanAirlines Arena. After Kevin Durant tied the game at 102 with just over 10 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Dion Waiters held the ball at the top of the key while the clock ticked down. With a little over two seconds on the clock, Waiters launched a shot from behind the arc. The shot hit nothing but net and the Heat pulled off one of the biggest upset victories in the NBA this season. Waiters was not only the hero, but he was also the star, as he finished with a game - high 33 points on 13 - of - 20 shooting from the field and 6 - of - 8 from 3 - point land in 33 minutes. As a team, the Heat were scorching from behind the arc, hitting a ridiculous 43 percent of their shots from long range in the winning effort. The win gives Miami their fourth straight victory as they were perfect over their four - game home stand. Meanwhile, the loss ends the Warriors' (38 - 7) seven - game win streak, as it ended up being too little too late in the closing moments for the NBA's top team. Durant led the way in the scoring column, finishing with 27 points on 12 - of - 23 shooting from the field, but he did shoot just 1 - of - 8 from behind the arc. Additionally, Steph Curry almost put together a triple - double, as he recorded 21 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in 37 minutes. Klay Thompson added 22 of his own, but JaVale McGee's 10 points made him the fourth and final Warriors to score in double figures. Up next, the Heat will look to continue their winning ways in Brooklyn on Wednesday, while the Warriors will look to return to form against the Hornets on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "5", "Lakers": "20"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "109", "Lakers": "87"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "19", "Lakers": "3"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Lakers": "22"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Lakers": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Kobe Bryant": "4", "Lou Williams": "1", "D'Angelo Russell": "6", "Kawhi Leonard": "2", "Patty Mills": "3"}, "Points": {"Kobe Bryant": "12", "Lou Williams": "19", "D'Angelo Russell": "24", "Kawhi Leonard": "16", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "24", "Patty Mills": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Kobe Bryant": "6", "Lou Williams": "3", "D'Angelo Russell": "6", "Kawhi Leonard": "11", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "11", "Patty Mills": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Lou Williams": "1", "Kawhi Leonard": "1"}, "Steals": {"Lou Williams": "2", "D'Angelo Russell": "2", "Kawhi Leonard": "3"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (19 - 5) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (3 - 20) by a score of 109 - 87, Friday night in Texas. It was a two - point game at the end of the first half, with San Antonio up 51 - 49 but the Spurs came into the second half on another level and out - scored the Lakers 58 - 38, leading to the 22 point win. The Spurs shot an efficient 53 percent from the field, including 42 percent from deep. They did however struggle from the free - throw line, going only 15 - 25. LaMarcus Aldridge led the San Antonio in scoring and tallied a double - double with 24 points and 11 rebounds. Kawhi Leonard also recorded a double - double with 16 points and 11 rebounds, along with three steals, two assists and one block. Patty Mills played well in the absence of Tony Parker, who sat to rest. Mills finished with 22 points, three assists and three rebounds, in 21 minutes. Los Angeles was led by rookie D'Angelo Russell, who finished with 24 points on 9 - 23 shooting, including 5 - 10 from deep. Russell also logged six assists, six rebounds and two steals. Lou Williams started at shooting guard and finished with 19 points on 7 - 12 shooting, along with three rebounds, two steals, one assist and one block, in 33 minutes. Kobe Bryant shot 5 - 12 on his way to 12 points, along with six rebounds and four assists, in 28 minutes. The Lakers will finish up an eight - game road trip with the second night of a back - to - back in Houston on Saturday. The Spurs will also be facing the second of a back - to - back as they play in Atlanta on Saturday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "33", "Nuggets": "29"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "123", "Nuggets": "131"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Knicks": "22", "Nuggets": "36"}, "Rebounds": {"Knicks": "33", "Nuggets": "44"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "22", "Nuggets": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"Wilson Chandler": "3", "Nikola Jokic": "5", "Jameer Nelson": "12", "Will Barton": "4", "Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Kristaps Porzingis": "2", "Brandon Jennings": "13", "Kyle O'Quinn": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Wilson Chandler": "2", "Kyle O'Quinn": "4"}, "Points": {"Wilson Chandler": "19", "Nikola Jokic": "40", "Jameer Nelson": "16", "Will Barton": "15", "Carmelo Anthony": "33", "Kristaps Porzingis": "17", "Kyle O'Quinn": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Wilson Chandler": "4", "Nikola Jokic": "9", "Jameer Nelson": "4", "Will Barton": "10", "Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Kristaps Porzingis": "4", "Kyle O'Quinn": "6"}, "Steals": {"Wilson Chandler": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Jokic": "23", "Carmelo Anthony": "20", "Brandon Jennings": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Jokic": "17", "Carmelo Anthony": "13", "Brandon Jennings": "2"}}], "The Denver Nuggets defeated the host New York Knicks, 131 - 123, at Madison Square Garden on Friday. Defense has been optional for these teams all season and the 254 combined points in this game show just where their priorities are. Denver really took control in the third quarter, outscoring New York, 36 - 22, and never relinquishing the lead from there. Both offenses were scoring at ease, with both teams shooting over 55 percent from the field. The Nuggets feasted down low, as they won the rebounding differential, 44 - 33, and outscored the Knicks, 68 - 52, in the paint. The Nuggets (24 - 29) have been one of the best offenses in the league this season and this 131 - point outing shows just how efficient they can be. Nikola Jokic was the player of the game, as he dropped a career - high 40 points on 17 - of - 23 shooting, adding nine rebounds, five assists and two rebounds to his tally. Wilson Chandler finished second on the team, collecting 19 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. Jameer Nelson started for Emmanuel Mudiay and accrued 16 points, four rebounds and 12 assists. Will Barton was the only bench player in double figures, as he totaled 15 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. The Knicks (22 - 33) have had a ton of drama surrounding their team and losses like this show just why. Carmelo Anthony did all he could to carry New York, as he accumulated 33 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals on 13 - of - 20 from the field. Kristaps Porzingis was second on the team, finishing with 17 points, four rebounds and two assists. Brandon Jennings got a rare start and led the team with 13 assists, despite going just 2 - of - 10 from the field. Kyle O'Quinn led the bench, providing 16 points, six rebounds, three assists and four blocks."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Trail Blazers": "21", "Warriors": "36"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "40", "Warriors": "53"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "24", "Warriors": "2"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "108", "Warriors": "128"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "21"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "21"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "15", "Warriors": "34"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "56"}}, {"Points": {"Klay Thompson": "36", "Stephen Curry": "26"}, "Assists": {"CJ McCollum": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"CJ McCollum": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"CJ McCollum": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"CJ McCollum": "3"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (34 - 2) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (15 - 24) 128 - 108 on Friday night. When you think of the Golden State Warriors, this is the type of performance that comes to mind. They shot and scored at will here against a beleaguered opponent. In fact, the Warriors had 106 points through three quarters and shot an incredible 53 percent from the field and 56 percent from three - point range. The ball movement was incredible as well, as they recorded 36 assists to the Blazers 21. Portland was no slouch on the scoreboard, but they shot below 40 percent from the field in the loss. Golden State hasn\u2019t been as sharp recently, but they were as sharp as a razor here. They sliced this Portland team into oblivion and showed why they are the most feared team in the NBA. The Splash Brothers were in full force as well, as Klay Thompson dropped 36 points, while Steph Curry dropped 26 of his own. It wasn\u2019t just the scoring though, as the two combined for 14 assists and nine rebounds as well. What's especially impressive there is that neither of the splash brothers played more than four minutes in the fourth quarter. Draymond Green was back on the triple - double train, as he recorded his league - leading sixth of the season here in the win. Golden State will look to keep this going against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday, who are one of the worst defenses in the NBA. Portland was simply outmatched here against the Warriors and the only player who showed up was Damian Lillard. The star point guard collected 40 points and 10 assists in a spectacular performance. The strange part about all this is that the Blazers were playing far better without Lillard in the lineup the last couple of weeks and it's a wonder if he's hampering the team with his high usage rate. In any case, it's hard to imagine a player who can drop 40 and 10 is a hindrance on any team. The major problem with this team is that there's no scoring punch outside of Lillard, C.J. McCollum and Allen Crabbe, as no other player scored in double - figures aside from those three in this game. Portland has another tough task in their next game, when they have to host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "41", "Hawks": "47"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "4", "Hawks": "3"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "106", "Hawks": "93"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Celtics": "23"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "4", "Hawks": "8"}}, {"Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "10"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jeff Teague": "3"}, "Points": {"Jeff Teague": "6", "Isaiah Thomas": "23"}, "Turnovers": {"Jeff Teague": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Jae Crowder": "1", "Amir Johnson": "3"}, "Steals": {"Jae Crowder": "4", "Amir Johnson": "3"}}], "The Boston Celtics (4 - 4) comfortably delivered a home win against the Atlanta Hawks (8 - 3) on Friday, winning 106 - 93. After briefly pulling away in the third quarter, the Celtics pulled off a 100 run late in the game to seal the victory. Point guard Isaiah Thomas led the charge for Boston, posting a 23 - point, 10 - assist double - double. Small forward Jae Crowder helped anchor the defense, grabbing four steals and a block on the night. Friday's performance increased Crowder's league - leading average of 3 steals per game. Also aiding the defense was power forward Amir Johnson, whose three blocks and three steals helped contribute to the relatively quiet night from Atlanta's usually dominant frontcourt. While Atlanta shot a healthy 47% from the field, the true story of the game was Boston's 50 - 35 advantage on the glass. An abundance of second - chance attempts helped mask the Celtics' relatively poor 41% team shooting. An off night from All-Star point guard Jeff Teague only compounded the Atlanta's woes. Teague finished the night with a modest six points and three assists while turning the ball over three times. Despite the off night, Atlanta remains one of the top dogs in the Eastern Conference. They will hope to get back on their feet on Monday against the Jazz. Meanwhile, the Celtics will look to crack .500 on Monday as they travel to Oklahoma City."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "23"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "48"}}, {"Points": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "20", "Caris LeVert": "13", "Brook Lopez": "24", "Randy Foye": "10", "Jeremy Lin": "15", "KJ McDaniels": "9", "Quincy Acy": "9", "Carmelo Anthony": "17", "Lance Thomas": "15", "Derrick Rose": "22", "Kyle O'Quinn": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "10", "Jeremy Lin": "4", "Lance Thomas": "10"}, "Assists": {"Jeremy Lin": "8"}, "Steals": {"Jeremy Lin": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Willy Hernangomez": "19", "Kyle O'Quinn": "26"}}], "The Nets' entire first unit managed double - digit scoring, and Brooklyn shot a collective 48 percent from the floor. The visitors earned what was only their fifth road victory of the season by outscoring their hosts, 67 - 49, in the second half. Brook Lopez's 24 points paced the Nets. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson posted a 20 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Jeremy Lin supplied 15 points, eight assists, four rebounds and two steals. Rookie Caris LaVert compiled 13 points, while Randy Foye submitted 10. K.J. McDaniels and Quincy Acy led the bench with matching nine - point efforts. Kyle O'Quinn's 23 points in 26 minutes led the Knicks. Derrick Rose followed with 22 points. Carmelo Anthony posted 17 points, and Lance Thomas registered a 15 - point, 10 - rebound double - double filling in for Kristaps Porzingis (thigh). Willy Hernangomez's early foul trouble limited him to just 19 minutes."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Clippers": "20", "Trail Blazers": "20"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "102", "Trail Blazers": "81"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Clippers": "20"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Clippers": "35", "Trail Blazers": "20"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "2"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "34"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"Mason Plumlee": "7", "Chris Paul": "5"}, "Points": {"Mason Plumlee": "17", "DeAndre Jordan": "3", "JJ Redick": "17", "Chris Paul": "25", "Jamal Crawford": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Mason Plumlee": "10", "DeAndre Jordan": "18", "Chris Paul": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"JJ Redick": "3", "Chris Paul": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"JJ Redick": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chris Paul": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Chris Paul": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Chris Paul": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Chris Paul": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Chris Paul": "3"}, "Steals": {"Chris Paul": "1"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the visiting Portland Trail Blazers, 102 - 81, to take a 20 lead in the Western Conference first - round playoffs Wednesday at Staples Center. Chris Paul was the leader and difference maker for the Clippers in their tough win over the Blazers. The first three quarters of action were tight knit and many Clippers defensive breakdowns and mistakes pretty much kept the Blazers within striking distance. Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum practically shot Portland out of the game, and the Clippers were able to rally behind a dominant fourth quarter performance. Los Angeles outscored Portland 35 - 20 down the stretch and coach Doc Rivers' squad proved a needed ability to close out tight games against tough opponents late in games. The problem for the Clippers has been consistent throughout previous playoffs runs and during this past regular season, but Paul and J.J. Redick were not having any of that in Game 2. Paul went on to finish with 25 points, six rebounds, five assists and one steal on 10 - of - 22 shooting, while Redick rounded out the backcourt with an 17 points, which included three shots from behind the arc. DeAndre Jordan was unable to find his touch under the rim, but still managed a lowly a three points to go alongside a monstrous 18 rebounds. Recent Sixth Man of the Year award winner Jamal Crawford pitched in 11 points off the bench in 26 minutes of action. LIllard and McCollum jacked up 39 shots, but only connected on 12 of them combined as the duo finished with 33 points, but it was far from efficient shooting to keep their team in the game when it mattered most. Mason Plumlee stepped up where the backcourt could not and added 17 points and 10 rebounds, to go along with seven assists in the stat stuffed box score, but the Blazers shot just 34 percent from the field as a unit. The series will move back to Portland for Game 3 on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "58", "Clippers": "25"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "80", "Clippers": "111"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "14", "Clippers": "47"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Austin Rivers": "10", "Lou Amundson": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Austin Rivers": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Austin Rivers": "19", "Lou Amundson": "15", "Langston Galloway": "40", "Cleanthony Early": "25"}, "Points": {"Austin Rivers": "21", "Langston Galloway": "11", "Cleanthony Early": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Lou Amundson": "1"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (47 - 25) beat the New York Knicks (14 - 58) 111 - 80 on Wednesday. All five starters for Los Angeles scored 11 or more points, they also each earned a plus/minus of plus - 32 or higher in less than 29 minutes played in this slaughter of a basketball game. Austin Rivers, coach Doc Rivers' son, also scored in double figures. He led both teams in scoring with 21 points off the bench in 19 minutes, shot 9 - for - 10 from the field and converted on both of his free throw attempts. Lou Amundson's game does n't usually involve piling up stats but Wednesday was likely a new low. In 15 minutes of action he failed to score on three attempts, grabbed one rebounds and had a minus - 30 in the plus/minus statistic. One of the lone bright spots for the Knicks this season is Langston Galloway. He played a game - high 40 minutes and scored 11 points. Cleanthony Early was the Knicks top scorer against the Clippers, putting in 18 points and 25 minutes off the New York bench. The Knicks have dropped five straight, their second five - game losing streak in March. The Knicks will host the Boston Celtics on Friday. The Clippers will take on the 76ers in Philadelphia on Friday."], [[{"Total points": {"Hawks": "108", "Cavaliers": "121"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Cavaliers": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "8", "Kevin Love": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "3", "Paul Millsap": "4", "Jeff Teague": "14"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "39", "Kevin Love": "29", "Kyrie Irving": "40", "Paul Millsap": "39", "Kyle Korver": "32"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "24", "Kevin Love": "21", "Kyrie Irving": "24", "Channing Frye": "27", "Paul Millsap": "17", "Al Horford": "24", "Jeff Teague": "19", "Kyle Korver": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "13", "Kevin Love": "15", "Paul Millsap": "8", "Jeff Teague": "1", "Kyle Korver": "3"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "3", "Paul Millsap": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Love": "1", "Paul Millsap": "1", "Kyle Korver": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jeff Teague": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Jeff Teague": "7", "Kyle Korver": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Jeff Teague": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyle Korver": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Korver": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyle Korver": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kyle Korver": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Kyle Korver": "1"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers rallied late to defeat the host Atlanta Hawks, 121 - 108, and take a commanding 30 lead in the Eastern Conference semi - finals, Friday at Phillips Arena. The Hawks had a good first half and looked like they might bounce back from a horrid Game 2, entering halftime up by eight. They held their lead through a competitive third quarter and just needed a stable fourth quarter to get back in the series. However, the Cavaliers turned things up a notch in the fourth, going on an 110 run over a four minute span, to take a six - point lead with four minutes to go. From there, the Cavs held tight and continued to out - score Atlanta down the stretch. Cleveland had four players score over 20 points, led by Channing Frye, who finished with a game - high and playoff career - high 27 points on incredible 10 - 13 shooting, including 7 - 9 from downtown. Meanwhile, the Cavs continued their impressive three - point shooting by hitting 21 of 39 from beyond the arc. LeBron James was close to a triple - double as he finished with 24 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists, along with two steals, in 39 minutes. Kevin Love added 21 points, 15 rebounds, three assists and one blocked shot, in 29 minutes; while Kyrie Irving finished with 24 points, three assists and three steals, in 40 minutes. The Cavs had 20 turnovers in the game but gave themselves enough second chances with 18 offensive rebounds. Al Horford was the high - point man for Atlanta, with 24 points on solid 11 - 15 shooting, including 2 - 4 from deep. Jeff Teague had a good game, finishing with 19 points and 14 assists. Teague did not have a turnover in the game until a costly one late in the fourth, with his team down by seven. Kyle Korver came off the bench in order for Thabo Sefolosha to add some defense to the starting lineup. Korver had a good game nonetheless, finishing with 18 points (6 - 11 FG, 5 - 9 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT), three rebounds and one blocked shot, in 32 minutes. Paul Millsap added 17 points, eight rebounds, four assists, two steals and one blocked shot, in 39 minutes. The Hawks shot 48 percent from the field and 16 - 34 from long range, but it was not enough to hold off the focused Cavs. Game 4 will take place in Atlanta on Sunday. The Hawks will need to lay it all on the line to avoid a sweep in front of their home crowd."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "6", "Wizards": "6"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "101", "Wizards": "87"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hornets": "27", "Wizards": "6"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "9", "Wizards": "6"}}, {"Points": {"Marcin Gortat": "17", "Gary Neal": "18", "Nicolas Batum": "16", "Jeremy Lamb": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "12", "Nicolas Batum": "7", "Jeremy Lamb": "7"}, "Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "11"}, "Steals": {"Nicolas Batum": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Nicolas Batum": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jeremy Lamb": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jeremy Lamb": "2"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (9 - 6) defeated the Washington Wizards (6 - 6) 101 - 87 on Wednesday thanks to a lopsided fourth quarter. The Wizards looked poised to win this game with a double - digit lead late in the third quarter, but just could n't buy a bucket in the fourth. In fact, the Wizards were an atrocious 1 - for - 20 from the field in the fourth quarter and were outscored 27 - 6. Some other big differences in the game was that the Hornets out - rebounded and out - assisted the Wizards by substantial margins. The Wizards were playing well through three quarters, but it all unraveled after that. They absolutely collapsed over the final 12 minutes, as they made one basket and were outscored by 21 points. Washington was led by Marcin Gortat, who tallied 17 points and 12 rebounds in the defeat. They also got a nice performance from Gary Neal, who dropped 18 points off the bench. This was a collapse of epic proportions and it remains to be seem how this Wizards team will bounce back after a game like this. They'll look to rebound on Friday when take on the Boston Celtics. The Hornets have been playing some of the best basketball in the NBA as of late and this epic comeback shows how gritty they can be. Charlotte ended the game on a 22 - 2 run and held the Wizards to one measly basket in the final 12 minutes. The two stars on this evening were Nicolas Batum and Jeremy Lamb. Batum totaled 16 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds in the win, while Lamb provided 18 points and seven rebounds off the bench. The Hornets have now won four - straight and nine of their last 12. Skeptics were unsure what to think of this team at the beginning of the season, but they are proving to be a true threat in the East at this juncture. They'll need to keep up this form, as they take on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday in their next scheduled game."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "51", "Nuggets": "40"}}, {"Assists": {"Wilson Chandler": "2", "Will Barton": "7", "Paul Millsap": "5", "Dennis Schroder": "10"}, "Points": {"Wilson Chandler": "24", "Nikola Jokic": "18", "Will Barton": "17", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "14", "Paul Millsap": "23", "Kent Bazemore": "14", "Dennis Schroder": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Wilson Chandler": "8", "Will Barton": "7", "Paul Millsap": "6", "Dennis Schroder": "5"}, "Steals": {"Wilson Chandler": "2", "Will Barton": "3", "Dennis Schroder": "3"}}], "Despite this being a four - point game with two minutes left, the Hawks were able to prevail with a rare wire - to - wire win. Atlanta actually ended the game on an 8 - 1 run. Shooting was the key, with the Hawks hitting 51 percent of their shots to Denver's 40 percent. Wilson Chandler led the Nuggets in scoring, as he tallied 24 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals. Nikola Jokic was second on the team, totaling 18 points and 14 rebounds. Will Barton was huge off the bench, providing 17 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals. Dennis Schroder was the player of the game, as he accumulated 24 points, five rebounds, 10 assists and three steals. Paul Millsap finished with 23 points, six rebounds and five assists. Tim Hardaway Jr. and Kent Bazemore scored 14 points apiece, while combining for four rebounds and eight assists."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Heat": "23"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "39"}}, {"Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "2", "Joel Embiid": "3"}, "Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "32", "Robert Covington": "9", "Ersan Ilyasova": "10", "Joel Embiid": "22", "Gerald Henderson": "19", "Jahlil Okafor": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "13", "Robert Covington": "9", "Ersan Ilyasova": "11", "Joel Embiid": "5"}, "Assists": {"Robert Covington": "1"}, "Steals": {"Robert Covington": "3", "Joel Embiid": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Gerald Henderson": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Gerald Henderson": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gerald Henderson": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Gerald Henderson": "6"}}], "The Sixers collectively shot 47 percent from the field and 42 percent from three - point range, with Joel Embiid leading the way with 22 points, five rebounds, three blocks and a steal. Gerald Henderson was right behind him with a season - high 19 points on 6 - of - 8 shooting, including a 3 - of - 3 mark from long distance. Ersan Ilyasova contributed a 10 - point, 11 - rebound double - double, while Robert Covington filled out the stat sheet with nine points, nine rebounds, three steals and an assist. Jahlil Okafor's 15 points paced the second unit for Philadelphia. Hassan Whiteside posted a 32 - point, 13 - rebound double - double that paced the Heat, and he also added a pair of blocks. The backcourt duo of Goran Dragic and Dion Waiters combined for 29 points, but the Heat shot just 39 percent from the field and 23 from behind the arc."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "6", "Magic": "4"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "97", "Magic": "105"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "0", "Magic": "3"}}, {"Blocks": {"Dewayne Dedmon": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Dewayne Dedmon": "9"}, "Points": {"Elfrid Payton": "20", "Jahlil Okafor": "19"}, "Steals": {"Elfrid Payton": "3"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers (0 - 6) reamin winless after falling to the Orlando Magic (3 - 4) by a score of 105 - 97. The Magic enjoyed strong performances from their young core, including a team - high 20 points and three steals from sophomore point guard Elfrid Payton. Coming into Saturday, the Magic were holding opponents to a league - best 40 percent shooting from the field. Orlando continued their strong defensive play, forcing 16 turnovers and seeing strong performances from Payton and shooting guard Victor Oladipo. Backup center Dewayne Dedmon, playing for the injured Nikola Vucevic (knee), also shone, posting nine rebounds and three blocks. Philadelphia was dealt a blow when star big man Nerlens Noel was ejected for a flagarant foul on Jason Smith in the third quarter. Noel, who had been averaging a double - double so far this season, was unable to take the floor in the fourth, leaving the frontcourt in the hands of rookie Jahlil Okafor and a bevy of Philadelphia big men off the bench. Despite the Sixers' loss, Okafor continued his impressive offensive season, delivering an efficient 19 points and showcasing a wide array of post moves. After tallying another loss on Saturday, the hustle - driven 76ers will work hard to win in their upcoming matchups. They take on the Bulls on Monday in Philadelphia. Orlando, meanwhile, has won two straight, a trend they will look to continue as they travel to Indiana on Monday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Heat": "22", "Pistons": "14"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Heat": "64"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "52", "Pistons": "40"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "32", "Pistons": "37"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "107", "Pistons": "89"}, "Turnovers": {"Heat": "9", "Pistons": "13"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "45", "Pistons": "41"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "10", "Andre Drummond": "9", "Reggie Jackson": "18", "Aron Baynes": "6", "Dwyane Wade": "10", "Josh Richardson": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Tobias Harris": "8", "Andre Drummond": "5", "Reggie Jackson": "6", "Aron Baynes": "4", "Dwyane Wade": "5", "Josh Richardson": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "5", "Andre Drummond": "6", "Reggie Jackson": "8", "Dwyane Wade": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Tobias Harris": "5", "Andre Drummond": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "8", "Dwyane Wade": "6"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "21", "Andre Drummond": "12", "Reggie Jackson": "21", "Aron Baynes": "10", "Dwyane Wade": "16", "Goran Dragic": "22", "Josh Richardson": "16", "Hassan Whiteside": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "13", "Goran Dragic": "5", "Hassan Whiteside": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Aron Baynes": "14"}, "Assists": {"Goran Dragic": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Goran Dragic": "4", "Josh Richardson": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Goran Dragic": "4", "Josh Richardson": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Goran Dragic": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Goran Dragic": "4"}}], "The Miami Heat (45 - 32) routed the Detroit Pistons (41 - 37) Tuesday night at AmericanAirlines Arena, 107 - 89. Detroit's offense was sluggish in the first half, as they failed to score 20 points in either of the first two quarters. Miami took advantage, as they built up a 54 - 36 halftime lead and never led by fewer than 13 in the second half. Goran Dragic scored a game - high 22 points as he knocked down all four of his three - point attempts and finished 9 - 15 from the field, and he added eight assists and five rebounds. Josh Richardson (6 - 9 FG, 4 - 5 3PT) and Dwyane Wade (5 - 10 FG, 6 - 7 FT) added 16 points apiece, and Hassan Whiteside added a double - double off the bench with 14 points and 12 rebounds. The Heat were humming offensively, as they shot 52 percent from the floor, 9 - 14 (64 percent) from three, and recorded 22 assists against just nine turnovers. Tobias Harris (8 - 10 FG, 5 - 5 FT) and Reggie Jackson (6 - 18 FG, 8 - 8 FT) paced the Pistons with 21 points apiece. Andre Drummond notched a double - double with 12 points (5 - 9 FG, 2 - 6 FT) and 13 rebounds. But the only other Piston to reach double figures was Aron Baynes with 10 points (4 - 6 FG) in 14 minutes off the bench. The Pistons shot 40 percent as a team and a brutal 5 - 21 (24 percent) from deep, and they managed just 14 assists against 13 turnovers. The Heat continue their homestand Thursday against the Bulls. The Pistons finish a back - to - back Wednesday against the Magic in Orlando."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "50", "Mavericks": "41"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "20", "Mavericks": "13"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "114", "Mavericks": "107"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nuggets": "24", "Mavericks": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Nuggets": "51", "Mavericks": "39"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "18", "Mavericks": "27"}, "Turnovers": {"Mavericks": "8"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Richard Jefferson": "9", "Chandler Parsons": "5", "Monta Ellis": "2", "J.J. Barea": "5", "Wilson Chandler": "5", "Arron Afflalo": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Richard Jefferson": "4", "Chandler Parsons": "1", "Monta Ellis": "0", "J.J. Barea": "1", "Wilson Chandler": "1", "Arron Afflalo": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Richard Jefferson": "13", "Chandler Parsons": "13", "Monta Ellis": "11", "J.J. Barea": "15", "Wilson Chandler": "13", "Kenneth Faried": "12", "Arron Afflalo": "11", "Ty Lawson": "18", "JJ Hickson": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Richard Jefferson": "6", "Chandler Parsons": "6", "Monta Ellis": "1", "J.J. Barea": "6", "Wilson Chandler": "6", "Kenneth Faried": "7", "Arron Afflalo": "4", "Ty Lawson": "10", "JJ Hickson": "6"}, "Points": {"Richard Jefferson": "16", "Chandler Parsons": "13", "Monta Ellis": "5", "J.J. Barea": "17", "Wilson Chandler": "15", "Kenneth Faried": "22", "Arron Afflalo": "12", "Ty Lawson": "29", "JJ Hickson": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Richard Jefferson": "6", "Wilson Chandler": "10", "Kenneth Faried": "14", "JJ Hickson": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Chandler Parsons": "28", "J.J. Barea": "21"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Monta Ellis": "4", "J.J. Barea": "4", "Wilson Chandler": "4", "Kenneth Faried": "8", "Arron Afflalo": "2", "Ty Lawson": "13"}, "Free throws made": {"Monta Ellis": "3", "J.J. Barea": "4", "Wilson Chandler": "2", "Kenneth Faried": "8", "Arron Afflalo": "2", "Ty Lawson": "9"}, "Assists": {"J.J. Barea": "6", "Ty Lawson": "12"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (18 - 20) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (27 - 13) 114 - 107 on Wednesday at the Pepsi Center in Denver. Coming out of the third quarter, the Nuggets racked up a 90 - 78 lead. The Mavericks made a run in the fourth quarter though, out - scoring the Nuggets 29 - 24, but their comeback came up just short and the Nuggets were able to secure a surprising victory in front of their home crowd. Denver shot much better in this game, going 50 percent from the field, while the Mavericks shot just 41 percent. The Nuggets also out - rebounded the Mavericks 51 - 39. Ty Lawson was a force in this game, going 10 - for - 18 from the field and 9 - for - 13 from the free throw line to score 29 points, while also adding 12 assists. The 13 free throw attempts were a season - high for Lawson, as he continually drew fouls on Maverick defenders who could n't keep up with him. Kenneth Faried had a strong showing as well, finishing with 22 points (7 - 12 FG, 8 - 8 FT) and 14 rebounds. It was the fifth time in his last six games recording 12 or more rebounds. Wilson Chandler was the third Nugget to record a double - double, adding 15 points (6 - 13 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT) and 10 rebounds. It was his fifth double - double of the season. Coming off the bench, J.J. Hickson was able to provide a nice boost with the second unit. Hickson went 6 - for - 9 from the field to record 13 points, while also adding a eight rebounds in 21 minutes. The only other Nugget to reach double figures was Arron Afflalo, who finished with 12 points (4 - 11 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT). Despite the loss, the Mavericks saw a ridiculous eight players reach double - digits in points. Somewhat unheard of, all five players who came off the bench were included in those eight who reached double figures. Jose Barea was the scoring leader from the bench, scoring 17 points (6 - 15 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and handing out six assists in only 21 minutes. He was very efficient in his time on the court, matching a season - high in points. Moving into the starting lineup with Dirk Nowitzki sitting out for rest, Richard Jefferson took advantage of the extra playing time, going 6 - for - 13 from the field and 4 - for - 9 from the three - point line to score 16 points, while grabbing six rebounds. Like Barea, it was a season - high in points for him as well. Chandler Parsons finished with 13 points (6 - 13 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt) in 28 minutes. He's a combined 3 - of - 14 from the three - point line over the last three games, as he's struggled to hone in on his shot. Monta Ellis also had a brutal night from the field, scoring only five points (1 - 11 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) in 21 minutes. Rajon Rondo (Achilles) and Tyson Chandler (ankle) sat out with injuries. These two teams will play each other again on Friday in the second of their back - to - back, home - and - home series."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "5", "Timberwolves": "5"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "107", "Timberwolves": "123"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "3", "Timberwolves": "2"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "52"}, "Turnovers": {"Timberwolves": "6"}}, {"Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "6", "Gorgui Dieng": "7", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Zach LaVine": "3", "Tyus Jones": "5", "Nikola Vucevic": "6", "Elfrid Payton": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "7"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "29", "Gorgui Dieng": "12", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "20", "Zach LaVine": "37", "Kris Dunn": "2", "Shabazz Muhammad": "13", "Tyus Jones": "10", "Serge Ibaka": "11", "Nikola Vucevic": "24", "Evan Fournier": "13", "Elfrid Payton": "18", "D.J. Augustin": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Gorgui Dieng": "11", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "11", "Zach LaVine": "4", "Tyus Jones": "4", "Serge Ibaka": "2", "Nikola Vucevic": "14", "Elfrid Payton": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Gorgui Dieng": "1", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Serge Ibaka": "2", "Nikola Vucevic": "1"}, "Steals": {"Gorgui Dieng": "2", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "2", "Zach LaVine": "1", "Tyus Jones": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Zach LaVine": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Zach LaVine": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Kris Dunn": "17", "Tyus Jones": "31"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Evan Fournier": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Evan Fournier": "4"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Orlando Magic, 123 - 107, at Amway Center on Wednesday. Despite their subpar record coming in to the contest, the Timberwolves (2 - 5) have increasingly felt optimistic about the immediate and distant future due to their young core of Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine and Karl-Anthony Towns. While all have exhibited the inconsistent play typical of young players at times, they've certainly flashed the considerable upside each brings to the table. Wiggins put together such an effort Tuesday, totaling 36 points against the Nets in a loss. It was LaVine's turn Wednesday, as he posted a season - high 37 points that led Minnesota's charge, and complemented the scoring total with four rebounds, three assists and a steal. His point tally partly consisted of a stellar 7 - of - 9 performance from three - point range. Wiggins and Towns combined for another 49 points, and the Timberwolves finished with 52 and 57 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively, while only committing six turnovers. Wiggins' full stat line consisted of 29 points, six assists and four rebounds. Towns put together a 20 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included an assist, two steals and a block. Gorgui Dieng contributed a 12 - point 11 - rebound double - double of his own, along with seven assists, two steals and a block. With rookie Kris Dunn once again struggling in a start at point guard (two points in 17 minutes), Tyus Jones received 31 minutes off the bench and managed 10 points, five assists, four rebounds and a pair of steals. Shabazz Muhammad paced the reserves with 13 points. The Magic (3 - 5) were n't exactly offensive wallflowers themselves, but simply could n't keep up with their visitors' firepower. They were led by a 24 - point effort from Nikola Vucevic, who also had 14 boards, six assists and a block. Elfrid Payton was next with 18 points, seven assists, three rebounds and a steal. Evan Fournier supplied 13 points on 4 - of - 11 shooting, while Serge Ibaka finished with 11 points, two rebounds and two blocks. Mario Hezonja and D.J. Augustin were both factors off the bench, notching 11 and 10 points, respectively. The Timberwolves head back home to take on the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night, while the Magic remain home to face the visiting Utah Jazz on Friday evening."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "52", "Grizzlies": "39"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "106", "Grizzlies": "74"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Spurs": "33", "Grizzlies": "14"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Spurs": "25"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "1"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"Vince Carter": "2", "Lance Stephenson": "2", "Tony Parker": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Vince Carter": "1", "Kawhi Leonard": "3", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Vince Carter": "3", "Lance Stephenson": "4", "Kawhi Leonard": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Vince Carter": "2", "Lance Stephenson": "2", "Kawhi Leonard": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Vince Carter": "7", "Lance Stephenson": "11", "Kawhi Leonard": "13", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Vince Carter": "6", "Lance Stephenson": "6", "Kawhi Leonard": "8", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Vince Carter": "2", "Kawhi Leonard": "1", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Vince Carter": "2", "Kawhi Leonard": "1", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Vince Carter": "19", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "27", "Kevin Martin": "12"}, "Personal fouls": {"Vince Carter": "2"}, "Points": {"Vince Carter": "16", "Lance Stephenson": "14", "Kawhi Leonard": "20", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "17", "Tony Parker": "15", "Kevin Martin": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Vince Carter": "3", "Lance Stephenson": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "4"}, "Steals": {"Lance Stephenson": "1", "Kawhi Leonard": "4"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the visiting Memphis Grizzlies, 106 - 74, in Game 1 of the Western Conference first - round playoffs Sunday at AT & T Center. The Spurs trailed for only about 25 seconds early in the game before they ran right passed the Grizzlies to a lopsided finish. They began to pull away late in the second quarter, closing out the half on a 90 run. The Spurs came out of the locker room after halftime in domination mode, as they out - scored the Grizzlies 33 - 14 in the third quarter, to build a 30 - point lead heading into the final quarter. The large deficit allowed coach Gregg Popovich to rest his starters and get some of his reserves valuable playoff minutes during the final quarter. Kawhi Leonard was the high - point man for San Antonio, with 20 points (8 - 13 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT) and also led the way defensively with four steals and three blocked shots, in 28 minutes of action. LaMarcus Aldridge totaled 17 points (8 - 15 FG, 1 - 1 FT), four rebounds and two blocks, in 27 minutes, while Tony Parker was solid at the point, with 15 points and six assists, in 20 minutes. The Spurs shot 52 percent from the field, including 44 percent from long range, and were solid at the free throw line, hitting 12 - 13. Recent addition, Kevin Martin made an impact in 12 minutes off the bench, with 10 points on 4 - 6 shooting, including 2 - 3 from distance. After a competitive start, the Grizzlies were not able to maintain the offensive proficiency necessary to compete with San Antonio's renown defense. Only two players scored in double digits for Memphis, including Vince Carter, who led the way with 16 points (6 - 7 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), along with three rebounds two assists and one block, in 19 minutes. Carter started the game at the shooting guard position, as opposed to Lance Stephenson, who came off the bench. Stephenson finished the game with 14 points (6 - 11 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt), two rebounds, two assists and one steal, in 28 minutes. The Grizzlies gave up 17 turnovers and shot only 39 percent from the field, as they were out - played in San Antonio. Game 2 will take place on Tuesday in San Antonio."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Lakers": "26", "Pelicans": "44"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "40", "Pelicans": "52"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "16", "Pelicans": "10"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "87", "Pelicans": "104"}, "Rebounds": {"Lakers": "34", "Pelicans": "50"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "5", "Pelicans": "9"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "15", "Jrue Holiday": "17", "Ryan Anderson": "9", "Kobe Bryant": "18", "Nick Young": "13", "Wayne Ellington": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "11", "Jrue Holiday": "9", "Ryan Anderson": "4", "Kobe Bryant": "6", "Wayne Ellington": "4"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "23", "Tyreke Evans": "11", "Jrue Holiday": "22", "Ryan Anderson": "11", "Alexis Ajinca": "10", "Ed Davis": "12", "Kobe Bryant": "14", "Carlos Boozer": "12", "Nick Young": "13", "Wayne Ellington": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "6", "Ryan Anderson": "10", "Alexis Ajinca": "2", "Ed Davis": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"Tyreke Evans": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jrue Holiday": "5", "Ryan Anderson": "5", "Kobe Bryant": "5", "Wayne Ellington": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jrue Holiday": "4", "Ryan Anderson": "2", "Kobe Bryant": "0", "Wayne Ellington": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Ryan Anderson": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Ryan Anderson": "1", "Alexis Ajinca": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Alexis Ajinca": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Carlos Boozer": "23"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (9 - 10) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (5 - 16) 104 - 87 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The Pelicans were able to use a big first half, where they out - scored the Lakers 50 - 40, to coast to a 17 - point victory on the road. The Pelicans shot 52 percent from the field and 44 percent from the three - point line, while the Lakers shot only 40 percent from the floor and a meager 26 percent from beyond the arc. To go along with the superior shooting, the Pelicans also secured a 50 - 34 rebounding advantage, only furthering their dominance in this one. The Pelicans were led by the duo of Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday. Davis went 11 - for - 15 from the field to score 23 points, while also grabbing six rebounds. He's been a force in the last five games, as he's averaged 27 points over that five game span. Holiday had 22 points of his own, as he shot 9 - for - 17 from the field and 4 - for - 5 from beyond the arc. He struggled in Monday's loss to the Clippers where he finished with only seven points, so this was a nice bounce back game for him. Ryan Anderson came off the bench for 11 points (4 - 9 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT) and 10 rebounds, marking his second double - double of the year. He's now averaging 15 points and 6 rebounds on the season. Both Tyreke Evans and Alexis Ajinca were the other two to reach double - digit points with 11 and 10 points respectively. Kobe Bryant struggled with his shot Sunday, as he went only 6 - for - 18 from the floor and 0 - for - 5 from the three - point. He finished with 14 points, which is nearly half of his season average. Ed Davis was able to post 12 points and seven rebounds in 29 minutes. It was the first time in 10 games he reached double figures in scoring. With most of starting lineup struggling to find any offensive consistency, the Lakers looked to their bench for help. Carlos Boozer and Nick Young each played 23 minutes, with Boozer scoring 12 points and Young posting 13. Wayne Ellington also reached double - digits off the bench, and had 10 points (4 - 7 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt) of his own. The Pelicans' next game will be at home against the New York Knicks on Tuesday, while the Lakers will be at home against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nuggets": "20"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nuggets": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Marc Gasol": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Marc Gasol": "24"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "5"}}], "Marc Gasol has been absolutely phenomenal since the start of the new year, as while the Grizzlies have barely kept their head above water at 8 - 7 since the start of January, the Spanish big man has been nothing but a model of consistency. Following his remarkable efficient 24 points in 24 minutes in Wednesday's blowout of the Nuggets, in his last 15 games, Gasol has 10 games with at least 20 points, two 30 - point games, one 40 - point game and nine games with at least 20 points, 5 rebounds and three assists. On top of all of that, Gasol is shooting 52 percent from the field in those 15 games, has eight performances in that stretch where he shot at least 55 percent from the field and has 10 performances where he shot at least 40 percent from behind the arc. All of which he accomplished on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "41", "Trail Blazers": "27"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "106", "Trail Blazers": "96"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "36", "Trail Blazers": "50"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Robin Lopez": "11", "Arron Afflalo": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Robin Lopez": "4", "Arron Afflalo": "4"}, "Points": {"Robin Lopez": "8", "Damian Lillard": "36", "Thaddeus Young": "20", "Brook Lopez": "32", "Deron Williams": "24"}, "3-pointers made": {"Damian Lillard": "6", "Deron Williams": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Damian Lillard": "39", "Deron Williams": "37"}, "Rebounds": {"Joe Johnson": "6", "Deron Williams": "6"}, "Assists": {"Deron Williams": "10"}}], "In a battle of brothers, the Brooklyn Nets (36 - 41) won their ninth game in 11 chances when they defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (50 - 27), 106 - 96. This game was originally slated for January 26th but was postponed due to Winter Storm Juno. LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum, and Chris Kaman didn\u2019t make the cross - country trip for the Blazers. The Nets\u2019 win gives them a full game lead over the eight seed Boston Celtics while moving them two games behind the six seed Milwaukee Bucks with five games remaining. Four players accounted for 91 of the team\u2019s 106 points (86 percent). None of the Nets starters committed a turnover, and Joe Johnson made a basket for the 879th straight game, longest active streak in the league. Deron Williams continued his improved play post - All - Star break, finishing with 24 points, 10 assists, six rebounds and four three - pointers in 37 minutes. Brook Lopez, recent Player of the Week award winner, contributed 32 points, reaching 30 points for the sixth time in 11 games. Thaddeus Young rounded out the solid performances with 20 points and a thunderous dunk over Meyers Leonard. The Blazers can drop no further than the four seed as a division winner, regardless of record, but home court advantage is quickly fading as they fell one and half games behind the five seed Los Angeles Clippers. C.J. McCollum and Meyers Leonard started in place of Batum and Aldridge, and they combined for 32 points and 21 rebounds with the increased responsibility. Damian Lillard supplied more than a third of the offense, scoring 36 points and hitting six three - pointers in 39 minutes. The Blazers were awarded a three - pointer on a Damian Lillard 19 - foot jumper during the third quarter. Since the referees failed to review the play in a timely manner, the extra point stood. Robin Lopez, Brook's brother, was held to eight points on 4 - of - 11 shooting, matching Arron Afflalo's accuracy from the field. The Nets host the East-leading Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday four days removed from a 131 - 99 loss in Atlanta. The Trail Blazers play their fourth game in five nights when the host the Western Conference\u2019s worst team, the Minnesota Timberwolves, on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"76ers": "47", "Hornets": "33"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "102", "Hornets": "93"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "26"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "20"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "4", "Cody Zeller": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "2", "Kemba Walker": "3", "Robert Covington": "2", "Ersan Ilyasova": "1", "Joel Embiid": "1", "Nik Stauskas": "1", "T.J. McConnell": "8", "Dario Saric": "2", "Sergio Rodriguez": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "1", "Cody Zeller": "1", "Robert Covington": "1", "Joel Embiid": "3"}, "Points": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "12", "Marvin Williams": "8", "Cody Zeller": "16", "Nicolas Batum": "19", "Kemba Walker": "17", "Robert Covington": "11", "Ersan Ilyasova": "12", "Joel Embiid": "24", "Nik Stauskas": "8", "T.J. McConnell": "4", "Dario Saric": "15", "Sergio Rodriguez": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "12", "Cody Zeller": "10", "Nicolas Batum": "5", "Robert Covington": "6", "Ersan Ilyasova": "3", "Joel Embiid": "8", "Nik Stauskas": "4", "T.J. McConnell": "3", "Dario Saric": "6", "Sergio Rodriguez": "1"}, "Steals": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "1", "Marvin Williams": "1", "Kemba Walker": "2", "Robert Covington": "1", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Joel Embiid": "2", "T.J. McConnell": "3", "Dario Saric": "1", "Sergio Rodriguez": "2"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Charlotte Hornets, 102 - 93, at Wells Fargo Center on Friday. The Sixers (12 - 25) have seemingly been allergic to winning streaks for the last few seasons, but Joel Embiid and an improving roster are quickly proving to be immune to the frailties of years past. Friday, Embiid spearheaded his team's first three - game winning streak in three seasons by leading all scorers with 24 points, which he supplemented with eight rebounds, an assist, three blocks and two steals. The third - year big man got to the foul line an impressive 14 times, parlaying 12 of those visits into points. Four other teammates joined him in posting double digits in the scoring column, and Philadelphia shot an impressive 47 percent from the field overall. They were just as effective on the other side of the ball, holding the Hornets (20 - 20) to 33 percent and 26 percent success rates from the floor and three - point range, respectively. Charlotte was led by the returning Nicolas Batum (knee), who posted 19 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Backcourt mate Kemba Walker was right behind with 17 points, four rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals. Cody Zeller made an impressive return himself from a multi - game absence from a concussion, tallying a 16 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included an assist, two steals and a block. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist contributed a 12 - point, 12 - rebound double - double of his own, while also dishing out four assists and recording a steal and a block. Marvin Williams rounded things out for the first unit with eight points, two boards and a steal. Dario Saric was actually second on the Sixers with a bench - leading 15 points, which he complemented with six rebounds, two assists and a steal. Ersan Ilyasova went for 12 points, three rebounds, an assist and two steals. Robert Covington registered 11 points, six rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. Sergio Rodriguez outperformed starter T.J. McConnell in a reserve role, totaling 11 points, four assists, a rebound and two steals. In turn, McConnell could only muster four points, although he did dish out eight assists, haul in three rebounds and record three steals. Nik Stauskas supplied eight points, four boards and an assist. The Hornets remain on the road and travel to Beantown for a Monday night tussle with the Boston Celtics, while the Sixers visit the Nation's Capital for a showdown with the Washington Wizards on Saturday evening."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "38", "Knicks": "45"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "110", "Knicks": "95"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "33", "Knicks": "27"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Knicks": "23"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "41"}}, {"Assists": {"Mindaugas Kuzminskas": "2", "Kristaps Porzingis": "1", "Willy Hernangomez": "2", "Damian Lillard": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Mindaugas Kuzminskas": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Mindaugas Kuzminskas": "2", "Kristaps Porzingis": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "3", "Willy Hernangomez": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "21", "Willy Hernangomez": "10", "Damian Lillard": "17"}, "Free throws made": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "2", "Willy Hernangomez": "2", "Ron Baker": "2"}, "Points": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "18", "Willy Hernangomez": "10", "CJ McCollum": "20", "Damian Lillard": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "9", "Willy Hernangomez": "8", "Damian Lillard": "4"}, "Steals": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "1", "Ron Baker": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Willy Hernangomez": "5", "Ron Baker": "2", "Damian Lillard": "9"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Ron Baker": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Allen Crabbe": "34", "Evan Turner": "24"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the New York Knicks 110 - 95 at Moda Center on Thursday. The Trail Blazers (33 - 38) had no trouble handling the injured Knicks (27 - 45) roster that saw both starters Carmelo Anthony (knee) and Derrick Rose (foot) sidelined. Without two of their go - to players, Kristaps Porzingis drew most of the touches on offense, while Willy Hernangomez, Mindaugas Kuzminskas and Ron Baker drew starts. Portland scored 67 points in the first half and were able to go to cruise control for the second half, as the defensively inefficient Knicks had no answer for the backcourt scoring the Blazers brought in the contest. Damian Lillard led all scorers with 30 points, to go with five assists and four rebounds on 9 - of - 17 shooting, while C.J. McCollum added 20 points in the win. Evan Turner and Allen Crabbe saw 24 minutes and 34 minutes, respectively, while combining for 21 points off the bench. Porzingis led all Knicks scorers with 18 points on 21 shots, while adding nine rebounds, one assist, one steal and three blocks. Hernangomez went 5 - of - 10 from the field, scored 10 points and added eight rebounds. The Knicks shot just 23 percent from behind the arc and 41 percent from the field. Both teams play on Saturday, as the Blazers host the Minnesota Timberwolves, while the Knicks visit the San Antonio Spurs."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "31"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Jazz": "17"}}, {"Points": {"Jamal Murray": "23", "Gordon Hayward": "22", "George Hill": "22"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "13"}}], "After beating the Jazz last Sunday, the Nuggets laid an egg in this blowout loss. Utah's defense has to be given some credit though, as they held Denver to 31 percent shooting. The Nuggets starters were terrible, as Will Barton, Emmanuel Mudiay and Jusuf Nurkic combined for just six points on 2 - of - 22 shooting. Jamal Murray was the lone bright spot, as he scored 23 points off the bench. That actually followed up a career - high 24 points on Monday. Rudy Gobert was the catalyst of the Jazz 'defense, as he tallied 17 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks in the win. Gordon Hayward and George Hill scored 22 points a piece. The Utah starters outscored the Denver starters 84 - 25, with no Nugget starter reaching double figures in scoring. These two teams will have a rematch on December 3."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "1", "Mavericks": "1"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "104", "Mavericks": "109"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "1", "Mavericks": "2"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Mavericks": "20"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Chandler Parsons": "34", "Dirk Nowitzki": "30", "Anthony Davis": "43", "Jrue Holiday": "37"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "20", "Dirk Nowitzki": "17", "Anthony Davis": "31", "Jrue Holiday": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "15"}, "Assists": {"Jrue Holiday": "6"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (2 - 1) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (1 - 1) 109 - 104 on Saturday. Chandler Parsons lead the way for the Mavericks, scoring a team - high 20 points in 34 minutes. Dirk Nowitzki came up big down the stretch and finished with 17 points in 30 minutes. Raymond Felton remains sidelined with a high ankle sprain and is expected to miss at least another week. Anthony Davis continues to show that he may not have any peers. He finished with 31 points and 15 rebounds in 43 minutes, and it appears the Pelicans are going to hitch their ride to the workman - like superstar this season in their bid to become a part of the playoff conversation in the stacked Western Conference. After playing just 27 minutes in the Pelicans' season opener, starting point guard Jrue Holiday played 37 minutes Saturday and finished with 24 points and six assists. The Pelicans gave all but nine of their minutes to just seven players, using a shorter rotation than what coach Monty Williams generally has used in the past. The Mavericks' next game is at home Monday against the Boston Celtics. The Pelicans' next game is on the road Monday against the Memphis Grizzlies."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "31", "Nuggets": "32"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "98", "Nuggets": "88"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "20", "Nuggets": "19"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nuggets": "20"}, "Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "13"}}, {"Points": {"Wilson Chandler": "11", "Kenneth Faried": "10", "Ty Lawson": "20", "Darrell Arthur": "10", "Danilo Gallinari": "12", "Greg Monroe": "21", "Andre Drummond": "13", "D.J. Augustin": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Wilson Chandler": "5", "Danilo Gallinari": "6", "Greg Monroe": "21", "Andre Drummond": "13"}, "Assists": {"Ty Lawson": "9", "D.J. Augustin": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ty Lawson": "12", "Darrell Arthur": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Ty Lawson": "6", "Darrell Arthur": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Ty Lawson": "39", "Danilo Gallinari": "30", "D.J. Augustin": "34"}}], "The Pistons (20 - 31) knocked off the Nuggets (19 - 32) 98 - 88 in Detroit on Friday night. Detroit got out to a seven - point first quarter lead and extended the margin to 14 points by halftime. The Pistons led by as much as 20 points in the third quarter before allowing Denver to slice into the lead in the final period. The Nuggets pulled to within 10 midway through the fourth, but Detroit continued to hit shots and went 10 - for - 10 at the line in the final minute to ice the game. D.J. Augustin paced Detroit with 22 points and 11 assists in 34 minutes. Andre Drummond added 13 points and 13 rebounds, and Greg Monroe finished with 21 points and 21 boards. Detroit out - rebounded Denver by a nine - board margin and won the points in the paint battle 52 - 36. Denver, which has dropped five straight and 12 of its last 13, got 20 points and nine assists from Ty Lawson, who shot 6 - of - 12 from the field in a game - high 39 minutes. Wilson Chandler added 11 points and five rebounds, and Kenneth Faried chipped in 10 points. Danilo Gallinari reached double - figures off the bench, finishing with 12 points and six rebounds in 30 minutes. Darrell Arthur did as well, going for 10 points on 4 - of - 9 shooting. Up next, the Nuggets return home to host the Thunder on Monday. Detroit welcomes the Timberwolves to the Palace of Auburn Hills on Sunday evening."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "2", "Magic": "13"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "98", "Magic": "97"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "15", "Magic": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"Tobias Harris": "5", "Klay Thompson": "5", "Stephen Curry": "5", "Marreese Speights": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "14", "Kyle O'Quinn": "16", "Victor Oladipo": "14", "Klay Thompson": "16", "Stephen Curry": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Tobias Harris": "6", "Kyle O'Quinn": "9", "Victor Oladipo": "10", "Klay Thompson": "8", "Stephen Curry": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "5", "Marreese Speights": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Tobias Harris": "5", "Marreese Speights": "2"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "17", "Kyle O'Quinn": "21", "Evan Fournier": "10", "Victor Oladipo": "27", "Harrison Barnes": "14", "Draymond Green": "11", "Klay Thompson": "20", "Stephen Curry": "22", "Marreese Speights": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "7", "Kyle O'Quinn": "11", "Harrison Barnes": "12", "Draymond Green": "7"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kyle O'Quinn": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Victor Oladipo": "4", "Klay Thompson": "8", "Stephen Curry": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Victor Oladipo": "3", "Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Marreese Speights": "2"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (15 - 2) defeated the Orlando Magic (7 - 13) 98 - 97 Tuesday at Oracle Arena in Oakland. With the game tied at 95 - 95, Tobias Harris was able to hit a jumper to put the Magic up by two. Steph Curry had something to say about it though, as he drained a three - pointer for the go ahead bucket with under 10 seconds left, thus giving the Warriors a share of the Western Conference lead and victory number 10 on their current win streak. The \"Splash Bros\" did it again for the Warriors, as Curry and Klay Thompson led the team in scoring. Curry went 8 - for - 17 from the floor and 3 - for - 9 from the three - point line to scored 22 points, while adding five assists. Thompson shot 8 - for - 16 from the field and 4 - for - 8 from beyond the arc to post 20 points of his own, while also adding five assists. They continue to be one of the most dangerous duos in the NBA. Harrison Barnes chipped in his second double - double of the season, as he contributed 14 points and 12 rebounds. He's now averaging 11 points and 6 rebounds on the year. The other two Warriors to reach double figures were Draymond Green, who had 11 points and seven rebounds, and Marreese Speights, who had 12 points off the bench. The Magic got most of their production from guard Victor Oladipo. He shot extremely well, going 10 - for - 14 from the field and 3 - for - 4 from behind the arc to score 27 points. It was a season - high in points for him. Center Kyle O'Quinn had his best game of the year as well, despite playing in only five up until this point. He scored 21 points (9 - 16 FG) and had 11 rebounds, giving him his first double - double of the season. Tobias Harris was able to hit a clutch jumper near the end of the game, but was trumped by Curry, who hit the game winner. Harris had a solid outing though, going 6 - for - 14 from the field and 5 - for - 5 from the free throw line to score 17 points. He also had seven rebounds and five assists. The only other Magic player to reach double figures was Evan Fournier, who scored 10 points. The Warriors' next game will be at home against the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday, while the Magic will travel to Los Angeles to play the Clippers on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "1"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "91", "Hornets": "97"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Heat": "20"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "1", "Hornets": "2"}, "Number of team assists": {"Hornets": "20"}, "Turnovers": {"Hornets": "8"}}, {"Assists": {"Marvin Williams": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "4", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Cody Zeller": "1", "Jeremy Lamb": "1", "Spencer Hawes": "2", "Justise Winslow": "5", "Dion Waiters": "3", "Goran Dragic": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Marvin Williams": "1", "Cody Zeller": "1", "Jeremy Lamb": "1", "Spencer Hawes": "2", "Hassan Whiteside": "2"}, "Points": {"Marvin Williams": "7", "Nicolas Batum": "12", "Kemba Walker": "24", "Cody Zeller": "10", "Marco Belinelli": "12", "Jeremy Lamb": "16", "Spencer Hawes": "10", "Justise Winslow": "10", "Hassan Whiteside": "20", "Dion Waiters": "13", "Goran Dragic": "14", "Tyler Johnson": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Marvin Williams": "11", "Nicolas Batum": "6", "Kemba Walker": "1", "Marco Belinelli": "1", "Jeremy Lamb": "8", "Justise Winslow": "6", "Hassan Whiteside": "15", "Dion Waiters": "7", "Goran Dragic": "4", "Tyler Johnson": "6"}, "Steals": {"Marvin Williams": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "2", "Kemba Walker": "2", "Marco Belinelli": "1", "Dion Waiters": "1", "Goran Dragic": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Cody Zeller": "1", "Marco Belinelli": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Cody Zeller": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Spencer Hawes": "1", "Justise Winslow": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Justise Winslow": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Justise Winslow": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Justise Winslow": "4"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Miami Heat in their home opener, 97 - 91, at American Airlines Arena on Friday. The contest was truly a tale of two halves, with the Heat unable to sustain a red - hot start coming out of intermission. Miami (1 - 1) carried a 57 - 46 lead into halftime, but Charlotte's bench caught fire in the second half, propelling the Hornets (20) to a 51 - 34 advantage over the final two quarters. Four reserves - - Spencer Hawes, Marco Belinelli, Jeremy Lamb and Cody Zeller - - posted double - digit scoring efforts, helping make up for an unbalanced performance from the first unit that featured only one tally of over 20 points. The Hornets' defense was also key, as they took the ball away from the Heat 20 times, leading to 22 points, while only committing eight turnovers themselves. Kemba Walker paced the visitors with 24 points, four assists, a rebound and two steals. Nicolas Batum was the only other member of the first unit to reach double digits in the scoring column, collecting 12 points and adding six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Marvin Williams did manage to haul in 11 boards despite contributing a modest seven points, an assist, two steals and a block. Roy Hibbert left the game after five minutes on the court with a sore right knee, going scoreless over his brief stint. Lamb's 16 - point, eight - rebound performance led the bench, while Belinelli (12 points), Zeller (10 points) and Hawes (10 points) made key contributions as well. Hawes also came just one rebound short of a double - double and added two assists and two blocks. The Heat were led by a trademark Hassan Whiteside double - double (20 points, 15 boards) and he also recored a pair of blocks. Goran Dragic came within an assist of accomplishing the feat himself, tallying 14 points, nine dimes, four rebounds and a steal. Dion Waiters totaled 13 points, seven rebounds, three assists and a steal. Justise Winslow contributed 10 points, six rebounds and five assists, but struggled from the field, going just 4 - for - 14 overall and 1 - for - 6 from three - point range. Tyler Johnson paced the Miami bench with 12 points and six rebounds. The Hornets head back home to take on the Celtics on Saturday night, while the Heat remain home to take on the Spurs on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "43", "Hornets": "43"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "4", "Hornets": "5"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "95", "Hornets": "103"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "5", "Hornets": "4"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Kemba Walker": "33"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Points": {"Kemba Walker": "19"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (4 - 5) defeated the Phoenix Suns (5 - 4) 103 - 95 on Friday. Charlotte was coming off two losses to the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers at the start of their current four - game Western Conference roadtrip. Kemba Walker scored a team - high 19 points in 33 minutes. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is going to miss at least two games with a stress reaction in his foot. Rookie P.J. Hairston earned the first start of his NBA career, filling in at small forward with Kidd-Gilchrist out. Marvin Williams was questionable for the game with knee soreness, but he was able to play and contributed 24 minutes as the starting power forward. The Hornets will finish off their road trip Saturday against the Golden State Warriors. Phoenix was on a five - game homestand that wrapped up with this loss to the Hornets. The Suns had all five starters finish in double - digits scoring, but they shot just 43 percent from the field. Phoenix's biggest gaff came from the 18 points they gave up off of turnovers in the game compared to the Hornets' eight. The Suns have another game Saturday. They'll face the Los Angeles Clippers on the road."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "25", "Jazz": "33"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "96", "Jazz": "100"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pelicans": "25", "Jazz": "27"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pelicans": "15", "Jazz": "29"}, "Turnovers": {"Pelicans": "15"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "27", "Jazz": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "8", "Eric Gordon": "3", "Tyreke Evans": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Gordon Hayward": "1", "Derrick Favors": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Steve Novak": "5", "Eric Gordon": "8", "Tyreke Evans": "4", "Luke Babbitt": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Gordon Hayward": "3", "Steve Novak": "4", "Eric Gordon": "7", "Tyreke Evans": "2", "Luke Babbitt": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "22", "Derrick Favors": "16", "Enes Kanter": "12", "Eric Gordon": "14", "Tyreke Evans": "17", "Luke Babbitt": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "10", "Derrick Favors": "8", "Enes Kanter": "6", "Eric Gordon": "9", "Tyreke Evans": "7", "Luke Babbitt": "6"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Gordon Hayward": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Gordon Hayward": "1"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "32", "Derrick Favors": "18", "Enes Kanter": "14", "Steve Novak": "12", "Eric Gordon": "31", "Tyreke Evans": "18", "Luke Babbitt": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "7", "Derrick Favors": "7", "Enes Kanter": "11", "Tyreke Evans": "7", "Luke Babbitt": "6"}, "Steals": {"Gordon Hayward": "2", "Eric Gordon": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Derrick Favors": "4", "Enes Kanter": "2", "Eric Gordon": "6", "Tyreke Evans": "2", "Luke Babbitt": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Derrick Favors": "2", "Enes Kanter": "2", "Eric Gordon": "6", "Tyreke Evans": "2", "Luke Babbitt": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Enes Kanter": "28", "Steve Novak": "12", "Luke Babbitt": "26"}}], "The Utah Jazz (19 - 33) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (27 - 25) 100 - 96 on Monday at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. While going into halftime down 52 - 42, the Jazz looked to be in for a long game. They came out firing in the third quarter though, where they out - scored the Pelicans 29 - 15, giving them enough of an advantage to steal a four - point victory on the road against a very tough team. The Jazz were also able to force the Pelicans into 15 turnovers, while committing only 11 of their own, which also may have helped make the difference Monday. Gordon Hayward was unstoppable in this one, going 10 - for - 22 from the field and 3 - for - 5 from the three - point line to finish with 32 points, while also adding seven rebounds, eight assists and two steals. He's played extremely well over his last two games, combining for 62 points, nine rebounds, 11 assists and four steals over that span. Derrick Favors also did his part and finished with 18 points (8 - 16 FG, 2 - 4 FT), seven rebounds and two blocked shots. Over his last three games he's averaging 19 points and seven rebounds, as he's really stepped it up for the Jazz lately. Notching a double - double, center Enes Kanter posted 14 points (6 - 12 FG, 2 - 2 FT) and 11 rebounds in 28 minutes. It marked his third double - double over his last four games. Coming off the bench, Steve Novak added an efficient 12 points (4 - 5 3Pt) in 12 minutes. Doing everything he could to keep the Pelicans in this game, Eric Gordon finished with 31 points (9 - 14 FG, 7 - 8 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT), three assists and two steals. It was a new season - high in points for him and also a nice bounce back game after posting just three points in Saturday's game against the Bulls. Tyreke Evans also had a solid showing and recorded 18 points (7 - 17 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), seven rebounds and 10 assists. With Anthony Davis sitting out due to a shoulder injury, the Pelicans' backcourt tried to make up for his scoring, but they did n't get enough production elsewhere to keep up. The only other player to reach double figures in points was Luke Babbitt, who came off the bench and contributed a season - high of 15 points (6 - 14 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT) and six rebounds in 26 minutes. The Jazz's next game will be on the road against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, while the Pelicans will be at home against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "53", "Bucks": "42"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "30", "Bucks": "23"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "109", "Bucks": "97"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "14", "Bucks": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Matthew Dellavedova": "7", "Jabari Parker": "4", "Dion Waiters": "3", "Goran Dragic": "6", "James Johnson": "6"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "24", "Matthew Dellavedova": "15", "Malcolm Brogdon": "4", "Jabari Parker": "16", "Hassan Whiteside": "16", "Dion Waiters": "33", "Goran Dragic": "25", "Wayne Ellington": "15", "James Johnson": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10", "Jabari Parker": "7", "Hassan Whiteside": "15", "Dion Waiters": "3"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Malcolm Brogdon": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Malcolm Brogdon": "1"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, 109 - 97, at American Airlines Arena on Saturday, Miami have n't had many dominant wins this season, but they led for the final 40 minutes here in an impressive victory. Shooting was the glaring difference in the game, with the Heat hitting 53 percent of their shots, while Milwaukee went just 42 percent from the field. Miami did most of their damage in the first half, as they led 53 - 43, headed into the locker room. Three-point shooting was decisive as well, with Miami going 13 - of - 30, with Milwaukee hitting just 6 - of - 18 from long range. The Bucks (20 - 23) played this game with Jabari Parker and Malcolm Brogdon coming off the bench for disciplinary issues and that clearly put them too far behind the eight - ball to overcome. Giannis Antetokounmpo carried the load though, accumulating 24 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals. Parker came off the bench to provide 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Brogdon did n't have as much success off the bench, scoring four points on 1 - of - 10 from the field. Matthew Dellavedova started at point guard and tallied 15 points and seven assists. The Heat (14 - 30) have now won three - straight games, as the balance beam is evening up with their abundance of close losses. Dion Waiters tied a career - high with 33 points on 12 - of - 19 shooting, adding three rebounds and three assists to his tally. Goran Dragic was second on the team, dropping 25 points, to go along with six assists. Hassan Whiteside recorded a 16 - point, 15 - rebound double - double. Wayne Ellington dropped 15 points off the bench, while James Johnson totaled seven points and six assists off the pine as well."], [[{}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Marquese Chriss": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Marquese Chriss": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marquese Chriss": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Marquese Chriss": "6"}, "Personal fouls": {"Marquese Chriss": "3"}, "Points": {"Marquese Chriss": "17"}}], "Marquese Chriss has been spotty and fairly inconsistent in his rookie season, but as of late, the former Washington Huskie has been on a steady scoring pace over the past week. After Thursday's 17 - point performance on 6 - of - 9 shooting in the Suns' blowout victory over the Hornets, Chriss has now scored in double figures in four of his last five games and has scored at least 15 points in three of those games. Over that five - game stretch, he is averaging 14 points per game, but what is most impressive is the efficient level he is doing it at. Chriss has been dealing with inefficiency with his shotmaking all season, but over that five - game stretch, the rookie is shooting an impressive and improved 54 percent from the field and has shot a least 50 percent in his last four games."], [[{"Total points": {"Bulls": "103", "Bucks": "91"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "1"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bucks": "16"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "0"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Khris Middleton": "34", "John Henson": "26", "Pau Gasol": "36", "Jimmy Butler": "35", "Derrick Rose": "27"}, "Points": {"Khris Middleton": "18", "Pau Gasol": "10", "Jimmy Butler": "25", "Derrick Rose": "23"}, "Steals": {"Khris Middleton": "4", "Derrick Rose": "2", "Taj Gibson": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Pau Gasol": "17", "Jimmy Butler": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Pau Gasol": "5", "Jimmy Butler": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "13"}, "Assists": {"Derrick Rose": "7", "Taj Gibson": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Derrick Rose": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Derrick Rose": "3"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (10) grabbed a 10 series lead in their 103 - 91 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks (0 - 1). Taj Gibson left late in the fourth quarter due to a right knee strain. According to the team, he could have returned and should be fine for the next game. In his first playoff game since April 28, 2012, Derrick Rose scored 23 points, recorded seven assists, notched two steals, blocked one shot and hit three three - pointers in 27 minutes. His first half playing time was cut short due to foul trouble, but coach Tom Thibodeau didn\u2019t remove Rose until 51 seconds remaining, even though the Bulls were ahead by 14. Jimmy Butler scored a playoff career - high 25 points on 8 - of - 14 shooting in 35 minutes. Pau Gasol was held to 10 points on 5 - of - 17 shooting and 13 rebounds in 36 minutes, significant given his 46 - point, 18 - rebound performance against the Bucks earlier this season. The Bucks were unable to channel their first - quarter scoring through the rest of the game. After shooting 59 percent in the opening period, they closed the contest shooting 33 percent over the final three quarters, concluding the fourth quarter with 16 points. Khris Middleton scored a team - high 18 points and nabbed four steals in 34 minutes. John Henson and Jerryd Bayless, both reserves, were the only Bucks to shoot at least 50 percent from the floor. After closing out the regular season with a block in 11 straight contests, Henson failed to block any shots in 26 minutes off the bench. Both teams will resume the series Monday night at the United Center."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Heat": "28", "Hornets": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "42", "Hornets": "39"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "3", "Hornets": "2"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "88", "Hornets": "90"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Heat": "25"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hornets": "25"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "3"}}, {"Assists": {"Marvin Williams": "2", "Kemba Walker": "5", "Luol Deng": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Marvin Williams": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Marvin Williams": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marvin Williams": "10", "Dwyane Wade": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Marvin Williams": "7", "Dwyane Wade": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Marvin Williams": "30", "Al Jefferson": "22", "Kemba Walker": "35", "Luol Deng": "36", "Hassan Whiteside": "32", "Dwyane Wade": "32"}, "Points": {"Marvin Williams": "17", "Al Jefferson": "14", "Kemba Walker": "14", "Luol Deng": "16", "Hassan Whiteside": "11", "Dwyane Wade": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Marvin Williams": "8", "Al Jefferson": "7", "Kemba Walker": "5", "Luol Deng": "6", "Hassan Whiteside": "12", "Dwyane Wade": "5"}, "Steals": {"Marvin Williams": "3", "Al Jefferson": "1", "Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Kemba Walker": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Dwyane Wade": "3"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets earned their first playoff road win since 2002 after they rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat the host Miami Heat, 90 - 88, and take a 3 - 2 lead in the Eastern Conference first - round playoffs Wednesday at American Airlines Arena. The Hornets were trailing by seven points with 9:28 left in the fourth quarter but out - scored Miami 23 - 14 the rest of the way to earn the win. Both teams traded clutch baskets down the stretch, until a three - pointer by Courtney Lee gave Charlotte a two - point advantage with 25 seconds left. Miami was left with one final possession but could not convert. The Hornets used a balanced team effort to top the Heat, as four players scored in double figures and three others chipped in eight points each. Marvin Williams was the high - point man for Charlotte, finishing with 17 points (7 - 10 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt) on solid shooting, along with eight rebounds, three steals and two assists, in 30 minutes. Kemba Walked finished with 14 points, five rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block, in 35 minutes, while Al Jefferson finished with 14 points and seven rebounds, in 22 minutes. The Hornets shot only 39 percent from the field, but hit 50 percent (12 - 24) from long range. Dwyane Wade led the way offensively for Miami, finishing with a game - high 25 points (11 - 19 FG, 3 - 4 FT), along with five rebounds and four assists, in 32 minutes. Luol Deng was solid with 16 points, six rebounds and three assists, in 36 minutes. Hassan Whiteside recorded a double - double with 11 points and 12 rebounds, along with three blocked shots, in 32 minutes. The Heat shot 42 percent from the field but struggled from long range, where they shot only 28 percent (5 - 18). The Hornets will now have an opportunity to close out the series at home on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "35", "Heat": "33"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "96", "Heat": "89"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "24", "Heat": "27"}}, {"Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "19", "Goran Dragic": "24", "Harrison Barnes": "24", "Dirk Nowitzki": "8", "Seth Curry": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "19", "Dirk Nowitzki": "12"}, "Assists": {"Goran Dragic": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Goran Dragic": "21", "Harrison Barnes": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Goran Dragic": "10", "Harrison Barnes": "9"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Seth Curry": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Seth Curry": "5"}}], "The host Dallas Mavericks took down the Miami Heat on Monday, 96 - 89. The Mavericks (24 - 35) have now won two straight after taking down the Pelicans on Saturday. On Monday, guard Seth Curry almost bested a recently - set career high of 31 points. Curry led the team with 29 and looked a lot like his brother, splashing home five three - pointers on seven attempts. Veteran Dirk Nowitzki, meanwhile, scored only eight but had an impressive 12 rebounds to lead the team. Only two players scored in double figures, with Harrison Barnes scoring 24 on 9 - of - 18 shooting. The Mavs shot just 43 percent from the field, but hit 50 percent of their three - pointers on the night. Miami (27 - 33) had a rough night offensively. The team scored under 90 points and shot just 45 percent and 36 percent from beyond the arc. Point guard Goran Dragic shot 10 - of - 21 to lead the team with 24 points while also dishing out six assists. Star center Hassan Whiteside, meanwhile, dominated with 19 points and an astounding 19 rebounds. Despite Whiteside's dominance, the Heat still had a mediocre night on the boards. Miami held just a four rebound advantage over Dallas on the night. Miami will host the 76ers on Wednesday, while the Mavericks will visit Atlanta."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Rockets": "27"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "7", "Pelicans": "19"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "122", "Pelicans": "100"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "20", "Pelicans": "9"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pelicans": "33"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "41"}}, {"Points": {"Anthony Davis": "19", "Cheick Diallo": "10", "James Harden": "29", "Eric Gordon": "29"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Cheick Diallo": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Cheick Diallo": "5", "James Harden": "15", "Eric Gordon": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Cheick Diallo": "4", "James Harden": "7", "Eric Gordon": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Cheick Diallo": "22", "James Harden": "34", "Eric Gordon": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Cheick Diallo": "7", "James Harden": "11"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "13"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Eric Gordon": "12"}, "3-pointers made": {"Eric Gordon": "7"}}], "The Houston Rockets notched their ninth straight win as they defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, 122 - 100, at Toyota Center on Friday night. The Rockets made history in a couple of different ways in this contest, beginning with their nine - game win streak, which is their longest win streak in eight years. They also sank an NBA-record 24 three - pointers, while James Harden passed Hakeem Olajuwon, to become the Rockets' all time triple - double leader, as he notched his second straight triple - double, for the fifteenth of his career. Harden finished with 29 points on 7 - of - 15 shooting, along with 13 assists and 11 rebounds, in 34 minutes. Meanwhile, Eric Gordon notched a season - high 29 points on 10 - of - 17 shooting, including 7 - of - 12 from deep, in 28 minutes off the bench. The Rockets (20 - 7) shot 24 - of - 61 from long distance and tallied 27 assists in the game. They moved to 10 - 2 at home and will head out to Minnesota to take - on the Timberwolves on Saturday, for their second game in as many nights. The Pelicans (9 - 19) fell short on the second night of a back - to - back as they struggled shooting, going 41 percent from the field, 33 percent from long range and only 55 percent from the foul line. Anthony Davis scored 19 points before he was forced to leave the game in the third quarter with a leg contusion, and did not return. No player tallied more than 20 points for the Pelicans but five players scored in double figures, including Cheick Diallo who went 4 - of - 5 from the field, for 10 points, along with seven rebounds, in 22 minutes off the bench. The Pelicans fell to 3 - 10 on the road and will look to bounce back as they visit San Antonio on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "38"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "38", "Pelicans": "42"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "90", "Pelicans": "115"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "35", "Pelicans": "31"}}, {"Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "Jrue Holiday": "7", "Nikola Jokic": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "17", "Nikola Jokic": "14", "Mason Plumlee": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "12", "Nikola Jokic": "4", "Mason Plumlee": "8"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "31", "Jrue Holiday": "13", "Nikola Jokic": "8", "Mason Plumlee": "16"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jrue Holiday": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jrue Holiday": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Nikola Jokic": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Jokic": "13"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Denver Nuggets 115 - 90 at Pepsi Center on Sunday. The Pelicans (31 - 42) defensive effort stepped up in the second and third quarter, where the Nuggets (35 - 38) were unable to find a rhythm and were held to under 20 points in each of the middle periods. Anthony Davis was a monster on the boards, and led all scorers with 31 points in the contest, while rising star Nikola Jokic logged only 18 minutes and put forth a weak scoring effort. DeMarcus Cousins (ankle) was sidelined for the game. Impressively, the Pelicans bench also stepped up, as Jordan Crawford, E'Twaun Moore and Alexis Ajinca all put forth strong performances down the stretch. Davis finished with 31 points, 15 rebounds, three assists and one block on 12 - of - 17 shooting. Jrue Holiday added 13 points, six rebounds and seven assists and buried 3 - of - 6 shots from behind the arc. The aforementioned bench performances from Crawford and Moore totaled 25 points and nine assists combined. The loss puts the Portland Trail Blazers in sight of the 8 - seed for the playoffs, and the Nuggets can not afford losses down the stretch if they want to sneak into the final playoff spot. Jokic finished with eight points, 13 rebounds and two assists on 4 - of - 14 shooting across 18 minutes. Mason Plumlee had the hot hand off the bench where he scored 16 points on 8 - of - 10 shooting, while Denver shot just 38 percent from the field in the loss. Next up, the Pelicans visit the Jazz for the second game of a back - to - back on Monday, while the Nuggets visit the Trail Blazers for a heated playoff worth matchup on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "29"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "37"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Mavericks": "14"}}, {"Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "17", "Wesley Matthews": "14", "Deron Williams": "14", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "14", "Nicolas Batum": "12", "Kemba Walker": "18"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Wesley Matthews": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Wesley Matthews": "1"}, "Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Nicolas Batum": "9"}, "Steals": {"Nicolas Batum": "1"}}], "Kemba Walker paced the Hornets offense with a relatively modest 18 points, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was close behind with 14 points of his own. Nicolas Batum filled out the stat sheet nicely with a near double - double consisting of 12 points, nine rebounds, six assists and a steal. Cody Zeller and Frank Kaminsky combined for just seven points but 10 rebounds as well. Dallas managed respective 37 percent and 29 percent tallies from the field and three - point range, despite seeing five players post double - digit scoring performances. Harrison Barnes paced them with 17 points, while Deron Williams and Wesley Matthews followed with a pair of 14 - point efforts. Matthews did struggle considerably from long range, however, going just 1 - of - 11 from beyond the arc. Justin Anderson and Jonathan Gibson impressively combined for 26 points off the bench."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "55"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "54"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "24", "Pistons": "25"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "112", "Pistons": "104"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "27", "Pistons": "27"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pistons": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"Marcus Morris": "4", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Stanley Johnson": "3", "Reggie Jackson": "2", "Anthony Tolliver": "1", "Paul George": "3", "Myles Turner": "3", "George Hill": "2", "Jordan Hill": "3", "CJ Miles": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Marcus Morris": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Marcus Morris": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Marcus Morris": "1", "Stanley Johnson": "2"}, "Points": {"Marcus Morris": "16", "Andre Drummond": "10", "Stanley Johnson": "14", "Reggie Jackson": "26", "Anthony Tolliver": "17", "Paul George": "30", "Myles Turner": "16", "George Hill": "17", "Jordan Hill": "12", "CJ Miles": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcus Morris": "2", "Andre Drummond": "13", "Stanley Johnson": "10", "Reggie Jackson": "3", "Anthony Tolliver": "4", "Paul George": "8", "Myles Turner": "4", "George Hill": "4", "Jordan Hill": "8", "CJ Miles": "2"}, "Steals": {"Marcus Morris": "1", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Stanley Johnson": "1", "Anthony Tolliver": "3", "Paul George": "1", "Jordan Hill": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "2", "Myles Turner": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Stanley Johnson": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Stanley Johnson": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Stanley Johnson": "2"}, "Free throw percentage": {"CJ Miles": "50"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (27 - 24) defeated the Detroit Pistons (27 - 25) 112 - 104 on Saturday. The tussle between the two Eastern Conference Central Division rivals was a tightly contested one, with the Pistons making a strong push in the middle quarters to overcome an early deficit, before the Pacers eventually pulled away late. The difference in the back - and - forth affair primarily came down to shooting, with Indiana managing a stellar night from the field and beyond the arc. They were led by Paul George, who tallied 30 points and added eight rebounds, three assists and a steal. Nearly half of his scoring - - 14 points - - came from visits to the charity stripe, as he remained aggressive on offense throughout the night. Overall, the Pacers managed a 54 percent accuracy rate from the field, and drained 55 percent of their 11 three - point attempts. Five players, including three starters, posted double - digit point totals, and all but one, C.J. Miles, managed to shoot 50 percent or better. Detroit was led by a 26 - point effort from Reggie Jackson against George Hill's stingy defense, and he also added three rebounds and two assists. Reserve forward Anthony Tolliver was actually the second - highest Pistons scorer, pacing the bench with 17 points, four rebounds, an assist and three steals. Marcus Morris turned in a 16 - point, two - rebound, four - assist effort that also included a steal. Stanley Johnson was productive once again in his second game starting at two - guard in Kentavious Caldwell Pope's stead, putting up a 14 - point, 10 - rebound double - double, and also dishing out three assists and recording a steal. Andre Drummond managed another one of his trademark double - doubles, amassing 10 points and bringing in 13 boards. He also pitched in with an assist, a steal and a pair of blocks. With the loss, the Pistons drop to fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They head home to face the Toronto Raptors on Monday night. Hill seconded George's team - leading effort with 17 points, four rebounds and two assists. Myles Turner continued his recent success as the starting power forward by totaling 16 points, four rebounds, three assists and a block. Jordan Hill headed back to the bench with starting center Ian Mahinmi's return from his back injury, but paced the reserves with 12 points, eight rebounds, three assists and four steals. Miles recorded 10 points of his own off the bench, along with two rebounds and two assists. With the victory, the Pacers vaulted over the Pistons into third place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They're at home again on Monday to face off with the Los Angeles Lakers."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "2", "Timberwolves": "2"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "91", "Timberwolves": "98"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "2", "Timberwolves": "2"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "12", "Joe Johnson": "17", "Brook Lopez": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "7", "Joe Johnson": "9", "Brook Lopez": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "17", "Ricky Rubio": "14", "Joe Johnson": "22", "Kevin Garnett": "2", "Brook Lopez": "10"}, "Assists": {"Ricky Rubio": "12", "Joe Johnson": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Joe Johnson": "2", "Kevin Garnett": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Garnett": "11", "Brook Lopez": "5"}}], "The Timberwolves (2 - 2) scored the final nine points of the game en route to a 98 - 91 win over the Nets (2 - 2) on Wednesday in Brooklyn. Minnesota entered the fourth quarter with a six - point lead, but the Nets scored the first 10 points of the fourth quarter in a four - minute run keyed by three - pointers from Mirza Teletovic and Deron Williams. From that point on, the teams traded baskets until the final minute - and - a - half, when the Wolves capitalized on a couple of key Brooklyn turnovers to end the game on a 90 run. Nikola Pekovic converted a basket, plus the foul, with 0:48 to play that put Minnesota up 94 - 91. Following a Brook Lopez offensive foul, Ricky Rubio found Thaddeus Young for a basket to put Minnesota up 96 - 91 with less than 30 seconds to play. Joe Johnson would miss two shots on the ensuing Nets possession, and Andrew Wiggins secured the rebound for Minnesota to salt the game away. The Wolves, who shot just over 41 percent from the field, were led by 26 points and seven rebounds from Kevin Martin. Rubio added 14 points and 12 assists, while Wiggins chipped in 17 points on 7 - of - 12 shooting. Johnson led the way for Brooklyn, scoring 22 points on 9 - of - 17 shooting. Doors Williams added 19 points (8 - 16 FG), while Kevin Garnett contributed 11 rebounds and two points. Brook Lopez, playing just his second game since returning from a foot injury, had 10 [points and five rebounds but shot only 5 - of - 14 from the floor. The Nets move on to host the Knicks on Friday, while the Wolves head south to take on the Magic in Orlando on Friday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1"}}], "Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo continued to stuff the stat sheet after a strong finish to his impressive 2016 campaign, though it was n't enough for the Bucks to beat the Hornets on Wednesday. \"The Greek Freak\" contributed in seemingly every statistical category in his season debut, scoring 31 points, pulling down nine rebounds, dishing five assists and recording a block, a steal, and a three - pointer. In fact, it seemed there was only one column where Giannis was n't posting big numbers: turnovers. The so - called \"point forward\" turned the ball over just once in 39 minutes. The Hornets responded with their own promising young forward, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. MKG lit up the Milwaukee defense, scoring 23 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. While Kidd-Gilchrist dominated the glass and the scoring column, a new face anchored the defense in Charlotte: Roy Hibbert. The former All-Star blocked five shots in the team's first contest."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "28", "Celtics": "33"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "110", "Celtics": "115"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "29", "Celtics": "21"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Tyler Zeller": "36", "Avery Bradley": "29", "Isaiah Thomas": "27"}, "Points": {"Tyler Zeller": "12", "Avery Bradley": "23", "Isaiah Thomas": "21", "Alex Len": "10", "Eric Bledsoe": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyler Zeller": "6", "Avery Bradley": "4", "Alex Len": "12", "Eric Bledsoe": "7"}, "Steals": {"Avery Bradley": "6"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "7", "Eric Bledsoe": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Alex Len": "6"}}], "The Boston Celtics (21 - 33) took down the Phoenix Suns (29 - 28) 115 - 110 on Monday. Avery Bradley has been the go - to man for the Celtics since the All-Star break, averaging 24 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals in that span. He led both teams in scoring Monday, putting up 23 points to go along with six steals in 29 minutes. Isaiah Thomas faced off against the team that dealt him away at the trade deadline last week. He had a plus - 21 off the bench, recording 21 points and seven assists in 27 minutes. Boston will be without big man Jared Sullinger for the remainder of the season due to a stress fracture in his foot. In his place, Tyler Zeller got the start at center Monday, posting 12 points and six rebounds in a team - high 36 minutes. Former Bucks guard Brandon Knight got the start for his new team Monday. In his first contest with the Suns, he came off the bench and had 13 points and five assists in 25 minutes against the Chicago Bulls, a 112 - 107 loss on Saturday. Knight started alongside Eric Bledsoe, who approached a triple - double with 21 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. Alex Len continued his maturation process with 10 points, 12 boards and six blocked shots. The Suns are sitting on the 10th - best record in the Western Conference, and are chasing the New Orleans Pelicans and Oklahoma City Thunder for the eighth and final playoff spot. The Suns will head to Denver to face the Nuggets on Wednesday, while the Celtics will host the New York Knicks on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "40", "Pistons": "45"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "25", "Pistons": "21"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "92", "Pistons": "95"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Jazz": "13"}, "Turnovers": {"Jazz": "13"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "19", "Pistons": "24"}}, {"Points": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "16", "Reggie Jackson": "29", "Gordon Hayward": "22", "Rudy Gobert": "17", "Derrick Favors": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "8", "Gordon Hayward": "5", "Rudy Gobert": "17"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andre Drummond": "10", "Rudy Gobert": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Andre Drummond": "1", "Rudy Gobert": "3", "Derrick Favors": "4"}, "Steals": {"Andre Drummond": "2", "Rudy Gobert": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Andre Drummond": "2", "Gordon Hayward": "3", "Rudy Gobert": "1"}, "Assists": {"Reggie Jackson": "4", "Gordon Hayward": "5", "Rudy Gobert": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Gordon Hayward": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Derrick Favors": "20"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (24 - 21) defeated the Utah Jazz (19 - 25) 95 - 92 on Monday night. In a battle between two stingy defenses, the identities of the teams really stood out. Both teams wanted to muck this game down and play halfcourt, which is just what they did. The Pistons took a 12 - point lead into the half and never relinquished it after that. Detroit held Utah to 40 percent shooting, while shooting 45 percent on their end of the floor. Th three - point shooting was key as well, as the Pistons went 11 - for - 22, while the Jazz went just 9 - for - 29. Detroit played far from efficient here, but they managed to pull out a huge win on the road. Reggie Jackson was the hero tonight, as he tallied 29 points and four assists in the win. That looks even bigger considering Andre Drummond and Marcus Morris combined for just nine points and 10 rebounds in the victory. The form of Drummond has to be worrisome, as that is now two dud performances in a row for the potential All-Star. He went just 1 - for - 10 from the free - throw line here and it's starting to effect the rest of his game right now. The only other player who played well for the Pistons here aside from Jackson was Ersan Ilyasova, who amassed 16 points and eight rebounds. The Pistons have a good chance at another win in their next game, when they host the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday. The Jazz have been a bit of a disappointment this season, but this loss does have big implications for the future. Derrick Favors made his return here after a 13 - game absence and he's a beautiful sight for Utah fans. He came off the bench here and scored 14 points in 20 minutes, but he should be at full force in weeks to come. It was just four players tonight that showed up for Utah, as Favors, Gordon Hayward, Rudy Gobert and Rodney Hood combined for nearly all of the offense. In fact, they scored all but 16 points in this game between the four of them and that's hard to overcome in an NBA game. Gobert was especially good tonight, as he tallied 17 points and 17 rebounds in one of his best games of the season. Hayward had a nice all - around game as well, as he accumulated 22 points, five rebounds and five assists in the defeat. He did however miss a game - tying three at the buzzer that would have sent the game into overtime. Utah will look to play better in their next game on Wednesday against the struggling Charlotte Hornets."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "13", "Kevin Love": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "8", "Jimmy Butler": "6", "Dwyane Wade": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "45", "Kevin Love": "42", "Channing Frye": "21", "Jimmy Butler": "42", "Dwyane Wade": "37"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "27", "Kevin Love": "15", "Kyrie Irving": "20", "Channing Frye": "11", "Jimmy Butler": "26", "Dwyane Wade": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "5", "Kevin Love": "9", "Kyrie Irving": "6", "Jimmy Butler": "8", "Dwyane Wade": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"LeBron James": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Love": "14", "Kyrie Irving": "21", "Channing Frye": "6", "Dwyane Wade": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Love": "5", "Kyrie Irving": "9", "Channing Frye": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "11"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Love": "1", "Jimmy Butler": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Jimmy Butler": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jimmy Butler": "5"}}], "LeBron James led the way for the Cavs as he played 45 minutes and finished with 27 points, 13 assists and five rebounds. James gave up a disturbing eight turnovers though, contributing to Cleveland's 20 turnovers in the game. Kyrie Irving added 20 points on 9 - of - 21 - shooting, eight assists and six rebounds. Kevin Love finished with 15 points on 5 - of - 14 shooting, along with nine rebounds, three assists and one steal, in 42 minutes. Channing Frye chipped in 11 points on 5 - of - 6 shooting, in 21 minutes off the bench. All five starters scored in double figures for the Bulls, led by Jimmy Butler who finished with 26 points, along with eight rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocks, in 42 minutes. Dwyane Wade followed up with 24 points on 11 - of - 23 shooting, along with five rebounds, four assists and two steals, in 37 minutes."], [[{}, {"Blocks": {"Steven Adams": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Points": {"Steven Adams": "19", "Russell Westbrook": "29", "Enes Kanter": "16", "Harrison Barnes": "17", "Dirk Nowitzki": "18", "Seth Curry": "22", "Nerlens Noel": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Steven Adams": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "6", "Enes Kanter": "10"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "5", "Dirk Nowitzki": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "24", "Dirk Nowitzki": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "8", "Enes Kanter": "7", "Dirk Nowitzki": "8"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Harrison Barnes": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Harrison Barnes": "34"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks were led by Dirk Nowtizki, who posted 18 points, 12 rebounds and three assists on 8 - of - 17 shooting. Harrison Barnes was effective with his 17 points across 34 minutes, although most of his damage was done by getting to the free throw line where he finished 7 - of - 8 shooting. Seth Curry scored 22 points to aid the starters, while Nerlens Noel finished with 13 points and five rebounds. Westbrook led the Thunder with 29 points, six rebounds, five assists, two steals and one block on 8 - of - 24 shooting. Enes Kanter was the most effective of the seven players that Billy Donovan opted to rotate in off the bench, as he scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to complete the double - double. Steven Adams added 19 points, five boards and one block in the loss."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "27", "Lakers": "33"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "105", "Lakers": "98"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "20", "Lakers": "16"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "39"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Lakers": "31"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Nick Young": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nick Young": "3"}, "Points": {"Nick Young": "15", "Jordan Clarkson": "22", "Lou Williams": "31", "CJ McCollum": "24", "Damian Lillard": "24"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Lou Williams": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Lou Williams": "10"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 105 - 98 at Moda Center on Wednesday. The Blazers (20 - 27) turned to C.J. McCollum late in the fourth quarter for back - to - back buckets to extend the lead to five points, and while the Lakers (16 - 33) had an answer with an emphatic Larry Nance Jr. dunk, Portland sealed the deal behind Damian Lillard's floater with :48 remaining in the fourth quarter. Lou Williams provided the scoring for Los Angeles and thrived off the bench with 31 points on 10 - of - 20 shooting. Williams hot hand kept the Lakers within striking distance though out the back - and - forth affair. Lillard and McCollum both finished with 24 points each, and combined for eight rebounds and six assists. Portland picked up their third win over the Lakers this season, and have only one game remaining in the series. The Lakers, as a unit, were unable to consistently shoot from the field and behind the three point line, evidenced by their 39 percent effort. Jordan Clarkson added 22 points in his bench role, while the starters remained relatively absent in terms of scoring, with only Nick Young finding double figures with 15 points on 3 - of - 6 shooting from deep. Next up, the Lakers visit the Utah Jazz on Thursday, while the Blazers host the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "40"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Raptors": "31"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "25", "Kyle Lowry": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "10", "Kyle Lowry": "12"}, "Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "31", "Kyle Lowry": "41", "Nick Young": "26", "D'Angelo Russell": "28"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Kyle Lowry": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Kyle Lowry": "9"}}], "It was a big night for the All-Star backcourt of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan as the Raptors took the court at Staples Center on Sunday. The two combined for 72 points, with Lowry contributing 41. The All-Star shot 12 - of - 16 from the field and 11 - of - 11 at the free - throw line and had 18 of his points in the fourth quarter. Lowry added nine rebounds and seven assists. DeRozan, meanwhile, shot a less efficient 10 - of - 25 but had 31 points en route to a Toronto victory. The team shot impressive splits, hitting 56 percent of its shots from the field, 58 percent from beyond the arc, and 90 percent from the free - throw line. For Los Angeles, meanwhile, it was a slower night on offense, as the team hit only 40 percent of its shots. The Lakers' backcourt was still potent, however. Point guard D'Angelo Russell poured in 28 points, while veteran shooting guard Nick Young had 26. The two combined for 13 of LA's 15 three - pointers."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "21", "Heat": "20"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "106", "Heat": "87"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "20", "Heat": "23"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Heat": "27"}}, {"Assists": {"Luol Deng": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "1", "Tyler Johnson": "5", "Nene": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "2", "Garrett Temple": "3", "John Wall": "10", "Bradley Beal": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Luol Deng": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "2"}, "Points": {"Luol Deng": "16", "Tyler Johnson": "14", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "11", "Nene": "16", "Marcin Gortat": "15", "Garrett Temple": "11", "John Wall": "18", "Bradley Beal": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Luol Deng": "8", "Tyler Johnson": "2", "Nene": "6", "Marcin Gortat": "12", "Garrett Temple": "2", "John Wall": "4", "Bradley Beal": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Hassan Whiteside": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Hassan Whiteside": "1"}, "Steals": {"Hassan Whiteside": "1", "Nene": "5", "Garrett Temple": "1", "Bradley Beal": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"John Wall": "32", "Bradley Beal": "25"}}], "The Washington Wizards (20 - 21) defeated the Miami Heat (23 - 20) 106 - 87 on Wednesday. The bruised, weary, and depleted Heat are running out of able bodies, and it showed in their play on Wednesday. Fresh off a six - game road swing through the Western Conference and a subsequent 91 - 79 loss to the Bucks at American Airlines Arena in South Florida on Tuesday, Miami hit the road again shortly after the conclusion of that contest. Already down their top two point guards, the Heat then found out shortly before the game that Dwyane Wade would give his ailing shoulders a rest against the Wizards, leaving Gerald Green, who'd been battling some knee tendinitis himself, in a starting role. Then, midway through the second quarter, injury befell one of the few healthy starters left, as Hassan Whiteside went out with a strained oblique and was unable to return. All of the personnel changes led to some predictably sluggish and sloppy play, with Miami turning the ball over 21 times, leading to 27 points for the home team. The visitors were spearheaded by the most talented healthy body remaining, Chris Bosh. The forward managed 18 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal. Luol Deng, the other front - line player not watching from the bench, was next in line with 16 points, eight rebounds, an assist and a block. Tyler Johnson, filling in once again for both Goran Dragic (calf) and Beno Udrih (neck), bounced back from an abysmal outing versus the Bucks by totaling 14 points, five assists and two rebounds. Veteran Amar'e Stoudemire paced the Heat bench with a season - high 11 points. The Heat fell to 23 - 20 - - their sixth loss in the last seven games - - and remain in second place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They now head to Toronto for a matchup with the Raptors on Friday. Washington was led by a pair of 18 - point efforts from a familiar duo, John Wall and Bradley Beal. Wall did his damage as a starter over 32 minutes, and added 10 assists and four rebounds. Beal, in turn, turned in his effort in a reserve role over 25 minutes. He supplemented his scoring with three rebounds, two assists and a steal. Nene Hilario was next in line with an outstanding all - around performance, posting 16 points, six rebounds, an assist and five steals. Marcin Gortat took advantage of an extended stretch without Whiteside in front of him, putting together his fifth straight double - double with 15 points, 12 rebounds, two assists and a pair of blocks. Garrett Temple was productive as well, amassing 11 points, three assists, two rebounds and a steal. The Wizards improved to 20 - 21 and are now in a third - place tie with the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They remain home and await the Utah Jazz for a Saturday evening showdown."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Bulls": "17"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "10", "Heat": "17"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "105", "Heat": "100"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bulls": "28"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "13", "Heat": "7"}}, {"Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "31", "Taj Gibson": "13", "Dwyane Wade": "28"}}], "The Chicago Bulls defeated the visiting Miami Heat 105 - 100, at United Center on Saturday evening. After trailing by as many as 10 points in the fourth quarter, the Heat battled back to make it a one - possession game with 13 seconds to go. They then had a chance to go for the tie as they inbounded the ball, down by three with seven seconds remaining, however they fumbled the ball on a dribble - hand - off, turning it over and destroying their chances of a comeback. The Bulls (13 - 10) did a good job to hang - on for their second straight win. Jimmy Butler was the high - point man for Chicago, with 31 points, while Dwyane Wade came to play, as he dropped 28 points on his former team. The only other Bulls player to score in double digits was Taj Gibson, who finished with 13 points. The Bulls only shot 1 - of - 8 from long range but hit 28 - of - 31 free throws to help earn the win. The Bulls are now 7 - 3 at home and will look to keep it rolling as they play host to the slumping Timberwolves on Tuesday. The Heat (7 - 17) dropped their fifth straight game, however they have been hampered by injuries, and were missing Justise Winslow (wrist), Dion Waiters (groin) and James Johnson (shoulder) in this one. Hassan Whiteside and Goran Dragic combined for 41 points for Miami, while the bench came up large with 44 points, but it was still not enough to top the Bulls, who out - scored them by 17 at the foul line. After going 0 - 3 on their road trip the Heat will look to turn things around as they play host to the Wizards in a Southeast Division match - up on Monday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "5"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "27", "John Wall": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "10"}}], "LeBron James finished Friday's game with 27 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Those 27 points made James the fastest player in NBA history to reach 27,0 total points. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love form the \"Big Three\" with James, and all of those players stepped up Friday. In fact, they combined for 70 points, 28 rebounds and 12 assists in the win. John Wall had to carry the load for the Wizards with Bradley Beal out and he did just that, dropping 28 points in the loss. Wall actually scored 23 of his 28 points in the first half, as he really struggled with his shot over the final 24 minutes. Beal missed this game due to a hamstring injury and they really missed his shooting, as they went just 3 - of - 15 from three - point range in the defeat."], [[{}, {"Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "4", "Jabari Parker": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Anthony Davis": "5", "Tim Frazier": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Anthony Davis": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "E'Twaun Moore": "3"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "30", "E'Twaun Moore": "20", "Tim Frazier": "15", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "17", "Jabari Parker": "33"}, "Assists": {"E'Twaun Moore": "3", "Tim Frazier": "10", "Jabari Parker": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"E'Twaun Moore": "5"}, "Steals": {"E'Twaun Moore": "1", "Tim Frazier": "1", "Jabari Parker": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Tim Frazier": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Tim Frazier": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10", "Jabari Parker": "9"}}], "Anthony Davis had tallied over 30 points on four occasions this season, so it was fitting that his 32 - point total paced the Pelicans' first win. His two free throws with 12 seconds remaining sealed the victory. E'Twaun Moore supplied a season - high 20 points, while Tim Frazier's full stat line of 15 points, 10 assists, five rebounds and a steal represented his second double - double in the last three games, as well as his best scoring total in the last five games. Jabari Parker matched Davis point for point, tallying a season - high 33, while also hauling in nine rebounds, an assist, a block and a steal. Giannis Antetokounmpo produced his second double - double of the season with 17 points and 10 boards. The Bucks bench did produce a solid 42 - point total on collective 48 percent shooting (16 - of - 33)."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Hawks": "33"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "15", "Bulls": "13"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "120", "Bulls": "105"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "23", "Bulls": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Nikola Mirotic": "24", "Jimmy Butler": "27", "Paul Millsap": "18", "Al Horford": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Mirotic": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "6"}, "Assists": {"Al Horford": "6"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (23 - 15) ended a six - game Chicago Bulls (22 - 13) win streak on Saturday with a 120 - 105 victory. The Hawks' Al Horford missed a career high by just one point, recording a game - high 33 points. The All-Star took over the game, adding 10 rebounds, six assists, and four blocks to the already impressive night. The entire Hawks squad was flowing offensively, as the team tallied a highly impressive 33 total assists. Horford's big night was complemented by the performance of big man Paul Millsap, who scored 18 points while blocking six shots. Headed into the matchup against Atlanta, the surging Bulls sat at second in the East. The Bulls had recorded six straight victories, establishing themselves as one of the top dogs in the East. Even in the loss, the Bulls maintained multiple bright spots. Star Jimmy Butler recorded a team - high 27 points, while forward Nikola Mirotic recorded a 24 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Unfortunately for Chicago, these efforts were n't enough, as it was a fairly cut - and - dry victory for the Hawks. Atlanta will not take the court again until Wednesday as they travel to Charlotte to face the struggling Hornets. The Bulls, meanwhile, will take on the Washington Wizards on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "6", "Magic": "17"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "95", "Magic": "82"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "19", "Magic": "10"}}, {"Points": {"Tobias Harris": "18", "Kyle Lowry": "17", "Lou Williams": "18"}, "Minutes played": {"Nikola Vucevic": "35"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "8"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (19 - 6) defeated the Orlando Magic (10 - 17) 95 - 82 on Monday. Toronto is on a three - game win streak. Louis Williams led the way for them Monday, putting up a game - high 18 points off the bench. All 10 players that the Raptors used in their rotation received 20 or more minutes, and Kyle Lowry was the only player to receive over 30 minutes of run. Lowry finished with 17 points and eight assists. Orlando has lost three of their last four games, as they were playing through a stretch that saw them facing off against the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Realistically, coming out with one win while facing the Hawks (twice), Wizards and Raptors over a four - game stretch, should be considered an accomplishment. Nikola Vucevic played 35 minutes in his second game back from a lower back injury. Tobias Harris paced the team with 18 points. Toronto will host the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday. Orlando will wrap up their two - game road trip in Boston against the Celtics on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "67", "Timberwolves": "40"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "3", "Timberwolves": "6"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "139", "Timberwolves": "91"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "5", "Timberwolves": "2"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Zach LaVine": "31", "Jrue Holiday": "28"}, "Points": {"Zach LaVine": "13", "Jrue Holiday": "24"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jrue Holiday": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Jrue Holiday": "1"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (5 - 3) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (2 - 6) 139 - 91 on Friday. Minnesota was playing without two of their veteran starters. Ricky Rubio will be out another 6 - 7 weeks with a serverely sprained left ankle, and Thaddeus Young is away from the team indefinitely to be with his family following the passing of his mother. Rookie Zach LaVine has been handed the starting point guard duties with Rubio out. LaVine started his third straight game and put up 13 points in 31 mintues. He did n't record a single assist in the game as the Timberwolves shot just 40 percent as a team. They'll continue their two - game road trip in Dallas on Saturday when they face the Mavericks. The Pelicans seem to be coming into their own this season now that they have the healthy roster they thought they were going to have last season. Jrue Holiday scored a team - high 24 points in 28 minutes, converting all but one of his field goal attempts as the Pelicans finished the game shooting 67 percent from the field. Coach Monty Williams was on the coaching hot seat coming into the season, but with Anthony Davis having the Pelicans looking like a playoff team, everyone should be smiling in New Orleans. They have two days off before embarking on a four - game road trip that begins in Portland on Monday against the Trail Blazers."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "30", "Rockets": "24"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "101", "Rockets": "108"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Mavericks": "18", "Rockets": "31"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "46", "Rockets": "52"}}, {"Assists": {"Trevor Ariza": "6", "James Harden": "6"}, "Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "19", "Dwight Howard": "8", "James Harden": "24", "Corey Brewer": "14", "Monta Ellis": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Ariza": "6", "Dwight Howard": "7", "James Harden": "4"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Ariza": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Dwight Howard": "18"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Monta Ellis": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Monta Ellis": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Monta Ellis": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"Monta Ellis": "7"}}], "The Houston Rockets (52 - 24) edged out the Dallas Mavericks (46 - 30), 108 - 101, on Thursday at the American Airlines Center. In a back - and - forth contest between division rivals, Houston saved its best for the fourth quarter to put the game out of Dallas' reach. Monta Ellis could n't shake off his shooting slump at a crucial moment in the fourth, missing an open look from three that could have tied the game with under 30 seconds remaining. Houston's James Harden did n't quite sustain the momentum from Wednesday's 51 - point outing against Sacramento, but was still able to put up 24 points along with six assists and four rebounds. The Rockets clinched the season series over the Mavericks 3 - 1, but it might not be the last time these teams meet this season. Houston moved into second place in the West with Thursday's win while Dallas stayed put in the seventh spot. Houston did n't need James Harden to be at his best to win this game, as several Rockets players made major contributions. Trevor Ariza had another all - around performance with 19 points, six assists, six rebounds, and two steals and Crey Brewer added 14 points off the bench. Dwight Howard continues to be on a minutes restriction as he works his way back into game shape, but was able to post eight points and seven rebounds in 18 minutes on the floor. The Rockets are now a half game ahead of the Grizzlies for the second seed in the West, but staying in that spot will be a tough task. Houston will return to action Sunday in Oklahoma City before a kicking off a home - and - home set with San Antonio on Wednesday. Dallas notched an important win over eighth - seeded Oklahoma City on Wednesday, but could n't close out Houston on Thursday. The Mavericks took a seven point lead into the fourth, but were outscored 31 - 18 in the final stanza. Monta Ellis had 19 points on the night, but that came on 7 - of - 21 shooting from the floor - - including 0 - for - 7 from beyond the arc. Chandler Parsons exited the game in the third quarter with knee soreness and did not return. The Mavericks will be off Friday before hosting Golden State on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "4", "Clippers": "3"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "118", "Clippers": "108"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Mavericks": "31"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "4", "Clippers": "5"}}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "3", "Chris Paul": "11", "Austin Rivers": "3", "Wesley Matthews": "3"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "21", "DeAndre Jordan": "9", "Chris Paul": "11", "Austin Rivers": "16", "Wesley Matthews": "25", "Dirk Nowitzki": "31"}, "Turnovers": {"Blake Griffin": "2", "Chris Paul": "2"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "5", "Wesley Matthews": "13", "Dirk Nowitzki": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "3", "Chris Paul": "2", "Wesley Matthews": "9", "Dirk Nowitzki": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "9", "Wesley Matthews": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "3", "Wesley Matthews": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"DeAndre Jordan": "27", "Austin Rivers": "27", "Wesley Matthews": "33", "Dirk Nowitzki": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "11", "Austin Rivers": "6", "Wesley Matthews": "6", "Dirk Nowitzki": "11"}, "Personal fouls": {"Chris Paul": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Austin Rivers": "2", "Wesley Matthews": "3", "Dirk Nowitzki": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Austin Rivers": "2"}, "Steals": {"Austin Rivers": "2", "Wesley Matthews": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Wesley Matthews": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "6"}}], "The Maverick's welcomed the Clippers to Dallas on Wednesday and won 118 - 108. The result lifted them to a .500 record at 4 - 4, while the Clippers fall to 5 - 3 overall. The contest was highly anticipated due to it being Deandre Jordan's first game in Dallas since this past summer's controvsial decision. The controversy surrounded him backing out of signing with Dallas following a verbal commitment during the NBA's free agency moratorium period. Judging by the crowd's reaction, they had n't forgot about it either. Jordan's nine points (3 - 5 FG, 3 - 9 FT), 11 boards, and one blocked shot in 27 minutes were n't enough for the Clippers. Six starters for Los Angeles scored in double figures, including Blake Griffin who chipped in a team high 21. Chris Paul provided the team's only double - double with 11 points and 11 assists, while his backup Austin Rivers helped out with 16 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two triples in 27 minutes. The Clippers will look to turn things around Thursday in Pheonix. Dallas was led by Dirk Nowitzki's vintage 31 points (11 - 14 FG, 5 - 6 3PT, 4 - 5 FT), and 11 boards. Wesley Matthews had his best game as a Maverick as he continues to work his way back from tearing his Achilles last spring. He tallied 25 points (9 - 13 FG, 3 - 4 3PT, 4 - 4 FT), six rebounds, three assists, and one steal in 33 minutes. All five starters scored in double figures. Dallas will welcome Staple Center's other tenant Friday night."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "41"}}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "9", "Derrick Favors": "18", "Nikola Jokic": "23", "Jameer Nelson": "17"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Derrick Favors": "11", "George Hill": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Derrick Favors": "8", "George Hill": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Derrick Favors": "25"}, "Assists": {"Nikola Jokic": "6", "Jameer Nelson": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Nikola Jokic": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Jokic": "11"}, "Steals": {"Nikola Jokic": "2"}}], "2017 has gotten off to a good start for Denver's Nikola Jokic. The 21 - year - old is averaging over 23 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists per game in January. On Tuesday, he built on that stat line by once again leading the Nuggets in scoring and rebounding. Jokic posted 23 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, two steals, and three blocks against Utah. Denver saw an additional 17 points and seven assists from veteran point guard Jameer Nelson, who found himself starting in Emmanuel Mudiay's stead. The Jazz, meanwhile, saw less dominant play from their stars. Forward Gordon Hayward scored only nine points, while point guard George Hill shot a dismal 6 - of - 18. The two were major contributors to Utah's 41 percent shooting from the field on the night. Forward Derrick Favors, however, scored an impressive 18 points on 8 - of - 11 shooting in just 25 minutes of play."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "30", "Wizards": "35"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "102", "Wizards": "117"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hawks": "16", "Wizards": "28"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "41", "Wizards": "35"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Wizards": "28"}}, {"Points": {"Otto Porter": "16", "Bradley Beal": "25", "John Wall": "27", "Al Horford": "14", "Jeff Teague": "23", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Otto Porter": "10", "Al Horford": "9"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "14", "Al Horford": "9", "Jeff Teague": "4"}}], "The Washington Wizards (35 - 35) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (41 - 30) 117 - 102 on Monday night. Washington came into this game as a seven - point underdog and walked away with a huge road win. This game kept the Wizards within two games of the final playoff spot in the east and it took some dominating fourth quarter defense to prevail. The Wizards held the Hawks to just 16 points in the final quarter, while scoring 28 of their own. The offense was spectacular for Washington, as they shot over 50 percent from the field, as well as from three - point range. The Wizards got a great team effort for a much needed win, as all five starters scored at least 14 points. John Wall led the team with 27 points and also dished out 14 assists in yet another great performance. Bradley Beal scored 25 of his own and continues to re - emerge since his return from a pelvic injury. Otto Porter double - doubled, as he scored 16 points to go along with 10 rebounds. The Wizards will look to keep their playoff hopes alive in a rematch against these Hawks on Wednesday. Atlanta has been playing some great ball recently, but this was a baffling loss. Al Horford flirted with a triple - double though, as he accumulated 14 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in the loss. Jeff Teague led the team with 23 points and also dished out four assists. The only other notable stat line was a 16 - point outing from Tim Hardaway Jr. off the bench. As mentioned before, the next game for the Hawks is a rematch against these Wizards on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "38", "Kings": "29"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "128", "Kings": "119"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "13", "Kings": "21"}, "Number of team assists": {"Kings": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "10", "Rajon Rondo": "15", "Joe Johnson": "11", "Thaddeus Young": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Joe Johnson": "7", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Joe Johnson": "5", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "18", "Joe Johnson": "16", "Brook Lopez": "21", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "9", "Joe Johnson": "11", "Brook Lopez": "11", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Brook Lopez": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2", "Brook Lopez": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "40", "Rajon Rondo": "35", "Darren Collison": "25", "Joe Johnson": "37", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "27"}, "Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "24", "Rajon Rondo": "15", "Darren Collison": "25", "Joe Johnson": "27", "Thaddeus Young": "14", "Brook Lopez": "26", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "10", "Darren Collison": "3", "Joe Johnson": "6", "Thaddeus Young": "14"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2", "Joe Johnson": "2", "Thaddeus Young": "2"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets (13 - 38) defeated the visiting Sacramento Kings (21 - 29) 128 - 119, on Friday night at Barclays Center. The Nets reached new season - highs for total points in a game, with 128 and made three - pointers, with 18. Joe Johnson and Bojan Bogdanovic joined in on the trend as Johnson tallied a season - high in points and Bogdanovic a career - high seven made three - pointers. Meanwhile, the Kings lost their seventh game in a row when visiting the Nets. The Kings are now 0 - 4 at Barclays Center and have not beat the host Nets since 2007 when they were in New Jersey. Sacramento has now lost six of its last seven, while Brooklyn snapped its five - game losing streak. Joe Johnson tallied a double - double as he led the Nets in scoring with his season - high 27 points (11 - 16 FG, 5 - 7 3Pt), along with 11 assists, six rebounds and two steals, in 37 minutes. Five other players contributed double digits in the points column, including Brook Lopez who dropped 26 (11 - 21 FG, 4 - 4 FT), along with his 14 rebounds, seven assists and two steals, in 40 minutes. Thaddeus Young also notched a double - double with 14 points and 14 rebounds, along with seven assists and two steals, in 38 minutes. Meanwhile, Bojan Bogdanovic's career - high seven threes made up most of his 23 points (8 - 10 FG, 7 - 9 3Pt), which he totaled in 27 minutes off the bench. Despite giving up a careless 22 turnovers the Nets offense managed to bail them out, shooting 55 percent from the field. DeMarcus Cousins tallied a triple - double as the all - star did everything he could to keep his squad in the game. Cousins finished with 24 points (9 - 18 FG, 4 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT), 10 rebounds and 10 assists, along with two steals, in 40 minutes. Rajon Rondo added 15 points and 15 assists, in 35 minutes, while back - up point guard Darren Collison totaled 25 points, three rebounds and one block, in 25 minutes off the bench. The Kings shot a solid 50 percent from the field and dished 30 assists but their defense simply could not stop the Nets. The Kings will be in Boston on Sunday, and will look to avoid a third straight loss. The Nets will be in Philly on Saturday for a bottom - of - the - conference showdown."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Magic": "18"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "29", "Bulls": "23"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "92", "Bulls": "100"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "19"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "19", "Bulls": "13"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "18", "Bulls": "23"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "46"}}, {"Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "4", "Dwyane Wade": "3"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "20", "Dwyane Wade": "21", "Nikola Vucevic": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "8", "Dwyane Wade": "7", "Nikola Vucevic": "8"}, "Steals": {"Dwyane Wade": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Nikola Vucevic": "33"}}], "The Chicago Bulls defeated the Orlando Magic 100 - 92 Tuesday night at the Amway Center. The victory was the second in a row for the Bulls (23 - 23), and it brought the team back up to .500 on the season. Chicago was led by Dwyane Wade on both sides of the ball, as he recorded a team - high 21 points, seven rebounds and three assists on top of an incredible seven steals on the defensive end. All-Star Jimmy Butler was n't too far behind either, posting 20 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals of his own. The duo accounted for 10 of the Bulls' 13 takeaways Tuesday night. As a team, it was n't the most impressive shooting night for Chicago, as they hit just 46 percent of their field goal attempts, but what carried them to victory was their ability to make it to the free throw line. In total, they hit 23 - of - 30 shots at the charity stripe. For the Magic (18 - 29), Tuesday's loss was their second in a row and their fifth in their last six games. And the loss came despite a solid outing from their starting five, who all managed to score in double figures. It was the lack of production off the bench, however, that ultimately led to their inability to keep pace with the Bulls. The four reserves that saw action on Tuesday managed to score just 20 total points despite each one playing at least 13 minutes. It also did n't help that Orlando struggled mightily to take care of the basketball, producing 19 total turnovers to just 18 assists. In the end, it was Nikola Vucevic who led the way for the Magic, recording 20 points and eight rebounds in 33 minutes. Up next, the Bulls will look to earn their third straight win at home Wednesday against the Hawks, while the Magic will head to Boston on Friday to play the Celtics."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "2", "Timberwolves": "2"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "107", "Timberwolves": "117"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "7", "Timberwolves": "4"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "32", "Andrew Wiggins": "38", "Paul Millsap": "35", "Jeff Teague": "35"}, "Points": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "17", "Andrew Wiggins": "33", "Paul Millsap": "22", "Jeff Teague": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "12"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "15"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (4 - 2) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (7 - 2) 117 - 107 Monday at Phillips Arena in Atlanta. The Timberwolves came out in dominating fashion, and it looked like the game was over by halftime, as Minnesota led 72 - 42 after the first 24 minutes. However, the Hawks had a quick turnaround at the start of the third quarter, and pulled within nine points by the time the final period rolled around. And despite coming back to tie the game at 105, the Timberwolves had one final run in them to pull away at the end. Andrew Wiggins led the way for Minnesota, scoring a game - high 33 points on an efficient 15 - of - 22 shooting for the field in 38 minutes. Karl-Anthony Towns also continues to impress in his rookie campaign, as he recorded his second straight double - double, finishing with 17 points and 12 rebounds in 32 minutes. Jeff Teague and Paul Millsap shined in the losing effort, scoring 24 and 22 points respectively in 35 minutes. However, the team only got a combined 28 points from the other three members of the starting lineup. Up next, the Timberwolves will head home Tuesday to take on the Hornets, while the Hawks will stay home Wednesday to play the Pelicans."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Rockets": "46"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Lakers": "12"}, "Turnovers": {"Lakers": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Brandon Ingram": "18", "Julius Randle": "32", "Ivica Zubac": "2", "Jordan Clarkson": "18", "Trevor Ariza": "20", "Clint Capela": "15", "James Harden": "18", "Eric Gordon": "10", "Nene": "10", "Lou Williams": "30"}, "Assists": {"Ivica Zubac": "1", "James Harden": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Ivica Zubac": "2", "Clint Capela": "10", "James Harden": "12"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "9"}}], "The Rockets erupted for 46 points in the fourth period to put an exclamation point on the rout. Six Houston players posted double - digit scoring, and the Rockets also forced 22 turnovers from the Lakers while limiting them to a paltry 12 percent success rate from long range. Lou Williams' 30 points off the bench paced the Rockets, while Trevor Ariza led the first unit with 20 points. Harden turned in an 18 - point, 13 - assist, 12 - rebound triple - double despite committing nine turnovers. Clint Capela followed with a 15 - point, 10 - rebound double - double, while Nene Hilario and Eric Gordon generated 10 - point efforts as reserves. Julius Randle's 32 points led the Lakers. Brandon Ingram managed 18 points, and Jordan Clarkson matched his scoring total. Ivica Zubac played only nine minutes due to foul trouble, recording two points, two rebounds and one assist."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Heat": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "51"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "17", "Wizards": "14"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "112", "Wizards": "101"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Heat": "31", "Wizards": "19"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "8", "Wizards": "9"}}, {"Assists": {"Markieff Morris": "3", "John Wall": "8", "Josh McRoberts": "5", "Goran Dragic": "5"}, "Points": {"Markieff Morris": "10", "Bradley Beal": "29", "John Wall": "30", "Josh McRoberts": "7", "Hassan Whiteside": "17", "Goran Dragic": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "5", "John Wall": "6", "Josh McRoberts": "8", "Hassan Whiteside": "16", "Goran Dragic": "5"}, "Steals": {"Bradley Beal": "4", "Goran Dragic": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Goran Dragic": "31"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the Washington Wizards, 112 - 101, at American Airlines Arena on Monday. In a battle between two struggling teams, there were numerous swings, as it was clear both squads were desperate for a win. There were 10 ties and 11 lead changes in total, with no team leading by more than 11 points. Miami made the final most decisive swing, outscoring Washington, 31 - 19, in the fourth quarter. The Heat offense had one of its best games of the season, as they shot 51 percent from the field and assisted on 25 of their 45 buckets. The rebounding was a huge factor as well, with Miami winning that battle, 47 - 36. Washington (9 - 14) continues to struggle this season and losses to teams like the Heat obviously does n't help their cause. Bradley Beal and John Wall did all they could though, as they scored over half of the teams total points in this loss. Wall finished the game with 30 points, six rebounds and eight assists, while Beal accrued 29 points and four steals. The only other player on the roster in double figures was Markieff Morris, who amassed 10 points, five rebounds and three assists. On deck for Washington is a home matchup against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday. Miami (8 - 17) has been playing much better than their record would indicate, so this sort of win can only add to their confidence. Goran Dragic had one of the most efficient games of the season, as he accumulated a season - high 34 points, five rebounds and five assists in just 31 minutes of play. Hassan Whiteside recorded another double - double, totaling 17 points and 16 rebounds in the win. Josh McRoberts had a nice all - around game, tallying seven points, eight rebounds and five assists. The bench played well for Miami, with Josh Richardson, Tyler Johnson and James Johnson all scoring in double figures. Miami will look to build off this win, as they host the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday for their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "25", "Wizards": "28"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "115", "Wizards": "127"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Cavaliers": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Cavaliers": "32", "Wizards": "40"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "47", "Wizards": "45"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "60"}}, {"Assists": {"Bradley Beal": "6", "John Wall": "11", "LeBron James": "8", "Kyrie Irving": "4"}, "Points": {"Bradley Beal": "27", "John Wall": "37", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "16", "LeBron James": "24", "Kevin Love": "17", "Kyrie Irving": "23", "Richard Jefferson": "10", "Kyle Korver": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Bradley Beal": "4", "John Wall": "4", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "7", "LeBron James": "11", "Kevin Love": "7", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"John Wall": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"John Wall": "14"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Kyrie Irving": "2"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the host Cleveland Cavaliers, 127 - 115, at Quicken Loans Arena on Saturday. Washington had one of their best performances of the season here, as they pulled out a near wire - to - wire win over the champs. In fact, they held the lead for the final 44 minutes, as Cleveland never led by more than two points. The Wizards offense was unstoppable, as they shot 60 percent from the field. They also dominated the rebounding, winning that battle, 40 - 32. Washington also took advantage of transition baskets, winning the fastbreak differential, 27 - 4. The Wizards (45 - 28) have now won three - straight games, as they continue to show how dangerous they can be. John Wall was the player of the game, as he collected 37 points, four rebounds, 11 assists and two steals on 14 - of - 21 shooting. Bradley Beal was n't far behind, totaling 27 points, four rebounds and six assists. Otto Porter was great on defense, accruing 10 points, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Kelly Oubre Jr. led the bench with 16 points and seven rebounds. On deck for the Wizards is a road matchup versus the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday. The Cavaliers (47 - 25) have really struggled on defense this season and that was as evident as ever in this tough loss. LeBron James led the way for Cleveland, as he tallied 24 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. Kyrie Irving finished with 23 points, two rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Kevin Love was the only other starter in double figures, as he amassed 17 points and seven rebounds. Kyle Korver and Richard Jefferson co - led the bench with 10 points a piece. Things done get any easier for the Cavs, as they play the San Antonio Spurs on the road for their next game on Monday."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "25", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "21", "Marc Gasol": "18"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Marc Gasol": "4"}}], "Points came from the usual suspects on both sides as the Grizzlies beat the Timberwovles on Wednesday. For Minnesota, third - year guard/forward Andrew Wiggins started the season with a 25 - point scoring spectacle. The high output was unsurprising for Wiggins, who averaged over 20 points per game for the first time in his career last season. Reigning Rookie of the Year Karl-Anthony Towns joined Wiggins as the only other Timberwolve to crack 20 in the game, posting 21 points including nine in the first five minutes. For Memphis, meanwhile, veterans Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph and Mike Conley all scored 18 or more to lead the victory. Gasol stepped it up on the defensive end as well, blocking four shots. In a testament to the tightness of the game, both teams made exactly 36 field goals and recorded 45 rebounds."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "43", "Hornets": "13"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "53", "Hornets": "40"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "33", "Hornets": "39"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "98", "Hornets": "77"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pacers": "33", "Hornets": "16"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "35", "Hornets": "29"}}, {"Field goals made": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "5", "Kemba Walker": "3", "Paul George": "15"}, "Points": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "10", "Kemba Walker": "7", "Frank Kaminsky": "20", "Paul George": "39", "Myles Turner": "6", "Jeff Teague": "8", "Monta Ellis": "16"}, "Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "4", "Paul George": "3", "Myles Turner": "2", "Jeff Teague": "11", "Monta Ellis": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "11", "Paul George": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Frank Kaminsky": "4", "Paul George": "5", "Myles Turner": "11", "Jeff Teague": "8"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "3", "Myles Turner": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Myles Turner": "3", "Monta Ellis": "2"}}], "The Indiana Pacers defeated the Charlotte Hornets, 98 - 77, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Wednesday. Indiana were expected to win this game easily and they left no doubt with this 21 - point margin. The third quarter is where Indiana really made their mark, outscoring Charlotte, 33 - 16. The Pacers played some elite defense too, as they held the Hornets to 40 percent from the field and 13 percent from three - point range (3 - of - 23). Indiana shot 53 percent from the field and 43 percent from long range. Rebounding was also decisive, with the Pacers winning that battle, 42 - 30. The Hornets (29 - 39) had to play this game without Nicolas Batum (migraine) and they simply are n't the same team without him. Amazingly, no starter scored more than 10 points, as Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was the only starter above 37 percent shooting, as he finished with 10 points to lead the starting - five. Kemba Walker accumulated just seven points and four assists on 3 - of - 11 from the field. Frank Kaminsky led the team in scoring off the bench, as he totaled 20 points and four rebounds. Charlotte's next game will be on Wednesday, when they take on the Washington Wizards at home. The Pacers (35 - 33) have been a different team at home this season and this sort of win shows why they are so scary in their home building. Paul George was the player of the game, as he collected 39 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals on 15 - of - 21 shooting. Jeff Teague flirted with a triple - double, as he accrued eight points, eight rebounds and 11 assists. Myles Turner amassed six points, 11 rebounds, two assists, two steals and three blocks. Monta Ellis was a nice spark off the bench, producing 16 points, two assists and two blocks. Indiana wo n't play again until Sunday, when they play the Toronto Raptors on the road for their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "34", "Clippers": "24"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "106", "Clippers": "122"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "34", "Clippers": "43"}, "Number of team assists": {"Clippers": "31"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "57"}, "Turnovers": {"Clippers": "10"}}, {"Assists": {"DeAndre Jordan": "1", "JJ Redick": "3", "Chris Paul": "16", "Trevor Ariza": "4", "Dwight Howard": "1", "James Harden": "8", "Michael Beasley": "1"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "2", "James Harden": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "8", "JJ Redick": "15", "Trevor Ariza": "11", "James Harden": "23", "Michael Beasley": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "8", "JJ Redick": "7", "Trevor Ariza": "5", "James Harden": "11", "Michael Beasley": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "13", "JJ Redick": "6", "James Harden": "8", "Michael Beasley": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "7", "JJ Redick": "6", "James Harden": "6", "Michael Beasley": "2"}, "Points": {"DeAndre Jordan": "23", "JJ Redick": "25", "Chris Paul": "15", "Trevor Ariza": "16", "James Harden": "33", "Michael Beasley": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "16", "Chris Paul": "4", "Trevor Ariza": "6", "James Harden": "5", "Michael Beasley": "8"}, "Steals": {"DeAndre Jordan": "1", "Chris Paul": "2", "James Harden": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"JJ Redick": "9", "Trevor Ariza": "5", "James Harden": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"JJ Redick": "5", "Trevor Ariza": "2", "James Harden": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"JJ Redick": "32", "Chris Paul": "32", "Trevor Ariza": "36", "James Harden": "44", "Michael Beasley": "19"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "8"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (43 - 24) defeated the host Houston Rockets (34 - 34) 122 - 106, Wednesday evening at Toyota Center. The Rockets came into this game winners of four of their last five games and half a game ahead of the eighth place Dallas Mavericks, while the Clippers came in losers of three of their last four, but just a few wins away from clinching a playoff spot. However, each team played as if they came in with the other's streak, as the struggling Clippers trounced the cruising Rockets. The Clippers managed to pour in 72 first - half points, which is the most points the Rockets have given up in a first half all season. The Clippers started out shooting very well from deep, with 10 made three - pointers in the first half but cooled down in the second half, finishing the game 12 - 30 from long range. DeAndre Jordan was a monster inside as he tallied 23 points (8 - 8 FG, 7 - 13 FT), 16 rebounds, two blocked shots, one assist and one steal, as he completely shut - down his counterpart, Dwight Howard. J.J. Redick chipped in 25 points (7 - 15 FG, 5 - 9 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) and three assists, in 32 minutes, while Chris Paul played the maestro, with 15 points, 16 assists, four rebounds and two steals, in 32 minutes. The Clippers shot an incredible 57 percent from the field, largely thanks to Chris Paul's 16 assists, which accounted for more than half of the team's 31 assists on the game. The Rockets trailed the whole length of the game, however they did mount a run in the last few minutes to cut a 21 - point deficit to an 11 - point deficit with four minutes left but could not finish the job down the stretch. James Harden led his team as he tallied 33 points (11 - 23 FG, 5 - 10 3Pt, 6 - 8 FT), along with eight assists, five rebounds, one steal and one block, but also tallied eight turnovers, in 44 minutes. Michael Beasley had another strong game off the bench as he chipped in 16 points (7 - 12 FG, 2 - 4 FT), eight rebounds and one assist, in 19 minutes. Trevor Ariza also chipped in 16 points (5 - 11 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 4 - 4 FG), along with six rebounds and four assists, in 36 minutes. Houston had 16 turnovers on the game, while shooting a respectable 48 percent from the field. Next, the Rockets will host the Timberwolves on Friday. Meanwhile, Minnesota has won two of its last three games, with wins over OKC and Memphis, and will be no push over. The Clippers will play the third game of their current five - game road trip in Memphis on Saturday, in what could be a first round preview."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "19", "Grizzlies": "27"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "123", "Grizzlies": "108"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Rockets": "38", "Grizzlies": "27"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "44", "Grizzlies": "36"}}, {"Points": {"JaMychal Green": "20", "Marc Gasol": "17", "Mike Conley": "23", "Toney Douglas": "12", "Clint Capela": "24", "Patrick Beverley": "12", "James Harden": "33", "Eric Gordon": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"JaMychal Green": "10", "Marc Gasol": "4", "Mike Conley": "6", "Toney Douglas": "5", "Clint Capela": "11", "Patrick Beverley": "5", "James Harden": "7", "Eric Gordon": "2"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "7", "Mike Conley": "7", "Toney Douglas": "5", "Patrick Beverley": "5", "James Harden": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "4"}, "Steals": {"Marc Gasol": "2", "Mike Conley": "2", "Patrick Beverley": "3", "James Harden": "2", "Eric Gordon": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Eric Gordon": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Eric Gordon": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Eric Gordon": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Eric Gordon": "6"}}], "The Houston Rockets defeated the Memphis Grizzlies, 123 - 108, at Toyota Center on Saturday. In this potential playoff preview, the Rockets gave it to the Grizzlies in this blowout win. The third quarter is where Houston made their mark, as they outscored Memphis, 38 - 27, as the Grizzlies could n't get within 12 from there. Three-point shooting was the difference in the game, with the Rockets going 18 - of - 42 from long distance, while the Grizzlies hit just 8 - of - 28. Fastbreak points was key as well, with Houston winning that differential, 17 - 4. The Grizzlies (36 - 27) have struggled on offense all season and they simply could n't keep pace with the Rockets in this matchup. Mike Conley carried the load, as he tallied 23 points, six rebounds, seven assists and two steals. JaMychal Green totaled 20 points and 10 rebounds. Marc Gasol contributed 17 points, four rebounds, seven assists, two steals and four blocks. Toney Douglas came off the bench and scored 12 points to go along with five rebound and five assists. Memphis will have a much easier task on Monday, when they host the Brooklyn Nets for their next game. The Rockets (44 - 19) have set fire to the league with their offense and abusing a Grizzlies defense like this shows just how dangerous they can be. James Harden continued his MVP form, collecting 33 points, seven rebounds, 11 assists and two steals. Clint Capela finished second on the team with 24 points and 11 rebounds. Eric Gordon was a huge spark off the bench, providing 18 points, two rebounds and two steals on 6 - of - 9 from three - point range. Patrick Beverley accumulated 12 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals. Houston will look to keep rolling on Monday in a road matchup against the San Antonio Spurs."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "20", "Hornets": "32"}}, {"Points": {"Marvin Williams": "7", "Cody Zeller": "15", "Nicolas Batum": "10", "Kemba Walker": "22", "Frank Kaminsky": "18", "Marco Belinelli": "20", "Terrence Ross": "19", "Nikola Vucevic": "14", "Evan Fournier": "15", "Elfrid Payton": "15", "Jodie Meeks": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Marvin Williams": "10", "Nikola Vucevic": "12"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Cody Zeller": "10", "Frank Kaminsky": "13"}, "Assists": {"Nikola Vucevic": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Nikola Vucevic": "3"}, "Steals": {"Nikola Vucevic": "1"}}], "After being down by a 54 - 48 margin at halftime, Charlotte outscored the Magic, 32 - 20, in the fourth quarter to post their third consecutive win. Kemba Walker led the way for the Hornets with 22 points and Marco Belinelli followed with a second unit - leading 20 points. Frank Kaminsky III was productive in a reserve role as well with 18 points (13 which came in the fourth quarter). Cody Zeller followed with 15 points, while Nicolas Batum provided 10. Marvin Williams managed a modest seven points but hauled in 10 rebounds. Terrence Ross paced the Magic with 19 points. Evan Fournier poured in 15 points and Elfrid Payton matched his scoring total. Nikola Vucevic posted a 14 - point, 12 - rebound double - double that also included eight assists, three blocks and one steal. Jodie Meeks led the bench with 10 points."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Grizzlies": "18"}, "Turnovers": {"Grizzlies": "10"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Magic": "28"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Evan Fournier": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Evan Fournier": "11"}, "Points": {"Evan Fournier": "28", "Nikola Vucevic": "18", "Marc Gasol": "25", "Troy Daniels": "19"}, "Blocks": {"Nikola Vucevic": "3", "Marc Gasol": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Nikola Vucevic": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "11", "Marc Gasol": "2", "Jarell Martin": "10"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}}], "There's been no team who has dealt with as many significant injuries as the Grizzlies, but they continue to get it done. Despite trailing by 13 with 3:29 left, Memphis ended the game on a 24 - 10 run to win by one. Turnovers really killed Orlando, as they committed 18 of them, while forcing just 10. Evan Fouriner had one of his best games of the season though, scoring 28 points on 11 - of - 14 shooting in the defeat. Nikola Vucevic recorded a double - double off the bench, totaling 18 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks. Marc Gasol was the hero, as he hit two free - throws to take the lead with 11 seconds left. Gasol finished the game with 25 points, three assists and five blocks. Troy Daniels and Jarell Martin were great off the bench, as Daniels scored 19 points and Martin grabbed 10 boards. The total of 190 nearly suffered a horrific beat, as there were 34 points scored in the final three - plus minutes to land on 189."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "12", "Clippers": "10"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "103", "Clippers": "105"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pistons": "12"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pistons": "31", "Clippers": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Pistons": "54", "Clippers": "39"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "14", "Clippers": "15"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "30", "JJ Redick": "17", "Reggie Jackson": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Blake Griffin": "15", "JJ Redick": "10", "Reggie Jackson": "9"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "34", "JJ Redick": "24", "Reggie Jackson": "34"}, "3-pointers made": {"JJ Redick": "4", "Jamal Crawford": "1"}, "Steals": {"Jamal Crawford": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Jamal Crawford": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Reggie Jackson": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Reggie Jackson": "11"}}], "The Clippers (15 - 10) avoided a serious let down to defeat the Pistons (14 - 12) 105 - 103 in overtime at The Palace of Auburn Hills on Monday. The Clippers were outscored 31 - 21 in the fourth quarter, but a J.J. Redick 3 - pointer set up by Blake Griffin was enough to force extra basketball. The Pistons left Jamal Crawford wide open for the go - ahead trey with 12 seconds remaining in overtime and Los Angeles managed to squeak out a victory for the second straight time on the road. Not only did Griffin score a team - high 34 points on 15 - of - 30 shooting from the field, but he also forced the double team that led to Crawford's wide - open attempt to clinch the win. Detroit had absolutely no answer for the all - star power forward, who had n't posted more than 30 points since Nov. 25 against the Jazz when he poured in a season - high 40 on one of the better defensive teams in the league. But what was more surprising was another solid performance from Redick, who hit four 3 - pointers en route to 24 points on 10 - of - 17 shooting. Over his past five games, Redick is averaging 19 points, which is five higher than his season average. Detroit fought hard to get back into the game, but was unable to prevent Los Angeles from forcing overtime. The Pistons did however get a huge game from Reggie Jackson, who scored a team - high 34 points on 9 - of - 18 shooting from the field while hitting 14 free throws. He also posted a season - high 11 rebounds and came just three assists away from his third career triple - double. The Pistons absolutely destroyed the Clippers on the glass, outrebounding them 54 - 39, though the effort was futile."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Mason Plumlee": "13", "DeMarcus Cousins": "28"}, "Field goals made": {"Mason Plumlee": "10", "DeMarcus Cousins": "17"}, "Points": {"Mason Plumlee": "27", "CJ McCollum": "36", "Damian Lillard": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Mason Plumlee": "13"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "17"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "16"}}], "Sacramento center DeMarcus Cousins had perhaps the most interesting night of his career on Tuesday. The big man dropped a season - high 55 points and pulled down 13 rebounds en route to a victory, despite seeing an odd ejection and ensuing rescinding of said ejection. Cousins received a second technical and was ejected from the game but had his technical soon overturned, returning to the game to finish out his career night. He shot a ridiculous 17 - of - 28 from the field, 16 - of - 17 at the line, and 5 - of - 8 from three - point range. Cousins also added three blocks. There were several big nights on Portland's end as well. Point guard Damian Lillard had 24 points and 15 assists, while C.J. McCollum led the team with 36. Center Mason Plumlee, meanwhile, shot 10 - of - 13 and scored 27 points while pulling down 13 rebounds. As a whole, though, the Blazers shot an abysmal 4 - of - 27 from three - point range, a mark that may have cost the team the game."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Knicks": "42", "Pistons": "39"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "35", "Pistons": "50"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "30", "Pistons": "23"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "81", "Pistons": "97"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "5", "Pistons": "9"}}, {"Points": {"Greg Monroe": "12", "Brandon Jennings": "29", "Jodie Meeks": "15", "JR Smith": "22", "Cole Aldrich": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Greg Monroe": "10", "Andre Drummond": "20", "Cole Aldrich": "14"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Brandon Jennings": "8", "Jodie Meeks": "7", "JR Smith": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Brandon Jennings": "4", "Jodie Meeks": "3", "JR Smith": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Brandon Jennings": "17", "Jodie Meeks": "13", "JR Smith": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Brandon Jennings": "11", "Jodie Meeks": "6", "JR Smith": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Jodie Meeks": "25", "JR Smith": "36"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (9 - 23) defeated the New York Knicks (5 - 30) 97 - 81 on Friday at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Pistons had a strong first half, out - scoring the Knicks 57 - 38. With the strong start, they were able to coast through the second half and secure a 16 - point victory. The Pistons shot well in this one, going 50 percent from the field and 39 percent from the three - point line, while the Knicks went only 35 percent from the field and 42 percent from beyond the arc. Brandon Jennings had himself a game Friday. In only 24 minutes, Jennings went 11 - for - 17 from the floor and 4 - for - 8 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 29 points. It was a nice bounce back game for him after scoring only five points against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday. Jodie Meeks provided a big contribution off the bench. He scored 15 points (6 - 13 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt) in 25 minutes. Meeks is coming off a 34 - point outing on Tuesday, so he continued to ride his hot hand and had another good showing Friday. While he did n't have much of an offensive impact, Andre Drummond was a monster on the boards. He finished with 20 rebounds, marking the second game in a row and fifth time this season recording at least 20 rebounds. He's now averaging 13 rebounds per game on the season. Greg Monroe had 12 points and 10 rebounds of his own, giving him his tenth double - double of the season. Without Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire or Samuel Dalembert in the lineup, the Knicks were really thin. J.R. Smith was about the only bright spot for them, as he went 8 - for - 20 from the field and 5 - for - 9 from the three - point line to score 22 points in 36 minutes. He was in the starting lineup for only the fifth time this season, and he capitalized on his opportunity. The only other Knick to reach double figures was Cole Aldrich. He started at center and finished with 11 points and 14 rebounds. It marked his third double - double of the season. With all the injuries and only two players reaching double - digit points, the Knicks just did n't have the offensive fire power to stay within reach. The Pistons' next game will be at home against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, while the Knicks will be at home against the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "25", "Warriors": "5"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "112", "Warriors": "118"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Heat": "30", "Warriors": "21"}, "Turnovers": {"Heat": "12"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "32", "Warriors": "51"}}, {"Assists": {"Harrison Barnes": "1", "Draymond Green": "3", "Stephen Curry": "7", "Luol Deng": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "7", "Goran Dragic": "7"}, "Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "11", "Draymond Green": "10", "Klay Thompson": "33", "Stephen Curry": "42", "Luol Deng": "16", "Dwyane Wade": "32", "Goran Dragic": "13", "Hassan Whiteside": "21", "Josh Richardson": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Harrison Barnes": "5", "Draymond Green": "11", "Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "7", "Luol Deng": "11", "Dwyane Wade": "3", "Hassan Whiteside": "13", "Josh Richardson": "2"}, "Steals": {"Harrison Barnes": "1", "Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "1", "Luol Deng": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "1", "Goran Dragic": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "1", "Josh Richardson": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "1", "Luol Deng": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "1", "Josh Richardson": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Klay Thompson": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Klay Thompson": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Stephen Curry": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "1"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (51 - 5) outscored the Miami Heat (32 - 25) 118 - 112 on Wednesday. The entertaining back - and - forth battle got off to a somewhat surprising start, with the Heat jumping on the reigning NBA champs early to take a 30 - 21 lead after one quarter. Golden State won each of the three successive periods however, with their stellar backcourt catching fire. Stephen Curry surpassed the 40 - point mark for only the second time since Dec. 5, while Klay Thompson broke the 30 - point barrier for the second time in the last three games. Both clubs played each other as closely as the final score indicated, as they were virtually even in several major offensive categories. That parity also extended to the turnover battle, with each team taking care of the ball at a high level. The visitors handed the ball over to Miami a modest 13 times, while the Heat was guilty of only 12 mistakes themselves. Curry's 42 points paced the Warriors' attack. He added seven rebounds, seven assists, a steal and two blocks. Thompson was next in line with 33 points, which he supplemented with three rebounds and four steals. With the pair of superstars accounting for well over half of Golden State's scoring haul on the night, only two other players tallied double - digit points. Harrison Barnes supplied 11, along with five rebounds, an assist and a steal, while Draymond Green contributed a 10 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included three assists and a block. The Warriors remain the top - ranked team in the Western Conference, and also hold the best record in the NBA. They continue their trek through the Sunshine State with a visit to the Orlando Magic on Thursday. The Heat was led by a 32 - point effort from Dwyane Wade, who shook off his troublesome knee to help Miami keep pace. He also dished out seven assists, hauled in three rebounds, and had a steal and a block. Hassan Whiteside continued his stretch of highly impressive play off the bench, collecting 21 points, 13 boards, a steal and a pair of his trademark blocks. It was the 26 - year - old's third consecutive double - double, which have all come off the bench following his return from a one - game suspension for elbowing the Spurs' Boban Marjanovic before the All-Star break. Luol Deng, who's been excellent in his own right while helping fill the void left by Chris Bosh's (calf) absence, turned in a 16 - point, 11 - rebound double - double of his own that also featured three assists, a steal and a block. Goran Dragic was efficient, pitching in 13 points, handing out seven assists and tallying a steal. Second-round pick Josh Richardson got in on the act as well, managing a career - high 15 points, and adding two rebounds, a block and a steal. Miami remains atop the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division and currently holds the fourth seed in the conference. They head to Boston for a showdown with the third - seeded Celtics on Saturday afternoon."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "60", "Celtics": "32"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "100", "Celtics": "107"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "16", "Celtics": "45"}, "Number of team assists": {"Celtics": "30"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Celtics": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Jae Crowder": "22", "Evan Turner": "17", "Isaiah Thomas": "26", "Kobe Bryant": "34", "Julius Randle": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Jae Crowder": "5", "Evan Turner": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "2", "Kobe Bryant": "4", "Julius Randle": "10"}, "Steals": {"Jae Crowder": "5", "Kobe Bryant": "3"}, "Assists": {"Evan Turner": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "6", "Kobe Bryant": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Evan Turner": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Evan Turner": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Evan Turner": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Evan Turner": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Evan Turner": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "20", "Kobe Bryant": "28"}, "Field goals made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "10", "Kobe Bryant": "11"}}], "The Boston Celtics (45 - 32) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (16 - 60) 107 - 100 at Staples Center on Sunday. Kobe Bryant made sure to save enough in the tank to give the Lakers long time rivals a run for their money. Fresh off their thrilling upset against the Golden State Warriors, the Celtics rallied behind Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder. Evan Turner got the nod at shooting guard in place of Avery Bradley (personal reasons) and provided efficiency in the backcourt and clutch free throw shooting down the stretch. As the Celtics looked to rip off scoring runs, Bryant kept the Lakers within striking distance, as he finished with 34 points, four rebounds, one assist and three steals on 11 - of - 28 shooting. The 20 - year veteran had a chance to close the gap after two Even Turner free throws, but the ball rattled in and out and Boston grabbed the rebound to put away the game. Thomas scored 26 points on 10 - of - 20 shooting, to go along with two rebounds and six assists, while Crowder contributed 22 points, five rebounds and five steals. Jae Crowder was tremendous on the defensive end of the floor and a needed piece in Brad Stevens\u2019 rotations, especially with the Celtics closing in on the 3 - seed for the Eastern Conference. Turner exited the game with under one minute to play in the fourth quarter after what appeared to be an unintentional hit to the face/eye, but still added 17 points, four boards and four dimes in 35 minutes. Julius Randle turned in another double - double with 20 points and 10 rebounds, which helped the struggling back court for Los Angeles. Jordan Clarkson and D\u2019Angelo Russell combined for 25 points on 10 - of - 30 shooting, as both guards shot selection was iffy at best. Neither team shot the three pointer effectively, but the Celtics were able to showcase strong ball movement and selfless basketball, which was reflected by their 30 assists as a unit. The Lakers will technically play a road game against the Los Angeles Clippers (48 - 28) on Tuesday, while the Celtics return home to host the New Orleans Pelicans (29 - 47) on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "10", "Spurs": "5"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "95", "Spurs": "91"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "12", "Spurs": "18"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Spurs": "17"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Spurs": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Rajon Rondo": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "19", "Patty Mills": "12", "Jimmy Butler": "14", "Rajon Rondo": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "10", "Patty Mills": "6", "Jimmy Butler": "4", "Rajon Rondo": "6"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "24", "Pau Gasol": "13", "Patty Mills": "16", "Jimmy Butler": "13", "Dwyane Wade": "20", "Rajon Rondo": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "8", "Pau Gasol": "10", "Rajon Rondo": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "13"}, "Free throws made": {"Dwyane Wade": "9"}}], "The Chicago Bulls defeated the San Antonino Spurs at United Center 95 - 91 on Thursday. The Bulls (12 - 10) dictated the pace of the game, despite a a torrid first half from Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade, the defensive effort from both teams was on display and the difference maker. The Bulls held the Spurs (18 - 5) to just 17 points in the first quarter and 15 points in the second quarter, and although the starters were far from performing well in the scoring department, they won the rebounding battle and moved the ball more effectively. Butler went on to finish with 13 points on 4 - of - 14 shooting, but also drew the matchup with Kawhi Leonard, who flashed defensive brilliance, contesting every attempt Butler went for. Wade went off in the second half and did most of his damage from the free throw line after finishing with 20 points on 9 - of - 13 shooting from the charity stripe. All five Bulls starters finished in double figures scoring, and Rajon Rondo had the best all around evening, finishing one assist shy of a triple - double. Rondo went for 12 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists on 6 - of - 12 shooting. Leonard led the charge for San Antonio, although it was not enough to prevent their first road loss of the season. Leonard finished with 24 points, eight rebounds, five assists and one steal on 10 - of - 19 shooting. Pau Gasol converted a double - double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Patty Mills contributed 16 points on 6 - of - 12 shooting from the bench. Both teams play on Saturday, as the Spurs host the Brooklyn Nets, while the Bulls host the Miami Heat."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "14", "76ers": "25"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "110", "76ers": "106"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Celtics": "26", "76ers": "39"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "22", "76ers": "9"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"76ers": "23"}}, {"Points": {"Robert Covington": "9", "Ersan Ilyasova": "20", "Joel Embiid": "23", "T.J. McConnell": "9", "Nerlens Noel": "13", "Gerald Henderson": "18", "Amir Johnson": "13", "Al Horford": "19", "Avery Bradley": "26", "Isaiah Thomas": "24", "Marcus Smart": "14"}, "Assists": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "3", "Joel Embiid": "3", "T.J. McConnell": "17", "Nerlens Noel": "2", "Gerald Henderson": "1", "Jae Crowder": "3", "Amir Johnson": "3", "Al Horford": "4", "Avery Bradley": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Marcus Smart": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Joel Embiid": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "3", "Gerald Henderson": "1", "Jae Crowder": "2", "Amir Johnson": "4", "Al Horford": "2", "Marcus Smart": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Joel Embiid": "8", "T.J. McConnell": "4", "Nerlens Noel": "8", "Gerald Henderson": "4", "Jae Crowder": "2", "Amir Johnson": "5", "Al Horford": "12", "Avery Bradley": "9", "Isaiah Thomas": "4", "Marcus Smart": "2"}, "Steals": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "2", "Jae Crowder": "2", "Amir Johnson": "1", "Avery Bradley": "1", "Marcus Smart": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Joel Embiid": "6", "Isaiah Thomas": "6"}, "Personal fouls": {"Joel Embiid": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Jae Crowder": "30"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Al Horford": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Isaiah Thomas": "7"}}], "The Boston Celtics defeated the Philadelphia 76ers, 110 - 106, at TD Garden on Friday. Facing a Sixers (9 - 25) squad that had only tallied three road wins in 13 tries coming in, it may have been hard to blame the Celtics (22 - 14) if they were guilty of a little overconfidence Friday. A 39 - point second period by Philadelphia was therefore likely a rather sobering wake - up call, as was the 62 - 51 halftime deficit Boston found itself in. The Celtics were mostly a different team in the second half, as they outscored their visitors by a 59 - 44 margin over the final 24 minutes. However, the game was n't truly decided until the closing seconds, with Al Horford's go - ahead three - pointer with 17 remaining and two key free throws by Isaiah Thomas with two seconds on the clock finally sealing the hard - fought home win. Philadelphia was led by Joel Embiid's 23 points, which he supplemented with eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks. However, he battled foul trouble in the second half, and ultimately was charged with his sixth infraction with six seconds remaining. Ersan Ilyasova went for 20 points, three assists, two rebounds, two steals and two blocks, but missed a couple of key three - point attempts late with the Sixers trailing. T.J. McConnell was outstanding setting up his teammates for scoring opportunities, compiling 17 assists and supplementing them with nine points, four boards and a pair of steals. Robert Covington produced nine points, while Gerald Henderson led the second unit with 18 points, four rebounds, an assist and a block. Nerlens Noel was productive in a reserve role as well, registering 13 points, eight rebounds, two assists, three blocks and two steals. Avery Bradley was the high scorer for the Celtics on the night, totaling 26 points, and adding nine rebounds, two assists and a steal. Backcourt mate Thomas stepped up with 24 points, four rebounds and three assists, but did commit a game - high seven turnovers. Horford amassed 19 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Amir Johnson posted 13 points, five rebounds, three assists, four blocks and a steal. Jae Crowder notably went scoreless over 30 minutes, but did have three assists, two rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Marcus Smart paced the second unit with 14 points, eight assists, two rebounds, two blocks and a steal. The Sixers head to Brooklyn to face the Nets on Sunday, while the Celtics remain home to host the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday evening."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "53"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "7", "Pelicans": "11"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "112", "Pelicans": "107"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "17", "Pelicans": "10"}}, {"Points": {"Anthony Davis": "31", "Jrue Holiday": "30", "Chandler Parsons": "20", "Dirk Nowitzki": "20", "Monta Ellis": "26", "Devin Harris": "20"}, "Assists": {"Jrue Holiday": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Monta Ellis": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Monta Ellis": "11"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (17 - 7) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (10 - 11) 112 - 107 on Wednesday. Dallas has won two of their last four games, passing through a difficult part of their schedule. Jameer Nelson sat out Wednesday with a shoulder injury. Somewhat surprisingly, J.J. Barea moved into the starting lineup at point guard in Nelson's place. Monta Ellis scored a game - high 26 points on 11 - of - 19 shooting from the field after shooting just 1 - of - 11 from the field in the Mavericks' loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday. Four players scored at least 20 points for the Mavericks, with Devin Harris, Chandler Parsons and Dirk Nowitzki joining Ellis in accomplishing the feat. They overcame the Pelicans by shooting 53 percent from the field. Dallas will host the Golden State Warriors in a matinee game on Saturday. New Orleans has lost three of their last five games but were coming off back - to - back wins before dropping Wednesday's game. Anthony Davis scored a game - high 31 points and worked well with starting point guard Jrue Holiday, whom finished with 30 points and 10 assists. The Pelicans played well Wednesday, but the Mavericks simply played better. Eric Gordon is expected to miss at least three more weeks as he continues to try and work back from his shoulder injury in an effort to avoid surgery. New Orleans will return home to host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Mavericks": "32", "Magic": "16"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "32", "Magic": "36"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "112", "Magic": "80"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Mavericks": "32", "Magic": "12"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Mavericks": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Mavericks": "51", "Magic": "40"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "22", "Magic": "20"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "13"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "39"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Magic": "23"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "1"}, "Points": {"Nikola Vucevic": "3", "Evan Fournier": "14", "Bismack Biyombo": "15", "Wesley Matthews": "20", "Seth Curry": "14", "Deron Williams": "7", "Salah Mejri": "4", "Yogi Ferrell": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "10", "Bismack Biyombo": "7", "Wesley Matthews": "4", "Seth Curry": "3", "Salah Mejri": "15", "Yogi Ferrell": "3"}, "Assists": {"Evan Fournier": "1", "Wesley Matthews": "6", "Seth Curry": "4", "Deron Williams": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Bismack Biyombo": "1", "Salah Mejri": "2"}, "Steals": {"Bismack Biyombo": "1", "Deron Williams": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Wesley Matthews": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Wesley Matthews": "6"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Orlando Magic, 112 - 80, at American Airlines Center on Saturday. Despite Orlando leading for the majority of the first quarter, this was one of the most dominating wins for Dallas all year. The second quarter was the difference in the game, with the Mavericks outscoring the Magic, 32 - 12. From there, it never got within 20 points with most starters sitting out the fourth quarter. Defense was key for Dallas, as they held Orlando to 39 percent from the field (32 - of - 82) and 13 percent from three - point range (3 - of - 2). The assist differential was huge as well, with the Mavericks doubling up the Magic, 32 - 16. Dallas also dominated the rebounding, outrebounding Orlando, 51 - 40. The Magic (20 - 36) have now lost 18 of their last 23 games and this blowout loss may be rock - bottom. Evan Fournier was the lone starter with more than 10 pointss, as he collected 14 points, twp rebounds and one assist. Bismack Biyombo was solid off the bench, producing 15 points, seven rebounds, one steal and one block. Nikola Vucevic went just 1 - of - 5 from the field to score three points, but led the team with 10 rebounds. On deck for Orlando is a road matchup with a scorching - hot Miami Heat team on Monday. The Mavericks (22 - 32) have been a different team over recent weeks and blowout wins like this show just how good they can be. Wesley Matthews led the team in scoring, as he tallied 20 points, four rebounds and six assists, while going 6 - of - 8 from three - point range. Seth Curry tied for second on the team, finishing with 14 points, three rebounds and four assists. Deron Williams played for the first time in weeks after returning from a toe injury to provide seven points, four assists and three steals. Salah Mejri was a huge spark off the bench, totaling four points, 15 rebounds and two blocks. Yogi Ferrell also played well off the bench, accumulating 10 points, three rebounds and seven assists. Dallas will host the Boston Celtics on Monday for their next game."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pelicans": "33"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "37", "Spurs": "9"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "86", "Spurs": "94"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "23", "Spurs": "52"}, "Number of team assists": {"Spurs": "27"}, "Turnovers": {"Spurs": "11"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3", "Anthony Davis": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Anthony Davis": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6", "Eric Gordon": "3"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "30", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "26", "Anthony Davis": "17", "Eric Gordon": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "11", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "8", "Anthony Davis": "13", "Eric Gordon": "5"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2", "Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "19", "Anthony Davis": "12", "Eric Gordon": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "11", "Anthony Davis": "7", "Eric Gordon": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Anthony Davis": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Eric Gordon": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Eric Gordon": "6"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (52 - 9) won a back - and - forth game over the New Orleans Pelicans (23 - 37) Thursday night at Smoothie King Center, 94 - 86. The game was tight throughout, as neither team managed to build up a double - digit lead at any point in the game. The Pelicans, who earned a one - point halftime lead, led for the first nine minutes of the fourth quarter. But the Spurs exploded in the game's final minutes, as they ended the game on a an 18 - 5 run and scored on every single one of their final eight possessions before running the clock out to end the game. Kawhi Leonard led all scorers with 30 points, bolstered by six made three - pointers, and added 11 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals. Lamarcus Aldridge scored 26 points (11 - 19 FG) and added eight rebounds and a block. The Spurs offense was crisp as usual, as the Spurs assisted on 27 of their 36 made field goals (75 percent) and turned the ball over just 11 times. Eric Gordon scored 23 points (9 - 19 FG, 3 - 6 3PT) to lead the Pelicans. Anthony Davis notched his third double - double in the past five games with 17 points (7 - 12 FG, 3 - 3 FT) and 13 rebounds and added two blocks, two steals and an assist. The Pelicans shot just 8 - 24 (33 percent) from three and had 10 of their 65 two - point shots (15 percent) blocked as they could n't put up enough points to pull away from the Spurs. The Pelicans host the Jazz on Saturday. The Spurs return home Saturday to face the Kings."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "16", "76ers": "18"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "88", "76ers": "99"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pelicans": "19"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "7", "76ers": "5"}}, {"Assists": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "4", "Joel Embiid": "2", "Sergio Rodriguez": "8"}, "Points": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "23", "Sergio Rodriguez": "16", "Anthony Davis": "26", "Langston Galloway": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "8", "Joel Embiid": "7", "Sergio Rodriguez": "2", "Anthony Davis": "11"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Joel Embiid": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Joel Embiid": "3", "Sergio Rodriguez": "2"}, "Steals": {"Joel Embiid": "3", "Sergio Rodriguez": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Joel Embiid": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Sergio Rodriguez": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Davis": "41"}}], "The 76ers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 99 - 88 Thursday at Smoothie King Center. The 76ers (5 - 18) used a dominant second half to pull away from the Pelicans (7 - 16) and end their eight - game winning streak. Philadelphia was once again led by Ersan Ilyasova, who scored a team - high 23 points on top of eight rebounds and four assists. Point guard Sergio Rodriguez had 16 points and eight assists, while Joel Embiid, who played after having two of the last three games off, scored 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds. And while the starters had a solid evening for the 76ers, it was their bench that really put them over the top, as the reserves combined to score 37 points Thursday night. Meanwhile, it was another night to forget for the Pelicans, as the absence of both Jrue Holiday and E'Twaun Moore due to toe injuries ended up being too much for this offensively - challenged New Orleans team. Anthony Davis led the way for the team, but scored an underwhelming - - by his standards - - 26 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in 41 minutes. The only other Pelicans player to score in double figures was Langston Galloway, who scored 19 points off the bench in 26 minutes. The other seven New Orleans players who saw action Thursday managed to combine to score just 43 points. With the loss, the Pelicans extended their losing streak to four games and they have now lost six of their last seven. Up next, the 76ers will look to earn their second winning streak of the season against the Pistons on Sunday, while the Pelicans will head to Los Angeles on Saturday to take on the Clippers."], [[{"Total points": {"Thunder": "112", "Spurs": "106"}}, {"Assists": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1"}, "Blocks": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "4"}, "Points": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "11", "Kawhi Leonard": "32", "Russell Westbrook": "33"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1", "Kevin Durant": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kevin Durant": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Kevin Durant": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder were able to hold off the San Antonio Spurs, 112 - 106, in the season opener for both squads on Wednesday. The Thunder were unsurprisingly led by their two co - stars, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, who combined for 55 points. Westbrook finished with a game - high 33 points, but it was the 10th and final assist that he handed out Wednesday night that spelled the difference for the home team. With the clock ticking down with about four minutes left in the fourth quarter, Westbrook found Durant for a go - ahead three - pointer. Durant would push Oklahoma City\u2019s lead to five with another three with less than a minute to go, giving new coach Billy Donovan his first NBA win. For the Spurs, all eyes were on new acquisition LaMarcus Aldridge, who didn\u2019t quite have the impact fans might have been hoping for his team debut. He finished with just 11 points on 4 - for - 12 shooting, but still finished as the team\u2019s second - leading scorer. That\u2019s mostly because Aldridge and his teammates let Kawhi Leonard go to work in this one, with the swingman establishing a new career high with 32 points to go along with eight boards. Oklahoma City will aim to push its record to 20 on Friday in Orlando, while San Antonio returns home Friday for a date with Brooklyn."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "2", "Thunder": "3"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "104", "Thunder": "98"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "4", "Thunder": "3"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "29", "Russell Westbrook": "18"}, "Minutes played": {"Kevin Durant": "41", "Derrick Rose": "37"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "33", "Serge Ibaka": "17", "Russell Westbrook": "20", "Pau Gasol": "11", "Jimmy Butler": "26", "Derrick Rose": "29", "Taj Gibson": "9", "Aaron Brooks": "9"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "8", "Derrick Rose": "5"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (4 - 2) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (3 - 3) 104 - 98 on Thursday. Derrick Rose finally put together a complete performance, and the result was an impressive victory over a dynamic and high - octane Thunder squad. Rose outplayed Russell Westbrook in what was the Bulls\u2019 point guard\u2019s best game of the young season by far. His team - best 29 points were also a season high, easily surpassing the 18 he tallied in the opener against the Hawks. Rose also managed to stuff the stat sheet in other categories, amassing seven assists and five rebounds while only turning the ball over once in 37 minutes. The Thunder received another outstanding effort from a rejuvenated Kevin Durant, who appears completely healthy and hitting on all cylinders offensively. The 27 - year - old posted his second - best scoring night of the season with a game - high 33 points, and was considerably aggressive with 29 shot attempts. Perhaps most encouraging was the fact that Durant showed no signs of wear on the second night of a back - to - back, and was able to spend 41 quality minutes on the floor. Serge Ibaka (17 points) and Russell Westrook\u2019s near triple - double (20 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds) helped supplement Durant\u2019s production. The Thunder dropped to 3 - 3 and are presently a half game behind first - place Portland in the Western Conference\u2019s Northwest Division, pending the outcome of tonight\u2019s Grizzlies-Blazers contest. Oklahoma City heads home for a Sunday tilt with Phoenix. The Bulls backcourt was on fire Thursday, with Jimmy Butler playing Robin to Derrick Rose\u2019s Batman. The Bulls shooting guard was right behind Rose with 26 points of his own. Although Pau Gasol was the only other starter to score in double digits (11 points), the Bulls benefited from balanced scoring contributions from their bench. Aaron Brooks and Taj Gibson paced Chicago\u2019s reserves with nine points apiece. The Bulls improve to 4 - 2 and reside in second place in the Eastern Conference\u2019s Central Division. They remain home for a date with the Timberwolves on Saturday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "26", "Pistons": "17"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "30", "Pistons": "30"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bucks": "25"}, "Turnovers": {"Bucks": "11", "Pistons": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"Marcus Morris": "3", "Michael Beasley": "4"}, "Points": {"Marcus Morris": "26", "Jon Leuer": "15", "Andre Drummond": "21", "Michael Beasley": "23", "Greg Monroe": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcus Morris": "5", "Andre Drummond": "12", "Michael Beasley": "3", "Greg Monroe": "13"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jon Leuer": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Jon Leuer": "6"}, "Steals": {"Andre Drummond": "3"}}], "The Bucks really put it to the Pistons here, as they led by double - digits for the final 30 - plus minutes. The assist - to - turnover ratio was the decisive statistic, with Milwaukee recording 26 assists to 11 turnovers, while Detroit matched their assists and turnovers at 17 a piece. The Bucks took advantage of the whistle too, going 16 - of - 16 from the free - throw line. Marcus Morris led the Pistons in scoring, as he tallied 26 points, five rebounds and three assists. Andre Drummond recorded a double - double, totaling 21 points, 12 rebounds and three steals. Jon Leuer contributed 15 points and 10 rebounds on 6 - of - 9 shooting. Greg Monroe was the player of the game, as he provided 25 points and 13 rebounds off of Milwaukee's bench. Michael Beasley led the starters, collecting 23 points, three rebounds and four assists. Those two combined to go 22 - of - 28 from the field."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Lakers": "20", "Kings": "47"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "40", "Kings": "46"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "16", "Kings": "11"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "98", "Kings": "95"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Lakers": "20", "Kings": "14"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "6", "Kings": "11"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "16"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "4", "Darren Collison": "3", "Kobe Bryant": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rudy Gay": "2", "Darren Collison": "2", "Kobe Bryant": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "18", "Darren Collison": "18", "Ed Davis": "5", "Kobe Bryant": "27"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gay": "7", "Darren Collison": "11", "Ed Davis": "5", "Kobe Bryant": "11"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gay": "23", "Ben McLemore": "15", "Darren Collison": "26", "Ed Davis": "11", "Kobe Bryant": "32", "Carlos Boozer": "15", "Nick Young": "12"}, "Assists": {"Ben McLemore": "2", "Kobe Bryant": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Darren Collison": "2", "Kobe Bryant": "8"}, "Personal fouls": {"Darren Collison": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Ed Davis": "6", "Carlos Boozer": "9", "Nick Young": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "8"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers (6 - 16) defeated the Sacramento Kings (11 - 11) 98 - 95 on Tuesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The Lakers were down 81 - 78 following the third quarter, but were able to make a run in the final quarter, out - scoring the Kings 20 - 14 to finish off their comeback with a victory. The Kings showed superior shooting, going 46 percent from the field and 47 percent from the three - point line compared to the Lakers who shot 40 percent from the field and only 20 percent from beyond the arc, but they were forced into 16 turnovers, which allowed the Lakers to steal the victory. Kobe Bryant finished with a game - high in points. He went 11 - for - 27 from the field and 2 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 32 points, while also handing out six assists. He was able to get to the free throw line eight times and converted on all eight attempts. It was a nice bounce back game for him after struggling with his shot against the Pelicans on Sunday. Ed Davis went a perfect 5 - for - 5 from the field to score 11 points, while grabbing six rebounds. It was his second game in a row in double figures, after not reaching more than six points in his last 10 games. The Lakers also had a nice effort from their bench with both Carlos Boozer and Nick Young playing well. Boozer finished with 15 points and nine rebounds, while Young had 12 points and four rebounds. DeMarcus Cousins continued to sit out for the Kings, which may have been the difference in this one. Rudy Gay and Darren Collison did everything they could to get the win. Gay went 7 - for - 18 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score 23 points, while Collison went 11 - for - 18 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from beyond the arc to score 26 points. Gay has now combined for 52 points in his last two games, as he's attempted to make up for Cousins' absence. The only other King to reach double figures in points was Ben McLemore, who finished with 15 points and two assists. The bench did n't have much of a presence and only scored 18 points. The Kings' next game will be at home against the Houston Rockets on Thursday, while the Lakers will travel to San Antonio to play the Spurs on Friday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kyrie Irving": "3", "Julius Randle": "7", "D'Angelo Russell": "6"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "34", "Kevin Love": "21", "Kyrie Irving": "46", "Julius Randle": "10", "D'Angelo Russell": "40", "Jordan Clarkson": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "6", "Kevin Love": "15", "Kyrie Irving": "2", "JR Smith": "4", "Julius Randle": "7", "D'Angelo Russell": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyrie Irving": "21", "Richard Jefferson": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyrie Irving": "15"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"JR Smith": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"JR Smith": "27", "Richard Jefferson": "29"}}], "LeBron james and Kyrie Irving both made stand out performances on paper in the win over the Lakers on Sunday. Irving scored 46 points on 15 - of - 21 shooting, to with three assists and two rebounds. James went for 34 points, six rebounds and seven assists. Kevin Love was also effective with 21 points and 15 rebounds, which was good for his 33rd double - double of the season. J.R. Smith and Richard Jefferson saw 29 minutes and 27 minutes of play, respectively, but the four man bench was not all to efficient as they combined for 6 - of - 17 shooting from the field. D'Angelo Russell scored 40 points, which marks a career high, and added six assists and two rebounds. Jordan Clarkson led the remaining starters with 19 points, while Julius Randle pitched in 10 points, seven assists and seven rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "39", "Pelicans": "27"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "95", "Pelicans": "84"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "18", "Pelicans": "27"}}, {"Points": {"Anthony Davis": "13", "Tyreke Evans": "14", "Evan Fournier": "16", "Elfrid Payton": "10"}, "Assists": {"Tyreke Evans": "10", "Evan Fournier": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyreke Evans": "8", "Evan Fournier": "6", "Elfrid Payton": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Elfrid Payton": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Elfrid Payton": "4"}}], "The Orlando Magic (18 - 39) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (27 - 27) 95 - 84 on Friday. The Magic got a nice performance from Evan Fournier, who was placed into the starting lineup for Tobias Harris, who missed his third - straight game with a knee injury. Fournier finished with a plus - 19 plus/minus to go along with 16 points, six rebounds and three assists. Elfrid Payton began the post All-Star break on a good note. He posted a double - double, finishing with 10 points on four - of - seven shooting, 11 assists and seven rebounds. The Magic have now won three out of their last five games. Orlando will take on the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday. New Orleans dropped back down to .500 after their less - than - stellar performance in their loss to Orlando. Tyreke Evans nearly posted a triple - double from the point guard position. He led the Pelicans with 14 points and 10 assists to go along with eight rebounds. Anthony Davis was held to just 13 points. He has been dealing with a shoulder injury. Newly acquired guard Norris Cole was not available Friday, but may be able to play against the team that dealt him at the trade deadline - the Miami Heat - on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "23", "Grizzlies": "11"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "92", "Grizzlies": "103"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "16", "Grizzlies": "27"}}, {"Assists": {"Zach Randolph": "3", "Mike Conley": "2", "Jeff Green": "2", "Jarrett Jack": "6"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Zach Randolph": "9", "Jarrett Jack": "1"}, "Points": {"Zach Randolph": "20", "Marc Gasol": "18", "Mike Conley": "6", "Jeff Green": "10", "Brook Lopez": "11", "Jarrett Jack": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "14", "Marc Gasol": "8", "Jeff Green": "3", "Brook Lopez": "4"}, "Steals": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Mike Conley": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Mike Conley": "24", "Brook Lopez": "27"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jeff Green": "11", "Jarrett Jack": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Jeff Green": "3", "Jarrett Jack": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jarrett Jack": "1"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (27 - 11) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (16 - 23) 103 - 92 on Wednesday. Zach Randolph put up 20 points and 14 rebounds. He is averaging 19 points, 14 rebounds and 3 assists in 35 minutes since missing nine contests with a knee injury. Mike Conely has been bothered by an ankle injury, but started and had six points, two assists and two blocks in 24 minutes. Jeff Green made his Grizzlies debut. He played 26 minutes off the bench and recorded 10 points on 3 - of - 11 shooting from the field to go along with three rebounds and two assists. Marc Gasol continued his dominant 2014 - 15 campaign with 18 points, eight rebounds and two steals. The Nets have lost seven - straight games, including five in - a - row at home. Jarrett Jack was 4 - of - 12 from the floor with ten points and six assists. In his last five games, Jack has averaged 11 points, 3 rebounds and 7 assists in 35 minutes per game. Kevin Garnett served his one - game suspension stemming from Monday's altercation with Dwight Howard. Brook Lopez was inserted into the starting lineup in place of Garnett, and had 11 points and four rebounds in 27 minutes. The Grizzlies will travel to Orlando to take on the Magic on Friday, and the Nets will play the Wizards on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "16", "Kings": "30"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "105", "Kings": "83"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "36", "Kings": "19"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Kings": "11"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "11"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "5", "James Harden": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "16", "James Harden": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "5", "James Harden": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "25", "Ryan Anderson": "27", "James Harden": "32"}, "Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "16", "Ryan Anderson": "25", "James Harden": "10", "Eric Gordon": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "7", "Ryan Anderson": "11", "James Harden": "7"}, "Steals": {"Ryan Anderson": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Ryan Anderson": "1"}}], "The Houston Rockets defeated the Sacramento Kings 105 - 83 Tuesday at Toyota Center. This game was never close, as the Rockets (36 - 16) jumped out to an early lead and did n't think about giving it up. After what was a dominant second quarter, Houston held a 19 point lead heading into the locker room while the Kings (19 - 30), who were playing their eighth road game in 11 days, looked utterly defeated. Ryan Anderson put together one of his best performances of the season in the win, scoring a game - high 25 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in just 27 minutes. Eric Gordon shined off the bench, scoring 17 points on 7 - of - 15 shooting from the field. James Harden, on the other hand, struggled for the second straight game, scoring just 10 points on 3 - of - 9 shooting, but he did record eight assists and seven rebounds in 32 minutes. For the Kings, it was a fairly uninspired performance, and it started with their star big man DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins shot just 5 - of - 16 from the field and recorded 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists in 25 minutes. Cousins' struggles were contagious, as the team overall shot just 35 percent from the field, 28 percent from behind the arc and a lowly 58 percent from the free throw line. The 83 points scored was the Kings's lowest total since mid - December, and they have now lost two of their last three games. Up next, the Rockets will remain home Thursday to take on the Hawks, while the Kings will finally return home Friday to play the Suns."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "35"}}, {"Points": {"Tobias Harris": "11", "Andre Drummond": "6", "Ish Smith": "6", "Jon Leuer": "16", "Terrence Ross": "18", "Aaron Gordon": "16", "Nikola Vucevic": "16", "Elfrid Payton": "14", "Jodie Meeks": "15"}, "Assists": {"Andre Drummond": "2", "Jon Leuer": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Andre Drummond": "20", "Ish Smith": "16", "Jon Leuer": "28", "Elfrid Payton": "29", "Jodie Meeks": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "14", "Ish Smith": "3", "Jon Leuer": "8", "Elfrid Payton": "11"}, "Steals": {"Jon Leuer": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Terrence Ross": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Terrence Ross": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Terrence Ross": "9", "Jodie Meeks": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Terrence Ross": "6", "Jodie Meeks": "6"}}], "All five starters scored in double digits for the Magic, as they cruised to the 28 - point win. Terrence Ross led the way with 18 points on 6 - of - 9 shooting, including 5 - of - 6 from long range. Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic followed up with 16 points each, while Elfrid Payton turned in his fourth triple - double in March, with 14 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, in 29 minutes. Jodie Meeks chipped in 15 points on 6 - of - 12 shooting, in 21 minutes off the bench. Meanwhile, the Pistons shot 35 percent from the field and only 2 - of - 22 from long range. Tobias Harris was the only starter to score in double digits, as he finished with 11 points. Andre Drummond grabbed 14 rebounds, to go along with six points, in 20 minutes, while Jon Leuer was Detroit's high - point man, with 16 points, eight rebounds, two assists and a steal, in 28 minutes off the bench. Ish Smith only played 16 minutes, after drawing the start, and finished with six points and three rebounds"], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "35", "Grizzlies": "15"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "102", "Grizzlies": "90"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Kings": "26", "Grizzlies": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Kings": "47", "Grizzlies": "38"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "20", "Grizzlies": "41"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Zach Randolph": "30", "DeMarcus Cousins": "24"}, "Points": {"Zach Randolph": "20", "Marc Gasol": "14", "Rudy Gay": "28", "DeMarcus Cousins": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "5", "Marc Gasol": "7", "Rudy Gay": "5", "DeMarcus Cousins": "9"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "6", "Rudy Gay": "6", "DeMarcus Cousins": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (20 - 35) took down the Memphis Grizzlies (41 - 15) 102 - 90 on Wednesday. Rudy Gay had a game - high 28 points to go along with six assists and five rebounds. DeMarcus Cousins battled with Marc Gasol and ended up fouling out after 24 minutes. Before his exit, Cousins finished with 16 points, nine rebounds, six assists and one block. The Kings are 2 - 1 since the All-Star break after getting off to a 1 - 5 start in the month of February. However, the Kings remain 11 games back of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who hold the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Similiar to Cousins, Gasol also showed off his passing skills Wednesday. He too had six assists from the center position to go along with 14 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. Zach Randolph was the high scorer for the Grizzlies, with 20 points, five rebounds and four turnovers in 30 minutes. Memphis lost the rebounding battle 47 - 38, and that proved to be costly. They had a one - point lead going into the fourth quarter but could n't hold on, as the Kings outscored them 26 - 13 in the final period. The Grizzlies will host their rival the Los Angeles Clippers, while the Kings will welcome the struggling San Antonio Spurs to town Friday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "47"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "49"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "7", "Mavericks": "37"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "128", "Mavericks": "120"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "65", "Mavericks": "35"}}, {"Points": {"Wesley Matthews": "26", "J.J. Barea": "21", "Draymond Green": "19", "Klay Thompson": "40", "Stephen Curry": "33"}, "Assists": {"J.J. Barea": "6", "Justin Anderson": "3", "Zaza Pachulia": "3", "Draymond Green": "10", "Stephen Curry": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Justin Anderson": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Justin Anderson": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Justin Anderson": "3", "Draymond Green": "7", "Stephen Curry": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "9"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "4"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (65 - 7) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (35 - 37) 128 - 120 on Friday. This was anticipated to be a blowout, but Dallas did a great job of hanging around as huge underdogs. The key for Golden State was a first half in which they outscored the Mavericks by 14 points while dropping 72 points. The Warriors were unconscious from the field, as they shot 49 percent from the field, 47 percent from three - point range and 91 percent from the free - throw line. Despite playing without Dirk Nowitzki and Deron Williams, the Mavericks did a great job of battling a potent Warriors team. Wesley Matthews led the team with 26 points in one of his best games of the season. J.J. Barea did a great job of filling in for Williams, as he tallied 21 points and six assists. Seven Dallas players scored in double figures with three of them coming off the bench (Zaza Pachulia, Justin Anderson, Charlie Villlanueva) .On deck for the Mavericks is a matchup against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday. Golden State didn\u2019t play their best game, but it continued their undefeated streak at home. Klay Thompson was spectacular, as he scored 40 points while hitting nine three - pointers. Steph Curry flirted with a triple - double, as he accumulated 33 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and four steals in the win. Draymond Green also flirted with a triple - double, as he amassed 19 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. Up next for the Warriors is an exhibition type matchup, as they host the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "51"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nuggets": "35"}}, {"Assists": {"Nikola Jokic": "4", "Will Barton": "7"}, "Points": {"Nikola Jokic": "35", "Will Barton": "18", "Kawhi Leonard": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Jokic": "12", "David Lee": "16"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "8"}}], "For the fifth straight game, superstar forward Kawhi Leonard scored over 30 points on Thursday. Leonard's 34 was a team - high and came on excellent efficiency, as the young All-Star shot 12 - of - 22 from the field and 8 - of - 8 at the free - throw line. Five Spurs finished with double digit scoring and the team ended up shooting over 51 percent on the night. San Antonio also managed to stay even with the Nuggets on the glass, due in large part to tough play from veteran David Lee. Lee finished with 16 rebounds on the night. For the Nuggets, sophomore big man Nikola Jokic dropped in a career - high 35 points. Jokic added 12 rebounds and four assists in one of the defining nights of his very young career. Guard Will Barton added 18 and seven assists while filling in for Gary Harris. The rest of the team, however, struggled, as the Nuggets shot around 40 percent on the night."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "52"}, "Turnovers": {"Clippers": "7", "Lakers": "14"}}, {"Assists": {"Jordan Clarkson": "3", "Brandon Ingram": "5", "Chris Paul": "13"}, "Points": {"Jordan Clarkson": "21", "Brandon Ingram": "14", "DeAndre Jordan": "24", "Chris Paul": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Jordan Clarkson": "4", "Brandon Ingram": "5", "Chris Paul": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "12"}}], "No one is doubting who the better team from Los Angeles is these days and the Clippers showed their dominance once again here. In fact, they shot 52 percent from the field en route to a wire - to - wire win. The turnovers really killed the Lakers, as they lost that battle, 14 - 7. The Clippers also dominated in the paint, winning that differential, 56 - 36. DeAndre Jordan was a monster, as he totaled 24 points and 22 rebounds on 12 - of - 13 shooting. Chris Paul was just as good, accruing 20 points, five rebounds and 13 assists. The Lakers starters really struggled, as D'Angelo Russell and Julius Randle combined for nine points on 3 - of - 14 shooting. Jordan Clarkson was the lone bright spot for the Lakers, leading the team with 21 points, four rebounds and three assists off the bench. Brandon Ingram also played well off the bench, collecting 14 points, five rebounds and five assists."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "40"}}, {"Assists": {"Jae Crowder": "1", "Al Horford": "4", "Brook Lopez": "4", "Jeremy Lin": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jae Crowder": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jae Crowder": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jae Crowder": "11", "Brook Lopez": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Jae Crowder": "7", "Brook Lopez": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Jae Crowder": "35", "Al Horford": "29"}, "Points": {"Jae Crowder": "24", "Al Horford": "14", "Avery Bradley": "16", "Brook Lopez": "23", "Randy Foye": "14", "Jeremy Lin": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Jae Crowder": "12", "Al Horford": "8", "Avery Bradley": "5", "Brook Lopez": "5", "Jeremy Lin": "7"}, "Steals": {"Jae Crowder": "1", "Al Horford": "1", "Avery Bradley": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Al Horford": "4", "Brook Lopez": "2"}}], "The Celtics shot 40 percent from the field, but struggled from long range, where they hit only 7 - of - 29. Jae Crowder was the high - point man for Boston in the absence of it's star and leading scorer, Isaiah Thomas. Crowder finished with 24 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting, including 4 - of - 7 from long range, to go along with 12 rebounds, one assist and one steal, in 35 minutes. Avery Bradley followed up with 16 points and five rebounds, while Al Horford added 14 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four blocks, and one steal, in 29 minutes. Meanwhile, Brook Lopez led the way for the Nets, as he poured in 23 points on 8 - of - 18 shooting, to go along with five rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Randy Foye added 14 points, while Jeremy Lin chipped in 10 points, seven rebounds, and six assists."], [[{"Wins": {"Pacers": "6"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Alex Len": "22", "Brandon Knight": "22"}, "Points": {"Alex Len": "10", "Tyler Ulis": "10", "Jeff Teague": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Alex Len": "10", "PJ Tucker": "10", "Jeff Teague": "4"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Jeff Teague": "1"}, "Steals": {"Jeff Teague": "1"}}], "Without Paul George (ankle) and C.J. Miles (knee), the Pacers simply could n't match up with the Suns' bench. Not only did all six bench players for Phoenix play at least 14 minutes, they combined for 78 points. In addition to that, they combined for 31 rebounds, 15 assists and 11 steals between P.J Tucker, Jared Dudley, Alan Williams, LeAndro Barbosa, Brandon Knight and Tyler Ulis. Alex Len was the only Suns' starter to play well, as he totaled 10 points and 10 rebounds in 22 minutes of action. The Suns got their win despite Eric Bledsoe and Devin Booker struggling, as they combined for 19 points, four rebounds and five assists on 7 - of - 21 shooting. In fact, no starter for Phoenix played more than 22 minutes, as the bench was the far superior unit. Jeff Teague had one of his best games in the absence of George, as he accumulated 21 points, four rebounds and seven assists in the defeat. All the hustle stats favored Phoenix as well, as they dominated the rebounding, steals and turnover differentials."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "19", "Mavericks": "10"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "101", "Mavericks": "119"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Celtics": "17", "Mavericks": "31"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Celtics": "18"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "11", "Mavericks": "24"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Monta Ellis": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "7", "Jeff Green": "6", "Avery Bradley": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chandler Parsons": "2", "Dirk Nowitzki": "0", "Monta Ellis": "2", "Rajon Rondo": "5", "Jeff Green": "2", "Avery Bradley": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "9", "Dirk Nowitzki": "19", "Monta Ellis": "17", "Rajon Rondo": "19", "Jeff Green": "15", "Avery Bradley": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Chandler Parsons": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "7", "Monta Ellis": "8", "Rajon Rondo": "12", "Jeff Green": "7", "Avery Bradley": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "3", "Avery Bradley": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Chandler Parsons": "3", "Dirk Nowitzki": "3", "Avery Bradley": "1"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "13", "Dirk Nowitzki": "17", "Monta Ellis": "22", "Rajon Rondo": "29", "Jeff Green": "18", "Jared Sullinger": "12", "Tyler Zeller": "17", "Avery Bradley": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Chandler Parsons": "7", "Dirk Nowitzki": "7", "Rajon Rondo": "6", "Tyler Zeller": "10"}, "Assists": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "4", "Rajon Rondo": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "30", "Jared Sullinger": "34"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Rajon Rondo": "1", "Avery Bradley": "1"}, "Steals": {"Rajon Rondo": "1", "Jeff Green": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Jeff Green": "1", "Avery Bradley": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Avery Bradley": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Avery Bradley": "1"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (24 - 10) defeated the Boston Celtics (11 - 19) 119 - 101 on Friday at the TD Garden in Boston. The Mavericks had a strong first quarter where they out - scored the Celtics 31 - 17. With the strong start, they were able to use that momentum and coast through the rest of the game to finish with an 18 - point victory. The Mavericks out - rebounded the Celtices 53 - 38, giving them a huge advantage in that category. That advantage may have given them just enough to steal the win on the road. The Mavericks were led by their backcourt of Rajon Rondo and Monta Ellis. Rondo had a very impressive game, going 12 - for - 19 from the field and 5 - for - 7 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 29 points. He also added six rebounds and five assists. It was far and away his best game so far with the Mavericks and it just so happened to be against his former team in Boston. Ellis on the other hand went 8 - for - 17 from the floor and 2 - for - 3 from beyond the arc to finish with 22 points. He's now averaging 21 points and 5 assists per game on the season. Dirk Nowitzki had a solid all - around game. He recorded 17 points (7 - 19 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), seven rebounds and four assists in 30 minutes of action. After a poor shooting night on Tuesday against the Wizards, it was good to see him get back on track. Chandler Parsons also reached double figures with 13 points (4 - 9 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) and seven rebounds. Avery Bradley did most of the damage for the Celtics. He went 9 - for - 20 from the floor and 3 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 22 points. He's only averaging 12 points per game thus far in the season, so it was a nice surprise for the Celtics to receive this kind of scoring output from Bradley. Jeff Green also did his part on the offensive side of the ball. He went 7 - for - 15 from the field and 2 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 18 points. After Rondo was sent to the Mavericks in a trade, Green has been one of the players relied upon to make up for his scoring production. Posting his third double - double of the season, Tyler Zeller recorded 17 points and 10 rebounds. It was an impressive line for him as he was in a very tough matchup with Tyson Chandler. Jared Sullinger was the only other Celtic in double figures, as he finished with 12 points in 34 minutes. The Mavericks' next game will be on the road against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, while the Celtics will travel to Chicago to play the Bulls on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "54", "Nets": "47"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "47"}}, {"Points": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "23", "Brook Lopez": "20", "Joe Harris": "11", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "10", "Justin Hamilton": "11", "Randy Foye": "9", "Quincy Acy": "9", "DeMarre Carroll": "18", "Jonas Valanciunas": "14", "DeMar DeRozan": "28", "Kyle Lowry": "20", "Terrence Ross": "12", "Cory Joseph": "16"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"DeMarre Carroll": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarre Carroll": "11", "Jonas Valanciunas": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "1"}}], "DeMar DeRozan's 28 points paced the Raptors. Kyle Lowry followed with 20 points, while DeMarre Carroll enjoyed one of his best games of the season, posting an 18 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. Jonas Valanciunas went for 14 and 10. Cory Joseph led the bench with 16 points, and Terrence Ross supplied 12 points in a reserve role.The Raptors shot 54 percent, helping offset the Nets' respective 47 percent and 47 percent success rates from the field and three - point range. Bojan Bogdanovic's 23 points led the way for Brooklyn. Brook Lopez managed 20 points, Joe Harris went for 11, and Spencer Dinwiddie supplied 10 points while drawing the start at point guard. Justin Hamilton led the second unit with 11 points, and Quincy Acy and Randy Foye were productive in reserve roles as well with matching nine - point efforts."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "8", "Timberwolves": "36"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "112", "Timberwolves": "100"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hawks": "26"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "37", "Timberwolves": "7"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Thaddeus Young": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Thaddeus Young": "11"}, "Points": {"Thaddeus Young": "26", "Paul Millsap": "20", "Dennis Schroder": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Pekovic": "3", "Paul Millsap": "5"}, "Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "6"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Dennis Schroder": "16"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (37 - 8) extended their franchise - record winning streak to 16 games Sunday, defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves (7 - 36) 112 - 100. The Timberwolves gave the Hawks a much better game than many were expecting, coming within six points of the Hawks with three minutes to go in the fourth quarter. The Hawks once again had solid efforts all around, with six players scoring in double figures. Minnesota's Thaddeus Young helped keep the Timberwolves in the game with 26 points on 11 - of - 17 shooting, but Atlanta's timely three - point shooting helped seal it down the stretch. Minnesota has now dropped four games in a row and currently hold the worst record in the NBA, but should be encouraged by the effort put forth against an Atlanta team that is arguably the best in the league. Nikola Pekovic returned to the starting lineup Sunday and posted 13 points and three rebounds in the contest. The Timberwolves will have a quick turnaround, finishing up a back - to - back road set Monday in Oklahoma City. Atlanta's win marked its remarkable 11th consecutive win against Western Conference opponents. Backup point guard Dennis Schroder had an efficient 11 points in 16 minutes on the floor and provided suffocating defense. Paul Millsap had an excellent game as well with 20 points, five rebounds, six assists, and four steals in the contest. The Hawks will look to keep their winning streak alive Wednesday when they host a struggling Nets team."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "28", "Knicks": "56"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "106", "Knicks": "89"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Raptors": "18"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "42", "Knicks": "14"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Lance Thomas": "12", "Andrea Bargnani": "13", "DeMar DeRozan": "15", "Greivis Vasquez": "8", "Lou Williams": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Lance Thomas": "9", "Andrea Bargnani": "6", "DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Greivis Vasquez": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Lance Thomas": "38", "Andrea Bargnani": "33", "Jonas Valanciunas": "27", "DeMar DeRozan": "36", "Greivis Vasquez": "34", "Tyler Hansbrough": "18"}, "Points": {"Lance Thomas": "24", "Andrea Bargnani": "16", "Terrence Ross": "11", "Jonas Valanciunas": "17", "DeMar DeRozan": "23", "Greivis Vasquez": "12", "Lou Williams": "13", "Tyler Hansbrough": "18"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "7"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Greivis Vasquez": "4"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (42 - 28) defeated the New York Knicks (14 - 56) 106 - 89 on Sunday in Toronto. The Raptors dominated the game from start to finish with DeMar DeRozan leading the way, scoring 23 points on 8 - of - 15 shooting, grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out five assists in 36 minutes. The performance marks the fifth consecutive game DeRozan has scored 20 - plus points and he has reached the threshold in all 11 games played in the month of March except one. Kyle Lowry missed his second straight game for Toronto with a back injury. In his absence Greivis Vasquez got his second straight start and scored 12 points on 5 - of - 8 shooting in 34 minutes. Jonas Valanciunas recorded a double - double of 17 points and 10 rebounds in 27 minutes, and the effort was his third double - double in four outings. Tyler Hansbrough (18), Lou Williams (13) and Terrence Ross (11) round out the six Raptors who scored in double figures. The win leaves Toronto all alone in third place in the Eastern Conference with just a half - game lead over Chicago for that spot, and they are still three games behind the Cavaliers for second place. The Knicks continue to be the Knicks, as the loss was their third in a row and 10th in their last 12 outings, as they continue to boast the worst record in the NBA. Lance Thomas had his best game of the season, scoring 24 points on 9 - of - 12 shooting in 38 minutes. Andrea Bargnani was the only other New York player to score in double figures, posting 16 points on 6 - of - 13 shooting in 33 minutes. Up next, the Raptors will travel to Detroit on Tuesday to take on the Pistons, while New York will go up against the Grizzlies at home on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "7", "Timberwolves": "16"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "124", "Timberwolves": "110"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "15", "Timberwolves": "6"}}, {"Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Zach LaVine": "6", "DeMarre Carroll": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "11", "Cory Joseph": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "19", "Zach LaVine": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "10", "Zach LaVine": "12"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "25", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "17", "Zach LaVine": "29", "Nemanja Bjelica": "9", "DeMarre Carroll": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "27", "Kyle Lowry": "25", "Cory Joseph": "12"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Cory Joseph": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "11", "Zach LaVine": "2", "DeMarre Carroll": "5", "DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Kyle Lowry": "2", "Cory Joseph": "1"}, "Steals": {"Nemanja Bjelica": "1", "DeMarre Carroll": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "13"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, 124 - 110, at Air Canada Centre on Thursday. Jonas Valanciunas has been toughing out an ankle injury in recent games, and the ailment had clearly affected his play before Thursday. However, the veteran big man bounced back against the Timberwolves, going for 20 points, 10 rebounds and an assist over 29 minutes. That effort served as an ideal complement to the production generated by Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, who totaled 52 points. The trio of performances helped pave the way for a second 120 - point plus performance in the last three games for the Raptors (15 - 7). The Timberwolves (6 - 16) were led by Zach LaVine, who went for a game - high 29 points on 12 - of - 20 shooting, and who added six assists and two rebounds. Andrew Wiggins supplied 25 points, six rebounds and an assist while going 10 - of - 19 from the field himself. Karl-Anthony Towns contributed a 17 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included an assist and a block. Nemanja Bjelica pitched in with nine points, three rebounds and a steal. DeRozan paced Toronto overall with 27 points, eight rebounds and five assists while visiting the foul line a game - high 13 times. Lowry was close behind with a 25 - point, 11 - assist double - double that also included a pair of rebounds and a steal. DeMarre Carroll filled out the stat sheet with 10 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Cory Joseph led the second unit with 12 points, two assists, a rebound and a block. The Timberwolves head back home to face off with the Detroit Pistons on Friday night, while the Raptors visit the Boston Celtics on Friday evening as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "25"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "119", "Thunder": "115"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "43"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Enes Kanter": "12", "Steven Adams": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "17", "Mitch McGary": "11", "Chandler Parsons": "14", "Dirk Nowitzki": "18", "Monta Ellis": "20", "Rajon Rondo": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Enes Kanter": "7", "Steven Adams": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "7", "Mitch McGary": "5", "Chandler Parsons": "10", "Dirk Nowitzki": "8", "Monta Ellis": "8", "Rajon Rondo": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Enes Kanter": "5", "Steven Adams": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "10", "Mitch McGary": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Monta Ellis": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Enes Kanter": "5", "Steven Adams": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "9", "Mitch McGary": "2", "Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Monta Ellis": "8"}, "Personal fouls": {"Enes Kanter": "3"}, "Points": {"Enes Kanter": "19", "Steven Adams": "15", "Russell Westbrook": "24", "Mitch McGary": "12", "Chandler Parsons": "31", "Dirk Nowitzki": "22", "Monta Ellis": "24", "Rajon Rondo": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Enes Kanter": "13", "Steven Adams": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "8", "Mitch McGary": "13", "Chandler Parsons": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "4", "Monta Ellis": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Steven Adams": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Steven Adams": "3"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "12", "Rajon Rondo": "13"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "4", "Chandler Parsons": "5", "Dirk Nowitzki": "7", "Monta Ellis": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Russell Westbrook": "1", "Chandler Parsons": "3", "Dirk Nowitzki": "4", "Monta Ellis": "0", "Rajon Rondo": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Russell Westbrook": "36", "Dirk Nowitzki": "27"}, "Steals": {"Chandler Parsons": "2", "Monta Ellis": "3"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (43 - 25) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (37 - 20) 119 - 115 on Monday at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. The Mavericks picked up a big win Monday, as it moved them up to the fifth seed in the Western Conference standings. They now sit two games back from the Houston Rockets, and just a half game ahead of both the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers. It was also a really tough loss for the Thunder, who are positioned in the eighth and final projected playoff seed in the West. With the Pelicans also taking a loss Sunday, the Thunder were still able to hold onto a half game lead over New Orleans despite the loss. The Mavericks were down by 10 at half, but came out and had a monster second half. Chandler Parsons led the way, going 10 - for - 14 from the field and 3 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 31 points, while also adding four rebounds. His shot has been absolutely locked in of late, combining to go 18 - for - 26 from the field and 8 - for - 11 from the three - point line to score 53 points over his last two games. Monta Ellis had a strong showing as well though, finishing with 24 points (8 - 20 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 8 - 11 FT), five rebounds and three steals. He forced his way to the free throw line in this game, matching a season - high of 11 attempts, while converting on eight of those 11 attempts. The third member of the starting lineup to surpass the 20 - point mark was Dirk Nowitzki. In 27 minutes, Nowitzki recorded 22 points (8 - 18 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and four rebounds. He had n't scored over 14 points in each of his last six games, so it was good to see him get some more points on the board. Rajon Rondo chipped in with 11 points (5 - 8 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt) and 13 assists as well. With Serge Ibaka (knee) out for the forseeable future, Steven Adams and Enes Kanter teamed up at the center and power forward positions. Each played well in the loss, with Adams posting 15 points (5 - 8 FG, 5 - 6 FT) and eight rebounds, while Kanter had 19 points (7 - 12 FG, 5 - 5 FT) and 13 rebounds. Kanter has posted three double - doubles in a row, a stretch where he's averaging 20 points and 15 rebounds, as he's really stepped up his production with Ibaka sidelined. Like we've grown accustomed to, Russell Westbrook came just shy of another triple - double. In 36 minutes, he finished with 24 points (7 - 17 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 9 - 10 FT), eight rebounds and 12 assists. While continuing to make his case for the league MVP, Westbrook has pushed his season averages to 28 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists per game. Mitch McGary added a double - double off the bench with 12 points (5 - 11 FG, 2 - 4 FT) and 13 rebounds, but made a rookie mistake in the closing few minutes, intentionally fouling Ellis when the Thunder had enough time left in the game to make a stop. The Mavericks' next game will come at home against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, while the Thunder will take on the Boston Celtics on Wednesday."], [[{"Total points": {"Warriors": "96", "Thunder": "88"}, "Turnovers": {"Thunder": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "13", "Draymond Green": "4", "Stephen Curry": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "10"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "27", "Russell Westbrook": "19", "Draymond Green": "11", "Klay Thompson": "21", "Stephen Curry": "36"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "7", "Draymond Green": "9", "Klay Thompson": "5", "Stephen Curry": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Steven Adams": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Russell Westbrook": "2", "Klay Thompson": "6"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "11"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder, 96 - 88, in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals at Oracle Arena on Thursday to advance to the NBA Finals for the second year in a row. The Warriors became just the 10th team to win a series after trailing 3 - 1, and it came on the back of their MVP, Steph Curry. Game 7 went a similar way to Games 5 and 6, as it involved more competitive basketball, a closer final score and no clear winner through three quarters of play. Golden State fell behind in the first quarter, as Russell Westbrook ran the floor and found open looks for Andre Roberson, Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka. Steven Adams was playing big on the boards in the first half, and for the first 24 minutes of action, the Thunder were able to control the paint and keep possessions alive. Klay Thompson, who came off a NBA Playoffs record setting three - point performance in Game 6, rattled off five straight three - pointers in the second quarter and kept his team within striking distance. The final two possessions of the first half will grace the highlight reel, as Russell Westbrook went coast - to - coast and finished in traffic, while Curry responded with a layup that kissed the backboards highest point at the buzzer. Steph Curry was able to take over in the third quarter. Once his three - point shot got going, it created havoc for the Thunder defense. Curry was able to pull the defense out towards the perimeter regularly, and take advantage of high screens and attack the rim. The refs mostly stayed out of the game through the third quarter, but whistles started blowing in the fourth quarter, which included a handful of 50/50 calls on both ends of the floor. Before the Warriors were able to ice the game on a Curry trey with under :30 to play, Kevin Durant ripped off a herculean 70 scoring run, by himself, to pull Oklahoma City within four points. The Thunder\u2019s biggest problem during the regular season was closing out games, it happened again in Game 6, but the Warriors will simply the better team in Game 7. Draymond Green lost possession of the ball with under two minutes to play, but was able to get enough possession to get a timeout called, instead of a jump - ball, as Westbrook pounced on the opportunity. The following possession, Ibaka fouled Curry behind the three - point line, and that was enough to ice the game. Curry finished with 36 points, five rebounds and eight assists, while Thompson added 21 points on 6 - of - 11 three - point shooting. Draymond Green was not very efficient from the field, but added 11 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots. Kevin Durant finished with 27 points, seven rebounds and three assists on 10 - of - 19 shooting. Russell Westbrook contributed 19 points, seven boards and 13 assists. The Golden State Warriors will welcome the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday at Oracle Arena."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "2", "Knicks": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Bulls": "12", "Knicks": "5"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "3", "Knicks": "2"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "52"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Joakim Noah": "4", "Derrick Rose": "11"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "25", "Kristaps Porzingis": "27", "Joakim Noah": "16", "Derrick Rose": "15", "Jimmy Butler": "26", "Dwyane Wade": "35", "Nikola Mirotic": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "5", "Joakim Noah": "9", "Derrick Rose": "7", "Dwyane Wade": "10", "Nikola Mirotic": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dwyane Wade": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwyane Wade": "12"}}], "The New York Knicks defeated the host Chicago Bulls 117 - 106 at United Center on Friday. Recent results from these teams would indicate a different outcome, but the Knicks showed some resiliency here on the road. New York actually led by 16 at times in the first quarter, before allowing the Bulls to take their first lead in the second quarter. The Knicks responded by recapturing the lead in the third and kept it for the entirety of the fourth quarter. New York shot 52 percent from the field and assisted on 31 of their 46 made baskets. They did that dominating the turnover differential as well, committing just five, while forcing 12 from the Bulls. The Knicks (2 - 3) got some great performance from their starters here, as all five scored at least 15 points. Kristaps Porzingis led the team, scoring 27 points to go along with his five boards. Carmelo Anthony was n't far behind, tallying 25 points, six rebounds and four assists of his own. Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose both played great in their return to Chicago. Noah tallied 16 points, nine rebounds and four assists, while Rose finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and a season - high 11 assists. The Bulls (3 - 2) had a tough task here against some former Chicago players and they simply did n't play well enough to win. Dwyane Wade did all he could though, scoring a game - high 35 points on 12 - of - 20 shooting. He also provided 10 rebounds and hit five more three - pointers in the loss. Jimmy Butler was the only starter in double figures, dropping 26 points of his own. Nikola Mirotic was a nice spark off the bench, totaling 14 points and six boards. The Knicks return to action on Sunday when they host the Utah Jazz, while Chicago travels to Indiana on Saturday to play the Pacers."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "47"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "20", "Kings": "18"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "102", "Kings": "89"}, "Rebounds": {"Trail Blazers": "45", "Kings": "39"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "14", "Kings": "14"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "6"}, "Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "28", "CJ McCollum": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "8"}}], "The host Portland Trail Blazers took down the visiting Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, 102 - 89, in a battle of eighth - seed contenders. Portland (14 - 20) entered the game having lost six straight, but came away with a convincing win on Wednesday. Despite the absence of injured star Damian Lillard, the Trail Blazers were able to score effectively. Six Blazers scored in double digits, with C.J. McCollum posting a team - high 20 points. It was an excellent offensive night for the Blazers, who shot over 47 percent from the field and hit 12 three - pointers. Surprisingly, though, it was an even better night on the defensive end, a domain in which Portland has struggled all season. The Blazers managed to hold their opponents to just 39 percent from the field and only nine three - pointers on 32 percent from beyond the arc. Sacramento (14 - 18) saw a tough night on offense, as only center DeMarcus Cousins seemed to be able to find the basket. Cousins finished with a team - high 28 points and had eight rebounds and six assists. Only two other players scored in double figures, however, as the team struggled to score. The Kings also had an off night on the boards, being out - rebounded 45 - 39 by a generally fairly weak Portland frontcourt. On Friday, the Blazers will visit San Antonio, while the Kings will see the Grizzlies on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "39", "Nets": "58"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "17", "Nets": "12"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "87", "Nets": "114"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "6", "Nets": "10"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "70"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Cory Jefferson": "23"}, "Points": {"Cory Jefferson": "11", "Mason Plumlee": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Cory Jefferson": "5", "Mason Plumlee": "13"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets (10 - 12) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (6 - 17) 114 - 87 on Saturday. Brooklyn has won two straight, and they earned Saturday's win without several of their frontcourt players. Brook Lopez remains out indefinitely with a lower back injury, while Kevin Garnett sat out to rest his foot on the second night of a back - to - back, and Mirza Teletovic missed a third straight game with a hip pointer. Mason Plumlee played well as the starting center, recording his second straight double - double with 11 points and 13 rebounds. Cory Jefferson earned the first start of his career and put 11 points and five rebounds in 23 minutes. Charlotte has lost two straight, and despite the Nets rolling out their third - string frontcourt, Charlotte was unable to capitalize on the opportunity. Brooklyn shot an absurd 58 percent from the field and 70 percent from beyond the arc to decimate the Hornets' defense, while Charlotte shot just 39 percent from the field and 63 percent from the free - throw line. The Nets have two days off before they'll host the Miami Heat on Monday. Charlotte will go on the road to play the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "28", "Warriors": "7"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "111", "Warriors": "113"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "21", "Warriors": "41"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "6", "Damian Lillard": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "26", "CJ McCollum": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "13", "CJ McCollum": "10"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "33", "CJ McCollum": "28", "Damian Lillard": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"Kevin Durant": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"Evan Turner": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Damian Lillard": "36"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 113 - 111 at Moda Center on Sunday. The Warriors (41 - 7) came away with a road win even without reigning MVP Stephen Curry (illness) for the first time this season. The Blazers (21 - 28) pulled off a wild 20 - 2 run to close out the first half, bringing the game within striking distance, as the back - and - forth ensued for the second half. Evan Turner proved his worth on the defensive end and caused problems for the Golden State back court throughout the game. Turner also dunked home the transition layup to cut the Warriors lead to just two points with under :10 remaining in the fourth quarter. Durant was called for an offensive foul on the following inbound pass, and Turner missed the game winning three as time expired. Durant went on to lead all scorers with 33 points, to go along with 10 rebounds, six assists, one block and seven turnovers on 13 - of - 26 shooting. Thompson was fed most of his shots on off - ball screens where he was dominant around the perimeter in the second half and made his way to the foul line for additional damage. The Warriors all - star shooting guard finished with 27 points on 6 - of - 21 shooting, which included 13 - of - 15 from the charity stripe. McCollum continued his strong scoring streak and finished with 28 points, which led all Blazers scorers, on 10 - of - 16 shooting, while Lillard scored 19 points alongside eight assists in 36 minutes. Neither team shot well behind the three point line, rare for two squads who utilize the three - point line for much of their scoring and game plan, as both fell below 40 percent. Next up, the Blazers host the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday, while the Warriors host the Hornets on the second game of a back - to - back for Kemba Walker's team."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bulls": "46"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "49", "Nets": "47"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "33", "Nets": "49"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "118", "Nets": "102"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bulls": "39", "Nets": "28"}, "Turnovers": {"Bulls": "9", "Nets": "9"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "34", "Nets": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "5", "Thaddeus Young": "1", "Jimmy Butler": "7", "Doug McDermott": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "5", "Jimmy Butler": "1", "Doug McDermott": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "2", "Jimmy Butler": "0", "Doug McDermott": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "17", "Jimmy Butler": "12", "Doug McDermott": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "10", "Jimmy Butler": "7", "Doug McDermott": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "4", "Jimmy Butler": "8", "Doug McDermott": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "4", "Jimmy Butler": "8", "Doug McDermott": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "29", "Thaddeus Young": "31", "Jimmy Butler": "32", "Bobby Portis": "28"}, "Points": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "26", "Thaddeus Young": "16", "Jimmy Butler": "22", "Doug McDermott": "25", "Bobby Portis": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "3", "Thaddeus Young": "14", "Jimmy Butler": "3", "Doug McDermott": "3", "Bobby Portis": "14"}, "Steals": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "1", "Thaddeus Young": "2", "Jimmy Butler": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Thaddeus Young": "2"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (34 - 33) defeated the visiting Brooklyn Nets (19 - 49) 118 - 102, Thursday evening at United Center. Chicago got out to a great start, with a 55 - 37 first half but Brooklyn came out and scored as many points as they did in the entire first half, in the third quarter alone, bringing it to a five - point game heading into the fourth. However, Doug McDermott and the Bulls had the answer in the fourth as they out - scored the Nets 39 - 28. McDermott scored 10 of his 25 points in the final quarter, as he notched his third straight game with more than 20 points. This was a big win for the Bulls as they are bunched up with the Pistons and the Wizards in the battle for eighth in the East. Chicago has now won seven of their last nine home games, while the Nets have lost four - straight on the road. In the absence of Pau Gasol (knee), Chicago's bench accounted for an impressive 60 points. Doug McDermott led the way with 25 points (8 - 16 FG, 5 - 8 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), along with three rebounds and one assist, in 28 minutes off the bench. Jimmy Butler had a strong outing, with 22 points (7 - 12 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 8 - 8 FT), seven assists, three rebounds and one steal, in 32 minutes, while Bobby Portis logged a double - double with 12 points and 14 rebounds, in 28 minutes off the bench. The Bulls shot 49 percent form the field, 46 percent from long range and an impressive 15 - 15 from the free throw line. Bojan Bogdanovic followed up his career - high 44 - point performance with another strong game, this time finishing with a team - high 26 points (10 - 17 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), along with five assists, three rebounds and one steal, in 29 minutes. Thaddeus Young tallied a double - double with 16 points and 14 rebounds, along with two steals, two blocked shots and one assist, in 31 minutes. The Nets struggled shooting from deep, going 6 - 21, but shot a decent 47 percent from the field overall. Next, the Nets will head to Detroit to face off against the Pistons on Saturday. The Bulls will look to keep their playoff hopes alive as they host the Jazz on Saturday, in what will be the second of a four - game home stand."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "25", "Suns": "25"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "95", "Suns": "102"}, "Rebounds": {"Mavericks": "31", "Suns": "53"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "11", "Suns": "12"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "45"}}, {"Rebounds": {"Tyson Chandler": "18"}, "Points": {"Devin Booker": "22", "Eric Bledsoe": "26", "Harrison Barnes": "19", "Deron Williams": "20"}, "Assists": {"Deron Williams": "6"}}], "The visiting Phoenix Suns beat the host Dallas Mavericks, 102 - 95, on Thursday. Phoenix (12 - 25) has now won two straight after an awful stretch towards the end of December. On Thursday, point guard Eric Bledsoe led the way with 26 points, while sophomore guard Devin Booker added 22 of his own. While guard play was key for Phoenix's offense, the team was able to pull away on the backs of strong rebounding. Veteran center Tyson Chandler pulled down 18 boards, contributing to a 53 - 31 Phoenix advantage in the rebounding column. The Suns shot almost 45 percent on the night and only made seven three - pointers. Dallas (11 - 25) has begun to turn things around after an abysmal start to the season, but Thursday's loss was not promising. Forward Harrison Barnes continued to be a reliable scoring option for the Mavericks, as he poured in 19 points. Point guard Deron Williams, meanwhile, scored 20 with six assists. However, the team could not keep up on the glass and only hit nine three - pointers, making it difficult to keep up with Phoenix. Dallas will host the Hawks on Saturday, while the Suns will host Cleveland on Sunday."], [[{"Total points": {"Raptors": "109", "Hawks": "102"}}, {"Blocks": {"Al Horford": "3", "Jonas Valanciunas": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Al Horford": "31", "Jonas Valanciunas": "21"}, "Points": {"Al Horford": "12", "Kyle Korver": "20", "Jeff Teague": "20", "Jonas Valanciunas": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Horford": "13", "Jonas Valanciunas": "8"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the Atlanta Hawks 109 - 102 Wednesday at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. Both teams had all five of their starters finish with double - digits points. Al Horford made his regular season return to the court after sitting out the majority of last season with a torn pectoral muscle. He played 31 minutes as the Hawks' starting center and put up 12 points, 13 rebounds, and three blocks. Jeff Teague and Kyle Korver both finished with 20 points, but despite the impressive individual performances, the Hawks did n't have enough wind to carry them to victory. The Raptors spread the ball around, and seven players finished with double - digits points. Third-year center Jonas Valanciunas played just 21 minutes despite starting the game but collected 17 points, eight rebounds, and a block in his limited minutes. The Raptors' next game is on the road against the Orlando Magic on Saturday. The Hawks's next game will be at home against the Idiana Pacers on Saturday as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "42", "Nets": "54"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "110", "Nets": "121"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Knicks": "33"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "23"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "27", "Nets": "13"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "48"}}, {"Blocks": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "1", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "Points": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "20", "Caris LeVert": "13", "Brook Lopez": "24", "Randy Foye": "10", "Jeremy Lin": "15", "KJ McDaniels": "9", "Quincy Acy": "9", "Carmelo Anthony": "17", "Lance Thomas": "15", "Derrick Rose": "22", "Kyle O'Quinn": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "10", "Caris LeVert": "7", "Brook Lopez": "6", "Randy Foye": "4", "Jeremy Lin": "4", "Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Lance Thomas": "10", "Derrick Rose": "2", "Kyle O'Quinn": "8"}, "Assists": {"Brook Lopez": "3", "Randy Foye": "2", "Jeremy Lin": "8", "Carmelo Anthony": "5", "Lance Thomas": "1", "Derrick Rose": "2", "Kyle O'Quinn": "3"}, "Steals": {"Randy Foye": "1", "Jeremy Lin": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Kyle O'Quinn": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Willy Hernangomez": "19", "Kyle O'Quinn": "26"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets defeated the New York Knicks, 121 - 110, at Madison Square Garden on Thursday evening. The Nets (13 - 54) have been the NBA's worst team, and have especially struggled on the road. Coming into Thursday, they'd won only four times in 33 games away from Barclays Center, but their prospects were n't as grim as usual against the Knicks (27 - 42), which they had already defeated 120 - 112 just five days prior. Brooklyn proved to once again have New York's number, as all five members of their first unit hit double digits in the scoring column, and the Nets shot a collective 48 percent from the floor. The Knicks were also notably without Kristaps Porzingis (thigh), which left them devoid of their best rim protector and shot blocker. The visitors earned the victory in the second half, during which they outscored their hosts by a 67 - 49 margin. Brook Lopez led the way for Brooklyn with 24 points, six rebounds, three assists and one block. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson posted 20 points, 10 rebounds and one block. Jeremy Lin supplied another full stat line of 15 points, eight assists, four rebounds and two steals. Rookie Caris LaVert continued to offer strong production, compiling 13 points and seven rebounds. Randy Foye submitted 10 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal. K.J. McDaniels and Quincy Acy provided matching nine - point efforts to lead the bench. Kyle O'Quinn checked in as the leading scorer for the Knicks with 23 points, eight rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block in 26 minutes off the bench. Derrick Rose led the starting five with 22 points, two rebounds and two assists. Carmelo Anthony posted 17 points, six rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block. Lance Thomas was outstanding in filling in for Porzingis, as he registered a 15 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included one assist. Willy Hernangomez ran into early foul trouble and it besieged him throughout the game, as he played only 19 minutes, which facilitated O'Quinn's extended opportunity. The Nets head back home to face the Boston Celtics on Friday night, while the Knicks head to the West Coast to tangle with the Los Angeles Clippers next Monday evening."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "46", "Nets": "47"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "41", "Nets": "31"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "105", "Nets": "114"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Lakers": "20", "Nets": "40"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "13", "Nets": "22"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "22"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "37", "Deron Williams": "40", "Jordan Hill": "29"}, "Points": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "18", "Joe Johnson": "23", "Deron Williams": "12", "Brook Lopez": "22", "Ryan Kelly": "12", "Robert Sacre": "13", "Jordan Clarkson": "12", "Jordan Hill": "12", "Ed Davis": "16", "Jeremy Lin": "18"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Joe Johnson": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "14", "Robert Sacre": "7", "Jordan Hill": "10", "Ed Davis": "14"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Robert Sacre": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Robert Sacre": "3"}}], "The Nets (22 - 31) knocked off the Lakers (13 - 41) 114 - 105 behind 22 points and 14 rebounds from Brook Lopez. Brooklyn trailed by one at half but broke the game open in the third quarter, outscoring the Lakers 40 - 20. Lopez\u2019s 22 led the way, while Deron Williams added 12 points and 15 rebounds in 40 minutes. Bojan Bogdanovic had 18 points in 37 minutes, and Joe Johnson chipped in 23 points on 6 - of - 11 shooting. The Nets shot 47 percent as a team and knocked down 10 - of - 21 attempts from beyond the arc. The Lakers, meanwhile, shot just 4 - of - 23 from deep but managed 46 percent shooting overall. Los Angeles placed three starters in double - figures, led by by 13 points and seven rebounds from Robert Sacre. Ryan Kelly and Jordan Clarkson each added 12 points, while Ed Davis added 16 points and 14 boards off the bench. Jeremy Lin chipped in 18 points, and Jordan Hill had 12 points and 10 rebounds in 29 minutes. Up next, the Lakers play host to the Celtics on Sunday. Brooklyn is off until when they take on the Nuggets in Denver."], [[{"Total points": {"Warriors": "107", "Nets": "99"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "9"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "1"}}, {"Points": {"Thaddeus Young": "26", "Jarrett Jack": "28", "Draymond Green": "16", "Brandon Rush": "8", "Stephen Curry": "34", "Andre Iguodala": "15"}, "Assists": {"Jarrett Jack": "9", "Draymond Green": "12", "Stephen Curry": "6", "Andre Iguodala": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jarrett Jack": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Jarrett Jack": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Jarrett Jack": "4", "Draymond Green": "10", "Brandon Rush": "4", "Stephen Curry": "3", "Andre Iguodala": "6"}, "Steals": {"Jarrett Jack": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Draymond Green": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Draymond Green": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "16"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "5"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (110) beat the Brooklyn Nets (1 - 9) 107 - 99 at Oracle Arena on Saturday. The Brooklyn Nets entered the game as 19 point underdogs and fought every second of regulation as an unlikely foe looking to end the Warriors perfect start. Brook Lopez was inches away from securing a victory with :5 left in regulation, but the ball banged off the back of the rim as time expired, sending the game to overtime. From there, the Warriors dominated the final five minutes, outscoring Brooklyn 10 - 2. The Nets received explosive performances from Jarrett Jack and Thaddeus Young, who finished with 28 points and 26 points, respectively. Jack added nine assists, four rebounds and two steals, as he willed his way to the free throw line towards the end of regulation, where he finished 8 - for - 8 from the charity stripe. The Nets continue to improve upon a very poor start to the season, although they have only one win to show for their efforts. Brooklyn lost by two points in a competitive game with the the Kings on Friday and followed up by taking the nearly unstoppable Golden State Warriors to the brink on Saturday. Andre Iguodala (15 points, six rebounds, six assists) nailed a clutch, off balance, 3 - point shot with :5 remaining in regulation, and took the momentum into overtime where he added three assists and two points to his quality 37:53 off the bench. Draymond Green rounded out the stat sheet with his second career triple - double, as he finished with 16 points, 10 rebound and 12 assists on 7 - for - 18 shooting. Stephen Curry led all scorers with 34 points, to go along with three rebound and six assists. The reigning league MVP shot 5 - for - 16 from the 3 - point line and passed his father, Dell Curry (1,245), on the all time 3 - point field goals list. Brandon Rush started in place of the injured Klay Thompson (back) and finished with eight points, most of which in the first quarter, and four rebounds in 20:46. Both teams have home games Tuesday, with the Nets hosting the Atlanta Hawks (8 - 3), while the Warriors will look to win their twelfth straight game against the Toronto Raptors (7 - 3)."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Wizards": "39"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "50", "Celtics": "41"}, "Losses": {"Wizards": "8", "Celtics": "18"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "101", "Celtics": "88"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Wizards": "30", "Celtics": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Wizards": "48", "Celtics": "36"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "21", "Celtics": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"Celtics": "18"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Marcus Smart": "14", "Andre Miller": "18"}, "Assists": {"Andre Miller": "7"}}], "The Washington Wizards (21 - 8) defeated the Boston Celtics (10 - 18) 101 - 88 on Saturday. Washington is on a two - game win streak. They jumped out to a 30 - 12 lead after the first quarter and held the Celtics at a distance the rest of the game. The Wizards shot 50 percent from the field and 39 percent from beyond the arc. Andre Miller finished with seven assists in 18 minutes off the bench, earning a few extra minutes of run with the game in hand. Washington will embark on a five - game Western Conference road trip that begins against the Houston Rockets on Monday. Boston has lost four straight games as their commitment to rebuilding following the trade of Rajon Rondo to the Dallas Mavericks has them on a downward spiral. Marcus Smart made a second straight start at point guard, but he played just 14 minutes. The Celtics were beat in several ways. They shot just 41 percent from the field, lost the rebound battle 48 - 36 and gave up 22 points on 18 turnovers. They will return home and have three days off before hosting the Sacramento Kings on Wendesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "19", "Pacers": "27"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "17", "Pacers": "15"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "86", "Pacers": "95"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "19", "Pacers": "20"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "42"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "3", "Monta Ellis": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Paul George": "6", "Victor Oladipo": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul George": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul George": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul George": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul George": "9"}, "Personal fouls": {"Paul George": "3"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "20", "Monta Ellis": "19", "Nikola Vucevic": "17", "Evan Fournier": "13", "Victor Oladipo": "20"}, "Turnovers": {"Paul George": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Monta Ellis": "4", "Nikola Vucevic": "4", "Victor Oladipo": "5"}, "Steals": {"Monta Ellis": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Victor Oladipo": "4"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (20 - 15) defeated the Orlando Magic (19 - 17) for a big Eastern Conference road win Wednesday at Amway Center, 95 - 86. It looked over with three minutes left in the fourth quarter when the Pacers took a 86 - 76 lead on a pair of Paul George free throws, but five straight points from Magic guard Victor Oladipo made it an 89 - 86 game with 58 seconds left. It would n't be enough, however, as the Pacers managed to ice the game from the free throw line. Paul George's 20 points led the Pacers, as he made up for a poor night from deep (1 of 6 from three) with a perfect 9 - of - 9 night at the free - throw line. Monta Ellis scored 19 points and finished with game highs in assists (seven) and steals (four). The Pacers struggled shooting from the field, as they managed just 42 percent from the floor and 27 percent from three. They won the game at the free throw line, where they went 25 - 29 and scored nine more points than the Magic. Oladipo scored 20 points and tied George for the game high, as he was on fire from the three - point line (4 of 7). Nikola Vucevic scored 17 points but was unusually quiet on the boards, as he grabbed just four. Evan Fournier was the only other Magic starter in double digits, as he scored 13 points, but he went just 1 - 6 from three - point land and was part of the Magic's brutal 19 - percent night from the three - point line. The Pacers have won two of three and will look to keep it going Friday night at New Orleans. The Magic have now lost four straight and will look to right the ship Friday at the Nets."], [[{"Total points": {"Wizards": "101", "Hawks": "122"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Wizards": "26", "Hawks": "41"}, "Turnovers": {"Wizards": "18"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "30"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "42"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "6", "Dennis Schroder": "8"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "17", "Dennis Schroder": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "9"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "3"}, "Blocks": {"John Wall": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"John Wall": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"John Wall": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"John Wall": "6"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (42 - 30) demolished the Washington Wizards (35 - 35) 122 - 101 on Wednesday in Washington D.C. Sixth man Dennis Schroder was a difference - maker for the Hawks, leading the team with 23 points off the bench. Schroder also dished out eight assists in what was an impressive showing all - around for the young guard. All-Star big man Paul Millsap was also able to stuff the stat sheet, scoring 17 points while pulling nine rebounds, dishing six assists, and grabbing three steals. The Hawks ran away with the game in the fourth quarter, expanding upon their lead with a 41 - 26 rout of the home team. The win leaves Atlanta in a three - way tie with Miami and Boston for the third seed in the Eastern Conference. For the Wizards, meanwhile, playoff hopes are starting to fade as the team remains 3 games away from eighth in the conference. The crushing loss came at the worst possible time for the team who is fighting to extend its season into late May. Turnovers were a major issue for the Wizards on Wednesday, as the team coughed up the ball 18 times in total. Sub-par perimeter defense also played a major role in the defeat, as the Hawks were able to drain 17 three - pointers on the night. All-Star John Wall, meanwhile, was one of the main issues in what was a poor shooting night for the team. Wall was just 6 - for - 17 from the field. Both teams will have home games on Friday, with the Wizards hosting the Timberwolves and the Hawks hosting the Bucks."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "12", "Trail Blazers": "3"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "97", "Trail Blazers": "105"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "4", "Trail Blazers": "12"}}, {"Blocks": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "14"}, "Points": {"Wesley Matthews": "28", "Damian Lillard": "22"}, "Minutes played": {"Damian Lillard": "36"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (12 - 3) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (4 - 12) 105 - 97 on Wednesday. Portland has won nine straight games and have n't shown any fatigue as a result of their early - season win sprints. LaMarcus Aldridge struggled with his shot Wednesday, shooting 3 - of - 18 from the field, but he got work done on defense, collecting 14 rebounds and three blocks. Damian Lillard appeared to suffer minor foot injury but played through the injury and finished with 22 points in 36 minutes. Wesley Matthews scored a season - high 28 points. The Blazers return home to host the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday. Charlotte fought to stay in the game down the stretch but could n't hit enough shots to make a complete comeback. While P.J. Hairston (ankle) returned to action, Marvin Williams suffered a shoulder injury that forced him out of Wednesday's game. The severity of the injury was unknown at the time of publication. They've dropped seven straight games, and three playoff teams next up on their schedule, the Hornets will have to dig deep if they hope to turn things around soon. The Golden State Warriors will visit Charlotte on Friday to take on the Hornets."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Lakers": "24", "Spurs": "30"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Lakers": "24"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Spurs": "42"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "56"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "7"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "23", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "23", "Pau Gasol": "16", "Danny Green": "10", "Tony Parker": "16", "Nick Young": "22", "Lou Williams": "24", "Jordan Clarkson": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "12", "Danny Green": "4"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2", "Danny Green": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Nick Young": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Nick Young": "28"}}], "The Spurs shot 56 percent from the field and 42 percent from long range, as well as 18 - of - 19 from the foul line. They were out - rebounded and out - scored in the paint but dished 30 assists to find the open shots they needed to earn the win. Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge both scored 23 points, while Pau Gasol and Tony Parker each added 16. Leonard added 12 rebounds and tied a career - high with seven assists. Danny Green tallied seven assists as well, along with his 10 points, four rebounds and two steals. The Lakers had 57 bench points led by Lou Williams with 24 and Jordan Clarkson with 20. Nick Young scored 22 points in 28 minutes as a starter. No player assisted or rebounded in double digits and Nick Young was the only player to record a block."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "18", "Pelicans": "44"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "37", "Pelicans": "49"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "24", "Pelicans": "34"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "91", "Pelicans": "95"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Grizzlies": "30", "Pelicans": "18"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "34", "Pelicans": "23"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Solomon Hill": "11", "Jrue Holiday": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Solomon Hill": "8", "Jrue Holiday": "8"}, "Points": {"Solomon Hill": "23", "Alexis Ajinca": "12", "Anthony Davis": "18", "Jrue Holiday": "19", "Marc Gasol": "15", "Mike Conley": "17", "Zach Randolph": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Solomon Hill": "5", "Alexis Ajinca": "10", "Anthony Davis": "7", "Jrue Holiday": "7", "Marc Gasol": "12", "Mike Conley": "2", "Zach Randolph": "9"}, "Steals": {"Solomon Hill": "2", "Alexis Ajinca": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Alexis Ajinca": "2", "Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "2", "Jrue Holiday": "7", "Marc Gasol": "9", "Mike Conley": "4"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the host Memphis Grizzlies, 95 - 91, at FedEx Forum on Wednesday. These teams have gone to overtime the last three times they faced one another and this matchup nearly hit extra time once again. The Pelicans actually led for the final 38 minutes, as it took a 30 - 18 fourth quarter for the Grizzlies to make it a game. New Orleans got it done with defense, as they held Memphis to 37 percent from the field (33 - of - 89) and 18 percent from three - point range (6 - of - 33). The Pelicans shot 49 percent from the field and 44 percent from three - point range on their end, despite being dominated in rebounding and second - chance points. The Pelicans (23 - 34) are battling to remain in the playoff hunt and road wins like this are necessary to achieve that goal. Solomon Hill was the surprising hero, as he led the team with 23 points, five rebounds and two steals on 8 - of - 11 from the field. Jrue Holiday was second on the team, finishing with 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists on 8 - of - 13 shooting. Anthony Davis scored just four points in the first half, but still accrued 18 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks for the game. Alexis Ajinca was the only other Pelican in double figures, as he amassed 12 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and two blocks. The Grizzlies (34 - 24) have been disappointing on offense all season and they were let down by it once again here. Mike Conley led Memphis in scoring, as he collected 17 points, two rebounds and four assists. Zach Randolph was second on the team, providing 16 points and nine rebounds off the bench. Marc Gasol was the only other Memphis player in double figures, as he accumulated 15 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists in a near triple - double."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "26", "Heat": "27"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "127", "Heat": "100"}, "Rebounds": {"Lakers": "62", "Heat": "41"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "14", "Heat": "11"}}, {"Points": {"Willie Reed": "22", "James Johnson": "20", "Luol Deng": "19", "Lou Williams": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Willie Reed": "12", "Luol Deng": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Johnson": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"James Johnson": "7"}}], "The host Los Angeles Lakers demolished the Miami Heat on Friday, 127 - 100. The Lakers (14 - 26) are finally operating at full health after suffering injuries to key players throughout the month of December. The team saw dominance on both ends of the floor on Friday, starting with the glass. Los Angeles held a 62 - 41 rebounding advantage, recording 18 offensive boards on the night. On the offensive end, the team shot a strong 50 percent from the field and drained 10 three - pointers. Veteran forward Luol Deng scored 19 points and had a team - high 14 rebounds. Sixth man Lou Williams, meanwhile, led the team with 24 points off the bench. The Heat (11 - 27), on the other hand, were shorthanded on Friday, missing star center Hassan Whiteside. Big man Willie Reed once again stepped up in a starting role, tying a career high with 22 points and pulling down 12 rebounds. However, the team saw struggles on the offensive end, hitting just 41 percent of its shots with only eight threes. Forward James Johnson provided some spark off the bench, though, scoring 20 on 7 - of - 11 from the field. The Heat will face the Clippers on Sunday, while the Lakers will host the Magic."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "46", "Grizzlies": "44"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "18", "Grizzlies": "11"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "106", "Grizzlies": "95"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pelicans": "31", "Grizzlies": "19"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "18", "Grizzlies": "25"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Zach Randolph": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Zach Randolph": "31", "Jrue Holiday": "36"}, "Points": {"Zach Randolph": "11", "Marc Gasol": "19", "Mike Conley": "19", "Anthony Davis": "20", "Jrue Holiday": "23", "Ryan Anderson": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "11", "Tyreke Evans": "9", "Ryan Anderson": "6"}, "Assists": {"Tyreke Evans": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ryan Anderson": "4"}}], "The Pelicans (18 - 18) knocked off the Grizzlies (25 - 11) 106 - 95 in New Orleans on Friday. New Orleans jumped out to a 31 - 19 advantage after the first quarter and never looked back, as the lead did not dip below seven points in the second half. The victory was key for a Pelicans team fighting to stay in playoff contention after dropping two straight to Washington and Charlotte. On a relatively quiet night for Anthony Davis \u2013 20 points, nine rebounds \u2013 the Pelicans got contributions off the bench from Tyreke Evans and Ryan Anderson. Evans finished with 23 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, while Anderson added 20 points, including four three - pointers, to go with six rebounds. Jrue Holiday led all scorers with 23 points in 36 minutes. The Pelicans shot 46 percent from the floor and knocked down 10 - of - 20 three - point attempts. Memphis, which has now dropped two straight and three of its last four, shot 44 percent from the floor, converting only 6 - of - 17 attempts from beyond the arc. Marc Gasol and Mike Conley led the way with 19 points apiece, and Zach Randolph, who returned from injury after missing nine games, was the only other Grizzlies player in double - figures, finishing with 11 points and 11 boards in 31 minutes. Up next, Memphis returns home to host the Suns on Sunday. New Orleans, meanwhile, heads north to Boston to take on the Celtics on Monday night."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "40"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "16", "Nets": "23"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "101", "Nets": "99"}, "Turnovers": {"Bulls": "18"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "16", "Nets": "8"}}, {"Assists": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "2", "Trevor Booker": "2", "Brook Lopez": "4", "Sean Kilpatrick": "6", "Randy Foye": "1", "Jimmy Butler": "4", "Dwyane Wade": "1", "Rajon Rondo": "12"}, "Points": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "10", "Trevor Booker": "6", "Brook Lopez": "33", "Sean Kilpatrick": "18", "Randy Foye": "11", "Jimmy Butler": "40", "Robin Lopez": "12", "Dwyane Wade": "16", "Rajon Rondo": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "2", "Brook Lopez": "3", "Sean Kilpatrick": "3", "Randy Foye": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "4", "Rajon Rondo": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Trevor Booker": "1"}, "Steals": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "1", "Randy Foye": "1", "Jimmy Butler": "4", "Rajon Rondo": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jimmy Butler": "1"}}], "The Chicago Bulls defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 101 - 99, at United Center on Wednesday. The normally porous Nets (8 - 23), they of the lone road victory on the season, did n't give an inch Wednesday, holding the Bulls (16 - 16) to sub - 40 percent tallies from the field and three - point range and eliciting 18 turnovers from their hosts. However, as time wound down, the one player they'd failed to hold down throughout the night, Jimmy Butler, ultimately did them in. His jumper as time expired snapped a 99 - 99 deadlock and capped off a 40 - point effort, while carrying Chicago back to .500 on the season. Brook Lopez had a remarkable night of his own for the visitors, tallying 33 points, four assists and three rebounds. Sean Kilpatrick was a distant second with 18 points, six assists, three rebounds and a steal. Bojan Bogdanovic went for 10 points, two assists and two rebounds. Trevor Booker mustered a modest six points but hauled in 14 boards and added two assists and a block. Randy Foye led the bench with 11 points, five rebounds, an assist and a steal. Butler added 11 boards, four assists and four steals to round out his spectacular stat line. Dwyane Wade went for 16 points, four boards and an assist. Robin Lopez turned in 12 points, while Rajon Rondo collected only five points but also supplied 12 assists, nine rebounds and a pair of steals. The Nets head to the Nation's Capital to take on the Wizards on Friday evening, while the Bulls visit the Indiana Pacers on Friday night as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "19", "Thunder": "27"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "115", "Thunder": "112"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "38", "Thunder": "32"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Nick Collison": "12", "Mitch McGary": "28"}, "Points": {"Nick Collison": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "40", "Mitch McGary": "20", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "29", "Damian Lillard": "29", "Arron Afflalo": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Nick Collison": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "13", "Mitch McGary": "9", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "16"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "11", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "1", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1"}, "Blocks": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Damian Lillard": "10"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (38 - 19) beat the Oklahoma City Thunder (32 - 27) 115 - 112 on Friday. In a game of amazing performances, the Trail Blazers were led by LaMarcus Aldridge with 29 points, 16 rebounds, five assists one steal and one block. He got into a small spat with Serge Ibaka late in the fourth quarter and a double - technical was handed out. Damian Lillard had 29 points of his own on 10 - of - 22 shooting. Newly acquired guard Arron Afflalo came off the bench and scored 18 points. Portland outscored the Thunder by 14 in the fourth to win a tough game that came down to the wire and may go down as one of the most entertaining games of the season. The Blazers own the fourth best record in the Western Conference. Russell Westbrook became the first player since LeBron James to record three triple - doubles in a row. Westbrook had one of the best performances by any player this season. He finished with 40 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists. In February he is averaging an Oscar Robertson-esque 30 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds a game. Mitch McGary came off the bench and put up 20 points and nine rebounds in 28 minutes. The Thunder were without Enes Kanter (thigh). Nick Collison started in his place and played 12 minutes and scored six points with three rebounds. After a rough start to the season, Oklahoma City is currently in the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference standings. The Thunder will head to Los Angeles to face the Lakers on Sunday, as the Trail Blazers will travel to Sacramento for a matchup with the Kings."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "9", "Wizards": "17"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "101", "Wizards": "91"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "27", "Wizards": "16"}}, {"Points": {"Bradley Beal": "27", "John Wall": "18", "James Harden": "23", "Eric Gordon": "31"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "12", "James Harden": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Eric Gordon": "6"}}], "The Houston Rockets took down the visiting Washington Wizards on Monday, 101 - 91. Houston (27 - 9) may be the league's hottest team, as the Rockets are now 9 - 2 in their last 11. Much of the credit for the team's success is due to All-Star guard James Harden, who has led the league in assists and churned out triple - doubles at a ridiculous rate through the early part of the season. Harden followed a career - best performance against New York on New Year's Eve with his third straight triple - double on Monday against the Wizards. Despite shooting just 6 - of - 24, Harden scored 23 points to go with 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Sharpshooting sixth man Eric Gordon, meanwhile, led the team with 31 points off the bench, including six three - pointers. Washington (16 - 17) had been on a hot streak, going 7 - 3 in its last 10 games before Monday. Point guard John Wall was crowned Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the final week of 2016, and continued his strong play in Houston. Wall scored 18 points and dished out 12 assists. Shooting guard Bradley Beal led the team with 27 points. However, the Wizards struggled to find their shot from beyond the arc, going just 6 - of - 26 from long - range. The Wizards will travel to Dallas on Tuesday, while the Rockets will host OKC on Thursday."], [[{"Total points": {"Pelicans": "119", "Spurs": "103"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pelicans": "25"}, "Losses": {"Spurs": "10"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "36"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Jrue Holiday": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jrue Holiday": "3"}}], "The visiting New Orleans Pelicans took down the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, 119 - 103. A massive fourth quarter lifted New Orleans (19 - 24) to victory. The Pelicans outscored their opponents by 25 in the second half, building on the strong play of Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday. Davis, the 23 - year - old superstar forward, pulled down a season - high 22 rebounds on the night, five of which came on the offensive end. His big contribution on the glass helped the Pelicans establish a 54 - 44 edge in the rebounding column. Tenacity on the boards combined with up - tempo, three - point heavy offense for rapid scoring in the second half. The team drained 13 three - pointers on the night, with Jrue Holiday knocking down three and assisting on several more. San Antonio (36 - 10) is not a team familiar with being blown out, so Friday came as a surprise to most. Despite coming into the half with a sturdy lead, ice - cold shooting led the Spurs to a tough end result. The team shot under 39 percent from the field and saw sub - standard shooting even from its stars, as Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge combined for just 12 - of - 36 on the night. On top of the poor shooting, it was an off night for the usually air - tight San Antonio defense. The team managed to force a fair number of turnovers, but still allowed the Pelicans to shoot at over 51 percent on the night. New Orleans will host the Wizards on Sunday, while San Antonio will host the Mavericks."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Pacers": "28", "Mavericks": "16"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "48", "Mavericks": "37"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "9", "Mavericks": "12"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "107", "Mavericks": "81"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pacers": "20"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "15", "Mavericks": "14"}}, {"Rebounds": {"Zaza Pachulia": "14"}, "Points": {"Raymond Felton": "16"}, "Assists": {"Paul George": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul George": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul George": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Paul George": "3"}}], "Indiana Pacers (15 - 9) dominate in second half to defeat Dallas Mavericks (14 - 12) 107 - 81 on Wednesday. It's not too often that a veteran team like the Mavericks will just collapse in the second half, but they did that on Wednesday. In fact, they were outscored 62 - 34 in the final 24 minutes and the game was decided early in the fourth quarter. The shooting for Dallas was terrible, as they shot 37 percent to Indiana's 48 percent. The Pacers also had 28 assists to the Mavericks 16, so it was just poor offense from the Mavs all night long. Dallas actually had a small lead at halftime, but came out flat in the second half. There were only two starters who scored into double - figures and nobody scored more than 16 points. Raymond Felton led the team with 16 points and Zaza Pachulia led the team with 14 rebounds. Dirk Nowitzki, Wesley Matthews and Deron Williams combined to shoot 11 - for - 36 from the field in the loss and that simply wo n't get it done. Dallas will look to bounce - back when they host the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday. The Pacers had no player score more than 20 points on Wednesday, but played some great team - ball. They assisted on 28 of their 43 baskets and had three players score between 19 and 20 points. Those three players include Paul George, C.J. Miles, and Monta Ellis, who played against his former team. The starters committed just four turnovers as well and that's always a good recipe for a blowout. Indiana will look to build off this win when they take on the Brooklyn Nets on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "46"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "5", "Rudy Gobert": "9"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "5"}, "Points": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "24", "Rudy Gobert": "35"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Rudy Gobert": "12"}}], "Fans had the pleasure of witnessing a career night from a bright young star on Wednesday, as Utah's Rudy Gobert scored a personal - best 35 points on the night. Gobert shot an absurd 13 - of - 14 from the field and went 9 - of - 12 at the free - throw line. While delivering this incredible offensive output, Gobert maintained the defensive excellence for which he is known. On the night, Gobert blocked four shots and stole the ball once while pulling down a team - high 13 rebounds. The Jazz as a whole shot 46 percent from the field but hit just 7 - of - 28 from beyond the three - point arc. On the Knicks' end, things were a little bleaker. The team committed four more turnovers and 15 more personal fouls than its opponent, a slate of errors that ultimately cost them the win. Sophomore big man Kristaps Porzingis had five of those fouls, but still managed a team - high 24 points on 8 - of - 17 shooting."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "49"}}, {"Points": {"Serge Ibaka": "13", "Nikola Vucevic": "30", "Elfrid Payton": "19", "CJ McCollum": "26", "Damian Lillard": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "10", "Nikola Vucevic": "10", "Damian Lillard": "8"}, "Assists": {"Nikola Vucevic": "4", "Elfrid Payton": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Nikola Vucevic": "2", "CJ McCollum": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "18", "CJ McCollum": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "13", "CJ McCollum": "10"}}], "The Orlando Magic enjoyed a big night on offense on Friday, shooting 49 percent from the field including over 55 percent from beyond the arc. Center Nikola Vucevic led the offensive charge with 30 points on 13 - of - 18 shooting. Vucevic also posted 10 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks. Veteran forward Serge Ibaka added another double - double, scoring 13 along with 10 rebounds. Third-year point guard Elfrid Payton scored 19 points along with seven assists. Five Magic players scored in double - digits, including two off the bench. For Portland, star Damian Lillard led the way with 34 points and eight rebounds. Lillard shot 12 - of - 27 on the night. Guard C.J. McCollum scored 26 points on 10 - of - 21 shooting and recorded a surprising three blocks. The team as a whole, however, struggled a bit, shooting just 40 percent and 29 percent from three."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "12", "Bucks": "19"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "95", "Bucks": "87"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bulls": "19", "Bucks": "20"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "26", "Bucks": "20"}}, {"Personal fouls": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5", "John Henson": "5"}, "Assists": {"Brandon Knight": "5", "Jimmy Butler": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Brandon Knight": "34", "Pau Gasol": "39"}, "Points": {"Brandon Knight": "20", "Jared Dudley": "15", "Pau Gasol": "46", "Kirk Hinrich": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Brandon Knight": "5", "Pau Gasol": "18"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (26 - 12) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (20 - 19), 95 - 87. Derrick Rose was held out of action due to knee soreness, and Tony Snell started in his absence. Kenyon Martin exited after colliding with Jimmy Butler and did n't return. Both teams combined to shoot 7 - of - 28 from downtown. Pau Gasol scored a career - high 46 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in 39 minutes. Kirk Hinrich was the only other Bull to score in double - digits, adding 16 points. Jimmy Butler recorded a career - high 10 assists as the de facto point guard. Giannis Antetokounmpo and John Henson each picked up five fouls. Brandon Knight scored a team - high 20 points, grabbed five rebounds, and recorded five assists in 34 minutes. Jared Dudley supplied 15 points off the bench. The Bulls take on the Orlando Magic this Monday, and the Bucks have four days off before they face the New York Knicks in London next Thursday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "38", "Bulls": "50"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "39", "Bulls": "19"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "91", "Bulls": "114"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Lakers": "15", "Bulls": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Lakers": "41", "Bulls": "51"}, "Turnovers": {"Lakers": "14"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "9", "Bulls": "26"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bulls": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"Pau Gasol": "7", "Jimmy Butler": "10", "Derrick Rose": "5"}, "Points": {"Pau Gasol": "21", "Jimmy Butler": "26", "Derrick Rose": "16", "Julius Randle": "14", "Jordan Clarkson": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "12", "Jimmy Butler": "5", "Julius Randle": "8"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (26 - 19) took care of business against the Los Angeles Lakers (9 - 39) on Thursday in a 114 - 91 win. Chicago got off to a hot start and they never looked back after that. They took a 32 - 15 lead in the first quarter and the game never seemingly got close after that point. The defense was key for the Bulls on Thursday, as they held the Lakers to just 38 percent shooting and drew 14 turnovers in the win. Chicago also dominated the rebounding as they snatched down 51 rebounds to the Lakers 41. The shooting was a big difference as well, with the Bulls shooting 50 percent and scoring 56 points in the paint while allowing the Lakers to score just 26 paint points. The Bulls have been struggling recently, but this date with the Lakers is just what the doctor ordered. Derrick Rose didn\u2019t have a huge game statistically with just 16 points and five assists, but he had a burst that was undeniable and a great sign for Bulls fans for the future. Jimmy Butler was once again the hero, as he tallied 26 points, five rebounds and 10 assists in the win. Pau Gasol also played great, as he amassed 21 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in the victory. The Bulls will look to keep this momentum going on Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers. This marked the Lakers 12th loss in their last 13 games and their seventh loss in their last eight games by at least 13 points. Lou Williams sat out this game with an illness and it was clear they really missed them with no Lakers player having a big night. Jordan Clarkson led the team with 16 points, but had the worst plus - minus at a - 29. Julius Randle had a solid game as well, as he scored 14 points to go along with eight rebounds. Up next for the Lakers is a date against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "44"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "28"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "28"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "19", "Damian Lillard": "20", "Serge Ibaka": "15", "DeMar DeRozan": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ McCollum": "6", "Damian Lillard": "10", "Serge Ibaka": "8", "DeMar DeRozan": "9"}, "Points": {"CJ McCollum": "17", "Damian Lillard": "28", "Serge Ibaka": "18", "DeMar DeRozan": "33"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Damian Lillard": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Serge Ibaka": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "10"}, "Steals": {"Serge Ibaka": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "16"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "15"}}], "As the Raptors jockey for position in the Eastern Conference playoff race without Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan has taken the reigns. DeRozan followed up a 43 - point outing against Boston with a team - high 33 in Toronto's win over Portland on Sunday. DeRozan shot a stellar 9 - of - 16 and a very impressive 15 - of - 16 from the free - throw line. Newly-acquired Raptor Serge Ibaka, meanwhile, shot 8 - of - 15 for 18 points and came away with 10 rebounds, two steals, and a blocked shot. The Raps as a whole shot a very impressive 54 percent from the field. Portland, meanwhile, saw a nice 28 points and eight assists from star point guard Damian Lillard. Lillard shot 10 - of - 20 from the field and knocked down four three - pointers. Backcourt partner C.J. McCollum had another 17 points but shot just 6 - of - 19. As a team, the Blazers hit only 44 percent of their shots."], [[{"Total points": {"Grizzlies": "109", "Celtics": "112"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "32"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "12"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "16"}}, {"Points": {"Jae Crowder": "13", "Al Horford": "17", "Isaiah Thomas": "44", "Marc Gasol": "24", "Mike Conley": "19", "Troy Daniels": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Jae Crowder": "7", "Al Horford": "14", "Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Marc Gasol": "7", "Mike Conley": "5"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "6", "Marc Gasol": "6", "Mike Conley": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "17"}, "Free throws made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "17"}, "Minutes played": {"Isaiah Thomas": "38", "Troy Daniels": "35"}, "Steals": {"Isaiah Thomas": "2"}}], "The Boston Celtics defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 112 - 109 in overtime Tuesday at FedExForum. The Celtics (16 - 12) needed big comeback effort in the fourth quarter to force overtime, and it was clear once they managed to reach overtime basketball, star point guard Isaiah Thomas was not going to let them lose. Thomas finished with a season - high 44 points, six assists, three rebounds and two steals in 38 minutes, as he point guard was on fire from every spot on the floor, shooting 10 - of - 16 from the field, 7 - of - 10 from behind the arc and 17 - of - 17 from the free throw line. Thomas carried the team on his back for all 53 minutes, while Al Horford finished with a double - double of 17 points and 14 rebounds and Jae Crowder posted a solid line of 13 points and seven rebounds. In the end, Boston won by making the most of their trips to the charity stripe, hitting 32 of their 34 free throw attempts Tuesday. While Boston managed to win their third straight game, the Grizzlies found a way to lose their third straight as they've reached a rough patch in their otherwise hot start to the regular season. Marc Gasol put together a great all - around performance despite fading offensively down the stretch, as he posted a team - high 24 points, seven rebounds and six assists, while Mike Conley 19 points, five rebounds and eight assists himself. Additionally, just a game removed from a scoreless performance, Troy Daniels rebounded nicely with 24 points in 35 minutes off the bench for Memphis. Up next, the Celtics will head to Indiana on Thursday to take on the Pacers, while the Grizzlies will have an opporunity to end their win streak Wednesday in Detroit."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Suns": "30"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Suns": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "3", "Leandro Barbosa": "5"}, "Points": {"Eric Bledsoe": "30", "Alex Len": "14", "Leandro Barbosa": "21"}, "Steals": {"Eric Bledsoe": "3"}}], "Though Friday's matchup between the Suns and Lakers was expected to be a showcase of some of the league's rising stars, a few veterans stood out the most. For the Suns, point guard Eric Bledsoe scored 30 points and dished out nine assists while also stealing the ball three times. Veteran guard Leandro Barbosa came off the bench to drop in five three - pointers en route to 21 points. The combo accounted for eight of Phoenix's 13 three - point makes on the night. Youngster Alex Len, meanwhile, was a standout as well, scoring 14 points and pulling down 13 rebounds off the bench. Len added five blocks on the defensive end. For the Lakers, former Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams continued to fill the void left by the injured D'Angelo Russell and Nick Young. Williams had six three - pointers and scored a team - high 35 points. The 30 - year - old is making a strong case for his second Sixth Man award, having scored 35 or more in three of his last four games."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "47", "Knicks": "51"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "94", "Knicks": "101"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "17", "Knicks": "13"}}, {"Points": {"Alexey Shved": "14", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "22", "Jordan Hill": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Alexey Shved": "11", "Jordan Hill": "10", "Ed Davis": "10"}, "Assists": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "5"}}], "The New York Knicks (13 - 51) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (17 - 47) 101 - 94 on Thursday at the Staples Center. It's rare to see the Lakers and Knicks match up this late in the season with a combined winning percentage under 30, but that's the way this season is going for both teams. Tim Hardaway Jr. hit a three pointer to give the Knicks a 46 - 45 lead that they would retain for the rest of the game. Hardaway led the way for the Knicks with 22 points, including 5 - for - 7 on three pointers, as they notched their first win in the month of March. The Lakers New York won just its third game since the All-Star break despite a - 18 rebound margin. Hardaway Jr. was excellent in his return after missing two games with back spasms. Alexey Shved was in the starting lineup again on Thursday and finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds. The Knicks continue their five - game Western Conference road trip on Saturday against the Warriors. Los Angeles was unable to maintain the momentum from Tuesday's win over Detroit as it fell to New York for the second and final time this season. Jordan Hill led the way with 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Ed Davis added 10 boards off the bench, but it was n't enough for the Lakers to close the gap. The Lakers are off until Sunday when they host the Hawks."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "37", "Pelicans": "42"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "31", "Pelicans": "26"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "95", "Pelicans": "91"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Lakers": "28"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "9", "Pelicans": "11"}}, {"Assists": {"Tyreke Evans": "4", "Lou Williams": "8"}, "Points": {"Tyreke Evans": "21", "Lou Williams": "19", "Jordan Clarkson": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyreke Evans": "5", "Lou Williams": "4", "Jordan Clarkson": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Lou Williams": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Lou Williams": "10"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers (9 - 31) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (11 - 26) 95 - 91 on Tuesday night. In a battle between two horrible defenses, the offenses really struggled. The two teams combined for just 79 points in the first half and shot horrendously. The Pelicans actually outshot the Lakers 42 percent to 37 percent in the game, but fouled far too often. The Lakers got to the free - throw line 32 times while the Pelicans got there just 14 times. The three - point shooting was horrible all - around, as the two teams combined to go 12 - for - 52 from long distance. What won it for the Lakers was a 28 - point fourth quarter in which they trailed by four heading in. New Orleans had to play this game without Anthony Davis and they clearly miss him when he's not in the lineup. They are now 0 - 5 without Davis starting and the offense simply looks bad without him. Six players scored in double - figures for New Orleans tonight, but the other four players who appeared combined for just six points. Tyreke Evans was once again the best player, as he tallied 21 points, five rebounds and four assists, despite missing two three's late that ended up being huge. The Pelicans will have to play on Wednesday in their next game in a back - to - back against the Sacramento Kings. The Lakers have been playing better ball as of late and this result shows why. The defense has taken a complete 180 over recent weeks and this marks the fourth time in their last seven games where they have allowed 97 or less points. Kobe Bryant was dealing with Achilles soreness coming in and failed to return after the half due to a recurrence of the injury. Lou Williams has been the best player over recent weeks for the Lakers and he was here once again, as he finished with 19 points, eight assists and four rebounds. He went 10 - for - 10 from the free - throw line and Williams has been making a living from there all season long. Jordan Clarkson hadn\u2019t scored for the first 20 minutes or so of this game, but ended up finishing with 18 points and seven boards in a great second half. Los Angeles will need to keep playing well in their next game, when they travel to Oakland to take on the Golden State Warriors on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "8", "76ers": "18"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "92", "76ers": "84"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "10", "76ers": "0"}}, {"Assists": {"Robert Covington": "4", "Marc Gasol": "3", "Mike Conley": "5", "Matt Barnes": "5"}, "Points": {"Robert Covington": "12", "Jahlil Okafor": "9", "Isaiah Canaan": "16", "Zach Randolph": "17", "Marc Gasol": "9", "Mike Conley": "20", "Matt Barnes": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Robert Covington": "7", "Jahlil Okafor": "13", "Zach Randolph": "11", "Marc Gasol": "12", "Mike Conley": "4", "Matt Barnes": "8"}, "Steals": {"Robert Covington": "7", "Matt Barnes": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Robert Covington": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "4", "Mike Conley": "2"}}], "The Memphihs Grizzlies (10 - 8) almost got caught sleeping by the Philadelphia 76ers (0 - 18) but woke up just in time get the 92 - 84 win. Philadelphia led 76 - 71 with 7:38 left in the fourth quarter but Memphis sprung to life and went on a 21 - 8 run from that point on. The 6ers have now tied the worst start ever by an NBA team, 0 - 18. Phili was moving the ball well as a team and finished with 23 assists for 30 made field goals. Isaiah Canaan led the way in scoring for the 76ers, with 16 points, although on poor 5 - 15 shooting. Jahlil Okafor struggled shooting as well, going 3 - 11 from the field but still finished with nine points and a big 13 rebounds. Robert Covington contributed 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists and a greedy seven steals. Covington however, had eight turnovers. The Grizzlies' late surge propelled them to the win and allowed them to remain comfortably in the top eight in the West. Mike Conley led the way in scoring with 20 points, five assists, four rebounds and two blocked shots. Zach Randolph posted a double double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Matt Barnes came up big off the bench, helping to spark the Grizzlies' late rally and finished with 13 points, five assists, eight rebounds and two steals. Marc Gasol chipped in nine points, 12 rebounds, three assists and four blocks. Next up Memphis will be playing in New Orleans on Tuesday night. The 76ers will look to avoid making history on Tuesday when they host the Los Angeles Lakers. A loss would leave the 76ers with the worst start in NBA history."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "20", "Pistons": "42"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "118", "Pistons": "99"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "43", "Pistons": "23"}, "Turnovers": {"Pistons": "6"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Andre Drummond": "34", "Reggie Jackson": "28", "Jodie Meeks": "25", "Damian Lillard": "29"}, "Points": {"Andre Drummond": "16", "Reggie Jackson": "11", "Jodie Meeks": "14", "Damian Lillard": "28", "Meyers Leonard": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "17"}, "Assists": {"Reggie Jackson": "10", "Damian Lillard": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jodie Meeks": "1", "Damian Lillard": "5"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (43 - 20) defeated the Detroit Pistons (23 - 42), 118 - 99. Joel Freeland and Shawne Williams were ejected in the fourth quarter after a head - butting kerfuffle. The Trail Blazers were up 64 - 46 at halftime, allowing them to bench LaMarcus Aldridge in the fourth quarter. Damian Lillard scored a game - high 28 points, recorded a nine assists and hit five three - pointers in 29 minutes. Meyers Leonard scored a season - high 15 points. Alonzo Gee didn\u2019t play after getting his wisdom teeth pulled, but coach Terry Stotts believes Gee can play Sunday. Even though the Pistons committed just six turnovers, they hit 7 - of - 25 three - pointers. Andre Drummond accumulated 16 points and 17 rebounds in 34 minutes. Jodie Meeks hit at least one three - pointer for the eighth straight game, scoring 14 points in 25 minutes. Reggie Jackson tallied his second double - double with the Pistons, finishing with 11 points and 10 assists in 28 minutes. The Trail Blazers start a five - game road trip Sunday against the Toronto Raptors. The Pistons conclude a four - game road trip Saturday against the Utah Jazz."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "48", "Jazz": "40"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "84", "Jazz": "100"}, "Rebounds": {"Nuggets": "41", "Jazz": "49"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "33", "Jazz": "40"}}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "22", "Trey Lyles": "22", "Nikola Jokic": "19", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "19"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Rudy Gobert": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "14"}}], "The Utah Jazz (40 - 40) earned a much - needed 100 - 84 win over the Denver Nuggets (33 - 48) on Sunday. Utah now holds a full game lead over Houston for eighth in the Western Conference. Utah finished out the third quarter on a massive 240 run, helping to establish a double - digit lead over the struggling Nuggets. Center Rudy Gobert was seemingly unmovable on the defensive end, blocking six shots and pulling down 14 rebounds. Forward Gordan Hayward, meanwhile, led the offensive push with 22 points. Rookie Trey Lyles also chipped in 22. The Jazz were able to snap an ill - timed two - game slide with the big win, potentially securing a spot in the postseason after Sunday. Denver, meanwhile, had its playoff hopes dashed weeks ago and currently sits well below .500. Denver's big men could seemingly do nothing to stop the Stiffle Tower, as Gobert proved to be an absolute nightmare for the Nuggets. Denver was outrebounded 49 - 41 and also hit just six three - pointers to Utah's 12. Rookies Nikola Jokic and Emmanuel Mudiay tied for the team lead in points with 19. Utah will face Dallas on Monday in a matchup with major playoff implications."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "7", "Thunder": "9"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "17", "Thunder": "17"}, "Number of team assists": {"Thunder": "23"}}, {"Points": {"Kevin Durant": "25", "Serge Ibaka": "23", "Russell Westbrook": "27", "LeBron James": "33"}, "Assists": {"LeBron James": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "9"}}], "In one of the season's most hotly - anticipated matchups, the Cleveland Cavaliers (17 - 7) snapped the Oklahoma City Thunder's (17 - 9) six - game win streak. The Cavs themselves advanced to 11 - 1 at home on the season. Cleveland fans were on the edge of their seats, as the Thunder were able to pull the Cavs' lead down to just three with a minute remaining. However, LeBron James and the Cavs did n't go down easy, as James sealed the deal with a clutch free throw to put it away. King James narrowly missed a triple - double, posting 33 points, nine rebounds, and 11 assists en route to the nationally - televised victory. However, James's performance may be overshadowed by an accidental collision with a courtside fan which left the spectator badly injured. The win came at a vital time for Cleveland, as they are still without All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving. The 23 - year - old has yet to see the floor in the 2015 - 16 season, and although many expected the matchup against OKC to be his debut, Irving himself confirmed via twitter a day before the game that he would be out once again. For the Thunder, meanwhile, the loss comes amid a surge of momentum. OKC had the longest winning streak in the NBA as they travelled to Cleveland, and had quickly been solidifying themselves as the Western Conference's third seed. However, with guard Anthony Morrow out due to a personal matter and sixth man Dion Waiters unable to get his shot to fall, the Thunder struggled to get their offense flowing well enough to secure the win. While Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, and Serge Ibaka scored 27, 25, and 23 respectively, no other Thunder player scored more than six points. The Thunder, equipped with two of the most talented superstars in the league, should be able to withstand a loss to the reigning Eastern Conference champions. For the Cavs, meanwhile, the lead on the Eastern Conference begins to grow, a positive sign as Kyrie Irving has yet to log a single minute. The two powerhouses each face off against their respective conference's weakest team in their next game, with the Thunder taking on the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland facing the Philadelphia 76ers."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pelicans": "33"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "14"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "104", "Grizzlies": "113"}, "Rebounds": {"Pelicans": "37", "Grizzlies": "49"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "4"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "48"}}, {"Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "6", "Tyreke Evans": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "4", "Anthony Davis": "9"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "38", "Tyreke Evans": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "13", "Tyreke Evans": "5"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (10 - 8) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (4 - 14) 113 - 104 on Tuesday night. In a battle of one of the worst offenses against one of the worst defenses, the bad offense prevailed. Memphis shot 48 percent from the field in this game, while attempting just 10 three - pointers. The big differences in the game were the free - throw shooting and rebounding. The Grizzlies went 25 - for - 26 from the free - throw line, while the Pelicans made the same amount in 33 attempts. Memphis also outrebounded New Orleans 49 - 37, which is a good sign with their rebounding struggles this season. Memphis got a much needed win here against a struggling New Orleans team. What is even better about this result is that it may give their offense a much needed boost. Marc Gasol had a fantastic game on Tuesday, as he tallied 38 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and four blocks in the win. The bench was effective as well, as three players scored in double - figures. This is a team hitting its stride after a terrible start to the season and that's a scary sight for the rest of the Western Conference. The Grizzlies will look to build off this win when they take on the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday. The Pelicans defense let them down once again, as they allowed another 110 - plus point game. The loss now makes them 1 - 10 on the road this season and it's starting to look like a lost year for the playoff hopefuls. The Pelicans did get some nice performances in this game though. Anthony Davis set a season - high with nine blocks in the loss and also recorded a double - double. Tyreke Evans also made his season debut and played brilliantly, totaling 20 points, 10 assists and five rebounds in the defeat. Evans is a great talent and this team should be much better off with him in the lineup. It remains to be seen if he'll play in New Orleans next game, as it's the second half of a back - to - back against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "20", "Thunder": "12"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "106", "Thunder": "109"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "25", "Thunder": "33"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "7", "Dirk Nowitzki": "1", "Deron Williams": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "1", "Dirk Nowitzki": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kevin Durant": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "8", "Dirk Nowitzki": "8", "Deron Williams": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Durant": "2", "Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Deron Williams": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "21", "Enes Kanter": "10", "Chandler Parsons": "16", "Dirk Nowitzki": "15", "Deron Williams": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "10", "Enes Kanter": "7", "Chandler Parsons": "8", "Dirk Nowitzki": "6", "Deron Williams": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "2", "Deron Williams": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Kevin Durant": "2", "Deron Williams": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Kevin Durant": "38", "Enes Kanter": "24", "Dirk Nowitzki": "29", "Deron Williams": "36"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "24", "Russell Westbrook": "16", "Enes Kanter": "16", "Chandler Parsons": "26", "Dirk Nowitzki": "14", "Deron Williams": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "8", "Enes Kanter": "9", "Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Deron Williams": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Kevin Durant": "3"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "2", "Dirk Nowitzki": "1", "Deron Williams": "2"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (33 - 12) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (25 - 20) 109 - 106, on Friday night at American Airlines Center in Dallas. The Thunder managed to extend their win steak to seven games despite having lost their previous three games in Dallas. Oklahoma City was up by as many as 17 in the fourth quarter but the Mavericks battled back to bring themselves within one, with one minute remaining. Kevin Durant responded with a clutch jumper to put the Thunder up by three. The Mavs missed their next shot but an offensive foul called on Serge Ibaka gave them a second chance to go for the tie. They ended up getting three attempts from long range, thanks to some offensive rebounding but missed all three. Oklahoma had six players score in double digits, three of them off the bench. Kevin Durant led the way in scoring, with 24 points (10 - 21 FG, 2 - 8 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), seven assists, three rebounds and two blocked shots, in 38 minutes. Russell Westbrook was busy filling the stat sheet, as he finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, two steals and one block, in 34 minutes. Enes Kanter tallied 16 points (7 - 10 FG) and nine rebounds, in 24 minutes off the bench. The Thunder were missing Steven Adams, who sat out with a sore elbow. The Mavericks had their two - game win streak halted by this loss. Chandler Parsons, who was big in those previous two games, finished with a team - high 26 points (8 - 16 FG. 4 - 6 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT), along with five rebounds and three assists, in 36 minutes. Deron Williams added 22 points (9 - 16 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), five assists, two rebounds and two steals, in 36 minutes. Dirk Nowitzki returned to the line up after missing a game with a sore knee and tallied 14 points (6 - 15 FG, 2 - 8 3Pt), two rebounds, two blocked shots, one assist and one steal, in 29 minutes. The Mavericks will begin a three - game road trip in Houston on Sunday. The Thunder will enter the second game of their current four - game road trip when they face the Nets on Sunday."], [[{"Wins": {"Bulls": "3"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "10", "Taj Gibson": "9", "Rajon Rondo": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Jimmy Butler": "6", "Taj Gibson": "7", "Rajon Rondo": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Taj Gibson": "11"}}], "The loss of double - double machine Pau Gasol has seemingly had little impact on the Bulls in the rebounding department, as Chicago has posted big numbers on the glass through three games. Monday saw the Bulls' highest total yet, as they edged out the Nets 58 - 45 on the glass. The Bulls saw contributions on the boards from the top to the bottom of the lineup, with rebounding leader Taj Gibson posting just 11, but eight players recording at least three boards. Rebounding was n't the only major advantage the Bulls saw, as the team hit over 50 percent of its shots from the floor while holding the Nets to below 35 percent. Efficient performances from Gibson (7 - for - 9), Jimmy Butler (6 - for - 10), and Rajon Rondo (5 - for - 8) helped lift the Bulls to a superb shooting percentage overall."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "50"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "19"}}, {"Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "26", "Kosta Koufos": "9", "Arron Afflalo": "15", "Darren Collison": "26", "Ty Lawson": "16", "Anthony Tolliver": "10", "Paul George": "33", "Thaddeus Young": "8", "Myles Turner": "14", "CJ Miles": "18", "Jeff Teague": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "16", "Kosta Koufos": "12", "Jeff Teague": "8"}, "Steals": {"CJ Miles": "1", "Jeff Teague": "1"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "8"}}], "Sacramento posted superb 49 - and - 50 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively, but turned the ball over a whopping 19 times in the loss. DeMarcus Cousins and Darren Collison led the way with matching 26 - point efforts, with the former also notably hauling 16 boards. Arron Affalo turned in 15 points, while Kosta Koufos supplied nine points and 12 rebounds. Ty Lawson's 16 points led the bench, and Anthony Tolliver poured in 10 point on the second unit as well. Paul George's 33 points led the Pacers, a total that included a pair of game - tying free throws late in regulation. C.J. Miles registered 18 points, and Jeff Teague tallied a full stat line of 17 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and a steal. Myles Turner managed 14 points, and Thaddeus Young contributed eight."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "1", "Jazz": "3"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "118", "Jazz": "114"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "7", "Jazz": "4"}, "Number of team assists": {"Jazz": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Derrick Favors": "4", "JR Smith": "3", "Mo Williams": "6"}, "Points": {"Derrick Favors": "17", "Alec Burks": "24", "JR Smith": "7", "Mo Williams": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Derrick Favors": "9", "Mo Williams": "6"}, "Steals": {"Derrick Favors": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"JR Smith": "22"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (7 - 1) defeated the Utah Jazz (4 - 3) 118 - 114 on Tuesday night. In a battle of two of the best defenses in the NBA, offense was at full force. Both teams shot right around 50 percent from the field and the Jazz failed to record a block for the first time all year. Utah did out - rebound and out - assist the Cavs while tallying 50 points in the paint, but that simply wasn\u2019t enough to escape with a victory. The Jazz put together quite the game on Tuesday, but fell just short in the waning seconds. They had six players who scored at least 15 points, but nobody who scored more than 24. Utah was led by Derrick Favors, who totaled 17 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two steals in the loss. He did however miss two crucial free - throws in the final 30 seconds that very well may have cost the Jazz a chance to win the game. Utah also got 24 points off the bench from Alec Burks, who is slowly making an early season run for sixth man of the year. In any case, this is a quality performance against some of the best competition in the league. The Jazz will take on the Chicago Bulls in their next game on Thursday in a battle of two of the best frontcourts in the NBA. LeBron James was his typical self here, as he carried the load late to secure a victory for the Cavaliers. The former MVP tallied 31 points, eight assists and seven rebounds in the victory. The Cavs also got a great performance from Mo Williams who continues to fill - in admirably for the inured Kyrie Irving. He totaled 29 points, six rebounds and six assists in the win. J.R. Smith also made his return from a knee injury in this matchup and amassed seven points and three assists in 22 minutes of action. Cleveland's next match will come on Friday against the New York Knicks in a game where they'll surely be favored."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "12", "Hornets": "23"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "109", "Hornets": "95"}, "Rebounds": {"Thunder": "51", "Hornets": "34"}, "Turnovers": {"Thunder": "20"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "32", "Hornets": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "2", "Jeremy Lin": "2", "Frank Kaminsky": "4", "Kevin Durant": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "15"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "4", "Jeremy Lin": "1", "Frank Kaminsky": "4", "Kevin Durant": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kemba Walker": "2", "Frank Kaminsky": "2", "Kevin Durant": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "15", "Jeremy Lin": "11", "Frank Kaminsky": "12", "Kevin Durant": "20", "Russell Westbrook": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Kemba Walker": "8", "Jeremy Lin": "6", "Frank Kaminsky": "6", "Kevin Durant": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "3", "Jeremy Lin": "4", "Kevin Durant": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Kemba Walker": "3", "Jeremy Lin": "4", "Frank Kaminsky": "1", "Kevin Durant": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Kemba Walker": "30", "Frank Kaminsky": "31", "Kevin Durant": "30", "Russell Westbrook": "27"}, "Points": {"Kemba Walker": "21", "Jeremy Lin": "16", "Frank Kaminsky": "15", "Kevin Durant": "26", "Steven Adams": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Kemba Walker": "2", "Jeremy Lin": "1", "Frank Kaminsky": "6", "Kevin Durant": "5", "Steven Adams": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "Steals": {"Kemba Walker": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jeremy Lin": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jeremy Lin": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Frank Kaminsky": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Frank Kaminsky": "1"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (32 - 12) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (19 - 23) 109 - 95, at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City on Wednesday. The odds were stacked against the Hornets in this one. They had lost their last nine road games and have not won a game in Oklahoma City since the franchise moved there from Seattle. In addition to those negative stats, the Thunder came into this game having won 20 of their last 24 games and boasting a very strong home record. With this win the Thunder have won their last six, improved their home record to 21 - 5 and have won their last 11 against Charlotte. Oklahoma City led just about the whole way in this game. Despite mediocre shooting, Kevin Durant was the high - point man in the game, with 26 (9 - 20 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 7 - 10 FT). Durant also contributed five assists and five rebounds, in 30 minutes. Russell Westbrook continued his amazing play and came close to another triple - double. He finished with 16 points (5 - 14 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 6 - 7 FT), along with a huge 15 assists, eight rebounds and five steals, in 27 minutes. Steven Adams logged a double - double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, in 27 minutes. Despite giving up 20 turnovers, the Thunder managed to stay in control, in part by hitting 22 of 30 free throws and out - rebounding the Hornets 51 - 34. Charlotte got 57 points from its bench but unfortunately the starters could not match that same production. Kemba Walker led the Hornets with 21 points (8 - 15 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), two rebounds, two assists and two steals, in 30 minutes. Jeremy Lin chipped in 16 points (6 - 11 FG) and two assists, in 27 minutes off the bench. Frank Kaminsky was a factor in 31 minutes off the bench, as he finished with 15 points (6 - 12 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt), six rebounds and four assists. Jeremy Lamb sat this one out, making it now four games that he has missed due to a sprained toe. Next the Hornets will host the Magic on Friday. The Hornets sit 2 games behind the Magic and 3 games out of eighth in the East. The Thunder will begin a four - game road trip with a game in Dallas on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "1", "Warriors": "2"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "96", "Warriors": "91"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Cavaliers": "20"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "2", "Warriors": "1"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Warriors": "20"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Klay Thompson": "4", "Matthew Dellavedova": "3"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"David Lee": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"David Lee": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"David Lee": "13", "Tristan Thompson": "44", "Iman Shumpert": "32"}, "Points": {"David Lee": "11", "LeBron James": "40", "Tristan Thompson": "10", "Iman Shumpert": "3", "Matthew Dellavedova": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"David Lee": "4", "LeBron James": "12", "Tristan Thompson": "13"}, "Assists": {"LeBron James": "8"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (2 - 1) defeated the Golden State Warriors (1 - 2), 96 - 91, on Tuesday at the Quicken Loans Arena to take Game 3 of the NBA Finals. Cleveland yet again imposed its will for the majority of the game, led by LeBron James and company. James was n't the only Cavaliers player to change the game Tuesday, however, as Matthew Dellavedova again made a number of plays that are n't easily noticed from glancing at the box score. In addition to his career playoff best 20 points, Dellavedova was a defensive force and made a number of plays on loose balls. The Cavaliers took a 20 point lead in the third quarter and the game appeared to be in hand, but the Warriors battled back in the fourth. Stephen Curry, who was ice cold for most of the first three quarters, found his shot and had 17 points in the fourth quarter. The game could have swung in Golden State's favor after Curry drilled a three to pull the Warriors within one point, but Cleveland's Dellavedova answered with a three point play of his own. The Cavaliers now have an opportunity to take a 3 - 1 lead in the series with a win at home Thursday in Game 4. For Golden State, it was too little too late. Stephen Curry put forth a Herculean effort in the fourth quarter to keep the Warriors in the game, but the Warriors simply did not make enough plays at crucial times to get the edge. One statistic that underlies Golden State's lack of efficiency through the first three quarters is that it was held under 60 points through that time frame for just the second time all season. The only other time was in Game 2 of the Finals. Thompson and Curry combined for just nine points at halftime. David Lee saw his first action since Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals against Houston. Lee was effective with 11 points in 13 minutes, which could warrant him some playing time in the next game. The Warriors will need get into an offensive rhythm more quickly in Game 4 to avoid going back to their home court facing elimination. Cleveland ground Golden State's offense to a halt and imposed its own will on offense. James notched his second 40 - point game of this series and added 12 rebounds and eight assists. There were some defensive miscues down the stretch that allowed the Warriors to storm back, but in the end, the Cavaliers survived to notch another victory. Tristan Thompson put up a double - double with 10 points and 13 rebounds over 44 minutes on the floor, continuing to show how valuable he is on the glass. Iman Shumpert was limited to just three points in 32 minutes after suffering a shoulder injury early in the contest. The Cavaliers can dramatically shift the direction of the series with a win Thursday, but they will have to continue their stalwart defensive efforts to ensure that they avoid a similar charge from Golden State in the fourth quarter of Game 3."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "9", "Raptors": "7"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "86", "Raptors": "96"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hawks": "20", "Raptors": "39"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "12", "Raptors": "12"}}, {"Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "17", "Kyle Lowry": "31", "Cory Joseph": "10", "Thabo Sefolosha": "13", "Paul Millsap": "14", "Al Horford": "12", "Kyle Korver": "12", "Jeff Teague": "11"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "5", "Jeff Teague": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Kyle Lowry": "37"}, "Rebounds": {"Kyle Lowry": "5", "Paul Millsap": "9", "Al Horford": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Cory Joseph": "10", "Thabo Sefolosha": "12"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (12 - 7) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (12 - 9) Wednesday 96 - 86 at Phillips Arena in Atlanta. The Raptors entered the the fourth quarter in a nine - point hole, as the Hawks managed to have control for majority of the game. However, a monster fourth quarter from the team, which they won 39 - 20, allowed them to pull away and win with relative ease. Kyle Lowry was at the head of Toronto\u2019s comeback effort, as he finished with a game - high 31 points, five rebounds and five assists in 37 minutes. The team rode Lowry for the entire game, as beyond the point guard, the rest of the team struggled offensively for the most part. DeMar DeRozan (17) and Cory Joseph (10) were the only other players to score in double figures. The Hawks had a much more balanced offensive attack, as all five starters managed to score in double figures. However, they got nothing from their bench players, as the team\u2019s reserves scored just 24 points between the six of them. Jeff Teague recorded a double - dobule of 11 points and 10 assists, while Paul Millsap and Al Horford scored 14 and 12 points respectively and each grabbed nine rebounds on the night. Thabo Sefolosha (13) and Kyler Korver (12) round out the starters in double figures. Up next, the Raptors will head home Thursday to take on the Nuggets, while the Hawks will stay home Friday and play the Lakers."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "9", "Celtics": "11"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "99", "Celtics": "96"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "15", "Celtics": "13"}}, {"Assists": {"Al Horford": "6"}, "Points": {"Al Horford": "19", "Marcus Smart": "11", "Steven Adams": "16", "Russell Westbrook": "37"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Horford": "4", "Steven Adams": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "12"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Steven Adams": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "26"}, "Field goals made": {"Steven Adams": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "14"}}], "The host Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the visiting Boston Celtics, 99 - 96, at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Sunday. The Thunder (15 - 9) have won seven of their last eight after Sunday's contest. The team saw a scare early in the game as shooting guard Victor Oladipo hit the floor hard trying to contest a shot and was unable to return to the game after going to the locker room. Oklahoma City trailed for the majority of the game, but was able to launch a comeback in the game's final minutes on the strong play of Russell Westbrook. Westbrook scored a whopping 37 points on 14 - of - 26 shooting and pulled down 12 rebounds. Center Steven Adams, meanwhile, shot 7 - of - 8 from the floor and had 16 points with eight rebounds. The Celtics (13 - 11) struggled once again due to the absence of All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas (groin). On Sunday, the team divided the scoring load very evenly, with four starters scoring in double - digits. Center Al Horford scored 19 points and pulled down four rebounds and had six assists. Fill-in point guard Marcus Smart scored 11 points and dished nine assists. The Celtics once again held a major disadvantage at the free - throw line, shooting only eight free - throws to Oklahoma City's 27. The Thunder will play in Portland on Tuesday against the Trail Blazers, while the Celtics will travel to San Antonio on Wednesday to play the Spurs."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "20", "Devin Booker": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "12", "Devin Booker": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Kawhi Leonard": "32", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "34", "Pau Gasol": "27", "Manu Ginobili": "25", "TJ Warren": "26", "Devin Booker": "37", "Eric Bledsoe": "38"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "38", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "13", "Pau Gasol": "3", "Manu Ginobili": "16", "TJ Warren": "12", "Devin Booker": "39", "Eric Bledsoe": "17"}, "Assists": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "Pau Gasol": "2", "Eric Bledsoe": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "4", "Pau Gasol": "10", "TJ Warren": "1", "Eric Bledsoe": "6"}, "Steals": {"TJ Warren": "2", "Eric Bledsoe": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"TJ Warren": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2"}}], "Devin Booker was the high - point man in the contest, finishing with 39 points on 12 - of - 22 shooting, in 37 minutes. It was the second straight 39 - point game for Booker, both taking place in Mexico City. Only two other players scored in double digits for the Suns, as Eric Bledsoe finished with 17 points, to go along with 10 assists, six rebounds and one steal, in 38 minutes, while T.J. Warren added 12 points, two steals and one rebound, in 26 minutes. Kawhi Leonard led the way for the Spurs, with 38 points on 12 - of - 20 shooting, in 32 minutes, while Manu Ginobili was the next highest scorer for San Antonio, with 16 points, in 25 minutes off the bench. Pau Gasol grabbed 10 rebounds, but only added three points and two assists, in 27 minutes. The Spurs other big man LaMarcus Aldridge was also relatively quiet, as he finished with 13 points, four rebounds and two assists, in 34 minutes."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "6", "Thunder": "5"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "122", "Thunder": "114"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Grizzlies": "43"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "6", "Thunder": "6"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Serge Ibaka": "35", "Russell Westbrook": "39", "Enes Kanter": "17", "Mike Conley": "31", "Mario Chalmers": "23"}, "Points": {"Serge Ibaka": "18", "Russell Westbrook": "40", "Enes Kanter": "16", "Zach Randolph": "12", "Mike Conley": "22", "Mario Chalmers": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "9", "Enes Kanter": "7", "Zach Randolph": "10"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "14", "Mike Conley": "9"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Mike Conley": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Mike Conley": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Mario Chalmers": "15"}, "Free throws made": {"Mario Chalmers": "13"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (6 - 6) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (6 - 5) Monday 122 - 114 at the FedExForum in Memphis. After what was a slow start to the season, the Grizzlies have now won three straight games, none bigger than this one against the Thunder. They used a high - scoring, 43 - point fourth quarter to ultimately pull away. Mike Conley was as great a floor leader as one could ask for, finishing with 22 points and nine assists in 31 minutes, but it was Conley\u2019s backup that really stole the show. The newly - acquired Mario Chalmers came off the bench to score an incredibly efficient 29 points in just 23 minutes, and he did most of his damage at the charity stripe, where he shot 13 - of - 15 for the game. Zach Randolph played big on the block, managing a double - double of 12 points and 10 rebounds. For the Thunder, they dropped their second consecutive game as Kevin Durant continues to nurse a hamstring injury. In his absence, Westbrook exploded for a game - high 40 points and 14 assists in 39 minutes, but it wasn\u2019t nearly enough as OKC simply didn\u2019t have an answer for the Grizzlies\u2019 offensive attack. Serge Ibaka managed 18 points and nine rebounds in 35 minutes, while Enes Canter had 16 points and seven rebounds despite only playing 17 minutes off the bench. Up next, the Grizzlies will stay home Friday to take on the Rockets, while the Thunder head home Wednesday to play the Pelicans."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Hawks": "48", "Magic": "33"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "26"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "35"}}, {"Points": {"Aaron Gordon": "16", "Nikola Vucevic": "8", "Evan Fournier": "9", "Elfrid Payton": "12", "D.J. Augustin": "8", "Jeff Green": "12", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "21", "Paul Millsap": "21", "Dwight Howard": "11", "Dennis Schroder": "17", "Malcolm Delaney": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "13"}, "Assists": {"Dennis Schroder": "10"}}], "The Hawks held Orlando to a 35 percent success rate from the floor, and 26 percent from three - point range. They also won the rebounding battle by a 48 - 33 margin and built an insurmountable 65 - 39 halftime lead. Matching 21 - point efforts from Tim Hardaway, Jr. and Paul Millsap led Atlanta. Dennis Schroder stepped up with a 17 - point, 10 - assist double - double. Dwight Howard managed an 11 - point, 13 - rebound double - double, and Malcolm Delaney paced the second unit with 12 points. Orlando was led by a modest 16 - point effort from Aaron Gordon. Elfrid Payton was the only other double - digit scorer among the starting five, posting 12 points. Evan Fournier supplied nine points, while Nikola Vucevic contributed eight points. Jeff Green provided a bench - leading 12 points, and C.J. Watson and D.J. Augustin were also productive on the second unit, tallying matching eight - point efforts."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Kings": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Kings": "41", "Hornets": "50"}}, {"Rebounds": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "12", "Frank Kaminsky": "13", "Skal Labissiere": "13"}, "Points": {"Marvin Williams": "16", "Frank Kaminsky": "23", "Nicolas Batum": "15", "Kemba Walker": "12", "Marco Belinelli": "13", "Tyreke Evans": "11", "Anthony Tolliver": "11", "Ben McLemore": "18", "Darren Collison": "10", "Buddy Hield": "15", "Skal Labissiere": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Skal Labissiere": "23"}}], "The Hornets utilized a 50 - 41 rebounding advantage and Frank Kaminsky's 23 - point, 13 - rebound double - double to cruise to the double - digit road win. It was the talented big man's fifth straight double - digit scoring effort and third double - double in the last seven contests. Marvin Williams followed Kaminsky with 16 points, while Nicolas Batum was right behind with 15 of his own. Marco Belinelli paced the bench with 13 points, and Kemba Walker, taking more of a back seat on offense with Kaminsky's strong game, contributed 12. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist hauled in 12 boards. Ben McLemore's 18 points led the way for Sacramento, while newly - acquired Buddy Hield posted a bench - leading 15 points. Anthony Tolliver and Tyreke Evans produced matching 11 - point efforts. Darren Collison submitted a modest 10 points. Promising rookie Skal Labissiere supplied eight points, 13 rebounds in 23 bench minutes."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "45", "Jazz": "53"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "46", "Jazz": "29"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "82", "Jazz": "112"}, "Rebounds": {"Kings": "32", "Jazz": "43"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "29", "Jazz": "46"}}, {"Points": {"Rudy Gobert": "16", "Ben McLemore": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "15", "Ben McLemore": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ben McLemore": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Ben McLemore": "9"}}], "The visiting Utah Jazz steamrolled the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, 112 - 82. Utah (46 - 29) had no trouble getting a win on Wednesday, easily blowing out the Kings. Star center Rudy Gobert helped the team establish dominance inside, posting 16 points and a team - high 15 rebounds. As a team, it was a dominant offensive night, as the Jazz shot over 53 percent from the field while knocking down 13 three - pointers. Utah also held a steady advantage on the boards, out - rebounding the Kings 43 - 32. The win was integral in the Jazz's playoff push, as they maintain a lead over the Clippers for fourth place in the Western Conference. Sacramento (29 - 46) had won two in a row coming into Wednesday's matchup but was stopped flat in its tracks by the Jazz. Points did not come easily for the Kings, as they shot just 45 percent and made only two three - pointers on the night. Only three players scored in double figures for Sacramento, and only one player scored more than 12. Shooting guard Ben McLemore led the team with 22 points on 9 - of - 12 shooting. He added four rebounds. Utah will host the Wizards on Friday, while the Kings will visit the Pelicans."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "4", "Chris Paul": "6", "Goran Dragic": "11"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "20", "Chris Paul": "17", "Goran Dragic": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "19", "Hassan Whiteside": "17"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers were led to victory by their stars on Friday, as they narrowly edged out the Miami Heat. All-Star forward Blake Griffin had 20 points and nine rebounds as well as four assists. Meanwhile, DeAndre Jordan, the reigning All-NBA First Team center, pulled down a whopping 19 rebounds to help the Clippers earn a positive differential on the glass. Though Chris Paul saw below his usual output, the star still contributed 17 points and six assists while turning the ball over just once. Miami, meanwhile, also saw strong play from its star players. Guard Goran Dragic had a 21 - point, 11 - assist double - double. Meanwhile, center Hassan Whiteside pulled down 17 boards in what was a duel on the glass between him and Jordan. The team protected the ball exceptionally, turning it over just four times as a unit, but could not find the basket enough for the win."], [[{}, {"Minutes played": {"Danilo Gallinari": "35", "Enes Kanter": "21", "Cameron Payne": "13"}, "Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "15", "Will Barton": "21", "Wilson Chandler": "24", "Steven Adams": "16", "Russell Westbrook": "32", "Enes Kanter": "14", "Cameron Payne": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Danilo Gallinari": "7", "Will Barton": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "17", "Enes Kanter": "6", "Cameron Payne": "2"}, "Assists": {"Wilson Chandler": "2", "Steven Adams": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Cameron Payne": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Wilson Chandler": "2", "Steven Adams": "4"}, "Steals": {"Steven Adams": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Cameron Payne": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Cameron Payne": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Cameron Payne": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Cameron Payne": "3"}}], "Russell Westbrook recorded yet another triple - double, as he led the way for Oklahoma City, with 32 points, 17 rebounds and 11 assists. Cameron Payne chipped in eight points on 3 - of - 4 shooting, including 2 - of - 3 from long range, along with two rebounds and one assist, in 13 minutes off the bench. The Thunder's big men were solid, as Steven Adams finished with 16 points, six rebounds, four blocks, two assists and one steal, while Enes Kanter continued his strong play with 14 points and six rebounds, in 21 minutes off the bench. Meanwhile, six players scored in double digit for Denver, led by Wilson Chandler, who finished with 24 points, along with seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Will Barton added 21 points, while Danilo Gallinari chipped in 15 points and seven rebounds, in 35 minutes."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "12", "Kings": "17"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "106", "Kings": "108"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "16", "Kings": "12"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Omri Casspi": "5", "Darren Collison": "5", "CJ Miles": "9", "George Hill": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Omri Casspi": "2", "Darren Collison": "2", "CJ Miles": "4", "George Hill": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Omri Casspi": "11", "DeMarcus Cousins": "19", "Rajon Rondo": "10", "Darren Collison": "17", "CJ Miles": "15", "George Hill": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Omri Casspi": "6", "DeMarcus Cousins": "8", "Rajon Rondo": "6", "Darren Collison": "11", "CJ Miles": "7", "George Hill": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Omri Casspi": "41", "DeMarcus Cousins": "35", "Darren Collison": "35"}, "Points": {"Omri Casspi": "15", "DeMarcus Cousins": "25", "Rajon Rondo": "13", "Darren Collison": "24", "CJ Miles": "20", "Paul George": "12", "Monta Ellis": "21", "George Hill": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Omri Casspi": "11", "DeMarcus Cousins": "16", "Rajon Rondo": "8", "Darren Collison": "4", "CJ Miles": "3", "Paul George": "10", "Monta Ellis": "2", "George Hill": "4"}, "Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1", "Darren Collison": "5", "CJ Miles": "3", "Paul George": "5", "Monta Ellis": "6", "George Hill": "5"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "10", "George Hill": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "9", "George Hill": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Rajon Rondo": "9"}, "Steals": {"Monta Ellis": "3", "George Hill": "3"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (12 - 17) defeated the Indiana Pacers (16 - 12) by a score of 108 - 106, Wednesday night, in Indianapolis. The Kings buckled down in the last two minutes, scoring four points straight to go from down by two, to up by two and hold on for the victory. Paul George had a decent last - second jumper attempt but it did not fall. DeMarcus Cousins was a beast as usual and had 18 points and 11 rebounds before half time. He finished with 25 points (8 - 19 FG, 9 - 10 FT), along with 16 rebounds, three blocked shots and one assist, in 35 minutes. Cousins also sunk two clutch, last - minute free throws, which gave the Kings the win. Darren Collison played 35 minutes off the bench and finished with a productive 24 points (11 - 17 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt), four rebounds and five assists. Rajon Rondo was dropping dimes as he finished with 13 points (6 - 10 FG), 16 assists and eight rebounds, however his nine turnovers tarnish the beautiful stat line. Omri Casspi continued his strong play, finishing with 15 points (6 - 11 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt) and 11 rebounds, in 41 minutes. Monta Ellis had an efficient shooting night and led the Pacers, with 21 points on 8 - 13 shooting from the field and 3 - 5 from deep, along with six assists, two rebounds and three steals. George Hill dropped 20 points (7 - 14 FG, 4 - 10 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), five assists, four rebounds and three steals. C.J. Miles also chipped in 20 points (7 - 15 FG, 4 - 9 3Pt), along with three assists and three rebounds. Paul George struggled shooting, going 5 - 19 from the field but still stacked up a double - double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, as well as five assists and one steal. The Pacers scored well enough but could not slow down the Kings, who shot 51 percent from the field, mostly on inside scoring. Next up for the Pacers will visit Minnesota for a game on Saturday, where they will look to break their current three - game losing streak. The Kings will have a long rest before they host the Trail Blazers on Sunday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Knicks": "26"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "54", "Pistons": "43"}, "Turnovers": {"Knicks": "12", "Pistons": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Marcus Morris": "20", "Ish Smith": "15", "Carmelo Anthony": "21", "Kristaps Porzingis": "25", "Derrick Rose": "27"}, "Assists": {"Andre Drummond": "3", "Ish Smith": "5", "Carmelo Anthony": "5", "Kristaps Porzingis": "3", "Derrick Rose": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "15", "Ish Smith": "6", "Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Kristaps Porzingis": "8", "Derrick Rose": "4"}, "Steals": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Kristaps Porzingis": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Derrick Rose": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Derrick Rose": "12"}}], "New York have been disappointing this season, but this was one of their best performances of the year. In fact, they led for the entirety of the second half, while holding a double - digit lead for the majority of it. Defense was key, as they held Detroit to 43 percent shooting, while forcing them to commit 18 turnovers. The Knicks ended up recording 26 assists, while committing just 12 turnovers on 54 percent shooting. Marcus Morris led Detroit in scoring, as he dropped 20 points. Andre Drummond played just 24 minutes, but totaled 12 points, 15 rebounds and three assists. Ish Smith started at point guard and accumulated 15 points, six rebounds and five assists. Derrick Rose was the player of the game, as he collected 27 points, four rebounds and six assists on 12 - of - 17 from the field. Kristaps Porzingis finished with 25 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and three blocks. Carmelo Anthony made his return from a knee injury to accrue 21 points, three rebounds, five assists and three steals."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "19", "Bucks": "15"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "94", "Bucks": "119"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pistons": "26"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "15", "Bucks": "15"}, "Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "36"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "57"}, "Turnovers": {"Bucks": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Jabari Parker": "7", "Greg Monroe": "6", "Reggie Jackson": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "23", "Jabari Parker": "31", "Greg Monroe": "14", "Andre Drummond": "16", "Reggie Jackson": "14", "Tobias Harris": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5", "Jabari Parker": "9", "Greg Monroe": "5", "Andre Drummond": "9", "Reggie Jackson": "3", "Tobias Harris": "12"}, "Turnovers": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1", "Jabari Parker": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jabari Parker": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Jabari Parker": "13"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jabari Parker": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Jabari Parker": "1"}, "Steals": {"Jabari Parker": "1"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the host Detroit Pistons, 119 - 94, at Palace of Auburn Hills on Wednesday. It's rare to see a road team dominate from start to finish in an NBA game, but that was just the case here. Not only did the Bucks win each individual quarter, they outscored the Pistons by 26 points over the final 29 minutes. Detroit was really let down by their defense, as they allowed Milwaukee to shoot 57 percent from the field and 50 percent from three - point range. In addition, the Bucks recorded 36 assists, while committing just seven turnovers. Milwaukee (15 - 15) have riden their two youngsters all season and they were special once again here. Jabari Parker was the player of the game, as he scored a game - high 31 points on 13 - of - 18 shooting. In addition, he added nine rebounds and seven assists to one of his best lines of his career Giannis Antetokounmpo was n't far behind, as he accumulated 23 points, five rebounds and eight assists. Greg Monroe was the only other player with more than 11 points, as he accrued 14 points, five rebounds and six assists off the bench. Milwaukee will look to keep rolling on Friday in a road matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Detroit (15 - 19) has now lost six of their last seven games and losses like this show just how bad their struggling. Tobias Harris did continue his great form off the bench though, as he led the team with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Andre Drummond led the starters in scoring, totaling 16 points and nine rebounds. Reggie Jackson played a season - high 33 minutes and accrued 14 points, three rebounds and six assists. The Pistons will look to get out of this slide on Friday, when they play the Atlanta Hawks on the road for their next game."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Pelicans": "27"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pelicans": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "60"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "22", "Buddy Hield": "10", "Andrew Wiggins": "17", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "16", "Buddy Hield": "7", "Andrew Wiggins": "11", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "13"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Davis": "36", "Buddy Hield": "22", "Jrue Holiday": "38", "Andrew Wiggins": "37", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "38"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "42", "Buddy Hield": "17", "Jrue Holiday": "25", "Andrew Wiggins": "29", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "36"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "13", "Jrue Holiday": "6", "Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "8"}, "Assists": {"Jrue Holiday": "12", "Andrew Wiggins": "2"}, "Steals": {"Jrue Holiday": "5", "Andrew Wiggins": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Jrue Holiday": "9"}}], "Anthony Davis finished with a game - high 42 points on 16 - of - 22 shooting, to go along with 13 rebounds in 36 minutes. Jrue Holiday followed up with 25 points, 12 assists, six rebounds and five steals, in 38 minutes. Holiday's amazing line was tarnished by nine turnovers. Buddy Hield was efficient from the field, as he hit 7 - of - 10 on his way to 17 points, in 22 minutes. The Pelicans were very efficient as a team, hitting 60 percent from the field, including 48 percent from long range, while they dished 27 assists. Meanwhile, Karl-Anthony Towns led the way for the T-Wolves, with 36 points on 13 - of - 22 shooting, to go along with eight rebounds, in 38 minutes. Andrew Wiggins followed up with 29 points on 11 - of - 17 shooting, and added four rebounds, three steals and two assists, in 37 minutes. The Timberwolves' bench only added nine points to the cause."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "1", "Rockets": "2"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "119", "Rockets": "93"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "10", "Rockets": "9"}}, {"Assists": {"Trevor Ariza": "4", "Dwight Howard": "2", "James Harden": "4", "Mike Conley": "6", "Beno Udrih": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Trevor Ariza": "7", "James Harden": "4", "Mike Conley": "3", "Beno Udrih": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Trevor Ariza": "1", "James Harden": "0", "Mike Conley": "1", "Beno Udrih": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Trevor Ariza": "13", "Dwight Howard": "11", "James Harden": "8", "Mike Conley": "10", "Beno Udrih": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Trevor Ariza": "4", "Dwight Howard": "6", "James Harden": "1", "Mike Conley": "6", "Beno Udrih": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Trevor Ariza": "7", "Dwight Howard": "4", "James Harden": "5", "Mike Conley": "6", "Beno Udrih": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Trevor Ariza": "7", "Dwight Howard": "3", "James Harden": "4", "Mike Conley": "6", "Beno Udrih": "3"}, "Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "16", "Dwight Howard": "15", "James Harden": "6", "Mike Conley": "19", "Beno Udrih": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Ariza": "3", "Dwight Howard": "9", "James Harden": "5", "Beno Udrih": "1"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Ariza": "1", "James Harden": "2"}, "Blocks": {"James Harden": "1"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (10 - 1) flexed their muscles, knocking off the Houston Rockets (9 - 2) 119 - 93 at the FedExForum in Memphis on Monday night. The Grizzlies have officially shown us that they are the real deal, if any doubters were left out there. The talented Houston Rockets came to town on Monday, but the Grizzlies were ready to defend their home court. Memphis not only won the game, but dominated in impressive fashion. Memphis won with production from across the board, as eight players scored nine or more points. Mike Conley led the way by scoring 19 points (6 - 10 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) and dishing out six assists. Beno Udrih led the bench in a big way, scoring 13 points (5 - 8 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), to go along with six assists and one rebound. Memphis looks like a force to be reckoned with currently, and next they'll head to Toronto to take on the Raptors on Wednesday night. For the Rockets, it's safe to say that the sky did n't come falling down with this loss, but it was definitely a game they wanted to make a statement with. Houston was just out - played in this game, and while Trevor Ariza and Dwight Howard had solid games, James Harden was surprisingly quiet, and struggled from the field. Ariza scored 16 points (4 - 13 FG, 1 - 7 3Pt, 7 - 7 FT), with four assists, three rebounds and one steal, while Howard had 15 points (6 - 11 FG, 3 - 4 FT), along with nine rebounds and two assists. Harden on the other hand, struggled with just six points (1 - 8 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT), but added five rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block. Houston now heads back home to take on the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hawks": "24"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hawks": "24"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "6", "Stephen Curry": "9", "Andre Iguodala": "4"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "12", "Klay Thompson": "13", "Stephen Curry": "24", "Andre Iguodala": "24", "Ian Clark": "10", "David West": "10", "Paul Millsap": "20", "Dwight Howard": "8", "Kent Bazemore": "18", "Dennis Schroder": "23", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "19", "Ersan Ilyasova": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "8", "Stephen Curry": "4", "Andre Iguodala": "5", "Paul Millsap": "10", "Dwight Howard": "19"}, "Steals": {"Draymond Green": "4", "Andre Iguodala": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Andre Iguodala": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Andre Iguodala": "35", "Ersan Ilyasova": "27"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kent Bazemore": "15"}}], "Matching 24 - point efforts from Stephen Curry and Andre Iguodala led Golden State, while Atlanta's 19 turnovers hurt their case. Curry added nine assists and four rebounds. Iguodala also supplied five rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block in 35 minutes. Klay Thompson contributed 13 points, while Draymond Green filled out the stat sheet with 12 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals. David West and Ian Clark each poured in 10 points off the bench. Dennis Schroder's 23 points paced the Hawks. Paul Millsap posted a 20 - point, 10 - rebound double - double and Tim Hardaway, Jr. provided a bench - leading 19 points. Kent Bazemore managed 18 points and Ersan Ilyasova was productive off the bench as well with 15 over 27 minutes. Dwight Howard mustered just eight points but hauled in a whopping 19 rebounds."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "41", "Lakers": "37"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "17", "Lakers": "40"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "102", "Lakers": "86"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "32", "Lakers": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Trail Blazers": "52", "Lakers": "48"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "36", "Lakers": "13"}}, {"Assists": {"Wayne Ellington": "1", "Jordan Clarkson": "4", "Wesley Matthews": "3", "Damian Lillard": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Wayne Ellington": "3", "Jordan Clarkson": "3", "Wesley Johnson": "4", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Wesley Matthews": "7", "Damian Lillard": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Wayne Ellington": "2", "Jordan Clarkson": "1", "Wesley Johnson": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "0", "Wesley Matthews": "3", "Damian Lillard": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Wayne Ellington": "14", "Jordan Clarkson": "14", "Wesley Johnson": "11", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "20", "Wesley Matthews": "14", "Damian Lillard": "8", "CJ McCollum": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Wayne Ellington": "6", "Jordan Clarkson": "6", "Wesley Johnson": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "6", "Wesley Matthews": "7", "Damian Lillard": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Wayne Ellington": "1", "Jordan Clarkson": "1"}, "Points": {"Wayne Ellington": "16", "Jordan Clarkson": "17", "Wesley Johnson": "12", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "18", "Wesley Matthews": "20", "Damian Lillard": "15", "CJ McCollum": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Wayne Ellington": "8", "Jordan Clarkson": "6", "Wesley Johnson": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "12", "Wesley Matthews": "5"}, "Steals": {"Wayne Ellington": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Wayne Ellington": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jordan Clarkson": "4", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "6", "Wesley Matthews": "3", "Damian Lillard": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "4", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "6", "Wesley Matthews": "3", "Damian Lillard": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Jordan Clarkson": "27", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "28"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Wesley Matthews": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Wesley Matthews": "3", "Damian Lillard": "3"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (36 - 17) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (13 - 40) 102 - 86 on Wednesday at the Moda Center in Portland. The Trail Blazers got off to a quick start in this one, out - scoring the Lakers 32 - 24 in the first quarter alone. They also shot better in this game, going 41 percent from the field, while the Lakers went just 37 percent. The Trail Blazers managed to secure a 52 - 48 rebounding advantage as well, helping to further their lead. With the quick start and superior shooting, the Trail Blazers were able to coast to an easy win. The Trail Blazers' big three of Damian Lillard, LaMarcus Aldridge and Wesley Matthews all had very impressive performances Wednesday. Matthews led the team, going 7 - for - 14 from the field and 3 - for - 7 from the three - point line to score 20 points, while adding five rebounds as well. After shooting just 22 percent (2 - 9 FG) from the field in Sunday's game against the Rockets, it was good to see him get dialed back in and have a strong performance. Aldridge was also big in this game, recording a double - double with 18 points (6 - 20 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) and 12 rebounds in 28 minutes. He's now posted a double - double in seven of his last eight games, as he continues to be a force for the Blazers. Playing a factor in the win as well, Lillard posted 15 points (5 - 8 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT) and eight assists. He's now averaging 22 points and 6 assists on the season. Coming off the bench, both Meyers Leonard and C.J. McCollum reached double figures with 11 and 10 points respectively. The Lakers got the bulk of their production from their backcourt duo of Jordan Clarkson and Wayne Ellington. In 27 minutes, Clarkson finished with 17 points (6 - 14 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), six rebounds and four assists, as he was one of the few bright spots in the loss. While he has n't been extremely consistent as a starter, he still has scored 14 points or more in three of his last four games. Ellington, on the other hand, went 6 - for - 14 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 16 points, while adding eight rebounds and a steal. It was his second strong showing in a row, a stretch where he's combined for 34 points and 12 rebounds. Coming off the bench, Wesley Johnson had the biggest contribution. In 23 minutes, he finished with 12 points (5 - 11 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt) and two rebounds. It was his third straight game in double figures, despite averaging 9 points per game on the season. The Trail Blazers' next game will be on the road against the Utah Jazz on Friday after the All-Star break, while the Lakers will be at home against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday after the All-Star break as well."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "37"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "48"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "18", "Bulls": "17"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "111", "Bulls": "101"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "16", "Bulls": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "3", "Taj Gibson": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "5", "Rajon Rondo": "1", "Doug McDermott": "2", "Michael Carter-Williams": "1", "Cristiano Felicio": "2", "Paul George": "1", "Thaddeus Young": "2", "Glenn Robinson III": "1", "Jeff Teague": "17"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "25", "Taj Gibson": "10", "Dwyane Wade": "20", "Doug McDermott": "10", "Michael Carter-Williams": "12", "Cristiano Felicio": "12", "Paul George": "32", "Thaddeus Young": "17", "Myles Turner": "15", "Glenn Robinson III": "12", "Jeff Teague": "7", "CJ Miles": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "6", "Taj Gibson": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "2", "Rajon Rondo": "1", "Doug McDermott": "4", "Michael Carter-Williams": "8", "Cristiano Felicio": "12", "Paul George": "4", "Thaddeus Young": "6", "Myles Turner": "3", "Glenn Robinson III": "10"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "2", "Taj Gibson": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "2", "Doug McDermott": "1", "Cristiano Felicio": "1", "Paul George": "2", "Glenn Robinson III": "1", "Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Rajon Rondo": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "1", "Myles Turner": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul George": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul George": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jeff Teague": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Jeff Teague": "2"}}], "The Indiana Pacers defeated the Chicago Bulls, 111 - 101, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Friday afternoon. The Pacers (16 - 18), and particularly Paul George, may have had some redemption on their minds against the Bulls (16 - 17) on Friday. The All-Star forward had been limited to just 14 points last Monday at United Center in a 90 - 85 loss, his lowest scoring total since Nov. 14. He made sure the tables were turned this go - around, as he went for a game - high 32 points, 11 of which came in the final 4:30 of the game, and he complemented the offense with four rebounds, an assist and two steals. It was his second straight 30 - point game, and with another perfect 9 - of - 9 effort from the foul line, he upped his tally in that category to 17 - of - 17 over the last two contests. His stellar performance spearheaded a Pacers squad that managed a 48 percent success rate from the field, and a serviceable 37 percent figure from behind the arc. Chicago was led by their own standout forward in Jimmy Butler, who went for 25 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Dwyane Wade came back successfully from the migraines that had caused an early exit for him on Wednesday, posting 20 points, five assists, two rebounds and two steals. Taj Gibson compiled 10 points, five boards, an assist and a steal. Cristiano Felicio and Michael Carter-Williams supplied matching 12 - point totals off the bench, with the former also hauling in 12 rebounds, dishing out a pair of assists and recording a steal, and the latter also registering eight boards and recording an assist and a block. Doug McDermott was productive in a reserve role as well with 10 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal. Rajon Rondo notably played only 11 minutes, going scoreless and providing only a rebound and an assist. Thaddeus Young was second on Indiana with 17 points, six rebounds and two assists. Myles Turner amassed 15 points, three boards and four blocks. Glenn Robinson III posted a 12 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included an assist and a steal. Jeff Teague mustered only seven points on 2 - of - 13 shooting but handed out 17 assists, brought down six rebounds and notched a pair of steals. Aaron Brooks and C.J. Miles paced the bench with a pair of eight - point contributions. The Bulls head back home to face off with the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday evening, while the Pacers remain home and await the Orlando Magic for a New Year's Day showdown."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "14", "Grizzlies": "15"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "100", "Grizzlies": "91"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "13", "Grizzlies": "16"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Jeff Green": "38", "Ramon Sessions": "30"}, "Points": {"Jeff Green": "19", "Matt Barnes": "2", "Marc Gasol": "11", "Courtney Lee": "8", "Mike Conley": "21", "Zach Randolph": "16", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "10", "Jared Dudley": "11", "Marcin Gortat": "12", "Garrett Temple": "20", "John Wall": "14", "Ramon Sessions": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Jeff Green": "12", "Marc Gasol": "6", "Zach Randolph": "5", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "7", "Jared Dudley": "6", "Marcin Gortat": "12"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Matt Barnes": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Matt Barnes": "1", "Jared Dudley": "5"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "2", "Jared Dudley": "3", "John Wall": "14"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}, "Steals": {"Jared Dudley": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Marcin Gortat": "8", "Garrett Temple": "5"}, "Field goal percentage": {"John Wall": "28"}}], "The Washington Wizards (13 - 14) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (16 - 15) 100 - 91 on Wednesday. A solid playoff team last season, the Wizards endured a rough first quarter of their season, struggling to a 9 - 12 record over their first 21 games. To make matters worse, standout shooting guard Bradley Beal was diagnosed with the initial stages of a stress reaction in his lower right fibula back on Dec. 12 and starting small forward Otto Porter, Jr. was sidelined with a thigh bruise on Dec. 16, potentially setting the stage for further difficulties. However, Washington has found a way to band together over the last six contests, amassing a 4 - 2 record over that span, including a current streak of three straight victories. They've done so largely on the strength of valiant efforts from stalwart veterans John Wall and Marcin Gortat, and admirable performances from bench players thrown into starting roles due to the aforementioned injuries. Wednesday's victory exemplified the Wizards' textbook teamwork, with all five starters tallying double - digit scoring, including current fill - ins Garrett Temple and Kelly Oubre, Jr. The Grizzlies received strong outings from three of their most dependable players, but also were hampered by considerably lackluster efforts from the remaining members of their starting five. The ever - steady Mike Conley led the way for the visitors with a game - high 21 points, along with a trio of rebounds and assists. Marc Gasol managed a modest 11 points, but hauled in six rebounds and added a pair of assists and a pair of blocks. Jeff Green posted his first double - double of the season, accumulating 19 points and adding 12 boards over 38 minutes. However, Matt Barnes (two points on 1 for 6 shooting) and Courtney Lee (eight points), who'd been productive contributors as of late, were not able to get on track. Zach Randolph continued his strong play from the bench, pacing the Grizzlies' reserves with 16 points and five rebounds. Memphis fell to 16 - 15 and currently resides in third place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They head to Charlotte to take on the Hornets on Saturday. Wall shook off a rib injury that he'd sustained in the final minute of Monday's victory over the Kings to impressively post a fourth consecutive double - double with 14 points and 14 assists. The All-Star point guard's shooting was perhaps at least partially affected by his ailment, as he could only muster a 28 percent accuracy rate from the field, his second straight sub - par game in that department following a 27 percent showing Monday. Temple continued his stellar tenure as a starter in Beal's stead, posting his third consecutive performance with at least 20 points. The six - year pro pitched in 20 points, six rebounds and an assist. Oubre was solid in his own right in place of Porter, pouring in 10 points and hauling in seven boards. Gortat continued to prove his ability to take on a sizable offensive load while Beal is sidelined, managing his second straight double - double (12 points, 12 rebounds), and fifth in the last eight contests. Jared Dudley rounded out a productive night for the starting five with a stat - sheet - filling tally of 11 points, six rebounds, three assists and a steal. Ramon Sessions paced the Wizards bench with 16 points over 30 minutes. Washington improved to 13 - 14 but remains in last place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They head to Brooklyn to face off with the Nets on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "52"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "13", "Wizards": "25"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "114", "Wizards": "98"}, "Rebounds": {"Thunder": "53", "Wizards": "27"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "37", "Wizards": "21"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Wizards": "27"}}, {"Assists": {"John Wall": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Blocks": {"John Wall": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"John Wall": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"John Wall": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"John Wall": "4"}, "Points": {"John Wall": "17", "Bradley Beal": "18", "Kevin Durant": "28", "Serge Ibaka": "19", "Russell Westbrook": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"John Wall": "4", "Kevin Durant": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "13"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"John Wall": "6"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (37 - 13) defeated the Washington Wizards (21 - 25) 114 - 98 on Monday night. The Thunder got off to a double - digit lead in the first quarter and never looked back after that. In fact, they never lost a single quarter and never relinquished their lead after the first. Oklahoma City was dominant on the boards, as they nearly doubled up the Wizards rebounding 53 to 27. The Thunder also shot lights out, as they hit 52 percent of their field goal attempts in the win. This marks Washington\u2019s fourth loss in their last five games. Only four players scored in double - figures, with Bradley Beal leading the team with 18 points off the bench. John Wall had an up - and - down game, as he tallied 17 points, eight assists, four rebounds, two steals and three blocks, but turned the ball over six times and missed all four of his three - point attempts. It wo n't get much easier in the Wizards next game, as they take on the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday. There haven\u2019t been many games this season when all three of the Thunder studs have been at full force, but that was the case on Monday. Russell Westbrook out together yet another triple - double, as he accumulated 17 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists en route to his seventh triple - double of the year in the win. Kevin Durant led the team with 28 points and snatched down nine rebounds as well. The most promising performance came from Serge Ibaka though, as he double - doubled in a 19 - point outing. Oklahoma City will look to keep up their winning ways against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, in a matchup where they should be double - digit favorites."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "26", "Lakers": "29"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "94", "Lakers": "85"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "14", "Lakers": "12"}}, {"Blocks": {"Jordan Hill": "1", "Gordon Hayward": "1", "Derrick Favors": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jordan Hill": "15", "Gordon Hayward": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Jordan Hill": "8", "Gordon Hayward": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Jordan Hill": "29", "Nick Young": "25", "Enes Kanter": "26"}, "Points": {"Jordan Hill": "16", "Nick Young": "23", "Gordon Hayward": "31", "Derrick Favors": "18", "Enes Kanter": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Jordan Hill": "11", "Derrick Favors": "10", "Enes Kanter": "5"}, "Steals": {"Jordan Hill": "1", "Gordon Hayward": "1", "Enes Kanter": "3"}, "Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "7", "Derrick Favors": "3"}}], "The Utah Jazz (14 - 26) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (12 - 29) 94 - 85 on Friday. Gordon Hayward poured in 31 points on 12 - of - 18 shooting from the field. He also led his team with seven assists. Derrick Favors continued his dominant month of January, where he has averaged 18 points, 10 rebounds, 1 blocks and 1 steals in 31 minutes per game. He had 18 points, ten rebounds, three assists and two blocks against the Lakers. Enes Kanter had seven points, five rebounds and three steals in his third game back from an ankle injury. He has put up averages of 12 points, 7 rebounds and 2 steals in 26 minutes per game since his return. Nick Young scored a team - high 23 points coming off the bench in 25 minutes against the Jazz. Kobe Bryant (rest) sat out Friday after putting up 19 points, six rebounds and a career - high 17 assists in 32 minutes against the Cavaliers on Thursday. Jeremy Lin jumped into the starting lineup without Bryant and Ronnie Price (elbow), who also sat out Friday. Jordan Hill had 16 points on 8 - of - 15 from the field, 11 rebounds, one steal and one block in 29 minutes. The Jazz face off with the Spurs on Sunday, and the Lakers will play the Suns on Monday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Nets": "24", "Pacers": "24"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "51", "Pacers": "34"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "120", "Pacers": "110"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "21", "Pacers": "38"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "1", "Jordan Hill": "3", "Brook Lopez": "4", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul George": "21", "George Hill": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul George": "8", "George Hill": "7"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "27", "George Hill": "17", "Brook Lopez": "23", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "4", "Brook Lopez": "9", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "3", "Sean Kilpatrick": "4"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "3", "Brook Lopez": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jordan Hill": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Brook Lopez": "3", "Sean Kilpatrick": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Brook Lopez": "4", "Sean Kilpatrick": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "16"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "3"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets (21 - 51) defeated the Indiana Pacers (38 - 34) 120 - 110 at Barclays Center on Saturday. Brooklyn rallied in the fourth quarter to overcome a double - digit deficit, behind Sean Kilpatrick\u2019s willingness to get the free throw line and Brook Lopez\u2019s leadership in the paint. After Jordan Hill extended the Pacers lead to 10 points with 9:26 left in regulation, Kilpatrick rallied off four quick points and Lopez started to flex his post moves with hook shots and midrange jumpers to chip away at the lead. Bogdan Bogdanovich put the game away when he buried a three with 39 seconds left in the fourth quarter. The loss puts some extra stress on the Pacers in terms of playoff seeding, as they currently hold the 7 - seed with the looming Detroit Pistons only 1 games behind them. Indiana was playing effective team basketball through most of the game, and were selfless when it came to shooting, which was reflected by the 24 assists as a unit, which the Nets managed to match by the end of the game. Paul George attempted to shoot the Pacers back into contention late in the fourth, but the shot selection became questionable. George finished with 27 points, four rebounds, one assist and three steals on 8 - of - 21 shooting. George Hill started in the backcourt alongside Monta Ellis, and contributed 17 points on 7 - of - 8 shooting. The Nets were led by Brook Lopez, who took a while to heat up, but once he got hot from the post, he was able to get the game back within striking distance, which his teammates followed up on. Lopez added 23 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks to round out the box score, while Bogdan Bogdanovich pitched in 14 points on 50 percent shooting. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson\u2019s return to the Nets lineup has been a big boost in team morale, as the rookie was a plus - minus all - star amongst his rookie class before his ankle injury. Jefferson was efficient off the bench, where he logged 16 minutes and pitched in six points, three boards and one assist. The Pacers will host the Houston Rockets (36 - 37) on Sunday, while the Nets will visit the Miami Heat (42 - 30) on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "55"}, "Number of team assists": {"Clippers": "23"}, "Turnovers": {"Clippers": "23"}}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "8", "Khris Middleton": "9", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Matthew Dellavedova": "8"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "21", "DeAndre Jordan": "14", "JJ Redick": "10", "Jamal Crawford": "9", "Khris Middleton": "19", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "24", "Malcolm Brogdon": "12", "Matthew Dellavedova": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "9", "DeAndre Jordan": "10", "Khris Middleton": "4", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Blake Griffin": "5", "Jamal Crawford": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jamal Crawford": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}}], "Giannis Antetokounmpo break out of a recent slump, tallying 24 points, eight assists, five rebounds, two steals and two blocks. After shooting 9 - for - 26 over the previous two contests, the Greek Freak went 10 - for - 13 and Milwaukee shot 55 percent overall. The Clippers turned the ball over a whopping 23 times, with Blake Griffin and Jamal Crawford guilty of a team - high five each. Greg Monroe matched Antetokounmpo's scoring total, while Khris Middleton totaled 19 points, nine assists and four rebounds. Matthew Delladedova supplied 15 points off the bench and Malcolm Brogdon totaled 12 points. Griffin co - led Los Angeles wit 21 points, which he supplemented with nine rebounds and eight assists. Chris Paul matched Griffin's scoring total and DeAndre Jordan posted a 14 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. J.J. Redick contributed 10 points, and Crawford paced the second unit with nine points."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Robin Lopez": "14", "Michael Carter-Williams": "14", "Denzel Valentine": "19", "Rajon Rondo": "12", "Bobby Portis": "13", "Markieff Morris": "19", "Marcin Gortat": "10", "Bradley Beal": "19", "John Wall": "26", "Jason Smith": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Denzel Valentine": "30", "Rajon Rondo": "27"}, "Assists": {"Rajon Rondo": "6", "John Wall": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Rajon Rondo": "4", "Marcin Gortat": "12", "Jason Smith": "6"}, "Steals": {"Rajon Rondo": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"John Wall": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Jason Smith": "3"}}], "John Wall's 26 - point, 14 - assist double - double helped overcome a feisty and short - handed Bulls squad that was without Jimmy Butler (illness) and Dwyane Wade (rest). His 16 - foot basket with five seconds remaining snapped a 99 - 99 deadlock and provided the home team with the final margin of victory. Bradley Beal and Markieff Morris each went for 19 points, and Otto Porter, Jr. registered 11. Marcin Gortat posted a 10 - point, 12 - rebound double - double. Jason Smith led the second unit with seven points, six rebounds and three blocks. Denzel Valentine's 19 points in 30 minutes off the bench led the Bulls. Robin Lopez and Michael Carter-Williams followed with matching 14 - point efforts, while Bobby Portis offered 13 points. Rajon Rondo totaled 12 points, six assists, four rebounds and three steals in 27 minutes, his most extensive game action in some time."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "48"}, "Turnovers": {"Pacers": "11"}}, {"Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "25", "Dwyane Wade": "20", "Michael Carter-Williams": "12", "Paul George": "32", "Thaddeus Young": "17", "Myles Turner": "15", "Glenn Robinson III": "12", "CJ Miles": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Rajon Rondo": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Cristiano Felicio": "12", "Glenn Robinson III": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Myles Turner": "4"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "17"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jeff Teague": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Jeff Teague": "2"}}], "Paul George's game - high 32 points, 11 of which came in the final 4:30, led the way for Indiana. His stellar performance spearheaded a Pacers squad that managed a 48 percent success rate from the field. Thaddeus Young followed with 17 points, while Myles Turner amassed 15 points and added four blocks. Glenn Robinson III posted a 12 - point, 10 - rebound double - double and Jeff Teague offset 2 - of - 13 shooting with 17 assists. Aaron Brooks' and C.J. Miles' matching eight - point contributions led the second unit. Jimmy Butler's 25 points led Chicago, while Dwyane Wade bounced back from some migraine issues in his last game to tally 20 points. Rajon Rondo was benched after only compiling 11 minutes, paving the way for a 12 - point effort off the bench for Michael Carter-Williams. Cristiano Felicio matched that scoring total and added 12 boards."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "57", "Pistons": "41"}, "Losses": {"Wizards": "35", "Pistons": "33"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "124", "Pistons": "81"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "31", "Pistons": "34"}, "Number of team assists": {"Pistons": "17"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "13"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pistons": "18"}, "Turnovers": {"Pistons": "20"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1", "Darrun Hilliard": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1"}, "Points": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "18", "Darrun Hilliard": "10", "Marcin Gortat": "16", "John Wall": "15", "Nene": "20"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Darrun Hilliard": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Darrun Hilliard": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Darrun Hilliard": "12"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marcin Gortat": "13", "John Wall": "12", "Nene": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Marcin Gortat": "8", "John Wall": "6", "Nene": "8"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "12", "Nene": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Nene": "3"}}], "The Washington Wizards (31 - 35) obliterated the Detroit Pistons (34 - 33) in a key game in the race for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot Monday night at Verizon Center, 124 - 81. The Wizards rattled off a 26 - 3 run to take a 30 - 7 lead late in the first quarter and never looked back. They took a 21 - point lead into halftime and never led by fewer than 20 points in the entire second half. Nene's 20 points off the bench led all scorers in an ultra - efficient performance, as the Wizards center knocked down eight of nine shots and grabbed three rebounds and dished three assists. John Wall distributed a game - high 12 assists to go with 15 points (6 - 12 FG) and Marcin Gortat (8 - 13 FG) scored 16 to lead Washington's starting unit. The Wizards faced no resistance, as they shot a stellar 57 percent from the floor (51 - 90). Kentavius Caldwell-Pope's 18 points led the Pistons, as he was the only Pistons starter to reach double - digits. Darrun Hilliard was the only one to do so off the bench, as he shot 3 - 5 from the floor (4 - 4 FT) to score 10 points in 12 minutes. The Pistons shot a brutal 41 percent from the floor and 3 - 23 (13 percent) and committed more turnovers (20) than assists (17) as they never had a chance. The Pistons host the Hawks at home on Wednesday. The Wizards remain at home to host the Bulls on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "25", "Pacers": "34"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "105", "Pacers": "92"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Thunder": "30", "Pacers": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Thunder": "57", "Pacers": "48"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "32", "Pacers": "23"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Solomon Hill": "3", "CJ Miles": "5", "George Hill": "5", "Rodney Stuckey": "2", "Serge Ibaka": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "3", "Dion Waiters": "9", "Anthony Morrow": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Solomon Hill": "2", "CJ Miles": "2", "George Hill": "1", "Rodney Stuckey": "1", "Serge Ibaka": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "1", "Dion Waiters": "4", "Anthony Morrow": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Solomon Hill": "8", "David West": "13", "CJ Miles": "14", "George Hill": "12", "Rodney Stuckey": "8", "Serge Ibaka": "11", "Enes Kanter": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "19", "Dion Waiters": "18", "Anthony Morrow": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Solomon Hill": "4", "David West": "5", "CJ Miles": "9", "George Hill": "5", "Rodney Stuckey": "2", "Serge Ibaka": "9", "Enes Kanter": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "8", "Dion Waiters": "5", "Anthony Morrow": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Solomon Hill": "2", "David West": "2", "George Hill": "2", "Serge Ibaka": "4", "Enes Kanter": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Solomon Hill": "1", "David West": "1", "George Hill": "2", "Serge Ibaka": "4", "Enes Kanter": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "3"}, "Points": {"Solomon Hill": "11", "David West": "11", "CJ Miles": "21", "George Hill": "13", "Rodney Stuckey": "5", "Serge Ibaka": "23", "Enes Kanter": "15", "Russell Westbrook": "20", "Dion Waiters": "14", "Anthony Morrow": "12"}, "Assists": {"George Hill": "8", "Rodney Stuckey": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "10"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"George Hill": "2", "Enes Kanter": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"George Hill": "2", "Serge Ibaka": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"George Hill": "2", "Serge Ibaka": "10", "Enes Kanter": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Dion Waiters": "2", "Anthony Morrow": "5"}, "Steals": {"George Hill": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"George Hill": "1", "Serge Ibaka": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Serge Ibaka": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Enes Kanter": "23", "Russell Westbrook": "28"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (32 - 25) defeated the Indiana Pacers (23 - 34) 105 - 92 on Tuesday at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City. The Thunder got off to a quick start, out - scoring the Pacers 30 - 20 right away in the first quarter. While they were n't able to pull away in the second, they took off again after halftime, out - scoring them 57 - 50 over the course of the second half. While they both shot nearly identical percentages from the field and three - point line, the Thunder took advantage at the free throw line, converting on 16 - of - 18 from the line, while the Pacers made just 7 - of - 11. The Thunder also secured a 57 - 48 rebounding advantage. Russell Westbrook was again an absolute animal in this game. He was able to notch a triple - double before the fourth quarter even started. In just 28 minutes of time, he finished with 20 points (8 - 19 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), 11 rebounds and 10 assists, and he could've put up some even higher numbers if the Thunder were n't up by so much during the fourth. Serge Ibaka had himself a game as well, posting 23 points (9 - 11 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), 10 rebounds and three blocked shots. He's really turned it on over his last four games, posting three double - doubles during that span. Over that four game stretch, he's averaged 20 points, 13 rebounds and 4 blocks. Recently aquired from the Jazz, Enes Kanter continued his strong play with the Thunder, finishing with 15 points (6 - 10 FG, 3 - 4 FT) and five rebounds in just 23 minutes. With the Thunder so far, he's averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds over three games. The Thunder also saw a couple of strong contributions from the bench, with both Dion Waiters and Anthony Morrow finishing in double figures. Waiters had 14 points (5 - 18 FG, 4 - 9 3Pt) and two rebounds, while Morrow totaled 12 points (5 - 9 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt) and five rebounds. The Pacers had four starters finish in double figures, but were n't able to slow down the Thunder offense. C.J. Miles did the most damage, going 9 - for - 14 from the field and 2 - for - 5 from the three - point line to finish with a team - high of 21 points. He's really stepped it up following the All-Star break, averaging 17 points and 5 rebounds over his last three games. Coming just shy of a double - double, George Hill recorded 13 points (5 - 12 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), eight assists and three steals. He had gone a combined 5 - for - 7 from the three - point line in the two previous games coming into Tuesday, but he could n't stay hot and really struggled with his shot in this one. After posting back - to - back 30 - point games, Rodney Stuckey came back down to earth and finished with just five points (2 - 8 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt) and five assists. It's nothing new for Stuckey, as he's been very inconsistent with his scoring all season long. Solomon Hill (4 - 8 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and David West (5 - 13 FG, 1 - 2 FT) each added 11 points apiece. The Thunder's next game will be on the road against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday, while the Pacers will be at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Steven Adams": "14", "Jimmy Butler": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Steven Adams": "11", "Jimmy Butler": "0"}, "Points": {"Steven Adams": "22", "Russell Westbrook": "21", "Enes Kanter": "20", "Jimmy Butler": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "22", "Cristiano Felicio": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Steven Adams": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "9", "Enes Kanter": "11", "Jimmy Butler": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "4", "Cristiano Felicio": "11"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "14", "Jimmy Butler": "7", "Dwyane Wade": "6"}}], "Oklahoma City dominated this game from start to finish, as they led for the final 45 - plus minutes. In fact, the Thunder won all of the first three quarters by at least six points, taking a 22 - point lead into the final frame. Shooting was the key difference, with Oklahoma City shooting 56 percent, while Chicago barely cracked 40 percent. Russell Westbrook fell a rebound shy of a triple - double, accumulating 21 points, nine rebounds and 14 assists. Steven Adams led the team in scoring, dropping 22 points and five rebounds on 11 - of - 14 shooting. Enes Kanter recorded a double - double off the bench, totaling 20 points and 11 rebounds. Dwyane Wade was a lone bright spot for Chicago, accruing 22 points, four rebounds and six assists. Jimmy Butler (sickness) really struggled, going 0 - of - 6 from the field to contribute one point, two rebounds and seven assists. Cristiano Felicio came off the bench to record an 11 - point, 11 - rebound double - double."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "34", "Celtics": "32"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "109", "Celtics": "101"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "24"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "19", "Celtics": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Avery Bradley": "6", "DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Andre Miller": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Avery Bradley": "1", "Rudy Gay": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Avery Bradley": "41"}, "Points": {"Avery Bradley": "28", "Rudy Gay": "28", "DeMarcus Cousins": "31", "Andre Miller": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Avery Bradley": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "15", "Andre Miller": "4"}, "Steals": {"Avery Bradley": "4", "DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "9"}, "Turnovers": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "9"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (19 - 34) defeated the Boston Celtics (20 - 32) 109 - 101 on Friday. DeMarcus Cousins put up another monster game. He recorded 31 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block to help solidify George Karl's first win as the head coach of the Kings. Rudy Gay pitched in with 28 points and three blocks. The recently acquired Andre Miller played well down the stretch, finishing Friday's game with eight points, four assists and four rebounds. Sacramento likely would have blown out the Celtics if it were n't for 24 turnovers, including nine by Cousins alone. The Celtics got a good all - around performance from Avery Bradley. In 41 minutes Bradley had 28 points, six assists, four steals, three rebounds and one block. Boston was without big men Kelly Olynyk (ankle) and Jared Sullinger (foot) on Friday due to injuries. Sullinger could miss extended time with a stress fracture. Isaiah Thomas was acquired in a trade deadline deal on Thursday. However, he was not available to play Friday The Celtics will head to Los Angeles to play the Lakers on Sunday in a lackluster matchup of historic rivals. The Kings will play the Clippers in Los Angeles on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "55"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "51"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "6", "Spurs": "3"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "114", "Spurs": "119"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "8", "Spurs": "12"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "Danny Green": "2", "Tony Parker": "3", "Nicolas Batum": "5", "Kemba Walker": "7", "Frank Kaminsky": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "Danny Green": "1"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "30", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "23", "Danny Green": "16", "Tony Parker": "11", "Davis Bertans": "11", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "10", "Marvin Williams": "10", "Roy Hibbert": "10", "Nicolas Batum": "13", "Kemba Walker": "26", "Frank Kaminsky": "13", "Spencer Hawes": "11", "Marco Belinelli": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "7", "Danny Green": "3", "Tony Parker": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "7", "Kemba Walker": "9", "Frank Kaminsky": "8"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Tony Parker": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Danny Green": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Frank Kaminsky": "12"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Charlotte Hornets, 119 - 114, at Spectrum Center on Wednesday. The Spurs (12 - 3) have long been renowned for their defense, and rightfully so. However the Hornets (8 - 6) were able to pierce San Antonio's armor Wednesday, touching up Gregg Popovich's crew for a season - high 114 points. Charlotte had eight players hit double digits in the scoring column and tallied 51 and 55 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively. Their second unit compiled 45 points overall, but the Spurs countered with standout efforts from Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge, which were pivotal in keeping the Spurs' road record unblemished at 80. Leonard collected 30 points, five rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block to lead the visitors. Aldridge followed with 23 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal. Danny Green was solid with his best effort since returning seven games ago, posting a season - best 16 points and adding three rebounds, two assists and a block. Tony Parker totaled a modest 11 points, three assists, a rebound and a steal, and hit a clutch 23 - foot three - pointer with 22 seconds remaining to extend San Antonio's advantage to 115 - 110. Davis Bertans paced the bench with 11 points. Kemba Walker led the Hornets with 26 points and supplemented them with nine rebounds and seven assists. Nicolas Batum was next with 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Roy Hibbert, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Marvin Williams posted a trio of 10 - point efforts and also combined for 10 rebounds. Frank Kaminsky III led the second unit with 13 points, eight rebounds and five assists, while Marco Belinelli and Spencer Hawes supplied 12 and 11 points, respectively, off the bench as well. The Spurs head to Boston to tangle with the Celtics on Friday afternoon, while the Hornets go up north for a Friday evening tussle with the New York Knicks."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "53"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "52", "Lakers": "31"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "37", "Lakers": "59"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "123", "Lakers": "75"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Jazz": "30"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "37", "Lakers": "15"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Lakers": "16"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Lakers": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"Jordan Clarkson": "2", "Lou Williams": "1", "Rudy Gobert": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "1", "Lou Williams": "3", "Rodney Hood": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jordan Clarkson": "2", "Lou Williams": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jordan Clarkson": "1"}, "Points": {"Jordan Clarkson": "12", "Lou Williams": "16", "Rudy Gobert": "8", "Rodney Hood": "30", "Shelvin Mack": "17", "Trevor Booker": "17"}, "Steals": {"Jordan Clarkson": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Jordan Clarkson": "1", "Lou Williams": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Lou Williams": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Lou Williams": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Lou Williams": "1", "Rudy Gobert": "19"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "2"}}], "The Utah Jazz (37 - 37) defeated the visiting Los Angeles Lakers (15 - 59) 123 - 75, Monday evening at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Rodney Hood sparked the Jazz with an amazing 30 - point first half, including a franchise - high eight three - pointers, leading to another much - needed victory as Utah looks to secure its spot in the top eight. The Jazz have now won two in a row and increase their advantage over the Houston Rockets for seventh place in the West. The Jazz out - scored the Lakers in every quarter by at least eight points, as they cruised to the 48 - point, home victory. The Jazz shot 52 percent from the field and 53 percent from long range, including a franchise - best 17 - made three - pointers in a game; while their defense held the Lakers to only 31 percent from the field. Rodney Hood led the Jazz with a game - high 30 points, shooting 11 - 13 from the field and 8 - 9 from long range. Rudy Gobert hauled in 19 rebounds, to go along with eight points, four assists, and two blocked shots, while Shelvin Mack and Trevor Booker both chipped in 17 points. Lou Williams was the only player to score in double digits while shooting better than 30 percent from the field for Los Angeles, as he finished with 16 points on 4 - 6 shooting. The only other Lakers player to score in double figures was Jordan Clarkson, who finished with 12 points, on 5 - 18 shooting. The Lakers squad really struggled in this one, as Williams and Clarkson were the only two players to score more than three baskets. The Lakers will now return to Los Angeles to host the Heat on Wednesday. The Jazz host the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, in what could be a first - round preview."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "45", "Timberwolves": "52"}, "Rebounds": {"Timberwolves": "45"}, "Turnovers": {"Timberwolves": "6"}}, {"Points": {"Zach LaVine": "37", "Serge Ibaka": "11", "Nikola Vucevic": "24", "Evan Fournier": "13", "Elfrid Payton": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "14"}}], "The young trio of Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine and Karl-Anthony Towns have been putting the league on notice with their stellar play. Their impressive talents were on display again Wednesday, with LaVine's season - high 37 points leading the way. Wiggins and Towns went for another 49 combined points, while Tyus Jones and Shabazz Muhammad posted another 23 to lead the bench. The Timberwolves' ball security was exceptional, as they committed only six turnovers, and they shot 52 percent from the field and 57 percent from three - point range. Nikola Vucevic paced the Magic with a 24 - point, 14 - rebound double - double, while Elfrid Payton (18 points), Evan Fournier (13 points) and Serge Ibaka (11 points) posted solid performances as well. However, the Magic's 45 shooting percentage, while solid, still was n't enough to keep up with a red - hot Minnesota offense."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "45", "Bulls": "38"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "98", "Bulls": "102"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bucks": "17", "Bulls": "33"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "32", "Bulls": "39"}, "Number of team assists": {"Bulls": "30"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "53"}}, {"Assists": {"Pau Gasol": "8", "Jimmy Butler": "8", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9"}, "Points": {"Pau Gasol": "16", "Jimmy Butler": "25", "Nikola Mirotic": "19", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "34", "Jabari Parker": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "8", "Jimmy Butler": "5", "Nikola Mirotic": "6", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5", "Jabari Parker": "11"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (39 - 38) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (32 - 45) 102 - 98 on Sunday. This game meant much more to the Bulls than Bucks and it was evident by the result. The second quarter is when Chicago made their mark, as they outscored Milwaukee 33 to 17. The shooting was on point for the Bulls, as they made 53 percent of their shots and assisted on 30 of their 39 made baskets. This win brings the Bulls within two games of the eight - seed in the east, so it was obviously a crucial win. Jimmy Butler once again carried the torch, as he scored a team - high 25 points and also provided five rebounds and eight assists. Pau Gasol flirted with a triple - double, as he accumualted 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Nikola mirotic gave the team a nice spark off the bench with 19 points and six rebounds. Up next for Chicago is a matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday. Milwaukee has been dominant at home, but these meaningless games are tough to get up for. Giannis Antetokonmpo was clearly game though, as he scored a game - high 34 points, while dishing out nine assists and grabbing five boards. Jabari Parker recorded a double - double, as he amassed 24 points and 11 rebounds. On deck for Milwaukee is a matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "27", "Heat": "32"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "104", "Heat": "102"}, "Turnovers": {"Pelicans": "10"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "31", "Heat": "25"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Michael Beasley": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Michael Beasley": "3", "Tyreke Evans": "9", "Alexis Ajinca": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Michael Beasley": "10", "Tyreke Evans": "33"}, "Points": {"Michael Beasley": "7", "Dante Cunningham": "10", "Tyreke Evans": "19", "Alexis Ajinca": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Dante Cunningham": "10", "Alexis Ajinca": "8"}, "Assists": {"Tyreke Evans": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Alexis Ajinca": "3"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (31 - 27) beat the Miami Heat (25 - 32) 104 - 102 on Friday. Alexis Ajinca has put together a nice three - game stretch, averaging 17 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks in 23 minutes a game over that span. He recorded 24 points, eight rebounds and three blocks against the Heat. He led all bench players in those three categories. Tyreke Evans has been dealing with a sore left foot but was able to play and start. He recorded 19 points and 11 assists in 33 minutes. Dante Cunningham has been starting at power forward for the Pelicans while Anthony Davis is out with a shoulder injury. Cunningham had a 10 - point, 10 - rebound double - double performance. New Orleans is now 20 - 10 at home this season and have won four straight games overall. The Miami Heat beat the Magic in overtime in miraculous fashion on Wednesday. They came back from a seven - point deficit with under a minute remaining to send the game into overtime and handled the Magic in the final five minutes. This time it was the Heat trying to keep their opponent from attaining a comeback victory. They led by nine heading into the fourth quarter, but could n't hold on as Ajinca and Evans led the Pelicans to victory in the final period. Michael Beasley was signed to a 10 - day contract and was made available to play in New Orleans. He played 10 minutes and scored seven points on 3 - of - 7 shooting from the field. The Heat will host the Eastern Conference leading Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. The Pelicans will head to the Pepsi Center to take on the Denver Nuggets on Sunday."], [[{}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Andrew Wiggins": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "4"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2"}}], "Andrew Wiggins looked like he was turning into a superstar before Timberwolves fans' eyes given his hot start to his 2016 - 17 campaign. He went through a six - game stretch where he averaged 33 points per game, which included a game against the Lakers with a career - high 47 points. But following his peak, he's possibly entered a slump, as Monday's poor shooting performances was his second in a row. After shooting just 5 - of - 18 from the field for 14 points against Boston, Wiggins has now shot just 7 - of - 29 from the field and 0 - of - 8 from behind the arc in his last two games to combine for just 21 points. It should not be considered a slump yet, as Wiggins has shot under 40 percent from the field just four times all season, but if Wiggins wants to prove he can be an All-Star in this league, he'll have to prove he can be a model of consistency as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "2"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "4"}}, {"Assists": {"Pau Gasol": "3", "Tony Parker": "4", "Tyler Johnson": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Pau Gasol": "31"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Pau Gasol": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tyler Johnson": "3"}}], "San Antonio became the first team to four wins in this game, and its 30 road record is the best mark in the league through the early stages of the season. Despite playing without LaMarcus Aldridge, the Spurs still got near double - doubles from veterans David Lee and Dewayne Dedmon. The pair combined for 17 points and 19 rebounds in 40 minutes of play. After failing to play more than 21 minutes in any of his three previous games, Pau Gasol was able to record his first double - double in a Spurs uniform in 31 minutes of action in the win. Tony Parker's struggles continued, though, as he's yet to score in double figures or hand out more than four assists in any game this season. Aside from Tyler Johnson, the Miami bench accumulated just two points, six rebounds and four assists between three players. Three-point shooting was huge for the Spurs, as they took two fewer three - pointers than the Heat but made three more. These two teams will meet again in just over two weeks, as they are scheduled for a November 14 rematch in San Antonio."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "13", "Nets": "23"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "80", "Nets": "102"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Wizards": "24", "Nets": "18"}, "Turnovers": {"Wizards": "19"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "27", "Nets": "17"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "46"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "11", "Jarrett Jack": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Joe Johnson": "2", "Jarrett Jack": "12"}, "Points": {"Joe Johnson": "6", "Kevin Garnett": "4", "Mason Plumlee": "11", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "12", "Jarrett Jack": "26", "Brook Lopez": "26", "Nene": "6", "Marcin Gortat": "9", "John Wall": "13", "Kris Humphries": "12"}, "Assists": {"Kevin Garnett": "2", "Jarrett Jack": "7", "John Wall": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Kevin Garnett": "18", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "32", "Brook Lopez": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Garnett": "5", "Mason Plumlee": "10", "Nene": "5", "Marcin Gortat": "5", "Kris Humphries": "8"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Garnett": "2", "John Wall": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"John Wall": "2", "Kris Humphries": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"John Wall": "2", "Kris Humphries": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kris Humphries": "2"}}], "After a poor first quarter, the Nets (17 - 23) rebounded to beat the Wizards (27 - 13) 102 - 80 in Washington on Friday. Brooklyn fell behind 24 - 18 after one but responded with a strong second quarter and took a 43 - 40 advantage at the half. They carried the momentum into the third quarter, outscoring Washington by 10 points in the period. With a 13 - point lead heading into the fourth, Brooklyn traded baskets with the Wizards before going on an 11 - 4 run midway through the quarter that slammed the door on any hopes of a Washington comeback. The Nets, who shot 46 percent from the floor, were led by 26 points and seven assists from Jarrett Jack (12 - 18 FG). Mason Plumlee added 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Bojan Bogdanovic had 12 points in 32 minutes. Joe Johnson struggled, finishing with just six points on 2 - of - 11 shooting. Brook Lopez, who returned to the bench with Kevin Garnett back from suspension, put up 26 points in just 23 minutes. Garnett had four points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals in 18 minutes. Washington placed only two players in double - figures, as John Wall and Kris Humphries scored 13 and 12 points, respectively. Wall also had six assists and two steals, while Humphries added eight rebounds. Nene was held to just six points, and Marcin Gortat finished with nine points and five boards. The Wizards made only 31 field goals as a team and committed a whopping 19 turnovers. The teams meet again Saturday night in Brooklyn."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "13", "Magic": "18"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "106", "Magic": "95"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "16", "Magic": "13"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "23"}}, {"Points": {"Serge Ibaka": "23", "Evan Fournier": "21", "Elfrid Payton": "10", "Nikola Vucevic": "10", "Jeff Green": "10", "Derrick Rose": "19", "Kyle O'Quinn": "14", "Willy Hernangomez": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "10", "Evan Fournier": "5", "Derrick Rose": "5", "Kyle O'Quinn": "16", "Willy Hernangomez": "5"}, "Assists": {"Evan Fournier": "4", "Derrick Rose": "3", "Brandon Jennings": "12"}, "Blocks": {"Kyle O'Quinn": "5"}}], "The New York Knicks defeated the Orlando Magic, 106 - 95, at Madison Square Garden on Thursday. While this scoreline appears to be close, the Knicks were in control for the majority of this game. In fact, Orlando had just one lead in the first quarter and trailed every other minute, Rebounding was a huge beneficiary for the Knicks, as they won that battle, 52 - 41. In addition, three - point shooting was a key difference as well, with New York going 9 - of - 20 and Orlando hitting just 5 - of - 27 from long distance. New York's bench really carried the load, as they outscored the Magic's bench, 44 - 34. Orlando (13 - 18) continues to struggle on offense and a 95 - point effort against the Knicks is another poor showing. Serge Ibaka was the Magic's best player, as he tallied 23 points and 10 rebounds en route to a double - double. Evan Fournier was the only other starter in double figures, as he accumulated 21 points, five rebounds and four assists. Elfrid Payton, Jeff Green and Nikola Vucevic each scored 10 points a piece off the bench. On deck for Orlando is a home matchup against the Los Angels Lakers on Friday. New York (16 - 13) got some great bench performances here, as that was the difference in the game. Kyle O'Quinn was especially good off the bench, as he totaled 14 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks in the win. In addition, Guillermo Hernangomez scored 15 points off the bench, while Brandon Jennings dished out 12 assists. Derrick Rose led the starters in scoring, as he accrued 19 points, five rebounds and three assists. New York will look to keep rolling, as they host the Boston Celtics on Sunday for their next game,"], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "15", "Pacers": "25"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "98", "Pacers": "101"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "40", "Pacers": "29"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "10", "Ian Mahinmi": "3", "Monta Ellis": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "18"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Paul George": "7", "Monta Ellis": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul George": "2", "Monta Ellis": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul George": "14", "Ian Mahinmi": "18", "Monta Ellis": "16", "Russell Westbrook": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul George": "6", "Ian Mahinmi": "9", "Monta Ellis": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul George": "9", "Ian Mahinmi": "1", "Monta Ellis": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul George": "8", "Ian Mahinmi": "1", "Monta Ellis": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Paul George": "34", "Ian Mahinmi": "35", "Monta Ellis": "38", "Russell Westbrook": "37", "Enes Kanter": "20"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "22", "Ian Mahinmi": "19", "Monta Ellis": "27", "Russell Westbrook": "23", "Enes Kanter": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "5", "Ian Mahinmi": "11", "Monta Ellis": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "3", "Enes Kanter": "10"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "1", "Ian Mahinmi": "2", "Monta Ellis": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Ian Mahinmi": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "1"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (29 - 25) defeated the host Oklahoma City Thunder (40 - 15) 101 - 98, on Friday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Pacers had lost their last five games in Oklahoma prior to this contest, however they did not let the past dictate the future as they fought hard to earn the road victory against a very tough host. Indiana was down by nine entering the fourth quarter but drained four three - pointers in the last 2:28 in order to emerge victorious. Thus the Pacers snapped the Thunder's nine - game home winning streak and also held them to less than 106 points, a mark which OKC had reached in their previous 12 games. Monta Ellis led the way for Indiana, finishing with 27 points (10 - 16 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 4 - 7 FT), three assists, three steals and two rebounds, in 38 minutes. Paul George had a strong game as well, as he logged a double - double with 22 points (6 - 14 FG, 2 - 7 3Pt, 8 - 9 FT) and 10 assists, along with five rebounds and one steal, in 34 minutes. Ian Mahinmi took care of business in the paint, as he tallied a double - double with 19 points (9 - 18 FG, 1 - 1 FT) and 11 rebounds, along with three assists, two steals and two blocks, in 35 minutes. Jordan Hill was back in the line - up after missing games before the break with a dislocated finger, while Rodney Stuckey remained out due to a sore right foot. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were both in top form as they combined for 54 points, 21 assists and 11 rebounds, but it was not enough to halt the Pacers. Westbrook tallied 23 points (10 - 17 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and an impressive 18 assists, as well as three rebounds, two steals and one block, in 37 minutes, while KD offered 31 points (13 - 26 FG, 2 - 9 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), eight rebounds and three assists, in 38 minutes. Enes Kanter chipped in a healthy 13 points and 10 rebounds, in 20 minutes off the bench. As a team the Thunder shot a dismal 5 - 26 from distance, which can be seen as a difference - maker compared to Indiana's 9 - 22 from long - range. Next the Thunder will host the Cavaliers, on Sunday, and will look to avoid losing two in a row at home. The Pacers will be in Orlando on Sunday to take on the Magic."], [[{"Total points": {"Pistons": "96", "Rockets": "99"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pistons": "25", "Rockets": "18"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "45"}}, {"Assists": {"Trevor Ariza": "3", "Ryan Anderson": "1", "Clint Capela": "2", "James Harden": "11", "Sam Dekker": "1", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2", "Ish Smith": "8"}, "Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "14", "Ryan Anderson": "10", "Clint Capela": "15", "James Harden": "28", "Sam Dekker": "12", "Marcus Morris": "13", "Andre Drummond": "13", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "26", "Ish Smith": "10", "Jon Leuer": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Ariza": "6", "Ryan Anderson": "6", "Clint Capela": "12", "James Harden": "8", "Sam Dekker": "4", "Marcus Morris": "2", "Andre Drummond": "16", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1", "Ish Smith": "4", "Jon Leuer": "8"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Ariza": "1", "Andre Drummond": "4", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Ryan Anderson": "1", "Clint Capela": "2", "James Harden": "1", "Marcus Morris": "1", "Ish Smith": "1", "Jon Leuer": "1"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "50"}}], "The visiting Houston Rockets defeated the Detroit Pistons, 99 - 96, at Palace at Auburn Hills on Monday. The Rockets (8 - 5) shook off a 25 - 18 deficit after one quarter to outscore the Pistons by an 81 - 71 margin the rest of the way. However, overtime was a possibility until the final buzzer, when Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's 50 - foot three - point attempt failed to find the net and sent the Pistons (6 - 8) to their second home defeat in as many games. James Harden and Clint Capela led the way for Houston with respective double - doubles, and the Rockets posted a 45 percent tally from the field overall. Harden paced the visitors with 28 points, 11 assists, eight rebounds and a block. Capela contributed a 15 - point, 12 - rebound double - double that also included two assists and two blocks. Trevor Ariza was next with a solid line of 14 points, six rebounds, three assists and a steal. Ryan Anderson collected 10 points, six rebounds, an assist and a block. Sam Dekker led the second unit with 12 points, four rebounds and an assist. Caldwell-Pope led the way for the Pistons with 26 points, two assists, a rebound and two steals. Andre Drummond and Marcus Morris followed with a pair of 13 - point efforts, with the former also hauling in 16 boards, an assist and four steals, while the latter totaled two rebounds and a block. Ish Smith produced a full stat sheet of 10 points, eight assists, four rebounds and a block. Jon Leuer paced the second unit with 12 points, eight rebounds and a block. The Rockets head back home to take on the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night, while the Pistons take on the Miami Heat at home in a Wednesday evening tilt as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "5", "Spurs": "4"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "90", "Spurs": "92"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "5", "Spurs": "7"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4", "Boris Diaw": "2", "LeBron James": "3", "Anderson Varejao": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "0", "Boris Diaw": "1", "LeBron James": "2", "Anderson Varejao": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "11", "Tim Duncan": "17", "Boris Diaw": "14", "LeBron James": "17", "Anderson Varejao": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4", "Tim Duncan": "7", "Boris Diaw": "8", "LeBron James": "6", "Anderson Varejao": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6", "Tim Duncan": "7", "Boris Diaw": "2", "LeBron James": "1", "Anderson Varejao": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4", "Tim Duncan": "5", "Boris Diaw": "2", "LeBron James": "1", "Anderson Varejao": "1"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "12", "Tim Duncan": "19", "Boris Diaw": "19", "LeBron James": "15", "Anderson Varejao": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "10", "Tim Duncan": "10", "Boris Diaw": "6", "LeBron James": "6", "Anderson Varejao": "11"}, "Assists": {"Tim Duncan": "3", "Boris Diaw": "7", "LeBron James": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Tim Duncan": "2", "Boris Diaw": "1", "LeBron James": "1"}, "Steals": {"Tim Duncan": "2", "Boris Diaw": "3", "LeBron James": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Boris Diaw": "39"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Anderson Varejao": "1"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (7 - 4) knocked off the Cleveland Cavaliers (5 - 5) 92 - 90 on Wednesday night at Quicken Loans Arena. San Antonio has gotten off to a fairly slow start to the 2014 season, but all eyes were on them for this game against LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Spurs responded with an impressive road win, and the type of team effort that we're used to seeing from San Antonio. Tim Duncan led the way with 19 points (7 - 17 FG, 5 - 7 FT) and 10 rebounds, while also adding three assists, two steals and two blocks. Kawhi Leonard had an impressive night of his own, posting a double - double with 12 points (4 - 11 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT) and 10 rebounds. The biggest surprise for the Spurs on Wednesday had to be Boris Diaw, who played 39 minutes, while scoring 19 points (8 - 14 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), and contributing seven assists, six rebounds, three steals and one block. The Spurs will head to Minnesota to play the Timberwolves on Friday night. With the Spurs up by two in the final seconds, the ball was in James' hands, but he turned it over late, leaving the Cavaliers with another loss. James did n't have the type of night that we're used to seeing, as he scored just 15 points (6 - 17 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT). He also had nine assists, six rebounds, one steal and one block. Anderson Varejao was the one who led the charge for the Cavs on Wednesday, posting a double - double with 23 points (11 - 16 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 1 - 3 FT) and 11 rebounds. The Cavaliers now get a night off before facing a strong Washington Wizards team on the road on Friday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "27", "Raptors": "19"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "100", "Raptors": "97"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "29", "Raptors": "37"}}, {"Points": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "17", "Kyle Lowry": "22", "Dante Cunningham": "5", "Tyreke Evans": "13", "Norris Cole": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "14", "Dante Cunningham": "6"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Lou Williams": "25", "Dante Cunningham": "31"}, "Field goals made": {"Tyreke Evans": "5"}, "Assists": {"Norris Cole": "6"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (29 - 27) beat the Toronto Raptors (37 - 19) 100 - 97 on Monday. The Pelicans learned Sunday that they will be without superstar forward Anthony Davis for a week or two, while he deals with a nagging shoulder injury. On Monday, Dante Cunningham got the start at power forward in place of Davis. Cunningham played 31 minutes, recording five points and six rebounds. New Orleans got big performances off the bench from Luke Babbitt and Alexis Ajinca. They combined for 34 points on 14 - of - 20 shooting from the floor and 17 rebounds. Recent addition Norris Cole had 15 points and six assists off the bench as well. Tyreke Evans put up his third double - double over his last five games, during which he's averaging 13 points, 9 assists and 5 rebounds. The Raptors have dropped two straight to follow up a four - game win streak and are now 4 - 4 in the month of February. Jonas Valanciunas put up 17 points and 14 rebounds in Monday's loss. Toronto was led in scoring by All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry with 22 points to go along with three steals. Louis Williams also played 25 minutes Monday, as he's been bothered by an ankle injury and missed the Raptors previous game Saturday against the Rockets, a 98 - 76 loss. Toronto still holds the second - best overall record in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors will head to Dallas to face the Mavericks on Tuesday. The Pelicans will host the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "39", "Grizzlies": "30"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "96", "Grizzlies": "86"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bucks": "28", "Grizzlies": "13"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "30", "Grizzlies": "39"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "37"}, "Turnovers": {"Grizzlies": "15"}}, {"Points": {"Matt Barnes": "20", "Lance Stephenson": "19", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "15", "Greg Monroe": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Matt Barnes": "7", "Lance Stephenson": "7", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6", "Greg Monroe": "10"}, "Assists": {"Lance Stephenson": "6", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "11"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (30 - 39) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (39 - 30) 96 - 86 on Thursday. It's bizarre to see a team well under .500 favored by double - digits over a team well above .500, but circumstances made that the case in this matchup. Memphis is without their top - three scorers and two point guards and have now lost their fourth - straight game. The Bucks took care of business in the fourth quarter though, as they held the Grizzlies to 13 points, while scoring 28 on their end. The key in this game was the Milwaukee defense, as they held the Grizzles to 37 percent shooting and forced 15 turnovers. Another huge key was the low - post defense, as the Bucks combined for 17 blocks in their win. Memphis had to play this game without Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, Mario Chalmers and Mike Conley and those injuries are just too difficult to overcome. Lance Stephenson does continue to play well though, as he tallied 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the loss. Matt Barnes led the team with 20 points, while also snatching down seven rebounds before an altercation in the final seconds that may get him suspended. The Grizzlies will look to get out of this slump on Saturday against the Los Angeles Clippers. This now gives Milwaukee four wins in their last five and they appear to be making one final push at the postseason. Giannis Antetokonmpo continued his emergence here, as he accumulated 15 points, 11 assists and six rebounds in the win. Greg Monroe recorded a double - double, as he scored 14 points while bringing down 10 boards. The Bucks will look to keep the momentum up on Sunday against the Utah Jazz in their next matchup."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "38"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "51"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "2", "Jazz": "7"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "111", "Jazz": "93"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "8", "Jazz": "4"}}, {"Points": {"Enes Kanter": "18", "Alec Burks": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Alec Burks": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMar DeRozan": "36"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (8 - 2) defeated the Utah Jazz (4 - 7) 111 - 93 on Saturday. Toronto was coming off a 100 - 93 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Thursday. The Raptors shot 51 percent from the field and 38 percent from beyond the arc to help them secure the win Saturday. DeMar DeRozan scored a game - high 27 points in 36 minutes. Toronto has two more games remaining on their seven - game homestand. They'll face off against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday. Utah had all five starters finish with double - digit scoring. Enes Kanter, who played only 12 minutes Friday, scored a team - high 18 points. Alec Burks rebounded well from the shooting guard position to record a double - double of 10 points and 10 rebounds. The Jazz return home to face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "17", "Thunder": "19"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "95", "Thunder": "97"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "29", "Thunder": "26"}}, {"Points": {"Victor Oladipo": "18", "Russell Westbrook": "38", "Enes Kanter": "14", "Gordon Hayward": "17", "Derrick Favors": "10", "Alec Burks": "13"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "29"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Alec Burks": "6"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Utah Jazz 97 - 95 at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Monday. Russell Westbrook buried a 20 - foot jumper with :1 remaining to put the Thunder up two points with barely enough time for Alec Burkes to miss the three point attempt, which put an end to Utah's (29 - 17) six game winning streak. The Thunder (26 - 19) improved to 11 - 13 on the road, while Westbrook notched his 22nd triple - double of the season. The back and forth affair was kept close from start to finish, and the Thunder did not let the Jazz run away with a lead towards the end of the second quarter, as Oklahoma City ripped off a 12 - 1 run to go into the half down just three points. Gordon Hayward did bury a three pointer to pull the Jazz even with just over :10 remaining, but Hayward left just a few too many seconds left on the clock. Westbrook finished with 38 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists on 11 - of - 29 shooting, while Victor Oladipo and Enes Kanter were the only other Thunder players to score in double figures, as each went for 18 points and 14 points, respectively. The Jazz spread their scoring out amongst both the starters and the bench, as players like Hayward went for a team high 17 points, Derrick Favors scored 10 points and Alec Burkes was good for 13 points off the bench. Next up, the Jazz play the second game of a back - to - back when they visit the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, while the Thunder visit the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "47", "Knicks": "39"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "49", "Knicks": "44"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "40", "Knicks": "33"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "109", "Knicks": "98"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nets": "23", "Knicks": "32"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "7", "Knicks": "16"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "15", "Knicks": "23"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Kristaps Porzingis": "2", "Arron Afflalo": "2", "Langston Galloway": "4", "Joe Johnson": "6", "Thaddeus Young": "5", "Wayne Ellington": "2", "Donald Sloan": "4", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Kristaps Porzingis": "3", "Donald Sloan": "1"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "22", "Kristaps Porzingis": "18", "Robin Lopez": "10", "Arron Afflalo": "17", "Langston Galloway": "9", "Joe Johnson": "12", "Thaddeus Young": "13", "Brook Lopez": "33", "Wayne Ellington": "11", "Donald Sloan": "14", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Kristaps Porzingis": "8", "Robin Lopez": "7", "Arron Afflalo": "2", "Langston Galloway": "5", "Joe Johnson": "6", "Thaddeus Young": "9", "Wayne Ellington": "1", "Donald Sloan": "10", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "1"}, "Steals": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Kristaps Porzingis": "1", "Arron Afflalo": "1", "Langston Galloway": "1", "Thaddeus Young": "2", "Wayne Ellington": "1", "Donald Sloan": "2", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "4"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets (15 - 40) disposed of the New York Knicks (23 - 33) on Friday, 109 - 98. Although New York jumped out to a 32 - 23 lead after one quarter, Brooklyn worked its way back and eventually took a lead they would n't relinquish through a balanced effort from their starting five, as well as a notable performance off the bench. All members of the first unit managed double - digit scoring totals, led by Brook Lopez's 33 points. Donald Sloan also recorded only his second double - double in a Nets uniform, while Bojan Bogdanovic paced the reserves with a 16 - point effort that included four three - pointers. Brooklyn additionally outperformed the Knicks in several major offensive categories. They outshot New York from the field 49 percent to 44 percent, and also bested them from three - point range, 47 percent to 39 percent. Just as important, they took significantly better care of the ball, committing only seven turnovers while eliciting 16 from their crosstown divisional rivals. New York's offense was led by Carmelo Anthony's 22 points, to which he added seven rebounds, six assists, three steals and a block. Standout rookie Kristaps Porzingis supplied 18 points, eight rebounds, two assists, a steal and three blocks. Arron Afflalo contributed 17 points, and supplemented them with a pair of rebounds, a pair of assists and a steal. Robin Lopez got the short end of the stick in the battle with his brother, totaling a modest 10 points and hauling in seven boards. Langston Galloway paced the reserves with nine points, five rebounds, four assists and a steal. The Knicks remain in third place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They now travel to Minnesota for a Saturday night tussle with the Timberwolves. Lopez added eight rebounds, two assists, a steal and four blocks to his game - high scoring tally. Sloan's aforemented double - double consisted of 14 points, 10 boards, four assists, two steals and a block. Thaddeus Young was right on his tail with 13 points, nine rebounds, five assists and two steals. The ageless Joe Johnson registered 12 points, six rebounds and six assists, while Wayne Ellington rounded out the first unit's productive night with 11 points, two assists, a rebound and a steal. Bogdanovic's bench - leading scoring haul was complemented with a rebound, an assist and a steal. The Nets remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They're home again Sunday afternoon for a date with the Charlotte Hornets."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "43"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "29", "Thunder": "22"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "109", "Thunder": "130"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "39", "Thunder": "46"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "9", "Amir Johnson": "5"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "28", "Amir Johnson": "11", "Isaiah Thomas": "29"}, "3-pointers made": {"Russell Westbrook": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Amir Johnson": "12"}}], "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."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "55"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "11", "Cody Zeller": "3"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "32", "Kevin Love": "15", "Tristan Thompson": "8", "JR Smith": "9", "Kyrie Irving": "26", "Kyle Korver": "8", "Marvin Williams": "11", "Cody Zeller": "15", "Nicolas Batum": "19", "Kemba Walker": "28", "Marco Belinelli": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "9", "Kevin Love": "12", "Tristan Thompson": "7", "JR Smith": "2", "Marvin Williams": "11", "Cody Zeller": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Kyle Korver": "20"}, "Blocks": {"Cody Zeller": "2"}}], "Cleveland shot an excellent 55 percent from the field overall and the Big Three combined for 73 points to spearhead the tough road victory. LeBron James led the way with a near triple - double with 32 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds. Irving followed with 26 points. Love posted a 15 - point, 12 - rebound double - double. J.R. Smith tallied nine points and two rebounds, while Tristan Thompson provided eight points and seven boards. Kyle Korver led the second unit with eight points over 20 minutes. Kemba Walker went toe - to - toe with Irving and posted 28 points. Marco Belinelli was next with a bench - leading 22 points. Nicolas Batum totaled 19 points and Cody Zeller posted a 15 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included three assists and two blocks. Marvin Williams accomplished the feat as well, managing 11 points and 11 boards."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"Bulls": "46", "Lakers": "60"}}, {"Points": {"Julius Randle": "13", "Jordan Clarkson": "18", "Lou Williams": "18", "Jimmy Butler": "22", "Robin Lopez": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Julius Randle": "20", "Robin Lopez": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Jimmy Butler": "4"}, "Assists": {"Robin Lopez": "1"}, "Steals": {"Robin Lopez": "1"}}], "The Bulls were a heavy favorite in this game against a shorthanded Lakers team, but they clearly looked rusty with five days off. In fact, no player on the Bulls roster shot above 50 percent, with the team shooting just 35 percent in total. Bench production was the big difference, with the Lakers getting 56 bench points to the Bulls 16. Despite being the second - best rebounding team, Chicago lost that battle, 60 - 46, in their defeat. Lou Williams and Jordan Clarkson led the Lakers in scoring, dropping 18 points a piece off the bench. Julius Randle was the only starter to play well, as he totaled 13 points and 20 rebounds. In fact, the five Los Angeles starters combined to go 12 - of - 39 from the field. Robin Lopez had one of his best games for the Bulls, accumulating 10 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. All five starters scored in double figures for Chicago, with Jimmy Butler leading the team with 22 points on 4 - of - 18 shooting."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Nets": "17", "Bucks": "10"}, "Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "57"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bucks": "33"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Khris Middleton": "7", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "8"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "33", "Khris Middleton": "20", "Brook Lopez": "36", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9", "Brook Lopez": "4", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "5"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4", "Brook Lopez": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Greg Monroe": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Khris Middleton": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Khris Middleton": "1", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Khris Middleton": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "8"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Spencer Dinwiddie": "1"}}], "Despite Milwaukee leading for the entirety of the second half, this game was decided in the final seconds. Brooklyn simply could n't get stops though, with the Bucks recording 27 assists on 57 percent shooting. Milwaukee took advantage of the turnover differential as well, recording 26 steals en route to a 17 - 10 turnover margin. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way for Milwaukee, as he collected 33 points, nine rebounds, three assists and four steals. Khris Middleton and Greg Monroe were huge off the bench, as they combined for 45 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Middleton's 20 points, seven assists and 25 minutes were all season - highs, as he continues to recover from his hamstring injury. Brook Lopez carried the Nets, as he accumulated 36 points, four rebounds and eight blocks. Spencer Dinwiddie had one of his best games of his career, totaling 19 points, five rebounds and eight assists."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "47"}, "Turnovers": {"Mavericks": "6"}}, {"Points": {"Wesley Matthews": "17", "Harrison Barnes": "19", "Dirk Nowitzki": "15", "Seth Curry": "24", "Kawhi Leonard": "24", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "10", "Seth Curry": "10", "Kawhi Leonard": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3"}, "Assists": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "4"}}], "On Sunday, the Mavericks upset their divisional rival San Antonio Spurs. Point guard Seth Curry led the team with 24 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. Veteran star Dirk Nowitzki, meanwhile, pulled down 10 rebounds of his own while scoring 15 points. Two other starters scored in double digits, as Wesley Matthews scored 17 while Harrison Barnes poured in 19. The Mavericks excelled at controlling the ball on Sunday, only committing six turnovers on the night. For the Spurs, superstar Kawhi Leonard scored 24 points to lead the team. Leonard pulled down seven rebounds and knocked down three three - pointers on the night. Forward LaMarcus Aldridge, meanwhile, scored 16 to go with seven rebounds and four assists. As a team, San Antonio shot a stellar 47 percent from the field but knocked down only 65 percent of its free - throws."], [[{}, {"Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "37"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "8"}}], "DeMar DeRozan is on a mission as he continues to go on a scoring rampage to start the regular season. On Wednesday, he scored a game - high 37 points and is now averaging 34 points per game through seven games. But, while the scoring average is higher than anyone imagined, what might be most impressive about DeRozan's hot start is the fact that he is shooting 54 percent from the field. Meanwhile, the Thunder are continuing to ride on the coattails of All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook, whose numbers, as expected are jumping off the box score. However, Westbrook did have eight turnovers in Wednesday's game and that has been a problem for the point guard all season. Westbrook is currently averaging 5 turnovers per game and has recorded at least six in a game four times this season. So, while he has amped up his production with more of the burden on his shoulders, he'll have to work to increase his efficiency at the same time."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "32", "Celtics": "23"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "112", "Celtics": "111"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bucks": "40", "Celtics": "20"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "21", "Celtics": "31"}}, {"Points": {"Jae Crowder": "18", "Jared Sullinger": "4", "Avery Bradley": "18", "Isaiah Thomas": "15", "Marcus Smart": "12", "Kelly Olynyk": "15", "Jonas Jerebko": "13", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "14", "Jabari Parker": "10", "Khris Middleton": "20", "Michael Carter-Williams": "16", "Greg Monroe": "29", "Jerryd Bayless": "14"}, "Assists": {"Jared Sullinger": "5", "Isaiah Thomas": "2", "Marcus Smart": "2", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Jabari Parker": "2", "Khris Middleton": "5", "Michael Carter-Williams": "5", "Greg Monroe": "3", "Jerryd Bayless": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Jared Sullinger": "11", "Marcus Smart": "4", "Kelly Olynyk": "3", "Jonas Jerebko": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Jabari Parker": "3", "Khris Middleton": "5", "Michael Carter-Williams": "6", "Greg Monroe": "12", "Jerryd Bayless": "1"}, "Steals": {"Isaiah Thomas": "2", "Marcus Smart": "2", "Kelly Olynyk": "1", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Jabari Parker": "1", "Michael Carter-Williams": "1", "Greg Monroe": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kelly Olynyk": "1", "Jabari Parker": "2", "Khris Middleton": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kelly Olynyk": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "26"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (21 - 32) edged the Boston Celtics (31 - 23) 112 - 111 on Tuesday. Both teams came into the game heading in opposite directions, making the final result all the more improbable. The Celtics had won nine of their last 10 games, and were riding a four - game winning streak that included a last - second victory over the Cavaliers. Meanwhile, Milwaukee came in as losers of five straight, and opted to shake up their starting five in advance of their tilt with Boston. Michael Carter-Williams and Greg Monroe headed to the second unit for the night, replaced at point guard and center by O.J. Mayo and Miles Plumlee, respectively. The first quarter went as expected, with visitors emerging with a 30 - 26 lead. However, the Bucks hung tough in the second period, and came out of intermission a different team. They doubled up the Celtics 40 - 20 in the third quarter, allowing them to take a seemingly safe 93 - 74 lead into the final 12 minutes. Boston had different ideas, turning the tables on Milwaukee in the fourth period, and managing to finally knot the game up at 111 with one second left after a pair of Kelly Olynyk free throws. Against all odds, Milwaukee found themselves with a chance to avoid overtime just four - tenths of a second later, in the form of Khris Middleton standing at the foul line. In an ironic twist, Avery Bradley, Boston's hero in the aformentioned win over Cleveland, fouled Middleton as he tried to defend his last - second desperation shot, and the Bucks' shooting guard sank the first free throw to seal the one - point win. The Celtics were led by a pair of 18 - point efforts from Bradley and Jae Crowder, who continues to play through a high ankle sprain. The former added four rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals, while the latter provided five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Isaiah Thomas registered 15 points, and supplemented it with a pair of assists and a pair of steals. Jared Sullinger only pitched in four points, but did add 11 rebounds and five assists. The bench was also highly productive on the night, with three players tallying double - digit scoring. Olynyk led the reserves with 15 points, three rebounds and a steal, while Jonas Jerebko managed 13 points and five boards. Marcus Smart collected 12 points of his own, and complemented it with four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Boston remains in second place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head back home to face off with the Clippers on Wednesday. Middleton was both the hero and the Bucks' leading scorer among the starting five, posting 20 points, five rebounds and five assists. Giannis Antetokounmpo was next with 14 points, three rebounds, two assists, two steals and a trio of blocks. Jabari Parker bounced back from two sub - par outings with 10 points, three boards, two assists and a steal. Monroe responded to his demotion with a breakout 29 - point, 12 - rebound double - double off the bench that also included three assists, a steal and a pair of rejections. Carter-Williams also appeared motivated by his ouster from the first unit, contributing 16 points, six rebounds, five assists and a steal over 26 minutes. Jerryd Bayless was the third reserve with double - digit scoring, totaling 14 points, a rebound and two assists. Milwaukee remains in last place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division despite the win. They're home again Thursday for a showdown with the Washington Wizards."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Celtics": "29"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "21", "Nuggets": "29"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "111", "Nuggets": "103"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Celtics": "29"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "26", "Nuggets": "17"}, "Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Kenneth Faried": "15", "Will Barton": "23", "Avery Bradley": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Kenneth Faried": "15"}, "3-pointers made": {"Will Barton": "3"}, "Steals": {"Avery Bradley": "4"}}], "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."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "3", "Thunder": "1"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "110", "Thunder": "105"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "1", "Thunder": "3"}}, {"Points": {"Kevin Durant": "29", "Serge Ibaka": "12", "Russell Westbrook": "25", "Dwight Howard": "16", "James Harden": "37", "Ty Lawson": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "14", "Russell Westbrook": "8", "Dwight Howard": "8", "James Harden": "5"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "11", "James Harden": "3", "Ty Lawson": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "6", "James Harden": "12"}, "3-pointers made": {"Russell Westbrook": "3", "James Harden": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "16", "James Harden": "26"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "10", "James Harden": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "2", "James Harden": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Russell Westbrook": "2", "James Harden": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Russell Westbrook": "32", "James Harden": "38"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"James Harden": "1", "Ty Lawson": "3"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "3", "Ty Lawson": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Ty Lawson": "3"}}], "The Houston Rockets (1 - 3) got their first win of the season Monday, holding off the Oklahoma City Thunder (3 - 1) 110 - 105 at the Toyota Center. After struggling mightily in the first three games of the season, James Harden turned in a vintage performance to defeat his former team. He scored 37 points (12 - 26 FG, 4 - 12 3Pt, 9 - 11 FT) with five rebounds, three assists, and three steals in a team - high 38 minutes. If Houston wants to match its win total of 56 from last season, Harden is going to have to have more games like this one. Russell Westbrook came two rebounds shy of his first triple - double of 2015 - 16, scoring 25 points (10 - 16 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) with 11 assists and eight boards in 32 minutes. While it was a big fantasy night for Westbrook, he turned the ball over seven times and was in foul trouble for most of the game. The Thunder just were n't able to keep up with Harden and the Rockets while Westbrook sat on the bench. Kevin Durant had a solid game with 29 points and Serge Ibaka posted a 12 - point, 14 - rebound double - double. Harden was the star of the game, but Ty Lawson's performance ca n't go overlooked. Lawson seemed out of place over the first three games of his Houston career, but came up big in this one, chipping in 14 points and 11 assists. He also had four steals and did a nice job of taking care of the ball against a feisty Oklahoma City backcourt. Dwight Howard, who sat out of Sunday's loss to the Heat to rest his back, added 16 points and eight rebounds in his return to the lineup. The Rockets will look to build on their first win Wednesday against the Magic at home. The Thunder will head back home for a matchup against the Raptors."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Wizards": "48"}}, {"Points": {"Tobias Harris": "14", "Andre Drummond": "13", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "24", "Reggie Jackson": "14", "Markieff Morris": "11", "Marcin Gortat": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "12", "Marcin Gortat": "14", "Bradley Beal": "2", "John Wall": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Bradley Beal": "2", "John Wall": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bradley Beal": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"John Wall": "2"}}], "The Wizards' dynamic backcourt duo of John Wall and Bradley Beal spectacularly spearheaded the offensive attack. The two guards combined for 54 points on 18 - of - 30 shooting, while Marcin Gortat provided his usual solid double - double performance with 12 points and 14 rebounds. Washington had the hot hand collectively, as they posted stellar success rates of 58 percent and 48 percent from the field and three - point range, respectively, on their way to a season - high point total. Even Otto Porter, who's been struggling on the offensive end in recent games, registered 15 points, while Markieff Morris posted 11 points. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's 24 points led the way for Detroit. Reggie Jackson and Tobias Harris turned in a pair of 14 - point efforts, and Andre Drummond posted a 13 - point, 12 - rebound double - double. Jon Leuer unsurprisingly led the second unit with 19 points.."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "36", "Thunder": "32"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "97", "Thunder": "109"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Suns": "35", "Thunder": "24"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Suns": "18", "Thunder": "33"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "38", "Thunder": "42"}}, {"Assists": {"Dion Waiters": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "7", "D.J. Augustin": "3", "Markieff Morris": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Dion Waiters": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "7", "D.J. Augustin": "5", "Markieff Morris": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dion Waiters": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "1", "D.J. Augustin": "4", "Markieff Morris": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dion Waiters": "20", "Russell Westbrook": "29", "D.J. Augustin": "9", "Markieff Morris": "20", "TJ Warren": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Dion Waiters": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "10", "D.J. Augustin": "6", "Markieff Morris": "10", "TJ Warren": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Dion Waiters": "38", "Russell Westbrook": "38", "D.J. Augustin": "32"}, "Points": {"Dion Waiters": "18", "Russell Westbrook": "33", "D.J. Augustin": "19", "Markieff Morris": "24", "TJ Warren": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Dion Waiters": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "9", "D.J. Augustin": "1", "Markieff Morris": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "3", "D.J. Augustin": "1", "Markieff Morris": "1"}}], "The Thunder (42 - 32) defeated the Suns (38 - 36) 109 - 97 at the US Airways Center on Sunday. Phoenix jumped out to a 35 - 24 lead by the end of the first quarter and, at one point, led by 19 points in the second. But, midway through the second quarter, the Thunder climbed back into the game, cutting the lead to eight points by halftime. By the end of the third quarter, Phoenix\u2019 lead was down to three points. With 9 minutes remaining, Oklahoma City took the lead and began to pull away, outscoring the Suns 33 - 18 in the fourth quarter. Three-point shooting may have been the difference - maker, as the Suns went 5 - for - 22 from beyond the arc, while the Thunder went 10 - for - 25. Russell Westbrook shined as he has for most of the season in Kevin Durant\u2019s absence, finishing with 33 points (10 - 29 FG, 1 - 7 3Pt), nine rebounds, seven assists, three steals and one block in 38 minutes. D.J. Augustin came off the bench to score 19 points (6 - 9 FG, 4 - 5 3Pt), to go with one rebound, three assists and one steal in 32 minutes. Dion Waiters contributed 18 points (8 - 20 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt), three rebounds and one assist in 38 minutes. Markieff Morris led the Suns in scoring with 24 points (10 - 20 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt), to go with seven rebounds, one assist and one steal. T.J. Warren scored 18 points off the bench, going 8 - for - 10 from the field. Sunday\u2019s loss was critical for the Suns, who are now four games behind the eighth - place Thunder in the Western Conference. To make matters worse, the Thunder have the heads - up tie - breaker, which realistically puts the Suns five games behind Oklahoma City. The Thunder have won the season series 3 - 1."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "56"}, "Losses": {"Timberwolves": "33", "Thunder": "13"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "123", "Thunder": "126"}, "Rebounds": {"Timberwolves": "35", "Thunder": "47"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "14", "Thunder": "35"}, "Number of team assists": {"Thunder": "23"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Thunder": "35"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "15", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "5"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "27", "Russell Westbrook": "24", "Enes Kanter": "23", "Gorgui Dieng": "21", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "19", "Zach LaVine": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "8", "Enes Kanter": "10", "Gorgui Dieng": "9", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "13"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Zach LaVine": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Zach LaVine": "14"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (35 - 13) held off the Minnesota Timberwolves (14 - 33) for a 126 - 123 win on Wednesday night. In what looks like an overtime final score, defense was an optional aspect of this game. Both teams shot over 52 percent from the field, with Minnesota hitting 56 percent of their shots. The free - throw shooting was huge for the Thunder here, as they went 20 - for - 21, while the T-Wolves went just 18 - for - 28. Oklahoma City also dominated the rebounding, as they snatched down 47 boards to the Wolves 35. This marks Minnesota's 17th loss in their last 20 games and the Thunder's 19th win in their last 23 games. Oklahoma City has been thriving off defense recently, but their potent offense carried them to a win here. It was once again Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant who carried the load, as both had big nights. Westbrook finished with 24 points, 15 assists and eight rebounds while Durant tallied 27 points, nine rebounds and five assists in the victory. Enes Kanter gave the team a nice spark off the bench as well, as he double - doubled in a 23 point - 10 rebound performance. Those three players combined for just seven turnovers as well, which is impressive with how much they were all handling the ball. Oklahoma City will look to stay hot on Friday against the Houston Rockets in their next scheduled game. Minnesota put in a valiant effort here, but simply couldn\u2019t keep up with this All-Star roster. It was the youngsters who were big for the Wolves tonight, as Zach LaVine, Karl-Anthony Towns and Gorgui Dieng had some of their best games of the year. LaVine fell just short of a career - high by dropping 35 points on 14 - for - 17 shooting and Dieng finished with 21 points and nine rebounds in a rare start. Karl-Anthony Towns was great as well, as he accumulated 19 points, 13 rebounds and five assists in the defeat. Minnesota's next game will be on Friday against the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City."], [[{"Wins": {"Hornets": "6"}}, {"Assists": {"Shelvin Mack": "5", "Nicolas Batum": "5", "Kemba Walker": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Shelvin Mack": "11", "Nicolas Batum": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Shelvin Mack": "3", "Nicolas Batum": "3"}, "Points": {"Shelvin Mack": "6", "Nicolas Batum": "9", "Kemba Walker": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Kemba Walker": "5"}, "Steals": {"Kemba Walker": "4"}}], "There was very little to differentiate these teams before the game and that proved to be the case in the box score. Both teams shot exactly 46 percent from the field, as they each went 38 - of - 82. They also tied in assists and nearly matched each other in points in the paint and defensive rebounds. Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward were both out of the lineup to start the season, but they carried the load in this game. The two combined for 49 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists in the defeat. Shelvin Mack started for the injured George Hill and shot just 3 - of - 11 from the field in a six - point, five - assist outing. Despite not having anyone score more than 21 points, Charlotte had six players score in double figures to pull out their win. Kemba Walker continues to improve, as he stuffed the stat sheet with his 21 points, five rebounds six assists and four steals. They got their win with Nicolas Batum mightily struggling, as he tallied just nine points and five assists on 3 - of - 10 shooting."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "40", "Heat": "38"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "86", "Heat": "93"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Celtics": "24", "Heat": "11"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "31", "Heat": "33"}}, {"Assists": {"Goran Dragic": "7", "Evan Turner": "5"}, "Points": {"Goran Dragic": "22", "Evan Turner": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "4", "Jae Crowder": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Goran Dragic": "5", "Evan Turner": "4", "Jae Crowder": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Evan Turner": "20", "Isaiah Thomas": "20", "Jae Crowder": "27"}, "3-pointers made": {"Marcus Smart": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Marcus Smart": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Marcus Smart": "1"}, "Steals": {"Marcus Smart": "4"}}], "The Miami Heat (33 - 38) defeated the Boston Celtics (31 - 40) 93 - 86 on Wednesday. The Heat bounced back from a devastating loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday, where Khris Middleton's buzzer beating three - pointer stopped them from being down just a half a game to the Bucks in the Eastern Conference standings. With Dwyane Wade (knee) and breakout center Hassan Whiteside (hand) out with injuries, Goran Dragic took over and scored 22 points with seven assists and five rebounds. Henry Walker and Mario Chalmers were deployed into the starting lineup for their injured teammates; they combined for 16 points, five rebounds and nine assists in spot starts. The Heat are now 9 - 5 in March with three games left to end the month. Boston was down by 17 at half but managed to outscore Miami 24 - 11 in the fourth quarter to make the score seem more respectable. Utility man Jae Crowder had a team - high 16 points to go along with seven rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench. Isaiah Thomas returned to the Celtics after missing eight games with a back injury. He came off the bench, as usual, and had scored four points in 20 minutes. Marcus Smart recorded four steals in his second game back since being suspended by the league for one game for kicking a player in the groin. Evan Turner followed up Monday's triple - double four points, four rebounds and five assists in 20 minutes. The Celtics will head to New York to take on the Knicks on Friday, as the Heat will travel to Atlanta to face the Hawks."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "33", "Mavericks": "29"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "131", "Mavericks": "135"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Thunder": "30"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "42", "Mavericks": "46"}}, {"Assists": {"Chandler Parsons": "6", "Dirk Nowitzki": "3", "Monta Ellis": "5", "Enes Kanter": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "3", "Dirk Nowitzki": "5", "Monta Ellis": "1", "J.J. Barea": "2", "Enes Kanter": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Anthony Morrow": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chandler Parsons": "0", "Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Monta Ellis": "0", "J.J. Barea": "0", "Enes Kanter": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "2", "Anthony Morrow": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "15", "Dirk Nowitzki": "17", "Monta Ellis": "14", "J.J. Barea": "5", "Enes Kanter": "13", "Russell Westbrook": "32", "Anthony Morrow": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Chandler Parsons": "10", "Dirk Nowitzki": "8", "Monta Ellis": "9", "J.J. Barea": "2", "Enes Kanter": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "10", "Anthony Morrow": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Chandler Parsons": "37", "Dirk Nowitzki": "32", "Monta Ellis": "37", "J.J. Barea": "11", "Enes Kanter": "38", "Russell Westbrook": "44", "Anthony Morrow": "29"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "22", "Dirk Nowitzki": "18", "Monta Ellis": "26", "J.J. Barea": "6", "Enes Kanter": "30", "Russell Westbrook": "31", "Anthony Morrow": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Chandler Parsons": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "4", "Monta Ellis": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Anthony Morrow": "4"}, "Steals": {"Chandler Parsons": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "1", "Anthony Morrow": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Enes Kanter": "1"}}], "The Mavericks (46 - 29) defeated the Thunder (42 - 33) in a wild 135 - 131 shootout at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on Wednesday. Dallas came into the fourth quarter with a two - point lead. With less than nine minutes to go, the Mavericks had extended their lead to 10 points. But the Thunder battled back and finally took the lead 121 - 119 after a Russell Westbrook layup with four minutes to play. With less than a minute remaining, the Mavericks led 132 - 131. Chandler Parsons hit a 16 - footer to extend the lead to three points with 13 seconds on the clock. Russell Westbrook missed two successive three - pointers on Oklahoma City's next possession, and Monta Ellis hit a free throw on the other end to seal the deal for the Mavericks. Seven Mavericks players scored in double digits. Monta Ellis (calf) returned to the starting lineup after missing Sunday's game. He was Dallas' leading scorer with 26 points (9 - 14 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt), to go with four rebounds, five assists and one steal in 37 minutes. Chandler Parsons had 22 points (10 - 15 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt), four rebounds, six assists and one steal in 37 minutes. Dirk Nowitzki contributed 18 points (8 - 17 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt) four rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes. J.J. Barea (ankle) returned to the court after a four - game absence and scored six points (2 - 5 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt) in 11 minutes. Three Thunder players scored at least 30 points. Anthony Morrow came off the bench and had 32 points (11 - 16 FG, 6 - 9 3Pt), four rebounds and one steal in 29 minutes. Russell Westbrook recorded his 10th triple - double of the year. He had 31 points (10 - 32 FG, 2 - 11 3Pt), 11 rebounds, 11 assists and one steal in 44 minutes. Enes Kanter had 30 points (9 - 13 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt), 11 rebounds, one assist and one block in 38 minutes. Steven Adams appeared to suffer a sprained right ankle late in the game. The seventh place Mavericks distanced themselves from the eighth place Thunder in the Western Conference on Wednesday. The Mavericks are ahead four games. The Thunder are ahead of the ninth place Pelicans by two games. The Mavericks have won the season series with the Thunder 3 - 1."], [[{"Total points": {"Grizzlies": "100", "Trail Blazers": "86"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "1", "Trail Blazers": "0"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Trail Blazers": "31"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "34"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "1"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "4", "Damian Lillard": "3", "Marc Gasol": "7", "Beno Udrih": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Nicolas Batum": "6", "Beno Udrih": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nicolas Batum": "3", "Beno Udrih": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nicolas Batum": "12", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "34", "Damian Lillard": "21", "Beno Udrih": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Nicolas Batum": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "13", "Damian Lillard": "5", "Beno Udrih": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Nicolas Batum": "38", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "42", "Damian Lillard": "39", "Jeff Green": "28", "Zach Randolph": "36", "Marc Gasol": "39", "Mike Conley": "24", "Beno Udrih": "24"}, "Points": {"Nicolas Batum": "15", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "32", "Damian Lillard": "14", "Jeff Green": "11", "Zach Randolph": "16", "Marc Gasol": "15", "Mike Conley": "16", "Beno Udrih": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Nicolas Batum": "7", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "14", "Damian Lillard": "8", "Jeff Green": "6", "Zach Randolph": "11", "Marc Gasol": "11", "Beno Udrih": "7"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Damian Lillard": "24"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Mike Conley": "4"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (10) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (0 - 1) 100 - 86 in game one of their first round playoff series Sunday night in Memphis. The Grizzlies grabbed an early first - quarter lead in this game and never looked back, with Beno Udrih serving as an unlikely hero off the bench and scoring the final eight points of the first period for Memphis. Udrih finished the game with a team - high 20 points (9 - 14 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt), seven assists and seven rebounds in just 24 minutes off the bench. The Grizzlies\u2019 starting front court of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph each posted double - doubles in the winning effort. Randolph scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in 36 minutes, while Marc Gasol posted 15 points and 11 rebounds to go along with seven assists and three blocks in 39 minutes of play. Mike Conley played 24 minutes after missing the previous four games with a foot injury and managed to score 16 points in that time, while Jeff Green was the fifth and final Memphis player to score in double figures, recording 11 points and six rebounds in 28 minutes. For the Trail Blazers, it was an offensive night to forget, as they shot just 34 percent from the floor as a team and 31 percent from behind the arc. Damian Lillard personified the poor shooting effort, scoring just 14 points on a dreadful 5 - of - 21 (24 percent) shooting to go along with eight rebounds and just three assists in 39 minutes. It was Lillard\u2019s worst shooting performance since early March (8 percent). The only real bright spot in Portland\u2019s box score was from LaMarcus Aldridge, who finished the night with a game - high 32 points and 14 rebounds, but he shot just 13 - of - 34 from the field in 42 minutes.The only other Trail Blazer to score in double figures was Nicolas Batum, who recorded 15 points (5 - 12 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt), seven rebounds and four assists in 38 minutes. Aldridge and Lillard combined to shooting 55 of Portland\u2019s 95 shots and they will need a better overall team effort to defeat this deep and balanced Memphis team. The two squads will face off in game two in Memphis on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "29", "Heat": "21"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "103", "Heat": "107"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "20", "Heat": "26"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "50"}}, {"Assists": {"Chris Bosh": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "7", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6"}, "Points": {"Chris Bosh": "20", "Dwyane Wade": "24", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Chris Bosh": "6", "Dwyane Wade": "4", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Dwyane Wade": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}, "Steals": {"Dwyane Wade": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}}], "The Miami Heat (26 - 21) withstood a close call Friday, edging the Milwaukee Bucks (20 - 29), 107 - 103. Miami remains without Hassan Whiteside (oblique), but the defensive anchor's absence has not stopped the Heat from winning three in a row. Once again, Dwyane Wade led the team's scoring effort. Wade stuffed the stat sheet for 24 points, four rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and three blocks. Wade, a starter for the Eastern Conference All-Stars, was complemented by veteran Chris Bosh, who went for 20 points, six rebounds, and five assists. As a team, Miami shot 50 percent from the field and hit seven three - pointers while holding Milwaukee to just two makes beyond the arc. For the Bucks, the loss marks their second straight and fourth in five games. Despite last year's playoff appearance, the team now sits at nine games below .500 and is well out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Even in the loss, rising star Giannis Antetokounmpo filled the box score with 28 points, four rebounds, six assists, two blocks, and three steals. The 21 - year - old has seen career - high averages across the board this season, his third year in the league. Miami will host the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday afternoon, while Milwaukee will travel to Sacramento on Monday night to face the Kings."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "37", "Celtics": "28"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "110", "Celtics": "98"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "8", "Celtics": "16"}}, {"Points": {"Jared Sullinger": "16", "Evan Turner": "10", "Zach LaVine": "17", "Kevin Martin": "21"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Avery Bradley": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Avery Bradley": "1"}, "Assists": {"Evan Turner": "6", "Zach LaVine": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Zach LaVine": "24"}, "Steals": {"Zach LaVine": "3"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (8 - 37) beat the Boston Celtics (16 - 28) 110 - 98 on Wednesday. Kevin Martin made his return to the Timberwolves on Wednesday, scoring a team - high 21 points off the bench. Martin had been out since Nov. 19 with a wrist injury. He averaged 22 points in 31 minutes per game in November prior to the injury. Mo Williams was away from the team for personal reasons. Minnesota, who is already without Ricky Rubio, deployed rookie Zach LaVine into the starting lineup. LaVine put up 17 points, six assists and three steals in 24 minutes for the Timberwolves to help give them just their fourth home win of the season. The Celtics held a 49 - 48 lead at halftime but could n't hold off the Timberwolves, who outscored them by eight points in the third quarter and five points in the fourth quarter. Evan Turner was diagnosed with a sprained thumb on Monday but has n't missed any time. He put up 10 points and six assists. Turner's teammate Avery Bradley has also been playing through some hands injuries of his own. Bradley's shooting has been effected, he was just 1 - of - 7 from beyond the arc against Minnesota. The Celtics had seven players reach double - digits in scoring. Jared Sullinger led Boston with 16 points. They've won three of their last five games. The Celtics will play the Houston Rockets on Friday. The Timberwolves will face the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "6"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "10"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Cavaliers": "24"}, "Turnovers": {"Cavaliers": "10"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "8", "Mo Williams": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LeBron James": "5", "Mo Williams": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"LeBron James": "1", "JR Smith": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "16", "Kyle Lowry": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "6", "Kyle Lowry": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LeBron James": "12", "Kyle Lowry": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"LeBron James": "11", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "40", "Bismack Biyombo": "33"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "24", "Kevin Love": "21", "JR Smith": "15", "Mo Williams": "15", "DeMar DeRozan": "20", "Kyle Lowry": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "6", "Kevin Love": "13", "Mo Williams": "3", "Bismack Biyombo": "12"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Mo Williams": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Mo Williams": "3"}}], "The Raptors were able to hold off the Cavaliers 104 - 99 on Wednesday night. In a tightly contested game that was tied after the first two quarters, Toronto found themselves with a two point lead heading into the fourth. They took the lead and ran with it before Cleveland was able to regroup and make it close at the end. Coming into the night, Cleveland was on a roll, while Toronto had been struggling. The Cavaliers had won their last three games and started their season with an impressive 11 - 3 record. Toronto however, had lost three of their last five and six of their last ten. Their records did not matter when they took the court though, and the Raptors welcomed the challenge of defending their home court against the defending Eastern Conference Champions. To no surprise, Cleveland was led by LeBron James' team high 24 points (6 - 16 FG, 1 - 5 3PT, 11 - 12 FT). He also chipped in six boards and eight dimes in 40 minutes of action. Kevin Love continued his impressive play to start the year by providing a double - double with 21 points and 13 rebounds. He also notably went 5 - 8 from down town. J.R. Smith and Mo Williams also chipped in with double figures, each notching 15 points. Williams did his damage off the bench, as the Cavs were working his way back into form after missing the previous three games with an ankle injury. Cleveland will look to bounce back Friday in Charlotte. Kyle Lowry continued his sizzling start to the year by putting up a game high 27 points (11 - 17 FG, 2 - 6 3PT, 3 - 5 FT). All five starters scored in double digits for the Raptors, including DeMar DeRozean who scored 20 points on 7 - 16 shooting from the field. After Jonas Valanciunas broke his left hand on Nov. 20 against the Lakers, Bismack Biyombo was asked to replace him. He did not disappoint Wednesday, nearly double - doubling with nine points and 12 boards in 33 minutes. Toronto will look to carry their momentum into a matchup in Washington Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "30", "Pistons": "47"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "88", "Pistons": "82"}, "Turnovers": {"Bulls": "10"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "46", "Pistons": "29"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pistons": "9"}}, {"Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "6", "Pau Gasol": "1", "Joakim Noah": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Andre Drummond": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Andre Drummond": "43"}, "Points": {"Andre Drummond": "14", "Reggie Jackson": "22", "Pau Gasol": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "22", "Pau Gasol": "10"}, "Assists": {"Reggie Jackson": "9", "Joakim Noah": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"Reggie Jackson": "8"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (46 - 30) beat the Detroit Pistons (29 - 47) 88 - 82 on Friday. Pau Gasol led the Bulls in a solid team effort against Detroit. His team held the Pistons to just nine points in the second quarter but could n't quite hold them off, as they were able to make a run on the Bulls late. Gasol had 26 points, 10 rebounds and one block, and his teammate Joakim Noah put on a passing display from the center position with ten assists. Jimmy Butler put another nice game together, as he is very likely to receive a huge payday this summer. Derrick Rose and Kirk Hinrich were both ruled out for Friday's tilt, as they are recovering from knee injuries. The Bull's production at point guard suffered with E'Twaun Moore and Aaron Brooks combining for just ten points on 4 - of - 16 shooting from the field to go along with three assists in 48 minutes played. Chicago has locked up a playoff spot but still is still looking to improve their seed with just a couple weeks remaining in the season. Andre Drummond has solidified himself as a dominant force in the NBA this season. Even against a stout Chicago defense he was able to record 14 points, 22 rebounds and six blocks before fouling out after 43 minutes of action. Over his past five he's averaged 19 points, 13 rebounds, 2 blocks and 1 steals a game. His new point guard Reggie Jackson has been a great addition for the Pistons. He put up a nice game on Friday with 22 points and nine assists, but was bit by the turnover bug, as he recorded eight of them. The Bulls only had ten total turnovers as a team. Detroit has not been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs and will have to make a strong run the rest of the way if they want to take one of the final spots in the Eastern Conference. The Hornets, Pacers and Celtics all would not make the playoffs if they began tomorrow. Each of them has better records than the Pistons. Detroit will head home for Saturday's game with the Miami Heat, who currently holds the eighth seed that the Pistons so desperately covet. The Bulls will have a day off to gear up for their big game with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday."], [[{"Total points": {"Celtics": "102", "Pistons": "95"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "24"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "26"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Marcus Morris": "17", "Stanley Johnson": "13", "Avery Bradley": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Marcus Morris": "4", "Stanley Johnson": "4"}, "Points": {"Andre Drummond": "16", "Avery Bradley": "15", "Isaiah Thomas": "17", "Evan Turner": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "13", "Avery Bradley": "4", "Evan Turner": "6"}, "Assists": {"Avery Bradley": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "7", "Evan Turner": "5"}}], "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."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "9", "Heat": "12"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "110", "Heat": "111"}, "Rebounds": {"Jazz": "31"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "11", "Heat": "7"}, "Turnovers": {"Heat": "6"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Hassan Whiteside": "11", "Wayne Ellington": "9", "James Johnson": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4", "Wayne Ellington": "6", "James Johnson": "11"}, "Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "9", "Goran Dragic": "27", "Wayne Ellington": "17", "James Johnson": "24", "Joe Johnson": "18", "Gordon Hayward": "32"}, "Assists": {"Goran Dragic": "6"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the host Utah Jazz on Thursday, 111 - 110. It was a much - needed and narrow win for Miami (7 - 12), as the team had been sitting at 13th in the Eastern Conference. Thursday's win came in dramatic fashion, with the game remaining a matter of single digits until the very end. It was an off night for center Hassan Whiteside, who shot just 4 - of - 11 for nine points, but it was a strong showing for recently - returned point guard Goran Dragic. Dragic led the team with 27 points and had six assists on the night. The Heat have seen strong bench play recently, as was the case on Thursday. Bench forward James Johnson delivered 24 points on 11 - of - 15 shooting, while bench guard Wayne Ellington had 17 points on 6 - of - 9. The Jazz (11 - 9), meanwhile, had won four straight contests heading into Thursday, but have been decimated by injuries. Star forward Derrick Favors remains out indefinitely with a knee injury, while starters George Hill and Rodney Hood were both forced to sit out Thursday's contest with minor injuries of their own. Star Gordon Hayward, who had just recently returned from another injury, led the team with 32 points. Veteran Joe Johnson added another 18. It was an impressive offensive night for Utah despite missing key components. The Jazz shot 54 percent from the field and hit 17 three - pointers on 56 percent from beyond the arc. Ultimately, the Jazz lost narrowly in part due to recording only 31 rebounds and forcing just six Miami turnovers. The Jazz will host the Denver Nuggets on Saturday, while the Heat will visit Portland."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "47", "Mavericks": "37"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "8", "Mavericks": "15"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "97", "Mavericks": "87"}, "Turnovers": {"Hornets": "10", "Mavericks": "11"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "11", "Mavericks": "3"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "29"}}, {"Assists": {"Harrison Barnes": "1", "Wesley Matthews": "2", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "6", "Roy Hibbert": "2", "Jeremy Lamb": "2"}, "Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "17", "Wesley Matthews": "14", "Deron Williams": "14", "Jonathan Gibson": "11", "Justin Anderson": "15", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "14", "Nicolas Batum": "12", "Kemba Walker": "18", "Roy Hibbert": "11", "Jeremy Lamb": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Harrison Barnes": "9", "Wesley Matthews": "3", "Deron Williams": "3", "Jonathan Gibson": "2", "Justin Anderson": "3", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "3", "Nicolas Batum": "9", "Kemba Walker": "3", "Roy Hibbert": "4", "Jeremy Lamb": "6"}, "Steals": {"Harrison Barnes": "2", "Jonathan Gibson": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Wesley Matthews": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Wesley Matthews": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Jonathan Gibson": "27", "Roy Hibbert": "17"}, "Blocks": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "1", "Roy Hibbert": "2", "Jeremy Lamb": "1"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Dallas Mavericks, 97 - 87, at Spectrum Center on Thursday. The offensively - challenged Mavericks (3 - 15) checked in to Thursday's contest having failed to score in the triple digits in 10 of their last 11 games, and with Dirk Nowitzki out again with an Achilles injury, they struggled yet again. They managed respective 37 percent and 29 percent tallies from the field and three - point range, despite seeing five players post double - digit scoring performances. The Hornets (11 - 8) were better overall from the field (47 percent), even though Kemba Walker paced the offense with a relatively modest 18 points. Harrison Barnes led Dallas with 17 points, which he supplemented with nine rebounds, an assist and two steals. Deron Williams and Wesley Matthews followed with a pair of 14 - point efforts, with the former adding eight assists and three rebounds and the latter also bringing in three rebounds and dishing out two assists. Matthews did struggle considerably from long range, however, going just 1 - of - 11 from beyond the arc. Justin Anderson paced the second unit with 15 points and three rebounds, while Jonathan Gibson contributed 11 points, five assists, two rebounds and two steals in 27 minutes as a reserve as well. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist followed closely behind Walker with 14 points, three rebounds, two assists and a block. Nicolas Batum filled out the stat sheet nicely with a near double - double consisting of 12 points, nine rebounds, six assists and a steal. Cody Zeller and Frank Kaminsky combined for just seven points but 10 rebounds as well. Jeremy Lamb led the second unit with 12 points, six rebounds, two assists and a block, while Roy Hibbert tallied 11 points, four rebounds, two assists and a pair of blocks in 17 minutes off the bench. The Mavericks head back home to take on the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night, while Hornets continue their home stand with a Saturday night showdown against the Timberwolves."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Lakers": "22"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Gordon Hayward": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "17", "Julius Randle": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "10", "Julius Randle": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Gordon Hayward": "8"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "31", "Rudy Gobert": "12", "Julius Randle": "25", "Lou Williams": "22"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "11", "Julius Randle": "12"}}], "In a tight game on Tuesday, the Utah Jazz emerged victorious thanks to efficient 50 percent shooting from the field. Much of the team's offensive firepower came from star Gordon Hayward, who led the team with 31 points on 10 - of - 17 shooting. Hayward had three three - pointers and shot 8 - of - 9 from the free - throw line. Center Rudy Gobert added 12 points and a team - high 11 rebounds, as well as two blocks. Meanwhile, the Utah bench was particularly effective, as three players scored in double digits for the second unit. For Los Angeles, third - year forward Julius Randle delivered a big double - double. Randle had 25 points and 12 rebounds while shooting 9 - of - 12. Three players scored in double digits for the Lakers' bench as well, including sixth man Lou Williams. Williams, the Lakers' leading scorer on the season, had 22 in the loss."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "34", "Heat": "34"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "98", "Heat": "88"}, "Turnovers": {"Celtics": "7"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "48", "Heat": "48"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Heat": "5"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "19"}, "Points": {"Joe Johnson": "19", "Hassan Whiteside": "19", "Isaiah Thomas": "21"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4"}}], "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."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "50", "Suns": "58"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "100", "Suns": "121"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "30", "Suns": "22"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Suns": "40"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "52"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Alex Len": "25", "Mirza Teletovic": "29", "Archie Goodwin": "25", "Luke Babbitt": "34", "Tim Frazier": "31"}, "Points": {"Alex Len": "10", "Mirza Teletovic": "22", "Archie Goodwin": "24", "Toney Douglas": "23", "Luke Babbitt": "17", "Tim Frazier": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Alex Len": "11", "Mirza Teletovic": "5", "Archie Goodwin": "3", "Toney Douglas": "2", "Luke Babbitt": "9", "Tim Frazier": "8"}, "Assists": {"Mirza Teletovic": "4", "Archie Goodwin": "3", "Alexis Ajinca": "1", "Toney Douglas": "5", "Luke Babbitt": "2", "Tim Frazier": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Mirza Teletovic": "8", "Archie Goodwin": "5", "Toney Douglas": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Mirza Teletovic": "4", "Archie Goodwin": "3", "Toney Douglas": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Mirza Teletovic": "14", "Archie Goodwin": "11", "Toney Douglas": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Mirza Teletovic": "8", "Archie Goodwin": "7", "Toney Douglas": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Archie Goodwin": "9", "Toney Douglas": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Archie Goodwin": "7", "Toney Douglas": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Alexis Ajinca": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Alexis Ajinca": "1"}, "Steals": {"Toney Douglas": "1", "Tim Frazier": "1"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (22 - 58) defeated the host New Orleans (30 - 50) 121 - 100, Saturday evening at Smoothie King Center. This was the fourth game in five nights for the Pelicans, who were coming off a win on Friday night behind a career night from Alexis Ajinca. The Suns are one team who has been suffering more than the Pelicans this season but managed to pull off a win in New Orleans to avoid coming one step closer to 60 losses. The Suns have two games left in the season and must win one of them in order to avoid their first 60 - loss season. Archie Goodwin led the way for the Suns, with 24 points (7 - 11 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 7 - 9 FT), three assists and three rebounds, in 25 minutes off the bench. However, Goodwin left the game late in the fourth quarter after rolling his ankle. Mirza Teletovic provided a second punch off the bench, with 22 points (8 - 14 FG, 4 - 8 3Pt, 2 - 3, FT), along with five rebounds and four assists, in 29 minutes. Alex Len logged a double - double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, in 25 minutes. The Suns shot 52 percent from the field, 40 percent from long range and did an excellent job rebounding against the depleted Pelicans. Alexis Ajinca was quiet in this one, after recording career - highs in points and rebounds on Friday. Toney Douglas was the high - point man for the Pelicans, as he finished with 23 points (8 - 14 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), along with five assists, two rebounds and one steal, in 30 minutes. Luke Babbitt had a solid game, with 17 points, nine rebounds and two assists, in 34 minutes off the bench, while Tim Frazier filled the stat sheet with 11 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and one steal, in 31 minutes off the bench. Next, the Pelicans will host the Bulls on Monday, in what will be their last home game of the season. The Suns head home to host the Kings on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "12", "Bucks": "29"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "102", "Bucks": "93"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "47", "Bucks": "32"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Bucks": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "5", "Stephen Curry": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Draymond Green": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Draymond Green": "40"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "23", "Stephen Curry": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "12"}, "Steals": {"Draymond Green": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Stephen Curry": "3"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (47 - 12) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (32 - 29) 102 - 93. The Warriors play at home this season has been stellar. They are 25 - 2 at Oracle Arena and they continued their winning ways on Wednesday. Draymond Green led his team in four categories. He had 23 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in 40 minutes. Green also had three steals and five assists to complete a great all - around performance. Green will look to build upon his game against the Bucks as Golden State will host the Dallas Mavericks on Friday. The Bucks managed to keep Stephen Curry in check during the first three quarters. He still managed to find success passing the ball, ending with 11 assists. He broke out in the fourth, scoring 12 of his 19 points in the final period to nail the coffin in Milwaukee's chances at a win on a very tough west coast road trip. Their record was 31 - 23 on Feb. 20, but After going 1 - 6 over their last seven, they're now 32 - 29. They will look to try and help themselves surpass the Washington Wizards in the Eastern Conference standings when the Bucks host the Wizards on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "41"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "52"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "33", "Pacers": "32"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "99", "Pacers": "85"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bucks": "25", "Pacers": "17"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "31", "Pacers": "33"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pacers": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "6", "Jeff Teague": "4", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul George": "14", "Monta Ellis": "7", "Khris Middleton": "14", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul George": "5", "Monta Ellis": "4", "Khris Middleton": "7", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Paul George": "42", "Jeff Teague": "35", "Khris Middleton": "37", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "39"}, "Personal fouls": {"Paul George": "4"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "18", "Jeff Teague": "17", "Monta Ellis": "12", "Khris Middleton": "21", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "11", "Jeff Teague": "4", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8"}, "Steals": {"Jeff Teague": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Khris Middleton": "6", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Khris Middleton": "7", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the visiting Indiana Pacers 99 - 85 at BMO Harris Bradley Center on Friday evening. The Pacers led by five, 50 - 45, at halftime but the Bucks came out charging in the third quarter, where they out - scored the Pacers 29 - 11. The Bucks carried the momentum into the fourth, where they continued to dominate, winning the quarter 25 - 17, to amass the 14 - point winning margin and their fifth - straight win. This was a huge win for the Bucks (31 - 33), as it propels them into the eighth seed in the East, in part thanks the Bull's loss on Friday night. The Pacers (33 - 32) sit sixth in the East, and are a team that the Bucks are chasing, making the win even sweeter for Milwaukee. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way for the Bucks, with 21 points to go along with eight rebounds, five assists, five steals and one block, in 39 minutes. Khris Middleton added 21 points on 7 - of - 14 shooting, in 37 minutes. Antetokounmpo (six) and Middleton (seven) both struggled with turnovers, combining for 13 of the team's 22. The Bucks shot 52 percent in the contest, including 41 percent from deep. The Bucks will face the second night of a back - to - back, as they go on to host the Timberwolves on Saturday. Paul George led the way for the Pacers, with 18 points on 5 - of - 14 shooting, 11 rebounds, six assists and three steals, as he led the team in all four categories, in 42 minutes. Jeff Teague finished with 17 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals, in 35 minutes, while Monta Ellis chipped in 12 points on 4 - of - 7 shooting, off the bench. This marks the third loss in five games for the Pacers, who will look to bounce back, as they play host to the Heat on Sunday."], [[{}, {"Points": {"JaMychal Green": "14", "Marc Gasol": "18", "Mike Conley": "22", "Dwight Howard": "10", "Kent Bazemore": "16", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"JaMychal Green": "12", "Marc Gasol": "10", "Mike Conley": "4", "Dwight Howard": "11", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "4"}, "Steals": {"JaMychal Green": "2"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "10", "Mike Conley": "12", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "3"}}], "Memphis really took care of business in the second half, as they held the lead for the final 25 minutes. Rebounding was key, with the Grizzlies winning that battle, 48 - 38. Memphis also distributed at will, recording 28 assists to Atlanta's 18. Mike Conley led the way for Memphis, as he tallied 22 points, four rebounds and 12 assists. Marc Gasol recorded a triple - double, collecting 18 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. JaMychal Green totaled 14 points and 12 rebounds, while also picking up a pair of steals and blocks. Kent Bazemore led Atlanta's starters with 16 points. Dwight Howard was the only other starter to play well, as he amassed 10 points and 11 rebounds. Tim Hardaway Jr. led the team in scoring off the bench, as he provided 18 points, four rebounds and three assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "40", "Pacers": "42"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "111", "Pacers": "106"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "24"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "33", "Pacers": "32"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Solomon Hill": "5", "George Hill": "8", "Joe Johnson": "6", "Thaddeus Young": "3"}, "Assists": {"David West": "6", "George Hill": "3", "Joe Johnson": "4", "Brook Lopez": "2"}, "Blocks": {"David West": "1", "Brook Lopez": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"David West": "10", "George Hill": "17", "Joe Johnson": "13", "Thaddeus Young": "11", "Brook Lopez": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"David West": "4", "George Hill": "10", "Joe Johnson": "6", "Thaddeus Young": "4", "Brook Lopez": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"David West": "27", "George Hill": "32", "Rodney Stuckey": "25"}, "Points": {"David West": "14", "George Hill": "28", "Rodney Stuckey": "4", "Joe Johnson": "21", "Thaddeus Young": "8", "Brook Lopez": "24"}, "3-pointers made": {"George Hill": "4", "Joe Johnson": "3", "Thaddeus Young": "0"}, "Free throws attempted": {"George Hill": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"George Hill": "6", "Joe Johnson": "6", "Brook Lopez": "11"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Thaddeus Young": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Thaddeus Young": "2"}}], "The Nets (33 - 40) defeated the Pacers (32 - 42) 111 - 106 at the Barclays Center on Tuesday. The Pacers reduced a 19 - point second quarter deficit to just three points by halftime. The lead changed hands four times in the third quarter. Near the end of the third, the Nets went ahead by five, 84 - 79. The Nets maintained their lead throughout the fourth quarter. Late in the game, the Pacers came within three points, but their offense stalled for nearly two minutes. Indiana's George Hill finally hit a three pointer with 12 seconds on the clock, but, by then, it was too little too late. George Hill led the Pacers in scoring with 28 points (10 - 17 FG, 4 - 8 3Pt), to go with six rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes. Hill has been hot lately, averaging 21 points over his last five games. David West contributed 14 points (4 - 10 FG, 6 - 7 3Pt), five rebounds, six assists and one block in 27 minutes. C.J. Miles went down early in the game with a right ankle sprain. He did not return. Miles had 26 points against the Bucks on Thursday and 28 against the Mavericks on Sunday. Rodney Stuckey (wrist), who was listed as questionable headed into Tuesday's contest, did suit up and play, scoring four points off the bench in 25 minutes. Brook Lopez was the Nets' leading scorer with 24 points (11 - 17 FG), to go with 11 rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Lopez has been dominant over his last five games, averaging 28 points. Joe Johnson had 21 points (6 - 13 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt), six rebounds and four assists. Thaddeus Young (knee) returned to the starting lineup after a two - game absence, scoring eight points (4 - 11 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt). With Tuesday's win, the Nets replaced Boston as the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, while also distancing themselves from the tenth - place Pacers. Boston is a half - game behind the Nets, while the Pacers are now 2 games back. The Nets are one game behind the seventh - place Heat, and 2 games behind the Bucks. The Nets have won the season series with the Pacers 2 - 1."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "28", "Rockets": "29"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "105", "Rockets": "119"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "30", "Rockets": "29"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Rockets": "21"}}, {"Points": {"Dwight Howard": "19", "James Harden": "46", "Patrick Beverley": "14", "CJ McCollum": "20", "Damian Lillard": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "13", "James Harden": "5", "CJ McCollum": "5", "Damian Lillard": "6"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "8", "CJ McCollum": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"James Harden": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"James Harden": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "26"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "16", "Damian Lillard": "6"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Damian Lillard": "5"}}], "The Houston Rockets (29 - 29) rallied from a 21 - point third - quarter deficit to beat the host Portland Trail Blazers, 119 - 105, on Thursday. James Harden finished with 46 points, leading Houston's rally with 14 consecutive points late in the third quarter and into the fourth, tying, 95 - 95, on a layup with 7:40 remaining. The Rockets pulled away late, outscoring the Trail Blazers 24 - 10 down the stretch. Harden shot 16 of 26 from the field, including 4 of 9 from three - point range, adding eight assists and five rebounds. Dwight Howard totaled 19 points and 13 rebounds and Patrick Beverley had 14 points. Damian Lillard scored 23 for the Blazers (30 - 28), who snapped a six - game winning streak. Lillard also saw his streak of five consecutive games with at least 30 points end. CJ McCollum added 20 points, five rebounds and four assists. The Blazers begin a six - game road trip Saturday at the Chicago Bulls. The Rockets play host to the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "11", "Kings": "14"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "120", "Kings": "113"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "10", "Kings": "7"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "14", "Ben McLemore": "19", "Rajon Rondo": "13", "Dwight Howard": "22", "James Harden": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "9", "Ben McLemore": "9", "Dwight Howard": "18", "James Harden": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Ben McLemore": "1", "Dwight Howard": "2"}, "Steals": {"Ben McLemore": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "4", "Dwight Howard": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Ben McLemore": "1"}, "Assists": {"Rajon Rondo": "19", "James Harden": "9"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Rajon Rondo": "1", "James Harden": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rajon Rondo": "1"}}], "The Houston Rockets (10 - 11) defeated the Sacramento Kings (7 - 14) 120 - 113 on Saturday. In what was anticipated to be a high - scoring game, fans weren\u2019t disappointed with some up - tempo basketball. The Rockets got off nearly 100 shots in the game and the two teams combined to take 60 three - point attempts. There were 12 total players who scored in double - digits, so it was a good night to get your averages up with these bad defenses playing as expected. The free - throw discrepancy was huge as well, as Houston went 32 - for - 43 from the line while the Kings went just 11 - for - 13. While Sacramento did have seven players score in double figures, nobody scored more than 20 points. DeMarcus Cousins was especially disappointing, as he scored just 14 points on 4 - of - 16 shooting. Rajon Rondo did put in another spectacular line though, as he tallied 13 points, 19 assists and four steals in the loss. Ben McLemore also had one of his best games of the season, as he amassed 19 points, nine rebounds and three steals in the defeat. The problem with this team all year has been its defense and a 120 - point outing certainly wo n't help those numbers. The Kings will look to bounce - back when they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday. Houston finally seems to be finding some rhythm after a terrible start to the season. They have now won five of their last six games and the offense is playing as fans hoped at the beginning of the season. The defense is still poor, but when you average 110 - plus points in a stretch like that, it's hard to lose. This team was built with James Harden and Dwight Howard as the core and those two carried them on Saturday. Harden totaled 31 points and nine assists, while Howard collected 22 points and 18 rebounds in the win. In fact, the two combined to attempt 30 free - throws and that's usually a recipe for a win. The Rockets will look to keep the hot streak going against the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday."], [[{}, {"3-pointers made": {"James Ennis III": "2"}, "Points": {"James Ennis III": "16", "Marc Gasol": "20", "Courtney Lee": "16"}, "Personal fouls": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2"}, "Assists": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "2"}}], "Through two games, Kristaps Porzingis and Carmelo Anthony look like the offensive linchpins for the Knicks, who defeated the Grizzlies on Saturday. The pair went for 21 and 20 points, respectively, after combining for 35 points in the opener. Courtney Lee also bounced back Saturday after a scoreless opener, with his 16 - point contribution playing a key role in keeping the offense balanced throughout the night. Overall, the home team managed a solid 53 percent success rate from the field on 76 shots. Memphis received another impressive outing from James Ennis, who's averaged 16 points over the first two contests while filling in for Chandler Parsons (knee). Marc Gasol continues to be the go - to on offense, tallying another 20 points, while JaMychal Green and Zach Randolph were an effective 1 - 2 punch at power forward, combining for 23 points and 17 boards."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "18", "Warriors": "4"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "113", "Warriors": "95"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pistons": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Pistons": "57", "Warriors": "47"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "22", "Warriors": "37"}}, {"Assists": {"Klay Thompson": "1", "Stephen Curry": "5", "Marcus Morris": "6", "Ersan Ilyasova": "1", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "8"}, "Points": {"Klay Thompson": "24", "Stephen Curry": "38", "Festus Ezeli": "10", "Marcus Morris": "16", "Ersan Ilyasova": "10", "Andre Drummond": "14", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "20", "Reggie Jackson": "20", "Aron Baynes": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Klay Thompson": "6", "Stephen Curry": "7", "Festus Ezeli": "10", "Marcus Morris": "8", "Ersan Ilyasova": "8", "Andre Drummond": "21", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "5", "Reggie Jackson": "3", "Aron Baynes": "4"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "2", "Ersan Ilyasova": "1", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "3", "Reggie Jackson": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Marcus Morris": "2", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1", "Aron Baynes": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Andre Drummond": "5"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (22 - 18) defeated the Golden State Warriors (37 - 4) 113 - 95 on Saturday. All five Detroit starters scored in double figures, and the Pistons took over the game down low with Andre Drummond leading the charge. The Pistons outrebounded the Warriors 57 - 47, and outscored them in the paint by an impressive margin of 50 - 36. As customary, Golden State's stellar backcourt served as a primary source of offense. The Warriors received another valiant effort from Stephen Curry, who managed 38 points, seven rebounds, five assists and a pair of steals. His partner - in - crime Klay Thompson was excellent in his own right, with 24 points, six rebounds and an assist. No other starter could manage double - digit scoring, and the Warriors' bench was paced by Festus Ezeli's 10 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. The Pistons were led by a pair of productive outings from their own backcourt, as Reggie Jackson and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope each tallied 20 points. The former supplemented his points with eight assists, three rebounds and a steal, while the latter added five rebounds, two assists, three steals and a block. Marcus Morris stuffed the stat sheet with 16 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two blocks, while Drummond pitched in with a huge double - double that consisted of 14 points and 21 rebounds. Ersan Ilyasova rounded things out for the starters with 10 points, eight rebounds, an assist, a steal and a pair of blocks. Aron Baynes paced the Detroit bench with 12 points, four rebounds and two blocks. The Pistons face off the Chicago Bulls at home on Monday, while the Warriors head to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "23", "Cavaliers": "16"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "118", "Cavaliers": "109"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "31", "Cavaliers": "36"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kyrie Irving": "4", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "2"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "18", "Kevin Love": "15", "Kyrie Irving": "28", "Steven Adams": "20", "Victor Oladipo": "23", "Russell Westbrook": "29", "Cameron Payne": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "5", "Kevin Love": "12", "Steven Adams": "13", "Victor Oladipo": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "12"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "2", "Kevin Love": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyrie Irving": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyrie Irving": "11"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Russell Westbrook": "1"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 118 - 109, at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Thursday. Despite there being just nine ties and seven lead changes in this game, it was close throughout. In fact, neither team led by more than 12 points, as the nine - point final margin was one of the largest leads of the game. Oklahoma City won this game, despite being out shot from the field, from three - point range and from the free - throw line. Rebounding was the decisive statistic, with the Thunder winning that battle, 51 - 35. They also dominated the assist - to - turnover ratio, recording 10 more assists and committing three less turnovers. The Cavaliers (36 - 16) were expected to rest their starters for this game, but they ended up playing in this tough loss. Kyrie Irving led the team, as he tallied 28 points and four assists on 11 - of - 18 shooting. LeBron James finished second on the team with 18 points, five rebounds, seven assists, two steals and two blocks. Kevin Love recorded a double - double, totaling 15 points, 12 rebounds and three steals. The Cavaliers host the Denver Nuggets on Saturday for their next game. The Thunder (31 - 23) have rode Russell Westbrook's triple - double train all year and they got another one here. Westbrook finished with 29 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists and four steals. Victor Oladipo finished second on the team with 23 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Steven Adams was third on the team with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Cameron Payne was the only bench player in double figures, as he dropped 15 points. Oklahoma City will have to play the Golden State Warriors for their next game on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "22", "Mavericks": "27"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "98", "Mavericks": "99"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "21", "Mavericks": "14"}}, {"Assists": {"Wesley Matthews": "2", "Jimmy Butler": "12"}, "Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "20", "Jimmy Butler": "24", "Robin Lopez": "21"}, "Minutes played": {"Jimmy Butler": "40"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jimmy Butler": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "9", "Robin Lopez": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Robin Lopez": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Robin Lopez": "10"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Chicago Bulls 99 - 98 Tuesday at American Airlines Center. The Mavericks (14 - 27) held a comfortable seven - point lead heading into halftime before allowing superstar Jimmy Butler and the Bulls to come storming back and make it a competitive ball game. In the final minute of the game, Jimmy Butler's mid - range jumper broke a 96 - 96 tie and put Chicago up two, but then, a 25 - foot Wesley Matthews 3 - pointer gave Dallas back the lead. One last stop for the Mavericks gave them their third straight victory, as they are starting to hit their stride midway through January. The team was led by Harrison Barnes, who scored a team - high 20 points in the contest, but it was a total team effort Tuesday night, with six different Mavericks scoring in double figures. As for the Bulls (21 - 22), the loss puts them back under .500 after they had won two straight, and it also drops them to 0 - 2 against Dallas this season. Butler was once again impressive with a great all - around performance, posting 24 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds in 40 minutes. But the surprise performance came from Robin Lopez, who has remained rather quiet production - wise in his stint with the Bulls. Lopez finished Tuesday's contest with 21 points on 10 - of - 15 shooting from the field and five rebounds. It was by far the best performance of the season from the big man, the efforts of Butler and Lopez just were n't enough in the end. Up next, the Mavericks will look to keep things rolling in Miami on Thursday, while the Bulls will head to Atlanta on Friday to take on the Hawks."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "18"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "33", "Wizards": "52"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "34", "Wizards": "28"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "69", "Wizards": "95"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "28", "Wizards": "36"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Wizards": "20"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Marcin Gortat": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marcin Gortat": "11", "Bradley Beal": "16", "John Wall": "11", "Kevin Seraphin": "9", "Al Jefferson": "14", "Mo Williams": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Marcin Gortat": "9", "Bradley Beal": "7", "John Wall": "7", "Kevin Seraphin": "6", "Al Jefferson": "7", "Mo Williams": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Marcin Gortat": "28", "Bradley Beal": "31", "John Wall": "29", "Cody Zeller": "7", "Mo Williams": "33"}, "Points": {"Marcin Gortat": "20", "Bradley Beal": "14", "John Wall": "15", "Kevin Seraphin": "12", "Al Jefferson": "14", "Mo Williams": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "7", "Bradley Beal": "5", "John Wall": "5"}, "Assists": {"Bradley Beal": "3", "John Wall": "9", "Mo Williams": "7"}}], "The Washington Wizards (36 - 28) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (28 - 34) 95 - 69 in Charlotte on Monday. The Wizards dominated the game from start to finish, opening up a 15 - point lead in the first quarter and never looking back. Washington was lead by Marcin Gortat, who scored a game - high 20 points on 9 - of - 11 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds in 28 minutes. There has been no stopping Gortat recently, as he has averaged 14 points and 12 rebounds per game over his last five outings. John Wall also had a solid outing, recording 15 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting, nine assists, and five rebounds in 29 minutes. Bradley Beal, who sat out last game to rest, played a team - high 31 minutes Monday and scored 14 points on 7 - of - 16 shooting to go along with five rebounds and three assists. Kevin Seraphin scored 12 points on 6 - of - 9 shooting and was the only other Wizard to score in double figures. The Wizards shot an impressive 52 percent from the field and the win gives them a 3 - game lead over Milwaukee for the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. Mo Williams led the way for the Hornets in the losing effort, recording 19 points on 6 - of - 18 shooting and seven assists in 33 minutes. Al Jefferson scored 14 points on 7 - of - 14 shooting to go along with five assists. Cody Zeller played seven minutes before leaving the game with a sprained right shoulder and did not return. Charlotte struggled as a team offensively, shooting a woeful 33 percent from the field and 18 percent from behind the arc. The loss brings the team down to eighth place in the East. Up next, the Wizards will head home Thursday to take on the Grizzlies, while the Hornets will stay at home to go up against the Kings on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "50"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "25"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "104", "Kings": "109"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pistons": "38"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "21"}}, {}], "The visiting Sacramento Kings took down the Detroit Pistons on Monday, 109 - 104. Sacramento (19 - 27) was relieved to win the close game after losing its last contest on a questionable call in the final minute against Chicago. Superstar center DeMarcus Cousins voiced his disdain through sarcastic praise of the referees to the media. Cousins did not let the frustration carry over to the court, however, as he continued his consistently strong play. The All-Star led the Kings with 22 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, two steals, and a block against Detroit. His rebounding effort helped the team earn a strong seven - rebound advantage on the glass, a difference that ended up helping Sacramento to take the game. For Detroit (21 - 25), the win does not help the team's effort to push into the wide - open bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Pistons had sat just one game back of the eighth seed, but now trail Chicago by a game and a half. Most things went right for the Pistons on Monday, as the team came out for a strong 38 - point first quarter and finished shooting 50 percent from the field. The team hit ten three - pointers and dished out a stellar 27 assists as well. However, a weak bench performance, both on offense and on the glass, ended up hampering the efforts of Detroit's starting five. The Kings will visit Cleveland on Wednesday, while Detroit will not face off until Saturday in Miami."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "21", "Mavericks": "25"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "110", "Mavericks": "114"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "30", "Mavericks": "29"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chandler Parsons": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Chandler Parsons": "10"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "26", "Deron Williams": "22", "Zach Randolph": "20", "Marc Gasol": "22"}, "Assists": {"Deron Williams": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "14"}}], "In a matchup of two Southwestern Division rivals that look bound for the playoffs, the Dallas Mavericks (29 - 25) beat out the Memphis Grizzlies (30 - 21) in overtime, 114 - 110. Small forward Chandler Parsons proved to be a key difference - maker in Saturday's matchup, as he led the game with 26 points. Parsons was lights - out from the field, shooting 10 - for - 15 including 5 - for - 8 from beyond the arc. After beginning the season hampered by injuries, Parsons has begun to settle in since mid - January, and is now averaging 20 points in his last 10 outings. Also integral to the Dallas win was point guard Deron Williams, who served as an offensive general with 22 points and 11 assists dished out. As a whole, Dallas thrived behind the arc, hitting 15 three - pointers against a Grizzlies team notorious for poor shooting from deep. Memphis has held steady in the fifth slot in the Western Conference throughout the season. The \"grit and grind\" team shot an impressive 50 percent from the field, but could not seem to stop Dallas's deadly three - point shooters. Big men Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph led the offensive effort, posting 22 points and 20 points respectively. Randolph also notched a double - double, pulling down 14 rebounds. The Grizzlies will host the Trail Blazers on Monday. Dallas will have more rest, as the Mavs do n't see the court until they face Utah on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "10"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Celtics": "28"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Celtics": "28"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "13"}, "Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "28"}}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "8"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Draymond Green": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "2"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "24", "Stephen Curry": "38", "Kelly Olynyk": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "11"}, "Steals": {"Draymond Green": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "6", "Isaiah Thomas": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "2"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (240) faced their closest call of the season, being taken to double overtime at the TD Garden by the Boston Celtics (13 - 10). The Warriors' historic win streak now stands at 28 games, the second longest of all time. Despite the absence of starters Klay Thompson (ankle) and Harrison Barnes (ankle), the Warriors were able to get the win, mainly by riding the elite play of stars Steph Curry and Draymond Green. Curry continued to score at a historic pace, dropping in six threes en route to 38 points. Despite the big numbers, the All-Star shot just 9 - of - 27 on the night, held back by the stellar defense of Boston's Avery Bradley and Evan Turner. Draymond Green was the true star of the show, posting 24 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists, five rebounds, and five steals. Green's night was a historic one, as it marked the league's first 5x5 since Nicolas Batum acheived the feat in 2012. Boston, meanwhile, came less than a minute from being the first team to hand a loss to Golden State so far this season. Center Kelly Olynyk had the hot hand for the Celtics, leading the team with 28 points. Coach Brad Stevens chose to rely heavily on the play of Olynyk, Evan Turner, and Jae Crowder, throughout the game and overtime. Point guard Isaiah Thomas, meanwhile, struggled in the game's overtime periods, missing two potentially game - winning shots. The Celtics may not have gotten the win, but they will certainly have momentum after forcing double OT against a historic team. The team's next contest will be against Charlotte on Saturday. The Warriors, meanwhile, will look to defend their undefeated record as they travel to Milwaukee in the second half of a back - to - back."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Noah Vonleh": "10", "Mason Plumlee": "14", "CJ McCollum": "16", "Damian Lillard": "30", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "9", "Robert Covington": "22", "Ersan Ilyasova": "24", "Joel Embiid": "18", "T.J. McConnell": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Mason Plumlee": "11", "CJ McCollum": "4", "Damian Lillard": "5", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "9", "Joel Embiid": "10", "T.J. McConnell": "4"}, "Assists": {"CJ McCollum": "4", "Damian Lillard": "1", "T.J. McConnell": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ McCollum": "5"}, "Steals": {"Damian Lillard": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "22", "Joel Embiid": "22"}}], "Robert Covington totaled 22 points overall, including a three - pointer with four seconds remaining, to lead the Sixers to their eighth victory in 10 games. Ersan Ilyasova paced the Sixers with 24 points, while Joel Embiid totaled an 18 - point, 10 - rebound double - double over 22 minutes before leading with a left knee contusion. T.J. McConnell filled out the stat sheet with eight points, five assists and four rebounds. Damian Lillard's 30 points led the Blazers, a total he supplemented with five rebounds, an assist and a steal. C.J. McCollum posted a modest 16 points on 5 - of - 18 shooting, along with four rebounds, four assists and three steals. Mason Plumlee generated 14 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. Noah Vonleh tallied 10 points, and Al-Farouq Aminu went for a near double - double off the bench with nine points and nine boards over 22 minutes."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "25", "Pelicans": "33"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "107", "Pelicans": "100"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "46", "Pelicans": "37"}}, {"Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "13", "Eric Gordon": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "11", "Eric Gordon": "7"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "26", "Alexis Ajinca": "11", "Eric Gordon": "23", "Blake Griffin": "23", "JJ Redick": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "12", "Alexis Ajinca": "10", "Blake Griffin": "5"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Blake Griffin": "37"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (46 - 25) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (37 - 33) by a score of 107 - 100 on Sunday at the Staples Center. New Orleans' Anthony Davis returned to the floor after missing the past two games with an ankle injury. Davis was outstanding Sunday with 26 points on 11 - of - 13 shooting to go with 12 rebounds and two blocks. However, Los Angeles' overall team strength was too much for New Orleans to overcome as Blake Griffin, J.J Redick, and Chris Paul all scored 20 or more points en route to the victory. New Orleans was in dire need of a win Sunday after dropping two straight to fall further back in the West's playoff picture, but not even Anthony Davis' presence could make the difference. Tyreke Evans missed Sunday's game with an ankle injury and Eric Gordon moved to the bench. Gordon was effective in his role, however, scoring 23 points on 7 - of - 13 shooting. Omer Asik also missed this game with a calf injury, but Alexis Ajinca filled in admirably with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Los Angeles has now won four straight to maintain its position in the West's crowded playoff picture. The Clippers needed this win to avoid being caught by the Spurs in the standings after San Antonio routed Atlanta earlier in the afternoon. Blake Griffin continued to look strong since returning from elbow surgery with 23 points, five rebounds, and four assists in 37 minutes going toe to toe with Anthony Davis."], [[{}, {"Points": {"JJ Redick": "24", "Chris Paul": "27", "Jamal Crawford": "15", "Austin Rivers": "18", "Brandon Ingram": "21"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chris Paul": "15", "Jamal Crawford": "10", "Austin Rivers": "11", "Brandon Ingram": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Chris Paul": "9", "Jamal Crawford": "6", "Austin Rivers": "6", "Brandon Ingram": "8"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jamal Crawford": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Jamal Crawford": "30"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jamal Crawford": "2", "Austin Rivers": "2", "Brandon Ingram": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Jamal Crawford": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Brandon Ingram": "1"}}], "In a battle of the Los Angeles teams, the Clippers emerged as the clear victors. The key for LAC was strong guard play, as superstar Chris Paul delivered a stellar 27 points on 9 - of - 15 shooting. His starting backcourt partner, J.J. Redick, added another 24 points. Off the bench, the backcourt of Austin Rivers and Jamal Crawford excelled, as the duo were the only two Clippers to play at least 30 minutes. Rivers scored 18 points on 6 - of - 11 shooting, while Crawford added 15 on 6 - of - 10. As a team, the Clips shot a stunning 53 percent from the field and drained 15 three - pointers while also going 28 - of - 32 from the free - throw line. For the Lakers, rookie Brandon Ingram was one of the only bright spots. Ingram scored a team - high 21 points on 8 - of - 14 shooting in one of the best outings of his young career. Despite this, the team was still blown out and only hit five three - pointers on the night."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "1"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "98", "Wizards": "104"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hawks": "20", "Wizards": "28"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "11"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "1"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Paul Pierce": "9", "Bradley Beal": "5", "DeMarre Carroll": "9", "Kyle Korver": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul Pierce": "3", "Bradley Beal": "2", "DeMarre Carroll": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul Pierce": "15", "Bradley Beal": "22", "John Wall": "19", "Drew Gooden": "6", "DeMarre Carroll": "13", "Paul Millsap": "17", "Al Horford": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul Pierce": "7", "Bradley Beal": "9", "John Wall": "8", "DeMarre Carroll": "8", "Paul Millsap": "6", "Al Horford": "7", "Kyle Korver": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Paul Pierce": "31", "Marcin Gortat": "38", "Bradley Beal": "40", "John Wall": "39", "Drew Gooden": "14", "Otto Porter": "34", "DeMarre Carroll": "38", "Paul Millsap": "39", "Al Horford": "30"}, "Points": {"Paul Pierce": "19", "Marcin Gortat": "12", "Bradley Beal": "28", "John Wall": "18", "Drew Gooden": "12", "Otto Porter": "10", "DeMarre Carroll": "24", "Paul Millsap": "15", "Al Horford": "17", "Kyle Korver": "13", "Jeff Teague": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "12", "Bradley Beal": "7", "Otto Porter": "11", "Paul Millsap": "12", "Al Horford": "17", "Kyle Korver": "5"}, "Assists": {"Bradley Beal": "1", "John Wall": "13", "Paul Millsap": "8", "Al Horford": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "10", "DeMarre Carroll": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Bradley Beal": "8"}, "Personal fouls": {"Bradley Beal": "1"}, "Steals": {"Bradley Beal": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Bradley Beal": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"John Wall": "4"}}], "The Washington Wizards (50) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (4 - 3) 104 - 98 in Game 1 of their second - round series on Sunday in Phillips Arena. The Hawks held a solid lead for the majority Sunday\u2019s game, but a after late third - quarter splurge by the Wizards and a convincing final period, Washington was able to pull away in the end by holding the Hawks to just 35 points in the second half. This is also the Wizards\u2019 fifth straight win to open up the playoffs. Bradley Beal led the way scoring for Washington, scoring 28 points (9 - 22 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 8 - 10 FT) and grabbing 7 rebounds in 40 minutes. Beal did have an injury scare late in the game, as he came down on the foot of Atlanta\u2019s Al Horford and suffered from what appeared to be an ankle sprain. After leaving the game for a bit, Beal was able to return and close out the Game 1 victory. John Wall was also spectacular in the winning effort, recording 18 points (8 - 19 FG) and 13 assists in 39 minutes, giving him four straight double - doubles in the playoffs. Marcin Gortat and Otto Porter Jr. also recorded double - doubles, with Gortat posting 12 points and 12 rebounds in 38 minutes and Porter Jr. recording 10 points and 11 rebounds in 34 minutes off the bench. Paul Pierce scored 19 points (7 - 15 FG, 3 - 9 3Pt) in 31 minutes, while Drew Gooden\u2019s 12 points in 14 minutes off the bench rounds out the six Wizards\u2019 players in double figures. As for the Hawks, DeMarre Carroll once again led the way scoring, dropping 24 points (8 - 13 FG, 5 - 9 3Pt) in 38 minutes. He has now scored 20 - plus points in five straight games for Atlanta. Horford also had a monster game, posting 17 points (7 - 19 FG), 17 rebounds and 7 assists in 30 minutes. Paul Millsap was close behind with 15 points (6 - 17 FG), 12 rebounds and eight assists in 39 minutes. All five starters for the Hawks scored in double figures, with Kyler Korver (13) and Jeff Teague (11) rounding out the five, but they were only able to get 18 points from their bench. These two teams will meet for Game 2 on Tuesday, with tip - off set for 8 p.m. EST."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "46", "Nuggets": "49"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "33", "Nuggets": "33"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "98", "Nuggets": "110"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "26", "Nuggets": "28"}}, {"Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "22", "Nikola Jokic": "13", "Gary Harris": "14", "Jamal Murray": "10", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "15", "Malcolm Brogdon": "17", "Greg Monroe": "11", "Khris Middleton": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Danilo Gallinari": "5", "Nikola Jokic": "14", "Gary Harris": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9", "Malcolm Brogdon": "2", "Greg Monroe": "9", "Khris Middleton": "5"}, "Assists": {"Nikola Jokic": "10", "Gary Harris": "2", "Jamal Murray": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4", "Malcolm Brogdon": "3", "Greg Monroe": "6", "Khris Middleton": "5"}, "Steals": {"Jamal Murray": "2", "Malcolm Brogdon": "3", "Khris Middleton": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}}], "The Denver Nuggets defeated the host Milwaukee Bucks, 110 - 98, at BMO Harris Bradley Center on Wednesday. Double-digit road wins in the NBA are rare, but wire - to - wire ones are even more impressive. That's just what the Nuggets did here, as they led by 17 at the end of the first quarter and carried a 26 - point lead into halftime. Rebounding was the difference in the game, with Denver winning that battle, 45 - 34. The Nuggets also won the shooting differential, hitting 49 percent of their shots to the Bucks 46 percent. The Nuggets (28 - 33) now find themselves up 3 games in the eight - seed in the west and road wins like this only add to their resume '. Nikola Jokic recorded his second - straight triple - double, as he accumulated 13 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists. Danilo Gallinari led Denver in scoring, collecting 22 points and five rebounds. Jamal Murray got the start for Jameer Nelson and contributed 10 points, five assists and two steals. Gary Harris totaled 14 points, three rebounds and two assists. Denver will host the Charlotte Hornets for their next game on Saturday. The Bucks (26 - 33) have been one of the worst teams in the league across their last 20 games and home blowouts like this are simply embarrassing. Khris Middleton led the way for Milwaukee, as he provided 21 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals off the bench. Greg Monroe also played well off the bench, contributing 11 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Giannis Antetokounmpo was the best starter, tallying 15 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three blocks. Malcolm Brogdon led the starters with 17 points, two rebounds, three assists and three steals. Milwaukee will host the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday for their next fixture."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "53", "Spurs": "25"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "104", "Spurs": "100"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "14", "Spurs": "41"}, "Number of team assists": {"Spurs": "17"}}, {"Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2", "Lou Amundson": "2", "Andrea Bargnani": "3", "Cole Aldrich": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1", "Tony Parker": "1", "Alexey Shved": "3"}, "Assists": {"Tony Parker": "6", "Lou Amundson": "2", "Andrea Bargnani": "2", "Alexey Shved": "7", "Cole Aldrich": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Tony Parker": "38", "Andrea Bargnani": "31", "Langston Galloway": "48", "Cole Aldrich": "19"}, "Points": {"Tony Parker": "21", "Lou Amundson": "12", "Andrea Bargnani": "16", "Langston Galloway": "22", "Alexey Shved": "21", "Cole Aldrich": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Tony Parker": "6", "Lou Amundson": "17", "Andrea Bargnani": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"Andrea Bargnani": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Langston Galloway": "18", "Cole Aldrich": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Cole Aldrich": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Cole Aldrich": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Cole Aldrich": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Cole Aldrich": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Cole Aldrich": "2"}}], "The New York Knicks (14 - 53) outlasted the San Antonio Spurs (41 - 25) in overtime, 104 - 100. Kawhi Leonard missed an 18 - foot jumper for the win in regulation after Lou Amundson tied the game with a layup seconds earlier. Alexey Shved canned the clinching free throws in overtime to seal the victory. Rookie Langston Galloway poured in a career - high 22 points on 18 shots in a career - high 48 minutes. Journeyman Lou Amundson added 12 points, a career - high 17 rebounds, two assists, and two blocks in 30 minutes. For the seventh straight game, Cole Aldrich blocked at least one shot, swatting two in 19 minutes. Andrea Bargnani compiled his second double - double this season, scoring 16 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, blocking three shots and registering two assists in 31 minutes. Alexey Shved chipped in 21 points, seven assists and three steals in the win. The Spurs slipped half a game behind the Los Angeles Clippers with the loss and fell to 16 - 17 on the road. Without the services of Manu Ginobili (ankle), the Spurs managed 17 team assists. His minutes were doled out to Marco Belinelli, who converted a go - ahead jumper with 25 seconds remaining in regulation. Kawhi Leonard, in his quest of Defensive Player of the Year, notched two blocks and a steal. He\u2019s tied with Stephen Curry at 2 steals per game to lead the NBA. Tony Parker accumulated 21 points, six rebounds, six assists and one steal in 38 minutes. The Knicks host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday. The Spurs play their second road game in as many nights when they face the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Timberwolves": "22"}, "Losses": {"Timberwolves": "19", "Pacers": "12"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "88", "Pacers": "102"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Timberwolves": "20"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "11", "Pacers": "17"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "50"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pacers": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "3", "Monta Ellis": "3", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "3", "Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Ricky Rubio": "9"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Paul George": "8", "Monta Ellis": "5", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul George": "4", "Monta Ellis": "1", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul George": "16", "Monta Ellis": "15", "Jordan Hill": "10", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "16", "Andrew Wiggins": "18", "Ricky Rubio": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul George": "7", "Monta Ellis": "8", "Jordan Hill": "5", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "10", "Andrew Wiggins": "9", "Ricky Rubio": "6"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "18", "Monta Ellis": "22", "Jordan Hill": "12", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "24", "Andrew Wiggins": "19", "Ricky Rubio": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "4", "Monta Ellis": "6", "Jordan Hill": "5", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "8", "Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Ricky Rubio": "5"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "1", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Ricky Rubio": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Paul George": "5", "Monta Ellis": "6"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Monta Ellis": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Monta Ellis": "5", "Jordan Hill": "2", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Monta Ellis": "5", "Jordan Hill": "2", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Monta Ellis": "36", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "40"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (17 - 12) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (11 - 19) by a score of 102 - 88, Saturday night in Minnesota. Indiana is now 20 versus Minnesota this season. This game was very tight for three quarters, going back and forth with 13 lead changes. Indiana grabbed the lead 73 - 70 with 10 minutes to go in the fourth and that would be the last lead change of the game, as they outscored the Timberwolves by 16 in the fourth quarter. Monta Ellis led the Pacers in scoring, with 22 points (8 - 15 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT), along with six rebounds and three assists. Ellis also gave up six turnovers in his 36 minutes on the floor. Paul George finished with 18 points (7 - 16 FG, 4 - 8 3Pt), four rebounds, three assists and one steal. George turned the ball over five times himself, contributing heavily along with Ellis to their teams ugly 23 turnovers. To make up for it, the Pacers shot a hot 50 percent from the field and 92 percent from the foul line. Jordan Hill put in solid numbers off the bench, with 12 points (5 - 10 FG, 2 - 2 FT) and five rebounds, in 27 minutes. Karl-Anthony Towns took advantage of the smaller line up of the Pacers as he powered his way to 24 points (10 - 16 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT), eight rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block, in 40 big minutes. Andrew Wiggins also played a strong game and finished with 19 points (9 - 18 FG), three rebounds, one assist and one steal. in 37 minutes. Ricky Rubio did his usual thing, scoring and dishing the ball, as he finished with 15 points (6 - 10 FG), nine assists, five rebounds and five steals, in 36 minutes. The Timberwolves struggled with turnovers, tallying 22, and got out - rebounded by the quick Pacers. Next the Timberwolves will visit San Antonio for a game on Monday. The Pacers will also be in action on Monday, when they host Atlanta for an important Eastern conference match up."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Rockets": "24", "Pacers": "33"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "19", "Pacers": "16"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "107", "Pacers": "103"}, "Rebounds": {"Rockets": "49"}, "Turnovers": {"Rockets": "22", "Pacers": "18"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "19", "Pacers": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "4", "Monta Ellis": "13", "James Harden": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Paul George": "2"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "20", "Monta Ellis": "11", "Dwight Howard": "21", "James Harden": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "6", "Dwight Howard": "17", "James Harden": "9"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Monta Ellis": "11"}}], "The Houston Rockets (19 - 19) defeated the Indiana Pacers (21 - 16) 107 - 103 in an overtime thriller on Sunday. This was anticipated to be a high - scoring game and while it was, it took overtime to get there. It was amazing how much three - point shooting there was in this game, as the two teams combined for 69 three - point attempts. The assist - to - turnover ratios were a huge difference in this game, as the Pacers recorded 33 assists and 18 turnovers, while the Rockets committed 22 turnovers to their 24 assists. It's rare to see a team win a game when your turnovers and assists are nearly identical, but that was the case here. The Rockets won the rebounding total 49 to 39 and that very well may have been the decisive factor. The Pacers were outscored by 13 in the fourth quarter and just couldn\u2019t hold off the Rockets in overtime for a devastating loss. Paul George wasn\u2019t scoring like he usually does, but he did a great job of stuffing the stat sheet and playing great defense. George finished the game with 20 points, six rebounds, four assists, seven steals and two blocks in the defeat. Monta Ellis also did a great job of playing distributor, as he dished out 13 assists while scoring 11 of his own in the loss. Indiana will look to bounce back against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday in their next game. The Rockets played some ugly basketball tonight, with the five starters combining for 19 turnovers. That's a recipe for disaster, especially when you're not shooting the three - ball well. In any case, they still pulled out a win in impressive comeback fashion and got back to .500. Dwight Howard had a renaissance line, as he totaled 21 points and 17 rebounds. James Harden was the go - to guy once again though, as he tallied 21 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in the win. The bench scored just 23 points here, so the starters had a lot on their shoulders and capitalized with their opportunity. Houston will travel to Memphis on Tuesday in their next game to take on the Grizzlies."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "1", "Heat": "1"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "96", "Heat": "92"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "1", "Heat": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Heat": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Joe Johnson": "4", "Jonas Valanciunas": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "6"}, "Points": {"Joe Johnson": "17", "Jonas Valanciunas": "15", "DeMar DeRozan": "20", "Kyle Lowry": "18"}, "Free throws made": {"Dwyane Wade": "2", "Goran Dragic": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Goran Dragic": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Goran Dragic": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Goran Dragic": "8", "DeMar DeRozan": "9", "Kyle Lowry": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Goran Dragic": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "38"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "12", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Steals": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "3", "DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "24", "Kyle Lowry": "22"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyle Lowry": "4"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the visiting Miami Heat, 96 - 92, in overtime in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals to even the series 1 - 1 at Air Canada Center on Thursday. The Raptors clashed with the Heat in Game 2 and a came out victorious after a thrilling overtime match. The neck - and - neck game was almost a missed opportunity to come away with a blowout win for Toronto, as the Heat committed 21 turnovers and the Raptors shot a brutal 14 - of - 26 from the free throw line. Kyle Lowry was clutch in the final minute of regulation, but Jonas Valanciunas was the heart of and soul of the team in the fourth quarter and overtime. The Raptors big man muscled his way to multiple put back shots and was strong on the defensive end of the floor. With under one minute in regulation, Lowry drained two buckets to extend the Raptors lead, but it was Dwyane Wade and Goran Dragic for the Heat, who matched Lowry\u2019s buckets from behind the arc to send the game to overtime. The extra period went heavily in favor of the Raptors, as the Heat were unable to get clean looks. Through the first four minutes of overtime, Miami did not score any points, and Toronto was able to shut the door from the free throw line to even the series. It is important to note that Dragic needed eight stitches during the game after his lip got busted up, but he returned to the game in the second half. Entering Game 2, Lowry and DeMar DeRozan were shooting a playoffs record low for a backcourt, and although they came away with a win, both players were able to hit needed shots when it mattered. Lowry finished with 18 points, four rebounds, six assists, three steals and four turnovers on 7 - of - 22 shooting, while DeRozan scored 20 points on 9 - of - 24 shooting. Valanciunas added 15 points, 12 rebounds, two assists and three steals in 38 minutes of action. The Heat were led by Wade and Dragic, who combined for 37 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. All five starters finished in double figures for Miami, with veteran Joe Johnson contributing 17 points, five boards and four assists. Johnson broke through the double team late in the fourth quarter to find Dragic for the game tying three - pointer. Game 3 will take place in Miami on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "11", "Celtics": "6"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "90", "Celtics": "101"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "0", "Celtics": "4"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Jeff Green": "4", "Jared Sullinger": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "2", "Michael Carter-Williams": "4", "Tony Wroten": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jeff Green": "0", "Jared Sullinger": "1", "Rajon Rondo": "1", "Michael Carter-Williams": "1", "Tony Wroten": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jeff Green": "13", "Jared Sullinger": "15", "Rajon Rondo": "5", "Brandon Bass": "13", "Nerlens Noel": "10", "Michael Carter-Williams": "13", "Tony Wroten": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Jeff Green": "5", "Jared Sullinger": "10", "Rajon Rondo": "3", "Brandon Bass": "9", "Nerlens Noel": "5", "Michael Carter-Williams": "4", "Tony Wroten": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jeff Green": "1", "Jared Sullinger": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "4", "Brandon Bass": "7", "Michael Carter-Williams": "2", "Tony Wroten": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Jeff Green": "1", "Jared Sullinger": "1", "Rajon Rondo": "2", "Brandon Bass": "5", "Michael Carter-Williams": "2", "Tony Wroten": "6"}, "Points": {"Jeff Green": "11", "Jared Sullinger": "22", "Rajon Rondo": "9", "Brandon Bass": "23", "Nerlens Noel": "10", "Michael Carter-Williams": "11", "Tony Wroten": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Jeff Green": "10", "Jared Sullinger": "9", "Brandon Bass": "6", "Nerlens Noel": "8", "Michael Carter-Williams": "6", "Tony Wroten": "3"}, "Assists": {"Rajon Rondo": "13", "Brandon Bass": "1", "Tony Wroten": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Brandon Bass": "1"}, "Steals": {"Brandon Bass": "1", "Tony Wroten": "1"}}], "The Boston Celtics (4 - 6) went to Philadelphia and handed the 76ers (0 - 11) a 101 - 90 loss on Wednesday night at the Wells Fargo Center. The Celtics have shown us moments of brilliance in the 2014 season, but they're simply looking to pick up some momentum at this point. This was a solid win, as six players scored at least nine points. Brandon Bass lead the way off the bench scoring 23 points (9 - 13 FG, 5 - 7 FT), to go along with six rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block. Jeff Green posted a double - double, with 11 points (5 - 13 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT) and 10 rebounds, while Rajon Rondo and Jared Sullinger both fell just short of double - doubles of their own. Sullinger had 22 points (10 - 15 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 1 - 3 FT) with nine rebounds, while Rajon Rondo had nine points (3 - 5 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT) and 13 assists. Boston heads to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies on Friday night next. The 76ers just ca n't get in the win column right now. They had five players score in double figures, but were led by Tony Wroten off the bench, who scored 21 points (7 - 19 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt, 6 - 9 FT), while contributing seven assists, three rebounds and one steal. Nerlens Noel and Michael Carter-Williams both started this game, with Noel scoring 10 points (5 - 10 FG) and grabbing eight rebounds, while Carter-Williams scored 11 points (4 - 13 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), and grabbed six boards. Philadelphia will try to get their first win of the 2014 season at home against the Phoenix Suns on Friday night."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "51", "Wizards": "52"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "36", "Wizards": "24"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "124", "Wizards": "125"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "34"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "28", "Wizards": "41"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Markieff Morris": "0"}, "3-pointers made": {"Markieff Morris": "0"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Markieff Morris": "0"}, "Turnovers": {"Markieff Morris": "0"}, "Assists": {"Bradley Beal": "6", "John Wall": "9", "Maurice Harkless": "2", "CJ McCollum": "6", "Damian Lillard": "7", "Allen Crabbe": "2"}, "Points": {"Bradley Beal": "26", "John Wall": "39", "Maurice Harkless": "15", "CJ McCollum": "34", "Damian Lillard": "33", "Allen Crabbe": "14", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"John Wall": "2", "Maurice Harkless": "5", "Damian Lillard": "3", "Allen Crabbe": "6", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "8"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, 125 - 124, at Moda Center on Saturday. While this appeared to be a blowout at halftime, the Wizards heard something in the locker room that completely turned this game around. Portland took a 70 - 49 lead headed into the half, but they completely collapsed by allowing the Wizards to outscore them, 63 - 42, in the second half to send it to overtime. Markieff Morris then played hero, as he hit the game - winning shot with 0 seconds left, despite the fact that it appeared he stepped out of bounds prior to the shot. Both offenses were efficient, with Washington shooting 52 percent to Portland's 51 percent. Fastbreak points was the only noticeable difference in the stat sheet, with the Wizards winning that battle, 15 - 7. The Wizards (41 - 24) overcame a huge halftime deficit to send this game to overtime, as this marked their second game in two nights in which they overcame a double - digit halftime deficit. John Wall was fantastic, as he led the team with 39 points, two rebounds and nine assists. Bradley Beal finished second on the team, totaling 26 points and six assists. Marcin Gortat and Markieff Morris each recorded a double - double, combining for 28 points and 26 rebounds. Otto Porter provided 18 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. On deck for the Wizards is a road matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday. The Blazers (28 - 36) are battling for the eight - seed in the west and blown leads like this wo n't help that pursuit. C.J. McCollum led Portland with 34 points, adding six assists to an otherwise empty line. Damian Lillard collected 33 points, three rebounds and seven assists. Maurice Harkless amassed 15 points and five rebounds. Allen Crabbe was the best bench player, as he accrued 14 points, six rebounds and two assists. Al-Farouq Aminu also came off the bench to tally 11 points and eight rebounds. Portland will look to bounce back on Sunday in a road matchup against the Phoenix Suns."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"76ers": "48", "Cavaliers": "39"}, "Losses": {"76ers": "28", "Cavaliers": "16"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "95", "Cavaliers": "92"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "5", "Cavaliers": "19"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Love": "6", "Joe Harris": "8", "Robert Covington": "7", "Michael Carter-Williams": "6", "Tony Wroten": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Love": "1", "Joe Harris": "4", "Robert Covington": "4", "Michael Carter-Williams": "1", "Tony Wroten": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Love": "18", "Tristan Thompson": "17", "Joe Harris": "12", "Robert Covington": "9", "Michael Carter-Williams": "19", "Tony Wroten": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Love": "8", "Tristan Thompson": "8", "Joe Harris": "6", "Robert Covington": "4", "Michael Carter-Williams": "8", "Tony Wroten": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kevin Love": "13", "Tristan Thompson": "5", "Robert Covington": "5", "Michael Carter-Williams": "1", "Tony Wroten": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Kevin Love": "11", "Tristan Thompson": "2", "Robert Covington": "4", "Michael Carter-Williams": "1", "Tony Wroten": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kevin Love": "1"}, "Points": {"Kevin Love": "28", "Tristan Thompson": "18", "Joe Harris": "16", "Matthew Dellavedova": "3", "Robert Covington": "16", "Henry Sims": "12", "KJ McDaniels": "12", "Michael Carter-Williams": "18", "Tony Wroten": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Love": "19", "Tristan Thompson": "9", "Robert Covington": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Kevin Love": "3"}, "Assists": {"Robert Covington": "1", "Michael Carter-Williams": "13", "Tony Wroten": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Robert Covington": "39"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Robert Covington": "1"}, "Steals": {"Robert Covington": "1"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers (5 - 28) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (19 - 16) 95 - 92 on Monday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. After a strong first half where the Cavaliers out - scored the Sixers 50 - 37, the Sixers made a strong push in the second half and fought their way back to take a 93 - 92 lead with just under 10 seconds left in regulation after Tony Wroten converted on a layup. The Cavaliers then had a chance to take the lead with three seconds left on the clock, but Matthew Delavedova was unable to convert on a layup of his own and the Sixers then clinched with a pair of free throws to seal the deal. Philadelphia shot a superior 48 percent from the field, while Cleveland went just 39 percent from the floor. Along with making the go - ahead layup, Wroten also scored a team - high of 20 points (8 - 18 FG, 0 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT), while adding eight assists. He's now averaging 25 points per game over his last three outings, as he's continued to be a consistent scoring threat off the bench for the Sixers. Michael Carter-Williams had a solid contribution of his own. He recorded his seventh double - double of the season, finishing with 18 points (8 - 19 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT) and 13 assists. He was very successful against a young Cavaliers backcourt without the likes of Kyrie Irving. Robert Covington got the start at small forward in this one. He took advantage of the start and posted 16 points (4 - 9 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT) and six rebounds in 39 minutes. He's had a solid couple of games in a row, combining for 39 points over his last two outings. Both K.J. McDaniels and Henry Sims had 12 points apiece. The Cavaliers were without superstars LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, but were still expected to come into Philadelphia and secure the victory. Despite the loss though, Kevin Love was one of the few bright spots. He had a monster double - double, recording 28 points (8 - 18 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt) and 19 rebounds. He also got to the free throw line 13 times, converting on 11 of those attempts. He's now averaging 28 points and 11 rebounds over his last three outings, as he's had to take it on himself to increase production with a few key members of the starting lineup sidelined. Tristan Thompson nearly had a double - double of his own and finished with 18 points (8 - 17 FG, 2 - 5 FT) and nine rebounds. The only other Cavalier to reach double - digits in scoring was Joe Harris. Harris was in the starting lineup, going 6 - for - 12 from the field and 4 - for - 8 from the three - point line to score 16 points in 31 minutes. The Cavaliers' next game will be at home against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, while the Sixers will be at home against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bulls": "41", "Hawks": "23"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "37", "Hawks": "30"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "100", "Hawks": "102"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Bulls": "31", "Hawks": "22"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bulls": "14", "Hawks": "30"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "36", "Hawks": "45"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "3", "Al Horford": "3", "Kyle Korver": "3", "Jeff Teague": "7", "Dennis Schroder": "1", "Pau Gasol": "5", "Jimmy Butler": "4", "Derrick Rose": "5", "Aaron Brooks": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "6", "Al Horford": "1", "Jeff Teague": "1", "Derrick Rose": "1"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "11", "Al Horford": "14", "Kyle Korver": "12", "Jeff Teague": "26", "Dennis Schroder": "14", "Pau Gasol": "19", "Jimmy Butler": "15", "Derrick Rose": "20", "Aaron Brooks": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "11", "Al Horford": "10", "Jeff Teague": "6", "Dennis Schroder": "1", "Derrick Rose": "5", "Aaron Brooks": "4"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "1", "Jeff Teague": "1", "Pau Gasol": "1", "Derrick Rose": "2", "Aaron Brooks": "1"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (45 - 30) defeated the Chicago Bulls (36 - 37) 102 - 100 on Monday. The game was an entertaining back - and - forth affair, with both teams playing at superior levels at different points throughout the contest. Chicago looked prepared to dominate in the first 12 minutes, jumping out to a 31 - 22 lead after the first quarter. However, the Hawks came back with a vengeance in the second, more than doubling up their hosts, 30 - 14. The big period served them well in the second half, as they were able to withstand some solid play by the Bulls in the third and fourth quarters to hold on for an important road victory. The final score made things look a bit closer than they were, as Derrick Rose drained a rather meaningless three - pointer at the buzzer with Atlanta up by five. It was a particularly tough defeat for Chicago, considering their fight to remain relevant in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, and the fact that they outperformed the Hawks from three - point range (41 percent to 23 percent) and outrebounded them, 58 - 47. Atlanta was led by a remarkable effort from Jeff Teague, who totaled 26 points, six rebounds, seven assists, a steal and a block. Al Horford followed with a 14 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included three assists and a block. Kyle Korver contributed 12 points, four rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal. Paul Millsap pitched in with 11 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, a steal and six blocks. It was notably his third straight game with multiple rejections. Dennis Schroder paced the reserves with 14 points, a rebound and an assist. The Hawks remain in first place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division, and are slotted in the third seed in the conference as well. They head north of the border to take on the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night. Rose paced the Bulls' attack with 20 points, five rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block. Pau Gasol was right behind him with 19 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and a steal. Jimmy Butler followed with 15 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Aaron Brooks paced the reserves with 16 points, six assists, four rebounds and a steal. The Bulls are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division, and 3 games behind the eighth - seeded Detroit Pistons. They head to Indiana to take on the Pacers on Tuesday night."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "38"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Mavericks": "23"}}, {"Points": {"TJ Warren": "16", "Devin Booker": "36", "Harrison Barnes": "23", "Dirk Nowitzki": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Devin Booker": "5", "Dirk Nowitzki": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "16", "Dirk Nowitzki": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Harrison Barnes": "5", "Dirk Nowitzki": "10"}}], "Dallas were expected to win this game easily, but Phoenix had other ideas. There were 14 ties and 16 lead changes in total, with neither team leading by more than seven points. Devin Booker played hero, as he scored the Suns final eight points, including a game - winning jumper at the buzzer to seal things. Scoring in the paint was key, with the Suns winning that battle, 38 - 20. Phoenix took care of business on defense too, holding Dallas to 38 percent shooting. Booker not only hit the game - winner, he scored a game - high 36 points to add to his five rebounds. T.J. Warren finished second on the team, amassing 16 points and eight rebounds. Dirk Nowitzki was Dallas' best player, as he totaled 23 points and 11 rebounds on 10 - of - 14 shooting. Harrison Barnes also scored 23 points, but did it on just 5 - of - 16 shooting."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nets": "20"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "21"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "46"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMarre Carroll": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "11"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarre Carroll": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarre Carroll": "5", "Jonas Valanciunas": "5", "Trevor Booker": "10"}, "Points": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "22", "Norman Powell": "10", "Kyle Lowry": "15", "Terrence Ross": "17", "Fred VanVleet": "10", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "13", "Brook Lopez": "20", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "7", "Trevor Booker": "15", "Sean Kilpatrick": "18", "Justin Hamilton": "8"}, "Steals": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "1"}}], "The Nets committed 21 turnovers on the way to their 20th home loss, while Jonas Valanciunas (22 points, five rebounds, one steal) and Kyle Lowry (15 - point, 11 - rebound, 11 - assist triple - double) stepped up in DeMar DeRozan's (ankle) absence. DeMarre Carroll equaled Lowry's scoring total and added five rebounds, one assist, three steals and one block. Norman Powell mustered 10 points, and Terrence Ross led the bench with 17 of his own. Fred VanVleet was also productive as a reserve with 10 points, and the Raptors shot 46 percent from the field. Brook Lopez's 20 points led Brooklyn. Bojan Bogdanovic contributed 13 points. Sean Kilpatrick led the second unit with 18 points, while Trevor Booker posted a 15 - point, 10 - rebound double - double off the bench as well. Justin Hamilton and Spencer Dinwiddie supplied eight and seven points, respectively, off the bench."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "32", "Trail Blazers": "37"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "97", "Trail Blazers": "113"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hawks": "18", "Trail Blazers": "40"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "37", "Trail Blazers": "31"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Trail Blazers": "44"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "51"}, "Turnovers": {"Trail Blazers": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Noah Vonleh": "10", "Jusuf Nurkic": "12", "CJ McCollum": "22", "Damian Lillard": "27", "Allen Crabbe": "16", "Ersan Ilyasova": "23", "Dwight Howard": "14", "Kent Bazemore": "12", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Noah Vonleh": "11", "Maurice Harkless": "4", "Jusuf Nurkic": "9", "CJ McCollum": "6", "Damian Lillard": "5", "Allen Crabbe": "3", "Ersan Ilyasova": "4", "Dwight Howard": "10", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "2"}, "Assists": {"Maurice Harkless": "4", "Jusuf Nurkic": "6", "CJ McCollum": "5", "Damian Lillard": "5", "Ersan Ilyasova": "1", "Dwight Howard": "3", "Kent Bazemore": "2", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Maurice Harkless": "1", "Jusuf Nurkic": "5", "CJ McCollum": "2", "Ersan Ilyasova": "1", "Dwight Howard": "1", "Kent Bazemore": "1"}, "Steals": {"Maurice Harkless": "2", "Jusuf Nurkic": "2", "CJ McCollum": "1", "Damian Lillard": "2", "Allen Crabbe": "2", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "19"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Atlanta Hawks, 113 - 97, at Phillips Arena on Saturday evening. The Trail Blazers (31 - 37) checked into Saturday's contest with victories in six of their previous eight games, but facing a tough test against an Eastern Conference playoff hopeful in the Hawks (37 - 32). Portland was more than up for the challenge, ambushing their hosts by outscoring them 40 - 18 in the first quarter.They maximized their scoring opportunities overall, with all five starters posting double - digit scoring, and success rates of 51 percent from the field, 44 percent from three - point range and 90 percent from the free - throw line. A combination of that hot hand offensively and solid play on the other end of the floor helped them overcome 20 turnovers. Damian Lillard led the way with 27 points, which he supplemented with five rebounds, five assists and two steals. C.J. McCollum was next with 22 points, six rebounds, five assists, two blocks and one steal. Allen Crabbe followed with a bench - leading 16 points, which he supplemented with three rebounds and two steals. Jusuf Nurkic went for 12 points, nine boards, six assists, five blocks and two steals. Maurice Harkless matched Nurkic's point total and added four boards, four assists, two steals and one block. Noah Vonleh rounded out the first unit's successful evening with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Ersan Ilyasova drew a start for Paul Millsap (knee) and provided a team - high 23 points, along with four rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block. Tim Hardaway, Jr. followed with a bench - leading 22 points, as well as two rebounds, two assists and one steal. Dwight Howard posted a 14 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included three assists, five steals and one block. Kent Bazemore compiled 12 points, two assists and a block. Thabo Sefolosha was notably held scoreless over 19 minutes. The Trail Blazers continue on a southern trajectory, with their next stop in South Florida on Sunday evening to take on the Miami Heat. The Hawks head to Charlotte for a Monday night date with the Hornets."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "25", "Heat": "26"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "99", "Heat": "90"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "11", "Heat": "10"}}, {"Blocks": {"Willie Reed": "2", "Tyson Chandler": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Willie Reed": "8"}, "Points": {"Willie Reed": "22", "Goran Dragic": "24", "Devin Booker": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Willie Reed": "18", "Tyson Chandler": "20"}, "Assists": {"Goran Dragic": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Devin Booker": "3"}}], "The Phoenix Suns beat the visiting Miami Heat on Tuesday, 99 - 90. The Suns (11 - 25) are spending another season near the bottom of the conference standings, but saw some promising success on Tuesday. Sophomore guard Devin Booker led the team with 27 points, splashing in three three - pointers along the way. Meanwhile, veteran center Tyson Chandler was able to feast against a depleted Miami frontcourt, pulling down a whopping 20 rebounds to go with two blocks. Phoenix pulled away fairly convincingly in the third quarter, establishing a 20 - point lead at one point, and was able to stave off a challenge from the Heat late in the fourth. The team shot almost 47 percent and held its opponent to just 39 percent from the field with six three - pointers. Miami (10 - 26) is in the midst of a dismal run, having now gone 2 - 9 in its last 11 games. The team struggled to find offense on Tuesday with star center Hassan Whiteside (eye) out. Point guard Goran Dragic had a much - needed 24 points to lead the team, also dishing out nine assists. Forward Willie Reed had a career night as he stepped into the starting lineup. Reed scored 22 points and had a team - high 18 rebounds, with eight coming on the offensive end. He added two blocks. However, the rest of the Heat combined for just 44 points and struggled from beyond the arc. The Heat will visit Sacramento on Wednesday while the Suns will play in Dallas on Thursday"], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "34", "Knicks": "43"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "107", "Knicks": "115"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bulls": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Bulls": "34", "Knicks": "53"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "36", "Knicks": "29"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Knicks": "56"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Knicks": "34"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "5", "Arron Afflalo": "7", "Derrick Rose": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Kristaps Porzingis": "10", "Arron Afflalo": "8", "Derrick Rose": "3"}, "Points": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "29", "Arron Afflalo": "12", "Derrick Rose": "21", "Nikola Mirotic": "35"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nikola Mirotic": "9"}}], "The New York Knicks (29 - 43) defeated the Chicago Bulls (36 - 34) 115 - 107 on Wednesday. The Knicks had a 22 - point lead with less than nine minutes left, but barely held off the Bulls for a big road win. It was the second and third quarters where the Knicks really won the game, as they outscored he Bulls 69 - 43 in that 24 - minute stretch. New York dominated the rebounding as well, as they snatched down 53 rebounds to Chicago's 34. The Knicks also shot over 50 percent from the field and 56 percent from three - point range in their win. The Knicks have been terrible in the second half, but they can still play spoiler to teams fighting for playoff positioning. Rookie Kristaps Porzingis was the player of the game, as he tallied 29 points and 10 rebounds. Carmelo Anthony also played well, as he amassed 23 points, three rebounds and five assists. Arron Afflalo flirted with a triple - double off the bench, as he finished with 12 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. New York will have a rematch against the Bulls on Thursday in their next game. This was a much bigger loss for Chicago than a win for New York, as it bumped the Bulls to ninth in the east. Nikola Mirotic was amazing though, as he scored a career - high 35 points off the bench while hitting nine three - pointers. Derrick Rose was the only other Bulls player with more than 10 points, as he accumulated 21 points, three rebounds and four assists in the defeat. The Bulls will look to exact revenge on Thursday in a rematch with the Knicks for their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "43", "Mavericks": "32"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "109", "Mavericks": "92"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "38", "Mavericks": "49"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Charlie Villanueva": "6", "Rajon Rondo": "3", "J.J. Barea": "1", "Joe Ingles": "5", "Trevor Booker": "3", "Bryce Cotton": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Charlie Villanueva": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "2", "J.J. Barea": "1", "Joe Ingles": "2", "Trevor Booker": "1", "Bryce Cotton": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Charlie Villanueva": "13", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "11", "Rajon Rondo": "6", "J.J. Barea": "15", "Joe Ingles": "9", "Trevor Booker": "10", "Rudy Gobert": "16", "Bryce Cotton": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Charlie Villanueva": "6", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "7", "Rajon Rondo": "4", "J.J. Barea": "8", "Joe Ingles": "6", "Trevor Booker": "5", "Rudy Gobert": "9", "Bryce Cotton": "8"}, "Points": {"Charlie Villanueva": "15", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "15", "Rajon Rondo": "13", "J.J. Barea": "18", "Joe Ingles": "15", "Trevor Booker": "13", "Rudy Gobert": "20", "Bryce Cotton": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Charlie Villanueva": "4", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "4", "Trevor Booker": "12", "Rudy Gobert": "17"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Amar'e Stoudemire": "4", "Rajon Rondo": "4", "J.J. Barea": "1", "Trevor Booker": "4", "Rudy Gobert": "3", "Bryce Cotton": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Amar'e Stoudemire": "1", "Rajon Rondo": "3", "J.J. Barea": "1", "Trevor Booker": "2", "Rudy Gobert": "2", "Bryce Cotton": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Amar'e Stoudemire": "22", "Joe Ingles": "27", "Bryce Cotton": "26"}, "Assists": {"Rajon Rondo": "5", "Bryce Cotton": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "3"}}], "The Utah Jazz (38 - 43) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (49 - 32) 109 - 92 on Monday at Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City. This loss did n't mean much for the Mavericks' spot in the playoffs, as they've already been locked in as the seventh seed in the West. They have yet to find out who they're playing though, as they could end up against the likes of the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers or Memphis Grizzlies. The Jazz have been eliminated from playoff contention, but the win marks their second in a row, as they'll try and close the season with a strong finish, giving them plenty of momentum heading into next season. The Jazz saw a very impressive performance from Rudy Gobert. Gobert went 9 - for - 16 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the free throw line to score 20 points, while also notching a monster 17 rebounds and three blocked shots. The double - double was his third over his last four games, a stretch where he's averaging 13 points, 13 rebounds and 2 blocks. In just the fourteenth game of his career, rookie Bryce Cotton went off for a career - high of 21 points (8 - 15 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and four assists in 26 minutes off the bench. He had only reach double figures in points twice before, so it was good to see him have success while being given the opportunity to have an extended amount of minutes. Joe Ingles was in the starting lineup with both Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward sitting out. He went 6 - for - 9 from the field and 2 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score 15 points in 27 minutes. Averaging just 5 points on the season, it was another nice surprise for the Jazz. Trevor Booker chipped in with a 13 - point (5 - 10 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT), 12 - rebound double - double as well. The Mavericks held out Monta Ellis, Dirk Nowitzki and Tyson Chandler for this game. Because of that, it was J.J. Barea who came out and took the lead for this team. He went 8 - for - 15 from the field and 1 - for - 1 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 18 points while coming off the bench. The guard matched a season - high in field goal attempts, as he saw extended time with those other players being rested. Amar'e Stoudemire had a strong showing while running with the starting lineup. Over 22 minutes, he finished with 15 points (7 - 11 FG, 1 - 4 FT) and three rebounds. Both Rajon Rondo and Charlie Villanueva were the other starters to reach double figures. Rondo recorded 13 points (4 - 6 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) and five assists, while Villanueva added 15 points (6 - 13 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt) and four rebounds. The Jazz's season will come to an end on the road against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, while the Mavericks will be at home against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "7", "Celtics": "9"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "107", "Celtics": "106"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "14", "Celtics": "12"}}, {"Assists": {"Al Horford": "9"}, "Points": {"Al Horford": "21", "Isaiah Thomas": "20", "James Harden": "37"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Harden": "18"}, "Free throws made": {"James Harden": "18"}}], "The host Houston Rockets defeated the visiting Boston Celtics, 107 - 106, on Monday. Houston (14 - 7) saw a major advantage at the free - throw line, shooting 31 foul shots as a team. All-Star James Harden shot a perfect 18 - of - 18 at the line en route to a team - high 37 points. Houston led by as much as 12 early in the game but held a double - digit deficit at points in the fourth quarter. The Rockets were able to shoot their way back into a nail - biter, as the game was decided by a missed layup from Boston's Al Horford at the buzzer. Houston hit 12 three - pointers on the night, helping to maintain the its average as the top three - point shooting team in the league. Boston (12 - 9), meanwhile, struggled early in the game, allowing Houston to take a double - digit lead in the first quarter. The Celtics were able to turn the game around with a 19 - 2 run early in the third, eventually gaining the lead. However, Houston's three - point shooting ended up costing the team down the stretch. All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas suffered what appeared to be a groin injury in the first half, but remained on the floor and finished the game. Thomas did see a dip below his normal production as a result, however, as he shot just 7 - of - 18 for 20 points. Center Al Horford, meanwhile, scored 21 points and dished nine assists despite ultimately missing the game - winner. The Celtics will visit Orlando on Wednesday, while Houston will host the Lakers."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "39"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "6", "Warriors": "5"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "109", "Warriors": "108"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "23", "Warriors": "27"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "3", "Draymond Green": "4", "Stephen Curry": "3", "LeBron James": "4", "Kyrie Irving": "10"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "36", "Draymond Green": "16", "Klay Thompson": "24", "Stephen Curry": "15", "LeBron James": "31", "Kevin Love": "20", "Kyrie Irving": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "15", "Draymond Green": "4", "LeBron James": "13", "Kevin Love": "6", "Kyrie Irving": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Draymond Green": "9", "Klay Thompson": "16", "Stephen Curry": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Draymond Green": "7", "Klay Thompson": "9", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Draymond Green": "6"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyrie Irving": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kyrie Irving": "3"}, "Steals": {"Kyrie Irving": "7"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Golden State Warriors, 109 - 108, at Quicken Loans Arena on Sunday. The Cleveland-Golden State matchup is always one of the showcase games of the year and that ended up being the case in this Christmas Day classic. Despite Golden State leading for well over 40 minutes of this game, it was tight throughout, as they never led by more than 14 points, with 11 ties in total. Cleveland made the final, most important push though, as they overcame a 14 - point deficit in the fourth quarter to win by one. Both defenses did a great job, as the Warriors were held to a 25 - 19, assist - to - turnover ratio and 31 percent shooting from three - point range, while the Cavaliers were held to 39 percent shooting from the field. Offensive rebounding was the big difference for the Cavaliers, as they won that battle, 18 - 5. Golden State (27 - 5) has been spectacular all season, but a loss to their arch enemy is the last thing they wanted on Christmas. Kevin Durant showed why the Warriors wanted to acquire him though, as he scored a game - high 36 points, while also adding 15 rebounds in the defeat. Klay Thompson was second on the team, as he scored 24 points on 9 - of - 16 shooting. Draymond Green did commit six turnovers, but he accumulated 16 points, four rebounds and four assists on 7 - of - 9 shooting. Stephen Curry added to his Christmas Day struggles, as he totaled 15 points and three assists on 4 - of - 11 from the field, The Warriors next game wo n't be until Wednesday, when they host the Toronto Raptors. Cleveland (23 - 6) had a tough task here against one of the best offenses ever, but they put on a show in the game of the season. Kyrie Irving was the hero, as he hit the game - winning jumper from 15 - feet out with three seconds left. He finished the game with 25 points, 10 assists and seven steals in a fantastic performance. LeBron James may have been even better though, as he accrued 31 points, 13 rebounds and four assists of his own. Kevin Love was the only other Cavalier with more than 10 points, as he collected 20 points and six rebounds. Cleveland returns to action on Monday in a road matchup with the Detroit Pistons."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "41", "Suns": "58"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "115", "Suns": "124"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Rockets": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Rockets": "26", "Suns": "47"}, "Turnovers": {"Rockets": "18"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "38", "Suns": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"PJ Tucker": "5", "James Harden": "7"}, "Points": {"PJ Tucker": "24", "Devin Booker": "15", "Mirza Teletovic": "26", "James Harden": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"PJ Tucker": "12"}, "Steals": {"PJ Tucker": "1", "Devin Booker": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Devin Booker": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Devin Booker": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Devin Booker": "15", "Mirza Teletovic": "20"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Devin Booker": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Devin Booker": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Mirza Teletovic": "10"}}], "Despite having lost their last seven games heading into Thursday's matchup, the Phoenix Suns (21 - 58) dealt a potentially season - ending blow to the Houston Rockets (38 - 41), winning 124 - 115. Phoenix has slipped to the third - worst record in the league since injuries took star guards Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight out of the equation. In their stead, however, rookie sensation Devin Booker has emerged as one of the league's rising stars. Booker followed a 34 - point outburst in Atlanta with 15 on Thursday, including a perfect 6 - for - 6 from the free - throw line. Booker was in no ways the main story for Phoenix, however, as forward P.J. Tucker delivered one of his strongest performances of the season. Tucker scored 24 points and pulled down a massive 12 rebounds while also dishing out five assists. Tucker played an integral role in the absolute obliteration of Houston on the glass, as the Suns held a 47 - 26 rebounding advantage. For the second unit, forward Mirza Teletovic led the way with an impressive 26 points on 10 - for - 20 shooting. Houston, meanwhile, was pegged as a contender heading into the season but quickly showed signs of a disappointing season. While Thursday was a typically impressive 30 - point, seven - assist night for James Harden, the Rockets simply could not get the job done in multiple areas. In addition to being brutally out - rebounded, Houston coughed up the ball 18 times in total. Meager 17 - for - 28 shooting from the free - throw line did n't help the team's case. Houston now sits 2 games behind Utah for playoff berth with three games remaining. The Suns will visit the sliding Pelicans on Saturday. Houston will host the Lakers on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "34"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "108", "Kings": "96"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nuggets": "33"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nuggets": "18"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "29"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "43"}}, {"Points": {"Kosta Koufos": "14", "Darren Collison": "17", "Buddy Hield": "14", "Danilo Gallinari": "18", "Wilson Chandler": "36", "Mason Plumlee": "10", "Gary Harris": "15", "Will Barton": "9"}, "Assists": {"Darren Collison": "5", "Wilson Chandler": "4", "Gary Harris": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Buddy Hield": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Buddy Hield": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Buddy Hield": "7", "Danilo Gallinari": "7", "Wilson Chandler": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"Buddy Hield": "4", "Danilo Gallinari": "5", "Wilson Chandler": "13"}, "Minutes played": {"Danilo Gallinari": "31", "Will Barton": "27"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Wilson Chandler": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Wilson Chandler": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Gary Harris": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Will Barton": "4"}}], "The Denver Nuggets defeated the Sacramento Kings, 108 - 96, at Pepsi Center on Monday. The Nuggets (29 - 34) flexed the depth of their team as they picked up a home victory without Nikola Jokic, Emmanuel Mudiay or Roy Hibbert. Wilson Chandler dropped 36 points to lead all scorers in the impressive effort, draining 13 - of - 23 shots and adding 12 rebounds and four assists in the win. Denver peaked in the third quarter with 33 points and went into the fourth quarter with a 17 - point lead that they did not have to look back on. Aside from Chandler, the Nuggets saw a solid outing from Danilo Gallinari, who scored 18 points on an efficient 5 - of - 7 shooting across 31 minutes of action. The bench only stretched four players deep, with Will Barton leading the scoring with a lowly nine points in 27 minutes. Mason Plumlee pitched in a double - double with 10 points and 12 boards, while Gary Harris added 15 points, three rebounds and three assists. The Kings shot just 43 percent from the field as a unit and saw a sporadic use of different lineups throughout the contest. Opposed to the starters' heavy minutes put on the Nuggets, the Kings used six bench players, most of which saw over 20 minutes of action. Darren Collison led the Kings' scorers with 17 points, to go with two boards and five assists. Kosta Koufos contributed 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Buddy Hield had 14 points on 4 - of - 7 shooting including 2 - of - 2 from three - point range. Next up, the Kings visit the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, while the Nuggets play the same day and host the Washington Wizards."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Heat": "47"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "28", "Nuggets": "39"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "124", "Nuggets": "119"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "39", "Nuggets": "28"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "53"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kenneth Faried": "11", "Hassan Whiteside": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Kenneth Faried": "11", "Hassan Whiteside": "6"}, "Points": {"Kenneth Faried": "24", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "23", "Joe Johnson": "18", "Luol Deng": "17", "Hassan Whiteside": "18", "Justise Winslow": "20", "Josh Richardson": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Kenneth Faried": "11", "Josh Richardson": "4"}, "Assists": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Josh Richardson": "3"}, "Steals": {"Josh Richardson": "2"}}], "The Miami Heat (39 - 28) defeated the Denver Nuggets (28 - 39) 124 - 119 on Monday. In a game between two teams who play at slow paces, the offenses were on display. Both teams shot over 50 percent from the field, but the Heat put up some gaudy shooting numbers. In fact, Miami went 59 percent from the field, 79 percent from the free - throw line and 47 percent from three - point range. The scoring was extremely even for the Heat, as they had five players who scored between 17 and 20 points in their win. This loss snapped a four - game winning streak for Denver, but it wasn\u2019t for a lack of effort. They shot 53 percent from the field and outrebounded the Heat in a strong road performance. Emmanuel Mudiay continued his great form, as he accumulated 23 points and 10 assists. Kenneth Faried went a perfect 11 - for - 11 from the field to finish with a 24 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. On deck for Denver is a matchup against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday. No one player on Miami played spectacularly, but this was one of their best team efforts of the season. The bench was especially good, with Justice Winslow leading the team with 20 points off the pine. Hassan Whiteside double - doubled off the bench as well, while scoring 18 points on 6 - for - 7 shooting. Josh Richardson was a huge spark plug off the bench too, as he totaled 17 points, four rebounds, two steals and three blocks in the win. Luol Deng scored 17, Dwyane Wade scored 18, and Joe Johnson scored 18 in the victory. Up next for the Heat is a matchup against the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "53"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "59", "Trail Blazers": "34"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "22", "Trail Blazers": "33"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "128", "Trail Blazers": "94"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Thunder": "26"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "45", "Trail Blazers": "35"}}, {"Assists": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "3", "Damian Lillard": "4", "Kevin Durant": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "16", "Enes Kanter": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "23", "CJ McCollum": "29", "Damian Lillard": "32", "Kevin Durant": "26", "Russell Westbrook": "28", "Enes Kanter": "22"}, "Points": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "11", "CJ McCollum": "15", "Damian Lillard": "21", "Kevin Durant": "20", "Russell Westbrook": "17", "Enes Kanter": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "3", "Damian Lillard": "2", "Kevin Durant": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "10", "Enes Kanter": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "17", "Damian Lillard": "16", "Kevin Durant": "15", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Enes Kanter": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ McCollum": "5", "Damian Lillard": "7", "Kevin Durant": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "7", "Enes Kanter": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Damian Lillard": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "6", "Kevin Durant": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Damian Lillard": "3", "Kevin Durant": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "4", "Kevin Durant": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "6", "Enes Kanter": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Damian Lillard": "4", "Kevin Durant": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "3", "Enes Kanter": "8"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "2", "Enes Kanter": "2"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (45 - 22) defeated the visiting Portland Trail Blazers (35 - 33) 128 - 94, on Monday at Chesapeake Energy Arena. After a competitive first quarter the Thunder out - scored the Blazers 20 - 8 to begin the second quarter and continued to dominate behind Russell Westbrook's 12th triple - double of the season, en route to a decisive, 34 - point victory. With this win the Thunder snap a two - game losing streak, and take the 2 - 1 upper hand in the season series, which will feature one more contest. If the Blazers and Thunder manage to retain their positions in the Western Conference, they are set to meet in the first round of the playoffs, furthering the importance of this win for OKC. Meanwhile, Portland has lost five of its last seven games. Russell Westbrook's 12th triple - double of the season consisted of 17 points (7 - 11 FG, 3 - 6 FT), 16 assists and 10 rebounds, along with two steals, in only 28 minutes. Oklahoma City had six other players contribute double digits in the points column, while they shot an incredible 59 percent from the field, including 53 percent from deep, as a team. Enes Kanter was the high - point man for the Thunder, as he poured in 26 points (9 - 15 FG, 8 - 8 FT), along with seven rebounds, two steals and one assist, in just 22 minutes off the bench, while Kevin Durant added 20 points (6 - 15 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 7 - 7 FT), seven assists and five rebounds, in 26 minutes. The Trail Blazers could not get things going as they managed to convert only 34 percent of their field goal attempts, but on the plus side shot an impressive 25 - 27 from the free throw line. Damian Lillard led his team, with 21 points (7 - 16 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), four assists, two rebounds and one blocked shot, in 32 minutes, while C.J. McCollum added 15 points (5 - 17 FG) in 29 minutes. The only other player to score in double digits for Portland was Al-Farouq Aminu, who chipped in 11 points, along with three rebounds and three assists, in 23 minutes. This loss puts the Trail Blazers in danger of losing grip on sixth place, as they came in only 2 games ahead of the eighth place Rockets and one game ahead of the seventh place Mavericks. Next, the Trail Blazers will continue their road - trip by heading to San Antonio for a match with the Spurs on Thursday. The Thunder will begin a three - game road trip as they face the Celtics in Boston on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "4", "Warriors": "3"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "105", "Warriors": "98"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "20", "Warriors": "21"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "29"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "41"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "25"}, "Field goals made": {"Stephen Curry": "9"}, "Points": {"Stephen Curry": "19", "Zach Randolph": "17", "Marc Gasol": "24", "Vince Carter": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "10", "Vince Carter": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Vince Carter": "24"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (20 - 4) defeated the Golden State Warriors (21 - 3) 105 - 98 on Tuesday. Memphis snapped the Warriors' 16 - game winning streak. Marc Gasol led the way with a game - high 24 points, while Zach Randolph finished with his typical double - double production, putting up 17 points and 10 rebounds. Vince Carter displayed his usefulness off the bench, putting up 16 points and four rebounds in 24 minutes. Golden State was held to 41 percent shooting from the field and 29 percent from beyond the arc, as arguably the best shooting backcourt in the NBA came face - to - face with the arguably the best perimeter defense in the NBA. Stephen Curry shot just 9 - for - 25 from the field and 1 - for - 10 from beyond the arc to finish with 19 points. The Grizzlies will go on the road to play the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. Golden State will host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "38", "Thunder": "39"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "22", "Thunder": "23"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "93", "Thunder": "90"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pacers": "21"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "29", "Thunder": "30"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "25"}}, {"Points": {"Steven Adams": "15", "Victor Oladipo": "14", "Russell Westbrook": "27", "Paul George": "21", "Jeff Teague": "17", "Glenn Robinson III": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Steven Adams": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "18", "Paul George": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Victor Oladipo": "16", "Glenn Robinson III": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Victor Oladipo": "4", "Glenn Robinson III": "5"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "9", "Paul George": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Russell Westbrook": "37", "Paul George": "33"}}], "The Indiana Pacers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, 93 - 90, on Monday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. It was n't a great start for the Pacers (29 - 22), who were essentially run off the floor by the Thunder (30 - 23) in the first half, getting outscored by Russell Westbrook and company by 11 points in the opening 12 minutes. Then, something clicked, as while Indiana was not impressive on offense by any means - - they shot just 38 percent from the field as a team - - they managed to do just enough to pull away late. Paul George ended up leading the way for the Pacers, scoring 21 points on top of eight rebounds, four assists and three steals in 33 minutes. Jeff Teague added 17 points of his own, while Glenn Robinson III had a solid night off the bench, shooting 5 - of - 5 from the field en route to 14 points. Indiana has now won seven games in a row. As for Oklahoma City, Westbrook tried to do everything he could to keep his team around late, but ultimately it was n't enough. Westbrook finished just one assist shy of a triple - double, recording a game - high 27 points, 18 rebounds and nine assists in 37 minutes. Beyond Westbrook, center Steven Adams posted 15 points and nine rebounds, while Victor Oladipo finished with 14 points despite a horrible shooting night, as he went 4 - of - 16 from the field. As a team, the Thunder did n't manage to shoot much more effectively than the Pacers, as they shot 39 percent from the field and an underwhelming 25 percent from behind the arc. Up next, the Pacers will remain home Wednesday to take on the Cavaliers, while the Thunder will be waiting at home for the Cavaliers on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "31", "76ers": "67"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "100", "76ers": "91"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "44", "76ers": "9"}}, {"Points": {"Hollis Thompson": "17", "Jerami Grant": "17", "Carl Landry": "16", "Nik Stauskas": "11", "Elton Brand": "13", "Nicolas Batum": "19", "Cody Zeller": "8", "Kemba Walker": "27", "Al Jefferson": "13"}, "Assists": {"Carl Landry": "4", "Nik Stauskas": "2", "Elton Brand": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "7", "Cody Zeller": "2", "Kemba Walker": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Carl Landry": "8", "Nik Stauskas": "3", "Elton Brand": "11", "Nicolas Batum": "4", "Cody Zeller": "9", "Kemba Walker": "11", "Al Jefferson": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Elton Brand": "1", "Al Jefferson": "2"}, "Steals": {"Elton Brand": "1", "Cody Zeller": "3", "Kemba Walker": "1", "Al Jefferson": "1"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (44 - 31) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (9 - 67) 100 - 91 on Friday. Despite their lamentable record, Philadelphia can take some solace in how competitive they've managed to be against a number of playoff teams, even in the latter stages of the season. They were facing even longer odds than usual Friday, with the contest taking place at Time Warner Cable Arena, where Charlotte had amassed an impressive 27 - 11 record coming into the night. The Sixers' frontcourt also continued to find itself in an injury - riddled state, as Nerlens Noel (knee) and Richaun Holmes (Achilles) were forced to miss the game with their respective injuries. However, Jerami Grant stepped in at power forward and acquitted himself well once again, while Carl Landry continued to provide some veteran leadership while manning the center position. Although they were unable to secure the victory, Philadelphia received encouraging efforts from across their roster. The Sixers' effort was spearheaded by a pair of 17 - point efforts from Hollis Thompson and Grant. The former also added two rebounds, an assist and a steal, while the latter contributed a pair of rebounds, an assist and two steals. Landry was next with 16 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Elton Brand got plenty of playing time off the bench due to the decimated state of the Philadelphia frontcourt, and tallied a 13 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included an assist, a steal and a block. Nik Stauskas was productive in a reserve role as well, compiling 11 points, three rebounds and a pair of assists. The Sixers remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head back home to face the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night. Charlotte was led by Kemba Walker's 27 points, which he supplemented with 11 rebounds, four assists and a steal. Nicolas Batum followed with 19 points, seven assists and four rebounds. No other starter managed double - digit scoring, but Cody Zeller did fill out the stat sheet with eight points, nine rebounds, two assists and three steals. Al Jefferson paced the reserves with 13 points, seven rebounds, a pair of blocks and a steal. The Hornets are currently in second place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division, and are slotted in the fourth seed in the conference. They head to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers on Sunday."], [[{"Total points": {"Warriors": "106", "Pelicans": "99"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "1"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pelicans": "25"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "0"}}, {"Assists": {"Quincy Pondexter": "6", "Anthony Davis": "1", "Draymond Green": "7", "Stephen Curry": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Quincy Pondexter": "37", "Anthony Davis": "40", "Klay Thompson": "37", "Stephen Curry": "40"}, "Points": {"Quincy Pondexter": "20", "Anthony Davis": "35", "Klay Thompson": "21", "Stephen Curry": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Quincy Pondexter": "9", "Anthony Davis": "7", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "1", "Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Klay Thompson": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "4"}}], "With Mark Jackson anchoring the three - man booth calling the game, the Golden State Warriors (10) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (0 - 1), 106 - 99. Tyreke Evans suffered a left knee contusion in the first half and did not return. It was the 124th consecutive sellout at Oracle Arena and the Warriors\u2019 40th home win this season. MVP contender Stephen Curry recorded his sixth playoff game of at least 30 points, concluding with 34 points, five assists, four rebounds, three steals, and four three - pointers in 40 minutes. The Warriors struggled from the free - throw line, converting 21 - of - 34. Andrew Bogut and Draymond Green each recorded a double - double, highlighted by Green\u2019s playoff career - high and game - high seven assists. Sharpshooter Klay Thompson was held to 6 - of - 17 from the field but compiled 21 points in 37 minutes. David Lee was unavailable due to a lower back strain, and his availability for the next game is uncertain. The Pelicans erased a 25 - point third quarter deficit, closing to within four in the waning moments. In his playoff debut, Anthony Davis scored 35 points, grabbed seven rebounds, blocked four shots, recorded one assist and chipped in one steal in 40 minutes. He scored 20 of the team\u2019s 33 fourth - quarter points, almost single - handedly outscoring the Warriors in the final period. Even though he picked up a technical foul, Quincy Pondexter scored 20 points and recorded team - highs of nine rebounds and six assists in 37 minutes. The Warriors and Pelicans play Game 2 on Monday night at Oracle Arena. The Warriors only lost two home games during the regular season."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "15", "Grizzlies": "8"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "108", "Grizzlies": "110"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "7", "Grizzlies": "14"}, "Turnovers": {"Grizzlies": "14"}}, {"Blocks": {"Tony Allen": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Tony Allen": "1", "Troy Daniels": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tony Allen": "14"}, "Free throws made": {"Tony Allen": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Marc Gasol": "1"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "28", "Troy Daniels": "29"}, "3-pointers made": {"Troy Daniels": "7"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the host New Orleans Pelicans, 110 - 108, on Monday. Memphis (14 - 8) saw a huge performance from star center Marc Gasol in Monday's win. Gasol scored 28 points, including a three - pointer that sent the game into overtime, while also posting a triple - double. The big man had 11 rebounds, 11 assists, and added two blocks and two steals. Gasol was just one piece of a major rebounding effort for Memphis, as forward Jeff Green and guard Tony Allen had 15 and 14, respectively. The team finished with 61 rebounds and ended plus - seven on the glass. Guard Troy Daniels, meanwhile, had a career night off the bench, scoring 29 points and knocking down 7 - of - 11 attempts from three - point range. New Orleans (7 - 15) continues to slide, having lost five of its last six contests. The four - game win streak that the team saw after the return of Jrue Holiday seems a relic of the past now, as the Pelicans sit near the bottom of the Western Conference standings. The losing comes despite the monstrous play of All-Star forward Anthony Davis. The 23 - year - old leads the league in scoring at over 31 points per game, and is also among the league's top five rebounders. On Monday, despite having played 43 minutes the night before, Davis logged 48 minutes and scored 28 points while pulling down a game - high 17 rebounds. The impressive effort was not enough to get it done, however, as his team still trailed on the glass and ultimately was outscored. Memphis will host Philadelphia on Tuesday, while the Pelicans will also see Philadelphia on Thursday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "23"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "36", "Hawks": "48"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "10", "Hawks": "9"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "95", "Hawks": "98"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "13", "Hawks": "14"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "5", "Deron Williams": "6"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "20", "Zaza Pachulia": "11", "Deron Williams": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "11", "Zaza Pachulia": "17", "Deron Williams": "7"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "3"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (14 - 9) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (13 - 10) 98 - 95 on Wednesday in a tight game throughout. This was a fantastic game for even the most neutral of viewers. No team led by more than six points all game and there were tons of ties and lead changes. In fact, there were 20 lead changes and 11 ties in the game. The final few minutes was the big difference, as Atlanta went on a 9 - 2 run to end the game. Atlanta shot 48 percent from the field, but were lucky to win this game. They were out - hustled all evening long and allowed way too many offensive rebounds. The best player for Atlanta on this night was Paul Millsap, who tallied 20 points, 11 rebounds, five assists in three steals in the win. Eight players scored at least seven points in the victory and that's a good indication of how deep this Hawks team can be. They'll look to build off this impressive road win when they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday in the second half of a back - to - back. Dallas shot horribly in this game, but they hung in with their grittiness and hustle. The Mavericks set a season - high with 19 offensive rebounds and attacked the glass all game long. Unfortunately for them, they shot just 36 percent from the field and 23 percent from three - point range. Zaza Pachulia was fantastic yet again, as he recorded yet another double - double with 11 points and 17 rebounds. Deron Williams also had a great all - around game, as he contributed 18 points, seven rebounds ans six assists in the defeat. Dallas will look to shoot better when they host the Washington Wizards on Saturday in their next scheduled game."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "9", "Magic": "8"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "94", "Magic": "103"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "8", "Magic": "11"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "45"}}, {"Assists": {"Elfrid Payton": "7"}, "Points": {"Elfrid Payton": "14", "Victor Oladipo": "14", "Gordon Hayward": "24"}, "Steals": {"Elfrid Payton": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Victor Oladipo": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Victor Oladipo": "7"}}], "The Orlando Magic (11 - 8) tallied their fifth straight victory on Thursday, defeating the Utah Jazz (8 - 9) 103 - 94. The Magic continued to surprise the NBA in Salt Lake City, advancing their record to three games above .500. The young and up - and - coming team has been winning with a balanced offensive approach, as they shot 45 percent from the field and saw six players score at least 14 points. Third-year shooting guard Victor Oladipo continues to shine in a reserve role, as he posted 14 points and seven rebounds in 24 minutes. Sophomore point guard Elfrid Payton, meanwhile, helped to bring a spark to the starting five, posting 14 points and seven assists to go along with two steals. Overall, the Magic have been seeing everything click on both sides of the ball, and have been seeing contributions across the roster. The Jazz, meanwhile, felt the absence of star center Rudy Gobert (MCL). The defensive powerhouse was ruled out indefinitely following an MCL sprain suffered during Wednesday's practice. In lieu of the dominant big, power forward Derrick Favors slid over to center, making room for forward Trevor Booker to enter the starting five. Despite an impressive 24 - point outing from small forward Gordon Hayward, the rest of the team simply could not get the job done against the Magic at home. The team will hope for a speedy return from their highly - valued center. Orlando is on one of the biggest hot streaks in the NBA, and will hope to continue that trend as they visit the Clippers on Saturday. The Jazz, meanwhile, dipped below .500 with the loss to Orlando. They will seek to even out their record as they take on Paul George and the red - hot Pacers on Saturday."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Lakers": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Luol Deng": "17", "Tarik Black": "13", "D'Angelo Russell": "17", "Jordan Clarkson": "20", "Lou Williams": "15", "Markieff Morris": "12", "Marcin Gortat": "21", "Bradley Beal": "23", "John Wall": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"Tarik Black": "11", "Marcin Gortat": "14", "John Wall": "3"}, "Assists": {"D'Angelo Russell": "11", "Marcin Gortat": "3", "John Wall": "11"}, "Blocks": {"John Wall": "1"}}], "John Wall's 33 - point, 11 - assist double - double that also included three rebounds, three steals and one block led the way for the Wizards. The Lakers battled back from a 58 - 44 halftime deficit, but were largely sabotaged by the whopping 20 turnovers they committed. Bradley Beal complemented Wall's effort with 23 points, and Marcin Gortat submitted a 21 - point, 14 - rebound double - double that also included three assists and a steal. Markieff Morris also accomplished the feat, registering 12 points and 11 rebounds. Otto Porter chipped in 11 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Jordan Clarkson's 20 points off the bench led the Lakers. D'Angelo Russell and Luol Deng posted matching 17 - point tallies, with the former also adding 11 assists. Tarik Black managed a 13 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. Lou Williams was also productive off the second unit, supplying 15 points."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"76ers": "54"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "122", "Kings": "119"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"76ers": "21", "Kings": "35"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "29"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "20"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Garrett Temple": "5", "DeMarcus Cousins": "5", "Arron Afflalo": "3", "Darren Collison": "2", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "1", "Matt Barnes": "2", "Robert Covington": "2", "Ersan Ilyasova": "1", "Jahlil Okafor": "2", "Nik Stauskas": "1", "Dario Saric": "6", "Gerald Henderson": "4", "Nerlens Noel": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Garrett Temple": "5"}, "Points": {"Garrett Temple": "7", "DeMarcus Cousins": "46", "Kosta Koufos": "6", "Arron Afflalo": "8", "Darren Collison": "8", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "17", "Matt Barnes": "16", "Robert Covington": "23", "Ersan Ilyasova": "10", "Jahlil Okafor": "15", "Nik Stauskas": "16", "Dario Saric": "17", "Gerald Henderson": "15", "Nerlens Noel": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Garrett Temple": "1", "DeMarcus Cousins": "15", "Arron Afflalo": "4", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "3", "Matt Barnes": "3", "Robert Covington": "10", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Jahlil Okafor": "4", "Dario Saric": "5", "Gerald Henderson": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "3"}, "Steals": {"Garrett Temple": "2", "DeMarcus Cousins": "1", "Darren Collison": "1", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "1", "Matt Barnes": "1", "Robert Covington": "4", "Ersan Ilyasova": "1", "Nik Stauskas": "1", "Gerald Henderson": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "3"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "1", "Nik Stauskas": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Matt Barnes": "2"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Sacramento Kings, 122 - 119, at Wells Fargo Center on Monday evening. The Kings (19 - 29) got off to a fast start, jumping on the Sixers (18 - 29) early and building a 35 - 21 lead after one quarter. Even without superstar Joel Embiid, the Sixers battled back, closing the gap to 55 - 48 by halftime. They gained the separation they needed in the third quarter, scoring an impressive 42 points during the period. A balanced offensive effort was key to overcoming another monster effort from the Kings' DeMarcus Cousins, as seven Philadelphia players managed double - digit scoring, and the Sixers tallied a 54 percent success rate overall from the field. Meanwhile, they also elicited 20 turnovers from Sacramento, which proved pivotal in their comeback. Cousins posted an eye - popping 46 - point, 15 - rebound double - double that also included five assists, one steal and one block. However, the big man also committed eight of the aforementioned 20 turnovers. The only other two double - digit scoring efforts came from the bench, as Willie Cauley-Stein went for 17 points, three rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block to lead the second unit, and Matt Barnes, whose three - point jumper brought Sacramento within 120 - 119 with five seconds remaining, tallied 16 points, three rebounds, two assists and one steal. Darren Collison and Arron Afflalo put forth a pair of eight - point efforts, with the former adding two assists and one steal, and the latter providing four rebounds and three assists. Garrett Temple (seven points, five assists, one rebound, two steals) and Kosta Koufos (six points) rounded out the starting five. The Sixers were led by Robert Covington's 23 points, which he supplemented with 10 rebounds, two assists and four steals. Dario Saric was next with a bench - leading 17 points, along with six assists and five rebounds. Nik Stauskas posted 16 points, one assist, one steal and one block. Jahlil Okafor started at center and registered 15 points, four rebounds and two assists. Henderson submitted 15 points, four assists, two rebounds and two steals off the bench, while Nerlens Noel had 12 points, three rebounds, two assists, three steals and one block as a member of the second unit as well. Ersan Ilyasova scored 10 points, two rebounds, one assist and one steal. The Kings travel to Houston to take on the Rockets on Tuesday evening, while the Sixers also head to the Lone Star State to take on the Mavericks on Wednesday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "26", "Lakers": "46"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "126", "Lakers": "115"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bulls": "35"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "29", "Lakers": "11"}}, {"Assists": {"Kobe Bryant": "1", "Pau Gasol": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kobe Bryant": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "20", "Julius Randle": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Kobe Bryant": "8", "Julius Randle": "10"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kobe Bryant": "1"}, "Points": {"Kobe Bryant": "22", "Julius Randle": "22", "Lou Williams": "11", "Pau Gasol": "21", "E'Twaun Moore": "24", "Derrick Rose": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Julius Randle": "12", "Pau Gasol": "7"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (29 - 26) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (11 - 46) 126 - 115 at United Center on Sunday. Chicago entered the game riddled with injuries to two of their key players, Jimmy Butler (knee) and Nikola MIrotic (appendectomy), and will remain without them for another 2 - 3 weeks. While the Bulls are a different team without Butler and Mirotic, they continue to run a similar offense, one that was able to handle one of the league's worst teams in the Lakers. It was a nostalgic night for Kobe Bryant, as this marked his last game in Chicago, one that brought up multiple montages of the Michael Jordan-Kobe Bryant days. The Lakers hung with the Bulls in the first half, playing competitively and physically behind Julius Randle, who strung together another strong performance to the tune of 22 points and 12 rebounds on 10 - of - 19 shooting. Randle is averaging a double - double on the season now, and entered the game with just over 10 rebounds a game, but it was his shooting percentage that needed work, and he showed promise for the second half of the season after a tough matchup with Pau Gasol and Taj Gibson throughout the game. The Lakers put together a 18 - 4 scoring run midway through the fourth quarter, which pulled the game within five points, but Derrick Rose drained multiple clutch shots down the stretch which kept the Lakers out of reach. D\u2019Angelo Russell got the start in favor of Lou Williams, a decision that we do not know is permanent yet, but it was Randle\u2019s first start since December 12. The rookie point guard totaled 15 points and six assists in 34 minutes, while Williams pitched in 11 points off the bench. Bryant scored 22 points on 8 - of - 20 shooting in his farewell game to Chicago. The Bulls combination of Derrick Rose, E'Twaun Moore and Pau Gasol was nearly unstoppable, as each player exploded for a 20 - plus point performance. The third quarter exploited the Lakers defensive issues, where Chicago extended a small halftime lead to 15 points by the end of that quarter. Rose and Moore both finished with 24 points, and the backcourt shot a combined 18 - of - 29 from the field. Gasol added 21 points, seven rebounds and five assists to round out the box score, and pitched in a needed midrange bucket within two minutes of regulation. The Bulls bench was lead by Bobby Portis and Doug McDermott, who combined for 35 points, as both exceeded 20 minutes of playing time. The Lakers will visit the Milwaukee Bucks (23 - 33) for a second game of a back - to - back on Monday, while the Bulls host the Washington Wizards (25 - 29) on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "28", "76ers": "25"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "95", "76ers": "105"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "8", "76ers": "10"}}, {"Assists": {"Robert Covington": "1", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Joel Embiid": "4", "Nik Stauskas": "2", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "3", "Brook Lopez": "2", "Sean Kilpatrick": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Robert Covington": "1", "Ersan Ilyasova": "1", "Joel Embiid": "2", "Nik Stauskas": "1", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Isaiah Whitehead": "2", "Justin Hamilton": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Robert Covington": "2"}, "Points": {"Robert Covington": "15", "Ersan Ilyasova": "14", "Joel Embiid": "20", "Nik Stauskas": "15", "Dario Saric": "18", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "12", "Brook Lopez": "26", "Sean Kilpatrick": "10", "Justin Hamilton": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Robert Covington": "11", "Ersan Ilyasova": "7", "Joel Embiid": "5", "Nik Stauskas": "5", "Dario Saric": "5", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "8", "Brook Lopez": "2", "Joe Harris": "5", "Sean Kilpatrick": "3", "Justin Hamilton": "5"}, "Steals": {"Robert Covington": "5", "Dario Saric": "1", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "1", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Sean Kilpatrick": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Robert Covington": "2"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 105 - 95, at Barclays Center on Sunday. The Sixers (10 - 25) checked in to Sunday's game with only three road victories in 14 tries, but a balanced offensive effort and opportunistic defense helped them improve that mark at the expense of the Nets (8 - 28). Joel Embiid, who'd tallied a career - high 33 points in the previous meeting between the two clubs, led the way once again with 20 points, while Robert Covington produced a 15 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia defense elicited 22 turnovers from the NBA's most mistake - prone team, which also played a pivotal part in the rare double - digit road win. Embiid added five rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Covington also dished out an assist and recorded a game - high five steals, along with a block. Nik Stauskas totaled 15 points, five rebounds, two assists and a block. Ersan Ilyasova went for 14 points, seven rebounds, two assists and a block. Dario Saric paced the second unit with 18 points, five boards and a steal. Brook Lopez paced the Nets with a game - high 26 points, which he supplemented with two rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. Bojan Bogdanovic provided 12 points, eight boards, three assists and a steal. Isaiah Whitehead, Trevor Booker and Joe Harris combined for only nine points, but Justin Hamilton helped make up for it with 16 points, five rebounds and two blocks off the bench. Meanwhile, Sean Kilpatrick was productive again on the second unit, registering 10 points, three rebounds, three assists and a steal. The Sixers head back home to face off with the New York Knicks on Wednesday night, while the Nets remain home and await the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday evening."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "8", "Raptors": "6"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "99", "Raptors": "105"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "6", "Raptors": "10"}}, {"Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "14", "Jonas Valanciunas": "12", "DeMar DeRozan": "26", "Kyle Lowry": "19", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "29", "Tony Snell": "16", "Matthew Dellavedova": "11", "Greg Monroe": "8"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "6", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "11", "Matthew Dellavedova": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "18", "Tony Snell": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "9", "Tony Snell": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMar DeRozan": "7", "Kyle Lowry": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6", "Matthew Dellavedova": "3", "Greg Monroe": "10"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Lowry": "2"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the host Milwaukee Bucks, 105 - 99, at BMO Harris Bradley Center on Friday. This was one of those rare instances in which it was a close game, with very few lead changes or ties. In fact, no team led by more than 10 points, with only five ties and four lead changes being accounted for. With that said, Toronto led for nearly the entirety of the game, with the Bucks never leading by more than two points. All the statistics favor the Bucks, as they won the shooting percentage, rebounding battle, fastbreak points, points in the paint and assist - to - turnover ratio. A big factor for Milwaukee was their poor free - throw shooting, as they shot 58 percent on 12 attempts, to 79 percent on 19 attempts for Toronto. Toronto (10 - 6) was dominated in many of the statistics, but they won the one that mattered most. DeMar DeRozan continued his scoring exhibition, as he tallied 26 points, seven rebounds and four assists on 9 - of - 18 shooting. Kyle Lowry was second on the team, accumulating 19 points, five rebounds, six assists and two steals in the victory. Jonas Valanciunas finished with 12 points, while DeMarre Carroll scored 14. Strangely, no player on Toronto finished with more than seven rebounds, six assists or two steals in their win. Toronto is off until Monday, when they host the Philadelphia 76ers for their next game. Milwaukee (6 - 8) played a better game than Toronto, but they simply could n't escape with a much needed win. Giannis Antetokounmpo carried the load, accruing a game - high 29 points, six rebounds and 11 assists. Tony Snell was second on the team, scoring 16 points on 6 - of - 12 shooting. Mathew Dellavedova tallied 11 points, three rebounds and eight assists. Greg Monroe finally got some run off the bench, totaling eight points and 10 rebounds in 18 minutes. On deck for the Bucks is a road matchup against the Orlando Magic on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "36"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "22", "Rockets": "38"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "100", "Rockets": "106"}, "Rebounds": {"Cavaliers": "38", "Rockets": "55"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "52", "Rockets": "37"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Rockets": "36"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"Dwight Howard": "22"}, "Free throws made": {"Dwight Howard": "7"}, "Points": {"Dwight Howard": "11", "James Harden": "27", "Michael Beasley": "17", "Kyrie Irving": "31", "Tristan Thompson": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "11", "Michael Beasley": "8", "Tristan Thompson": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "16"}, "Assists": {"Kyrie Irving": "8"}}], "The Houston Rockets (37 - 38) came back to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers (52 - 22) 106 - 100 on Tuesday. This game meant more to Houston than it did Cleveland and the second half shows just that. The Cavaliers carried a 19 - point lead at half, but allowed the Rockets to make a huge comeback in their home building. In fact, the Rockets outscored the Cavaliers 64 to 41 in the second half. Houston's defense was key, as they held Cleveland to 36 percent shooting and outrebounded them 55 to 38. This win put Houston solely in the eight - seed and it may be their biggest win of the season. James Harden really stepped up in the fourth quarter, as he scored 16 of his 27 points in the final 12 minutes. Dwight Howard double - doubled in an 11 - point, 11 - rebound outing, despite shooting 7 - for - 22 from the free - throw line. Michael Beasley was a nice spark off the bench, as he scored 17, while grabbing eight boards. On deck for the Rockets is a matchup with the Chicago Bulls on Thursday. Cleveland played this game without a rested LeBron James and they clearly didn\u2019t have the fire they needed to win this game. Kyrie Irving did step up in his absence though, as he accumulated 31 points and eight assists. Tristan Thompson recorded a double - double off the bench as well, as he totaled 16 points and 10 rebounds. The Cavaliers will look to bounce back on Thursday against the Brooklyn Nets in their next game. Cleveland actually lost to the Nets the last time they played, so look for them to avenge that loss as a huge favorite."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "49"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "6", "Knicks": "25"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "118", "Knicks": "108"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "22", "Knicks": "5"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "26"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "12"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "28", "Cole Aldrich": "11", "Jose Calderon": "15", "Samuel Dalembert": "2", "Jason Smith": "16", "Jonas Valanciunas": "10", "Terrence Ross": "18", "Kyle Lowry": "22", "Greivis Vasquez": "21", "Lou Williams": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "5", "Cole Aldrich": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Jason Smith": "21"}, "3-pointers made": {"Terrence Ross": "4"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "9", "Greivis Vasquez": "5"}}], "The Raptors (22 - 6) got 22 points and nine assists from Kyle Lowry en route to a 118 - 108 win over the Knicks (5 - 25) on Sunday. Toronto jumped out to an eight - point first quarter lead and never looked back, maintaining a seven - point advantage at the half. The Raptors turned it on in the third quarter, beginning the period on a 17 - 7 run and extending the lead to 16 points entering the fourth. Lowry\u2019s 22 led the way for Toronto, and the point guard was serenaded with \u201cMVP\u201d chants from fans while at the free throw line in the fourth quarter. Jonas Valanciunas added 10 points, and Terrence Ross finished with 18, including four three - pointers. Lou Williams contributed 22 points off the bench, and Greivis Vasquez had 21 to go with five assists. The Raptors shot nearly 49 percent from the floor and knocked down 14 three - pointers as a team. The Knicks were led by 28 points (12 - 26 FG) and five rebounds from Carmelo Anthony. Jose Calderon added 15, and Cole Aldrich, who started at center with Amare Stoudemire resting, finished with 11 points and seven rebounds. Jason Smith was the high man off the bench with 16 points in 21 minutes. Samuel Dalembert, who finished with two points, was ejected in the third quarter for elbowing Valanciunas. Up next, the Knicks face the Wizards at Madison Square Garden on Christmas Day. Toronto plays at Chicago on Monday night."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "43"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "18", "John Wall": "18", "James Harden": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Bradley Beal": "9", "James Harden": "6"}, "Points": {"Bradley Beal": "27", "John Wall": "18", "James Harden": "23", "Eric Gordon": "31"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "12", "James Harden": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Eric Gordon": "6"}}], "After a career - defining night on New Year's Eve, Houston's James Harden made a splash once again on Monday. Harden recorded his third straight triple - double, scoring 23 points to go with 10 rebounds and 10 assists. It was not Harden's best outing, however, as the superstar shot just 6 - of - 24 and had six turnovers. Sixth man Eric Gordon, meanwhile, had a team - high 31 points and knocked down six three - pointers. The Rockets as a whole had 12 three - pointers but shot just 43 percent from the field. Washington's backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal impressed on Monday. Wall had a double - double, scoring 18 and dishing out 12 assists. Beal, meanwhile, led the team with 27 points on 9 - of - 18 shooting. The team struggled, however, shooting just 43 percent and only hitting six three - pointers."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Suns": "25"}, "Number of team assists": {"Wizards": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"John Wall": "14"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"John Wall": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"John Wall": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"John Wall": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"John Wall": "1"}, "Points": {"John Wall": "25"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"John Wall": "3"}}], "John Wall has been one of the most consistent ball distributors in the NBA this season, as his 11 assists per game are second - best in the league this season behind James Harden's 11 per game. Tuesday was yet another example of Wall being at his best as a point guard, and when he's at his best, his team typically is as well. In Tuesday's win over the Suns, Wall dished out 14 assists to go along with his 25 points, and this season, when Wall shares the ball as effectively as he did against Phoenix, the Wizards are almost impossible to beat. In the 19 games where Wall has recorded at least 13 assists this season, Washington is 15 - 4, with three of those losses - - against the Grizzlies, Thunder and Spurs - - coming in the first 18 games of the regular season."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pelicans": "47", "Rockets": "21"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "53", "Rockets": "40"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "16"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "111", "Rockets": "83"}, "Rebounds": {"Pelicans": "49", "Rockets": "38"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "17"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Trevor Ariza": "2", "James Harden": "6", "Ryan Anderson": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Trevor Ariza": "0", "James Harden": "1", "Ryan Anderson": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Trevor Ariza": "5", "James Harden": "13", "Tyreke Evans": "15", "Ryan Anderson": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Trevor Ariza": "1", "James Harden": "5", "Tyreke Evans": "10", "Ryan Anderson": "9"}, "Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "2", "Dwight Howard": "12", "James Harden": "11", "Donatas Motiejunas": "10", "Corey Brewer": "12", "Anthony Davis": "7", "Tyreke Evans": "21", "Dante Cunningham": "13", "Ryan Anderson": "22", "Jimmer Fredette": "10"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "3", "Tyreke Evans": "5", "Ryan Anderson": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "6", "Anthony Davis": "8", "Tyreke Evans": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Tyreke Evans": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Ryan Anderson": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Ryan Anderson": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Ryan Anderson": "24"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Ryan Anderson": "1"}, "Steals": {"Ryan Anderson": "1"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (17 - 16) defeated the Houston Rockets (24 - 10) 111 - 83 on Friday at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The Pelicans really dominated all aspects of this game. To begin with, they were the superior shooters, going 53 percent from the field and 47 percent from the three - point line compared to the Rockets who went 40 percent from the floor and only 21 percent from beyond the arc. The Pelicans also established a hefty rebounding advantage, finishing with 49 compared to the 38 recorded by the Rockets. The Pelicans also got to the free throw line nine more times, converting on 16 - of - 20 at the line. While hard to believe, Anthony Davis was n't a huge factor in the Pelicans' victory. He finished with only seven points and eight rebounds. Instead, the Pelicans received most of their production from Tyreke Evans and Ryan Anderson. Evans had a very impressive night, going 10 - for - 15 from the field to score 21 points, while also adding five assists and four rebounds. Over his last four games, he's now averaging 22 points, as he's had the hot hand of late. Anderson on the other hand came off the bench to shoot 9 - for - 14 from the field and 3 - for - 6 from beyond the arc while scoring 22 points in 24 minutes. With that performance, Anderson continues to prove himself as one of the most consistent sixth men in the league. Also coming off the bench, both Dante Cunningham and Jimmer Fredette had 13 and 10 points respectively. For the Rockets, neither James Harden, nor Trevor Ariza had their usual output. Harden had only 11 points (5 - 13 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt) and three assists, marking his worst game offensively since mid - November. Considering he's averaging 27 points per game this year, it was a very dissapointing day for Rockets' fans. Ariza on the other hand shot only 1 - for - 5 from the field and 0 - for - 2 from the three - point line to finish with a meager two points. With both Harden and Ariza struggling, the Rockets just did n't have their usual offensive burst. Dwight Howard and Corey Brewer led the team in points with 12 points each. The only other Rocket to reach double figures was Donatas Motiejunas, who contributed 10 points and six rebounds. The Pelicans' next game will be at home against the Washington Wizards on Monday, while the Rockets will be at home against the Miami Heat on Saturday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "17", "Bradley Beal": "8", "John Wall": "12"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "32", "Kevin Love": "39", "Kyrie Irving": "23", "Bradley Beal": "41", "John Wall": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kevin Love": "12", "Bradley Beal": "5", "John Wall": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Love": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kevin Love": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Kevin Love": "11"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Love": "3"}}], "The hype of this game was high coming in and the teams did n't disappoint. In this overtime thriller, there were 15 ties and 16 lead changes, with no team leading by more than nine points. The key for Cleveland was their three - point shooting, as they went 19 - of - 38, while Washington went just 12 - of - 29 from long distance. LeBron James did foul out in overtime, but finished with 32 points, seven rebounds and 17 assists. Kevin Love led the team in scoring, totaling 39 points, while also adding 12 rebounds and three steals. Kyrie Irving scored 11 of his 23 points in overtime to carry the Cavs to victory. Bradley Beal was Washington's best player, as he accumulated 41 points, five rebounds and eight assists. John Wall amassed 22 points, four rebounds and 12 assists. Otto Porter was second on the team in scoring, collecting 25 points and six rebounds."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "41"}, "Rebounds": {"Mavericks": "30", "Pistons": "50"}}, {"Assists": {"Reggie Jackson": "6", "Deron Williams": "5"}, "Points": {"Reggie Jackson": "20", "Jon Leuer": "19", "Harrison Barnes": "19"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jon Leuer": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Jon Leuer": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Jon Leuer": "5"}}], "The Detroit Pistons saw utter domination on the glass in their win over Dallas, due in large part to the dominance of center Andre Drummond. The All-Star center had a stat line reminiscent of Dennis Rodman, scoring only three points on 1 - of - 3 shooting, but pulling down a monstrous 17 rebounds to lead the team. The Pistons finished with a 50 - 30 advantage in the rebounding column. Point guard Reggie Jackson led the team in scoring, pouring in 20 points to go along with six assists. Meanwhile, bench forward Jon Leuer made a contribution of 19 points and five rebounds on 8 - of - 9 shooting. It was an overall efficient night for the Pistons, as the team shot over 50 percent from the field. Dallas, however, saw offensive inefficiency. Though the team forced 19 turnovers, they were largely unable to capitalize, shooting just 41 percent and having only two players score in double digits. Forward Harrison Barnes led the team with 19 points, while point guard Deron Williams had 13 points and five assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "9", "Suns": "12"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "109", "Suns": "106"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Wizards": "31", "Suns": "21"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "8", "Suns": "8"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Jon Leuer": "23", "Markieff Morris": "28"}, "Points": {"Jon Leuer": "13", "Brandon Knight": "19", "Eric Bledsoe": "22", "Markieff Morris": "10", "TJ Warren": "11", "Otto Porter": "13", "Bradley Beal": "34", "John Wall": "17", "Gary Neal": "12", "Ramon Sessions": "18"}, "Assists": {"Brandon Knight": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "7", "Bradley Beal": "5", "John Wall": "9", "Gary Neal": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Brandon Knight": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Brandon Knight": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "4", "Gary Neal": "6"}, "Steals": {"Brandon Knight": "1", "Eric Bledsoe": "2", "Otto Porter": "1", "Bradley Beal": "2", "John Wall": "2", "Ramon Sessions": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bradley Beal": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"Bradley Beal": "12"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Bradley Beal": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Bradley Beal": "2"}}], "The Washington Wizards (8 - 9) defeated the Phoenix Suns (8 - 12) 109 - 106 on Friday. The Suns dropped their seventh game in eight tries in rather improbable fashion. Phoenix led until 1:42 in the fourth quarter, but were done in by a relentless Wizards squad that has suddenly rediscovered their offense. Bradley Beal led the way for the home team with a season - high 34 points, which he accomplished on 12 - of - 23 shooting. The Washington guard also equaled his season high with five three - pointers, after shooting only 14 percent (2 - for - 14) from beyond the arc the previous two games. Spearheaded by Beal's outstanding efforts, the Wizards won the final period 31 - 21, and also dominated down low, outscoring the visitors in the paint 50 - 40. Phoenix was led by Eric Bledsoe, who managed 22 points, seven assists and four rebounds, along with a pair of steals. However, the Suns' shooting guard had his hands full throughout the night trying to contain Beal, which he largely failed to accomplish. His backourt mate and partner - in - crime Brandon Knight was second with 19 points, five rebounds, five assists, a steal and a block. Jon Leuer received a second consecutive start in place of Markieff Morris, and although he could n't replicate his 20 - point outing from Wednesday, he did post a second straight double - digit scoring effort with 13 points over 23 minutes. Morris did play, albeit off the bench, but ended up outpacing Leuer with 28 minutes on the floor, posting 10 points over that span. T.J. Warren led the reserves with 11 points. The Suns fell to 8 - 12 and currently reside in third place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. They head to Memphis to face the Grizzlies on Sunday. John Wall supported Beal's performance with 17 points, nine assists, five rebounds and a pair of steals. However, the Wizards' bench supplied the majority of the rest of the offense on this night, as Otto Porter, Jr. was the only other Washington starter with double - digit scoring (13). Ramon Sessions was second on the team in scoring with 18 points, his second - highest total of the season, and added a pair of assists and a steal. Gary Neal also kicked in 12 points, a season - high six rebounds, and an assist. The Wizards improved to 8 - 9 but remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They remain home for a date versus the Mavericks on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "26", "76ers": "43"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "106", "76ers": "94"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Wizards": "22"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Wizards": "22"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "22", "76ers": "7"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"76ers": "18"}}, {"Blocks": {"Nerlens Noel": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nerlens Noel": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Nerlens Noel": "8", "Ish Smith": "5", "Marcin Gortat": "13", "John Wall": "13"}, "Steals": {"Nerlens Noel": "1"}, "Assists": {"Ish Smith": "5", "John Wall": "10"}, "Points": {"Ish Smith": "22", "Bradley Beal": "22", "John Wall": "18"}}], "John Wall had a triple - double in the Washington Wizards' (22 - 26) 106 - 94 win over the Philadelphia 76ers (7 - 43). Wall exploded for 18 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists as Washington rolled past their Eastern Conference opponent. All five starters scored in double digits for the Wizards, as Bradley Beal led the way with 22. Center Marcin Gortat, meanwhile, posted a double - double with 22 points and 13 rebounds. The win comes on the heels of a loss to the powerhouse Golden State Warriors in which Wall led the team with 41 points. The Sixers, meanwhile, remain at the bottom of the NBA totem pole. After a historically bad start, Philadelphia began to show some promise in January; however, they could not push past Washington. Midseason acquisition Ish Smith led the team with 22 points to go along with five rebounds and five assists. Promising sophomore center Nerlens Noel also had a strong showing, blocking four shots, grabbing a steal, and pulling down eight rebounds. Philly will have the weekend off before facing the Clippers on Monday. The Wizards, meanwhile, see action again on Sunday as they take on Charlotte."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "9", "Grizzlies": "12"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "100", "Grizzlies": "97"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "13", "Grizzlies": "13"}}, {"Assists": {"Jeff Green": "3", "Marc Gasol": "4", "Zach Randolph": "4", "Chris Bosh": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Jeff Green": "45", "Zach Randolph": "26", "Hassan Whiteside": "28"}, "Points": {"Jeff Green": "26", "Matt Barnes": "13", "Marc Gasol": "12", "Zach Randolph": "12", "Chris Bosh": "22", "Hassan Whiteside": "9", "Dwyane Wade": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Jeff Green": "2", "Matt Barnes": "13", "Marc Gasol": "7", "Mike Conley": "1", "Zach Randolph": "6", "Chris Bosh": "4", "Hassan Whiteside": "11", "Dwyane Wade": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Mike Conley": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Mike Conley": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Mike Conley": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chris Bosh": "10", "Dwyane Wade": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Chris Bosh": "7", "Dwyane Wade": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"Dwyane Wade": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Justise Winslow": "1"}}], "The Miami Heat (13 - 9) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (13 - 12) 100 - 97 on Sunday. Memphis came into American Airlines Arena using a small lineup in which Marc Gasol\u2019s front court partner, Zach Randolph, came off the bench in favor of Jeff Green and Matt Barnes. Green played nearly 45 minutes, adding 26 points, two rebounds and three assists, and led all scorers in the losing effort. The Grizzlies played possession basketball and slowed the game down to a physical battle below the rim. Gasol contributed 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists, while Randolph completed 66 percent of his shots for 12 points, six rebounds and four assists in 26 minutes. Matt Barnes added a double - double with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Memphis had a chance to tie the game on the final possession, but a mistimed pass from Mike Conley to Marc Gasol resulted in a turnover, eventually sending Justise Winslow to the free throw line where he extended the lead to three points. Mike Conley came a few inches away on a 55 foot hail mary with 1 left, but the miracle did not come to fruition. Dwyane Wade turned in a vintage performance with five minutes left in the game, where the three time NBA champion drove the lane for a clutch layup and followed up with the go ahead midrange jumper to put the Heat up 98 - 97 with under 24 seconds left. Wade finished with 14 points, four rebounds and two assists on 7 - of - 16 shooting. Hassan Whiteside, the NBA\u2019s leader in blocks, was unable to register a stat in that category, but still added nine points and 11 rebounds in 28 minutes. Chris Bosh led all Miami scorers with 22 points and shot lights out from the floor (7 - of - 10), to go along with four rebounds and two assists. The Heat continue to dominate on their home court, where they are now 11 - 4 on the year. Both teams play the second game of a back - to - back on Monday, with the Heat visiting the Atlanta Hawks (14 - 11) and the Grizzlies hosting the Washington Wizards (10 - 12)."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "16", "Mavericks": "5"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "103", "Mavericks": "110"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "0", "Mavericks": "13"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Tyson Chandler": "9", "Monta Ellis": "14", "Devin Harris": "13", "Michael Carter-Williams": "13", "KJ McDaniels": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Tyson Chandler": "7", "Monta Ellis": "6", "Devin Harris": "6", "Michael Carter-Williams": "4", "KJ McDaniels": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tyson Chandler": "7", "Monta Ellis": "7", "Devin Harris": "3", "Michael Carter-Williams": "12", "KJ McDaniels": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Tyson Chandler": "6", "Monta Ellis": "6", "Devin Harris": "2", "Michael Carter-Williams": "10", "KJ McDaniels": "3"}, "Points": {"Tyson Chandler": "20", "Monta Ellis": "18", "Devin Harris": "15", "Michael Carter-Williams": "18", "KJ McDaniels": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyson Chandler": "13", "Michael Carter-Williams": "10", "KJ McDaniels": "13"}, "Assists": {"Monta Ellis": "5", "Devin Harris": "5", "Michael Carter-Williams": "16"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Devin Harris": "3", "Michael Carter-Williams": "3", "KJ McDaniels": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Devin Harris": "1", "Michael Carter-Williams": "0", "KJ McDaniels": "2"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (13 - 5) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (0 - 16) 110 - 103 at the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday. While the absence of Dirk Nowitzki (DNP-rest) might be looked at as a potential deterrent for the team, the Mavericks' wide array of depth was able to overcome Nowitzki's absence. Six Mavericks scored in double digits. The team's overall effort was lead by Tyson Chandler, who finished with 20 points (7 - 9 FG, 6 - 7 FT) and 13 rebounds. Monta Ellis had 18 points (6 - 14 FG, 6 - 7 FT) and five assists, and Devin Harris contributed 15 points (6 - 13 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT) and four assists. Despite the hard - fought defeat, the 76ers had their fair share of solid contributors. That effort was lead by Michael Carter-Williams who had an 18 - point (4 - 13 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 10 - 12 FT, 16 - assist and 10 - rebound triple - double. Fellow young Philly prospect, K.J. McDaniels, had an absolutely marvelous performance as he had 21 points (8 - 17 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT) and 13 rebounds (10 offensive). The Mavericks will continue their Northern road trip by traveling to Chicago to square off against the Bulls on Tuesday, while Philly will stay at home as they'll play against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday."], [[{"Total points": {"Lakers": "81", "Clippers": "91"}}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "3", "Chris Paul": "8"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "13", "Chris Paul": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "8", "Chris Paul": "5"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (50 - 28) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (16 - 61) 91 - 81 at Staples Center on Wednesday. The Clippers handed the Lakers their 11th straight loss to their hometown rivals and earned their 50th win of the season. Doc Rivers opted to rest Wesley Johnson, Jamal Crawford and Austin Rivers with the playoffs around the corner, but also got a slight scare when Jeff Green exited the game with a right knee contusion, initial reports suggest he will be available for the Clippers next game on Friday. The Staples Center was electric as it was Kobe Bryant\u2019s second to last home game. The 20 year veteran shot more efficiently from the field as compared to Tuesday\u2019s performance against the same Clippers squad, and finished with 17 points on 6 - of - 19 shooting. Jordan Clarkson and D\u2019Angelo Russell also bounced back a bit, and combined for 26 points on 10 - of - 28 shooting. When the backcourt duo clicks, it provides the Lakers with enough offense to contend against the bottom half opponents in the league, but the Clippers proved too much to handle throughout the all four quarters. Four Clippers starters finished in low double figures, but the best sign came from Blake Griffin, who looked more like his usual self with 13 points, eight rebounds and three assists in 24 minutes. Chris Paul rounded out the box score with 13 points also, in addition to five rebounds and eight assists. The bench saw increased minutes, and everyone got their fair share of touches, as they made up for a third of the team's scoring. Both teams play on Friday, as the Clippers visit the Utah Jazz (39 - 39), while the Lakers visit the New Orleans Pelicans (29 - 49)."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "54", "Pistons": "49"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "3", "Pistons": "1"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "103", "Pistons": "120"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "11", "Pistons": "41"}, "Turnovers": {"Trail Blazers": "22"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "4", "Pistons": "5"}}, {"Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "3"}, "Points": {"Andre Drummond": "29", "Reggie Jackson": "40", "Damian Lillard": "26", "Allen Crabbe": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "27", "Reggie Jackson": "5"}, "Steals": {"Andre Drummond": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "2"}, "Assists": {"Reggie Jackson": "5", "Damian Lillard": "11"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (5 - 1) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (4 - 3) 120 - 103 on Sunday. The Pistons continued their fantastic start to the season on Sunday in a matchup of the two surprise teams in the NBA. The game seemed to be in Portland's hands going into the fourth quarter, but the Pistons really turned it on over the final 12 minutes, outscoring Portland 41 - 11. Amazingly, Detroit somehow prevailed while allowing 54 percent shooting from the Blazers, while shooting 49 percent on their own end. The key to the loss for Portland was their propensity to turn the ball over, as they committed 22 turnovers in the loss. Detroit was once again led by Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson, who are arguably becoming the best point guard - center tandem in the NBA right now. Drummond put together another ridiculous line, as he tallied 29 points, 27 rebounds, two steals and three blocks in the victory. That now puts his rebounding average at 20 per game and that leads the league by nearly seven boards a game. Point guard Reggie Jackson also had another spectacular performance, accumulating a career - high 40 points, five rebounds and five assists in the win. These two are simply on a different level right now and it's easy to see why Detroit has started off so well. Detroit will look to build off this fantastic comeback om Monday in their toughest test of the season when they take on the Warriors in the second half of a back - to - back. The Blazers completely fell apart in the fourth quarter, as they shot 4 - for - 18 from the field in an 11 - point quarter, while allowing 41 points on the defensive end. This is a very tough loss for this young Portland team, but they have to be satisfied with the 4 - 3 start. Damian Lillard put in yet another fine effort on Sunday, totaling 26 points and 11 assists in the loss. He is now averaging over 27 points and seven assists a game and appears to be an early favorite to make his first All-Star team. The Blazers got 15 points off the bench from Allen Crabbe, but the rest of the bench combined for only 11 points. Portland will look to rebound in their next game on Monday when they take on the Nuggets in the second half of a back - to - back."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "8"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "105", "Warriors": "118"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "6", "Warriors": "15"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "53"}}, {"Assists": {"Harrison Barnes": "4", "Klay Thompson": "7", "Stephen Curry": "7", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "8", "Will Barton": "3"}, "Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "17", "Klay Thompson": "21", "Stephen Curry": "19", "Marreese Speights": "4", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "17", "Will Barton": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Harrison Barnes": "3", "Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "4", "Marreese Speights": "6", "Will Barton": "6"}, "Steals": {"Harrison Barnes": "3", "Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "16", "Stephen Curry": "16", "Will Barton": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Klay Thompson": "7", "Stephen Curry": "8", "Will Barton": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Marreese Speights": "6", "Will Barton": "27"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "25"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (150) beat the Denver Nuggets (6 - 8) 118 - 105 on Sunday. The Warriors extended their winning streak to 15 games, tying the 1993 - 1994 Houston Rockets for most consecutive wins to open a NBA season. After a tough stretch of games including the Clippers, Bulls and Raptors, Golden State coasted into Denver and earned a comfortable win. The Warriors shot 53 percent from the field as a unit, led by Klay Thompson, as he finished with 21 points, three rebounds and seven assists on 7 - for - 16 shooting. Curry was not far behind his backcourt partner and tallied 19 points, four rebounds and seven assists on 8 - for - 16 shooting in 27 minutes played. Harrison Barnes is improving on a nightly basis and his impact on the floor is garnering more attention from defenders, as the forward contributed 17 points, three rebounds, four assists and three steals. The Warriors bench went seven players deep, including the return of Marreese Speights, who added four points and six rebounds in six minutes of work. The Nuggets were without Kenneth Faried (coach decision), but received double figures from all five of their starters. Emmanuel Mudiay tallied 17 points and eight assists, but shot 25 percent from the field and could not get into any sort of rhythm down the stretch. Will Barton continues to improve upon a strong start to the season and finished with 19 points, six rebounds and three assists on 7 - for - 10 shooting in 27 minutes off the bench. The Nuggets were consistently unable to take advantage of the early Warriors turnovers, even after keeping offensive possessions alive in the first half by crashing the glass. Both teams play at home on Tuesday, as the Warriors look to make history against the Los Angeles Lakers (2 - 10), while the Nuggets face the Los Angeles Clippers (6 - 7)."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "38"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "9", "Spurs": "4"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "83", "Spurs": "103"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "11", "Spurs": "16"}}, {"Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "13", "Danny Green": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "9", "Danny Green": "0"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "27", "Danny Green": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (16 - 4) dominated the Memphis Grizzlies (11 - 9) on Thursday, winning 103 - 83. Spurs star Kawhi Leonard continued his dominant breakout season, torching the Grizzlies for 27 points on extremely efficient 9 - for - 13 shooting, including 7 - for - 9 from beyond the three - point line. Leonard paired the impressive scoring outburst with his well - known lockdown defense, recording two steals and a block and playing a stellar game on both sides of the ball. On a less positive note, shooting guard Danny Green's woes from the field continued, as he shot 0 - for - 5 and recorded just two points on the game. The whole Grizzlies squad, meanwhile, struggled from the field, shooting a paltry 38 percent including just 2 - for - 16 from deep. While the Grizzlies are not known as a three - point shooting team, Thursday's contest marked one of their worst efforts of the season from beyond the arc. Memphis had been rising up the ranks of the Western Conference leading up to the game; however, the powerhouse Spurs simply seemed to outmatch them on both sides of the ball. The Spurs remain the second seed in the Western Conference, extending their lead over Oklahoma City by yet another game. San Antonio will look to continue their hot start as they prepare to take on Boston on Saturday. The Grizzlies, meanwhile, will hope to bounce back from the loss as they face off against Phoenix on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "20", "Raptors": "8"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "91", "Raptors": "95"}, "Turnovers": {"Trail Blazers": "18"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "13", "Raptors": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "7", "Kyle Lowry": "4", "CJ McCollum": "7"}, "Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "20", "Kyle Lowry": "27", "CJ McCollum": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMar DeRozan": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Patrick Patterson": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Patrick Patterson": "5"}}], "The visiting Toronto Raptors squeaked by the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday, winning 95 - 91. Toronto (22 - 8) holds one of the league's top records, having now won nine of its last 11 games. On Monday, Toronto saw stellar play from star point guard Kyle Lowry, who led the team with 27 points. Lowry added seven rebounds and four assists. Shooting guard DeMar DeRozan, meanwhile, had 20 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. The team struggled on offense overall, shooting just 33 percent. However, the Raptors did have 12 three - pointers and reached the line 24 times in the game. Five of those threes came off the bench, as forward Patrick Patterson hit 5 - of - 11 from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Portland (13 - 20) is currently in the midst of the league's biggest slide. The Blazers hold the last - ranked defense in the NBA and are slowly falling out of the playoff picture in the West. On Monday, though, it was offensive struggles that did the Blazers in. With leading scorer Damian Lillard (ankle) out, the team was left struggling to find baskets. The team shot only 42 percent and hit just eight threes. The Blazers also committed a whopping 18 turnovers. However, guard C.J. McCollum impressed with 29 points and seven assists. On Wednesday, the Raptors will face the Warriors and the Blazers will take on the Kings."], [[{"Total points": {"Cavaliers": "114", "Hawks": "111"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Cavaliers": "21", "Hawks": "24"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "3"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "3"}}, {"Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "10", "Paul Millsap": "22", "Al Horford": "14", "Kent Bazemore": "14", "Jeff Teague": "30", "Shelvin Mack": "13", "LeBron James": "37", "Tristan Thompson": "10", "Iman Shumpert": "15", "Matthew Dellavedova": "17", "JR Smith": "17"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "11", "Jeff Teague": "23", "Shelvin Mack": "10", "Iman Shumpert": "11", "Matthew Dellavedova": "15", "JR Smith": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul Millsap": "5", "Jeff Teague": "9", "Shelvin Mack": "5", "LeBron James": "14", "Tristan Thompson": "5", "Iman Shumpert": "5", "Matthew Dellavedova": "5", "JR Smith": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "11", "Shelvin Mack": "2", "LeBron James": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul Millsap": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Paul Millsap": "46", "Al Horford": "19", "Jeff Teague": "43", "Shelvin Mack": "28", "LeBron James": "47", "Tristan Thompson": "43", "Iman Shumpert": "43", "Matthew Dellavedova": "45", "JR Smith": "38"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "9", "Jeff Teague": "6", "LeBron James": "18", "Tristan Thompson": "7", "Iman Shumpert": "7", "JR Smith": "10"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "7", "LeBron James": "13"}, "Personal fouls": {"Shelvin Mack": "1", "Tristan Thompson": "5", "Iman Shumpert": "5"}, "Steals": {"Shelvin Mack": "1", "LeBron James": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Shelvin Mack": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"LeBron James": "10", "Tristan Thompson": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"LeBron James": "1", "Iman Shumpert": "4", "Matthew Dellavedova": "4", "JR Smith": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Iman Shumpert": "8", "Matthew Dellavedova": "9", "JR Smith": "9"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (11 - 2) defeated the Atlanta (8 - 7) 114 - 111 in overtime of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals on Sunday in Cleveland and now lead the series 30. LeBron James and the Cavaliers did not get off to the best start, as James missed his first 10 shots in the first quarter and found he and his team down 24 - 21 after the first quarter. Nevertheless, James was able to bounce back and he ended up carrying his team all the way down to the final buzzer, hitting 14 of his next 27 shot attempts. Cleveland still found themselves down by two in the final minute of overtime, but with 45 seconds left, James hit a huge corner three to put his team up by one. Then, after the Hawks came up empty on the next possession, James took it all the way to the rim and put them up three. Atlanta\u2019s Shelvin Mack got two shots to tie the game but missed them both, and the Cavaliers are now one game away from the NBA Finals. James finished the game with 37 points, 18 rebounds and 13 assists in 47 minutes, which has never been done in NBA playoff history. Kyrie Irving (knee) was out once again, but Matthew Dellavedova was spectacular on both ends of the floor in his place, finishing with 17 points (5 - 15 FG, 4 - 9 3Pt) in 45 minutes. J.R. Smith came off the bench and matched Dellavedova\u2019s total, scoring 17 points (6 - 14 FG, 3 - 9 3Pt) and grabbing 10 rebounds in 38 minutes and hitting a couple huge outside shots for his team. Iman Shumpert also continues his strong play in the playoffs, recording 15 points (5 - 11 FG, 4 - 8 3Pt) and seven rebounds in 43 minutes, while Tristan Thompson scored 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds in 43 minutes, rounding out the five Cleveland players who scored in double figures. As for Atlanta, they came into the game after losing Kyler Korver (ankle) for the rest of the playoffs and they also lost Al Horford after he committed a flagrant two foul on Dellavedova. Horford was ejected after playing just 19 minutes, but still had an efficient 14 points in that time. Regardless, they still fought to the very end on the back of Jeff Teague, who finished with a team - high 30 points (9 - 23 FG) to along with six rebounds and seven assists in 43 minutes. Paul Milsap wasn\u2019t too far behind in his effort, scoring 22 points (5 - 11 FG, 11 - 11 FT) and grabbing nine rebounds in 46 minutes. Kent Bazemore (14) and DeMarre Carroll (10) round out all five starters who scored double figures, while Mack played 28 minutes off the bench and was able to score 13 points. The Hawks now have their backs up against the wall, as no team in NBA playoff history has ever come back from being down 30. The Cavaliers will look to complete the sweep in Game 4 on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "25", "Cavaliers": "25"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "94", "Cavaliers": "127"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Mavericks": "31", "Cavaliers": "26"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "41", "Cavaliers": "41"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Cavaliers": "41"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"LeBron James": "5"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "27", "JR Smith": "21", "Kyrie Irving": "22", "Rajon Rondo": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"JR Smith": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"JR Smith": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"JR Smith": "8", "Dirk Nowitzki": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"JR Smith": "8", "Kyrie Irving": "5"}, "Assists": {"Kyrie Irving": "5", "Rajon Rondo": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Rajon Rondo": "24"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (41 - 25) routed the Dallas Mavericks (41 - 25) 127 - 94 on Tuesday at the American Airlines Center. After being outscored 31 - 26 in the first quarter, Cleveland dominated the final three frames to notch a convincing win over a Western Conference opponent. Four out of Cleveland's five starters reached 20 points on the night, led by LeBron James' 27. Dallas was held to 41 points in the second half as Cleveland avenged it's January loss at home to the Mavericks. Cleveland has gotten back on track after Friday's loss in Atlanta with two straight wins over Western Conference opponents. Kyrie Irving finished with 22 points and J.R Smith hit five of his eight attempts from beyond the arc on his way to scoring 21 points. The Cavaliers have three games left on its current four - game road trip, with their next game coming Thursday against the Spurs. Dallas's recent struggles resumed Tuesday after Sunday's win over the Lakers. The Mavericks did n't get much production from their starters, with Dirk Nowitzki going 3 - of - 10 from the field and Rajon Rondo managing just four points and three assists over 24 minutes. Al-Farouq Aminu injured his shoulder in the first half and did not return. The Mavericks will look to shake off this loss on Friday when they hosts the Clippers."], [[{"Wins": {"Wizards": "5"}}, {"Assists": {"Markieff Morris": "2", "Marcin Gortat": "2", "John Wall": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Markieff Morris": "1"}, "Points": {"Markieff Morris": "11", "Marcin Gortat": "12", "Bradley Beal": "14", "John Wall": "26", "Serge Ibaka": "19", "Nikola Vucevic": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "3", "Marcin Gortat": "9", "John Wall": "7", "Nikola Vucevic": "17"}, "Steals": {"Markieff Morris": "3", "John Wall": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"John Wall": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"John Wall": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"John Wall": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Evan Fournier": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Evan Fournier": "2"}}], "John Wall spearheaded a balanced effort for the Wizards that saw all five members of their starting five tally double - digit scoring. The All-Star point guard posted 26 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds and three steals, his third double - double in the last four games. Otto Porter turned in a solid 19 points, while Bradley Beal checked in with 14. Marcin Gortat totaled 12 points and nine rebounds, and Markieff Morris did a little bit of everything, posting 11 points, three rebounds, two assists, three steals and a block. The Wizards also forced 19 turnovers overall. Serge Ibaka paced Orlando with 19 points, while Nikola Vucevic was superb with a 17 - point, 17 - rebound double - double. The guard combo of Elfrid Payton and Evan Fournier supplied 26 points, but the latter could only muster a 2 - of - 9 tally from the field."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "32", "Cavaliers": "22"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "108", "Cavaliers": "110"}, "Rebounds": {"Hawks": "48", "Cavaliers": "57"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "45", "Cavaliers": "54"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "9", "Kyrie Irving": "7"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "29", "Kyrie Irving": "20", "Paul Millsap": "29", "Jeff Teague": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "16", "Paul Millsap": "12"}}], "In what was a historic night for superstar LeBron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers (54 - 22) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (45 - 32) 110 - 108 in overtime Friday. With a team - leading 29 points, James surapssed Oscar Robertson for 11th on the all - time scoring list. The 30 - year - old star remains active in climbing the all - time scoring ladder, and looks poised to finish even higher when all is said and done. Scoring was n't the focus on Friday for James, however, as the star also snagged a season - high 16 rebounds and dished out nine assists. Fellow All-Star Kyrie Irving, meanwhile, scored 20 points and also dished out seven assists. The narrow win allows the Cavs to escape with a lead of 3 games over the contending Toronto Raptors for homecourt advantage. The Hawks, meanwhile, have now lost two in a row after a hot month of March. Friday's loss came in heartbreaking, down - to - the - wire fashion, as the two teams were almost inseparable on the night. Star forward Paul Millsap helped make the game competetive, delivering 29 points and 12 rebounds. All-Star Jeff Teague also chipped in a big 28 points. The Hawks suffered, however, from a major 57 - 48 disadvantage in the rebounding column, allowing Cleveland several extra possessions. Cleveland will host the Hornets on Sunday, while the Hawks wo n't see the court until they host Phoenix on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "24", "Hornets": "32"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "90", "Hornets": "85"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Raptors": "31", "Hornets": "20"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Raptors": "32", "Hornets": "10"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "33", "Hornets": "24"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "34"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hornets": "34"}}, {"Assists": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "2", "Frank Kaminsky": "3", "Nicolas Batum": "5", "Kemba Walker": "9", "DeMar DeRozan": "2", "DeMarre Carroll": "4", "Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "6", "Delon Wright": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "2", "Frank Kaminsky": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "1", "Delon Wright": "1"}, "Points": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "6", "Frank Kaminsky": "27", "Nicolas Batum": "10", "Kemba Walker": "24", "Jeremy Lamb": "6", "DeMar DeRozan": "10", "DeMarre Carroll": "13", "Norman Powell": "17", "Kyle Lowry": "21", "Delon Wright": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "14", "Frank Kaminsky": "5", "Nicolas Batum": "4", "Kemba Walker": "4", "DeMar DeRozan": "3", "DeMarre Carroll": "11", "Kyle Lowry": "6", "Delon Wright": "1"}, "Steals": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "2", "Frank Kaminsky": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "2", "Kemba Walker": "2", "DeMarre Carroll": "1", "Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "Norman Powell": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "1", "Delon Wright": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "5"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the Charlotte Hornets, 90 - 85, at Air Canada Centre on Wednesday evening. The game came down to starkly contrasting third and fourth quarters, with the Raptors (33 - 24) catching fire at the right time and making a memorable comeback for the victory. Toronto got things off on the right foot, building a 31 - 20 lead after one quarter. However, the Hornets (24 - 32) put together a stellar defensive effort over the middle periods, limiting their hosts to just 27 points in the second and third quarters combined, while scoring 34 themselves in the third quarter alone. That surge gave them a seemingly dominant 75 - 58 edge heading into the final period, but the light went on for the Raptors at that point. They turned the tables on their visitors by limiting Charlotte to just 10 points in the fourth quarter and putting up 32 themselves, allowing them to escape with an improbable home victory and snap a three - game skid. The Hornets were led by a spectacular 27 - point tally from Frank Kaminsky, which he supplemented with five rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. Kemba Walker was next with a near double - double of 24 points, nine assists, four boards and two steals. Nicolas Batum turned in 10 points, five assists, four rebounds, two steals and one block. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist posted six points but also hauled in 14 rebounds, dished out two assists, recorded two steals and registered a pair of blocks. Jeremy Lamb led the second unit with a modest six points. Kyle Lowry's 21 points paced the Raptors, and he added six rebounds, six assists and one steal. Norman Powell drew the start and managed 17 points, two rebounds and three steals. DeMarre Carroll produced a 13 - point, 11 - rebound double - double while drawing the start at power forward with the newly acquired Serge Ibaka not suiting up. He added four assists and one steal. DeMar DeRozan endured a nightmarish evening from the field, shooting just 5 - of - 19 on the way to a 10 - point tally, which he complemented with three rebounds and two assists. Jonas Valanciunas matched DeRozan's scoring total and hauled in 11 boards, dished out one assist and recorded one steal. Delon Wright led the bench with 11 points, two assists, one rebound, two steals and one block. The Hornets resume post - All - Star - break play when they visit the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, February 23rd, while the Raptors kick off the second half by doing battle with the Boston Celtics at home on Friday evening, February 24th."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "56"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "26", "Mavericks": "36"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "100", "Mavericks": "95"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hawks": "18"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "22"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "34", "Mavericks": "24"}}, {"Blocks": {"Dorian Finney-Smith": "1", "Paul Millsap": "1", "Dwight Howard": "2", "Dennis Schroder": "1"}, "Points": {"Dorian Finney-Smith": "5", "Harrison Barnes": "25", "Dirk Nowitzki": "11", "Seth Curry": "21", "Yogi Ferrell": "11", "Paul Millsap": "18", "Dwight Howard": "14", "Kent Bazemore": "15", "Dennis Schroder": "17", "Ersan Ilyasova": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Dorian Finney-Smith": "2", "Harrison Barnes": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "10", "Seth Curry": "4", "Yogi Ferrell": "2", "Paul Millsap": "8", "Dwight Howard": "12", "Kent Bazemore": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "2", "Ersan Ilyasova": "1"}, "Steals": {"Dorian Finney-Smith": "2", "Harrison Barnes": "2", "Seth Curry": "2", "Dwight Howard": "3", "Kent Bazemore": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "1"}, "Assists": {"Harrison Barnes": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "1", "Seth Curry": "3", "Yogi Ferrell": "9", "Paul Millsap": "10", "Dwight Howard": "4", "Kent Bazemore": "2", "Dennis Schroder": "6"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Dallas Mavericks, 100 - 95, at Phillips Arena on Wednesday evening. The two teams came in to Wednesday's contest with well - earned reputations as solid defensive squads, and the Mavericks (24 - 36) particularly had built an impressive track record of taking care of the basketball this season. While scoring was relatively hard to come by, neither unit seemed to be able to stop handing the ball to the other, with the end result being a combined 42 turnovers. The Hawks (34 - 26) were guilty of 22 of those, but overcame their mistakes with 56 percent shooting overall, including 48 percent from three - point range. All five members of Atlanta's first unit shot 50 percent or better, and four of them posted double digits in the scoring column. The Hawks built up a solid 63 - 52 halftime lead and were able to hang on despite being outscored 43 - 37 in the second half. Harrison Barnes continued to serve as the offensive linchpin for the Mavericks, posting a team - high 25 points that he supplemented with four rebounds, four assists and two steals. Seth Curry was once again his trusty wingman, providing 21 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Dirk Nowitzki and Yogi Ferrell followed with matching 11 - point efforts, with the former also supplying 10 rebounds and one assist and the latter registering nine dimes and a pair of boards. Dorian Finney-Smith, who drew the start for Wesley Matthews (hip), could only muster a modest five points, two rebounds, two steals and one block. Paul Millsap led the way for the Hawks with a near triple - double of 18 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds and one block. Dennis Schroder was next with 17 points, six assists, two rebounds, one steal and one block. Kent Bazemore tallied 15 points, two assists, one rebound and one steal. Dwight Howard chipped in with a 14 - point, 12 - rebound double - double that also included four assists, three steals and two blocks. Ersan Ilyasova led the bench with 18 points, one rebound and a trio of steals. The Mavericks head back home to face the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night, while the Hawks remain home to face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday evening as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "20", "Rockets": "16"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "110", "Rockets": "108"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "10", "Rockets": "16"}}, {"Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "16", "James Harden": "25", "Patrick Beverley": "16", "Anthony Davis": "24", "Eric Gordon": "26"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "5", "Eric Gordon": "5", "Tyreke Evans": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "6", "Anthony Davis": "13"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Eric Gordon": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Eric Gordon": "10"}, "Steals": {"Eric Gordon": "1"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (10 - 20) defeated the Houston Rockets (16 - 16) 110 - 108 on Saturday night in an exciting game. This looked like it would be one of the highest - scoring game of all - time in the first quarter, but it just turned into a fun game for fans. The teams combined for 74 points in the first quarter and the three - point shooting was impressive all night long. Houston went 15 - for - 33 while the Pelicans went 13 - for - 24 from long distance. These are two of the worst defensive teams in the NBA and that fact ended up prevailing once again on Saturday. The Rockets did a good job of staying in this game, but they didn\u2019t do enough to win. The starting backcourt was key on Saturday, as all three of them played well. James Harden was the best player once again, as he tallied 25 points, six rebounds and five assists in the loss. Trevor Ariza and Patrick Beverley also scored 16 points a piece in what was some of their best games of the season. The problem tonight was the defense once again, as they allowed 54 percent shooting from long distance and 50 percent from the field. The Rockets will look to bounce - back against the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday. The Pelicans had a horrendous start to the season, but are slowly getting better and better. This was one of their best offensive games of the season, as six players scored a combined 87 points. Eric Gordon led the team with 26 points and went 10 - for - 12 from the field while dishing out five assists. Anthony Davis also had an impressive game, as he collected 24 points and 13 rebounds. Tyreke Evans had a horrible shooting night, but he still dished out a team - high 13 assists while controlling the offense and capping off the game with a steal. They'll look to keep up this oform against the Orlando Magic on Monday in their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "34", "Rockets": "11"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "96", "Rockets": "120"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Knicks": "20"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "5", "Rockets": "25"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Rockets": "44"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "53"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Pablo Prigioni": "4", "Langston Galloway": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Pablo Prigioni": "3", "Langston Galloway": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Langston Galloway": "10"}, "Points": {"Langston Galloway": "19"}}], "The Houston Rockets (25 - 11) defeated the New York Knicks (5 - 34) by a score of 120 - 96 on Thursday at Madison Square Garden. Both teams were playing their second game in as many nights on Thursday and the Knicks kept the score competitive in the early going, but the Rockets proved to be too much for New York to handle. Houston shot 53% from the floor and 44% from three - point range. New York has now lost 13 games in a row and three straight by at least 20 points. The Knicks have now dropped 13 games in a row. Houston was able to build an insurmountable lead that allowed them to get several of their bench players some playing time. Five Rockets played at least ten minutes off the bench as Houston was able to win its second road game in a row. The Rockets will return home to host the Jazz on Saturday. New York trotted out a patchwork starting lineup with Amar'e Stoudemire, Andrea Bargnani, and Carmelo Anthony all sidelined with injuries. The lineup was comprised of Jason Smith, Cole Aldrich, Pablo Prigioni, Jose Calderon, and Tim Hardaway Jr. with several bench players seeing significant time as the game was a blow out by early in the third quarter. Langston Galloway, who was playing in his second career game after being signed to a 10 - day contract on Tuesday, had 19 points and was 3 - for - 4 from beyond the arc. New York will host Charlotte on Saturday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "10", "Courtney Lee": "3", "Derrick Rose": "8", "Ron Baker": "4", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Jabari Parker": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "20", "Derrick Rose": "14", "Jabari Parker": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "8", "Derrick Rose": "4", "Jabari Parker": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Carmelo Anthony": "39", "Ron Baker": "12", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "38", "Jabari Parker": "38"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "26", "Kristaps Porzingis": "24", "Courtney Lee": "11", "Derrick Rose": "12", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "25", "Jabari Parker": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Kristaps Porzingis": "6", "Courtney Lee": "2", "Derrick Rose": "2", "Jabari Parker": "4"}, "Steals": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Courtney Lee": "1", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "3", "Courtney Lee": "1"}}], "Carmelo Anthony went 8 - of - 20 from the field on his way to a game - high 26 points, to go along with 10 assists, six rebounds and one steal, in 39 minutes. Kristaps Porzingis followed up with 24 points, six rebounds and three blocks, before fouling out late in the fourth quarter. Derrick Rose shot 4 - of - 14 from the field and finished with 12 points, eight assists and two rebounds, while Courtney Lee finished with 11 points, three assists, two rebounds, one steal and one block. Ron Baker came up with a great performance as he led the Knicks' fourth quarter surge, finishing with four assists and no turnovers, in 12 minutes. The Bucks were led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who finished with 25 points, six rebounds, five blocks, two assists and two steals, in 38 minutes. Jabari Parker also played 38 minutes, and also finished with 25 points. Parker shot a solid 10 - of - 18 from the field and added five assists and four rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "26", "Mavericks": "16"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "87", "Mavericks": "93"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Timberwolves": "22"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "13"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Timberwolves": "32"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "12", "Mavericks": "22"}, "Turnovers": {"Mavericks": "13"}}, {"Assists": {"Chandler Parsons": "2", "Dirk Nowitzki": "1", "Zaza Pachulia": "2", "Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Ricky Rubio": "8"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "14", "Dirk Nowitzki": "29", "Zaza Pachulia": "13", "Andrew Wiggins": "21", "Ricky Rubio": "12", "Shabazz Muhammad": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Chandler Parsons": "5", "Dirk Nowitzki": "7", "Zaza Pachulia": "11", "Andrew Wiggins": "7", "Ricky Rubio": "7", "Shabazz Muhammad": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "22", "Andrew Wiggins": "19", "Ricky Rubio": "10", "Shabazz Muhammad": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "12", "Andrew Wiggins": "8", "Ricky Rubio": "4", "Shabazz Muhammad": "5"}, "Steals": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "1", "Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Zaza Pachulia": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Zaza Pachulia": "32", "Andrew Wiggins": "36"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (22 - 16) defeated the host Minnesota Timberwolves (12 - 26) 93 - 87 on Sunday evening. Minnesota started out on a 12 - 4 run but the Mavs battled back to tie it at 22 by the end of the first quarter. Dallas entered the fourth quarter up by 13 and cruised to victory from there, despite a 32 - point fourth quarter by Minnesota. Dirk Nowitzki put on a stellar performance, finishing with a game - high 29 points (12 - 22 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt) along with seven rebounds, one assist and one steal, in 31 minutes. Chandler Parsons chipped in 14 points on very efficient 6 - 7 shooting from the field, as well as five rebounds and two assists, in 29 minutes. The only other player to score in double digits for the Mavs was Zaza Pachulia, who tallied a double - double with 13 points and 11 rebounds, along with two assists and one blocked shot, in 32 minutes. This win gives Dallas a bit of a cushion at the fifth spot in the West. The Timberwolves made a push in the last couple minutes to make it a five - point game but could not follow through for the win, thus continuing their struggles by losing their sixth straight. Andrew Wiggins led the Timberwolves in scoring, with 21 points (8 - 19 FG) along with seven rebounds, three assists and two steals, in 36 minutes. Ricky Rubio filled the stat sheet with 12 points (4 - 10 FG), eight assists, seven rebounds and three steals, in 33 minutes. Shabazz Muhammad dropped 16 points (5 - 10 FG) and grabbed five rebounds, in 27 minutes off the bench. Andre Miller left the game after taking a hard fall at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Next the Timberwolves will have their hands full with the Oklahoma City Thunder, who will be in town for a contest on Tuesday. The Mavericks will return home after three games on the road to face Cleveland on Tuesday, they will then head out on another three - game road trip."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "51", "Lakers": "41"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "11", "Lakers": "15"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "113", "Lakers": "96"}, "Rebounds": {"Celtics": "54", "Lakers": "38"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "6", "Lakers": "5"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Wesley Johnson": "26", "Jeremy Lin": "19"}, "Points": {"Jordan Hill": "13", "Kobe Bryant": "22", "Jeremy Lin": "14", "Nick Young": "16", "Jeff Green": "19", "Jared Sullinger": "17", "Tyler Zeller": "24", "Avery Bradley": "16"}, "Assists": {"Kobe Bryant": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "16"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"Kobe Bryant": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Kobe Bryant": "3", "Jared Sullinger": "13", "Tyler Zeller": "14"}}], "The Celtics (6 - 11) sent the Lakers (5 - 15) to their second straight loss with a 113 - 96 victory in Boston on Friday night. Los Angeles, which fell to Washington by 16 points on Wednesday, shot 41 percent from the floor as a team and was out - rebounded 54 - 38. Predictably, Kobe Bryant led the team with 22 points (9 - 21 FG) to go with three assists and three boards. Jeremy Lin rebounded from an atrocious outing Wednesday, finishing with 14 points in 19 minutes. Jordan Hill added 13 points, while Wesley Johnson was held scoreless in 26 minutes. Nick Young contributed 16 points off the bench. The Lakers trailed by 10 at the end of the first quarter but were able to cut the deficit to five at halftime. However, Boston came out strong in the third quarter, bringing the lead back to double - digits and essentially putting the game away with a period to play. The Celtics, who shot 51 percent from the floor, had all five starters in double figures, with Tyler Zeller\u2019s 24 points and 14 rebounds setting the pace. Jeff Green chipped in 19 points, and Jared Sullener added 17 points and 13 boards. Avery Bradley had 16 points, and Rajon Rondo finished with 13 points and a game - high 16 assists. Rondo now has 43 assists in his last three contests."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "50"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "2", "Jazz": "8"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "101", "Jazz": "88"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Warriors": "28", "Jazz": "13"}, "Turnovers": {"Warriors": "13"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "9", "Jazz": "5"}}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "12", "Enes Kanter": "18", "Dante Exum": "2", "Rudy Gobert": "12", "Harrison Barnes": "14", "Klay Thompson": "14", "Stephen Curry": "8", "Andre Iguodala": "17", "Marreese Speights": "14"}, "Assists": {"Trey Burke": "5", "Dante Exum": "5", "Stephen Curry": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dante Exum": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Dante Exum": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Dante Exum": "22", "Rudy Gobert": "18", "Stephen Curry": "25", "Andre Iguodala": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Dante Exum": "4", "Rudy Gobert": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Stephen Curry": "4"}}], "The Warriors (9 - 2) knocked off the Jazz (5 - 8) 101 - 88 on Saturday night. Golden State jumped out to a 28 - 13 first quarter lead and extended the advantage to 22 points by halftime. The lead reached 28 points by the start of the fourth, at which point coach Steve Kerr called off the dogs. The Warriors placed six players in double - figures, led by 17 points from Andre Iguodala in 25 minutes off the bench. Marreese Speights, Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes reach added 14, while Stephen Curry was limited to eight points and 10 assists (four turnovers) in 25 minutes. Golden State shot 50 percent from the field and committed only 13 turnovers, compared to Utah\u2019s 19. The Jazz, who out - rebounded the Warriors and outscored them in the paint, got 18 points from Enes Kanter and 12 from Gordon Hayward. The backcourt tandem of Alec Burks and Trey Burke struggled mightily, combining for only 11 points on 4 - of - 18 shooting while turning it over five times. Rudy Gobert was the lone bright spot off the bench, posting 12 points to go with five boards in 18 minutes. Dante Exum had two points (1 - 5 FG), five assists and four rebounds in 22 minutes. Next up, the Jazz face the Pelicans on the second half of a back - to - back Saturday. Golden State meets the depleted Thunder in Oklahoma City on Sunday evening."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "41", "Warriors": "9"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "10", "Warriors": "40"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Draymond Green": "3", "Shane Larkin": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Draymond Green": "34", "Lance Thomas": "35"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "20", "David Lee": "10", "Marreese Speights": "10", "Lance Thomas": "10", "Langston Galloway": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "13"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Langston Galloway": "19"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Langston Galloway": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Langston Galloway": "1", "Shane Larkin": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Amar'e Stoudemire": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Amar'e Stoudemire": "1"}, "Steals": {"Shane Larkin": "3"}}], "In a battle of the best team in the Western Conference versus the worst team in the Eastern Conference, the Golden State Warriors (40 - 9) beat the New York Knicks (10 - 41), 104 - 92. Carmelo Anthony did n't play, deciding to rest the second game of a back - to - back. Draymond Green followed up a career - high 20 rebound games against the Hawks on Friday with 20 points, 13 rebounds, and three three - pointers in 34 minutes. David Lee and Marreese Speights each added 10 points off the bench, buoyed by Lee's double - double. The Warriors led by as much as 26 points and scored 44 points in the paint. Lance Thomas drew the start in Carmelo Anthony's absence, scoring 10 points in 35 minutes. Rookie Langston Galloway scored a team - high 15 points on 19 shots, and Shane Larkin recorded three steals off the bench. Amar'e Stoudemire played 16 minutes one night after playing 18 minutes in what could possibly be one of his final games as a Knick. The Warriors play their fifth game in seven nights Monday when they battle the Philadelphia 76ers in the third game of their four - game road trip. The Knicks begin a quick two - game Florida road trip Monday against the Miami Heat."], [[{}, {"Blocks": {"CJ McCollum": "1"}}], "Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum were one of the top - scoring duos in the league last season, and they showed why Tuesday. In fact, they both scored over 30 points apiece, accumulating a combined 71 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists between the two. There were numerous sloppy turnovers, as the 15 combined steals does n't correlate with the 36 combined turnovers. Three-point shooting was key for the Blazers, as they went 14 - of - 31 to the Suns' 7 - of - 21. Free-throw shooting and bench production kept the Suns around, as the Suns went 28 - of - 33 from the charity stripe to the Blazers 20 - of - 28. Phoenix's bench outscored Portland's bench 44 - 21. Alex Len and Marquese Chriss both received their first starts of the season, but neither saw a significant amount of minutes and both failed to reach double figures in either scoring or rebounds."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Dario Saric": "3", "Jahlil Okafor": "1", "Paul George": "3", "Jeff Teague": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Dario Saric": "2", "Jahlil Okafor": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Dario Saric": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dario Saric": "2", "Paul George": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dario Saric": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Dario Saric": "2", "Jahlil Okafor": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Dario Saric": "2", "Jahlil Okafor": "1"}, "Points": {"Dario Saric": "14", "Jahlil Okafor": "15", "Paul George": "28", "Jeff Teague": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Dario Saric": "12", "Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jahlil Okafor": "2", "Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jahlil Okafor": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Jahlil Okafor": "7"}, "Steals": {"Jahlil Okafor": "1", "Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Jahlil Okafor": "2"}}], "Even though the Pacers were a 12 - point favorite in their home building, there were 15 lead changes in this overtime thriller. Shooting was key, as the Pacers made more baskets than the Sixers, while taking less shots. In addition, Philadelphia went just 9 - of - 19 from the free - throw line, while Indiana went 15 - of - 20. Dario Saric recorded his first career double - double for Philadelphia, as he totaled 14 points and 12 rebounds in 33 minutes of action. Jahlil Okafor also had one of his most efficient games of the season, matching a season - high of 15 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting. Jeff Teague had not surpassed 21 points or six assists in any game this season, before he set season - highs with 30 points and nine assists in this overtime victory. After two dud performances, Paul George bounced back nicely, as he accumulated 28 points, eight rebounds and three assists. These teams have the rare occurrence of rematching for their next game, as they play on Friday in Philly."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "23", "Warriors": "10"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "112", "Warriors": "108"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Wizards": "40", "Warriors": "26"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "35", "Warriors": "50"}}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "14", "Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "4", "Shaun Livingston": "2", "Otto Porter Jr.": "3", "Markieff Morris": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "1", "Bradley Beal": "3", "John Wall": "19"}, "Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "1", "Markieff Morris": "4", "Marcin Gortat": "1"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "14", "Zaza Pachulia": "12", "Klay Thompson": "16", "Stephen Curry": "25", "Otto Porter Jr.": "14", "Markieff Morris": "22", "Marcin Gortat": "12", "Bradley Beal": "25", "John Wall": "12", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "8", "Zaza Pachulia": "8", "Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "7", "Shaun Livingston": "3", "Otto Porter Jr.": "8", "Markieff Morris": "6", "Marcin Gortat": "12", "Bradley Beal": "4", "John Wall": "6"}, "Steals": {"Draymond Green": "2", "Klay Thompson": "2", "Shaun Livingston": "1", "Otto Porter Jr.": "2", "Markieff Morris": "2"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the Golden State Warriors, 112 - 108, at Verizon Center on Tuesday evening. The Warriors (50 - 10) were already facing a tough challenge coming in to Tuesday, as they were up against a quality opponent on the road and playing in their third game in four nights. However, matters got exponentially worse for them early in the first quarter, when Kevin Durant was forced from the contest with a hyperextended left knee. A frazzled Golden State squad fell behind 40 - 26 by the end of the period, before regrouping and outscoring the Wizards (35 - 23) by a 59 - 45 margin over the second and third quarters. The Warriors' resurgence led to an 85 - 85 stalemate entering the final 12 minutes, and with 17 seconds remaining, the game was once again tied at 108. Washington then saw Otto Porter, Jr. and Markieff Morris drain two free throws apiece, and Klay Thompson miss a 26 - foot three - point jumper as time expired to seal the win. Stephen Curry stepped up in Durant's absence to tally a team - high 25 points, which he supplemented with seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. Thompson was next with 16 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals. Draymond Green posted a 14 - point, 14 - assist double - double that also included eight boards, two steals and one block. Shaun Livingston matched Green's scoring total while leading the bench, adding three rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal. Zaza Pachulia managed 12 points and eight rebounds. Bradley Beal paced the Wizards with 25 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals. Morris was close behind with 22 points, six rebounds, one assist, four blocks and two steals. Bojan Bogdanovic led the second unit with 16 points, his highest scoring total since joining the Wizards. Porter filled out the stat sheet with 14 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals. Marcin Gortat and John Wall turned in matching 12 - point efforts, with the former adding 12 boards, one assist and one block, and the latter dishing out a game - high 19 assists while also bringing down six rebounds and recording a pair of steals. The Warriors now head to the Windy City to tangle with the Bulls on Thursday evening, while the Wizards head north of the border for a showdown with the conference rival Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night."], [[{}, {"Minutes played": {"Carmelo Anthony": "15"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "10", "Kristaps Porzingis": "24", "Joakim Noah": "14", "Derrick Rose": "26", "Justin Holiday": "14", "Thabo Sefolosha": "11", "Paul Millsap": "12", "Dwight Howard": "16", "Kent Bazemore": "11", "Dennis Schroder": "27", "Kyle Korver": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "8", "Joakim Noah": "16", "Paul Millsap": "7", "Dwight Howard": "22"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Derrick Rose": "28", "Paul Millsap": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Derrick Rose": "9", "Paul Millsap": "4"}, "Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "2"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "1"}}], "Dennis Schroder's 27 points led all scorers and his key strip of Derrick Rose late in overtime, the Knicks' 17th and final turnover of the night, to help carry Atlanta to victory. Dwight Howard supplied a 16 - point, 22 - rebound double - double. Paul Millsap was 4 - of - 20 from the field but mustered 12 points, seven rebounds, six assists, two blocks and a steal. Thabo Sefolosha and Kent Bazemore provided matching 11 - point totals, while Kyle Korver's 13 points led the second unit. Rose went only 9 - of - 28 from the field but registered a team - high 26 points for the Knicks. Kristaps Porzingis followed with 24 points, along with eight boards. Joakim Noah posted an impressive 14 - point, 16 - rebound double - double, and Carmelo Anthony compiled 10 points 15 minutes before getting ejected for a flagrant - two foul. Justin Holiday's 14 points paced New York's second unit."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "25", "Magic": "49"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "107", "Magic": "102"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Mavericks": "21"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Mavericks": "21"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "44", "Magic": "21"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Maurice Harkless": "18", "Nikola Vucevic": "12", "Victor Oladipo": "19", "Chandler Parsons": "8", "Dirk Nowitzki": "25", "Monta Ellis": "21", "Rajon Rondo": "9", "Charlie Villanueva": "10", "Devin Harris": "12"}, "Assists": {"Victor Oladipo": "6", "Rajon Rondo": "11", "Devin Harris": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Victor Oladipo": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Victor Oladipo": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Victor Oladipo": "20", "Dirk Nowitzki": "15", "Monta Ellis": "17", "Charlie Villanueva": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Victor Oladipo": "7", "Dirk Nowitzki": "9", "Monta Ellis": "9", "Charlie Villanueva": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Victor Oladipo": "37", "Dirk Nowitzki": "31", "Monta Ellis": "36", "Rajon Rondo": "29", "Charlie Villanueva": "9", "Devin Harris": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Victor Oladipo": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "8", "Rajon Rondo": "6"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (44 - 25) defeated the Orlando Magic (21 - 49) 107 - 102 on Wednesday in Dallas. A big fourth quarter gave the Magic a shot in the closing minutes, but the Mavericks proved to be just too much for them. Dirk Nowitzki led the way for Dallas, and he looked like vintage Nowitzki in the process, scoring 25 points on 9 - of - 15 shooting and grabbing eight rebounds in 31 minutes. Monta Ellis was the only other starter for the Mavericks who scored in double figures, finishing with 21 points on 9 - of - 17 shooting in 36 minutes. Rajon Rando put together a nice stat line, recording nine points, six rebounds and 11 assists in 29 minutes. Chandler Parsons followed up a big 31 - point performance on Monday with an unimpressive eight points on 3 - 8 shooting Wednesday. Off the bench, Devin Harris recorded 12 points and five assists in 22 minutes, while Charlie Villanueva scored 10 points on 4 - of - 7 shooting in just nine minutes. The victory brings Dallas to fifth place in the Western Conference, as they currently stand just a half game ahead of the Clippers and one game ahead of the Spurs. All five Magic starters scored in double figures Wednesday night, while Elfrid Payton led the way with a triple - double in the losing effort. The rookie recorded 15 points on 6 - of - 10 shooting, 12 assists and 10 rebounds in 41 minutes. Victor Oladipo struggled with his shot, going just 7 - of - 20 from the field and 0 - of - 6 from the three - point line, but still managed 19 points, six assists and four rebounds in 37 minutes. Maurice Harkless (18), Nikola Vucevic (12) and Channing Frye (10) round out the Orlando starters in double figures, while typical - starter Tobias Harris sat the game out with an ankle injury. Up next, the Mavericks will take on the Grizzlies at home on Friday, while Orlando will head home Friday and go up against the Trail Blazers."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Pistons": "16", "Knicks": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"Pistons": "10"}}, {}], "After leading the league in starters minutes last season, the Pistons looked much the same tonight. In fact, all five starters took at least 10 shots and all played at least 31 minutes in their win. Defense has been key for Detroit this season, as this was the third - straight opponent to score under 90 points. The 10 - point fourth quarter was the season - low for the Knicks, as they failed to hit a shot for the final six minutes. Three-point accuracy was huge for Detroit as well, as they went 8 - for - 13 from long distance in their victory. Neither bench did much in this game, as the Knicks got 19 points from their bench, while the Pistons got 17 from theirs. These teams return to action soon, as they have a rematch scheduled for November 16 in New York."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Cavaliers": "24"}}, {"Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "38", "Kyrie Irving": "36", "Nikola Vucevic": "28"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "24", "Tristan Thompson": "14", "Iman Shumpert": "15", "Kyrie Irving": "22", "JR Smith": "11", "Deron Williams": "10", "Channing Frye": "12", "Aaron Gordon": "16", "Nikola Vucevic": "20", "Evan Fournier": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "12", "Tristan Thompson": "13"}, "Blocks": {"Tristan Thompson": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Iman Shumpert": "4", "Deron Williams": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Iman Shumpert": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Iman Shumpert": "7", "Kyrie Irving": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Iman Shumpert": "5", "Kyrie Irving": "9", "JR Smith": "4", "Deron Williams": "4", "Channing Frye": "4"}, "Assists": {"Kyrie Irving": "7", "Deron Williams": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "4"}}], "Seven players scored in double digits for the Cavaliers, led by LeBron James, who triple - doubled, with 24 points, 13 assists, and 12 rebounds, in 38 minutes. Kyrie Irving followed up with 22 points on 9 - of - 22 shooting, along with eight rebounds, and seven assists, in 36 minutes. Tristan Thompson was solid, with 14 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks, while Iman Shumpert chipped in 15 points on 5 - of - 7 shooting, including 3 - of - 4 from deep. Channing Frye led the bench with 12 points, while J.R. Smith added 11 and Deron Williams added 10. Meanwhile, Nikola Vucevic was great in his first game back after missing four, as he finished with 20 points and 16 rebounds, in 28 minutes of action. Aaron Gordon followed up with 16 points, while Evan Fournier added 15. Eight players hit the court off the bench for Orlando, but none scored in double digits."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "42", "Grizzlies": "42"}}, {"Points": {"JaMychal Green": "29", "Mike Conley": "20", "Andrew Wiggins": "23", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "27"}, "Assists": {"Mike Conley": "8", "Andrew Wiggins": "5"}}], "Despite Minnesota leading by 16 points at the end of the first quarter, Memphis prevailed with a huge road win. Getting to the free - throw line was the difference in the game, with the Grizzlies hitting 33 - of - 39 from the charity stripe, while Minnesota went 19 - of - 24. Defense was key as well for Memphis, as they held Minnesota to under 42 percent from the field and won the turnover differential. JaMychal Green stepped up in the absence of Marc Gasol and Chandler Parsons, as he scored a career - high 29 points to add to his six boards. Mike Conley was second on the team, finishing with 20 points, three rebounds and eight assists. Karl-Anthony Towns carried the load for Minnesota, as he totaled 27 points and 16 rebounds. Andre Wiggins was second on the team, providing 23 points and five assists."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Heat": "25", "Lakers": "18"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Heat": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "54"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "20", "Lakers": "21"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "115", "Lakers": "107"}, "Rebounds": {"Heat": "47", "Lakers": "40"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "10", "Lakers": "11"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Lakers": "27"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Nick Young": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Nick Young": "7"}, "Points": {"Nick Young": "20", "D'Angelo Russell": "17", "Lou Williams": "27", "Justise Winslow": "23", "Hassan Whiteside": "23", "Goran Dragic": "21", "James Johnson": "19"}, "Assists": {"D'Angelo Russell": "7", "Goran Dragic": "7", "James Johnson": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"D'Angelo Russell": "4", "Justise Winslow": "13", "Hassan Whiteside": "13", "James Johnson": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Justise Winslow": "42"}, "Steals": {"Justise Winslow": "4"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 115 - 107, at American Airlines Arena on Thursday. Even though Miami trailed by 19 at times in the second quarter, they rallied to pull out a much needed win. The third and fourth quarters is when Miami did their damage, as they outscored Los Angeles. 62 - 47 in that stretch. The Heat's offense was efficient as ever, as they shot 54 percent from the field and 50 percent from three - point range. Rebounding and assists were lopsided as well, as Miami won the rebounding, 47 - 40 and the assist differential, 25 - 18. The Heat's first lead did not come until there was a minute left in the third quarter. Los Angeles (11 - 21) is in their worst stretch of the season right now and they continue to falter against bad teams. Lou Williams was once again the best player for the Lakers, as he dropped 27 points off the bench. Nick Young led the starters in scoring, as he scored 20 points on 7 - of - 14 shooting. D'Angelo Russell had his bets game in weeks, accumulating 17 points, four rebounds and seven assists. On deck for Los Angeles is a road matchup against the Orlando Magic on Friday. Miami (10 - 20) have been playing better than results would show, so a win here is just what the doctor ordered. Justise Winslow was the Heat's most valuable player, as he accrued 23 points, 13 rebounds and four steals in 42 minutes of action. Hassan Whiteside matched Winslow, as he provided 23 points and 13 rebounds of his own. Goran Dragic was the only other starter in double figures, as he collected 21 points and seven assists. James Johnson continued his great form, leading the bench with 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists. The Heat return to action on Friday, as they play the New Orleans Pelicans on the road."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "5", "Trail Blazers": "3"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "95", "Trail Blazers": "105"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "0", "Trail Blazers": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Trail Blazers": "14"}}, {"Points": {"CJ McCollum": "9", "Damian Lillard": "42", "Dirk Nowitzki": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "18", "Wesley Matthews": "6", "Dirk Nowitzki": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Damian Lillard": "12", "Wesley Matthews": "1", "Dirk Nowitzki": "2"}, "Assists": {"Wesley Matthews": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Wesley Matthews": "29", "Dirk Nowitzki": "16"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the host Dallas Mavericks on Friday, 105 - 95, behind 42 points from point guard Damian Lillard. It was a tight game until the fourth quarter, as Portland (3 - 3) held just a three - point lead at the end of the third. It was Lillard time the whole way, however, as the point guard delivered his highest - scoring performance of the season thus far. Lillard's 42 - point eruption on 12 - of - 18 shooting helped make up for cooler nights from backcourt partner C.J. McCollum, who scored just nine points, and the Portland bench, who combined for just 14. The team played a perimeter - focused game, scoring 36 points on three - point shots, including 15 from Lillard. Dallas (0 - 5), meanwhile, saw yet another loss come in Friday's matchup. The team has yet to pick up a win in the 2016 - 17 season, and has seen major shooting struggles thus far. These struggles continued against Portland, as the team shot just 41 percent from the field. Veteran team leader Dirk Nowitzki, who was recently sidelined due to an illness, came back to play just 16 minutes on Friday. Nowitzki scored only five points on 2 - of - 6 shooting. Shooting guard Wesley Matthews, meanwhile, was seemingly invisible on the floor, shooting just 1 - of - 6 and recording no rebounds and one assist in 29 minutes of play. Portland will face off against Memphis on Sunday, while Dallas will hope to finally pick up a win as they host Milwaukee."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "2", "Grizzlies": "3"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "115", "Grizzlies": "96"}, "Rebounds": {"Trail Blazers": "47", "Grizzlies": "36"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "4", "Grizzlies": "3"}}, {"Points": {"Zach Randolph": "16", "Marc Gasol": "15", "Courtney Lee": "18", "Beno Udrih": "9", "Matt Barnes": "5", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "11", "Meyers Leonard": "14", "Mason Plumlee": "8", "CJ McCollum": "20", "Damian Lillard": "27", "Maurice Harkless": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "10", "Marc Gasol": "5", "Matt Barnes": "5", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "10", "Meyers Leonard": "5", "Mason Plumlee": "12", "CJ McCollum": "4", "Maurice Harkless": "3"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "3", "Beno Udrih": "6", "Matt Barnes": "3", "Meyers Leonard": "2", "CJ McCollum": "5", "Damian Lillard": "5", "Maurice Harkless": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "2", "Matt Barnes": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Beno Udrih": "16"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (4 - 2) got redemption against the Memphis Grizzlies (3 - 3) on Thursday night, with a 115 - 96 victory. The Grizz not only swept the Blazers in the season series last year but also eliminated them from the first round of the playoffs with a swift 4 - 1 series win. However, even without LaMarcus Aldridge, Damian Lillard and the Blazers were able to cruise to a big win over the Grizzlies this time around. Portland was led by none other than Lillard who scored 27 points on 9/18 shooting, including 7 - 11 from three. Lillard also dished five assists and had no turnovers. C.J. McCollum, who has combined with Lillard to represent the second highest scoring duo this season, added 20 points, four rebounds and five assists, to help lead the way for Portland on Thursday night. The hot back courth had help as four other players scored in double digits. Meyers Leonard shot 5 - 7 on his way to 14 points, five rebounds and two assists. Al-Farouq Aminu contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Mason Plumlee did his part with eight points and 12 rebounds. Maurice Harkless had an all around game and came up big with 10 points on 4 - 5 shooting along with three rebounds and four assists. Memphis was surprisingly out - rebounded by Portland 47 - 36 and did not seem to have the gas to keep up with the spry Blazers team. Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph set the pace for Memphis as usual. Randolph had 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Gasol had 15 points, five rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Courtney Lee also played a good game with 18 points on 6 - 10 shooting. Memphis did not have any bench player score over nine points and lacked the spark needed to out - shine the young Blazers. Off the bench Matt Barnes gave his usual gritty effort and filled the stat sheet with five points, five rebounds, three assists and one block. Beno Udrih chipped in nine points and six assists, shooting 4 - 5, 1 - 1 from three, in 16 minutes. Next up for the Grizz is a trip to Utah, where they will face another young and talented Western team. Perhaps the Grizzlies' window of opportunity in the West is fading, we will see Saturday night. Portland on the other hand does not play until Sunday, when they host Detroit. That will be an interesting match up to watch as Detroit has a some pep in their step so far this season."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "22", "Bucks": "27"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "25", "Bucks": "34"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "112", "Bucks": "107"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Celtics": "27"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Celtics": "24", "Bucks": "34"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "34", "Bucks": "24"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Jabari Parker": "16", "Khris Middleton": "15", "Greg Monroe": "13", "Jae Crowder": "10", "Jared Sullinger": "11", "Isaiah Thomas": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"Jabari Parker": "8", "Khris Middleton": "8", "Greg Monroe": "9", "Jae Crowder": "8", "Jared Sullinger": "5", "Isaiah Thomas": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jabari Parker": "7", "Isaiah Thomas": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Jabari Parker": "6", "Isaiah Thomas": "5"}, "Points": {"Jabari Parker": "22", "Khris Middleton": "21", "Greg Monroe": "20", "Jae Crowder": "20", "Jared Sullinger": "14", "Isaiah Thomas": "27"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Khris Middleton": "4", "Jae Crowder": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Khris Middleton": "1", "Jae Crowder": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "2"}, "Assists": {"Greg Monroe": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Greg Monroe": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Greg Monroe": "34", "Jae Crowder": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Greg Monroe": "8", "Jared Sullinger": "10"}}], "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."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nuggets": "30", "Hornets": "59"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "45"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "34", "Hornets": "35"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "102", "Hornets": "112"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "28", "Hornets": "27"}, "Turnovers": {"Hornets": "5"}}, {"Assists": {"Marvin Williams": "3", "Cody Zeller": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "8", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Johnny O'Bryant III": "1", "Nikola Jokic": "4", "Gary Harris": "1", "Will Barton": "4", "Jamal Murray": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Marvin Williams": "2", "Kemba Walker": "1", "Will Barton": "1"}, "Points": {"Marvin Williams": "14", "Cody Zeller": "11", "Nicolas Batum": "21", "Kemba Walker": "27", "Jeremy Lamb": "12", "Johnny O'Bryant III": "15", "Danilo Gallinari": "22", "Nikola Jokic": "31", "Will Barton": "9", "Jamal Murray": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Marvin Williams": "12", "Cody Zeller": "8", "Nicolas Batum": "2", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Jeremy Lamb": "4", "Johnny O'Bryant III": "6", "Danilo Gallinari": "5", "Nikola Jokic": "14", "Will Barton": "4", "Jamal Murray": "3"}, "Steals": {"Cody Zeller": "1", "Kemba Walker": "2", "Jeremy Lamb": "1", "Danilo Gallinari": "1", "Nikola Jokic": "1", "Gary Harris": "1", "Jamal Murray": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Nicolas Batum": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Nicolas Batum": "2", "Gary Harris": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Nicolas Batum": "2", "Gary Harris": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Gary Harris": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gary Harris": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Gary Harris": "22"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Denver Nuggets, 112 - 102, at Pepsi Center on Saturday evening. The Hornets (27 - 35) were in particular need of a win coming in to Saturday, as they'd dropped seven of their previous nine games. To make matters worse, Frank Kaminsky III, who'd done an outstanding job in Cody Zeller's stead while the latter had been out recently for an extended period with a quad injury, had succumbed to an AC joint sprain suffered in a 120 - 103 loss to the Suns on Thursday. However, Kemba Walker, who's carried the Charlotte offense many a time, and Nicolas Batum, who'd shot just 18 percent (5 - for - 28) over the prior two games, combined for 48 of Charlotte's 112 points on the night. They also managed a 9 - for - 15 tally from three - point range, leading to a superb 59 percent success rate from behind the arc for the Hornets overall. The Nuggets (28 - 34) had a much rougher go of it, shooting 45 percent from the field and 30 percent from long range. Walker's 27 points led the Hornets, a total he supplemented with four rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block. Batum went for 21 points, dished out eight assists and posted two rebounds. Johnny O'Bryant III paced the bench with 15 points, six boards and one assist. Marvin Williams posted a 14 - point, 12 - rebound double - double that also included three assists and two blocks. Cody Zeller produced a near double - double of 11 points, eight rebounds, two assists and one steal. Jeremy Lamb was productive in a reserve role as well with 12 points, four rebounds and one steal. Nikola Jokic paced the Nuggets with 31 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and one steal. Danilo Gallinari tallied 22 points, five rebounds and one steal. Jamal Murray led the bench with 14 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals. No other Denver player hit double digits in the scoring column, however, with Will Barton coming the closest with nine points, four rebounds, four assists and one block. Gary Harris notably went scoreless over 22 minutes, putting up just one shot attempt and only adding one assist and one steal. The Hornets head back home after their five - game Western Conference swing to tangle with the Indiana Pacers on Monday night, while the Nuggets remain home to take on the Sacramento Kings on Monday evening as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "26", "Magic": "23"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Lakers": "40"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "15", "Magic": "16"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "38"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Magic": "9"}}, {"Points": {"Serge Ibaka": "19", "Evan Fournier": "19", "Julius Randle": "19", "D'Angelo Russell": "17"}, "Assists": {"Julius Randle": "5", "D'Angelo Russell": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Julius Randle": "1", "D'Angelo Russell": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Julius Randle": "9", "D'Angelo Russell": "8"}, "Steals": {"Julius Randle": "1", "D'Angelo Russell": "3"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic, 112 - 95, at Staples Center on Sunday. The Lakers (15 - 26) were at full strength and ran away with a decisive victory in the fourth quarter after D'Angelo Russell and Julius Randle were able to lead the charge on both ends of the floor, while also holding the Magic (16 - 23) to just 38 percent shooting as a unit. Brandon Ingram scored 11 points in the fourth quarter for a second straight game, and also added a big block on the Magic in transition. After a massive 40 - point quarter to open the game from Los Angeles, the Lakers were able to shift focus to a defensive - minded set in the second half, which payed off royally after holding the Magic to just nine points in the third quarter. Russell finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals, while Randle ended with 19 points, nine rebounds, five assists, one steal and one blocked shot. Randle's 19 points tied that of the Magic's Serge Ibaka and Evan Fournier, which was good to lead the scoring department for the contest. Ibaka and Biyombo finished with double - doubles, and combined for 29 points and 21 rebounds, but solving the Magic's shooting woes was more of a challenge for the wings, as their three - point shooting finished at 27 percent on 7 - of - 26 shooting as unit. Next up, the Lakers host the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, while the Magic visit the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "22", "Trail Blazers": "37"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "39", "Trail Blazers": "43"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "8", "Trail Blazers": "3"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "88", "Trail Blazers": "94"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "4", "Trail Blazers": "10"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "21", "Damian Lillard": "14", "Jeff Green": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "7", "Damian Lillard": "4", "Jeff Green": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "6"}, "Points": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "20", "Damian Lillard": "12", "Chris Kaman": "16", "Jeff Green": "19", "Jared Sullinger": "19", "Rajon Rondo": "13", "Evan Turner": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "14", "Chris Kaman": "8", "Jared Sullinger": "7", "Rajon Rondo": "6", "Evan Turner": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "6", "Jeff Green": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Damian Lillard": "2", "Jeff Green": "1"}, "Assists": {"Jared Sullinger": "4", "Rajon Rondo": "8"}, "Steals": {"Rajon Rondo": "2"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (10 - 3) defeated the Boston Celtics (4 - 8) 94 - 88 on Sunday at the TD Garden in Boston. This was a tight finish between the Blazers and Celtics, as the game was tied going into the fourth quarter. The Blazers were able to put together the better final quarter and pull out the victory. For the complete game, Portland shot 43 percent from the field and 37 percent from the three - point line, compared to the 39 percent from the floor and 22 percent from beyond the arc that Boston shot. It gave them just enough of an advantage to slip away with the win. The Blazers were led by LaMarcus Aldridge, who posted his fourth double - double of the season. He finished with 20 points (7 - 21 FG, 6 - 7 FT) and 14 rebounds, giving the Blazers the spark needed to secure the win. Damian Lillard seemed to struggle offensively Sunday. He shot only 4 - for - 14 from the field and 2 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 12 points, which was nearly half of his season average. Chris Kaman continued to play consistently well off the bench though, as he tied a season - high of 16 points. He also was able to post eight rebounds, pushing his season totals to 11 points and 7 rebounds per game. With a few players struggling to score, the Blazers did their part on the defensive side of the ball, holding the Celtics to 88 points. The Celtics received most of their production from the combination of Jeff Green and Jared Sullinger, with both scoring 19 points. Green was able to shoot 7 - for - 16 from the field, but only 1 - for - 4 from the three - point line. Sullinger on the other hand was also able to contribute seven rebounds and four assists. He's now averaging a career - high 16 points and 8 rebounds on the season. Rajon Rondo continued to stuff the stat sheet. He finished Sunday's matchup with 13 points, six rebounds, eight assists and two steals, but it was n't enough to keep the Celtics in contention for the victory. He's now averaging 10 points, 8 rebounds and 11 assists on the season. Coming off the bench, Evan Turner scored 10 points and grabbed five rebounds. The Blazers' next game will be on the road against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday, while the Celtics will be at home against the Chicago Bulls on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "35", "Spurs": "9"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "86", "Spurs": "112"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Nets": "38", "Spurs": "50"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "16"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "9", "Spurs": "35"}}, {"Assists": {"Kyle Anderson": "3", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "5", "Dewayne Dedmon": "1", "Dejounte Murray": "3", "Patty Mills": "2", "David Lee": "2", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "2", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Randy Foye": "4", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "2", "Sean Kilpatrick": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Kyle Anderson": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "Dewayne Dedmon": "1", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "2"}, "Points": {"Kyle Anderson": "14", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "16", "Dewayne Dedmon": "10", "Danny Green": "9", "Dejounte Murray": "4", "Patty Mills": "20", "David Lee": "15", "Jonathon Simmons": "11", "Davis Bertans": "11", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "5", "Trevor Booker": "9", "Brook Lopez": "12", "Randy Foye": "1", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "13", "Sean Kilpatrick": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Kyle Anderson": "3", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "9", "Dewayne Dedmon": "8", "Dejounte Murray": "6", "Patty Mills": "3", "David Lee": "7", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "3", "Trevor Booker": "4", "Brook Lopez": "4", "Randy Foye": "3", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "2", "Sean Kilpatrick": "10"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Anderson": "1", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "Dewayne Dedmon": "1", "David Lee": "1", "Brook Lopez": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dejounte Murray": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Dejounte Murray": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Patty Mills": "20", "Brook Lopez": "21"}, "3-pointers made": {"Isaiah Whitehead": "2"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 112 - 86, at Barclays Center on Monday evening. The Spurs (35 - 9) learned earlier in the day that they'd go to battle with the Nets (9 - 35) without the services of their MVP, Kawhi Leonard. The All-Star forward, who'd scored a career - high 41 points in the overtime victory against the Cavaliers on Saturday, need to give a sore hand a rest, which brought Kyle Anderson into the starting five. Coach Gregg Popovich also opted to slide Dewayne Dedmon into the first unit at center and have David Lee come off the bench. Both sets of moves were effective, as the trio of aforementioned players enjoyed productive outings. The Spurs also significantly outperformed the Nets in both the rebounding and turnover departments, winning the war down low by a 50 - 38 margin and taking the ball away from Brooklyn on 16 occasions, double the amount of their own miscues. Patty Mills paced the Spurs with 20 points, a total he complemented with three rebounds and two assists, all in just 20 minutes. LaMarcus Aldridge followed with 16 points, nine rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks. Lee totaled 15 points, seven rebounds, two assists and a steal despite coming off the bench. Anderson registered 14 points, three rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal in his spot start. Davis Bertans and Jonathan Simmons were also productive as reserves with matching 11 - point efforts. Dedmon acquitted himself in his start, compiling 10 points, eight boards, an assist, a steal and a block. Danny Green and heralded rookie Dejounte Murray went for nine and four points, respectively, with the latter making up for a 2 - of - 8 shooting night with six rebounds and three assists. The Nets' top two scorers actually came from the bench, with Isaiah Whitehead leading the way. The reserve guard provided 19 points, three assists and a rebound. Former starter Sean Kilpatrick was right behind him with a 17 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included an assist. Spencer Dinwiddie led the first unit with 13 points, two rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Brook Lopez managed a modest 12 points, four rebounds, an assist, a block and a steal in 21 minutes. The remainder of the starting five could n't do much, with Trevor Booker (nine points, four rebounds), Bojan Bogdanovic (five points, three rebounds, two assists) and Randy Foye (one point, four assists, three rebounds) turning in serviceable - to - underwhelming performances. The Spurs make the trek north of the border to tangle with the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night, while the Nets remain home and await the Miami Heat for a Wednesday night showdown."], [[{}, {}], "After playing himself entirely out of the rotation for a five - game stretch, Michael Carter-Williams, who was essentially forced back into the rotation with the absence of Jimmy Butler (heel), returned in impressive fashion. That impressive return, however, is what made his performance on Wednesday so disappointing for Chicago. Prior to Wednesday night's game against the Warriors, the former Rookie of the Year recorded back - to - back games with 20 - plus points and had a combined stat line of 44 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists while shooting an impressive 19 - of - 30 (63 percent) from the field. Then, in a game without Dwyane Wade and where his team needs him to come through once again, Carter-Williams lays an egg. The point guard finished with just three points on 1 - of - 9 (11 percent) shooting from the field. It was his sixth game since he returned from a knee injury at the end of December where he only made one field goal and shot under 20 percent."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "54"}}, {"Assists": {"Rudy Gay": "8", "DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Rudy Gay": "32", "DeMarcus Cousins": "36"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gay": "22", "DeMarcus Cousins": "37"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "8", "DeMarcus Cousins": "11"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "13"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "7"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4"}}], "DeMarcus Cousins proved far too much to handle for the Brooklyn Nets in the Sacramento Kings win on Sunday. The Kentucky product and powerhouse center was able to strike from pretty much every spot on the court. Cousins went on to score 37 points, to go along with 11 rebounds, two assists, four steals and one block in 36 minutes. Cousins efficiency was the most impressive stat from the night, given his 13 - of - 24 shooting, which included 4 - of - 5 from behind the arc and 7 - of - 9 from the free throw line. The theme was similar across most of the Kings players, seeing as they shot 54 percent from the field as a unit and 57 percent from behind the arc. Rudy Gay also contributed a strong all around performance, noted by his 22 points, eight rebounds and eight assists across 32 minutes in the win."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "44", "Heat": "39"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "1", "Heat": "3"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "96", "Heat": "87"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "4", "Heat": "2"}}, {"Assists": {"Justise Winslow": "4", "Hassan Whiteside": "3", "Goran Dragic": "5", "Tyler Johnson": "2", "James Johnson": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "5"}, "Points": {"Justise Winslow": "13", "Hassan Whiteside": "21", "Goran Dragic": "17", "Tyler Johnson": "16", "James Johnson": "11", "Jonas Valanciunas": "5", "DeMar DeRozan": "34", "Kyle Lowry": "13", "Terrence Ross": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Justise Winslow": "3", "Hassan Whiteside": "16", "Goran Dragic": "5", "Tyler Johnson": "4", "James Johnson": "3", "DeMarre Carroll": "1", "Jonas Valanciunas": "11", "DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "8", "Terrence Ross": "4"}, "Steals": {"Justise Winslow": "2", "Hassan Whiteside": "2", "Goran Dragic": "1", "Tyler Johnson": "3", "Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "3", "Terrence Ross": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "1", "Tyler Johnson": "2", "James Johnson": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"James Johnson": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Johnson": "8", "DeMar DeRozan": "26", "Kyle Lowry": "15"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Johnson": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"James Johnson": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"James Johnson": "19", "DeMarre Carroll": "20"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "14", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Lowry": "2"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the Miami Heat, 96 - 87, at Air Canada Centre on Friday. DeMar DeRozan has lived up to every penny of the $139 million contract he signed this offseason in the early going, a trend that continued Friday. The All-Star guard led all scorers with 34 points on a stellar 14 - of - 26 shooting tally, with DeRozan taking 11 more shots than the next closest player, backcourt mate Kyle Lowry. His performance, along with that of Terrence Ross's off the bench (20 points) helped Toronto (4 - 1) to outperform Miami (2 - 3) by a 44 percent to 39 percent mark from the field. The Heat were led by Hassan Whiteside's 21 - point, 16 - rebound double - double, which also included three assists, two steals and a block. Goran Dragic was next with 17 points, five rebounds, five assists and a steal. Justise Winslow provided 13 points, four assists, three boards and two steals. Tyler Johnson continued his strong play off the bench, leading the reserves with 16 points, four rebounds, two assists, three steals and two blocks. James Johnson also went for double - digit scoring in limited time, supplying 11 points, three rebounds, two assists and a block over just 19 minutes. DeRozan added four assists and four rebounds to his game - high scoring total. Lowry posted 13 points, eight rebounds, five assists, three steals and three blocks, but the inconsistent shooting that has plagued him at times in the season's early going surfaced once again. Lowry drained just four of 15 field - goal attempts, including two of his eight tries from beyond the arc. Jonas Valanciunas only posted five points but did haul in 11 boards, while Ross added four rebounds and a steal to his bench - leading point haul. Among the first unit, DeMarre Carroll was notably held scoreless over 20 minutes, contributing only one rebound. The Heat head to Oklahoma City to take on the Thunder on Monday night, while the Raptors await the Sacramento Kings for a Sunday evening tilt."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "32", "Pelicans": "49"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "104", "Pelicans": "97"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "46", "Pelicans": "29"}}, {"Assists": {"Alexis Ajinca": "3", "James Ennis III": "1", "Toney Douglas": "3", "Tim Frazier": "6", "Luke Babbitt": "4", "Jordan Hamilton": "1", "Jae Crowder": "1", "Avery Bradley": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "8", "Marcus Smart": "4"}, "Points": {"Alexis Ajinca": "10", "James Ennis III": "13", "Toney Douglas": "19", "Tim Frazier": "18", "Luke Babbitt": "16", "Jordan Hamilton": "14", "Jae Crowder": "14", "Avery Bradley": "13", "Isaiah Thomas": "32", "Marcus Smart": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Alexis Ajinca": "8", "James Ennis III": "4", "Toney Douglas": "7", "Tim Frazier": "5", "Luke Babbitt": "8", "Jordan Hamilton": "6", "Jae Crowder": "3", "Avery Bradley": "6", "Isaiah Thomas": "4", "Marcus Smart": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"James Ennis III": "5"}, "Steals": {"James Ennis III": "2", "Toney Douglas": "1", "Tim Frazier": "2", "Avery Bradley": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "2", "Marcus Smart": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"James Ennis III": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Tim Frazier": "1", "Jae Crowder": "2", "Marcus Smart": "2"}}], "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."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "21", "Trail Blazers": "24"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "97", "Trail Blazers": "86"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "49", "Trail Blazers": "44"}}, {"Field goals made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "7"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "7", "Marc Gasol": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Damian Lillard": "9", "Marc Gasol": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Damian Lillard": "39", "Jeff Green": "40"}, "Points": {"Damian Lillard": "27", "CJ McCollum": "13", "Dorell Wright": "10", "Jeff Green": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Tony Allen": "11"}, "Steals": {"Tony Allen": "6"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (49 - 21) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (44 - 24), 97 - 86. It marks the Blazers\u2019 fourth straight loss. The Grizzlies swept the season series for the first time in their history. LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum didn\u2019t play in the second half, sidelined by a left hand and lower back injury respectively. Dorell Wright and Meyers Leonard started in their place. Courtney Lee was unable to play due to a right - hand sprain. Jeff Green replaced him in the starting lineup and supplied a team - high 23 points in 40 minutes. Tony Allen tied his career - high with 11 rebounds and recorded six steals. All five starters scored in double figures, but Marc Gasol recorded the only team block. The Grizzlies are now seven games behind the Golden State Warriors for the number one seed in the Western Conference and two and a half games ahead of the Houston Rockets. They have 12 games left to cement their stake as the two seed. The Blazers are one game ahead of the Clippers in the loss column, clinging to the four seed in the Western Conference. If Aldridge aggravated his thumb injury and Batum needs to miss substantial time, the Blazers are in jeopardy of falling to the seven seed by the end of next week. They\u2019re currently one game ahead of the six seeded San Antonio Spurs and seven seeded Dallas Mavericks. They play four games in five nights this week and engage in four back - to - backs the rest of the season. Damian Lillard scored a game - high 27 points, made all nine free throws, and dished out seven assists in 39 minutes. Off the bench, C.J. McCollum scored 13 points and Dorell Wright chipped in 10 points. Chris Kaman missed the game with a shoulder injury. The Grizzlies take on the league\u2019s worst team on Monday, traveling to New York for a game against the Knicks. The Blazers have two days off before hosting the best team in the league, beginning a stretch of four games in five nights against the Golden State Warriors."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Kings": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Kings": "32", "Jazz": "43"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "13", "Jazz": "11"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "4"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "20", "Rudy Gobert": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "7", "Rudy Gobert": "15"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gobert": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gobert": "5"}}], "The Utah Jazz steamrolled the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday thanks to strong offensive output. The team shot over 53 percent and poured in 13 three - pointers on 40 percent shooting. Utah also held a 43 - 32 advantage on the glass, which included seven offensive rebounds. 15 rebounds came from center Rudy Gobert, who also shot 5 - of - 8 from the field and finished with 16 points. Meanwhile, All-Star forward Gordon Hayward had 20 points to go along with seven rebounds and four assists. Six Utah players scored in double digits on the night. For the Kings, finding points proved to be a struggle. The team shot 45 percent from the field but only made two three - pointers on the night. Sacramento also had issues with turnovers, coughing the ball up 13 times to Utah's 11."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Rockets": "37", "Cavaliers": "30"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "46", "Cavaliers": "41"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "18", "Cavaliers": "24"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "105", "Cavaliers": "103"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Rockets": "16", "Cavaliers": "24"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "41", "Cavaliers": "37"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "4", "Kevin Love": "3", "James Harden": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LeBron James": "12", "Kevin Love": "8", "Terrence Jones": "2", "Donatas Motiejunas": "4", "James Harden": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"LeBron James": "4", "Kevin Love": "3", "James Jones": "3", "Terrence Jones": "1", "Donatas Motiejunas": "2", "James Harden": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "35", "Kevin Love": "19", "Tristan Thompson": "9", "Terrence Jones": "10", "Donatas Motiejunas": "14", "James Harden": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "15", "Kevin Love": "8", "Tristan Thompson": "5", "James Jones": "3", "Terrence Jones": "6", "Donatas Motiejunas": "7", "James Harden": "8"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"LeBron James": "2"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "37", "Kevin Love": "21", "Tristan Thompson": "14", "Terrence Jones": "19", "Donatas Motiejunas": "16", "James Harden": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "8", "Kevin Love": "6", "Tristan Thompson": "19", "Terrence Jones": "7", "Donatas Motiejunas": "2", "James Harden": "8"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "3", "James Harden": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kevin Love": "2", "Tristan Thompson": "4", "Terrence Jones": "9", "James Harden": "18"}, "Free throws made": {"Kevin Love": "2", "Tristan Thompson": "4", "Terrence Jones": "6", "James Harden": "15"}, "Minutes played": {"Kevin Love": "35", "Tristan Thompson": "37"}}], "The Houston Rockets (41 - 18) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (37 - 24) 105 - 103 on Sunday at the Toyota Center in Houston. After a fourth quarter comeback, where the Cavaliers out - scored the Rockets 24 - 16, LeBron James had a chance to end the game, but missed a step back jump shot with just under two seconds left in regulation, pushing it to overtime. The Rockets then were able to build a two - point lead by the end of overtime. James Jones had a chance to win the game for the Cavaliers with a three at the buzzer, but had it blocked, therefore giving the Rockets their fifth win in a row. The Rockets were the superior shooters in this one, going 46 percent from the field and 37 percent from the three - point line, while the Cavaliers went 41 percent from the floor and just 30 percent from deep. Like has been the case so far this season, James Harden led this Rockets team to the win. He finished with a team - high of 33 points (8 - 18 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 15 - 18 FT), to go along with eight rebounds, five assists and three steals. He continually forced his way to the free throw line, as the Cavaliers just could n't stay in front of him. After shooting just 27 percent (4 - 15 FG) in Friday's game against the Nets, it was a much better showing for the guard from the field Sunday. Terrence Jones was also a huge factor in the win, posting 19 points (6 - 10 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 6 - 9 FT) and seven rebounds. It was his second strong showing in a row, as he's combined for 45 points and 19 rebounds over his last two games. He's now averaging 11 points and 7 rebounds on the season. Getting hot from the field, Donatas Motiejunas went 7 - for - 14 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score 16 points, while adding two rebounds. He's been scoring at a high rate lately, averaging 15 points over his last three games. With Kyrie Irving out due to a shoulder injury, the bulk of the scoring went to both LeBron James and Kevin Love. James went 15 - for - 35 from the field and 4 - for - 12 from the three - point line to score 37 points, to go along with eight rebounds, four assists and three steals. He's been playing at a very high rate lately, averaging 40 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and three steals over his last two games. Love, on the other hand, finished with 21 points (8 - 19 FG, 3 - 8 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), six rebounds and three assists in 35 minutes. He's now averaging 17 points, 10 rebounds and 2 assists on the year. Coming off the bench, Tristan Thompson made a strong impact. In 37 minutes, he posted 14 points (5 - 9 FG, 4 - 4 FT) and a game - high of 19 rebounds. The 19 rebounds were a new season - high, while the double - double was his first since the end of January. The Cavaliers' next game will be at home against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, while the Rockets will travel to Atlanta to play the Hawks on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "1", "Nets": "2"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "110", "Nets": "108"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bucks": "22"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "1", "Nets": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"Trevor Booker": "1", "Jabari Parker": "4", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Greg Monroe": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Trevor Booker": "2", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Rashad Vaughn": "1"}, "Points": {"Trevor Booker": "14", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "26", "Jeremy Lin": "12", "Luis Scola": "14", "Sean Kilpatrick": "15", "Jabari Parker": "14", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "21", "Greg Monroe": "11", "Rashad Vaughn": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Booker": "14", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "8", "Jeremy Lin": "3", "Luis Scola": "8", "Jabari Parker": "8", "Greg Monroe": "3", "Rashad Vaughn": "2"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Booker": "1", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Greg Monroe": "4"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "60"}, "Minutes played": {"Luis Scola": "18", "Rashad Vaughn": "27"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rashad Vaughn": "12"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rashad Vaughn": "6"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 110 - 108, at Bradley Center on Saturday. With both teams closely matching each other in virtually every category, including the scoreboard, throughout the night, the contest fittingly came down to the final second. A nip - and - tuck fourth quarter appeared to reach a crescendo when Bojan Bogdanovic nailed a clutch three - pointer with 11 seconds remaining to knot the score at 108 - 108, capping a pivotal 60 Brooklyn run that began with 58 seconds remaining. However, it would all prove to be for naught when John Henson grabbed an offensive rebound off a blocked shot by Justin Hamilton on Jabari Parker and tipped it in for the victory as the clock turned to double zeros. The Nets (1 - 2) were led by Bogdanovic, who tallied 26 points and added eight rebounds and two assists. Trevor Booker helped make for the absence of Brook Lopez (rest) in the frontcourt by turning in a 14 - point, 14 - rebound double - double that also included an assist, two blocks and a steal. Jeremy Lin continued his solid start to his Nets career by turning the trick as well, collecting 12 points and dishing out 10 assists. He also brought down three boards and recorded a trio of steals. Sean Kilpatrick and Luis Scola were key contributors off the bench, notching 15 and 14 points, respectively, with the latter also notably hauling in eight rebounds over just 18 minutes. Milwaukee (1 - 1) saw Rashad Vaughn surprisingly lead the team in scoring while coming off the bench, collecting 22 points and adding a pair of rebounds, a steal and a block over 27 minutes. His scoring total was significantly augmented by a 6 - for - 12 performance from beyond the arc. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the starters with 21 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. Parker supplied 14 points, eight boards, four assists and a steal, while Greg Monroe, coming off the bench and outpacing starter Miles Plumlee by 11 minutes overall, registered 11 points, three rebounds, three assists and four steals. The Nets head back home to face the Bulls on Monday night while the Bucks travel to Detroit to take on the Pistons on Sunday evening."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Kings": "35", "Suns": "42"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "44", "Suns": "49"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "17", "Suns": "14"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "106", "Suns": "115"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Kings": "16", "Suns": "21"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "12", "Suns": "17"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Markieff Morris": "11", "Eric Bledsoe": "11", "Marcus Morris": "12", "Rudy Gay": "15", "Darren Collison": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Markieff Morris": "8", "Eric Bledsoe": "7", "Marcus Morris": "7", "Rudy Gay": "7", "Darren Collison": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Markieff Morris": "30"}, "Points": {"Markieff Morris": "17", "Goran Dragic": "16", "Eric Bledsoe": "18", "Isaiah Thomas": "17", "Marcus Morris": "20", "Rudy Gay": "16", "Reggie Evans": "11", "Darren Collison": "19"}, "Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Eric Bledsoe": "3", "Marcus Morris": "7", "Rudy Gay": "1", "Darren Collison": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "1", "Marcus Morris": "6", "Rudy Gay": "0", "Darren Collison": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Eric Bledsoe": "5", "Rudy Gay": "2", "Darren Collison": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "3", "Rudy Gay": "2", "Darren Collison": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Eric Bledsoe": "5", "Marcus Morris": "9", "Reggie Evans": "16"}, "Steals": {"Marcus Morris": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Marcus Morris": "1"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (17 - 14) defeated the Sacramento Kings (12 - 17) 115 - 106 on Friday at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento. Phoenix ended the third quarter riding a close 94 - 90 lead, but were able to out - score the Kings 21 - 16 in the final quarter to secure the nine - point win on the road. The Suns were the superior shooting team in this one, going 49 percent from the field and 42 percent from the three - point line, while the Kings went 44 percent from the floor and 35 percent from beyond the arc. The Suns were led by the Morris twins, who combined for 37 points. Marcus Morris came off the bench, going 7 - for - 12 from the field and 6 - for - 7 from the three - point line to score a team - leading 20 points, while also recording a near double - double with nine rebounds. The nine rebounds matched a season - high for Marcus, as he notched one of his most well - rounded games of the year. Markieff Morris on the other hand was just as efficient, shooting 8 - for - 11 from the field and 1 - 1 from beyond the arc. He finished the game with 17 points in 30 minutes of action. Eric Bledsoe stuffed the stat sheet again, scoring 18 points (7 - 11 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 3 - 5 FT), while also contributing five rebounds and six assists. He's now averaging 16 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists on the year. Both Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas scored 16 and 17 points respectively. With DeMarcus Cousins sitting out, Rudy Gay and Darren Collison continued to be the most effective playmakers for the Kings. Collison had a team - high of 19 points (5 - 12 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT), while Gay finished with 16 (7 - 15 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT). Starting at center and receiving more minutes than he's accustomed to, Reggie Evans notched a surprise performance. He recorded 11 points and 16 rebounds, giving him his second double - double of the year. The Kings also received a lot of production of the bench with Derrick Williams, Omri Casspi and Carl Landry all reaching double figures in points. They scored 16, 11 and 12 points respectively. While the Kings offensive output was n't something to hang thier heads about, they just did n't have enough of a defensive presence to slow the Suns down. The Suns' next game will be on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, while the Kings will be at home against the New York Knicks on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "2", "Bulls": "3"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "106", "Bulls": "101"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "3", "Bulls": "2"}, "Number of team assists": {"Bulls": "20"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bulls": "20"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Taj Gibson": "26", "Kyrie Irving": "39"}, "Points": {"Taj Gibson": "10", "Jimmy Butler": "29", "LeBron James": "38", "Kyrie Irving": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Taj Gibson": "5", "LeBron James": "12"}, "Assists": {"LeBron James": "6"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "3"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "3"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Iman Shumpert": "20"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (3 - 2) defeated the Chicago Bulls (2 - 3), 106 - 101, in Game 5 on Tuesday at the Quicken Loans Arena. Although this game lacked the buzzer - beating heroics fans had become accustomed to after Games 3 and 4, Tuesday's contest was not lacking for excitement. Chicago got off to a fast start and led by as many as 10 points in the early going, but long scoring droughts allowed Cleveland to get back into the game. With the recent history between these teams, tensions simmered for much of Tuesday's pivotal Game 5. Those tensions boiled over early in the fourth quarter when Chicago's Taj Gibson got tangled up with Cleveland's Matthew Dellavadova under the basket and kicked Dellavadova, leading to a flagrant foul and an ejection. At that point, Chicago trailed by 10 points and had just lost one of its last effective front court players. The Bulls charged back and cut their deficit to two points, but Cleveland's Iman Shumpert saved the game with an offensive rebound with less than 20 seconds remaining. After securing the rebound, Shumpert fired an outlet pass to Kyrie Irving, who was then fouled and sunk both of his free throws. The Cavaliers went on to seal the game and the series will now move back to Chicago for Game 6 on Thursday with Cleveland holding a 3 - 2 advantage. Chicago was missing All-Star power forward Pau Gasol for the second straight game on Tuesday, but still managed to remain close until the end. Taj Gibson made the start in place of Gasol and was effective prior to be ejected, with 10 points and five rebounds over 26 minutes. Jimmy Butler had a very strong outing as well with 29 points, including the three pointer that pulled the Bulls within two points late. Chicago will have a chance to even the series Thursday and send it to a Game 7, which would take place on Sunday. Cleveland came into Game 5 looking to sustain the momentum from Sunday's buzzer - beating win in Chicago and was able to do just that. LeBron James turned in another tremendous performance with 38 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, three blocks, and three steals. Kyrie Irving, who has been battling tendinitis in his left knee, gritted out 39 minutes Tuesday and posted 25 points. History is on Cleveland's side for the rest of the series, as the teams that have won Game 5 in a tied best - of - seven series have won the series 82% of the time."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Pelicans": "33"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Nuggets": "33"}}, {"Points": {"Anthony Davis": "50"}, "Minutes played": {"Dante Cunningham": "9"}}], "While it is difficult to look at the box score and ignore Anthony Davis' 50 - point night, what may be even more glaring is the lack of production from the rest of his Pelican teammates as New Orleans lost to the Denver Nuggets. Davis' fellow starters in the frontcourt, Solomon Hill and Omer Asik, played a combined 44 minutes and scored a combined four points, while Dante Cunningham and Alexis Ajinca each played over nine minutes off the bench and had zero points to show for it. The bench unit as a whole managed to contribute just 23 points total for the Pelicans on Wednesday night. For both teams, the game was ultimately decided at the free - throw line, with neither squad able to put together a good shooting night from the field. The teams managed to shoot a combined 59 free throws Wednesday, and while the Pelicans shot their free throws at a much more efficient rate, the difference was the Nuggets' ability to get to the line a grand total of 33 times and using those trips to put the game away in the closing seconds."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "60"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "8", "Trail Blazers": "37"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "136", "Trail Blazers": "111"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "69", "Trail Blazers": "41"}}, {"Points": {"CJ McCollum": "18", "Damian Lillard": "38", "Ed Davis": "6", "Draymond Green": "22", "Klay Thompson": "21", "Stephen Curry": "39", "Leandro Barbosa": "13"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "27", "Stephen Curry": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"Damian Lillard": "13", "Stephen Curry": "13"}, "Assists": {"Ed Davis": "3", "Draymond Green": "10", "Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "7", "Leandro Barbosa": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Ed Davis": "3", "Draymond Green": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Ed Davis": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "10", "Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "6", "Leandro Barbosa": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Klay Thompson": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Klay Thompson": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "9"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (69 - 8) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (41 - 37) 136 - 111 at Oracle Arena on Sunday. The Warriors bounced back after their first home loss since January of 2015 against the Boston Celtics on Friday, and made a statement in the process. Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard battled it out in the polarizing point guard matchup and the back - and - forth range of skills that each player flashed during the game made for a classic Western Conference showcase. Portland led at times during the second quarter, and even when Curry and company would go on a double figure runs, Lillard would find a way to bring his team within striking distance through the third quarter. Once the three point shooting challenge between Curry and Lillard cooled off going into the fourth quarter, the Warriors rallied behind Klay Thompson and Draymond Green to put away the game. The final score reflected Golden State\u2019s tremendous shooting from behind the arc (60 percent), but downplays the Blazers who fought until the very end. Curry finished with 39 points to lead all scorers, and added six rebounds, seven assists and two steals on 13 - of - 21 shooting, which included nine treys. Draymond Green picked up his 13th triple - double, which is good for second in the league behind Russell Westbrook, and rounded out the box score with 22 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and three blocks. Klay Thompson pitched in 21 points to round out the Warriors big three, while LeAndro Barbosa led the bench in scoring with 13 points, to go along with four rebounds and one assist. The Blazers had little trouble in the scoring department, but defensively they could not get the stops they needed, especially in the beginning of the fourth quarter. Damian Lillard dropped 38 points on 13 - of - 27 shooting, as he sliced through his matchup with Curry and was unafraid to show off his range as well. C.J. McCollum contributed 18 points, but was also overpowered by his matchup with Klay Thompson. Ed Davis was the standout bench player for Portland, as he filled the stat sheet with six points, eight rebounds, three assists and three blocks in 21 minutes. Both teams play on Tuesday, as the Warriors will host the Minnesota Timberwolves (25 - 52), while the Blazers will visit the Sacramento Kings (31 - 46)."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "29", "Hornets": "39"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "98", "Hornets": "86"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bulls": "20"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "43", "Hornets": "30"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Gerald Henderson": "1", "Kemba Walker": "7", "Mo Williams": "9", "Pau Gasol": "1", "Jimmy Butler": "2", "Aaron Brooks": "2", "Nikola Mirotic": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Gerald Henderson": "0", "Kemba Walker": "2", "Mo Williams": "3", "Pau Gasol": "1", "Jimmy Butler": "0", "Aaron Brooks": "0", "Nikola Mirotic": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gerald Henderson": "12", "Kemba Walker": "24", "Mo Williams": "16", "Pau Gasol": "19", "Jimmy Butler": "20", "Aaron Brooks": "10", "Nikola Mirotic": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Gerald Henderson": "3", "Kemba Walker": "11", "Mo Williams": "4", "Pau Gasol": "11", "Jimmy Butler": "6", "Aaron Brooks": "6", "Nikola Mirotic": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Gerald Henderson": "6", "Kemba Walker": "5", "Mo Williams": "5", "Pau Gasol": "6", "Jimmy Butler": "10", "Aaron Brooks": "1", "Nikola Mirotic": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Gerald Henderson": "5", "Kemba Walker": "5", "Mo Williams": "4", "Pau Gasol": "4", "Jimmy Butler": "7", "Aaron Brooks": "1", "Nikola Mirotic": "7"}, "Points": {"Gerald Henderson": "11", "Kemba Walker": "29", "Mo Williams": "15", "Pau Gasol": "27", "Jimmy Butler": "19", "Aaron Brooks": "13", "Nikola Mirotic": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Gerald Henderson": "9", "Mo Williams": "6", "Pau Gasol": "12", "Jimmy Butler": "9", "Nikola Mirotic": "8"}, "Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "2", "Mo Williams": "5", "Aaron Brooks": "10", "Nikola Mirotic": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Kemba Walker": "1", "Pau Gasol": "4", "Nikola Mirotic": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Kemba Walker": "46"}, "Minutes played": {"Kemba Walker": "34", "Nikola Mirotic": "32"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kemba Walker": "1", "Pau Gasol": "2"}, "Steals": {"Mo Williams": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Mo Williams": "2", "Nikola Mirotic": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Pau Gasol": "2", "Nikola Mirotic": "2"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (43 - 29) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (30 - 39) 98 - 86 on Monday at the United Center in Chicago. It marked a tough loss for the Hornets, as the Boston Celtics jumped a half game ahead of them for the eighth and final projected playoff seed in the Eastern Conference standings. With just 13 games left in the regular season, the Hornets are going to need to pick up some winning momentum moving forward, as teams like the Heat, Celtics, Pacers and Nets all sit within three games of each other and will fight for the final two playoff spots in the East. The Bulls, on the other hand, have clinched their spot in the playoffs and still sit as the fourth seed in the standings, with the Toronto Raptors sitting just above them with the tie breaker. With a strong finish to the season, they'll have the opportunity to pass up the Raptors, but they could be passed up themselves, as the Washington Wizards are trailing the Bulls by just two games. Nikola Mirotic continued to have a huge presence for the Bulls, recording over 20 points for the fourth time over his last five games. In 32 minutes off the bench, he finished with a team - high of 28 points (10 - 19 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt, 7 - 10 FT), while also adding eight rebounds and a blocked shot. Over his last five games, he's now boasting averages of 21 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks, while shooting 43 percent from the field. Pau Gasol was also a force in this game, posting 27 points (11 - 19 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT) of his own, to go along with 12 rebounds and four blocked shots. He's posted two double - doubles in a row, combining for an impressive 54 points and 22 rebounds over those two matchups. On the season, Gasol is now averaging 19 points and 12 rebounds as the clear leader of this team. The biggest news for the Bulls though, was seeing Jimmy Butler return to the starting lineup after missing 12 games with an elbow injury. He did n't seem to have any trouble with his elbow and posted 19 points (6 - 20 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 7 - 10 FT) and nine rebounds, while playing a full 39 minutes. Aaron Brooks added a double - double as well, finishing with 13 points (6 - 10 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT) and 10 assists. The Hornets struggled to get things going offensively Monday. Kemba Walker was one of the few exceptions, going off for a game - high of 29 points (11 - 24 FG, 2 - 7 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT) with two assists in 34 minutes. He had shot under 40 percent from the field in nine straight games coming into Monday, so it was good to finally see him have a better night with his shot and come out shooting 46 percent from the floor. Mo Williams came off the bench again in this one and scored 15 points (4 - 16 FG, 3 - 9 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT), while also posting six rebounds and five assists. He's had two solid showings in a row, combining for 39 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists over that span. The only other Hornet in double figures was Gerald Henderson, who chipped in with 11 points (3 - 12 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT) and nine rebounds, despite having a tough night shooting the ball. Al Jefferson had to leave the game after just 24 minutes with soreness in his right knee, so the Hornets can only hope it does n't continue to keep him out moving forward. The Bulls' next game will be on the road against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, while the Hornets will be at home against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "48"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "20"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "99", "Raptors": "92"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "39"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Raptors": "15"}}, {"Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "18", "Greivis Vasquez": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Greivis Vasquez": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Greivis Vasquez": "5", "Rajon Rondo": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Rajon Rondo": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Rajon Rondo": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Rajon Rondo": "2"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (39 - 20) defeated the Toronto Raptors (37 - 19) 99 - 92 Tuesday at the American Airlines Center. Dallas' Rajon Rondo took the ball up the floor with the Mavericks losing by nine early in the third quarter. Coach Rick Carlisle took a timeout and Rondo never got back on the floor after the two appeared to have a heated exchange. After Rondo's exit, the Mavericks outscored 46 - 30 to close out the Raptors and notch their 39th win of the season. The reason behind Rondo and Carlisle's spat was unclear, but the Mavericks will hope that those tensions are resolved sooner rather than later. Toronto mustered just 15 points in the fourth quarter as its losing streak extended to three games. DeMar DeRozan led the team in scoring with 18 points and Greivis Vasquez had a quality game off the bench with 14 points on 5 - of - 6 shooting from the field. The Raptors have another tough test ahead of them with a matchup against Golden State scheduled for Friday. Dallas got key performances in the second half from Devin Harris and J.J Barea, who split the minutes at point guard in Rondo's absence. They combined for 27 points, eight assists, and four rebounds over 47 total minutes in the game. The Mavericks shot 48 percent from the field as a team on their way to their third straight game. Tyson Chandler was shaken up towards the end of the game, but it did n't appear to be serious. The Mavericks will play the second half of a back - to - back Wednesday against the Hawks."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "4", "Lakers": "9"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "120", "Lakers": "101"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Suns": "40"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "6", "Lakers": "2"}, "Number of team assists": {"Lakers": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Lakers": "37"}}, {"Assists": {"Roy Hibbert": "3", "D'Angelo Russell": "2", "Brandon Knight": "15", "Eric Bledsoe": "3"}, "Points": {"Roy Hibbert": "14", "Jordan Clarkson": "20", "D'Angelo Russell": "13", "Lou Williams": "16", "Brandon Knight": "30", "Eric Bledsoe": "21", "Alex Len": "10", "TJ Warren": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Roy Hibbert": "7", "D'Angelo Russell": "4", "Brandon Knight": "10", "Alex Len": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"D'Angelo Russell": "27", "Alex Len": "25"}, "Steals": {"Brandon Knight": "4", "Eric Bledsoe": "2"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (6 - 4) out - lasted the Los Angeles Lakers (2 - 9) leading to a 120 - 101 win for the Suns. What began as a close game, with the Lakers leading a few times in the first three quarters, turned out to be a blow - out as Phoenix blew up for a 40 point fourth quarter. The Phoenix Suns are showing themselves to be a high - octane team capable of blowing by opponents with vicious runs. This win marked their third win in a row by double digits. The combo of Brandon Knight and Eric Bledsoe has led Phoenix's high scoring offense so far and were at it again Monday night as they combined for 51 points. Knight had a fanstastic game, posting a triple - double with 30 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds, he also had four steals. Bledsoe shot a solid 8 - 16 totalling 21 points, three assists and two steals. Five other players scored in double digits for the Suns, including T.J. Warren, who had 19 points on 9 - 13 shooting. Alex Len shot 4 - 7 and finished with 10 points, six rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench. Kobe Bryant sat this one out for the Lakers with a sore back and legs. His team showed a good effort, with six players scoring double digits, however they only managed a poor 12 assists on 37 made field goals. Jordan Clarkson continued his impressive play as he scored 20 points on 6 - 12 shooting. Roy Hibbert played well, shooting 6 - 9 and finishing with 14 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Lou Williams was his usual self, scoring 16 points on 6 - 12 shooting, in 21 minutes off the bench. Rookie and starting point guard D'Angelo Russell put in 13 points, four rebounds and two assists in 27 minutes. The Lakers will now head home for a three day break before they face the Toronto Raptors on Friday at the Staples center. The Suns will be hosting Chicago on Wednesday, in what should be an excellent match up."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "12", "Mavericks": "13"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "103", "Mavericks": "99"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Raptors": "32", "Mavericks": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Raptors": "53", "Mavericks": "34"}, "Turnovers": {"Raptors": "17", "Mavericks": "6"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "18", "Mavericks": "15"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Mavericks": "31"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "28"}, "Points": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "20", "Bismack Biyombo": "9", "DeMar DeRozan": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "7", "Bismack Biyombo": "20"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Bismack Biyombo": "13"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Bismack Biyombo": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Bismack Biyombo": "4"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (18 - 12) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (15 - 13) 103 - 99 on Tuesday night. The Raptors had a big lead early in the fourth quarter and nearly blew it against the Dallas backups. They were able to hold them off, but it was an ugly sight for Toronto fans as they nearly let a 16 - point fourth quarter lead slip away. A win is a win though and the defense was key. The Raptors outrebounded the Mavericks 53 - 34 and held them to just 35 percent shooting through the first three and a half quarters. The starters dominated this game all - around, as only one bench player scored in double - figures for both teams. The Mavericks were bad for most of the game tonight and played well for only 18 minutes. They shot 11 - for - 17 in a 31 - point third quarter, but shot under 42 percent aside from that. The bench players came in for the last six minutes and nearly brought them back from a double - digit deficit, but couldn\u2019t quite make up for the starters poor play. While The Mavericks did win the turnover battle 17 - 6, they were killed on the boards. Dirk Nowitzki played just 28 minutes, but tallied 20 points and seven rebounds. Deron Williams left this game in the third with a hamstring injury and that really hurt the team down the stretch. The starters got a nice rest in the final quarter and that should be beneficial for Wednesday's game against the Brooklyn Nets. All the talk in Toronto has been about their bad starts, but that wasn\u2019t the problem on Tuesday. They actually ended the first quarter up 32 - 16 and had trouble closing this one out. That's usually the opposite, as they have one of the best second half differentials in the NBA this season. All the starters played well, as four of them scored at least 15 points with Bismack Biyombo scoring just nine. Biyombo was the star of the night though, as he snatched a career - high 20 rebounds en route to his fifth - straight 13 - plus rebound game. DeMar DeRozan led all scorers with 28 points in the victory. Toronto will have a few days off until they play the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "33", "76ers": "58"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "106", "76ers": "93"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "42", "76ers": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Nerlens Noel": "3", "Ish Smith": "3", "Isaiah Canaan": "6"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Ish Smith": "3", "Marcin Gortat": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ish Smith": "17", "Marcin Gortat": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Ish Smith": "11", "Marcin Gortat": "10"}, "Points": {"Ish Smith": "23", "Isaiah Canaan": "18", "Marcin Gortat": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Ish Smith": "3", "Isaiah Canaan": "3", "Marcin Gortat": "14"}, "Steals": {"Ish Smith": "3", "Isaiah Canaan": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Isaiah Canaan": "22", "Marcin Gortat": "31"}, "Blocks": {"Marcin Gortat": "2"}}], "The Washington Wizards (42 - 33) beat the Philadelphia 76ers (18 - 58) 106 - 93 on Wednesday. The Wizards made quick work of the 76ers, putting them in a 10 - point hole to start the second quarter, and then pushed that to a 23 - point lead to end the first half. Marcin Gortat dominated the inside against the Sixers, he put in 10 of his 11 shots for a team - high 23 points. He also had team - highs with 14 rebounds and two blocks in his 31 minutes of action. The Washington backcourt was hard to handle on Wednesday, Bradley Beal and John Wall combined for 33 points, 20 rebounds and nine assists. Washington has already locked up a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, their next objective is to try and get home - court advantage for the first round. They are currently hot on the heels of the fourth place Toronto Raptors. Ish Smith has supplanted himself as the starting point guard for the 76ers, since they sent away Michael Carter-Williams in a deadline trade. Smith led his team with 23 points on 11 - for - 17 shooting to go along with three steals. He and sensational rookie Nerlens Noel combined for 37 points, but unfortunately for them, the other three starters combined for a lousy seven points in 44 minutes played. Isaiah Canaan came in and stepped it up to help out the struggling starting crew. Canaan poured in 18 points in 22 minutes before injuring his ankle. He also had six assists, three rebounds and two steals before suffering the injury. Canaan did not return to floor after being diagnosed with a sprained right ankle. Philadelphia has lost four straight and six of their last seven. Their sights are set on the future as the 2014 - 2015 season winds down. The 76ers will play the Hornets in Charlotte on Saturday. The Wizards will host the New York Knicks on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "43", "Mavericks": "39"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "116", "Mavericks": "74"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "25", "Mavericks": "29"}}, {"Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "10", "Seth Curry": "7", "Yogi Ferrell": "4", "J.J. Barea": "11", "Dwight Powell": "14", "Robert Covington": "18", "Dario Saric": "10", "Richaun Holmes": "17", "Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot": "12", "Justin Anderson": "19", "Jahlil Okafor": "10", "Sergio Rodriguez": "13"}, "Blocks": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "1", "Robert Covington": "1", "Dario Saric": "1", "Jahlil Okafor": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "1", "Seth Curry": "1", "J.J. Barea": "1", "Robert Covington": "9", "Dario Saric": "7", "Richaun Holmes": "7", "Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot": "4", "Justin Anderson": "8", "Jahlil Okafor": "3", "Sergio Rodriguez": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "1"}, "Assists": {"Seth Curry": "1", "J.J. Barea": "4", "Dwight Powell": "1", "Robert Covington": "3", "Dario Saric": "5", "Richaun Holmes": "2", "Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot": "2", "Justin Anderson": "3", "Jahlil Okafor": "1", "Sergio Rodriguez": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"J.J. Barea": "17"}, "Steals": {"Dario Saric": "1", "Richaun Holmes": "2", "Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot": "1", "Justin Anderson": "1"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Dallas Mavericks, 116 - 74, at Wells Fargo Center on Friday night. The Sixers (25 - 43) have been rightfully lauded for their considerable improvement this season, which has persisted even after the season - ending knee injury to star center Joel Embiid. Philadelphia's ongoing transformation to a winning team has not been as evident all season as it was Friday, when they thoroughly dominated a team that still has postseason aspirations in the Mavericks (29 - 39). Only one member of the Dallas starting five managed to post double - digit scoring, and just barely, as Dirk Nowitzki tallied just 10 points. The Mavs also managed to shoot just 35 percent from the field and 22 percent from three - point range. However, the most eye - opening - - and perhaps team - defining - - aspect of the contest was the Sixers' response to a first - quarter 23 - 21 deficit. The Sixers ripped off 66 points over the second and third quarters while limiting their visitors to exactly half that total, allowing them to cruise the rest of the way for their most lopsided victory of the season. Dwight Powell actually led the Mavs off the bench with 14 points, which he supplemented with one assist. J.J. Barea followed with 11 points, four assists and one rebound in 17 minutes. Nowitzki added a rebound and a block to his aforementioned scoring total. The rest of the first unit was frustrated throughout the night, with Seth Curry the next highest scorer with seven points, to which he added a rebound and an assist. Harrison Barnes and Yogi Ferrell were able to only contribute matching four - point efforts. Justin Anderson paced the Sixers off the bench with a career - high 19 points, eight rebounds, three assists and one steal. Robert Covington totaled 18 points, nine rebounds, three assists and one block. Richaun Holmes parlayed a start into 17 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. Sergio Rodriguez tallied 13 points, six assists and four rebounds on the second unit. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, another of several promising young Sixers players keying their current resurgence, supplied 12 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal. Dario Saric was actually a secondary contributor on the night but still provided a full stat line of 10 points, seven rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block. Jahlil Okafor was productive as a reserve as well with 10 points, three rebounds, one assist and one block. The Mavericks head to Brooklyn to take on the Nets on Sunday afternoon, while the Sixers remain home to tangle with the Celtics on Sunday afternoon as well."], [[{"Total points": {"Bulls": "95", "Jazz": "86"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "28"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "38"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "27"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "43"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "2", "Rudy Gobert": "2", "George Hill": "4", "Jimmy Butler": "7"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "14", "Rudy Gobert": "13", "George Hill": "18", "Jimmy Butler": "23", "Denzel Valentine": "11", "Bobby Portis": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "6", "Rudy Gobert": "13", "George Hill": "7", "Jimmy Butler": "4", "Denzel Valentine": "12", "Bobby Portis": "5"}, "Steals": {"Gordon Hayward": "4", "Jimmy Butler": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "5", "Jimmy Butler": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"George Hill": "37", "Jimmy Butler": "38", "Denzel Valentine": "28", "Bobby Portis": "31"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jimmy Butler": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jimmy Butler": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Jimmy Butler": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Bobby Portis": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Bobby Portis": "10"}}], "The Chicago Bulls defeated the visiting Utah Jazz, 95 - 86, at United Center on Saturday evening. The Jazz led by 12 late in the first quarter but the Bulls battled back to make it a four - point game by halftime. Chicago came out strong in the second half, taking the lead three minutes into the third quarter. The game remained close until the final three minutes, where the Bulls closed the game on a 10 - 3 run. After losing two straight, Chicago (32 - 37) got a much - needed win, as Jimmy Butler led the way 23 points, seven assists, four rebounds, three steals and two blocks, in 38 minutes. The Bulls got a serious boost from a couple of youngsters, as Bobby Portis poured in a career - high 22 points on 10 - of - 13 shooting, to go along with five rebounds, in 31 minutes off the bench; and Denzel Valentine notched his first career double - double, with 11 points and 12 rebounds, in 28 minutes off the bench. The Bulls will need everything they can get down the stretch, in order to keep their playoff hopes alive. They look ahead to Tuesday, when they take on the Raptors in Toronto. Meanwhile, the Jazz (43 - 27) shot only 38 percent from the field and 28 percent from long range, as they struggled to stay composed down the stretch. Five players scored in double digits for Utah, led by George Hill, who finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists, in 37 minutes. Gordon Hayward followed up with 14 points, six rebounds, four steals and two assists, while Rudy Gobert double - doubled with 13 points, 13 rebounds, five blocks and two assists, before fouling out in the final minutes. The Jazz will look to bounce back as they visit Indiana to take on the Pacers on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "53", "Knicks": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "51"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "24", "Knicks": "29"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "111", "Knicks": "105"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "27", "Knicks": "23"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "34"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "8", "Stanley Johnson": "5", "Reggie Jackson": "5"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "19", "Robin Lopez": "26", "Arron Afflalo": "24", "Andre Drummond": "17", "Stanley Johnson": "22", "Reggie Jackson": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "11", "Robin Lopez": "16", "Andre Drummond": "13", "Stanley Johnson": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Arron Afflalo": "15", "Andre Drummond": "12", "Reggie Jackson": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Arron Afflalo": "8", "Andre Drummond": "7", "Reggie Jackson": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Arron Afflalo": "8", "Stanley Johnson": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Arron Afflalo": "7", "Stanley Johnson": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Stanley Johnson": "1"}, "Steals": {"Stanley Johnson": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Reggie Jackson": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Reggie Jackson": "3"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (27 - 24) held on for a home win over the New York Knicks (23 - 29) Thursday night at The Palace of Auburn Hills, 111 - 105. The Pistons opened the game with a 12 - 2 run and led from the opening basket until the Knicks came back to tie the game at 95 - 95 with 2:45 to go in the game despite Detroit leading by over 20 points in the second quarter. The Knicks took a 97 - 95 lead with 2:14 to go, but an Anthony Tolliver three - pointer swung the lead back to the Pistons, who rattled off an 11 - 2 run to put away the game. The Pistons were led by their back court starters. Stanley Johnson led Detroit with 22 points (7 - 12 shooting, 7 - 8 FT) and stuffed the box score with nine rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block. Reggie Jackson scored 21 (6 - 16 FG, 3 - 5 3PT) and added five assists and a pair of steals. Andre Drummond recorded his fourth straight double - double with 17 points (7 - 12 FG) and 13 rebounds. The Pistons shot a sharp 51 percent from the floor and 53 percent from three - point land. Robin Lopez exploded for a game - high 26 points on an efficient 11 - 14 shooting night, and his 16 rebounds were also a game high. Arron Afflalo dropped 24 points (8 - 15 FG, 7 - 8 FT), and Carmelo Anthony nearly had a triple - double as he scored 19 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished eight assists. The Knicks made it to the free throw line 34 times and sunk a respectable 27 (79 percent), but they shot just 6 - 22 from three and could n't overcome the bricks. The Knicks remain at home to host the Grizzlies Friday night. The Pistons continue their Eastern Conference road trip with a Saturday matchup in Indiana."], [[{"Total points": {"Cavaliers": "120", "Warriors": "90"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Cavaliers": "33", "Warriors": "16"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "27"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "1"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "2"}}, {"Assists": {"Harrison Barnes": "3", "Draymond Green": "7", "Klay Thompson": "1", "Stephen Curry": "3", "Richard Jefferson": "2", "LeBron James": "6", "Tristan Thompson": "2", "JR Smith": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "3", "Klay Thompson": "3", "LeBron James": "5", "JR Smith": "2"}, "Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "18", "Draymond Green": "6", "Klay Thompson": "10", "Stephen Curry": "19", "Andre Iguodala": "11", "Richard Jefferson": "9", "LeBron James": "32", "Tristan Thompson": "14", "JR Smith": "20", "Kyrie Irving": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Harrison Barnes": "8", "Draymond Green": "7", "Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "1", "Andre Iguodala": "2", "Richard Jefferson": "8", "LeBron James": "11", "Tristan Thompson": "13", "JR Smith": "4", "Kyrie Irving": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "1", "LeBron James": "2"}, "Steals": {"Klay Thompson": "1", "Stephen Curry": "2", "Richard Jefferson": "2", "LeBron James": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Richard Jefferson": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"LeBron James": "5", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Golden State Warriors, 120 - 90, on Wednesday night at Quicken Loans Arena in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. The victory reduced the Warriors' series lead to 2 - 1. With their backs already against the wall, the Cavs received the news earlier Wednesday that starting power forward Kevin Love would not be medically cleared to play in Game 3 due to the concussion he suffered in the first half of Game 2 on Sunday. His absence prompted a personnel shift that saw LeBron James start at power forward, with veteran Richard Jefferson coming in to the starting five at James' usual spot at small forward. Cleveland appeared unfazed by the lineup change early, as they ambushed Golden State out of the gate with a 90 run to start the game. They went on to win the quarter by a margin of 33 - 16, giving them a cushion they would n't relinquish. The Cavs also won the third period by a 12 - point margin, effectively sealing the victory at that point. One of the keys to the decisive and much - needed win was their defense against the Warriors' normally lethal long - range game, as they held the visitors to a 27 percent success rate from beyond the arc, and Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson to a combined 29 points. The latter tally included a combined 4 - for - 16 performance for the vaunted Splash Brothers from long distance. Curry's 19 - point total did pace the Warriors, and he added three assists, a rebound and two steals. Harrison Barnes was right behind him with 18 points, eight rebounds and a trio of assists. Thompson contributed 10 points, two rebounds, an assist and a steal, giving him only 36 points over the series' first three contests. Draymond Green notably managed a modest six points, seven rebounds, seven assists and a block. Andre Iguodala paced the reserves with 11 points and two rebounds. Cleveland's attack was spearheaded by James, who supplied a game - high 32 points and added 11 rebounds, six assists, two blocks and a steal. Kyrie Irving stepped up in Love's absence as well, posting 30 points, eight assists, four rebounds and a steal. J.R. Smith came alive at just the right time after two subpar games to open the series, as he registered 20 points, four rebounds, an assist and a trio of steals. Tristan Thompson managed a 14 - point, 13 - rebound double - double that he supplemented with a pair of assists. Jefferson turned in a workmanlike effort with nine points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals. The two teams meet again on Friday night at Quicken Loans Arena for Game 4, when the Cavs will attempt to knot the series at 2 - 2."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "53"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "15", "Pistons": "23"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "110", "Pistons": "105"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "11", "Pistons": "5"}}, {"Assists": {"Josh Smith": "6"}, "Points": {"Josh Smith": "13", "Andre Drummond": "18", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "20", "Brandon Jennings": "8", "Joe Johnson": "16", "Mason Plumlee": "21", "Jarrett Jack": "15", "Mirza Teletovic": "13", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Josh Smith": "5", "Andre Drummond": "20", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "6", "Mason Plumlee": "12"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Andre Drummond": "13"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "6", "Brandon Jennings": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Brandon Jennings": "12"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Joe Johnson": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "3"}}], "The Nets (11 - 15) handed the Pistons (5 - 23) their fourth straight loss, holding on for a 110 - 105 victory Sunday evening. Brooklyn jumped out to a 10 - point first quarter lead, but the Pistons responded with a run in the second quarter that trimmed the deficit to just two at halftime. The teams traded baskets for most of the third quarter, and the Nets were able to create some distance mid - way through the fourth, as a Mason Plumlee lay - in gave Brooklyn a 12 - point advantage with 4:24 to play. Detroit would battle back, however, with back - to - back baskets from Andre Drummond cutting Brooklyn\u2019s lead to just two points with 40 seconds to play. Trailing 104 - 102 with less than 30 seconds to play, Detroit had a chance to take the lead, but a Jodie Meeks three - pointer rimmed out with 15 seconds remaining. From there, the Nets were able to salt the game away at the line, as Joe Johnson knocked down four straight free throws. The win snapped a three - game skid. Brooklyn, which scorched the nets to the tune of 53 percent shooting, got 21 points and 12 rebounds from Plumlee and 16 points from Johnson. Starting in place of the injured Deron Williams, Jarrett Jack finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Mirza Teletovic chipped in 13 points off the bench. Bojan Bogdanovic added 14 points with three three - pointers. Detroit placed six players in double - figures, led by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope\u2019s 20 points. Andre Drummond added 18 points and 20 rebounds (13 offensive), and Josh Smith contributed 13 points, six assists and five boards. It was a rough night for Brandon Jennings, who had just eight points on 3 - of - 12 shooting. He did finish with eight assists, however."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "22", "Nikola Jokic": "13", "Gary Harris": "14", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "15", "Malcolm Brogdon": "17", "Greg Monroe": "11", "Khris Middleton": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Danilo Gallinari": "5", "Nikola Jokic": "14", "Gary Harris": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9", "Greg Monroe": "9", "Khris Middleton": "5"}, "Assists": {"Nikola Jokic": "10", "Gary Harris": "2", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4", "Greg Monroe": "6", "Khris Middleton": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}, "Steals": {"Malcolm Brogdon": "3"}}], "Denver dominated this game from start to finish, as this was a wire - to - wire win. In fact, the Nuggets led by 17 after the first quarter and took a 26 - point lead into the half. Rebounding was the difference, with Denver winning that battle, 45 - 34. Nikola Jokic recorded another triple - double, as he collected 13 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists. Danilo Gallinari led them in scoring, providing 22 points and five rebounds. Gary Harris contributed 14 points, three rebounds and two assists. Khris Middleton was a bright spot for Milwaukee, as he led the team with 21 points, five rebounds and five assists off the bench. Greg Monroe also had a nice game off the bench, totaling 11 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Giannis Antetokounmpo amassed 15 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three blocks, while Malcolm Brogdon led the starters with 17 points and three steals.."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "26", "Pistons": "25"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "96", "Pistons": "98"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "15", "Pistons": "15"}}, {"Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "0"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Andre Drummond": "0"}, "3-pointers made": {"Andre Drummond": "0"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Andre Drummond": "0"}, "Points": {"Andre Drummond": "16", "Brandon Jennings": "37", "Roy Hibbert": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "16"}, "Steals": {"Andre Drummond": "0"}, "Minutes played": {"Brandon Jennings": "34"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (15 - 25) defeated the Indiana Pacers (15 - 26) 98 - 96 on Friday. Detroit has won seven straight road games, and after Wednesday's 105 - 94 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans at home, Brandon Jennings decided to put the team on his shoulders Friday, scoring a season - high 37 points in 34 minutes. Andre Drummond put up 16 points and 16 rebounds and also tipped in the game - winning shot with 0 seconds left. After getting off to several slow starts recently, coach Stan Van Gundy brought up the possibility of making a change to his starting lineup coming into Friday's game, but he opted to stick with the same starting lineup, and they got the job done. Indiana has dropped three straight games, losing to the Sixers, Timbwerolves and Pistons. George Hill will not play this weekend as he continues to work his way back from a groin injury, putting his return on tap for Monday's game against the Rockets as his earliest possible return date. The Pacers had six players score in dougle digits Friday, with Roy Hibbert leading the way with a team - high 14 points. Indiana could n't defend the three - point line or keep the Pistons off the charity stripe. Detroit will return home to host the 76ers on Saturday, and the Pacers will begin a five - game road trip Saturday against the Charlotte Hornets."], [[{}, {"Free throws attempted": {"Joel Embiid": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Joel Embiid": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Joel Embiid": "28"}, "Assists": {"Sergio Rodriguez": "7", "Devin Booker": "6", "Eric Bledsoe": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Sergio Rodriguez": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Sergio Rodriguez": "8"}, "Points": {"Sergio Rodriguez": "21", "Devin Booker": "23", "Eric Bledsoe": "24", "TJ Warren": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Devin Booker": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"TJ Warren": "2"}}], "It was a showcase of young talent in Friday's 76ers - Suns matchup. Sophomore star Devin Booker impressed yet again for Phoenix, scoring 23 points to go along with six rebounds and six assists. 23 - year - old forward T.J. Warren led the Suns' bench with 19 points, including a pair of three - pointers. Point guard Eric Bledsoe led the team with 24 points and 11 assists. The team showed strength on the glass, out - rebounding the Sixers 43 - 28. Despite playing only 28 minutes, Rookie of the Year favorite Joel Embiid was the story of the game. The rookie big man dominated, scoring 27 points to go with seven rebounds and two blocks. Embiid went to the line 11 times, knocking down 10 - of - 11 free - throw attempts. Point guard Sergio Rodriguez also made a big impact for Philly, scoring 21 points on 8 - of - 12 shooting along with seven assists."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "56"}}, {"Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "George Hill": "5", "Joe Johnson": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "Rudy Gobert": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "23", "Joe Johnson": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "12", "Joe Johnson": "5"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "36", "Rudy Gobert": "20", "Rodney Hood": "20", "George Hill": "17", "Joe Johnson": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "17", "Rudy Gobert": "19", "George Hill": "2", "Joe Johnson": "7"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rodney Hood": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rodney Hood": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"George Hill": "33"}}], "Anthony Davis pitched in a freak performance without DeMarcus Cousins in the lineup, but the Jazz well - rounded effort and lights out three - point shooting was too much too handle. Utah shot 56 percent from behind the arc as George Hill and Rodney Hood combined to knock down seven three - pointers on 13 attempts. Gobert finished with 20 points, 19 rebounds and five blocks, while Hood buried 4 - of - 7 from three point land and scored 20 points as well. George Hill added 17 points, five assists and two rebounds across 33 minutes of action. Joe Johnson was the most effective off the bench for the Jazz and added 14 points on 5 - of - 10 shooting, to go with six assists and seven rebounds. Davis went for 36 points, 17 rebounds, three assists, three steals and three blocks on 12 - of - 23 shooting in the loss."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "31", "Pacers": "20"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Lakers": "22", "Pacers": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Lakers": "51", "Pacers": "37"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "16", "Pacers": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Paul George": "21", "Al Jefferson": "20", "Lou Williams": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Lou Williams": "4"}}], "The host Los Angeles Lakers took down the Indiana Pacers on Friday, 108 - 96. Los Angeles (16 - 31) snapped a five - game losing streak by taking down Indiana on Friday. One of the keys to the Lakers' success was a strong performance on the glass, as Los Angeles finished with a 51 - 37 advantage in the rebounding column. As has often been the case for the Lakers this season, it was the bench, rather than the starters, that led the offensive charge for the team. Sixth man Lou Williams scored a team - high 27 points while knocking down four three - pointers. For the team, three - point shooting was a strength, as they knocked down 14 shots from deep. Indiana (22 - 20) had been 7 - 1 in its previous eight games before falling short in Los Angeles. The Pacers fell behind early in the second half after being unable to run with the Lakers' strong three - point shooters. All-Star forward Paul George led the team with 21 points, also pulling down six rebounds. The team was unable to contend on the boards, however, with center Myles Turner pulling down only four rebounds on the night. Big man Al Jefferson, though, came through with 20 points off the bench. The Pacers will play in Utah on Saturday, while the Lakers will visit Dallas on Sunday."], [[{}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "4"}, "Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "30", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "14"}}], "While the Timberwolves have been up - and - down over the past couple of weeks, Karl-Anthony Towns has been nothing but consistent. Following his 29 - point, 14 - rebound performance in Wednesday's win over the Raptors, Towns has now recorded a double - double in 11 of his past 12 games. On top of that, over that 12 - game stretch, Towns has been averaging an impressive 29 points and 12 rebounds per game. On the other side, Toronto's DeMar DeRozan has wasted no time returning to form since coming back from his four - game absence with a lingering ankle injury. After scoring 30 points in Wednesday's loss, DeRozan has now recorded back - to - back 30 - point games in his return to the floor on 49 percent shooting. Wednesday's performance marked the 21st time this season that DeRozan has scored at least 30 points as he works to regain his spot in the company of the NBA's scoring leaders."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Troy Williams": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Troy Williams": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Troy Williams": "6", "Deyonta Davis": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Troy Williams": "30", "Zach Randolph": "10", "Deyonta Davis": "26"}, "Points": {"Troy Williams": "14", "Deyonta Davis": "17"}, "Turnovers": {"Troy Williams": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Deyonta Davis": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Deyonta Davis": "6"}}], "With Marc Gasol and Mike Conley held out to rest on the front end of a back - to - back and Zach Randolph being held to just 10 minutes of playing time, the Grizzlies got the take a closer look at some of their younger players. The biggest beneficiary was rookie power forward Deyonta Davis, who after playing a combined eight minutes in Memphis' first three games, played 26 minutes Tuesday night and recorded 17 points, six rebounds and two blocks in that time. Another rookie who benefited was small forward Troy Williams out of Indiana, who managed just 10 minutes in the team's first three games and played 30 minutes on Wednesday. In that time, he scored 14 points on an effective 4 - of - 7 shooting from the field while managing to hit six of his seven free throw attempts. The play of the young Grizzlies Tuesday could potentially lead to head coach David Fizdale feeling more confident about going deeper into his bench moving forward."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Timberwolves": "41"}}, {"Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "6"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "27"}}], "Andrew Wiggins has established himself as a pure scorer in the NBA, but his field goal percentage this season - - 45 percent - - is likely lower than the Timberwolves would like. However, over this hot stretch where Minnesota has won five of their last six games, Wiggins has not only been scoring at a high rate, but an efficient rate as well. Following his 27 - point performance Tuesday against the Magic, Wiggins has averaged 26 points per game over the last six games after a so - so start to January. But more importantly, Wiggins shot over 47 percent from the field five times in those six game - - those five times led to five wins for the Timberwolves, while in the one game he shot a lesser 41 percent from the field, Minnesota fell by nine to the Pacers."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "23", "Jazz": "33"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "29", "Jazz": "17"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Jazz": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "6"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "24", "Derrick Favors": "20", "Enes Kanter": "6", "Dante Exum": "6", "Rudy Gobert": "14", "PJ Tucker": "12", "Markieff Morris": "12", "Eric Bledsoe": "15", "Marcus Morris": "34", "Isaiah Thomas": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Derrick Favors": "5", "Enes Kanter": "6", "Rudy Gobert": "12", "Markieff Morris": "8", "Marcus Morris": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Enes Kanter": "24", "Marcus Morris": "33"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dante Exum": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Markieff Morris": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Markieff Morris": "6"}, "Steals": {"Eric Bledsoe": "4"}}], "The Suns (29 - 23) knocked off the Jazz (17 - 33) on Friday night in Phoenix. It was a career night for Marcus Morris, who scored 34 points and 12 rebounds in 33 minutes off the bench. His brother, Markieff, added 12 points and eight rebounds, knocking down 6 - of - 18 field goals. P.J. Tucker had 12 points of his own, and Eric Bledsoe chipped in 15 to go with six assists and four steals. Isaiah Thomas was the only other Suns player in double - figures, chipping in 10 points off the bench. Utah, which fell behind by double - digits in the second quarter, got 24 points and five assists from Gordon Hayward. Derrick Favors added 20 points and five boards, while Rudy Gobert had 14 points and 12 rebounds off the bench. Enes Kanter had a quiet night and was limited to only six points and six rebounds in 24 minutes. Rookie Dante Exum had six points of his own, coming via a pair of three - pointers. Up next, the Jazz return home to host the Kings on Saturday. Phoenix travels to Sacrament to take on the Kings on Sunday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "40", "Warriors": "4"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "104", "Warriors": "112"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "14", "Warriors": "48"}}, {"Field goals made": {"Harrison Barnes": "3", "Klay Thompson": "8", "Stephen Curry": "9", "Markieff Morris": "9", "Archie Goodwin": "9"}, "Assists": {"Draymond Green": "3", "Klay Thompson": "1", "Stephen Curry": "9", "Devin Booker": "10"}, "Personal fouls": {"Draymond Green": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Draymond Green": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Andrew Bogut": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "5", "Stephen Curry": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "20", "Stephen Curry": "17"}, "Points": {"Klay Thompson": "24", "Stephen Curry": "26", "Tyson Chandler": "13", "Devin Booker": "15", "Archie Goodwin": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "9", "Tyson Chandler": "10", "Devin Booker": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Stephen Curry": "30", "Leandro Barbosa": "15"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"PJ Tucker": "1"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (48 - 4) defeated the Phoenix Suns (14 - 40) 112 - 104 at Talking Stick Resort Arena on Wednesday. The Warriors extended their NBA best record and will enter all star weekend with the greatest start of all time, passing the Chicago Bulls historic 1995 - 96 season. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson put on a show from the backcourt, as both shooters eclipsed 20 - plus points and sank five three - pointers each. Curry led all scorers with 26 points, to go along with nine rebounds and nine assists on 9 - of - 17 shooting in 30 minutes. The reigning MVP flashed brilliant court vision and ball handling, causing mayhem and mismatches for the Suns throughout the contest. The Suns kept the game within striking distance midway through the second quarter, but Golden State ripped off a double figure scoring run to end the half up by 14 points. Klay Thompson was on the receiving end on most of Curry\u2019s assists through the night, scoring 24 points, alongside three boards and one dime on 8 - of - 20 shooting. The scoring outburst from the backcourt was needed to make up for the weaker showing from the remaining three starters, as Draymond Green, Andrew Bogut and Harrison Barnes combined for 21 points on 6 - of - 18 shooting. Once again, the second unit comprised of Andre Iguodala, Leandro Barbosa, Marreese Speights and Shaun Livingston all saw 15 - plus minutes of game time. The Warriors will pick up after all - star weekend with a lengthy road trip starting against the Portland Trail Blazers (26 - 27) on Friday, February 19. The Suns were shorthanded and injury riddled heading into Wednesday\u2019s game, and to say they were overmatched is an understatement. Now owners of a nine game losing streak, Phoenix looked frustrated on the sideline, as Markieff Morris shoved Archie Goodwin in the huddle during the second quarter. With Brandon Knight (groin) sidelined until after the all - star break, the Suns turned to Goodwin and Devin Booker to run the floor. Booker finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists in a strong performance from the rookie. P.J. Tucker was the lone starter to not finish in double figures, but is also the lone option to guard the wings, which has been one of Golden State\u2019s many strong suits. Archie Goodwin led all Suns scorers with 20 points, while veteran Tyson Chandler finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds to mark his ninth double - double of the season. The Suns will look forward to Knight\u2019s needed return and host the Houston Rockets (27 - 27) on Friday, February 19."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "28", "Jazz": "27"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "103", "Jazz": "89"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Wizards": "27", "Jazz": "26"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "24", "Jazz": "26"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Jazz": "23"}, "Turnovers": {"Jazz": "23"}}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "19", "Rodney Hood": "18", "Marcin Gortat": "22", "John Wall": "17"}, "Blocks": {"Marcin Gortat": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "10"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "11"}}], "In the first game of NBA action since teams took a break for All-Star weekend, the Washington Wizards (24 - 28) emerged victorious with a 103 - 89 win over the Utah Jazz (26 - 27). The Wizards, a second - round playoff team in 2014 - 15, have disappointed thus far, currently holding tenth place in the Eastern Conference. The turbulent team was one of just a few franchises around the league to make a move before Thursday's trade deadline, dealing a top - nine protected 2016 first - rounder as well as Kris Humphries and Dejuan Blair for Suns power forward Markieff Morris. Washington got off to a good post - deadline start with an emphatic win over Utah. Center Marcin Gortat led the way for the Wiz with 22 points, which he complemented with 10 rebounds and a big five blocked shots. All-Star John Wall, meanwhile, notched a double - double with 17 points and 11 assists. As a whole, the Wizards posed a problem for Utah on offense, as the team stole the ball an impressive 14 times in total. The Jazz, meanwhile, entered the All-Star break with momentum, having won seven of their previous eight. It did not carry over into Washington, however, as the Wizards held a steady lead throughout. Star small forward Gordon Hayward led the team in scoring, per usual, with 19. Breakout contributor Rodney Hood, meanwhile, pitched in 18. Turnovers, however, killed the Jazz, as the team coughed the ball up 23 times in total. Utah will play host to the equally hot Boston Celtics on Friday. The Wizards, meanwhile, will visit the Heat on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "4", "Magic": "3"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "94", "Magic": "103"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "0", "Magic": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"Evan Fournier": "4", "Eric Gordon": "4"}, "Points": {"Evan Fournier": "30", "Nikola Vucevic": "22", "Eric Gordon": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Evan Fournier": "5", "Nikola Vucevic": "13"}, "Steals": {"Evan Fournier": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Eric Gordon": "38"}}], "The Orlando Magic (1 - 3) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (0 - 4) 103 - 94 on Tuesday. In a battle of winless teams, the Magic took down the Pelicans in a poorly played game. The two teams battled turnover problems and defensive struggles all game long, with poor offensive execution hurting both teams. The Pelicans defense was especially lackluster, as they allowed an ugly 56 points in the paint. They'll need to sure up their defense if they want to get out of this deep hole they are digging. Orlando has been better than their 0 - 3 record would indicate coming into the game, as they lost the first three games by a combined nine points. The Magic were led by Evan Fournier in this game, as he tallied 30 points, five rebounds, four assists, and two steals across 42 minutes of play. Center Nikola Vucevic also had a nice game, recording 22 points and 13 rebounds in the victory. The Magic shot 12 - for - 12 from the free - throw line, and that's a great sign after shooting just 59 percent from the charity stripe in their loss to the Bulls on Sunday. The Magic will look to build on this win in the final half of a back - to - back against the Houston Rockets (1 - 3) on Wednesday. The Pelicans' struggles continued on Tuesday, and it can mostly be attributed to their defense. They have now allowed at least 100 points in every game and have regularly failed to protect the rim. Offensively, the Pelicans were led by Eric Gordon, who scored 21 points and recorded four assists in 38 minutes. Superstar Anthony Davis continued to struggle with his stroke though, as he went just 3 - for - 12 from the field to bring his field - goal percentage down below 40 percent on the season. The team has yet to find a replacement for the injured Tyreke Evans, and they'll need Davis to play up to his All-Star standards if they want to win some games. The Pelicans will look to grab that first elusive win against the Atlanta Hawks (4 - 1) on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "13", "Grizzlies": "14"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "113", "Grizzlies": "103"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "19", "Grizzlies": "20"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "30"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "42"}}, {"Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "9", "Andrew Harrison": "6", "Avery Bradley": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "7", "Marcus Smart": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "3", "Jae Crowder": "1", "Avery Bradley": "1"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "26", "Tony Allen": "17", "Andrew Harrison": "12", "Zach Randolph": "16", "Jae Crowder": "17", "Avery Bradley": "23", "Isaiah Thomas": "21", "Marcus Smart": "13", "Gerald Green": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "4", "Andrew Harrison": "5", "Zach Randolph": "10", "Jae Crowder": "7", "Avery Bradley": "7", "Isaiah Thomas": "1", "Marcus Smart": "4", "Gerald Green": "5"}, "Steals": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tony Allen": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Tony Allen": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Avery Bradley": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Avery Bradley": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Isaiah Thomas": "1"}}], "The Boston Celtics defeated the Memphis Grizzlies, 113 - 103, at TD Garden on Tuesday. The Celtics gave the Grizzlies a tough overtime loss less than two weeks ago and they inflicted more pain on them here. Rebounding was the biggest factor for Boston, as they won that battle, 47 - 37. The Grizzlies were really let down by their shooting, as they went 42 percent from the field, 30 percent from three - point range and 69 percent from the free - throw line. The Celtics did a great job of closing things out at the charity stripe themselves, going 19 - of - 21 from the free - throw line. Boston actually led for the majority of the game, with the Grizzlies only lead coming in the first quarter. Memphis (20 - 14) had to play this game without Mike Conley (toe) and they simply could n't overcome his absence. Marc Gasol did all he could to carry the offense though, as he led the team with 26 points, four rebounds, nine assists, two steals and three blocks in a fantastic performance. Zach Randolph recorded a double - double off the bench, totaling 16 points and 10 rebounds. Tony Allen was second on the team with 17 points and eight rebounds on 6 - of - 9 shooting. Andrew Harrison filled - in for Conley to accrue 12 points, five rebounds and six assists as the starting point guard. Memphis will look to rebound in a home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday for their next matchup. Boston (19 - 13) has now handed Memphis two tough losses in the past couple weeks, as they continue to rise up the standings. Avery Bradley was the catalyst in this win, as he led the team with 23 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Isaiah Thomas was n't far behind, as he accrued 21 points and seven assists of his own. Jae Crowder had one of his best scoring games of the year, dropping 17 points and seven rebounds. Gerald Green and Marcus Smart were huge off the bench, as Green provided 19 points and five rebounds, while Smart collected 13 points, four rebounds and six assists. On deck for the Celtics is a road matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "30", "Nets": "47"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "44", "Nets": "49"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "17", "Nets": "28"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "93", "Nets": "109"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Raptors": "23"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "33", "Nets": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Joe Johnson": "12", "Alan Anderson": "22", "Jarrett Jack": "24", "Deron Williams": "11", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "11", "DeMar DeRozan": "13", "Kyle Lowry": "13", "Terrence Ross": "23", "Patrick Patterson": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Alan Anderson": "5", "Jarrett Jack": "4", "Deron Williams": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "3", "Terrence Ross": "11", "Patrick Patterson": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Alan Anderson": "3", "Jarrett Jack": "2", "Deron Williams": "0", "DeMar DeRozan": "0", "Kyle Lowry": "1", "Terrence Ross": "5", "Patrick Patterson": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Alan Anderson": "9", "Jarrett Jack": "13", "Deron Williams": "12", "DeMar DeRozan": "13", "Kyle Lowry": "13", "Terrence Ross": "16", "Patrick Patterson": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Alan Anderson": "7", "Jarrett Jack": "9", "Deron Williams": "4", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "5", "Terrence Ross": "9", "Patrick Patterson": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Alan Anderson": "5", "Deron Williams": "4", "DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Alan Anderson": "5", "Deron Williams": "3", "DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Alan Anderson": "5", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "6", "Terrence Ross": "3", "Patrick Patterson": "8"}, "Assists": {"Jarrett Jack": "6", "Deron Williams": "6", "DeMar DeRozan": "6", "Kyle Lowry": "10"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyle Lowry": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kyle Lowry": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyle Lowry": "4"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets (20 - 28) defeated the Toronto Raptors (33 - 17) 109 - 93 on Wednesday at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. Despite being down 51 - 49 after the second quarter, the Nets went off in the second half, out - scoring the Raptors 60 - 42 to close out the game and secure the 16 - point victory on the road. The Nets were the superior shooters in this game, going 49 percent from the field and 47 percent from the three - point line, while the Raptors went 44 percent from the floor and just 30 percent from beyond the arc. Starting at point guard, Jarrett Jack led the Nets, going 9 - for - 13 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score 24 points, while also adding six assists as well. He struggled to only six points on 3 - of - 11 shooting during Monday's game against the Clippers, so it was good to see him get things pointed back in the right direction. Getting the start at shooting guard, Alan Anderson also had a nice showing, finishing with 22 points (7 - 9 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT) and five rebounds. It was a season - high in points for Anderson and also a welcomed surprise from the Nets, as he's only averaging 6 points per game on the season. Deron Williams continued to come off the bench and posted 11 points (4 - 12 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) and six assists in 32 minutes. It was his second game back since returning from a rib injury, so it was good to see him get a bunch of playing time. Joe Johnson and Bojan Bogdanovic reached double figures as well with 12 and 11 points respectively. The Raptors were led by Terrence Ross, who came off the bench to score a team - high of 23 points (9 - 16 FG, 5 - 11 3Pt), while adding three rebounds. The 23 points were a new season - high for him, while the five three - pointers he made were also a season - high. Kyle Lowry was able to post a double - double, finishing with 13 points (5 - 13 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT), six rebounds and 10 assists. He's scored 13 points or less in four out of his last five games, as his points totals have gone down a bit lately. DeMar DeRozan recorded 13 points (5 - 13 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), five rebounds and six assists in 34 minutes. He's now averaging 18 points and 4 rebounds on the year. The only other Raptor to reach double figures in points was Patrick Patterson, who added 11 points (5 - 10 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt) and eight rebounds off the bench. The Nets' next game will be at home against the New York Knicks on Friday, while the Raptors will be at home against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "10", "Mavericks": "9"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "104", "Mavericks": "116"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Wizards": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Wizards": "31", "Mavericks": "50"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "8", "Mavericks": "12"}, "Number of team assists": {"Mavericks": "25"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "52"}}, {"Assists": {"Wesley Matthews": "5", "Dirk Nowitzki": "4", "Raymond Felton": "6", "Deron Williams": "9", "John Wall": "10", "Gary Neal": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Wesley Matthews": "17", "Bradley Beal": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Wesley Matthews": "10", "Bradley Beal": "4"}, "Points": {"Wesley Matthews": "36", "Dirk Nowitzki": "19", "Raymond Felton": "11", "Deron Williams": "11", "Otto Porter": "15", "Bradley Beal": "21", "John Wall": "28", "Gary Neal": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Wesley Matthews": "6", "Dirk Nowitzki": "6", "Raymond Felton": "10", "Deron Williams": "7", "Otto Porter": "11", "John Wall": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "8", "Otto Porter": "17", "Bradley Beal": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "5", "Otto Porter": "7", "Bradley Beal": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Gary Neal": "34"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (12 - 9) defeated the Washington Wizards (8 - 10) 116 - 104 on Sunday. It took a couple weeks into the season for Wes Matthews to warm up, but the ex - Trail Blazer has started to show signs of his previously injured self, as the shooting guard went for 36 points on 10 - of - 17 shooting from the 3 - point line. Matthews added six rebounds and five assists to his stellar afternoon and is now seeing a healthy share of minutes, compared to the limited usage seen in the first 15 games. The Mavericks played well as a unit and moved the ball well around the arc, totalling 25 assists to compliment 52 percent 3 - point shooting. Dirk Nowitzki is quietly shooting 50 percent from the floor in 2015 - 16, and added to his supreme shot selection by finishing with 19 points on 5 - of - 8 shooting, to go along with six rebounds and four assists. Raymond Felton fell short of triple - double, completing 11 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, while his backcourt counterpart, Deron Williams, added 11 points, seven rebounds and nine assists. All five Mavericks starters finished in double figures, as the team pulled away from the Wizards early in the 4th quarter and coasted to their 12th win of the season. The Wizards were unable to compete under the rim after losing the rebound battle, 50 - 31, in their own arena. The resulting problem was likely behind the injuries of Nene (calf) and Kris Humphries (ankle), who sat out alongside Drew Gooden (coach decision). Otto Porter physically clawed his way to grab 11 boards, in addition to 15 points, but struggled from the field and finished 7 - of - 17 in the effort. John Wall led all Wizards scorers with 28 points, four rebounds and 10 assists. Bradley Beal chipped in a 21 point effort on 7 - of - 19 shooting and looked to improve his range after finishing 4 - of - 6 from deep. Veteran Gary Neal was the most effective bench option, adding 18 points, two rebounds and three assists in 34 minutes off the bench. Both teams play back - to - backs on Monday. The Wizards visit the Miami Heat (12 - 6), while the Mavericks head to Madison Square Garden to face the New York Knicks (10 - 11)."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Hornets": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "49"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "8", "Heat": "8"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "99", "Heat": "81"}, "Turnovers": {"Hornets": "10"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "13", "Heat": "12"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Heat": "18"}}, {"Blocks": {"Gerald Green": "2", "Tyler Johnson": "1"}, "Points": {"Gerald Green": "11", "Dwyane Wade": "11", "Tyler Johnson": "20", "Marvin Williams": "18", "Nicolas Batum": "10", "Kemba Walker": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Gerald Green": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "2", "Tyler Johnson": "2", "Marvin Williams": "4", "Nicolas Batum": "11", "Kemba Walker": "5"}, "Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "4", "Tyler Johnson": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "11", "Kemba Walker": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Tyler Johnson": "29"}, "Steals": {"Tyler Johnson": "1", "Kemba Walker": "5"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (13 - 8) defeated the Miami Heat (12 - 8) by a score of 99 - 81, in Charlotte on Wednesday night. Charlotte has now won three in a row and are 8 - 2 in their last 10 games. With this win Charlotte has surpassed Miami in the standings and now sits second in the East. The Hornets grabbed control of this game from the moment they went up 7 - 6 with nine minutes left in the first quarter, leading for the rest of the game. Charlotte led 80 - 54 going into the fourth quarter. A stronger fourth quarter from Miami allowed them to avoid a total blowout. Charlotte's home court advantage was in full effect as Miami shot only 38 percent from the field. The Heat were led in scoring by Tyler Johnson who shot 6 - 12 from the field and finished with 20 points, two assists, two rebounds, one steal and one block, in 29 minutes. Gerald Green tallied 11 points, three rebounds and two blocked shots, on 4 - 10 shooting. Dwyane Wade chipped in 11 points, four assists and two rebounds. No one else scored in double digits for Miami, who simply struggled to get any momentum going in Charlotte. The Hornets as a team shot 49 percent from the field, recorded 27 assists and had only 11 turnovers compared the 18 they forced out of Miami. Kemba Walker had a solid game with 18 points on 8 - 13 shooting, five rebounds, four assists and five steals, leading the way to a good team win. Marvin Williams also contributed 18 points, on 7 - 11 shooting, along with four rebounds. Nicolas Batum filled the stat sheet with a triple - double including 10 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists, in 27 minutes. The Hornets were missing big Al Jefferson who was out with a calf strain, but who also was just suspended for five games for violating the NBA's anti - drug policy. Next up Charlotte will be in Memphis on Friday. Miami will be in Indiana Friday for another tough road game against a top Eastern opponent."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "14", "Thunder": "18"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "120", "Thunder": "98"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "29", "Thunder": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "4", "Raymond Felton": "6", "Marreese Speights": "3"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "24", "Enes Kanter": "12", "DeAndre Jordan": "19", "Raymond Felton": "15", "Marreese Speights": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "5", "DeAndre Jordan": "15", "Marreese Speights": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Enes Kanter": "23", "Chris Paul": "14", "Raymond Felton": "27"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marreese Speights": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Marreese Speights": "8"}, "Steals": {"Marreese Speights": "1"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 120 - 98 at Staples Center on Monday. The Clippers (29 - 14) rolled past the Thunder (25 - 18) at home en route to a seventh straight victory. The absence of Steven Adams in the paint proved to be vital for Oklahoma City as they relied to heavily on the leadership of Russell Westbrook. Adams, who is dealing with a concussion, was sidelined for the tilt. DeAndre Jordan was able to wreak havoc in the paint without Adams there to protect the rim and he went for a big double - double to the tune of 19 points and 15 rebounds. The Clippers took an early lead into the second quarter and were able to continue to pour on the points making the game a healthy blowout by the end of the third quarter. Marreese Speights pitched in one of his best performances of the season in leading the bench. Speights finished with 23 points, 10 rebounds and three assists on 8 - of - 15 shooting. Chris Paul left the game with a sprained thumb after registering 14 minutes of action, but he was not needed to continue the blowout down the stretch. Raymond Felton, who has been tasked with starting point guard minutes throughout parts of the season, finished with 15 points and six assists in 27 minutes. Russell Westbrook fell far short of his triple - double average after going for 24 points, five rebounds and four assists. The Thunder opted to play small ball and not start a center, however, Enes Kanter played 23 minutes at the center position off the bench and scored 12 points. Next up, the Clippers host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, while the Thunder visit the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Spurs": "11"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Spurs": "14"}, "Turnovers": {"Spurs": "16"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "19", "David Lee": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "4", "David Lee": "6"}, "Points": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "13", "David Lee": "14", "Marc Gasol": "15", "Zach Randolph": "15"}, "Minutes played": {"David Lee": "17"}}], "With superstar Kawhi Leonard (quad) out, San Antonio posted its worst offensive night of the season on Monday. The team shot just 36 percent with four three - pointers. The Spurs dished out only 11 assists but turned the ball over 16 times. Veteran David Lee was the high scorer for San Antonio, scoring 14 off the bench on a perfect 6 - of - 6 shooting in just 17 minutes. All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge, meanwhile, was just 4 - of - 19 from the field for 13 points. For Memphis, the offense was n't firing on all cylinders either. The Grizz shot under 40 percent and matched San Antonio with only four three - pointers. Defense, however, came through in droves for Memphis. The team blocked 11 shots and came away with eight steals. Big men Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph tied for the team lead in scoring with 15 points each."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "54"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "33"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "125", "76ers": "98"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Heat": "24"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "28"}}, {"Points": {"Robert Covington": "19", "T.J. McConnell": "14", "Richaun Holmes": "15", "Hassan Whiteside": "15", "Dion Waiters": "15", "Goran Dragic": "15", "Tyler Johnson": "24", "Wayne Ellington": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Robert Covington": "5", "T.J. McConnell": "5", "Richaun Holmes": "6", "Hassan Whiteside": "11", "Tyler Johnson": "2"}, "Assists": {"T.J. McConnell": "5", "Hassan Whiteside": "3", "Tyler Johnson": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4"}, "Steals": {"Tyler Johnson": "2"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the Philadelphia 76ers, 125 - 98, at American Airlines Arena on Wednesday. Miami was expected to win this game easily and they left no doubt with this lopsided result. It was a wire - to - wire win for the Heat, as they led by 10 after the first quarter and by 20 headed into halftime. The assist - to - turnover ratio was decisive, as Miami recorded eight more assists than Philly, while committing six less turnovers. The Heat also dominated the shooting, hitting 54 percent of their shots to the Sixers 44 percent. The Sixers (22 - 38) just learned that they lost Joel Embiid (knee) for the season and games like this could be a sign of things to come. Robert Covington led Philly in scoring, as he tallied 19 points and five rebounds. T.J. McConnell finished second among starters with 14 points, five rebounds and five assists. Richaun Holmes came off the bench to provide 15 points and six rebounds. The Sixers will host the New York Knicks on Friday for their next game. The Heat (28 - 33) have been one of the best teams in the league across the last two months, as this win marks their 10th home win in 11 tries. Tyler Johnson led Miami in scoring, as he collected 24 points, two rebounds, four assists and two steals off the bench. Wayne Ellington was second on the team, dropping 18 points of his own off the pine. Hassan Whiteside totaled 15 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and four blocks. Dion Waiters and Goran Dragic also scored 15 points a piece. Miami will play the Orlando Magic on the road for their next game on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "33", "Knicks": "62"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "101", "Knicks": "87"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Wizards": "30", "Knicks": "10"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "43", "Knicks": "14"}}, {"Assists": {"Ricky Ledo": "3", "Quincy Acy": "1", "John Wall": "18"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ricky Ledo": "2", "Quincy Acy": "2"}, "Points": {"Ricky Ledo": "21", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "2", "Quincy Acy": "14", "Marcin Gortat": "19", "Bradley Beal": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Ricky Ledo": "9", "Quincy Acy": "5", "Marcin Gortat": "6"}, "Steals": {"Ricky Ledo": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "7", "Quincy Acy": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "18", "Marcin Gortat": "30", "Bradley Beal": "36", "John Wall": "29"}, "Blocks": {"Quincy Acy": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "3"}}], "The Washington Wizards (43 - 33) defeated the New York Knicks (14 - 62), 101 - 87. John Wall recorded a career - high 18 assists in 29 minutes. The Wizards held a 30 - 10 advantage after the first quarter and never looked back, sweeping the season series against the Knicks. The Wizards are the five seed in the East with little chance of moving down any further. Paul Pierce, who rested the previous game, was joined on the sideline by Nene Hilario. Otto Porter and Drew Gooden drew the start and combined for 16 points and 21 rebounds. Marcin Gortat scored a team - high 19 points, grabbed six rebounds, and blocked three shots in under 30 minutes. Bradley Beal scored 18 points on 8 - 18 shooting in a team - high 36 minutes. The Knicks extended their streak to nine straight losses. Tim Hardaway Jr. returned to the lineup after missing the previous nine games with a sprained wrist. He scored two points and missed all seven shot attempts in 18 minutes. Cleanthony Early exited the game due to a sprained left ankle. Quincy Acy chipped in with 14 points, five rebounds, one assist and one block. Ricky Ledo, on the strength of his second 10 - day contract, scored a career - high 21 points, grabbed a career - high nine rebounds, dropped three assists, recorded a steal and hit two three - pointers in 30 minutes. The Wizards turn around quickly for a road game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday, the first of three road games. The Knicks begin a three - game homestand Sunday against the Philadelphia 76ers."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "21", "Spurs": "4"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "68", "Spurs": "119"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"76ers": "17", "Spurs": "33"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "1", "Spurs": "18"}, "Number of team assists": {"Spurs": "32"}, "Turnovers": {"Spurs": "7"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "15", "Boban Marjanovic": "10", "Jahlil Okafor": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "11", "Boban Marjanovic": "8", "Jahlil Okafor": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "22", "Tony Parker": "17", "Boban Marjanovic": "17"}, "Points": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "26", "Tony Parker": "12", "Boban Marjanovic": "18", "Robert Covington": "13", "Nerlens Noel": "13", "Jahlil Okafor": "10", "Nik Stauskas": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "9", "Robert Covington": "6", "Nerlens Noel": "6"}, "Assists": {"Tony Parker": "6"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (18 - 4) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (1 - 21) Monday 119 - 68 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. This game was essentially over before it even started, despite the fact that Tim Duncan, Kawhi Leonard and Manu Ginobili were all sat to rest. The Spurs came out firing, winning the first quarter 33 - 17 and holding 65 - 29 lead at halftime. Despite playing only 22 minutes, LaMarcus Aldridge still managed to have a monster game, posting 26 points on 11 - of - 15 shooting and nine rebounds. Tony Parker played just 17 minutes, but still managed 12 points and six assists in that time. Off the bench, Boban Marjanovic scored an incredibly efficient 18 points on 8 - of - 10 shooting in 17 minutes. All 12 active Spurs played at least nine minutes in this game and recorded 32 assists to just 7 turnovers. The 76ers were not as productive, as Nerlens Noel and Robert Covington led the way in the losing effort, recording 13 points and six rebounds each. Nike Stauskas added 13 points of his own off the bench, while Jahlil Okafor returned from his suspension to score 10 points on a sorry 3 - of - 14 shooting. As a team, they recorded just 14 assists to 13 turnovers. Up next, the Spurs will head to Toronto to take on the Raptors Wednesday, while the 76ers will travel to Brooklyn Thursday to play the Nets."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "2"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "90", "Warriors": "95"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "26"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "1"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Warriors": "30"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Andrew Bogut": "32"}, "Points": {"Andrew Bogut": "11", "Klay Thompson": "29", "Stephen Curry": "21", "Leandro Barbosa": "13", "Nicolas Batum": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "26", "Robin Lopez": "12", "Wesley Matthews": "18", "Damian Lillard": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Bogut": "12", "Nicolas Batum": "9", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "13", "Robin Lopez": "10"}, "Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "20", "Wesley Matthews": "15", "Damian Lillard": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "10", "Wesley Matthews": "7", "Damian Lillard": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "8", "Wesley Matthews": "2", "Damian Lillard": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "6", "Damian Lillard": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "Wesley Matthews": "2"}, "Steals": {"Wesley Matthews": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Wesley Matthews": "2", "Damian Lillard": "2"}}], "The Warriors (30) handed the Trail Blazers (1 - 2) their second loss of the season Sunday night, prevailing 95 - 90 at the Moda Center in Portland. For the second straight contest, Golden State relied heavily on the backcourt tandem of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. After combining for 72 points against the Lakers on Saturday night, the pair accounted for more than half of the Warriors points in Monday\u2019s win. Thompson, who had 41 points against the Lakers, led the way with 29, while Curry added 21. Curry and Thompson shot a combined 4 - of - 12 from beyond the arc and 12 - of - 12 from the free throw line. Andrew Bogut contributed 11 points and 12 rebounds in 32 minutes, and Leandro Barbosa added 13 off the bench. The Blazers, losers of two straight after falling to Sacramento on Friday, were led by All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge, who poured in 26 points (10 - 20 FG, 6 - 8 FT, 0 - 2 3Pt) to go with 13 boards. Robin Lopez had a 12 - point, 10 - rebound double - double, and Nic Batum added five points, four assists and nine rebounds. The starting backcourt of Damian Lillard and Wesley Matthews and its fair share of struggles, with the two combining to make only 11 - of - 33 field goal attempts and 4 - of - 16 three - point attempts. Matthews had 18 points on 7 - of - 15 shooting, while Lillard connected on just 4 - of - 18 field goal attempts, finishing with a season - low 11 points. Last season, when they started 22 - 4, the Blazers did not lose consecutive games until Dec. 28 and 30th. Portland will move on to face the Cavaliers in Cleveland on Tuesday. The Warriors are off until Wednesday, when they host Blake Griffin and the Clippers."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Hawks": "29"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "51"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "22", "Pacers": "24"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "102", "Pacers": "96"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hawks": "24"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hawks": "29"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "15"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "30", "Pacers": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "6", "Kent Bazemore": "8", "Al Horford": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Paul George": "12", "Paul Millsap": "6", "Al Horford": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul George": "7", "Paul Millsap": "3", "Al Horford": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul George": "21", "Paul Millsap": "14", "Al Horford": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul George": "11", "Paul Millsap": "10", "Al Horford": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul George": "2", "Paul Millsap": "5", "Al Horford": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul George": "2", "Paul Millsap": "1", "Al Horford": "4"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "31", "Myles Turner": "12", "Lavoy Allen": "13", "CJ Miles": "13", "Kent Bazemore": "15", "Paul Millsap": "24", "Al Horford": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "9", "Myles Turner": "7", "Lavoy Allen": "14", "CJ Miles": "4", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Al Horford": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Myles Turner": "1", "CJ Miles": "1", "Paul Millsap": "4"}, "Steals": {"Myles Turner": "1", "Kent Bazemore": "3", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Al Horford": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Lavoy Allen": "30", "Kent Bazemore": "32", "Paul Millsap": "33", "Al Horford": "34"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (30 - 22) defeated the visiting Indiana Pacers (26 - 24) 102 - 96, on Friday night at Philips Arena. The Hawks have been strong at home this season and continued that trend by outlasting the Pacers and improving their record at Philips Arena to 17 - 8. The season series between these teams now stands at 2 - 1 for Indiana but the Hawks are the ones currently enjoying more success. Atlanta sits third in the East and is riding a three - game winning streak, while Indiana is sitting at the bottom of the top eight and is 4 - 6 in its last 10 games. Atlanta shot 51 percent from the field as a team and assisted on 29 of its 39 field goal attempts. The Hawks gave up 15 turnovers but countered that poor stat by forcing 20 turnovers out of the Pacers. Paul Millsap was the high - point man for the Hawks, with 24 points (10 - 14 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 1 - 5 FT), along with four blocked shots, two rebounds and two steals, in 33 minutes. Big Al Horford was all - around solid as he finished with 21 points (8 - 16 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), seven rebounds, six assists and one steal, in 34 minutes. Kent Bazemore chipped in 15 points, along with eight assists and three steals, in 32 minutes. Tiago Splitter missed his third straight game with a sore hip. Paul George led the Pacers with a game - high 31 points (11 - 21 FG, 7 - 12 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), along with nine rebounds and six assists, in 37 minutes. Four other players scored in double - digits for the Pacers, including Lavoy Allen who tallied a double - double in 30 minutes off the bench, with 13 points and 14 rebounds. C.J. Miles chipped in 13 points and four rebounds, in 18 minutes off the bench, while Myles Turner finished with 12 points, seven rebounds, one steal and one block in his fifth straight start. Ian Mahinmi sat this one out with a sore back, while Rodney Stuckey remained out with a bruised foot and will not be back before the all - star break. Next the Pacers will host the Pistons on Saturday. These division rivals sit neck - and - neck at seventh and eighth in the East. The Hawks visit Orlando on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "10", "Kings": "11"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "101", "Kings": "95"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "6", "Kings": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"Rudy Gay": "2", "DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Ty Lawson": "3", "Bradley Beal": "3", "John Wall": "11", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gay": "1", "DeMarcus Cousins": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "3", "Bradley Beal": "1", "John Wall": "1"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gay": "18", "DeMarcus Cousins": "36", "Ty Lawson": "12", "Marcin Gortat": "10", "Bradley Beal": "31", "John Wall": "19", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "5", "DeMarcus Cousins": "20", "Marcin Gortat": "7", "Bradley Beal": "6"}, "Steals": {"Rudy Gay": "2", "DeMarcus Cousins": "2", "Ty Lawson": "3", "Marcin Gortat": "1", "John Wall": "3", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Rudy Gay": "6", "John Wall": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Bradley Beal": "12"}, "Personal fouls": {"John Wall": "2"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the Sacramento Kings, 101 - 95, in overtime at Verizon Center on Monday. The Wizards (6 - 10) checked in the matchup against the Kings with an unsightly 5 - 10 record, but four of those victories had come at home. Sacramento (7 - 11) gave them a run for their money Monday, however, as DeMarcus Cousins exploded for a massive 36 - point, 20 - rebound double - double that also included four assists, two steals and a block. His driving layup with 10 seconds remaining in regulation knotted the score up at 92, and John Wall could n't get what would have been a game - winning 19 - foot jumper to go in with two seconds on the clock. Washington then dominated the extra period by a 9 - 3 margin, and Cousins missed a 26 - foot three - point jumper with eight seconds left in overtime that essentially represented the Kings' last opportunity to get within striking distance. Rudy Gay was next behind Cousins with 18 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. He also turned the ball over a team - high six times. The rest of the starting five was woefully unproductive, with Darren Collison, Arron Afflalo and Kosta Koufos combining for just 13 points. Ty Lawson paced the bench with the only other double - digit scoring performance on the team, posting 12 points, three assists and three steals. Bradley Beal contributed 31 points, six rebounds, three assists and a block to lead Washington on a 12 - of - 24 tally from the field and 4 - of - 7 from three - point range. Backcourt mate John Wall supplied a 19 - point, 11 - assist double - double, while also contributing eight rebounds, three steals and a block. However, he committed a game - high 11 turnovers as well. Otto Porter, Jr. registered 15 points, eight rebounds and three steals. Marcin Gortat collected 10 points, seven boards, three blocks and a steal. Kelly Oubre, Jr. posted a 10 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included two assists and two steals. The Kings continue their trek through the Northeast with a trip to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night, while the Wizards visit the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday evening as well."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "39", "Thunder": "41"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "5", "Chris Paul": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "30"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "14"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "35", "Chris Paul": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "6", "Chris Paul": "11"}}], "A low scoring affair between two teams that shot a lowly percentage from the field was capped off by only two stand out box score performances from unsurprising leaders. The Los Angeles Clippers rallied behind all - star point guard Chris Paul, who posted an impressive stat line of 15 points, nine assists and 11 rebounds, nearing a triple - double. Russell Westbrook, on the other end of the floor, posted 35 points on 14 - of - 30 shooting, to go along with six rebounds and five assists. The Thunder, as a unit, shot just 41 percent from the field, which would have been bad, save for the Los Angeles Clippers, who shot worse. The Clippers posted a 39 percent from the field as a unit and shot themselves out of many opportunities to take the lead on their home court. Only one team was able to walk away with a perfect record, and the Westbrook led Thunder made that happen on their way to a 40 start to the season."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Timberwolves": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "39"}}, {"Points": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "24", "Ricky Rubio": "11", "Kawhi Leonard": "34", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "18", "Pau Gasol": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "14", "Ricky Rubio": "13", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "10", "Pau Gasol": "8"}, "Assists": {"Ricky Rubio": "10", "Kawhi Leonard": "5"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6"}}], "Minnesota looked poised for a huge road win when they took a 12 - point lead into the half, but the Spurs had other ideas. In fact, San Antonio held Minnesota to just 28 points in the second half and outscored them, 14 - 7 in overtime. Defense was key, as the Timberwolves were held to 39 percent shooting from the field and just 25 percent from three - point range. Karl-Anthony Towns led Minnesota as he totaled 24 points and 14 rebounds. Ricky Rubio recorded a triple - double, accumulating 11 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists. Kawhi Leonard was the player of the game, as he collected 34 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and six steals. LaMarcus Aldridge finished second on the team, amassing 18 points and 10 rebounds, Pau Gasol came off the bench to provide 17 points and eight rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "7", "Heat": "5"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "104", "Heat": "81"}, "Rebounds": {"Pistons": "54", "Heat": "43"}, "Turnovers": {"Pistons": "7"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "8", "Heat": "9"}}, {"Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "3", "Andre Drummond": "5"}, "Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "15", "Dwyane Wade": "2", "Andre Drummond": "18", "Reggie Jackson": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "13", "Dwyane Wade": "2", "Andre Drummond": "20", "Reggie Jackson": "4"}, "Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "9", "Andre Drummond": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "Steals": {"Dwyane Wade": "1"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (8 - 7) blew out the Miami Heat (9 - 5) 104 - 81 on Wednesday. This was a blowout from start to finish, as the Heat were trailing by 17 at the half and lost every single quarter. Miami came into this game as one of the best defenses and rebounding teams in the league and that simply did n't play out here. The Heat were out - rebounded 54 - 43 and allowed the Pistons first unit to destroy them. The Pistons also committed just seven turnovers in the win and that's also a rarity against this Miami defense. The Heat had one of their worst games of the season on Wednesday and it's clear they were ready for their Thanksgiving break. Dwyane Wade had one of his worst games in years, as he tallied two points, two rebounds and two assists on 1 - for - 9 shooting in the loss. Chris Bosh also failed to reach double - figures and the only bright spot in the loss was Hassan Whiteside. The center continues his fantastic season by collecting 15 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks in the loss. Those three blocks actually lowered his league - leading block total and he's having quite the breakout season. Miami will look to bounce - back in their next game when they take on the New York Knicks on Friday. The Pistons played an all - around great game on Wednesday, but what was truly impressive was their long - distance shooting. The team shot 16 - for - 31 from three - point range and that really opened up this lopsided game. The team was led by another stellar outing from Andre Drummond, who tallied 18 points, 20 rebounds and five blocks in the win. Drummond's rebounding average is now just shy of 18 and he's vying for some MVP votes the way he is playing this season. Reggie Jackson also had a good game, as he amassed 18 points, seven assists and four rebounds in the victory. When Jackson and Drummond are clicking like this, the Pistons are tough to beat. Detroit will look to build off this victory when they take on the healthy Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "3", "Warriors": "1"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "107", "Warriors": "95"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Suns": "19", "Warriors": "28"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "4", "Warriors": "5"}}, {"Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Draymond Green": "7", "Stephen Curry": "10", "Isaiah Thomas": "5", "Gerald Green": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Draymond Green": "3", "Stephen Curry": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "1", "Gerald Green": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Draymond Green": "14", "Stephen Curry": "20", "Isaiah Thomas": "13", "Gerald Green": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Draymond Green": "7", "Stephen Curry": "10", "Isaiah Thomas": "4", "Gerald Green": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Draymond Green": "5", "Stephen Curry": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "14", "Gerald Green": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Draymond Green": "5", "Stephen Curry": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "13", "Gerald Green": "3"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "22", "Stephen Curry": "28", "Isaiah Thomas": "22", "Gerald Green": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "9", "Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Gerald Green": "3"}, "Steals": {"Draymond Green": "1", "Stephen Curry": "5", "Isaiah Thomas": "1", "Gerald Green": "1"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "10", "Isaiah Thomas": "7"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Isaiah Thomas": "2", "Gerald Green": "2"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (4 - 3) gave the Golden State Warriors (5 - 1) their first loss on the year Sunday with the score finishing at 107 - 95, at the US Airways Center. No one is doubting the talent that the Suns have this year, and that includes the Warriors after losing by double digits to them on Sunday. The Warriors got solid production from four of their starting five, but could n't get much bench production, which ended up making a big difference. Golden State was led by 28 points (10 - 20 FG, 4 - 10 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) from Stephen Curry, as well as 10 assists and five steals. Curry had a tough night with turning the ball over though, as the Suns' defense was all over him consistently throughout the game. Draymond Green nearly posted his own double - double, putting up 22 points (7 - 14 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT), to go along with nine rebounds, four blocks and one steal. The Suns really saw their scoring spread out across the board with 10 players giving contributions, while also receiving solid production from their bench. The two players specifically who stepped up off the bench for Phoenix included Isaiah Thomas, who had 22 points (4 - 13 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 13 - 14 FT) with seven assists, three rebounds and one steal, and Gerald Green, who had 19 points (6 - 12 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT). The Suns now get to stay home for their game against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night."], [[{"Total points": {"Timberwolves": "111", "Nuggets": "108"}}, {"Assists": {"Gary Harris": "3", "Jamal Murray": "3", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "7", "Kris Dunn": "9"}, "Points": {"Gary Harris": "22", "Jamal Murray": "17", "Andrew Wiggins": "24", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "32", "Kris Dunn": "10", "Shabazz Muhammad": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Gary Harris": "5", "Jamal Murray": "5", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "12", "Kris Dunn": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Jameer Nelson": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Jamal Murray": "20", "Kris Dunn": "34"}, "Blocks": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "10", "Shabazz Muhammad": "9"}, "Steals": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Kris Dunn": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "14"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Denver Nuggets 111 - 108 at Target Center on Sunday. Karl-Anthony Towns led the way for Minnesota 15 - 28) after putting up 32 points, to go with 12 rebounds, seven assists and four blocks in the impressive all around effort. The back and forth affair came down to the wire, as the Nuggets (18 - 24) were within striking distance until the final seconds of regulation. Following a pair of Tyus Jones free throws, Jameer Nelson answered for Denver with a driving layup to bring the score within one point. Andrew Wiggins went on to miss one of the free throws on the following possession, but Nelson was unable to hit the 17 - foot jumper and the Timberwolves came away with the win. Wiggins knocked down 10 shots and finished with 24 points, while Kris Dunn added 10 points, nine assists, eight rebounds and three steals across 34 minutes. Shabazz Muhammad contributed 20 points on 9 - of - 14 shooting to lead the Minnesota bench. As for the Nuggets, Gary Harris led the way with 22 points, while Jamal Murray had an efficient outing across 20 minutes, as the rookie posted 17 points, five rebounds and three assists. Both teams play on Tuesday, as the Timberwolves visit the Phoenix Suns, while the Nuggets host the Utah Jazz."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "12", "Magic": "33"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "103", "Magic": "94"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "32", "Magic": "15"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "13", "Victor Oladipo": "11", "Dewayne Dedmon": "5", "Jeff Green": "6", "Zach Randolph": "13", "Marc Gasol": "13", "Beno Udrih": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "6", "Victor Oladipo": "6", "Dewayne Dedmon": "4", "Jeff Green": "4", "Zach Randolph": "8", "Marc Gasol": "5", "Beno Udrih": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "7", "Victor Oladipo": "6", "Dewayne Dedmon": "6", "Jeff Green": "2", "Zach Randolph": "8", "Marc Gasol": "7", "Beno Udrih": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "6", "Victor Oladipo": "5", "Dewayne Dedmon": "2", "Jeff Green": "2", "Zach Randolph": "8", "Marc Gasol": "6", "Beno Udrih": "2"}, "Points": {"Nikola Vucevic": "18", "Victor Oladipo": "18", "Elfrid Payton": "12", "Dewayne Dedmon": "10", "Jeff Green": "12", "Zach Randolph": "24", "Marc Gasol": "16", "Beno Udrih": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "12", "Victor Oladipo": "7", "Dewayne Dedmon": "10", "Zach Randolph": "10", "Marc Gasol": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"Nikola Vucevic": "4"}, "Assists": {"Victor Oladipo": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "6", "Zach Randolph": "6", "Marc Gasol": "4", "Beno Udrih": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Victor Oladipo": "3", "Jeff Green": "2", "Marc Gasol": "1", "Beno Udrih": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Victor Oladipo": "1", "Jeff Green": "2", "Marc Gasol": "0", "Beno Udrih": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Victor Oladipo": "2"}, "Steals": {"Victor Oladipo": "2", "Beno Udrih": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Dewayne Dedmon": "30", "Jeff Green": "26"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (32 - 12) defeated the Orlando Magic (15 - 33) 103 - 94 on Monday at Fed Ex Forum Arena in Memphis. The Grizzlies came out strong Monday, grabbing a 67 - 48 lead by the end of the first half. While the Magic made a run in the fourth quarter, they were n't able to finish off their comeback, and fell nine points short, giving the Grizzlies a victory in front of their home crowd. The Grizzlies were also very effective from the free throw line, converting on 24 - of - 26, while the Magic made just 16 - of - 25 from the line. Zach Randolph had his way with the Magic in this matchup. He went 8 - for - 13 from the field and 8 - for - 8 from the free throw line to score 24 points, while also nearing a triple - double with 10 rebounds and six assists. He's now recorded 10 or more rebounds in 15 straight games, pushing his season average to 12 rebounds per game. Marc Gasol finished with a double - double of his own, scoring 16 points (5 - 13 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 6 - 7 FT) and grabbing 10 rebounds. He recorded only nine points on Saturday against the Sixers, so it was a nice bounce back game offensively for him. With Tony Allen sidelined because of an ankle injury, Jeff Green entered the starting lineup. He shot the ball well, going 4 - for - 6 from the field and 2 - for - 2 from the three - point line to score 12 points in 26 minutes. He's now averaging 17 points and 4 rebounds on the year. Coming off the bench, Beno Udrih finished with 15 points (6 - 8 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), five assists and four steals. While he was n't able to limit Gasol or Randolph defensively, Nikola Vucevic continued to play well offensively, scoring 18 points (6 - 13 FG, 6 - 7 FT) and grabbing 12 rebounds. He's averaging 26 points and 13 rebounds over his last four games, so he has n't been slowing down lately. Victor Oladipo was the other player to score 18 points (6 - 11 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT), while also adding seven rebounds and two assists. He's gone a combined 14 - for - 28 from the field over his last last two games, scoring 36 points over that span. Coming off the bench, Dewayne Dedmon notched a double - double with 10 points (4 - 5 FG, 2 - 6 FT) and 10 rebounds in 30 minutes. Channing Frye played only 12 minutes in this game as a starter, so Dedmon took most of the extra playing time. The only other Magic player to reach double figures was rookie Elfrid Payton, who posted 12 points and six assists in 35 minutes. The Grizzlies' next game will be on the road against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, while the Magic will be at home against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "30", "76ers": "52"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "116", "76ers": "108"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "29", "76ers": "8"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"76ers": "31"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"76ers": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"Ish Smith": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Ish Smith": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ish Smith": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ish Smith": "18", "Markieff Morris": "10", "Marcin Gortat": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Ish Smith": "9", "Markieff Morris": "6", "Marcin Gortat": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Ish Smith": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Ish Smith": "4"}, "Points": {"Ish Smith": "25", "Carl Landry": "15", "Markieff Morris": "16", "Marcin Gortat": "18", "Bradley Beal": "16"}, "Minutes played": {"Carl Landry": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "13", "Marcin Gortat": "20"}}], "The Washington Wizards (29 - 30) held on for a road win over the Philadelphia 76ers (8 - 52) Monday night at Verizon Center, 116 - 108. The 76ers are now mathematically eliminated from playoff contention with the loss. Philadelphia erased a 12 - point Wizards halftime lead with a 26 - 4 run to open the third quarter, and the 76ers extended their lead as high as seven points in the fourth quarter. But the Wizards starters would n't go down without a fight, as John Wall, Marcin Gortat and Markieff Morris combined to score 22 of Washington's 24 points in the final nine minutes of the game as the Wizards earned a critical comeback win in their pursuit of an Eastern Conference playoff berth. Wzll exploded for a game - high 37 points (13 - 26 FG, 2 - 4 3PT, 9 - 12 FT) and dished seven assists. Gortat and Morris each posted double - doubles, with Gortat scoring 18 (7 - 14 FG) and grabbing 20 rebounds and Morris notching 16 points (6 - 10 FG) and securing 13 boards. The only other Wizard to go over 10 points was Bradley Beal, who shot a brutal 7 - 20 from the floor for 16 points. Ish Smith led the 76ers with 25 points (9 - 18 FG, 3 - 6 3PT, 4 - 7 FT) and recorded seven assits. Carl Landry was their next leading scorer in just 18 minutes off the bench as he poured in 15 points on 6 - 8 shooting. The 76ers could n't find their shots from deep (10 - 32, 31 percent) or the free throw line (12 - 21, 57 percent) and their inaccuracy allowed a winnable game to slip through their fingers. The 76ers next host the Hornets at home on Wednesday. The Wizards take to the road Wednesday for a matchup against the Timberwolves."], [[{"Turnovers": {"76ers": "22"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "40"}}, {"Points": {"Pascal Siakam": "2", "Jonas Valanciunas": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "25", "Kyle Lowry": "24", "Terrence Ross": "8", "Jared Sullinger": "8", "Robert Covington": "10", "Ersan Ilyasova": "18", "Joel Embiid": "26", "T.J. McConnell": "10", "Gerald Henderson": "9", "Dario Saric": "8"}, "Assists": {"Joel Embiid": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Joel Embiid": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Joel Embiid": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Joel Embiid": "9", "Dario Saric": "9"}, "Steals": {"Joel Embiid": "1"}}], "Joel Embiid's 26 points, nine rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal led the Sixers to their seventh win in nine games. Philadelphia made up for 22 turnovers with superb defense, limiting Toronto to 40 and 25 percent shooting from the field and three - point range, respectively. Ersan Ilyasova went for 18 points, while Robert Covington and T.J. McConnell supplied a pair of 10 - point efforts. Gerald Henderson's nine points led the reserves, and Dario Saric supplied eight points and nine rebounds off the bench as well. DeMar DeRozan's 25 points spearheaded Toronto. Kyle Lowry came back from a game off to score 24. Jonas Valanciunas generated a 10 - point, 16 - rebound double - double. However, DeMarre Carroll (scoreless) and Pascal Siakam (two points) significantly underwhelmed. The bench was led by eight - point efforts from Terrence Ross and the debuting Jared Sullinger."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "9", "Magic": "8"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "100", "Magic": "105"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hornets": "21", "Magic": "41"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "4", "Magic": "6"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Tobias Harris": "40", "Gary Neal": "29"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "17", "Gary Neal": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "16"}}], "The Orlando Magic (6 - 8) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (4 - 9) 105 - 100 on Friday. Orlando was down by 15 points heading into the fourth quarter but rallied to put up 41 points in the final quarter, out - scoring the Magic 41 - 21 in the final frame. Tobias Harris was the yoke for the Magic on Friday. He put up 17 points and 16 rebounds in 40 minutes. The Magic have won four of their last six games as their schedule has softened over the last two weeks. They'll host the Miami Heat on Saturday to complete their current back - to - back set. Charlotte has lost four straight games, and while their prospects this season look dire at the moment, the team has faced off against plenty of formidable teams in the early part of their schedule, leaving the door open to hope for more wins going forward. Just as a team like the Cleveland Cavaliers is sturggling to find consistency due to having so many new additions, the roster turnover for the Hornets can be pointed to as the source of their struggles thus far. Gary Neal (concussion) returned to action for the Hornets on Friday. He put up 17 points in 29 minutes off the bench. They'll go on the road Sunday to play the Heat in Miami."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "53", "Wizards": "46"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "17", "Wizards": "10"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "109", "Wizards": "102"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "17", "Wizards": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Paul Pierce": "12", "Nene": "12", "Bradley Beal": "21", "John Wall": "14", "Andre Miller": "15", "Kevin Durant": "34", "Serge Ibaka": "13", "Russell Westbrook": "22", "Nick Collison": "10"}, "Assists": {"Bradley Beal": "6", "John Wall": "12", "Kevin Durant": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "5", "John Wall": "6", "Andre Miller": "1", "Kevin Durant": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bradley Beal": "3", "John Wall": "2", "Andre Miller": "1", "Kevin Durant": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "15", "John Wall": "13", "Andre Miller": "9", "Kevin Durant": "18", "Serge Ibaka": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Bradley Beal": "7", "John Wall": "5", "Andre Miller": "5", "Kevin Durant": "12", "Serge Ibaka": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Bradley Beal": "10", "Andre Miller": "3", "Kevin Durant": "8", "Serge Ibaka": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"John Wall": "2", "Andre Miller": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"John Wall": "2", "Andre Miller": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kevin Durant": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Kevin Durant": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Serge Ibaka": "2"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Nick Collison": "16"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (17 - 17) defeated the Washington Wizards (22 - 10) 109 - 102 on Friday at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City. Following the third quarter, this game was tied and anyones game for the taking. The Thunder took it upon themselves and were able to out - score the Wizards by seven in the final quarter to seal the victory in front of their home crowd. They shot 53 percent from the field, while the Wizards shot 46 percent from the field, which was just enough of an advantage to secure the victory. Boy do the Thunder enjoy having Kevin Durant back. Durant went 12 - for - 18 from the field and 4 - for - 7 from the three - point line to score 34 points, while also adding eight rebounds. Durant has been scoring at an insane rate over his last three games, as he's averaging 36 points per game over that span. If Durant can keep this pace, he'll have the Thunder sitting pretty come playoffs. Russell Westbrook also did his part. Westbrook finished with 22 points and six assists, giving him new season averages of 27 points and 7 assists per game on the year. Although he's not posting the numbers he did when Durant was sidelined, he's still continuing to have a very high production on the offensive side of the ball. Serge Ibaka had a solid contribution. He went 6 - for - 10 from the field to score 13 points, while adding six rebounds in the process. Despite his scoring opportunities going down with both Durant and Westbrook healthy, he's also able to feed off the extra defensive attention given to those two. The only other Thunder player to reach double figures in points was Nick Collison, who came off the bench to score 10 points in 16 minutes. The Wizards received their biggest contribution from Bradley Beal. Beal went 7 - for - 15 from the field and 3 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score 21 points. He also came pretty close to a triple - double with 10 rebounds and six assists. the 10 rebounds were a season - high for Beal, as it was also his first double - double of the season. Wall had a pretty good game as well. He finished with 14 points (5 - 13 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and 12 assists, as he continues to find his teammates at a spectacular rate. Coming off the bench, Andre Miller had arguably his best game of the season with 15 points (5 - 9 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and three rebounds. After averaging only 4 points per game up until this point, it was a nice surprise for the Wizards. Both Paul Pierce and Nene Hilario finished with 12 points each. The Thunders' next game will be on the road against the Golden State Warriors on Monday, while the Wizards will travel to San Antonio to play the Spurs on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"76ers": "42", "Heat": "23"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"76ers": "47", "Heat": "39"}, "Losses": {"76ers": "10", "Heat": "9"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "101", "Heat": "94"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "4", "Heat": "4"}}, {"Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "2", "Dion Waiters": "1", "Goran Dragic": "1", "Joel Embiid": "3"}, "Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "32", "Dion Waiters": "19", "Goran Dragic": "10", "Robert Covington": "9", "Ersan Ilyasova": "10", "Joel Embiid": "22", "Gerald Henderson": "19", "Jahlil Okafor": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "13", "Dion Waiters": "3", "Goran Dragic": "4", "Robert Covington": "9", "Ersan Ilyasova": "11", "Joel Embiid": "5", "Jahlil Okafor": "3"}, "Assists": {"Dion Waiters": "5", "Goran Dragic": "7", "Robert Covington": "1", "Ersan Ilyasova": "3", "Jahlil Okafor": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Goran Dragic": "4", "Gerald Henderson": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Goran Dragic": "0", "Gerald Henderson": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Goran Dragic": "13", "Gerald Henderson": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Goran Dragic": "4", "Gerald Henderson": "6"}, "Steals": {"Goran Dragic": "3", "Robert Covington": "3", "Ersan Ilyasova": "1", "Joel Embiid": "1"}}], "The Philadelphia Sixers defeated the visiting Miami Heat, 101 - 94, at Wells Fargo Center on Monday. After only having totaled 10 wins last season, an improving Philadelphia squad has now already won four games, all at home, in the current campaign, following an impressive performance against the reeling Heat (4 - 9). Joel Embiid continued his excellent stretch of early - season play, leading the way for the Sixers (4 - 10) with 22 points, five rebounds, three blocks and a steal. The big man got the line a team - high nine times, converting seven of those opportunities into points. Philadelphia collectively shot very well overall, posting respective success rates of 47 and 42 percent from the field and three - point range. In turn, they clamped down defensively on Miami, holding them to 39 and 23 percent figures in those categories. Hassan Whiteside posted a 32 - point, 13 - rebound double - double that paced the Heat, and he also added a pair of blocks. Dion Waiters tallied 19 points, five assists, three rebounds and a block. Goran Dragic was next with 10 points, seven assists, four rebounds, three steals and a block but had a rough night from the field, going just 4 - of - 13 from the field and 0 - of - 4 from three - point range. Gerald Henderson was second on the Sixers behind Embiid with a season - high 19 points on 6 - of - 8 shooting, including a 3 - of - 3 mark from long distance. Ersan Ilyasova contributed a 10 - point, 11 - rebound double - double, along with three assists and a steal. Robert Covington filled out the stat sheet with nine points, nine rebounds, three steals and an assist. Jahlil Okafor led the bench with 15 points, three rebounds and an assist. The Heat next travel to Detroit to take on the Pistons on Wednesday night, while the Sixers remain home and go for their fifth victory when they take on the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday evening as well."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "35", "Thunder": "36"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "40", "Thunder": "58"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "29", "Thunder": "20"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "99", "Thunder": "127"}, "Rebounds": {"Magic": "33", "Thunder": "54"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "15", "Thunder": "20"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Thunder": "37"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "6", "Dion Waiters": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "5", "Elfrid Payton": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "3", "Dion Waiters": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Durant": "0", "Russell Westbrook": "0", "Dion Waiters": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "12", "Dion Waiters": "9", "Nikola Vucevic": "19", "Victor Oladipo": "18", "Elfrid Payton": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "7", "Dion Waiters": "7", "Nikola Vucevic": "7", "Victor Oladipo": "7", "Elfrid Payton": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "6", "Dion Waiters": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "7", "Elfrid Payton": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Kevin Durant": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "3", "Dion Waiters": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "7", "Elfrid Payton": "1"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "21", "Serge Ibaka": "16", "Russell Westbrook": "17", "Dion Waiters": "16", "Nikola Vucevic": "16", "Victor Oladipo": "23", "Elfrid Payton": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "11", "Serge Ibaka": "8", "Dion Waiters": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Russell Westbrook": "24", "Nikola Vucevic": "26"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dion Waiters": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Dion Waiters": "1"}, "Steals": {"Dion Waiters": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Dion Waiters": "3"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (20 - 20) defeated the Orlando Magic (15 - 29) 127 - 99 on Sunday at the Amway Center in Orlando. The Thunder got off to a really quick start in this game, out - scoring the Magic 79 - 45 in the first half alone. The Thunder were the superior shooters in this game, going 58 percent from the field and 36 percent from the three - point line, while the Magic went only 40 percent from the field and 35 percent from beyond the arc. Only furthering their advantage, the Thunder also out - rebounded the Magic 54 - 33. The Thunder were led by Kevin Durant, who nearly recorded a triple - double with 21 points (7 - 10 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 7 - 7 FT), 11 rebounds and eight assists. The eight assists were a season - high for him, as he was able to get his teammates involved in the blowout win. Russell Westbrook had a solid showing as well, scoring 17 points (7 - 12 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 3 - 6 FT) and handing out six assists. He was well under his season scoring average of 25 points per game, but he only played 24 minutes, as the Thunder had a comfortable lead for most of the game. The Thunder received a big contribution from their bench, as three players reached double figures in points. Dion Waiters was the best of those three, going 7 - for - 9 from the field and 1 - or - 2 from the three - point line to score 16 points in 20 minutes. He's started to heat up lately for the Thunder, combining for 37 points and five steals over his last two games. Serge Ibaka finished with 16 points and eight rebounds in 27 minutes. For the Magic, Victor Oladipo did most of the damage against the Thunder. He went 7 - for - 18 from the field and 2 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 23 points, while also adding five assists. He was able to get to the free throw line seven times, converting on all seven attempts. He's had the hot hand lately for the Magic, averaging 26 points over his last four outings. Nikola Vucevic was able to post some strong numbers. He recorded 16 points (7 - 19 FG) and seven rebounds in 26 minutes. He continues to be one of the Magic's focal points in their offense, as he's had at least 10 shot attempts in every game this season. Coming off a career - high of 22 points in Friday's game against the Grizzlies, Elfrid Payton posted another impressive performance, finishing with 19 points (9 - 17 FG, 1 - 2 FT) and eight assists. Despite averaging 7 points per game on the season, he's now averaged 19 points over his last three games. The Thunder's next game will be on the road against the Miami Heat on Tuesday, while the Magic will be on the road against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "44", "Wizards": "36"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "1", "Wizards": "2"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "103", "Wizards": "84"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Raptors": "28", "Wizards": "18"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "5", "Wizards": "4"}}, {"Points": {"Paul Pierce": "8", "Marcin Gortat": "8", "John Wall": "8", "Otto Porter": "13", "Terrence Ross": "18", "DeMar DeRozan": "25", "Kyle Lowry": "13", "Lou Williams": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "10", "Terrence Ross": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"John Wall": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"John Wall": "3"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "10"}}], "The Raptors (5 - 1) knocked off the Wizards (4 - 2) 103 - 84 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto on Friday. Wearing the iconic purple throwback uniforms from the late - 90\u2019s, Toronto jumped out to a quick first quarter lead and never looked back. The Raptors led 28 - 18 after one and extended the margin to 24 points by halftime. The lead held through the third quarter, as Washington was never truly able to chip away until garbage time. Toronto shot 44 percent from the field and just over 77 percent from the line (24 - of - 31). DeMar DeRozan led the way with 25 points, while Kyle Lowry had a 13 - point, 11 - rebound, 10 - assist triple - double. Terrence Ross added 18 points and five rebounds, while Lou Williams chipped in 13 points off the bench. The Raptors have now won three straight games since falling to the Heat on Sunday. Washington struggled through a rough shooting night, converting at a 36 percent clip from the field and making only 3 - of - 19 three - pointers. It was an off - night for John Wall, who scored just eight points on 3 - of - 13 shooting. Marcin Gortat added eight points and 10 rebounds, while Paul Pierce and Nene combined for 15 points and 10 assists but shot a cumulative 5 - of - 22. No Wizards starter reached double - figures, as Otto Porter led the way with 13 points off the bench. Next up, Toronto hosts the Sixers on Sunday. Washington travels to Indiana on Saturday for a rematch of Wednesday\u2019s game, which the Wizards won 96 - 94 in overtime."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "55", "Lakers": "51"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "99", "Lakers": "101"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Timberwolves": "24", "Lakers": "17"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "16", "Lakers": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Jordan Clarkson": "5", "Jeremy Lin": "5", "Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Zach LaVine": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jordan Clarkson": "1", "Jeremy Lin": "5", "Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Zach LaVine": "5", "Chase Budinger": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "0", "Jeremy Lin": "1", "Zach LaVine": "1", "Chase Budinger": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jordan Clarkson": "16", "Jeremy Lin": "14", "Ed Davis": "9", "Andrew Wiggins": "16", "Zach LaVine": "18", "Chase Budinger": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "6", "Jeremy Lin": "6", "Ed Davis": "7", "Andrew Wiggins": "8", "Zach LaVine": "5", "Chase Budinger": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jordan Clarkson": "8", "Jeremy Lin": "6", "Andrew Wiggins": "11", "Zach LaVine": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "8", "Jeremy Lin": "6", "Andrew Wiggins": "10", "Zach LaVine": "7"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jordan Clarkson": "3", "Andrew Wiggins": "3"}, "Points": {"Jordan Clarkson": "20", "Jeremy Lin": "19", "Ed Davis": "14", "Andrew Wiggins": "27", "Zach LaVine": "18", "Chase Budinger": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Jordan Clarkson": "5", "Jeremy Lin": "3", "Ed Davis": "9", "Andrew Wiggins": "6", "Zach LaVine": "6", "Chase Budinger": "6"}, "Steals": {"Jordan Clarkson": "2", "Jeremy Lin": "1", "Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Chase Budinger": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Jeremy Lin": "29", "Ed Davis": "22"}, "Turnovers": {"Jeremy Lin": "3", "Andrew Wiggins": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Zach LaVine": "2"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers (19 - 51) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (16 - 55) 101 - 99 in overtime on Wednesday at the Target Center in Minneapolis. Despite being down seven points coming out of the third quarter, the Timberwolves came back with a big fourth, out - scoring the Lakers 24 - 17 to even the score. It was Chase Budinger who forced this game into overtime, as he hit a three - pointer with just six seconds left in regulation. In overtime, it was rookie Jordan Clarkson of the Lakers who was the savior, as he got to the line with just a fraction of a second left in the game and showed no fear, knocking down both of his free throw attempts to seal the two - point victory. While both teams have been eliminated from the playoffs, it was clear neither wanted to settle for a loss in this one. Including the clutch free throws, Clarkson also recorded a team - high of 20 points (6 - 16 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 8 - 8 FT), to go along with five rebounds, five assists and two steals. He just had a 30 - point, seven - assist performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, so it was another impressive showing for the rookie, who continues to display a lot of potential for the future. Starting alongside Clarkson, Jeremy Lin also played a factor in the win, finishing with 19 points (6 - 14 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) and five assists in 29 minutes. Lin has really picked up his game of late, and is averaging 17 points, 5 assists and 1 steals over his last three games. Coming off the bench, Ed Davis was efficient during his 22 minutes on the court, going 7 - for - 9 from the field to score 14 points, to go along with nine rebounds. Including the three - pointer that sent this game to overtime, Budinger posted 22 points, while shooting 9 - for - 14 from the field and 3 - for - 6 from the three - point line. Budinger has been a solid source of scoring for this team recently and is averaging 14 points, 5 rebounds and 1 steals over his last five games. Andrew Wiggins was also a big reason the Timberwolves had a chance to win this game. He went 8 - for - 16 from the field and 10 - for - 11 from the free throw line to score a game - high of 27 points in 48 minutes. He's scored 20 or more points in three of his last four games, a stretch where he's averaging 21 points, while shooting 44 percent from the field. Rookie Zach LaVine continued to show his potential as well, finishing with 18 points (5 - 18 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT), six rebounds and five assists. During his last two games, he's combined for 45 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, as he's stepped up with injuries to Ricky Rubio (ankle) and Kevin Martin (hamstring). The Lakers' next game will be on the road against the Toronto Raptors on Friday, while the Timberwolves will travel to Houston to play the Rockets on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Timberwolves": "27", "Clippers": "36"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "44", "Clippers": "48"}, "Losses": {"Timberwolves": "46", "Clippers": "21"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "105", "Clippers": "110"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Timberwolves": "23", "Clippers": "36"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "13", "Clippers": "40"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "1", "JJ Redick": "9", "Chris Paul": "4", "Gary Neal": "7", "Ricky Rubio": "4", "Zach LaVine": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "0", "JJ Redick": "4", "Chris Paul": "2", "Gary Neal": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "1", "Zach LaVine": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "7", "JJ Redick": "15", "Chris Paul": "20", "Andrew Wiggins": "16", "Gary Neal": "17", "Ricky Rubio": "11", "Adreian Payne": "9", "Zach LaVine": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "4", "JJ Redick": "7", "Chris Paul": "12", "Andrew Wiggins": "5", "Gary Neal": "6", "Ricky Rubio": "5", "Adreian Payne": "4", "Zach LaVine": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "9", "Andrew Wiggins": "10", "Gary Neal": "6", "Ricky Rubio": "9", "Adreian Payne": "4", "Zach LaVine": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "4", "Dahntay Jones": "2", "Andrew Wiggins": "8", "Gary Neal": "5", "Ricky Rubio": "7", "Adreian Payne": "4", "Zach LaVine": "3"}, "Points": {"DeAndre Jordan": "12", "JJ Redick": "18", "Chris Paul": "26", "Glen Davis": "12", "Austin Rivers": "13", "Andrew Wiggins": "18", "Gary Neal": "19", "Ricky Rubio": "18", "Adreian Payne": "12", "Zach LaVine": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "18", "JJ Redick": "5", "Glen Davis": "3", "Gary Neal": "9", "Ricky Rubio": "12", "Adreian Payne": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"DeAndre Jordan": "4", "JJ Redick": "3", "Chris Paul": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"JJ Redick": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"JJ Redick": "3", "Chris Paul": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Chris Paul": "37", "Adreian Payne": "24", "Zach LaVine": "22"}, "Steals": {"Chris Paul": "3", "Andrew Wiggins": "2"}, "Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Gary Neal": "4", "Ricky Rubio": "11", "Zach LaVine": "4"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (40 - 21) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (13 - 46) 110 - 105 on Monday at the Target Center in Minneapolis. The Clippers took off in the first quarter, out - scoring the Timberwolves 36 - 23. The Timberwolves came right back in the second though and fought their way to a 60 - 58 lead at the half. With the Clippers back up 108 - 105 late in the fourth quarter, Gary Neal had a chance to tie the game on a three - pointer with just over 10 seconds left in the game. He went on to miss it though, and Dahntay Jones sealed off the victory with two free throws on the other end for the Clippers. The Clippers were the superior shooters in this one, going 48 percent from the field and 36 percent from the three - point line, while the Timberwolves finished at 44 percent from the floor and just 27 percent from deep. Chris Paul was nearly unguardable in this one, going off for 26 points (12 - 20 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt), 14 rebounds and three steals in 37 minutes. He has been absolutely on fire of late, averaging 25 points and 13 assists over his last three games, as he's really stepped it up in the absence of Blake Griffin. J.J. Redick was also a huge factor in the win. He went 7 - for - 15 from the field and 4 - for - 9 from the three - point line to score 18 points, while also adding five rebounds before being ejected late in the fourth quarter for arguing with the referee. He is dialed in with his shot at the moment, shooting over 45 percent from the field and 40 percent from the three - point line in three of his last four games. Notching a double - double of his own, DeAndre Jordan chipped in with 12 points (4 - 7 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 4 - 9 FT) and 18 rebounds. He continues to be an absolute animal on the boards, recording 10 or more rebounds in each of last 10 games, including four games with 20 or more. Both Glen Davis and Austin Rivers reached double figures off the bench with 12 and 13 points respectively. In an all - around solid effort from the bottom feeders of the Western Conference, Ricky Rubio's performance stood out the most, as he finished with his first triple - double of the season. In 39 minutes, he posted 18 points (5 - 11 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 7 - 9 FT), 12 rebounds and 11 assists. He came just three rebounds short of a triple - double on Saturday, so he was able to finally get over the hump and complete the feat. Gary Neal also had a strong showing, recording 19 points (6 - 17 FG, 2 - 7 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT), nine rebounds and four assists. He's picked up his scoring over his last two outings, combining for 35 points over that span. Andrew Wiggins chipped in with 18 points (5 - 16 FG, 8 - 10 FT), four assists and two steals. His impressive stretch of games continues, as he's averaging 21 points over his last six games. Coming off the bench, Zach LaVine added 14 points (5 - 9 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) and four assists in 22 minutes, while Adreian Payne had 12 points (4 - 9 FG, 4 - 4 FT) and five rebounds in 24 minutes. The Clippers' next game will be at home against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, while the Timberwolves will be at home against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "51", "Timberwolves": "43"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "130", "Timberwolves": "119"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "21", "Timberwolves": "28"}}, {"Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "36", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "25", "Ricky Rubio": "19", "Jordan Clarkson": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "13"}, "Assists": {"Ricky Rubio": "15"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jordan Clarkson": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "8"}}], "The host Los Angeles Lakers took down the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, 130 - 119. Friday also marked the unveiling of Los Angeles's new Shaquille O'Neal statue. Los Angeles (21 - 51) snapped a six - game losing streak on Friday, though it may not have been in their best interest. LA will lose its draft pick if it falls outside of the top three, and the Phoenix Suns remain on the Lakers' tail for the second - worst record in the NBA. Still, there was a lot to like on Friday for Lakers fans. Guard Jordan Clarkson had a career - high 35 points while shooting 8 - of - 10 from three - point range. It was the team's first overtime game of the season, and they seemed to respond well to the extra period. LA outscored Minnesota 21 - 10 in overtime, immediately establishing an eight - point advantage at the start of the OT. The team finished with staggering shooting splits of 52 percent from the field, 61 percent from three - point range, and 86 percent form the line. Minnesota (28 - 43), meanwhile, extended its own losing streak to four games. While production from the starting five was solid, the Timberwolves struggled once again with finding points off the bench. The team saw just 23 bench points versus 39 from LA. There was no issue for Minny's starters, though, as third - year forward Andrew Wiggins exploded for an efficient 36 points. Reigning Rookie of the Year Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a double - double with 25 points and 13 rebounds, and point guard Ricky Rubio had 19 points while dishing out a whopping 15 assists. The Timberwolves will visit Portland on Saturday, while LA will host the Blazers on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "23"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "108", "Pacers": "97"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "1", "George Hill": "4", "Rajon Rondo": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul George": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul George": "9", "Myles Turner": "5"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "34", "Jordan Hill": "17", "Myles Turner": "11", "George Hill": "8", "DeMarcus Cousins": "48", "Rajon Rondo": "11", "Darren Collison": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "4", "Myles Turner": "6", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "12", "Rajon Rondo": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Myles Turner": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Myles Turner": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Myles Turner": "1", "George Hill": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Myles Turner": "5"}, "Steals": {"Myles Turner": "1"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (20 - 23) defeated the Indiana Pacers (23 - 20) 108 - 97 at Sleep Train Arena on Saturday. DeMarcus Cousins put on a show in front of the home crowd and went off for 48 points, which set a new career high for the Kings big man. All 48 points were needed in the win, as the Pacers kept threatening until the last six minutes of regulation. Sacramento stretched a six point lead to 10 points midway through the fourth quarter after Cousins drained a midrange jumper and followed up with a cutting layup. The Kings center added 13 rebounds and two assists on 17 - of - 29 shooting in 39 minutes. Cousins scoring outburst overshadowed an equally impressive performance from Rajon Rondo, who completed another triple - double on 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Darren Collison added clutch baskets down the stretch, adding 11 points, which tled the bench in scoring. Willie Cauley-Stein played well alongside Cousins and although he was not needed to pitch in on the offensive end, he did grab 12 rebounds starting at the center position. The Kings accomplished this without starter Rudy Gay (heel), who did not suit up for the game. Sacramento will host the Charlotte Hornets (21 - 23) on Monday. The Pacers trailed the entirety of the game and were unable to stop DeMarcus Cousins from wreaking havoc from both the midrange and the paint. Paul George tried to shoot the Pacers back into contention in the second half, but it was enough to dent the Kings lead. George finished with 34 points, four rebounds and one assist on 9 - of - 20 shooting in 34 minutes. Jordan Hill pitched in 17 points, while no other starter was able to crack double figures. George Hill did not start, but did come off the bench after missing the past three games, and added 8 points in four assists in 32 minutes. Myles Turner turned one of the more rounded out performances after blocking five shots, to go along with 11 points and six rebounds. Indiana will look to bounce back when they host the Los Angeles Clippers (28 - 15) on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "2", "Warriors": "2"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "84", "Warriors": "101"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "2", "Warriors": "2"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Warriors": "33"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Warriors": "21"}, "Turnovers": {"Warriors": "21"}}, {"Blocks": {"Andrew Bogut": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Bogut": "3", "Tony Allen": "9", "Mike Conley": "15"}, "Steals": {"Andrew Bogut": "3", "Stephen Curry": "2", "Mike Conley": "3"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Stephen Curry": "50"}, "Minutes played": {"Stephen Curry": "39", "David Lee": "15", "Tony Allen": "16", "Marc Gasol": "38", "Mike Conley": "33"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Points": {"Stephen Curry": "33", "David Lee": "5", "Marc Gasol": "19", "Mike Conley": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Stephen Curry": "8", "Marc Gasol": "10", "Mike Conley": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Tony Allen": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Tony Allen": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Mike Conley": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Mike Conley": "3"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (2 - 2) cruised to a 101 - 84 win over the Memphis Grizzlies (2 - 2) to reclaim home - court advantage. The win gave the Warriors a 50 record after losing two consecutive games and a 510 record when leading by at least 15 points this season Stephen Curry lived up to his MVP moniker, scoring 21 of his 33 points in the first half. He added eight rebounds, a team - high five assists, two steals and four three - pointers in 39 minutes. Rather than force perimeter jumpers, Curry focused on driving to the basket, opening up the offense. With Marreese Speights out a week due to a calf injury, David Lee suited up for 15 minutes and scored five points. Andrew Bogut chipped in a playoff career - high three steals, and the Warriors cultivated a 26 - point lead late in the third quarter. Even though they carried that lead throughout the rest of the game, coach Steve Kerr didn\u2019t replace his starters until the final two minutes of the fourth quarter. Tony Allen was limited to 16 minutes for his porous offensive showing, converting 2 - of - 9 shots. His primary defender, Andrew Bogut, left Allen alone on the perimeter, resulting in a plethora of ill - advised jumpers. In fact, Allen attempted more three - pointers in this game than he did all regular season, misfiring on all three attempts. Marc Gasol fell four assists shy of a triple - double, instead settling for a double - double in 38 minutes, recording 19 points and 10 rebounds. Mike Conley, who\u2019s been receiving IV fluids between games, looked fatigued for much of the game. He scored 10 points on 15 shots and turned the ball over three times in 33 minutes. Game 5 is scheduled for Wednesday night at Oracle Arena."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "6", "Heat": "5"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "83", "Heat": "95"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "22"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "4", "Heat": "6"}}, {"Assists": {"Chris Bosh": "1", "Mario Chalmers": "5", "Jarrett Jack": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chris Bosh": "11", "Mario Chalmers": "12", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "11", "Jarrett Jack": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Chris Bosh": "5", "Mario Chalmers": "5", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "8", "Jarrett Jack": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Chris Bosh": "4", "Mario Chalmers": "13", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "2", "Jarrett Jack": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Chris Bosh": "4", "Mario Chalmers": "11", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "2", "Jarrett Jack": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Chris Bosh": "29", "Mario Chalmers": "34"}, "Points": {"Chris Bosh": "15", "Mario Chalmers": "22", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "22", "Jarrett Jack": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Chris Bosh": "9", "Mario Chalmers": "3"}, "Steals": {"Chris Bosh": "1", "Mario Chalmers": "2", "Jarrett Jack": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Mario Chalmers": "5", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Mario Chalmers": "1", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "4"}}], "The Miami Heat (6 - 5) got an impressive road victory over the Brooklyn Nets (4 - 6) 95 - 83 at the Barclays Center on Monday night. The Heat were impressive for a few reasons in this win over the Nets, but what made it even more impressive was the fact that they got it done without All-Star shooting guard Dwyane Wade. Wade was out with a hamstring injury, but the team rallied and put up a strong all - around performance to get the win. They were led by Mario Chalmers, who scored 22 points (5 - 12 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 11 - 13 FT) to go with five assists, three rebounds and two steals in 34 minutes. Chris Bosh was just short of a double - double with 15 points (5 - 11 FG, 1 - 2 3 Pt, 4 - 4 FT), nine rebounds, one assist and one steal in 29 minutes. The Heat saw 10 players score on Monday night, and their bench production was big, putting up a total of 37 points. Miami now heads home to take on the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night. The Nets on the other hand are in the midst of a tough four - game losing streak, and while they got a solid 22 points (8 - 11 FG, 4 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) from Bojan Bogdanovic, the rest of the starters struggled to do much. One of the lone bright spots was backup point guard Jarrett Jack, who put up 15 points (5 - 9 FG, 1 - 1 3 Pt, 4 - 4 FT), four assists and one steal off of the bench. Brooklyn is struggling to find answers right now, but they'll get a night off before taking on the Milwaukee Bucks at home on Wednesday night."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Cavaliers": "58"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "53", "Trail Blazers": "52"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "2", "Trail Blazers": "9"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "137", "Trail Blazers": "125"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "11", "Trail Blazers": "8"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Mason Plumlee": "10", "CJ McCollum": "12", "Damian Lillard": "21", "Evan Turner": "13", "Channing Frye": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Mason Plumlee": "9", "CJ McCollum": "5", "Damian Lillard": "13", "Evan Turner": "7", "Channing Frye": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Mason Plumlee": "23"}, "Points": {"Mason Plumlee": "19", "CJ McCollum": "13", "Damian Lillard": "40", "Evan Turner": "17", "LeBron James": "31", "Kevin Love": "40", "Kyrie Irving": "20", "Channing Frye": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Mason Plumlee": "4", "CJ McCollum": "1", "Damian Lillard": "7", "LeBron James": "10"}, "Assists": {"CJ McCollum": "2", "Damian Lillard": "11", "LeBron James": "13", "Kyrie Irving": "6"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Channing Frye": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Channing Frye": "4"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, 137 - 125, at Quicken Loans Arena on Wednesday. Kevin Love has looked much more comfortable with the Cavs this season and it really showed in this dominating win. Love set an NBA-record with 34 first - quarter points, going 8 - of - 11 from three - point range. He finished the game with just 40 points, but that was still a career - best with Cleveland. The Cavaliers offense was clicking on all cylinders, as they shot 53 percent (48 - of - 90) from the field and 58 percent from three - point range (21 - of - 36). Portland's offense was n't far behind, as they went 47 - of - 90 from the field to shoot 52 percent/. Cleveland's 81 - point first half fell just shy of a franchise - records for both teams. Portland (8 - 9) have really struggled on defense this season and this loss may have been the most embarrassing one thus far. Damian Lillard did all he could on offense though, as he tallied 40 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists on 13 - of - 21 shooting in the defeat. C.J. McCollum struggled, going just 5 - of - 12 from the field en route to 13 points, one rebound and two assists. Mason Plumlee went 9 - of - 10 from the field to score 19 points, but grabbed just four rebounds in 23 minutes of action. Evan Turner was the only bench player to score more than seven points, as he dropped 17 points on 7 - of - 13 shooting. Portland will look to get out of this slump on Friday against the surging New Orleans Pelicans for their next game. Cleveland (11 - 2) have not let up one bit after their championship campaign from last year and offensive showcases like this show why they're so good. Kevin Love was the star, as he scored an NBA-record 34 points in the first quarter and finished the game with 40 points. LeBron James may have been the player of the game though, as he accumulated 31 points, 10 rebounds, 13 assists and three steals in the win. Kyrie Irving finished with 20 points and six assists of his own. Channing Frye went 4 - for - 6 from three - point range en route to a bench - leading 14 points. The Cavaliers will return to action on Friday in a home matchup against the struggling Dallas Mavericks."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "53"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "26"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "116", "Cavaliers": "120"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Suns": "28"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Suns": "37", "Cavaliers": "24"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "12"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "4", "Kyrie Irving": "7", "Devin Booker": "4", "Eric Bledsoe": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "40"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "28", "Kevin Love": "25", "Kyrie Irving": "27", "Tyson Chandler": "10", "Devin Booker": "28", "Eric Bledsoe": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "8", "Kevin Love": "10", "Tyson Chandler": "15", "Devin Booker": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kyrie Irving": "7"}, "Steals": {"Devin Booker": "2", "Eric Bledsoe": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Eric Bledsoe": "1"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the host Phoenix Suns, 120 - 116, at Talking Stick Resort Arena on Sunday evening. The Cavs (28 - 8) narrowly escaped Phoenix with the win, as the Suns (12 - 26) used a strong second half to come within two points, with 3:20 left in the fourth. The Cavs started out with a huge 41 - point first quarter but the Suns retaliated in the third, winning the quarter 37 - 24, to bring the score to 93 - 90 at the start of the fourth. However, the Cavs were able to hang on to escape with a four - point win. Cleveland's big three earned their keep in this one, as they combined for 40 points in the first half, and another 40 in the second half, for a huge 80 - point contribution on the night. LeBron James was the high - point man, with 28 points, to go along with eight rebounds and four assists, but gave up a troublesome seven turnovers, in 40 minutes. Kevin Love added 25 points and 10 rebounds, while Kyrie Irving totaled 27 points and seven assists, but also gave up seven turnovers. The Cavs shot 54 percent from the field and 15 - of - 34 from long range, but only tallied 15 assists in the game. They are now 20 on their current road trip, which will go on for four more games, beginning with a stop in Utah on Tuesday. Eric Bledsoe led the way for the Suns, as he finished with 31 points, eight assists, two rebounds, two steals and one block, while Devin Booker contributed 28 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals. Four other players scored in double digits in the valiant effort, including Tyson Chandler, who finished with 10 points and 15 rebounds. The Suns shot a solid 53 percent from the field and forced the Cavs into 20 turnovers, as they came very close to pulling off the upset. The Suns will look to carry on with similar intensity and fight, as they play host to the Mavericks on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "15", "Nuggets": "17"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "102", "Nuggets": "96"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "12", "Nuggets": "12"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Nuggets": "28"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "44"}, "Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "18"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Kenneth Faried": "32", "Joe Johnson": "33", "Brook Lopez": "8"}, "Points": {"Kenneth Faried": "20", "Ty Lawson": "29", "Joe Johnson": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Kenneth Faried": "14"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets (12 - 15) defeated the Denver Nuggets (12 - 17) 102 - 96 on Tuesday. Brooklyn has won two straight in what's been a topsy - turvy season for the veteran - laden team. Deron Williams sat out a second straight game with a calf issue, but Brook Lopez (back) was able to return to action after sitting out the last eight games. He played just eight minutes off the bench, and Lopez might stay in a reserve role due to how well the team has played with Mason Plumlee starting at center. Joe Johnson scored a team - high 27 points in 33 minutes. The Nets will go on the road to face the Boston Celtics on Friday. Denver has lost two straight games. They shot just 44 percent from the field and 28 percent from beyond the arc, while also giving up 24 easy points on 18 turnovers Tuesday, essentially giving away the game. Ty Lawson finished with a game - high 29 points, and Kenneth Faried put up his best game of the season, finishing with 20 points and 14 rebounds in 32 minutes. The Nuggets will host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "67"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "59"}, "Rebounds": {"Raptors": "43", "Magic": "33"}}, {"Points": {"Terrence Ross": "17", "Aaron Gordon": "16", "Nikola Vucevic": "12", "Evan Fournier": "20", "Elfrid Payton": "22", "D.J. Augustin": "8", "Serge Ibaka": "16", "Jonas Valanciunas": "17", "DeMar DeRozan": "36", "Cory Joseph": "15", "Jakob Poeltl": "12", "Norman Powell": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "15", "Jonas Valanciunas": "9"}, "Assists": {"Elfrid Payton": "9", "Cory Joseph": "13"}}], "DeMar DeRozan's game - high 36 points led Toronto, and the Raptors tallied success rates of 59 percent from the field and 67 percent from three - point range. They also dominated down low, winning the rebounding battle by a 43 - 33 margin. Jonas Valanciunas followed DeRozan with 17 points and nine boards. Serge Ibaka totaled 16 points, while Cory Joseph submitted a 15 - point, 13 - assist double - double. Norman Powell led the bench with 16 points and Jakob Poetl turned in 12 on the second unit as well. Elfrid Payton managed a near double - double of 22 points and nine assists to lead Orlando. Evan Fournier was next with 20 points, while Terrence Ross was solid in his return to Toronto, supplying 17. Aaron Gordon provided 16 points and Nikola Vucevic posted a 12 - point, 15 - rebound double - double. D.J. Augustin led the bench with eight points."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Timberwolves": "31", "Clippers": "19"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "24", "Clippers": "13"}, "Turnovers": {"Clippers": "16"}}, {"Points": {"Blake Griffin": "16", "DeAndre Jordan": "20", "JJ Redick": "14", "Austin Rivers": "10", "Marreese Speights": "12", "Andrew Wiggins": "20", "Gorgui Dieng": "7", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "29", "Shabazz Muhammad": "17", "Ricky Rubio": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "13", "Gorgui Dieng": "9", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"JJ Redick": "14", "Chris Paul": "9", "Andrew Wiggins": "17"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "10", "Gorgui Dieng": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Chris Paul": "3", "Andrew Wiggins": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Gorgui Dieng": "2"}, "Steals": {"Gorgui Dieng": "4"}}], "The Timberwolves forced an uncharacteristic 16 turnovers from the Clippers and parlayed respective 31 - 19 and 24 - 13 first - and - third - quarter advantages into a double - digit home win. Karl-Anthony Towns' 29 - point, 14 - rebound double - double over 27 minutes paced the Timberwolves. Andrew Wiggins overcame a 5 - for - 17 shooting night with a perfect 10 - for - 10 tally from the free - throw line to compile 20 points. Shabazz Muhammad went for 17 points, while Ricky Rubio managed a 15 - point, 12 - assist double - double. Gorgui Dieng chipped in a modest seven points but also provided nine rebounds, two assists, four steals and two blocks. DeAndre Jordan's 20 - point, 13 - rebound double - double led Los Angeles. Blake Griffin provided 16 points, while J.J. Redick turned in 14. Marreese Speights led the second unit with 12 points, and Austin Rivers totaled 10 points. Chris Paul had an off night shooting (3 - 9 FG), but managed to dish out 10 assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "17", "Clippers": "18"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "123", "Clippers": "107"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "34", "Clippers": "33"}}, {"Points": {"DeAndre Jordan": "9", "DeMar DeRozan": "24", "Lou Williams": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "7", "DeMar DeRozan": "9"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Lou Williams": "5"}, "Steals": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Amir Johnson": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Amir Johnson": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Amir Johnson": "1", "Lou Williams": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Lou Williams": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"James Johnson": "4"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (34 - 17) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers (33 - 18) 123 - 107 on Friday. DeMar DeRozan was just shy of a triple - double, finishing with 24 points, nine rebounds and eight assists along with two steals, leading the Raptors in all four of those categories. James Johnson made his return to the Toronto lineup. He had been dealing with a hamstring issue that forced him to miss the last four games. Johnson had 16 points in 19 minutes off the bench. He was n't the only one filling it up off the bench, as Lou Williams put up 18 points to go along with five assists. Toronto has won seven of its last nine, and sits in second place in the Eastern Conference standings The Clippers got off to a 30 - 10 start but could n't hold off a hot Raptors team that went on to out score Los Angeles 113 - 77 over the final 38:33. Los Angeles appears be dealing with some bugs around the locker room, as Hedo Turoglu was unavailable Friday due to a stomach virus and DeAndre Jordan left the game in the third quarter with flu - like symptoms. Jordan did return to play another eight minutes and finished the game with nine points and seven rebounds. The Clippers are 0 - 3 thus far in February. Next up, the Raptors will host the Spurs on Sunday, and the Clippers will head to Oklahoma City to take on the Thunder, also on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "6", "Nuggets": "8"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "120", "Nuggets": "112"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "10", "Nuggets": "7"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Wilson Chandler": "4", "Timofey Mozgov": "1", "Goran Dragic": "2", "Eric Bledsoe": "3", "Gerald Green": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Wilson Chandler": "2", "Timofey Mozgov": "1", "Goran Dragic": "1", "Eric Bledsoe": "2", "Gerald Green": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Wilson Chandler": "12", "Timofey Mozgov": "13", "Goran Dragic": "13", "Eric Bledsoe": "10", "Gerald Green": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Wilson Chandler": "7", "Timofey Mozgov": "8", "Goran Dragic": "8", "Eric Bledsoe": "6", "Gerald Green": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Wilson Chandler": "4", "Timofey Mozgov": "2", "Goran Dragic": "4", "Eric Bledsoe": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Wilson Chandler": "3", "Timofey Mozgov": "1", "Goran Dragic": "3", "Eric Bledsoe": "7"}, "Points": {"Wilson Chandler": "19", "Timofey Mozgov": "18", "Goran Dragic": "20", "Eric Bledsoe": "21", "Gerald Green": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Wilson Chandler": "7", "Timofey Mozgov": "13", "Goran Dragic": "5"}, "Assists": {"Goran Dragic": "4", "Eric Bledsoe": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Gerald Green": "26"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (10 - 6) defeated the Denver Nuggets (7 - 8) in a 120 - 112 victory at the US Airways Center on Wednesday. The surprisingly deep Suns rotation was on display against the Nuggets, as seven of the nine active players scored in double - digits. As far as the team's starters, Eric Bledsoe lead the way with a 21 - point (6 - 10 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT), 10 - assist double - double. Bledsoe's backcourt partner, Goran Dragic, also had an excellent performance and finished with 20 points (8 - 13 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), five rebounds and four assists. Suns' sixth man Gerald Green had a team - high 24 points (9 - 17 FG, 6 - 11 3Pt) in only 26 minutes. While the Nuggets go below .500 after the tough defeat, they still had a group of players that were able to make a solid impact. The most apparent of those contributing players would be center Timofey Mozgov, who had an incredibly solid 18 - point (8 - 13 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and 13 - rebound double - double. Meanwhile, Wilson Chandler continues to look to break away from his start - of - the - season slump, as he had 19 points (7 - 12 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) and seven rebounds. The Suns and Nuggets will travel to Denver to square off against each other again on Friday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "23", "Rockets": "9"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "107", "Rockets": "123"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "9", "Rockets": "24"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Ryan Anderson": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ryan Anderson": "4", "Eric Gordon": "2"}, "Points": {"Ryan Anderson": "22", "James Harden": "34", "Eric Gordon": "13", "Harrison Barnes": "21", "Dirk Nowitzki": "7", "Wesley Matthews": "19"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "11"}, "Personal fouls": {"Eric Gordon": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "15"}}], "The visiting Houston Rockets blew out the host Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, 123 - 107. With the win, Houston completed its first sweep of the Mavericks in a season series in 19 years. The Rockets (24 - 9) coasted to victory after taking a 19 - point lead by the end of the first half. Superstar James Harden led the elite Rockets offense with 34 points and also dished out a team - high 11 assists. The numbers were far from abnormal for Harden, however, as \"The Beard\" ranks fifth in the NBA in scoring and first in assists. The Rockets shot over 52 percent from the field, and, unsurprisingly, drained 17 three - pointers. Under coach Mike D'Antoni, Houston has become the top three - point shooting team in the NBA. Of course, this is due in part to the arrival of free agents Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon. On Tuesday, Anderson had 22 points with four three - pointers and Gordon scored 13 with two threes. The Mavericks (9 - 23) had won three of their previous five contests and looked to be on the rise before Tuesday's beat - down. Veteran star Dirk Nowitzki recently returned from an Achilles injury, but remains on limited minutes. On Tuesday, Nowitzki scored seven points and shot just 2 - of - 8 in 15 minutes. Forward Harrison Barnes led the team with 21 points, while sharpshooter Wesley Matthews added 19. As a whole, however, the team shot just 41 percent and struggled to match Houston's staggering scoring pace. On Thursday, Dallas will face the Lakers, while the Rockets will rest until Friday when they face the powerhouse Clippers."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "34", "Cavaliers": "19"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "120", "Cavaliers": "92"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Heat": "32", "Cavaliers": "16"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "29", "Cavaliers": "42"}}, {"Assists": {"Kyle Korver": "2", "Tristan Thompson": "3", "Deron Williams": "7", "Luke Babbitt": "1", "Goran Dragic": "5", "Tyler Johnson": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Korver": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyle Korver": "5"}, "Points": {"Kyle Korver": "15", "Tristan Thompson": "10", "Deron Williams": "10", "Derrick Williams": "10", "Richard Jefferson": "11", "Channing Frye": "21", "Luke Babbitt": "9", "Hassan Whiteside": "20", "Goran Dragic": "23", "Tyler Johnson": "17", "Wayne Ellington": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Kyle Korver": "1", "Tristan Thompson": "6", "Deron Williams": "5", "Derrick Williams": "6", "Channing Frye": "4", "Hassan Whiteside": "13", "Goran Dragic": "3", "Tyler Johnson": "6", "Wayne Ellington": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Channing Frye": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "1"}, "Steals": {"Channing Frye": "2", "Wayne Ellington": "1"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 120 - 92, at American Airlines Arena on Saturday night. After an exhausting 135 - 130 victory on Friday against the Hawks, Cleveland opted to rest LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, who'd combined for 81 points in the win. While that likely proved disappointing to the many in South Florida who showed up to see the dynamic duo in action, it was a prudent move for the top - seeded Cavaliers (42 - 19), who are looking to have their superstars as fresh as possible for the postseason run. An opportunistic Heat (29 - 34) team took advantage, pulling away with a 32 - 16 second quarter and never looking back. Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside led the way for Miami with a combined 43 points, and the Heat second unit totaled 53 points while getting extra run in the blowout win. Channing Frye took the reins of the offense with the Big Three out of comission for Cleveland, posting a team - high 21 points, four rebounds, two steals and one block. Kyle Korver paced the starting five with 15 points, two assists and one rebound. Richard Jefferson provided 11 points as a reserve. Deron Williams, Tristan Thompson and Derrick Williams supplied a trio of 10 - point efforts. Deron Williams added seven assists and five rebounds, Thompson registered six rebounds and three assists, and Derrick Williams hauled in six boards. Dragic led the Heat with 23 points, five assists and three rebounds. Whiteside tallied a 20 - point, 13 - rebound double - double that also included one block. Tyler Johnson was next with a bench - leading 17 points, which he supplemented six rebounds, two assists and two steals. Wayne Ellington chipped in 12 points, four boards and one steal. No other Miami player managed double digits in the scoring column, with Luke Babbitt (nine points, one assist, one steal) coming the closest. The Cavaliers and Heat reconvene on Monday night in Cleveland for the second game of the home - and - home set."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "7", "Nets": "8"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "111", "Nets": "109"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Kings": "23", "Nets": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Kings": "50", "Nets": "44"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "3", "Nets": "1"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "16"}, "Points": {"Joe Johnson": "14", "Thaddeus Young": "16", "Brook Lopez": "17", "Jarrett Jack": "21", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "15", "DeMarcus Cousins": "40", "Rajon Rondo": "23", "Marco Belinelli": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "10", "DeMarcus Cousins": "13", "Rajon Rondo": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "35"}, "Assists": {"Rajon Rondo": "14"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rajon Rondo": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Rajon Rondo": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Rajon Rondo": "4"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (3 - 7) nipped the Brooklyn Nets (1 - 8) 111 - 109 on Friday. Sacramento's Rajon Rondo has played an astounding 184 minutes over the last four games, and has posted an equally impressive three triple - doubles over that span. Rondo poured in 23 points while handing out 14 assists and hauling in 10 boards Friday, further redeeming the Kings' decision to take a free - agent flyer on him after his infamous postseason deactivation by the Mavericks just a few months prior. His standout performance helped Sacramento overcome deficits of 30 - 23 after the first quarter, and 60 - 54 at halftime. The Nets enjoyed a balanced scoring effort from the majority of their starters, in addition to a 15 - point night off the bench from Bojan Bogdanovic. Jarrett Jack led Brooklyn with a double - double that included a season - high 21 points and 12 rebounds. Brook Lopez, battling a sore foot, pitched in with his own 17 - point, 10 - rebound performance, while veterans Thad Young and Joe Johnson poured in 16 and 14 points, respectively. Although they were solid on the boards overall, the Nets were still outrebounded by the Kings, 50 - 44. The Nets drop to 1 - 8 and remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head to Oakland for a tough Saturday night showdown with the undefeated Golden State Warriors. DeMarcus Cousins tallied a monster double - double, collecting an eye - popping and season - high 40 points and 13 rebounds in just 35 minutes. The gargantuan joint efforts of Rondo and Cousins were particularly valuable on a night where starting small forward Rudy Gay was sidelined with an illness. Ben McLemore (13 points) and Marco Bellinelli (14 points) were the only other Kings players in double - digits, with both players doing so coming off the bench. The Kings improve to 3 - 7 and are in fourth place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. Sacramento remains home for a Sunday tilt versus the Toronto Raptors."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Spurs": "30"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Spurs": "18", "Bucks": "26"}, "Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "32"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "53"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "52"}}, {"Assists": {"Jabari Parker": "3", "Malcolm Brogdon": "6", "Michael Beasley": "4"}, "Points": {"Jabari Parker": "22", "Malcolm Brogdon": "17", "Michael Beasley": "28", "Kawhi Leonard": "30", "Danny Green": "14", "Tony Parker": "14", "Jonathon Simmons": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Jabari Parker": "7", "Malcolm Brogdon": "6", "Michael Beasley": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Michael Beasley": "3", "Kawhi Leonard": "3"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3"}}], "A Milwaukee win appeared like a long shot and considering Giannis Antetokounmpo (illness) departed early on, it's a miracle they were able to prevail with this victory. They really turned it on in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Spurs, 26 - 18. Milwaukee took advantage of the interior, outscoring San Antonio, 52 - 38 in the paint. The Bucks shot 52 percent from the field and 53 percent from three - point range, while dishing out 32 assists. Michael Beasley was the player of the game, as he tallied 28 points, five rebounds, four assists and three blocks off of Milwaukee's bench. Jabari Parker led the starters with 22 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Malcolm Brogdon collected 17 points, six rebounds and six assists. Kawhi Leonard was the Spurs best player, providing 30 points, eight rebounds, three steals and three blocks in the defeat. Jonathan Simmons, Tony Parker and Danny Green all tied for second on the team with 14 points apiece."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Heat": "20"}, "Turnovers": {"Hornets": "8"}}, {"Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Nicolas Batum": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Nicolas Batum": "4", "Justise Winslow": "4", "Goran Dragic": "4"}, "Points": {"Nicolas Batum": "12", "Kemba Walker": "24", "Hassan Whiteside": "20"}, "Turnovers": {"Justise Winslow": "4", "Hassan Whiteside": "4", "Goran Dragic": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "15", "Goran Dragic": "4"}}], "The Hornets overcame their first unit's sluggish night on offense with a stellar effort from their bench in a win against the Heat. Jeremy Lamb, Marco Belinelli, Spencer Hawes and Cody Zeller all hit double digits in the scoring column, helping make up for the starters' 46 - point tally. More than half that total was amassed by Kemba Walker, who managed 24 points. Nicolas Batum was the only other starter to register double - digit scoring, supplying 12 points. The Heat greatly benefited from a trademark 20 - point, 15 - rebound double - double from Hassan Whiteside, but also saw him, Goran Dragic and Justise Winslow all turn the ball over four times each. In all, the Heat were guilty of 20 turnovers, leading to 22 points for the Hornets. Conversely, they only prompted eight turnovers in their own right, leading to the evaporation of a 57 - 46 halftime lead."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "3", "Bulls": "5"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "105", "Bulls": "87"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "9", "Bulls": "8"}, "Number of team assists": {"Bulls": "14"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Bulls": "36"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "36"}}, {"Assists": {"Aaron Brooks": "3", "Damian Lillard": "9"}, "Points": {"Aaron Brooks": "12", "Nikola Mirotic": "24", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "16", "Robin Lopez": "12", "Damian Lillard": "21", "Chris Kaman": "10", "Allen Crabbe": "9"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Nikola Mirotic": "7", "Damian Lillard": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nikola Mirotic": "4", "Damian Lillard": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Nikola Mirotic": "35", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Mirotic": "11", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "9", "Robin Lopez": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "6"}}], "The Trail Blazers (9 - 3) extended their winning streak to six games Friday, knocking off the Bulls (8 - 5) 105 - 87. The Blazers began the game on an 18 - 3 run and never really looked back, maintaining the lead throughout the first quarter. The advantage reached 18 points by halftime, and Portland extended the lead to 24 in the second half. On a relatively quiet night for LaMarcus Aldridge, who had 16 points (6 - 13 FG) and nine rebounds in 28 minutes, Damian Lillard stepped up to score 21 points (4 - 4 3Pt) to go with nine assists. Wes Mathews added 12 points, and Robin Lopez finished with 12 points and seven rebounds. Portland got 25 points from its bench, which played most of the second half, led by 10 points from Chris Kaman and nine from second - year guard Allen Crabbe. The Trail Blazers shot nearly 50 percent from the floor, while holding the Bulls to 36 percent shooting. Portland also outscored Chicago in the paint 48 - 28. The Bulls, who were again without Derrick Rose (hamstring), struggled to get production from their starting five, which combined for only 37 points on 13 - of - 44 shooting. Aaron Brooks, starting in place of Rose, was the only starter in double figures, finishing with 12 points to go with three assists. One of the few bright spots for Chicago was Nikola Mirotic, who posted 24 points (4 - 7 3Pt) and 11 rebounds in 35 minutes off the bench. The Bulls managed just 14 assists as a team. Up next, the Bulls continue their seven - game road swing in Utah on Monday. Portland travels to Boston to take on the Celtics on Sunday evening."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "13", "Thunder": "12"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "112", "Thunder": "117"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "17", "Thunder": "18"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "42"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "51"}}, {"Assists": {"Andre Roberson": "4", "Domantas Sabonis": "1", "Steven Adams": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Enes Kanter": "2", "Amir Johnson": "5", "Al Horford": "4", "Avery Bradley": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Andre Roberson": "2", "Steven Adams": "1", "Al Horford": "1"}, "Points": {"Andre Roberson": "5", "Domantas Sabonis": "20", "Steven Adams": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "45", "Enes Kanter": "20", "Amir Johnson": "17", "Al Horford": "23", "Avery Bradley": "16", "Isaiah Thomas": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Roberson": "5", "Domantas Sabonis": "1", "Steven Adams": "11", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Enes Kanter": "6", "Amir Johnson": "6", "Al Horford": "6", "Avery Bradley": "6", "Isaiah Thomas": "2"}, "Steals": {"Domantas Sabonis": "1", "Steven Adams": "2", "Amir Johnson": "2", "Al Horford": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "1"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Boston Celtics, 117 - 112, at TD Garden on Friday. The Celtics (17 - 13) have been at their best on the road this season, carrying just a 6 - 5 home record into Friday night's tilt. Despite a game effort, their struggles continued Friday, as Russell Westbrook's 45 - point, 11 - rebound, 11 - assist triple - double led the way for the Thunder (18 - 12). The dynamic point guard went to the line a game - high 16 times, converting 14 of those opportunities into points. Overall, Oklahoma City had the hot hand shooting - wise, posting success rates of 51 and 42 percent, respectively, from the field and three - point range. The Celtics could n't quite keep up late, despite standout efforts from Isaiah Thomas and Al Horford. Domantas Sabonis was a surprising second on the Thunder in scoring with a career - high 20 points, which he supplemented with a rebound, an assist and a steal. Steven Adams supplied a modest eight points but did haul in 11 boards, while also recording three assists, two steals and a block. Andre Roberson managed five points, five rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Enes Kanter was an invaluable source of scoring off the bench with 20 points, six boards and two assists. Thomas' 34 points led the Celtics, a total he complemented with 10 assists, two rebounds and a steal. Horford was next with 23 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block. Amir Johnson posted 17 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals, supplying back - to - back double - digit scoring performances for the first time this season. Avery Bradley registered 16 points, six boards and an assist. The Thunder return home to face off with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Christmas Night, while the Celtics head to the Big Apple to take on the Knicks for a Christmas Day showdown."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "52"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "12", "Mavericks": "12"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "120", "Mavericks": "100"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Clippers": "30"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "25", "Mavericks": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "1", "Monta Ellis": "6", "Blake Griffin": "6", "Chris Paul": "13"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "5", "Chris Paul": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Monta Ellis": "4", "Chris Paul": "2", "Jamal Crawford": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "19", "Chris Paul": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "10", "DeAndre Jordan": "6", "Chris Paul": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "4", "Chris Paul": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "3", "DeAndre Jordan": "1", "Chris Paul": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "30"}, "Points": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "25", "Monta Ellis": "23", "DeAndre Jordan": "13", "Chris Paul": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "6", "Monta Ellis": "4", "DeAndre Jordan": "15", "Jamal Crawford": "3"}, "Steals": {"Monta Ellis": "1", "DeAndre Jordan": "1", "Chris Paul": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Blake Griffin": "6"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Blake Griffin": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"DeAndre Jordan": "1"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (25 - 12) handled the Dallas Mavericks (26 - 12), 120 - 100, on Saturday. On the backs of 52 percent from the field and 13 three - pointers, the Clippers racked up at least 30 points in three different quarters, as every starter and sixth man Jamal Crawford scored in double digits. Chris Paul led the offensive with 17 points (5 - 11 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT) and 13 dimes, while DeAndre Jordan chipped in a double - double (13 points and 15 rebounds), but Blake Griffin's continued commitment to distribution ca n't be ignored. After dishing six assists Saturday, Griffin is averaging nearly six per game since Dec. 1, which is supplementing his usual stat - laden line. The Clippers have now cobbled together back - to - back wins, and victories in five of the past six games, which they'll attempt to uphold in Sunday's showdown against the Heat. On the other side, Dallas has dropped two contests in a row, after tallying a six - game winning streak, but their primary scoring threats did n't disappoint. Dirk Nowitzki, the NBA's seventh - leading scorer all - time, supplied 25 points (10 - 19 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), six rebounds, and one assist in 30 minutes. Meanwhile, Monta Ellis drilled four treys of his own en route to 23 points, six assists, four rebounds, and one steal. The remaining Mavericks fired at a 37 percent clip (19 - for - 52), though, which was n't enough against the Clippers' hot hand. Dallas' next opportunity to turn to the prevailing tide arrives Tuesday in Sacramento versus a Kings squad that has lost two of the last three outings."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Thunder": "19", "Warriors": "11"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Warriors": "43"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "3", "Andre Roberson": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "34", "JaVale McGee": "16", "Klay Thompson": "26", "Stephen Curry": "26", "Andre Iguodala": "8", "Andre Roberson": "6", "Domantas Sabonis": "9", "Steven Adams": "13", "Victor Oladipo": "20", "Russell Westbrook": "47"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "9", "JaVale McGee": "3", "Andre Roberson": "11", "Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"JaVale McGee": "20"}, "Blocks": {"Andre Roberson": "3"}, "Steals": {"Andre Roberson": "1", "Steven Adams": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "11"}}], "Kevin Durant posted 34 points, nine rebounds and three assists in his return to OKC. Golden State gained separation with a 43 - point second quarter, and the Thunder committed 19 turnovers overall - - 11 on the part of Russell Westbrook. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson checked in behind Durant with matching 26 - point efforts, while JaVale McGee was highly efficient with 16 points and three rebounds over 20 minutes. Andre Iguodala led the bench with eight points. Westbrook led all scorers with 47 points, and supplemented the total with 11 rebounds, eight assists and one steal. Victor Oladipo supplied 20 points. Steven Adams registered 13 points, and Andre Roberson tallied a full line of six points, 11 rebounds, an assist, three blocks and a steal. Domantas Sabonis furnished nine points to round out the starting five's night."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "46"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "111", "Rockets": "113"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Suns": "25"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "26"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Rockets": "26"}}, {"Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "11", "Donatas Motiejunas": "15", "James Harden": "33", "Josh Smith": "14", "Corey Brewer": "14", "Joey Dorsey": "4", "Markieff Morris": "21", "Goran Dragic": "2", "Eric Bledsoe": "25", "Isaiah Thomas": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Ariza": "6", "Donatas Motiejunas": "6", "James Harden": "6", "Joey Dorsey": "6", "Eric Bledsoe": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Dwight Howard": "8", "Joey Dorsey": "20", "Goran Dragic": "18", "Eric Bledsoe": "39"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "10", "Markieff Morris": "1", "Eric Bledsoe": "9"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "3", "Markieff Morris": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Joey Dorsey": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Joey Dorsey": "1", "Markieff Morris": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Markieff Morris": "3"}}], "James Harden scored 33 points and drained the game - winning jumper as the Rockets knocked off the Suns 113 - 111 on Friday night. With the Rockets up by three with 26 seconds remaining, Phoenix's Markieff Morris drove past Joey Dorsey, drew the foul and finished thorugh contact to bring the Suns within one. He rattled home the free throw, tying the game with 16 seconds to play. Houston inbounded to Harden, who dribbled the clock down and put a move on P.J. Tucker before pulling up and hitting the game - winning jumper as time expired. While the referees would convene to confirm the shot was relased in time, there was never any doubt, and Harden strutted off the court in a mob of teammates. Harden led all scorers with 33 points to go with six rebounds 10 assists and three steals. Donatas Motiejunas added 15 points and six boards, and Trevor Ariza chipped in 11 points. Dwight Howard exited the game after just eight minutes due to an ankle sprain and did not return. In his stead, Dorsey fininshed with four points and six rebound sin 20 minutes. Josh Smith and Corey Brewer each added 14 points off the bench. Phoenix, which shot 46 percent from the floor, got 25 points from Eric Bledsoe. He also added nine assists and eight rebounds in 39 minutes. Markieff Morris pitched in 21 points, and Isaiah Thomas had 22 off the bench. Goran Dargic was limited to only two points in 18 minutes. Up next, the Rockets face the Lakers at the Staples Center on Sunday night. Phoenix plays host to the Clippers, also on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "11", "Bucks": "8"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "96", "Bucks": "104"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Magic": "29", "Bucks": "36"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "6", "Bucks": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4", "Evan Fournier": "7", "Nikola Vucevic": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "11", "Evan Fournier": "21", "C.J. Watson": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7", "Evan Fournier": "11", "C.J. Watson": "0"}, "Free throws made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "31"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "18", "John Henson": "20", "Evan Fournier": "27", "C.J. Watson": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9", "John Henson": "7", "Greg Monroe": "7", "Evan Fournier": "6"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1", "Evan Fournier": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Evan Fournier": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Nikola Vucevic": "3"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Orlando Magic 104 - 96 at Amway Center on Sunday. The Bucks (7 - 8) pulled out a victory that was relatively close from end - to - end, but capitalized by a well rounded performance from point guard Giannis Antetokounmpo and three bench players scoring in double figures. The aforementioned point guard made a two - foot layup with just one second remaining at the end of the first quarter, which gave the Bucks a 36 - 29 lead. A pair of C.J. Watson free throws for the Magic (6 - 11) cut the Bucks lead to four points midway through the second period, but Milwaukee was able to stave off Orlando from tying the game until Evan Fournier\u2019s two point jump shot in the third quarter, which tied the game at 60 point a piece. The Bucks played smart basketball down the stretch, working the shot clock in their favor and relied on efficient rotations from their bench players to come away with the road win. Antetokounmpo finished with 18 points, nine rebounds, four assists, three blocks and one steal on 7 - of - 11 shooting across 31 minutes. John Henson added 20 points and seven boards to lead the Bucks in scoring, while Michael Beasley, Greg Monroe Malcolm Brogdon finished double figures on the bench. Fournier led the Magic with 27 points, six rebounds, seven assists, two steals and just one turnover on 11 - of - 21 shooting. Orlando only went three players deep on the bench, requiring a lot of minutes from Nikola Vucevic, C.J. Watson and Elfrid Payton. All but Watson (0 - of - 6 shooting) were effective in their play, but were unable to aid the starters in fueling a comeback down the stretch. Both teams have tough contests on Tuesday, as the Magic visit the San Antonio Spurs, while the Bucks host the Cleveland Cavaliers."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "4", "Thunder": "14"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "116", "Thunder": "108"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "46", "Thunder": "38"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "12", "Stephen Curry": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Durant": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "25", "Russell Westbrook": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "12", "Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kevin Durant": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "40", "Russell Westbrook": "27", "Harrison Barnes": "19", "Stephen Curry": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "14", "Russell Westbrook": "3", "Stephen Curry": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Kevin Durant": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "3", "Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "3", "Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Stephen Curry": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Stephen Curry": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (46 - 4) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (38 - 14) 116 - 108 at Oracle Arena on Saturday. While the Warriors have handled the league's best teams with relative ease on their home court this season, the Thunder proved to be their toughest test of the season. In the thrilling matchup between two of the game\u2019s best teams, containing three of the top five scorers in the league (Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant), it took until the final minute for the Warriors to stop Oklahoma City\u2019s late comeback. The Thunder got off to a strong start, but midway through the second quarter the Warriors started to pull away through a series of runs behind strong bench play. Oklahoma City clawed their way back behind their stuper stars, and with 3:36 left in the fourth quarter, Enes Kanter finished a turnaround shot at the rim to tie the game 104 - 104. Curry and Thompson scored on the following possessions, while Westbrook and Durant sank their free throws after earning tough fouls with under one minute to play. A wild Curry rebound and full court toss to a streaking Andre Iguodala ended the Thunder\u2019s last chance after a missed Durant jumper, and the Warriors walked away with their 41st straight home win dating back to 2014 - 2015. Durant led all scorers with 40 points, to go along with 14 rebounds and five assists on 12 - of - 25 shooting, while Westbrook added 27 points, three rebounds and 12 assists on 8 - of - 22 shooting. Curry led the Warriors with 26 points, six rebounds and 10 assists, despite only shooting 1 - of - 8 from the three - point line. Marreese Speights and Livingston combined for 25 points off the bench, while Harrison Barnes delivered a clutch performance with 19 points, including multiple needed baskets from behind the arc and at the rim. The Warriors will host the Houston Rockets (27 - 26) on Tuesday, while the Thunder will visit the Phoenix Suns (14 - 38) on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "15", "Pistons": "29"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "88", "Pistons": "96"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "40", "Pistons": "28"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pistons": "23"}}, {"Assists": {"Tobias Harris": "3", "Marcus Morris": "4", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "4", "Stanley Johnson": "1", "LeBron James": "5", "Kevin Love": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "5", "Matthew Dellavedova": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Tobias Harris": "5", "Reggie Jackson": "1", "Tristan Thompson": "1"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "14", "Marcus Morris": "14", "Andre Drummond": "16", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "19", "Reggie Jackson": "23", "Stanley Johnson": "10", "LeBron James": "12", "Kevin Love": "24", "JR Smith": "7", "Kyrie Irving": "30", "Matthew Dellavedova": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "5", "Marcus Morris": "2", "Andre Drummond": "15", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "3", "Stanley Johnson": "4", "LeBron James": "8", "Kevin Love": "7", "JR Smith": "4", "Kyrie Irving": "1", "Matthew Dellavedova": "1"}, "Steals": {"Tobias Harris": "3", "Andre Drummond": "2", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "3", "LeBron James": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "1", "Stanley Johnson": "1", "Tristan Thompson": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"LeBron James": "6", "Tristan Thompson": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"JR Smith": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"JR Smith": "1"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (28 - 29) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (40 - 15) 96 - 88 on Monday. It was a night of improbabilities, with the Pistons coming into the contest looking to snap a five - game losing streak at Quicken Loans Arena of all places, where Cleveland had only dropped four games all season. Detroit was also coming off an absolute trampling at the hands of Anthony Davis on Sunday, who generated a historic 59 - point, 20 - rebound performance. However, the Pistons accomplished the highly unlikely feat Monday on the strength of suffocating defense against one of the game's best players, and a highly balanced offensive effort from their starting five. Detroit frustrated LeBron James with their typically stelllar play against small forwards, holding him to only 12 points on 5 - for - 18 shooting from the field, and forcing him into an uncharacteristic six turnovers. They also notably shut out starting center Tristan Thompson on the scoreboard, and held sharpshooter J.R. Smith to seven points. The Pistons were sperheaded by Reggie Jackson's 23 - point outing, which he supplemented with four assists, three rebounds and three steals. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope followed with his first productive performance since returning from a groin injury, totaling 19 points, four rebounds and two steals. Andre Drummond was next with one of his trademark double - doubles, in which he collected 16 points, 15 boards, an assist, two steals and a block. Tobias Harris and Marcus Morris rounded matters out for the starting five with a pair of 14 - point outings. The former also pitched in five rebounds, three assists and three steals in his first start in a Pistons uniform, while Morris supplied four assists and a pair of rebounds in addition to his outstanding defensive work on James. Stanley Johnson paced the reserves with 10 points, four rebounds, an assist and a block. Detroit remains in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division, and is currently two games back of the eighth - seeded Chicago Bulls. They head back home to await the Philadelphia 76ers for a Wednesday matchup. Kyrie Irving was a bright spot on the night for Cleveland, as he managed 30 points, five assists, a rebound and a pair of steals after having to exit the Cavs' last game with an illness. Kevin Love followed with 24 points, seven rebounds and three assists. James managed to complement his modest scoring total with eight boards, five assists and three steals. The bench was led by a modest seven points from Matthew Dellavedova, who also added three assists and a rebound. Cleveland remains atop the Eastern Conference's Central Division despite the loss, and retains the top seed in the conference as well. They're home again on Wednesday for a tussle with the Charlotte Hornets."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "6", "Suns": "5"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "114", "Suns": "118"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Celtics": "31"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "3", "Suns": "6"}}, {"Assists": {"Marcus Morris": "7", "Goran Dragic": "7", "Jeff Green": "1", "Rajon Rondo": "9"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Marcus Morris": "5", "Markieff Morris": "3", "Goran Dragic": "6", "Jeff Green": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Marcus Morris": "3", "Markieff Morris": "1", "Goran Dragic": "3", "Jeff Green": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marcus Morris": "8", "Markieff Morris": "21", "Goran Dragic": "15", "Alex Len": "10", "Jeff Green": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Marcus Morris": "5", "Markieff Morris": "14", "Goran Dragic": "9", "Alex Len": "8", "Jeff Green": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Marcus Morris": "2", "Goran Dragic": "1", "Alex Len": "3", "Jeff Green": "9"}, "Points": {"Marcus Morris": "13", "Markieff Morris": "30", "Goran Dragic": "22", "Alex Len": "19", "Jeff Green": "28", "Jared Sullinger": "18", "Rajon Rondo": "14", "Tyler Zeller": "19"}, "Turnovers": {"Marcus Morris": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "7", "Goran Dragic": "6", "Alex Len": "7", "Jared Sullinger": "8", "Rajon Rondo": "10", "Tyler Zeller": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Goran Dragic": "1", "Alex Len": "3", "Jeff Green": "8"}, "Steals": {"Goran Dragic": "2"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Jeff Green": "59"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (6 - 5) defeated the Boston Celtics (3 - 6) 118 - 114 on Monday at TD Garden Arena in Boston. Despite only shooting a total of 16 free throws compared to the 31 that the Celtics shot, the Suns were still able to hold off the second - half charge by the Celtics to secure the win after dropping their last two. The Celtics are now riding a three - game losing streak, after losing by less than five points in their previous two games. Markieff Morris went off Monday, shooting 14 - for - 21 from the field and 1 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 30 points, while also grabbing seven rebounds. This was a season - high for Morris, who scored only five points in their previous game against the Clippers. Goran Dragic also had a productive night offensively. He scored 22 points (9 - 15 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT), while adding seven assists and six rebounds. Like Morris, this was a season - high for Dragic, who's now combined for 41 points in his last two games. For the second game in a row, Alex Len performed well of the bench, as he scored 19 points (8 - 10 FG, 3 - 3 FT), and added seven rebounds. After reaching double figures only once in the first nine games of the season, Len has now scored 17 and 19 points in consecutive games. Marcus Morris shot a solid 5 - for - 8 from the field and 3 - for - 5 from beyond the arc for 13 points and seven assists. The Celtics were led by Jeff Green, who shot 59 percent from the field to score 28 points (10 - 17 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt, 8 - 9 FT), while also recording two steals. He's now averaging 19 points and five rebounds on the season. Rajon Rondo came one assist shy of his second triple - double, as he finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. He's nearly averaging a triple - double, as he boasts season averages of 10 points, 8 rebounds and 12 assists per game. Coming off the bench, Tyler Zeller had a season - high 19 points, and pulled down seven rebounds. It was only the second game this season where he's scored in double figures. Jared Sullinger also came up two rebounds shy of a double - double, as he posted 18 points and eight rebounds. The Suns' next game will be on the road against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday, while the Celtics will travel to Philadelphia to play the Sixers on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "7", "Knicks": "8"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "107", "Knicks": "102"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hornets": "38", "Knicks": "22"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "9", "Knicks": "8"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Knicks": "38"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "37"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "25"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "7"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "18", "Kristaps Porzingis": "25", "Derrick Rose": "18", "Cody Zeller": "11", "Jeremy Lamb": "18", "Kemba Walker": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "8", "Kristaps Porzingis": "6", "Derrick Rose": "8", "Cody Zeller": "10", "Jeremy Lamb": "17"}, "Assists": {"Derrick Rose": "8", "Kemba Walker": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Kemba Walker": "3"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets defeated the visiting New York Knicks, 107 - 102, at Spectrum Center on Saturday. After playing a competitive game on Friday, these two teams put up a similar fight on Saturday. The game flow was a bit different though, as there were only six combined lead changes and ties after nearly 40 on Friday. Charlotte got out to a hot start, as they led 38 - 22 after the first quarter. New York fought back to take their first and only lead in the fourth quarter, but could n't quite hold off a late fury by the Hornets. Defense was key for Charlotte, as they held New York to 38 percent from the field and 37 percent from three - point range. The Hornets also took advantage of the whistle, taking 21 more free - throw attempts than the Knicks. New York (8 - 8) had the tough task of winning both games of a home - and - home set and they did all they could to hang around in this tight loss. Kristaps Porzingis led the team in scoring, dropping 25 points and grabbing six boards. Derrick Rose fell just shy of a triple - double, accumulating 18 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Carmelo Anthony also scored 18 points, adding eight rebounds on an ugly 7 - of - 25 shooting. On deck for the Knicks is a home matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday. Charlotte (9 - 7) had to play this game extremely shorthanded, but they got some huge performances from unexpected sources. Jeremy Lamb was the biggest surprise, as he scored a season - high 18 points and grabbed a career - high 17 rebounds in his first start with the Hornets. Kemba Walker led the team in scoring, tallying 28 points, three assists and three blocks in the win. Cody Zeller recorded a double - double, totaling 11 points and 10 rebounds. Starters Nicolas Batum and Marvin Williams both sat out this game with differing injuries. The Hornets will return to action on Monday, when they play the Memphis Grizzlies on the road."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Rudy Gay": "13", "DeMarcus Cousins": "28", "Darren Collison": "13", "Matt Barnes": "12", "Jae Crowder": "16", "Al Horford": "26", "Isaiah Thomas": "20"}, "Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Matt Barnes": "5", "Al Horford": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "7"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Matt Barnes": "1", "Al Horford": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "34", "Matt Barnes": "31", "Jae Crowder": "37", "Isaiah Thomas": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "9", "Matt Barnes": "16", "Al Horford": "8", "Isaiah Thomas": "3"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1", "Matt Barnes": "2", "Al Horford": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jae Crowder": "5", "Isaiah Thomas": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jae Crowder": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "6"}}], "Al Horford finished with a monstrous six blocks, while leading the Celtics in scoring with 26 points, and also added eight rebounds, three assists and two steals. Isaiah Thomas finished with 20 points, but struggled shooting, going 6 - of - 21 from the field, including 0 - of - 5 from long range, along with seven assists, three rebounds, and two steals, in 34 minutes. The Celtics bench struggled as seven players combined for only 12 points. Jae Crowder shot 3 - of - 5 from long range on his was to 16 points in 37 minutes. DeMarcus Cousins led the way for the Kings, with 28 points, nine rebounds, four blocks, three assists and one steal in 34 minutes. The next highest scorers for Sacramento were Darren Collison and Rudy Gay, who both finished with 13 points. Matt Barnes finished with 12 points, 16 rebounds, five assists, two steals and one block in 31 minutes off the bench."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "34", "Hornets": "33"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "91", "Hornets": "115"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nets": "15", "Hornets": "35"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "25", "Hornets": "26"}}, {"Points": {"Al Jefferson": "19", "Gerald Henderson": "19", "Deron Williams": "12"}, "Assists": {"Deron Williams": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Deron Williams": "27"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (26 - 33) beat the Brooklyn Nets (25 - 34) 115 - 91 on Wednesday. The Hornets put the Nets in an early hole, outscoring them 35 - 15 in the first quarter. Gerald Henderson and Al Jefferson each had 19 points to lead Charlotte, but it was Mo Williams passing display that led them to victory. Williams dished out 14 assists while committing just one turnover in 31 minutes. He also scored 14 points on 6 - of - 13 shooting. Charlotte is now 30 in March and have won four of their last five games overall. The Nets were coming off a 110 - 108 victory over the Western Conference leading Golden State Warriors on Monday. They could n't find anywhere near the same success against Charlotte, who they are currently battling with for one the Eastern Conference's final playoff spots. Deron Williams led his team with 12 points and six assists in what was also a team - high 27 minutes. The Nets will host the Phoenix Suns on Friday, as the Charlotte Hornets will welcome the Toronto Raptors to town."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "43", "Grizzlies": "51"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "12"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "49"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Chandler Parsons": "16", "Marc Gasol": "21"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "7", "JaMychal Green": "18", "Marc Gasol": "2", "Tony Allen": "11", "Mike Conley": "22", "Zach Randolph": "14", "Vince Carter": "14", "Troy Daniels": "11", "Matt Barnes": "20", "DeMarcus Cousins": "26", "Darren Collison": "16", "Anthony Tolliver": "16"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Mike Conley": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Mike Conley": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Mike Conley": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Mike Conley": "3"}}], "The returning Mike Conley scored a team - high 22 points on 8 - of - 11 shooting, including 3 - of - 5 from three - point range. JaMychal Green went for 18 points, while Tony Allen provided 11. Chandler Parsons managed seven points over 16 minutes in his ongoing return to health. Marc Gasol notably amassed just two points, two rebounds and two assists over 21 minutes. Zach Randolph and Vince Carter co - led the reserves with 14 - point efforts, while Troy Daniels poured in 11. Memphis had the hot hand, posting respective success rates of 51 and 49 percent from the floor and behind the arc. Meanwhile, they held the Kings to 43 percent shooting and induced 12 turnovers. DeMarcus Cousins'game-high 26 points paced the Kings. Matt Barnes (20 points) and Darren Collison (16 points) were also productive, while Anthony Tolliver registered 16 points off the bench."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "56", "Kings": "40"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "60", "Kings": "48"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "13"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "130", "Kings": "105"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hawks": "25"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "13", "Kings": "16"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "50"}}, {"Assists": {"Rudy Gay": "1", "DeMarcus Cousins": "6", "Ben McLemore": "3", "Ray McCallum": "5", "Jeff Teague": "13"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gay": "1", "Al Horford": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "4", "Ben McLemore": "8", "Ray McCallum": "2", "DeMarre Carroll": "9", "Kyle Korver": "8", "Jeff Teague": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rudy Gay": "3", "Ben McLemore": "2", "Ray McCallum": "1", "DeMarre Carroll": "4", "Kyle Korver": "6", "Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "15", "DeMarcus Cousins": "9", "Ben McLemore": "16", "Ray McCallum": "10", "DeMarre Carroll": "16", "Al Horford": "13", "Kyle Korver": "9", "Jeff Teague": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gay": "10", "DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Ben McLemore": "4", "Ray McCallum": "6", "DeMarre Carroll": "8", "Al Horford": "9", "Kyle Korver": "7", "Jeff Teague": "7"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gay": "23", "DeMarcus Cousins": "12", "Ben McLemore": "12", "Ray McCallum": "15", "DeMarre Carroll": "20", "Kyle Korver": "20", "Jeff Teague": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "4", "DeMarcus Cousins": "14", "DeMarre Carroll": "5", "Al Horford": "4", "Jeff Teague": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Rudy Gay": "4", "DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "6", "Ben McLemore": "2", "DeMarre Carroll": "1", "Jeff Teague": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "6", "Ben McLemore": "2", "DeMarre Carroll": "0", "Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Ray McCallum": "1", "Jeff Teague": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Al Horford": "31", "Kyle Korver": "31", "Jeff Teague": "29"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (50 - 13) defeated the Sacramento Kings (21 - 42) 130 - 105 on Monday at Philips Arena in Atlanta. In an all - around dominant effort from the Hawks, they built an early lead, gathering a 76 - 54 advantage by half. After surpassing the 100 - point mark in the third quarter, they were able to coast to an easy 25 - point victory in front of their home crowd the rest of the way. The Hawks shot extremely well in this game, going 60 percent from the field and 56 percent from the three - point line, while the Kings went 48 percent from the floor and 40 percent from deep. The Hawks also forced the Kings into 16 turnovers, while committing just 13 of their own. The Hawks starters all did their part, with each reaching double figures in points. Al Horford led the way, scoring 20 points (9 - 13 FG), to go along with four rebounds and three blocked shots. He's played well of late, averaging 17 points over his last five games, while shooting 55 percent or higher from the field in four of those five. Kyle Korver also had his shot dialed in, going 7 - for - 9 from the field and 6 - for - 8 from the three - point line to score 20 points in 31 minutes. He'd been struggling with his shot lately, as he failed to reach double - digit points in four straight games prior to Monday. He shot 40 percent or less in all four of those games, so it was good to see him hit nearly everything on Monday. Notching a double - double, Jeff Teague posted 18 points (7 - 11 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT), five rebounds and 13 assists in 29 minutes. Surprisingly it was his first double - double since the end of January, but he's still been scoring at a high rate lately, averaging 19 points over his last four games. DeMarre Carroll added 20 points (8 - 16 FG, 4 - 9 3Pt, 0 - 1 FT) and five rebounds as well. Doing his best to keep the Kings in the game was Rudy Gay. Gay went 10 - for - 15 from the field and 3 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score 23 points, while adding four rebounds and a blocked shot as well. During the Kings' four - game losing streak, he's been one of the few bright spots, as he's averaged 30 points and 7 rebounds per game over his last three outings. Recording somewhat of an off game, DeMarcus Cousins finished with just 12 points (3 - 9 FG, 6 - 6 FT), but still grabbed 14 rebounds and six assists. It marked his third double - double in a row, a stretch where he's averaged 23 points and 14 rebounds per game. Ray McCallum had one of the better games of his season, as he got the start at point guard. He went 6 - for - 10 from the field and 1 - for - 2 from beyond the arc to score 15 points, while adding five assists. After shooting just 30 percent (3 - 10 FG) in Saturday's game against the Heat, it was good to see him get things turned around. Ben McLemore added 12 points (4 - 16 FG, 2 - 8 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and three assists as well. The Hawks' next game will be on the road against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, while the Kings will travel to Charlotte to play the Hornets on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "19", "Hornets": "46"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "104", "Hornets": "80"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "60", "Hornets": "33"}}, {"Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Kemba Walker": "24", "Troy Daniels": "20", "Mike Muscala": "25"}, "Points": {"Troy Daniels": "15", "Mike Muscala": "17"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Mike Muscala": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Mike Muscala": "8"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (60 - 19) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (33 - 46) 104 - 80 on Friday. It was just another balanced team performance from the Hawks. After going into halftime down by one, Atlanta came out strong and took care of business against the Hornets. They did it without leading scorer Paul Millsap, who was out with a shoulder injury. Mike Muscala did n't just step in to start at power forward for Millsap, he also did his best impression of his teammate. He led the Hawks with a game - high 17 points on 8 - for - 9 shooting from the field in just 25 minutes played. Atlanta has the Eastern Conference locked up, at this point they are hoping to stay healthy while they wait and see who they'll be matching up with in the first round. They're now 40 in April and they'll look to stay hot entering the playoffs. The Hornets went with a skeleton crew against Atlanta. Al Jefferson (knee), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (ankle), Lance Stephenson (toe) and Cody Zeller (ankle) all missed Friday's game with injuries. With a lot of the heavy lifters out, it was up to Kemba Walker to shoulder the load for Charlotte. Walker unfortunately did n't play his best game, finishing with just 10 points and six assists in 24 minutes. He got some help from Troy Daniels, but even his 15 points in 20 minutes off the bench was n't enough to overcome the Eastern Conference's top team. Charlotte will host the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, as the Hawks will head to Washington D.C. to take on the Wizards."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"76ers": "34"}}, {"Points": {"Dario Saric": "14", "Ersan Ilyasova": "25", "Kawhi Leonard": "19", "Dewayne Dedmon": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Dario Saric": "8", "Ersan Ilyasova": "9", "Kawhi Leonard": "8", "Dewayne Dedmon": "10"}, "Steals": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "4", "Kawhi Leonard": "2"}, "Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2"}}], "The Spurs were expected to win this game easily, but it took a monster second half to do so. In fact, San Antonio outscored Philadelphia, 54 - 33, in the second half. Defense was key for the Spurs, as they held the Sixers to 34 percent shooting and forced them to commit 23 turnovers. Ersan Ilyasova carried the load in the absence of Joel Embiid, as he tallied 25 points, 10 rebounds and four steals. Dario Saric was the only other Sixer in double figures, as he totaled 14 points and nine rebounds, despite committing seven turnovers. Kawhi Leonard led the Spurs in scoring, as he accumulated 19 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks. Dewayne Dedmon started for LaMarcus Aldridge and amassed 13 points and 10 rebounds. The Spurs bench was huge, as they combined for 45 points and 26 rebounds."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Magic": "30", "Bucks": "20"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "8", "Bucks": "10"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "114", "Bucks": "90"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Magic": "22", "Bucks": "22"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "8", "Bucks": "6"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bucks": "21"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bucks": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Elfrid Payton": "10", "Victor Oladipo": "9"}, "Points": {"Elfrid Payton": "22", "Victor Oladipo": "17"}, "Minutes played": {"Victor Oladipo": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Victor Oladipo": "6"}}], "The Orlando Magic (8 - 8) destroyed the Milwaukee Bucks (6 - 10) 114 - 90 on Friday. In a game that was tied after the first quarter, there was very little suspense after that. Orlando outscored Milwaukee by 21 points in the second and third quarters and the result was decided well before the final whistle. The key to the Magic's success was their three - point shooting, as they went 12 - for - 27 from long distance. The assist - differential was huge as well, as Orlando recorded 30 to the Bucks 20. The Bucks played this game without a suspended Jason Kidd and they really did n't show up without their head coach. They once again allowed their opponent to run up and down the floor on them and did n't play much defense as well. That's been a scary trend for this Milwaukee team, as most experts had them pegged as a defensive powerhouse coming into the season. They allowed over 50 percent shooting in this game and it marks the fifth time they have allowed at least 114 points in their last six games. Clearly the Bucks are in a rough stretch right now and it wo n't get much easier when they have to travel to North Carolina to take on the scorching - hot Charlotte Hornets on Sunday. The Magic played some great basketball in this game and they were finally being rewarded for their great play. They shot over 50 percent from the field in this game and were moving the ball extremely well. They were led by a fantastic performance from Elfrid Payton, who tallied 22 points and 10 assists in the win. The Magic made a curious move in the last game by moving Victor Oladipo to the bench, but he had another nice game here. Oladipo totaled 17 points, nine assists and six rebounds in just 24 minutes off the bench. Orlando will look to keep the momentum going against the Boston Celtics on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "17", "Cavaliers": "39"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "44", "Cavaliers": "44"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "1"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "89", "Cavaliers": "97"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hawks": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Hawks": "37", "Cavaliers": "49"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "0", "Cavaliers": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "6", "JR Smith": "3", "Jeff Teague": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "26", "Tristan Thompson": "7", "Timofey Mozgov": "9", "JR Smith": "16", "Al Horford": "12", "Jeff Teague": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "12", "Tristan Thompson": "5", "Timofey Mozgov": "5", "JR Smith": "10", "DeMarre Carroll": "2", "Al Horford": "8", "Jeff Teague": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LeBron James": "8", "Tristan Thompson": "7", "Al Horford": "1", "Jeff Teague": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"LeBron James": "7", "Tristan Thompson": "4", "Al Horford": "0", "Jeff Teague": "4"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "31", "Tristan Thompson": "14", "Timofey Mozgov": "10", "JR Smith": "28", "Al Horford": "16", "Jeff Teague": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "8", "Tristan Thompson": "10", "Timofey Mozgov": "11", "JR Smith": "8", "DeMarre Carroll": "1", "Al Horford": "7"}, "Turnovers": {"LeBron James": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Tristan Thompson": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"JR Smith": "12", "Al Horford": "1", "Jeff Teague": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"JR Smith": "8", "DeMarre Carroll": "1", "Al Horford": "0", "Jeff Teague": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"DeMarre Carroll": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2"}, "Steals": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2", "Jeff Teague": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (10) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (0 - 1) 97 - 89 on Tuesday at Philips Arena in Atlanta. The Hawks got off to a quick start in this one, out - scoring the Cavaliers by six in the first quarter. The Cavaliers heated up in the second though, pulling the score even at 51 before heading into the break. The Cavaliers then extended their lead to 14 during the third and looked as if they had control of this game, but the Hawks fought back in the fourth and came within four points with just under a minute left in the game. They did n't have enough gas left in the tank though, and fell to an eight - point loss. The Cavaliers were the superior shooters, going 44 percent from the field and 39 percent from the three - point line, while the Hawks finished at 44 percent from the floor but just 17 percent from deep. Along with the strong showing from the floor, the Cavaliers also secured a 49 - 37 rebounding advantage. It was LeBron James who continued his postseason dominance. James went 12 - for - 26 from the field and 7 - for - 8 from the free throw line to score a game - high of 31 points, while also adding eight rebounds and six assists. James continues to struggle from deep though. Over his last four games, he's hit just 3 - of - 17 shots from deep, although he's still gotten to the rim at will and has scored 25 points or more in all four of those matchups. So far this postseason, James is averaging 27 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists and 2 steals per game. He received a ton of help from J.R. Smith, who was phenomenal off the bench. Over 35 mintues, Smith went a ridiculous 10 - for - 16 from the field and 8 - for - 12 from deep to score 28 points, to go along with eight rebounds and three assists. It was far - and - away his best game of the postseason so far, as he had n't surpassed the 15 - point mark previously. Tristan Thompson added 14 points (5 - 7 FG, 4 - 7 FT), 10 rebounds and two blocked shots, while Timofey Mozgov chipped in with 10 points (5 - 9 FG) and 11 rebounds. Both Jeff Teague and Al Horford did their best to bring the Hawks back. Teague finished with 27 points (11 - 24 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), four assists and two steals, while Horford recorded 16 points (8 - 12 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 0 - 1 FT) and seven rebounds. Teague has been extremely effective over his last four games, shooting 45 percent or higher from the field in each of those outings. During that span he's averaging 22 points and 6 assists per game, but he did n't received enough help from the rest of his team Wednesday, so the Hawks took the loss and were stripped of homecourt advantage. In regards to injuries, the Hawks suffered a huge loss during this one as DeMarre Carroll went down with a knee injury. Carroll's knee buckled in the fourth quarter while driving to the basket. He was carried off the court and was n't able to put weight on his left knee. He'll likely undergo an MRI within the next day or two, which is when we should receive an update on the severity."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "9", "Trail Blazers": "4"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "103", "Trail Blazers": "105"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nuggets": "18", "Trail Blazers": "27"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "9", "Trail Blazers": "14"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Wesley Matthews": "10", "Damian Lillard": "5", "Steve Blake": "3", "Ty Lawson": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "0", "Wesley Matthews": "1", "Damian Lillard": "1", "Steve Blake": "3", "Ty Lawson": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "30", "Steve Blake": "5", "Ty Lawson": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "16", "Steve Blake": "5", "Ty Lawson": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "7"}, "Points": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "39", "Wesley Matthews": "15", "Damian Lillard": "17", "Steve Blake": "13", "Wilson Chandler": "18", "Kenneth Faried": "8", "Arron Afflalo": "18", "Ty Lawson": "24", "JJ Hickson": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "11", "Wilson Chandler": "10", "Kenneth Faried": "5"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "6", "Arron Afflalo": "4", "Ty Lawson": "13"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (14 - 4) defeated the Denver Nuggets (9 - 9) 105 - 103 on Tuesday at the Pepsi Center in Denver. The Nuggets went into the fourth quarter with an 85 - 78 point lead, looking as if they could knock off the outstanding Trail Blazers. But the Nuggets were unable to get enough scoring production in the final quarter and were out - scored 27 - 18 to suffer a tough two - point defeat. LaMarcus Aldridge continued to be a force for the Blazers, as the Nuggets did n't have an answer. Aldridge went off for 39 points (16 - 30 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 7 - 9 FT) and 11 rebounds, giving him his fifth double - double in the last six games. He's also combined for 83 points in the previous three outings, exemplifying just how hot Aldridge is at the moment. Damian Lillard also had a productive night, despite only shooting 1 - for - 5 from the three - point line. He scored 17 points and six assists, as he did n't have to do much else with the production Aldridge had. Wes Matthews also could n't seem to find his three - point stroke, as he went a dismal 1 - for - 10 from deep, but still contributed 15 points. Steve Blake, who's been a big contributor off the bench all season, continued to play well and went a perfect 5 - for - 5 from the field and 3 - for - 3 from beyond the arc to score 13 points in the comeback victory. The Nuggets continued to rely on Ty Lawson for their offensive production. Lawson shot well on Tuesday, going 9 - for - 16 from the floor and 3 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score 24 points. He also had 13 assists, giving him his eigth double - double in the last nine games. Arron Afflalo and Wilson Chandler both chipped in 18 points. Chandler recorded 10 rebounds as well, notching his second double - double of the season, while Afflalo added four assists. J.J. Hickson was the only other Nuggets' player to reach double figures, as he had 11 points in 30 minutes. Despite the contract extension in the offseason, Kenneth Faried has yet to make a big impact and had only eight points and five rebounds against the Blazers. The Blazers' next game will be at home against the Indiana Pacers on Thursday, while the Nuggets will travel to Washington to play the Wizards on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "46"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "7", "Nets": "17"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "122", "Nets": "118"}, "Turnovers": {"Rockets": "14", "Nets": "19"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "18", "Nets": "6"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "19"}}, {"Points": {"Brook Lopez": "26", "Jeremy Lin": "10", "James Harden": "36"}, "Assists": {"Jeremy Lin": "7", "James Harden": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Jeremy Lin": "20"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Harden": "12"}, "Free throws made": {"James Harden": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "8"}}], "The host Houston Rockets narrowly took down the visiting Brooklyn Nets on Monday, 122 - 118. Houston (18 - 7) is one of the league's hottest teams, having won 12 of its last 14 contests. On Monday, the struggling Nets gave the Rockets a surprising run for their money; however, superstar James Harden was able to shoulder the load en route to victory. Harden scored 36 points and had eight rebounds and 11 assists as he led the Rockets offense to 17 three - pointers and 46 percent shooting. It was an uncharacteristically poor night for him at the line, however, as he shot just 8 - of - 12 on free - throw attempts. This seemed to be a theme for the entire team on Monday, as the Rockets hit only 58 percent from the line. Brooklyn (6 - 17), meanwhile, finds itself in the opposite situation of Houston, having lost 12 of its last 14 games. The Nets have struggled mightily since an unexpectedly hot start in the season's opening week, though the team did see a positive in Houston as guard Jeremy Lin was able to play for the first time after suffering a hamstring injury earlier in the season. Lin saw 20 minutes of play time and had 10 points and seven assists. The Nets shot over 52 percent from the field as a team, but had turnover issues, committing 19 by the game's end. Big man Brook Lopez led the team in scoring with 26. The Nets will host the Lakers on Wednesday while the Rockets will host the Kings."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "30"}}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "9"}}], "These are two teams going in opposite directions and the Jazz showed what makes them so tough. Utah forced Miami to shoot 30 percent from three - point range and held them to just 80 shot attempts. Despite losing Derrick Favors in this game to renewed knee soreness, Utah was able to piece things together using a small lineup. Gordon Hayward continued his great form, as his 25 points and nine boards marked the fifth - straight game with at least 20 points and five rebounds. Miami's bench was the only thing keeping them around in this game, as they outscored the Utah bench 49 - 32. With Goran Dragic out of the lineup due to an ankle injury, the Heat got very little guard production. In fact, Tyler Johnson, Josh Richardson and Dion Waiters combined to shoot 9 - of - 27 in this defeat. Richardson did play a season - high in minutes though, as he seems to be fully recovered from his knee injury."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Heat": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Rodney McGruder": "9", "Willie Reed": "20", "Dion Waiters": "19", "Goran Dragic": "26", "Wayne Ellington": "14", "Paul Zipser": "14", "Doug McDermott": "9", "Jimmy Butler": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "15", "Rajon Rondo": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Rodney McGruder": "4", "Willie Reed": "5", "Goran Dragic": "5"}, "Assists": {"Willie Reed": "1", "Goran Dragic": "11"}, "Steals": {"Willie Reed": "1", "Goran Dragic": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Jimmy Butler": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Dwyane Wade": "28"}}], "The Heat was able to overcome the absence of Hassan Whiteside (ankle), as Willie Reed stepped up to tally 20 points, five boards, an assist and a steal. Goran Dragic's 26 points paced Miami, a total he supplemented with 11 assists, five rebounds and three steals. Dion Waiters tallied 19 points, and Wayne Ellington was next with a bench - leading 14 points. Rodney McGruder totaled nine points, four boards and a trio of steals. Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler began the game on the bench due to recent comments, but the former still led Chicago with 15 points over 28 minutes. Paul Zipser started in Wade's stead and posted 14 points. Taj Gibson matched Zipser's point total, while Rajon Rondo contributed 13. Doug McDermott registered nine points, while Butler could only muster three points on 1 - of - 13 shooting."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "2", "Bulls": "4"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "115", "Bulls": "107"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "6", "Bulls": "4"}}, {"Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "7"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "39", "Dwyane Wade": "25", "Thabo Sefolosha": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "4", "Thabo Sefolosha": "5"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "6", "Dwyane Wade": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "4"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Chicago Bulls 115 - 107 at Phillips Arena on Wednesday. The Hawks (6 - 2) had their full starting lineup back on Wednesday after Kyle Korver (personal) missed their victory over the undefeated Cavaliers on Tuesday. However, it was not the starters that carried this Atlanta team to their third straight victory. Rather, it was the excellent play of their bench that held off the reeling Bulls. Of the five players that saw time off the bench for the Hawks, four of them scored in double figures with Thabo Sefolosha's season - high 20 points leading not just the reserves, but the entire team. As a unit, the reserves scored 54 of the team's 115 points. For the starters, the frontcourt consisting of Paul Millsap and Dwight Howard each had a double - double and combined to record 34 points and 21 rebounds. The Bulls (4 - 4), on the other hand, have now lost four of their last five games after starting the season 30. On Wednesday, Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade absolutely torched the Hawks. Their Chicago teammates, however, did not. Butler finished with a game - high 39 points, seven assists, four rebounds and six steals, while Wade scored 25 points managed five steals of his own. So, while Butler and Wade combined the score 64, the rest of the team managed to score a lowly 43 points with the next highest scoring total being Taj Gibson's 43. And despite the hot shooting nights form Butler and Wade, the team still managed to shoot just 45 percent from the field. Up next, the Hawks will stay home to take on the 76ers on Saturday, while the Bulls look to get back on track against the Heat on Thursday."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "8", "Gorgui Dieng": "10", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "23", "Zach LaVine": "28", "Ricky Rubio": "5", "Shabazz Muhammad": "10", "Robert Covington": "13", "Ersan Ilyasova": "19", "Joel Embiid": "25", "Nerlens Noel": "8", "Dario Saric": "8"}, "Assists": {"Gorgui Dieng": "2", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Gorgui Dieng": "2", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "2"}, "Steals": {"Gorgui Dieng": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Robert Covington": "10", "Dario Saric": "7"}}], "Joel Embiid's 25 points paced the Sixers, but a two - point basket by Robert Covington as time expired offset a Ricky Rubio three - pointer only a second earlier that had tied the game at 91. Covington generated a 13 - point, 10 - rebound double - double, while Ersan Ilyasova registered 19 points. Nerlens Noel and Saric led the second unit with matching eight - point tallies, with the latter contributing seven boards and the game - winning assist. Zach LaVine's game - high 28 points paced the Timberwolves. Karl-Anthony Towns produced a 23 - point, 15 - rebound double - double that also included five assists and two blocks. Gorgui Dieng filled out the stat sheet with 10 points, nine boards, two assists, a steal and two blocks. Andrew Wiggins went just 2 - of - 15 from the field, which helped lead an eight - point output. Rubio produced five points overall, while Shabazz Muhammad's 10 points led the bench."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "51", "Wizards": "43"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "15", "Wizards": "19"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "117", "Wizards": "108"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Celtics": "36", "Wizards": "35"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Celtics": "34"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "24", "Wizards": "19"}, "Turnovers": {"Wizards": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"Markieff Morris": "4", "Marcin Gortat": "2", "Bradley Beal": "4", "Jason Smith": "1", "Jae Crowder": "1", "Al Horford": "3", "Marcus Smart": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "5", "Terry Rozier": "1"}, "Points": {"Markieff Morris": "14", "Marcin Gortat": "10", "Bradley Beal": "35", "John Wall": "9", "Jason Smith": "13", "Jae Crowder": "20", "Al Horford": "16", "Marcus Smart": "9", "Isaiah Thomas": "38", "Terry Rozier": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "9", "Marcin Gortat": "9", "Bradley Beal": "2", "Jason Smith": "5", "Al Horford": "9", "Marcus Smart": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "5", "Terry Rozier": "4"}, "Steals": {"Markieff Morris": "2", "Bradley Beal": "1", "John Wall": "3", "Jae Crowder": "1", "Al Horford": "2", "Terry Rozier": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Marcin Gortat": "1", "John Wall": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Bradley Beal": "1", "John Wall": "1", "Jae Crowder": "1", "Al Horford": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"John Wall": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"John Wall": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"John Wall": "1"}}], "The Boston Celtics defeated the Washington Wizards, 117 - 108, at TD Garden on Wednesday. A battle of two offensively proficient squads went according to script, starting from the opening tip. A breakneck - paced opening 12 minutes saw the Celtics (24 - 15) emerge with a 36 - 35 edge. The Wizards (19 - 19) proceeded to take the next two periods by a 50 - 47 margin, setting up the decisive fourth quarter. Boston pulled away with a 34 - point effort to close matters out in a game that featured a pair of spectacular dueling performances from Bradley Beal and Isaiah Thomas. The former led the Wizards with 35 points, which he supplemented with four assists, two rebounds, a steal and a block, while the latter provided 38 points, 20 of which came in the fourth quarter, along with six boards and five assists. Washington took better care of the ball, with their seven turnovers representing only half of the Celtics' total; however, Boston outperformed the visitors from the field, with their 51 percent success rate significantly outpacing the Wizards' 43 percent tally. Otto Porter, Jr. was second behind Beal with 20 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals. Markieff Morris registered 14 points, nine boards, four assists and a pair of steals. Marcin Gortat produced a near double - double with 10 points, nine boards and two assists. John Wall endured one of the worst shooting nights of his career, supplying just nine points on a 4 - of - 21 effort from the field. He did dish out 10 assists, while also recording three steals and a block. Jason Smith paced the bench with 13 points, five boards and an assist. Jae Crowder checked in behind Thomas with 20 points, five rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block. Al Horford compiled 16 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. Marcus Smart drew another start in place of Avery Bradley (Achilles), managing nine points, four rebounds and four assists. Terry Rozier led the second unit with 11 points, four rebounds, an assist and a steal. The Wizards remain home to tangle with the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night, while the Celtics travel to Atlanta for a Friday evening showdown with the Hawks."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "29", "Spurs": "12"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "92", "Spurs": "103"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pistons": "19", "Spurs": "27"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "25", "Spurs": "41"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "22", "Marcus Morris": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "11", "Tobias Harris": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Kawhi Leonard": "33", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "32", "Dewayne Dedmon": "32", "Tobias Harris": "33"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "32", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "19", "Dewayne Dedmon": "17", "Marcus Morris": "10", "Jon Leuer": "10", "Andre Drummond": "12", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "10", "Reggie Jackson": "12", "Tobias Harris": "16", "Ish Smith": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "11", "Dewayne Dedmon": "17"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the host Detroit Pistons 103 - 92, at The Palace of Auburn Hills on Friday evening. The Spurs got out to a quick start, earning a 27 - 19 advantage after one quarter. They built on that advantage, bringing to score to 60 - 41 by halftime. The Pistons came up with a strong second half, outscoring the Spurs 51 - 43, however it was not enough to make up for their early struggles, as the Spurs walked away with their fifth win in six games. Kawhi Leonard led the way for San Antonio (41 - 12) with a game - high 32 points on 11 - of - 22 shooting, to go along with six rebounds and five assists, in 33 minutes. LaMarcus Aldridge followed up with 19 points and 11 rebounds, while Dewayne Dedmon came up huge with 17 points and 17 rebounds, in 32 minutes. The Spurs go on to visit New York, as they take on the Knicks on Sunday. Meanwhile, seven players scored in double digits for the Pistons (25 - 29), including Tobias Harris, who led the way with 16 in 33 minutes off the bench. Ish Smith chipped in 15 points off the bench, while Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond finished with 12 points each. Jon Leuer, Marcus Morris and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope finished with 10 each. The Pistons go on to visit Toronto, where they will take on the Raptors on Sunday."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Bucks": "16", "Wizards": "19"}}, {"Points": {"Markieff Morris": "20", "Bradley Beal": "26", "John Wall": "16", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "17", "Mirza Teletovic": "5", "Jabari Parker": "28", "Tony Snell": "7", "Malcolm Brogdon": "22", "Greg Monroe": "12", "Michael Beasley": "18"}, "Assists": {"Bradley Beal": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Bradley Beal": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Bradley Beal": "4", "Greg Monroe": "12"}}], "Jabari Parker stepped up in Giannis Antetokounmpo's (illness) absence by scoring a game - high 28 points. However, Bradley Beal practically countered Parker point - for - point, totaling a team - high 26. Both teams handed the ball to the other at a prolific rate, with Washington and Milwaukee guilty of 19 and 16 turnovers, respectively. Beal supplemented his scoring total with four rebounds, two assists and a block. Markieff Morris managed 20 points, while John Wall supplied 16. Otto Porter's full stat line consisted of 13 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and a steal. Kelly Oubre, Jr. led the bench with 17 points. Malcolm Brogdon managed 22 points, Tony Snell provided a modest seven points, and Mirza Teletovic registered just five points. Michael Beasley paced the bench with 18 points, while Greg Monroe posted a 12 - point, 12 - rebound double - double as a reserve."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "24", "Hawks": "19"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "114", "Hawks": "119"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "23", "Hawks": "27"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "57"}}, {"Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "1"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "21", "Jimmy Butler": "40", "Dwyane Wade": "33", "Doug McDermott": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "6"}, "Steals": {"Dennis Schroder": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "1"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Jimmy Butler": "59"}, "Minutes played": {"Jimmy Butler": "40", "Dwyane Wade": "31", "Doug McDermott": "23"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Chicago Bulls, 119 - 114, Wednesday at the United Center. With just over three minutes to go in the final quarter, the Bulls (23 - 24) held a 10 - point lead. At that point, however, something clicked for the Hawks (27 - 19). Over the next two minutes, Atlanta got back - to - back - to - back made threes from Paul Millsap, Dennis Schroeder and Tim Hardaway Jr. to bring them within one before a Schroeder layup gave them the lead for good. In the end, it turned out to be a brilliant team performance from Atlanta, with all five of their starters scoring in double figures. Schroeder led the way with 24 points and nine assists, while Paul Millsap managed to produce 21 points and six rebounds of his own. As a team, as shown by their shooting down the stretch, the Hawks were on fire from behind the arc, hitting an incredible 17 of their 30 attempts from long range (57 percent). As for the Bulls, they received a pair of superstar performances from Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade, but ultimately, it just was n't enough. Butler scored a game - high 40 points in 40 minutes, while Wade added 33 points of his own in 31 minutes, but unfortunately for Chicago, the duo failed to get any help from their teammates. The only other Bulls player to reach double - digit scoring was Doug McDermott, who scored just 10 points in 23 minutes off the bench. And while Butler and Wade combined to shoot an impressive 59 percent from the field, the rest of the team managed to shoot just 35 percent, spoiling the night for Chicago. Up next, the Hawks will head home Friday to take on the Wizards, while the Bulls will stay home Friday to take on the surging Heat."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Cavaliers": "56", "Hawks": "39"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "16"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "4"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "0"}}, {"Points": {"Al Horford": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Horford": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "29", "Kyrie Irving": "22"}, "Assists": {"Kyrie Irving": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Kyrie Irving": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (40) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (0 - 4) Tuesday at the Quicken Loans Arena to advance to the NBA Finals. After three competitive games to open the series, the Cavaliers wrapped up the Eastern Conference Title in convincing fashion Tuesday. The Hawks were simply over - matched in Game 4. Atlanta only converted 5 - of - 32 on its three point attempts and was out - rebounded 56 - 39. LeBron James only played 29 minutes as coach David Blatt opted to rest his superstar with the game well in hand. The Cavaliers pulled away in the second quarter and led by more than 20 points for the majority of the second half as they clinched their first finals berth since 2007. Cleveland now has its ticket punched and will await the winner of the Golden State-Houston series. For Atlanta, it was a disappointing conclusion to a promising season. The historic win streak in January helped lead the Hawks to the best record in the east, but they did n't reach that level of play in the postseason and are now eliminated from the playoffs. Al Horford was held to just two points Tuesday and only recorded two rebounds. The Hawks were never able to find a rhythm on the offensive end as evidenced by their 16 three point percentage. Atlanta will head into next season as one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, but Tuesday's blowout loss showed that there is still room for improvement. Cleveland had the fortune of LeBron James returning this season and he was able to help lead the Cavaliers to another NBA Finals appearance. James had a tremendous series to keep the Cavaliers ahead of the Hawks despite a run of bad injury luck. Kevin Love was lost for the postseason during Round One and Kyrie Irving was hobbled by knee issues for most of the Eastern Conference Finals. Irving returned Tuesday after missing two games and still was n't at full strength. He finished with 16 points over 22 minutes and added five assists. The Cavaliers will have some time to get healthy across the board before starting their series with either the Warriors or the Rockets."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "43", "Warriors": "56"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "104", "Warriors": "127"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Trail Blazers": "32", "Warriors": "45"}, "Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "36"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Warriors": "41"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "5", "Ian Clark": "3"}, "Points": {"Stephen Curry": "28", "Ian Clark": "22", "Damian Lillard": "31"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Ian Clark": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ian Clark": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Ian Clark": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Ian Clark": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Ian Clark": "3"}}], "The visiting Golden State Warriors blew out the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, 127 - 104, for their third straight road win. It was a red - hot shooting night for Golden State, as the team hit 56 percent of their shots from the floor including 10 three - pointers. Reigning MVP Steph Curry led the Warriors with 28 points, including five shots from beyond the three - point line. The star of the night, however, was bench guard Ian Clark. Clark scored 22 points on 8 - for - 8 from the field and 3 - for - 3 from the free - throw line. The Warriors also demonstrated tremendous ball movement, recording 36 assists, accounting for 72 percent of their field goals. This top - notch ball - movement was on full - display in the third quarter, as Golden State recorded 41 points in just 12 minutes. For Portland, meanwhile, point guard Damian Lillard's 31 - point outing was not enough to top Golden State. Lillard, who scored a career - high 51 points against the Warriors last season, led his team again on Tuesday with a major scoring outburst. Portland, however, could not compete from the floor or on the glass, as the team hit just 43 percent of its shots and was edged out 45 - 32 in the rebounding column. The Blazers will travel to Phoenix on Wednesday, while Golden State will host the Thunder on Thursday in Kevin Durant's first game against his former team."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "43", "Raptors": "40"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "53", "Raptors": "47"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "5", "Raptors": "9"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "126", "Raptors": "105"}, "Rebounds": {"Warriors": "45", "Raptors": "37"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "26", "Raptors": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "8", "Greivis Vasquez": "7", "Draymond Green": "13", "Stephen Curry": "12"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "5", "Greivis Vasquez": "9", "Draymond Green": "6", "Marreese Speights": "1", "Klay Thompson": "6", "Stephen Curry": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Lowry": "2", "Greivis Vasquez": "5", "Draymond Green": "2", "Marreese Speights": "0", "Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "17", "Lou Williams": "14", "Greivis Vasquez": "19", "Draymond Green": "12", "Marreese Speights": "19", "Klay Thompson": "13", "Stephen Curry": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyle Lowry": "8", "Lou Williams": "6", "Greivis Vasquez": "10", "Draymond Green": "6", "Marreese Speights": "12", "Klay Thompson": "8", "Stephen Curry": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "6", "Lou Williams": "7", "Greivis Vasquez": "1", "Draymond Green": "2", "Marreese Speights": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Kyle Lowry": "4", "Lou Williams": "7", "Greivis Vasquez": "0", "Draymond Green": "2", "Marreese Speights": "2"}, "Points": {"Kyle Lowry": "22", "Lou Williams": "20", "Greivis Vasquez": "25", "Draymond Green": "16", "Marreese Speights": "26", "Klay Thompson": "20", "Stephen Curry": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Kyle Lowry": "5", "Greivis Vasquez": "5", "Draymond Green": "11", "Marreese Speights": "8"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Greivis Vasquez": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Greivis Vasquez": "1"}, "Steals": {"Greivis Vasquez": "1"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (26 - 5) defeated the Toronto Raptors (24 - 9) 126 - 105 on Friday at Oracle Arena in Oakland. Coming into this game, this was a matchup between the leaders of each respective conference. The Warriors were n't phased though, and dominated the Raptors in all aspects of the game. The Warriors shot better, going 53 percent from the field and 43 percent from the three - point line, while the Raptors went 47 percent from the floor and 40 percent from beyond the arc. The Warriors also out - rebounded them 45 - 37 and topped it off by forcing the Raptors into 17 turnovers. The Warriors backcourt was very effective in this one. Stephen Curry went 10 - for - 18 from the field and 5 - for - 11 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 32 points, while also adding 12 assists. It was his seventh double - double of the season and he's now averaging 23 points and 8 assists on the year. The other member of the backcourt, Klay Thompson, also did his part. He went 8 - for - 13 from the floor and 4 - for - 6 from beyond the arc to finish with 20 points. With both Curry and Thompson shooting so well, the Raptors just could n't find anyone who could slow them down. In his second surprise performance in a row, Marreese Speights finished with 26 points (12 - 19 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and eight rebounds. He had 23 points on Tuesday as well, so considering he's averaging only 12 points on the year, they were both quite surprising finishes for the forward. Draymond Green had himself a day as well though, notching his first triple - double of the year. He finished with 16 points (6 - 12 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), 13 assists and 11 rebounds. While they could n't figure out a defense that could keep the Warriors in check, the Raptors were able to score in bunches of their own, as they had three players reach the 20 - point mark. Two of them surprisingly were off the bench in Greivis Vasquez and Louis Williams, while the other not - so - surprisingly was Kyle Lowry, who's been most relied upon without DeMar DeRozan in the lineup. Vasquez had a team - high with 25 points (10 - 19 FG, 5 - 9 3Pt, 0 - 1 FT), while also adding seven assists and five rebounds. It was arguably his best game of the season, as both the points and assists were season - highs. Lowry had 22 points (8 - 17 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT) and eight assists of his own. He's averaging 27 points over his last five games, so it was n't all too surprising that he continues to be one of the main offensive contributors for this team. Finally, Williams had 20 points, as he went 6 - for - 14 from the floor and 7 - for - 7 from the free throw line. The Warriors' next game will be at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, while the Raptors will travel to Phoenix to play the Suns on Sunday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "25"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Warriors": "30"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Warriors": "25"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "6", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "6", "Zach LaVine": "12", "Kevin Durant": "4", "Stephen Curry": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Kevin Durant": "3", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "15", "Zach LaVine": "24", "Kevin Durant": "17", "Stephen Curry": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "6", "Zach LaVine": "13", "Kevin Durant": "10", "Stephen Curry": "13"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "16", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "18", "Zach LaVine": "31", "Kevin Durant": "28", "Klay Thompson": "23", "Stephen Curry": "34"}, "Assists": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "3", "Zach LaVine": "3", "Kevin Durant": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Kevin Durant": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "9", "Kevin Durant": "10"}, "Steals": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "3"}}], "The Warriors' franchise - high 10 - game streak with 30 or more assists came to an end as they tallied \"only\" 25. Stephen Curry finished with a game - high 34 points on sizzling 13 - of - 19 shooting, including 4 - of - 8 from long range. Kevin Durant followed up with 28 points on 10 - of - 17 shooting, including 3 - of - 4 from distance, along with 10 rebounds, five assists and a whopping six blocks. Klay Thompson was the only other Warriors play to score in double figures as he chipped in 23. The combination of Curry, Durant and Thompson totaled 85 points. Zach LaVine led the way for the Timberwolves with 31 points on 13 - of - 24 shooting. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 12 of his 18 points in the first quarter, and chipped in nine rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block. Andrew Wiggins struggled offensively as he went 6 - of - 15 from the field, including 1 - of - 6 from long range, on his way to 16 points."], [[{"Total points": {"76ers": "98", "Knicks": "97"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "22"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Derrick Rose": "4", "Kyle O'Quinn": "3", "Robert Covington": "4", "Ersan Ilyasova": "5", "Joel Embiid": "1", "T.J. McConnell": "7", "Gerald Henderson": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Kyle O'Quinn": "2", "Joel Embiid": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Derrick Rose": "1"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "28", "Kristaps Porzingis": "7", "Joakim Noah": "7", "Courtney Lee": "7", "Derrick Rose": "25", "Kyle O'Quinn": "10", "Robert Covington": "13", "Ersan Ilyasova": "16", "Joel Embiid": "21", "T.J. McConnell": "8", "Gerald Henderson": "12", "Nerlens Noel": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Derrick Rose": "2", "Kyle O'Quinn": "15", "Robert Covington": "5", "Ersan Ilyasova": "4", "Joel Embiid": "14", "T.J. McConnell": "6", "Gerald Henderson": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "8"}, "Steals": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Derrick Rose": "1", "Robert Covington": "1", "Joel Embiid": "1", "T.J. McConnell": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "6"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the New York Knicks, 98 - 97, at Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday. Both teams engaged in a nip - and - tuck battle throughout four quarters which rather fittingly came down to the closing seconds. Down 97 - 96 with six seconds remaining, the Sixers (11 - 25) started their comeback with a Gerald Henderson defensive rebound off a Kristaps Porzingis missed 23 - foot three - pointer. T.J. McConnell eventually ended up with the ball in his hand and put up a successful 12 - foot shot attempt as the clock hit zeros, sealing the home victory. Carmelo Anthony led the way for the Knicks (17 - 22) with 28 points, two rebounds, an assist and three blocks. Derrick Rose, fresh off his much talked - about one - game absence, was right behind with 25 points, four assists, two rebounds and a steal. The remainder of the starting five, Courtney Lee, Porzingis and Joakim Noah, underwhelmed, as they were only able to produce a trio of seven - point efforts apiece. Kyle O'Quinn led the bench with a 10 - point, 15 - rebound double - double that also included three assists, two steals and two blocks. Joel Embiid paced the Sixers with a 21 - point, 14 - rebound double - double with an assist, a steal and a block. Ersan Ilyasova supplied 16 points, five assists and four rebounds. Robert Covington and Nerlens Noel turned in matching 13 - point efforts, with the former adding five rebounds, four assists and a steal, and the latter tallying eight rebounds, an assist and two steals. Gerald Henderson was productive in a reserve role as well with 12 points, two boards and an assist. McConnell compiled a modest but full stat line of eight points, seven assists, six rebounds and two steals. The Knicks head back home to face off with the Chicago Bulls on Thursday evening, while the Sixers remain home to tangle with the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "30", "Kings": "31"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "43", "Kings": "44"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "5", "Kings": "8"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "103", "Kings": "97"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "9", "Kings": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Rudy Gay": "14", "DeMarcus Cousins": "24", "Ben McLemore": "11", "Rajon Rondo": "12", "Paul Millsap": "23", "Al Horford": "17", "Dennis Schroder": "22"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "5", "Paul Millsap": "1", "Al Horford": "2", "Dennis Schroder": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1", "Paul Millsap": "0", "Al Horford": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "20", "Rajon Rondo": "9", "Paul Millsap": "19", "Al Horford": "15", "Dennis Schroder": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "7", "Rajon Rondo": "6", "Paul Millsap": "9", "Al Horford": "6", "Dennis Schroder": "9"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Dennis Schroder": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "12", "Rajon Rondo": "12", "Paul Millsap": "16", "Al Horford": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "2"}, "Assists": {"Rajon Rondo": "10", "Dennis Schroder": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Rajon Rondo": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "6", "Al Horford": "4", "Dennis Schroder": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul Millsap": "5", "Al Horford": "4", "Dennis Schroder": "1"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Dennis Schroder": "32"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (9 - 5) defeated the Sacramento Kings (4 - 8) 103 - 97 on Wednesday at Philips Arena in Atlanta. The Kings were the superior shooting team in this game, going 44 percent from the field and 31 percent from the three - point line compared to the Hawks who finished at 43 percent from the field and just 30 percent from deep. The Hawks overcame the shooting difference, though, through a strong defensive performace. They forced the Kings into a combined 20 turnovers as a team, while posting just 12 of their own, which gave them just enough of a boost to take the victory in front of their home crowd. Paul Millsap was the Hawks' scoring leader, torching the Kings for 23 points (9 - 19 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT), while also adding 16 rebounds, three steals and a pair of blocked shots. The double - double was his sixth of the season, pushing his season averages to 18 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists per game. Dennis Schroder was another player who had a strong showing. Starting his third game in a row with Jeff Teague sidelined due to an ankle injury, Schroder continued to show his worth. He recorded 22 points (9 - 21 FG, 3 - 9 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT), two rebounds and six assists over 32 minutes. Schroder had shot 30 percent or less from the field in his previous three games, so it was a nice bounce back showing for the guard. The only other Hawk in double figures was Al Horford, who finished with 17 points (6 - 15 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT). Horford had just one rebound on the night, which was his first time this season with less than four rebounds. DeMarcus Cousins did everything he could to keep the Kings close. He went 7 - for - 20 from the field and 1 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 24 points. He also added 12 rebounds, giving him his third double - double in a row. Cousins has been dominating opponents recently, averaging a ridiculous 33 points and 11 rebounds over his last four games. Rajon Rondo continued his impressive start to the season. He recorded his third triple - double over his last four games, finishing with 12 points (6 - 9 FG), 12 rebounds and 10 assists. He did have seven turnovers, though, so it was n't all good for him. Rudy Gay and Ben McLemore also reached double figures with 14 and 11 points respectively. The Kings' next game will be on the road against the Miami Heat on Thursday, while the Hawks will travel to Cleveland to play the Cavaliers on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "43", "Pistons": "43"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "30", "Pistons": "24"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "97", "Pistons": "102"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "15", "Pistons": "19"}, "Number of team assists": {"Pistons": "24"}}, {"Points": {"Tobias Harris": "23", "Andre Drummond": "15", "Marcus Morris": "23", "Luol Deng": "2", "Julius Randle": "2", "Jordan Clarkson": "16", "Lou Williams": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "17"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Luol Deng": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Luol Deng": "6", "Julius Randle": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Luol Deng": "1", "Julius Randle": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"D'Angelo Russell": "5"}}], "The visiting Detroit Pistons took down the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, 102 - 97. Detroit (19 - 24) needed the win on Sunday after having lost three straight, including two consecutive blowouts. In Los Angeles, the Pistons looked as though they were in better form, as the team shot a respectable 43 percent with 24 assists. All-Star center Andre Drummond led the team with a whopping 17 rebounds and posted 15 points. Two starters, Marcus Morris and Tobias Harris, scored 23 points. The Pistons' bench, however, remains one of the weakest in the NBA. The Detroit second unit combined for only 21 points and committed eight fouls. The Lakers (15 - 30) are now the owners of a four - game losing streak. Los Angeles had the opposite problem of Detroit, as many of the team's starters struggled from the field. Only D'Angelo Russell scored in double figures for the Lakers' starting five, and both Julius Randle and Luol Deng went 1 - of - 6 for two points. Off the bench, however, Lou Williams led the team with 26 points while Jordan Clarkson contributed 16. The team also struggled from deep, though, shooting just 6 - of - 26 on three - pointers. The Lakers will host the Nuggets on Tuesday, while the Pistons will host the Hawks the Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "34", "Rockets": "23"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "93", "Rockets": "95"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "37", "Rockets": "48"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Rockets": "19"}}, {"Blocks": {"Dwight Howard": "1", "James Harden": "1", "Anthony Davis": "3", "Tyreke Evans": "1", "Alexis Ajinca": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Dwight Howard": "16", "Anthony Davis": "44", "Tyreke Evans": "38"}, "Points": {"Dwight Howard": "4", "James Harden": "25", "Anthony Davis": "24", "Tyreke Evans": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "7", "James Harden": "6", "Anthony Davis": "14", "Dante Cunningham": "3"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "10", "Tyreke Evans": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Harden": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"James Harden": "6"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "Tyreke Evans": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Alexis Ajinca": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Alexis Ajinca": "3", "Dante Cunningham": "3"}}], "The Houston Rockets (48 - 23) beat the New Orleans Pelicans (37 - 34) 95 - 93 on Wednesday. Dwight Howard made his return to the Rockets lineup after missing 25 games to injury. The Rockets planned to play him just 16 minutes against the Pelicans and they did just that, as he finished with four points and seven rebounds in 16 minutes. Most Valuable Player award candidate James Harden continued his dominant season, as he recorded 25 points, 10 assists and six rebounds. His speciality is getting to the free throw line, but he went just 6 - for - 9 from the charity stripe in New Orleans. Breakout superstar Anthony Davis had 24 points, 14 rebounds, three steals and three blocks in 44 minutes, as he attempted to help his team improve their playoff chances. Tyreke Evans' ankle has been bothering him lately and forced him to miss Sunday's game, a 107 - 100 loss to the Clippers. Evans was able to play Wednesday and he dropped 28 points, seven assists, two steals and one block in 38 minutes on the Rockets. The Pelicans shortened their bench to just three players, Dante Cunningham, Alexis Ajinca and Norris Cole. They combined for 19 points, nine rebounds and each recorded two assists. New Orleans has lost four straight and will host the Sacramento Kings on Friday. The Rockets will welcome the Minnesota Timberwolves to town on Friday"], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "20", "76ers": "39"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "97", "76ers": "84"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "30", "76ers": "10"}}, {"Points": {"Robert Covington": "18", "Jerami Grant": "18"}, "Steals": {"Robert Covington": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "20"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (30 - 20) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (10 - 39) 97 - 84 on Monday. The Cavs took it to the 76ers right away, starting the game on an 80 run and never trailing from tipoff to the final buzzer. J.R. Smith hit a three - pointer with 8:38 left in the third quarter to put the Cavaliers up by 20, 59 - 39. The Sixers would go on a 26 - 10 run to end the third quarter, closing the gap to just four points. Kyrie Irving hit a couple three - pointers to help strengthen the lead early in the fourth. The Cavaliers tightened up their defense and held the Sixers without a field goal in the final 3:47. Robert Covington had a nice game for the 76ers. He and Jerami Grant each scored 18 points. Covington also had a season - high with seven steals. Michael Carter-Williams played a season - low 20 minutes on Monday, leaving the game with 7:31 left in the third quarter with a shin injury. Larry Drew II finished the game at point guard for the Sixers. Philadelphia holds the Eastern Conferences' worst overall record. The 76ers will play the Nuggets on Tuesday, and the Cavaliers will host the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Hornets": "34", "Magic": "19"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "48", "Magic": "19"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "60", "Magic": "41"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "36", "Magic": "42"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "121", "Magic": "81"}, "Rebounds": {"Hornets": "43", "Magic": "31"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "29", "Magic": "24"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "19"}}, {"Points": {"Aaron Gordon": "20", "Evan Fournier": "14", "Elfrid Payton": "8", "Mario Hezonja": "11", "Marvin Williams": "12", "Nicolas Batum": "15", "Kemba Walker": "23", "Marco Belinelli": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Aaron Gordon": "5", "Marvin Williams": "18", "Nicolas Batum": "3"}, "Assists": {"Evan Fournier": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "12", "Marvin Williams": "7", "Nicolas Batum": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Marvin Williams": "1"}, "Steals": {"Marvin Williams": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Marvin Williams": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Nicolas Batum": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Nicolas Batum": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Kemba Walker": "9"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Orlando Magic, 121 - 81, at Spectrum Center on Friday. The Hornets were expected to win this game and they left no doubt with this dominating victory. Not only did Charlotte win all four quarters in their wire - to - wire win, they held a 20 - point lead for the final 23 minutes. Shooting was key, with the Hornets shooting 60 percent from the field and 48 percent from three - point range. The Magic could only muster up 41 percent shooting from the field and 19 percent from three - point range. The rebounding was a huge factor as well, with Charlotte winning that battle, 43 - 31. The Hornets also recorded 34 assists, while the Magic only dished out 19. The Magic (24 - 42) are now just 1 - 3 across their last four games, with this loss being one of the worst of the season. Aaron Gordon led Orlando, as he tallied 20 points and five rebounds. Evan Fournier was the only other starter in double figures, as he accrued 14 points and two assists. Elfrid Payton scored just eight points, but handed out 12 of the teams 19 assists. Mario Hezonja led the bench with 11 points. Orlando will be in action again on Saturday in a home matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Hornets (29 - 36) have now won three of their last four games, as they look to keep their playoff hopes alive. Kemba Walker scored a game - high 23 points, as he did that damage on 9 - of - 13 shooting. Nicolas Batum ran the offense, collecting 15 points, three rebounds and 10 assists. Marvin Williams had one of his best games of the season, accumulating 12 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists. Four players came off the bench to score at least 10 points, as Marco Belinelli led them with 18 points. On deck for Charlotte is a home matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "45", "Bucks": "41"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "39", "Bucks": "28"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "106", "Bucks": "95"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nuggets": "26"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "21", "Bucks": "32"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10", "Ersan Ilyasova": "15", "Khris Middleton": "20", "Michael Carter-Williams": "11", "Danilo Gallinari": "16", "Wilson Chandler": "12", "Kenneth Faried": "10", "Ty Lawson": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7", "Ersan Ilyasova": "9", "Khris Middleton": "6", "Michael Carter-Williams": "4", "Danilo Gallinari": "8", "Kenneth Faried": "5", "Ty Lawson": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "35", "Ersan Ilyasova": "30", "Khris Middleton": "37", "Michael Carter-Williams": "33", "Danilo Gallinari": "37", "Kenneth Faried": "32", "Ty Lawson": "31"}, "Personal fouls": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "19", "Ersan Ilyasova": "21", "Khris Middleton": "20", "Michael Carter-Williams": "11", "Danilo Gallinari": "26", "Wilson Chandler": "12", "Kenneth Faried": "14", "Ty Lawson": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "11", "Khris Middleton": "7", "Michael Carter-Williams": "4", "Danilo Gallinari": "7", "Kenneth Faried": "14", "Ty Lawson": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5"}, "Assists": {"Khris Middleton": "6", "Michael Carter-Williams": "5", "Ty Lawson": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Kenneth Faried": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kenneth Faried": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ty Lawson": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Ty Lawson": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Ty Lawson": "2"}, "Steals": {"Ty Lawson": "2"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (21 - 39) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (32 - 28) 106 - 95 on Tuesday in Denver. This was Denver's first game since firing head coach Brian Shaw, which occurred Tuesday morning, but the Nuggets were able to control the game from start to finish. The win ended a seven - game losing streak and was just their third win in 22 games. Denver was led by Danilo Gallinari, who scored a game - high 26 points on 8 - of - 16 shooting and seven rebounds in a team - high 37 minutes. Gallinari has played very well of late, averaging 20 points and 4 rebounds over his past five games. Ty Lawson and Kenneth Faried, two players who have had up - and - down years for the Nuggets, both posted double - doubles. Lawson recorded 16 points on 6 - of - 12 shooting and 10 assists in 31 minutes, while Faried put up 14 points on 5 - of - 10 shooting and 14 rebounds in 32 minutes. Wilson Chandler (12) was the only other Nugget to score in double figures. As a team, Denver shot 45 percent from the field and took advantage of their free - throw attempts, shooting 16 - of - 20 (80 percent) at the charity stripe. Khris Middleton, although he did not score a point in the fourth quarter, led the way for the Bucks in the losing effort with a solid all - around performance, recording 20 points on 6 - of - 20 shooting, seven rebounds, and six assists in 37 minutes of play. Ersan Ilyasova led the team in scoring, putting up 21 points on 9 - of - 15 shooting in 30 minutes of play. Giannis Antetokounmpo posted a double - double, scoring 19 points on 7 - of - 10 shooting and grabbing 11 rebounds in 35 minutes of play. Michael Carter-Williams continues to work to gel with his new team and recorded 11 points on 4 - of - 11 shooting, five assists, and four rebounds in 33 minutes As a team, the Bucks shot 41 percent from the field and have now lost five of their last seven games since trading away Brandon Knight. Up next, the Nuggets will travel to Minnesota on Wednesday to take on the Timberwolves, while the Bucks will travel to Oakland on Wednesday to take on the West-leading Warriors."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "54", "Grizzlies": "33"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "15", "Grizzlies": "27"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "111", "Grizzlies": "107"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "66", "Grizzlies": "54"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "42"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Zach Randolph": "7", "Jordan Adams": "15", "Russ Smith": "8", "Stephen Curry": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Zach Randolph": "3", "Jordan Adams": "6", "Russ Smith": "5", "Stephen Curry": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Zach Randolph": "4", "Jordan Adams": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Zach Randolph": "4", "Jordan Adams": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Zach Randolph": "21", "Jordan Adams": "21", "Russ Smith": "10"}, "Points": {"Zach Randolph": "10", "Jordan Adams": "19", "Russ Smith": "16", "Klay Thompson": "42", "Stephen Curry": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "5", "Jordan Adams": "2"}, "Assists": {"Jordan Adams": "2", "Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jordan Adams": "5", "Russ Smith": "2", "Klay Thompson": "10", "Stephen Curry": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jordan Adams": "2", "Russ Smith": "1", "Klay Thompson": "8", "Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jordan Adams": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jordan Adams": "2"}, "Steals": {"Jordan Adams": "2"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Stephen Curry": "50"}, "Turnovers": {"Stephen Curry": "3"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (66 - 15) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (54 - 27) 111 - 107 on Monday at Oracle Arena in Oakland. Already having locked up the number one overall seed in the Western Conference, the Warriors gained even more momentum against a very tough Grizzlies' team. The Warriors shot the ball extremely well, going 52 percent from the field and 54 percent from the three - point line, while the Grizzlies finished at 42 percent from the floor and 33 percent from deep. This marks a tough loss for the Grizzlies, as they will likely be out of the running for the number two overall seed for the playoffs. With that being said, they will move down to the sixth seed and fall a half game behind the San Atonio Spurs, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers, who all came up with victories on Monday. The Warriors can thank Klay Thompson for this victory, as he was unstoppable all night long. He went a ridiculous 15 - for - 21 from the field and 8 - for - 10 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 42 points, while also adding six rebounds and three assists as well. If Thompson and Stephen Curry both get hot for the playoffs, this team will be very tough to beat. Thompson is averaging 30 points over his last three games, while also hitting at least three three - pointers in each of those outings, so he's well on his way to hitting his groove with the playoffs starting Saturday. Curry, on the other hand, was the only other Warrior's player to reach double figures in points. He finished with 15 points and eight assists, while shooting 6 - for - 10 from the floor and 3 - for - 6 from deep. Curry is shooting unbelievably well right now. He's finished over 50 percent from the field in each of his last five games, while shooting over 45 percent from the three - point line in those five games as well. Arguably the current leader in the MVP race, Curry is averaging 24 points and 8 assists on the season, as he'll look to take his hot shooting into the postseason. Along with holding Mike Conley out of this game, the Grizzlies also limited the minutes of their starters, as Beno Udrih was the only starter to play over 22 minutes. Because of that, it was the bench that did the majority of the work for the Grizzlies. Rookie Jordan Adams came out of nowhere to score a career - high of 19 points (6 - 15 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 5 - 7 FT) in 21 minutes off the bench. He had only reach double - digit points in two other games this season and only averages 3 points per game, so it was a very nice surprise for this team. Russ Smith also had a very surprising performance off the bench. He went 5 - for - 8 from the field and 1 - for - 2 from the three - point line to score a season - high of 16 points. He did it in only 10 minutes of action, which made it all the more impressive. Zach Randolph was the only starter in double figures, as he posted 10 points (3 - 7 FG, 4 - 4 FT) and five rebounds over 21 minutes. The Warriors' final game will be at home against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, while the Grizzlies will be at home against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "29", "Spurs": "20"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "50", "Spurs": "46"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "16", "Spurs": "6"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "100", "Spurs": "96"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "6", "Spurs": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Alec Burks": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1", "Gordon Hayward": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "0", "Gordon Hayward": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "13", "Tim Duncan": "16", "Gordon Hayward": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "7", "Tim Duncan": "10", "Gordon Hayward": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Tim Duncan": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2", "Tim Duncan": "3"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "16", "Tim Duncan": "23", "Cory Joseph": "7", "Manu Ginobili": "10", "Marco Belinelli": "13", "Gordon Hayward": "20", "Derrick Favors": "21", "Enes Kanter": "12", "Alec Burks": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Tim Duncan": "14", "Gordon Hayward": "7", "Derrick Favors": "8", "Enes Kanter": "15"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5"}}], "The Utah Jazz (6 - 16) defeated the San Antonio Spurs (15 - 6) 100 - 96 on Tuesday at Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City. While Tony Parker sat out with a strained left hamstring, the Jazz were able to take advantage and pull off an upset victory over one of the best teams in the Western Conference. The Jazz shot 50 percent from the field and 29 percent from the three - point line, while the Spurs shot 46 percent from the field and only 20 percent from beyond the arc. It gave them enough of an advanatage, to steal a victory against stiff competition. The Jazz's starters did most of the damage in this one. Gordon Hayward shot 7 - for - 13 from the field and 0 - for - 2 from the three - point line to score 20 points, while also adding seven rebounds. He's combined for 39 points in hist last two games and is now averaing 19 points per game. Derrick Favors also had a nice effort in the victory and contributed a team - high of 21 points and eight rebounds. He did n't have much of an impact in Monday's game against the Sacramento Kings, so it was a nice bounce back game for him. Enes Kanter recorded 12 points and 15 rebounds, giving him his fourth double - double of the season. The only other Jazz player to reach double figures in points was Alec Burks, who scored 14 points and chipped in four assists. Starting in the absence of Tony Parker, Cory Joseph did n't do enough to make up for the effort that Parker would've contributed. He finished with only seven points, but also failed to record any assists or rebounds. Tim Duncan did most of the damage for the Spurs, as he posted a team - high of 23 points (10 - 16 FG, 3 - 4 FT) and 14 rebounds. It was his fourth double - double in a row, as he's now averaging 14 points and 11 rebounds on the year. Kawhi Leonard also had a solid offensive game, scoring 16 points (7 - 13 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 5 FT) and adding five assists and five rebounds. He had five steals, showing a significant defensive presence to go along with his offensive output. Coming off the bench, both Manu Ginobili and Marco Belinelli provided a boost with 10 and 13 points respectively, but it was n't enough to propel the Spurs to the victory. The Jazz's next game will be at home against the Miami Heat on Friday, while the Spurs will be at home against the New York Knicks on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "48"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "18", "Seth Curry": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Marc Gasol": "6", "Seth Curry": "8"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "13", "Mike Conley": "30", "Vince Carter": "10", "Zach Randolph": "24", "Harrison Barnes": "18", "Nerlens Noel": "15", "Seth Curry": "24"}, "Assists": {"Mike Conley": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Mike Conley": "36", "Vince Carter": "27", "Zach Randolph": "29", "Harrison Barnes": "37", "Seth Curry": "37"}, "Rebounds": {"Mike Conley": "2", "Zach Randolph": "10", "Nerlens Noel": "17", "Seth Curry": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Harrison Barnes": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Seth Curry": "5"}}], "Dallas shot 48 percent from the field, but struggled from long range, hitting only 5 - of - 27 attempts. All five starters scored in double digits for the Mavs, as Seth Curry led the way with 24 points on 8 - of - 15 shooting, in 37 minutes, while Harrison Barnes followed up with 18 points. Nerlens Noel chipped in 15 points and a career - high - tying 17 rebounds, in his first start as a member of the Mavericks. Meanwhile, Mike Conley was the high - point man for Memphis, with 30 points, to go along with four assists and two rebounds, in 36 minutes. Three other players scored in double digits for the Grizz, including Zach Randolph, who added 24 points and 10 rebounds, in 29 minutes off the bench. Marc Gasol chipped in 13 points on poor 6 - of - 18 shooting, while Vince Carter added 10 points, in 27 minutes off the bench."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "15", "Bulls": "8"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "107", "Bulls": "82"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Mavericks": "29", "Bulls": "18"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "4", "Bulls": "11"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "18", "Dwight Powell": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Jimmy Butler": "8", "Dwight Powell": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "12"}, "Free throws made": {"Jimmy Butler": "10"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "26", "Rajon Rondo": "2", "Wesley Matthews": "26", "Dwight Powell": "17"}, "Assists": {"Deron Williams": "15"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks led wire - to - wire on their way to the 107 - 82 win over the visiting Chicago Bulls on Saturday night at American Airlines Arena. The Mavs took advantage of a Chicago team that left it all on the court Friday night in their win over Cleveland, while the Bulls lack of depth was exposed as they looked depleted on the second night of a back - to - back. Dallas (4 - 15) jumped out with a 29 - 18 first quarter and did not let up, winning the remaining three quarters. Wesley Matthews led the way for the Mavs as he tied his season - high with 26 points. Rookie Dwight Powell notched a career - high 17 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting, in 26 minutes off the bench, while Deron Williams dished a season - high 15 assists. The Mavs tallied 31 assists on 40 field goals and forced 20 turnovers on the way to their fourth win of the season and third at home. They will look to win two in a row for the second time this season as they host the Hornets on Monday, in what will be the second game of a four - game home stand. Chicago (11 - 8) was caught flat - footed, as Dwyane Wade did not play for the sake of rest, while starters Rajon Rondo and Nicola Mirotic combined for two points. Jimmy Butler was the high - point man for the Bulls with 26 points on 8 - of - 18 shooting, along with 10 - of - 12 from the free throw line. Meanwhile, the Bulls had seven players come off the bench with four of them playing over 20 minutes but they only totaled 28 bench points. Chicago will look to get back on track as they play host to the Trail Blazers on Monday."], [[{}, {"Blocks": {"Terrence Jones": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "2"}, "Points": {"Terrence Jones": "26", "Nikola Vucevic": "10", "Elfrid Payton": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Terrence Jones": "9", "Nikola Vucevic": "14", "Elfrid Payton": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Terrence Jones": "1"}, "Assists": {"Elfrid Payton": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Elfrid Payton": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Elfrid Payton": "2"}, "Steals": {"Elfrid Payton": "3"}}], "These are two teams playing well below expectations and it was n't pretty on either side. Both teams shot below 40 percent from the field and below 37 percent from three - point range. Terrence Jones had one of his best games of the season, as he scored 26 points and grabbed nine boards, filling in for Anthony Davis. Without Davis in the lineup, New Orleans lost almost every game last season and it's clear they have no offense with him out of the lineup. Nikola Vucevic was a beast down low, as he scored 10 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in the win. Elfrid Payton's five points on 2 - of - 9 shooting looks ugly, but he stuffed the stat sheet by adding four rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks. There were only three ties and 10 lead changes, as the Magic led for the majority of the game."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Cavaliers": "46", "Bulls": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "45", "Bulls": "41"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "1", "Bulls": "1"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "106", "Bulls": "91"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Cavaliers": "38", "Bulls": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Cavaliers": "45", "Bulls": "37"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "1", "Bulls": "1"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Pau Gasol": "8", "Jimmy Butler": "14", "Derrick Rose": "20", "LeBron James": "29", "Timofey Mozgov": "8", "Iman Shumpert": "11", "James Jones": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Pau Gasol": "3", "Jimmy Butler": "5", "Derrick Rose": "6", "LeBron James": "13", "Timofey Mozgov": "3", "Iman Shumpert": "5", "Kyrie Irving": "5", "James Jones": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Pau Gasol": "6", "Jimmy Butler": "7", "LeBron James": "9", "Iman Shumpert": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Pau Gasol": "5", "Jimmy Butler": "6", "LeBron James": "7", "Iman Shumpert": "1"}, "Points": {"Pau Gasol": "11", "Jimmy Butler": "18", "Derrick Rose": "14", "LeBron James": "33", "Iman Shumpert": "15", "Kyrie Irving": "21", "James Jones": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "4", "Jimmy Butler": "2", "Derrick Rose": "7", "LeBron James": "8", "Iman Shumpert": "7", "James Jones": "2"}, "Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "1", "Derrick Rose": "10", "LeBron James": "5", "Kyrie Irving": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Jimmy Butler": "1", "Derrick Rose": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jimmy Butler": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "7", "Derrick Rose": "5", "LeBron James": "2", "Iman Shumpert": "7", "James Jones": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jimmy Butler": "2", "Derrick Rose": "2", "LeBron James": "0", "Iman Shumpert": "4", "Kyrie Irving": "1", "James Jones": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jimmy Butler": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jimmy Butler": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "2", "LeBron James": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"James Jones": "22"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (1 - 1) defeated the Chicago Bulls (1 - 1) 106 - 91 on Wednesday at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. After suffering a tough 99 - 92 loss in game number one on Monday, the Cavaliers were able to bounce back with a convincing 15 - point victory in game two. The Cavaliers got off to a really strong start, out - scoring the Bulls 38 - 18 right away in the first quarter. The Cavaliers did n't let off the gas either, as they never trailed in this game. Along with the quick start, the Cavaliers were also the superior shooters. They finished at 45 percent from the field and 46 percent from the three - point line, while the Bulls went 41 percent from the floor and just 32 percent from deep. After going on record saying he'd come out much more agressive in this outing, LeBron James backed those words up, as he finished with a game - high of 33 points (13 - 29 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 7 - 9 FT), to go along with eight rebounds, five assists and two steals. James did n't even hit a three - pointer, but he was still able to get to the hoop and score as he pleased. It was clear he planned on taking over from the start and if he can continue to have this type of impact, the Cavaliers should be very tough defeat, even without Kevin Love. Kyrie Irving had a relatively quiet night. He went 5 - for - 11 from the field and 4 - for - 7 from the three - point line to score 21 points, while also adding three assists. After taking double - digit shot attempts in all five of his previous playoff games coming into this one, Irving had just nine field goal attempts Wednesday, although he was able to consistently force his way to the free throw line. Irving was able to take a backseat to James, who readily took this game over from the start. So far this postseason, Irving is averaging 24 points and 4 assists over six games. Iman Shumpert posted 15 points (5 - 11 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and seven rebounds as well, while James Jones added 17 points (6 - 10 FG, 5 - 9 3Pt) and two rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench. After torching the Cavaliers in game number one, the Bulls' superstar backcourt duo of Jimmy Butler and Derrick Rose took a step back on Wednesday. They combined to shoot just 11 - for - 34 from the field and 4 - for - 12 from the three - point line for a combined 32 points. Butler finished with 18 points (5 - 14 FG, 2 - 7 3Pt, 6 - 7 FT), two rebounds and two steals, while Rose had 14 points (6 - 20 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt), seven rebounds and 10 assists. Rose nearly recorded the triple - double, but offensively he just was n't as efficient as he needed to be. The Cavaliers really stepped up their defense against the Bulls Wednesday compared to game number one, as they decided to use a much bigger lineup. With Tristan Thompson placed into the starting at power forward alongside Timofey Mozgov, the Bulls were n't able to shoot over the Cavaliers like was the case on Monday. Pau Gasol was directly affected by that, as he managed just 11 points (3 - 8 FG, 5 - 6 FT) and four rebounds. The Bulls were handled on the boards, as the Cavaliers out - rebounded them 45 - 37. These two teams will play again on Friday in Chicago for game three of this best - of - seven series. While the Bulls did take the loss Wednesday, they should still be satisfied with their first two games after stealing home court advantage with the victory in game one."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Nets": "16", "Pacers": "27"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "19"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "40"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pacers": "24"}}, {"Points": {"Paul George": "24", "Thaddeus Young": "10", "Myles Turner": "11", "CJ Miles": "9", "Jeff Teague": "24", "Al Jefferson": "11", "Brook Lopez": "23", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "13", "Joe Harris": "15", "Trevor Booker": "8", "Sean Kilpatrick": "18", "Quincy Acy": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Thaddeus Young": "9"}}], "Indiana jumped out to a 27 - 16 lead after one quarter, and their defense held the Nets to sub - 40 - percent success rates from the field and three - point range while also eliciting 19 turnovers. Paul George and Jeff Teague co - led the Pacers with matching 24 - point efforts. Myles Turner registered 11 points. Thaddeus Young turned in a near double - double with 10 points and nine rebounds. C.J. Miles poured in nine points, while Al Jefferson's 11 led the bench. Brook Lopez's team - high 23 points served as the only double - digit scoring effort on the first unit. The bench made up the shortfall with a combined 63 points. Sean Kilpatrick led the second unit with 18 points, while Joe Harris stepped up with 15. Spencer Dinwiddie chipped in with 13 points, and Quincy Acy and Trevor Booker turned in matching eight - point efforts."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "49", "Wizards": "51"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Spurs": "23"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Marcin Gortat": "16", "Bradley Beal": "11", "Kawhi Leonard": "18", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "14", "Manu Ginobili": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Marcin Gortat": "8", "Bradley Beal": "7", "Kawhi Leonard": "9", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "8", "Manu Ginobili": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Marcin Gortat": "42", "Bradley Beal": "30", "Kawhi Leonard": "34", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "37", "Manu Ginobili": "24"}, "Points": {"Marcin Gortat": "21", "Bradley Beal": "23", "Kawhi Leonard": "23", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "19", "Manu Ginobili": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "18", "Kawhi Leonard": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bradley Beal": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "5"}, "Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2", "Manu Ginobili": "7"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2"}}], "All five starters scored in double figures for the Wizards, led by Bradley Beal who finished with 23 points, on 7 - of - 11 shooting, in 30 minutes. Marcin Gortat finished with 21 points on 8 - of - 16 shooting, along with 18 rebounds in 42 minutes. Otto Porter Jr. also finished with a double - double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Only four players came off the bench for Washington, and combined for 17 points. Kawhi Leonard led the way for the Spurs, with 23 points on 9 - of - 18 shooting, along with five rebounds, two assists and two steals, in 34 minutes. LaMarcus Aldridge added 19 points on 8 - of - 14 shooting, along with five rebounds, in 37 minutes. Manu Ginobili chipped in 13 points on 4 - of - 6 shooting, and seven assists, in 24 minutes off the bench. The Wizards shot 51 percent from the field, while the Spurs shot 49 percent."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Grizzlies": "18"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "39", "Magic": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "42", "Magic": "45"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "8", "Magic": "12"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "95", "Magic": "94"}, "Turnovers": {"Grizzlies": "10"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "12", "Magic": "7"}}, {"Points": {"Serge Ibaka": "11", "Bismack Biyombo": "3", "Evan Fournier": "28", "Nikola Vucevic": "18", "Jeff Green": "14", "Marc Gasol": "25", "Andrew Harrison": "11", "Jarell Martin": "6", "Troy Daniels": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "8", "Bismack Biyombo": "14", "Nikola Vucevic": "11", "Marc Gasol": "2", "Andrew Harrison": "4", "Jarell Martin": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Evan Fournier": "14", "Jeff Green": "8", "Troy Daniels": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Evan Fournier": "11", "Jeff Green": "5", "Troy Daniels": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Nikola Vucevic": "3", "Marc Gasol": "5"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "3", "Andrew Harrison": "8"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies came back to defeat the Orlando Magic, 95 - 94, at FedEx Forum on Thursday. Defense is the first priority for both of these teams and it's clear through this scoreline. Memphis shot just 42 percent from the field and 39 percent from three - point range, while Orlando shot 45 percent from the field and 25 percent from three - point range. The Magic led 84 - 71 with a little over three minutes left, but the Grizzlies ended the game on a 24 - 10 run to win by one. Strangely. the two teams combined for 114 points in the first and fourth quarters, while combining for just 75 points in the second and third quarters. Turnovers are what really hurt the Magic, as they committed 18, while forcing just 10 from the Grizzlies. Orlando (7 - 12) has made some adjustments to their rotation and the results have been mixed thus far. Nikola Vucevic continues to thrive in his new role off the bench though, as he tallied 18 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks in the defeat. Evan Fouriner led the team in scoring, dropping 28 points on 11 - of - 14 shooting. Serge Ibaka was the only other starter in double figures, totaling 11 points, eight rebounds and four blocks. Bismack Biyombo scored just three points, but grabbed 14 rebounds as the starting center. Jeff Green provided 14 points on 5 - of - 8 shooting off the bench. Orlando plays again on Friday, as they face the Philadelphia 76ers on the road. Memphis (12 - 8) continues to play shorthanded and they wo n't allow that to slow them down. Marc Gasol proceeds to carry the load in the absence of Mike Conley and Chandler Parsons, as he led the team with 25 points, two rebounds, three assists and five blocks in the win. Andrew Harrison finished with 11 points, four rebounds and eight assists while filling - in for Conley. Troy Daniels was second on the team in scoring, dropping 19 points on 6 - of - 9 shooting off the bench. Jarell Martin also had a nice game off the bench, accruing six points and 10 rebounds. Memphis will return to action on Saturday, when they host the surprising Los Angeles Lakers."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "8", "Hawks": "7"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "99", "Hawks": "95"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "7", "Hawks": "10"}}, {"Points": {"Paul Millsap": "22", "Al Horford": "12", "Jeff Teague": "22", "Andrew Wiggins": "15", "Gorgui Dieng": "10", "Zach LaVine": "18", "Damjan Rudez": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "10", "Al Horford": "12", "Jeff Teague": "5", "Gorgui Dieng": "11", "Zach LaVine": "5"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "5", "Zach LaVine": "6"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (7 - 8) came up with an impressive 99 - 95 win over the top tier Atlanta Hawks (10 - 7) on Wednesday night in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves produced strong first and fourth quarters in order to triumph over the Hawks. Minnesota shot a poor 41 percent from the field as a team but managed to grind out a win nonetheless. Although coming off the bench, Zach LaVine led the way in scoring for the Timberwolves with 18 points, he also added six assists and five rebounds in 26 minutes. Andrew Wiggins kept up his strong play but struggled shooting, scoring 15 points on 5 - 17 shooting from the field. Damjan Rudez had a strong showing in 16 minutes off the bench, scoring 13 points on 4 - 5 shooting, including 3 - 4 from deep, while Grogui Dieng notched a double - double with 10 points and 11 rebounds in 25 minutes, also off the bench. The Hawks managed to shoot even worse than the Timberwolves, going an abysmal 31 - 82 (37%) from the field, including 8 - 32 from deep. Paul Millsap led the way for Atlanta with a double - double of 22 points, including 9 - 11 free throw shooting, and 10 rebounds. Big Al Horford also tallied a double - double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Jeff Teague finished with 22 points, five assists and five rebounds. Despite the strong numbers from their top players, Atlanta still looked disheveled as a team. Next up for the Hawks is a visit to Memphis for a game Friday. The Timberwolves will be playing in Sacramento, also on Friday, in what will be a heat - check sort of game for the young Wolves."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "10"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "38"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "6", "Knicks": "6"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "90", "Knicks": "93"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "7", "Knicks": "7"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Knicks": "25"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Knicks": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Jose Calderon": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "7", "Enes Kanter": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Jose Calderon": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "25", "Jose Calderon": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "34", "Enes Kanter": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "5", "Jose Calderon": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "7", "Enes Kanter": "13"}, "Steals": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Jose Calderon": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jose Calderon": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jose Calderon": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "10"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jose Calderon": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Jose Calderon": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Enes Kanter": "1"}}], "The New York Knicks (7 - 6) surprised the Oklahoma City Thunder (7 - 6) n a nail - biter by winning 93 - 90 on Friday. The Thunder came into this game as seven - point favorites, but the Knicks simply looked like a better team. In fact, they were up by 16 points at one point in the fourth quarter and nearly blew out the Thunder, if it weren\u2019t for a late run. Oklahoma City actually drew a turnover with less than 15 seconds left and had two chances to tie the game before the final buzzer went off. It was the long distance shooting that decided this game, as the Knicks went 12 - for - 20 from three - point range while the Thunder went just 3 - for - 29. The Knicks have been a huge surprise this season and this win adds to their impressive resume. The defense was great in this game, as they held one of the best offenses in the NBA to 90 points on just 38 percent shooting. New York was led by Carmelo Anthony who contributed 25 points and five rebounds in the win. Jose Calderon also had one of his best games of the season, as he collected 10 points, seven assists, four rebounds and three steals in the victory. They are going to need more performances like this from Calderon, as he's been in a two - year slump since joining the Knicks. New York will have to travel to Houston to take on the struggling Rockets on Saturday in the second half of a back - to - back set. Oklahoma City are starting to really miss Kevin Durant, as they've lost three of their last four games. Luckily for them, he's due back soon and could play as early as Sunday. The three - point shooting was just terrible in this game for the Thunder and that was the difference in the game, as they shot just 10 percent on nearly 30 shots. Russell Westbrook was one of those who struggled from distance, as he shot just 2 - for - 10 from three - point range. He did have another majestic game though, as he amassed 34 points, seven assists, seven rebounds and four steals in the loss. They also got 11 points and 13 rebounds off the bench from Enes Kanter and he is becoming one of the best per - minute producers in the NBA right now. Oklahoma City will look to break their recent slide when they play the hot Dallas Mavericks on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "48", "Thunder": "31"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "106", "Thunder": "114"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Magic": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Magic": "53", "Thunder": "57"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "27", "Thunder": "43"}}, {"Assists": {"Andre Roberson": "3", "Victor Oladipo": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Terrence Ross": "2", "Aaron Gordon": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Evan Fournier": "5", "Elfrid Payton": "8", "Bismack Biyombo": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Andre Roberson": "2", "Steven Adams": "2", "Terrence Ross": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "1", "Bismack Biyombo": "2"}, "Points": {"Andre Roberson": "6", "Steven Adams": "7", "Victor Oladipo": "13", "Russell Westbrook": "57", "Enes Kanter": "17", "Terrence Ross": "23", "Aaron Gordon": "13", "Nikola Vucevic": "11", "Evan Fournier": "24", "Elfrid Payton": "11", "Bismack Biyombo": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Roberson": "9", "Steven Adams": "9", "Victor Oladipo": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "13", "Enes Kanter": "10", "Terrence Ross": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "5", "Nikola Vucevic": "16", "Evan Fournier": "6", "Elfrid Payton": "6", "Bismack Biyombo": "11"}, "Steals": {"Andre Roberson": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "3", "Terrence Ross": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "4", "Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Evan Fournier": "1"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Russell Westbrook": "40"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "40"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Orlando Magic in overtime, 114 - 106, at Amway Center on Wednesday evening. The Thunder (43 - 31), who could clinch a playoff berth with a win, nevertheless entered the fourth quarter trailing by an 82 - 72 margin. That's when Russell Westbrook often does his best work, however, and such was the case again Wednesday. The MVP candidate's 31 - foot three - point jumper with seven seconds remaining in regulation knotted the score at 102 and OKC then dominated the Magic (27 - 48) in overtime by a 12 - 4 margin. With neither team shooting particularly well, there were plenty of rebounds to be had, and the Thunder ultimately won the battle on the glass, 57 - 53. Westbrook led the way with a mammoth 57 - point, 13 - rebound, 11 - assist triple - double that also included three steals. He took a jaw - dropping 40 shots, which left little for anyone else. Enes Kanter was a distant second with a 17 - point, 10 - rebound double - double off the bench. Victor Oladipo followed with 13 points, five rebounds, an assist and a steal. Steven Adams provided seven points, nine rebounds and two blocks. Andre Roberson filled out the stat line with six points, nine boards, three assists, two blocks and one steal. The Magic had a much more balanced attack, with six players hitting double digits in the scoring column overall. Evan Fournier led the way with 24 points, six rebounds, five assists and a steal. Terrence Ross poured in 23 points and added two assists, a rebound, a steal and a block. Aaron Gordon totaled 13 points, five boards, one assist, four steals and one block. Nikola Vucevic supplied an 11 - point, 16 - rebound double - double that also included an assist, two blocks and a steal. Elfrid Payton tallied 11 points, eight assists, six rebounds and a block. Bismack Biyombo posted an 12 - point, 11 - rebound double - double to lead the bench, along with two assists and two blocks. The Thunder head back home for a showdown with the Spurs on Friday night, while the Magic head to Beantown to do battle with the Boston Celtics on Friday evening as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "2", "Wizards": "1"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "98", "Wizards": "105"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Magic": "23"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "0", "Wizards": "1"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Nene": "34", "Garrett Temple": "34", "Channing Frye": "24"}, "Points": {"Marcin Gortat": "20", "Garrett Temple": "12", "John Wall": "30", "Channing Frye": "2", "Nikola Vucevic": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "12", "Channing Frye": "2", "Nikola Vucevic": "12"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "12"}}], "The Washington Wizards (1 - 1) secured their first win of the season Thursday, defeating the Orlando Magic (0 - 2) 105 - 98 at the Amway Center in Orlando. Nene and DeJuan Blair returned from their one - game suspensions. Blair never got off the bench Thursday, but Nene was slotted into the starting lineup at power forward and played 34 minutes. Marcin Gortat started at center and finished the game with a double - double of 20 points and 12 rebounds, while John Wall also posted a double - double, scoring 30 points to go with 12 assists. Garrett Temple received a second straight spot start at shooting guard with Bradley Beal (wrist) sidelined. Temple scored 12 points in 34 minutes. Channing Frye made his regular season debut with the Magic after having missed the team's first game while still recovering from the MCL sprain in his knee that was suffered during training camp. Frye played 24 minutes as the starting power forward and scored two points to go with two rebounds. Kyle O'Quinn, who started at power forward in the Magic's season opener, sat out Thursday's game with a sprained ankle that he suffered in the opener. Starting center Nikola Vucevic posted his second consecutive double - double, putting up 23 points and 12 rebounds in the Magic's second loss in as many games. The Magic's next game is at home against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday. The Wizards' next game is at home against the Bucks on Saturday."], [[{"Total points": {"76ers": "118", "Rockets": "123"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"76ers": "21", "Rockets": "33"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "15"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "35"}}, {"Assists": {"Nene": "2", "James Harden": "13", "Joel Embiid": "4", "T.J. McConnell": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nene": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Nene": "10"}, "Points": {"Nene": "21", "James Harden": "51", "Clint Capela": "17", "Joel Embiid": "32", "T.J. McConnell": "13", "Dario Saric": "12", "Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Nene": "6", "James Harden": "13", "Clint Capela": "6", "Joel Embiid": "7"}, "Steals": {"Joel Embiid": "3"}}], "The Houston Rockets defeated the host Philadelphia 76ers, 123 - 118, at Wells Fargo Center on Friday. Turnover have plagued these two teams all season and 45 combined turnovers in this game shows just that. The third quarter was the difference for Houston, as they outscored Philadelphia, 33 - 21. Rebounding was also decisive, with Houston winning that battle, 41 - 29. Both teams surpassed 51 percent shooting, despite the two teams combining for 56 three - point attempts. The Rockets (35 - 15) have rode James Harden all year and he had another showcase performance in this big road win. Harden recorded another triple - double accumulating 51 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists. Nene Hilario got the start and finished second on the team with 21 points, six rebounds and two assists on 10 - of - 13 shooting. Clint Capela was effective off the bench, providing 17 points and six rebounds. The Sixers (17 - 28) had won eight of 10 headed into this game, but a matchup with the Rockets is a tough task these days. Joel Embiid was the star for Philly, as he led the team with 32 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. T.J. McConnell was second among starters finishing with 13 points and eight assists. Dario Saric, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Gerald Henderson combined for 37 points on 14 - of - 19 shooting, as they all scored 12 or more. bench scoring, dropping 12 points a piece."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "4"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "1"}}, {"Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "7", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "33", "Zach LaVine": "4", "Shabazz Muhammad": "15", "Russell Westbrook": "28"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Shabazz Muhammad": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Shabazz Muhammad": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "1"}}], "Alongside the likes of Russell Westbrook and Victor Oladipo, the Thunder's talented bigs are capable of some prolific production. That was evident Saturday, with Steven Adams and Enes Kanter combining for 34 points and 18 rebounds. Westbrook also totaled 28 points, as the trio paved the way for team success rates of 52 and 44 percent from the field and three - point range, respectively. Some of the Timberwolves' most dependable sources of offense went cold Saturday, putting a sizable burden on the shoulders of Karl-Anthony Towns. Andrew Wiggins and Zach Lavine combined for just 11 points on 4 - of - 19 shooting, with each of their individual point totals (seven and four, respectively) serving as season lows. Towns was able to provide a game - high 33 points, but only one other Minnesota player, Shabazz Muhammad, managed double - digit scoring (15 points)."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "60"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "50"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "18", "Heat": "30"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "116", "Heat": "108"}, "Turnovers": {"Bucks": "11"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "20", "Heat": "11"}}, {"Assists": {"Hassan Whiteside": "2", "Goran Dragic": "3", "James Johnson": "12", "Tyler Johnson": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6", "Jabari Parker": "2", "Malcolm Brogdon": "5"}, "Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "19", "Goran Dragic": "19", "James Johnson": "10", "Tyler Johnson": "14", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "19", "Jabari Parker": "24", "Malcolm Brogdon": "13", "Greg Monroe": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "9", "Goran Dragic": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Jabari Parker": "5", "Malcolm Brogdon": "6", "Greg Monroe": "11"}, "Steals": {"Tyler Johnson": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Miami Heat, 116 - 108, at BMO Harris Bradley Center on Friday. A Milwaukee blowout was the expected result with the recent form of these two teams and a wire - to - wire win indicates just who the better team was. The Bucks took a 12 - point lead after the first quarter and the game never got within seven points after that. Rebounding was the glaring difference, with Milwaukee winning that battle, 46 - 27. The Bucks were lights - out shooting too, hitting 50 percent from the field and 60 percent from three - point range. The Heat (11 - 30) are in a world of troubles right now, as they've now lost 10 of their last 11 games. It was a team effort for Miami, as they had six players score in double figures, with no one surpassing 19 points. Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside each scored 19, as Dragic added three rebounds and three assists, while Whiteside provided nine rebounds and two assists. James Johnson was huge off the bench, as he tallied 10 points and 12 assists. Tyler Johnson was the leading scorer off the bench, collecting 14 points, five assists and three steals. The Bucks (20 - 18) have now won five of their last seven games, as they continue to climb up the Eastern Conference ladder. Jabari Parker led the team in scoring, as he accrued 24 points, five rebounds and two assists. Giannis Antetokounmpo was the player of the game, accumulating 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists on 8 - of - 12 shooting. Greg Monroe recorded a double - double off the bench, totaling 16 points and 11 rebounds. Michael Brogdon continued to start at point guard and amassed 13 points, six rebounds and five assists."], [[{"Total points": {"Warriors": "115", "Rockets": "106"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Warriors": "20"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "2"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Rockets": "28"}}, {"Points": {"Dwight Howard": "12", "James Harden": "28", "Draymond Green": "12", "Klay Thompson": "34", "Shaun Livingston": "16", "Andre Iguodala": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "10", "James Harden": "2", "Draymond Green": "14", "Klay Thompson": "3", "Shaun Livingston": "2"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "11", "Draymond Green": "8", "Klay Thompson": "5", "Shaun Livingston": "6"}, "Blocks": {"James Harden": "1", "Draymond Green": "1", "Andre Iguodala": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"James Harden": "2", "Klay Thompson": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"James Harden": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "19", "Klay Thompson": "20", "Andre Iguodala": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "7", "Klay Thompson": "8", "Andre Iguodala": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Harden": "15", "Klay Thompson": "16", "Andre Iguodala": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"James Harden": "5", "Josh Smith": "5", "Draymond Green": "2", "Andre Iguodala": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Draymond Green": "2"}, "Steals": {"Draymond Green": "2", "Klay Thompson": "1", "Shaun Livingston": "2", "Andre Iguodala": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Klay Thompson": "15"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Klay Thompson": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Andre Iguodala": "1"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the visiting Houston Rockets, 115 - 106, to take a 20 lead in the Western Conference first - round playoffs Monday at Oracle Arena. Stephen Curry missed shoot around earlier Monday because of an ankle injury, and coach Steve Kerr elected to sit the reigning MVP. Kerr relied on Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and a strong performance from reigning NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala to carry the Warriors to a commanding lead in the series. James Harden was far more effective in Game 2, as compared to his free throw - less performance in Game 1. The Rockets All-Star shooting guard found his way to the charity stripe 15 times on Monday and it helped keep Houston within striking distance until the fourth quarter. The Warriors were able to open up a scoring run midway through the the final period, which built to a 13 point lead. Once they broke free of their opponent they did not have to look back, although Houston was never really in control of the game. Thompson led all scorers with 34 points, to go with three rebounds and five assists on 8 - of - 20 shooting, which included a strong 15 - of - 16 from the free throw line. Draymond Green approached another triple - double, and fell just a few dimes short of the mark after he stuffed the stat sheet with 12 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists, two steals and one blocked shot, while Iguodala added 18 needed points on 7 - of - 10 shooting in 32 minutes off the bench. Shaun Livingston started in place of the injured Curry, and the regular playing time he saw in the fourth quarters during the Warriors season truly paid off after the backup point guard looked calm and composed in 28 minutes of action. Livingston finished with 16 points, six assists, two boards and two steals. Harden tried to carry the Rockets to a win at Oracle, but fell short towards the end of the game, although he finished with a strong 28 points, 11 assists and two boards on 7 - of - 19 shooting. Dwight Howard fouled out of the game, but before exiting he racked up 12 points and 10 boards. Foul trouble became a significant issue for Houston down the stretch, as both Josh Smith and James Harden earned five fouls before the end of the game. The forced conservatism gave the Warriors a needed opening to pull away with the win. The series now shifts to Houston, where the two teams will face off in Game 3 on Thursday night."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "37"}}, {"Points": {"Anthony Davis": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"E'Twaun Moore": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"E'Twaun Moore": "2", "Patty Mills": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Patty Mills": "2"}}], "San Antonio carried over its No. 1 defense from last season, holding the Pelicans to 37 percent shooting from the field and 17 percent from three - point range Saturday. They continue to succeed with Pau Gasol struggling, as he has played 21 minutes or less for the third - straight game. After averaging 48 points and 17 rebounds per game, the Spurs held Anthony Davis to just 18 points and five rebounds in this blowout victory. Patty Mills and E'Twuan Moore were the only two starters in this game to shoot over 50 percent from the field. Three-point shooting was a huge factor for San Antonio, as they went 10 - for - 24, while holding New Orleans to 4 - for - 23 from long distance. New Orleans was one of the worst road teams in the league last year going 9 - 32, while the Spurs were the best home team, with a 40 - 1 record."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "40", "Bucks": "53"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "100", "Bucks": "103"}}, {"Points": {"Khris Middleton": "19", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "22", "Malcolm Brogdon": "16", "Greg Monroe": "16", "Jae Crowder": "13", "Al Horford": "11", "Avery Bradley": "12", "Isaiah Thomas": "32", "Marcus Smart": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9", "Avery Bradley": "10", "Marcus Smart": "11"}, "Assists": {"Malcolm Brogdon": "9", "Marcus Smart": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Marcus Smart": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Marcus Smart": "1"}, "Steals": {"Marcus Smart": "1"}}], "Malcolm Brogdon's heavily contested 16 - foot jumper with three seconds left gave Milwaukee breathing room at 103 - 100. Marcus Smart then missed a last - gasp 24 - foot three - point attempt at the one - second mark that would have sent the game into the overtime. The Bucks considerably outperformed Boston shooting - wise, as they posted a 53 percent success rate from the field while limiting the Celtics to a 40 percent tally. Giannis Antetokounmpo's 22 points and nine boards led the Bucks. Khris Middleton tallied 19 points. Brogdon posted 16 points and nine assists. Greg Monroe led the bench with 16 points as well. Isaiah Thomas' 32 points paced Boston. Jae Crowder collected 13 points, while Avery Bradley managed a 12 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Al Horford mustered 11 points. Smart led the bench with 11 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "44", "Pelicans": "38"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "97", "Pelicans": "105"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Lakers": "39", "Pelicans": "29"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Lakers": "14"}, "Turnovers": {"Lakers": "25", "Pelicans": "13"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "19", "Pelicans": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "2", "DeMarcus Cousins": "2", "Jrue Holiday": "12", "Brandon Ingram": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "10"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "31", "DeMarcus Cousins": "26", "Jrue Holiday": "20", "Brandon Ingram": "16", "Nick Young": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "9", "DeMarcus Cousins": "15", "Jrue Holiday": "5", "Brandon Ingram": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "31"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nick Young": "4"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 105 - 97, at Staples Center on Sunday. The Pelicans (25 - 38) came back in the second half after a rough second quarter where they got outscored 39 - 29 and the revival came on the back of the premier offensive talents in Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins. The third quarter marked a better defensive impact, as the Pelicans held the Lakers (19 - 44) to just 14 points. With 1:44 left in the fourth quarter, Julius Randle tied the game up at 97 points apiece, but Davis and Jrue Holiday responded with scoring possessions to topple the Lakers at home. Cousins finished with 26 points, 15 rebounds and two assists across 31 minutes, while Davis posted 31 points on 10 - of - 22 shooting. Davis added nine rebounds and two assists and led all scorers in the contest. Holiday scored 20 points, to go with 12 assists and five boards. The Lakers shot the ball much more efficiently than the Pelicans, but the costly 25 turnovers to just 13 mishaps from the Pelicans is what ended up sinking their chances at their 20th win of the season. Brandon Ingram scored 16 points, alongside six rebounds and two assists, while Nick Young buried four three - pointers on his way to 19 points. Next up, the Pelicans play the second game of a back - to - back when they host the Utah Jazz on Monday, while the Lakers visit the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "56", "Wizards": "47"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "14", "Wizards": "16"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "123", "Wizards": "96"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Bucks": "37", "Wizards": "29"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "14", "Wizards": "13"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Wizards": "29"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Wizards": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Otto Porter Jr.": "18", "Markieff Morris": "14", "Bradley Beal": "10", "John Wall": "18", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "39", "Jabari Parker": "21", "Malcolm Brogdon": "17"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Markieff Morris": "10", "Bradley Beal": "10", "John Wall": "18"}, "Assists": {"Bradley Beal": "6", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Bradley Beal": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Bradley Beal": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bradley Beal": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Bradley Beal": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Bradley Beal": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Bradley Beal": "2", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "33", "Malcolm Brogdon": "29"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks snapped a two - game losing streak as they stomped over the visiting Washington Wizards 123 - 96, at BMO Harris Bradley Center on Friday evening, Washington came into this game winners of six of their last eight games, while Milwaukee came in as losers of five of their last seven, however judging by the final score one might have assumed that each team was on the opposite trend, as the struggling Bucks rolled over the surging Wizards. The Bucks (14 - 14) dominated from the start, taking a 37 - 29 lead after the first quarter. They went on to win the next three quarters, while Giannis Antetokounmpo had his way with a career - high 39 points, along with eight rebounds, six assists and two steals, in 33 minutes. Jabari Parker followed up with 21 points, while Malcolm Brogdon added 17, in 29 minutes off the bench. The Bucks shot a blistering 56 percent from the field and owned the paint, where they outscored the Wizards 66 - 46. The Bucks are now 10 - 7 at home, while their next contest comes on Boxing Day, when they visit Washington, for the second game of a home - and - home series. The Wizards (13 - 16) shot 47 percent from the field and 29 percent from long range, but were not able to slow the stampeding Bucks. Four players scored in double digits for Washington, led by John Wall and Otto Porter Jr., who tallied 18 each. Markieff Morris chipped in 14 points, while Bradley Beal added 10, on 3 - 10 shooting from the field. The Wizards are now 3 - 10 on the road. Their next contest takes place on Boxing Day, when they play host to the Bucks."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "48", "Thunder": "45"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "9"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "118", "Thunder": "116"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Rockets": "21", "Thunder": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"Rockets": "43"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "28"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Russell Westbrook": "8", "Eric Gordon": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "34"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "16"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "49", "James Harden": "26"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "8", "Eric Gordon": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Eric Gordon": "5"}}], "Two of the league's better teams squared off on Thursday as the Houston Rockets took down the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder, 118 - 116. Former teammates and MVP hopefuls James Harden and Russell Westbrook showed down in a battle of the league's top talent. Houston (28 - 9) has been one of the league's hottest teams after a mediocre start. The Rockets won 15 games in the month of December and have seen strong leadership from superstar combo guard James Harden. Harden led the team in both scoring and assists on Thursday, pouring in 26 points to go with 12 assists and eight rebounds. The team saw a strong 27 assists and turned it over just nine times on the night. The Rockets also shot an excellent 48 percent from the field and hit 15 three - pointers. Sixth man Eric Gordon, the league's leading three - point shooter, had five threes. OKC (21 - 16) dropped the game despite seeing 49 points from Russell Westbrook. Westbrook shot 16 - of - 34 and had eight three - pointers while playing an integral part in the Thunder's 33 - 21 fourth quarter that allowed them to remain in the game. The team crashed the boards with tenacity, recording 54 rebounds on the night to Houston's 43. However, the Thunder shot a slightly lower 45 percent and had only 12 shots from beyond the arc. The Rockets will visit Orlando on Friday while OKC will host the Nuggets on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "38"}}, {"Points": {"Serge Ibaka": "19", "Evan Fournier": "19", "Julius Randle": "19", "D'Angelo Russell": "17", "Brandon Ingram": "17"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Evan Fournier": "38"}, "Assists": {"Julius Randle": "5", "D'Angelo Russell": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Julius Randle": "1", "D'Angelo Russell": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Julius Randle": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Julius Randle": "9", "D'Angelo Russell": "8"}, "Steals": {"Julius Randle": "1", "D'Angelo Russell": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Julius Randle": "2", "D'Angelo Russell": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"D'Angelo Russell": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"D'Angelo Russell": "10", "Brandon Ingram": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"D'Angelo Russell": "7", "Brandon Ingram": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"D'Angelo Russell": "2"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers got the better of the Orlando Magic behind two stand out performances from D'Angelo Russell and Julius Randle. Both players were able to round out the box score, as Russell finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals on 7 - of - 10 shooting, while Randle finished with 19 points, nine rebounds, five assists, one steal and one blocked shot across 34 minutes. Brandon Ingram dropped 11 points in the fourth quarter for a second straight game, and went on to finish with 17 points on 6 - of - 9 shooting. As for the Magic, the shooting struggles resulted in just a 38 percent field goal percentage as a unit, but were led in scoring by Evan Fournier and Serge Ibaka, who both added 19 points apiece in the loss. Ibaka and Bismack Biyombo both went for double - doubles, and combined for 29 points and 21 rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "32", "Heat": "27"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "96", "Heat": "118"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "32", "Heat": "38"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "52"}, "Turnovers": {"Heat": "8"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "15", "Josh Richardson": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwyane Wade": "3", "Josh Richardson": "9"}, "Points": {"Goran Dragic": "26", "Pau Gasol": "17"}, "Assists": {"Josh Richardson": "4", "Pau Gasol": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Josh Richardson": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "16", "Pau Gasol": "12"}}], "The Miami Heat (38 - 27) manhandled the Chicago Bulls (32 - 32) on Friday night, 118 - 96. The Heat lead the Southeast Division by two games and now sit just one game shy of the third seed in the Eastern Conference. With All-Star Chris Bosh sidelined with blood clots and star Dwyane Wade going just 3 - for - 15 from the field, production came from unexpected places for Miami on Friday. Point guard Goran Dragic led the team with 26, narrowly trailed by bench veteran Jason Richardson's 22. Richardson clocked 31 minutes and shot 9 - for - 12, including four big three - pointers to help establish and maintain Miami's massive lead. Center Hassan Whiteside also came off the bench, recording 16 rebounds and three blocks in the type of performance that fans have begun to expect from him. Whiteside recently became just the fourth player since 1970 to record 10 straight games of 10 or more rebounds off the bench. The Bulls remain at ninth in the Eastern Conference with the loss, a position that they may be stuck in if All-Star Jimmy Butler continues to miss time with a knee injury. The ailing Bulls have faced major issues with injuries all season, and have fallen cleanly out of the current playoff picture during Butler's absence. Center Pau Gasol has sought to fill the absence, as he neared a triple - double on Friday with 17 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists. Despite Gasol's offensive craftmanship, the team struggled mightily defensively, forcing just eight turnovers and allowing Miami to capitalize on 52 percent of its shots. The Heat are in line to visit the red - hot Raptors on Sunday, while the Bulls will next take the court in Toronto on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "56", "Rockets": "32"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "104", "Rockets": "118"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"76ers": "27", "Rockets": "21"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "8", "Rockets": "32"}}, {"Assists": {"Trevor Ariza": "3", "Dwight Howard": "1", "James Harden": "8", "Patrick Beverley": "5", "Robert Covington": "4", "Jerami Grant": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "4", "Ish Smith": "5", "Isaiah Canaan": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Trevor Ariza": "1", "Dwight Howard": "2", "James Harden": "1", "Robert Covington": "1", "Jerami Grant": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "2"}, "Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "15", "Dwight Howard": "21", "James Harden": "29", "Patrick Beverley": "16", "KJ McDaniels": "12", "Robert Covington": "17", "Jerami Grant": "13", "Nerlens Noel": "17", "Ish Smith": "21", "Isaiah Canaan": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Ariza": "1", "Dwight Howard": "18", "James Harden": "9", "Patrick Beverley": "4", "KJ McDaniels": "3", "Robert Covington": "7", "Jerami Grant": "3", "Nerlens Noel": "9", "Ish Smith": "2", "Isaiah Canaan": "1"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Ariza": "2", "Dwight Howard": "1", "James Harden": "1", "Patrick Beverley": "3", "Robert Covington": "4", "Jerami Grant": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "2", "Ish Smith": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"KJ McDaniels": "17", "Nerlens Noel": "32"}, "Turnovers": {"Ish Smith": "6"}}], "The Houston Rockets (32 - 32) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (8 - 56) 118 - 104 on Wednesday. Even though they'd lost 12 consecutive games heading into Wednesday's contest, the Sixers had been competitive in several of them, with their oft - maligned offense showing signs of life on a more consistent basis. Their improvement had persisted in recent outings despite the multi - game absences of Jahlil Okafor (shin) and Nerlens Noel (knee), and they reaped the benefit of Noel's return Wednesday. Philadelphia got off to another strong start against the Rockets, jumping out to a 27 - 21 lead after one period. However, Houston's superior talent eventually wore down the Sixers, with James Harden and Dwight Howard spearheading the charge. The Rockets' dominance during the second and third periods, which they won by a combined margin of 72 - 52, provided them enough of a cushion to hold on for the high - scoring victory. Harden's 29 points paced the Rockets, and he supplemented his scoring total with nine rebounds, eight assists, a steal and a block. Howard was next with a 21 - point, 18 - rebound double - double that also included an assist, a steal and a pair of blocks. Patrick Beverley filled out the stat sheet in continuing his recent stretch of strong all - around play, supplying 16 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals. Trevor Ariza rounded things out for the first unit with 15 points, three assists, a rebound, two steals and a block. K.J. McDaniels paced the Houston bench with 12 points and three rebounds in an efficient 17 minutes. The Rockets are in fourth place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division, and retain a hold on the eighth seed in the conference. They next head to Boston, where they'll take on the Celtics on Friday night. Ish Smith led the way with the Sixers with 21 points, five assists, two rebounds and a steal, but did turn the ball over six times. Robert Covington and Noel were next with a pair of 17 - point efforts, with the former adding seven rebounds, four assists, four steals and a block, and the latter tallying nine rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks. The Sixers' big man notably played 32 minutes in his return. Jerami Grant received another start in Okafor's stead, posting 13 points, three rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. Isaiah Canaan led the reserves with 14 points, four assists and a rebound. The Sixers remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They're home again on Friday against the division rival Brooklyn Nets."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "13", "Hornets": "15"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "104", "Hornets": "94"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Raptors": "30", "Hornets": "12"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "21", "Hornets": "17"}}, {"Points": {"Kemba Walker": "18", "Jonas Valanciunas": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "23", "Kyle Lowry": "18"}, "Steals": {"Kemba Walker": "4"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "11"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (21 - 13) outscored their opponents 30 - 12 in the fourth, defeating the Charlotte Hornets (17 - 15) 104 - 94. The division - leading Raptors continue to rise in the standings following the win over the Hornets. Per usual, the victory was led by the All-Star backcourt of Kyle Lowry (18 points, 11 assists, five rebounds) and DeMar DeRozan (23 points). The pair contributed heavily to Toronto's impressive 17 - for - 18 free - throw shooting night, combining to knock down 11 - of - 11 at the line. The Raps also saw a big double - double from recently - returned center Jonas Valancianus, who tallied 10 points and 13 rebounds on the night. Despite a surprisingly hot start to the season, the Hornets have come back down to Earth and are now just 7 - 8 in the month of December. The weak stretch was made even tougher to swallow by the loss of center Al Jefferson (knee), who will be out for approximately six weeks with a torn meniscus. Even in the face of a loss, point guard Kemba Walker had a typically strong showing, pouring in 18 points and also recording four steals on the night. Toronto's homestand will continue on Sunday as they take on the Bulls in an afternoon contest. Charlotte, meanwhile, will be forced to take on the powerhouse Thunder in the second half of a back - to - back on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"76ers": "28"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"76ers": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"Hawks": "47"}}, {"Points": {"Dwight Howard": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "7"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks bullied their way to the top of every team statistic against the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday. From efficiency on the floor to offensive and defensive boards, steals, blocks, assists and so on, the 76ers were simply unable to find ball movement in the second half or run their half court game plan. Interestingly, Dwight Howard, who was a monster on the boards in the Hawks opener, was held to just two points and seven rebounds in the win on Saturday, but the rest of the team pitched in for a total of 47 boards. Defensively, Atlanta held Philadelphia to 35 percent shooting from the field and 28 percent shooting from behind the arc. Atlanta also kept the 76ers under 20 points in the second, third and fourth quarter, respectively and were able to run away with the game after a double figure lead was opened up by Kyle Korver midway through the second quarter."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "3", "Lakers": "32"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "116", "Lakers": "98"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "37", "Lakers": "9"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "15", "Julius Randle": "14", "Klay Thompson": "14"}, "Points": {"Kobe Bryant": "8", "D'Angelo Russell": "14", "Julius Randle": "14", "Klay Thompson": "12", "Stephen Curry": "26"}, "Assists": {"Lou Williams": "3", "D'Angelo Russell": "3", "Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Lou Williams": "3"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Lou Williams": "20"}, "Turnovers": {"Lou Williams": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jordan Clarkson": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jordan Clarkson": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Julius Randle": "7", "Klay Thompson": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Julius Randle": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Julius Randle": "9", "Stephen Curry": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "8"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (37 - 3) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (9 - 32) 116 - 98 at Oracle Arena on Thursday. Oracle Arena was all in favor of the Kobe Bryant retirement tour, as the \u201cKo - be! \u201d chants started in the second half. The hobbled Bryant (Achilles) was subbed back into the game midway through the fourth quarter, which appeased the sold out arena. Bryant tacked on eight points on 15 shots, and was far from efficient in the effort, but the box score does not reflect the unfinished assists that No. 24 could have had if the rest of his teammates would have finished at the rim. The Lakers\u2019 youth is beginning to show signs of chemistry and potential, as they inch closer to a Kobe-less era in Los Angeles. Julius Randle has been in a funk recently (averaging 6 points, 9 rebounds and 2 assists on 28 percent shooting over his last five games), but recorded a strong performance against the Warriors and finished with 14 points and nine rebounds on 7 - of - 14 shooting in just under 30 minutes. Jordan Clarkson and Lou Williams both contributed 20 - plus point performances, while D\u2019Angelo Russell also fell victim to some unfinished assists, scoring 14 points, grabbing nine boards and adding three dimes off the bench. The Lakers will look to grab their 10th win of the season when they visit the Utah Jazz (17 - 22) on Saturday. Golden State returned home on a back - to - back after losing their third game of the season to the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday. The loss put the San Antonio Spurs within two games of the reigning champs, but they handled the Lakers easily at home, as the bench started throughout the fourth quarter. Stephen Curry added eight 3 - pointers for the 8th time this season, scoring 26 points in the contest alongside six rebounds and three assists in 29 minutes. Klay Thompson struggled to find his stroke from both the mid - range and behind the arc, as he scored 12 points on 4 - of - 14 shooting. The aforementioned bench comprised of Harrison Barnes (seeing increased minutes as he eases his way back), Shaun Livingston and Leandro Barbosa all finished in double figures. The Warriors 3 - point shooting was far below average in the first half, which caused a slim lead heading into the half, but a strong 12 - 2 run to finish the third quarter took the pressure off of Golden State, as the has played five games in the last seven days. The Warriors will visit Andre Drummond and the Detroit Pistons (21 - 18) on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "4", "Timberwolves": "6"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "91", "Timberwolves": "103"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Heat": "22", "Timberwolves": "41"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "6", "Timberwolves": "5"}}, {"Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Luol Deng": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2", "Hassan Whiteside": "2"}, "Points": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "14", "Zach LaVine": "17", "Shabazz Muhammad": "16", "Luol Deng": "20", "Chris Bosh": "10", "Hassan Whiteside": "22", "Dwyane Wade": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "14", "Zach LaVine": "4", "Luol Deng": "6", "Hassan Whiteside": "14"}, "Steals": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2", "Zach LaVine": "1"}, "Assists": {"Zach LaVine": "3", "Luol Deng": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Zach LaVine": "28", "Shabazz Muhammad": "20", "Hassan Whiteside": "34"}, "Personal fouls": {"Hassan Whiteside": "2"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (5 - 6) defeated the Miami Heat (6 - 4) 103 - 91 on Tuesday. A quick glance at Tuesday\u2019s box score for each team\u2019s starting five belies the end result of a Timberwolves victory. The Heat enjoyed double - digit scoring performances from each of their starters, including a double - double from Hassan Whiteside. Meanwhile, while only Andrew Wiggins and rookie sensation Karl Anthony-Towns were able to muster significant offense for Minnesota\u2019s first group, the Timbewolves managed to outscore Miami 41 - 22 in the final period to emerge with an impressive double - digit road victory. Wiggins\u2019 shot was falling Tuesday, and the second - year pro tallied 24 points, three rebounds, an assist, three steals, and a block to lead the Timberwolves\u2019 charge. After falling a rebound short of a double - double the last two games, Towns burst through that barrier with a 14 - point, 14 - rebound performance against Hassan Whiteside. Shabazz Muhammad contributed another productive outing from the bench with an efficient 16 points over 20 minutes, while Zach LaVine continued to impress regardless of playing time with 17 points, four rebounds, three assists, and a steal over 28 minutes. The Timberwolves currently reside in third place in the Western Conference\u2019s Northwest Division. They travel up to Orlando for a date with the Magic on Wednesday. Not to be outdone by Towns, Whiteside posted 22 points and 10 rebounds over 34 minutes. He joined in the \u201c20 and Over\u201d club by Luol Deng (20 points, six rebounds, an assist, and a block), whose scoring marked a season best. However, stalwarts Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade could only muster 10 points apiece against a Timberwolves defense that came into the contest near the bottom of the league in points allowed per game, significantly hindering Miami\u2019s chances for a win on their home court. The Heat fell to 6 - 4 and remain in second place in the Eastern Conference\u2019s Southeast Division. The remain home for a date versus Sacramento on Thursday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Wizards": "28", "Warriors": "52"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "53", "Warriors": "50"}, "Losses": {"Wizards": "24", "Warriors": "10"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "107", "Warriors": "114"}, "Turnovers": {"Wizards": "26", "Warriors": "9"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "33", "Warriors": "44"}}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "5", "Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "8", "John Wall": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Draymond Green": "4", "Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "9", "Paul Pierce": "4", "John Wall": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Draymond Green": "9", "Klay Thompson": "13", "Stephen Curry": "18", "Marreese Speights": "12", "Paul Pierce": "11", "Marcin Gortat": "11", "John Wall": "18", "Kevin Seraphin": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Draymond Green": "5", "Klay Thompson": "7", "Stephen Curry": "11", "Marreese Speights": "6", "Paul Pierce": "7", "Marcin Gortat": "8", "John Wall": "8", "Kevin Seraphin": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Draymond Green": "4", "Stephen Curry": "1"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "13", "Klay Thompson": "17", "Stephen Curry": "32", "Marreese Speights": "16", "Paul Pierce": "25", "Marcin Gortat": "16", "John Wall": "16", "Kevin Seraphin": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "6", "Marreese Speights": "2", "Paul Pierce": "5", "Marcin Gortat": "11", "John Wall": "3", "Kevin Seraphin": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "1", "Stephen Curry": "5", "Paul Pierce": "2", "John Wall": "0"}, "Steals": {"Klay Thompson": "5", "Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "5", "Marreese Speights": "6", "John Wall": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Stephen Curry": "5", "Marreese Speights": "4", "John Wall": "0"}, "Minutes played": {"Marreese Speights": "15", "Kevin Seraphin": "18"}, "Turnovers": {"Marreese Speights": "2", "John Wall": "8"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Paul Pierce": "5", "Marcin Gortat": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Marcin Gortat": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"John Wall": "2"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (44 - 10) defeated the Washington Wizards (33 - 24) 114 - 107 on Tuesday at the Verizon Center in Washington. The Wizards could n't get it done against one of the best of the Western Conference, marking their fourth loss in as many games. They actually shot better from the field, going 53 percent from the field, compared to 50 percent from the Warriors, but they were killed from the three - point line, as the Warriors finished at 52 percent, while the Wizards went a meager 28 percent. What really made the difference though was the turnovers, as the Wizards were forced into 26, while the Warriors ended with just nine. After missing the last game with a foot injury, Stephen Curry made a welcomed return, finishing with a game - high of 32 points (11 - 18 FG, 5 - 9 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT), to go along with eight assists and two steals. It seems safe to say the injury did n't bother him much in this one. Despite missing a game, he's had a very strong stretch over his last three, averaging 27 points, nine assists and three steals. Fellow backcourt superstar, Klay Thompson also did his part. He went 7 - for - 13 from the field and 1 - for - 2 from the three - point line to finish with 17 points, while also adding four assists and five steals. He was coming off a 39 - point performance on Sunday, but did n't have to do as much this time around with Curry back on the court. Thompson is now averaging 22 points and 3 assists on the season. The Warriors received a nice contribution from their bench. In just 15 minutes, Marreese Speights was very effective, scoring 16 points (6 - 12 FG, 4 - 6 FT) and grabbing two rebounds. After two straight games playing less than 10 minutes, he made a statement with the extra playing time he received. Draymond Green pitched in with 13 points (5 - 9 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt), six rebounds and five assists as well. Paul Pierce did everything he could to shoot the Wizards out of their slump. He went 7 - for - 11 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 25 points, while grabbing five rebounds as well. He had shot 40 percent or less in four out of his last five games, so it was good to see him get dialed back in and have a nice showing. John Wall also played well, recording 16 points (8 - 18 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt, 0 - 1 FT) and 11 assists. He did have eight turnovers though, so it was n't all good for the point guard. The double - double marked his second in a row, as he's combined for 26 points and 23 assists over his last two matchups. Notching a double - double of his own, Marcin Gortat had a very efficient 16 points (8 - 11 FG), to go along with 11 rebounds and a block. After posting 24 points and 10 rebounds Sunday, he's clearly on a roll and has picked his game up of late. Kevin Seraphin had the most production off the bench, as he posted 10 points (5 - 9 FG) and three rebounds in 18 minutes. It was only the second time in the last 10 games that he reached double - digit points, so the Wizards need him to continue improving to gain some more depth off the bench. The Warriors' next game will be on the road against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, while the Wizards will travel to Minnesota to play the Timberwolves on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "46"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "52", "Nets": "46"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "18", "Nets": "26"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "121", "Nets": "109"}, "Turnovers": {"Pacers": "6", "Nets": "13"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "19", "Nets": "8"}}, {"Points": {"Trevor Booker": "16", "Brook Lopez": "12", "Sean Kilpatrick": "13", "Justin Hamilton": "16", "Paul George": "26", "Myles Turner": "25", "Jeff Teague": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Booker": "6", "Brook Lopez": "6", "Sean Kilpatrick": "8", "Justin Hamilton": "8", "Paul George": "1", "Myles Turner": "15", "Jeff Teague": "7"}, "Assists": {"Brook Lopez": "3", "Sean Kilpatrick": "5", "Paul George": "3", "Jeff Teague": "15"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Paul George": "1"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "3", "Myles Turner": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Myles Turner": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Myles Turner": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Myles Turner": "9"}, "Personal fouls": {"Myles Turner": "1"}}], "The Indiana Pacers defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 121 - 109, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Thursday. Indiana came into this game as a sizable favorite and they did n't disappoint. The Nets had just two leads in this game that lasted less than a minute and the final one at the end of the second quarter was followed up by a 33 - 11 run by the Pacers to open things up. The Pacers offense was hot all night, as they shot 52 percent from the field and 46 percent from three - point range. They were extremely efficient as well, with the Nets forcing just six turnovers, while committing 13 on their end. Indiana dominated in the paint too, winning that battle, 52 - 30. The Nets (8 - 26) continue to falter on the defensive end, as this 121 - point let up adds to their long list of defensive lapses. Trevor Booker continued his good form, as he led the starters with 16 points and six rebounds in just 19 minutes of action. Brook Lopez was the only other starter with more than 10 points, accruing 12 points, six rebounds and three assists. Sean Kilpatrick was demoted to the bench, but collected 13 points, eight rebounds and five assists in a motivated performance. Justin Hamilton also played great off the bench, amassing 16 points and eight rebounds. Thing's do n't get any easier for Brooklyn, as they play the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday for their next game. The Pacers (19 - 18) have now added to a season - long four - game winning streak, as they finally appear to be living up to lofty expectations. Jeff Teague was the player of the game, as he accumulated 21 points, seven rebounds and 15 assists in the win. Paul George led the team in scoring, with 26 points, three assists and three steals. Myles Turner totaled 25 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks on 9 - of - 15 shooting in one of his best games of the year. Indiana will look to get to five - straight wins on Saturday against the New York Knicks."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "30", "Bulls": "29"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "103", "Bulls": "116"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "42", "Bulls": "44"}}, {"Assists": {"Joakim Noah": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Joakim Noah": "28", "Nikola Mirotic": "28", "Greivis Vasquez": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Joakim Noah": "5", "Jimmy Butler": "5", "Jonas Valanciunas": "12"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "23", "Nikola Mirotic": "15", "Jonas Valanciunas": "8", "Greivis Vasquez": "22"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (44 - 29) defeated the Toronto Raptors (42 - 30) 116 - 103 on Wednesday. Jimmy Butler continued his breakout season, leading the Bulls to victory with 23 points and five rebounds. Chicago also got another stellar performance from rookie Nikola Mirotic, who scored 15 points off the bench. He is having a spectacular month of March, averaging 21 points, 8 rebounds and 1 blocks a game this month. Joakim Noah returned to the Bulls after missing Mondays' game with soreness, he had five rebounds and five assists in 28 minutes of action. Greivis Vasquez got the start at point guard for Toronto, as Kyle Lowry was forced to miss Wednesday night's game with back spasms. Vasquez scored 22 points in 31 minutes but could n't take his team to the winner's circle. Jonas Valunciunas was slowed down against Chicago's solid interior defense. He scored just eight points but managed to pull down 12 rebounds. Toronto has had a rough go in March, going just 5 - 8. The Raptors have dropped three of four games, including two against Chicago, but will continue their quest to be the fourth team to lock up a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference when they face the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. The Bulls will host the New York Knicks on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "5", "Pelicans": "11"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "110", "Pelicans": "103"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "7", "Pelicans": "1"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Ryan Anderson": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ryan Anderson": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ryan Anderson": "25", "Russell Westbrook": "25", "Enes Kanter": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Ryan Anderson": "13", "Russell Westbrook": "14", "Enes Kanter": "8"}, "Points": {"Ryan Anderson": "30", "Russell Westbrook": "43", "Enes Kanter": "24"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "20", "Enes Kanter": "12"}, "Free throws made": {"Russell Westbrook": "15", "Enes Kanter": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Russell Westbrook": "36", "Enes Kanter": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "9", "Enes Kanter": "14"}}], "The Thunder (7 - 5) were able stave off the Pelicans (1 - 11) for a 110 - 103 win Wednesday at Chesapeake Energy Arena. With commissioner Joel Silver in attendance, and Anthony Davis and Kevin Durant sidelined, Russell Westbrook put on a show with a 43 - point performance. Westbrook has scored at least 40 points in his past two games, going 14 - for - 25 from the field and 15 - of - 20 from the charity stripe while collecting eight assists and nine rebounds over 36 minutes. The Pelicans hung in the game without their all - star power forward behind Ryan Anderson's season - high 30 points (13 - 25 FG, 4 - 10 3Pt), but would ultimately drop their fifth straight game. After leaving Tuesday's loss due to a shoulder injury, Davis missed Wednesday's game and has struggled to get on the court lately. Without Davis's presence on defense, the Pelicans have allowed at least 100 points in all four games he's missed this season. Anderson stepped up big again with Davis out, but did n't get much help from guards Ish Smith and Eric Gordon, who combined to shoot 14 - for - 40 from the field. New Orleans remains winless on the road this season, but will travel home to play a tough Spurs squad with Davis's status up in the air. Durant, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury, missed his fourth game in a row Wednesday. He's surely been missed out on the court, as the Thunder are 2 - 2 without Durant, losing back - to - back games to the Celtics and Grizzlies before tonight's win. Other than Westbrook, Oklahoma City's biggest contributor was Enes Kanter off the bench. Kanter had his way down low against the Pelicans, scoring 24 points (8 - 15 FG, 8 - 12 FT) while pulling down a game - high 14 rebounds over 31 minutes. It's only a matter of time before coach Billy Donovan is forced to insert Kanter into the starting lineup."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "9"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "123", "Clippers": "113"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Warriors": "50"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "48"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "13", "Draymond Green": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Blake Griffin": "3"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "12", "DeAndre Jordan": "17", "Kevin Durant": "25", "Draymond Green": "7", "Klay Thompson": "18", "Stephen Curry": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "11", "Kevin Durant": "15"}, "Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "7", "Draymond Green": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Draymond Green": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Klay Thompson": "2"}}], "The host Golden State Warriors took down the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday, 123 - 113. Golden State (48 - 9) scored 50 points in the third quarter after entering the second half down by double - digits. Reigning MVP Steph Curry was the spark behind the scoring surge, as he finished the game with a team - high 35 points and six three - pointers. His fellow \"Splash Brother,\" Klay Thompson, scored another 18 points and made two threes. Former MVP Kevin Durant led the team with 15 rebounds and had another 25 points and seven assists. While three of the Warriors' four All-Stars saw solid output, forward Draymond Green had a weak night. Green was called for a technical foul and committed six turnovers while scoring only seven points. Nevertheless, it was another great night for the powerhouse Warriors, who have now won 10 of their last 12 games. Los Angeles (35 - 22) stayed in the game for about two and a half quarters before allowing the game to get out of hand. The Clippers saw a rare bit of offensive dominance in the first half from center DeAndre Jordan, who had 13 points in the first half. Jordan slowed down considerably, however, finishing the night with 17 points and 11 rebounds. All-Star Blake Griffin also went cold, finishing the night with just 12 points on 3 - of - 13 shooting. LA will host the Spurs on Friday, while the Warriors will face the Nets on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "5", "Trail Blazers": "7"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "106", "Trail Blazers": "94"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "5", "Trail Blazers": "4"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "39"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ McCollum": "5"}, "Points": {"CJ McCollum": "16", "Damian Lillard": "23", "Al Jefferson": "29", "Nicolas Batum": "33"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "5", "Al Jefferson": "3", "Nicolas Batum": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Damian Lillard": "8", "Al Jefferson": "5", "Nicolas Batum": "5"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (5 - 5) took care of the Portland Trail Blazers (4 - 7) 106 - 94 on Sunday. In a game that was seemingly over at halftime, the Trail Blazers gave the Hornets a late scare. Charlotte outscored Portland by 14 points in the final two quarters and even got the deficit down to six points with three minutes left before the Hornets pulled away late. The difference in this matchup was as simple as shooting, as the Blazers shot just 39 percent, while the Hornets shot just shy of 50 percent. The three - point shooting was bad all - around though, as the teams combined to shoot 14 - for - 52 from long distance. These are teams going in opposite directions right now and this result exemplifies that fact. After a promising start to the season, the Blazers have now lost five - straight games. The losses can be attributed to the poor defense, as Portland have allowed at least 100 points in all five losses. They simply have to rely far too much on their guards to carry the offense and while they can score with anyone, they need some help. Damian Lillard had another good game here, as he tallied 23 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the defeat. C.J. McCollum struggled a bit with his shot, but still totaled 16 points on 5 - of - 18 shooing in the loss. This is a fun and exciting team to watch with their guard - play, but it's not a recipe for victories with minimal quality post play. Portland will have a quick turnaround as they play the San Antonio Spurs on Monday in the second half of a back - to - back. The Hornets started off the season 0 - 3, but appear to be a far better team than that by winning five of their last seven since. The recent success correlates with Nicolas Batum's recent scoring surge, as he is averaging nearly 30 points a game over his last three games. On Sunday, he tallied 33 points, six assists and five rebounds in the win in another fantastic performance. Charlotte also got a great performance from Al Jefferson, who contributed 29 points, five rebounds and three assists in the victory. This is a very talented team and the more they play together, the better they'll be. The Hornets next matchup will be on Tuesday against the New York Knicks."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Rockets": "28", "Nets": "24"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "46", "Nets": "45"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "18", "Nets": "33"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "102", "Nets": "98"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Rockets": "25", "Nets": "36"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "40", "Nets": "23"}, "Number of team assists": {"Nets": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"Joe Johnson": "6", "Trevor Ariza": "2", "James Harden": "12"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "2", "Markel Brown": "5", "Deron Williams": "3", "Trevor Ariza": "9", "James Harden": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Joe Johnson": "0", "Markel Brown": "2", "Deron Williams": "0", "Trevor Ariza": "5", "James Harden": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "13", "Mason Plumlee": "10", "Markel Brown": "12", "Deron Williams": "15", "Brook Lopez": "12", "Trevor Ariza": "11", "Terrence Jones": "16", "James Harden": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Joe Johnson": "5", "Mason Plumlee": "7", "Markel Brown": "5", "Deron Williams": "6", "Brook Lopez": "4", "Trevor Ariza": "7", "Terrence Jones": "11", "James Harden": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "4", "Markel Brown": "2", "Deron Williams": "3", "Brook Lopez": "4", "Trevor Ariza": "1", "Terrence Jones": "4", "James Harden": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Joe Johnson": "3", "Markel Brown": "2", "Deron Williams": "3", "Brook Lopez": "4", "Trevor Ariza": "1", "Terrence Jones": "4", "James Harden": "7"}, "Points": {"Joe Johnson": "13", "Mason Plumlee": "15", "Markel Brown": "14", "Deron Williams": "15", "Brook Lopez": "12", "Trevor Ariza": "20", "Terrence Jones": "26", "James Harden": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Joe Johnson": "9", "Mason Plumlee": "4", "Markel Brown": "4", "Brook Lopez": "12", "Trevor Ariza": "5", "Terrence Jones": "12", "James Harden": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Mason Plumlee": "2", "Terrence Jones": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Mason Plumlee": "22", "Brook Lopez": "22"}, "Personal fouls": {"Deron Williams": "2", "Brook Lopez": "4", "Trevor Ariza": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Brook Lopez": "4"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Ariza": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Trevor Ariza": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Terrence Jones": "3"}}], "The Houston Rockets (40 - 18) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (23 - 33) 102 - 98 on Friday at the Toyota Center in Houston. The Nets came out strong in this one, out - scoring the Rockets 36 - 25 right away in the first quarter. They were n't able to hold the lead though as the Rockets pulled within three points at half and eventually snuck out the four - point win in front of their home crowd. Both teams shot similar percentages, as the Rockets went 46 percent from the field and 28 percent from the three - point line, while the Nets went 45 percent from the floor and 24 percent from deep. The Nets turned the ball over 17 times though, which may have made the difference in this one. Terrence Jones was unstoppable Friday, going 11 - for - 16 from the field and 4 - for - 4 from the free throw line to finish with a game - high of 26 points, while also adding 12 rebounds and a blocked shot. In the five games following the All-Star break, he's looked very well rested and has averaged 14 points and 10 rebounds over that span. It marked his second double - double over his last three games. Trevor Ariza also had a very strong showing, posting 20 points (7 - 11 FG, 5 - 9 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT), five rebounds and two steals. It was his second straight game with 17 points, as he's gone a combined 12 - for - 21 from the field and 10 - for - 19 from the three - point line over those two outings. He's now averaging 13 points and 5 rebounds on the season. With Jones and Ariza providing so much offense, James Harden did n't have to do as much. He still posted 15 points (4 - 15 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt, 7 - 7 FT) though, while also adding five rebounds and 12 assists. His scoring was down, but it marked his third straight double - double, as he's been finding his teams at a very high rate of late. Despite suffering the loss, the Nets had six players reach double figures in points. Mason Plumlee led the way, going 7 - for - 10 from the field for 15 points, to go along with four rebounds and two blocked shots in 22 minutes. He continues to fight for playing time with Brook Lopez at the center position, who equaled his playing time with 22 minutes off the bench. Lopez has been more effective recently and continued to show well Friday, finishing with 12 points (4 - 12 FG, 4 - 4 FT) and 12 rebounds. Over his last four games he's averaged 17 points and 11 rebounds. Recording 15 points (6 - 15 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT) of his own, Deron Williams got it going as a member of the starting lineup again. He has n't shot well recently, combining to go 9 - of - 28 from the field over his last two games, so we'll see if he can make some adjustments and improve over his next few outings. Both Markel Brown and Joe Johnson also reached double figures in points. Brown contributed 14 points (5 - 12 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and four rebounds, while Johnson had 13 points (5 - 13 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), nine rebounds and six assists as well. The Rockets' next game will be at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, while the Nets will travel to Dallas to play the Mavericks on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"76ers": "50", "Raptors": "47"}, "Losses": {"76ers": "19", "Raptors": "7"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "114", "Raptors": "123"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "6", "Raptors": "18"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Raptors": "31"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMarre Carroll": "1", "Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "7", "Robert Covington": "2", "Joel Embiid": "5", "Jahlil Okafor": "3", "Gerald Henderson": "2", "Sergio Rodriguez": "5", "Ersan Ilyasova": "1"}, "Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "10", "Jonas Valanciunas": "17", "DeMar DeRozan": "31", "Kyle Lowry": "20", "Cory Joseph": "13", "Terrence Ross": "13", "Robert Covington": "26", "Joel Embiid": "9", "Jahlil Okafor": "17", "Gerald Henderson": "16", "Sergio Rodriguez": "16", "Ersan Ilyasova": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarre Carroll": "3", "Jonas Valanciunas": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "4", "Robert Covington": "12", "Joel Embiid": "6", "Jahlil Okafor": "4", "Sergio Rodriguez": "1", "Ersan Ilyasova": "7"}, "Steals": {"DeMarre Carroll": "1", "Jonas Valanciunas": "2", "Cory Joseph": "1", "Terrence Ross": "1", "Joel Embiid": "1", "Gerald Henderson": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "Joel Embiid": "2", "Jahlil Okafor": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kyle Lowry": "1"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the Philadelphia 76ers, 123 - 114, at Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday. The Raptors (18 - 7) came in to Wednesday hoping to extend their recent stellar run in rather comfortable fashion against what would have seemed like an overmatched Sixers squad. However, Philadelphia (6 - 19) came ready to defend their home court, and rolled out Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor together as starters for the first time this season. While both big men played relatively well, it was Robert Covington who exploded for a season - high 26 points, which he complemented with 12 rebounds and two assists. However, the dynamic duo of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan put on their usual impressive show for the Raptors, helping them overcome one of the Sixers' stronger offensive performances to date on the season. Philadelphia actually outpaced their visitors from the field by a 50 percent to 47 percent margin, and saw four of the five members of their first unit hit double digits in the scoring column. DeRozan led the way for Toronto with 31 points, five boards and three assists. Lowry was next with 20 points, seven assists and four rebounds. Jonas Valanciunas contributed a 17 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also featured an assist, two steals and a block. DeMarre Carroll supplied 10 points, three boards, an assist and a steal, while Terrence Ross and Cory Joseph tallied a pair of 13 - point efforts to lead the bench. Okafor was second behind Covington with 17 points, four rebounds, three assists and a pair of blocks. Sergio Rodriguez and Gerald Henderson put forth a pair of 16 - point efforts, with the former adding five assists and a rebound and the latter also posting two assists and a steal. Embiid had a quiet night by his standards, registering nine points, six rebounds, five assists, two blocks and a steal. Ersan Ilyasova, who moved back to the bench with Okafor's insertion into the starting lineup at power forward, went for 12 points, seven rebounds and an assist to lead the bench. The Raptors head back home to face off with the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night, while the Sixers remain home to face the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday evening as well."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "47"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "62", "Lakers": "43"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Warriors": "26"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Warriors": "43"}}, {"Personal fouls": {"Kevin Durant": "3"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "28", "Klay Thompson": "26", "Stephen Curry": "31"}}], "On Wednesday, the Golden State Warriors recorded perhaps the most dominant offensive performance in recent memory. The Warriors shot 62 percent, blowing away the 43 percent shooting of the Lakers. Golden State hit 19 three - pointers and scored an absurd 80 points in the first half. 85 of the Warriors' points came from three players: 28 for Kevin Durant, 31 for Steph Curry, and 26 for Klay Thompson. The team finished with 149 points, the eighth - most ever scored in a game without overtime. The Warriors also recorded 47 assists on the night, the most since Phoenix in 1991. The game marked the extension of Golden State's 30 - assist game streak to nine games. The 43 - point win was the biggest margin of victory the Warriors have ever seen against the Lakers, arguably the team's greatest historic rival."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "33", "Lakers": "44"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "100", "Lakers": "94"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "27", "Lakers": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Jordan Clarkson": "5", "Goran Dragic": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jordan Clarkson": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "3"}, "Points": {"Jordan Clarkson": "10", "Hassan Whiteside": "18", "Goran Dragic": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Jordan Clarkson": "7", "Hassan Whiteside": "25", "Goran Dragic": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Hassan Whiteside": "33"}, "Steals": {"Goran Dragic": "3"}}], "The Miami Heat (27 - 33) beat the Los Angeles Lakers (16 - 44) 100 - 94 on Wednesday. Hassan Whiteside continued his break out season with a phenomenal 25 - rebound performance. He also had 18 points and four blocks in 33 minutes of action. Goran Dragic helped his big man out by putting up 21 points, four rebounds, six assists, three steals and one block in a well rounded game for the new Miami point guard. Veterans Luol Deng and Dwyane Wade combined for 40 points, and 11 boards to help give the Heat a victory as they try and fight to secure a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The starting frontcourt for the Lakers ended Wednesday's game with the same amount as their starting point guard Jordan Clarkson. He had seven rebounds which tied the likes of Carlos Boozer, Ryan Kelly and Robert Sacre. Clarkson also had 10 points and five assists but also shot just 3 - for - 11 and committed seven turnovers. Ed Davis and Jordan Hill came off the bench and each had a double - double. They combined for 27 points and 22 rebounds to try and overcome the lack of rebounding from the starters, outside of Clarkson. The Lakers have dropped three in a row after they won three straight to end the month of February. The Memphis Grizzlies will host the Lakers on Friday, as the Heat will head to Washington to take on the Wizards."], [[{}, {"Blocks": {"Joel Embiid": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}, "Points": {"Joel Embiid": "22", "Sergio Rodriguez": "10", "Dario Saric": "17", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "23", "Jabari Parker": "23"}, "Steals": {"Joel Embiid": "2", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Jabari Parker": "2"}, "Assists": {"Sergio Rodriguez": "6", "Dario Saric": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Dario Saric": "9", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6", "Jabari Parker": "5"}}], "In a battle between two up - and - coming teams, the Sixers were able to prevail with a huge road win. A 16 - 3 run in the fourth quarter was the decisive stretch, as that made it a double - digit lead for Philadelphia with a few minutes left. Rebounding was huge for the Sixers, winning that battle, 51 - 38. Free-throw shooting really let the Bucks down, as they missed just as many free - throws as Philly, while taking 14 more attempts. Joel Embiid was the star, accruing 22 points, 12 rebounds, two steals and five blocks in the win. Sergio Rodriguez started at point guard and accumulated 10 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Dario Saric was a huge spark off the bench, totaling 17 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker tied the team - lead for Milwaukee, dropping 23 points a piece. Parker also added five rebounds, while Antetokounmpo provided six rebounds, two steals and three blocks."], [[{"Total points": {"Clippers": "102", "Suns": "96"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "2"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Suns": "16"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "2"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"Markieff Morris": "5", "Austin Rivers": "1"}, "Points": {"Markieff Morris": "19", "Tyson Chandler": "14", "Brandon Knight": "12", "Eric Bledsoe": "16", "Blake Griffin": "22", "Josh Smith": "7", "Wesley Johnson": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "8", "Tyson Chandler": "17", "Eric Bledsoe": "4", "Blake Griffin": "10", "Wesley Johnson": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tyson Chandler": "10", "Blake Griffin": "15", "Wesley Johnson": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Tyson Chandler": "7", "Blake Griffin": "8", "Wesley Johnson": "4"}, "Assists": {"Brandon Knight": "8", "Eric Bledsoe": "7", "Josh Smith": "3", "Austin Rivers": "1"}, "Steals": {"Brandon Knight": "2", "Eric Bledsoe": "2", "Austin Rivers": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Josh Smith": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Austin Rivers": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Austin Rivers": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Austin Rivers": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Wesley Johnson": "14"}}], "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."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "15", "Pistons": "23"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "111", "Pistons": "107"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "32", "Pistons": "25"}}, {"Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "2", "Bismack Biyombo": "3"}, "Points": {"Andre Drummond": "11", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "15", "Brandon Jennings": "22", "DeMar DeRozan": "29", "Kyle Lowry": "18", "Bismack Biyombo": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "12", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "4", "Brandon Jennings": "4", "DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "8", "Bismack Biyombo": "13"}, "Minutes played": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "34", "Bismack Biyombo": "21"}, "Steals": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2", "Brandon Jennings": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Brandon Jennings": "11", "Kyle Lowry": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Brandon Jennings": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Brandon Jennings": "14", "DeMar DeRozan": "21", "Kyle Lowry": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Brandon Jennings": "7", "DeMar DeRozan": "10", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Brandon Jennings": "5", "DeMar DeRozan": "10", "Kyle Lowry": "12"}, "Free throws made": {"Brandon Jennings": "3", "DeMar DeRozan": "9", "Kyle Lowry": "9"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "4"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (32 - 15) defeated the visiting Detroit Pistons (25 - 23) 111 - 107, on Saturday at Air Canada Center. This was the first match up of the season between these two teams. The streaking Raptors led the entire game and were up by 20 points with only six minutes left in the fourth quarter but the Pistons battled back to bring it to a four - point difference with five seconds left. However, a couple of clutch free throws by DeMar DeRozan allowed the Raptors to enjoy a franchise - best 11th straight win. This was the last of a seven - game home stand for the Raptors. They are now 18 - 6 at home this season. Detroit had the unfortunate task of playing this game on the second night of a back to back, after a tough loss in Cleveland Friday night. Detroit has now lost two in a row. DeMar DeRozan continued his high level of play as he finished with a game - high 29 points (10 - 21 FG, 9 - 10 FT), along with four assists, three rebounds and two steals, in 33 minutes. Kyle Lowry struggled shooting but added 18 points (4 - 15 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 9 - 12 FT), eight rebounds and three steals, in 39 minutes. Bismack Biyombo was huge in 21 minutes off the bench, as he tallied a double - double with 12 points and 13 rebounds, along with three blocked shots. Detroit had seven players score in double digits as all hands were on deck, trying to grind out this second game in as many nights. Brandon Jennings gave the Pistons a lift off the bench and was a big part of their late - game comeback. Jennings finished with 22 points (7 - 14 FG, 5 - 11 3Pt, 3 - 5 FT), four rebounds and two steals, in 21 minutes. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope chipped in 15 points, four rebounds, two steals and a block, in 34 minutes, while Andre Drummond tallied 11 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks, in 27 minutes. Anthony Tolliver started in place of Ersan Ilyasova, who sat out with a sore thigh. The Pistons will be in Brooklyn on Monday to play the second game of their current three - game road trip. The Raptors will begin a six - game road trip in Denver on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "49", "Kings": "49"}, "Losses": {"Spurs": "16", "Kings": "43"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "118", "Kings": "102"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "53", "Kings": "27"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Kings": "27"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "11"}}, {"Points": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "18", "Buddy Hield": "18", "Kawhi Leonard": "12", "Pau Gasol": "22"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "9"}}], "The host San Antonio Spurs took down the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, 118 - 102. San Antonio (53 - 16) snapped a rare two - game losing streak with a massive blowout win on Sunday. A full team effort was at the heart of the Spurs' blowout success on Sunday. Seven San Antonio players scored in double figures, with veteran big man Pau Gasol leading the way at 22 points. He added nine rebounds. As a unit, the Spurs shot over 49 percent from the field and hit 11 three - pointers. The team also managed 31 assists on the night and held a 45 - 40 rebounding advantage. The Kings (27 - 43) have now gone 2 - 9 in their last 11 games. Sacramento saw a team - high 18 points from both sophomore Willie Cauley-Stein and rookie Buddy Hield. Both added five assists. The Kings shot over 49 percent from the field, but attempted only ten three - pointers on the night. Personal fouls were another issue for Sacramento, as the team allowed San Antonio to get to the line 27 times on the night. On the flip side, the Kings were only sent to the line 17. The team did a good job shutting down San Antonio superstar Kawhi Leonard, though, holding him to just 3 - of - 12 shooting and 12 points on the night. On Tuesday, the Spurs will visit Minnesota, while the Kings will host the Bucks on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "10", "Raptors": "11"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "109", "Raptors": "99"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "15", "Raptors": "16"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Terrence Ross": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "3", "PJ Hairston": "4", "Jeremy Lin": "2"}, "Points": {"Terrence Ross": "17", "Bismack Biyombo": "8", "Kyle Lowry": "20", "PJ Hairston": "14", "Marvin Williams": "10", "Jeremy Lin": "35", "Kemba Walker": "27", "Spencer Hawes": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Bismack Biyombo": "18", "Marvin Williams": "10", "Kemba Walker": "6", "Spencer Hawes": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "17"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "29", "Jeremy Lin": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyle Lowry": "6", "Jeremy Lin": "13"}, "Blocks": {"Jeremy Lin": "2", "Kemba Walker": "2", "Spencer Hawes": "1"}, "Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "7", "Spencer Hawes": "4"}, "Steals": {"Kemba Walker": "1", "Spencer Hawes": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Spencer Hawes": "23"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (15 - 10) defeated the Toronto Raptors (16 - 11) 109 - 99 in overtime on Thursday. The Hornets' prized offseason acquisition, Nicolas Batum, left Wednesday night's contest versus the Magic with an illness. That same malady extended into Thursday, opening up the starting opportunity for Jeremy Lin. The six - year pro had his best scoring game in over two years, tallying a game - high 35 points on outstanding 13 of 22 shooting from the field. The total included a pair of three - pointers, and was amassed over a robust 47 minutes. Lin's previous scoring high on the season was 19 points, but the 27 - year - old showed that he is still highly capable of a breakout performance when given extended opportunity. The player who had considerable trouble defending Lin, DeMar DeRozan, nevertheless had a stellar offensive showing of his own. The Raptors' shooting guard collected a team - high 31 points and added five assists, four rebounds, a steal and a block. The outing was DeRozan's fifth consecutive game with 20 or more points. His trusty backcourt mate Kyle Lowry pitched in with 20 points, but needed an astounding amount of shot attempts to get there. Lowry was an atrocious 6 of 29 from the field, including 3 for 17 from beyond the arc. Bismack Biyombo and Terrence Ross both provided solid contributions, with the former accumulating a season - high 18 rebounds (along with eight points), and the latter pouring in 17 points on the strength of a season - high five three - pointers. The Raptors fell to 16 - 11 but remain in first place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head to Miami to take on the Heat on Friday. Kemba Walker was the second member of the Hornets' backcourt to spearhead Charlotte's offensive attack, supporting Lin's effort with 27 points of his own. He added seven assists, six rebounds, a pair of blocks and a steal. Marvin Williams contributed a 10 - point, 10 - rebound double - double, while P.J. Hairston pitched in with a second straight 14 - point performance that included a season - high four three - pointers. One of those long - range buckets came with 1:30 left in the overtime period and gave the home team a lead they would not relinquish. Spencer Hawes was highly productive off the bench, collecting a modest five points but hauling in an impressive 10 boards. He added four assists, three steals and a block in a highly efficient 23 minutes of action. The Hornets improved to 15 - 10 and currently reside in second place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They head to Washington for a Saturday night showdown with the Wizards."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "38", "Timberwolves": "39"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "5", "Timberwolves": "8"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "93", "Timberwolves": "71"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "8", "Timberwolves": "4"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "11", "Zach LaVine": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Zach LaVine": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Zach LaVine": "37", "JaMychal Green": "28", "Zach Randolph": "21"}, "Points": {"Zach LaVine": "22", "JaMychal Green": "19", "Zach Randolph": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"JaMychal Green": "8", "Zach Randolph": "7"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves, 93 - 71, on Saturday night at FedEx Forum. This marks the fourth win in a row for the Grizzlies (8 - 5), who are making a habit of shutting down opponents with silencing defense. After holding the Mavericks to only 64 points on Friday, the Grizz came out on the second night of a back - to - back set and held the young and spry Timberwolves to only 71 points. Memphis held Minnesota to 39 percent shooting, but also struggled themselves, hitting only 38 percent of their shots. However, the Grizzlies hit 33 - of - 38 free throws, hauled in 13 offensive boards and forced 19 turnovers to gain the edge on a poor shooting night and improve to 5 - 2 at home. Five players scored in double figures for Memphis, including JaMychal Green who led the way with 19 points and eight rebounds, in 28 minutes. Zach Randolph followed up with 18 points and seven rebounds, in 21 minutes off the bench. The Grizzlies head out for a two - game road trip, beginning in Charlotte on Monday. The Timberwolves (4 - 8) came into this game averaging 108 points per game on the season but were stopped in their tracks by a stubborn, veteran Memphis squad. The Grizzlies managed to get Karl-Anthony Towns in foul trouble as he picked up his fourth early in the third and was forced to sit most of the quarter. In addition to Towns being limited by fouls, Andrew Wiggins simply struggled from the field, shooting 2 - of - 11 and 0 - of - 3 from long range. Zach LaVine was the high - point man for the'Wolves with 22 points on 9 - of - 16 shooting, in 37 minutes. Minnesota moves to 1 - 5 on the road this season and should be looking forward to getting back on home court, as they host the Celtics on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "39", "Cavaliers": "20"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "90", "Cavaliers": "106"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "8", "Cavaliers": "29"}}, {"Points": {"LeBron James": "36", "Kevin Love": "14", "Andrew Wiggins": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Love": "17"}, "Free throws made": {"Chase Budinger": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (29 - 20) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (8 - 39) 106 - 90 on Saturday at the Target Center in Minneapolis. Cleveland got another huge game from LeBron James on Saturday as he dropped 36 points on Minnesota. The Cavaliers have now won 10 games in a row and are closing in on the Bulls in the East. Andrew Wiggins, the key piece in the Kevin Love trade over the summer, led the Timberwolves with 33 points. The Cavaliers won its second game in as many nights on Saturday and are now just one game behind the Bulls for the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. Kevin Love had 14 points and 17 rebounds against his former club. Cleveland will return home Monday to host Philadelphia, who nearly snapped Atlanta's winning streak on Saturday. Minnesota dropped its second game in a row Saturday, but held its own against one of the hottest teams in the league. Chase Budinger hit a pair of free throws to give the Timberwolves a two - point lead early in the fourth, but Minnesota was unable to maintain the advantage. Kevin Marin returned to the starting lineup and recorded 14 points and six rebounds over 37 minutes. Minnesota will host Dallas on Monday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Tim Duncan": "3", "Gerald Henderson": "2", "Kemba Walker": "3", "Lance Stephenson": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Tim Duncan": "3", "Matt Bonner": "4", "Bismack Biyombo": "5"}, "Points": {"Tim Duncan": "14", "Matt Bonner": "8", "Manu Ginobili": "27", "Bismack Biyombo": "12", "Gerald Henderson": "11", "Kemba Walker": "28", "Lance Stephenson": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Tim Duncan": "10", "Matt Bonner": "8", "Tiago Splitter": "4", "Bismack Biyombo": "15", "Lance Stephenson": "1"}, "Steals": {"Tim Duncan": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Matt Bonner": "5", "Tiago Splitter": "4", "Lance Stephenson": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Matt Bonner": "29", "Kemba Walker": "35", "Lance Stephenson": "18"}, "Personal fouls": {"Matt Bonner": "4", "Tiago Splitter": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Tiago Splitter": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tiago Splitter": "4", "Lance Stephenson": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Gerald Henderson": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Lance Stephenson": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Lance Stephenson": "2"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (23 - 16) held off the Charlotte Hornets (15 - 24), 97 - 94, on Wednesday. One game removed from Tuesday's 101 - 93 road defeat to the Washington Wizards, the Spurs returned to the win column on the backs of its core. Manu Ginobili emerged from his January slumber, recording 20 - plus points (27, to be exact) for the first time since Dec. 31. Tim Duncan also aided in the effort with a jammed - packed line - - 14 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, three blocks, and two steals - - which marked his second double - double in a row. After handing Tiago Splitter 29 minutes Tuesday, coach Gregg Popovich exchanged the Brazilian for Matt Bonner in the starting five, and Bonner responded with eight points, eight boards, and four swats. San Antonio will now return home for their next tilt in a pivotal showdown against a Western Conference foe, the Portland Trail Blazers. Charlotte's five - game winning streak came to a close during Lance Stephenson's first appearance since Dec. 17 due to a pelvic strain. Confined to a strict workload, he put up eight points (3 - 8 FG, 2 - 6 FT), two assists, and one rebound in 18 minutes. While Stephenson works himself into basketball shape, Gerald Henderson will remain the starting two - guard, from which he contributed double - digit points (11 in all) for the seventh time in nine outings. A usual suspect, Kemba Walker, led the way with a team - high 35 minutes, posting 28 points, three assists, and one three - pointer in the process. However, the Hornets' line of the night went to Bismack Biyombo, who tallied 12 points, 15 boards, and five blocks for his second consecutive double - double. In their upcoming contest Saturday, the Hornets are slated to take on the Indiana Pacers."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "40", "Bulls": "46"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "15", "Bulls": "7"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "95", "Bulls": "102"}, "Rebounds": {"Hornets": "42", "Bulls": "49"}, "Turnovers": {"Hornets": "5", "Bulls": "11"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "4", "Bulls": "12"}}, {"Points": {"Pau Gasol": "19", "Joakim Noah": "14", "Jimmy Butler": "15", "Derrick Rose": "15", "Nikola Mirotic": "11", "Al Jefferson": "13", "Lance Stephenson": "20", "Kemba Walker": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "15", "Joakim Noah": "10", "Nikola Mirotic": "12", "Al Jefferson": "7", "Lance Stephenson": "8", "Kemba Walker": "5"}, "Assists": {"Joakim Noah": "7", "Kemba Walker": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Derrick Rose": "28", "Nikola Mirotic": "28"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Kemba Walker": "7"}}], "The Bulls (12 - 7) knocked off the Hornets (4 - 15) 102 - 95 Wednesday night in Charlotte. The Hornets dropped their tenth consecutive game and allowed at least 100 points for the fifth straight contest. They were paced by 23 points, five rebounds and four assists from Kemba Walker, who converted 7 - of - 18 field goal attempts. Lance Stephenson contributed 20 points and eight rebounds, while Al Jefferson added 13 points and seven boards. All five Charlotte starters scored in double figures, but the Hornets shot just 40 percent from the field as a team. The Bulls, who rebounded from a double - overtime loss at the hands of the Mavericks on Tuesday, shot 46 percent from the field and made 12 - of - 28 three - point attempts. Pau Gasol led the way with 19 points and 15 rebounds, while Joakim Noah added 14 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler each had 15 points, and Nikola Mitotic contributed 11 points and 12 rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench. Chicago out - rebounded the Hornets 49 - 42 but turned the ball over 11 times, compared to Charlotte\u2019s five. Up next, the Bulls take on the Warriors on Saturday. The Hornets play host to the Knicks on Friday night."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Trail Blazers": "57"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "54"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "27", "Warriors": "5"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "137", "Warriors": "105"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "42"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "28", "Warriors": "48"}, "Turnovers": {"Warriors": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "8", "Stephen Curry": "5", "Mason Plumlee": "5", "CJ McCollum": "7", "Damian Lillard": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"Draymond Green": "3"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "14", "Klay Thompson": "23", "Stephen Curry": "31", "Mason Plumlee": "12", "CJ McCollum": "21", "Damian Lillard": "51"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "12", "Stephen Curry": "3", "Mason Plumlee": "5", "CJ McCollum": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "13", "CJ McCollum": "4", "Damian Lillard": "12"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "7", "CJ McCollum": "3", "Damian Lillard": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "23", "CJ McCollum": "18", "Damian Lillard": "28"}, "Field goals made": {"Stephen Curry": "12", "CJ McCollum": "9", "Damian Lillard": "18"}, "Minutes played": {"Stephen Curry": "26", "Mason Plumlee": "20", "CJ McCollum": "32", "Damian Lillard": "31"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "2", "CJ McCollum": "2", "Damian Lillard": "6"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (28 - 27) defeated the visiting Golden State Warriors (48 - 5) 137 - 105 on Friday night at Moda Center. The trouncing started right away as Portland scored 42 points in the first quarter and then outscored the Warriros 69 - 43 in the second half to hand Golden State its worst loss since February 2013. Damian Lillard was on another level, perhaps aiming to prove something after not being selected as an All-Star. Lillard scored a career - high 51 points on 18 - of - 28 shooting, including 9 - of - 12 from three - point range. He added seven assists and six steals in 31 minutes. Lillard tied for the fourth most points in a game in franchise history, while setting a franchise record for three - pointers made. The Blazers extended their win streak to four games, improving to 13 - 3 in their last 16 games. They also snapped the Warriors' 11 - game winning streak. C.J. McCollum finished with 21 points (9 - 18 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt), seven assists, four rebounds and two steals, in 32 minutes, while Mason Plumlee chipped in 12 points, five rebounds and five assists, in 20 minutes. As a team the Blazers shot a blazing 54 percent from the field and 57 percent from long range. Stephen Curry was no slouch in the loss, tallying 31 points (12 - 23 FG, 7 - 13 3Pt), five assists, three rebounds and two steals, in 26 minutes. Klay Thompson also did his usual thing as he contributed 23 points but it was not enough to match the heat of the Blazers. Draymond Green accumulated stats across the board with 14 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, but other than this \"big three,\" the Warriors lacked significant contribution from the rest of the squad. They also gave up 20 turnovers as they were shocked back to reality after the break. The Warriors will visit the Clippers in L.A. on Saturday, for the second of a back - to - back. It will be a challenge for them to bounce back from this loss on the second night of a back - to - back on the road. The Trail Blazers will host the Jazz on Sunday, as Portland will look to solidify its place in the top eight, while Utah looks to break in."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "47", "Nuggets": "39"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "85", "Nuggets": "100"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "13", "Nuggets": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Kenneth Faried": "18", "Nikola Pekovic": "6", "Kevin Martin": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Kenneth Faried": "14", "Ty Lawson": "7"}, "Assists": {"Ty Lawson": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ty Lawson": "9", "Kevin Martin": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Ty Lawson": "0", "Kevin Martin": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Nikola Pekovic": "15"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (22 - 39) won their second - straight game Wednesday with a 100 - 85 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves (13 - 47) 100 - 85 at the Target Center. It appeared as though Denver had hit rock bottom earlier in the week with its sixth straight loss since the All-Star break, which resulted in coach Brian Shaw being relieved of his duties. The Nuggets have responded with two wins in two nights after holding the Bucks and Timberwolves under 100 and 90 points respectively. Kenneth Faried was big for Denver, putting up 18 points and 14 rebounds. The Nuggets won the season - series against the Timberwolves 3 - 1. Denver managed to record a 15 - point victory despite an unusual performance from one of its best players. Ty Lawson, who averages 16 points - per - game, went scoreless on 0 - of - 9 shooting, but still nearly managed a double - double after adding nine assists and seven rebounds. Denver will travel to San Antonio to take on the Spurs on Friday. Minnesota has been playing better than its record would suggest of late, but still could n't finish with a victory Wednesday. Nikola Pekovic and Kevin Martin returned to action Wednesday, but made little impact. Pekovic had six points in 15 minutes and Kevin Martin was 3 - for - 15 from the floor on the way to scoring nine points. The Timberwolves will return to action Saturday against Portland."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Nuggets": "31"}, "Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "10"}}, {"Assists": {"Mason Plumlee": "6"}, "Points": {"Mason Plumlee": "10", "Nikola Jokic": "17", "Gary Harris": "20", "Will Barton": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Jokic": "14"}, "3-pointers made": {"Gary Harris": "3", "Will Barton": "7"}}], "Up-tempo and high - powered offense was the story in Denver on Thursday night, as multiple Nuggets posted eye - catching stat lines. Sophomore center Nikola Jokic dominated the game, scoring 17 points to go along with 14 rebounds and 11 assists in his fifth triple - double of the season. Wing Will Barton, meanwhile, scored a career - high 35 points including seven three - pointers to lead Denver in scoring. Gary Harris scored an additional 20 points including three three - pointers, while big man Mason Plumlee had 10 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. As a team, the Nuggets posted stats reminiscent of their high - tempo offenses of the late 80s and early 90s. Denver had 31 assists and just 10 turnovers, while shooting 53 percent from the field. The Nuggets hit 15 three - pointers on the night as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "18", "Trail Blazers": "12"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "118", "Trail Blazers": "113"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "26", "Trail Blazers": "31"}}, {"Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "5", "Dorell Wright": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "6", "Isaiah Thomas": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Nicolas Batum": "1"}, "Points": {"Nicolas Batum": "27", "Dorell Wright": "15", "Wesley Matthews": "22", "Damian Lillard": "22", "Eric Bledsoe": "33", "Isaiah Thomas": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Nicolas Batum": "10", "Eric Bledsoe": "10", "Isaiah Thomas": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Dorell Wright": "35", "Damian Lillard": "41"}, "Steals": {"Dorell Wright": "2", "Eric Bledsoe": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Goran Dragic": "3", "Eric Bledsoe": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "3"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (26 - 18) took down the Portland Trail Blazers (31 - 12) 118 - 113 on Wednesday. Phoenix has now won eight of their last 10, including wins in four consecutive games. The three - pronged point guard attack of Eric Bledsoe, Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas continues to get it done for the Suns. Those three combined for 76 points on 29 - of - 53 from the field Wednesday. 33 of those points were put in by Bledsoe, who also grabbed 10 rebounds, six assists and three steals. Isaiah Thomas had 27 off the bench, hitting three three - pointers and dishing out four assists. The Suns still hold a three - game lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder for the eighth - best Western Conference record. The Trail Blazers struggled for much of the game against the Suns. They made it a game late, but Bledsoe sank four free - throws in the final 10 seconds to end the Blazers' hopes of a comeback victory. Portland was short - handed with LaMarcus Aldridge out with a thumb injury suffered in their 98 - 94 win over the Sacramento Kings on Monday. Similiar to last year when Aldridge was out, Dorell Wright stepped into the starting lineup. Wright played 35 minutes and had 15 points, five assists and two steals. Damian Lillard played a game - high 41 minutes for Portland. Lillard and shooting guard Wesley Matthews each scored 22 points. Nicholas Batum was the man for the Blazers, though, putting up a personal season - high 27 points to go with 10 rebounds, five assists and one block. The Trail Blazers have now dropped four of their last five games. The Trail Blazers will take on the Boston Celtics on Thursday, and the Suns will face the Houston Rockets on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "21", "Pacers": "19"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "96", "Pacers": "100"}, "Rebounds": {"Timberwolves": "43", "Pacers": "36"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "5", "Pacers": "9"}}, {"Points": {"David West": "14", "Roy Hibbert": "15", "CJ Miles": "28", "Luis Scola": "10", "Donald Sloan": "10", "Gorgui Dieng": "10", "Mo Williams": "24", "Chase Budinger": "13"}, "Assists": {"Roy Hibbert": "3", "Mo Williams": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Roy Hibbert": "11", "CJ Miles": "18", "Mo Williams": "16", "Chase Budinger": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Roy Hibbert": "6", "CJ Miles": "10", "Mo Williams": "10", "Chase Budinger": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Roy Hibbert": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Roy Hibbert": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Roy Hibbert": "8", "CJ Miles": "6", "Gorgui Dieng": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"CJ Miles": "11", "Mo Williams": "5", "Chase Budinger": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"CJ Miles": "4", "Mo Williams": "2", "Chase Budinger": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "4"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (9 - 19) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (5 - 21) 100 - 96 on Sunday at the Target Center in Minneapolis. Despite a fierce comeback by the Timberwolves, who out - scored the Pacers 58 - 48 in the second half, the Pacers were able to hold them off and steal the victory on the road. The Timberwolves secured the rebounding advantage in this game, as they out - rebounded the Pacers 43 - 36, but the Pacers were able to use their superior shooting and pull out the victory. CJ Miles made the biggest impact for the Pacers. He came off the bench to shoot 10 - for - 18 from the field and 4 - for - 11 from the three - point line to score 28 points, while also chipping in six rebounds. It was two points off a season high for Miles, who pushed his season average to 11 points on the year. Roy Hibbert finished with 15 points (6 - 11 FG, 3 - 4 FT) and eight rebounds. After failing to score on Saturday, Hibbert had somewhat of a bounce back game and scored at least 15 points for the first time in three weeks. He's averaging only 11 points and seven rebounds on the year. The other Pacer starter to reach double figures was David West, who went 6 - for - 9 to score 14 points in 28 minutes. Both Luis Scola and Donald Sloan posted 10 points off the bench. Mo Williams and Shabazz Muhammad did most of the dirty work for the Timberwolves. Williams went 10 - for - 16 from the field and 2 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score 24 points, while also handing out 10 assists. It was his fifth double - double of the season. Muhammad has now combined to score 96 points in his last four games, as he's become a central piece to the Timberwolves offense with all of the injuries. He's now averaging 13 points and 4 rebounds on the season. Chase Budinger had a solid day off the bench, as he shot 6 - for - 10 from the field and 1 - for - 2 from the three - point line to score 13 points. The only other Timberwolve to reach double figures in points was Gorgui Dieng, who scored 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds. The Pacers' next game will be at home against the New orleans Pelicans on Tuesday, while the Timberwolves will travel to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "11", "Jazz": "25"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "97", "Jazz": "82"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "26", "Jazz": "13"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "41"}, "Turnovers": {"Jazz": "27"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Gordon Hayward": "1", "Donatas Motiejunas": "1", "James Harden": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "2", "Dwight Howard": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Gordon Hayward": "1", "Enes Kanter": "4", "James Harden": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Gordon Hayward": "1", "Dwight Howard": "4"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "9", "Rudy Gobert": "4", "Enes Kanter": "16", "Donatas Motiejunas": "14", "Dwight Howard": "8", "James Harden": "30"}, "Assists": {"Rudy Gobert": "3", "Donatas Motiejunas": "1", "Dwight Howard": "1", "James Harden": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "3", "Dwight Howard": "1", "James Harden": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Rudy Gobert": "35", "Enes Kanter": "21", "Donatas Motiejunas": "36", "Dwight Howard": "37"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "5", "Enes Kanter": "6", "Donatas Motiejunas": "10", "Dwight Howard": "8"}, "Steals": {"Rudy Gobert": "1", "Enes Kanter": "1", "Donatas Motiejunas": "3", "Dwight Howard": "1", "James Harden": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Enes Kanter": "4", "Donatas Motiejunas": "1"}}], "The Houston Rockets (26 - 11) cruised during Saturday's 97 - 82 victory against the Utah Jazz (13 - 25). Houston entered the contest with a previously - unknown quandary, but Dwight Howard brushed aside a minor knee injury to earn a game - high 37 minutes. While his double - double streak ended at four outings, he still managed to tally eight points, eight rebounds, one block, and one assist. The bulk of the offense came from a familiar source, James Harden, who recorded his 15th 30 - point game of the season to uphold his status as the NBA's leading scorer. By drilling four of the Rockets' 13 three - pointers, he's now hit multiple treys in five consecutive contests - - and 28 of 37 games this season - - en route to 27 points per outing. Even Donatas Motiejunas got in on the act, knocking down one trey, but more important was his third double - double of 2014 - 15 (14 points, 10 boards, and three steals in 36 minutes). On Monday, the Rockets return to the East Coast to take on the Brooklyn Nets, with an eye on extending their winning streak to four games. After Wednesday's impressive win in Chicago, the Jazz have suffered back - to - back defeats, and the primary culprit has been a combined 47 turnovers, including 27 on Saturday. On a positive note, the frontcourt welcomed back Enes Kanter following a four - game absence due to a sprained ankle, and the big man responded with 16 points, six rebounds, and one steal in only 21 minutes. The presence of Kanter did n't push Rudy Gobert back to the bench (yet). However, the Frenchman upheld his workload from Kanter's stay on the sideline, racking up four points, five boards, three assists, three blocks, and one steal in 35 minutes. By the final horn, the Jazz had shot merely 41 percent from the field, but no one contributed to the mark more than Gordon Hayward, who put up an ordinary nine points on 2 - for - 10 shooting. Upon returning to Utah, the Jazz will attempt to press the reset button in their next outing, Tuesday versus the Golden State Warriors."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "36", "Bulls": "39"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "108", "Bulls": "92"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "42", "Bulls": "39"}}, {"Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "5", "Zach Randolph": "27"}, "Assists": {"Zach Randolph": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "10"}, "Steals": {"Tony Allen": "4"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (42 - 36) left the Chicago Bulls (39 - 39) barely clinging to their playoff dreams, beating them 108 - 92 on Tuesday. Memphis is left jockeying with Portland for the fifth seed in the West, holding just a single - game lead after Tuesday's win. Injuries to star center Marc Gasol and point guard Mario Chalmers have left the team, once slated as a Western Conference contender, decimated and struggling to close out the season. Veteran Zach Randolph took matters into his own hands on Tuesday, however, going for 27 points and 10 rebounds en route to the big win. All-Defense team guard Tony Allen, meanwhile, showed off his lockdown skills on the perimter by stealing the ball four times. The team forced 20 turnovers as a whole in what was a solid defensive outing. The Bulls, meanwhile, look as though they may miss the playoffs for the first time since 2007 - 8. With four games remaining, including matchups against the Heat and Cavaliers, and a 3 game deficit to overcome, the Bulls may find themselves on the outside of the postseason looking in. Tuesday's double - digit beatdown did not instill confidence for the squad, as turnovers and free - throw shooting both looked weak in Memphis. Hitting just 68 percent of shots from the line, the Bulls struggled mightily at the charity stripe. All-Star Jimmy Butler was reduced to a non - factor by veteran defensive specialist Tony Allen. Butler scored just five points on the night. The Bulls face a make - or - break matchup on Thursday in Miami. Memphis, meanwhile, will travel to take on Dallas on Friday."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "8", "Chris Paul": "21", "Gordon Hayward": "18", "Rudy Gobert": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Blake Griffin": "3", "Chris Paul": "11", "Gordon Hayward": "9", "Rudy Gobert": "5"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "8", "Chris Paul": "33", "Gordon Hayward": "27", "Rudy Gobert": "11", "George Hill": "19"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "7", "George Hill": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Gordon Hayward": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "10", "George Hill": "8"}, "Steals": {"George Hill": "1"}}], "The Utah Jazz saw excellent top - down play en route to a big win on Monday over the LA Clippers. All-Star forward Gordon Hayward led the team with 27 points on 9 - of - 18 shooting, including 4 - of - 5 from beyond the arc. Point guard George Hill, meanwhile, stuffed the stat sheet, contributing 19 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and a steal. Center Rudy Gobert had 11 points on 5 - of - 6 shooting as well as 10 rebounds and a block. As a team, Utah shot over 52 percent and made 14 three - pointers, including 11 - of - 12 in the second half. LA saw big play from superstar Chris Paul but fell relatively flat otherwise. Paul led the team with a whopping 33 points on 11 - of - 21 shooting along with seven assists. However, it was a sub - par night for All-Star Blake Griffin. Griffin had just eight points on 3 - of - 8 shooting."], [[{}, {"Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "6"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"DeAndre Jordan": "7"}, "Points": {"DeAndre Jordan": "9", "Jamal Crawford": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "20"}, "Minutes played": {"Jamal Crawford": "31"}}], "DeAndre Jordan and J.J. Reddick became the focal point to finally break the six game losing streak the Los Angeles Clippers have undergone after an onslaught of injuries had started to derail their season. With Chris Paul and Blake Griffin both on the sideline, Jordan and Reddick provided big games in different ways. Jordan grabbed 20 rebounds, alongside nine points and three blocks, but his dominance on the glass kept multiple Clippers possession alive, noted by his seven offensive boards. Reddick, on the other hand, had the hot hand shooting, as he finished with 22 points, which led a Los Angeles team that only used four bench players. The former Duke product shot 9 - of - 14 from the field, which included 3 - of - 5 from behind the arc across 34 minutes of action. Jamal Crawford continues to see increased minutes off the bench, and contributed 18 points in 31 minutes in the win."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "5"}, "Field goal percentage": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "31"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "16"}}], "DeMarcus Cousins' struggles in Tuesday's game against the Rockets were, in general terms, uncharacteristic of the All-Star center. However, when looking at Cousins' history following a huge performance, it ends up not being too out of character. Cousins followed up Monday's monster 46 - point, 15 - rebound performance with a bit of a dud, as he shot just 5 - of - 16 (31 percent) from the field en route to scoring just 16 points. Going back as far as last season, in his last five games where he scored at least 40 points, Cousins followed up with a poor shooting performance the next game. Cousins never shot over 38 percent from the field in any of those five followups and shot as low as 19 percent in one of the outings. Overall, in those five games coming off a 40 - point performance, Cousins shot just 30 - of - 98 (31 percent) from the field."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "14", "Knicks": "10"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "100", "Knicks": "103"}, "Rebounds": {"Kings": "39", "Knicks": "54"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "8", "Knicks": "13"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "14"}, "Free throws made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "12"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "33", "Kristaps Porzingis": "17", "Kyle O'Quinn": "8", "DeMarcus Cousins": "28"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "6"}, "Assists": {"Kyle O'Quinn": "5", "DeMarcus Cousins": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Kyle O'Quinn": "11", "DeMarcus Cousins": "12"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}}], "The visiting New York Knicks defeated the host Sacramento Kings on Friday, 103 - 100. Star forward Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks (13 - 10) with 33 points, including 12 - of - 14 from the free - throw line. The game was a turnaround for the veteran star, as he posted only eight points in New York's blowout loss to the Cavaliers earlier in the week. Sophomore star Kristaps Porzingis, meanwhile, managed 17 points despite hitting just 6 - of - 19 from the field. Porzingis also recorded 10 rebounds on the night. New York held a massive 54 - 39 advantage in rebounding overall. 11 of those boards came from bench big man Kyle O'Quinn, who also had eight points and five assists. Sacramento (8 - 14) saw a team - high 28 points and 12 rebounds from All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins also dished out six assists, seemingly playing every role for Sacramento in the loss. The team struggled from the field, hitting just 40 percent of its shots and going only 7 - of - 28 from three - point range. The Kings also struggled on the boards, as no one other than Cousins recorded more than five rebounds. The Knicks will visit the Lakers on Saturday, while the Kings will host the Lakers on Sunday."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Spurs": "49", "Pelicans": "37"}}, {"Points": {"Anthony Davis": "12", "Alexis Ajinca": "16", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "22", "Manu Ginobili": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "4", "Alexis Ajinca": "8", "Pau Gasol": "14"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs dominated the Pelicans on the glass in Sunday's win, holding a 49 - 37 edge in the rebounding column. Veteran big man Pau Gasol led the team with 14 rebounds. Forward LaMarcus Aldridge scored a team - high 22 points while pulling down an additional seven boards. Long-time San Antonio veteran Manu Ginobili added another 17 in just 17 minutes off the bench. The former Sixth Man of the Year had three three - pointers. The team ended with 11 threes on 50 percent shooting and shot 48 percent overall. The Pelicans, meanwhile, saw massive struggles on the glass, due in part to an off night from star Anthony Davis. Davis scored only 12 points and had just four rebounds in the game. Center Alexis Ajinca, meanwhile, scored a team - high 16 and had eight rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "13", "Grizzlies": "16"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "98", "Grizzlies": "92"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hornets": "24", "Grizzlies": "18"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "16", "Grizzlies": "16"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "18"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "18", "Mike Conley": "19", "Zach Randolph": "18", "Nicolas Batum": "20", "Kemba Walker": "22"}, "Assists": {"Mike Conley": "7", "Zach Randolph": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "8", "Kemba Walker": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Mike Conley": "4", "Zach Randolph": "12", "Nicolas Batum": "11", "Kemba Walker": "6"}, "Steals": {"Mike Conley": "3", "Zach Randolph": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Zach Randolph": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Zach Randolph": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Al Jefferson": "3"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (16 - 13) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (16 - 16) 98 - 92 on Saturday night This was a tight game throughout, but the Hornets ended up prevailing in the final quarter winning it 24 - 18. Both teams struggled from the field, as they barely shot over 40 percent a piece. The biggest differential was the free - throw shooting, as Memphis went just 11 - for - 21 while Charlotte went 28 - for - 32. This snapped a three - game losing streak for Charlotte and this was the first time Al Jefferson played in about a month. Memphis got one of their best games of the season out of Zach Randolph, but the rest of the team didn\u2019t play well enough. Randolph, Marc Gasol and Mike Conley all scored in between 18 and 19 points, but no other player scored more than eight points. Conley was the best player for Memphis on this night, as he tallied 19 points, seven assists four rebounds and three steals in the loss. Randolph tallied 18 points and 12 rebounds in his best game off the bench this season. Memphis will have a much better chance at a win when they host the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday in their next game. The Hornets have been struggling a bit as of late, but free - throw shooting got them a victory here. Nicolas Batum and Kemba Walker both flirted with triple - doubles and carried the Hornets to a win. Batum accumulated 20 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists in the win. Walker had a team - high 22 points and also pitched in six rebounds and eight assists. They also got 17 minutes from Al Jefferson who fouled out in a rusty performance. Charlotte has a good chance to start a winning - streak when they host the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday in their next scheduled game."], [[{"Wins": {"Pelicans": "3", "Trail Blazers": "7"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "7"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Damian Lillard": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Damian Lillard": "8"}, "Points": {"Damian Lillard": "27", "Anthony Davis": "38", "Jrue Holiday": "21"}, "Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "6", "Jrue Holiday": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "9"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Jrue Holiday": "23"}}], "The Blazers' defense has been the worst in the NBA over recent weeks, as they are allowing 116 points a game across their last seven contests. The offense was what really let them down here, as they shot under 40 percent from the field and from three - point range. In addition to that, the Pelicans combined for 21 blocks and steals, while the Blazers had just three. Damian Lillard did score 27 points, but he went just 8 - of - 24 from the field. He has now failed to make more than eight shots in any of his last four games, while taking at least 17 shots in all those appearances (29 - of - 81). Anthony Davis was a monster in this game, as he accumulated 38 points, nine rebounds, six assists, two steals and four blocks in the win. Jrue Holiday made his first appearance of the season, totaling 21 points and seven assists in 23 minutes off the bench."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "48", "Hornets": "32"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "106", "Hornets": "73"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Heat": "29", "Hornets": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Heat": "58", "Hornets": "36"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "32"}, "Turnovers": {"Hornets": "7"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Frank Kaminsky": "15", "Kemba Walker": "16", "Goran Dragic": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Frank Kaminsky": "3", "Kemba Walker": "3", "Goran Dragic": "11"}, "Points": {"Kemba Walker": "9", "Goran Dragic": "25"}, "Turnovers": {"Kemba Walker": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Hassan Whiteside": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Goran Dragic": "5"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the visiting Charlotte Hornets, 106 - 73, in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference first - round playoffs Sunday at American Airlines Arena. A close series ended in a manner that was anything but, as Miami walloped Charlotte 29 - 18 in the first quarter and only continued the onslaught from there. Though the Heat remain without superstar forward Chris Bosh, the veteran team played some of its best basketball of the season in Sunday's blowout. Point guard Goran Dragic found his stride, scoring a game - high 25 points on impressive 11 - for - 17 shooting. Defensive Player of the Year second - runner - up Hassan Whiteside, meanwhile, showcased his impressive block timing by swatting five shots. It was an all - out dismantling on Sunday, with the Heat out - rebounding their opponents 58 - 36 and shooting 48 percent to Charlotte's dismal 32. Charlotte, meanwhile, picked the worst possible time to go cold, finishing the series in an underwhelming fashion. Rookie Frank Kaminsky epitomized Charlotte's struggle on the court, going just 3 - for - 15 from the floor. The team's star, Kemba Walker, fared no better, shooting just 3 - for - 16 and tallying just nine points while turning the ball over three times. Despite the loss, the series marked Charlotte's first playoff win as a franchise in over a decade and a marked improvement over its lottery finish in 2014 - 15. The Heat will face the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference semifinals, which begin Tuesday."], [[{}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10", "Jabari Parker": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "36", "Jabari Parker": "48"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10"}, "Personal fouls": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jabari Parker": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"Jabari Parker": "11"}, "Points": {"Jabari Parker": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Jabari Parker": "3"}}], "While much of the attention has been on Giannis Antetokounmpo for his breakout season, fellow young star Jabari Parker has quietly been having a breakout season of his own, and his 27 - point performance on Wednesday night was his fourth such game of the season. But while his scoring numbers have been high, his shooting percentages have not. Wednesday, the former Duke standout shot just 11 - of - 23 from the field (48 percent) and it was his third straight game shooting under 50 percent from the field and has failed to reach the mark in eight of his last 10 games overall. Meanwhile, despite Antetokounmpo's poor 36 percent shooting night on Wednesday, he's actually been playing more efficient than ever. Before Wednesday night, he posted six straight games with shooting percentages above 50 percent from the field - - three of which were above 60 percent - - and he is shooting 51 percent overall this season."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "37", "Suns": "45"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "8", "Suns": "5"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "83", "Suns": "106"}, "Rebounds": {"Pacers": "47", "Suns": "51"}, "Turnovers": {"Pacers": "14"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "5", "Suns": "9"}}, {"Points": {"Markieff Morris": "13", "Eric Bledsoe": "9", "Goran Dragic": "11", "Gerald Green": "23", "Isaiah Thomas": "16", "Luis Scola": "1", "Solomon Hill": "13", "Ian Mahinmi": "12", "Rodney Stuckey": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Eric Bledsoe": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2", "Rodney Stuckey": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Luis Scola": "27", "Rodney Stuckey": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Luis Scola": "10", "Ian Mahinmi": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rodney Stuckey": "3"}}], "The Suns (9 - 5) knocked off the Pacers (5 - 8) 106 - 83 in Indianapolis on Saturday. Phoenix, which shot 45 percent from the floor, got 13 points from Markieff Morris and 11 from Goran Dragic. Eric Bledsoe struggled from the field, adding just nine points on 2 - of - 10 shooting. Gerald Green led all scorers with 23 points off the bench, while Isaiah Thomas chipped in 16. The Suns out - rebounded Indiana 51 - 47 and shot 12 - of - 31 from beyond the arc. The Pacers, whose two - game winning streak was snapped, shot a paltry 37 percent from the floor while turning it over 14 times. Only three players scored in double - figures, led by 14 points from Rodney Stuckey in 20 minutes off the bench. Ian Mahinmi had a 12 - point, 10 - rebound double - double, and Solomon Hill added 13 points. Luis Scola scored just one point but had 10 rebounds in 27 minutes. Starting center Roy Hibbert departed in the first quarter after suffering a sprained left ankle and did not return. The Suns have now won four straight games, each victory coming against an Eastern Conference foe. They\u2019ll conclude their six - game road swing in Toronto on Monday. Indiana, meanwhile, heads to Dallas to face the 10 - 3 Mavericks, also on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "33", "Hawks": "43"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "44", "Hawks": "52"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "14", "Hawks": "6"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "92", "Hawks": "108"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "7", "Hawks": "14"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Al Horford": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Al Horford": "1", "Kyle Korver": "6", "Jeff Teague": "1", "Rodney Stuckey": "1", "CJ Miles": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Al Horford": "1", "Kyle Korver": "3", "Jeff Teague": "1", "Rodney Stuckey": "1", "CJ Miles": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Al Horford": "18", "Kyle Korver": "7", "Jeff Teague": "11", "Rodney Stuckey": "11", "CJ Miles": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Al Horford": "9", "Kyle Korver": "4", "Jeff Teague": "8", "Rodney Stuckey": "6", "CJ Miles": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Al Horford": "6", "Rodney Stuckey": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Al Horford": "6", "Jeff Teague": "4", "Rodney Stuckey": "2"}, "Points": {"Al Horford": "25", "Kyle Korver": "13", "Jeff Teague": "21", "Rodney Stuckey": "15", "CJ Miles": "15", "Luis Scola": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Horford": "8", "Luis Scola": "9"}, "Steals": {"Al Horford": "1", "Jeff Teague": "3"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Korver": "4", "Rodney Stuckey": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Jeff Teague": "1"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (14 - 6) defeated the Indiana Pacers (7 - 14) 108 - 92 on Monday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Hawks got out quick and took it to the Pacers early, out - scoring them 60 - 43 in the first half. They demonstrated superior shooting, as they finished at 52 percent from the field and 43 percent from the three - point line compared to the Pacers, who shot 44 percent from the floor and only 33 percent from beyond the arc. The Hawks were led by the duo of Jeff Teague and Al Horford in this one. Horford had a team - high of 25 points (9 - 18 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT), while also grabbing eight rebounds. The 25 points were a season - high for Horford, who has struggled lately and has failed to reach the 20 - point mark in his last six games. Teague had 21 points of his own and went 8 - for - 11 from the field and 1 - for - 1 from the three - point line, as he had his shot dialed in all night. He also chipped in three steals, which was the third time he's done that in the last four games. Kyle Korver had a solid game as well, going 4 - for - 7 from the floor and 3 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 13 points, while adding four assists. The only starter for the Pacers to reach double figures in points was Rodney Stuckey. He scored 15 points (6 - 11 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT) and recorded three assists in just over 27 minutes of playing time. With most of the starters struggling, the bench played a significant role in this one and scored 50 out of the 92 total points. C.J. Miles had the biggest contribution and went 5 - for - 11 from the field and 4 - for - 7 from beyond the arc to score 15 points. Considering he's averaging only 7 points on the year, it was a nice surprise for the Pacers. The other bench contribution came from Luis Scola, who came one rebound shy of a double - double and finished with 12 points and nine rebounds. The Hawks' next game will be at home against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, while the Pacers will be at home against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "11", "Knicks": "33"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "101", "Knicks": "91"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "24", "Knicks": "5"}}, {"Assists": {"Jose Calderon": "3", "Langston Galloway": "3", "Nene": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jose Calderon": "2", "Langston Galloway": "1", "Nene": "0", "Bradley Beal": "4", "Rasual Butler": "2"}, "Steals": {"Jose Calderon": "1", "Langston Galloway": "1", "Otto Porter": "1", "Nene": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Langston Galloway": "2", "Nene": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Langston Galloway": "8", "Nene": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Langston Galloway": "2", "Nene": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Langston Galloway": "2", "Nene": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Langston Galloway": "2", "Nene": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Langston Galloway": "17", "Otto Porter": "24", "Nene": "24"}, "Points": {"Langston Galloway": "7", "Nene": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Langston Galloway": "2", "Nene": "6"}}], "The Washington Wizards (24 - 11) scored more points than the New York Knicks (5 - 33), 101 - 91. The Knicks recorded their franchise - record and league - leading 13th straight loss to maintain a stranglehold on last place in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks were without the services of Carmelo Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire, and Andrea Bargnani due to injury. They used their 21st unique starting lineup. At one point during the contest, the Knicks' lineup contained four players from their summer league roster. Jose Calderon kept his free - throw streak alive, converting his lone attempt for a perfect 21 - of - 21 mark. Langston Galloway made his season debut on the strength of a 10 - day contract and contributed seven points (2 - 8 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), three assists, two rebounds and one steal in 17 minutes. Paul Pierce rested his second game all season, and Otto Porter started in his absence. Nene Hilario picked up his second technical foul of the season and led the team with 20 points (8 - 13 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT), six rebounds, four assists and one steal in 24 minutes. Rasual Butler knocked in two three - pointers to increase his yearly accuracy to 49 percent from downtown, and Bradley Beal chipped in four three - pointers. The Knicks travel back home Thursday to take on the Houston Rockets for their fourth game in five nights. The Wizards host the Chicago Bulls on Friday."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "18", "Jrue Holiday": "30", "Jonas Valanciunas": "20", "Norman Powell": "18", "Kyle Lowry": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "17", "Jonas Valanciunas": "12", "Norman Powell": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Assists": {"Jrue Holiday": "3", "Norman Powell": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Jrue Holiday": "2", "Norman Powell": "2"}, "Steals": {"Jrue Holiday": "2", "Norman Powell": "2"}}], "In a battle between two struggling teams, it took some free basketball to decide the result. There were 11 ties and 19 lead changes in this overtime thriller, with neither team leading by more than 14 points. Toronto were able to prevail despite leading for under 20 minutes and never having more than a five - point lead. Their presence in the paint was key, as the Raptors dominated the defensive rebounding and the scoring in the paint. Jrue Holiday carried the load for New Orleans, as he tallied 30 points, three assists, two steals and two blocks. Anthony Davis went just 4 - of - 18 from the field, but still finished with 18 points and 17 rebounds. Kyle Lowry stepped up in DeMar DeRozan's absence to lead the team with 33 points, four rebounds and 10 assists. Jonas Valanciunas was second on the team, totaling 20 points and 12 rebounds. Norman Powell started for DeRozan to accumulate 18 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "8", "Pistons": "26"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "93", "Pistons": "82"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "34", "Pistons": "16"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "35"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pistons": "20"}}, {"Rebounds": {"Greg Monroe": "20"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jeff Teague": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jeff Teague": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jeff Teague": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Jeff Teague": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Dennis Schroder": "18", "Mike Scott": "21"}, "Points": {"Mike Scott": "20"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (34 - 8) held off the Detroit Pistons (16 - 26) to notch their 13th consecutive victory on Monday by a score of 93 - 82. This game got off to a rough start as the two teams combined for just 28 points in the first quarter. With star point guard Jeff Teague struggling, it was Mike Scott who became the latest unsung hero for the Hawks. Scott scored 20 points in 21 minutes off the bench. The Pistons' Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond combined for 38 rebounds but that was n't enough to overcome the team's 35 percent shooting performance from the field. Atlanta has now won all three meetings against Detroit this year. Detroit entered Monday's contest as winners of four of its last five, but fell short against arguably the best team in the league right now. Greg Monroe recorded a career - high 20 rebounds and was a force on the offensive glass, helping the Pistons pull down 20 offensive rebounds as a team. The Pistons will return home Wednesday to take on the Magic. Atlanta now has a five - game lead in the Eastern Conference after recording its league - leading 34th win of the season. Jeff Teague turned in one of his worst offensive performances of the season, shooting just 4 - for - 15 from the field, including 0 - for - 5 from three point range. Despite Teague's shooting woes, the Hawks got solid performances from Paul Millsap, Al Horford, and Kyle Korver to help secure the win. On the injury front, reserve point guard Dennis Schroder played 18 minutes Monday after not playing Saturday against Chicago. The Hawks play their next six games at home with their next contest coming Wednesday against the Pacers."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "22"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "36", "Hawks": "51"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "92", "Hawks": "104"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Celtics": "17"}, "Turnovers": {"Celtics": "12", "Hawks": "18"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "2"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hawks": "21"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hawks": "39"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "4"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kent Bazemore": "13", "Paul Millsap": "10", "Al Horford": "10", "Kyle Korver": "4", "Jae Crowder": "15", "Isaiah Thomas": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Kent Bazemore": "6", "Paul Millsap": "4", "Al Horford": "7", "Kyle Korver": "4", "Jae Crowder": "5", "Isaiah Thomas": "9"}, "Points": {"Kent Bazemore": "15", "Paul Millsap": "17", "Al Horford": "15", "Kyle Korver": "14", "Jae Crowder": "15", "Jonas Jerebko": "13", "Isaiah Thomas": "25", "Marcus Smart": "13"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "11", "Kyle Korver": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul Millsap": "9", "Kyle Korver": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "8", "Kyle Korver": "9", "Jae Crowder": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyle Korver": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Korver": "2"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "10"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Boston Celtics on Thursday night at TD Garden, 104 - 92, to win Eastern Conference first - round playoff series, 4 - 2. After a sluggish first half, the Hawks owned a 41 - 33 lead, but they opened up in the third quarter. Atlanta poured in 39 points in the frame and opened its lead to 21 points. The Celtics made a late run but were unable to cut it any closer than 11 points in the final quarter. The Hawks won with their balanced attack, as they did all season, with six players scoring between 11 and 17 points. Paul Millsap scored 17 points (4 - 10 FG, 9 - 11 FT) to lead the Hawks and added eight rebounds. Kyle Korver grabbed a team - high nine rebounds and had a perfect shooting night (4 - 4 FG, 2 - 2 3PT, 4 - 4 FT) to power a 14 - point performance. Kent Bazemore (6 - 13 FG) and Al Horford (7 - 10 FG) added 15 points apiece. The Hawks shot 51 percent from the field and were able to score consistently despite grabbing just three offensive rebounds. Isaiah Thomas scored 25 points (9 - 24 FG, 6 - 7 FT) to lead all scorers and notched a double - double with 10 assists. Jae Crowder added 15 points (5 - 15 FG) and six rebounds before fouling out. Jonas Jerebko and Marcus Smart were the only other Celtics to reach double figures with 13 points apiece. The Celtics shot a brutal 36 percent of the field and made just 7 - 32 (22 percent) from three - point line. Boston's advantages on the glass (20 percent offensive rebound rate against 8 percent for Atlanta) and in turnovers (12 against 18 for Atlanta) were n't enough to overcome the poor shooting. The Hawks will face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Lakers": "16"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "36"}, "Turnovers": {"Lakers": "16"}}, {"Points": {"Luol Deng": "11", "Jordan Clarkson": "18", "Serge Ibaka": "19", "Elfrid Payton": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Luol Deng": "10", "Jordan Clarkson": "5", "Serge Ibaka": "11", "Elfrid Payton": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Serge Ibaka": "5"}, "Assists": {"Elfrid Payton": "9"}}], "In a battle between two struggling teams, Orlando really put it to Los Angeles in this matchup. This was a true wire - to - wire win, as Orlando started the game up 100 and never relinquished the lead after that. The Magic actually outscored the Lakers by 16 in the first quarter, while recording a franchise - record nine blocks. Shooting was the key difference, with Orlando shooting over 50 percent from the field, while Los Angeles failed to crack 36 percent. Jordan Clarkson was the lone bright spot for the Lakers, as he led the team with 18 points and five rebounds off the bench. Luol Deng recorded a double - double, totaling 11 points and 10 boards. Elfrid Payton was the Magic's mist valuable player, as he accrued 25 points, three rebounds and nine assists off the bench. Serge Ibaka was equally as important, as he collected 19 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "3", "Raptors": "1"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "107", "Raptors": "110"}, "Rebounds": {"Celtics": "55", "Raptors": "24"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "1", "Raptors": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Raptors": "7"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Patrick Patterson": "6", "Kyle Lowry": "3", "Jeff Green": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Patrick Patterson": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "2", "Jeff Green": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Patrick Patterson": "8", "Kyle Lowry": "17", "Jeff Green": "16", "Rajon Rondo": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Patrick Patterson": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "12", "Jeff Green": "9", "Rajon Rondo": "5"}, "Points": {"Patrick Patterson": "14", "DeMar DeRozan": "23", "Kyle Lowry": "35", "Lou Williams": "11", "Jeff Green": "20", "Jared Sullinger": "19", "Kelly Olynyk": "18", "Rajon Rondo": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Patrick Patterson": "3", "Jared Sullinger": "16", "Kelly Olynyk": "13", "Rajon Rondo": "10"}, "Steals": {"Lou Williams": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Jeff Green": "3"}, "Assists": {"Rajon Rondo": "15"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (4 - 1) defeated the Boston Celtics (1 - 3) 110 - 107 on Wednesday at the TD Garden in Boston. The Raptors forced the Celtics into 28 turnovers, compared to only seven of their own. The Celtics out - rebounded the Raptors 55 to 24, keeping them in the game in this close one. Kyle Lowry had his best game of the season. He struggled Tuesday against the Thunder, scoring only nine points on 2 - of - 7 shooting, but Lowry bounced back Wednesday with 35 points, shooting 12 - for - 17 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from beyond the three - point line. DeMar DeRozan contributed 23 points. He's now averaging 22 points per game on the year. Patrick Patterson started again with Amir Johnson still out with an ankle injury. Patterson ended with 14 points (5 - 8 FG, 4 - 6 3Pt), and three rebounds. Louis Williams had the most production off the bench for the Raptors, as he posted 11 points, while adding two steals. Jonas Valanciunas sat out the game with a hand injury, and Tyler Hansbrough filled in as a starter in the fronctourt. The Celtics were led by Rajon Rondo, who notched his first triple - double of the year. Shooting 5 - for - 8 from the field, he scored 13 points, adding 15 assists and 10 rebounds. Jeff Green led all scorers on the Celtics with 20 points (9 - 16 FG, 2 - 7 3Pt), while also providing three blocks. With his first double - double of the year, Kelly Olynyk put up 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, helping the Celtics own the boards Wednesday. Jared Sullinger also had a double - double, going for 19 points and 16 rebounds. If the Celtics did n't turn the ball over 28 times, they would have likely been able to pull out a victory. The Raptors' next game will be at home against the Washington Wizards on Friday, while the Celtics will be play at home against the Indiana Pacers on Friday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "30"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "30", "Magic": "45"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "34", "Magic": "21"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "19"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "14"}}, {"Points": {"Tobias Harris": "17", "Nikola Vucevic": "19", "Victor Oladipo": "14", "Elfrid Payton": "14", "Channing Frye": "13", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "11", "Ersan Ilyasova": "12", "Zaza Pachulia": "10", "Khris Middleton": "30", "Michael Carter-Williams": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "20", "Victor Oladipo": "17", "Ersan Ilyasova": "11", "Zaza Pachulia": "8", "Khris Middleton": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "9", "Victor Oladipo": "4", "Ersan Ilyasova": "5", "Zaza Pachulia": "4", "Khris Middleton": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Nikola Vucevic": "39", "Victor Oladipo": "39", "Zaza Pachulia": "24", "Michael Carter-Williams": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "14", "Zaza Pachulia": "12", "Khris Middleton": "3", "Michael Carter-Williams": "9"}, "Assists": {"Victor Oladipo": "6", "Michael Carter-Williams": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Victor Oladipo": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Khris Middleton": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Khris Middleton": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Khris Middleton": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Khris Middleton": "2"}, "Steals": {"Khris Middleton": "2"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (34 - 30) defeated the Orlando Magic (21 - 45) on Wednesday in Milwaukee. A 60 run over the last 1:30 of the game sealed the deal for the Bucks, who were once again led by Khris Middleton, who scored a game - high 30 points on 12 - of - 17 shooting. Middleton has now scored 30 points in two of his last three outings. Zaza Pachulia recorded a double - double, putting up 10 points on 4 - of - 8 shooting and 12 rebounds in 24 minutes. Michael Carter-Williams also stuffed the stat sheet as he starts to grow more comfortable in Milwaukee's offense, recording 11 points, nine rebounds, and six assists in 34 minutes. All five of Milwaukee's starter scored in double figures, with Ersan Ilyasova (12) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (11) rounding out the five. The Bucks recorded 30 assists on 39 made field goals, and the win brings them within two games of the Wizards for fifth place in the Eastern Conference. Nikola Vucevic had a double - double for the Magic in the losing effort, recording 19 points on 9 - of - 20 shooting and 14 rebounds in 39 minutes. Victor Oladipo struggled shooting the ball for the second straight game, putting up 14 points on 4 - of - 17 shooting and six assists in 39 minutes. Oladipo has now shot 8 - for - 29 in his last two outings. Tobias Harris (17), Elfrid Payton (14), and Channing Frye (13) round out the Orlando players who scored in double figures. Up next, the Bucks will travel to Indiana Thursday to take on the Pacers, while the Magic head to Boston to go up against the Celtics."], [[{"Total points": {"Grizzlies": "97", "Trail Blazers": "82"}, "Turnovers": {"Grizzlies": "5"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "2"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Nicolas Batum": "1", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Damian Lillard": "1", "Jeff Green": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Nicolas Batum": "1", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "3", "Damian Lillard": "3", "Marc Gasol": "2", "Jeff Green": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Nicolas Batum": "4", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "4", "Damian Lillard": "1", "Jeff Green": "1"}, "Assists": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Damian Lillard": "1", "Zach Randolph": "2", "Marc Gasol": "5", "Jeff Green": "3"}, "Blocks": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "4", "Damian Lillard": "1", "Marc Gasol": "3", "Jeff Green": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "3", "Jeff Green": "1"}, "Points": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "24", "Damian Lillard": "18", "Jeff Green": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "14", "Zach Randolph": "10", "Jeff Green": "5"}, "Steals": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "Jeff Green": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Damian Lillard": "5", "Jeff Green": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Damian Lillard": "40", "Jeff Green": "27"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jeff Green": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jeff Green": "3"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (55 - 27) took a 20 lead when they defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (51 - 31) 97 - 82 on Wednesday. Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol went just 9 - for - 31 from the floor combined, yet the Grizzlies still managed to win game two of the series, with ease. They found other ways to get it done on the floor, as Randolph grabbed ten rebounds and Gasol recorded three blocks and five assists. It did n't hurt that they turned the ball over just five times and took incredible care of the basketball throughout the game. Point guards Mike Conley and Beno Udrih turned the ball over just twice in 48 minutes combined. The Grizzlies top bench performer was Jeff Green who had a plus - 20 in the plus/minus statistic and finished with nine points, five rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block in 27 minutes. In this series he's averaging 10 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks in 28 minutes a game. He'll try and continue to lead the Memphis bench attack again on Saturday in game three from Portland. LaMarcus Aldridge had 15 points and 10 rebounds at half time with his team down 50 - 39. He was n't able to keep up the pace and his team was n't able to mount a comeback, and now they'll head back to Portland without a victory thus far in the series. Aldridge still put up a great all - around game with 24 points, 14 rebounds, four blocks and two steals, but he and Nicolas Batum each had four costly turnovers that the Trail Blazers paid for them in the end. Damian Lillard could n't quite get it going on offense, as he scored 18 points on 5 - for - 16 shooting with seven points coming from the free throw line. He also only managed to dish out one assist from the point guard position in 40 minutes, after recording just three as in game one. The Blazers will try and take game three at home in Portland on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "20", "Heat": "26"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "102", "Heat": "107"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "15", "Heat": "11"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "49"}}, {"Assists": {"Goran Dragic": "7", "Tyler Johnson": "2", "Anthony Tolliver": "2", "Garrett Temple": "2"}, "Points": {"Goran Dragic": "19", "Tyler Johnson": "23", "Anthony Tolliver": "14", "Garrett Temple": "15", "Arron Afflalo": "15", "Ty Lawson": "15"}, "Blocks": {"Tyler Johnson": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tyler Johnson": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Tyler Johnson": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"Tyler Johnson": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyler Johnson": "6", "Anthony Tolliver": "3"}, "Steals": {"Tyler Johnson": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Tolliver": "29", "Ty Lawson": "29"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the Sacramento Kings, 107 - 102, despite a remarkable comeback by the Kings at Golden 1 Center on Wednesday. The first half was a one sided affair after the Heat (11 - 26) led for practically every minute from tip - off to the second quarter buzzer, but an emphatic third quarter rally on behalf of the Kings (15 - 20) made for an exciting second half. The Kings were down as much as 19 points with 2:11 left in the third quarter after James Johnson drained two free throws, but Sacramento responded with 13 straight points to close out the quarter and trailed by only six points heading into the final period. DeMarcus Cousins made a three foot layup to put the Kings up by two points with 7:35 remaining in the fourth quarter, but that was the last lead the Kings had in the game. Cousins went back to the line later in the period to tie the game at 102 points a piece, however, Tyler Johnson's and - 1 sealed the deal with under :20 left and the Heat came away with a wild road victory. Both teams were led by their bench after a dreadful showing on behalf of most of the starters from each squad. Anthony Tolliver provided 14 points, three boards and two assists in 29 minutes for the Kings, while his bench counterparts Aaron Afflalo, Garrett Temple and Ty Lawson each provided 15 points. Cousins rounded out the box score, but not in the precise fashion that he has been providing all season long. The Sacramento all - star center posted 13 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals on 4 - of - 15 shooting across 32 minutes. As for the Heat, the story is the same. Tyler Johnson lit up the bench with 23 points, which led all scorers in the game, to go along with six rebounds, two assists, one steal and two blocks on 7 - of - 11 shooting. Goran Dragic led the starters with 19 points and seven assists, while the Heat, as a unit, shot 49 percent from the field en route to the road win. Both teams play Los Angeles based teams on Friday, as the Heat visit Staples Center to take on the Lakers, while the Kings host the Clippers at Golden 1 Center."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Knicks": "23"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "10", "Brandon Jennings": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "20", "Carmelo Anthony": "20", "Kristaps Porzingis": "10", "Brandon Jennings": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "12", "Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Kristaps Porzingis": "3", "Brandon Jennings": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "40", "Kevin Love": "35", "Kyle Korver": "31", "Brandon Jennings": "42"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "32", "Kevin Love": "23", "Tristan Thompson": "12", "Kyle Korver": "11", "Channing Frye": "14", "Carmelo Anthony": "17", "Kristaps Porzingis": "9", "Brandon Jennings": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "5", "Kevin Love": "16", "Brandon Jennings": "5"}, "Steals": {"Brandon Jennings": "2"}}], "In the absence of Kyrie Irving LeBron James did his part to make sure the ball was moving, as he dished 10 assists, to go along with a game - high 32 points on efficient 12 - of - 20 shooting, and five rebounds, in 40 minutes. Kevin Love turned in a solid double - double with 23 points and 16 rebounds, in 35 minutes. Three other players scored in double digits for the Cavs, including Channing Frye, who chipped in 14 points off the bench. Tristan Thompson added 12 points, while Kyle Korver added 11 points in 31 minutes off the bench. Meanwhile, Brandon Jennings led the way for the Knicks, with 23 points on 8 - of - 13 shooting, to go along with 10 assists, five rebounds and two steals, in 42 minutes. Carmelo Anthony shot 6 - of - 20 on his way to 17 points, while Kristaps Porzingis also struggled shooting, going 3 - of - 10 on his way to nine points."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Thunder": "26"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "6", "Nets": "12"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "110", "Nets": "99"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Thunder": "25", "Nets": "26"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "10", "Nets": "3"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"Thaddeus Young": "3", "Brook Lopez": "2", "Kevin Durant": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "13"}, "Points": {"Thaddeus Young": "18", "Brook Lopez": "26", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "11", "Andrea Bargnani": "13", "Kevin Durant": "30", "Russell Westbrook": "27", "Dion Waiters": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Thaddeus Young": "8", "Brook Lopez": "8", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "11", "Kevin Durant": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "6"}, "Steals": {"Thaddeus Young": "3", "Brook Lopez": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "2", "Kevin Durant": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "28", "Andrea Bargnani": "16"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (10 - 6) took care of business Wednesday night with a 110 - 99 win over the Brooklyn Nets (3 - 12). Brooklyn had 26 - 25 lead after the first quarter but Oklahoma City woke up in the second quarter and did not look back out - scoring Brooklyn 85 - 73 the rest of the way. Brook Lopez had a monstrous game for Brooklyn with 26 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocked shots, but it was still not enough to quiet the Thunder. Thaddeus Young also played well for the Nets, finshing with 18 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals. Three other players scored double digits for Brooklyn, including Andrea Bargnani, who contributed 13 points on 6 - 12 shooting, in 16 minutes off the bench. Rookie Rondae Hollis-Jefferson tallied a strong double double with 11 points and 11 rebounds in 28 minutes as a starter. Hollis-Jefferson has a good opportunity to shine at the shooting guard spot for the Nets going forward. Kevin Durant was back in top form Wednesday night as he finished with 30 points on 11 - 18 shooting, including 5 - 8 from long range, along with six rebounds, five assists and three blocked shots. Russell Westbrook would not be too far out - done and finished with 27 points of his own along with a generous 13 assists, six rebounds and five steals. Dion Waiters provided 16 points on 6 - 13 shooting and has been a nice boost off the bench for the Thunder so far this season. As a team Oklahoma City shot a strong 52 percent from the field and finished with 26 assists on 41 made field goals. Next up the Thunder will be hosting Detroit on Friday. Brooklyn will be visiting Cleavland on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "15", "Spurs": "6"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "88", "Spurs": "84"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "16", "Spurs": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4", "James Harden": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "20", "James Harden": "20"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "4"}}], "The Houston Rockets (16 - 15) defeated the San Antonio Spurs (25 - 6) 88 - 84 on Friday in a Christmas Day showdown. The Rockets pulled off quite the feat here, as they beat one of the powerhouses in the NBA. They got it done with an even more bizarre recipe, as they won with defense and very little three - point shooting. Houston really turned it on in the second half overcoming a halftime deficit to win the second half by nine points. Houston didn\u2019t shoot efficiently from the free - throw line, but they did a fantastic job of drawing fouls, as they took 26 free throws to the Spurs eight. The Spurs are known for their staunchy defense, but they didn\u2019t play enough offense here to get a win. They barely shot 40 percent from the field and got to the free - throw line just eight times. Tim Duncan recorded a double - double, but Kawhi Leonard was the star on the night. Leonard has a great all - around game, tallying 20 points, seven rebounds, four assists, five steals and three blocks in an outstanding performance. This was a tough task to beat a hungry Houston team on the road in a showcase game and the Spurs have nothing to be ashamed about with their amazing play this season. They'll take on the Denver Nuggets at home on Saturday in their next game to try to continue their undefeated home streak this season. The Rockets haven\u2019t had a great season by their standards, but this was a great performance in a showcase game. They attempt the most three - pointers in the NBA, but went just 7 - for - 15 here in an efficient fashion. Dwight Howard recorded a double - double, but the beard was the hero. He showed up big in the second half and carried them to a win. Harden finished with 20 points, nine assists and four rebounds en route to the victory. Jason Terry also scored nine points in the final quarter and came up clutch for this Rockets team to help aid the win. They'll look to build off this win in Saturday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Kings": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "49"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "31", "Nuggets": "33"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "116", "Nuggets": "110"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "23", "Nuggets": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "27", "Gary Harris": "14", "Joffrey Lauvergne": "22", "Rudy Gay": "24", "DeMarcus Cousins": "37", "Rajon Rondo": "24", "Darren Collison": "17"}, "Assists": {"Gary Harris": "5", "Rajon Rondo": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Gary Harris": "4", "Joffrey Lauvergne": "7", "DeMarcus Cousins": "20", "Rajon Rondo": "10"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4"}, "Steals": {"Rajon Rondo": "5"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (23 - 31) defeated the Denver Nuggets (22 - 33) 116 - 110 on Friday. It's rare to say that the Kings won a game with defense, but they did just that here. They held the Nuggets to just 46 points in the final two quarters after allowing nearly 60 in the first two. The shooting was key for Sacramento, as they shot 49 percent from the field, 78 percent from the free - throw line and 48 percent from three - point range. Amazingly, the Kings got all but four of their points from just five of their players in the win. Sacramento's starters scored 87 points compared to Denver's 55. Denver came into this game winning four of six, but couldn\u2019t muster up enough to beat a talented Kings team. Danilo Gallinari continued his scoring ways, as he dropped 27 points in the loss. No other starter scored in double - digits aside from Gary Harris, who finished with 14 points, four rebounds and five assists. Joffrey Lauvergne had his best game of the season off the bench, as he tallied 22 points and seven rebounds. On deck is a matchup against the Boston Celtics on Sunday. It's not too often that an NBA team can win with five payers combining for four points, but Sacramento did just that. DeMarcus Cousins went bonkers in the win, as he accumulated 37 points, 20 rebounds, and four blocks. Rajon Rondo fell an assist shy of a triple - double, as he tallied 24 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and five steals in a monster game. Rudy Gay pitched in with 24 points of his own and Darren Collison scored 17 off the bench. The Kings next game will be on Tuesday, when they get a rematch against these same Denver Nuggets."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "18", "Raptors": "20"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "109", "Raptors": "104"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Celtics": "32", "Raptors": "19"}, "Turnovers": {"Celtics": "9"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "31", "Raptors": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Norman Powell": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "5", "Al Horford": "6", "Isaiah Thomas": "7", "Marcus Smart": "5"}, "Points": {"Norman Powell": "12", "Kyle Lowry": "32", "Jared Sullinger": "13", "Jae Crowder": "14", "Al Horford": "11", "Isaiah Thomas": "44", "Marcus Smart": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Norman Powell": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "2", "Jared Sullinger": "6", "Jae Crowder": "8", "Al Horford": "3", "Marcus Smart": "5"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Lowry": "2", "Marcus Smart": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Al Horford": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Al Horford": "4"}}], "The Boston Celtics defeated the Toronto Raptors, 109 - 104, at TD Garden on Wednesday. Despite the Raptors leading for the first 42 minutes of this game, the Celtics took the most important one to escape with a win. In fact, the five - point margin was Boston's biggest lead, as they held the lead for less than three total minutes. The fourth quarter was the difference, with the Celtics winning that quarter, 32 - 19. Despite dominating the shooting, the free - throw line really killed Toronto, as they shot 56 percent from the charity stripe, while Boston shot 83 percent. The assist - to - turnover differential was huge for Boston too, recording seven more assists than Toronto and committing six less turnovers. The Raptors (30 - 20) had to play this game without DeMar DeRozan (ankle), as it marked their seventh loss in their last nine games. Kyle Lowry carried the load, as he led the team with 32 points, two rebounds five assists and two steals. Norman Powell started for DeRozan and finished with 12 points, five rebounds and two assists. Jared Sullinger was second on the team in scoring, dropping 13 points and six rebounds off the bench. Toronto will play the Orlando Magic on the road for their next game on Friday. The Celtics (31 - 18) have rode Isaiah Thomas' ridiculous fourth quarter form all season and that was the recipe once again here. Thomas finished the game with 44 points and seven assists, with 19 of those coming in the fourth quarter. Jae Crowder was second on the team, providing 14 points and eight rebounds. Al Horford scored just 11 points on 4 - of - 13 shooting, but grabbed three rebounds and handed out six assists. Marcus Smart was the only other Boston player in double figures, as he accumulated 10 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals off the bench. The Celtics next game is on Friday, as they host the Los Angeles Lakers."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "1"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "92", "Bulls": "99"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Cavaliers": "22"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "0", "Bulls": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Bulls": "10"}}, {"Assists": {"Pau Gasol": "4", "Joakim Noah": "4", "Jimmy Butler": "6", "Derrick Rose": "5", "LeBron James": "9", "Kyrie Irving": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Pau Gasol": "4", "LeBron James": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Pau Gasol": "1", "LeBron James": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Pau Gasol": "1", "Jimmy Butler": "4", "LeBron James": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Pau Gasol": "1", "LeBron James": "4", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Points": {"Pau Gasol": "21", "Jimmy Butler": "20", "Derrick Rose": "25", "LeBron James": "19", "Iman Shumpert": "22", "Kyrie Irving": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "10", "Jimmy Butler": "5", "Derrick Rose": "5", "LeBron James": "15", "Mike Miller": "5", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Joakim Noah": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Joakim Noah": "29", "Mike Miller": "16", "Tristan Thompson": "37"}, "Turnovers": {"Joakim Noah": "4", "Jimmy Butler": "1", "LeBron James": "6", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jimmy Butler": "4", "Derrick Rose": "4", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jimmy Butler": "1", "Derrick Rose": "1", "LeBron James": "4"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "3", "Derrick Rose": "1", "LeBron James": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Mike Miller": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (10) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (0 - 1) 99 - 92 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Bulls had a trio of 20 - point scorers to lead them to victory past the Cavaliers who were without J.R. Smith, due to a suspension that will also hold him out for Game 2. Mike Miller started in place of Smith at shooting guard but only played 16 minutes. He hit one three - pointer and grabbed five rebounds in his time on the floor, but his team was clearly missing the spark that Smith provides. The Cavaliers were also missing Kevin Love, who underwent surgery on his shoulder last Wednesday. Love is out for the remainder of the postseason and it's quite possible he's already played in his final game as a Cleveland Cavalier. Iman Shumpert stepped in the starting lineup in Love's absence. Shumpert was the second - leading scorer for Cleveland with 22 points. With Shumpert and Miller's insertion into the starting lineup, LeBron James was bumped to power forward. However, big - man Tristan Thompson played 37 minutes which allowed James to play more from his preferred position of small forward. James finished with 19 points, 15 rebounds, nine assists, three steals and costly six turnovers. Kyrie Irving led Cleveland in scoring with 30 points. He and James will need to come back strong in Game 2 to try and even up the series before they head to Chicago. Derrick Rose started off strong as he did in the first round against the Milwaukee Bucks. On Monday he had 25 points, five rebounds, five assists and one steal in his teams Game 1 upset of the Cavs in Cleveland. Jimmy Butler continued his amazing run this year with 20 points, five rebounds, six assists and three steals, while guarding the most dominant force in the NBA, LeBron James. Pau Gasol once again proved he's still one of the top big men in the league. He dropped 21 points on the Cavs to go along with 10 rebounds, four assists an four key blocked shots. He also had the best plus/minus of any player on either team with a plus - 21. Joakim Noah did n't score on any of his four shots in 29 minutes but that proved to be irrelevant as Chicago was still able to take down Cleveland in Game 1. If the Bulls manage to win Game 2 as well, they will head back to Chicago with a 20 lead with two games to play at home in a row."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "7", "Nuggets": "11"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "92", "Nuggets": "81"}, "Turnovers": {"Mavericks": "13", "Nuggets": "20"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "10", "Nuggets": "6"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nuggets": "5"}}, {"Blocks": {"Darrell Arthur": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Darrell Arthur": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Darrell Arthur": "3"}, "Points": {"Darrell Arthur": "16", "Zaza Pachulia": "16", "Deron Williams": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Darrell Arthur": "5", "Zaza Pachulia": "12", "Deron Williams": "4"}, "Steals": {"Darrell Arthur": "2", "Zaza Pachulia": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Darrell Arthur": "3", "Kenneth Faried": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kenneth Faried": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kenneth Faried": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Kenneth Faried": "14"}, "Assists": {"Deron Williams": "4"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (10 - 7) defeated the Denver Nuggets (6 - 11) 92 - 81 thanks to a horrible third quarter by Denver. The Mavericks and Nuggets were in a tightly - contested battle at halftime, but something drastic happened to alter the result. The Nuggets did n't show up in the third quarter and they put up some mind boggling stats. Denver started the quarter going 0 - for - 14 with six turnovers and failed to score in the first nine minutes. That started a 160 run for Dallas and they never looked back after that. The turnovers were a problem as well, as Dallas won that battle 20 - 13. A five - point third quarter proved to be the difference in a frustrating loss for the Nuggets. Scoring 29 points in the second half simply wo n't get it done in the NBA and that's just what the Nuggets did. The team was led by Darrell Arthur, who tallied 16 points, five rebounds, two steals and two blocks in the defeat. Kenneth Faried did make his return after a three - game absence due to an ankle injury, but played just 14 minutes. Denver has now scored 161 points over their last two games and this is obviously not the potent up - tempo Denver offense of the past. They'll look to get out of this six - game skid when they play another struggling team in the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday. Dallas played some fantastic defense en route to an impressive win on Saturday. The surprise start for Dallas has to be credited to Zaza Pachulia, who put in yet another great game. Pachulia collected 16 points, 12 rebounds and three steals to pick up his 10th double - double of the season. Deron Williams also had a nice game, as he amassed 22 points, four assists and four rebounds in the win. The Mavericks had 13 steals in the game and they forced the Nuggets into bad shots time after time. This is n't the prettiest team in the NBA, but they're certainly dangerous and a threat in the West. Dallas will play the Sacramento Kings on Monday in their next scheduled game."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "10", "Al Horford": "10", "Isaiah Thomas": "5", "Marcus Smart": "8"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "28", "Jae Crowder": "17", "Al Horford": "9", "Isaiah Thomas": "31", "Marcus Smart": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "13", "Jae Crowder": "10", "Al Horford": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jae Crowder": "10", "Isaiah Thomas": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Jae Crowder": "5", "Isaiah Thomas": "10"}}], "The Celtics broke out of a mini - slump with numerous strong performances on Wednesday. All-Star and team leader Isaiah Thomas scored a team - high 31 points on 10 - of - 20 shooting while dishing out five assists. Big man Al Horford narrowly missed a triple double, recording 10 rebounds and 10 assists but only nine points. Marcus Smart came off the bench for nine points and eight assists, and forward Jae Crowder started the game and scored 17 points on 5 - of - 10 shooting to go along with 10 rebounds. As a team, the Celtics held a 47 - 40 advantage in the rebounding column and hit 10 three - pointers. For Cleveland, superstar LeBron James had yet another top - notch night. James recorded a triple - double, with 28 ponts, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists on the night. The triple - double was the seventh of the season for James, who is now averaging career highs in both rebounds and assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "2"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "92", "Warriors": "112"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "0", "Warriors": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Warriors": "8"}}, {"Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "6"}, "Points": {"Stephen Curry": "25", "Dwight Howard": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Stephen Curry": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Dwight Howard": "22"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"James Harden": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"James Harden": "2"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (20) continued their recent success against the Houston Rockets (0 - 2) on Friday by blowing them out in Houston 112 - 92. The Golden State Warriors won eight of their nine games against the Houston Rockets last season and it appears they simply own them at this point. Golden State has now scored at least 98 points in all nine of those games and the Rockets simply ca n't stop this potent offense. The Warriors were led by MVP Steph Curry, who tallied 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the blowout victory. Dwight Howard also made his return from a suspension for the Rockets in this game, as he tallied nine points and seven assists while battling foul trouble across 22 minutes of play. The Warriors outscored the Rockets in all four quarters and the game was decided well before the final buzzer. The Warriors had just one player who scored more than 14 points in this matchup, but they did have seven players who scored at least nine points. This is now two blowout wins over playoff teams from last year and the Warriors appears to have a major chip on their shoulder with naysayers in the offseason belittling their championship run. The Rockets are a poor man's Golden State and it will be tough for them to beat the Warriors in the future in a three - point shootout with all the shooters Golden State possess. The Warriors take on the New Orleans Pelicans (0 - 2) on Saturday in the second half of a back - to - back in their next matchup. The Rockets started the season with two home games and now have two 20 - point blowout losses. The team continued its terrible shooting from distance and they're also looking like a poor defensive team yet again. The Rockets are currently shooting below 25 percent from three - point range in their first two games and they have allowed their opponents to shoot nearly 50 percent from the field as well. Harden has also struggled mightily in these first two games, as he is 10 - for - 39 from the field and a dreadful 3 - for - 22 from three - point range. Houston will look to bounce back on the road in their next game on Sunday against the Miami Heat."], [[{"Wins": {"Grizzlies": "17"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "33"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Warriors": "16"}, "Turnovers": {"Warriors": "23"}}, {"Points": {"Kevin Durant": "21", "Stephen Curry": "17", "Ian Clark": "10", "Tony Allen": "19", "JaMychal Green": "14", "Marc Gasol": "19", "Troy Williams": "11", "Andrew Harrison": "11", "Jarell Martin": "13", "Zach Randolph": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"JaMychal Green": "10"}}], "The defensive - minded Grizzlies managed to hold Golden State to a season - low point total, temporarily derailing their run of 16 victories in 17 games in the process. They also forced 23 turnovers from the Warriors while holding them to a 33 percent success rate from long range. Kevin Durant (21 points) and Stephen Curry (17 points, 4 - of - 14 from long distance) were the only double - digit scorers among the Warriors' starters, while Ian Clark paced the bench with a modest 10 points. The Grizzlies' Marc Gasol and Tony Allen lead the way with a pair of 19 - point efforts, and JaMychal Green post a 14 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Matching 11 - point tallies from Andrew Harrison and Troy Williams rounded things out for the first unit, while Zach Randolph (14 points) and Jarell Martin (13 points) were strong in reserve roles."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Spurs": "34"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "61"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "123", "Jazz": "98"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "31", "Jazz": "15"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "4", "Trey Burke": "4", "Tim Duncan": "6"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "18", "Trey Burke": "21", "Tim Duncan": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "4", "Kawhi Leonard": "4", "Tim Duncan": "8"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (31 - 7) destroyed the Utah Jazz (15 - 19) 123 - 98 to continue their torrid run at home on Wednesday night. The Spurs came into this game as one of the biggest favorites of the year and actually covered their ginormous spread. The amazing part is that they still dominated without Tony Parker and LaMarcus Aldridge in the lineup, simply to rest their studs. The offense was incredibly efficient tonight, as they shot 61 percent and recorded 34 assists as a team. The bench was huge for San Antonio as well, as they had five bench players score in double - figures. The Spurs won every single quarter in the game and it was well in hand from start to finish. The Jazz have really been struggling recently and they were walking into a buzz saw here. This game was decided early, as no starter played more than 28 minutes to spare some minutes for a game on Thursday. Trey Burke was the only bright spot, as he tallied 21 points and four assists off the bench. Gordon Hayward also played well against some Kawhi Leonard defense, as he amassed 18 points, four rebounds and four assists. Utah has been living off their defense, but this is just one of those games you have to tip your cap to the better team. It's a good thing the starters got some rest as their next game is on Thursday in the second half of a back - to - back against the Houston Rockets. The Spurs just continue their ridiculous form at home, as they are now 210 at AT & T Center. The defense has been dominating all season, but the offense was on display here. They now rank in the top - five in offensive and defensive efficiency and this looks like one of few teams in the league who can compete with the Golden State Warriors. Tim Duncan had a renaissance game here, as he collected 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists in the win. David West turned back the clock as well in a rare start, as he double - doubled in an impressive performance. The scary thing is that the Spurs dominated here without an All-Star point guard and an All-Star power forward. They'll loo to extend their home winning streak to 31 games on Friday against the New York Knicks."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "17", "Warriors": "4"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "94", "Warriors": "125"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Bulls": "18", "Warriors": "34"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "24", "Warriors": "39"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "38"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "5", "Klay Thompson": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Harrison Barnes": "3", "Klay Thompson": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "13", "Klay Thompson": "18", "Taj Gibson": "6", "Pau Gasol": "8", "Jimmy Butler": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Harrison Barnes": "8", "Klay Thompson": "7", "Taj Gibson": "2", "Pau Gasol": "0", "Jimmy Butler": "7"}, "Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "19", "Klay Thompson": "20", "Stephen Curry": "25", "Taj Gibson": "4", "Pau Gasol": "1", "Jimmy Butler": "23", "Derrick Rose": "29", "Bobby Portis": "16"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Stephen Curry": "7", "Derrick Rose": "1", "Bobby Portis": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "12"}, "Free throws made": {"Jimmy Butler": "9"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Derrick Rose": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Bobby Portis": "24"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (39 - 4) routed the Chicago Bulls (24 - 17) on Wednesday night at United Center, 125 - 94. The Warriors jumped out to a 34 - 18 lead in the first quarter, including a 21 - 6 run in the final 6:11 of the period. The Bulls were never able to mount a comeback, as the Warriors' lead remained in double - digits for the final three quarters. Steph Curry had a rare pedestrian shooting night, as he finished 8 - 18 and 3 - 9 from three - point range, but he nearly recorded a triple - double, as he finished with 25 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. Klay Thompson chipped in 20 points (7 - 18 FG, 3 - 8 3PT) and Harrison Barnes added 19 on a crisp shooting night (8 - 13 FG, 3 - 5 3PT). Golden State poured in 12 three - pointers as a team on 32 attempts (38 percent) as the Bulls could n't run the Warriors off the line. Derrick Rose had one of his most explosive games of the season, as he scored 29 on a sharp 12 - 22 shooting night. Jimmy Butler added 23 (7 - 16 FG, 9 - 12 FT) and Bobby Portis scored 16 and grabbed eight rebounds in just 24 minutes off the bench. The Bulls got nothing from their starting big men, however, as Pau Gasol managed just one point (0 - 8 FG) and Taj Gibson scored just four (2 - 6 FG). The Warriors will return home from a three - game road trip to host the Pacers on Friday night. The Bulls will head on the road for a Friday contest in Boston."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Anthony Davis": "33", "DeMarcus Cousins": "29", "Jrue Holiday": "18", "Jordan Crawford": "12", "Trevor Ariza": "8", "Clint Capela": "10", "Patrick Beverley": "17", "James Harden": "38", "Eric Gordon": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "16", "DeMarcus Cousins": "6", "Patrick Beverley": "6", "James Harden": "7"}, "Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Jrue Holiday": "9", "Patrick Beverley": "2", "James Harden": "17"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jrue Holiday": "12", "Trevor Ariza": "10", "James Harden": "24", "Eric Gordon": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Trevor Ariza": "4", "Patrick Beverley": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Trevor Ariza": "0", "Patrick Beverley": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Trevor Ariza": "3", "James Harden": "12", "Eric Gordon": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Trevor Ariza": "34", "Patrick Beverley": "31", "James Harden": "38", "Eric Gordon": "33"}}], "James Harden led the way for the Rockets with 38 points on 12 - of - 24 shooting, 17 assists and seven rebounds, in 38 minutes. Patrick Beverley followed up with 17 points, while shooting 4 - of - 7 from long range, to go along with six rebounds and two assists, in 31 minutes. Eric Gordon chipped in 14 points on 5 - of - 10 shooting, in 33 minutes off the bench, while Clint Capela double - doubled with 10 points and 14 rebounds. Trevor Ariza went 0 - of - 4 from long range and only 3 - of - 10 overall, on his way to eight points, in 34 minutes. Meanwhile, Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins combined for 62 points, as Davis finished with 33 points and 16 rebounds, and Cousins followed up with 29 points, six rebounds four assists and four blocked shots. Jrue Holiday chipped in 18 points and dished nine assists, while the only other player to score in double digits for New Orleans was Jordan Crawford, who finished with 12."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Clippers": "24"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "21", "Hawks": "24"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "99", "Hawks": "84"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "35", "Hawks": "32"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hawks": "24"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul Millsap": "3"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "8", "Dwight Howard": "11", "Dennis Schroder": "15", "Blake Griffin": "17", "JJ Redick": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "15", "Blake Griffin": "5"}, "Assists": {"Dennis Schroder": "7", "Blake Griffin": "9"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Atlanta Hawks 99 - 84 Wednesday at Staples Center. After going through some real struggles following Chris Paul's injury, the Clippers (35 - 21) now enter the All-Star break with plenty of momentum via a four - game winning streak, and Wednesday's victory was the walk - in - the - park the team likely preferred to have before their week off. It ended up being a complete team effort, with 11 total players getting in the scoring column and five different players managing to score in double figures. Blake Griffin led the way with 17 points, nine assists and five rebounds, while J.J. Redick added 15 points of his own. But it was the bench mob that ended up playing a crucial role in the team's victory, accounting for 42 of the team's 99 points Wednesday. Thanks to the four - game win streak, the Clippers now sit a half - game ahead of the Jazz for fourth place in the Western Conference. As for the Hawks (32 - 24), it was the final game of their three - game West-coast road trip, and it resulted in a fairly lackluster effort from the team. While all 13 Atlanta players that saw action got in the scoring column Wednesday, there were no standout performances in the defeat. Dwight Howard recorded a double - double of 11 points and 15 rebounds, while Dennis Schroeder led the way in the scoring column with 15 points to go along with seven assists. But with All-Star Paul Millsap shooting just 3 - of - 12 from the field en route to scoring just eight points, the team never really had a shot. Both teams still enter the break in the top five of their conference standings, with the Clippers resuming Feb. 23 against the Warriors and the Hawks returning to the court Feb 24 against the Heat."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "2"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "102", "Pacers": "99"}, "Turnovers": {"Raptors": "7", "Pacers": "14"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "3"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pacers": "35"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pacers": "9"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Paul George": "41"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "39", "DeMar DeRozan": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "8", "Bismack Biyombo": "16"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the Indiana Pacers, 102 - 99, at Air Canada Centre on Tuesday to take a 3 - 2 lead in the Eastern Conference first - round playoffs. Raptors All-Star DeMar DeRozan, who had been relatively quiet in the series, delivered a team - high 34 points to help lead a 23 - 2 comeback run after the Raptors trailed by 13 points to start the fourth quarter. Toronto heled Indiana to just nine fourth - quarter points. While only one Raptor recorded more than five rebounds, that player did so in grandiose fashion. Bismack Biyombo pulled down 16 boards in just 23 minutes off the bench, keeping Toronto's rebounding total even with Indiana's. Turnovers ended up proving a difference - maker in the game, as Indiana coughed the ball up 14 times to Toronto's seven. Indiana superstar Paul George, meanwhile, scored 39 points and went for eight rebounds and eight assists on the night. George truly was the backbone of the Pacers' tough effort on Tuesday, as he finished at plus - 15 on the night despite playing over 41 minutes in a loss. It was a big night early for Indiana, as the team scored 35 in the first quarter and hit seven three - pointers in the first. The team went on to hit 13 threes, but the long - range artillery was n't enough to get the job done late, as Indiana allowed Toronto its biggest playoff comeback in franchise history. Game 6 will see the action return to Indiana on Friday night."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "40"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Serge Ibaka": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Serge Ibaka": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Serge Ibaka": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "7", "Evan Fournier": "2"}, "Assists": {"Evan Fournier": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Evan Fournier": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Evan Fournier": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Evan Fournier": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Evan Fournier": "7"}, "Turnovers": {"Evan Fournier": "2"}, "Points": {"Jeff Green": "18"}}], "Neither team could generate much offense on a night when both clubs shot under 40 percent from the field and the Wizards also rested John Wall. A pair of 18 - point efforts represented each team's high score, and the Magic's actually came from the bench in the person of Jeff Green. Evan Fournier and Serge Ibaka were the only two members of the first unit to hit double digits in the scoring column, but over half of the former's points came from seven made free throws. The normally productive trio of Nicola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon and Elfrid Payton created a sizable scoring void with their struggles, as they managed a combined 21 points on 8 - of - 21 shooting. Meanwhile, Markieff Morris was the Wizards' high scorer, while Otto Porter and Marcin Gorat combined to haul in 27 boards."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "11", "Pelicans": "15"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "108", "Pelicans": "101"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Rockets": "24"}, "Turnovers": {"Rockets": "10"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "8", "Pelicans": "4"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pelicans": "28"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "41"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pelicans": "29"}}, {"Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "2", "Terrence Jones": "2"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "29", "Ryan Anderson": "19", "James Harden": "24", "Patrick Beverley": "10", "Terrence Jones": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "13", "Ryan Anderson": "10", "James Harden": "10"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"James Harden": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Harden": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"James Harden": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Patrick Beverley": "10"}}], "The Houston Rockets (8 - 11) won for the third time in four games Wednesday night as they held off the New Orleans Pelicans (4 - 15) to win 108 - 101 at the Toyota Center. The Pelicans took a one - point lead with 8:56 to go in the game, but the Rockets rattled off a 100 run over the next four minutes to build up an insurmountable lead. Rockets guard James Harden fueled the run with its first five points, and the Rockets never trailed in the game's final five minutes. Harden's 24 points paced the Rockets despite an off shooting night (7 - 20), as he used his skills to get to the foul line and chip in nine free throws in 10 attempts. Patrick Beverley supplied a double - double with 10 points, 10 redbounds, all while playing a stellar point guard and dishing six assists without a turnover. Terrence Jones added 15 points off the bench and was just one of three Rockets reserves to score in double - digits. For the Pelicans, it was superstar Anthony Davis leading the way, as he had his own double - double with 29 points (9 - 20 shooting) and 13 rebounds, and he made his presence felt on the defensive end with a pair of blocks and steals each. Ryan Anderson came off the bench to supply 19 points (3 - 9 three - point shooting) and 10 rebounds. Poor shooting killed the Pelicans, who managed just 41 percent from the floor and 28 percent from deep. Houston will look to make it a winning streak Friday at Dallas. New Orleans next gets the Cavaliers at home on Friday."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Kings": "46", "Thunder": "38"}}, {"Points": {"Victor Oladipo": "18", "Russell Westbrook": "31", "DeMarcus Cousins": "36"}, "Rebounds": {"Victor Oladipo": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "9"}, "Field goal percentage": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "50"}}], "It was a superstar showdown in Sacramento, as DeMarcus Cousins lifted his Kings over Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Cousins led the game with 36 points on 50 percent shooting from the field. The All-Star added a game - high 13 rebounds and knocked down 5 - of - 6 attempts from the free - throw line. With Cousins taking the lead, Sacramento was able to take a 46 - 38 rebounding advantage over a tenacious Thunder team. On OKC's side, meanwhile, it was the usual situation, as Westbrook led the team in points, rebounds, and assists. Westbrook, the league's leading scorer, had 31 points to go along with 11 boards and nine dimes. The point guard also grabbed three steals on the defensive end. Guard Victor Oladipo had a strong showing as well, recording 18 points and six rebounds."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "46"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "26", "Bucks": "31"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "107", "Bucks": "95"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "24", "Bucks": "20"}}, {"Steals": {"Khris Middleton": "3", "CJ McCollum": "2"}, "Assists": {"CJ McCollum": "6", "Damian Lillard": "12"}, "Blocks": {"CJ McCollum": "2"}, "Points": {"CJ McCollum": "30", "Damian Lillard": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"CJ McCollum": "4"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (24 - 26) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (20 - 31) 107 - 95 on Tuesday to gain sole possession of the Western Conference eighth seed. Breakout star CJ McCollum led the rising Blazers in scoring with 30. McCollum stuffed the stat sheet, finishing with an additional four rebounds, six assists, two blocks, and two steals. Point guard Damian Lillard, meanwhile, scored below his season average with just 14, but totalled a whopping 12 assists on the night. Portland shot a respectable 46 percent on the night as a team, while holding a 49 - 43 advantage on the glass. Milwaukee, a playoff team in 2014 - 15, has slid deep into the lottery picture so far this season. With the loss to Portland, the Bucks have now dropped six of their last seven contests. In Tuesday's contest, Milwaukee, the worst three - point shooting team in the association, again struggled from deep, hitting just five three - pointers in comparison to their opponent's eleven. Shooting guard Khris Middleton did offer some hope for the strugglin squad, pouring in 22 points while providing defensive hustle that led to three steals. The Bucks will travel to Utah on Friday to take on the Jazz. Portland, on the other hand, will continue their homestand on Thursday against the Raptors."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "2", "Hornets": "6"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "112", "Hornets": "87"}, "Rebounds": {"Warriors": "51", "Hornets": "41"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "7", "Hornets": "4"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "38"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Klay Thompson": "27"}, "Points": {"Klay Thompson": "21"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (7 - 2) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (4 - 6) 112 - 87 on Saturday. Golden State is on a two - game win streak. They were up 67 - 46 on the Hornets at halftime, and the Hornets were never able to dig into the deficit in the second half. Klay Thompson scored a game - high 21 points in 27 minutes. The Warriors will go on the road to face the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. Charlotte was playing the second night of a back - to - back set. They beat the Phoenix Suns 103 - 95 on Friday, and with the way the Suns run, it's no surprise the Hornets did n't have enough in the tank to take on a rested Warriors squad. Charlotte shot 38 percent from the field and a bizarre 57 percent from the free - throw line. They were also out - rebounded by the Warriors 51 - 41. Charlotte will return home to host the Dallas Mavericks on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "24", "Hawks": "31"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "105", "Hawks": "97"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "50", "Hawks": "45"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "18"}}, {"Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "26", "Kyle Lowry": "17"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "11"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (50 - 24) reached 50 wins for the first time in franchise history on Wednesday after defeating the Atlanta Hawks (45 - 31) 105 - 97. Toronto has emerged as a contender this season, rivaling LeBron and the Cavaliers for the top spot in the East for the bulk of the season. The Raps sit just two games back from the first seed with eight games remaining until the playoffs. Toronto once again proved successful against one of the East's hottest teams, comfortably defeating the surging Hawks. Limiting Atlanta's ball movement was a focal point, as the stingy Toronto defense was able to force 18 Atlanta turnovers. Per usual, the Toronto offense was carried by the stellar backcourt of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, both of whom had impressive nights. DeRozan had a game - high 26 points, while Lowry scored 17 and also dished out 11 assists. Atlanta, meanwhile, has sought to separate itself from the middle of the Eastern Conference and hold on to the three seed heading into the playoffs. Wednesday's performance did the team no favors, however, as the starting five simply struggled to find their mojo offensively. Only Jeff Teague scored in double digits for the unit, and the team as a whole had a turnover issue, coughing the ball up seven more times than Toronto on the night. With six games remaining, last year's first seed will hope to retain homecourt advantage for the playoffs. Toronto will take on The Grizzlies on Friday, while Atlanta will have a long break before taking the floor on Tuesday against the Suns."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "54"}}, {"Points": {"Tobias Harris": "13", "Gordon Hayward": "20", "Rodney Hood": "27", "George Hill": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "19"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rodney Hood": "8", "George Hill": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rodney Hood": "7", "George Hill": "5"}}], "The Jazz saw big outings from a number of key players en route to one of their most decisive victories of the season on Friday. Utah shot almost 54 percent from the field and hit 16 three - pointers while making over half its shot attempts from beyond the arc. Three Jazz starters scored 20 or more, as sophomore guard Rodney Hood led the team with 27 points. Hood was 7 - of - 8 on attempts from beyond the arc. Point guard George Hill scored 22 and was 5 - of - 6 on threes, and forward Gordon Hayward scored 20 while going 8 - of - 12 from the field. Utah was also able to hold a 48 - 35 advantage in the rebounding column. Center Rudy Gobert led the team with 11 boards. Despite losing the team rebounding battle, center Andre Drummond pulled down a whopping 19 boards. While Drummond made a big impact on the glass, neither he nor any other Piston could get the job done on offense. The team shot under 40 percent and made only six three - pointers. Tobias Harris was the team's leading scorer with 13."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Cavaliers": "63", "Pistons": "21"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "60", "Pistons": "37"}}, {"Points": {"Marcus Morris": "13", "Tobias Harris": "17", "Andre Drummond": "8", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "11", "Ish Smith": "12", "LeBron James": "16", "Iman Shumpert": "18", "Kyrie Irving": "26", "Derrick Williams": "13", "Deron Williams": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "14", "LeBron James": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ish Smith": "12"}, "Assists": {"LeBron James": "12"}}], "The Cavs exploded for a 44 - point first quarter and built a 74 - 48 halftime lead. Cleveland posted success rates of 60 percent from the field and 63 percent from behind the arc while limiting Detroit to respective tallies of 37 and 21 percent. The Cavs' second unit posted a collective 48 points in the blowout. Kyrie Irving's 26 points led Cleveland. Iman Shumpert followed with 18 points, while LeBron James registered a 16 - point, 12 - assist, 11 - rebound triple double. Reggie Jefferson equaled James' point total, and the second unit was led by matching 13 - point efforts from Derrick and Deron Williams. J.R. Smith totaled 12 bench points over 23 minutes. Tobias Harris' 17 points paced Detroit. Maurice Morris managed 13 points while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope poured in 11. Ish Smith posted 12 points, while Andre Drummond supplied eight points and 14 rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "9", "Timberwolves": "14"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "120", "Timberwolves": "125"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hornets": "29", "Timberwolves": "19"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hornets": "22"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "11", "Timberwolves": "6"}}, {"Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Zach LaVine": "3", "Ricky Rubio": "12", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "1", "Frank Kaminsky": "5", "Nicolas Batum": "12", "Kemba Walker": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "11"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "29", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "27", "Zach LaVine": "17", "Shabazz Muhammad": "12", "Nemanja Bjelica": "12", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "15", "Frank Kaminsky": "21", "Kemba Walker": "22", "Marco Belinelli": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "15", "Zach LaVine": "2", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "6", "Frank Kaminsky": "9", "Nicolas Batum": "8", "Kemba Walker": "4"}, "Steals": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Zach LaVine": "2", "Frank Kaminsky": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2", "Zach LaVine": "1", "Frank Kaminsky": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "1"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Charlotte Hornets in overtime, 125 - 120, at Spectrum Center on Saturday. The Timberwolves (6 - 14) may have looked like somewhat easy prey to the hometown Hornets, considering they came in with a 5 - 14 record despite their solid talent. The first quarter did nothing to dissuade those beliefs, as Charlotte (11 - 9) jumped out to a 29 - 19 lead after the first 12 minutes. However, Minnesota clawed back to trail by only three, 52 - 49 by intermission. The second half was a continuous see - saw battle that appeared like it might go the Hornets' way in the closing seconds, until an Andrew Wiggins 31 - foot three - point jumper with eight seconds remaining knotted the score at 106. He then sunk a pair of clutch free throws with 11 seconds remaining in overtime to give Minnesota some crucial breathing room at 123 - 118. That five - point margin was the final separation between the two teams, as the Timberwolves secured only their third road win of the season. Wiggins totaled 29 points overall while leading the visitors, and he added four assists, a rebound and three steals. Karl-Anthony Towns was right behind him with 27 points, 15 rebounds, an assist, two blocks and a steal. Zach LaVine supplied 17 points, three assists, two rebounds, two steals and a block. Ricky Rubio managed a modest seven points but did dish out 12 assists. Nemanja Bjelica and Shabazz Muhammad led the bench with a pair of 12 - point efforts, and also totaled eight rebounds between them. The Hornets were paced by Kemba Walker, who posted 22 points, eight assists and four rebounds. Frank Kaminsky III got another start at power forward in place of Marvin Williams and tallied 21 points, nine rebounds, five assists, a steal and a block. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist registered 15 points, six rebounds and an assist. Nicolas Batum matched his point total and made it a double - double with 12 assists, while also hauling in eight rebounds, recording three steals and posting a block. Marco Belinelli led the second unit with 15 points. The Timberwolves head back home to face the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday evening, while the Hornets travel to Dallas to face the Mavericks on Monday night."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "5"}}, {"Points": {"Tobias Harris": "21", "Marcus Morris": "10", "Andre Drummond": "10", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "10", "Ish Smith": "14", "Jon Leuer": "8", "Steven Adams": "16", "Victor Oladipo": "18", "Anthony Morrow": "21", "Enes Kanter": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "4", "Marcus Morris": "5", "Steven Adams": "9"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Marcus Morris": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Marcus Morris": "5", "Andre Drummond": "5"}}], "Russell Westbrook's sixth triple - double spearheaded the win. The perennial All-Star was only 8 - of - 22 from the floor but managed 17 points, 15 assists, 13 rebounds, a steal and a block. Victor Oladipo had a team - high 18 points, while Steven Adams had a near double - double with 16 points and nine boards. The second unit provided some valuable support, led by Anthony Morrow's 21 points. Enes Kanter contributed 12 points, and the bench tallied 48 points overall. Tobias Harris spearheaded Detroit with 21 points, four rebounds, while Ish Smith chimed in with 14 of his own. A trio of 10 - point efforts from Marcus Morris, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Andre Drummond rounded out the starting five's night. Jon Leuer led the bench with eight points, but the Pistons were historically bad from beyond the arc, going just 1 - of - 19 (5 percent)."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Wizards": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "57"}}, {"Points": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "12", "Trevor Booker": "16", "Brook Lopez": "11", "Sean Kilpatrick": "7", "Isaiah Whitehead": "6", "Caris LeVert": "12", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "16", "Markieff Morris": "10", "Marcin Gortat": "19", "John Wall": "19", "Trey Burke": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "13"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "14"}}], "John Wall, Marcin Gortat and Trey Burke led the way for the Wizards on a night where Bradley Beal rested his sprained ankle. Washington had the hot hand on offense, shooting 57 percent from the field and 50 percent from three - point range. Burke led the way with a season - high 27 points, while Wall and Gortat turned in matching 19 - point performances to go along with 14 assists and 13 rebounds, respectively. Otto Porter (12 points) and Markieff Morris (10 points) rounded out the first unit. Trevor Booker's and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson's matching 16 - point tallies paced the Nets, while Bojan Bogdanovic went for 12 points. Brook Lopez compiled 11 points, but Sean Kilpatrick (seven points) and Isaiah Whitehead (six points) underwhelmed, going a combined 4 - of - 14 from the field. Caris Levert supplied 12 points in a reserve role."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "8", "Grizzlies": "13"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "98", "Grizzlies": "85"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bulls": "24", "Grizzlies": "13"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bulls": "24", "Grizzlies": "19"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "15", "Grizzlies": "14"}}, {"Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "7", "Courtney Lee": "6", "Zach Randolph": "5", "Pau Gasol": "2", "Jimmy Butler": "4", "Derrick Rose": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "10", "Courtney Lee": "11", "Jimmy Butler": "22", "Derrick Rose": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Marc Gasol": "4", "Courtney Lee": "8", "Jimmy Butler": "10", "Derrick Rose": "9"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "8", "Courtney Lee": "18", "Zach Randolph": "10", "Pau Gasol": "10", "Jimmy Butler": "24", "Derrick Rose": "19", "Doug McDermott": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "7", "Courtney Lee": "7", "Zach Randolph": "11", "Pau Gasol": "14", "Jimmy Butler": "4", "Derrick Rose": "2", "Doug McDermott": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Courtney Lee": "2", "Pau Gasol": "1", "Jimmy Butler": "4", "Derrick Rose": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Courtney Lee": "2", "Jimmy Butler": "1", "Derrick Rose": "0"}, "Steals": {"Courtney Lee": "2", "Jimmy Butler": "1", "Derrick Rose": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Pau Gasol": "2", "Jimmy Butler": "1", "Doug McDermott": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Pau Gasol": "33", "Jimmy Butler": "38", "Derrick Rose": "33"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Pau Gasol": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Pau Gasol": "1", "Derrick Rose": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Derrick Rose": "1", "Doug McDermott": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Doug McDermott": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Doug McDermott": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Doug McDermott": "1"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (15 - 8) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (14 - 13) by a score of 98 - 85, Wednesday night in Chicago. It was a tight game to start and the Grizzlies were up three by half time. Chicago came out strong in the second half and took over, with a 24 - 13 third quarter, followed by a 24 - 19 fourth quarter. Memphis is now 3 - 12 versus plus .500 teams, while Chicago has now won four straight. The Grizzlies continued to struggle beyond the arc, shooting a poor 5 - 19 and also could not convert from the free throw line in this game, going 16 - 28. Although his team struggled, Courtney Lee had a nice game with 18 points (8 - 11 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt), along with six assists, seven rebounds and two steals, in 36 minutes. Zach Randolph came off the bench again and finished with a double - double of 10 points, 11 rebounds, along with five assists, in 29 minutes. Marc Gasol logged only eight points (4 - 10 FG) but grabbed seven rebounds and dished seven assists, in 33 minutes. Chicago played an all around solid team game, with all 10 players who touched the floor contributing in a variety of ways. Jimmy Butler was the high - point man for his team, with 24 points (10 - 22 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt), four assists, four rebounds, one steal and one block, in a long 38 minutes. Derrick Rose had a good game and finished with 19 points (9 - 19 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt), five assists, two rebounds and a steal, in 33 minutes. Pau Gasol won the match - up against his brother, as he finished with 10 points, 14 rebounds, two assists and two blocks, in 33 minutes. Doug McDermott was one away from his career - high, as he finished with 17 points off the bench. The Bulls will close out their current five - game home stand with a game versus Detroit Pistons on Friday. The Grizzlies will be in Dallas on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "21", "Hawks": "28"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "97", "Hawks": "107"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "40", "Hawks": "35"}}, {"Assists": {"Kent Bazemore": "2", "Paul Millsap": "5", "Jeff Teague": "7", "Chris Paul": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Kent Bazemore": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kent Bazemore": "2", "Kyle Korver": "2"}, "Points": {"Kent Bazemore": "17", "Al Horford": "11", "Kyle Korver": "10", "Dennis Schroder": "16", "Jeff Green": "14", "Paul Pierce": "11", "DeAndre Jordan": "17", "Chris Paul": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Kent Bazemore": "5", "Paul Millsap": "18", "Al Horford": "12"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul Millsap": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Al Horford": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Al Horford": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Korver": "2"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (35 - 28) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers (40 - 21) 107 - 97 at Staples Center on Saturday. The Hawks demonstrated resiliance throughout the second half matchup after falling behind by double figures early on. Mike Budenholzer received coach of the year honors last season, partly for his ability to adjust midgame, and that was precisely what happened against the Clippers on Saturday. Los Angeles stormed out to what seemed like a devastating first quarter lead, scoring 37 points on lights out shooting, while Chris Paul assisted on play after play. The Hawks turned the quarter early in the second half after Kent Bazemore, Paul Millsap and Al Horford started a scoring run, and they did not have to look back. Jeff Teague and Millsap led the scoring department for Atlanta after scoring they combined for 42 points in the winning effort. Millsap went ballistic on the glass, grabbing 18 rebounds, to go along with five assists on 8 - of - 14 shooting, while Teague dished out seven assists. Bazemore finished with 17 points, five rebounds and two assists, Horford added a double - double with 11 points and 12 rebounds and Korver buried two baskets behind the arc to round out the starters. Dennis Shroder proved once again his value as a backup point guard, and contributed 16 points in 20 minutes. The Clippers showed balance amongst the starters, but no one player was able to take the lead and help out enough in scoring to counteract the Hawks style. DeAndre Jordan scored 17 points, but was overpowered by Millsap's rebounding, even though they were not directly matched up against each other. Chris Paul matched Jordan's 17 points, to go along with 11 assists to complete a double - double. Jeff Green got the starting nod at the forward position and also finished in double figures with 14 points, while Paul Pierce and Kyle Korver also finished with 11 points and 10 points, respectivally. The Clippers will visit the Dallas Mavericks (33 - 29) on Monday, while the hawks will visit the Utah Jazz (29 - 33) on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "32", "Hawks": "53"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "43", "Hawks": "54"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "21", "Hawks": "16"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "92", "Hawks": "111"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "16", "Hawks": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "4", "Kent Bazemore": "4", "Dennis Schroder": "7", "Elfrid Payton": "6", "Nikola Vucevic": "6"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "16", "Dwight Howard": "13", "Kent Bazemore": "17", "Dennis Schroder": "18", "Aaron Gordon": "15", "Serge Ibaka": "9", "Elfrid Payton": "15", "Evan Fournier": "14", "Nikola Vucevic": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "6", "Dwight Howard": "12", "Dennis Schroder": "6", "Aaron Gordon": "10", "Serge Ibaka": "11", "Elfrid Payton": "4", "Nikola Vucevic": "6"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "4", "Elfrid Payton": "3"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks defeated the host Orlando Magic, 111 - 92, at Amway Center on Wednesday. In a battle between two teams battling for a playoff spot, the more experienced team went on a late run to cap off a big road win. In fact, the Hawks finished the game on a 23 - 8 run to open things up and win comfortably. They actually led for the majority of the game, as Orlando's only lead lasted less than two minutes in the second quarter. Shooting was the big difference in the game, with Atlanta hitting 54 percent from the field and 53 percent from three - point range, while Orlando went 43 percent from the field and 32 percent from three - point range on their end. The assist - to - turnover ratio was decisive as well, as the Hawks recorded more assists than the Magic, while committing less turnovers. The Hawks (19 - 16) are starting to rebound after a terrible December and dominant road wins like this show just how good they can be. Dennis Schroeder ran the offense at ease, accumulating 18 points, six rebounds and seven assists in the win. Dwight Howard recorded a double - double, totaling 13 points and 12 rebounds. Paul Millsap tallied 16 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals. Kent Bazmore was second in scoring, dropping 17 points and handing out four assists. The Hawks will play again on Thursday in a road matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Magic (16 - 21) have been plying better with their recent lineup change, but that was n't the case here. Elfrid Payton was moved back to the starting - five for this game and led the team with 15 points, four rebounds, six assists and three steals. Aaron Gordon tied the team lead in scoring, amassing 15 points and 10 rebounds. No other starter scored in double figures, as Serge Ibaka was ejected with nine points and 11 rebounds in the final minute. Nikola Vucevic came off the bench to provide 10 points, six rebounds and six assists. Evan Fournier returned from a five - game absence to contribute 14 points off the bench. Orlando will host the Houston Rockets on Friday for their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "16", "Thunder": "14"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "98", "Thunder": "94"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bucks": "29", "Thunder": "16"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "17", "Thunder": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Steven Adams": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "6", "Semaj Christon": "2", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5", "Jabari Parker": "2", "John Henson": "1", "Greg Monroe": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Steven Adams": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1", "Jabari Parker": "1", "John Henson": "1", "Greg Monroe": "1"}, "Points": {"Steven Adams": "20", "Victor Oladipo": "18", "Russell Westbrook": "30", "Semaj Christon": "11", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "26", "Jabari Parker": "19", "John Henson": "12", "Greg Monroe": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Steven Adams": "8", "Victor Oladipo": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "7", "Semaj Christon": "1", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10", "Jabari Parker": "6", "John Henson": "5"}, "Steals": {"Steven Adams": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1", "John Henson": "1", "Greg Monroe": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Russell Westbrook": "36"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, 98 - 94, at BMO Harris Bradley Center on Monday. The game was a showcase for two of the NBA's hottest talents, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Russell Westbrook, with both players having filled out the stat sheet on a nightly basis to date this season. Neither disappointed in the Monday night showdown, as they both led their respective clubs in scoring. After a big third quarter from the Bucks (17 - 16) that saw them outscore the Thunder (21 - 14) by a 29 - 16 margin, OKC battled back to actually take an 88 - 86 lead with 5:56 remaining on a Westbrook driving layup. Ultimately, a pair of clutch free throws from standout rookie Malcolm Brogdon with eight seconds remaining following a Westbrook foul gave the Bucks the final margin of victory. Westbrook scored a game - high 30 points and complemented them with seven rebounds, six assists and three steals over 36 minutes. Steven Adams was his wing man on the night, posting 20 points, eight boards, two assists, a steal and three blocks. Victor Oladipo was solid again in his second game back in action, tallying 18 points, five rebounds, four assists and a steal. Semaj Christon paced the bench with 11 points, two assists and a rebound. Andre Roberson and Domantas Sabonis notably both went scoreless over a combined 45 minutes on the court. Antetokounmpo contributed a 26 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included five assists, a steal and a block. Jabari Parker supplied 19 points, six rebounds, two assists and a block. John Henson chipped in with 12 points, five boards, an assist, a steal and a block. Brodgon matched Henson's scoring total and added five assists and a pair of boards. Greg Monroe continued his strong work off the Milwaukee bench, registering 15 points, seven rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. The Thunder continue their road trip, with their next stop in Charlotte for a Wednesday night showdown with the Hornets. Milwaukee faces off with the Knicks in New York on Wednesday evening as well."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Bulls": "22", "Lakers": "17"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "35", "Lakers": "41"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "7", "Lakers": "10"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "90", "Lakers": "96"}, "Rebounds": {"Bulls": "46", "Lakers": "60"}, "Turnovers": {"Bulls": "14", "Lakers": "23"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "10", "Lakers": "10"}}, {"Points": {"Julius Randle": "13", "Jordan Clarkson": "18", "Larry Nance Jr.": "12", "Lou Williams": "18", "Jimmy Butler": "22", "Robin Lopez": "10", "Dwyane Wade": "17", "Rajon Rondo": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Julius Randle": "20", "Jordan Clarkson": "4", "Larry Nance Jr.": "11", "Lou Williams": "5", "Jimmy Butler": "4", "Robin Lopez": "9", "Dwyane Wade": "4", "Rajon Rondo": "8"}, "Assists": {"Jordan Clarkson": "3", "Lou Williams": "5", "Jimmy Butler": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "6", "Rajon Rondo": "6"}, "Steals": {"Larry Nance Jr.": "3", "Jimmy Butler": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Jimmy Butler": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Robin Lopez": "8"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the host Chicago Bulls, 96 - 90, at United Center on Wednesday. In a battle between two offensively - minded teams, neither of these squads could find their shots. Chicago shot just 35 percent from the field, while Los Angeles shot 41 percent on their end. Three-point shooting was n't pretty either, with the Lakers going 2 - of - 8 and the Bulls hitting 4 - of - 21. Bench scoring and rebounding were key for the Lakers, as they outrebounded the Bulls, 60 - 46 and outscored them on the bench, 56 - 16. The assist - to - turnover ratio was the only big advantage for the Bulls, as they committed 14 turnovers to 22 assists, while the Lakers committed 23 turnovers to 17 assists. There were seven ties and 14 lead changes, as this game was tight throughout. The Lakers (10 - 10) were a big underdog in this game, but this was an impressive performance on the road. The bench carried them once again, as Jordan Clarkson and Lou Williams led the team in scoring. Clarkson finished with 18 points, four rebounds and three assists, while Williams finished with 18 points, five rebounds and five assists. Larry Nance Jr. was also very good off the bench, amassing 12 points, 11 rebounds and three steals. Julius Randle was the best starter, as he scored 13 points and tied a career - high with 20 rebounds. The Lakers will be on the road for their next game, as they face the Toronto Raptors on Friday. The Bulls (10 - 7) have been off for five days because of their circus road trip and they clearly had some rust to wear off in this tough loss. Despite every starter shooting 50 percent or below, they all finished with double figures in scoring. Robin Lopez was their best player, as he flirted with a triple - double in a 10 - point, nine - rebound and eight - block game. Rajon Rondo was flirtatious himself, finishing with 14 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Jimmy Butler led the team in scoring, accruing 22 points, four rebounds, two assists and three steals on just 4 - of - 18 shooting. Despite being listed as questionable, Dwyane Wade still accumulated 17 points, four rebounds and six assists. Chicago's next game is a tough one, as they host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "62"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "12", "76ers": "26"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "127", "76ers": "106"}, "Rebounds": {"Hawks": "25", "76ers": "32"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "12", "76ers": "22"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "15", "76ers": "1"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"76ers": "21"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Isaiah Canaan": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Isaiah Canaan": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Isaiah Canaan": "12", "Paul Millsap": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Isaiah Canaan": "7", "Paul Millsap": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Isaiah Canaan": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Isaiah Canaan": "4"}, "Points": {"Isaiah Canaan": "24", "Paul Millsap": "21"}}], "The Hawks (15 - 12) dominated the 76ers (1 - 26) en route to a 127 - 106 victory at Philips Arena on Wednesday. The Hawks built on an 11 - points halftime lead by using a 27 - 7 run to lead by 26 after the third quarter. It was another embarrassing loss for the 76ers, who basically used every healthy player off their bench and somehow managed to out rebound the Hawks 32 - 25. Atlanta's 127 points was a season high as the Hawks shot an unconscious 62 percent from the field (48 - for - 78). The lone 76er who did not enter the game Wednesday was Nerlens Noel, who was held out for a second consecutive contest due to an eye injury he suffered last weekend. Fortunately for Philadelphia, Noel should be back in time for Friday's game against the rival Knicks. This game would have gotten uglier has it not been for the shooting of Isaiah Canaan, who scored a game - high 24 points (7 - 12 FG, 6 - 8 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT). Atlanta managed to snap a three - game losing streak and had one of its best offensive games of the season. One of the many differences on the night was the turnover battle, which the Hawks won 22 - 12. They also made the 76ers pay from beyond the arc, shooting 10 - of - 21 from distance (48 percent). Paul Millsap scored 14 of his 21 points in the third quarter and shot 7 - of - 8 from the field as the Hawks were able to extend the lead and out Philadelphia in an insurmountable hole."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "23", "Grizzlies": "8"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "106", "Grizzlies": "109"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "10", "Grizzlies": "24"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "43"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "49"}}, {"Points": {"Marc Gasol": "18", "Mike Conley": "19", "Ed Davis": "20", "Jeremy Lin": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "10", "Ed Davis": "8"}, "Assists": {"Mike Conley": "9", "Jeremy Lin": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Mike Conley": "32", "Ed Davis": "28", "Jeremy Lin": "28"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (24 - 8) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (10 - 23) 109 - 106 on Friday. Memphis extended their win streak to three games with the victory. Zach Randolph sat out a sixth straight game, giving Jon Leuer another spot start at power forward. The Grizzlies shot 49 percent from the field and 43 percent from beyond the arc with Mike Conley leading the way on offense with a team - high 19 points and nine assists in 32 minutes. Marc Gasol pitched in with a double - double of 18 points and 10 rebounds. Memphis currently sits at third place in the Western Conference standings and will continue their road trip against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. Los Angeles has lost four of their last five games as they have struggled to find a proper balance on both sides of the court all season. Jeremy Lin led the way Friday, putting up 20 points and five assists in 28 minutes off the bench. Ed Davis pitched in 20 points and eight rebounds in 28 minutes as the starting power forward. Davis was playing through a broken nose that he suffered in their last game and was wearing a protective mask. The Lakers are in second to last place in the Western Conference and will stay home to host the Indiana Pacers on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "56"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "11", "Cavaliers": "9"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "119", "Cavaliers": "114"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "11", "Cavaliers": "13"}}, {"Points": {"LeBron James": "41", "Anthony Davis": "8", "Tyreke Evans": "31", "Ryan Anderson": "30"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Davis": "7", "Ryan Anderson": "41"}, "Assists": {"Tyreke Evans": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ryan Anderson": "8"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (11 - 11) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (13 - 9) 119 - 114 on Friday. New Orleans has won three of their last four games, but there was a bitter taste with Friday's win as Anthony Davis suffered a chest injury that limited him to just seven minutes of action. The extent of the injury was not known immediately following the game. Ryan Anderson earned 41 minutes of run in Davis' absence and tied his career - high with eight made three - pointers to finish with 30 points. Tyreke Evans took on a lot of the load as well, putting up a team - high 31 points to go with 10 assists. The Pelicans will have another tough test Sunday when they host the Golden State Warriors. Cleveland has dropped two straight games after having won their previous eight. LeBron James returned to the lineup after sitting out Thursday's loss to rest his knee. James tried to force the win Friday, scoring a game - high 41 points, but the Cavaliers simply could n't stop the Pelicans on offense allowing them to shoot 56 percent from the field. Dion Waiters left the game with abdominal pain and was taken to the Ochsner Medical Center for evaluation. The Cavaliers will host the Charlotte Hornets on Monday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Grizzlies": "18"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "24", "Cavaliers": "41"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "44", "Cavaliers": "51"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "22", "Cavaliers": "26"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "89", "Cavaliers": "111"}, "Turnovers": {"Grizzlies": "8", "Cavaliers": "18"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "50", "Cavaliers": "47"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "5", "Kevin Love": "4", "Kyrie Irving": "2", "Marc Gasol": "2", "Beno Udrih": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LeBron James": "5", "Kevin Love": "4", "Kyrie Irving": "7", "Jeff Green": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"LeBron James": "3", "Kevin Love": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "2", "Jeff Green": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "15", "Kevin Love": "13", "Kyrie Irving": "21", "Marc Gasol": "15", "Jeff Green": "11", "Beno Udrih": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kevin Love": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "9", "Marc Gasol": "7", "Jeff Green": "4", "Beno Udrih": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LeBron James": "4", "Kyrie Irving": "5", "Marc Gasol": "6", "Jeff Green": "4", "Beno Udrih": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"LeBron James": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "4", "Marc Gasol": "4", "Jeff Green": "3", "Beno Udrih": "1"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "20", "Kevin Love": "22", "Kyrie Irving": "24", "Marc Gasol": "18", "Jeff Green": "11", "Beno Udrih": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "8", "Kevin Love": "10", "Marc Gasol": "3", "Jeff Green": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Love": "2", "Marc Gasol": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (47 - 26) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (50 - 22) 111 - 89 on Wednesday at Fed Ex Forum Arena in Memphis. Both teams have already clinched a playoff berth in their respective conferences, but it was the Cavaliers who were able to continue with their momentum, winning their fourth straight game Wednesday. They continue to sit as the second seed in the East, eight games back from the Atlanta Hawks. The Grizzlies, on the other hand, remain second in the West, and sit eight and a half games back from the Golden State Warriors. The Cavaliers were the superior shooters in this game, going 51 percent from the field and 41 percent from the three - point line, while the Grizzlies finished at 44 percent from the floor and just 24 percent from deep. While they only received 18 combined points from their bench, the Cavaliers' starters all had big games, with each finishing in double figure points. Kyrie Irving led the way with 24 points (9 - 21 FG, 2 - 7 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT), while also contributing two assists and two steals. It was his second solid performance in a row, as he's now combined for 44 points, nine assists and four steals over his last two games. Kevin Love looked as if he could n't miss a shot, going 10 - for - 13 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score 22 points, to go along with 10 rebounds and two blocked shots. Despite averaging 17 points on the season, he had n't surpassed the 11 - point mark in four games, so it was good to see him finally break out and have a solid game. LeBron James also had a strong showing, finishing with 20 points (7 - 15 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), eight rebounds and five assists. Over his last three games, he's now averaging 26 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals. The Grizzlies received most of their production from Marc Gasol, who finished with a team - high of 18 points (7 - 15 FG, 4 - 6 FT), while adding three rebounds and two blocked shots. He's riding a nice two - game stretch, combining for 39 points and 11 rebounds. With the rest of the starters combining for just 22 points though, Gasol did n't get the help he needed for the Grizzlies to pull off the win. Beno Udrih played well off the bench. He went 7 - for - 10 from the field to score 15 points, while playing just 21 minutes. It was his highest point total since the end of January, as it marked one of the few bright spots in this game for the Grizzlies. Also coming off the bench, Jeff Green chipped in with 11 points (4 - 11 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) and five rebounds. The Cavaliers' next game will be on the road against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday, while the Grizzlies will be at home against the Golden State Warriors on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "32", "Pistons": "31"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "96", "Pistons": "102"}, "Turnovers": {"Mavericks": "8"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "33", "Pistons": "33"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "45"}}, {"Assists": {"Tobias Harris": "5", "Marcus Morris": "2", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Chandler Parsons": "6", "Dirk Nowitzki": "3", "Deron Williams": "9"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "6", "Marcus Morris": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tobias Harris": "2", "Marcus Morris": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "11", "Marcus Morris": "16", "Andre Drummond": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Tobias Harris": "6", "Marcus Morris": "8", "Andre Drummond": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "5", "Marcus Morris": "3", "Andre Drummond": "14"}, "Free throws made": {"Tobias Harris": "5", "Marcus Morris": "2", "Andre Drummond": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Tobias Harris": "39", "Marcus Morris": "39", "Andre Drummond": "34", "Chandler Parsons": "37", "Dirk Nowitzki": "35", "Deron Williams": "37"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "19", "Marcus Morris": "20", "Andre Drummond": "25", "Chandler Parsons": "25", "Dirk Nowitzki": "25", "Zaza Pachulia": "10", "Deron Williams": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "7", "Marcus Morris": "7", "Andre Drummond": "17", "Chandler Parsons": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "10", "Zaza Pachulia": "13", "Deron Williams": "5"}, "Steals": {"Tobias Harris": "1", "Marcus Morris": "1", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Dirk Nowitzki": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "1"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (33 - 31) defeated the host Dallas Mavericks (33 - 32) 102 - 96, on Wednesday night at American Airlines Center. This back and forth game featured nine lead changes before the Pistons took the final lead as part of a 90 towards the start of the fourth quarter, putting them up by eight. The biggest lead of the game was only nine, which occurred later in the fourth as Detroit continued to apply pressure. The Mavericks fought back down the stretch but a clutch, deep three - pointer from Reggie Jackson put the Pistons ahead by six with 58 seconds left, and the game just out of reach. This marks the first time Dallas has lost four games in a row this season. The Detroit frontcourt led the way in this one, as Andre Drummond was huge with 25 points (10 - 19 FG, 5 - 14 FT) and 17 rebounds, in 34 minutes. Marcus Morris added a solid 20 points (8 - 16 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT), seven rebounds, two assists and one steal, in 39 minutes, while Tobias Harris chipped in 19 points (6 - 11 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT), seven rebounds, five assists and one steal, in 39 minutes. With this win the Pistons put themselves right back in contention for the eighth spot in the East. Chandler Parsons and Dirk Nowitzki each tallied 25 points for the Mavericks. Dirk added 10 rebounds, three assists and one steal, in 35 minutes, while Parsons also had six assists and four rebounds, in 37 minutes. Zaza Pachulia chipped in 10 points and 13 rebounds, in 34 minutes, while Deron Williams dished nine assists, to go along with eight points and five rebounds, in 37 minutes. The Mavs shot a reasonable 45 percent from the field but were steadily out - rebounded, as they could not keep up with the fired - up Pistons squad. Next, the Mavericks host the Pacers on Saturday. The Pistons will be head straight to Charlotte to face the Hornets on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "2", "Celtics": "3"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "101", "Celtics": "106"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bulls": "16"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "5", "Celtics": "3"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "52"}}, {"Points": {"Jeff Green": "14", "Kelly Olynyk": "18", "Evan Turner": "19", "Pau Gasol": "19", "Joakim Noah": "13", "Jimmy Butler": "16", "Aaron Brooks": "26"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kelly Olynyk": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kelly Olynyk": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Kelly Olynyk": "11", "Evan Turner": "5", "Joakim Noah": "11", "Jimmy Butler": "5"}, "Assists": {"Evan Turner": "6", "Joakim Noah": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Jimmy Butler": "38", "Kirk Hinrich": "28", "Aaron Brooks": "28"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Aaron Brooks": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Aaron Brooks": "9"}, "Turnovers": {"Aaron Brooks": "2"}}], "The Celtics (3 - 3) knocked off the Bulls (5 - 2) 106 - 101 at the United Center on Saturday. Playing without Derrick Rose (ankle) for the second straight night, the Bulls struggled against a Celtics team that shot nearly 52 percent from the field. While Rose\u2019s replacement, Kirk Hinrich, was held scoreless in 28 minutes, Aaron Brooks picked up the slack with 26 points (9 - 15 FG) off the bench. Pau Gasol chipped in 19 points and nine assists, while Joakim Noah added 13 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. Jimmy Butler contributed 16 points and five rebounds in 38 minutes. The Celtics, winners of two straight since dropping three in a row, had seven players in double - figures, including all five starters. Evan Turner led the way, scoring 19 points to go with five rebounds and six assists. Kelly Olynyk added 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Jeff Green chipped in 14 points. Chicago, which had previously lost only to Cleveland, jumped out to a five - point first quarter advantage but were unable to stop Boston in the second, as the Celtics used a late 70 run to go into halftime with a 15 - point lead. That lead was upped to 16 by the end of the third, but Chicago would make a run in the final period. Down 13 with 4:18 remaining, Brooks spurred a 12 - 2 run to slice the lead to just three with one minute to play. After Olynyk missed the first of two free throws, Brooks hit another jumper to pull Chicago within two. However, Boston would shut the door on the comeback, going 7 - of - 8 at the line in the final minute to ice the game. Up next, the Celtics host the Thunder on Wednesday night. Chicago remains home to host the Pistons on Monday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Raptors": "21", "Nuggets": "30"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "42"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "8", "Nuggets": "13"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "105", "Nuggets": "106"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Raptors": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Raptors": "39", "Nuggets": "42"}, "Turnovers": {"Raptors": "4"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "12", "Nuggets": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"Danilo Gallinari": "3", "Darrell Arthur": "2", "Randy Foye": "4", "Will Barton": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "8", "Cory Joseph": "2"}, "Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "21", "Darrell Arthur": "19", "Joffrey Lauvergne": "14", "Randy Foye": "12", "Will Barton": "22", "DeMarre Carroll": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "34", "Kyle Lowry": "16", "Cory Joseph": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Danilo Gallinari": "5", "Darrell Arthur": "6", "Joffrey Lauvergne": "10", "Will Barton": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "6", "Cory Joseph": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Darrell Arthur": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "2"}, "Steals": {"Darrell Arthur": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "4", "Cory Joseph": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Will Barton": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Cory Joseph": "28"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (7 - 13) edged the Toronto Raptors (12 - 8) 106 - 105 on Thursday. The Nuggets were able to prevent their first nine - game losing streak since the 2002 - 3 campaign by shocking Toronto on the Raptors' home court. They accomplished the improbable feat with an outstanding all - around team effort, led by balanced scoring from four of their five starters, as well as from their sixth - man extraordinare, Will Barton. Denver, not exactly known for their frontcourt prowess, was outscored in the paint by the wide margin of 52 to 32. However, they somewhat surprisingly outrebounded Toronto 42 to 39, and also dished out a superb 30 assists, as compared to 21 tallied by the Raptors. Overall, the Nuggets were much more reminscent of the team that got off to a suprising 5 - 4 start, rather than the unit that stumbled their way through eight consecutive losses before Thursday. The visitors were led by Danilo Gallinari's 21 points, which were supplemented by five rebounds and three assists. Darrell Arthur turned in a solid effort in a spot start for Kenneth Faried, managing 19 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks. Joffrey Lauvergne made a strong return to the starting lineup with a season - high 14 points and posted his first double - double of the season by adding 10 boards. Randy Foye pitched in 12 points and Barton paced Denver's reserves with a typical starting - caliber performance, pouring in 22 points and adding four rebounds and four assists. Denver improved to 7 - 13 and currently resides in last place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division. They head to Philadelphia to face the Sixers on Saturday. The Raptors received a season - high 34 - point effort from DeMar DeRozan, who capitalized on a Nuggets' defense ranked in the bottom half of the league versus shooting guards. However, Kyle Lowry, who had an even better matchup versus rookie Emmanuel Mudiay, somewhat underwhelmed scoring - wise with 16 points on subpar 4 - of - 16 shooting. He did manage round out the stat sheet nicely with eight assists, six rebounds, four steals and a pair of blocks. DeMarre Carroll was the third and final Toronto starter with double - digit points (10), while Cory Joseph continued his recent stretch of strong play by pacing the Raptors' reserves with 15 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals over 28 minutes. Toronto fell to 12 - 8 but remains in first place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They remain home to face for a tough matchup versus the Golden State Warriors on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "8", "Celtics": "8"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "110", "Celtics": "91"}, "Rebounds": {"Magic": "54", "Celtics": "34"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "9", "Celtics": "9"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jared Sullinger": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jared Sullinger": "7", "Isaiah Thomas": "18", "Tobias Harris": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Jared Sullinger": "1", "Avery Bradley": "7", "Isaiah Thomas": "7", "Tobias Harris": "7"}, "Points": {"Jared Sullinger": "3", "Avery Bradley": "17", "Isaiah Thomas": "20", "Tobias Harris": "15", "Nikola Vucevic": "18", "Victor Oladipo": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Jared Sullinger": "11", "Isaiah Thomas": "1", "Tobias Harris": "11", "Nikola Vucevic": "10", "Victor Oladipo": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Avery Bradley": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Avery Bradley": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Avery Bradley": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Avery Bradley": "2"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "7", "Victor Oladipo": "6"}, "Steals": {"Isaiah Thomas": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Victor Oladipo": "30"}}], "The Orlando Magic (9 - 8) defeated the Boston Celtics (9 - 8) 110 - 91 on Sunday. Boston continues to compete against the Eastern Conference, but their identity is still missing a major \u201cgo - to\u201d component, which was evident in the Celtics double - digit loss to the Magic. Most notably, the missing presence of a big man in the starting five is a growing problem, as the Magic outrebounded Boston, 54 - 34. Isiah Thomas fell one point short of his season average, while leading all scorers with 20 points, to go along with seven assists, one rebound and two steals on 7 - for - 18 shooting. Avery Bradley added 17 points, but struggled from deep, sinking only two treys on seven attempts. Jared Sullinger grabbed a third of the team's rebounds (11), nine of which on the defensive end, but only added three points in the effort on 1 - for - 7 shooting. The Magic pushed the pace and played unselfish basketball as part of a controlled team effort. Moving Victor Oladipo (19 points, eight rebounds and six assists in 30 minutes) to a bench role has opened up matchup problems for opposing defenses. Oladipo is still receiving quality minutes in every outing and is a force on the floor, as only Nikola Vucevic had a higher plus - minus on the night. Vucevic was a force in the paint and flexed some of his midrange game, as he finished the night with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Tobias Harris joined in with a double - double of his own, adding 15 points and 11 rebounds on 7 - for - 13 shooting. The Magic kept offensive possessions alive and turned those boards into points after pulling away early in the second half. Both teams are 9 - 8 as we approach the 20 game mark of the season. The Celtics visit the Miami Heat (10 - 5) on Monday, while the Magic visit the Minnesota Timberwolves (8 - 9) on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "30", "Raptors": "22"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "91", "Raptors": "79"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Celtics": "23"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "42", "Raptors": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "35"}}, {"Assists": {"Amir Johnson": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Amir Johnson": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Amir Johnson": "5"}, "Points": {"Amir Johnson": "11", "Isaiah Thomas": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Amir Johnson": "14"}}], "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."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Cavaliers": "24", "Warriors": "47"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "3", "Warriors": "1"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "97", "Warriors": "108"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "41"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "3"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "5", "Klay Thompson": "9", "Stephen Curry": "13"}, "3-pointers made": {"Harrison Barnes": "4", "Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "7"}, "Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "14", "Draymond Green": "9", "Klay Thompson": "25", "Stephen Curry": "38", "LeBron James": "25", "Tristan Thompson": "10", "JR Smith": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "34", "Kevin Love": "11"}, "Assists": {"Draymond Green": "4", "LeBron James": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "3", "LeBron James": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "12", "LeBron James": "13"}, "Steals": {"Draymond Green": "2", "Stephen Curry": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "14", "Kyrie Irving": "28", "Kevin Love": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Klay Thompson": "7", "JR Smith": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "14", "Kevin Love": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"LeBron James": "9", "Kyrie Irving": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Kevin Love": "25"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 108 - 97 in Game 4 of the NBA Finals Friday night at Quicken Loans Arena to take a 3 - 1 series lead. Golden State set an NBA record with 17 three - pointers as they managed to come back from a five - point halftime deficit to take a commanding lead back home to Oakland for Game 5 on Monday. The Cavaliers led by five at halftime and withstood seven Golden State three - pointers in an explosive third quarter. A LeBron James dunk with 10:21 to go in the fourth quarter gave Cleveland an 83 - 81 lead, but it would be the last lead the Cavaliers would hold. Cleveland managed just one point in the next 6:37, an offensive drought that enbaled a 12 - 1 Golden State run that clinched the win for the visitors. Curry hit seven of his 13 three - point attempts in another majestic performance as he scored 38 points to lead all scorers. Klay Thompson added 25 points (7 - 14 FG, 4 - 9 3PT), and Harrison Barnes got in on the deep shooting act as he knocked down four of five three - pointers in a 14 - point performance. Draymond Green had a poor shooting night, with juust nine points on 2 - 9 shooting, but he filled up the box score with 12 rebounds, four assists, two steals and three blocks. Golden State shot just 33 - 81 (41 percent) from the field, but their deadly shooting bailed out their offense, as they hit an absurd 47 percent of their 36 three - pointers in the record setting effort. Kyrie Irving scored 34 (14 - 28 FG) to lead the Cavaliers, and LeBron James finished one assist shy of a triple double with 25 points, 13 rebounds and nine dimes. Kevin Love played just 25 minutes off the bench and scored 11 points (3 - 6 FG) and grabbe dfive rebounds, and the only other Cavaliers in double figures were Tristan Thompson and J.R. Smith with 10 points apiece. The Cavaliers were outscored by 33 points at the three - point line as they could n't find their shots. Cleveland finished just 6 - 25 (24 percent) on threes, as neither of their three main shooters in James (1 - 5), Irving (2 - 6) and Smith (2 - 8) were able to find a rhythm. Game 5 is scheduled for Monday night at 9:0 PM Eastern Time at Oracle Arena."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "31", "Spurs": "15"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "93", "Spurs": "108"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "5", "Spurs": "23"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "49"}}, {"Points": {"Austin Daye": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Austin Daye": "10"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (5 - 31) dropped their 15th consecutive game Saturday, losing 108 - 93 to the San Antonio Spurs (23 - 15) at home. Both teams were playing their second games in as many nights on Saturday, with the Timberwolves coming off of a 98 - 84 loss to the Bucks while the Spurs were coming off of a 100 - 95 win over the Suns. Each team made heavy use of their bench players as both of them had three reserves play 20+ minutes. The Spurs opened up a big lead in the second quarter thanks to a 130 run that was highlighted by seven points from Austin Daye. The Spurs shot an excellent 49% from the field Saturday night en route to an easy victory. San Antonio remains the seventh seed in the West after recording their second consecutive win on Saturday. The Spurs fielded a patchwork starting lineup with Manu Ginobli and Marco Belinelli sidelined with injuries. Austin Daye filled in admirably with 22 points and 10 rebounds, however. The Spurs will travel to Washington to take on the Wizards on Monday. Minnesota was dealing with injury issues as well with Shabazz Muhammad sidelined with an abdomen injury. The Timberwolves will start a four - game road trip on Tuesday when they take on the Pacers."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Spurs": "33", "Warriors": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "53", "Warriors": "43"}, "Losses": {"Spurs": "26", "Warriors": "14"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "107", "Warriors": "92"}, "Turnovers": {"Spurs": "12"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "51", "Warriors": "63"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Bogut": "7", "Klay Thompson": "11", "Stephen Curry": "17", "Andre Iguodala": "9", "Leandro Barbosa": "9", "Kawhi Leonard": "17", "Tim Duncan": "7", "Danny Green": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Bogut": "5", "Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "9", "Andre Iguodala": "4", "Leandro Barbosa": "6", "Kawhi Leonard": "11", "Tim Duncan": "6", "Danny Green": "7"}, "Points": {"Andrew Bogut": "10", "Klay Thompson": "6", "Stephen Curry": "24", "Andre Iguodala": "10", "Leandro Barbosa": "12", "Kawhi Leonard": "26", "Tim Duncan": "19", "Danny Green": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Bogut": "7", "Stephen Curry": "4", "Andre Iguodala": "2", "Leandro Barbosa": "2", "Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Tim Duncan": "7", "Danny Green": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "10", "Andre Iguodala": "4", "Leandro Barbosa": "1", "Kawhi Leonard": "2", "Danny Green": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "0", "Stephen Curry": "5", "Andre Iguodala": "2", "Leandro Barbosa": "0", "Kawhi Leonard": "1", "Danny Green": "4"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "6", "Leandro Barbosa": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Danny Green": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4", "Tim Duncan": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3", "Tim Duncan": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Kawhi Leonard": "24", "Tim Duncan": "24"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Danny Green": "3"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (51 - 26) defeated the Golden State Warriors (63 - 14) 107 - 92 on Sunday at the AT & T Center in San Antonio. Pushing their win streak to seven games in a row, the Spurs had another strong performance Sunday, ending the Warriors' own streak of 12 straight wins in the process. While the Spurs have already clinched a spot in the playoffs, they're still fighting for a higher seed, as the win tied them with the Clippers for the fifth projected playoff seed in the West, while they sit only two games back from the Houston Rockets, who are all the way up in second place near the top of the standings. The Warriors, on the other hand, continue to have a commanding lead in the standings, as they've already clinched the number one overall seed in the Western Conference playoffs. The Spurs were the superior shooters in this game, going 53 percent from the field and 33 percent from the three - point line, while the Warriors finished at just 43 percent from the floor and 32 percent from deep. Kawhi Leonard led the way, finishing with a game - high of 26 points (11 - 17 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), while adding five reounds in just 24 minutes as well. He made his presence felt on the defensive side of the ball, notching a season - high of seven steals in the win. He's shot the ball very well recently, finishing over 60 percent from the field in four of his last five games, which bodes well for the Spurs as the playoffs near. Leonard had some help Sunday though, with Tim Duncan posting 19 points (6 - 7 FG, 7 - 8 FT) and seven rebounds over 24 minutes. While he'll likely be limited in his playing time over the next few weeks in order to keep him as fresh as possible for the post season, it was still another nice showing for the forward, who's averaged 14 points and 9 rebounds this year. Danny Green chipped in with 18 points (7 - 10 FG, 4 - 6 3Pt), six rebounds and three blocked shots as well. He was hitting nearly everything in this game, as the Warriors just did n't have an answer for him defensively. Stephen Curry did his best to keep the Warriors in this game, going 9 - for - 17 from the field and 5 - for - 10 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 24 points, to go along with four rebounds and six assists. After struggling with his shot during Saturday's game against the Mavericks, Curry got back on track Sunday and hit at least five three - point shots, something he's done in six out of his last eight games. He's now averaging 24 points and 8 assists on the season. With Klay Thompson struggling to just six points (3 - 11 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt), the only other starter to reach double figures in points was Andrew Bogut, who recorded 10 points (5 - 7 FG) and seven rebounds in just 18 minutes. It was only the second game over his last 13 outings recording 10 or more points. Coming off the bench, Leandro Barbosa finished with 12 points (6 - 9 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt) and four assists, while Andre Iguodala added 10 points (4 - 9 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt) and two rebounds. The Spurs' next game will be on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, while the Warriors will travel to New Orleans to play the Pelicans on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "33"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "36"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "2"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "97", "Cavaliers": "112"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "3"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kyrie Irving": "6", "Andre Iguodala": "6"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"LeBron James": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "43", "Kyrie Irving": "40"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "41", "JR Smith": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "41", "Andre Iguodala": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "16", "Kyrie Irving": "3", "Andre Iguodala": "11"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "2", "Andre Iguodala": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyrie Irving": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyrie Irving": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyrie Irving": "17"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers rallied behind monumental performances from LeBron James and Kyrie Irving to defeat the host Golden State Warriors, 112 - 97, in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, on Monday night at Oracle Arena. James and Irving finished with 41 points each, becoming the first teammates in NBA history to score 40 or more points in the same Finals game. The series now stands 3 - 2 for the Warriors and will head back to Cleveland for Game 6 on Thursday. The Warriors jumped out to a quick 9 - 3 start but the Cavs responded by out - scoring the Warriors 58 - 52 throughout the rest of the half and went into the locker room with the game tied at 61. By halftime LeBron and Kyrie had already combined for 43 points on 18 - 28 shooting, while the Splash Brothers combined for 39 points on 12 - 20 shooting. However, the second half belonged to the Cavaliers, particularly Kyrie Irving, who scored 10 straight points in the fourth quarter to help seal the deal for Cleveland. Irving hit 17 - of - 24 field goals and tallied six assists, three rebounds, two steals and one block to go along with his 41 points, in 40 minutes, while James finished with a monstrous 16 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and three blocked shots, along with his 41 points, in 43 minutes. The only other player to score in double figures for the Cavs was J.R. Smith, who had 10 points. The Cavs shot 53 percent from the field and 42 percent from long range. After a hot first half, Stephen Curry shot 4 - 13 and Klay Thompson only 3 - 8 in the second half, which allowed the Cavs to pull away. Andre Iguodala did a good job starting in place of Draymond Green, who was suspended for racking up too many flagrant fouls during the playoffs. Iguodala finished with 15 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and two steals, but was the only player other than Curry or Thompson to contribute double figures in the scoring column. The Warriors shot 36 percent from the field and 33 percent from long range, as they missed the spacing and presence of Green. With the win on the road, LeBron has now won a game on the road in 26 consecutive series'. Also only twice has a team that was down 3 - 1 in the Finals ever forced a Game 7, while no team that was down 3 - 1 in the Finals has ever gone on to win the championship. With the series heading back to Cleveland, the Cavs have a chance to really make things interesting."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "8", "76ers": "15"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "100", "76ers": "95"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "6", "76ers": "0"}}, {"Blocks": {"Jahlil Okafor": "2", "Andrew Wiggins": "2"}, "Points": {"Jahlil Okafor": "25", "Isaiah Canaan": "14", "Hollis Thompson": "15", "Robert Covington": "18", "Andrew Wiggins": "32", "Kevin Garnett": "8", "Ricky Rubio": "8", "Gorgui Dieng": "12", "Zach LaVine": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Jahlil Okafor": "12", "Hollis Thompson": "5", "Robert Covington": "6", "Kevin Garnett": "10", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "3", "Ricky Rubio": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Robert Covington": "35"}, "Steals": {"Robert Covington": "3"}, "Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Ricky Rubio": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "3"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (6 - 8) rallied late in order to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers (0 - 15) by a score of 100 - 95 on Monday night. The 76ers had the lead most of the game and it actually looked like this would be the night they would find their first win of the season. However, Andrew Wiggins had other plans, as he stepped it up huge in the late fourth quarter to propell his Timberwolves to the win. Jahlil Okafor had a great game for the 76ers and definitely out - matched rival rookie Karl-Anthony Towns. Okafor notched a double double with 25 points and 12 rebounds. He shot a strong 10 - 15 from the field and had two blocked shots. Towns was the only starter to score double digits but the 76ers got good production from their bench with three players scoring double digits. Robert Covington contributed 18 points, six rebounds and three steals, in 35 minutes. Isaiah Canaan finished with 14 points, going 5 - 5 from the free throw line but only 3 - 10 from the field. Hollis Thompson finished with 15 points and five rebounds on strong 6 - 10 shooting, including 3 - 7 from deep. The Timberwolves did not play a great game but were saved by their young star Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins scored 16 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter, including the go - ahead points, and was able to propell his team to the lead, after trailing by six midway through the fourth quarter. Wiggins shot 11 - 12 from the free throw line and chipped in six rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots. Ricky Rubio played well with 11 assists, eight points and six rebounds. Kevin Garnett grabbed a solid 10 rebounds and eight points on 4 - 5 shooting in 17 minutes, and was very effective as an energetic catalyst in his team's comeback. Zach LaVine and Gorgui Dieng both added 12 points off the bench. Next up for Minnesota is a game Wednesday at home versus Atlanta. The 76ers will look for their first win Wednesday in Boston."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "8"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "123", "Warriors": "131"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pacers": "28", "Warriors": "44"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "12", "Warriors": "23"}}, {"Points": {"Andrew Bogut": "14", "Klay Thompson": "39", "Stephen Curry": "29", "CJ Miles": "24", "Paul George": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Bogut": "10", "Klay Thompson": "7", "Stephen Curry": "7", "Paul George": "8"}, "Assists": {"Klay Thompson": "6", "Stephen Curry": "10", "Paul George": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"CJ Miles": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ Miles": "8"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (230) defeated the Indiana Pacers (12 - 8) 131 - 123 at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indiana on Tuesday. This one was never in doubt, as the Warriors raced out to a 44 - 28 lead after the first quarter and never looked back. Golden State continues to rewrite NBA history, becoming the first team to start a season with 23 consecutive victories. They are now just 10 wins away from tying the 1971 - 72 Lakers for the longest winning streak of all time at 33 games. For the Warriors, Klay Thompson finished with 39 points, seven rebounds and six assists after scoring 17 in the first quarter. Stephen Curry put up 29 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists in another vintage performance, while Andrew Bogut contributed his second double - double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds to go along with a game - high 31 rating. The Pacers got a couple of excellent performances despite the loss, led by Paul George\u2019s 33 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. C.J. Miles added 24 points on 8 - of - 15 shooting, but nobody else managed to score more than 12 points. Both teams are off until Friday, at which point the Warriors will travel to Boston for the sixth game of a seven - game road trip while the Pacers host the Heat."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "48", "Pistons": "41"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "22", "Pistons": "28"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "105", "Pistons": "84"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pacers": "30"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "28", "Pistons": "23"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "35"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pistons": "14"}}, {"Points": {"Marcus Morris": "19", "Jon Leuer": "14", "Andre Drummond": "13", "Paul George": "21", "Lavoy Allen": "18", "Myles Turner": "13", "CJ Miles": "13", "Jeff Teague": "13", "Al Jefferson": "13"}, "Assists": {"Paul George": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul George": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul George": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Paul George": "32", "Lavoy Allen": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "3", "Lavoy Allen": "11"}}], "The Indiana Pacers defeated the visiting Detroit Pistons 105 - 84, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, on Saturday evening. The Pacers earned a season - high sixth straight win, as they dominated the second half to take a 30 lead in the season series against Detroit. The Pacers outscored the Pistons 49 - 26 in the second half, after a fairly evenly matched first half. All five starters scored in double digits for Indiana (28 - 22), with Paul George leading the way with 21 points on 9 - of - 14 shooting, to go along with four assists and three rebounds, in 32 minutes. Lavoy Allen came up big in a starting role, as he poured in 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, in 32 minutes. Al Jefferson chipped in 13 points off the bench, while Myles Turner, C.J. Miles and Jeff Teague also chipped in 13 points each. The Pacers shot 48 percent from the field but struggled a bit from distance, hitting only 7 - of - 24 from deep. The Pacers will look to keep things rolling, as they play host to the Thunder on Monday. The Pistons (23 - 28) led by two after the first half, but fell apart in the second. They shot 41 percent from the field and 35 percent from deep, while doing well to hit 16 - of - 20 from the free throw line. Marcus Morris was the high - point man for Detroit, with 19, while Jon Leuer followed up with 14 points and Andre Drummond added 13. No other player scored in double digits for the Pistons, as they looked to be out of gas on the second night of a back - to - back. The Pistons will look to bounce back as they play host to the 76ers on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bulls": "35"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "42"}, "Turnovers": {"Bulls": "19"}}, {"Points": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "12", "Blake Griffin": "16", "DeAndre Jordan": "6", "JJ Redick": "13", "Chris Paul": "17", "Jamal Crawford": "25", "Jimmy Butler": "16", "Bobby Portis": "11", "Robin Lopez": "12", "Dwyane Wade": "10", "Paul Zipser": "10"}, "Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "7", "Robin Lopez": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "6", "DeAndre Jordan": "14", "Robin Lopez": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwyane Wade": "2"}}], "The Clippers broke out of a recent defensive slump by limiting the Bulls to 42 percent shooting from the field and 35 percent from three - point range, while also eliciting 19 turnovers. Jamal Crawford scored a game - high 25 points off the bench. Chris Paul was next behind Crawford with 17 points, while fellow superstar Blake Griffin followed with 16 points, seven assists and six rebounds. J.J. Redick registered 13 points and Luc Mbah a Moute had a rare offensive outburst by his standards, totaling 12 points. DeAndre Jordan generated a modest six points but hauled in 14 rebounds. Jimmy Butler's 16 points led Chicago. Robin Lopez generated 12 points, six rebounds and two assists. Bobby Portis scored 11 points and Dwyane Wade totaled 10 points on 2 - of - 11 shooting. Paul Zipser paced the second unit with 10 points."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "4", "Bucks": "5"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "103", "Bucks": "102"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nuggets": "25"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nuggets": "34", "Bucks": "16"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nuggets": "16", "Bucks": "22"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "4", "Bucks": "4"}}, {"Points": {"Greg Monroe": "18", "Greivis Vasquez": "15", "Jerryd Bayless": "22", "Danilo Gallinari": "25", "Kenneth Faried": "19", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Greg Monroe": "10", "Danilo Gallinari": "7", "Kenneth Faried": "9"}, "Assists": {"Greivis Vasquez": "9", "Jerryd Bayless": "4", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "11"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kenneth Faried": "5"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (4 - 4) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (4 - 5) 103 - 102 thanks to a second - half surge on Wednesday. Kenneth Faried hit the game - winner on Wednesday thanks to an air - ball from Danilo Gallinari. He snatched the rebound with five - seconds left and simply laid it in with no defenders around him to cap off the win. It wasn\u2019t the prettiest game - winner, but the Nuggets will take it in a truw nail - biter. The Bucks were playing the second half of a back - to - back and that was clearly evident with their third quarter. The Nuggets outscored the Bucks 34 - 16 in the third quarter and that was the difference in the game. Both teams combined to shoot over 50 percent from the field and committed just 30 combined turnovers in what was a higher - scoring game than anticipated. Milwaukee shot an incredible 70 percent from the field in the first half, but were let down in the third quarter by some poor shooting and lazy defense. They shot just 36 percent in the second half and allowed way too many easy baskets in the third quarter. Playing the second half of a back - to - back in Denver is always a tough task, and that was clear on Wednesday with the tired legs the Bucks appeared to have. Milwaukee was led by Greg Monroe who recorded a double - double, contributing 18 points and 10 rebounds in the defeat. The Bucks also got some nice bench performances in the loss, as Greivis Vasquez tallied 15 points and nine assists, while Jerryd Bayless totaled 22 points and four assists. Bayless also poured in 15 points in the fourth quarter and he was the key to a near comeback for Milwaukee. They'll look to get back to .500 on Saturday against the Cleveland Cavaliers in their next matchup. The Nuggets had quite the volatile game on Wednesday, as they scored 34 points in the third quarter, while nearly blowing it in the fourth, with a 16 - point quarter. The hero was Kenneth Faried, who hit the game - winner to cap off a 19 point - nine rebound performance. Rookie Emmanuel Muiday set a career - high in assists with 11 dimes and also scored 16 points in the victory. The Nuggets best player on this evening was Danilo Gallinari though, as he tallied 25 points and seven rebounds. This type of performance is the Nuggets in a nutshell, as they can look very good at times and utterly terrible at other times. This will be a volatile team all season long and it's tough to know what you're going to get on any given night. Denver will look to keep up the momentum when they host the Houston Rockets on Friday, who they beat in the opener by a 20 - point margin in Houston."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "8", "Heat": "21"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "99", "Heat": "83"}, "Turnovers": {"Trail Blazers": "7"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "28", "Heat": "15"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Dwyane Wade": "33", "Wesley Matthews": "30"}, "Points": {"Wesley Matthews": "18"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (28 - 8) defeated the Miami Heat (15 - 21) on Thursday, 99 - 83. Portland's point guard, Damian Lillard, played in his 200th career game Thursday night and now officially has the most three - pointers of any player through his first 200 games with 502. Lillard was involved in a scary moment, however, when he and Dwayne Wade collided at the end of the first half. Both players returned to the game, fortunately. The Heat had a five - point lead at half, but that lead was short - lived as the Trail Blazers outscored Miami 56 - 35 in the second half. Miami dodged a bullet when Wade returned to action and finished the game having played 33 minutes. The Heat recalled Shabazz Napier earlier in the week from the D-League and he got some playing time towards the end of the game when the outcome was all but decided. Miami will continue its west coast road trip on Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers. Portland has now won six of its last seven games and two in a row. Guard Wesley Matthews, who hyper - extended his knee Monday against the Lakers, scored 18 points in 30 minutes against the Heat. Portland will wrap up its seven - game home stand on Saturday against Orlando."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "30", "Cavaliers": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "43"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "106", "Cavaliers": "111"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pacers": "23"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pacers": "30", "Cavaliers": "15"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pacers": "17"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "12"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "35"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "6", "Kyrie Irving": "7", "Jordan Hill": "4", "George Hill": "4"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LeBron James": "5", "JR Smith": "7", "George Hill": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"LeBron James": "0", "George Hill": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "22", "Kyrie Irving": "20", "Jordan Hill": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "9", "Kevin Love": "7", "JR Smith": "7", "Kyrie Irving": "10", "Jordan Hill": "8"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "24", "Kevin Love": "19", "JR Smith": "19", "Kyrie Irving": "25", "Myles Turner": "14", "Jordan Hill": "17", "George Hill": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "12", "Kyrie Irving": "3", "Myles Turner": "10", "Jordan Hill": "6"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Kevin Love": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyrie Irving": "3", "George Hill": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyrie Irving": "3", "Jordan Hill": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (35 - 12) earned a road win over the division - rival Indiana Pacers (26 - 22) Monday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, 111 - 106, in overtime. Cleveland led by as many as 14 points in the first quarter and led for almost the entire first half, but a sluggish third quarter allowed the Pacers back into the game, as Indiana won the period 30 - 15 and carried a four - point lead into the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers' big three took over late to earn the overtime period and the victory, as LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love combined to score the final five points of regulation and all 15 points Cleveland put on the board in overtime. Irving finished with a game - high 25 points (10 - 20 FG) and seven assists, and James made up for a poor shooting night (9 - 22 FG, 0 - 5 3PT) by filling up the box score with 24 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, two steals and a block. Love and J.R. Smith each added 19 and combined to hit six of Cleveland's seven three - point baskets. The Cavaliers' offensive success mainly came inside, however - - they shot just 32 percent from three but made 56 percent of their two - point attempts. George Hill knocked down four of his eight three - point attempts and led the Pacers with 23 points. Myles Turner posted a double - double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Jordan Hill had an efficient night from the center position with 17 points (8 - 13 FG), six rebounds and four assists against just two turnovers. The Pacers pulled down 17 offensive rebounds but just could n't find the basket all night, as they shot just 43 percent from the floor and 30 percent from three. The Cavaliers will remain on the road for a game Wednesday in Charlotte. The Pacers will start a road trip Wednesday in Brooklyn against the Nets."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "47"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "35", "76ers": "36"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "110", "76ers": "109"}, "Rebounds": {"Knicks": "44", "76ers": "50"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "24", "76ers": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Robert Covington": "2", "Dario Saric": "5", "Jahlil Okafor": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Lance Thomas": "2", "Willy Hernangomez": "1", "Derrick Rose": "3", "Kyle O'Quinn": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Robert Covington": "2", "Nik Stauskas": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Willy Hernangomez": "2", "Kyle O'Quinn": "2", "Justin Holiday": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Robert Covington": "0"}, "Points": {"Robert Covington": "20", "Dario Saric": "19", "Jahlil Okafor": "28", "Nik Stauskas": "14", "Carmelo Anthony": "37", "Lance Thomas": "11", "Willy Hernangomez": "11", "Derrick Rose": "18", "Kyle O'Quinn": "9", "Justin Holiday": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Robert Covington": "10", "Dario Saric": "15", "Jahlil Okafor": "10", "Nik Stauskas": "3", "Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Lance Thomas": "6", "Willy Hernangomez": "9", "Derrick Rose": "5", "Kyle O'Quinn": "5", "Justin Holiday": "7"}, "Steals": {"Robert Covington": "3", "Carmelo Anthony": "0", "Kyle O'Quinn": "5"}}], "The New York Knicks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers, 110 - 109, at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night. The Sixers (22 - 36) have shown drastic improvement this season, often giving teams all they can handle even on nights when they come up short. Their fighting spirit was on full display Saturday, as they came back from an 11 - point deficit in the fourth quarter to take a 109 - 108 lead with nine seconds remaining on a Jahlil Okafor jumper. However, Carmelo Anthony would n't allow the struggling Knicks (24 - 35) to go down for the seventh time in the last eight games, nailing a baseline jumper over Robert Covington with 0 seconds left to seal the home win. New York prevailed despite being outrebounded 50 - 44, a deficit they made up for by shooting a solid 47 percent success rate from the floor. Okafor spearheaded the Sixers with 28 points, which he complemented with 10 rebounds and one assist. Covington continued his torrid start to the second half of the season, tallying a 20 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included two assists, three steals and two blocks. Dario Saric turned in 19 points, 15 rebounds and five assists. Nik Stauskas led the bench with 14 points, three boards and one block. Anthony posted a team - high 37 points, along with six rebounds, two assists and one block. Derrick Rose managed 18 points, five boards and three assists. Lance Thomas and Willy Hernangomez drew starts for Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) and Joakim Noah (hamstring), respectively, and generated matching 11 - point efforts. Thomas also registered six boards and two assists, while Hernangomez hauled in nine boards, dished out one assist and recorded a pair of blocks. Justin Holiday paced the second unit with 14 points, seven rebounds and two blocks, and Kyle O'Quinn, getting some extra run due to the aforementioned frontcourt absences, supplied nine points, five rebounds, five assists, five steals and two blocks. The Sixers head back home to tangle with the Golden State Warriors on Monday night, while the Knicks remain home and await the Toronto Raptors for a Monday night showdown."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "37", "Thunder": "47"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "44", "Thunder": "44"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "1"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "102", "Thunder": "108"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Warriors": "14"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "12", "Stephen Curry": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "4", "Draymond Green": "4", "Klay Thompson": "8", "Stephen Curry": "14"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Durant": "1", "Draymond Green": "0", "Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "30", "Steven Adams": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "21", "Harrison Barnes": "8", "Draymond Green": "20", "Klay Thompson": "25", "Stephen Curry": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "10", "Steven Adams": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "7", "Draymond Green": "9", "Klay Thompson": "11", "Stephen Curry": "9"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "26", "Steven Adams": "16", "Russell Westbrook": "27", "Harrison Barnes": "12", "Draymond Green": "23", "Klay Thompson": "25", "Stephen Curry": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "10", "Steven Adams": "12", "Russell Westbrook": "6", "Stephen Curry": "10"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Durant": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "7", "Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Steven Adams": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Steven Adams": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "14", "Draymond Green": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Steven Adams": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Draymond Green": "5"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder pulled the upset Monday night over the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena, 108 - 102 in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. Golden State's juggernaut offense went cold in the fourth quarter. The Warriors scored just 14 points in the final frame and made just one of their nine three - pointers. Oklahoma City won the second half by a dominant 61 - 42 tally to complete the comeback from a sluggish first half that saw Golden State up 60 - 47 at the break. Russell Westbrook (7 - 21 FG, 11 - 14 FT) finished with a game - high 27 points to go with 12 assists, six rebounds and an astounding seven steals. Kevin Durant struggled to shoot (10 - 30 FG, 1 - 4 3PT) but still scord 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to go with three assists and three steals. Steven Adams gave the Thunder the critical third scoring threat they need to compete with Golden State, as he scored 16 points (5 - 8 FG, 6 - 9 FT) to go with 12 rebounds and two blocks. The Thunder shot a sharp 8 - 17 (47 percent) from three - point range, and they needed every bit of that hot shooting to keep up with the Warriors. Steph Curry scored 26 points (9 - 22 FG, 6 - 14 3PT), grabbed 10 rebounds, dished seven assists and grabbed three steals. Klay Thompson added 25 points (11 - 25 FG, 3 - 8 3PT) and Draymond Green pitched in 23 points (9 - 20 FG, 0 - 4 3PT, 5 - 9 FT). But Golden State got just 12 points from Harrison Barnes (eight in the first quarter), zero points from Andrew Bogut, and just 16 points from their bench. The Warriors shot just 44 percent from the floor and shot a pedestrian 11 - 30 (37 percent) from three - point land, just enough of an off night to give the Thunder an opening to steal Game 1. Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday at 9:0 PM Eastern Time."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "9", "Hawks": "5"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "90", "Hawks": "88"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "2", "Hawks": "8"}}, {"Points": {"Paul Millsap": "17", "Al Horford": "18", "Tiago Splitter": "2", "Kyle Korver": "13", "Dennis Schroder": "8", "Thabo Sefolosha": "8", "Shelvin Mack": "8", "Joe Johnson": "13", "Thaddeus Young": "16", "Brook Lopez": "24", "Jarrett Jack": "14", "Shane Larkin": "14"}, "Blocks": {"Tiago Splitter": "1", "Kyle Korver": "1", "Brook Lopez": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Tiago Splitter": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Tiago Splitter": "3", "Dennis Schroder": "5", "Thaddeus Young": "11", "Brook Lopez": "10", "Jarrett Jack": "3"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Korver": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "10", "Jarrett Jack": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyle Korver": "4", "Dennis Schroder": "3", "Brook Lopez": "11"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Korver": "1", "Joe Johnson": "1", "Thaddeus Young": "5", "Jarrett Jack": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dennis Schroder": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Brook Lopez": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Brook Lopez": "3"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets (2 - 9) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (8 - 5) 90 - 88 on Tuesday. Brook Lopez has been a consistent source of scoring on a Brooklyn team that has endured a forgettable season to date, and the big man was once again the linchpin of the offense Tuesday. Lopez tallied his third double - double in the last four games with a strong 24 - point, 10 - rebound effort. He also posted three blocks for the second consecutive game, giving him an impressive 11 stuffs over his last three contests. Atlanta played without starters Jeff Teague and Kent Bazemore, who were sidelined with ankle injuries. Their offense was missed, with Atlanta falling considerably short of their 103 points per game average on Tuesday. Tiago Splitter entered the starting lineup but could only muster two points, three rebounds, and a block over 12 minutes, while Dennis Schroder pitched in with eight points, 10 assists, and five rebounds in Teague\u2019s stead but struggled from the field for a second straight game (3 - for - 11). Al Horford (18 points), Paul Millsap (17 points), and Kyle Korver (13 points) all tallied respectable efforts, while Thabo Sefalosha\u2019s and Shelvin Mack\u2019s eight - point efforts paced the reserves. However, the Hawks simply could not muster sufficient scoring to avert the road upset. Atlanta drops to 8 - 5 but remains in first place in the Eastern Conference\u2019s Southeast Division. They head home for a date with the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday. In addition to Lopez\u2019s standout performance, frontcourt mate Thaddeus Young continued his recent stretch of significant offensive contributions with a second consecutive double - double. Young totaled 16 points, 11 rebounds, and five steals, and made a pair of game - winning throws after drawing a foul from Kyle Korver with one second left. Veteran Joe Johnson pitched in with his third double - digit scoring game (13 points) over his last four contests, while Jarret Jack once again provided stat - sheet - stuffing production from the point guard position (14 points, eight assists, three rebounds, and a steal). Shane Larkin paced the Nets bench with a pleasantly surprising 14 points. Brooklyn improved their record to 2 - 9 and remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference\u2019s Atlantic Division. They head to Charlotte for a Wednesday showdown with the Hornets."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Frank Kaminsky": "3", "Julius Randle": "6", "D'Angelo Russell": "9", "Jordan Clarkson": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Frank Kaminsky": "1", "Julius Randle": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Frank Kaminsky": "15", "D'Angelo Russell": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Frank Kaminsky": "8", "D'Angelo Russell": "8"}, "Points": {"Frank Kaminsky": "24", "Julius Randle": "23", "D'Angelo Russell": "23", "Jordan Clarkson": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Frank Kaminsky": "12", "Jordan Clarkson": "3"}, "Steals": {"Julius Randle": "3"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Jordan Clarkson": "50"}}], "It was a good night to be young on Tuesday, as up - and - coming players dazzled in the Hornets' trip to Los Angeles. For Charlotte, sophomore big man Frank Kaminsky dominated, scoring 24 points on 8 - of - 15 shooting to go with 12 rebounds, three assists, and a block. On the other end of the floor, the Lakers saw astounding play from their own young big man. Former Kentucky Wildcat Julius Randle, a third - year power forward, scored 23 points to go with a whopping 18 rebounds and six assists. Randle added three steals and two blocks. His 23 was tied for the team high with sophomore point guard D'Angelo Russell, who shot 8 - of - 17 and dished out nine assists. Third-year guard Jordan Clarkson scored 16 points off the bench as well, shooting 50 percent from the field with three rebounds and three assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "28", "Nets": "57"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "129", "Nets": "108"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "44", "Nets": "15"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "2", "Brook Lopez": "2", "Jeremy Lin": "3", "Justin Hamilton": "2", "Bradley Beal": "3", "John Wall": "9", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "2", "Brandon Jennings": "9"}, "Points": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "19", "Brook Lopez": "6", "Randy Foye": "8", "Jeremy Lin": "14", "KJ McDaniels": "10", "Justin Hamilton": "20", "Marcin Gortat": "8", "Bradley Beal": "19", "John Wall": "22", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "17", "Ian Mahinmi": "16", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "9", "Brandon Jennings": "18", "Jason Smith": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "7", "Brook Lopez": "7", "Jeremy Lin": "1", "Justin Hamilton": "6", "Marcin Gortat": "9", "Bradley Beal": "1", "John Wall": "4", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "7", "Ian Mahinmi": "7", "Brandon Jennings": "3"}, "Steals": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "1", "Randy Foye": "2", "Bradley Beal": "1", "John Wall": "1", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "1", "Ian Mahinmi": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Randy Foye": "1", "Jeremy Lin": "1", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Marcin Gortat": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kelly Oubre Jr.": "9"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 129 - 108, at Verizon Center on Friday evening. The Nets (15 - 57) had come into Friday's contest on somewhat of a hot streak by their standards, as they'd notched six victories during March, and two in a row for the first time all season. However, despite a strong shooting night once again, Brooklyn was brought back down to earth by an even more proficient Wizards (44 - 28) squad. John Wall, who battled through a migraine, and Bradley Beal turned in their usual solid performances, and the Washington bench combined to score a whopping 70 points to spearhead the blowout win. The Nets were led by Justin Hamilton's 20 points off the second unit, which he supplemented with six boards and two assists. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson paced the starting five with 19 points, seven rebounds, two assists and one steal. Jeremy Lin supplied 14 points, three assists, one rebound and one block. Isaiah Whitehead, Archie Goodwin and K.J. McDaniels all generated 10 - point efforts off the bench as well. Randy Foye tallied eight points, four rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block. Brook Lopez notably had a subpar effort with six points, seven rebounds and two assists. Wall led the Wizards with 22 points, nine assists, four rebounds and one steal. Beal poured in 19 points and added three assists, a rebound and a steal. No other member of the starting five managed double digits in the scoring column, although Marcin Gortat had a near double - double with eight points and nine rebounds. Brandon Jennings led the second unit with 18 points, nine assists and three rebounds. Bojan Bogdanovic totaled 17 points, seven boards, two assists, a steal and a block. Ian Mahinmi managed 16 points, seven rebounds and four steals. Kelly Oubre, Jr. and Jason Smith were productive as reserves as well with nine and eight - point efforts, respectively. The Nets next head south to tangle with the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday afternoon, while the Wizards head to Cleveland for a Saturday night showdown with the Cavaliers."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "6", "Pelicans": "7"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "100", "Pelicans": "91"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "8", "Pelicans": "7"}}, {"Turnovers": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Austin Rivers": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Austin Rivers": "0"}, "Minutes played": {"Austin Rivers": "21"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "7"}, "Points": {"Jeff Teague": "26"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (8 - 6) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (7 - 7) 100 - 91 on Friday. Atlanta has won three of their last four games. They were paced by Jeff Teague on Friday. He scored a game - high 26 points and passed out seven assists. Thabo Sefolosha (illness) missed a second straight game. Six players scored in double digits as the team shot 50 percent from the field. The Hawks will stay home to host the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday. New Orleans has dropped two straight, and Anthony Davis has averaged just 14 field goal attempts over their last two games. Coach Monty Williams held a team meeting Wednesday to discuss the need for the team to make sure Davis is getting 20 shot per game, but they struggled to accomplish that task Friday. With Eric Gordon sidelined indefinitely with a torn labrum, the Pelicans are searching for someone on their roster who can step up and take on Gordon's minutes. They started Darius Miller on Tuesday and then gave Austin Rivers a roll of the dice Friday, but Rivers was anemic against the Hawks, putting up zero points on 0 - for - 8 shooting from the field in 21 minutes as the starting shooting guard Friday. The Pelicans will finish their two - game road trip in Washington against the Wizards on Saturday."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Thunder": "49", "Kings": "35"}}, {"Points": {"Kosta Koufos": "9", "Buddy Hield": "11", "Darren Collison": "10", "Skal Labissiere": "13", "Georgios Papagiannis": "14", "Andre Roberson": "8", "Steven Adams": "16", "Victor Oladipo": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "28", "Enes Kanter": "14", "Doug McDermott": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Tolliver": "2", "Georgios Papagiannis": "11", "Steven Adams": "13"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Doug McDermott": "21"}}], "The Thunder cruised to a 63 - 41 first - half lead, which spearheaded the comfortable double - digit home win. Russell Westbrook's 28 - point, 10 - assist double - double led the way and OKC also imposed their will down low, outrebounding their visitors by a 49 - 35 margin. Doug McDermott followed with 21 points in 21 minutes off the bench. Steven Adams posted a 16 - point, 13 - rebound double - double. Enes Kanter followed with 14 points, while Victor Oladipo poured in nine. Andre Roberson contributed eight points. The Kings bench outscored the starters, combining for 53 points. Georgios Papagiannis, led the way with a 14 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. Skal Labissiere followed with 13 points. Buddy Hield led the first unit with a modest 11 points, while Darren Collison provided 10. Anthony Tolliver matched Hield's scoring total off the bench and added a pair of rebounds. Kosta Koufos tallied nine points."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "28", "Rockets": "22"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "111", "Rockets": "112"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "16", "Rockets": "25"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Rockets": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "48"}}, {"Assists": {"Trevor Ariza": "3", "James Harden": "8", "Patrick Beverley": "3", "Marcus Thornton": "2", "Norris Cole": "4", "Tyreke Evans": "2", "Jrue Holiday": "9", "Toney Douglas": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Trevor Ariza": "1", "James Harden": "1", "Ryan Anderson": "1", "Toney Douglas": "1"}, "Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "31", "Clint Capela": "10", "James Harden": "35", "Patrick Beverley": "11", "Marcus Thornton": "12", "Norris Cole": "10", "Tyreke Evans": "5", "Ryan Anderson": "22", "Jrue Holiday": "32", "Toney Douglas": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Ariza": "5", "Clint Capela": "5", "James Harden": "11", "Patrick Beverley": "7", "Marcus Thornton": "1", "Norris Cole": "4", "Tyreke Evans": "2", "Ryan Anderson": "9", "Jrue Holiday": "6", "Toney Douglas": "3"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Ariza": "3", "James Harden": "1", "Patrick Beverley": "2", "Jrue Holiday": "3", "Toney Douglas": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"James Harden": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Davis": "19", "Tyreke Evans": "16", "Jrue Holiday": "36"}, "Free throws made": {"Ryan Anderson": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jrue Holiday": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jrue Holiday": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jrue Holiday": "5"}}], "The Houston Rockets (25 - 22) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (16 - 28) 112 - 111 on Monday. In a testament to the collective improvement the Pelicans have shown since a 1 - 11 start, the team nearly pulled out a victory despite only getting 19 minutes out of All-Star Anthony Davis due to a concussion. With their main source of offense down, two of the most valuable bench players in the league stepped up to keep New Orleans within striking distance until the scoreboard showed triple zeros. Jrue Holiday equaled the combined scoring total of the starting five with a 32 - point tally, while Ryan Anderson contributed 22 points over the extra playing time he received in Davis' stead. Despite the impressive performances, it was ironically a missed 33 - foot three - point jumper from Holiday as time expired that sealed the Pelicans' fate on a night when their valiant effort fell just short. Houston shot 48 percent from the field, as well as 49 percent from beyond the arc. James Harden was an intergral contributor to both figures, tallying a near triple - double with 35 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists, a steal and a block. His scoring haul included three three - pointers. Trevor Ariza played an impressive all - around game, managing 31 points, five rebounds, three assists, a team - high three steals and a block. He also defended Davis well while the latter was on the floor. Patrick Beverley stuffed the stat sheet, registering 11 points, seven rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals. Clint Capela filled in for Dwight Howard for a third consecutive game, collecting 10 points and five rebounds. Marcus Thornton paced the Rockets' reserves with 12 points, a pair of assists and a rebound. With the victory, Houston remains in fourth place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They head to San Antonio to take on the Spurs in a Wednesday tilt. Holiday added nine assists, six rebounds and three steals to his team - high scoring total. Anderson hauled in nine rebounds and recorded one block to supplement his 22 points. Veteran Toney Douglas was the third Pelicans reserve to post double - digit scoring, and the third - highest scorer on the team as well, managing 18 points. He also added six assists, three rebounds, a steal and a block. Norris Cole spearheaded the starting five with 10 points, four rebounds and four assists, the only member of the first unit to reach double - digit points. Backcourt mate Tyreke Evans notably contributed only five points, two rebounds and two assists over a scant 16 minutes on the court, as Holiday's success garnered him an abundant 36 minutes of floor time and kept Evans a spectator for extended stretches. With the loss, New Orleans remains in last place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They're at home again on Thursday to face off against the Sacramento Kings."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "3", "Pacers": "7"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "90", "Pacers": "99"}, "Rebounds": {"Bulls": "34", "Pacers": "46"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "7", "Pacers": "4"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "14"}, "Free throws made": {"Jimmy Butler": "11"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "32"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (4 - 7) defeated the Chicago Bulls (7 - 3) 99 - 90 on Saturday. Indiana is 3 - 1 over their last four games. Though they dropped their last game to the lowly Denver Nuggets on Friday, the Pacers' wins over the Bulls and Miami Heat in their last three games should be encouraging considering the fact that they remain without David West (ankle), George Hill (knee), C.J. Watson (foot), C.J. Miles (calf), Rodney Stuckey (foot), and Paul George (leg). The Pacers return home to host the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday. Chicago was without Derrick Rose (hamstring), and the Pacers were able to take advantage. Surprisingly, the Pacers out - rebounded the Bulls 46 - 34. Jimmy Butler continues to show off his offensive game this season. He scored a career - high 32 points, earning 11 of those points at the line on 14 attempts. Rose's status will likely be questionable for the Bulls' next game. They begin a seven - game roadtrip Monday in Los Angeles against the Clippers."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Andre Drummond": "20", "Reggie Jackson": "26", "CJ McCollum": "28"}, "Field goals made": {"Andre Drummond": "13", "Reggie Jackson": "13", "CJ McCollum": "16"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andre Drummond": "3", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "5", "Reggie Jackson": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Andre Drummond": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Andre Drummond": "52", "CJ McCollum": "44"}, "Points": {"Andre Drummond": "28", "Reggie Jackson": "31", "CJ McCollum": "35", "Allen Crabbe": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "14", "CJ McCollum": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Reggie Jackson": "6", "CJ McCollum": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Reggie Jackson": "2", "CJ McCollum": "3"}, "Assists": {"CJ McCollum": "6"}, "Blocks": {"CJ McCollum": "1"}, "Steals": {"CJ McCollum": "1"}}], "The Pistons were able to pull out the double - overtime thriller Sunday, largely in part due to a strong showing from their starters. The trio of Reggie Jackson, Andre Drummond and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, specifically, all came up big on the offensive side of the ball, combining for 85 of the team's 125 total points. Jackson led the team with 31 points (13 - 26 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), while Drummond pitched in his fourth double - double over the last five games, totaling 28 points (13 - 20 FG, 2 - 3 FT) and 14 rebounds over 52 minutes. It was C.J. McCollum who led the charge for the Trail Blazers, notching a game - high 35 points (16 - 28 FG, 3 - 9 3Pt), while also chipping in three rebounds, six assists, a steal and a block over 44 minutes. However, the more surprising effort came off the bench from Allen Crabbe, who posted a season - high of 30 points. Crabbe's previous highest point total during the 2016 - 17 campaign was just 18 points, so he nearly doubled his previous best."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Clippers": "36", "Lakers": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "47", "Lakers": "44"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "12"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "114", "Lakers": "89"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"Kobe Bryant": "7", "Blake Griffin": "8", "JJ Redick": "2", "Chris Paul": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "3", "Jordan Clarkson": "1", "Nick Young": "6", "Matt Barnes": "10", "JJ Redick": "4", "Chris Paul": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kobe Bryant": "0", "Jordan Clarkson": "0", "Nick Young": "1", "Matt Barnes": "5", "JJ Redick": "1", "Chris Paul": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "12", "Jordan Clarkson": "10", "Nick Young": "15", "Matt Barnes": "12", "Blake Griffin": "13", "DeAndre Jordan": "7", "JJ Redick": "8", "Chris Paul": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Kobe Bryant": "2", "Jordan Clarkson": "6", "Nick Young": "4", "Matt Barnes": "6", "Blake Griffin": "9", "DeAndre Jordan": "4", "JJ Redick": "3", "Chris Paul": "9"}, "Points": {"Kobe Bryant": "4", "Jordan Clarkson": "14", "Nick Young": "11", "Matt Barnes": "19", "Blake Griffin": "27", "DeAndre Jordan": "10", "JJ Redick": "10", "Chris Paul": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Kobe Bryant": "8", "Jordan Clarkson": "4", "Blake Griffin": "9", "DeAndre Jordan": "13"}, "Turnovers": {"Kobe Bryant": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jordan Clarkson": "2", "Matt Barnes": "2", "Blake Griffin": "13", "DeAndre Jordan": "4", "JJ Redick": "3", "Chris Paul": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "2", "Matt Barnes": "2", "Blake Griffin": "9", "DeAndre Jordan": "2", "JJ Redick": "3", "Chris Paul": "2"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (24 - 12) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (11 - 25) 114 - 89 on Wednesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The Clippers had a monster first half where they out - scored the Lakers 70 - 48, allowing them to coast to an easy victory against the Lakers. They were the superior shooters in this one, going 47 percent from the field and 36 percent from the three - point line, while the Lakers went 44 percent from the floor and only 25 percent from beyond the arc. The Clippers had all five starters reach double figures in points. Blake Griffin led all scorers, as he nearly triple - doubled with 27 points (9 - 13 FG, 9 - 13 FT), nine rebounds and eight assists. He's had an impressive two - game stretch where he's averaged 27 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Chris Paul added an impressive night with his shot as well. He went 9 - for - 15 from the field and 4 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 24 points, while adding 11 assists. It marked his third triple - double in a row, as he continues to find teammates at a very high rate. Matt Barnes finished with 19 points (6 - 12 FG, 5 - 10 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) of his own. He got off a season - high in number of three - pointers, and cashed in on the extra attempts. Both DeAndre Jordan and J.J. Redick finished in double figures, as Jordan had 10 points (4 - 7 FG, 2 - 4 FT) and 13 rebounds, while Redick had 10 points (3 - 8 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT) and two assists. Kobe Bryant really struggled in this game. He shot very poorly, going only 2 - for - 12 from the field and 0 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score four points. He did pitch in with eight rebounds and seven assists, but the six turnovers he had took away from his assists. With Bryant having an off night, it spelled doom for the Lakers from the start. Their biggest contribution came from Jordan Clarkson, who came off the bench to score 14 points (6 - 10 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and grab four rebounds. It was a season - high in points for him and a nice surprise as he's averaging only 5 points per game on the year. Like Bryant, Nick Young did n't have his best game from the floor. Young went only 4 - of - 15 from the field and 1 - of - 6 from deep to post 11 points. With two of the leading scorers for this team having off days, the Lakers just could n't keep up. The Clippers' next game will be at home against the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday, while the Lakers will be at home against the Orlando Magic on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "39"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "38", "Warriors": "9"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "99", "Warriors": "100"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "42", "Warriors": "71"}}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "4", "Stephen Curry": "8", "Vince Carter": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Draymond Green": "1"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "23", "Stephen Curry": "17", "Vince Carter": "15", "Matt Barnes": "24"}, "Steals": {"Draymond Green": "1", "Stephen Curry": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Stephen Curry": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Stephen Curry": "9", "Vince Carter": "7", "Matt Barnes": "15"}, "Turnovers": {"Matt Barnes": "1"}}], "The Golden Sate Warriors (71 - 9) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (42 - 38) on Saturday night, 100 - 99, for their 71st win of the season. Memphis had a double - digit lead with six minutes left, but couldn\u2019t hold on as Golden State finished the game on a 20 - 9 run. The winning basket came on a controversial call. Draymond Green tipped in a ball that was initially called offensive goaltending. The call, though, was overturned and the points stood, providing the margin of victory with less than a minute left. The key for the Warriors was defense, as they held the Grizzlies to less than 39 percent shooting. Green led the Warriors with 23 points,11 rebounds, four assists and three blocks. Stephen Curry struggled with his shot, but still managed 17 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Matt Barnes had one of his best games of the season, as he tallied 24 points and 15 rebounds to lead Memphis, which entered as a double - digit underdog. Vince Carter got a rare start and totaled 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Up next for Golden State is its biggest test, as it travels to San Antonio to play a Spurs team that is undefeated at home this season. A win would tie the Chicago Bulls' all - time record for victories in a season at 72. The Warriors close out the season Wednesday in a re - match with the Grizzlies. Memphis plays the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "7", "Kyle Lowry": "4", "CJ McCollum": "7"}, "Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "20", "Kyle Lowry": "27", "Mason Plumlee": "13", "CJ McCollum": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMar DeRozan": "10", "Mason Plumlee": "15"}, "Steals": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Lowry": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ McCollum": "12"}}], "On Monday, the Toronto Raptors saw scoring come from exactly where they would expect it to. Guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan led the team with 27 points and 20 points, respectively. The two All-Stars are the team's top two scorers on the season. Lowry nailed five three - pointers on Monday and also added seven rebounds and four assists. DeRozan, meanwhile, stuffed the stat sheet, coming away with 10 rebounds, seven assists, and three steals. It was a poor outing for the remaining Raptors, however, as the team shot just 33 percent from the field. Portland struggled to find absence with Damian Lillard (ankle) out. Guard C.J. McCollum filled the void somewhat, shooting 12 - of - 23 for 29 points while dishing out seven assists. Center Mason Plumlee had 13 points and a team - high 15 rebounds. The team had issues with holding onto the ball, committing 18 turnovers on the night."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "25", "Heat": "24"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "111", "Heat": "115"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "21"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "31", "Heat": "30"}}, {"Points": {"Luol Deng": "30", "Josh McRoberts": "19", "Al Horford": "14", "Jeff Teague": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Luol Deng": "11", "Al Horford": "5"}, "Steals": {"Luol Deng": "4", "Al Horford": "1"}, "Assists": {"Josh McRoberts": "10", "Al Horford": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Al Horford": "2"}}], "The shorthanded Miami Heat (30 - 24) defeated the division - rival Atlanta Hawks (31 - 25), 115 - 111, in the first game back from the All-Star break for both teams. Miami fans were dealt a shocking blow over All-Star weekend when it was revealed that veteran power forward Chris Bosh is suffering from blood clots in his lower leg. Bosh sat out the end of the 2014 - 15 season with blood clots which spread from his calf to his lungs. Guard Dwyane Wade, however, has assured fans that the forward's current situation is less severe than his previous ailments. Bosh has announced plans to take blood thinners in hopes of resuming play this season. Despite the star's absence, Miami was able to advance in the standings on Friday with a big win over Atlanta. Small forward Luol Deng stepped up with a season - high 30 points, also tallying 11 rebounds and stealing the ball four times. Bosh's fill - in, Josh McRoberts, also came up huge for the Heat, scoring 19 points and dishing out 10 assists. Despite allowing the Hawks to score in triple - digits, Miami played pesky defense, forcing Atlanta to turn the ball over 21 times. Starting center Hassan Whiteside also missed the contest due to an NBA-issued one - game suspension for a flagrant foul on San Antonio's Boban Marjanovic. Whiteside has accepted the penalty, telling the media that he knows that \"actions like that kill my career.\" The Hawks, meanwhile, were a team surrounded by trade tumors before Thursday's deadline. Despite finishing first in the East in 2014 - 15, Friday's loss has dropped Atlanta to fifth in the East this season. Despite the underwhelming start, Atlanta opted not to make any major deadline moves. Point guard Jeff Teague, whose name was frequently brought up in trade tumors, led the team with 23 points against the Heat. Veteran All-Star Al Horford was another point of discussion in trade talks; Horford posted 14 points, five rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and a steal on Friday. Both teams will host games on Saturday: the Hawks against the Bucks, and the Heat against the Wizards."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "48", "Pelicans": "36"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "8", "Pelicans": "12"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "111", "Pelicans": "90"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Clippers": "21"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "8", "Pelicans": "4"}}, {"Assists": {"Ish Smith": "10", "Blake Griffin": "6", "Chris Paul": "8"}, "Points": {"Ish Smith": "15", "Blake Griffin": "20", "Chris Paul": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Ish Smith": "4", "Blake Griffin": "6", "Chris Paul": "5"}, "Steals": {"Ish Smith": "2"}}], "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."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "55", "Grizzlies": "31"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "107", "Grizzlies": "100"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "15", "Grizzlies": "41"}}, {"Points": {"Zach Randolph": "16", "Tony Allen": "27", "Lance Stephenson": "16", "Kobe Bryant": "20", "Brandon Bass": "18", "Marcelo Huertas": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "6", "Lance Stephenson": "6", "Brandon Bass": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tony Allen": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Tony Allen": "12", "Jordan Clarkson": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Lance Stephenson": "21"}, "Steals": {"Lance Stephenson": "2", "Jordan Clarkson": "2"}, "Assists": {"Kobe Bryant": "1", "Marcelo Huertas": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jordan Clarkson": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jordan Clarkson": "2"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers (15 - 55) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (41 - 31) at Staples Center on Tuesday, 107 - 100. Jordan Clarkson played the hero roll in the Lakers win after intercepting two passes with under one minute left in regulation to stave off the Grizzlies. Both teams clawed at each others lead throughout each quarter, but the Lakers had the edge heading into the half and played well enough offensively to make up for some rough defensive breakdowns and miscues in the fourth quarter. Clarkson found himself in the right place at the right time to pick off the passes that iced the game for Los Angeles, but also caused an 8 - second violation a few possessions prior that gave Memphis another opportunity to come back. Metta World Peace was ejected quickly after checking into the game for arguing calls with the ref, and D\u2019Angelo Russell left the game with a bruised left shin. Early reports suggest that Russell will be questionable against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday. Despite the ejection and minor injury, the Lakers battled to their 15th win. Kobe Bryant was effective in the second half, where he scored 17 of his 20 points, and Clarkson\u2019s wise shot selection was good for 22 points, to go along with five rebounds and one assist. Brandon Bass and Marcelo Huertas hooked up for a late alley - oop that extended the Lakers lead to seven points. Bass finished with 18 points and six boards, while Huertas added four points and seven assists. The banged up Grizzlies are still hanging on to the 5 - seed in the Western Conference, but the loss comes on the second game of a back - to - back, which has been a common theme for the Grizzlies road losses this season. Tony Allen put on a shooting clinic, as he scored 27 points on a perfect 12 - of - 12 shooting. Zach Randolph failed to be his dominant self on the glass, and only brought down six total boards, in addition to 16 points. Lance Stephenson continues to impress with his newest team and added 16 points, six rebounds and two steals in 21 minutes off the bench. The Lakers will visit the Phoenix Suns (19 - 51) on Wednesday, while the Grizzlies travel to Texas to take on the San Antonio Spurs (59 - 11) on Friday."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Mavericks": "19"}}, {"Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "19", "Gorgui Dieng": "21", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "18", "Zach LaVine": "11", "Ricky Rubio": "8", "Nemanja Bjelica": "10", "Wesley Matthews": "19", "Harrison Barnes": "13", "Dirk Nowitzki": "17", "Deron Williams": "13", "Devin Harris": "10", "J.J. Barea": "15"}, "Assists": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "3", "Ricky Rubio": "10", "Deron Williams": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "9"}}], "The Mavericks avenged a Monday night loss with balanced offense and solid defense. The Mavs shot 47 percent from the field and 41 percent from three - point range, and six players posted double - digit scoring. Wesley Matthews' 19 points led Dallas, while Dirk Nowitzki continued his recent resurgence with 17 points. Deron Williams supplied a 13 - point, 10 - assist double - double, and Harrison Barnes matched Williams' scoring total. J.J. Barea (15 points) and Devin Harris (10 points) were productive off the bench. Gorgui Dieng paced the T-Wolves with 21 points, followed closely by Andrew Wiggins' 19. Karl-Anthony Towns was contained to 18 points, nine rebounds, three assists, steal and block. Zach LaVine registered 11 points in his return from a hip injury. Ricky Rubio dished out 10 assists to go with eight points, while Nemanja Bjelica led the bench with 10."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "22", "Timberwolves": "44"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "96", "Timberwolves": "89"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "37", "Timberwolves": "13"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Adreian Payne": "27", "Jimmy Butler": "43", "Aaron Brooks": "31"}, "Points": {"Adreian Payne": "6", "Ricky Rubio": "15", "Jimmy Butler": "28", "Aaron Brooks": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Adreian Payne": "5", "Ricky Rubio": "6", "Jimmy Butler": "12", "Aaron Brooks": "4"}, "Assists": {"Ricky Rubio": "10", "Aaron Brooks": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Jimmy Butler": "2"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "2", "Aaron Brooks": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Aaron Brooks": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Aaron Brooks": "2"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (37 - 22) beat the Minnesota Timberwolves (13 - 44) 96 - 89 on Friday. With Derrick Rose likely to be out for awhile after undergoing surgery on his meniscus, the Bulls will look to Aaron Brooks to help keep them afloat near the top of the Eastern Conference standings. Brooks played 31 minutes and scored six points on 2 - of - 15 shooting. He had four assists, four rebounds and one steal to help make up for his poor shooting performance. Taj Gibson got the start at power forward in place on Pau Gasol, who was out with an illness. Gibson injured his ankle and was unable to return to the game. Jimmy Butler put on a show, he played 43 minutes and had 28 points, 12 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 steals. Adreian Payne was placed back into the starting lineup at power forward. He came off the bench Wednesday to allow Kevin Garnett to make his return to the Timberwolves as a starter. Garnett (rest) sat out against the Bulls. Payne played 27 minutes and finished with six points and five rebounds. Ricky Rubio dished out 10 assists to go along with 15 points and six rebounds. Despite playing their best basketball of the season in the month of February, the Timbwolves still own the worst record in the Western Conference. Minnesota will host the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday and the Bulls will welcome the Los Angeles Clippers to town on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "4", "Hawks": "5"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "102", "Hawks": "106"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "9", "Hawks": "7"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "2", "Jeff Teague": "2", "Shelvin Mack": "4", "Mike Scott": "5", "John Wall": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul Millsap": "1", "Jeff Teague": "0", "Shelvin Mack": "2", "Mike Scott": "2", "John Wall": "2", "Bradley Beal": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "14", "Shelvin Mack": "9", "Mike Scott": "10", "John Wall": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul Millsap": "7", "Shelvin Mack": "5", "Mike Scott": "5", "John Wall": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "3", "Jeff Teague": "14", "Shelvin Mack": "2", "Mike Scott": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul Millsap": "2", "Jeff Teague": "12", "Shelvin Mack": "1", "Mike Scott": "5"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "17", "Jeff Teague": "28", "Shelvin Mack": "13", "Mike Scott": "17", "Marcin Gortat": "12", "John Wall": "21", "Bradley Beal": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "11", "Marcin Gortat": "11"}, "Assists": {"Shelvin Mack": "5", "John Wall": "13"}, "Minutes played": {"Mike Scott": "22"}, "Blocks": {"Bradley Beal": "1"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (7 - 5) defeated the Washington Wizards (9 - 4) 106 - 102 on Tuesday at the Verizon Center in Washington. No matter the record, games will always be close between teams of the same division. In this battle between Southeast Division foes, the Hawks stole a victory on the road in Washington. Atlanta was able to force Washington into 25 turnovers compared to only 15 of their own, which may have been the difference in this one. The Hawks were led by a big game from Jeff Teague, who shot 8 - for - 18 from the field and 0 - for - 2 from the three - point line to score 28 points. He was able to get to the line a season - high 14 times, and converted on 12 of those attempts. It was also his second game in a row with 28 points, as he continues to score in bunches. Paul Millsap did give Teague some help though. Millsap recorded his fifth double - double of the year, as he finished with 17 points (7 - 14 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT) and 11 rebounds. He's now averaging 18 points and 8 rebounds on the year. The Hawks had a great effort off the bench Tuesday, with Shelvin Mack and Mike Scott doing some damage. Mack had 13 points (5 - 9 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and five assists in only 19 minutes, while Scott scored 17 points (5 - 10 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT) and grabbed seven rebounds in 22 minutes. For the Wizards, John Wall did as much as he could to give his team a shot at the victory. Wall shot 6 - for - 15 from the field and 2 - for - 5 from beyond the arc to score 21 points, while also dishing out 13 assists. It was his eigth double - double of the season already. Marcin Gortat recorded a double - double of his own, as he scored 12 points and pulled in 11 rebounds. It was his second double - double in as many games. Bradley Beal continued to come off the bench after coming back from injury, and scored 13 points in 34 minutes. The Wizards could have used Nene Hilario in this one, but he was n't able to play due to a foot injury. The Hawks' next game will be at home against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, while the Wizards will travel to Cleveland to play the Cavaliers on Wednesday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Mavericks": "26"}, "Turnovers": {"Mavericks": "9"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Clippers": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "2", "Chris Paul": "6", "Dirk Nowitzki": "4", "Seth Curry": "4"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "21", "DeAndre Jordan": "14", "Chris Paul": "15", "Harrison Barnes": "21", "Dirk Nowitzki": "14", "Nerlens Noel": "8", "Seth Curry": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "5", "DeAndre Jordan": "18", "Chris Paul": "6", "Harrison Barnes": "2", "Dirk Nowitzki": "4", "Nerlens Noel": "12", "Seth Curry": "3"}, "Steals": {"Chris Paul": "3", "Harrison Barnes": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Nerlens Noel": "2"}}], "These are two teams still in the playoff hunt and it was evident through this tightly contested battle. In fact, there were 10 ties and 11 lead changes, with neither team leading by more than 12 points. The assist - to - turnover ratio was key, with Dallas recording 26 assists to nine turnovers, while Los Angeles committed 17 turnovers to just 18 assists. Blake Griffin led the Clippers with 21 points, five rebounds and two assists. Chris Paul accumulated 15 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals. DeAndre Jordan totaled 14 points and 18 rebounds. Seth Curry led the way for the Mavericks, as he tallied 23 points, three rebounds and four assists. Harrison Barnes totaled 21 points, two rebounds and two steals. Dirk Nowitzki amassed 14 points, four rebounds and four assists. Nerlens Noel got a rare start and accrued eight points, 12 rebounds, two steals and two blocks."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "32", "Cavaliers": "55"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "42", "Cavaliers": "54"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "87", "Cavaliers": "113"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Raptors": "13", "Cavaliers": "27"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "6", "Kevin Love": "4", "Kyrie Irving": "9"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "3"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "33", "Kevin Love": "20", "JR Smith": "15", "Kyrie Irving": "30", "DeMar DeRozan": "20", "Kyle Lowry": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "11", "Kevin Love": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyle Lowry": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kyle Lowry": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyle Lowry": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers punched their ticket to the NBA Finals by defeating the Toronto Raptors 113 - 87 in Gama 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday at Air Canada Center. The Cavaliers were the prohibited favorite to win this series and they showed why in this clincher. Cleveland came out hot early, as they led by six after the first quarter and by 14 at half. The Cavaliers shot 54 percent from the field and 55 percent from three - point range, going 17 - for - 31. They held the Raptors to just 42 percent shooting from the field and 32 percent from long distance. The Cavaliers outscored the Raptors 27 - 13 in the fourth to cap off their victory. This marked Cleveland's first win in Toronto this season and they will now head to the NBA Finals for the second - straight season. Cleveland was expected to reach the Finals at the beginning of the season and didn\u2019t disappoint one bit. The big three for Cleveland were all huge in this win, as they combined for 83 points and all scored at least 20. LeBron James led the team with 33 points, while also providing 11 rebounds, six assists and three blocks. Kyrie Irving tallied 30 points and nine assists of his own. Kevin Love contributed 20 points, 12 rebounds and four assists in the victory. The only other player in double figures was J.R. Smith, as he scored 15 points. Cleveland will either host the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the Finals or travel to Oakland to play the Golden State Warriors in a rematch of last years Finals for their next game. This loss was disappointing for Toronto, but it was one of their finest seasons in their history. Kyle Lowry led the team with 35 points in this loss, while scoring 21 in the second half. DeMar DeRozan finished with 20 points of his own, but those two got very little help from anyone else. In fact, the other three starters combined for just 11 points, with no other player on the team reaching double - digits in scoring. The Raptors finished with a franchise - best 56 wins and finished second in the Eastern Conference for the first time in their history."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "53", "Clippers": "50"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "25"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "114", "Clippers": "108"}, "Rebounds": {"Jazz": "42", "Clippers": "28"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "42"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Clippers": "28"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Clippers": "28"}}, {"Points": {"Blake Griffin": "8", "DeAndre Jordan": "12", "Gordon Hayward": "27", "Rudy Gobert": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "9", "Gordon Hayward": "18", "Rudy Gobert": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "5", "Gordon Hayward": "9", "Rudy Gobert": "5"}}], "The host Utah Jazz took down the Los Angeles Clippers in a key game on Monday, 114 - 108. Utah (42 - 25) extended its lead on the four seed to the two games with Monday's win over Los Angeles. All-Star forward Gordon Hayward was, per usual, the team's leading scorer with 27 points on 9 - of - 18 shooting. Center Rudy Gobert, who many consider a favorite for the Defensive Player of the Year Award, also played a crucial role in the win. Despite a number of testy exchanges with Clippers players, including superstar point guard Chris Paul, Gobert had an efficient 11 points on 5 - of - 6 shooting and played tough defense against the loaded LA frontcourt. Thanks in part to Gobert, Utah was able to win the rebounding battle handily. The Jazz pulled down 42 rebounds to LA's 28. Los Angeles (40 - 27) appeared frustrated by the unfortunately - timed loss. On paper, LA had a stellar offensive night, shooting 50 percent and knocking down 12 three - pointers in the process. However, the team allowed Utah to shoot an even more impressive 53 percent including 14 threes. It was also a tough night for the Clippers' big men. All-Star and offensive wizard Blake Griffin was locked down and held to just eight points in 36 minutes of play. Center DeAndre Jordan, the league's all - time leader in field goal percentage, shot just 5 - of - 9 for 12 points. The duo also combined for only 16 rebounds, well below their season average. On Wednesday, the Jazz will visit Detroit while LA will host the Bucks."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "37", "Trail Blazers": "19"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "99", "Trail Blazers": "110"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Kings": "24"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "20", "Trail Blazers": "39"}}, {"Points": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "26", "Damian Lillard": "31", "Rudy Gay": "24", "Derrick Williams": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "15"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "7"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (39 - 19) defeated the Sacramento Kings (20 - 37) 110 - 99 on Sunday. Portland dropped two games coming out of the All-Star break, but they've since rattled off three consecutive wins. Damian Lillard lead the way with a game - high 31 points and seven assists and got some help from LaMarcus Aldridge putting up 26 points and 15 rebounds of his own. Backup center Joel Freeland played for the first time since Jan. 3, missing 24 games with a strained right shoulder. The Blazers are in fourth place in the Western Conference standings. Sacramento has had to play their last two games without DeMarcus Cousins as he continues to rest ankle and hip injuries, losing both games. Cousins is averaging 24 points per game this season, and the starting frontcourt of Carl Landry and Jason Thompson on Sunday could muster only seven combined points in 34 minutes. Rudy Gay tried to pick up the slack, scoring a team - high 24 points, and Derrick Williams pitched in 18 points off the bench, but without Cousins, the Kings did n't have enough rations to survive the Blazers on Sunday. They've gone 2 - 3 since George Karl took over the coaching reigns after the All-Star break. Sunday's game was the final matchup the Blazers and Kings will have this season, with the Blazers taking the season series 2 - 1. Portland will continue their road trip against the Clippers on Wednesday, and Sacramento will embark on an eight - game road trip that starts in New York on Tuesday."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Hornets": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"Cody Zeller": "2", "LeBron James": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Cody Zeller": "8", "LeBron James": "24", "Kevin Love": "12", "Tristan Thompson": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Cody Zeller": "7", "LeBron James": "17", "Kevin Love": "7", "Tristan Thompson": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Cody Zeller": "23", "LeBron James": "42", "Tristan Thompson": "28"}, "Points": {"Cody Zeller": "17", "Kemba Walker": "24", "LeBron James": "44", "Kevin Love": "22", "Tristan Thompson": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Cody Zeller": "9", "LeBron James": "9", "Kevin Love": "6", "Tristan Thompson": "12"}, "Steals": {"Cody Zeller": "2", "LeBron James": "3", "Kevin Love": "3"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LeBron James": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"LeBron James": "5"}}], "LeBron James led the way for the Cavs as he went off for a season - high 44 points. James shot 17 - of - 24 from the field and 5 - of - 10 from long range on the way to the 73rd 40 - point game of his career. He also added 10 assists, nine rebounds, three steals and one block, in 42 minutes of action. Kevin Love added 22 points on 7 - of - 12 shooting, along with six rebounds and three steals. Tristan Thompson notched a solid double - double with 13 points and 12 rebounds, in 28 minutes. Thompson went 5 - of - 5 from the field, while the Cavs as a team shot 58 percent from the field. Kemba Walker led the way for the Hornets, with 24 points before exiting the game early with a left knee contusion. Cody Zeller added 17 points on 7 - of - 8 shooting, along with nine rebounds, two assists and two steals, in 23 minutes."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "2", "Kings": "3"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "108", "Kings": "96"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "2", "Kings": "2"}}, {"Assists": {"Rudy Gay": "1", "DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Ty Lawson": "4", "Dion Waiters": "4", "Goran Dragic": "8", "Tyler Johnson": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "24"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gay": "30", "DeMarcus Cousins": "30", "Arron Afflalo": "18", "Ty Lawson": "2", "Luke Babbitt": "10", "Hassan Whiteside": "14", "Dion Waiters": "20", "Goran Dragic": "25", "Tyler Johnson": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "12", "Matt Barnes": "8", "DeMarcus Cousins": "7", "Arron Afflalo": "3", "Hassan Whiteside": "11", "Dion Waiters": "4", "Tyler Johnson": "4"}, "Steals": {"Rudy Gay": "1", "Matt Barnes": "1", "Arron Afflalo": "1", "Luke Babbitt": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "1", "Dion Waiters": "1", "Goran Dragic": "2", "Tyler Johnson": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Matt Barnes": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Matt Barnes": "3"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "2", "Dion Waiters": "2", "Goran Dragic": "2", "Tyler Johnson": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Ty Lawson": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the Sacramento Kings in overtime, 108 - 96, at American Airlines Arena on Tuesday. The Heat (2 - 2) utilized an impressive night from three - fifths of their first unit and a strong defensive effort in overtime to overcome a pair of 30 - point efforts from Rudy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins and notch their 15th consecutive win at home over Sacramento (2 - 3). The hard - fought victory came after Miami blew an 80 - 71 advantage in the final six minutes of regulation. However, Cousins fouled out with 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter, making the path to an eventual win a bit easier for the Heat. Tyler Johnson was particularly effective in the extra period, tallying seven points to help put Sacramento away. Cousins added seven rebounds, four assists and a block to his point total. Gay was even more impressive, hauling in 12 rebounds and adding an assist and a steal while also taking a team - high 24 shots. Arron Afflalo had his best game yet in his new Sacramento digs, collecting 18 points, three rebounds and a steal. Those three players provided the majority of the offense, however, as Matt Barnes and Ty Lawson notably combined for just two points (from Barnes) on 1 - for - 13 shooting. Goran Dragic paced Miami with his second consecutive 25 - point game, and he added eight rebounds, eight assists, two blocks and two steals. Dion Waiters totaled 20 points, four rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal, as he continues to serve as a solid source of scoring for the Heat. Hassan Whiteside become only the second player in franchise history to start a season with four straight double - doubles by posting 14 points, 11 rebounds, two blocks and a steal, while Luke Babbitt pitched in with 10 points, a rebound and a steal. Johnson's 22 points led the bench, and he added four rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks. The Kings next make the trip upstate and pay a visit to the Orlando Magic on Thursday, while the Heat head north to Toronto to take on the Raptors in a Friday night showdown."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "40", "Warriors": "14"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "87", "Warriors": "112"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Mavericks": "16"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "30", "Warriors": "57"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "55"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "15", "Ian Clark": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Klay Thompson": "9", "Ian Clark": "8"}, "Points": {"Klay Thompson": "23", "Stephen Curry": "17", "Ian Clark": "18", "Dirk Nowitzki": "16", "Nerlens Noel": "14"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Stephen Curry": "5", "Dirk Nowitzki": "9", "Nerlens Noel": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Nerlens Noel": "17"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the Dallas Mavericks 112 - 87 Tuesday at American Airlines Center. Despite playing their second game in a row and their third game in four days, the Warriors (57 - 14) had very little problem handling the Mavericks (30 - 40) on Tuesday night. Dallas managed to keep it close for 12 minutes, holding a two - point lead after the end of the first quarter. But from there, Golden State managed to blow the game wide open, outscoring the Mavericks by 27 points over the next 36 minutes of game time. The Warriors were led by Klay Thompson, who scored a game - high 23 points on 9 - of - 15 shooting, while Steph Curry added 17 points, nine assists and five rebounds of his own. Ian Clark put together a great performance off the bench as well, scoring 18 points on 8 - of - 16 shooting. As a team, Golden State shot a very effective 55 percent from the field and 41 percent from long range. The Mavericks, on the other hand, were not as fortunate with their shooting, as they shot just 35 percent from the field overall, and despite shooting 14 more shots than Golden State, they made 10 less. They were led by 16 points and nine rebounds from Dirk Nowitzki, with Nerlens Noel scoring an efficient 14 points in 17 minutes to go along with seven rebounds off the bench. But overall, it was a forgettable offensive night for Dallas, who, with the loss, are now three games behind the Nuggets for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "35"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "89", "Pelicans": "83"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "5"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "0"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "13", "Marc Gasol": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "Marc Gasol": "3"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "10", "Lance Stephenson": "21", "Buddy Hield": "18"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "2", "Marc Gasol": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Lance Stephenson": "45"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "11"}}], "The host Memphis Grizzlies defeated the visiting New Orleans Pelicans, 89 - 83, in overtime on Wednesday. It was a low - scoring affair all - around, as both teams struggled to get their shots to fall. Memphis shot just 35 percent from the floor, including 3 - of - 18 from star center Marc Gasol. Gasol still contributed, recording 11 rebounds and five assists. Gasol also helped lock down superstar Anthony Davis, who was held to just 10 points on the night. Davis had a historic start to the season, scoring 95 points in his first two games. However, he was not performing at the same level on Wednesday, being held to just 3 - of - 13 from the field. New Orleans, who has been missing guard Jrue Holiday and wing Tyreke Evans, is now 0 - 5 on the season. It was a particularly weak night for the team's starting five, who combined for just 19 points. New Orleans did, however, force the Grizzlies into overtime while seeing significant contributions from young players. Sixth overall pick Buddy Hield established his new career high with 18 points. Newly-acquired guard Lance Stephenson led the team with 45 minutes played and 21 points scored. Both teams will play at home on Thursday, with the Grizzlies facing the Clippers and the Pelicans facing the Suns."], [[{"Total points": {"Grizzlies": "108", "Nuggets": "107"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "4"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Jamal Murray": "17"}, "Points": {"Jamal Murray": "10", "Vince Carter": "20", "Zach Randolph": "16"}}], "The biggest difference in a game that was decided by a game - winning tip - in was the play of both teams' benches, as there was a large discrepancy in a very close matchup. For the Grizzlies, Vince Carter's 20 points off the bench ended up leading the team in scoring while Zach Randolph contributed 16 points of his own. In all, Memphis' reserves managed to score 55 of the team's 108 points and played a big role in their victory. On the other side, while Denver's starters were very productive and each managed to score in double figures, their bench was a no - show on Tuesday night. Rookie Jamal Murray had a solid outing off the bench, scoring 10 points in 17 minutes, but as an entire unit, the Nuggets' reserves managed just 25 of the team's 107 points. A little more production from any of the four Denver reserves who played at least 10 minutes on Tuesday and the game likely has a much different outcome."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "13"}}, {"Points": {"Luol Deng": "11", "Nick Young": "24", "D'Angelo Russell": "15", "Jordan Clarkson": "25", "Marvin Williams": "15", "Cody Zeller": "11", "Nicolas Batum": "23", "Kemba Walker": "28", "Marco Belinelli": "13", "Frank Kaminsky": "11"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Nick Young": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Nick Young": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jordan Clarkson": "2"}, "Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Nicolas Batum": "8", "Kemba Walker": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "26"}}], "The dynamic backcourt duo of Nicolas Batum and Kemba Walker propelled the Hornets to a comeback victory, after the Lakers jumped out to a 73 - 59 halftime lead. Charlotte stormed back in the second half and sealed the win with a Batum eight - foot basket with 13 seconds on the clock, and two free throws with six ticks left. Walker's 28 points, which came on 11 - of - 26 shooting, paced the Hornets. Batum had a double - double with 23 points and 10 assists. Marvin Williams (15 points) and Cody Zeller (11 points) rounded out the first unit, while Marco Belinelli (13 points) and Frank Kaminsky III (11 points) were productive off the bench. Jordan Clarkson's 25 points paced the Lakers, while starting two - guard Nick Young tallied 24 points. D'Angelo Russell (15 points) and Luol Deng (11 points) also provided solid support."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "51"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "28", "Grizzlies": "25"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "102", "Grizzlies": "92"}, "Rebounds": {"Pacers": "50", "Grizzlies": "39"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "30", "Grizzlies": "34"}}, {"Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "4", "Mike Conley": "7", "Jeff Teague": "10", "Monta Ellis": "3"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "12", "Tony Allen": "11", "Mike Conley": "10", "Troy Daniels": "13", "CJ Miles": "17", "Jeff Teague": "10", "Monta Ellis": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "4", "Tony Allen": "7", "Mike Conley": "5"}, "Steals": {"Tony Allen": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"CJ Miles": "10", "Jeff Teague": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ Miles": "6", "Jeff Teague": "2"}}], "The Indiana Pacers defeated the Memphis Grizzlies, 102 - 92, at FedEx Forum on Friday. Despite this game being close throughout the first quarter, the Pacers dominated the rest of the way. The second and third quarters were especially decisive, outscoring the Grizzlies 64 - 42 in that 24 - minute stretch. Free-throw shooting really killed Memphis, as they went just 13 - of - 23, while the Pacers went a perfect 11 - of - 11. Indiana also dominated the shooting, hitting 51 percent of their shots, while holding Memphis to 41 percent. The Pacers also won the rebounding differential, 50 - 39. The Grizzlies (34 - 25) have now lost three of their last four games, as this was not how they wanted to start their stretch run. Despite playing just 14 minutes off the bench, Troy Daniels led the team with 13 points. Marc Gasol led the starters, as he accumulated 12 points, four rebounds and four assists. Mike Conley finished with 10 points, five rebounds and seven assists. Tony Allen accrued 11 points, seven rebounds and five steals. On deck for the Grizzlies is a road matchup with the Denver Nuggets on Sunday. The Pacers (30 - 28) had lost six - straight headed into this matchup, so a blowout win is just what the doctor ordered. C.J. Miles led Indiana in scoring, as he dropped 17 points on 6 - of - 10 shooting. Jeff Teague went just 2 - of - 8 from the field, but totaled 10 points and 10 assists en route to a double - double. Monta Ellis was a nice spark off the bench, providing 16 points and three assists. The Pacers will be in action again on Saturday against the Miami Heat."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Magic": "28"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "54", "Nuggets": "50"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "37", "Nuggets": "40"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "116", "Nuggets": "110"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "29", "Nuggets": "28"}}, {"Assists": {"D.J. Augustin": "8"}, "Points": {"D.J. Augustin": "12", "Will Barton": "15", "Evan Fournier": "30", "Jason Smith": "25"}, "Steals": {"D.J. Augustin": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Evan Fournier": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Evan Fournier": "19", "Jason Smith": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Evan Fournier": "11", "Jason Smith": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Jason Smith": "13"}}], "The Orlando Magic (29 - 37) defeated the similarly - positioned Denver Nuggets (28 - 40) on Tuesday, 116 - 110. Shooting guard Evan Fournier exploded for 30 points to lead the way to the win. Fournier dropped in five three - pointers and shot 11 - for - 19 on the whole, en route to a game - high scoring performance. Also impressive was big man Jason Smith, who came off the bench for 25 points and 13 rebounds while turning the ball over just once. Smith shot 10 - for - 15, contributing to Orlando's impressive 54 percent shooting from the field. Orlando also dished out 28 assists, demonstrating impressive team ball movement. Denver's high - scoring night was bolstered by strong bench play. Four members of the second unit scored in double - digits, with strong Sixth Man of the Year candidate Will Barton leading the bench with 15 points. Trade deadline acquisition D.J. Augustin scored 12 while also dishing eight assists and grabbing three steals. On the whole, Denver shot a solid 50 percent from the field; however, the team could not get it done on the defensive end, holding a disadvantage both in terms of shooting splits and turnovers allowed. Denver will next see the court on Thursday in Atlanta, while Orlando will visit Charlotte on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Suns": "23"}}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "17", "Rudy Gobert": "18", "George Hill": "17", "Joe Johnson": "15", "Boris Diaw": "12", "Eric Bledsoe": "31"}, "Assists": {"Rudy Gobert": "1", "Boris Diaw": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "17", "Boris Diaw": "3"}, "Steals": {"Rudy Gobert": "1", "Eric Bledsoe": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"George Hill": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"George Hill": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"George Hill": "2"}}], "Rudy Gobert led the way for the Utah Jazz in their close victory on the road against the Phoenix Suns. While Eric Bledsoe led all scorers with 31 points, Gobert answered the opposing guard's big performance with 18 points and 17 rebounds, to go along with one assist, one steal and four blocks. Gordon Hayward and George Hill each provided 17 points, while the remaining two starters also finished in double figures scoring. Defensively, the Jazz held the Suns to a lowly 23 percent shooting from behind the arc, and while the midrange game was successful for Phoenix throughout the contest, the big scorers were just Bledsoe and Devin Booker. Joe Johnson added 15 points off the bench for the Jazz in the win, while Boris Diaw finished with 12 points, six assists and three rebounds."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Norman Powell": "12", "Jonas Valanciunas": "14", "DeMar DeRozan": "26", "Kyle Lowry": "28", "Terrence Ross": "18", "Tristan Thompson": "15", "Channing Frye": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "9", "Kyle Lowry": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "27"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "10"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "9"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Lowry": "4", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Terrence Ross": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Terrence Ross": "4", "LeBron James": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"LeBron James": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Channing Frye": "20"}}], "The Big Three of Kyrie Irving, LeBron James and Kevin Love combined for 71 of the Cavs' 121 points, with the latter two also posting double - doubles. Tristan Thompson and Channing Frye were also strong contributors, with the former equaling a season - high with 15 points and the latter supplying 21 points in just 20 minutes, including a go - ahead three - pointer with 59 seconds remaining. The Raptors were led by Kyle Lowry's near double - double of 28 points, nine assists, five rebounds and four steals. DeMar DeRozan supplied 26 points as well, but only went 10 - of - 27 from the field. Jonas Valanciunas compiled 14 points, nine rebounds and a pair of dimes, while Norman Powell contributed 12 points in a start at small forward. Terrence Ross paced the reserves with 18 points, including a 4 - of - 7 tally from beyond the arc."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "44", "Knicks": "39"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "41", "Knicks": "50"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "106", "Knicks": "78"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nuggets": "30", "Knicks": "15"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nuggets": "36", "Knicks": "19"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nuggets": "15"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "23", "Knicks": "12"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Knicks": "39"}, "Turnovers": {"Knicks": "14"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Andrea Bargnani": "1", "Alexey Shved": "6", "Wilson Chandler": "4", "Ty Lawson": "1", "Will Barton": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Andrea Bargnani": "1", "Alexey Shved": "3", "Wilson Chandler": "2", "Ty Lawson": "1", "Will Barton": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrea Bargnani": "14", "Alexey Shved": "12", "Langston Galloway": "9", "Wilson Chandler": "10", "Kenneth Faried": "12", "Ty Lawson": "6", "Will Barton": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrea Bargnani": "4", "Alexey Shved": "6", "Langston Galloway": "7", "Wilson Chandler": "6", "Kenneth Faried": "7", "Ty Lawson": "3", "Will Barton": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andrea Bargnani": "4", "Alexey Shved": "6", "Kenneth Faried": "7", "Ty Lawson": "9", "Will Barton": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Andrea Bargnani": "3", "Alexey Shved": "4", "Kenneth Faried": "5", "Ty Lawson": "7", "Will Barton": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Andrea Bargnani": "24", "Wilson Chandler": "23"}, "Personal fouls": {"Andrea Bargnani": "2"}, "Points": {"Andrea Bargnani": "12", "Alexey Shved": "19", "Langston Galloway": "14", "Wilson Chandler": "17", "Kenneth Faried": "19", "Ty Lawson": "14", "Will Barton": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrea Bargnani": "7", "Langston Galloway": "3", "Wilson Chandler": "6", "Kenneth Faried": "11", "Will Barton": "4"}, "Assists": {"Langston Galloway": "4", "Wilson Chandler": "2", "Ty Lawson": "6", "Will Barton": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Kenneth Faried": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kenneth Faried": "4"}, "Steals": {"Will Barton": "1"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (23 - 41) defeated the New York Knicks (12 - 50) 106 - 78 on Monday at the Pepsi Center in Denver. After an even first quarter, the Nuggets got hot in the second, out - scoring the Knicks 30 - 15 to go into the half up by 15. They continued with that momentum in the third quarter, this time out - scoring the Knicks 36 - 19. With such a large lead following the third, the Nuggets were then able to coast to the easy victory in front of their home crowd in the fourth. They were the superior shooters in this one as well, finishing at 44 percent from the field, while the Knicks went just 39 percent. They also forced the Knicks into 14 turnovers, while committing just eight of their own. Kenneth Faried got the start at center in this matchup, as Jusuf Nurkic was sitting out as he nursed an ankle injury. Despite being undersized for the center position, he went off for a team - high of 19 points (7 - 12 FG, 5 - 7 FT), while also adding 11 rebounds and a blocked shot in just 27 minutes. After struggling for a good portion of the season, he's started to pick things up lately, posting four double - doubles over his last five games. During that five - game stretch, he's averaging 15 points and 12 rebounds. Wilson Chandler also played well. He went 6 - for - 10 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from the three - point line for 17 points, to go along with six rebounds in 23 minutes. He could've had more, but he was rested with the Nuggets having such a big lead. Coming off the bench, Will Barton continued his surprising play with the Nuggets and posted 17 points (6 - 13 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT), four rebounds and three assists. Since coming over to the Nuggets from the Portland Trail Blazers 10 games ago, he's averaged 14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steals per game. Ty Lawson was the other Nugget in double figures, as he finished with 14 points (3 - 6 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 7 - 9 FT) and six assists. For the Knicks, Alexey Shved was in the starting lineup at shooting guard with Tim Hardaway Jr out with a back injury. Shved made the start count, finishing with a team - high of 19 points (6 - 12 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT) in just 25 minutes. It was his second strong performance in a row, as he just posted 15 points against the Pacers on Saturday. Considering he's averaged just 9 points so far this season, he's been a nice surprise for the Knicks since coming over from the Rockets in February. Langston Galloway was another player who had a decent showing Monday. He went 7 - for - 9 from the field to score 14 points, to go along with three rebounds and four assists. He continues to be very inconsistent for the Knicks, as his scoring and rebounding numbers fluctuate at a high rate from game to game. Andrea Bargnani had been turning some heads recently with two games in a row scoring more than 20 points. He came back down to earth a bit Monday and finished with just 12 points (4 - 14 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) and seven rebounds. To be fair, he did play just 24 minutes due to the nature of the blowout, so he probably would have put up some some higher point totals with more time on the court. The Nuggets' next game will be at home against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, while the Knicks will travel to Utah to play the Jazz on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "2", "Suns": "1"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "118", "Suns": "91"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "1", "Suns": "2"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Alex Len": "18", "Gordon Hayward": "34", "Derrick Favors": "30", "Enes Kanter": "16", "Trevor Booker": "24"}, "Points": {"Alex Len": "4", "Gordon Hayward": "24", "Derrick Favors": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Alex Len": "3", "Gordon Hayward": "10"}}], "The Utah Jazz (1 - 2) defeated the Phoenix Suns (2 - 1) 118 - 91 on Saturday. Derrick Favors paced the Jazz, scoring a game - high 32 points in 30 minutes. Gordon Hayward recorded his first double - double of the season, putting up 24 points and 10 rebounds in 34 minutes. Starting power forward Enes Kanter played just 16 minutes and appears stuck in a timeshare for minutes with backup Trevor Booker who played 24 mintues off the bench. The Suns had six players finish in double - digits, but after fighting for a win against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, the Suns did n't have enough fight to sweep their back - to - back set. Alex Len followed up his career night on Friday with a modest performance Saturday, puting up just four points and three rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench. P.J. Tucker completed his three - game suspension Saturday and will be able to return to action for the Suns in their next game. The Suns have two days off before going on the road to the play the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday. The Jazz's next game is on the road Monday against the Los Angeles Clippers."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "18", "Magic": "37"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "110", "Magic": "103"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "31", "Magic": "15"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Magic": "19"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "12"}}, {"Assists": {"Tobias Harris": "6", "Manu Ginobili": "10"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "23", "Nikola Vucevic": "25", "Tim Duncan": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "10", "Nikola Vucevic": "13", "Tim Duncan": "10"}, "Personal fouls": {"Nikola Vucevic": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Tim Duncan": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Tim Duncan": "34", "Manu Ginobili": "29"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (31 - 18) beat the Orlando Magic (15 - 37) 110 - 103 on Wednesday. Tim Duncan dropped 26 points and 10 rebounds in 34 minutes. It was his sixth double - double since the beginning of January, and his second game of at least 20 and 10 in his last four. Manu Ginobli dished out 10 assists in 29 minutes. Boris Diaw was inserted into the starting lineup for Tiago Splitter, who sat out with an illness. It was Splitter's second game missed out of the Spurs' past three. San Antonio has turned it on as of late. They've only lost four games since the calendar turned to 2015 and have n't lost back - to - back games since Dec. 25 and 26. The Magic, on the other hand, are having a rough go so far in 2015. They inexplicably won consecutive games against the Bulls and Rockets on Jan. 12 and 14. Other than those two tilts, the Magic are winless this year. They have been getting strong performances from center Nikola Vucevic, who's been averaging 19 points and 12 rebounds over his past five games. However, he put up 25 points and 13 rebounds on the Spurs in Wednesday's losing effort. Tobias Harris also had a double - double with 23 points and 10 rebounds to go along with six assists. While all five Magic starters scored in double figures and avoided a negative plus - minus, the bench combined for just 17 points, and all five reserves had a negative plus/minus. The Magic will welcome the Los Angeles Lakers to the Amway Center on Friday, and the Spurs will stick around Florida for a rematch of the 2013 and 2014 NBA Finals with the Miami Heat."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "12", "Mavericks": "9"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "97", "Mavericks": "104"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "10", "Mavericks": "13"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "45"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Mavericks": "16"}}, {"Points": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "25", "Raymond Felton": "14", "Carmelo Anthony": "17", "Kristaps Porzingis": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "6", "Raymond Felton": "5", "Carmelo Anthony": "6"}, "Assists": {"Raymond Felton": "5", "Deron Williams": "7", "Carmelo Anthony": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "13"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (13 - 9) defeated the New York Knicks (10 - 12) 104 - 97 despite a late rally by the Knicks. Dallas took a 16 - point lead going into the fourth quarter and nearly blew it with some terrible shooting. The team scored just 16 points in the final 12 minutes and were outscored 25 - 16. What won them the game was their veteran leadership, as they committed just nine turnovers and allowed just nine free - throw attempts in the game. Both teams did shoot over 45 percent from the field, but the lack of errors is what won the Mavericks the game. Dallas was shooting well over 50 percent before a dreadful fourth quarter. They still held off the Knicks thanks to Dirk Nowitzki and Deron Williams. Nowitzki tallied 25 points and six rebounds, while Williams contributed 18 points and seven assists. Dallas was extremely shorthanded in the backcourt and Felton stepped in nicely, by collecting 14 points, five rebounds and five assists in the win. This is a nice win for the Mavericks against a resurgent Knicks team and they'll look to keep up this form against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. The Knicks have now lost six of their last eight games and the surprise team is starting to look more like what people expected. What people didn\u2019t expect was this stellar play from Kristaps Porzingis, who continued his fantastic form on Monday. Porzingis scored a team - high 28 points in the loss on 13 - for - 18 shooting. Carmelo Anthony also had a nice all - around game, as he tallied 17 points, eight assists and six rebounds in the defeat. New York will have another tough task when they have to travel to Salt Lake City to take on the Utah Jazz on Wednesday in their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "14", "Clippers": "12"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "107", "Clippers": "97"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "14", "Clippers": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "6", "Chris Paul": "10", "Trevor Ariza": "3", "James Harden": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "13", "Dwight Howard": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Blake Griffin": "9", "Dwight Howard": "8"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "22", "DeAndre Jordan": "16", "Chris Paul": "12", "Trevor Ariza": "17", "Dwight Howard": "22", "James Harden": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "8", "DeAndre Jordan": "11", "Trevor Ariza": "6", "Dwight Howard": "14"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Chris Paul": "29"}, "Blocks": {"Dwight Howard": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Dwight Howard": "2"}}], "The Houston Rockets (14 - 14) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers (16 - 12) 107 - 97 on Saturday. Clippers Head Coach Doc Rivers stated multiple times in his press conferences this season that the Clippers need to improve on the defensive end of the floor, and that precise reason resulted in the loss to the Rockets. Outside of strong performances from starters Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan, Blake Griffin and JJ Redick, Los Angeles sporadic bench was unable to assist the offensive end, and broke down defensively out the gate. Blake Griffin led all Clippers scorers with 22 points and the power forward pulled down eight rebounds alongside six assists on 9 - of - 13 shooting. Chris Paul scored 12 points and added 10 assists, while DeAndre Jordan provided a double - double of his own with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Rivers used all 15 players at his disposal, but the team shot 40 percent from the field and 29 percent from deep. The Clippers were coming off a blown fourth quarter lead to the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, and the second game of a back - to - back against the Rockets proved to be as daunting a task. The Dwight Howard headlines may be circulating on account of the center\u2019s unhappiness in Houston, but the outside issues did not phase the big man as he posted 22 points and 14 rebounds on 8 - of - 11 shooting. James Harden struggled to find his stroke though the contest, but scored 18 points and dished out 11 assists in the winning effort. Ty Lawson (suspension) served his first of a two game suspension for his 2014 DUI. Trevor Ariza provided 17 points, six rebounds and three assists in 33 minutes, while Donatas Motiejunas and Marcus Thornton added double figures off the bench. Both teams play on Monday, with the Clippers returning home to face the Oklahoma City Thunder (18 - 9), while the Rockets host the Charlotte Hornets (15 - 11)."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "53"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pelicans": "36", "Rockets": "23"}}, {"Assists": {"James Harden": "11", "Solomon Hill": "7", "Jrue Holiday": "6"}, "Points": {"James Harden": "41", "Solomon Hill": "30", "Anthony Davis": "24", "Jrue Holiday": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "14", "Solomon Hill": "6", "Anthony Davis": "15"}}], "Despite the fact that Houston were expected to win this game easily, New Orleans had a thorough domination. In fact, they held a double - digit lead for the final three quarter, after winning the fits quarter, 36 - 23. Shooting was the difference, with the Rockets shooting just 42 percent to the Pelicans 53 percent. Solomon Hill was the star for New Orleans, as he tallied 30 points, six rebounds, seven assists and three steals. Anthony Davis finished with 24 points, 15 rebounds and two steals. Jrue Holiday accrued 19 points and six assists. James Harden had a monster game, as he collected 41 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists. None of the other five starters scored in double figures, as they combined for just one assist between the four. Eric Gordon and Lou Williams both scored in double figures off the bench to finish second and third in scoring."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "21", "76ers": "22"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "123", "76ers": "116"}, "Rebounds": {"Suns": "43", "76ers": "28"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "9", "76ers": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"Joel Embiid": "1", "Sergio Rodriguez": "7", "Devin Booker": "6", "Eric Bledsoe": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Joel Embiid": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Joel Embiid": "1", "Devin Booker": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Joel Embiid": "28"}, "Points": {"Joel Embiid": "27", "Sergio Rodriguez": "21", "Devin Booker": "23", "Eric Bledsoe": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Joel Embiid": "7", "Devin Booker": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Devin Booker": "4"}}], "The Phoenix Suns defeated the visiting Philadelphia 76ers on Friday, 123 - 116. Phoenix (9 - 21) saw strong guard play en route to the win. Sophomore Devin Booker had four threes and scored 23 points to go along with six rebounds and six assists. Meanwhile, starting point guard Eric Bledsoe led the team with 24 points. Bledsoe, who has caught fire in the month of December, also dished a whopping 11 assists. One of the keys to victory for the Suns was a strong effort on the glass, as the team managed to hold a 43 - 28 rebounding advantage by the game's end. Philadelphia (7 - 22) reclaimed the title of worst team in the league with the loss, but saw promising play from its young rising stars. Most notably, Rookie of the Year front - runner Joel Embiid absolutely dominated Phoenix's frontcourt. Embiid had 27 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks in just 28 minutes of play. Embiid is playing on a minutes restriction after injuries robbed him of two consecutive seasons. However, he has made the most of limited minutes and delivered one of his best nights of the season on Friday. Point guard Sergio Rodriguez also impressed, scoring 21 and dishing out seven assists. The two teams will both rest until after Christmas."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "36"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "59"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "4", "Trail Blazers": "16"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "135", "Trail Blazers": "90"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "24", "Trail Blazers": "13"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Maurice Harkless": "15", "Damian Lillard": "15", "Kevin Durant": "13", "Draymond Green": "4", "Ian Clark": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Maurice Harkless": "7", "Damian Lillard": "8", "Kevin Durant": "11", "Draymond Green": "1", "Ian Clark": "9"}, "Points": {"Maurice Harkless": "17", "Damian Lillard": "20", "Allen Crabbe": "9", "Kevin Durant": "34", "Draymond Green": "3", "Stephen Curry": "19", "Ian Clark": "23"}, "Assists": {"Allen Crabbe": "3", "Kevin Durant": "4", "Draymond Green": "13", "Stephen Curry": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Allen Crabbe": "5", "Kevin Durant": "11", "Draymond Green": "12", "Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Stephen Curry": "27"}}], "The Golden State Warriors throttled the Portland Trail Blazers, 135 - 90, at Oracle Arena on Saturday. Golden State was expected to have a monster output against this Portland defense and they did n't disappoint. Not only did they shoot 59 percent from the field, they assisted on 36 of their 51 made baskets. The Warriors were lights - out from long distance too, going 14 - of - 28 from three - point range in their blowout win. Rebounding was a huge factor for Golden State, winning that battle, 56 - 31. This was a wire - to - wire win for the Warriors, as they won every quarter by at least seven points. The Blazers (13 - 16) have been one of the worst defenses in the league this season and a matchup with the Warriors is the last thing they needed. Damian Lillard did all he could for Portland, as he led the team with 20 points on 8 - of - 15 shooting. Maurice Harkless was n't far behind Lillard, as he dropped 17 points on 7 - of - 15 shooting. No player on the roster had more than seven rebounds or five assists. Allen Crabbe was the best player off the bench, as he accumulated nine points, five rebounds and three assists. Portland's next game should be much easier, as they play the Sacramento Kings in a road matchup on Tuesday. The Warriors (24 - 4) have been setting records on the offensive end this season and they only added to those numbers here. Kevin Durant was the player of the game, as he tallied 34 points, 11 rebounds and four assists on 11 - of - 13 shooting. Stephen Curry was second among the starters, as he accrued 19 points, three rebounds and six assists in just 27 minutes of play. Ian Clark was fantastic off the bench, scoring 23 points on 9 - of - 11 shooting. Draymond Green scored just three points on 1 - of - 4 shooting, but provided 12 rebounds and 13 assists in an impressive all - around performance. Scoring wo n't be as easy on Tuesday, as the Warriors host the Utah Jazz for their next game."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Pistons": "45", "Celtics": "52"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jae Crowder": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Jae Crowder": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "5"}, "Points": {"Isaiah Thomas": "33"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andre Drummond": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Andre Drummond": "1"}}], "The Celtics' offense struggled on Sunday, but Isaiah Thomas did not. The team hit just 40 percent of its shots from the field and saw only one player score more than 14 points. That player was All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas, who led the team with 33 points including five three - pointers. The Celtics, the league's worst rebounding team, did an excellent job on the boards, though. The team out - rebounded Detroit 52 - 45, and forward Jae Crowder led the way with 11. As a team, the Celtics hit 12 three - pointers. The real story of the night was Detroit's free - throw shooting. Despite getting to the line 35 times, the Pistons capitalized on only 16 of those shots for a percentage of just under 46 percent. Andre Drummond, who holds the dubious honor of worst free - throw shooter in league history, went just 1 - of - 11 from the line to add to Detroit's mess at the charity stripe."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "3"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "96", "Heat": "114"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "0"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Shawne Williams": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Shawne Williams": "29", "Chris Bosh": "33", "Mario Chalmers": "25", "Josh McRoberts": "11", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "19", "Tony Wroten": "33", "KJ McDaniels": "21"}, "Points": {"Shawne Williams": "15", "Chris Bosh": "30", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "9", "Tony Wroten": "21", "KJ McDaniels": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Chris Bosh": "8", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "7"}, "Assists": {"Tony Wroten": "10"}, "Blocks": {"KJ McDaniels": "3"}}], "The Miami Heat (20) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (0 - 3) 114 - 96 on Saturday. Chris Bosh scored a game - high 30 points to go with eight rebounds in 33 minutes. Josh McRoberts made his Heat debut after missing the entire preseason recovering from toe surgery. McRoberts came off the bench and played 11 minutes. Shawne Williams was once again the starter at power forward in McRoberts' stead. Williams finished with 15 points and three three - pointers in 29 minutes. Mario Chalmers scored 18 points in 25 minutes off the bench. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute replaced Chris Johnson in the starting lineup for the Sixers on Saturday. Hollis Thompson shifted down to the starting shooting guard job to make room for Mbah a Moute. Mbah a Moute finished with nine points and seven rebounds in 19 minutes. K.J. McDaniels, who suffered a minor hip flexor injury in Friday's game, was available and played 21 minutes off the bench, finishing with eight points and three blocks. Michael Carter-Williams is expected to be out until Nov. 13, but Tony Wroten continues to put up impressive numbers in Carter-Williams' absence. Wroten finished with a double - double of 21 points and 10 assists in 33 minutes. The Heat will complete a back - to - back set at home Sunday against the Tornoto Raptors. The Sixers' next game is at home Monday against the Houston Rockets."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "29", "Bulls": "28"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "109", "Bulls": "100"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Thunder": "17"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "37", "Bulls": "40"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Nikola Mirotic": "30", "Russell Westbrook": "41"}, "Points": {"Nikola Mirotic": "27", "Russell Westbrook": "36"}, "Steals": {"Enes Kanter": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Steven Adams": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Steven Adams": "2"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nick Collison": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Nick Collison": "2"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (37 - 29) beat the Chicago Bulls (40 - 28) 109 - 100 in a matinee matchup at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Sunday. The win put the Thunder a half game up on the New Orleans Pelicans for the final playoff spot in the West. New Orleans will try to even things up again when they host the Denver Nuggets on Sunday evening. Kevin Durant (foot) remains out indefinitely, but there is some hope he'll be able to return in the next 1 - to - 2 weeks. Oklahoma City has also played without starting power forward Serge Ibaka the last two games, using Enes Kanter, Steven Adams, Mitch McGary and Nick Collison to help fill the gaps in their frontcourt while Russell Westbrook guides the ship in Durant's absence and picks up a lot of the scoring slack. Westbrook scored a game - high 36 points to go with 11 rebounds and six assists in 41 minutes. He's scored the game - high mark in five of his last six games, doing his best to will the Thunder into the playoffs and make his case for the MVP Award. Chicago has had their own injury issues of late, with Derrick Rose (knee), Jimmy Butler (elbow) and Taj Gibson (ankle) all sidelined. Gibson has returned to practice but has not been cleared to return to game action. Rookie forward Nikola Mirotic has helped pick up most of the scoring load that was left in the absence of the Bulls' injured stars, and he posted a team - high 27 points in 30 minutes off the bench Sunday. Chicago lost the game because they could n't keep Oklahoma City's big men off the glass. Between Adams and Kanter, the Thunder collected 17 offensive rebounds, giving them enough extra possessions to lock up the game even though the Bulls forced them into 17 turnovers, on which they were able to score an easy 27 points. The Thunder have won five of their last seven games as they fight for the final spot in the West playoff standings, overcoming the adversity they've been handed as a result of numerous injuries. The Bulls, on the other hand, have lost five of their last six games, and while they still hold the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference playoff standings, their inability to stay competitive without a fully healthy roster is concerning for their potential to take a series when they reach the postseason. Oklahoma City will play the Mavericks in Dallas on Monday, and Chicago will have a few days off before hosting the Pacers on Wednesday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Tyreke Evans": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Tyreke Evans": "20"}, "Points": {"Tyreke Evans": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyreke Evans": "4"}}], "Tyreke Evans, who played his first game of the season in mid - December after recovering from a knee injury, is finally starting to get back into the swing of things. Following his performance Wednesday night of 18 points, five assists and four rebounds in just 20 minutes, Evans has now scored in double figures in five straight contests, which included a brilliant 29 - point performance against the Nets last Thursday. He has, however, remained limited as of late, as he has played just 21 minutes per game over the course of January. After battling injuries all throughout the start of the season, this may be the healthiest the team has been all year, and if Evans can continue his return to form, New Orleans could continue to be competitive in the Western Conference over the second half of the season."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "27", "Pacers": "44"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "95", "Pacers": "83"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "55", "Pacers": "38"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Roy Hibbert": "25", "Paul George": "15", "Beno Udrih": "16", "Nick Calathes": "32"}, "Points": {"Roy Hibbert": "7", "Marc Gasol": "33", "Nick Calathes": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "13", "Nick Calathes": "6"}, "Assists": {"Nick Calathes": "6"}, "Steals": {"Nick Calathes": "4"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (55 - 27) beat the Indiana Pacers (38 - 44) 95 - 83 on Wednesday. Marc Gasol ended his spectacular season with another splendid performance. He absolutely dominated the Pacer's interior, with 33 points and 13 rebounds. Gasol also held his opposing counterpart Roy Hibbert to just seven points and four assists in 25 minutes. With Mike Conley out with a foot injury, it was up to Beno Urdih and Nick Calathes to man the point guard position. Udrih started and played 16 minutes, while Calathes played 32 minutes and finished with eight points, six rebounds, six assists and four steals. The win put Memphis in the fifth seed for the Western Conference playoffs. They'll be taking on the Portland Trail Blazers (51 - 31) in the first round of the playoffs. Indiana would've clinched a playoff birth with a win but did n't have an answer for Gasol's beastly play. It certainly did n't help that Paul George exited the game with a left calf injury, after playing 15 minutes. The Pacers did take advantage of Conley's absence, as the starting backcourt duo of George Hill and C.J. Miles combined for 46 points on 19 - of - 38 shooting from the field. Indiana ended the season with a record identical to the Brooklyn Nets, but the Nets own the tie - breaker and will be taking on the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the Eastern Conferences playoffs."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "36"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "9", "Suns": "11"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "87", "Suns": "92"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "6", "Suns": "5"}}, {"Rebounds": {"Devin Booker": "3", "Alex Len": "12", "Eric Bledsoe": "9", "PJ Tucker": "7", "Elfrid Payton": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Alex Len": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Alex Len": "5"}, "Points": {"Alex Len": "17", "Eric Bledsoe": "16", "PJ Tucker": "10", "Nikola Vucevic": "21", "Evan Fournier": "25", "Elfrid Payton": "9"}, "Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "5", "Elfrid Payton": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "10"}, "Steals": {"Evan Fournier": "3"}}], "The Phoenix Suns defeated the host Orlando Magic, 92 - 87, at Amway Center on Wednesday. Orlando had the second - worst offense in the league, while the Suns had the worst defense, so something had to give in this matchup. It was the Magic's offense that proved to be more inept, as they were held to just 36 percent shooting on their way to 87 points. They also struggled from three - point range and from the free - throw line, going 7 - of - 25 from deep and 14 - of - 23 from the charity stripe. Both teams made just 33 shots, but the Magic took 18 more shots than the Suns, as they were far from efficient in their loss. Phoenix (5 - 11) have really struggled on the defensive end this season, but this was their best defensive performance of the year. All five starters scored in double figures for the Suns, with Alex Len leading the team with 17 points. Len also provided 12 rebounds and two blocks in the absence of Tyson Chandler. Eric Bledsoe accumulated 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Devin Booker and Brandon Knight combined for just 23 points, three rebounds and four assists, but played strong defense. P.J. Tucker was a nice spark off the bench, providing 10 points and seven rebounds. On deck for Phoenix is a home matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. Orlando (6 - 9) has struggled on offense all season and not being able to score against the Suns may be the low point. Evan Fournier carried the load in this defeat, as he tallied 25 points, four rebounds and three steals in the loss. Nikola Vucevic recorded a 21 - point, 13 - rebound double - double on 10 - of - 15 shooting. No other starter scored in double figures with Elfrid Payton accruing nine points, six rebounds and seven assists as the starting point guard. Orlando's next game will be on Friday, when they host the Washington Wizards."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "30", "Hawks": "16"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "123", "Hawks": "115"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Thunder": "33", "Hawks": "20"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "39", "Hawks": "53"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "9", "Paul Millsap": "16", "Dion Waiters": "18", "Russell Westbrook": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "5", "Paul Millsap": "8", "Dion Waiters": "11", "Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "15", "Paul Millsap": "19", "Dion Waiters": "26", "Russell Westbrook": "36"}, "Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "3", "Dion Waiters": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "14"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Paul Millsap": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "3", "Dion Waiters": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "3", "Dion Waiters": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "10"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "4", "Dion Waiters": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dion Waiters": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Dion Waiters": "37", "Russell Westbrook": "44"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "17"}, "Free throws made": {"Russell Westbrook": "17"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (39 - 30) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (53 - 16) 123 - 115 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on Friday. Down 95 - 92, the Thunder went into another gear, outscoring the Hawks 33 - 20 in the fourth quarter. Russell Westbrook continued his reign of terror, recording another triple - double. He had 36 points (8 - 24 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 17 - 17 FT), 10 rebounds, 14 assists and one steal in 44 minutes. Dion Waiters contributed 26 points (11 - 18 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt), to go with three rebounds, two assists and one steal in 37 minutes. Paul Milsap lead the Hawks in scoring with 19 points (8 - 16 FG, 1 - 3 3 Pt) to go with three rebounds, three assists and four steals. DeMarre Carrol finished second in scoring with 15 points (5 - 9 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt). The Hawks sit atop the Eastern Conference. The Thunder are eighth in the Western Conference, 2 games ahead of the ninth - place Pelicans. Both teams have played well in March: the Hawks have won 10 of their last 13, while the Thunder have won seven of their last 10. With Friday's game in the books, the Thunder and Hawks split the season series 1 - 1."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "11", "Trail Blazers": "9"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "93", "Trail Blazers": "107"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "2", "Trail Blazers": "6"}}, {"Points": {"Mason Plumlee": "17", "CJ McCollum": "19", "Damian Lillard": "30", "Kobe Bryant": "18", "Roy Hibbert": "7", "D'Angelo Russell": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Mason Plumlee": "11", "CJ McCollum": "4", "Damian Lillard": "6", "Roy Hibbert": "8", "D'Angelo Russell": "9"}, "Assists": {"CJ McCollum": "5", "Damian Lillard": "13", "D'Angelo Russell": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "13", "Kobe Bryant": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ McCollum": "8", "Kobe Bryant": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kobe Bryant": "0"}, "Minutes played": {"Kobe Bryant": "31"}, "Blocks": {"Roy Hibbert": "4"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (6 - 9) beat the Los Angeles Lakers (2 - 11) 107 - 93 at Staples Center on Sunday. Damian Lillard led all scorers with 30 points, to go along with six rebounds and 13 assists, as the Blazers cruised in transition and the dominated the paint throughout the night. Lillard ranks sixth in scoring in the NBA, and the Lakers had no way of slowing down the explosive point guard. C.J. McCollum continues to thrive in Terry Stotts' offense and finished with 19 points, four rebounds and five assists on 8 - for - 13 shooting. Mason Plumlee added a double - double, tallying 17 points and 11 rebounds. Through 13 games, the Lakers poor trend of shooting and shot selection arises each time they take the floor. Kobe Bryant and Lou Williams see a majority of isolation plays, but neither shooter is scoring at an efficient rate. Bryant finished with 18 points on 6 - for - 22 shooting, including trouble behind the arc (0 - for - 5), in 31 minutes played. D\u2019Angelo Russell rounded out the stat sheet, but struggled to find his shot in the second half, as he contributed 13 points, nine rebounds and six assists. The Lakers rank in the bottom tier of defensive efficiency and are getting torched in transition on a regular basis. Roy Hibbert has protected the rim and finished with four blocks, in addition to seven points and eight rebounds, but his pace is not aiding the Lakers defensive woes. The Lakers head north on Tuesday, where the undefeated Golden State Warriors (150) await their arrival, one game away from making NBA history. The Trail Blazers also play on Tuesday, where they will host the Chicago Bulls (8 - 4)."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Lakers": "62", "Heat": "41"}}, {"Points": {"Willie Reed": "22", "James Johnson": "20", "Luol Deng": "19", "Brandon Ingram": "17", "Lou Williams": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Willie Reed": "12", "Luol Deng": "14", "Lou Williams": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"James Johnson": "4", "Lou Williams": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Brandon Ingram": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Brandon Ingram": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Brandon Ingram": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Brandon Ingram": "5", "Lou Williams": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Brandon Ingram": "5", "Lou Williams": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Brandon Ingram": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Lou Williams": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Lou Williams": "1"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers dominated from top to bottom on Friday, with six players scoring in double digits. The Lakers saw a 62 - 41 advantage on the boards, including 18 offensive rebounds. The team shot 50 percent from the field and drained 10 three - pointers. Veteran forward Luol Deng led the team with 14 rebounds and poured in 19 points. Sixth man Lou Williams scored a team - high 24 points, including five threes. Second overall pick Brandon Ingram, meanwhile, had one of the best games of his young career, scoring 17 points off the bench on 6 - of - 9 shooting and 5 - of - 5 from the free - throw line. On Miami's end, center Hassan Whiteside again sat due to injury. In his absence, big man Willie Reed stepped up with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Bench forward James Johnson led the second unit with 20 points and had four three - pointers."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "52", "Pistons": "51"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "23", "Pistons": "21"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "124", "Pistons": "125"}, "Turnovers": {"Trail Blazers": "16", "Pistons": "9"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "16", "Pistons": "18"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pistons": "31"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Jon Leuer": "6", "Andre Drummond": "52"}, "Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "2", "CJ McCollum": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andre Drummond": "20", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "14", "Reggie Jackson": "26", "CJ McCollum": "28", "Allen Crabbe": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Andre Drummond": "13", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "9", "Reggie Jackson": "13", "CJ McCollum": "16", "Allen Crabbe": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andre Drummond": "3", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "5", "Reggie Jackson": "4", "Allen Crabbe": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Andre Drummond": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "3", "Allen Crabbe": "1"}, "Points": {"Andre Drummond": "28", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "26", "Reggie Jackson": "31", "CJ McCollum": "35", "Allen Crabbe": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "14", "CJ McCollum": "3"}, "Steals": {"Andre Drummond": "4", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "4", "CJ McCollum": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "7", "Reggie Jackson": "6", "CJ McCollum": "9", "Allen Crabbe": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "2", "CJ McCollum": "3", "Allen Crabbe": "5"}, "Assists": {"CJ McCollum": "6"}}], "The visiting Detroit Pistons defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in a double - overtime thriller, 125 - 124, at Moda Center on Sunday. Reggie Jackson had multiple attempts to put a much quicker end to Sunday's game, but missed final shots at the end of regulation, as well as the first overtime. However, despite the missed shots, Jackson was still a big reason the Pistons (18 - 21) were able to pull out the victory, as he scored a team - high 31 points (13 - 26 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT). Both teams shot extremely well from the floor, as the Pistons finished with a 51 percent clip from the field, while the Trail Blazers shot 52 percent. However, the Pistons were able to limit their mistakes, turning the ball over just nine times to the Trail Blazers' 16. Along with Jackson's solid offensive performance, both Andre Drummond and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope were key in Sunday's win. Drummond posted his fourth double - double over the last five games, logging 28 points (13 - 20 FG, 2 - 3 FT), 14 rebounds, four steals and a pair of blocked shots over 52 minutes. Caldwell-Pope was extremely efficient, going 9 - for - 14 from the field and 4 - for - 7 from the three - point line for 26 points. That included the go - ahead three - point bucket in the second overtime, which eventually provided the Pistons with their second consecutive win. The only negative was losing Jon Leuer early in the game with a right knee injury. He played just six minutes before exiting and is slated to undergo additional testing following the game. The Pistons match up with the Kings on Tuesday in Sacramento. Keeping the Trail Blazers (16 - 23) alive was the duo of C.J. McCollum and Allen Crabbe. McCollum went off for a game - high 35 points (16 - 28 FG, 3 - 9 3Pt), while adding three rebounds, six assists, a steal and a block. Crabbe, who recently logged a few starts with Damian Lillard sidelined, returned to a bench role, but was nearly perfect from the field and chipped in with 30 points (12 - 15 FG, 5 - 5 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT) of his own. McCollum had a shot at the buzzer in the second overtime to secure the victory, but came up short, which leaves the the Trail Blazers at eighth in the Western Conference standings following the loss. The Trail Blazers travel to Los Angeles to play the Lakers on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "36"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "24", "Thunder": "9"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "85", "Thunder": "120"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "5", "Thunder": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "8", "Kobe Bryant": "3", "Jordan Clarkson": "2", "D'Angelo Russell": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "9", "Kobe Bryant": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "7", "Kobe Bryant": "7"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "21", "Russell Westbrook": "23", "Kobe Bryant": "19", "Larry Nance Jr.": "4", "Jordan Clarkson": "10", "D'Angelo Russell": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "8", "Kobe Bryant": "1", "Larry Nance Jr.": "5", "Jordan Clarkson": "6"}, "Personal fouls": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (20 - 9) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (5 - 24) 120 - 85 on Wednesday. Kobe Bryant was far from his vintage self, scoring only two points in the second half of the game, and finished with 19 points, three assists and one rebound on 7 - of - 22 shooting. Bryant and Thunder forward Kevin Durant looked to be enjoying their matchup, but Durant got the better of five time NBA champion in the blowout win. The Lakers were without sophomore forward Julius Randle (ankle) and started Larry Nance Jr in his place. Nance contributed a lowly four points and five rebounds in the losing effort. Rookie point guard D\u2019Angelo Russell added 18 points off the bench and outscored starting guard Jordan Clarkson, who finished with 10 points, six rebounds and two assists. The Lakers shot their way out of the game from the very beginning of the second half, completing just 36 percent of their field goals and going 7 - of - 25 from the 3 - point line. The Thunder were led by Russell Westbrook, who threw down two highlight worthy dunks on his way to 23 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Kevin Durant added 21 points of his own, to go along with seven rebounds and five assists on 7 - of - 9 shooting. Serge Ibaka, Andre Roberson and Enes Kanter all finished in double figures alongside Westbrook and Durant. Billy Donovan used all 13 of his players, and every player was able to convert a bucket. Oklahoma City shot 53 percent from the field and cruised to an easy victory at the Staples Center. Both teams play on Christmas Day, with the Thunder hosting the Chicago Bulls (15 - 11), while the Lakers entertain the Los Angeles Clippers (15 - 13)."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "2", "Lakers": "3"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "115", "Lakers": "108"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "2", "Lakers": "1"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Lakers": "28"}}, {"Points": {"D'Angelo Russell": "11", "Larry Nance Jr.": "11", "Jordan Clarkson": "15", "Lou Williams": "19", "Paul George": "30", "Monta Ellis": "17", "Jeff Teague": "9", "CJ Miles": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Larry Nance Jr.": "5", "Paul George": "7", "Jeff Teague": "6"}, "Steals": {"Larry Nance Jr.": "6", "Paul George": "4"}, "Assists": {"Lou Williams": "5", "Monta Ellis": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Monta Ellis": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jeff Teague": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Jeff Teague": "4"}}], "The host Indiana Pacers defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 115 - 108 on Tuesday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Despite Indiana (2 - 2) leading for nearly the entirety of the game, the Lakers (1 - 3) kept it close all night long. The only leads for the Lakers were when they started up 40 and when they took a late lead in the fourth quarter at 106 - 104. Three-point shooting was the difference in the game, as both teams took 28 attempts, with the Pacers making four more than the Lakers. Rim protection was huge as well, as Indiana swatted away eight shots to the Lakers two. Los Angeles leaned on their bench in this game and nearly pulled out an upset win. Lou William was the leading scorer for the Lakers off the bench, dropping 19 points and five assists. Second on the team was Jordan Clarkson, who scored his 15 off the bench as well. Luol Deng and D'Angelo Russell were the only starters in double figures, as they combined for just 21 points. Larry Nance Jr. set a career - high in steals, as he recorded 11 points, five rebounds and six steals in the defeat. Paul George led the team in scoring, as he tallied 30 points, seven rebounds and four steals. In fact, George scored the final 12 points for the Pacers in their tight win. Monta Ellis was second on the team, with his 17 points, three assists and two blocks. Jeff Teague scored just nine points on 4 - for - 15 shooting, but provided six points and six rebounds as the starting point guard. C.J. Miles also scored 16 points off the bench. The Lakers road trip continues on Wednesday, as they play the Atlanta Hawks. The Pacers return to action on Thursday in Milwaukee against the Bucks."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Spurs": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "50"}, "Turnovers": {"Trail Blazers": "11"}}, {"Points": {"Maurice Harkless": "12", "Allen Crabbe": "11", "CJ McCollum": "29", "Danny Green": "18", "Tony Parker": "18", "Manu Ginobili": "14", "Jonathon Simmons": "19"}, "Field goals attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "19", "Manu Ginobili": "8", "Jonathon Simmons": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ McCollum": "10", "Manu Ginobili": "4", "Jonathon Simmons": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"CJ McCollum": "33", "Manu Ginobili": "17", "Jonathon Simmons": "30"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Danny Green": "8", "Jonathon Simmons": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Danny Green": "6", "Jonathon Simmons": "2"}, "Assists": {"Manu Ginobili": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Manu Ginobili": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jonathon Simmons": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Jonathon Simmons": "7"}}], "The Spurs gave up an uncharacteristic 17 turnovers in the contest, including nine in the first quarter alone, but were able to make up for it by heating up from the field and hitting 50 percent of their shots, including 50 percent from long range. Jonathon Simmons lead San Antonio in scoring, with 19 points on 5 - of - 12 shooting, including 2 - of - 4 from distance and 7 - of - 8 from the foul line, in 30 minutes off the bench. Tony Parker and Danny Green added 18 points each, while Green went off, hitting 6 - of - 8 from downtown. Manu Ginobili chipped in 14 points on 4 - of - 8 shooting, along with seven rebounds and two assists, in 17 minutes off the bench. C.J. McCollum led the way for the Blazers with 29 points on 10 - of - 19 shooting, in 33 minutes. The only other players to score in double digits for Portland were Allen Crabbe, with 11, and Maurice Harkless with 12."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "31", "Rockets": "20"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "99", "Rockets": "98"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "2", "Rockets": "0"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Rockets": "30"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "2"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Rockets": "20"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Dwight Howard": "40", "Andrew Bogut": "31"}, "Points": {"Dwight Howard": "19", "James Harden": "38", "Terrence Jones": "12", "Andrew Bogut": "14", "Stephen Curry": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "17", "James Harden": "10", "Terrence Jones": "2", "Andrew Bogut": "8"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "9"}, "Blocks": {"James Harden": "1", "Andrew Bogut": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"James Harden": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Terrence Jones": "12"}, "Turnovers": {"Terrence Jones": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andrew Bogut": "1"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (20) defeated the Houston Rockets (0 - 2), 99 - 98, at the Oracle Arena on Thursday in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. When Houston's James Harden corralled a defensive rebound with time dwindling in the fourth, trailing by one, it was another opportunity for the MVP runner - up to hit a buzzer - beater. It was n't to be on Thursday, however, as Golden State's Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson clamped down on Harden and did n't allow him to get a shot away as time expired and the Warriors survived another close game. Harden and Curry each turned in Herculean performances once again, as Harden kept Houston in the game with 38 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists while Curry lit up the scoreboard for 33 points. The Warriors now have a two - game advantage in the series, which will transition to Houston for Game 3 on Saturday. Houston looked flat in the early going Thursday, but erased a 17 - point deficit in the second quarter to tie the game going into the half. Dwight Howard, who suffered a sprained knee in the series opener and was listed as a game - time decision, was able to play through the pain to post 19 points and 17 rebounds over 40 minutes. Houston's bench was largely ineffective in Game 2 outside of Terrence Jones, who scored 12 of the bench unit's 15 points. The Rockets will obviously be disappointed being down 20 in the series, but they should be encouraged that the total margin of the first two games is just five points. Houston will look to get its first win of the series at home on Saturday. Golden State not only got a big game from its star, Steph Curry, but also Andrew Bogut. After battling an illness in Game 1 that required an IV, Bogut had 14 points, eight rebounds, and five blocks in 31 minutes. The Warriors were efficient on the offensive end with a 53 field goal percentage and were stout defensively as they held the Rockets to 30% from three point range. Golden State also used excellent ball movement, as shown by 31 assists on 41 made baskets. The Warriors have a chance to take a commanding 30 lead Saturday, but will have to do so on the road."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "8", "Pistons": "10"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "114", "Pistons": "121"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "10", "Pistons": "10"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "45"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "55"}}, {"Assists": {"Tobias Harris": "4", "Marcus Morris": "3", "Andre Drummond": "2", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "4", "Ish Smith": "8", "Jon Leuer": "2", "Jae Crowder": "4", "Amir Johnson": "1", "Al Horford": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "20"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "21", "Marcus Morris": "20", "Andre Drummond": "20", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "25", "Ish Smith": "19", "Jon Leuer": "12", "Jae Crowder": "14", "Amir Johnson": "11", "Al Horford": "9", "Avery Bradley": "14", "Isaiah Thomas": "27", "Kelly Olynyk": "19", "Marcus Smart": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "6", "Marcus Morris": "4", "Andre Drummond": "17", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "5", "Ish Smith": "8", "Jon Leuer": "7", "Jae Crowder": "5", "Amir Johnson": "5", "Al Horford": "5", "Avery Bradley": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Marcus Morris": "3", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1", "Ish Smith": "1", "Amir Johnson": "1"}, "Steals": {"Marcus Morris": "1", "Andre Drummond": "2", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1", "Jae Crowder": "2", "Amir Johnson": "1", "Avery Bradley": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jae Crowder": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Amir Johnson": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Al Horford": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Al Horford": "1", "Avery Bradley": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Avery Bradley": "1"}}], "The Detroit Pistons defeated the Boston Celtics, 121 - 114, at TD Center on Wednesday. The Pistons (10 - 10) checked in to Wednesday's contest having experienced their share of shooting struggles this season, although they'd shown signs of improvement in having won three of the prior four games. They heated up significantly from the field against the Celtics (10 - 8), managing a 55 percent success rate from the floor and 45 percent mark from three - point range. Four members of the first unit scored at least 20 points, led by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who tallied a team - high 25, a total he supplemented with five rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block. Tobias Harris was next in line for the visitors, posting 21 points, six rebounds and four assists, his third straight 20 - plus - point performance. Andre Drummond and Marcus Morris turned in respective 20 - point efforts, with the former bouncing back for a Tuesday ejection for an errant elbow by also hauling in 17 rebounds, dishing out two assists, recording a pair of steals and posting a block, and the latter adding four rebounds, three assists, three blocks and a steal. Ish Smith fell just short of the 20 - point milestone but filled out the stat sheet in fine fashion, registering 19 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and a block. Jon Leuer turned in a typically solid stat line off the bench, with 12 points, seven boards and two assists. The Celtics saw Isaiah Thomas pace them with 27 points, which he complemented with four assists but no other statistics. Jae Crowder and Avery Bradley were next with a pair of 14 - point contributions. Crowder also had five rebounds, four assists and two steals and Bradley posted six boards and a steal. Amir Johnson had one of his more productive games with 11 points, five rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block, but Al Horford underwhelmed with nine points, five rebounds, four assists and a pair of stuffs. Kelly Olynyk was stellar off the bench with a 19 - point contribution that led the second unit, while Marcus Smart also compiled 12 points in a reserve role. The Pistons continue on the road and head south to Atlanta, where they'll face off with the Hawks on Friday night, while the Celtics remain home and await the Sacramento Kings for a showdown on Friday evening as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "28"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "108", "Timberwolves": "103"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "34"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Timberwolves": "28"}}, {"Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Gorgui Dieng": "1", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "2", "Zach LaVine": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "10", "Nicolas Batum": "4", "Marvin Williams": "1", "Kemba Walker": "6", "Al Jefferson": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Gorgui Dieng": "2", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "3", "Marvin Williams": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "25", "Gorgui Dieng": "12", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "28", "Zach LaVine": "19", "Ricky Rubio": "10", "Nicolas Batum": "11", "Marvin Williams": "15", "Kemba Walker": "34", "Al Jefferson": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "5", "Gorgui Dieng": "9", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "14", "Zach LaVine": "4", "Ricky Rubio": "5", "Nicolas Batum": "5", "Marvin Williams": "7", "Kemba Walker": "7", "Al Jefferson": "6"}, "Steals": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Gorgui Dieng": "4", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Zach LaVine": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "2", "Marvin Williams": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Al Jefferson": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Al Jefferson": "26"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (34 - 28) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (23 - 44) 108 - 103 on Monday. The back - and - forth affair saw the two clubs alternate winning periods, with the Hornets besting the visitors in the first and third quarters, and Minnesota enjoying the advantage in the second and fourth. The Timberwolves also saw all five starters tally double - digit point totals, while outscoring the Hornets 54 - 36 in the paint and outrunning them on fast breaks by a margin of 24 - 7. However, Kemba Walker continued his excellent recent stretch of play, scoring 21 of his 34 points in a pivotal third period that allowed the home team to gain some distance after they'd trailed 49 - 47 at halftime. The lead they built was enough to sustain them in the fourth quarter, and send the Hornets home as winners of their fourth straight game. Minnesota was led by standout rookie Karl-Anthony Towns, who managed a 28 - point, 14 - rebound double - double that also included two assists, two blocks and a steal. Andrew Wiggins was right behind him with 25 points, five rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block. The second - year pro now has 51 points over his last two contests. Zach LaVine continued to play well in his starting opportunities, amassing 19 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Gorgui Dieng had a near double - double with 12 points, nine boards, an assist, four steals and a pair of blocks. Ricky Rubio pitched in with 10 points, 10 assists, five rebounds, a steal and a block. The Timberwolves remain in last place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division. They're home against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night. Walker added seven rebounds and six assists to his team - high scoring total. Marvin Williams checked in as a distant second with 15 points, seven rebounds, an assist, a steal and three blocks. Nicolas Batum finished with 11 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals and three blocks as the only other starter with double - digit scoring. Al Jefferson paced the reserves with 20 points, six rebounds and two assists over 26 minutes, his highest allotment of playing time since returning from injury nine games ago. The Hornets remain in third place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division, and are currently in possession of the sixth seed in the conference. They're home again on Wednesday night versus the New Orleans Pelicans."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "26", "Timberwolves": "35"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "96", "Timberwolves": "93"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "21", "Timberwolves": "21"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "23", "Timberwolves": "14"}}, {"Points": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "21", "Andrew Wiggins": "15", "Ricky Rubio": "15", "CJ McCollum": "21", "Damian Lillard": "21", "Meyers Leonard": "13", "Ed Davis": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "13", "Andrew Wiggins": "9", "Ricky Rubio": "4", "Damian Lillard": "4", "Meyers Leonard": "6", "Ed Davis": "4"}, "Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Damian Lillard": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "12", "Ed Davis": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "9", "Damian Lillard": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Damian Lillard": "32"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (23 - 26) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (14 - 35) 96 - 93 at Moda Center on Sunday. Minnesota started off strong behind Karl-Anthony Towns and gained an early advantage by leading most of the first quarter, but turnovers and Andrew Wiggins poor shooting effort turned the momentum towards Portland down the stretch. Both teams entered the second quarter tied at 21 point each, but the combination of Ed Davis rebounding and Damian Lillard\u2019s shooting in a 48 - 39 lead in favor of the Blazers at halftime. The second half was not dominated by the Blazers until the fourth quarter, where Davis and Lillard continued to do damage from the foul line. Portland was led in scoring by the backcourt duo of Lillard and CJ McCollum, who both scored 21 points and combined for nine assists and five rebounds in an almost equal 32 minutes of playing time. Ed Davis\u2019 night was not reflected accurately by the box score, as seven of his eight points came at the foul line, but Davis strong defensively with a plus - minus of 10, to go along with four rebounds. Meyers Leonard aided Davis off the bench and contributed 13 points and six boards in 31 minutes, while Gerald Henderson finished in double - figures as well. The Timberwolves rebounded better the Blazers and played a physical game beneath the basket, led by Karl-Anthony Towns\u2019 21 points and 13 rebounds, which marked his 25th double - double of the season. Andrew Wiggins was able to get some points at the charity stripe, but his inefficient performance cost the Wolves when the game was within striking distance during the third quarter. Wiggins finished with 15 points (3 - of - 18 FG, 0 - of - 4 3PT, 9 - of - 12 FT), two assists and nine rebounds. Ricky Rubio rounded out the stat sheet with 15 points, eight assists and four rebounds, while Gorgui Dieng pitched in a double - double as a starter. The Timberwolves will look to bounce back when they visit the Los Angeles Lakers (9 - 40) on Tuesday, while the Blazers will also play Tuesday and host the Milwaukee Bucks (20 - 29)."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "31"}}], "Monday's game against the Hawks marked the return of Kawhi Leonard, who had missed Saturday's game against Golden State due to a concussion. The superstar swingman returned to the court in impressive fashion with yet another 30 - point performance - - 31 points to be exact. Leonard has now scored at least 30 points in every game he's played in in the month of March except for one, and that one game was the game against the Thunder where Leonard left early with the concussion. Leonard is now averaging 31 points per game in March and has now scored 30 - plus points 25 times this regular season after doing so just four times over the course of his 2015 - 16 regular season campaign. It should be noted, however, that after Monday's performance, Leonard has failed to shoot over 50 percent from the field in four of his last six games."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "37", "Bulls": "28"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "115", "Bulls": "97"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Suns": "28", "Bulls": "26"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "17", "Bulls": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "6", "Eric Bledsoe": "8"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "20", "Devin Booker": "27", "Eric Bledsoe": "23", "Alan Williams": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Alan Williams": "11"}}], "The host Phoenix Suns destroyed the Chicago Bulls on Friday, 115 - 97. The Suns (17 - 37) snapped a three - game losing streak by torching Chicago on Friday. Phoenix has enjoyed the continuing growth of sophomore shooting guard Devin Booker, who led the team with 27 points and shouldered a large part of the offensive load. His backcourt partner Eric Bledsoe, meanwhile, scored 23 points and dished a team - high eight assists. It was an effective offensive night for the entire team, as the Suns shot over 50 percent from the field and hit eight three - pointers. Phoenix also saw promising play off the bench from young big man Alan Williams, who had a 14 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. The Bulls (26 - 28) continued to be the league's most unpredictable team on Friday, following a rocky set of games by being decimated at the hands of the Suns. Superstar Jimmy Butler did his fair share for the team, scoring 20 points and dishing out six assists. However, it was a dull night on offense for the rest of the team. The Bull hit only five three - pointers while shooting just 43 percent, and held disadvantages in rebounding and assists. The Suns will visit Houston on Saturday, while the Bulls will see Minnesota and former coach Tom Thibodeau on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "30", "76ers": "40"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "19", "76ers": "11"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"76ers": "44"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"76ers": "44"}, "Turnovers": {"76ers": "17"}}, {"Points": {"Robert Covington": "16", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "18", "KJ McDaniels": "15", "Hollis Thompson": "16", "Henry Sims": "12", "Jared Sullinger": "22", "Brandon Bass": "13", "Avery Bradley": "18", "Jae Crowder": "11", "Tyler Zeller": "16", "Marcus Thornton": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"KJ McDaniels": "3", "Jared Sullinger": "8"}, "Assists": {"Tim Frazier": "11", "Jared Sullinger": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Tim Frazier": "35"}}], "The Celtics (19 - 30) extended their winning streak to three games Friday, knocking off the 76ers (11 - 40) 107 - 93. Boston jumped out to a 14 - point first quarter lead and never looked back, as the lead reached 18 points by halftime. While the Sixers would make a run in the third quarter, Boston slammed the door shut on the comeback bid with an 11 - 3 run midway through the fourth capped by a Jared Sullinger layup - plus - the - foul. Sullinger finished with a game - high 22 points to go with eight rebounds and seven assists. Avery Bradley added 18 points, while Brandon Bass chipped in 13. Marcus Smart and Evan turner combined for only nine points on 3 - of - 12 shooting but contributed a cumulative 14 assists and 15 rebounds with four turnovers. Jae Crowder chipped in 11 off the bench, and Tyler Zeller and Marcus Thornton finished with 16 apiece. Philadelphia, which was coming off of a win over the Nuggets, shot 44 percent as a team but committed 17 turnovers and scored only 36 points in the paint. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute led the way with 18 points, while Robert Covington and Hollis Thompson each scored 16. K.J. McDaniels added 15 points and three rebounds, and Henry Sims chipped in 12 points off the bench. Tim Frazier, who signed a 10 - day deal earlier in the week, had a game - high 11 assists in 35 minutes."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "47", "Spurs": "14"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "102", "Spurs": "98"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "33", "Spurs": "65"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Spurs": "21"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "42"}}, {"Blocks": {"Tim Duncan": "1", "Jusuf Nurkic": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Tim Duncan": "1"}, "Points": {"Tim Duncan": "21", "David West": "17", "Kevin Martin": "17", "Jusuf Nurkic": "21", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Tim Duncan": "7", "Nikola Jokic": "15", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "6"}, "Steals": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "2"}, "Assists": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "5"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (33 - 47) defeated the San Antonio Spurs (65 - 14) 102 - 98 on Friday. The result looks to be a bizarre one on the surface, but the circumstances tell the whole story. San Antonio played this game without almost all of their starters and the Nuggets actually came into this game as a favorite. The key for Denver was their defense, as they held the Spurs to 42 percent from the field and 21 percent from three - point range. Two steals late capped off this win, as it led to the final four points of the game for the Nuggets. San Antonio is secure in the two - seed in the west, so this was a good opportunity to rest players and give away a loss. Tim Duncan was the one starter who played, and he led the team with 21 points and snatched down seven rebounds in the loss. Veterans David West and Kevin Martin both played well too, as they scored 17 points a piece. On deck for the Spurs is their toughest test of the season, as they host the Golden State Warriors to protect their perfect home record. Denver has been struggling recently, but they are now the only team in the league to beat the Golden State Warriors and the Spurs this season. Jusuf Nurkic scored a career - high 21 points, while recording nine rebounds, two blocks and two steals in a rare start. Nikola Jokic started next to Nurkic and snatched down 15 rebounds of his own in the win. Rookie Emmanuel Mudiay continued his impressive season, as he tallied 20 points, six rebounds and five assists. Up next for Denver is a matchup with the Utah Jazz on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "48", "Lakers": "38"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "15", "Lakers": "19"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "108", "Lakers": "101"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "12", "Lakers": "8"}}, {"Points": {"Ed Davis": "10", "Kobe Bryant": "25", "Nick Young": "26", "Rudy Gay": "24", "DeMarcus Cousins": "29", "Ben McLemore": "23", "Darren Collison": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Ed Davis": "5", "DeMarcus Cousins": "14", "Ben McLemore": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "8", "Nick Young": "9", "Rudy Gay": "4", "Ben McLemore": "9", "Darren Collison": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kobe Bryant": "3", "Nick Young": "4", "Rudy Gay": "3", "Ben McLemore": "2", "Darren Collison": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "30", "Nick Young": "14", "Rudy Gay": "15", "Ben McLemore": "18", "Darren Collison": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Kobe Bryant": "8", "Nick Young": "7", "Rudy Gay": "8", "Ben McLemore": "10", "Darren Collison": "7"}, "Turnovers": {"Kobe Bryant": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nick Young": "8", "DeMarcus Cousins": "15", "Ben McLemore": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Nick Young": "8", "DeMarcus Cousins": "11", "Ben McLemore": "1"}, "Assists": {"Rudy Gay": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Darren Collison": "40"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (12 - 15) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (8 - 19) 108 - 101 on Sunday at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento. The Kings were able to use a strong second half, where they out - scored the Lakers 56 - 41 to coast to a seven - point victory at home in front of their home crowd. The Kings were able to shoot 48 percent from the field, while the Lakers shot only 38 percent, as that was enough to give the Kings the advatage. The group consisting of Rudy Gay, DeMarcus Cousins, Ben McLemore and Darren Collison combined to score all but 13 points in this matchup against the Lakers. Cousins led all scorers with 29 points and 14 rebounds. He was able to get to the free throw line 15 times and converted on 11 of those attempts. Gay on the other hand shot 8 - for - 15 from the field and 3 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score 24 points, while also chipping in six assists. He's now averaging 21 points and 6 rebounds on the season. McLemore contributed 23 points (10 - 18 FG, 2 - 9 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and eight rebounds. He's now surpassed the 20 - point mark for the second straight game, despite averaging only 12 points on the year. Shooting 7 - for - 13 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from beyond the arc, Darren Collison scored 19 points in 40 minutes. The Lakers received most of their scoring from both Nick Young and Kobe Bryant. Bryant got off a ridiculous 30 shots, and was able to convert on only eight of them. He also went 3 - for - 8 from the three - point line to score 25 points in 37 minutes. He was pretty careless with the ball though, as he added a wopping nine turnovers in the loss. Young came off the bench to hit 7 - of - 14 shots from the field and 4 - of - 9 shots from beyond the arc to score 26 points. He went a perfect 8 - for - 8 from the line as well. The only other Laker to reach double figures in points was Ed Davis, who scored 10 points to go along with five rebounds. The Kings' next game will be on the road against the Golden State Warriors on Monday, while the Lakers will be at home against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "26", "Pelicans": "37"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "121", "Pelicans": "114"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Rockets": "30"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "54", "Pelicans": "43"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Quincy Pondexter": "7", "Jrue Holiday": "3", "James Harden": "6"}, "Points": {"Quincy Pondexter": "13", "Anthony Davis": "27", "Omer Asik": "13", "Eric Gordon": "13", "Tyreke Evans": "12", "Ryan Anderson": "15", "Jrue Holiday": "17", "Dwight Howard": "19", "James Harden": "30", "Corey Brewer": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Quincy Pondexter": "7", "Anthony Davis": "7", "Dwight Howard": "11"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Anthony Davis": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "16", "Tyreke Evans": "13", "Ryan Anderson": "13", "Jrue Holiday": "9", "James Harden": "18", "Corey Brewer": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "10", "Ryan Anderson": "6", "Jrue Holiday": "7", "James Harden": "10", "Corey Brewer": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "10", "James Harden": "9", "Corey Brewer": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Anthony Davis": "7", "James Harden": "9", "Corey Brewer": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Davis": "40", "Ryan Anderson": "27", "Jrue Holiday": "15", "Dwight Howard": "28", "James Harden": "38", "Corey Brewer": "29"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jrue Holiday": "3", "James Harden": "1"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "7"}}], "The Houston Rockets (54 - 26) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (43 - 37) 121 - 114 on Sunday in Houston. The Pelicans found themselves with the lead for majority of the game, but then the Rockets kicked it up a notch towards the end of the third period and were able to hold onto their lead for the remainder of the game. MVP-candidate James Harden lead the way for the Rockets on Sunday, scoring 30 points (10 - 18 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt, 9 - 9 FT) and dishing out 7 assists in 38 minutes. It was Harden's third 30 - point game of the month. Corey Brewer provided a huge spark off the bench for Houston that helped them keep their lead, as he scored 20 points (6 - 11 FG, 8 - 11 FT) in just 29 minutes off the bench. Dwight Howard posted his third consecutive double - double of 19 points and 11 rebounds in 28 minutes and also hit some key free throws down the stretch when New Orleans was intentionally fouling him. The game was won on the fast break, as the Rockets scored 21 fast break points compared to zero for the Pelicans, and the win pushed Houston into a tie in the Western Conference with the Grizzlies and Clippers. However, the Rockets are losing the tiebreaker to both teams. New Orleans missed out on an opportunity to advance a game ahead of the Thunder in the playoff chase in the West, but even with the loss and owning the tiebreaker over Oklahoma City, the Pelicans are still in the playoffs as of today. All five New Orleans starters scored in double figures with Anthony Davis leading the way. Davis scored 27 points (10 - 16 FG, 7 - 10 FT) and grabbed seven rebounds in 40 minutes of play. Jrue Holiday played in his second game since returning from a leg injury and scored a very efficient 17 points (7 - 9 FG, 3 - 3 3Pt) in 15 minutes off the bench. Ryan Anderson also made strong contributions off the bench, scoring 15 points (6 - 13 FG, 2 - 7 FT), all of which came in the first half, in 27 minutes. Omer Asik (13), Eric Gordon (13), Quincy Pondexter (13) and Tyreke Evans (12) round out the seven Pelicans players who scored in double figures. Up next, the Rockets will travel to Charlotte Monday to take on the collapsing Hornets, while New Orleans will head to Minnesota and play the Timberwolves on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "18", "Pistons": "27"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "113", "Pistons": "109"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "30", "Pistons": "21"}}, {"Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "2", "Ish Smith": "2", "Al Horford": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Andre Drummond": "2"}, "Points": {"Andre Drummond": "28", "Jae Crowder": "21", "Al Horford": "13", "Isaiah Thomas": "41"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "22", "Al Horford": "6"}, "Steals": {"Andre Drummond": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Reggie Jackson": "12", "Ish Smith": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Reggie Jackson": "4", "Ish Smith": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Reggie Jackson": "28"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Ish Smith": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Ish Smith": "1", "Al Horford": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jae Crowder": "4"}, "Assists": {"Al Horford": "6"}}], "The Boston Celtics took down the visiting Detroit Pistons at TD Garden on Monday, 113 - 109. Boston (30 - 18) has now won four straight games despite the absence of starting shooting guard Avery Bradley. The Celtics have quickly climbed the Eastern Conference standings and now sit a game ahead of the Raptors for second place in the East. Much of the team's success has been due to the incredible play of point guard Isaiah Thomas. The two - time All-Star is closing in on Russell Westbrook for the scoring title, gradually increasing his averages with performances like Monday's 41 - point explosion. Thomas scored 24 of his points in the fourth quarter, a trend he has firmly established throughout the season. The 5'9 superstar leads the league in fourth quarter scoring at over 10 points per night. Part of his success on Monday was due to his strength at the free - throw line, where he shot a perfect 15 - of - 15. He added a stellar eight assists. The Celtics also saw strong play from veteran All-Star Al Horford. Horford had missed the previous two games with a groin injury but looked in fine form on Monday, scoring 13 points to go with six rebounds, six assists, and a pair of blocks on Detroit's Andre Drummond. Forward Jae Crowder, meanwhile, scored 21 points while knocking down four three - pointers. Three-pointers gave the edge to Boston despite a rebounding and fast - break deficit, as the team made 13 threes while holding Detroit to only three. For Detroit (21 - 27), center Andre Drummond had a monster game. Drummond led the team with 28 points and pulled down a whopping 22 rebounds. He acted as the clear leader of the team, with point guard Reggie Jackson experiencing struggles while on the floor. Despite saying that matching up against a top - tier point guard like Thomas would act as inspiration for his performance, Jackson shot just 4 - of - 12 from the field and fouled out in 28 minutes of play. Bench point guard Ish Smith, however, did not have the same struggles. Smith shot 6 - of - 7 from the field and had a pair of blocks, including one on Isaiah Thomas that led to a clutch fast - break bucket. Up next for Boston is a matchup against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday. The Pistons, meanwhile, will see the Pelicans on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "6", "Celtics": "8"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "95", "Celtics": "105"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "10", "Celtics": "10"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Celtics": "25"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Avery Bradley": "6", "Evan Turner": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Avery Bradley": "3", "Evan Turner": "0", "Dwyane Wade": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Avery Bradley": "15", "Evan Turner": "11", "Dwyane Wade": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Avery Bradley": "9", "Evan Turner": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Avery Bradley": "4", "Evan Turner": "4", "Dwyane Wade": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Avery Bradley": "4", "Evan Turner": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "6"}, "Points": {"Avery Bradley": "25", "Isaiah Thomas": "16", "Evan Turner": "13", "Hassan Whiteside": "6", "Dwyane Wade": "30"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "9", "Evan Turner": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Evan Turner": "6", "Hassan Whiteside": "8", "Dwyane Wade": "4"}, "Steals": {"Evan Turner": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Hassan Whiteside": "26"}}], "The Celtics (10 - 8) were able to hold on to defeat the Heat (10 - 6) 105 - 95 at American Airlines Arena on Monday. The Heat pulled to within three points with a minute left in the fourth quarter, but five points from Evan Turner iced the game for Boston, which rebounded nicely after losing to the Magic on Sunday. Dwyane Wade turned in a vintage performance with a season - high 30 points (12 - 24 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT), five steals, four rebounds and four assists. With Marcus Smart sidelined yet another game, Avery Bradley stepped up again for the Celtics, scoring a team - high 25 points (9 - 15 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT). Boston showed no signs of fatigue playing a second game in two nights and had an easy time scoring the basketball against a normally solid Heat defense. Turner was a spark plug off the bench, finishing with 13 points (5 - 11 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), six rebounds, three assists and three steals. The Celtics - - aside from Chris Bosh and Wade - - did a great job containing the Heat, as Tyler Johnson was the only other Miami player to score in double figures. Isaiah Thomas chipped in 16 points and nine assists. Miami managed to keep the game close, but eventually caved late in the fourth with a couple of fouls and a missed three - point attempt by Bosh. Usually dominant down low, Hassan Whiteside had an uncharacteristic night with just six points, eight rebounds and three blocks in 26 minutes. The Heat were also short a few bodies with Luol Deng (hamstring), Chris Anderson (illness) and Amar'e Stoudemire (illness) all out, which forced coach Erik Spoelstra to roll with an eight - man rotation. The Celtics head home to face the Kings on Thursday; the Heat get Kevin Durant and the Thunder."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "12", "Wizards": "13"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "112", "Wizards": "95"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "14", "Wizards": "10"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Jared Dudley": "10", "John Wall": "11"}, "Points": {"Jared Dudley": "14", "Marcin Gortat": "10", "John Wall": "6", "Gary Neal": "24", "Ramon Sessions": "14", "Jeff Green": "15", "Matt Barnes": "20", "Marc Gasol": "24", "Courtney Lee": "15", "Mike Conley": "18", "Mario Chalmers": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Marcin Gortat": "26", "John Wall": "28", "Gary Neal": "31", "Ramon Sessions": "26", "Marc Gasol": "39", "Mario Chalmers": "19"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "9", "Marc Gasol": "6", "Mike Conley": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"John Wall": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Jeff Green": "6", "Matt Barnes": "6", "Marc Gasol": "12"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (14 - 12) defeated the Washington Wizards (10 - 13) Monday 112 - 95 at the FedExForum in Memphis. The game was essentially won in the first 36 minutes, as by the end of the third quarter, the Grizzlies held a 22 - point lead and the hole was simply too much for the Bradley Beal-less Wizards to overcome. Marc Gasol led the way for Memphis in the winning effort, stuffing the stat sheet on his way to recording 24 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in 39 minutes. But Gasol was just one of six Grizzlies - including all five starters - to score in double figures Monday night. Matt Barnes had an impressive outing of 20 points and six rebounds, Mike Conley recorded a double - double of 18 points and 11 assists, while Jeff Green and Courtney Lee each scored 15 points. Mario Chalmers (12) was the sixth and final Memphis player to reach double digits, playing 19 minutes off the bench. For the Wizards, it was Gary Neal who led the way on a night where the Washington starters struggled mightily, as he scored 24 points in 31 minutes off the bench. It was not star point guard John Wall\u2019s night, as he managed to shoot a poor 2 - of - 11 from the field en route to recording six points and nine assists in 28 minutes. Jared Dudley (14) and Marcin Gortat (10) were the only starters to score in double figures, while Ramon Sessions scored 14 points in 26 minutes off the bench. Up next, the Grizzlies will travel to Chicago Wednesday to take on the Bulls, while the Wizards will head to San Antonio Wednesday to play the Spurs."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "53"}, "Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "18", "Celtics": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Al Horford": "15", "Avery Bradley": "16", "Isaiah Thomas": "21", "Jaylen Brown": "14", "Marcus Smart": "13", "Danilo Gallinari": "20", "Wilson Chandler": "23", "Nikola Jokic": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Jokic": "10"}}], "Nikola Jokic and Danilo Gallinari, both sidelined by illness and vertigo in the Nuggets' last game, each eclipsed the 20 - point mark, leading Denver to a stellar 53 percent success rate from the field. That helped them overcome 18 turnovers, as did their defense, which forced the same amount from the Celtics. The Nuggets also won the rebounding battle handily, outperforming Boston by a 49 - 33 margin down low. Isaiah Thomas' 21 points led Boston. Avery Bradley posted 16 points and Al Horford generated 15. Jaylen Brown led the second unit with 14 points, while Marcus Smart generated 13 off the bench. Wilson Chandler's 23 points paced Denver. Jokic turned in a 21 - point, 10 - rebound double, while Gallinari went for 20 points. Gary Harris and Jameer Nelson combined for only 17 points, and Jameer Nelson led the bench with 13."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "30", "Celtics": "37"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "122", "Celtics": "118"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "38", "Celtics": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Brandon Bass": "4", "Marcus Smart": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Brandon Bass": "2", "Marcus Smart": "12", "Kelly Olynyk": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "6", "Anthony Morrow": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Brandon Bass": "1", "Marcus Smart": "7", "Kelly Olynyk": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "1", "Anthony Morrow": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Brandon Bass": "11", "Marcus Smart": "14", "Kelly Olynyk": "13", "Enes Kanter": "13", "Steven Adams": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "26", "Anthony Morrow": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Brandon Bass": "8", "Marcus Smart": "8", "Kelly Olynyk": "7", "Enes Kanter": "10", "Steven Adams": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "8", "Anthony Morrow": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Brandon Bass": "3", "Marcus Smart": "4", "Enes Kanter": "2", "Steven Adams": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "22"}, "Free throws made": {"Brandon Bass": "3", "Marcus Smart": "2", "Enes Kanter": "2", "Steven Adams": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "19"}, "Minutes played": {"Brandon Bass": "30", "Kelly Olynyk": "23", "Enes Kanter": "31"}, "Points": {"Brandon Bass": "20", "Marcus Smart": "25", "Kelly Olynyk": "20", "Enes Kanter": "22", "Steven Adams": "14", "Russell Westbrook": "36", "Anthony Morrow": "20"}, "Blocks": {"Marcus Smart": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcus Smart": "9", "Enes Kanter": "10", "Steven Adams": "13", "Russell Westbrook": "5", "Anthony Morrow": "6"}, "Steals": {"Marcus Smart": "2", "Steven Adams": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "7"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (38 - 30) defeated the Boston Celtics (30 - 37) 122 - 118 on Wednesday at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City. This marked a big win for the Thunder, as they passed up the New Orleans Pelicans for the eighth and final projected seed in the Western Conference standings. The Pelicans are just a half game behind them though, with the Suns trailing by just three games as well, so it'll remain a fight for the last seed all the way until the end of the regular season in the West. The Celtics, on the other hand, are currently in the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference standings. They're even with the Indiana Pacers, but hold the tie breaker, so they remain ahead of them for now. The Celtics are also just a game behind the Miami Heat for the seventh spot. With both Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka out due to injury, Russell Westbrook continued to put on a show. He did n't have the best night shooting the ball (8 - 26 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt), but he got to the free throw line at will and converted on 19 - of - 22 attempts to push his scoring total to a game - high of 36 points. He also added five rebounds, 10 assists, and five steals, but turned it over seven times. Over his last 10 games, Westbrook has averaged 33 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists while shooting 42 percent from the field, as he pushes his name even further into MVP consideration. He got some help from Enes Kanter though, who double - doubled with 22 points (10 - 13 FG, 2 - 2 FT) and 10 rebounds in 31 minutes. It marked his fourth double - double in a row, a stretch where he's averaged an impressive 20 points and 13 rebounds per game. Coming off the bench, Anthony Morrow went 7 - for - 11 from the field and 4 - for - 7 from the three - point line to score 20 points, while adding six rebounds as well. Steven Adams remained in the starting lineup with Ibaka out, and added a double - double of his own with 14 points (5 - 9 FG, 4 - 7 FT) and 13 rebounds. Marcus Smart put in arguably the best game of his career in the Celtics' loss. He hit seven three - pointers on his way to 25 points (8 - 14 FG, 7 - 12 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT), while also adding nine rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocked shots, as he did a little bit of everything Wednesday. The points and blocks were both season - highs for the rookie, who now averages 8 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists on the year. Brandon Bass was the other starter to reach the 20 - point mark, as he finished wtih 20 points (8 - 11 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT) and four assists in 30 minutes. Like Smart, it was a season - high in points for Bass, but it still was n't enough to pull off the win over the Thunder. Coming off the bench, Kelly Olynyk went 7 - for - 13 from the field and 3 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 20 points in just 23 minutes. It was the first time since early January that he reached 20 points. The Thunder's next game will be at home against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, while the Celtics will travel to San Antonio to play the Spurs on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Kings": "53", "Thunder": "30"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "39", "Thunder": "33"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "20", "Thunder": "19"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "104", "Thunder": "83"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Kings": "28", "Thunder": "16"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "16", "Thunder": "24"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "15", "Thunder": "17"}, "Number of team assists": {"Thunder": "16"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "7", "Serge Ibaka": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "4", "Dion Waiters": "3", "Rudy Gay": "3", "Darren Collison": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Durant": "3", "Serge Ibaka": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "2", "Dion Waiters": "0", "Rudy Gay": "3", "Darren Collison": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "20", "Serge Ibaka": "10", "Reggie Jackson": "11", "Dion Waiters": "9", "Rudy Gay": "19", "DeMarcus Cousins": "23", "Darren Collison": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "8", "Serge Ibaka": "5", "Reggie Jackson": "6", "Dion Waiters": "1", "Rudy Gay": "9", "DeMarcus Cousins": "6", "Darren Collison": "9"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "24", "Serge Ibaka": "11", "Reggie Jackson": "14", "Dion Waiters": "4", "Rudy Gay": "28", "DeMarcus Cousins": "23", "Ben McLemore": "11", "Darren Collison": "24", "Carl Landry": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "9", "Serge Ibaka": "10", "Rudy Gay": "9", "DeMarcus Cousins": "15"}, "Assists": {"Serge Ibaka": "1", "Rudy Gay": "1", "Darren Collison": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Serge Ibaka": "8"}, "Turnovers": {"Serge Ibaka": "1", "DeMarcus Cousins": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Reggie Jackson": "22", "Dion Waiters": "22"}, "Steals": {"Rudy Gay": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "13"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "11"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (15 - 20) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (17 - 19) 104 - 83 on Wednesday at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento. The Kings came out hot right from the start, out - scoring the Thunder 28 - 16 in the first quarter. They had superior shooting all night, going 39 percent from the field and 53 percent from the three - point line as a team, compared to the Thunder who went 33 percent from the floor and only 30 percent from beyond the arc. Sacramento was also able to force the Thunder into 24 turnovers, while giving it up only 16 times themselves. Rudy Gay led all scorers in this one. He went 9 - for - 19 from the field and a perfect 3 - for - 3 from the three - point line to finish with 28 points. He nearly notched a double - double as he added nine rebounds as well. He had a poor shooting performance on Sunday against the Detroit Pistons, so it was a nice bounce back game for him. DeMarcus Cousins also reached the 20 - point mark, as he double - doubled with 23 points (6 - 23 FG) and 15 rebounds. He was able to get to the free throw line 13 times, and converted on 11 - of - 13. It was his second double - double in a row and fifth in his last six games. Starting at point guard, Darren Collison went 9 - for - 19 from the field and 5 - for - 10 from beyond the arc to score 24 points, while adding seven assists to go along with it. It was the most three - point shots he's attempted all season, but he was still very effective. Ben McLemore and Carl Landry had 11 and 10 points respectively. Kevin Durant led the Thunder with 24 points (8 - 20 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt, 5 - 7 FG) and nine rebounds. He had a brutal showing from the floor on Monday when he went 3 - for - 16 from the field, so it was good to see him turn things around. Serge Ibaka nearly recorded a triple - double, with 11 points (5 - 10 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt), 10 rebounds and eight blocked shots. The eight blocked shots were a season - high for him, but it did n't help the Thunder enough, as their offense was too poor in this one to overcome their large deficit. Reggie Jackson was one of the other few bright spots. He went 6 - for - 11 from the floor and 2 - for - 4 from beyond the arc to add 14 points off the bench. He only played 22 minutes, otherwise his numbers would have been much higher. In his Thunder debut, Dion Waiters got 22 minutes of game action, but struggled with his shot and went just 1 - for - 9 from the field and 0 - for - 3 from deep to score four points. The Kings' next game will be at home against the Denver Nuggets on Friday, while the Thunder will be at home against the Utah Jazz on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "36", "Hornets": "36"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "94", "Hornets": "66"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Jazz": "9"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "30", "Hornets": "29"}, "Number of team assists": {"Hornets": "9"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "30"}}, {"Points": {"Al Jefferson": "10", "Lance Stephenson": "17", "Gordon Hayward": "18", "Derrick Favors": "10", "Rudy Gobert": "9", "Rodney Hood": "24", "Dante Exum": "11", "Trey Burke": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Jefferson": "7", "Rodney Hood": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Lance Stephenson": "13", "Rodney Hood": "11", "Trey Burke": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Lance Stephenson": "6", "Rodney Hood": "9", "Trey Burke": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Lance Stephenson": "24", "Rodney Hood": "22"}, "Turnovers": {"Rudy Gobert": "3"}, "Assists": {"Rodney Hood": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Rodney Hood": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Rodney Hood": "3"}}], "The Utah Jazz (30 - 36) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (29 - 36) 94 - 66 on Monday in Salt Lake City. The Jazz dominated from start to finish, opening up a 49 - 19 lead midway through the second quarter, and the team continues to be one of the hottest teams in the NBA despite their playoff chances being slim - to - none, as they've won six straight games and nine of their last 10. Rodney Hood led the way, putting in a career - best effort of 24 points on 9 - of - 11 shooting in just 22 minutes. Hood has been in a groove as of late, averaging 18 points in his last four outings. Rudy Gobert continues to be dominant on the glass, recording his second 22 - rebound game in his last three outings, to go along with nine points. The 22 - year - old has now posted nine straight games with double - digit rebounding totals and is averaging 16 boards in that stretch. Gordon Hayward (18), Dante Exum (11) and Derrick Favors (10) round out the Utah players who scored in double figures, while Trey Burke struggled off the bench for the Jazz, shooting just 3 - of - 14 from the field and scoring eight points. Nobody on the Hornets could get anything going Monday night, as they put in one of their worst team performances of the season. Lance Stephenson led the team in scoring, putting up 17 points on 6 - of - 13 shooting in 24 minutes. Al Jefferson recorded 10 points and seven rebounds and was the only other Charlotte player in double figures. Charlotte shot a woeful 30 percent from the field and recorded just nine assists on 23 made field goals. The loss knocks Charlotte back to a half game out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference standings. Up next, the Jazz will stay at home Wednesday to take on the Wizards, while the Hornets will head to Los Angeles to go up against the Clippers on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "28", "Hawks": "19"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "105", "Hawks": "119"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nuggets": "20", "Hawks": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"Nuggets": "43"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "17", "Hawks": "27"}, "Number of team assists": {"Hawks": "28"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "50"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hawks": "24"}}, {"Points": {"Paul Millsap": "22", "Danilo Gallinari": "15", "Will Barton": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "9", "Will Barton": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Danilo Gallinari": "9"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (27 - 19) defeated the Denver Nuggets (17 - 28) 119 - 105 on Monday night. There wasn\u2019t much that was going to stop Atlanta tonight, as they were clicking on all cylinders. The offense was especially good, as they shot 50 percent from the field and 92 percent from the free - throw line. The Hawks won nearly every battle in the stat sheet, as they outassisted the Nuggets by 10 and held them to under 40 percent shooting in the win. They also recorded 28 assists on 43 made baskets and were distributing the ball beautifully all night. A 35 - 20 second quarter was a big difference in the game as well, as the Hawks never let the Nuggets get much closer after that. Atlanta was favored by double - digits in their last game and had a brutal loss to the Phoenix Suns. What oddsmakers didn\u2019t take into consideration is that they were missing Paul Millsap for that game and this shows why he is so important. It's not just the 22 points and nine rebounds, it's the way he plays defense and opens things up for the rest of the offense. The point guards were fantastic for the Hawks tonight as well, as Jeff Teague and Dennis Schroder combined for 27 points, eight rebounds and 15 assists in the win. The five starters combined for 10 steals as well, which was big considering they scored 24 points off turnovers in the victory. Atlanta will look to keep up the good form against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. This capped off an eight - game homestand for the Nuggets, and the 4 - 4 record is nothing to be disappointed about. This was easily their worst game in that stretch though, as this game was non - competitive for the majority of the contest. Will Barton was the lone bright spot in the defeat, as he scored 21 points and snatched down eight boards in the loss. Danilo Gallinari has been carrying this team on his back over recent weeks, but he went just 3 - for - 9 from the field in a 15 - point outing. The shooting is bad, but nine shots is simply not enough out of a player like Gallinari for the Nuggets to succeed. Denver will look to bounce back on Wednesday against the Boston Celtics in their first road game in quite some time."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Hornets": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"Tobias Harris": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "2", "Marco Belinelli": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Tobias Harris": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "1"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "14", "Marcus Morris": "7", "Andre Drummond": "26", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "7", "Reggie Jackson": "10", "Marvin Williams": "12", "Nicolas Batum": "14", "Marco Belinelli": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcus Morris": "10", "Andre Drummond": "20", "Reggie Jackson": "3", "Marvin Williams": "5", "Marco Belinelli": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andre Drummond": "14"}, "Minutes played": {"Reggie Jackson": "26"}, "Steals": {"Marco Belinelli": "2"}}], "The Hornets' dynamic duo of Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum combined for 39 points and 18 rebounds (14 of which came from Batum), which overcame Andre Drummond's 26 - point, 20 - rebound double - double for Detroit. Marvin Williams returned after a six - game absence and supplied 12 points, while Marco Belinelli paced the bench with 13 points, five rebounds, an assist and two steals. Tobias Harris was a distant second on Detroit with 14 points, while Reggie Jackson saw another playing time boost and totaled 10 points, three rebounds, two assists and a block over 26 minutes. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Marcus Morris supplied a pair of seven - point efforts, and the latter also hauled in 10 rebounds. Despite the trio of aforementioned remarkable performances, it was largely a defensive - minded contest, with both teams shooting under 40 percent from the field."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "38", "Hawks": "26"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "105", "Hawks": "86"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "22", "Hawks": "32"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "38"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "17"}}, {"Points": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "15", "Paul Millsap": "11", "Dwight Howard": "11", "Ersan Ilyasova": "5", "Dennis Schroder": "11", "Taurean Prince": "11", "Terrence Ross": "24", "Aaron Gordon": "18", "Nikola Vucevic": "16", "Elfrid Payton": "15", "D.J. Augustin": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "3", "Paul Millsap": "7", "Dwight Howard": "14", "Ersan Ilyasova": "10", "Dennis Schroder": "5", "Taurean Prince": "4", "Terrence Ross": "4", "Aaron Gordon": "3", "Nikola Vucevic": "14", "Elfrid Payton": "9"}, "Steals": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "1", "Taurean Prince": "1", "Terrence Ross": "2", "Aaron Gordon": "2", "Nikola Vucevic": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "2"}, "Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "2", "Dwight Howard": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "8", "Terrence Ross": "2", "Aaron Gordon": "3", "Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "9", "D.J. Augustin": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "1", "Dwight Howard": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "1", "Taurean Prince": "1", "Terrence Ross": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul Millsap": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Dwight Howard": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "25"}, "Personal fouls": {"Dennis Schroder": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Taurean Prince": "1"}}], "The Orlando Magic defeated the Atlanta Hawks, 105 - 86, at Amway Center on Saturday night. The Magic (22 - 38) made one major move at the trade deadline, sending Serge Ibaka to the Raptors for swingman Terrence Ross. The latter found himself behind DeMar DeRozan and DeMarre Carroll at shooting guard and small forward, respectively, in Toronto. However, he's stepped right into the starting role at the three in his new digs, and the results have been impressive so far. Ross particularly shined Saturday, tallying 24 points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block to lead the offense. The Magic also stymied the Hawks (32 - 26) on the other end of the floor, limiting them to respective 38 and 32 percent success rates from the floor and three - point range and also goading them into 17 turnovers. Tim Hardaway, Jr. spearheaded the Hawks' attack with a modest 15 points that he complemented with three rebounds and one steal. A quartet of 11 - point efforts from Dwight Howard, Paul Millsap, Taurean Prince and Dennis Schroder followed. Howard added 14 rebounds, one assist and one block against one of his former squads; Millsap supplemented his scoring with seven rebounds, two assists and one block; Prince also hauled in four boards and recorded a steal and a block; Schroder, coming off the bench after serving a one - game team suspension Friday, supplied eight assists, five rebounds and one block. Newly-acquired Ersan Ilyasova mustered only five points but posted 10 rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench. Ross was seconded by Aaron Gordon, who went for 18 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals. Nikola Vucevic, who'd been questionable coming in with a sore Achilles, nevertheless tallied a 16 - point, 14 - rebound double - double that also included an assist, two steals and two blocks. Elfrid Payton had a near triple - double with 15 points, nine rebounds, nine assists, two steals and two blocks. D.J. Augustin led the bench with eight points and two assists. The Hawks head to Boston to take on the Celtics on Monday night, while Orlando is off until Wednesday night, when they'll take on the New York Knicks at home."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "43", "Wizards": "25"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "97", "Wizards": "77"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "13", "Wizards": "33"}}, {"Personal fouls": {"Otto Porter": "3"}, "Points": {"Otto Porter": "13", "John Wall": "5", "Kris Humphries": "4", "Andrew Wiggins": "19", "Kevin Garnett": "5", "Gary Neal": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"John Wall": "10", "Andrew Wiggins": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"John Wall": "2", "Andrew Wiggins": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Kris Humphries": "12", "Kevin Garnett": "19", "Gary Neal": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Garnett": "8", "Gary Neal": "4"}, "Assists": {"Kevin Martin": "1"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (13 - 43) beat the Washington Wizards (33 - 25) 97 - 77 on Wednesday. The Timberwolves are enjoying their best month of the season, with a record of 5 - 4 in February. Kevin Martin has been one of the keys to their recent success. Martin is averaging 24 points over his last five games, giving Minnesota a go - to scoring option alongside 2014 first - overall selection Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins, who put up 19 points on 6 - of - 13 shooting, is now averaging 16 points and 5 rebounds in February. Kevin Garnett made his return to the Timberwolves on Wednesday. Starting at power forward, he had five points and eight rebounds in 19 minutes. Gary Neal entered the game unlikely to play with an ankle injury, but he was able to give it a go, finishing with seven points and four rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench. Washington is having a rough go as of late. Their last victory occurred before the All-Star break, and they're losing by an average of 21 points per game over the last four contests. O verall, t hey've dropped five straight and are just 2 - 8 in February. Only three Wizards scored in double figures, with Otto Porter leading the way with 13 points. John Wall was held to just five points on 2 - of - 10 shooting for a Washington team that is desperately missing shooting guard Bradley Beal (leg). They added another injury to the ledger when Kris Humphries hurt his hamstring in the first half and was unable to return. He finished with four points in 12 minutes. The Wizards will travel to Philadelphia to take on the 76ers on Friday, while the Timberwolves head to Chicago to take on the Derrick Rose-less Bulls."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Hornets": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "55", "Magic": "46"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "34", "Magic": "47"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "117", "Magic": "103"}, "Rebounds": {"Hornets": "46", "Magic": "39"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "48", "Magic": "35"}}, {"Points": {"Evan Fournier": "22", "Aaron Gordon": "22", "Al Jefferson": "26"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Al Jefferson": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Al Jefferson": "11"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (48 - 34) closed out the season with their fourth win in five games, this time an easy 117 - 103 win over the Orlando Magic (35 - 47). With less than a game separating the third and sixth seed in the Eastern Conference headed into Wednesday, Charlotte's fate has yet to be sealed. However, the Hornets have been in high gear of late, finishing out the season as one of the hottest teams in basketball. Veteran big man Al Jefferson delivered a vintage perfromance on Wednesday, dropping in 26 points on 11 - for - 15 shooting and showcasing a wide array of post moves. Everything seemed to work for the Hornets, as the team hit 55 percent of its shots, 11 three - pointers, and dished out 32 total assists. Orlando, meanwhile, closed out another quiet lottery - bound season in disappointing fashion. While breakout guard Evan Fournier dropped 22 points, a figure matched by sophomore Aaron Gordon, the team could simply not do the job against its divisional rival. The Magic were out - rebounded 46 - 39 and could not find the net nearly as well as their opponents, shooting only 46 percent. The Hornets will take on either the Hawks, Celtics, or Heat in the first round of the playoffs."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "25", "Thunder": "13"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "122", "Thunder": "128"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "22", "Thunder": "25"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "22", "Thunder": "34"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "10", "Kristaps Porzingis": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Durant": "4", "Derrick Williams": "2", "Langston Galloway": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "18"}, "Free throws made": {"Kevin Durant": "16"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "44", "Russell Westbrook": "30", "Kristaps Porzingis": "15", "Arron Afflalo": "17", "Derrick Williams": "19", "Langston Galloway": "21"}, "Blocks": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "5", "Derrick Williams": "10"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (34 - 13) outlasted the New York Knicks (22 - 25) in overtime Wednesday at Madison Square Garden, 128 - 122. This was a tight one the whole way, as no team built a lead greater than five points at any point in the second half or overtime until the Thunder's final free throws of the game with six seconds to go in the extra period. Both teams shot lights out from three - point land - - 11 of 20 for Oklahoma City and 11 of 21 for New York - - as both teams put on an offensive show. Kevin Durant took over the game for the Thunder, as he poured in 44 points, grabbed four rebounds and distributed five assists. He made up for his struggles inside (8 of 19 on two - point shots) by drilling four three - pointers and earning trips to the free throw line (16 of 18 FT). Russell Westbrook scored 30 points and dished 10 assists for his second consecutive double - double to complete the Oklahoma city one - two punch. The Thunder won the rebounding battle 59 - 43, including a 16 - 9 advantage on the offensive glass. With Carmelo Anthony out with a sore left knee, he top two scorers for the Knicks came off the bench, as Langston Galloway sunk four three - pointers and scored 21 points, and Derrick Williams notched a double - double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Arron Afflalo led the starters with 17 points but had a brutal 6 - 21 shooting night. Rookie sensation kristaps Porzingis filled up the box score with 15 points, five rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal, but it was n't enough to overcome the star power of the Thunder. Oklahoma City continues its road trip Wednesday against Minnesota. The Knicks will head to Canada for a Thursday matchup with the Raptors."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "34", "Bulls": "18"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "123", "Bulls": "118"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "13", "Bulls": "30"}}, {"Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "35", "Jordan Hill": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Jordan Hill": "12"}, "Steals": {"Jordan Hill": "1"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers (13 - 34) beat the Chicago Bulls (30 - 18) in thrilling fashion Thursday 123 - 118 in double overtime. Chicago entered the fourth quarter lucky to be down just four points after being badly outplayed by Los Angeles. While every shot seemed to be falling for the Lakers, the Bulls could n't buy a basket - - until the very end. Former Laker Pau Gasol tied the game at 98 with just eleven seconds to go, the first tie of the game. The Bulls took 47 minutes to finally look like themselves, but that was enough to force overtime. Los Angeles finally woke back up in the second overtime thanks to clutch performances with Wayne Ellington, Jordan Clarkson, and Jordan Hill. Chicago fought hard, but ran out of gas in the second overtime. Jimmy Butler tied a career - high with 35 points, including 16 - 18 from the free throw line. However, Butler came out of the game late in the second overtime period and had a trainer examining his knee. Chicago wanted anything but a second straight overtime game on the road, especially when it has a quick turnaround with a game in Phoenix on Friday. Los Angeles came into Thursday's game on a nine - game losing streak, one shy of the longest such streak since the Lakers moved to L.A. Jordan Hill had a huge game for the Lakers, pouring in 26 points to go along with 12 rebounds. The Lakers will begin a four game Eastern Conference road trip Sunday in New York."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "3"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "101", "Pacers": "98"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "2"}}, {"Points": {"Chris Copeland": "17", "Lavoy Allen": "12", "Jeff Green": "15", "Jared Sullinger": "17", "Avery Bradley": "11", "Rajon Rondo": "8", "Marcus Smart": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Chris Copeland": "6", "Luis Scola": "8", "Jeff Green": "7", "Jared Sullinger": "6", "Avery Bradley": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Donald Sloan": "1", "Avery Bradley": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Donald Sloan": "1", "Avery Bradley": "1"}, "Steals": {"Donald Sloan": "1"}, "Assists": {"Avery Bradley": "1", "Rajon Rondo": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rajon Rondo": "10", "Marcus Smart": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Rajon Rondo": "4", "Marcus Smart": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Marcus Smart": "16"}}], "The Pacers (1 - 4) dropped their fourth straight game, falling to the Celtics 101 - 98 in Boston on Friday night. Still without David West (ankle) and George Hill (knee) - and, of course, Paul George (leg) - the Pacers started a backcourt of Donald Sloan and Chris Copeland to go with Solomon Hill, Luis Scola and Roy Hibbert. All five starters scored in double - figures, with Hibbert\u2019s 22 - point, 11 - rebound double - double leading the way. Copeland added 17 points and six rebounds, and Scola chipped in 11 points and eight boards. Lavoy Allen had 12 points off the bench. Boston got a team - high 17 points from Jared Sullenger, who also pulled down six rebounds. Jeff Green contributed 15 points and seven rebounds, while Avery Bradley added 11 points. It was an off - night for Rajon Rondo, who scored a quiet eight points (4 - 10 FG) to go with six assists, his lowest total of the season. Rookie Marcus Smart also struggled, scoring three points on just 1 - of - 6 shooting in 16 minutes. The Celtics, who led by two entering the fourth, were able to hold off a late Pacers run, as a five point lead evaporated in the final minute. Two Sloan free throws cut the lead to one with three seconds remaining, but Bradley knocked down a pair on the other end to put Boston back up by three. On the ensuing possession, Indiana was unable to get off a last - second heave. Next up, the Celtics travel to Chicago to take on the Bulls on Saturday. Indiana head back home to host the Wizards on Saturday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "7", "Pistons": "3"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "101", "Pistons": "92"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "2", "Pistons": "5"}, "Number of team assists": {"Pistons": "16"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pistons": "23"}, "Turnovers": {"Pistons": "16"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Marcus Morris": "15", "Reggie Jackson": "15", "Rudy Gay": "14"}, "Points": {"Marcus Morris": "16", "Andre Drummond": "14", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "15", "Reggie Jackson": "16", "Rudy Gay": "25", "DeMarcus Cousins": "33", "Rajon Rondo": "14"}, "Minutes played": {"Andre Drummond": "35", "DeMarcus Cousins": "38"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gay": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "9", "Rajon Rondo": "11"}, "Assists": {"Rajon Rondo": "15"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (2 - 7) defeated the Detroit Pistons (5 - 3) Wednesday 101 - 92 at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento. Sacramento had a firm hold on the game through the first three quarters, but a late fourth - quarter push by Detroit brought them within five. However, that is as close as they would get, as the Kings countered with a 70 run of their own and ultimately put the game out of reach. DeMarcus Cousins dominated in the first half for the Kings, scoring 23 points, and the big man from Kentucky ended up with a game - high 33 points and nine rebounds in 38 minutes. He continues to show his improved ability to stretch the floor, as Cousins shot 3 - for - 5 from behind the arc. Rajon Rondo stuffed the stat sheet, recording his second triple - double of the season of 14 points, 11 rebounds and 15 assists in 47 minutes. Rudy Gay shot efficiently, going 10 - of - 14 from the field and finishing with 25 points in 37 minutes. For the Pistons, Andre Drummond recorded his eighth straight double - double to start the season, finishing with 14 points and 16 rebounds in 35 minutes. Three other Detroit starters in Marcus Morris (16), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (15) and Reggie Jackson (16) managed to score in double figures, but the team\u2019s bench only recorded 23 total points. Up next, the Kings will stay home Friday to take on the Nets, while the Pistons will head to Los Angeles Saturday to go up against the Clippers."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "50"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "39", "Cavaliers": "19"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "103", "Cavaliers": "109"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "29", "Cavaliers": "49"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "50"}, "Turnovers": {"Cavaliers": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "8", "Kyrie Irving": "5", "Tristan Thompson": "1", "Evan Fournier": "2", "Aaron Gordon": "3", "Victor Oladipo": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "36", "Kyrie Irving": "40", "Tristan Thompson": "28", "Evan Fournier": "36", "Aaron Gordon": "31", "Victor Oladipo": "39"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "18", "Kyrie Irving": "26", "Tristan Thompson": "11", "Evan Fournier": "18", "Aaron Gordon": "7", "Victor Oladipo": "45"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "7", "Tristan Thompson": "15", "Evan Fournier": "4", "Aaron Gordon": "10", "Victor Oladipo": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyrie Irving": "3", "Evan Fournier": "3", "Victor Oladipo": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyrie Irving": "2", "Evan Fournier": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyrie Irving": "17", "Evan Fournier": "15", "Victor Oladipo": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyrie Irving": "9", "Evan Fournier": "6", "Victor Oladipo": "16"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kyrie Irving": "6", "Evan Fournier": "4", "Victor Oladipo": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Kyrie Irving": "6", "Evan Fournier": "4", "Victor Oladipo": "7"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyrie Irving": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Tristan Thompson": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "2"}, "Steals": {"Tristan Thompson": "4", "Evan Fournier": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "3"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (49 - 19) defeated the host Orlando Magic (29 - 39) 109 - 103, Friday evening at Amway Center. The Cavaliers withstood a spectacular effort by Victor Oladipo in order to edge the Magic. Oladipo recorded a career - high 45 points on spectacular 16 - 22 shooting from the field. The game went back and forth, with 13 lead changes but the Cavs took control down the stretch, after a 14 - 3 run late in the fourth quarter. Cleveland has now won five of its last six games and its last 15 against Orlando. This marks Orlando's sixth loss in eight games and its second in a row. The Magic came into this game five games out of eighth place in the East but their window of opportunity is closing fast. Five players scored in double digits for the Cavaliers, while they shot 50 percent as a team. Kyrie Irving led the way with 26 points (9 - 17 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) and five assists, in 40 minutes. However, Kyrie also led the team in turnovers, with five. Tristan Thompson was a force off the bench, as he gobbled up 15 rebounds, along with 11 points, four steals, two blocked shots and one assist, in 28 minutes. LeBron James chipped in a cool 18 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, in 36 minutes. Cleveland gave up 19 turnovers, but managed to overcome that by rebounding, passing and shooting well. Victor Oladipo put on a show, tallying a career - high 45 points (16 - 22 FG, 6 - 7 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT), along with five rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocked shots, in 39 minutes. Evan Fournier added 18 points (6 - 15 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), four rebounds, two assists and two steals, in 36 minutes, while Aaron Gordon chipped in seven points, 10 rebounds and three assists, in 31 minutes. Orlando shot 50 percent from deep but fell short after Cleveland's fourth quarter run. Next, the Magic begin a four - game road trip with a match in Toronto on Sunday. The Cavaliers will finish up a back - to - back with a match in Miami on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "14", "Pelicans": "16"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "95", "Pelicans": "93"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "20", "Pelicans": "16"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pelicans": "29"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "38"}}, {"Points": {"Anthony Davis": "21", "Manu Ginobili": "26", "Patty Mills": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "12"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}, "Assists": {"Patty Mills": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Patty Mills": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Patty Mills": "29"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (20 - 14) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (16 - 16) 95 - 93 in overtime on Wednesday. San Antonio has won two of their last three as they seem to be finally adapating to playing without Kawhi Leonard (hand) and Tony Parker (hamstring) who remain sidelined indefinitely. The return of Patty Mills from shoulder surgery three games ago has given them more help off the bench and more scoring. He put up just seven points in 29 minutes Wednesday, but he was in the starting lineup to begin overtime, showing how highly coach Gregg Popovich thinks of Mills. Manu Ginobili was the heart of the Spurs, finishing with a game - high 26 points that included the game - winning two - point field goal. San Antonio will stay home to host the Washington Wizards on Saturday. New Orleans has been trading wins and losses like coin flips over their last eight games, going 4 - 4 in that stretch. Both teams struggled from the field Wednesday, but the Pelicans failed with flair on offense, shooting just 38 percent from the field and 29 percent from beyond the arc while giving up 19 easy points off of 17 turnovers. Anthony Davis did his best to carry the team, finishing with 21 points, 12 rebounds and four steals, but it was n't enough. The Pelicans will return home to host the Houston Rockets on Friday."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Pacers": "31"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pacers": "9", "Celtics": "29"}}, {"Points": {"Jae Crowder": "15", "Amir Johnson": "11", "Al Horford": "8", "Avery Bradley": "15", "Isaiah Thomas": "28", "Kelly Olynyk": "11", "Marcus Smart": "12", "Paul George": "19", "Thaddeus Young": "15", "Myles Turner": "10", "Jeff Teague": "31", "CJ Miles": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Horford": "11", "Isaiah Thomas": "1", "Kelly Olynyk": "5", "Marcus Smart": "4", "Thaddeus Young": "12"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "9", "Kelly Olynyk": "2", "Marcus Smart": "3"}, "Steals": {"Kelly Olynyk": "1", "Marcus Smart": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Marcus Smart": "1"}}], "A 29 - 9 second quarter propelled the Celtics to a lead they would n't relinquish the rest of the way. Isaiah Thomas spearheaded the Boston attack, tallying 28 points, nine assists and a rebound. Jae Crowder and Avery Bradley supplied a pair of 15 - point efforts, while Amir Johnson produced 11 points. Al Horford mustered a modest eight points, but he did haul in 11 boards. Marcus Smart (12 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block) and Kelly Olynyk (11 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal) were productive on the second unit. Jeff Teague's game - high 31 points paced Indiana. Paul George followed with 19 points, while Thaddeus Young stepped up with a 15 - point, 12 - rebound double - double. Myles Turner poured in 10 points and added eight boards, and C.J. Miles led the bench with 19 points."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "2", "Pistons": "6"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "107", "Pistons": "103"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "6", "Pistons": "2"}}, {"Blocks": {"Greg Monroe": "1", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1", "John Wall": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Greg Monroe": "13", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "14", "Brandon Jennings": "19", "Marcin Gortat": "12", "John Wall": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Greg Monroe": "6", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "8", "Brandon Jennings": "11", "Marcin Gortat": "7", "John Wall": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Greg Monroe": "7", "Brandon Jennings": "9", "Marcin Gortat": "2", "John Wall": "16"}, "Free throws made": {"Greg Monroe": "6", "Brandon Jennings": "7", "Marcin Gortat": "0", "John Wall": "13"}, "Points": {"Greg Monroe": "18", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "20", "Brandon Jennings": "32", "Marcin Gortat": "14", "John Wall": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Greg Monroe": "9", "Marcin Gortat": "13", "John Wall": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "6", "Brandon Jennings": "7", "John Wall": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "4", "Brandon Jennings": "3", "John Wall": "0"}, "Turnovers": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1", "John Wall": "1"}, "Assists": {"Brandon Jennings": "10", "John Wall": "11"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Marcin Gortat": "5"}, "Steals": {"Marcin Gortat": "1", "John Wall": "3"}}], "The Washington Wizards (6 - 2) held off the Detroit Pistons (2 - 6) 107 - 103 on Wednesday night at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. It took a fourth quarter run to get the job done, but the Wizards extended their impressive start to the 2014 season. The team was led by John Wall, who had 27 points (7 - 19 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 13 - 16 FT), along with 11 assists, three rebounds, three steals and one block. Wall was n't alone in this one though, as five players scored in double figures, and we saw a double - double from big man Marcin Gortat, with 14 points (7 - 12 FG, 0 - 2 FT) and 13 rebounds. Wednesday night's win was the second in a row for Washington, and their sixth over the last seven games. They now get a few days off before taking on the Orlando Magic at home on Saturday night. The Pistons had three players in double figures, with all three having impressive nights. Brandon Jennings led the way with his double - double, which included 32 points (11 - 19 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt, 7 - 9 FT) and 10 assists. Greg Monroe fell just short of his own double - double, posting a stat line of 18 points (6 - 13 FG, 6 - 7 FT), and nine rebounds. Detroit's third big scorer was a more surprising one, as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope got his shot to fall on Wednesday, scoring 20 points (8 - 14 FG, 4 - 6 3Pt). The Pistons are off to a slow start to the 2014 season, with this being their third loss in a row. Detroit gets a night off before taking on the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road on Friday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "4", "Timberwolves": "5"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "107", "Timberwolves": "103"}, "Rebounds": {"Pacers": "40", "Timberwolves": "39"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "6", "Timberwolves": "4"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "27", "Zach LaVine": "40", "Paul George": "39"}, "Points": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "12", "Zach LaVine": "26", "Paul George": "29", "Monta Ellis": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "9", "Zach LaVine": "6", "Paul George": "9"}, "Assists": {"Zach LaVine": "4", "Paul George": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Ian Mahinmi": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Ian Mahinmi": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Monta Ellis": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Monta Ellis": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Monta Ellis": "11"}}], "Despite an incredible late - game push by the Minnesota Timberwolves (4 - 5), the Indiana Pacers (6 - 4) walked away with the win, recording a final score of 107 - 103. Paul George continued to prove to the world that he's as good as ever, recording 29 points, nine rebounds, and four assists while turning the ball over just once in 39 minutes of play. George has looked dominant since missing the bulk of the 2014 - 15 season with a leg fracture, posting averages of 24 points and 9 rebounds per game. The Pacers now have a three - game win streak going, due in large part to the elite play of George. Offseason acquisition Monta Ellis also exploded for 24 points on efficient 11 - for - 17 shooting. Center Ian Mahinmi saw an increase in playtime after it was announced that rookie big man Myles Turner (hand) will miss at least the next four weeks with a chip fracture in his thumb. Turner may be missed by the already thin Pacers frontcourt; however, his presence was unnecessary on Friday, as the Pacers were able to win the rebounding battle 40 - 39. With point guard Ricky Rubio (hamstring) sidelined, sophomore Zach LaVine was given the reigns to the Minnesota offense. LaVine played 40 minutes, switching from running the point to playing shooting guard alongside veteran Andre Miller. LaVine went for a season - high 26 points to go along with six rebounds and four assists. Rookie Karl-Anthony Towns narrowly missed yet another double - double, recording 12 points and nine rebounds in 27 minutes on the floor. The Wolves will look to bounce back at home on Sunday, as they prepare to take on a Western-Conference foe in the Memphis Grizzlies. The Pacers, meanwhile, will look to extend their win streak on Monday in Chicago as they take on the Bulls, a division rival."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "35"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "54"}}, {"Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "13", "Stephen Curry": "8"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "27", "Enes Kanter": "22", "Kevin Durant": "40", "Stephen Curry": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "15", "Enes Kanter": "9", "Kevin Durant": "12"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "13"}}], "The Warriors enjoyed yet another blowout of a playoff team on Wednesday. Former MVP Kevin Durant led the Warriors with a whopping 40 points on 13 - of - 16 shooting against his former team. Durant added 12 rebounds and three blocks. Reigning MVP Steph Curry contributed another 24 points while dishing out eight assists. The Warriors continued their ridiculous offensive efficiency, shooting over 54 percent from the field on the night and dishing out 35 assists as a team. For the Thunder, guard Russell Westbrook continued his historic triple - double tear. Westbrook scored 27 points to go with 15 rebounds and 13 assists. The impressive numbers were diminished a bit, however, by the superstar's 10 turnovers. OKC's Enes Kanter also impressed, delivering 22 points and nine rebounds while coming off the bench."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "1", "Magic": "6"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "104", "Magic": "100"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Raptors": "32", "Magic": "17"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "7", "Magic": "2"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Magic": "32"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Magic": "23"}}, {"Assists": {"Tobias Harris": "5", "Evan Fournier": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Tobias Harris": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "5", "Evan Fournier": "7", "Kyle Lowry": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tobias Harris": "2", "Evan Fournier": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "16", "Evan Fournier": "18", "Kyle Lowry": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Tobias Harris": "8", "Evan Fournier": "9", "Kyle Lowry": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "5", "Evan Fournier": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Tobias Harris": "5", "Evan Fournier": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "2"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "23", "Evan Fournier": "24", "Kyle Lowry": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "13", "Evan Fournier": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "6"}, "Steals": {"Tobias Harris": "1", "Evan Fournier": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyle Lowry": "6"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (7 - 1) held off the Orlando Magic (2 - 6) on Tuesday night at the Air Canada Centre with a final score of 104 - 100. The Raptors have looked the part of a team that you do n't want to mess with when playoff time rolls around, at least to this point in 2014. Toronto saw the Magic come to town on Tuesday night and give them a major fight, but they managed to walk away with their fifth home win (50) of the season after out - scoring the Magic 32 to 17 in the fourth quarter. The Raptors got a strong all - around performance on Tuesday, including six players scoring in double figures, with Kyle Lowry leading the way with 19 points (8 - 16 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT). He also tacked on seven assists, six rebounds and three steals. Toronto gets a night off now before playing another home game against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night. The Magic lost their second straight game, but fought hard to the finish, and nearly pulled the upset. Evan Fournier led the way with 24 points (9 - 18 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT), with three steals, two assists and two rebounds. The most well - rounded performance for the Magic though, will go to youngster Tobias Harris, who scored 23 points (8 - 16 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT), to go along with 13 rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block. Orlando will look to head in the right direction tomorrow night, as they travel to New York to take on the Knicks."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "12", "Warriors": "2"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "122", "Warriors": "128"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pelicans": "31"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "11", "Warriors": "21"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "46"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "51"}}, {"Points": {"Stephen Curry": "34", "Ryan Anderson": "15", "Tyreke Evans": "34", "Jrue Holiday": "30"}, "Minutes played": {"Tyreke Evans": "41"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyreke Evans": "8", "Dante Cunningham": "5"}, "Steals": {"Jrue Holiday": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dante Cunningham": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Dante Cunningham": "3"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (21 - 2) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (11 - 12) 128 - 122 in overtime on Sunday. Golden State has won 16 straight games, and they continue to win despite playing the last three games without starting center Andrew Bogut, whom remains questionable going into this week's games with knee tendinitis and an illness. Stephen Curry carried the Warriors with 34 point Sunday, while three of their bench players finished in double figures to help make up for some of the lack of scoring out of the team's starters. Golden State shot 51 percent from the field and 46 percent from beyond the arc to seal the win. The Warriors will wrap up their three - game road trip in a battle of titans on Tuesday when they visit Memphis to take on the Grizzlies. New Orleans lost Anthony Davis to a chest injury in Friday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers but were still able to come away with a 119 - 114 win on the back of Tyreke Evans' 31 points. With Davis out again Sunday, Evans once again stepped up, putting up 34 points and eight rebounds in 41 minutes. Jrue Holiday also scored 30 points and was a pest on defense with five steals. Ryan Anderson filled in as the starting power forward and finished with 15 points. The Pelicans have won three of their last five games, and more importantly, they've been more competitive over the last week against elite teams thanks to the addition of Dante Cunningham as a defensive player off their bench at small forward. Their next game is at home Tuesday against the Utah Jazz."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "22", "Pistons": "22"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "100", "Pistons": "94"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Kings": "32", "Pistons": "17"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "16", "Pistons": "18"}, "Number of team assists": {"Pistons": "14"}}, {"Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "7", "DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "12", "DeMarcus Cousins": "13"}, "Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "6"}, "Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "24"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}}], "The host Sacramento Kings took down the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, 100 - 94, at Golden 1 Center. Sacramento (16 - 22) trailed by double - digits at points in the second half, but mounted a major comeback with a 32 - 17 scoring advantage in the fourth quarter. Per usual, center DeMarcus Cousins managed to lead the Kings in seemingly every facet of the game. Cousins led the team with 24 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists, while also adding a steal and a block. The Kings were able to hold a substantial advantage on the glass, out - rebounding Detroit 46 - 35. Though Sacramento struggled at points with turnovers, the team was able to make up for it on offense with lights - out three - point shooting. The Kings hit 54 percent of their shots from beyond the arc. Detroit (18 - 22) was not as careless with the ball but struggled in multiple areas on Tuesday. The Pistons recorded just 14 assists on the night, relying heavily on transition offense and ISO ball to lead to scoring. On the defensive end, the team was able to limit scoring on the interior fairly effectively. This was largely due to strong play from All-Star center Andre Drummond, who recorded a whopping seven blocks to go with two steals and 12 rebounds. The Pistons were not as effective covering the perimeter, however, as the team allowed 13 three - pointers on the night. The Pistons will play the Warriors in Oakland on Thursday, while the Kings will host the Cavaliers on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "8", "Clippers": "10"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "12", "Clippers": "13"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "14", "JJ Redick": "11", "Jimmy Butler": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Blake Griffin": "7", "JJ Redick": "2", "Jimmy Butler": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Blake Griffin": "1"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "18", "Pau Gasol": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "11"}, "Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Jimmy Butler": "2"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "2"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (12 - 8) resisted a late surge by the Los Angeles Clippers (13 - 10) to hang onto a much - needed win. Chicago's victory snapped a three - game losing streak and came on the second half of a back - to - back following the team's loss to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. Despite a lackluster shooting night (4 - 14 FGM, 0 - 2 3PM), Bulls star Jimmy Butler was able to control the game in other ways, distributing the ball well for eight assists and recording both two steals and two blocks. Chicago's other reigning All-Star, Pau Gasol, matched Butler's defensive stats while leading the way with a big 24 points on offense. Struggles continued, meanwhile, for former MVP Derrick Rose, who is continuing to put up the worst numbers of his career. The point guard scored just 11 points to go with only three rebounds and two assists. The Clippers, who had won three straight headed into their matchup against Chicago, saw questionable offensive efficiency throughout the game. The team shot just 34 percent from the field, including a dismal 2 - for - 11 night from starter J.J. Redick. On a more positive note, star power forward Blake Griffin continued his campaign to establish himself as one of the league's premier players, scoring 18 points on solid 7 - for - 14 shooting and pulling down 11 rebounds. Griffin has been a force to be reckoned with this season, and has helped build momentum for the rising Clippers team. While Thursday's game snapped their winning streak, the Clippers should hope to bounce back as they take on the 7 - 15 Nets in Brooklyn on Saturday. Chicago, meanwhile, will continue their homestand on Saturday, this time facing Anthony Davis and the Pelicans."], [[{}, {"Points": {"DeAndre Jordan": "13", "Austin Rivers": "22", "Chris Paul": "21", "Anthony Davis": "20", "Buddy Hield": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "25", "Chris Paul": "8", "Anthony Davis": "5"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "6", "E'Twaun Moore": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chris Paul": "2", "Langston Galloway": "1", "E'Twaun Moore": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Buddy Hield": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Buddy Hield": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Terrence Jones": "1"}, "Steals": {"Terrence Jones": "1", "Langston Galloway": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Langston Galloway": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Langston Galloway": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Tyreke Evans": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Tyreke Evans": "1"}}], "This would have been a lopsided game at the beginning of the season, but these are teams going in opposite directions right now. This marks the Pelicans fourth win in five games, while the Clippers have now lost four - straight. The biggest difference in this matchup was transition defense, as New Orleans won the fastbreak differential, 29 - 2. Chris Paul made his return from a two - game absence to tally 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists in the defeat. Austin Rivers led the team in scoring, as he dropped 22 points. DeAndre Jordan was a beast down low for Los Angeles, finishing with 13 points and 25 rebounds. Anthony Davis led the Pelicans in scoring, as he accrued 20 points, five rebounds and three steals. Buddy Hield was second on the team, as he scored 17 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting. New Orleans bench has been one of the worst in the league, but they had Langston Galloway, Terrence Jones, Tyreke Evans and E'Twaun Moore combine for 43 points off the bench in this win."], [[{"Total points": {"Cavaliers": "107", "Pistons": "90"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Cavaliers": "27"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "11", "LeBron James": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Tobias Harris": "3", "LeBron James": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andre Drummond": "16"}, "Free throws made": {"Andre Drummond": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "7", "Kevin Love": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"LeBron James": "2"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "27", "Kevin Love": "16", "Kyrie Irving": "22"}, "Assists": {"Kyrie Irving": "4"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the visiting Detroit Pistons, 107 - 90, on Wednesday at Quicken Loans Arena to take a 20 series lead in the Eastern Conference first - round playoffs. In an unsurprising turn of events, superstar LeBron James led the scoring charge for Cleveland, recording 27 points on the night. James was highly efficient, converting 12 of 18 shots from the field and hitting a pair of three - pointers. Wednesday also marked a significant individual milestone for James, as he passed Michael Jordan in terms of career playoff games played with 180. While LeBron led the way, the rest of Cleveland's superstar trifecta got the job done in the win. Forward Kevin Love posted a 16 - point, 10 - rebound double - double, while point guard Kyrie Irving scored 22 points and also dished four assists. Detroit, meanwhile, struggled mightily against their division rival on Wednesday. All-Star center and NBA rebounding leader Andre Drummond had just seven boards in the contest while also going a dismal 4 - for - 16 from the free - throw line. Things were n't much better for frontcourt partner Tobias Harris, who shot just 3 - for - 11 from the field on Wednesday. Perhaps the biggest issue for Detroit, however, was the gap in perimeter shooting; the Pistons hit just four three - pointers while allowing a whopping 20 for Cleveland. Game 3 will take place in Detroit."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "68"}, "Turnovers": {"Thunder": "14"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Andre Roberson": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Andre Roberson": "1", "Jerami Grant": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Andre Roberson": "1", "Alex Abrines": "4"}, "Steals": {"Andre Roberson": "1", "Jerami Grant": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Andre Roberson": "1", "Jerami Grant": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Alex Abrines": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Russell Westbrook": "1", "Jerami Grant": "1"}, "Assists": {"Doug McDermott": "1", "Jerami Grant": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Jerami Grant": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Jerami Grant": "1"}}], "While the final score may indicate that Tuesday's game between the Thunder and Jazz went wire - to - wire, Oklahoma City actually had control of the game through the first three quarter thanks in large part to their impressive shooting from behind the arc. And, while the final box score shows them shooting an impressive 15 - of - 22 (68 percent) from long range, it is actually even more impressive than that. The Thunder opened Tuesday's contest hitting 12 of their first 12 three - point attempts. Russell Westbrook and Doug McDermott each opened the game shooting 4 - of - 4 from behind the arc, while Alex Abrines was 2 - of - 2, and both Jerami Grant and Andre Roberson hit one from downtown. Westbrook ended up missing the team's first three with just 32 seconds left in the first half, but overall, Oklahoma City managed to hit 14 of their first 15 shots from behind the arc."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "14", "Pelicans": "20"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "93", "Pelicans": "95"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "26", "Pelicans": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Tyreke Evans": "26", "Alexis Ajinca": "22"}, "Minutes played": {"Alexis Ajinca": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Alexis Ajinca": "6", "DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Greivis Vasquez": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Terrence Ross": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Greivis Vasquez": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Greivis Vasquez": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Greivis Vasquez": "2"}, "Steals": {"Greivis Vasquez": "2"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (20 - 20) defeated the Toronto Raptors (26 - 14) 95 - 93 on Sunday. New Orleans found a way to knock off the Raptors despite being without two of their starters for a second straight game. Anthony Davis has missed two straight games with a turf toe injury, and Jrue Holiday has missed three straight games dealing with inflamation in his right ankle, the same ankle that caused Holiday to sit out most of last season with a stress fracture. Tyreke Evans has picked up the slack on offense. He scored a game - high 26 points Sunday. Evans was aided by superb play off the bench from Alexis Ajinca, who put up 22 points and six rebounds in 34 minutes. The Pelicans could get Davis back for Monday's game against the New York Knicks, but Holiday is not expected to play. They remain three games behind the Phoenix Suns for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Toronto has dropped two straight games, falling to the Atlanta Hawks 110 - 89 on Friday before losing Sunday's game as well. After losing the first two quarters Sunday, the Raptors moved Terrence Ross to the bench for the second half and started Greivis Vasquez in his place. After sitting atop the Eastern Conference standings for the better part of the first two months of the season, Toronto has started to fall in the standings. They've dropped seven of their last nine games to fall 7 games behind the East-leading Atlanta Hawks. DeMar DeRozan returned to action three games ago, but he has n't brought the Raptors back to their elite level, yet. The Raptors will go on the road to face the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, giving them an opportunity to begin righting the ship in short order."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "26", "Jazz": "15"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "92", "Jazz": "94"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "11", "Jazz": "23"}}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "16", "Rudy Gobert": "12", "George Hill": "19", "Andrew Wiggins": "16", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "18", "Zach LaVine": "24"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Rudy Gobert": "31", "George Hill": "33", "Zach LaVine": "38"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "13", "George Hill": "5", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "15", "Zach LaVine": "9"}, "Assists": {"George Hill": "7", "Zach LaVine": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"George Hill": "3"}, "Steals": {"Zach LaVine": "1"}}], "The Utah Jazz rallied back to defeat the host Minnesota Timberwolves 94 - 92, at Target Center on Saturday evening. The Jazz used an 110 run late in the fourth quarter to come back and steal one from the Timberwolves. Utah (23 - 15) snapped their short two - game losing streak with an impressive come back win, thanks to a solid team performance. Five players scored in double digits for the Jazz, led by George Hill, who finished with 19 points, along with seven assists and five rebounds, in 33 minutes. This was Hill's first game back after missing three games due to concussion protocol, but he did not look like he missed a beat, as he led the way for the Jazz. Gordon Hayward followed up with 16 points, while Rudy Gobert continued his dominance in the paint, as he finished with 12 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks, in 31 minutes. The Jazz move to 11 - 8 on the road and will be right back in action on Sunday, as they face the fifth and final game of their current road trip, when they visit Memphis. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves (11 - 26) completely fell apart, as they went scoreless in the final 4:40 of the fourth quarter, leading to their fourth straight loss. All five starters scored in double digits for the T-Wolves, led by Zach LaVine, who finished with 24 points, to go along with nine rebounds, four assists and one steal, in 38 minutes. Karl-Anthony Towns was solid, with 18 points and 15 rebounds, while Andrew Wiggins chipped in 16 points. Minnesota's bench was very quiet, adding only 11 points to the cause. The Timberwolves fall to 6 - 13 at home and can only look ahead to their next contest, when they play host to the Mavericks on Monday, for a chance to get back on track."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "22", "Trail Blazers": "16"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "95", "Trail Blazers": "88"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bucks": "18"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "25", "Trail Blazers": "32"}}, {"Minutes played": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "39", "Meyers Leonard": "8", "Chris Kaman": "10", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "33", "Khris Middleton": "42"}, "Points": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "18", "Damian Lillard": "19", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10", "Jared Dudley": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "13", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10", "Khris Middleton": "4"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "9", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1", "John Henson": "1", "Khris Middleton": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Damian Lillard": "1", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1", "John Henson": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Damian Lillard": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Damian Lillard": "1"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (25 - 22) defeated Portland Trail Blazers (32 - 16), 95 - 88. The Trail Blazers scored the final eight points to make the game appear closer than the final score. The Bucks extended their winning streak to three games, and the Trail Blazers lost their third straight game. Meyers Leonard supplanted Chris Kaman in the starting lineup, lasting eight minutes to Kaman's ten. Damian Lillard converted 1 - of - 10 three - pointers one game after knocking in 1 - of - 9 from downtown, scoring 19 points and recording nine assists in the process. LaMarcus Aldridge was limited to 18 points and 13 rebounds in 39 minutes. The Trail Blazers shot 9 - of - 31 from downtown. Six different Bucks scored in double figures, led by Jared Dudley's 18 points. John Henson blocked four shots and the other four starters collected at least two steals each. Giannis Antetokounmpo notched his first double - double since January 6th, contributing 10 points, 10 rebounds, one assist, three steals and one block in 33 minutes. Khris Middleton nabbed a steal for the 16th straight game, chipping in five assists and four rebounds in 42 minutes. The Bucks travel north of the border to face the Toronto Raptors on Monday. The Trail Blazers take two days off before a two - game homestand against the Utah Jazz."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "36"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "53"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "38", "Timberwolves": "51"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "98", "Timberwolves": "85"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "38", "Timberwolves": "25"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Timberwolves": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "3", "Nemanja Bjelica": "2", "Gordon Hayward": "3", "Trey Lyles": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "6", "Gordon Hayward": "5", "Trey Lyles": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Gordon Hayward": "1", "Trey Lyles": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "21", "Gordon Hayward": "15", "Trey Lyles": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "11", "Gordon Hayward": "8", "Trey Lyles": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Gordon Hayward": "7", "Trey Lyles": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "0", "Gordon Hayward": "5", "Trey Lyles": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Andrew Wiggins": "37", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "35", "Nemanja Bjelica": "35", "Gordon Hayward": "36", "Trey Lyles": "35", "Rudy Gobert": "36"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "24", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "17", "Nemanja Bjelica": "15", "Shabazz Muhammad": "10", "Gordon Hayward": "22", "Trey Lyles": "18", "Rudy Gobert": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "11", "Nemanja Bjelica": "8", "Gordon Hayward": "5", "Trey Lyles": "5", "Rudy Gobert": "14"}, "Steals": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Gordon Hayward": "2", "Trey Lyles": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Trey Lyles": "1"}}], "The Utah Jazz (38 - 38) defeated the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves (25 - 51) 98 - 85 on Friday at Vivint Smart Home Arena. The Jazz remain tangled with the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets in a three - way battle for the last two playoff spots in the West. The Jazz hold the eighth and final playoff spot, now one game ahead of the ninth - place Rockets. The Jazz led by two after a tight first half but then dominated the second half by out - scoring the Timberwolves 47 - 36 en route to their 24th win at home. Gordon Hayward led the way with 22 points (8 - 15 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 5 - 7 FT), five rebounds, three assists and two steals, in 36 minutes. Rudy Gobert put in work as he gobbled up 14 rebounds to go a long with 10 points, in 36 minutes. Rookie Trey Lyles was huge in the absence of Derrick Favors, who was out with a sore knee. Lyles finished with 18 points (7 - 16 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT), five rebounds, one steal, one assist and one blocked shot, in 35 minutes. The Jazz shot 53 percent from the field and 36 percent from long range, as they cruised to victory. Andrew Wiggins was the high - point man for the Timberwolves, who have now lost two in a row, as he finished with 24 points (11 - 21 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 0 - 2 FT), along with two rebounds, one assist and one steal, in 37 minutes. Karl-Anthony Towns tallied a double - double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, along with three assists and one blocked shot, in 35 minutes, while Nemanja Bjelica added 15 points, eight rebounds and two assists, in 35 minutes off the bench. The only other player to score in double figures for Minnesota was Shabazz Muhammad, who chipped in 10. Next, the Timberwolves will look to influence the race - for - eighth as they host the Mavericks on Sunday. The Jazz will visit Phoenix to challenge the Suns on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "46", "Clippers": "39"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "21", "Clippers": "12"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "102", "Clippers": "98"}, "Turnovers": {"Pelicans": "6"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "13", "Clippers": "22"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Clippers": "30"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "6", "Austin Rivers": "20", "Buddy Hield": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "5", "Austin Rivers": "9", "Buddy Hield": "7"}, "Points": {"DeAndre Jordan": "13", "Austin Rivers": "22", "Chris Paul": "21", "Anthony Davis": "20", "Buddy Hield": "17", "Jrue Holiday": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "25", "Chris Paul": "8", "Anthony Davis": "5", "Buddy Hield": "6", "Jrue Holiday": "4"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "6", "Jrue Holiday": "9"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Buddy Hield": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Buddy Hield": "1"}, "Steals": {"Buddy Hield": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Buddy Hield": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jrue Holiday": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Jrue Holiday": "1"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Los Angeles Clippers, 102 - 98, at Smoothie King Center on Wednesday. Despite the Clippers leading by eight after the first quarter, the Pelicans fought back and took control in the fourth. In fact, New Orleans outscored Los Angeles by 12 in the second half and led for the majority of the fourth quarter. Defense was key for the Pelicans, as they held the Clippers to 39 percent from the field and 30 percent from three - point range. The Pelicans were very efficient on offense too, as they shot 46 percent and committed just six turnovers. Fastbreak points was the most decisive statistic though, as New Orleans won that category, 29 - 2. The Clippers (22 - 12) got Chris Paul back for this game, but it simply was n't enough against a hot Pelicans team. Paul played great in his return though, as he tallied 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Austin Rivers got the start for J.J. Redick and led the team with 22 points on 9 - of - 20 shooting. DeAndre Jordan had a monster game down low, totaling 13 points and 25 rebounds on 5 - of - 6 shooting. The bench really struggled, as Marreese Speights and Jamal Crawford combined to go 7 - of - 27 from the field. The Clippers will look to get out of this rut on Friday in a road matchup with the Houston Rockets. The Pelicans (13 - 21) have now won four of their last five and this was easily their most impressive win in that stretch. Anthony Davis did n't go off like usual, but he still led the team with 20 points, five rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Jrue Holiday accrued 11 points, four rebounds and nine assists in the win. Buddy Hield had one of his best games of his rookie campaign, collecting 17 points and six rebounds on 7 - of - 11 shooting. Langston Galloway, Terrence Jones, Tyreke Evans and E'Twaun Moore combined for 43 points off the bench. New Orleans will host the New York Knicks on Friday for their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "16", "Knicks": "15"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "102", "Knicks": "98"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "16", "Knicks": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Kristaps Porzingis": "1", "Joakim Noah": "3", "Justin Holiday": "4", "Paul Millsap": "6", "Dwight Howard": "3", "Dennis Schroder": "5", "Kyle Korver": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Carmelo Anthony": "15"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "10", "Kristaps Porzingis": "24", "Joakim Noah": "14", "Derrick Rose": "26", "Justin Holiday": "14", "Thabo Sefolosha": "11", "Paul Millsap": "12", "Dwight Howard": "16", "Kent Bazemore": "11", "Dennis Schroder": "27", "Kyle Korver": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "5", "Kristaps Porzingis": "8", "Joakim Noah": "16", "Justin Holiday": "3", "Paul Millsap": "7", "Dwight Howard": "22", "Kyle Korver": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "3", "Joakim Noah": "1", "Justin Holiday": "1", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Dwight Howard": "1"}, "Steals": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "1", "Joakim Noah": "2", "Justin Holiday": "2", "Paul Millsap": "1", "Dwight Howard": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Derrick Rose": "28", "Paul Millsap": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Derrick Rose": "9", "Paul Millsap": "4"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks defeated the New York Knicks, 102 - 98, in overtime at Phillips Arena on Wednesday. The game was a grind - it - out defensive battle that nevertheless featured multiple impressive individual performances. Things also got heated between Carmelo Anthony and the Hawks' Thabo Sefolosha, leading to an ejection for the former when he racked up a second flagrant foul on the evening. Despite losing their most pivotal offensive piece, the Knicks (16 - 15) hung tough, with Derrick Rose (26 points) and Kristaps Porzingis (24 points) helping them to keep pace with the Hawks (16 - 16). However, Dennis Schroder led all scorers with 27 points and had a key strip of Rose late in overtime, the Knicks' 17th and final turnover of the night, to help carry Atlanta to victory. Rose added seven assists and six rebounds to his team - high point total, but went only 9 - of - 28 from the field. Porzingis also had eight boards, an assist, a steal and three blocks, but missed the first of three free throws after getting fouled behind the arc with the Knicks down by only three. He then purposely missed the third shot but New York was unable to take advantage due to his lane violation on the play. Joakim Noah posted an impressive 14 - point, 16 - rebound double - double that also included three assists, two steals and a block. Anthony compiled 10 points, five boards and an assist before being ejected after 15 minutes on the floor. Justin Holiday paced the bench with 14 points, which he supplemented with four assists, three rebounds, two steals and a block. Schroder complemented his aforementioned scoring total with five assists and a pair of steals. Dwight Howard was a force down low with 22 rebounds, along with 16 points, three assists, a steal and a block. Paul Millsap was only 4 - of - 20 from the field but mustered 12 points, seven rebounds, six assists, two blocks and a steal. Sefolosha and Kent Bazemore provided matching 11 - point totals, while Kyle Korver led the second unit with 13 points, five rebounds and an assist. The Knicks continue on their swing through the Deep South with a visit to the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday evening, while the Hawks remain home to face the Detroit Pistons on Friday as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "34", "Magic": "42"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "118", "Magic": "102"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pistons": "30"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "38", "Magic": "29"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "40"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"Evan Fournier": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "3", "Victor Oladipo": "5", "Elfrid Payton": "10", "Jason Smith": "4", "Tobias Harris": "3", "Marcus Morris": "4", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Darrun Hilliard": "3", "Reggie Jackson": "9", "Stanley Johnson": "2"}, "Points": {"Evan Fournier": "14", "Aaron Gordon": "15", "Victor Oladipo": "14", "Elfrid Payton": "20", "Jason Smith": "12", "Tobias Harris": "18", "Marcus Morris": "15", "Andre Drummond": "30", "Darrun Hilliard": "11", "Reggie Jackson": "16", "Stanley Johnson": "13", "Aron Baynes": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Evan Fournier": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "11", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "10", "Jason Smith": "3", "Tobias Harris": "4", "Marcus Morris": "5", "Andre Drummond": "14", "Darrun Hilliard": "6", "Reggie Jackson": "2", "Stanley Johnson": "8", "Aron Baynes": "2"}, "Steals": {"Evan Fournier": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "1", "Marcus Morris": "2", "Darrun Hilliard": "1", "Stanley Johnson": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Victor Oladipo": "1", "Tobias Harris": "2", "Andre Drummond": "2", "Aron Baynes": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Elfrid Payton": "34"}, "Turnovers": {"Reggie Jackson": "6"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (38 - 34) defeated the Orlando Magic (29 - 42) 118 - 102 on Wednesday. Detroit entered the night on the cusp of the eighth seed, just a mere percentage point behind the Chicago Bulls. However, their efforts to possibly vault into that slot by night's end - - and keep their two - game winning streak alive in the process - - were going to have to be carried out without their emerging two - guard, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who was forced to miss the game with an illness. Detroit proved aptly capable of making up for his absence, as all five members of the first unit posted double - digit scoring. That included 2015 second - rounder Darrun Hillard, who managed 11 points, six rebounds, three assists and a steal in Caldwell-Pope's stead. The Pistons also played outstanding team defense, holding the Magic to 40 - and - 32 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively. Orlando was led by a spectacular triple - double off the bench from Elfrid Payton, who managed 20 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and a steal over 34 minutes. Aaron Gordon was next with a 15 - point total that paced the starters, and he also added 11 rebounds and three assists. Evan Fournier and Victor Oladipo were next with a pair of 14 - point efforts, with the former also contributing a rebound, an assist and a steal, and the latter pitching in with five assists, three rebounds, three steals and a block. Jason Smith was also productive in a reserve role, registering 12 points, four assists and three rebounds. The Magic remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division, and are 9 games behind the eighth - seeded Chicago Bulls. They head to Miami to take on the Heat on Friday night. Detroit was spearheaded by a remarkable outing from Andre Drummond, who totaled 30 points, 14 rebounds, an assist and a pair of blocks. Tobias Harris was next with a nice bounce - back effort after a lackluster performance in his last game, compiling 18 points, four rebounds, three assists and a pair of blocks. Reggie Jackson stepped up with 16 points, nine assists and two rebounds, with his six turnovers serving as a blemish on an otherwise solid night. Marcus Morris was close behind with 15 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals. Stanley Johnson and Arron Baynes paced the reserves with a pair of 13 - point contributions. The former complemented his scoring with eight rebounds, two assists and a steal, while the latter also supplied two rebounds and a block. The Pistons have moved into third place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division, and have momentarily vaulted into the eighth seed in the conference with the victory.They're home again versus the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Clippers": "33", "Jazz": "46"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "51", "Jazz": "51"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "8", "Jazz": "7"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "91", "Jazz": "102"}, "Turnovers": {"Clippers": "19"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "7", "Jazz": "7"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "7", "Chris Paul": "2", "Josh Smith": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Chris Paul": "2", "Josh Smith": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "22", "Derrick Favors": "15", "Rudy Gobert": "4", "Blake Griffin": "23", "Chris Paul": "15", "Josh Smith": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "11", "Derrick Favors": "10", "Rudy Gobert": "4", "Blake Griffin": "18", "Chris Paul": "10", "Josh Smith": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "8", "Derrick Favors": "2", "Rudy Gobert": "4", "Blake Griffin": "5", "Chris Paul": "2", "Josh Smith": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Gordon Hayward": "6", "Derrick Favors": "2", "Rudy Gobert": "2", "Blake Griffin": "4", "Chris Paul": "2", "Josh Smith": "1"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "33", "Derrick Favors": "22", "Rudy Gobert": "10", "Blake Griffin": "40", "DeAndre Jordan": "8", "Chris Paul": "24", "Josh Smith": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "7", "Rudy Gobert": "11", "Blake Griffin": "12", "Chris Paul": "5"}, "Steals": {"Gordon Hayward": "3", "Derrick Favors": "3"}, "Assists": {"Derrick Favors": "2", "Chris Paul": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Derrick Favors": "33"}, "Blocks": {"Blake Griffin": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Blake Griffin": "1"}}], "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."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Raptors": "28", "Hawks": "44"}}, {"Points": {"Dwight Howard": "27", "Dennis Schroder": "24", "DeMar DeRozan": "34", "Kyle Lowry": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "15", "Dennis Schroder": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "2"}, "Assists": {"Dennis Schroder": "6", "DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "6"}}], "While Toronto added to their dominant offensive numbers, they could n't quite pull out a win against a hungry Hawks team. In fact, Atlanta led for nearly every minute of this game, with Toronto holding their only lead in the first quarter. Both offenses were on point, as they each shot over 53 percent from the field. The Hawks made their presence felt down low, outrebounding the Raptors, 44 - 28, and outscoring them in the paint, 62 - 46. DeMar DeRozan did all he could to keep the Raptors hanging around, as he tallied 34 points, five rebounds and four assists in the defeat. Kyle Lowry was n't far behind, providing 27 points and six assists. Dwight Howard was the player of the game, as he totaled 27 points and 15 rebounds in the victory. Dennis Schroder also continued his great form, accumulating 24 points, two rebounds and six assists."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "19"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "20", "76ers": "29"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "88", "76ers": "90"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nets": "17", "76ers": "26"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "16", "76ers": "6"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "3", "Robert Covington": "6", "Tony Wroten": "3", "Joe Johnson": "3", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Jarrett Jack": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "2", "Robert Covington": "3", "Tony Wroten": "0", "Joe Johnson": "1", "Brook Lopez": "0", "Jarrett Jack": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "10", "Nerlens Noel": "10", "Robert Covington": "12", "Tony Wroten": "13", "Joe Johnson": "14", "Mason Plumlee": "9", "Brook Lopez": "17", "Jarrett Jack": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "6", "Nerlens Noel": "6", "Robert Covington": "8", "Tony Wroten": "5", "Joe Johnson": "4", "Mason Plumlee": "5", "Brook Lopez": "9", "Jarrett Jack": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "2", "Robert Covington": "2", "Tony Wroten": "4", "Joe Johnson": "4", "Mason Plumlee": "8", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Jarrett Jack": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "2", "Robert Covington": "1", "Tony Wroten": "2", "Joe Johnson": "4", "Mason Plumlee": "5", "Brook Lopez": "0", "Jarrett Jack": "6"}, "Points": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "16", "Nerlens Noel": "12", "Robert Covington": "20", "Tony Wroten": "12", "Joe Johnson": "13", "Mason Plumlee": "15", "Brook Lopez": "18", "Jarrett Jack": "14"}, "Assists": {"Nerlens Noel": "2", "Tony Wroten": "4", "Jarrett Jack": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Nerlens Noel": "2", "Brook Lopez": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Nerlens Noel": "2", "Brook Lopez": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Nerlens Noel": "5", "Robert Covington": "7", "Mason Plumlee": "15", "Brook Lopez": "6"}, "Steals": {"Robert Covington": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Tony Wroten": "28", "Brook Lopez": "28"}, "Turnovers": {"Jarrett Jack": "3"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers (6 - 29) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (16 - 20) 90 - 88 on Friday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. After coming out of the third quarter down 71 - 64, the Sixers were able to out - score the Nets 26 - 17 in the fourth quarter to steal a two - point victory on the road. Brook Lopez was able to tie the game at 88 with 25 seconds to go, but Nerlens Noel came back with a clutch jumper of his own, giving the Sixers the go - ahead bucket with just three seconds left in the game. Brook Lopez heaved a three - point shot at the buzzer but missed, giving the Sixers a rare win. The Sixers secured a large three - point advantage in this game, going 47 percent from beyond the arc, while the Nets went just 19 percent from deep. Back in the starting lineup, Robert Covington led the Sixers with 20 points (8 - 12 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT), while also adding seven rebounds and six steals. After a brutal showing on Wednesday against the Bucks, it was a nice bounce back game for him. The six steals were also a season - high, as he was productive on both sides of the ball Friday. Luc Mbah a Moute had a solid showing, going 6 - for - 10 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 16 points. He missed the previous two outings with a toe injury, so it was a very positive showing for him in his return. In addition to his go - ahead jumper to take the lead in the final seconds, Noel added 12 points (6 - 10 FG), five rebounds and two blocked shots. He's combined for 25 points over his last two games, showing some improvement offensively. The only other Sixer to reach double figures in points was Tony Wroten, who came off the bench for 12 points (5 - 13 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT) and four assists in 28 minutes. Back in the starting lineup due to Kevin Garnett sitting out with injury, Brook Lopez had a big impact for the Nets. He finished with 18 points (9 - 17 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 0 - 1 FT), six rebounds and two blocked shots in 28 minutes. He continues to have a defensive presence, as he's had at least two blocks in his last three games. With Deron Williams out indefinitely, Jarrrett Jack remained the starting point guard. He notched a double - double, recording 14 points (4 - 9 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 6 - 8 FT) and 10 assists. It was his second double - double in the last three games, as he continues to excel as a member of the starting lineup. Mason Plumlee had a double - double of his own with 15 points (5 - 9 FG, 5 - 8 FT) and 15 rebounds. Even with Lopez's entrance in the starting lineup, Plumlee was able to stay a hound on the boards. Joe Johnson did n't have his best night offensively, scoring only 13 points (4 - 14 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) in 37 minutes. The Nets' next game will be on the road against the Detroit Pistons on Saturday, while the Sixers will be at home against the Indiana Pacers on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "27", "Jazz": "28"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "115", "Jazz": "111"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "29", "Jazz": "27"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "29", "Jazz": "27"}}, {"Assists": {"Rodney Hood": "2", "Shelvin Mack": "6", "Mason Plumlee": "6", "CJ McCollum": "3"}, "Points": {"Rodney Hood": "18", "Shelvin Mack": "16", "Mason Plumlee": "9", "CJ McCollum": "31", "Damian Lillard": "30"}, "Minutes played": {"Shelvin Mack": "24", "CJ McCollum": "37"}, "Rebounds": {"Mason Plumlee": "9", "CJ McCollum": "1"}, "Steals": {"Mason Plumlee": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "21", "Damian Lillard": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ McCollum": "11", "Damian Lillard": "10"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Damian Lillard": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Damian Lillard": "2"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (29 - 27) defeated the Utah Jazz (27 - 28) 115 - 111 at Moda Center on Sunday. Damian Lillard continues to solidify his place as one of the best fourth quarter players in the NBA after driving to the rim twice in the waning minutes of the final period, which put the Blazers in the win column once again. Lillard put forth his fourth straight 30 - plus point performance, and although he fell short of his explosive 51 points against the Golden State Warriors, he did score 30 points on 10 - of - 21 shooting, the majority of which came in the second half. The final four minutes of regulation mostly came down to a defensive battle, where both teams earned stop after stop to keep their chances of winning in tact, which came to be the theme of the matchup that resulted in 12 lead changes and 13 times both teams were dead even. CJ McCollum led all scorers with a balanced game in both halves of play, scoring 31 points, to go along with three assists and one rebound on 11 - of - 21 shooting in 37 minutes. Mason Plumlee scrapped and clawed his way down the stretch and added nine points, nine rebounds and six assists, including two crucial passes to Lillard during the fourth quarter that set up the point guard to finish at the basket. The Jazz were led by the forward combination of Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors, who combined for 43 points and 13 rebounds. Favors pulled down some fantastic rebounds on the offensive end, some of which he was outnumbered by 3 - 4 Blazers players. HIs five fouls became an unfortunate disadvantage late in the game. Rodney Hood contributed 18 points and two assists in the backcourt, while newcomer Shelvin Mack added 16 points and six assists in 24 minutes off the bench. Both teams play on Tuesday, as the Blazers host the Brooklyn Nets (15 - 41), while the Jazz host the Houston Rockets (28 - 28)."], [[{"Total points": {"Clippers": "123", "Raptors": "115"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "6"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "8"}}, {"Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "25", "Blake Griffin": "26", "DeAndre Jordan": "17", "Chris Paul": "26"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "14"}, "Free throws made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "9"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"DeAndre Jordan": "3"}}], "The host Los Angeles Clippers defeated the visiting Toronto Raptors on Monday, 123 - 115. Los Angeles (13 - 2) remains the first - ranked team in the NBA following Monday's win. The team has seen just two losses in fifteen games, coming by margins of just two and four points each. The Clippers have dominated both ends of the floor en route to a league - best record, and Monday was no exception. It was a big night for the Clippers' starting five, as three players scored 20 or more points and each starter scored at least 10. The dynamic All-Star duo of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin scored 26 points each. DeAndre Jordan, meanwhile, scored 17 and hit 9 - of - 14 from the free - throw line. In the third quarter, the Raptors began to employ the common strategy of \"hacking\" the big man in hopes of missed free - throws. Instead, Jordan hit 5 - of - 6 in a three - possession stretch, putting the Clippers up by as much as 17. Despite a valiant comeback attempt, Los Angeles was able to maintain the sizeable lead. Toronto (8 - 6) has now lost four of its last five outings and is falling in the Eastern Conference standings. Boston is now tied with Toronto for the lead in the Atlantic Division. The Raptors experienced heartbreak following a controversial overturned buzzer - beater in Sunday's outing against Sacramento. The finish was less dramatic on Monday, as the Raptors were simply unable to overcome the lead established by the Clippers. The NBA's leading scorer, DeMar DeRozan, scored an impressive 25 points, while teammate Kyle Lowry had 26. The All-Star duo was unable to get the job done at Staples Center, however. The Clippers will visit Dallas on Wednesday, while Toronto will visit Houston."], [[{}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "18", "DeAndre' Bembry": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "12", "DeAndre' Bembry": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "5"}, "Points": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "33", "Dwight Howard": "24", "DeAndre' Bembry": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "6", "Dwight Howard": "23"}, "Minutes played": {"Dwight Howard": "37", "DeAndre' Bembry": "21"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Dwight Howard": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Dwight Howard": "5"}}], "It was n't the usual cast of characters that carried the Hawks to their comeback victory against the Rockets on Thursday, as Tim Hardaway Jr., Dwight Howard and rookie DeAndre Bembry all put together season - best performances in the outing. First, the star of the show was Hardaway, who, after putting up 23 points in the fourth quarter, ended up with a career - high 33 points on 12 - of - 18 shooting from the field. Howard, who came into Thursday's contest recording five double - doubles in his last six games, had his most productive performance of the season, posting 24 points and 23 rebounds in 37 minutes. Lastly, Bembry, who has only occasionally seen quality minutes this season, played 21 minutes and shot 5 - of - 6 from the field en route to scoring a season - high 10 points and grabbing a season - high three rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "5", "Celtics": "12"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "108", "Celtics": "101"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "20", "Celtics": "13"}}, {"Assists": {"Avery Bradley": "6", "Kawhi Leonard": "6", "David Lee": "3"}, "Points": {"Avery Bradley": "25", "Terry Rozier": "12", "Kawhi Leonard": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Avery Bradley": "10", "David Lee": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Terry Rozier": "25"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "9", "David Lee": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "7", "David Lee": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"David Lee": "3"}}], "The host San Antonio Spurs defeated the visiting Boston Celtics on Wednesday, 108 - 101. The Spurs (20 - 5) hold the second - best record in the NBA and are within a game of the Warriors for the top seed in the Western Conference. On Wednesday, the team showed why that is, exhibiting a balanced approach on both ends of the floor. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year and MVP runner - up Kawhi Leonard led the team with 26 points on the night. Leonard hit 9 - of - 17 from the field and made all seven of his free - throws while also dishing six assists en route to victory. Though the Celtics appeared to make a comeback push, the Spurs managed to separate themselves in the fourth quarter, putting the game out of reach. With big man LaMarcus Aldridge sitting the game out, forward David Lee filled in as a starter, providing an important 10 rebounds to help San Antonio finish plus - three on the boards. The Celtics (13 - 12), meanwhile, have lost three straight, but have also been missing All-Star Isaiah Thomas (groin). Guard Avery Bradley stepped up to fill Thomas's role a bit on Wednesday, leading the team with 25 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. Five Celtics finished with double - digit scoring, including bench guard Terry Rozier. In 25 minutes, Rozier scored 12 points and did not commit a turnover. The team saw solid ball movement, dishing 25 assists on the night. The Spurs will visit Phoenix on Thursday to play the Suns while the Celtics will host the Hornets on Friday in Boston."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "42"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "98", "Cavaliers": "100"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pistons": "24"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pistons": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Pistons": "42"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "42"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "6", "Kevin Love": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "5", "Matthew Dellavedova": "1", "Tobias Harris": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "12"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "22", "Kevin Love": "11", "JR Smith": "15", "Kyrie Irving": "31", "Matthew Dellavedova": "11", "Tobias Harris": "23", "Marcus Morris": "24", "Andre Drummond": "17", "Reggie Jackson": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "11", "Kevin Love": "13", "JR Smith": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "3", "Tobias Harris": "13", "Marcus Morris": "1", "Andre Drummond": "11", "Reggie Jackson": "3"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "2", "Kevin Love": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kyrie Irving": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "1"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the host Detroit Pistons, 100 - 98, to sweep the best - of - seven Eastern Conference first - round playoff series Sunday at The Palace of Auburn Hills. As would have been expected, the Pistons went down scratching and clawing until the closing seconds of the contest that ultimately ended their 2015 - 16 season. The game was a nip - and - tuck battle for all four quarters, with the two teams alternating the advantage through the first half. Cleveland entered the final quarter nursing a razor - thin 81 - 78 edge, and needed a clutch three - pointer from Kyrie Irving with 42 seconds remaining to put some distance between them and the Pistons. Detroit had closed the gap to 97 - 96 on the prior possession with a timely long - range shot of their own from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope with 1:7 left. Reggie Jackson was able to get the Pistons back within two after Irving's shot with a driving dunk with 32 seconds left, but then misfired on a 26 - foot three - point jumper with a second remaining that would have given them a likely 101 - 100 win. Instead, it's the Cavaliers that move on to the second round of the playoffs, in their continued attempt to return to the NBA Finals for a second consecutive season. Irving led the way with 31 points, five assists, three rebounds and a steal, including a mid - court buzzer beater to close out the third quarter. LeBron James turned in a double - double, totaling 22 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and two steals. J.R. Smith followed with 15 points and a rebound. Kevin Love produced a double - double of his own, managing 11 points, 13 rebounds, two assists and a steal. Matthew Delladedova paced the bench with 11 points and an assist. Detroit's attack was spearheaded by Maurice Morris's 24 points, which he complemented with a rebound. Tobias Harris supplied a 23 - point, 13 - rebound double - double that also included a pair of assists. Andre Drummond tallied 17 points, 11 rebounds and a pair of blocks. Jackson registered 13 points, 12 assists, three rebounds and a block. Cleveland will face off with the winner of the Celtics-Hawks series in the second round."], [[{"Total points": {"Nuggets": "108", "Trail Blazers": "104"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "4"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "4"}}, {"Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "7", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Damian Lillard": "38", "JJ Hickson": "30"}, "Points": {"Damian Lillard": "30", "JJ Hickson": "19", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"JJ Hickson": "13", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "2"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (2 - 5) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (4 - 4) 108 - 104 Monday at the Pepsi Center in Denver. The teams traded blows throughout the night in the back - and - forth affair, by the Nuggets were ultimately able to hold off the opposition in the end. J.J. Hickson had a very productive evening, posting a double - double of 19 points and 13 rebounds in 30 minutes. Rookie Emmanuel Mudiay also managed contribute to in multiple categories recording 18 points, six rebounds, five assists and a season - low two turnovers. Despite defeat, Portland\u2019s starters performed adequately, as each managed to score in double figures in the losing effort. Damian Lillard continues to excel as the leader of the team. He scored 30 points, and dished out seven assists in 38 minutes and has now scored at least 25 points in five straight games. Up next, the Trail Blazers will head home to take on the Spurs Wednesday, while the Nuggets will stay home and play the Bucks Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "47"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "48"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "40", "Suns": "52"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "120", "Suns": "106"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hornets": "38", "Suns": "18"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hornets": "31"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "33", "Suns": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"TJ Warren": "2", "Marquese Chriss": "1", "Devin Booker": "5", "Tyler Ulis": "9", "Jared Dudley": "5", "Alan Williams": "2", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "3", "Marvin Williams": "2", "Cody Zeller": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "10", "Kemba Walker": "9", "Frank Kaminsky": "2"}, "Points": {"TJ Warren": "21", "Marquese Chriss": "13", "Devin Booker": "23", "Tyler Ulis": "16", "Jared Dudley": "12", "Alan Williams": "11", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "14", "Marvin Williams": "21", "Cody Zeller": "16", "Nicolas Batum": "18", "Kemba Walker": "31", "Frank Kaminsky": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"TJ Warren": "10", "Marquese Chriss": "3", "Devin Booker": "4", "Tyler Ulis": "4", "Jared Dudley": "2", "Alan Williams": "11", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "5", "Marvin Williams": "7", "Cody Zeller": "7", "Nicolas Batum": "6", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Frank Kaminsky": "7"}, "Steals": {"TJ Warren": "4", "Tyler Ulis": "1", "Alan Williams": "1", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "1", "Marvin Williams": "1", "Cody Zeller": "4", "Nicolas Batum": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Devin Booker": "1", "Alan Williams": "1", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "1", "Kemba Walker": "1"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Phoenix Suns, 120 - 106, at Spectrum Center on Sunday afternoon. The Hornets (33 - 40) came into Sunday's game with a golden opportunity to keep their faint playoff hopes alive, as the Suns (22 - 52), despite plenty of offensive prowess, had been a complete sieve on defense. Charlotte exploited the opportunity to its fullest potential, with six players hitting double digits in the scoring column. The Hornets also shot 48 percent from the field and 47 percent from three - point range and essentially put their stamp on the game in the first quarter, when they jumped out to a 38 - 18 lead. Devin Booker could n't come anywhere close to his 70 - point effort from Friday night, but his 23 points did lead the Suns on the afternoon. He supplemented that total with five assists, four rebounds and one block. T.J. Warren followed with a 21 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included two assists and four steals. Tyler Ulis provided 16 points, nine assists, four rebounds and one steal. Marquese Chriss tallied 13 points, three boards and one assist. Jared Dudley led the bench with 12 points, five assists and two rebounds. Alan Williams supplied an 11 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included two assists, a steal and a block. Kemba Walker led the way for Charlotte with 31 points, which he supplemented with nine assists, four rebounds and one block. Marvin Williams managed 21 points, seven rebounds, two assists and a steal. Nicolas Batum pitched in with 18 points, 10 assists, six rebounds and one steal. Cody Zeller totaled 16 points, seven boards, two assists and four steals. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist rounded out the starting five's productive afternoon with 14 points, five rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. Frank Kaminsky III paced the bench with 10 points, seven boards and two assists. The Suns next head to Altanta where they'll tangle with the Hawks on Tuesday evening while the Hornets remain home to face the Milwaukee Bucks on that same night."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "12", "Pistons": "24"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "25", "Pistons": "14"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pistons": "34"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Greg Monroe": "33", "Brandon Jennings": "34"}, "Points": {"Greg Monroe": "22", "Brandon Jennings": "34", "Kyle Lowry": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Greg Monroe": "10", "Kyle Lowry": "7"}, "Assists": {"Brandon Jennings": "10", "Kyle Lowry": "12"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Lowry": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyle Lowry": "7"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (14 - 24) took down the Toronto Raptors (25 - 12) on Monday at the Air Canada Centre. Brandon Jennings led the Pistons with 34 points and 10 assists in 34 minutes. He has scored 29 - plus points in three of his last seven games after doing that just once through his first 31 games this season. Greg Monroe also finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds in 33 minutes. Detroit has been red - hot without Josh Smith, going 9 - 1 since his departure. The one loss came against the Atlanta Hawks, who hold the Eastern Conference's best record. Jonas Valunciunas put up 22 points and 10 rebounds in the first half. However, he cooled down in the second half and ended up with 31 points and 12 rebounds. Kyle Lowry had a rough night with 10 points on 3 - of - 12 from the floor to go with seven turnovers. He did manage to pitch in seven rebounds, 12 assists and two steals. While Toronto sits second in the Eastern Conference, they're off to a 1 - 4 start in January. The Pistons will now head back to Detroit to play the Pelicans, as the Raptors will stay home and face the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "39"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "28", "Nets": "43"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "111", "Nets": "107"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hornets": "24"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "24", "Nets": "9"}}, {"Assists": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "1", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Randy Foye": "3", "Joe Harris": "1", "Trevor Booker": "3", "Isaiah Whitehead": "7", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "2", "Frank Kaminsky": "5", "Nicolas Batum": "4", "Kemba Walker": "5"}, "Points": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "22", "Brook Lopez": "20", "Randy Foye": "8", "Joe Harris": "12", "Trevor Booker": "10", "Isaiah Whitehead": "11", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "14", "Marvin Williams": "14", "Frank Kaminsky": "12", "Nicolas Batum": "17", "Kemba Walker": "17", "Jeremy Lamb": "16", "Marco Belinelli": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "5", "Joe Harris": "4", "Trevor Booker": "12", "Isaiah Whitehead": "1", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "7", "Marvin Williams": "9", "Frank Kaminsky": "11", "Nicolas Batum": "8", "Kemba Walker": "3", "Marco Belinelli": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "4", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "1", "Marvin Williams": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "2", "Jeremy Lamb": "1", "Marco Belinelli": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Isaiah Whitehead": "26", "Jeremy Lamb": "19"}, "Steals": {"Isaiah Whitehead": "1", "Frank Kaminsky": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "4", "Jeremy Lamb": "1"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 111 - 107, at Spectrum Center on Tuesday. The Hornets (24 - 28) had to have come in to Tuesday's tilt with an extra air of confidence, given that the Nets (9 - 43) had won just two road games in 24 attempts this season. However, Brooklyn came to play, as they did in all four games against Charlotte this season. Their second unit turned in 43 points, and they limited their hosts to 39 and 27 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively. They also battled back from a 54 - 37 halftime deficit to score 70 points in the second half. However, two clutch free throws by Marco Belinelli with six seconds remaining provided the final margin of victory for the Hornets. The Nets were led by Bojan Bogdanovic, who tallied 22 points, five rebounds and one assist, and who drained two his trio of three - pointers in the closing seconds to keep things interesting. Brook Lopez was next with 20 points, five rebounds, one assist and four blocks. Joe Harris led the bench with 12 points, four rebounds and one assist. Isaiah Whitehead was productive as well with 11 points, seven assists, one rebound and one steal in 26 minutes. Trevor Booker posted a 10 - point, 12 - rebound double - double that also included three assists. Randy Foye filled out the stat sheet with eight points, four rebounds and three assists. The Hornets saw Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum lead the way with matching 17 - point efforts, with the former adding five assists and three boards, and the latter compiling eight boards, four assists, four steals and two blocks. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Marvin Williams managed 14 points apiece. Kidd-Gilchrist also posted seven rebounds, two assists and a block, while Williams hauled in nine boards and a pair of blocks. Frank Kaminsky drew the start at center for the ailing Cody Zeller (quad) and turned in a 12 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included five assists and a steal. Belinelli led the second unit with 17 points, three rebounds and a block, while Jeremy Lamb provided 16 points, seven boards, a steal and a block in 19 highly efficient minutes off the bench. The Nets head back home to tangle with the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night, while the Hornets remain home to face off with the Houston Rockets on Thursday evening."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "15", "Suns": "17"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "100", "Suns": "95"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Spurs": "20"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Spurs": "10", "Suns": "26"}, "Turnovers": {"Spurs": "15", "Suns": "19"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "22", "Suns": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Alex Len": "4", "Goran Dragic": "17", "Tim Duncan": "12", "Danny Green": "20", "Tony Parker": "7", "Patty Mills": "15", "Cory Joseph": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Alex Len": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Tony Parker": "22", "Cory Joseph": "24"}}], "Danny Green scored 20 points and Patty Mills added 15 off the bench as the Spurs (22 - 15) took care of the Suns (22 - 17) 100 - 95 on Friday. San Antonio carried a six - point lead into the half, but the Suns came out firing in the third quarter, outscoring the Spurs 26 - 10 in the period. San Antonio would respond, however, starting the fourth on an 11 - 5 run keyed by three - pointers from Green and Mills. A Cory Joseph layup with 5:15 to play gave the Spurs their first lead of the fourth quarter, but Gerald Green would answer back on the ensuing Phoenix possession to give the Suns an 80 - 79 advantage. Joseph countered with two more baskets, putting the Spurs up for good with 3:55 remaining. The teams traded baskets down the stretch, but the San Antonio lead never shrunk to lower than three points. Green\u2019s 20 led the way for San Antonio, and Tim Duncan (12 points) was the only other starter in double - figures. Tony Parker scored seven points in 22 minutes, and Joseph finished with 11 points in 24 minutes off the bench. The Spurs outscored Phoenix 50 - 32 in the paint and forced 19 turnovers. The Suns had five players in double - figures, led by 19 points apiece from P.J. Tucker and Eric Bledsoe. Alex Len added four points and 12 rebounds, and Goran Dragic finished with 17 points. The Suns\u2019 leading scorer, Markieff Morris, had a rough night going 1 - of - 3 from the field and picking up a costly technical late in the fourth. Phoenix now travels to Memphis to face the Grizzlies on Sunday evening. San Antonio begins a three - game road trip Saturday in Minnesota."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "22", "Clippers": "15"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "108", "Clippers": "103"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pelicans": "28"}, "Turnovers": {"Pelicans": "8", "Clippers": "5"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "25", "Clippers": "32"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Clippers": "28"}}, {"Assists": {"JJ Redick": "4", "Chris Paul": "7"}, "Blocks": {"JJ Redick": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"JJ Redick": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"JJ Redick": "28", "Chris Paul": "38", "Jamal Crawford": "28", "Eric Gordon": "38", "Alexis Ajinca": "24"}, "Points": {"JJ Redick": "12", "Chris Paul": "24", "Jamal Crawford": "15", "Ryan Anderson": "24", "Eric Gordon": "28", "Alexis Ajinca": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"JJ Redick": "1", "Chris Paul": "8", "Jamal Crawford": "1", "Ryan Anderson": "9", "Alexis Ajinca": "9"}, "Turnovers": {"JJ Redick": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Eric Gordon": "5"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (25 - 22) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers (32 - 15) 108 - 103 on Friday. New Orleans did n't let the absence of Anthony Davis (adductor) slow them down. They've won five of their last six games, and Eric Gordon stepped up Friday, putting up a game - high 28 points in 38 minutes. As has happened often when Davis is out of the lineup, Alexis Ajinca had a nice game off the bench, putting up 17 points and nine rebounds in 24 minutes, and Ryan Anderson moved into the starting lineup to put up 24 points and nine rebounds. The Pelicans are two games out of the final playoff spot in the West, just behind the Phoenix Suns. Los Angeles saw their six - game winning streak come to an end. Six players scored in double digits, and J.J. Redick returned from a one - game absence due to back spasms to put up 12 points and four assists in 28 minutes, but it was n't enough to hold back the Pelicans. With Redick back in action, Jamal Crawford returned to a bench role and put up 15 points and one rebound in 28 minutes. Chris Paul approached a double - double and put on display his All-Star pedigree with a team - high 24 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in 38 minutes. The Clippers are tied with the Portland Trail Blazers for fifth place in the Western Conference standings, six games behind the conference - leading Golden State Warriors. The Pelicans will host the Atlanta Hawks on Monday. The Clippers are in the midst of an eight - game road trip that will see them play the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Mavericks": "26"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "40", "Clippers": "30"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "97", "Clippers": "95"}, "Turnovers": {"Mavericks": "9"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "31", "Clippers": "43"}}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "2", "Chris Paul": "6", "Dirk Nowitzki": "4", "Nerlens Noel": "3", "Seth Curry": "4"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "21", "DeAndre Jordan": "14", "Chris Paul": "15", "Harrison Barnes": "21", "Dirk Nowitzki": "14", "Nerlens Noel": "8", "Seth Curry": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "5", "DeAndre Jordan": "18", "Chris Paul": "6", "Dirk Nowitzki": "4", "Nerlens Noel": "12", "Seth Curry": "3"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "2"}, "Steals": {"Chris Paul": "3", "Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "2"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Los Angeles Clippers, 97 - 95, at American Airlines Center on Thursday. Dallas have now beat Los Angeles twice this season in three games, as they clearly match up well with this Clipper team. It was tightly contested though, as there were 10 ties and 11 lead changes, with neither team leading by more than 12 points. The assist - to - turnover ratio was decisive, as Dallas recorded 26 assists to nine turnovers, while Los Angeles committed 17 turnovers to just 18 assists. The Clippers (43 - 30) had a tough task here against a desperate Mavs team and they fell just short in this tight battle. Blake Griffin led the way for Los Angeles, as he tallied 21 points, five rebounds and two assists. DeAndre Jordan recorded a double - double, totaling 14 points, 18 rebounds and two blocks. Chris Paul finished with 15 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals. On deck for the Clippers is a home matchup against the Utah Jazz on Saturday. The Mavericks (31 - 40) are trying to keep their playoffs hope alive and this win can only help that pursuit. Seth Curry scored a game - high 23 points to lead Dallas, as he also added three rebounds and four assists to his tally. Harrison Barnes was the hero, as he scored 21 points in addition to hitting the go - ahead jumper with one minute left, following that up with a crucial steal. Dirk Nowitzki accrued 14 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals. Nerlens Noel got the start and collected eight points, 12 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. On deck for the Mavericks is a home matchup versus the Toronto Raptors on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "25", "76ers": "45"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "104", "76ers": "88"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bucks": "21"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "32", "76ers": "12"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Jason Richardson": "25", "Thomas Robinson": "13", "Michael Carter-Williams": "18", "Jerryd Bayless": "30", "John Henson": "29"}, "Points": {"Jason Richardson": "16", "Thomas Robinson": "7", "Michael Carter-Williams": "7", "Jerryd Bayless": "13", "John Henson": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Thomas Robinson": "6", "John Henson": "9"}, "Assists": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "8", "Jerryd Bayless": "2", "John Henson": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "3"}, "Steals": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "2", "John Henson": "2"}, "Blocks": {"John Henson": "3"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (32 - 25) beat the Philadelphia 76ers (12 - 45) 104 - 88 on Wednesday. Michael Carter-Williams made his Bucks debut against the team that sent him away at the trade deadline last Thursday. He started and finished with seven points, eight assists and two steals in 18 minutes. He had been bothered by a toe injury and had n't played since Feb. 3. Jerryd Bayless moved back to a bench role with the availability of Carter-Williams, but the former still scored 13 points in 30 minutes. John Henson had his best performance of the season Wednesday. He came off the bench and led Milwaukee in scoring with 21 points to go along with nine rebounds, three blocks, two assists and two steals in 29 minutes. On the injury front, shooting guard O.J. Mayo did not play due to a sore right hamstring. Playing in just his third game of the season, Jason Richardson (knee) started at shooting guard and led the Sixers in scoring with 16 points in 25 minutes. Thomas Robinson, who was acquired of waivers this week, played 13 minutes and finished with seven points and six rebounds. However, Philadelphia has lost five straight games and have n't beat a team that is currently over .500 since defeating the New Orleans Pelicans on Jan. 16. The 76ers will host the Washington Wizards, who are also winless since the All-Star break, on Friday. Meanwhile, the Bucks will begin a four - game West Coast road trip Friday against the Los Angeles Lakers."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "47"}}, {"Points": {"Aaron Gordon": "20", "Serge Ibaka": "16", "Evan Fournier": "16", "D.J. Augustin": "9", "Jeff Green": "16", "Joel Embiid": "25", "Jahlil Okafor": "16"}, "Assists": {"D.J. Augustin": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"D.J. Augustin": "3", "Joel Embiid": "10", "Jahlil Okafor": "13"}}], "Aaron Gordon's season - high 20 points Gordon keyed a season - high point total for the Magic. They also managed success rates of 47 percent from the field and 50 percent from three - point range. Evan Fournier and Serge Ibaka had a pair of 16 - point efforts, and D.J. Augustin supplied nine points, four assists and three rebounds in another start at point guard. Bismack Biyombo and Nicola Vucevic continue to make for an effective 1 - 2 punch, combining for 24 rebounds. Jeff Green led the reserves with a 16 - point effort. Joel Embiid celebrated the raising of his minutes limit with a 25 - point, 10 - rebound double - double for the Sixers. However, the remaining members of the first unit - - Gerald Henderson, Robert Covington, Sergio Rodriguez and Ersan Ilyasova - - combined for just 33 points overall, Jahlil Okafor's 16 - point, 13 - rebound double - double led the second unit."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "41"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "39"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "107", "76ers": "117"}, "Rebounds": {"Bulls": "39", "76ers": "46"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "34"}}, {"Points": {"Dario Saric": "32", "T.J. McConnell": "10", "Shawn Long": "18", "Sergio Rodriguez": "12", "Nikola Mirotic": "15", "Jimmy Butler": "36", "Rajon Rondo": "4", "Bobby Portis": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Dario Saric": "10", "T.J. McConnell": "5", "Shawn Long": "7", "Sergio Rodriguez": "4", "Nikola Mirotic": "4", "Jimmy Butler": "7", "Rajon Rondo": "4", "Bobby Portis": "11"}, "Assists": {"T.J. McConnell": "8", "Sergio Rodriguez": "7", "Nikola Mirotic": "2", "Jimmy Butler": "11", "Rajon Rondo": "5"}, "Steals": {"T.J. McConnell": "3", "Jimmy Butler": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Bobby Portis": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Bobby Portis": "8"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the host Chicago Bulls, 117 - 107, at United Center on Friday. Chicago was expected to win this game easily, but Philadelphia had other ideas. They did most of their damage in the middle quarters, as they outscored the Bulls, 69 - 43, in the second and third quarter. Shooting was the glaring difference, with the Sixers shooting 55 percent to the Bulls 41 percent. Philadelphia also took care of the glass, winning the rebounding battle, 46 - 39. It was n't just the rebounding, as the Sixers outscored the Bulls, 70 - 30, in the paint. The Sixers (27 - 45) have really struggled recently, but they're still playing as hard as anyone. Dario Saric led the way, as he collected 32 points and 10 rebounds. T.J. McConnell was the only other starter in double figures, as he accrued 10 points, five rebounds, eight assists and three steals. Philly's bench was huge, with Gerald Henderson, Shawn Long and Sergio Rodriguez all scoring in double figures, Rodriguez finished with 12 points, four rebounds and seven assists, while Long amassed 18 points and seven rebounds. On deck for the Sixers is a road matchup versus the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. The Bulls (34 - 39) have just three wins in their last 12 games, with this being one of the low points of the season. Jimmy Butler did all he could though, leading the team with 36 points, seven rebounds, 11 assists and three steals. Nikola Mirotic was the only other starter with more than four points, as he totaled 15 points, four rebounds and two assists. Bobby Portis played well off the bench, amassing 17 points and 11 rebounds on 8 - of - 11 from the field. Rajon Rondo accumulated four points, four rebounds, five assists and four steals. The Bulls will look to play better on Sunday in a road matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "7", "Magic": "6"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "95", "Magic": "97"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "2", "Magic": "3"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "15", "Evan Fournier": "14", "Carmelo Anthony": "17", "JR Smith": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "8", "Evan Fournier": "8", "Carmelo Anthony": "10", "JR Smith": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "4", "Evan Fournier": "14", "Carmelo Anthony": "6", "JR Smith": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "4", "Evan Fournier": "10", "Carmelo Anthony": "5", "JR Smith": "4"}, "Points": {"Nikola Vucevic": "20", "Evan Fournier": "28", "Carmelo Anthony": "27", "JR Smith": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "13", "Evan Fournier": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "5", "JR Smith": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Nikola Vucevic": "3"}, "Assists": {"Evan Fournier": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "1", "JR Smith": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Evan Fournier": "4", "Carmelo Anthony": "4", "JR Smith": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Evan Fournier": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "2", "JR Smith": "3"}, "Steals": {"Evan Fournier": "4", "Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1"}}], "The Orlando Magic (3 - 6) traveled to Madison Square Garden and took down the New York Knicks (2 - 7) 97 - 95 on Wednesday night. This one was a battle of 2 - 6 teams, with both looking to get one game closer to the .500 mark. The Magic showed up when it mattered most on Wednesday night, outscoring the Knicks by four in the fourth quarter to get the two point victory. Evan Fournier led the scoring output for Orlando, as he finished with 28 points (8 - 14 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 10 - 14 FT), four steals, two assists and two rebounds as well. The points total was a season - high for the guard. Nikola Vucevic added an impressive double - double with 20 points (8 - 15 FG, 4 - 4 FT) and 13 rebounds. He's now combined for 65 points in the last three games and continues to provide consistent scoring and rebounds. The Magic snapped a two game losing streak with this win, and now head back home to take on the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night. It's been a painful start to the 2014 season for Carmelo Anthony and company, and this loss had to be tough to swallow. Anthony led the way with 27 points (10 - 17 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT), to go along with five rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block. Aside from J.R. Smith, every other player on the team had 10 points or fewer, as Smith had 19 points (6 - 16 FG, 3 - 8 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), while also contributing four rebounds and three assists off the bench. New York is still trying to find their identity, and this was their sixth loss in a row, after a promising 2 - 1 start to the year. The Knicks remain at home, and get a day off before taking on the Utah Jazz on Friday night."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "38"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "6", "Pelicans": "12"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "90", "Pelicans": "99"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Rockets": "17"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Rockets": "22", "Pelicans": "34"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "19", "Pelicans": "13"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "17", "Dante Cunningham": "10", "Ryan Anderson": "11", "Trevor Ariza": "12", "James Harden": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "10", "Dante Cunningham": "6", "Trevor Ariza": "4", "James Harden": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "12"}, "Free throws made": {"Anthony Davis": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Davis": "41"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "30", "Austin Rivers": "10", "Jrue Holiday": "16", "Dante Cunningham": "15", "Trevor Ariza": "10", "Donatas Motiejunas": "9", "Dwight Howard": "17", "James Harden": "21", "Patrick Beverley": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "14", "Dwight Howard": "13", "James Harden": "7"}, "Turnovers": {"Anthony Davis": "1"}, "Assists": {"Austin Rivers": "6", "James Harden": "5"}}], "The Pelicans (13 - 12) got 30 points and 14 rebounds from Anthony Davis and knocked off the Rockets (19 - 6) 99 - 90 in Houston on Thursday. Davis shot 10 - of - 17 from the field and 10 - of - 12 from the line and added blocks to go with only one turnover in 41 minutes. Jrue Holiday added 16 points for New Orleans, while Austin Rivers, starting in place of Tyreke Evans, finished with 10 points and six assists. Ryan Anderson added 15 points off the bench, and Dante Cunningham contributed 11 (6 - 10 FG). The Pelicans trailed entering the fourth quarter but outscored Houston 34 - 22 in the final period. The Rockets were led by 17 points and 13 rebounds from Dwight Howard in his second game back from a knee injury. James Harden added 21 points but shot a miserable 8 - of - 23 from the field. He did add five assists and seven rebounds, however. Trevor Ariza finished with 10 points (4 - 12 FG) and Patrick Beverley and Donatas Motiejunas each contributed nine. The Rockets shot a paltry 38 percent from the floor and just 6 - of - 25 from beyond the arc. They outscored New Orleans 48 - 38 in the paint but were out - rebounded by a two - board margin, an unusual statistic from one of the league\u2019s better rebounding teams. Up next, the Rockets host the Hawks on Saturday. New Orleans returns home to play host to Portland, also on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "25", "Timberwolves": "34"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "103", "Timberwolves": "90"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "21", "Timberwolves": "14"}}, {"Assists": {"Gorgui Dieng": "2", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Shabazz Muhammad": "1", "Zach LaVine": "3", "Gordon Hayward": "2", "Derrick Favors": "1", "Rudy Gobert": "2", "Rodney Hood": "4", "Trevor Booker": "2", "Trey Burke": "1"}, "Points": {"Gorgui Dieng": "20", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "32", "Shabazz Muhammad": "11", "Zach LaVine": "19", "Gordon Hayward": "12", "Derrick Favors": "20", "Rudy Gobert": "14", "Rodney Hood": "22", "Trevor Booker": "11", "Trey Burke": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Gorgui Dieng": "15", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "12", "Shabazz Muhammad": "4", "Zach LaVine": "1", "Gordon Hayward": "5", "Derrick Favors": "9", "Rudy Gobert": "12", "Rodney Hood": "1", "Trevor Booker": "8", "Trey Burke": "1"}, "Steals": {"Gorgui Dieng": "2", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Shabazz Muhammad": "1", "Rudy Gobert": "2", "Rodney Hood": "1", "Trevor Booker": "2", "Trey Burke": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Derrick Favors": "1", "Rudy Gobert": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Derrick Favors": "16"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Rudy Gobert": "5"}}], "The Utah Jazz (21 - 25) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (14 - 34) 103 - 90 on Friday. Despite the Jazz's well - earned reputation for boasting of the league's most formidable frontcourts, one of the intriguing stories coming out of Friday's contest was the Timberwolves' significant success with their own pair of big men down low. Minnesota's tandem of Karl-Anthony Towns and Gorgui Dieng outperformed Utah's Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors, with both of the visitors tallying double - doubles. It was Favors' first start after having missed 16 games with a back injury, given that he'd come off the bench in the first pair of contests since his return. On the Timberwolves' side, Dieng got the starting nod in place of Kevin Garnett, who missed his third consecutive game with knee soreness. Minnesota was spearheaded by Towns, who posted a career - high 32 points, 12 boards, an assist, a steal and a block. Dieng tallied 20 points and 15 rebounds of his own, along with a pair of assists and a pair of steals. No other starter managed to get into double digits, but Zach LaVine did contribute 19 points to pace the Minnesota reserves. He supplemented his scoring with three assists and a rebound. Shabazz Muhammad was productive off the bench as well, amassing 11 points, four rebounds, an assist and a steal. The Timberwolves remain in last place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division. They now head to Portland to face the Trail Blazers on Sunday. Utah was led by Rodney Hood's 22 point - effort, which he complemented with four assists, a rebound and a steal. Favors poured in 20 points of his own, while also hauling in nine rebounds, dishing out an assist and recording a block. Gobert was next with a 14 - point, 12 - rebound double - double, which also included a pair of assists, a pair of steals and a pair of blocks. With Favors back in the starting five and Hood having another strong shooting night, Gordon Hayward had a relatively quiet game by his lofty standards, totaling 12 points, five rebounds and two assists. The bench was led by Trey Burke's 12 points, which were complemented by a rebound, an assist and two steals. Trevor Booker also contributed a near double - double in a reserve role, pouring in 11 points and hauling down eight boards. He dished out a pair of assists and had a pair of steals and blocks as well. The win momentarily vaulted the Jazz into second place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division, with a possible fall to third place hinging on the outcome of the Trail Blazers' contest with the Hornets that concludes later on Friday evening. Utah remains home to face the Bulls on Monday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "3", "Warriors": "2"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "117", "Warriors": "97"}, "Rebounds": {"Lakers": "51", "Warriors": "40"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "3", "Warriors": "4"}}, {"Points": {"Kevin Durant": "27", "Julius Randle": "20"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "10", "Stephen Curry": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "0"}, "Rebounds": {"Julius Randle": "14"}}], "The host Los Angeles Lakers handily defeated the Golden State Warriors on Friday, 117 - 97. It was Lakers (3 - 3) coach Luke Walton's first game against the Warriors since leaving the organization over the offseason. Walton coached the Warriors for the beginning of their historic 2015 - 16 regular season in place of an injured Steve Kerr, but later left to pursue the head coaching job in Los Angeles. Walton certainly got the best of his former team, as the Lakers were able to maintain their hefty halftime lead down the stretch. The team successfully capitalized on their size advantage, holding a 51 - 40 advantage in the rebounding column. Third-year forward Julius Randle led the team with 20 points and was a monster on the boards, pulling down 14 rebounds. The Lakers also saw success from the line, hitting over 90 percent of their free - throws. For the Warriors (4 - 2), it was a tough night from beyond the arc. After showing dominant offensive flow on Thursday in a rout of the Thunder, the Warriors shot just 5 - for - 32 from three in Friday's contest. This included 0 - for - 10 for Steph Curry, whose NBA-record streak of 157 games with a three - point make finally came to an end. The results were n't much better for Klay Thompson, who went just 2 - for - 10. Kevin Durant, meanwhile, continued to perform with his new team, leading the game with 27 points. The Lakers will host the Suns on Sunday, while the Warriors will host the still - winless Pelicans on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "22", "Jazz": "24"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "118", "Jazz": "111"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "22", "Jazz": "18"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "44"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Gordon Hayward": "10"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Gordon Hayward": "2"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "27", "Rodney Hood": "29", "Carmelo Anthony": "30", "Kristaps Porzingis": "16", "Robin Lopez": "22"}, "Steals": {"Gordon Hayward": "2"}, "Assists": {"Rodney Hood": "5", "Carmelo Anthony": "9", "Kristaps Porzingis": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Rodney Hood": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rodney Hood": "5", "Kristaps Porzingis": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Rodney Hood": "6", "Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Kristaps Porzingis": "5", "Robin Lopez": "12"}, "Blocks": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "3", "Robin Lopez": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Robin Lopez": "3"}}], "The New York Knicks (22 - 22) needed overtime to pick up a home win Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden over the Utah Jazz (18 - 24), 118 - 111. The Knicks came back from deficits of 11 at halftime and eight heading into the fourth quarter to take an 87 - 86 lead with 3:54 to play on a Kristaps Porzingis three - pointer. It looked like that lead would hold up until Porzingis fouled Gordon Hayward on a three - point shot up 99 - 96 with just two seconds left on the clock. Hayward hit the free throws and forced overtime, but the Knicks shot a scorching 6 - 9 from the field in the extra period to seal the win. Carmelo Anthony led all scorers with 30 points on an efficient 13 - 20 shooting from the field, and he filled up the stat sheet with nine assists and seven rebounds. The rest of the Knicks front court stepped up as well, as Robin Lopez dropped 22 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked three shots and Porzingis added 16 points, five rebounds, and three blocks. Derrick Williams added 19 off the bench as the Knicks won the points in the paint battle 50 - 30. The Jazz knocked down 12 three - pointers to keep pace with New York's big men, including five from Rodney Hood, who led the Jazz with 29 points and added six rebounds and five assists. Gordon Hayward poured in 27 points (8 - 19 FG, 10 - 10 FT), but nobody else managed more than 13. The Jazz actually shot worse from two (25 - 59, 42 percent) than three (12 - 27, 44 percent), and it was their inability to capitalize inside despite 14 offensive rebounds that cost them. The Knicks continue a homestand with a Friday contest against the Clippers. Utah remains on an east coast road trip with a Friday game at Brooklyn."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "24", "Bulls": "15"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "106", "Bulls": "101"}, "Rebounds": {"Bucks": "40", "Bulls": "57"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "16", "Bulls": "22"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Bulls": "41"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "41"}}, {"Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "6", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "30", "Tony Snell": "17", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "29", "Greg Monroe": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "8", "Tony Snell": "7", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10", "Greg Monroe": "12"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Greg Monroe": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Greg Monroe": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Greg Monroe": "3"}}], "The struggling Milwaukee Bucks (16 - 24) topped the visiting Chicago Bulls (22 - 15) on Tuesday, 106 - 101. Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo had a career night for the Bucks, who had lost three of their last four games. Antetokounmpo scored 29 points on 10 - for - 14 shooting with 10 rebounds, five assists, a block and a steal. \"The Greek Freak\" did it all without turning the ball over. The third - year starter has enjoyed a breakout year thus far, averaging a career - high 15 points and 7 rebounds per game on the season. Center Greg Monroe complimented Antetekoumpo's stellar outing with a strong performance of his own, scoring 17 points and pulling down 12 rebounds. Monroe has now reached double - digit rebounds in four straight games and has double - doubles in three of his last four outings. Overall, the Bucks were able to win the game on the glass, out - rebounding Chicago 57 - 40. Unsurprisingly, the Bulls relied heavily on shooting guard Jimmy Butler as they took the game down to the wire. The All-Star has been phenomenal in 2016, averaging 27 points and 7 assists per game while shooting 49 percent in January. Tuesday was no exception, as Butler led the way with 30 points, eight rebounds, and six assists against Milwaukee. Wing Tony Snell complemented Butler's performance with a 17 - point, seven - rebound outburst off the bench. While Chicago was able to score at will on the perimeter (shooting 41 percent from three - point range), the team saw a huge deficit on the boards and in the paint, where they were outscored 62 - 32. Chicago will likely look to be more aggressive in the lane as they take on Philadelphia's tandem of young centers on Thursday. The Bucks, meanwhile, face the second half of a back - to - back on Wednesday as they travel to Washington to take on the Wizards."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nets": "24"}}, {"Points": {"Quincy Acy": "12", "Jeremy Lin": "18", "Isaiah Whitehead": "24", "Trevor Booker": "15", "Harrison Barnes": "21", "Dirk Nowitzki": "13", "Seth Curry": "18", "Yogi Ferrell": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Quincy Acy": "4", "Jeremy Lin": "5", "Yogi Ferrell": "2"}, "Assists": {"Jeremy Lin": "3", "Seth Curry": "4", "Yogi Ferrell": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Jeremy Lin": "27", "Isaiah Whitehead": "25", "Harrison Barnes": "37", "Seth Curry": "32", "Yogi Ferrell": "34"}, "Steals": {"Jeremy Lin": "2", "Yogi Ferrell": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Isaiah Whitehead": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Isaiah Whitehead": "8"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Harrison Barnes": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Harrison Barnes": "5"}}], "Four of the five starters for Dallas scored in double digits, led by Harrison Barnes, who finished with 21 points and seven rebounds, in 37 minutes. Seth Curry followed up with 18 points, five rebounds and four assists, in 32 minutes, while Yogi Ferrell added 17 points, two assists, two rebounds and one steal, in 34 minutes. Dirk Nowitzki padded his 30,0 - plus career points by adding 13 in the contest. Meanwhile, Isaiah Whitehead led the Nets with 24 points on 8 - of - 12 shooting, in only 25 minutes off the bench. Jeremy Lin finished with 18 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals, in 27 minutes, while Quincy Acy chipped in 12 points and four rebounds. The only other player to score in double digits for the Nets was Trevor Booker, who finished with 15 points."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "34", "Timberwolves": "47"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "116", "Timberwolves": "111"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "35", "Timberwolves": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "5", "Gorgui Dieng": "5", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Ricky Rubio": "6", "Shabazz Muhammad": "2", "Trevor Ariza": "4", "Donatas Motiejunas": "1", "Dwight Howard": "1", "James Harden": "14", "Patrick Beverley": "10"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "21", "Gorgui Dieng": "13", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "32", "Ricky Rubio": "14", "Shabazz Muhammad": "12", "Trevor Ariza": "15", "Donatas Motiejunas": "17", "Dwight Howard": "10", "James Harden": "29", "Patrick Beverley": "18", "Michael Beasley": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Gorgui Dieng": "9", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "11", "Ricky Rubio": "3", "Shabazz Muhammad": "1", "Trevor Ariza": "2", "Donatas Motiejunas": "9", "Dwight Howard": "11", "James Harden": "5", "Patrick Beverley": "5", "Michael Beasley": "6"}, "Steals": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Gorgui Dieng": "2", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "2", "Shabazz Muhammad": "1", "Trevor Ariza": "1", "Donatas Motiejunas": "1", "Dwight Howard": "1", "James Harden": "3", "Patrick Beverley": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Gorgui Dieng": "1", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Ricky Rubio": "1", "Donatas Motiejunas": "2", "Dwight Howard": "1", "Patrick Beverley": "1", "Michael Beasley": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwight Howard": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Dwight Howard": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"James Harden": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "9"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Michael Beasley": "5"}}], "The Houston Rockets (35 - 34) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (22 - 47) 116 - 111 on Friday. The game was an entertaining offensive display that was befitting of both teams' high - octane attacks. Both clubs managed to top the 50 percent mark from the field, and drained a total of 17 three - pointers between them. The two teams also saw all five members of their respective starting fives manage double - digit point totals, and the Rockets received another standout performance from reserve forward Michael Beasley, who's proven to be a spectacular signing so far. In the end, it was another stat - sheet - stuffing effort from perennial All-Star James Harden that helped key the victory. Minnesota was led by a 32 - point effort from standout rookie Karl-Anthony Towns, who also tallied 11 rebounds, two steals, an assist and a block. Andrew Wiggins was next with 21 points, five assists, two rebounds and three steals. Ricky Rubio followed with 14 points, six assists, three rebounds and a block. Gorgui Dieng contributed 13 points, nine rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block. Shabazz Muhammad paced the reserves with 12 points, two assists, a rebound and a steal. The Timberwolves remain in last place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division. They face off at home against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday afternoon. Harden paced the Rockets with 29 points, 14 assists, five rebounds and three steals, his 13th double - double of the campaign. He did, however, commit a team - high nine turnovers, giving him 17 over the past two games. Patrick Beverley was next in line with his own double - double, which consisted of 18 points, 10 assists, five rebounds, a steal and a block. Donatas Motiejunas bounced back from a scoreless performance on Wednesday versus the Clippers to post 17 points, nine rebounds, an assist, two blocks and a steal. Trevor Ariza was solid with 15 points, four assists, two rebounds and a steal. Dwight Howard rounded things out for the starting five with a 10 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included an assist, a steal and a block. Beasley paced the bench with 17 points, six rebounds and a block. The Rockets remain in third place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division, and are currently slotted in the seventh seed in the conference. They head to Atlanta to take on the Hawks on Saturday."], [[{"Total points": {"Cavaliers": "94"}}, {"Rebounds": {"Kevin Love": "10", "Tristan Thompson": "10", "Jonas Valanciunas": "17"}, "Blocks": {"Tristan Thompson": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tristan Thompson": "2"}, "Points": {"Tristan Thompson": "11"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "2"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2"}, "Steals": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2"}}], "Kyrie Irving's shot has been red - hot over the first two games. He's managed a 9 - for - 16 tally from beyond the arc and has averaged 28 points, pacing the Cavs in scoring in both of their contests. On Friday, he combined with LeBron James and Kevin Love for 65 of Cleveland's 94 points, while Tristan Thompson posted an 11 - point, 10 - rebound effort. The defending champs will need contributions from secondary players such as Thompson as the regular season unfolds. Much like Irving, DeMar DeRozan has been the linchpin of his offense over the first two contests, posting 72 combined points and leading the Raptors in scoring in both games. Jonas Valanciunas has also gotten the season off to an impressive start, with an average of 14 rebounds over the first two contests, including a game - high 17 on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "38"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "38"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "17"}}, {"Points": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "15", "Paul Millsap": "11", "Dwight Howard": "11", "Ersan Ilyasova": "5", "Dennis Schroder": "11", "Taurean Prince": "11", "Terrence Ross": "24", "Aaron Gordon": "18", "Nikola Vucevic": "16", "Elfrid Payton": "15", "D.J. Augustin": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "14", "Ersan Ilyasova": "10", "Nikola Vucevic": "14", "Elfrid Payton": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "25"}, "Assists": {"Elfrid Payton": "9"}}], "Terrence Ross' 24 points, his best to date in a Magic uniform, led the way. Orlando was excellent on the defensive end, limiting Atlanta to respective 38 and 32 percent success rates from the floor and three - point range and also goading them into 17 turnovers. Aaron Gordon's 18 points followed Ross. Nikola Vucevic, who'd been questionable coming in with a sore Achilles, nevertheless tallied a 16 - point, 14 - rebound double - double. Elfrid Payton had a near triple - double with 15 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. D.J. Augustin led the bench with eight points. Tim Hardaway, Jr,'s 15 points led Atlanta. A quartet of 11 - point efforts from Dwight Howard, Paul Millsap, Taurean Prince and Dennis Schroder followed, with Howard adding 14 rebounds. Newly-acquired Ersan Ilyasova mustered only five points but posted 10 rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Pistons": "18"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "29", "Pelicans": "33"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "106", "Pelicans": "111"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "27", "Pelicans": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "4", "Jrue Holiday": "9", "Reggie Jackson": "4", "Tobias Harris": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "2", "Jrue Holiday": "4", "Ryan Anderson": "6", "Reggie Jackson": "7", "Tobias Harris": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Anthony Davis": "2", "Jrue Holiday": "0", "Ryan Anderson": "0", "Reggie Jackson": "4", "Tobias Harris": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "34", "Jrue Holiday": "14", "Ryan Anderson": "12", "Andre Drummond": "13", "Reggie Jackson": "20", "Tobias Harris": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "24", "Jrue Holiday": "6", "Ryan Anderson": "1", "Andre Drummond": "9", "Reggie Jackson": "11", "Tobias Harris": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "10", "Jrue Holiday": "9", "Andre Drummond": "10", "Reggie Jackson": "8", "Tobias Harris": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Anthony Davis": "9", "Jrue Holiday": "8", "Andre Drummond": "3", "Reggie Jackson": "8", "Tobias Harris": "2"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "59", "Jrue Holiday": "20", "Ryan Anderson": "6", "Andre Drummond": "21", "Reggie Jackson": "34", "Tobias Harris": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "20", "Jrue Holiday": "7", "Andre Drummond": "14", "Reggie Jackson": "4", "Tobias Harris": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Jrue Holiday": "32", "Andre Drummond": "35", "Reggie Jackson": "31", "Tobias Harris": "35"}, "Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "3", "Tobias Harris": "2"}, "Steals": {"Andre Drummond": "2", "Tobias Harris": "1"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (22 - 33) defeated the host Detroit Pistons (27 - 29) 111 - 106, on Sunday at Palace of Auburn Hills. This was a hard fought, back - and - forth game between two desperate teams. With the Pistons on the fringe of the top - eight in the East and the Pelicans looking to make a run in the second half of the season, both teams came out and laid it all on the line. The story in this game however was taken over by Anthony Davis who went off for a league season - high, career - high and franchise record 59 points. Davis also hauled in 20 rebounds, making him only the third player to score 50+ points and grab 20 rebounds, since the 1963/64 season. The other two players to achieve such a feat since then were Shaquille O'Neal and Chris Webber. Davis' 59 points also set a record for most points scored by a player at Palace of Auburn Hills. Davis was not entirely alone as he turned in 59 points (24 - 34 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt, 9 - 10 FT), along with 20 rebounds and four assists. Jrue Holiday put together a complete game, nearing a triple - double with 20 points (6 - 14 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt, 8 - 9 FT), nine assists and seven rebounds, in 32 minutes off the bench. The only other player to score more than five points for the Pelicans was Ryan Anderson, who finished with six points (1 - 12 FG, 0 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), albeit on horrendous shooting. The Pelicans are now 6 games out of eighth in the West and have won two in a row. This was the fifth loss in a row for the Pistons, who have been struggling lately and remain out of a playoff spot. Reggie Jackson did his best to keep up with Anthony Davis, but only managed to pour in 34 points (11 - 20 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt, 8 - 8 FT) of his own, along with four rebounds and four assists, in 31 minutes. Andre Drummond logged a double - double with 21 points (9 - 13 FG, 3 - 10 FT) and 14 rebounds, along with two steals and three blocked shots, in 35 minutes. New addition Tobias Harris had another solid game for his new squad, as he finished with 16 points (6 - 17 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT), five rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal, in 35 minutes off the bench. All together the Pistons only managed 18 assists and missed 12 free throws. Next, the Pistons will be in Cleveland to face the Cavs on Monday. The Pelicans will travel to D.C. to face the Wizards on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "22"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "99", "Celtics": "105"}}, {"Assists": {"Kelly Olynyk": "4", "Avery Bradley": "5"}, "Points": {"Kelly Olynyk": "16", "Avery Bradley": "13", "Isaiah Thomas": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Kelly Olynyk": "6", "Avery Bradley": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "15"}, "Free throws made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "14"}, "Blocks": {"Myles Turner": "3"}, "Steals": {"Myles Turner": "4"}}], "With Paul George, Al Horford and Jae Crowder all missing this game, it had to be a team effort from both squads. That was the case too, as no player scored more than 23 points, but 16 players scored at least seven in the 105 - 99 Boston win. Avery Bradley's 13 points, eight rebounds and five assists continues a rare feat, as Bradley currently leads the Celtics in rebounding out of the shooting guard position. While Isaiah Thomas struggled with his shot (4 - of - 13), he made 14 - of - 15 free - throws to finish with 23 points. Kelly Olynyk started for Horford and finished with 16 points, six rebounds and four assists in his best game of the season. Three-point shooting really killed Indiana, as they went just 6 - of - 27 in the loss. With George out of the lineup, no player on the Pacers finished with more than eight rebounds or four assists. Myles Turner's four steals and three blocks kept the Pacers hanging around, as he put on a defensive showcase. These two teams will have a rematch on December 22 in Indiana."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bulls": "24"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "39"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "16", "Pacers": "17"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "90", "Pacers": "85"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Bulls": "28", "Pacers": "19"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bulls": "12", "Pacers": "20"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "15", "Pacers": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "8", "Jeff Teague": "5", "Al Jefferson": "3", "Aaron Brooks": "7", "Jimmy Butler": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "5"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "14", "Thaddeus Young": "12", "Myles Turner": "16", "Jeff Teague": "6", "Al Jefferson": "11", "Aaron Brooks": "19", "Jimmy Butler": "16", "Taj Gibson": "10", "Robin Lopez": "8", "Dwyane Wade": "21", "Nikola Mirotic": "20", "Jerian Grant": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "3", "Thaddeus Young": "6", "Myles Turner": "8", "Jeff Teague": "2", "Aaron Brooks": "4", "Robin Lopez": "12", "Dwyane Wade": "3", "Nikola Mirotic": "7"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "1", "Jimmy Butler": "2", "Robin Lopez": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "2", "Jerian Grant": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jeff Teague": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Al Jefferson": "20", "Nikola Mirotic": "30"}, "Blocks": {"Aaron Brooks": "1", "Robin Lopez": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "2"}}], "The Chicago Bulls defeated the Indiana Pacers, 90 - 85, at United Center on Monday. The Bulls (15 - 16) jumped on their visitors early in a battle of division rivals, building a 28 - 19 advantage after one quarter. Save for a 20 - 12 edge by the Pacers (15 - 17) in the third quarter, Chicago had control of the contest for the most part, despite being outperformed on the offensive end by Indiana. The visitors posted a 42 percent success rate from the field and 36 percent from three - point range, which was notably superior to the Bulls' respective 39 and 24 percent tallies. However, a pair of strong efforts from Dwyane Wade and Nikola Mirotic helped carry the Bulls to the hosts to their ninth home victory of the season. On a night when Jeff Teague significantly struggled with his shot, it was backup point guard Aaron Brooks who led the Pacers off the bench with 19 points, seven assists, four rebounds and a block. Myles Turner was next with 16 points and eight boards, while Paul George turned in 14 points, eight assists, three rebounds and a steal. Thaddeus Young chipped in with 12 points, six boards and a trio of steals. Teague could only muster six points, along with five assists and two rebounds, on 2 - of - 8 shooting. Al Jefferson posted 11 points, six rebounds and three assists in 20 minutes off the bench. Wade's 21 points paced the Bulls, a total he complemented with five assists, three rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Mirotic registered 20 points and seven boards in 30 minutes off the bench. Jimmy Butler filled out the stat sheet with 16 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals. Taj Gibson and Jeremi Grant turned in matching 10 - point efforts, and Robin Lopez mustered eight points but hauled in 12 boards, recorded two steals and added a block. The Pacers continue on their road trip, with their next stop being the Nation's Capital for a Wednesday night tussle with the Washington Wizards. The Bulls remain home to tangle with the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday evening as well."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "39"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "4", "Draymond Green": "10", "Marc Gasol": "7", "Mike Conley": "9"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "24", "Draymond Green": "4", "Klay Thompson": "36", "Marc Gasol": "17", "Mike Conley": "20", "Zach Randolph": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "5", "Marc Gasol": "6", "Mike Conley": "5", "Zach Randolph": "13"}, "Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "5"}, "Steals": {"Draymond Green": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "15"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "8"}}], "The Grizzlies gave the Warriors their worst loss of the season in their previous meeting, but Golden State were clearly motivated here in a wire - to - wire win. It was defense that carried them, as they held the Grizzlies to 39 percent shooting, while forcing them to commit 19 turnovers. Golden State also dominated in the stat sheet defensively, recording 14 steals and 13 blocks. Draymond Green recorded one of the rarest triple - double in NBA history, as he added 12 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals to his four points and five blocks. Klay Thompson led the team in scoring, as he dropped 36 points on 8 - of - 15 from three - point range. Kevin Durant accumulated 24 points, five rebounds and four assists. Mike Conley carried the load for Memphis, as he tallied 20 points, five rebounds and nine assists. Marc Gasol contributed 17 points, six rebounds and seven assists. Zach Randolph came off the bench to total 17 points and 13 rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "7", "Celtics": "14"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "124", "Celtics": "118"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Cavaliers": "32"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "24", "Celtics": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "9", "LeBron James": "11", "Kyrie Irving": "12"}, "Points": {"Isaiah Thomas": "31", "Jonas Jerebko": "12", "LeBron James": "23", "Kevin Love": "30", "Kyrie Irving": "32"}, "Minutes played": {"Jonas Jerebko": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Jerebko": "7", "LeBron James": "8", "Kevin Love": "15"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyrie Irving": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyrie Irving": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyrie Irving": "12"}, "Steals": {"Kyrie Irving": "3"}}], "The host Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the visiting Boston Celtics on Thursday, 124 - 118. Cleveland (24 - 7) remains the Eastern Conference's top team, having now won five of its last six games. The Cavs saw a fantastic performance from their big three on Thursday, with Kyrie Irving scoring a team - high 32 points. Irving added 12 assists and three steals and shot a ridiculous 12 - of - 17 in what was a truly tremendous performance. Not far behind Irving was Kevin Love, who scored 30 points and pulled down a team - high 15 rebounds. LeBron James, meanwhile, scored 23 points, dished out 11 assists, and pulled down eight rebounds. As a whole, Cleveland had an impressive night, shooting over 51 percent and draining 14 three - pointers. The Celtics (19 - 14), meanwhile, had an impressive offensive night of their own. The team shot over 50 percent and had 12 three - pointers, with a large chunk of their offense coming in the fourth quarter. After trailing by 20, Boston went on a 23 - 7 run and eventually pulled within one point of the defending champions. All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas led the team with 31 points and dished out nine assists. Forward Jonas Jerebko, meanwhile, played an instrumental role off the bench, chipping in 12 points and seven rebounds in 17 minutes of play. The Celtics will host the Heat on Friday, while the Cavs will visit Charlotte on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "3", "Hornets": "5"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "102", "Hornets": "97"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "6", "Hornets": "4"}}, {"Assists": {"Marvin Williams": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "2", "Kemba Walker": "7", "Jeremy Lamb": "2", "Pau Gasol": "3", "Jimmy Butler": "4", "Derrick Rose": "8", "Joakim Noah": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Marvin Williams": "1", "Kemba Walker": "2", "Pau Gasol": "2", "Derrick Rose": "1", "Joakim Noah": "1"}, "Points": {"Marvin Williams": "14", "Nicolas Batum": "28", "Kemba Walker": "13", "Jeremy Lamb": "15", "Pau Gasol": "19", "Jimmy Butler": "27", "Derrick Rose": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Marvin Williams": "5", "Nicolas Batum": "8", "Kemba Walker": "9", "Jeremy Lamb": "9", "Pau Gasol": "13", "Jimmy Butler": "5", "Joakim Noah": "18"}, "Steals": {"Marvin Williams": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "2", "Kemba Walker": "3", "Derrick Rose": "1", "Joakim Noah": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Jeremy Lamb": "32"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (6 - 3) grinded out a win on Friday night, defeating the Charlotte Hornets (4 - 5) 102 - 97. The game was very close the whole way but Chicago took control early in the fourth quarter when they grabbed the lead and did not look back. Chicago had some good balanced scoring with five players scoring in double digits and not to mention Joakim Noah, who did not score in double digits but notched 18 rebounds, six assists, one steal and one block, in 22 minutes off the bench. Jimmy Butler led the way in scoring with 27 points on 8 - 16 shooting, along with five rebounds and four assists. Pau Gasol dominated the paint with 19 points on 7 - 13 shooting, 13 rebounds, three assists and two blocks, in 27 minutes. Derrick Rose shot poorly, going only 4 - 14 from the field, he finished with 10 points and eight assists, one steal and one block. For the Hornets, Nicolas Batum led the way with a great game. Batum scored 28 points on 10 - 17 shooting, grabbed eight rebounds, two steals and two assists, in 34 minutes. Jeremy Lamb continued his recent good play by contributing 15 points, nine rebounds and two assists in 32 minutes off the bench. Marvin Williams scored 14 points, shooting 3 - 6 from long range and also tallied five rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block. Kemba Walker filled the stat sheet with 13 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, three steals and two blocks in 36 minutes. Walker could have made the difference in this one for his team as he shot a sloppy 5 - 18 from the field. Next up for Chicago will be a Central Division match - up vesus the Indiana Pacers who will be visiting on Monday. The Central Division is looking pretty competitive this year and this game will be a perfect example of that. Charlotte will be hosting Portland on Sunday, in a match - up of two mid tier teams."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "59"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "112"}}, {"Points": {"Marvin Williams": "14", "Cody Zeller": "11", "Nicolas Batum": "21", "Kemba Walker": "27", "Jeremy Lamb": "12", "Johnny O'Bryant III": "15", "Danilo Gallinari": "22", "Nikola Jokic": "31", "Will Barton": "9", "Jamal Murray": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Marvin Williams": "12", "Cody Zeller": "8", "Nicolas Batum": "2", "Nikola Jokic": "14"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Nicolas Batum": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Nicolas Batum": "2", "Gary Harris": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Nicolas Batum": "2", "Gary Harris": "1", "Will Barton": "1"}, "Steals": {"Kemba Walker": "2", "Gary Harris": "1"}, "Assists": {"Gary Harris": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Gary Harris": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gary Harris": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Gary Harris": "22"}, "Blocks": {"Will Barton": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Will Barton": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Will Barton": "1"}}], "Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum combined for 48 of Charlotte's 112 points, posting a 9 - for - 15 tally from three - point range that led to a superb 59 percent success rate from long distance for the Hornets overall. Walker's 27 points led the way, while Batum went for 21 points after shooting 18 percent the two games prior. Johnny O'Bryant III paced the bench with 15 points and Marvin Williams posted a 14 - point, 12 - rebound double - double. Cody Zeller produced a near double - double of 11 points and eight boards. Jeremy Lamb was productive off the bench with 12 points. Nikola Jokic paced the Nuggets with a 31 - point, 14 - rebound double - double. Danilo Gallinari tallied 22 points, while Jamal Murray led the bench with 14. Will Barton followed with nine points, and Gary Harris went scoreless over 22 minutes with just one shot attempt."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "1", "Wizards": "2"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "112", "Wizards": "103"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "2", "Wizards": "0"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bradley Beal": "2"}, "Assists": {"Mike Conley": "11"}, "Points": {"Mike Conley": "24"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies took down the visiting Washington Wizards on Friday, 112 - 103. Point guard Mike Conley, who received the largest contract in NBA history over the offseason, took control of the game for the Grizzlies (2 - 1), scoring a team - high 24 points while also playing the role of primary distributor and dishing out 11 assists. The Wizards were able to keep the game close until the start of overtime, but from there Memphis simply took over. The Grizzlies held their opponents to just three points in OT, scoring 12 for themselves. The bench provided energy for the Grizzlies throughout, as veterans Vince Carter and Zach Randolph combined for 40 points and led the second unit push to the win. The Wizards (0 - 2), meanwhile, kept the game competitive despite a tough performance behind the arc. The team shot just 20 percent from long range, including 2 of 8 from beyond the arc for shooting guard Bradley Beal. Washington also saw limited bench contributions, with multiple starters pushing 40 minutes and no member of the second unit scoring in double digits. Ultimately, the Grizzlies' support from the bench carried into overtime, where they substantially outscored a heavily - used Washington starting unit. The Grizzlies will face the Timberwolves on Tuesday, while the Wizards will rest until hosting the Raptors on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "14", "Timberwolves": "16"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "107", "Timberwolves": "102"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "12", "Timberwolves": "9"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "4", "Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Arron Afflalo": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Arron Afflalo": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "8", "Arron Afflalo": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Arron Afflalo": "8"}, "Points": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "25", "Ricky Rubio": "9", "Andrew Wiggins": "23", "Carmelo Anthony": "20", "Arron Afflalo": "29"}, "Assists": {"Ricky Rubio": "12", "Carmelo Anthony": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ricky Rubio": "10", "Carmelo Anthony": "15", "Arron Afflalo": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Ricky Rubio": "3", "Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Arron Afflalo": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Ricky Rubio": "10", "Carmelo Anthony": "15"}, "Steals": {"Ricky Rubio": "8"}, "Turnovers": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4"}}], "The Knicks (12 - 14) defeated the Timberwolves (9 - 16) by a score of 107 - 102 at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday. Minnesota was able to cut New York's lead to three with 11 seconds remaining, but too many fouls earlier on in the fourth quarter put the game out of reach. The Knicks last 13 points all came from the charity stripe as Carmelo Anthony had perhaps his most well - rounded game of the season, scoring 20 points (6 - 15 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT) with 15 rebounds, nine assists and four turnovers. Melo was a perfect 6 - for - 6 on crucial free throws late in the game. Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio came a point and two steals away from making history. He finished the game with nine points on 3 - of - 10 shooting from the field, 12 assists, 10 rebounds and eight steals, but was unable to complete the illusive quadruple - double. Karl-Anthony Towns got the best of his rookie counterpart Kristaps Porzingus, scoring a team - high 25 points (11 - 21 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT) while pulling down 10 rebounds for his 11th double - double of the season. Andrew Wiggins also chipped in 23 points. Overshadowed by Anthony's big performance was Aaron Afflalo's game - high 29 points (9 - 14 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 8 - 9 FT). Afflalo did most of his work in the low post surprisingly and he had no trouble making easy work of a soft T-Wolves defense. It was playing with the second unit off the bench that really sparked Afflalo towards his big night. The Knicks still need to stay more consistent on the offensive end and barely escaped with a victory after blowing a 20 - point lead at halftime."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "28", "Thunder": "19"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "105", "Thunder": "114"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "18", "Thunder": "27"}}, {"Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "10", "Tyreke Evans": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "27", "E'Twaun Moore": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "12"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "1"}}], "The visiting Oklahoma City Thunder pulled out a win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, 114 - 105. The Thunder (27 - 19) capped off a six - game road trip on Wednesday, finishing 3 - 3 during the stretch thanks to the win in New Orleans. Point guard Russell Westbrook recorded what has become an almost routine triple - double in the victory, scoring 27 points to go with 12 rebounds and 10 assists. The triple - double, Westbrook's 24th of the season, keeps the All-Star on pace to eclipse Wilt Chamberlain's ridiculous record of 41 triple - doubles in one season. In addition to typical strong play from Westbrook, the Thunder benefited from the partial absence of Pelicans superstar Anthony Davis, who left the game with a quad contusion. With the New Orleans frontcourt depleted, OKC's big men were able to feast on the boards. The team held an eight - rebound advantage and both Steven Adams and Enes Kanter posted double - doubles in the win. Due in part to the departure of Davis, New Orleans (18 - 28) relied heavily on bench production to keep the game close. Guard E'Twaun Moore came off the bench for 18 points, a team high, and pulled down eight rebounds. Three members of the second unit finished with double digit points totals, and sixth man Tyreke Evans provided help facilitating the offense as he dished out nine assists. Ultimately, however, Davis's absence and a thin frontcourt ended up being problematic for the Pelicans. In addition to the rebounding deficit, New Orleans saw 11 of its shots blocked on the night. OKC will host the Mavericks on Thursday, while New Orleans will play host to the Spurs on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "38", "Mavericks": "30"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "116", "Mavericks": "114"}, "Rebounds": {"Nuggets": "58", "Mavericks": "46"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "25", "Mavericks": "33"}}, {"Points": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "30", "David Lee": "18", "Kenneth Faried": "25", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "16"}, "Blocks": {"David Lee": "4", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"David Lee": "12", "Kenneth Faried": "20", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "4"}, "Assists": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "8"}, "Steals": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"D.J. Augustin": "1"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (25 - 38) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (33 - 30) 116 - 114 in an overtime thriller on Sunday. In a game where Dallas came in as a four - point favorite, these two teams battled in an extremely competitive game. Despite being outshot from the field, the free - throw line and three - point range, the Nuggets were able to prevail and escape with the win. The rebounding was key, as Denver snatched down 58 rebounds, while allowing Dallas to grab just 46. D.J. Augustin was the hero, as he sneakily drew a foul with less than a second left and sinked the two free - throws to win the game. Dallas had won three of their last four coming into this, but couldn\u2019t hold a late lead on the road against a struggling Nuggets team. They made some crucial mistakes late that ultimately cost them the game, and that's strange considering this team thrives off their veteran leadership. Dirk Nowitzki led all scorers, as he finished with 30 points in the loss. David Lee gave the team a nice spark off the bench, as he tallied 18 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks in the defeat. The Mavericks have a quick turnaround, as they play the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday in their next game. Denver has been struggling recently, but they showed some great resiliency in this game against a talented Dallas team. Kenneth Faried was a monster, as he finished with 25 points and 20 rebounds in the win. Rookie Emmanuel Mudiay continued his good form, as he accumulated 16 points, eight assists, four rebounds, two steals and two blocks in the victory. On deck for the Nuggets is a matchup against the New York Knicks on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "10", "Thunder": "8"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "6", "Thunder": "9"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Victor Oladipo": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Victor Oladipo": "11"}, "Points": {"Victor Oladipo": "26", "Joffrey Lauvergne": "15", "Jamal Murray": "20"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "17"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "17"}}], "The visiting Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Denver Nuggets, 132 - 127, in overtime Friday at Pepsi Center. Russell Westbrook led the Thunder (9 - 8) to victory with his sixth triple - double of the season on Friday. The league - leading scorer posted a game - high 36 points to go with 12 rebounds and 18 assists. The point guard was one assist shy of his career high. Westbrook continues to lead the Thunder in scoring, rebounds, and assists 17 games into the season. The Thunder badly needed Friday's win after losing seven of their previous nine games. In addition to Westbrook, guard Victor Oladipo delivered an impressive 26 points on 11 - of - 19 shooting. Bench big man Joffrey Lauvergne, a former Nugget, contributed 15 points off the bench. Denver (6 - 10) was missing starter Danilo Gallinari with a thigh injury, but saw high levels of offensive output nonetheless. Forward Wilson Chandler led the team with 30 points, while rookie Jamal Murray came off the bench for 20. Murray struggled in overtime, however, turning the ball over and air balling a critical shot. The Nuggets came into the game as the league's top rebounding team and showed it off against another rebounding giant. Denver held a 51 - 40 advantage on the glass in the game. The team dished 34 assists on the offensive end as well. OKC will host the Pistons Saturday, while the Nuggets will visit Phoenix on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "51"}, "Losses": {"Wizards": "16", "Bucks": "15"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "107", "Bucks": "102"}, "Turnovers": {"Wizards": "16"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "14", "Bucks": "14"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7", "Jabari Parker": "4", "Tony Snell": "1", "Matthew Dellavedova": "11", "Greg Monroe": "1", "Otto Porter Jr.": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "3", "Bradley Beal": "5", "John Wall": "16"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1", "Jabari Parker": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "1", "John Wall": "1"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "22", "Jabari Parker": "14", "Tony Snell": "20", "Matthew Dellavedova": "8", "Greg Monroe": "16", "Otto Porter Jr.": "32", "Markieff Morris": "18", "Marcin Gortat": "4", "Bradley Beal": "22", "John Wall": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Jabari Parker": "6", "Tony Snell": "4", "Matthew Dellavedova": "3", "Marcin Gortat": "12", "Bradley Beal": "4", "John Wall": "3"}, "Steals": {"Tony Snell": "2", "Matthew Dellavedova": "2", "Greg Monroe": "1", "Markieff Morris": "2", "Bradley Beal": "2", "John Wall": "2"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Matthew Dellavedova": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Otto Porter Jr.": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Otto Porter Jr.": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Otto Porter Jr.": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Otto Porter Jr.": "13"}, "Free throws made": {"Otto Porter Jr.": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"John Wall": "7"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, 107 - 102, at Verizon Center on Monday. The Wizards (14 - 16) have most frequently relied on their dynamic backcourt duo of John Wall and Bradley Beal for offensive production this season, but they are n't the only members of Washington's first unit that has the ability to light up the scoreboard. Otto Porter, Jr. went through a rough stretch on offense earlier in December, but has been coming on as of late, and his resurgence culminated Monday in explosive fashion against the Bucks (14 - 15). Capitalizing on one of the most generous defenses in the NBA against small forwards, Porter posted a game - high 32 points, while also compiling 13 rebounds, an assist and a block. He was in an impressive zone shooting - wise, going 13 - of - 18 from the field, a tally that included a 5 - of - 9 effort from three - point range. Combined with strong efforts from Wall, Beal and Markieff Morris, the Wizards shot 51 percent overall, which helped them overcome 16 turnovers. The Bucks were led once again by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who managed 22 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists and a block. Tony Snell chipped in with a season - high 20 points, which he supplemented with four rebounds, an assist and a pair of steals. Jabari Parker supplied 14 points, six rebounds, four assists and a block. Matthew Dellavedova registered a modest eight points, but dished out 11 dimes, brought in three rebounds and recorded two steals. Greg Monroe led the second unit with 16 points, five rebounds, an assist and a steal. Beal checked in second on the Wizards with 22 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals. Wall put together an 18 - point, 16 - assist double - double that also included three rebounds, two steals and two blocks. He did, however, commit a game - high seven turnovers. Morris offered 18 points as well, which he complemented with four rebounds, two steals and a block. Marcin Gortat mustered four points but did record 12 rebounds, along with three assists and a block. The Bucks hit the road again to face off with the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night, while the Wizards remain home to face the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday evening as well."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "35", "Raptors": "15"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "95", "Raptors": "108"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "4", "Raptors": "24"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Raptors": "25"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Raptors": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "5", "Jahlil Okafor": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "17", "Kyle Lowry": "17", "Jahlil Okafor": "15", "Ish Smith": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "7", "DeMar DeRozan": "9", "Kyle Lowry": "10", "Jahlil Okafor": "9", "Ish Smith": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "3"}, "Points": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "17", "DeMar DeRozan": "19", "Kyle Lowry": "25", "Jahlil Okafor": "19", "Ish Smith": "28", "Carl Landry": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "9", "DeMar DeRozan": "7", "Kyle Lowry": "6", "Jahlil Okafor": "6", "Carl Landry": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMar DeRozan": "37", "Ish Smith": "33"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Lowry": "2"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (24 - 15) defeated the host Philadelphia 76ers (4 - 35) 108 - 95 on Saturday night. The 76ers jumped out to an early 120 lead on the Raptors who were coming in on the second night of a back - to - back. The Raptors woke up though responding to the 120 run by outscoring the 76ers 57 - 32 during the rest of the first half. Ish Smith scored 18 points in the third quarter and helped Philly bring it to a four - point game early in the fourth but it was not enough as the Raptors cruised to victory. Toronto has now won its last 11 games against Philadelphia. Kyle Lowry led the way for the Raptors with 25 points (10 - 17 FG), six rebounds, five assists and two steals, in 38 minutes. DeMar DeRozan filled the stat sheet in a similar way with 19 points (9 - 17 FG), seven rebounds and five assists, in 37 minutes. Jonas Valanciunas added a quick 17 points (7 - 10 FG, 3 - 5 FT), nine rebounds and two assists, in only 28 minutes. The Raptors' bench contributed a healthy 40 points in this contest. Ish Smith had a great game for Philadelphia, finishing with a game - high 28 points (12 - 22 FG), in 33 minutes. Jahlil Okafor was solid with 19 points (9 - 15 FG), six rebounds and four assists, in 33 minutes. Carl Landry was looking good in 12 minutes off the bench as he chipped in 11 points and three rebounds. Although they came up short, the 76ers gave a good contest and made it an entertaining game. Ish Smith and the 76ers will be faced with the second game of a back - to - back as they host the Cavaliers on Sunday. The Raptors will have a four - day break before they wrap up their current five - game road trip with a contest in Orlando on Thursday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Jazz": "17", "Suns": "9"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "48", "Suns": "41"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "13", "Suns": "24"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "91", "Suns": "86"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "21", "Suns": "10"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Suns": "41"}, "Turnovers": {"Suns": "9"}}, {"Points": {"Tyson Chandler": "8", "Devin Booker": "20", "Eric Bledsoe": "19", "Leandro Barbosa": "12", "Gordon Hayward": "18", "Derrick Favors": "9", "Rudy Gobert": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyson Chandler": "11", "Devin Booker": "3", "Eric Bledsoe": "8", "Leandro Barbosa": "5", "Gordon Hayward": "9", "Derrick Favors": "8", "Rudy Gobert": "13"}, "Steals": {"Devin Booker": "3"}, "Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "8", "Gordon Hayward": "4", "Derrick Favors": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"George Hill": "7"}}], "The Utah Jazz defeated the Phoenix Suns, 91 - 86, at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Saturday. While the Jazz were expected to win this game rather easily, it took a monster effort to beat this battling Suns team. This game was tight throughout, as there were eight ties and 20 lead changes, with neither team grabbing a double - digit lead. Defense was key for the Jazz, as they held the Suns to 41 percent shooting and just nine assists. Utah shot 48 percent on their end and recorded 17 assists. Phoenix (10 - 24) are in a tough stretch right now, as this marks their seventh loss in their last nine games. Devin Booker led the team in scoring, as he tallied 20 points, three rebounds and three steals. Eric Bledsoe was the team's best player though, as he accumulated 19 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Tyson Chandler was the only other starter to play well, as he totaled eight points and 11 rebounds. Leandro Barbosa led the bench in scoring, dropping 12 points and five rebounds. Phoenix will return to action on Monday against a struggling Los Angeles Clippers squad. Utah (21 - 13) did n't play their best game against the Suns, but they did enough to escape with a win. Rudy Gobert continued his fantastic season, as he tied the team - lead with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Gordon Hayward matched that 18 - point total, adding nine rebounds and four assists to his tally. George Hill left after just seven minutes, as he re - injured the foot that kept him out for over a month. Derrick Favors neared a double - double, as he amassed nine points eight rebounds and three assists. Utah will look to keep rolling on Monday against the Brooklyn Nets."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "4", "Pistons": "4"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "101", "Pistons": "96"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "6", "Pistons": "5"}}, {"Points": {"Andre Drummond": "18", "Blake Griffin": "34", "Jamal Crawford": "37"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "19", "Blake Griffin": "8"}, "Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "9", "Jamal Crawford": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jamal Crawford": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Jamal Crawford": "10"}}], "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."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "46"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "48"}, "Turnovers": {"Celtics": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Robert Covington": "18", "Nerlens Noel": "16", "Gerald Henderson": "11", "Dario Saric": "20", "Nik Stauskas": "11", "Jae Crowder": "18", "Al Horford": "12", "Marcus Smart": "21", "Isaiah Thomas": "33", "Kelly Olynyk": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Robert Covington": "9", "Dario Saric": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Dario Saric": "33"}, "Steals": {"Marcus Smart": "8"}}], "The Celtics gained some much - needed separation in the third quarter after playing the Sixers to a 61 - 61 draw in the first half. Boston tallied 48 - and - 46 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively, which helped them overcome 22 turnovers, a total that was matched by the Sixers. Isaiah Thomas tallied a game - high 33 points, while Marcus Smart, drawing the start at shooting guard, totaled 21 points and also recorded a whopping eight steals. Jae Crowder stepped up with 18 points and Al Horford registered 12. Kelly Olynyk led the second unit with 16 points. Dario Saric's 20 - point, 11 - rebound double - double in 33 minutes bench minutes led the Sixers. Robert Covington turned in 18 points and nine rebounds. Nerlens Noel totaled 16 points, while T.J. McConnell provided 12.. Gerald Henderson and Nik Stauskas supplied 11 - point efforts."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "23", "Hawks": "16"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "94", "Hawks": "99"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "14", "Hawks": "20"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hawks": "23"}}, {"Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "1", "Dwight Howard": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul Millsap": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Paul Millsap": "1", "Anthony Davis": "5"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "17", "Dwight Howard": "12", "Dennis Schroder": "23", "Anthony Davis": "20", "Jrue Holiday": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "10"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "2", "Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Paul Millsap": "2", "Dwight Howard": "1"}, "Assists": {"Dwight Howard": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "4", "Jrue Holiday": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwight Howard": "5", "Anthony Davis": "7", "Buddy Hield": "5", "Jrue Holiday": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Dwight Howard": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Dennis Schroder": "33"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "20", "Buddy Hield": "16", "Jrue Holiday": "13"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Buddy Hield": "5"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 99 - 94 Thursday at Smoothie King Center. The Hawks' (20 - 16) victory was supplemented with the news that Kyle Korver was going to be traded to the Cavaliers, and the sharp - shooting wing did n't play as a result. But it did n't phase Atlanta on the road, as they managed to record their fifth straight win after hitting a cold spell in December. Dennis Schroder led the way for Atlanta with a solid all - around performance of 23 points, seven rebounds and four assists in 33 minutes. Meanwhile, the Hawks' starting frontcourt of Paul Millsap and Dwight Howard each recorded double - doubles, with Millsap posting 17 points and 10 rebounds and Howard netting 12 points and grabbing 11 boards, as the two worked to slow the one - man wrecking crew that is Anthony Davis. Davis finished with 20 points on just 7 - of - 20 shooting from the field for the Pelicans (14 - 23), but he did manage to grab a game - high 19 rebounds. Jrue Holiday posted 18 points of his own Thursday but was also very inefficient shooting from the field, going just 5 - of - 13. His poor shooting effort was only outdone by his running mate in the backcourt, Buddy Hield, who hit just five of his 16 shot attempts. As a team, the poor shooting was contagious, as the team shot just 37 percent from the field. Up next, the Hawks will look to extend their win streak to six against the Mavericks in Dallas on Saturday, while Pelicans will head to Boston on Saturday to take on the Celtics."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "53", "Suns": "52"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "10", "Suns": "23"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "110", "Suns": "106"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "23", "Suns": "12"}}, {"Points": {"TJ Warren": "29", "PJ Tucker": "22", "Kevin Durant": "23", "Russell Westbrook": "36"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "12"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "5"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (23 - 10) outlasted the Phoenix Suns (12 - 23) Thursday night at the Chesapeake Energy Arena, 110 - 106. The Suns made a hard charge late in the game, using a 70 run to force a 100 - 100 tie with 3:43 to go. But Thunder star Kevin Durant wouldn\u2019t have it, as a fadeaway jumper and a dunk in the final two minutes of the game gave the Thunder a 106 - 102 lead they wouldn\u2019t relinquish. Durant finished with 23 points on the night. Durant had the heroics, but Thunder guard Russell Westbrook was the best player on the court, as he made his mark on this game early and often. Westbrook recorded game highs in points (36), assists (12), and steals (5). He shot a brilliant 12 - 19 from the field as he paced an efficient Oklahoma City offense that shot 42 - 80 (53 percent) as a team. T.J. Warren led the Suns with 29 points, and P.J. Tucker poured in 22 on an ultra - efficient 10 - 14 shooting night. Seven different Suns scored at least 12 points, and Phoenix shot a robust 52 percent, but they lost the turnover battle 17 - 13, and it proved to be too much to overcome. Oklahoma City will look to continue their winning ways Saturday on the road in Charlotte. The Suns continue their road trip Saturday in Sacramento."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "47", "Cavaliers": "55"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "14", "Cavaliers": "20"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "121", "Cavaliers": "126"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "26", "Cavaliers": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kyrie Irving": "5", "Chris Paul": "14"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "32", "Tristan Thompson": "24", "Kyrie Irving": "37", "Matthew Dellavedova": "8", "Blake Griffin": "34", "DeAndre Jordan": "19", "Chris Paul": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "11", "Tristan Thompson": "12", "Kyrie Irving": "4", "Blake Griffin": "10", "DeAndre Jordan": "12"}, "Turnovers": {"LeBron James": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Matthew Dellavedova": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Chris Paul": "3"}, "Steals": {"Chris Paul": "3"}}], "The Cavaliers (21 - 20) held on to beat the Clippers (26 - 14) 126 - 121 on Saturday at the Staples Center. Cleveland pulled away late in the fourth quarter on the backs of LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, who combined for 69 points. The Cavaliers seemingly had the game salted away with under a minute to play, but two key turnovers allowed the Clippers to get within two with nine seconds to play. However, Matthew Dellavedova stepped to the line and knocked down two free throws, and Chris Paul missed a three on the other end to seal the victory for Cleveland. Irving had a game - high 37 points to go with five assists and four rebounds. In his third game back from injury, James finished with 32 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. He did have nine turnovers, however. Tristan Thompson added 24 points and 12 rebounds for Cleveland, while Dellavedova chipped in eight points off the bench. The Cavaliers were without Kevin Love, who sat out due to back spasms. The Clippers placed all five starters in double figures, led by Blake Griffin\u2019s 34 points and 10 rebounds. Chris Paul added 15 points and 14 assists, and DeAndre Jordan finished with 19 points and 12 boards. The Clippers shot 47 percent from the field, while Cleveland converted more than 55 percent of its attempts. Up next, the Cavaliers return home to host the Bulls on Monday. The Clippers play in Sacramento on Saturday night."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bulls": "23"}}, {"Assists": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "6", "Taj Gibson": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "6", "James Harden": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "35"}, "Points": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "23", "Taj Gibson": "20", "Dwyane Wade": "19", "Trevor Ariza": "10", "Clint Capela": "14", "James Harden": "42", "Eric Gordon": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "9", "Taj Gibson": "6", "Dwyane Wade": "9", "James Harden": "12"}, "3-pointers made": {"Trevor Ariza": "2", "Eric Gordon": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Trevor Ariza": "2"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Ariza": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Clint Capela": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Eric Gordon": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Eric Gordon": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Eric Gordon": "8"}}], "James Harden turned in his 34th 40 - point game as a member of the Rockets, as he poured in 42 points, to go along with 12 rebounds and nine assists, to lead Houston to an exciting, comeback win at home. Eric Gordon was the next highest scorer for the Rockets, as he chipped in 21 points on 8 - of - 17 shooting, including 5 - of - 10 from deep. Only two other players scored in double digits for the Rockets, including Clint Capela, who added 14, and Trevor Ariza, who came up with 10 points, to go along with three steals. Meanwhile, Michael Carter-Williams was the high - point man for the Bulls, with 23 points, to go along with nine rebounds and six assists, in 35 minutes. Taj Gibson followed up with 20 points, six rebounds and three assists, while Dwyane Wade chipped in 19 points to go along with nine rebounds and six assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "37", "Timberwolves": "44"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "114", "Timberwolves": "115"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "37", "Timberwolves": "29"}}, {"Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "17", "Gorgui Dieng": "19", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "37", "Ricky Rubio": "21", "Paul George": "37", "Myles Turner": "15", "Monta Ellis": "19", "Jeff Teague": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "5", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "12", "Ricky Rubio": "5", "Paul George": "7", "Myles Turner": "8", "Jeff Teague": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Gorgui Dieng": "2", "Myles Turner": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Ricky Rubio": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Ricky Rubio": "2"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "4", "Monta Ellis": "2"}, "Assists": {"Myles Turner": "4", "Monta Ellis": "5", "Jeff Teague": "10"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the host Indiana Pacers, 115 - 114, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Tuesday. This game meant a lot more to the Pacers than the Timberwolves, but Minnesota played spoiler at the buzzer. In fact, Ricky Rubio hit three free - throws with two seconds left to turn a two - point deficit into a one - point lead and eventually the win. It was close throughout, as there were six ties and 10 lead changes in total, with neither team grabbing a double - digit lead. The only true advantage Minnesota had was in three - point shooting, as they went 9 - of - 21 from long distance, while Indiana went 5 - of - 18. The Timberwolves (29 - 44) playoff hopes have been slipping away over recent weeks, but this victory keeps it alive just a bit. Karl-Anthony Towns was the player of the game, as he collected 37 points and 12 rebounds. Rubio finished second on the team, accumulating 21 points, five rebounds and 10 assists. Gorgui Dieng amassed 19 points, six rebounds and two blocks. Andrew Wiggins was the last Minnesota player in double figures, as he totaled 17 points, five rebounds and two assists. The Pacers (37 - 37) have been dominant at home all season, but this was a devastating loss in a game they were supposed to win. Paul George did all he could for Indiana, as he led the team with 37 points, seven rebounds and four steals. Jeff Teague accrued 20 points, three rebounds and 10 assists. Monta Ellis got a rare start and provided 19 points, four rebounds, five assists and two steals. Myles Turner contributed 15 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two blocks."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Knicks": "35", "Raptors": "35"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "36", "Raptors": "47"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "49", "Raptors": "26"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "89", "Raptors": "93"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "32", "Raptors": "54"}}, {"Assists": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "7", "Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Jerian Grant": "1", "Sasha Vujacic": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "3", "Sasha Vujacic": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "28", "Kyle Lowry": "32", "Terrence Ross": "21", "Jerian Grant": "38", "Sasha Vujacic": "35"}, "Points": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "14", "DeMar DeRozan": "27", "Kyle Lowry": "15", "Terrence Ross": "13", "Carmelo Anthony": "21", "Jerian Grant": "19", "Sasha Vujacic": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "7", "Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Jerian Grant": "3", "Sasha Vujacic": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "15"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Lowry": "2", "Jerian Grant": "3"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (54 - 26) defeated the host New York Knicks (32 - 49) 93 - 89, earning a franchise - best 23rd road win, Sunday evening at Madison Square Garden. More Raptors history was made as DeMar DeRozan passed Vince Carter to become second on the Raptors' all - time scoring list. DeRozan finished with a game - high 27 points, on fantastic 12 - 17 shooting. The Knicks put up quite a fight and made it a close game right down to the wire, but DeRozan and the Raptors would not be stopped, as they continue to push their franchise - best win total to new heights. The Raptors shot 47 percent from the field and 35 percent from long range, as they held off the relentless Knicks. Kyle Lowry followed up DeRozan's 27 points, with 15 of his own, along with seven assists and two steals, in 32 minutes. Jonas Valanciunas finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, three blocked shots and two assists, in 28 minutes, while Terrence Ross chipped in 13 points, in 21 minutes off the bench. The Raptors did well to only give up seven turnovers in the game. The Knicks had a tough night shooting the ball, hitting 36 percent of their field goal attempts and 35 percent from long range. Carmelo Anthony finished with a team - high 21 points, along with six rebounds and three assists. Jerian Grant added 19 points, along with three rebounds, three steals and one assist, in 38 minutes, while Sasha Vujacic finished with 13 points, eight rebounds, one assist and one blocked shot, in 35 minutes. The Knicks were missing Jose Calderon (quadriceps) and Kristaps Porzingis (shoulder). Next, the Knicks will finish up their season with a game in Indiana, on Tuesday. The Raptors host the 76ers on Tuesday, in their last home game of the season."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Cavaliers": "23"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "20", "Clippers": "17"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "105", "Clippers": "94"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "31", "Clippers": "33"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Clippers": "23"}}, {"Points": {"LeBron James": "23", "Kevin Love": "24"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (31 - 20) continued their hot streak Thursday by dismantling the Los Angeles Clippers (33 - 17) 105 - 94 at the Quicken Loans Arena in a game that was not nearly as close as the score would suggest. The Cavaliers had the luxury of resting their starters for the fourth quarter as they entered the period with a commanding 94 - 63 lead. LeBron James and Kevin Love were dominant when they were on the floor, scoring 23 and 24 points respectively. The Clippers were clearly flustered with the game quickly getting out of hand in the third quarter as Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan each picked up a technical foul and Matt Barnes got ejected after his second. Los Angeles is now 2 - 3 on its current eight game road trip. The Clippers let a win get away Monday in Brooklyn and did not bring their best effort to Cleveland. J.J Redick was sidelined for Thursday's contest with back spasms, which led to Jamal Crawford getting the start at shooting guard. Los Angeles will look to get the taste of Thursday's loss out of its mouth Friday in Toronto. Cleveland has now won 12 straight games to pull into a tie with Washington for the third seed in the East. In addition to James and Love's solid games, Cleveland got good performances from J.R Smith and Timofey Mozgov. The Cavaliers are rounding into form and look like the team that many predicted to come out of the East before the season started. Cleveland will travel to Indiana on Friday to finish out a back - to - back set."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "22", "Hornets": "23"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "116", "Hornets": "120"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "15", "Hornets": "30"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "20", "Hornets": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Marvin Williams": "2", "Spencer Hawes": "3", "Kemba Walker": "9", "Troy Daniels": "2", "Tobias Harris": "2", "Aaron Gordon": "4", "Nikola Vucevic": "4", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "10", "Evan Fournier": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Marvin Williams": "1", "Spencer Hawes": "1", "Kemba Walker": "1", "Troy Daniels": "1", "Tobias Harris": "2", "Nikola Vucevic": "6", "Evan Fournier": "1"}, "Points": {"Marvin Williams": "11", "Spencer Hawes": "16", "Kemba Walker": "40", "Troy Daniels": "17", "Tobias Harris": "22", "Aaron Gordon": "10", "Nikola Vucevic": "15", "Victor Oladipo": "29", "Elfrid Payton": "11", "Evan Fournier": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Marvin Williams": "14", "Spencer Hawes": "10", "Kemba Walker": "7", "Troy Daniels": "3", "Tobias Harris": "5", "Aaron Gordon": "7", "Nikola Vucevic": "12", "Victor Oladipo": "4", "Evan Fournier": "2"}, "Steals": {"Marvin Williams": "2", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Elfrid Payton": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kemba Walker": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "28"}, "Turnovers": {"Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Victor Oladipo": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Victor Oladipo": "3"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (20 - 23) defeated the Orlando Magic (20 - 22) 120 - 116 in overtime on Friday. The contest featured notable lineup changes for both clubs, although the visitors' patchwork starting five was certainly not put together by choice. With starting center Cody Zeller, who in turn has been filling in for the sidelined Al Jefferson (knee), on the bench for the night with a shoulder strain, Spencer Hawes received the starting nod at the five position. Meanwhile, Nicolas Batum's troublesome toe kept him out of action, bringing Jeremy Lin off the bench and into the starting unit. On the home team's end, Aaron Gordon was brought into the starting lineup in the hopes that he could provide a bit more production than veteran Channing Frye, while Victor Oladipo's return from a knee ailment sent Evan Fournier into a reserve role. Unsurprisingly, it was the healthier Magic who appeared to have the game well in hand through three quarters, carrying a 94 - 79 advantage into the final period. However, a furious rally by the Hornets, spearheaded by Kemba Walker, allowed Charlotte to double up Orlando 30 - 15 in the fourth and almost walk away with the victory in regulation. Victor Oladipo managed to send the game into overtime with a crucial three - pointer with five seconds remaining, before the Hornets overcame some more heroics from the three - year pro to edge out the Magic. Walker tallied 40 points, including two key free throws in the final seconds of overtime, along with nine assists, seven rebounds, four steals and a block. One of his two turnovers almost helped erase his outstanding performance, as Oladipo managed to steal the ball from the Hornets' point guard with 28 seconds remaining in overtime and slam it home on the other end to give the Magic a temporary 116 - 115 lead. Hawes turned in a solid effort in Zeller's stead, tallying 16 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and a block. His final three points, a long - range bomb from the left corner, were particularly crucial, as they erased the aforementioned one - point Magic lead in overtime and gave Charlotte a 118 - 116 advantage they would n't relinquish. Marvin Williams made it two double - doubles in the frontcourt on the evening for the Hornets, compiling 11 points, 14 rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. Troy Daniels paced the Charlotte reserves with 17 points, three rebounds, two assists and a block. With the win, the Hornets still find themselves in last place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They now head home to face the New York Knicks on Saturday. Oladipo's return sparked the Orlando offense, as he led the team with 29 points, four rebounds, three assists and the key steal from Walker. Tobias Harris was next in line with 22 points, five rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Nikola Vucevic tallied a double - double, posting 15 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, two steals and six blocks. Elfrid Payton got in on the act as well, registering 11 points, 10 assists and a steal. Gordon was productive across the stat sheet in his start, amassing 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists, including a key three - pointer in overtime off an Oladipo assist. Fournier contributed off the bench, leading the reserves with 15 points, two rebounds, two assists and a block. Despite the loss, the Magic still holds on to fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They face off against the Grizzlies in Memphis on Monday."], [[{"Wins": {"Suns": "6"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "45"}, "Turnovers": {"Pacers": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Paul George": "25", "Myles Turner": "20", "Jeff Teague": "19", "Al Jefferson": "15", "Tyson Chandler": "10", "Devin Booker": "13", "Eric Bledsoe": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "13", "Tyson Chandler": "10", "Devin Booker": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Myles Turner": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Myles Turner": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Myles Turner": "11", "Al Jefferson": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Myles Turner": "7", "Al Jefferson": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Myles Turner": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Myles Turner": "3"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "11", "Devin Booker": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Al Jefferson": "19"}}], "Five players scored in double figures for Indiana, including two who had double - doubles. Paul George finished with 25 points and 13 rebounds, while Jeff Teague totaled 19 points and 11 assists. Myles Turner had a solid outing with 20 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting, including 3 - of - 4 from long range. Al Jefferson was solid in 19 minutes off the bench, shooting 5 - of - 7 on his way to 15 points. Meanwhile, six players scored in double figures for the Suns, but the high - point man, Eric Bledsoe, only had 15. Tyson Chandler finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Devin Booker finished with 13 points, five assists and four rebounds. The Suns gave up 21 turnovers, while the Pacers gave up 18. Both teams shot under 45 percent from the field, but the Pacers out - scored the Suns 32 - 17 at the foul line."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "29", "Spurs": "14"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "102", "Spurs": "92"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "36", "Spurs": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "42"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "19", "Pau Gasol": "18", "Victor Oladipo": "20", "Russell Westbrook": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "13"}, "Minutes played": {"Pau Gasol": "24", "Russell Westbrook": "35"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "13"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the San Antonio Spurs, 102 - 92, Thursday at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Spurs (50 - 14) were able to keep it close for a quarter before the Thunder (36 - 29) managed to slowly build up their lead, quarter by quarter, on their home floor. Oklahoma City was once again led by Russell Westbrook, who recorded his 31st triple - double of the season Thursday with a game - high 23 points, 13 assists and 13 rebounds in 35 minutes. Victor Oladipo added 20 points of his own on 8 - of - 14 shooting, while the team's bench showed up in an impressive way, accounting for 44 of the team's 92 points. For San Antonio, it was a sluggish performance for them as they were playing their third game in four days, and they saw their nine - game win streak come to an end as a result. Kawhi Leonard led the way offensively for the Spurs, although he shot just 6 - of - 15 from the field en route to scoring 19 points. LaMarcus Aldridge added 18 points of his own to go along with six rebounds, while the only other Spur to score in double figures was Pau Gasol, who came off the bench to score 18 points in 24 minutes. As a team, it was a performance to forget shooting the ball for San Antonio, as they hit just 42 percent of their shots from the field Thursday. Up next, the Thunder will stay home Saturday to play the Jazz, while the Spurs will look to get back on the right track against the Warriors on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "47"}, "Losses": {"Spurs": "3", "Grizzlies": "7"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "92", "Grizzlies": "82"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "10", "Grizzlies": "7"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Marc Gasol": "40", "Tim Duncan": "36"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "8", "Mike Conley": "16", "Matt Barnes": "10", "Courtney Lee": "15", "Kawhi Leonard": "19", "Tim Duncan": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "8", "Matt Barnes": "3", "Kawhi Leonard": "7", "Tim Duncan": "10"}, "Assists": {"Mike Conley": "5", "Matt Barnes": "2", "Kawhi Leonard": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Mike Conley": "5", "Matt Barnes": "5", "Courtney Lee": "5"}, "Steals": {"Courtney Lee": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (10 - 3) beat the Memphis Grizzlies (7 - 7) 92 - 82 on Saturday. The Grizzlies struggled to get offense out of their starting five, save for Mike Conley, who finished with 16 points, five rebounds and three assists, but the bench combo of Matt Barnes and Courtney Lee kept the game close. Barnes contributed 10 points, three rebounds and two assists, while Lee added 15 points and two steals. Zach Randolph (coach decision) did not play, and the Grizzlies team looked very different without their go - to power forward on the floor. Marc Gasol, fresh off a triple - double in his last performance, dealt with tough Spurs matchups all night long and only managed eight points and eight rebounds in 40 minutes. Kawhi Leonard continues to be the Spurs best player, as he finished with 19 points, seven rebounds and three assists on 3 - for - 6 shooting from the 3 - point line. Leonard buried the dagger 3 - pointer with 0:16 left in the 4th quarter, extending the Spurs lead to nine points. LaMarcus Aldridge (ankle) sat out, while Tim Duncan filled the void with 10 points and 10 rebounds in 36 minutes played. The Spurs shot 47 percent from the field as a unit and flashed their brilliant ball movement to continuously open up the floor, a staple of Gregg Popovich\u2019s supreme coaching and unselfish basketball. The Spurs host the Phoenix Suns (7 - 5) on Monday, while the Grizzlies host the Dallas Mavericks (9 - 4) on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "53"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "47"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "113", "Wizards": "105"}, "Turnovers": {"Wizards": "9"}}, {"Points": {"Markieff Morris": "13", "Marcin Gortat": "12", "Bradley Beal": "25", "John Wall": "27", "Harrison Barnes": "26", "Dirk Nowitzki": "11", "Wesley Matthews": "12", "Deron Williams": "21", "Devin Harris": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "5", "Marcin Gortat": "16", "Bradley Beal": "4", "John Wall": "4", "Harrison Barnes": "7", "Dirk Nowitzki": "9", "Wesley Matthews": "2", "Deron Williams": "1", "Devin Harris": "4"}, "Assists": {"Marcin Gortat": "4", "Bradley Beal": "6", "John Wall": "8", "Harrison Barnes": "5", "Wesley Matthews": "2", "Deron Williams": "6", "Devin Harris": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Marcin Gortat": "1", "John Wall": "1", "Harrison Barnes": "1", "Wesley Matthews": "1"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "3", "Devin Harris": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "9"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Washington Wizards, 113 - 105, at American Airlines Center on Tuesday. The Mavericks (10 - 24) came in to Tuesday's contest with only nine wins on the season, but five of those had come at home. With a Washington Wizards (16 - 17) team playing on the second game of a back - to - back set, they stood a solid chance of notching their sixth victory in the friendly confines of American Airlines Center, and did just that largely on the strength of a combined 47 points from Harrison Barnes and Deron Williams. The former scored nine of his team - high 26 points in the fourth period, including a 24 - foot three - pointer with 24 seconds remaining after the Wizards had closed the gap to 110 - 105. Overall, Dallas enjoyed one of its better offensive nights of what has been a difficult season, as they generated success rates of 47 and 53 percent from the field and three - point range, respectively. The Wizards were led by John Wall's 27 points, which he supplemented with eight assists, four rebounds, three steals and a block. Bradley Beal followed with 25 points, six assists and four rebounds. Markieff Morris and Otto Porter, Jr. produced matching 13 - point efforts, with the former adding five rebounds and the latter supplying four rebounds, three assists, three steals and three blocks. Marcin Gortat continued his excellent work down low, registering 12 points, 16 boards, four assists and a block. Barnes supplemented his scoring total with seven rebounds, five assists and a block. Williams compiled 21 points, six assists and a rebound. Wesley Matthews chipped in with 12 points, two rebounds, two assists and a block. Dirk Nowitzki contributed a near - double - double with 11 points and nine boards. Devin Harris posted 17 points, four rebounds, an assist and a steal to lead the bench. The Wizards heads back home to face off with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday evening, while the Mavericks remain home and await the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "50"}, "Turnovers": {"Pacers": "5"}}, {"Points": {"Marcus Morris": "10", "Jon Leuer": "15", "Andre Drummond": "14", "Tobias Harris": "22", "Stanley Johnson": "17", "Paul George": "21", "Thaddeus Young": "18", "CJ Miles": "15", "Jeff Teague": "10", "Monta Ellis": "12", "Glenn Robinson III": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "15", "CJ Miles": "1", "Jeff Teague": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Paul George": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Thaddeus Young": "5", "CJ Miles": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"CJ Miles": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"CJ Miles": "1"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "6"}, "Personal fouls": {"Monta Ellis": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Monta Ellis": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Glenn Robinson III": "1"}, "Steals": {"Glenn Robinson III": "1"}}], "Paul George's 21 points, which included 13 in the third quarter, led the way for Indiana, while five other Pacers also posted double digits in the scoring column. The Pacers supplied respective success rates of 50 percent and 48 percent from the field and three - point range. Tobias Harris paced Detroit with 22 points off the bench. Stanley Johnson was next with 17 points. Jon Leuer tallied 15 points, while Andre Drummond turned in a 14 - point, 15 - rebound double - double. Marcus Morris supplied 10 points. Thaddeus Young snapped a five - game streak of single - digit scoring by pouring in 18 points. C.J. Miles was next with 15 points, while Monta Ellis led the bench with 12 in 14 minutes. Glenn Robinson III one - upped him by providing 11 points in eight minutes. Jeff Teague totaled 10 points, six assists and five boards."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "18", "Hornets": "16"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "118", "Hornets": "111"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "17", "Hornets": "19"}}, {"Points": {"Kemba Walker": "34", "Jimmy Butler": "52", "Nikola Mirotic": "12"}, "Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Jimmy Butler": "15"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "22"}, "Free throws made": {"Jimmy Butler": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "12"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "3"}}], "The host Chicago Bulls took down the visiting Charlotte Hornets on Monday, 118 - 111. Bulls star Jimmy Butler scored a season - high 52 points, leading his team and recording the NBA's third 50 - point game in the last four days. Butler was an integral piece of the Bulls' (17 - 18) strong offensive night, as he shot 15 - of - 24 and an absurd 21 - of - 22 from the free - throw line. 32 of Butler's points came in the second half, with 11 coming in the final two minutes of what was a tight game. Chicago's next - highest scorer was bench big man Nikola Mirotic, who had just 12. On top of his 52 points, Butler recorded a team - high 12 rebounds and six assists, along with three steals on the defensive end. The Bulls managed to take care of the ball very well, turning it over just nine times on the night. Charlotte (19 - 16), meanwhile, saw strong play from their own star. Point guard Kemba Walker led the team with 34 points and pulled down 11 rebounds. The team as a whole shot impressively, hitting over 49 percent of its shots from the field and going 9 - of - 19 from beyond the arc. However, the team committed 14 turnovers on the night, errors that made a difference in what was a tight game. Moreover, the team simply could not find an answer for Jimmy Butler at the end of the game, as Butler scored the majority of Chicago's closing points. Both teams will face tough competition on Wednesday, as Charlotte hosts the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Bulls travel to Cleveland to face the defending champion Cavaliers."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "2", "Trail Blazers": "3"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "106", "Trail Blazers": "102"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "4", "Trail Blazers": "3"}}, {"Points": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "21", "Jamal Crawford": "20", "Blake Griffin": "23", "JJ Redick": "30", "Chris Paul": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "10", "Matt Barnes": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Damian Lillard": "3", "Jamal Crawford": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jamal Crawford": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jamal Crawford": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jamal Crawford": "3", "Matt Barnes": "3"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "11"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Matt Barnes": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Glen Davis": "9"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (4 - 2) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (3 - 3) 106 - 102 on Saturday. The Clippers were paced by J.J. Redick's 30 points, but they also had big contributions from Blake Griffin, Jamal Crawford, and Chris Paul. Griffin scored 23 points, and Paul had a double - double of 22 points and 11 assists. Crawford was moved into the starting lineup in place of Matt Barnes to try and give the Clippers more talent in their starting lineup. Crawford finished with 20 points in 31 minutes in his first start of the season. Glen Davis made his season debut after having sat out the first five games of the season with a groin injury. He played nine minutes off the bench. After struggling through his first three games of the season, Damian Lillard has caught fire over the last week. He did his best to ignite a comeback for the Blazers on Saturday, but his flourish of scores down the stretch were clouded by a few poor decisions by Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge that kept the win out of reach. Aldridge finished with a double - double of 21 points and 10 rebounds, while all five Blazers starters finished with double - digits scoring. The Trail Blazers will finish off a back - to - back set at home Sunday against the Nuggets. The Clippers will host the San Antonio Spurs on Monday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Greg Monroe": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Greg Monroe": "2"}}], "At one point this season, Nerlens Noel found himself out of the 76ers' rotation entirely. His minutes have since then fluctuated, but in this week's back - to - back set he had a chance to prove his worth. And it appears as though Noel has done so, as in his last two games, Noel has recorded a total of 35 points while shooting 13 - of - 19 (68 percent) from the field and 21 total rebounds. He's stepped into the big shoes of Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor and not only has produced in back - to - back games, but has led to victories in back - to - back games. Likewise, for the Bucks, Greg Monroe is proving after a countless amount of criticism that he still has a role to play in this leauge. After his 30 - point performance Wednesday, Monroe has now recorded a total of 45 points and 19 rebounds while shooting 18 - of - 30 (60 percent) from the field over his last two contests."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nuggets": "28", "Spurs": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "45"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "22", "Spurs": "7"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "99", "Spurs": "127"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "14", "Spurs": "29"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Pau Gasol": "4", "Tony Parker": "9", "Manu Ginobili": "3", "Nikola Jokic": "5"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "24", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "28", "Pau Gasol": "17", "Tony Parker": "21", "Manu Ginobili": "11", "Danilo Gallinari": "15", "Nikola Jokic": "19", "Wilson Chandler": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6", "Pau Gasol": "9", "Tony Parker": "3", "Manu Ginobili": "3", "Nikola Jokic": "11", "Wilson Chandler": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "18", "Tony Parker": "11", "Danilo Gallinari": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "11", "Tony Parker": "10", "Danilo Gallinari": "5"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the host Denver Nuggets, 127 - 99, at Pepsi Center on Thursday. The Spurs were expected to win this game according to recent results and they left very little doubt who the better team is. The second and third quarters is when they took control, as San Antonio outscored Denver, 61 - 44 in that 24 - minute stretch. Shooting was the clear difference, with the Spurs shooting 56 percent from the field and 50 percent from three - point range, while the Nuggets hit just 45 percent from the field and 28 percent from three - point range. San Antonio also dominated the assist - to - turnover ratio, recording nine more assists than Denver, while committing six less turnovers. The Spurs (29 - 7) had a tough task in altitude here, but they made it look easy in a blowout win. LaMarcus Aldridge led San Antonio in scoring, as he dropped 28 points on 11 - of - 18 from the field. Kawhi Leonard was second on the team, collecting 24 points, six rebounds and five assists. Tony Parker tallied 21 points, three rebounds and nine assists on 10 - of - 11 shooting. Pau Gasol totaled 17 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three blocks. Manu Ginobili came off the bench to provide 11 points, three rebounds and three assists. On deck for the Spurs is a home matchup against the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday. The Nuggets (14 - 22) were recently called out for their poor defense and a 127 - point outing allowed here wo n't quiet those notions. Nikola Jokic was easily Denver's best player, as he led the team with 19 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. Danilo Gallinari went just 5 - of - 13 from the field, but finished second on the team with 15 points. Wilson Chandler led the bench in scoring, amassing 11 points and seven rebounds. The Nuggets will look to get out of this slide on Saturday against the Oklahoma City Thunder."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Kings": "14"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "37"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "31", "Mavericks": "18"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "78", "Mavericks": "101"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "17", "Mavericks": "34"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Mavericks": "37"}}, {"Points": {"Tyson Chandler": "16", "J.J. Barea": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyson Chandler": "16"}, "Assists": {"J.J. Barea": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"J.J. Barea": "32", "Jason Thompson": "18"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (34 - 18) defeated the Sacramento Kings (17 - 31) 101 - 78 Thursday at the Sleep Train Arena. Dallas was playing its second game in as many nights and was without Dirk Nowitzki, but was able to band together to notch its 34th win of the season to keep pace in the West. J.J Barea got the start at point guard for the injured Rajon Rondo and played very well. In 32 minutes, Barea had 15 points and five assists. The Mavericks played suffocating defense, allowing just 35 points in the second half and holding Sacramento to just 37% from the field and 14% from three - point range for the game. Dallas let a big lead over Golden State slip away Wednesday, but was determined to not let a similar lead slip away against Sacramento. The Mavericks bench players made huge contributions in this game, namely Charlie Villanueva and Richard Jefferson. Tyson Chandler continued his dominance on the boards, pulling down 16 rebounds to go with his 16 points. The Mavericks are now 8 - 4 in the second game of back - to - backs. Dallas is idle Friday before returning home to host Portland. Sacramento was unable to take advantage of Dallas' depleted lineup and dropped its second game in a row. Darren Collison exited the game with an abdominal strain and is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Friday. Jason Thompson moved into the starting lineup, but was held scoreless in 18 minutes of action. The Kings will travel to Utah to take on the Jazz on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "30", "Nets": "39"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "104", "Nets": "96"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "19", "Nets": "9"}}, {"Points": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "16", "Trevor Booker": "13", "Brook Lopez": "14", "Isaiah Whitehead": "13", "Hassan Whiteside": "12", "Dion Waiters": "19", "Goran Dragic": "20", "James Johnson": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "6", "Trevor Booker": "8", "Brook Lopez": "3", "Isaiah Whitehead": "4", "Hassan Whiteside": "9", "Goran Dragic": "3"}, "Assists": {"Brook Lopez": "3", "Isaiah Whitehead": "5", "Dion Waiters": "9", "Goran Dragic": "8", "James Johnson": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Brook Lopez": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Brook Lopez": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "3", "James Johnson": "3"}, "Steals": {"Goran Dragic": "3", "James Johnson": "2"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 104 - 96, at American Airlines Arena on Monday. The recent form of these teams would indicate a Miami blowout, but that simply was n't the case in this close - fought battle. A 32 - 11 run spanning between the second and third quarter was the decisive stretch, as that swung a double - digit lead for the Nets into a 10 - point lead for the Heat. Despite there being just three ties and three lead changes, neither team led by more than 13 points, as it was a single - digit margin for well over 40 minutes. Three-point shooting was the difference in the game, with Miami going 11 - of - 26 from long range, while Brooklyn went just 4 - of - 26. The assist - to - turnover ratio killed Brooklyn as well, as they committed five more turnovers than Miami, while recording six less assists. The Nets (9 - 39) have just one win in their last 18 games, but this was a valiant effort against a hot Miami team. Bojan Bogdanovic led Brooklyn in scoring, totaling 16 points and six rebounds, Brook Lopez was second on the team, finishing with 14 points, three rebounds and three assists on 5 - of - 17 shooting. Trevor Booker amassed 13 points and eight rebounds. Isaiah Whitehead was the only bench player in double figures, providing 13 points, four rebounds and five assists in 23 minutes of action. Brooklyn will look to get out of this slide on Wednesday, when they host the New York Knicks for their next game. The Heat (19 - 30) have now won eight - straight games, as they continue to climb back into the playoff hunt. Goran Dragic scored a game - high 20 points, to go along with three rebounds, eight assists and three steals. Dion Waiters was n't far behind, tallying 19 points, six rebounds and nine assists. Hassan Whiteside recorded 12 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. James Johnson was arguably the player of the game off the bench, accumulating 17 points, four rebounds, five assists, two steals and three blocks. On deck for the heat is a home matchup against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "50", "76ers": "53"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "101", "76ers": "87"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "18", "76ers": "17"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "12", "Thomas Robinson": "8", "Jordan Hill": "7", "Jeremy Lin": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "5", "Thomas Robinson": "7", "Hollis Thompson": "4", "Wesley Johnson": "5", "Jordan Hill": "6", "Jeremy Lin": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "1", "Jabari Brown": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "29", "Thomas Robinson": "16", "Jeremy Lin": "29"}, "Points": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "13", "Robert Covington": "11", "Thomas Robinson": "14", "Hollis Thompson": "10", "Wesley Johnson": "10", "Jordan Hill": "12", "Wayne Ellington": "10", "Jeremy Lin": "29", "Jabari Brown": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Thomas Robinson": "8", "Jordan Hill": "8", "Jeremy Lin": "5"}, "Assists": {"Jeremy Lin": "5"}}], "In a battle of two of the NBA's worst teams, the Los Angeles Lakers (18 - 50) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (17 - 53) 101 - 87 on Sunday in Los Angeles. The Lakers were led by an incredible performance from Jeremy Lin, who posted 29 points on 10 - of - 16 shooting, five rebounds and five assists in 29 minutes off the bench. He carried the team to victory, as for the most part, the other Lakers were unimpressive. Jordan Hill scored 12 points on 6 - of - 7 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds, while Wayne Ellington, Wesley Johnson and Jabari Brown each scored 10 to round out the five Los Angeles players in double figures. The 76ers could not get anything going as they continue, along with the Lakers, to boast one of the worst records in the NBA. Despite recording 21 assists to just nine eight turnovers, the team shot a poor 37 percent from the field. Only one starter scored in double figures, and that was Luc Richard Mbah a Moute with 13 points on 5 - of - 12 shooting in 29 minutes. Thomas Robinson played well off the bench, recording 14 points on 7 - of - 8 shooting to go along with 8 rebounds in just 16 minutes of play. Robinson has been very productive in limited minutes this season, and it is likely he sees an increase in minutes as the final stretch of the season hits. Robert Covington (11) and Hollis Thompson (10) round out the four Philadelphia players who scored in double figures. Up next, the Lakers will head to Oklahoma City Tuesday to take on the streaking Thunder, while the 76ers will travel to Sacramento and play the Kings on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "42", "Knicks": "35"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "40", "Knicks": "29"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "90", "Knicks": "95"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Nets": "49", "Knicks": "58"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "9", "Knicks": "22"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "6"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "15", "Kristaps Porzingis": "19", "Willy Hernangomez": "16", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "15", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "16", "Caris LeVert": "10", "Trevor Booker": "12"}, "Blocks": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "12", "Willy Hernangomez": "16", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "7", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "8", "Caris LeVert": "4", "Trevor Booker": "8"}, "Assists": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "3", "Caris LeVert": "2", "Trevor Booker": "3"}, "Steals": {"Caris LeVert": "2"}}], "The New York Knicks defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 95 - 90, at Barclay's Center on Wednesday. These are two New York teams that have struggled recently, but the Knicks were able to prevail with a big road win. A 29 - 14 run to end the game was the decisive stretch for New York, as Brooklyn led by 10 points early in the fourth quarter prior to that run. The biggest difference in the game for the Knicks was their feisty defense, as they swiped away 16 steals, while Brooklyn got just four. New York also dominated the rebounding, winning that battle, 58 - 49. The Nets dominated the shooting though, as they shot 42 percent, while holding the Knicks to just 35 percent from the field. The Knicks (22 - 29) are within three games of the eight - seed in the east and wins like this are crucial for that pursuit. Kristaps Porzingis led the team in scoring, as he provided 19 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks. Carmelo Anthony was the only other starter in double figures, as he scored 15 points on 6 - of - 22 shooting. Strangely, Anthony did not play in the fourth quarter for an undisclosed reason. Willy Hernangomez was the most valuable Knicks player, as he totaled 16 points and 16 rebounds off the bench. The Nets (9 - 40) just continue to slide, as they've now lost 18 of their last 19 games. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson led Brooklyn in scoring, as he accumulated 16 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Bojan Bogdanovic was second on the team, collecting 15 points and seven rebounds. Trevor Booker was relegated to bench duties, but still provided 12 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Caris LeVert also played well off the bench, accruing 10 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "40", "Suns": "45"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "24", "Suns": "14"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "90", "Suns": "99"}, "Turnovers": {"Knicks": "14"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "5", "Suns": "14"}}, {"Points": {"Markieff Morris": "19", "Eric Bledsoe": "25", "Goran Dragic": "10", "Isaiah Thomas": "22", "Carmelo Anthony": "25", "Jose Calderon": "21", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Eric Bledsoe": "10", "Carmelo Anthony": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Goran Dragic": "11", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "14", "Jason Smith": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Goran Dragic": "4", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "5", "Jason Smith": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Goran Dragic": "31"}, "3-pointers made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Isaiah Thomas": "1"}, "Steals": {"Isaiah Thomas": "1"}, "Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Jose Calderon": "3"}}], "The Suns (14 - 14) got 25 points and 10 rebounds from Eric Bledsoe en route to a 99 - 90 win over the Knicks (5 - 24) on Saturday. Phoenix, which trailed by one entering the fourth quarter, got a three - pointer from Isaiah Thomas less than two minutes into the period to go up 70 - 68. The Suns would never relinquish the lead, and another Thomas three - pointer late in the quarter would prove to be the final dagger, putting Phoenix ahead by nine with 1:35 to play. The loss was the fourth straight for New York, and its 14th in 15 contests. The Knicks shot only 40 percent from the floor and committed 14 turnovers. Carmelo Anthony led the way with 25 points, 11 rebounds and three assists, while Jose Calderon added 21 points. Tim Hardaway, Jr., starting in place of J.R. Smith (foot), finished with 16 points on 5 - of - 14 shooting. The Knicks were also without Amar\u2019e Stoudemire, who was rested on the first day of a back - to - back set. New York faces the East-leading Raptors in Toronto on Sunday. While the Knicks are trending downward, the Suns have now won two straight after beating Charlotte on Wednesday. Bledsoe\u2019s 25 led the way for Phoenix, while Goran Dragic added 10 points on 4 - of - 11 shooting in 31 minutes. Markieff Morris had 19 points, and Thomas added 22, including three three - pointers, off the bench. The Suns shot 45 percent from the field and 10 - of - 25 from downtown. They\u2019re also on the front end of a back - to - back and will take on the Wizards in Washington on Sunday evening."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Mavericks": "38", "Lakers": "11"}}, {"Assists": {"Julius Randle": "4", "Justin Anderson": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Julius Randle": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Julius Randle": "4"}, "Points": {"Julius Randle": "9", "Wesley Matthews": "13", "Dirk Nowitzki": "13", "Seth Curry": "14", "Deron Williams": "13", "Justin Anderson": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Julius Randle": "6", "Justin Anderson": "5"}}], "There are n't many 49 - point games in the NBA, but that was the case here with the Mavericks just manhandling the Lakers. The second quarter is where it really got out of hand, with Dallas winning that quarter, 38 - 11. All the statistics were lopsided, with the Mavericks dominating the shooting, rebounding, assisting and turnover differentials. Julius Randle was the only starter with a respectable line for the Lakers, as he tallied nine points, six rebounds and four assists on 4 - of - 4 shooting. In fact, no Los Angeles starter reached double figures in scoring. Lou Williams led the team, by dropping 14 points off the bench. Justin Anderson led Dallas in scoring, collecting 19 points, five rebounds and two assists, with much of that coming in garbage time. Deron Williams, Dirk Nowitzki and Wesley Matthews scored 13 points a piece, while Seth Curry led the starters with 14 points."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "13", "Suns": "38"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "107", "Suns": "106"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "62", "Suns": "38"}}, {"Personal fouls": {"Eric Bledsoe": "3", "Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Points": {"Eric Bledsoe": "18", "TJ Warren": "17", "David Lee": "7", "Stephen Curry": "28"}, "Minutes played": {"David Lee": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"David Lee": "6", "Stephen Curry": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "6"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (62 - 13) narrowly edged out the Phoenix Suns (38 - 38) on Thursday in a 107 - 106 thriller at the Oracle Arena. It is n't often that Golden State gets tested at home, but a Phoenix team clinging to slim playoff chances gave Golden State all it could handle Thursday. Phoenix trailed for much of the game, but took an 89 - 88 lead with 5:33 to go. A back - and - forth battle ensued with both teams trading haymakers. It looked like Golden State was going to escape after Steph Curry swished a three to take a one - point lead with eight seconds to go, but Eric Bledsoe answered with a crafty move at the basket to give Phoenix the lead. Coming out of a timeout, Golden State called on Harrison Barnes, who delivered the winning basket with under a second remaining. The Suns have now lost five games on buzzer beating shots, but this one may have ended their playoff hopes for good. Phoenix desperately needed a win Thursday, having lost four straight coming into its matchup with Golden State. Every starter scored in double - figures, led by Eric Bledsoe with 18 points. Rookie T.J Warren had a big outing with 17 points off the bench. Despite the solid all - around performances, Phoenix could n't hold on as it suffered another gut - wrenching loss. The Suns will return home to host the Jazz on Saturday. Golden State has the Pacific Division and the West's number one seed locked up, but still played like its season was on the line. The Warriors rallied from a big deficit against the Clippers on Tuesday, and followed it up with another clutch performance. Stephen Curry showed once again why he's an MVP candidate, canning six three - pointers on his way to scoring 28 points. The Warriors were missing Draymond Green again Thursday, which allowed David Lee to make his second straight start. Lee finished with seven points and six rebounds over 21 minutes. Golden State will start a three - game road trip Saturday in Dallas."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "56", "Mavericks": "46"}, "Losses": {"Timberwolves": "26", "Mavericks": "27"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "101", "Mavericks": "92"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "12", "Mavericks": "11"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "46"}}, {"Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "30", "Dirk Nowitzki": "26", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "34", "Ricky Rubio": "13"}, "Assists": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "4", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "4", "Ricky Rubio": "15"}, "Minutes played": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "31", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "37"}, "Rebounds": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "5", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "11", "Ricky Rubio": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "4"}, "Steals": {"Ricky Rubio": "5"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Dallas Mavericks, 101 - 92, at Target Center on Monday. The Timberwolves (12 - 26) put an end to a four - game losing streak with Monday's victory, and it was thanks in large part to the monster performance put on by Karl-Anthony Towns. After scoring 20 points in the first quarter and outscoring the entire Mavericks (11 - 27) team by himself, Towns finished with a game - high 34 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and three blocks in 37 minutes. The big man's night was made even easier with Ricky Rubio shining as a facilitator, notching a double - double of his own with 13 points and 15 assists on top of five rebounds and five steals. The two helped the Timberwolves lead wire - to - wire Thursday, as the team overall shot a very impressive 56 percent from the field. As for the Mavericks, the loss leaves them alone at the very bottom of the Western Conference, but the defeat did n't come without a pair of great performances from their stars in the frontcourt. Harrison Barnes led the way with a team - high 30 points, while veteran Dirk Nowtizki posted 26 points, five rebounds and four assists in 31 minutes. Unfortunately for Dallas, they failed to get any other significant contributions elsewhere, with the other 10 Mavericks players who played combining to score just 36 points. And while Dallas managed to shoot an impressive 46 percent from behind the arc, their inability to get to the free throw line ended up hurting them, as they shot just 7 - of - 9 from the charity stripe. Up next, the Timberwolves will stay home Wednesday to play the Rockets, while the Mavericks will head home to take on the Suns on Thursday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "33", "Pelicans": "20"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "50", "Pelicans": "40"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "19", "Pelicans": "14"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "96", "Pelicans": "84"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "10", "Pelicans": "14"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "18", "Ryan Anderson": "8", "Roy Hibbert": "10", "George Hill": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "8", "Ryan Anderson": "1", "Roy Hibbert": "5", "George Hill": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "6", "Ryan Anderson": "2", "Roy Hibbert": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Anthony Davis": "5", "Ryan Anderson": "2", "Roy Hibbert": "4"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "21", "Tyreke Evans": "14", "Jrue Holiday": "16", "Ryan Anderson": "4", "David West": "13", "Roy Hibbert": "14", "CJ Miles": "11", "George Hill": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "9", "Tyreke Evans": "11", "David West": "7", "Roy Hibbert": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jrue Holiday": "5", "Ryan Anderson": "6", "George Hill": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jrue Holiday": "0", "Ryan Anderson": "0", "George Hill": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Ryan Anderson": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Ryan Anderson": "1"}, "Assists": {"David West": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Roy Hibbert": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"George Hill": "21"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (10 - 19) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (14 - 14) 96 - 84 on Tuesday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. While the Pacers took only a four - point lead into halftime, they came out strong in the third quarter and ended up out - scoring the Pelicans 52 - 44 in the second half to secure the victory at home. The Pacers were able to shoot 50 percent from the field and 33 percent from the three - point line, while the Pelicans shot only 40 percent from the field and 20 percent from beyond the arc. Roy Hibbert had a big night, finishing with 14 points (5 - 10 FG, 4 - 6 FT) and four rebounds. His biggest impact came on the defensive side of the ball where he matched a season - high with seven blocks. It was the first time he's done that since the regular season opener. David West also continued to play well. He finished with 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists, as he did a little bit of everything Tuesday. The Pacers did receive some solid contribution from the bench. In his first game of the season after sitting out with an injury, George Hill started the season hot, going 5 - for - 8 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 15 points in 21 minutes. It was a welcome sight for the Pacers seeing him back. CJ Miles also had 11 points off the bench. Anthony Davis had the most success for the Pelicans. Davis went 8 - for - 18 from the field and 5 - for - 6 from the free throw line to score 21 points, while also recording nine rebounds. It was n't a monster game for him like he's had so many times in the last few weeks, but he still was the main focus for the Pelicans. Tyreke Evans was able to contribute 14 points and 11 rebounds. It was his fifth double - double of the season. Jrue Holiday had 16 points of his own while starting at point guard, despite going 0 - for - 5 from behind the three - point line. The starters just did n't get enough help from the bench in this one, as even the highly consistent Ryan Anderson finished with only four points (1 - 8 FG, 0 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) in 28 minutes. The Pacers' next game will be on the road against the Detroit Pistons on Friday, while the Pelicans will be at home against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "28", "Cavaliers": "20"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "102", "Cavaliers": "109"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "12", "Cavaliers": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "5", "Kobe Bryant": "17"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LeBron James": "13"}, "Free throws made": {"LeBron James": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "38", "Kevin Love": "37"}, "Personal fouls": {"LeBron James": "2"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "36", "Kevin Love": "17", "Kobe Bryant": "19"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Kobe Bryant": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Nick Young": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nick Young": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nick Young": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Nick Young": "4"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (20 - 20) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (12 - 28) 109 - 102 on Thursday at the Staples Center. LeBron James is showing no rust after sitting out for two weeks with knee and back issues. In his second game back, he put up 36 points, five rebounds, and five assists in 38 minutes on the floor. The only rust he showed was at the free throw line, where he was 8 - for - 13. Kobe Bryant, who turned in a tremendous game, was rested for a good portion of the fourth quarter and could n't quite bring the Lakers back in the end. Bryant ended with 19 points, six rebounds, and a career - high 17 assists. Cleveland's six - game losing streak finally came to an end Thursday as the Cavaliers improved to 9 - 11 away from home and got back to .500 overall. Kevin Love turned in a gritty performance as he battled through back spasms to play 37 minutes and score 17 points. The Cavaliers went with an eight - man rotation to keep some players fresh ahead of Friday's contest against the Clippers. Los Angeles has now dropped five of its last six games, including three straight at home. Despite a great performance by Bryant, the Lakers were hurt by poor shot selection down the stretch. Nick Young was just 4 - of - 13 from the field and 2 - for - 8 from three point range. The Lakers will start a four - game road trip on Friday when they travel to Utah to take on the Jazz."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Heat": "29", "Nets": "35"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "46", "Nets": "44"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "35", "Nets": "38"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "104", "Nets": "98"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Heat": "34", "Nets": "23"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "29", "Nets": "25"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "21"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Thaddeus Young": "2", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Deron Williams": "4", "Jarrett Jack": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "1", "Goran Dragic": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Thaddeus Young": "1", "Brook Lopez": "0", "Deron Williams": "3", "Jarrett Jack": "1", "Goran Dragic": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Thaddeus Young": "11", "Brook Lopez": "11", "Deron Williams": "10", "Jarrett Jack": "8", "Chris Andersen": "9", "Dwyane Wade": "25", "Goran Dragic": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Thaddeus Young": "6", "Brook Lopez": "6", "Deron Williams": "6", "Jarrett Jack": "5", "Chris Andersen": "8", "Dwyane Wade": "10", "Goran Dragic": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Thaddeus Young": "4", "Brook Lopez": "4", "Deron Williams": "3", "Jarrett Jack": "8", "Chris Andersen": "4", "Dwyane Wade": "11", "Goran Dragic": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Thaddeus Young": "2", "Brook Lopez": "3", "Deron Williams": "3", "Jarrett Jack": "7", "Chris Andersen": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "8", "Goran Dragic": "6"}, "Points": {"Thaddeus Young": "15", "Brook Lopez": "15", "Deron Williams": "18", "Jarrett Jack": "18", "Chris Andersen": "18", "Dwyane Wade": "28", "Goran Dragic": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Thaddeus Young": "7", "Brook Lopez": "14", "Deron Williams": "4", "Jarrett Jack": "4", "Chris Andersen": "14"}, "Steals": {"Thaddeus Young": "2", "Deron Williams": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "2", "Goran Dragic": "2"}, "Assists": {"Deron Williams": "4", "Jarrett Jack": "4", "Dwyane Wade": "9", "Goran Dragic": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jarrett Jack": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Goran Dragic": "35"}}], "The Miami Heat (29 - 35) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (25 - 38) 104 - 98 on Wednesday at American Airlines Arena in Miami. The Heat got out to a quick start in this one, out - scoring the Nets 34 - 23 right away in the first quarter. The Nets made a fourth quarter push to bring it within five, but the Heat had established too large of a lead early in the game that the Nets came up just short. The Heat finished at 46 percent from the field and 29 percent from the three - point line, while the Nets shot 44 percent from the floor and 35 percent from deep. What really made the difference though was turnovers. The Heat forced the Nets into 21 turnovers, while committing just 11 of their own. Dwyane Wade did the bulk of the shooting in this one, going 10 - for - 25 from the field and 8 - for - 11 from the free throw line for a game - high of 28 points, while also adding nine assists and two steals. He's playing some of his best basketball of the season right now, averaging 29 points over his last four games. With Hassan Whiteside sitting out due to suspension, Chris Andersen moved into the starting lineup at center. He was very efficient with his time, finishing with 18 points (8 - 9 FG, 2 - 4 FT) and 14 rebounds in 29 minutes. It was far - and - away his best game of the year so far, as it marked a new season - high in points, along with being his first double - double of the year. He's averaging just 5 points and five rebounds on the season. Also playing a big factor in the win was Goran Dragic, who made his return to the court after missing two games with a back injury. In 35 minutes, Dragic posted 17 points (5 - 9 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 6 - 9 FT), three assists and two steals. Considering he played a full 35 minutes, he should be over the back injury moving forward. Doing their best to keep the Nets close was the duo of Deron Williams and Jarrett Jack. Williams finished with 18 points (6 - 10 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), four assists and two steals, while Jack posted 18 points (5 - 8 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT), four rebounds and four assists of his own. Despite coming off the bench, Jack has remained quite effective and has now combined for 33 points and seven assists over his last two games. He's also shot over 50 percent in each of his last three games. Starting at center, Brook Lopez recorded 15 points (6 - 11 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) and 14 rebounds in 32 minutes. He has now posted three double - doubles over his last four games, a stretch where he's averaging 17 points and 12 rebounds per game. Coming close to a double - double of his own, Thaddeus Young finished with 15 points (6 - 11 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT), seven rebounds and two steals. Since joining the Nets 11 games ago, Young has averaged 13 points and 5 rebounds, but he's starting to get more and more comfortable, so we could see his numbers on the rise again soon. The Heat's next game will be on the road against the Toronto Raptors on Friday, while the Nets will travel to Philadelphia to play the 76ers on Saturday."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Khris Middleton": "18", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Khris Middleton": "11", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Khris Middleton": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Khris Middleton": "8"}, "Points": {"Khris Middleton": "30", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "26"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8"}}], "Two star wings dominated Friday's game for the Milwaukee Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo, a first - time All-Star at 22 years old, scored 26 points on 11 - of - 16 shooting to go with eight rebounds, five assists, and two blocks. Antetokounmpo, known by many as'The Greek Freak, 'is the first player ever to rank in the top 20 in the NBA in scoring, assists, rebounds, steals, and blocks in the same season. Friday only added to that, as Giannis helped build on career highs across all statistical categories. Meanwhile, wing man Khris Middleton scored a team - high 30 points. Middleton shot 11 - of - 18 from the field and 8 - of - 9 from the free - throw line. Though he did not hit a three, he scored incredibly efficiently and led the team on what was a stellar offensive night."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "11", "Pistons": "12"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "92", "Pistons": "93"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Heat": "34", "Pistons": "18"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Heat": "18", "Pistons": "36"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "16", "Pistons": "17"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pistons": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Andre Drummond": "11", "Reggie Jackson": "18", "Stanley Johnson": "14", "Steve Blake": "12", "Anthony Tolliver": "9", "Chris Bosh": "20", "Hassan Whiteside": "16", "Dwyane Wade": "19", "Beno Udrih": "14", "Gerald Green": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "12", "Reggie Jackson": "5", "Steve Blake": "2", "Chris Bosh": "3", "Hassan Whiteside": "16", "Dwyane Wade": "5", "Beno Udrih": "3"}, "Assists": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "3", "Reggie Jackson": "3", "Steve Blake": "2", "Chris Bosh": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "1", "Beno Udrih": "6"}, "Steals": {"Reggie Jackson": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stanley Johnson": "4", "Steve Blake": "4", "Anthony Tolliver": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Stanley Johnson": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"Stanley Johnson": "2"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (17 - 12) defeated the Miami Heat (16 - 11) 93 - 92 on Tuesday. The game was a testament to the perseverance and marksmanship of the visiting Pistons, who shook off a 34 - 18 first - quarter explosion by the Heat that had the home crowd buzzing. Detroit returned the favor by incredibly doubling up Miami in the second period, 36 - 18, on the strength of a barrage of three - point shots. While the Heat did an excellent job of completely taking Andre Drummond out of the equation early, the Pistons simply responded with outstanding perimeter shooting. Somewhat surprisingly, it was the likes of reserves Stanley Johnson, Anthony Tolliver and Steve Blake that led the way in the three - point department, helping propel the visitors to a tally of 10 long - range buckets in the first half. Overall, Detroit posted a stellar 52 percent figure from beyond the arc, outscoring Miami 45 - 12 in that category. Reggie Jackson paced Detroit with 18 points, five rebounds, three assists and a steal, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had a slow first half before draining some crucial buckets when it mattered most. The shooting guard's three - pointer with two minutes left helped give Detroit a 91 - 89 lead, and his jumper with 56 seconds remaining put the Pistons ahead to stay. Meanwhile, Drummond shook off the aforementioned slow start to tally an 11 - point, 12 - rebound double - double, his fourth straight. Johnson (14 points, four three - pointers), Blake (12 points, four three - pointers) and Tolliver (nine points, three - three pointers) made timely and essential contributions off the bench, with the latter two combining for a trio of particularly important treys early in the fourth period that helped the Pistons eventually overcome what was a seven - point Heat lead at the time. Detroit improved to 17 - 12 and is currently in a second - place tie with Indiana in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They travel to Atlanta to face the Hawks on Wednesday. The Heat received a mammoth double - double from Hassan Whiteside (16 points, 16 rebounds), who outplayed Drummond after the latter had hauled in 20 rebounds in their initial meeting this season. Chris Bosh posted a game - high 20 points, and added three rebounds and two assists, while fellow veteran Dwyane Wade had a fourth straight strong performance with 19 points, five rebounds, an assist and a steal. Beno Udrih, acquired earlier in the season from the Grizzlies, turned in a highly productive performance in his first Miami start, managing 14 points, six assists and three rebounds. The veteran got the call in Goran Dragic's stead, who was sidelined with multiple hand injuries. Gerald Green paced the Heat bench, but did so with a modest eight points. As a team, Miami was considerably less aggressive and effective than Detroit from long range, sinking only four of their 18 three - point attempts. The Heat fell to 16 - 11 and are now in second place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They remain home for a Christmas Day showdown with the New Orleans Pelicans."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Spurs": "46", "Suns": "33"}}, {"Field goals made": {"Marquese Chriss": "5", "Devin Booker": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "10", "Tony Parker": "10"}, "Points": {"Marquese Chriss": "13", "Devin Booker": "8", "Eric Bledsoe": "13", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "27", "Pau Gasol": "16", "Tony Parker": "20"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Devin Booker": "13", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "12", "Tony Parker": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "8", "Pau Gasol": "10", "Tony Parker": "1"}, "Assists": {"Pau Gasol": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Pau Gasol": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Pau Gasol": "1", "Tony Parker": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Tony Parker": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Tony Parker": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tony Parker": "1"}}], "This was a lopsided matchup on paper and a 21 - point result indicates just where these teams are right now. It took a monster second half to get there though, as the Spurs won the second half, 61 - 34. They dominated in the paint, as they outrebounded the Suns, 46 - 33 and scored 64 points in the paint in total. The five Phoenix starters combined for just 40 points, with Eric Bledsoe and Marquese Chriss leading them with 13 points a piece. Devin Booker had a nightmare game, as he went 2 - of - 13 from the field to score eight points. T.J. Warren was a lone bright spot, as he scored 24 points off the bench for the Suns. LaMarcus Aldridge continued his great form, as he led the team with 27 points and eight rebounds on 10 - of - 12 shooting. Pau Gasol recorded a 16 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Tony Parker had one of his best scoring games in the absence of Kawhi Leonard (illness), as he scored 20 points on 10 - of - 16 shooting."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "52"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "52"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "32", "Celtics": "33"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "118", "Celtics": "107"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "48", "Celtics": "47"}}, {"Points": {"Jae Crowder": "16", "Avery Bradley": "15", "Isaiah Thomas": "16", "Marcus Smart": "19", "Kent Bazemore": "21", "Paul Millsap": "31", "Jeff Teague": "24"}, "Assists": {"Marcus Smart": "3", "Kent Bazemore": "3", "Paul Millsap": "3", "Jeff Teague": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Marcus Smart": "33", "Paul Millsap": "39"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcus Smart": "5", "Kent Bazemore": "5", "Paul Millsap": "16", "Jeff Teague": "5"}, "Steals": {"Marcus Smart": "1", "Kent Bazemore": "3", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Jeff Teague": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Kent Bazemore": "2", "Paul Millsap": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kent Bazemore": "3", "Jeff Teague": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Kent Bazemore": "3", "Jeff Teague": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "7", "Jeff Teague": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul Millsap": "5", "Jeff Teague": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "22", "Jeff Teague": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul Millsap": "13", "Jeff Teague": "9"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (48 - 32) defeated the visiting Boston Celtics (47 - 33) 118 - 107, Saturday night at Philips Arena The Hawks pulled off a major comeback in order to take the advantage over the Celtics in the battle for third place in the East. Atlanta trailed by as many as 12 points with about five minutes left in the third quarter, but went on an impressive 43 - 20 run in order to finish the game on top; earning their third win in a row and 15th win in 19 games. The teams came into this game tied in the standings, while they both have two games remaining; therefore there is still opportunity for the Celtics to overtake that third spot. The Hawks managed to overcome 18 turnovers with good shooting, as they hit 52 percent from the field, 51 percent from long range and 9 - 11 from the foul line. Paul Millsap put on a show to lead his team, with 31 points (13 - 22 FG, 5 - 7 3Pt), 16 rebounds, five blocked shots, three assists and two steals, in 39 minutes. Jeff Teague chipped in 24 points (9 - 15 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), seven assists, five rebounds and one steal, while Kent Bazemore was also very effective, finishing with 21 points, five rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocked shots. Six players scored in double digits for the Celtics, led by Marcus Smart who contributed 19 points, five rebounds, three assists and one steal, in 33 minutes off the bench. Jae Crowder and Isaiah Thomas added 16 points each, while Avery Bradley chipped in 15. Although they were able to score, the Celtics could not keep up on the defensive end, allowing the Hawks to out - pace them. The Celtics have two games remaining, both of which will be at TD Garden. They host the Hornets in a potential first round preview on Monday. The Hawks will visit Cleveland to face the Cavaliers on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "6", "Mavericks": "7"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "93", "Mavericks": "77"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "4", "Mavericks": "2"}}, {"Assists": {"Harrison Barnes": "1", "J.J. Barea": "4", "Seth Curry": "3", "Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Kristaps Porzingis": "1", "Joakim Noah": "2", "Courtney Lee": "2", "Justin Holiday": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Harrison Barnes": "1", "Kristaps Porzingis": "1", "Justin Holiday": "1"}, "Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "20", "J.J. Barea": "17", "Seth Curry": "9", "Carmelo Anthony": "24", "Kristaps Porzingis": "24", "Justin Holiday": "16"}, "Steals": {"Harrison Barnes": "1", "Seth Curry": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"J.J. Barea": "1", "Seth Curry": "5", "Kristaps Porzingis": "11", "Derrick Rose": "4", "Justin Holiday": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Seth Curry": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Seth Curry": "1"}}], "The New York Knicks defeated the Dallas Mavericks, 93 - 77, at Madison Square Garden on Monday. The Knicks (4 - 6) came in losers of two straight and looking for an immediate improvement of a porous defense that had allowed an average of 110 points coming in. They were able to right both matters for the moment Monday, stifling the Dallas Mavericks (2 - 7) to the tune of a season - low point total. Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis led the way as usual, contributing a pair of 24 - point efforts. One particularly notable item from the home team's stat sheet was Justin Holiday's play as compared to that of Joakim Noah, who he replaced to start the second half. While the latter went scoreless over 15 minutes, the former posted 16 points over 25 minutes on the floor, leading the bench. The Mavericks, playing once again without Dirk Nowitzki (Achilles), were led by Harrison Barnes, who supplied 20 points, four rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block. J.J. Barea drew another start in place of Deron Williams (calf), registering 17 points, four assists and a rebound. Unfortunately for Dallas, that was it for double - digit scoring performances, as they shot just 39 percent from the field and posted an unsightly 5 - of - 28 tally (18 percent) from beyond the arc. Seth Curry paced the bench with nine points, five rebounds, three assists and a steal, but was 1 - of - 7 himself from three - point range. Anthony added seven rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block to his scoring haul, while Porzingis complemented his point total with 11 boards, an assist and a block. However, the trio of Noah, Derrick Rose and Courtney Lee combined for just 10 points on 4 - of - 15 shooting. Holiday, who helped spearhead a second - half - opening 19 - 6 run, added four rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block to his aforementioned 16 points. The Mavericks continue their tour through the Northeast with a Wednesday showdown in Boston against the Celtics, while the Knicks remain home for their Wednesday date with the Pistons."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "33", "Mavericks": "33"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "51"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "1"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "118", "Mavericks": "104"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Thunder": "35", "Mavericks": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Thunder": "42", "Mavericks": "35"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "4", "Mavericks": "1"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Justin Anderson": "5", "Dirk Nowitzki": "6", "Kevin Durant": "11", "Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Justin Anderson": "2", "Dirk Nowitzki": "3", "Kevin Durant": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Justin Anderson": "10", "Dirk Nowitzki": "16", "Dwight Powell": "7", "Kevin Durant": "24", "Steven Adams": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"Justin Anderson": "5", "Dirk Nowitzki": "8", "Dwight Powell": "6", "Kevin Durant": "11", "Steven Adams": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "13"}, "Points": {"Justin Anderson": "14", "Dirk Nowitzki": "24", "Dwight Powell": "16", "Kevin Durant": "33", "Steven Adams": "15", "Russell Westbrook": "36"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "5", "Dwight Powell": "6", "Kevin Durant": "8", "Steven Adams": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "5", "Kevin Durant": "8", "Steven Adams": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kevin Durant": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Steven Adams": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "12"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "1"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Dallas Mavericks, 118 - 104, Monday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena to win their Western Conference first - round playoff series, 4 - 1. The Thunder led from wire - to - wire in this one thanks to an 11 - point lead they built behind a 35 - point first quarter. Dallas managed to get it as close as four points in the fourth quarter, but up 107 - 103 with 4:8 to go, the Thunder rattled off an 110 run to seal the deal. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook dominated this one to win Oklahoma City's fifth consecutive first round series, as the Thunder's superstars each poured in over 30 points in the victory. Westbrook finished an assist shy of a triple - double and scored 36 points (13 - 23 FG, 3 - 8 3PT, 7 - 8 FT) with 12 rebounds, both game highs. Durant added 33 points (11 - 24 FG, 3 - 11 3PT, 8 - 8 FT) to finish an up - and - down series in which he shot just 37 percent (43 - 117) from the floor. Oklahoma City also got a double - double from center Steven Adams, who notched 15 points (5 - 8 FG, 5 - 9 FT) and 10 rebounds. The Thunder shot 51 percent from the floor and won both the rebounding (42 - 35) and free throw battles (26 - 20). Dirk Nowitzki led the Mavericks with 24 points (8 - 16 FG, 3 - 6 3PT, 5 - 5 FT) to close the series with consecutive 20 - point games. The Mavericks had six players in double figures, including Dwight Powell (16 points, 6 - 7 FG) and Justin Anderson (14 points, 5 - 10 FG, 2 - 5 3PT), but they could n't keep up with the explosive Thunder and the performances of Durant and Westbrook. The Mavericks shot just 8 - 24 (33 percent) from the three - point line and needed more from downtown if they were going to compete against Oklahoma City. The Thunder will face the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Semifinals."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "23", "Celtics": "31"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "96", "Celtics": "93"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bucks": "16"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "28", "Celtics": "19"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "24"}}, {"Points": {"Evan Turner": "7", "Jared Sullinger": "17", "Marcus Smart": "13", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "14"}, "Assists": {"Jared Sullinger": "2", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Jared Sullinger": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Jared Sullinger": "7", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "11"}, "Steals": {"Jared Sullinger": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Marcus Smart": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Marcus Smart": "36", "Jorge Gutierrez": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Khris Middleton": "10"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (28 - 23) scored more points than the Boston Celtics (19 - 31), 96 - 93. Brandon Knight hit the game - clinching, step - back jumper with seven seconds left. These two teams will meet twice more in April. Giannis Antetokounmpo continues his rampage on the league, registering his fourth double - double in five games, finishing with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Khris Middleton recorded a steal for the 19th consecutive game. Earlier in the day, Jorge Gutierrez signed his second 10 - day contract. The Bucks scored 16 fastbreak points. Evan Turner's lucky stat line, seven points, rebounds and assists, was n't enough to triumph over the Bucks. Jared Sullinger led the team with 17 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block. Rookie Marcus Smart scored 13 points and hit two three - pointers in 36 minutes. The Celtics shot 24 percent from downtown. The Bucks host Jason Kidd's former team, the Brooklyn Nets, on Monday. The Celtics have three days off before battling the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, their final game before the All-Star break."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "36", "Thunder": "28"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "104", "Thunder": "89"}, "Turnovers": {"Mavericks": "8"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "26", "Thunder": "35"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Thunder": "18"}}, {"Blocks": {"Steven Adams": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Points": {"Steven Adams": "19", "Russell Westbrook": "29", "Enes Kanter": "16", "Dirk Nowitzki": "18", "Seth Curry": "22", "Nerlens Noel": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Steven Adams": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "6", "Enes Kanter": "10"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "24", "Seth Curry": "16", "Nerlens Noel": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "8", "Seth Curry": "10", "Nerlens Noel": "6"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Harrison Barnes": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Nerlens Noel": "16"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, 104 - 89, at American Airlines Center on Sunday. The Mavericks (26 - 36) improved to 18 - 14 on their home court and are still on the outside looking in at the Western Conference playoffs, as they sit three games behind the Denver Nuggets for the eight - seed. The marquee moment of the game came on a Russell Westbrook flagrant 1 foul after he barreled over Harrison Barnes in the third quarter. Westbrook was trying to break away from a screen when he took one step too many, and took Barnes to the ground with him. Dallas led the Thunder (35 - 28) through each of the first three quarters, but a measly 18 points from Oklahoma City during the final period was far from enough to keep the game within striking distance. Dirk Nowitzki scored 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the win, while Seth Curry scored 22 points on 10 - of - 16 shooting. Nerlens Noel was effective in his 16 minutes off the bench, as the 76ers import pitched in 13 points and five rebounds on 6 - of - 7 shooting. Westbrook led the Thunder with 29 points, six rebounds, five assists, two steals and one block on 8 - of - 24 shooting. Enes Kanter led the Thunder bench with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Steven Adams added 19 points, five boards and one block. Both teams play on Tuesday, as the Thunder host the Portland Trail Blazers, while the Mavericks host the Los Angeles Lakers."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "30", "Pelicans": "18"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "6", "Pelicans": "42"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "125", "Pelicans": "107"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "60", "Pelicans": "24"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "38"}}, {"Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "1", "Stephen Curry": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "22", "Toney Douglas": "22", "Draymond Green": "14", "Klay Thompson": "18", "Stephen Curry": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "12", "Draymond Green": "12", "Stephen Curry": "5"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Draymond Green": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Draymond Green": "10", "Stephen Curry": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Draymond Green": "5", "Stephen Curry": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"Draymond Green": "4"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (60 - 6) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (24 - 42) 125 - 107 at Oracle Arena on Monday. Stephen Curry celebrated his 28th birthday with the Warriors as they improved to 60 wins on the season and kept their record home winning streak alive and well. Curry scored 27 points, to go along with five rebounds and five assists on 10 - of - 16 shooting while the MVP and birthday chants flooded the arena. It was a similar drill to what we have seen from Golden State this year, as they led every quarter and moved the ball well after out - assisting the Pelicans 30 - 18. Draymond Green dominated the defensive rebounding battle, hauling in 11 of his 12 total boards. Green seems to have busted out of his shooting slump and scored 14 points on 5 - of - 10 shooting, although his four turnovers was above his average. Klay Thompson added 18 points, while the bench handled the workload in the fourth quarter to secure the win. The Pelicans came into the matchup riddled with injuries, which never makes a game in Golden State any easier. Alexis Ajinca (sternum) and Norris Cole (back) were sidelined for the game, while Tony Douglas drew his third straight start. Douglas was a stand out in the box score, as he scored 22 points, but it came on a volume 20 shots that were questionable in terms of selection. Anthony Davis matched Douglas\u2019 22 points, and grabbed 12 rebounds, in addition to one assist, one steal and two blocks. The Pelicans achilles was their shot selection as a unit, and the tough matchup resulted in 38 percent shooting as a whole. Both teams play on Wednesday, as the Warriors will host the New York Knicks (28 - 40), while the Pelicans visit the Sacramento Kings (26 - 40)."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Wizards": "58"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "50"}, "Losses": {"Wizards": "28", "Trail Blazers": "21"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "105", "Trail Blazers": "97"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "39", "Trail Blazers": "44"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Nicolas Batum": "6", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Arron Afflalo": "5", "Damian Lillard": "8", "Bradley Beal": "4", "John Wall": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nicolas Batum": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "0", "Arron Afflalo": "2", "Damian Lillard": "2", "Bradley Beal": "4", "John Wall": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nicolas Batum": "12", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "19", "Arron Afflalo": "9", "Damian Lillard": "18", "Nene": "13", "Bradley Beal": "13", "John Wall": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"Nicolas Batum": "4", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "10", "Arron Afflalo": "5", "Damian Lillard": "5", "Nene": "5", "Bradley Beal": "8", "John Wall": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nicolas Batum": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "6", "Arron Afflalo": "3", "Damian Lillard": "2", "Nene": "4", "Bradley Beal": "6", "John Wall": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Nicolas Batum": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "4", "Arron Afflalo": "3", "Damian Lillard": "2", "Nene": "2", "Bradley Beal": "3", "John Wall": "1"}, "Points": {"Nicolas Batum": "12", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "24", "Arron Afflalo": "15", "Damian Lillard": "14", "Paul Pierce": "16", "Nene": "12", "Marcin Gortat": "16", "Bradley Beal": "23", "John Wall": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Nicolas Batum": "15", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "12", "Nene": "7", "John Wall": "9"}, "Assists": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "3", "Damian Lillard": "9", "Nene": "2", "Bradley Beal": "7", "John Wall": "11"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Nene": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Nene": "2", "John Wall": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Bradley Beal": "2"}, "Blocks": {"John Wall": "2"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "2"}}], "The Washington Wizards (39 - 28) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (44 - 21) 105 - 97 on Monday at the Verizon Center in Washington. This marked another big win for the Wizards, who have turned their struggles around and have now won four games in a row. They currently sit as the fifth projected playoff seed in the Eastern Conference standings, just a half game behind the Chicago Bulls and four and a half games ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks. The loss for the Trail Blazers ends their winning streak at three games. They're currently positioned in the third projected playoff seed in the Western Conference standings, but the loss brings the Rockets to within a half game of the Trail Blazers and pushes the Grizzlies to a two - game lead over the Trail Blazers for that number two spot. The Wizards shot well in this game, going 50 percent from the field and 58 percent from the three - point line, while having all five starters in double figures for points. The backcourt duo of Bradley Beal and John Wall led the way. Beal recorded a team - high of 23 points (8 - 13 FG, 4 - 4 3Pt, 3 - 6 FT), to go along with seven assists, while Wall finished with 21 points (10 - 23 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT), nine rebounds and 11 assists, coming just shy of a triple - double. Beal had shot under 40 percent in each of his two previous games, so he was much more successful with his shot Monday, including hitting on all of his three - point attempts. Wall, on the other hand, has posted two double - doubles in a row, combining for 52 points and 23 assists over that span. After missing the two previous games for personal issues, Nene Hilario returned to score 12 points (5 - 13 FG, 2 - 4 FT), while also adding seven rebounds. Both Paul Pierce and Marcin Gortat chipped in with 16 points apiece. The Trail Blazers saw most of their production from LaMarcus Aldridge, who notched a double - double with 24 points (10 - 19 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT) and 12 rebounds. It was his second double - double in a row, after posting 24 points and 10 rebounds against the Raptors Sunday. Arron Afflalo found his shot Monday, going 5 - for - 9 from the field and 2 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score 15 points. He's started to pick his game up of late, averaging 15 points over his last three games. Also finishing with a double - double was Nicolas Batum, who added 12 points (4 - 12 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and 15 rebounds. The 15 rebounds were a new season - high for the forward. Damian Lillard chipped in with 14 points (5 - 18 FG, 2 - 8 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and nine assists as well. The Wizards' next game will be on the road against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, while the Trail Blazers' will travel to Miami to play the Heat on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "17", "Magic": "11"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "82", "Magic": "105"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "7", "Magic": "13"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "54"}}, {"Points": {"Channing Frye": "11", "Nikola Vucevic": "18", "Evan Fournier": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "17", "Andrew Nicholson": "15", "Thaddeus Young": "10", "Brook Lopez": "11", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "10", "Jarrett Jack": "15", "Andrea Bargnani": "12", "Wayne Ellington": "11"}, "Assists": {"Nikola Vucevic": "4", "Elfrid Payton": "5", "Jarrett Jack": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Nikola Vucevic": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "6", "Elfrid Payton": "5", "Brook Lopez": "6", "Jarrett Jack": "5"}, "Steals": {"Elfrid Payton": "2"}}], "The Orlando Magic (13 - 11) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (7 - 17) 105 - 82 on Monday. The Magic had yet to secure a victory in Brooklyn since the Nets had relocated there in the 2012 - 13 campaign, but broke that streak on the strength of 54 percent shooting from the field and balanced offensive performances from four of their starting five. They also benefited from a 15 - point outing off the bench from Andrew Nicholson, and an outstanding defensive effort that saw them limit the normally potent duo of Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young to a combined 21 points. Orlando was led by Nikola Vucevic, who took advantage of his highly favorable matchup against the defensively - challenged Lopez to amass a game - high 18 points, six rebounds, four assists and a block. Elfrid Payton stuffed the stat sheet with 17 points, five rebounds, five assists and a pair of steals. Channing Frye managed his first double - digit scoring performance (11 points) in more than a month, while Tobias Harris bounced back from a lower leg contusion, as well as a scoreless performance over 17 minutes against the Cavs in his most recent contest, by coming within a rebound of a double - double. The five - year pro totaled 15 points, nine rebounds and three assists over 26 minutes. Evan Fournier was ironically the only Magic player not to show up offensively, equaling a season - low three points, his fourth single - digit total in the last five games. The Magic improved to 13 - 11 and currently reside in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They head home to take on the Hornets on Wednesday. The Nets received a team - high 15 points from Jarrett Jack, who also added seven assists and five rebounds. Bojan Bogdanovic collected 10 points for his fourth consecutive double - digit scoring performance, while Andrea Bargnani and Wayne Ellington paced the Brooklyn bench with 12 and 11 points, respectively. While Young did manage his fifth double - double in the last six games, the 10 points he posted represented his third - lowest total of the campaign. Meanwhile, Lopez slogged through his third straight lackluster offensive performance by amassing 11 points. The normally prolific scorer has only averaged 11 points during that stretch, a far cry from the 19 season figure he came into the night with. Brooklyn fell to 7 - 17 and currently resides in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They remain home for a showdown against the Heat on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "38"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "3", "Spurs": "1"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "86", "Spurs": "100"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "3", "Spurs": "5"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Spurs": "29"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kawhi Leonard": "7"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "29", "Rodney Hood": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Derrick Favors": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Derrick Favors": "3"}}], "The visiting San Antonio Spurs took their revenge on the host Utah Jazz, beating them, 100 - 86, in a rematch of Wednesday's matchup. Kawhi Leonard continues to show an expanded role in the San Antonio (5 - 1) system, as he is now averaging 29 points per game on the year, up more than seven from the career high he set last season. Leonard was the unequivocal leader of the team in the blowout, posting team - highs in points (29), rebounds (11), and assists (four). After suffering a loss to Utah earlier in the week, the Spurs came out strong on the Jazz's home court, establishing a 10 - point lead by the end of the first quarter. Tough defense was the story for San Antonio, as the team held the Jazz to just 38 percent from the floor. The Jazz (3 - 3), meanwhile, saw stagnant offensive play for much of the game. Star Gordon Hayward and bench contributor Alec Burks remain sidelined by injury, while star Derrick Favors is still struggling following a knee injury that kept him out during the preseason. Favors could not get his shots to fall on Friday, hitting just 3 - of - 13 from the floor. Sophomore Rodney Hood, meanwhile, continued to see increased minutes in Hayward's absence, leading the team with 18 points. The Spurs will return to San Antonio to host the Kings on Saturday, while the Jazz will travel to New York on Sunday to play the Knicks."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "52"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "56"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "30", "Lakers": "51"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "127", "Lakers": "117"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "41", "Lakers": "18"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Ryan Kelly": "4", "Jordan Clarkson": "3", "Jeremy Lin": "2", "Wayne Ellington": "6", "Dion Waiters": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ryan Kelly": "2", "Jordan Clarkson": "2", "Jeremy Lin": "2", "Wayne Ellington": "3", "Dion Waiters": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ryan Kelly": "9", "Jordan Clarkson": "19", "Jeremy Lin": "11", "Wayne Ellington": "14", "Enes Kanter": "15", "Dion Waiters": "16", "Russell Westbrook": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Ryan Kelly": "5", "Jordan Clarkson": "12", "Jeremy Lin": "6", "Wayne Ellington": "6", "Enes Kanter": "10", "Dion Waiters": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Ryan Kelly": "4", "Jeremy Lin": "6", "Enes Kanter": "5", "Dion Waiters": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Ryan Kelly": "4", "Jeremy Lin": "5", "Enes Kanter": "5", "Dion Waiters": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Ryan Kelly": "29", "Wayne Ellington": "24", "Russell Westbrook": "30"}, "Points": {"Ryan Kelly": "16", "Jordan Clarkson": "30", "Jeremy Lin": "19", "Wayne Ellington": "15", "Enes Kanter": "25", "Dion Waiters": "23", "Russell Westbrook": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Ryan Kelly": "5", "Jeremy Lin": "2", "Wayne Ellington": "3", "Enes Kanter": "16"}, "Assists": {"Jordan Clarkson": "7", "Jeremy Lin": "7", "Enes Kanter": "4", "Dion Waiters": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Jordan Clarkson": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jeremy Lin": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Jeremy Lin": "2"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (41 - 30) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (18 - 51) 127 - 117 on Tuesday at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City. This marked another huge win for the Thunder, as they continue to hold on to the eighth and final projected playoff seed in the Western Conference standings. They pushed their lead on the Phoenix Suns to three games, while they also hold a three and a half game lead over the New Orleans Pelicans. If they can continue increasing their current four - game win streak, they could also catch up with the Dallas Mavericks, who are only three games above the Thunder and sit in the seventh spot. The Lakers, on the other hand, have already been eliminated from contention, and look as if they'll be getting one of the top draft picks in the 2015 NBA Draft. The Thunder shot very well, going 56 percent from the field and 52 percent from the three - point line. With Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka sidelined for the forseeable future with injuries, MVP candidate Russell Westbrook again had a big game. He went off for a team - high of 27 points (9 - 17 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT), while also coming up with 11 assists and two steals in 30 minutes. He continues to be one of the best, if not the best player so far in the second half of the season, as he's averaging 31 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists over his last 14 games. Enes Kanter was a big factor in the win as well, finishing with 25 points (10 - 15 FG, 5 - 5 FT) and 16 rebounds. He's really stepped up with Ibaka out, and has recorded six double - doubles in a row, while averaging 21 points and 12 rebounds during that span. Dion Waiters was the third Thunder starter to surpass the 20 - point mark, as he posted 23 points (10 - 16 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and four assists. Rookie Jordan Clarkson did everything he could to keep the Lakers in this game while starting at point guard. He went 12 - for - 19 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 30 points, to go along with seven assists and three blocked shots. It was a career - high in both points and blocks for Clarkson, as he continues to make his case for a larger role come next season. Starting alongside Clarkson, Jeremy Lin had a solid game as well, finishing with 19 points (6 - 11 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT) and seven assists. He's put together two impressive games in a row, as he just went off for 29 points and five assists against the Sixers on Sunday. Ryan Kelly was the third starter in double figures, as he recorded 16 points (5 - 9 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and five rebounds in 29 minutes. Coming off the bench, Wayne Ellington chipped in with 15 points (6 - 14 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt) and three rebounds over 24 minutes as well. The Thunder's next game will be on the road against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, while the Lakers will travel to Minnesota to play the Timberwolves on Wednesday."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Hawks": "35", "Timberwolves": "52"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "19", "Gorgui Dieng": "12", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "17", "Zach LaVine": "18", "Ricky Rubio": "10", "Kyle Korver": "10", "Paul Millsap": "18", "Dennis Schroder": "21", "Mike Muscala": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Gorgui Dieng": "9", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "18", "Ricky Rubio": "5", "Kyle Korver": "5", "Paul Millsap": "10"}, "Assists": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "5", "Ricky Rubio": "8", "Paul Millsap": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1"}, "Steals": {"Ricky Rubio": "2", "Paul Millsap": "2"}}], "Karl-Anthony Towns' dominant rebounding and a balanced effort keyed Minnesota's fifth road win. Andrew Wiggins paced them with 19 points, while Zach LaVine registered 18. Towns posted a game - high 18 rebounds to go along with 17 points, five assists and a block. Gorgui Dieng had a near double - double with 12 points and nine boards, and Ricky Rubio went for 10 points, eight assists, five rebounds and two steals. The T-Wolves also outperformed the Hawks on the boards by a sizable 52 - 35 margin and held them to just two points over the final 4:50. Dennis Schroder's 21 points led Atlanta. Paul Millsap put together an 18 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included seven assists and two steals. Kyle Korver went for 10 points and five rebounds and Mike Muscala led the second unit with 16 points."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Grizzlies": "32", "Lakers": "16"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Lakers": "18"}, "Turnovers": {"Lakers": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Luol Deng": "18", "Timofey Mozgov": "13", "Lou Williams": "40", "Marc Gasol": "19", "Troy Daniels": "31"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Lou Williams": "8", "Troy Daniels": "12"}, "3-pointers made": {"Lou Williams": "4", "Troy Daniels": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Lou Williams": "20", "Troy Daniels": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"Lou Williams": "11", "Troy Daniels": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Lou Williams": "14"}, "Free throws made": {"Lou Williams": "14"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "8", "Troy Daniels": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Marc Gasol": "34", "Troy Daniels": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "3", "Troy Daniels": "2"}, "Steals": {"Marc Gasol": "3"}}], "Lou Williams came - up just shy of a career - high as he poured in 40 points on 11 - of - 20 shooting, including 4 - of - 8 from downtown and 14 - of - 14 from the free throw line. Luol Deng added 18 points, while the only other player for the Lakers to score in double digits was Timofey Mozgov, who finished with 13 points. The Lakers gave up 18 turnovers, while they tallied 16 assists on 35 field goals. They went 23 - of - 29 from the foul line. Memphis was led by Troy Daniels, who scored a season - high 31 points on 12 - of - 23 shooting, including 6 - of - 12 from long range, along with four assists, and two rebounds, in 34 minutes off the bench. Marc Gasol finished with 19 points, eight assists, three rebounds, three steals and one block, in 34 minutes. The Grizzlies dished 32 assists on 41 field goals."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "12", "Clippers": "5"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "98", "Clippers": "104"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "3", "Clippers": "9"}}, {"Points": {"Chris Paul": "23", "Jamal Crawford": "25", "Andre Drummond": "17"}, "Minutes played": {"Andre Drummond": "38"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "13"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (9 - 5) defeated the Detroit Pistons (3 - 12) 104 - 98 on Wednesday. Los Angeles has won two straight and four of their last five games. Matt Barnes missed a second straight game with a sore calf, giving sophomore Reggie Bullock another spot start. The Clippers committed 16 turnovers in the sloppy game, which allowed the Pistons to stay in the game. Jamal Crawford scored a game - high 25 points, and Chris Paul had 23 points. The Clippers have two more games on their road trip. They'll visit Houston on Friday to play the Rockets. Detroit has dropped seven straight games. Brandon Jennings has sat out the last two games with a sprained left thumb. D.J. Augustin and Spencer Dinwiddie are playing well at point guard in Jennings' absence. Andre Drummond had a second straight impressive game. He put up 17 points and 13 rebounds in 38 minutes Wednesday. The Pistons seem to be going away from force feeding Drummond in the post, and they're simply letting him clean up all of his teammates' mistakes, a role that he excelled in last season. They'll host the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "5", "Rockets": "3"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "110", "Rockets": "116"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "1", "Rockets": "3"}}, {"Points": {"Marcus Thornton": "16", "James Harden": "43", "Marco Belinelli": "5", "Omri Casspi": "22", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "7", "Darren Collison": "22"}, "Blocks": {"Clint Capela": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Marco Belinelli": "5", "Omri Casspi": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Omri Casspi": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Darren Collison": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Darren Collison": "3"}}], "The Houston Rockets (3 - 3) defeated the Sacramento Kings (1 - 5) by a score of 116 - 110 on Friday. In the continued absence of DeMarcus Cousins (Achilles), Sacramento opted to go with a smaller lineup versus the Rockets on Friday. Kings offseason acquisition Marco Belinelli was in the starting five at small forward as part of the personnel shift, but couldn\u2019t come close to duplicating the success he\u2019d enjoyed off the bench in the first five games. The veteran guard had already tallied three double - digit scoring nights this season in a reserve role, but only mustered five points and a paltry 20 percent success rate from the field versus the Rockets. Houston rode the hot hand of James Harden, who posted his third consecutive strong offensive showing after a slow start from the field this season. The All-Star guard was in the zone Friday, posting season bests in points, assists, and shooting percentage. Harden has shot 44 percent (31 - for - 71) during his three - game hot streak, posting 37, 28, and 43 points, respectively during those contests. Houston also enjoyed productive outings from their other four starters, which included Clint Capela posting a double - double while subbing in for the resting Dwight Howard. Marcus Thornton also pitched in with a strong 16 - point effort in the absence of Terrance Jones (face). The Rockets evened their record at 3 - 3 and vault into a second - place tie with the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference\u2019s Southwest Division. Houston next heads to Los Angeles for a Saturday showdown with the Clippers. Facing a 61 - 50 deficit at the half, the Kings were able to rally and make the game interesting in the third and fourth quarters largely on the back of their bench. Omri Casspi and Darren Collison contributed a pair of 22 - point efforts, which were essential on a night where Rudy Gay could not find the basket for the better part of three quarters. Meanwhile, Belinelli, James Anderson, and Kosta Koufos flopped in starting roles. First-round pick Willie Cauley-Stein, relegated to the bench as part of the Kings\u2019 lineup makeover prior to the game, mustered seven points and nine rebounds over 22 minutes. The Kings dropped to 1 - 5 on the season and remain in last place in the Western Conference\u2019s Pacific Division. They'll remain at home for a Saturday tilt with the reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Celtics": "28", "Grizzlies": "21"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "36", "Grizzlies": "19"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "95", "Grizzlies": "92"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "27", "Grizzlies": "45"}, "Turnovers": {"Grizzlies": "21"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "9", "Mike Conley": "12", "Avery Bradley": "17", "Jae Crowder": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Marc Gasol": "4", "Mike Conley": "9", "Avery Bradley": "8", "Jae Crowder": "6"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Marc Gasol": "3", "Tony Allen": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Marc Gasol": "3", "Tony Allen": "2"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "9", "Mike Conley": "20", "Tony Allen": "16", "Brandon Bass": "12", "Tyler Zeller": "12", "Avery Bradley": "17", "Jae Crowder": "16", "Kelly Olynyk": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "7", "Tony Allen": "5", "Avery Bradley": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Marc Gasol": "2", "Tony Allen": "3"}, "Assists": {"Tony Allen": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Tony Allen": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Tony Allen": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tony Allen": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Tony Allen": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Tony Allen": "27", "Avery Bradley": "34", "Jae Crowder": "28", "Kelly Olynyk": "20"}, "Steals": {"Tony Allen": "2"}}], "The Boston Celtics (27 - 36) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (45 - 19) 95 - 92 on Wednesday in Boston. The Grizzlies' Mike Conley had a chance to tie the game at the end with a 28 - foot three point jumper, but it was off and the Celtics were able to pull off the upset without their main contributor off the bench, Isaiah Thomas (back). Boston was lead by Avery Bradley, who missed the last three games with an elbow injury. Bradley had 17 points on 8 - of - 17 shooting and five rebounds in 34 minutes. Bradley's return to the starting lineup sent Jae Crowder back to the bench, and Crowder once again thrived in the role, scoring 16 points on 6 - of - 12 shooting in 28 minutes. Kelly Olynyk also contributed 15 points in 20 minutes off the bench. Tyler Zeller (12) and Brandon Bass (12) round out the Celtics players who scored in double figures. The victory pushes Boston to just one - game behind the eighth - place Hornets for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Despite his last - second miss, Conley still lead the way for Memphis in the losing effort, scoring 20 points on 9 - of - 12 shooting. Tony Allen contributed 16 points and five rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench. Marc Gasol struggled to get anything going Monday, as he scored just nine points on 4 - of - 9 shooting to go with seven rebounds and has failed to score in double figures in two of his last three games. As a team, the Grizzlies struggled to take care of the ball recording 21 turnovers to go with just 21 assists. But, despite the loss, Memphis still sits in second place in the Western Conference with a 2 - game lead over the third - place Rockets. Up next, the Grizzlies will travel to Washington Thursday to take on the Wizards, while the Celtics will stay home and go up against the Magic on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "41", "Nets": "58"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "27", "Nets": "33"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "114", "Nets": "143"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "17", "Nets": "9"}}, {"Assists": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "2", "Brook Lopez": "3", "Caris LeVert": "6", "Jrue Holiday": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "1", "Brook Lopez": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "27", "Brook Lopez": "24", "Caris LeVert": "25", "Anthony Davis": "27"}, "Points": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "23", "Brook Lopez": "23", "Caris LeVert": "17", "Dante Cunningham": "14", "Anthony Davis": "22", "Jrue Holiday": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "6", "Brook Lopez": "8", "Caris LeVert": "5", "Dante Cunningham": "7"}, "Steals": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Brook Lopez": "15", "Caris LeVert": "6", "Anthony Davis": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Brook Lopez": "8", "Caris LeVert": "6", "Anthony Davis": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Caris LeVert": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Caris LeVert": "3"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets defeated the host New Orleans Pelicans 143 - 114, at Smoothie King Center on Friday evening. The Pelicans led after one quarter but the Nets surged back in the second, outscoring the Pelicans by 15 in the second quarter, to take a 66 - 54 lead at halftime. The Nets then continued to dominated in the second half, outscoring the Pelicans 77 - 60 in the final two quarters to cruise to their highest point total of the season. This marks only the second road win over the season for the Nets (9 - 33), as they now move to 2 - 18 on the road. Brook Lopez led the way for Brooklyn, as usual, with 23 points on 8 - of - 15 shooting, to go along with eight rebounds, three assists and three blocks, in 24 minutes. Bojan Bogdanovic also chipped in 23 points, to go along with his six rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in 27 minutes. Six other players scored in double digits for the Nets, while five of those players came off the bench. Rookie Caris LeVert was the next highest scorer, as he chipped in 17 points on 6 - of - 6 shooting, including 3 - of - 3 from long range, to go along with six assists, and five rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench. The Nets still remain at the bottom of the East, all but out of any playoff contention, but they can be proud of this solid road win nonetheless. The Nets will see if they can keep rolling as they visit Charlotte on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Pelicans (17 - 27) fell short in a disappointing effort, as they shot 41 percent from the field, while allowing the Nets to shoot 58 percent. Five players scored in double digits, led by Anthony Davis, who finished with 22 points on 10 - of - 17 shooting, in 27 minutes. Dante Cunningham chipped in 14 points to go along with seven rebounds, while Jrue Holiday added 12 points and eight assists. The Pelicans can not afford to lose any more games to teams with worse records than their own, as they need every win they can get to remain in contention for the eighth spot in the West. They will look to bounce back but will have to do so against a tough opponent, as they play host to the Cavaliers on Monday."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Ben McLemore": "5", "Darren Collison": "8"}, "Personal fouls": {"Ben McLemore": "5"}, "Points": {"Ben McLemore": "5", "DeMarcus Cousins": "33", "Kosta Koufos": "6", "Garrett Temple": "5", "Darren Collison": "2", "Ty Lawson": "10", "Dorian Finney-Smith": "17", "Harrison Barnes": "15", "Wesley Matthews": "15", "Deron Williams": "15", "Devin Harris": "14", "Seth Curry": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Kosta Koufos": "9", "Garrett Temple": "5", "Devin Harris": "7", "Seth Curry": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Garrett Temple": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Garrett Temple": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Darren Collison": "1"}, "Assists": {"Devin Harris": "1", "Seth Curry": "4"}, "Steals": {"Devin Harris": "1", "Seth Curry": "2"}}], "Playing without the services of Rudy Gay and Omri Casspi, DeMarcus Cousins was relied on even more than usual, and he responded with a game - high 33 points. However, the remaining members of Sacramento's starting five posted single - digit scoring tallies, with Kosta Koufos (six points, nine boards), Garret Temple (five points), Ben McLemore (five points) and Darren Collision (two points on 1 - of - 8 shooting) all considerably underperforming. Ty Lawson was the only other player with double - digits in the scoring column, supplying 10 points off the bench. Dorian Finney-Smith led the way for Dallas with 17 points, while Harrison Barnes, Deron Williams and Wesley Matthews all had matching 15 - point efforts. Devin Harris (14 points, seven rebounds, an assist and a steal) and Seth Curry (13 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals) were highly productive in reserve roles."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "27", "Pelicans": "31"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "118", "Pelicans": "98"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "22", "Pelicans": "19"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"Terrence Jones": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Terrence Jones": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Terrence Jones": "27"}, "Points": {"Terrence Jones": "11", "Anthony Davis": "31", "Jrue Holiday": "22", "Andre Drummond": "17", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "38", "Tobias Harris": "19", "Ish Smith": "15"}, "Turnovers": {"Terrence Jones": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "12"}, "Assists": {"Jrue Holiday": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "12"}}], "The Detroit Pistons defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 118 - 98 Wednesday at the Palace in Auburn Hills. For the Pistons (22 - 27), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope put on a show, as the team got a much - needed victory after dropping their last three. Caldwell-Pope finished with a game - high 38 points on 12 - of - 18 shooting from the field and an incredible 8 - of - 11 from behind the arc. Andre Drummond's 17 points made him the only over Detroit player to score in double figures, with the Pistons' bench coming up huge in the winning effort. Led my Tobias Harris' 19 points and Ish Smith's 15, the bench ended up scoring a total of 48 points Wednesday. The win keeps the Pistons within striking distance of the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference standings, The Pelicans (19 - 31), on the other hand, did not benefit from a cast of contributors like their counterparts managed to. Anthony Davis led the way with 31 points and 12 rebounds, while Jrue Holiday had a double - double of his own with 22 points and 11 assists. Beyond that pairing, however, Terrence Jones was the the only one who was able to reach double - digit scoring with 11 points in 27 minutes. In fact, besides Davis and Holiday, who combined to shoot 56 percent from the field, the team shot a poor 18 - of - 41 (44 percent) from the field overall. Up next, the Pistons will remain home Friday to take on the Timberwolves, while the Pelicans will look to avoid losing their fourth straight game when they play the Wizards on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "21"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "1"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "90", "Pacers": "100"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Raptors": "21"}, "Turnovers": {"Raptors": "19", "Pacers": "13"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "6", "Monta Ellis": "5", "DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "7", "Cory Joseph": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Paul George": "2", "Myles Turner": "5", "Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "1"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "33", "Monta Ellis": "15", "George Hill": "10", "Myles Turner": "10", "Solomon Hill": "13", "Jonas Valanciunas": "12", "DeMar DeRozan": "14", "Kyle Lowry": "11", "Cory Joseph": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "4", "Monta Ellis": "3", "George Hill": "3", "Myles Turner": "5", "Solomon Hill": "2", "Jonas Valanciunas": "19", "DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "2", "Cory Joseph": "3"}, "Steals": {"Monta Ellis": "3", "George Hill": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "2", "Cory Joseph": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "21", "Kyle Lowry": "41", "Cory Joseph": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyle Lowry": "6"}}], "The Indiana Pacers upset the Toronto Raptors, 100 - 90, in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first - round playoffs Saturday at the Air Canada Centre. Facing a Raptors squad that sported a stellar 32 - 9 record at home during the regular season, and owners of a 19 - 22 road mark themselves, the Pacers pulled off an improbable upset. As was usually the case during the regular season, Paul George stepped to the forefront with a stellar all - around effort, and Indiana played stalwart defense by generating 19 turnovers from a team that was second - best (13 per game) at limiting them this season. The Pacers long - distance shooting was pivotal as well, as they managed to drain 21 of their 29 shots from beyond the arc. George and Monta Ellis combined to shoot 77 percent (7 - for - 9) from long distance. George's 33 points led the visitors, and he added six assists, four rebounds and two blocks. Ellis was a distant second with 15 points, five assists, three rebounds and three steals. George Hill pitched in with 10 points, three rebounds and a steal. Solomon Hill led the reserves with 13 points and two rebounds, continuing his stretch of strong play from the final days of the regular season. Myles Turner was productive in a reserve role as well, tallying 10 points, five rebounds and five blocks. Toronto was led by Corey Joseph's 18 - point effort in 24 minutes off the bench. He added three rebounds, three assists and a steal. DeMar DeRozan led the starting five with 14 points, four assists, two rebounds and two steals. Kyle Lowry was outperformed by Joseph, as he was only able to manage 11 points, seven assists, two rebounds, two steals and a block over a game - high 41 minutes. He also commited a game - high six turnovers. Jonas Valanciunas was a force down low, scoring 12 points, hauling in 19 rebounds and recording a block in just 21 minutes. The two teams reconvene for Game 2 at the Air Canada Centre on Monday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "2"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "113", "Wizards": "118"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bucks": "21", "Wizards": "36"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "0"}}, {"Points": {"Bradley Beal": "26", "John Wall": "19", "Gary Neal": "13", "Ramon Sessions": "23", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "27", "Greg Monroe": "22", "Khris Middleton": "18"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "10", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ramon Sessions": "12", "Greg Monroe": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Ramon Sessions": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Ramon Sessions": "26"}, "3-pointers made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9", "Greg Monroe": "5"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}}], "The Washington Wizards (20) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (0 - 2) 118 - 113 Friday. Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to the court after serving his one - game suspension stemming from last postseason, and did so with a vengeance. Antetokounmpo led all scorers with 27 points and came within one rebound of a double - double, tallying nine boards. The 20 - year - old added three steals and a pair of assists in a performance that offered a glimpse of the vast potential that he possesses. The Wizards were paced by a 26 - point outburst from Bradley Beal, while backcourt mate John Wall chipped in with a 19 - point, 10 - assist double - double. While the rest of the Wizards starters struggled offensively, Ramon Sessions came off the bench to post a highly efficient 23 points on 8 - of - 12 shooting over just 26 minutes on the court. Veteran offseason acquisition Gary Neal poured in 13 points of his own to help supplement the efforts of his fellow trio of guards. The Bucks also got another productive effort from new center Greg Monroe, but the prized free agent signing encountered more of a challenge on the glass against the stout defense of Marcin Gortat on Friday. Monroe matched his 22 points from the opener on excellent 72 percent shooting, but managed only five boards, a steep drop from the 14 he hauled in Wednesday. Although Milwaukee additionally saw Khris Middleton rebound from a lackluster opener with an 18 - point effort, and benefited from a Michael Carter-Williams double - double, they saw the Wizards outscore them 36 - 21 in the final period to send them to their second defeat in as many games. The victory keeps the Wizards perfect at 20 and in first place in the Eastern Conference\u2019s Southeast Division. They head home for a Halloween showdown with the New York Knicks on Saturday. The loss drops the Bucks to 0 - 2 and keeps them in last place in the Eastern Conference\u2019s Central Division. They head to Toronto to face the Raptors on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "26", "Pelicans": "35"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "99", "Pelicans": "90"}, "Rebounds": {"Trail Blazers": "51", "Pelicans": "35"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "50", "Pelicans": "41"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pelicans": "18"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "8"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "19", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "21", "Chris Kaman": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "9", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "12", "Chris Kaman": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "37"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (50 - 26) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (41 - 35), 99 - 90, on Saturday at the Moda Center. One night after clinching the Northwest Division title, Portland would have had every right to rest its starters. However, the Trail Blazers are battling with the Clippers for a top - four seed in the Western Conference, so they deployed their regular starting lineup against a Pelicans team that is fighting for the eighth seed. The Trail Blazers dominated the Pelicans on the boards, out - rebounding them 51 - 35. The Pelicans had a chance to grab sole possession of the eighth spot in the West with a win, but they mustered just 18 points in the fourth quarter to fall to the Trail Blazers for the third time this season. New Orleans had won four straight coming into Saturday's contest, but a two - minute scoring drought in the fourth quarter cost it a fifth consecutive victory. Anthony Davis was held in check by LaMarcus Aldridge, finishing with 19 points on 8 - of - 20 shooting to go with nine rebounds. Davis had n't been held to less than 20 points or 10 rebounds since March 10 against Brooklyn. The Pelicans have a very difficult remaining schedule with meetings against the Warriors and Memphis on back - to - back nights starting Tuesday. Portland has now won six of its last seven games to move to 50 - 26 on the season with six games remaining. LaMarcus Aldridge had another productive night with 21 points and 12 rebounds over 37 minutes of action. Chris Kaman provided a spark off the bench with 16 points and 11 rebounds. The Trail Blazers will head east to face the Nets on Monday before returning home to host the Timberwolves on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "12", "Kings": "17"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "93", "Kings": "94"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "18", "Kings": "12"}}, {"Minutes played": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "31"}, "Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "21", "Gordon Hayward": "28", "Rudy Gobert": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "8", "Gordon Hayward": "10", "Rudy Gobert": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "9"}}], "The Sacramento Kings defeated the Utah Jazz 94 - 93 Wednesday at Vivint Smart Home Arena. The Kings (12 - 17) looked sluggish for the first three quarters of Wednesday's game, and rightfully so after a hard - fought home victory over the Trail Blazers the night before. Something clicked, however, in the final period, as Sacramento managed to erase a double - digit victory and pull out the victory thanks to some timely free throws from DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins finished with a team - high 21 points and eight rebounds in 31 minutes as the only starter to reach double figures. Meanwhile, the reserve backcourt pairing of Ty Lawson and Garrett Temple combined for 30 points to help make up for a lackluster performance from the starters. For the Jazz (18 - 12), they came into the game undermanned in the backcourt, with George Hill (toe), Dante Exum (knee) and Rodney Hood (illness) all ruled out prior to Wednesday's matchup. That left their bench thin, and it showed, as the four reserves managed to combine for just 21 points. As a result, it was on Gordon Hayward to carry the load offensively, and he did not disappoint, scoring a game - high 28 points on 9 - of - 18 shooting from the field on top of 10 rebounds. Rudy Gobert also made his presence felt down low, as not only did he give Cousins' problems from start to finish, but he also managed to record 17 points and 14 rebounds. Ultimately, on a night where both teams were playing the second game of a back - to - back set, the Jazz just could n't finish the deal in the fourth quarter. Up next, the Kings will travel to Minnesota on Friday to take on the Timberwolves, while the Jazz will stay at home Friday to play the Raptors."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pelicans": "60"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "52"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "34", "Thunder": "17"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "123", "Thunder": "119"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "23", "Thunder": "41"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "9", "Norris Cole": "8", "Jrue Holiday": "9"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "32", "Serge Ibaka": "15", "Russell Westbrook": "44", "Anthony Davis": "30", "Norris Cole": "21", "Jrue Holiday": "22", "Ryan Anderson": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "14", "Russell Westbrook": "4", "Anthony Davis": "6", "Norris Cole": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Serge Ibaka": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Serge Ibaka": "1"}, "Steals": {"Serge Ibaka": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (23 - 34) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (41 - 17) 123 - 119 on Thursday. Not many people would have expected the shorthanded Pelicans to win a game over the Thunder, but they did just that on Thursday. The key for New Orleans was their lights - out shooting, as they shot 52 percent from the field, 94 percent from the free - throw line and 60 percent from three - point range. The bench differential was huge as well, with the Pelicans bench scoring 60 points to the Thunder's 20. The one criticism with Oklahoma City is that they are a two - man team and that became the issue on Thursday. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook both put up monster lines, but it wasn\u2019t enough to win. Durant finished with 32 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists, while Westbrook tallied 44 points, nine assists and four rebounds. Only one other player scored in double - digits, as Serge Ibaka scored 15 in the loss. Up next for Oklahoma City is a showcase game against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. New Orleans came into this game as a six - point underdog and rode their bench to a win. Ryan Anderson scored 26 points off the bench, with Jrue Holiday providing 22 points and nine assists of his own. Anthony Davis led the team with 30 points and also swatted away four shots in the win. Norris Cole put in a all - around great performance, as he accumulated 21 points, six rebounds and eight assists in the victory. The Pelicans will look to build on this win on Saturday against the Minnesota Timberwolves in their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "26", "Jazz": "25"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "119", "Jazz": "121"}, "Turnovers": {"Mavericks": "11"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "29", "Jazz": "26"}}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "20", "Rodney Hood": "29", "Chandler Parsons": "24", "Deron Williams": "23"}, "Assists": {"Rodney Hood": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Rodney Hood": "43"}, "Rebounds": {"Rodney Hood": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Chandler Parsons": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Chandler Parsons": "8"}, "Steals": {"Chandler Parsons": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Deron Williams": "13"}, "Free throws made": {"Deron Williams": "11"}}], "The Utah Jazz (26 - 25) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (29 - 26) 121 - 119 in overtime at American Airlines Center on Tuesday thanks to a long buzzer - beating two - pointer from Gordon Hayward. The win marks Utah's seventh in a row. Over the course of the win streak, the Jazz have owned the NBA's best defense, holding opponents to an average of under 87 points per game. The win against Dallas, however, improves Utah's record to just 2 - 18 when their opponents score 100 or more points. The defense - minded team managed to change their gameplan to defeat Dallas, however, shooting a high percentage and keeping an up - tempo offense. Rising star Rodney Hood led the Jazz with 29 points. Hood has seen an increased role for Utah in his sophomore season, as he has received an uptick in minutes and shot attempts. Hood led the team with 26 field goal attempts against Dallas in 43 minutes, while also pulling down five rebounds and dishing five assists. Despite being the offensive center of attention, Hood did not commit a turnover. Small forward Gordon Hayward also came up huge for Utah, scoring 20 points including a game - winning fadeaway. Hayward has led Utah with an average of 20 points per game in 2015 - 16. Despite the extended playing time, the normally prolific shot - blocking Jazz frontcourt only managed to send back two shots, while Dallas recorded just one block as a team in 53 minutes. The Mavericks have now lost four of their last five, and are increasingly in danger of losing ground to Utah and Portland in the Western Conference playoff race. The overimte loss came at an unfavorable time for the sliding Mavs, who could be sitting just one game out of the lottery by the All-Star break. Dallas did not go down without a fight, however. Small forward Chandler Parsons led the team with 24 points on 8 - for - 16 shooting while also recording a block and a steal. Point guard Deron Williams, meanwhile, had a strong outing, going for 23 points and hitting 11 of 13 at the free - throw line. Dallas poured in 11 team three - pointers, edging out the Jazz, but could simply not score as efficiently as their opponents on Tuesday. The Jazz will travel to New Orleans, where Mardi Gras celebrations should still be in full effect, on Wednesday for their final game before the All-Star break. Dallas, on the other hand, will not return to action until they take on the Magic on Feb. 19."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "44", "Magic": "57"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "101", "Magic": "88"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nets": "26", "Magic": "13"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "38", "Magic": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"Andrew Nicholson": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "5", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Joe Johnson": "6", "Thaddeus Young": "3", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Andrew Nicholson": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "1", "Thaddeus Young": "1", "Brook Lopez": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Andrew Nicholson": "3", "Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "7", "Joe Johnson": "4", "Thaddeus Young": "1", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Andrew Nicholson": "2", "Nikola Vucevic": "0", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Joe Johnson": "2", "Thaddeus Young": "0", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Nicholson": "10", "Nikola Vucevic": "21", "Victor Oladipo": "17", "Joe Johnson": "15", "Thaddeus Young": "13", "Brook Lopez": "8", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Nicholson": "8", "Nikola Vucevic": "12", "Victor Oladipo": "7", "Joe Johnson": "7", "Thaddeus Young": "5", "Brook Lopez": "4", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Andrew Nicholson": "28", "Nikola Vucevic": "40", "Victor Oladipo": "44", "Joe Johnson": "41", "Thaddeus Young": "37", "Brook Lopez": "33", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "34"}, "Points": {"Andrew Nicholson": "18", "Nikola Vucevic": "26", "Victor Oladipo": "19", "Joe Johnson": "16", "Thaddeus Young": "16", "Brook Lopez": "14", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Nicholson": "9", "Nikola Vucevic": "11", "Victor Oladipo": "2", "Joe Johnson": "7", "Thaddeus Young": "9", "Brook Lopez": "7", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "3"}, "Steals": {"Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Joe Johnson": "1", "Thaddeus Young": "2", "Brook Lopez": "4"}}], "The Nets (38 - 44) took care of business Wednesday, defeating the Magic (25 - 57) 101 - 88. The game was a must - win for Brooklyn, who trail the eighth place Pacers by a half - game in the Eastern Conference. If the Pacers fall to the Grizzlies, they\u2019ll relinquish their playoff spot to the Nets. If not, Brooklyn\u2019s season is over. A loss would not improve Orlando\u2019s draft position, so the Magic had nothing to play for but pride. They put up a good fight. Orlando led by two points at halftime. Midway through the third, they extended their lead to 10 points. But, by the end of the quarter, the Nets had closed the gap, tying the game 75 - 75. The fourth quarter was all Brooklyn, as they outscored the Magic 26 - 13. The Nets\u2019 leading scorer came off the bench. Bojan Bogdanovic had 28 points (12 - 17 FG, 4 - 8 3Pt), three rebounds and two assists in 34 minutes. Thaddeus Young had 16 points (5 - 13 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt), nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block in 37 minutes. Joe Johnson also scored 16 points (7 - 15 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt), to go with seven rebounds, six assists and one steal in 41 minutes. Brook Lopez had a relatively quiet game, recording 14 points (4 - 8 FG), seven rebounds, one assist, four steals and three blocks in 33 minutes. Nikola Vucevic was the Magic\u2019s leading scorer with 26 points (12 - 21 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt), to go with 11 rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block in 40 minutes. Victor Oladipo had 19 points (7 - 17 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt), two rebounds, three assists and one block in 44 minutes. Andrew Nicholson contributed 18 points (8 - 10 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt), nine rebounds, one assist and one block in 28 minutes. With the victory, the Nets completed the season series sweep of the Magic 30."], [[{"Total points": {"Warriors": "112", "Clippers": "108"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "1"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "4"}}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "6", "Chris Paul": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Blake Griffin": "38", "Harrison Barnes": "36", "Klay Thompson": "32", "Stephen Curry": "33"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "23", "DeAndre Jordan": "11", "Chris Paul": "24", "Klay Thompson": "16", "Stephen Curry": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "10", "DeAndre Jordan": "13", "Harrison Barnes": "9"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Stephen Curry": "8"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (50) remained undefeated Wednesday, as they vanquished the Los Angeles Clippers (4 - 1) Wednesday by a score of 112 - 108 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland. Midway through the third quarter, it looked like the Warriors were going to run away with the game, maintaining a double - digit lead through the first six or so minutes. However, the Clippers were able to make a run late in the quarter to take a one - point lead into final period. From there, it was the Stephen Curry show. While Los Angeles managed to keep it close through the final 12 minutes, they simply had no answer for last year\u2019s MVP. Curry scored 13 points in the fourth quarter and finished with 31 points (8 - 17 FG, 7 - 11 3Pt) for the game in 33 minutes. Harrison Barnes also came up big in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 straight points at one point and finishing with a team - high nine rebounds in 36 minutes. Klay Thompson\u2019s clutch free throws put the game out of reach, and his block on Jamal Crawford in the closing seconds sealed the deal. He finished with 16 points in 32 minutes. For the Clippers, Chris Paul and Blake Griffin did everything they could to keep their team in the game, but in the end, it just wasn\u2019t enough. Griffin stuffed the stat sheet, scoring 23 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing out six assists in 38 minutes, while Paul managed a team - high 24 points and nine assists in 29 minutes. DeAndre Jordan recorded a double - double of 11 points and 13 rebounds. Up next, the Warriors will stay at home to play the Nuggets on Thursday, while the Clippers will head home Friday to face the Rockets."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "41", "Bucks": "36"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "108", "Bucks": "118"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hornets": "26", "Bucks": "37"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hornets": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Hornets": "31", "Bucks": "42"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "33", "Bucks": "38"}, "Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "31"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "62"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Bucks": "35"}}, {"Assists": {"Khris Middleton": "1", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Tony Snell": "1", "Malcolm Brogdon": "10", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "1", "Kemba Walker": "5", "Frank Kaminsky": "3", "Jeremy Lamb": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Khris Middleton": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Tony Snell": "3", "Malcolm Brogdon": "3", "Greg Monroe": "8", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "6", "Cody Zeller": "1", "Kemba Walker": "3", "Frank Kaminsky": "4", "Jeremy Lamb": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "20", "Tony Snell": "26", "Malcolm Brogdon": "14", "Greg Monroe": "13", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "12", "Cody Zeller": "8", "Kemba Walker": "26", "Frank Kaminsky": "20", "Jeremy Lamb": "16"}, "Steals": {"Malcolm Brogdon": "1", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "1", "Cody Zeller": "2", "Jeremy Lamb": "1"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Charlotte Hornets, 118 - 108, at Spectrum Center on Tuesday evening. The Bucks (38 - 36) checked into Tuesday's contest with only a 16 - 19 road record but determined to keep their fifth seeding in the Eastern Conference away from the Atlanta Hawks and Indiana Pacers, which lingered only a half - game behind coming into the night's action. Milwaukee got off to a fast start with a 35 - point first quarter added another 37 in the second period to build a 72 - 50 halftime lead. Their stellar 62 percent shooting helped them stave off a second - half comeback from the Hornets (33 - 41), which outscored them by a 58 - 46 margin over the third and fourth quarters. The rebounding battle was also key, as Milwaukee hauled in 42 boards to Charlotte's 31. Tony Snell led the Bucks on the night with 26 points, three rebounds and one assist. Giannis Antetokounmpo provided 20 points, eight boards, two assists and a block. Malcolm Brogdon posted a 14 - point, 10 - assist double - double that also included three rebounds and a steal. Khris Middleton matched Brogdon's scoring total and added five rebounds and an assist. Greg Monroe led the second unit with 13 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Kemba Walker's 26 points led the Hornets, a total he supplemented with five assists and three rebounds. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist managed 12 points, six rebounds, an assist and a steal. Cody Zeller supplied eight points, one rebound and two steals. Frank Kaminsky III led the bench with 20 points, four rebounds and three assists and Jeremy Lamb was productive as a reserve as well with 16 points, three rebounds, two assists and one steal. The Bucks now travel to Boston to take on the Celtics on Wednesday night, while the Hornets head north of the border to take on Toronto on Wednesday evening as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "10", "Nuggets": "5"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "98", "Nuggets": "115"}, "Rebounds": {"Pelicans": "33", "Nuggets": "43"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "1", "Nuggets": "6"}, "Number of team assists": {"Nuggets": "27"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Nuggets": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "53"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nuggets": "32"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nuggets": "32"}}, {"Assists": {"Danilo Gallinari": "8", "Gary Harris": "3"}, "Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "32", "Gary Harris": "16", "Will Barton": "17", "Ryan Anderson": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Danilo Gallinari": "8", "Gary Harris": "4", "Will Barton": "7", "Ryan Anderson": "6"}, "Steals": {"Gary Harris": "2"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (6 - 5) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (1 - 10) 115 - 98 on Tuesday. In a game where small - ball was on display, the Nuggets prevailed with an impressive victory. Denver shot 53 percent from the field and hit 15 - of - 30 threes to go 50 percent from long distance. The shooting is no surprise though, as the Pelicans continue to prove they have one of the worst defenses in the NBA. Anthony Davis left this game in the first quarter because of a shoulder injury and did not return. The Nuggets also rebounded the Pelicans 43 - 33 in the win and scored over 30 points in three of four quarters. The Nuggets were blown out of the building by the Phoenix Suns in their most recent game, but played angry here. Denver was led by a fantastic performance from Danilo Gallinari, who scored a season - high 32 points to go along with eight rebounds and eight assists. They also got another great bench performance from Will Barton, who totaled 17 points and seven rebounds. Gary Harris also scored a career - high 16 points and provided four rebounds, three assists and two steals in the win. This was one of Denver's best games of the season, as they recorded a impressive 27 assists in the win. Denver will have to travel to San Antonio on Wednesday in the second half of a back - to - back to take on the Spurs in what will surely be a tough task. The Pelicans lost Anthony Davis early in this game and couldn\u2019t recover from that. They once again allowed 110 - plus points and are undoubtedly the worst defense in the NBA right now. The Pelicans were led by Ryan Anderson, who tallied 24 points and six rebounds while replacing Davis. The perimeter defense was the key to the loss though, as they allowed 15 three - pointers, with many of them being open shots. That's been the problem with this team all year and they'll need to fix that if they want to dig out of this deep hole they are digging themselves. If Davis is to miss significant time, this defense will only get worse. The scary thing for the Pelicans is that they have try to stop the unstoppable Russell Westbrook on Wednesday when they travel to Oklahoma City to take on the Thunder. That's simply a recipe for a monster game from Westbrook once again."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Devin Booker": "30", "Eric Bledsoe": "29", "Bradley Beal": "42", "John Wall": "18"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "22", "John Wall": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Bradley Beal": "14", "John Wall": "6"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "15"}, "Blocks": {"John Wall": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"John Wall": "4"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "4"}}], "In a game between two struggling teams, there were some fantastic performances in this game. Bradley Beal stood above the rest, as he scored a career - high 42 points on 14 - of - 22 shooting. John Wall went just 6 - of - 24 from the field, but accumulated 18 points, four rebounds, 15 assists, four steals and three blocks in an effort - filled performance. The Suns backcourt did all they could too, with Devin Booker scoring 30 points and Eric Bledsoe dropping 29 points of his own. The benches really struggled in this game, with no bench player scoring more than nine points. In fact, the 10 players who came off the bench in this game combined for just 42 points. This was a tight game throughout, as there were 13 ties and 20 lead changes in total. Each team took 91 shots, as this was a high - paced game throughout."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "47", "Lakers": "40"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "113", "Lakers": "96"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Thunder": "30"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Thunder": "36"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Lakers": "21"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "1"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"D'Angelo Russell": "20", "Brandon Ingram": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"D'Angelo Russell": "7", "Brandon Ingram": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Brandon Ingram": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Brandon Ingram": "1"}, "Steals": {"Brandon Ingram": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Brandon Ingram": "1"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "16"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "33"}}], "The host Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the visiting Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, 113 - 96. Thunder (30) point guard Russell Westbrook earned his 39th career triple - double and his second in a row, notching game - highs in points (33), rebounds (12), and assists (16). The impressive performance comes on the tails of a 51 - point triple - double from Westbrook in Friday's win against the Suns. Westbrook's continued dominance helped fuel an easy win for the Thunder on Sunday, as the team maintained a double - digit lead for most of the second half. OKC put the icing on the cake with a 36 - point fourth quarter, in which they expanded upon a massive advantage in offensive efficiency. The Thunder hit 47 percent of shots from the floor, while LA hit just 40. Youngsters Victor Oladipo and Steven Adams also contributed heavily to the win, just hours after reports came out that OKC will be looking to sign both to major contract extensions. For the Lakers (1 - 2), meanwhile, recent second - overall pick Brandon Ingram saw limited minutes after suffering a knee injury in the team's most recent outing. In his time on the floor, Ingram was one of many Lakers who experienced shooting woes, going just 3 of 10 from the field. Teammate D'Angelo Russell, also a second - overall pick, hit just 7 of 20 shot attempts. It was n't just shooting that caused troubles for the Lakers offense, however; the team committed 21 turnovers on the night. Both teams will enjoy two days of rest before taking the court on Wednesday. The Thunder will visit the Clippers, while the Lakers will visit the Hawks."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "5"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "117", "Warriors": "124"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "6"}}, {"Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "21", "Draymond Green": "19", "Klay Thompson": "25", "Stephen Curry": "40", "Blake Griffin": "27", "Jamal Crawford": "15", "Chris Paul": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"Harrison Barnes": "7", "Draymond Green": "6", "Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "11", "Blake Griffin": "6", "Jamal Crawford": "5", "Chris Paul": "4"}, "Assists": {"Draymond Green": "9", "Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "4", "Blake Griffin": "5", "Jamal Crawford": "2", "Chris Paul": "8"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "3", "Chris Paul": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Stephen Curry": "7"}}], "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."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "58"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "123", "Hornets": "91"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Heat": "41"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "1"}, "Number of team assists": {"Hornets": "11"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "1"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hornets": "24"}}, {"Points": {"Nicolas Batum": "24", "Kemba Walker": "19", "Al Jefferson": "13", "Luol Deng": "31", "Hassan Whiteside": "21", "Dwyane Wade": "16"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "13", "Hassan Whiteside": "11", "Dwyane Wade": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Kemba Walker": "6", "Hassan Whiteside": "9", "Dwyane Wade": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Kemba Walker": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Luol Deng": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "11"}, "Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "7"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the visiting Charlotte Hornets, 123 - 91, in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first - round playoffs Sunday at AmericanAirlines Arena. The Heat scored 41 points in the first quarter, their highest output in a single quarter in franchise history. That effort earned them a 19 - point lead, and Charlotte was n't able to narrow it below 10 points at any point in the final three quarters. The Heat shot a brilliant 58 percent from the field and made nine of their 18 three - point attempts as the Hornets put up little defensive resistance. Luol Deng's 31 points led all scorers as he caught fire from the floor, shooting 11 - 13 overall and a brilliant 4 - 6 from three. Hassan Whiteside added adouble - double with 21 points (9 - 11 FG) and 11 rebounds and Dwyane Wade contributed 16 points (8 - 16 FG) and seven assists. The Heat starting front court of Whiteside, Deng and Joe Johnson combined to shoot 25 - 32 (78 percent) from the field, good for 63 points between the trio. Nicolas Batum's 24 points led the Hornets as he shot 7 - 14 from the field and 3 - 7 from three - point land. Kemba Walker was the only other Hornets starter to finish in double figures with 19 points (6 - 13 FG, 2 - 5 3PT, 5 - 5 FT). Al Jefferson's 13 points led all Hornets reserves. The Hornets just could n't get their offense flowing, as they only managed 11 assists, equaling their number of turnovers on the night. Game 2 is scheduled for 7:0 PM Eastern Time on Wednesday in Miami."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "12", "Timberwolves": "10"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "85", "Timberwolves": "98"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Suns": "27", "Timberwolves": "29"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Suns": "23"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Suns": "10"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "5", "Timberwolves": "5"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Andrew Wiggins": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "10"}, "Personal fouls": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "25", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "22", "Eric Bledsoe": "23", "Tyson Chandler": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "5", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "10", "Eric Bledsoe": "6", "Tyson Chandler": "7"}, "Assists": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "4", "Eric Bledsoe": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "35", "Tyson Chandler": "11"}, "Steals": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Eric Bledsoe": "3"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves snapped a three - game losing streak as they defeated the host Phoenix Suns, 98 - 85, at Talking Stick Resort Arena on Friday. The Timberwolves (5 - 10) had been struggling to finish - off games after good starts, but broke that trend as they out - scored the Suns 51 - 33 in the second half, while holding the Suns to only 10 points in the fourth quarter and scoreless for the last three minutes of the game. Minnesota led 29 - 27 after the first quarter but squandered the lead with a poor second quarter, only to come back and earn a much - needed win. All five starters scored in double digits for the Timberwolves, led by Andrew Wiggins who snapped - out of a three - game scoring slump by pouring in 25 points, including going 10 - of - 11 from the foul line. Karl-Anthony Towns followed - up with 22 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block, in 35 minutes. The Timberwolves will face the second night of a back - to - back as they wind - up a three - game road trip in Golden State on Saturday. The Suns (5 - 12) were leading 75 - 67 after three quarters, but fell apart in the fourth, with their lowest scoring quarter of the season, with 10 points on 13 percent shooting from field. Tyson Chandler was back in the line - up after missing eight of the last nine games and was solid in 11 minutes off the bench, with six points and seven rebounds. Meanwhile, Eric Bledsoe notched his eighth 20 - point game of the season as he led the way for Phoenix with 23 points, 10 assists, six rebounds and three steals. The Suns went 6 - of - 26 from long range and 15 - of - 21 from the free throw line as their offense hit a rough patch. Next, Phoenix hosts the Nuggets on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "45", "Pistons": "37"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "104", "Pistons": "108"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "33", "Pistons": "42"}}, {"Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Evan Fournier": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Evan Fournier": "0"}, "Points": {"Evan Fournier": "19", "Nikola Vucevic": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "13"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (42 - 37) defeated the Orlando Magic (33 - 45) on Wednesday, 108 - 104, moving to a half game from clinching the playoffs. A Detroit win or Chicago loss will vault the Pistons into the playoffs following Wednesday's win. The Pistons have struggled on the road all season, going just 17 - 23 away from home, and Wednesday was no exception. The struggling Magic pushed the Pistons to the very end, requiring a big fourth quarter from Detroit to eek out the win. Big defensive playmaking was key for Detroit, as center Andre Drummond delivered four huge blocked shots and guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope came up with a trio of steals. The other key difference in Wednesday's contest was three - point shooting. Detroit sank 11 shots from behind the arc, while Orlando was held to just 4 - for - 15 from deep. Orlando, meanwhile, has been long since eliminated from playoff contention. Things heated up a little too late for the Magic, as the team won four of its last five before Wednesday's contest. Center Nikola Vucevic came off the bench on Wednesday, but still managed to contribute 15 points and 13 rebounds. Breakout star Evan Fournier, meanwhile, scored 19 despite going 0 - for - 5 from three - point territory. Both teams will host matchups on Friday, with the Magic hosting the Heat and the Pistons facing the Wizards."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "46"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "100", "Timberwolves": "94"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Mavericks": "30", "Timberwolves": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Mavericks": "43", "Timberwolves": "47"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "14", "Thaddeus Young": "10", "Kevin Martin": "17", "Ricky Rubio": "9", "Mo Williams": "7", "Chandler Parsons": "12", "Dirk Nowitzki": "10", "Monta Ellis": "21", "J.J. Barea": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Thaddeus Young": "5", "Kevin Martin": "8", "Ricky Rubio": "4", "Mo Williams": "3", "Chandler Parsons": "8", "Dirk Nowitzki": "7", "Monta Ellis": "7", "J.J. Barea": "4"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "14", "Thaddeus Young": "15", "Kevin Martin": "19", "Ricky Rubio": "10", "Mo Williams": "15", "Chandler Parsons": "18", "Dirk Nowitzki": "16", "Monta Ellis": "23", "J.J. Barea": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Thaddeus Young": "2", "Kevin Martin": "3", "Ricky Rubio": "1", "Mo Williams": "6", "Chandler Parsons": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "3", "Monta Ellis": "7", "J.J. Barea": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Thaddeus Young": "0", "Kevin Martin": "1", "Ricky Rubio": "0", "Mo Williams": "2", "Chandler Parsons": "2", "Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Monta Ellis": "3", "J.J. Barea": "0"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Thaddeus Young": "6", "Kevin Martin": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "2", "Mo Williams": "7", "Dirk Nowitzki": "1", "Monta Ellis": "11", "J.J. Barea": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Thaddeus Young": "5", "Kevin Martin": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "2", "Mo Williams": "7", "Dirk Nowitzki": "0", "Monta Ellis": "6", "J.J. Barea": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Thaddeus Young": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Thaddeus Young": "9", "Kevin Martin": "4", "Ricky Rubio": "3", "Chandler Parsons": "6", "Dirk Nowitzki": "7", "J.J. Barea": "4"}, "Steals": {"Thaddeus Young": "3", "Chandler Parsons": "4", "Monta Ellis": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kevin Martin": "4"}, "Assists": {"Ricky Rubio": "4", "Mo Williams": "5", "Monta Ellis": "2", "J.J. Barea": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Ricky Rubio": "21", "Monta Ellis": "36"}, "Personal fouls": {"Monta Ellis": "4"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (32 - 17) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (8 - 39) 100 - 94 on Monday at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. The Mavericks came out and had a strong start in this one, out - scoring the Timberwolves 30 - 20 in the first quarter alone. The Mavericks shot better as a team, going 46 percent from the field and 32 percent from the three - point line, while the Wolves went 42 percent from the floor and a meager 23 percent from beyond the arc. The Timberwolves did secure a 47 - 43 rebounding advantage, but it was n't enough to take down the Mavericks. Monta Ellis had the most production for the Mavericks, finishing with 23 points (7 - 21 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt, 6 - 11 FT), two assists and two steals in 36 minutes. He's had two impressive games in a row, combining for 48 points, 15 assists and five steals over that span. Chandler Parsons was also extremely effective, as he had his shot dialed in. He went 8 - for - 12 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score 18 points, while also adding six rebounds and four steals. The four steals were a new season - high for him, as he was productive on both sides of the ball Monday. Dirk Nowitzki was very efficient in his time on the floor, scoring 16 points (7 - 10 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 0 - 1 FT) and grabbing seven rebounds. He's scored 14 points or less in each of his last four games, so it was good to see him start trending back towards his season - average of 18 points per game. Starting in place of Rajon Rondo, Jose Barea added 10 points (4 - 14 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and eight assists. In his fourth game back since returning from his lengthy wrist injury, Kevin Martin scored a team - high of 19 points (8 - 17 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) in 38 minutes. During those four games he's averaged 18 points, so he's nearing a return to the form he was in before the injury. Thaddeus Young nearly recorded a double - double, posting 15 points (5 - 10 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT), nine rebounds and three steals. He's turned it on during his last two games, combining for 34 points and 12 rebounds. Andrew Wiggins did n't necessarily have his best showing from the field, finishing only 4 - of - 14 from the floor to score 14 points. He just posted 33 points on Saturday, so it was somewhat of a letdown for him. The biggest storyline of the night for the Timberwolves though was the return of Ricky Rubio. He moved right back into the starting lineup and posted 10 points (4 - 9 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), three rebounds and four assists in only 21 minutes. It was expected he'd be on a minutes restriction, so it's no surprise he played such a small portion of time. Mo Williams added 15 points (3 - 7 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 7 - 7 FT) and five assists off the bench as well. The Mavericks' next game will be on the road against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, while the Timberwolves will be at home against the Miami Heat on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Knicks": "18", "Bulls": "29"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "37", "Bulls": "51"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "1"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "80", "Bulls": "104"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "0"}, "Turnovers": {"Bulls": "15"}}, {"Points": {"Pau Gasol": "21", "Derrick Rose": "13", "Taj Gibson": "22", "Doug McDermott": "12", "Carmelo Anthony": "14", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "12", "Samuel Dalembert": "6", "Iman Shumpert": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "11", "Derrick Rose": "3", "Taj Gibson": "8", "Doug McDermott": "5", "Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "8", "Samuel Dalembert": "4", "Iman Shumpert": "3"}, "Assists": {"Derrick Rose": "5", "Doug McDermott": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Samuel Dalembert": "2", "Iman Shumpert": "1", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Derrick Rose": "3", "Doug McDermott": "5", "Iman Shumpert": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Derrick Rose": "0", "Doug McDermott": "2", "Iman Shumpert": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Derrick Rose": "7", "Taj Gibson": "12", "Doug McDermott": "9", "Iman Shumpert": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Derrick Rose": "3", "Taj Gibson": "10", "Doug McDermott": "5", "Iman Shumpert": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Derrick Rose": "8", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Derrick Rose": "7", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "2"}, "Steals": {"Derrick Rose": "2", "Taj Gibson": "1", "Doug McDermott": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "1", "Iman Shumpert": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Doug McDermott": "24"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Amar'e Stoudemire": "1", "Samuel Dalembert": "3"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (10) defeated the New York Knicks (0 - 1) 104 - 80 on Wednesday at the Madison Square Garden in New York. The Bulls out shot the Knicks 51 percent to 37 percent from the field and 29 percent to 18 percent from behind the arc. In Derrick Rose's first regular season game back from his ACL surgery that cost him all but 10 games last season, the Bulls were able to help Rose secure a victory. Rose finished the night with 13 points (3 - 7 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT), three rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Although it was n't his highest scoring game, it was still good to see him make it through the game without anything coming up injury wise. Pau Gasol started at power forward in his Chicago regular season debut and had a double - double with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Taj Gibson came off the bench and had an efficient night, going 10 - for - 12 from the field, scoring 22 points to go with eight rebounds. Rookie first - round pick Doug McDermott got a taste of his first NBA regular season action and scored 12 points (5 - 9 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt) in addition to grabbing five rebounds, two assists, and a steal in 24 minutes of action. While the Knicks forced the Bulls into 15 turnovers, they just did n't have the offensive output needed to keep them in the game. Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire were the only two players to finish in double figures with 14 and 12 apiece. Anthony also had four rebounds, three assists, and a steal. Stoudemire added eight boards, a steal, and a blocked shot. Samuel Dalembert made his Knicks regular season debut and finished with six points, four rebounds, two assists, and three blocked shots. He wo n't be relied upon for offense, but Dalemebert should have a solid amount of blocks on defense. Iman Shumpert, who won the starting shooting guard position over Tim Hardaway Jr. and J.R. Smith, had five points (2 - 9 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt), three rebounds, an assist, and three steals. The Knicks' next game is against the Cavaliers on the road Thursday. The Bulls' next game will also be on the road against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "23", "Timberwolves": "56"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "120", "Timberwolves": "110"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "49", "Timberwolves": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Zach LaVine": "8", "Josh Smith": "11", "James Harden": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Josh Smith": "3", "James Harden": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Andrew Wiggins": "41", "Zach LaVine": "42", "Chase Budinger": "29", "Josh Smith": "40", "Dwight Howard": "20", "James Harden": "37"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "31", "Zach LaVine": "11", "Chase Budinger": "23", "Josh Smith": "16", "Dwight Howard": "18", "James Harden": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Josh Smith": "9", "James Harden": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Zach LaVine": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Josh Smith": "3"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "5"}}], "The Houston Rockets (49 - 23) won their third straight game in Friday\u2019s 120 - 110 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves (16 - 56). The win clinched a playoff berth for the Rockets, who are currently half a game behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the two seed. The Rocket converted a season - high 20 three - pointers on 44 attempts, accounting for more than half their shots. In his bid for the MVP trophy, James Harden produced 33 points, eight assists, five steals, four rebounds, and six three - pointers in 37 minutes. Josh Smith nearly recorded a triple - double, compiling 16 points, a team - high 11 assists, nine rebounds, three blocks and three three - pointers in 40 minutes as the starting power forward, taking the injured Donatas Motiejunas\u2019 spot. Motiejunas is expected to miss 1 - 2 weeks with lower back issues. Dwight Howard played 20 minutes in his second game since returning from a knee injury and scored 18 points. Potential Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins scored 31 points, dished out four assists, grabbed four rebounds, and hit one three - pointer in 41 minutes. His rookie teammate, Zach LaVine, played a team - high 42 minutes and notched 11 points and eight assists. Chase Budinger provided 23 points off the bench in 29 minutes, increasing his average to 13 points per game over the last eight contests. The Timberwolves attempted double the amount of free throws as the Rockets, sinking 30 - of - 34 as a team. The Rockets begin a two - game road trip Sunday against the Washington Wizards, Trevor Ariza\u2019s former employer. The Timberwolves conclude a two - game road trip Sunday against the New Orleans Pelicans."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "14", "Jazz": "19"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "87", "Jazz": "105"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "12", "Jazz": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "7", "Dante Exum": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "3", "Norris Cole": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Enes Kanter": "2", "Alec Burks": "3", "Dante Exum": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "3", "Mario Chalmers": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Gordon Hayward": "4", "Alec Burks": "2", "Dante Exum": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "2", "Mario Chalmers": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "13", "Dante Exum": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "19", "Mario Chalmers": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "9", "Dante Exum": "4", "Dwyane Wade": "12", "Mario Chalmers": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "7", "Dwyane Wade": "21", "Norris Cole": "2", "Mario Chalmers": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Gordon Hayward": "7", "Dwyane Wade": "16", "Mario Chalmers": "4"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "29", "Derrick Favors": "11", "Enes Kanter": "18", "Alec Burks": "12", "Dante Exum": "10", "Justin Hamilton": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "42"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "6", "Alec Burks": "2", "Dante Exum": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Derrick Favors": "2", "Enes Kanter": "2", "Chris Andersen": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Derrick Favors": "2", "Chris Andersen": "2", "Justin Hamilton": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Derrick Favors": "2", "Alec Burks": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Alec Burks": "2", "Dante Exum": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Dante Exum": "24", "Justin Hamilton": "12", "Norris Cole": "17"}}], "The Utah Jazz (7 - 19) took down the Miami Heat (12 - 14) 105 - 87 on Wednesday. The Jazz saw multiple players step up in this game to help get the win, including Gordon Hayward putting up 29 points (9 - 13 FG, 4 - 5 3Pt, 7 - 7 FT), seven assists and six rebound. While Hayward was huge, Enes Kanter (18 points), Alec Burks (12 points) and Derrick Favors (11 points) all chipped in nicely to help out as well. Dante Exum is another name to watch, as he's getting some minutes off the bench, and the rookie turned 24 minutes into 10 points (4 - 5 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt), three assists and two rebounds. He stepped up when his number was called, and coach Quin Snyder has said he wants the rookie to be more aggressive. It was an interesting night for the Heat, as they not only were without Chris Bosh (calf) and Josh McRoberts (knee), but they inserted Chris Andersen into the starting lineup for the first time since he joined the Heat in the 2012 - 13 season. What made it even more interesting was that two of their starters, Norris Cole and Justin Hamilton, played only 17 and 12 minutes, as coach Erik Spoelstra opted to use his bench the majority of the game. When all was said and done, it was basically the Dwyane Wade show, as he scored an incredible 42 points (12 - 19 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 16 - 21 FT) to go with four rebounds and three assists. Wade and Mario Chalmers (13 points on 3 - 13 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT) were the only Heat players to score double figures."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "30", "Nets": "52"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "110", "Nets": "99"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "43", "Nets": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Thaddeus Young": "3", "Shane Larkin": "8", "Dwyane Wade": "9", "Josh Richardson": "3", "Hassan Whiteside": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Thaddeus Young": "1", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "2", "Josh Richardson": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "1"}, "Points": {"Thaddeus Young": "20", "Brook Lopez": "26", "Shane Larkin": "7", "Sean Kilpatrick": "14", "Dwyane Wade": "30", "Josh Richardson": "16", "Justise Winslow": "13", "Hassan Whiteside": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Thaddeus Young": "9", "Brook Lopez": "4", "Shane Larkin": "3", "Sean Kilpatrick": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "2", "Josh Richardson": "5", "Justise Winslow": "3", "Hassan Whiteside": "8"}, "Steals": {"Thaddeus Young": "3", "Shane Larkin": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "2", "Josh Richardson": "2", "Hassan Whiteside": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Shane Larkin": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Shane Larkin": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "21", "Josh Richardson": "38"}}], "The Miami Heat (43 - 30) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (21 - 52) 110 - 99 on Monday. The Heat saw Goran Dragic get scratched for the starting lineup earlier in the afternoon due to an illness, giving impressive 2015 second - round rookie Josh Richardson another opportunity to shine. The Tennessee product has been productive in multiple appearances off the bench in the latter half of the season, and did not disappoint Monday in his start at point guard. He collected 16 points, five rebounds, three assists, a block and a pair of steals over 38 minutes for his sixth double - digit scoring performance in the last seven contests. Even though he received nominal playing time prior to the All-Star break, Richardson has provided Heat fans and management alike a favorable glimpse of his considerable potential in recent weeks. With Dragic out, it was Dwyane Wade who stepped up to lead the Miami attack. He totaled 30 points, nine assists, two rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Hassan Whiteside made his typically spectacular contributions off the bench, supplying 27 points, eight rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block. Justise Winslow was the only other Heat player to reach double - digit scoring, registering 13 points and three rebounds. The Heat remain in second place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division, and are currently slotted in the fifth seed as well. They head to Los Angeles to face off against the Lakers on Wednesday night. Brooklyn was paced by Brook Lopez's 26 points, a total he supplemented with four rebounds and a block. Thaddeus Young checked in behind him with 20 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block. No other member of the starting five was able to manage double - digit points, although Shane Larkin did a nice job of filling out the stat sheet in a start at point guard with seven points, eight assists, three rebounds and three steals. Sean Kilpatrick led the reserves with 14 points and three rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench. The Nets remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head up the road to Orlando to take on the Magic on Tuesday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "12", "Hornets": "13"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "96", "Hornets": "88"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Celtics": "18"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "14", "Hornets": "14"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hornets": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Marvin Williams": "3", "Nicolas Batum": "5", "Ramon Sessions": "6", "Jae Crowder": "3", "Al Horford": "5", "Avery Bradley": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "5"}, "Points": {"Marvin Williams": "12", "Nicolas Batum": "22", "Ramon Sessions": "13", "Marco Belinelli": "11", "Jeremy Lamb": "10", "Jae Crowder": "12", "Al Horford": "18", "Avery Bradley": "12", "Jonas Jerebko": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Marvin Williams": "6", "Nicolas Batum": "10", "Jae Crowder": "5", "Al Horford": "8", "Avery Bradley": "7", "Isaiah Thomas": "3"}, "Steals": {"Nicolas Batum": "3", "Al Horford": "2", "Avery Bradley": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Al Horford": "5"}}], "The Boston Celtics defeated the Charlotte Hornets, 96 - 88, at TD Center on Friday. Isaiah Thomas' presence had been missed by the Celtics (14 - 12) while he sat out four games with a groin injury. However, his return Friday provided a definitive spark, as he posted a game - high 28 points, along with five assists and three rebounds. Meanwhile, the Hornets (14 - 13) were dealing with the absence of their own star point guard in Kemba Walker, who missed Friday's tilt for personal reasons. While fill - in Ramon Sessions did a respectable job on the offensive end with 13 points, he had trouble containing Thomas, who shot a stellar 50 percent (10 - of - 20) from the field. Boston won the game with their second - half effort, as they erased a 50 - 41 halftime deficit by outscoring the visitors 55 - 38 over the third and fourth periods. Nicolas Batum took up the offensive cause for Charlotte in Walker's absence, tallying a team - high 22 points and supplementing them with 10 boards, five assists and three steals. Sessions supplemented his aforementioned scoring total with six rebounds and six assists. Marvin Williams supplied 12 points, six boards and three dimes. Marco Belinelli led the bench with 11 points, while Jeremy Lamb collected 10 points in a reserve role also. Al Horford was second to Thomas for Boston with 18 points, eight rebounds, five assists, five blocks and a pair of steals. Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder contributed a pair of 12 - point efforts, with the former also providing seven boards, two assists and a steal, and the latter registering five boards and three assists. Jonas Jerebko led the second unit with nine points. The Hornets will travel to Atlanta for a Saturday evening date with the Hawks, while the Celtics are off until Monday night, when they'll be in South Florida to face the Miami Heat."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"76ers": "47", "Hornets": "33"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "26"}}, {"Points": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "12", "Cody Zeller": "16", "Nicolas Batum": "19", "Kemba Walker": "17", "Robert Covington": "11", "Ersan Ilyasova": "12", "Joel Embiid": "24", "T.J. McConnell": "4", "Dario Saric": "15", "Sergio Rodriguez": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "12", "Cody Zeller": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Joel Embiid": "3"}, "Assists": {"T.J. McConnell": "8"}}], "Joel Embiid spearheaded his team's first three - game winning streak in three seasons by leading all scorers with 24 points. The third - year big man was 12 of 14 from the foul line. Philadelphia shot an impressive 47 percent, while holding the Hornets to 33 percent and 26 percent success rates from the floor and three - point range, respectively. Dario Saric was second on Philadelphia with 15 points. Ersan Ilyasova went for 12 points, while Robert Covington registered 11. Sergio Rodriguez outperformed starter T.J. McConnell in a reserve role, totaling 11 points. McConnell could only muster four points but dished out eight assists. The returning Nicolas Batum (knee) led Charlotte with 19 points, while backcourt mate Kemba Walker followed with 17. Cody Zeller tallied a 16 - point, 10 - rebound double - double, while Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (12 points, 12 boards) also accomplished the feat."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "19", "Grizzlies": "19"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Wizards": "17"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "22", "Grizzlies": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "40"}}, {"Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "6", "JaMychal Green": "15", "Marc Gasol": "28", "Tony Allen": "6", "Mike Conley": "20", "Vince Carter": "12", "Otto Porter Jr.": "25", "Markieff Morris": "17", "Marcin Gortat": "7", "Bradley Beal": "12", "John Wall": "25"}, "Assists": {"JaMychal Green": "1", "Marc Gasol": "7", "Mike Conley": "6", "Vince Carter": "1", "Markieff Morris": "2", "Bradley Beal": "4", "John Wall": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"JaMychal Green": "13", "Marc Gasol": "2", "Mike Conley": "3", "Vince Carter": "2", "Otto Porter Jr.": "7", "Markieff Morris": "12", "Marcin Gortat": "11", "Bradley Beal": "1", "John Wall": "2"}, "Steals": {"JaMychal Green": "1", "Vince Carter": "3", "Otto Porter Jr.": "1", "Markieff Morris": "1", "Bradley Beal": "1", "John Wall": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "1", "Markieff Morris": "1", "John Wall": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Mike Conley": "5", "Bradley Beal": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Mike Conley": "5", "Bradley Beal": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Mike Conley": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bradley Beal": "1"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Bradley Beal": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "14"}, "Minutes played": {"Bradley Beal": "37"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the Memphis Grizzlies,104-101, at Verizon Center on Wednesday. The Wizards (22 - 19) have been a true Jekyll and Hyde team this season with respect to their home/road splits, as coming in to Wednesday, they'd managed just four wins in 17 tries away from Verizon Center and a stellar 17 - 6 record within the friendly confines of their home arena. That trend held true again Wednesday, even against a tough Grizzlies (25 - 19) squad. John Wall and Otto Porter, Jr. combined for 50 points to lead the way on offense, while on defense, Washington held Memphis to sub - 40 percent success rates from both the field and three - point range. Memphis' attack was spearheaded by Marc Gasol, who tallied 28 points, seven assists, two rebounds and a block. Mike Conley tallied 20 points, six assists and three rebounds, while also turning the ball over a game - high five times. JaMychal Green managed a 15 - point, 13 - rebound double - double that also included an assist and a steal. Vince Carter was next with a bench - leading 12 points, which he supplemented with two boards, an assist and three steals. Tony Allen and Chandler Parsons could only muster a pair of six - point efforts on the first unit. Wall and Porter had matching 25 - point efforts, with the former adding 13 assists, two rebounds, two steals and a block, and the latter providing seven rebounds and a steal. Markieff Morris contributed a 17 - point, 12 - rebound double - double, along with two assists, a steal and a block. Bradley Beal registered 12 points, four assists, a rebound and a steal over 37 minutes. The sharpshooting guard only went 4 - of - 14 from the field and 1 - of - 7 from three - point range, but his two clutch free throws with 14 seconds remaining ended up giving the Wizards a key cushion in their lead. Marcin Gortat mustered a modest seven points but hauled in 11 rebounds. The Grizzlies head back home to face the Sacramento Kings on Friday night, while the Wizards head to the Big Apple to tangle with the New York Knicks on Thursday evening."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Warriors": "26"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "22", "Andrew Wiggins": "21", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "18", "Ricky Rubio": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Klay Thompson": "12", "Stephen Curry": "10", "Andrew Wiggins": "9", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "10", "Ricky Rubio": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Klay Thompson": "36", "Andrew Wiggins": "37", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "38", "Ricky Rubio": "36", "Nemanja Bjelica": "34"}, "Points": {"Klay Thompson": "30", "Stephen Curry": "26", "Ian Clark": "10", "Andrew Wiggins": "24", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "23", "Ricky Rubio": "17", "Nemanja Bjelica": "10", "Shabazz Muhammad": "11"}, "Assists": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "13"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "9", "Ricky Rubio": "4", "Nemanja Bjelica": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Ricky Rubio": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Ricky Rubio": "11"}, "Steals": {"Ricky Rubio": "1"}}], "Andrew Wiggins led the way for the Timberwolves with 24 points, but struggled from the field, shooting only 9 - of - 21 in 37 minutes of action. Karl-Anthony Towns followed up with 23 points on better 10 - of - 18 shooting, to go along with nine rebounds, two assists and two blocks, in 38 minutes. Ricky Rubio was solid, as he finished with 17 points, 13 assists, four rebounds and one steal, in 36 minutes. Rubio shot only 3 - of - 10 from the field, but went 11 - of - 11 from the foul line. Nemanja Bjelica double - double with 10 points and 12 rebounds in 34 minutes off the bench, while Shabazz Muhammad added 11 points and eight rebounds. Meanwhile, Klay Thompson led the way for the Warriors with 30 points on 12 - of - 22 shooting, in 36 minutes. Stephen Curry followed up with 26 points, while the only other player to hit double digits for Golden State was Ian Clark, with 10."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "52"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "19", "Celtics": "12"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "95", "Celtics": "105"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Heat": "19", "Celtics": "37"}, "Turnovers": {"Heat": "23"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "9", "Celtics": "15"}}, {"Points": {"Jae Crowder": "15", "Al Horford": "17", "Avery Bradley": "20", "Isaiah Thomas": "23", "Hassan Whiteside": "23", "Goran Dragic": "31"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "4", "Goran Dragic": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "17"}}], "The visiting Boston Celtics took down the Miami Heat on Sunday, 105 - 95. Boston (15 - 12) has now won both games since the return of star point guard Isaiah Thomas. Thomas suffered a groin injury in the Celtics' loss to Houston earlier in the month, but has returned as strong as ever, leading the Celtics in scoring in both games since his return. Thomas had 23 points on Sunday in addition to four assists. Guard Avery Bradley added 20 points, while All-Star center Al Horford scored another 17. Boston was able to win the game on the back of strong defensive play. Despite allowing Miami to hit 52 percent of its shots, the Celtics forced a ridiculous 23 turnovers, including 13 steals. Five of those came from Jae Crowder, who also chipped in 15 points on the offensive end. Miami (9 - 19) has struggled mightily thus far this season. The team came out slow on Sunday, allowing the Celtics to outscore them 37 - 19 in the first quarter. The Heat were unable to come back from the stagnant start, despite shooting 52 percent from the field. However, Miami went just 14 - of - 25 from the free - throw line. The team also turned the ball over 23 times on the night. Center Hassan Whiteside dominated despite the team's struggles. Whiteside had 23 points, 17 rebounds, and three blocks. Guard Goran Dragic also had a nice night, scoring 31 points to go with five rebounds and seven assists. The Heat will host the Magic on Tuesday, while the Celtics will visit Memphis."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "34", "Spurs": "25"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "103", "Spurs": "114"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "34", "Spurs": "42"}}, {"Assists": {"Tim Duncan": "7", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Tim Duncan": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Tim Duncan": "2", "Danny Green": "4", "Tony Parker": "1", "Marco Belinelli": "6", "Ersan Ilyasova": "5", "Khris Middleton": "2", "Jerryd Bayless": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tim Duncan": "0", "Danny Green": "2", "Tony Parker": "1", "Marco Belinelli": "2", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Khris Middleton": "1", "Jerryd Bayless": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tim Duncan": "16", "Danny Green": "16", "Tony Parker": "7", "Boris Diaw": "8", "Marco Belinelli": "9", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "16", "Ersan Ilyasova": "14", "Khris Middleton": "8", "Jerryd Bayless": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Tim Duncan": "9", "Danny Green": "7", "Tony Parker": "6", "Boris Diaw": "5", "Marco Belinelli": "2", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Ersan Ilyasova": "7", "Khris Middleton": "5", "Jerryd Bayless": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tim Duncan": "2", "Boris Diaw": "8", "Marco Belinelli": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Ersan Ilyasova": "3", "Khris Middleton": "4", "Jerryd Bayless": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Tim Duncan": "1", "Boris Diaw": "8", "Marco Belinelli": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Ersan Ilyasova": "1", "Khris Middleton": "4", "Jerryd Bayless": "2"}, "Points": {"Tim Duncan": "19", "Danny Green": "20", "Tony Parker": "15", "Boris Diaw": "18", "Marco Belinelli": "11", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "19", "Ersan Ilyasova": "17", "Khris Middleton": "15", "Jerryd Bayless": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Tim Duncan": "5", "Danny Green": "8", "Boris Diaw": "6", "Marco Belinelli": "2", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9", "Ersan Ilyasova": "6"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Danny Green": "50"}, "Steals": {"Danny Green": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Tony Parker": "27", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "37"}, "Personal fouls": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (42 - 25) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (34 - 34) 114 - 103 on Wednesday at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee. After suffering an embarrassing loss to the Knicks in their previous game, the Spurs got back on track against the Bucks. The win puts them a half game behind the Los Angeles Clippers for the six projected playoff seed in the Western Conference standings, while they own a four and a half game lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Bucks, on the other hand, have now lost four in a row and currently remain just two and a half games ahead of the Miami Heat for the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference standings. If they do n't get things turned around soon, they could end up getting knocked out of the playoffs by the end of the regular season. Danny Green led the team in scoring, going 7 - for - 16 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score 20 points while also adding eight rebounds and two steals. He's picked it up offensively over his last five games, averaging 15 points while shooting 50 percent from the field during that stretch. Tim Duncan had his way in the post against the Bucks' frontcourt, finishing with 19 points (9 - 16 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT), five rebounds, seven assists and three blocked shots. Duncan has put in two strong games in a row, combining for 36 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists over those two outings. Tony Parker was nearly perfect shooting the ball. He went 6 - for - 7 from the field and 1 - for - 1 from beyond the arc to record 15 points in just 27 minutes. The Spurs also received some contributions frmo their bench. Boris Diaw chipped in with 18 points (5 - 8 FG, 8 - 8 FT) and six rebounds, while Marco Belinelli added 11 points (2 - 9 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT) and two rebounds. Like the Spurs, the Bucks also had six players reach double figures in points. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way with 19 points (8 - 16 FG, 3 - 3 FT), nine rebounds and two blocked shots over 37 minutes. He's riding a nice five - game stretch where he's averaging 17 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists. Khris Middleton shot the ball well, going 5 - for - 8 from the field and 1 - for - 2 from the three - point line to score 15 points. He had a brutal showing against the Pelicans on Tuesday, shooting just 14 percent (2 - 14 FG) from the floor and missing all four of his three - point attempts, so it was good to see him have a much higher rate of success Wednesday. Ersan Ilyasova also shot the ball well and scored 17 points (7 - 14 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 1 - 3 FT) to go along with six rebounds and two assists. Coming off the bench, Jerryd Bayless added 12 points (4 - 8 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) as well. The Spurs' next game will be at home against the Boston Celtics on Friday, while the Bucks will travel to Brooklyn to play the Nets on Friday."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Bulls": "36"}, "Rebounds": {"Bulls": "39", "76ers": "46"}}, {"Points": {"Dario Saric": "32", "T.J. McConnell": "10", "Shawn Long": "18", "Nikola Mirotic": "15", "Jimmy Butler": "36", "Bobby Portis": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Dario Saric": "10", "T.J. McConnell": "5", "Shawn Long": "7", "Nikola Mirotic": "4", "Jimmy Butler": "7", "Bobby Portis": "11"}, "Assists": {"T.J. McConnell": "8", "Jimmy Butler": "11"}, "Steals": {"T.J. McConnell": "3", "Jimmy Butler": "3"}}], "Chicago were heavy favorites in this matchup, but Philadelphia really put it to them in the middle quarters. In fact, the Sixers outscored the Bulls, 69 - 43 in the second and third quarters. Philly took care of business down low, as they won the rebounding battle, 46 - 39 and outscored Chicago, 70 - 30, in the paint. Dario Saric was the star for Philly, as he tallied 32 points and 10 rebounds. T.J. McConnell finished second among starters, accruing 10 points, five rebounds, eight assists and three steals. Shawn Long came off the bench to provide 18 points and seven rebounds. Jimmy Butler did all he could for the Bulls, as he accumulated 36 points, seven rebounds, 11 assists and three steals. Nikola Mirotic finished with 15 points and four rebounds. Bobby Portis recorded a double - double off the bench, totaling 17 points and 11 rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "6", "Suns": "49"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "123", "Suns": "116"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "59", "Suns": "17"}}, {"Points": {"Alex Len": "26", "Devin Booker": "18", "Brandon Knight": "30", "Draymond Green": "19", "Klay Thompson": "20", "Stephen Curry": "35", "Marreese Speights": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Alex Len": "13", "Brandon Knight": "6", "Draymond Green": "4", "Stephen Curry": "3", "Marreese Speights": "9"}, "Assists": {"Devin Booker": "11", "Brandon Knight": "7", "Draymond Green": "6", "Stephen Curry": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Brandon Knight": "1", "Draymond Green": "1", "Marreese Speights": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Brandon Knight": "1", "Marreese Speights": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Brandon Knight": "1", "Marreese Speights": "5"}, "Steals": {"Brandon Knight": "1", "Klay Thompson": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Draymond Green": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Klay Thompson": "1", "Marreese Speights": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "24", "Marreese Speights": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Stephen Curry": "12", "Marreese Speights": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Marreese Speights": "1"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (59 - 6) defeated the Phoenix Suns (17 - 49) 123 - 116 at Oracle Arena on Saturday. A wild, rollercoaster fourth quarter turned what many thought would be an easy win for the Warriors into a thriller. The Suns own the second worst record in the Western Conference, but as we have seen throughout this year, the bottom half of the league has had better luck upsetting the Warriors historic season. The back - and - forth game was deadlocked with 5:50 left in the fourth quarter before Brandon Knight drained a deep ball to give the Suns a three - point lead. The Warriors followed up by ripping an 18 - 8 run to the finish the game, including a stretch of great defense where Phoenix was unable to get any points over a three minute stretch. The run started after Stephen Curry buried a three pointer to tie the game at 108 - 108, and there was no looking back after that. Curry was far from on fire until late in the game, but he did finish with 35 points to lead all scorers, to go along with three rebounds and six assists on 12 - of - 24 shooting. Klay Thompson poured in 20 points to round out the back court, and Draymond Green added 19 points, four boards, six assists and a block. Marreese Speights kept the Warriors in the game early in the second half and contributed one of his best performances of the season, as he totaled 25 points and nine rebounds on a lights out 10 - of - 14 shooting. Speights also did some damage from the charity stripe where he finished 5 - of - 6. Brandon Knight and Alex Len were the backbone of the Suns as they tried to be one of the very few teams who have beaten the Warriors. Knight went on a tear and scored 30 points, in addition six rebounds and seven assists on 11 - of - 22 shooting, while Len helped in the scoring department dominated the rebounding battle, reflected by his 26 points and 13 boards. Devin Booker cooled down a bit after an impressive 10 game stretch, but still added 18 points and 11 assists to complete a double - double for the rookie guard. Both teams play at home on Monday, as the Warriors will welcome the New Orleans Pelicans (24 - 41), while the Suns play the Minnesota Timberwolves (21 - 45)."], [[{"Total points": {"Timberwolves": "98", "Hornets": "109"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "38"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "30"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "10", "Al Jefferson": "20", "Kemba Walker": "11", "Mo Williams": "16", "Gorgui Dieng": "8", "Kevin Martin": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "8", "Al Jefferson": "9", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Mo Williams": "10", "Gorgui Dieng": "5", "Kevin Martin": "7"}, "Points": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "18", "Al Jefferson": "18", "Gerald Henderson": "17", "Kemba Walker": "16", "Mo Williams": "24", "Gorgui Dieng": "16", "Kevin Martin": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "9", "Al Jefferson": "11", "Mo Williams": "4", "Gorgui Dieng": "8", "Kevin Martin": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Al Jefferson": "33", "Kemba Walker": "34", "Mo Williams": "29", "Gorgui Dieng": "36", "Kevin Martin": "37"}, "Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "8", "Mo Williams": "4", "Kevin Martin": "9"}, "Steals": {"Kemba Walker": "6"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (30 - 38) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (15 - 55) 109 - 98 on Sunday in Minneapolis. The Hornets used a dominating second half to pull away and were led by Mo Williams off the bench. Against his old team, Williams scored 24 points on 10 - of - 16 shooting to go along with four rebounds and four assists in 29 minutes as a reserve. Williams has been moved to the bench since Kemba Walker returned from injury, but it is clear that he remains a key contributor for the Hornets even when coming off the bench. Al Jefferson posted a double - double of 18 points on 9 - of - 20 shooting and 11 rebounds in 33 minutes. Michael Kidd-Gilcrhist came close to a double - double of his own, recording 18 points on 8 - of - 10 shooting to go along with nine rebounds. Kemba Walker was effective on both ends of the floor, as he had 16 points on 4 - of - 11 shooting, 8 assists and six steals in 34 minutes. Gerald Henderson scored 17 points and rounds out the five Hornets who scored in double figures. The win was a big one for the Hornets, as with it and the Celtics' loss, Charlotte now has a hold on the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but only by a half - game. The Timberwolves may have reached the lowest point of their very low season, as they only had eight active players for Sunday's matchup with the likes of Kevin Garnett (knee), Ricky Rubio (ankle) and Nikola Pekovic (ankle) all out. However, although it was not enough, seven of those eight players scored in double figures. Gorgui Dieng led the team in scoring, putting up 16 points on 5 - of - 8 shooting and grabbing eight rebounds in 36 minutes. Kevin Martin struggled with his shot, but still managed 15 points on 7 - of - 19 shooting, nine assists and four rebounds in 37 minutes. Gary Neal also left the game with a sprained left ankle and did not return. Up next, the Hornets will travel to Chicago Monday to take on the Bulls, while the Timberwolves will head to Utah Monday and play the Jazz."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "44", "Hawks": "14"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "103", "Hawks": "110"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "22", "Hawks": "53"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "10", "Paul Millsap": "13", "Jeff Teague": "16", "Shelvin Mack": "10", "Dennis Schroder": "12", "Omri Casspi": "13", "Ben McLemore": "11", "Jason Thompson": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "6", "Paul Millsap": "8", "Jeff Teague": "6", "Shelvin Mack": "5", "Dennis Schroder": "3", "Omri Casspi": "6", "Jason Thompson": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMarre Carroll": "35", "Paul Millsap": "35", "Jeff Teague": "36", "Shelvin Mack": "21", "Jason Thompson": "24"}, "Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "16", "Paul Millsap": "19", "Kent Bazemore": "11", "Jeff Teague": "23", "Shelvin Mack": "14", "Dennis Schroder": "10", "Omri Casspi": "16", "DeMarcus Cousins": "20", "Ben McLemore": "11", "Ray McCallum": "10", "Andre Miller": "16", "Jason Thompson": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarre Carroll": "8", "Paul Millsap": "10", "Jeff Teague": "4", "DeMarcus Cousins": "13", "Ben McLemore": "6"}, "Steals": {"DeMarre Carroll": "3", "Kent Bazemore": "3"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "6", "Dennis Schroder": "6", "DeMarcus Cousins": "5", "Andre Miller": "7"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Ben McLemore": "6"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (53 - 14) defeated the Sacramento Kings (22 - 44) 110 - 103 on Monday in Sacramento. The Hawks were without two of their All-Stars Monday night, as Al Horford was given the night off to rest and Kyle Korver (nose) had been ruled out for the remainder of the Hawks' current road trip to the West Coast. It was no problem however, as Atlanta's other two All-Stars played extremely well. Paul Millsap recorded a double - double in the winning effort, posting 19 points on 8 - of - 13 shooting and 10 rebounds in 35 minutes. Jeff Teague scored a game - high 23 points on 6 - of - 16 shooting and recorded six assists and four rebounds in 36 minutes as well. Coming off a career - best game where he scored 24 points and dished out 10 assists, Dennis Schroder struggled from the field this time around, shooting a poor 3 - of - 12 from the field and scoring just 10 points. He was, however, still able to dish out six assists. DeMarre Carroll recorded 16 points on 6 - of - 10 shooting, eight rebounds and three steals in 35 minutes, while Kent Bazemore scored 11 points in his start. Shelvin Mack was the final Hawk to score in double figures, scoring 14 points on 5 - of - 10 shooting in 21 minutes off the bench. Atlanta continues to sit comfortable atop the Eastern Conference, boasting an 11 - game lead over second place, while having the second best record in the NBA. DeMarcus Cousins led the way for the Kings in the losing effort, posting a double - double of 20 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and three blocks. It was n't enough however, as the Kings could have used Rudy Gay, who sat out Monday's contest with a knee injury. Despite Gay's absence from the starting lineup, Sacramento was still able to get some solid offensive production. Jason Thompson scored 18 points on 7 - of - 7 shooting in 24 minutes off the bench, while Andre Miller also produced in a reserve role, posting 16 points and seven assists in 18 minutes. Omri Casspi added 16 points on 6 - of - 13 shooting, while Ben McLemore and Ray McCallum round out the six Kings' players in double figures, scoring 11 and 10 respectively. Up next, the Hawks will travel to Oakland Wednesday to take on the Warriors in a battle between the NBA's best, while Sacramento will stay home and go up against the Clippers on Wednesday."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "10", "Marvin Williams": "13", "Nicolas Batum": "13", "Kemba Walker": "25", "Marco Belinelli": "22", "Frank Kaminsky": "15", "Anthony Davis": "38", "Tim Frazier": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "13", "Anthony Davis": "16", "Tim Frazier": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Marco Belinelli": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Marco Belinelli": "7"}, "Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "2", "Tim Frazier": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "8"}}], "Kemba Walker's 25 points led the Hornets, while Nicolas Batum and Marvin Williams posted a pair of 13 - point efforts. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist turned in a 10 - point, 13 - rebound double - double. Marco Belinelli led the bench with a season - high 22 points that included an outstanding 7 - of - 9 tally from beyond the arc and Frank Kaminsky also added 15 points. Davis paced the Pelicans with 38 points, 16 rebounds, two assists and three blocks, scoring eight of New Orleans' 13 points in overtime. Tim Frazier, still starting at point guard for the time being despite Jrue Holiday's return, managed 17 points, eight assists and five rebounds. Meanwhile, Langston Galloway and Holiday combined for 45 points off the bench, and the second unit scored 58 points overall. New Orleans outscored Charlotte by a 47 - 31 margin over the fourth quarter and overtime."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "48", "Magic": "19"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "60", "Magic": "41"}}, {"Points": {"Aaron Gordon": "20", "Elfrid Payton": "8", "Marvin Williams": "12", "Nicolas Batum": "15", "Kemba Walker": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Aaron Gordon": "5", "Marvin Williams": "18", "Nicolas Batum": "3"}, "Assists": {"Elfrid Payton": "12", "Marvin Williams": "7", "Nicolas Batum": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Kemba Walker": "9"}}], "This was one of the most lopsided games of the season, as Charlotte pulled out a wire - to - wire victory in this 40 - point win. In fact, the Hornets led by at least 20 points for the final 23 minutes, as Orlando showed very little resistance. The Hornets shot 60 percent from the field and 48 percent from three - point range, while the Magic shot just 41 percent form the field and 19 percent from long distance. Aaron Gordon led Orlando with 20 points and five rebounds. Elfrid Payton scored just eight points, but handed out 12 of the teams 19 assists. Marvin Williams was Charlotte's best player, as he collected 12 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists. Kemba Walker led the team with 23 points on 9 - of - 13 shooting. Nicolas Batum provided 15 points, three rebounds and 10 assists."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Clippers": "23"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Bradley Beal": "5", "JJ Redick": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "22", "DeAndre Jordan": "9", "JJ Redick": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Bradley Beal": "10", "DeAndre Jordan": "8", "JJ Redick": "9"}, "Points": {"Bradley Beal": "27", "John Wall": "41", "Blake Griffin": "26", "DeAndre Jordan": "23", "JJ Redick": "31", "Chris Paul": "27"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "8", "Blake Griffin": "9", "Chris Paul": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"John Wall": "7", "Blake Griffin": "10", "DeAndre Jordan": "18"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"JJ Redick": "11"}}], "It was a remarkable night on the offensive end for the Los Angeles Clippers, as four players scored at least 23 points. The team as a whole shot over 56 percent and drained 12 three - pointers. Shooting guard J.J. Redick led the team with 31 points on 9 - of - 15 shooting including 7 - of - 11 from beyond the arc. Point guard Chris Paul managed a 27 - point, 13 - assist double - double. Center DeAndre Jordan recorded a whopping 18 rebounds to go along with 23 points on solid 8 - of - 9 shooting. Finally, All-Star forward Blake Griffin very narrowly missed out on a triple - double, scoring 26 points to go along with 10 rebounds and nine assists. For the Wizards, meanwhile, the backcourt duo of John Wall and Bradley Beal helped keep the team's hopes alive. Wall had a team - high 41 points and also finished with seven rebounds and eight assists. Beal, meanwhile, shot 10 - of - 22 with five three - pointers en route to 27 points."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "29"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "39"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "13", "Heat": "13"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "91", "Heat": "95"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "10", "Heat": "12"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Dwyane Wade": "36", "Kevin Garnett": "21", "Mason Plumlee": "32"}, "Points": {"Dwyane Wade": "28", "Mason Plumlee": "21"}, "Assists": {"Kevin Garnett": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kevin Garnett": "1"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Garnett": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Kevin Garnett": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Mason Plumlee": "9"}}], "The Miami Heat (12 - 13) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (10 - 13) 95 - 91 on Tuesday. Miami overcame a series of injuries to take home the win. Chris Bosh will be sidelined indefinitely with a calf strain, and Josh McRoberts could miss the season after it was revealed that he has a tear in his meniscus. Justin Hamilton and Udonis Haslem filled in as the starting frontcourt. Dwyane Wade played through an illness, putting up a game - high 28 points in 36 minutes. Brooklyn saw their two - game winning streak end with the loss. They shot just 39 percent from the field and 29 percent from the beyond the arc. Brook Lopez sat out a fifth straight game and will remain sidelined until Sunday at the earliest. Mason Plumlee continues to excel as the fill - in starter at center, putting up 21 points and nine rebounds in 32 minutes Tuesday. Kevin Garnett (foot) returned to the lineup after a one - game absence, playing 21 minutes. Miami will host the Utah Jazz on Wednesday. The Nets will go on the road to Toronto to take on the Raptors on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "56"}, "Losses": {"Spurs": "24", "Cavaliers": "25"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "125", "Cavaliers": "128"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "40", "Cavaliers": "42"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Cavaliers": "30"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Cavaliers": "31"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kevin Love": "2", "Tony Parker": "6"}, "Personal fouls": {"LeBron James": "2"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "31", "Kevin Love": "8", "Kyrie Irving": "57", "Kawhi Leonard": "24", "Tony Parker": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "5", "Kevin Love": "5"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Love": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Love": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kevin Love": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Kevin Love": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kevin Love": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyrie Irving": "7"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyrie Irving": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (42 - 25) defeated the San Antonio Spurs (40 - 24), 128 - 125 in a thriller on Thursday at the AT & T Center. When Tony Parker sunk a mid - range jumper to put the Spurs up six with just over 30 seconds remaining, it looked like the final nail in the Cavaliers' coffin. Kyrie Irving then answered with two three - pointers, including a buzzer - beater, to send it into overtime. The Cavaliers needed every bit of Irving's 16 fourth quarter points to force the extra frame, and he did n't stop there. He was a perfect 7 - for - 7 from beyond the arc on his way to a career - high 57 points. 27 of Irving's points came in the fourth quarter and overtime as he led Cleveland back to an improbable win in San Antonio. The Spurs had n't lost in March since 2013. The Cavaliers notched a signature win on the road Thursday thanks to Kyrie Irving's unbelievable individual effort. LeBron James' 31 points, seven assists, and five rebounds were crucial as well as he and Irving accounted for over two - thirds of Cleveland's points. Kevin Love had a quiet night with just eight points and five rebounds after posting two consecutive double - doubles. The Cavaliers have a couple days off after Thursday's marathon before returning to action Sunday in Orlando. The Spurs rarely end up on the losing end when they have a 10 - point lead in the fourth quarter, but it happened Thursday night to snap their six game winning streak. It's even more rare when you consider that the Spurs shot 56 percent from the floor. Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard had tremendous outings with 31 and 24 points respectively, but Kyrie Irving and the Cavaliers proved to be too much in the end. Kawhi Leonard had two rare misses at the free throw line to give the Cavaliers a chance at the end of the fourth. The Spurs are off until Sunday when they host the Timberwolves."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "18", "Bulls": "21"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "104", "Bulls": "108"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "25", "Bulls": "21"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bulls": "38"}}, {"Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "6"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "16", "Doug McDermott": "31", "Marc Gasol": "24", "Mike Conley": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "8", "Marc Gasol": "11"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Doug McDermott": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Doug McDermott": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Doug McDermott": "10"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Zach Randolph": "8"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Zach Randolph": "8"}}], "The visiting Chicago Bulls took down the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, 108 - 104. Chicago (21 - 21) did not let the second half of a back - to - back hold them down on Sunday, as the team fought out the game until the final seconds. Despite a slow start to the game, the Bulls came out with a whopping 38 points in the second quarter and held double - digit leads at points. Scoring came from an unusual place on Sunday, as forward Doug McDermott led the team with 31 off the bench. McDermott hit three three - pointers and went 10 - of - 11 from the free - throw line. For the starting unit, superstar wing Jimmy Butler provided offense with 16 points and six assists while also pulling down eight rebounds and coming away with three steals. Memphis (25 - 18) entered Sunday having won three of its last four games but stumbled down the stretch against the talented Bulls. The team saw strong play from its core of veterans again on Sunday, as Marc Gasol and Mike Conley led the starting unit. Gasol had a 24 - point, 11 - rebound double - double, while Conley scored a team - high 28. Veteran Zach Randolph helped the Grizzlies stay in the mix with a whopping eight offensive rebounds off the bench. However, the team was held back by foul trouble, as they sent the Bulls to the free - throw line 35 times on the night. Six Grizzlies finished the night with at least three fouls. The Bulls will host the Mavericks on Tuesday, while the Grizzlies will visit Washington on Wednesday."], [[{"Total points": {"Warriors": "110", "Rockets": "106"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "1", "Rockets": "0"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "1"}}, {"Blocks": {"Dwight Howard": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Dwight Howard": "1", "Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Dwight Howard": "26"}, "Points": {"Dwight Howard": "7", "James Harden": "28", "Stephen Curry": "34", "Shaun Livingston": "18"}, "Steals": {"Dwight Howard": "1", "Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"James Harden": "1", "Stephen Curry": "6"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"James Harden": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "11"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (10) defeated the Houston Rockets (0 - 1), 110 - 106, on Tuesday at the Oracle Arena in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. In a matchup that featured the top two finishers in the MVP voting this season, Golden State's Stephen Curry and Houston's James Harden lived up to the billing. Curry hit six three pointers on his way to scoring 34 points on the night and Harden barely missed notching a triple - double as he posted 28 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists. Houston battled until the final buzzer, but some costly turnovers down the stretch proved to be too much to overcome. The Warriors went on an 110 run over a three minute stretch in the fourth quarter to create a lead that the Rockets could n't overcome. These teams will be back in action Thursday for Game 2 at the Oracle Arena. Houston got a tremendous performance from Harden, but Dwight Howard had a limited impact on Game 1. Howard injured his knee early in the game and finished with just seven points in 26 minutes of action. His inability to take advantage of Golden State's smaller lineup combinations hindered Houston's chances to take Game 1 on the road. If Howard's knee injury lingers, it will have a massive impact on how this series unfolds. The Rockets will need bigger contributions from their front court in Game 2 to even the series at one game apiece. Golden State is well known for its fast paced style that can lead to big runs, and Tuesday's contest was no different. The 11 point run in the fourth quarter exemplified why Golden State locked up the number one seed in the Western Conference. In addition to Curry's strong outing, Shaun Livingston created a big spark off the bench. Livingston had 14 of his 18 points in the second quarter to help the Warriors gain the lead going into halftime. The Warriors will look to take advantage of turnovers again on Thursday to take a two game advantage in the series."], [[{}, {"Minutes played": {"Vince Carter": "34"}, "Points": {"Vince Carter": "17", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "27", "Michael Beasley": "19"}, "Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4"}}], "Milwaukee nearly pulled out the rare wire - to - wire win here, as they led for over 46 minutes of this game. Memphis is not known for their shooting and they relied on it too heavily here, as they took 30 three - point attempts, making just six in the loss. No player on Memphis surpassed 18 points, seven rebounds or six assists in their defeat. Vince Carter turned back the clock, as he scored 17 points in a season - high 34 minutes. Michael Beasley played similarly for the Bucks, as he scored a season - high 19 points off the bench. Giannis Antetokounmpo is quietly vying for MVP status in the east, as he dropped 27 points, six rebounds, five assists, four steals and four blocks in this win. He is now averaging 21 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks a game this season."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "13"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "79", "76ers": "97"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "13"}}, {"Assists": {"Robert Covington": "2", "Jahlil Okafor": "1", "T.J. McConnell": "9", "Nik Stauskas": "4", "Marcus Morris": "1", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "3", "Stanley Johnson": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Robert Covington": "1", "Jahlil Okafor": "2", "Marcus Morris": "1"}, "Points": {"Robert Covington": "16", "Ersan Ilyasova": "15", "Jahlil Okafor": "14", "T.J. McConnell": "12", "Nik Stauskas": "10", "Nerlens Noel": "8", "Marcus Morris": "28", "Andre Drummond": "14", "Reggie Jackson": "10", "Stanley Johnson": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Robert Covington": "7", "Ersan Ilyasova": "8", "Jahlil Okafor": "9", "T.J. McConnell": "10", "Nik Stauskas": "2", "Marcus Morris": "2", "Andre Drummond": "14", "Reggie Jackson": "1", "Stanley Johnson": "2"}, "Steals": {"Robert Covington": "2", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Jahlil Okafor": "1", "T.J. McConnell": "3", "Nik Stauskas": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "1", "Andre Drummond": "6", "Reggie Jackson": "2", "Stanley Johnson": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Jahlil Okafor": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Nerlens Noel": "10"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Detroit Pistons, 97 - 79, at Palace of Auburn Hills on Sunday. The Sixers (6 - 18) came in to the contest short - handed, as Joel Embiid was given the night off to tend to elbow inflammation, while starting point guard Sergio Rodriguez sat out with an illness. That opened the door for Jahlil Okafor and T.J. McConnell to enter the starting five, and both parlayed their opportunities into highly productive performances. McConnell came within an assist of a triple - double, tallying 12 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, while also adding three steals. Meanwhile, Okafor stepped up with 14 points, nine rebounds, an assist, two blocks and a steal. The two players combined to go 12 - of - 18 from the field, and the Sixers shot an outstanding 56 percent from the field overall, keying what was only their second road win of the season. Robert Covington actually led Philadelphia in scoring, posting 16 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. Ersan Ilyasova was right behind with 15 points, eight boards and a pair of steals. Nik Stauskas received some extra run off the bench as a residual effect of Rodriguez's absence, and he turned in 10 points, four assists, two rebounds and a steal to lead the second unit. Nerlens Noel, making his season debut after recovering from a knee injury, was only able to log 10 minutes off the bench before being forced from the game with a sprained ankle. He supplied eight points and a steal during his time on the court. Marcus Morris led the offensive effort for the Pistons (13 - 13), registering a game - high 28 points and supplementing them with two rebounds, an assist and a block. Andre Drummond posted a 14 - point, 14 - rebound double - double that also included an assist and an impressive six steals. Reggie Jackson totaled 10 points, three assists, a rebound and two steals. However, Tobias Harris and Darrun Hilliard, who received the start in place of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (knee), only mustered a combined 13 points. Stanley Johnson, just recalled from the D-League, contributed six points, four assists, two rebounds and five steals. The Sixers return home to face off with the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night, while the Pistons travel to Dallas to tangle with the Mavericks on Wednesday evening as well."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"76ers": "45", "Pelicans": "39"}, "Losses": {"76ers": "31", "Pelicans": "20"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "96", "Pelicans": "81"}, "Turnovers": {"76ers": "8", "Pelicans": "18"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "8", "Pelicans": "19"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Ryan Anderson": "11", "Eric Gordon": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Ryan Anderson": "2", "Eric Gordon": "5"}, "Points": {"Ryan Anderson": "8", "Omer Asik": "6", "Eric Gordon": "16", "Alexis Ajinca": "16", "Jimmer Fredette": "13", "Robert Covington": "18", "Nerlens Noel": "17", "Michael Carter-Williams": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Omer Asik": "14", "Eric Gordon": "6", "Alexis Ajinca": "14", "Nerlens Noel": "11", "Michael Carter-Williams": "6"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Eric Gordon": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Eric Gordon": "1"}, "Steals": {"Eric Gordon": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Nerlens Noel": "5"}, "Assists": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "7"}}], "The Pelicans (19 - 20) fell to the 76ers (8 - 31) 96 - 81 on Friday night in Philadelphia. Playing without Anthony Davis, the Pelicans shot a paltry 39 percent from the floor and committed 18 turnovers. Only one starter, Eric Gordon, scored in double - figures, finishing with 16 points and six rebounds on 5 - of - 16 shooting. Omer Asik scored six points go to with 14 rebounds, while Davis\u2019 replacement in the starting lineup, Ryan Anderson, had eight points (2 - 11 FG). Alexis Ajinca added 16 points and 14 boards off the bench, and Jimmer Fredette contributed 13 points. The 76ers, who jumped out to an early 11 - point advantage, got 22 points, seven assists and six rebounds from Michael Carter-Williams. Nerlens Noel added 17 points, 11 boards and five blocks, and Robert Covington chipped in 18 points. Philadelphia, which has won three of its last five, shot 45 percent from the floor and had only eight turnovers. Up next, the Sixers travel to Detroit to take on the Pistons on Saturday. New Orleans continues its five - game road trip in Toronto on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "13", "Hawks": "12"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "101", "Hawks": "109"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "14", "Hawks": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "4", "Al Horford": "2", "Dennis Schroder": "5", "Jared Sullinger": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "13", "Dennis Schroder": "15", "Jae Crowder": "13", "Jared Sullinger": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul Millsap": "6", "Dennis Schroder": "8", "Jae Crowder": "8", "Jared Sullinger": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "10", "Dennis Schroder": "4", "Jae Crowder": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul Millsap": "8", "Dennis Schroder": "4", "Jae Crowder": "5"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "20", "Al Horford": "21", "Dennis Schroder": "22", "Jae Crowder": "24", "Jared Sullinger": "10", "Isaiah Thomas": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "8", "Al Horford": "10", "Jae Crowder": "10", "Jared Sullinger": "8", "Isaiah Thomas": "1"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "2", "Dennis Schroder": "4", "Jared Sullinger": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Al Horford": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Dennis Schroder": "4", "Jae Crowder": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dennis Schroder": "2", "Jae Crowder": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Dennis Schroder": "28", "Jared Sullinger": "24"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jae Crowder": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Isaiah Thomas": "1"}}], "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."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"76ers": "40"}, "Losses": {"76ers": "15", "Nets": "8"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "91", "Nets": "99"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"76ers": "19"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "0", "Nets": "6"}}, {"Assists": {"Joe Johnson": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "4", "KJ McDaniels": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Joe Johnson": "3", "KJ McDaniels": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "12", "Brook Lopez": "12", "Henry Sims": "13", "Tony Wroten": "18", "KJ McDaniels": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Joe Johnson": "8", "Brook Lopez": "9", "Henry Sims": "6", "Tony Wroten": "6", "KJ McDaniels": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "2", "Brook Lopez": "4", "Tony Wroten": "8", "KJ McDaniels": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Joe Johnson": "2", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Tony Wroten": "6", "KJ McDaniels": "2"}, "Points": {"Joe Johnson": "21", "Brook Lopez": "19", "Henry Sims": "12", "Tony Wroten": "18", "KJ McDaniels": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "7", "Henry Sims": "9", "KJ McDaniels": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Tony Wroten": "8"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets (6 - 8) topped the Philadelphia 76ers (0 - 15) 99 - 91 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on Wednesday. Seven-time All-Star Joe Johnson helped lead the Nets to victory by putting up 21 points (8 - 12 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and four assists. Brook Lopez was able to take advantage of Philadelphia's lackluster interior defense by having a near double - double with 19 points (9 - 12 FG, 1 - 4 FT) and seven rebounds. Besides that duo, there really was n't a standout performer, but their defense helped keep the 76ers to shooting only 40 percent from the floor. For the winless Philadelphia 76ers, Tony Wroten helped lead the team with 18 points (6 - 18 FG, 6 - 8 FT) and 10 assists but committed eight turnovers. Henry Sims added 12 points (6 - 13 FG) and nine rebounds. Rookie K.J. McDaniels continued his solid start to the season with 18 points (7 - 15 FG, 2 - 5 3PT, 2 - 2 FT) and six rebounds. Brooklyn will go back home to take on the Chicago Bulls in a Sunday afternoon affair, while the 76ers will go back to Philly to go against the Mavericks on Saturday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "49", "Pacers": "34"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "86", "Pacers": "92"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "12", "Pacers": "28"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pacers": "32"}}, {"Minutes played": {"David West": "29", "Roy Hibbert": "35", "George Hill": "29", "Rodney Stuckey": "29", "Jason Smith": "19", "Alexey Shved": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"David West": "11", "Roy Hibbert": "11", "George Hill": "5", "Alexey Shved": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Roy Hibbert": "6", "Rodney Stuckey": "12", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "9"}, "Points": {"Roy Hibbert": "3", "George Hill": "15", "Rodney Stuckey": "17", "Jason Smith": "5", "Andrea Bargnani": "21", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "1", "Alexey Shved": "15"}, "Assists": {"George Hill": "3", "Rodney Stuckey": "4", "Alexey Shved": "3"}, "Steals": {"George Hill": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Rodney Stuckey": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Andrea Bargnani": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "1"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (28 - 34) required a 32 - point fourth quarter to defeat the New York Knicks (12 - 49), 92 - 86. The Pacers won their fifth straight game to move up to the seven seed, holding the tie - breaker over the Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets. Roy Hibbert missed all six shots in 35 minutes, finishing with three points via free throws. David West joined Hibbert in grabbing 11 rebounds. Rodney Stuckey scored a team - high 17 point on 4 - of - 12 shooting and registered a team - high four assists in 29 minutes, doing most of his damage at the foul line. George Hill finished with 15 points, five rebounds, three assists and one steal in 29 minutes. The Knicks could only muster four points after Andrea Bargnani fouled out with three minutes and 22 seconds remaining. They shot 3 - of - 15 from beyond the arc, the only noticeable difference between the teams in the box score. Bargnani scored a team - high 21 points and two blocks before picking up his sixth foul. Lou Amundson was unable to play after suffering back spasms earlier in the day. Jason Smith moved into the starting lineup and only provided five points in 19 minutes. Tim Hardaway, Jr. missed all nine shots, scoring a team - low one point on 1 - of - 2 shooting from the charity stripe. Alexey Shved provided a spark off the bench with 15 points, five rebounds and three assists in 27 minutes. The Pacers begin a four - game homestand Tuesday against the Orlando Magic. The Knicks embark on a five - game Western Conference road trip Monday against the Denver Nuggets."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "45"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "34", "Rockets": "20"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "95", "Rockets": "112"}, "Rebounds": {"Lakers": "36", "Rockets": "51"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "9", "Rockets": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Clint Capela": "14", "Dwight Howard": "14", "James Harden": "31", "Kobe Bryant": "5", "Julius Randle": "12", "Lou Williams": "20", "Jordan Clarkson": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Clint Capela": "11", "James Harden": "3", "Julius Randle": "11", "Jordan Clarkson": "3"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "5", "Kobe Bryant": "9", "Jordan Clarkson": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "17", "Kobe Bryant": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"James Harden": "27", "Julius Randle": "26"}, "Steals": {"Jordan Clarkson": "2"}}], "The Houston Rockets (22 - 20) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (9 - 34) 112 - 95 at Staples Center on Sunday. James Harden came into the contest as the NBA\u2019s second leading scorer with 28 point per game and exceeded his yearly mark to lead all scorers with 31 points, to go along with three rebounds and five assists. While 31 points is not breaking news, it is impressive that Harden did it in just over 27 minutes of play and on 10 - of - 17 shooting. Dwight Howard and Clint Capela dominated the glass, and proved to be far too much for the Lakers frontcourt to handle, as both bigs combined for 26 rebounds alongside 14 points each. The rebounding battle, 51 - 36, was heavily in favor of Houston, who disallowed the Lakers to keep most offensive possessions alive, after holding the young opposition to just three offensive rebounds. Ty Lawson, Marcus Thornton and Montrezl Harrell provided double figures off the bench and saw increased minutes in the fourth quarter, after the Rockets were comfortably ahead by 20 points throughout most of the second half. The Rockets will stay in Los Angeles and face the Clippers (26 - 14) in the second game of a back - to - back on Monday. The Lakers were handed another loss and the 10 win mark of the season continues to be an uphill battle. Coming off a loss to the Utah Jazz on Saturday, the Lakers improved upon their shot selection, as seen by 45 percent shooting as a unit. Los Angeles entered the half down only three points, but the same storyline troubles the team: youth, inexperience and rebounding. Julius Randle seems to be busting out of his slump and pitched in a double - double with 12 points and 11 rebounds in 26 minutes, however, he did lose the matchup with Clint Capela, who beat Randle with speed and strength on the glass. Kobe Bryant played more of a point guard oriented role, scoring five points on five shots while dishing out nine assists. Most of Randle\u2019s baskets were easy handoffs from Bryant as he would storm the lane, draw the double team, and find his sophomore forward waiting patiently for an easy dunk. Lou Williams shot more efficiently en route to a second straight 20 points performance and Jordan Clarkson rounded out the stat sheet with 16 points, three assists, three rebounds and two steals. The Lakers will host the Sacramento Kings (17 - 23) on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "39", "Mavericks": "39"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "88", "Mavericks": "96"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "10"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "26"}}, {"Points": {"Monta Ellis": "19", "Rajon Rondo": "2", "Brook Lopez": "22", "Jarrett Jack": "20"}, "Assists": {"Rajon Rondo": "14", "Jarrett Jack": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Rajon Rondo": "10", "Brook Lopez": "13"}, "Minutes played": {"Brook Lopez": "33"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (26 - 10) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (16 - 17) 96 - 88 in overtime on Monday. Dallas has won six straight games. Monta Ellis led the way for the Mavericks, finishing with a team - high 19 points in 38 minutes. Rajon Rondo posted a double - double with two points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists. Dallas struggled shooting the ball Monday, hitting just 39 percent of their shots from the field, but they also held the Nets to 39 percent shooting to keep the game competitive until they could close it out in the extra period. The Mavericks will return home to host the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday. Brooklyn has lost two straight, hitting a slight road bump after securing three consecutive wins before the lull. Deron Williams (oblique) and Kevin Garnett (rest) sat out the game. With Garnett out, Brook Lopez earned another spot start in the frontcourt next to Mason Plumlee. Lopez finished with a game - high 22 points and 13 rebounds in 33 minutes. Jarrett Jack also put up a double - double, finishing with 20 points and 10 assists in 43 minutes. The Nets have taken a bold stance by putting out some of their lesser - known players in the starting lineup over Williams and Lopez, but the gamble has largely paid off, as they've won six of their last nine games. Brooklyn will stay home to host the Boston Celtics on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "26", "Bulls": "37"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "112", "Bulls": "107"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "42", "Bulls": "32"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Bulls": "26"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Robin Lopez": "16", "Ian Mahinmi": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Robin Lopez": "12", "Ian Mahinmi": "8"}, "Points": {"Robin Lopez": "25", "Jimmy Butler": "28", "Rajon Rondo": "6", "Nikola Mirotic": "15", "Jason Smith": "17", "Bradley Beal": "24", "John Wall": "14", "Ian Mahinmi": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Robin Lopez": "12", "Jimmy Butler": "5", "Rajon Rondo": "4", "Jason Smith": "7", "Bradley Beal": "4"}, "Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "5", "Rajon Rondo": "10", "Nikola Mirotic": "3", "Jason Smith": "2", "John Wall": "20"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "3", "Jason Smith": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Nikola Mirotic": "3", "Jason Smith": "2"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the Chicago Bulls, 112 - 107, at Verizon Center on Friday. Despite the final scoreline being close, Washington was in control for the majority of this game. In fact, they held the lead for the final 44 minutes, with that margin getting up to 19 points at times in the third quarter. The assist - to - turnover ratio was the decisive statistic, with Washington recording six more assists than Chicago, while committing nine less turnovers. The Bulls were really let down by their shots, hitting 26 percent of their three's and 67 percent of their free - throws. The Bulls (32 - 37) have now lost seven of their last eight games, as they continue to fall deeper out of the playoffs. Jimmy Butler led the way for Chicago, as he collected 28 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals. Robin Lopez was just as good, amassing 25 points and 12 rebounds on 12 - of - 16 from the field. Rajon Rondo started again and accumulated six points, four rebounds and 10 assists. Nikola Mirotic was a huge spark off the bench, totaling 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three blocks. The Bulls will be in action again on Saturday against the Utah Jazz. The Wizards (42 - 26) have been a dominant home team all season, as this gives them 27 wins at Verizon Center for the year. John Wall had a banter day, as he dished out a career - high 20 assists, while scoring 14 points. Bradley Beal led the team in scoring, as he tallied 24 points and four rebounds. Jason Smith got a rare start for Markieff Morris (sinus infection) and provided 17 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks. Ian Mahimi came off the bench to score 16 points on 8 - of - 11 shooting. Washington's next game is on Saturday, when they take on the Charlotte Hornets on the road."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "9"}, "Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "29", "Kyle Lowry": "27", "Terrence Ross": "24", "Kevin Durant": "22", "Draymond Green": "14", "Klay Thompson": "21", "Stephen Curry": "28"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "11", "Kevin Durant": "7", "Draymond Green": "10", "Stephen Curry": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "17", "Draymond Green": "6", "Klay Thompson": "6", "Stephen Curry": "7"}}], "It was another night of insane numbers for Golden State's historic offense. The team shot 57 percent from the field, had 51 rebounds and 33 assists, and hit 14 three - pointers. Reigning MVP Steph Curry had 28 points to lead the team, while also contributing seven rebounds and seven assists. Kevin Durant scored 22 to go with a whopping 17 rebounds and seven assists. Klay Thompson scored 21, and forward Draymond Green dished out a team - high 10 assists to go with 14 points and six rebounds. Toronto, meanwhile, saw strong play from its star guard combo of DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry. DeRozan scored 29 points on 10 - of - 23 shooting and 9 - of - 10 from the line. He also passed Chris Bosh as the Raptors' all - time leading scorer with the performance. Lowry, meanwhile, had 27 points and a team - high 11 assists. Terrence Ross came off the bench for 24 points."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "46", "Raptors": "22"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "103", "Raptors": "98"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "12", "Raptors": "37"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "28", "Greivis Vasquez": "34", "Andrea Bargnani": "31", "Alexey Shved": "20"}, "Points": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "16", "Greivis Vasquez": "14", "Lou Williams": "22", "Andrea Bargnani": "19", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "22", "Alexey Shved": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "8", "Greivis Vasquez": "3"}, "Assists": {"Greivis Vasquez": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Greivis Vasquez": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Lou Williams": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Lou Williams": "16"}}], "The New York Knicks (12 - 46) won their second straight game by defeating the Toronto Raptors (37 - 22), 103 - 98. It\u2019s the first time all season they won on back - to - back nights. Langston Galloway hit game - clinching three - pointer with 13 second remaining to secure the victory. Andrea Bargnani exacted a bit of revenge against the team that drafted him, scoring 19 points in 31 minutes. The Knicks attempts a season - high 38 free - throws, converting 30 in the process. Alexey Shved added 15 points off the bench in 20 minutes and was responsible for finding Galloway on the final basket. Tim Hardaway, Jr. scored a team - high 22 points, but he missed both free throws in the closing seconds after being intentionally fouled. Kyle Lowry was rested and won\u2019t likely play in the Raptors\u2019 next game. He\u2019s been dealing with an assortment of injuries, limiting him to 34 percent shooting in February. Greivis Vasquez started at point guard, accumulating 14 points, six assists, three rebounds and four three - pointers in 34 minutes. Amir Johnson was thrust back into the starting lineup after coach Dwane Casey decided to go with Patrick Patterson in the previous game. Jonas Valanciunas fouled out but not before registering 16 points and eight rebounds in 28 minutes. Lou Williams scored a team - high 22 points off the bench and missed ten of his 16 shot attempts. The Knicks plays the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, and the Raptors face the Philadelphia 76ers after an off day."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "52"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "3", "Bulls": "2"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "130", "Bulls": "105"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hornets": "37", "Bulls": "20"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "1", "Bulls": "3"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Mirotic": "11", "Jimmy Butler": "16", "Jeremy Lamb": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Mirotic": "2", "Jimmy Butler": "10", "Jeremy Lamb": "9"}, "Points": {"Nikola Mirotic": "5", "Jimmy Butler": "26", "Derrick Rose": "4", "Doug McDermott": "17", "Aaron Brooks": "14", "PJ Hairston": "10", "Al Jefferson": "14", "Nicolas Batum": "18", "Kemba Walker": "13", "Jeremy Lamb": "20", "Spencer Hawes": "13", "Jeremy Lin": "15"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Derrick Rose": "3", "Jeremy Lamb": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Derrick Rose": "24"}, "Assists": {"Jeremy Lamb": "3"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (1 - 3) secured their first win of the season in impressive fashion Tuesday against the Chicago Bulls (3 - 2), winning 130 - 105. Charlotte had lost by a combined five points over their last two games to the Atlanta Hawks, but Tuesday\u2019s game was far from a nailbiter. The Hornets jumped out to a 37 - 20 lead after one quarter and held a 22 - point advantage at halftime. They finished the night shooting 52 percent from the field and an eye - popping 14 - for - 23 from behind the three - point arc. Leading the way for the home squad was Jeremy Lamb, who had previously signed a three - year, $21 million extension with the club a day earlier. Lamb finished with 20 points off the bench while knocking down 9 - of - 10 shots. Six other players - - Nicolas Batum (18), Jeremy Lin (15), Al Jefferson (14), Kemba Walker (13), Spencer Hawes (13), and P.J. Hairston (10) - - reached double figures for Charlotte. The Bulls received their usual solid performance from Jimmy Butler (26 points on 10 - of - 16 shooting), but failed to get many contributions from the rest of the starting lineup. Derrick Rose was held to just four points in 24 minutes. It marked the first time in his career that he finished with less than 10 points in three consecutive games. Nikola Mirotic also fell back to earth after a hot start to the season, going 2 - for - 11 from the field to finish with five points. Strong showings off the bench from Doug McDermott (17 points) and Aaron Brooks (14 points) at least allowed the Bulls to reach the century mark. Chicago\u2019s next game will come against the Oklahoma City Thunder at home Thursday. The Hornets will also be in action Thursday, as they\u2019ll head to Dallas to face the Mavericks."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Lakers": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"James Harden": "17"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"James Harden": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"James Harden": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"James Harden": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "9", "Julius Randle": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Harden": "16"}, "Free throws made": {"James Harden": "15"}, "Minutes played": {"James Harden": "37"}}], "James Harden totaled a career - high 17 assists, but it was not enough as the Rockets dropped their opener to the Lakers on Wednesday. Los Angeles showcased ball movement that was not nearly as existent last season, but the Lakers' 21 assists were only four more than Harden's total. Harden not only led both teams in assists, but also led or tied both teams in points (led), field goals made (nine, matched by Julius Randle), free throws made and attempted (15 - of - 16) and minutes (37). Only Clint Capela had more rebounds than Harden on the night, too. The now designated point guard did everything he could, but still fell short. His only blip on the box score came from a 1 - of - 7 shooting night from behind the arc, which is not expected for the rest of the season."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "55", "Suns": "50"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "90", "Suns": "95"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Lakers": "22"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Lakers": "22"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Lakers": "36"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "14", "Suns": "19"}}, {"Points": {"Tyson Chandler": "12", "Devin Booker": "21", "Brandon Knight": "22", "Lou Williams": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyson Chandler": "17", "Devin Booker": "5", "Brandon Knight": "6"}, "Assists": {"Devin Booker": "7", "Brandon Knight": "3", "Marcelo Huertas": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Brandon Knight": "8"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (19 - 50) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (14 - 55) 95 - 90 on Friday. In a battle between the two bottom teams in the west, the better team prevailed. The shooting was terrible from both teams, as they both shot 36 percent from the field. The difference for the suns was the play of their starters, as they outscored the Lakers starters 80 - 31. In fact, no Lakers starter scored in double figures for the first time in over a decade. This now gives Phoenix their fourth win in their last eight games, Brandon Knight led the team with 22 points, while also providing six rebounds and three assists. Rookie Devin Booker continued his strong play, as he tallied 21 points, five rebounds and seven assists. Tyson Chandler did a great job of controlling the boards, as he snatched down 17 rebounds to go along with 12 points. The Suns next game wo n't be until Monday, when they host the struggling Memphis Grizzlies. Los Angeles looked terrible through three quarters, but the reserves came in and brought them back in the fourth. In fact, they outscored the Suns by nine in a 36 - point fourth quarter, after scoring just 54 points in the first three quarters combined. Lou Williams was the only Laker who played well, as he scored 30 points off the bench. The only other notable stat line was Marcelo Huertas, who dished out 10 assists off the bench. Los Angeles' next game comes on Tuesday, when they also host the Memphis Grizzlies."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "34"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "2", "Nuggets": "22"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "111", "Nuggets": "108"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Warriors": "37", "Nuggets": "13"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Warriors": "12"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "31", "Nuggets": "12"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Danilo Gallinari": "1", "Will Barton": "1"}, "Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "24", "Jameer Nelson": "20", "Will Barton": "21", "Draymond Green": "29", "Klay Thompson": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Danilo Gallinari": "6", "Jameer Nelson": "8", "Will Barton": "13", "Draymond Green": "17", "Klay Thompson": "7"}, "Assists": {"Jameer Nelson": "7", "Will Barton": "7", "Draymond Green": "14"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Will Barton": "1", "Jusuf Nurkic": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "1", "Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (31 - 2) defeated the Denver Nuggets (12 - 22) 111 - 108 in an overtime thriller Saturday. This looked like it was going to be a runaway early, but Denver did a nice job of holding on the whole way through. Golden State led 37 - 13 after the first quarter, but the Nuggets were able to miraculously get it into overtime. The Nuggets had a lead in the overtime, but fell just short in a spectacular effort. They held the Warriors to just 12 points in the fourth quarter and that ultimately earned them the extra five minutes. The big difference in the game was the long distance shooting, as Denver went just 5 - for - 30 while the Warriors went 10 - for - 28. Steph Curry also made his return after a two - game absence in this game, but left after halftime with some sort of leg contusion. Denver did a great job of fighting and competing in a game where they were outmatched and nearly pulled out a miracle win. This is the third game against the Warriors and all three have been within 15 points, so they clearly play well against this team despite the losses. Danilo Gallinari made his return in this game after a lengthy absence and was fantastic. He scored 24 points and grabbed six rebounds while continually making big plays to keep Denver alive. Jameer Nelson also played well, as he totaled 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Jusuf Nurkic made his season debut as well, but really struggled playing just five minutes of play. Will Barton has been one of the most underrated players in the NBA this season and he flirted with a triple - double in this game as well. He finished with 21 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists. Kenneth Faried suffered a scary neck/back injury in overtime and had to be stretchered off the floor after the game. Despite the Faried injury, the Nuggets are getting healthy and will look to build off this solid performance against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday. Golden State just continues to get it done despite adversity. They've played the last two games without Steph Curry and he actually had to leave this game at halftime once again. Draymond Green was the hero, as he picked up his league - leading sixth triple - double in the win. Green collected 29 points, 17 rebounds and 14 assists in an absurd stat line. Klay Thompson also pitched in 26 points and seven rebounds in the win. This was not a pretty win, but winning with just seven players on overtime is impressive nonetheless. Golden State will look to keep their 34 - game home winning streak alive against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "8", "Lakers": "24"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "98", "Lakers": "94"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "28", "Lakers": "21"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "27", "Lakers": "11"}, "Turnovers": {"Lakers": "10"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Jordan Hill": "15", "Wayne Ellington": "12", "Nick Young": "13", "Jeremy Lin": "10", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "20", "Damian Lillard": "21", "Meyers Leonard": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Jordan Hill": "10", "Wayne Ellington": "5", "Nick Young": "3", "Jeremy Lin": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "8", "Damian Lillard": "12", "Meyers Leonard": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jordan Hill": "4", "Wayne Ellington": "1", "Jeremy Lin": "6", "Damian Lillard": "13"}, "Free throws made": {"Jordan Hill": "3", "Wayne Ellington": "1", "Jeremy Lin": "4", "Damian Lillard": "11"}, "Points": {"Jordan Hill": "23", "Wayne Ellington": "13", "Nick Young": "11", "Jeremy Lin": "14", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "21", "Damian Lillard": "39", "Meyers Leonard": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Jordan Hill": "14", "Wayne Ellington": "5", "Jeremy Lin": "3", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "8", "Damian Lillard": "6", "Meyers Leonard": "12"}, "Turnovers": {"Jordan Hill": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Wayne Ellington": "3", "Nick Young": "4", "Jeremy Lin": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Damian Lillard": "8", "Meyers Leonard": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Wayne Ellington": "2", "Nick Young": "1", "Jeremy Lin": "0", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Damian Lillard": "4", "Meyers Leonard": "3"}, "Steals": {"Nick Young": "1", "Jeremy Lin": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jeremy Lin": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jeremy Lin": "3"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "5"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (27 - 8) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (11 - 24) 98 - 94 on Monday at the Moda Center in Portland. In a surprisingly even showing, the Trail Blazers were just barely able to sneak out the win against a Lakers team that came into this matchup losing seven of their last 10. The Blazers were able to use a strong fourth quarter though, out - scoring the Lakers 28 - 21, therefore securing the win in front of the home crowd Monday. Like has been the case so many times this season already, Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge led the Blazers to this victory. Lillard went 12 - for - 21 from the floor and 4 - for - 8 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 39 points, while also adding six rebounds and five assists. He was also able to convert on 11 - of - 13 attempts at the free throw line, as he consistently forced his way to the line. Aldridge on the other hand went 8 - for - 20 from the field and 1 - for - 1 from the three - point line to score 21 points, while grabbing eight rebounds. Over his last six games, he's averaging 26 points, so he continues to be extremely effective for the Blazers. The only other player to reach double figures in points was Meyers Leonard, who went a surprising 4 - for - 5 from the floor and 3 - for - 4 from beyond the arc to score 12 points. He pulled in 12 rebounds as well, giving him hist first double - double of the year. With Kobe Bryant sitting this one out, starting center Jordan Hill rode the hot hand, finishing with 23 points (10 - 15 FG, 3 - 4 FT) and 14 rebounds. The 23 points matched a season - high for Hill, while the double - double was his thirteenth of the year. Wayne Ellington filled in as the starting shooting guard and finished with 13 points (5 - 12 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT) and five rebounds. He played a lot more minutes than normal, and seemingly cashed in on the extra time with a solid overall game. Coming off the bench Jeremy Lin had 14 points (5 - 10 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT). He's played well of late, averaging 15 points over his last three games. Nick Young struggled with his shot in this one, going only 3 - for - 13 from the field and 1 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score 11 points. The Trail Blazers' next game will be at home against the Miami Heat on Thursday, while the Lakers will be the away team against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "1"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "0"}}, {"Assists": {"Tobias Harris": "1", "Marcus Morris": "3", "DeMarre Carroll": "1", "Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Tobias Harris": "8", "Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "22", "Marcus Morris": "17", "Andre Drummond": "16", "DeMarre Carroll": "8", "Pascal Siakam": "4", "Jonas Valanciunas": "32", "DeMar DeRozan": "40", "Kyle Lowry": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "5", "Marcus Morris": "9", "Andre Drummond": "6", "DeMarre Carroll": "7", "Pascal Siakam": "9", "Jonas Valanciunas": "11", "DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "5"}, "Steals": {"Tobias Harris": "1", "Marcus Morris": "1", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Ish Smith": "1", "DeMarre Carroll": "1", "Pascal Siakam": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Marcus Morris": "8", "DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ish Smith": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "27", "Kyle Lowry": "13"}, "Minutes played": {"Pascal Siakam": "22"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Lowry": "1"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the Detroit Pistons, 109 - 90, at Air Canada Centre on Wednesday. The Raptors (0 - 1) invested heavily into their star two - guard DeMar DeRozan in the offseason, inking the 27 - year old to a five - year, $139 million contract. He began paying immediate dividends on that hefty sum Wednesday, tallying a game - high 40 points and adding four rebounds, an assist and a steal. While the stellar showing was n't necessarily a surprise from a player of his caliber, the fact that Jonas Valanciunas, and not Kyle Lowry, checked in as Toronto's second - leading scorer was a tad more unexpected. The veteran big man dominated in his showdown with Andre Drummond, posting a 32 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included an assist. The dominant Raptors, which outscored Detroit in every quarter, did n't need much else, with Lowry the only other player to hit double digits on the scoreboard. The Pistons (0 - 1) were led by Tobias Harris' 22 points, which he supplemented with five rebounds, an assist and a steal. Marcus Morris supplied a near double - double with 17 points, nine boards, three assists and a steal, but struggled from long range, draining only a pair of his eight three - point attempts. Drummond tallied 16 points, six rebounds and a steal, while the starting backcourt of Ish Smith and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope only managed 10 combined points on 5 - for - 19 shooting. In addition to the combined 72 points they received from DeRozan and Valanciunas, the Raptors saw Lowry pitch in with 10 points, eight assists, five boards and a steal. Accuracy was the All-Star point guard's biggest issue, as he could only manage a 3 - for - 13 tally from the field, including 1 - for - 5 from behind the arc. DeMarre Carroll registered eight points, seven rebounds, an assist and a steal, while rookie Pascal Siakam went for four points, nine boards and a steal over 22 minutes. Detroit next takes on the Magic in their home opener on Friday, while Toronto remains home for an Eastern Conference Finals re - match with the Cavaliers on Friday as well."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "40", "Kings": "48"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "46", "Kings": "41"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "101", "Kings": "107"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "22", "Kings": "27"}}, {"Assists": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "4"}, "Points": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "14", "Skal Labissiere": "32", "TJ Warren": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "11", "Skal Labissiere": "11"}, "Steals": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"TJ Warren": "16", "Devin Booker": "26"}, "Field goals made": {"TJ Warren": "12", "Devin Booker": "6"}}], "The visiting Sacramento Kings took down the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, 107 - 101. For Sacramento (27 - 41), rookie Skal Labissiere had a breakout game to lead the team to a win. Labissiere had a career - high 32 points including 22 in the fourth quarter. He added a team - high 11 rebounds. The night was very promising for the young Kings frontcourt, as second - year center Willie Cauley-Stein also stuffed the stat sheet. Cauley-Stein narrowly missed a five by five, posting 14 points, another 11 rebounds, five assists, four blocks, and four steals. The tandem was responsible for a strong portion of the team's offense, as the Kings hit only six three - pointers on the night. Little focus was placed on the deep ball for Sacramento, as the team shot 48 percent on mostly interior shots. Phoenix (22 - 46) had seen some moderate improvement recently, having gone 4 - 6 in its last 10 games. Wednesday, however, was not the team's best night. Star point guard Eric Bledsoe sat the game out for rest, leaving much of the offensive workload to sophomore phenom Devin Booker. Booker had an abysmal night, shooting just 6 - of - 26 from the field and ending up almost solely responsible for the Suns' 40 percent shooting on the night. Forward T.J. Warren, meanwhile, scored a stellar 24 points and shot 12 - of - 16 on the night in what was Phoenix's best individual showing. Phoenix will host the Magic on Friday, while the Kings will visit OKC on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "69", "Knicks": "48"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "102", "Knicks": "109"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "10", "Knicks": "32"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Derrick Williams": "1", "Robin Lopez": "1", "Sasha Vujacic": "4", "Jerian Grant": "6", "Kyle O'Quinn": "1", "Robert Covington": "2", "Jerami Grant": "4", "Nerlens Noel": "1", "Nik Stauskas": "5", "Ish Smith": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Robin Lopez": "3", "Kyle O'Quinn": "2", "Jerami Grant": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "2", "Ish Smith": "1"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "20", "Derrick Williams": "11", "Robin Lopez": "24", "Jerian Grant": "16", "Kyle O'Quinn": "10", "Robert Covington": "30", "Jerami Grant": "10", "Nerlens Noel": "17", "Nik Stauskas": "17", "Ish Smith": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Derrick Williams": "9", "Robin Lopez": "15", "Sasha Vujacic": "5", "Jerian Grant": "5", "Kyle O'Quinn": "8", "Robert Covington": "11", "Jerami Grant": "5", "Nerlens Noel": "10", "Nik Stauskas": "7", "Ish Smith": "7"}, "Steals": {"Derrick Williams": "1", "Sasha Vujacic": "2", "Jerian Grant": "1", "Robert Covington": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "2", "Ish Smith": "1"}}], "The New York Knicks (32 - 48) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (10 - 69) 109 - 102 on Friday. Both clubs came into the night long eliminated from the playoff picture, but still playing competitive basketball. The two teams were also dealing with some frontcourt injuries, and the Knicks sported a revamped backcourt as well for the contest. Carl Landry (back soreness) sat out the game for Philadelphia, while Kristaps Porzingis remained on the bench with his shoulder injury for New York. Those absences afforded Nerlens Noel some extra minutes for the Sixers, and provided Derrick Williams with another start at the four for New York. Meanwhile, rookie Jerian Grant and veteran Sasha Vujacic drew the start at the guard positions for the Knicks, in place of Jose Calderon (quad) and Arron Afflalo, respectively. New York was led by Robin Lopez, who managed a 24 - point, 15 - rebound double - double that also included an assist and three blocks. Carmelo Anthony was next, posting 20 points, three rebounds, an assist and two blocks. Grant contributed 16 points, six assists, five rebounds and a steal. Vujacic matched Grant's point total, and also hauled in five rebounds, dished out four assists and recorded a pair of steals. Williams recorded a near double - double with 11 points, nine rebounds, an assist and a steal. Kyle O'Quinn paced the bench with 10 points, eight rebounds, an assist and two blocks. The Knicks remain in third place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head home to face the Toronto Raptors on Sunday. Philadelphia was led by Covington's 30 points, which he supplemented with 11 rebounds, two assists and a steal. Ish Smith followed with 20 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, a steal and a block. Noel and Nik Stauskas followed with matching 17 - point efforts, with the former also supplying 10 rebounds, an assist and two steals and two blocks, and the latter registering seven rebounds and five assists. Jerami Grant rounded out the successful night for the starting five with 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and a block. The Sixers remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They're home again Sunday to face the Milwaukee Bucks."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "5", "Timberwolves": "24"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "110", "Timberwolves": "97"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "24", "Timberwolves": "5"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "44"}, "Turnovers": {"Timberwolves": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"Thaddeus Young": "2", "Zach LaVine": "14"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Thaddeus Young": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Thaddeus Young": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Thaddeus Young": "2"}, "Points": {"Thaddeus Young": "17", "Zach LaVine": "12", "Marreese Speights": "10", "Klay Thompson": "21", "Stephen Curry": "25"}, "Steals": {"Thaddeus Young": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Zach LaVine": "31", "Marreese Speights": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Marreese Speights": "6"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (24 - 5) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (5 - 24) 110 - 97 on Saturday. Golden State stopped their two - game skid with the win. Stephen Curry led the way with a game - high 25 points, and Klay Thompson splashed 21 points into the pool as well. Marreese Speights stayed in the starting lineup at center with Festus Ezeli (ankle) and Andrew Bogut (knee) out indefinitely. Speights finished with 10 points and six rebounds in 19 minutes. The Warriors will host the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday for what will likely be a second straight win. Minnesota has lost eight straight games. They're committed to their youth movement, as they continue to start Zach LaVine at point guard, giving him every opportunity to develop early in his rookie season. He showed up well Saturday, putting up a double - double of 12 points and 14 assists in 31 minutes. Thaddeus Young led the Timberwolves with a team - high 17 points, but the team's struggles shooting the ball (44 percent) and the fact that they gave up 36 easy points on 24 turnovers points to the two most obvious reasons why they could n't keep up with the Warriors. Minnesota will wrap up their road trip against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pelicans": "47", "Mavericks": "38"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "51", "Mavericks": "48"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "21", "Mavericks": "15"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "109", "Mavericks": "106"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "23", "Mavericks": "30"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "8", "Monta Ellis": "9", "Rajon Rondo": "2", "Tyreke Evans": "3", "Ryan Anderson": "3", "Quincy Pondexter": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Monta Ellis": "4", "Rajon Rondo": "2", "Tyreke Evans": "1", "Ryan Anderson": "2", "Quincy Pondexter": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "19", "Monta Ellis": "27", "Rajon Rondo": "10", "Anthony Davis": "18", "Tyreke Evans": "19", "Ryan Anderson": "10", "Quincy Pondexter": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "8", "Monta Ellis": "16", "Rajon Rondo": "7", "Anthony Davis": "8", "Tyreke Evans": "11", "Ryan Anderson": "6", "Quincy Pondexter": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "8", "Anthony Davis": "14", "Tyreke Evans": "1", "Quincy Pondexter": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "6", "Rajon Rondo": "1", "Anthony Davis": "12", "Tyreke Evans": "1", "Quincy Pondexter": "4"}, "Points": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "24", "Monta Ellis": "36", "Rajon Rondo": "17", "Dwight Powell": "10", "Anthony Davis": "28", "Tyreke Evans": "24", "Ryan Anderson": "18", "Quincy Pondexter": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "6", "Monta Ellis": "5", "Anthony Davis": "10", "Ryan Anderson": "5", "Quincy Pondexter": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Rajon Rondo": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "5"}, "Assists": {"Tyreke Evans": "12"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (23 - 21) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (30 - 15) 109 - 106 on Sunday at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. Fighting to get back into the playoff hunt in the stacked Western Conference, the Pelicans have started to hit their stride, notching their third straight victory in a row. They used their superior shooting in this game, going 51 percent from the field and 47 percent from the three - point line, while the Mavericks went 48 percent from the floor and just 38 percent from beyond the arc. The Pelicans saw huge days from both Anthony Davis and Tyreke Evans. Davis finished with 28 points (8 - 18 FG, 12 - 14 FT), 10 rebounds and five steals, notching his third double - double over his last four games. He's currently having a very strong stretch of games, averaging 28 points and 10 rebounds over his last five. Ever since taking over for Jrue Holiday as the starting point guard, Evans has been very impressive. On Sunday he recorded 24 points (11 - 19 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT) and 12 assists, giving him his sixth double - double of the year. Over his last five games Evans has averaged 22 points, helping to take the pressure off of Davis, who is the biggest scoring threat on their roster. The Pelicans also had some strong contributions off thier bench. Ryan Anderson went 6 - for - 10 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 18 points, while also adding five rebounds. Quincy Pondexter had the other solid performance off the bench, recording 14 points (4 - 10 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT) and five rebounds in 28 minutes. The Mavericks were led by the duo of Dirk Nowitzki and Monta Ellis. Ellis went 16 - for - 27 from the field and 4 - for - 9 from the three - point line to record a game - high of 36 points, while also addding five rebounds. He came just shy of matching a season - high in points, but boosted his season scoring average to 20 points per game. Nowitzki on the other hand finished with 24 points (8 - 19 FG, 2 - 8 3Pt, 6 - 8 FT) and six rebounds. It was his second straight night with 23 points, as he's a combined 18 - of - 34 from the field over the last two games. Rajon Rondo had solid showing Sunday, going 7 - for - 10 from the field and 2 - for - 2 from beyond the arc to score 17 points. He also came just shy of a double - double with nine rebounds to go along with it. It was one of his better games for the Mavericks this season, but it was n't enough to get them the victory. Coming off the bench, Dwight Powell added 10 points and six assists. The Pelicans' next game will be at home against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday, while the Mavericks will be at home against the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "45"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "4"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "95", "Spurs": "116"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Grizzlies": "21", "Spurs": "37"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "4"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4", "Matt Barnes": "4"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "21", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "15", "Matt Barnes": "15", "Zach Randolph": "15", "Lance Stephenson": "26", "Chris Andersen": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "7", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "10", "Zach Randolph": "7", "Chris Andersen": "13"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Memphis Grizzlies, 116 - 95, to sweep the best - of - seven Western Conference first - round playoff series Sunday at FedEx Forum. This playoff matchup was the most lopsided in NBA history based on point differential and that played out on the court, as the Spurs outscored the Grizzlies in 15 of the 16 quarters in the series. The third quarter was the decisive period of Game 4, as the Spurs outscored the Grizzlies, 37 - 21. San Antonio shot 50 percent from the field and held Memphis to less than 45 percent shooting. San Antonio had a dominant season and that carried over in the first - round of the postseason. This was another all - around team effort, as 10 players scored at least seven points. Kawhi Leonard led the team with 21 points, while also providing seven rebounds and four assists. LaMarcus Aldridge recorded a double - double, scoring 15 points and grabbing 10 boards. On deck for the Spurs is a matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder or Dallas Mavericks in the second round. Memphis was simply out - manned in this series and it was too much to overcome. Lance Stephenson was great off the bench though, as he scored 26 points, the third - highest point total of his career. Matt Barnes tallied 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists of his own. Zach Randolph amassed 15 points and seven rebounds as well. Chris Andersen was moved to the bench for this game but grabbed 13 rebounds and scored seven points in the defeat. The Grizzlies finished the season with a 42 - 40 record."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "17", "Pistons": "12"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "90", "Pistons": "117"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "23"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "6", "Pistons": "13"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pistons": "35"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Andre Drummond": "28"}, "Points": {"Andre Drummond": "22", "Jon Leuer": "17", "Andrew Wiggins": "16", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "22", "Jon Leuer": "5", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Jon Leuer": "5", "Andrew Wiggins": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "16"}, "Free throws made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3"}}], "The Detroit Pistons defeated the host Minnesota Timberwolves 117 - 90, at Target Center on Friday night. The Timberwolves (6 - 17) saw their largest point - deficit of the season as they trailed by 35 points, 115 - 85 late in the game, on their way to their third straight loss. The Wolves struggled shooting from deep, going 3 - of - 16, as Andrew Wiggins who went 1 - of - 3 from downtown was the only starter to hit a three. Wiggins was the high - point man for Minnesota with 16 points on 6 - of - 16 shooting, while Karl-Anthony Towns followed - up with 14 points and 12 rebounds. All five starters scored in double digits but the Timberwolves only got 23 points out of seven players and a combined 91 minutes off the bench. Minnesota will have a tough time getting back in the win column as they play host Golden State on Sunday. The Pistons (13 - 12) did a great job with a 68 - 47 second half to secure their fifth road win of the season and split their two - game road trip. Andre Drummond notched his second straight 20 and 20 game, with 22 points and 22 rebounds, in 28 minutes. All five starters scored in double digits for Detroit, while John Leuer added 17 points off the bench. The Pistons shot 14 - of - 29 from downtown and 19 - of - 23 from the free throw line as they cruised to the win. Marcus Morris left the game late in the fourth after getting hit in the face. The Pistons will look to carry the momentum into Sunday, when they play host the 76ers."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "1", "Pistons": "2"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "97", "Pistons": "91"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "1", "Pistons": "0"}}, {"Assists": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2", "D.J. Augustin": "6", "Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Corey Brewer": "1", "Mo Williams": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2", "D.J. Augustin": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2", "Corey Brewer": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "41", "Brandon Jennings": "16", "D.J. Augustin": "33", "Andrew Wiggins": "24", "Kevin Martin": "20", "Mo Williams": "24"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2", "D.J. Augustin": "2", "Andrew Wiggins": "1"}, "Points": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "11", "D.J. Augustin": "20", "Andrew Wiggins": "8", "Kevin Martin": "12", "Mo Williams": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "6", "Brandon Jennings": "2", "Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Kevin Martin": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2", "Andrew Wiggins": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Brandon Jennings": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Brandon Jennings": "2", "D.J. Augustin": "2", "Corey Brewer": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Corey Brewer": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Corey Brewer": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Corey Brewer": "1"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (1 - 1) defeated the Detroit Pistons (0 - 2) 97 - 91 on Thursday at the Target Center in Minneapolis. Kevin Martin returned to the active roster after having missed the team's season opener Wednesday with a sprained ankle he had suffered in Tuesday's practice. Somewhat surprisingly, the Timberwolves opted to bring Martin off the bench in favor of starting No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins at shooting guard and Corey Brewer at small forward. Wiggins played 24 minutes and finished with eight points and four rebounds. Martin played 20 minutes off the bench and finished with 12 points and two rebounds. Mo Williams was used at shooting guard late in the game next to Ricky Rubio to get more scoring into the lineup, and it's possible that there could be a minutes battle at shooting guard for the Timberwolves for as long as Martin, Wiggins, and Williams are all on the roster together. Williams played 24 minutes off the bench and put up 13 points and four assists. The Pistons have a minutes battle in their backcourt as well. Starting point guard Brandon Jennings played just 16 minutes while backup point guard D.J. Augustin played 33 minutes off the bench and finished with 20 points and six assists. It's unclear if coach Stan Van Gundy is trying to send a message to Jennings or if the starting job will soon be handed over to Augustin, but something is amiss with the Pistons turning to Augustin for more minutes in both of their games thus far this season. Second-year shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope received his second straight start and played a team - high 41 minutes to finish with 11 points, six rebounds, and two steals. Greg Monroe has completed his two - game suspension and will return for the Pistons for Saturday's game against the Brooklyn Nets. The Timberwolves' next game is at home Saturday against the Chicago Bulls."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Magic": "25", "Lakers": "16"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "51", "Lakers": "36"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "18", "Lakers": "22"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "109", "Lakers": "90"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Magic": "30", "Lakers": "14"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "14", "Lakers": "16"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "14", "Lakers": "11"}}, {"3-pointer percentage": {"Luol Deng": "50"}, "Points": {"Luol Deng": "11", "D'Angelo Russell": "15", "Jordan Clarkson": "18", "Thomas Robinson": "7", "Serge Ibaka": "19", "D.J. Augustin": "11", "Elfrid Payton": "25", "Nikola Vucevic": "11"}, "Assists": {"D'Angelo Russell": "3", "Jordan Clarkson": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"D'Angelo Russell": "2", "Jordan Clarkson": "5", "Thomas Robinson": "11", "Serge Ibaka": "11", "Elfrid Payton": "3"}, "Steals": {"D'Angelo Russell": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jordan Clarkson": "14", "Thomas Robinson": "5", "Elfrid Payton": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "7", "Thomas Robinson": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "11"}, "Free throw percentage": {"Thomas Robinson": "50"}, "Blocks": {"Serge Ibaka": "5"}}], "The Orlando Magic defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 109 - 90, at Amway Center on Friday. The Magic wanted to get out to a hot start here and that carried them to an important wire - to - wire win. In fact, Orlando won the first quarter, 30 - 14 and recorded a franchise - record nine blocks in that 12 - minute period. Shooting was the difference in the game, with the Lakers hitting just 36 percent of their shots to the Magic's 51 percent from the field. Los Angeles really struggled with their ball movement, as they matched their 16 assists with 16 turnovers, while Orlando recorded 25 assists to 14 turnovers. Los Angeles (11 - 22) has now lost 11 of their last 12 games, as they continue to fall down the standings. Every player on the roster struggled, as no on who took more than five shots could hit over 50 percent from the field. Jordan Clarkson led the team in scoring, as he tallied 18 points, five rebounds and two assists on 7 - of - 14 shooting off the bench. D'Angelo Russell led the starters in scoring, totaling 15 points, two rebounds, three assists and two steals in the defeat. Luol Deng recorded an 11 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. Thomas Robinson was the only player to shoot above 50 percent, as he amassed seven points and 11 rebounds on 3 - of - 5 shooting. The Lakers will look to get out of this slide in a rivalry game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. Orlando (14 - 18) have struggled this season, but wire - to - wire wins like this show their true potential. Serge Ibaka continues to emerge, as he led the starters with 19 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks in the victory. Elfrid Payton was their most valuable player though, as he accumulated 25 points, three rebounds and nine assists on 11 - of - 16 shooting off the bench. C.J. Watson, D.J. Augustin and Nikola Vucevic all scored 11 points a piece. Orlando is off until Monday, when they host the Memphis Grizzlies for their next fixture."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Hawks": "13"}}, {"Points": {"Robert Covington": "15", "Ersan Ilyasova": "21", "Paul Millsap": "22", "Dwight Howard": "13", "Dennis Schroder": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Robert Covington": "10", "Ersan Ilyasova": "3", "Paul Millsap": "10", "Dwight Howard": "15"}, "Assists": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "4", "Dennis Schroder": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul Millsap": "9"}}], "The Sixers have struggled mightily with Joel Embiid off the floor and that was evident here in this 17 - point loss. Turnovers really let Philadelphia down, as they committed 21 of them, while forcing just 13 from Atlanta. The Hawks also dominated down low, winning the rebounding battle, 48 - 38 and scoring 12 more points in the paint than Philly. The Hawks shot over 49 percent, while the Sixers barely cracked 42 percent. Ersan Ilyasov led Philadelphia in scoring, accruing 21 points, three rebounds and four assists. Robert Covington provided 15 points and 10 rebounds. Paul Millsap was the player of the game, totaling 22 points and 10 rebounds on 9 - of - 14 shooting. Dwight Howard also collected a double - double, amassing 13 points and 15 rebounds. Dennis Schroeder led the Hawks with nine assists, adding 15 points to his tally."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "15", "Wizards": "6"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "103", "Wizards": "105"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "12", "Wizards": "19"}, "Number of team assists": {"Wizards": "24"}}, {"Blocks": {"Paul Pierce": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Paul Pierce": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul Pierce": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul Pierce": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Paul Pierce": "32", "Dwyane Wade": "37", "Mario Chalmers": "36"}, "Personal fouls": {"Paul Pierce": "1"}, "Points": {"Paul Pierce": "14", "John Wall": "20", "Nene": "20", "Dwyane Wade": "28", "Mario Chalmers": "14"}, "Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "8", "Mario Chalmers": "5"}}], "The Washington Wizards (19 - 6) defeated the Miami Heat (12 - 15) 105 - 103 on Friday. Washington has won six straight games and 10 of their last 11. John Wall and Nene Hilario tied for a team - high with 20 points each. Paul Pierce returned from a one - game absence with a toe injury to put up 14 points in 32 minutes. The Wizards gained their advantage at the free - throw line, making their way there for 33 attempts to earn 24 free points. Washington will return home to host the Phoenix Suns on Sunday. Miami has lost two straight, and after they were punched in the mouth by the Utah Jazz 105 - 87 on Wednesday, coach Erik Spoelstra decided to make a couple changes in the starting lineup. Norris Cole moved to a bench role to give Mario Chalmers the starting point guard spot. Chalmers finished with 14 points and five assists in 36 minutes. Shawne Wiliams also moved back into the starting lineup, replacing Justin Hamilton. Dwyane Wade continued his comeback parade, putting up 28 points and eight assists in 37 minutes. Chris Bosh remains sidelined with a calf strain and has no definitive timeline to return. Miami will try to get things back on track when they host the Boston Celtics on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "47"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "16", "Devin Booker": "19", "Eric Bledsoe": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "8", "Devin Booker": "9", "Eric Bledsoe": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "8", "Eric Bledsoe": "14"}, "Free throws made": {"Anthony Davis": "8", "Eric Bledsoe": "12"}, "Assists": {"Jrue Holiday": "8"}, "Points": {"Jrue Holiday": "18", "Devin Booker": "21", "Eric Bledsoe": "37", "PJ Tucker": "11"}}], "The Pelicans saw a quintessential Anthony Davis night on Monday. The 23 - year - old superstar led the team in points, rebounds, and blocks, posting 24, 10, and four respectively. Davis was 8 - of - 16 from the field and 8 - of - 8 at the line. Four other Pelicans scored in double digits, including point guard Jrue Holiday, who scored 18. Holiday also dished out eight assists. The Pelicans shot 47 percent as a team on the night. Phoenix, meanwhile, saw an impressive night from point guard Eric Bledsoe. Bledsoe led the team with 37 points and shot 11 - of - 22 from the field. He also went 12 - of - 14 at the free - throw line. Sophomore shooting guard Devin Booker, meanwhile, added 21 points on 9 - of - 19 shooting. Forward P.J. Tucker had a double - double with 11 points and 16 rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "13", "76ers": "17"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "77", "76ers": "85"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "4", "76ers": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "9", "KJ McDaniels": "2", "Robert Covington": "1", "Mo Williams": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "3", "KJ McDaniels": "9", "Robert Covington": "6", "Mo Williams": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "0", "KJ McDaniels": "2", "Robert Covington": "3", "Mo Williams": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "20", "KJ McDaniels": "13", "Robert Covington": "13", "Gorgui Dieng": "12", "Mo Williams": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "9", "KJ McDaniels": "4", "Robert Covington": "5", "Gorgui Dieng": "6", "Mo Williams": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "7", "KJ McDaniels": "2", "Robert Covington": "4", "Gorgui Dieng": "5", "Mo Williams": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "2", "KJ McDaniels": "2", "Robert Covington": "4", "Gorgui Dieng": "3", "Mo Williams": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "43", "KJ McDaniels": "36", "Robert Covington": "31"}, "Points": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "20", "KJ McDaniels": "12", "Robert Covington": "17", "Gorgui Dieng": "15", "Mo Williams": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "9", "KJ McDaniels": "9", "Robert Covington": "4", "Gorgui Dieng": "16", "Mo Williams": "6"}, "Blocks": {"KJ McDaniels": "4"}, "Field goal percentage": {"KJ McDaniels": "31"}, "Steals": {"KJ McDaniels": "1", "Robert Covington": "1"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers (1 - 17) finally broke their winless streak, beating the Minnesota Timberwolves (4 - 13) 85 - 77 on Wednesday night at the Target Center. Philadelphia must have breathed a sigh of relief after this one. They badly needed to get their first win to avoid further embarassment, and got it done against the Timberwolves. The 76ers were led by a well - rounded team effort, but specifically by Michael Carter-Williams' near triple - double, with 20 points (9 - 20 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 7 FT), nine assists and nine rebounds in 43 minutes. Two key players led the bench charge for the Sixers as well, with K.J. McDaniels playing 36 minutes and Robert Covington getting 31. McDaniels scored 12 points (4 - 13 FG, 2 - 9 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) to go with nine rebounds, four blocks, two assists and one steal, while Covington scored 17 points (5 - 13 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) to go with four rebounds, one assist and one steal. The Timberwolves are dealing with injuries galore currently, as Ricky Rubio (ankle) and Kevin Martin (wrist) are out for what will likely be another month, and Nikola Pekovic (wrist) should be out for another week and a half. This meant heavy minutes for the starters, and all five players went over 30 minutes, with four of the five playing at least 36 minutes. Gorgui Dieng was the most impressive of the bunch, as he posted a strong double - double with 15 points (6 - 12 FG, 3 - 5 FT) and 16 rebounds. Mo Williams had a solid all - around night as well, with 14 points (5 - 14 FG, 2 - 8 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), seven assissts and six rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "41", "Hawks": "14"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "115", "Hawks": "102"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "24", "Hawks": "50"}, "Number of team assists": {"Hawks": "18"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "17"}}, {"Points": {"Al Horford": "6", "Kyle Korver": "18", "Jeff Teague": "8", "Danilo Gallinari": "23", "Kenneth Faried": "14", "Randy Foye": "11", "Ty Lawson": "5", "JJ Hickson": "10", "Jameer Nelson": "13", "Will Barton": "16", "Darrell Arthur": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyle Korver": "8", "Danilo Gallinari": "12", "Kenneth Faried": "7", "Randy Foye": "7", "JJ Hickson": "7", "Jameer Nelson": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyle Korver": "6", "Danilo Gallinari": "8", "Kenneth Faried": "6", "Jameer Nelson": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Danilo Gallinari": "24", "Kenneth Faried": "21", "Jameer Nelson": "13", "Darrell Arthur": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Danilo Gallinari": "5", "Kenneth Faried": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Kenneth Faried": "4"}, "Assists": {"Ty Lawson": "9"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (24 - 41) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (50 - 14) 115 - 102 on Wednesday in Denver. The final score makes the game appear a lot closer than it actually was, as Denver was in full control for the entire game, and a big fourth quarter from the Atlanta reserves closed the gap a bit. The Nuggets were lead by Danilo Gallinari, who scored 23 points on 8 - of - 12 shooting and grabbed five rebounds in just 24 minutes. Kenneth Faried played just 21 minutes and scored 14 points on 6 - of - 7 shooting to go along with five rebounds and four blocks in that time. Ty Lawson struggled shooting the ball, scoring just five points on 8 - of - 12 shooting, but was able to dish out nine assists. Jameer Nelson did n't play much off the bench, logging just 13 minutes, but scored 13 points on 5 - of - 7 shooting in that time. Will Barton (16), Randy Foye (11), J.J. Hickson (10), and Darrell Arthur (10) round out the seven Denver players who scored in double figures. It was an uncharacteristic night for the Hawks, as they could not get anything going offensively from the get - go. Al Horford finished with six points, scoring in single figures for the first time in nine games, while Teague scored eight points and was held to single figures for the first time since late December. Kyle Korver led Atlanta in the losing effort, scoring 18 points on 6 - of - 8 shooting. As a team, the Hawks had just 18 assists to 17 turnovers, but still hold a massive 10 - game lead for first place in the Eastern Conference. Up next, the Nuggets will stay home and take on the Warriors on Friday, while Atlanta will travel to Phoenix Friday to go up against the Suns."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "19", "Pelicans": "26"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "98", "Pelicans": "95"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pacers": "32", "Pelicans": "18"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "21", "Pelicans": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "Jrue Holiday": "6", "Tyreke Evans": "4", "Terrence Jones": "3", "Paul George": "6", "Thaddeus Young": "2", "Myles Turner": "1", "Jeff Teague": "10"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "16", "Buddy Hield": "10", "Jrue Holiday": "11", "Tyreke Evans": "12", "Terrence Jones": "15", "Paul George": "19", "Thaddeus Young": "17", "Myles Turner": "18", "Jeff Teague": "16", "Al Jefferson": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "Buddy Hield": "4", "Jrue Holiday": "2", "Tyreke Evans": "5", "Terrence Jones": "8", "Paul George": "5", "Thaddeus Young": "3", "Myles Turner": "12", "Jeff Teague": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Buddy Hield": "1", "E'Twaun Moore": "2", "Terrence Jones": "2", "Myles Turner": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Buddy Hield": "15", "Terrence Jones": "26"}, "Steals": {"Jrue Holiday": "1", "Tyreke Evans": "2", "E'Twaun Moore": "1", "Paul George": "2", "Thaddeus Young": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Jrue Holiday": "5", "Jeff Teague": "7"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jeff Teague": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Jeff Teague": "7"}}], "The Indiana Pacers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, 98 - 95, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Monday afternoon. The Pacers (21 - 19) came in to Monday's tilt hot, having emerged victorious in five of their previous six games, and appeared to be well on their way to easily extending that streak after the first 12 minutes. Indiana outscored the Pelicans (16 - 26) by a 32 - 18 margin in the first quarter, but New Orleans battled back to pull within 54 - 52 by halftime. Despite losing Anthony Davis for the duration of the game to hip and thumb injuries after a hard fall in the third quarter, the visitors hung tough, but ultimately could n't capitalize on a series of missed free throws by the Pacers down the stretch. Ultimately, a Tyreke Evans' missed three - point jumper at the buzzer sealed the hard - fought home victory for Indiana, their 17th at Bankers Life Fieldhouse this season. Despite his early exit, Davis led the way for the Pelicans with 16 points, three rebounds and three assists. Terrance Jones, who saw additional run with Davis sidelined, went for 15 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks in 26 minutes off the bench. E'Twaun Moore equaled his scoring total and added three rebounds, two blocks and a steal. Evans provided 12 points, five rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals. Jrue Holiday could n't step up in Davis' absence, going for a modest 11 points, six assists, two rebounds and a steal, while also committing a team - high five turnovers. Buddy Hield registered 10 points, four rebounds and a block in 15 minutes. The Pacers were led by Paul George's 19 points, which he complemented with six assists, five rebounds and two steals. Myles Turner pitched in with an 18 - point, 12 - rebound double - double that also included an assist and four blocks. Thaddeus Young was excellent down low, posting 17 points, three rebounds, two assists and a game - high six steals. Jeff Teague was right behind him with a 16 - point, 10 - assist double - double that also featured eight rebounds, although the veteran point guard did turn the ball over a game - high seven times. Al Jefferson led the second unit with 10 points. The Pelicans head back home to face off with the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night, while the Pacers visit Sacramento that same evening."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Kevin Durant": "36", "Klay Thompson": "24", "Stephen Curry": "15", "LeBron James": "31", "Kyrie Irving": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "15", "LeBron James": "13"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "16", "Stephen Curry": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Klay Thompson": "9", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "3", "LeBron James": "4", "Kyrie Irving": "10"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "7"}}], "This was the most hyped game of the season and these teams did n't disappoint. Golden State actually led for the majority of the game, as the Cavaliers never led by more than two and held a lead for less then two minutes. Cleveland overcame a 14 - point deficit in the fourth quarter, as Kyrie Irivng capped things off with a game - winning jumper in the final seconds. Irving was spectacular all night, as he finished with 25 points, 10 assists and seven steals in the win. LeBron James led the team in scoring though, collecting 31 points, 13 rebounds and four assists. Kevin Durant was the only major addition since the Finals matchup last season and he showed just how good he can be, as he dropped game - highs with 36 points and 15 rebounds. Klay Thompson scored 24 points on 9 - of - 16 shooting, while Stephen Curry amassed 15 points, three assists and three steals on 4 - of - 11 shooting."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Trail Blazers": "36", "Lakers": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "53", "Lakers": "42"}}, {"Assists": {"Julius Randle": "5", "D'Angelo Russell": "2", "CJ McCollum": "7", "Damian Lillard": "10"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Julius Randle": "2"}, "Points": {"Julius Randle": "17", "D'Angelo Russell": "22", "CJ McCollum": "27", "Damian Lillard": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Julius Randle": "9", "D'Angelo Russell": "4", "CJ McCollum": "4", "Damian Lillard": "5"}, "Steals": {"Julius Randle": "1", "D'Angelo Russell": "2", "CJ McCollum": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Julius Randle": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"D'Angelo Russell": "18", "CJ McCollum": "21", "Damian Lillard": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"D'Angelo Russell": "6", "CJ McCollum": "11", "Damian Lillard": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"D'Angelo Russell": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Damian Lillard": "4"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers got the better of the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. Damian Lillard returned to the lineup after a brief stint on the sideline nursing an ankle injury. Lillard finished with 21 points, five rebounds and 10 assists on 7 - of - 14 shooting (4 - of - 10 from three point territory). C.J. McCollum continued his trend of premier shooting with 27 points, four rebounds, seven assists and one steal on 11 - of - 21 shooting. The Lakers got their two best performances from D'Angelo Russell and Julius Randle. Russell went for 22 points, four rebounds and two assists on 6 - of - 18 shooting. Julius Randle scored 17 points, grabbed nine rebounds, dished out five assists and notched one steal. As a unit, the Lakers shot 42 percent and 32 percent from the field and three point line, respectively, compared to that of the Blazers who shot 53 percent and 36 percent from the field and behind the arc."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "2", "Pelicans": "7"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "116", "Pelicans": "106"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "5", "Pelicans": "0"}}, {"Points": {"Anthony Davis": "33", "E'Twaun Moore": "15", "Tim Frazier": "13", "Kevin Durant": "22", "Klay Thompson": "24", "Stephen Curry": "46"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "13", "Klay Thompson": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "4", "Stephen Curry": "17"}, "Turnovers": {"Kevin Durant": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "13"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "26"}, "Field goals made": {"Stephen Curry": "16"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, 116 - 106, at Oracle Arena on Monday. For the Warriors (5 - 2), it was all about Stephen Curry. The two - time MVP broke his own single - game record for three - pointers made in a game with 13 on just 17 attempts. Overall, he finished the night shooting 16 - of - 26 from the field for a game - high 46 points as Golden State managed to pull away in the closing minutes. Curry's heroics were necessary too, as after a strong first half from Golden State, the Pelicans came roaring back in the third quarter to even take a lead at one point. But there was no stopping the Warriors in the final period. Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson finished with 22 and 24 points of their own, respectively, and were the only other players to score in double figures for Golden State. For the winless Pelicans (0 - 7), they were once again led by their superstar power forward Anthony Davis, who recorded 33 points and 13 rebounds on the night but was nearly shut out in the final period when New Orleans needed him the most. Golden State made an effort to collapse on Davis whenever he had the ball inside, and that led to just six points in the fourth quarter, four of which came when the game was out of reach. Other than Davis, the only other Pelicans players to score in double figures were E'Twaun Moore and Tim Frazier, who scored 15 and 13 points, respectively, as the starting backcourt for New Orleans. Up next, the Warriors will remain at home to take on the Mavericks on Wednesday, while the Pelicans will attempt to earn their first win of the season against the Kings on Tuesday."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Lakers": "20", "Warriors": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "9", "Draymond Green": "4", "Brandon Ingram": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "2", "Draymond Green": "1", "Brandon Ingram": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "19", "Jordan Clarkson": "15", "Lou Williams": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "11", "Jordan Clarkson": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Kevin Durant": "33", "Brandon Ingram": "39"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kevin Durant": "1"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "29", "Draymond Green": "12", "Klay Thompson": "18", "Stephen Curry": "24", "Brandon Ingram": "8", "Jordan Clarkson": "20", "Larry Nance Jr.": "11", "Lou Williams": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "6", "Draymond Green": "8", "Brandon Ingram": "9"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Durant": "1", "Draymond Green": "3", "Brandon Ingram": "2"}}], "The Warriors have tallied 30 or more assists in their last 10 games, coinciding with a 10 - game winning streak. Kevin Durant was the high - point man in this one, with 29 points on 11 - of - 19 shooting, along with nine assists, six rebounds, two blocks and one steal, in 33 minutes. Stephen Curry followed - up with 24 points, while Klay Thompson chipped in 18. Durant, Thompson and Curry combined for 71 points. Draymond Green totaled 12 points, eight rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block before leaving the game with an ankle contusion. Jordan Clarkson dropped 20 points on 6 - of - 15 shooting to lead the short - handed Lakers.The only other Lakers to score in double digits were Larry Nance Jr. with 11 and Lou Williams with 13. Brandon Ingram finished with eight points, nine rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block, in 39 minutes."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "54", "Lakers": "34"}}, {"Points": {"Brandon Ingram": "17", "Norman Powell": "16", "DeMar DeRozan": "16", "Kyle Lowry": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Brandon Ingram": "6", "Norman Powell": "7", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "6", "Kyle Lowry": "7"}}], "The recent form of these teams would have indicated a Toronto blowout win and that happened to be the case. In fact, the Raptors pulled out the wire - to - wire win, as they led by double - digits for the majority of the game. Toronto shot 54 percent from the field, while Los Angeles shot just 34 percent. The Lakers have been leaning on their bench and they did just that here. Lou Williams and Jordan Clarkson combined for 27 points on an inefficient 8 - of - 29 shooting. Brandon Ingram led the Lakers in scoring though, dropping 17 points and six rebounds. The Toronto starters outscored the Los Angeles starters, 70 - 34. Kyle Lowry led the team in scoring, tallying 24 points, four rebounds and seven assists. Norman Powell and DeMar DeRozan each scored 16 a piece, with Powell grabbing seven boards and DeRozan dishing out six assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "10", "Bulls": "4"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "88", "Bulls": "93"}, "Rebounds": {"Trail Blazers": "55", "Bulls": "44"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "6", "Bulls": "9"}}, {"Points": {"Pau Gasol": "12", "Jimmy Butler": "22", "Derrick Rose": "17", "Mason Plumlee": "11", "Damian Lillard": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "14", "Derrick Rose": "4", "Mason Plumlee": "17", "Damian Lillard": "10"}, "Assists": {"Derrick Rose": "6", "Damian Lillard": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Derrick Rose": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Derrick Rose": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Damian Lillard": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Damian Lillard": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Damian Lillard": "1"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (9 - 4) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (6 - 10) 93 - 88 on Tuesday thanks to some quality defense. This appeared to be an offensive - heavy game on paper, but the defenses showed up in a big way to make for a low - scoring grinder. Both teams failed to crack 40 percent shooting from the field and no individual player scored more than 22 points in the slugfest. Coming into the game, the Bulls had led the league in rebounding due to their massive frontcourt, but they were actually out - rebounded here 55 - 44 against a far more inferior frontcourt. The Blazers also recorded nine blocks in the game compared to the Bulls three and it's shocking that they lost with these sort of statistics in their favor. The Blazers starters shot under 30 percent from the field and that very well may have been the difference in the game. Chicago pulled out a huge victory on the road here in a game where they had no right to win. They were outdone in almost every significant statistic, but just played hard on the defensive end to pull out a nail - biter. Derrick Rose made his return in this game after a three - game absence and played well, tallying 17 points, six assists and four rebounds across 34 minutes of action. Jimmy Butler led the team with 22 points and Pau Gasol put in a double - double as well, totaling 12 points and 14 rebounds in the win. This is the sort of victory that shows the versatility and grittiness of this team and that's a scary sight for every other team in the NBA. Chicago has a few days off until they face the Indiana Pacers on Friday on the road. The Blazers played extremely well here and were unfortunate not to come away with a win. No player on the Blazers cracked the 20 - point mark and the closest one was Damian Lillard, who had an awful shooting night. Lillard shot 4 - for - 22 from the field to accumulate 19 points, but he did flirt with a triple - double by collecting 10 rebounds and eight assists as well. His usage rate was well above 30 before this game and that number will probably go up after a performance like this. The best player on this evening was Mason Plumlee though, as he put in a career performance. Plumlee recorded an 11 point - 17 rebound double - double in the loss and was a beast all night long. He's been a huge surprise this season for Portland and it appears they got a steal with him in the offseason. The Blazers are in a rough stretch right now, but they should be able to grab a win when they host the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday in their next scheduled game."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "16", "Hornets": "20"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "98", "Hornets": "75"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "15", "Hornets": "10"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "21"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "29"}}, {"Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Kemba Walker": "30", "Russell Westbrook": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Steven Adams": "9"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "29"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (15 - 16) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (10 - 20) 98 - 75 on Friday. Oklahoma City has won two straight but just three of their last six games. Kevin Durant missed his fifth straight game, but he did participate in portions of Friday's shootaround, meaning he could be nearing a return from his sprained ankle. Russell Westbrook continues to step up in Durant's absence. Westbrook put up 29 points and five assists in just 25 minutes Friday. Steven Adams has been doing great work on the boards of late. He pulled down nine Friday, and in the four games leading into the contest, he had recorded double - digit rebounds in each game. The Thunder will go on the road to face the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. Charlotte saw their four - game win streak come to an end with the loss. Lance Stephenson sat out a fifth straight game. The Hornets shot a woeful 29 percent from the field and 21 percent from beyond the arc. They lost the first three quarters of the game, thoroughly taking their drubbing from the Thunder. Kemba Walker had been on a tear of late, but he finished with just nine six points and two assists in 30 minutes as the Hornets turned to their bench players for much of the second half with the game out of reach. Charlotte will return home to host the Orlando Magic on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Rockets": "41", "Magic": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "50", "Magic": "43"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "22", "Magic": "48"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "107", "Magic": "94"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "45", "Magic": "21"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Tobias Harris": "17", "Ben Gordon": "19"}, "Blocks": {"Nikola Vucevic": "2", "Josh Smith": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "17", "Victor Oladipo": "21", "Elfrid Payton": "9", "Ben Gordon": "9", "Trevor Ariza": "11", "Donatas Motiejunas": "12", "James Harden": "14", "Josh Smith": "9", "Corey Brewer": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "5", "Victor Oladipo": "11", "Elfrid Payton": "5", "Ben Gordon": "5", "Trevor Ariza": "7", "Donatas Motiejunas": "8", "James Harden": "4", "Josh Smith": "6", "Corey Brewer": "5"}, "Points": {"Nikola Vucevic": "11", "Victor Oladipo": "29", "Elfrid Payton": "10", "Ben Gordon": "13", "Trevor Ariza": "17", "Donatas Motiejunas": "23", "James Harden": "17", "Josh Smith": "17", "Corey Brewer": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "11", "Victor Oladipo": "4", "Trevor Ariza": "5", "Donatas Motiejunas": "7", "James Harden": "8", "Josh Smith": "5", "Corey Brewer": "12"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Victor Oladipo": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "1", "Ben Gordon": "4", "Trevor Ariza": "7", "Donatas Motiejunas": "2", "James Harden": "4", "Josh Smith": "2", "Corey Brewer": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Victor Oladipo": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "0", "Ben Gordon": "1", "Trevor Ariza": "3", "Donatas Motiejunas": "2", "James Harden": "1", "Josh Smith": "2", "Corey Brewer": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Victor Oladipo": "2", "James Harden": "1", "Josh Smith": "2", "Corey Brewer": "2"}, "Steals": {"Victor Oladipo": "4", "James Harden": "3"}, "Assists": {"Elfrid Payton": "7", "Trevor Ariza": "5", "Donatas Motiejunas": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Ben Gordon": "2", "James Harden": "11", "Josh Smith": "4", "Corey Brewer": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Ben Gordon": "2", "Donatas Motiejunas": "5", "James Harden": "8", "Josh Smith": "3", "Corey Brewer": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "1", "James Harden": "1", "Josh Smith": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Corey Brewer": "2"}}], "The Houston Rockets (45 - 22) defeated the Orlando Magic (21 - 48) 107 - 94 on Tuesday at the Toyota Center in Houston. While the Magic are on the brink of being eliminated from the playoffs in the East after losing five games in a row, the Rockets remain in the thick of things in the West. They continue to stick as the projected fourth seed for the playoffs, but sit just behind the Portland Trail Blazers, who currently own a 44 - 21 record. If the Trail Blazers go on to lose to the Heat on Wednesday, the Rockets would then take over the third spot in the Western Conference standings with a half game lead over Portland. The Rockets were the superior shooters in this game, going 50 percent from the field and 41 percent from the three - point line, while the Magic finished at just 43 percent from the floor and 27 percent from deep. Donatas Motiejunas was dialed in from the start, as he went 8 - for - 12 from the field and 2 - for - 2 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 23 points, while also adding seven rebounds and four assists. After shooting just 20 percent (3 - 15 FG) during Sunday's game against the Clippers, it was a nice bounce - back game for him. While James Harden struggled with his shot, he continued to get to the free throw line like he has all season and finished with 17 points (4 - 14 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 8 - 11 FT), eight rebounds and three steals. While it was n't his best performance, Harden remains entrenched in the conversation as one of the top three potential MVP candidates in the league. On the season, he boasts averages of 27 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists per game. Trevor Ariza recorded 17 points (7 - 11 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt) of his own, to go along with five rebounds and five asssists. The Rockets received some strong contributions from their bench as well though, with both Josh Smith and Corey Brewer reaching double figures. Smith finished with 17 points (6 - 9 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) and five rebounds, while Brewer had 13 points (5 - 10 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and 12 rebounds. While they ended up suffering the loss, Victor Oladipo did his best to keep the Magic in this game. He went 11 - for - 21 from the field and 1 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 29 points, while also adding four rebounds and four steals. He's on a nice two - game stretch where he's combined for 54 points, 10 assists and six steals. Nikola Vucevic did n't have his best game offensively, but still posted 11 points (5 - 17 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt) to go along with 11 rebounds and two blocked shots. It marked his fourth double - double in a row, a stretch where he's averaged 17 points and 13 rebounds. Elfrid Payton chipped in with 10 points (5 - 9 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt) and seven assists as well, while Ben Gordon came off the bench for 13 points (5 - 9 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) in just 19 minutes. Tobias Harris left the game with a sprained ankle after playing just 17 minutes. The Rockets' next game will be at home against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday, while the Magic will travel to Dallas to play the Mavericks on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "1", "Bucks": "2"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "108", "Bucks": "97"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "2", "Bucks": "1"}}, {"Minutes played": {"O.J. Mayo": "19", "Jerryd Bayless": "21", "Paul Pierce": "17", "John Wall": "38", "Otto Porter": "37"}, "Points": {"O.J. Mayo": "3", "Jerryd Bayless": "20", "Paul Pierce": "2", "John Wall": "19", "Otto Porter": "21"}, "Steals": {"Jerryd Bayless": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Paul Pierce": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul Pierce": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul Pierce": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Paul Pierce": "2"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Otto Porter": "5"}}], "The Washington Wizards (2 - 1) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (1 - 2) 108 - 97 on Saturday. Paul Pierce was ejected from Saturday's game after playing just 17 minutes. He disagreed with a clear - path foul call and argued with the referees until they levied two technical fouls against him with just seven seconds left before halftime. In Pierce's absence, second - year forward Otto Porter received 37 minutes and put up 21 points and five rebounds. John Wall recored his third straight double - double to begin the season, finishing with 19 points and 10 assists in 38 minutes. After two stellar games to begin the season, backup shooting guard O.J. Mayo came down to earth Saturday, finishing with just three points in 19 minutes. Fellow backup guard Jerryd Bayless was there to pickup the slack. Bayless finished with 20 points and two steals in 21 minutes off the bench. Rookie Jabari Parker recorded his second straight double - double, and it appears that lining up as the team's power forward will allow him to do a lot of board work this season. The Bucks have two days off before continuing their road trip against the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday. The Wizards' next game is on the road Tuesday against the New York Knicks."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Hawks": "18"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "41"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "41", "Knicks": "48"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "3", "Knicks": "5"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "103", "Knicks": "96"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hawks": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Hawks": "41"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "2", "Knicks": "2"}}, {"Assists": {"Iman Shumpert": "7", "Kyle Korver": "1", "Jeff Teague": "5"}, "Points": {"Iman Shumpert": "19", "Carmelo Anthony": "20", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "15", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "14", "Paul Millsap": "11", "Kyle Korver": "27", "Jeff Teague": "19", "Dennis Schroder": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "20", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "12", "Paul Millsap": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "8", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "5", "Paul Millsap": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Kyle Korver": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "9", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "9", "Paul Millsap": "13"}, "Minutes played": {"Amar'e Stoudemire": "21"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyle Korver": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Korver": "6"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Korver": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyle Korver": "1"}}], "The Hawks (2 - 3) knocked off the Knicks (2 - 5) 103 - 96 in Atlanta on Saturday night. It was the fourth consecutive loss for New York, which also fell to Washington, Detroit and Brooklyn this week. The Knicks shot well from the field (48 percent) but got to the free throw line only 11 times, compared to Atlanta\u2019s 36 (28 - 36 FT). Carmelo Anthony continued to struggle, going 8 - of - 20 from the field en route to 20 points and nine rebounds. The NBA\u2019s second - leading scorer last season went 5 - of - 20 against Brooklyn on Friday and is now 26 - of - 84 from the field over his last four games. Iman Shumpert added 19 points and seven assists for New York, and Tim Hardaway, Jr., who started at shooting guard, chipped in 15 points (5 - 12 FG). In 21 minutes off the bench, Amare Stoudemire contributed 14 points and nine rebounds. The Hawks struggled shooting the ball throughout the night (41% FG), with the exception of Kyle Korver, who led all scorers with 27 points, 18 of which came from beyond the arc (6 - 9 3Pt). Perennially one of the NBA\u2019s best marksmen, Korver has 10 threes over his last two games. Paul Millsap had an 11 - point (3 - 11 FG), 13 - rebound double - double, while Jeff Teague went for 19 points and five assists. Second-year guard Dennis Schroder added 11 points and five steals off the bench. Both teams have off Sunday before heading to New York for a rematch Monday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "4", "Suns": "9"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "100", "Suns": "95"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "16", "Suns": "12"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Suns": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "37"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Suns": "23"}}, {"Points": {"Eric Bledsoe": "23", "James Harden": "15", "Patrick Beverley": "19"}, "Minutes played": {"James Harden": "39", "Patrick Beverley": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "12", "Patrick Beverley": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Patrick Beverley": "6"}}], "The Houston Rockets (16 - 4) defeated the Phoenix Suns (12 - 9) 100 - 95 on Saturday. Houston has won four straight games, finding ways to win despite being without Dwight Howard (knee) and Terrence Jones (knee) for much of the season. They did get Patrick Beverley (hamstring) back from a six - game absence Saturday. He came off the bench in his return, playing 27 minutes and putting up 19 points. James Harden briefly left the bench to stretch out his back. He returned with heating pads applied to his back and was able to finish the game, playing 39 minutes and finishing with 15 points and 12 rebounds. The Rockets' next game is on the road against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday. Phoenix has dropped three of their last five games. Isaiah Thomas missed his sixth straight game, putting the onus on Goran Dragic and Eric Bledsoe to lead the way for the Suns. Bledsoe scored game - high 23 points, but in general, the Suns could n't buy a bucket Saturday. They shot 37 percent from the field and 25 percent from beyond the arc. Phoenix will finish off their current three - game road trip Monday against the Los Angeles Clippers."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "32", "Hornets": "41"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "110", "Hornets": "107"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "41", "Hornets": "30"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Al Jefferson": "40", "Mo Williams": "41", "Bradley Beal": "43", "John Wall": "48"}, "Personal fouls": {"Al Jefferson": "4", "Marcin Gortat": "5", "John Wall": "4"}, "Points": {"Al Jefferson": "31", "Mo Williams": "26", "John Wall": "32"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Gerald Henderson": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Gerald Henderson": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Gerald Henderson": "14", "Mo Williams": "9", "Marcin Gortat": "16", "John Wall": "9"}, "Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "10", "Mo Williams": "10", "John Wall": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Kemba Walker": "2", "Mo Williams": "2", "Marcin Gortat": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "17", "Bradley Beal": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Kemba Walker": "3", "Marcin Gortat": "4", "Bradley Beal": "7"}, "Steals": {"Kemba Walker": "3", "Mo Williams": "2", "John Wall": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Mo Williams": "4", "John Wall": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"John Wall": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"John Wall": "6"}}], "After losing four in a row, the Washington Wizards (41 - 32) required two overtimes in order to dispatch the Charlotte Hornets (30 - 41), 110 - 107. John Wall made the game - tying 22 - foot jumper with less than four seconds left in regulation. Mo Williams made the game - tying basket in the first overtime with just under a minute remaining. The Wizards attempted seven more shots than the Hornets in the first overtime period. The Wizards hold a firm five - game lead for the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference. John Wall played a game - high 48 minutes and provided 32 points, nine rebounds, six assists, two steals, two three - pointers and six turnovers. Bradley Beal was held to six points after halftime and shot 7 - of - 18 from the field in 43 minutes, consistently settling for mid - range jumpers. Marcin Gortat grabbed 16 rebounds, swatted four shots, and played both overtimes with five fouls. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist sprained his left ankle and was unable to return. Mo Williams led the team with a near triple - double, compiling 26 points, 10 assists, nine rebounds, two steals, two blocks and four three - pointers in 41 minutes. Al Jefferson scored a team - high 31 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in 40 minutes. Gerald Henderson procured a team - high 14 rebounds and hit all four of his free throws, improving his seasonal mark to 86 percent from the line. Kemba Walker shot 3 - of - 17 from the field but added 10 assists, three steals and two blocks to the cause. The Wizards host the Houston Rockets on Sunday. The Hornets play the one seed Atlanta Hawks on Saturday to commence a three - game homestand."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "38", "Kings": "32"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "96", "Kings": "97"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Lakers": "18"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "19", "Kings": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "8", "Lou Williams": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "19", "Brandon Ingram": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "12", "Brandon Ingram": "1"}, "Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "40", "Lou Williams": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "12"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Brandon Ingram": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Brandon Ingram": "2"}}], "The Sacramento Kings took down the host Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, 97 - 96. Sacramento (24 - 32) has now won four games in a row, thanks in large part to All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins. On Tuesday, Cousins absolutely dominated the Lakers' frontcourt, scoring 40 points to go along with 12 rebounds and eight assists. Cousins reached the line an astounding 19 times, but made just 12 of his free - throw attempts. Free-throws provided a major edge for the Kings, as the team hit 18 free - throws to Los Angeles's 8. The game proved to be very even, as rebounding and turnover totals for the two teams were nearly identical. Los Angeles (19 - 38) had trouble containing Cousins but saw excellent play from its guards and bench. In particular, sixth man Lou Williams exploded for 29 points and five assists. One of the more disappointing aspects of the night for the Lakers, though, were the struggles of second overall pick Brandon Ingram. Ingram had just seven points on 2 - of - 7 shooting and 1 - of - 4 from the free - throw line. One of those free - throw misses was an airball late in the tight game. Not every Lakers was as cold as Ingram, however, as the team hit an impressive 12 three - pointers. The Lakers will visit Phoenix on Wednesday, while the Kings will see Golden State."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "14", "Kings": "8"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "14"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "6", "Darren Collison": "7", "Danilo Gallinari": "3", "Nikola Jokic": "5", "Jusuf Nurkic": "4"}, "Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "31", "Darren Collison": "26", "Danilo Gallinari": "24", "Nikola Jokic": "18", "Jusuf Nurkic": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "6", "Danilo Gallinari": "4", "Jusuf Nurkic": "6"}}], "This was a matchup that determined the eight - seed in the west and the Kings looked like the more hungry team. An 18 - 2 run in the second quarter was decisive, as Sacramento never relinquished the lead after that big run. Turnovers really hurt the Nuggets, as they committed 14 of them, while forcing just eight from the Kings. DeMarcus Cousins carried the load, as he scored a game - high 31 points to go along with six rebounds and six assists. Darren Collison was second on the team, scoring 26 points and dishing out seven assists. Kosta Koufos and Arron Afflalo punished their former team, combining for 37 points on 16 - of - 19 shooting. Danilo Gallinari led Denver in scoring, accruing 24 points, four rebounds and three assists. Nikola Jokic continued his recent surge, collecting 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Jusuf Nurkic led the bench, accumulating 16 points, six rebounds and four assists."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Myles Turner": "13", "Brook Lopez": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Myles Turner": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Jeremy Lin": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jeremy Lin": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jeremy Lin": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Jeremy Lin": "2"}}], "Jeremy Lin and Brook Lopez were expected to be the Nets' offense this season, but the latter looked out of sorts in the opener, tallying only seven points. Both players delivered Friday, however, with Lin coming within a shade of a triple - double and Lopez scoring a game - high 25 points. Lin looks like one of the best offseason acquisitions in the league through two games, averaging 20 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists in 31 minutes per contest. Although the Pacers saw five players hit double - digit scoring, they endured a poor shooting night overall. Paul George and Jeff Teague were the biggest culprits in this regard, going a combined 10 - for - 35 from the field, including 2 - for - 12 from three - point range. Myles Turner did provide a strong encore performance to his stellar opener, posting a 13 - point, 11 - rebound double - double."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "40", "Trail Blazers": "37"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "100", "Trail Blazers": "77"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pelicans": "23"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pelicans": "23"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "27", "Trail Blazers": "29"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Trail Blazers": "34"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "30"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Damian Lillard": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Damian Lillard": "31", "Shabazz Napier": "19"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Damian Lillard": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Damian Lillard": "1"}, "Points": {"Damian Lillard": "29", "Shabazz Napier": "10", "DeMarcus Cousins": "22"}, "Blocks": {"Shabazz Napier": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Shabazz Napier": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Shabazz Napier": "1", "DeMarcus Cousins": "9"}, "Steals": {"Shabazz Napier": "1", "DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Shabazz Napier": "1"}, "Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 100 - 77 Tuesday at Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans (27 - 40) opened up an early lead Tuesday and never let go of it, as after entering halftime with a 14 - point edge and ultimately going into the final period with a insurmountable 23 - point lead. It did n't come without an injury scare, however, as Anthony Davis left in the second quarter with an ankle injury, but after X-rays came back negative, the star big man returned to the game after halftime. Davis still managed to finished with 15 points and 15 rebounds in 29 minutes Tuesday, while DeMarcus Cousins scored a team - high 22 points to go along with nine rebounds, three assists and three steals. In the end, it was a total team effort for New Orleans, with a total of six Pelicans players scoring in double figures. As for the Trail Blazers (29 - 37), it was complete opposite kind of effort. It was a one - man show, with Damian Lillard scoring a game - high 29 points on 8 - of - 18 shooting from the field in just 31 minutes. Only one of his teammates, however, managed to score in double figures, with the team's next highest scorer being Shabazz Napier, who had 10 points in 19 minutes. As a team, it was a shooting night to forget for Portland, as the team shot just 30 percent from the field and 34 percent from the three - point line. It was the first time the Trail Blazers failed to score 100 points in 10 games. Up next, the Pelicans will look to win their third straight game when they travel to Miami on Wednesday, while the Trail Blazers will head to San Antonio on Wednesday to play the Spurs."], [[{"Total points": {"Nuggets": "101", "Warriors": "125"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nuggets": "19", "Warriors": "38"}, "Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "33"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "54"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "2"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "16", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "15", "Jamal Murray": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "8", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "4", "Jamal Murray": "5"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "18", "Stephen Curry": "33", "Jamal Murray": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "7"}}], "The visiting Golden State Warriors crushed the Denver Nuggets on their home floor on Thursday, 125 - 101. For the first - time in 72 games, the Warriors' (7 - 2) Kevin Durant failed to score 20 or more points. The snapped streak comes just a day after Durant tied Michael Jordan for the third - longest 20 - point game streak in NBA history. It was far from an off night for Durant, however, as he posted 18 points, nine rebounds, and five assists on the night while shooting 8 - of - 16 from the field. It was reigning MVP Steph Curry, however, who stole the show, scoring a team - high 33 points while hitting seven three - pointers on the night. The Warriors' offense was firing on all cylinders on Thursday, as the team recorded 33 assists and shot over 54 percent from the field. Strong shooting helped the team hop out to a 38 - 19 lead by the end of the first quarter, a lead that they only build on throughout the remainder of the game. The Nuggets (3 - 4), meanwhile, struggled mightily from the floor. The team shot just over 36 percent from the field and only 70 percent from the free - throw line. Rookie guard Jamal Murray led the team with 14 points off the bench, despite shooting just 5 - of - 15 from the field. Sophomore Emmanuel Mudiay fared even worse despite a career night earlier in the week against Boston. Mudiay hit just 4 - of - 15 on field goal attempts on Thursday. Denver's inability to find the basket made their early deficit almost insurmountable. The Nuggets will host the Pistons on Saturday, while the Warriors will host the Suns on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "43", "76ers": "59"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "92", "76ers": "91"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "33", "76ers": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Jerami Grant": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Jerami Grant": "6", "Nerlens Noel": "1", "Bismack Biyombo": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jerami Grant": "2", "Robert Covington": "3"}, "Points": {"Jerami Grant": "10", "Robert Covington": "15", "Kemba Walker": "24", "Mo Williams": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Jerami Grant": "4"}, "Steals": {"Jerami Grant": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Nerlens Noel": "11", "Bismack Biyombo": "32", "Lance Stephenson": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Ish Smith": "2", "Bismack Biyombo": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Bismack Biyombo": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Bismack Biyombo": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Bismack Biyombo": "3", "Mo Williams": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Mo Williams": "3"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (33 - 43) kept their playoff hopes alive as they narrowly edged out the Philadelphia 76ers (18 - 59), 92 - 91. Ish Smith missed two free throws with 10 seconds remaining, opening the door for Gerald Henderson\u2019s game - winning layup moments later. Smith followed up with an awry layup attempt at the buzzer that was altered by Bismack Biyombo. The Hornets tied the Indiana Pacers for the 10th best record in the East, just one and a half games out of the playoff picture before the day began. Al Jefferson was ruled out prior to the game after leaving Friday\u2019s game with right knee soreness. Kemba Walker scored a game - high 24 points, picking up where he left off when Jefferson missed time earlier this season. Mo Williams chipped in 18 points off the bench, and Jefferson\u2019s replacement, Bismack Biyombo, blocked three shots in 32 minutes. One night after scoring all 10 of his points in the fourth quarter, Lance Stephenson played a team - low seven minutes and was held scoreless. He\u2019s currently 16 - of - 100 on three - pointers for the season, the worst mark in NBA of anyone attempting at least 100 threes. Already without the injured Isaiah Canaan, Thomas Robinson and Jason Richardson, the Sixers endured a blow when Nerlens Noel suffered a right lower eyelid laceration. He didn\u2019t return, finished the game with one block and one steal in 11 minutes. The Sixers more than doubled their yearly block number, swatting 14 shots as a team. Jerami Grant accounted for six of the team\u2019s blocks, adding 10 points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals and two three - pointers in the loss. Robert Covington, who replaced JaKarr Sampson in the starting lineup, scored 15 points and hit three three - pointers. The Sixers were unable to capitalize at the charity stripe, converting 24 - of - 33 free throws. The Hornets begin a span of five games in seven nights Tuesday when they face the Miami Heat. The Sixers conclude a three - game road trip Saturday against the New York Knicks."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Suns": "49", "Heat": "53"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "48", "Heat": "54"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "11", "Heat": "11"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "97", "Heat": "103"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "12", "Heat": "10"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Luol Deng": "4", "Chris Bosh": "6", "Markieff Morris": "2", "Eric Bledsoe": "6", "Marcus Morris": "6", "Gerald Green": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Luol Deng": "3", "Chris Bosh": "4", "Markieff Morris": "1", "Eric Bledsoe": "0", "Marcus Morris": "5", "Gerald Green": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Luol Deng": "12", "Chris Bosh": "21", "Markieff Morris": "11", "Eric Bledsoe": "11", "Marcus Morris": "13", "Gerald Green": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Luol Deng": "9", "Chris Bosh": "14", "Markieff Morris": "6", "Eric Bledsoe": "2", "Marcus Morris": "10", "Gerald Green": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Luol Deng": "4", "Gerald Green": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Luol Deng": "4"}, "Points": {"Luol Deng": "23", "Chris Bosh": "34", "Dwyane Wade": "16", "Markieff Morris": "17", "Eric Bledsoe": "4", "Marcus Morris": "25", "Gerald Green": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Luol Deng": "4", "Chris Bosh": "9", "Dwyane Wade": "6"}, "Steals": {"Chris Bosh": "4"}, "Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "8"}, "Turnovers": {"Dwyane Wade": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Gerald Green": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Gerald Green": "21"}}], "The Miami Heat (10 - 11) defeated the Phoenix Suns (12 - 11) 103 - 97 on Tuesday at the US Airways Center in Phoenix. While the Suns went into halftime with the lead, the Heat were able to out - score them 57 - 46 in the second half to secure the comeback victory on the road. Miami was also able to shoot 54 percent from the field and 53 percent from the three - point line compared to the Suns, who shot 48 percent from the field and 49 percent from beyond the arc. The Heat received almost no production from their bench in this one, as the bench scored only a combined total of 10 points. The starters were able to overcome the lobsided effort though, with Chris Bosh and Luol Deng leading the way. Bosh went 14 - for - 21 from the field and 4 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 34 points and nine rebounds. The 34 points were a season high for Bosh, while he also showed up on the defensvie side and contributed four steals. Deng on the other hand had an outstanding shooting display, as he finished 9 - for - 12 from the field and 3 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score 23 points. Deng has n't done much on the offensive side of the ball in the last four games, so it was nice to see him have a strong game. Dwyane Wade also reached double figures and finished with 16 points, six rebounds and five assists. He did have five turnovers though, so he'll look to cut back on those in the future. Coming off a triple - double, Eric Bledsoe struggled terribly. He shot only 2 - for - 11 from the field and 0 - for - 6 from the three - point line to finish with four points. It was his first time not reaching double figures in points in his last eight games. The Morris brothers collectively had respectable games for the Suns. Markieff went 6 - for - 11 from the field and 1 - for - 2 from beyond the arc to score 17 points, while Marcus came off the bench and shot a fantastic 10 - for - 13 from the field and 5 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 25 points. Despite their effort it still was n't enough though. Gerald Green also had another solid game off the bench and recorded 19 points (6 - 11 FG, 5 - 7 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT) in 21 minutes. The Heats' next game will be on the road against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, while the Suns will be at home against the Detroit Pistons on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "32", "Pacers": "40"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "101", "Pacers": "103"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Wizards": "25", "Pacers": "33"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "40", "Pacers": "31"}}, {"Assists": {"Solomon Hill": "3", "George Hill": "9", "John Wall": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Solomon Hill": "3", "CJ Miles": "8", "George Hill": "4", "John Wall": "4", "Rasual Butler": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Solomon Hill": "2", "CJ Miles": "3", "George Hill": "0", "John Wall": "2", "Rasual Butler": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Solomon Hill": "8", "David West": "9", "CJ Miles": "10", "George Hill": "24", "Nene": "8", "Marcin Gortat": "10", "John Wall": "21", "Rasual Butler": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Solomon Hill": "3", "David West": "5", "CJ Miles": "5", "George Hill": "12", "Nene": "3", "Marcin Gortat": "7", "John Wall": "11", "Rasual Butler": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Solomon Hill": "6", "David West": "2", "CJ Miles": "4", "George Hill": "5", "Nene": "6", "Marcin Gortat": "2", "Rasual Butler": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Solomon Hill": "5", "David West": "0", "CJ Miles": "3", "George Hill": "5", "Nene": "4", "Marcin Gortat": "2", "Rasual Butler": "3"}, "Points": {"Solomon Hill": "13", "David West": "10", "CJ Miles": "16", "George Hill": "29", "Nene": "10", "Marcin Gortat": "16", "John Wall": "34", "Rasual Butler": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"David West": "11", "George Hill": "7", "Nene": "5", "Marcin Gortat": "7", "Rasual Butler": "6"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"George Hill": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Nene": "2", "Rasual Butler": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Nene": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Marcin Gortat": "2"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "2"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (31 - 40) defeated the Washington Wizards (40 - 32) 103 - 101 on Wednesday at the Verizon Center in Washington. Despite being down 76 - 70 coming out of the third quarter, the Pacers played with some urgency in the fourth, out - scoring the Wizards 33 - 25 to finish with the two - point victory on the road in Indianapolis. This marked a huge win for the Pacers, who are now tied with the Boston Celtics for the eighth and final projected playoff seed in the Eastern Conference standings. With both the Brooklyn Nets and Charlotte Hornets just a half game behind the Pacers though, it should be a very tight race all the way till the end of the regular season. The Wizards, on the other hand, have now lost four straight, but still comfortably hold a four and a half game lead over the Milwaukee Bucks for the fifth spot in the East. George Hill was the savior for the Pacers though, as he made a layup with just two seconds left in the game to give them the two - point win. Along with the clutch bucket, he went off for a team - high of 29 points (12 - 24 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT), while also adding seven rebounds and nine assists. He continues to be the most consistent player on this team and is averaging 20 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists, while shooting 54 percent from the field during his last seven games. Hill received some help from C.J. Miles though, who added 16 points (5 - 10 FG, 3 - 8 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) as the starter at shooting guard. After shooting just 19 percent (3 - 16 FG) from the field in Monday's game against the Rockets, it was good to see Miles get back on the right track Wednesday. Coming up with a double - double, David West finished with 10 points (5 - 9 FG, 0 - 2 FT) and 11 rebounds. Solomon Hill was the other starter in double figures with 13 points (3 - 8 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT) as well. John Wall did everything he could to keep the Wizards in this game, going 11 - for - 21 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 34 points, to go along with six assists and two steals as well. After shooting less than 40 percent during his last three games, Wall finally got his shot dialed in, which he'll need to continue to do if the Wizards want to make some noise in the playoffs. Marcin Gortat had a nice showing as well, posting 16 points (7 - 10 FG, 2 - 2 FT), seven rebounds and two blocked shots. He's now pushed his season averages to 12 points and 9 rebounds on the year. Both Nene Hilario and Rasual Butler were the other two Wizards to finish in double figures. Nene had 10 points (3 - 8 FG, 4 - 6 FT) and five rebounds, while Butler had 10 points (3 - 6 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) and six rebounds off the bench. The Pacers' next game will be on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, while the Wizards will be at home against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "18", "Bulls": "23"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "102", "Bulls": "93"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hawks": "30"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "25", "Bulls": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "8", "Dennis Schroder": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Jimmy Butler": "6", "Dennis Schroder": "11"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "19", "Dennis Schroder": "25"}}], "The host Atlanta Hawks beat the Chicago Bulls on Friday, 102 - 93. Atlanta (25 - 18) has now won ten of its last 12 games after escaping with a win on Friday. The Hawks entered the fourth quarter with a massive 30 - point lead but simply laid down, allowing Chicago to come within five points of the lead. Atlanta followed an impressive 65 - point first half with just 37 in the second, utterly collapsing and luckily squeezing out the win. While the game was incredibly turnover - heavy on both sides, Atlanta was able to emerge victorious in large part due to their pestering defense. The team stole the ball a whopping 16 times. Point guard Dennis Schroeder was in top form in particular in the first half, as he ended up finishing the night with 25 points on 11 - of - 14 shooting. Chicago (21 - 23) has had an extremely hit - or - miss season thus far, and came away with another miss on Friday. While the Hawks' second - half struggles may have been massive, Chicago's start to the game was even rougher. The Bulls finished the first half down 29 points, an almost insurmountable deficit, after scoring only 35 in two quarters. It was a strange off night for Chicago's starting five, as the starters combined for only 13 rebounds and 42 points. The best among them was superstar Jimmy Butler, who shot 6 - of - 8 for 19 points but came away with no rebounds and only three assists. On Saturday, the Hawks will host the surging Philadelphia 76ers while Chicago will see the Sacramento Kings."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bulls": "31", "Bucks": "22"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "36", "Bucks": "34"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "21", "Bucks": "25"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "87", "Bucks": "71"}, "Rebounds": {"Bulls": "62", "Bucks": "41"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "36", "Bucks": "31"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10", "Ersan Ilyasova": "16", "Khris Middleton": "19", "Pau Gasol": "9", "Joakim Noah": "9", "Nikola Mirotic": "11", "Tony Snell": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Ersan Ilyasova": "6", "Khris Middleton": "8", "Pau Gasol": "5", "Joakim Noah": "3", "Nikola Mirotic": "4", "Tony Snell": "7"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "11", "Ersan Ilyasova": "15", "Khris Middleton": "17", "Pau Gasol": "15", "Joakim Noah": "8", "Nikola Mirotic": "16", "Tony Snell": "20"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "8", "Pau Gasol": "1", "Nikola Mirotic": "6", "Tony Snell": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "3", "Pau Gasol": "0", "Nikola Mirotic": "2", "Tony Snell": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "35", "Khris Middleton": "35", "Pau Gasol": "29", "Tony Snell": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "11", "Khris Middleton": "6", "Pau Gasol": "10", "Joakim Noah": "16", "Nikola Mirotic": "14"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Khris Middleton": "5"}, "Steals": {"Khris Middleton": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Pau Gasol": "8", "Joakim Noah": "2", "Nikola Mirotic": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Pau Gasol": "5", "Joakim Noah": "2", "Nikola Mirotic": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Nikola Mirotic": "2"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (36 - 21) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (31 - 25) 87 - 71 on Monday at the United Center in Chicago. In this low scoring game, both teams really struggled to get much going offensively. The Bulls went 36 percent from the field and 31 percent from the three - point line, while the Bucks went just 34 percent from the floor and a meager 22 percent from deep. Despite the poor performance from the field, the Bulls did get off to a solid start though, out - scoring the Bucks 48 - 33 in the first half. The Bulls committed a brutal 19 turnovers, but by getting out to such a big lead, they gave themselves enough wiggle room to still pull out the victory in front of their home crowd. It also did n't hurt that they finished with a 62 - 41 rebounding advantage. Leading the starters in scoring, Pau Gasol continued his strong season, finishing with 15 points (5 - 9 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 5 - 8 FT) and 10 rebounds in 29 minutes. It was his second double - double in a row, a stretch where he's combined for 37 points and 24 rebounds. He's now pushed his season averages to 18 points and 12 rebounds per game. The Bulls also saw a strong push from their bench, with both Tony Snell and Nikola Mirotic reaching double figures in points. Snell was very efficient from the floor, going 7 - for - 11 from the field and 4 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 20 points in 31 minutes. Mirotic, on the other hand, notched a double - double of his own, finishing with 16 points (4 - 11 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 6 - 8 FT), 14 rebounds and two blocked shots. It was a career - high in rebounds for Mirotic, as he was a big reason for the Bulls' advantage on the boards. Joakim Noah was also a force on the boards, grabbing 16 rebounds to go along with eight points (3 - 9 FG, 2 - 2 FT). Considering they scored only 71 points, it's not surprising the Bucks had only three players reach double figures in scoring. Khris Middleton led the way, going 8 - for - 19 from the floor to score 17 points, while also adding six rebounds and three steals. He continues to be very consistent, as he's averaged 17 points and 6 rebounds over his last five games. Ersan Ilyasova was also productive, as he moved into the starting lineup. In 35 minutes, he finished with 15 points (6 - 16 FG, 3 - 8 3Pt) and 11 rebounds. It was a new season - high in rebounds for him, as well as his best scoring output since the end of November. The only other Buck reaching double - digits in points was Giannis Antetokounmpo, who recorded 11 points, despite shooting just 3 - for - 10 from the field. He was coming off an impressive 19 - point showing on Sunday, so it was somewhat of a let - down performance. The Bulls' next game will be at home against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday, while the Bucks will be at home against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "32", "Raptors": "21"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "102", "Raptors": "94"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "20", "Raptors": "30"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2"}, "Assists": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "Norman Powell": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "7", "Terrence Ross": "1", "Fred VanVleet": "3", "Serge Ibaka": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "3", "Evan Fournier": "4", "Elfrid Payton": "6", "C.J. Watson": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "1", "Terrence Ross": "1", "Serge Ibaka": "3", "Nikola Vucevic": "1", "C.J. Watson": "1"}, "Points": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "18", "Norman Powell": "18", "Kyle Lowry": "18", "Terrence Ross": "12", "Fred VanVleet": "15", "Serge Ibaka": "20", "Nikola Vucevic": "18", "Evan Fournier": "20", "Elfrid Payton": "10", "C.J. Watson": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "11", "Norman Powell": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "5", "Terrence Ross": "4", "Fred VanVleet": "3", "Serge Ibaka": "12", "Nikola Vucevic": "5", "Evan Fournier": "10", "Elfrid Payton": "4", "C.J. Watson": "3"}, "Steals": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "Norman Powell": "1", "Fred VanVleet": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "1", "C.J. Watson": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Terrence Ross": "28"}}], "The Orlando Magic defeated the Toronto Raptors, 102 - 94, at Amway Center on Friday. Despite heading into the contest without the services of DeMar DeRozan (ankle), the Raptors (30 - 21) were still the clear - cut favorites over the Magic (20 - 32), which had lost five of their last six games. However, defense is often a great equalizer, and such was the case Friday. Orlando managed to hold Toronto to sub - 40 - percent tallies from both the floor and three - point range, while also holding two members of their first unit, Patrick Patterson and DeMarre Carroll, scoreless. On the other end of the floor, the Magic benefited from a pair of double - doubles from Evan Fournier and Serge Ibaka that paced them on offense. The Raptors were led by a trio of 18 - point efforts from Jonas Valanciunas, Kyle Lowry and Norman Powell. Valanciunas added 11 rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block, Lowry also provided seven assists, five rebounds and one block, and Powell had a pair of boards, an assist and a steal. Fred VanVleet led the bench with 15 points, three rebounds, three assists and one steal, and Terrence Ross chipped in with 12 points, four rebounds, one assist and one block over 28 minutes as a reserve. Ibaka supplied a 20 - point, 12 - rebound double - double that also included one assist and three blocks. Fournier stepped up with 20 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. Nikola Vucevic was right behind his talented teammates with 18 points, five rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. Elfrid Payton tallied 10 points, six assists, four rebounds and one steal. C.J. Watson, back on the bench with Fournier's recent return from injury, led the second unit with 18 points, four assists, three rebounds, two steals and one block. The Raptors remain on the road and head to the Big Apple to tangle with the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday afternoon, while the Magic tangle with the Hawks in Atlanta on Saturday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "1", "Knicks": "1"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "90", "Knicks": "95"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "0", "Knicks": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Carmelo Anthony": "34", "Quincy Acy": "22", "Samuel Dalembert": "6", "LeBron James": "43", "Kevin Love": "38", "Anderson Varejao": "27", "Dion Waiters": "38", "Tristan Thompson": "20"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "25", "Quincy Acy": "8", "LeBron James": "17", "Kevin Love": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Quincy Acy": "10", "Kevin Love": "14"}, "3-pointers made": {"LeBron James": "1"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"LeBron James": "20"}}], "The New York Knicks (1 - 1) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (0 - 1) 95 - 90 on Thursday at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. LeBron James' homecoming did n't end the way he'd probably imagined, and it appears James is trying to fit into the Cavaliers' new offense as merely one of the cogs. He played 43 minutes but finished with just 17 points, which is more than 10 points off his career per - game average of 28 points. Kevin Love met his skeptics face - to - face, putting up a Love-like line of 19 points and 14 rebounds in 38 minutes. The Cavaliers used a nine - man rotation and leaned heavily on the starters in their first regular season game under new coach David Blatt. James, Love, Kyrie Irving, and Dion Waiters all played at least 38 minutes, while the minutes at center were split between starter Anderson Varejao (27) and backup center Tristan Thompson (20). After looking like a lottery - bound team following their drubbing by the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, the Knicks surprised everyone by pulling out a win over Cavaliers on Thursday. Carmelo Anthony played 34 minutes and finished with 25 points and six assists. Quincy Acy moved into the starting lineup at power forward, pushing Amar'e Stoudemire to a bench role. Acy played 22 minutes and finished with eight points and 10 rebounds. The Knicks leaned heavliy on their bench, with 10 players seeing at least 13 minutes of action Thursday. Starting center Samuel Dalembert played just six minutes and was replaced in the starting lineup in the second half by Jason Smith. The Cavaliers' next game is on the road Friday against the Chicago Bulls. The Knicks' next game is at home Sunday against the Charlotte Hornets."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "51"}, "Turnovers": {"Thunder": "15"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "26"}}, {"Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "23", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "26", "Zach LaVine": "16", "Ricky Rubio": "3", "Steven Adams": "22", "Russell Westbrook": "31", "Enes Kanter": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Assists": {"Ricky Rubio": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "15"}, "Blocks": {"Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "1"}}], "The Thunder's big men, Steven Adams and Enes Kanter, stepped up to provide some offensive support for Russell Westbrook on Sunday, turning in 22 and 20 points, respectively. That supplemented a game - high 31 points from Westbrook, who also provided 15 assists, seven rebounds, a steal and a block. That trio of efforts helped lead to a 51 percent success rate from the field for the Thunder, which helped offset their 15 turnovers and a combined nine points from starters Andre Roberson, Anthony Morrow and Domantas Sabonis. Karl-Anthony Towns' 26 points and eight rebounds led the Timberwolves. Andrew Wiggins was right behind him with 23 points, while Zach LaVine was relatively quiet with 16 points. Ricky Rubio was only able to muster three points, but did hand out 10 assists and haul in seven boards."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "28", "Suns": "45"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "126", "Suns": "92"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hornets": "30"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hornets": "28", "Suns": "31"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "31", "Suns": "15"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Suns": "22"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "36"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Suns": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Alex Len": "1", "Devin Booker": "1", "Mirza Teletovic": "1", "Archie Goodwin": "2", "John Jenkins": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "4", "Kemba Walker": "9"}, "Personal fouls": {"Alex Len": "2", "Courtney Lee": "3"}, "Points": {"Alex Len": "18", "Devin Booker": "13", "Mirza Teletovic": "17", "Archie Goodwin": "10", "John Jenkins": "11", "Nicolas Batum": "15", "Kemba Walker": "26", "Al Jefferson": "19", "Jeremy Lamb": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Alex Len": "12", "Devin Booker": "2", "Mirza Teletovic": "1", "Archie Goodwin": "4", "John Jenkins": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "9", "Kemba Walker": "6", "Al Jefferson": "7", "Jeremy Lamb": "6"}, "Steals": {"Devin Booker": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "1", "Marvin Williams": "3", "Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Mirza Teletovic": "1", "Al Jefferson": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Mirza Teletovic": "20", "John Jenkins": "14", "Al Jefferson": "19", "Jeremy Lamb": "15"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Marvin Williams": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Cody Zeller": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Courtney Lee": "3"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (31 - 28) defeated the Phoenix Suns (15 - 45) 126 - 92 on Tuesday. A lost season for the Suns only got worse, as the 34 - point defeat marked their 16th consecutive road loss and 11th straight by double digits, with the latter representing the longest such streak by a team since the 1992 - 93 campaign. The debacle Tuesday was also their second defeat by more than 30 points in the last four contests. The two bright spots in recent games for Phoenix have been at the power forward spot, with Alex Len and Mirza Teletovic forming a formidable 1 - 2 punch. Such was the case again Tuesday, as the pair of big men combined for 35 points, nearly 40 percent of the team's total scoring on the night. Precious few other players, be they starters or reserves, found the net with any consistency for the Suns, who shot 36 percent from the field and 22 percent from three - point range in the lopsided loss. Len's 18 - point, 12 - rebound double - double spearheaded the Phoenix offense, and he added an assist as well. Teletovic followed with the second - highest scoring tally on the team in his 20 minutes on the court, amassing 17 points, a rebound, an assist and a block. Devin Booker was the only other starter besides Len to manage double - digit scoring for the visitors, collecting 13 points, two rebounds, an assist and a steal. John Jenkins also contributed 11 points, a rebound and an assist in an efficient 14 minutes off the bench, while former starter Archie Goodwin supplied 10 points, four rebounds and two assists in a reserve role as well. The Suns remain in fourth place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. They head to Miami to take on the Heat on Thursday night. With a 68 - 42 advantage by halftime, the Hornets did n't exactly need an overabundance of minutes from their starters, but Kemba Walker still managed to total 26 points, nine assists, six rebounds and a steal. Al Jefferson was the second - highest scorer in a point - per - minute performance off the bench, as he tallied 19 on the scorebard, and added seven rebounds and a block in just 19 minutes of court time. Nicolas Batum and Jeremy Lamb followed with a pair of 15 - point efforts. Batum made his contribution as a member of the starting five and added nine rebounds, four assists and a steal to his stat line, while Lamb also hauled in six boards in just 15 minutes as a reserve. While the other three members of the first unit - - Marvin Williams, Cody Zeller and Courtney Lee - - failed to score in double digits, they also all played under 30 minutes. The Hornets are currently in third place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division are now in possession of the sixth seed in the conference as well. They head to Philadelphia to face off with the Sixers on Wednesday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "4", "Nets": "8"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "99", "Nets": "87"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "9", "Nets": "5"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Mirza Teletovic": "34", "Danny Green": "33"}, "Points": {"Mirza Teletovic": "22", "Danny Green": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Mirza Teletovic": "8", "Danny Green": "7"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (9 - 4) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (5 - 8) 99 - 87 on Friday. San Antonio has won four straight games and seven of their last eight. Danny Green was moved to a bench role in favor of starting Marco Belinelli. Green responded by putting up 21 points and seven rebounds in 33 minutes. The Spurs will stay at home to host the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday. Brooklyn eeked out a win over the injury - depleted Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday, but they did n't have the gas to get to the finish line on the second night of a back - to - back against the championship Spurs. Kevin Garnett sat out his first game of the season to rest. Mirza Teletovic filled in as the starting power forward and put up 22 points and eight rebounds in 34 minutes. The Nets have three days off before going on the road to play the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "44"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "33", "Raptors": "26"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "101", "Raptors": "94"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Bucks": "12", "Raptors": "19"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bucks": "41"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bucks": "21"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "28", "Raptors": "37"}}, {"Points": {"Serge Ibaka": "19", "Cory Joseph": "14", "Khris Middleton": "24", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "21", "Malcolm Brogdon": "17", "Spencer Hawes": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "5", "Cory Joseph": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10", "Spencer Hawes": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "13", "Khris Middleton": "14", "Spencer Hawes": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Khris Middleton": "9", "Spencer Hawes": "6"}, "Assists": {"Cory Joseph": "8", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Khris Middleton": "30", "Spencer Hawes": "17"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the visiting Toronto Raptors 101 - 94, at BMO Harris Bradley Center, on Saturday evening. The Raptors held the Bucks to a season - low 12 first quarter points, but the Bucks retaliated with a 41 - point second quarter, and took a 53 - 42 lead into halftime. Milwaukee went on to hold the lead, as the Raptors were not able to get anything going. Khris Middleton led the way for the Bucks (28 - 33) with 24 points on 9 - of - 14 shooting, in 30 minutes, while Giannis Antetokounmpo followed up with 21 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. Spencer Hawes came up huge in 17 minutes off the bench, as he poured in 16 points on 6 - of - 7 shooting, to go along with eight rebounds. The only other player to score in double digits for Milwaukee was Malcolm Brogdon, who chipped in 17 points. The Bucks managed to come away with the win despite shooting 6 - of - 27 from long range and 44 percent from the field. They will look to build on this win as they go on to visit Philadelphia on Monday. Meanwhile, the Raptors (37 - 26) shot a bit better from the field but lost the battle on the glass, where they allowed Milwaukee nine offensive rebounds. DeMar DeRozan really struggled, shooting 5 - of - 13 from the field, as he looked burnt out, perhaps as a result of being overworked in the absence of Kyle Lowry. Serge Ibaka led the way for Toronto with 19 points and five rebounds, while Cory Joseph followed up with 14 points, eight assists and five rebounds. DeMarre Carroll went down in the third quarter with a sprained ankle and did not return. The Raptors will look to bounce back as they visit New Orleans on Wednesday, in what will be the third game of a five - game road trip."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "48", "Wizards": "50"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Kings": "19", "Wizards": "34"}, "Losses": {"Wizards": "24"}}, {"Points": {"Markieff Morris": "10", "Bradley Beal": "38", "John Wall": "25", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "17", "Arron Afflalo": "18", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "20", "Buddy Hield": "18", "Darren Collison": "14", "Ben McLemore": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "24"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "12", "Darren Collison": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "13"}}], "The Wizards outscored the Kings by a 34 - 19 margin in the fourth quarter to force overtime. Bradley Beal scored 21 of his game - high 38 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, and gave Washington the lead for good with a 24 - foot three - pointer at the 2:23 mark of the extra period. The game featured outstanding shooting, as the Wizards tallied a 50 percent success rate from the floor and Sacramento countered with 48 percent. John Wall managed a 25 - point, 12 - assist, double - double. Otto Porter, Jr. provided 18 points, while Markieff Morris turned in 10. Bojan Bogdanovic led the bench with 17 points. Cauley-Stein paced the Kings with a 20 - point, 13 - rebound double - double. Buddy Hield and Arron Afflalo supplied matching 18 - point efforts. Darren Collison compiled a 14 - point, 10 - assist double - double, while Ben McLemore paced the second unit with 11 points."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "50"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "6", "Mavericks": "4"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "120", "Mavericks": "105"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "1", "Mavericks": "3"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Charlie Villanueva": "26"}, "Points": {"Charlie Villanueva": "15", "Ish Smith": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Charlie Villanueva": "9"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Ryan Anderson": "5"}, "Assists": {"Ish Smith": "12"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (1 - 6) blew out the Dallas Mavericks (3 - 4) 120 - 105 on Tuesday. The Pelicans picked up their first win of the season on Tuesday in brilliant fashion. The final score makes it look like a respectable loss, but the Pelicans were up by double - digits nearly the whole game. New Orleans shot 50 percent from the field and made 14 three - pointers en route to a win. Dallas made three big offseason signings and it has yet to work out for them. In this game specifically, Wesley Matthews, Chandler Parsons and Deron Williams combined for just 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists across 55 minutes of action. The team was led by its bench in this game, as they totaled 58 points in the defeat. The Mavericks got a nice performance from Charlie Villanueva off the bench as well, who amassed 15 points and nine rebounds across 26 minutes of play. The Mavericks were able to rest their starters quite a bit here and that could be beneficial when they will look to rebound in their next game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday in the second half of a back - to - back. The Pelicans got that first elusive win, and it came in relatively easy fashion. They had five players who scored at least 17 points with Ryan Anderson leading the bunch. Anderson put up 25 points and 11 rebounds while going 10 - for - 16 from the field. Ish Smith continued his good form as well, as he provided 17 points and 12 assists off the bench. Star Anthony Davis was forced out due to a hip issue and his status is unkown at this tome for the Pelican next game. This team is way too talented to get their first win on November 10 and hopefully this will be the start of a big run. They'll look to start a winning - streak against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday in the second half of a back - to - back."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "7", "Hornets": "7"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "113", "Hornets": "111"}, "Rebounds": {"Knicks": "55", "Hornets": "46"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "8", "Hornets": "8"}}, {"Points": {"Cody Zeller": "15", "Nicolas Batum": "18", "Kemba Walker": "17", "Frank Kaminsky": "13", "Marco Belinelli": "19", "Carmelo Anthony": "35", "Kristaps Porzingis": "16", "Derrick Rose": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Cody Zeller": "6", "Nicolas Batum": "9", "Kemba Walker": "5", "Frank Kaminsky": "9", "Kristaps Porzingis": "8", "Derrick Rose": "3"}, "Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "9", "Kemba Walker": "3", "Carmelo Anthony": "5", "Derrick Rose": "5"}, "Steals": {"Kemba Walker": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Frank Kaminsky": "14", "Marco Belinelli": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Frank Kaminsky": "3", "Marco Belinelli": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "3"}}], "The New York Knicks defeated the visiting Charlotte Hornets in overtime, 113 - 111, at Madison Square Garden on Friday. Overtime usually indicates a close game and the stats show just that. In fact, there were 17 ties and 22 lead changes in this close matchup. The third quarter was strange though, as the Hornets got out to a 15 - 6 start and allowed the Knicks to follow that up with a 22 - 5 run to end the quarter. From there, it was even until the final whistle. Carmelo Anthony was the star, as he hit the game - winning shot with three second left, en route to a season - high 35 points. Free-throw shooting was a huge factor, with New York going 12 - of - 13, to Charlotte's 17 - of - 27. The Knicks also dominated the rebounding, winning that battle 55 - 46. Charlotte (8 - 7) has now lost four - straight and this was easily the most painful defeat in that stretch. Nicolas Batum did all he could, as he accumulated 18 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Kemba Walker was n't far behind, as he tallied 17 points, five rebounds, three assists and four steals of his own. Cody Zeller was the final starter in double figures, totaling 15 points and six rebounds. Marco Belinelli was a huge spark off the bench, scoring 19 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting. Frank Kaminsky went just 3 - of - 14 from the field, but finished with 13 points and nine rebounds off the pine. New York (8 - 7) has been playing better recently and wins like this only give them more momentum going forward. Anthony was the star, as he accrued a season - high 35 points and 14 rebounds in the win. Derrick Rose tallied 16 points, three rebounds and five assists of his own. Kristaps Porzingis also scored 16 points, adding eight rebounds and three blocks to his stat line. These teams will have to face off once again on Saturday, as they play the finale of a rare home - and - home, back - to - back set."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "23"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "1", "Grizzlies": "1"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "90", "Grizzlies": "97"}, "Turnovers": {"Warriors": "20"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "1", "Grizzlies": "1"}}, {"Points": {"Tony Allen": "9", "Zach Randolph": "20", "Marc Gasol": "15", "Courtney Lee": "15", "Mike Conley": "22", "Harrison Barnes": "11", "Klay Thompson": "13", "Stephen Curry": "19"}, "Steals": {"Tony Allen": "4"}, "Assists": {"Zach Randolph": "4", "Mike Conley": "3", "Stephen Curry": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Zach Randolph": "16", "Mike Conley": "12", "Harrison Barnes": "8", "Klay Thompson": "15", "Stephen Curry": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Zach Randolph": "7", "Marc Gasol": "5", "Courtney Lee": "5", "Mike Conley": "8", "Harrison Barnes": "4", "Klay Thompson": "6", "Stephen Curry": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Zach Randolph": "6", "Harrison Barnes": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Zach Randolph": "6", "Marc Gasol": "5", "Harrison Barnes": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "7", "Harrison Barnes": "4", "Stephen Curry": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Marc Gasol": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Mike Conley": "6", "Jeff Green": "2", "Harrison Barnes": "2", "Klay Thompson": "6", "Stephen Curry": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Mike Conley": "3", "Jeff Green": "0", "Harrison Barnes": "0", "Klay Thompson": "1", "Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Mike Conley": "27"}, "Turnovers": {"Klay Thompson": "5"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (1 - 1) defeated the Golden State Warriors (1 - 1) 97 - 90 on Tuesday at Oracle Arena in Oakland. After being blown out 101 - 86 in the series opener, not many held out hope that the Grizzlies would be able to keep this one close. The Warriors were 42 - 2 at home this season and it seemed clear that they would continue that dominance. The Grizzlies had other plans though and shut down the high - powered Warrior offense with outstanding defense. The Grizzlies forced the Warriors into 20 turnovers, while also held their shooting percentages to 43 percent from the field and just 23 percent from the three - point line. While many assumed Mike Conley would sit this game out because of the nasty face injury he suffered in the first round of the playoffs, he instead decided to tough it out and wear a protective mask over his face. He had an outstanding return to the lineup and his toughness helped lead the Grizzlies to the surprising win. Even after taking a shot to the face early in the game, Conley went 8 - for - 12 from the field and 3 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 22 points, while also adding three assists over 27 minutes. Zach Randolph was dominant in the post as well, considering he finished with 20 points (7 - 16 FG, 6 - 6 FT), seven rebounds and four assists. It was his second straight strong performance against the Warriors, combining for 40 points and 16 rebounds so far this series. Both Marc Gasol and Courtney Lee reached double figures as well with 15 points apiece. While the box score might not show it, Tony Allen was the X-factor in this game, as he shut down Klay Thompson defensively while notching four steals and recording nine points. With Allen all over him, Thompson scored just 13 points (6 - 15 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt) while he also turned the ball over five times. He just could n't get around the defense and repeatedly was forced into mistakes. But the struggles were n't limited to him, as fellow superstar Stephen Curry struggled as well. Despite receiving the MVP trophy prior to tip - off, Curry shot just 7 - for - 19 from the field and went just 2 - of - 11 from the three - point line to score 19 points. He also had five rebounds and six assists, but it was an overall inefficient game for the league MVP. Both Curry and Thompson will need to play much better for the Warriors, as they now have to go on the road and fight to regain home court advantage. Both Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green were the other starters in double figuers. Barnes finished with 11 points (4 - 8 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT) and four rebounds, while Green added 14 points (3 - 11 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 8 - 10 FT) and 13 rebounds. Very uncharacteristically, the Warriors made just six three - point attempts all game. These two teams will play next on Saturday in Memphis for game three of this best - of - seven series."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "2", "Suns": "6"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "104", "Suns": "100"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Raptors": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Raptors": "37", "Suns": "42"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "12", "Suns": "9"}, "Turnovers": {"Suns": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Markieff Morris": "17", "Eric Bledsoe": "25", "Gerald Green": "13", "PJ Tucker": "11", "Isaiah Thomas": "16", "Jonas Valanciunas": "27", "DeMar DeRozan": "23", "Kyle Lowry": "14", "Lou Williams": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "8", "Eric Bledsoe": "7", "Jonas Valanciunas": "11"}, "Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Eric Bledsoe": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Eric Bledsoe": "16", "DeMar DeRozan": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "8", "DeMar DeRozan": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Eric Bledsoe": "8", "DeMar DeRozan": "13"}, "Free throws made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "6", "DeMar DeRozan": "9"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (12 - 2) defeated the Phoenix Suns (9 - 6) 104 - 100 on Monday at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. The Raptors were able to win their fifth straight game on Monday, as they slipped away with a four - point victory over the Suns. Despite out - rebounding Toronto 42 - 37, the Suns were forced into 20 turnovers, which may have been the difference in an otherwise evenly played game. The Raptors received a huge contribution from center Jonas Valanciunas, who scored a season - high 27 points, to go along with 11 rebounds. It was his second double - double in the past three games, and fourth on the year as the Suns just did n't have an answer for him. Superstar DeMar DeRozan also did his part on Monday, as he shot 7 - for - 20 from the field to score 23 points. He reached the free throw line 13 times and was able to convert on nine of those attempts. Coming two assists shy of a double - double, Kyle Lowry finished the game with 14 points and eight rebounds. It was somewhat of an off - game offensively for Lowry, but he was able to get his teammates involved to make up for it. Louis Williams also had a solid game off the bench considering he scored 17 points in 25 minutes. Despite the loss, Eric Bledsoe had a big night for the Suns. He shot 8 - for - 16 from the field and 3 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 25 points, while also contributing seven rebounds and six assists. It was a season - high in points for Bledsoe, who was also able to convert 6 - of - 8 attempts at the free throw line. Markieff Morris continued his strong start to the season. He scored 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds, as the only other starter in double figures for points. The Suns had a bunch of production off the bench though, as Isaiah Thomas scored 16 points, P.J. Tucker had 11 points and Gerald Green had 13 points. It still was n't enough to keep up with the Eastern Conference leading, Toronto Raptors though. The Raptors' next game will be on the road in Atlanta against the Hawks on Wednesday, while the Suns will be at home against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Kevin Durant": "10", "Draymond Green": "16", "Klay Thompson": "26", "Stephen Curry": "35", "DeMarcus Cousins": "32", "Darren Collison": "18", "Matt Barnes": "11"}, "Assists": {"Draymond Green": "6", "Stephen Curry": "9", "Darren Collison": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Draymond Green": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "8", "Klay Thompson": "5", "Stephen Curry": "4", "DeMarcus Cousins": "12", "Darren Collison": "2", "Matt Barnes": "14"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "3"}}], "This win for Sacramento snapped a 13 - game losing streak against Golden State, but it took an extra session to do so. The Kings scored the first seven points in overtime and that was simply too much to overcome for the Warriors. The interior was key for the Kings, as they dominated the rebounding (48 - 40) and scoring in the paint (56 - 34). Steph Curry carried the load for Golden State, as he tallied 35 points, four rebounds, nine assists and three steals. Klay Thompson finished with 26 points and five rebounds. Draymond Green accumulated 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists, despite missing a game - tying three at the buzzer. DeMarcus Cousins fell an assist shy of a triple - double, as he collected 32 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists. Darren Collison was the only other starter with more than 10 points, as he totaled 18 points, two rebounds and three assists. Matt Barnes was huge off the bench, as he amassed 11 points and 14 rebounds, while holding Kevin Durant to a season - low 10 points."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "46", "Pistons": "39"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "115", "Pistons": "87"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "27", "Pistons": "34"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "35"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pistons": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Tobias Harris": "11", "Andre Drummond": "6", "Ish Smith": "6", "Jon Leuer": "16", "Terrence Ross": "18", "Aaron Gordon": "16", "Nikola Vucevic": "16", "Elfrid Payton": "14", "Jodie Meeks": "15"}, "Minutes played": {"Andre Drummond": "20", "Ish Smith": "16", "Jon Leuer": "28", "Terrence Ross": "21", "Elfrid Payton": "29", "Jodie Meeks": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "14", "Ish Smith": "3", "Jon Leuer": "8", "Elfrid Payton": "11"}, "Assists": {"Jon Leuer": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "10"}, "Steals": {"Jon Leuer": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Terrence Ross": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Terrence Ross": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Terrence Ross": "9", "Jodie Meeks": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Terrence Ross": "6", "Jodie Meeks": "6"}}], "The Orlando Magic defeated the visiting Detroit Pistons, 115 - 87, at Amway Center on Friday evening. The Magic (27 - 46) took control right from the start and maintained it by winning the first three quarters, on their way to the 28 - point blowout win. They led by four after one quarter and increased the margin to 18, as they went into halftime with a 57 - 39 lead. The Magic scored 70 points over the second and third quarters, causing Stan Van Gundy to bench his starters for the fourth quarter. All five starters scored in double digits for the Magic, led by Terrence Ross, who finished with 18 points on 6 - of - 9 shooting, including 5 - of - 6 from long range. Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic followed up with 16 points each, while Elfrid Payton turned in his fourth triple - double in March, as he finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, in 29 minutes. Jodie Meeks chipped in 15 points on 6 - of - 12 shooting, in 21 minutes off the bench, as he took advantage of some extended minutes in the fourth. The Magic have a couple of days off before they take on the Raptors in Toronto on Monday. Meanwhile, the Pistons (34 - 39) were simply not able to get it going, as they shot only 35 percent from the field and only 2 - of - 22 from long range. Tobias Harris was the only starter to score in double digits, as he finished with 11 points, while Andre Drummond grabbed 14 rebounds, to go along with six points, in 20 minutes. Jon Leuer was Detroit's high - point man, with 16 points, eight rebounds, two assists and a steal, in 28 minutes off the bench. Ish Smith only played 16 minutes, after drawing the start. Smith finished with six points and three rebounds. The Pistons next contest takes place on Monday, when they visit New York to take on the Knicks."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "51", "Magic": "42"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "105", "Magic": "96"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "24"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "16"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Aaron Gordon": "4", "JJ Redick": "3"}, "Points": {"Aaron Gordon": "28", "JJ Redick": "22"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "20"}, "Steals": {"DeAndre Jordan": "2"}}], "The host Los Angeles Clippers beat the visiting Orlando Magic, 105 - 96, at Staples Center on Wednesday. Los Angeles (27 - 14) has managed to stay afloat despite the absence of star forward Blake Griffin (knee). Griffin's absence has not kept the Clippers from winning their last five games, including Wednesday's tilt against the Magic. Guard J.J. Redick led the team with 22 points against Orlando, knocking down three three - pointers along the way. The Clippers shot an impressive 51 percent from the field on the night and hit nine three - pointers. Los Angeles also managed a significant rebounding advantage, due in part to a 20 - board outing from center DeAndre Jordan. Jordan added two steals and three blocks on the defensive end. Orlando (16 - 24), meanwhile, is heading in the opposite direction. The Magic have lost four straight and sit squarely out of the current Eastern Conference playoff picture. Wednesday did see a promising performance from forward Aaron Gordon, who had a team - high 28 points and four three - pointers. As a team, however, Orlando struggled to find the basket. The Magic shot just 42 percent and hit only six three - pointers on the night. The Magic will visit Portland on Friday, while the Clippers will face the Lakers on Saturday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Ricky Rubio": "19"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ricky Rubio": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Ricky Rubio": "39"}, "Points": {"Ricky Rubio": "22"}, "Turnovers": {"Ricky Rubio": "6"}}], "Ricky Rubio had a masterful performance in Monday's victory over the Wizards, as he scored 22 points and dished out 19 assists in 39 minutes, and the big numbers the Spaniard is producing have become a staple for him in the month of March. After Monday's performance, Rubio is now averaging 16 points and 12 assists over six games in March. Most impressive, however, is that Rubio has shot well over 50 percent from the field in his last two games, and over the six games in March, the point guard is shooting 47 percent from the field and 38 percent from behind the arc - - both which would easily be monthly bests this season. At this, Rubio, who has been seen as a offensive liability when it comes to shooting the ball for most of his career, is becoming yet another option for this team."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Brandon Jennings": "7", "Derrick Rose": "7", "Montrezl Harrell": "4", "James Harden": "17"}, "Points": {"Brandon Jennings": "32", "Derrick Rose": "21", "Ryan Anderson": "25", "Montrezl Harrell": "13", "James Harden": "53"}, "Rebounds": {"Brandon Jennings": "5", "Derrick Rose": "5", "Ryan Anderson": "6", "Montrezl Harrell": "4", "James Harden": "16"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ryan Anderson": "12", "Montrezl Harrell": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Ryan Anderson": "8", "Montrezl Harrell": "6"}}], "James Harden has posted some ridiculous numbers this season, but nothing compares to his night on Saturday. Harden accumulated 53 points, 16 rebounds and 17 assists in easily the best game of his career. Ryan Anderson was second on the team, as he dropped 25 points and six rebounds on 8 - of - 12 shooting. Montrezl Harrell got a rare start at center and totaled 13 points, four rebounds and four assists on 6 - of - 7 shooting. The Knicks came into this game without Kristaps Porzingis (achilles) and they also lost Carmelo Anthony (knee) is the second quarter. That meant Derick Rose had to step up and he did, as he tallied 21 points, five rebounds and seven assists in the defeat. Brandon Jennings got a rare start next to Rose, as he led the team with 32 points, five rebounds and seven assists. The Rockets had to ride three - point shooting in this win, as they went 21 - of - 55 from long distance."], [[{"Total points": {"Cavaliers": "119", "Nets": "99"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "22"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nets": "42"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "7"}}, {"Points": {"Brook Lopez": "16", "Jeremy Lin": "10", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "13", "LeBron James": "19", "Tristan Thompson": "16", "Kyrie Irving": "13"}, "Assists": {"Jeremy Lin": "6", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "3", "LeBron James": "6", "Kyrie Irving": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Jeremy Lin": "2", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "3", "Tristan Thompson": "11", "Kyrie Irving": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "27"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "6"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers notched their third straight win as they rolled over the visiting Brooklyn Nets 119 - 99, at Quicken Loans Arena on Friday evening. The Cavs (22 - 6) dominated the first three quarters, leading 98 - 57 heading into the fourth. The Nets (7 - 22) managed to pour in 42 points in the fourth but it was too little, too late. Both teams shot below 30 percent from long range, while the Cavs outscored the Nets 60 - 48 in the paint. LeBron James was the high - point man for Cleveland, with 19 points, along with six assists, five rebounds and three steals, in 27 minutes. Six other players scored in double digits for the Cavs, including Tristan Thompson, who finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Kyrie Irving also reached a double - double with 13 points and 10 assists, along with five rebounds and an amazing six steals. The Cavs are now 15 - 2 at home this season, but will have that record tested as they play host to the Warriors on Christmas day. Five players scored in double figures for the Nets, led by Brook Lopez, who finished with 16 points. Spencer Dinwiddie followed up with 13 points, along with three assists and three rebounds. Jeremy Lin added 10 points, six assists and two rebounds, in his third game back in the starting lineup after returning from injury. The Nets are now 1 - 14 on the road and have lost five straight overall. They go on to play host to the Hornets on Boxing Day."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "46", "Pelicans": "41"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "33", "Pelicans": "45"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "92", "Pelicans": "84"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pacers": "24", "Pelicans": "22"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "38", "Pelicans": "26"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pelicans": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Alexis Ajinca": "22", "Alonzo Gee": "17", "Tim Frazier": "18", "Paul George": "15", "Myles Turner": "24", "CJ Miles": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Alexis Ajinca": "9", "Tim Frazier": "5", "Paul George": "4", "Myles Turner": "16"}, "Assists": {"Tim Frazier": "5", "Paul George": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Tim Frazier": "29", "CJ Miles": "26"}, "Blocks": {"Paul George": "1", "Myles Turner": "3"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Myles Turner": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Myles Turner": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Myles Turner": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Myles Turner": "2"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (38 - 33) defeated the visiting New Orleans Pelicans (26 - 45) 92 - 84, Thursday evening at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. This game epitomized the Pelicans injury woes this season, as Anthony Davis, Tyreke Evans, Jrue Holiday, Eric Gordon, Ryan Anderson and Norris Cole were all sidelined. Nonetheless, New Orleans brought some fight to Indiana as the game started off close, until Indiana created some separation midway through the second quarter to get up by ten before half. The Pacers maintained that more - or - less 10 - point cushion the rest of the way, earning a much needed win considering their insecure status at seventh in the East; with Chicago and Detroit hot on their tail. Myles Turner stepped up to lead the Pacers with a huge performance, including 24 points (11 - 17 FG, 2 - 2 FT), 16 rebounds and three blocked shots, in 27 minutes. Paul George chipped in 15 points, four rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block before he left the game after 19 minutes of play, with a lower leg contusion. The only other Pacer to score in double figures was C.J. Miles, who added 19 points, in 26 minutes off the bench. The Pacers shot 46 percent from the field, while they held the Pelicans to only 41 percent. Alexis Ajinca was the high - point man on New Orleans' depleted roster, with 22 points, along with nine rebounds. Alonzo Gee chipped in 17 points, while Tim Frazier came up big off the bench, with 18 points, five rebounds and five assists, in 29 minutes. The Pelicans are nearly eliminated from the playoff race, with their second loss in a row. Next, New Orleans host the Toronto Raptors on Saturday. The Pacers will look for their third win in a row as they visit Brooklyn Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Clippers": "18"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "101", "Timberwolves": "104"}, "Losses": {"Timberwolves": "28"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "5", "Ricky Rubio": "4", "Austin Rivers": "2", "DeAndre Jordan": "2", "Raymond Felton": "8"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "27", "Gorgui Dieng": "13", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "37", "Austin Rivers": "20", "DeAndre Jordan": "29", "Raymond Felton": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Gorgui Dieng": "7", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "12", "Ricky Rubio": "4", "DeAndre Jordan": "16", "Raymond Felton": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "17"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "2"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the host Los Angeles Clippers, 104 - 101, at Staples Center on Thursday. Despite there being just five ties and four lead changes, this game was close throughout. In fact, no team led by more than 12 points, as this was a single - digit game for well over 40 minutes. Minnesota finally closed things out for the first time all year, as they finished the game on a 11 - 4 run to cap off their first win within four points. Shooting was the downfall for the Clippers, as they shot 18 percent from three - point range and 54 percent from the free - throw line. Minnesota (15 - 28) was 0 - 10 in games decided by four points or less coming into this matchup, as this big win cracked that ugly spell. Karl-Anthony Towns was the player of the game, accumulating 37 points, 12 rebounds and five assists on 17 - of - 24 from the field. Andrew Wiggins was just as good, totaling 27 points, four rebounds and four assists. Gorgui Dieng was the only other T'Wolf in double - figures, collecting 13 points and seven rebounds. Ricky Rubio left in the first half with a hip injury and finished the game with no points, four rebounds and four assists. The Timberwolves will host the Denver Nuggets on Sunday for their next game. Los Angeles (29 - 15) had to play their first game without Chris Paul (hand) and this could be a sign of things to come. DeAndre Jordan did all he could in the absence of Paul and Blake Griffin though, as he dropped a career - high 29 points to go along with 16 rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Austin Rivers was second on the team, tallying 20 points and two assists before fouling out in the final two minutes. Raymond Felton started for Paul and contributed 10 points, four rebounds and eight assists. The Clippers will be in Denver on Saturday for their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "19", "Celtics": "21"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "81", "Celtics": "89"}, "Rebounds": {"Nets": "50", "Celtics": "41"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "16", "Celtics": "12"}}, {"Assists": {"Tyler Zeller": "4", "Evan Turner": "7", "Joe Johnson": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tyler Zeller": "14", "Avery Bradley": "12", "Joe Johnson": "16", "Mason Plumlee": "11", "Jarrett Jack": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Tyler Zeller": "7", "Avery Bradley": "7", "Joe Johnson": "7", "Mason Plumlee": "5", "Jarrett Jack": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tyler Zeller": "4", "Joe Johnson": "2", "Mason Plumlee": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Tyler Zeller": "4", "Joe Johnson": "2", "Mason Plumlee": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Tyler Zeller": "31", "Deron Williams": "4"}, "Points": {"Tyler Zeller": "18", "Avery Bradley": "21", "Evan Turner": "6", "Joe Johnson": "17", "Kevin Garnett": "10", "Mason Plumlee": "16", "Jarrett Jack": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyler Zeller": "6", "Evan Turner": "8", "Kevin Garnett": "8", "Mason Plumlee": "12"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Avery Bradley": "5", "Joe Johnson": "7", "Jarrett Jack": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Avery Bradley": "3", "Joe Johnson": "1", "Jarrett Jack": "1"}, "Steals": {"Evan Turner": "2", "Joe Johnson": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Joe Johnson": "1", "Mason Plumlee": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Joe Johnson": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Joe Johnson": "1"}}], "The Boston Celtics (12 - 21) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (16 - 19) 89 - 81 on Wednesday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The Nets continue to struggle, with this loss marking their third in a row. Despite out - rebounding the Celtics 50 - 41, they were forced into 18 turnovers compared to only seven from the Celtics, which very well may have been the difference in this ball game. While they may have secured the victory, the Celtics still only had two players reach double figures in points. Avery Bradley led the way, going 7 - for - 12 from the field and 3 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 21 points. Bradley struggled to only four points against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday, so it was a nice bounce back game for him. Tyler Zeller was the other Celtic to reach double - digits in points. He finished with 18 points (7 - 14 FG, 4 - 4 FT), six rebounds and four assists in 31 minutes. The four assists matched a season - high for him, while he's now averaging 10 points, 5 rebounds and 1 assists per game this season. Evan Turner did n't have his best game offensively with only six points, but he did get it done everywhere else, adding eight rebounds, seven assists and two steals to his totals. The Nets saw a good showing from starting center Mason Plumlee, who finished with 16 points (5 - 11 FG, 6 - 11 FT), 12 rebounds and two blocked shots. It marked his seventh double - double of the year, pushing his season averages to 10 points and 7 rebounds on the year. Joe Johnson also played well, scoring 17 points (7 - 16 FG, 1 - 7 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) while adding three assists. He continues to be one of the most consistent scorers for this team. With Deron Williams playing only four minutes off the bench due to injury, Jarrett Jack got the start at point guard. He went 7 - for - 13 from the field and 1 - for - 2 from the three - point line to score 15 points. It was his second strong showing in a row, as he's combined for 35 points and 14 assists over those two games. Kevin Garnett finished with 10 points and eight rebounds. The Celtics' next game will be on the road against the Indiana Pacers on Friday, while the Nets will be at home against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "54"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "25", "Timberwolves": "39"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "117", "Timberwolves": "104"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Celtics": "27", "Timberwolves": "17"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Celtics": "32"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "43", "Timberwolves": "28"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Timberwolves": "30"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Timberwolves": "32"}}, {"Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Gorgui Dieng": "4", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "4", "Ricky Rubio": "7", "Shabazz Muhammad": "1", "Al Horford": "8", "Avery Bradley": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "4", "Marcus Smart": "6", "Kelly Olynyk": "3"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "21", "Gorgui Dieng": "8", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "17", "Ricky Rubio": "23", "Al Horford": "20", "Avery Bradley": "18", "Isaiah Thomas": "27", "Marcus Smart": "10", "Kelly Olynyk": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Gorgui Dieng": "9", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "14", "Ricky Rubio": "3", "Shabazz Muhammad": "3", "Al Horford": "9", "Avery Bradley": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Marcus Smart": "2", "Kelly Olynyk": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ricky Rubio": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Ricky Rubio": "8"}, "Steals": {"Ricky Rubio": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kelly Olynyk": "6"}}], "The Boston Celtics defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, 117 - 104, at TD Garden on Wednesday night. The Timberwolves (28 - 39) came into Wednesday's contest running hot and with their Big Three of Ricky Rubio, Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins particularly playing well. Minnesota's 75 percent win ratio over their previous four games had vaulted them to just 4 games behind eighth - seeded Denver coming into play against the Celtics (43 - 25), but Boston poured some cold water on their quest for one night. Isaiah Thomas and Al Horford stepped up to counter another strong set of performances from the T-Wolves' aforementioned superstar trio and the Celtics were able to shoot an outstanding 54 percent overall while limiting their visitors to a 30 percent success rate from behind the arc. Boston created some distance by outscoring Minnesota by a 27 - 17 margin in the third quarter before sealing the deal with an impressive 32 - point fourth period. Rubio continued a recent stretch of strong offensive play by leading the T-Wolves with 23 points on 8 - of - 14 shooting, and he added seven assists, three rebounds and one steal. Wiggins followed with 21 points, four boards and four assists. Shabazz Muhammad matched Wiggins' point total while leading the bench and supplemented it with three boards, one assist and one block. Towns posted a 17 - point, 14 - rebound double - double that also included four assists. Gorgui Dieng registered a near - double - double of eight points, nine rebounds and four assists. Thomas paced the Celtics with 27 points, along with four assists, three rebounds and one steal. Horford followed with a full line of 20 points, nine boards, eight assists and two blocks. Avery Bradley poured in 18 points and added four assists and three rebounds. Kelly Olynyk and Marcus Smart paced the bench with matching 10 - point efforts, with the former also managing three assists and one rebound and the latter dishing out six dimes and hauling in a pair of boards. The Timberwolves continue heading south and face off with the Miami Heat on Friday night, while the Celtics visit the Brooklyn Nets on Friday evening as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "9", "Hawks": "7"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "109", "Hawks": "94"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Lakers": "21", "Hawks": "32"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Lakers": "35", "Hawks": "16"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "9", "Hawks": "10"}}, {"Assists": {"Kent Bazemore": "4", "Paul Millsap": "3", "Dwight Howard": "3", "Dennis Schroder": "8", "Larry Nance Jr.": "3", "Jordan Clarkson": "5", "Lou Williams": "3"}, "Points": {"Kent Bazemore": "21", "Paul Millsap": "9", "Dwight Howard": "19", "Dennis Schroder": "11", "Nick Young": "17", "Larry Nance Jr.": "12", "Jordan Clarkson": "18", "Lou Williams": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Kent Bazemore": "1", "Paul Millsap": "5", "Dwight Howard": "9", "Dennis Schroder": "4", "Nick Young": "1", "Larry Nance Jr.": "10", "Jordan Clarkson": "4", "Lou Williams": "4"}, "Steals": {"Kent Bazemore": "1", "Dwight Howard": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "1", "Nick Young": "1", "Jordan Clarkson": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Dwight Howard": "2", "Dennis Schroder": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Jordan Clarkson": "32", "Lou Williams": "27"}, "3-pointers made": {"Lou Williams": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Lou Williams": "2"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Atlanta Hawks, 109 - 94, at Staples Center on Sunday night. The Lakers (9 - 9) have rightfully been lauded for their marked improvement under new head coach Luke Walton in the early going, and their performance on Sunday did nothing to detract from that narrative. Los Angeles saw its second unit rise to the occasion on a night where the starting five was sluggish offensively, as they contributed well over half of their scoring total with a 65 - point tally. Lou Williams posted a team - high 21 points and added four rebounds and three assists in 27 minutes off the bench to lead the way, while two other reserves also reached double digits in the scoring column. The Lakers' most impressive quarter was the second, as they rebounded from a 32 - 21 first - quarter deficit to outpace the Hawks (10 - 7) by a 35 - 16 margin. Kent Bazemore led Atlanta with 21 points, four assists, a rebound and a steal. Dwight Howard came within a rebound of a double - double, supplying 19 points, nine boards, three assists, two blocks and a steal. Dennis Schroder was next with 11 points, eight assists, four rebounds, a steal and a block. Paul Millsap had a modest game by his standards, registering nine points, five rebounds and three assists. Jordan Clarkson was right behind Williams on the Lakers with 18 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals in 32 minutes off the bench. Nick Young totaled 17 points, a rebound and a steal as the only starter to manage double - digit scoring. Larry Nance, Jr. was the third reserve to post a particularly productive outing, as he managed a 12 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included three assists. The Hawks continue their West Coast swing with a visit to the Golden State Warriors on Monday night, while the Lakers head to New Orleans to face the Pelicans on Tuesday evening."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "37", "Rockets": "47"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "41", "Rockets": "28"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "100", "Rockets": "116"}, "Rebounds": {"Suns": "40", "Rockets": "51"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "14", "Rockets": "28"}}, {"Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "25", "James Harden": "27", "Patrick Beverley": "18", "Mirza Teletovic": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Ariza": "6", "James Harden": "10", "Patrick Beverley": "6", "Mirza Teletovic": "8"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Ariza": "5"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "7"}}], "The Houston Rockets (28 - 28) defeated the Phoenix Suns (14 - 41) 116 - 100 on Friday. In a battle between two bad defenses, the offenses really struggled for the first three quarters. Houston shot 47 percent from the field, while Phoenix shot just 37 percent. The rebounding was a huge difference. As the Rockets stanched down 51 rebounds to the Suns 40. Houston's starters outscored the Suns starters 88 to 47 as well. Houston had lost three - straight coming into the game, so this matchup with the Suns was a much needed gift. James Harden was once again the catalyst, as he finished with 27 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in the win. Trevor Ariza totaled 25 points, six rebounds and five steals in a defensive showcase. Patrick Beverley also played well, chipping in 18 points and six rebounds of his own. Houston will have a few days off until they play the Utah Jazz on Tuesday in their next game. This marked the Suns 10th straight loss and their 25th loss in their last 27 games. The leading scorer was Mirza Teletovic, who scored 25 points off the bench, while also grabbing eight rebounds. No starter scored more than 10 points aside from Jon Leuer in the loss and no starter came close to reaching double figures in rebounds or assists. Kris Humphries did make his debut with his new team and double - doubled off the bench. Tyson Chandler had to leave this game early with a shoulder injury and that's the last thing this team can afford right now. Phoenix\u2019s next game will be even tougher, as they host the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Pistons": "16"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "14", "Celtics": "13"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "93", "Celtics": "99"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pistons": "15"}, "Turnovers": {"Pistons": "15"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "17", "Celtics": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"Avery Bradley": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "9", "Evan Turner": "3", "Marcus Morris": "1", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Avery Bradley": "31", "Isaiah Thomas": "33", "Evan Turner": "23", "Marcus Morris": "37"}, "Points": {"Avery Bradley": "18", "Isaiah Thomas": "17", "Evan Turner": "13", "Marcus Morris": "16", "Andre Drummond": "22", "Reggie Jackson": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Avery Bradley": "4", "Evan Turner": "5", "Marcus Morris": "5", "Andre Drummond": "22", "Reggie Jackson": "3"}, "Steals": {"Avery Bradley": "3", "Marcus Morris": "1", "Andre Drummond": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "0", "Reggie Jackson": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "14", "Evan Turner": "11", "Andre Drummond": "21", "Reggie Jackson": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "4", "Evan Turner": "5", "Andre Drummond": "9", "Reggie Jackson": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "10", "Evan Turner": "4", "Andre Drummond": "10", "Reggie Jackson": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "9", "Evan Turner": "3", "Andre Drummond": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "2"}}], "The Boston Celtics (17 - 13) grabbed their third straight victory with a 99 - 93 win over the Detroit Pistons (17 - 14), in Detroit on Saturday. After a strong third quarter, the Celtics headed into the fourth up by 15 but Detroit turned it up a notch and brought the game within two points, with 30 seconds left. A clutch jumper by Jonas Jerebko put the Celtics up by four and deflated the Detroit comeback. The dagger was Jerebko's second shot of the game and his only made basket. Six players scored in double digits for Boston. They also had strong rebound and assist numbers from multiple players. Avery Bradley finished with 18 points, four rebounds, three steals and one assist, in 31 minutes. Isaiah Thomas dropped 17 points (4 - 14 FG, 0 - 4 3PT, 9 - 10 FT), along with nine assists, in 33 minutes. Evan Turner chipped in a healthy 13 points (5 - 11 FG, 3 - 4 FT), five rebounds and three assists, in 23 minutes off the bench. The Celtics struggled from downtown, shooting only 4 - 23 but they made up for it with good defense, holding their opponent to only 38 percent from the field. David Lee missed the game with a sore lower back, while Marcus Smart is also still out. Andre Drummond put up monstrous numbers but along with the rest of his team, shot a below average percentage from the field and could not come out on top, at home. Drummond finished with 22 points (9 - 21 FG, 4 - 10 FT), 22 rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots, in 35 minutes. Reggie Jackson added 17 points (5 - 14 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT), three rebounds and two assists, while he almost single - handedly stole the win for his team with a late fourth quarter push. Marcus Morris shot 7 - 14 from the field on his way to 16 points, along with five rebounds, one assist and one steal, in 37 minutes. The Pistons struggled shooting over all and only logged 16 assists as a team. Detroit will have a few days rest before playing in New York against Knicks on Tuesday. The Celtics' next game will also be against Knicks as they host them on Sunday, in what will be the second night of a back to back for both teams."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "53"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "2", "Celtics": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Grizzlies": "50", "Celtics": "38"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "11", "Celtics": "4"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Kelly Olynyk": "27"}, "Points": {"Kelly Olynyk": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Kelly Olynyk": "6"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (11 - 2) defeated the Boston Celtics (4 - 7) 117 - 110 on Friday. Despite having several players playing through a stomach virus, the Grizzlies were able to claim their 11th win of the season. They shot 53 percent from the field and 50 percent from beyond the arc. Memphis also out - rebounded the Celtics 50 - 38. Tony Allen was the one notable player to sit out with the stomach virus that infected their locker room this week. The Grizzlies will stay at home to host the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday, a matchup that is always frought with enmity between Blake Griffin and Zach Randolph, making it a must - watch game. Boston's young roster did n't stand much of a chance against the gritty veterans of the Grizzlies. Kelly Olynyk was a bright spot Friday. He finished with 18 points and six rebounds in 27 minutes. The Celtics return home to host the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "49", "Pacers": "43"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "103", "Pacers": "107"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pistons": "24"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "30", "Pacers": "36"}}, {"Points": {"CJ Miles": "24", "Greg Monroe": "17", "Reggie Jackson": "21"}, "Field goals attempted": {"George Hill": "6"}, "Assists": {"Greg Monroe": "3", "Reggie Jackson": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Greg Monroe": "12"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (36 - 43) beat the Detroit Pistons (30 - 49) 107 - 103 on Friday. Rodney Stuckey and C.J. Miles each scored 24 points to lead Indiana past the Pistons. The game was tied going into the fourth quarter and came down to the wire, but point guard George Hill hit six straight free throws in the final 81 seconds to seal the victory for his playoff - hopeful Pacers. Indiana is one game behind the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics, who hold the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. Both the Nets and Celtics won their games on Friday to keep their advantage over the Pacers. Indiana has won four straight, but face three teams with winning records in their final three games. Greg Monroe put up another solid performance in just his second game back after an 11 - game absence because of a knee injury. He had 17 points, 12 rebounds and three assists. His point guard Reggie Jackson had a nice game, and like Monroe, is a free agent to be this offseason. Jackson had 21 points and nine assists. He's averaging 20 points and 11 assists in April. However the Pistons are 1 - 4 this month and have been eliminated from playoff competition. The Pistons will take on the Charlotte Hornets, as Indiana will host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "42"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "49"}}, {"Blocks": {"Austin Rivers": "1", "Jamal Crawford": "2"}, "Points": {"Austin Rivers": "22", "Blake Griffin": "26", "JJ Redick": "12", "Marreese Speights": "15", "Jamal Crawford": "14", "DeMarre Carroll": "9", "Jonas Valanciunas": "21", "DeMar DeRozan": "31", "Kyle Lowry": "24", "Cory Joseph": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Austin Rivers": "2", "Blake Griffin": "11", "JJ Redick": "4", "Marreese Speights": "2", "Jamal Crawford": "1", "Jonas Valanciunas": "12"}, "Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "11", "JJ Redick": "1", "Marreese Speights": "2", "Jamal Crawford": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "3", "DeMar DeRozan": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Blake Griffin": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "19", "DeMar DeRozan": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Blake Griffin": "11", "DeMar DeRozan": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Blake Griffin": "2"}, "Steals": {"JJ Redick": "1", "Marreese Speights": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3"}}], "DeMar DeRozan (ankle) returned from a three - game absence to post a game - high 31 points, going 11 - for - 22 from the floor. Kyle Lowry registered 24 points, while Jonas Valanciunas supplied a 21 - point, 12 - rebound double - double. DeMarre Carroll provided nine points and Cory Joseph led the second unit with 12. Toronto managed 49 and 42 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively. Blake Griffin produced a 26 - point, 11 - rebound, 11 - assist triple - double to lead the Clippers, going 11 - for - 19 from the floor and 2 - for - 3 from long distance. Austin Rivers followed with 22 points, two rebounds and one block. Marreese Speights led the bench with 15 points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals. Jamal Crawford supplied 14 points, three assists, one rebound, two steals and two blocks. J.J. Redick pitched in with 12 points, four boards, an assist and a steal."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Kings": "32", "Lakers": "20"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "21", "Lakers": "29"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "118", "Lakers": "115"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "15", "Lakers": "8"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Lakers": "27"}}, {"Points": {"Kobe Bryant": "28", "D'Angelo Russell": "27", "DeMarcus Cousins": "29", "Rajon Rondo": "9"}, "Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "7", "Rajon Rondo": "12"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1", "Rajon Rondo": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "10", "Rajon Rondo": "6"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rajon Rondo": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Rajon Rondo": "1"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (15 - 21) held off the Los Angeles Lakers (8 - 29) to win 118 - 115 on Thursday night. Sacramento started off quick in this game and nearly blew it late. They took a 25 - 4 lead in the first quarter and really stepped on the Lakers throats early. What was most impressive is that the Kings scored an astounding 30 points in the first seven minutes of the game. The assisting numbers were a huge difference in the game, as Sacramento recorded 32 assists to the Lakers 20. It wasn\u2019t just in the stat sheet though, as the Kings moved the ball flawlessly while the Lakers continued to go to ISO ball time after time. Despite trailing by 27, the Lakers actually took a fourth quarter lead with just a few minutes left, but couldn\u2019t quite hold on for a win. The Lakers showed some serious fight here and the most promising aspect of the comeback was that the youngsters orchestrated it. D'Angelo Russell scored a career - high 27 points off the bench in a spectacular performance as well. The star of the show was Kobe Bryant though, as he turned back the clock with a 28 - point effort. While this goes down as a loss in the record book, they showed some great resiliency to fight back when the game was all but over early. Los Angeles has a tough task in their next game though, as they play an Oklahoma City Thunder team that has beat them by a combined 75 points in both their matchups this season. Sacramento has been playing their best ball of the season recently, but nearly had another devastating loss here. The scoring in the fourth quarter absolutely fell apart, as they only had six points through the first eight minutes. They were able to prevail though and hit some big shots late to end up pulling out a win. DeMarcus Cousins continued his ridiculous form as of late, as he tallied 29 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists while dealing with foul trouble throughout the second half. Rajon Rondo returned from his one - game absence to post a nine - point, 12 assists, six rebound and four steal line. While the Kings have been winning lately, they'll have a tough time keeping that going against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday in their next scheduled game."], [[{"Total points": {"Spurs": "95", "Bucks": "70"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "12"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "7"}}, {"Points": {"Khris Middleton": "16", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7", "Greg Monroe": "14", "Jabari Parker": "7", "Kawhi Leonard": "13", "Tim Duncan": "16", "Patty Mills": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Greg Monroe": "7", "Tim Duncan": "10"}, "Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (14 - 4) blew by the Milwaukee Bucks (7 - 12) in a 95 - 70 romp Wednesday night at the AT & T Center. The Bucks trailed by 10 throughout much of the first half, but had trimmed the lead to six early in the third quarter. Then the Spurs blew it open, with a 17 - 3 run that spanned nearly six minutes of the third quarter. Five different players scored in the run for the Spurs' balanced attack, and 12 of their 13 dressed players made at least one field goal. Tim Duncan's 16 points and 10 rebounds both led the Spurs, as San Antonio spread the ball around and assisted on 25 of 37 field goals. Kawhi Leonard added a quiet 13 points (3 - 12 shooting) and four assists, and Patty Mills scored 13 (3 - 6 three - point shooting) off the bench. The Spurs dominated the game on all fronts winning the shooting, rebounding, and turnover battles. Khris Middleton paced Bucks scorers with 16 points on a tidy 6 - 11 shooting, and Greg Monroe chipped in 14 points and seven rebounds. But young Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker never got it going, scoring seven points each and shooting a combined 3 - 15. Michael Carter-Williams also could n't buy a bucket, as he shot just 2 - 10, and the Bucks shot a brutal 34 percent as a team. The Bucks will look to turn it around Friday on the road against the Pistons. San Antonio next plays Thursday night in Memphis."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "53", "Celtics": "30"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "99", "Celtics": "102"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Suns": "34", "Celtics": "23"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "20", "Celtics": "43"}}, {"Assists": {"Evan Turner": "3", "Avery Bradley": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Alex Len": "1", "Devin Booker": "4", "Brandon Knight": "3", "Mirza Teletovic": "2"}, "Points": {"Evan Turner": "17", "Avery Bradley": "15", "Isaiah Thomas": "28", "Kelly Olynyk": "16", "Alex Len": "10", "Devin Booker": "21", "Brandon Knight": "19", "Mirza Teletovic": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Evan Turner": "11", "Avery Bradley": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "6", "Kelly Olynyk": "3", "Alex Len": "8", "Devin Booker": "4", "Brandon Knight": "1", "Mirza Teletovic": "9"}, "Steals": {"Avery Bradley": "1", "Devin Booker": "1", "Brandon Knight": "1", "Mirza Teletovic": "2"}}], "The Boston Celtics (43 - 30) defeated the Phoenix Suns (20 - 53) 102 - 99 on Saturday. The contest was truly a tale of two halves, with Boston opening up strong and building a formidable 58 - 41 halftime lead. The Suns came out a different team in the third quarter however, and took the period by a margin of 34 - 23. A pivotal final 12 minutes saw Phoenix finally draw within a single point of the Celtics, 98 - 97, with 1:15 remaining. However, the last 75 seconds of the contest saw Marcus Smart and Isaiah Thomas sink key free throws for Boston, and Evan Turner make a crucial block of a Devin Booker shot attempt, providing just enough to secure the victory. Thomas led the way versus his former team, managing 28 points, six rebounds and three assists. Turner, starting at small forward, was next with a 17 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included three assists and the aforementioned rejection. Avery Bradley, who'd been hospitalized in recent days with an illness, posted 15 points, three rebounds, an assist and a steal. Kelly Olynyk paced the Celtics bench with 16 points and three rebounds. Boston remains in second place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division, and are currently slotted in the fourth seed in the conference as well. They head to Los Angeles to face the Clippers on Monday night. The Suns were spearheaded by Booker, who supplied 21 points, four rebounds, four assists and a steal. Brandon Knight was next with 19 points, three assists, a rebound and a steal. Alex Len followed, registering 10 points, eight rebounds and an assist. Mirza Teletovic paced the Phoenix bench with 17 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two steals. Phoenix remains in fourth place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. They head to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves on Monday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "29", "Nets": "52"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "110", "Nets": "105"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "35", "Nets": "11"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "46"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nets": "27"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Brook Lopez": "3", "Jeremy Lin": "8", "Sean Kilpatrick": "1", "Trevor Booker": "3", "Thabo Sefolosha": "3", "Paul Millsap": "3", "Dwight Howard": "2", "Dennis Schroder": "5", "Ersan Ilyasova": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "5", "Trevor Booker": "1", "Thabo Sefolosha": "1", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Dwight Howard": "2"}, "Points": {"Brook Lopez": "18", "Jeremy Lin": "16", "Sean Kilpatrick": "27", "Trevor Booker": "12", "Thabo Sefolosha": "9", "Paul Millsap": "24", "Dwight Howard": "11", "Dennis Schroder": "31", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "16", "Ersan Ilyasova": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "6", "Jeremy Lin": "3", "Sean Kilpatrick": "4", "Trevor Booker": "8", "Thabo Sefolosha": "8", "Paul Millsap": "4", "Dwight Howard": "14", "Dennis Schroder": "2", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "6", "Ersan Ilyasova": "7"}, "Steals": {"Brook Lopez": "1", "Jeremy Lin": "1", "Sean Kilpatrick": "1", "Trevor Booker": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "3", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "2", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Trevor Booker": "27", "Ersan Ilyasova": "26"}, "Turnovers": {"Paul Millsap": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Dwight Howard": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Dwight Howard": "1", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dennis Schroder": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "1"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 110 - 105, at Philips Arena on Wednesday evening. The Nets (11 - 52) may sport the ugliest record in the NBA, but their play continues to embody the scrappiness and never - say - die underdog attitude of the borough they call home. Brooklyn gave yet another quality team in the Hawks (35 - 29) all they could handle Wednesday, with Atlanta finally putting the game away on a pair of Dennis Schroder free throws with two seconds remaining. The Nets rather amazingly overcame 22 turnovers by a solid 46 percent from the floor and 80 percent from the free - throw line, and getting a total of 55 points from a very productive second unit. Sean Kilpatrick was one of those reserves with the hot hand, as he led the Nets with 27 points, four rebounds, one assist and one steal. Brook Lopez was next with 18 points, six rebounds, three assists, five blocks and one steal. Jeremy Lin produced his best game since returning from a prolonged absence with a hamstring ailment, supplying 16 points, eight assists, three rebounds and one steal. Trevor Booker registered 12 points, eight boards, three assists, one steal and one block in 27 minutes off the bench. Schroder scored a game - high 31 points that he supplemented with five assists, two rebounds and three steals. Paul Millsap tallied 24 points, four rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Tim Hardaway, Jr. continued his solid stretch of play on the second unit, posting a bench - leading 16 points that he supplemented with six boards and two steals. Dwight Howard provided one of his trademark double - doubles, collecting 11 points, 14 rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal. Ersan Ilyasova supplied 10 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals in 26 minutes off the bench. Thabo Sefolosha submitted a full line of nine points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block. The Nets remain on the road and head to the Lone Star State to do battle with the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night, while the Hawks remain home and await the Toronto Raptors on Friday evening as well."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "33"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "31", "Jazz": "20"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "74", "Jazz": "86"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "8", "Jazz": "17"}}, {"Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gobert": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gobert": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Rudy Gobert": "30"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gobert": "10", "Larry Nance Jr.": "10", "Lou Williams": "18", "Jordan Clarkson": "14", "Julius Randle": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "5", "Julius Randle": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Lou Williams": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Lou Williams": "1"}}], "The Utah Jazz (17 - 20) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (8 - 31) 86 - 74 at Staples Center on Sunday. The Jazz earned a low scoring road win to improve to 6 - 12 while traveling on the season, behind quality shooting from Gordon Hayward, and the growing health of returning players Rudy Gobert and Rodney Hood (ankle). Hood was questionable entering the contest, but got the starting shooting guard nod and increased the depth that Utah has desperately needed throughout the year. Rudy Gobert returned against the Heat on Saturday and was efficient on both ends of the floor in 30 minutes of play. The \u201cStifle Tower\u201d blocked three shots and grabbed five rebounds, to go along with 10 points on 3 - of - 3 shooting against the Lakers in his second game back on Sunday. Heyward led all scorers 25 points on 10 - of - 21 shooting, and matched Gobert with three blocked shots of his own. Derrick Favors (back) missed his 10th consecutive game, but the outlook is positive, as he will look to make a return on Wednesday against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Lakers were without D\u2019Angelo Russell (ankle), Kobe Bryant (achilles) and Brandon Bass (eye) and the resulting sparsity in depth, combined with an atrocious 33 percent shooting from the field, cost them another game at home. Lou Williams started alongside Jordan Clarkson, but was not able to rekindle his magical 44 point performance that happened against the Thunder on Friday. In fact, Williams struggled to get any 3 - point shot to fall and finished with 18 points on 1 - of - 8 shooting from deep. His total was good enough to lead the Lakers in scoring, but the bigger picture problem was reliant on Los Angeles having nobody to turn to when the streaky Williams could not find a rhythm. Jordan Clarkson attacked the rim, but was not getting any luck on that front and finished with 14 points. The backcourt is not entirely to blame, as the aforementioned injuries were the real issue in the game. Julius Randle pitched in 11 points and seven rebounds in 26 minutes, starting forward Larry Nance Jr. added 10 points, while Roy Hibbert and Andrew Brown failed to reach double figures. The Jazz will head north and visit the Portland Trail Blazers (16 - 24) on Wednesday, while the Lakers will host the New Orleans Pelicans (11 - 25) on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "62"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "43"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "139", "Nets": "105"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "31"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Brook Lopez": "5", "Aaron Gordon": "20", "Elfrid Payton": "11"}, "Assists": {"Elfrid Payton": "12"}}], "The host Orlando Magic (31 - 43) absolutely rolled over the visiting Brooklyn Nets (21 - 3) on Tuesday, winning 139 - 105. Eight players scored in double - digits for Orlando in what was an absolutely crushing win. The Magic shot the lights out, hitting 62 percent of their shots and racking up an absurd 139 points in four quarters. Sophomore Aaron Gordon led the starting lineup with 20 points, while point guard Elfrid Payton had an 11 - point, 12 - assist double - double. The team sank 14 shots from beyond the arc and was simply unstoppable all - around. Despite the insignificance of the matchup for the Eastern Conference playoff picture, it was one of Orlando's strongest showings of the year. The Nets, meanwhile, could not mirror Orlando's good luck. Star center Brook Lopez had just five points while veteran forward Thaddeus Young took the night off for rest, leading to a thin frontcourt for Brooklyn. The team shot a respectable 47 percent but was simply outmatched from the floor. Turnovers also posed an issue for Brooklyn, as the team coughed the ball up 18 times in total. Both teams will take to the road on Thursday, with the Nets visiting Cleveland and Orlando taking on Indiana."], [[{"Total points": {"Nuggets": "108", "Hawks": "109"}, "Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "15"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "15"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hawks": "27"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "3", "Paul Millsap": "3", "Kris Humphries": "2", "Dennis Schroder": "5", "Mike Muscala": "2", "Wilson Chandler": "2", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "5", "Will Barton": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "1", "Paul Millsap": "1", "Kris Humphries": "1", "Mike Muscala": "1", "Danilo Gallinari": "1", "Gary Harris": "1", "Will Barton": "1"}, "Points": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "12", "Paul Millsap": "20", "Kris Humphries": "10", "Dennis Schroder": "27", "Mike Muscala": "13", "Danilo Gallinari": "21", "Wilson Chandler": "19", "Gary Harris": "12", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "4", "Paul Millsap": "8", "Kris Humphries": "8", "Dennis Schroder": "6", "Mike Muscala": "3", "Danilo Gallinari": "11", "Wilson Chandler": "11", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "3"}, "Steals": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "4", "Paul Millsap": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "1", "Wilson Chandler": "1"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Denver Nuggets, 109 - 108, at Pepsi Center on Friday. The exciting back - and - forth affair fittingly came down to the final seconds, and the Hawks' Paul Millsap played a pivotal role in the win. He drained two free throws with six ticks left that gave Atlanta (15 - 15) a 109 - 108 lead, and his defensive rebound at the buzzer off a Wilson Chandler miss put the finishing touches on the win. Neither team shot exceedingly well, but the Hawks took better care of the ball than the Nuggets (12 - 17), who commited 15 turnovers. Dennis Schroder led the way for Atlanta with 27 points, six rebounds, five assists and a steal. Millsap went for 20 points, eight rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block. Thabo Sefolosha was next with a full stat line of 12 points, four rebounds, three assists, four steals and a block. Kris Humphries drew the start in place of Dwight Howard and managed 10 points, eight boards, two assists and a block. Mike Muscala paced the second unit with 13 points, three boards, two assists and a block. Danilo Gallinari was the top scorer on the Nuggets with 21 points, and he added 11 rebounds, two two assists and a block. Chandler followed with a 19 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included two assists and a steal. Emmanuel Mudiay provided 17 points, five assists and three rebounds, while Gary Harris supplied 12 points. Will Barton matched his scoring total and added five assists, four rebounds and a block. The Hawks travel to Minnesota for a Monday evening date with the Timberwolves, while the Nuggets head west to tangle with the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night as well."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "31", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "18", "Tyson Chandler": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "6", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "10", "Tyson Chandler": "17"}, "Steals": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "12", "Tyson Chandler": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "7", "Tyson Chandler": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "4"}}], "It was a big night for Minnesota's Andrew Wiggins on Tuesday. Wiggins not only hit the game - winner against Phoenix, but led the team with 31 points on the night. He added two steals and six rebounds in what was an all - around solid night. Big man Karl-Anthony Towns, meanwhile, scored 18 points to go with 10 rebounds on the night. Towns shot a respectable 7 - of - 12 from the field and 4 - of - 5 from the free - throw line. The Wolves as a team finished with over 52 percent shooting from the field. For Phoenix, meanwhile, Devin Booker continued his strong play. The sophomore scored 26 points and canned four three - pointers. Booker has now scored 20 or more in ten straight games. Veteran Tyson Chandler, meanwhile, scored 22 points on a perfect 9 - of - 9 from the field and came down with a team - high 17 rebounds."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nuggets": "28"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "35"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "45", "76ers": "54"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "85", "76ers": "99"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nuggets": "9", "76ers": "27"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "27", "76ers": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Nerlens Noel": "2", "Isaiah Canaan": "1", "Ty Lawson": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Nerlens Noel": "4", "Robert Covington": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nerlens Noel": "8", "Isaiah Canaan": "11", "Robert Covington": "17", "Wilson Chandler": "14", "Ty Lawson": "16", "Jameer Nelson": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Nerlens Noel": "5", "Isaiah Canaan": "4", "Robert Covington": "8", "Wilson Chandler": "4", "Ty Lawson": "6", "Jameer Nelson": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nerlens Noel": "7", "Isaiah Canaan": "6", "Wilson Chandler": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Nerlens Noel": "4", "Isaiah Canaan": "5", "Wilson Chandler": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Nerlens Noel": "33", "Wilson Chandler": "40"}, "Points": {"Nerlens Noel": "14", "Isaiah Canaan": "15", "Robert Covington": "25", "Wilson Chandler": "16", "Ty Lawson": "19", "Jameer Nelson": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Nerlens Noel": "15", "Isaiah Canaan": "3", "Wilson Chandler": "11", "Jameer Nelson": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Nerlens Noel": "2", "Isaiah Canaan": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Isaiah Canaan": "5", "Robert Covington": "11", "Wilson Chandler": "8", "Ty Lawson": "3", "Jameer Nelson": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Isaiah Canaan": "2", "Robert Covington": "6", "Wilson Chandler": "4", "Ty Lawson": "2", "Jameer Nelson": "0"}, "Personal fouls": {"Isaiah Canaan": "2"}, "Steals": {"Isaiah Canaan": "1", "Robert Covington": "2", "Ty Lawson": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Robert Covington": "1"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers (18 - 54) defeated the Denver Nuggets (27 - 45) 99 - 85 on Wednesday at the Pepsi Center in Denver. Even though both teams have already been eliminated from playoff contention, this was still a hard fought game between the two. After being down four points coming out of the third quarter, the Sixers went off in the fourth, out - scoring the Nuggets 27 - 9 to finish off the 14 - point victory on the road. The Sixers were the superior shooters in this game, going 42 percent from the field and 41 percent from the three - point line, while the Nuggets went just 35 percent from the floor and a meager 28 percent from deep. Nerlens Noel was the only starter to reach double figures Wednesday, as he finished with 14 points (5 - 8 FG, 4 - 7 FT), while also adding 15 rebounds and four blocked shots in 33 minutes. It was his second double - double in a row, as he's combined for 28 points, 25 rebounds and 10 blocks over those last two games. It was the Sixers' bench combination of Isaiah Canaan and Robert Covington that made the difference in this one though. Canaan finished with 15 points (4 - 11 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT) and three rebounds, while Covington had a team - high of 25 points, while shooting 8 - for - 17 from the field and 6 - for - 11 from beyond the arc. Covington has been absolutely on fire from the three - point line, combining to go 11 - for - 17 from deep during his last two games alone. He's now pushed his season averages to 13 points, 5 rebounds and 1 assists. Ty Lawson did his best to keep the Nuggets in this game, going 6 - for - 16 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 19 points, while adding six assists and two steals. After going scoreless in 27 minutes against the Orlando Magic on Sunday, it was a nice bounce - back outing for Lawson, who's now averaging 16 points and 10 assists on the year. Wilson Chandler also had a solid showing, finishing with 16 points (4 - 14 FG, 4 - 8 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and 11 rebounds in 40 minutes. The double - double was his first since the end of January, as Chandler was a force on the glass Wednesday. The only other Nugget in double figures was Jameer Nelson, who came off the bench for 12 points (6 - 16 FG, 0 - 6 3Pt) and four rebounds. The Sixers' next game will be at home against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday, while the Nuggets will be at home against the Utah Jazz on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "48", "Hawks": "40"}, "Losses": {"Wizards": "41", "Hawks": "34"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "109", "Hawks": "98"}, "Rebounds": {"Wizards": "51", "Hawks": "47"}, "Turnovers": {"Wizards": "19", "Hawks": "22"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "41", "Hawks": "48"}, "Number of team assists": {"Hawks": "22"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hawks": "17"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hawks": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Paul Millsap": "13", "Al Horford": "19", "Jeff Teague": "16", "Jared Dudley": "14", "Nene": "19", "Marcus Thornton": "14", "Ramon Sessions": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Horford": "8"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nene": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Nene": "8"}}], "The Washington Wizards (41 - 41) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (48 - 34) in the season finale Wednesday at Verizon Center, 109 - 98. Washington trailed by two heading into halftime, but their defense clamped down in the third quarter. The Hawks managed just 17 points in the period, and the Wizards used Atlanta's offensive drought to build up a lead. Trailing 64 - 61, the Wizards rattled off a 19 - 3 run to go up 80 - 67, and the Wizards would n't trail again for the rest of the game. With John Wall once again inactive, Ramon Sessions led all scorers with 22 points for the Wizards. Nene (8 - 12 FG) added 19 points, and Jared Dudley and Marcus Thornton poured in 14 points apiece. Washington shot just 16 - 30 (53 percent) from the free throw line, the only reason this one was even close, as the Wizards outshot Atlanta 48 percent to 40 percent and won the battles in rebounding (51 to 47) and turnovers (19 to 22). Al Horford's 19 points led the Hawks, and he added eight rebounds. Paul Millsap posted a double double with 13 points and 11 assists, and Jeff Teague score 16 points to go with five assists. The Hawks committed as many assists (22) as turnovers (22) as it was clear they were looking towards the playoffs. The Hawks are locked into the fourth seed and will face the Celtics in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Wizards have been eliminated from postseason play."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "33"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "112", "Raptors": "109"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "20"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Raptors": "30"}}, {"Minutes played": {"DeMarre Carroll": "34", "DeMar DeRozan": "38", "Andrew Wiggins": "38", "Tyus Jones": "27"}, "Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "19", "DeMar DeRozan": "30", "Kyle Lowry": "20", "Andrew Wiggins": "31", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "29", "Tyus Jones": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarre Carroll": "9", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Tyus Jones": "4"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Toronto Raptors, 112 - 109, on Wednesday at Target Center. The Raptors (33 - 22) held a fairly comfortable lead for the majority of Wednesday's contest until a fourth quarter surge from the Timberwolves (20 - 33) brought the game close down the stretch. And while Minnesota stars Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns shined bright, the hero ultimately ended up being Tyus Jones. Jones, who made a habit of hitting clutch shots in college at Duke, did it on the NBA stage Wednesday night, hitting what would go on to be the game - winning three - pointer with 21 seconds left and the game tied, effectively ending the the Timberwolves' four - game losing streak. Jones played 27 minutes but finished the game with just five points. Wiggins, on the other hand, scored a game - high 31 points on 11 - of - 19 shooting from the field, while Towns scored 29 points of his own to go along with a game - high 14 rebounds. As for Toronto, DeMar DeRozan had another productive outing in his second game back from injury, scoring a team - high 30 points in 38 minutes. Kyle Lowry added 20 points of his own, while DeMarre Carroll was productive offensively and on the glass, recording 19 points and a team - high nine rebounds in 34 minutes. In the end, the Raptors got great all - around performances from their starting five, but their lack of bench production ultimately prevented them from getting over the hump. Between the six reserves that saw the floor for Toronto on Wednesday, they managed to produce just 20 total points. Up next, the Timberwolves will take on the Pelicans at home Friday, while the Raptors will have off until Sunday when they take on the Pistons."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "1", "Trail Blazers": "1"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "103", "Trail Blazers": "94"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "1", "Trail Blazers": "1"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "38", "Damian Lillard": "35", "Rudy Gay": "36", "Darren Collison": "38"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Rudy Gay": "2", "Darren Collison": "2"}, "Points": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "22", "Damian Lillard": "20", "Rudy Gay": "40", "Darren Collison": "17", "Ramon Sessions": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Damian Lillard": "1", "DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Damian Lillard": "1", "DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Damian Lillard": "7", "Rudy Gay": "8", "Darren Collison": "8"}, "Personal fouls": {"Rudy Gay": "2"}, "Assists": {"Darren Collison": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Ramon Sessions": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Ramon Sessions": "2"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (1 - 1) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (1 - 1) 103 - 94 on Friday. Rudy Gay scored a game - high 40 points in 36 minutes to lead the way for the Kings. New point guard Darren Collison followed up his impressive season debut with another great performance Friday, finishing with 17 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists in 38 minutes. The signing of Ramon Sessions before the start of training camp put the depth of Collison's role in question, but if the first two games of the season are any indication, Collison should be part of the Kings' core in tune with DeMarcus Cousins and Gay. Damian Lillard rebounded well from a subpar opener and finised with 20 points and seven rebounds in 35 minutes. LaMarcus Aldridge continued to show off his new three - point shot, coverting one 1 - of - 3 attempts from beyond the arc and finishing with 22 points in 38 minutes. Thomas Robinson has played just two minutes total this season and was not used at all in the Blazers' second game, a dubious development following the team's decision not to pickup Robinson's 2014 - 15 option on his contract earlier this week. The Trail Blazers' next game is at home Sunday against the Golden State Warriors. The Kings' next game is on the road Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers."], [[{"Total points": {"Suns": "112", "Kings": "114"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "1"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "5"}}, {"Minutes played": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"Ben McLemore": "3"}}], "The Sacramento Kings defeated the Phoenix Suns 114 - 112 in an exciting double - overtime bout of emerging Western Conference contenders Friday. Kings' superstar DeMarcus Cousins fouled out with 35 seconds left in the fourth quarter, but played a major role getting in getting this game to overtime in the first place. His three - point play in the fourth quarter gave the Kings a 99 - 97 lead after trailing the entire game. The Suns' Eric Bledsoe promptly evened the score with a layup, to bring the game to its first overtime. P.J. Tucker of the Suns was clutch off the bench in overtime, scoring five points early. The table turned quickly, though, as Darren Collison was fouled at the other end with 42 seconds to play in the first overtime. He went 1 - 2 at the line, and the game was tied at 106 all. Double overtime. The Kings fell to another deficit in the second overtime until Ben McLemore hit a clutch three to make it a one - point game. With the Suns still on top, Rudy Gay canned a mid - range jumper to give the Kings a 113 - 112 lead. Gay had been struggling mightily all night until he came through in a big way for his team. That was all she wrote as the Sacramento Kings improve their record to 5 - 1, their best start to a regular season since 19990."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "22", "Trail Blazers": "19"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "93", "Trail Blazers": "98"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "40", "Trail Blazers": "40"}}, {"Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "8"}, "Personal fouls": {"Nicolas Batum": "3"}, "Points": {"Nicolas Batum": "20", "Chris Paul": "36"}, "Rebounds": {"Nicolas Batum": "7", "Damian Lillard": "18", "DeAndre Jordan": "19"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Damian Lillard": "1", "Hedo Turkoglu": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Damian Lillard": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Damian Lillard": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chris Paul": "2"}, "Steals": {"Chris Paul": "1"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (40 - 22) fell to the Portland Trail Blazers (40 - 19) 98 - 93 in a thriller at the Staples Center on Wednesday. In a matchup of two of the league's top point guards in Chris Paul and Damian Lillard, Paul had the upper hand all night. Paul finished with a season - high 36 points while Lillard had one of his most frustrating outings of the season. Lillard was stifled throughout the game as Los Angeles collapsed on him seemingly every time he touched the ball. He did n't make a field goal until two minutes had passed in overtime. Despite Lillard's struggles, Portland was able to tie it up late after Los Angeles' Hedo Turkgolu over - pursued on a pass, which allowed Nicolas Batum to drain a wide - open three. In a strange turn of events, DeAndre Jordan had a lapse in clock awareness on Los Angeles' final possession, which cost the Clippers a chance to win it in regulation. The Blazers were resilient in overtime as they rallied to a big victory. Portland had dropped both games against Los Angeles entering Wednesday, but hung around long enough to take the lead late and steal the road win. Where Lillard struggled from the field (1 - 13 FG), Nicolas Batum was clutch down the stretch and in overtime as he ended up with 20 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds. Interestingly, Lillard nearly matched DeAndre Jordan's rebounding total, pulling down 18 rebounds compared to Jordan's 19. The Trail Blazers do n't have much time to enjoy this victory as they host the Mavericks on Thursday. Los Angeles had its three - game winning streak snapped due to a late collapse where they could n't close out Portland. Doc Rivers ran a shallow rotation, deploying just eight players in the game with Jamal Crawford and Blake Griffin sidelined with injuries. DeAndre Jordan now has 10 straight games with more than 15 rebounds The Clippers will get an extended break before returning to action Sunday against the Warriors."], [[{}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Enes Kanter": "4"}, "Points": {"Enes Kanter": "14"}}], "Enes Kanter, averaging over 14 points and nearly seven rebounds per game this season, has quietly been a crucial part of this Thunder team coming off the bench. Kanter has been the primary bench player for Oklahoma City all season, and when he is at his best, so are the Thunder. Thursday, Kanter recorded his 15th double - double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds and Oklahoma City managed to get a much - needed victory over the Spurs, as the team was riding a four - game losing streak prior to that. And while Russell Westbrook also notched his 31st triple - double of the season in the victory, the key relationship is between Kanter double - doubles and the Thunder's success. In the 15 games where Kanter has recorded a double - double this season, Oklahoma City is 11 - 4, showing that more often than not, when Kanter is productive in his role, so is the team."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "58"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "115", "Hornets": "103"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Heat": "43"}, "Turnovers": {"Hornets": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "3", "Al Jefferson": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Kemba Walker": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "29", "Al Jefferson": "17", "Hassan Whiteside": "8", "Dwyane Wade": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Kemba Walker": "12", "Al Jefferson": "12", "Hassan Whiteside": "8", "Dwyane Wade": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "4", "Al Jefferson": "2", "Hassan Whiteside": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Kemba Walker": "4", "Al Jefferson": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "6"}, "Points": {"Kemba Walker": "29", "Al Jefferson": "25", "Hassan Whiteside": "17", "Dwyane Wade": "28", "Goran Dragic": "18", "Josh Richardson": "15"}, "Steals": {"Kemba Walker": "1", "Al Jefferson": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Jefferson": "7", "Hassan Whiteside": "13", "Dwyane Wade": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Hassan Whiteside": "30", "Dwyane Wade": "32"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the visiting Charlotte Hornets, 115 - 103, to take a 20 lead in the Eastern Conference first - round playoffs Wednesday at American Airlines Arena. Both teams started the game strong, but the Heat were exceptional as they shot 74 percent from the field on their way to a playoff franchise - high 72 points in the first half and a 12 - point lead going into halftime. The Heat were able to ride their lead until the final buzzer as they matched Charlotte's 43 points in the relatively quiet second half. Meanwhile, Nicolas Batum left the game early in the fourth quarter after twisting his left ankle and did not return. Miami cooled down in the second half but still shot 58 percent from the field in the game, including 9 - 16 from downtown, while going 18 - 22 from the free throw line. Dwyane Wade led the way offensively for Miami as he finished with 28 points (11 - 22 FG, 6 - 7 FT), eight assists, three rebounds, two steals and one blocked shot, in 32 minutes. Hassan Whiteside continued his strong play with 17 points (8 - 8 FG, 1 - 1 FT), 13 rebounds, two blocks, one assist and one steal, in 30 minutes. Goran Dragic added 18 points, while rookie Josh Richardson chipped in 15 points off the bench. Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson combined for 54 points to lead the Hornets offensively. Walker finished with a game - high 29 points (12 - 29 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), along with five rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block, while Jefferson tallied 25 points (12 - 17 FG, 1 - 2 FT), seven rebounds, one assist and one steal. The Hornets shot only 1 - 16 from downtown but despite that managed to stay within striking distance as they had Miami's lead cut to seven, with three minutes remaining. The series now heads to Charlotte for Game 3 on Saturday. The Hornets will be happy to be back home, where they held a 30 - 11 record during the regular season."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gobert": "9"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Rudy Gobert": "67"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gobert": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "14"}}], "Rudy Gobert has quietly been putting together an All-Star-caliber season in 2016, as following his performance Wednesday of 17 points and 14 rebounds, the Frenchmen has now recorded nine straight double - doubles and double - digit rebounds in 15 straight contests. In total, Gobert has 20 double - double this season after recording 19 in all of his 2015 - 16 campaign. A big reason for that is his efficiently offensively, as while Gobert is n't a go - to player for the Jazz on the offensive end, he's making the most of his opportunities. It's telling when Gobert's 67 percent shooting performance from the field against the Kings was his second - worst mark of November, as the big man is shooting 81 percent from the field overall in the month of December and a remarkable 70 percent overall this season. So, while the Jazz may not always go to Gobert when in need of offense, they know they can trust him when the ball does find its way to him on the block."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Tobias Harris": "3"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "23", "Andre Drummond": "15", "Marcus Morris": "23", "D'Angelo Russell": "20", "Jordan Clarkson": "16", "Lou Williams": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "7", "Andre Drummond": "17", "Marcus Morris": "9"}, "Steals": {"Andre Drummond": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"D'Angelo Russell": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Lou Williams": "5"}}], "On Sunday, All-Star center Andre Drummond once again showcased his rebounding talent. Drummond came away with a team - high 17 boards to go along with 15 points and three steals. The team was led by Marcus Morris and Tobias Harris, who each scored 23 points. Harris added seven rebounds and three assists, while Morris added nine rebounds. The team as a whole shot around the same as its opponent, hitting 43 percent of its shots from the field. The Pistons finished with nine three - pointers. The Lakers, meanwhile, saw poor output from their starting five. While D'Angelo Russell scored 20, the other four starters combined for only 20 themselves. Once again, however, the Lakers' bench talent impressed. Sixth man Lou Williams scored a team - high 26 with five three - pointers. Guard Jordan Clarkson added 16 points of his own."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "36", "Celtics": "32"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "116", "Celtics": "109"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "40", "Celtics": "43"}}, {"Assists": {"Jae Crowder": "2", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jae Crowder": "8"}, "Points": {"Jae Crowder": "13", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "28", "Damian Lillard": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Jae Crowder": "10", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "9", "Damian Lillard": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "19", "Damian Lillard": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "11", "Damian Lillard": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "36", "CJ McCollum": "36", "Damian Lillard": "36"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "1", "Damian Lillard": "1"}, "Steals": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "1", "CJ McCollum": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "1"}, "Blocks": {"CJ McCollum": "1", "Damian Lillard": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"CJ McCollum": "1", "Damian Lillard": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Damian Lillard": "1"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (40 - 36) defeated the Boston Celtics (43 - 32) 116 - 109 at Moda Center on Thursday. The Celtics dropped their second straight game to Western Conference opponent\u2019s in the back and forth affair that featured two of the craftier coaches in the NBA. Terry Stotts\u2019 group got the better of Brad Stevens\u2019 currently fourth seeded team. Boston was able to get their shots off terrific creation in the first half and entered the third quarter with a slim four point lead, but C.J. McCollum and Al-Farouq Aminu were all but unstoppable down the stretch to give the Blazers the edge. Aminu made up for a brutal shooting night from Damian Lillard, who simply could not get into a rhythm at any point, or break away from the defensive swarm sent his way. Lillard finished with 14 points on 3 - of - 16 shooting, and did the majority of his damage from the free throw line. Aminu bailed out the all - star point guard with one of his best performances of the season, as he finished with 28 points, nine rebounds, one assist and a steal on 11 - of - 19 shooting in 36 minutes. Gerald Henderson and Allen Crabbe were efficient off the bench and aided the starters with a combined 26 points and nine rebounds. While the Celtics have success against the Eastern Conference, they fail to impress against the talent that the Western Conference throws their way, granted they just got Jae Crowder (ankle) back from an eight game absence. The integral part Crowder plays on both ends of the floor will give Boston a boost heading into the playoffs, as proven by his 13 points, 10 boards and two assists. It might take some time for Crowder to find his three point shot again, but when he does it will only make the Celtics better. Avery Bradley and Isiah Thomas sliced and diced through the Portland defense in the first half, and came out of the contest with a combined 42 points and 10 rebounds. The west coast trip continues for the Celtics, as they face up against the league\u2019s best Golden State Warriors (68 - 7) at Oracle Arena on Friday, while the Blazers welcome Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat (43 - 31) on Saturday."], [[{"Total points": {"Timberwolves": "75", "Mavericks": "98"}}, {"Assists": {"Chandler Parsons": "2", "J.J. Barea": "10", "Thaddeus Young": "6"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Chandler Parsons": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Chandler Parsons": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Chandler Parsons": "26", "Dirk Nowitzki": "25", "Dwight Powell": "20", "J.J. Barea": "22", "Thaddeus Young": "32", "Gorgui Dieng": "25", "Nikola Pekovic": "23"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "22", "Dirk Nowitzki": "16", "Dwight Powell": "6", "J.J. Barea": "7", "Thaddeus Young": "14", "Gorgui Dieng": "6", "Nikola Pekovic": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Chandler Parsons": "2", "Dirk Nowitzki": "9", "Dwight Powell": "10", "Thaddeus Young": "11", "Gorgui Dieng": "7", "Nikola Pekovic": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "2"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (29 - 13) beat the Minnesota Timberwolves (7 - 33) 98 - 75 on Wednesday. Dallas lead by just five points after an Anthony Bennett dunk early in the second quarter. The Mavericks then pulled away and never looked back, with their lead eventually reaching 25 points in the third quarter. Chandler Parsons and Dirk Nowitzki were the only two to reach double - digits in points in this blowout over the Timberwolves, who own the Western Conference's worst record. Nowitzki scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds in 25 minutes, while Parsons poured in 22 points on 9 - of - 13 shooting from the field in 26 minutes. J.J. Barea had seven points and ten assists in 22 minutes, coming off the bench versus his former team. Dwight Powell also came off the bench and finished with six points and ten rebounds in 20 minutes against Minnesota. The health and experience of the Mavericks was just too much to handle for the young Timberwolves. Nikola Pekovic made his return Wednesday night, after being out since the middle of November with an ankle injury. He came off the bench and had 14 points and four rebounds in 23 minutes. Gorgui Dieng, who took over at center when Pekovic went down, stayed in the starting lineup and played 25 minutes. Dieng had just six points and seven rebounds against Dallas. With trade rumors swirling, Thaddeus Young seemed unphased, putting up 14 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in 32 minutes. The Mavericks will play the Chicago Bulls (27 - 16) on Friday, and the Timberwolves will play the New Orleans Pelicans (20 - 21) on Friday."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Trail Blazers": "17"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "22", "Wesley Matthews": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Harrison Barnes": "10"}, "Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "28", "Wesley Matthews": "16", "Deron Williams": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Harrison Barnes": "7", "Deron Williams": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Wesley Matthews": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Wesley Matthews": "1"}, "Assists": {"Deron Williams": "5"}, "Steals": {"Damian Lillard": "1"}}], "Forward Harrison Barnes continues to shine in his featured role in Dallas. After years of playing fourth fiddle in Gooden State, Barnes has emerged as Dallas's leading scorer early in the season. On Wednesday, he led the team with 28 points on 10 - of - 22 shooting and added seven rebounds. Point guard Deron Williams, meanwhile, had 23 points to go along with five rebounds and five assists. Guard Wesley Matthews had 16, but went just 1 - of - 7 from behind the arc despite stellar theee - point shooting in recent weeks. Meanwhile, point guard Damian Lillard was a one - man show for Portland. The All-Star had 29 points and four assists while hitting three three - pointers. He shot 10 - of - 23 from the field. Portland struggled mightily in terms of protecting the ball, committing 17 turnovers while forcing only 10."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Markieff Morris": "2", "John Wall": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Markieff Morris": "1"}, "Points": {"Markieff Morris": "19", "Marcin Gortat": "12", "Bradley Beal": "17", "John Wall": "19", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "11", "Jason Smith": "16", "Tobias Harris": "18", "Reggie Bullock": "9", "Reggie Jackson": "19", "Stanley Johnson": "9", "Jon Leuer": "10", "Ish Smith": "9", "Aron Baynes": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "9", "Tobias Harris": "9"}, "Steals": {"Markieff Morris": "2", "John Wall": "2"}}], "Maurice Morris paced the Pistons with a 25 - point, 11 - rebound double - double and had a game - winning tip - in basket off a Tobias Harris miss at the buzzer. Reggie Jackson followed with 19 points, while Harris followed posted a near double - double of 18 points and nine rebounds. Reggie Bullock supplied nine points, and Jon Leuer led the bench with 10 points. Stanley Johnson, Arron Baynes and Ish Smith tallied a trio of nine - point efforts as reserves. John Wall co - led Washington with a 19 - point, 10 - assist double - double, while Markieff Morris also went for 19 points and added nine rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. Bradley Beal produced 17 points, while Marcin Gortat generated 12. Otto Porter posted 11 points, and Jason Smith led the bench with 16 points. Kelly Oubre, Jr. was productive as a reserve, supplying 11 points."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "28", "Kings": "26"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "114", "Kings": "105"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pelicans": "37", "Kings": "19"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "17", "Kings": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "6", "Rajon Rondo": "15", "Norris Cole": "10", "Jrue Holiday": "8"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "26", "Ben McLemore": "26", "Rajon Rondo": "17", "Ryan Anderson": "36", "Norris Cole": "17", "Jrue Holiday": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "10", "Rajon Rondo": "6", "Ryan Anderson": "9", "Norris Cole": "7", "Jrue Holiday": "5"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1", "Ben McLemore": "1", "Rajon Rondo": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ben McLemore": "5", "Rajon Rondo": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Ben McLemore": "1", "Rajon Rondo": "1"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (17 - 28) defeated the Sacramento Kings (20 - 26) 114 - 105 on Thursday night. New Orleans came into this game extremely shorthanded, but were still able to pull out an important win against a hot Kings team. The pace was incredible in this game, as the two teams combined for 187 shots. The Pelicans got off to a fast start and that really proved to be the difference, as they outscored the Kings 37 to 19 in the first quarter. Sacramento has been playing some of their best basketball of the season since the new year, but this does mark their third - straight loss. It wasn\u2019t for the faults of DeMarcus Cousins or Rajon Rondo though, as they both had great games. Cousins finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and five blocks, while Rondo tallied 17 points, 15 assists and six rebounds. Ben McLemore had one of his best games of the season as well, as he scored 26 points while hitting five three - pointers in the loss. Sacramento will look to bounce back on Saturday against the Memphis Grizzlies in their next game. New Orleans had to play this game without arguably their two best players, but this type of performance shows how talented their depth can be. Anthony Davis and Tyreke Evans both sat out with different ailments, but players like Ryan Anderson and Norris Cole stepped up in their absences. Anderson was the star of the game, as he scored 36 points while snatching down nine boards. Cole played a lot of point guard tonight and accumulated 17 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds in a great all - around performance. Jrue Holiday was no slouch either, as he amassed 25 points, five rebounds and eight assists off the bench. Up next for New Orleans is another winnable game against the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "41"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "9", "Bulls": "8"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "105", "Bulls": "100"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "13", "Bulls": "11"}}, {"Assists": {"Pau Gasol": "4", "Derrick Rose": "6", "Isaiah Thomas": "5", "Evan Turner": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Pau Gasol": "2", "Jared Sullinger": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Pau Gasol": "33", "Isaiah Thomas": "31"}, "Points": {"Pau Gasol": "16", "Jimmy Butler": "36", "Derrick Rose": "12", "Jared Sullinger": "10", "Isaiah Thomas": "20", "Evan Turner": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "15", "Jimmy Butler": "7", "Derrick Rose": "2", "Jared Sullinger": "16", "Isaiah Thomas": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jared Sullinger": "5"}}], "The Boston Celtics (13 - 9) defeated the Chicago Bulls (11 - 8) by a score of 105 - 100 on Wednesday night in Boston. Chicago has now lost three in a row, while Boston has now won six of their last eight. This win allowed Boston to jump up in the Eastern conference standings, while Chicago slid down to the edge of the play - off cut - off. The East is still so tight that one game is about the difference between third and ninth place. This was a close game the whole way but a troublesome 18 turnovers by Chicago allowed Boston some key momentum plays and the few extra possessions needed to score the win. The Celtics were led by their high - octane point guard, Isaiah Thomas, who finished with 20 points, five assists and five rebounds in 31 minutes. Thomas shot only 5 - 15 from the field but went 8 - 8 from the free throw line to make up for it. Jared Sullinger scored a solid double - double with 10 points and 16 rebounds, including five offensive, along with three blocked shots. Evan Turner contributed 13 points and seven assists in 28 minutes off the bench. The Celtics shot only 41 percent from the field as a team but made 24 - 28 free throws and forced 18 turnovers by Chicago. The Bulls shot a better percentage, grabbed more rebounds and committed less fouls than Boston, but could not manage the timely buckets to come out on top in this close game. Jimmy Butler led Chicago in scoring with 36 points on 12 - 24 shooting, along with seven rebounds, in 38 minutes. Pau Gasol put together a solid double - double with 16 points and 15 rebounds, along with four assists and two blocks, in 33 minutes. Derrick Rose chipped in 12 points, six assists and two rebounds, in 36 minutes. Next up for the Bulls is the second night of a back - to - back, in which they will be hosting the L.A. Clippers. Boston will stay home and wait until Friday to see if their hot streak and fast pace can topple the unstoppable Golden State Warriors."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Suns": "47", "Mavericks": "32"}, "Turnovers": {"Suns": "19"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "48"}}, {"Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "22", "Deron Williams": "23", "Devin Booker": "39"}, "Assists": {"Deron Williams": "12"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Deron Williams": "5", "Devin Booker": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Deron Williams": "15", "Devin Booker": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Deron Williams": "9", "Devin Booker": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyson Chandler": "19"}, "3-pointers made": {"Devin Booker": "6"}}], "The Mavericks saw the team spread around the offensive load in Thursday's win over the Phoenix Suns. All five starters scored in double digits, with point guard Deron Williams leading the team with 23. Williams added 12 assists and shot an impressive 9 - of - 15. Forward Harrison Barnes also scored well, posting 22 points. As a whole, the Mavericks hit 15 three - pointers and shot a stellar 48 percent from the floor. The team also dished out 29 assists in total. Phoenix, meanwhile, saw a big performance from sophomore guard Devin Booker. Booker shot 14 - of - 20 and 6 - of - 7 from three - point range en route to 39 points. Center Tyson Chandler, meanwhile, had 19 rebounds, contributing heavily to Phoenix's 47 - 32 advantage on the boards. Turnovers ended up extinguishing the Suns, however, as the team coughed up the ball 19 times on the night."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Magic": "13"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "33"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "6", "Jazz": "4"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "74", "Jazz": "87"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "10", "Jazz": "27"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "12"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "3", "Jazz": "6"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Jazz": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "8", "Derrick Favors": "1", "Jeff Green": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "6", "Jeff Green": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Gordon Hayward": "6", "Aaron Gordon": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Gordon Hayward": "39", "Derrick Favors": "36"}, "Personal fouls": {"Gordon Hayward": "1", "Derrick Favors": "1", "Jeff Green": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "1"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "20", "Derrick Favors": "18", "Rudy Gobert": "13", "Evan Fournier": "21", "D.J. Augustin": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "10", "Derrick Favors": "9", "Rudy Gobert": "13"}, "Steals": {"Gordon Hayward": "1", "Jeff Green": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Gordon Hayward": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Derrick Favors": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Derrick Favors": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Aaron Gordon": "1"}}], "The Orlando Magic fell to the visiting Utah Jazz 87 - 74 on Friday night at Amway Center. The Magic (3 - 6) led by four after three quarters but only scored 10 points in the fourth quarter while the Jazz (6 - 4) surged ahead with 27 in the quarter. Gordon Hayward has led the Jazz in scoring each game since his return to action on Nov. 6, resulting in three wins in four games for Utah. Their wins all came against sub - .500 teams but nonetheless they have been looking good. Hayward led the way for Utah in this one, finishing with 20 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, in 39 minutes while Derrick Favors followed up with 18 points and nine rebounds in 36 minutes, the most he has played in a game this season. Rudy Gobert stood his ground versus the Orlando bigs, finishing with 13 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks. The Jazz struggled shooting from distance going 7 - of - 28 but were able to make - up for it on the defensive end. Meanwhile, George Hill missed his third - straight game with a thumb injury. This marks the third loss in a row for the Magic, who have been struggling to find ways to score. They average less than 95 points per game and tried to shake things up by inserting Jeff Green into the starting lineup in place of Aaron Gordon, however it did not make much difference as Orlando still came up short, finishing with only 74 in this one. Orlando hit only 33 percent of its shots and only managed 13 assists, in contrast to 12 turnovers, as their offensive lagged. Evan Fournier led the way with 21 points and D.J. Augustin added 19 off the bench, but only two other players scored more than five points for the Magic. Next up for the Magic is a trip Oklahoma City to take on the Thunder on Sunday. The Jazz will be in Miami on Saturday for the second of a back - to - back."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "28", "Pacers": "30"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "96", "Pacers": "97"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hawks": "30", "Pacers": "19"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hawks": "24"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "34", "Pacers": "32"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "4", "CJ Miles": "2", "Jeff Teague": "6", "Glenn Robinson III": "1", "Thabo Sefolosha": "4", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Dwight Howard": "3", "Dennis Schroder": "7", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "2"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "34", "CJ Miles": "13", "Jeff Teague": "16", "Glenn Robinson III": "11", "Thabo Sefolosha": "12", "Paul Millsap": "23", "Dwight Howard": "9", "Dennis Schroder": "18", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "5", "CJ Miles": "5", "Jeff Teague": "4", "Glenn Robinson III": "4", "Thabo Sefolosha": "6", "Paul Millsap": "10", "Dwight Howard": "14", "Dennis Schroder": "1", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"CJ Miles": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"CJ Miles": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Jeff Teague": "1", "Glenn Robinson III": "1", "Dwight Howard": "1"}, "Steals": {"Jeff Teague": "1", "Glenn Robinson III": "1", "Thabo Sefolosha": "2", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Dwight Howard": "2", "Dennis Schroder": "3", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "35"}}], "The Indiana Pacers defeated the Atlanta Hawks, 97 - 96, at Phillips Arena on Sunday afternoon. The contest had a couple of intriguing sub - plots coming in, as Pacers point guard Jeff Teague was making his return to the city where he'd played his first seven seasons, and Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer was suspended for the game for making contact with a referee during Friday night's 135 - 130 loss to the Cavaliers. The actual contest exceeded expectations, as the Pacers (32 - 30) roared back from a 30 - 19 deficit after one quarter to forge a 50 - 50 tie by halftime. The two teams traded punches throughout the second half before Indiana mounted an exciting comeback over the final 1:43. Down 96 - 90 after a Paul Millsap 12 - foot driving floating jump shot, Teague and C.J. Miles each drained baskets, setting up a 23 - foot three - pointer from the left corner by 2017 Slam Dunk champion Glenn Robinson with 1 seconds remaining for the one - point victory. Paul George led Indiana with 34 points, which he supplemented with five rebounds and four assists. Teague was a distant second with 16 points, six assists, four rebounds, one steal and one block. Miles followed with 13 points, five rebounds and two assists. Robinson led the bench with 11 points, four boards, one assist, one steal and one block. Thaddeus Young and Myles Turner notably struggled, combining for just nine points on 4 - of - 12 shooting. Tim Hardaway, Jr. paced the Hawks (34 - 28) with 24 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal in 35 minutes off the bench, but missed a 25 - foot three - point attempt with 10 seconds remaining and Atlanta hanging on to a 96 - 94 lead. Millsap led the first unit with a 23 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included two assists and two steals. Dennis Schroder tallied 18 points, seven assists, one rebound and three steals. Thabo Sefolosha pitched in with a full line of 12 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Dwight Howard mustered a modest nine points but brought down 14 rebounds and also recorded three assists, two steals and one block. The Pacers next head to Charlotte to tangle with the Hornets on Monday night, while the Hawks remain home for their own Monday evening showdown with the Golden State Warriors."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "11", "Knicks": "29"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "99", "Knicks": "78"}, "Rebounds": {"Clippers": "50", "Knicks": "40"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "22", "Knicks": "5"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Knicks": "24"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "38"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Knicks": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Blake Griffin": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Carmelo Anthony": "29", "Andrea Bargnani": "20", "Blake Griffin": "35"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "19", "Andrea Bargnani": "9", "Blake Griffin": "13"}, "Turnovers": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrea Bargnani": "4", "Blake Griffin": "7"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (22 - 11) defeated the New York Knicks (5 - 29) 99 - 78 on Wednesday in a matinee game. Los Angeles has won two straight, and they were led by Blake Griffin, who put up 13 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists in 35 minutes. The Clippers dominated the glass, out - rebounding the Knicks 50 - 40. They also held New York to an anemic 38 percent shooting from the field and 24 percent from beyond arc. Los Angeles will have another relaxing matchup when they host the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday. New York has lost nine straight games, and this loss may have brought them to a new and unique low. Only one player scored in double digits for them, Carmelo Anthony, who scored 19 points in 29 minutes. Andrea Bargnani made his season debut after being sidelined since training camp with a hamstring injury. He put up nine points and four rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench. A lot of the Knicks' troubles are due to their attempt to change the culture their this season, but they've also been hindered by all the injuries they've had to deal with. J.R. Smith (heel) returned to the court, playing 17 minutes off the bench, but they were still without Amar'e Stoudemire (knee), Samuel Dalembert (ankle) and Iman Shumpert (shoulder). New York will try to right the ship when they host the surging Detroit Pistions on Friday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "37"}, "Rebounds": {"Warriors": "58", "Cavaliers": "35"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "18", "Kyrie Irving": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "6", "Kyrie Irving": "6"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "20", "Kevin Love": "3", "Kevin Durant": "21", "Draymond Green": "11", "Klay Thompson": "26", "Stephen Curry": "20"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "3", "Draymond Green": "5"}, "Assists": {"Draymond Green": "11", "Stephen Curry": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "13"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "4"}}], "The Warriors ran away with Monday's hotly - anticipated matchup against the Cavaliers, winning by 35 points. Reigning MVP Steph Curry scored 20 points to go with 11 assists in four steals in a statement game against a team that normally is able to contain him. All-Star guard Klay Thompson led the team with 26 points. Draymond Green recorded a triple - double with 11 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists to go with five blocks. Former MVP Kevin Durant added another 21 points and three blocks. All of that amounted to an absurd night for the Warriors, who finished shooting over 50 percent with 15 three - pointers, a 58 - 35 rebounding advantage, and 37 assists. It was very much so the opposite night for Cleveland, as the team's stars all struggled. LeBron James scored a team - high 20 but shot just 6 - of - 18. Kevin Love was held to three points, and Kyrie Irving shot only 6 - of - 19. The team finished at just 35 percent from the field with only 11 assists."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "41", "Rockets": "26"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "41", "Rockets": "41"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "48", "Rockets": "26"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "90", "Rockets": "100"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hornets": "23", "Rockets": "31"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "33", "Rockets": "55"}}, {"Assists": {"James Harden": "6", "Troy Daniels": "2", "Brian Roberts": "3"}, "Blocks": {"James Harden": "2", "Josh Smith": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"James Harden": "8", "Josh Smith": "6", "Corey Brewer": "1", "Troy Daniels": "6", "Brian Roberts": "12"}, "3-pointers made": {"James Harden": "1", "Josh Smith": "1", "Corey Brewer": "1", "Troy Daniels": "3", "Brian Roberts": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "20", "Josh Smith": "13", "Corey Brewer": "9", "Clint Capela": "4", "Troy Daniels": "10", "Brian Roberts": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "7", "Josh Smith": "5", "Corey Brewer": "5", "Clint Capela": "4", "Troy Daniels": "6", "Brian Roberts": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Harden": "16", "Josh Smith": "6", "Clint Capela": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"James Harden": "14", "Josh Smith": "5", "Clint Capela": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"James Harden": "2", "Brian Roberts": "1"}, "Points": {"James Harden": "29", "Josh Smith": "16", "Corey Brewer": "11", "Clint Capela": "10", "Troy Daniels": "15", "Brian Roberts": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "6", "Josh Smith": "11", "Corey Brewer": "3", "Clint Capela": "5", "Brian Roberts": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Josh Smith": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Corey Brewer": "24", "Clint Capela": "17", "Troy Daniels": "28", "Brian Roberts": "28"}}], "The Houston Rockets (55 - 26) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (33 - 48) 100 - 90 on Monday at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte. After coming into Monday sitting as the projected sixth seed in the Western Conference standings, the Rockets were able to pull themselves even with the San Antonio Spurs for the second overall seed. The Spurs still hold the tiebreaker over the Rockets though, so in order to get the second seed going into the playoffs, the Rockets will need both a win of their own and a Spurs loss in the final games on Wednesday. They'll also have to deal with the likes of the Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies as well though, who both remain just a half game back from the Rockets and Spurs. Despite shooting just 41 percent from the field and 26 percent from deep, the Rockets were still able come out with the win due to a strong third quarter where they out - scored the Hornets 31 - 23. Like he's done for the majority of the season already, James Harden put the team on his back and finished with a game - high of 29 points (7 - 20 FG, 1 - 8 3Pt, 14 - 16 FT), to go along with six rebounds and six assists. He did n't have the best day shooting the ball, but he continued to get to the free throw line at a very high rate. He's now combined for 59 points and 12 assists over his last two games, so he'll try and stay hot as the Rockets head into the playoffs later this week. Harden received some help from Josh Smith though, as he came off the bench for 16 points (5 - 13 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT), 11 rebounds and two blocked shots. He's also played well of late and has averaged 16 points and 7 rebounds over his last three games. Also off the bench, Corey Brewer added 11 points (5 - 9 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt) and three rebounds over 24 minutes, while Clint Capela chipped in with 10 points (4 - 4 FG, 2 - 4 FT) and five rebounds over 17 minutes. Dwight Howard was held out of this game for a night of rest. Like the Rockets, the Hornets also saw some strong contributions off their bench. Brian Roberts led the way, going 8 - for - 19 from the field and 5 - for - 12 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 23 points, while also adding five rebounds and three assists. With just one game left in the season, it's good to see Roberts end on a high note, as he's averaging just 7 points and 2 assists on the season. Troy Daniels also shot the ball well during his time on the court. Over 28 minutes, he finished with 15 points (6 - 10 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt) and two assists. It matched a season - high in points for Daniels, a season - high that he had just set during Friday's game against the Hawks. While the bench had a solid showing, the starters really struggled. Gerald Henderson and Kemba Walker were absolutely brutal, combining to go just 3 - for - 20 from the field and 0 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score just six points. The Rockets' finish the regular season off at home against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, while the Hornets will travel to Toronto to play the Raptors on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "20", "Bucks": "24"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "100", "Bucks": "88"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "19", "Bucks": "15"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bucks": "28"}}, {"Points": {"Greg Monroe": "28", "Khris Middleton": "20", "Carmelo Anthony": "24", "Kristaps Porzingis": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Greg Monroe": "10", "Carmelo Anthony": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "1", "Kristaps Porzingis": "5"}, "Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Kristaps Porzingis": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "5", "Kristaps Porzingis": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1"}}], "The New York Knicks (19 - 20) beat the Milwaukee Bucks (15 - 24) 100 - 88 on Sunday night. Most people would have expected the Bucks to be the better team at this point of the year, but this result shows just where these two teams are at right now. Milwaukee is one of the worst road teams in the NBA, as they are now 5 - 17 away from BMO Harris Bradley Center. What killed them here were the second and third quarters, in which they were outscored 58 - 36. The benches were also a huge difference, as Milwaukee got just 14 points off their bench to the Knicks 28. The Bucks continue to play bad basketball and it's a bit concerning with their starters playing so many minutes. Greg Monroe had been struggling lately, but he played well here, as he totaled 28 points and 10 rebounds in the loss. Khris Middleton also continued his scoring ways, as he scored 20 points, but failed to stuff the stat sheet like he usually does. What really hurt was a 1 - for - 8 shooting performance from Michael Carter-Williams, who was playing some of his best ball of the season prior to this game. The Bucks will look to bounce - back on Tuesday against the Chicago Bulls in their next game. The Knicks have been one of the surprises of the NBA this season and the all - around play of Carmelo Anthony is the most surprising aspect. Anthony is approaching a career - high in assists this season and is handling the offense better than he ever has in his career. In this game, he collected 24 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in the win. Kristaps Porzingis continued his good play too, as he scored 15 points and swatted away five shots. The five starters combined for 22 assists and that's a great number for any team. New York will look to keep this going against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "14", "Kings": "31"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "120", "Kings": "100"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Cavaliers": "30"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Cavaliers": "30"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Cavaliers": "29", "Kings": "30"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "37", "Kings": "21"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "44"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "6", "LeBron James": "2", "Kevin Love": "6", "JR Smith": "13", "Kyrie Irving": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rudy Gay": "4", "LeBron James": "1", "Kevin Love": "2", "JR Smith": "6", "Kyrie Irving": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "12", "DeMarcus Cousins": "14", "LeBron James": "16", "Kevin Love": "10", "JR Smith": "18", "Kyrie Irving": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gay": "6", "DeMarcus Cousins": "5", "LeBron James": "8", "Kevin Love": "2", "JR Smith": "8", "Kyrie Irving": "13"}, "Minutes played": {"Rudy Gay": "27", "DeMarcus Cousins": "29", "Rajon Rondo": "33", "JR Smith": "31", "Kyrie Irving": "35"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gay": "16", "DeMarcus Cousins": "14", "Rajon Rondo": "7", "LeBron James": "21", "Kevin Love": "11", "JR Smith": "22", "Kyrie Irving": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "7", "DeMarcus Cousins": "8", "Rajon Rondo": "8", "LeBron James": "10", "Kevin Love": "6", "JR Smith": "4", "Kyrie Irving": "3"}, "Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "16", "LeBron James": "10", "JR Smith": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "12"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LeBron James": "5", "Kevin Love": "6", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"LeBron James": "4", "Kevin Love": "5", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (37 - 14) defeated the visiting Sacramento Kings (21 - 31) 120 - 100, Monday night at Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland dominated this contest. The Cavs scored at least 30 points in each of the first three quarters and 29 in the fourth as their offense clicked against the struggling Sacramento defense. The largest lead for Cleveland was 24, which they reached a few times in the third and fourth quarters. The Kings have now lost eight of their last nine, while the Cavs have won two in a row. LeBron James notched his first triple - double of the season with 21 points (8 - 16 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT), 10 rebounds and 10 assists, along with two steals and one block, in 30 minutes. Kyrie Irving was on fire as well, finishing with 32 points (13 - 21 FG, 5 - 8 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT), 12 assists and three rebounds, in 35 minutes. Irving's 12 assists matches his career - high. J.R. Smith chipped in 22 points (8 - 18 FG, 6 - 13 3Pt), four rebounds and two assists, in 31 minutes. The Cavs shot a solid 47 percent from the field and 45 percent from deep in the game. Kevin Love was in action despite being questionable due to a bruised thigh. Love played 27 minutes and tallied 11 points (2 - 10 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT) and six rebounds. Five players scored in double digits for the Kings but as a team they shot only 44 percent from the field and missed 10 free throws. Rudy Gay led his team, with 16 points (6 - 12 FG, 4 - 6 3Pt) and seven rebounds, in 27 minutes. Gay was a late decision to play, after missing the last game with a sore ankle. DeMarcus Cousins shot only 5 - of - 14 from the field, totaling 14 points, eight rebounds and three assists, in 29 minutes, while Rajon Rondo did his best to get everyone involved and keep the offense moving as he dished 16 assists to go along with his seven points and eight rebounds, in 33 minutes. The Kings will move on to finish up their current four - game road trip with a contest in Philadelphia, on Wednesday. Cleveland will look to build on the their small, two - game win streak as they host the Lakers on Wednesday."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Suns": "16", "Pelicans": "11"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "14", "Jrue Holiday": "23", "Tim Frazier": "14", "Tyson Chandler": "14", "Eric Bledsoe": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "12", "Jrue Holiday": "3", "Tim Frazier": "11", "Tyson Chandler": "21", "Eric Bledsoe": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jrue Holiday": "1"}, "Assists": {"Tim Frazier": "11", "Eric Bledsoe": "8"}, "Steals": {"Tim Frazier": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Eric Bledsoe": "1"}}], "While each of these teams left the arena with 17 losses apiece, they left it all on the floor in this Western Conference matchup. The key for the Pelicans was the turnovers, as they forced 16 from the Suns, while committing just 11 on their end. New Orleans won this game with Anthony Davis struggling, as he totaled just 14 points and 12 rebounds on 4 - of - 17 shooting. Tim Frazier was the star, as he recorded a triple - double off the bench. Frazier finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists and five steals in the win. Jrue Holiday made a return from a turf toe injury to lead the team with 23 points in 39 minutes. Eric Bledsoe did all he could to keep the Suns hanging around, as he accumulated 32 points, three rebounds and eight assists. Tyson Chandler also had one of his best games of the year, accruing 14 points and 21 rebounds."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "38", "Pelicans": "36"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "7", "Pelicans": "22"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "90", "Pelicans": "82"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Cavaliers": "23", "Pelicans": "13"}, "Turnovers": {"Cavaliers": "11"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "26", "Pelicans": "14"}, "Number of team assists": {"Pelicans": "26"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pelicans": "26"}}, {"Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "27", "Kevin Love": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "10", "Kevin Love": "5"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "20", "Buddy Hield": "20", "Jrue Holiday": "11", "LeBron James": "26", "Kevin Love": "12", "Richard Jefferson": "12"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Buddy Hield": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Buddy Hield": "4"}, "Assists": {"Jrue Holiday": "13", "LeBron James": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Jrue Holiday": "4", "LeBron James": "7", "Kevin Love": "11", "Richard Jefferson": "12"}, "Steals": {"Jrue Holiday": "3"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, 90 - 82, at Quicken Loans Arena on Monday. Cleveland were expected to win this game rather easily, but it took a late run to escape with an important victory. In fact, the Cavaliers outscored the Pelicans, 23 - 13, in the fourth quarter to cap off their comeback win. There were seven ties and 15 lead changes in total, with neither team leading by more than 10 points. Both squads really struggled shooting, as the Cavaliers hit 38 percent of their shots, while New Orleans shot just 36 percent from the field. Rebounding was the biggest key for the Cavaliers, winning that battle, 56 - 45. Three-point shooting kept the Pelicans hanging around, as Cleveland went just 6 - of - 31 from long distance, to New Orleans' 11 of - 26. The Cavaliers bench outscored the Pelicans bench, 44 - 19, as well. The Pelicans (14 - 22) had a tough task here in Cleveland and they nearly pulled out an impressive road win. Anthony Davis once again led the team, as he accumulated 20 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks on 10 - of - 27 shooting. Buddy Hield tied that team - lead in scoring, as he dropped 20 points of his own, going 4 - of - 6 from three - point range. Jrue Holiday ran the offense at ease, collecting 11 points, four rebounds, 13 assists and three steals. The Pelicans will return to action on Thursday against the Atlanta Hawks. The Cavaliers (26 - 7) had to play this game without Kyrie Irving, but they let their other two studs take care of business. LeBron James carried the load, as he led the team with 26 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Kevin Love recorded a double - double, totaling 12 points and 11 rebounds on 5 - of - 19 shooting. The other three starters combined for just eight points, as they had three players come off the bench to drop at least 12 points. Richard Jefferson was the most valuable bench player, as he accrued 12 points and 12 rebounds. Cleveland will host the Chicago Bulls for their next game on Thursday."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pacers": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "6", "Jeff Teague": "4", "Khris Middleton": "2", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Paul George": "42", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "39", "Greg Monroe": "27"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "18", "Jeff Teague": "17", "Khris Middleton": "21", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "21", "Tony Snell": "10", "Greg Monroe": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "11", "Jeff Teague": "4", "Khris Middleton": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Greg Monroe": "7"}, "Steals": {"Jeff Teague": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Jeff Teague": "7", "Khris Middleton": "7", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Khris Middleton": "7", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1"}}], "Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton led the way for the Bucks with 21 points each. Antetokounmpo added eight rebounds, five assists, five steals and one block, in 39 minutes, while Middleton added three rebounds, two assists and one steal. Antetokounmpo had six turnovers, while Middleton gave up seven, as they each slightly tarnished their sweet stat lines. Greg Monroe came up big in 27 minutes off the bench, as he added 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds. The only other player to score in double digits for the Bucks was Tony Snell, who chipped in 10. Meanwhile, Paul George led the was for the Pacers with 18 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and three steals, in 42 minutes. Jeff Teague followed up with 17 points, four assists, four rebounds and three steals, but had an ugly seven turnovers."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Clint Capela": "16", "James Harden": "40", "Nene": "14", "Nikola Jokic": "16", "Gary Harris": "17", "Jameer Nelson": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Clint Capela": "8", "James Harden": "10", "Nene": "7", "Nikola Jokic": "5", "Gary Harris": "6", "Jameer Nelson": "7"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "10", "Nikola Jokic": "4", "Jameer Nelson": "11"}}], "This game had some playoff implications and it felt like a playoff atmosphere. It was close throughout, as there were 16 ties and 11 lead changes, with neither team leading by more than eight points. Free-throw shooting was key for Houston, as they went 28 - of - 35 from the charity stripe, while the Nuggets went 19 - of - 30. James Harden was the star, as he accumulated 40 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Clint Capela finished second on the team, amassing 16 points and eight rebounds. Nene Hilario came off the bench to provide 14 points and seven rebounds. Jameer Nelson was the Nugget's best player, as he collected 15 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists. Nikola Jokic amassed 16 points, five rebounds and four assists. Gary Harris produced 17 points and six rebounds. Jamal Murray, Kenneth Faried and Will Barton all scored in double figures off the bench."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "38"}}, {"Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "6", "Damian Lillard": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "20", "Mason Plumlee": "18", "CJ McCollum": "15", "Damian Lillard": "17"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers demolished the surging Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday on the backs of well - rounded and inclusive offense. Six Blazers scored double digits on Tuesday, and center Mason Plumlee led the way with 18 points. All-Star Damian Lillard dished out dimes at a high rate, leading the team with nine assists. Lillard scored 17 points, while guard C.J. McCollum had 15 of his own. Portland saw seemingly every shot drop, as the team shot 53 percent from the floor on the night. For the Thunder, meanwhile, it was a one - man show starring superstar Russell Westbrook. Though Westbrook played well below his season averages, he still led the team with 20 points and six assists. He did shoot just 7 - of - 19, however. The Thunder as a whole struggled badly on offense, shooting 38 percent and turning it over 20 times."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Clippers": "12"}}, {"Assists": {"Austin Rivers": "3", "Victor Oladipo": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "14"}, "Points": {"Marreese Speights": "18", "Brandon Bass": "18", "Victor Oladipo": "15", "Russell Westbrook": "17", "Enes Kanter": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Victor Oladipo": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "12", "Enes Kanter": "8"}}], "The Clippers are as injured as anyone right now and a 26 - point loss shows just how bad their struggling. The Thunder dominated all facets of this game, as they won the shooting, rebounding, assisting, blocks, steals and turnover differentials. Austin Rivers was the only Clippers starter in double figures, as he tallied 12 points and three assists on 3 - of - 12 shooting. Brandon Bass and Marreese Speights led the team in scoring, as they dropped 18 points a piece off the bench. Russell Westbrook was the star, as he recorded yet another triple - double late in the second quarter. He finished the game with 17 points, 12 rebounds and 14 assists. Victor Oladipo made his return from a lengthy wrist injury to accrue 15 points, four rebounds and two assists. Enes Kanter led the team in scoring, as he totaled 23 points and eight rebounds off the bench."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Nets": "49", "Knicks": "58"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "6"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "15", "Kristaps Porzingis": "19", "Willy Hernangomez": "16", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "15", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "12", "Willy Hernangomez": "16", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "7", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "8"}, "Assists": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "3"}}], "These are two teams that are struggling mightily right now, but the Knicks were able to prevail with a big road win. Their defense was key, as New York recorded 16 steals in their win. New York also dominated the rebounding, winning that battle, 58 - 49. Kristaps Porzingis led the Knicks in scoring, as he totaled 19 points and 12 rebounds. Willy Hernangomez was their most valuable player, as he amassed 16 points and 16 rebounds off the bench. Carmelo Anthony was second among starters with 15 points, but shot 6 - of - 22 from the field and was benched for the entirety of the fourth quarter. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was the Nets best player, as he accumulated 16 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Bojan Bogdanovic was n't far behind, collecting 15 points and seven rebounds. Trevor Booker and Caris LeVert combined for 22 points and 12 rebounds off the bench."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Raptors": "19"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "44"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "46"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "8", "Nets": "20"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "116", "Nets": "104"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "20", "Nets": "7"}}, {"Points": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "5", "Trevor Booker": "11", "Luis Scola": "9", "Sean Kilpatrick": "8", "Jeremy Lin": "12", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "19", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "14", "DeMarre Carroll": "17", "Jonas Valanciunas": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "15", "Kyle Lowry": "23", "Cory Joseph": "11"}, "Assists": {"Trevor Booker": "2", "Jeremy Lin": "4", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "3", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "8", "Cory Joseph": "4", "Terrence Ross": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Booker": "5", "Luis Scola": "5", "Jeremy Lin": "2", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "6", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "4", "DeMarre Carroll": "3", "Jonas Valanciunas": "14", "DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "4", "Cory Joseph": "7"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Booker": "1", "Jeremy Lin": "1", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Jeremy Lin": "1", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "1", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "1", "Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "20"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "7"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 116 - 104, at Air Canada Centre on Tuesday. The Nets (7 - 20) already faced some tough odds before the opening tip, as they checked in to Tuesday as losers in 11 of 12 road games, while the Raptors (20 - 8) had tallied 10 of their 19 wins at home. Both trends endured Tuesday, as Toronto rode a solid team shooting night and strong efforts from Kyle Lowry and Jonas Valanciunas to secure the victory. The Raptors tallied success rates of 46 and 44 percent, respectively, from the field and three - point range, while holding their visitors to under 40 percent shooting overall. The Nets were led by a pair of bench players, with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who posted 19 points, six boards, three assists, a steal and a block in 20 minutes, leading the way. Spencer Dinwiddie was second with 14 points, four rebounds, an assist and a block. Jeremy Lin drew the start and paced the first unit with 12 points, four assists, two boards, a steal and a block. Trevor Booker supplied 11 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal. However, no other member of the starting five got into double digits in the scoring column, as Luis Scola (nine points), Sean Kilpatrick (eight points) and Bojan Bogdanovic (five points) notably underperformed. Lowry filled out the stat sheet with 23 points, eight assists, four rebounds, three steals and a block. DeMarre Carroll was next with 17 points and three boards, going 7 - of - 11 from the field and 3 - of - 6 from behind the arc. DeMar DeRozan had a modest 15 points, which he complemented with two assists, a rebound and a steal. Valanciunas stepped up with a 10 - point, 14 - rebound double - double that also included a block. Terrence Ross led the second unit with a season - high 21 points, while also notching three rebounds, an assist and a game - high five steals. Cory Joseph was productive off the bench as well, tallying 11 points, seven rebounds and four assists. The Nets head back home to face the Golden State Warriors on Thursday evening, while the Raptors travel to Utah for a Friday evening date with the Jazz."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "30", "Pacers": "25"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "102", "Pacers": "105"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "23"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "24", "Pacers": "30"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "50"}, "Turnovers": {"Pacers": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "6", "Myles Turner": "1", "Ian Mahinmi": "2", "Monta Ellis": "3", "Jordan Hill": "2", "Evan Fournier": "2", "Aaron Gordon": "4", "Victor Oladipo": "8", "Brandon Jennings": "7"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "20", "Myles Turner": "12", "Ian Mahinmi": "14", "Monta Ellis": "21", "CJ Miles": "14", "Jordan Hill": "13", "Evan Fournier": "23", "Aaron Gordon": "10", "Nikola Vucevic": "19", "Victor Oladipo": "17", "Brandon Jennings": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "4", "Myles Turner": "8", "Ian Mahinmi": "9", "Monta Ellis": "4", "Jordan Hill": "10", "Evan Fournier": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "11", "Nikola Vucevic": "13", "Victor Oladipo": "7", "Brandon Jennings": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Myles Turner": "3", "Ian Mahinmi": "1", "Monta Ellis": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Myles Turner": "2"}, "Steals": {"Myles Turner": "1", "Ian Mahinmi": "2", "Monta Ellis": "2", "Evan Fournier": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Brandon Jennings": "2"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (30 - 25) defeated the Orlando Magic (24 - 30) 105 - 102 on Sunday. A tightly - contested affair neverthless featured a fair share of mistakes from both teams, and the victorius Pacers were actually more of a guilty party. Indiana committed 21 turnovers, 12 of which came from the starting five. However, four players from the first unit also managed double - digit scoring, as did two reserves, providing the visitors with a balanced attack. The Pacers also managed a 50 percent success rate from the field overall, and played solid defense on Victor Oladipo's three - point attempt in the closing seconds to prevent the go - ahead basket. Rookie Myles Turner subsequently hauled in the key defensive rebound, and made two free throws to help seal the tough road triumph. Monta Ellis led the way for Indiana with 21 points, which he supplemented with four rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. Paul George was right behind him with 20 points of his own, complemented with six assists and four rebounds. Ian Mahinmi was strong down low for the second consecutive game, managing 14 points, nine rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. Turner pitched in with 12 points, eight rebounds, an assist, a steal and three blocks. C.J. Miles paced the reserves with 14 points, while Jordan Hill supplied 13 points, 10 rebounds and a pair of assists off the bench as well. Indiana remains in second place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division, and is currently the fifth seed in the conference. They head to South Florida to take on the Miami Heat on Monday night. The Magic's attack was spearheaded by Evan Fournier's 23 points, to which he also added two assists, a rebound and a steal. Nikola Vucevic contributed a 19 - point, 13 - rebound double - double, while Oladipo registered 17 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, three steals and a pair of blocks. Aaron Gordon stepped up a second straight formidable effort on the glass, totaling 10 points, 11 boards, four assists and a steal. Newly acquired Brandon Jennings put together a second consecutive strong performance in pacing the reserves, contributing 12 points, seven assists, four rebounds and a pair of steals. Orlando remains in last place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division, and is currently four games behind the eighth - seeded Chicago Bulls. They head to Philadelphia to face off against the Sixers on Tuesday night."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "47", "Kings": "36"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "49", "Kings": "43"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "23", "Kings": "34"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "111", "Kings": "103"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bucks": "24", "Kings": "34"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "30", "Kings": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Rudy Gay": "3", "Ray McCallum": "4", "Brandon Knight": "5", "O.J. Mayo": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "4", "Ben McLemore": "8", "Ray McCallum": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1", "Khris Middleton": "2", "Brandon Knight": "6", "O.J. Mayo": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rudy Gay": "1", "Ben McLemore": "4", "Ray McCallum": "2", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "0", "Khris Middleton": "1", "Brandon Knight": "3", "O.J. Mayo": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "12", "DeMarcus Cousins": "20", "Ben McLemore": "12", "Ray McCallum": "8", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9", "Khris Middleton": "11", "Brandon Knight": "14", "O.J. Mayo": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gay": "7", "DeMarcus Cousins": "9", "Ben McLemore": "5", "Ray McCallum": "4", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4", "Khris Middleton": "4", "Brandon Knight": "8", "O.J. Mayo": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "12", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7", "Khris Middleton": "6", "Brandon Knight": "2", "O.J. Mayo": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Rudy Gay": "2", "DeMarcus Cousins": "10", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5", "Khris Middleton": "6", "Brandon Knight": "1", "O.J. Mayo": "7"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gay": "17", "DeMarcus Cousins": "28", "Ben McLemore": "16", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "13", "Khris Middleton": "15", "Brandon Knight": "20", "O.J. Mayo": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "8", "DeMarcus Cousins": "19", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7", "Khris Middleton": "10", "Brandon Knight": "6"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Ben McLemore": "30", "O.J. Mayo": "25"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Khris Middleton": "2"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (30 - 23) defeated the Sacramento Kings (18 - 34) 111 - 103 on Wednesday at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee. The Bucks were the superior shooters in this game, going 49 percent from the field and 47 percent from the three - point line, while the Kings went 43 percent from the floor and just 36 percent from beyond the arc. The Kings made a run in the fourth quarter, out - scoring the Bucks 34 - 24, but the Bucks were able to hold off the charge and secure an eight - point victory in front of their home crowd. Continuing his strong play this season, Brandon Knight did it again Wednesday, finishing with 20 points (8 - 14 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT), six rebounds and five assists. He had an awful outing against the Nets Monday, shooting just 17 percent (2 - 12 FG) from the field, so it was good to see him get back in a rhythm and shoot well. Khris Middleton had a strong showing as well, recording a double - double with 15 points (4 - 11 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT), 10 rebounds and two steals. He's had a nice stretch of two games, combining for 33 points, 14 rebounds and six steals. The Bucks did get some huge production from their bench, as O.J. Mayo went off for 21 points (6 - 14 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 7 - 7 FT), and four assists in just 25 minutes. He's been turning it on lately, averaging 16 points over his last five games. Giannis Antetokounmpo also played a factor, finishing with 13 points (4 - 9 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 5 - 7 FT), seven rebounds and two steals. For the Kings, DeMarcus Cousins did the bulk of the work, recording a game - high of 28 points (9 - 20 FG, 10 - 12 FT), to go along with 19 rebounds and four blocked shots. He's been dominant lately, averaging 25 points and 12 rebounds over his last four games. Rudy Gay had another strong showing, posting 17 points (7 - 12 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT), eight rebounds and three assists. It was his second game in a row shooting over 55 percent, as he's combined to go 17 - of - 30 from the field over that stretch. The third member of the starters to reach double figures was Ben McLemore. He went 5 - for - 12 from the field and 4 - for - 8 from the three - point line to score 16 points in 30 minutes. Ray McCallum added 11 points (4 - 8 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt) and four assists off the bench. The Bucks' next game will be at home against the Denver Nuggets on Friday after the All-Star break, while the Kings will be at home against the Boston Celtics on Friday after the All-Star break as well."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "44", "Suns": "36"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "51", "Suns": "43"}}, {"Points": {"Marquese Chriss": "8", "Tyson Chandler": "10", "Devin Booker": "31", "Eric Bledsoe": "12", "Alex Len": "8", "Jared Dudley": "8", "Andre Roberson": "11", "Steven Adams": "19", "Anthony Morrow": "11", "Russell Westbrook": "26", "Enes Kanter": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyson Chandler": "9", "Steven Adams": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Enes Kanter": "5"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "22", "Enes Kanter": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Enes Kanter": "1"}}], "Russell Westbrook exploded for 26 points, a career - high 22 assists and 11 rebounds, his 50th career triple - double. His spectacular performance helped overcome a remarkable effort on the other side from Devin Booker, who posted a game - high 31 - points. The Thunder managed a double - digit victory despite getting outshot by the Suns 51 to 43 percent from the field and 44 percent to 36 percent from three - point range. Eric Bledsoe finished with 12 points, while Tyson Chandler had a near double - double, posting 10 points and hauling in nine boards. Marquese Chriss, Jared Dudley and Alex Len all contributed eight points apiece. Steven Adams' 19 points and seven boards were second behind Westbrook, while Anthony Morrow and Andre Roberson produced 11 points each. Enes Kanter led the second unit with 12 points, adding five rebounds, an assist and a block."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "47", "Lakers": "22"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "62", "Lakers": "43"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "2", "Lakers": "8"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "149", "Lakers": "106"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Warriors": "41"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Warriors": "39"}, "Rebounds": {"Warriors": "48", "Lakers": "37"}, "Turnovers": {"Warriors": "10", "Lakers": "11"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "13", "Lakers": "8"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Ian Clark": "5"}, "Points": {"Ian Clark": "21"}}], "The host Golden State Warriors blew out the visiting Los Angeles Lakers, 149 - 106, on Wednesday night. Golden State (13 - 2) posted the highest scoring total of any team this season, recording 149 points. The Warriors were simply firing on all cylinders, shooting 62 percent from the field and hitting 19 three - pointers. Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, and Klay Thompson combined for 85 points and 13 three - pointers on the night. Golden State ran away with the game early on, scoring 41 points in the first quarter and 39 in the second, jumping out to an 80 - 49 lead by halftime. Bench guard Ian Clark scored an additional 21 points for the Warriors, including five three - pointers. Golden State managed to hold just about every significant edge, including rebounding (48 - 37) and turnovers (10 - 11). Perhaps most impressive of all, however, were the Warriors 47 assists on the night. Los Angeles (8 - 8), meanwhile, struggled from the field. Their issues were exacerbated by the absence of sophomore star D'Angelo Russell (knee). The Lakers hit just 43 percent of shots and made only eight three - pointers. The team saw significantly less ball movement than their opponents as well, recording just 22 assists. The blowout loss comes on the tail of an exciting near - buzzer beater against OKC on Tuesday. The two teams will rematch on Friday, this time in Los Angeles."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "13", "Pelicans": "32"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "112", "Pelicans": "96"}, "Turnovers": {"Warriors": "10"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "55", "Pelicans": "37"}}, {"Points": {"Quincy Pondexter": "15", "Alexis Ajinca": "15", "Tyreke Evans": "2", "Jeff Withey": "14", "Norris Cole": "16", "Jimmer Fredette": "10", "Harrison Barnes": "22", "Stephen Curry": "16", "Leandro Barbosa": "12", "Andre Iguodala": "10", "Marreese Speights": "13"}, "Minutes played": {"Alexis Ajinca": "19", "Tyreke Evans": "15", "Norris Cole": "37", "Harrison Barnes": "20", "Stephen Curry": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Alexis Ajinca": "8", "Tyreke Evans": "5", "Norris Cole": "5"}, "Assists": {"Tyreke Evans": "4", "Norris Cole": "4", "Stephen Curry": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "13", "Stephen Curry": "17", "Andre Iguodala": "8", "Marreese Speights": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Harrison Barnes": "9", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Harrison Barnes": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Stephen Curry": "3"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (55 - 13) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (37 - 32) 112 - 96 on Friday in Oakland. The Warriors improved to a league - best 32 - 2 at home and beat up on a injury - depleted Pelicans squad. For the second outing in a row, Harrison Barnes led the way for Golden State, scoring 22 points on 9 - of - 13 shooting in just 20 minutes. In his last two games, Barnes has totaled an incredibly efficient 47 points in 48 minutes of play. Stephen Curry struggled shooting the ball, going just 4 - of - 17 from the field and 2 - of - 10 from three, but was still able to total 16 points and 11 assists in 27 minutes. No other starters for the Warriors scored in double figures, but Marreese Speights (13), Leandro Barbosa (12) and Andre Iguodala (10) all scored in double figures off the bench. Klay Thompson continues to be out with an ankle injury, but Golden State has n't skipped a beat without him as they extend their lead in the Western Conference playoff race to 8 games. The Pelicans struggled Friday night as they were plagued with injuries in the frontcourt. Both Anthony Davis (ankle) and Omer Asik (calf) were ruled out prior to the game and are to be considered questionable going forward. As a result, Alexis Anjinca was put into the starting lineup and posted 15 points and eight rebounds in 19 minutes. Norris Cole lead the team in scoring, recording 16 points, five rebounds and four assists in 37 minutes. Cole played a bulk of the minutes at point guard as a result of Tyreke Evans still dealing with soreness in his ankle. Evans played just 15 minutes and had only two points to go with five rebounds and four assists. Quincy Pondexter (15), Jeff Withey (14) and Jimmer Fredette (10) round out the New Orleans players who scored in double figures. This was a costly loss for the Pelicans, as it pushes them two games behind the Thunder for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West with just 13 games remaining in the regular season. Up next, the Warriors will play the Jazz Saturday at home, while New Orleans will travel to Los Angeles Sunday to take on the Clippers."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "4"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "99", "Cavaliers": "100"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "9"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "21", "Kevin Love": "27", "Paul Millsap": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "10", "Kevin Love": "13", "Paul Millsap": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Love": "8"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Atlanta Hawks, 100 - 99, to sweep the Eastern Conference semifinals Sunday at Philips Arena. The reigning Eastern Conference champs and first seed are now undefeated through two rounds after sweeping the Detroit Pistons before moving on to the semifinals. The semis saw an emphatic sweep for the Cavs, who set the record for three - pointers in a game in their Game 3 blowout. While Sunday saw a close call for the Cavs, the team still saw strong performances from its stars. LeBron James scored 21 while also recording 10 rebounds and nine assists, finishing just shy of a triple - double. Kevin Love, meanwhile, led the game with 27 points while also pulling down 13 boards. Love had a whopping eight three - pointers. For the Hawks, meanwhile, the season ended short of the mark set in their 2014 - 15 campaign, but was cut short at the hands of the same opponent. After making it to the conference finals last season, the Hawks were easily handled in the semifinal series, losing all four games. Last year's All-Stars Jeff Teague and Kyle Korver combined for just ten points on Sunday, as Cleveland seemed to have an answer for everything the Atlanta backcourt had to offer. Star forward Paul Millsap, meanwhile, had a strong outing despite the loss, scoring 19 points and pulling down nine rebounds. The Cavaliers will face either the Toronto Raptors or the Miami Heat in the conference finals."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Spurs": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Spurs": "45", "Kings": "40"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "49"}}, {"Points": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "18", "Buddy Hield": "18", "Tony Parker": "16", "Pau Gasol": "22"}, "Assists": {"Tony Parker": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "9"}}], "On Sunday, the San Antonio Spurs exhibited classic team - centered offense en route to a blowout win. Seven Spurs scored in double digits, with the top scorer being veteran Pau Gasol with 22 points. The team shot over 49 percent from the field and hit 11 three - pointers on the night. San Antonio also dished out 31 assists and held a 45 - 40 rebounding advantage. Veteran Pau Gasol had nine rebounds in addition to his high scoring totals. Another veteran, point guard Tony Parker, also impressed, scoring 16 points to go along with a team - high seven assists. The Kings, meanwhile, saw a less stellar night on the offensive end. Despite shooting over 49 percent, it was tough for the Kings to score, as they shot only ten three - pointers on the night. Two Kings, sophomore Willie Cauley-Stein and rookie Buddy Hield, tied for the team - high scoring output with 18 points."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "52"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "51"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "13", "Warriors": "2"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "114", "Warriors": "91"}, "Rebounds": {"Mavericks": "52", "Warriors": "37"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "19", "Warriors": "29"}}, {"Points": {"Ian Clark": "21", "Zaza Pachulia": "14", "J.J. Barea": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Zaza Pachulia": "15"}, "Assists": {"J.J. Barea": "6"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (19 - 13) upset the Golden State Warriors (29 - 2) 114 - 91 on Wednesday night. Dallas looked like they came into this game on a mission and they sent a message to the rest of the NBA. The one asterisk to the win was that they beat the Warriors without Stephen Curry. The Golden State offense really struggled without him and it was clear they were missing his presence. Dallas took an 18 - point lead into the half and never looked back after that, outscoring them in every quarter. Dallas also dominated the rebounding and shooting, as they outrebounded Golden State 52 - 37 and shot 51 percent from the field and 52 percent from long distance. This team without Stephen Curry simply didn\u2019t look like the same team. No player stepped up in his absence and the offense really had a tough time of getting things flowing. No player scored more than 12 points in the loss outside of a garbage - time 21 from Ian Clark and the defense was lacking as well. Draymond Green was also hampered by an injury and that was evident by his subpar performance. Green and Klay Thomson combined to shoot 8 - for - 30 in the loss and that\u2019s simply not good enough with no Curry in the lineup. Golden State will look to bounce - back against the Houston Rockets on Thursday. The Mavericks got a great effort from everyone, as five different players scored at least 13 points. In the absence of Deron Williams, J.J. Barea has been playing brilliantly. In this game, he scored 23 points and dished out six assists. The unsung hero on this team is Zaza Pachulia though, who recorded yet another double - double here with 14 points and 15 rebounds. Pachulia now ranks fifth in the NBA with 17 double - doubles this season and has been one of the best offseason acquisitions at a bargain price. Dallas will look to keep the momentum going on Friday against the Miami Heat in their next scheduled game."], [[{}, {"Free throws made": {"Tobias Harris": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Andre Drummond": "2", "Brook Lopez": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Andre Drummond": "2", "Brook Lopez": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Brook Lopez": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "11"}, "Steals": {"Brook Lopez": "2"}}], "Detroit's results are heavily reliant on their defense, as they have allowed 109 points a game in their losses and 84 points a game in their wins. Drummond has really struggled defensively this season, as he has now allowed at least 32 points and 11 rebounds to Jonas Valanciunas and Brook Lopez. In addition, he as allowed Joakim Noah and Nikola Vucevic to grab at least 12 boards as well. His offense has n't been much better, as he's failed to crack 20 points in any game so far this season and has recorded just two double - doubles across five games. Tobias Harris has taken more responsibility though, as he has scored at least 16 points in all five games. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson struggles continued his new full - time role, as he's yet to score more than five points or grab five rebounds in any game this season, as he went scoreless in this win. The Nets were unconscious from deep in this game, going 13 - of - 27 from three - point range. Defensive rebounding was key as well, with the Pistons being held to 28 defensive rebounds, while the Nets recorded 40 of their own."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "34", "Pacers": "38"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "110", "Pacers": "97"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "41", "Pacers": "37"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "4", "Thaddeus Young": "3", "CJ Miles": "2", "James Ennis III": "2", "Mike Conley": "6", "Zach Randolph": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Paul George": "2"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "22", "Thaddeus Young": "16", "Aaron Brooks": "18", "CJ Miles": "15", "Vince Carter": "21", "James Ennis III": "7", "Mike Conley": "36", "Zach Randolph": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "3", "Thaddeus Young": "13", "CJ Miles": "3", "Vince Carter": "8", "James Ennis III": "10", "Mike Conley": "3", "Zach Randolph": "6"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "2", "James Ennis III": "2", "Mike Conley": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Vince Carter": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Vince Carter": "5"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Indiana Pacers, 110 - 97, at FedEx Forum on Wednesday. The Grizzlies have been dominant at home this season and this wire - to - wire win just adds to the resume. It was as one - sided as it could be, with the Grizzlies holding a double - digit lead for the final 35 minutes. While Memphis did n't dominate any statistic, it won nearly every one. In fact, Memphis ended up winning the shooting, assisting, turnovers, steals, fastbreak points and points in the paint differentials. The Grizzlies starters really took control, as they outscored the Pacers starters, 84 - 53. The Pacers (37 - 38) have struggled on the road all season and they never seemed to be in this game. Paul George once again led Indiana, as he tallied 22 points, three rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks. Thaddeus Young finished with 16 points, 13 rebounds and three assists. Aaron Brooks led the bench with 18 points, while C.J. Miles provided 15 points, three rebounds and two assists of his own off the pine. On deck for Indiana is a road matchup versus the Toronto Raptors on Friday. The Grizzlies (41 - 34) had to play this game without Marc Gasol (foot), but they still played well and pulled out a dominating victory. Mike Conley was the player of the game, as he collected 36 points, three rebounds, six assists and four steals. Vince Carter turned back the clock, as he totaled 21 points and eight rebounds on 5 - of - 8 shooting. James Ennis III got a rare start and totaled seven points, 10 rebounds, two assists and two steals. Zach Randolph was huge off the bench, as he provided 17 points, six rebounds and three assists. Memphis will look to keep rolling on Friday against the Dallas Mavericks."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "15", "Pelicans": "22"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "98", "Pelicans": "105"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "19", "Pelicans": "11"}}, {"Points": {"Anthony Davis": "31", "Dirk Nowitzki": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "14"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (11 - 22) narrowly defeated the Dallas Mavericks (19 - 15) on Saturday, 105 - 98. New Orleans has been plagued by injury all season, a trend that continued in Dallas as small forward Tyreke Evans (knee) sat out with tendinitis in his right knee. Despite Evans's absence, the team was able to walk away with a much - needed win. Fourth-year superstar Anthony Davis was dominant, pouring in 31 points and pulling down 14 rebounds for the double - double. Davis is averaging 23 points and 11 rebounds per game, and is second in the league in double - doubles to Detroit's Andre Drummond. Unlike New Orleans, Dallas has looked strong through the first third of the season. The team handed Golden State their second loss of the season on Wednesday, and stands at second place in the Southwest division. Aging superstar Dirk Nowitzki lit up New Orleans for 24 points, but his effort was not enough to top the young and up - tempo Pelicans. Dallas will play again on Tuesday, taking on the Sacramento Kings. New Orleans, meanwhile, will not play again until they see the Mavericks at home on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "21", "Heat": "30"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "113", "Heat": "93"}, "Turnovers": {"Cavaliers": "15"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "33", "Heat": "22"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Hassan Whiteside": "28"}, "Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "17", "LeBron James": "18", "Timofey Mozgov": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "14"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (33 - 21) routed the Miami Heat (22 - 30) 113 - 93 on Wednesday at the Quicken Loans Arena. The Cavaliers avenged their Christmas Day loss to the Heat with an easy victory Wednesday. Cleveland did not escape unscathed, however, as Kevin Love left the game in the third quarter with an eye injury. LeBron James had a double - double against his former team, finishing with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Miami was without Dwayne Wade once again, but his participation in Tuesday's practice indicates that he's nearing a return. Hassan Whiteside had another outstanding game as he finished the game with 17 points and 14 rebounds in just 28 minutes. The Heat have a slim one - game lead over the Nets for the final spot in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Cleveland's has only lost one time since Jan. 15. The Cavaliers got a good game out of their center as well, with Timofey Mozgov putting up a team - high 20 points on 7 - of - 8 shooting. The Cavaliers recent push has put them into the top half of the Eastern Conference playoff pool. Cleveland will travel to Chicago to take on the Bulls on Thursday in the final game before the All-Star break."], [[{"Total points": {"Rockets": "97", "Warriors": "96"}, "Rebounds": {"Rockets": "52", "Warriors": "43"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "1"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "2"}}, {"Field goals made": {"Draymond Green": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Draymond Green": "3", "Klay Thompson": "3"}, "Points": {"Klay Thompson": "17", "Marreese Speights": "22", "Ian Clark": "11", "Donatas Motiejunas": "14", "Dwight Howard": "13", "James Harden": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"Klay Thompson": "8", "Donatas Motiejunas": "13", "Dwight Howard": "13", "James Harden": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Marreese Speights": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Marreese Speights": "18"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Ian Clark": "3"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "9"}, "Personal fouls": {"James Harden": "3"}}], "The Houston Rockets defeated the visiting Golden State Warriors, 97 - 96, in Game 3 of the Western Conference first - round playoffs Thursday at Toyota Center. The Warriors lead the series, 2 - 1. Houston had an early 17 - point lead, but let that slip away and had to rely on a James Harden game - winner at the end. Despite shooting under 40 percent from the field, Houston made five more three's than the Warriors and outrebounded them 52 - 43. Golden State now has a 2 - 1 lead and will stay in Houston for Game 4. The Warriors were without Stephen Curry and clearly missed the MVP. Marreese Speights was great off the bench though, as he led the team with 22 points in just 18 minutes of action. Klay Thompson scored 17 of his own, while also grabbing eight rebounds. Ian Clark's 11 points do n't jump off the page, but he scored nine points in the fourth and hit a go - ahead basket with 10 seconds left. With a chance to win with three seconds left, Draymond Green sloppily bounced the ball off his foot and had it roll out of bounds to decide the game. The Rockets came out with some serious motivation in Game 3, as they took a 13 - point lead after the first. Harden flirted with a triple - double in the win, as he tallied 35 points, eight rebounds and nine assists. Most importantly, Harden hit a game - winning jumper with less than three seconds left to pull out the win. Dwight Howard recorded a double - double, as he scored 13 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Donatas Montiejunas got his second - straight start and also recorded a double - double, totaling 14 points and 13 rebounds. The Rockets will look to even up the series in another home game on Sunday before they travel back to Oakland next Wednesday for Game 5."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "33", "Celtics": "19"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "98", "Celtics": "111"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Mavericks": "32", "Celtics": "22"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Mavericks": "16"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "22", "Celtics": "36"}}, {"Assists": {"Marcus Smart": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "8", "Yogi Ferrell": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marcus Smart": "11", "Yogi Ferrell": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Marcus Smart": "6", "Yogi Ferrell": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Marcus Smart": "35", "Isaiah Thomas": "34"}, "Points": {"Marcus Smart": "19", "Isaiah Thomas": "29", "Yogi Ferrell": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcus Smart": "3"}, "Steals": {"Marcus Smart": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Yogi Ferrell": "5"}}], "The Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks 111 - 98 Monday at American Airlines Center. The Celtics (36 - 19) held a comfortable 11 - points lead headed into halftime and looked to be well on their way to their third straight victory. However, a run in the third quarter from the Mavericks (22 - 32) brought them to within one and made it a game. But that competitiveness lasted just 12 minutes, as Boston turned it back on in the final period, especially on defense, as they held Dallas to just 16 points. Isaiah Thomas led the way in the end for the Celtics, scoring a game - high 29 points and dishing out eight assists in 34 minutes. But the most important performance of the night came from starting shooting guard Marcus Smart, as he continues to play some of the best basketball of his young career. He finished with 19 points on on 6 - of - 11 shooting, three rebounds, three assists and two steals in 35 minutes. Boston has now won nine of their last 10 games. As for the Mavericks (22 - 33), the loss ends a brief two - game winning streak for the team. In the loss, however, they received another hot shooting performance from Yogi Ferrell, who has officially played his way into being a regular in Dallas' rotation, even with the presence of starter Deron Williams. Ferrell finished with 20 points on 8 - of - 11 shooting from the field and five assists in 32 minutes off the bench. Ferrell's shooting stroke was n't particularly contagious, however, as the team managed to shoot just 46 percent from the field in the end. On top of that, the five reserves other than Ferrell that saw the court Monday combine for just 11 points in the losing effort. Up next, the Celtics will return home Wednesday to take on the 76ers, while the Mavericks will head to Detroit on Wednesday to take on the Pistons."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Bulls": "34"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "60"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "13", "Pistons": "16"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "113", "Pistons": "82"}, "Rebounds": {"Bulls": "46", "Pistons": "32"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "14", "Pistons": "14"}}, {"Points": {"Tobias Harris": "10", "Jon Leuer": "16", "Jimmy Butler": "19", "Taj Gibson": "16", "Rajon Rondo": "10", "Doug McDermott": "13", "Nikola Mirotic": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "4", "Jon Leuer": "5", "Jimmy Butler": "3", "Taj Gibson": "4", "Rajon Rondo": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jon Leuer": "9", "Taj Gibson": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Jon Leuer": "7", "Taj Gibson": "8"}, "Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "6", "Rajon Rondo": "14"}}], "The Chicago Bulls blew out the Detroit Pistons, 113 - 82, at United Center on Monday. This was as lopsided of a game as you'll see in the NBA, as none of the starters played in the fourth quarter. The first half was when it really got out of hand, as the Bulls led 69 - 34 headed into the locker room. In that first half, Chicago shot 73 percent from the field and dished out 24 assists. For the game, the Bulls shot 60 percent and recorded 34 assists in 49 made baskets. They also dominated the rebounding, winning that battle, 46 - 32. This was a wire - to - wire win for the Bulls, as they held a double - digit lead for the final 40 - plus minutes. Detroit (14 - 16) has struggled on the road all season and this sort of loss only adds to those deficiencies. Not one of the five starters played well, as none of them surpassed 10 points, four rebounds or three assists. Tobias Harris was the lone starter in double figures, as he tallied 10 points and four rebounds. Jon Leuer led the team in scoring, as he tallied 16 points and five rebounds on 7 - of - 9 shooting off the bench. Detroit will look to play better on Wednesday, when they host the Memphis Grizzlies for their next game. Chicago (14 - 13) had been struggling coming into this game, so a blowout win like this is just what they needed. All five starters for the Bulls played well, as they each scored in double figures and all shot at least 60 percent from the field. Jimmy Butler led the team in scoring, as he accumulated 19 points, three rebounds and six assists. Rajon Rondo fell just shy of a triple - double, as he collected 10 points, eight rebounds and 14 assists. Taj Gibson went a perfect 8 - of - 8 from the field to total 16 points and four boards. Doug McDermott and Nikola Mirotic provided 13 points a piece off the bench. The Bulls will look to keep rolling on Wednesday, when they host the Washington Wizards for their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "25", "Trail Blazers": "29"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "116", "Trail Blazers": "93"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Celtics": "30"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Celtics": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Celtics": "57"}, "Turnovers": {"Celtics": "5"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "37", "Trail Blazers": "33"}}, {"Points": {"CJ McCollum": "17", "Isaiah Thomas": "30", "Marcus Smart": "15"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Damian Lillard": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Damian Lillard": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Damian Lillard": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Marcus Smart": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcus Smart": "11"}}], "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."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "51"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "26", "76ers": "71"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "122", "76ers": "98"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Raptors": "32"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Raptors": "32", "76ers": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Raptors": "52", "76ers": "32"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "55", "76ers": "10"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"76ers": "43"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"76ers": "38"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"76ers": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"Nerlens Noel": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Nerlens Noel": "1"}, "Points": {"Nerlens Noel": "14", "Robert Covington": "24", "Ish Smith": "18", "Norman Powell": "18", "Jonas Valanciunas": "17", "Terrence Ross": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Nerlens Noel": "10", "Jonas Valanciunas": "11"}, "Steals": {"Nerlens Noel": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Robert Covington": "10", "Ish Smith": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Robert Covington": "6", "Ish Smith": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Robert Covington": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ish Smith": "11", "Jonas Valanciunas": "16", "Terrence Ross": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Ish Smith": "8", "Jonas Valanciunas": "8", "Terrence Ross": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Terrence Ross": "27"}}], "The Raptors (55 - 26) steamrolled the 76ers (10 - 71) Tuesday night at Air Canada Centre, 122 - 98. Philadelphia's offense exploded for 38 points in the second quarter, in which the 76ers knocked down seven of their 15 three - pointers of the game. But the hot shooting could n't last, as the Raptors held Philadelphia to 13 points in the third quarter and turned a six - point deficit into a 13 - point lead, and they would cruise to the finish line. Norman Powell's 18 points led the Raptors as he shot 6 - 10 from the field and knocked down a pairo f three - pointers. Jonas Valanciunas posted a double - double with 17 points (8 - 16 FG) and 11 rebounds, and Terrence Ross scored 17 points (7 - 10 FG) in 27 minutes off the bench. The Raptors shot 51 percent from the field and made 10 - 25 from three - point land, too much offensive firepower for the 76ers to handle. Robert Covington knocked down six of his 10 three - point attempts en route to scoring a game - high 24 points for Philadelphia. Ish Smith had an efficient night from the field (8 - 11 FG, 2 - 3 3PT) for 18 points, and Nerlens Noel notched a double - double with 14 points and 10 rebounds to go with three assists, three steals and a block. Philadelphia was hot from outside, making 13 - 35 (43 percent) from three, but they got destroyed on the glass, with the Raptors grabbing 52 rebounds against the 76ers' 32. Philadelphia's season ends Wednesday against the Bulls. The Raptors finish their campaign Wednesday in Brooklyn."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "44"}, "Losses": {"Timberwolves": "13", "Knicks": "9"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "104", "Knicks": "106"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "5", "Knicks": "9"}, "Turnovers": {"Knicks": "13"}}, {"Points": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "29", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "47"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "15"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "20"}, "Free throws made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "17"}}], "The visiting New York Knicks narrowly beat the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, 106 - 104. The Knicks (9 - 9) held a double - digit lead early in the fourth quarter but almost saw an incredible comeback from the Wolves. Minnesota was able to tie the game with under a minute remaining, but could not close out the contest at the very end. For New York, sophomore big man Kristaps Porzingis led the way with an impressive 29 points. The 21 - year - old Latvian forward also added eight rebounds, four assists, and two blocks. The Knicks were able to see big offensive output as a team thanks to their three - point shooting, as the team hit 13 threes while holding Minnesota to just four. Minnesota (5 - 13) saw a career night from reigning Rookie of the Year Karl-Anthony Towns despite the loss. Towns led the team with 47 points on 15 - of - 22 shooting and 17 - of - 20 from the free - throw line. The center added 18 rebounds in three blocks in what was truly a spectacular night for the young star. The night was less spectacular for the rest of the Timberwolves' roster, as the team shot just 44 percent and took the loss despite Towns' ridiculous performance. Wolves not named Towns shot 1 - of - 15 from three - point range, and the team struggled to find consistent offense all night. The two teams will rematch in New York on Friday night."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "21", "Hornets": "35"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "44", "Hornets": "52"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "39", "Hornets": "33"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "101", "Hornets": "108"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pistons": "17"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "23", "Hornets": "28"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hornets": "24"}, "Turnovers": {"Hornets": "9"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Cody Zeller": "5", "Al Jefferson": "14", "Gerald Henderson": "12", "Mo Williams": "15", "Greg Monroe": "11", "Andre Drummond": "13", "Reggie Jackson": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"Cody Zeller": "4", "Al Jefferson": "10", "Gerald Henderson": "5", "Mo Williams": "6", "Greg Monroe": "7", "Andre Drummond": "7", "Reggie Jackson": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Cody Zeller": "3", "Al Jefferson": "6", "Gerald Henderson": "2", "Mo Williams": "8", "Greg Monroe": "6", "Andre Drummond": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Cody Zeller": "3", "Al Jefferson": "4", "Gerald Henderson": "2", "Mo Williams": "8", "Greg Monroe": "4", "Andre Drummond": "2"}, "Points": {"Cody Zeller": "11", "Al Jefferson": "24", "Gerald Henderson": "13", "Mo Williams": "21", "Greg Monroe": "18", "Andre Drummond": "16", "Reggie Jackson": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Cody Zeller": "7", "Al Jefferson": "8", "Gerald Henderson": "6", "Greg Monroe": "11", "Andre Drummond": "5", "Reggie Jackson": "7"}, "Assists": {"Al Jefferson": "3", "Gerald Henderson": "9", "Mo Williams": "9", "Greg Monroe": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Al Jefferson": "30", "Mo Williams": "37"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Gerald Henderson": "3", "Mo Williams": "5", "Reggie Jackson": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Gerald Henderson": "1", "Mo Williams": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "2"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (28 - 33) defeated the Detroit Pistons (23 - 39) 108 - 101 on Sunday at the Palace of Auburn Hills. These teams continue to go in opposite directions, as the Hornets have now won five in a row, while the Pistons have brought their losing streak to six in a row. With the win, the Hornets have surprisingly pushed themselves to the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference standings, a half game above both the Pacers and Heat. The Hornets were the superior shooters in this one, going 52 percent from the field and 35 percent from the three - point line, while the Pistons finished at 44 percent from the floor and just 21 percent from deep. The Hornets were led by Al Jefferson, who scored a team - high of 24 points (10 - 14 FG, 4 - 6 FT), while adding eight rebounds and three assists in 30 minutes. Jefferson has been the model of consistency for this team, as he's now averaged 22 points and 11 rebounds over his last four games. Jefferson received some help from Mo Williams though, who finished with 21 points (6 - 15 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 8 - 8 FT) and nine assists in 37 minutes. Since coming over from the Timberwolves at the trade deadline, he's been a fantastic pick - up and is averaging 22 points and 9 rebounds over nine games with the Hornets. Gerald Henderson came close to a triple - double, as he posted 13 points (5 - 12 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), six rebounds and nine assists. The nine assists matched a season - high for him, while he's picked up his scoring of late and is averaging 17 points over his last four games. Cody Zeller pitched in with 11 points (4 - 5 FG, 3 - 3 FT) and seven rebounds as well. Reggie Jackson may finally be getting comfortable with his new team, as he posted arguably his best game with the Pistons since coming over from the Thunder at the trade deadline. He went 9 - for - 21 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 25 points, while also adding seven rebounds and seven assists. In seven games since joining the Pistons, he's averaging 17 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists per game. Greg Monroe also did his best to keep the Pistons close, recording 18 points (7 - 11 FG, 4 - 6 FT), 11 rebounds and four assists. The double - double marked his sixth over his last seven games, as he's now averaging a double - double on the season. Playing just 23 minutes, Andre Drummond was efficient with his time and posted 16 points (7 - 13 FG, 2 - 4 FT), five rebounds and two blocked shots. He usually plays in the mid - thirties for minutes, but the Pistons gave him some rest with a lighter work load on Sunday. The Hornets' next game will be at home against the Washington Wizards on Monday, while the Pistons will travel to Los Angeles to play the Lakers on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bulls": "29"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "7", "Suns": "13"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "101", "Suns": "103"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "11", "Suns": "9"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Suns": "10"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Suns": "42"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Alex Len": "14", "Brandon Knight": "14", "Mirza Teletovic": "12", "Pau Gasol": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Alex Len": "6", "Brandon Knight": "7", "Mirza Teletovic": "7", "Pau Gasol": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Alex Len": "4", "Mirza Teletovic": "2", "Pau Gasol": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Alex Len": "3", "Mirza Teletovic": "2", "Pau Gasol": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Alex Len": "22"}, "Points": {"Alex Len": "15", "Brandon Knight": "21", "Mirza Teletovic": "20", "Pau Gasol": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Alex Len": "6", "Mirza Teletovic": "4", "Pau Gasol": "10"}, "Assists": {"Mirza Teletovic": "2", "Pau Gasol": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Mirza Teletovic": "6", "Pau Gasol": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Mirza Teletovic": "4", "Pau Gasol": "1"}}], "The Suns (9 - 13) came all the way back to defeat the Bulls (11 - 7) 103 - 101 at United Center on Monday. After a Derrick Rose missed jumper, the Suns got the ball with a chance to win the game. Jon Leuer missed a 3 - pointer from the corner, but Mirza Teletovic managed to track down the rebound and hit a fadeaway putback to lift Phoenix to victory after scoring 42 points in the final frame. The Bulls will want to have this one back, as they blew a 16 - point lead heading into the fourth quarter and lost to an inferior team for the second consecutive game. The win ended a four - game losing streak for the Suns, who are an uninspiring 2 - 8 in their last 10 games. Not only did Teletovic hit the game - winner, he also matched his season high with 20 points (7 - 12 FG, 4 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) to go along with four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Behind him was Brandon Knight with 21 points on 7 - of - 14 shooting from the field, as well as a surprising performance from Alex Len, who started again in place of Tyson Chandler. Len scored 15 points (6 - 14 FG, 3 - 4 FT) and pulled down six boards over 22 minutes. The loss for the Bulls was perhaps their worst defeat of the season as they allowed their highest 4th - quarter point total since 1997. The defense struggled down the stretch and the offense was unable to produce anything during crunch time. Pau Gasol continues to be the one constant, scoring 22 points (7 - 13 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT) with 10 rebounds (fourth straight double - double) and six assists. Three-point shooting killed the Bulls, as the team finished 6 - for - 21 (29 percent) from distance. The bench was also ineffective, scoring a combined 23 points. The Suns head back home to take on the Magic on Wednesday; the Bulls are back on the road and will head to Boston to face the Celtics."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "3", "Zach LaVine": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Andrew Wiggins": "39", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "39", "Zach LaVine": "43"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Zach LaVine": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Zach LaVine": "3"}, "Steals": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Zach LaVine": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "3", "Zach LaVine": "3"}}], "Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau has been known since his days in Chicago as someone who plays his starters heavy minutes, and the same thing appears to be happening with his young legs in Minnesota. The Wolves' three stars - - Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine - - each played over 39 minutes Tuesday against the Bulls, with LaVine playing a game - high 43 minutes. This also was n't just a one - time instance, as LaVine currently ranks second in the NBA in minutes per game behind just Anthony Davis, with Wiggins being eighth on the list and Towns playing the 18th highest minutes. And while some may see it as Thibs playing his starters too much, he does n't have much of a choice given the lack of production coming from his bench, as the Timberwolves also rank dead last in the NBA in bench scoring per game, as well as minutes per game."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "7", "76ers": "24"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "114", "76ers": "93"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "24", "76ers": "4"}}, {"Assists": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "5", "Tony Wroten": "4", "Damian Lillard": "9"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "1", "KJ McDaniels": "1", "Tony Wroten": "4", "Nicolas Batum": "4", "Wesley Matthews": "14", "Damian Lillard": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "0", "Tony Wroten": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "1", "Wesley Matthews": "7", "Damian Lillard": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "20", "Tony Wroten": "13", "Nicolas Batum": "8", "Wesley Matthews": "18", "Damian Lillard": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "8", "Tony Wroten": "7", "Nicolas Batum": "5", "Wesley Matthews": "9", "Damian Lillard": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "4", "Nicolas Batum": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "3"}, "Points": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "17", "KJ McDaniels": "12", "Tony Wroten": "22", "Nicolas Batum": "14", "Wesley Matthews": "25", "Damian Lillard": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "6", "KJ McDaniels": "4", "Joel Freeland": "17"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"KJ McDaniels": "1", "Tony Wroten": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"KJ McDaniels": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"KJ McDaniels": "1"}, "Steals": {"Tony Wroten": "2"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (24 - 7) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (4 - 24) 114 - 93 on Friday at the Moda Center in Portland. The Sixers just did n't have the offensive fire power to keep up with the Trail Blazers in this one. As a team, the Trail Blazers got off a ridiculous amount of three - point shots and converted on 18 - of - 43. The Sixers on the other hand went 3 - for - 14 from deep, putting them at a severe disadvantage. The Sixers were also out - rebounded 48 - 42. With LaMarcus Aldridge sitting out, both Damian Lillard and Wes Matthews took control of the game. Lillard went 9 - for - 17 from the field and 3 - for - 8 from the three - point line to score 28 points, while also chipping in with nine assists. He has been unstoppable in his last two games, averaging 34 points, 10 assists and 6 rebounds over that span. Matthews went 9 - for - 18 from the floor and 7 - for - 14 from beyond the arc to finish with 25 points. He's now had consecutive games of 22 and 25 points, as he keeps increasing his season points average that is now at 16 points per game. The only other Blazer to reach double figures in points was Nicolas Batum who finished with 14 points (5 - 8 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT). Also, Joel Freeland had a season - high of 17 rebounds, as he was pushed into the starting lineup. The Sixers had a strong push from the bench in this one, with Tony Wroten and KJ McDaniels reaching double figures. Wroten went 7 - for - 13 from the field and 1 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 22 points, while also adding four assists and a pair of steals. After shooting only 27 percent (3 - 11 FG) against the Magic last Sunday, it was good to see him with a bounce back game. McDaniels finished with 12 points and four rebounds. The rookie continues to be a pleasant surprise for the Sixers, as he has been very productive all year. The only starter to reach double - digit points was Michael Carter-Williams. He had 17 points (8 - 20 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 1 - 4 FT), six rebounds and five assists, as he's the Sixers best offensive option. The Trail Blazers' next game will be at home against the New York Knicks on Sunday, while the Sixers will travel to Utah to play the Jazz on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "9", "Grizzlies": "4"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "116", "Grizzlies": "117"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "17", "Grizzlies": "21"}}, {"Points": {"Zach Randolph": "21", "Marc Gasol": "26", "Mike Conley": "14", "Vince Carter": "18", "Kosta Koufos": "16", "Tim Duncan": "23", "Danny Green": "25", "Manu Ginobili": "21", "Boris Diaw": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "21", "Marc Gasol": "9", "Mike Conley": "8", "Kosta Koufos": "7", "Tim Duncan": "16", "Danny Green": "7", "Manu Ginobili": "8", "Boris Diaw": "13"}, "Assists": {"Mike Conley": "10", "Danny Green": "3", "Manu Ginobili": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Vince Carter": "6", "Tim Duncan": "9", "Danny Green": "9", "Manu Ginobili": "7", "Boris Diaw": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Vince Carter": "41", "Tim Duncan": "48", "Danny Green": "52", "Cory Joseph": "38", "Manu Ginobili": "41", "Boris Diaw": "39", "Marco Belinelli": "43"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tim Duncan": "22", "Danny Green": "17", "Manu Ginobili": "20", "Boris Diaw": "15"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tim Duncan": "15", "Manu Ginobili": "7", "Boris Diaw": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Tim Duncan": "5", "Manu Ginobili": "3", "Boris Diaw": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Danny Green": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Danny Green": "13", "Manu Ginobili": "9", "Boris Diaw": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Danny Green": "7", "Manu Ginobili": "4", "Boris Diaw": "3"}, "Steals": {"Danny Green": "2"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (21 - 4) grabbed an impressive road victory 117 - 116 in triple - overtime against the San Antonio Spurs (17 - 9) on Wednesday. Memphis battled through three overtimes on the road without defensive stopper Tony Allen (eye). It was a great team effort, as six players scored in double figures, including Vince Carter, who scored 18 points in 41 minutes off the bench, and Kosta Koufos, who posted 16 points and seven rebounds off the bench. Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph and Mike Conley led the charge. Gasol posted 26 points with nine rebounds and hit a game - tying three - pointer as time expired at the end of regulation. Randolph had an incredible double - double of 21 points and 21 reobounds, while Conley fell just short of a triple - double with 14 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds. The Grizzlies wo n't get much rest, as they'll take on the Chicago Bulls on Friday. The Spurs were without both Kawhi Leonard (hand) and Tony Parker (hamstring) on Wednesday. They asked for big minutes out of the likes of Danny Green (52 minutes), Tim Duncan (48 minutes), Marco Belinelli (43 minutes), Manu Ginobili (41 minutes), Boris Diaw (39 minutes) and Cory Joseph (38 minutes). Green led the team in scoring with 25 points (9 - 17 FG, 7 - 13 3Pt) to go with seven rebounds, five blocks, three assists and two steals. Duncan and Diaw both posted impressive double - doubles, as Duncan scored 23 points (9 - 22 FG, 5 - 15 FT) with 16 rebounds, and Diaw had 17 points (5 - 15 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 4 Ft) with 13 rebounds. Ginobili found himself just short of a triple - double, scoring 21 points (7 - 20 FG, 4 - 9 3Pt, 3 - 7 FT), with eight assists and eight rebounds. The Spurs struggled from the free - throw line, hitting just 48 percent of their shots there."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "46", "Timberwolves": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "44", "Timberwolves": "44"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "29", "Timberwolves": "50"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "113", "Timberwolves": "99"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "36", "Timberwolves": "14"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "6", "Anthony Morrow": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "0", "Russell Westbrook": "3", "Anthony Morrow": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "13", "Gorgui Dieng": "10", "Mitch McGary": "8", "Enes Kanter": "19", "Russell Westbrook": "24", "Anthony Morrow": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Gorgui Dieng": "7", "Mitch McGary": "6", "Enes Kanter": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Anthony Morrow": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "12", "Gorgui Dieng": "8", "Enes Kanter": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "11", "Gorgui Dieng": "7", "Enes Kanter": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "4"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "19", "Gorgui Dieng": "21", "Mitch McGary": "12", "Enes Kanter": "23", "Russell Westbrook": "29", "Anthony Morrow": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "5", "Gorgui Dieng": "14", "Mitch McGary": "2", "Enes Kanter": "15", "Russell Westbrook": "10", "Anthony Morrow": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Gorgui Dieng": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Gorgui Dieng": "42", "Mitch McGary": "22", "Russell Westbrook": "35"}, "Steals": {"Gorgui Dieng": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Assists": {"Enes Kanter": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "12"}, "Personal fouls": {"Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "8"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (36 - 29) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (14 - 50) 113 - 99 on Friday at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City. This marked a huge win for the Thunder, who have pulled even with the New Orleans Pelicans for the eigth and final projected playoff seed in the Western Conference standings. They also were able to add some distance between them and the Suns, who remain two and a half games back from both the Thunder and the Pelicans. While both teams shot 44 percent from the field Friday, the Thunder grabbed the advantage from the three - point line, as they finished at 46 percent from beyond the arc, while the Timberwolves struggled to just 25 percent from deep. For the Thunder, Russell Westbrook continues to force his name into MVP talks, as he recorded his sixth triple - double in his last eight games Friday, finishing with 29 points (11 - 24 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), 10 rebounds and 12 assists in 35 minutes. While he's clearly the MVP of the second half of the season, most still see James Harden, Stephen Curry and LeBron James as more likely to take home the award. Over his last eight games, Westbrook is averaging a ridiculous 34 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists and 2 steals. Notching one of his best games since joining the Thunder, Enes Kanter recorded 23 points (10 - 19 FG, 3 - 3 FT) and 15 rebounds. It was his second double - double in his last three games, a stretch where he's averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds. With Serge Ibaka sitting out with a knee injury, Mitch McGary moved into the starting lineup and posted an efficient 12 points (6 - 8 FG) and two rebounds in 22 minutes. It marked his first start of the season, and it was just the fifth time he's reached double - digit points. Anthony Morrow added 13 points (5 - 11 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt) and two rebounds off the bench. The Timberwolves were dealing with some injuries coming into this game, as both Kevin Garnett (knee) and Nikola Pekovic (ankle) were out with their respective injuries. Gorgui Dieng filled in as the starting center, while Adreian Payne received the start at power forward. Dieng took advantage of the start, scoring a team - high of 21 points (7 - 10 FG, 7 - 8 FT), to go along with 14 rebounds in 42 minutes. It was the first time he's surpassed the 20 - point mark since the beginning of January. He also played well on the defensive side of the ball despite the loss, recording two steals and three blocked shots as well. Like Dieng, Andrew Wiggins did his best to keep the Timberwolves in this game. in 37 minutes, he finished with 19 points (4 - 13 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 11 - 12 FT) and five rebounds. It was n't his best shooting performance, but he was able to force his way to the free throw line over and over. Jordan Hamilton played 33 minutes off the bench and finished with 17 points (6 - 10 FG, 5 - 5 FT), 10 rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots. It was far - and - away his best game of the year, as his point, steal and block totals were all season - highs. The Thunder's next game will be at home against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday, while the Timberwolves will travel to San Antonio to play the Spurs on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Clippers": "44"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "55"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "8", "Nuggets": "17"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "119", "Nuggets": "102"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "21", "Nuggets": "12"}}, {"Assists": {"Nikola Jokic": "1", "Chris Paul": "15"}, "Minutes played": {"Nikola Jokic": "21", "Will Barton": "32", "Chris Paul": "26"}, "Points": {"Nikola Jokic": "9", "Will Barton": "22", "DeAndre Jordan": "13", "Chris Paul": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Jokic": "6", "DeAndre Jordan": "13", "Chris Paul": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"JJ Redick": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"JJ Redick": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"JJ Redick": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"JJ Redick": "10"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Chris Paul": "8"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Denver Nuggets 119 - 102 at Staples Center on Tuesday. This game appeared to be over as soon as the Clippers (21 - 8) opened up a 10 - point lead after the first quarter. From there, they continued to pile it on, as the Nuggets (12 - 17), who were playing in their second game of a back - to - back set, simply could n't keep pace. In their first game since it was announced that Blake Griffin would be out for at least four weeks following arthroscopic surgery, Los Angeles was led by a superb shooting performance from J.J. Redick, who shot 10 - of - 16 from the field overall and 7 - of - 9 from behind the arc. Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan each added double - doubles, with Paul posting 16 points and 15 assists on top of eight rebonds in just 26 minutes, while Jordan recorded 13 points and 13 boards. As a team, the Clippers were prolific on the offensive end, shooting 55 percent from the field overall and an impressive 44 percent from long range. As for the Nuggets, Tuesday's loss ended what was a three - game winning streak for them, as the Clippers managed to overwhelm them with their size and athleticism. Fresh off a night where he came an assist away from posting a triple - double, starting center Nikola Jokic put in an rather underwhelming performance, recording just nine points and six rebounds in 21 minutes. Will Barton ended up leading the way off the bench for Denver, posting a team - high 22 points in 32 minutes off the bench. The Nuggets ended up leaving far too many points at the free throw line as a team, missing seven of their 20 attempts from the charity stripe Tuesday. Up next, the Clippers will stay home Wednesday to take on the Spurs, while the Nuggets will look to bounce back at home Wednesday against the Hawks."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nuggets": "28", "Spurs": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "45"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Pau Gasol": "4", "Tony Parker": "9", "Nikola Jokic": "5"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "24", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "28", "Pau Gasol": "17", "Tony Parker": "21", "Nikola Jokic": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6", "Pau Gasol": "9", "Nikola Jokic": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "18", "Tony Parker": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "11", "Tony Parker": "10"}}], "Denver has allowed at least 120 points in three - straight losses and they added to that total here. San Antonio's offense was efficient all night, as they shot 56 percent from the field and 50 percent from three - point range. They also held Denver to just 45 percent from the field and 28 percent from long range on their end. LaMarcus Aldridge scored a game - high 28 points on 11 - of - 18 from the field. Tony Parker finished with 21 points and nine assists on an incredible 10 - of - 11 shooting. Kawhi Leonard collected 24 points, six rebounds and five assists. Pau Gasol fell one rebound shy of a double - double, accruing 17 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three blocks in the win. Nikola Jokic was the only Nuggets starter to play well, as he amassed 19 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in the defeat. The Spurs starters outscored the Nuggets starters, 96 - 63."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nuggets": "50", "Bulls": "33"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "51", "Bulls": "43"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "7", "Bulls": "6"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "114", "Bulls": "109"}, "Rebounds": {"Nuggets": "45", "Bulls": "37"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "7", "Bulls": "9"}}, {"Points": {"Pau Gasol": "22", "Jimmy Butler": "32", "Derrick Rose": "2", "Kirk Hinrich": "10", "Aaron Brooks": "16", "Wilson Chandler": "14", "Kenneth Faried": "12", "Timofey Mozgov": "11", "Arron Afflalo": "19", "Ty Lawson": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "11", "Jimmy Butler": "9", "Kenneth Faried": "9", "Timofey Mozgov": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "20"}, "Free throws made": {"Jimmy Butler": "18", "Ty Lawson": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Derrick Rose": "10", "Arron Afflalo": "32"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kirk Hinrich": "10", "Wilson Chandler": "11", "Arron Afflalo": "11", "Ty Lawson": "16"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Wilson Chandler": "4", "Arron Afflalo": "4", "Ty Lawson": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Wilson Chandler": "2", "Arron Afflalo": "3", "Ty Lawson": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Wilson Chandler": "6", "Arron Afflalo": "7", "Ty Lawson": "7"}, "Assists": {"Ty Lawson": "12"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (7 - 7) defeated the Chicago Bulls (9 - 6) 114 - 109 on Tuesday at the Pepsi Center in Denver. Despite starting the season 2 - 5, the Nuggets have now won a surprising five straight games to put them at an even .500 on the season. The Nuggets shot 51 percent from the field and 50 percent from the three - point line, which gave them the advantage over the Bulls who shot only 43 percent from the floor and 33 percent from the three - point line. The Nuggets also were tougher on the boards and out - rebounded the Bulls 45 - 37. The Nuggets were led by their starting backcourt of Ty Lawson and Arron Afflalo. Lawson shot 7 - for - 16 from the field and 1 - for - 1 from beyond the arc to score 20 points, while also dishing out 12 assists. It was his second straight double - double and fourth in the last five games, as he continues to be a force this season. Afflalo was also very efficient Tuesday. He shot 7 - for - 11 from the field and 3 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score 19 points in 32 minutes. Starters Kenneth Faried and Timofey Mozgov both came one rebound shy of their own double - doubles. Faried had 12 points and nine rebounds, while Mozgov had 11 points and nine rebounds. Wilson Chandler marked the fifth starter in double figures for points, as he shot 6 - for - 11 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from deep to score 14 points. The Nuggets really had a total team effort in this victory. Despite getting the start, Derrick Rose again had to the leave the game early, as he was dealing with left hamstring tightness that limited him to only nine minutes. He finished with two points before leaving. Without Rose, Jimmy Butler and Pau Gasol did everything they could to give the Bulls a shot at winning. Butler was able to get to the free throw line 20 times, and converted on 18 of those attempts. He finished the game with 32 points and nine rebounds. Gasol was able to notch a double - double with 22 points and 11 rebounds. It was his seventh of the year. With Rose leaving early, both Kirk Hinrich and Aaron Brooks received extra time off the bench with each scoring 10 and 16 points respectively. The Nuggets' next game will be on the road against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, while the Bulls will travel to Boston to play the Celtics on Friday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Russell Westbrook": "36"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "27", "Derrick Rose": "30"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}}], "Russell Westbrook's eighth triple - double of the season may have been his most impressive given the sheer dominance on the offensive end of the floor that was displayed by the Thunder point guard. Oklahoma City had to stave off the New York Knicks, especially down the stretch, but Westbrook's command was truly spectacular, as evidenced by his final stat line of 27 points, 18 rebounds and 14 assists and two steals on 9 - of - 23 shooting in 36 minutes. With the 18 rebounds, Westbrook officially raised his season average to a triple - double. The MVP candidate entering the season re - tied LeBron James with 45 triple - doubles throughout his career. Former MVP Derrick Rose also contributed his best scoring performance in the loss after notching his first 30 point game in a Knicks uniform. The New York point guard added seven rebounds and four assists on 10 - of - 20 shooting."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "38", "Bucks": "35"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "90", "Bucks": "93"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "32", "Bucks": "35"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "42"}}, {"Assists": {"Khris Middleton": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Damian Lillard": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Khris Middleton": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Khris Middleton": "11"}, "Points": {"Khris Middleton": "26", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "22", "Damian Lillard": "31"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Jusuf Nurkic": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Jusuf Nurkic": "14"}, "Steals": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "2", "Damian Lillard": "4"}}], "The visiting Milwaukee Bucks took down the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, 93 - 90. Milwaukee (35 - 35) has now won nine of its last 11 games and is making a solid push for the Eastern Conference playoff thanks to its strong recent play. On Tuesday, the Bucks caught a bit of a break, winning by just three points while Portland missed ten free - throws on the night. It was a relatively poor offensive night in general for both teams, as Milwaukee shot 42 percent from the field and reached the line only 12 times. Despite this, wing duo Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo performed well. Middleton shot 11 - of - 22 and led the team with 26 points, while Antetokounmpo had 22 points to go along with eight rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and a steal. The game brought Milwaukee up to seventh place in the East after being out of the playoff picture for much of the season. Portland (32 - 38) currently sits at ninth place in the Western Conference and needs every win it can get going forwards. The Trail Blazers saw another strong performance out of star player Damian Lillard, who scored 31 points along with seven assists and four steals. Since the deadline, newly - acquired big man Jusuf Nurkic has hit his stride for Portland, and that was certainly the case on Tuesday. Nurkic pulled down a team - high 14 rebounds and blocked two shots and stole the ball twice. The Blazers will need to finish strong in order to surpass Denver for eighth in the West and a secure playoff spot. The Bucks will visit Sacramento on Wednesday, while Portland will host the Knicks on Thursday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Nuggets": "27", "Suns": "19"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "38", "Suns": "48"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "116", "Suns": "98"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "27", "Suns": "17"}}, {"Points": {"Devin Booker": "35", "Brandon Knight": "10", "Jon Leuer": "19", "Nikola Jokic": "18", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Jon Leuer": "7", "Nikola Jokic": "10", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "2"}, "Assists": {"Nikola Jokic": "4", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Nikola Jokic": "3"}, "Steals": {"Nikola Jokic": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "2"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (27 - 38) defeated the Phoenix Suns (17 - 48) 116 - 98 on Thursday. The Nuggets were a rare nine - point favorite in this matchup and didn\u2019t disappoint home fans. They dominated every quarter except the third, as they outscored the Suns by at least seven points in the first, second and fourth quarters. The three - point shooting was key for Denver, as they went 13 - for - 29, with the Suns going just 6 - for - 28. The ball movement was huge as well, with the Nuggets handing out 27 assists to the Suns 19. The two big name rookie in this game didn\u2019t disappoint, as Emmanuel Mudiay and Devin Booker both scored career - highs. It's been a rough stretch for the Suns, but there were some bright spots in this loss. The most notable being that of Devin Booker, as he scored a career - high 35 points in a spectacular performance. No other starter scored in double figures, with the other four players combing for 21 points. Brandon Knight made his return in well over a month, as he scored 10 points off the bench. Jon Leuer was the only other player in double figures, as he scored 19 points while grabbing seven boards of his own. It doesn\u2019t get much easier for Phoenix, as they travel to play the Golden State Warriors on Saturday in their next game. The Nuggets played one of their best games of the season here to win their fourth game in their last five. Rookie Emmanuel Mudiay was fantastic, as he scored a career - high 30 points, while also handing out five assists. The other rookie starter played well too, as Nikola Jokic accumulated 18 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, two steals and three blocks in the win. The bench also played well, as they combined for 52 points, 26 rebounds and 14 assists between six players. Denver will look to keep up the recent good form against the Washington Wizards on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "36", "Suns": "49"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "112", "Suns": "97"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Heat": "23"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "35", "Suns": "22"}, "Turnovers": {"Suns": "24"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Marquese Chriss": "9", "Devin Booker": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Marquese Chriss": "7", "Devin Booker": "4"}, "Points": {"Marquese Chriss": "24", "Alex Len": "12", "Devin Booker": "11", "Hassan Whiteside": "23", "Goran Dragic": "16", "Tyler Johnson": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Marquese Chriss": "7", "Alex Len": "11", "Devin Booker": "4", "Hassan Whiteside": "14", "Goran Dragic": "4", "Tyler Johnson": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Alex Len": "4", "Hassan Whiteside": "2"}, "Assists": {"Devin Booker": "5", "Goran Dragic": "2", "Tyler Johnson": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Devin Booker": "7"}, "Steals": {"Hassan Whiteside": "3", "Goran Dragic": "2", "Tyler Johnson": "5"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the Phoenix Suns, 112 - 97, at American Airlines Arena on Tuesday. Miami were expected to win this game easily and they left no doubt with a dominating second half. In fact, the Heat won the two middle quarters, 61 - 37, while the Suns could never get within double - digits in the second half. Rebounding was a huge factor, with Miami winning that battle, 51 - 40. They also destroyed the Suns through three - point shooting, as the Heat hit 11 - of - 27, while Phoenix went just 4 - of - 16 from long range. A 24 - 15 turnover margin really killed the Suns as well, with the Heat recording 13 steals. The Suns (22 - 49) have now lost five - straight games, as they continue to look forward to the offseason. Devin Booker really struggled, as he tallied 11 points, four rebounds and five assists, but committed seven turnovers on 4 - of - 16 shooting. Marquese Chris led the team in scoring, amassing 24 points and seven rebounds on 7 - of - 9 from the field. Alex Len recorded a double - double, totaling 12 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks. Phoenix has a decent chance to snap this slide in their next game, as they take on the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday. The Heat (35 - 36) have now won 24 of their last 30 games, as Miami have become one of the most dangerous teams in the league. Hassan Whiteside led the way for Miami, as he accumulated 23 points, 14 rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Goran Dragic finished second among starters, picking up 16 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Tyler Johnson was huge off the bench, providing 17 points, six rebounds, four assists and five steals. The Heat will look to keep rolling on Thursday against the Toronto Raptors."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Spurs": "29"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "57", "Nuggets": "45"}, "Losses": {"Spurs": "11", "Nuggets": "28"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "121", "Nuggets": "97"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "39", "Nuggets": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Nikola Jokic": "2", "Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Tony Parker": "4", "Jonathon Simmons": "2"}, "Points": {"Nikola Jokic": "11", "Jamal Murray": "20", "Kawhi Leonard": "19", "Tony Parker": "18", "Manu Ginobili": "18", "Jonathon Simmons": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Jokic": "1", "Kawhi Leonard": "6", "Jonathon Simmons": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jamal Murray": "12", "Tony Parker": "8", "Manu Ginobili": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Jamal Murray": "8", "Tony Parker": "8", "Manu Ginobili": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2", "Tony Parker": "3"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Denver Nuggets, 121 - 97, at AT & T Center on Saturday. San Antonio were expected to win this game easily and they took care of business in this 24 - point victory. The Spurs really took it to the Nuggets in the third quarter, as they turned a six - point halftime lead into a 19 - point lead headed into the fourth quarter. Shooting was the key difference, with San Antonio shooting 57 percent, while Denver was held to just 45 percent. The Spurs took advantage of the whistle as well, going 21 - of - 26 from the free - throw line, with the Nuggets hitting just 5 - of - 10. The assist - to - turnover ratio was decisive as well, with San Antonio forcing 21 turnovers and recording 29 assists. The Nuggets (22 - 28) had a tough task here in the second half of a back - to - back in San Antonio and that was simply too much to overcome. The starters really struggled, as Nikola Jokic led them with 11 points, one rebound and two assists. The five starters combined for 41 points, 14 rebounds, nine assists and no blocks, while committing 11 turnovers. Jamal Murray was a lone bright spot off the bench, as he dropped 20 points on 8 - of - 12 shooting. The Spurs (39 - 11) have been dominant at home this season and a win like this shows just how scary of a team they can be. Kawhi Leonard was once again the catalyst, as he led the team with 19 points, six rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks. Tony Parker was a perfect 8 - of - 8 from the field and finished with 18 points, four assists and three steals. Manu Ginobili came off the bench to drop 18 points on 5 - of - 6 shooting. Jonathan Simmons was also effective off the bench, providing 18 points, four rebounds and two assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "5", "Rockets": "5"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "105", "Rockets": "103"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "7", "Rockets": "6"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "44"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Rockets": "13"}}, {"3-pointer percentage": {"Ryan Anderson": "44"}, "Personal fouls": {"Ryan Anderson": "1"}, "Points": {"Ryan Anderson": "14", "Eric Gordon": "13", "James Harden": "13", "Victor Oladipo": "29", "Russell Westbrook": "30"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Eric Gordon": "20", "James Harden": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Eric Gordon": "5", "James Harden": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "9"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "13", "Victor Oladipo": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Victor Oladipo": "10"}, "Steals": {"Victor Oladipo": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Russell Westbrook": "10"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the visiting Houston Rockets, 105 - 103, at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Wednesday. It was built up as a matchup between the two assist leaders in the NBA, with James Harden's league - best 13 assists per game going up against Russell Westbrook's 10. In the end, Harden did manage to out - pass Westbrook, dishing out 13 assists to Russell's nine, but Westbrook dominated Harden in every other aspect of the game. Most importantly, he got the win as he lead the Thunder (7 - 5) on a late surge. Westbrook finished the night with a game - high 30 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. The only other Oklahoma City player to score in double figures was Victor Oladipo, who put together what was easily his best performance of the season, recording a season - high 29 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals. It was essentially a two - man show for the Thunder, but it was enough to seal the victory. For the Rockets (6 - 5), while Harden continued to be a great floor leader, he struggled to put together a stellar offensive performance, scoring just 13 points on 4 - of - 16 shooting. Eric Gordon matched Harden's 13, but shot an even worse 5 - of - 20 from the field. As a team, Houston had seven players score in double figures, but no one managed to score higher than Ryan Anderson's 14, and in total, the Rockets shot just 44 percent from the field in a game they still managed to keep close. Up next for the Thunder, they will stay at home to take on the Nets on Friday, while the Rockets will head home on Thursday to play the Trail Blazers."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pacers": "18", "Cavaliers": "40"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "55"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "9", "Kyrie Irving": "7", "Paul George": "6", "Jeff Teague": "14"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "25", "Kyrie Irving": "29", "Kyle Korver": "29", "Paul George": "22", "CJ Miles": "23", "Jeff Teague": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "6", "Paul George": "8", "Jeff Teague": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyle Korver": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyle Korver": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"CJ Miles": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"CJ Miles": "6"}}], "Indiana looked poised for a big win with an 11 - point lead after the first quarter, but Cleveland looked like a different team in the second half. In fact, the Cavaliers won the third quarter, 40 - 18, which simply put too much distance between the two teams. Cleveland shot 55 percent from the field and 92 percent from the free - throw line in their win. Bench production was huge as well, with Cleveland outscoring Indiana's bench, 50 - 28. Kyrie Irving led the Cavaliers' starters with 29 points and seven assists. Kyle Korver matched Irving, as he scored a season - high 29 points on 10 - of - 12 shooting. LeBron James collected 25 points, six rebounds and nine assists. C.J. Miles led the Pacers in scoring, as he dropped 23 points on 6 - of - 9 from three - point range. Jeff Teague accumulated 22 points, five rebounds and 14 assists, while Paul George totaled 22 points, eight rebounds and six assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "15", "Rockets": "5"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "111", "Rockets": "115"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "10", "Rockets": "19"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "41"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Dwight Howard": "43", "Isaiah Canaan": "7", "Kenneth Faried": "32", "Ty Lawson": "47", "Danilo Gallinari": "26"}, "Points": {"Dwight Howard": "24", "James Harden": "41", "Kenneth Faried": "11", "Ty Lawson": "12", "Danilo Gallinari": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "16", "Kenneth Faried": "11"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"James Harden": "3"}, "Assists": {"Ty Lawson": "16"}}], "The Houston Rockets (19 - 5) defeated the Denver Nuggets (10 - 15) 115 - 111 in overtime on Wednesday. Houston has won three straight and seven of their last eight games. James Harden led the way with a game - high 41 points, which was his second 40 - point game in the Rockets' last three contests. Dwight Howard was questionable coming into the game as he continues to work his way completely back from a knee injury, but he played 43 minutes and put up 24 points and 16 rebounds. Isaiah Canaan returned from seven - game absence with a sprained ankle. He played seven minutes off the bench. The Rockets shot just 41 percent from the field, but they stayed in the game because they went to the free - throw line 48 times, converting 37 of their attempts. Houston will return home to host the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday. Denver is on a three - game losing streak, securing only one win over their last eight games as they've been traversing a particularly difficult stretch of their schedule. Kenneth Faried was moved back into the starting lineup, and he put up 11 points and 11 rebounds in 32 minutes. Ty Lawson nearly dropped a whole role of dimes, putting up 12 points and 16 assists in 47 minutes. Danilo Gallinari returned from a three - game sabbatical due to knee soreness. He put up 16 points in 26 minutes off the bench. The Nuggets will host the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "38", "Trail Blazers": "33"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "103", "Trail Blazers": "112"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Magic": "25"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "18", "Trail Blazers": "35"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "21", "Trail Blazers": "24"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "51"}, "Turnovers": {"Trail Blazers": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Maurice Harkless": "1", "Jusuf Nurkic": "5", "CJ McCollum": "6", "Damian Lillard": "2", "Shabazz Napier": "6", "Terrence Ross": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "2", "Nikola Vucevic": "2", "Evan Fournier": "2", "Mario Hezonja": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Maurice Harkless": "3", "Jusuf Nurkic": "2", "CJ McCollum": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "2", "Nikola Vucevic": "1"}, "Points": {"Maurice Harkless": "12", "Jusuf Nurkic": "12", "CJ McCollum": "22", "Damian Lillard": "33", "Shabazz Napier": "10", "Terrence Ross": "13", "Aaron Gordon": "9", "Nikola Vucevic": "25", "Evan Fournier": "20", "Mario Hezonja": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Maurice Harkless": "6", "Jusuf Nurkic": "12", "Damian Lillard": "5", "Shabazz Napier": "7", "Terrence Ross": "5", "Aaron Gordon": "9", "Nikola Vucevic": "9", "Evan Fournier": "5", "Mario Hezonja": "1"}, "Steals": {"Maurice Harkless": "1", "Jusuf Nurkic": "3", "CJ McCollum": "2", "Shabazz Napier": "2", "Terrence Ross": "3", "Evan Fournier": "1", "Mario Hezonja": "1"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Orlando Magic, 112 - 103, at Amway Center on Thursday night. The arrival of Jusuf Nurkic is certainly an important development, but the Blazers' (24 - 33) offense undeniably runs through the prolific backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. The dynamic pair combined for 55 of Portland's 112 points to spearhead the road win, and the visitors used stellar shooting (51 percent overall, 47 percent from long range) to overcome 19 turnovers. It was a come - from - behind victory for the Blazers, as they'd trailed the Magic (21 - 38) by a 55 - 46 margin at halftime. They were particularly spectacular in the final quarter, as they outscored Orlando, 35 - 18, over the final 12 minutes. Lillard's 33 points paced Portland, a total that he supplemented with five boards and two assists. McCollum followed with 22 points, six assists, one rebound, two steals and one block. Nurkic and Maurice Harkless contributed matching 12 - point efforts, with the former also hauling in 12 boards, dishing out five assists, recording three steals and posting a pair of blocks, and the latter supplying six rebounds, one assist, three blocks and one steal. Shabazz Napier led the second unit with 10 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals. Nikola Vucevic led the way for the Magic with 25 points, nine rebounds, two assists and one block. Evan Fournier contributed 20 points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal. Terrence Ross, drawing his first start in an Orlando uniform, tallied 13 points, five rebounds, one assist and three steals. Aaron Gordon went for a near double - double, providing nine points, nine rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Mario Hezonja spearheaded the bench with 10 points, two assists, one rebound and one steal. The Blazers next head north to take on the Toronto Raptors on Sunday afternoon, while Orlando remains home to tangle with the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday evening."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Heat": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "16", "Isaiah Whitehead": "13", "Dion Waiters": "19", "Goran Dragic": "20", "James Johnson": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "6", "Brook Lopez": "3", "Isaiah Whitehead": "4", "Goran Dragic": "3"}, "Assists": {"Brook Lopez": "3", "Isaiah Whitehead": "5", "Dion Waiters": "9", "Goran Dragic": "8", "James Johnson": "5"}, "Steals": {"Goran Dragic": "3"}, "Blocks": {"James Johnson": "3"}}], "This victory for Miami gave them their eighth - straight win, while it marked Brooklyn's 17th loss in 18 games. The difference in this matchup was a 32 - 11 run spanning between the second and third quarter, as that swung an 11 - point lead for Brooklyn into a 10 - point lead for Miami. Three-point shooting was the decisive statistic, with the Heat going 11 - of - 26, while Brooklyn went just 5 - of - 26 from long range. Bojan Bogdanovic led the Nets in scoring, totaling 16 points and six rebounds. Brook Lopez finished with 15 points, three rebounds and three assists. Isaiah Whitehead was a nice spark for Brooklyn off the bench, as he provided 13 points, four rebounds and five assists. Goran Dragic led Miami in scoring, as he tallied 20 points, three rebounds, eight assists and three steals. Dion Waiter was just as good, collecting 19 points, six rebounds and nine assists. James Johnson was a monster off the bench, accumulating 17 points, four rebounds, five assists and three blocks."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Cavaliers": "22"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "40"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "10", "Nets": "15"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "95", "Nets": "91"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Cavaliers": "21"}, "Turnovers": {"Cavaliers": "16", "Nets": "16"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "15", "Nets": "10"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nets": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Joe Johnson": "5", "LeBron James": "9", "Kyrie Irving": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "18", "Kevin Love": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Joe Johnson": "10", "Kevin Love": "1"}, "Points": {"Joe Johnson": "26", "Kevin Garnett": "10", "Mason Plumlee": "14", "Sergey Karasev": "12", "Jarrett Jack": "13", "LeBron James": "22", "Kevin Love": "6", "Mike Miller": "21", "Kyrie Irving": "16", "Tristan Thompson": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Mason Plumlee": "9", "Kevin Love": "14"}}], "LeBron James scored 22 points to go with nine assists, and the Cavaliers (15 - 10) knocked off the Nets (10 - 15) 95 - 91 on Friday. Cleveland shot just 40 percent from the field but knocked down 24 - of - 29 free throw attempts and forced Brooklyn into 16 turnovers. James\u2019 22 led the way for Cleveland, and Mike Miller added 21 points, all of which came via three - pointers. Kyrie Irving contributed 16 points and four assists, and Tristan Thompson added nine points off the bench. It was a rough night for Kevin Love, who scored only six points on 1 - of - 10 shooting. Love did add 14 rebounds, however. Brooklyn was led by 26 points and five assists from Joe Johnson, who shot 10 - of - 18 from the field. Kevin Garnett added 10 points, and Mason Plumlee chipped in 14 to go with nine rebounds. Sergey Karasev finished with 12 points after missing Wednesday\u2019s game against Toronto. The Nets got 28 points from their bench, 13 of which came via Jarrett Jack. Up next, the Nets return home to host the Pistons on Sunday. Cleveland welcomes the red - hot Grizzlies to Cleveland, also on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Wizards": "55"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "58"}}, {"Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "41", "Gorgui Dieng": "15", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "18", "Zach LaVine": "8", "Brandon Rush": "10", "Markieff Morris": "15", "Marcin Gortat": "19", "Bradley Beal": "22", "John Wall": "18", "Jason Smith": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Gorgui Dieng": "11", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Zach LaVine": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Zach LaVine": "3"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "18"}}], "Five double - digit scoring efforts from the Wizards' first unit overcame a game - high 41 points from Andrew Wiggins. Washington managed a stellar 58 percent success rate from the field, and a 55 percent mark from three - point range. Bradley Beal's 22 points led the Wizards. Marcin Gortat and John Wall each turned in double - doubles, with the former posting 19 points and 14 boards, and the latter contributing an 18 - point, 18 - assist tally. Otto Porter supplied 17 points, while Markieff Morris rounded out matters with 15 points. Jason Smith led the bench with 10 points, and also had a highlight - worthy stuff of Karl-Anthony Towns. Karl-Anthony Towns compiled an 18 - point, 10 - rebound double - double, while Gorgui Dieng went for 15 points and 11 boards. Zach LaVine shot 3 - of - 14, leading to an eight - point effort. Brandon Rush led the bench with 10 points."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "45", "Magic": "56"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "100", "Magic": "93"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "36", "Magic": "25"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "8"}}, {"Points": {"Tobias Harris": "26", "Victor Oladipo": "30", "Hassan Whiteside": "24"}, "Blocks": {"Victor Oladipo": "2", "Hassan Whiteside": "5"}, "Steals": {"Victor Oladipo": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Hassan Whiteside": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "13"}}], "The Miami Heat (36 - 45) beat the Orlando Magic (25 - 56) 100 - 93 on Monday. Hassan Whiteside dominated the Orlando interior and finished with a spectacular 24 - point, 13 - rebound, five - block performance. On Saturday, he put up 16 points, 18 rebounds and six blocks on the Toronto Raptors. He's proving he can be a forced to be reckoned with. If his team can sneak into the eighth seed of the Eastern Conference, they might be able to do some damage on the number - one seeded Atlanta Hawks. Even though they've won just two of their last eight, Miami still has an outside chance to make the playoffs. The Magic were lead by Victor Oladipo's 30 points, four steals and two blocks. Tobias Harris added 26 points and 12 assists but Orlando did n't get much from anyone else and it made a huge impact against a playoff hungry Miami team. Orlando had no answer for Hassan Whiteside and his play was the difference in the battle of Florida. After a three game win streak in early April, the Magic have lost three straight. Orlando will wrap up another disappointing season against the Brooklyn Nets, as the playoff - hopeful Heat end their season against the 76ers in Philadelphia on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "2", "76ers": "10"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "92", "76ers": "83"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Spurs": "16"}, "Turnovers": {"Spurs": "13", "76ers": "15"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "7", "76ers": "0"}}, {"Points": {"Jahlil Okafor": "21", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "17", "Tim Duncan": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Jahlil Okafor": "12", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "19"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (7 - 2) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (0 - 10) 92 - 83 on Saturday. This was a mismatch on paper and that ended up being the case on Saturday. The Spurs dominated in nearly every category, as they recorded more rebounds, assists, blocks and steals than the Sixers. It was a relatively clean game played all - around though, as there were only 28 combined turnovers between both teams. It was a much closer game than expected and the credit has to go to this winless Sixers team to put in a strong effort night - after - night despite losing every single game. Luckily for Philadelphia, this will be the only time they'll have to face the Spurs in San Antonio this season. This was probably the best performance from the Sixers all year, despite in a losing effort. They not only shot better than the Spurs, but nearly split the turnover battle (15 - 13). They were led once again by rookie Jahlil Okafor, who tallied 21 points and 12 rebounds in the loss. They also got some nice contributions off the bench, as all five players off the bench had at least five points and two rebounds. It's a rough time in Philadelphia right now, but they have to look at performances like these as victories and take them with a grain of salt. They'll look to build off this loss when they host the Dallas Mavericks on Monday. Coach Greg Popovich is probably not very happy with this performance, but he'll take the win. The Spurs came in as 16 - point favorites and never really seemed close to covering that spread. San Antonio was led by LaMarcus Aldridge, who tallied 17 points and 19 rebounds in his best game in a Spurs uniform. Tim Duncan recorded a season - high 15 points and blocked five shots as well in the victory. He has now matched or scored more in every preceding game this season and that's likely a case of the 39 - year - old getting his legs underneath him. This is obviously a dangerous team and a disappointing win like this just shows how good they are. The Spurs next game will be on Monday against the Portland Trail Blazers,"], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "37"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "5", "Jazz": "5"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "5", "Jazz": "4"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "39"}}, {"Assists": {"Derrick Favors": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Derrick Favors": "19", "Tobias Harris": "40"}, "Points": {"Derrick Favors": "5", "Tobias Harris": "19", "Evan Fournier": "21", "Elfrid Payton": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Derrick Favors": "7", "Tobias Harris": "13", "Evan Fournier": "5"}}], "Despite a late push from the Utah Jazz (4 - 5), the Orlando Magic (5 - 5) were able to secure their fifth win of the season. In the absence of team leader Victor Oladipo (concussion), the young backcourt of Elfrid Payton (16 points, six assists) and Evan Fournier (21 points, five rebounds) stepped up to carry the offensive load. Their effort was matched with a 19 - point, 13 - rebound performance from small forward Tobias Harris, who led the team with 40 minutes played. Everything seemed to be clicking for Orlando, as the team knocked down over 90 percent of its free throws and shot 37 percent from beyond the arc. The Jazz were also held back by injury to a young star, as center Rudy Gobert (ankle) sat the contest out. Rookie Trey Lyles took over in the starting lineup, as power forward Derrick Favors slid over to the center slot in Gobert's stead. Favors, who had been experiencing a breakout season up until this point, posted a fairly pedestrian statline of five points, seven rebounds, and one assist in 19 minutes. It was a rough night for the Jazz as a whole, as the team shot just 39 percent from the field and 74 percent from the line. The Jazz will hope to have both Gobert and their shooting stroke back on Sunday as they prepare to take on the Hawks in Atlanta. Meanwhile, the Oladipo-less Magic will hope to follow up on the win Saturday, as the play the Wizards in Washington."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "19", "76ers": "24"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "122", "76ers": "124"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "14", "76ers": "8"}}, {"Points": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "23", "Joel Embiid": "23", "Nikola Jokic": "25", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "13", "Joel Embiid": "6", "Nikola Jokic": "7"}, "Assists": {"Joel Embiid": "5", "Nikola Jokic": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Joel Embiid": "3"}, "Steals": {"Joel Embiid": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "7"}}], "The visiting Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Denver Nuggets on Friday, 124 - 122. Philadelphia (8 - 24) saw strong big man play in Friday's win, with rookie center Joel Embiid taking the reigns. Embiid led the team with 23 points and also had six rebounds, five assists, two steals, and three blocks. Despite playing on limited minutes due to a foot injury that robbed him of two full seasons of play, Embiid is the runaway favorite for Rookie of the Year this season. Forward Ersan Ilyasova also scored 23 and recorded a team - high 13 rebounds. Philly was able to get the edge in the game with stellar shooting from long range, knocking down 16 three - pointers on the night. Denver (14 - 19) was also led by its young standout center. Sophomore Nikola Jokic scored 25 points to go with seven rebounds and four assists. Jokic has led all centers in assists since being moved into the starting lineup. Sophomore point guard Emmanuel Mudiay, meanwhile, had a rare night of offensive efficiency, scoring 22 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting. The Nuggets as a whole shot over 47 percent from the field, but could not find the three - point shooting to match Philly. Both teams will enjoy a few days of rest carrying into the New Year."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Kings": "52"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "53"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "7", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "5", "Zach LaVine": "2"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "6", "Zach LaVine": "12"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Zach LaVine": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "24", "Andrew Wiggins": "19", "Zach LaVine": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "13", "Andrew Wiggins": "6", "Zach LaVine": "13"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "37", "Andrew Wiggins": "40", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "38", "Zach LaVine": "39"}, "Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "32", "Andrew Wiggins": "15", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "20", "Zach LaVine": "40"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "7", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "13", "Zach LaVine": "6"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Zach LaVine": "1"}}], "Zach LaVine led all scorers with a game - high 40 points, on 13 - of - 21 shooting, including 7 - of - 12 from long range, along with six rebounds, two assists and one steal, in 39 minutes. Karl-Anthony Towns notched his tenth straight double - double as he finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds, along with five assists, in 38 minutes, while Andrew Wiggins struggled, going 6 - of - 19 from the field on his way to 15 points, in 40 minutes. The Minnesota bench was very quiet, with four players combining for only 11 points. The Timberwolves shot 45 percent from the field, and 37 percent from distance, while the Kings shot a hot 53 percent from the field, including 52 percent from long range. The Kings outscored the Timberwolves 48 - 36 in the paint, as DeMarcus Cousins led the way for Sacramento, with 32 points on 13 - of - 24 shooting, including 3 - of - 6 from distance, along with seven assists, seven rebounds, four steals and two blocks, in 37 minutes."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "8", "Wizards": "12"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "120", "Wizards": "89"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hawks": "34", "Wizards": "22"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hawks": "33", "Wizards": "12"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "29", "Wizards": "25"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Nene": "8", "Bradley Beal": "12", "John Wall": "11", "DeMarre Carroll": "9", "Al Horford": "12", "Kyle Korver": "8", "Jeff Teague": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Nene": "6", "Bradley Beal": "4", "John Wall": "6", "DeMarre Carroll": "5", "Al Horford": "6", "Kyle Korver": "6", "Jeff Teague": "4"}, "Points": {"Nene": "14", "Bradley Beal": "12", "John Wall": "15", "Kevin Seraphin": "13", "DeMarre Carroll": "16", "Al Horford": "15", "Kyle Korver": "19", "Jeff Teague": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Nene": "6", "Bradley Beal": "5", "John Wall": "3", "Kevin Seraphin": "6", "DeMarre Carroll": "4", "Al Horford": "6"}, "Assists": {"Bradley Beal": "4", "John Wall": "8", "Kyle Korver": "4", "Jeff Teague": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "5", "John Wall": "1", "DeMarre Carroll": "5", "Al Horford": "1", "Kyle Korver": "7", "Jeff Teague": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bradley Beal": "2", "John Wall": "0", "DeMarre Carroll": "2", "Al Horford": "1", "Kyle Korver": "5", "Jeff Teague": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Bradley Beal": "34", "Kevin Seraphin": "24"}, "Free throws attempted": {"John Wall": "3", "DeMarre Carroll": "5", "Al Horford": "3", "Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"John Wall": "3", "DeMarre Carroll": "4", "Al Horford": "2", "Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "2", "DeMarre Carroll": "4", "Jeff Teague": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"John Wall": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Seraphin": "3", "Al Horford": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Al Horford": "2"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (29 - 8) defeated the Washington Wizards (25 - 12) 120 - 89 on Sunday at Philips Arena in Atlanta. After out - scoring the Wizards 34 - 22 to begin the game, the Hawks were also able to close out the game strong, again out - scoring the Wizards an impressive 33 - 12 in the final quarter to secure the victory in front of their home crowd. The Hawks were able to force the Wizards into 20 turnovers, while only committing nine of their own, which may have been the difference in this one. This win marks a league - leading eigth straight victory for the Hawks. Kyle Korver led the Hawks in scoring, going 6 - for - 8 from the field and 5 - for - 7 from the three - point line to finish with 19 points, while also adding four assists. He's now averaging 13 points and 4 rebounds on the year. DeMarre Carroll had a strong showing of his own, scoring 16 points (5 - 9 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT) and recording four rebounds and four steals. The four steals matched a season - high for him, as he was a big reason the Hawks secured such a large turnover differential. Al Horford contributed 15 points (6 - 12 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT), six rebounds and two blocked shots. He's had a very positive two game stretch, combining for 34 points and 22 rebounds over that span. Notching his second double - double in a row, Jeff Teague finished with 11 points (4 - 12 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), 10 assists and four steals. The Wizards had all five starters reach double figures in points, but they did n't do enough defensively to keep the Hawks in check. John Wall led the team in scoring with 15 points (6 - 11 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), while also chipping in with eight assists and two steals as well. He did turn the ball over eight times though, which took away from his overall performance. Nene Hilario had 14 points (6 - 8 FG, 2 - 2) and six rebounds of his own. He's averaging 16 points and 8 rebounds per game over his last three games, as he's been playing very well for the Wizards lately. Bradley Beal did n't have his best shooting performance, as he went 4 - for - 12 from the field and 2 - for - 5 from the three - point line, but he still finished with 12 points, five rebounds and four assists in 34 minutes. Their biggest contribution off the bench came from Kevin Seraphin, who added 13 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots in 24 minutes. The Hawks' next game will be on the road against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, while the Wizards will be at home against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "42", "Grizzlies": "42"}, "Losses": {"Timberwolves": "32", "Grizzlies": "22"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "99", "Grizzlies": "107"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "19", "Grizzlies": "31"}}, {"Points": {"James Ennis III": "13", "JaMychal Green": "29", "Mike Conley": "20", "Vince Carter": "11", "Troy Daniels": "11", "Andrew Wiggins": "23", "Gorgui Dieng": "2", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "27", "Ricky Rubio": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"James Ennis III": "6", "Gorgui Dieng": "13"}, "Steals": {"James Ennis III": "2"}, "Assists": {"Mike Conley": "8", "Andrew Wiggins": "5", "Ricky Rubio": "6"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the host Minnesota Timberwolves, 107 - 99, at Target Center on Saturday. This was a game full of swings, as the Grizzlies made a huge comeback, despite playing with a depleted roster. After trailing by 16 points in the first quarter, Memphis outscored Minnesota by 24 points over the final three quarters to pull out a comeback win. Defense was key for the Grizzlies, as they won the turnover differential and forced Minnesota to shoot 42 percent from the field. Free-throw shooting was decisive as well, with the Grizzlies hitting 33 - of - 39, while Minnesota went 19 - of - 24. The Grizzlies (31 - 22) rested Marc Gasol and Chandler Parsons for this game, but they still walked away with a huge road win. JaMychal Green was the star, as he scored a career - high 29 points to add to his six rebounds. Mike Conley was second on the team, finishing with 20 points, three rebounds and eight assists. James Ennis III started for Parsons and accrued 13 points, six rebounds and two steals. Vince Carter and Troy Daniels were important off the bench, as they scored 11 points a piece. On deck for the Grizzlies is a home matchup against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday. The Timberwolves (19 - 32) continue to disappoint fans, as they blew a 16 - point first quarter lead to a depleted Memphis squad. Karl-Anthony Towns did all he could for Minnesota, as he led the team with 27 points and 16 rebounds. Andrew Wiggins was second on the team, tallying 23 points and five assists. Ricky Rubio accumulated 14 points and six assists, while Gorgui Dieng provided two points and 13 rebounds. The Timberwolves will look to get out of this slide on Monday against the scorching - hot Miami Heat."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "25"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "92", "Nuggets": "74"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bucks": "18"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "37"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "12"}, "Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "22"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "6"}}, {"Assists": {"Danilo Gallinari": "3", "Greg Monroe": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Danilo Gallinari": "1", "Greg Monroe": "2", "Jabari Parker": "2"}, "Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "13", "Kenneth Faried": "11", "Will Barton": "10", "Greg Monroe": "18", "Jabari Parker": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Danilo Gallinari": "4", "Kenneth Faried": "7", "Will Barton": "6", "Greg Monroe": "5", "Jabari Parker": "4"}, "Steals": {"Danilo Gallinari": "1", "Jabari Parker": "2"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (6 - 11) got the 92 - 74 win over the struggling Denver Nuggets (6 - 12). Denver has now lost six straight, while the Bucks snapped a three game losing streak. Milwaukee out - scored Denver 46 - 30 in the second half and closed out the Nuggets by exhibiting stellar team defense. The Bucks recorded 12 blocks, 10 steals and forced 22 turnovers, while holding Denver to 74 points and 37 percent shooting from the field. Greg Monroe led the way in scoring for the Bucks, finishing with 18 points on 8 - 11 shooting, five rebounds, two assists and two blocks in only 24 minutes. Jabari Parker was looking strong in 25 minutes off the bench, with 16 points, four rebounds, two steals and two blocks, not to mention some highlight dunks. Michael-Carter Williams also came off the bench, but did not seem to mind. Williams finished with 12 points, nine assists, six rebounds, three steals and three blocks, in 30 minutes. The Bucks recorded 25 assists on 35 made field goals all while missing distributor Greivis Vasquez. Denver had nine players log 20 minutes or more but they could not develop any kind of rhythm thanks to the pressure defense from Milwaukee. The Nuggets as a team coughed up an unhealthy 22 turnovers. Danilo Gallinari was the high - point man for the Nuggets with 13 points, he also posted four rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. Kenneth Faried chipped in 11 points on 5 - 9 shooting and seven rebounds in 22 minutes. Will Barton shot 2 - 2 from deep, contributing to his 10 points, along with six rebounds. Gary Harris remained inactive. Next up for Denver is visit to Chicago for Wednesday night, which will be the second game of a four game road trip for the Nuggets. Milwaukee will be visiting San Antonio Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Spurs": "53", "Hawks": "23"}, "Losses": {"Spurs": "3", "Hawks": "8"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "108", "Hawks": "88"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Spurs": "31", "Hawks": "12"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "14", "Hawks": "11"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Tim Duncan": "4"}, "Points": {"Tim Duncan": "10"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (14 - 3) obliterated the Atlanta Hawks (11 - 8) 108 - 88 on Saturday. The Spurs won the second quarter 31 - 12 and the game never got close after that. The final score is actually closer than the actual result, as the Spurs led by 30 points at times in the fourth quarter. Coach Gregg Popovich showed apprentice Mike Budenholzer why he is king and it was definitely a disappointing homecoming for Coach Bud. The difference in the game was as simple as shooting, as the Spurs shot 53 percent from long distance while the Hawks shot just 23 percent. San Antonio was also nearly perfect from the charity stripe, going 19 - for - 20 while Atlanta went just 8 - for - 13. The Hawks have not won in San Antonio since 1997 and have now lost 18 - straight games there. This was one of the worst games that the Hawks have played all season. No starter scored more than 10 points and none of them had more than four assists. That's extremely rare for a team like the Hawks and it's a great indication of how dominant the Spurs were on Saturday. Eight players came off the bench for Atlanta, but nobody played spectacularly. This is just one of those games where the Hawks have to tip their cap to a better team and move on to the next game. Unfortunately for them, they have to play the equally potent Oklahoma City Thunder in their next game on Monday. The Spurs came into this game 80 at home with some dominant results and they left with an even better resume. San Antonio dominated nearly every significant statistic and the result was decided well before the final whistle. Tim Duncan had a renaissance game of sorts, as he tallied 10 points, 17 rebounds and four assists in the victory. The Spurs are quietly having a great start to the season, but they'll be happy to fly under - the - radar once again. San Antonio will travel to take on the Chicago Bulls in their next scheduled game on Monday."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Celtics": "24"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "3"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "5"}}], "After an ice - cold start to the season, second - year point guard Emmanuel Mudiay got things going in a big way on Sunday. Mudiay, who had been shooting just 28 percent from the field and was averaging 4 turnovers to go with just 13 points per game heading into the contest, scored 24 points in the first quarter against Boston. Mudiay hit 9 - of - 10 from the field to start the game, and made three three - pointers on the night. The career 69 percent free - throw shooter also went a perfect 5 - of - 5 from the line. Boston also saw excellent point - guard play out of All-Star Isaiah Thomas. The diminutive floor general posted a team - high 30 points on 9 - of - 17 shooting from the field and 11 - of - 12 shooting from the free - throw line. With fellow starters Al Horford and Jae Crowder sitting out, Thomas shouldered the offensive load for the Celtics, also dishing out five assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "9", "Kings": "10"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "118", "Kings": "129"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Bucks": "33", "Kings": "40"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "6", "Kings": "6"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "57"}}, {"Assists": {"Rudy Gay": "2", "Rajon Rondo": "13", "Omri Casspi": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Khris Middleton": "6", "Greivis Vasquez": "7"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gay": "36", "Rajon Rondo": "10", "Omri Casspi": "19", "Marco Belinelli": "17", "Darren Collison": "18", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "21", "Khris Middleton": "21", "John Henson": "15", "Greivis Vasquez": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "5", "Rajon Rondo": "9", "Omri Casspi": "7", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5", "John Henson": "11"}, "Steals": {"Omri Casspi": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"John Henson": "19"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (6 - 10) came out on top 129 - 118 in a high - scoring affair against the Milwaukee Bucks (6 - 9) on Wednesday night. With a 40 - 33 first quarter the Kings established control and did not look back. Although, Milwaukee brought it within one point in the fourth quarter, the Kings managed to come up clutch and get the W. Rudy Gay had his best game of the season so far as he finished with 36 points, on 13 - 21 shooting, along with five rebounds and two assists. Five other players scored in double digits for Sacramento, who as a team shot an impressive 57 percent from the field. Omri Casspi shot 6 - 9 and finished with 19 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals in 30 minutes off the bench. Marco Belinelli added 17 points on 5 - 10 shooting, while Derren Collison added 18 also on 5 - 10 shooting. Rajon Rondo neared a triple - double with 10 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds in 38 minutes. DeMarcus Cousins sat this one out with a sore back. The Bucks had seven players score in double digits but could not come up clutch to get the win. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way for Milwaukee with 21 points on 7 - 13 shooting; he also had five rebounds and two assists. Khris Middleton also tallied 21 points, while shooting 5 - 8 from deep, and dishing six assists. John Henson put up strong numbers with a double - double consisting of 15 points and 11 rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench. Greivis Vasquez did not score double digits, but stil played a solid point guard game with nine points and seven assists in 15 minutes off the bench. Next up for the Bucks is a date in Orlando with the Magic Friday night, in what will be an important game for both teams looking to sneak into the top eight in the East. The Kings will be hosting Minnesota on Friday and will look to win back - to - back games, something they have done once so far this season."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "34", "Bucks": "22"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "100", "Bucks": "115"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "15", "Bucks": "24"}, "Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "29"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "52"}}, {"Points": {"Jared Dudley": "17", "John Henson": "12", "Nikola Vucevic": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"John Henson": "11", "Nikola Vucevic": "14"}}], "The Orlando Magic (15 - 34) fell at home Thursday as the Milwaukee Bucks (24 - 22) cruised to an easy 115 - 100 victory at the Amway Center. The Bucks took a 59 - 44 lead at halftime and never looked back. All five of Milwaukee's starters scored in double figures and the Bucks finished the night shooting 52 percent from the field, including 12 - for - 25 from beyond the arc. Orlando cut into the deficit late in the game, but the outcome was already decided. The Bucks led by as many as 29 in the fourth. Milwaukee has now won three of its last four after Thursday's dominating victory. What's more impressive is that Milwaukee trotted out a patchwork lineup Thursday after Zaza Pachulia and Ersan Ilyasova were sidelined with injuries. Jared Dudley and John Henson filled in admirably for the Pachulia and Ilyasova, with Dudley scoring 17 and Henson posting a 12 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. Milwaukee will return home Saturday to host Portland on Saturday. Orlando's recent woes continued Thursday as it lost its seventh straight game. Nikola Vucevic had another double - double, contributing 17 points and 14 rebounds in the contest, but it was n't enough to make up for the lackluster efforts from most of his teammates. The Magic's road does n't get much easier, with the Mavericks, Thunder, and Spurs on the dockett."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "21", "Suns": "27"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "112", "Suns": "107"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bulls": "29", "Suns": "27"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "35", "Suns": "29"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Suns": "24"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2", "Pau Gasol": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2", "Taj Gibson": "2"}, "Assists": {"Brandon Knight": "5", "Pau Gasol": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Brandon Knight": "25"}, "Points": {"Brandon Knight": "13", "Marcus Morris": "17"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marcus Morris": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Marcus Morris": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Pau Gasol": "2"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (35 - 21) defeated the Phoenix Suns (29 - 27) 112 - 107 Saturday at the United Center. Phoenix has now dropped its first two games since dealing the Dragic brothers and Isaiah Thomas at the trade deadline. Brandon Knight made his Suns debut Saturday, putting up 13 points and five assists in 25 minutes off the bench. The Bulls were down by two entering the fourth, but Taj Gibson's 10 - point fourth quarter helped them gain the final advantage. Phoenix's Eric Bledsoe cut Chicago's lead to two with under a minute left, but Pau Gasol's running hook shot on the next possession helped give the Bulls the decisive advantage. Phoenix's losing streak has extended to four games after Saturday and it has dropped seven of its last eight. The recent slide has sent the Suns tumbling in the standings and they would not be in the top eight in the West if the season were to end today. Marcus Morris had a strong outing off the bench with 17 points on 8 - of - 15 shooting. The Suns will look to snap their losing streak Monday against the Celtics. Chicago bounced back from Friday's 100 - 91 loss to Detroit to notch its 35th win of the season. The Bulls actually outperformed the Suns from three - point range, burying 12 of their 24 attempts from beyond the arc. Kirk Hinrich missed the contest after coming down with an illness. The Bulls will return to action Monday against the Bucks in what could be a playoff series preview."], [[{"Total points": {"Heat": "104", "Hornets": "94"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Heat": "31", "Hornets": "17"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Heat": "19"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "1"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "0"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Al Jefferson": "22", "Chris Bosh": "32"}, "Points": {"Al Jefferson": "17", "Kemba Walker": "19", "Jeremy Lin": "17", "Chris Bosh": "21", "Dwyane Wade": "20", "Gerald Green": "19"}, "Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "4", "Jeremy Lin": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "16", "Jeremy Lin": "10", "Chris Bosh": "13", "Dwyane Wade": "16", "Gerald Green": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Kemba Walker": "5", "Jeremy Lin": "5", "Chris Bosh": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "7", "Gerald Green": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "9", "Jeremy Lin": "6", "Chris Bosh": "10", "Dwyane Wade": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Kemba Walker": "8", "Jeremy Lin": "5", "Chris Bosh": "9", "Dwyane Wade": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Kemba Walker": "4", "Chris Bosh": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jeremy Lin": "3", "Chris Bosh": "5", "Gerald Green": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jeremy Lin": "2", "Chris Bosh": "2", "Gerald Green": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Chris Bosh": "10"}}], "The Miami Heat (10) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (0 - 1) 104 - 94 on Wednesday at American Airlines Arena in Miami. Coming in with high expectations after missing the playoffs last year, the Heat did n't disappoint in their opener and pulled off the victory in front of their home crowd. Despite a slow start from the field, the Heat came up with a very big second quarter, out - scoring the Hornets 31 - 17 to take a 10 - point lead into the half. A seemingly even match the rest of the way, the Heat used their three - point shooting advantage (12 - 20 3Pt) to give them enough of a spark to push them to a win. As expected, the Heat's dynamic duo of Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade did most of the damage. Bosh recorded his first double - double of the year, posting 21 points (5 - 13 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt) and 10 rebounds over 32 minutes. He continually abused the Hornets' bigs, forcing his way to the free throw line 10 times, while cashing in on nine of those ten attempts. Wade, on the other hand, added 20 points (7 - 16 FG, 6 - 6 FT) of his own, to go along with five assists. After averaging 22 points and 5 assists last season, it looks as if he's picked up right where he left off. The big surprise of the night was Gerald Green's play off the bench. After playing with the Suns last season, Green capped off his Heat debut with a bench - high of 19 points (7 - 15 FG, 5 - 8 3Pt), giving the Heat just enough of a boost to help propel them to a win. For the Hornets, it was Al Jefferson who did most of the work early. He dominated his way to 17 points at the half, but failed to contribute even a single point following that. While there was n't any reports of an injury, he finished with just 22 minutes of game action, so it's still unclear why he played in such a limited fashion. Kemba Walker was the only other starter in the lineup to get things going offensively. He went 5 - for - 16 from the field and 8 - for - 9 from the free throw line to post 19 points, while also adding four assists and four rebounds. Making his Hornets' debut, Jeremy Lin chipped in with 17 points (5 - 10 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT) and a pair of assists off the bench. The Heat will travel to Cleveland on Friday to take on the Cavaliers, while the Hornets will be on the road against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "2", "Bucks": "6"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "10", "Bucks": "7"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Kyle Lowry": "26"}, "Points": {"Kyle Lowry": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Kyle Lowry": "9"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (10 - 2) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (7 - 6) 124 - 83 on Friday. Toronto has won three straight games and are defining themselves as a contender to win the Eastern Conference this season. Kyle Lowry paced the Raptors on Friday. He put up 20 points and nine rebounds in 26 minutes. Toronto has had some gimmies in the early part of their schedule, but that wo n't be the case Saturday as they travel to Cleveland to take on LeBron James and the Cavaliers. Milwaukee has been one of the darlings of the NBA so far this season. They're playing better than any expert expected, and that's why Friday's drubbing at the hands of the Raptors was more of a surprise than it would have been in the past. Giannis Antetokounmpo (ankle) was originally ruled out but was given the green light by coach Jason Kidd to come off the bench and play limited minutes. Milwaukee is on a back - to - back set. They'll host the Washington Wizards on Saturday."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Timberwolves": "20", "Warriors": "38"}, "Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "30"}, "Turnovers": {"Warriors": "8"}}, {"Points": {"Kevin Durant": "22", "Klay Thompson": "30", "Stephen Curry": "22", "Andrew Wiggins": "25", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "25", "Zach LaVine": "25"}, "Blocks": {"Klay Thompson": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Klay Thompson": "6", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "18"}, "Steals": {"Klay Thompson": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Zach LaVine": "1"}}], "While the eight - point margin looks somewhat lopsided, this game was full of swings, as it took one final push from the Warriors to pull out their win. Golden State actually outscored Minnesota, 38 - 20, in the fourth quarter to overcome a double - digit deficit. In total, there were 12 ties and 14 lead changes with no team trailing by more than 12 points. The assist - to - turnover ratio was the difference in the game, with the Warriors recording 30 assists and eight turnovers, while the T'Wolves committed 14 turnovers to just 17 assists. Klay Thompson had one of his hot games, as he scored a game - high 30 points, adding six rebounds to his tally. Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry were n't far behind, as they scored 22 points apiece. Karl-Anthony Towns, Zach LaVine and Andrew Wiggins all tied for a team - high of 25 points each for the Timberwolves, as they had no other player score more than 11. Towns also added 18 rebounds in one of his best games of the season."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "17", "Spurs": "4"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "103", "Spurs": "109"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "0", "Spurs": "13"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6", "Manu Ginobili": "3", "Michael Carter-Williams": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2", "Manu Ginobili": "2", "Michael Carter-Williams": "2", "Alexey Shved": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "15", "Manu Ginobili": "8", "Michael Carter-Williams": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "9", "Manu Ginobili": "4", "Michael Carter-Williams": "9"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "26", "Aron Baynes": "15", "Cory Joseph": "14", "Manu Ginobili": "14", "Michael Carter-Williams": "24", "KJ McDaniels": "10", "Alexey Shved": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "10", "Aron Baynes": "9", "Cory Joseph": "8", "Michael Carter-Williams": "11", "KJ McDaniels": "9"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2", "Alexey Shved": "2"}, "Assists": {"Cory Joseph": "6", "Michael Carter-Williams": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Manu Ginobili": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Manu Ginobili": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Alexey Shved": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Alexey Shved": "2"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (13 - 4) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (0 - 17) 109 - 103 on Monday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. With Tim Duncan and Tony Parker getting the day off for rest, the Sixers kept it close and nearly grabbed their first victory of season. Philadelphia out - scored San Antonio 57 - 48 in the second half, but could n't complete the comeback, as the Spurs were able to hold on for the win. Kawhi Leonard took full responsibility on the offensive side of the ball for the Spurs with the two superstars sitting out. Leonard shot 9 - for - 15 from the field and 2 - for - 6 from beyond the arc to score 26 points. He was also able to grab 10 rebounds, giving him his fifth double - double of the season. Cory Joseph was the replacement in the starting lineup at point guard. He had a solid overall game and scored 14 points, while also recording eight rebounds and six assists. Aron Baynes was in the starting lineup at center, and he came one rebound shy of a double - double with 15 points and nine rebounds. Manu Ginobili only played 12 minutes, but contributed an efficient 14 points (4 - 8 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT) off the bench. The Spurs had six players reach double figures in points. Michael Carter-Williams continued to play well as of late. He shot 9 - for - 19 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 24 points. He also had 11 rebounds and seven assists, coming only a few assists shy of posting his second triple - double in as many games. In the past two outings he's averaging 21 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists. The Sixers found a lot of their production off the bench Monday. Alexey Shved had a season - high of 19 points, after scoring 18 on Saturday. He's played a combined 54 minutes in the last two games, well above his season average. K.J. McDaniels was the other big contributor off the bench, as he scored 10 points and had nine rebounds. The Spurs' next game will be on the road against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, while the Sixers will travel to Minnesota to play the Timberwolves on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "33"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "45"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Magic": "33"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "4"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Kings": "29"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Elfrid Payton": "11"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "33"}, "Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "33", "Evan Fournier": "29", "Elfrid Payton": "6", "Jeff Green": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Aaron Gordon": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Nikola Vucevic": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Elfrid Payton": "5"}}], "Evan Fournier continues to thrive in his new full - time shooting guard role, tallying a season - high 29 points to lead a balanced attack by the Magic. Three other members of the starting five - - Serge Ibaka, Nicola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon - - combined for another 40 points, while Elfrid Payton handed out 11 assists to along with six points. Jeff Green helped make up for some of the shortfall from the bench with 15 points, and Orlando shot a solid 45 percent from the field. The Kings' featured a typically top - heavy attack, with DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay accounting for over half of their scoring (49 points) and 33 shot attempts. Cousins' 33 points led all scorers, and the Kings' bench, which combined for 29 points, nearly outscored the other four starters, who totaled just 32 overall."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "50", "Grizzlies": "47"}, "Losses": {"Timberwolves": "31", "Grizzlies": "20"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "106", "Grizzlies": "101"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Timberwolves": "20", "Grizzlies": "25"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "37", "Grizzlies": "21"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "14", "Grizzlies": "25"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "47"}}, {"Assists": {"Matt Barnes": "5", "Zach Randolph": "1", "Marc Gasol": "1", "Mike Conley": "6", "Mario Chalmers": "5", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "3", "Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Ricky Rubio": "12"}, "Points": {"Matt Barnes": "13", "Zach Randolph": "7", "Marc Gasol": "17", "Courtney Lee": "8", "Mike Conley": "9", "Mario Chalmers": "19", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "14", "Andrew Wiggins": "19", "Ricky Rubio": "15", "Shabazz Muhammad": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Matt Barnes": "3", "Zach Randolph": "6", "Marc Gasol": "2", "Courtney Lee": "3", "Mike Conley": "7", "Mario Chalmers": "3", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "9", "Andrew Wiggins": "5", "Ricky Rubio": "6", "Shabazz Muhammad": "3"}, "Steals": {"Matt Barnes": "1", "Courtney Lee": "1", "Mike Conley": "1", "Mario Chalmers": "2", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "1", "Mario Chalmers": "1", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Andrew Wiggins": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "5"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (14 - 31) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (25 - 20) 106 - 101 on Saturday. Sometimes, the numbers do n't tell the entire story. Despite the visiting Grizzlies, who came in with a vastly superior record and riding a four - game win streak, outperforming the Timberwolves in several important categories, Minnesota was able to walk away the victors in a tightly - contested game. Memphis tallied a 47 percent accuracy rate from the field, as well as a 47 ratio from three - point range. They also elicited 16 total turnovers from the Timberwolves, leading to 21 points, and held a 25 - 20 lead after one quarter. However, the home team won the second period handily by a margin of 37 - 21, and also went on a 50 run over the final 1:28 of the game to break a 101 - 101 tie and insure only their eighth win of the season at the Target Center. Both teams saw bench players lead them in scoring. Mario Chalmers spearheaded the Memphis attack with 19 points, five assists, three rebounds, two steals and a block. Marc Gasol was right behind him with a 17 - point tally that he supplemented with two rebounds, an assist and a block. Matt Barnes managed 13 points, five assists, three rebounds and a steal as the only other starter to pitch in double - digit points. Mike Conley (nine points, seven rebounds, six assists and a steal), Courtney Lee (eight points, three rebounds and a steal) and Zach Randolph (seven points, six rebounds an an assist) made modest but multi - category contributions. With the loss, the Grizzlies fell into a second - place tie with the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Southwest Division. They head home to face the Orlando Magic on Monday. Shabazz Muhammad led the Timberwolves on the night with a season - high 25 points, along with three boards. It was also the third - year pro's fifth consecutive game with double - digit scoring. Andrew Wiggins poured in 19 points of his own for tops among the starting five, and added five rebounds, an assist and a block. Ricky Rubio stuffed the stat sheet with a 15 - point, 12 - assist double - double that also featured six rebounds and a trio of steals. It was notably the point guard's first double - double of January. Rookie sensation Karl-Anthony Towns checked in with a near double - double of his own, totaling 14 points, nine rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block. Despite the win, Minnesota remains in last place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division. They head to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers on Monday night."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "45", "Knicks": "10"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "51", "Knicks": "42"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "33", "Knicks": "46"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "115", "Knicks": "94"}, "Rebounds": {"Celtics": "46", "Knicks": "41"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "22", "Knicks": "10"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Lou Amundson": "8", "Jason Smith": "9", "Langston Galloway": "13", "Andrea Bargnani": "13", "Marcus Smart": "9", "Isaiah Thomas": "10", "Jae Crowder": "12", "Jonas Jerebko": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Lou Amundson": "6", "Jason Smith": "5", "Langston Galloway": "6", "Andrea Bargnani": "5", "Marcus Smart": "6", "Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Jae Crowder": "7", "Jonas Jerebko": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Lou Amundson": "2", "Jason Smith": "6", "Langston Galloway": "2", "Andrea Bargnani": "9", "Marcus Smart": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "11", "Jae Crowder": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Lou Amundson": "2", "Jason Smith": "4", "Langston Galloway": "1", "Andrea Bargnani": "7", "Marcus Smart": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "11", "Jae Crowder": "1"}, "Points": {"Lou Amundson": "14", "Jason Smith": "14", "Langston Galloway": "14", "Andrea Bargnani": "17", "Marcus Smart": "16", "Isaiah Thomas": "19", "Jae Crowder": "18", "Jonas Jerebko": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Jason Smith": "10", "Langston Galloway": "3", "Andrea Bargnani": "6", "Isaiah Thomas": "6", "Jae Crowder": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Langston Galloway": "1", "Andrea Bargnani": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Langston Galloway": "5", "Andrea Bargnani": "2", "Marcus Smart": "5", "Isaiah Thomas": "6", "Jae Crowder": "5", "Jonas Jerebko": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Langston Galloway": "1", "Andrea Bargnani": "0", "Marcus Smart": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "2", "Jae Crowder": "3", "Jonas Jerebko": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Langston Galloway": "1", "Jae Crowder": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Langston Galloway": "1", "Jae Crowder": "3"}, "Steals": {"Langston Galloway": "1", "Jae Crowder": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Andrea Bargnani": "25", "Isaiah Thomas": "27"}, "Assists": {"Marcus Smart": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "7"}}], "The Boston Celtics (22 - 33) defeated the New York Knicks (10 - 46) 115 - 94 on Wednesday at the TD Garden in Boston. While they were down 49 - 48 at half, the Celtics took off in the second half, out - scoring the Knicks 67 - 45 to finish the game. The Celtics used their superior shooting to to gain an advantage, as they went 51 percent from the field and 45 percent from the three - point line, while the Knicks finished at just 42 percent from the floor and a meager 10 percent from deep. The Celtics also out - rebounded the Knicks 46 - 41, only helping to further their lead. The Celtics saw a huge contribution from their bench, including their three leading scorers. Isaiah Thomas was one of those players, as he finished with 19 points (3 - 10 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 11 - 11 FT), six rebounds and seven assists in 27 minutes. He's played extremely well for Boston, averaging 20 points and 5 assists in the three games since coming over from Phoenix. Jae Crowder was another one of those bench contributors, posting 18 points (7 - 12 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and six rebounds in 28 minutes. He's really started to come on for the Celtics, combining to score 52 points, while grabbing 20 rebounds over his last three games. The third strong performance from the bench was to recently acquired Jonas Jerebko. In just 20 minutes, he went 7 - for - 10 from the field and 4 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 20 points. It marked a new season - high for the forward, as it was far - and - away his most productive performance on the season. Marcus Smart had a strong showing with the starters as well, posting 16 points (6 - 9 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and four assists. The Knicks were led by Andrea Bargnani, who came off the Knicks' bench to score 17 points (5 - 13 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 7 - 9 FT), while also adding six rebounds and two blocked shots in 25 minutes. Playing in just his seventh game of the season due to injury, it was easily his strongest showing to this point. The Knicks also received a nice effort from Jason Smith, who finished with 14 points (5 - 9 FG, 4 - 6 FT) and 10 rebounds. It marked just his third double - double of the season. Scoring 14 points (6 - 13 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) of his own, Langston Galloway continued to stay one of the Knicks more consistent players of late. Over his last three games he's averaging 15 points, the best stretch of any other Knicks' player. Lou Amundson added an efficient 14 points as well, going 6 - for - 8 from the field and 2 - for - 2 from the free throw line. The Celtics' next game will be at home against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday, while the Knicks will be on the road against the Detroit Pistons on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "9", "Kings": "13"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "106", "Kings": "98"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "11", "Kings": "7"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Kings": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "32"}}, {"Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "36", "Rudy Gay": "22", "Darren Collison": "13", "Carmelo Anthony": "20", "Kristaps Porzingis": "15", "Derrick Rose": "20", "Brandon Jennings": "19"}, "Assists": {"Rudy Gay": "4", "Darren Collison": "6", "Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Derrick Rose": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "9", "Darren Collison": "3", "Kristaps Porzingis": "14"}, "Steals": {"Rudy Gay": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "18", "Derrick Rose": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "6", "Derrick Rose": "9"}}], "The host New York Knicks defeated the Sacramento Kings, 106 - 98, at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. While there were n't many swings in this game, it stayed close throughout. In fact, there were only five lead changes and one tie, as it took some clutch free - throws from the Knicks to close things out. New York actually held the lead for the final three quarters, as the Kings could never quite crawl back in. Defense was key for New York, as they held the Kings to 32 percent shooting from the field and from three - point range. They also dominated the rebounding, winning that battle, 58 - 50. Sacramento (7 - 13) just could n't score in this ball game, but they did a good job of hanging around until the buzzer. DeMarcus Cousins did lead the team with 36 points and 12 rebounds, but went just 9 - of - 30 from the field in an inefficient game. Rudy Gay tallied 22 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals. Darren Collison was the only other Kings player in double figures, accumulating 13 points, three rebounds and six assists. On deck for Sacramento is a road game against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday. New York (11 - 9) have been playing their best ball of the season recently and this win only adds to that success. Derrick Rose continues to improve in this offense, as he tallied 20 points, five rebounds and six assists on 9 - of - 14 shooting. Carmelo Anthony scored 20 points of his own, adding three rebounds and an assist. Kristaps Porzingis shot just 6 - of - 18 from the field, but totaled 15 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks in the win. Brandon Jennings was a nice spark off the bench too, dropping 19 points in 25 minutes. New York will look to keep rolling against the Miami Heat on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "27", "Hornets": "28"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "87", "Hornets": "76"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "33", "Hornets": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Marvin Williams": "1", "Kent Bazemore": "3", "Al Horford": "6"}, "Points": {"Marvin Williams": "16", "Kemba Walker": "9", "Kent Bazemore": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Marvin Williams": "9", "Kent Bazemore": "6", "Al Horford": "16"}, "Turnovers": {"Marvin Williams": "1"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (33 - 27) trumped the Charlotte Hornets (30 - 28) 87 - 76 in a divisional matchup on Sunday. For Atlanta, the win is the second straight after a three - game losing streak ended on Friday. No player scored over 14 points, but five Hawks reached double - digits on Sunday. Forward Kent Bazemore led the way with 14, also chipping in six rebounds and three assists. Center Al Horford, meanwhile, made a noteworthy contribution with 16 rebounds and six assists. The Hawks are now back in play for the fourth seed, which is currently held by the division - leading Miami Heat. Charlotte, meanwhile, had won eight of their previous ten headed into Sunday's matchup. The team had an absolutely abysmal night from the floor on Sunday, however, shooting just 34 percent from the field, 23 percent from three - point range, and 65 percent from the free - throw line. The team's best scorer Kemba Walker had an off night, going just 3 - for - 14 for nine points. Forward Marvin Williams was one of the few bright spots, contributing a game - high 16 points and pulling down nine rebounds. The Hornets will host the sliding Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. The Hawks will travel to face the league - best Warriors on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "9", "Timberwolves": "28"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "122", "Timberwolves": "114"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "32", "Timberwolves": "14"}}, {"Points": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "27", "Ricky Rubio": "21", "Kawhi Leonard": "34", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "16", "Kawhi Leonard": "7", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Ricky Rubio": "14"}, "Free throws made": {"Ricky Rubio": "13"}, "Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Kawhi Leonard": "39"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 122 - 114 at AT & T Center on Tuesday. The game remained close through three quarters, with the Spurs (32 - 9) and Timberwolves (14 - 28) exchanging blows throughout the contest. San Antonio, however, was ultimately able to pull away in the final period, opening up a lead that got as high as 14 points with just over a minute and a half remaining. And they managed to do so with a pair of unbelievable performances from their two stars in the frontcourt. Kawhi Leonard finished with a game - high 34 points, seven rebounds and five assists in 39 minutes, while LaMarcus Aldridge added 29 points, four rebounds and three assists of his own. Together, the two shot 24 - of - 37 from the field. For the Timberwolves, the loss ends what was an impressive three - game win streak, as they missed an opportunity Tuesday to notch their third straight victory over a team with a winning record. Nevertheless, they still got yet another tremendous performance from Karl-Anthony Towns, who continues to have a very productive January. Towns finished with 27 points and 16 rebounds with the help of his point guard Ricky Rubio, who posted 21 points and 14 assists while going an impressive 13 - of - 14 from the free throw line. Ultimately, it was Minnesota's lack of depth that led to the team running out of gas in the closing moments, with just three reserves seeing time on the court and combining for 21 points. Up next, the Spurs will take on the Nuggets at home on Thursday, while the Timberwolves will look to get back to their winning ways in Los Angeles on Friday against the Clippers."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "4", "76ers": "10"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "100", "76ers": "75"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Spurs": "30", "76ers": "13"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "6", "76ers": "0"}}, {"Blocks": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "4", "Michael Carter-Williams": "5", "Matt Bonner": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "2", "Michael Carter-Williams": "1", "Matt Bonner": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "10", "Michael Carter-Williams": "14", "Matt Bonner": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "4", "Michael Carter-Williams": "7", "Matt Bonner": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "4", "Michael Carter-Williams": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "3", "Michael Carter-Williams": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "2", "Michael Carter-Williams": "2", "Matt Bonner": "1"}, "Points": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "13", "Michael Carter-Williams": "16", "Matt Bonner": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "4", "Michael Carter-Williams": "5", "Matt Bonner": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "2"}, "Assists": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "4", "Matt Bonner": "3"}, "Steals": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Kawhi Leonard": "20"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Matt Bonner": "1"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (6 - 4) kept the Philadelphia 76ers (0 - 10) winless to start the 2014 - 15 season, as they recorded the 100 - 75 victory on Monday night at the AT & T Center in San Antonio. It started out rough for the 76ers, as they were down 30 - 13 at the end of the first quarter, and just could n't get back into it from there. For Philadelphia, they are still searching for answers, as only two players managed to score in double digits on Monday night. The two players who led the way in scoring included power forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who had 13 points (4 - 10 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), with four rebounds and two blocks, and Michael Carter-Williams, who posted a line of 16 points (7 - 14 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 1 - 3 FT), five rebounds, four assists and two steals. Philadelphia will try to get their first win of 2014 on Wednesday at home against the Boston Celtics. For the Spurs, it was just another day at the office. San Antonio had seven players score eight or more points, and five score in double digits. Matt Bonner was the surprising one who led the way on Monday night though, as he scored 18 points (7 - 10 FG, 4 - 6 3Pt), to go along with three assists and one rebound. Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard all played 20 minutes or less in this game, meaning that the reserves got plenty of time on the court. In total, 11 players were on the floor for at least 16 minutes. San Antonio will get a night off before a huge game against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road Wednesday night."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Nets": "23"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "96", "Hornets": "104"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "14"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "37"}}, {"Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nicolas Batum": "10", "Al Jefferson": "13", "Joe Johnson": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Nicolas Batum": "5", "Al Jefferson": "9", "Joe Johnson": "4"}, "Points": {"Nicolas Batum": "16", "Kemba Walker": "28", "Al Jefferson": "18", "Joe Johnson": "17", "Brook Lopez": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Nicolas Batum": "7", "Al Jefferson": "7", "Brook Lopez": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Al Jefferson": "24"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Joe Johnson": "8"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (28 - 26) notched a road win Sunday against the Brooklyn Nets (15 - 40) at Barclays Center, 104 - 96. After a competitive first quarter that left the Hornets up just three, Charlotte began the second quarter with a quick 60 run and never trailed the rest of the game. The Hornets' three - point attack was too much for Brooklyn to handle, as Charlotte hit 10 of 27 three - pointers (37 percent). The Nets shot just 5 - 22 from three, giving the Hornets a solid 15 - point advantage from beyond the arc. Kemba Walker led all scorers with 28 points on an ultra - efficient 11 - 18 shooting, including 4 - 10 from three - point land. Nicolas Batum scored 16 (5 - 10 FG) and added eight assists and seven rebounds. Al Jefferson, still on a minutes limit in just his second game back from an injury suffered in December, added 18 points (9 - 13 FG) and seven rebounds in 24 minutes off the bench. Joe Johnson led the Nets with 17 points (4 - 6 FG, 8 - 9 FT), and Brook Lopez notched a double - double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. The Nets ran clean offense, as they recorded 23 assists on their 35 field goals (66 percent assist rate) and turned the ball over just 14 times, but their inability to shoot from deep sank them. Five different Nets players attempted at least three shots from deep, but none made more than one. The Nets take to the road for a Tuesday matchup against Portland. Charlotte continues its road trip Wednesday in Cleveland."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "30", "76ers": "30"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "113", "76ers": "95"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "19", "76ers": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "13", "Jahlil Okafor": "16", "Seth Curry": "22", "Devin Harris": "14", "Salah Mejri": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "10", "Seth Curry": "3", "Salah Mejri": "17"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jahlil Okafor": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Jahlil Okafor": "24", "Devin Harris": "19", "Salah Mejri": "21"}, "Assists": {"Seth Curry": "6"}, "Steals": {"Seth Curry": "4"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 113 - 95 Wednesday at American Airlines Center. The Mavericks (19 - 30) steamrolled their way to a fourth straight victory as they continue to be much - improved since the start of the new year. They have now won five of their last six games and boast a 9 - 6 record in 2017. A major part of this run has been the play of Seth Curry, who scored a game - high 22 points Wednesday on top of six assists, four steals and three rebounds. It was his ninth game since the start of the new year with at least 15 points. The surprise performance of the night, however, came off the bench from Salah Mejri, who played just 21 minutes as a reserve but recorded 16 points and a game - high 17 rebounds in that time. Devin Harris also had a solid day off the bench, scoring 14 points in just 19 minutes. As for the 76ers (18 - 30), they've cooled off a bit since their hot start to January, as they have now lost three of their last four games after Wednesday's defeat. Jahlil Okafor put together a solid offensive performance in the loss, scoring 16 points in 24 minutes, but it's clear that Philadelphia is missing the inside presence of Joel Embiid, who has now missed five of the last six games with a knee contusion. Ersan Ilyasova added a double - double of 13 points and 10 rebounds, but overall for the 76ers, it was a forgettable night offensively. The team ended up shooting just 46 percent from the field and 27 percent from behind the arc while committing 21 total turnovers. Up next, the Mavericks will look to continue their winning ways against Portland on Friday, while the 76ers will travel Thursday to San Antonio."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "14", "Grizzlies": "33"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "106", "Grizzlies": "94"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "59", "Grizzlies": "40"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Mike Conley": "15", "Klay Thompson": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Mike Conley": "9", "Klay Thompson": "12"}, "Points": {"Mike Conley": "29", "Klay Thompson": "31", "Andre Iguodala": "20"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "7"}, "Assists": {"Andre Iguodala": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Iguodala": "7"}}], "The host Golden State Warriors took down the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, 106 - 94. It was yet another great night for the league - best Warriors (59 - 14), who are now one win away from their third straight 60 - win season. With former MVP Kevin Durant still out with a knee injury, veteran forward Andre Iguodala stepped up for 20 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. Golden State advanced to 160 when Iguodala scores 20 or more points. Klay Thompson, meanwhile, led the team with 31 points on 12 - of - 18 shooting and 7 - of - 11 from three - point range. It was a typically dominant night for the historic Warriors offense. The team shot over 54 percent from the field, hit 17 three - pointers, and dished out 30 team assists. The Grizzlies (40 - 33) have now droppped three straight games and look poised to finish in seventh place in the Western Conference. The team shot 44 percent from the field and just 27 percent from three - point range. Overall, it was n't a great night for Memphis on the offensive end. The Grizz saw only three players score in double digits and only one player score above 13 points. That player was point guard Mike Conley, who had a stellar 29 points on 9 - of - 15 shooting. The Grizzlies will visit Sacramento on Monday, while the Warriors will see Houston on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "54", "Timberwolves": "57"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "13", "Timberwolves": "10"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "119", "Timberwolves": "120"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "3", "Timberwolves": "4"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Timberwolves": "56"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Thaddeus Young": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Thaddeus Young": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Thaddeus Young": "3"}, "Assists": {"Mo Williams": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Mo Williams": "3", "Nick Young": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Mo Williams": "3", "Nick Young": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Mo Williams": "30", "Zach LaVine": "26"}, "Points": {"Mo Williams": "25", "Zach LaVine": "28"}, "Turnovers": {"Mo Williams": "3", "Zach LaVine": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Nick Young": "3"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (4 - 10) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (3 - 13) 120 - 119 on Friday. Minnesota ended their three - game losing streak with this win. Mo Williams (illness) returned to action after a one - game absence to put up 25 points and 11 assists in 30 minutes. Zach LaVine moved back to a bench role, but that did n't stop him from having the best game of his rookie career. He put up a game - high 28 points in 26 minutes. Thaddeus Young coaxed the Lakers' Nick Young into fouling him with 3 seconds left and the game tied. Young stepped to the line and missed his first free throw before sinking the second to secure the win for the Timberwolves. Minnesota's next game is on the road against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday. Los Angeles has lost four straight games. Kobe Bryant put up a last - second shot to try and steal the game after Young's free throws, but he missed the mark. The Lakers were terrific on offense, shooitng 54 percent from the field, but they did n't have the defense to stop the injury - depleted Timberwolves. They allowed Minnesota to shoot 57 percent from the field and 56 percent from beyond the arc. The Lakers will host the Toronto Raptors on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "29", "Rockets": "17"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "95", "Rockets": "107"}, "Turnovers": {"Hornets": "21", "Rockets": "17"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "24", "Rockets": "39"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Rockets": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Trevor Ariza": "3", "Ryan Anderson": "1", "Clint Capela": "2", "Patrick Beverley": "3", "James Harden": "8", "Montrezl Harrell": "1", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "4", "Cody Zeller": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "10", "Kemba Walker": "5", "Marco Belinelli": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Trevor Ariza": "2", "Clint Capela": "1", "James Harden": "1", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "2"}, "Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "11", "Ryan Anderson": "14", "Clint Capela": "11", "Patrick Beverley": "17", "James Harden": "30", "Montrezl Harrell": "15", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "8", "Marvin Williams": "12", "Cody Zeller": "9", "Nicolas Batum": "15", "Kemba Walker": "14", "Jeremy Lamb": "8", "Frank Kaminsky": "9", "Marco Belinelli": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Ariza": "7", "Ryan Anderson": "4", "Patrick Beverley": "2", "James Harden": "11", "Montrezl Harrell": "4", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "9", "Marvin Williams": "7", "Cody Zeller": "4", "Nicolas Batum": "8", "Kemba Walker": "5", "Marco Belinelli": "4"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Ariza": "2", "Clint Capela": "3", "Patrick Beverley": "3", "James Harden": "1", "Montrezl Harrell": "1", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "1", "Marvin Williams": "2", "Cody Zeller": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "1", "Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Cody Zeller": "22"}}], "The Houston Rockets defeated the Charlotte Hornets, 107 - 95, at Spectrum Center on Thursday evening. James Harden had exploded for a 40 - point, 15 - rebound, 10 - assist triple - double in his previous encounter with the Hornets (24 - 29), so it was little surprise that his contributions spearheaded Houston's 19th road win of the season Thursday. The perennial All-Star tallied a game - high 30 points that he supplemented with 11 boards, eight assists, one steal and one block. The rest of the starting five also posted double digits in the scoring column, and although they committed 17 turnovers, the Rockets (39 - 17) countered their mistakes by eliciting 21 from Charlotte. Patrick Beverley followed Harden with 17 points, three assists, two rebounds and three steals. Ryan Anderson was next with 14 points, four rebounds and one assist. Trevor Ariza and Clint Capela rounded out the first unit's productive night with matching 11 - point efforts, with the former adding seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks, and the latter supplying seven boards, two assists, three steals and a block. Montrezl Harrell paced the second unit with 15 points, four rebounds, one assist and a steal. Nicolas Batum's 15 - point, 10 - assist double - double that also included eight rebounds and one steal paced the Hornets. Kemba Walker managed 14 points, five rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block. Marvin Williams tallied 12 points, seven boards and two steals. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had a modest but full stat line with eight points, nine rebounds, four assists, two blocks and one steal. Cody Zeller returned from a seven - game absence with a quad injury and generated nine points, four rebounds, one assist and two steals over 22 minutes before exiting with soreness. Marco Belinelli led the bench with 10 points, four boards and one assist. Frank Kaminsky (nine points) and Jeremy Lamb (eight points) were productive with the second unit as well. The Rockets return home to face off with the Phoenix Suns on Saturday evening, while the Hornets remain home to tangle with the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday afternoon."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "39"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "23"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "88", "Clippers": "116"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "22"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "7", "Chris Paul": "15", "Carmelo Anthony": "12", "Kristaps Porzingis": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "7", "Chris Paul": "6", "Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Kristaps Porzingis": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "12", "Kristaps Porzingis": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "6"}, "Points": {"DeAndre Jordan": "20", "Chris Paul": "16", "Carmelo Anthony": "16"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "13", "Carmelo Anthony": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (28 - 14) continued their hot streak on Friday with a 116 - 88 win over the New York Knicks (22 - 23) at Madison Square Garden. The Clippers have now won 12 of their last 14 contests, and are quickly gaining ground in a competetive Western Conference. Despite the absence of All-NBA forward Blake Griffin, Los Angeles has been one of the winningest teams since the start of the New Year. Center DeAndre Jordan led the way for the Clippers with 20 points on a perfect 7 for 7 from the field. Despite not missing a shot, Jordan shot just 6 for 12 at the free - throw line and also failed to record a block for just the fifth time this season. Chris Paul, meanwhile, shot a questionable 6 for 15 from the field for 16 points, but recorded 13 assists and turned the ball over just twice. The Knicks struggled mightily from the field, shooting just 39 percent as a team. Rookie Kristaps Porzingis took a team - high 17 shots but made just 4. This poor shooting performance came on the back of an outing against Utah in which the rookie fouled out. Recently-named All-Star starter Carmelo Anthony also missed the majority of his shots, hitting just 4 of 12. Anthony recorded 16 points, four rebounds, and six assists on the night. New York will see action again on Saturday, visiting the Charlotte Hornets. Los Angeles will also take to the road as they face off against the Raptors on Sunday in Toronto."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "3", "Spurs": "4"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "111", "Spurs": "109"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "4", "Spurs": "3"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4", "Tony Parker": "1", "Matt Barnes": "8", "Chris Paul": "6", "Jamal Crawford": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1", "Tony Parker": "0", "Matt Barnes": "3", "Chris Paul": "5", "Jamal Crawford": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "13", "Tim Duncan": "16", "Tony Parker": "21", "Matt Barnes": "13", "Blake Griffin": "14", "Chris Paul": "13", "Jamal Crawford": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Tim Duncan": "11", "Tony Parker": "10", "Matt Barnes": "7", "Blake Griffin": "7", "Chris Paul": "9", "Jamal Crawford": "7"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "13", "Tim Duncan": "27", "Tony Parker": "20", "Matt Barnes": "17", "Blake Griffin": "24", "Chris Paul": "27", "Jamal Crawford": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "10", "Tim Duncan": "11", "Tony Parker": "5", "Matt Barnes": "5", "Blake Griffin": "13", "Chris Paul": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tim Duncan": "8", "Matt Barnes": "1", "Blake Griffin": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Tim Duncan": "5", "Matt Barnes": "0", "Blake Griffin": "10"}, "Assists": {"Tony Parker": "5", "Blake Griffin": "10", "Chris Paul": "6", "Jamal Crawford": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Chris Paul": "2"}, "Steals": {"Chris Paul": "2"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (4 - 3) defeated the San Antonio Spurs (3 - 4) 111 - 109 on Saturday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. In arguably the most entertaining first round series and the only one to go to a full seven games, the Clippers were able to take down the defending champs and move on to the second round. This game went back and forth all night, including 13 separate ties in the fourth quarter alone. With just 13 seconds left in the game, Chris Paul was put on the free throw line and hit both attempts to put the Clippers up two. Tim Duncan then got to the free throw line on the other side and made both of his as well to even the score with eight seconds left in the game. Despite battling a hamstring injury, the Clippers gave it to Paul on their last possession and he was able to hit an extremely tough runner off the glass with a hand in his face for the go - ahead bucket in front of a raucous home crowd to end the series. Along with the game - winner, Paul was fantastic in this outing, going 9 - for - 13 from the field and 5 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 27 points, while also adding six assists. He temporarily left the game in the first quarter after straining his hamstring, but he came back in the second and played through the injury to bring the Clippers to a huge win. Paul ended the series averaging 23 points and 8 assists per game. Blake Griffin had an outstanding showing as well though, notching a triple - double. He finished with 24 points (7 - 14 FG, 10 - 11 FT), 13 rebounds and 10 assists, impressively marking his second triple - double of the series. Griffin dominated the Spurs during the first round, posting at least a double - double in all seven games. Both Matt Barnes and Jamal Crawford were key factors as well. Barnes recorded 17 points (7 - 13 FG, 3 - 8 3Pt, 0 - 1 FT) and five rebounds, while Crawford chipped in with 16 points (7 - 15 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt) and three assists off the bench. Continuing with an incredible playoff run, the ageless veteran, Tim Duncan, capped off his 2015 NBA playoffs with another impressive showing. He again played as if he was in his prime and finished with 27 points (11 - 16 FG, 5 - 8 FT) and 11 rebounds. Duncan was far - and - away the Spurs' most consistent weapon during this series, posting averages of 18 points and 11 rebounds per game. Veteran Tony Parker had a solid game despite taking the loss as well. Over 35 minutes, he had 20 points (10 - 21 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt), five rebounds and five assists, but it just was n't enough to help lift the Spurs. The Spurs really needed Kawhi Leonard to have a big game, but he never was able to get it going Saturday. He shot just 5 - for - 13 from the field and 1 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score 13 points, although he did have 10 rebounds as well. Without Leonard dialed in, the Spurs just could n't get enough of an edge to outlast the Clippers. The Clippers will now take on the Houston Rockets, with game number one set for Monday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "53"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "51"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "130", "Mavericks": "121"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Mavericks": "30"}}, {"3-pointer percentage": {"Wesley Matthews": "20"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Wesley Matthews": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Wesley Matthews": "3"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Wesley Matthews": "19"}, "Minutes played": {"J.J. Barea": "39"}, "Points": {"J.J. Barea": "22", "Myles Turner": "30"}, "Blocks": {"Myles Turner": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Myles Turner": "16"}, "Steals": {"Myles Turner": "2"}}], "Myles Turner stepped into the full - time center role in spectacular fashion, with a 30 - point, 16 - rebound double - double that included four blocks and two steals as the Indiana Pacers defeated the Dallas Mavericks, 130 - 121, in overtime Wednesday. His clutch three - pointer with 1:18 remaining in overtime started an 80 run that allowed the Pacers to emerge victorious. Three-fifths of the Pacers' starting five surpasses 20 points, and Indiana posted a 51 and 53 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively. The Mavericks' trio of Harrison Barnes, Dirk Nowitzki and Deron Williams combined for over half (66) of the team scoring total on 26 - for - 51 shooting, but Wesley Matthews' 19 percent - shooting night (3 - for - 16), which included a 20 percent tally from beyond the arc, hurt Dallas overall. J.J. Barea helped make up for some of the offensive shortfall by totaling 22 points in 39 minutes off the bench."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "14", "Nuggets": "27"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "102", "Nuggets": "98"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Clippers": "33", "Nuggets": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Clippers": "45", "Nuggets": "38"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "31", "Nuggets": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Wilson Chandler": "2", "Arron Afflalo": "6", "Ty Lawson": "11", "Blake Griffin": "10", "Chris Paul": "8", "Jamal Crawford": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Wilson Chandler": "8", "Arron Afflalo": "4", "Matt Barnes": "4", "Chris Paul": "3", "Jamal Crawford": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Wilson Chandler": "3", "Arron Afflalo": "2", "Matt Barnes": "2", "Chris Paul": "1", "Jamal Crawford": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Wilson Chandler": "18", "Kenneth Faried": "9", "Arron Afflalo": "13", "Ty Lawson": "12", "Matt Barnes": "11", "Blake Griffin": "17", "Chris Paul": "11", "Jamal Crawford": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Wilson Chandler": "7", "Kenneth Faried": "6", "Arron Afflalo": "8", "Ty Lawson": "7", "Matt Barnes": "7", "Blake Griffin": "6", "Chris Paul": "7", "Jamal Crawford": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Wilson Chandler": "2", "Kenneth Faried": "3", "Ty Lawson": "6", "Blake Griffin": "4", "Jamal Crawford": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Wilson Chandler": "1", "Kenneth Faried": "2", "Ty Lawson": "5", "Blake Griffin": "2", "Jamal Crawford": "8"}, "Points": {"Wilson Chandler": "18", "Kenneth Faried": "14", "Arron Afflalo": "18", "Ty Lawson": "19", "Matt Barnes": "18", "Blake Griffin": "14", "Chris Paul": "15", "Jamal Crawford": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Wilson Chandler": "10", "Blake Griffin": "9", "Jamal Crawford": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Kenneth Faried": "30", "Jamal Crawford": "30"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Arron Afflalo": "2"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (31 - 14) defeated the Denver Nuggets (18 - 27) 102 - 98 on Monday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. After coming out of the third quarter down 77 - 69, the Clippers went off in the fourth, out - scoring the Nuggets 33 - 21 to secure the four - point victory in front of their home crowd. While both teams shot nearly identical percentages from the field, the Clippers were able to take an advantage on the boards, out - rebounding the Nuggets 45 - 38 to give them just enough of an advantage to grab the win. The Clippers were led by Jamal Crawford Monday, who recorded 23 points (6 - 14 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt, 8 - 9 FT), four rebounds and three assists in 30 minutes off the bench. Crawford really struggled with his shot in Sunday's game against the Phoenix Suns, so it was good to see him turn things around Monday. Matt Barnes had a strong showing as well, going 7 - for - 11 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score 18 points in 33 minutes. It was a nice surprise for the Clippers, as he's only averaging 10 points per game so far this year. Blake Griffin did n't have as big of a game offensively as he's come accustomed to, but still recorded nearly a triple - double with 14 points (6 - 17 FG, 2 - 4 FT), nine rebounds and 10 assists. It was the first time he's scored less than 15 points in his last 11 games, but the rebounds and assists made up for it. Chris Paul was the other Clipper to reach double figures in points, finishing with 15 points (7 - 11 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt) and eight assists. The Nuggets' backcourt did most of the damage in this game. Ty Lawson went 7 - for - 12 from the field and 5 - for - 6 from the free throw line to score 19 points, while also adding 11 assists. It was his second double - double in a row, as he's gone a combined 50 points and 23 assists over those two games. Arron Afflalo on the other hand added 18 points (8 - 13 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt) and six assists as well. He's now averaging 15 points and 4 rebounds so far this year. Wilson Chandler was able to record a double - double of his own, finishing with 18 points (7 - 18 FG, 3 - 8 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and 10 rebounds. He's had two productive games in a row as well, combining for 38 points and 19 rebounds. The only other Nugget to reach double figures in points was Kenneth Faried, who posted 14 points (6 - 9 FG, 2 - 3 FT) in 30 minutes. The Clippers' next game will be on the road against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, while the Nuggets will travel to New Orleans to play the Pelicans on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "42", "Bulls": "54"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "1"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "100", "Bulls": "115"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "0"}, "Number of team assists": {"Bulls": "20"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Bulls": "50"}}, {"Blocks": {"Nikola Mirotic": "1", "Brook Lopez": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Nikola Mirotic": "8", "Jimmy Butler": "3", "Derrick Rose": "1", "Andrea Bargnani": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nikola Mirotic": "4", "Jimmy Butler": "3", "Derrick Rose": "0", "Andrea Bargnani": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Mirotic": "10", "Jimmy Butler": "11", "Derrick Rose": "11", "Joe Johnson": "15", "Brook Lopez": "17", "Andrea Bargnani": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Mirotic": "5", "Jimmy Butler": "9", "Derrick Rose": "5", "Joe Johnson": "4", "Brook Lopez": "10", "Andrea Bargnani": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nikola Mirotic": "4", "Jimmy Butler": "3", "Andrea Bargnani": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Nikola Mirotic": "4", "Jimmy Butler": "3", "Andrea Bargnani": "5"}, "Points": {"Nikola Mirotic": "18", "Jimmy Butler": "24", "Derrick Rose": "15", "Joe Johnson": "10", "Brook Lopez": "26", "Andrea Bargnani": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Mirotic": "9", "Jimmy Butler": "4", "Joe Johnson": "10", "Brook Lopez": "7", "Andrea Bargnani": "7"}, "Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "6", "Derrick Rose": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Joe Johnson": "32", "Andrea Bargnani": "22"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (20) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (0 - 1) 115 - 100 on Wednesday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The Bulls put on a shooting clinic in this one, finishing at an impressive 54 percent from the field and 50 percent from the three - point line. The Nets, on the other hand, could n't find their stroke, hitting just 42 percent from the field, while embarrassingly missing all eight of their three - point attempts. Despite turning the ball over 20 times, the Bulls shooting was just too much for the Nets. Both Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler rode the momentum from their season opening victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. They combined to go a perfect 7 - for - 7 from the field in the first half to score a combined 20 points, although they only took a three - point lead into the half due to a hefty amount of team turnovers (11). Going on a 10 - 2 run to start the second half, though, the Bulls never looked back and were able to finish with a 15 - point victory. Butler finished the game with a team - high 24 points (9 - 11 FG, 3 - 3 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), to go along with four rebounds and six assists, while Rose chipped in with 15 points (5 - 11 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT) and three assists. Nikola Mirotic continued his strong start to the season as well, adding 18 points (5 - 10 FG, 4 - 8 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and nine rebounds. Brook Lopez did everything he could to keep the Nets in this ball game. He went 10 - for - 17 from the field to score 26 points, while also adding seven rebounds and a block. One of the other positives in this game was the play of Andrea Bargnani. Bargnani was unable to play in the preseason due to a hamstring injury, but he did n't look to be hampered by any lingering effects. In 22 minutes off the bench, he produced 17 points (6 - 13 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT) and seven rebounds. Shooting just 4 - for - 15 from the field and missing both of his three - point attempts, Joe Johnson struggled to just 10 points over 32 minutes, but did add a team - high of 10 rebounds. The Bulls will next travel to Detroit on Friday to play the Pistons, while the Nets head to San Antonio to take on the Spurs on Friday."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Marcin Gortat": "10", "Marcus Thornton": "10", "Ersan Ilyasova": "16", "Jahlil Okafor": "19", "Dario Saric": "13", "Nik Stauskas": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "14", "Dario Saric": "12"}}], "The Sixers got important contributions from two fresh faces on the first unit. Jahlil Okafor, a semi - regular member of the group, scored a team - high 19 points, while Ersan Ilyasova contributed 16 points while starting for Dario Saric. However, Saric did n't let the demotion to the second unit bring him down, as he posted a 13 - point, 12 - rebound double - double off the bench. The Sixers' reserves combined for 49 points overall, led by Nik Stauskus, who paced them with 15 points. The strong efforts led to a 55 percent success rate overall from the field for the home team. John Wall, Markieff Morris and Otto Porter combined for well over half of the Wizards' scoring haul (61 points), while Marcin Gortat also contributed a 10 - point, 14 - rebound double - double. Marcus Thornton led the second unit with 10 points as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "6", "Hornets": "10"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "94", "Hornets": "93"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Heat": "27", "Hornets": "21"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "8", "Hornets": "4"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Al Jefferson": "17", "Kemba Walker": "15", "Luol Deng": "14"}, "Points": {"Al Jefferson": "22", "Lance Stephenson": "17", "Kemba Walker": "16", "Luol Deng": "26", "Chris Bosh": "20", "Mario Chalmers": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Jefferson": "12", "Lance Stephenson": "6", "Luol Deng": "8", "Chris Bosh": "10"}, "Assists": {"Lance Stephenson": "5", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Luol Deng": "3", "Mario Chalmers": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Lance Stephenson": "1", "Kemba Walker": "2", "Luol Deng": "2"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Lance Stephenson": "17"}, "Steals": {"Lance Stephenson": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "6", "Luol Deng": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Kemba Walker": "6", "Luol Deng": "10"}}], "The Miami Heat (8 - 6) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (4 - 10) 94 - 93 Sunday at the American Airlines Arena in Miami. Despite being down 72 - 67 going into the fourth quarter, the Heat were able to finish the game out - scoring the Hornets 27 - 21 to give them the one - point victory. The Hornets had a chance to steal the victory in the final moments of the game, but Kemba Walker was n't able to convert on the buzzer - beater like he's done so many times before. The Heat had three players reach the 20 - point plateau. Luol Deng shot a ridiculous 10 - for - 14 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 26 points, while also grabbing eight rebounds. The eight rebounds were a season - high for Deng, despite also being relied upon heavily for his scoring. Chris Bosh posted 20 points of his own, while also adding 10 rebounds. It was his second straight double - double and sixth on the year. He's now combined for 80 points over the last three games, as he's had to step up without Dwyane Wade playing. Mario Chalmers was the other player who had a big day, as he scored 20 points and handed out 10 assists. It was his second double - double of the year and he's filled in admirably in the starting lineup with injuries keeping out a few players. The Hornets were led by Al Jefferson, who continues to have an outstanding season. He finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds, giving him his fourth double - double on the year. He's far and away the most consistent offensive threat for this team. Lance Stephenson also had a productive night on Sunday, as he tied a season - high in points with 17. He was also able to gather six rebounds and five assists. It was one of the better offensive outputs for Stephenson, who's struggled to stay consistent on that side of the ball this season. Despite missing the game - winner, Kemba Walker shot 6 - for - 15 from the field and 2 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 16 points, while handing out four assists. He's now averaging 15 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists on the year. The Heat's next game will be at home against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, while the Hornets will be at home against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "32", "Trail Blazers": "30"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "113", "Trail Blazers": "114"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Mavericks": "26", "Trail Blazers": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Mavericks": "30", "Trail Blazers": "55"}, "Turnovers": {"Mavericks": "7", "Trail Blazers": "15"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "20", "Trail Blazers": "23"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "32"}}, {"Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "26", "Dirk Nowitzki": "25"}}], "The visiting Portland Trail Blazers took down the Dallas Mavericks, 114 - 113, at American Airlines Center on Tuesday. Portland (23 - 30) had a startlingly strong performance on the boards after struggling with rebounding all season. The Blazers held a 55 - 30 advantage on the glass, including 18 boards on the offensive end. Portland was bolstered by strong play from the backcourt tandem of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, as the duo combined for 61 points on the night. Almost everything seemed to be going right for the Blazers, though a few key mistakes kept the game close until the final seconds. The Blazers struggled throughout the night with turnovers and fouls, allowing Dallas to reach the charity stripe 32 times and giving up 15 free possessions on turnovers. Dallas (20 - 32) has now hit a two - game speed bump after winning six of its previous seven heading into the week. The team turned out much stronger play on Tuesday than in Monday's blowout loss to Denver, but still came up empty - handed. Three Mavericks scored at least 23 points on Tuesday, with forward Harrison Barnes delivering a team - high 26. Veteran Dirk Nowitzki, meanwhile, had a vintage outing as he scored 25 points on the night. Perhaps the biggest story for Dallas, though, was the continuation of D-League call - up Yogi Ferrell's success. The rookie saw another 35 minutes of play and delivered 12 points on respectable shooting. Dallas will host the Jazz on Thursday, while Portland will host the Celtics."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "54"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "5", "Magic": "14"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "114", "Magic": "86"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "13", "Magic": "7"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "3", "Chris Paul": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tobias Harris": "2", "Chris Paul": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "11", "Kyle O'Quinn": "3", "Blake Griffin": "16", "Chris Paul": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Tobias Harris": "7", "Kyle O'Quinn": "3", "Blake Griffin": "9", "Chris Paul": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "1", "Blake Griffin": "4", "Chris Paul": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Tobias Harris": "0", "Blake Griffin": "3", "Chris Paul": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Tobias Harris": "25", "Kyle O'Quinn": "7", "Blake Griffin": "29", "Chris Paul": "29"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "16", "Kyle O'Quinn": "6", "Blake Griffin": "21", "Chris Paul": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "8", "Kyle O'Quinn": "1", "Blake Griffin": "8", "Chris Paul": "5"}, "Steals": {"Tobias Harris": "2", "Kyle O'Quinn": "1", "Blake Griffin": "2", "Chris Paul": "1"}, "Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "6", "Chris Paul": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Blake Griffin": "1"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (13 - 5) defended home court on Wednesday, taking down the Orlando Magic (7 - 14) 114 - 86 at the Staples Center. The Magic were forced to play another game without big man Nikola Vucevic (back) on Wednesday night. Kyle O'Quinn got the start in Vucevic's place, but played just seven minutes and scored six points (3 - 3 FG) with one rebound and one steal. Orlando simply could n't get anything going, regardless of who was on the floor, as 11 players saw at least 12 minutes of action in Wednesday's loss. Tobias Harris led the way for the Magic, scoring 16 points (7 - 11 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 0 - 1 FT) to go with eight rebounds and two steals in 25 minutes. Orlando will turn their attention to the Utah Jazz on Friday night. For the Clippers, they were simply hitting on all cylinders. They shot 54 percent from the field, and had five players score in double figures. Chris Paul had a double - double with 19 points (7 - 10 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), 10 assists, five rebounds and one steal in 29 minutes. Blake Griffin had an impressive stat line as well, with 21 points (9 - 16 FG, 3 - 4 FT), eight rebounds, six assists, two steals and one block in 29 minutes. Los Angeles has won six games in a row, and they're doing everything possible to keep pace with the Golden State Warriors in the division."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "41", "Warriors": "4"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "105", "Warriors": "108"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "7", "Warriors": "43"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Warriors": "18"}, "Turnovers": {"Warriors": "23"}}, {"Blocks": {"Harrison Barnes": "0", "Draymond Green": "1", "Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "0", "Ish Smith": "4", "Isaiah Canaan": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Harrison Barnes": "0", "Ish Smith": "2", "Isaiah Canaan": "3"}, "Free throw percentage": {"Harrison Barnes": "0"}, "Personal fouls": {"Harrison Barnes": "0"}, "Turnovers": {"Harrison Barnes": "0", "Draymond Green": "7"}, "Assists": {"Draymond Green": "9", "Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "6", "Ish Smith": "9", "Isaiah Canaan": "2"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "10", "Klay Thompson": "32", "Stephen Curry": "23", "Robert Covington": "12", "Ish Smith": "16", "Isaiah Canaan": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "13", "Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "5", "Robert Covington": "13", "Ish Smith": "5", "Isaiah Canaan": "4"}, "Steals": {"Draymond Green": "2", "Robert Covington": "2", "Ish Smith": "4", "Isaiah Canaan": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "10", "Stephen Curry": "11", "Robert Covington": "7", "Ish Smith": "2", "Isaiah Canaan": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "5", "Robert Covington": "2", "Ish Smith": "0", "Isaiah Canaan": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "26", "Stephen Curry": "19", "Robert Covington": "11", "Ish Smith": "19", "Isaiah Canaan": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Klay Thompson": "14", "Stephen Curry": "9", "Robert Covington": "5", "Ish Smith": "7", "Isaiah Canaan": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Stephen Curry": "34", "Ish Smith": "35", "Isaiah Canaan": "30"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (43 - 4) defeated the host Philadelphia 76ers (7 - 41) 108 - 105 on Saturday at Wells Fargo Center. The league's worst team gave the league's best team a run for its money in a game that went right down to the wire. The 76ers were down by as many as 24 points halfway through the third quarter, but they rallied to outscore the Warriors 47 - 23 down the stretch, tying 105 - 105 with 22 seconds remaining. On the their final possession, the Warriors found Harrison Barnes in the corner for the game - winning three - pointer with 0 seconds left. Despite the result, the Sixers showed an impressive performance against a team that has been blowing out top - notch opponents. Klay Thompson led the Warriors in scoring, with 32 points (14 - 26 FG, 4 - 10 3Pt), along with three assists and two rebounds, in 32 minutes. Stephen Curry tallied 23 points (9 - 19 FG, 5 - 11 3Pt), six assists, five rebounds and two blocked shots, in 34 minutes. Although they led the team offensively, Curry and Thompson combined for 12 turnovers and zero free throw attempts. Meanwhile, Draymond Green chipped in numbers across the board, with 10 points, 13 rebounds, nine assists, two steals and one block, in 32 minutes. Green however had seven turnovers of his own. As a team Golden State gave up 23 turnovers and totaled only two free throw attempts. Seven players contributed double digits in the points column for the 76ers. Isaiah Canaan finished with a team - high 18 points (5 - 11 FG, 5 - 9 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), along with four rebounds, four steals and two assists, in 30 minutes off the bench. Ish Smith had a solid game and really helped spark Philly's comeback, as he tallied 16 points (7 - 19 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT), nine assists, five rebounds and four steals, in 35 minutes. Robert Covington had a double - double with 12 points (5 - 11 FG, 2 - 7 3Pt) and 13 rebounds, along with two steals, in 35 minutes. The Sixers stole the ball 18 times from the Warriors, using defense to spark their comeback. The 76ers now have a few days between games as their next match is on Wednesday, when they host the Atlanta Hawks. The Warriors will move on to the second game of their current three - game road trip, on Sunday versus the Knicks. They will look to extend their win streak to seven."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Kings": "14"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "31"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "40"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "11", "Darren Collison": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "4", "Darren Collison": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "16", "Darren Collison": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "6", "Darren Collison": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "10"}, "Points": {"Isaiah Thomas": "26", "Darren Collison": "26", "Ben McLemore": "17", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "14", "Matt Barnes": "14"}, "Assists": {"Darren Collison": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Darren Collison": "38"}, "Rebounds": {"Darren Collison": "1"}, "Steals": {"Darren Collison": "4"}}], "Despite missing four key contributors, the Kings were able to secure a 16 - point victory in front of their home crowd Wednesday. Darren Collison was a big reason for that, as he was able to shoot an impressive 12 - of - 21 from the field and 2 - of - 4 from the three - point line for a team - high of 26 points, while also adding one rebound, five assists and four steals across 38 minutes. Wednesday's performance marked the ninth time this season where Collison was able to notch 20 or more points. Also aiding in the Kings' success was the play of the bench, as Ben McLemore (17), Willie Cauley-Stein (14) and Matt Barnes (14) all ended up in double figures. They helped Sacramento secure a 50 - 32 advantage in bench points, which was one of the main reasons the Kings were able to pull off the upset. As a team, the Celtics struggled from the floor, shooting a combined 40 percent from the field and 31 percent from beyond the arc. Isaiah Thomas led the team with 26 points (6 - 16 FG, 4 - 11 3Pt, 10 - 10 FT), but without much help from the other starters, it was n't enough to pull off a road win in Sacramento."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "9", "Jazz": "30"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "30"}}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "22", "Boris Diaw": "11", "Rudy Gobert": "21", "Rodney Hood": "10", "JaMychal Green": "10", "Marc Gasol": "8", "Mike Conley": "14", "Zach Randolph": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"JaMychal Green": "11", "Zach Randolph": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Marc Gasol": "4"}}], "A battle of two of the stingiest defenses in the NBA resulted in just 69 combined points through the first two periods. However, the Jazz picked it up in the second half, outscoring the Grizzlies by a 49 - 38 margin after intermission. Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gobert led the way with 22 and 21 points, respectively. Boris Diaw checked in with 11 points, while Rodney Hood poured in 10 points. Shelvin Mack matched Hood's total as a reserve. Mike Conley's modest 14 - point total paced Memphis, and JaMychal Green had a 10 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. Marc Gasol posted only eight points on 4 - of - 22 shooting. Veteran Zach Randolph supplied a 12 - point, 11 - rebound double - double off the bench. Utah was impressively able to limit Memphis to 30 percent shooting from the field and a minuscule 9 percent tally from beyond the arc."], [[{"Total points": {"Nuggets": "87", "Cavaliers": "93"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nuggets": "25"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "9"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "21"}}, {"Blocks": {"LeBron James": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"LeBron James": "1"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "34", "Iman Shumpert": "16", "Will Barton": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "6", "Will Barton": "7"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Iman Shumpert": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Iman Shumpert": "1"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (21 - 9) defeated the Denver Nuggets 93 - 87 on Tuesday to get their road record to .500. Cleveland didn\u2019t play the prettiest game on Tuesday, but they let their defense carry them to a much needed road win. They held the Nuggets to 25 points or under in every single quarter and held them to a 5 - for - 24 mark from long distance. The shooting in genera was bad all - around, as both teams shot under 73 percent from the free - throw line, under 21 percent from three - point range and just over 40 percent from the field. All the starters were horrible as well, as only one starter between the two teams scored more than 14 points. Most people look at the Cavaliers and think of elite offense with LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, but their defense is no joke. They rank second in the NBA in points allowed and absolutely stifled the Nuggets here. King James was at full force tonight, as he scored 34 points and snatched six boards. Iman Shumpert also had one of his best games of the season, as he scored 16 points off the bench and played some hounding defense. Cleveland will have a few days off until they host the Orlando Magic on Saturday in their next game. Denver played with a lot of energy in this game, but they simply couldn\u2019t shoot a lick. The starters combined for just 35 points and that's an indication of just how bad the injuries are hampering this team right now. With no Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler or Emmanuel Mudiay, the offense is really struggling. Will Barton continues his breakout season though, as he scored another 29 points off the bench while grabbing seven boards. It may be getting to a point where Barton would be better implemented into the starting - five with their recent struggles. Denver will have to travel to Portland on Wednesday to take on the Trail Blazers in the back end of a back - to - back set."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "36"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "3", "Timberwolves": "2"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "93", "Timberwolves": "102"}, "Turnovers": {"Bulls": "18"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "4", "Timberwolves": "3"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Timberwolves": "17"}}, {"Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "4"}, "Points": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "17", "Andrew Wiggins": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "13"}, "Minutes played": {"Nemanja Bjelica": "40"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jimmy Butler": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Jimmy Butler": "5", "Derrick Rose": "5"}, "Assists": {"Derrick Rose": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Derrick Rose": "5"}}], "After four hotly contested quarters, the Minnesota Timberwolves (3 - 2) dominated overtime, defeating the Chicago Bulls (4 - 3) by a score of 102 - 93. Young talent was the driving force for Minnesota, as sophomore Andrew Wiggins led the way with a game - high 31 points and first overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns put up 17 points, 13 rebounds, and four blocks. Rookie Euroleague convert Nemenja Bjelica also impressed despite coming off the bench, playing 40 minutes and posting a double - double. The young squad played effective defense, holding the Bulls to just 36 percent shooting and forcing 18 turnovers, including a lost pass from Derrick Rose to seal the deal in overtime. While the Bulls were able to hold their own inside, backcourt struggles ultimately ended up costing them the game down the stretch. Starting guards Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler combined to go just 7 - for - 28 on the night and turned the ball over five times each. This was a stark contrast from the duo's previous outing against OKC, in which the two combined for 53 points. Ultimately, Saturday appears to be nothing more than an off night for the Chicago backcourt, as the duo was averaging 35 points per game on 44 percent shooting between them. Minnesota, coming off a league - worst 16 wins in 2014 - 15, advances to 3 - 2. The team will look to extend their surprisingly strong start on Monday as they face a challenging matchup against the Eastern Conference powerhouse Hawks in Atlanta. Meanwhile, the Bulls will prepare to travel to Philadelphia on Monday to take on the 76ers."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "1"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "93", "Rockets": "104"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Jazz": "21", "Rockets": "29"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "0"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Rockets": "52"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "52"}, "Turnovers": {"Rockets": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Trevor Ariza": "1", "James Harden": "10", "Kostas Papanikolaou": "4", "Gordon Hayward": "7", "Derrick Favors": "2", "Alec Burks": "2", "Trey Burke": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Trevor Ariza": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Trevor Ariza": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Trevor Ariza": "10", "Dwight Howard": "16", "Derrick Favors": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Trevor Ariza": "7", "Dwight Howard": "10", "Derrick Favors": "7"}, "Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "20", "Dwight Howard": "22", "James Harden": "18", "Kostas Papanikolaou": "12", "Gordon Hayward": "8", "Derrick Favors": "16", "Alec Burks": "18", "Trey Burke": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Ariza": "5", "Dwight Howard": "10", "James Harden": "7", "Kostas Papanikolaou": "2", "Gordon Hayward": "8", "Derrick Favors": "7", "Alec Burks": "3", "Trey Burke": "1"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Ariza": "2", "Kostas Papanikolaou": "1", "Derrick Favors": "3", "Alec Burks": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Dwight Howard": "2", "James Harden": "1", "Derrick Favors": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Dwight Howard": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Dwight Howard": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Kostas Papanikolaou": "22"}}], "The Houston Rockets (20) defeated the Utah Jazz (0 - 1) 104 - 93 on Wednesday at Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City. The Rockets outscored the Jazz 29 - 21 in the fourth quarter, leading them to their second victory in as many days. Houston was able to overcome 18 turnovers by shooting 52 percent from both the field and from behind the three - point line. Dwight Howard was a force Wednesday, putting up a double - double with 22 points (10 - 16 FG) and 10 rebounds. He also contributed two blocks, but added six turnovers and committed six fouls to foul out of the game. James Harden added a double - double of his own, scoring 18 points and dishing 10 assists to go along with seven rebounds and a blocked shot. Trevor Ariza finished with 20 points (7 - 10 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt), this being the second game in a row he scored over 15 points. Ariza also posted five rebounds, an assist, and two steals. Kostas Papanikolaou came off the bench and added 12 points, two rebounds, four assists, and one steal in 22 minutes of action. For the Jazz, Alec Burks led the team in scoring, contributing 18 points while also posting three rebounds, two assists, and a steal. Derrick Favors filled the stat sheet, going 7 - for - 10 from the field to score 16 points while also collecting seven rebounds, two assists, three steals, and four blocked shots. Point guard Trey Burke had 15 points to go with one rebound and four assists. Nearng a triple - double, Gordon Hayward scored eight points to go with eight rebounds and seven assists. The Rockets' next game is on the road against the Boston Celtics on Saturday. The Jazz 'next game will be on the road against the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "42"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "52"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "16", "Suns": "27"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "116", "Suns": "97"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pacers": "27"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "22", "Suns": "13"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Suns": "19"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Suns": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"PJ Tucker": "5", "Markieff Morris": "1", "TJ Warren": "4", "Mirza Teletovic": "2", "Paul George": "1", "Ian Mahinmi": "2", "Monta Ellis": "7", "George Hill": "5", "CJ Miles": "2"}, "Points": {"PJ Tucker": "5", "Devin Booker": "19", "Archie Goodwin": "12", "Markieff Morris": "16", "TJ Warren": "10", "Mirza Teletovic": "19", "Lavoy Allen": "8", "Paul George": "21", "Ian Mahinmi": "10", "Monta Ellis": "14", "George Hill": "20", "CJ Miles": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"PJ Tucker": "10", "Markieff Morris": "9", "TJ Warren": "4", "Mirza Teletovic": "5", "Lavoy Allen": "7", "Paul George": "7", "Ian Mahinmi": "5", "George Hill": "3", "CJ Miles": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Devin Booker": "12"}, "Personal fouls": {"Devin Booker": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Markieff Morris": "27", "CJ Miles": "31"}, "Steals": {"Markieff Morris": "1", "TJ Warren": "1", "Paul George": "2", "Ian Mahinmi": "2", "Monta Ellis": "4", "CJ Miles": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Paul George": "2", "CJ Miles": "1"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (22 - 16) defeated the Phoenix Suns (13 - 27) 116 - 97 on Tuesday. The already - decimated Suns entered Tuesday's tough road tilt in an even further weakened state, as Brandon Knight was ruled out earlier in the day with an illness. That left Phoenix with a very young starting backcourt of Archie Goodwin and Devin Booker, and both acquitted themselves the best of all five starters. Meanwhile, even a 30 - minute power outage failed to derail a sharpshooting Pacers squad, who managed to drain 52 percent of their attempts from the field, and post a 42 percent tally from three - point range. Indiana was equally proficient on the defensive end, taking the ball from the outmanned visitors 19 times and converting those turnovers into 27 points. Goodwin and Booker contributed 12 and 19 - point efforts, respectively, as the only Suns starters with double - digit scoring. Both players also pitched in with a pair of rebounds and assists apiece. P.J. Tucker did haul in a solid 10 rebounds, but only was able to pitch in a modest five points and hand out five assists. The rest of the notable offensive contributions came from the Phoenix bench, with Mirza Teletovic leading the charge with 19 points, five rebounds and a pair of assists. Markieff Morris contributed 16 points, nine rebounds, an assist and a steal over 27 minutes, his best performance by far since a season - high 28 - point outburst against the Spurs on Nov. 23. T.J. Warren was the third reserve with double - digit scoring, amassing 10 points, four rebounds, four assists and a steal. The Suns fell to 13 - 27 and remain in fourth place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. They now head to Boston for a Friday night showdown versus the Celtics. Indiana enjoyed solid nights from all members of their starting five, led by Paul George's 21 points, seven rebounds, an assist, two steals and two blocks. George Hill was a close runner - up, managing 20 points, five assists and three rebounds. His backcourt mate Monta Ellis poured in 14 points, dished out seven assists and tallied four steals, as he and Hill exploited the inexperience of the Suns' backcourt for the evening. Ian Mahinmi continued his solid play with 10 points five rebounds, two assists and two steals, while Lavoy Allen rounded things out for the first unit with a productive eight points and seven boards. C.J. Miles came off the bench to play 31 minutes and amass an impressive 19 points, eight rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. The Pacers improved to 22 - 16 and moved into sole possession of third place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They head to Boston to take on the Celtics on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "52"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Damian Lillard": "3"}, "Points": {"Damian Lillard": "13", "Jusuf Nurkic": "13", "Gordon Hayward": "22"}, "Steals": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "3"}, "Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "6", "Rudy Gobert": "12"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Joe Ingles": "6"}}], "On Wednesday, the Utah Jazz entered the All-Star Break in style. Utah saw six players score in double - digits and shot a whopping 52 percent from the field. The Jazz drained 11 three - pointers and held a five - rebound advantage over Portland. Star forward Gordon Hayward led the team with 22 points, adding seven assists and six rebounds. Defensive anchor Rudy Gobert, meanwhile, pulled down 12 rebounds to go along with three blocks. The backcourt of George Hill and Joe Ingles, meanwhile, scored 37 points and combined for six threes. For Portland, star point guard Damian Lillard effectively shot the team out of the game. Lillard was an abysmal 3 - of - 19 from the field for 13 points as the Blazers shot just 40 percent as a unit. Newly-acquired big man Jusuf Nurkic, however, scored an efficient 13 points and came away with seven rebounds and three steals."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "3", "Pistons": "5"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "96", "Pistons": "86"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Spurs": "21"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Spurs": "21"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "6", "Pistons": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Pistons": "11"}}, {"Points": {"Andre Drummond": "20", "Ish Smith": "12", "Kawhi Leonard": "17", "Pau Gasol": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "17", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Ish Smith": "30"}, "Turnovers": {"Ish Smith": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4"}}], "The host San Antonio Spurs defeated the visiting Detroit Pistons, 96 - 86, on Friday night. The win came as a much - needed momentum - changer for the Spurs (6 - 3), who had lost three of their previous four games. Strong second - half play helped feed the turnaround win, as the Spurs came out and outscored Detroit by 11 in the third quarter. Big man Pau Gasol, a first - year member of the Spurs, led the way for the team with 21 points. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard also helped to bring home the win for the Spurs. Despite shooting just 5 - of - 18, Leonard scored 17 points and came away with four steals. Big man LaMarcus Aldridge posted 12 rebounds, meanwhile, helping San Antonio to earn a slight advantage in the rebounding column on the night. The Spurs were able to out - rebound the Pistons despite the play of Detroit center Andre Drummond, the league's leading rebounder. Drummond had 17 rebounds on the night. The rebounding column was n't the only place where Drummond contributed, as he also led the Pistons (4 - 5) with 20 points. Detroit is still suffering from the absence of injured point guard Reggie Jackson, although backup Ish Smith has been able to make an impact in his absence. Smith scored 12 points on efficient shooting and committed just one turnover in 30 minutes of play. The loss helped to highlight Detroit's struggles on the road so far this season, as the Pistons fell to 0 - 5 away from home. Detroit has won every game played at the Palace of Auburn Hills this season, but attempts to win a road outing still remain fruitless. The Pistons will remain on the road on Saturday as they visit Denver, while San Antonio will travel to Houston."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "5", "Grizzlies": "5"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "96", "Grizzlies": "102"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "7", "Grizzlies": "5"}}, {"Points": {"Marc Gasol": "22", "Mike Conley": "18", "Vince Carter": "20", "Zach Randolph": "18", "Gordon Hayward": "13"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Vince Carter": "11", "Gordon Hayward": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Vince Carter": "6", "Gordon Hayward": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Vince Carter": "31", "Zach Randolph": "23", "Derrick Favors": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Gordon Hayward": "1"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Utah Jazz, 102 - 96, at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Monday. The Grizzlies (5 - 5) used a late fourth - quarter surge to secure their first road victory on Monday, after dropping their first three away from home to start the season. They did so with yet another great performance from Vince Carter off the bench, as he continues to turn back the clock in his 19th NBA season. Carter had 20 points on 6 - of - 11 shooting in 31 minutes as a reserve - - his third straight game with at least 17 points. Zach Randolph added a great performance off the bench himself, scoring 18 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in just 23 minutes to notch his third double - double of the season. For the starters, it was Marc Gasol and Mike Conley who carried the load, scoring 22 and 18 points respectively. For the Jazz (7 - 5), on top of losing Monday's game, they also lost their starting power forward Derrick Favors, as he left the game with left knee soreness after 21 minutes of playing time. Favors has been bothered with knee issues since before the season even started, and it is possible the team is now extra cautious with their star forward, opening the door for second - year player Trey Lyles to play a bigger role. The power forward out of Kentucky was great in 32 minutes off the bench, scoring 18 points on 6 - of - 12 shooting. Gordon Hayward, who has been unstoppable as of late with five straight games of at least 20 points, struggled mightily, shooting just 4 - of - 14 from the field and 1 - of - 7 from behind the arc en route to just 13 points. With Favors potentially out for an indefinite amount of time, the burden will be on Hayward to regain his scoring mojo and carry the load for a Utah team that is n't very prolific offensively. Up next, the Grizzlies will head to Los Angeles on Wednesday to take on the red - hot Clippers, while the Jazz will have off until Thursday when they take on Chicago at home."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "16", "Cavaliers": "26"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "103", "Cavaliers": "74"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "57", "Cavaliers": "47"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Cavaliers": "15"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "37"}}, {"Turnovers": {"LeBron James": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Tristan Thompson": "2"}, "Assists": {"Kyrie Irving": "2", "Kawhi Leonard": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 103 - 74 Monday at AT & T Center. Monday night's outing served as a statement game for the Spurs (57 - 16) and the worst offensive performance of the season for the visiting Cavaliers (47 - 26), with 74 points being their season - low total of the year. It was essentially a wire - to - wire victory for the Spurs, as they opened up a 10 - point lead after the first quarter and never looked back. Kawhi Leonard once again shined for San Antonio, scoring 25 points to go along with six rebounds, six assists and three steals, but it was the team's bench that did most of the damage Monday night. All eight San Antonio reserves scored in the outing, and the bench as a whole managed to accumulate 49 total points. As for the Cavaliers, their struggles in the month of March continue, as they have now lost two in a row and three of their last four games, and they've lost those three games by a combined 54 points. The 74 points scored is a season - low for Cleveland, and they had a brutal shooting performance to go along with it, as they shot just 37 percent from the field and 15 percent from behind the arc. Only two Cavaliers players, LeBron James and Tristan Thompson, managed to score in double figures, as it was a night to forget for star point guard Kyrie Irving. The All-Star shot just 4 - of - 13 from the field and scored just eight points in 26 minutes. Up next, the Spurs will look to extend their win streak to six games at home against the Warriors on Wednesday, while the Cavaliers will look to end their skid Thursday against the Bulls."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Austin Rivers": "6", "Jamal Crawford": "4", "Paul Millsap": "7", "Dennis Schroder": "7"}, "Points": {"Austin Rivers": "27", "Jamal Crawford": "19", "Paul Millsap": "19", "Kent Bazemore": "25", "Dennis Schroder": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Austin Rivers": "4", "Paul Millsap": "8", "Dennis Schroder": "6"}}], "The Hawks were expected to roll to an easy win against a shorthanded Clippers team, but the Los Angeles' bench had other ideas. That was the difference in the game, with the Clippers bench outscoring the Hawks bench, 38 - 13. Most of the damage was done in the first half for Los Angeles, as they led by 18 headed into the locker room. Three-point shooting was the most decisive statistic, with the Clippers hitting 14 - of - 24, while the Hawks went just 9 - of - 29 from long range. Austin Rivers was the player of the game, as he tallied 27 points, four rebounds and six assists. Jamal Crawford was huge off the bench, providing 19 points and four assists. Kent Bazmore was a nice bright spot for Atlanta, as he led the team with 25 points. Dennis Schroeder contributed 21 points, six rebounds and seven assists, while Paul Millsap accumulated 19 points, eight rebounds and seven assists as well."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "46", "Lakers": "36"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "21", "Lakers": "31"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "96", "Lakers": "80"}, "Rebounds": {"Pelicans": "45", "Lakers": "41"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "21", "Lakers": "12"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Jordan Hill": "14", "Kobe Bryant": "14", "Wayne Ellington": "4", "Anthony Davis": "18", "Eric Gordon": "13", "Tyreke Evans": "19", "Quincy Pondexter": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Jordan Hill": "7", "Kobe Bryant": "6", "Wayne Ellington": "3", "Anthony Davis": "11", "Eric Gordon": "7", "Tyreke Evans": "8", "Quincy Pondexter": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jordan Hill": "2", "Anthony Davis": "8", "Eric Gordon": "2", "Tyreke Evans": "3", "Quincy Pondexter": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Jordan Hill": "1", "Anthony Davis": "7", "Eric Gordon": "2", "Tyreke Evans": "2", "Quincy Pondexter": "4"}, "Points": {"Jordan Hill": "15", "Kobe Bryant": "14", "Wayne Ellington": "12", "Anthony Davis": "29", "Eric Gordon": "17", "Tyreke Evans": "19", "Quincy Pondexter": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Jordan Hill": "13", "Kobe Bryant": "7", "Anthony Davis": "8", "Tyreke Evans": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Jordan Hill": "3", "Anthony Davis": "3", "Tyreke Evans": "4"}, "Assists": {"Kobe Bryant": "2", "Eric Gordon": "10", "Tyreke Evans": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "5", "Wayne Ellington": "2", "Eric Gordon": "4", "Tyreke Evans": "4", "Quincy Pondexter": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kobe Bryant": "1", "Wayne Ellington": "2", "Eric Gordon": "1", "Tyreke Evans": "1", "Quincy Pondexter": "0"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kobe Bryant": "2", "Anthony Davis": "2", "Tyreke Evans": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Wayne Ellington": "18", "Quincy Pondexter": "26"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Tyreke Evans": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Tyreke Evans": "2"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (21 - 21) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (12 - 31) 96 - 80 on Wednesday at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. While this game was very close at the half, the Pelicans went off in the second half, out - scoring the Lakers 53 - 36 to take the 16 - point victory in front of their home crowd Wednesday. The Pelicans shot much better in this game, going 46 percent from the field, while the Lakers went just 36 percent. The Pelicans also out - rebounded the Lakers 45 - 41, giving them even more of an advantage. After missing three games with a sprained toe, Anthony Davis returned to the starting lineup and found himself having a very big game. He led all scorers in this matchup, finishing with 29 points (11 - 18 FG, 7 - 8 FT), eight rebounds, three steals and four blocked shots in 36 minutes. In the three games he's played the Lakers this year, he's now averaging an impressive 26 points per game against them. With Jrue Holiday out for likely the next two - to - four weeks, Tyreke Evans continued to take his spot in the starting lineup. Coming into this game, Evans had averaged 19 points and 6 assists during the four games that Holiday had missed. He only added to those totals Wednesday, finishing with 19 points (8 - 19 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT) and four assists. Notching his first double - double of the season, Eric Gordon recorded 17 points (7 - 13 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and 10 assists. He was finding his teammates at a very high rate all night. The only other Pelican to reach double figures in points was Quincy Pondexter, who scored 12 points (4 - 10 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) in 26 minutes off the bench. Kobe Bryant returned for the Lakers Wednesday after being rested for the two previous games. He went 6 - for - 14 from the field and 1 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score 14 points, while also adding seven rebounds in 29 minutes. He's averaging just over 20 field goal attempts per game this season, so he did n't get off as many shots as he's used to. Jordan Hill notched a double - double with 15 points (7 - 14 FG, 1 - 2 FT) and 13 rebounds. It was his second over his last three games, pushing his season averages to 12 points and 8 rebounds per game. After not getting much more help from the other starters, the Lakers needed a little boost from their bench. Wayne Ellington was really the only one to provide any, going 3 - for - 4 from the field and 2 - for - 2 from the three - point line to score 12 points in 18 minutes. The Pelicans' next game will be on the road against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, while the Lakers will travel to San Antonio to play the Spurs on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "36", "Heat": "38"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "89", "Heat": "88"}, "Rebounds": {"Bucks": "53", "Heat": "34"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "35", "Heat": "32"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"Luol Deng": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "7", "Goran Dragic": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4", "Ersan Ilyasova": "4", "Zaza Pachulia": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Luol Deng": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "6", "Goran Dragic": "1", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4", "Ersan Ilyasova": "3", "Zaza Pachulia": "2"}, "Points": {"Luol Deng": "13", "Dwyane Wade": "21", "Goran Dragic": "16", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "16", "Ersan Ilyasova": "19", "Zaza Pachulia": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Luol Deng": "4", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10", "Ersan Ilyasova": "11", "Zaza Pachulia": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Hassan Whiteside": "12"}, "Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "4", "Goran Dragic": "6", "Zaza Pachulia": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "3", "Goran Dragic": "3", "Ersan Ilyasova": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dwyane Wade": "1", "Goran Dragic": "1", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "14", "Goran Dragic": "12", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10", "Ersan Ilyasova": "15", "Zaza Pachulia": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwyane Wade": "7", "Goran Dragic": "7", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6", "Ersan Ilyasova": "7", "Zaza Pachulia": "6"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Dwyane Wade": "50"}, "Steals": {"Dwyane Wade": "3", "Zaza Pachulia": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Dwyane Wade": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Ersan Ilyasova": "3", "Zaza Pachulia": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Zaza Pachulia": "6"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (35 - 36) defeated the Miami Heat (32 - 38) 89 - 88 on Tuesday at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee. After losing six straight, the Bucks finally got a game to fall their way, as Khris Middleton was able to hit a game - winning three - pointer on the assist from Zaza Pachulia, who was barely able to save the ball from going out of bounds before finding Middleton. It was a big win for the Bucks, as they increased their lead over the Heat for the sixth projected playoff spot in the Eastern Conference standings to two and a half games. On the other hand, it was a tough loss for the Heat, who are now holding just a one game lead over the Celtics for seventh. With the Nets, Pacers, Hornets and Celtics all trailing them by less than three games, they ca n't afford very many losses from here on out. While they did n't have the best night shooting the ball, the Bucks did secure a hefty 53 - 34 rebounding advantage over the Heat, as three players reached double - digit rebounds. Ersan Ilyasova led the way, finishing with 19 points (7 - 15 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), 11 rebounds and three blocked shots. It marked his second double - double over his last three games, a stretch where he's averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds. Notching a double - double of his own, Pachulia recorded 14 points (6 - 11 FG, 2 - 3 FT) and 11 rebounds. He also had seven assists, five steals and a blocked shot as well, doing some key things on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. The five steals were a season - high for the center. Giannis Antetokounmpo played a huge factor in the comeback win as well, finishing with 16 points (6 - 10 FG, 4 - 4 FT), 10 rebounds and three blocked shots. He's been very impressive for the Bucks of late, averaging 18 points, 9 rebounds and 1 blocks over his last five games. Dwyane Wade did his best to keep the Heat in front of the Bucks, as he posted a team - high of 21 points (7 - 14 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 6 - 7 FT), to go along with four assists and three steals. Despite losing five of their last ten, Wade has been the model of consistency and has averaged 25 points, five assists and two steals over those last ten games. Fellow backcourt mate, Goran Dragic, also did his part despite taking the loss. He went 7 - for - 12 from the field and 1 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 16 points, while also adding six assists as well. His shot has been falling at a high rate, considering he's finished over 50 percent from the field in four of his last five games. Luol Deng was the only other starter in double figures, as he chipped in with 13 points (5 - 13 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and four rebounds. Unfortunately for the Heat, Hassan Whiteside had to leave the game after just 12 minutes due to suffering a laceration to his right hand. The Heat's next game will be on the road against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, while the Bucks will be at home against the Indiana Pacers on Thursday."], [[{"Total points": {"Timberwolves": "78", "Mavericks": "88"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "38"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "39"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Wesley Matthews": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Wesley Matthews": "6"}, "Points": {"Wesley Matthews": "19", "J.J. Barea": "21", "Andrew Wiggins": "30"}, "Assists": {"J.J. Barea": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "21"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (39 - 38) helped their push for the playoffs on Sunday with an 88 - 78 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves (25 - 51). Dallas holds just a half - game lead over the Utah Jazz for seventh place in the Western Conference and a one - game lead over the Houston Rockets for playoff berth. The Mavericks earned a much - needed win in Minnesota on Sunday, finishing with a double - digit win over the struggling Timberwolves. Point guard J.J. Barea led the team with 21 points, also tacking on six assists en route to the victory. Barea's backcourt partner Wesley Matthews, meanwhile, scored 19 points including six makes from three - point territory. Three-point shooting in general provided an edge to the Mavericks, who hit 14 shots from deep in comparison to just four for the Wolves. Dallas will have a tough road ahead, facing matchups against the Rockets and Jazz with major playoff implications. After a league - worst finish in 2014 - 15, the Timberwolves are preparing to close the book on a season that has shown promise for the struggling franchise. A big part of the team's improvement in the wins column has been odds - on Rookie of the Year favorite Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns exploded for a career - high 21 rebounds on Sunday, and was just a single assist away from his first career triple - double. Reigning Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins, meanwhile, led the game with 30 points. The sophomore has seen a big improvement to his scoring game, establishing himself as the team's primary option on offense. Unlike Dallas, the team struggled from three - point territory, hitting just four of 24 shots taken from beyond the arc. The Mavericks will host the Rockets on Wednesday, while Minnesota will visit Golden State on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Cavaliers": "46"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "51"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "11", "Clippers": "15"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "115", "Clippers": "102"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "30", "Clippers": "27"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Clippers": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul Pierce": "1", "DeAndre Jordan": "1", "Chris Paul": "9", "LeBron James": "12", "Kevin Love": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Paul Pierce": "17"}, "Steals": {"Paul Pierce": "1", "Chris Paul": "3", "Jamal Crawford": "1", "Kevin Love": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Points": {"DeAndre Jordan": "10", "JJ Redick": "17", "Chris Paul": "30", "Jamal Crawford": "16", "LeBron James": "22", "Kevin Love": "18", "Timofey Mozgov": "11", "Kyrie Irving": "21", "Tristan Thompson": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "13", "JJ Redick": "2", "Chris Paul": "3", "LeBron James": "5", "Kevin Love": "16", "Timofey Mozgov": "5", "Kyrie Irving": "2", "Tristan Thompson": "12"}, "Blocks": {"Chris Paul": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Chris Paul": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LeBron James": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kevin Love": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Kevin Love": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyrie Irving": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (30 - 11) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers (27 - 15) 115 - 102 on Thursday. A common tenet of success across most team sports is that collective balance usually triumphs over remarkable individual performances, and such was the case Thursday. Although the visiting Clippers received a 30 - point, nine - assist effort from Chris Paul, the rest of the All-Star point guard's teammates did n't come close to approximating his output. Only two other starters managed double - digit scoring, putting an inordinate amount of responsibility on Paul. Meanwhile, all five Cavaliers starters tallied double - digit scoring, and two of them, Kevin Love and LeBron James, also posted double - doubles. Cleveland shot 51 percent from the field overall, and 46 percent from beyond the arc. Paul added three rebounds, three steals and a block to his scoring and assist totals. J.J. Redick was next in line, registering a respectable 17 points, but only adding two rebounds to his stat line. DeAndre Jordan put together a 10 - point, 13 - rebound double - double, and Jamal Crawford paced the Clippers' reserves with 16 points and a steal. Paul Pierce notably was scoreless over 17 minutes as a starter, with only an assist and a steal to his credit on the night. Despite the loss, Los Angeles remains in second place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. They head to New York to take on the Knicks on Friday night. Cleveland's attack was spearheaded by a pair of 22 - point efforts from James and J.R. Smith. The former added 12 assists and five rebounds, while the latter supplemented his points with a pair of rebounds and a pair of assists. Kyrie Irving bounced back from two single - digit scoring performances to post 21 points, four assists, two rebounds and a steal. Love put together a second consecutive double - double, collecting 18 points and hauling in 16 boards. He also added a pair of assists and a steal. Timofey Mozgov registered his second straight 11 - point, five - rebound outing to round out a successful night for the starters. Tristan Thompson was a force on the glass while leading the Cavs' reserves, totaling 12 rebounds and adding eight points. With the victory, Cleveland remains atop the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They remain home to face off against the Bulls on Saturday night."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "11", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "35", "Ricky Rubio": "22", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "18", "Tony Snell": "19", "Matthew Dellavedova": "16"}, "Assists": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "5", "Matthew Dellavedova": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "3", "Matthew Dellavedova": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "14", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4", "Tony Snell": "6"}, "Steals": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Tony Snell": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "40", "Tony Snell": "28"}}], "The Bucks used a balanced attack to come out with the win, as seven players scored in double digits. Tony Snell was the high - point man for Milwaukee with 19 points, to go along with six rebounds and two steals, in 28 minutes. Giannis Antetokounmpo followed up with 18 points, seven assists, four rebounds and two blocks, in 40 minutes. Matthew Dellavedova chipped in 16 points, while shooting 4 - of - 7 seven from long range. Greg Monroe, John Henson and Rashad Vaughn combined for 33 points off the bench. Meanwhile, Karl-Anthony Towns came up huge for the Timberwolves, with 35 points on 14 - of - 21 shooting, including 3 - of - 5 from distance, to go along with 14 rebounds, two blocks, one assist and one steal. Ricky Rubio followed up with 22 points, while the only other player to score in double digits for Minnesota was Andrew Wiggins with 11."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "3", "Thunder": "1"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "108", "Thunder": "119"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Mavericks": "18", "Thunder": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"Mavericks": "33", "Thunder": "42"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "53"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "3"}}, {"Personal fouls": {"Kevin Durant": "2", "Salah Mejri": "3"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "19", "Russell Westbrook": "25", "Dion Waiters": "12", "Enes Kanter": "28", "Dirk Nowitzki": "27", "Raymond Felton": "19"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "15", "Dion Waiters": "4", "Raymond Felton": "11", "Justin Anderson": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Dion Waiters": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Enes Kanter": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Enes Kanter": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Justin Anderson": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Justin Anderson": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Salah Mejri": "3"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the host Dallas Mavericks, 119 - 108, in Game 4 of the Western Conference first - round playoffs Saturday at American Airlines Center to take a 3 - 1 series lead. The game was chippy throughout as three technical fouls were assessed and Kevin Durant was ejected. Durant scored 19 points before being tossed for a flagrant - 2 on Justin Anderson late in the fourth quarter. It snapped a 67 - game streak with at least 20 points for Durant. The Thunder took a 33 - 18 lead after the first quarter and never relinquished the lead. Oklahoma City shot 53 percent from the field and outrebounded Dallas 42 to 33. Enes Kanter led all scorers with 28 points, going 12 - for - 13 off the bench. Russell Westbrook tallied 25 points and 15 assists, while Dion Waiters had a nice game off the bench as well, totaling 12 points, four rebounds and four assists. Dallas lost both Deron Williams and Salah Mejri to injuries. Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said Williams, who played 89 seconds, is out for the season after aggravating the sports hernia that kept him out of Game 3. Mejri suffered a right hip injury, and his status for Game 5 is unknown. Dirk Nowitzki was a bright spot in the loss, as he scored 27 points, while also grabbing eight rebounds. Raymond Felton totaled 19 points and 11 assists, while filling in for Williams at point guard. Dallas will look to keep its season alive Monday at Oklahoma City."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "38", "Bucks": "54"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "22", "Bucks": "25"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "92", "Bucks": "105"}, "Rebounds": {"Hornets": "35", "Bucks": "46"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "18", "Bucks": "18"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Bucks": "19"}}, {"Points": {"Greg Monroe": "19", "Khris Middleton": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Greg Monroe": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Khris Middleton": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Khris Middleton": "11"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (18 - 25) handily defeated the Charlotte Hornets (18 - 22) on Saturday, 105 - 92. The Bucks have been hit - or - miss this season, and have now picked up two in a row after an impressive win against the powerful Atlanta Hawks. Milwaukee dominated all sectors of the game, shooting 54 percent from the field while holding their opponents to just 38 percent and out - rebounding Charlotte 46 - 35. Milwaukee, behind Greg Monroe's 19 points and 10 rebounds, maintained a 46 - 36 edge in points in the paint. Guard Khris Middleton also lit it up from the field, scoring 24 points on 11 of 16 shooting. For the Hornets, the loss is the second straight and the ninth in 10 games. Charlotte has been in a downward spiral since a surprisingly hot start to the season, and is now the coldest team in the NBA. Center Al Jefferson has been sidelined with multiple knee injuries and a drug suspension, which has not helped Charlotte's weak play in the paint. Even in the face of a losing streak, Kemba Walker has maintained strong play. The point guard scored 12 and dished out six assists on Saturday. Charlotte's next matchup will be against Utah on Monday. The Bucks, meanwhile, will travel to Miami on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "20", "Pelicans": "32"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "105", "Pelicans": "91"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Wizards": "24"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Wizards": "25", "Pelicans": "8"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "30", "Pelicans": "19"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pelicans": "29"}, "Turnovers": {"Pelicans": "15"}}, {"Blocks": {"Terrence Jones": "2", "Anthony Davis": "2", "Marcin Gortat": "1", "John Wall": "1", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "1"}, "Points": {"Terrence Jones": "15", "Anthony Davis": "25", "Jrue Holiday": "13", "Tyreke Evans": "15", "Markieff Morris": "18", "Marcin Gortat": "12", "John Wall": "24", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Terrence Jones": "4", "Anthony Davis": "10", "Jrue Holiday": "10", "Tyreke Evans": "6", "Markieff Morris": "4", "Marcin Gortat": "17", "Bradley Beal": "5", "John Wall": "3", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "2"}, "Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "2", "Jrue Holiday": "8", "Tyreke Evans": "2", "Bradley Beal": "3", "John Wall": "13"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "1", "Tyreke Evans": "1", "Markieff Morris": "1", "Bradley Beal": "1", "John Wall": "5"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, 105 - 91, at Verizon Center on Saturday evening. Outside of the Miami Heat, the Wizards (30 - 20) were one of the Eastern Conference's hottest squads coming in to Saturday's game, having won six consecutive games. They'd also amassed a 21 - 6 record at home and were facing a Pelicans (19 - 32) team that had only notched six victories in 23 road tilts this season, all factors that seemed to point towards another dominant outing. Despite a 25 - point, 10 - rebound double - double from Anthony Davis, Washington fulfilled that prophecy, limiting New Orleans to just eight points over the final quarter to seal the win. The Pelicans posted just a 29 percent success rate from three - point range and also committed 15 turnovers. Davis added two assists, two blocks and a steal to his team - leading performance. Terrence Jones got the start at power forward and provided 15 points, four rebounds and two blocks. Tyreke Evans posted a bench - leading 15 points and supplemented them with six rebounds, two assists and one steal. Jrue Holiday tallied a stat line of 13 points, 10 boards and eight assists. Solomon Hill and Buddy Hield combined for just 13 points on 6 - of - 16 shooting. The Wizards were paced by another stellar performance from John Wall, who generated a 24 - point, 13 - assist double - double that also featured three rebounds, five steals and one block. Markieff Morris collected 18 points, four rebounds and one steal. Marcin Gortat was a force on the boards once again, totaling 12 points, 17 rebounds and one block. Otto Porter and Bradley Beal both equaled Gortat's scoring total, with the former adding nine rebounds and three steals, and the latter posting five rebounds, three assists and one steal. Kelly Oubre, Jr. led the second unit with 10 points, two rebounds and one block. The Pelicans head back home to face the Phoenix Suns on Monday evening, while the Wizards remain home to tangle with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "47", "Knicks": "39"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "97", "Knicks": "128"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Suns": "32"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "17", "Knicks": "27"}, "Number of team assists": {"Knicks": "31"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Knicks": "67"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "56"}, "Turnovers": {"Knicks": "10"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Sasha Vujacic": "7", "Derrick Williams": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Sasha Vujacic": "6", "Derrick Williams": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "15", "Sasha Vujacic": "8", "Derrick Williams": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "9", "Sasha Vujacic": "7", "Derrick Williams": "8", "Devin Booker": "14"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "23", "Sasha Vujacic": "23", "Derrick Williams": "18", "PJ Tucker": "4", "Alex Len": "14", "Tyson Chandler": "4", "Devin Booker": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Alex Len": "10"}}], "The New York Knicks (27 - 39) steamrolled the Phoenix Suns (17 - 47) Wednesday night at Talking Stick Resort Arena, 128 - 97. The Knicks opened with a 15 - 4 run and imposed their will from the start, as they led by double digits for the entirety of the final three quarters. Their lead swelled to 20 at halftime as the Suns barely put up a fight. With little resistance, the Knicks shot the lights out, going 46 - 82 (56 percent) from the floor and an absurd 16 - 24 (67 percent) from three. Carmelo Anthony (9 - 15 FG, 3 - 4 3PT) and Sasha Vujacic (7 - 8 FG, 6 - 7 3PT) led the Knicks with 23 points apiece in the blowout victory. Derrick Williams (8 - 10 FG, 2 - 3 3PT) scored 18 points and Jerami Grant (6 - 9 FG) added 14, both off the bench. The Knicks offense was humming, as they assisted on 31 baskets and turned the ball over only 10 times. Devin Booker led all scorers with 32 points for the Suns as he knocked down 14 of his 28 field goal attempts. Alex Len notched a double - double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Two Phoenix starters, P.J. Tucker and Tyson Chandler, finished with only four points apiece, giving the Suns no chance to keep up with New York's hot shooting effort. The Knicks continue their road trip Friday against the Clippers. The Suns head on the road for a Thursday matchup against the Nuggets."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "33", "Hawks": "35"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "41", "Hawks": "49"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "24", "Hawks": "8"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "91", "Hawks": "105"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "13", "Hawks": "31"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "12"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMarre Carroll": "3", "Jeff Teague": "6", "Jared Sullinger": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "6", "Paul Millsap": "3", "Jeff Teague": "5", "Mike Scott": "2", "Avery Bradley": "7", "Marcus Thornton": "5", "Kelly Olynyk": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "3", "Paul Millsap": "1", "Jeff Teague": "2", "Mike Scott": "1", "Avery Bradley": "3", "Marcus Thornton": "2", "Kelly Olynyk": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "13", "Paul Millsap": "10", "Jeff Teague": "12", "Mike Scott": "8", "Avery Bradley": "13", "Marcus Thornton": "9", "Kelly Olynyk": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "8", "Paul Millsap": "5", "Jeff Teague": "7", "Mike Scott": "4", "Avery Bradley": "6", "Marcus Thornton": "4", "Kelly Olynyk": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "5", "Paul Millsap": "7", "Jeff Teague": "6", "Mike Scott": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "3", "Paul Millsap": "7", "Jeff Teague": "6", "Mike Scott": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"DeMarre Carroll": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeMarre Carroll": "1"}, "Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "22", "Paul Millsap": "18", "Jeff Teague": "22", "Mike Scott": "11", "Jared Sullinger": "14", "Avery Bradley": "17", "Marcus Thornton": "10", "Kelly Olynyk": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarre Carroll": "5", "Paul Millsap": "10", "Jeff Teague": "1", "Jared Sullinger": "9", "Kelly Olynyk": "8"}, "Steals": {"DeMarre Carroll": "1", "Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"DeMarre Carroll": "1", "Jeff Teague": "1", "Jared Sullinger": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "2", "Jeff Teague": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jeff Teague": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Mike Scott": "22"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (31 - 8) defeated the Boston Celtics (13 - 24) 105 - 91 on Wednesday at the TD Garden in Boston. The Hawks were the superior shooters in this game, going 49 percent from the field and 35 percent from the three - point line, while the Celtics went just 41 percent from the floor and 33 percent from beyond the arc. The Hawks were also able to force the Celtics into 17 turnovers, while committing only 12 of their own, helping push their winning streak to ten in a row. Both Jeff Teague and DeMarre Carroll stepped up for the Hawks in this game. Teague went 7 - for - 12 from the field and 2 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score 22 points, while also adding six assists and two steals. He went a perfect 6 - of - 6 from the free throw line, adding a significant portion to his points total. Carroll on the other hand recorded 22 points (8 - 13 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 3 - 5 FT), five rebounds and three assists of his own. Considering he's only averaging 12 points per game so far this season, it was a nice surprise for the Hawks in this one. Paul Millsap had a strong showing as well, contributing 18 points (5 - 10 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 7 - 7 FT), 10 rebounds and two blocked shots. The double - double marked his ninth of the season thus far. The only other Hawk to reach double figures in points was Mike Scott, who came off the bench to score 11 points (4 - 8 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) in 22 minutes. Jared Sullinger and Avery Bradley, the Celtics season scoring leaders, again had the most production for the Celtics. Bradley went 6 - for - 13 from the floor and 3 - for - 7 from beyond the arc to finish with a team - high of 17 points. He's averaging 18 points per game over his last five matchups, as he's done the bulk of the scoring since Jeff Green was sent to the Memphis Grizzlies in a trade. Sullinger came one rebound shy of a double - double, recording 14 points and nine rebounds in 36 minutes. The double - double would have been his third in a row, but his streak ends at two instead. With the rest of the starters struggling to get anything going, the Celtics did see a few of their bench players step up. Kelly Olynyk went 5 - for - 10 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line to add 12 points and eight rebounds off the bench. Marcus Thornton was the other bench player to reach double - digit points, with 10 (4 - 9 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt) in 21 minutes. The Hawks' next game will be on the road against the Toronto Raptors on Friday, while the Celtics will be at home against the Chicago Bulls on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "11", "Timberwolves": "18"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "94", "Timberwolves": "99"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "13", "Timberwolves": "7"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Timberwolves": "21"}}, {"Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "23", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "16", "Zach LaVine": "24", "Jimmy Butler": "27", "Robin Lopez": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "9", "Zach LaVine": "6"}, "Assists": {"Zach LaVine": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Zach LaVine": "43"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "22", "Robin Lopez": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Jimmy Butler": "9", "Robin Lopez": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Dwyane Wade": "1"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the host Chicago Bulls, 99 - 94, Tuesday at United Center. This game looked as if it was going to come down to the final moments and become a game of free throws, but Dwyane Wade managed to change all that after one possession. After attacking the basket and not getting a call, Wade complained to the official and ended up getting ejected from the game. The Timberwolves (7 - 18), who needed a miraculous comeback after being down as much as 21 points, sunk the free throws that came as a result of the fiasco and put the game firmly out of reach. The victory ended what was a four - game losing streak and came after the team had lost 11 of their previous 13 games. Zach LaVine led the way for Minnesota, scoring 24 points on top of six assists and six rebounds in a game - high 43 minutes. Andrew Wiggins was not far behind, posting 23 points and nine rebounds, while Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a double - double of 16 points and 12 rebounds. For the Bulls (13 - 11), the loss ends a brief two - game win streak and makes for their fifth loss of the season against a team with a losing record. Jimmy Butler led the way for Chicago in his first game against his former head coach, Tom Thibodeau, scoring a game - high 27 points, but he did so on just 9 - of - 22 shooting from the field. Butler has, however, scored at least 26 points in each game he's played in during the month of December. The next highest scorer for Chicago was big man Robin Lopez, who scored 14 points on 7 - of - 9 shooting from the field. As a team, the Bulls shot a sorry 4 - of - 15 from behind the arc in defeat. Up next, the Timberwolves will look to build on their victory when they take on the Rockets on Saturday, while the Bulls will look to get back on track in Milwaukee on Thursday against the Bucks."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "55"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "119"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "29"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "36", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "21", "Zach LaVine": "17", "Tyus Jones": "12", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "13", "Trevor Booker": "15", "Brook Lopez": "26", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "13", "Sean Kilpatrick": "14"}, "Personal fouls": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Zach LaVine": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Zach LaVine": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Kris Dunn": "16", "Tyus Jones": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Booker": "9"}}], "Despite an unsightly 1 - 4 record coming in to Tuesday, the Timberwolves had played stingy defense, but the Nets found a way to break through for a season - high 119 points. Brook Lopez's 26 points led the Nets, while Trevor Booker's 15 - point, nine - rebound effort made it a stellar night for the frontcourt. Bojan Bogdanovic's and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson's respective 13 - point efforts and Sean Kilpatrick's 14 points off the bench helped lead to a stellar 55 percent success rate from the field for Brooklyn. Andrew Wiggins managed a season - high 36 points on 29 shot attempts. Karl-Anthony Towns and Zach LaVine had 21 and 17 points, respectively, but no other members of the starting five tallied double - digit scoring. Kris Dunn could n't score in 16 minutes but fellow rookie Tyus Jones came on to play 32 minutes, posting 12 points."], [[{"Wins": {"Jazz": "3"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Harrison Barnes": "2", "George Hill": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Harrison Barnes": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "2", "George Hill": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Harrison Barnes": "2", "George Hill": "3"}, "Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "14", "George Hill": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Harrison Barnes": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"George Hill": "3"}}], "After a strong start to the season on his new team, Harrison Barnes has struggled in his last two outings. After going 6 - of - 13 from the field for 14 points Wednesday night, Barnes has now shot just 9 - of - 24 in his last two games and has scored a total of just 24 points. Barnes had started the season with 50 total points in his first two games while shooting an effective 21 - of - 35 from the field. On the other side, George Hill also finds himself on a new team, but has been off to a very hot start that was capped by his 25 - point performance on Wednesday. Hill has now scored at least 20 points in three of his five games this season and is currently leading the Jazz in scoring with 21 points per game while shooting a very impressive 55 percent from the field."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "1"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "104", "Clippers": "111"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "0"}}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "4", "Chris Paul": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Blake Griffin": "14"}, "Minutes played": {"Blake Griffin": "38", "DeAndre Jordan": "27", "Chris Paul": "37"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "33", "Chris Paul": "18", "Paul Pierce": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "8", "DeAndre Jordan": "12", "Chris Paul": "5", "Paul Pierce": "7"}, "Steals": {"Chris Paul": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Chris Paul": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (10) held off the Sacramento Kings (0 - 1) Wednesday 111 - 104 in what was the season opener for both squads. Despite falling behind early, the Kings slowly battled to get back in the game and managed to tie the contest at 100 with just under three minutes remaining. However, an 11 - 4 run by the Clippers over the final stretch ultimately put the game out of Sacramento\u2019s reach. It was a battle between bigs, as Blake Griffin and DeMarcus Cousins duked it out down low all night. Griffin finished with a game - high 33 points on 14 - of - 20 shooting form the field to go along with eight rebounds and four assists in 38 minutes. While Cousin\u2019s effort was ultimately not enough, the big man still finished with a team - high 32 points and 13 rebounds in 35 minutes. Cousins showed signs of taking his game to the next level, as he stretch the floor and shot an impressive 4 - of - 5 from behind the arc. Beyond those two, Chris Paul served as an elite floor leader and recorded a double - double of 18 points and 11 assists on top of five rebounds in 37 minutes. DeAndre Jordan consistently attacked the boards, recording 12 rebounds in 27 minutes, while Paul Pierce recorded 12 points and seven rebounds off the bench in his regular season debut with Los Angeles. Up next, the Kings will remain home and take on the Lakers Saturday, while the Clippers will travel home Friday to up against the Mavericks."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Hawks": "25"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "17", "Spurs": "25"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "95", "Spurs": "114"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "53", "Spurs": "44"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "7"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "20", "Boris Diaw": "17", "Paul Millsap": "22", "Kyle Korver": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "10", "Paul Millsap": "7", "Kyle Korver": "3"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Boris Diaw": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Boris Diaw": "8"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyle Korver": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyle Korver": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyle Korver": "5"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (44 - 25) routed the Atlanta Hawks (53 - 17) 114 - 95 on Sunday at the Philips Arena. The Spurs broke the game open with a 25 - 8 run to end the first half and things got worse from there for the Hawks. Coach Mike Budenholzer, a Greg Popovich protege, was ejected early in the third quarter with the Hawks down 25. Atlanta was looking to turn things around after a subpar end to its road trip, but its recent struggles traveled home to the Philips Arena. The Hawks never came within 15 points of the Spurs in the fourth as they dropped their season - high third straight game. San Antonio has now won three straight and is now within striking distance of the third seed in the West after a lackluster February had many questioning this team's viability in the playoffs. Kawhi Leonard had another strong outing with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists to go with four steals. Boris Diaw had a big fourth quarter and finished with 17 points on 8 - of - 10 shooting off the bench. The Spurs have a tough schedule over the next week with two games against the Mavericks along with matchups against the Thunder and Grizzlies. Atlanta needs to regroup after being routed in two of its last three games. Paul Millsap tried to will his team to a comeback in the third quarter, but the Spurs never let the Hawks get too close. Millsap finished with 22 points and seven rebounds. Kyle Korver returned to the lineup after missing the last three games with a broken nose. He posted six points and three rebounds but also had five turnovers. The Hawks will have the next two days off before traveling to Orlando to take on the Magic on Wednesday."], [[{"Total points": {"76ers": "93", "Trail Blazers": "92"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"76ers": "22", "Trail Blazers": "33"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"76ers": "27", "Trail Blazers": "15"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "27"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Noah Vonleh": "10", "Mason Plumlee": "14", "CJ McCollum": "16", "Damian Lillard": "30", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "9", "Robert Covington": "22", "Ersan Ilyasova": "24", "Joel Embiid": "18", "T.J. McConnell": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Noah Vonleh": "5", "Mason Plumlee": "11", "CJ McCollum": "4", "Damian Lillard": "5", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "9", "Robert Covington": "6", "Ersan Ilyasova": "6", "Joel Embiid": "10", "T.J. McConnell": "4"}, "Steals": {"Noah Vonleh": "1", "Mason Plumlee": "1", "Damian Lillard": "1", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "1", "Robert Covington": "1", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2"}, "Assists": {"Mason Plumlee": "2", "CJ McCollum": "4", "Damian Lillard": "1", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "1", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Joel Embiid": "5", "T.J. McConnell": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Mason Plumlee": "3", "Robert Covington": "1", "Ersan Ilyasova": "1", "Joel Embiid": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ McCollum": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Joel Embiid": "22"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, 93 - 92, at Wells Fargo Center on Friday night. The Sixers (15 - 26) have shown notable improvement this season, in large part thanks to former first - round pick Joel Embiid finally being at full health. They entered Friday in the midst of their best stretch in years, as they'd secured victories in seven of their previous nine games. With a Trail Blazers (18 - 27) squad that had won only seven of 24 road games coming in to town, that streak had a chance to extend even further. However, after an opening 12 minutes that saw Portland ambush their hosts by a 33 - 22 margin, the Sixers were decidedly behind the proverbial eight - ball. In previous seasons, this obstacle would have been enough to put Philadelphia away for good. These seem to be different times, however, and the Sixers came roaring out of intermission to outscore their visitors, 27 - 15, in the third quarter. That set up a nip - and - tuck final period that saw the game come down to the final seconds, when Robert Covington made a 28 - foot three - point jumper with four ticks remaining to send the home team to their eighth win in the last 10 contests. The Trail Blazers were led by Damian Lillard's 30 points, which he supplemented with five rebounds, an assist and a steal. C.J. McCollum had a down game by his standards, posting a modest 16 points on 5 - of - 18 shooting. He added four rebounds, four assists and three steals. Mason Plumlee generated 14 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included two assists, three blocks and a steal. Noah Vonleh tallied 10 points, five rebounds and a steal. Al-Farouq Aminu went for a near double - double off the bench with nine points, nine boards, one assist and one steal. Ersan Ilyasova paced the Sixers with 24 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. Covington totaled 22 points overall, along with six rebounds, a steal and a block. Embiid totaled an 18 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also featured five assists and four blocks. However, he was forced from the game after 22 minutes with a left knee contusion. T.J. McConnell filled out the stat sheet with eight points, five assists and four rebounds. The Blazers head to Boston to take on the Celtics on Saturday afternoon, while the Sixers head down south to tangle with the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday evening."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "8", "Suns": "7"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "122", "Suns": "97"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "8", "Suns": "10"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "39"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Danilo Gallinari": "23"}, "Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "11"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (8 - 8) defeated the Phoenix Suns (10 - 7) 122 - 97 on Friday. Denver and Phoenix were playing a home - and - home set where the teams play two consecutive games, one at each other's home court. The Suns beat the Nuggets 120 - 112 on Wednesday, but the Suns could n't buy a bucket Friday, shooting just 39 percent from the field. Seven players finished in double digits for Denver. Danilo Gallinari left Wednesday's game with knee soreness, but he was cleared to play Friday and put up 11 points in 23 minutes off the bench. The Nuggets have won six of their last seven games, and they'll travel to Utah to play the Jazz on Monday in search of another win. Phoenix could n't find the bottom of the net Friday, but they've won five of their last seven games. Isaiah Thomas sat out a second straight game with an ankle bruise. They had just one starter finish in double digits, but four bench players were able to crack the threshold. They'll return home to host the Orlando Magic on Sunday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Heat": "21", "Jazz": "12"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "6", "Jazz": "4"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "91", "Jazz": "102"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Heat": "21"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Heat": "12"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "2", "Jazz": "7"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "49"}, "Turnovers": {"Jazz": "9"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "4", "Josh Richardson": "4"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "25", "Rudy Gobert": "12", "Rodney Hood": "17", "Dante Exum": "10", "Joe Johnson": "10", "Justise Winslow": "11", "Hassan Whiteside": "15", "Josh Richardson": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "9", "Rudy Gobert": "12", "Rodney Hood": "4", "Justise Winslow": "6", "Hassan Whiteside": "14", "Josh Richardson": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "2", "Hassan Whiteside": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dante Exum": "10", "Joe Johnson": "10", "Josh Richardson": "16"}}], "The Utah Jazz defeated the host Miami Heat 102 - 91 at American Airlines Center on Saturday. Utah is the far superior team coming into this matchup and they showed that by leading for over 45 minutes of this game. They actually led by 21 at times and held the Heat at bay all evening long. Free-throw shooting was the biggest difference, with Utah going 16 - of - 19, while Miami went just 10 - of - 19. The Jazz shot 49 percent in their win and committed just nine turnovers. Strangely, the Heat dominated the assisting margin, as they recorded 21 dimes to the Jazz '12. Utah (7 - 4) continues to ride their defense to wins, but they may have suffered a bigger loss in this victory. Derrick Favors recently returned from a knee injury, but he had to leave this game after five minutes due to renewed knee soreness. Gordon Hayward stepped up in his absence though, leading the team with 25 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Rodney Hood was second on the team, with his 17 points and four rebounds. Rudy Gobert recorded another double - double, totaling 12 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks. Dante Exum and Joe Johnson finished with 10 a piece in the win. The Jazz will look to keep it rolling on Monday, when they host the Memphis Grizzlies for their next game. Miami (2 - 6) has really struggled recently and a battle against Utah's defense certainly was n't the cure. Hassan Whiteside played well though, totaling 15 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks in the defeat. Justise Winslow grabbed 11 points and six rebounds of his own. The bench was big for Miami, as James Johnson, Derrick Williams and Rodney McGruder all scored in double figures. More importantly, Josh Richardson played a season - high 32 minutes and took a season - high 16 shots, finishing with 12 points, three rebounds and four assists. Things do n't get any easier for Miami either, as they travel to play the San Antonio Spurs on Monday for their next game."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Bulls": "18", "Wizards": "31"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "14", "Wizards": "19"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "100", "Wizards": "114"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "22", "Wizards": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"John Wall": "10", "Drew Gooden": "3", "Jimmy Butler": "7", "Derrick Rose": "1", "Joakim Noah": "4"}, "Blocks": {"John Wall": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"John Wall": "4", "Derrick Rose": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"John Wall": "2", "Derrick Rose": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"John Wall": "19", "Jimmy Butler": "15", "Derrick Rose": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"John Wall": "7", "Jimmy Butler": "6", "Derrick Rose": "8"}, "Points": {"John Wall": "17", "Drew Gooden": "10", "Pau Gasol": "15", "Jimmy Butler": "19", "Derrick Rose": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"John Wall": "5", "Drew Gooden": "12", "Pau Gasol": "10", "Jimmy Butler": "4", "Joakim Noah": "9"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "3", "Jimmy Butler": "3", "Joakim Noah": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Drew Gooden": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "7", "Derrick Rose": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Jimmy Butler": "6", "Derrick Rose": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Jimmy Butler": "38", "Derrick Rose": "31"}, "Turnovers": {"Derrick Rose": "4"}}], "The Washington Wizards (17 - 19) defeated the host Chicago Bulls (22 - 14) 114 - 100 at United Center on Monday night. This was a huge win for Washington who is desperately trying to stay relevant in the East. The Wizards came into this game having lost five of their last seven games but they did not play like a team in a rut, in fact they played a stunning team game. The Wizards logged an amazing 31 assists on 48 made field goals and shot 48 percent from the field. On the contrary, the Bulls had won six of their previous seven games but ended up falling apart in this one. In comparison to Washington's 31 assists, Chicago only had 18. They also attempted 18 less field goals; 81 attempts versus Washington's 99. There was some good news for the Bulls on Monday night as they saw the return of Joakim Noah. Chicago went 7 - 2 without Noah, who missed nine games with a shoulder injury. He entered the game with about four minutes to go in the first quarter and went 0 - 7 from the field, but logged nine rebounds, four assists and one steal in 18 minutes. Derrick Rose finished with 23 points (8 - 13 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT) but only had one assist and four turnovers, in 31 minutes. Jimmy Butler dropped 19 points (6 - 15 FG, 6 - 7 FT), along with seven assists, four rebounds and three steals, in 38 minutes. Pau Gasol had a nice double - double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, in 28 minutes. Despite missing two of their top players Marcin Gortat (knee) and Bradley Beal (leg), Washington had seven players score in double digits and played a fantastic team game. John Wall was the maestro as he finished with 17 points (7 - 19 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt), 10 assists, five rebounds, three steals and one blocked shot, in 34 minutes. Drew Gooden was huge off the bench as he pulled down seven offensive rebounds. Gooden finished with 10 points, 12 rebounds and three assists, in 26 minutes. Otto Porter Jr. chipped in 14 points (6 - 13 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt), eight rebounds, two assists and two steals, in 31 minutes. The Wizards will have a good chance to gain more ground in the East as they host the Bucks, who will be on the second night of a back - to - back, on Wednesday. The Bulls will be facing the second night of a back - to - back when they visit Milwaukee on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "30"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "104", "Cavaliers": "111"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "10", "Brandon Jennings": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "20", "Channing Frye": "9", "Carmelo Anthony": "20", "Kristaps Porzingis": "10", "Brandon Jennings": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "12", "Channing Frye": "5", "Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Kristaps Porzingis": "3", "Brandon Jennings": "8"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "32", "Kevin Love": "23", "Channing Frye": "14", "Carmelo Anthony": "17", "Kristaps Porzingis": "9", "Brandon Jennings": "23"}, "Minutes played": {"Kevin Love": "35", "DeAndre Liggins": "17", "Brandon Jennings": "42"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Love": "16", "Brandon Jennings": "5"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the host New York Knicks 111 - 104, at Madison Square Garden on Saturday evening. In the process of winning their second straight game, the Cavaliers saw their leader, LeBron James, become the youngest player in NBA history to score 28,0 career points. James finished with a game - high 32 points in the contest, on impressive 12 - of - 20 shooting. The Cavs (35 - 15) were without Kyrie Irving, who was a late scratch with a quad injury. DeAndre Liggins got the start in Irving's absence but only played 17 minutes. Cleveland played most of the contest without a true point guard on the floor, but that was not a big issue, as LeBron played the role of distributor, dishing 10 assists. Kevin Love had a solid game, with 23 points and 16 rebounds, in 35 minutes of action. Channing Frye chipped in 14 points on 5 - of - 9 shooting, in 15 minutes off the bench. The Cavaliers will look to keep the winning streak going as they visit Washington to take on the Wizards on Monday. The Knicks (22 - 30) trailed by 27 with 54 seconds left in the third quarter but went on a massive run, sparked by Brandon Jennings, who poured in 17 points in just over three minutes to help the Knicks get within 10 points with 7:26 left in the fourth. Jennings finished with a team - high 23 points on 8 - of - 13 shooting, to go along with 10 assists and five rebounds, in 42 minutes of action. Carmelo Anthony struggled from the floor, as he went 6 - of - 20 on his way to 17 points, while Kristaps Porzingis similarly struggled, with nine points on 3 - of - 10 shooting. The Knicks will look to get back on track as they play host to the Lakers on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "44"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "34", "Raptors": "18"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "95", "Raptors": "122"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Knicks": "15", "Raptors": "31"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "24", "Raptors": "37"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "44"}}, {"Blocks": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "14", "DeMar DeRozan": "17", "Kyle Lowry": "13", "Carmelo Anthony": "17", "Kristaps Porzingis": "14", "Robin Lopez": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "9", "DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Kyle Lowry": "7", "Carmelo Anthony": "8", "Kristaps Porzingis": "7", "Robin Lopez": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "7", "Kyle Lowry": "6", "Carmelo Anthony": "10", "Robin Lopez": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "6", "Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Robin Lopez": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "25", "Kyle Lowry": "35", "Carmelo Anthony": "37", "Robin Lopez": "28"}, "Points": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "20", "DeMar DeRozan": "22", "Kyle Lowry": "22", "Carmelo Anthony": "23", "Kristaps Porzingis": "17", "Robin Lopez": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "6", "DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "11", "Carmelo Anthony": "11", "Kristaps Porzingis": "2", "Robin Lopez": "13"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "11", "Carmelo Anthony": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "4", "Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Kristaps Porzingis": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Kristaps Porzingis": "2"}, "Steals": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (37 - 18) defeated the host New York Knicks (24 - 34) 122 - 95, on Monday night at Madison Square Garden. This was a big win for the Raptors, who have now bounced back from a two game losing streak by winning two straight. After a close first quarter that finished with the Knicks up by two, Toronto blew the game open with a 31 - 15 second quarter, putting the Raptors up 57 - 43 going into the half. Toronto closed out the second half strong, hanging on to the lead the whole way. The Raptors have now won 16 of their last 19, while the Knicks have lost 12 of their last 14. With this win DeMar DeRozan passed Chris Bosh and Morris Peterson to become the player with the most wins in a Raptors uniform. The Raptors have done well to keep opponents to an average of 98 points per game this season, and after a couple of sloppy performances surrounding the All-Star break, proved that they are back in their defensive groove as they held the Knicks to 95 points. They also scored a season high 122 points, thanks to 52 percent shooting from the field and 11 - of - 25 shooting from long range. Kyle Lowry notched a triple - double with 22 points (7 - 13 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT), 11 assists and 11 rebounds, in 35 minutes. DeMar DeRozan added another 22 points (8 - 17 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 7 FT) from Toronto's starting back court, along with three rebounds, three steals and two assists, in 31 minutes. Jonas Valanciunas was solid in the middle, with 20 points (9 - 14 FG, 2 - 2 FT), six rebounds and three blocked shots, in 25 minutes. The Knicks struggled to find a rhythm against the pesky Toronto defense. They shot 44 percent from the field, only 6 - for - 20 from downtown and missed eight free throws. Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks in scoring with 23 points (8 - 17 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 6 - 10 FT), along with 11 rebounds and five assists, in 37 minutes. Robin Lopez posed a bit of a problem for the Raptors as he poured in 21 points (10 - 14 FG, 1 - 1 FT), along with 13 rebounds, in 28 minutes. Kristaps Porzingis added 17 points (7 - 14 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 6 FT) and two rebounds, in 32 minutes. With this loss the Knicks are now 14 - 16 at home. Next, the Knicks will play in Indiana on Wednesday. The Raptors will host the Timberwolves on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Cavaliers": "26"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "34"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "14", "Bucks": "16"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "80", "Bucks": "96"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "18", "Bucks": "17"}, "Turnovers": {"Bucks": "10"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "30", "Brandon Knight": "34"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "14", "Brandon Knight": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (17 - 16) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (18 - 14) 96 - 80 on Wednesday. Milwaukee has won two straight games. They were paced by Brandon Knight, who scored a game - high 26 points in 34 minutes. Giannis Antetokounmpo also threw up an impressive all - around line of 14 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three blocks in 30 minutes. The Bucks protected the ball well (only 10 turnovers) and held the Cavs down on defense to secure the win. Ersan Ilyasova (concussion) and Larry Sanders (illness) did not play. They'll return home to host the Indiana Pacers on Friday. Cleveland has lost three straight games. LeBron James (knee) and Shawn Marion (ankle) have sat out their last two games, and Kevin Love (back spasms) was n't able to play Wednesday. That does n't even account for the fact that Anderson Varejao (Achilles) is out for the season. The Cavaliers have essentially been reduced to the team they were last season, relying on suspect defense from most of their players and Kyrie Irving's heroics on offense to try and get wins. Cleveland shot 34 percent from the field and 26 percent from beyond the arc Wednesday. That's not going to get them wins. They'll go on the road to the face the Charlotte Hornets on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "3", "76ers": "8"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "123", "76ers": "70"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Mavericks": "38", "76ers": "10"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "6", "76ers": "0"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"76ers": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Tony Wroten": "2", "Michael Carter-Williams": "5", "Dirk Nowitzki": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Tony Wroten": "5", "Michael Carter-Williams": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tony Wroten": "2", "Michael Carter-Williams": "1", "Dirk Nowitzki": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tony Wroten": "7", "Michael Carter-Williams": "19", "Dirk Nowitzki": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Tony Wroten": "3", "Michael Carter-Williams": "6", "Dirk Nowitzki": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tony Wroten": "6", "Michael Carter-Williams": "10", "Dirk Nowitzki": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Tony Wroten": "3", "Michael Carter-Williams": "6", "Dirk Nowitzki": "6"}, "Points": {"Tony Wroten": "11", "Michael Carter-Williams": "19", "Dirk Nowitzki": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Tony Wroten": "4", "Michael Carter-Williams": "8", "Dirk Nowitzki": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "30", "Dirk Nowitzki": "20"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (6 - 3) put on a complete show while beating the Philadelphia 76ers (0 - 8) by 53 on Thursday night 123 - 70 at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks apparently were out for blood in this game, as they rolled over the 76ers from the word go. The Mavs outscored them 38 - 10 in the first quarter, and were up 73 - 29 at halftime. If Dallas had n't taken their foot off the gas at points in this game, it probably could have been even worse. The Mavericks got everyone in on the action Thursday, with 13 players getting on the floor, and everyone scoring. They were led by Dirk Nowitzki in scoring with 21 points (7 - 8 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 6 - 7 FT) to go with four assists and three rebounds in only 20 minutes. The Mavs will now get a night off before taking on the Minnesota Timberwolves at home on Saturday night. This young 76ers team is still trying to find answers, and they could n't get anything going on Thursday night. They shot a brutal 30 percent from the field, and 52 percent from the free - throw line. A total of two players scored in double figures, and it was the two point guards, Michael Carter-Williams and Tony Wroten. Carter-Williams was playing in his first game of the season, and he saw 30 minutes of action off the bench, scoring 19 points (6 - 19 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 6 - 10 FT) to go with eight rebounds and five assists. Wroten started the game and scored 11 points (3 - 7 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 3 - 6 FT) to go with four rebounds and two assists. The 76ers had better have a plan to get things turned around, as they're on the road in Houston on Friday night against the 7 - 1 Rockets."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "1", "Thunder": "1"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "122", "Thunder": "96"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Warriors": "37", "Thunder": "11"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "4", "Thunder": "4"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "40"}}, {"Points": {"Steven Adams": "11", "Victor Oladipo": "21", "Russell Westbrook": "20", "Kevin Durant": "39", "Klay Thompson": "18", "Stephen Curry": "21"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Victor Oladipo": "13", "Russell Westbrook": "15", "Kevin Durant": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Victor Oladipo": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "4", "Kevin Durant": "15"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "10", "Kevin Durant": "1", "Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Durant": "7"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kevin Durant": "1"}, "Steals": {"Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "2"}}], "The Golden State Warriors blew out the Oklahoma City Thunder 122 - 96 on Thursday at Oracle Arena. This was Kevin Durant's first game against his former team and he showed them why he's one of the best players in the league. Durant dropped 39 points on his former mates with 29 of those coming in the first half. What was ultimately decisive was the second quarter, in which the Warriors outscored the Thunder 37 - 11. The defense was great for Golden State as well, as they held Oklahoma City to 40 percent shooting and blocked away 14 shots in the win. Free-throw shooting was a huge disparity as well, with the Thunder going just 16 - of - 28 and the Warriors going 16 - of - 20. The Thunder (4 - 1) came into this game undefeated, but left feeling like they lost more than just a game. Russell Westbrook was especially discouraged, as he shot just 4 - for - 15 from the field and committed six turnovers in the defeat. With that said, he did tally 20 points, six rebounds and 10 assists in 28 minutes of play. Victor Oladipo led the team in scoring, dropping 21 points on 8 - of - 13 shooting. Steven Adams and Domantas Sabonis were the only other Thunder players in double figures, scoring 11 a piece. On deck for the Thunder is a matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday, which is the start of a five - game homestand. The Warriors (4 - 1) had a lot of expectations headed into the season and games like this show why. Durant was especially impressive, as he scored his 39 points on 15 - of - 24 shooting, while making seven three - pointers. Stephen Curry was second on the team, as he accumulated 21 points and seven assists in the win. Klay Thompson scored 18 of his own, while also providing two rebounds, three assists and two steals. Draymond Green and Zaza Pachulia dominated down low, combining for 17 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists, three steals and seven blocks. Golden State has a quick turnaround for their next game, as they travel to play the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday for their next game."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "47"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pistons": "22", "Cavaliers": "29"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "10", "Tobias Harris": "2", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "29", "Richard Jefferson": "9", "Iman Shumpert": "8", "Kyrie Irving": "27", "Channing Frye": "15", "Marcus Morris": "12", "Tobias Harris": "15", "Andre Drummond": "20", "Reggie Jackson": "21", "Ish Smith": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Channing Frye": "9", "Tobias Harris": "9", "Andre Drummond": "16"}}], "LeBron James' 29 - point, 13 - rebound, 10 - assist triple - double, the 50th of his career, led Cleveland, while Kyrie Iriving also provided 27 points. However, the Pistons countered with six double - digit scoring performances and a 47 percent success rate from the field. Detroit also battled back from respective 29 - 22 and 80 - 73 deficits after the first and third quarters. Channing Frye was the only other Cleveland player to hit double digits in the scoring column, as he totaled 15 points and nine boards. Richard Jefferson and Iman Shumpert turned in nine and eight points, respectively. Reggie Jackson led Detroit with 21 points, while Andre Drummond provided a 20 - point, 16 - rebound double - double. Tobias Harris had a near double - double with 15 points and nine rebounds. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope matched Harris' point total and added two assists. Marcus Morris and Ish Smith delivered matching 12 - point efforts."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "39", "Magic": "53"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "90", "Magic": "97"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "38", "Magic": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"Tobias Harris": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "11", "Aaron Gordon": "1", "Michael Carter-Williams": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Tobias Harris": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "2", "John Henson": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tobias Harris": "5", "Elfrid Payton": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Tobias Harris": "41", "Aaron Gordon": "29", "Michael Carter-Williams": "34", "John Henson": "25"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "23", "Elfrid Payton": "10", "Aaron Gordon": "10", "Ersan Ilyasova": "18", "Michael Carter-Williams": "8", "John Henson": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "10", "Elfrid Payton": "3", "Aaron Gordon": "12", "Michael Carter-Williams": "10"}, "Steals": {"Tobias Harris": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "3", "Michael Carter-Williams": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Victor Oladipo": "19", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Victor Oladipo": "6", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"John Henson": "3"}}], "The Orlando Magic (24 - 53) snapped the Milwaukee Bucks\u2019 (38 - 39) two - game winning streak with a 97 - 90 victory, propelling them to a two - game winning streak of their own and three games behind the Los Angeles Lakers for the fourth - worst record in the league. Coach James Borrego ran an eight - man rotation, and six of them scored at least 10 points. Rookie Aaron Gordon recorded his first career double - double, accumulating 10 points, a career - high 12 rebounds, two blocks, and one assist in 29 minutes. Both Borrego and Rookie of the Year contender Elfrid Payton were assessed a technical foul. Payton hit his lone free - throw attempt and sank a three - pointer, converting 88 percent of his free throws over the past nine contests. He added 10 points, 11 assists, three rebounds, three steals and one block. Victor Oladipo followed a Friday\u2019s 4 - of - 19 performance with a 6 - of - 19 shooting display. Tobias Harris, former Buck, scored 23 points, corralled 10 rebounds, blocked three shots, dished two assists, nabbed a steal and hit five three - pointers in 41 minutes. The loss still gives the Bucks a two and a half game lead over the seven seed Brooklyn Nets with five games remaining. It also eliminates them from moving any higher than the six seed as the Washington Wizards hold a six - game lead. Giannis Antetokounmpo left briefly due to a nasal contusion and ended the game shooting 3 - of - 12. The shooting slump snapped a streak of 14 straight games scoring double figures. Michael Carter-Williams missed out on a triple - double, notching eight points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and two steals in 34 minutes. Ersan Ilyasova scored 11 of his team - high 18 points in the first quarter. John Henson blocked three shots in 25 minutes and scored at least 10 points for the third straight game. The Magic commence a three - game homestand Wednesday against the three seed Chicago Bulls. The Milwaukee Bucks conclude a two - game homestand Wednesday against the two seed Cleveland Cavaliers."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Spurs": "15"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Manu Ginobili": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Manu Ginobili": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Manu Ginobili": "25"}, "Points": {"Manu Ginobili": "19"}}], "Manu Ginobili managed to turn back the clock in Wednesday's comeback victory against the Kings, as he lead the team in scoring with 19 points on 7 - of - 15 shooting in 25 minutes off the bench. It was the first time since late - November that the 39 - year - old Argentinian played 25 minutes in a single game and just the third time all season. More importantly, though, is the idea that when Ginobili is productive in his role off the bench, the Spurs are extremely hard to beat. In the six games where Ginobili has scored at least 14 points, the Spurs are 5 - 1. And they are n't just beating their opponents in those situations, they're dominating them, as they won those five games by an average margin of 15 points, with their one loss coming by just three points."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "28", "Pistons": "37"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "88", "Pistons": "85"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "33", "Pistons": "23"}}, {"Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Anthony Davis": "5"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "39", "Alexis Ajinca": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "13", "Alexis Ajinca": "11"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (33 - 28) made the most of Anthony Davis' return Wednesay with an 88 - 85 victory over the Detroit Pistons (23 - 37) at the Smoothie King Center. Anthony Davis had been out since Feb. 21 after re - injuring his shoulder against Miami, but came back in a big way Wednesday. Davis made his presence felt with 39 points, 13 rebounds, and a remarkable eight blocks. The Pistons made a late run, tying the game at 81 with just over a minute to go, but Anthony Davis and Tyreke Evans made the difference for the Pelicans. New Orleans had a great run in Davis' absence, winning five out of six games without its young super star. The Pelicans continue to battle for the eighth seed in the West, with the Thunder and Suns all vying for that final spot. Alexis Ajinca had his second - straight double - double off the bench Wednesday with 10 points and 11 rebounds. The Pelicans will return to action Friday when they host the Celtics. Detroit was coming off extended rest Wednesday, having last played Saturday against Washington. The rest did n't translate to a favorable result, however, as the Pistons dropped their fourth straigh game. The current losing streak makes Detroit's playoff chances tenable at best as Indiana, Brooklyn, and Boston are all ahead of the Pistons. The Pistons will look to snap their losing skid Friday in Houston."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "10", "Raptors": "6"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "91", "Raptors": "102"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Lakers": "18"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "2", "Raptors": "8"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "5", "Kobe Bryant": "5", "D'Angelo Russell": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "12", "Kobe Bryant": "13", "D'Angelo Russell": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Kobe Bryant": "5", "D'Angelo Russell": "7"}, "Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "18", "Kyle Lowry": "25", "Kobe Bryant": "10", "Julius Randle": "18", "D'Angelo Russell": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "5", "Kobe Bryant": "4", "Julius Randle": "12", "D'Angelo Russell": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Lowry": "7"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Kobe Bryant": "37"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (8 - 6) beat the Los Angeles Lakers (2 - 10) 102 - 91 at Staples Center on Friday. Kyle Lowry commanded the floor and led the Raptors to a strong team win, providing 25 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals in the all around impressive performance. The de facto leader of the north, Lowry shot lights out from the 3 - point line, draining 7 - of - 11 shots from deep. Shooting guard DeMar DeRozan added 18 points, four rebounds and two assists on 5 - of - 12 shooting, The Raptors shot efficiently from deep, tallying 15 3 - pointers on 45 percent shooting. The Lakers struggles continued and a frustrated Kobe Bryant looked to get his seemingly motionless team to spread the floor, but the effort did not come to fruition. Bryant finished with 10 points, four rebounds and five assists on 5 - for - 13 shooting from the field and led the team with 37 minutes played. The Lakers flashed some signs of optimism, with sophomore Julius Randle finishing with 18 points and 12 rebounds, which completed his third double - double of the season. D\u2019Angelo Russell played 33 minutes, the most of his young rookie season so far and contributed 17 points, five rebounds and two assists on on 7 - of - 16 shooting. The Lakers were not as fortunate from the 3 - point line, finishing 8 - for - 25 from deep, which proved to be the difference maker down the stretch for the Raptors. The Staples Center will be busy on Sunday, with the Raptors facing the Los Angeles Clippers (6 - 6) in the matinee, and the Lakers hosting the Portland Trail Blazers (5 - 9) at night."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "3", "Bucks": "2"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "81", "Bucks": "87"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pacers": "19"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pacers": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Pacers": "47", "Bucks": "39"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "1", "Bucks": "2"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "33"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "45"}}, {"Assists": {"Jabari Parker": "2", "Rodney Stuckey": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jabari Parker": "2", "Ersan Ilyasova": "4", "Brandon Knight": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jabari Parker": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jabari Parker": "2", "Ersan Ilyasova": "3"}, "Points": {"Jabari Parker": "10", "Ersan Ilyasova": "5", "Brandon Knight": "23", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "11", "Roy Hibbert": "16", "Chris Copeland": "19", "Rodney Stuckey": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Jabari Parker": "3", "Ersan Ilyasova": "3", "Brandon Knight": "7", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Roy Hibbert": "7"}, "Steals": {"Jabari Parker": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "1", "Brandon Knight": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "11", "Brandon Knight": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Brandon Knight": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Roy Hibbert": "5"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (2 - 2) defeated the Indiana Pacers (1 - 3) 87 - 81 on Tuesday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Despite being outrebounded 47 to 39, the Bucks were able to force the Pacers into 19 turnovers, which allowed them to finish with the victory. As a team, the Bucks shot 45 percent from the field and 33 percent from behind the three - point line. Brandon Knight took the lead for the Bucks in Tuesday's win. He shot 10 - for - 16 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from beyond the arc to finish with a game - high 23 points and seven rebounds. After recording two straight double - doubles, rookie Jabari Parker finished the night with 10 points and three rebounds. He's now averaing 11 points and 8 rebounds on the year. After starting Khris Middleton for the first three games of the season, Ersan Ilyasova took Middleton's spot in the starting lineup, though Ilyasova struggled to find his shot, shooting 2 - for - 11 from the field and 1 - for - 4 from the three - point line to finish with five points. Giannis Antetokounmpo came off the bench and gave the Bucks a spark with 11 points and three rebounds. Chris Copeland came off the bench and led the Pacers in scoring with 19 points. He's scored in double figures for the fourth time in as many games and has established himself as the most reliable bench player for the Pacers so far this season. Roy Hibbert finished the game with 16 points and seven rebounds. He also gave the team a defensive presence and posted five blocks. Although, despite playing solid defense, the Pacers could n't find much offense of their own. Rodney Stuckey was questionable for the game with a foot injury, but he was able to play and came off the bench for nine points and three assists in 17 minutes. The Bucks' next game will be at home against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, while the Pacers will go on the road to Washington to play the Wizards on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "42", "Spurs": "16"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "93", "Spurs": "100"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "28", "Spurs": "54"}}, {"Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "22", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "26", "Andrew Wiggins": "22", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "25", "Shabazz Muhammad": "18"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "12"}, "3-pointers made": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "24"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 100 - 93 Tuesday at Target Center. While they ended up winning by a comfortable seven points, Tuesday's victory was n't easy for the Spurs (54 - 16), as the team found themselves down by as many as 12 points in the first half. Then, after a bounce - back third quarter, San Antonio managed to enter the final period with a six - point lead and hold on despite one last run from the Timberwolves (28 - 42). The team was led offensively by LaMarcus Aldridge, who scored a game - high 26 points on 12 - of - 24 shooting from the field. Meanwhile, All-Star swingman Kawhi Leonard had just two points after the first 24 minutes, but he managed to kick it into high gear and score 20 of his 22 points in the second half, which included the go - ahead jumper late in the fourth quarter. The win was the Spurs' second in a row and they will now return home for a four - game homestand. As for the Timberwolves, the loss was not only their fourth in a row, but after blowing a 12 - point lead, it is the team's league - leading 18th loss this season after blowing a double - digit lead. They have also now given up at least 100 points in seven straight contests. Offensively, Karl-Anthony Towns led the way with yet another double - double of a team - high 25 points and 14 rebounds, while Andrew Wiggins added 22 points of his own. The two, however, combined to shoot just 13 - of - 32 from the field, and they ended up doing a majority of their work at the free throw line, where the young stars hit 20 of their 23 attempts. Unfortunately for Minnesota, the two did n't get much help, as the only other teammate to score in double figures was Shabazz Muhammad, who scored 18 points in 24 minutes off the bench."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "29", "Clippers": "26"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "98", "Clippers": "114"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Grizzlies": "20"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "36", "Clippers": "39"}}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "8", "Marc Gasol": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Blake Griffin": "30", "Austin Rivers": "32", "Marc Gasol": "33", "Mike Conley": "36"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "14", "Austin Rivers": "20", "Marc Gasol": "20", "Mike Conley": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "12", "Marc Gasol": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Austin Rivers": "10", "Marc Gasol": "16", "Mike Conley": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Austin Rivers": "7", "Marc Gasol": "8", "Mike Conley": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Mike Conley": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Mike Conley": "0"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Memphis Grizzlies, 114 - 98, Thursday at FedExForum. The Clippers (39 - 26) maintained control throughout Thursday's contest, as they ultimately entered the fourth and final quarter with a 20 - point lead. The convincing victory not only gave Los Angeles their third win in four games, but they also added another game to their lead over the Grizzlies (36 - 29), who were creeping on them in the Western Conference standings. Surprisingly, it was Austin Rivers off the bench who led the way for the Clippers, scoring a team - high 20 points on 7 - of - 10 shooting in 32 minutes. Rivers led the way for what ended up being a very impressive outing for the team's reserves, who managed to score 61 of the team's 114 points Thursday. Additionally, Blake Griffin nearly added a triple - double in just 30 minutes of playing time, as he recorded 14 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists in that time. For Memphis, Marc Gasol led the way with 20 points on 8 - of - 16 shooting, five rebounds and five assists in 33 minutes. The bigger story for the Grizzlies, however, was the poor play of starting point guard Mike Conley, who shot an abysmal 3 - of - 14 from the field and 0 - of - 4 from behind the arc en route to scoring 13 points in 36 minutes. As a team, Memphis shot a fairly respectable 46 percent from the field, but in the end, their lackluster defensive effort kept them out of Thursday's contest. Up next, the Clippers will head home Saturday to take on the 76ers, while the Grizzlies, who have now lost four in a row, will try to end that streak against the Hawks on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Heat": "23"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "40"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "11", "Pelicans": "20"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "94", "Pelicans": "88"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "17", "Pelicans": "9"}}, {"Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "4", "Dwyane Wade": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "Hassan Whiteside": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "29", "Chris Bosh": "25"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "13", "Chris Bosh": "11"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "29", "Omer Asik": "2", "Eric Gordon": "16", "Tyreke Evans": "6", "Ryan Anderson": "18", "Chris Bosh": "30", "Hassan Whiteside": "8", "Dwyane Wade": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "15", "Chris Bosh": "10", "Hassan Whiteside": "17", "Dwyane Wade": "6"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4"}}], "The Miami Heat (17 - 11) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (9 - 20) 94 - 88 on Friday. The Christmas Day schedule tipped off with an overtime thriller showcasing some of the NBA\u2019s biggest stars. Anthony Davis was tasked with the heaviest workload of any Pelican, and turned in 29 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, four steals and three blocks on 13 - of - 29 shooting. The Kentucky product missed what would have been the game winning shot as time expired in the 4th quarter. The valiant effort was not enough to capture a victory, and the Heat locked down Davis in overtime to prevent the former No. 1 overall pick from taking over. Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon pitched in on the offensive end, scoring 18 points and 16 points, respectively, but the remainder of the New Orleans roster struggled to help in that department. Alonzo Gee finished the night with zero points, Omer Asik scored two points and Tyreke Evans added six points, rounding out the starters low scoring affair. The Pelicans will look to bounce back when they host the Houston Rockets (15 - 15) on Saturday. Chris Bosh led all scorers with 30 points, to go along with 10 rebounds and three assists on 11 - of - 25 shooting, marking Bosh\u2019s second 30 - point effort in the season. Dwyane Wade was able to close out the game from the free throw line and finished with 19 points, six rebounds and four assists in 36 minutes. Hasan Whiteside dominated the glass in the first half, totalling 13 rebounds before the break, and completing the afternoon with 17 boards alongside eight points and four blocks. Whiteside leads the NBA in blocks with 4 per game, and is also amongst the best rebounders, pulling down 11 boards, good for fourth in the league. Miami shot just 40 percent from the floor as a unit, and a rough 23 percent from deep, but the strong defensive effort paid off in the overtime period as they pulled out a Christmas Day win. The Heat will take the short road trip and face the Orlando Magic (17 - 12) on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "36", "76ers": "52"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "108", "76ers": "89"}, "Turnovers": {"Celtics": "11", "76ers": "16"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "30", "76ers": "15"}, "Number of team assists": {"76ers": "20"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"76ers": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Hollis Thompson": "13", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "10", "Nerlens Noel": "18", "Jason Richardson": "2", "Isaiah Canaan": "11", "Ish Smith": "16", "Evan Turner": "10", "Tyler Zeller": "26", "Avery Bradley": "20", "Marcus Smart": "11", "Gigi Datome": "10", "Jae Crowder": "10"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Nerlens Noel": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nerlens Noel": "15", "Jason Richardson": "7", "Isaiah Canaan": "11", "Ish Smith": "13", "Tyler Zeller": "15", "Avery Bradley": "14", "Marcus Smart": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Nerlens Noel": "7", "Jason Richardson": "1", "Ish Smith": "7", "Tyler Zeller": "11", "Avery Bradley": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nerlens Noel": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Nerlens Noel": "7", "Tyler Zeller": "5", "Avery Bradley": "10"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jason Richardson": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Ish Smith": "27", "Tyler Zeller": "28", "Avery Bradley": "35"}, "Assists": {"Tyler Zeller": "2", "Avery Bradley": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Tyler Zeller": "2"}}], "The Boston Celtics (30 - 36) dominated the Philadelphia 76ers (15 - 52) in a 108 - 89 victory on Monday in Boston. All five Celtics' starters scored in double figures, as Boston has now won five games in a row and seven of their last eight. They were led by Tyler Zeller, who scored a season - high 26 points on 11 - of - 15 shooting and grabbed five rebounds in 28 minutes. Zeller has now scored 44 points on 19 - of - 25 shooting in his last two outings. Avery Bradley posted a double - double for the Celtics, recording 20 points on 8 - of - 14 shooting and 10 rebounds, to go along with six assists in 35 minutes. Marcus Smart (11) and Evan Turner (10) round out the Boston starters in double figures, while Luigi Datome and Jae Crowder each scored 10 points off the bench. The Celtics' recent success has come even without Isaiah Thomas (back), who's missed the last four games. The win brings Boston up to seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings, owning tiebreakers over both Indiana and Charlotte with just 16 games left on the schedule. The 76ers were led by Nerlens Noel in the losing effort, who posted 18 points on 7 - of - 15 shooting and seven rebounds. Despite Philadelphia's constant struggles, Noel has played great as of late, posting three double - doubles in his last six games. On the other end of the spectrum, Jason Richardson had yet another poor shooting day, scoring just two points on 1 - of - 7 shooting, as he has failed to reach double - digit scoring in his last three outings. Starters Hollis Thompson (13), Isaiah Canaan (11) and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (10) all scored in double figures, while Ish Smith scored 16 points on 7 - of - 13 shooting in 27 minutes off the bench. The 76ers recorded just 20 assists to 16 turnovers and continue to boast one of the worst records in the NBA. Up next, Boston will travel to Oklahoma City on Wednesday to take on the Thunder, while Philadelphia heads home to go up against the Pistons on Wednesday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Trail Blazers": "27", "Nuggets": "14"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "3", "Nuggets": "5"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "28"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "4", "Nuggets": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"Ty Lawson": "8", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ty Lawson": "16", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "26"}, "Field goals made": {"Ty Lawson": "7", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Ty Lawson": "6", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Ty Lawson": "4", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "3"}, "Points": {"Ty Lawson": "18", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Ty Lawson": "6", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "9"}, "Steals": {"Ty Lawson": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1"}, "Blocks": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (1 - 5) lost their fifth straight game, this time against the Portland Trail Blazers (4 - 3) on Sunday night at the Moda Center in Portland. The Nuggets just ca n't seem to get the ball rolling to this point in 2014. While they semeed to stick with their starting lineup in this game (to some extent, at least), they still lost another game, and this one was by a large margin. Ty Lawson did a little bit of everything for Denver, with 18 points (7 - 16 FG, 4 - 6 FT), eight assists, six rebounds, and two steals, but it was n't enough. The Nuggets saw only three players score in double figures, but a total of 10 players score at some point during the game. Denver heads home next, but they'll be taking on this same Portland team on Wednesday night. For the Trail Blazers, it was just one of those nights where things were clicking. They saw six players score in double figures, and four players pull down at least eight rebounds. Portland crashed the glass hard, and were led in scoring by LaMarcus Aldridge, who had 28 points (12 - 26 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), to go along with nine rebounds, four assists, one block and one steal. The Blazers' ability to move the ball around was huge, as the tallied 27 assists as a team, compared to just 14 for the Nuggets. Nicolas Batum was being looked to by the medical staff after the game, but it is unclear what his injury is."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "51"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "7", "Raptors": "4"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "107", "Raptors": "101"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "4", "Raptors": "7"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "9", "DeMarcus Cousins": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "4", "DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "13", "Rudy Gay": "16", "DeMarcus Cousins": "22", "Rajon Rondo": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "6", "Rudy Gay": "10", "DeMarcus Cousins": "12", "Rajon Rondo": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2", "DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}, "Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "17", "DeMar DeRozan": "24", "Kyle Lowry": "22", "Rudy Gay": "27", "DeMarcus Cousins": "36", "Rajon Rondo": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarre Carroll": "4", "Rudy Gay": "6", "DeMarcus Cousins": "10", "Rajon Rondo": "7"}, "Assists": {"Rudy Gay": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "14"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Rajon Rondo": "5"}, "Steals": {"Rajon Rondo": "2"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (4 - 7) beat the Toronto Raptors (7 - 4) 107 - 101 on Sunday. DeMarcus Cousins could not be contained by the Raptors, as he scored 36 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and three blocks on 12 - for - 22 shooting. The Kings big man flexed his newfound range from the 3 - point line and finished 3 - for - 6 from deep. With the game coming down to the wire, Cousins drove the lane with :25 left and scored a tough layup to extend the Kings lead by three. The Raptors were led by a strong backcourt of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, as both guards finished with 22 points and 24 points, respectively, to go along with a combined nine steals in the vigorous defensive effort. The Raptors turned to offseason acquisition DeMarre Carroll in crunch time, but the ex - Hawk was unable to convert two 3 - pointers with under two minutes to play and finished with 17 points and four rebounds on 6 - for - 13 shooting (4 - for - 9 from the 3 - point line). Rajon Rondo flashed his brilliant court vision, especially in the second half, where he completed nine of his 14 assists to go along with seven points, seven rebounds and two steals on 3 - for - 10 shooting. After starting the first six games of the season seeing 27 minutes per game, Rondo has contributed five straight 40+ minute performances, including 43:16 at the Sleep Train Arena. Rudy Gay was able to get his shot going and added 27 points, six rebounds and three assists on 10 - for - 16 shooting, which went along with the sharp shooting theme for the Kings, as the team shot 51 percent from the field. The Toronto Raptors will look to end the Golden State Warriors (110) perfect season when they visit Oracle Arena on Tuesday, while the Kings visit the Atlanta Hawks (8 - 4) on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "11", "Jazz": "21"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "101", "Jazz": "97"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Clippers": "24"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "21", "Jazz": "10"}}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "22", "Rudy Gobert": "11", "Blake Griffin": "24"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Derrick Favors": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Derrick Favors": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "13", "Blake Griffin": "6"}, "Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Blake Griffin": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Spencer Hawes": "13"}}], "In a close contest, the Clippers held off the Utah Jazz 101 - 97. The Jazz had a chance to cut the Clippers' lead to one point late in the game, but Derrick Favors missed two free throws to keep the score at 99 - 96 with 31 seconds remaining in the fourth. Free throws played a huge role late in this game. The Jazz shot a paltry 59 percent from the line as a team and missed several free throws late in the game. Favors, who was shooting 70 percent from the line coming into the game, was 3 - for - 9 from the charity stripe Tuesday night. By comparison, the Clippers were 17 - for - 22 from the line in this matchup. Still, the Jazz kept the game very close, as they never trailed by more than five points in the fourth quarter. The Jazz (10 - 21) had won four out of five games coming into Tuesday night's matchup and gave the Clippers quite a scare at the Staples Center. Gordon Hayward led the Jazz in scoring with 22 points and added seven rebounds as well. The Jazz also got a solid performance off the bench by second - year big man Rudy Gobert, who posted a double - double with 11 points and 13 rebounds.The Jazz have a quick turnaround as they return home to play Minnesota on Tuesday night. The Clippers (21 - 11) were led by a big performance from Blake Griffin, who had 24 points, six rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks. Spencer Hawes played 13 minutes in his return after missing the previous nine games with a knee injury. The Clippers are now 2 - 1 in the first three games of their nine - game homestand. They are idle Tuesday before taking on the Knicks on New Year's Eve."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "35", "Thunder": "26"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "114", "Thunder": "109"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "25", "Thunder": "35"}, "Number of team assists": {"Thunder": "11"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "40"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Russell Westbrook": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "36", "Damian Lillard": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "12", "Damian Lillard": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "15", "Jusuf Nurkic": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Russell Westbrook": "15"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "45", "Enes Kanter": "18", "Jusuf Nurkic": "18", "CJ McCollum": "18", "Damian Lillard": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"Enes Kanter": "10", "Jusuf Nurkic": "12"}, "Assists": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "5"}, "Steals": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "2"}}], "The host Portland Trail Blazers took down the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, 114 - 109. Portland (25 - 35) has had a disappointing season but made up some ground in the Western Conference playoff race with a big win over OKC. The Blazers were carried to victory by strong play from their tandem of backcourt stars. Damian Lillard led the team with 33 points on 11 - of - 23 shooting, while C.J. McCollum added another 18 points. On top of that, it was perhaps the best game of new Blazer Jusuf Nurkic's young career. Nurkic scored 18 points and dished out six assists while blocking five shots. Nurkic also led the team with 12 rebounds, including two clutch offensive boards near the end of the game. Despite tough opposition from Thunder superstar Russell Westbrook, Portland was able to fight for the narrow victory at the end of the game. Oklahoma City (35 - 26) saw superstar Russell Westbrook put the weight of the team on his shoulders throughout the game. Westbrook took a whopping 36 shots on the night, making only 12. However, he went a perfect 15 - of - 15 at the free - throw line and had six three - pointers, finishing the night with a massive 45 points. As a team, it was not the Thunder's strongest showing, as they shot under 40 percent and had just 11 assists on the night. Despite the Blazers generally being a weaker team on the glass, the Thunder were also out - rebounded 44 - 40. This was despite the efforts of bench big man Enes Kanter, who had an 18 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Portland will host the Nets on Saturday, while the Thunder will visit Phoenix on Friday."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "26", "Dwyane Wade": "26"}}], "The Bulls were a heavy favorite headed into this game and it was easy to see why. Chicago actually led by 26 at times in their win and never relinquished the lead, pulling out a wire - to - wire win. Philadelphia had to play this game without Joel Embiid and he's becoming one of the most useful players in the league. In fact, Embiid leads the team in points, rebounds and blocks, while posting a top - 10 usage rate in the NBA. The Bulls won almost every stat, leading in points, rebounds, assists, turnovers, steals and fastbreak points. Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler really carried the load, as they each scored 26 points on a combined 21 - of - 33 shooting. No player scored more than 14 points for the Sixers, with six players scoring in double figures. Robert Covington, Jerryd Bayless and Gerald Henderson combined 18 points on 6 - of - 21 shooting, as the starting backcourt for Philadelphia."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "52"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "9"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "108", "Clippers": "97"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "8"}}, {"Points": {"Blake Griffin": "24", "JJ Redick": "24", "Chris Paul": "8", "Andre Drummond": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "3", "DeAndre Jordan": "9", "JJ Redick": "3", "Andre Drummond": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chris Paul": "9", "Jamal Crawford": "12", "Andre Drummond": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Chris Paul": "2", "Jamal Crawford": "4", "Andre Drummond": "8"}}], "The host Detroit Pistons defeated the league - best Los Angeles Clippers, 108 - 97, on Friday night. Detroit (8 - 9) has been nearly unstoppable at home this season, advancing to 7 - 2 in Michigan with Friday's win. Strong shooting helped bolster the team's performance, as the Pistons shot over 52 percent from the field. Every starter recorded at least 15 points in what was a well - rounded team performance for the group. While league - best rebounder Andre Drummond dipped below his season average and posted just 10 rebounds, the team held a sizable 42 - 32 advantage on the glass. Drummond was a force inside, scoring 16 points and shooting 8 - of - 11 from the field. Los Angeles (14 - 3) had not lost on the road prior to Friday's game. The Clippers saw their offense slow due to a rare off night from point guard Chris Paul, who dished out 15 assists but shot just 2 - of - 9 for eight points. Guard Jamal Crawford, generally an integral spark plug for the Clippers, shot just 4 - of - 12. Guard J.J. Redick and forward Blake Griffin led the team with 24 points each, though Griffin recorded just three rebounds. Double-double machine DeAndre Jordan recorded just nine rebounds, contributing heavily to LA's deficit on the glass. The Clippers will face the Pacers on Sunday, while Detroit will have a weekend of rest."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Heat": "26", "Timberwolves": "13"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "2", "Timberwolves": "4"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "102", "Timberwolves": "92"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Heat": "29", "Timberwolves": "13"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Heat": "24"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "4", "Timberwolves": "2"}}, {"Points": {"Thaddeus Young": "16", "Nikola Pekovic": "19", "Zach LaVine": "5", "Gorgui Dieng": "12", "Shabazz Muhammad": "13", "Chris Bosh": "24", "Dwyane Wade": "25", "Norris Cole": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Thaddeus Young": "6", "Nikola Pekovic": "11", "Zach LaVine": "6", "Gorgui Dieng": "6", "Chris Bosh": "7"}, "Assists": {"Zach LaVine": "4", "Dwyane Wade": "8", "Norris Cole": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Zach LaVine": "26", "Shabazz Muhammad": "11", "Chris Bosh": "35"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwyane Wade": "11"}, "Steals": {"Dwyane Wade": "2"}}], "The Heat (4 - 2) knocked off the Timberwolves (2 - 4) 102 - 92 in Miami on Saturday night, ending a two - game losing skid. Playing without Ricky Rubio, who rolled his ankle in Friday\u2019s overtime loss to Orlando, Minnesota turned to rookie Zach LeVine fill in at point guard. Making his first NBA start, LeVine had five points to go with four assists and six rebounds in 26 minutes. The Wolves struggled from the field (40 percent) and were led by 19 points and 11 rebounds from Nikola Pekovic. Thaddeus Young added 16 points and six rebounds, while Shabazz Muhammad added 13 points off the bench in 11 minutes. Gorgui Dieng pitched in 12 points and six rebounds. The Timberwolves out - rebounded Miami 17 - 6 on the offensive glass but recorded just 13 assists on 35 field goals, compared to Miami\u2019s 26 (41 field goal attempts). Chris Bosh continued his strong play for the Heat, scoring 24 points to go with seven rebounds in 35 minutes. Dwyane Wade added 25 points (11 - 16 FG) of his own, as well as eight assists and a pair of steals. Norris Cole, who continues to start over Mario Chalmers, had 11 points and six assists. Miami jumped out to an early 29 - 13 lead and maintained a 12 - point advantage at halftime. However, Minnesota would storm back late, going on a 60 run in the middle of the fourth quarter to slice the deficit to just four with 3:55 remaining. The Wolves would only get one field goal the rest of the way, though, as Bosh and Wade scored the final 10 Miami points to seal the victory. The Timberwolves move on to face the Rockets in a nationally televised game Wednesday. Miami, meanwhile, heads to Dallas to take on the Mavericks on Sunday night."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Pistons": "22", "Warriors": "35"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "51", "Warriors": "56"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "18", "Warriors": "4"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "113", "Warriors": "119"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "14", "Warriors": "27"}, "Turnovers": {"Warriors": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "3", "Draymond Green": "12", "Stephen Curry": "8", "Reggie Jackson": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "18", "Andre Drummond": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "13", "Andre Drummond": "6"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "32", "Draymond Green": "5", "Stephen Curry": "25", "Andre Drummond": "15", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "25", "Reggie Jackson": "17", "Tobias Harris": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "8", "Stephen Curry": "3", "Andre Drummond": "9", "Reggie Jackson": "3", "Tobias Harris": "7"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the host Detroit Pistons, 119 - 113, at Palace of Auburn Hills on Friday. While the Pistons have struggled mightily recently, they fought as hard as they could against the best team in the league. The Warriors were able to prevail though, as there were 10 ties and 18 lead changes in total, with neither team leading by more than eight points. Both of these offenses were on point in this close - fought battle, as they both shot over 50 percent from the field. Golden State's efficiency was one of the biggest factors, as they recorded 35 assists on 56 percent shooting to Detroit's' 22 dimes on 51 percent. Free-throw shooting also killed the Pistons, as they shot 61 percent (17 - of - 28), while the Warriors shot 92 percent (22 - of - 24). Golden State (27 - 4) had a tough task here in a back - to - back set, but they pulled out another huge win on the road. Kevin Durant continued his amazing season, as he tallied 32 points, eight rebounds and three assists on 13 - of - 18 shooting. Stephen Curry was second on the team, as he finished with 25 points, three rebounds and eight assists. Draymond Green went just 1 - of - 8 from the field to score five points, but still provided 10 rebounds and 12 assists in his homecoming game. On deck for the Warriors is their game of the season, as they play the Cleveland Cavaliers on Christmas. While this adds to Detroit's (14 - 18) recent five - game slide, this is not a loss to be discouraged by. Tobias Harris was shifted to the bench for this game and had his best performance of the season, as he accrued 26 points and seven rebounds in the defeat. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led the starters in scoring, as he dropped 25 points. Andre Drummond fell a rebound shy of a double - double, totaling 15 points and nine rebounds on 6 - of - 7 shooting, Reggie Jackson accumulated 17 points, three rebounds and six assists as the starting point guard. Detroit is off until Monday, when they also host the Cleveland Cavaliers for their next game."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Pacers": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Pacers": "37", "Spurs": "49"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3", "Paul George": "3", "Jeff Teague": "5"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "32", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "19", "David Lee": "12", "Paul George": "27", "Myles Turner": "22", "Jeff Teague": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "7", "David Lee": "11", "Paul George": "6", "Myles Turner": "6", "Jeff Teague": "5"}}], "In a game with 12 ties and 14 lead changes, neither of these squads led by more than nine points. The key for San Antonio was the rebounding, as they won that battle, 49 - 37. Free-throw shooting was a huge factor as well, with the Spurs hitting 85 percent to Indiana's 70 percent. Kawhi Leonard carried the Spurs, as he tallied 32 points, six rebounds, three assists and four steals. LaMarcus Aldridge finished second on the team with 19 points and seven rebounds. David Lee recorded a double - double off the bench, totaling 12 points and 11 rebounds. Paul George led Indiana in scoring, as he accumulated 27 points, six rebounds and three assists. Myles Turner was second on the team, finishing with 22 points and six rebounds. Jeff Teague started at point guard and provided 15 points, five rebounds and five assists."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "55", "Magic": "54"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "44", "Magic": "44"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "113", "Magic": "110"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "32", "Magic": "32"}, "Number of team assists": {"Magic": "34"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Magic": "22"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Evan Fournier": "14", "Aaron Gordon": "14", "Victor Oladipo": "18", "Nikola Vucevic": "22", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "18", "Jabari Parker": "26", "Greg Monroe": "18", "Khris Middleton": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Evan Fournier": "3", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "11", "Jabari Parker": "7"}, "Assists": {"Victor Oladipo": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "11", "Jabari Parker": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Victor Oladipo": "4", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}, "Steals": {"Victor Oladipo": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Jabari Parker": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "13", "Jabari Parker": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "10", "Jabari Parker": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "3", "Jabari Parker": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "2", "Jabari Parker": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "39", "Jabari Parker": "41"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (32 - 44) defeated the visiting Orlando Magic (32 - 44) 113 - 110, Friday evening at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Giannis Antetokounmpo notched his fifth triple - double of the season as he led Milwaukee to its 23rd win at home. The Bucks got out to a quick start, leading by as many as 14 in the first quarter, before the Magic fought back to make it a one - point game by halftime. The Magic came out of the locker room with a strong third quarter and continued to apply pressure into the fourth, leading by six, with six minutes left in the game. However, Milwaukee did not give up, out - scoring Orlando 17 - 8 in the last six minutes, including a big post - move score by Jabari Parker that put the Bucks up by one with 10 seconds left. The loss snaps the Magic's three - game winning streak, while the Bucks earned their second win in a row. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks in points, rebounds, assists and blocked shots; with 18 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, three blocked shots and two steals, in 39 minutes. Jabari Parker was a beast as he tallied 26 points (12 - 14 FG, 2 - 3 FT), seven rebounds, five assists and one steal, in 41 minutes. Greg Monroe and Khris Middleton both added 18 points for the Bucks, who shot an impressive 55 percent from the field. Jared Bayless sat this one out with a hyper extended right knee. Six players scored in double digits for the Magic, as Nikola Vucevic led the way with 22 points (10 - 13 FG, 2 - 3 FT), in 21 minutes off the bench. Victor Oladipo finished with 18 points, five assists, five steals, four blocks and three rebounds, while Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier chipped in 14 points each. The Magic racked up an impressive 34 assists on 46 field goals and shot 54 percent from the field but their 20 turnovers served to neutralize those statistics, in a losing effort. Next, the Magic will host the Grizzlies on Sunday. The Bucks host the Bulls on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Knicks": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "54"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "18", "Pistons": "15"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "108", "Pistons": "96"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "15", "Pistons": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "1", "Marcus Morris": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Robin Lopez": "2", "Derrick Williams": "1"}, "Points": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "19", "Marcus Morris": "17", "Andre Drummond": "13", "Reggie Jackson": "17", "Carmelo Anthony": "24", "Kristaps Porzingis": "10", "Robin Lopez": "11", "Jose Calderon": "15", "Derrick Williams": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "6", "Andre Drummond": "9", "Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Robin Lopez": "7", "Derrick Williams": "4"}, "Steals": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "3", "Marcus Morris": "1", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Robin Lopez": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Marcus Morris": "1", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Robin Lopez": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Marcus Morris": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Marcus Morris": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Robin Lopez": "1"}}], "The New York Knicks (15 - 18) defeated the Detroit Pistons (17 - 15) 108 - 96 on Tuesday. It was a game where both teams went against some recent trends and produced some atypical numbers as a result. New York came into the contest in a bit of a funk on offense, having failed to hit the century mark in four straight games. They were able to comfortably surpass that mark with a surprisingly solid shooting night. The Knicks had managed to only drain 43 percent of their field - goal attempts on the season (fifth - worst in the league), and their 33 percent metric from beyond the arc ranked them 24th out of 30 teams in that category. Tuesday, they posted stellar 54 and 50 percent figures, respectively, while also outmuscling a Pistons team down low that features Andre Drummond as its centerpiece. New York outscored Detroit in the paint 46 - 36, while also besting them on the glass by a margin of 36 - 24. Considering that the Pistons had entered Tuesday as one of the top rebounding teams in the league, the feat was especially noteworthy. The visitors did receive an impressively productive night from their starting lineup, with four players tallying double - digit points. Veteran Ersan Ilysova led the way with 19 points, six rebounds, an assist and three steals, while Marcus Morris and Reggie Jackson complemented him with a pair of 17 - point efforts. The latter came away just one assist short of a double - double. Andre Drummond also fell just short of that mark, but when he does, it's breaking news. The Pistons' center had managed double - digit points and rebounds in all but four of Detroit's 31 games coming in, and was coming off a 22 - point, 22 - rebound outing against Boston on Saturday. However, Robin Lopez showed why he's been one of the toughest defensive centers in the league this year by limiting Drummond to only 13 points and nine boards. Detroit fell to 17 - 15 and currently resides in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They head home for a New Year's Eve matchup versus the Timberwolves. The Knicks' attack was spearheaded by Carmelo Anthony, who impressively overcame Morris' shutdown defense against small forwards to tally 24 points, six rebounds, six assists and a steal. The Pistons had come into the game as the top - ranked unit against opposing threes, but Anthony displayed the pedigree that still makes him one of the most prolific scorers in the league. Three other starters joined him in double - figure scoring, with Jose Calderon (15 points), Kristaps Porzingis (10 points) and Lopez (11 points, seven rebounds, two assists, a steal and six blocks) making solid contributions. Derrick Williams was outstanding in pacing the Knicks' bench with 18 points, four rebounds and an assist. New York improved to 15 - 18 and currently resides in third place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head to Chicago for a New Year's Day showdown with the Bulls."], [[{"Total points": {"Pacers": "130", "Mavericks": "121"}, "Number of team assists": {"Mavericks": "26"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "1"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Mavericks": "30"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "0"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Harrison Barnes": "3", "Paul George": "4", "Thaddeus Young": "1", "Monta Ellis": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Harrison Barnes": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Harrison Barnes": "3"}, "Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "19", "Dirk Nowitzki": "22", "Wesley Matthews": "13", "Deron Williams": "25", "J.J. Barea": "22", "Paul George": "25", "Thaddeus Young": "11", "Monta Ellis": "19", "Jeff Teague": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Harrison Barnes": "9", "Dirk Nowitzki": "8", "Wesley Matthews": "5", "Deron Williams": "3", "Paul George": "8", "Thaddeus Young": "5", "Monta Ellis": "7", "Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Harrison Barnes": "2"}, "Assists": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Wesley Matthews": "3", "Deron Williams": "7", "Paul George": "6", "Thaddeus Young": "4", "Monta Ellis": "7", "Jeff Teague": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Deron Williams": "1"}, "Steals": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Wesley Matthews": "3", "Thaddeus Young": "1", "Monta Ellis": "3", "Jeff Teague": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"J.J. Barea": "39"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Paul George": "5", "Thaddeus Young": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Thaddeus Young": "5", "Myles Turner": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Thaddeus Young": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Thaddeus Young": "5", "Jeff Teague": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Myles Turner": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Myles Turner": "3", "Jeff Teague": "10"}}], "The Indiana Pacers defeated the visiting Dallas Mavericks, 130 - 121, in overtime at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Wednesday. The Pacers (10) rolled out a new - look starting five that included offseason acquisitions Jeff Teague and Thaddeus Young, as well second - year man Myles Turner as the new full - time starter at center. It was the latter who had the biggest impact in a back - and - forth contest, pacing all scorers with 30 points, and adding 16 boards, an assist, four blocks and two steals. The Mavs (0 - 1) countered with some clutch fourth - quarter play from their own key free - agent signing, Harrison Barnes, who capped off a 30 - point fourth period for Dallas with a game - tying, 26 - foot three - pointer with two seconds remaining in regulation. After a back - and - forth start through the first three - plus minutes of overtime, the Pacers pulled away in front of their home crowd largely on the strength of a pair of three - point buckets from Turner and Paul George, sealing the hard - fought victory. Dallas was paced by Deron Williams, who supplied 25 points, seven assists, three rebounds and a block. However, the veteran guard was also guilty of six turnovers, the most of any player on either team. The ageless Dirk Nowitzki had a heady assist on Barnes' game - tying three and registered 22 points, eight rebounds, two assist overall, two steals and two blocks. Barnes had a near double - double with 19 points and nine boards, while Wesley Matthews rounded out a successful night for the first unit with 13 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals. J.J. Barea played a robust 39 minutes off the bench, pacing the reserves with 22 points. In addition to Turner's breakout performance, the Pacers saw George chip in with 25 points, eight boards, and six assists, with the scoring total including a 4 - for - 5 tally from beyond the arc. Teague's impressive Indiana debut included 20 points, eight assists, two rebounds and three steals. Monta Ellis touched up one of his former teams for 19 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals, while Young pitched in with 11 points, five rebounds, four assists and a steal. The Mavs head back to Texas for their home opener on Friday night against the in - state rival Houston Rockets, while the Pacers head north to New York for a Friday tussle with the Brooklyn Nets."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "53"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "1", "Grizzlies": "1"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "111", "Grizzlies": "104"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Knicks": "32", "Grizzlies": "19"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "1", "Grizzlies": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"James Ennis III": "1", "Marc Gasol": "3", "Mike Conley": "5", "Zach Randolph": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "5", "Kristaps Porzingis": "2", "Joakim Noah": "7", "Courtney Lee": "1", "Derrick Rose": "3"}, "Points": {"James Ennis III": "16", "JaMychal Green": "10", "Marc Gasol": "20", "Mike Conley": "11", "Zach Randolph": "13", "Jarell Martin": "13", "Carmelo Anthony": "20", "Kristaps Porzingis": "21", "Joakim Noah": "6", "Courtney Lee": "16", "Derrick Rose": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"James Ennis III": "4", "JaMychal Green": "8", "Marc Gasol": "6", "Mike Conley": "5", "Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Kristaps Porzingis": "5", "Joakim Noah": "10", "Courtney Lee": "3", "Derrick Rose": "4"}, "Blocks": {"JaMychal Green": "1", "Marc Gasol": "1", "Kristaps Porzingis": "1", "Joakim Noah": "1", "Derrick Rose": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Joakim Noah": "22"}, "Steals": {"Courtney Lee": "1", "Derrick Rose": "2"}}], "The New York Knicks defeated the Memphis Grizzlies, 111 - 104, at Madison Square Garden on Saturday. The Knicks (1 - 1) utilized a balanced attack and a solid shooting night to withstand a strong push from the Grizzlies (1 - 1) in the middle quarters. New York emerged from the first period with a 32 - 19 lead, only to see Memphis outscore them by a margin of 58 - 50 over the second and third quarters. However, four members of their first unit managed double - digit scoring, led by Kristaps Porzingis, who posted a game - high 21 points. The Knicks also shot 53 percent from the field overall, clearing a path to victory. Memphis was led by Marc Gasol, who tallied 20 points, six rebounds, three assists and a block. James Ennis continued to effectively hold down the fort for Chandler Parsons (knee), totaling 16 points, four boards and an assist. Mike Conley managed 11 points, five rebounds and five assists, while new starting power forward JaMychal Green produced 10 points, eight rebounds and a block, although he also committed a team - high six turnovers. Zach Randolph and Jarrell Martin paced the bench with a pair of 13 - point efforts. Porzingis added five rebounds, two assists and a block to his aforementioned scoring haul. Carmelo Anthony was right behind him with 20 points, six boards and five assists. Courtney Lee bounced back from a scoreless opener to supply 16 points, three rebounds, an assist and a steal. Derrick Rose's full stat sheet consisted of 13 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. Former Bulls teammate and fellow newcomer Joakim Noah tallied six points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and a block, but he fouled out after just 22 minutes. The Grizzlies head home to face the Wizards on Sunday night, while the Knicks tangle with the Pistons in Detroit on Tuesday evening."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "13", "Jordan Clarkson": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ McCollum": "5", "Jordan Clarkson": "4"}, "Points": {"CJ McCollum": "13", "Damian Lillard": "22", "Allen Crabbe": "18", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "9", "D'Angelo Russell": "22", "Jordan Clarkson": "10"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Damian Lillard": "7", "Allen Crabbe": "6", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "10"}, "Steals": {"Damian Lillard": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Allen Crabbe": "8", "D'Angelo Russell": "4", "Jordan Clarkson": "4"}}], "Neither team was explosive on the scoring end, but the Trail Blazers edged the Lakers in a needed win to make it three in a row and tie the 8 - seed Nuggets in the Western Conference on Sunday. Damian Lillard scored 22 points, which matched D'Angelo Russell for the game high, and added five assists, seven rebounds and three steals. C.J. McCollum finished with 13 points on 5 - of - 13 shooting. Allen Crabbe and Al-Farouq Aminu were effective off the bench, which the Blazers ran eight players deep. Crabbe logged 28 minutes and scored 18 points, to go with six rebounds, while Aminu finished with nine points and 10 rebounds. Jordan Clarkson could not find a rhythm, and sank just four shots on 16 attempts to finish the game with 10 points, while Russell's 22 points came on 7 - of - 20 shooting, including 4 - of - 10 from behind the arc."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "26", "Warriors": "35"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "37", "Warriors": "42"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "34", "Warriors": "11"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "101", "Warriors": "106"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Celtics": "38", "Warriors": "25"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Celtics": "15", "Warriors": "31"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "23", "Warriors": "46"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "7", "Draymond Green": "6", "Klay Thompson": "10", "Stephen Curry": "8", "Isaiah Thomas": "11", "Jae Crowder": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Harrison Barnes": "3", "Draymond Green": "2", "Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "5", "Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Jae Crowder": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "14", "Draymond Green": "13", "Klay Thompson": "23", "Stephen Curry": "22", "Brandon Bass": "12", "Tyler Zeller": "13", "Isaiah Thomas": "21", "Jae Crowder": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Harrison Barnes": "6", "Draymond Green": "4", "Klay Thompson": "9", "Stephen Curry": "14", "Brandon Bass": "6", "Tyler Zeller": "7", "Isaiah Thomas": "8", "Jae Crowder": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Harrison Barnes": "30", "Isaiah Thomas": "29"}, "Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "17", "Draymond Green": "14", "Klay Thompson": "20", "Stephen Curry": "37", "Brandon Bass": "15", "Tyler Zeller": "17", "Isaiah Thomas": "20", "Jae Crowder": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Harrison Barnes": "8", "Draymond Green": "11", "Klay Thompson": "5", "Stephen Curry": "4", "Brandon Bass": "12", "Tyler Zeller": "6", "Jae Crowder": "17"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Draymond Green": "6", "Stephen Curry": "4", "Brandon Bass": "4", "Tyler Zeller": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Draymond Green": "4", "Stephen Curry": "4", "Brandon Bass": "3", "Tyler Zeller": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "1"}, "Assists": {"Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "5", "Isaiah Thomas": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Klay Thompson": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Tyler Zeller": "1"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (46 - 11) defeated the Boston Celtics (23 - 34) 106 - 101 on Sunday at the TD Garden in Boston. The Celtics got off to a quick start in this one, out - scoring the Warriors 38 - 25 in the first quarter alone. They looked to have the game locked up coming out of the third quarter when they had a 86 - 75 lead. The Warriors had other plans though and went on to out - score the Celtics 31 - 15 in the final quarter, therefore securing a five - point victory on the road in Boston. The Warriors shot 42 percent from the field and 35 percent from the three - point line, while the Celtics finished at 37 percent from the floor and just 26 percent from deep. The Warriors' superstar backcourt duo of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson did it again on Sunday. Curry led all scorers, finishing with 37 points (14 - 22 FG, 5 - 8 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), to go along with four rebounds and five assists in 37 minutes. He's been on fire lately, averaging 27 points and six assists over his last four games. Thompson, on the other hand, added 20 points (9 - 23 FG, 2 - 10 3Pt) and five rebounds as well. After shooting 60 percent or higher from the three - point line over his last two games, combining to go 8 - for - 13 over those two matchups, Thompson really took a step back and made just 2 - of - 10 from deep on Sunday. It did n't have much of an effect in the end though, as the Warriors still came out victorious. Harrison Barnes was a big factor as well, going 6 - for - 14 from the field and 3 - for - 7 from the three - point line to score 17 points, while adding eight rebounds in 30 minutes. It was the most points he's scored since January sixteenth, so we'll see if he's able to continue with the momentum moving forward. Draymond Green added 14 points (4 - 13 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT) and 11 rebounds. The Celtics had a true team effort in this one, with six players reaching double figures in points. It was n't enough though, as they could n't slow down the Warriors in the fourth quarter. Recently acquired Isaiah Thomas was the team's scoring leader. He came off the bench to record 20 points (8 - 21 FG, 3 - 11 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT) and five assists in 29 minutes. He's been a huge contributor for the Celtics since the trade, averaging 22 points and 6 assists over five games. Tyler Zeller also played well as the starter at center. He went 7 - for - 13 from the field and 3 - for - 3 from the free throw line to score 17 points, while adding six rebounds and a blocked shot as well. After combining for just 15 points over his last two matchups, it was good to see him step it up offensively. He's now averaging 10 points and 6 rebounds on the season. Getting the start at forward, Brandon Bass notched a double - double with 15 points (6 - 12 FG, 3 - 4 FT) and 12 rebounds. It was his eighteenth start of the year, while the double - double marked his third of the season. Jae Crowder added nine points (4 - 17 FG, 1 - 7 3Pt) and a team - high of 17 rebounds off the bench. The Warriors' next game will be on the road against the Brooklyn Nets on Monday, while the Celtics will travel to Cleveland to play the Cavaliers on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "43", "Celtics": "51"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "43", "Celtics": "22"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "95", "Celtics": "115"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "19", "Celtics": "40"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Celtics": "23"}}, {"Assists": {"Amir Johnson": "4", "Al Horford": "3", "Avery Bradley": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "8", "Julius Randle": "3", "D'Angelo Russell": "4", "Jordan Clarkson": "3"}, "Points": {"Amir Johnson": "13", "Al Horford": "17", "Avery Bradley": "15", "Isaiah Thomas": "18", "Jaylen Brown": "16", "Julius Randle": "13", "D'Angelo Russell": "17", "Jordan Clarkson": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Amir Johnson": "6", "Al Horford": "4", "Avery Bradley": "4", "Jaylen Brown": "8", "Julius Randle": "7", "D'Angelo Russell": "3", "Jordan Clarkson": "4"}, "Steals": {"Jordan Clarkson": "3"}}], "The Boston Celtics defeated the host Los Angeles Lakers, 115 - 95, at Staples Center on Friday. This was a lopsided matchup on paper headed in and the Celtics left no doubt with this 20 - point win. It was over early, as Boston took a 23 - point lead into the half and led by 31 at times in the third quarter. Rebounding was a huge difference, as the Celtics won that differential, 46 - 34. Boston ended up shooting 51 percent from the field, whole holding Los Angeles to under 43 percent shooting. The Celtics (40 - 22) have now won three of four, as they continue to battle Cleveland for the top - spot in the east. Isaiah Thomas led the way for Boston, as he tallied 18 points and eight assists. Al Horford finished second on the team with 17 points, four rebounds and three assists. Jaylen Brown led the bench with 16 points and eight rebounds. Amir Johnson provided 13 points, six rebounds and four assists, while Avery Bradley totaled 15 points, four rebounds and four assists. Boston's next game will be on Sunday against the Phoenix Suns. The Lakers (19 - 43) now find themselves last in the west with this ugly blowout loss. Jordan Clarkson led the way for Los Angeles, as he contributed 20 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals off the bench. D'Angelo Russell led the starters with 17 points, three rebounds and four assists. Julius Randle was the only other Laker in double figures, collecting 13 points, seven rebounds and three assists. On deck for Los Angeles is a home matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "5", "Lakers": "9"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "109", "Lakers": "114"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "5", "Lakers": "2"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Lakers": "35"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "54"}}, {"Points": {"Carlos Boozer": "20", "Jordan Hill": "18", "Kobe Bryant": "28", "Jeremy Lin": "15", "Nick Young": "17", "Thabo Sefolosha": "10", "Paul Millsap": "29", "Jeff Teague": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Carlos Boozer": "10", "Jordan Hill": "10", "Thabo Sefolosha": "9", "Paul Millsap": "4"}, "Assists": {"Kobe Bryant": "3", "Jeremy Lin": "10", "Paul Millsap": "3", "Jeff Teague": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "7", "Nick Young": "4", "Jeff Teague": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kobe Bryant": "3", "Nick Young": "2", "Thabo Sefolosha": "1", "Jeff Teague": "1", "Mike Scott": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "18", "Nick Young": "10", "Paul Millsap": "16", "Jeff Teague": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Kobe Bryant": "10", "Nick Young": "6", "Paul Millsap": "11", "Jeff Teague": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "5", "Mike Scott": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Kobe Bryant": "5", "Thabo Sefolosha": "1", "Mike Scott": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Nick Young": "28"}, "Steals": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Mike Scott": "1"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers (2 - 9) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (5 - 5) 114 - 109 on Tuesday at Philips Arena in Atlanta. The Lakers were able to use a strong first half to allow for the victory Tuesday, out - scoring the Hawks 67 - 52. Despite being down 15 points coming into the third quarter, the Hawks went on a 130 run to get right back into the game, but unlike how the majority of the season has gone so far for the Lakers, they were able to hold off the comeback and secure the win. The Lakers shot 54 percent from the field and 35 percent from the three - point line in the win, while also receiving contributions up and down the roster. Kobe Bryant lead the way, scoring 28 points (10 - 18 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT), while handing out three assists. Bouncing back from a six - point game Sunday, Carlos Boozer was able to notch his first double - double of the season, as he finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Nick Young also made his much - anticipated season debut and did n't dissapoint, as he shot 6 - for - 10 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from beyond the arc to score 17 points in 28 minutes off the bench. Both Jordan Hill and Jeremy Lin contributed double - doubles of their own, with Hill scoring 18 points along with 10 rebounds, and Lin scoring 15 points and handing out 10 assists. The Hawks' second half comeback was lead by Jeff Teague and Paul Millsap. Millsap shot 11 - for - 16 from the field to score 29 points, while also grabbing four rebounds. He's now averaging 17 points and 8 rebounds on the year. Teague finished with 23 points and three assists, as he shot 8 - for - 14 from the field and 1 - for - 1 from the three - point line. Thabo Sefolosha got the start at small forward in this one, with both DeMarre Carroll (groin) and Mike Scott (back) sitting out. He came one rebound shy of a double - double as he contributed 10 points and nine rebounds in the loss. The Lakers' next game will be on the road Wednesday against the Houston Rockets, while the Hawks will be at hom to play the Detroit Pistons on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "9", "Raptors": "4"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "109", "Raptors": "117"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "9", "Raptors": "14"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Terrence Ross": "8", "Kyle Lowry": "3", "James Johnson": "1", "Ben McLemore": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Terrence Ross": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "1", "James Johnson": "1", "Ben McLemore": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Terrence Ross": "15", "Kyle Lowry": "21", "James Johnson": "13", "Ben McLemore": "17", "Derrick Williams": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Terrence Ross": "8", "Kyle Lowry": "10", "James Johnson": "9", "Ben McLemore": "8", "Derrick Williams": "8"}, "Points": {"Terrence Ross": "20", "Jonas Valanciunas": "15", "Kyle Lowry": "27", "Patrick Patterson": "12", "James Johnson": "19", "Rudy Gay": "20", "Ben McLemore": "21", "Reggie Evans": "10", "Ramon Sessions": "15", "Derrick Williams": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Terrence Ross": "4", "Amir Johnson": "7", "Jonas Valanciunas": "8", "Derrick Williams": "4"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "13", "Rudy Gay": "10"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Derrick Williams": "14"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (14 - 4) defeated the Sacramento Kings (9 - 9) 117 - 109 Tuesday at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento. After losing two straight, the Raptors were able to get back on the right track and take a victory over the Kings on Tuesday. After starting the season looking like playoff contenders, the Kings have lost three straight now, and will need to turn it around if they want even a hint of the playoffs coming out of the Western Conference. Both Kyle Lowry and Terrence Ross had big games for the Raptors. Lowry shot 10 - for - 21 from the field and 1 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 27 points, while also adding 13 assists. He's now gone three straight games scoring at least 25 points, pushing his season scoring average to 19 points per game. Ross on the other hand found his stroke as well and recorded 20 points (8 - 15 FG, 4 - 8 3Pt) and four rebounds. It was his second game in a row with 20 points, after not reaching it once previously in the season. Coming off the bench, James Johnson was extremely efficient. He shot 9 - for - 13 from the floor and 1 - for - 1 from the three - point line to score 19 points. It was a season - high for Johnson, who also had seven rebounds. Jonas Valanciunas came two rebounds short of a double - double with 15 points and eight rebounds, while Patrick Patterson had 12 points as well. With DeMarcus Cousins still sidelined, the Kings were again without their best player. Ben McLemore and Rudy Gay did everything they could to keep the Kings in it, but it just was n't enough. McLemore led the team with 21 points, after shooting 8 - for - 17 from the field and 1 - for - 5 from beyond the arc. Gay had 20 points of his own, but also chipped in a season - high of 10 assists, giving him his second double - double of the year. With three of the starters scoring four points or less, the bench played a big part. In only 14 minutes off the bench, Derrick Williams was able to score 18 points and grab four rebounds, as he went a quick 8 - for - 12 from the floor. Reggie Evans and Ramon Sessions added 10 and 15 points of their own, but the Kings still fell short at home. The Raptors' next game will be on the road against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, while the Kings will be at home against the Pacers on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "28", "Wizards": "21"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "98", "Wizards": "111"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "29", "Wizards": "34"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Wizards": "52"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "52"}}, {"Assists": {"Markieff Morris": "2", "Bradley Beal": "4", "John Wall": "12", "Paul George": "3", "Kevin Seraphin": "1", "Myles Turner": "1", "Glenn Robinson III": "1", "Rodney Stuckey": "2"}, "Points": {"Markieff Morris": "21", "Marcin Gortat": "12", "Bradley Beal": "19", "John Wall": "20", "Paul George": "17", "Kevin Seraphin": "9", "Myles Turner": "17", "Glenn Robinson III": "10", "Al Jefferson": "12", "Rodney Stuckey": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "7", "Marcin Gortat": "7", "Bradley Beal": "3", "John Wall": "2", "Paul George": "7", "Kevin Seraphin": "5", "Myles Turner": "9", "Al Jefferson": "3"}, "Steals": {"Markieff Morris": "2", "Marcin Gortat": "1", "Bradley Beal": "1", "John Wall": "1", "Paul George": "2", "Myles Turner": "2", "Rodney Stuckey": "1"}, "Blocks": {"John Wall": "2", "Myles Turner": "1"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the Indiana Pacers, 111 - 98, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Thursday evening. The Pacers (29 - 28) came in to Thursday's contest hoping to snap a five - game losing streak, but were also running on fumes after two games in the previous three nights. Fatigue may have played a role in the first half, as the Wizards (34 - 21) built a 62 - 52 lead by halftime. The second half was much tighter, but Washington eventually pulled away on the strength of a highly productive night for their starting five. All first unit members hit double digits in the scoring column, and the Wizards managed to shoot 52 percent from the field overall, as well as a superb 52 percent on their 29 shots from behind the arc. Otto Porter, Jr. led the way with 25 points, eight rebounds, two assists and one block. Markieff Morris managed 21 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. John Wall followed with a trademark double - double, posting 20 points, 12 assists, two rebounds, two blocks and one steal. Bradley Beal was right behind with 19 points, four assists, three rebounds and one steal. Marcin Gorat contributed 12 points seven rebounds and one steal. Matching 17 - point efforts from Myles Turner and Paul George led the Pacers, with the former adding nine rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block, and the latter providing seven boards, three assists and two steals. Al Jefferson and Rodney Stuckey were next with a pair of 12 - point tallies off the bench. Jefferson added three rebounds and Stuckey dished out a pair of assists and recorded a steal. Glenn Robinson III went for 10 points, while Kevin Seraphin drew the start at power forward and supplied nine points, five rebounds and one assist. The Wizards resume post - All - Star - break play in Philadelphia against the Sixers on Friday, February 24th, while the Pacers kick off the second half of their season on the same night at home against the Memphis Grizzlies."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "47"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "2", "Hornets": "3"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "100", "Hornets": "91"}, "Rebounds": {"Pelicans": "47", "Hornets": "34"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "2", "Hornets": "1"}}, {"Points": {"Gerald Henderson": "6", "Al Jefferson": "20", "Lance Stephenson": "2", "Kemba Walker": "11", "Gary Neal": "21", "Tyreke Evans": "16", "Anthony Davis": "24", "Omer Asik": "10", "Jrue Holiday": "16", "Ryan Anderson": "16"}, "Steals": {"Gerald Henderson": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Al Jefferson": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Jefferson": "5", "Lance Stephenson": "7", "Gary Neal": "6", "Tyreke Evans": "10", "Anthony Davis": "13", "Omer Asik": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Lance Stephenson": "6", "Gary Neal": "15", "Ryan Anderson": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Lance Stephenson": "1", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Gary Neal": "9", "Ryan Anderson": "7"}, "Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "3", "Jrue Holiday": "9"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Gary Neal": "4", "Ryan Anderson": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Gary Neal": "2", "Ryan Anderson": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (2 - 2) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (1 - 3) 100 - 91 on Tuesday at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. Having six players reach double - digit scoring and out - rebounding the Hornets 47 to 34, the Pelicans were able to grab a bounce - back victory after taking a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, and they pulled themselves to an even 2 - 2 on the season. With Michael Kidd-Gilchrist sitting out with a chest injury, the Hornets inserted Gerald Henderson into the starting lineup. In 31 minutes, he contributed six points and two steals. Lance Stephenson also struggled to find his offensive game Tuesday, as he shot only 1 - for - 6 from the field and finished with two points and seven rebounds. Despite the hype coming into the season, Stephenson has been relatively disapointing and is averaging only 6 points on the season. Al Jefferson reached the 20 - point plateau for the second straight game. He finished with 20 points and five rebounds in 32 minutes. Coming off the bench, Gary Neal shot 9 - for - 15 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from beyond the three - point line to score 21 points, while also adding six rebounds. Kemba Walker had a relatively quiet night but still produced 11 points and three assists. Anthony Davis recorded his third double - double in four games this year, scoring 24 points and pulling in 13 rebounds. Teams have struggled to find an answer for the young forward as he's now averaging 24 points and 13 rebounds on the year. Point guard Jrue Holiday came one assist shy of his own double - double and finished with 16 points and nine assists. Other than Davis, Tyreke Evans and Omer Asik both had double - doubles. Evans contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Asik had 10 points and 11 rebounds. Providing a spark off the bench, Ryan Anderson went 7 - for - 12 from the field and 2 - for - 6 from the three - point line to add 16 points to the Pelicans' total. He'll continue to be relied upon as the most reliable source of points off the bench this season. The Hornets' next game will be at home against the Miami Heat on Wednesday, while the Pelicans will go on the road to San Antonio and play the Spurs on Saturday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Hawks": "31"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "24", "Magic": "28"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "110", "Magic": "117"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hawks": "30", "Magic": "18"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "30", "Magic": "23"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "31"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "50"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Magic": "31"}}, {"Assists": {"Evan Fournier": "4", "Aaron Gordon": "3", "Nikola Vucevic": "6", "Elfrid Payton": "7", "Mario Hezonja": "3", "Jason Smith": "1", "Paul Millsap": "6", "Al Horford": "3", "Kyle Korver": "4", "Jeff Teague": "5"}, "Points": {"Evan Fournier": "16", "Aaron Gordon": "12", "Nikola Vucevic": "28", "Victor Oladipo": "9", "Elfrid Payton": "20", "Mario Hezonja": "14", "Jason Smith": "14", "Al Horford": "27", "Kyle Korver": "16", "Jeff Teague": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Evan Fournier": "3", "Aaron Gordon": "10", "Nikola Vucevic": "13", "Elfrid Payton": "4", "Mario Hezonja": "9", "Paul Millsap": "13", "Al Horford": "6", "Jeff Teague": "3"}, "Steals": {"Evan Fournier": "3", "Aaron Gordon": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "3", "Jason Smith": "2", "Paul Millsap": "4", "Kyle Korver": "2", "Jeff Teague": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Aaron Gordon": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "1", "Jason Smith": "4", "Paul Millsap": "1", "Al Horford": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Aaron Gordon": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "5", "Paul Millsap": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Aaron Gordon": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "1", "Al Horford": "1", "Kyle Korver": "4"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Aaron Gordon": "50"}, "Turnovers": {"Aaron Gordon": "1"}, "Free throw percentage": {"Victor Oladipo": "50", "Paul Millsap": "50"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Mario Hezonja": "14"}, "Free throws made": {"Jeff Teague": "4"}}], "The Orlando Magic (23 - 28) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (30 - 24) 117 - 110 in overtime Monday. The second half of the Southeast Division rivals' home - and - home series turned out to be a fitting encore for Sunday's thriller, although Orlando looked like an improbable victor early in Monday's contest. The Hawks jumped out to a quick 30 - 18 lead after one quarter, with Al Horford's six points during the period leading the way. However, the Magic hung around during the middle periods, and entered the final 12 minutes facing a 83 - 72 deficit. In the last 14 seconds of regulation, Orlando's fortunes were affected by the highs and lows that come with young players' growing pains. First, rookie Mario Hezonja was the momentary hero, draining a clutch 26 - foot three - point jumper with 14 seconds remaining that finally gave the Magic a lead by the razor - thin margin of 101 - 100. Three short seconds later, second - year forward Aaron Gordon fouled Paul Millsap, bringing the Hawks' trusty veteran to the foul line. Millsap sunk his first free throw to tie the game at 101, and then blocked Victor Oladipo's nine - foot jumper with one second remaining to send the game into overtime. In the extra period however, Nikola Vucevic took matters into his own hands, scoring seven of the Magic's first nine points to stake them to a 112 - 107 lead they would n't relinquish. Although Atlanta got as close as 112 - 110 after Kyle Korver's three - pointer with 50 seconds remaining, Evan Fournier answered with his own trey at the 31 - second mark to extend Orlando's lead back to five. Vucevic proved to be a Hawk killer for the second straight day on the stat sheet, amassing a team - leading 28 points, and adding 13 rebounds, six assists and a block. Elfrid Payton provided a very well - rounded stat line himself with 20 points, seven assists, four rebounds, three steals and a block. Fournier contributed 16 points overall, and also supplied four assists, three rebounds and three steals. Gordon chipped in with his second double - double in as many nights, recording 12 points, hauling in 10 boards, dishing out three assists and also recording a steal and a block. Jason Smith and Hezonja paced the bench with 14 points apiece. Smith also posted an assist, two steals and four blocks, while Hezonja added a career - high nine rebounds and three assists. The Magic are currently in a third - place tie with the Washington Wizards in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They head back home to await the San Antonio Spurs for a Wednesday tilt. Horford essentially matched Vucevic point - for - point, collecting 27 of his own and adding six rebounds, three assists and a pair of blocks. Millsap managed his first double - double since Jan. 27, tallying 19 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, a block and four steals. Jeff Teague continued a recent stretch of resurgent offensive play with 21 points, five assists, three rebounds and a steal. Korver pitched in 16 points overall, including four of his trademark three - pointers. He also had a trio of boards, four assists and a pair of steals. Despite consecutive losses, Atlanta remains in a first - place tie with the Miami Heat atop the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They head to Chicago to take on the Bulls on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "15", "Thunder": "27"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "102", "Thunder": "98"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "66", "Thunder": "55"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "40"}, "Turnovers": {"Thunder": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Dion Waiters": "4", "Cameron Payne": "7", "Kawhi Leonard": "5"}, "Points": {"Dion Waiters": "17", "Cameron Payne": "17", "Enes Kanter": "17", "Kawhi Leonard": "26", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "8", "Tony Parker": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Dion Waiters": "5", "Enes Kanter": "16", "Kawhi Leonard": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Cameron Payne": "20", "Kawhi Leonard": "20"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Kawhi Leonard": "20"}, "Steals": {"Tony Parker": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"David West": "3"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (66 - 15) defeated the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder (55 - 27) in overtime Tuesday, 102 - 98, to finish the season 40 - 1 at home. The Spurs tied the 1985 - 86 Boston Celtics for the best home record in a season in NBA history. The San Antonio defense was the difference, as it held Oklahoma City to 40 percent shooting and forced 21 turnovers. The Spurs outscored the Thunder by 12 points in the second half to escape with their win. With the three seed in the West already in hand, Oklahoma City rested Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Enes Kanter led the team with 17 points and 16 rebounds off the bench. Cameron Payne got a rare start and scored a career - high 17 points, while dishing out seven assists. Dion Waiters shot poorly, but finished with 17 points, five rebounds and four assists. The problem was that Payne and Waiters combined to shoot 13 - for - 32 and committed 10 turnovers in the defeat. Kawhi Leonard was the player of the game, as he amassed 26 points, five rebounds and five assists. Tony Parker scored 20 of his own, while also snatching three steals. LaMarcus Aldridge had just eight points and five rebounds before re - injuring his finger in the second quarter. San Antonio's season finale is Wednesday against the Dallas Mavericks."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "12", "Mavericks": "8"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "112", "Mavericks": "98"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Kings": "31"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "7", "Mavericks": "10"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Chandler Parsons": "24"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "14", "Dirk Nowitzki": "13", "Zaza Pachulia": "13", "Rudy Gay": "20", "DeMarcus Cousins": "31", "Rajon Rondo": "21", "Darren Collison": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "7", "Zaza Pachulia": "10", "Rudy Gay": "7", "DeMarcus Cousins": "9", "Rajon Rondo": "3", "Darren Collison": "5"}, "Assists": {"Rudy Gay": "1", "DeMarcus Cousins": "6", "Rajon Rondo": "5", "Darren Collison": "3"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}}], "The thirteenth place Sacramento Kings (7 - 12) got the 112 - 98 win over the fourth place Dallas Mavericks (10 - 8), sending a message to the West not to count them out yet. The Kings out - scored the Mavs 89 - 66 after the first quarter and were looking confident. The Mavs tried to hack - a - Rondo down the stretch but the deficit was too great, meanwhile neither could they handle DeMarcus Cousins in the paint. Cousins was back in action Monday night and looked great, leading the Kings with 31 points, inlcuding going 10 - 10 from the free throw line, nine rebounds, six assists and one block. Rajon Rondo posted 21 points, five assists and three rebounds in 29 minutes. Rudy Gay was efficient scoring 20 points on 7 - 12 shooting from the field, along with seven rebounds and one assist. Darren Collison chipped in 15 points, five rebounds and three assists in 27 minutes off the bench. Dallas has been looking good so far this season but will have to be weary of teams like Sacramento, who although started poorly have the potential to make a climb in the West. The Mavericks had six players score double digits but struggled as a team, shooting only 42 percent from the field. Chandler Parsons led the way in scoring with 14 points on 5 - 8 shooting from the field in a limited 24 minutes. Zaza Pachulia posted a double - double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Dirk Nowitzki finished with 13 points and seven rebounds. J.J. Barea sat this one out with a sprained ankle. Dallas will face the second night of a back - to - back on Tuesday in Portland, where they will meet another lower ranked, yet dangerous Western team. Sacramento will get a rest before hosting Boston on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "43", "Grizzlies": "25"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "36", "Grizzlies": "54"}}, {"Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "6"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Marc Gasol": "6", "Rudy Gobert": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "6"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "22", "Beno Udrih": "20", "Rudy Gobert": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "7", "Rudy Gobert": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Beno Udrih": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Beno Udrih": "9", "Rudy Gobert": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Nick Calathes": "18"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Rudy Gobert": "7"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (54 - 25) beat the Utah Jazz (36 - 43) 89 - 86 on Friday. Beno Udrih had a big game stepping in for point guard Mike Conley, who sat out with a foot injury. Udrih scored 20 points on 9 - for - 13 shooting from the field. Nick Calathes also chipped in 18 minutes to help fortify the backcourt without Conley. However, it was center Marc Gasol who lead the Grizzlies in assists with six. He also scored 22 points to go along with seven rebounds in a well - rounded performance. The Grizzlies are trying to fend off the San Antonio Spurs, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers, and Houston Rockets for the second seed in the Western Conference. Their three games left are against the Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors and Indiana Pacers. Rudy Gobert's defense has been impeccable this season, but his offense has really come around as of late. He's increased his scoring average in every month of the season but one. In April he's shooting 69 percent from the field for 13 points a game. On Friday he scored 14 points to go along with 14 boards, seven of which were on the offensive end. In April he's averaging 13 points, 12 rebounds and 2 blocks a game. In April, the Jazz are 3 - 2 with all three wins coming against teams below .500. They have three games remaining, all of which are against teams with winning records. The Jazz will head to Portland to play the Trail Blazers on Saturday, as the Grizzlies will travel to Los Angeles to take on their rival, the Clippers."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Lakers": "60", "Suns": "41"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "52", "Suns": "51"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "22", "Suns": "14"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "107", "Suns": "116"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Lakers": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Lakers": "35", "Suns": "45"}, "Turnovers": {"Lakers": "17", "Suns": "12"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "9", "Suns": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Goran Dragic": "24", "Eric Bledsoe": "22", "Kobe Bryant": "10", "Nick Young": "21"}, "Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "8", "Kobe Bryant": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Eric Bledsoe": "32", "Kobe Bryant": "32", "Nick Young": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Eric Bledsoe": "8", "Kobe Bryant": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Kobe Bryant": "4"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (18 - 14) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (9 - 22) 116 - 107 on Sunday. Phoenix has won six straight and are determined to stay in competition for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Goran Dragic scored a game - high 24 points, but Eric Bledsoe led the way with his all - around production of 22 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and four blocks in 32 minutes. The Suns shot 51 percent from the field and 41 percent from the line, while also out - rebounding the Lakers 45 - 35. Phoenix will continue their road trip against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday. Turnovers were brutal on both sides of the court. The Suns gave up 18 points on 12 turnovers, while the Lakers gave up 25 points on 17 turnovers. Los Angeles has lost three straight, but the silver lining from Sunday's game was getting Kobe Bryant back in the lineup after he sat out the last three games to rest his sore body. Bryant put up a Rajon Rondo-esque line of 10 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in 32 minutes on 4 - of - 10 shooting from the floor. Despite their trouble rebounding and holding on to the ball, the Lakers performed well shooting the ball, converting 52 percent of their shots from the field and 60 percent of their shots from beyond the arc. Nick Young scored a team - high 21 points in 25 minutes off the bench. Los Angeles will go on the road to take on the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Trail Blazers": "21"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "2", "Cavaliers": "2"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "101", "Cavaliers": "82"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "21", "Cavaliers": "19"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "2", "Cavaliers": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "7", "Damian Lillard": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LeBron James": "4", "Kevin Love": "8", "Kyrie Irving": "5", "Wesley Matthews": "8", "Damian Lillard": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"LeBron James": "2", "Kevin Love": "5", "Kyrie Irving": "1", "Wesley Matthews": "3", "Damian Lillard": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "12", "Kevin Love": "14", "Kyrie Irving": "17", "Wesley Matthews": "14", "Damian Lillard": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "4", "Kevin Love": "7", "Kyrie Irving": "3", "Wesley Matthews": "8", "Damian Lillard": "6"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "11", "Kevin Love": "22", "Kyrie Irving": "9", "Tristan Thompson": "10", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "16", "Robin Lopez": "19", "Wesley Matthews": "21", "Damian Lillard": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kevin Love": "10", "Tristan Thompson": "8", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"LeBron James": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kevin Love": "3", "Damian Lillard": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Kevin Love": "3", "Damian Lillard": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Tristan Thompson": "22", "Damian Lillard": "36"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (2 - 2) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (1 - 2) 101 - 82 on Tuesday at the Moda Center in Portland. With their second loss of the season through three games, and with LeBron James seemingly struggling to find his groove, there are going to be a lot of worried narratives after a 19 - point loss to the Trail Blazers. It has only been three games though, and as proved true when James first joined the Heat four years ago, it takes time for teams to learn how to play together, regardless of the talent available. The Trail Blazers had a strong showing from their starters Tuesday. Despite dealing with an abdominal injury, Damian Lillard led all scorers with 27 points (6 - 13 FG, 5 - 10 3Pt, 10 - 10 FT), and he also chipped in seven assists in 36 minutes. Wesley Matthews had the next highest point total on the Blazers as he added 21 of his own, shooting 8 - for - 14 from the field and 3 - for - 8 from the three - point line. Robin Lopez had a strong showing and scored 19 points to go along with 10 rebounds. All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge scored 16 points and had four rebounds. Despite having his lowest scoring output of the season, Aldridge is still averaging 23 points on the year. The Blazers' bench struggled in the victory and only produced 11 points. The Cavaliers were led by Kevin Love who went 7 - for - 14 from the field and 5 - for - 8 from beyond the arc to finish with 22 points and 10 rebounds. He has posted a double - double in all three games this season and is averaging 19 points and 13 rebounds. James struggled to find his shot and scored only 11 points, shooting 4 - for - 12 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from behind the three - point line. He also had seven rebounds and seven assists. The only other Cavalier to reach double - digit points was Tristan Thompson, who came off the bench for 10 points and recorded eight rebounds in 22 minutes. Kyrie Irving also struggled with his shot, finishing 3 - for - 17 from the field and 1 - for - 5 from three - point land to score nine points. The Trail Blazers' next game will be at home against the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, while the Cavaliers will go on the road to Utah to play the Jazz on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "44", "Grizzlies": "50"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "26", "Grizzlies": "18"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "91", "Grizzlies": "101"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bulls": "17"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "39", "Grizzlies": "45"}, "Turnovers": {"Grizzlies": "11"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Jeff Green": "4", "Zach Randolph": "1", "Tony Snell": "7", "Aaron Brooks": "3", "Nikola Mirotic": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jeff Green": "3", "Zach Randolph": "0", "Tony Snell": "4", "Aaron Brooks": "1", "Nikola Mirotic": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jeff Green": "11", "Zach Randolph": "12", "Marc Gasol": "16", "Pau Gasol": "14", "Tony Snell": "13", "Aaron Brooks": "14", "Nikola Mirotic": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Jeff Green": "7", "Zach Randolph": "7", "Marc Gasol": "10", "Pau Gasol": "6", "Tony Snell": "7", "Aaron Brooks": "6", "Nikola Mirotic": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jeff Green": "2", "Zach Randolph": "3", "Marc Gasol": "3", "Pau Gasol": "1", "Tony Snell": "4", "Aaron Brooks": "2", "Nikola Mirotic": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Jeff Green": "2", "Zach Randolph": "2", "Marc Gasol": "3", "Pau Gasol": "1", "Tony Snell": "3", "Aaron Brooks": "2", "Nikola Mirotic": "4"}, "Points": {"Jeff Green": "19", "Zach Randolph": "16", "Marc Gasol": "23", "Pau Gasol": "13", "Tony Snell": "21", "Aaron Brooks": "15", "Nikola Mirotic": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Jeff Green": "7", "Zach Randolph": "9", "Marc Gasol": "4", "Pau Gasol": "11", "Tony Snell": "3", "Aaron Brooks": "4", "Nikola Mirotic": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Zach Randolph": "30", "Pau Gasol": "31"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Zach Randolph": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Tony Snell": "3"}, "Steals": {"Tony Snell": "2"}, "Assists": {"Aaron Brooks": "4"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (45 - 18) defeated the Chicago Bulls (39 - 26) 101 - 91 on Monday at the United Center in Chicago. While they were up just two points at the break, the Grizzlies used a strong second half, where they out - scored the Bulls 60 - 52, to steal a road win in Chicago. The Grizzlies were the superior shooters in this one, going 50 percent from the field, while the Bulls went just 44 percent. What also made a big difference was turnovers though, as the Grizzlies forced the Bulls into 17, while committing just 11 of their own. The Grizzlies' frontcourt was dominant in this matchup, out - scoring the Bulls' frontcourt 68 - 21. Marc Gasol led the way, scoring a game - high of 23 points (10 - 16 FG, 3 - 3 FT), to go along with four rebounds and two blocked shots. After struggling to just eight points against the Pelicans on Saturday, it was good to see one of the league's best centers get back on track. He's now averaging 18 points and eight rebounds on the year. Helping out Gasol was Zach Randolph, who nearly posted a double - double with 16 points (7 - 12 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT) and nine rebounds in 30 minutes. Like Gasol, he struggled against the Pelicans on Saturday, finishing that game with only seven points, so he was able to get things turned around as well and help Marc Gasol take down his brother Pau. Jeff Green was dialed in with his shot, going 7 - for - 11 from the field and 3 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score 19 points, while adding seven rebounds as well. He's put in two impressive performances in a row, combining for 39 points and 13 rebounds over his last two. Not only did those three do it on offense, but they also were able to do it defensively and limit the Bulls' best player in Pau Gasol. Pau Gasol finished with just 13 points (6 - 14 FG, 1 - 1 FT) and 11 rebounds in 31 minutes. While he did record a double - double, he needed to do even more, with the likes of Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson all sitting out with injuries. While the Bulls' frontcourt did n't have much success, their backcourt is what kept them close. Starting at shooting guard, Tony Snell posted a team - high of 21 points (7 - 13 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), while adding two steals. In just his fifteenth start of the year, he was able to post double - digit points after failing to do so in his previous three games. Over his last three games he had combined for just 12 points, including going scoreless on Sunday against the Spurs, so we'll see if that helps rebuild his confidence moving forward. Aaron Brooks also got into the action with 15 points (6 - 14 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) of his own, to go along with four rebounds and four assists. Coming off the bench, Nikola Mirotic double - doubled with 18 points (6 - 13 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT) and 12 rebounds. He's on a very strong stretch of six games, where he's averaging an impressive 21 points per game. The Grizzlies' next game will be on the road against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, while the Bulls will travel to Philadelphia to play the Sixers on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "3", "Pacers": "6"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "75", "Pacers": "81"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "5", "Pacers": "3"}}, {"Points": {"Chris Copeland": "17", "Roy Hibbert": "16", "Chris Bosh": "9", "Dwyane Wade": "20"}, "Blocks": {"Roy Hibbert": "3", "Chris Bosh": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Roy Hibbert": "14", "Chris Bosh": "13", "Dwyane Wade": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Roy Hibbert": "7", "Chris Bosh": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Roy Hibbert": "2", "Chris Bosh": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Roy Hibbert": "2", "Chris Bosh": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Roy Hibbert": "15", "Chris Bosh": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "4"}, "Assists": {"Chris Bosh": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Chris Bosh": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chris Bosh": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "Steals": {"Chris Bosh": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "1"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (3 - 6) got an impressive road win over the Miami Heat (5 - 3) 81 - 75 at the American Airlines Arena on Wednesday. It may not have been Paul George vs. LeBron James, but the Pacers still got a solid win over a talented Heat team. This was a low scoring game, but the Pacers were led by an impressive double - double from Roy Hibbert, with 16 points (7 - 14 FG, 2 - 2 FT) and 15 rebounds. He also was able to post three blocks and two steals. Chris Copeland continued to score in bunches, as he had another 17 points Wednesday. Only three players scored in double figures for the Pacers, but it did n't matter in the end, as everyone who got in the game were able to add to the stellar defensive effort. Indiana has now won two games in a row, and they'll head back home to take on the Denver Nuggets on Friday night. For the Heat, it was the Dwyane Wade show, as only he and Shawne Williams scored in double figures. Wade had 20 points (8 - 16 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 3 - 7 FT), with four rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. The Pacers' defense really locked in on the Heat in this game, and even forced Chris Bosh to have a tough night offensively, as he only scored nine points (3 - 13 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT), to go along with three assists, three steals, two rebounds and one block. Miami will look to get back to their winning ways on Friday night, as they'll be on the road facing the Atlanta Hawks."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "32", "Bucks": "47"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "124", "Bucks": "109"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "47", "Bucks": "32"}}, {"Assists": {"Jabari Parker": "1", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7", "Greg Monroe": "4", "Rashad Vaughn": "3", "Jared Sullinger": "3", "Avery Bradley": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Kelly Olynyk": "1", "Tyler Zeller": "2"}, "Points": {"Jabari Parker": "18", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "27", "Greg Monroe": "10", "Rashad Vaughn": "12", "Jared Sullinger": "15", "Avery Bradley": "16", "Isaiah Thomas": "20", "Kelly Olynyk": "16", "Tyler Zeller": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Jabari Parker": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7", "Greg Monroe": "8", "Rashad Vaughn": "2", "Jared Sullinger": "5", "Avery Bradley": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "2", "Kelly Olynyk": "7", "Tyler Zeller": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1", "Rashad Vaughn": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "2", "Tyler Zeller": "4"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1", "Rashad Vaughn": "2", "Kelly Olynyk": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Tyler Zeller": "25"}}], "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."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "36", "Cavaliers": "26"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "90", "Cavaliers": "108"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "34", "Cavaliers": "46"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "39", "Kevin Love": "29"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "28", "Kevin Love": "9", "JR Smith": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "10", "Kevin Love": "3"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"JR Smith": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"JR Smith": "7"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (46 - 26) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (34 - 36) on Sunday at the BMO Harris Bradley Center by a score of 108 - 90. Milwaukee took a nine point lead into halftime, but it was all Cleveland in the second half. The Cavaliers put on a three point shooting clinic in the fourth to break the game open with a 15 point lead. J.R Smith hit seven of his nine three point attempts and finished with 23 points. The Bucks will try to tie the season - series with the Cavaliers on April 8. Cleveland has now won three straight games and are solidly positioned in the second seed in the East. LeBron James was dominant again with 28 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, and five steals over 39 minutes. Kevin Love had a quiet game, however, posting just nine points and three rebounds in 29 minutes. The Cavaliers will have a couple days off before traveling to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies on Wenesday. Milwaukee has hit the skids of late and has now lost six in a row. The Bucks' recent slide has put their hold on the sixth seed in jeopardy as they only lead the Heat by 2 games. A big problem Sunday was a lack of production from Milwaukee's bench, which only contributed 16 points, seven rebounds, and two assists as a collective. The Bucks will look to rebound on Tuesday with a crucial game against the Heat."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "54"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "10", "Elfrid Payton": "6"}, "Points": {"Nikola Vucevic": "23", "Elfrid Payton": "13", "Darren Collison": "19", "Anthony Tolliver": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "9", "Elfrid Payton": "10"}, "Assists": {"Elfrid Payton": "13", "Darren Collison": "13"}}], "The Kings saw stellar team play from the top down on Monday as they beat the Orlando Magic. Seven Kings players scored in double digits, though no player scored 20 points or more. Sacramento's top scorers were Anthony Tolliver and Darren Collison, both of whom had 19. Collison also dished out a team - high 13 assists. As a team, the Kings shot a whopping 54 percent from the field. The team also shot over 53 percent from beyond the arc, knocking down 16 three - pointers en route to the victory. For the Magic, point guard Elfrid Payton recorded his third triple - double in six games. Payton had 13 points, 13 assists, and 10 rebounds. Center Nikola Vucevic also impressed, shooting 10 - of - 17 en route to 23 points. He also pulled down nine rebounds."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "43", "Wizards": "43"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "26", "Wizards": "28"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "110", "Wizards": "102"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "45", "Wizards": "42"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Avery Bradley": "8", "Isaiah Thomas": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Avery Bradley": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Avery Bradley": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Avery Bradley": "8"}, "Points": {"Avery Bradley": "20", "Isaiah Thomas": "25"}}], "The Boston Celtics defeated the Washington Wizards 110 - 102 Monday at TD Garden. The final score is n't a great indicator for how much the Celtics (45 - 26) dominated Monday's game, as the game was essentially over by the end of the third quarter when Boston held a 17 - point advantage heading into the final period. Isaiah Thomas once again led the way for the Celtics, scoring a game - high 25 points despite shooting just 2 - of - 10 from behind the arc. His partner in the backcourt Avery Bradley had a much more efficient outing, scoring 20 points on 8 - of - 16 shooting from the field and 4 - of - 8 shooting from long range. In the end, it was n't the prettiest shooting performance from Boston, as they hit just 43 percent of their shots, but their ability to get offensive rebounds helped them overcome those misses, as they grabbed 20 by the time Monday's contest was over. For the Wizards (42 - 28), they actually shot better from the field than the Celtics (43 percent) and hit the name number of free throws (20), but Boston ended up getting up eight more shots than Washington thanks to their work on the offensive glass, and that ended up being the difference Monday. It also did n't help that their starting backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal failed to get into a groove offensively, as the two shot a combined 10 - of - 25 from the field and 3 - of - 10 from behind the arc en route to scoring a combined 35 points, while they've been averaging a combined 46 points per game this season. In the end, six different Wizards players managed to score in double figures, but it just was n't enough to get a key road win."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "41", "Wizards": "35"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "33", "Wizards": "23"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "106", "Wizards": "89"}, "Rebounds": {"Pistons": "51", "Wizards": "43"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "23", "Wizards": "33"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Marcin Gortat": "18", "Garrett Temple": "7", "John Wall": "16", "Kris Humphries": "6", "Greg Monroe": "16", "Andre Drummond": "11", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "20", "Reggie Jackson": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Marcin Gortat": "12", "Garrett Temple": "4", "John Wall": "5", "Kris Humphries": "5", "Greg Monroe": "6", "Andre Drummond": "8", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "10", "Reggie Jackson": "7"}, "Points": {"Marcin Gortat": "24", "Garrett Temple": "12", "John Wall": "10", "Kris Humphries": "11", "Greg Monroe": "15", "Andre Drummond": "18", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "26", "Reggie Jackson": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "10", "Garrett Temple": "4", "Kris Humphries": "7", "Greg Monroe": "15", "Andre Drummond": "16", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Garrett Temple": "5", "John Wall": "2", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "13", "Reggie Jackson": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Garrett Temple": "3", "John Wall": "0", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "6", "Reggie Jackson": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Garrett Temple": "2", "Kris Humphries": "2", "Greg Monroe": "6", "Andre Drummond": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Garrett Temple": "1", "Kris Humphries": "1", "Greg Monroe": "3", "Andre Drummond": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Garrett Temple": "30", "Reggie Jackson": "30"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "12", "Andre Drummond": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "5"}, "Steals": {"Greg Monroe": "3", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (23 - 33) defeated the Washington Wizards (33 - 23) 106 - 89 on Sunday at the Palace of Auburn Hills. While the Pistons trailed 52 - 47 at halftime, they turned it up in the second half, out - scoring the Wizards 59 - 37 to finish the game, therefore securing the win in front of their home crowd. The Pistons used their three - point shooting to take an advantage in this one, going 41 percent from the three - point line, while the Wizards went just 35 percent. The Pistons also finished with a 51 - 43 rebounding advantage, giving them an added boost in the victory. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope did most of the damage for the Pistons, going 10 - for - 20 from the field and 6 - for - 13 from the three - point line to finish with 26 points. He's starting to heat back up and has scored 20 or more points in two of his last three games. Reggie Jackson had a successful outing in his highly anticipated debut with the Pistons. Starting at point guard, he recorded 17 points (7 - 18 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), five rebounds and five assists in 30 minutes. This may only be the start for Jackson, as he should get even better as he becomes more accustomed to and comfortable with his new teammates. The Pistons' frontcourt was just as successful though, with both Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond posting double - doubles. Drummond recorded 18 points (8 - 11 FG, 2 - 4 FT) and 16 rebounds, while Monroe finished with 15 points (6 - 16 FG, 3 - 6 FT), 15 rebounds and three steals. Drummond has come out of the All-Star break in impressive fashion, combining for 36 points and 36 rebounds in the first two games back. Most of the Wizards' success came from center Marcin Gortat, who went 12 - for - 18 from the field to score a team - high of 24 points, while also grabbing 10 rebounds. The 24 points matched a season - high for him, but it was n't enough to push the Wizards to a win. John Wall did n't have the best game offensively, as he posted only 10 points (5 - 16 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt), but he did hand out 12 assists, so it was n't all bad for the guard. Without Bradley Beal (leg) in the lineup, the Wizards really struggled to get anything going on the offensive side of the ball. Starting in place of Beal at shooting guard, Garrett Temple had 12 points (4 - 7 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and four rebounds in 30 minutes. It was the first time he's reached double figures in points since the beginning of November, so the added minutes really helped him get things going. The only other Wizard to reach double - digit points was Kris Humphries, who came off the bench for 11 points (5 - 6 FG, 1 - 2 FT) and seven rebounds. The Pistons' next game will be at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday, while the Wizards will be at home against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "30", "Grizzlies": "46"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "45", "Grizzlies": "48"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "32", "Grizzlies": "12"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "90", "Grizzlies": "100"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Jazz": "23", "Grizzlies": "30"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "17", "Grizzlies": "37"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Grizzlies": "19"}, "Turnovers": {"Grizzlies": "9"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Jeff Green": "3", "Zach Randolph": "1", "Mike Conley": "5", "Gordon Hayward": "5", "Enes Kanter": "1", "Trey Burke": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jeff Green": "1", "Zach Randolph": "1", "Mike Conley": "3", "Gordon Hayward": "3", "Enes Kanter": "0", "Trey Burke": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jeff Green": "8", "Zach Randolph": "14", "Marc Gasol": "18", "Mike Conley": "11", "Gordon Hayward": "10", "Enes Kanter": "18", "Trey Burke": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Jeff Green": "4", "Zach Randolph": "6", "Marc Gasol": "9", "Mike Conley": "6", "Gordon Hayward": "5", "Enes Kanter": "8", "Trey Burke": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jeff Green": "4", "Zach Randolph": "6", "Marc Gasol": "5", "Mike Conley": "2", "Gordon Hayward": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Jeff Green": "4", "Zach Randolph": "5", "Marc Gasol": "5", "Mike Conley": "2", "Gordon Hayward": "2"}, "Points": {"Jeff Green": "13", "Zach Randolph": "18", "Marc Gasol": "23", "Mike Conley": "17", "Gordon Hayward": "15", "Derrick Favors": "11", "Enes Kanter": "16", "Trey Burke": "21"}, "Assists": {"Zach Randolph": "4", "Marc Gasol": "4", "Mike Conley": "2", "Trey Burke": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Zach Randolph": "3", "Gordon Hayward": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "11", "Marc Gasol": "6", "Gordon Hayward": "4", "Enes Kanter": "10", "Trey Burke": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Trey Burke": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Trey Burke": "3"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (37 - 12) defeated the Utah Jazz (17 - 32) 100 - 90 on Wednesday at Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City. The Grizzlies got out quickly in this game, out - scoring the Jazz 30 - 23 in the first quarter, therefore setting the tone for the rest of the game. The Grizzlies shot the ball well, going 48 percent from the field and 46 percent from the three - point line, while the Jazz went 45 percent from the floor and just 30 percent from beyond the arc. The Grizzlies also forced the Jazz into 14 turnovers, while committing only nine of their own. The frontcourt did the bulk of the work for the Grizzlies, led by center Marc Gasol. Gasol went 9 - for - 18 from the field and 5 - for - 5 from the free throw line to score a game - high of 23 points, while also adding six rebounds and four assists. He had finished under his season scoring average in six straight games, so he finally got it going offensively and broke out for an improved performance. Zach Randolph had some success as well, finishing with 18 points (6 - 14 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT), 11 rebounds and four assists. Over his last three games he's averaging 19 points and 13 rebounds, as he continues to be a force for the surging Grizzlies, who've now won eight straight games. Mike Conley had his shot locked in, scoring 17 points (6 - 11 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and handing out two assists, moving his season averages to 17 points and 5 assists per game. Jeff Green recorded 13 points (4 - 8 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) in 20 minutes. Coming off the bench with the second unit, Trey Burke did most of the damage for the Jazz. He went 7 - for - 13 from the field and 3 - for - 8 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 21 points, while adding four assists in 30 minutes. Despite averaging 13 points on the season, Burke has now scored 15 or more points in each of his last three games. Recording a double - double, Enes Kanter finished with 16 points (8 - 18 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt) and 10 rebounds. It was the third time in his last four games that he recorded 10 or more rebounds. Gordon Hayward chipped in with 15 points (5 - 10 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and four rebounds. Over his last three games he's averaging 23 points and eight rebounds as he continues to be one of the Jazz's best offensive options. Derrick Favors reached double figures as well with 11 points in 29 minutes. The Grizzlies' next game will be on the road against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, while the Jazz will travel to Phoenix to play the Suns on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "36", "Knicks": "51"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "87", "Knicks": "82"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "27", "Knicks": "12"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Knicks": "39"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "39"}}, {"Points": {"Alexey Shved": "21", "Derrick Favors": "29", "Rodney Hood": "17"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Derrick Favors": "65"}}], "The Utah Jazz (27 - 36) extended their winning streak to three games Tuesday by grinding out a 87 - 82 victory over the New York Knicks (12 - 51) at the EnergySolutions Arena. When it was announced that Utah would be without its leading scorer, Gordon Hayward, for Tuesday's contest, Jazz coach Quin Snyder got creative with his lineup. Trey Burke and Elijah Millsap moved into the starting lineup, but had their struggles. The surprise of the game was Rodney Hood, who had a career - high 17 points off the bench as Utah overcame Hayward's absence. The Knicks were held to just 39 percent from the field as they dropped their fifth straight game. New York's fifth consecutive loss has been marked be an utter lack of scoring. During this five game stretch, the Knicks have failed to reach 90 points in each outing. The Knicks were missing Tim Hardaway Jr. for the second straight game as he continues to deal with back spasms. Alexey Shved started in Hardaway's place and put up a team - high 21 points. The Knicks will look to snap their losing streak on Thursday when they take on the Lakers. Utah was without Gordon Hayward for the first time this season, but was still able to win for the eighth time in its last ten outings. Derrick Favors picked up the slack on the offensive end with 29 points on 65% shooting from the field. The Jazz will get a tougher test on Friday when the Rockets come to town."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "40"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "31", "Spurs": "6"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "89", "Spurs": "117"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Suns": "18"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "13", "Spurs": "37"}}, {"Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "21", "Boban Marjanovic": "17", "Alex Len": "13", "Devin Booker": "24", "TJ Warren": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Boban Marjanovic": "13", "Alex Len": "8", "Tyson Chandler": "20", "Devin Booker": "1", "TJ Warren": "1"}, "Assists": {"Alex Len": "4", "Devin Booker": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Alex Len": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Alex Len": "1", "TJ Warren": "1"}, "Steals": {"Alex Len": "1", "TJ Warren": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Tyson Chandler": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Devin Booker": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Devin Booker": "1", "TJ Warren": "1"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (37 - 6) took care of business against the Phoenix Suns (13 - 31) on Thursday in a 117 - 89 win. This was a mismatch of epic proportions on paper and that ended up proving to be the case on the court. Not only have the Suns been the worst team in basketball over the last month, they have a myriad of injuries that left them with a no - name lineup on Thursday. San Antonio did what they do best here and stifled the Suns en route to an easy win. They held Phoenix to just 40 percent shooting and nearly doubled them in the turnover margin. The Spurs were unconscious from long distance tonight as well, as they went 9 - for - 14 in the game from three - point range. The San Antonio bench has been the best in the league all season and they were huge again here, as they outscored the Suns bench 66 - 24. The Spurs came into this game with an 11 - game winning streak and left with a simple win against a beleaguered Suns team. They were able to rest Tony Parker and Tim Duncan here and still took care of business thanks to a great team effort. An incredible 12 players scored at least five points tonight with Kawhi Leonard leading the bunch with 21 points of his own. Boban Marjanovic also had his best game of his young career, as he contributed 17 points and 13 rebounds in the victory. This marks San Antonio's fifth wire - to - wire win of the season as well, which is a great feat on its own. The Spurs get another easy matchup on Friday in their next game, when they take on the Los Angeles Lakers in the back end of a back - to - back set. It's tough for Phoenix to win any game right now, but for them to beat the Spurs with no healthy bodies is just a cruel task. The Suns were without Eric Bledsoe, Brandon Knight, Markieff Morris, Mirza Teletovic and Jon Leuer for this game and lost P.J. Tucker in the first quarter to an injury. That's just impossible to overcome, as the five starters tonight combined for 35 points per game for the season between all of them. Devin Booker has been the one bright spot in a dark season and he had another good game here, as he tallied 24 points and five assists in the loss. Alex Len also had a good game, as he totaled 13 points, eight rebounds and four assists in his first start in weeks. T.J. Warren has been the Suns best scorer at times this year and he gave the team a nice boost here with 18 points off the bench. Tyson Chandler has been a disappointment this season, but he snatched down 20 rebounds in one of his best games of the year. Up next for Phoenix is the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "2", "Suns": "1"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "19", "Suns": "27"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "1", "Suns": "2"}}, {"Points": {"Markieff Morris": "15", "Brandon Knight": "27", "Eric Bledsoe": "33", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "16", "CJ McCollum": "15", "Damian Lillard": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "9", "Brandon Knight": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "3", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "7", "CJ McCollum": "5", "Damian Lillard": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Tyson Chandler": "2", "Eric Bledsoe": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Tyson Chandler": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Tyson Chandler": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tyson Chandler": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Tyson Chandler": "2"}, "Steals": {"Tyson Chandler": "2", "Brandon Knight": "2", "Eric Bledsoe": "4"}, "Assists": {"Brandon Knight": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "6", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "5", "CJ McCollum": "4", "Damian Lillard": "8"}, "Turnovers": {"Damian Lillard": "5"}}], "On the second night of a home - and - home series the Phoenix Suns (2 - 1) defeated Portland Trail Blazers (1 - 2) for the second time in a row, proving that they have got the upper hand this season. This was a close game for three quarters with 18 lead changes. It was a one point game early in the fourth quarter but Phoenix ultimately showed more composure in order to come up with the 11 point victory after a 27 - 19 fourth quarter. Phoenix's backcourt showed off a lot of firepower and all around sound play Saturday night as they led the way to a good win over Portland. Eric Bledsoe led all scorers with an impressive 33 points on 12 - 21 shooting, 7 - 11 free throws, along with six assists, three rebounds, four steals and two blocks, absolutely filling the stat sheet like a fantasy players dream. Meanwhile Brandon Knight chipped in 27 points on 10 - 19 shooting and 4 - 9 from distance. Knight also contributed five rebounds, five assists and two steals. The Suns' big offseason pickup Tyson Chandler cleaned up the glass with nine defensive rebounds and two offensive. Markeiff Morris turned out good numbers in only 22 minutes, scoring 15 points and pulling down nine boards. As for Portland, only 19 points came from the bench on 7 - 21 shooting. The lack of production from Portland's bench meant a lot of minutes and a lot of pressure for their starters and this will likely be the case all season unless they find some help. The Trail Blazers are still awaiting the return of Gerald Henderson who should provide an extra scoring touch. On the bright side Damian Lillard did his usual business scoring 23 points on 8 - 17 shooting, while adding eight assists and four rebounds. Lillard also had 5 turnovers. Solid efforts also came from Al-Farouq Aminu who chipped in 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists and C.J. McCollum who added 15 points five rebounds and four assists. Both teams have a day off before getting back into action on Monday. Portland will be at Minnesota, while Phoenix will be at Los Angeles to face the Clippers."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "67"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "59"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "29", "Magic": "47"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "131", "Magic": "112"}, "Rebounds": {"Raptors": "43", "Magic": "33"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "45", "Magic": "27"}}, {"Points": {"Terrence Ross": "17", "Aaron Gordon": "16", "Nikola Vucevic": "12", "Evan Fournier": "20", "Elfrid Payton": "22", "D.J. Augustin": "8", "Serge Ibaka": "16", "Jonas Valanciunas": "17", "DeMar DeRozan": "36", "Cory Joseph": "15", "Jakob Poeltl": "12", "Norman Powell": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Terrence Ross": "2", "Aaron Gordon": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "15", "Evan Fournier": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "1", "Serge Ibaka": "7", "Jonas Valanciunas": "9", "DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Cory Joseph": "6", "Jakob Poeltl": "4", "Norman Powell": "1"}, "Steals": {"Terrence Ross": "4", "Aaron Gordon": "2", "Evan Fournier": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "1", "Serge Ibaka": "1"}, "Assists": {"Nikola Vucevic": "4", "Evan Fournier": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "9", "Serge Ibaka": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Cory Joseph": "13", "Norman Powell": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Elfrid Payton": "1", "Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "Cory Joseph": "1", "Norman Powell": "1"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the Orlando Magic, 131 - 112, at Air Canada Centre on Monday evening. The Raptors (45 - 29) have managed to remain in serious contention despite the ongoing absence of Kyle Lowry (wrist), and DeMar DeRozan has unsurprisingly been a major reason why. The All-Star guard had rattled off a pair of 40 - point efforts recently and was in a potentially advantageous position for more of the same Monday, as the Magic (27 - 47) had been particularly vulnerable to shooting guards. DeRozan had also excelled in previous games against Orlando this season and the pattern held true once more, as he scored a game - high 36 points and added three assists and two rebounds. Toronto saw five other players score in double digits as well and tallied stellar success rates of 59 percent from the field and 67 percent from three - point range. They also dominated down low, winning the rebounding battle by a 43 - 33 margin. Orlando did see all five members of the first unit post double digits in the scoring column, beginning with Elfrid Payton, who managed a near double - double with 22 points, nine assists, one rebound, one steal and one block. Evan Fournier was next with 20 points, one rebound, one assist and two steals. Terrence Ross was solid in his return to Toronto, supplying 17 points, two boards and four steals. Aaron Gordon provided 16 points, one rebound and two steals. Nikola Vucevic posted a 12 - point, 15 - rebound double - double that also included four assists. D.J. Augustin led the bench with eight points. Jonas Valanciunas followed DeRozan with 17 points, nine boards and one block. Serge Ibaka totaled 16 points, seven rebounds, one assist and one steal. Cory Joseph submitted a 15 - point, 13 - assist double - double that also included six rebounds and a block. Norman Powell led the bench with 16 points, two assists, one rebound and one block while Jakob Poetl turned in 12 points and four rebounds on the second unit as well. The Magic head back home to face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday evening, while the Raptors remain home and await the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night as well."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bulls": "32", "Nets": "43"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "38", "Nets": "43"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "10", "Nets": "16"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "82", "Nets": "96"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "22", "Nets": "15"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "1", "Deron Williams": "1", "Mike Dunleavy": "9", "Jimmy Butler": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Joe Johnson": "1", "Deron Williams": "0", "Mike Dunleavy": "5", "Jimmy Butler": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "14", "Brook Lopez": "21", "Deron Williams": "8", "Mike Dunleavy": "15", "Jimmy Butler": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Joe Johnson": "8", "Brook Lopez": "13", "Deron Williams": "1", "Mike Dunleavy": "9", "Jimmy Butler": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Joe Johnson": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Joe Johnson": "36"}, "Points": {"Joe Johnson": "20", "Brook Lopez": "29", "Jarrett Jack": "11", "Alan Anderson": "11", "Deron Williams": "6", "Mike Dunleavy": "23", "Pau Gasol": "10", "Joakim Noah": "12", "Jimmy Butler": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Joe Johnson": "11", "Mike Dunleavy": "5", "Pau Gasol": "7", "Joakim Noah": "12"}, "Assists": {"Pau Gasol": "7", "Jimmy Butler": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jimmy Butler": "1"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "1"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets (15 - 16) defeated the Chicago Bulls (22 - 10) 96 - 82 on Tuesday at the United Center in Chicago. The Nets used strong second and third quarters where they combined to out - score the Bulls 60 - 38 to seal the victory on the road. They shot 43 percent from the field and 43 percent from the three - point line compared to the Bulls who shot just 38 percent from the floor and 32 percent from beyond the arc. Free throws were also a big difference as the Nets converted on 18 - of - 21 while the Bulls only made 8 - of - 15. Despite questions on whether or not he would make his way back into the starting lineup, Brook Lopez eased those concerns in a big way, going 13 - for - 21 from the field to score a team - high of 29 points. It was a good sign for Lopez, as he's struggled to both get minutes and be productive ever since returning from injury. Joe Johnson was also a big factor. In 36 minutes he finished with 20 points (8 - 14 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) and 11 rebounds. It was his first double - double of the year, setting a season - high for rebounds. Deron Williams continued to come off the bench. In 20 minutes he struggled to find his shot, going only 1 - for - 8 from the field and 0 - for - 1 from beyond the arc for six points. Jarrett Jack and Alan Anderson had 11 points each. For the first time in what feels like forever, Jimmy Butler seemingly struggled. He went only 3 - for - 12 from the field and 0 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score eight points. It was a season - low for Butler who's only failed to reach double figures in points one other time this season. Surprisingly, Mike Dunleavy was the Bulls highest score, as he finished with 23 points (9 - 15 FG, 5 - 9 3Pt) and five rebounds. He's averaging only 9 points on the year, so it was a nice surprise for the Bulls. Joakim Noah was able to record a double - double with 12 points and 12 rebounds, while Pau Gasol finished with 10 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. The Nets' next game will be on the road against the Orlando Magic on Friday, while the Bulls will be at home against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Spurs": "19"}, "Losses": {"Spurs": "17", "Lakers": "32"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "99", "Lakers": "85"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Spurs": "31", "Lakers": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Spurs": "52", "Lakers": "40"}, "Turnovers": {"Spurs": "10"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "28", "Lakers": "12"}}, {"Points": {"Jordan Hill": "10", "Carlos Boozer": "10", "Nick Young": "17", "Kawhi Leonard": "15", "Tim Duncan": "14", "Tony Parker": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "14", "Tim Duncan": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Tim Duncan": "20", "Tony Parker": "23"}, "Assists": {"Tony Parker": "4"}}], "The Spurs (28 - 17) cruised to a 99 - 85 win over the Lakers (12 - 32) on Friday in San Antonio. Coming off of an ugly loss to Chicago on Thursday, San Antonio jumped out to a 31 - 15 first quarter advantage and never looked back. Facing a depleted Lakers roster, Gregg Popovich was able to rest many of his veterans, and the Spurs had 11 different players score. Tony Parker led the way with 17 points and four assists in 23 minutes, while Kawhi Leonard had 15 points and 14 rebounds. Tim Duncan added 14 points and seven boards in 20 minutes. The Spurs, who out - rebounded Los Angeles 52 - 40, registered 19 assists on 36 field goals. The Lakers dropped their seventh straight game and have now lost nine of their last 10. With Kobe Bryant out of the picture with a torn rotator cuff, Los Angeles turned to several players to help compensate for Bryant\u2019s absence. Nick Young was the high scorer with 17 points off the bench, while the starting backcourt of Jordan Clarkson and Wayne Ellington combined for 22 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Carlos Boozer and Jordan Hill scored 10 points apiece, but Los Angeles had only 30 points in the paint as a team. Up next, the Lakers play host to the Rockets on Sunday night. San Antonio welcomes the Bucks to the AT & T Center, also on Sunday night."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Rockets": "47"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "56"}, "Rebounds": {"Rockets": "36"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Trevor Ariza": "4", "James Harden": "5", "Eric Gordon": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Trevor Ariza": "4"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "10"}, "Blocks": {"James Harden": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"James Harden": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"James Harden": "1"}, "Points": {"James Harden": "38", "Eric Gordon": "26"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "5", "Damian Lillard": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Eric Gordon": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Damian Lillard": "7"}}], "After scoffing at the notion of doubling his assist numbers under new coach Mike D'Antoni, guard James Harden is leading the league in assists through 17 games. Harden posted yet another double - double in Sunday's win, scoring a team - high 38 points to go with 10 assists. Harden's increased assist totals have just been one statistical effect of D'Antoni's run - and - gun offense, as the Rockets have upped their three - point shooting numbers significantly. A game after taking an NBA-record 50 three - pointers, the Rockets took 36 threes on Sunday. Harden hit five, while bench guard Eric Gordon hit six en route to 26 points on the night. Starter Trevor Ariza, meanwhile, knocked down four threes. The Rockets shot a whopping 56 percent from the field and 47 percent from beyond the arc. For Portland, meanwhile, the backcourt of C.J. McCollum and Damian Lillard combined for 55 points and six three - pointers. Lillard struggled at points, however, committing seven turnovers and going just 7 - of - 20 from the field. The Blazers shot eight percent worse on the night overall than the Rockets."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "20", "Nets": "29"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "114", "Nets": "77"}, "Turnovers": {"Wizards": "14"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "32", "Nets": "21"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nets": "19"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Brook Lopez": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "1"}, "Points": {"Brook Lopez": "19", "Otto Porter": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "8", "Otto Porter": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Brook Lopez": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Otto Porter": "21"}}], "The Washington Wizards (32 - 20) routed the Brooklyn Nets (21 - 29) 114 - 77 Saturday at the Verizon Center. Washington came into the game on a five - game losing skid and was without Bradley Beal, but was able to win its second game against Brooklyn this season. The Nets were held to just 38 points in the first half and shot a paltry 33 percent from the field on the night. Brooklyn also managed just three points on fast breaks despite Washington committing 14 turnovers. Brooklyn's three game winning streak was snapped Saturday as Washington took control from the early goings and never let up. Brook Lopez moved into the starting lineup for Kevin Garnett, who was rested for the contest. Lopez finished the night with 19 points and eight rebounds, but he one of the few bright spots for the Nets. Brooklyn has two more road games before the All-Star break, with Milwaukee next on the dockett on Monday. Washington was able to avoid a winless week by beating up on a Brooklyn team that was playing its second game in as many nights. Otto Porter got the start in place of Beal and had a productive game. Porter posted 12 points and four rebounds over 21 minutes on the floor. As for Beal, he aggravated his big toe Thursday and is considered questionable for the Wizards' next game, which comes Monday against the Magic."], [[{"Total points": {"Warriors": "110", "Cavaliers": "77"}, "Rebounds": {"Warriors": "46", "Cavaliers": "34"}, "Turnovers": {"Warriors": "20"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "2"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "2"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "9", "Kyrie Irving": "1", "Draymond Green": "5"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "19", "Kyrie Irving": "10", "Draymond Green": "28", "Klay Thompson": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "8", "Draymond Green": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "4"}}], "The Golden State Warriors took down the Cleveland Cavaliers in a whopping 110 - 77 win in Game 2 of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena on Sunday. The Warriors now hold a 20 series lead. It has taken only 29 total points from MVP Steph Curry in the first two games for the Warriors to jump out to a big series lead. All-Star forward Draymond Green led the way on Sunday with 28 points. Green also tallied seven rebounds and five assists, making headlines for his play rather than his controversial antics after his widely - discussed issues with flagarant fouls in the Western Conference Finals. Klay Thompson also made a solid contribution for Golden State, scoring 17 points and hitting four three - pointers. Although they coughed up 20 turnovers, the Warriors were able to find a steady offensive flow, running a double - digit lead for the majority of the game. Sunday's outing was nothing but bad news for Cleveland, as All-Star Kevin Love was held to just 20 minutes after suffering a concussion diagnosis. While Love suffered injury, fellow All-Star Kyrie Irving simply struggled, scoring only 10 points and dishing just one assist. Only former MVP LeBron James managed to fill the stat sheet on Sunday, as he finished with 19 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists. It was a tough night for Cleveland in the rebounding column, as Golden State pulled down 46 boards to Cleveland's 34. The Cavs also struggled to move the ball, recording only 15 assists on the night. Game 3 will see the Cavs take their home court for the first time in the series."], [[{}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "4"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Isaiah Thomas": "19"}, "Points": {"Isaiah Thomas": "19"}}], "Offensive efficiency has been a tad hard to come by for Isaiah Thomas in the month of February, and Monday night that was on display in the worst possible way for the All-Star point guard. While Thomas led the way scoring for his team with 19 points, he just a miserable 4 - of - 21 (19 percent) from the field and 1 - of - 6 from behind the arc. It was by far Thomas' worst shooting performance of this season, but while they have n't been nearly as bad in February, they still have n't been very efficient. In the 13 games Thomas has played in this February, he's managed to shoot over 50 percent from the field just twice, while he has now shot under 40 percent four different times. Thomas' saving grace has come at the free throw line, where he has never wavered and is shooting an impressive 90 percent from this month."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "55", "Timberwolves": "46"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "18", "Timberwolves": "32"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "110", "Timberwolves": "99"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "24", "Timberwolves": "6"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Thaddeus Young": "17", "Andrew Wiggins": "15", "Markieff Morris": "12", "Goran Dragic": "17"}, "Points": {"Thaddeus Young": "13", "Andrew Wiggins": "17", "Mo Williams": "26", "Markieff Morris": "13", "Goran Dragic": "21", "Eric Bledsoe": "16", "Brandan Wright": "11", "Gerald Green": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "8", "Markieff Morris": "6", "Goran Dragic": "10"}, "Assists": {"Mo Williams": "5", "Goran Dragic": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Mo Williams": "12"}, "3-pointers made": {"Mo Williams": "5"}, "Steals": {"Mo Williams": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Brandan Wright": "20"}}], "The Suns (24 - 18) won their second straight game, knocking off the Timberwolves (6 - 32) 110 - 99 on Friday night. Phoenix has rebounded since dropping back - to - back games against San Antonio and Memphis and holds a 4 game lead over the Thunder for the final playoff spot in the West. The Suns were led by 21 points and eight assists from Goran Dragic, who converted 10 - of - 17 field goal attempts. Eric Bledsoe added 16 points, and Gerald Green chipped in 19 off the bench. Leading scorer Markieff Morris finished with 13 on 6 - of - 12 shooting. Recent acquisition Brandan Wright had 11 points in 20 minutes off the bench. Minnesota played well offensively but simply could not slow down Phoenix, which shot 55 percent from the field. The Timberwolves made a respectable 46 percent of their free throw attempts and recorded 54 points in the paint. Mo Williams, who scored 52 points Tuesday in Indiana, led all scorers with 26, making 5 - of - 12 three - pointers to go with five assists and three steals. Thaddeus Young added 13 points, and rookie Andrew Wiggins finished with 17 (8 - 15 FG). Wiggins, who is averaging 21 points on 48 percent shooting in January, departed late in the fourth quarter due to flu - like symptoms. The Wolves were still without Ricky Rubio, Nikola Pekovic and Kevin Martin, but all three players are expected to return in the near future. Up next, Minnesota travels to Denver to face the Nuggets on Saturday. Phoenix is off until Monday, when it hosts the Lakers"], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "8", "Lakers": "12"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "103", "Lakers": "100"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "13", "Lakers": "10"}, "Number of team assists": {"Lakers": "16"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "43"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Lakers": "37"}, "Turnovers": {"Lakers": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Lou Williams": "1", "Marc Gasol": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Lou Williams": "8", "Troy Daniels": "12"}, "3-pointers made": {"Lou Williams": "4", "Troy Daniels": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Lou Williams": "20", "Troy Daniels": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"Lou Williams": "11", "Troy Daniels": "12"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Lou Williams": "55"}, "Minutes played": {"Lou Williams": "32"}, "Points": {"Lou Williams": "40", "Marc Gasol": "19", "Troy Daniels": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "3"}, "Steals": {"Marc Gasol": "3"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies avoided a collapse in the final seconds as they hung - on to defeat the pesky Los Angeles Lakers 103 - 100 at FedEx Forum, on Saturday night. After a 37 - point second quarter, the Lakers took an eight - point lead into halftime, however the Grizzlies fought back to tie it up at 82 heading into the fourth. Memphis led 103 - 97 with 55 seconds left but the Lakers were not done as Lou Williams was fouled on a jumper and completed the three - point play to make it a one - possession game. The Grizzlies then turned the ball over with 15 seconds left and proceeded to foul Julius Randall on a three - point attempt. Fortunately for the Grizz, Randall missed all three free throws, and they were able to walk away with their seventh home win of the season. Lou Williams went - off for the Lakers (10 - 12) as he poured in 40 points on 11 - of - 20 shooting, including 4 - of - 8 from long range, in 32 minutes off the bench. However the Lakers struggled overall with 18 turnovers compared to only 16 assists, while shooting 43 percent from the field. They will look to get back on track as they play host to the Jazz on Monday. The Grizzlies (13 - 8) earned their second straight win and move to 2 - 1 without Mike Conley. Troy Daniels continued his strong play as he led Memphis with a season - high 31 points on 12 - of - 23 shooting, including 6 - of - 12 from long range. Marc Gasol added 19 points eight assists, three rebounds and three steals. The Grizzlies will look to continue the momentum as they go on to visit New Orleans on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "44", "Hornets": "52"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "25", "Hornets": "26"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "95", "Hornets": "117"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pacers": "25", "Hornets": "28"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "28", "Hornets": "27"}}, {"Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "3", "Paul George": "6", "Monta Ellis": "4"}, "Points": {"Kemba Walker": "25", "Jeremy Lin": "14", "Jeremy Lamb": "16", "Paul George": "22", "Myles Turner": "10", "Monta Ellis": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Kemba Walker": "7", "Paul George": "8", "Myles Turner": "5", "Monta Ellis": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Jeremy Lamb": "14"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (27 - 26) took home their fifth win in six games on Wednesday as they rolled right over the Indiana Pacers (28 - 25) for a 117 - 95 victory. After an enormous slide to start 2016, the Hornets have quickly picked up the pace. Winners of five of their last six, the team now sits just half a game out of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Wednesday's win helped Charlotte assert its dominance, as the victory over playoff contender Indiana was emphatic. Point guard and team leader Kemba Walker dropped in a game - high 25 points along with seven rebounds and three assists. However, it was a well - rounded approach that enabled the blowout for Charlotte. Six players scored in double - digits, and the bench's pair of Jeremies (Lamb and Lin) went off for 16 and 14 respectively. Overall, Charlotte managed to score the ball at a highly efficient 52 percent from the field, while Indiana hit just 44 percent of its shots. While superstar Paul George had a typically stellar outing (22 points, eight rebounds, six assists), the rest of the Pacers were relatively unable to get it going. Rookie Myles Turner, who has turned heads with his recent play, scored just 10 points and pulled down only five rebounds. Monta Ellis also disappointed, posting just 10 points, four assists, and one rebound on the night. As a team, Indiana was simply unable to defend Charlotte on the perimeter, getting torched for over 50 percent shooting and 12 three - pointers. Both teams will now enjoy rest and time to regroup as the NBA heads into the All-Star break."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "8"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Thunder": "32"}}, {"Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "12"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "32", "Anthony Morrow": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "13"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Anthony Morrow": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Anthony Morrow": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Morrow": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Morrow": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Morrow": "26"}}], "It's pretty safe to say that Russell Westbrook has had a dominant stretch of basketball, with Monday's 32 - point, 13 - rebound, 12 - assist performance serving as his sixth straight triple - double and lead to the Thunder's sixth straight victory. And while their may be a correlation between Westbrook's ability to fill up the box score and Oklahoma City's success, there is another factor. Anthony Morrow played 26 minutes off the bench in Monday's victory and scored 15 points on 5 - of - 8 shooting from the field and 4 - of - 6 shooting from behind the arc. Over the team's winning streak, Morrow has now played 25 minutes per game and is averaging 11 points while shooting 49 percent from the field and 45 percent on 3 - pointers. This all comes after Morrow appeared in just eight of the Thunder's first 15 games and notched a total of 60 minutes in that time. The lack of bench production has been a problem this season for Oklahoma City, and after 22 games, they may have finally found a solution that has been sitting on the bench the entire time."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "35"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "43"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "53", "Grizzlies": "43"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "9", "Grizzlies": "40"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "125", "Grizzlies": "104"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "73", "Grizzlies": "42"}}, {"Assists": {"Zach Randolph": "4", "Draymond Green": "7", "Stephen Curry": "6"}, "Points": {"Zach Randolph": "24", "Lance Stephenson": "22", "Draymond Green": "11", "Stephen Curry": "46"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "6", "Draymond Green": "9", "Stephen Curry": "4"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (73 - 9) won an NBA-record 73rd game Wednesday, beating the Memphis Grizzlies (42 - 40), 125 - 104. Golden State shot 53 percent from the field and recorded 35 assists on their 46 made baskets. The defense wasn\u2019t shabby either, as they held the Grizzlies to 43 percent and outrebounded them by 11 boards. Memphis continues to reel and this game was well out of hand early. They did get a nice performance from Zach Randolph though, as he tallied 24 points, six rebounds and four assists. Lance Stephenson was the only other player with more than 12, as he scored 22 points in the loss. This marks Memphis' 10th loss in their last 11 games and they have now fallen to seventh in the west. That means a matchup with the San Antonio Spurs is on the horizon for the playoffs. Stephen Curry was unconscious once again, as he totaled 46 points, four rebounds and six assists in just 29 minutes. Draymond Green flirted with yet another triple - double, as he accumulated 11 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Golden State will look to add to their historic run when it faces the Houston Rockets in the playoffs."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "50"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "28", "Mavericks": "31"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "110", "Mavericks": "87"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "23", "Mavericks": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Will Barton": "5", "Nikola Jokic": "9"}, "Points": {"Will Barton": "31", "Nikola Jokic": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Will Barton": "8", "Nikola Jokic": "4"}}], "The host Denver Nuggets demolished the Dallas Mavericks, 110 - 87, at Pepsi Center on Monday. Denver (23 - 28) is still narrowly holding on to eighth in the Western Conference standings after Monday's win. In an odd twist, Denver saw a bit of a dip in production from star sophomore big man Nikola Jokic, who has led Denver's playoff push since joining the starting lineup. Though Jokic dished out a team - high of nine assists, he had only 13 points and just four rebounds. Still, the big man made an impact, and needed to do little else as the team cruised to a massive victory. Versatile wing Will Barton earned the start on Monday for Denver and led the team with 31 points, also pulling down eight rebounds and dishing out five assists. As a team, Denver hit a stellar 50 percent of its shots while draining 11 three - pointers. Dallas (20 - 31) lost a four - game win streak on Monday, and did so in unfortunate style. A 22 - point halftime deficit proved too much for Dallas to overcome, as there were no inklings of a Super Bowl-esque comeback in Denver. Five players scored in double digits, but no one recorded more than 15 points. Meanwhile, the team shot just 43 percent and hit only eight three - pointers on the night. The performance was certainly not what Dallas needed as the team looks to be in the mix for a potential playoff spot down the stretch. Dallas will host the Trail Blazers on Tuesday, while the Nuggets will visit Atlanta to play the Hawks on Wednesday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Bulls": "25"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "26"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "44"}}, {"Points": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "14", "DeMar DeRozan": "36", "Kyle Lowry": "27", "Cory Joseph": "14", "Jimmy Butler": "42", "Taj Gibson": "8", "Robin Lopez": "6", "Dwyane Wade": "20", "Michael Carter-Williams": "5", "Doug McDermott": "17", "Nikola Mirotic": "12"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "12"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "10", "Doug McDermott": "10"}}], "Jimmy Butler spearheaded the overtime victory with a 42 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. He also put matters away with a 25 - foot jumper with 17 seconds remaining in overtime that gave Chicago a 121 - 116 lead at the time. Dwayne Wade checked in with 20 points, and although the trio of Taj Gibson (eight points), Robin Lopez (six points) and Michael Carter-Williams (five points) turned in modest performances, Doug McDermott helped make up for it with a 17 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Nikola Mirotic supplied 12 points in a reserve role as well. The Bulls limited the Raptors to 44 percent shooting overall, and a 26 percent tally from three - point range. DeMar DeRozan's 36 points led Toronto, and Kyle Lowry posted a 27 - point, 12 - assist double - double. Jonas Valanciunas contributed 14 points, while Cory Joseph matched his scoring total in a reserve role."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "50", "Jazz": "48"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "29", "Jazz": "25"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "112", "Jazz": "104"}, "Rebounds": {"Thunder": "43", "Jazz": "36"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "37", "Jazz": "41"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "45"}}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "9", "Joe Johnson": "5", "George Hill": "9", "Trey Lyles": "10", "Dante Exum": "22", "Alec Burks": "21", "Andre Roberson": "8", "Taj Gibson": "15", "Steven Adams": "11", "Victor Oladipo": "22", "Russell Westbrook": "33", "Enes Kanter": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Joe Johnson": "2", "Jeff Withey": "5", "Rodney Hood": "2", "Dante Exum": "1", "Alec Burks": "7", "Andre Roberson": "3", "Taj Gibson": "6", "Steven Adams": "9", "Victor Oladipo": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Enes Kanter": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jeff Withey": "5", "Rodney Hood": "5"}, "Steals": {"Rodney Hood": "1", "Trey Lyles": "1", "Andre Roberson": "2", "Steven Adams": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Assists": {"Trey Lyles": "1", "Dante Exum": "1", "Alec Burks": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "14", "Enes Kanter": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Trey Lyles": "1", "Andre Roberson": "1", "Steven Adams": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "2", "Enes Kanter": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Dante Exum": "26"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Utah Jazz, 112 - 104, at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Saturday afternoon. The Jazz (41 - 25) learned shortly before tip - off that star center Rudy Gobert would miss his first game of the season due to knee soreness. That left Utah without a key rim protector against the Russell Westbrook and the Thunder (37 - 29) in the battle of Western Conference playoff contenders. Westbrook took full advantage of the Stifle Tower's absence, notching his 32nd career triple - double to vault over Wilt Chamberlain for second place on the all - time leaderboard, as he compiled 33 points, 14 assists, 11 rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Both teams shot very well, with the Jazz posting respective success rates of 48 percent from the floor and 45 percent from behind the arc, and the Thunder draining 50 percent of their overall shot attempts. However, without their dominant big man down low, Utah lost the rebounding battle by a 43 - 36 margin. The Jazz's scoring distribution was rather unorthodox, with no starter hitting double digits in the scoring column and the top two point totals therefore emanating from the bench. Dante Exum led the way with 22 points, which he supplemented with one rebound and one assist. He received 26 minutes with starting point guard George Hill somewhat limited by a troublesome toe. Alec Burks followed with 21 points, seven rebounds and two assists. Trey Lyles was the third productive reserve, as he posted 10 points, five rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block. The first unit was paced by matching nine - point efforts from Hill and Gordon Hayward. The former added one rebound, one assist and two steals, while the latter supplied three boards and one steal. However, Rodney Hood, Joe Johnson and Jeff Withey, the remaining members of the starting five, only combined for 11 points. Victor Oladipo was second behind his backcourt mate on the Thunder with 22 points, four assists, two rebounds, one steal and one block. Taj Gibson parlayed his start into 15 points and six rebounds. Steven Adams produced a near double - double of 11 points, nine rebounds, two steals and one block. Andre Roberson rounded out the first unit's solid afternoon with eight points, three rebounds, two steals and one block. Enes Kanter led the bench with 16 points, six rebounds, one assist and two blocks. The Jazz head back home to take on the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night, while the Thunder head to the Big Apple to tangle with the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday evening."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "26", "Mavericks": "28"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "94", "Mavericks": "76"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "46", "Mavericks": "45"}}, {"Points": {"Tyson Chandler": "10", "Monta Ellis": "10", "Boris Diaw": "19"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Boris Diaw": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Boris Diaw": "3"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (46 - 26) beat the Dallas Mavericks (45 - 28) 94 - 76 on Friday. The Spurs won the first and fourth quarters by 10 points each, and the held the Mavs to limited productivity in between. Boris Diaw was the man for San Antonio in the game, he went 3 - for - 4 on three pointers for a game - high 19 points. San Antonio is 10 - 3 in March and seems to be playing their best basketball of the season when it matters most. Well you wo n't read this statement too often but Tyson Chandler led the Mavericks in points. Believe it or not it's true, he and Monta Ellis put in 10 points a piece, but it was n't nearly enough to take down the defending champs on their home floor. It never helps when you only shoot 22 percent from beyond the arc. The Mavericks will look to bounce back on Sunday when they take on the Indiana Pacers, as the Spurs will host the Memphis Grizzlies who were annihilated by the Golden State Warriors on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "4", "Celtics": "4"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "85", "Celtics": "100"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Thunder": "11", "Celtics": "28"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "6", "Celtics": "5"}}, {"Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jared Sullinger": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Points": {"Jared Sullinger": "8", "Marcus Smart": "26", "Russell Westbrook": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Jared Sullinger": "15", "Marcus Smart": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "4"}, "Steals": {"Jared Sullinger": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "3"}, "Assists": {"Marcus Smart": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "5"}}], "The Boston Celtics (5 - 4) upset the Oklahoma City Thunder (6 - 4) 100 - 85 on Sunday thanks to a dominant fourth quarter. This was a tightly contested game, until a dreadful fourth quarter from the Thunder. Oklahoma City went 2 - for - 17 in an 11 - point fourth quarter. The Celtics on the other hand, dropped 28 points in the final 12 minutes and ran away with an impressive victory. This was the first time that the Thunder really missed Kevin Durant and they'll need him to come back as soon as possible to help carry the offensive road. The Celtics are quietly one of the hottest teams in the NBA right now, as they have won four of their last five games. They recently got back Marcus Smart from a toe issue and he put in his best performance of the season on Sunday. Smart tallied 26 points, eight rebounds and three assists in the win. They also got another great performance from Jared Sullinger, who has been fantastic since being re - inserted into the starting five. Sullinger snatched 15 rebounds and four steals in the victory, while scoring just eight points. This team has no superstars on its roster, but it's a deep, well - coached team that can be a threat to anyone on any given night. They'll look to keep up this strong form against the Houston Rockets on Monday in the second half of a back - to - back. This was the definition of a fourth quarter collapse, as there appeared to be a lid on the basket in the final 12 minutes for the Thunder. The team greatly missed superstar Kevin Durant who continues to miss games with a hamstring injury. Russell Westbrook continues to carry the load for the Thunder, as he collected 27 points, five assists, four rebounds, three steals and two blocks in the loss. He did shoot only 5 - for - 20 in the loss and it's just too hard for this Duantless Thunder team to win with a struggling Westbrook. Only one player had double - digits aside from Westbrook and that's very hard to overcome against a deep team like the Celtics. Oklahoma City will look to bounce back on Monday against the Grizzlies in Memphis in the second half of a back - to - back."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "12", "Nets": "22"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "105", "Nets": "111"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Heat": "19", "Nets": "34"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "18", "Nets": "9"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "52"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "44"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nets": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"Joe Johnson": "4", "Jarrett Jack": "6", "Goran Dragic": "5"}, "Points": {"Joe Johnson": "4", "Thaddeus Young": "11", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "9", "Jarrett Jack": "18", "Luol Deng": "15", "Chris Bosh": "24", "Hassan Whiteside": "18", "Dwyane Wade": "24", "Goran Dragic": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Joe Johnson": "6", "Thaddeus Young": "6", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "6", "Jarrett Jack": "4", "Chris Bosh": "12", "Hassan Whiteside": "11", "Dwyane Wade": "2", "Goran Dragic": "3"}, "Steals": {"Thaddeus Young": "3", "Jarrett Jack": "2", "Goran Dragic": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Chris Bosh": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chris Bosh": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Chris Bosh": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Chris Bosh": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Chris Bosh": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dwyane Wade": "2"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets (9 - 22) defeated the Miami Heat (18 - 12) 111 - 105 on Monday. The win was an improbable one to say the least, as the Nets had only managed two victories away from the Barclays Center this season. Meanwhile, Miami had defended its home court well, having posted a 13 - 6 record at the American Airlines Arena coming into tonight's contest. However, Brooklyn was able to escape the Magic City with a hard - fought win thanks to an outstanding shooting night overall, and the surprise contributions off the bench from Wayne Ellington in particular. The former Laker exploded with a 26 - point night (23 after halftime) after opening the second half in the starting lineup, and posted a scorching 7 - for - 9 tally from beyond the arc. The Nets shot a solid 44 percent from the field, but a stellar 52 percent from three - point range, thanks in large part to Ellington's performance. The steady barrage of scoring was needed, as the Heat bounced back from a 34 - 19 third - quarter thrashing by the visitors, which in turn had erased a 16 - point Miami advantage, to make things interesting in the final period. Although Ellington's scoring total paced the Brooklyn bench, Brook Lopez was able to equal him on the starter's end. The veteran big man also hauled in 12 boards to make it a second straight double - double. Jarrett Jack enjoyed a solid night against the tough defense of Goran Dragic, managing 18 points and adding six assists, four rebounds and a pair of steals. Thaddeus Young had a quiet game by his recent standards, but still pitched in with 11 points, six boards and three steals. Bojan Bogdanovic (nine points, six rebounds) and Joe Johnson (four points, six rebounds, four assists) rounded out a stat - sheet - stuffing night for the Nets' starting five. Brooklyn improved to 9 - 22 and remains in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head to Orlando to take on the Magic on Wednesday. The Heat were spearheaded by a pair of 24 - point efforts from their two stalwarts, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. Bosh also hauled in 12 boards, making it a third straight double - double, and giving him an outstanding 25 scoring average over his last five games. Hassan Whiteside took advantage of the defensively - challenged Lopez to collect his own matching set of double - digit points and rebounds, amassing 18 on the scoreboard and securing 11 boards. Luol Deng poured in 15 points, and Goran Dragic filled out the stat sheet with nine points, five assists, three rebounds and a pair of steals. The Heat fell to 18 - 12 and are now half a game behind the Atlanta Hawks for first place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They head to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies on Tuesday."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Blake Griffin": "3"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "12", "DeAndre Jordan": "17", "Austin Rivers": "19", "Kevin Durant": "25", "Draymond Green": "7", "Klay Thompson": "18", "Stephen Curry": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "11", "Kevin Durant": "15"}, "Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "7", "Stephen Curry": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Draymond Green": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Klay Thompson": "2"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "4"}}], "In predictable fashion, the Golden State Warriors were dominant on the offensive end on Thursday night. Reigning MVP Steph Curry led the way with 35 points including six three - pointers and also had five assists and four steals. All-Star shooting guard Klay Thompson, scored another 18 points and made two threes. Former MVP Kevin Durant led the team with 15 rebounds and had another 25 points and seven assists. It was a poor night for star forward Draymond Green, though, as he committed a technical foul and had six turnovers while scoring only seven points. On the Clippers' end, center DeAndre Jordan shouldered a bit of the offensive load, scoring 17 to go with 11 rebounds. All-Star Blake Griffin went cold, shooting just 3 - of - 13 for 12 points. Point guard Austin Rivers scored 19 points, and the team finished out the night shooting just 41 percent from the field."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "41"}}, {"Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "10", "Goran Dragic": "23", "Anthony Davis": "28", "Jrue Holiday": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "18", "Goran Dragic": "4", "Anthony Davis": "22"}, "Assists": {"Goran Dragic": "5", "Jrue Holiday": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}}], "All the talk prior to this game was about Hassan Whiteside and Anthony Davis squaring off, and they did n't disappoint. Davis was the star though, as he tallied 28 points, 22 rebounds and four blocks in the win. Whiteside finished with 10 points and 18 rebounds of his own, but struggled from the free - throw line and from the field. going 2 - of - 6 from the charity stripe and 4 - of - 10 from the field. The point guards were n't too shabby either, as Jrue Holiday accrued 22 points and six assists, while Goran Dragic collected 23 points, four rebounds and five assists. Miami won many of the statistics, as they won the shooting, rebounding and assisting differentials. The key for the Pelicans was their defense, as they recorded eight steals and nine blocks, while holding Miami to 41 percent shooting. New Orleans had to comeback to win this game, as they finished it on a 24 - 10 run after trailing by eight points with six minutes left."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Cavaliers": "30", "Magic": "14"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "7", "Magic": "10"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "106", "Magic": "74"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Cavaliers": "25"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Cavaliers": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Cavaliers": "44", "Magic": "40"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "6", "Magic": "6"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "36"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Magic": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Nikola Vucevic": "18", "Victor Oladipo": "22", "LeBron James": "29", "Kevin Love": "12", "Anderson Varejao": "14", "Kyrie Irving": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "13", "Victor Oladipo": "9", "LeBron James": "4", "Kevin Love": "8", "Anderson Varejao": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Victor Oladipo": "5"}, "Assists": {"LeBron James": "11", "Kyrie Irving": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LeBron James": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Love": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Love": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Kevin Love": "32"}, "Steals": {"Kyrie Irving": "4"}}], "The Cavaliers (6 - 7) snapped a four - game losing skid Monday, thoroughly handling the Magic (6 - 10) 106 - 74 behind 29 points and 11 assists from LeBron James. James, who was critical of his own play leading up to Monday\u2019s contest, scored 16 points in the first quarter as Cleveland was able to force turnovers and get out in transition. Cleveland had 25 points off of turnovers on the night and out - rebounded Orlando 44 - 40. James did not play in the fourth quarter, while Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving were removed within the first four minutes of the final period. Love finished with 12 points (5 - 11 FG) and eight rebounds in 32 minutes. Irving also had 12 points to go with four assists and four steals. Anderson Varejao added 14 points and six boards. The Cavaliers recorded 30 assists on 42 field goals. Orlando, which trailed by 10 after the first quarter, received solid production from Nikola Vucevic and Victor Oladipo, but the young tandem didn\u2019t receive much help. Vucevic finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Oladipo had a team - high 22 points and nine rebounds, but he committed five turnovers. The rest of the Magic\u2019s starters combined for only 13 points on 4 - of - 20 shooting. Orlando shot just 36 percent from the floor had just 14 assists on 29 field goals. Up next, the Magic host the West-leading Warriors on Wednesday. Cleveland awaits a rematch with the Wizards, also on Wednesday, after Washington knocked off the Cavs 91 - 78 on Friday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "25", "Rockets": "22"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "98", "Rockets": "100"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Clippers": "20"}, "Turnovers": {"Clippers": "20"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "42", "Rockets": "44"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Terrence Jones": "1", "James Harden": "3", "Chris Paul": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"James Harden": "5", "Chris Paul": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "16", "Chris Paul": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "7", "Chris Paul": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"James Harden": "41", "Chris Paul": "37"}, "Points": {"James Harden": "34", "Chris Paul": "23"}, "Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "20"}}], "The Rockets (44 - 22) edged out the Clippers (42 - 25) 100 - 98 in Los Angeles on Sunday. Houston had a 10 - point lead at the end of the third quarter, but allowed the Clippers to get back into the game late. With seven minutes remaining, Los Angeles went on a 13 - 5 run. They finally tied the game 96 - 96 on a Chris Paul three - pointer with three minutes left on the clock. The Rockets' Terrence Jones answered back with a three - pointer of his own at the two - minute mark. With less than 20 seconds to play and the Rockets up 99 - 98, the Clippers' Blake Griffin stole a pass intended for James Harden, dribbled down the court and attempted to draw a shooting foul, only to be called for charging. On the ensuing possession, Harden went 1 - 1 from the free - throw line. Down 100 - 98, Paul missed the equalizer as time expired. NBA MVP candidate Harden finished the game with 34 points (7 - 16 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt) in 41 minutes. Half of those points came from the free - throw line. In the second quarter, the Clippers' Matt Barnes bear hugged Harden and threw him to the ground, drawing a flagrant - 1 foul. Harden made both free throws. Chris Paul led the Clippers in scoring with 23 points (7 - 21 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt) in 37 minutes. DeAndre Jordan pulled down 20 rebounds, and Blake Griffin racked up eight assists. Up next, the Rockets host the Magic on Tuesday. The Clippers play the Hornets in Los Angeles, also on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "14", "Thunder": "10"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "114", "Thunder": "95"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "13", "Thunder": "15"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "38"}}, {"Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "6", "Damian Lillard": "9"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "20", "Mason Plumlee": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Mason Plumlee": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Mason Plumlee": "7"}}], "The host Portland Trail Blazers beat the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, 114 - 95. Portland (13 - 14) ran away with the game early, holding a 16 - point lead by halftime. While no Blazer scored 20 points, the team saw well - rounded offense leading to 114 points on 53 percent shooting. Six Blazers scored in double digits, and center Mason Plumlee led the team with 18 points on an impressive 7 - of - 9 shooting. Portland's dynamic duo of guards, Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, scored a combined 32 points. Lillard also dished out nine assists. Oklahoma City (15 - 10) had won seven of its last eight games heading into Tuesday's contest. However, All-Star guard Russell Westbrook, who had been averaging over 31 points with a triple - double heading into the game, faltered on Tuesday, posting just 20 points, six assists, and six rebounds. The guard shot only 7 - of - 19. While Westbrook's numbers still impressed, it was nowhere near the team - carrying performance that Oklahoma City needed, as the team shot just 38 percent from the field and had 20 turnovers. Guard Victor Oladipo was sidelined with an injury sustained during a game against Boston earlier in the week. His absence and Westbrook's struggles left the Thunder needing more offensively, but the rest of team was unable to provide adequate help. The Thunder will play the Jazz on Wednesday, while the Blazers will face the Nuggets on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "6", "Timberwolves": "19"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "109", "Timberwolves": "95"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "18", "Timberwolves": "5"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Thaddeus Young": "29", "Shabazz Muhammad": "21", "Mo Williams": "6", "John Wall": "21", "Rasual Butler": "23"}, "Minutes played": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "28", "Mo Williams": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Mo Williams": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Otto Porter": "5", "Rasual Butler": "5"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "17"}}], "The Washington Wizards (18 - 6) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (5 - 19) 109 - 95 on Tuesday. Washington has won five straight games. John Wall led the way for the Wizards on Tuesday, putting up a double - double of 21 points and 17 assists. Paul Pierce sat out the game with a sore right toe. Otto Porter was given the spot start in Pierce's absence, but Rasual Butler was the player who stepped their game to cover the hole, putting up 23 points and five rebounds off the bench. Minnesota has lost three straight games, but they did some things particulary well in Tuesday's loss. They made it to the free - throw line 35 times, though they were only able to convert 20 of their attempts there. Thaddeus Young scored a game - high 29 points, and Shabazz Muhammad put up 21 points in 28 minutes off the bench. Mo Williams (back) returned from a six - game absence, playing 14 minutes off the bench. The Wizards will go on the road to Miami to face the Heat on Friday. Minnesota will continue their road trip in Boston on Friday against the Celtics."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "4"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "116", "Warriors": "129"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "4"}}, {"Points": {"Draymond Green": "23", "Stephen Curry": "46", "Kevin Martin": "15", "Andre Miller": "11", "Gorgui Dieng": "11", "Shabazz Muhammad": "16"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "8", "Andrew Wiggins": "1"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Stephen Curry": "62"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "25"}, "Field goals made": {"Stephen Curry": "15"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Stephen Curry": "60"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Zach LaVine": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Zach LaVine": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1"}, "Assists": {"Zach LaVine": "1"}, "Steals": {"Zach LaVine": "1"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (100) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (4 - 4) 129 - 116 on Thursday. The high - scoring affair was a testament to the reigning NBA champs' ability to pull out a victory in almost any style of game. While the Warriors can certainly grind teams down with defense - - demonstrated Wednesday night when holding the Grizzlies to 85 points - - they've also shown they can withstand a prolific offense performance from their opponent and still prevail. The latter was the case Thursday, with the Timberwolves getting productive nights out of multiple starters and reserves, yet still suffering a disheartening double - digit loss. Steph Curry led all scorers with 46 points on 15 - for - 25 shooting. It marked Curry's second - highest scoring night of what is already an MVP-caliber season, and the 60 percent accuracy from the field was his third highest this season. Curry drained eight three - pointers on the night, tying a season high, at an impressive 62 percent clip. The remaining four Warriors starters also scored in double digits, led by Draymond Green's 23 - point, 12 - rebound double - double. The Warriors are in first place in both the Pacific Division and Western Conference, sporting the best record in the league. They head home for a Saturday night tilt versus the Brooklyn Nets. The Timberwolves posted their second - highest scoring night of the season after 117 points in a surprising victory over the Hawks on Monday. Minnesota received double - digit scoring performances from starters Andrew Wiggins (who returned from a one - game absence due to a knee injury), Zach LaVine (who replaced the injured Ricky Rubio) and rookie sensation Karl Anthony-Towns, who posted his fourth consecutive double - double and sixth overall on the season. The reserves also got in on the fun, led by Shabazz Muhammad (16 points) and Kevin Martin (15 points). Backup center Gorgui Dieng and 17 - year veteran Andre Miller contributed a pair of 11 - point efforts. The Timberwolves dropped to 4 - 4 on the season and are in a three - way tie with the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets for second place behind the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference's Northwest Division. They head to Indiana for the second game of a back - to - back versus the Pacers."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "35", "Celtics": "37"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "41", "Celtics": "42"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "100", "Celtics": "105"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "41", "Celtics": "40"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "43"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "49"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Celtics": "22"}, "Turnovers": {"Celtics": "16"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Gigi Datome": "7", "Ersan Ilyasova": "5", "Khris Middleton": "3", "O.J. Mayo": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Gigi Datome": "3", "Ersan Ilyasova": "3", "Khris Middleton": "2", "O.J. Mayo": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gigi Datome": "15", "Ersan Ilyasova": "13", "Khris Middleton": "10", "Tyler Ennis": "13", "O.J. Mayo": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Gigi Datome": "9", "Ersan Ilyasova": "8", "Khris Middleton": "8", "Tyler Ennis": "5", "O.J. Mayo": "7"}, "Points": {"Gigi Datome": "22", "Kelly Olynyk": "16", "Jonas Jerebko": "16", "Ersan Ilyasova": "21", "Khris Middleton": "18", "Tyler Ennis": "11", "O.J. Mayo": "16"}, "Minutes played": {"Kelly Olynyk": "22", "Jonas Jerebko": "23", "Ersan Ilyasova": "26", "Khris Middleton": "21", "Tyler Ennis": "27", "O.J. Mayo": "26"}, "Assists": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "4", "Tyler Ennis": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "5", "O.J. Mayo": "5"}}], "The Boston Celtics (40 - 42) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (41 - 41) 105 - 100 on Wednesday in Milwaukee. In the final game of the regular season, neither the Bucks nor Celtics had anything but pride to play for, as both teams were locked into the No. 6 and 7 seeds respectively. Nevertheless, both teams competed till the bitter end. Boston, however, was able to steadily lead the fourth quarter and pull away in the end for the victory. Luigi Datome led the way for the Celtics, as he scored 22 points (9 - 15 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt) in a spot start with Jae Crowder sidelined with a sore right ankle. It can be expected that it was just precautionary and Crowder will make a return to Boston\u2019s rotation once the postseason begins. Datome was the only starter to score in double figures for the Celtics, but both Jonas Jerebko and Kelly Olynyk were able to each score 16 points in 23 and 22 minutes off the bench respectively. Boston was very efficient on offense, shooting a respectable 49 percent from the field and a very solid 43 percent from behind the arc. They also recorded 37 assists on 42 made field goals to just 16 turnovers. They will take on the No. 2 seed Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the NBA playoffs this weekend. The Bucks\u2019 starters all played limited minutes with their fate already sealed. However, both Ersan Ilyasova and Khris Middleton played well in those minutes. Ilyasova scored a game - high 21 points (8 - 13 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt) to go along with five rebounds and four assists in 26 minutes, while Khris Middleton scored an incredibly efficient 18 points (8 - 10 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt) in 21 minutes. O.J. Mayo was able to score 16 points (7 - 14 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt) and grab five rebounds in 26 minutes off the bench, while Tyler Ennis scored 11 points (5 - 13 FG) and dished out 8 assists in 27 minutes off the bench. Milwaukee also shared the ball well, recording 35 assists on 41 made field goals, but unfortunately for them it was not enough. Regardless, the Bucks still will be the No. 6 seed and will play the Chicago Bulls once the playoffs begin."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "28"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "38"}}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "14", "Rudy Gobert": "13", "George Hill": "18", "Jimmy Butler": "23", "Denzel Valentine": "11", "Bobby Portis": "22"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "5", "Jimmy Butler": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "13", "Jimmy Butler": "4", "Denzel Valentine": "12"}, "Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "18", "Bobby Portis": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Jimmy Butler": "8", "Bobby Portis": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Jimmy Butler": "38", "Denzel Valentine": "28", "Bobby Portis": "31"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "3"}}], "Jimmy Butler was the high - point man in the contest, as he led the Bulls with 23 points on 8 - of - 18 shooting, to go along with seven assists, four rebounds, three steals and two blocks, in 38 minutes of action. Bobby Portis came up huge off the bench, with a career - high 22 points on super - efficient 10 - of - 13 shooting, in 31 minutes. Denzel Valentine also had a notable game for his young career, as he notched his first double - double, with 11 points and 12 rebounds, in 28 minutes off the bench. Meanwhile, the Jazz shot only 38 percent from the field, including 28 percent from long range. Five players scored in double digits for Utah, led by George Hill, who finished with 18 points. Gordon Hayward followed up with 14 points, while Rudy Gobert finished with 13 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks."], [[{}, {"Steals": {"Nikola Jokic": "4", "Kenneth Faried": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Wilson Chandler": "2"}, "Assists": {"Kenneth Faried": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Kenneth Faried": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Kenneth Faried": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Kenneth Faried": "2"}}], "The Nuggets did everything they could to lose in regulation Saturday, as they turned it over twice, missed two free - throws and failed to score in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter. They allowed Portland to score the last nine points in regulation and tie it with four seconds left. The Nuggets went 3 - for - 15 in the final three minutes of regulation and overtime. There was a 30 - minute delay with nine minutes left in the fourth quarter, as there was a lighting issue at Pepsi Center. After that, Denver scored just 23 points in the fourth and OT and mightily struggled from the field. Nikola Jokic was the only Nuggets starter who shot well, as the other four players combined to go 19 - for - 58. Kenneth Faried and Wilson Chandler were nice sparks off the bench, accumulating 18 points and 16 rebounds between the two. The 60 combined points from Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum were more than half of the total from Portland."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "25"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "84", "Clippers": "94"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Lakers": "27", "Clippers": "9"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "5"}}, {"Assists": {"Chris Paul": "6", "Kobe Bryant": "3"}, "Points": {"Chris Paul": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Chris Paul": "5", "Kobe Bryant": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kobe Bryant": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kobe Bryant": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Kobe Bryant": "3"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (17 - 13) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (5 - 25) 94 - 84 on Friday night in a Christmas Day showdown. This game seemed well out of hand to start the fourth quarter, but the Lakers made a late run to give fans some hope. They still fell short, but they cut a 28 - point lead to eight points with about three minutes left. The look on Doc Rivers face would not indicate a double - digit win and he feels lucky to escape with a win. The Lakers actually outscored the Clippers 27 - 9 in the final 12 minutes, and they would have won if they didn\u2019t get down by so much through the first three quarters. The Clippers played fantastic for the first three quarters, but let down in a big way to let the Lakers backups back in the game. The win isn\u2019t going to look good in filmroom tomorrow, but a win is a win and they needed it. Chris Paul was back to his old form, as he tallied 23 points, five rebounds, and six assists in the win. Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan also did a good job of controlling the post, as they totaled 22 points, 26 rebounds and eight assists. The bench were the ones who struggled, as they allowed the Lakers to climb back into the game. The Clippers will travel to Salt Lake City on Saturday to take on the Utah Jazz in their next game. No Lakers starter scored more than 12 points and they really wouldn\u2019t have been in this game if it weren\u2019t for their bench. Julius Randle and D'Angelo Russell combined for 27 points, 15 rebounds and five steals to nearly bring the Lakers back from a 28 - point deficit. Kobe Bryant hit three three - pointers in this game and set a record for the most three's made by anyone on Christmas. This wasn\u2019t a pretty performance by the Lakers, but it's a promising sign to see their youngsters bring them back and show some resiliency. They'll look to build on this when they take on the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "7", "Anthony Davis": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "42"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "10", "Anthony Davis": "14"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}}], "Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis have been unstoppable in their own ways all season, but over the last two games, they've decided to take things to another level. After his 42 - point, 10 rebound, seven - assist performance Wednesday, Westbrook has now accumulated a total of 88 points, 21 rebounds and 14 rebounds over just his last two games. Meanwhile, Anthony Davis has scored a total of 65 points and 31 rebounds in his last two outings. Both are proving they are capable of fantastic individual performances, but these performances are not always leading to victories. In games where Russell Westbrook has recorded at least 40 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, the Thunder are 2 - 2. For Davis, when he posts 30 points and 15 rebounds is 5 - 5. With both records at .500, there should be an even greater emphasis on the supporting cast to hold up their end while the superstars are exceeding expectations."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Nets": "40"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Brook Lopez": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Brook Lopez": "4"}, "Points": {"Brook Lopez": "22", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "13", "Steven Adams": "15", "Victor Oladipo": "26", "Russell Westbrook": "30", "Enes Kanter": "13", "Joffrey Lauvergne": "13"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "13"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Enes Kanter": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Enes Kanter": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Enes Kanter": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Enes Kanter": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Joffrey Lauvergne": "3"}}], "The Nets scored a whopping 40 points in the opening quarter, but they were outscored by a 90 - 65 margin the rest of the way. Russell Westbrook posted yet another triple - double that consisted of 30 points, 13 assists, 11 rebounds and a steal. Victor Oladipo contributed 26 points of his own, while Steven Adams was an effective third wheel with 15 points. The Thunder bench put together a solid 39 - point effort that featured three double - digit scoring performances, including a pair of 13 - point efforts from forwards Joffrey Lauvergne and Enes Kanter. Brook Lopez paced Brooklyn with 22 points, which partly consisted of a 4 - of - 7 tally from three - point range. Rondae-Hollis Jefferson and Bojan Bogdanovic registered a pair of 13 - point efforts, while Anthony Bennett, Joe Harris and Sean Kilpatrick combined for 32 points off the bench."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "46", "Cavaliers": "41"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "13", "Cavaliers": "6"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "108", "Cavaliers": "114"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bucks": "22", "Cavaliers": "16"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "13", "Cavaliers": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kyrie Irving": "5", "Channing Frye": "2", "Jabari Parker": "3"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "34", "Tristan Thompson": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "28", "Channing Frye": "15", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "25", "Jabari Parker": "30", "John Henson": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "12", "Tristan Thompson": "12", "Kyrie Irving": "5", "Channing Frye": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "13", "Jabari Parker": "9", "John Henson": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the host Milwaukee Bucks, 114 - 108, in overtime at BMO Harris Bradley Center on Tuesday. Teams tend to show up when the Cavaliers come to their home building and that was just the case here. Cleveland actually led for the majority of the game, as Milwaukee had to ride a 22 - 16 fourth quarter to get to overtime. From there, the Cavs took over by wining the overtime, 14 - 8 and finished the game on a 70 run. The key for Cleveland was three - point shooting, as they went 17 - of - 40 from long distance in their win. Milwaukee actually dominated the shooting, as they went 46 percent from the field and held Cleveland to just 41 percent. Cleveland (20 - 6) had to play this game without Kevin Love, but they have two other players who are n't too shabby. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving carried the load, as they combined for 62 points, 17 rebounds and 12 assists in the overtime victory. James led the team with 34 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, while Irving provided 28 points, five rebounds and five assists. The only other starter in double figures was Tristan Thompson, who totaled 10 points and 12 rebounds. Channing Frye led the bench, scoring 15 points, while adding three rebounds and two assists. Milwaukee (13 - 13) left it all on the floor in their home building, but it simply was n't enough against a better Cleveland team. Jabari Parker led the team in scoring, as he collected 30 points, nine rebounds and three assists in the defeat. Giannis Antetokounmpo got off to a slow start, but still finished with 25 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks before fouling out in the overtime. John Henson was the only other starter in double figures, as he accrued 14 points and eight rebounds. No bench player scored more than eight points or played more than 20 minutes. These teams will have a rematch on Wednesday in Cleveland to cap off their home - and - home set."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "3", "Heat": "3"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "90", "Heat": "87"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "3", "Heat": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Heat": "11"}}, {"Points": {"Chris Bosh": "21", "Hassan Whiteside": "8", "Goran Dragic": "11", "Justise Winslow": "13", "Paul George": "36", "Monta Ellis": "4", "George Hill": "12", "Jordan Hill": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Chris Bosh": "11", "Hassan Whiteside": "12", "Justise Winslow": "8", "Paul George": "12", "Monta Ellis": "4", "Jordan Hill": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4", "Paul George": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Goran Dragic": "11", "Monta Ellis": "8"}, "Assists": {"Paul George": "3", "Monta Ellis": "8", "George Hill": "4"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Monta Ellis": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"George Hill": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"George Hill": "3"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (3 - 3) sported their new alternative uniforms as they edged the Miami Heat (3 - 3) 90 - 87 in a back - and - fourth match on Friday night. The game was tied with two minutes remaining, but some clutch free - throw shooting allowed the Pacers to take the edge over the Heat. Chris Bosh had a big game for the Heat, notching a double - double with 21 points and 11 rebounds. The only other players for Miami to score double digits were Goran Dragic with 11 and rookie Justise Winslow with 13. Winslow also added eight rebounds. Hassan Whiteside continued his good work in the paint with eight points, 12 rebounds, and a big four blocks. The Heat lacked offensive depth and missed Gerald Green, who is still out with an undisclosed medical issue. Indiana has taken nothing for granted so far this season, and is grinding out every game, and was rewarded with the W for their efforts Friday. Paul George delivered a strong performance Friday night with 36 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, three steals, and one block. George Hill added 12 points and four assists on 3 - of - 4 shooting from distance. Jordan Hill notched a double - double off the bench with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Monta Ellis had a quiet shooting night, going only 2 - of - 8, scoring only four points but he did dish a solid eight assists and grabbed four rebounds. Both teams are off Saturday and get back into action on Sunday, when Indiana visits the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami hosts the Toronto Raptors."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Hornets": "19"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Wizards": "33"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "37"}, "Turnovers": {"Wizards": "12"}}, {"Points": {"Jason Smith": "8", "Bradley Beal": "18", "John Wall": "19", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "12", "Marvin Williams": "16", "Cody Zeller": "19", "Nicolas Batum": "8", "Kemba Walker": "16", "Marco Belinelli": "11", "Frank Kaminsky": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Nicolas Batum": "10"}}], "The Wizards, which had played 13 games since the All-Star break coming into Saturday, posted their lowest scoring tally since Feb. 26, shooting 37 percent from the field and 33 percent from three - point range while committing 12 turnovers. The Hornets won the second half by a 59 - 53 margin to pull off the victory. Cody Zeller's 19 points led Charlotte. Kemba Walker and Marvin Williams supplied matching 16 - point efforts. Nicolas Batum (migraines) tallied eight points and 10 boards in his return. Frank Kaminsky III paced the reserves with 14 points, while Marco Belinelli poured in 11. John Wall's 19 points paced Washington. Bradley Beal was next with 18 points, while Otto Porter, Jr. followed with 16. Jason Smith drew another start for Markieff Morris (illness) and provided eight points, while Bojan Bogdanovic led the bench with 12."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "31", "Kings": "45"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "97", "Kings": "98"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Clippers": "20"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Clippers": "21", "Kings": "33"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "44", "Kings": "28"}}, {"Assists": {"Tyreke Evans": "1", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "1", "Buddy Hield": "2", "Darren Collison": "4", "Georgios Papagiannis": "4", "Ben McLemore": "2", "Blake Griffin": "4", "Austin Rivers": "4", "Chris Paul": "9", "Jamal Crawford": "2"}, "Points": {"Tyreke Evans": "8", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "8", "Buddy Hield": "15", "Darren Collison": "19", "Georgios Papagiannis": "12", "Ben McLemore": "8", "DeAndre Jordan": "20", "Austin Rivers": "10", "Chris Paul": "17", "Jamal Crawford": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyreke Evans": "4", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "14", "Buddy Hield": "7", "Darren Collison": "1", "Georgios Papagiannis": "4", "Ben McLemore": "2", "Anthony Tolliver": "3", "Blake Griffin": "6", "DeAndre Jordan": "11", "Austin Rivers": "9", "Chris Paul": "4", "Jamal Crawford": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "1", "Georgios Papagiannis": "2", "Anthony Tolliver": "1", "DeAndre Jordan": "1", "Chris Paul": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "3"}, "Steals": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "2", "Buddy Hield": "1", "Darren Collison": "1", "Blake Griffin": "1", "DeAndre Jordan": "1", "Chris Paul": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Chris Paul": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chris Paul": "3"}}], "The Sacramento Kings defeated the Los Angeles Clippers, 98 - 97, at Staples Center on Sunday afternoon. The Kings (28 - 45) played like the team with playoff seeding at stake in the fourth quarter after entering the period trailing 76 - 65 and then falling behind by as much as 89 - 71 with 7:58 remaining. The Clippers (44 - 31), perhaps feeling the lingering effects of playing five games over the course of the last week, could n't score between the 5:16 and 3:3 marks of the fourth period and ultimately saw Sacramento outscore them by a 33 - 21 tally in the final 12 minutes. Willie Cauley-Stein's basket after an offensive rebound with three seconds remaining gave the Kings the 98 - 97 lead that would prove to be the final margin of victory, and Chris Paul missed a would - be game - winning 21 - foot jumper at the buzzer to seal the upset win. Darren Collison led the way for the visitors with 19 points, four assists, a rebound and a steal. Buddy Hield continued his strong play with 15 points, seven rebounds, two assists and a steal. Anthony Tolliver matched Hield's scoring total while leading the bench and added three rebounds and a block. Georgios Papagiannis provided 12 points, four rebounds, four assists and two blocks in a reserve role as well. Cauley-Stein mustered a modest eight points overall but also hauled in 14 rebounds, dished out an assist and recorded a pair of steals and a block. Tyreke Evans also tallied eight points and complemented them with four boards and one assist. Ben McLemore was productive off the bench as well with eight points, two rebounds and two assists. DeAndre Jordan led the way for the Clippers with 20 points, 11 rebounds, one steal and one block. Paul poured in 17 points and added nine assists, four rebounds, one steal and one block. Blake Griffin matched Paul in the scoring department and also posted six rebounds, four assists and a steal. Austin Rivers drew the start at shooting guard and registered 10 points, nine boards and four assists. Jamal Crawford led the second unit with nine points, two assists and a rebound. The Kings head back home to tangle with the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night, while the Clippers remain home and await the Washington Wizards on Wednesday evening."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "23"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "36"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "91", "Kings": "96"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "5"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "3"}}, {"Points": {"Rudy Gay": "23", "DeMarcus Cousins": "22", "Ty Lawson": "5", "DeMar DeRozan": "23", "Kyle Lowry": "15", "Patrick Patterson": "6"}, "Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Ty Lawson": "11", "Kyle Lowry": "10"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Patrick Patterson": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ty Lawson": "6", "DeMar DeRozan": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Ty Lawson": "0", "DeMar DeRozan": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Kyle Lowry": "4", "Patrick Patterson": "9"}}], "The Sacramento Kings were able to score a road victory Sunday over the Toronto Raptors, knocking off the defending Eastern Conference runner - ups 96 - 91 at the Air Canada Centre. Recent results would indicate an easy Raptors win, but that simply was n't the case. This game was tight throughout, as no team led by more than 11 points. Toronto actually led for a 30 - minute stretch in this game, but the Kings hung around and pulled out the upset win. The key for Sacramento was their defense, as they held Toronto to 36 percent shooting from the field and 23 percent shooting from three - point range. The Kings also dominated down low, limiting the Raptors to 30 paint points, while scoring 52 on their end. The Kings (3 - 5) have been struggling recently, so a road win like this may change their fortunes going forward. Rudy Gay was n't expected to suit up for this game with a rib injury, but ended up suiting up while scoring a team - high 23 points against his former squad. DeMarcus Cousins was second on the team in scoring, tallying 22 points to go with 15 rebounds, four assists and three blocks in the win. Ty Lawson scored just five points on 0 - of - 6 shooting, but handed out 11 dimes in the victory. Kosta Koufos and Arron Afflalo both scored in double figures for the first time this year as well. Sacramento will return to action on Tuesday, when they host the winless New Orleans Pelicans. Toronto (5 - 2) looked as dominant as anyone coming into this game, but left Sunday looking very beatable. DeMar DeRozan failed to reach 30 points for the first time all season, as he dropped 23 on 7 - of - 20 shooting in the loss. Kyle Lowry was the only other player with more than 10 points, finishing the contest with 15 points, 10 assists and four rebounds. Patrick Patterson was a nice spark off the bench, as he amassed six points, nine rebounds and two blocks. On deck for the Raptors is a road matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nuggets": "42"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "53", "Clippers": "42"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Marreese Speights": "10", "Austin Rivers": "12", "Nikola Jokic": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Marreese Speights": "7", "Austin Rivers": "7", "Nikola Jokic": "8"}, "Points": {"Marreese Speights": "18", "DeAndre Jordan": "14", "Austin Rivers": "16", "Danilo Gallinari": "18", "Kenneth Faried": "13", "Nikola Jokic": "19", "Will Barton": "18", "Wilson Chandler": "18", "Jusuf Nurkic": "12"}, "Steals": {"Marreese Speights": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Marreese Speights": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"DeAndre Jordan": "27", "Nikola Jokic": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "13", "Nikola Jokic": "10"}, "Assists": {"Nikola Jokic": "3"}}], "Six players scored in double digits for the Nuggets, while none of them scored more than 20 points. Nikola Jokic was the high - point man with 19 on solid 8 - of - 11 shooting, to go along with 10 rebounds and three assists, in 21 minutes. Meanwhile, Danilo Gallinari, Will Barton and Wilson Chandler all chipped in 18 points each. Kenneth Faried chipped in 13 points, and Jusuf Nurkic added 12 points to round out the balanced attack. The Clipper had five players score in double figures, led by Marreese Speights, who got the start in this one. Speights finished with 18 points on 7 - of - 10 shooting, while Austin Rivers followed up with 16 points on 7 - of - 12 shooting. DeAndre Jordan was solid as well, as he tallied 14 points and 13 rebounds, in 27 minutes. The Clippers shot only 42 percent from the field, compared to Denver's 53 percent."], [[{}, {"Field goals made": {"Paul Millsap": "3"}, "Free throw percentage": {"Paul Millsap": "50"}, "Personal fouls": {"Paul Millsap": "3"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "2"}}], "Wednesday night, it looked as if Paul Millsap was ready to begin his All-Star break a day early, especially when you consider how effective he has been as of late. Before his dreadful eight - point, two - rebound performance against the Clippers, Millsap had recorded three straight games of at least 20 points, six rebounds and three assists. Over that three - game stretch, he averaged 23 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists while shooting an even 50 percent from the field 36 percent from behind the three - point line. Now, there should be very little cause for concern, as Millsap is still well on his way to having the most productive season of his 11 - year career and Wednesday was just the fourth time all season that the power forward managed to shoot under 30 percent and not score at least 10 points."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "18", "Pacers": "14"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "102", "Pacers": "95"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "9", "Pacers": "13"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "14"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "41"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "4", "Jeff Teague": "10"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "18", "Myles Turner": "26", "Jeff Teague": "21", "Al Jefferson": "14", "Anthony Davis": "35", "Buddy Hield": "21", "Jrue Holiday": "16", "Terrence Jones": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Myles Turner": "14", "Buddy Hield": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Myles Turner": "11", "Buddy Hield": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Myles Turner": "8", "Jeff Teague": "6", "Al Jefferson": "5", "Jrue Holiday": "7", "Terrence Jones": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jrue Holiday": "1"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Indiana Pacers, 102 - 95, at Smoothie King Center on Thursday. In a battle between two teams playing below expectations, the Pelicans escaped with a much - needed win. This game was tight throughout, as there were 11 ties and 10 lead changes, with neither team leading by more than 10 points. Rebounding was key for New Orleans, as they won that battle, 56 - 46. Three-point shooting really killed the Pacers, as they went 3 - of - 21 from long distance. Indiana (13 - 14) simply could n't find their shots in this game, as they went just 41 percent from the field and 14 percent from three - point range. Myles Turner was a lone bright spot, as he led the team with 26 points and eight rebounds on 11 - of - 14 shooting. Jeff Teague was n't far behind, finishing with 21 points, six rebounds and 10 assists. Paul George was the only other starter in double figures, as he accrued 18 points, four rebounds and four assists. Al Jefferson led the bench with 14 points and five rebounds. Indiana will return to action on Saturday in a road matchup with the Detroit Pistons. New Orleans (9 - 18) has rode Anthony Davis all season long and he put in another spectacular performance here. Davis finished with 35 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks on his way to a monster performance. Jrue Holiday was also big, totaling 16 points, seven rebounds and 12 assists in the victory. Buddy Hield had one of his best games, dropping 21 points on 8 - of - 17 shooting. Terrence Jones recorded a double - double off the bench, totaling 10 points and 11 rebounds. The Pelicans play again on Friday, as they matchup with the Houston Rockets on the road."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "9", "Timberwolves": "52"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "117", "Timberwolves": "124"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Warriors": "20"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "69", "Timberwolves": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Stephen Curry": "15"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "32", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "20", "Shabazz Muhammad": "35", "Harrison Barnes": "20", "Stephen Curry": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "5", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "12", "Shabazz Muhammad": "6", "Harrison Barnes": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "12", "Stephen Curry": "25"}, "Field goals made": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "9", "Stephen Curry": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "17"}, "Free throws made": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "15"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Harrison Barnes": "2", "Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Harrison Barnes": "2"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (26 - 52) defeated the Golden State Warriors (69 - 9) at Oracle Arena on Tuesday, 124 - 117 in overtime. The Timberwolves handed the Warriors only their second loss at home and put the NBA record for regular season wins in jeopardy. The thrilling contest needed an extra period, and although the Warriors were undefeated in overtime, the Timberwolves rallied behind Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins and a career performance from Shabazz Muhammad off the bench. Golden State committed a season high 24 turnovers, and Stephen Curry\u2019s miserable first half shooting did not aid his team back into game. The refs provided some controversial calls down the stretch, as Curry was called for a blocking foul on a Karl-Anthony Towns and - one, which after a long discussion was reversed to a charge at the hands of Towns. The call came at a pivotal moment during the game, late in the fourth quarter, but even with a bit of luck on their side, the Warriors weren\u2019t able to get a shot off as time expired to win in it regulation. Overtime went entirely in favor of Minnesota, where Towns and Muhammad took care of business as they had throughout the game. All five Warriors starters finished in double figures, but it took a volume of shots to get their. Curry only had two points heading into the half, but completed a season high 15 assists along the way. He finished with 21 points on 7 - of - 25 shooting, while Harrison Barnes carried Golden State through the first two quarters and contributed 20 points and five rebounds. Andre Iguodala returned to action after missing a slate of games with an ankle injury, but logged 18 minutes and was more effective on the defensive end of the floor. Shabazz Muhammad stepped up big and led all scorers with 35 points, to go along with six rebounds on 9 - of - 12 shooting. His career night included draining 15 - of - 17 shots from the charity stripe, where found himself in tough situations in the waning minutes of regulation and overtime. Andrew Wiggins and Towns both eclipsed 40 minutes of play, but the youth had no trouble handling the workload. Wiggins added 32 points, in addition to five rebounds and four assists. Towns added 20 points and 12 rebounds in the physical contest. Both teams play on Thursday, as the Timberwolves visit the Sacramento Kings (31 - 47), while the Warriors host the San Antonio Spurs (65 - 12)."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Hawks": "22"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Dwight Howard": "31", "Dennis Schroder": "29", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "31", "Andrew Bogut": "29"}, "Points": {"Dwight Howard": "15", "Dennis Schroder": "20", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "22", "Dirk Nowitzki": "11", "Harrison Barnes": "21", "Andrew Bogut": "2", "Devin Harris": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "20", "Dennis Schroder": "3", "Andrew Bogut": "11"}, "Assists": {"Dennis Schroder": "3"}, "Steals": {"Dennis Schroder": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "13", "Harrison Barnes": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "7", "Harrison Barnes": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Andrew Bogut": "1"}}], "Tim Hardaway Jr. was the high - point man for the Hawks, as he finished with 22 points on 7 - of - 13 shooting, in 31 minutes off the bench. Four other players scored in double digits for Atlanta, including Dennis Schroder, who added 20 points, three rebounds, three assists and one steal, in 29 minutes. Dwight Howard was a monster in the paint, as he hauled in 20 rebounds, to go along with 15 points, in 31 minutes. The Hawks shot 40 percent from the field but were most efficient from long range, where they hit 11 - of - 22. Meanwhile, Harrison Barnes was the high - point man for the Mavericks, as he finished with 21 points on 9 - of - 15 shooing. The only other players to score in double figures for Dallas were Dirk Nowitzki and Devin Harris, who added 11 points each. Andrew Bogut played 29 minutes and finished with only two points, but hauled in a solid 11 rebounds and recorded one block."], [[{"Total points": {"Hawks": "115", "Bulls": "107"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "29"}, "Points": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "20"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks got a very productive performance from their bench in Wednesday's win, with the team's five reserves combining to score 54 of the team's 115 points. Thabo Sefolosha, who is known more for his defensive capabilities than his offensive ones, led the entire team in scoring, managing 20 points on 8 - of - 9 shooting in 29 minutes. Three other Hawks reserves managed to score in double figures, giving Atlanta a grand total of eight double - digit scorers as they took down the Bulls. Chicago, on the other hand, got no contribution from their bench, as the unit managed to score just 18 points and shoot a combined 7 - of - 18 from the field. The Bulls were carried by their stars on the wing, with Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade combining to score 64 of the team's 107 points, allowing the Bulls to still be in the game in the closing moments."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "43", "Kings": "39"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "119", "Kings": "114"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "20", "Kings": "21"}}, {"Points": {"Rudy Gay": "39", "Channing Frye": "22", "Victor Oladipo": "32", "Elfrid Payton": "10"}, "Steals": {"Rudy Gay": "3", "Channing Frye": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "5"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Channing Frye": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "12", "Channing Frye": "10", "Victor Oladipo": "3"}, "Assists": {"Channing Frye": "3", "Victor Oladipo": "10", "Elfrid Payton": "12"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Channing Frye": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Channing Frye": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Victor Oladipo": "40"}}], "The Orlando Magic (20 - 43) beat the Sacramento Kings (21 - 39) 119 - 114 on Friday. Victor Oladipo has been playing great as of late, averaging 25 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals in 40 minutes a game over his last five. He led his team to victory against the Kings with 32 points, 10 assists, five steals, and three rebounds. Oladipo and backcourt mate Elfird Payton each had a double - double with Payton scoring 10 points to go with a team - high 12 assists. With Nikola Vucevic out due to a sore ankle, Channing Frye was reinserted into the starting lineup. Frye put up a big game with 10 rebounds, three blocks, three assists, one steal and 22 points on 6 - of - 9 shooting from beyond the arc. In addition to Vucevic, the Magic were also without Evan Fournier (hip), Luke Ridnour (hamstring) and Willie Green (Achilles), but managed to survive at home against Sacramento. As usual it was Rudy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins doing work for the Kings. Gay led Sacramento with 39 points and three steals, while Cousins led them with 12 rebounds and three blocked shots. Their 68 points combined was n't enough to get the win in Orlando and the Kings are now just 8 - 20 on the road this season. Sacramento will make the short trip to Miami to take on the Heat on Saturday. Orlando will host the Boston Celtics on Sunday."], [[{}, {}], "A year after the Spurs went a respectable 22 - 19 on the road, San Antonio has now been an absolute force on the road with a 14 - 1 record away from home to start their 2016 - 17 campaign. And not only are they winning away from home, they are dominating, just as they did Thursday with their 15 - point victory over the Suns on Thursday. The impressive numbers were no fluke from that game, as the Spurs have been beating teams on the road by an average margin of nine points this season (second in the NBA to the Warriors). Additionally, they are shooting 48 percent from the field and 84 percent from the free throw line away from home, both of which top the NBA. Their 50 percent performance from the field and 93 percent performance from the free throw line Thursday night are even more impressive now when you realize the Spurs have been doing it all season on the road, as those numbers are hard to overcome no matter who and where you are playing."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "4", "Wizards": "12"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "107", "Wizards": "105"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Spurs": "23"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "16", "Wizards": "6"}}, {"Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "23", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "19", "Danny Green": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Danny Green": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Danny Green": "3"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs survived a wild one as they out - lasted the Washington Wizards, 107 - 105 on Friday to earn their fifth win at AT & T Center this season. The Spurs (16 - 4) move to 5 - 4 at home as they narrowly escaped with the win, fighting - off a go - ahead and then a tying bucket by the Wizards in the last minute. Bradley Beal hit a three with just under a minute remaining to take the 103 - 102 lead but Danny Green answered back with his only bucket of the game, a three - pointer to take a 105 - 103 lead with 19 seconds left. The Wizards countered again as John Wall flashed to the hoop for a lay up to tie it at 105 but the Spurs got the last laugh as Kawhi Leonard knocked down a clutch jumped from just inside the arc to seal the win. Leonard led the way for the Spurs with 23 points, while LaMarcus Aldridge followed up with 19 points. The Spurs have won 11 of their last 12 games and look to continue rolling as they visit Milwaukee to take on the Bucks on Monday. All five starters scored in double figures for the Wizards (6 - 12) as they dropped their second in a row and continue to look for answers in their sub - prime start to the season. They warp - up a three game road trip as they visit Brooklyn to take on the Nets on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "42", "Raptors": "21"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "95", "Raptors": "103"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nets": "20"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "21"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "9", "Raptors": "31"}, "Number of team assists": {"Raptors": "21"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "46"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMarre Carroll": "1", "Norman Powell": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "11", "Terrence Ross": "2", "Fred VanVleet": "4", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "2", "Brook Lopez": "3", "Trevor Booker": "2"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarre Carroll": "1", "Norman Powell": "1", "Terrence Ross": "1", "Brook Lopez": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarre Carroll": "5", "Jonas Valanciunas": "5", "Norman Powell": "6", "Terrence Ross": "3", "Fred VanVleet": "3", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "3", "Trevor Booker": "10", "Sean Kilpatrick": "5"}, "Points": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "22", "Norman Powell": "10", "Kyle Lowry": "15", "Terrence Ross": "17", "Fred VanVleet": "10", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "13", "Brook Lopez": "20", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "7", "Trevor Booker": "15", "Sean Kilpatrick": "18", "Justin Hamilton": "8"}, "Steals": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "1", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Trevor Booker": "3", "Sean Kilpatrick": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Trevor Booker": "8"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 103 - 95, at Barclays Center on Sunday. The Raptors (31 - 21) entered Sunday's contest trying to break out of a considerable funk that had seen them drop eight of their last 10 games. Their struggles have largely coincided with the absence of DeMar DeRozan (ankle), who's missed five contests during that span. However, the reeling Nets (9 - 42) proved to be exactly the cure for what ailed them Sunday, as they turned the ball over a whopping 21 times on the way to their 20th home loss of the season. Jonas Valanciunas (22 points) and Kyle Lowry (15 - point, 11 - rebound, 11 - assist triple - double) stepped up to make up for DeRozan's absence, and Toronto shot 46 percent from the field overall. Valanciunas added five rebounds and a steal to his team - high scoring total. Lowry also added a steal to his stellar effort. DeMarre Carroll equaled Lowry's scoring total and added five rebounds, one assist, three steals and one block. Norman Powell mustered 10 points, six rebounds, three assists and one block. Terrence Ross led the bench with 17 points, three rebounds, two assists and one block. Fred VanVleet was productive as a reserve as well with 10 points, four assists and three rebounds. The Nets were paced by Brook Lopez's 20 points, which he supplemented with seven boards, three assists, two blocks and one steal. Bojan Bogdanovic contributed 13 points, three boards and two assists. Sean Kilpatrick led the second unit with 18 points, five rebounds and one steal. Trevor Booker posted a 15 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included three steals and two assists, and Justin Hamilton and Spencer Dinwiddie supplied eight and seven points, respectively, off the bench as well. The Raptors head back home to face off with the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday evening, while the Nets travel to Charlotte to tangle with the Hornets on Tuesday night."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "11"}, "Turnovers": {"Knicks": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "13", "Willy Hernangomez": "14", "Kristaps Porzingis": "18", "Courtney Lee": "13", "Derrick Rose": "11", "Chasson Randle": "12", "Tobias Harris": "28", "Andre Drummond": "24", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "9", "Reggie Jackson": "19", "Jon Leuer": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Willy Hernangomez": "9", "Andre Drummond": "15"}}], "The Knicks tallied success rates north of 40 percent from both the field and three - point range. However, a pair of spectacular performances from Tobias Harris and Andre Drummond and solid defense helped neutralize those accomplishments. The Pistons caused 18 turnovers, did n't allow an point total higher than 18 and limited New York to just 11 points in the fourth quarter. Harris' 28 points led the way for Detroit. Drummond managed a massive 24 - point, 15 - rebound double - double. Reggie Jackson went for 19 points, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope totaled nine. Jon Leuer led the bench with 11 points. Porzingis paced the Knicks with 18 points, while Willy Hernangomez posted a near double - double of 14 points and nine rebounds. Courtney Lee and Carmelo Anthony posted matching 13 - point efforts. Derrick Rose registered 11 points, while Chasson Randle generated a bench - leading 12 points."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "28", "Timberwolves": "50"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "25", "Timberwolves": "31"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "101", "Timberwolves": "110"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pacers": "26", "Timberwolves": "41"}, "Rebounds": {"Pacers": "41", "Timberwolves": "34"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "15", "Timberwolves": "6"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Gorgui Dieng": "6", "Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Mo Williams": "7", "CJ Watson": "5"}, "Points": {"Gorgui Dieng": "10", "Andrew Wiggins": "20", "Mo Williams": "52", "Roy Hibbert": "10", "CJ Miles": "22", "CJ Watson": "17", "Rodney Stuckey": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Gorgui Dieng": "10", "Mo Williams": "4", "Roy Hibbert": "8", "CJ Miles": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "16", "Mo Williams": "33", "CJ Miles": "18", "CJ Watson": "9", "Rodney Stuckey": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "7", "Mo Williams": "19", "CJ Miles": "8", "CJ Watson": "7", "Rodney Stuckey": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "6", "CJ Miles": "4", "CJ Watson": "2", "Rodney Stuckey": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "6", "CJ Miles": "4", "CJ Watson": "2", "Rodney Stuckey": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Mo Williams": "11", "CJ Miles": "10", "CJ Watson": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Mo Williams": "6", "CJ Miles": "2", "CJ Watson": "1"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (6 - 31) defeated the Indiana Pacers (15 - 25) 110 - 101 on Tuesday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Timberwolves came out of the third quarter down 75 - 69, but absolutely exploded in the fourth quarter, out - scoring the Pacers 41 - 26 to steal the nine - point victory on the road. Despite being out - rebounded 41 - 34, the Timberwolves went 50 percent from the three - point line, while the Pacers went just 28 percent from deep, giving them just enough of an advantage to come out with the win. Mo Williams was fantastic in this game and the biggest reason for the Timberwolves success, as he set a season - high in both points and shots attempted. Williams went 19 - for - 33 from the field and 6 - for - 11 from the three - point line to finish with a career - high of 52 points, while adding four rebounds and seven assists as well. After averaging 11 points per game entering this matchup, the 52 - point showing was a huge surprise for the Timberwolves. Andrew Wiggins did his part as well though, scoring 20 points (7 - 16 FG, 6 - 6 FT) and handing out four assists in 35 minutes. Despite averaging 15 points per game on the season, he's now averaged 21 points over his last eight games, as he's really stepped up lately for the injury plagued Timberwolves. Gorgui Dieng was questionable coming into this game with an illness, but played and was effective, nearing a triple - double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. With Rodney Stuckey playing in limited action off the bench due to an illness and George Hill sitting out with a groin injury, both C.J. Miles and C.J. Watson were entered into the starting lineup and ended up leading the team in scoring. Miles finished with 22 points (8 - 18 FG, 2 - 10 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and five rebounds, while Watson scored 17 points (7 - 9 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and handed out five assists. Miles was pulled out of Saturday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers after only four minutes due to an eye injury, so it was good to see him back out on the court and getting a full games worth of playing time. In 24 minutes off the bench, Stuckey went 5 - for - 8 from the field and 3 - for - 3 from the free throw line to score 13 points. He'll most likely head back to the starting lineup in the Pacers' next game Friday. Roy Hibbert added 10 points and eight rebounds of his own as well. The Timberwolves' next game will be on the road against the Phoenix Suns on Friday, while the Pacers will be at home against the Detroit Pistons on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "2", "Mavericks": "6"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "116", "Mavericks": "95"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Warriors": "34", "Mavericks": "15"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "6", "Mavericks": "2"}}, {"Assists": {"Harrison Barnes": "1"}, "Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "25", "Seth Curry": "10", "Klay Thompson": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Harrison Barnes": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Seth Curry": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Seth Curry": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Klay Thompson": "8"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the Dallas Mavericks, 116 - 95, at Oracle Arena on Wednesday. The Warriors (6 - 2) improved to 3 - 1 on their home court with an easy win against the Mavericks (2 - 6), but Stephen Curry turned his ankle which silenced the crowd for a minute. Curry was taped up and did return to action rather quickly, as the Warriors rolled through all quarters, save for a minor slump in the third period. Golden State built upon a 34 - 15 lead at the end of the first quarter to take a very comfortable 67 - 36 lead into the half. Klay Thompson was the standout performance given his rough start to the season, and awoke to the tune of 20 points on 8 - of - 13 shooting. The Mavericks (2 - 6) were short handed in the tough matchup with Golden State on the road, as J.J. Barea (late scratch), Wesley Matthews (rest) and Andrew Bogut (rest) were sidelined. The Mavericks were playing the second game of a back - to - back, so the strategic rest early in the season did cause them to fall four games below the .500 mark. However, wins against the Warriors team that boasts Kevin Durant, Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green simply do not come easy. Harrison Barnes continued his strong scoring trend with 25 points, to go along with eight rebounds and one assist. Seth Curry matched up against his brother, but was not as effective from deep, as he finished with 10 points on 2 - of - 9 shooting from three point land. Next up, the Warriors visit the Denver Nuggets, while the Mavericks enjoy some time off before visiting the New York Knicks on Monday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Pacers": "19"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "49", "Kings": "50"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "115", "Kings": "111"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "5", "Darren Collison": "5", "Ty Lawson": "6", "Paul George": "3", "Thaddeus Young": "1", "Myles Turner": "4", "CJ Miles": "1", "Jeff Teague": "8"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1", "Myles Turner": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "5", "Paul George": "2"}, "Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "26", "Kosta Koufos": "9", "Arron Afflalo": "15", "Darren Collison": "26", "Ty Lawson": "16", "Anthony Tolliver": "10", "Paul George": "33", "Thaddeus Young": "8", "Myles Turner": "14", "CJ Miles": "18", "Jeff Teague": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "16", "Kosta Koufos": "12", "Arron Afflalo": "1", "Darren Collison": "4", "Ty Lawson": "2", "Anthony Tolliver": "5", "Paul George": "4", "Thaddeus Young": "5", "Myles Turner": "2", "CJ Miles": "2", "Jeff Teague": "8"}, "Steals": {"Darren Collison": "3", "Ty Lawson": "1", "Paul George": "2", "Thaddeus Young": "4", "Myles Turner": "3", "CJ Miles": "1", "Jeff Teague": "1"}}], "The Indiana Pacers defeated the Sacramento Kings in overtime, 115 - 111, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Friday evening. The Kings (18 - 27) came in to Friday with an unsightly record overall, but also riding high off a shocking 116 - 112 overtime win against the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night. They faced another All-Star small forward Friday in the Pacers' Paul George, and he would ultimately prove to be pivotal to their undoing. First, his two free throws with 1:16 remaining in regulation knotted the score at 104. While he did miss two jumpers before the end of the fourth quarter that could have potentially won the game for Indiana, he made up for it in overtime with six of the Pacers' 11 points, including a go - ahead jumper with 35 seconds remaining. Although Sacramento posted superb 49 - and - 50 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively, they turned the ball over a whopping 19 times, contributing to their defeat. DeMarcus Cousins and Darren Collison led the Kings with matching 26 - point efforts, with the former adding 16 boards, five assists and one block, and the latter dishing out five dimes, hauling in four boards and recording three steals. Arron Affalo turned in 15 points and a rebound. Kosta Koufos supplied nine points but hauled in 12 boards. Ty Lawson led the bench with 16 points, six assists, two rebounds and a steal. Anthony Tolliver was productive in a reserve role as well with 10 points and five rebounds. George's 33 points led the Pacers, a total he supplemented with four rebounds, three assists and two steals. C.J. Miles drew a start and registered 18 points, two rebounds, an assist and a steal. Jeff Teague tallied a full stat line of 17 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and a steal. Myles Turner managed 14 points, four assists, two rebounds, three steals and a block. Thaddeus Young collected eight points, five rebounds, an assist and four steals. The Kings continue on the road and head to Charlotte for a Saturday night showdown with the Hornets, while the Pacers are home against the Houston Rockets on Sunday evening."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "5", "Suns": "1"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "106", "Suns": "112"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Lakers": "22", "Suns": "32"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Lakers": "29"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "0", "Suns": "3"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Suns": "26"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Markieff Morris": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Gerald Green": "4", "Kobe Bryant": "7", "Jeremy Lin": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Markieff Morris": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "1", "Gerald Green": "2", "Kobe Bryant": "3", "Jeremy Lin": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Markieff Morris": "4", "Gerald Green": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Markieff Morris": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Markieff Morris": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Markieff Morris": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "3"}, "Points": {"Markieff Morris": "23", "Goran Dragic": "16", "Isaiah Thomas": "22", "Gerald Green": "26", "Kobe Bryant": "39", "Jeremy Lin": "18", "Ryan Kelly": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "10", "Goran Dragic": "7", "Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Gerald Green": "3", "Kobe Bryant": "9"}, "Turnovers": {"Markieff Morris": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Isaiah Thomas": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "16", "Gerald Green": "19", "Kobe Bryant": "37", "Jeremy Lin": "8", "Ryan Kelly": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "8", "Gerald Green": "11", "Kobe Bryant": "14", "Jeremy Lin": "4", "Ryan Kelly": "1"}, "Steals": {"Isaiah Thomas": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Gerald Green": "23"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (3 - 1) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (0 - 5) 112 - 106 on Tuesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Despite the Lakers reaching the free - throw line 41 times compared to the Suns' 29, they could n't get the job done on defense to keep the Suns from putting the ball in the hoop. By out - scoring the Lakers 32 - 22 in the second quarter, the Suns were able give themselves a big enough lead to allow some wiggle room in the second half so they could seal the victory. Coming off the bench, Gerald Green took the reins for the Suns and pitched in 26 points, shooting 11 - for - 19 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from the three - point line. This was a season - high for Green even though he only got 23 minutes of playing time. Markieff Morris had his second double - double of the year. He scored 23 points for the Suns, while also grabbing a team - high 10 rebounds. Isaiah Thomas chipped in 22 points of his own off the bench, as he shot 8 - for - 16 from the field and 1 - for - 3 from behind the three - point line. He has now scored over 20 points in three of the Suns' four games this season and has given the Suns a consistent option off the bench. Goran Dragic was also able to score in double - digits, putting up 16 points with seven rebounds. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 39 points, and he grabbed nine rebounds. Bryant shot 37 times, converting 14 of them, while also going 3 - for - 7 from beyond the arc. Jordan Hill recorded his first double - double of the season, scoring 11 points and grabbing 12 rebounds as the starting center. Jeremy Lin, who's struggled to begin the season, finally found his shot and went 4 - for - 8 from the field and 1 - for - 2 from three - point land to score 18 points. Ryan Kelly (hamstring) made his season debut and finished with two points on 1 - of - 2 shooting. The Suns' next game will be at home against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, while the Lakers will host the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "43", "Wizards": "50"}, "Losses": {"Timberwolves": "42", "Wizards": "30"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "98", "Wizards": "104"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "22"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "19", "Wizards": "30"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Wizards": "38"}}, {"Assists": {"John Wall": "12", "Ricky Rubio": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"John Wall": "18", "Bradley Beal": "15", "Alan Anderson": "9", "Andrew Wiggins": "11", "Zach LaVine": "18", "Ricky Rubio": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"John Wall": "6", "Bradley Beal": "10", "Alan Anderson": "6", "Andrew Wiggins": "6", "Zach LaVine": "7", "Ricky Rubio": "6"}, "Points": {"John Wall": "14", "Bradley Beal": "26", "Alan Anderson": "18", "Andrew Wiggins": "17", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "14", "Zach LaVine": "21", "Ricky Rubio": "22"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "4", "Alan Anderson": "7", "Zach LaVine": "5", "Ricky Rubio": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bradley Beal": "3", "Alan Anderson": "4", "Zach LaVine": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "5", "Andrew Wiggins": "6", "Zach LaVine": "5", "Ricky Rubio": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Bradley Beal": "3", "Andrew Wiggins": "5", "Zach LaVine": "5", "Ricky Rubio": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "15"}, "Turnovers": {"Ricky Rubio": "6"}}], "The Washington Wizards (30 - 30) earned a road win over the Minnesota Timberwolves (19 - 42) Wednesday at Target Center, 104 - 98. The Timberwolves built up a 21 - 9 first quarter lead, but it quickly evaporated as the Wizards closed the gap to three by the end of the quarter and continued to press their advantage into the second quarter as they took a 60 - 54 halftime lead. The Wolves never led in the second half, as they pulled to a 77 - 77 tie with 1:28 to go in the third quarter, but the Wizards ended the period with an 80 run and never looked back. Bradley Beal came off the bench to score a game - high 26 points for the Wizards (10 - 15 FG, 3 - 4 3PT, 3 - 5 FT). Alan Anderson, another bench guard, added 18 points in an extremely efficient 20 minutes (6 - 9 FG, 4 - 7 3PT). John Wall had a poor shooting night (6 - 18 FG) but made up for it with a 14 - point, 12 - assist double - double. The Wizards only grabbed five offensive rebounds but did n't need second chance points the way their offense was humming, as they shot 50 percent from the floor and 11 - 29 (38 percent) from three. Ricky Rubio poured in 22 points (6 - 14 FG, 2 - 3 3PT, 8 - 9 FT) to lead the Timberwolves but managed just three assists against six turnovers. Zach LaVine added 21 (7 - 18 FG, 2 - 5 3PT, 5 - 5 FT), Andrew Wiggins scoed 17 (6 - 11 FG, 5 - 6 FT), and Karl-Anthony Towns notched a double - double with 14 points and 15 rebounds. Minnesota had a mammoth 20 - point advantage at the free throw line (29 - 34, 85 percent as a team) but could n't find their shot anywhere else on the floor (43 percent from the field). The Wizards continue their road trip Friday in Cleveland. The Timberwolves begin a road trip Friday against the Bucks."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "43", "Thunder": "36"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "7", "Thunder": "9"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "98", "Thunder": "81"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Jazz": "14"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Jazz": "26", "Thunder": "19"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Jazz": "32", "Thunder": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Jazz": "55", "Thunder": "44"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "5", "Thunder": "3"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Steven Adams": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Steven Adams": "5", "Jeremy Lamb": "5", "Reggie Jackson": "4", "Alec Burks": "5"}, "Points": {"Steven Adams": "11", "Jeremy Lamb": "19", "Reggie Jackson": "10", "Enes Kanter": "16", "Alec Burks": "20", "Trey Burke": "17", "Dante Exum": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Steven Adams": "8", "Reggie Jackson": "3", "Enes Kanter": "15", "Alec Burks": "14"}, "Assists": {"Reggie Jackson": "7", "Trey Burke": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Reggie Jackson": "13", "Alec Burks": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Alec Burks": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Alec Burks": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Alec Burks": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Alec Burks": "8"}}], "The Jazz (5 - 7) sent the Thunder (3 - 9) to their third consecutive loss Tuesday, pulling away in the second half for a 98 - 81 victory. Utah scored just 14 points in the first quarter and trailed by nine at the end of the period. But the Jazz responded in the second, outscoring Oklahoma City 26 - 19 to pull within two at the half. Utah blew the game open in the third quarter, closing on a 15 - 2 run and outscoring the Thunder 32 - 17 to carry a 13 - point lead into the fourth. The Jazz, who shot 43 percent from the field, would never look back, cruising to the 17 - point win. All five Utah starters scored in double figures, led by 20 points and 14 rebounds from Alec Burks. Burks connected on 5 - of - 8 field goals, 2 - of - 3 three - pointers and 8 - of - 9 free throws. Enes Kanter chipped in 16 points and 15 boards, and Trey Burke added 17 points and nine assists. Rookie Dante Exum contributed nine points, all of which came from beyond the arc. The Jazz out - rebounded Oklahoma City 55 - 44. The Thunder, still without Kevin Durant (foot) and Russell Westbrook (hand), among others, shot a paltry 36 percent from the floor. The starting five combined to shoot 19 - of - 60 and just 5 - of - 13 from beyond the arc. Jeremy Lamb paced the Thunder with 19 points (5 - 15FG), while Steven Adams added 11 points and eight rebounds. Reggie Jackson had 10 points (4 - 13 FG) and seven assists to go with three rebounds. Up next, the Thunder travel to Denver to take on the Nuggets on Wednesday night. The Jazz are off until Friday, when they hit the road to face the Warriors."], [[{"Wins": {"Suns": "3"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Brandon Knight": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Brandon Knight": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Brandon Knight": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Brandon Knight": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Brandon Knight": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Brandon Knight": "1"}, "Points": {"Brandon Knight": "32"}, "Steals": {"Brandon Knight": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Brandon Knight": "1"}}], "Brandon Knight was seen as a potential NBA Sixth Man of the Year candidate coming into the season, but the start of his 2016 - 17 campaign had been rather underwhelming. Knight did n't have one game where he managed to score over 20 points up until Wednesday's 32 - point performance, which, as of now, serves as an outlier in the backup point guard's game log. Before Wednesday, Knight was averaging just 11 points per game and had just two games where he shot over 50 percent from the field while also having three games where he shot under 20 percent. If this is the turning point for Knight's season, it could n't have come at a better time for a Suns team that has now lost five of its last six contests - - with the last three loses coming by a combined 47 points."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "2", "Nuggets": "1"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "102", "Nuggets": "91"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "1", "Nuggets": "1"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Kenneth Faried": "25", "Ty Lawson": "35", "Perry Jones III": "41", "Sebastian Telfair": "39"}, "Assists": {"Ty Lawson": "5", "Sebastian Telfair": "9"}, "Points": {"Ty Lawson": "25"}, "Steals": {"Sebastian Telfair": "4"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (1 - 2) defeated the Denver Nuggets (1 - 1) 102 - 91 on Saturday. Russell Westbrook underwent surgery to repair his broken right hand Saturday and will be reevaluated in four weeks to set a more firm timetable. With several other players sidelined with injuries as well, the Thunder had just eight healthy bodies to use and were still able to come away with a win. Lone healthy point guard Sebastian Telfair played 39 minutes and put up four points, nine assists, and four steals. Perry Jones has become the team's defacto go - to scorer of late, and he finished with 23 points in 41 minutes. The Nuggets looked to a menagerie of players for an answer to beat the debilatated Thunder after going into the half down 55 - 33. They used 12 players in total but were unable to find the right configuration of players Saturday to contest for a win. Ty Lawson bounced back from a disappointing season opener and finished with 25 points and five assists in 35 minutes. Kenneth Faried played only 25 minutes as the team looked to their bench to try and ignite a comeback in the second half. The Nuggets' next game is at home Monday against the Scramento Kings. The Thunder's next game is on the road Monday against the Brooklyn Nets."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "50", "Wizards": "30"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "94", "Wizards": "103"}, "Rebounds": {"76ers": "41", "Wizards": "55"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "8", "Wizards": "27"}}, {"Assists": {"John Wall": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"John Wall": "19", "Bradley Beal": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"John Wall": "9", "Bradley Beal": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"John Wall": "39", "Bradley Beal": "28"}, "Points": {"John Wall": "23", "Nerlens Noel": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"John Wall": "8", "Nerlens Noel": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bradley Beal": "1"}, "Steals": {"Nerlens Noel": "2"}}], "The Washington Wizards (27 - 30) took down the hapless Philadelphia 76ers (8 - 50) on Friday, winning 103 - 94. All-Star John Wall has been on an absolute rampage coming out of the break, averaging over 18 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds while leading the once hopeless Wizards to a 4 - 2 record. Wall stole the show again in Philadelphia, nearing a triple - double with 23 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds. The All-Star took scoring into his own hand while simultaneously making plays for teammates, leading the team in scoring and dimes in 39 minutes played. Despite stellar 9 - for - 19 shooting from Wall, the Wiz shot just 43 percent as a team. Bradley Beal, Washington's second - leading scorer, came off the bench and went just 4 - for - 14 in 28 minutes played. Normally a stellar shooter, Beal had an off night, going just 1 - for - 6 on three - point attempts. The Sixers continue to sit at the bottom of the NBA standings after recording their 50th loss of the season. Philly was able to take the Wizards down to the wire on Friday, however, due in large part to the play of center Jahlil Okafor. The standout rookie went 9 - for - 13 to lead the team with 21 points. His frontcourt partner, sophomore Nerlens Noel, scored just nine, but pulled down eight boards and grabbed a pair of steals on the defensive end. Philadelphia had a major issue on the glass, allowing Washington to hold a 55 - 41 rebounding advantage. Philadelphia will visit Orlando on Saturday, while Washington will play host to the conference - leading Cleveland Cavaliers."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Draymond Green": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Draymond Green": "2"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "6"}}], "Over the course of the Warriors current nine - game winning streak without superstar Kevin Durant, Draymond Green has n't been very productive in the scoring column. In fact, in those nine games, Green has failed to score in double figures six different times. This includes his performance in Wednesday's game comeback victory over the Spurs, where Green shot just 2 - of - 4 from the field en route to scoring four points. However, it is now more clear than ever that the Warriors' success does not ride on Green's ability to score. Rather, it rides on his ability to do everything else. While Green only notched four points Wednesday, he also recorded six rebounds and four assists. And, to no surprise, Green has tallied at least six rebounds and four assists in each of the nine games on the team's current winning streak. Over that span, he is averaging 8 rebounds and 6 assists per game."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "2", "Heat": "2"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "84", "Heat": "96"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "2", "Heat": "3"}}, {"Field goals made": {"Chris Bosh": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "11", "Andrew Wiggins": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Chris Bosh": "5"}, "Points": {"Chris Bosh": "16", "Dwyane Wade": "25", "Goran Dragic": "18", "Tayshaun Prince": "2", "Andrew Wiggins": "12", "Kevin Martin": "14", "Gorgui Dieng": "10", "Shabazz Muhammad": "14"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "19", "Kevin Martin": "10", "Shabazz Muhammad": "10"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Dwyane Wade": "58"}}], "The Miami Heat (3 - 2) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (2 - 2) 96 - 84 on Thursday. Dwyane Wade was questionable before the contest Thursday with a migraine, yet shook off the ailment to tie his season high in points with 25 and lead Miami to a road victory over the improving Timberwolves. Wade also posted a season - best field goal percentage, shooting 58 percent (11 - for - 19), including a three - pointer. The veteran All-Star has scored 20 points or higher in all five games so far in 2015. The Heat rebounded from a tough home loss Wednesday versus the Hawks and guard Gerald Green\u2019s off - field troubles to put together a well - balanced offensive attack against Minnesota. All five Miami starters scored in double figures, with Goran Dragic (18 points) and Chris Bosh (16 points) supporting Wade\u2019s performance with strong outings of their own. Hassan Whiteside came a rebound short of a second consecutive double - double in his battle with rookie sensation Karl-Anthony Towns. The Heat improved their record to 3 - 2 and currently reside in third place in the Eastern Conference\u2019s Southeastern Division. Miami heads to Indiana to face off against the Pacers on Friday. Minnesota\u2019s starters were largely stymied by their Miami counterparts. Of the starting five, only Andrew Wiggins managed double - digit scoring with 12 points, while veterans Kevin Garnett and Tayshaun Prince posted a combined two points in 24 minutes of court time. The Timberwolves\u2019 reserves fared much better and managed to keep the game relatively close, with Shabazz Muhammad and Kevin Martin turning in a pair of 14 - point efforts, and Gorgui Dieng pitching in 10. The Timberwolves fall to 2 - 2 and second place in the Western Conference\u2019s Northwestern Division. They head to Chicago for a date with the Bulls on Saturday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Julius Randle": "1", "Sean Kilpatrick": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Julius Randle": "2", "Sean Kilpatrick": "5"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Julius Randle": "25"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Julius Randle": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Julius Randle": "2"}, "Free throw percentage": {"Julius Randle": "40"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Julius Randle": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Julius Randle": "5"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "50"}, "Points": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "22"}}], "After recording three double - doubles in four games, Julius Randle has been nowhere to be found over his last two. The power forward out of Kentucky has now shot a combined 3 - of - 15 from the field and scored a total of just eight points over his last two outings. Before these two games, Randle had just one game all season where he shot under 25 percent from the field; he now has done it twice in two games. Meanwhile, fellow youngster Sean Kilpatrick has been on a tear over the month of December, with his 22 - point performance being his third 20 - plus point outing in his last five games. The shooting guard out of Cincinnati is now averaging 16 points per game in December, but more impressively, he is shooting 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from behind the arc and an unbelievable 94 percent from the free throw line."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "25", "Clippers": "19"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "131", "Clippers": "108"}, "Rebounds": {"Thunder": "54", "Clippers": "29"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "26", "Clippers": "33"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Spencer Hawes": "35", "Russell Westbrook": "32", "Mitch McGary": "23"}, "Points": {"Spencer Hawes": "17", "Kevin Durant": "29", "Russell Westbrook": "19", "Mitch McGary": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Spencer Hawes": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Mitch McGary": "10"}, "Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "5"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (26 - 25) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers (33 - 19) 131 - 108 on Sunday. The Clippers found out just before the game that All-Star power forward Blake Griffin will undergo surgery to clean out a staph infection in his right elbow. Griffin's return timetable remains unclear with reports suggesting he could be sidelined for anywhere from 2 - to - 6 weeks following surgery. Spencer Hawes stepped into the starting lineup in place of Griffin and posted 17 points and one rebound in 35 minutes. The Clippers' frontcourt got even thinner Sunday when Glen Davis was forced to leave the game with back spasms. Los Angeles has dropped four straight games as they struggle to compensate for the absences of J.J. Redick (back) and Griffin. The Thunder gained a large advantage Sunday by dominating the glass, out - rebounding the Clippers 54 - 29. Kevin Durant led the way on offense with a game - high 29 points and six assists, while Russell Westbrook continued his torrid stretch with 19 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in 32 minutes. He was coming off back - to - back scoring performances of 48 and 45 points. Kendrick Perkins sat out the game due to a one - game suspension for dangerous contact with Tyreke Evans' head in the Thunder's loss to the Pelicans on Friday. With Perkins out, the Thunder opted to give rookie Mitch McGary a career - high 23 minutes off the bench in just the third game of his career. McGary put up an impressive 19 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Oklahoma City remains 3 games out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. They'll go on the road to face the Nuggets on Monday. The Clippers have fallen into seventh place in the Western Conference standings, and the absence of Griffin might put them in danger of getting booted from the playoffs. They'll wrap up their current eight - game road trip Monday in Dallas."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "28"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "32"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "11", "Cavaliers": "7"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "77", "Cavaliers": "89"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "14", "Cavaliers": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "3", "Kevin Love": "5"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "1", "Kevin Love": "2"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "24", "Kevin Love": "20", "Timofey Mozgov": "9", "Mo Williams": "10", "Jae Crowder": "14", "Avery Bradley": "17", "Isaiah Thomas": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kevin Love": "8", "Timofey Mozgov": "10"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "2", "Kevin Love": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Mo Williams": "19"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "3"}}], "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."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "17", "Grizzlies": "17"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "92", "Grizzlies": "87"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Jazz": "28"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "15", "Grizzlies": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "4", "Gordon Hayward": "4"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "20", "Zach Randolph": "8", "Gordon Hayward": "14", "Rodney Hood": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "7", "Gordon Hayward": "5", "Rodney Hood": "8"}}], "The Utah Jazz (15 - 17) held off the Memphis Grizzlies (18 - 17) 92 - 87 in an overtime grinder Saturday night. The strength of these two teams is defense and that was evident on Saturday. It's not just good defense though, as both teams have some of the worst offenses in the NBA. There were still only 156 combined shots in an overtime game, which is indicative of the slow - paced nature of this matchup. The major difference in the game was the free - throw shooting, as the Grizzlies hit just 54 percent of their free - throws on 26 attempts, while the Jazz made 75 percent on 28 attempts. Memphis has had a rough season on the offensive end and this was as much of a struggle as any game thus far. The bench really let the team down, as Zach Randolph's eight points were the only points from the bench players. Marc Gasol missed some crucial open shots that could have won the game, but he was still Memphis' best player on the night. Gasol tallied 20 points, seven rebounds and four assists in the loss. These offensive struggles are simply too hard to overcome right now and it seems evident that something needs to change if this team will compete this season. In any case, they'll look to find some offense against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday in their next game. The Jazz have had an equally bad season on the offensive end, but they got a career game from an unlikely source. Rodney Hood scored a career - high 32 points in the win and snatched down eight rebounds. They'll need him to continue playing like this with how thin they are at the shooting guard position right now. Gordon Hayward also has a good game, as he tallied 14 points, five rebounds and four assists in a good all - around effort. With all the injuries Utah has right now, they have to be somewhat satisfied still hanging around the .500 mark with players due back sooner rather than later. They'll look to build off this win against the Houston Rockets on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "16", "Pelicans": "19"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "125", "Pelicans": "130"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "11", "Pelicans": "8"}}, {"Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "1", "Danilo Gallinari": "3", "Jameer Nelson": "6", "Will Barton": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Davis": "20", "Will Barton": "36"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "27", "Eric Gordon": "20", "Tyreke Evans": "21", "Ryan Anderson": "16", "Jrue Holiday": "21", "Danilo Gallinari": "18", "Kenneth Faried": "21", "Jameer Nelson": "15", "Will Barton": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "6", "Ryan Anderson": "5", "Danilo Gallinari": "2", "Kenneth Faried": "13", "Will Barton": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Eric Gordon": "7", "Will Barton": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Eric Gordon": "4", "Will Barton": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Eric Gordon": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kenneth Faried": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jameer Nelson": "4"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (8 - 19) defeated the Denver Nuggets (11 - 16) 130 - 125 on Sunday. The high scoring affair between the Pelicans and Nuggets was drowned out by a lengthy first half resulting in multiple trips to the foul line for both squads. In total, 47 fouls were called, resulting in a 74 - 67 halftime score in favor of the Nuggets. New Orleans was led by, Anthony Davis, who turned in an impressive showing with 27 points, six rebounds, one assist and four blocks, all while battling illness that kept him from playing more than 20 minutes. Sunday\u2019s performance may have sparked some life into Alvin Gentry\u2019s unit, as he received 20 points from Eric Gordon, 21 from Tyreke Evans and 21 from Jrue Holiday, totalling four Pelicans with 20+ points performances. Eric Gordon did most of his damage from behind the arc, nailing 4 - of - 7 from deep, as part of a 46 percent deep ball night from his teammates. Ryan Anderson played key minutes off the bench adding 16 points and five rebounds in 31 minutes. The Nuggets lost starting forward Danilo Gallinari (ankle) in the 3rd quarter after departing with an ankle sprain. Initial reports noted he would attempt to come back, as he was getting his ankle taped in the locker room, however, no such return came to fruition. Before the injury, Gallinari contributed 18 points in 22 minutes, to go along with two rebounds and three assists. Will Barton led all scorers with 32 points, in addition to 10 rebounds and six assists on 7 - of - 11 3 - point shooting in 36 minutes off the bench. The Nuggets were without Emmanuel Mudiay (ankle), who is likely out for one more week. Jameer Nelson started in place of the rookie point guard, and contributed 15 points and six assists. Despite the loss, the Nuggets received positive showings from the four guard rotation of Gary Harris, Jameer Nelson, Will Barton and Randy Foye, and an always passionate production from Kenneth Faried, who finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds. The Pelicans will host the Portland Trail Blazers (11 - 18) on Wednesday, while the Nuggets will welcome Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers (4 - 23) on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "39", "Nuggets": "30"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "105", "Nuggets": "98"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"76ers": "20", "Nuggets": "30"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "11", "Nuggets": "19"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Nuggets": "39"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "39"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Wilson Chandler": "10", "Arron Afflalo": "5", "Danilo Gallinari": "7", "Robert Covington": "7", "Michael Carter-Williams": "4", "Hollis Thompson": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Wilson Chandler": "5", "Arron Afflalo": "2", "Danilo Gallinari": "2", "Robert Covington": "2", "Michael Carter-Williams": "1", "Hollis Thompson": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Wilson Chandler": "15", "Arron Afflalo": "15", "Ty Lawson": "4", "Danilo Gallinari": "11", "Robert Covington": "12", "Michael Carter-Williams": "12", "Hollis Thompson": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Wilson Chandler": "7", "Arron Afflalo": "5", "Ty Lawson": "1", "Danilo Gallinari": "5", "Robert Covington": "4", "Michael Carter-Williams": "4", "Hollis Thompson": "8"}, "Points": {"Wilson Chandler": "19", "Arron Afflalo": "14", "Ty Lawson": "5", "Danilo Gallinari": "22", "Robert Covington": "17", "Michael Carter-Williams": "15", "Hollis Thompson": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Wilson Chandler": "6", "Danilo Gallinari": "4", "Robert Covington": "8", "Michael Carter-Williams": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Arron Afflalo": "2", "Ty Lawson": "4", "Danilo Gallinari": "11", "Robert Covington": "8", "Michael Carter-Williams": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Arron Afflalo": "2", "Ty Lawson": "3", "Danilo Gallinari": "10", "Robert Covington": "7", "Michael Carter-Williams": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Arron Afflalo": "29", "Danilo Gallinari": "26", "Robert Covington": "29"}, "Assists": {"Ty Lawson": "14", "Danilo Gallinari": "1", "Robert Covington": "2", "Michael Carter-Williams": "12", "Hollis Thompson": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Danilo Gallinari": "1", "Robert Covington": "2"}, "Steals": {"Danilo Gallinari": "1", "Robert Covington": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Hollis Thompson": "2"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers (11 - 39) defeated the Denver Nuggets (19 - 30) 105 - 98 on Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The Sixers caught fire real quick in this game, out - scoring the Nuggets 61 - 40 in the first half alone. With such a huge lead at half, they were able to coast to a seven - point victory, despite a fourth quarter run by the Nuggets, as they out - scored the Sixers 30 - 20 to finish the game. The Sixers were the superior shooters in this game, going 44 percent from the field and 41 percent from the three - point line, while the Nuggets finished 39 percent from the floor and 39 percent from beyond the arc. The storyline for the Sixers in this game was the play of Hollis Thompson off the bench. Thompson went 8 - for - 12 from the field and 4 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 23 points, while also adding three assists and two blocked shots. The 23 points were a new season - high for him and also the third straight game scoring in double figures, despite averaging only 7 points per game so far this season. After leaving Monday's game with both a bruised shin and a sprained left ankle, Michael Carter-Williams made a suprise start. In 33 minutes, Carter-Williams recorded a double - double, finishing with 15 points (4 - 12 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 6 - 10 FT), eight rebounds and 12 assists. Many thought he would be on a minutes restriction due to his injuries on Monday, but that was n't the case, so they must not be as serious as originally thought. Robert Covington had a strong showing as well with 17 points (4 - 12 FG, 2 - 7 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT) and eight rebounds in 29 minutes. It was his second straight impressive performance, combining for 33 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and nine steals in those two games. The Nuggets were also led by a bench player, as Danilo Gallinari scored a team - high of 22 points (5 - 11 FG, 2 - 7 3Pt, 10 - 11 FT), while also adding four rebounds in 26 minutes. It was his second night in a row with more than 10 field goal attempts, despite doing that only one other time this season, which in turn increased his point totals. Wilson Chandler also had an impressive night shooting the ball. He went 7 - for - 15 from the field and 5 - for - 10 from the three - point line to score 19 points, while adding six rebounds in only 25 minutes. He had scored 10 or less points in each of his last three games, so it was good to see him return to form. The only other starter to reach double figures in scoring was Arron Afflalo, as he finished with 14 points (5 - 15 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) in 29 minutes. Ty Lawson had only five points (1 - 4 FG, 3 - 4 FT), but did have a game - high of 14 assists. The Sixers' next game will be on the road against the Boston Celtics on Friday, while the Nuggets will travel to Boston to play the Celtics on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "18", "Magic": "21"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "101", "Magic": "102"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "14", "Magic": "13"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "4", "Victor Oladipo": "4", "Chris Bosh": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "1", "Danny Granger": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tobias Harris": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Chris Bosh": "0", "Dwyane Wade": "0", "Danny Granger": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "14", "Nikola Vucevic": "17", "Victor Oladipo": "12", "Chris Bosh": "17", "Dwyane Wade": "14", "Danny Granger": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Tobias Harris": "8", "Nikola Vucevic": "12", "Victor Oladipo": "7", "Chris Bosh": "8", "Dwyane Wade": "7", "Danny Granger": "7"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "18", "Nikola Vucevic": "26", "Victor Oladipo": "22", "Chris Bosh": "20", "Dwyane Wade": "25", "Danny Granger": "21"}, "Blocks": {"Nikola Vucevic": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "2", "Chris Bosh": "4", "Dwyane Wade": "11"}, "Personal fouls": {"Nikola Vucevic": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "9", "Chris Bosh": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Chris Bosh": "7", "Dwyane Wade": "11"}, "Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "6"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "Steals": {"Dwyane Wade": "1"}}], "The Orlando Magic (13 - 21) defeated the Miami Heat (14 - 18) 102 - 101 on Monday at American Airlines Arena in Miami. Tied 77 - 77 going into the fourth quarter, this game was destined to be a close finish. In the final moments of the game, Victor Oladipo was fouled and hit 1 - of - 2 free throws to give the Magic the one - point lead. That ended up being the game winner, as Dwyane Wade could n't connect on a last second heave with under a second left on the clock. The Heat have now lost two in a row and six of their last ten. The Magic's starters did most of the damage in this one. Leading all scorers, Nikola Vucevic converted on 12 - of - 17 shots from the field to finish with 26 points, while also adding nine rebounds. He's had a lot of success over his last two outings, averaging 24 points and 10 rebounds over those two games. He's now at 18 points and 12 rebounds per game this year. Victor Oladipo was also one of the main contributors, as he went 7 - for - 12 from the field and 3 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score 22 points. Considering he's averaging 14 points thus far on the season, it was a nice surprise for the Magic to get this kind of production. Staying extremely consistent so far this season, Tobias Harris did n't dissapoint. He finished with 18 points (8 - 14 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt), which was right on par with his season average of 19 points per game. The Heat were led by Dwyane Wade in this one. He scored 25 points (7 - 14 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt) and handed out six assists, while getting a good portion of his offensive output at the free throw line, where he went a perfect 11 - for - 11. In very impressive fashion, Wade is now averaging 29 points over his last seven outings. Chirs Bosh also had a solid game. He scored 20 points (8 - 17 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 4 - 7 FT) and grabbed eight rebounds in 32 minutes. He's now averaging 22 points and 8 rebounds on the year. Coming off the bench, Danny Granger had his second straight impressive game. In arguably his best performance of the season so far, Granger went 7 - for - 10 from the field and a ridiculous 6 - for - 7 from beyond the arc to score 21 points. The Heat signed him in the offseason hoping for this type of production, so they'll be hoping he can finally gain some consistency and keep it up. The Heat's next game will be on the road against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, while the Magic will be at home against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Knicks": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "50"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "1", "Hornets": "2"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "96", "Hornets": "93"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "17", "Hornets": "13"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "2", "Hornets": "1"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hornets": "21"}}, {"Points": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "6", "Al Jefferson": "21", "Lance Stephenson": "14", "Kemba Walker": "16", "Carmelo Anthony": "28", "Iman Shumpert": "15", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "3", "Al Jefferson": "4", "Lance Stephenson": "9", "Kemba Walker": "3", "Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Samuel Dalembert": "8", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "10"}, "Assists": {"Al Jefferson": "1", "Lance Stephenson": "8", "Kemba Walker": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Samuel Dalembert": "1", "Iman Shumpert": "4"}, "Steals": {"Lance Stephenson": "3", "Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Iman Shumpert": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Samuel Dalembert": "22", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "23"}}], "The New York Knicks (2 - 1) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (1 - 2) 96 - 93 Sunday at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Knicks were able to shoot 50 percent from both the field and behind the arc, which allowed them to score the victory in a very close finish against. Although both teams struggled to put the ball in the hoop during the fourth quarter, the Knicks were able to outscore Charlotte 17 - 13 in the final period. The Hornets were led by starting center Al Jefferson, who recorded 21 points, four rebounds, and an assist. Lance Stephenson nearly triple - doubled, but came up just short, finishing with 14 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, and three steals. Kemba Walker rebounded from a five - point outing against the Grizzlies on Saturday to score 16 points, to go along with three rebounds and an assists. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist left the game with a chest injury and was n't able to return to the game. In nine minutes before exiting, he had six points and three rebounds. For the Knicks, a familiar name was called upon to shoulder the load offensively. Anthony went 12 - for - 22 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from behind the arc to finish with 28 points, while also recording two rebounds, two assists, and a steal. Amare Stoudemire came off the bench to add 17 points and 10 rebounds in 23 minutes. Iman Shumpert maintained his hold on the starting shooting guard position and posted 15 points, four assists, and a steal in 25 minutes. After dealing with a calf injury over the past week, Samuel Dalembert got the start at center and played in 22 minutes, going scoreless with eight rebounds and an assist. The Knicks will move on to face the Wizards in Washington on Tuesday, while the Hornets will head south to New Orleans to take on Anthony Davis and Co. on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "6", "Pacers": "16"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "106", "Pacers": "94"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "17", "Pacers": "7"}}, {"Minutes played": {"CJ Miles": "13", "Landry Fields": "21"}, "Points": {"Roy Hibbert": "6", "Landry Fields": "8", "Lou Williams": "26"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (17 - 6) defeated the Indiana Pacers (7 - 16) 106 - 94 on Friday. Toronto has won four of their last six games as they continue to find ways to win without DeMar DeRozan (adductor) in the lineup. Landry Fields started at small forward for the second straight game, putting up eight points in 21 minutes. Louis Williams scored a game - high 26 points off the bench, continuing to show up with big offensive production most games. DrRozan is expected to miss at least another few weeks. The Raptors will go on the road to face the New York Knicks on Sunday. Indiana is almost back to full health, excluding Paul George who is out for the season, but since getting David West back eight games ago, they've only won a single game. George Hill returned to practice in a limited capacity Thursday, but he's no savior. He wo n't turn the tide for the Pacers. If they ca n't compete with their current lineups, they wo n't improve much with Hill back. C.J. Miles turned a couple good shooting performances off the bench into a move into the starting lineup Friday, but after just 13 minutes of action, Miles suffered a bruised knee and was removed from the game. Roy Hibbert started off the season performing well on both sides of the court, but since returning from an ankle injury six games ago, Hibbert has been foul prone and generally inept on both sides of the court. It's possible his ankle injury is still hindering his mobility and effectiveness. The Pacers will have a chance to redeem themselves Saturday when they host the Portland Trail Blazers."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "10", "Thunder": "22"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "93", "Thunder": "85"}, "Turnovers": {"Spurs": "11", "Thunder": "19"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "56", "Thunder": "44"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "11"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "38"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "28", "Russell Westbrook": "19", "Enes Kanter": "11", "Kawhi Leonard": "26", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "6", "Enes Kanter": "17", "Kawhi Leonard": "7", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "9"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (56 - 10) defeated the Oklahoma City (44 - 22) Thunder 93 - 85 on Saturday. In a battle between two potent offenses, the defenses were on display. San Antonio absolutely stifled the Thunder, as they held them to 38 percent shooting from the field and 11 percent shooting from long distance. The three - point shooting was ugly all - around though, as the Spurs went 4 - for - 24, while the Thunder went 2 - for - 18. San Antonio also forced Oklahoma City to commit 19 turnovers, while they committed just 11 of their own. Oklahoma City played well in the first half, but scored just 36 points in an ugly second half. The stars did play well though, as Kevin Durant accumulated 28 points, eight assists and four rebounds. Russell Westbrook struggled shooting, but still finished with 19 points, six rebounds and seven assists. Enes Kanter was great off the bench, as he double - doubled in a 11 - point, 17 - rebound performance. Oklahoma City has now lost eight of their last 12 games. Up next for the Thunder is a matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday. San Antonio did what they do best, as they used their elite defense to carry them to a big win. Kawhi Leonard was spectacular, as he totaled 26 points, seven rebounds and three steals while covering Durant. LaMarcus Aldridge also played well, as he scored 24 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the win. This now gives San Antonio 41 - straight wins in their home building. On deck for the Spurs is a matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "36", "Raptors": "24"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "91", "Raptors": "92"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "24"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "24", "Raptors": "36"}}, {"Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "9", "Serge Ibaka": "15", "Jonas Valanciunas": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "37", "Cory Joseph": "6", "Carmelo Anthony": "24", "Lance Thomas": "12", "Willy Hernangomez": "8", "Courtney Lee": "16", "Derrick Rose": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarre Carroll": "5", "Serge Ibaka": "4", "Jonas Valanciunas": "5", "DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Cory Joseph": "3", "Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Lance Thomas": "6", "Willy Hernangomez": "9", "Courtney Lee": "3", "Derrick Rose": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Serge Ibaka": "1", "Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "Courtney Lee": "2"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Cory Joseph": "4", "Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Willy Hernangomez": "2", "Courtney Lee": "3", "Derrick Rose": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "25"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Cory Joseph": "34"}, "Steals": {"Cory Joseph": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Willy Hernangomez": "1", "Courtney Lee": "5", "Derrick Rose": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1"}}], "The Toronto Raptors edged the New York Knicks, 92 - 91, at Madison Square Garden on Monday night. Whenever other major components of their respective teams are sidelined, the spotlight shines particularly bright on DeMar DeRozan and Carmelo Anthony. With Kyle Lowry set to miss the remainder of the regular season due to wrist surgery and Kristaps Porzingis missing multiple games with an ankle injury, such a scenario is presently playing itself out for the pair of superstars. Unsurprisingly, they both are responding in impressive fashion, and fittingly, the outcome of Monday's contest ended up in the hands of both players. In what was a back - and - forth fourth period, DeRozan gave the Raptors (36 - 24) a 92 - 91 lead with one second remaining with an 18 - foot basket. That left the Knicks (24 - 36) with one possession and they naturally opted to get the ball into the hands of Anthony. The perennial All-Star went for broke, putting up a 25 - foot three - point jumper at the buzzer that failed to find the net, clinching the hard - fought road win for Toronto. DeRozan compiled a game - high 37 points, which he supplemented with eight rebounds, two assists and one steal. With DeRozan putting up 25 shots, Serge Ibaka was a distant second with 15 points, four rebounds and one block. Jonas Valanciunas totaled 10 points, five boards, two steals and one block. DeMarre Carroll supplied nine points, five boards and a pair of dimes. Cory Joseph, now presumably the starting point guard for the remainder of the campaign, contributed a modest six points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals over 34 minutes. Anthony paced the Knicks with 24 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal. Derrick Rose and Courtney Lee were next with matching 16 - points efforts, with the former adding six rebounds, four assists and two steals, and the latter supplying three rebounds, three assists, five steals and two blocks. Lance Thomas drew another start for Porzingis and registered 12 points and six boards. Willy Hernangomez, now also a potential long - term starter with Joakim Noah out several weeks after a knee procedure, posted eight points, nine boards, two assists and one steal. The Raptors head back home to tangle with the Wizards on Wednesday evening, while the Knicks hit the road for a Wednesday night matchup against the Orlando Magic."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "33", "Knicks": "40"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "112", "Knicks": "92"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "33", "Knicks": "26"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "11"}, "Turnovers": {"Knicks": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Willy Hernangomez": "3", "Kristaps Porzingis": "4", "Courtney Lee": "5", "Derrick Rose": "2", "Chasson Randle": "3", "Tobias Harris": "5", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "3", "Reggie Jackson": "8"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "13", "Willy Hernangomez": "14", "Kristaps Porzingis": "18", "Courtney Lee": "13", "Derrick Rose": "11", "Chasson Randle": "12", "Tobias Harris": "28", "Andre Drummond": "24", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "9", "Reggie Jackson": "19", "Jon Leuer": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Willy Hernangomez": "9", "Kristaps Porzingis": "6", "Courtney Lee": "7", "Derrick Rose": "2", "Tobias Harris": "7", "Andre Drummond": "15", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "3", "Reggie Jackson": "3", "Jon Leuer": "3"}, "Steals": {"Willy Hernangomez": "1", "Courtney Lee": "1", "Derrick Rose": "1", "Andre Drummond": "3", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "3", "Reggie Jackson": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "6", "Tobias Harris": "2", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "1"}}], "The Detroit Pistons defeated the New York Knicks, 112 - 92, at Palace at Auburn Hills on Saturday evening. The Knicks (26 - 40) put together a balanced offensive effort and tallied success rates north of 40 percent from both the field and three - point range. However, a pair of spectacular performances from Tobias Harris and Andre Drummond, along with some solid defense overall, helped neutralize those accomplishments. The Pistons (33 - 33) caused 18 turnovers, did n't allow an individual point total higher than 18 and limited New York to just 11 points in the fourth quarter overall. Kristaps Porzingis paced the Knicks with 18 points, which he supplemented with six rebounds, four assists and six blocks. Willy Hernangomez posted a near double - double of 14 points, nine rebounds, three assists and one steal. Courtney Lee and Carmelo Anthony posted matching 13 - point efforts, with the former adding seven rebounds, five assists and one steal, and the latter providing four assists and one rebound. Derrick Rose registered 11 points, two rebounds, two assists and one steal. Chasson Randle generated 12 points and three assists to lead the bench. Harris' 28 points led the way for the visitors, a total he complemented with seven rebounds, five assists and two blocks. Drummond managed a massive 24 - point, 15 - rebound double - double that also included three steals and one block. Reggie Jackson went for 19 points, eight assists, three rebounds, one steal and one block. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope totaled nine points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals. Jon Leuer led the second unit with 11 points and three rebounds. The Knicks tangle with their intrastate rival Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on Sunday evening, while the Pistons visit the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "1"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "111", "Timberwolves": "112"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "0", "Timberwolves": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Timberwolves": "8"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "32", "Andrew Wiggins": "29", "Ricky Rubio": "32", "Kevin Martin": "29", "D'Angelo Russell": "26"}, "Points": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "14", "Andrew Wiggins": "9", "Ricky Rubio": "28", "Kevin Martin": "23", "Kobe Bryant": "24", "D'Angelo Russell": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "12", "Kevin Martin": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "10", "Kobe Bryant": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Kobe Bryant": "8"}, "Personal fouls": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Ricky Rubio": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kevin Martin": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "13"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kobe Bryant": "3"}, "Assists": {"Julius Randle": "2", "D'Angelo Russell": "2"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (112 - 111) overcame a double - digit deficit on the road Wednesday to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers (0 - 1) 112 - 111. Following an ill - advised shot from Kevin Martin with eight seconds remaining in the final period and the Timberwolves up one, the Lakers had one final shot to win with just four seconds remaining. Kobe Bryant inbounded the ball to Lou Williams, who drove to the basket off a Julius Randle screen, but the floater hit the back of the rim and popped out and Minnesota managed to escape. The Timberwolves were lead by an incredible performance from Ricky Rubio, who finished with 28 points and 14 rebounds in 32 minutes. The point guard managed to effectively shoot the ball from the field and find his teammates throughout Wednesday\u2019s contest. He also went turnover free for the first three quarters of the game. Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a double - double in his NBA regular season debut, as he finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds in 32 minutes. Last year\u2019s Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins struggled to start the season, shooting just 2 - of - 10 from the field and finishing with nine points in 29 minutes. Kevin Martin managed to make up for Wiggins\u2019s struggles, as he scored 23 points in 29 minutes in his new role off the bench. Kobe Bryant\u2019s return to the court was highlighted by inefficiency, as while the Mamba scored a team - high 24 points, he shot just 8 - of - 24 from the field and 3 - of - 13 from three. The Lakers\u2019 frontcourt, however, put together an impressive performance, as both Roy Hubert and Julius Randle recorded double - doubles in points and rebounds. Rookie D\u2019Angelo Russell struggled in his realgar season debut, recording just four points and two assists in 26 minutes. Up next, the Timberwolves will travel to Denver Friday to take on the Nuggets, while the Lakers will head to Sacramento Friday and go up against the Kings."], [[{"Total points": {"Warriors": "117", "Thunder": "91"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Warriors": "19", "Thunder": "20"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "31"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Thunder": "20"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "21"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "22", "Klay Thompson": "19", "Stephen Curry": "19"}, "Minutes played": {"Klay Thompson": "19"}}], "The Golden State Warriors beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in dominating fashion Monday, winning by a score of 117 - 91. Despite scoring 117 points Monday, the big story out of the Bay Area was the Warriors' suffocating defense. Oklahoma was held to just 31% shooting from the floor, one of the worst shooting performances by any team this season. The Warriors built a commanding lead from the early going and never looked back as they led by 20 or more points for much of the game. The Thunder came out flat despite being well rested, having last played Friday at home against the Wizards. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook shot a combined 8 - 37 from the floor with Westbrook needing 21 shots to get to 22 points on the night. Durant did not look fully healthy as his ankle appeared to be bothering him. The Thunder will look to shake off this crushing loss on Wednesday when they play the Kings in Sacramento. The Warriors put on a clinic against the Thunder as they secured their fourth straight win. Not only did Steph Curry and Klay Thompson score 19 apiece, the Warriors also got solid games from Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green, and Justin Holiday. Golden State will look to continue its hot streak on Wednesday when it hosts the Pacers."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Chris Paul": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "8"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "27", "Chris Paul": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "9"}, "Steals": {"Chris Paul": "2"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers relied heavily on their depth to defeat the San Antonio Spurs in Friday's matchup. The combination of Marreese Speights and Raymond Felton went for 27 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. With Chris Paul (hamstring) leaving late in the third quarter, Felton stepped up his game to the point that the Spurs decided to switch their best defender in Kawhi Leonard looking to contain the veteran point guard. Paul still flashed a strong game across his rather low minutes total, as he finished with 19 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and two steals across 24 minutes before exiting. Kawhi Leonard, in standard fashion, led the Spurs across the box score and added an emphatic hammer dunk in the second half that kept San Antonio in the game. Leonard finished with 27 points, nine rebounds and five assists on 8 - of - 19 shooting."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "51", "Pacers": "38"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "1", "Pacers": "2"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "102", "Pacers": "92"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "1", "Pacers": "1"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "38"}}, {"Assists": {"Solomon Hill": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Solomon Hill": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Solomon Hill": "34", "Chris Copeland": "34", "DeMarre Carroll": "34", "Jeff Teague": "33"}, "Points": {"Solomon Hill": "10", "Chris Copeland": "21", "DeMarre Carroll": "11", "Jeff Teague": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Solomon Hill": "5", "DeMarre Carroll": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jeff Teague": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Jeff Teague": "10"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (1 - 1) defeated the Indiana Pacers (1 - 2) 102 - 92 on Saturday. Jeff Teague scored a game - high 25 points in 33 minutes. Teauge did a lot of his work at the free - throw line, connecting on all 10 of his attempts there. DeMarre Carroll narrowly missed a double - double, finishing with 11 points and nine rebounds in 34 minutes. The Hawks shot 51 percent from the field, getting off any shots they wanted against a Pacers team that is thinned out by injuries. Second-year forward Solomon Hill showed off his contributions in the box score a little more than usual, putting up 10 points, five rebounds, six assists, and two three - pointers in 34 minutes as the starting small forward. Chris Copeland scored a team - high 21 points in 34 minutes off the bench. As a team, the Pacers shot just 38 percent from the field, a dubiously low shooting percentage that seldoms come accompanied with a win. David West (ankle) may be close to returning, but C.J. Watson (foot) is expected to miss at least another week, while George Hill (knee) will likely be out closer to three more weeks. The Pacers' next game is at home Tuesday against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Hawks have three days off before they go on the road to face the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "29", "Mavericks": "27"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "110", "Mavericks": "104"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Magic": "31", "Mavericks": "13"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Magic": "25"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "24", "Mavericks": "29"}}, {"Assists": {"Chandler Parsons": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "1", "Zaza Pachulia": "2", "Deron Williams": "7", "J.J. Barea": "2", "Aaron Gordon": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "3", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Brandon Jennings": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Chandler Parsons": "3", "Dirk Nowitzki": "1", "Deron Williams": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "2", "Jason Smith": "1"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "24", "Dirk Nowitzki": "11", "Zaza Pachulia": "11", "Deron Williams": "25", "J.J. Barea": "15", "Aaron Gordon": "7", "Nikola Vucevic": "21", "Victor Oladipo": "17", "Ersan Ilyasova": "16", "Brandon Jennings": "18", "Jason Smith": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Chandler Parsons": "4", "Zaza Pachulia": "19", "Deron Williams": "4", "J.J. Barea": "2", "Aaron Gordon": "11", "Ersan Ilyasova": "5", "Brandon Jennings": "3"}, "Steals": {"Chandler Parsons": "2", "Dirk Nowitzki": "1", "Zaza Pachulia": "3", "Deron Williams": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "6", "Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "2", "Ersan Ilyasova": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "1", "Evan Fournier": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Deron Williams": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Evan Fournier": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Evan Fournier": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Evan Fournier": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Evan Fournier": "1"}}], "The Orlando Magic (24 - 29) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (29 - 27) 110 - 104 in overtime on Friday. The game was one of wild swings, with the Magic initially ambushing the Mavs and holding a 31 - 13 advantage after one quarter. However, the visitors turned the tables in the middle periods, outscoring their hosts 68 - 41 over the second and third quarters to carry an 81 - 72 lead into the final 12 minutes. Orlando awoke from their slumber with the game on the line in a momentous fourth quarter, which included a pair of three - pointers from newly acquired Brandon Jennings. Evan Fournier finally tied matters at 98 with a driving layup at the 12 - second mark, and Dirk Nowitzki missed a 17 - footer as time ran out for the Mavs, sending the game into overtime. Fournier then got things going for Orlando in the extra period with a three - pointer, and Victor Oladipo added five of his 17 points on the night to help seal the victory. Veteran Deron Williams, apparently well - rested from the All-Star break, turned in one of his best performances of the season in pacing Dallas' offense. He totaled 25 points, seven assists, four rebounds, a steal and a block. Chandler Parsons was right behind him with an outstanding all - around effort consisting of 24 points, four rebounds, four assists, two steals and three blocks. Dirk Nowitzki and Zaza Pachulia followed with a pair of 11 - point efforts, with the latter notably also hauling in 19 boards, dishing out two assists and recording three steals. J.J. Barea led the reserves with 15 points, two rebounds and a pair of assists, while Charlie Villanueva also managed double - digit scoring off the bench. The veteran amassed 11 points, and added three rebounds. The Mavericks remain in third place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They head home for a Sunday showdown with the Philadelphia 76ers. Orlando was spearheaded by a double - double from Nikola Vucevic, who managed 21 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, a steal and a pair of blocks. Oladipo was a force on the glass in addition to his aforementioned 17 points, bringing down a season - high 14 boards. Aaron Gordon followed the flashiness of his performance in the Slam Dunk Competition with a more workmanlike effort of seven points, 11 rebounds, an assist and an outstanding six steals. The Magic bench made its presence considerably felt as well, with three players, two of them newcomers, posting double - digit points. Jennings led the way with 18 points, which he supplemented with four assists and three rebounds. Fellow new arrival and former Pistons teammate Ersan Ilyasova contributed 16 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal. Mainstay Jason Smith pitched in with 11 points of his own, which were complemented with a trio of rebounds and a block. The Magic remains in last place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They're home again Sunday for a date with the Indiana Pacers."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "9", "Pelicans": "15"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "107", "Pelicans": "100"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Bulls": "23"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bulls": "26"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "21", "Pelicans": "15"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pelicans": "26"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pelicans": "29"}, "Turnovers": {"Pelicans": "15"}}, {"Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "6"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "29", "Tyreke Evans": "26", "Jimmy Butler": "33", "Aaron Brooks": "13", "Taj Gibson": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "11", "Tyreke Evans": "5", "Taj Gibson": "10"}, "Assists": {"Tyreke Evans": "5", "Aaron Brooks": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Jimmy Butler": "9"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (21 - 9) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (15 - 15) 107 - 100 on Saturday. Chicago is on a six - game winning streak. Jimmy Butler led the way with a game - high 33 points Saturday, doing the dirty work to get to the free - throw line for 10 attempts to convert nine free points. The Bulls spread out the responsibilities, using a deep rotation that saw Taj Gibson collect a double - double of 12 points and 10 rebounds and Aaron Brooks post 13 points and four assists off the bench. Kirk Hinrich sat out a third straight game with a hamstring injury. Chicago will go on the road to play the Indiana Pacers on Monday. New Orleans has lost two of their last three games. Anthony Davis put up 29 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks playing in front of his hometown crowd Saturday, and Tyreke Evans pitched in 26 points, five rebound and five assists, but the Pelicans' good performances from Davis and Evans were n't enough to overcome the poor play from several of their role players. They gave up 23 points on 15 turnovers, essentially giving the game away. New Orleans will host the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "19", "Jazz": "20"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "104", "Jazz": "86"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "8", "Jazz": "8"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "26"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "39"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Rudy Gobert": "30"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gobert": "11", "Al Jefferson": "19", "Kemba Walker": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "12", "Al Jefferson": "10"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (8 - 19) defeated the Utah Jazz (8 - 20) 104 - 86 on Saturday. Charlotte has won two straight, overcoming the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday and now the Jazz on the second night of a back - to - back set. While some will point to Lance Stephenson's (groin) absence in the games and argue that the Hornets play better without him, the level of the Hornets' opponent can not be overlooked. The Sixers and Jazz are young teams. With or without Stephenson, the Hornets should have had this weekend's games circled as projected wins. Kemba Walker scored a game - high 20 points Saturday, and Al Jefferson pitched in a double - double of 19 points and 10 rebounds. However, near the end of the game, Jefferson suffered a mild groin strain, leaving him somewhat questionable going into the Hornets' next game Monday when they host the Denver Nuggets. Utah could n't get their shots to fall, converting just 39 percent of their field goal attempts and 26 percent of their shots from beyond the arc. With the game turning into a blowout, the Jazz opted to spread the minutes out more amongst the bench players. Rudy Gobert finished with 11 points and 12 rebounds in 30 minutes off the bench. Saturday's loss broke the first two - game win streak the Jazz have been able to put together this season. They'll have another tough game Monday when they finish up their six - game road trip in Memphis against the Grizzlies."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Raptors": "36", "Bucks": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Kyle Lowry": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "19", "Jabari Parker": "21", "Norman Powell": "19", "Kyle Lowry": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6", "Jabari Parker": "13", "Norman Powell": "6", "Kyle Lowry": "3"}}], "Toronto had lost five - straight games headed into this matchup, so a near wire - to - wire win is all they could ask for. The first quarter is where they made their bread and butter, winning that quarter, 36 - 19. Toronto won nearly every statistic, as they led in shooting, rebounding, assisting, steals, blocks and turnovers. Jabari Parker led Milwaukee in scoring, as he totaled 21 points and 13 rebounds. Giannis Antetokounmpo was second on the team, accumulating 19 points, six rebounds, eight assists and three blocks. No other player on the roster had more than 11 points, six rebounds or three assists. Kyle Lowry carried the load in the absence of DeMar DeRozan (ankle), as he scored a game - high 32 points to go along with three rebounds and six assists. Norman Powell started for DeRozan and finished with 19 points and six rebounds."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "50"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "15", "Hornets": "27"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "114", "Hornets": "103"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "41", "Hornets": "29"}}, {"Points": {"Kemba Walker": "20", "Frank Kaminsky": "16", "LeBron James": "23", "Kyrie Irving": "23"}, "Assists": {"LeBron James": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "7"}}], "The Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers (41 - 15) made quick work of the Charlotte Hornets (29 - 27) on Wednesday, winning 114 - 103. The Cavs had won five of their last six heading into Wednesday's contest, despite dropping their most recent matchup against Detroit. Cleveland's lead on the Eastern Conference has been steady for the majority of the season, and with the team now six for their last seven, things do n't look poised to change. Superstar LeBron James led the effort against the surging Hornets on Wednesday, contributing 23 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. Point guard Kyrie Irving matched James's scoring effort, also dropping in 23 on a team - high 17 field goal attempts. For the Cavs, taking care of the basketball proved key, as the team dished out a respectable 26 assists while only turning the ball over nine times. The loss snaps a five - game win streak for Charlotte, a team that has forced its way back into the Eastern Conference playoff picture over the last month. Point guard Kemba Walker, the team's leading scorer, posted a team - high 20 points in Wednesday's contest. No other starter reached double - digits, although rookie Frank Kaminsky poured in an efficient 16 from the bench. Recently returned big man Al Jefferson played just 23 minutes while coming off the bench. It was the former All-NBA center's third straight tilt with the second unit. Charlotte ultimately proved unable to match Cleveland's elite arsenal of offensive players, allowing the Cavs to hit 50 percent from the field on the night. Charlotte will travel to Indiana to face the Pacers on Wednesday. Cleveland, meanwhile, will visit the second - place Raptors on Friday for what should be an important matchup."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "49"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "19"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "9"}}, {"Points": {"Brook Lopez": "17", "Danilo Gallinari": "20", "Nikola Jokic": "2", "Gary Harris": "25", "Wilson Chandler": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "1", "Danilo Gallinari": "8"}, "Personal fouls": {"Nikola Jokic": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Gary Harris": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gary Harris": "15", "Wilson Chandler": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"Gary Harris": "9", "Wilson Chandler": "11"}}], "Despite an off night from star center Nikola Jokic, the Denver Nuggets cruised to victory on Friday. Jokic had four fouls in 14 minutes and scored only two points. In his stead, other players stepped up production. The Nuggets saw 25 points on 9 - of - 15 shooting from guard Gary Harris, including four three - pointers. Sixth man Wilson Chandler scored 24 points and shot 11 - of - 21. Forward Danilo Gallinari also had 20 points to go along with eight rebounds. As a team, Denver held a nine - rebound advantage and shot over 50 percent while making 14 three - pointers. Brooklyn, meanwhile, shot over 49 percent but struggled in most other areas. The Nets had 19 turnovers, were out - assisted by five, and were out - rebounded by nine. Former All-Star Brook Lopez led the team with 17 points but came down with just one rebound."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Willy Hernangomez": "24", "Derrick Rose": "24", "Kawhi Leonard": "29", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "19", "Pau Gasol": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Willy Hernangomez": "13", "Derrick Rose": "5", "Kawhi Leonard": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "10", "Pau Gasol": "10"}, "Assists": {"Derrick Rose": "5", "Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Pau Gasol": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Derrick Rose": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2", "Pau Gasol": "2"}}], "San Antonio were expected to win this game easily and holding the lead for 47 minutes of this matchup shows just that. San Antonio won nearly every statistic, as they won the rebounding, assisting, steals, blocks, turnovers, fastbreak points and points in the paint differentials. Bench production was huge as well, with the Spurs winning that battle, 37 - 13. Derrick Rose returned from a one - game absence to total 24 points, five rebounds and five assists. Wily Hernangomez matched those 24 points, also adding 13 rebounds en route to a double - double. Kawhi Leonard led the way for the Spurs, as he accrued 29 points, five rebounds, five assists and two blocks. LaMarcus Aldridge finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Pau Gasol was huge off the bench, providing 19 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two blocks."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "35", "76ers": "34"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "111", "76ers": "112"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "21"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "20", "76ers": "19"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"76ers": "35"}}, {"Assists": {"T.J. McConnell": "8", "Evan Fournier": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"T.J. McConnell": "2", "Dario Saric": "5", "Evan Fournier": "6"}, "Points": {"T.J. McConnell": "8", "Nikola Vucevic": "21", "Evan Fournier": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"T.J. McConnell": "5", "Dario Saric": "8", "Nikola Vucevic": "11", "Evan Fournier": "9"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dario Saric": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Dario Saric": "28", "Nikola Vucevic": "31"}, "Blocks": {"Nikola Vucevic": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Evan Fournier": "3"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Orlando Magic, 112 - 111, Thursday at Amway Center. With two minutes remaining and the 76ers (19 - 34) down six points, the game was in serious doubt for Philadelphia. But, over the course of the next minute and a half, the 76ers hit five free throws before a Dario Saric layup put the team up by one point with just 35 seconds remaining. A short shot from Orlando's Nikola Vucevic put them back up two, but then T.J. McConnell ended up being the hero once again, hitting his second game - winning shot of the season as the 76ers ultimately walked away with the victory. Saric stepped up in a big way for Philadelphia on Thursday, scoring a game - high 24 points and grabbing eight rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench, while the hero McConnell did well getting his teammates involved, dishing out eight assists to go along with eight points and five rebounds, as the Sixers managed to end a five - game losing streak with the win. As for the Magic (20 - 35), Vucevic recorded yet another double - double, posting 21 points on 10 - of - 13 shooting and 11 rebounds in 31 minutes. Evan Fournier came close to a triple - double, scoring a team - high 24 points to go along with nine rebounds and eight assists. Fournier shot 3 - of - 6 from behind the arc, and his team for the most part followed, shooting 48 percent from long range. Where the game was ultimately lost, however, was the Magic's inability to take care of the basketball, as they recorded 21 total turnovers as a team. Up next, the 76ers will look to keep up their winning ways Saturday against the Heat, while the Magic will look to end their three - game losing streak Saturday against the Mavericks."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Suns": "28", "Thunder": "14"}}, {"Points": {"Steven Adams": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "48", "Devin Booker": "17", "Eric Bledsoe": "18", "Alan Williams": "14", "Tyler Ulis": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Steven Adams": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "17", "Devin Booker": "7", "Eric Bledsoe": "3", "Alan Williams": "13", "Tyler Ulis": "4"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "9", "Devin Booker": "3", "Eric Bledsoe": "5", "Tyler Ulis": "7"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "3", "Eric Bledsoe": "4", "Tyler Ulis": "3"}}], "The Thunder were expected to win this game, but Phoenix had other ideas. The assist - to - turnover ratio was the difference, as the Suns doubled up the Thunder in assists, 28 - 14, while committing two less turnovers. The bench production was huge as well, with Phoenix winning that battle, 55 - 22. Russell Westrook did all he could for Oklahoma City, as he led the team with 48 points, 17 rebounds, nine assists and three steals. Steven Adams fell just shy of a double - double, totaling nine points and 10 rebounds. Eric Bledsoe led the way for Phoenix, as he tallied 18 points, three rebounds, five assists and four steals. Devin Booker finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Tyler Ulis provided 14 points, four rebounds, seven assists and three steals off the bench, while Williams recorded a 14 - point, 13 - rebound double - double."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "30", "Knicks": "30"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "55", "Knicks": "55"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "5", "Knicks": "9"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "117", "Knicks": "113"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Bucks": "30", "Knicks": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Bucks": "44", "Knicks": "28"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "6", "Knicks": "3"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"JR Smith": "2", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "4", "Jerryd Bayless": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"JR Smith": "2", "Khris Middleton": "2", "Jerryd Bayless": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"JR Smith": "2", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2"}, "Steals": {"JR Smith": "2"}, "Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "5", "Iman Shumpert": "8", "Brandon Knight": "9", "Jerryd Bayless": "3"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "26", "Iman Shumpert": "21", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "24", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "13", "Jabari Parker": "12", "Zaza Pachulia": "14", "Brandon Knight": "14", "Ersan Ilyasova": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Iman Shumpert": "8", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6", "Zaza Pachulia": "13", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Jerryd Bayless": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Iman Shumpert": "4", "Khris Middleton": "6", "Jerryd Bayless": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Iman Shumpert": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Iman Shumpert": "36", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "18"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Iman Shumpert": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Khris Middleton": "4"}}], "The Bucks (6 - 5) held off the Knicks (3 - 9) 117 - 113 in Milwaukee on Tuesday. Milwaukee, which led by 17 at halftime, extended the lead to as much as 26 points in the third quarter, but the Knicks came storming back to close the gap late in the fourth quarter. Down 15 to begin the final period, the Knicks slowly chipped away at the lead, whittling it down to single digits with under three minutes to play. A Tim Hardaway, Jr. layup followed by a thunderous Iman Shumpert baseline slam cut the lead to just four with 1:51 remaining, but Khris Middleton responded with a pair of free throws on the other end to extend it back to six. After two J.R. Smith free throws, Milwaukee ran the shot clock down on its ensuing possession, ending in an Ersan Ilyasova step - back jumper from the left corner. Ilyasova knocked it down, returning the lead to six points. While the Bucks allowed New York to score three baskets in the final 30 seconds, Jerryd Bayless was able to ice the game at the line, going 5 - of - 6 in the final 26 seconds. The Bucks, who won their fourth game in five tries, placed seven players in double - figures, led by 20 points from Ilyasova off the bench. Brandon Knight added 14 points and nine assists, while Zaza Pachulia, starting in place of the injured Larry Sanders, added 14 points and 13 rebounds. Jabari Parker chipped in 12 points, and Giannis Antetokounmpo had 13 points and six rebounds in 18 minutes. Milwaukee out - rebounded New York 44 - 28 and scored 14 more points in the paint. The Knicks lost for the eighth time in their last nine games despite shooting 55 percent from the field. Carmelo Anthony led the way with 26 points, six rebounds and five assists, and Hardaway added 24 points off the bench. Shumpert finished with 21 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in 36 minutes, easily his best performance of the season. Milwaukee heads east to take on the Nets in Brooklyn on Wednesday, while New York moves on to face the Timberwolves in Minnesota, also on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "32", "Trail Blazers": "55"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "16", "Trail Blazers": "7"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "111", "Trail Blazers": "115"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "13", "Trail Blazers": "23"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Wesley Matthews": "8", "Damian Lillard": "12", "Serge Ibaka": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "5", "Reggie Jackson": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "0", "Wesley Matthews": "5", "Damian Lillard": "8", "Serge Ibaka": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "28", "Wesley Matthews": "15", "Damian Lillard": "21", "Serge Ibaka": "14", "Russell Westbrook": "34", "Reggie Jackson": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "9", "Wesley Matthews": "8", "Damian Lillard": "11", "Serge Ibaka": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "16", "Reggie Jackson": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "8", "Damian Lillard": "11", "Russell Westbrook": "9", "Reggie Jackson": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "7", "Damian Lillard": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "7", "Reggie Jackson": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "3"}, "Points": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "25", "Wesley Matthews": "22", "Damian Lillard": "40", "Serge Ibaka": "16", "Russell Westbrook": "40", "Reggie Jackson": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "9", "Serge Ibaka": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "10", "Reggie Jackson": "9"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Serge Ibaka": "4"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (23 - 7) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (13 - 16) 115 - 111 on Tuesday at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City. In a game of runs, the Trail Blazers and Thunder found themselves locked up following the fourth quarter, but in overtime the Trail Blazers were able to use a team - effort to outlast the Thunder and steal the four - point victory on the road. The Blazers used an outstanding three - point outing, going 55 percent from beyond the arc, while the Thunder shot only 32 percent from deep. LaMarcus Aldridge, Wesley Matthews and Damian Lillard provided 87 of the teams total of 115 points. Lillard was unstoppable, going 11 - for - 21 from the field and a ridiculous 8 - for - 12 from the three - point line to score 40 points. He also converted on 10 - of - 11 attempts from the free throw line and chipped in with 11 assists. It was his third double - double of the season and he's now averaging 21 points and 6 assists on the year. Aldridge was a force as well, scoring 25 points (9 - 28 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT) and adding nine rebounds. He's now averaged 28 points per game over his last three outings. Matthews was n't far behind either, going 8 - for - 15 from the field and 5 - for - 8 from the three - point line to score 22 points, with a few clutch buckets in overtime. Not to be outdone by Lillard, Russell Westbrook posted a 40 - point (16 - 34 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 7 - 9 FT), 10 - rebound game of his own. He's been a scoring machine thus far this season, averaging 27 points over his first 15 games of the season. Serge Ibaka also played well despite the loss. He finished with 16 points (7 - 14 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt), seven rebounds and four blocked shots before fouling out. It was a nice bounce back game for him after scoring only six points on Sunday. Coming off the bench, Reggie Jackson did his part, scoring 21 points (8 - 17 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and grabbing nine rebounds. Despite many players with positive contributions, the Thunder could n't get it done with Kevin Durant sitting out with an ankle injury. The Trail Blazers' next game will be at home against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday, while the Thunder will travel to San Antonio to play the Spurs on Thursday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "53"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "20", "Clippers": "22"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "120", "Clippers": "108"}, "Rebounds": {"Thunder": "52", "Clippers": "29"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "44", "Clippers": "41"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "8", "Andre Roberson": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Durant": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "20", "Russell Westbrook": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "11", "Russell Westbrook": "9"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "30", "Serge Ibaka": "15", "Andre Roberson": "13", "Russell Westbrook": "25", "Enes Kanter": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "12", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Enes Kanter": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Serge Ibaka": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Serge Ibaka": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Enes Kanter": "2"}, "Steals": {"Enes Kanter": "2"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (44 - 20) took down the Los Angeles Clippers (41 - 22) in a potential Western Conference playoff preview Wednesday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena, 120 - 108. Oklahoma City shot a sharp 53 percent from the floor and resoundingly won the rebounding battle 52 - 29 as they grinded out the victory. The Clippers never held the lead, but they came back from a 12 - point second quarter lead to keep the game tied into the third quarter. But after the last tie, at 75 - 75, Oklahoma City busted out an 18 - 8 run to close the quarter and led by double digits for the entire final period. Kevin Durant led all scorers with 30 points (11 - 20 FG, 5 - 8 3PT) and added 12 rebounds and seven assists. Russell Westbrook tied Draymond Green for the NBA lead with his 11th triple - double as he scored 25 (9 - 15 FG, 7 - 7 FT), grabbed 11 rebounds and dished a season best 20 assists. The Thunder also got double digit scoring performances from Serge Ibaka (15 points), Andre Roberson (13 points) and Enes Kanter (14 points, seven rebounds), and when the Thunder's two superstars get support like that, Oklahoma City's offense is hard to keep up with. The Thunder continue their homestand Friday against the Timberwolves. The Clippers return home to host the Knicks on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "2", "Grizzlies": "4"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "89", "Grizzlies": "79"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Jazz": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Jazz": "49", "Grizzlies": "44"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "4", "Grizzlies": "3"}}, {"Points": {"Derrick Favors": "12", "Trey Burke": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Derrick Favors": "16", "Rudy Gobert": "11"}, "Steals": {"Derrick Favors": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Trey Burke": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Trey Burke": "6"}}], "The Utah Jazz (4 - 2) defeated the Memphis Grizzles (3 - 4) 89 - 79 on Saturday. This was the defensive struggle that everyone anticipated, as it was a true grind fest. There were 15 combined steals, 11 combined blocks and the two teams combined to shoot under 37 percent from the field. This was a battle of dominant frontcourts and the Jazz appeared to win the battle, as they out - rebounded Memphis 49 - 44 while out - blocking them 10 - 1. The teams also did a great job of not allowing the other to get to the free - throw line, as there were only 32 free - throw attempts all game long. While this was a tough loss for the Grizzlies, they did show some fight in the fourth quarter. Trailing 77 - 57 after the end of the third quarter, Memphis decided to turn on the defensive jets and held Utah to just 12 points in the final 12 minutes. They still couldn\u2019t prevail, but at least the Grizzlies showed some fight. This has been a scary trend for the Grizzlies this season, as their four losses have been by a combined 109 points. This is one of the worst offensive teams in the league right now and they'll have to figure something out on that end of the floor if they want to dig out of this hole. Memphis will have another tough matchup in their next game on Monday against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Jazz defense is down right dominant right now, as they lowered their average of points allowed per game in this victory. They have now allowed under 84 points in four of their last five games and that can be attributed to their huge frontcourt. Rudy Gobert had 11 rebounds and four blocks in the game, while Derrick Favors added 12 points, 16 rebounds and three steals in the victory. The key to the win was a huge performance off the bench from Trey Burke, who scored a game - high 24 points while going 6 - for - 8 from three - point range. Utah will face another dominant defense in their net game when they travel to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Kings": "17", "Warriors": "22"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "31"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "1"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "77", "Warriors": "95"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Kings": "26", "Warriors": "22"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Kings": "14"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Kings": "14", "Warriors": "22"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "26", "Warriors": "22"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "0"}}, {"Points": {"Draymond Green": "12", "Andrew Bogut": "4", "Klay Thompson": "19", "Stephen Curry": "24", "Rudy Gay": "14", "DeMarcus Cousins": "20", "Nik Stauskas": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "10", "Andrew Bogut": "5", "Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "10", "Rudy Gay": "9", "DeMarcus Cousins": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Andrew Bogut": "4", "Klay Thompson": "1", "Rudy Gay": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Andrew Bogut": "18"}, "Assists": {"Klay Thompson": "6", "Stephen Curry": "5", "DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "8", "Stephen Curry": "9", "Ben McLemore": "2", "Nik Stauskas": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "2", "Ben McLemore": "0", "Nik Stauskas": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "14", "Stephen Curry": "17", "DeMarcus Cousins": "14", "Ben McLemore": "5", "Nik Stauskas": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "7", "DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Ben McLemore": "0", "Nik Stauskas": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "10", "Stephen Curry": "9", "Nik Stauskas": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Klay Thompson": "9", "Stephen Curry": "8", "Nik Stauskas": "1"}, "Steals": {"Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "6", "Rudy Gay": "1", "DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (10) defeated the Sacramento Kings (0 - 1) 95 - 77 on Wednesday at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento. This turned out to be a very sloppy game between the two teams. The Kings had a whopping 27 turnovers, while the Warriors contributed 22 of their own. After being up by two points at halftime, the Kings got ousted in the second half. They were outscored 26 to 14 in the third quarter and 22 to 14 in the fourth. Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 24 points (7 - 17 FG, 2 - 9 3Pt, 8 - 9 FT). He added a surprising 10 rebounds to give him his first double - double of the season and also contributed five assists and six steals. Fellow \"Splash Brother\" Klay Thompson finished with 19 points (4 - 14 FG, 2 - 8 3Pt, 9 - 10 FT) while posting two rebounds, six assists, two steals, and a blocked shot. Draymond Green got the start at power forward with David Lee sidelined and added 12 points and 10 rebounds. Green hit both three - point attempts that he took. Despite dealing with an illness, Andrew Bogut played 18 minutes but only scored four points, while adding five rebounds, and four blocked shots. The Kings shot 31 percent from the field and 17 percent from beyond the arc. DeMarcus Cousins was one of the lone bright spots, as he contributed his first of many double - doubles this season. He had 20 points and 11 rebounds, although he only made 4 - of - 14 shots from the field. Rudy Gay contributed 14 points of his own and added nine rebounds, a steal, and a blocked shot. Ben McLemore went 0 - for - 5 from the field and 0 - for - 2 from beyond the arc, while fellow rookie shooting guard Nik Stauskas scored nine points (3 - 10 FG, 2 - 7 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT) in 25 minutes of action off the bench. The Warriors will go on the road and play the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, while the Kings will travel to Portland to take on the Trail Blazers on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"76ers": "48"}, "Losses": {"76ers": "27", "Knicks": "14"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "97", "Knicks": "107"}, "Rebounds": {"76ers": "36"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "1", "Knicks": "13"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Arron Afflalo": "1", "Jahlil Okafor": "2", "Isaiah Canaan": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Carmelo Anthony": "28", "Arron Afflalo": "26", "Derrick Williams": "22", "Jahlil Okafor": "30", "Tony Wroten": "23"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "16", "Arron Afflalo": "22", "Derrick Williams": "17", "Jahlil Okafor": "20", "Isaiah Canaan": "14", "Tony Wroten": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "5", "Arron Afflalo": "7", "Derrick Williams": "3", "Jahlil Okafor": "5", "Tony Wroten": "3"}, "Steals": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Derrick Williams": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Arron Afflalo": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Tony Wroten": "7"}}], "The New York Knicks (13 - 14) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (1 - 27) by the score 107 - 97, Friday night in Philly. The 76ers played a strong first three minutes, getting up 11 - 9 but that would be the last lead they saw. New York went up 13 - 11 with 7:27 left in the first quarter and did not look back from there, maintaining close to a 20 point cushion for most of the second, third and fourth quarters. With this win the Knicks have now won three in a row. Arron Afflalo continued his better play as of late and led the Knicks in scoring for the second game in a row. Afflalo finished with 22 points on efficient 9 - 13 shooting, including going 3 - 5 from deep, along with seven rebounds, one assist and one block, in 26 minutes. Carmelo Anthony did not have his best shooting night, going 4 - 14 from the field, but still finished with 16 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals, in 28 minutes. Derrick Williams chipped in 17 points on solid 7 - 11 shooting, along with three rebounds and one steal, in 22 minutes off the bench. The 76ers had five players score in double digits and shot a respectable 48 percent from the field but only grabbed 36 rebounds, which severely affected their ability to get the score within striking distance. Jahlil Okafor led the way in scoring for his team, with 20 points on 9 - 17 shooting. He also finished with five rebounds and two assists, in 30 minutes. Tony Wroten chipped in 15 points, three rebounds and thee assists, but had a troublesome seven turnovers, in 23 minutes off the bench. Isaiah Canaan had 14 points and three assists in 28 minutes. Nerlens Noel started after being doubtful to play due to his scratched cornea, although he had little impact on the game. Next up the 76ers will be in Cleveland on Sunday to face the Cavs. The Knicks will face the second night of a back - to - back as they host Chicago on Saturday, in New York."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "18", "Gordon Hayward": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Blake Griffin": "11", "Gordon Hayward": "2"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "26", "Gordon Hayward": "7", "Derrick Favors": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "10"}}], "It was a disappointing night for fans of offense on Monday, as the Clippers and Jazz squared off in one of the lowest - scoring games of the season. LA forward Blake Griffin was the game's biggest offensive contributor, scoring 26 points and dishing six assists to go along with 10 rebounds. Griffin shot an efficient 11 - of - 18 from the field. For the Jazz, the high scorer was forward Derrick Favors with just 13 points. Only two other Jazz players scored in double figures. A few notable players had particularly dismal nights from the field. Utah All-Star Gordon Hayward had just seven points on 2 - of - 12 shooting. Off the bench, Jazz sophomore Trey Lyles shot just 1 - of - 10 for five points. Altogether, Utah shot an abysmal 33 percent from the field on the night."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "21", "Magic": "21"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "94", "Magic": "102"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "10", "Magic": "12"}}, {"Assists": {"Kyle O'Quinn": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyle O'Quinn": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyle O'Quinn": "3", "Kemba Walker": "31"}, "Minutes played": {"Kyle O'Quinn": "14", "Elfrid Payton": "35", "Kemba Walker": "42"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kyle O'Quinn": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "2"}, "Points": {"Kyle O'Quinn": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "11", "Kemba Walker": "42"}, "Free throws made": {"Elfrid Payton": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Elfrid Payton": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Elfrid Payton": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Kemba Walker": "15"}}], "The Orlando Magic (12 - 21) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (10 - 21) 102 - 94 on Saturday. Orlando has won two of their last three games as they continue to experiment with their latest starting lineup that includes Elfrid Payton at point guard and Kyle O'Quinn at power forward. O'Quinn had his second straight game playing reduced minutes. After foul trouble held him to just 16 minutes Friday, he played just 14 minutes Saturday, though it appears his limited minutes Saturday were simply due to the Magic's rotation and matchups against the Hornets. Payton approached a triple - double, putting up 11 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in 35 minutes. The Magic will wrap up their two - game road trip against the Miami Heat on Monday. Charlotte has dropped two straight as they try not to falter too much following their promising four - game win streak. Kemba Walker put the team on his back to try to get the win. He put up a career - high 42 points in 42 minutes, shooting 15 - of - 31 from the field. The rest of the roster was n't much help. They shot 42 percent from the field and gave up 18 points off turnovers. Lance Stephenson remains out with a groin injury, but considering all the trade rumors going around about Stephenson, the Hornets probably are n't too worried about his absence. Charlotte will host the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "40", "Warriors": "54"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "5"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "18", "Klay Thompson": "19", "Stephen Curry": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "9", "Danilo Gallinari": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "14", "Stephen Curry": "17", "Danilo Gallinari": "9", "Nikola Jokic": "5", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Klay Thompson": "7", "Stephen Curry": "10", "Danilo Gallinari": "2", "Nikola Jokic": "1", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "7", "Danilo Gallinari": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Danilo Gallinari": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Danilo Gallinari": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Danilo Gallinari": "1", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Nikola Jokic": "1", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "1"}, "Steals": {"Nikola Jokic": "1", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "1"}}], "It was another dominant shooting night for the victorious Golden State Warriors on Thursday. Since snapping his league - record three - point streak last week, Steph Curry has been lights out from beyond the arc, hitting 24 three - pointers in the past three games. Curry dominated from the floor on Thursday, hitting seven threes, shooting 10 - of - 17 overall, and leading the game with 33 points. It was a stellar night for the other splash brother as well, as Klay Thompson scored 19 points on 7 - of - 14 shooting. Kevin Durant, meanwhile, posted an impressive stat line of 18 points, nine rebounds, and five assists, but disappointingly had his 20 - point game streak snapped at 72 games. Overall, Golden State shot an impressive 54 percent from the field, 46 percent from beyond the arc, and 95 percent from the free - throw line. It was pretty much the opposite story for Denver, as the Nuggets struggled to find their shot on Thursday. Multiple players hit fewer than one third of their shots, including sophomore guard Emmanuel Mudiay (4 - of - 15), forward Danilo Gallinari (2 - of - 9), and reigning All-Rookie First Team member Nikola Jokic (1 - of - 5). The Nuggets finished having hit just 40 percent of their field goals and 70 percent of their free - throws."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Clippers": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "51"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "29", "Cavaliers": "23"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "108", "Cavaliers": "78"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Clippers": "14", "Cavaliers": "16"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "41", "Cavaliers": "45"}}, {"Points": {"Iman Shumpert": "10", "Channing Frye": "10", "JR Smith": "10", "Richard Jefferson": "12", "Blake Griffin": "23", "DeAndre Jordan": "13", "JJ Redick": "16"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Richard Jefferson": "9", "Blake Griffin": "17", "JJ Redick": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Richard Jefferson": "4", "Blake Griffin": "10", "JJ Redick": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Richard Jefferson": "28", "Blake Griffin": "31", "JJ Redick": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Richard Jefferson": "6", "Blake Griffin": "8", "DeAndre Jordan": "17"}, "Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "4", "DeAndre Jordan": "2"}, "Steals": {"DeAndre Jordan": "1", "JJ Redick": "1"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers, 108 - 78, at Staples Center on Saturday evening. The Cavaliers decided to rest their big - three, as LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love all rode the benches, while their team floundered in one of the most lackluster performances of the season. The Cavs actually led 16 - 14 after the first quarter, but the Clippers woke up and dominated the second quarter, to take a 47 - 31 lead into half time. The Clippers shot 51 percent from the field and dished 27 assists, as they cruised to the win, ending a three - game losing streak. Richard Jefferson was the high - point man for Cleveland (45 - 23) with 12 points on 4 - of - 9 shooting, to go along with six rebounds, in 28 minutes off the bench. Six other players scored in double digits for the Cavs, including Channing Frye, J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert and DeAndre Liggins, who chipped in 10 points each. The Cavs will look to get back on track, and will likely have their stars back in action, as they face the second game of a back - to - back on Sunday in Los Angeles, this time against the Lakers. Meanwhile, Blake Griffin poured in 23 points on 10 - of - 17 shooting, to go along with eight rebounds and four assists, in 31 minutes, to lead the Clippers (41 - 29) to a much - needed win. DeAndre Jordan took care of the paint, gobbling up 17 rebounds, to compliment his 13 points, two assists and one steal, while J.J. Redick shot 6 - of - 11 from the field on his way to 16 points in only 19 minutes. The Clippers will look to build a winning streak, as they play host to the struggling Knicks on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "6", "Lakers": "4"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "0", "Lakers": "1"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Kobe Bryant": "5"}, "Points": {"Julius Randle": "14", "D'Angelo Russell": "16", "Joe Johnson": "22", "Brook Lopez": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Julius Randle": "7", "Brook Lopez": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"D'Angelo Russell": "23"}, "Steals": {"D'Angelo Russell": "3", "Joe Johnson": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "4"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers (1 - 4) tallied their first victory of the season Friday on the road against the still - winless Brooklyn Nets (0 - 6). The Lakers, having struggled mightily through their first four games, were able to turn things around by narrowly edging out the ailing Nets. Second overall pick D'Angelo Russell was able to help lead the way for the Lakers, posting 16 points and recording three steals in 23 minutes of play. Developing forward Julius Randle also contributed to the Los Angeles cause, delivering totals of 14 points and seven rebounds. Veteran Kobe Bryant, however, struggled from the field once again, shooting just 5 - of - 16 on the night. Despite strong play from the team's starters, Brooklyn was unable to pull ahead of Los Angeles in the end. The Nets saw solid outings from veterans Joe Johnson (22 points, two steals) and Brook Lopez (23 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks), but saw few contributions off the bench. The loss marks a league - worst sixth in a row for the Nets, and the team now sits at the bottom of the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference. Considering that the Celtics own the rights to the team's draft pick this coming summer, the Nets will fight hard to turn the season around after a disappointing start. Los Angeles will continue their road trip on Sunday as they face the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, while the Nets will have a quick turnaround, traveling to Milwaukee to face the Bucks on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "36", "76ers": "36"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "44", "76ers": "48"}}, {"Points": {"Robert Covington": "17", "Nerlens Noel": "12", "Gerald Henderson": "12", "T.J. McConnell": "14", "Nik Stauskas": "11", "Dario Saric": "18", "Frank Kaminsky": "12", "Nicolas Batum": "16", "Kemba Walker": "29", "Jeremy Lamb": "12", "Marco Belinelli": "8", "Brian Roberts": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Dario Saric": "11", "Frank Kaminsky": "11"}, "Assists": {"Frank Kaminsky": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Frank Kaminsky": "3"}, "Steals": {"Frank Kaminsky": "1", "Jeremy Lamb": "1"}}], "Six Sixers players managed double digits in the scoring column, and Philadelphia shot 48 percent from the field overall. They limited the Hornets to a 44 percent success rate from the field and 36 percent from three - point range. Dario Saric led the visitors overall with an 18 - point, 11 - rebound double - double off the bench. Robert Covington tallied 17 points, while T.J. McConnell supplied 14. Gerald Henderson and Nerlens Noel provided matching 12 - point efforts, while Nik Stauskas generated 11 points as a reserve. Kemba Walker's game - high 29 points led Charlotte. Nicolas Batum compiled 16 points, and Frank Kaminsky III posted a 12 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included two assists, three blocks and one steal. Jeremy Lamb led the second unit with 12 points and one steal. Marco Belinelli and Brian Roberts were productive as well with matching eight - point efforts."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "19"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "35"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hawks": "24"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "23"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nets": "23"}}, {"Points": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "11", "Brook Lopez": "23", "Jeremy Lin": "19", "Taurean Prince": "17", "Dwight Howard": "19", "Dennis Schroder": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "13", "Brook Lopez": "7", "Jeremy Lin": "4", "Dwight Howard": "16"}, "Assists": {"Jeremy Lin": "8", "Dennis Schroder": "8"}, "Steals": {"Jeremy Lin": "2", "Taurean Prince": "3", "Dennis Schroder": "2"}}], "This marks Atlanta's seventh - straight loss, as they're losing their grip on a playoff berth. Brooklyn's defense was on point, as they held the Hawks to 35 percent from the field, 19 percent from three - point range and 59 percent from the free - throw line. Bench production was the difference for the Nets, as they won that battle, 46 - 5. Brook Lopez led the way for Brooklyn, as he tallied 23 points and seven rebounds. Jeremy Lin finished with 19 points, four rebounds, eight assists and two steals. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson totaled 11 points and 13 rebounds en route to a double - double. Dennis Schroder carried the Hawks, as he accrued 24 points, three rebounds, eight assists and two steals. Dwight Howard recorded a monster double - double, amassing 19 points and 16 rebounds. Taurean Prince started for the injured Paul Millsap (knee), as he provided 17 points, six rebounds and three steals."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "37", "Pelicans": "40"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "122", "Pelicans": "125"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hornets": "27"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "29", "Pelicans": "26"}}, {"Points": {"Solomon Hill": "16", "Anthony Davis": "46", "DeMarcus Cousins": "11", "Jrue Holiday": "15", "Jordan Crawford": "19", "Marvin Williams": "27", "Nicolas Batum": "24", "Kemba Walker": "24", "Marco Belinelli": "12", "Jeremy Lamb": "14"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Davis": "45", "DeMarcus Cousins": "25", "Jordan Crawford": "27", "Marvin Williams": "40", "Marco Belinelli": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "21", "DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Marvin Williams": "10"}, "Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Jrue Holiday": "13"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jordan Crawford": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Jordan Crawford": "7"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans escaped Charlotte with a 125 - 122 overtime win against the Hornets, at Spectrum Center on Saturday evening. The Pelicans (26 - 40) nearly let this one slip away, as they led by seven with 2:40 left in the fourth, but allowed the Hornets (29 - 37) to come back and tie it up, thanks to a three - pointer by Nicolas Batum with 49 seconds remaining. Luckily for New Orleans, Anthony Davis was on fire and was able to carry his team through overtime and to the win. Meanwhile, DeMarcus Cousins did not play in the overtime period, as a coach's decision. Anthony Davis led the way for the Pelicans with a monstrous line including 46 points, 21 rebounds, four assists and one block, in 45 minutes. Five other players scored in double digits for the Pelicans, including Jordan Crawford, who poured in 19 points on 7 - of - 12 shooting, in 27 minutes off the bench. Jrue Holiday was solid with 15 points and 13 assists, while Solomon Hill chipped in 16 points. DeMarcus Cousins was quiet with only 11 points, four rebounds and four assists, in 25 minutes. The Pelicans next contest is on Tuesday, when they play host to the Trail Blazers. Meanwhile, Marvin Williams continued his strong play, as he led the Hornets with 27 points and 10 rebounds in 40 minutes. Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum finished with 24 points each, while Jeremy Lamb added 14 off the bench. Marco Belinelli was the only other player to score in double digits for Charlotte, as he chipped in 12 points, in 23 minutes off the bench. The Hornets will continue to battle to have a shot at eighth in the East, as they go on to host the Bulls on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "13", "Lakers": "20"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "117", "Lakers": "113"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hornets": "35", "Lakers": "41"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "16", "Lakers": "11"}}, {"Assists": {"Luol Deng": "1", "D'Angelo Russell": "5", "Larry Nance Jr.": "2", "Jordan Clarkson": "5", "Marvin Williams": "2", "Cody Zeller": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "10", "Kemba Walker": "10", "Marco Belinelli": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Luol Deng": "3", "D'Angelo Russell": "2", "Jordan Clarkson": "1", "Marco Belinelli": "1"}, "Points": {"Luol Deng": "11", "Nick Young": "24", "D'Angelo Russell": "15", "Larry Nance Jr.": "10", "Jordan Clarkson": "25", "Marvin Williams": "15", "Cody Zeller": "11", "Nicolas Batum": "23", "Kemba Walker": "28", "Marco Belinelli": "13", "Frank Kaminsky": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Luol Deng": "7", "Nick Young": "2", "Jordan Clarkson": "3", "Marvin Williams": "5", "Cody Zeller": "5", "Nicolas Batum": "5", "Kemba Walker": "8", "Marco Belinelli": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Nick Young": "2", "Marco Belinelli": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Larry Nance Jr.": "21"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jordan Clarkson": "2"}, "Steals": {"Jordan Clarkson": "1", "Cody Zeller": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nicolas Batum": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Nicolas Batum": "8", "Kemba Walker": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "26"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Marco Belinelli": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Marco Belinelli": "2"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 117 - 113, at Spectrum Center on Tuesday. A somewhat surprisingly tightly - contested battle saw the Lakers (11 - 20) ambush the host Hornets (16 - 13) early, building an impressive 41 - 35 lead after one quarter. They did n't take their foot off the gas in the second quarter, which led to an even more eye - opening 73 - 59 edge at halftime. However, Charlotte apparently got a wake - up call at intermission, outscoring their visitors 58 - 40 over the final two periods. Fittingly, it was the dynamic backcourt duo of Nicolas Batum and Kemba Walker that led the way, and that helped seal the victory when things tightened up late. A Marco Belinelli three - pointer with 2:21 remaining knotted the game up at 113, but it was Batum who put the finishing touches on the win by draining an eight - foot basket with 13 seconds on the clock, and two free throws with six ticks left to provide the final margin of victory. The Lakers were led by Jordan Clarkson off the bench, as he went with 25 points, five assists, three rebounds, a steal and a block. Starting two - guard Nick Young was right behind him with 24 points and two boards. D'Angelo Russell supplied 15 points, five boards, five assists and two blocks. Luol Deng went furnished 11 points, seven rebounds, an assist and three blocks, while Larry Nance, Jr. also was productive in a reserve role, totaling 10 points over 21 minutes. Walker's 28 points, which came on 11 - of - 26 shooting, paced the Hornets, a total he supplemented with 10 assists and eight rebounds. Batum had his own double - double with 23 points, 10 assists, five rebounds and a steal. Marvin Williams continued his recently resurgent offensive play, posting 15 points, five rebounds and a pair of assists. Cody Zeller registered 11 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Belinelli and Frank Kaminsky III went for 13 and 11 points, respectively, off the bench. The Lakers head down to South Florida for a Thursday evening date with the Miami Heat, while the Hornets are home again against the Bulls on Friday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "19", "Warriors": "5"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "112", "Warriors": "115"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "36", "Warriors": "49"}}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "10", "Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "9", "Chris Paul": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Draymond Green": "14", "Klay Thompson": "22", "Jamal Crawford": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Draymond Green": "9", "Klay Thompson": "11", "Jamal Crawford": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Draymond Green": "38", "JJ Redick": "27"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "18", "Klay Thompson": "32", "Stephen Curry": "23", "DeAndre Jordan": "16", "Chris Paul": "24", "Jamal Crawford": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "11", "Klay Thompson": "7", "DeAndre Jordan": "21", "Chris Paul": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "4"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (49 - 5) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers (36 - 19) 115 - 112 at Staples Center on Saturday. On the second game of a back - to - back, the Warriors bounced back following a blowout loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. It was probably a nice change of pace that the Clippers did not have anybody explode for a Lillard-like 51 point performance. Golden State kept a double figure lead for most of the game, but saw a competitive Los Angeles team constantly threaten, especially within the final minute of regulation, where Pablo Prigioni almost miraculously shot the Clippers back into the game. With Andrew Bogut (achilles) sidelined and Brandon Rush starting in his place, it did open up DeAndre Jordan to dominate the rebounding battle and create beneficial size mismatches for Los Angeles. The final scoreline is slightly misrepresentative of the overall feel for the game, as the Warriors were the faster, more efficient team. Golden State was led by Draymond Green, who put together his 11th triple - double of the season with 18 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists on 9 - of - 14 shooting in 38 minutes. Klay Thompson led all scorers and was able to constantly create his own shots. His hot hand pitched in 32 points, seven boards and three assists on 11 - of - 22 shooting, including four baskets from behind the arc. Stephen Curry did most of his damage from the free throw line, but still managed 23 points and nine assists. Chris Paul flashed his premier defense and pure point guard ability throughout his matchup with the reigning MVP, but when the Clippers resorted to their bench, they were outplayed. Paul rounded out the stat sheet with 24 points, seven rebounds and six assists, while shooting guard Jamal Crawford caught fire in the middle of the game, adding 25 points on 7 - of - 18 shooting. Although Crawford came off the bench, he played 37 minutes, as compared to starting shooting guard JJ Reddick, who played 27 minutes. The aforementioned Jordan hauled in 21 rebounds alongside 16 points, while the remainder of the Clippers struggled to score, including Paul Pierce\u2019s lowly two points in 16 minutes of action. Both teams play on Monday, as the Warriors will visit the Atlanta Hawks (31 - 25), while the Clippers host the Phoenix Suns (14 - 41)."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "6"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "21"}, "Assists": {"Norman Powell": "2"}, "Points": {"Norman Powell": "19", "DeMar DeRozan": "33"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2"}, "Steals": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Lucas Nogueira": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Lucas Nogueira": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Lucas Nogueira": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Lucas Nogueira": "10"}}], "Toronto was expected to dominate this game, but the 27 lead changes and 20 ties would indicate otherwise. Carmelo Anthony was clearly frustrated after his ejection on Friday, as he scored 33 points on 21 shots in this defeat. The bench really let New York down, as the six players combined for just 20 points, with five of them having a negative plus - minus. DeMar DeRozan's 33 points continued a ridiculous run, as he has now scored 32 or more points in eight of nine games this season. Lucas Nogueira was the secret weapon though, as he recorded 10 rebounds, three steals and five blocks off the bench. Norman Powell's 19 points is a season - high and he's shown the capability to score like this in the past two Summer Leagues. These two teams wo n't play their second game until January 15."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "6", "Nuggets": "18"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "101", "Nuggets": "86"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Spurs": "20"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Spurs": "25"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "26", "Nuggets": "12"}}, {"Points": {"Kenneth Faried": "8", "Kostas Papanikolaou": "2", "Joffrey Lauvergne": "9", "Gary Harris": "10", "Jameer Nelson": "4", "Nikola Jokic": "22", "Will Barton": "16", "Kawhi Leonard": "20", "David West": "10", "Tony Parker": "13", "Boris Diaw": "16"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Joffrey Lauvergne": "9"}, "Personal fouls": {"Gary Harris": "1"}, "Steals": {"Nikola Jokic": "1", "Will Barton": "1", "Kawhi Leonard": "2", "David West": "1", "Tony Parker": "2"}, "Assists": {"Will Barton": "3", "Kawhi Leonard": "5", "David West": "6", "Tony Parker": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Will Barton": "5", "Kawhi Leonard": "5", "David West": "4", "Tony Parker": "4"}, "Blocks": {"David West": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Boris Diaw": "25"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (26 - 6) defeated the Denver Nuggets (12 - 18) 101 - 86 on Saturday. The Spurs were able to bounce back from a tough Christmas Day loss to the Houston Rockets with an efficient performance. San Antonio was able to rest veterans Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobli and still come away with a relatively comfortable win, in large part due to the contributions of a pair of their top free - agent acquisitions. Former Pacers forward David West showed exactly why he was brought to the Spurs by filling in admirably for Duncan, tallying 10 points, six assists, four rebounds, four blocks and a steal. His outstanding defense helped to stymie Denver down low, and LaMarcus Aldridge helped to complete that equation with a productive night of his own. The former Portland standout came within a rebound of a double - double, posting 12 points, nine boards and three blocks. Denver was once again playing without starters Emmanuel Mudiay and Danilo Gallinari, and replacements Jameer Nelson (four points) and Kostas Papanikolaou (two points) particularly underwhelmed. Only one starter was able to post double - digit scoring, and only a 10 - point total at that, courtesy of Gary Harris. Joffrey Lauvergne and Kenneth Faried were next in line with nine and eight points, respectively, but a major chunk of Denver's offense came from the bench. Will Barton made his typically solid contributions, managing 16 points, five rebounds, three assists and a steal, while Nikola Jokic posted his second - best scoring total of the season with 22 points. The center also added seven rebounds, five assists, a block and a steal over an outstanding 26 minutes of action. It was notably Jokic's fourth straight double - digit scoring game, and it will be interesting to see how coach Mike Malone will structure his playing time rotation in the frontcourt upon the return of Jusuf Nurkic from injury. The Nuggets fell to 12 - 18 and currently reside in third place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division. They head to Oklahoma City for a Sunday showdown with the Thunder. In addition to West's and Aldridge's strong outings, San Antonio was unsurprisingly led in scoring by Kawhi Leonard, who managed 20 points and added five rebounds, five assists and two steals. Tony Parker poured in 13 points, while adding four assists, four rebounds and a pair of steals. Veteran Boris Diaw, receiving some extra run due to Duncan's rest day, equaled season highs in both minutes (25) and points (16) to pace the San Antonio reserves. The Spurs improved to 26 - 6 and sit atop the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They remain home to face Minnesota on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "49", "Pacers": "37"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "92", "Pacers": "97"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "33", "Pacers": "45"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "46"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "43"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pacers": "25"}, "Turnovers": {"Pacers": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"Solomon Hill": "3", "Glenn Robinson": "2", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5", "Jabari Parker": "1", "Damien Inglis": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Solomon Hill": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Solomon Hill": "33", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "29", "Jabari Parker": "25"}, "Points": {"Solomon Hill": "25", "Lavoy Allen": "14", "Glenn Robinson": "14", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "19", "Jabari Parker": "17", "Rashad Vaughn": "10", "Damien Inglis": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Solomon Hill": "6", "Lavoy Allen": "6", "Glenn Robinson": "2", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9", "Jabari Parker": "7"}, "Steals": {"Solomon Hill": "4", "Glenn Robinson": "1", "Jabari Parker": "1", "Rashad Vaughn": "1", "Damien Inglis": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (45 - 37) closed out their season and head into the playoffs on a high note by winning their third game in a row, as they defeated the host Milwaukee Bucks (33 - 49) on Wednesday night, 97 - 92, at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Indiana led the whole way in this one, as the Bucks played out their final game of the season. Paul George, Monta Ellis and George Hill all sat this one out to rest leaving room for Solomon Hill to step up and lead the Pacers, with 25 points, including seven three - pointers. Hill also added six rebounds, four steals and three assists, in 33 minutes. Lavoy Allen chipped in 14 points and six rebounds, while Glenn Robinson lll finished with 14 points of his own, along with two rebounds, two assists and a steal. The Pacers shot 43 percent from the field and 46 percent from long range but gave up 17 turnovers in the game. Giannis Antetokounmpo was the high - point man for the Bucks, with 19, along with nine rebounds, five assists and one blocked shot, in 29 minutes. Jabari Parker added 17 points, seven rebounds, one assist and one steal, in 25 minutes, while Rashad Vaughn and Damien Inglis chipped in 10 points each. With their season now over, the Bucks still have a lot to build on thanks to their impressive young stars. The Pacers will face - off against the Raptors in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Raptors have home court advantage, as they finished second in the East."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "41", "Celtics": "59"}}, {"Assists": {"Al Horford": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "5", "Kelly Olynyk": "3", "Gordon Hayward": "4", "George Hill": "4"}, "Points": {"Al Horford": "16", "Isaiah Thomas": "29", "Kelly Olynyk": "19", "Gordon Hayward": "31", "Rudy Gobert": "14", "George Hill": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Horford": "9", "Kelly Olynyk": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Kelly Olynyk": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kelly Olynyk": "2", "George Hill": "3"}}], "Boston have now won nine of their last 10 games, as they continue to showcase their elite offense. It was especially good here, as they shot 59 percent from the field, while holding Utah to just 41 percent shooting. The Celtics actually pulled out a wire - to - wire win, as they went 24 - of - 36 from the field in the first half to take a 14 - point lead headed into the locker room. Isaiah Thomas was the player of the game, as he led the Celtics with 29 points and five assists. Al Horford finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Kelly Olynyk was huge off the bench, as he provided 19 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. Gordon Hayward scored a game - high 31 points for Utah, adding four assists to his tally. George Hill was second on the team, collecting 22 points, four assists and three steals. Rudy Gobert totaled 14 points and 14 rebounds en route to a double - double."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "6", "Rockets": "14"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "126", "Rockets": "113"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "34", "Rockets": "29"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Dwight Howard": "24", "Josh Smith": "14", "Andrew Bogut": "22"}, "Points": {"Dwight Howard": "7", "James Harden": "33", "Corey Brewer": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Andrew Bogut": "5"}, "Steals": {"Klay Thompson": "4"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "10"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (34 - 6) defeated the Houston Rockets (29 - 14) 126 - 113 on Wednesday. The Warriors played a dominant second quarter against the Rockets, outscoring them by 17 points, and taking a 20 - point lead into halftime. The \"Splash Brothers\" Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry combined for 49 points. Curry also had ten assists, and Thompson had four steals. Andrew Bogut blocked five shots in 22 minutes. Bogut and forward Draymond Green each had a plus - 32 plus/minus for the game. Golden State's energy was just too much to handle for the Rockets. The Warriors currently hold the NBA's best overall record. James Harden led Houston with 33 points but was the lone starter to record double - digits in points. Corey Brewer had his second best scoring output of the season with 20 points off the Rocket's bench. Houston scored 71 points in the second half, but it was too little, too late as they were unable to climb out of the hole they dug themselves in the second quarter. Dwight Howard was limited by foul trouble. Howard had seven points and 11 boards in 24 minutes. Josh Smith was ejected after his second technical foul. He played just 14 minutes off the bench for the Rockets. Houston is 15 games over .500 and currently have the fifth - best record in the Western Conference The Warriors take on the Sacramento Kings on Friday, and the Rockets will face the Suns on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "50"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "17", "Trail Blazers": "21"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "109", "Trail Blazers": "96"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "14", "Trail Blazers": "14"}}, {"Assists": {"Allen Crabbe": "2", "CJ McCollum": "6", "Meyers Leonard": "2", "Gordon Hayward": "1", "Rodney Hood": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Allen Crabbe": "6", "CJ McCollum": "11", "Gordon Hayward": "12"}, "3-pointers made": {"Allen Crabbe": "3", "CJ McCollum": "6", "Gordon Hayward": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Allen Crabbe": "11", "CJ McCollum": "26", "Gordon Hayward": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Allen Crabbe": "5", "CJ McCollum": "13", "Gordon Hayward": "8"}, "Points": {"Allen Crabbe": "15", "CJ McCollum": "32", "Meyers Leonard": "17", "Gordon Hayward": "23", "Rodney Hood": "18", "Trey Burke": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Allen Crabbe": "3", "CJ McCollum": "7", "Meyers Leonard": "3", "Gordon Hayward": "10", "Rodney Hood": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"CJ McCollum": "40", "Meyers Leonard": "33", "Gordon Hayward": "33", "Rodney Hood": "29", "Trey Burke": "29"}, "Turnovers": {"CJ McCollum": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Gordon Hayward": "3"}, "Steals": {"Gordon Hayward": "1"}}], "The Utah Jazz (14 - 17) picked up the 109 - 96 win at home against division - rival, Portland Trail Blazers (14 - 21), on Thursday night. Both teams came into this game injury - riddled and on the second night of a back - to - back. The Blazers were riding a three - game winning streak and a win could have got them all tied up with the Jazz for the eighth spot in the West. However, the Jazz managed to muster up some offense and retain their superior position in the standings. Trey Burke picked up the slack in a huge way for the Jazz, who were missing Derrick Favors (back spasms), Rudy Gobert (MCL strain) and Alec Burks (fractured fibula). Burke dropped a hot 27 points on 12 - 19 shooting from the field, in 29 minutes off the bench. Gordon Hayward chipped in 23 points (8 - 19 FG, 4 - 12 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), along with 10 rebounds, one assist and one steal, in 33 minutes. Rodney Hood contributed a complete game with 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists, in 29 minutes. The Jazz shot 50 percent from the field and kept the turnovers to a minimum, with only six. Damian Lillard sat this one out, making it six games that he has missed due to plantar fasciitis. C.J. McCollum has been playing well and was at it again in this one, as he finished with a game - high 32 points (13 - 26 FG, 6 - 11 3Pt), along with seven rebounds and six assists, in 40 long minutes. Meyers Leonard was strong in 33 minutes off the bench. Leonard finished with 17 points, three rebounds and two assists. The only other player to score double digits for the Blazers was Allen Crabbe, who dropped 15 points (5 - 11 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt), three rebounds and two assists. Next the Trail Blazers will head to Denver for a game on Sunday. That will be another important division match - up for Portland, as the Nuggets are just one game behind them in the standings. The Jazz will host the Grizzlies on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Spurs": "57", "Heat": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "52"}, "Losses": {"Spurs": "11", "Heat": "30"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "112", "Heat": "88"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "60", "Heat": "41"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Heat": "16"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "13", "Josh Richardson": "13", "Kawhi Leonard": "21", "Kevin Martin": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwyane Wade": "8", "Josh Richardson": "7", "Kawhi Leonard": "12", "Kevin Martin": "3"}, "Points": {"Dwyane Wade": "16", "Josh Richardson": "17", "Hassan Whiteside": "12", "Kawhi Leonard": "32", "Kevin Martin": "12", "Boban Marjanovic": "19"}, "Assists": {"Josh Richardson": "4", "Kevin Martin": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Josh Richardson": "4", "Kawhi Leonard": "7", "Kevin Martin": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Josh Richardson": "3", "Kawhi Leonard": "3", "Kevin Martin": "2"}, "Steals": {"Josh Richardson": "3", "Kawhi Leonard": "1", "Boban Marjanovic": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "14", "Kawhi Leonard": "8", "Kevin Martin": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "7", "Kevin Martin": "4", "Boban Marjanovic": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Kevin Martin": "4", "Boban Marjanovic": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Kawhi Leonard": "24", "Kevin Martin": "15"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1", "Kevin Martin": "1", "Boban Marjanovic": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1", "Kevin Martin": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kevin Martin": "1", "Boban Marjanovic": "1"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (60 - 11) remained undefeated at home as they steamrolled the Miami Heat (41 - 30) Wednesday night at AT & T Center, 112 - 88. After taking a nine - point lead into halftime, the Spurs ran away with this game in the third quarter. Leading 61 - 53 just under three minutes into the third, San Antonio went on a 26 - 4 run to remove any doubt from this one. Miami trailed by at least 20 for the entirety of the final quarter. Kawhi Leonard was limited to 24 minutes as he was removed with a thigh contusion late in the game, but he still poured in a game - high 32 points (12 - 21 FG, 3 - 7 3PT, 5 - 7 FT) and grabbed eight rebounds anyway. Boban Marjanovic earned some rare minutes and thrived, as he scored an absurdly efficient 19 points in just 13 minutes on 9 - 12 shooting. The Spurs bench got plenty of run in this one, and Kevin Martin was the only other Spur to reach double figures, as he scored 12 points (3 - 5 FG, 2 - 2 3PT, 4 - 4 FT) in 15 minutes of action. Miami similiarly leaned heavily on its bench after the game got out of hand. Dwyane Wade was the only Miami starter in double figures with 16 points (8 - 13 FG). Hassan Whiteside notched a double - double off the bench with 12 points and 14 rebounds, and Josh Richardson scored 17 points (7 - 13 FG, 3 - 4 3PT) and added four assists and three steals. The Heat shot 7 - 14 (50 percent) from three - point land, but that was n't enough to slow down the Spurs, who did Miami one better from deep (8 - 14, 57 percent) and shot a robust 52 percent from the field. The Heat return home to host the Magic on Friday. The Spurs continue their homestand with a Friday matchup against the Grizzlies."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Nikola Jokic": "20", "Gary Harris": "24", "Mason Plumlee": "8", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "13", "Buddy Hield": "17", "Tyreke Evans": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Jokic": "14", "Gary Harris": "3", "Mason Plumlee": "7", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "5", "Buddy Hield": "6", "Tyreke Evans": "3"}, "Steals": {"Nikola Jokic": "2", "Gary Harris": "2"}, "Assists": {"Gary Harris": "2", "Mason Plumlee": "8", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "5", "Buddy Hield": "3", "Tyreke Evans": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Buddy Hield": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Buddy Hield": "6"}}], "Denver was the more motivated team in this matchup and that proved to be the case in the scoreline. It was a near wire - to - wire win for the Nuggets, as they led for over 47 minutes of this game, with Sacramento having just one one - point lead in the first quarter. Free-throw shooting was key, as the Nuggets went 16 - of - 18 from the charity stripe, while Sacramento could only hit 12 - of - 20. Gary Harris was the player of the game, as he led Denver with 24 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals. Nikola Jokic totaled 20 points, 14 rebounds and two steals, Mason Plumlee flirted with a triple - double off the bench, as he collected eight points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Buddy Hield led Sacramento in scoring, as he tallied 17 points, six rebounds and three assists on 6 - of - 8 from the field. Tyreke Evans came off the bench to provide 16 points, three rebounds and two assists. Willie Cauley-Stein accrued 13 points, five rebounds and five assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "1", "Mavericks": "3"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "93", "Mavericks": "92"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "2", "Mavericks": "0"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Harrison Barnes": "38"}, "Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "10", "Wesley Matthews": "25", "Ryan Anderson": "14", "Eric Gordon": "14", "James Harden": "28"}, "Assists": {"Wesley Matthews": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Wesley Matthews": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Wesley Matthews": "15"}, "3-pointers made": {"Wesley Matthews": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Wesley Matthews": "25"}, "Field goals made": {"Wesley Matthews": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Wesley Matthews": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Wesley Matthews": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Wesley Matthews": "1", "James Harden": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Wesley Matthews": "6", "James Harden": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Wesley Matthews": "4", "Clint Capela": "10", "James Harden": "7"}, "Turnovers": {"Wesley Matthews": "1"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "1"}}], "The Houston Rockets defeated the Dallas Mavericks 93 - 92 at Toyota Center on Sunday. The Rockets (2 - 1) maintained a lead throughout most of the Western Conference clash with the Mavericks (0 - 3), which included a 10 point lead at the half. Drama ensued down the stretch, started by Wesley Matthews, who was able to cap of a 70 run with back - to - back baskets, which cut the Rockets' lead to two points with 3:2 remaining in the fourth quarter. Matthews' heads up defense forced a turnover on Harden and transitioned the impressive scoring effort to give Dallas a chance to grab its first win of the season. Matthews continued to put the team on his shoulders after draining a 27 - foot three pointer to tie the game at 92 with four seconds left in the game, but he also committed a shooting foul on James Harden\u2019s ensuing drive to the hoop with just one - tenth of a second left to play. Harden missed the first free throw but sank the second and that was all that needed to ice the game for Houston. Harden went on to put up star numbers again, scoring 28 points to go along with seven rebounds and seven assists. Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson joined Harden in double figures with 14 points each, while Clint Capela was strong on the glass, totaling 10 rebounds. Wes Matthews struggled from behind - the - arc, but not when it mattered most for Dallas. Matthews finished with 25 points, five boards and three assists on 9 - of - 25 shooting (3 - of - 15 from three). Harrison Barnes started 3 - of - 5 from the field but ended up missing his next six attempts on his way to a lowly 10 points in 38 minutes of action. The Rockets will head to Cleveland to visit the reigning champion Cavaliers on Tuesday, while the Mavericks will visit the Utah Jazz on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "38", "Pistons": "45"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "12", "Pistons": "23"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "80", "Pistons": "103"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Cavaliers": "28", "Pistons": "17"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Cavaliers": "19", "Pistons": "33"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Cavaliers": "19"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "18", "Pistons": "7"}, "Turnovers": {"Pistons": "10"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Greg Monroe": "18", "LeBron James": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Greg Monroe": "4", "LeBron James": "5"}, "Points": {"Greg Monroe": "10", "Andre Drummond": "16", "Brandon Jennings": "25", "LeBron James": "17", "Kevin Love": "20", "Tristan Thompson": "18", "Matthew Dellavedova": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Greg Monroe": "6", "Andre Drummond": "17", "LeBron James": "10", "Kevin Love": "10", "Tristan Thompson": "11"}, "Assists": {"Brandon Jennings": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Matthew Dellavedova": "26"}}], "The Pistons (7 - 23) knocked off the Cavaliers (18 - 12) 103 - 80 in Cleveland on Sunday. The Cavaliers jumped out to a 28 - 17 lead after the first quarter but went cold from the field and were outscored 33 - 19 in the second period. The Cavs\u2019 struggles continued in the second half, as they were outscored by 13 in the third quarter and managed only 19 points in the fourth. LeBron James scored 17 points to go with 10 rebounds, but he shot just 5 - of - 19 from the field. Kevin Love added 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Tristan Thompson added 18 points and 11 rebounds. Matthew Dellavedova, starting in place of Kyrie Irving, finished with just three points in 26 minutes. The Cavaliers shot 38 percent as a team and converted just 5 - of - 29 three - point attempts. Detroit, meanwhile, shot 45 percent from the floor and knocked down 17 three - pointers. Brandon Jennings led the way with 25 points and six assists, and Andre Drummond added 16 points and 17 rebounds. Greg Monroe shot 4 - of - 18 from the field, finishing with 10 points and six rebounds. Detroit attempted only nine free throws but committed 10 turnovers, compared to Cleveland\u2019s 17."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "36", "Heat": "26"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "81", "Heat": "98"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "25", "Heat": "33"}, "Turnovers": {"Heat": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"Luol Deng": "2", "Joe Johnson": "3", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "2", "Goran Dragic": "6", "Dwyane Wade": "6", "Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Kristaps Porzingis": "1", "Robin Lopez": "2", "Langston Galloway": "4", "Lance Thomas": "1"}, "Points": {"Luol Deng": "15", "Joe Johnson": "12", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "8", "Goran Dragic": "13", "Dwyane Wade": "26", "Hassan Whiteside": "16", "Carmelo Anthony": "25", "Kristaps Porzingis": "9", "Robin Lopez": "14", "Lance Thomas": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Luol Deng": "7", "Joe Johnson": "3", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "7", "Goran Dragic": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "7", "Hassan Whiteside": "11", "Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Kristaps Porzingis": "8", "Robin Lopez": "14", "Langston Galloway": "5", "Lance Thomas": "3"}, "Steals": {"Luol Deng": "1", "Goran Dragic": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "2", "Lance Thomas": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Joe Johnson": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Joe Johnson": "30", "Hassan Whiteside": "26"}, "Blocks": {"Amar'e Stoudemire": "1", "Goran Dragic": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Kristaps Porzingis": "4"}}], "The Miami Heat (33 - 26) defeated the New York Knicks (25 - 36) 98 - 81 on Sunday. No matter the circumstances, the Heat just seems to have the Knicks' number this season. Having already limited New York to a pair of 78 - point outputs in two late November contests, Miami was at it again Sunday. The Heat held New York to its second lowest scoring total of the season in the defeat, and also welcomed their latest acquisition, Joe Johnson. The home squad wasted no time getting the 15 - year veteran acclimated, inserting him into the starting lineup in his first game in a Miami uniform. Johnson responded well to the opportunity, collecting 12 points, three rebounds and three assists over 30 minutes of action, and notably draining a three - pointer with his first shot of the night. The Knicks also had a change to their starting lineup, albeit a temporary one. Arron Afflalo was given the night off to heal a bruised thigh, and Langston Galloway stepped into the starting five in his stead. Despite his team's overall paltry offensive output, Carmelo Anthony did manage to tally 25 points, seven rebounds, four assists and a block in spearheading the New York offensive attack. Robin Lopez was solid as well, posting a 14 - point, 14 - rebound double - double that also included two assists and a trio of rejections. Kristaps Porzingis was the only other starter that approached double - digit scoring, as he amassed nine points, eight boards, an assist and four blocks. Lance Thomas paced the bench with 12 points, which he complemented with three rebounds, an assist and a steal. The Knicks retain a hold of third place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division, and are now six and a half games behind the eighth - seeded Chicago Bulls. They're home against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday evening. Miami received a vintage effort from Dwyane Wade, who managed 26 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals. Hassan Whiteside followed with a 16 - point, 11 - rebound effort off the bench over 26 minutes. He also provided solid defense in the form of a trio steals and a pair of blocks. Luol Deng continued his solid stretch of play with 15 points, seven boards, two assists and a steal. Goran Dragic compiled 13 points, six assists, three rebounds, a steal and a block. Amar'e Stoudemire offered eight points, seven rebounds, two assists and a block against his former New York teammates. With the victory, the Heat are atop the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division, and currently hold the fourth seed in the conference as well. They're home again on Tuesday, when they'll face off with the Chicago Bulls."], [[{}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Eric Bledsoe": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2"}}], "Eric Bledsoe performed admirably in the team's back - to - back set on Tuesday and Wednesday. After nearly recording a triple - double in Wednesday's win over the Pistons, Bledsoe has recorded a total of 52 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists over his two outings in the past two days. That brings his season averages to 22 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists per game to start the year as Bledsoe continues to prove that he is one of the best all - around point guards in the NBA. And while the Suns are secure at the point guard position, the Pistons are continuing to lack production at the position with Reggie Jackson still out with a knee injury. Wednesday night, Detroit's two point guards, Ish Smith and backup Beno Udrih, shot a combined 3 - of - 18 from the field and put together totals of just 10 points and 10 assists in 48 minutes. With Jackson slated to resume basketball activities on Monday, however, the Pistons may be close to solving their issues at the position."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "25", "Wizards": "33"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "83", "Wizards": "92"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Grizzlies": "18"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "52", "Wizards": "44"}}, {"Points": {"Marcin Gortat": "6", "Bradley Beal": "20", "Jeff Green": "9", "Zach Randolph": "6", "Marc Gasol": "18", "Mike Conley": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "8", "Zach Randolph": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "6", "Jeff Green": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "21"}, "Minutes played": {"Bradley Beal": "40", "Jeff Green": "29", "Zach Randolph": "32"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "14", "Kevin Seraphin": "1", "Marc Gasol": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kevin Seraphin": "1", "Jeff Green": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Marc Gasol": "2", "Mike Conley": "2"}}], "The Washington Wizards (44 - 33) beat the Memphis Grizzlies (52 - 25), 92 - 83. It was their first win in Memphis since November 3rd, 2004. Jeff Green exited due to back spasms, contributing nine points and one emphatic dunk on Kevin Seraphin in 29 minutes. The Wizards won their third straight game to move two and half games behind the three seed Chicago Bulls. They were without Paul Pierce and Nene Hilario for the second straight game, both resting in preparation for the playoffs. Even though Bradley Beal missed all six three - point tries, he still scored a game - high 20 points on 21 shots in 40 minutes. Marcin Gortat entered the game averaging a double - double since the All-Star break but was held to six points and eight rebounds against the Grizzlies\u2019 frontline. John Wall followed up Friday\u2019s career - high 18 - assist performance with 14 assists. He\u2019s second to Los Angeles Clippers\u2019 Chris Paul with 10 assists per game. The Grizzlies moved out of a tie with the Houston Rockets but still claim the three seed. The San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers are two and half games back, a number that could change with the Clippers in action Saturday, with five games remaining. Zach Randolph played through lower back tightness and finished with six points and 10 rebounds in 32 minutes. The team shot 1 - of - 15 on three - pointers and fell to 29 - 10 at home this season. Marc Gasol and Mike Conley were the only Grizzlies to reach double figure scoring, producing 18 and 14 respectively. Conley has n't hit a three - pointer in his last two games, going 0 - of - 10 as he battles a sore left wrist. The Wizards have three days off before battling the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday. The Grizzlies also have three days off, concluding a four - game homestand against the New Orleans Pelicans."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Celtics": "39", "Nets": "17"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "5", "Nets": "11"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "120", "Nets": "95"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Celtics": "43", "Nets": "23"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "7", "Nets": "2"}}, {"Assists": {"Thaddeus Young": "1", "Jae Crowder": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Thaddeus Young": "1", "Jarrett Jack": "1", "Jae Crowder": "1"}, "Points": {"Thaddeus Young": "14", "Jae Crowder": "19", "Avery Bradley": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Thaddeus Young": "10", "Jae Crowder": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jarrett Jack": "1", "Avery Bradley": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Jarrett Jack": "7", "Jae Crowder": "1"}, "Steals": {"Jae Crowder": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Avery Bradley": "1"}}], "The Boston Celtics (7 - 5) blew out the Brooklyn Nets (2 - 11) 120 - 95 on Friday. This was an ugly game from start to finish, as the Celtics outscored the Nets in three quarters while tying them in one. The game really fell apart in the second quarter, as the Celtics outscored the Nets 43 - 23 in that 12 - minute stretch. Boston shot just short 60 percent from the field while the Nets fell just shy of 40 percent. The assisting differential was equally as lopsided, as the Celtics had 39 assists to the Nets 17. The Nets have been playing competitively lately, but this was not one of those games. This sort of performance exemplifies which directions these two franchises are going right now and Brooklyn is in a lot of trouble right now. The starters amassed just 54 points in this game and that simply wo n't get it done in the NBA. One bright spot is the strong play of Thaddeus Young though, as he tallied 14 points and 10 rebounds in yet another great performance. Jarrett Jack has been really solid this season, but he committed seven turnovers here in one of his worst games of the years thus far. This team is downright bad right now and it's hard to see a sliver lining with not much upside on this roster. They'll look to rebound on Sunday when they get a rematch against these same Celtics. The Celtics had a brutal loss in their most previous game, but they bounced back nicely here to grab a runaway win. The bench was spectacular on this night, as they totaled 60 points in the win, outscoring the Nets starters. Avery Bradley led the team with 21 points, but the best player on this night was Jae Crowder. The Marquette product continued his fine season by tallying 19 points, five rebounds, two assists and three steals in the victory. He currently leads the league in steals and he's becoming one of the most valuable players on this Celtics roster. Boston will look to play similarly when they take on the Nets yet again on Sunday in a rematch."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bulls": "40"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "50", "Bucks": "40"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "30", "Bucks": "38"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "100", "Bucks": "90"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "32", "Bucks": "26"}, "Turnovers": {"Bucks": "11"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10", "Pau Gasol": "13", "Derrick Rose": "7"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "12", "Jabari Parker": "18", "Jerryd Bayless": "20", "Pau Gasol": "12", "Derrick Rose": "22"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jabari Parker": "17", "Jerryd Bayless": "15", "Pau Gasol": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Jabari Parker": "7", "Jerryd Bayless": "7", "Pau Gasol": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Jabari Parker": "11", "Pau Gasol": "17"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jerryd Bayless": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jerryd Bayless": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Pau Gasol": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Pau Gasol": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Pau Gasol": "4"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (32 - 30) earned a win over the division rival Milwaukee Bucks (26 - 38) Monday night at the United Center, 100 - 90. Even with Jimmy Butler sitting out with knee soreness, the Bulls had more than enough to dispatch Milwaukee. Other than a two - minute stretch in the first quarter, Chicago held the lead for the entire game. They never managed to pull away, and the Bucks kept it within single digits throughout the fourth quarter and even pulled within two points three separate times. But the Bulls sunk two three - pointers and shot 8 - 9 from the free throw line over the game\u2019s final four minutes and did enough to hold off the Bucks. The Bulls were powered by a Pau Gasol triple - double, as the center scored 12 points (4 - 14 FG, 4 - 5 FT), grabbed 17 rebounds and dished 13 assists, with five blocks thrown in for good measure. Derrick Rose led all scorers with 22 points on 9 - 16 shooting and dished seven assists. The Bulls shot a sharp 50 percent from the field and 10 - 25 (40 percent) from three - point range. Jerryd Bayless came off the bench to score 20 points (7 - 15 FG, 5 - 8 3PT) to lead the Bucks. Jabari Parker added 18 points (7 - 17 FG) and 11 rebounds, and Giannis Antetokounmpo joined the double - double party with 12 points and 10 assists. The Bucks had 11 shots blocked and managed to shoot just 40 percent from two - point range, as they just couldn\u2019t get enough going inside to challenge Chicago. The Bulls head on the road Thursday against San Antonio. The Bucks return home Wednesday to host the Heat."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "1", "76ers": "7"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "120", "76ers": "88"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Raptors": "32"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "6", "76ers": "0"}}, {"Assists": {"Henry Sims": "3", "Tony Wroten": "5", "DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Greivis Vasquez": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Henry Sims": "11", "Tony Wroten": "16", "DeMar DeRozan": "12", "Greivis Vasquez": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Henry Sims": "5", "Tony Wroten": "6", "DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Greivis Vasquez": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Henry Sims": "2", "Tony Wroten": "7", "DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Greivis Vasquez": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Henry Sims": "2", "Tony Wroten": "5", "DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Greivis Vasquez": "2"}, "Points": {"Henry Sims": "12", "Tony Wroten": "18", "DeMar DeRozan": "24", "Greivis Vasquez": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Henry Sims": "8", "Tony Wroten": "3", "DeMar DeRozan": "6", "Greivis Vasquez": "4"}, "Steals": {"Henry Sims": "1", "Tony Wroten": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Greivis Vasquez": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Tony Wroten": "4", "Greivis Vasquez": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tony Wroten": "1", "Greivis Vasquez": "1"}, "Blocks": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMar DeRozan": "26", "Greivis Vasquez": "26"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers (0 - 7) could n't snap the losing streak, getting dominated by the Toronto Raptors (6 - 1) 120 - 88 on Sunday at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. This game was simply a tough one for the 76ers, as they lost by 32 points, and could n't get much to go their way. They were without Nerlens Noel (ankle) in this one, and while the bench managed to score 44 points, the starters could n't all do their part. The team was led in scoring by Tony Wroten with 18 points (6 - 16 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 5 - 7 FT), and he chipped in five assists, three rebounds and a steal as well. Philadelphia also got solid production from big man Henry Sims with 12 points (5 - 11 FG, 2 - 2 FT), eight rebounds, three assists and one steal. The 76ers are off until Thursday, when they head to Dallas to take on the Mavericks and Dirk Nowitzki. The Raptors on the other side saw production come from all over the place, including deep into the bench. A total of 11 players scored for Toronto, and 13 players saw time on the court. DeMar DeRozan, who's off to a hot start in 2014 led the way with 24 points (8 - 12 FG, 8 - 8 FT), while adding six rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block in only 26 minutes. Greivis Vasquez led the bench in minutes with 26, and made the most of his time on the court, scoring 13 points (5 - 11 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), to go along with six assists, four rebounds and a steal. The Raptors are now 40 at home this year, and they'll get a day off before taking on the Orlando Magic at the Air Canada Centre on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "14", "Trail Blazers": "14"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "96", "Trail Blazers": "106"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Suns": "14", "Trail Blazers": "28"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "10", "Trail Blazers": "10"}}, {"Assists": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "1", "CJ McCollum": "4", "Damian Lillard": "7", "Brandon Knight": "10", "Eric Bledsoe": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "30", "Damian Lillard": "35"}, "Points": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "13", "CJ McCollum": "26", "Damian Lillard": "18", "Jon Leuer": "13", "Eric Bledsoe": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "13", "CJ McCollum": "2", "Damian Lillard": "5", "Jon Leuer": "8", "Brandon Knight": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "4"}, "Steals": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "3", "Brandon Knight": "2", "Eric Bledsoe": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Damian Lillard": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Damian Lillard": "1"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (10 - 14) defeated the Phoenix Suns (10 - 14) on Friday night by a score of 106 - 96, in Phoenix. It was a close game the whole way but a strong fourth quarter by Portland in which the Blazers out - scored the Suns 28 - 14 was the difference maker. Both teams have been led their back courts this season and due to an unusually poor shooting performance from Brandon Knight, the Blazers tandem easily had the advantage in this match - up. Phoenix has been struggling as of late, although they won their last two games previous to this one, they are still 3 - 7 in their last 10. This was a tough loss for the Suns especially as it led to Portland now being tied with them in the standings. Brandon Knight had an anomalous game, shooting an unexplainable 0 - 12 from the field but recorded 10 assists, five rebounds and two steals, in 32 minutes. Eric Bledsoe was on track with 31 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals. Jon Leuer chipped in 13 points on 6 - 8 shooting and eight rebounds in 27 minutes. Tyson Chandler remained out with a hamstring strain. The Trail Blazers were led by the scorching C.J. McCollum, who finished with 26 points on 10 - 15 shooting, along with four assists and two rebounds. Damian Lillard shot only 8 - 21 but one of those was a three - pointer late in the game for the dagger. He finished with 18 points, seven assists and five rebounds, in 35 minutes. Al-Farouq Aminu recorded a solid double - double consisting of 13 points and 13 rebounds, along with three steals, one assist and one block, in 30 minutes. Next up for Portland is the second night of a back - to - back as they return home to host New York Knicks on Saturday. Phoenix will have a day off before hosting the Timberwolves on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "52", "Pistons": "44"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "97", "Pistons": "111"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "22", "Pistons": "28"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Andre Drummond": "28", "Reggie Jackson": "31", "Joel Anthony": "20", "Tobias Harris": "36", "Andrew Nicholson": "27", "Nikola Vucevic": "33", "Victor Oladipo": "36", "Elfrid Payton": "39"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "9", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "5", "Reggie Jackson": "11", "Andrew Nicholson": "2", "Nikola Vucevic": "14", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "4"}, "Points": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "10", "Reggie Jackson": "26", "Tayshaun Prince": "23", "Tobias Harris": "21", "Andrew Nicholson": "10", "Nikola Vucevic": "20", "Victor Oladipo": "16", "Elfrid Payton": "14"}, "Assists": {"Reggie Jackson": "10", "Andrew Nicholson": "3", "Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "7", "Elfrid Payton": "13"}, "3-pointers made": {"Reggie Jackson": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "1"}, "Steals": {"Reggie Jackson": "1", "Tobias Harris": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Joel Anthony": "4", "Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "1"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (28 - 44) defeated the Orlando Magic (22 - 52), 111 - 97. Reggie Jackson secured his second triple - double in the last five contests, procuring 26 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, one steal and one three - pointer in 31 minutes. The final assist came with less than two minutes remaining. The Pistons won their fourth straight game and are now 9 - 7 on Friday, the only day of the week they boast a winning record. In the sixth straight game without the injured Greg Monroe, it was Reggie Jackson leading the team in rebounds with 11. Andre Drummond only corralled nine boards in 28 minutes. Tayshaun Prince scored 14 of his 23 points in the second quarter. Joel Anthony blocked four shots in 20 minutes and joined the 1,0 point club. After averaging 22 points on 54 percent shooting the previous five games, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was limited to 10 points on 4 - of - 20 shooting. Dewayne Dedmon was scratched with a sore left ankle, thrusting Andrew Nicholson into the starting lineup over Channing Frye. Nicholson posted 10 points, three assists, and two rebounds in 27 minutes. Nikola Vucevic compiled his 41st double - double, good for third most in the NBA. He finished the night with 20 points, 14 rebounds, one block and one assist in 33 minutes. Rookie Elfrid Payton added 14 points, a career - high 13 assists and four rebounds in 39 minutes. He leads all rookies with 6 assists per game and is second to the 76ers\u2019 Nerlens Noel with 2 steals per game. Tobias Harris scored a team - high 21 points, and Victor Oladipo contributed 16 points, seven assists, three rebounds, one block, one steal and one three - pointer in 36 minutes. The Pistons concluded a two - game Florida road trip when they face the Miami Heat on Sunday. The Magic don\u2019t play again until Wednesday when they host the San Antonio Spurs."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Hornets": "27"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "6", "Nets": "10"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "116", "Nets": "111"}, "Turnovers": {"Hornets": "15"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "6", "Nets": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Nets": "37"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Thaddeus Young": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Thaddeus Young": "0", "Nicolas Batum": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Thaddeus Young": "17", "Brook Lopez": "19", "Nicolas Batum": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Thaddeus Young": "11", "Brook Lopez": "8", "Nicolas Batum": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Thaddeus Young": "6", "Nicolas Batum": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Thaddeus Young": "5", "Nicolas Batum": "7"}, "Points": {"Thaddeus Young": "27", "Jarrett Jack": "16", "Nicolas Batum": "24", "Kemba Walker": "18", "Jeremy Lin": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "5", "Jarrett Jack": "8", "Kemba Walker": "7", "Jeremy Lin": "9"}, "Assists": {"Jarrett Jack": "9", "Nicolas Batum": "8", "Kemba Walker": "7", "Jeremy Lin": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Jarrett Jack": "33", "Kemba Walker": "29", "Jeremy Lin": "29"}}], "The Hornets (6 - 6) were able to hold on for a 116 - 111 victory against the Nets (2 - 10) at Time Warner Cable Arena on Wednesday. With the score tied 86 - 86 after the third quarter, Nets coach Lionel Hollins decided to roll with a small lineup featuring Shane Larkin, Jarrett Jack, Markel Brown and Joe Johnson. It backfired, as the Hornets were able to take an eight - point lead and would eventually hold on for the win. Nic Batum led the way for Charlotte, scoring 24 points (7 - 12 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 7 - 7 FT) while matching his season high of eight assists. Brooklyn had a chance to win its second straight game, but instead fell further behind in the Eastern Conference standings. Perhaps the difference in the game was the rebounding battle, which the Nets lost 49 to 37 while playing mediocre defense after holding the Hawks to 88 points in Tuesday's win. Brook Lopez was limited to just five rebounds, shooting 8 - of - 19 from the floor before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Thad Young, who posted a season - high 27 points (11 - 17 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT), scored 15 of his 27 in the third quarter to keep the Hornets from running away with the game. Jack nearly finished with a triple - double, pouring in 16 points with nine assists and eight rebounds over 33 minutes. Charlotte got contributions from everywhere Wednesday night, as seven players finished with double - digit scoring. The guard tandem of Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lin continues to work wonders for coach Steve Clifford, with Walker netting 18 points to go along with seven assists and seven rebounds. Lin came off the bench and scored 13 points over a season - high 29 minutes, pulling down nine rebounds and dishing out four assists for perhaps his most productive game of the season. The Hornets clearly feed off the home crowd, improve to 4 - 1 at TWC Arena this season. The Nets travel to Boston to face the Celtics on Friday; the Hornets continue a seven - game homestand against the 76ers."], [[{}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Paul George": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul George": "6", "John Wall": "2"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "34", "Thaddeus Young": "11", "Myles Turner": "15", "Jeff Teague": "19", "CJ Miles": "15", "Markieff Morris": "10", "Marcin Gortat": "13", "Bradley Beal": "12", "John Wall": "36"}, "Assists": {"Thaddeus Young": "3", "Jeff Teague": "11", "John Wall": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Thaddeus Young": "6", "Myles Turner": "8", "Marcin Gortat": "16", "John Wall": "11"}, "Steals": {"Thaddeus Young": "6", "John Wall": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Bradley Beal": "18"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"John Wall": "2"}}], "John Wall led all scorers with 36 points and posted the final six points for Washington on a layup and two sets of free throws to seal a hard - fought victory. He added 11 rebounds, nine assists and a pair of steals. Otto Porter contributed 22 points, while Marcin Gortat stepped up with a 13 - point, 16 - rebound double - double. Bradley Beal compiled 12 points in 18 minutes before exiting with a sprained right ankle. Markieff Morris chipped in with 10 points. Paul George nearly matched Wall point for point with 34 of his own, including a 6 - of - 10 tally from three - point range. Jeff Teague provided a 19 - point, 11 - assist double - double. Myles Turner compiled 15 points and eight rebounds, while Thaddeus Young recorded 11 points, six rebounds, three assists and a game - high six steals. C.J. Miles' 15 points led the second unit."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Cavaliers": "24", "Bulls": "34"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "17", "Bulls": "29"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "99", "Bulls": "117"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Cavaliers": "20", "Bulls": "34"}, "Turnovers": {"Cavaliers": "12", "Bulls": "7"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "40", "Bulls": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "10", "Dwyane Wade": "10", "Rajon Rondo": "5", "Kyrie Irving": "7"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "18", "Dwyane Wade": "20", "Nikola Mirotic": "14", "Rajon Rondo": "15", "Kyrie Irving": "34", "James Jones": "14", "Kyle Korver": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "10", "Dwyane Wade": "9", "Nikola Mirotic": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "9"}}], "The Chicago Bulls defeated the host Cleveland Cavaliers, 117 - 99, at Quicken Loans Arena on Saturday. Chicago had been struggling prior to the break, but a road win over a 40 - win team is an impressive feat. The third quarter was the decisive stretch, as Chicago outscored Cleveland, 34 - 20. The assist - to - turnover ratio was a huge factor as well, as the Bulls recorded 34 assists to seven turnovers, while the Cavaliers committed 12 turnovers to 24 assists. Chicago had one of their best three - point shooting games of the year too, going 15 - of - 30 from long distance, which marks a season - high in makes. There were 11 ties and 13 lead changes in total, as this game was tight throughout the first three quarters. The Bulls (30 - 29) are now 20 out of the All-Star break and it appears that break is all they needed to get going. Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade carried the load, as they combined for 38 points, 19 rebounds and 20 assists, while they each flirted with a triple - double. Butler finished with a triple - double, totaling 18 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, while Wade accumulated 20 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists of his own. Nikola Mirotic was a huge spark off the bench, as he provided 14 points and 10 rebounds. Rajon Rondo also played well off the bench, collecting 15 points and five assists. The Cavaliers (40 - 17) had to play this game without LeBron James (sickness) and it's clear just how much he means to this team with a loss like this. With Kevin Love also out, Kyrie Irving had to carry the load, as he led the team with 34 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. The other four starters combined for just 29 points. Kyle Korver and James Jones were sharpshooting off the bench, as they scored 14 points a piece, while combining to go 8 - of - 12 from three - point range.. The Bulls are now 30 against the Cavaliers this season."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "55", "Knicks": "64"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "79", "Knicks": "80"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Magic": "7", "Knicks": "8"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "25", "Knicks": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Cole Aldrich": "3", "Cleanthony Early": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Cole Aldrich": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Cole Aldrich": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Cole Aldrich": "26", "Cleanthony Early": "15", "Elfrid Payton": "37"}, "Points": {"Cole Aldrich": "19", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "13", "Nikola Vucevic": "12", "Victor Oladipo": "21", "Elfrid Payton": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Cole Aldrich": "14", "Cleanthony Early": "3", "Nikola Vucevic": "13", "Elfrid Payton": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Langston Galloway": "16", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "16", "Nikola Vucevic": "14", "Victor Oladipo": "25"}, "Field goals made": {"Langston Galloway": "4", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "4", "Nikola Vucevic": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Cleanthony Early": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Victor Oladipo": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Victor Oladipo": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Elfrid Payton": "1"}, "Steals": {"Elfrid Payton": "2"}}], "The New York Knicks (16 - 64) escaped with an 80 - 79 win over the Orlando Magic (25 - 55). Tim Hardaway hit the game - winning three - pointer with 13 seconds remaining. Both teams combined to score 15 points in the second quarter, an NBA record for the lowest scoring quarter in the shot - clock era. The Knicks won the quarter 8 - 7. The win snapped a two - game losing streak, giving the Knicks a half game lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves for worst record in the league. By night\u2019s end, both teams could be tied if the Timberwolves lose to the NBA\u2019s best team, the Golden State Warriors. The Knicks lost the season series to the Timberwolves, giving them pole position for best draft lottery odds. Tim Hardaway scored the team\u2019s final seven points. He and rookie Langston Galloway each shot 4 - of - 16 from the floor. Cole Aldrich scored 14 points in the first eight minutes and concluded with a career - high 19 points and 14 rebounds in 26 minutes. Cleanthony Early played a team - low 15 minutes in his return to the lineup, missing the previous three games due to an ankle sprain. The Magic fell to 5 - 7 when wearing sleeved jerseys. They have the fifth worst record in the league, two and half games behind the sixth worst team, the Sacramento Kings. Elfrid Payton, Rookie of the Year candidate, snapped a streak of 10 consecutive made free throws, going 1 - of - 4 against the Knicks. He also added seven points, nine assists, two steals, one rebound and one block in 37 minutes. Nikola Vucevic entered the game averaging 27 points and 16 rebounds against the Knicks, yet only managed 12 points on 5 - of - 14 shooting and 13 rebounds. Victor Oladipo scored 21 points on 25 shots, converting 1 - of - 8 three - pointers, including two misses to tie the game in the final 10 seconds. Evan Fournier was given the night off after returning to the lineup Friday against the Toronto Raptors. The Knicks penultimate game occurs Monday against the Atlanta Hawks. The Magic begin a two - game road trip Monday against the Miami Heat."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "48"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "4", "Nets": "5"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "110", "Nets": "96"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Knicks": "22"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "3", "Nets": "3"}}, {"Assists": {"Trevor Booker": "2", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "4", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "2", "Sean Kilpatrick": "5", "Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Kristaps Porzingis": "1"}, "Points": {"Trevor Booker": "5", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "8", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "6", "Sean Kilpatrick": "7", "Carmelo Anthony": "22", "Kristaps Porzingis": "21", "Willy Hernangomez": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Booker": "6", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "5", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "2", "Sean Kilpatrick": "4", "Carmelo Anthony": "8", "Kristaps Porzingis": "8", "Willy Hernangomez": "6"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Booker": "3", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "3", "Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Kristaps Porzingis": "2", "Willy Hernangomez": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Kristaps Porzingis": "2", "Willy Hernangomez": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Brook Lopez": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Brook Lopez": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Brook Lopez": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Brook Lopez": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Willy Hernangomez": "4"}}], "The New York Knicks defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 110 - 96, at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday. Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis have formed quite an effective duo on several occasions already this season, with Wednesday's victory serving as the latest example. Anthony rattled off his sixth straight 20 - point - plus performance, while Porzingis joined him in eclipsing that total for the third consecutive contest. Overall, the Knicks (3 - 4) had five players tally double - digit scoring and shot a solid 48 percent from the field overall on their way to evening their home record at 2 - 2. In contrast, the Nets (3 - 5) could only muster one double - digit scoring effort from their starting five, which unsurprisingly came from Brook Lopez. The veteran big man posted 21 points, four rebounds, an assist and three blocks. The other four members of the first unit contributed full but modest stat lines. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson pitched in with eight points, five rebounds, four assists and a block. Sean Kilpatrick, getting the start for Isaiah Whitehead (concussion) at point guard, mustered seven points, five assists and four rebounds. Bojan Bogdanovic provided six points, two rebounds, two assists and three steals, while Trevor Booker rounded things out with five points, six boards, two assists and three steals. Anthony's 22 points led the way for New York, a scoring total he supplemented with seven rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. Porzingis was right behind him with a 21 - point, eight - rebound outing that also included an assist, two steals and two blocks. The backcourt duo of Derrick Rose and Courtney Lee were able to take a more secondary role on the night due to the success up front. They did combine for 27 points on 11 - of - 22 shooting, along with six rebounds and five assists. Second-year man Willy Hernangomez, seeing his first game action in four contests, led the bench with 14 points, six rebounds, two blocks and a steal. The Nets head out west to Phoenix to take on the Suns on Saturday night, while the Knicks travel to Boston for a Friday night date with the Celtics."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "15", "Cavaliers": "6"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "114", "Cavaliers": "108"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "5", "Cavaliers": "13"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "8", "Jrue Holiday": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"LeBron James": "1", "Jrue Holiday": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "29", "JR Smith": "14", "Anthony Davis": "22", "Jrue Holiday": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "13", "JR Smith": "6", "Anthony Davis": "13"}, "Free throws made": {"LeBron James": "10"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "37", "Kevin Love": "15", "Timofey Mozgov": "8", "JR Smith": "18", "Matthew Dellavedova": "8", "Anthony Davis": "31", "Jrue Holiday": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kevin Love": "10", "JR Smith": "4", "Anthony Davis": "12", "Jrue Holiday": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Jrue Holiday": "25"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (5 - 15) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (13 - 6) 114 - 108 in overtime on Friday. LeBron James scored 23 points in the 4th quarter, but the lone effort was not enough after Jrue Holiday nailed a three pointer with under 10 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. James finished with 37 points, seven rebounds and eight assists on 13 - of - 29 shooting, but was held scoreless in the overtime period. J.R. Smith opened the night hot from the 3 - point line, hitting three straight from deep, but was unable to continue the efficiency, as he finished with 18 points and four rebounds on 6 - of - 14 shooting. Kevin Love added 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Mozgov and Dellavedova contributed eight points each. Anthony Davis provided an all - around dominant performance in front of his hometown fans at the Smoothie King Center, and finished with 31 points and 12 rebounds on 13 - of - 22 shooting. Jrue Holiday contributed clutch baskets down the stretch and in overtime, as he finished with 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists in 25 minutes off the bench. Ryan Anderson, Tyreke Evans and Eric Gordon all finished in double figures to aid Anthony Davis in a strong win over last years Eastern Conference champions. The Cavaliers will visit the Miami Heat (11 - 6) on Saturday, while Pelicans host the Boston Celtics (11 - 8) on Monday."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Jazz": "48", "Bulls": "46"}, "Turnovers": {"Jazz": "13"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "19", "Robin Lopez": "16", "Jerian Grant": "10", "Gordon Hayward": "15", "Boris Diaw": "6", "Rodney Hood": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Jimmy Butler": "7", "Robin Lopez": "5", "Jerian Grant": "2", "Gordon Hayward": "3", "Boris Diaw": "1", "Rodney Hood": "5"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "12", "Robin Lopez": "12", "Gordon Hayward": "12", "Rudy Gobert": "13"}}], "It was a slow game on the offensive end in Thursday's Bulls-Jazz matchup, as both teams struggled to find their shots. The game's leading scorer, Chicago's Jimmy Butler, had 20 points, but shot just 7 - of - 19. Sophomore point guard Jerian Grant, starting in place of an injured Rajon Rondo (ankle), went just 2 - of - 10 from the field, and center Robin Lopez went a sub - par 5 - of - 16. Things did n't look much better for Utah, as star Gordon Hayward shot just 3 - of - 15 on the night. Starters Rodney Hood and Boris Diaw also struggled, hitting 5 - of - 16 and 1 - of - 6, respectively. Despite the slow offense it was by no means a sloppy game, as the two teams combined for just 21 turnovers. Both the Bulls and Jazz have consistently been stellar rebounding teams, and the battle on the boards was a well - fought one as well. The Jazz took the rebounding advantage 48 - 46, with center Rudy Gobert grabbing 13 and Hayward pulling down 12. For the Bulls, Butler and Lopez had 12 each."], [[{"Total points": {"Warriors": "119", "Nuggets": "104"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Warriors": "40", "Nuggets": "23"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Warriors": "25"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "4"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "2"}}, {"Assists": {"Will Barton": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Will Barton": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Will Barton": "39"}, "Points": {"Will Barton": "19", "Danilo Gallinari": "25", "Gary Harris": "16", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Will Barton": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "8"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Stephen Curry": "50"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Stephen Curry": "12"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (60) defeated the Denver Nuggets (2 - 4) 119 - 104 on Friday. After serving as one of Denver\u2019s most consistent bench players over the Nuggets\u2019 first five contests, Will Barton entered the starting lineup Friday night. The fourth - year pro did not disappoint, stuffing the stat sheet and coming only a pair of boards short of a double - double. Barton pitched in 19 points, eight rebounds, and five assists over 39 minutes on the floor, and may have earned the right for more starts in the immediate future. Danilo Gallinari once again spearhead Denver\u2019s offense, tallying 25 points against a tough Warriors defense. Gary Harris (16 points) and Emmanuel Mudiay (13 points) supplemented Gallinari\u2019s and Barton\u2019s efforts, but the Nuggets simply were no match for the reigning champs from the start. They were outscored 40 - 23 in the first quarter, and saw the gap widen to a 30 - point deficit by halftime. Their valiant efforts in the second half made the final score respectable, but the contest never seemed to be within reach for Denver. The Nuggets, losers of two straight, fall to 2 - 4 and remain in last place in the Western Conference\u2019s Northwest Division. Denver heads home to take on Portland on Monday. Stephen Curry continues to be the unquestioned linchpin of a prolific Warriors offense that tallied 74 points in the first half alone. Curry led the way with 33 points on 12 - for - 22 shooting, including an astounding eight three - pointers, which he drained at an excellent 50 percent rate. The 2014 - 15 MVP has already amassed 36 treys over six games. Festus Ezeli, starting once again at center for the inactive Andrew Bogut (concussion), chipped in with a season - best 15 points, while the rest of the Warriors starting five also scored in double digits. The Warriors improved to 60 and remain atop the Western Conference\u2019s Pacific Division and the conference overall. They travel to Sacramento for a Saturday tilt with the Kings."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "32", "Jazz": "26"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "100", "Jazz": "96"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pelicans": "29", "Jazz": "19"}, "Turnovers": {"Pelicans": "9", "Jazz": "17"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "20", "Jazz": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "4", "Anthony Davis": "5", "Jrue Holiday": "9"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "21", "Derrick Favors": "29", "Rudy Gobert": "12", "Anthony Davis": "19", "Jrue Holiday": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "4", "Derrick Favors": "6", "Rudy Gobert": "14", "Anthony Davis": "4", "Jrue Holiday": "6"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (20 - 32) defeated the Utah Jazz (26 - 26) 100 - 96 on Wednesday. The form of these two teams would have indicated a different result, but the Pelicans got a much needed win to keep slim hopes alive for the playoffs. The Pelicans outscored the Jazz 29 - 19 in the fourth quarter for a comeback win. The turnovers were the key difference, as Utah committed 17 turnovers to the Pelicans nine. This loss cracked a seven - game winning streak for the Jazz, so losing in the second end of a back - to - back is nothing to be upset about. Derrick Favors was fantastic, as he amassed 29 points and six rebounds in the loss. Gordon Hayward got off to a terrible start, but finished strong by tallying 21 points, four rebounds and four assists in the defeat. Rudy Gobert finished with 12 points and 14 rebounds en route to a double - double as well. Utah's next game wo n't be until the 18th, when they play the Washington Wizards after tea All-Star break. Only two Pelicans players scored more than 11 points, but they still managed to walk away with a huge win. Jrue Holiday was easily the player of the game, as he tallied 21 points, six rebounds and nine assists off the bench. Anthony Davis was the only other notable stat line, as he accumulated 19 points, four rebounds, and five assists while battling foul trouble in the victory. New Orleans has one final game before the All-Star break, as they travel to play the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "22", "Clippers": "10"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "111", "Clippers": "102"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "12", "Clippers": "22"}, "Turnovers": {"Clippers": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"DeAndre Jordan": "6", "JJ Redick": "3", "Raymond Felton": "6", "Jamal Crawford": "3", "Marreese Speights": "1", "Luol Deng": "2", "Julius Randle": "8", "Nick Young": "2", "D'Angelo Russell": "4", "Lou Williams": "1"}, "Points": {"DeAndre Jordan": "7", "JJ Redick": "22", "Raymond Felton": "8", "Jamal Crawford": "22", "Marreese Speights": "15", "Luol Deng": "13", "Timofey Mozgov": "19", "Nick Young": "19", "D'Angelo Russell": "14", "Brandon Ingram": "10", "Lou Williams": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "10", "JJ Redick": "2", "Raymond Felton": "10", "Marreese Speights": "4", "Luol Deng": "12", "Julius Randle": "7", "Timofey Mozgov": "3", "Nick Young": "2", "D'Angelo Russell": "5", "Brandon Ingram": "6", "Lou Williams": "3"}, "Steals": {"JJ Redick": "1", "Raymond Felton": "2", "Jamal Crawford": "1", "Marreese Speights": "1", "Luol Deng": "2", "Julius Randle": "2", "Nick Young": "1", "Lou Williams": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Raymond Felton": "2", "Luol Deng": "2", "Lou Williams": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Brandon Ingram": "28"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Los Angeles Clippers, 111 - 102, at Staples Center on Sunday. The two intra - city rivals met for the first time this season, and the reeling Lakers (12 - 22) caught the Clippers (22 - 10) in a somewhat weakened state. The visitors checked in to the Christmas Day showdown without Chris Paul (hamstring), who missed his second straight game, and Blake Griffin, who is in for a multi - week absence due to his recent knee surgery. The hosts benefited from a balanced effort from their first unit, as all five players, and two reserves, hit double digits in the scoring column. The offensive proficiency led to a 48 percent success rate from the field, and their defense managed to elicit 15 turnovers from the Clippers. The Clippers were co - led by a pair of 22 - point efforts from J.J. Redick and Jamal Crawford, with the former adding three assists, two rebounds and a steal, and the latter recording three assists and a steal as well. Raymond Felton drew another start in Paul's place and supplied eight points, 10 rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocks. DeAndre Jordan mustered a modest seven points but did bring down 10 boards as well, while also dishing out six assists. Mareese Speights was productive in a reserve role as well, posting 15 points, four rebounds, an assist and a steal. Timofey Mozgov and Nick Young paced the Lakers with matching 19 - point tallies. Mozgov added three rebounds, while Young added two rebounds, two assists and a steal. D'Angelo Russell went for 14 points, five boards and four assists. Luol Deng continued his offensive resurgence, managing a 13 - point, 12 - rebound double - double that also included two assists, two steals and two blocks. Julius Randle matched Deng's point total and supplemented it with eight assists, seven rebounds and two steals. Lou Williams paced the second unit with 14 points, three rebounds, an assist, a block and a steal. Brandon Ingram came off the bench to supply 10 points and six boards over 28 minutes. The Clippers head back home to face off with the Denver Nuggets on Monday night, while the Lakers remain home to face off with the Utah Jazz on Tuesday evening."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Clippers": "41"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "47"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "2", "Bulls": "5"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "102", "Bulls": "95"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Clippers": "23", "Bulls": "33"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Clippers": "30", "Bulls": "18"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "12", "Bulls": "8"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bulls": "19"}}, {"Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "22", "Taj Gibson": "11", "Dwyane Wade": "28", "Blake Griffin": "26", "Marreese Speights": "16"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Taj Gibson": "8", "Dwyane Wade": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Taj Gibson": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "9"}, "Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "3", "Blake Griffin": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Dwyane Wade": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "9", "Marreese Speights": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dwyane Wade": "5", "Marreese Speights": "3"}, "Steals": {"Dwyane Wade": "1", "Blake Griffin": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Blake Griffin": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Blake Griffin": "39"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "13"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Marreese Speights": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Marreese Speights": "3"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers battled back from a 19 - point deficit to grind out a huge win against the visiting Chicago Bulls, 102 - 95, at Staples Center on Saturday. The Bulls (8 - 5) got out to a fantastic start, with a 33 - 23 first quarter and were able to extend their lead to 19 mid - way though the second quarter. However, the Clippers (12 - 2) battled back steadily over the final three quarters, but most definitively in the fourth, where they out - scored the Bulls 30 - 18. Chicago led 77 - 72 after three quarters but the Clippers kept chipping away and eventually took their first lead of the game since leading 4 - 2, when they went up 84 - 82 with seven minutes to go in the game. The Clippers did not let up and held the lead for the rest of the way, ending Chicago's four - game win streak and bolstering their own record to 9 - 1 in their last 10 games. Blake Griffin was the high - point man for the Clippers, finishing with 26 points, along with 13 rebounds, five assists and a steal, in 39 minutes. Marreese Speights had his best game in a Clippers uniform, with 16 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter and 3 - of - 4 shooting from long range. The Clippers shot 41 percent as a team from distance and 47 percent overall. They now look ahead to Monday when they host the Raptors at Staples Center. Dwyane Wade had a great game, leading the Bulls with 28 points on 9 - of - 20 shooting, including hitting 5 - of - 9 from long range. Wade also tallied eight rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal as he showed that he still has what it takes to compete against even the toughest of opponents. Jimmy Butler added 22 points, while Taj Gibson chipped in 11 points on 5 - of - 8 shooting. The Bulls face the second night of a back - to - back as they stay in Los Angeles to take on the host Lakers on Sunday."], [[{"Total points": {"76ers": "98", "Bucks": "112"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "42"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "49"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "33"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "29"}}, {"Assists": {"Khris Middleton": "8", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5", "Tony Snell": "2", "Malcolm Brogdon": "1", "Matthew Dellavedova": "7", "Dario Saric": "6", "T.J. McConnell": "8", "Justin Anderson": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Khris Middleton": "1", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Malcolm Brogdon": "1", "Robert Covington": "2"}, "Points": {"Khris Middleton": "13", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "24", "Tony Snell": "21", "Malcolm Brogdon": "13", "Greg Monroe": "12", "Matthew Dellavedova": "10", "Robert Covington": "15", "Dario Saric": "14", "Richaun Holmes": "8", "T.J. McConnell": "2", "Justin Anderson": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Khris Middleton": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Tony Snell": "7", "Malcolm Brogdon": "5", "Greg Monroe": "2", "Matthew Dellavedova": "3", "Robert Covington": "3", "Dario Saric": "8", "Richaun Holmes": "9", "Justin Anderson": "6"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Tony Snell": "2", "Malcolm Brogdon": "1", "Robert Covington": "1", "Dario Saric": "2"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers, 112 - 98, at Wells Fargo Center on Monday night. The Bucks (29 - 33) got off to a fast start in the first half, forging a 60 - 43 lead by halftime. Six players tallied double digits in the scoring column and Milwaukee posted respective success rates of 49 percent from the field and 42 percent from three - point range. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Tony Snell led the way with a combined 45 points, while the Sixers (23 - 40) hurt their own cause with an 8 - for - 30 effort from three - point range and a subpar 63 percent tally from the free - throw line. Antetokounmpo provided 24 points, eight rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals to lead Milwaukee. Snell followed with 21 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. Malcolm Brogdon and Khris Middleton offered matching 13 - point efforts, with the former adding five rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block, and the latter supplying eight assists, five rebounds and one block. Greg Monroe paced the second unit with 12 points and two rebounds, while Matthew Delladedova turned in 10 points, seven assists and three boards. Justin Anderson paced the Sixers with 19 points, six boards and three assists. Robert Covington totaled 15 points, three boards, two blocks and one steal. Dario Saric provided a full line of 14 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals. Richaun Holmes managed eight points and nine rebounds in a start for Jahlil Okafor (knee). T.J. McConnell mustered only two points but did dish out eight assists. The Bucks head back home for a Wednesday night showdown with the Knicks, while the Sixers head to Portland for a Thursday evening tilt against the Trail Blazers."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "17", "Heat": "24"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "84", "Heat": "96"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "29", "Heat": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Luol Deng": "15", "Hassan Whiteside": "14", "Pau Gasol": "13", "Joakim Noah": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Luol Deng": "10", "Hassan Whiteside": "13", "Pau Gasol": "17", "Joakim Noah": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "12", "Pau Gasol": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Hassan Whiteside": "25", "Joakim Noah": "22"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Joakim Noah": "5"}}], "The Miami Heat (20 - 24) captured an impressive win on the road Sunday, defeating the Chicago Bulls (29 - 17) 96 - 84. Miami big man Hassan Whiteside stole the show in Chicago, putting up 14 points and 13 rebounds. That was n't the impressive part, however, as he also had a franchise - record 12 blocks against one of the NBA's best front courts. Whiteside recorded the triple - double despite only playing 25 minutes. Miami has now won two in a row after Sunday's victory. Luol Deng turned in a solid game against his former team, putting up 15 points and 10 rebounds. Hassan Whiteside was not in the starting lineup and actually missed Friday's game due to an ankle injury. That did n't stop him from having a dominant performance on a big stage. Miami will look to extend its winning streak Tuesday when the Heat host the Bucks. Chicago entered Sunday having won two straight over Western Conference foes, but was n't able to get the win at home against a sub - .500 Miami club Sunday. Joakim Noah was able to suit up again despite a nagging ankle injury, but only had four points and five rebounds in 22 minutes. Pau Gasol had another huge game, recording 13 points and 17 rebounds to notch his league - leading 27th double - double. He has had at least 15 rebounds in four of his last five games. The Bulls will begin a crucial six - game road trip Tuesday against the Warriors."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "28", "Grizzlies": "11"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "96", "Grizzlies": "106"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "15", "Grizzlies": "28"}}, {"Blocks": {"Tony Allen": "1", "Marc Gasol": "2", "Beno Udrih": "1", "Jeff Green": "1", "Channing Frye": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Tony Allen": "31", "Beno Udrih": "29", "Jeff Green": "31", "Channing Frye": "38"}, "Points": {"Tony Allen": "17", "Marc Gasol": "12", "Beno Udrih": "15", "Jeff Green": "21", "Channing Frye": "17", "Elfrid Payton": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Tony Allen": "5", "Marc Gasol": "16", "Jeff Green": "5", "Channing Frye": "8", "Elfrid Payton": "4"}, "Steals": {"Tony Allen": "2", "Marc Gasol": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "2"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "8", "Beno Udrih": "5", "Jeff Green": "2", "Channing Frye": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "12"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (28 - 11) beat the Orlando Magic (15 - 28) 106 - 96 on Friday. Marc Gasol had a nice all - around game, finishing with 12 points, 16 rebounds, eight assists, three steals and two blocks in a close game against the Magic. Mike Conley (ankle) was not able to go, and Beno Udrih took over the starting point guard role. Udrih finished with 15 points and five assists in 29 minutes. Jeff Green came off the bench for his second game with the Grizzlies. He had 21 points, five rebounds, two assists and one block in 31 minutes. Tony Allen, who's been hobbled by a hamstring injury, started and played 31 minutes, recording 17 points, five rebounds, two steals and one block. Rookie Elfrid Payton, the tenth overall selection in last summer's draft, had the best game of his young career on Friday. He finished with 12 assists, four rebounds and two steals to go along with a team - high 22 points, a new career - high. Channing Frye played 38 minutes and had 17 points, eight rebounds, two assists and three blocks against the Grizzlies. Orlando is three and a half games out of the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. The Grizzlies will play the Trail Blazers on Saturday, and the Magic will play the Thunder on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "22"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "40"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "37", "Spurs": "13"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "79", "Spurs": "107"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Magic": "16", "Spurs": "30"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "17"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "21", "Spurs": "43"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "3", "Dewayne Dedmon": "1", "Patty Mills": "6", "Aaron Gordon": "2", "Jeff Green": "2", "Evan Fournier": "5", "Mario Hezonja": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Dewayne Dedmon": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Mario Hezonja": "1"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "22", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "23", "Dewayne Dedmon": "10", "Patty Mills": "13", "Aaron Gordon": "11", "Jeff Green": "11", "Nikola Vucevic": "16", "Evan Fournier": "9", "Mario Hezonja": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "3", "Dewayne Dedmon": "11", "Patty Mills": "2", "Aaron Gordon": "6", "Jeff Green": "3", "Nikola Vucevic": "10", "Evan Fournier": "5", "Mario Hezonja": "1"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "Patty Mills": "2", "Jeff Green": "1", "Evan Fournier": "1", "Mario Hezonja": "1"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Orlando Magic, 107 - 79, at Amway Center on Wednesday evening. The Spurs (43 - 13) set the tone early, jumping out to a 30 - 16 lead after one quarter that they would n't come close to relinquishing. LaMarcus Aldridge and Kawhi Leonard spearheaded the offensive effort, but defense was the story of the night for San Antonio. They clamped down on a Magic (21 - 37) team that lost significant offensive firepower with the trade of Serge Ibaka to Toronto by holding them to 37 first - half points, and paltry success rates of 40 percent from the field and 22 percent from three - point range. Orlando also committed 17 turnovers on the night and saw only three players hit double digits in the scoring column. Aldridge paced the Spurs with a game - high 23 points, which he supplemented with three rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block. Leonard was right behind him with 22 points, five rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block. Dewayne Dedmon continued a successful stretch of starts with a 10 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included one assist and one block. Patty Mills led the bench with 13 points, six assists, two rebounds and two steals. Nikola Vucevic's 16 - point, 10 - rebound double - double led the Magic. He also recorded a block. Jeff Green and Aaron Gordon turned in matching 11 - point efforts, with the former adding three rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block and the latter supplying six rebounds, two assists and one block. Evan Fournier provided nine points, five rebounds, five assists and one steal. Mario Hezonja led the Orlando second unit with eight points, one rebound, one assist, one steal and one block. The Spurs are off until Friday night, February 24th, when they'll kick off the second half of the season in Los Angeles versus the Clippers. The Magic next take the court at home against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, February 23rd."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "38"}, "Losses": {"Timberwolves": "24", "Nuggets": "23"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "74", "Nuggets": "78"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "12", "Nuggets": "13"}, "Number of team assists": {"Nuggets": "21"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nuggets": "21"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nuggets": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Danilo Gallinari": "4", "Darrell Arthur": "5", "Jusuf Nurkic": "2", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "2", "Andrew Wiggins": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Danilo Gallinari": "2", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Danilo Gallinari": "2", "Darrell Arthur": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Danilo Gallinari": "15", "Jusuf Nurkic": "14", "Andrew Wiggins": "14", "Nikola Pekovic": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Danilo Gallinari": "6", "Jusuf Nurkic": "6", "Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Nikola Pekovic": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Danilo Gallinari": "7", "Jusuf Nurkic": "6", "Nikola Pekovic": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Danilo Gallinari": "6", "Jusuf Nurkic": "3", "Nikola Pekovic": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Danilo Gallinari": "35", "Jusuf Nurkic": "22", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "32", "Andrew Wiggins": "31"}, "Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "20", "Darrell Arthur": "7", "Jusuf Nurkic": "15", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "14", "Andrew Wiggins": "11", "Nikola Pekovic": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Danilo Gallinari": "7", "Darrell Arthur": "6", "Jusuf Nurkic": "10", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "14", "Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Nikola Pekovic": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Darrell Arthur": "2", "Jusuf Nurkic": "5", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "2"}, "Steals": {"Darrell Arthur": "1"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (13 - 23) defeated the host Minnesota Timberwolves (12 - 24) 78 - 74 on Wednesday night at Target Center. Minnesota and Denver came into this one tied for the worst record in the Northwest Division. With this win Denver is 3 - 1 in the season series. However, with a long way to go in the season the eighth spot in the West is still within reach for either team. Both teams came into this game on losing streaks. Denver snapped their six - game losing streak with this win, while Minnesota's losing streak got extended to four games. The game was back - and - forth with 17 lead changes. Denver was up by one heading into the fourth quarter 66 - 65, but from then on only 21 more points were scored between the two teams, leading to one of the lowest scoring quarters in recent memory. The Timberwolves failed to score in the last four minutes of the game, during which they had numerous chances to tie it up. Denver also did not score in the last four minutes, other than two free throws with five seconds left that sealed the deal. Danilo Gallinari led the Nuggets with 20 points (6 - 15 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt, 6 - 7 FT), seven rebounds and four assists, in 35 minutes. Jusuf Nurkic contributed an impressive 15 points (6 - 14 FG, 3 - 6 FT), 10 rebounds, five blocked shots and two assists, in 22 minutes off the bench. No one else scored in double digits for the Nuggets, who shot a horrid 35 percent from the field on the game. Darrell Arthur was notable with seven points, six rebounds, five assists and two blocks, including one game - saving block on Karl-Anthony Towns in the last seconds. Nikola Pekovic was back in the lineup for the Timberwolves after being out with an ankle injury since March 11, 2015. Pekovic played 15 minutes and contributed a solid 12 points (3 - 4 FG, 6 - 6 FT) and two rebounds. Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a double - double with 14 points and 14 rebounds, as well as two assists and two blocks, in 32 minutes. Andrew Wiggins was relatively quiet as he finished with 11 points (4 - 14 FG), three rebounds and one assist, in 31 minutes. The Timberwolves shot a poor 38 percent from the field and are continuing to struggle on both ends of the floor. The Timberwolves will have their hands full on Friday when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Nuggets will play in Memphis on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "36"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "87"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "5"}}, {"Points": {"Alex Len": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Alex Len": "12"}}], "When one of the worst offenses faces one of the worst defenses, something has to give. It was the Orlando offense that proved to be more inefficient, as they hit just 36 percent of their shots on the way to 87 points. Both teams made 33 shots in the tight contest, but Orlando took 91 shots to Phoenix's 73 shot attempts. There were six ties and eight lead changes, with no team leading by more than 12 points. Evan Fournier and Nikola Vucevic carried the load for Orlando, as they combined for 46 points, 17 rebounds and four steals. The Suns got a nice team effort, with all five starters scoring at least 10 points. Alex Len was Phoenix's best player, as he totaled 17 points and 12 rebounds in the absence of Tyson Chandler."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "47", "Nets": "44"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bucks": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Bucks": "44"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"Trevor Booker": "1", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "1", "Matthew Dellavedova": "9"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Trevor Booker": "1", "Jeremy Lin": "1"}, "Points": {"Trevor Booker": "14", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "26", "Jeremy Lin": "12", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "21", "Matthew Dellavedova": "14", "Rashad Vaughn": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Booker": "14", "Jeremy Lin": "3"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Booker": "1", "Jeremy Lin": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Jeremy Lin": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jeremy Lin": "1"}}], "Bojan Bogdanovic's hot hand was on display Saturday as he led all scorers with 26 points and hit a key game - tying three - pointer with 11 seconds left. Brooklyn played without the resting Brook Lopez, but Trevor Booker helped shore up the frontcourt in his absence with a 14 - point, 14 - rebound double and Jeremy Lin continued to look like one of the best offseason acquisitions in the league with 12 points, 10 dimes, three boards and three steals. Rashad Vaughn came off the bench to lead the Bucks with 22 points, while Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to thrive at point guard, posting a 21 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. Backcourt mate Matthew Delladedova was impressive in his own right, with 14 points and nine assists. Both the Nets and Bucks shot well throughout the night, tallying 44 and 47 percent success rates, respectively."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Hawks": "26", "Bucks": "16"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "16"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "42", "Bucks": "42"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "30", "Bucks": "43"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "101", "Bucks": "90"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "43", "Bucks": "30"}, "Turnovers": {"Bucks": "15"}}, {"Points": {"Jabari Parker": "19", "John Henson": "17", "Paul Millsap": "14", "Al Horford": "14", "Jeff Teague": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Jabari Parker": "8", "John Henson": "10", "Paul Millsap": "13", "Al Horford": "8"}, "Blocks": {"John Henson": "3", "Paul Millsap": "3", "Al Horford": "2"}, "Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "3", "Jeff Teague": "6"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "2", "Al Horford": "2"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (43 - 30) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (30 - 43) 101 - 90 on Friday. These are two teams going in opposite directions and that ended up playing out on the floor in this matchup. The key for the Hawks was their defense, as they held the Bucks to 42 percent shooting and forced them to commit 15 turnovers. The assisting margin was huge as well, with Atlanta recording 26 assists to the Bucks 16. Amazingly, the Hawks won this game despite going 5 - for - 32 from three - point range. This loss marked the Bucks third - straight and they continue to struggle away from home. Milwaukee still sits in single - digits in road wins, as they are now 9 - 29 on the road. Jabari Parker had a nice game though, as he led the team with 19 points, while also bringing down eight rebounds. John Henson was fantastic off the bench, as he double - doubled, in a 17 - point, 10 - rebound, three - block performance. The Bucks will look to play better on Saturday against the Charlotte Hornets. This gave Atlanta their 12th win in their last 15 games. Paul Millsap was huge, as he tallied 14 points, 13 rebounds, three assists, two steals and three blocks in an all around performance. Jeff Teague also played well, as he led the team with 18 points and six assists. Al Horford finished with 14 points, eight rebounds, two steals and two blocks of his own. The Hawks will look to keep things rolling on Saturday against the Detroit Pistons on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "39"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "7", "Pelicans": "10"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "89", "Pelicans": "82"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "5", "Pelicans": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Pelicans": "17"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Terrence Jones": "20", "Langston Galloway": "12", "Jeff Green": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Terrence Jones": "9", "Langston Galloway": "6", "Jeff Green": "0"}, "Points": {"Terrence Jones": "26", "E'Twaun Moore": "14", "Langston Galloway": "15", "Serge Ibaka": "16", "Nikola Vucevic": "10", "Evan Fournier": "16", "Elfrid Payton": "5", "D.J. Augustin": "11", "Damjan Rudez": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Omer Asik": "10", "E'Twaun Moore": "3", "Serge Ibaka": "8", "Nikola Vucevic": "14", "Elfrid Payton": "4"}, "Assists": {"E'Twaun Moore": "4", "Evan Fournier": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Elfrid Payton": "2"}, "Steals": {"Elfrid Payton": "3"}}], "The host Orlando Magic defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, 89 - 82, at Amway Center on Wednesday. In a battle between two struggling teams, the Magic prevailed with a much needed win. Orlando held New Orleans to just 36 percent shooting from the field and forced them to commit 17 turnovers in their win. Orlando was n't much better though, as they shot 39 percent from the field and 58 percent from the free - throw line. The Magic also dominated in the lane, as they scored 38 paint points to the Pelicans' 26. The Pelicans (2 - 10) had to play this game without Anthony Davis (thigh) and it clearly hurt their offense. Terrence Jones started for Davis though and carried the load, as he scored a game - high 26 points on 9 - of - 20 shooting. The only other starter in double figures was E'Twaun Moore, who tallied 14 points, three rebounds and four assists. Langston Galloway was a nice spark off the bench, scoring 15 points on 6 - of - 12 shooting. Omer Asik had a strange line, as he grabbed 10 rebounds, but failed to record another stat. The Pelicans will return to action on Friday when they host the Portland Trail Blazers for their next game. The Magic (5 - 7) have gotten off to a historically bad start offensively this season, but they were able to pull out a win here, thanks to some elite defense. Six players scored in double figures for the Magic, with Serge Ibaka and Evan Fournier tying the team lead with 16 a piece. Ibaka added eight rebounds to his 16 points and Fournier dished out three assists. Elfird Payton scored just five points, but provided four rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks in the victory. Nikola Vucevic recorded a double - double, totaling 10 points and 14 rebounds. D.J. Augustin and Damjan Rudez each scored 11 points off the bench. Jeff Green had a game to forget, as he went scoreless on 0 - of - 9 shooting. Orlando will look to keep rolling against the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "29"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "41"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Grizzlies": "22"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Grizzlies": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "14", "Mike Conley": "22", "Zach Randolph": "14", "Russell Westbrook": "24", "Enes Kanter": "19"}, "Assists": {"Mike Conley": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Mike Conley": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "13"}}], "The Thunder were able to pull out a rare wire - to - wire win here, but it was much closer than the majority of wire - to - wire victories. In fact, Oklahoma City never led by more than 12 points, as this was a single - digit game for well over 40 minutes. Defense was key for the Thunder, as they held the Grizzlies to 41 percent from the field, 57 percent from the free - throw line and 29 percent from three - point range. Oklahoma City also dominated the glass, winning the defensive rebounding battle, 42 - 26. Russell Westbrook added another triple - double to his tally, accumulating 24 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists. Enes Kanter was huge off the bench, totaling 19 points and 13 rebounds. Mike Conley led the Grizzlies in scoring, collecting 22 points, four rebounds and six assists. Chandler Parsons and Zach Randolph tied for second on the team, with 14 points apiece."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "64", "Heat": "45"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "101", "Heat": "105"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "18", "Heat": "37"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Heat": "39"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "44"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Henry Walker": "10", "James Ennis III": "7", "Michael Beasley": "2", "Zoran Dragic": "7", "Robert Covington": "9", "JaKarr Sampson": "5", "Hollis Thompson": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Henry Walker": "6", "James Ennis III": "2", "Michael Beasley": "0", "Zoran Dragic": "3", "Robert Covington": "2", "JaKarr Sampson": "0", "Hollis Thompson": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Henry Walker": "5", "James Ennis III": "2", "Michael Beasley": "11", "Zoran Dragic": "2", "Robert Covington": "10", "JaKarr Sampson": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Henry Walker": "3", "James Ennis III": "1", "Michael Beasley": "10", "Zoran Dragic": "1", "Robert Covington": "9", "JaKarr Sampson": "6"}, "Points": {"Henry Walker": "21", "James Ennis III": "17", "Michael Beasley": "34", "Zoran Dragic": "22", "Robert Covington": "19", "JaKarr Sampson": "22", "Hollis Thompson": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Henry Walker": "4", "James Ennis III": "12", "Michael Beasley": "11", "Robert Covington": "4", "JaKarr Sampson": "5"}, "Assists": {"James Ennis III": "6", "Michael Beasley": "8", "JaKarr Sampson": "6", "Hollis Thompson": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Ennis III": "20", "Michael Beasley": "27", "Zoran Dragic": "17", "Robert Covington": "14", "JaKarr Sampson": "15", "Hollis Thompson": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"James Ennis III": "7", "Michael Beasley": "12", "Zoran Dragic": "9", "Robert Covington": "4", "JaKarr Sampson": "8", "Hollis Thompson": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"James Ennis III": "48", "Michael Beasley": "48"}, "Steals": {"James Ennis III": "1", "Zoran Dragic": "2", "JaKarr Sampson": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Robert Covington": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Robert Covington": "3"}}], "The Miami Heat (37 - 45) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (18 - 64) 105 - 101 on Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. With both teams having already been eliminated from the playoffs, this game was more about giving the young and inexperienced players a chance to make an impression on the coaching staff in hopes of coming back with their team next season in a bigger and better role. As a team, the Heat finished at 44 percent from the field and 39 percent from the three - point line, while the Sixers went 46 percent from the floor but just 18 percent from deep. The Heat rested nearly their whole team in this game, with just six players seeing the court and four players not coming out of the game even once. Michael Beasley was one of those players who played the full 48 minutes Wednesday as a starter. He went off for a game - high of 34 points (12 - 27 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 10 - 11 FT), to go along with 11 rebounds and eight assists in a near triple - double effort. They were season - highs across the board for Beasley, who had n't even broken the 20 - point mark yet this season. James Ennis also had a huge game, filling up the stat sheet like Beasley. Over 48 minutes, he recorded 17 points (7 - 20 FG, 2 - 7 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT), 12 rebounds and six assists, marking one of his best games of the season as well. Averaging just 5 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assists per game over the course of the season, this was a great finish for the forward. Both Zoran Dragic and Henry Walker were in the starting lineup as well and put up some points. Dragic finished with 22 points (9 - 17 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and two steals, while Walker chipped in with 21 points (6 - 10 3Pt, 3 - 5 FT) and four rebounds. Despite taking the loss, the Sixers still had some impressive performances of their own. Jakarr Sampson stood out once again. He recorded a team - high of 22 points (8 - 15 FG, 0 - 5 3Pt, 6 - 7 FT), while also adding five rebounds and six assists. Sampson has seen extended time here at the back end of the season, as he's averaged 17 points and 6 rebounds over his last three games. Robert Covington really struggled with his shot, but got to the free throw line enough to score 19 points (4 - 14 FG, 2 - 9 3Pt, 9 - 10 FT), to go along with four rebounds and two blocked shots. After shooting over 40 percent from the field and scoring more than 20 points in his previous three games, this was somewhat of a let - down performance for Covington in the season finale. The Sixers also received a ton of production off their bench from the likes of Hollis Thompson and Thomas Robinson. Thompson finished with 19 points (8 - 15 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt) and four assists, while Robinson ended with 13 points (5 - 7 FG, 3 - 3 FT) and 10 rebounds. With both teams failing to make the playoffs, this marks the end of their respective seasons."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Cavaliers": "34"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Cavaliers": "51"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "3", "Magic": "8"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "117", "Magic": "103"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Cavaliers": "33", "Magic": "21"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "11", "Magic": "6"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Elfrid Payton": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Elfrid Payton": "0"}, "Minutes played": {"Elfrid Payton": "19", "Shabazz Napier": "29"}, "Points": {"Andrew Nicholson": "18", "Shabazz Napier": "11", "Kevin Love": "34"}, "Assists": {"Shabazz Napier": "9", "LeBron James": "13"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Love": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Kevin Love": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Tristan Thompson": "14"}}], "The Cavaliers (11 - 3) defeated the Magic (6 - 8) 117 - 103 at Quicken Loans Arena on Monday for their third straight victory. Orlando was able to stay in the game through the first half, but Cleveland jumped out to a commanding 16 - point lead after outscoring the Magic 33 - 21 in the third quarter. Kevin Love had another solid game, draining six 3 - pointers and finishing with a game - high 34 points. The Cavaliers had perhaps their best shooting performance of the season, hitting 51 percent of their attempts from downtown (18 - of - 35). It's been an up - and - down season for Magic point guard Elfrid Payton, who went 0 - for - 7 from the field and finished with zero points in 19 minutes. With Payton the bench for most of the game, Shabazz Napier posted a season - high nine assists with 11 points over 29 minutes. The silver lining for Orlando was the play of power forward Andrew Nicholson, who scored a season - high 18 points off the bench. The Magic rotation has been very unpredictable lately with so many starters struggling, so that will likely mean more opportunities for guys like Napier and Nicholson moving forward. With the win, Cleveland kept it's undefeated record at home in tact. In his second straight start in place of the injured Timofey Mozgov, Tristan Thompson registered a game - high 14 rebounds and came a point shy of a double - double for another night in a row. J.R. Smith continues to improve in each game and turned in a season - high 26 points (10 - 16 FG, 6 - 10 3Pt). LeBron James took a night off from scoring and decided to distribute a bit more, dishing out 13 assists as the Cavaliers put on a passing clinic finishing with 34 dimes. The Cavaliers get a tough test on the road Wednesday against the Raptors; the Magic get the Knicks at home."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "33", "Mavericks": "27"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "98", "Mavericks": "92"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "38", "Mavericks": "44"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Monta Ellis": "22", "Raymond Felton": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Monta Ellis": "4"}, "Points": {"Monta Ellis": "11", "Raymond Felton": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Raymond Felton": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Eric Bledsoe": "1"}, "Steals": {"Eric Bledsoe": "3"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (38 - 33) edged out the Dallas Mavericks (44 - 27), 98 - 92, on Sunday at the US Airways Center to keep their faint playoff hopes alive. Phoenix led by as many as 17, but that comfortable lead quickly turned into a six point deficit midway through the fourth. With their playoff chances starting to dwindle, the Suns desperately needed a home win Sunday. Eric Bledsoe canned a deep three to cut Dallas' lead to one. From there, the Suns outscored the Mavericks 13 - 6 over the last four minutes to seal the win. Dallas went 2 - 13 from the floor in the last 7:13 as it faltered to its second straight loss. The Suns clinched the season series with their third win over the Mavericks this season. They will meet for the final time in the regular season on April 8th. Dallas needed a win to keep pace with San Antonio, who got a big win in Atlanta earlier in the day. J.J Barea was out for this game with a sprained ankle and Devin Harris had to exit the game due to illness, leaving Raymond Felton as the lone reserve point guard for Dallas. Felton hit a three to start the fourth but only logged five minutes for the whole game. Monta Ellis was a frigid 4 - for - 22 from the field and finished with 11 points. The Mavericks have a chance to regain some ground this week with two games against the Spurs, who lead them by a game in the race for the West's sixth seed. Phoenix moved ahead of New Orleans in the standings Sunday with a win and a Pelicans loss. However, the Suns still trail the streaking Thunder by 3 games for the West's final playoff spot. Brandon Knight sat out again Sunday, but the club hopes to have him back for Phoenix's next game, which will be Wednesday against Sacramento."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "2"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "2"}}, {"Points": {"Rudy Gay": "30", "DeMarcus Cousins": "30", "Ty Lawson": "2", "Dion Waiters": "20", "Goran Dragic": "25", "Tyler Johnson": "22"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4"}, "Assists": {"Dion Waiters": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dion Waiters": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Dion Waiters": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Goran Dragic": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Tyler Johnson": "7"}}], "By losing LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade the last two offseasons, the Heat has seen a large chunk of offense head out the door. However, Goran Dragic, Dion Waiters and Hassan Whiteside are doing an impressive job filling the void in the first four games. Gragic tallied a second straight 25 - point effort Tuesday, Waiters had his first 20 - point outing in a Heat uniform and Hassan Whiteside tied a franchise record with a fourth consecutive double - double to open the season. Tyler Johnson's 22 points off the bench, seven of which came in overtime, marked a season high. The Kings were led by 30 - point efforts from DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay, but those efforts were partly undermined by the inefficiency of Matt Barnes and Ty Lawson, who combined for just two points on 1 - for - 13 shooting."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Lakers": "23", "Pistons": "23"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "43"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "46", "Pistons": "40"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "93", "Pistons": "85"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "17", "Pistons": "23"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pistons": "20"}}, {"Blocks": {"Greg Monroe": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Greg Monroe": "14", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "14", "Reggie Jackson": "9", "Wesley Johnson": "6", "Jordan Hill": "15", "Jeremy Lin": "4", "Ed Davis": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Greg Monroe": "10", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "5", "Reggie Jackson": "1", "Wesley Johnson": "2", "Jordan Hill": "7", "Jeremy Lin": "1", "Ed Davis": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Greg Monroe": "8", "Wesley Johnson": "8", "Jeremy Lin": "12", "Ed Davis": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Greg Monroe": "4", "Wesley Johnson": "8", "Jeremy Lin": "9", "Ed Davis": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Greg Monroe": "3"}, "Points": {"Greg Monroe": "24", "Andre Drummond": "14", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "15", "Reggie Jackson": "2", "Wesley Johnson": "13", "Jordan Hill": "16", "Carlos Boozer": "4", "Jeremy Lin": "12", "Ed Davis": "13"}, "Turnovers": {"Greg Monroe": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "21", "Jordan Hill": "3", "Carlos Boozer": "10", "Jeremy Lin": "7", "Ed Davis": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "10", "Reggie Jackson": "4", "Wesley Johnson": "3", "Jeremy Lin": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "0", "Wesley Johnson": "1", "Jeremy Lin": "1"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "40"}, "Minutes played": {"Reggie Jackson": "22", "Wesley Johnson": "33"}, "Steals": {"Wesley Johnson": "2"}, "Assists": {"Jeremy Lin": "5"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers (17 - 46) defeated the Detroit Pistons (23 - 40) 93 - 85 on Monday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. While they were down one after the first half, the Lakers went off in the second, out - scoring the Pistons 44 - 35 to finish the game and pull off the eight - point victory in front of their home crowd. While both teams struggled to just 23 percent from the three - point line, the Lakers grabbed the advantage from the field, finishing at 43 percent from the floor, while the Pistons went just 39 percent. The Lakers also held a significant advantage from the free throw line. They went 26 - for - 30 from the line, while the Pistons made just 13 - of - 19 attempts. Leading the way for the Lakers was Jordan Hill, who went 7 - for - 15 from the field to score 16 points, while adding three rebounds as well. It was his second start in a row at forward, but this game marked a much better result, as he posted just eight points in Sunday's start against the Mavericks. He's now averaging 12 points and eight rebounds on the year. Wesley Johnson also played a factor in the win and finished with 13 points (2 - 6 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 8 - 8 FT) and two steals in 33 minutes. He's picked it up offensively of late, averaging 14 points over his last five games, despite averaging just 10 points on the season. The Lakers got some needed production from their bench, with both Jeremy Lin and Ed Davis reaching double figures in points. Lin recorded 12 points (1 - 4 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 9 - 12 FT), seven rebounds and five assists, while Davis posted 13 points (6 - 8 FG, 1 - 2 FT) and six rebounds of his own. While he did n't do much offensively with just four points, Carlos Boozer was a big help on the boards and finished with 10 rebounds. Despite the loss, the Pistons saw a strong effort from their frontcourt duo of Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond. Monroe finished with a team - high of 24 points (10 - 14 FG, 4 - 8 FT), while adding nine rebounds and two blocked shots as well. He's been one of the few bright spots during the Pistons' seven - game losing streak, as he's averaged 20 points and 9 rebounds over his last three games. Drummond, on the other hand, recorded 14 points (7 - 11 FG) and a game - high of 21 rebounds. He's been an animal on the boards for the Pistons, recording 18 or more rebounds in three of his last four games. Also getting into the action on the offensive side of the ball was Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Caldwell-Pope went 5 - for - 14 from the field and 4 - for - 10 from the three - point line to score 15 points. He has n't been shooting the best recently and has shot less than 40 percent from the field in each of his last six games. Reggie Jackson struggled with his shot as well and finished with just two points (1 - 9 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt) in 22 minutes. The Lakers' next game will be at home against the New York Knicks on Thursday, while the Pistons will travel to Oakland to play the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "23", "Warriors": "7"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "103", "Warriors": "113"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "23", "Warriors": "39"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Kevin Durant": "37", "Nicolas Batum": "38", "Kemba Walker": "38"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "33", "Stephen Curry": "28", "Nicolas Batum": "16", "Kemba Walker": "26"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "12"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "6"}, "Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "8"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the Charlotte Hornets 113 - 103 Wednesday at Spectrum Center. The game did n't come as easy to the Warriors (39 - 7) as the final score may indicate, as Golden State was behind for a good chunk of the second half of Wednesday's contest. It was n't until midway through the final period that the Warriors were finally able to catch up and regain the lead - - a lead they would n't let go of for the final stretch. Kevin Durant was dominant in the winning effort, scoring a game - high 33 points in 37 minutes, while Steph Curry added 28 points of his own while shooting 6 - of - 12 from behind the arc. The two carried the load for most of the way, as they had to, with the five reserves who played off the bench Wednesday managing to score just a combined 18 points. For the Hornets (23 - 23), the loss is their second in a row and drops them back down to .500 on the season. Kemba Walker did all he could, as he continues to make his case for the All-Star game, scoring a team - high 26 points and dishing out eight assists in 38 minutes. Nicolas Batum also put together a solid all - around night, posting 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists in 38 minutes of his own. Charlotte badly missed starting center Cody Zeller (quad), however, as the three centers who played Wednesday struggled mightily. Roy Hibbert, Frank Kaminsky and Spencer Hawes shot a combined 7 - of - 24 (29 percent) from the field en route to scoring just 18 points. Up next, the Warriors will head to Los Angeles on Saturday to take on the Clippers, while the Hornets will look to get back on the right track Friday in New York against the Knicks."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Bulls": "17"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "33"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "11", "Jazz": "23"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "77", "Jazz": "97"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bulls": "19", "Jazz": "27"}, "Turnovers": {"Bulls": "15"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "25", "Jazz": "13"}}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "18", "Derrick Favors": "20", "Rudy Gobert": "11", "Trey Burke": "17", "Trevor Booker": "15", "Jimmy Butler": "16", "Joakim Noah": "1", "Derrick Rose": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Derrick Favors": "11", "Rudy Gobert": "14", "Trevor Booker": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Trevor Booker": "23", "Joakim Noah": "27"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "13", "Derrick Rose": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Jimmy Butler": "5", "Derrick Rose": "3"}}], "The Jazz (13 - 23) went on the road and took care of the Bulls (25 - 11) 97 - 77 on Wednesday night. The Jazz, who jumped out to a six - point first quarter lead, led by just four at halftime but came out strong in the third, outscoring Chicago 27 - 19. The onslaught continued in the fourth, as Utah extended the lead to as much as 26 points. The Jazz were led by 20 points and 11 rebounds from Derrick Favors and 18 points from Gordon Hayward. Trey Burke added 17 points, while Rudy Gobert had 11 points to go with 14 rebounds and five blocks. Utah also got 15 points and eight boards from Trevor Booker in 23 minutes off the bench. The Bulls, meanwhile, stumbled to just 33 percent shooting. Derrick Rose had just seven points on 3 - of - 15 shooting, and Jimmy Butler scored 16 but shot 5 - of - 13 from the floor. Joakim Noah also struggled, scoring only one point in 27 minutes. The Bulls shot 6 - of - 20 from three and had just 17 assists to go with 15 turnovers as a team. Up next, the Bulls travel to Washington to take on the Wizards on Friday. Utah continues its road trip out west in Oklahoma City, where it will face the Thunder, also on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "45", "Thunder": "39"}, "Losses": {"Timberwolves": "26", "Thunder": "17"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "96", "Thunder": "86"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "14", "Thunder": "24"}, "Number of team assists": {"Thunder": "19"}}, {"Points": {"Victor Oladipo": "19", "Russell Westbrook": "21", "Enes Kanter": "21", "Andrew Wiggins": "19", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "29", "Ricky Rubio": "14"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "12", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Ricky Rubio": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "11", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "17"}, "Minutes played": {"Enes Kanter": "30", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "37"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "3"}, "Steals": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves earned their third straight win, as they defeated the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder, 96 - 86, at Target Center on Friday evening. After the Timberwolves won the first quarter, the Thunder battled back to take a 50 - 45 lead into halftime. However, the Timberwolves were not deterred, as they came out of the dressing room with a fire lit beneath them. They fought to regain the lead with 6:24 left in the third and did not look back, leading the entire fourth quarter, while stretching the deficit to as many as 14 in the quarter. This marks the third win in a row for the Timberwolves (14 - 26), who have now knocked off two of the more dangerous teams in the league, defeating Houston and Oklahoma City in the matter of a few days. Despite being notoriously poor in second halves early in the season, the Timberwolves used a 51 - 36 second half to bury the Thunder in this one. Karl-Anthony Towns led the charge, with a game - high 29 points, to go along with 17 rebounds, three blocks, two steals and one assist, in 37 minutes. Andrew Wiggins added 19 points, while Ricky Rubio chipped in 14 points and dished 14 assists. The Timberwolves gave up 16 turnovers, but forced 19 out of their opponent, while they shot 45 percent from the field and managed to hold the Thunder to only 39 percent. The T-Wolves are now 9 - 13 at home and can look ahead to their next game on Sunday in Dallas. Meanwhile, the Thunder (24 - 17) saw their three - game win streak come to an end, as they were stifled by the determined Timberwolves. The Thunder struggled from long range, going only 3 - of - 20. Russell Westbrook had a quiet night in the points column, by his standards that is, as he finished with 21 points. Westbrook added 12 assists and 11 rebounds to notch his 19th triple - double of the season, which is a career - high for him. Enes Kanter continued his solid play, as he added 21 points, in 30 minutes off the bench, while the only other player to score in double digits for the Thunder was Victor Oladipo, who finished with 19. The Thunder will look to bounce back as they take on the Kings in Sacramento on Sunday, which will mark the second game of their current six - game road trip."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nuggets": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "51"}}, {"Assists": {"Mason Plumlee": "4", "CJ McCollum": "4", "Damian Lillard": "10", "Danilo Gallinari": "3", "Gary Harris": "6"}, "Points": {"Mason Plumlee": "19", "CJ McCollum": "23", "Damian Lillard": "40", "Danilo Gallinari": "27", "Gary Harris": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Mason Plumlee": "7", "CJ McCollum": "3", "Damian Lillard": "3", "Danilo Gallinari": "4", "Gary Harris": "4"}}], "To say there was a lack of defense in this game would be an understatement. The Blazers were especially inept, as they added to their league - worst numbers. In fact, Denver shot 51 percent from the field, 89 percent from the free - throw line and 48 percent from three - point range. Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum did all they could, as they combined for 63 points in the defeat. Lillard finished with 40 points and 10 assists, while McCollum tallied 23 points, three rebounds and four assists. Mason Plumlee was the only other Portland player in double figures, totaling 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Eight players scored in double figures for the Nuggets, as their five starters combined for 81 points. Danilo Gallinari led the team, as he dropped 27 points, four rebounds and three assists. Gary Harris was second on the team, as he accrued 18 points, four rebounds and six assists in his first game back from a foot injury."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "20"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "1"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Mavericks": "17"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Mavericks": "20"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "J.J. Barea": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "25", "Jamal Crawford": "17"}, "Points": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "16", "John Jenkins": "17", "J.J. Barea": "12", "Blake Griffin": "26", "Austin Rivers": "14", "Jamal Crawford": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "10", "DeAndre Jordan": "15"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jamal Crawford": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Jamal Crawford": "6"}}], "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\u2019 participation was questionable due to his cushion - throwing antics during Wednesday\u2019s 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."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Hornets": "21", "Rockets": "17"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Rockets": "21"}}, {"Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "11", "Ryan Anderson": "14", "Clint Capela": "11", "Patrick Beverley": "17", "James Harden": "30", "Montrezl Harrell": "15", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "8", "Marvin Williams": "12", "Cody Zeller": "9", "Nicolas Batum": "15", "Kemba Walker": "14", "Marco Belinelli": "10"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "8", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "4", "Cody Zeller": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "11", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "9", "Cody Zeller": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "2"}, "Steals": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "1", "Cody Zeller": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Cody Zeller": "22"}}], "James Harden's near triple - double of 30 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists led Houston. Patrick Beverley followed with 17 points, while Ryan Anderson supplied 14. Trevor Ariza and Clint Capela turned in matching 11 - point efforts, and Montrezl Harrell's 15 points paced the bench. Nicolas Batum's 15 - point, 10 - assist double - double paced the Hornets. Kemba Walker managed 14 points, while Marvin Williams tallied 12 points. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had a modest but full stat line with eight points, nine rebounds, four assists, two blocks and one steal. Cody Zeller returned from a seven - game absence with a quad injury and generated nine points, four rebounds, one assist and two steals over 22 minutes before exiting. Marco Belinelli led the bench with 10 points. The Rockets committed 17 turnovers, but overcame them by eliciting a total of 21 from Charlotte."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "8", "Thunder": "13"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "112", "Thunder": "104"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "8", "Thunder": "5"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Durant": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "18", "Russell Westbrook": "20", "Tyreke Evans": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "6", "Tyreke Evans": "14"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "7", "Anthony Davis": "16"}, "Free throws made": {"Kevin Durant": "6", "Anthony Davis": "9"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "27", "Russell Westbrook": "21", "Reggie Jackson": "17", "Jeremy Lamb": "15", "Anthony Davis": "25", "Tyreke Evans": "30", "Jrue Holiday": "16", "Ryan Anderson": "23"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "7", "Jrue Holiday": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "6", "Anthony Davis": "10", "Ryan Anderson": "11"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jrue Holiday": "1"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (8 - 8) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (5 - 13) 112 - 104 Tuesday at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The Pelicans had a big first half in this one, out - scoring the Thunder 69 - 52. Despite a second half attempt at a comeback, the Pelicans were able to hold their ground and spoil the return of Kevin Durant, who played in his first game of the season after sitting out with an injury for the beginning of the year. Although he was n't able to bring the Thunder a win, Kevin Durant came back and did n't show much rust at all, even after missing so many games. He shot 9 - for - 18 from the field and 3 - for - 8 from the three - point line to score 27 points in 29 minutes. He also got to the line seven times and converted on six of those attempts. The Thunder's other superstar, Russell Westbrook, did n't have his best shoting performance. He went 6 - for - 20 from the floor and 1 - for - 4 from beyond the arc to score 21 points. Westbrook recorded six rebounds and seven assists, but had an uncharacteristic seven turnovers as well. The other three members of the Thunder's starting lineup combined for only eight points, which will make it tough for any team to get a win. Reggie Jackson and Jeremy Lamb did have solid games off the bench though, with 17 and 15 points respectively. The Pelicans were led by Anthony Davis, who had 25 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks. He was able to get to the line a wopping 16 times, but converted on only nine of those attempts. The double - double was also his fourth in the last five games. Ryan Anderson had a double - double of his own off the bench. He finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds, with the rebounding total being a season - high for the forward. Tyreke Evans led all scorers in this game with 30 points. He was able to get off 24 shots, while converting on 14 of them. It was a season - high for Evans, after coming off a four - point performance on Saturday. The fourth Pelican to reach double figures was Jrue Holiday. Holiday had a great game and finished with 16 points and 10 assists. He made it a point to get everyone involved in this one. The Pelicans' next game will be on the road against the Golden State Warriors on Thursday, while the Thunder will travel to Philadelphia to play the 76ers on Friday."], [[{"Total points": {"Mavericks": "91"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pelicans": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "39"}}, {"Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "Jrue Holiday": "6"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "36", "Jrue Holiday": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "13", "Jrue Holiday": "4"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}}], "Dallas has had to turn games into defensive struggles with their inept offense, as they played some elite defense in this win. They held the Pelicans to just 39 percent from the field and 25 percent from three - point range. All the statistics were even, as assists, turnovers, steals, blocks, points in the paint and fouls were all within two of one another. There were 20 ties and 18 lead changes, as this game came down to the wire. In fact, no team led by more than 10 points in this matchup. Anthony Davis was the star of the game, scoring a game - high 36 points, adding 13 rebounds, three assists and two steals to his tally. Jrue Holiday was the only other Pelican to reach double figures in scoring, dropping 17 points, four rebounds and six assists off the bench. The other nine players on New Orleans combined for just 28 points. Harrison Barnes and Wesley Matthews carried the load for Dallas, combining for 44 of the teams 91 points."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "38", "Jazz": "33"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "94", "Jazz": "106"}, "Rebounds": {"Pelicans": "32", "Jazz": "53"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "23", "Jazz": "29"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "4", "Derrick Favors": "3", "Rodney Hood": "3", "Shelvin Mack": "4", "Trevor Booker": "2", "Anthony Davis": "2", "Jrue Holiday": "7"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "24", "Derrick Favors": "28", "Rodney Hood": "11", "Shelvin Mack": "11", "Trevor Booker": "11", "Anthony Davis": "29", "Jrue Holiday": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Derrick Favors": "11", "Rodney Hood": "4", "Shelvin Mack": "3", "Trevor Booker": "8", "Anthony Davis": "11", "Jrue Holiday": "2"}, "Steals": {"Gordon Hayward": "1", "Derrick Favors": "1", "Rodney Hood": "1", "Shelvin Mack": "1", "Anthony Davis": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Derrick Favors": "6", "Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Derrick Favors": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Derrick Favors": "6", "Anthony Davis": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Anthony Davis": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Anthony Davis": "1"}}], "The Utah Jazz (29 - 33) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (23 - 38) 106 - 94 on Saturday. Utah's formidable frontcourt duo of Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors had shown some vulnerability lately, as some opposing big men had been able to generate productive nights against them. Saturday, they faced a formidable challenge in the form of one Anthony Davis, who represented a considerable threat despite being hobbled by a sprained toe in recent days. The towering tandem answered the bell however, hauling in a whopping 29 rebounds between them. The Jazz's dominance on the glass was team - wide, as they outrebounded New Orleans on the night by a margin of 53 - 32. Utah's stalwart defense also largely stymied the Pelicans overall, with only Davis and Jrue Holiday able to amass double - digit scoring. Favors' 28 - point, 11 - rebound double - double led the way for the visitors, and he added three assists, a steal and six rejections. Gordon Hayward was right behind him with 24 points, five rebounds, four assists and a steal. Shelvin Mack and Rodney Hood followed with a pair of 11 - point efforts. The former complemented his scoring total with four assists, three rebounds and a steal, while the latter pitched in four rebounds, three assists and a steal as well. Trevor Booker led the reserves with 11 points, eight boards and two assists. Utah remains in third place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division, and is currently one - and - a - half games behind the eighth - seeded Houston Rockets. They're headed back home to face the Rockets in a key matchup on Wednesday. Davis' 29 points paced the Pelicans, and he was the only member of the starting five able to tally double - digit scoring. He also managed 11 rebounds, two assists, a steal and two blocks. Holiday pitched in his 22 points off the bench, and he also dished out seven assists and hauled in two boards. Eric Gordon, Norris Cole, Omer Asik and Dante Cunningham, the remaining members of the first unit, could only total 19 points, nine rebounds and 11 assists between them. The Pelicans are in last place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division, and a full seven games behind the eighth - seeded Rockets. They remain home to face the Sacramento Kings in a Monday night tussle."], [[{"Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "131", "Pacers": "109"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Glenn Robinson": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Glenn Robinson": "6"}, "Points": {"Glenn Robinson": "15", "Maurice Harkless": "23", "CJ McCollum": "19", "Damian Lillard": "28"}, "Assists": {"CJ McCollum": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"CJ McCollum": "5"}}], "Six Portland Trail Blazers shared the wealth when it came to the scoring department in the 131 - 109 blowout win at Moda Center on Wednesday. As for the starters, Maurice Harkless and Damian Lillard led the way with 23 points and 28 points, respectively. C.J. McCollum got the hot hand in the third quarter and really staved off many of the Indiana Pacers comeback attempts after scoring 19 points, to go along with five assists and five rebounds. Allen Crabbe and Evan Turner rounded out the bench for Portland on their way to scoring in double figures. Both players combined for 28 points on 9 - of - 15 shooting. The Pacers received another bright spot from Glenn Robinson III, who has seen minutes increased with the injured Paul George. Robinson III contributed 15 points on an efficient 6 - of - 10 shooting."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "6", "Andre Drummond": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "8", "Andre Drummond": "15"}, "Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "4"}, "Steals": {"Andre Drummond": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "7"}}], "Detroit is now 6 - 2 at home this season and the defense has really carried them there. In fact, they are leading the league, allowing under 88 points a game at home and that average lowered with an 84 - point game here. This was a near wire - to - wire win, with Miami's only lead coming in the first three minutes. All the starters for Miami struggled, with no player scoring more than 11 points or shooting above 50 percent from the field. Andre Drummond was a beast, as he tallied 18 points, 15 rebounds, four steals and four blocks in the win. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led all scorers, dropping 23 points on 7 - of - 13 shooting. The Detroit starters outscored the Miami starters 70 - 32. Hassan Whiteside failed to reach double - digits in rebounding for the first time all year, as he totaled just six points and eight rebounds in the defeat."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "23", "Hornets": "19"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "91", "Hornets": "109"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "2", "Hornets": "7"}}, {"Points": {"Al Jefferson": "20", "Kemba Walker": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Jefferson": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Kemba Walker": "38"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (7 - 19) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (2 - 23) 109 - 91 on Friday. Charlotte ended their four - game losing streak with the win. Kemba Walker led the way with a game - high 30 points in 38 minutes. Al Jefferson put up a double - double of 20 points and 12 rebounds. The Hornets were playing without starting shooting guard Lance Stephenson. He is dealing with a pelvic injury that will keep him out of Saturday's game against the Utah Jazz as well. Philadelphia has lost five straight games. On the bright side of things, the Sixers shot 45 percent from the field, 46 percent from beyond the arc and 88 percent from the free - throw line. However, as has been the case all season for the Sixers, they coughed up too many turnovers, giving up 34 easy points off of 24 turnovers. Coach Brett Brown opted to use a 10 - man rotation that gave every player on Philadelphia at least 11 minutes of action. Alexey Shved was traded to the Houston Rockets on Friday as part of a three - team trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Sixers received back a second - round pick and Ronny Turiaf's contract. Philadelphia will start a seven - game road trip on Sunday against the Orlando Magic."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kyrie Irving": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyrie Irving": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Kyrie Irving": "26"}, "Points": {"Kyrie Irving": "8"}}], "Monday's blowout between the Spurs and Cavaliers featured one of the worst performances from Cleveland's star point guard Kyrie Irving, who is having by far the most productive season of his young career. When all was said and done, Irving had just eight points on 4 - of - 13 shooting from the field in 26 minutes as his team lost by 29. It was the first time Irving failed to score in double figures since Nov. 5 when he scored eight points in a 102 - 101 victory over the 76ers. In that matchup, he shot an even - worse 3 - of - 17 from the field, which has been by far his worst shooting performance of the season so far. In fact, Monday's 4 - of - 13 performance is tied for his fifth - worst shooting performance of the season, with the All-Star point guard failing to shoot 30 percent from the field four other times this season."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Pistons": "7", "Trail Blazers": "24"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "5", "CJ McCollum": "2", "Damian Lillard": "9", "Marcus Morris": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "1"}, "Points": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "19", "CJ McCollum": "25", "Damian Lillard": "34", "Marcus Morris": "37", "Andre Drummond": "19", "Ish Smith": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "7", "CJ McCollum": "4", "Damian Lillard": "11", "Marcus Morris": "8", "Andre Drummond": "15"}, "Steals": {"Ish Smith": "7"}}], "These are two teams battling for a playoff berth in their respective conferences and their motivation was tested in this overtime battle. Turnovers really let Portland down, as they committed 24 of them, while forcing just seven from Detroit. It was a late run that got the Pistons their win, as they outscored the Blazers by 11 in the fourth quarter and overtime. Damian Lillard carried Portland, as he accumulated 34 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. C.J. McCollum finished with 25 points, four rebounds and two assists. Jusuf Nurkic totaled 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Marcus Morris had one of the best games of his career, as he collected 37 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Andre Drummond finished second on the team with 19 points and 15 rebounds. Ish Smith came off the bench to provide 12 points, seven rebounds and seven steals."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "46"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "116", "76ers": "118"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot": "18", "Dario Saric": "29", "Jahlil Okafor": "23", "Julius Randle": "21", "Jordan Clarkson": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Julius Randle": "12"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the host Los Angeles Lakers, 118 - 116, at Staples Center on Sunday. Rookie Dario Saric scored a career - high 29 points and Jahlil Okafor added 23 to lead the 76ers, who oddly might have been better off losing to the Lakers. Los Angeles' No. 1 draft pick this summer will flip to the 76ers if the Lakers finish better than one of the three worst records in the league this season. With the loss, the Lakers have the league's second - worst record at 20 - 46. Jordan Clarkson scored a career - high 30 points for the Lakers, who rallied from a 12 - point second - half deficit to take the lead, 112 - 111, with about a minute to play. After the 76ers took the lead back on a T.J. McConnell field goal, the Lakers' D'Angelo Russell committed a shot - clock violation to hand the ball, and the game, back to Philadelphia. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot added 18 points for the 76ers, who were without forward Robert Covington because of a right knee injury. Julius Randle posted a double - double with 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Lakers. The 76ers end their three - game road trip Friday at the Golden State Warriors. The Lakers travel to Denver Monday to face the Nuggets."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Pacers": "26"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "47"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "32", "Cavaliers": "21"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "103", "Cavaliers": "99"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pacers": "36", "Cavaliers": "29"}, "Turnovers": {"Pacers": "8"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "19", "Cavaliers": "31"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "5", "CJ Miles": "3"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "25", "Kevin Love": "5", "JR Smith": "17", "Kyrie Irving": "29", "Solomon Hill": "11", "David West": "20", "Roy Hibbert": "10", "George Hill": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "6", "Iman Shumpert": "3", "David West": "13", "George Hill": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Love": "8", "Kyrie Irving": "26", "Iman Shumpert": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Love": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "13", "George Hill": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Kevin Love": "34", "Roy Hibbert": "40"}, "3-pointers made": {"JR Smith": "5", "Kyrie Irving": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyrie Irving": "9", "Iman Shumpert": "3", "George Hill": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"CJ Miles": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"CJ Miles": "1"}}], "The Pacers (19 - 32) got 26 points from C.J. Miles and held on to beat the Cavaliers (31 - 21) 103 - 99 in Indianapolis on Friday. Cleveland came out hot in the first quarter but Indiana was able to keep pace and trailed by only seven at the half. The Pacers cut the lead to two entering the fourth quarter, and they\u2019d go on to outscore Cleveland 36 - 29 in the final frame. Solomon Hill had nine points in the fourth quarter, and Miles knocked down a series of long jumpers to finish with 16 points in the fourth. Trailing by one with just under two minutes to play, Miles hit a three to put the Pacers up 91 - 89. Iman Shumpert answered with at three of his own at the other end, but George Hill responded with another three for Indiana to put the Pacers up for good with 1:25 remaining. All five Pacers starters scored in double - figures, led by Miles\u2019 26. George Hill and David West finished with 20 points apiece, and West added 13 rebounds. Solomon Hill had 11 points, and Rob Hibbert added 10 in a team - high 40 minutes. The Pacers shot 47 percent from the floor and committed only eight turnovers. Cleveland, which had its 12 - game winning streak snapped, got 25 points, six rebounds and five assists from James. Kyrie Irving added 29 points (13 - 26 FG, 3 - 9 3Pt), and J.R. Smith finished with 17 points and five three - pointers. Kevin Love was limited to just five point son 2 - of - 8 shooting in 34 minutes. Next up, the Pacers play in Charlotte on Sunday. Cleveland will host the Lakers on Sunday afternoon."], [[{}, {"Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2"}, "Points": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "18"}}], "After Wednesday's win over the red - hot Houston Rockets, the Minnesota Timberwolves have officially conquered just their second two - game win streak of the 2016 - 17 season. And while the feat is only mildly impressive, Karl-Anthony Towns has been wildly impressive over this two - game stretch. After Wednesday's 23 - point, 18 - rebound game, Towns has recorded a total of 57 points, 29 rebounds, nine assists and six blocks over the Timberwolves' last two victories. He has also shot an astounding 25 - of - 36 (69 percent) from the field in that stretch. In the Timberwolves other two - game win streak, which came in mid - December, Towns posted a total of 45 points, 31 rebounds, eight assists and three blocks over that stretch, and it is the sixth time this season where Towns has recorded at least 45 points and 25 rebounds over a two - game stretch."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Suns": "49", "Magic": "43"}}, {"Points": {"Nikola Vucevic": "18", "Evan Fournier": "25", "TJ Warren": "26", "Tyler Ulis": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "17"}, "3-pointers made": {"Evan Fournier": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"TJ Warren": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"TJ Warren": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"TJ Warren": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"TJ Warren": "10"}, "Assists": {"Tyler Ulis": "8"}}], "The Orlando Magic saw dominant play from center Nikola Vucevic on Friday, as the big man pulled down a whopping 17 boards along with 18 points. The Magic still lost the rebounding battle, however, 49 - 43. Orlando hit just seven three - pointers on the night but still won the shooting edge easily, as Phoenix went just 2 - of - 14 from beyond the arc. Phoenix did see strong play from some of its young players. Rookie point guard Tyler Ulis went for 19 points and eight assists, while third year forward T.J. Warren had 26 points on 8 - of - 13 shooting and 10 - of - 10 at the free - throw line. However, it was not enough to best Orlando and shooting guard Evan Fournier. Fournier dropped a team - high 25 points and sank three three - pointers en route to a winning effort on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "37", "Jazz": "36"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "87", "Jazz": "89"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "35", "Jazz": "35"}, "Number of team assists": {"Jazz": "22"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "40"}, "Turnovers": {"Jazz": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Derrick Favors": "4", "James Harden": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Gordon Hayward": "40", "Derrick Favors": "36", "Trevor Booker": "26", "James Harden": "42"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "22", "Derrick Favors": "17", "Shelvin Mack": "16", "Trevor Booker": "10", "James Harden": "26", "Michael Beasley": "10", "Clint Capela": "10", "Corey Brewer": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "6", "Derrick Favors": "15", "James Harden": "7"}, "Steals": {"Gordon Hayward": "4", "James Harden": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Derrick Favors": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Derrick Favors": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwight Howard": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dwight Howard": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Dwight Howard": "2"}}], "The Utah Jazz (35 - 36) defeated the host Houston Rockets (35 - 37) 89 - 87, Wednesday at Toyota Center. The Utah Jazz came into this game only a half - game behind the eighth - place Houston Rockets and with this win, overtake Houston for the eighth spot in the West. It was a hard - fought win for the Jazz, who had lost their last six games at the Toyota center. Utah trailed 49 - 34 at half - time but then went on a 39 - 24 run, which tied the game at 73 with 6:5 left in the fourth quarter. From there, the teams traded baskets down to the last possession. After a game - tying dunk by Dwight Howard, with 22 seconds left, the Jazz elected not to call time - out and continued play, which led to a game - winning dunk by Derrick Favors, with 2 seconds left. James Harden could not sink a last - second, three - point attempt, leading to Houston's third loss in a row and Utah's second win in a row. The Jazz have now won six of their last seven, while the Rockets have lost five of their last six, as they remain neck - and - neck in the battle for eighth. The season series is now tied at two wins each. Gordon Hayward led the Jazz in scoring, with 22 points, along with six rebounds, five assists and four steals, in 40 minutes. Derrick Favors notched a double - double, including 17 points and 15 rebounds, to go with four assists and three blocked shots, in 36 minutes. Shelvin Mack chipped in 16 points, while the only other player to score in double figures for Utah was Trevor Booker, who added 10 points, in 26 minutes off the bench. Utah had 23 turnovers and shot only 40 percent from the field, but still managed to grind out the win. James Harden gave the Rockets a big boost, with 26 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds and eight steals, in 42 minutes. Trevor Ariza chipped in 14 points, while Michael Beasley, Corey Brewer and Clint Capela each added 10 points. No other players scored, assisted or rebounded in double figures for the Rockets, as they were lacking in this ugly, home loss. Next, the Rockets host the Raptors on Friday. The Jazz will head straight to Oklahoma City for a contest on Thursday. This will be the fourth game of a five - game road trip for the Jazz, during which they are now 2 - 1."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Suns": "11"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "40"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "13", "Nuggets": "10"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "114", "Nuggets": "120"}, "Rebounds": {"Suns": "46", "Nuggets": "49"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "5", "Nuggets": "7"}}, {"Points": {"Wilson Chandler": "25", "Nikola Jokic": "13", "Devin Booker": "30", "Eric Bledsoe": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Jokic": "11", "Tyson Chandler": "15", "Eric Bledsoe": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Devin Booker": "1"}, "Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Eric Bledsoe": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "11"}, "Steals": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2"}}], "The visiting Denver Nuggets defeated the Phoenix Suns, 120 - 114, on Sunday afternoon. Forward Wilson Chandler led Denver (7 - 10) with 25 points after posting a team - high 32 on Friday night against OKC. Chandler continues to enjoy a featured role due to injuries to wings Danilo Gallinari and Will Barton. The forward helped contribute to Denver's early lead on Sunday, as the team entered halftime up 20 points. Phoenix was able to rally somewhat, however, narrowing the lead by 13 points during the third quarter. Denver, the league's top rebounding team, saw a challenge on the glass in the Suns' Tyson Chandler, who pulled down a game - high 15 boards. The Nuggets were still able to maintain a slight rebounding advantage, recording 49 rebounds to Phoenix's 46. A combined 40 points for Denver's starting backcourt and a 13 - point, 11 - rebound double - double off the bench for Nikola Jokic helped Denver maintain the lead on the scoreboard. Phoenix (5 - 13), meanwhile, saw top - notch performances from both members of its starting backcourt. Eric Bledsoe scored a season - high 35 points while knocking down all 11 of his free - throw attempts. Bledsoe also recorded six rebounds, six assists, two steals, and two blocks. Booker, meanwhile, scored 30 points and had just one turnover. The Suns struggled with efficiency, though, shooting just 40 percent from the field as a team. Phoenix had issues with ball movement as well, recording just 11 assists as a team. The Nuggets will host the Heat and the Suns will host the Hawks on Wednesday."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Pelicans": "28"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pelicans": "20", "Timberwolves": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "14", "DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Jrue Holiday": "7"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "25", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "33", "Ricky Rubio": "10", "Anthony Davis": "28", "DeMarcus Cousins": "15", "Jrue Holiday": "21", "Jordan Crawford": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "6", "Ricky Rubio": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "11"}, "Steals": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2", "DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}}], "These are two teams battling to keep their playoff hopes alive, as New Orleans were able to prevail with a huge comeback win. In fact, the Pelicans scored 75 points in the second half, outscoring the Timberwolves by 20 points. Minnesota really took advantage of the open court, as they outscored New Orleans, 33 - 13, in fastbreak points. Karl-Anthony Towns led Minnesota, as he tallied 33 points and six rebounds. Andrew Wiggins finished with 25 points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals. Ricky Rubio accumulated 10 points, three rebounds and 14 assists. Anthony Davis led the way for New Orleans, as he accrued 28 points and 12 rebounds. Jrue Holiday totaled 21 points, three rebounds and seven assists. Jordan Crawford was huge off the bench, as he dropped 22 points. DeMarcus Cousins amassed 15 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and three steals."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "36"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "2", "Spurs": "1"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "84", "Spurs": "94"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "2", "Spurs": "3"}}, {"Minutes played": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "32", "Kawhi Leonard": "36"}, "Points": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "19", "Kawhi Leonard": "18", "Tim Duncan": "16", "Carmelo Anthony": "19", "Kristaps Porzingis": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "6", "Kawhi Leonard": "14", "Tim Duncan": "10", "Kristaps Porzingis": "14"}, "Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1", "Tim Duncan": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "17", "Kristaps Porzingis": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Kristaps Porzingis": "5"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (3 - 1) defeated the New York Knicks (2 - 2) by a count of 94 - 84 on Monday at Madison Square Garden. Kawhi Leonard continued to look like an All-Star in the affair, recording his second double - double of the season and finishing with 18 points and 14 rebounds in 36 minutes. He also continues to excel as one of the best on - ball defenders in the NBA, recording four blocks and two steals. Tim Duncan added a double - double of his own, finishing with 16 points and 10 rebounds on top of six assists, while LaMarcus Aldridge scored a team - high 19 points and grabbed six rebounds in 32 minutes. Even in defeat, the Knicks showed promise, as rookie forward Kristaps Porzingis recorded the first double - double of his short NBA career, finishing with 13 points on just 5 - of - 15 shooting and 14 rebounds. Carmelo Anthony added 19 points of his own, but shot just 4 - of - 17 from the field, as shooting struggles plagued the entire team. Overall, New York shot just 36 percent from the field in the losing effort. Up next, the Spurs will travel to Washington D.C. on Wednesday to take on the Wizards, while the Knicks head to Cleveland on Wednesday to take on the Cavaliers."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "31"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "50"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "5", "Mavericks": "24"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "108", "Mavericks": "99"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "29", "Mavericks": "10"}}, {"Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "25", "Dirk Nowitzki": "11", "Kevin Durant": "19", "Klay Thompson": "29"}, "Steals": {"Harrison Barnes": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "23"}, "Assists": {"Seth Curry": "5", "Kevin Durant": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "11"}}], "The host Golden State Warriors took down the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, 108 - 99. Golden State (29 - 5) made easy work of the Mavs, holding onto a double - digit lead for the majority of the game. Former MVP Kevin Durant helped secure the win with an impressive triple - double. Durant had 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. All-Star Klay Thompson led the team with 29 points, while reigning MVP Steph Curry kept it fairly quiet with only 14 points and five assists. It was another big night overall for the Warriors' historically strong offense, as the team shot 50 percent from the field, sank 11 three - pointers, and dished 31 assists. Dallas (10 - 24) has picked it up since its horrendous start to the season, but struggled on Friday against the league's top team. Veteran Dirk Nowitzki played only 23 minutes and shot just 3 - of - 12 for 11 points. Harrison Barnes, meanwhile, scored 25 points and recorded two steals. Barnes was the lone bright spot in what was a tough night for the Mavs, as the team shot just 41 percent from the field and 25 percent from three - point range. The Mavericks will enjoy a few days of rest, while Golden State will take the court on Monday against the Denver Nuggets."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "26", "Trail Blazers": "27"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "79", "Trail Blazers": "96"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Rockets": "17"}, "Turnovers": {"Rockets": "23"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "27", "Trail Blazers": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "40"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "22"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Maurice Harkless": "30", "Damian Lillard": "36"}, "Points": {"Maurice Harkless": "14", "CJ McCollum": "16", "Damian Lillard": "21", "Dwight Howard": "17", "James Harden": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"Maurice Harkless": "6", "CJ McCollum": "7", "Damian Lillard": "4", "Dwight Howard": "14", "James Harden": "8"}, "Steals": {"Maurice Harkless": "2", "CJ McCollum": "4", "Dwight Howard": "4", "James Harden": "3"}, "Assists": {"CJ McCollum": "2", "Damian Lillard": "10", "Dwight Howard": "2", "James Harden": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "9", "Dwight Howard": "1", "James Harden": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Damian Lillard": "3", "James Harden": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "20", "Dwight Howard": "10", "James Harden": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Damian Lillard": "7", "Dwight Howard": "6", "James Harden": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "4", "Dwight Howard": "8", "James Harden": "18"}, "Free throws made": {"Damian Lillard": "4", "Dwight Howard": "5", "James Harden": "15"}, "Personal fouls": {"James Harden": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "10"}}], "The visiting Portland Trail Blazers (25 - 27) made good on their trip to Toyota Center on Saturday evening as they defeated the Houston Rockets (27 - 26) 96 - 79. This was a huge win for the Trail Blazers, who came in sitting at ninth place, just 3 games behind the seventh place Rockets. The Blazers came in focused and dominated from the start. Once they took the lead with nine minutes to go in the first quarter they did not let go. Portland stretched it to a 32 - point lead by the five - minute mark of the third quarter and held strong as Houston battled back, bringing it as close as 11 points. This marks Portland's sixth win in seven games. The Trail Blazers turned the ball over 22 times and only shot 40 percent from the field but their 20 offensive rebounds and defense that forced 23 turnovers and held the Rockets to only 32 percent shooting, allowed them some breathing room. Damian Lillard led the team in scoring, with 21 points (7 - 20 FG, 3 - 9 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), along with 10 assists and four rebounds, in 36 minutes. Five other players scored in double digits for Portland, including C.J. McCollum who finished with 16, along with seven rebounds, four steals and two assists. Maurice Harkless chipped in 14 points, six rebounds and two steals, in 30 minutes. This win evened up the season series at 1 - 1. James Harden did everything he could to avoid this result. He put up 33 points (7 - 18 FG, 4 - 9 3Pt, 15 - 18 FT), eight rebounds, three assists and three steals, in 35 minutes. Harden scored all but two of Houston's 17 points in the third quarter as they began to battle back, but also tallied 10 turnovers in the blowout. The Rockets had a lot of trouble scoring the ball, such that only four players had scored points after three quarters. Dwight Howard was one of those four players, and finished with a solid 17 points (6 - 10 FG, 5 - 8 FT), 14 rebounds, four steals and two assists, in 40 minutes. No one else scored more than eight points for the Rockets, who shot 7 - 36 from deep as a team. The Rockets will begin a five - game road trip, which includes two visits to the Moda Center in Portland, with a match in Golden State on Monday. The Trail Blazers will be in Memphis to face the Grizzlies on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "39", "76ers": "49"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "21", "76ers": "38"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "87", "76ers": "96"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "20", "76ers": "6"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"76ers": "47"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Nerlens Noel": "19", "Elfrid Payton": "41"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jahlil Okafor": "17"}, "Points": {"Jahlil Okafor": "20", "Ish Smith": "13", "Elfrid Payton": "21"}, "Assists": {"Elfrid Payton": "10"}, "Personal fouls": {"Elfrid Payton": "2"}, "Steals": {"Elfrid Payton": "2"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers (6 - 38) earned their first Eastern Conference victory Wednesday, defeating the Orlando Magic (20 - 21), 96 - 87. With the win, the Sixers are now 5 - 8 since trading for point guard Ish Smith. The deal, which sent two second - round picks to New Orleans in exchange for the former Sixer, brought in a veteran point guard to help organize Philadelphia's ailing offense. In 13 games with the Sixers, Smith has boasted impressive averages of 17 points, 8 assists, and 2 steals per game. Smith's presence in Philadelphia has helped spark a much - needed turnaround for the once 1 - 30 team. For the second straight game, rookie Jahlil Okafor led Philadelphia in scoring with 20 points. Okafor took a team - high 17 shots, asserting himself as an offensive presence. The Duke alum also grabbed a steal and recorded a block on the defensive end. Fellow big man Nerlens Noel, however, exited the game after just 19 minutes of play with what was reported as a headache and blurred vision. He did not return to action. The Magic faltered on both ends of the ball on Wednesday, hitting just 39 percent of their field goal attempts while allowing Philadelphia to make 49 percent and 47 percent from beyond the three - point line. Recently-returned sophomore Elfrid Payton led the team in points, assists, and minutes, notching a 21 - point, 10 - assist double - double in 41 minutes of play. This was a refreshing effort for Payton, who had struggled in his previous two contests after returning from injury. Unfortunately for Orlando, just two other players scored in double - digits, and Payton accounted for over half of the team's assists. Orlando's next matchup will be against the Hornets on Friday. Philadelphia will have three days of rest before playing host to Boston on Saturday night."], [[{}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Derrick Williams": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Derrick Williams": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Derrick Williams": "27"}, "Points": {"Derrick Williams": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Derrick Williams": "7"}}], "Derrick Williams found himself completely out of the Heat's rotation this season before being released to open up a roster spot. Now, after signing with the Cavaliers, Williams has wasted no time asserting himself as a legitimate option off the bench for this team. Williams scored a crucial 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench in Monday's victory over the Bucks, and that type of contribution is becoming a regular thing for the former No. 2 overall pick. Williams has played at least 20 minutes in each of his last seven games with Cleveland, and he has managed to score at least 10 points in four of those games while never scoring less than seven. Williams is currently taking advantage of Kevin Love's absence, but if he continues to be productive, it's likely he'll remain a regular in the rotation even when Love returns from injury."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "3", "Joe Ingles": "5", "Seth Curry": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "27", "Harrison Barnes": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "13", "Harrison Barnes": "12"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "36", "Rudy Gobert": "15", "Joe Ingles": "16", "Harrison Barnes": "31", "Dirk Nowitzki": "20", "Seth Curry": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "4", "Rudy Gobert": "15", "Joe Ingles": "5", "Harrison Barnes": "4", "Seth Curry": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "2"}}], "Two of the league's up - and - coming small forwards faced off in an overtime thriller on Thursday in Dallas. Utah's Gordon Hayward was the game's high scorer with 36 points. Hayward shot 13 - of - 27 from the field and came away with four rebounds and three assists. Harrison Barnes and the Mavericks were the ones to end with the win, however. Barnes scored a team - high 31 points on 12 - of - 20 shooting while coming away with four rebounds. Other notable performers for Dallas were veteran Dirk Nowitzki and sophomore guard Seth Curry. Nowitzki scored 20 points, including a big shot to force overtime, while Curry had 16 points, five rebounds, and four assists. Utah, meanwhile, saw strong play from center Rudy Gobert. Gobert had 15 points, 15 rebounds, and two blocks. Shooting guard Joe Ingles added 16 points, five rebounds, and five assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "9", "Nuggets": "13"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "105", "Nuggets": "98"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Jazz": "33", "Nuggets": "16"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "12", "Nuggets": "7"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nuggets": "35"}}, {"Assists": {"Will Barton": "4", "Wilson Chandler": "3", "Jameer Nelson": "7"}, "Points": {"Will Barton": "20", "Wilson Chandler": "20", "Jameer Nelson": "13", "Gordon Hayward": "32", "Rudy Gobert": "7", "Rodney Hood": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Will Barton": "5", "Wilson Chandler": "5", "Jameer Nelson": "4", "Rudy Gobert": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rodney Hood": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Rodney Hood": "4"}}], "The Utah Jazz defeated the Denver Nuggets, 105 - 98, at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Saturday. Despite the final scoreline being close, the Jazz were in control for the majority of the game. The third quarter was when Utah made their mark, as they outscored the Nuggets, 33 - 16. Denver did all they could to fight back in the fourth though, as they scored 35 points and pulled the game within four points before losing by seven. Free-throw shooting was the key for Utah, as they went 26 - of - 28 from the charity stripe. Three-point shooting kept the Nuggets hanging around, as they went 13 - of - 24 in the defeat and made 7 - of - 7 at one point in the fourth. Denver (7 - 13) have been struggling recently and they looked lost at times in this defeat. Wilson Chandler once again led the team in scoring, as he tallied 20 points, five rebounds and three assists off the bench. Will Barton matched that team - leading 20 points, as he added five rebounds and four assists. Jameer Nelson was a nice spark off the bench as well, accumulating 13 points, four rebounds and seven assists. On deck for the Nuggets is a matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday. Utah (12 - 9) had to play this game extremely shorthanded, but they were still able to prevail with a win. Gordon Hayward was the catalyst, as he scored a game - high 32 points. Rodney Hood was second on the team, as he scored 15 points on an inefficient 4 - of - 14 shooting. Rudy Gobert was a presence down low, as he totaled seven points, 11 rebounds and two blocks. Utah will face the Los Angeles Lakers on the road for their next game on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Knicks": "31"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "42"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "16", "Cavaliers": "7"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "87", "Cavaliers": "90"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "4", "Cavaliers": "10"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "40", "Kevin Love": "39", "Kyrie Irving": "44", "Carmelo Anthony": "30", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "30"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "19", "Kevin Love": "11", "Kyrie Irving": "37", "Carmelo Anthony": "9", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "18"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Love": "11", "Carmelo Anthony": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Love": "11", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Amar'e Stoudemire": "1"}, "Steals": {"Amar'e Stoudemire": "1"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (10 - 7) defeated the New York Knicks (4 - 16) 90 - 87 on Thursday. Cleveland has won five straight games, and they've vaulted themselves out of the early - season hole they were in, at one time standing with a sub - .500 record of 5 - 7. Kyrie Irving led the attack on offense, putting up a season - high 37 points in 44 minutes. The other legs of the big three finished with double - doubles. LeBron James facilitated and finished with 19 points and 12 assists in 40 minutes, while Kevin Love cleaned up the glass to finish with 11 ponts and 11 rebounds in 39 minutes. Coach David Blatt certainly has n't shied from playing his key guys big minutes. James, Irving and Love are all averaging at least 36 minutes per game this season. The Cavaliers will try to make it six straight wins when they continue their road trip in Toronto on Friday against the Raptors. As the Cavaliers shift into a higher gear and continue their march up the standings in the East, New York continues to coast downhill, losing their sixth straight game. The Knicks have only reached the 100 - point threshold once in their last eight games as their offense continues to sputter. They shot 42 percent from the field and 31 percent from beyond the arc in Thursday's loss, with Carmelo Anthony finshing with nine points on 4 - of - 19 shooting in 30 minutes. Amar'e Stoudemire was moved over to start at center, pushing Samuel Dalembert to a bench role for the first time this season. Stoudemire has been one of the lone bright spots for the Knicks this season. He's been healthy and productive, finishing with 18 points and nine rebounds in 30 minutes Thursday. The Knicks will try to reverse their fortunes on the road Friday against the Charlotte Hornets."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "18", "Lakers": "34"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "96", "Lakers": "88"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "30", "Lakers": "16"}}, {"Points": {"Lou Williams": "20", "Gordon Hayward": "24"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "13"}}], "The host Utah Jazz took down the visiting Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, 96 - 88. Utah (30 - 18) had lost two straight but bounced back quickly on Thursday, winning convincingly over Los Angeles. It was a big day for Utah, as star forward Gordon Hayward was named to his first career All-Star Game as a reserve. Hayward played like an All-Star on Thursday, snapping a cold streak to shoot 7 - of - 14 for 24 points. Center Rudy Gobert, meanwhile, told the media earlier in the day that he would use being snubbed from the All-Star Game to fuel himself to perform as the season goes on. Gobert looked like he meant it on Thursday, as he pulled down a team - high 13 rebounds and blocked a whopping five shots. His strong play helped to anchor the tough Utah defense, which held the Lakers to just 42 percent shooting and only four three - pointers. Los Angeles (16 - 34), meanwhile, saw disastrous play from its starting five, leading to a heavy reliance on bench output. The team's starters combined for only 32 points and four assists in what was an abysmal night for the unit. A handful of bench players provided a spark to keep LA within striking distance, however. Sixth man Lou Williams offered yet another strong bench performance, leading the team with 20 points. Rookie center Ivica Zubac, meanwhile, contributed his third career double - double and his second in a row. The Jazz will host the Grizzlies on Saturday, while the Lakers will enjoy almost a week of rest."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "7", "Lakers": "14"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "134", "Lakers": "95"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Rockets": "43", "Lakers": "27"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "15", "Lakers": "10"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Lakers": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "39"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Julius Randle": "29", "Lou Williams": "25", "Patrick Beverley": "32", "Eric Gordon": "24"}, "Points": {"Julius Randle": "21", "Jordan Clarkson": "7", "Lou Williams": "24", "Patrick Beverley": "10", "James Harden": "25", "Eric Gordon": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Julius Randle": "10", "Patrick Beverley": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jordan Clarkson": "13", "Eric Gordon": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "3", "Eric Gordon": "9"}, "Assists": {"Patrick Beverley": "12"}, "Steals": {"Patrick Beverley": "3", "James Harden": "4"}}], "The Houston Rockets dominated the Los Angeles Lakers 134 - 95 Wednesday at Target Center. This game appeared to be over after the first quarter, as the Lakers' (10 - 14) leaky defense had no answered for the Rockets' (15 - 7) high - powered offensive attack, as Houston won the quarter 43 - 27. And while Los Angeles managed to pull closer before halftime, the Rockets absolutely poured it on in the second half. Houston was led by shooting guard Eric Gordon, who has really adjusted to his new role off the bench, as he scored a game - high 26 points in just 24 minutes on a scorching 9 - of - 13 from the field. Early MVP-candidate James Harden was not too far behind, scoring 25 points on top of eight rebounds, six assists and four steals. To round off a terrific performance from the Rockets' backcourt players, Patrick Beverley put together his best performance since returning from injury, recording 10 points, 12 assists, seven rebounds and three steals in 32 minutes. As a team, the Rockets made a living at the 3 - point line, shooting an impressive 15 - of - 36 from long range. For the Lakers, it was a night to forget, as the team shot a dreadful 39 percent from the field and 25 percent from behind the arc. Julius Randle led the way with a double - double of 21 points and 10 rebounds in 29 minutes, while Lou Williams continued to campaign for a Sixth Man of the Year award, posting an efficient 24 points in 25 minutes. Meanwhile, Jordan Clarkson made his first start at point guard this season and posted a lowly seven points on just 3 - of - 13 shooting from the field. Up next, the Rockets will head to Oklahoma City on Friday to take on the Thunder, while the Lakers will head home Friday to play the Suns."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "47", "Nets": "37"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "18"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "2"}, "Points": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "24", "Brook Lopez": "13", "Sean Kilpatrick": "19", "Joe Harris": "17", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "16", "Jabari Parker": "15", "John Henson": "20", "Tony Snell": "10", "Matthew Dellavedova": "18", "Greg Monroe": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "2", "Anthony Bennett": "14", "Brook Lopez": "4", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10"}, "Assists": {"Brook Lopez": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "3"}, "Steals": {"Brook Lopez": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "3"}}], "The Bucks utilized a pair of season - best scoring totals from two starters to overcome a game - high 24 points from the Nets' Bojan Bogdanovic. John Henson and Matthew Dellavedova posted 20 and 18 points, respectively, and the Bucks shot 47 percent while limiting the Nets to a stingy 37 percent success rate. Giannis Antetokounmpo posted a 16 - point, 10 - rebound double - double, while Jabari Parker managed 15 points. Tony Snell registered 10 points and Greg Monroe paced the bench with 13 points. Sean Kilpatrick checked in second on the Nets with 19 points, despite shooting just 3 - of - 13. Brook Lopez had a down game by his standards, posting 13 points, six assists, four rebounds, three blocks and a steal. Anthony Bennett posted 14 rebounds while drawing the start for Trevor Booker. Joe Harris led the second unit with 17 points."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "28"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "37"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "78"}}, {"Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "18", "Dirk Nowitzki": "17", "Dwight Powell": "10", "Norman Powell": "19", "Jonas Valanciunas": "14"}, "Assists": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Norman Powell": "3", "DeMar DeRozan": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "7", "Dwight Powell": "10", "Norman Powell": "5", "Jonas Valanciunas": "12", "DeMar DeRozan": "6"}, "Steals": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2"}}], "Dallas have struggled on offense all season and this 78 - point effort shows just why. Toronto did a nice job on defense though, holding the Mavericks to 37 percent from the field and 28 percent from three - point range. Rebounding was the key for the Raptors, as they won that battle, 55 - 34. Harrison Barnes led Dallas in scoring, as he dropped 18 points. Dirk Nowitzki was their best player, as he totaled 17 points, seven rebounds and two assists. Dwight Powell recorded a double - double off the bench, providing 10 points and 10 rebounds. DeMar DeRozan carried the load for Toronto, as he accrued 26 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals. Norman Powell started and finished with 19 points, five rebounds and three assists. Jonas Valanciunas recorded a double - double, totaling 14 points and 12 rebounds."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "46"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "50"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "116", "Nuggets": "98"}, "Rebounds": {"Hawks": "40"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "41"}, "Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "14"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "28"}}, {"Assists": {"Gary Harris": "2", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "2", "D.J. Augustin": "7", "Joffrey Lauvergne": "1", "Paul Millsap": "4", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "4", "Jeff Teague": "8", "Thabo Sefolosha": "2"}, "Points": {"Gary Harris": "15", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "12", "D.J. Augustin": "17", "Joffrey Lauvergne": "16", "Kyle Korver": "11", "Al Horford": "11", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "21", "Jeff Teague": "16", "Kris Humphries": "11", "Thabo Sefolosha": "14", "Dennis Schroder": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Gary Harris": "4", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "2", "D.J. Augustin": "1", "Joffrey Lauvergne": "6", "Paul Millsap": "11", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "7", "Jeff Teague": "3", "Thabo Sefolosha": "3"}, "Steals": {"Gary Harris": "1", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "1", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "1", "Jeff Teague": "1", "Thabo Sefolosha": "1"}, "Blocks": {"D.J. Augustin": "1", "Joffrey Lauvergne": "1", "Paul Millsap": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyle Korver": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Al Horford": "5"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (35 - 34) defeated the Denver Nuggets (28 - 41) 116 - 98 on Thursday. The Hawks made a change to the starting lineup, with Kent Bazemore heading to the bench with a knee injury and Tim Hardaway, Jr. stepping into the starting five in his stead. The move was highly successful, as Hardaway filled out the stat sheet with 21 points, seven rebounds, four assists and a steal. Atlanta was essentially superior in every category as well, as they posted 50 percent and 46 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively. They also elicited 14 turnovers from the Nuggets, and hauled in 40 boards on the night. D.J. Augustin paced Denver in his reserve role, tallying 17 points, seven assists, a rebound and a block. A second bench player, Joffrey Lauvergne, was next in line with 16 points, six rebounds, an assist and a block. Gary Harris pitched in 15 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal. Emmanuel Mudiay followed with 12 points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal, as the only other starter besides Harris to manage double - digit scoring. The Nuggets remain in fourth place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division, and are 8 games behind the eighth - seeded Dallas Mavericks. They head to Charlotte to face the Hornets on Saturday night. Jeff Teague followed Hardway's effort with 16 points, eight assists, three rebounds and a steal. Paul Millsap matched Teague's scoring total and added 11 rebounds, four assists and four blocks. Al Horford and Kyle Korver rounded out a productive night for the starting five with a pair of 11 - point efforts. The former managed three rebounds, three assists and three blocks, while the latter dished out four dimes and a rebound. Thabo Sefolosha paced the reserves with 14 points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal. Kris Humphries and Dennis Schroder also had a pair of 11 - point outings in reserve roles. The Hawks retain a hold of first place in the Eastern Conference's Southeastern Division, and of the third seed in the conference as well. They're home again on Saturday versus the Houston Rockets."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "13", "Wizards": "31"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "107", "Wizards": "76"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Warriors": "29", "Wizards": "8"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "57", "Wizards": "40"}}, {"Field goals made": {"Paul Pierce": "3", "Nene": "3", "Bradley Beal": "4", "John Wall": "4", "Draymond Green": "5", "Stephen Curry": "8", "Marreese Speights": "6"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Bradley Beal": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "4", "John Wall": "3", "Draymond Green": "8", "Stephen Curry": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bradley Beal": "2", "John Wall": "0", "Draymond Green": "3", "Stephen Curry": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "11", "John Wall": "16", "Draymond Green": "11", "Stephen Curry": "14", "Marreese Speights": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "3", "John Wall": "3", "Draymond Green": "2", "Marreese Speights": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Bradley Beal": "2", "John Wall": "3", "Draymond Green": "0", "Marreese Speights": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Bradley Beal": "2"}, "Points": {"Bradley Beal": "12", "John Wall": "11", "Ramon Sessions": "12", "Kevin Seraphin": "12", "Draymond Green": "13", "Stephen Curry": "24", "Marreese Speights": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Bradley Beal": "2", "John Wall": "5", "Draymond Green": "6", "Stephen Curry": "5", "Marreese Speights": "5"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "5", "Stephen Curry": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Stephen Curry": "28", "Marreese Speights": "14"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (57 - 13) defeated the Washington Wizards (40 - 31) 107 - 76 on Monday at Oracle Arena in Oakland. This game looked like it was going to be a close one when the Warriors were up just two points at the half. They came out firing in the third quarter though, out - scoring the Wizards 29 - 8, which allowed them to eventually coast to the convincing 31 - point victory in front of their home crowd. With the win, the Warriors extended their Western Conference lead to seven and a half games over the Memphis Grizzlies, while the Wizards sit in the fifth projected playoff seed in the East, five and a half games ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks. Stephen Curry had himself a night, going 8 - for - 14 from the field and 5 - for - 8 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 24 points, while also adding five rebounds and six assists in just 28 minutes. His numbers could have been a lot higher, but he did n't have to play as much due to blowout. Curry has combined to shoot 8 - for - 14 from the three - point line over his last two games, helping him score 48 points over that span as well. He's now averaging 23 points and 8 assists per game on the season. Marreese Speights also played a factor in the win. He played just 14 minutes off the bench, but finished with an efficient 16 points (6 - 9 FG, 4 - 4 FT) and five rebounds. Draymond Green also chipped in with 13 points (5 - 11 FG, 3 - 8 3Pt, 0 - 2 FT) and six rebounds. With all the starters playing less than 30 minutes, the bench got a ton of extra time, as a total of 13 players ended up playing at least nine minutes on Monday. The Wizards really struggled to get anything going. Their starting frontcourt was miserable, as Marcin Gortat, Nene Hilario and Paul Pierce combined for just 18 points between the three. John Wall and Bradley Beal were the only starters in double figures. Wall posted 11 points (4 - 16 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), five rebounds and five assists, while Beal had 12 points (4 - 11 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT) and two rebounds. Wall looks to be struggling lately, combining to go just 7 - for - 26 from the floor and 1 - for - 6 from the three - point line over his last two games. He'll need to play much better than that if the Wizards want to make some noise in the playoffs. Ramon Sessions and Kevin Seraphin both reached double figures off the bench with 12 points apiece. The Warriors' next game will be on the road against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, while the Wizards will be at home against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "26", "Kings": "25"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "112", "Kings": "97"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "21", "Kings": "20"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "21", "CJ McCollum": "16", "Ed Davis": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "CJ McCollum": "7", "Allen Crabbe": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "17"}, "Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "17", "Rajon Rondo": "15", "Noah Vonleh": "10", "Mason Plumlee": "12", "CJ McCollum": "18", "Damian Lillard": "15", "Allen Crabbe": "13", "Ed Davis": "11", "Gerald Henderson": "15"}, "Assists": {"Rajon Rondo": "11", "Damian Lillard": "13"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Allen Crabbe": "5"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (21 - 26) defeated the Sacramento Kings (20 - 25) 112 - 97 at Moda Center on Tuesday. The Kings entered the contest on the second game of a back - to - back after a tough double overtime loss to the Hornets on Monday. DeMarcus Cousins scored a league high 56 points against Charlotte, but was far from his league leading January numbers against the Blazers. Sacramento looked exhausted, as expected after playing six periods, and ran out of steam at the beginning of the third quarter. They did hang with Portland for first half and entered the third quarter down six points, but the Blazers extended their six point lead to as many as 20 midway through the fourth quarter. Cousins inefficiency resulted in missed opportunities, as he finished with 17 points on 4 - of - 21 shooting, and injured his hand in the second half, which took him out of the game for a brief moment before returning to action the following possession. Rajon Rondo added 15 points and 11 assists, marking his 23rd double - double of the season, and uncharacteristically took 17 shots in the loss. Omri Casspi, Willie Cauley-Stein and Marco Belinelli also finished in double figures, but no combination of minutes was able to overcome a gassed Kings squad. Sacramento will take a day off before visiting the New Orleans Pelicans (16 - 28) on Thursday. Portland opened up the floor in the second half and used pace to their advantage, which allowed them to pull ahead by double figures and coast to their 21st win of the season. It was an important win, as the Blazers and Kings are currently battling for the 8 - seed in the Western Conference. Led by point guard Damian Lillard, who scored 15 points and added 13 dimes, the floor general spaced the floor, resulting in seven Blazers finishing in double figures. CJ McCollum led all Blazers in scoring with 18 points on 7 - of - 16 shooting, Mason Plumlee added 12 points and Noah Vonleh scored 10 points of his own. The Portland bench was equally impressive as the starting five, combining for 50 points led by the combination of Allen Crabbe (13 points), Ed Davis (11 points) and Gerald Henderson (15 points). Portland will play their second game of a back - to - back when they host the Charlotte Hornets (22 - 23) on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "7"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "110", "76ers": "86"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "4", "76ers": "2"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"76ers": "28"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Robert Covington": "12", "Andrew Wiggins": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Robert Covington": "1", "Andrew Wiggins": "14"}, "Points": {"Robert Covington": "4", "Joel Embiid": "10", "Nik Stauskas": "13", "Dario Saric": "16", "Andrew Wiggins": "35", "Gorgui Dieng": "12", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "25"}, "Assists": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "3", "Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Gorgui Dieng": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "3", "Joel Embiid": "10", "Andrew Wiggins": "10", "Gorgui Dieng": "10", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Joel Embiid": "22", "Andrew Wiggins": "38"}, "Steals": {"Nik Stauskas": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2"}}], "The host Minnesota Timberwolves obliterated the Philadelphia 76ers, 110 - 86, at Target Center on Thursday. In a battle between two developing franchises, the Timberwolves showed just how much further along they are than the Sixers. Minnesota took it to Philadelphia early, as they led by 28 points at the half and held the Sixers to just 33 points in that 24 - minute stretch. Defense was key all night long, as the T'Wolves held the Sixers to 37 percent from the field and 28 percent from three - point range. Minnesota also dominated down low, as they won the rebounding battle 49 - 40 and the points in the paint differential 56 - 40. The Sixers (2 - 10) continue to struggle and results like this are downright ugly. Ersan Ilyasova was a lone bright spot, as he led the starters with 13 points, three rebounds and three assists. Nik Stauskas played well off the bench, totaling 13 points, four rebounds and two steals of his own. Dario Saric led the team in scoring, as he dropped 16 points of his own off the bench. Robert Covington struggled with his shot yet again, as he scored just four points on 1 - of - 12 shooting. Joel Embiid played 22 minutes and amassed 10 points and 10 rebounds. On deck for the Sixers is a home matchup against the Phoenix Suns on Saturday. The Timberwolves (4 - 7) had their first primetime game in awhile and they did n't disappoint. Andrew Wiggins was especially impressive, as he scored a game - high 35 points on 14 - of - 20 shooting. He also added 10 rebounds and four assists in 38 minutes of action. Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a double - double in the blowout, totaling 25 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. Gorgui Dieng also recorded a double - double, accumulating 12 points, 10 rebounds and three assists. The Timberwolves will look to build off this win when they travel to Memphis to play the Grizzlies on Saturday for their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "38", "Pacers": "23"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "100", "Pacers": "114"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nets": "23", "Pacers": "26"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "12", "Pacers": "26"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "50"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "6", "Monta Ellis": "5", "George Hill": "2", "Lavoy Allen": "1", "CJ Miles": "1", "Joe Johnson": "9", "Thaddeus Young": "1", "Brook Lopez": "3", "Donald Sloan": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Paul George": "1", "Lavoy Allen": "1", "Brook Lopez": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Paul George": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul George": "3", "George Hill": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Paul George": "3"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "17", "Monta Ellis": "11", "George Hill": "13", "Lavoy Allen": "12", "CJ Miles": "27", "Joe Johnson": "20", "Thaddeus Young": "16", "Brook Lopez": "21", "Wayne Ellington": "16", "Donald Sloan": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "4", "Monta Ellis": "6", "George Hill": "4", "Lavoy Allen": "8", "CJ Miles": "2", "Joe Johnson": "4", "Thaddeus Young": "14", "Wayne Ellington": "2"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "5", "Monta Ellis": "1", "George Hill": "3", "Joe Johnson": "2", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Wayne Ellington": "1", "Donald Sloan": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Jordan Hill": "19", "Lavoy Allen": "25", "CJ Miles": "22"}, "Turnovers": {"Monta Ellis": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"George Hill": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"CJ Miles": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"CJ Miles": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"CJ Miles": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ Miles": "10"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (26 - 23) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (12 - 38) 114 - 100 on Wednesday. Despite a remarkably balanced offensive attack that featured all five starters posting double - digit scoring, the Nets were outdone by a Pacers team that received their highest point total from a reserve. Indiana was spearheaded by the streaky C.J. Miles, whose shot was certainly dialed in on Wednesday. Miles managed 27 points in just 22 minutes on the floor, while adding a pair of rebounds and an assist. He was 10 of 15 overall and 4 of 7 from three - point range, playing an integral part in the Pacers' matching 50 percent tallies from the field and beyond the arc. Buttressed by Miles' prolific night, the Indiana bench outscored the Nets reserves by the margin of 58 - 16. Paul George led the starting unit for the visitors with 17 points, six assists, four rebounds, a block and a remarkable five steals. George Hill followed with 13 points, four rebounds, two assists and three thefts of his own. Monta Ellis was relatively quiet on the scoring front by his standards, but still made notable contributions across the stat sheet. He registered 11 points, six rebounds, five assists and a steal, with his only blemish being the fact that he committed five turnovers. With Jordan Hill only playing 19 minutes on the night, it was Lavoy Allen who manned the center spot for 25 minutes off the bench and posted a near double - double, totaling 12 points, eight rebounds, an assist and a block. The Pacers remain in third place in the Eastern Conference's Central Divison. They head to Atlanta to take on the Hawks on Friday. Brook Lopez led the way for Brooklyn with 21 points, eight rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block. Joe Johnson continued his resurgent play with a near double - double, supplying 20 points, nine assists, four boards and two steals. Thaddeus Young was a force on the glass, hauling down 14 rebounds and also pitching in 16 points and an assist. Wayne Ellington supplied 16 points, two rebounds and a steal, while Donald Sloan rounded out the starting unit's productive night with 11 points, seven assists and a steal. Brooklyn remains in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They await the Sacramento Kings for a Friday night tussle."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "1", "Heat": "1"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "102", "Heat": "92"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Cavaliers": "29"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Cavaliers": "29"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "2", "Heat": "1"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Heat": "19"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Chris Bosh": "15", "LeBron James": "19", "Tristan Thompson": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Chris Bosh": "7", "LeBron James": "13", "Tristan Thompson": "6"}, "Points": {"Chris Bosh": "16", "Dwyane Wade": "25", "LeBron James": "29", "Kevin Love": "24", "Tristan Thompson": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwyane Wade": "4", "Kevin Love": "14", "Matthew Dellavedova": "5", "Tristan Thompson": "9"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "1"}, "Assists": {"Kevin Love": "5", "Matthew Dellavedova": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Love": "1"}}], "LeBron James scored 29 points to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers (2 - 1) to a 102 - 92 victory over his former team, the Miami Heat (1 - 1), on Friday night. James was firing on all cylinders from the get go, finishing with 10 points in the first quarter and reaching 18 by halftime while shooting 8 - for - 12 from the field during that span. He would finish the night with an efficient 13 - for - 19 shooting mark In addition, the Cavaliers received the best performance of the young season so far from Kevin Love, who tallied 24 points, 14 boards, and five assists. Love and James represented the bulk of the offense for the Cavs in this one, as no other player in the starting lineup had more than nine points. Fortunately for Cleveland, Tristan Thompson was able to provide some complementary scoring off the bench, picking up 13 points on 6 - for - 9 shooting to go along with nine boards. Reserve guard Matthew Dellavedova handed out a team - leading 10 assists and grabbed five boards. On the other side, James\u2019 former compatriots of Miami\u2019s \u201cBig Three\u201d - - Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh - - also turned in excellent outings. Wade contributed 25 points, four boards, and two assists, while Bosh churned out 16 points on 7 - for - 15 shooting. The lack of bench contributions ultimately spelled the difference, as the Heat only had 19 points from their reserves compared to the Cavs\u2019 32. The Heat will return home Sunday to play their next game against the Houston Rockets. Cleveland, meanwhile will head to Philadelphia for a tilt with the 76ers on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Clippers": "28", "Warriors": "21"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "39", "Warriors": "43"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "10", "Warriors": "5"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "100", "Warriors": "86"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "20", "Warriors": "23"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Warriors": "22"}}, {"Free throws made": {"Marreese Speights": "3"}, "Points": {"Marreese Speights": "11", "David Lee": "11", "Blake Griffin": "18", "Jamal Crawford": "24"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"David Lee": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"David Lee": "19", "Blake Griffin": "39"}, "Personal fouls": {"David Lee": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"David Lee": "3", "Blake Griffin": "15"}, "Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "6"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (20 - 10) defeated the Golden State Warriors (23 - 5) 100 - 86 on Thursday. Los Angeles stopped their two - game losing streak with the win. Jamal Crawford paced the team with a game - high 24 points, while the Clippers shot just 39 percent from the field and 28 percent from beyond the arc as a team. They won the game at the foul line, going to the charity stripe 31 times compared to the Warriors' 22 trips to the free - throw line. Blake Griffin continued to rebound well, posting 18 points, 15 rebounds and six assists in 39 minutes. The Clippers will remain home to host the Toronto Raptors on Saturday. Golden State has lost their last two games, tying their longest losing streak of the season. As a team, they shot just 43 percent from the field and 21 percent from beyond the arc. Marreese Speights moved into the starting lineup with both Andrew Bogut (knee) and Festus Ezeli (ankle) out Thursday. Bogut is expected to start doing some on - court work in the next few days, but he likely remains at least a couple weeks away from returning. David Lee has played off the bench for the first three games of his return to the active roster. He put up 11 points and three rebounds in 19 minutes Thursday. The Warriors will return home to host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "17", "Spurs": "19"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "87", "Spurs": "82"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "35", "Spurs": "32"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Spurs": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "33"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Spurs": "12"}}, {"Points": {"Tim Duncan": "12", "Marco Belinelli": "12", "James Johnson": "20", "Greivis Vasquez": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"James Johnson": "30", "Greivis Vasquez": "16"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "12"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "10"}, "Assists": {"Greivis Vasquez": "2"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (35 - 17) defeated the San Antonio Spurs (32 - 19) 87 - 82 on Sunday. The Raptors made a change to their starting lineup, moving James Johnson into the starting small forward spot and shifting Greivis Vasquez back to a bench role. Johnson capitalized on the promotion to score a game - high 20 points in 30 minutes. Vasquez played 16 minutes off the bench and put up five points and two assists. It was a gritty game, with both teams shooting 43 percent or worse from the floor. The Raptors pulled away from the Spurs thanks to their work at the free - throw line. DeMar DeRozan led the charge there, marching to the line to convert 10 - of - 12 attempts. The Spurs could n't buy a shot, shooting 33 percent from the field and 25 percent from beyond the arc. Tim Duncan and Marco Belinelli tied for a team - high 12 points, illustrating the Spurs' futility on offense. Toronto is in second place in the Eastern Conference, but they sit seven games behind the conference - leading Hawks. The Raptors will host the Wizards on Wednesday. San Antonio sits in seventh place in the Western Conference standings, 4 games ahead of the eighth place Suns. The Spurs will continue their nine - game road trip in Indiana on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "36"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Harrison Barnes": "3", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Harrison Barnes": "3", "Marreese Speights": "3"}, "Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "9", "Draymond Green": "20", "Klay Thompson": "15", "Stephen Curry": "16", "Marreese Speights": "11", "Shaun Livingston": "12", "Josh Smith": "14", "Andre Drummond": "2", "Brandon Jennings": "22", "Greg Monroe": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Harrison Barnes": "9", "Draymond Green": "6", "Marreese Speights": "12", "Andre Drummond": "7", "Greg Monroe": "10"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "10", "Josh Smith": "12", "Brandon Jennings": "6"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Marreese Speights": "9"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Marreese Speights": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Marreese Speights": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Shaun Livingston": "23", "Andre Drummond": "24", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "36"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andre Drummond": "8"}}], "The Warriors (13 - 2) used a second quarter run to top the Pistons (3 - 13) Sunday in Detroit. Golden State, winners of nine straight, trailed by three at the end of the first quarter before beginning the second on a 13 - 4 run keyed by Marreese Speights and Harrison Barnes. Detroit battled back to trim the deficit to five points but the Warriors closed on a 10 - 1 run to lead 53 - 40 at half. From then on, the margin never returned to single - digits, with the lead reaching 22 points midway through the third quarter. The Warriors were led by 16 points and 10 assists from Stephen Curry. Klay Thompson had 15 points, while Draymond Green added a game - high 20 to go with six rebounds. Speights chipped in 11 points and 12 rebounds off the bench, and Shaun Livingston finished with 12 points in 23 minutes. It was another night of poor shooting (36%) for the Pistons, losers of eight straight, as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was the only starter to make at least half of his shots. The second - year guard finished with 22 points and six assists, while backcourt mate Brandon Jennings added 23 points. Josh Smith finished with 14 points and 12 assists, but Golden State held Andre Drummond to just two points (1 - 8 FG) and seven rebounds in 24 minutes. Greg Monroe, who came off the bench, had a 13 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Up next, the Warriors return home to host the Magic on Tuesday. Detroit plays host to the Lakers, also on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "6", "Raptors": "6"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "102", "Raptors": "115"}, "Turnovers": {"Rockets": "26", "Raptors": "14"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "9", "Raptors": "9"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "52"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "9", "Ryan Anderson": "5"}, "Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "20", "Jonas Valanciunas": "15", "DeMar DeRozan": "24", "Ryan Anderson": "13", "James Harden": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "16", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "James Harden": "6"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "9", "James Harden": "15"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMar DeRozan": "36", "James Harden": "41"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "12"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the Houston Rockets 115 - 102 at Toyota Center on Wednesday. It was a wire - to - wire victory for the Raptors (9 - 6), who ended their two - game slide Wednesday night on the road. While he did n't reach his scoring average on the season, DeMar DeRozan still led the way with 24 points, nine assists and five rebounds in 36 minutes, with DeMarre Carroll managing to score 20 points of his own on 9 - of - 14 shooting. Jonas Valanciunas added a double - double of 15 points and 16 rebounds in what was a great night for the Toronto starting lineup, who scored 78 of the team's 115 points. As a team, the Raptors shot a scorching 12 - of - 23 (52 percent) from behind the arc. For the Rockets (9 - 6), it was James Harden, as usual, leading the way with 29 points, 15 assists and six rebounds in 41 minutes. He was, however, a bit careless with the basketball, managing 12 turnovers and nearly matching the Raptors' team total of 14. As a team, the Rockets had an astonishing 26 turnovers, which led to plenty of empty possessions that ultimately left them with little chance to win Wednesday's contest. On the bright side, each of the five Houston starters scored in double figures, but Ryan Andersen had the next highest total behind Harden with just 13 points. Up next, the Raptors will head to Milwaukee on Friday to take on the Bucks, while the Rockets will travel Friday to Sacramento and play the Kings."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "6", "Pistons": "8"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "103", "Pistons": "87"}, "Rebounds": {"Thunder": "58", "Pistons": "38"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "11", "Pistons": "8"}}, {"Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "7", "Kevin Durant": "13", "Russell Westbrook": "4"}, "Assists": {"Reggie Jackson": "4", "Kevin Durant": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Reggie Jackson": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Reggie Jackson": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "3"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "34", "Russell Westbrook": "14"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "11"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (11 - 6) defeated the Detroit Pistons (8 - 8) 103 - 87 on Friday. This was the Reggie Jackson homecoming game, but he did n't have his best performance. In fact, both point guards struggled mightily. Jackson battled foul trouble all game long while shooting just 4 - for - 16 from the field. Westbrook was even worse, as he tallied just 14 points, four rebounds and four assists while committing a ghastly 11 turnovers. These were the top - two rebounding teams in the NBA coming in and that proved to be the difference. The Thunder actually outrebounded the Pistons 58 - 38 and simply dominated the boards. The Pistons are usually carried by Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond, but they were both battling foul trouble all game long. That's a recipe for disaster and they could n't quite bounce - back with that adversity. They still managed to combine for 30 points and 12 rebounds but that was n't enough. In fact, those seven rebounds from Drummond marks the first time he has n't cracked double - digits this season. The Pistons also did n't get much bench production, as only four players came off the bench with none of them scoring more than six points. If Drummond and Jackson are going to battle foul problems and the bench does n't step up, a win is a nearly impossible proposition. Detroit will take on the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday in their next scheduled game. The Thunder got a win, despite Westbrook's worst game of the season. The defense was the key, as they held the Pistons to just 32 points in the second half. Oklahoma City was also happy to see Kevin Durant at full strength and playing at an MVP level in this game. Durant dropped 34 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and three blocks in the win. Those are the types of performances the Thunder need from Durant all season if they are to compete for an NBA title. That is the beauty of having Durant and Westbrook. If one is off, the other can go crazy and carry the team on any given night. Oklahoma City will have a tough matchup in their next game, as they travel to Atlanta to take on the Hawks on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "32", "Rockets": "11"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "112", "Rockets": "137"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "8", "Rockets": "32"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Rockets": "48"}}, {"Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "23", "Montrezl Harrell": "16", "Patrick Beverley": "16", "James Harden": "22", "Eric Gordon": "24", "Trevor Booker": "18", "Justin Hamilton": "11", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Ariza": "8", "Patrick Beverley": "7", "Eric Gordon": "3", "Trevor Booker": "5", "Justin Hamilton": "3", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "7"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Ariza": "2", "Trevor Booker": "3", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "3"}, "Assists": {"Patrick Beverley": "6", "James Harden": "11", "Eric Gordon": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Justin Hamilton": "3"}}], "The Houston Rockets defeated the host Brooklyn Nets, 137 - 112, at Barclay's Center on Sunday. The second - best offense facing the worst defense usually results in a lot of points and that was just the case here. This was a near wire - to - wire win for Houston, as they won each individual quarter and never trailed after the first three minutes. Scoring came at ease for the Rockets, as they shot 51 percent from the field and 48 percent from three - point range. Rebounding was a key advantage for Houston, winning that battle, 50 - 38. The Houston starters really put it to the Nets starters too, outscoring them, 89 - 49. The Rockets (32 - 11) were in the midst of their first losing streak of the season, but a matchup against the Nets is a great way to break that. James Harden was once again the star, as he tallied 22 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists en route to a triple - double. Eric Gordon was a huge spark off the bench, as he accrued 24 points, three rebounds and three assists. Trevor Ariza also surpassed 20 points, providing 23 points, eight rebounds and two steals. Patrick Beverley collected 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Montrezl Harrell got the start at center and dropped 16 points and seven rebounds. The Nets (8 - 32) have struggled on defense all season and a date with the Rockets is the last thing they wanted to see. Trevor Booker led the team in scoring, contributing 18 points, five rebounds and three steals. Justin Hamilton got the start for Brook Lopez (rest) and totaled 11 points, three rebounds and three blocks in the defeat. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was great off the bench, amassing 14 points, seven rebounds and three steals. Both teams will be in action again on Tuesday, as they Rockets play the Miami Heat on the road, while the Nets host the Toronto Raptors."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Heat": "29"}}, {"Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "13", "Dion Waiters": "29", "Goran Dragic": "21", "Wayne Ellington": "18", "Kyrie Irving": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "11", "Wayne Ellington": "4", "LeBron James": "17", "Kyrie Irving": "7"}, "Assists": {"Dion Waiters": "5", "Goran Dragic": "6", "Wayne Ellington": "4", "LeBron James": "6", "Kyrie Irving": "3"}}], "Miami has been the best team in the NBA over the past month and road wins over teams like Cleveland show just how well they're playing. The assist - to - turnover ratio was the difference in the game, with Miami recording eight more assists than Cleveland, while committing 10 less turnovers. The Heat dominated from long distance too, going 16 - of - 35 from three - point range, while the Cavaliers went just 9 - of - 27. Dion Waiters was the star, as he led Miami with 29 points and five assists. Goran Dragic finished with 21 points and six assists. Hassan Whiteside totaled 13 points and 11 rebounds en route to a double - double. Wayne Ellington came off the bench to provide 18 points, four rebounds and four assists. Kyrie Irving led the way for Cleveland, tallying 32 points, seven rebounds and three assists. LeBron James accumulated 31 points, 17 rebounds and six assists. No other Cleveland player reached double figures in scoring."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "1"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "118", "Warriors": "94"}, "Rebounds": {"Thunder": "56", "Warriors": "40"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "3"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "30"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "41"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Warriors": "26"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "2", "Klay Thompson": "11", "Stephen Curry": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Harrison Barnes": "1", "Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "6", "Klay Thompson": "17", "Stephen Curry": "20", "Andre Roberson": "12", "Russell Westbrook": "27"}, "Field goals made": {"Harrison Barnes": "4", "Klay Thompson": "9", "Stephen Curry": "6", "Andre Roberson": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "2", "Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Harrison Barnes": "2", "Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "5"}, "Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "11", "Klay Thompson": "26", "Stephen Curry": "19", "Kevin Durant": "26", "Serge Ibaka": "17", "Andre Roberson": "17", "Russell Westbrook": "36"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Klay Thompson": "36"}, "Rebounds": {"Klay Thompson": "5", "Stephen Curry": "5", "Kevin Durant": "11", "Serge Ibaka": "7", "Andre Roberson": "12", "Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "5", "Kevin Durant": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Turnovers": {"Stephen Curry": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "3", "Serge Ibaka": "2", "Andre Roberson": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Durant": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Russell Westbrook": "6"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the visting Golden State Warriors, 118 - 94, to take a 3 - 1 lead in the Western Conference finals Tuesday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Warriors withstood an opening 22 - 8 run from the Thunder to close the gap to four to end the first period. But with the Thunder leading 44 - 40 with 6:39 to go in the first half, Oklahoma City rattled off a dominant 28 - 13 run to go into the half with a 19 - point lead. Despite a valiant effort from Klay Thompson, who scored 19 points in the third quarter, the Warriors were never able to get it closer than eight points in the second half. Russell Westbrook recorded his third career playoff game with a triple - double and at least 30 points, as he scored 36 (12 - 27 FG, 4 - 8 3PT), dished 11 assists and grabbed 11 rebounds (six offensive) in a dominant performance. Kevin Durant struggled from the floor (8 - 24) but still scored 26 points and added 11 rebounds, four assists, four steals and three blocks. Andre Roberson had his best game of the playoffs, as he scored 17 points (7 - 12 FG) and secured 12 rebounds, and Serge Ibaka also scored 17 points to go with seven rebounds and two blocks. Oklahoma City dominated on the glass (56 - 40 overall, 16 - 8 on offensive rebounds) and blocked eight shots as they held Golden State to just 41 percent shooting. Thompson led Golden State with 26 points (9 - 17 FG, 4 - 11 3PT, 4 - 4 FT). Steph Curry could n't find his shot, and he finished with 19 points (6 - 20 FG, 2 - 10 3PT, 5 - 7 FT), five rebounds and five assists against six turnovers. Harrison Barnes was the only other Warrior to reach double figures with 11 points (4 - 6 FG, 1 - 2 3PT, 2 - 2 FT). Golden State hit just nine of their 30 three - point attempts, a 30 percent mark that sits over 11 points below their regular season average. Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals is scheduled for 9:0 PM Eastern Time on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "31", "Celtics": "21"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "98", "Celtics": "104"}, "Rebounds": {"Pistons": "45"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "28", "Celtics": "38"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Jaylen Brown": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Jaylen Brown": "5"}, "Points": {"Jaylen Brown": "13", "Isaiah Thomas": "33"}, "3-pointers made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andre Drummond": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Andre Drummond": "1"}}], "The visiting Boston Celtics took down the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, 104 - 98. Boston (38 - 21) was up by double digits for much of the game's middle portion but saw their lead dwindle towards the game's end. The Celtics were actually down by a point with 45 seconds remaining, when a deep three - point miss with time on the shot clock from Detroit's Reggie Jackson allowed Boston to take possession and the lead. On the other end, rookie Jaylen Brown hit a game - clinching three - pointer while being fouled. Brown finished the night with 13 points on 5 - of - 9 shooting. All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas was, per usual, the team's leading scorer. Thomas scored 33 points and hit five three - pointers, helping to extend his streak of games with at least 20 points to 43. As a team, the Celtics now are on the second - longest streak of games with at least 10 made three - pointers of all time, as the Cs have met the mark in 17 straight contests. It was a disappointing night for Detroit (28 - 31), as the Pistons entered the game having won five of their last seven contests. It was also the jersey retirement celebration for legendary Pistons guard Richard \"Rip\" Hamilton. The Pistons were unable to treat Hamilton to a win, however, despite a valiant comeback effort. Perhaps the biggest hang - up for Detroit was free - throw shooting, as the team went a miserable 16 - of - 35 from the free - throw line. A big piece of that was center Andre Drummond, who went just 1 - of - 11 at the stripe. Drummond is the worst career free - throw shooter in the league's history at just over 38 percent during his time in the association. Boston will host the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, while Detroit will host the Trail Blazers on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "40", "Cavaliers": "27"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "106", "Cavaliers": "98"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nets": "29"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "31", "Cavaliers": "47"}}, {"Turnovers": {"LeBron James": "3", "Kevin Love": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Timofey Mozgov": "17"}, "Points": {"Timofey Mozgov": "2", "Joe Johnson": "20", "Brook Lopez": "20", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Timofey Mozgov": "5"}, "Assists": {"Kyrie Irving": "3", "Alan Anderson": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "1", "Alan Anderson": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Alan Anderson": "1"}, "Steals": {"Alan Anderson": "1"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets (31 - 40) took down the Cleveland Cavaliers (47 - 27) 106 - 98 on Friday. The Nets were able to defeat the second best team in the Eastern Conference with strong performances from Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson, who each scored 20 points. Bojan Bogdanovic added a nice spark off the bench with 18 points to help relieve the starters. He was n't the only one filling it up for the Brooklyn bench, Alan Anderson and Jarrett Jack combined for 29 points, nine rebounds, six assists and three steals. Brooklyn kept their playoff hopes alive and are just a half a game back from the Boston Celtics, who currently hold the eighth and final playoff spot in the East. The Cavaliers ended a four game win streak that began with a victory over the same Nets who beat them on Friday. The big three of LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving combined for 68 points but were the only Cleveland players to reach double figures in any statistical category. The Nets were without Thaddeus Young, but like most teams as of late, the Cavs did n't have an answer for Brook Lopez. It did n't help that bigman Timofey Mozgov was held to just two points and five rebounds with zero fouls in 17 minutes. Cleveland will host Nerlens Noel and the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, as the Nets will welcome the Los Angeles Lakers to town."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Cavaliers": "28"}}, {"Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "28", "Jabari Parker": "27", "Malcolm Brogdon": "11", "Richard Jefferson": "10", "Iman Shumpert": "10", "Channing Frye": "10"}, "Assists": {"LeBron James": "6", "Kyrie Irving": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "9", "Kyrie Irving": "6"}, "Steals": {"Kyrie Irving": "1"}}], "LeBron James and Kyrie Irving stepped up for a second straight night in Kevin Love's absence, combining for 60 points on 23 - of - 41 shooting. Irving added a career - high 13 assists, six rebounds and a steal, while James posted nine rebounds and six assists. Richard Jefferson supplied 10 points in Love's stead, and Tristan Thompson hauled in 15 rebounds. A pair of 10 - point efforts from Channing Frye and Iman Shumpert paced the second unit. Giannis Antetokounmpo's 28 points led Milwaukee, and Jabari Parker was right behind him with 27 points, as the duo tried to keep pace with Cleveland's Big Two. However, John Henson, Tony Snell, and Matthew Dellavedova, the remaining members of the first unit, could only combine for nine points between them. Malcolm Brodgon supplied 11 points off the bench as the only other double - digit scorer."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "32", "Celtics": "42"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "116", "Celtics": "117"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "45", "Celtics": "35"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Celtics": "32"}}, {"Assists": {"Marcus Smart": "4", "Lou Williams": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Marcus Smart": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Marcus Smart": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcus Smart": "4"}, "Points": {"Isaiah Thomas": "25", "DeMar DeRozan": "38", "Lou Williams": "27"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMar DeRozan": "43"}, "3-pointers made": {"Lou Williams": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Lou Williams": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Lou Williams": "3"}}], "The Boston Celtics (35 - 42) defeated the Toronto Raptors (45 - 32) in a 117 - 116 overtime thriller Saturday at the Air Canada Centre. Boston had a six point lead with under two minutes to go in the fourth, but DeMar DeRozan had eight points in the final 1:23 to send this game into overtime. The Celtics and Raptors traded baskets in the extra period, with three lead changes in the final 32 seconds. Toronto's Louis Williams canned the go - ahead three with four seconds to go, but Marcus Smart answered with a buzzer beater to give the Celtics the win. Boston will look to tie the season series at two games apiece when they meet again April 14. Boston gained ground on Miami and Brooklyn on Saturday after the Heat and Nets both lost. The Celtics moved ahead of the Heat for the eighth and final spot in the East with Saturday's thrilling victory. Isaiah Thomas was a difference maker again off the bench, scoring a team - high 25 points. The Celtics have five games remaining, with three of those games coming against playoff bound teams. Boston will be off until Wednesday when they take on Detroit. Toronto dropped both games of a back - to - back set after Saturday's loss at home. The Raptors lost those two games by six points combined. DeMar DeRozan was prolific in his 43 minutes on the floor, pouring in 38 points. Louis Williams was a big contributor off the bench with 27 points. Kyle Lowry was sidelined again with a back issue that has lingered since late March. The Raptors will be off until Wednesday as well when they travel to Charlotte to take on the Hornets."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Celtics": "32", "Raptors": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Norman Powell": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "5", "Isaiah Thomas": "7"}, "Points": {"Norman Powell": "12", "Kyle Lowry": "32", "Jared Sullinger": "13", "Jae Crowder": "14", "Isaiah Thomas": "44"}, "Rebounds": {"Norman Powell": "5", "Jared Sullinger": "6", "Jae Crowder": "8", "Isaiah Thomas": "4"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Lowry": "2"}}], "Toronto looked poised to grab a huge road win, but Boston made the final push that gave them the victory. In fact, Toronto led for the first 42 minutes of this game, with the Celtics largest lead being the five - point final margin. The fourth quarter was decisive, as Boston won that quarter, 32 - 19. Fee-throw shooting was the Raptors downfall, as they hit just 56 percent, while the Celtics shot 83 percent from the charity stripe. Kyle Lowry carried the load in the absence of DeMar DeRozan (ankle), as he tallied 32 points, five assists and two steals. Powell started for DeRozan and finished with 12 points, five rebounds and two assists. Jared Sullinger played well off the bench, totaling 13 points and six rebounds. Isaiah Thomas was the player of the game, as he accumulated 44 points, four rebounds and seven assists. Jae Crowder was second on the team in scoring, providing 14 points and eight rebounds."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "49"}, "Rebounds": {"Warriors": "47"}}, {"Points": {"Kevin Durant": "21", "Draymond Green": "13", "Stephen Curry": "26", "Rudy Gobert": "20", "Shelvin Mack": "19", "Joe Ingles": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "11", "Draymond Green": "10", "Rudy Gobert": "17"}, "Assists": {"Draymond Green": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gobert": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gobert": "8"}}], "Golden State's'big four 'continued to dominate in Thursday's win over the Jazz. Reigning MVP Steph Curry scored a game - high 26 with three three - pointers. However, Curry shot just 3 - of - 9 from beyond the arc, continuing his stretch of abnormally poor three - point shooting. Kevin Durant, meanwhile, scored 21 while pulling down 11 rebounds. Draymond Green also posted a double - double and neared a triple - double, scoring 13 and pulling down 10 rebounds to go with eight assists. The Warriors shot almost 49 percent on the night and had 47 rebounds, ending with an advantage on the glass. The shorthanded Utah Jazz, meanwhile, were led by star center Rudy Gobert. Gobert had 20 points and 17 rebounds and shot a perfect 8 - of - 8 from the field. Point guard Shelvin Mack scored 19 points, while forward Joe Ingles led the team with 21 points off the bench."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Knicks": "18", "Magic": "35"}, "Turnovers": {"Knicks": "18", "Magic": "12"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "23"}}, {"Points": {"Aaron Gordon": "22", "Serge Ibaka": "22", "Jodie Meeks": "23", "Elfrid Payton": "13", "Nikola Vucevic": "14", "Carmelo Anthony": "19", "Derrick Rose": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Aaron Gordon": "6", "Serge Ibaka": "6", "Elfrid Payton": "3", "Nikola Vucevic": "13", "Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Derrick Rose": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jodie Meeks": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Jodie Meeks": "7"}, "Assists": {"Elfrid Payton": "14", "Derrick Rose": "4"}}], "This marks the fifth straight loss for the Knicks, as they continue to slide down the standings. The big difference in this game was the ball movement, as the Magic dominated the assist - to - turnover ratio. In fact, the Magic recorded 35 assists to just 12 turnovers, while New York committed 18 turnovers to match their 18 assists. Jodie Meeks led the Magic in scoring, as he dropped 23 points on 7 - of - 9 shooting. Aaron Gordon and Serge Ibaka dominated down low, as they each provided 22 points and six rebounds. Nikola Vucevic and Elfrid Payton each recorded a double - double off the bench, as Vucevic totaled 14 points and 13 rebounds, while Payton accrued 13 points and 14 assists. Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks in scoring, as he collected 19 points and seven rebounds. Derrick Rose was second on the team, with his 18 points, three rebounds and four assists."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Paul George": "21", "Al Jefferson": "20", "Julius Randle": "16", "Lou Williams": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "6", "Al Jefferson": "6"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Julius Randle": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Julius Randle": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Lou Williams": "4"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers easily took down the Indiana Pacers on Friday behind strong play from their bench. Sixth man Lou Williams poured in 27 points and knocked down four three - pointers. Five Lakers scored in double digits on Friday, as the team shared the offensive load across the roster. Forward Julius Randle led the starting lineup with 16 points, shooting 7 - of - 13. On the whole, the team knocked down a stellar 14 three - pointers and shot over 47 percent. For the Pacers, All-Star Paul George led the offense with 21 points and also pulled down six rebounds. Off the bench, big man Al Jefferson scored a solid 20 points and also pulled down six rebounds. Point guard Jeff Teague, meanwhile, dished out seven assists. As a team, the Pacers shot just over 42 percent and knocked down ten three - pointers."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "14", "Bucks": "12"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "94", "Bucks": "96"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "12", "Bucks": "13"}}, {"Points": {"Brandon Knight": "20", "Alex Len": "6", "Gerald Green": "12"}, "Blocks": {"Alex Len": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Alex Len": "19", "Gerald Green": "40"}, "Rebounds": {"Alex Len": "6", "Gerald Green": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gerald Green": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Gerald Green": "3"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (13 - 12) defeated the Phoenix Suns (12 - 14) 96 - 94 on Monday. Milwaukee has won two straight over Western Conference teams whom are expected to fight for playoff spots this season. The Bucks lost Jabari Parker to a sprained left knee during the contest. Parker will undergo examination to determine the severity of the injury, but when reviewing the tape, it appears Parker may be forced to sit out for at least a few games. Milwaukee used their deep bench to gain an advantage on the thin Suns, with four of the Bucks' bench players finishing in double digits. Starting point guard Brandon Knight scored a team - high 20 points to lead the way. Phoenix is careening downhill with a six - game losing streak. They moved Alex Len into the starting center spot with Miles Plumlee moving to a bench role. Len fouled out, but put up six points, six rebounds and three blocks in 19 minutes. Goran Dragic missed a second straight game with a lower back injury, giving Gerald Green another spot start at shooting guard. Green finished with 12 points and eight rebounds in 40 minutes but shot just 3 - of - 18 from the field. Milwaukee has three games left on their road trip. They'll take on the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday. Phoenix's schedule relaxes over their next couple games, starting with Wednesday's game in Charlotte against the Hornets."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "6", "Lakers": "4"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "91", "Lakers": "101"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Kings": "25"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "4", "Lakers": "5"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Lakers": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"Julius Randle": "5", "DeMarcus Cousins": "4"}, "Points": {"Julius Randle": "15", "Nick Young": "16", "DeMarcus Cousins": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Julius Randle": "8", "DeMarcus Cousins": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "25"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "8"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Sacramento Kings 101 - 91 at Golden 1 Center on Thursday. The Lakers (5 - 4) were down by 19 points with 4:54 left in the second quarter after Anthony Tolliver buried a 25 - foot three point jumper, but the narrative did not stay the same for the Kings (4 - 6) on their home court. Through nine games, the Lakers captured their fifth win of the season, which took them until late December to get to that total last season. Luke Walton's system is working, especially for the shooters like Nick Young and Lou Williams. Both players were instrumental in leading the second half comeback, as Young grabbed 13 of his 16 points in the second half. Sacramento, on the other hand, went through a long scoring drought in the third quarter, and simply did not get many calls under the rim. DeMarcus Cousins found some life in the fourth quarter after getting some rest, but it was too little too late for the Kings to mount a comeback. Cousins finished with 28 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two steals on 10 - of - 25 shooting, but only got to the free throw line eight times. Rudy Gay and Ty Lawson finished in double figures for the starters alongside Cousins, but the inefficient bench shooting sunk the Kings while the Lakers got the hot hand. Los Angeles turned to their bench, specifically Lou Williams. The ex - sixth man of the year went off for 21 points on 12 shots in 23 minutes of action. Williams driving layup with 8:40 left in the fourth quarter and three pointer made with 4:52 left in that same final period kept the Kings just out of reach, and came in clutch moments to help the starters. Julius Randle was defensively impressive, especially in transition, including a big block on DeMarcus Cousins. Both Kentucky products were jawing at each other by the end of the game. Randle pitched in an all around game with 15 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Next up, the Kings visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday, while the Lakers visit the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "39"}, "Losses": {"Wizards": "3", "Hawks": "2"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "95", "Hawks": "92"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "1", "Hawks": "3"}}, {"Assists": {"Kent Bazemore": "5", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Dwight Howard": "1", "Kyle Korver": "2", "Dennis Schroder": "3", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "3", "Markieff Morris": "1", "Bradley Beal": "3", "John Wall": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Kent Bazemore": "2", "Markieff Morris": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "1", "Bradley Beal": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kent Bazemore": "2", "Kyle Korver": "3"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "16", "Dwight Howard": "20", "Kyle Korver": "3", "Dennis Schroder": "20", "Mike Muscala": "10", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "10", "Markieff Morris": "18", "Marcin Gortat": "12", "Bradley Beal": "28", "John Wall": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "7", "Dwight Howard": "12", "Kyle Korver": "3", "Dennis Schroder": "7", "Mike Muscala": "7", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "4", "Markieff Morris": "9", "Marcin Gortat": "15", "Bradley Beal": "2", "John Wall": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Korver": "1", "Bradley Beal": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyle Korver": "9"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyle Korver": "4"}, "Steals": {"Mike Muscala": "1", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "1", "Markieff Morris": "3", "Marcin Gortat": "1", "John Wall": "2"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the Atlanta Hawks, 95 - 92, at Verizon Center on Friday. For over 47 minutes Friday, the Hawks' Kyle Korver could n't find the net despite his best efforts. The veteran guard had come up empty on his first seven shots while also committing four turnovers. However, Korver's first points came at a crucial juncture, as he sank a three - pointer with 41 seconds remaining, closing Atlanta's (3 - 2) deficit to 95 - 92. Following a missed three - pointer from Bradley Beal, who led all scorers, Korver had a chance for a game - tying three on the very next possession, but instead tallied his eighth missed shot on nine overall attempts. The misfire allowed the Wizards (1 - 3) to escape with a hard - fought victory, their first of the season, despite shooting just 39 percent from the field. Atlanta was paced by a pair of 20 - point efforts from Dwight Howard and Dennis Schroder, with the former also posting 12 rebounds, an assist and three steals and the latter supplying seven boards and three assists. Paul Millsap was next with 16 points, seven rebounds, two assists and three steals. However, the other two members of the starting five, Kent Bazemore and Korver, created a scoring void by only registering three points on combined 1 - of - 16 shooting. Mike Muscala and Tim Hardaway, Jr. helped make up some for the lack of production with a pair of 10 - point efforts off the bench. Muscala also added seven rebounds, while Hardaway added four rebounds, three assists and a steal. Beal contributed a total of 28 points, three assists, two rebounds and a block. Wall posted 21 points, 10 boards, six assists and two steals. Markieff Morris came just a rebound short of a double - double himself, collecting 18 points, nine rebounds, an assist, three steals and a block. Marcin Gortat did accomplish the feat, compiling 12 points, 15 rebounds, a steal and a block. The Hawks head back home to take on the Rockets on Saturday night, while the Wizards hit the road to for their own Saturday tussle with the Orlando Magic."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "33", "Pelicans": "31"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "74", "Pelicans": "72"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Suns": "12"}, "Turnovers": {"Suns": "12"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "36", "Pelicans": "37"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Tyreke Evans": "35"}, "Blocks": {"Brandan Wright": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Brandan Wright": "8"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (36 - 33) held off the New Orleans Pelicans (37 - 31) on Thursday at the US Airways Center by a score of 74 - 72. Anthony Davis' absence was certainly apparent Thursday after the rising super star was scratched from the lineup with a sprained ankle suffered during the morning shootaround. As a result, Phoenix's Brandan Wright had free reign of the paint all night, finishing with seven blocks and eight rebounds. Omer Asik's departure due to a calf injury did n't help the Pelicans' cause either as the Suns out - rebounded them by 12. It was a sloppy game on the offensive end as well with neither team shooting above 40 percent from the field. The Suns were able to come away with the win in the end after Tyreke Evans' jumper with time running out did n't fall. These two teams are battling for the final playoff spot in the West and will have a pivotal meeting on April 10 to decide the season series. New Orleans' last two games have been decided by a grand total of three points as they are now a full game behind Oklahoma City in the Western Conference. Asik and Davis were n't the only injured Pelicans on Thursday; Tyreke Evans was noticeably playing through pain in his left ankle, but gritted out 35 minutes of time on the floor. The Pelicans do n't have much time to nurse their wounds with a matchup with the Warriors on the slate for Friday. It's unclear whether Anthony Davis or Omer Asik will be available for that contest. Phoenix finished its five - game homestand with a 3 - 2 mark after getting a big win Thursday. Brandon Knight, Alex Len, and Marcus Thornton were all sidelined with injuries, but Markieff Morriss and Brandan Wright helped the Suns get the win. The Suns will travel to Houston to take on the Rockets on Saturday before kicking off a four - game homestand on Sunday against Dallas. That homestand is critical for the Suns, who will be on the road for seven of its final eight games."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "26", "Knicks": "35"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "108", "Knicks": "105"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "31", "Knicks": "24"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Knicks": "50"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Kristaps Porzingis": "1", "Jose Calderon": "4", "Langston Galloway": "4", "Paul George": "6", "George Hill": "1", "Joe Young": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "14", "Kristaps Porzingis": "22", "Jose Calderon": "20", "Langston Galloway": "17", "Kyle O'Quinn": "19", "Paul George": "27", "Myles Turner": "24", "George Hill": "10", "Joe Young": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Kristaps Porzingis": "2", "Jose Calderon": "4", "Langston Galloway": "6", "Kyle O'Quinn": "6", "Paul George": "7", "Myles Turner": "6", "George Hill": "3", "Joe Young": "2"}, "Steals": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Kristaps Porzingis": "2", "Jose Calderon": "1", "Paul George": "1", "Myles Turner": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "1", "Kyle O'Quinn": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Langston Galloway": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Langston Galloway": "3", "Paul George": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Kyle O'Quinn": "16"}, "Personal fouls": {"Myles Turner": "3"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (31 - 26) defeated the New York Knicks (24 - 35) 108 - 105 on Wednesday. A nip - and - tuck battle came down to the last shot, with Carmelo Anthony missing a 24 - foot three - point jumper at the buzzer that would have sent the game to overtime. At the 1:19 mark of the fourth quarter, it was looking increasing improbable that the Knicks would even have a chance to tie, as Paul George had helped the Pacers open up a 107 - 101 lead with a 17 - foot jumper. However, after New York got as close as 107 - 105, Kristaps Porzingis missed a 27 - foot three - point jumper with three seconds remaining, and Myles Turner was able to haul in the all - important defensive rebound. Turner's succesful conversion of one of two free - throw attempts resulting from an immediate foul by Langston Galloway stretched the lead to three, setting up Anthony's last - gasp shot from beyond the arc. The missed three notwithstanding, the Knicks enjoyed a remarkable night from long range, shooting 50 percent. Porzingis led the way for New York with 22 points, two rebounds, an assist, two steals and a block. Jose Calderon was next with 20 points, his second highest total of the season, which he supplemented with four rebounds, four assists and a steal. Anthony contributed 14 points, seven rebounds, three assists and a steal. The bench was led by two notable performances. Kyle O'Quinn paced the reserves with 19 points, six boards and a block in a highly efficient 16 minutes, while Galloway supplied 17 points, six rebounds and four assists. New York remains in third place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division, and six and a half games behind the eighth - seeded Charlotte Hornets. They're home against the Orlando Magic on Friday. Indiana was spearheaded by George, who furnished 27 points, seven rebounds, six assists and a steal. He came out of intermission on a mission, as all but two of his points came in the second half. Turner finished with 24 points, six boards and a steal. George Hill registered 10 points, three rebounds, an assist and a pair of thefts. Joseph Young led the reserves with eight points, three assists and a pair of rebounds. Indiana is currently in second place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division, and is also the fifth seed in the conference. They remain home to face the Charlotte Hornets on Friday."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Victor Oladipo": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Victor Oladipo": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Victor Oladipo": "3"}, "Points": {"Victor Oladipo": "14"}, "3-pointers made": {"Russell Westbrook": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "4"}}], "It has not been a great start to February for the Thunder's Victor Oladipo, who, while averaging 14 points per game through four games this month, has been just dreadful shooting the basketball. Following his 14 points on an ugly 4 - of - 16 shooting performance in Monday's loss to the Pacers, Oladipo has now failed to shoot over 45 percent in each of those four games and has shot under 36 percent in three of them. Overall, Oladipo is now shooting just 20 - of - 62 (32 percent) from the field and an even more dreadful 3 - of - 21 (14 percent) from behind the arc in the month of February. Luckily for Oladipo, the Thunder have managed to escape from the four games with a 2 - 2 record, but if the player who is second on the team in both scoring and minutes continues to struggle down the stretch of the regular season, things could start getting ugly for Russell Westbrook and Oklahoma City."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "12", "Celtics": "24"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "86", "Celtics": "99"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Warriors": "12", "Celtics": "27"}, "Turnovers": {"Warriors": "17"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "52", "Celtics": "41"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Isaiah Thomas": "34", "Kelly Olynyk": "26"}, "Points": {"Isaiah Thomas": "25", "Kelly Olynyk": "17", "Klay Thompson": "25", "Stephen Curry": "23"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kelly Olynyk": "9", "Klay Thompson": "23", "Stephen Curry": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Kelly Olynyk": "7", "Klay Thompson": "11", "Stephen Curry": "8"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "6"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Stephen Curry": "5"}}], "The Boston Celtics defeated the Golden State Warriors, 99 - 86, Wednesday at Oracle Arena. The game remained tight throughout Wednesday's contest, with two points separating the teams as they entered the final period. It was at that point, however, where the Celtics (41 - 24) turned it on and ended up running away with the game. Courtesy of a 150 run over three minutes and a 21 - 7 run overall to end the game, Boston was able to dominate the Warriors (52 - 12) 27 - 12 in the fourth quarter. And they did n't need any heroics from Isaiah Thomas to do so, as the point guard scored just seven points in the final 12 minutes. Thomas did, however, finish with a team - high 25 points in 34 minutes, but the team's most valuable performance Wednesday came off the bench from Kelly Olynyk, who scored 17 points on 7 - of - 9 shooting in 26 minutes as a reserve. As for the Warriors, it was a fourth quarter to forget. More specifically, it was a fourth quarter to forget for the reigning two - time MVP Stephen Curry, who was 0 - for - 1 from the field and committed two turnovers in the five minutes he managed to play in the final period. Curry still finished with 23 points on 8 - of - 16 shooting from the field to go along with six assists and five rebounds, while Klay Thompson added a team - high 25 points on 11 - of - 23 shooting. In the end, however, Golden State's 17 turnovers, four of which occurred in the last seven minutes of the game, were too much for them to overcome late. Up next, the Celtics will look to keep things rolling Friday against the Nuggets, while the Warriors will head to Minnesota on Friday to take on the Timberwolves."], [[{"Total points": {"Nets": "120", "Hornets": "118"}}, {"Assists": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "2", "Cody Zeller": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "5", "Kemba Walker": "6", "Jeremy Lamb": "1", "Brook Lopez": "5", "Sean Kilpatrick": "4", "Jeremy Lin": "4", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "2", "Jeremy Lamb": "1", "Brook Lopez": "3"}, "Points": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "12", "Cody Zeller": "15", "Nicolas Batum": "24", "Kemba Walker": "15", "Jeremy Lamb": "17", "Frank Kaminsky": "13", "Brook Lopez": "21", "Sean Kilpatrick": "23", "Jeremy Lin": "17", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "26", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "10", "Cody Zeller": "9", "Nicolas Batum": "5", "Kemba Walker": "3", "Jeremy Lamb": "4", "Frank Kaminsky": "5", "Brook Lopez": "5", "Sean Kilpatrick": "5", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "4", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "4", "Randy Foye": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Cody Zeller": "3"}, "Steals": {"Cody Zeller": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "3", "Kemba Walker": "2", "Jeremy Lin": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "4", "Randy Foye": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "9", "Randy Foye": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "27"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Randy Foye": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Randy Foye": "1"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets defeated the Charlotte Hornets, 120 - 118, at Barclays Center on Monday. The 7 - 22 record the Nets came in to Monday's game with certainly inspired no confidence that they could topple a Hornets squad sporting a solid 17 - 12 mark, but the one glimmer of hope was the fact that all but one of Brooklyn's victories had come at home. Accordingly, the hosts put on a spectacular offensive display Monday, even after losing starting point guard Jeremy Lin to a hamstring injury in the third quarter. After a back - and - forth tussle for three quarters, the Nets entered the final period on the wrong end of an 88 - 83 score. However, they battled back to take a 111 - 105 lead with just 3:4 remaining after a Sean Kilpatrick three - pointer. The Hornets would n't go quietly however, and following a Cody Zeller put - back with three seconds left, they were back up on top by a 118 - 117 margin. That set up a final possession for Brooklyn, one that culminated in a buzzer - beating 25 - foot three - pointer from veteran sharpshooter Randy Foye that sealed the victory. Notably, it was Foye's only basket of the evening. Charlotte was paced by a 24 - point effort from Nicolas Batum, which he supplemented with five rebounds, five assists and three steals. Jeremy Lamb followed from the bench with 17 points, four rebounds, an assist and a block. Kemba Walker and Zeller contributed a pair of 15 - point efforts, with the former also supplying six assists, three rebounds and two steals, and the latter adding nine rebounds, two assists and a steal. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist contributed a 12 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included two assists and two blocks. Frank Kaminsky was productive in a reserve role as well with 13 points and five rebounds. The Nets saw Bojan Bogdanovic lead them with 26 points in 27 minutes off the bench, a total he supplemented with four rebounds and two assists. Kilpatrick followed with 23 points, five boards and four assists. His point total consisted of a 9 - of - 15 tally from the field, including 4 - of - 7 from three - point range. Brook Lopez supplied 21 points, five, rebounds, five assists and three blocks. Jeremy Lin registered 17 points, four assists and a pair of steals. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson continued to be productive as a reserve with 10 points and four boards. The Hornets head down to Central Florida for a Wednesday night with the Orlando Magic, while the Nets visit Chicago on Wednesday evening as well."], [[{"Total points": {"Pacers": "85", "Raptors": "101"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pacers": "17", "Raptors": "24"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "1"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "2"}}, {"Blocks": {"DeMarre Carroll": "1", "Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "Paul George": "1", "Myles Turner": "3"}, "Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "17", "Jonas Valanciunas": "9", "DeMar DeRozan": "21", "Kyle Lowry": "21", "Cory Joseph": "10", "Paul George": "25", "Monta Ellis": "7", "George Hill": "13", "Myles Turner": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarre Carroll": "5", "Jonas Valanciunas": "14", "Cory Joseph": "2", "Paul George": "10", "Monta Ellis": "6", "George Hill": "3", "Myles Turner": "8"}, "Steals": {"DeMarre Carroll": "1", "Cory Joseph": "1", "Paul George": "1", "Monta Ellis": "1", "George Hill": "1"}, "Assists": {"Cory Joseph": "4", "Paul George": "6", "Monta Ellis": "4", "George Hill": "2", "Myles Turner": "1"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the host Indiana Pacers, 101 - 85, to take a 2 - 1 lead in the Eastern Conference first - round playoffs Thursday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Just as the Pacers had ambushed the Raptors in the first game of the series on their home court, Toronto returned the favor by playing the role of unruly visitor in Indiana. The Raptors established themselves early, jumping out to a 24 - 17 lead after one quarter. That margin extended to 53 - 36 by intermission, as Toronto was able to receive contributions from two key components that had been quiet in the series until now. DeMarre Carroll (17 points) and DeMar DeRozan (21 points) both stepped up to help postseason stalwarts Kyle Lowry and Jonas Valanciunas, allowing the Raptors to essentially cruise to a 2 - 1 series lead. DeRozan and Lowry co - led the attack with their respective 21 - point totals. The former also pitched in with three assists, two rebounds and two steals, while the latter handed out eight assists, hauled in four rebounds and recorded a steal. Carroll supplied 17 points, five rebounds, a steal and a block. Valanciunas had his lowest scoring total of the series so far (nine points), but snared 14 boards and recorded a block. Cory Joseph continued to play well off the bench, leading the reserves with 10 points, four assists, two rebounds and a steal. Paul George did the heavy lifting for the Pacers for the third straight game, tallying 25 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, a steal and a block. George Hill contributed 13 points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal. Monta Ellis, who'd missed practice Wednesday with a personal issue, could only muster seven points, six rebounds, four assists and a steal. Myles Turner led the reserves with 17 points, eight rebounds, an assist and three blocks. The two teams reconvene for Game 4 on Saturday afternoon at Bankers Life Fieldhouse."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "46"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "58", "Nuggets": "42"}, "Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "16"}}, {"Blocks": {"Nikola Jokic": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Jokic": "12", "Harrison Barnes": "11", "Wesley Matthews": "14", "Deron Williams": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Jokic": "10", "Harrison Barnes": "6", "Wesley Matthews": "10", "Deron Williams": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"Nikola Jokic": "1"}, "Points": {"Nikola Jokic": "27", "Harrison Barnes": "18", "Wesley Matthews": "25", "Deron Williams": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Jokic": "11"}, "Steals": {"Nikola Jokic": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Nikola Jokic": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Wesley Matthews": "5"}, "Assists": {"Deron Williams": "8"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks saw the most impressive offensive night of their season so far, thanks in large part to shooting guard Wesley Matthews. Matthews scored a team - high 25 points on 10 - of - 14 shooting with five three - pointers. The sharpshooter was complemented by forward Harrison Barnes, who shot 6 - of - 11 en route to 18 points. Point guard Deron Williams went 7 - of - 16 for 17 points and also dished out a team - high eight assists. Dallas posted ridiculously high team shooting splits of 58 percent from the field, 46 percent from three - point range, and 83 percent from the line in the game. Denver, meanwhile, saw a fairly sloppy offensive night, as the team had 16 turnovers and shot just 42 percent. Bench big man Nikola Jokic, however, provided a bright spot for the Nuggets. The sophomore had 27 points and 11 rebounds on 10 - of - 12 shooting in what was one of the best statistical performances of his young career."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "13"}, "3-pointers made": {"Russell Westbrook": "4", "Nick Young": "4"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "34", "Julius Randle": "3", "Nick Young": "17", "Jordan Clarkson": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Julius Randle": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Julius Randle": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Nick Young": "7"}, "Steals": {"Jordan Clarkson": "4"}}], "Russell Westbrook posted yet another near triple - double in Tuesday's loss to the Lakers. Westbrook entered Tuesday's game leading the league in scoring with 32 points per game while averaging 10 assists and 10 rebounds. The All-Star delivered another performance in line with those numbers in Los Angeles, as he scored 34 points, dished out 13 assists, and pulled down eight rebounds. Westbrook managed to catch fire late in the game, knocking down four three - pointers in the fourth quarter alone. This came as a slight surprise for the normally sub - par three - point shooter. For Los Angeles, bench guard Jordan Clarkson led the team with 18 points. Clarkson also added four steals on the defensive end. Veteran Nick Young, who had the game's clinching shot, scored 17 points and shot 4 - of - 7 from three - point range. Big man Julius Randle, meanwhile, went cold, scoring just three points on 1 - of - 5 shooting."], [[{"Total points": {"Mavericks": "98", "Rockets": "106"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Mavericks": "31"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Trevor Ariza": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Trevor Ariza": "5", "James Harden": "4"}, "Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "27", "Eric Gordon": "18", "James Harden": "26", "Harrison Barnes": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Ariza": "4", "Eric Gordon": "4"}, "Assists": {"Eric Gordon": "6", "James Harden": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"James Harden": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"James Harden": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "4"}}], "The Houston Rockets took down the host Dallas Mavericks, 106 - 98, in a matchup of divisional rivals on Friday. Houston was able to pull away in the third quarter on the back of strong three - point shooting. Forward Trevor Ariza led the team with 27 points and five three - pointers, while All-Star guard James Harden trailed narrowly behind with 26 points and four makes from deep. Harden also dished out eight assists, showing continued commitment to his new role as point guard. Harden made the shift under the guidance of new head coach Mike D'Antoni and in part due to the acquisition of shooting guard Eric Gordon. Gordon scored 18 points, also notching four rebounds and six assists. For Dallas, meanwhile, new acquisition Harrison Barnes led the way with 31 points. Barnes, the former Warrior, opened up his career in Dallas with a buzzer beater to force overtime on Wednesday. He picked back up with a strong outing, establishing himself as the focal point of the Mavericks offense. Despite Barnes's significant contribution, however, Dallas was simply out - shot from behind the arc. The Mavericks made just 8 of 29 shot from three, compared to 15 of 32 for the Rockets. The teams will face off again on Sunday night, with Houston playing host."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "3", "Cavaliers": "3"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "102", "Cavaliers": "100"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "2", "Cavaliers": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "4", "Gordon Hayward": "7"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"LeBron James": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LeBron James": "5", "Kevin Love": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"LeBron James": "3", "Kevin Love": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "18", "Kevin Love": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "8", "Kevin Love": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LeBron James": "12", "Kevin Love": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"LeBron James": "12", "Kevin Love": "9"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "31", "Kevin Love": "14", "Kyrie Irving": "34", "Dion Waiters": "5", "Gordon Hayward": "21", "Derrick Favors": "21", "Enes Kanter": "18", "Alec Burks": "11", "Trevor Booker": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "3", "Shawn Marion": "2", "Derrick Favors": "10", "Enes Kanter": "5", "Trevor Booker": "4"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Dion Waiters": "13"}}], "The Utah Jazz (2 - 3) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (1 - 3) 102 - 100 on Wednesday at Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City. The Cavaliers have n't been able to find their flow as a team thus far, and they took their second straight loss Wednesday. The Jazz were led by the duo of Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors, who each scored 21 points on a combined 16 - of - 25 from the field. Favors also contributed 10 rebounds, putting togeher his second double - double of the season, while Hayward added seven assists. After going for 17 points on Monday, Enes Kanter had his second straight game with solid offensive output, as he finished this game with 18 points and five rebounds. Alec Burks was the fourth Jazz starter to reach double - digit scoring, as he had 11 points of his own. Coming off the bench, Trevor Booker led all reserves with nine points and four rebounds. The big three of LeBron James, Kyrie irving, and Kevin Love were the only Cavaliers to score in double - digits in this game. James went 8 - for - 18 from the field and 3 - for - 5 from beyond the arc for 31 points, while adding four assists as well. Irving got off a team - high 23 shots and converted on 12 of them, finishing with 34 points of his own. Despite shooting only 2 - for - 10 from the field and 1 - for - 5 from three - point land, Love scored 14 points, largely due to making it to the line 11 times and making nine of them. Shawn Marion got the start at shooting guard over Dion Waiters, but struggled to establish any consistency and finished scoreless with two rebounds. Waiters did n't do much off the bench as he had only five points, but considering he only played 13 minutes, it was n't as bad as it looked. The Jazz's next game will be at home against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, while the Cavaliers will go on the road to Denver to play the Nuggets on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "10", "Celtics": "20"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "109", "Celtics": "104"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bulls": "29"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "24", "Celtics": "11"}}, {"Points": {"Jared Sullinger": "16", "Evan Turner": "29", "Nikola Mirotic": "10", "Pau Gasol": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Jared Sullinger": "16", "Nikola Mirotic": "8", "Pau Gasol": "16"}, "Assists": {"Evan Turner": "6", "Nikola Mirotic": "4", "Pau Gasol": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Evan Turner": "40", "Nikola Mirotic": "38", "Pau Gasol": "38"}, "Blocks": {"Pau Gasol": "5"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (24 - 10) defeated the Boston Celtics (11 - 20) 109 - 104 in overtime on Saturday. Chicago has won two straight and nine of their last ten games. They earned Saturday's win with Jimmy Butler (personal) and Mike Dunleavy (ankle) out of the lineup. Kirk Hinrich and Nikola Mirotic mad spot starts at shooting guard and small forward. It was Mirotic's first start of his career, and he finished with 10 points, eight rebounds and four assists in 38 minutes. The Bulls were led by Pau Gasol, who put up 29 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks in 38 minutes. Gasol has blocked 14 shots over his last two games, and he is averaging a career - high 2 blocks per game for the season. Chicago will stay home to host the Houston Rockets on Monday. Boston has lost two straight and six of their last seven games. Evan Turner started a third straight game at point guard and finished with 29 points and six assists in 40 minutes. Six players scored in double digits for the Celtics, and Jared Sullinger put up a double - double of 16 points and 16 rebounds. Boston will return home to host the Charlotte Hornets on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "8", "Raptors": "4"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "111", "Raptors": "113"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nuggets": "19"}, "Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "19"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "4", "Raptors": "8"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "9", "Terrence Ross": "11", "Danilo Gallinari": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "6", "Terrence Ross": "6", "Danilo Gallinari": "4"}, "Points": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "15", "DeMar DeRozan": "30", "Kyle Lowry": "18", "Terrence Ross": "16", "Danilo Gallinari": "21", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "25", "Wilson Chandler": "25", "Nikola Jokic": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "9", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Danilo Gallinari": "9", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "6", "Wilson Chandler": "10", "Nikola Jokic": "12"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "13", "Danilo Gallinari": "1", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "9", "Nikola Jokic": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Danilo Gallinari": "13"}, "Free throws made": {"Danilo Gallinari": "13"}, "Personal fouls": {"Danilo Gallinari": "1"}, "Steals": {"Danilo Gallinari": "1"}}], "The visiting Toronto Raptors defeated the Denver Nuggets in overtime, 113 - 111, at Pepsi Center on Friday. These two teams have had both of their games go down to the wire this season and the Raptors have escaped with both wins. This game was tight throughout, as there were 26 lead changes, with no team leading by more than 12 points. Three-point shooting was the Nuggets downfall, as they went 4 - of - 25 in the loss. The Raptors also dominated the turnover differential, as they committed 12 turnovers to the Nuggets' 19. Toronto (8 - 4) continually flies under the radar and road wins like this only add to their already impressive resume '. DeMar DeRozan once again led the team in scoring, as he tallied 30 points, five rebounds and four assists in the win. Kyle Lowry was second on the team, finishing with 18 points, five rebounds and 13 assists. Jonas Valanciunas provided 15 points and nine rebounds on 6 - of - 9 shooting. Terrence Ross was a nice spark off the bench, scoring 16 points on 6 - of - 11 shooting. Toronto will stay on the road, as they play the Sacramento Kings on Sunday for their next game. Denver (4 - 8) has fallen victim to late game execution all season long and this was yet another meltdown in overtime. Emmanuel Mudiay did all he could, as he played 45 minutes, in a 25 - point, six - rebound, nine - assist performance. Wilson Chandler also scored 25 points, adding 10 rebounds off the bench. Despite going just 4 - of - 13 from the field, Danilo Gallinari tallied 21 points and nine rebounds, thanks to a 13 - of - 13 night from the free - throw line. Nikola Jokic had one of his best games of the season, accumulating eight points, 12 rebounds and four assists off the bench. The Nuggets will look to play better on Sunday, when they host the Utah Jazz for their next game."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Raptors": "15", "Thunder": "33"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "46", "Thunder": "53"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "29", "Thunder": "29"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "102", "Thunder": "123"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "39", "Thunder": "39"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "56"}}, {"Points": {"Taj Gibson": "10", "Steven Adams": "10", "Victor Oladipo": "23", "Russell Westbrook": "24", "Enes Kanter": "14", "Alex Abrines": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "22", "Cory Joseph": "11", "Norman Powell": "13"}, "Assists": {"Victor Oladipo": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "16", "DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Cory Joseph": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Victor Oladipo": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "10", "Enes Kanter": "7", "DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Norman Powell": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Russell Westbrook": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Russell Westbrook": "4"}, "Steals": {"Cory Joseph": "2"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the host Toronto Raptors, 123 - 102, at Air Canada Center on Thursday. It's rare to see Toronto dominated in its home building, but that was just the case here. In fact, this was a wire - to - wire win for Oklahoma City, as they led by at least 19 points for the entirety of the fourth quarter. Shooting was key, with the Thunder shooting 53 percent from the field and 56 percent from three - point range. The Raptors could only muster up 46 percent from the field and 26 percent from three - point range. Rebounding was decisive as well, with Oklahoma City winning that battle, 47 - 32. The 33 assists recorded by the Thunder dominated the 15 dished out by Toronto too. The Thunder (39 - 29) have now won four - straight games, as they continue to ride Russell Westbrook's heavy shoulders. Westbrook picked up his 34th triple - double of the season in this win, as he collected 24 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists. Victor Oladipo was just behind Westbrook, totaling 23 points, five rebounds and two assists. Enes Kanter was a huge spark off the bench, providing 14 points and seven rebounds. Taj Gibson, Alex Abrines and Steven Adams each scored 10 points a piece. On deck for the Thunder is a home matchup against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. The Raptors (39 - 29) continue to struggle without Kyle Lowry and home losses like this show just how much his absence hurts this team. DeMar DeRozan carried the load. as he tallied 22 points, three rebounds and three assists. Cory Joseph accrued 11 points, six assists and two steals. Norman Powell finished second on the team in scoring, dropping 13 points and four rebounds off the bench. Toronto will be in action again on Friday, as they play the Detroit Pistons on the road for their next game."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "49"}, "Rebounds": {"Mavericks": "30", "Trail Blazers": "55"}}, {"Rebounds": {"Mason Plumlee": "15"}, "Points": {"CJ McCollum": "32", "Damian Lillard": "29", "Dirk Nowitzki": "25"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "6"}}], "Tuesday proved to be a good night to be a starter in Dallas, as both teams saw some impressive performances from members of their starting five. For Portland, the backcourt tandem of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum stole the show, contributing 61 points, including seven three - pointers. McCollum had 32 of those points, while Lillard had 29 and dished out a team - high six assists. In what was an unusual outing, Portland held a massive advantage on the glass, out - rebounding Dallas 55 - 30. The normally weak Blazers frontcourt saw a team - high 15 rebounds from center Mason Plumlee. Dallas, meanwhile, saw all three members of its starting frontcourt score at least 23 points. Veteran Dirk Nowitzki delivered a vintage performance, scoring 25 points and blocking a pair of shots. As a team, the Mavericks shot a stellar 49 percent from the field and drained 12 three - pointers."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "39"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "17", "Trail Blazers": "6"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "85", "Trail Blazers": "95"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "7", "Trail Blazers": "18"}}, {"Points": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "19", "Roy Hibbert": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Roy Hibbert": "10"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (18 - 6) defeated the Indiana Pacers (7 - 17) 95 - 85 on Saturday. Portland stopped the bleeding from their two - game losing streak with the win. Five players finished in double figures with LaMarcus Aldridge scoring a team - high 19 points. C.J. McCollum remains sidelined with a broken finger, but the Trail Blazers are otherwise healthy. This was the final game of their five - game road trip. Portland will return home to host the San Antonio Spurs on Monday. Indiana has lost eight straight games. Though they are traversing one of the rougher parts of their schedule, the depths to which the Pacers have struggled is surprising. Other than Paul George (leg) and George Hill (knee) being out, the team is healthy, but they have n't found their groove yet this season. Roy Hibbert recorded a double - double of 10 points and 10 rebounds, his first double - double in six games. The Pacers shot a woeful 39 percent from the field in Saturday's loss. They'll host the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, giving them a realistic opportunity to get a new number in the win column."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "59"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "52"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "14", "Thunder": "13"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "114", "Thunder": "80"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "21", "Thunder": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Andre Roberson": "2", "Domantas Sabonis": "2", "Steven Adams": "6", "Anthony Morrow": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "21", "Alex Abrines": "10", "Enes Kanter": "19", "Chandler Parsons": "2", "JaMychal Green": "17", "Marc Gasol": "25", "Andrew Harrison": "10", "Zach Randolph": "21", "Troy Daniels": "22"}, "Assists": {"Steven Adams": "2", "Chandler Parsons": "3", "JaMychal Green": "2", "Marc Gasol": "2", "Zach Randolph": "2", "Troy Daniels": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Steven Adams": "2", "JaMychal Green": "1", "Marc Gasol": "5", "Andrew Harrison": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Russell Westbrook": "23", "Chandler Parsons": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "5", "Alex Abrines": "3", "Enes Kanter": "5", "JaMychal Green": "4", "Marc Gasol": "8", "Zach Randolph": "8", "Troy Daniels": "3"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "2", "Chandler Parsons": "2", "JaMychal Green": "1", "Marc Gasol": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Alex Abrines": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Alex Abrines": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Alex Abrines": "2", "Zach Randolph": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Alex Abrines": "2", "Enes Kanter": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Zach Randolph": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Troy Daniels": "2"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, 114 - 80, at FedEx Forum on Thursday. The Grizzlies (21 - 14) have a well - earned defensive reputation, but their thorough domination of the Thunder (20 - 13) was significantly helped by the ejection of Russell Westbrook for back - to - back technical fouls after 23 minutes for arguing a referee's call. However, Memphis did earn the victory through their own strong offensive play as well, as they tallied superb 52 and 59 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively. Meanwhile, without their MVP, the Thunder's offense was largely neutered, as only two reserves, Enes Kanter and Alex Abrines, managed to get into double digits in the scoring column. Westbrook led OKC in scoring despite the early exit, supplying 21 points to go along with five rebounds and two steals, although he notably did not record any assists. Kanter totaled 19 points and five rebounds, while Abrines managed 10 points and three boards. Steven Adams mustered only six points but did haul in 15 rebounds and added two assists and two blocks. However, Andre Roberson, Domantas Sabonis and Anthony Morrow could only register two points apiece. The Grizzlies were paced by Marc Gasol, who compiled 25 points, eight rebounds, two assists, a steal and five blocks. The next two highest point totals came from the bench, as Troy Daniels posted 22 points, along with three rebounds and two assists, and Zach Randolph went for 21 points, eight boards and two assists. JaMychal Green produced 17 points, four rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block, and Andrew Harrison, drawing another start for Mike Conley, tallied 10 points. Chandler Parsons returned after taking off the last game for rest purposes and produced two points, three assists and two steals over 15 minutes. The Thunder return home to face the Los Angeles Clippers on New Year's Eve, while the Grizzlies are at Sacramento on Saturday afternoon as well."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "53", "Heat": "39"}}, {"Assists": {"Josh Richardson": "8"}, "Points": {"Josh Richardson": "19", "Isaiah Thomas": "52"}, "Rebounds": {"Josh Richardson": "6"}, "Steals": {"Josh Richardson": "4"}}], "Boston were expected to win this game easily, but 12 ties and 18 lead changes show just how close it was. Both offenses went off, as they each surpassed 50 percent shooting from the field. Boston took advantage of the lines on the court though, as they shot 83 percent from the free - throw line and 53 percent from three - point range. The Heat hit just 70 percent of their free - throws and 39 percent of their three's. Isaiah Thomas had a historic night, as he dropped a career - high 52 points, with 27 of those coming in the fourth quarter. Al Horford was the only other Boston player in double figures, as he tallied 19 points, four rebounds and six assists. Josh Richardson filled - in for Goran Dragic to accrue 19 points, six rebounds, eight assists and four steals in the defeat. The Johnson's came off the bench to do work yet again for Miami, as Tyler and James combined for 41 points, seven rebounds, and 12 assists"], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "51"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "15", "Cavaliers": "7"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "109", "Cavaliers": "121"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "19", "Cavaliers": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "9", "Jordan McRae": "1", "Marvin Williams": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "8", "Kemba Walker": "5"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "32", "Kevin Love": "28", "Tristan Thompson": "11", "Jordan McRae": "20", "Kay Felder": "13", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "12", "Marvin Williams": "10", "Nicolas Batum": "13", "Kemba Walker": "37", "Frank Kaminsky": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "6", "Kevin Love": "10", "Tristan Thompson": "6", "Jordan McRae": "4", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "8", "Marvin Williams": "4", "Nicolas Batum": "6", "Kemba Walker": "5", "Frank Kaminsky": "5"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "1", "Tristan Thompson": "1", "Marvin Williams": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "1", "Marvin Williams": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Kemba Walker": "13"}, "Minutes played": {"Kemba Walker": "35"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Charlotte Hornets, 121 - 109, at Spectrum Center on Saturday. The Cavs (25 - 7) entered the contest down one of their Big Three, as Kyrie Irving's hamstring strain proved too much to play on. That left a larger load than usual on the capable shoulders of LeBron James and Kevin Love, and as customary, both All-Stars were up to the challenge. However, Kemba Walker was in no mood to let the Hornets (19 - 15) back down from the reigning NBA champs on Charlotte's home court, and went off for a game - high 37 points. He supplemented his scoring haul with five rebounds and five assists over 35 minutes, and went 13 - of - 22 from the field overall. Despite his remarkable effort and the fact that the Hornets managed a 51 percent success rate from the field, the visitors still proved to be a bit too much to handle, as they drained their buckets at an equally impressive 51 percent clip, including 45 percent from three - point range. James' 32 points led Cleveland, and he added nine assists, six boards and a steal. Love provided a 28 - point, 10 - rebound double - double, while Jordan McRae, drawing the start in Irving's stead, totaled 20 points, four rebounds and an assist while putting on a shooting clinic. The second - year guard was 8 - of - 12 from the floor, including 3 - of - 4 from three - point range. Tristan Thompson supplied 11 points, six rebounds and a steal and Kay Felder, another young backcourt player getting extended opportunity due to Irving's injury, led the second unit with 13 points. Frank Kaminsky III was actually second in scoring behind Walker on the Hornets, as he registered 15 points and five rebounds. Nicolas Batum compiled 13 points, eight assists, six rebounds and a pair of blocks in another stat - sheet - stuffing outing. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist amassed 12 points, eight rebounds and a block, while Marvin Williams managed 10 points, four rebounds, an assist, two blocks and a steal. The Cavs return home to face the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday evening, while the Hornets visit the Chicago Bulls on Monday night as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "19", "Mavericks": "30"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "109", "Mavericks": "98"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Thunder": "34"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "28", "Mavericks": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Dorian Finney-Smith": "2", "Harrison Barnes": "2", "Seth Curry": "4", "Pierre Jackson": "4", "Justin Anderson": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Dorian Finney-Smith": "1"}, "Points": {"Dorian Finney-Smith": "11", "Harrison Barnes": "31", "Seth Curry": "11", "Pierre Jackson": "9", "Justin Anderson": "17", "Domantas Sabonis": "10", "Steven Adams": "15", "Victor Oladipo": "17", "Russell Westbrook": "45", "Cameron Payne": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Dorian Finney-Smith": "5", "Harrison Barnes": "2", "Seth Curry": "1", "Pierre Jackson": "2", "Justin Anderson": "5", "Domantas Sabonis": "5", "Steven Adams": "7", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "Steals": {"Dorian Finney-Smith": "4", "Harrison Barnes": "1", "Seth Curry": "1", "Domantas Sabonis": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Harrison Barnes": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Harrison Barnes": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Harrison Barnes": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "29"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "16"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Cameron Payne": "13"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Dallas Mavericks, 109 - 98, at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Thursday. The Mavericks (16 - 30) checked in to Thursday's contest as one of the stingiest defenses in the league, and they certainly held their own against a high - octane Thunder (28 - 19) squad overall. However, they could n't truly contain Russell Westbrook, who may not have tallied one of his trademark triple - double, but who still went for a game - high 45 points, a total he supplemented with eight rebounds, three assists and two steals. Westbrook was 16 - of - 29 from the floor, including an outstanding 4 - of - 8 from three - point range. The Mavs put in a valiant effort, particularly considering they were without both Deron Williams (toe) and Dirk Nowitzki (rest), even leading 26 - 23 after one quarter. However, the Thunder and Westbrook gained some separation during a third quarter in which the hosts scored 34 points, sending Dallas to their 18th road loss in 24 games. With two of his veteran teammates on the bench Thursday, Harrison Barnes took on a particularly pivotal role for the Mavs, posting a team - high 31 points, along with two rebounds, two assists and a steal. Justin Anderson was next with a bench - leading 17 points, which he complemented with five rebounds and an assist. Dorian Finney-Smith and Seth Curry were next with matching 11 - point efforts, with the former adding five rebounds, two assists, four steals and a block, and the latter supplying four assists, a rebound and a steal. Pierre Jackson drew the start for Williams and provided nine points, four assists and two rebounds. Victor Oladipo was a distant second behind Westbrook, managing 17 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals. Steven Adams posted 15 points and seven boards. Donatas Sabonis tallied 10 points, five boards and a steal. Cameron Payne led the bench with six points in 13 minutes. The Mavericks head to San Antonio to take on the Spurs on Sunday night, while the Thunder visit the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday afternoon."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "55"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "47", "Bulls": "47"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Bucks": "30"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bulls": "21"}, "Turnovers": {"Bulls": "16"}}, {"Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "21", "Taj Gibson": "19", "Robin Lopez": "6", "Dwyane Wade": "20", "Rajon Rondo": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "30", "Jabari Parker": "28", "Matthew Dellavedova": "9", "Mirza Teletovic": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "14", "John Henson": "10"}, "Assists": {"Matthew Dellavedova": "9"}}], "The Bucks largely dominated the Bulls through the first three quarters, jumping out to a 64 - 45 halftime advantage, and an 88 - 66 edge after three quarters. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker led the way, combining for 58 points. Milwaukee also shot 47 percent from the field and 55 percent from three - point range, while eliciting 16 turnovers from the Bulls. Antetokounmpo's 30 - point, 14 - rebound double - double paced the Bucks' attack. Parker was right behind with 28 points. Matthew Dellavedova tallied nine points and nine assists. John Henson hauled in 10 boards, while Mirza Teletovic led the second unit with 13 points. Jimmy Butler led the Bulls with 21 points, and Dwyane Wade (20 points) and Taj Gibson (19 points) were also productive. However, Robin Lopez (six points) and Rajon Rondo (five points) were n't able to provide much on the scoreboard."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "33"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "57"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "5", "Raptors": "9"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "121", "Raptors": "111"}, "Rebounds": {"Warriors": "51"}, "Turnovers": {"Warriors": "20", "Raptors": "7"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "28", "Raptors": "22"}}, {"Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "29", "Kyle Lowry": "27", "Terrence Ross": "24", "Kevin Durant": "22", "Klay Thompson": "21", "Stephen Curry": "28"}, "Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "7", "Stephen Curry": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "17", "Stephen Curry": "7"}}], "The host Golden State Warriors took down the visiting Toronto Raptors, 121 - 111, on Wednesday. Golden State (28 - 5) maintains the league's top record, despite leading by only a game and a half over the San Antonio Spurs. The Warriors have the league's highest - scoring offense, and showed their firepower again against the tough Toronto D. Three players scored 20 or more for Golden State. Reigning MVP Steph Curry scored 28 to go with seven rebounds and seven assists. Former MVP Kevin Durant scored 22 and added a team - high 17 rebounds and seven assists of his own. Klay Thompson scored 21. The Warriors finished shooting an absurd 57 percent from the field with 33 assists and 51 rebounds. Despite the Warriors' staggering numbers, the Raptors (22 - 9) kept the game close until the final minutes after a comeback in the fourth. Guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan each had fantastic games, scoring 27 and 29 respectively. Wing Terrence Ross came off the bench for 24. The team shot a poor 38 percent, but was able to remain in the game thanks to tough defensive play. The Raptors forced 20 turnovers while committing only seven of their own. The Raptors will visit Phoenix Thursday while Golden State will host Dallas on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "56", "Knicks": "37"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Knicks": "21"}}, {"Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "26", "Willy Hernangomez": "15", "Courtney Lee": "5", "Brandon Jennings": "21", "Kyle O'Quinn": "13", "Markieff Morris": "24", "Marcin Gortat": "15", "Bradley Beal": "28", "John Wall": "15", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Willy Hernangomez": "14", "Kyle O'Quinn": "10", "Markieff Morris": "10", "Marcin Gortat": "10"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Marcin Gortat": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Bradley Beal": "12"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "13"}}], "The Wizards posted a collective 56 percent success rate from the floor and limited the Knicks to 37 - and - 21 percent tallies from the field and three - point range, respectively. Bradley Beal's 28 points (12 - 18 FG) set the pace. Markieff Morris generated a 24 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Marcin Gortat went for 15 and 10 himself, while John Wall made it a double - double hat trick with 15 points and 13 assists. Otto Porter, Jr. contributed 10 points and Kelly Oubre, Jr. paced the bench with 14. Carmelo Anthony stepped up with both Derrick Rose (ankle) and Kristaps Porzingis (illness) out and scored 26 points. Brandon Jennings supplied 21, while fellow fill - in Willy Hernangomez posted a 15 - point, 14 - rebound double - double. Courtney Lee mustered five points. Joakim Noah went scoreless, but Kyle O'Quinn helped make up for it with a 13 - point, 10 - rebound double - double."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "53"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "52"}}, {"Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "9", "Jonas Valanciunas": "7", "DeMar DeRozan": "36", "Cory Joseph": "33", "Terrence Ross": "15", "Fred VanVleet": "10", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "11", "Trevor Booker": "8", "Brook Lopez": "28", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "5", "Caris LeVert": "14", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Cory Joseph": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Cory Joseph": "15"}, "Minutes played": {"Joe Harris": "18"}}], "With Kyle Lowry sitting for rest, replacement Cory Joseph and DeMar DeRozan combined for 69 points. DeRozan's 36 led Toronto, while Joseph compiled 33 on 15 - of - 22 shooting. Terrence Ross' 15 points paced the second unit, while Fred VanVleet posted a career - high 10 as a reserve. DeMarre Carroll generated nine points, and Jonas Valanciunas (seven points) hauled in 10 rebounds. Toronto tallied 52 and 53 percent success rates from the field, and three - point range, respectively. Brook Lopez's 28 points led the Nets. The Nets' bench combined for 57 points, spearheaded by matching 14 - point totals from Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Caris LeVert. On the first unit, Bojan Bogdanovic supplied 11 points, while Trevor Booker pitched in with eight points and eight rebounds. Spencer Dinwiddie could only muster five points, while Joe Harris went scoreless over 18 minutes."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "14", "Spurs": "7"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "91", "Spurs": "99"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nuggets": "30"}, "Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "21"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "10", "Spurs": "17"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2", "Arron Afflalo": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Kawhi Leonard": "37"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "18", "Arron Afflalo": "31"}, "Turnovers": {"Arron Afflalo": "6"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (17 - 7) defeated the Denver Nuggets (10 - 14) 99 - 91 on Sunday. San Antonio has lost two of their last four games, with both recent losses coming against non - playoff teams, the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers. Sunday's win over the Nuggets was accomplished with Tony Parker sitting out with a lingering hamstring issue that has caused him to miss four of the last five games. Kawhi Leonard (hand) returned from a two - game absence to record a team - high 18 points in 37 minutes. The Spurs forced the Nuggets into 21 turnovers that resulted in 30 easy points for the Spurs, using the Nuggets' inability to protect the ball to gain an advantage. San Antonio will conclude their two - game road trip against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday. Denver has lost six of their last seven games. While they are traversing a rather difficult part of their schedule, the Nuggets' regression over the last two weeks seems more of a regression to the mean than merely a poor stretch. Kenneth Faried sat out the game with an ankle injury, and the team continues to ride the hot hand from game to game, showing little faith in most of their players to account for a poor start and make adjustments. Coach Brian Shaw tends to yank anyone he deems to be underperforming in favor of throwing his bench players into the fray in wild attempts to find an elixir for their problems within a given game. Arron Afflalo scored a game - high 31 points to keep them in Sunday's game, but Afflalo also committed six of the turnovers that proved to be their undoing. The Nuggets will host the Houston Rockets on Wednesday."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Dwight Howard": "23"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul George": "22", "Jeff Teague": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul George": "6", "Jeff Teague": "5"}}], "Dwight Howard is continuing to look like his old, healthy self over the start of his 2016 - 17 campaign. Following his 23 - points, 20 - rebound performance on Wednesday, he is averaging 15 points and and 13 rebounds per game with 11 double - doubles through 11 games. However, the most telling stat of Howard's presence in his first season with Atlanta is how much he has improved the team's overall rebounding, as they currently rank seventh in the NBA in rebounds per game after finishing as the third - worst rebounding team last season. On the other side, the return of Indiana's star Paul George from an ankle injury did not help their recent offensive woes. After shooting just 32 percent and scoring 83 points against the Warriors on Monday, the team shot 40 percent en route to scoring just 85 points against the Hawks. Between George shooting 6 - of - 22 and starting point guard Jeff Teague shooting 5 - of - 15 from the field, the Pacers did n't have much of a chance to keep up with Atlanta offensively on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "54", "Hawks": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "58", "Hawks": "40"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "6", "Hawks": "11"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "128", "Hawks": "84"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "14", "Hawks": "10"}}, {"Assists": {"Dwight Howard": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "6", "DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "8", "Patrick Patterson": "2", "Terrence Ross": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Dwight Howard": "2", "Pascal Siakam": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "1"}, "Points": {"Dwight Howard": "10", "Dennis Schroder": "15", "Kris Humphries": "10", "DeMarre Carroll": "10", "Pascal Siakam": "14", "DeMar DeRozan": "21", "Kyle Lowry": "17", "Lucas Nogueira": "11", "Cory Joseph": "10", "Patrick Patterson": "17", "Terrence Ross": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "17", "Dennis Schroder": "1", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "1", "Kris Humphries": "3", "DeMarre Carroll": "5", "Pascal Siakam": "3", "DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "8", "Patrick Patterson": "4"}, "Steals": {"Dennis Schroder": "1", "DeMarre Carroll": "3", "Pascal Siakam": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Cory Joseph": "1", "Patrick Patterson": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "8"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the Atlanta Hawks, 128 - 84, at Air Canada Centre on Saturday. The Hawks (10 - 11) checked in to Saturday as a badly flawed team, sporting five consecutive losses on their ledger and once again missing star power forward Paul Millsap due to a hip injury. Their most recent defeat, a 121 - 85 trouncing at the hands of the Detroit Pistons on Atlanta's home court, had come just a night prior. Things looked like they had nowhere to go but up, but the floundering Hawks found a way to sink even further. They shot just 40 percent from the field and 25 percent from three - point range in a season - worst 44 - point loss, while surrendering 58 and 54 percent success rates to the Raptors (14 - 6) in those respective categories. The visitors were also outrebounded by a 48 - 38 margin and committed 18 turnovers while only forcing 12. Atlanta was led by a pair of 15 - point efforts, the first of which came from Dennis Schroder, who supplemented the scoring with six assists, a rebound and a steal. Tim Hardaway, Jr. supplied the second off the bench, and added a rebound, assist, steal and block over 23 minutes. Dwight Howard was the only other member of the starting five with double digits in the scoring column, supplying a 10 - point, 17 - rebound double - double that also included an assist and two blocks. Mike Muscala, who started in Millsap's stead, Kyle Korver and Kent Bazemore combined for just 21 points. Kris Humphries was also productive in a reserve role, registering 10 points and three rebounds. The Raptors saw eight players manage double - digit scoring and were led by DeMar DeRozan, who posted 21 points, four assists, three rebounds and a steal. Backcourt mate Kyle Lowry followed with 17 points, eight assists, eight rebounds and a block. Pascal Siakam totaled a career - high 14 points and complemented them with three rebounds, two blocks and a steal. DeMarre Carroll managed 10 points, five rebounds and three steals. Patrick Patterson led the bench with 17 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal, while Terrence Ross (15 points), Lucas Nogueira (11 points) and Cory Joseph (10 points) also showed up well on the stat sheet. The Hawks head back home to face off with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday evening, while the Raptors remain home to take on the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "17", "Pacers": "29"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "100", "Pacers": "96"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Cavaliers": "26"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Cavaliers": "26"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "42", "Pacers": "31"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "6", "Monta Ellis": "2", "George Hill": "5", "LeBron James": "4", "Kevin Love": "6", "Kyrie Irving": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul George": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Paul George": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Paul George": "2"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "23", "Monta Ellis": "28", "George Hill": "11", "Chase Budinger": "11", "LeBron James": "33", "Kevin Love": "13", "JR Smith": "11", "Kyrie Irving": "22", "Tristan Thompson": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "8", "Monta Ellis": "1", "George Hill": "2", "Chase Budinger": "4", "LeBron James": "5", "Kevin Love": "8", "JR Smith": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "3", "Tristan Thompson": "11"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "2", "Monta Ellis": "1", "Chase Budinger": "1", "LeBron James": "2", "JR Smith": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Paul George": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Chase Budinger": "1", "Tristan Thompson": "1"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (42 - 17) defeated the Indiana Pacers (31 - 29) 100 - 96 on Monday. A day of rest for LeBron James on Sunday turned into one of calamity for his teammates, as they looked woefully ineffective in losing to the Washington Wizards by a 113 - 99 score that belied the extent of the winning team's dominance. James returned from his one - game sabbatical Monday, but Cleveland still had its work cut out for it in a matchup against their division rivals. Although LeBron looked refreshed while posting a game - high 33 points, Indiana countered with a pair of standout performances from Monta Ellis and Paul George. After a Cleveland comeback from a 94 - 91 deficit at the 1:30 mark of the fourth quarter, the nip - and - tuck battle came down for one last three - point attempt for George with two seconds left. The All-Star forward had drained four of his eight tries from beyond the arc leading up to that moment, but his 26 - footer missed its target, clinching a much - needed victory for a struggling Cleveland squad fighting to hold on to the top Eastern Conference seed. Ellis' 28 points paced the visitors, and he added two assists, a rebound and a steal. George followed closely behind with 23 points, eight rebounds, six assists and a pair of steals. George Hill was the only other member of the starting five with double - digit scoring, collecting 11 points, five assists and a pair of rebounds. Chase Budinger led the Pacers reserves with 11 points, four boards, a steal and a block. Indiana remains tied for second place with the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference's Central Division, and for the eighth seed as well. They now head to Milwaukee for a Wednesday evening tilt versus the Bucks. James added five rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals to his scoring haul. Kyrie Irving, the only Cavalier who looked like he'd come to play in Sunday's lackluster outing, put together a 22 - point, six - assist, three - rebound performance that also included a steal. Kevin Love bounced back from a forgettable effort versus the Wizards with 13 points, eight rebounds and six assists. J.R. Smith overcame a tough first half to finish with 11 points, three rebounds and a steal. Tristan Thompson responded to his move to the bench by providing a 14 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included a block. The Cavs retain first place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division, and the top seed in the conference by two and a half games over the Toronto Raptors. They remain home to take on the Washington Wizards on Friday night."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Hawks": "15"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "9", "Dennis Schroder": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "2"}, "Points": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "10", "Paul Millsap": "9", "Dwight Howard": "6", "Kent Bazemore": "14", "Dennis Schroder": "12", "Mike Dunleavy": "11", "Hassan Whiteside": "18", "Dion Waiters": "20", "Goran Dragic": "27", "Tyler Johnson": "11", "James Johnson": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "7", "Dwight Howard": "11", "Hassan Whiteside": "18"}}], "Miami dominated a sluggish Hawks squad on both ends of the floor, shooting a stellar 49 percent while limiting Atlanta to a 39 percent figure and causing 15 turnovers. Goran Dragic (27 points) and Dion Waiters (20 points) once again spearheaded the Heat offense. Hassan Whiteside put together an 18 - point, 18 - rebound double - double, while James Johnson chipped in with 16 points to lead the bench. Tyler Johnson was productive as a reserve as well with 11 points. Kent Bazemore's modest 14 points led the Hawks. Dennis Schroder followed with 12 points and Mike Dunleavy provided a bench - leading 11. Tim Hardaway, Jr. supplied 10 points (on 2 - of - 9 shooting), while Paul Millsap, who'd played 60 minutes in Sunday's quadruple - overtime affair, totaled nine points and seven rebounds. Dwight Howard mustered a modest six points but hauled in 11 boards."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "27", "Bucks": "30"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "111", "Bucks": "104"}, "Rebounds": {"Kings": "53"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "21", "Bucks": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1", "Rudy Gay": "6", "Rajon Rondo": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1", "Rajon Rondo": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "35", "Greg Monroe": "35"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "17", "Jabari Parker": "16", "Greg Monroe": "24", "Rudy Gay": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5", "Greg Monroe": "12", "Rudy Gay": "9", "Rajon Rondo": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Greg Monroe": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Greg Monroe": "1"}, "Steals": {"Greg Monroe": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Greg Monroe": "1", "Rudy Gay": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rudy Gay": "1", "Rajon Rondo": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Rudy Gay": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rajon Rondo": "10", "Omri Casspi": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Rajon Rondo": "6"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (21 - 27) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (20 - 30) 111 - 104 at Sleep Train Arena on Monday. Sacramento was without DeMarcus Cousins (ankle), but earned an unlikely scoring outburst from Rajon Rondo to send the Bucks to their 30th loss of the season. While 19 points might not seem like an outburst, it came from a point guard who has never been to known to shoot the ball, especially from behind the arc. Rondo finished 6 - of - 10 from the field and 4 - of - 4 from behind the arc, including one deep ball that put the game out of reach with just over two minutes remaining in regulation. He added seven assists and two rebounds to his hot hand. Rudy Gay truly deserves the outburst title in terms of scoring, and abused his matchup with Jabari Parker after he scored 32 points to lead all scorers, and added nine rebounds and six assists in one of his best performances of the season. The Kings were still dominant in the rebounding battle and pulled down 53 boards as a unit, as compared to the 37 rebounds from the opposition. Omri Casspi and Darren Collison combined for 27 points off the bench, while the beaten up Kings only went nine guys deep in the win. The Kings will host the Chicago Bulls (26 - 21) on Wednesday. The Bucks earned strong performances from their starters in terms of the box score, but physically they were overmatched, although the game had multiple lead changes and was within striking distance until the final three minutes of regulation. The aforementioned rebounding battle killed most of the second chance opportunities for Milwaukee, and the poor shooting off the bench did not help in the loss. Greg Monroe totaled a double - double with 24 points and 12 rebounds, while Giannis Antetokounmpo showed off a pretty eurostep throughout the game and scored 17 points, to go along with five rebounds in 35 minutes. Jabari Parker had one of his most efficient shooting efforts, adding 16 points on 8 - of - 12 shooting, but the percentages do not reflect Rudy Gay exploiting the sophomores defensive breakdowns. The Bucks also went nine men deep, but the four bench players combined for a lowly 15 points. The Bucks will visit the Portland Trail Blazers (23 - 26) on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "14", "Wizards": "12"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bulls": "19", "Wizards": "32"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "26", "Wizards": "27"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Paul Pierce": "32", "Bradley Beal": "36"}, "Points": {"Paul Pierce": "22", "Nene": "13", "Bradley Beal": "17", "John Wall": "21", "Pau Gasol": "13", "Derrick Rose": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Pierce": "6", "Bradley Beal": "5", "Pau Gasol": "8", "Derrick Rose": "2"}, "Assists": {"Nene": "8", "Bradley Beal": "6", "John Wall": "9", "Pau Gasol": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"John Wall": "1", "Derrick Rose": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"John Wall": "1", "Pau Gasol": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Derrick Rose": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Derrick Rose": "12"}, "Free throws made": {"Derrick Rose": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Derrick Rose": "2"}}], "The Washington Wizards (27 - 12) beat the Chicago Bulls (26 - 14) on Wednesday. The Wizards have won four straight at home, with their last loss at the Verizon Center coming at the hands of the Chicago Bulls on Dec. 23. Paul Pierce had 22 points and six rebounds in 32 minutes Wednesday. John Wall had 21 points and nine assists. Wall has had seven or more assists in every game but one this season. Nene finished with 13 points and eight assists, and shooting guard Bradley Beal put up 17 points, five rebounds and six assists in 36 minutes. The Bulls led by six at the half, but they lost the third quarter 32 - 19, handing them their 14th loss of the season. They've lost four of their last five, including two straight at home for the first time this season. Derrick Rose exploded for 32 points on 12 - of - 22 shooting from the field in his second game back after missing a game with knee soreness. Pau Gasol cooled down after averaging 37 points and 16 rebounds over his two previous games. He had 13 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Nikola Mirotic and Taj Gibson combined for 24 points and ten rebounds off the bench for the Bulls. The Wizards will head home to face the Nets on Friday, and the Bulls will travel to Boston to face the Celtics on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "40", "Grizzlies": "54"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "11", "Grizzlies": "17"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "105", "Grizzlies": "110"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "31", "Grizzlies": "25"}, "Turnovers": {"Grizzlies": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "6", "Tony Allen": "3", "Mike Conley": "9", "Trevor Ariza": "1", "James Harden": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "9", "Tony Allen": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Marc Gasol": "6", "Tony Allen": "9"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "14", "Tony Allen": "22", "Mike Conley": "17", "Zach Randolph": "16", "Trevor Ariza": "12", "James Harden": "27", "Eric Gordon": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "6", "Tony Allen": "4", "Mike Conley": "6", "Zach Randolph": "12", "Trevor Ariza": "9", "James Harden": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Marc Gasol": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Ryan Anderson": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ryan Anderson": "1"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the host Houston Rockets, 110 - 105, at Toyota Center on Friday. In a battle between two of the Western Conference elite, this game was full of swings. Houston actually led by 13 at the half, before the Grizzlies rode a 59 - 41 second half to come back and win. The Rockets were let down by their shooting, as they hit just 40 percent from the field and went 10 - of - 41 from three - point range. Memphis shot very well, as they went 54 percent from the field. Rebounding was a huge factor for the Grizzlies too, winning that battle, 45 - 31. The Grizzlies (25 - 17) committed a season - high 22 turnovers in this game, but they were able to prevail with a huge comeback win. Tony Allen was the star, as he led the team with 22 points, adding four rebounds and three assists on 9 - of - 10 from the field. Mike Conley was second on the team, providing 17 points, six rebounds and nine assists. Marc Gasol did commit six turnovers, but accrued 14 points, six rebounds and six assists on 6 - of - 9 from the field. Zach Randolph was huge off the bench, totaling 16 points and 12 rebounds, en route to a double - double. The Rockets (31 - 11) have now lost two - straight games, which marks their first losing streak of the season. James Harden once again carried the load, as he collected 27 points, three rebounds and nine assists. Eric Gordon was second on the team in scoring, as he dropped 13 points off the bench. Trevor Ariza amassed 12 points and nine rebounds. Ryan Anderson had a game to forget, as he went 1 - of - 8 from three - point range, while failing to record a rebound, an assist or a defensive statistic. Those four players combined to go 7 - of - 30 from three - point range in the defeat."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "55", "Thunder": "42"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "33"}}, {"Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "4", "Marreese Speights": "3"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "24", "DeAndre Jordan": "19", "Marreese Speights": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "5", "DeAndre Jordan": "15", "Marreese Speights": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "8", "Marreese Speights": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "7", "Marreese Speights": "8"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeAndre Jordan": "1"}, "Steals": {"Chris Paul": "1", "Marreese Speights": "1"}}], "Even after Chris Paul left the game with a sprained thumb, the Clippers were able to continue their hot start and come away with a blowout victory thanks to the performances of DeAndre Jordan and Marreese Speights. Jordan went for 19 points and 15 rebounds on 7 - of - 8 shooting, while Speights rounded out the box score in one of his best games of the season to the tune of 23 points, 10 rebounds and three assists on 8 - of - 15 shooting. Russell Westbrook fell far short of his triple - double average after going for 24 points, five rebounds and four assists. The Thunder, as a unit, did not shoot efficiently from both the field and behind the arc. Oklahoma City finished 42 percent from the field, and 33 percent from three, while the Clippers were able to best those numbers with an on fire 55 percent from the field."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "41"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "5", "Bucks": "5"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "84", "Bucks": "91"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Heat": "13", "Bucks": "26"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "5", "Bucks": "5"}}, {"Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "11", "Jabari Parker": "13", "Brandon Knight": "20", "Khris Middleton": "10", "Shawne Williams": "13", "Chris Bosh": "10", "Mario Chalmers": "18", "Shabazz Napier": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7", "Shawne Williams": "11", "Chris Bosh": "5", "Shabazz Napier": "5"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Jabari Parker": "2", "Chris Bosh": "1", "Mario Chalmers": "1"}, "Assists": {"Brandon Knight": "4", "Mario Chalmers": "5", "Shabazz Napier": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Brandon Knight": "7", "Chris Bosh": "6", "Mario Chalmers": "1", "Shabazz Napier": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Brandon Knight": "4", "Chris Bosh": "1", "Mario Chalmers": "1", "Shabazz Napier": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Brandon Knight": "13", "Chris Bosh": "17", "Mario Chalmers": "13", "Shabazz Napier": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Brandon Knight": "7", "Chris Bosh": "2", "Mario Chalmers": "7", "Shabazz Napier": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Brandon Knight": "2", "Shabazz Napier": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Brandon Knight": "2", "Shabazz Napier": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Khris Middleton": "20", "Shabazz Napier": "26"}, "Personal fouls": {"Chris Bosh": "1"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (5 - 5) beat the Miami Heat (5 - 5) 91 - 84 on Sunday at American Airlines Arena in Miami. Miami went into halftime with an eight point lead, but the Bucks came out of the half on fire and quickly turned the deficit around, out - scoring the Heat 26 to 13 in the third quarter. They also played some solid defense and held the Heat to shoot only 41 percent from the field. The Bucks were led by Brandon Knight, who finished with 20 points (7 - for - 13 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and four assists. He hit a few clutch three pointers down the stretch to keep the Bucks out front and secure the victory. The two youngsters, Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo also held their own in the victory. Antetokounmpo contributed 11 points and seven rebounds, as he moved into the starting lineup and pushed Ersan Ilyasova to the bench. Parker produced 13 points of his own and grabbed 13 rebounds, as he was pushed to power forward with the addition of Antetokounmpo in the starting lineup as the small forward. Kris Middleton was dealing with a knee injury coming into this game, but finished with 10 points off the bench in 20 minutes. The Heat had all five starters reach double - digit scoring, but it was n't enough to take the victory. Mario Chalmers went 7 - for - 13 from the field and 1 - for - 1 from the three - point line to score 18 points, while also handing out five assists. He got the start at shooting guard, with Dwyane Wade sitting out. Chris Bosh came into the game averaging 22 points and 9 rebounds, but struggled offensively as he shot only 2 - for - 17 from the field and 1 - for - 6 from beyond the arc to finish with 10 points. Coming off the bench, rookie Shabazz Napier had one of his better games of the year. He had a career - high 10 points (4 - for - 5 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and also pulled down a career - high five rebounds in 26 minutes. He seemed to get a slight increase in playing time with Wade out. Shawne Williams also posted a double - double with 13 points and 11 rebounds, marking his first of the year. The Bucks' next game will be at home against the New York Knicks on Tuesday, while the Heat will go on the road to Brooklyn to take on the Nets on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "39", "Thunder": "24"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "118", "Thunder": "110"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "38", "Thunder": "53"}}, {"Points": {"Kevin Durant": "33", "James Harden": "41"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Clint Capela": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Clint Capela": "4"}, "Steals": {"Clint Capela": "2"}}], "The Houston Rockets (38 - 39) kept their season alive on Sunday with a 118 - 110 upset win over the Oklahoma City Thunder (53 - 24). All-Star James Harden led the game with 41 points and added nine assists. Harden's scoring outburst came at just the right time for Houston, as the Rockets remain half a game out of the Western Conference playoffs. The team went on a massive 15 - 2 run in the fourth quarter, leading to a comeback over the powerhouse Thunder. Solid defense on OKC's superstar duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook helped to get the job done, as the pair turned the ball over a combined 14 times. Also coming up big for the Rockets was bench big man Clint Capela, who delivered four huge blocks as well as a pair of steals. For the Thunder, Sunday marks the team's 13th loss after leading headed into the fourth quarter, the most in the league. Turnovers seemed to be the death of the team on Sunday, as the ball was coughed up 19 times all in all. Despite the loss, point guard Russell Westbrook tallied his 51st double - double of the season and was just one assist shy of a league - leading 17th triple double. Elite scorer Kevin Durant also chipped in 33 points on the night. The Thunder will visit Denver on Tuesday, while the Rockets will visit rival Dallas on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "47"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "51", "Pelicans": "35"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "25", "Pelicans": "36"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "110", "Pelicans": "74"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "53", "Pelicans": "42"}, "Number of team assists": {"Pelicans": "13"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pelicans": "12"}, "Turnovers": {"Pelicans": "12"}}, {"Points": {"Quincy Pondexter": "11", "Anthony Davis": "12", "Tyreke Evans": "10", "Jeff Green": "15", "Zach Randolph": "15", "Marc Gasol": "15", "Mike Conley": "10", "Vince Carter": "10", "Beno Udrih": "14"}, "Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "1", "Zach Randolph": "6", "Marc Gasol": "6", "Mike Conley": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "9", "Tyreke Evans": "10", "Ryan Anderson": "6", "Zach Randolph": "13", "Mike Conley": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "5", "Ryan Anderson": "0", "Zach Randolph": "6", "Mike Conley": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Davis": "28", "Ryan Anderson": "13", "Zach Randolph": "30", "Mike Conley": "33", "Vince Carter": "18", "Beno Udrih": "19"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Anthony Davis": "1", "Zach Randolph": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "5", "Zach Randolph": "13", "Marc Gasol": "8"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Mike Conley": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Mike Conley": "2"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (53 - 25) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (42 - 36) 110 - 74 on Wednesday in Memphis. The Grizzlies put on a clinic Wednesday night, shooting 51 percent from the field and 47 percent from three. Four of their five starters scored in double figures with Zach Randolph leading the way. Randolph scored 15 points (6 - 13 FG), grabbed 13 rebounds and dished out six assists in 30 minutes of play. Both Jeff Green and Marc Gasol added 15 points for Memphis, with Gasol adding eight rebounds and six assists in his effort as well. Mike Conley was the fourth Grizzlies' starter to reach double figures, putting up 10 points (4 - 9 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt) and four assists in 33 minutes. Memphis got plenty of production off the bench, with Beno Udrih scoring 14 points in 19 minutes, while Vince Carter reached 10 points in 18 minutes. In total, the Grizzlies had 47 points scored from their bench. The win brings Memphis tied with the Rockets for second place in the Western Conference playoff hunt, and it looks as though it will be between those two teams for that position. The Pelicans had a bit of an emotional hangover, as after defeating the NBA-best Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, they laid an egg against the Grizzlies. No one on New Orleans played well, with their best performance being Anthony Davis' 12 points (5 - 9 FG) and five rebounds in 28 minutes. Tyreke Evans (10) and Quincy Pondexter (11) were the only other players for the Pelicans who scored in double figures. Ryan Anderson epitomized the Pelicans' effort, going 0 - for - 6 from the field and scoring zero points in 13 minutes off the bench. As a team, they had just 13 assists to 12 turnovers and shot a poor 35 percent from the field on the night. The loss moves them back into a tie with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West, but New Orleans currently holds the tiebreaker. Up next, the Grizzlies will head to Utah on Friday to take on the Jazz, while the Pelicans head home Friday and will play the Suns."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Wizards": "60"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "54"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Bradley Beal": "5", "John Wall": "11"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "19", "Kristaps Porzingis": "16", "Derrick Rose": "27", "Brandon Jennings": "17", "Bradley Beal": "18", "John Wall": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Brandon Jennings": "5", "Bradley Beal": "2"}, "Steals": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Derrick Rose": "1", "Brandon Jennings": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Brandon Jennings": "24", "Bradley Beal": "29"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bradley Beal": "3"}}], "Bradley Beal made a triumphant return after missing three games with a hamstring injury, posting 18 points, five assists and two rebounds over 29 minutes and knocking down half of his six three - point attempts in the process. John Wall contributed a 23 - point, 11 - assist double - double, and Otto Porter and Marcin Gortat combined for 37 points and 16 rebounds, while the Washington reserves totaled 33 points. The Wizards also shot a stellar 54 percent from the field overall and 60 percent from three - point range. Derrick Rose led the way for the Knicks with a game - high 27 points, while Carmelo Anthony managed 19 points, three rebounds, three assists and a steal. Kristaps Porzingis also supplied 16 points and Brandon Jennings was outstanding off the bench over 24 minutes, posting a 17 - point, 10 - assist double - double with five rebounds and a steal."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "21", "Pelicans": "24"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "96", "Pelicans": "110"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "17", "Pelicans": "15"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pelicans": "44"}}, {"Rebounds": {"Dante Cunningham": "3", "Anthony Davis": "18", "Jrue Holiday": "4", "Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Kristaps Porzingis": "4", "Joakim Noah": "10", "Brandon Jennings": "5", "Lance Thomas": "1", "Justin Holiday": "1"}, "Steals": {"Dante Cunningham": "1", "Buddy Hield": "3", "Jrue Holiday": "1", "Brandon Jennings": "2"}, "Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "2", "Buddy Hield": "3", "Jrue Holiday": "7", "Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Kristaps Porzingis": "1", "Joakim Noah": "2", "Brandon Jennings": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "Kristaps Porzingis": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "14"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "12"}, "Free throws made": {"Anthony Davis": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Davis": "29"}, "Personal fouls": {"Anthony Davis": "2", "Kyle O'Quinn": "3"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "40", "Buddy Hield": "11", "Jrue Holiday": "9", "Tyreke Evans": "12", "Terrence Jones": "11", "Carmelo Anthony": "18", "Kristaps Porzingis": "9", "Joakim Noah": "4", "Brandon Jennings": "20", "Lance Thomas": "9", "Justin Holiday": "9"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the New York Knicks, 110 - 96, at Madison Square Garden on Monday. Anthony Davis is used to carrying the load for the Pelicans (15 - 24), but Monday's game was a particularly illustrative example of such. Davis exploded for 40 points, 18 rebounds, two assists and three blocks, impressively draining 14 - of - 22 shot attempts from the field and 11 - of - 12 attempts from the foul line. The All-Star forward may have been too effective for his own good, however, as he was forced from the contest after 29 minutes with a left hip injury sustained after a flagrant - 2 foul by the Knicks' Kyle O'Quinn. Despite his early exit, as well as the fact that only three other Pelicans players hit double digits in the scoring column, New Orleans still managed the double - digit victory, in large part by shooting 48 percent from the field and 44 percent from three - point range. Buddy Hield was the only other member of the first unit with double - digit scoring, posting 11 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals. Jrue Holiday tallied nine points, seven assists, four rebounds and a steal. Dante Cunningham matched Holiday's point total and added three rebounds and a steal. Tyreke Evans paced the second unit with 12 points, while Terrence Jones went for 11 points in a reserve role as well. The Knicks (17 - 21) were led by Brandon Jennings, who tallied 20 points in a start over Derrick Rose. He added five rebounds, four assists and two steals. Carmelo Anthony produced 18 points, six rebounds and an assist. Kristaps Porzingis had his hands full on defense against Davis throughout the night, likely leading to his modest totals of nine points, four rebounds, an assist and two blocks. Joakim Noah managed just four points but hauled in 10 rebounds and dished out a pair of assists. Justin Holiday and Lance Thomas led the bench with matching nine - point efforts, with each also adding a rebound. The Pelicans remain in the Empire State for their next contest, which comes on Thursday night against the Brooklyn Nets. Meanwhile, the Knicks hit the road and make the short trip to Philadelphia for a Wednesday evening date with the Sixers."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Aaron Gordon": "10", "Serge Ibaka": "21", "Evan Fournier": "5", "D.J. Augustin": "12", "Tobias Harris": "11", "Marcus Morris": "21", "Andre Drummond": "10", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "9", "Reggie Jackson": "18", "Ish Smith": "11"}, "Assists": {"Serge Ibaka": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Serge Ibaka": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "7", "Andre Drummond": "10", "Reggie Jackson": "1"}, "Steals": {"Serge Ibaka": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Reggie Jackson": "23"}}], "Serge Ibaka posted a team - high 21 points for the Magic and added seven rebounds, four assists, four blocks and three steals. D.J. Augustin logged another start in place of Elfrid Payton and compiled 12 points, while Aaron Gordon supplied 10 points. Nikola Vucevic and Jeff Green combined for 30 points off the bench and the second unit tallied 45 points overall, making up for Evan Fournier's underwhelming five - point tally. Detroit was led by Marcus Morris' 21 points. Reggie Jackson's impressive season debut consisted of 18 points, four assists and a rebound over 23 minutes. Tobias Harris tallied 11 points against his former Magic teammates, while Andre Drummond posted a 10 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope managed just nine points, but Ish Smith, back on the second unit with Jackson's return, registered a bench - leading 11 points."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Thunder": "25", "Clippers": "14"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "13", "Clippers": "14"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "114", "Clippers": "88"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Thunder": "33", "Clippers": "12"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "21", "Clippers": "22"}, "Turnovers": {"Clippers": "15"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "5", "Austin Rivers": "11", "Brandon Bass": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "4", "Austin Rivers": "3", "Brandon Bass": "7"}, "Points": {"DeAndre Jordan": "9", "Austin Rivers": "14", "Marreese Speights": "18", "Brandon Bass": "18", "Victor Oladipo": "15", "Russell Westbrook": "17", "Enes Kanter": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "11", "Marreese Speights": "5", "Brandon Bass": "6", "Victor Oladipo": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "12", "Enes Kanter": "8"}, "Assists": {"Austin Rivers": "3", "Victor Oladipo": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "14"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 114 - 88, at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Saturday. With the recent form of these teams a Thunder blowout was the expected result and they did n't disappoint. In fact, Oklahoma City got out to a 33 - 12 lead after the first quarter and never looked back. All the statistics were in the Thunder's favor, as they won the shooting, assisting, rebounding, steals, blocks and turnover categories. The assist - to - turnover differential was the biggest factor, with the Clippers recording 14 assists and 15 turnovers, while the Thunder committed just eight turnovers to 25 assists. The Clippers (22 - 14) are in a nightmare slump right now, as they've lost five - straight games. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin sat out this game with differing ailments and the secondary players simply did n't do enough. Austin Rivers led the starters in scoring, as he tallied 14 points and three assists on 3 - of - 11 shooting. Deandre Jordan was the starter to shoot over 40 percent, as he finished with nine points and 11 rebounds on 4 - of - 5 shooting. Brandon Bass was a lone bright spot, as he amassed 18 points and six rebounds on 7 - of - 9 shooting off the bench. Marreese Speights played well off the bench too, dropping 18 points and five boards. The Clippers will look to get out of this slide on Monday against the Phoenix Suns. The Thunder (21 - 13) have gotten a historic season from Russell Westbrook and he only added to his numbers with yet another triple - double. Westbrook actually sat out the fourth quarter, as he recorded his triple - double late in the second quarter. He finished the game with 17 points, 12 rebounds and 14 assists. Victor Oladipo made his return from a wrist injury to accrue 15 points, four rebounds and two assists. Enes Kanter led the team in scoring, as he totaled 23 points and eight rebounds off the bench. The Thunder will look to keep rolling on Monday against the Milwaukee Bucks."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "3", "Cavaliers": "6"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "91", "Cavaliers": "78"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "8", "Cavaliers": "5"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "36"}, "Turnovers": {"Cavaliers": "19"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Bradley Beal": "32"}, "Points": {"Bradley Beal": "12"}}], "The Washington Wizards (8 - 3) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (5 - 6) 91 - 78 on Friday. Washington knocked the Cavaliers under .500 at a part of the season where such a state seems improbable, regardless of how early in the season it is relative to the number of games everyone has left to play. LeBron James' teams may stumble from time to time, but they do n't usually falter to the point the Cavs have thus far. The Wizards brought Bradley Beal off the bench for a second straight game as they work to get him up to speed. Beal put up 12 points in 32 minutes off the bench. Cleveland shot 36 percent from the field and coughed up 19 turnovers, two numbers that often come with a loss. While the Cavaliers have preached patience, questions about whether or not the pieces they have can fit together have already been getting tossed around liberally in NBA circles. Washington will go on the road to play the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday. Cleveland takes their three - game losing streak back home to face another tough opponent in the Toronoto Raptors on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "4", "Raptors": "1"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "92", "Raptors": "87"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "2", "Raptors": "5"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "22"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "35"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Raptors": "18"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "13", "Kyle Lowry": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "6"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Tobias Harris": "80"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "20"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (5 - 1) suffered their first defeat of the season on Friday, falling 92 - 87 to the Orlando Magic (2 - 4) in the game's final minute. The Magic, playing without star center Nikola Vucevic (knee), were bolstered by the play of emerging leader Victor Oladipo. The third - year guard posted totals of 18 points, seven rebounds, and six assists while turning the ball over just once against the stingy Raptors defense. Orlando also saw forward Tobias Harris post a team - high 20 points on an efficient 80 percent shooting from the field. The team was able to walk away with the win due largely to strong defensive play, as the Raptors were held to shooting just 35 percent from the field and 22 percent from behind the arc. Meanwhile, the Raptors saw disappointing performances from their perimeter players in the team's first loss of the season. All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry shot just 6 - of - 16 from the field, while offseason addition DeMarre Carroll had 10 misfires himself, shooting just 3 - for - 13. Though the team only totaled nine turnovers on the night, mistakes down the stretch - - particularly in the final minute - - ended up being the deciding factor in what was a close game. Despite falling to Orlando, the Raptors still sit at the top of the Eastern Conference. The team will prepare for a visit to Miami on Sunday as they seek to bounce back from tonight's loss. The Magic, meanwhile, will look to carry momentum from the win into Saturday, as they travel to Philadelphia to take on the 76ers."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nuggets": "16"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "41"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "17", "Timberwolves": "23"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "106", "Timberwolves": "102"}, "Rebounds": {"Nuggets": "62", "Timberwolves": "44"}, "Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "18"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "13", "Timberwolves": "5"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "4", "Thaddeus Young": "1", "Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Wilson Chandler": "9", "Ty Lawson": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "2", "Thaddeus Young": "0", "Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Wilson Chandler": "2", "Ty Lawson": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "14", "Thaddeus Young": "21", "Andrew Wiggins": "18", "Wilson Chandler": "21", "Kenneth Faried": "15", "Ty Lawson": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "5", "Thaddeus Young": "10", "Andrew Wiggins": "8", "Wilson Chandler": "7", "Kenneth Faried": "11", "Ty Lawson": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "2", "Andrew Wiggins": "8", "Wilson Chandler": "6", "Ty Lawson": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "2", "Andrew Wiggins": "5", "Wilson Chandler": "5", "Ty Lawson": "4"}, "Points": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "14", "Thaddeus Young": "23", "Gorgui Dieng": "14", "Andrew Wiggins": "22", "Wilson Chandler": "21", "Kenneth Faried": "26", "Timofey Mozgov": "11", "Arron Afflalo": "13", "Ty Lawson": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Thaddeus Young": "6", "Wilson Chandler": "4", "Kenneth Faried": "25"}, "Blocks": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2"}, "Assists": {"Ty Lawson": "11"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (13 - 17) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (5 - 23) 106 - 102 on Friday at the Pepsi Center in Denver. In the victory in front of their home crowd, Denver shot 41 percent from the field, but only 16 percent from the three - point line. The Nuggets were forced into 18 turnovers, but made up for it by out - rebounding the Timberwolves a whopping 62 - 44. With so many rebounds, the Nuggets gave themselves many second - chance opportunities, which gave them just enough of an edge to secure the win. The Nuggets bench did n't provide much help in this game, combining to score only 19 of the 106 total points. Luckily, the starters were all on their game, with each scoring in double figures. Kenneth Faried had an absolutely monster day, going 11 - for - 15 from the field and scored 26 points, while also grabbing 25 rebounds. The points and rebounds were both season - highs for the forward and a good sight for the Nuggets, as Faried has n't lived up to his expectations so far this season. Wilson Chandler also surpassed the 20 - point mark, as he went off for 21 points (7 - 21 FG, 2 - 9 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT) and four rebounds. He's averaging 14 points and six rebounds on the season. Ty Lawson provided his sixteenth double - double of the season already. He finished the game with 16 points (6 - 17 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and 11 assists. Aaron Afflalo and Timofey Mozgov recorded 13 and 11 points respectively. For the Timberwolves, Thaddeus Young and Andrew Wiggins led the way. Young went 10 - for - 21 from the field and 0 - for - 1 from the three - point line to score 23 points, while also adding six rebounds. As one of the more veteran players on the team, it was good seeing him get into a rhythm to help lead the younger guys. First overall pick Andrew Wiggins contributed 22 points (8 - 18 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 8 FT) and five rebounds. He's had a very successful streak of two games, combining for 49 points and seven rebounds over that span of time. Gorgui Dieng added another double - double to his resume, finishing with 14 points and 13 rebounds. The only other Timberwolve to reach double figures was Shabazz Muhammad, who recorded 14 points (5 - 14 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT). The Nuggets' next game will be at home against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, while the Timberwolves will travel to Oakland to play the Golden State Warriors on Saturday."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Jae Crowder": "18", "Al Horford": "19", "Avery Bradley": "18", "Marcus Smart": "11", "Steven Adams": "16", "Russell Westbrook": "37"}, "Assists": {"Al Horford": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Horford": "4", "Steven Adams": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "12"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Avery Bradley": "18", "Marcus Smart": "11", "Steven Adams": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "26"}, "Field goals made": {"Steven Adams": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "14"}, "Free throws made": {"Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "7"}}], "In what has been a ridiculous season for All-Star Russell Westbrook, Sunday was among the highlights. Westbrook led the Thunder to a comeback victory with 37 points on 14 - of - 26 shooting. He added 12 rebounds and six assists. Despite the ridiculous line, Westbrook failed to set the record for the most consecutive triple - doubles, which he currently shares with Michael Jordan. Westbrook's streak of seven triple - doubles snapped after Sunday's game; however, Westbrook is still averaging a triple - double on the season through 24 games. Center Steven Adams also posted big numbers for the Thunder, shooting 7 - of - 8 for 16 points and eight rebounds. For the Celtics, it was a well - rounded team affair despite the loss. Center Al Horford scored 19 and had four rebounds and six assists. Shooting guard Avery Bradley scored 18, as did forward Jae Crowder. Point guard Marcus Smart, filling in for an injured Isaiah Thomas (groin), scored 11 and dished out nine assists."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "28"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "45", "Heat": "42"}}, {"Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "2", "Kevin Durant": "2", "Draymond Green": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "20", "Kevin Durant": "8", "Draymond Green": "9", "Stephen Curry": "8"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "28", "Draymond Green": "13", "Stephen Curry": "24"}, "Assists": {"Draymond Green": "5", "Stephen Curry": "9"}, "Steals": {"Draymond Green": "2"}}], "With guard Klay Thompson resting on Tuesday, the remainder of the Warriors' \"Big Four\" delivered stellar performances in their win over the Heat. Kevin Durant scored a team - high 28 points to go with eight rebounds and two blocks. Reigning MVP Steph Curry, meanwhile, had 24 points to go with eight rebounds and nine assists. Draymond Green scored 13 and had two steals, two blocks, nine rebounds, and five assists. As a team, Golden State had 28 assists, shot 45 percent, and hit 11 three - pointers. The night's best performance, however, may have come from Miami center Hassan Whiteside. Whiteside shot 13 - of - 17 and scored 28 points to go with 20 rebounds and two blocks. The center was utterly dominant on both ends of the floor. His individual performance, however, was not enough to overcome the loaded Warriors' team. Miami shot just 42 percent and went only 6 - of - 30 on three - point attempts."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pelicans": "44"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "45"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "21", "76ers": "37"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "99", "76ers": "74"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pelicans": "30", "76ers": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Pelicans": "52", "76ers": "38"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "24", "76ers": "8"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Henry Sims": "9", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "13", "Larry Drew II": "9", "KJ McDaniels": "8", "Anthony Davis": "19", "Eric Gordon": "9", "Ryan Anderson": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Henry Sims": "4", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "6", "Larry Drew II": "2", "KJ McDaniels": "5", "Anthony Davis": "12", "Eric Gordon": "5", "Ryan Anderson": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Henry Sims": "8", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "3", "Anthony Davis": "8", "Eric Gordon": "1", "Ryan Anderson": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Henry Sims": "6", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "2", "Anthony Davis": "8", "Eric Gordon": "1"}, "Points": {"Henry Sims": "14", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "14", "Larry Drew II": "4", "KJ McDaniels": "16", "Anthony Davis": "32", "Eric Gordon": "13", "Tyreke Evans": "6", "Ryan Anderson": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Henry Sims": "3", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "3", "Larry Drew II": "5", "KJ McDaniels": "4", "Anthony Davis": "10", "Ryan Anderson": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "1", "Larry Drew II": "4", "KJ McDaniels": "1", "Eric Gordon": "5", "Ryan Anderson": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "0", "Larry Drew II": "0", "KJ McDaniels": "1", "Eric Gordon": "2", "Ryan Anderson": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"KJ McDaniels": "3"}, "Steals": {"KJ McDaniels": "3", "Anthony Davis": "3", "Ryan Anderson": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}, "Assists": {"Eric Gordon": "5", "Tyreke Evans": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Tyreke Evans": "28"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (24 - 21) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (8 - 37) 99 - 74 on Monday at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The Pelicans got started quickly in this game, out - scoring the Sixers 30 - 19 in the first quarter alone. The Pelicans were the superior shooters, going 45 percent from the field and 44 percent from the three - point line, while the Sixers shot just 35 percent from the floor and a meager 13 percent from beyond the arc. The Pelicans also did it on the glass though, securing a 52 - 38 rebounding advantage. The Pelicans were led by Anthony Davis, who continued his strong stretch of games and finished with 32 points (12 - 19 FG, 8 - 8 FT), 10 rebounds, three steals and four blocked shots. It was his third straight double - double, as he's averaged 27 points and 11 rebounds over that span of games. Coming off the bench, Ryan Anderson stayed a consistent part of the Pelicans' offense. He went 7 - for - 14 from the field and 4 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score 19 points, while also adding seven rebounds and three steals. He's combined for 37 points and 12 rebounds over his last two games, while his three steals matched a season - high. Tyreke Evans finally slowed down offensively though, recording only six points in 28 minutes. He did post 12 assists for the second straight night though, as he's been focusing on getting his teammates opportunities. Eric Gordon chipped in with 13 points (5 - 9 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT) and five assists as well. The Sixers' biggest contributor came from their bench Monday. That was rookie K.J. McDaniels, who went 5 - for - 8 from the field and 1 - for - 1 from the three - point line to score 16 points in 27 minutes. Despite averaging only 9 points per game so far this season, he's now recorded 12 or more points in three out of his last four games, so he's starting to get in a rhythm. With Michael Carter-Williams sitting out because of an illness, Larry Drew got the start at point guard. He really struggled in his 31 minutes of playing time, finishing with only four points (2 - 9 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt) and five rebounds. Both Henry Sims and Luc Mbah A Moute reached double figures as well. Sims had 14 points (4 - 9 FG, 6 - 8 FT) and three rebounds, while Mbah A Moute had 14 points (6 - 13 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT) and three rebounds of his own. The Pelicans' next game will be at home against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, while the Sixers will be at home against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hornets": "31"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "2"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "48"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Celtics": "33"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Avery Bradley": "8"}, "Points": {"Avery Bradley": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Avery Bradley": "11", "Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Nicolas Batum": "3"}, "Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kemba Walker": "3"}}], "Avery Bradley shed his defense - first label Saturday, collecting 31 points and setting career highs with 11 rebounds and eight three - pointers in a win against the Hornets. He and backcourt mate Isaiah Thomas were thorns in the Hornets' side all night, combining for 55 points on 51 percent (20 - for - 39) shooting with 10 three - pointers overall. Boston's collective 48 and 48 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively, keyed a hard - fought victory that included a 33 - point fourth quarter by the Celtics. Charlotte's offensive attack continues to inordinately rely on Kemba Walker, who has 53 points over the last two games. As was the case Friday versus the Heat, Nicolas Batum was the only other member of the first unit besides Walker to tally a double - digit point total, with the other three starters shooting a combined 7 - for - 19 from the field."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "28"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "43", "Heat": "39"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "3", "Heat": "2"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "96", "Heat": "89"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "2", "Heat": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Heat": "8"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Luol Deng": "2", "Chris Bosh": "6", "Dwyane Wade": "2", "Norris Cole": "2", "Kemba Walker": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Luol Deng": "0", "Chris Bosh": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "0", "Norris Cole": "0", "Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Luol Deng": "5", "Kemba Walker": "6"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Luol Deng": "1", "Chris Bosh": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Luol Deng": "1", "Chris Bosh": "1", "Shabazz Napier": "5", "Al Jefferson": "1"}, "Points": {"Luol Deng": "9", "Chris Bosh": "23", "Dwyane Wade": "25", "Shabazz Napier": "7", "Lance Stephenson": "8", "Al Jefferson": "28", "Gerald Henderson": "4", "Kemba Walker": "18"}, "Steals": {"Luol Deng": "2", "Chris Bosh": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "Assists": {"Chris Bosh": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "7", "Norris Cole": "1", "Al Jefferson": "1", "Kemba Walker": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Chris Bosh": "13", "Lance Stephenson": "13", "Al Jefferson": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"Chris Bosh": "2", "Al Jefferson": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Dwyane Wade": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dwyane Wade": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Norris Cole": "6", "Lance Stephenson": "12", "Kemba Walker": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Norris Cole": "1", "Lance Stephenson": "3", "Kemba Walker": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Shabazz Napier": "26", "Gerald Henderson": "18"}, "Free throws made": {"Kemba Walker": "6"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (2 - 3) defeated the Miami Heat (3 - 2) 96 - 89 on Wednesday at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte. Although the Heat turned the ball over only eight times in this matchup, the team collectively could n't score the ball enough and finished the game shooting 39 percent from the field and 19 percent from beyond the arc. The Hornets went 43 percent from the field and 28 percent from the three - point line. Despite only shooting a slightly higher percentage, and committing more turnovers, it was still enough for the Hornets to get the victory and inch a game closer to the Heat in the Southeast Division. Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh led the Heat and were the only two players to score in double figures. Bosh recorded his third double - double of the year, going for 23 points and 13 rebounds, while Wade had 25 points and seven assists. Despite dealing with an arm injury, Luol Deng was able to start Wednesday, and he had nine points and two steals in 27 minutes. Norris Cole struggled to find his shot in this one, as he went 1 - for - 6 from the field and 0 - for - 2 from beyond the arc. Rookie Shabazz Napier scored seven points in 26 minutes and stayed consistent with the types of numbers he's had for the first five games of the season. With Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (chest) out for his second straight game, Gerald Henderson got the start again. Despite the start, Henderson played only 18 minutes, and finised with just four points. Al Jefferson eclipsed the 20 - point mark and led the Hornets in scoring for the second straight game, finishing with 28 points and 10 rebounds. This was his first double - double since recording one in the season opener against the Bucks. Lance Stephenson's early - season struggles continued, as he shot only 3 - for - 12 from the field to score eight points. He was still able to contribute 13 rebounds, so it was n't all bad for the forward. Kemba Walker found his stroke Wednesday, scoring 18 points (5 - 6 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) with seven assists. The Hornets' next game will be at home against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, while the Heat will be at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Danilo Gallinari": "3", "Will Barton": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Danilo Gallinari": "12"}, "Free throws made": {"Danilo Gallinari": "11"}, "Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "24", "Will Barton": "22", "Jamal Murray": "22", "Ersan Ilyasova": "17", "Joel Embiid": "16", "Gerald Henderson": "14", "Sergio Rodriguez": "17", "Richaun Holmes": "11", "Dario Saric": "17"}, "Steals": {"Danilo Gallinari": "2", "Will Barton": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "10", "Will Barton": "8", "Joel Embiid": "4", "Sergio Rodriguez": "4", "Richaun Holmes": "8", "Dario Saric": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Will Barton": "2"}}], "Danilo Gallinari's 24 points, which was fueled by an 11 - of - 12 tally from the foul line, led the Nuggets, who shot 47 percent from the field on the evening. Will Barton checked in behind him with a full stat line of 22 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. Jusuf Nurkic contributed 10 rebounds, and although Emmanuel Mudiay and Kenneth Faried combined for just six points, Jamal Murray's 22 - point effort off the bench helped make up for some of the scoring void. The Sixers were led by a pair of 17 - point efforts from Ersan Ilyasova and Sergio Rodriguez, while Joel Embiid posted 16 points and four boards. Gerald Henderson added 14 points, while rookie Dario Saric (17 points) and Richaun Holmes (11 points) were highly productive off the bench, with both players also hauling in eight rebounds apiece."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Clippers": "28"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "31"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "43"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "3", "Blake Griffin": "1", "DeAndre Jordan": "1"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "13", "Rudy Gobert": "26", "Joe Johnson": "17", "Blake Griffin": "15", "DeAndre Jordan": "7", "Jamal Crawford": "28", "Marreese Speights": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Rudy Gobert": "14", "Blake Griffin": "6", "DeAndre Jordan": "15", "Marreese Speights": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gobert": "13", "Jamal Crawford": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gobert": "10", "Jamal Crawford": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Rudy Gobert": "36", "Joe Johnson": "26", "DeAndre Jordan": "26", "Jamal Crawford": "25", "Marreese Speights": "22"}, "Steals": {"Blake Griffin": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jamal Crawford": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jamal Crawford": "3"}}], "Jamal Crawford was the high - point man in the contest, as he led the Clippers with 28 points on 8 - of - 12 shooting, including 3 - of - 6 from long range, in 25 minutes off the bench. Blake Griffin finished with 15 points, six rebounds, three steals and an assist, while DeAndre Jordan hauled in 15 rebounds, to go along with seven points, in 26 minutes. Marreese Speights came up big off the bench with 11 points and 10 rebounds, in 22 minutes. Meanwhile, Rudy Gobert led the way for Utah with 26 points on 10 - of - 13 shooting, and 14 rebounds, in 36 minutes. Joe Johnson followed up with 17 points, in 26 minutes off the bench, while Gordon Hayward chipped in 13 points, five rebounds and three assists. The Jazz shot only 43 percent from the field and 31 percent from long range and we out - scored by 12 in the paint."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Heat": "29"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "59"}}, {"Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "26", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "31", "Ricky Rubio": "20", "Hassan Whiteside": "23", "Goran Dragic": "19", "Tyler Johnson": "23", "James Johnson": "17"}, "Minutes played": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "38", "Hassan Whiteside": "33", "Goran Dragic": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "11", "Hassan Whiteside": "14", "Goran Dragic": "5", "Tyler Johnson": "2", "James Johnson": "2"}, "Assists": {"Ricky Rubio": "6", "Goran Dragic": "10"}, "Steals": {"Ricky Rubio": "2", "Goran Dragic": "3", "James Johnson": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "3", "Tyler Johnson": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Hassan Whiteside": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Hassan Whiteside": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tyler Johnson": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"James Johnson": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"James Johnson": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"James Johnson": "2"}}], "The Heat were on fire from the field, hitting 59 percent of their field goal attempts, while they dished 29 assists and scored 64 points in the paint. Hassan Whiteside led the charge for Miami with 23 points on super efficient 10 - of - 11 shooting, to go along with 14 rebounds and three blocked shots, in 33 minutes. Tyler Johnson also finished with 23 points, while James Johnson chipped in 17, as the two combined provided the Heat with a formidable attack off the bench. Goran Dragic finished with 19 points, 10 assists, five rebounds and three steals, in 33 minutes. Meanwhile, Karl-Anthony Towns led the way for the Timberwolves with 31 points and 11 rebounds, in 38 minutes. Andrew Wiggins followed up with 26 points, while Ricky Rubio came up big once again, with 20 points, six assists and two steals."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "35", "Mavericks": "35"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "97", "Mavericks": "84"}, "Rebounds": {"Timberwolves": "44", "Mavericks": "35"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "23", "Mavericks": "22"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "24"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "42"}}, {"Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "20", "Dirk Nowitzki": "8", "Seth Curry": "31", "Andrew Wiggins": "27", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "26", "Ricky Rubio": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Harrison Barnes": "6", "Dirk Nowitzki": "7", "Andrew Wiggins": "7", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "18", "Ricky Rubio": "5"}, "Steals": {"Harrison Barnes": "2", "Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "3"}, "Assists": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "3", "Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Ricky Rubio": "14"}, "Blocks": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Seth Curry": "17", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Seth Curry": "13", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "12"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Dallas Mavericks, 97 - 84, at Target Center on Friday. In a battle between two teams looking to vie for the eight - seed in the west, Minnesota prevailed with a big win. They took care of busines from start to finish, as the T'Wolves led for over 45 minutes of this game. Defense carried Minnesota, as they held Dallas to 42 percent from the field and 24 percent from three - point range. The Timberwolves also dominated down low, winning the rebounding battle, 44 - 35 and the points in the paint differential, 48 - 30. The Mavericks (22 - 35) have struggled on offense all season and duds like this against a bad Minnesota defense only adds to those troubles. Seth Curry had the game of his life though, dropping a career - high 31 points on 13 - of - 17 shooting. Harrison Barnes was the only other Maverick in double figures, as he totaled 20 points, six rebounds and two steals. Dirk Nowitzki accumulated eight points, seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. The Timberwolves (23 - 35) continue to battle for a playoff berth and wins like this over teams who are ahead of them are imperative for that pursuit. Andrew Wiggins led Minnesota in scoring, as he amassed 27 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Karl-Anthony Towns was the most valuable player, as he collected 26 points and 18 rebounds on 12 - of - 18 shooting. Ricky Rubio finished third on the team, totaling 13 points, five rebounds, 14 assists and three steals."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Timberwolves": "18", "Warriors": "23"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "36", "Warriors": "46"}, "Losses": {"Timberwolves": "16", "Warriors": "2"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "86", "Warriors": "102"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "4", "Warriors": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "3", "Stephen Curry": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Draymond Green": "3", "Klay Thompson": "6", "Stephen Curry": "7", "Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Thaddeus Young": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Draymond Green": "0", "Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "1", "Andrew Wiggins": "0", "Thaddeus Young": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Draymond Green": "10", "Klay Thompson": "15", "Stephen Curry": "20", "Shaun Livingston": "8", "Marreese Speights": "8", "Thaddeus Young": "11", "Shabazz Muhammad": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Draymond Green": "3", "Klay Thompson": "7", "Stephen Curry": "10", "Andrew Wiggins": "8", "Thaddeus Young": "5", "Shabazz Muhammad": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Draymond Green": "4", "Andrew Wiggins": "8", "Thaddeus Young": "3", "Shabazz Muhammad": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Draymond Green": "4", "Thaddeus Young": "2", "Shabazz Muhammad": "6"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "10", "Klay Thompson": "21", "Stephen Curry": "21", "Shaun Livingston": "12", "Marreese Speights": "12", "Andrew Wiggins": "21", "Thaddeus Young": "13", "Shabazz Muhammad": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "10", "Thaddeus Young": "7"}, "Steals": {"Draymond Green": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Draymond Green": "3"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (18 - 2) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (4 - 16) 102 - 86 on Monday at the Target Center in Minneapolis. Right from the tip - off, the Warriors were clearly the better offensive team in this one. They capped off the first half with a 48 - 39 point lead, giving them enough of an advantage to coast to a victory on the road. They shot 46 percent from the field and 23 percent from the three - point line, while the Timberwolves shot only 36 percent from the floor and a dismal 18 percent from beyond the arc. The Warriors superstar backcourt of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson was again the difference in this game, helping lead them to their thirteenth straight victory and a league - leading eighteen wins. Despite only going 1 - for - 7 from beyond the arc, Curry still hit 10 - for - 20 from the field, giving him 21 points, while also adding seven assists. Thompson on the other hand went 7 - for - 15 from the field and 3 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 21 points of his own. The Timberwolves just did n't have a difference maker on defense who could shut either of the guards down, so they did n't have much hope in this one. Draymond Green struggled with his shot (3 - 10 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), but was still able to contribute 10 points and 10 rebounds, giving him his second double - double in the last three games. Shaun Livingston and Marreese Speights chipped in 12 points apiece off the bench. Rookie Andrew Wiggins did all he could to keep the Timberwolves in the game. He went 8 - for - 19 from the field and 0 - for - 1 from the three - point line to score 21 points, while also pulling in six rebounds. It was the first time in the last eight games he was able to reach the 20 - point mark, pushing his season average to 11 points per game. Thaddeus Young reached double figures as well, scoring 13 points (5 - 11 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT) and grabbing seven rebounds. With so many injuries, Shabazz Muhammad continued to be a solid presence of the bench, as he went 4 - for - 8 from the field and a perfect 6 - for - 6 from the free throw line to score 14 points. He's now averaging 11 points and 3 rebounds on the year. The Warriors' next game will be at home against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, while the Timberwolves will be at home against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "20", "76ers": "23"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "88", "76ers": "96"}, "Rebounds": {"Magic": "43", "76ers": "52"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "10", "76ers": "3"}}, {"Points": {"Robert Covington": "11", "Nerlens Noel": "13", "Michael Carter-Williams": "21", "Nikola Vucevic": "19", "Victor Oladipo": "23", "Evan Fournier": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Robert Covington": "10", "Nerlens Noel": "12", "Nikola Vucevic": "17", "Evan Fournier": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nerlens Noel": "13", "Michael Carter-Williams": "12", "Victor Oladipo": "16", "Evan Fournier": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Nerlens Noel": "5", "Michael Carter-Williams": "7", "Victor Oladipo": "10", "Evan Fournier": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nerlens Noel": "3", "Michael Carter-Williams": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Nerlens Noel": "3", "Michael Carter-Williams": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Nerlens Noel": "3"}, "Assists": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "5", "Evan Fournier": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "1", "Evan Fournier": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "36"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Evan Fournier": "2"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers (3 - 23) defeated the Orlando Magic (10 - 20) 96 - 88 on Sunday at the Amway Center in Orlando. Despite being down 42 - 37 at half, the Sixers came out strong in the third quarter and out - scored the Magic 59 - 46 to finish the second half and steal the victory on the road. The Sixers were able to out - rebound the Magic 52 - 43, giving them just enough of an advantage to coast to the victory. The Sixers were led by Michael Carter-Williams, who went 7 - for - 12 from the field and 1 - for - 2 from the three - point line to score 21 points in 36 minutes, while also handing out six assists. He was also able to convert on 6 - of - 8 free throws.He's now averaging 16 points, 8 assists and seven rebounds on the season. Nerlens Noel was able to notch his fourth double - double of the season, as he finished with 13 points (5 - 13 FG, 3 - 3 FT) and 12 rebounds. He's combined for 29 rebounds in the last three games, as he's now averaging 7 rebounds on the year. Robert Covington had a double - double of his own with 11 points and 10 rebounds. It was the first double - double he's recorded all year. Both Henry Sims and Tony Wroten produced the most points off the bench as they combined for 22 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists. The Magic saw the majority of their production come from Victor Oladipo and Nikola Vucevic. Oladipo went 10 - for - 16 from the field and 1 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score 23 points. After playing poorly in a few of his previous games, it was nice to see Oladipo have a bounce back effort and get back to playing well. Vucevic on the other hand was a force on the boards, as he collected 17 rebounds to go along with the 19 points he scored. He's now bumped his season averages up to 18 points and 12 rebounds on the year. Coming off the bench, Evan Fournier shot 5 - for - 11 from the field and 3 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 16 points. He's now combined for 37 points, five rebounds and five assists in the past two days. The Sixers' next game will be on the road against the Miami Heat on Tuesday, the magic will play at home against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "3", "Pacers": "5"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "96", "Pacers": "95"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bulls": "17"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "7", "Pacers": "6"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "5", "Monta Ellis": "6", "Derrick Rose": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Paul George": "5", "Monta Ellis": "2", "Derrick Rose": "2"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "26", "Monta Ellis": "20", "Jimmy Butler": "17", "Derrick Rose": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Ian Mahinmi": "12", "Monta Ellis": "4", "Jordan Hill": "12", "Pau Gasol": "13"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Monta Ellis": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Monta Ellis": "0", "Derrick Rose": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Monta Ellis": "20", "Derrick Rose": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Monta Ellis": "9", "Derrick Rose": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Monta Ellis": "2", "Jordan Hill": "4", "Derrick Rose": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Monta Ellis": "2", "Jordan Hill": "3", "Jimmy Butler": "5", "Derrick Rose": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Monta Ellis": "36", "Jimmy Butler": "36", "Derrick Rose": "33"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Monta Ellis": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jimmy Butler": "5"}}], "The Bulls (7 - 3) defeated the Pacers (6 - 5) 96 - 95 in a close game at United Center on Monday. With the game on the line and five seconds left in regulation, the Pacers looked to Paul George to lift them past the Bulls, but Jimmy Butler had different plans. Butler blocked George to seal the win for Chicago in a game that the Bulls almost gave away. Despite the final possession, George still finished with a game - high 26 points, the seventh straight game he's scored 26 or more. It was a solid effort for the Pacers, who were playing with key guards George Hill (illness) and Rodney Stuckey (ankle). With those two sidelined, it was up to Monta Ellis to provide secondary scoring, which he did a decent job of. Ellis finished with 20 points (9 - 20 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), six assists and four rebounds over 36 minutes. He's posted at least 20 points and five assists in back - to - back games and has played well so far in November. Center Ian Mahinmi and power forward Jordan Hill each had 12 rebounds. While the Bulls were able to escape with a victory, they did lose Derrick Rose in the process, as the all - star point guard left the game in the second half after spraining his ankle. Rose did manage to score a team - high 23 points (9 - 18 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) with six assists in 33 minutes before he rolled his ankle. Butler, the Bulls' savior, scored just 17 points in 36 minutes and was in foul trouble trying to contain George all game. While Pau Gasol had an off night on the offensive end, he still managed to rip down 13 rebounds in his second straight game. Chicago travels to Phoenix to take on the Suns on Wednesday; the Pacers head to Philadelphia to try and keep the 76ers winless."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Lakers": "13", "Mavericks": "31"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "12"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Mavericks": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Harrison Barnes": "4", "Deron Williams": "11", "Julius Randle": "3", "D'Angelo Russell": "6"}, "Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "17", "Wesley Matthews": "20", "Deron Williams": "8", "Julius Randle": "18", "D'Angelo Russell": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Harrison Barnes": "9", "Wesley Matthews": "6", "Julius Randle": "4", "D'Angelo Russell": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"D'Angelo Russell": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"D'Angelo Russell": "5"}}], "These are two teams that are really struggling right now, but this marks the Mavericks 12th - straight win over the Lakers. Despite Los Angeles leading by double - digits in the first half, Dallas rode a 31 - 13 third quarter to eventually win by 12. There was only one tie and two lead changes, as that run by Dallas really shut off all momentum for the Lakers. Rebounding and assisting were the big difference, as Dallas won each of those categories by at least eight. Julius Randle led the Lakers in scoring, as he tallied 18 points, four rebounds and three assists. D'Angelo Russell went just 5 - of - 15 from the field, but finished with 15 points, four rebounds and six assists. Wesley Matthews led the Mavericks in scoring, as he scored 20 points to go along with his six boards. Harrison Barnes was second on the team, tallying 17 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Deron Williams scored just eight points, but dished out a game - high 11 assists in the win."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "39"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "55"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "23", "Pacers": "20"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "119", "Pacers": "109"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pistons": "36", "Pacers": "29"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "6", "Pacers": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"Pacers": "18"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Solomon Hill": "2", "CJ Watson": "3", "Brandon Jennings": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Solomon Hill": "1", "CJ Watson": "2", "Brandon Jennings": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Solomon Hill": "8", "CJ Watson": "8", "Luis Scola": "13", "Greg Monroe": "11", "Andre Drummond": "12", "Brandon Jennings": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Solomon Hill": "4", "CJ Watson": "6", "Greg Monroe": "7", "Andre Drummond": "9", "Brandon Jennings": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Solomon Hill": "5", "Roy Hibbert": "10", "Greg Monroe": "8", "Andre Drummond": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Solomon Hill": "5", "Roy Hibbert": "9", "Greg Monroe": "5", "Andre Drummond": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Solomon Hill": "37"}, "Points": {"Solomon Hill": "14", "Roy Hibbert": "19", "CJ Watson": "14", "George Hill": "13", "Luis Scola": "14", "Greg Monroe": "19", "Andre Drummond": "20", "Brandon Jennings": "14", "D.J. Augustin": "14", "Jodie Meeks": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Roy Hibbert": "5", "Greg Monroe": "15", "Andre Drummond": "6"}, "Assists": {"CJ Watson": "6", "Brandon Jennings": "10"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (6 - 23) defeated the Indiana Pacers (10 - 20) 119 - 109 on Friday at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Collectively as a team, the Pistons shot extremely well tonight, going 55 percent from the field and 39 percent from the three - point line. They were able to put in a big third quarter, where they out - scored the Pacers 36 - 29, which set them up to secure a 10 - point victory in front of their home fans. The Pistons also forced the Pacers into 18 turnovers, while having only 11 of their own. The Pistons had a total team - effort victory Friday, as seven players reached double - figures in points. Andre Drummond led all scorers, posting an effecient 20 points (9 - 12 FG, 2 - 8 FT) and six rebounds. It was the first time in seven games that he failed to reach double - digit rebounds, but took care of business on the offensive side of the ball to be a big factor in the victory. Greg Monroe also was effecient, going 7 - for - 11 from the field and 5 - for - 8 from the free throw line to score 19 points. He was able to pull in 15 rebounds, marking his ninth double - double of the season. He's now averaging 15 points and 9 rebounds on the year. Brandon Jennings posted a double - double of his own with 14 points (6 - 12 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt) and 10 assists. It was his third double - double of the year. The bench was very productive as well, with DJ Augustin and Jodie Meeks scoring 14 and 13 points respectively. For the Pacers, most of the offensive damage was done by Roy Hibbert who scored 19 points and grabbed five rebounds before fouling out after playing in 22 minutes. He was able to get to the free throw line at will, converting on 9 - of - 10 free throw attempts. CJ Watson was another bright spot for the Pacers. He shot 6 - for - 8 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 14 points, while also handing out six assists. He's now averaging 11 points and 4 assists on the season. The other starter to reach double figures in points was Solomon Hill, who scored 14 points (4 - 8 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT) in 37 minutes. Coming off the bench, George Hill and Luis Scola scored 13 and 14 points respectively. Hill continues to come off the bench after recently returning from injury. The Pistons' next game will be on the road against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, while the Pacers will travel to Brooklyn to play the Nets on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "29", "Jazz": "16"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "107", "Jazz": "112"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "14", "Jazz": "28"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Jazz": "27"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Jazz": "26"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Jazz": "26"}}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "26", "Rudy Gobert": "27", "Harrison Barnes": "19", "Dirk Nowitzki": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Rudy Gobert": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "25", "Dirk Nowitzki": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "1"}}], "The visiting Utah Jazz took down the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, 112 - 107 in overtime. Utah (28 - 16) won its fifth straight game on Friday after taking down the Mavericks in Dallas. Despite the absence of Rodney Hood (knee), the Jazz saw a solid night on the offensive end. A big piece of the Jazz's success was center Rudy Gobert, who had career highs with 27 points and 25 rebounds, 10 of which came on the offensive end. Gobert, the anchor of Utah's tough defense, added two blocks. Rebounding proved to be Utah's biggest edge over Dallas, as the Jazz held a 53 - 42 advantage on the glass. The Jazz also saw 26 points from star forward Gordon Hayward. Dallas (14 - 29) had also seen strong play coming into Friday's matchup, having won three of its last four games. The team saw a well - rounded performance on Friday, as seven players managed to score in double digits. Surprisingly, one of the weak links in Dallas's offense was veteran Dirk Nowitzki, who scored only three points and shot just 1 - of - 13. Nowitzki did make up for some of the Mavericks' weakness on the boards, however, as he pulled down ten rebounds on the night. Forward Harrison Barnes led the team with 19 points. The Jazz will host the Pacers on Saturday, while the Mavericks will see the Lakers on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "37"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "36", "Grizzlies": "30"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "91", "Grizzlies": "98"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "32", "Grizzlies": "38"}}, {"Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "7", "Mike Conley": "7", "Zach Randolph": "3"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "27", "Tony Allen": "10", "Mike Conley": "27", "Zach Randolph": "8", "Jimmy Butler": "14", "Dwyane Wade": "8", "Rajon Rondo": "17", "Nikola Mirotic": "14", "Denzel Valentine": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "6", "Mike Conley": "9", "Zach Randolph": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Zach Randolph": "25"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "16", "Dwyane Wade": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Jimmy Butler": "4", "Dwyane Wade": "3"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the host Chicago Bulls, 98 - 91, at United Center on Wednesday evening. The Grizzlies led 54 - 50 at halftime, before going on a 100 to start the third quarter, stretching their lead to 14, with nine minutes left in the third. However, the Bulls managed to battle back with an 11 - 2 run of their own, cutting the deficit to five points with 5:22 left in the quarter. The Bulls continued to battle, keeping it close, with the score at 85 - 83 with 4:20 left in the fourth, but Grizzles finished strong to earn the win. Marc Gasol and Mike Conley paved the way for the Grizzlies (38 - 30), with a game - high 27 points each. Gasol added seven assists and six rebounds, while Conley tallied nine rebounds and seven assists. Tony Allen was the only other player to score in double digits for the Grizz, as he finished with 10 points. The Grizzlies bench chipped in 23 points, led by Zach Randolph, who had eight points, nine rebounds and three assists, in 25 minutes. This marked the second straight win for the Grizzlies, who continue to battle for position in the West, where they sit in seventh place, and within reach of fifth. They will be right back in action on Thursday for the second game of a back - to - back, when they take on the Hawks in Atlanta. Meanwhile, the Bulls (32 - 36) struggled from the field, shooting only 37 percent. Rajon Rondo was the high - point man for Chicago, with 17 points, while the only other starter to score in double digits was Jimmy Butler, who finished with 14 points on 4 - of - 16 shooting. Dwyane Wade shot only 3 - of - 11 from the field on his way to eight points, before leaving the game with an apparent elbow injury. Nikola Mirotic added 14 points off the bench, and Denzel Valentine added 11. The Bulls have slipped down to 10th place in the East and do not have much room for error if they hope to make their way back into the top eight. They will look to bounce back as they take on the Wizards in Washington on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Trail Blazers": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "63"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "38", "Timberwolves": "44"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "112", "Timberwolves": "100"}, "Rebounds": {"Trail Blazers": "35", "Timberwolves": "27"}, "Turnovers": {"Trail Blazers": "14"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "34", "Timberwolves": "28"}}, {"Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Gorgui Dieng": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "4", "Kris Dunn": "1", "Jusuf Nurkic": "4", "CJ McCollum": "4", "Damian Lillard": "8"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "20", "Gorgui Dieng": "13", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "16", "Ricky Rubio": "16", "Kris Dunn": "17", "Jusuf Nurkic": "14", "CJ McCollum": "32", "Damian Lillard": "21", "Allen Crabbe": "10", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "8", "Evan Turner": "8"}, "Steals": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Gorgui Dieng": "4", "Ricky Rubio": "1", "Kris Dunn": "2", "CJ McCollum": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Gorgui Dieng": "2", "Jusuf Nurkic": "1", "Allen Crabbe": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Gorgui Dieng": "7", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "5", "Ricky Rubio": "4", "Kris Dunn": "4", "Shabazz Muhammad": "2", "Jusuf Nurkic": "9", "CJ McCollum": "4", "Damian Lillard": "6", "Allen Crabbe": "3"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves by a 112 - 100 score at Moda Center on Saturday night. The Trail Blazers (34 - 38) came into Saturday's contest trying to keep the pressure on eighth - seeded Denver, which they could come within one game of catching with a win against the Timberwolves (28 - 44). Portland was able to take advantage of what was likely a tired Minnesota squad that had just given up 130 points on Friday night in an overtime loss to the Lakers. The dynamic duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum once again led the way for the Blazers, which collectively shot an outstanding 63 percent from the floor and 50 percent from three - point range. Their offensive proficiency and 35 - 27 rebounding advantage helped them overcome 14 turnovers to cruise to a relatively comfortable home victory. The Timberwolves were led by Andrew Wiggins, who supplied 20 points, two assists and one steal. Kris Dunn led the bench with 17 points, four rebounds, one assist and two steals. Karl-Anthony Towns and Ricky Rubio followed with matching 16 - point efforts, with the former adding five rebounds and a block, and the latter registering four rebounds, four assists and one steal. Gorgui Dieng totaled 13 points, seven rebounds, two assists, four steals and two blocks. Shabazz Muhammad matched Dieng's scoring total and added two rebounds off the bench. McCollum's 32 points led the Blazers, a total he supplemented with four rebounds, four assists and one steal. Damian Lillard tallied 21 points, eight assists, six rebounds and three steals. Jusuf Nurkic provided a near double - double with 14 points, nine rebounds, four assists and a block. Allen Crabbe paced the second unit with 10 points, three boards and two blocks. Evan Turner and Al-Farouq Aminu were productive as reserves as well with matching eight - point efforts. The Timberwolves head to Indiana to tangle with the Pacers on Tuesday night, while the Trail Blazers head to Los Angeles to take on the Lakers on Sunday evening."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Bulls": "17", "Pelicans": "26"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "42", "Pelicans": "45"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "8", "Pelicans": "17"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "98", "Pelicans": "94"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bulls": "34", "Pelicans": "24"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "13", "Pelicans": "6"}}, {"Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "22", "Tyreke Evans": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "13"}, "Assists": {"Tyreke Evans": "8"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (13 - 8) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (6 - 17) 98 - 94 in a nail - biter on Saturday. There were a ton of swings in this game and it came down to a 34 - point fourth quarter for the Bulls to runaway with a win. The statistics indicate a Pelicans victory, as they shot 45 percent to the Bulls 42 percent and outassistted Chicago 26 - 17 in the loss. The key for the Bulls was the free - throw shooting, as they went 24 - for - 29 versus the Pelicans 8 - for - 11. The bench was huge for Chicago as well, as they outscored New Orleans bench 52 - 31. The Pelicans came into this game shorthanded in the second half of a back - to - back and fought hard in a tough loss. They played this game without Ryan Anderson and Jrue Holiday and that proved to be the difference, as they got very little bench production. Anthony Davis had a very good game though, as he tallied 22 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks in the loss. Tyreke Evans also continued his recent run of success, as he contributed 22 points and eight assists. The 6 - 17 record looks horrendous, but they are a much better team than that unsightly record would indicate. On deck for the Pelicans is the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday. The Bulls got down by eight after the first quarter, but fought back hard to grab a win. They outscored New Orleans 34 - 24 in the final 12 minutes and made some clutch baskets late to close it out. The bench was the key tonight though, as they had four of the five bench players reach double - digits. The frontcourt was especially good, as Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah and Nikola Mirotic combined for 38 points and 30 rebounds in the win. This was a great team - win and it's a fantastic sign to see them win with players like Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler struggling so much. Chicago will be heavy favorites in their next game, when they host the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "36", "Pacers": "41"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Bucks": "34", "Pacers": "15"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "36", "Pacers": "31"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "107"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Luis Scola": "29"}, "Points": {"Luis Scola": "15", "CJ Watson": "23", "Ersan Ilyasova": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"George Hill": "3", "Ersan Ilyasova": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"CJ Watson": "13"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "12"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (36 - 36) held off the Indiana Pacers (31 - 41) ,111 - 107, on Thursday at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. The only NBA game Thursday turned out to be a good one as it came down to the final possession. The Bucks led by as many as 23 points early in the game as they finished the first quarter up 34 - 15. Indiana methodically got itself back into the game, cutting into the lead and getting stops. The Pacers were within three points with the ball in the final seconds, but George Hill could n't connect from three as the Bucks won their second straight close game. The Bucks and Pacers split the season series at two games apiece. Indiana snapped its losing skid on Wednesday against Washington, but could n't quite complete the comeback Thursday against Milwaukee. Luis Scola moved into the starting lineup at power forward for David West, who was a late scratch with an allergic reaction. Scola finished with 15 points and nine rebounds over 29 minutes. The Pacers were also without Rodney Stuckey for Thursday's tilt as the prolific bench scorer continues to heal from a calf injury. C.J Watson provided the scoring off the bench with 23 points, making 13 of his 15 free throw attempts. The Pacers will be off until Sunday when they host the Mavericks. Milwaukee was coming off a thrilling 89 - 88 win over Miami on Tuesday and Thursday's game went down to the wire once again. The Bucks needed to hold off the Pacers late in order to avoid their seventh loss in eight games. Ersan Ilyasova had another big game with 34 points on 12 - of - 14 shooting to go with six rebounds. O.J Mayo and Jared Dudley both managed to play over 10 minutes off the bench despite nagging injuries. The Bucks have a tough stretch ahead, starting with the Warriors coming to town on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "22", "Trail Blazers": "30"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "105", "Trail Blazers": "99"}, "Rebounds": {"Thunder": "56", "Trail Blazers": "44"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "30", "Trail Blazers": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Damian Lillard": "29", "Russell Westbrook": "42"}, "Rebounds": {"Damian Lillard": "7"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "8"}}], "The host Oklahoma City Thunder narrowly edged out the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday, 105 - 99, at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Oklahoma City (30 - 22) managed to swing the game in its favor on the back of strong play from All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook. Despite falling below his typical output in assists and rebounds, Westbrook led the team with a whopping 42 points. His eight assists also led the team. The Thunder hit only four three - pointers on the night, but made up for lackluster perimeter shooting with strong big man play. The Thunder held a 56 - 44 rebounding advantage that included at least 11 boards from three different players. Portland (22 - 30) made headlines for the wrong reasons on Friday after allowing a season - high to Mavericks rookie Yogi Ferrell. On Sunday, the Blazers were unable to bounce back from the loss despite strong play from their own star point guard. After a horrendous game in Dallas, Damian Lillard scored a team - high 29, while pulling down seven rebounds. Portland saw a decent night from beyond the arc, knocking down 10 three - pointers as a team. However, Portland ultimately could not limit Oklahoma City's second chances on the boards. The Thunder will visit Indiana on Monday to play the Pacers, while the Blazers will head to Dallas again on Tuesday to face off with the Mavericks."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "26", "Raptors": "16"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "89", "Raptors": "103"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "27", "Raptors": "35"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "55"}, "Turnovers": {"Raptors": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "6", "Kyle Lowry": "7", "Terrence Ross": "2", "Marcus Morris": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "14", "Kyle Lowry": "14", "Marcus Morris": "7", "Ersan Ilyasova": "12", "Andre Drummond": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "9", "Marcus Morris": "5", "Ersan Ilyasova": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Kyle Lowry": "5", "Marcus Morris": "4", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "7", "Kyle Lowry": "5", "Marcus Morris": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMar DeRozan": "33", "Kyle Lowry": "38", "Terrence Ross": "29", "Marcus Morris": "37", "Ersan Ilyasova": "28", "Andre Drummond": "30"}, "Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "17", "Kyle Lowry": "25", "Terrence Ross": "18", "Marcus Morris": "14", "Ersan Ilyasova": "17", "Andre Drummond": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMar DeRozan": "7", "Kyle Lowry": "3", "Terrence Ross": "4", "Marcus Morris": "5", "Ersan Ilyasova": "6", "Andre Drummond": "13"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "5", "Terrence Ross": "6", "Marcus Morris": "4", "Ersan Ilyasova": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Lowry": "2", "Terrence Ross": "4", "Marcus Morris": "2", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Lowry": "2", "Terrence Ross": "2", "Marcus Morris": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Marcus Morris": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Andre Drummond": "10"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (35 - 16) defeated the host Detroit Pistons (27 - 26) 103 - 89, at Palace of Auburn Hills on Monday. After a slow start the surging Toronto Raptors took the lead with five minutes left in the second quarter and did not look back, outscoring the Pistons 84 - 65 in the final three quarters. A buzzer - beating, full - court heave by Andre Drummond brought the Pistons within five points heading into the fourth, but Toronto responded with a quick five points in the first minute of the final quarter, stretching the lead to 10 and deflating Detroit's momentum. The Raptors have now won 14 of their last 15 games and sit comfortably at second in the East. Meanwhile the Pistons have been slipping and do not have much room for error if they want to hang onto eighth in the East. Toronto now leads this season series 20. Kyle Lowry led the way for the Raptors, finishing with 25 points (9 - 14 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT), seven assists, three rebounds and two steals, in 38 minutes. Lowry's back - court partner and fellow all - star, DeMar DeRozan had a complete game with 17 points (5 - 14 FG, 7 - 8 FT), seven rebounds and six assists, in 33 minutes. Terrence Ross was huge off the bench as he hit four - of - six from deep, on his way to 18 points, along with four rebounds, two assists and two steals, in 29 minutes. The Raptors shot a blistering 55 percent from the field and 55 percent from long range, as they stretched their win streak to three games. Six players scored in double digits for Detroit but it was still not enough to out - gun the Raptors. Ersan Ilyasova was the high - point man, with 17 (7 - 12 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt,1 - 2 FT), along with six rebounds, in 28 minutes. Andre Drummond hit 4 - 10 from the field on his way to a solid 12 points and 13 rebounds, in 30 minutes. Marcus Morris had a good game and filled the stat sheet as he finished with 14 points (5 - 7 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT), six assists, five rebounds, three steals and one block, in 37 minutes. The Pistons could not find the rhythm offensively and struggled to hit from deep as they only converted 8 - of - 28 three - point attempts. Detroit will host the Nuggets on Wednesday, in what will be a huge game for the Pistons in terms of maintaining their place in the top eight. The Raptors will move on to the fifth game of their current six - game road trip, as they visit Minnesota for a Wednesday night contest."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Dorian Finney-Smith": "11", "Harrison Barnes": "31", "Seth Curry": "11", "Pierre Jackson": "9", "Justin Anderson": "17", "Domantas Sabonis": "10", "Steven Adams": "15", "Victor Oladipo": "17", "Russell Westbrook": "45", "Cameron Payne": "6"}, "Assists": {"Harrison Barnes": "2", "Pierre Jackson": "4", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Harrison Barnes": "2", "Pierre Jackson": "2", "Domantas Sabonis": "5", "Steven Adams": "7", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "Steals": {"Harrison Barnes": "1", "Domantas Sabonis": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "2"}}], "Russell Westbrook's game - high 45 points led the Thunder, a total he supplemented with eight rebounds, three assists and two steals. Victor Oladipo was a distant second behind Westbrook, managing 17 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals. Steven Adams posted 15 points and seven boards. Donatas Sabonis tallied 10 points, five boards and a steal. Cameron Payne's six points led the bench. With Dirk Nowitzki (rest) and Deron Williams (toe) out Thursday, Harrison Barnes took on a particularly pivotal role for the Mavs, posting a team - high 31 points, along with two rebounds, two assists and a steal. Justin Anderson was next with a bench - leading 17 points. Dorian Finney-Smith and Seth Curry were next with matching 11 - point efforts. Pierre Jackson drew the start for Williams and provided nine points, four assists and two rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "24", "Hornets": "23"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "128", "Hornets": "129"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "20", "Hornets": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Marvin Williams": "3", "Frank Kaminsky": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Rajon Rondo": "20"}, "3-pointers made": {"Marvin Williams": "3"}, "Points": {"Jeremy Lin": "20", "Kemba Walker": "24", "Troy Daniels": "28", "Rudy Gay": "20", "DeMarcus Cousins": "56", "Rajon Rondo": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Jeremy Lin": "7", "Troy Daniels": "7", "DeMarcus Cousins": "12", "Rajon Rondo": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "25", "Troy Daniels": "15", "Tyler Hansbrough": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "30"}, "Field goals made": {"Kemba Walker": "5", "Troy Daniels": "10", "DeMarcus Cousins": "21"}, "Minutes played": {"Kemba Walker": "45", "Troy Daniels": "31"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kemba Walker": "2", "DeMarcus Cousins": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Frank Kaminsky": "3"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "1"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (22 - 23) defeated the Sacramento Kings (20 - 24) 129 - 128 in double overtime at Sleep Train Arena on Monday. A wild battle throughout all six periods of play resulted in four players fouling out and a NBA season - high 56 points being poured in from DeMarcus Cousins. The Hornets came out a winner in the neck - and - neck shootout and it was from an unlikely hero in Troy Daniels, who hit the game winning three - pointer with just under :10 remaining in the second overtime. Charlotte had two chances to win the game before the added time, as Kemba Walker missed a free throw with :1 left in the fourth quarter and got blocked by Willie Cauley-Stein at the end of the first overtime. Walker was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week after stepping up for multiple scoring outbursts while Nicolas Batum (toe), Jeremy Lamb (toe) and Cody Zeller (shoulder) were all sidelined with injuries, but struggled to find a rhythm. He finished with 24 points on 5 - of - 25 shooting in 45 minutes. Combine the injuries with the three players fouling out for Charlotte (Marvin Williams, Spencer Hawes and Tyler Hansbrough) and they were left with only Frank Kaminsky left to guard DeMarcus Cousins. Kaminsky drew a charging foul, which was Cousins\u2019 sixth, which evened the playing field in terms of stretching the bench. Daniels, the aforementioned hero, finished with 28 points and seven rebounds on 10 - of - 15 shooting in 31 minutes, while Jeremy Lin scored 20 points, including some clutch buckets in the first overtime. The Hornets will visit the Utah Jazz (19 - 25) on Wednesday. DeMarcus Cousins continued his hot start to 2016 and proved why he was deserving of the Western Conference Player of the Week after scoring 56 points on 21 - of - 30 shooting in 45 minutes. Cousins added 12 rebounds, but his physical play drew a charging foul when the Kings needed him most, and had to leave the game with over 3:30 left in the second overtime. If not for Cousins fantastic performance, Sacramento would not have made it to the second overtime, as he went to the foul line and nailed two clutch free throws to go up one point towards the end of regulation. Rajon Rondo exploded for 20 assists, most of which to Cousins in the post, to go along with seven points and 10 rebounds. When Cousins was not scoring at a ridiculous rate, Gay pitched in from the wing and finished with 20 points in 40 minutes. The loss snaps the Kings five game winning streak. Sacramento plays the second game of a back - to - back at the Portland Trail Blazers (20 - 26) on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "50"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "23", "Pistons": "29"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "101", "Pistons": "102"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "32", "Pistons": "26"}, "Turnovers": {"Pistons": "7"}}, {"Free throw percentage": {"Andre Drummond": "50"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "18"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Tobias Harris": "9"}, "Personal fouls": {"Tobias Harris": "3"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "24", "DeMar DeRozan": "26"}}], "The visiting Detroit Pistons earned a somewhat miraculous win over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, 102 - 101. Detroit (26 - 29) has shown signs of picking up, as the team is now 5 - 2 in its last seven games. The Pistons are sitting at eighth in the Eastern Conference and are hoping to earn another playoff berth after a first - round exit in 2016. On Sunday, the team saw stellar play from top to bottom, as the bench produced three double - digit scorers. One of those three players was Tobias Harris, who led the team with 24 points on impressive 9 - of - 13 shooting. Center Andre Drummond, meanwhile, attacked the glass effectively all night, pulling down a whopping 18 rebounds. Despite shooting just 42 percent, Detroit was able to earn the win thanks to second chances from a stellar 11 offensive rebounds. Toronto (32 - 23) has been ice cold of late. After comfortably holding the second seed in the East for the early part of the season, the Raptors are now only half of a game ahead of fifth place. The team is 4 - 7 in its last 11 games. For Toronto, Sunday's loss came in brutal fashion, as the first three quarters looked like a much - needed blowout. Toronto shot a stellar 50 percent from the field and from beyond the arc, but could not contain Andre Drummond and the Pistons on the offensive glass. All-Star starter DeMar DeRozan led the team with 26 points but failed to convert in crunch time, as he was unable to draw the foul he was looking for on the Raptors' final possession. The Pistons will visit Milwaukee on Tuesday, while the Raptors will see Chicago on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "54", "76ers": "44"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Heat": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"T.J. McConnell": "5", "Hassan Whiteside": "3", "Tyler Johnson": "4"}, "Points": {"T.J. McConnell": "14", "Richaun Holmes": "15", "Hassan Whiteside": "15", "Dion Waiters": "15", "Goran Dragic": "15", "Tyler Johnson": "24", "Wayne Ellington": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"T.J. McConnell": "5", "Richaun Holmes": "6", "Hassan Whiteside": "11", "Tyler Johnson": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "4"}, "Steals": {"Tyler Johnson": "2"}}], "This was a wire - to - wire win for the Heat, as they held a double - digit lead for the final 30 - plus minutes. Shooting was key, as Miami shot 54 percent from the field, while holding Philadelphia to just 44 percent. Robert Covington led the Sixers, as he tallied 15 points and six rebounds. T.J. McConnell contributed 14 points, five rebounds and five assists. Richaun Holmes came off the bench to provide 15 points and six rebounds. Tyler Johnson was Miami's best player, as he collected 24 points, two rebounds, four assists and two steals off the bench. Hassan Whiteside was the best starter, as he accumulated 15 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and four blocks. Goran Dragic and Dion Waiters also scored 15 points a piece. Wayne Ellington finished second on the team by dropping 18 points off the bench."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "68"}, "Losses": {"Timberwolves": "43", "Nets": "45"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "132", "Nets": "118"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "20", "Nets": "18"}}, {"Rebounds": {"Thomas Robinson": "17"}, "Points": {"Markel Brown": "23", "Andrew Wiggins": "26", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "28"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "14", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "10", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "14"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (20 - 43) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (18 - 45) 132 - 118 on Saturday, setting a franchise record in team field goal percentage with 68 percent from the field. Young and full of potential, Minnesota is looking poised to bring home a second straight Rookie of the Year award thanks to first overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns dominated on Saturday, leading the game with 28 points on 14 - for - 18 shooting. The first - year center also contributed six rebounds and seven assists, putting on a passing clinic against Brooklyn. Of course, this was nothing too abnormal for the reigning All-Star Skills Challenge champion. Last year's first overall pick Andrew Wiggins also had a major scoring performance, contributing 26 points on 10 - for - 14 from the field. The entire team shined in terms of efficiency, hitting shots at a higher clip than any other game in the franchise's history. The Nets gave stars Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young a chance to rest on Saturday night, leading to absolute evisceration at the hands of Minnesota. Young players had the chance to shine, however, as forward Thomas Robinson notched a career - high 17 rebounds in the contest. Bench guard Markel Brown also played a big role, leading the team with 23 points. Defense simply did n't happen for the Nets, however, as Minnesota hit seemingly every shot it took. Brooklyn will visit Toronto on Tuesday. Minnesota, meanwhile, will visit Charlotte on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "42", "Thunder": "42"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "26", "Thunder": "12"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "104", "Thunder": "110"}, "Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "17"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "16", "Thunder": "31"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Thunder": "25"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Thunder": "27"}}, {"Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "2"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "30", "Russell Westbrook": "27", "Enes Kanter": "25", "Danilo Gallinari": "27", "Kenneth Faried": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "12", "Kenneth Faried": "15"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Durant": "2"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Enes Kanter": "25"}, "3-pointers made": {"Danilo Gallinari": "4"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (31 - 12) earned a road win Wednesday night at Pepsi Center as they downed the Denver Nuggets (16 - 26), 110 - 104. The game was dominated by Oklahoma City's superstar duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, as they combined to score 57 points. And they brought it when it mattered most, as Durant or Westbrook either scored or assisted on all but two of the Thunder's final 19 points of the game. Both superstars recorded double - doubles, as Durant led the Thunder with 30 points and 12 rebounds and Westbrook added 27 points with a game - high 12 assists. On a night when no other Thunder starter scored over 10 points, Enes Kanter had a monster game off the bench, as he scored 25 points in just 25 minutes on a brilliant 10 - 14 shooting night. Danilo Galinari did his best to keep up with the Thunder, as he drained four three - pointers en route to a 27 - point night. Kenneth Faried finished with a double - double behind 17 points and a game - high 15 rebounds. The Nuggets just did n't get enough offense to keep with Oklahoma City's stars, as Denver shot just 42 percent from the floor and committed 17 turnovers. Oklahoma City extended its winning streak to five and will return home for their next contest Wednesday against the Hornets. Denver will continue its homestand Wednesday with a game against the Grizzlies."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Nuggets": "16"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "3", "Jazz": "2"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "84", "Jazz": "96"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nuggets": "18"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nuggets": "20", "Jazz": "31"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "2", "Jazz": "3"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "3", "Alec Burks": "8", "Trevor Booker": "3", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "3"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Gordon Hayward": "54"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "20", "Alec Burks": "12", "Trevor Booker": "13", "Trey Burke": "12", "Danilo Gallinari": "18", "Kenneth Faried": "9", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "8", "Will Barton": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "3", "Rudy Gobert": "16", "Alec Burks": "3", "Trevor Booker": "9", "Danilo Gallinari": "5", "Kenneth Faried": "10", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "7", "Will Barton": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "3", "Trevor Booker": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Alec Burks": "31", "Trevor Booker": "28"}}], "The Utah Jazz (3 - 2) defeated the Denver Nuggets (2 - 3) 96 - 84 after a strong fourth quarter on Thursday night. It was a one point game heading into the fourth where the Jazz outscored the Nuggets 31 - 20 to secure the win. The Jazz were led by Gordon Hayward who scored 20 points on 7 - 13 shooting, 2 - 5 from deep and added three assists and three rebounds. Hayward had lots of help as Utah put up 54 bench points. Alec Burks notched 12 points, eight assists and three rebounds, playing 31 minutes off the bench. Also from the bench Trevor Booker had a great 13 points on 6 - 9 shooting, with nine rebounds, three assists and a block in 28 minutes. Trey Burke shot a poor 4 - 12 but managed 12 points, 2 - 5 from deep in 19 minutes. Last but not least, young big man Rudy Gobert snagged 16 big rebounds and had three blocks as he made it difficult in the paint for the Nuggets all night. The Nuggets as a team shot 38 percent from the field and only recorded 16 assists. They played a 10 man rotation which yielded contributions from many players but ultimately lacked the fluidity needed to get consistent good looks. Gallinari has been their most consistent scorer so far and had 18 points and five rebounds, shooting 6 - 12 from the field in the loss. Kenneth Faried was active with 10 rebounds and nine points but could not come up with a big game to bring his team over the hump. Will Barton scored 12 points and grabbed four rebounds, while starting point guard and rookie Emmanuel Mudiay scored eight points along with three assists and seven rebounds. Next up for the Nuggets is a trip to Golden State for a game Friday night, where things could get ugly for them. Meanwhile the Jazz will be hosting Memphis on Saturday night, which should be a good gauge for their progress as a young up and coming team in the West."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Suns": "37"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "40"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "18", "Spurs": "5"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "92", "Spurs": "107"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Suns": "21", "Spurs": "33"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "8", "Spurs": "21"}}, {"Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "18", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "14", "Pau Gasol": "18", "Tony Parker": "11", "Dewayne Dedmon": "11", "Devin Booker": "17", "Eric Bledsoe": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "10", "Pau Gasol": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Devin Booker": "19", "Eric Bledsoe": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Devin Booker": "6", "Eric Bledsoe": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Eric Bledsoe": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Eric Bledsoe": "30"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Phoenix Suns, 107 - 92, Thursday at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Spurs (21 - 5) managed to extend their league - best record away from home this season to 14 - 1, but it did n't come easy, as they held just a three - point lead going into Thursday's final period. From there, however, San Antonio put on a clinic, dominating the Suns in the 4th quarter 33 - 21. It was a balanced attack from the Spurs, with four of their five starters scoring in double figures and five players in total reaching double digits. Kawhi Leonard led the way, recording a double - double of 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Pau Gasol matched Leonard's 18 points and grabbed nine boards of his own. LaMarcus Aldridge scored 14 points, Tony Parker managed 11 points, while Dewayne Dedmon scored 11 points off the bench. For San Antonio, the game was won at the foul line, as the team hit 24 of their 26 attempts from the charity stripe (92 percent). For the Suns (8 - 18), their fight only lasted three quarters because they could n't get anything productive from their best offensive weapons. Eric Bledsoe, who had been averaging 31 points over his previous three games, shot just 5 - of - 14 from the field for 14 points in 30 minutes. His fellow starter in the backcourt Devin Booker did n't have a much better night, shooting 6 - of - 19 from the field en route to a team - high 17 points. As a team, the Suns shot a respectable 37 percent from behind the arc overall, but it was their shots inside the three - point line that doomed them, as they ended up shooting just 40 percent overall. Up next, the Spurs will head home Sunday to take on the Pelicans, while the Suns will have to travel to Oklahoma City on Saturday to play the Thunder."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "8", "Nets": "12"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "105", "Nets": "80"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "13", "Nets": "8"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "33"}}, {"Blocks": {"Taj Gibson": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Taj Gibson": "31", "Derrick Rose": "24"}, "Points": {"Taj Gibson": "11", "Derrick Rose": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Taj Gibson": "10"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (13 - 8) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (8 - 12) 105 - 80 on Wednesday. Several Chicago players voiced their frustration and displeasure with their recent play after being defeated 112 - 102 by the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, and they came out to play with a purpose Wednesday, despite being without starting center Joakim Noah (ankle). Taj Gibson moved into the starting lineup in Noah's absence and put up 11 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks in 31 minutes. Derrick Rose scored a game - high 23 points in just 24 minutes. The Bulls will host the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday. Brooklyn is dealing with several injuries and are mired in trade rumors surrounding several of their players, putting their status as a competitive squad for the remainder of the season in question. Brook Lopez is expected to miss the rest of this week with a back injury, while Joe Johnson missed a second straight game due to illness and Mirza Teletovic sat out with a hip pointer. Brooklyn's inability to score was their main issue Wednesday as the team shot a woeful 33 percent from the field. Several outlets reported during the game that Andrei Kirilenko and other pieces will be traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Brandon Davies, but the trade is not expected to become official until Thursday. The Nets will host the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Magic": "41", "Warriors": "52"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "45"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "47"}, "Turnovers": {"Warriors": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Kevin Durant": "15", "Zaza Pachulia": "14", "Klay Thompson": "21", "Stephen Curry": "27", "JaVale McGee": "13", "Patrick McCaw": "10", "C.J. Watson": "12", "Elfrid Payton": "23", "Jeff Green": "12", "Bismack Biyombo": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "10", "Draymond Green": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "7", "Stephen Curry": "7"}, "Assists": {"Elfrid Payton": "10"}}], "Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson drained seven three - pointers - - becoming the only pair of teammates in NBA history to accomplish the feat in the same game more than once - - on the way to respective totals of 27 and 21 points. The Warriors won easily despite 18 turnovers, posting 47 - and - 45 percent success rates from the field and three - point range and winning the rebound battle by a 52 - 41 margin. Kevin Durant also chipped in with a 15 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Zaza Pachulia managed 14 points, while Draymond Green hauled in 10 boards. Javale McGee (13 points) and Patrick McCaw (10 points) were productive as reserves. Elfrid Payton's 23 - point, 10 - assist double - double paced Orlando. Nikola Vucevic and C.J. Watson posted matching 12 - point efforts. Jeff Green and Bismack Biyombo led the bench with 12 - point tallies, and Biyombo also recorded 14 boards."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "15", "Wizards": "12"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "113", "Wizards": "118"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nets": "15", "Wizards": "32"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "21", "Wizards": "10"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "5", "Wizards": "7"}}, {"Points": {"Marcin Gortat": "10", "Bradley Beal": "18", "John Wall": "25", "Trevor Booker": "14", "Brook Lopez": "25", "Sean Kilpatrick": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "12", "Bradley Beal": "4", "Brook Lopez": "6", "Sean Kilpatrick": "6"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "13", "Brook Lopez": "5", "Sean Kilpatrick": "4"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "3"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 118 - 113, at Barclays Center on Monday. Brooklyn came out hot, as they scored 66 first - half points en route to a 15 - point lead. The Wizards then responded by winning the third quarter, 32 - 15. There were 18 ties and six lead changes, as this game came down to the final seconds. Turnovers are what killed the Nets, as they committed 21 of them, while forcing just nine. The Wizards actually recorded 17 steals in their victory. Washington (7 - 12) was expected to win this game rather easily, but it took a huge comeback effort to pull it out. John Wall led the team in scoring, tallying 25 points, 13 assists and three steals in the victory. Bradley Beal and Otto Porter were second in the team, recording 18 points and four rebounds a piece. Marcin Gortat recorded a double - double, totaling 10 points and 12 rebounds. Beal, Wall, Porter and Markieff Morris combined for 13 steals. Washington will look to build off this win, as they host the struggling Orlando Magic on Tuesday for their next game. Brooklyn (5 - 15) choked away a big lead in this game and that's indicative of their recent form, as they've now lost 10 of their last 11 games. Brook Lopez carried the load for Brooklyn, accumulating 25 points, six rebounds, five assists and three blocks in the defeat. Sean Kilpatrick was n't far behind, amassing 21 points, six rebounds and four assists of his own. Trevor Booker totaled 14 points and 14 rebounds as the starting power forward. On deck for Brooklyn is a home matchup against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "14", "Thunder": "20"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "103", "Thunder": "105"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "29", "Thunder": "22"}, "Turnovers": {"Thunder": "10"}}, {"Points": {"Kevin Durant": "34", "Russell Westbrook": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"John Wall": "2"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (22 - 20) defeated the Washington Wizards (29 - 14) 105 - 103 in overtime on Wednesday. Oklahoma City was able to survive at the Verizon Center, thanks in large part to Russell Westbrook's layup with 1 seconds remaining in overtime. Westbrook is tearing it up right now. In his past five games, he is averaging 20 points, 9 assists, 8 rebounds and 3 steals in 35 minutes per game. He had 32 points, eight assists and eight rebounds against the Wizards. Kevin Durant finished with 34 points and seven rebounds. Durant and Westbrook sealed the deal in overtime, scoring all of the Thunder's points in the extra period. It was also a two - man show for the Wizards in overtime, with all of their points coming from John Wall and Nene. It was n't enough to get past the Thunder as John Wall missed a deep three - pointer with less than a second remaining. Washington had won seven of their last ten, since losing to the Thunder 109 - 102 on Jan. 2. The Thunder will take on the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, and the Wizards will face the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "47"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "103", "76ers": "91"}, "Losses": {"76ers": "1"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "0"}}, {"Blocks": {"Nerlens Noel": "3", "Roy Hibbert": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nerlens Noel": "11", "Alexey Shved": "11", "Roy Hibbert": "8", "Rodney Stuckey": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Nerlens Noel": "2", "Alexey Shved": "5", "Roy Hibbert": "6", "Rodney Stuckey": "5"}, "Points": {"Nerlens Noel": "6", "Tony Wroten": "22", "Alexey Shved": "18", "Roy Hibbert": "22", "Donald Sloan": "16", "Rodney Stuckey": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Nerlens Noel": "10", "Tony Wroten": "8", "Roy Hibbert": "8", "Donald Sloan": "10"}, "Assists": {"Tony Wroten": "7", "Donald Sloan": "6"}, "Steals": {"Tony Wroten": "3", "Donald Sloan": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Alexey Shved": "6", "Rodney Stuckey": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Alexey Shved": "3", "Rodney Stuckey": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Alexey Shved": "6", "Roy Hibbert": "13"}, "Free throws made": {"Alexey Shved": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Donald Sloan": "34"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (10) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (0 - 1) 103 - 91 Wednesday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Pacers converted 47 percent of their field goals and 32 percent from behind the arc. The Sixers, in comparison, shot 38 percent from the field and only 29 percent from three - point land. The Pacers were able to overcome a whopping 18 turnovers, compared to only 11 from the Sixers. For the Sixers, Tony Wroten filled in admirably for the injured Michael Carter-Williams (shoulder rehab), as Wroten had 22 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and three steals. Alexey Shved played well and finished the night with 18 points (5 - 11 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT) to go along with five rebounds in 23 minutes of action. The much - anticipated regular season debut of Nerlens Noel had it's bright spots, but he shot just 2 - for - 11 from the field to finish with six points. Noel did pull in 10 rebounds and blocked three shots. The Pacers had six players finish in double figures for points. Roy Hibbert led all scorers with 22 points as he went 6 - of - 8 from the field and got to the line 13 times. He also had eight rebounds and seven blocked shots. Donald Sloan impressed as well and was able to contribute 16 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, and a steal in 34 minutes of action. In Rodney Stuckey's regular season debut with the Pacers, he came of the bench to score 16 points, going 5 - of - 9 from the field and 2 - of - 2 from behind the arc. The Pacers will take on the Memphis Grizzlies at home Friday, while the Sixers' nexy game will come on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Pelicans": "10", "Lakers": "10"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "1"}}, {"Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Anthony Davis": "1"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "8"}, "Turnovers": {"Anthony Davis": "1"}}], "The Lakers continue to get some elite guard production off the bench, as Lou Williams and Jordan Clarkson combined for 44 points in this win. Amazingly, the four Pelicans starters aside from Anthony Davis combined for just 17 points, less then half of the total from the Clarkson-Williams combo. The Lakers bench outscored the Pelicans bench 73 - 49 with eight different starters failing to reach double figures in scoring. Davis did have to leave briefly in the third quarter because of a back injury, but returned and finished the game with 34 points and eight rebounds. While Davis continues to put up monster stats, the Pelicans are still stuck at one win through 10 games and that's evident by the fact that the Lakers went on a 140 run with Davis nursing his injury. New Orleans allowed 71 points in the second half, with the Lakers shooting over 60 percent."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "52", "Trail Blazers": "42"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "18", "Trail Blazers": "4"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "99", "Trail Blazers": "103"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Knicks": "20"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "24", "Trail Blazers": "20"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "4", "Trail Blazers": "16"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Damian Lillard": "8", "Wesley Matthews": "6", "Carmelo Anthony": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "0", "Damian Lillard": "2", "Wesley Matthews": "3", "Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "19", "Damian Lillard": "16", "Wesley Matthews": "11", "Carmelo Anthony": "19", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "9", "Damian Lillard": "5", "Wesley Matthews": "5", "Carmelo Anthony": "9", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "8", "Damian Lillard": "9", "Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "6", "Damian Lillard": "8", "Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "2"}, "Points": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "24", "Nicolas Batum": "11", "Damian Lillard": "20", "Wesley Matthews": "18", "Carmelo Anthony": "23", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "11", "Carmelo Anthony": "10", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "2"}, "Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "7", "Damian Lillard": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (16 - 4) defeated the New York Knicks (4 - 18) 103 - 99 on Sunday at Madison Square Garden in New York. Despite out - scoring the Blazers 24 - 20 in the fourth quarter and nearly making a late comeback, the Knicks came up just short and suffered a tough four - point loss. The Knicks shot 52 percent from the field compared to the Blazers who shot only 42 percent, but were unable to do the little things as they were both out - rebounded and forced into more turnovers than their opponent. This marks the fourth straight victory for the Blazers and eigth straight loss from the Knicks. The superstar duo of LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard was too much for the Knicks. Aldridge finished with 24 points (9 - 19 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 6 - 8 FT) and 11 rebounds, giving him his seventh double - double in the last eight games. He's now averaging 22 points and 10 rebounds on the season. Lillard on the other hand had 20 points (5 - 16 FG, 2 - 8 3Pt) of his own. He was able to get to the free throw line nine times and converted on eight of those attempts. He's combined for 43 points in the last two games, pushing his season averages to 20 points and 7 assists. Wes Matthews was also huge for the Blazers, as he went 5 - for - 11 from the field and 3 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 18 points. After a tough shooting outing against the Pacers on Thursday, it was good to see him get back on track. Nicolas Batum chipped in 11 points and seven assists. Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks with 23 points (9 - 19 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT) and 10 rebounds. It was his first double - double of the season, and he's now combined for 55 points and 17 rebounds in his previous two games. The Knicks also received a huge contribution from J.R. Smith. He went 8 - for - 12 from the field and 3 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 20 points off the bench. It was only the second time this season he's reached the 20 - point mark, so if he can continue to show some offensive consistency, it would go a long way in helping the Knicks improve. Amare Stoudemire got the start at center, and had a solid outing as he recorded 16 points (7 - 11 FG, 2 - 2 FT) and 10 rebounds. It was only his sixth start of the season, but he was able to turn it into his fourth double - double of the year. The Trail Blazers' next game will be on the road against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, while the Knicks will travel to New Orleans to play the Pelicans on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "4"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "1"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Maurice Harkless": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"CJ McCollum": "3"}, "Assists": {"Evan Turner": "3", "Allen Crabbe": "3", "Meyers Leonard": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"TJ Warren": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"TJ Warren": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Brandon Knight": "32"}}], "Double figures was the theme in terms of scoring for both the Phoenix Suns and the Portland Trail Blazers in the emphatic overtime game that resulted in the Suns first win of the season. Six Trail Blazers finished in double figures, including starters Damian Lillard, C.J. McCollum and Maurice Harkless, in addition to the three bench players: Meyers Leonard, Evan Turner and Allen Crabbe. The Suns were able to match those double figures performances that the Blazers put forth with five of their own: T.J. Warren, Eric Bledsoe, Devin Booker, Alex Len and Brandon Knight. The bench minutes from Brandon Knight, who saw 32 minutes of action in Wednesday\u2019s win, has been a staple to the back court, and although the Suns record does not reflect the start they would like to have (1 - 4), the consistent action is a good sign going forward."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "3", "Spurs": "3"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "85", "Spurs": "89"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Clippers": "15", "Spurs": "25"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "4", "Spurs": "3"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3", "Tim Duncan": "3", "Blake Griffin": "6", "Chris Paul": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1", "Tim Duncan": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3", "Chris Paul": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1", "Chris Paul": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "18", "Tim Duncan": "14", "Blake Griffin": "17", "Chris Paul": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "10", "Tim Duncan": "6", "Blake Griffin": "9", "Chris Paul": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Tim Duncan": "8", "Blake Griffin": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Tim Duncan": "6", "Blake Griffin": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Kawhi Leonard": "37", "Tim Duncan": "36", "Blake Griffin": "37", "Chris Paul": "39"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "26", "Tim Duncan": "18", "Blake Griffin": "23", "Chris Paul": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "10", "Tim Duncan": "11", "Blake Griffin": "10", "Chris Paul": "10"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3", "Blake Griffin": "1"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (3 - 3) beat the Los Angeles Clippers (4 - 3) 89 - 85 on Monday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The Spurs made a rally in the fourth, outscoring the Clippers 25 - 15 to complete the comeback and steal an impressive road win on Monday night. The Spurs were led by the impressive all - around game from Kawhi Leonard, who had 26 points (10 - 18 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT) with 10 rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block in 37 minutes. Tim Duncan also posted a double - double, with a stat line that included 18 points (6 - 14 FG, 6 - 8 FT) 11 rebounds, three assists and one block in 36 minutes. The Spurs now head to Golden State to take on the Warriors on Tuesday night. For the Clippers, it was a disappointing loss that they let slip away. Los Angeles saw four of their five starters score in double figures, but outside of Blake Griffin with 23 points (9 - 17 FG, 5 - 7 FT), no single player scored more than 13. Griffin chipped in 10 rebounds, six assists and one steal as well in 37 minutes, putting together an impressive night. Chris Paul nearly finished with a triple - double, falling just one assist short, and had 12 points (6 - 13 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt) with 10 rebounds and nine assists in 39 minutes. The Clippers are now off until Saturday, when they take on the Phoenix Suns at the Staples Center."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "1", "Warriors": "2"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "99", "Warriors": "89"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "2", "Warriors": "1"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Warriors": "19"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Marreese Speights": "6", "Marc Gasol": "36", "Mike Conley": "32"}, "Points": {"Marreese Speights": "9", "Zach Randolph": "22", "Marc Gasol": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "15"}, "Assists": {"Mike Conley": "5"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (2 - 1) upheld homecourt advantage with a 99 - 89 win over the Golden State Warriors (1 - 2). The Warriors cut a 19 - point second half deficit to four in the final four minutes before running out of offense. It was just the second time all season and the second straight game the Warriors lost when holding an opponent under 100 points. Prior to the game, Mike Conley was fitted for a tighter mask and the Grizzlies responded by handing out souvenir masks to fans. While his stat line may indicate otherwise, Conley had a tremendous impact on the game, particularly on defensive end. He fought off cramps for the second straight game and chipped in a team - high five assists in 32 minutes. Marc Gasol recorded a double - double in the first half and finished with 21 points and 15 rebounds in 36 minutes before fouling out, earning five fouls in the fourth quarter. His backcourt mate, Zach Randolph, notched a team - high 22 points, earmarked by an array of low post moves and contested jumpers. The Warriors received plenty of open looks but were unable to convert at a reasonable rate for the second straight game. They converted 6 - of - 26 three - pointers, led by Stephen Curry\u2019s 2 - of - 10 performance from downtown. The MVP accumulated team - highs of 22 points and six assists in 40 minutes, yet only scored two points in the final period. Andrew Bogut picked up his fourth foul six minutes into the second half and never reentered the game. Marreese Speights exited late in the second half with a right calf strain and didn\u2019t return, finishing with nine points in six minutes. Game 4 is slated for Monday night on TNT in Memphis."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Cavaliers": "33", "Raptors": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "50", "Raptors": "40"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "108", "Raptors": "89"}, "Rebounds": {"Cavaliers": "46", "Raptors": "38"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "2"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "2"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Raptors": "20"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Raptors": "20"}}, {"Blocks": {"Bismack Biyombo": "2", "Kevin Love": "1"}, "Points": {"Bismack Biyombo": "3", "DeMar DeRozan": "22", "Kyle Lowry": "10", "Terrence Ross": "11", "Cory Joseph": "11", "James Johnson": "11", "Kevin Love": "19", "Tristan Thompson": "9", "JR Smith": "12", "Kyrie Irving": "26", "Channing Frye": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Bismack Biyombo": "5", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "6", "Terrence Ross": "2", "Cory Joseph": "5", "James Johnson": "3", "Kevin Love": "5", "Tristan Thompson": "12", "JR Smith": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "4", "Channing Frye": "4"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "3", "Terrence Ross": "1", "Cory Joseph": "3", "James Johnson": "1", "Kevin Love": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "3"}, "Steals": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "1", "Terrence Ross": "2", "Cory Joseph": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "14", "Tristan Thompson": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyle Lowry": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"James Johnson": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Tristan Thompson": "5"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Toronto Raptors, 108 - 89, in Game 2 on Thursday at Quicken Loans Arena to take a 20 lead in the Eastern Conference finals. Much like in the opening game of the series, the Cavs took control after an early push from the Raptors, and subsequently cruised to victory. They did it thanks to a variety of strong performances across the starting five, with LeBron James' triple - double serving as the best all - around effort. The perennial All-Star tallied 23 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists, while also recording a trio of steals for good measure. Cleveland dominated as a team in virtually every category, outshooting the Raptors 50 to 40 percent from the field and 33 to 27 percent from three - point range, while also outrebounding them 46 to 38. Their biggest advantage came down in the paint, where they outscored the visitors by the sizable margin of 50 - 28. Toronto was led by DeMar DeRozan, who managed 22 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal. Kyle Lowry endured another tough shooting night, netting 10 points on 4 of 14 shooting, his second consecutive such stat line. He also supplied six rebounds, three assists and a steal, but was guilty of a game - high five turnovers. No other starter manage double - digit points, and Bismack Biyombo was only able to provide three points, five rebounds and two blocks in Jonas Valanciunas' stead. The bench was more productive than the first unit overall, and was paced by three 11 - point outings from Corey Joseph, Terrence Ross, and James Johnson. Joseph added five rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Ross also registered two rebounds, an assist, and two steals, while Johnson complemented his scoring with three rebounds and an assist. Kyrie Irving actually led the Cavs with 26 points, and also compiled four rebounds, three assists and a steal. Kevin Love pitched in with 19 points, five rebounds, three assists and a block. J.R. Smith poured in 12 points and added three boards. Tristan Thompson was the only member of the starting five to not hit double - digit points, but did haul in 12 rebounds and block a shot in addition to scoring nine points. Channing Frye paced the reserves with 10 points and four rebounds. The two teams reconvene on Saturday night in Toronto for Game 3, when the Cavs will try to get one step closer to a second straight NBA Finals appearance."], [[{}, {"Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Will Barton": "1"}, "Points": {"Will Barton": "22", "DeAndre Jordan": "13"}, "Turnovers": {"Will Barton": "1"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeAndre Jordan": "1", "Chris Paul": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "13", "Chris Paul": "8"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Chris Paul": "8"}, "Steals": {"Chris Paul": "1"}}], "Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan have been models of consistency all season for the Clippers, and while Tuesday's double - doubles from each of the players was impressive, it was n't anything new for these teammates. For Paul, Tuesday's game marked the eighth time this season where he reached at least 10 points and 12 assists, while Jordan not only achieved his fourth straight double - double, but Tuesday was also his 13th straight game with at least nine rebounds. He also has grabbed at least 12 rebounds in 12 of those 13 games. For the Nuggets, trade rumors continue to swirl around shooting guard Will Barton and rightfully so, as the reserve has now scored double - digit points in all but one game so far in December and has scored at least 15 points in eight of those outings, with his 22 points on Tuesday matching his season - high he has set twice this season already."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "34"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "13", "Knicks": "52"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "125"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Warriors": "14"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "52", "Knicks": "13"}}, {"Points": {"Andrea Bargnani": "18", "Stephen Curry": "25", "Justin Holiday": "13"}, "Assists": {"Alexey Shved": "5", "Cole Aldrich": "5", "Stephen Curry": "11", "Marreese Speights": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Alexey Shved": "21", "Cole Aldrich": "16", "Stephen Curry": "27"}, "Steals": {"Alexey Shved": "3", "Stephen Curry": "3", "Marreese Speights": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Cole Aldrich": "5", "Marreese Speights": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Cole Aldrich": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "6", "Stephen Curry": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Stephen Curry": "3"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (52 - 13) beat the New York Knicks (13 - 52), 125 - 94.The Warriors scored a combined 85 points in the second and third quarter, recording 34 assists on 45 made baskets. None of the starters on either side played in the fourth quarter. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Andrew Bogut started after resting Friday against the Denver Nuggets. On his 27th birthday, Curry produced 25 points, 11 assists, three rebounds, three steals and six three - pointers in 27 minutes. Justin Holiday followed up a career night with 13 points off the bench. Marreese Speights returned to the team after being suspended one game for pleading no contest to reckless driving. The win kept the Warriors in the number one slot in the overall standings and six and a half games ahead of the Memphis Grizzlies. The Knicks were mathematically eliminated from the playoffs with the loss. Cole Aldrich blocked five shots in 16 minutes, matching the Warriors\u2019 team total. Andrea Bargnani scored a team - high 18 points, and Alexey Shved led the team with five assists and three steals in 21 minutes. The Knicks held the Warriors to 14 points in the fourth quarter. The Warriors play their second game in a six - game homestand Monday against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Knicks engage in their fifth road game in seven nights Sunday against the Phoenix Suns."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "14"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "102", "Celtics": "93"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "28"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Jae Crowder": "13", "Austin Rivers": "16"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chris Paul": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Chris Paul": "3"}, "Assists": {"Austin Rivers": "3"}, "Points": {"Austin Rivers": "2"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (28 - 14) defeated the Boston Celtics (93) on Monday 102 - 93. The Clippers were in position to shut the door on the Celtics with an 11 - point lead with just over five minutes to go in the fourth, but Boston stormed back to within three points of Los Angeles. Boston went cold after their run as Los Angeles put the finishing touches on a nine - point victory. Boston dropped its third straight game Monday, which is not an ideal way to kick off a six - game Western Conference road swing. James Young missed his second consecutive game Monday due to an illness. Jae Crowder was held scoreless in 13 minutes on the floor, marking his third straight game with less than 10 points. The Celtics will resume their road trip Thursday against the Trail Blazers. Los Angeles has now won three of its last four games after defeating Boston on Monday. Chris Paul was held in check against the Celtics, going just 3 - for - 9 from the floor. Recently acquired Austin Rivers received 16 minutes of playing time, contributing two points and three assists. The Clippers will host the Nets on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "9", "Rockets": "11"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "96", "Rockets": "100"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "11", "Rockets": "9"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Rockets": "46"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "46"}}, {"Assists": {"Trevor Ariza": "1", "James Harden": "9", "Dirk Nowitzki": "4", "Deron Williams": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Trevor Ariza": "1", "James Harden": "2"}, "Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "18", "Terrence Jones": "17", "James Harden": "25", "Dirk Nowitzki": "16", "Deron Williams": "22", "Devin Harris": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Ariza": "6", "Terrence Jones": "9", "James Harden": "8", "Dirk Nowitzki": "10"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Ariza": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Deron Williams": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Deron Williams": "8"}, "Turnovers": {"Deron Williams": "8"}}], "The Houston Rockets (9 - 11) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (11 - 9) by a score of 100 - 96, in Dallas on Friday night. This intrastate grudge match was a battle right from the start, with 20 lead changes in the game and the score tied in the last minute. A clutch shot that bounced all over the rim before falling for James Harden gave the Rockets what they needed to seal the deal. Houston has now won four of their last five. James Harden was flirting with a triple - double as he led the way for Houston with 25 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. He also recorded two blocked shots. Trevor Ariza was efficient with 18 points on 7 - 10 shooting, including 4 - 7 from deep, along with six rebounds, four steals, one assist and one block. Terrence Jones chipped in 17 points and nine rebounds. Houston shot an impressive 46 percent from the three - point range but a poor 55 percent from the free throw line. Dwight Howard sat this one out to catch up on some needed rest. Dirk Nowitzki logged a double - double, finishing with 16 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two steals. The Mavericks were led in scoring by Deron Williams who tallied 22 points, along with six assists and two steals. Williams however, turned the ball over eight times. Devin Harris came up big in 19 minutes off the bench with 15 points on 6 - 7 shooting from the field. The Mavs shot a poor 8 - 29 from deep, which can be seen as the difference in this one. Next up for the Mavs will be a match in Washington on Sunday. The Rockets will not have a break before hosting Sacramento on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "35", "Grizzlies": "17"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "45", "Grizzlies": "37"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "25", "Grizzlies": "14"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "105", "Grizzlies": "89"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Thunder": "35"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "28", "Grizzlies": "39"}}, {"Assists": {"Jeff Green": "2", "Zach Randolph": "4", "Nick Calathes": "4", "Kevin Durant": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "9", "Dion Waiters": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jeff Green": "2", "Nick Calathes": "1", "Beno Udrih": "1", "Kevin Durant": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "3", "Dion Waiters": "2", "Nick Collison": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jeff Green": "1", "Nick Calathes": "0", "Beno Udrih": "1", "Kevin Durant": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "1", "Dion Waiters": "1", "Nick Collison": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jeff Green": "13", "Zach Randolph": "15", "Nick Calathes": "8", "Beno Udrih": "11", "Kevin Durant": "15", "Russell Westbrook": "15", "Dion Waiters": "9", "Nick Collison": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Jeff Green": "4", "Zach Randolph": "5", "Nick Calathes": "5", "Beno Udrih": "4", "Kevin Durant": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "4", "Dion Waiters": "5", "Nick Collison": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jeff Green": "2", "Zach Randolph": "6", "Beno Udrih": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "15", "Nick Collison": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Jeff Green": "2", "Zach Randolph": "6", "Beno Udrih": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "15", "Nick Collison": "2"}, "Points": {"Jeff Green": "11", "Zach Randolph": "16", "Nick Calathes": "10", "Beno Udrih": "11", "Kevin Durant": "26", "Russell Westbrook": "24", "Dion Waiters": "11", "Nick Collison": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "11", "Beno Udrih": "1", "Kevin Durant": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "9", "Nick Collison": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "3", "Nick Collison": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Durant": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Russell Westbrook": "1"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (28 - 25) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (39 - 14) 105 - 89 on Wednesday at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City. The Thunder had a huge first half against the Grizzlies, out - scoring them 66 - 48 to begin the game. The Thunder also shot much better than them, going 45 percent from the field and 35 percent from the three - point line, while the Grizzlies went just 37 percent from the floor and a meager 17 percent from deep. With the quick start and superior shooting, the Thunder never even gave the Grizzlies a chance of making a comeback. The Thunder could n't be more happy with having both Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook healthy, as they were both dominant in this one. Durant went 9 - for - 15 from the field and 4 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 26 points, while also adding 10 rebounds and three blocked shots. He's had a very strong stretch of three games, where he's averaging 32 points and 6 rebounds. Westbrook, on the other hand, finished with 24 points (4 - 15 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 15 - 15 FT), nine rebounds and nine assists, coming just shy of a triple - double. Like Durant he's been on fire of late, averaging 32 points and eight assists over his last five games. The Thunder also received some solid contributions from their bench with both Dion Waiters and Nick Collison reaching double figures. Waiters had 11 points (5 - 9 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt) and one assist, while Collison recorded 15 points (6 - 12 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), nine rebounds and two blocked shots. The Grizzlies got most of their production from superstar Zach Randolph, who finished with 16 points (5 - 15 FG, 6 - 6 FT), 11 rebounds and four assists. In back - to - back games against the Nets and Thunder, he's combined for 35 points and 19 rebounds, showing no signs of slowing down. The only other starter to reach double - digit points was Jeff Green, who posted 11 points (4 - 13 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and two assists in 27 minutes. Like the majority of the Grizzlies Wednesday, he just was n't hitting on many of his shots. Beno Udrih and Nick Calathes had some production off the bench. Udrih recorded 11 points (4 - 11 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT) and one rebound, while Calathes had 10 points (5 - 8 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt) and four assists. With no answer for Durant and Westbrook, the Grizzlies just could n't keep it close. The Thunder's next game will be at home against the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday after the All-Star break, while the Grizzlies will travel to Portland to play the Trail Blazers on Sunday after the All-Star break as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "49", "Nets": "44"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "107", "Nets": "101"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "12", "Nets": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "3", "Thaddeus Young": "2", "Jordan Clarkson": "7", "D'Angelo Russell": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "1", "Brandon Bass": "2"}, "Points": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "18", "Thaddeus Young": "19", "Julius Randle": "14", "Jordan Clarkson": "16", "D'Angelo Russell": "39"}, "Rebounds": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "7", "Thaddeus Young": "15", "Julius Randle": "13", "Jordan Clarkson": "7"}, "Steals": {"Thaddeus Young": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"D'Angelo Russell": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"D'Angelo Russell": "3"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers (12 - 49) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (17 - 44) 107 - 101 at Staples Center on Tuesday. The matchup between two of the bottom three teams in the NBA featured an explosive performance from rookie point guard D\u2019Angelo Russell, who scored a career high 39 points to lead the Lakers. Russell flashed his ability to score in volume, in addition to proving that he has the intangibles to see plays develop before they happen. In short, this was the type of game that Lakers fans have been waiting for. The rookie added six rebounds and three assists on 14 - of - 21 shooting, including eight buckets from behind the arc in 35 minutes. Two youthful counterparts, Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson, aided Russell in the contest, as Randle contributed his 24th double - double of the season with 14 points and 13 rebounds, and Clarkson added 16 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Roy Hibbert played strong in the paint and contained his matchup with Brook Lopez to a tolerable amount of points. The Los Angeles center totaled 14 points on an efficient 7 - of - 9 shooting. Clarkson\u2019s running layup with 1:28 left in the fourth quarter was all that was needed for the Lakers to close out the game after extending the lead to three points, as the rest of the team finished strong from the charity stripe, including Brandon Bass, who made two big defensive stop with under one minute remaining to hold off the Nets. Brooklyn was outplayed in the first half, and once Russell caught fire, they had no answer in stopping him. All five Nets starters finished in double figures, lead by Lopez\u2019s 23 points, but after fouling out the game, the Lakers had a crucial size advantage in the paint. Thaddeus Young totaled 19 points, 15 rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block, while Bojan Bogdanovich added 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists. The Nets, as a whole, rounded out the box score from the starters, but were inefficient in shooting. Brooklyn shot 5 - of - 18 from behind the arc, granted it is not their strong suit, multiple missed open opportunities proved to be vital down the stretch. Both benches were quiet in the game, as neither team found a player registering in double figures or finding strength off the glass. The Denver Nuggets (23 - 37) will welcome both teams in each of their next scheduled games, as the Lakers will play the second game of a back - to - back on Wednesday, and the Nets will play on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "14", "Timberwolves": "20"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "114", "Timberwolves": "98"}, "Rebounds": {"Celtics": "43", "Timberwolves": "37"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "10", "Timberwolves": "5"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Timberwolves": "21"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Thaddeus Young": "19", "Avery Bradley": "14"}, "Points": {"Thaddeus Young": "13", "Shabazz Muhammad": "26", "Chase Budinger": "19", "Jeff Green": "18", "Jared Sullinger": "14", "Tyler Zeller": "14", "Avery Bradley": "14", "Evan Turner": "10", "Kelly Olynyk": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Jeff Green": "7", "Jared Sullinger": "10"}, "Assists": {"Evan Turner": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Evan Turner": "27"}}], "The Celtics (10 - 14) got 21 points from Kelly Olynyk en route to a 114 - 98 win over the Timberwolves (5 - 20) on Friday. Boston shot a scorching 57 percent from the floor and hit eight three - pointers while out - rebounding Minnesota 43 - 37. All five starters scored in double - figures, led by 18 points and seven rebounds from Jeff Green. Jared Sullinger added 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Tyler Zeller and Avery Bradley each added 14 as well. Starting in place of Rajon Rondo, who was dealt to Dallas on Thursday, Evan Turner had 10 points and four assists in 27 minutes. The Wolves, who shot 45 percent from the floor, were led by 26 points from Shabazz Muhammad. The second - year forward is off to a strong start in December, averaging 17 points, 5 rebounds and shooting better 50 percent from the floor. Thaddeus Young added 13 points and Chase Budinger had 19 off the bench. Up next, the Wolves return home to host the Pacers on Sunday. Boston hits the road to take on the Heat in Miami, also on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "52"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "16", "Pelicans": "19"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "104", "Pelicans": "88"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Suns": "28", "Pelicans": "17"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "12", "Pelicans": "7"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pelicans": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Anthony Davis": "16", "Eric Bledsoe": "29", "Alex Len": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "12", "Alex Len": "13"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Eric Gordon": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Eric Gordon": "2"}, "Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "9"}, "Steals": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (12 - 16) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (7 - 19) 104 - 88 on Friday in a game with very little energy. This was the case of two teams going through the motions and playing with very little energy. It's unclear if it was the team's lack of success or whether you could hear a pin drop in the stadium, but there was just no energy in the arena. The shooting really killed the Pelicans, as they went just 4 - for - 22 from three - point range. In what was anticipated to be a high - scoring game, the two teams really struggled on both ends. Phoenix took a 28 - 17 lead in the first quarter and it wasn\u2019t really a game after that. The Pelicans are hard to watch right now. Their defense is one of the worst in the NBA and their offense had no rhythm tonight. They shot just 36 percent from the field and 18 percent from long distance. When the offense is playing like this with how bad their defense is, it's nearly impossible for the Pelicans to win. New Orleans' best player on the night was Anthony Davis, who collected 16 points and 12 rebounds. Eric Gordon shot the team out of the game, as he was just 2 - for - 11 from the field and 2 - for - 19 from three - point range in the loss. The bench is major strength for this team, but they accumulated just 36 points on the evening, which included some garbage time scoring. They'll look to bounce - back against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday in their next game. The Suns shot 52 percent in the game and took advantage of a bad defense. They continued to get in the paint all night and scored 52 points in the paint. Eric Bledsoe has another great game, as he tallied 29 points, nine assists, five rebounds and two steals in the win. Alex Len also played well off the bench, as he amassed 19 points and 13 rebounds en route to a double - double. What Phoenix will like most about this win is the defense, as they have been terrible defensively all season. The Suns will host the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday in their next matchup."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Warriors": "42", "Kings": "15"}}, {"Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "13", "Matt Barnes": "15", "Kevin Durant": "21", "Klay Thompson": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Matt Barnes": "14", "Kevin Durant": "7", "JaVale McGee": "10", "Klay Thompson": "5"}, "Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "7", "Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"JaVale McGee": "18"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}}], "The Golden State Warriors absolutely demolished the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday behind the most lopsided quarter of the 2016 - 17 campaign. The Warriors outscored the Kings 42 - 15 in the third quarter and went on a 47 - 12 run at one point. All-Star shooting guard Klay Thompson had a team - high 35 points including seven three - pointers, and had five rebounds and four assists. Reigning MVP Steph Curry had 16 points and nine assists to go along with a pair of blocks. Former MVP Kevin Durant had a rounded stat line of 21 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. Center JaVale McGee led the team in rebounding with 10 boards in just 18 minutes. For Sacramento, the picture was not as bright. Superstar DeMarcus Cousins was held to just 13 points and four rebounds. The only significant contributor was forward Matt Barnes, who scored 15 points and came down with a game - high 14 rebounds."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"76ers": "36", "Lakers": "46"}, "Losses": {"76ers": "20", "Lakers": "18"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "89", "Lakers": "100"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"76ers": "18", "Lakers": "30"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "6", "Lakers": "11"}, "Turnovers": {"Lakers": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Julius Randle": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Julius Randle": "13", "Lou Williams": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Julius Randle": "10", "Lou Williams": "5"}, "Points": {"Julius Randle": "25", "Nick Young": "15", "D'Angelo Russell": "15", "Lou Williams": "18", "Ersan Ilyasova": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Julius Randle": "9", "Ersan Ilyasova": "10"}, "Steals": {"Julius Randle": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Lou Williams": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Lou Williams": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Lou Williams": "23"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers came out victorious on the third outing of a seven - game road trip as they defeated the host 76ers in Philadelphia, 100 - 89, at Wells Fargo Center on Friday evening. The Lakers (11 - 18) broke an eight - game losing streak as they came together to defeat the 76ers (6 - 20). They jumped out to a great start, with a 30 - 18 first quarter and were able to hang tight for the rest of the game to improve to 5 - 11 on the road this season. Five players scored in double figures to lead the Lakers to a much - needed victory. Julius Randle finished with a game - high 25 points on 10 - of - 13 shooting, along with nine rebounds, four assists and three steals. Lou Williams struggled shooting, going 5 - of - 12 from the field and 1 - of - 6 from deep, but finished with 18 points, in 23 minutes off the bench, while D'Angelo Russell and Nick Young chipped in 15 points each. The Lakers shot 46 percent from the field, including 9 - of - 30 from long range, however gave up an ugly 20 turnovers in the game. They will go on to face the second night of a back - to - back as they take on the Cavaliers in Cleveland on Saturday. The 76ers dropped their second straight game as they fell short, shooting only 36 percent overall and 6 - of - 31 from long range. Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor started alongside each other for the second straight game and combined for 29 points and 12 rebounds, in less than 30 minutes each. Five players scored in double - digits for Philly, including Ersan Ilyasova, who chipped in 13 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. The Sixers fell to 4 - 13 at home with this loss, but will look to bounce back as they play host to the Nets on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "3"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "95", "Raptors": "108"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "0"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Raptors": "20"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "25", "DeMar DeRozan": "30", "Channing Frye": "32", "Elfrid Payton": "30", "Maurice Harkless": "22"}, "Points": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "26", "Channing Frye": "11", "Elfrid Payton": "16", "Maurice Harkless": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "11", "DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Maurice Harkless": "5"}, "Assists": {"Channing Frye": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "9", "Maurice Harkless": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Channing Frye": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Channing Frye": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Elfrid Payton": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Maurice Harkless": "2"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (20) defeated the Orlando Magic (0 - 3) 108 - 95 on Saturday. All-Star DeMar DeRozan paced the Raptors with 26 points and eight rebounds in just 30 minutes. Jonas Valanciunas played 25 minutes as the starting center after having played just 21 minutes in the team's opener. Valanciunas finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds to record his first double - double of the season. Six players scored in double - digits for the Raptors, illustrating their willingness to share the ball on offense. Channing Frye played 32 minutes in his second game back from an MCL sprain which forced him to miss most of the preseason. Frye finished with 11 points. Roookie point guard Elfrid Payton nearly secured the first double - double of his career, putting up 16 points and nine assists in 30 minutes. Maurice Harkless received his first minutes of the regular season after being tied to the bench for the first two games. Harkless finished with seven points and five rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench. Victor Oladipo remains sidelined following face surgery and is expected to be out at least another three weeks. The Raptors will complete a back - to - back set on the road Sunday against the Miami Heat. The Magic have two days off before going on the road Tuesday to face the Chicago Bulls."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Knicks": "47", "Thunder": "23"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "44", "Thunder": "40"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "37", "Thunder": "23"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "100", "Thunder": "92"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "9", "Thunder": "23"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Serge Ibaka": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "8", "Reggie Jackson": "4", "Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Langston Galloway": "7", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Serge Ibaka": "0", "Russell Westbrook": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Langston Galloway": "3", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Serge Ibaka": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "30", "Reggie Jackson": "11", "Carmelo Anthony": "28", "Langston Galloway": "15", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "8", "Lance Thomas": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Serge Ibaka": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "13", "Reggie Jackson": "6", "Carmelo Anthony": "12", "Langston Galloway": "7", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "4", "Lance Thomas": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Serge Ibaka": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "12", "Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "2", "Lance Thomas": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Serge Ibaka": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "12", "Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "2", "Lance Thomas": "1"}, "Points": {"Serge Ibaka": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "40", "Reggie Jackson": "13", "Carmelo Anthony": "31", "Langston Galloway": "18", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "14", "Lance Thomas": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "10", "Reggie Jackson": "7", "Carmelo Anthony": "10", "Langston Galloway": "4", "Lance Thomas": "5"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "4", "Langston Galloway": "4", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "2"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "4", "Langston Galloway": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Reggie Jackson": "28"}, "Turnovers": {"Lance Thomas": "3"}}], "The New York Knicks (9 - 37) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (23 - 23) 100 - 92 on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Knicks were the superior shooters in this game, going 44 percent from the field and 47 percent from the three - point line, while the Thunder went 40 percent from the floor and a meager 23 percent from beyond the arc. The Knicks had an impressive second half, out - scoring the Thunder 57 - 47 to seal the victory in front of their home crowd. Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks in this game, scoring 31 points (12 - 28 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 6 - 7 FT) and grabbing 10 rebounds. He sat out of Saturday's game for a day of rest, but came back right where left off with another impressive performance. Rookie Langston Galloway continues to show production. He went 7 - for - 15 from the field and 3 - for - 7 from the three - point line to score 18 points, while also adding four rebounds, four assists and three steals. In the five games he's started this season, he's now averaging 15 points and 6 rebounds. The Knicks also saw some production off the bench. Lance Thomas scored 17 points (8 - 13 FG, 1 - 2 FT) and had five rebounds in 24 minutes, while Tim Hardaway Jr finished with 14 points (4 - 8 FG, 4 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and two assists in 22 minutes. Thomas is averaging 16 points and 6 rebounds over his last three games, as he's played well of late. With Kevin Durant sitting out with a toe injury, Russell Westbrook continued to do the bulk of the scoring, finishing with 40 points (13 - 30 FG, 2 - 8 3Pt, 12 - 12 FT), four assists and two steals in 34 minutes. He matched a season - high of 30 field goal attempts, so it's not surprising he was able to score so many points. He's now averaging 25 points and 8 assists on the season. Serge Ibaka recorded a double - double, as he posted 10 points (3 - 9 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and 10 rebounds. It was his fourth double - double in a row, as he's averaging 13 points and 12 rebounds over that span. The only other Thunder player to reach double figures in points was Reggie Jackson, who had 13 points (6 - 11 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt), seven rebounds, four assists and four steals in 28 minutes. The Knicks' next game will be on the road against the Indiana Pacers on Thursday, while the Thunder will travel to Memphis to play the Grizzlies on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "43", "Nuggets": "48"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "4", "Nuggets": "7"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "97", "Nuggets": "106"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Cavaliers": "22"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "5", "Nuggets": "3"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nuggets": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"Arron Afflalo": "3", "Ty Lawson": "12", "Kyrie Irving": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Arron Afflalo": "8", "Darrell Arthur": "4", "LeBron James": "4", "Dion Waiters": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Arron Afflalo": "4", "Darrell Arthur": "3", "LeBron James": "1", "Dion Waiters": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Arron Afflalo": "17", "Darrell Arthur": "6", "LeBron James": "18", "Dion Waiters": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Arron Afflalo": "8", "Darrell Arthur": "5", "LeBron James": "8", "Dion Waiters": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Arron Afflalo": "3", "LeBron James": "5"}, "Points": {"Arron Afflalo": "23", "Ty Lawson": "24", "Darrell Arthur": "13", "LeBron James": "22", "Kevin Love": "20", "Kyrie Irving": "20", "Dion Waiters": "20"}, "Turnovers": {"Arron Afflalo": "3", "LeBron James": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Darrell Arthur": "26", "Dion Waiters": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Darrell Arthur": "11", "LeBron James": "9", "Kevin Love": "11", "Dion Waiters": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LeBron James": "7"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (3 - 7) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (5 - 4) 106 - 97 on Monday at Quicken Loans arena in Cleveland. The Nuggets were able to use a strong second - half where they out - scored the Cavaliers 53 - 45 to seal their second victory in the last three games. Denver out - shot Cleveland, converting 48 percent of their field goals compared to the Cavs' 43 percent from the field. This marked the end of the Cavaliers' four - game winstreak after an ugly start to the season. The Nuggets were led by Ty Lawson who notched a double - double, scoring a game - high 24 points and adding 12 assists. This was his second double - double of the year, and he's now averaging 17 points and 8 assists on the season. Arron Afflalo chipped in 23 points of his own, shooting 8 - for - 17 from the field and 4 - for - 8 from the three - point line. This was a season - high for Afflalo, who's found some offensive consistency in the last three games and scored a combined 58 points over those games. Coming off the bench, Darrell Arthur chipped in a double - double of his own, scoring 13 points (5 - 6 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt) and grabbing 11 rebounds. He received 26 minutes with J.J. Hickson out, which was the most minutes Arthur has received this season. LeBron James led the Cavaliers with 22 points (8 - 18 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 5 - 7 FT) and nine rebounds. It was the first time in the last four games that he's scored under the 30 - point plateau. Kevin Love contributed his fifth double - double of the season, finishing with 20 points and 11 rebounds. He's now averaging 17 points and 10 rebounds on the year. Kyrie Irving came two assists shy of a double - double, as he posted 20 points to go along with eight assists. Coming off the bench, Dion Waiters shot 9 - for - 16 from the field and 2 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 20 points and grab two rebounds. He scored 20 of the 28 total bench points for the Cavaliers. The Nuggets' next game will be at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, while the Cavaliers will be also be at home Wednesday and will take on the San Antonio Spurs."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "5", "Jeff Teague": "6", "Rodney Stuckey": "3", "James Harden": "12"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul George": "16", "Lou Williams": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul George": "5", "James Harden": "5", "Lou Williams": "8"}, "Personal fouls": {"Paul George": "5", "Rakeem Christmas": "3"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "15", "Jeff Teague": "25", "Monta Ellis": "12", "Rakeem Christmas": "10", "Rodney Stuckey": "17", "James Harden": "25", "Lou Williams": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "7", "Rakeem Christmas": "3", "James Harden": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Rodney Stuckey": "3", "James Harden": "17"}, "Free throws made": {"Rodney Stuckey": "3", "James Harden": "14"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Lou Williams": "28"}}], "Lou Williams impact on the bench was the standout box score performance for the Rockets, although the team effort fell short to the Pacers. Williams logged 28 minutes and led all scorers with 28 points on 8 - of - 15 shooting. James Harden posted a double - double with 25 points and 12 assists, to go with seven rebounds and only two turnovers. The Rockets leading man was poor from the field sinking only five baskets, but made his impact on the free throw line going 14 - of - 17 in the loss. As for the Pacers, Jeff Teague was the most effective player on the floor with 25 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Paul George was kept in check with 15 points, seven boards and five dimes on 5 - of - 16 shooting. The Indiana bench saw three scorers finish in double figures, as Rakeem Christmas logged 10 points and three rebounds, while Rodney Stuckey added 17 points and Monta Ellis finished with 12 points."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "29", "Kings": "42"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "110", "Kings": "94"}, "Rebounds": {"Thunder": "49", "Kings": "35"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "40", "Kings": "27"}}, {"Assists": {"Kosta Koufos": "2", "Skal Labissiere": "1", "Georgios Papagiannis": "1", "Andre Roberson": "2", "Steven Adams": "3", "Victor Oladipo": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Kosta Koufos": "1", "Georgios Papagiannis": "1", "Andre Roberson": "1", "Steven Adams": "1", "Enes Kanter": "1"}, "Points": {"Kosta Koufos": "9", "Buddy Hield": "11", "Darren Collison": "10", "Skal Labissiere": "13", "Georgios Papagiannis": "14", "Andre Roberson": "8", "Steven Adams": "16", "Victor Oladipo": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "28", "Enes Kanter": "14", "Doug McDermott": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Kosta Koufos": "6", "Buddy Hield": "1", "Darren Collison": "3", "Skal Labissiere": "4", "Anthony Tolliver": "2", "Georgios Papagiannis": "11", "Andre Roberson": "6", "Steven Adams": "13", "Victor Oladipo": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "8", "Enes Kanter": "4", "Doug McDermott": "5"}, "Steals": {"Buddy Hield": "1", "Georgios Papagiannis": "1", "Steven Adams": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Doug McDermott": "21"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Sacramento Kings, 110 - 94, at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Saturday afternoon. Afternoon matinees seem to agree with the Thunder (40 - 29), who notched their second consecutive early Saturday win by dominating the Kings (27 - 42) to the tune of a 63 - 41 first - half lead. That allowed them to essentially cruise in the second half and provide plenty of playing time to recent acquisition Doug McDermott off the bench, who enjoyed his best game since arriving in OKC. Russell Westbrook led the way as usual for the Thunder with 28 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds and four steals. Oklahoma City also imposed their will down low, as they outrebounded their visitors by a 49 - 35 margin. The Kings bench enjoyed a more productive day than the starting five, as they combined for 53 points. Georgios Papagiannis, recently recalled from the D-League, led the way with 14 points, 11 rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block. Skal Labissiere continued his recent stretch of strong play with 13 points, four rebounds and one assist. Buddy Hield led the first unit with a modest 11 points that he supplemented with a rebound and a steal. Darren Collison provided 10 points and three boards. Anthony Tolliver matched Hield's scoring total off the bench and added a pair of rebounds.Kosta Koufos tallied nine points, six rebounds, two assists and one block. McDermott followed Westbrook with 21 points and five rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench. Steven Adams posted a 16 - point, 13 - rebound double - double that also included three assists, two steals and one block. Enes Kanter followed with 14 points, four rebounds and a block. Victor Oladipo poured in nine points and added four rebounds and one assist. Andre Roberson contributed eight points, six rebounds, two assists and one block. The Kings head to San Antonio to take on the Spurs on Sunday evening, while the Thunder remain home for a Monday night showdown with the Golden State Warriors."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "21", "Pacers": "24"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "112", "Pacers": "107"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "32", "Pacers": "29"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "19"}}, {"Points": {"Paul George": "31", "Jeff Teague": "13", "Kevin Seraphin": "16", "Markieff Morris": "26", "Marcin Gortat": "14", "Bradley Beal": "20", "John Wall": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "4", "Jeff Teague": "4", "Kevin Seraphin": "7", "Markieff Morris": "10", "Marcin Gortat": "16", "Bradley Beal": "3", "John Wall": "3"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "9", "Markieff Morris": "3", "Bradley Beal": "4", "John Wall": "14"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the Indiana Pacers, 112 - 107, at Verizon Center on Friday. Despite there being just five ties and six lead changes, this game was close throughout. In fact, neither team grabbed a double - digit lead, as it came down to the final seconds. Three-point shooting was the difference in the game, with the Wizards going 10 - of - 29 and the Pacers hitting just 4 - of - 21 from long distance. Washington also dominated the steal differential, winning that battle, 8 - 3. The Pacers (29 - 24) had a tough task here against one of the best home teams in the league and they fell just shy in this close loss. Paul George carried the load, as he tallied 31 points, four rebounds and two steals. Jeff Teague was second among starters, as he totaled 13 points, four rebounds and nine assists. Kevin Seraphin was second on the team, as he provided 16 points and seven rebounds off the bench. The Pacers will host the struggling Milwaukee Bucks on Friday for their next game. The Wizards (32 - 21) have been dominant at home this season, as this marks their 18th win in 19 games at home. Markieff Morris was the star, as he dropped a season - high 26 points to add to his 10 rebounds and three assists. John Wall matched those 26 points, as he also contributed three rebounds and 14 assists. Bradley Beal accumulated 20 points, three rebounds and four assists. Marcin Gortat collected 14 points and 16 rebounds en route to a double - double. On deck for Washington is a matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Timberwolves": "50"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "115", "Knicks": "99"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "37"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "5", "Kevin Martin": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Kevin Martin": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "10", "Kevin Martin": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Kevin Martin": "14"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Kevin Martin": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Kevin Martin": "2"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "20", "Kevin Martin": "37"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4"}, "Steals": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "Free throw percentage": {"Kevin Martin": "33"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves took it to the New York Knicks Wednesday at the Target Center, winning 115 - 99. Kevin Martin led the way for Minnesota with a prolific shooting performance, scoring 37 points (14 - 20 FG, 7 - 11 3Pt, 2 - 6 FT), a season - high. The only blemish on his night was at the free throw line, where he shot 33 percent. Normally, Martin is one of the more efficient free throw shooters in the league. The New York Knicks struggled defending the three - point line once again on Wednesday, allowing the Timberwolves to shoot 50 percent from three - point land (11 - 22 3Pt), a trend they would like to put an end to as the season progresses. Carmelo Anthony posted a nice line of 20 points (7 - 10 FG, 4 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), four rebounds, one assist, and one steal, while turning the ball over only once. The superstar played only 27 minutes and watched the game from the bench in the fourth quarter. Minnesota will look to build off this win as they take on the defending champion San Antonio Spurs on Friday. The Knicks match up against the lowly Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday, with hopes of turning their disappointing season around."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "11", "Rockets": "12"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "103", "Rockets": "109"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "9", "Rockets": "11"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Corey Brewer": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Corey Brewer": "4"}, "Points": {"Corey Brewer": "15", "Clint Capela": "10", "Dwight Howard": "4", "James Harden": "42", "Patrick Beverley": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dwight Howard": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwight Howard": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "9", "James Harden": "9", "Patrick Beverley": "4"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "7", "Patrick Beverley": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"James Harden": "40"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Patrick Beverley": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Patrick Beverley": "4"}}], "The Houston Rockets (11 - 12) defeated the Washington Wizards (9 - 11) 109 - 103 Wednesday at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. It was a matchup of two teams failing to live up to expectations, and both relied heavily on their star power to get through the matchup. After the Rockets jumped out to a 13 - point lead at the end of the first quarter, the Wizards bounced back with two impressive quarters of their own and entered the final period with a one - point edge. However, James Harden proved to be too much in the end for Washington. Harden finished with a game - high 42 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in 40 minutes, and absolutely took over in the fourth quarter. Houston\u2019s other star, Dwight Howard, shot just 1 - of - 4 from the field and finished with four points, but was active on the glass, grabbing nine rebounds. Corey Brewer (15), Patrick Beverly (14) and Clint Cappella (10) round out the four Houston players who scored in double figures. For the Wizards, John Wall did all he could to keep his team in the game, but it ultimately was not enough. The point guard finished with 26 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds in 39 minutes, and while each of the other four starters scored in double figures, the team lacked production from their reserves. The four Washington players to come off the bench managed to score just 21 points. The team also did not do themselves any favors by recording 18 turnovers to just 20 assists. Up next, the Rockets will head home Saturday to take on the Lakers, while the Wizards will travel to New Orleans Friday to play the Pelicans."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "40", "Bucks": "53"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "27", "Bucks": "36"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "100", "Bucks": "103"}, "Turnovers": {"Celtics": "16"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "48", "Bucks": "39"}}, {"Assists": {"Khris Middleton": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Malcolm Brogdon": "9", "Greg Monroe": "3", "Jae Crowder": "3", "Al Horford": "6", "Avery Bradley": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "4", "Marcus Smart": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Khris Middleton": "1", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Malcolm Brogdon": "1", "Marcus Smart": "1"}, "Points": {"Khris Middleton": "19", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "22", "Malcolm Brogdon": "16", "Greg Monroe": "16", "Jae Crowder": "13", "Al Horford": "11", "Avery Bradley": "12", "Isaiah Thomas": "32", "Marcus Smart": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Khris Middleton": "6", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9", "Malcolm Brogdon": "4", "Greg Monroe": "8", "Jae Crowder": "2", "Al Horford": "6", "Avery Bradley": "10", "Isaiah Thomas": "5", "Marcus Smart": "11"}, "Steals": {"Khris Middleton": "2", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Malcolm Brogdon": "1", "Greg Monroe": "1", "Al Horford": "1", "Avery Bradley": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Marcus Smart": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Marcus Smart": "1"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Boston Celtics, 103 - 100, at TD Garden on Wednesday evening. The Bucks (39 - 36) checked into Wednesday's contest playing outstanding basketball, as they'd notched victories in 12 of their previous 15 games. Nevertheless, they faced a formidable challenge in the top - seeded Celtics (48 - 27), who'd lost only nine of 36 home contests. Milwaukee was able to prevail yet again in what was a see - saw battle, however, with a heavily contested Malcolm Brogdon 16 - foot jumper with three seconds left giving them some breathing room at 103 - 100. Marcus Smart then missed a last - gasp 24 - foot three - point attempt at the one - second mark that would have sent the game into the overtime. The Bucks considerably outperformed Boston shooting - wise, as they posted a 53 percent success rate from the field while limiting the Celtics to a 40 percent tally. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way for the visitors with 22 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three steals and three blocks. Khris Middleton tallied 19 points, six boards, five assists, two steals and one block. Brogdon posted 16 points overall and added nine assists, four rebounds, one steal and one block. Greg Monroe led the bench with 16 points, eight rebounds, three assists and one steal. Isaiah Thomas paced the Celtics with 32 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals. Jae Crowder collected 13 points, three assists and two rebounds. Avery Bradley managed a 12 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included two assists and two steals. Al Horford mustered 11 points, six boards, six assists and one steal. Smart led the second unit with 11 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block. The Bucks head back home to tangle with the Detroit Pistons on Friday night, while the Celtics remain home to take on the Orlando Magic on Friday evening as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "26", "Rockets": "25"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "110", "Rockets": "98"}, "Turnovers": {"Spurs": "9", "Rockets": "13"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "53", "Rockets": "53"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Trevor Ariza": "12", "James Harden": "15", "Josh Smith": "13", "Kawhi Leonard": "15", "Tony Parker": "18", "Boris Diaw": "14", "Manu Ginobili": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Trevor Ariza": "7", "James Harden": "6", "Josh Smith": "5", "Kawhi Leonard": "9", "Tony Parker": "13", "Boris Diaw": "7", "Manu Ginobili": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Trevor Ariza": "34", "Dwight Howard": "22", "James Harden": "35", "Josh Smith": "27", "Kawhi Leonard": "35", "Tony Parker": "26", "Boris Diaw": "27"}, "Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "19", "Dwight Howard": "16", "James Harden": "22", "Josh Smith": "13", "Kawhi Leonard": "20", "Tony Parker": "27", "Boris Diaw": "15", "Manu Ginobili": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "11", "James Harden": "4", "Kawhi Leonard": "3", "Boris Diaw": "9"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "4", "Josh Smith": "5", "Tony Parker": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"James Harden": "6", "Josh Smith": "8", "Kawhi Leonard": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"James Harden": "2", "Josh Smith": "3"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (53 - 26) defeated the Houston Rockets (53 - 25) 110 - 98 on Wednesday in San Antonio. The Spurs are starting to look like the defending NBA champions, as they are now winners of nine straight games and 12 of their last 13. Tony Parker was questionable coming into the game with an Achilles injury, but the injury appeared to have no major effect on the point guard, as he finished with 27 points (13 - 18 FG) and four assists in just 26 minutes. Kawhi Leonard was not far behind, scoring 20 points (9 - 15 FG) and recording four steals in 35 minutes of play. Leonard has been a monster on defense as of late, logging 14 steals in his last three games. Off the bench, Manu Ginobili scored 13 points on 5 - of - 8 shooting, while Boris Diaw put up a solid line of 15 points (7 - 14 FG) and nine rebounds in 27 minutes. The victory brings the Spurs into a tie with the Clippers for fifth place in the Western Conference playoff race, although Los Angeles currently holds the tiebreaker over them with just three games left to play for each. MVP-candidate James Harden led the way for Houston, scoring 22 points (6 - 15 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt), to go along with four rebounds and four assists in 35 minutes. Coming off his 41 - point performance against Oklahoma City, it was a bit of a letdown game for Harden despite still reaching the 20 - point mark. Dwight Howard did not play a full load of minutes Wednesday, but still managed 16 points (7 - 10) and 11 rebounds in 22 minutes, as he continues to recover from a knee injury that kept him out for the majority of the season. Trevor Ariza was the only other Rockets' starter to score in double figures, finishing with 19 points on 7 - of - 12 shooting in 34 minutes. Off the bench, Josh Smith contributed 13 points (5 - 13 FG, 3 - 8 3Pt) and five assists in 27 minutes. With the loss and a Memphis win, Houston is now in third place in the West despite having the same record as Grizzlies, as the Rockets do not hold the tiebreaker over them. These teams will play each other once again on Saturday in Houston in another game with major playoff implications."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Clippers": "17"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "17"}, "Turnovers": {"Clippers": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "5", "Nerlens Noel": "5"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "12", "DeAndre Jordan": "10", "Jamal Crawford": "27", "Nerlens Noel": "19", "Dario Saric": "16", "Richaun Holmes": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "11", "DeAndre Jordan": "20", "Nerlens Noel": "8", "Dario Saric": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Nerlens Noel": "3"}, "Steals": {"Nerlens Noel": "2"}}], "With Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor both sitting with knee injuries, the Sixers put in a valiant effort to defeat a Clipper team who just got back Blake Griffin. The assist - to - turnover ratio was the decisive statistic, with the Sixers recording 35 assists to five turnovers, while the Clippers matched their assists and turnovers at 17 a piece. Scoring in the paint was extremely lopsided as well, with Philadelphia winning that battle, 66 - 20. Griffin played well in his first game back, totaling 12 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. Jamal Crawford led Los Angeles in scoring, dropping 27 points off the bench. DeAndre Jordan recorded a 10 - point, 20 - rebound double - double. Nerlens Noel had his best game of the season, accumulating 19 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals and three blocks. Ricahun Holmes scored 18 points off the bench, while Dario Saric provided 16 points and eight rebounds off the pine as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "17", "Bulls": "26"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "121", "Bulls": "117"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "37", "Bulls": "25"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bulls": "23"}}, {"Assists": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "6", "Taj Gibson": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "6", "James Harden": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "35", "Ryan Anderson": "33", "Eric Gordon": "34"}, "Points": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "23", "Taj Gibson": "20", "Dwyane Wade": "19", "James Harden": "42", "Eric Gordon": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "9", "Taj Gibson": "6", "Dwyane Wade": "9", "James Harden": "12"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ryan Anderson": "7", "Eric Gordon": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Ryan Anderson": "0", "Eric Gordon": "8"}}], "The Houston Rockets defeated the visiting Chicago Bulls, 121 - 117, in overtime at Toyota Center on Friday evening. The Rockets were trailing by eight points with three minutes left in regulation but surged back to tie it up, thanks to a few major defensive stops, including a couple of steals by Trevor Ariza, and some clutch offense from the likes of James Harden, Eric Gordon and Ariza. The Rockets then owned the overtime period, where they outscored the Bulls 13 - 9. James Harden led the Rockets (37 - 17) with 42 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists, in his franchise - high 34th 40 - point game with the Rockets. Three other players scored in double digits for Houston, including Eric Gordon, who came up with 21 points on 8 - of - 17 shooting, in 34 minutes off the bench. Ryan Anderson went scoreless in 33 minutes, as he went 0 - of - 7 from the field. The Rockets shot 16 - of - 43 from deep and struggled from the free throw line, where they hit only 17 - of - 25. Nonetheless the came out with a huge win, moving to 19 - 6 at home this season. They now have a couple days off, before they play host to the Magic on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Bulls (25 - 26) fell apart late in the fourth, after they were leading by eight with five minutes to go. They gave up 17 turnovers in the contest, which came back to bite them, as a couple of those directly led to the Rockets' comeback. The Bulls were playing without Jimmy Butler who was a last minute scratch due to a heel injury. Michael Carter-Williams was the high - point man for Chicago, as he finished with 23 points, to go along with nine rebounds, six assists and one block, 35 minutes. Dwyane Wade chipped in 19 points, nine rebounds and six assists, while Taj Gibson added 20 points, six rebounds and three assists. The Bulls will look to bounce back, as they go on to visit Sacramento on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "29", "Pacers": "32"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "102", "Pacers": "103"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hornets": "32", "Pacers": "20"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hornets": "19", "Pacers": "28"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "22", "Pacers": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"David West": "2", "Rodney Stuckey": "2", "Al Jefferson": "2", "Gerald Henderson": "8", "Brian Roberts": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"David West": "13", "Rodney Stuckey": "12", "CJ Watson": "11", "Luis Scola": "11", "Al Jefferson": "22", "Gerald Henderson": "9", "Brian Roberts": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"David West": "5", "Roy Hibbert": "2", "Rodney Stuckey": "6", "CJ Watson": "7", "Luis Scola": "6", "Al Jefferson": "13", "Gerald Henderson": "2", "Brian Roberts": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"David West": "6", "Rodney Stuckey": "3", "Luis Scola": "4", "Al Jefferson": "5", "Gerald Henderson": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"David West": "5", "Rodney Stuckey": "3", "Luis Scola": "3", "Al Jefferson": "4", "Gerald Henderson": "9"}, "Points": {"David West": "15", "Rodney Stuckey": "15", "CJ Watson": "22", "Luis Scola": "15", "Al Jefferson": "30", "Gerald Henderson": "13", "Brian Roberts": "19", "Marvin Williams": "10", "Gary Neal": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"David West": "6", "Luis Scola": "14", "Al Jefferson": "13", "Gerald Henderson": "7"}, "Steals": {"David West": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Roy Hibbert": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rodney Stuckey": "3", "CJ Watson": "8", "Gerald Henderson": "1", "Brian Roberts": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rodney Stuckey": "0", "CJ Watson": "5", "Gerald Henderson": "0", "Brian Roberts": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"George Hill": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Gerald Henderson": "4"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (20 - 32) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (22 - 29) 103 - 102 on Sunday at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte. With slightly over 14 seconds left in the game, Marvin Williams was able to hit a three - point shot to put the Hornets up 102 - 101, but with just under five seconds left, George Hill hit a baseline layup to give the Pacers the one - point lead. Brian Roberts got off a last second, three - point heave at the buzzer, but was n't able to convert, giving the Pacers their third straight victory in a row and a bunch of momentum moving forward. The Pacers were down 83 - 75 coming out of the third quarter, but went on a huge run in the fourth, out - scoring the Hornets 28 - 19 to finish off the game. The Pacers would never have been able to make their comeback if it was n't for the high production rate from their bench. C.J. Watson was huge in this win, going 7 - for - 11 from the field and 5 - for - 8 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 22 points in just 24 minutes. It was a new season - high in points for him, along with a huge confidence boost, as he went scoreless just a game ago against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday. Also off the bench, Luis Scola was a huge part of the Pacers' success. In 25 minutes, he posted 15 points (6 - 11 FG, 3 - 4 FT) and a team - high of 14 rebounds, marking his first double - double since the beginning of December. The Pacers did have some valuable contributions from of a few of their starters as well, with Rodney Stuckey and David West each reaching double figures. Stuckey had 15 points (6 - 12 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT) and two assists, while West had 15 points (5 - 13 FG, 5 - 6 FT), six rebounds and two steals. Despite suffering the tough loss, Al Jefferson continued to show himself as the Hornets' most effective player. He went 13 - for - 22 from the field and 4 - for - 5 from the free throw line to finish with 30 points, while also adding 13 rebounds even as he was being guarded by a defensive specialist in Roy Hibbert of the Pacers. He's been very effective over his last two games, combining for 48 points and 22 rebounds. Brian Roberts was back to being a solid scorer as the starting point guard, recording 19 points (8 - 14 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt) and five assists. He had a tough day shooting the ball against the 76ers on Saturday, so it was good to see his confidence did n't take a hit and he was able to get things pointed back in the right direction. Coming close to a triple - double, Gerald Henderson finished with 13 points (2 - 9 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 9 - 9 FT), seven rebounds and eight assists. He's had a strong stretch of four games where he's averaged 19 points, much higher than his season average of 11 points per game. Both Marvin Williams and Gary Neal reached double figures off the bench with 10 and 11 points respectively. The Hornets' next game will be at home against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, while the Pacers will be at home against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "6", "Cavaliers": "10"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "99", "Cavaliers": "95"}, "Turnovers": {"Spurs": "11"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "35", "Cavaliers": "27"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Cavaliers": "18"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Cavaliers": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "5", "Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Tony Parker": "2"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "22", "Kevin Love": "10", "Tristan Thompson": "18", "Kawhi Leonard": "20", "Tony Parker": "24"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Love": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Love": "12", "Tristan Thompson": "14", "Kawhi Leonard": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"Kevin Love": "2", "Tristan Thompson": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Tristan Thompson": "35"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Tony Parker": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Tony Parker": "2"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (35 - 6) held on to win in a potential NBA Finals preview matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers (27 - 10) Thursday night at AT & T Center, 99 - 95. After a tight third quarter, Cleveland led 73 - 72, but the Spurs raced out to a 15 - 4 run to open the final period and took an 87 - 77 lead that would prove too much for the Cavaliers to overcome. The Spurs dominated inside, pulling down 11 offensive rebounds and shooting a sharp 50 percent on two - point shots. Tony Parker led all scorers with 24 points as he looks as fresh as he has all season. After scoring 31 in Wednesday's contest against Detroit, Parker now has two consecutive games of 20 points or more for the first time all season. Parker was supported by yet another sharp game from Kawhi Leonard, who recorded a double - double with 20 points and 10 rebounds and added five assists plus strong defense against Cavaliers star LeBron James. James topped the Cavaliers with 22 points and five assists, but it was n't enough overcome San Antonio's efficient attack. The Cavaliers got two double - doubles from their big men, Tristan Thompson (18 points and 14 rebounds) and Kevin Love (10 points and 12 rebounds), but Cleveland's bench added just 12 points, pale in comparison to the 35 San Antonio got from its reserves. Cleveland had an eight - game winning streak snap and continue their Texas road trip Friday in Houston. The Spurs will try to stay unbeaten at home Sunday against Dallas."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "39", "Thunder": "41"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "1"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "83", "Thunder": "85"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "3"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Victor Oladipo": "11", "Marreese Speights": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Victor Oladipo": "3", "Marreese Speights": "6"}, "Points": {"Victor Oladipo": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "35", "Chris Paul": "15", "Marreese Speights": "14"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "5", "Chris Paul": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Russell Westbrook": "33", "Marreese Speights": "16"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "6", "Chris Paul": "11"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 85 - 83 at Staples Center on Wednesday. Two undefeated records to open the season and only one was going to leave with that sterling mark still in tact. The Thunder (40) came away with an offensively sloppy, but defensively sound victory, save for Russell Westbrook, who continues to pack the box score with phenomenal numbers. DeAndre Jordan was able to put one shot back with :3 seconds left in regulation to cut the lead to two points, but even after Westbrook missed both free throws, the Clippers ran out of time before being able to get a shot off to tie or win the game. Both the Thunder and the Clippers (3 - 1) shot far below average from the field. Los Angeles completed just 39 percent of their field goals, while Oklahoma City just edged them out with a lowly 41 percent of their own. The Thunder were led by Westbrook, who put forth 35 points, six rebounds and five assists in 33 minutes. Nobody else on the team put up double figures, and Victor Oladipo still has not found a rhythm, as he finished with nine points on 3 - of - 11 shooting. Chris Paul rounded out the stat sheet with a near triple - double, totalling 15 points, nine assists and 11 rebounds, while Marreese Speights continues to add scoring depth off the bench, as the Warriors import added 14 points on 6 - of - 9 shooting in 16 minutes. Next up, the Thunder face a very difficult second game of a back - to - back in Golden State against the Warriors, while the Clippers have a day off before visiting the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Rockets": "16"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "39", "Warriors": "51"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "23", "Warriors": "14"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "106", "Warriors": "113"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "51", "Warriors": "60"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Klay Thompson": "37", "Stephen Curry": "33", "James Harden": "38"}, "Points": {"Klay Thompson": "25", "Stephen Curry": "32", "James Harden": "24"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "7", "James Harden": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Stephen Curry": "10", "James Harden": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"James Harden": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"James Harden": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "5"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the Houston Rockets 113 - 106 Tuesday at Toyota Center. The Warriors (60 - 14) managed to get off to a hot start Tuesday, as they had already opened up a 17 - point lead by the time the first quarter was over. It was n't as easy for them the rest of the way, however, as the Rockets (51 - 23) came back strong over the next 12 minutes and managed to cut the lead to eight as the teams headed into the locker room. Unfortunately for Houston, they failed to get it much closer than that, as Golden State's starting backcourt of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson would n't let the Rockets fully back into the contest. Curry finished with a game - high 32 points in 33 minutes to go along with 10 rebounds and seven assists, while Thompson finished with 25 points in 37 minutes. Both shot an efficient 50 percent from the field, and that aligned with the team's overall performance, as the Warriors shot 51 percent from the field as a unit. As for the Rockets, they did not have the same success from the field, as the team shot just 39 percent overall and a very poor 16 percent from behind the arc. All-Star guard James Harden did, however, record his 20th triple - double of the season with a team - high 24 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds in 38 minutes, but he shot a poor 5 - of - 20 from the field and 1 - of - 9 from behind the arc. In all, six Houston players, including all six starters, managed to score in double figures, but the rate they were able to do so at was ultimately too inefficient to take down the league - best Warriors. Up next, the Warriors will look to extend their win streak to nine Wednesday in San Antonio, while the Rockets will travel to Portland on Thursday to take on the Trail Blazers."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "11"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Blake Griffin": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Blake Griffin": "4"}, "Steals": {"Blake Griffin": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Blake Griffin": "3"}}], "For a big man, Blake Griffin's 4 assists per game is rather impressive, especially when you consider his point guard is one of the best passers to ever play in the NBA. But Griffin has consistently shown signs of having great court awareness with his assist numbers. That awareness was on full display Thursday night as Griffin posted a season - high 11 assists in the blowout victory, and there is a correlation between Griffin's high assists numbers and Los Angeles' success this season. In the 10 games where Griffin has posted at least five assists, the Clippers are 10 - 1, and he recorded under five assists in three of their four losses. It's clear that when Griffin is looking to move the ball, Los Angeles is finding success, and having capable distributors in both the frontcourt and backcourt will only help this Clippers squad continue to find success."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Trail Blazers": "29", "Knicks": "43"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "15", "Knicks": "14"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "110", "Knicks": "112"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "29"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "10", "Knicks": "11"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "52"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2", "CJ McCollum": "1", "Damian Lillard": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "21", "Arron Afflalo": "11", "Damian Lillard": "28"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "13", "Arron Afflalo": "5", "Damian Lillard": "11"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "37", "Arron Afflalo": "15", "CJ McCollum": "22", "Damian Lillard": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Kristaps Porzingis": "3", "CJ McCollum": "3", "Damian Lillard": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "19"}}], "The New York Knicks (11 - 14) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (10 - 15) 112 - 110 on Saturday. Carmelo Anthony turned in an impressive performance, flashing his signature mid - range game that led all scorers with 37 points on 13 - of - 21 shooting, to go along with six rebounds and two assists. Knicks rookie, Kristaps Porzingis, struggled for a third consecutive game, and finished the night with zero points and three rebounds in 19 minutes. Outside of Porzingis\u2019 poor night, New York shot efficiently as a unit, completing 52 percent on field goals and 43 percent from the 3 - point line. Derrick Williams, Kyle O\u2019Quinn and Lance Thomas added double figures off the bench, which has been a consistent theme in the Knicks wins this year. Arron Afflalo added 15 points in the winning effort and shot 5 - of - 11 from deep. The bounce back win snapped a four game losing streak for New York and they will look to continue to battle in the Eastern Conference when they return home on Wednesday. Damian Lillard continues to prove his elite guard status in the NBA, as the Trail Blazers star scored 29 points with eight rebounds and four assists on 11 - of - 28 shooting. His backcourt counterpart, C.J. McCollum, is beginning to receive most improved player nods from the broadcasts teams, as the Lehigh product finished the night with 22 points, three rebounds and one assist. The heavy 3 - point shooting Blazers struggled to find a rhythm from deep in the losing effort and only completed 29 percent of their long range game. The Knicks host the Minnesota Timberwolves (9 - 13) on Wednesday, while the Trail Blazers will stay home against the New Orleans Pelicans (6 - 17) on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "9", "Warriors": "9"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "124", "Warriors": "116"}, "Rebounds": {"Hawks": "38", "Warriors": "51"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "42", "Warriors": "39"}}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "6", "Stephen Curry": "9"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Draymond Green": "10", "Kent Bazemore": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Draymond Green": "10"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "12", "Stephen Curry": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "20", "Kent Bazemore": "5"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Mike Scott": "5"}}], "In a battle of the NBA's two best teams, the Atlanta Hawks (42 - 9) beat the Golden State Warriors (39 - 9) 124 - 116 on Friday. Paul Milsap and Jeff Teague were a deadly combo for the Hawks. They combined for 44 points, including going 20 - 23 from the charity stripe. All five Atlanta starters scored in double figures, as did Mike Scott and former - Warrior Kent Bazemore off the bench. With the game tied at 83 in the third quarter, Scott hit back - to - back three - pointers and Atlanta would not relinquish the lead the rest of the way. The Hawks were outrebounded 51 - 38 but still managed to hold on for the win. Draymond Green had 12 points, six assists, and 20 rebounds for Golden State, 10 of which were on the offensive glass. No other player on either team had more than three offensive rebounds. Stephen Curry followed up his 51 - point performance on Wednesday with 26 points and nine assists. He's averaging 31 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals over his past five games. The Warriors are 3 - 3 over their last six, their worst stretch of the season. These teams will meet up again on Mar. 18 at Oracle Arena in Oakland. Up next, the Hawks will take on the Grizzlies on Sunday, and the Warriors will play the Knicks on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "34"}, "Losses": {"Wizards": "17", "Heat": "13"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "75", "Heat": "97"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Wizards": "7", "Heat": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Wizards": "45", "Heat": "54"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "15", "Heat": "20"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Heat": "25"}}, {"Points": {"Chris Bosh": "23", "Hassan Whiteside": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Chris Bosh": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "6"}}], "The Miami Heat (20 - 13) stifled the Washington Wizards (15 - 17) en route to a 97 - 75 win on Sunday night. The key to Miami's success this season has been their defense and it was dominant on Sunday. They held Washington to just 34 percent shooting from the field and 14 percent from long distance. The difference in the game was the second quarter, in which Miami scored 25 points while holding Washington to just seven points. The Heat also dominated the rebounding, as they won that battle 54 - 45. These teams are going in opposite directions right now and this result is indicative of the two teams recent play. Miami has the second - best defense in the NBA and they did a heck of a job today if slowing down a potent Wizards attack. Hassan Whiteside was a beast once again down low, as he added to his league - leading block total with another six swats in this game. Chris Bosh was the star of the game though, as he scored 23 points and snatched down seven rebounds. Most people wondered how a veteran team like this would perform this season, but they are simply slowing games down and winning with stingy defense. That's a recipe for a deep playoff run and the Heat have the players with the experience to guide them there. It's good the veteran starters got to rest late in this game, as they play the second half of a back - to - back on Monday against the Indiana Pacers. This was a disappointing result for a team who has been a disappointment all season. After breaking out last year, they appear to be regressing in a much deeper Eastern Conference. Blowout losses like this at home are a bad sign for future endeavors and one has to wonder if their rub last year was a fluke. They have now lost three of their last four games with the offense really struggling. No player scored more than 14 points and the only notable line was a double - double from Marcin Gortat. It doesn\u2019t get much easier for Washington, as they have to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday in their next scheduled game."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "38"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "16", "Trail Blazers": "17"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "98", "Trail Blazers": "109"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "35", "Trail Blazers": "35"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "10", "Donatas Motiejunas": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Damian Lillard": "6", "Josh Smith": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Damian Lillard": "10"}, "Points": {"Damian Lillard": "23", "Meyers Leonard": "12", "James Harden": "45"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Meyers Leonard": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Meyers Leonard": "2", "James Harden": "4", "Josh Smith": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Meyers Leonard": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Meyers Leonard": "6", "Donatas Motiejunas": "6"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (35 - 17) defeated the Houston Rockets (35 - 16) 109 - 98 on Sunday. After voicing his displeasure regarding being looked over for an All-Star spot, Damian Lillard was the beneficiary of the Clippers' Blake Griffin having to undergo surgery for a staph infection, and Lillard will now be headed to the All-Star Game in Griffin's stead. Lillard celebrated with an efficient 23 points on 6 - of - 10 shooting from the field and 10 - of - 11 from the line. He struggled with his shot over the last couple weeks, so it's possible the announcement that he'll be an All-Star could have relaxed Lillard. Meyers Leonard put up a nice game off the bench, scoring 12 points and pulling down six rebounds in just 15 minutes, while showing off his range on 2 - of - 4 three - point attempts. The win helped the Trail Blazers secure a third victory in their last four games, with their lone loss coming to the Mavericks on Saturday. Portland lost five of their final six games at the end of January, but their recent play has assuaged most concerns about that rough stretch. James Harden is like the Katniss Everdeen of the NBA; he's on fire. On Sunday, he scored a game - high 45 points for his fifth 40 - point game of the season. He got some help from Josh Smith, with Smith hitting a career - high four three - pointers for the third time in the last six games, showing off what may be an improved jumper thanks to the Rockets' coaching. Donatas Motiejunas was the only other Rockets player to finish with double - digit points as the team shot a poor 38 percent from the field and 68 percent from the free - throw line. Despite the loss, the Rockets have won six of the eight games they've played since Dwight Howard went down with his most recent knee injury, proving that they can continue to win even without Howard. They'll play the Suns in Phoenix on Tuesday. The Trail Blazers will return home to host the Lakers on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "17", "Nuggets": "13"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "98", "Nuggets": "106"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "4", "Nuggets": "8"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "46"}}, {"Assists": {"Danilo Gallinari": "3", "Will Barton": "3", "Jamal Murray": "2", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Joel Embiid": "1", "Gerald Henderson": "1", "Sergio Rodriguez": "7", "Richaun Holmes": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Danilo Gallinari": "1", "Will Barton": "2", "Richaun Holmes": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Danilo Gallinari": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Danilo Gallinari": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Danilo Gallinari": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Danilo Gallinari": "12"}, "Free throws made": {"Danilo Gallinari": "11"}, "Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "24", "Jusuf Nurkic": "8", "Will Barton": "22", "Wilson Chandler": "10", "Jamal Murray": "22", "Ersan Ilyasova": "17", "Joel Embiid": "16", "Gerald Henderson": "14", "Sergio Rodriguez": "17", "Richaun Holmes": "11", "Dario Saric": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Danilo Gallinari": "4", "Jusuf Nurkic": "10", "Will Barton": "8", "Jamal Murray": "3", "Ersan Ilyasova": "8", "Joel Embiid": "4", "Gerald Henderson": "5", "Sergio Rodriguez": "4", "Richaun Holmes": "8", "Dario Saric": "8"}, "Steals": {"Danilo Gallinari": "2", "Will Barton": "2", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Gerald Henderson": "3", "Sergio Rodriguez": "3", "Dario Saric": "1"}}], "The Denver Nuggets defeated the Philadelphia 76ers, 106 - 98, at Wells Fargo Center on Monday. The Nuggets (8 - 13) checked in to Monday's contest having recorded four of their seven victories on the road, and they found a way to continue their success away from home against a Sixers (4 - 17) squad missing starting small forward Robert Covington (knee/illness). Danilo Gallinari led the way with 24 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. He got to the foul line a game - high 12 times, converting 11 of those opportunities into points. His effort keyed a 46 percent effort from the field overall from the Nuggets, who snapped a three - game losing streak. Barton checked in right behind Gallinari with a full stat line of 22 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. Jusuf Nurkic was only able to provide a modest eight points but did haul in 10 rebounds. Emmanuel Mudiay and Kenneth Faried combined for just six points, but Jamal Murray led the bench with a 22 - point effort that also included three rebounds and two assists and helped make up for the scoring void overall. Wilson Chandler was also productive in a reserve role, tallying 10 points. The Sixers were led by a pair of 17 - point efforts from Ersan Ilyasova and Sergio Rodriguez, with the former adding eight rebounds, two assists and two steals and the latter supplying seven assists, four rebounds and three steals. Joel Embiid posted 16 points, four boards and an assist, while Gerald Henderson poured in 14 points and added five rebounds, three steals and an assist. Dario Saric paced the second unit with 17 points, eight rebounds and a steal, and Richaun Holmes registered 11 points, eight rebounds, an assist and two blocks. The Nuggets will continue on their Northeast trek and visit the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, while the Sixers hit the road on Tuesday to take on the Grizzlies."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "24"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "40"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "7", "Hornets": "7"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "85", "Hornets": "104"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Grizzlies": "14"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "11", "Hornets": "10"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Points": {"Kemba Walker": "21", "Jeremy Lamb": "21", "Marc Gasol": "19", "Mike Conley": "14", "Jarell Martin": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jeremy Lamb": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jeremy Lamb": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Jeremy Lamb": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Jeremy Lamb": "23", "Jarell Martin": "20"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jeremy Lamb": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Jeremy Lamb": "9", "Jarell Martin": "12"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 104 - 85 Monday at Spectrum Center. The Hornets (10 - 7) have now won two games in a row after dropping four straight, as they jumped out to 17 - point lead at halftime and never let up. They were able to do so thanks in large part to yet another strong performance from Jeremy Lamb, who looks to be fully healthy. In just 23 minutes off the bench, Lamb scored 21 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds. In his two games since returning from injury, Lamb has posted a total of 39 points and 26 rebounds, which has helped provide a spark for what was a sliding Hornets team. Kemba Walker added 21 points of his own, as the two guards led the way for a Charlotte team that struggled to get help from anyone else. The Grizzlies (11 - 7), struggled to get help from anyone at all, as their 85 total points was their third - lowest total in a loss this season. Marc Gasol and Mike Conley were the only starters to reach double figures on a banged up Memphis team, scoring 19 and 14 points respectively. Off the bench, the highlight for the Grizzlies was the solid play of reserve power forward Jarell Martin, who, with Zach Randolph (personal) out, saw 20 minutes off the bench and posted a double - double of 11 points and 12 rebounds in that time. As a team, however, it was a night to forget for Memphis, as they shot just over 40 percent from the field and a poor 7 - of - 29 (24 percent) from behind the arc. Up next, the Hornets will head home Tuesday to take on the Pistons, while the Grizzlies will travel to Toronto on Wednesday to play the Raptors."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Jae Crowder": "18", "Al Horford": "10", "Isaiah Thomas": "28", "Kelly Olynyk": "26", "Paul Millsap": "23", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Jae Crowder": "9", "Al Horford": "6", "Isaiah Thomas": "4", "Kelly Olynyk": "8", "Paul Millsap": "5", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "2"}, "Assists": {"Al Horford": "6", "Isaiah Thomas": "9", "Kelly Olynyk": "3", "Paul Millsap": "6", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "13", "Kelly Olynyk": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "21", "Kelly Olynyk": "11", "Paul Millsap": "15", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "9", "Kelly Olynyk": "9", "Paul Millsap": "8", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Isaiah Thomas": "36", "Kelly Olynyk": "32", "Paul Millsap": "40", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "29"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kelly Olynyk": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "1", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "1"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "1", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "3"}}], "Isaiah Thomas poured in 13 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter to help his team seal the victory. Thomas shot 9 - of - 21 from the field and added nine assists and four rebounds, in 36 minutes. Kelly Olynyk poured in 26 points on 9 - of - 11 shooting, including 4 - of - 5 from long range, to go along with eight rebounds, three assists and one block, in 32 minutes off the bench. Jae Crowder added 18 points and nine rebounds, while Al Horford added 10 points, six rebounds and six assists. Meanwhile, Paul Millsap and Tim Hardaway Jr. led the Hawks in scoring, with 23 points each. Hardaway did it on 9 - of - 17 shooting, and added three steals, two assists, two rebounds and one block, in 29 minutes, while Millsap went 8 - of - 15 from the field, and added six assists, five rebounds, one steal and one block, in 40 minutes."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "40"}}, {"Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Willie Reed": "8", "Marquese Chriss": "1"}, "Points": {"Willie Reed": "22", "Goran Dragic": "24", "Marquese Chriss": "18", "Devin Booker": "27", "Eric Bledsoe": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Willie Reed": "18", "Marquese Chriss": "6"}, "Assists": {"Goran Dragic": "9", "Eric Bledsoe": "7"}, "Steals": {"Marquese Chriss": "2", "Eric Bledsoe": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Marquese Chriss": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Devin Booker": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Devin Booker": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Devin Booker": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Eric Bledsoe": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Eric Bledsoe": "1"}}], "It was a big night for Phoenix as the team coasted to a fairly easy and much - needed win. Much of the team's offense came on the back of sophomore guard Devin Booker, who scored 27 points on 9 - of - 19 shooting with three three - pointers. Point guard Eric Bledsoe, meanwhile, scored 17 points to go with a team - high seven assists. Rookie Marquese Chriss had one of the best performances of his young career, scoring 18 and recording six rebounds and two steals. The team shot an efficient 47 percent from the field and had nine three - pointers. Miami, meanwhile, shot under 40 percent and had just six threes. Forward Willie Reed had career - highs in both points and rebounds, scoring 22 and pulling down 18 boards, including eight on the offensive end. Point guard Goran Dragic also impressed, scoring 24 points and dishing out nine assists. The rest of the Heat, however, struggled to find the basket, combining for just 44 points."], [[{"Total points": {"Warriors": "125", "Trail Blazers": "121"}}, {"Field goal percentage": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "50", "Stephen Curry": "50"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Maurice Harkless": "50"}, "Assists": {"CJ McCollum": "5", "Damian Lillard": "7", "Klay Thompson": "1", "Stephen Curry": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "23", "Damian Lillard": "24", "Klay Thompson": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ McCollum": "11", "Damian Lillard": "7", "Klay Thompson": "13"}, "Points": {"CJ McCollum": "27", "Damian Lillard": "28", "Klay Thompson": "33", "Stephen Curry": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"CJ McCollum": "8", "Damian Lillard": "7", "Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "5"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the visiting Portland Trail Blazers, 125 - 121, in Game 5 Wednesday at Oracle Arena to advance to the Western Conference Finals. The Warriors backcourt was nearly unstoppable on both ends of the floor, as they riddled the Blazers duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum down the stretch to close out the series at home. With a healthy Stephen Curry back on the court, the Warriors retained their favoritism to win the NBA Finals, and they looked their regular season form. Although the Blazers took a lead into halftime for the fourth consecutive game of the series, it was not long before Golden State ripped off a 13 - 3 run in the third quarter to retake the lead. The last period of play was back and forth, up and down, high paced playoffs basketball action that saw its fair share of three - pointers and swift passing down low for the Warriors. In the end, the Blazers and head coach Terry Stotts put up a competitive fight through five games, as they overachieved greatly considering their pre - season expectations. Damian Lillard, who normally is lights out in the fourth quarter, struggled to finish at the rim late in the game, but was still perfect from the free throw line. Lillard finished with 28 points, seven rebounds and seven assists on 7 - of - 24 shooting, while C.J. McCollum added 27 points, eight rebounds and five assists on 11 - of - 23 shooting. Al-Farouq Aminu and Maurice Harkless combined for 29 points and were effective on the wings, where they finished 6 - of - 11 from behind the arc. Klay Thompson totalled his fourth 30 - plus point game of the playoffs after finishing with 33 points, two rebounds and one assist on 13 - of - 17 shooting. The reigning, and now back - to - back MVP, Curry, received his trophy before the game, and did not lose a step after stuffing the stat sheet with 29 points, five rebounds and 11 assists on 50 percent shooting. The Splash Brother were tremendous on the defensive end of the floor as well, as both players locked down the Blazers backcourt in the fourth quarter. The Warriors will await the winner of the Oklahoma City Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs (3 - 2 in favor of the Thunder) series."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Garrett Temple": "8", "DeMarcus Cousins": "42", "Arron Afflalo": "9", "Darren Collison": "8", "Ty Lawson": "8", "Jimmy Butler": "23", "Dwyane Wade": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "14", "Jimmy Butler": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Arron Afflalo": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Arron Afflalo": "3"}, "Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "7", "Dwyane Wade": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Jimmy Butler": "39", "Dwyane Wade": "35"}, "Blocks": {"Dwyane Wade": "4"}}], "DeMarcus Cousins came up with a monster 42 - point, 14 - rebound performance, but somehow it was not enough to get his team the win, as no other player scored in double digits for the Kings. The next highest scorer for Sacramento was Arron Afflalo, who finished with nine points on 3 - of - 9 shooting. Darren Collison, Garrett Temple and Ty Lawson all added eight points each, but it was much too little to help their team pull off a win. Meanwhile, Dwyane Wade exploded for stunning late - game performance for the Bulls, sealing the deal with a couple clutch plays in the final minute. Wade finished with a team - high 30 points, to go along with six rebounds, four assists, four blocks and three steals, in 35 minutes. Jimmy Butler added 23 points, seven assists and five rebounds, in 39 minutes."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "40", "Heat": "40"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "89", "Heat": "85"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Heat": "17"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "2"}}, {"Assists": {"Luol Deng": "2", "Joe Johnson": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "10", "Goran Dragic": "3", "Marvin Williams": "2", "Kemba Walker": "1", "Jeremy Lin": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Luol Deng": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Luol Deng": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Luol Deng": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Luol Deng": "2", "Courtney Lee": "2"}, "Points": {"Luol Deng": "15", "Joe Johnson": "16", "Hassan Whiteside": "8", "Dwyane Wade": "12", "Goran Dragic": "12", "Courtney Lee": "11", "Kemba Walker": "34", "Jeremy Lin": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Luol Deng": "7", "Joe Johnson": "7", "Hassan Whiteside": "7", "Dwyane Wade": "7", "Goran Dragic": "3", "Marvin Williams": "7", "Courtney Lee": "4", "Kemba Walker": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Joe Johnson": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "2", "Marvin Williams": "1", "Courtney Lee": "1", "Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Hassan Whiteside": "25", "Marvin Williams": "37"}, "Steals": {"Goran Dragic": "1", "Marvin Williams": "1", "Courtney Lee": "1", "Jeremy Lin": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marvin Williams": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Courtney Lee": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Courtney Lee": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Courtney Lee": "4"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets evened their Eastern Conference first - round series against the Miami Heat with an 89 - 85 win Monday night in Game 4 at Time Warner Cable Arena. With Nicolas Batum out again, both Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lin had to be prepared for another dose of increased offensive responsibility. Just as in Game 3, they were more than up for the task, scoring 55 of the Hornets' 89 points. However, it was starting two - guard Courtney Lee who came up with two of the biggest non - scoring plays of the night, hauling in two key offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter that helped extend possessions when Miami was threatening. The second of those boards came with four seconds left and also drew a key loose ball foul from Luol Deng, giving Lee the opportunity to drain two pivotal free throws that helped seal the victory. The Hornets played suffocating defense as well over all four quarters, elicting 17 turnovers from the Heat and holding them under 40 percent from both the field and three - point range. Miami was led by Joe Johnson, who managed 16 points, seven rebounds, two assists and a block. Luol Deng was next with 15 points, seven rebounds and two assists. Goran Dragic and Dwyane Wade turned in a pair of 12 point - efforts, with the former also supplying three rebounds, three assists and a steal, and the latter dishing out 10 assists, hauling in seven boards and recording two blocks. Hassan Whiteside notably only contributed eight points, seven rebounds and three blocks over 25 minutes. Walker's 34 - point total led all scorers, and he supplemented it with four rebounds, an assist, three steals and a pair of blocks. Lee was the only other member of the starting five to hit double - digit scoring, totaling 11 points, four rebounds, a steal and a block. Lin paced the reserves with 21 points, three assists and two steals. Among the starting five, Marvin Williams went scoreless over 37 minutes but brought down seven rebounds, handed out two assists and recorded a steal and a block. The series now shifts back to South Florida, where Game 5 will unfold on Wednesday night at American Airlines Arena."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "42", "Bucks": "42"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Khris Middleton": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Khris Middleton": "11"}, "Points": {"Khris Middleton": "26", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "22", "Damian Lillard": "31"}, "Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Damian Lillard": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8"}, "Steals": {"Damian Lillard": "4"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks continued to be one of the NBA's hottest teams with a win on Tuesday. Star wings Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton were at the helm of the offense during the team's narrow win. \"The Greek Freak,\" Antetokounmpo, scored 22 points to go along with a very impressive stat line of eight rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and a steal. Middleton, meanwhile, shot 11 - of - 22 from the field for a team - high 26 points. As a team, it was not a great offensive night for the Bucks. Milwaukee shot just 42 percent from the field and reached the line only 12 times. Portland, meanwhile, saw a major night from star point guard Damian Lillard. Lillard shot 13 - of - 25 from the field en route to 31 points alongside seven assists and four steals. However, the Blazers shot only 42 percent from the field and made just four three - pointers."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "23", "Thunder": "28"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "108", "Thunder": "105"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "39", "Thunder": "34"}}, {"Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "43", "Pau Gasol": "21", "Nikola Mirotic": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "8", "Pau Gasol": "12", "Nikola Mirotic": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Nikola Mirotic": "34"}, "Field goals attempted": {"E'Twaun Moore": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"E'Twaun Moore": "9"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (39 - 23) overcame a 10 - point fourth quarter deficit to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder (34 - 28) 108 - 105 on Thursday at the United Center. This game attained instant - classic status with some late game heroics from unlikely characters. While Russell Westbrook continued his dominance with 43 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, it was Chicago's E'Twaun Moore and Nikola Mirotic who stole the show late. Mirotic had 26 points and eight boards in 34 minutes off the bench. Moore went 9 - for - 10 in the game and put up 13 points in the fourth quarter. With time winding down, Pau Gasol kicked it out to Moore, who canned the go - ahead three pointer. Oklahoma City could n't close out Chicago as it allowed a sizeable fourth - quarter lead slip away. Russell Westbrook's triple - double streak ended at four games, and it was fitting that it came to an end in Chicago, where Michael Jordan strung together seven consecutive triple - doubles back in 1989. Still, Westbrook kept his streak of 40 - point games alive with his third straight 40 - point outing. The Thunder will return to action Sunday when they host the Raptors. Chicago has been devastated by injuries lately, but it pulled together a complete effort to score a huge win in front of the home crowd. In addition to Mirotic and Moore's strong outings, Pau Gasol notched another double - double with 21 points and 12 rebounds. The Bulls have a quick turnaround as they will travel to Indiana on Friday to face the Pacers."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "12", "Hawks": "12"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "100", "Hawks": "103"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Magic": "13"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "13"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "15", "Hawks": "17"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "50"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "3", "Al Horford": "5", "Nikola Vucevic": "4", "Evan Fournier": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "2"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "13", "Al Horford": "14", "Nikola Vucevic": "20", "Evan Fournier": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "13", "Al Horford": "6", "Nikola Vucevic": "11", "Evan Fournier": "3"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "2"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (17 - 12) defeated the Orlando Magic (15 - 12) 103 - 100 on Sunday. The Magic had a couple shots to tie the game late, but had some poor execution. In fact, they didn\u2019t even get the last shot off before the buzzer due to some good Hawks defense and a poor play call. Orlando came into this game as the superior rebounding team, but Atlanta outrebounded them 41 - 35 despite ranking 28th in the league in boards per game with Rolando ranking sixth. Atlanta's shooting really boosted them to a win, as they shot 50 percent from the field and from three - point range. Atlanta has now won three - straight games and playing some of their best basketball of the season. This was one of their best team efforts of the season, as six different players scored between 13 and 19 points. Paul Millsap was the team's best player though, as he tallied 13 points, 13 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks to once again stuff the stat sheet. Al Horford also had a nice all - around game, as he accumulated 14 points, six rebounds and five assists. The Hawks will look to keep their streak going against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday. This loss snapped a three - game winning streak for the Magic, but what really killed them was a 13 - point second quarter. One bright spot in the loss were the 16 steals that the Magic drew, which are a season - high. Nikola Vucevic was Orlando's best player on Sunday, as he recorded a 20 point - 11 rebound double - double. Evan Fournier tallied 17 points, three rebounds and four assists as well, which is a promising sign with his recent struggles. Orlando will look to start a new streak against the New York Knicks on Monday in their next scheduled game."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Spurs": "61", "Raptors": "31"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "48", "Raptors": "44"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "117", "Raptors": "107"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Spurs": "28", "Raptors": "17"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Spurs": "24"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "26"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "38"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Amir Johnson": "14", "DeMar DeRozan": "18", "Kyle Lowry": "19", "Lou Williams": "10", "Kawhi Leonard": "19", "Tony Parker": "20", "Marco Belinelli": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Amir Johnson": "8", "DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Kyle Lowry": "10", "Lou Williams": "5", "Kawhi Leonard": "10", "Danny Green": "5", "Tony Parker": "9", "Marco Belinelli": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Amir Johnson": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "7", "Kawhi Leonard": "4", "Danny Green": "5", "Tony Parker": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Amir Johnson": "0", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Kawhi Leonard": "4", "Danny Green": "4", "Tony Parker": "4"}, "Points": {"Amir Johnson": "16", "DeMar DeRozan": "21", "Kyle Lowry": "32", "Lou Williams": "11", "Kawhi Leonard": "24", "Danny Green": "19", "Tony Parker": "23", "Marco Belinelli": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Amir Johnson": "14", "Kawhi Leonard": "11", "Danny Green": "6"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "5", "Tony Parker": "9"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "9", "Lou Williams": "4", "Danny Green": "6", "Tony Parker": "3", "Marco Belinelli": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "0", "Kyle Lowry": "5", "Lou Williams": "1", "Danny Green": "5", "Tony Parker": "1", "Marco Belinelli": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMar DeRozan": "39", "Marco Belinelli": "21"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeMar DeRozan": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyle Lowry": "3", "Danny Green": "5"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Lowry": "2", "Kawhi Leonard": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (40 - 39) defeated the Toronto Raptors (38 - 26) 117 - 107 on Tuesday at the AT & T Center in San Antonio. The Spurs got out to a quick start in this one, out - scoring the Raptors 28 - 17 in the first quarter, while gathering a 61 - 41 lead by half. The Raptors tried to make a run in the second half, but the Spurs built up a big enough lead early, that the Raptors were n't able to overcome it. The Spurs finished at 48 percent from the field and a ridiculous 61 percent from the three - point line, while the Raptors went 44 percent from the floor and just 31 percent from deep. The Spurs also converted on 24 - of - 30 attempts from the free throw line, while the Raptors made just 13 - of - 18, which also made a huge difference in the win. The Spurs were led by Kawhi Leonard, who posted 24 points (10 - 19 FG, 4 - 4 FT), 11 rebounds and five steals. He's been on fire of late, averaging 22 points, 8 rebounds and three steals over his last five games. It's no coincidence the Spurs winning streak, that has now extended to six games, has coincided with the strong play from Leonard. He did see some help though, as Tony Parker went off for 23 points (9 - 20 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT) and nine assists in 36 minutes. After struggling through the month of February, Parker is clearly back on the right track, as he's averaging 25 points and 5 assists in four games since the start of March. Danny Green's shot was dialed in as well Wednesday. He went 5 - for - 6 from beyond the arc and 4 - for - 5 from the free throw line to score 19 points, while also adding six rebounds. He has been fantastic from the three - point line lately, shooting 50 percent or higher in five of his last six games. Marco Belinelli got hot off the bench and did n't miss a shot to score 10 points (4 - 4 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt) in just 21 minutes. The Raptors received the bulk of their production from their backcourt duo of DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry. Lowry went 10 - for - 19 from the field and 5 - for - 9 from the three - point line to score 32 points, to go along with five assists and two steals. In three games since returning from injury, Lowry has looked rejuvenated and is averaging 24 points and five assists over that stretch. DeRozan, on the other hand, scored 21 points (8 - 18 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 5 - 7 FT) of his own, while adding four assists in 39 minutes. Like Lowry, he's played extremely well of late, and is averaging 27 points and 4 assists over the first five games of March. While most of the focus was on those two, Amir Johnson quitely posted a double - double, finishing with 16 points (8 - 14 FG, 0 - 2 FT) and 14 rebounds. It was his first time reaching double - digit points in his last nine games, while the double - double was his first since the middle of January, so it was good to see the added production from the forward. Coming off the bench, Louis Williams chipped in with 11 points (5 - 10 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt) as well. The Spurs' next game will be at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, while the Raptors will be at home against the Miami Heat on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "34", "Heat": "21"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "98", "Heat": "102"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "12", "Heat": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "54"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Heat": "27"}}, {"Points": {"Chris Bosh": "27", "Dwyane Wade": "27", "Justise Winslow": "13", "Joe Johnson": "15"}, "Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "8", "Joe Johnson": "8"}, "Steals": {"Dwyane Wade": "3"}}], "After a grueling back - and - forth battle, the visitng Miami Heat (25 - 21) came away with a 102 - 98 win over the Brooklyn Nets (12 - 34) on Tuesday. It was a veteran effort that put Miami over the edge, with All-Stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh leading the Heat with 27 points apiece. The 34 - year - old Wade was named a starter for the Eastern Conference in the All-Star Game last week; it will be the star's 12th All-Star appearance. Wade played like a star on Tuesday, tacking on eight assists and three steals to his impressive scoring total. Rookie Justise Winslow, meanwhile, came off the bench to offer a season - high 13 points in Brooklyn. Winslow has garnered attention for his impressive perimeter defense this season, and on Tuesday he added a stellar scoring touch to his repertoire. Perhaps Miami's biggest advantage came in the lane, as the Heat edged out their opponents 37 - 32 on the glass and held a 50 - 28 advantage in terms of points in the paint. Many of Brooklyn's big - man minutes were filled by jump - shooter Andrea Bargnani, a factor that may have contributed to Miami's dominance of the low post. For Brooklyn, meanwhile, the narrow loss comes riding on the tails of a shocking upset of the Oklahoma City Thunder. The home win on Sunday helped Brooklyn snap a six - game losing streak. Unfortunately for the Nets, they were unable to continue the winning against Miami, as they allowed their opponents to convert on 54 percent of shot attempts. Despite the loss, Brooklyn saw a double - double from star center Brook Lopez and a 15 - point, eight - assist outing from veteran Joe Johnson. Brooklyn will next take the court on Friday in Dallas. The Heat will also have two days of rest before taking to the road against Milwaukee on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "20", "Bulls": "19"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "99", "Bulls": "93"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "28", "Bulls": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Pau Gasol": "3"}, "Points": {"Pau Gasol": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "19"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (28 - 20) beat the Chicago Bulls (30 - 19) 99 - 93 on Friday. Phoenix was led by their starting backcourt of Eric Bledsoe and Goran Dragic. They combined for 44 points, six rebounds, 10 assists, four steals and two blocks. The Suns are 10 - 4 in January, having put together two separate four - game win streaks this month. Phoenix owns the eighth best record in the Western Conference. They're currently 3 games ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans, and would face the Golden State Warriors if the playoffs started today. The Bulls were coming off two straight overtime games on their West Coast road trip, and may have just ran out of gas. They kept themselves in it late, but Eric Bledsoe's layup with 10 seconds remaining put it in the bag for the Suns. Pau Gasol had a stellar January, averaging 20 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks. He finished the month with another nice performance of 10 points and 19 rebounds. Gasol recorded nine straight double - doubles to end the month. The Suns have won two straight and will take on the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. The Bulls will have off until Wednesday when they face the Houston Rockets who have won four straight games."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "12", "Hawks": "14"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "108", "Hawks": "110"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Thunder": "30"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "16", "Hawks": "14"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul Millsap": "12", "Dennis Schroder": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Paul Millsap": "39", "Russell Westbrook": "35"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Paul Millsap": "2", "Dennis Schroder": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "30", "Dennis Schroder": "31", "Russell Westbrook": "46", "Jerami Grant": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "11", "Dennis Schroder": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dennis Schroder": "16"}, "Personal fouls": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 110 - 108 Monday at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Monday's game came with no shortage of drama, as after plenty of back and forth in the final period, Paul Millsap sit a short jumper that put the Hawks (14 - 14) up by two with just 12 seconds remaining. The Thunder (16 - 12), with one last opportunity remaining went to their star guard Russell Westbrook, who missed a jumper, got the rebound and got his shot blocked before Oklahoma City was able to call one last timeout. The Thunder inbounded it to Westbrook again, who missed a potential game - winning 3 - pointer, and while Steven Adams was able to get the rebound for Oklahoma City, his dunk at buzzer was ruled no good. In the end, it was a battle between the team's two starting point guards, with Dennis Schroder and Westbrook putting together two of their very best performances of the season. Schroder scored 31 points on 10 - of - 16 shooting from the field - - his second 30 - point game of the season - - on top of eight assists and five rebounds. Meanwhile, Westbrook posted 46 points - - his second highest total this season - - seven assists and 11 rebounds in 35 minutes. Ultimately, the deciding factor Monday was that Schroder got help from his teammates, while the rest of the Thunder players struggled. Atlanta's Millsap recorded 30 points and 11 rebounds in 39 minutes, while the next highest scorer for Oklahoma City was Jerami Grant with 15 off the bench. Up next, the Hawks will head home Thursday to take on the Timberwolves, while the Thunder, who have now lost three of their last four, will head to New Orleans on Thursday to play the Pelicans."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "12", "Mavericks": "8"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "112", "Mavericks": "115"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "7", "Mavericks": "11"}}, {"Assists": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "6", "Deron Williams": "8", "Damian Lillard": "10"}, "Points": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "28", "Zaza Pachulia": "14", "Deron Williams": "30", "CJ McCollum": "11", "Damian Lillard": "25", "Allen Crabbe": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "7", "Zaza Pachulia": "21", "Deron Williams": "6", "Damian Lillard": "8"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (11 - 8) beat the Portland Trail Blazers (7 - 12) 115 - 112 in an overtime thriller on Tuesday. This was a game of runs, as Dallas made the final one to close things out. The Mavericks actually came out and grabbed a 20 - 5 lead, but were then trailing at the half. Dallas ended up trailing for the majority of the second half, until ending the game on a 70 run to send it to overtime. All the statistics were very similar and this was as much of a nip - and - tuck game as you'll see in the NBA. Dallas has been playing some great basketball this season and that continued of Tuesday. While they only got 16 points off the bench, they got some great performances from their veterans. Deron Williams was the star of the show, as he tallied 30 points, eight assists and six rebounds in the win. Dirk Nowitzki also played very well, as he totaled 28 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Zaza Pachulia is the undervalued stud on this team, as he recorded 14 points and 21 rebound en route to yet another double - double. These veterans have made an impressive core and they'll be even scarier when Chandler Parsons and Wesley Matthews get back to 100% health. The Mavericks will host the struggling Houston Rockets in their next game on Friday. The Blazers were unsure if Damian Lillard would play in this game after an ab issue on Monday, but he played and nearly carried Portland to a win. Lillard flirted with a triple - double, as he tallied 25 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in the defeat. The rest of the starters killed Portland though, as the other four combined for just 14 points with C.J. McCollum providing 11 of those. The bench was spectacular though, as Ed Davis recorded a double - double and Allen Crabbe, Gerald Henderson and Meyers Leonard all scored 18 or more points. The bench production is a rarity for this team and they'll need more of that going forward. The Trail Blazers will look to rebound in their next game against the Indiana Pacers on Thursday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "50", "Pacers": "43"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "13"}}, {"Blocks": {"Myles Turner": "4"}, "Points": {"Myles Turner": "21", "Jeff Teague": "17", "Carmelo Anthony": "35", "Kristaps Porzingis": "21", "Derrick Rose": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Myles Turner": "9", "Jeff Teague": "7", "Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Kristaps Porzingis": "8", "Derrick Rose": "4"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "12", "Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Derrick Rose": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "25"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "13"}}], "New York has been struggling recently, but a win over their rivals is just what they need to get some momentum going. Three-point shooting was the big difference in the game, as both teams took 23 attempts, with Indiana hitting just six of those to the Knicks 13 makes. New York finished the game shooting 50 percent from the field, as Indiana could n't crack 43 percent. Myles Turner was a presence for the Pacers, as he led the team with 21 points, nine rebounds and four blocks. Jeff Teague flirted with a triple - double, accumulating 17 points, seven rebounds and 12 assists. Carmelo Anthony was the star of the game, as he scored 35 points on 13 - of - 25 shooting, while adding four rebounds and four assists in the win. Derrick Rose also played well, accruing 24 points, four rebounds and six assists. Joakim Noah provided a double - double as the starting center and Kristaps Porzingis dropped 21 points and eight boards."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Wesley Matthews": "8", "Will Barton": "5", "Nikola Jokic": "9"}, "Points": {"Wesley Matthews": "10", "Yogi Ferrell": "15", "Will Barton": "31", "Nikola Jokic": "13", "Gary Harris": "20"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Will Barton": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Will Barton": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Will Barton": "8", "Nikola Jokic": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Nikola Jokic": "24"}}], "Denver saw a massive offensive night on Monday en route to a blowout of the visiting Mavericks. Wing Will Barton started and came away with a team - high 31 points, along with eight rebounds and five assists. Barton shot 12 - of - 18 on the night. Sophomore big man Nikola Jokic, meanwhile, led the team with nine assists, while scoring 13 points and pulling down four rebounds in 24 minutes on the floor. Guard Gary Harris added 20 points. Dallas, meanwhile, saw a much more dismal output. The team shot just 43 percent and saw no player score over 15 points. One player to score 15, though, was rookie sensation Yogi Ferrell. The pint - sized point guard shot 4 - of - 11 from the field, 5 - of - 5 at the free - throw line, and dished out five assists. Wesley Matthews added ten points and eight assists."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bulls": "50", "Raptors": "30"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "54", "Raptors": "44"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "9", "Raptors": "7"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "129", "Raptors": "120"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bulls": "49", "Raptors": "37"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "18", "Raptors": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Raptors": "37"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "18", "Terrence Ross": "16", "Kyle Lowry": "22", "Pau Gasol": "7", "Jimmy Butler": "16", "Derrick Rose": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "8", "Terrence Ross": "6", "Kyle Lowry": "12", "Pau Gasol": "2", "Jimmy Butler": "7", "Derrick Rose": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "6", "Pau Gasol": "10", "Jimmy Butler": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "4", "Pau Gasol": "10", "Jimmy Butler": "11"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "4", "Derrick Rose": "1"}, "Points": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "20", "Terrence Ross": "17", "Kyle Lowry": "34", "Lou Williams": "12", "Patrick Patterson": "12", "Pau Gasol": "14", "Jimmy Butler": "27", "Derrick Rose": "29", "Aaron Brooks": "17", "Nikola Mirotic": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "9", "Kyle Lowry": "6", "Pau Gasol": "9", "Jimmy Butler": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Terrence Ross": "11", "Kyle Lowry": "8", "Jimmy Butler": "3", "Derrick Rose": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Terrence Ross": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "4", "Jimmy Butler": "2", "Derrick Rose": "0"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Jimmy Butler": "5"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (18 - 9) defeated the Toronto Raptors (22 - 7) 129 - 120 on Monday at the United Center in Chicago. In a high scoring game marked with a poor showing of defense between the two teams, the Bulls were able to show off superior shooting, going 54 percent from the field and 50 percent from the three - point line. They went absolutely insane in the fourth quarter, scoring 49 points, compared to 37 from the Raptors. The Raptors finished at 44 percent from the field and 30 percent from beyond the arc. The Bulls were led by the duo of Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler. Rose shot outstanding in this one, going 12 - for - 19 from the field, although 0 - for - 3 from the three - point line. He finished with 29 points, giving him his second highest scoring output of the season thus far. He's now averaging 17 points on the season. Butler on the other hand nearly matched Rose with 27 points (7 - 16 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt) of his own. He was able to get to the line 11 times, converting on a perfect 11 - of - 11. He also had 11 rebounds and five blocks, marking his second game in a row with a double - double. Pau Gasol nearly had a double - double of his own, as he finished with 14 points (2 - 7 FG, 10 - 10 FT) and nine rebounds. The Bulls did receive a big boost from their bench, as Aaron Brooks and Nikola Mirotic scored 17 and 12 points respectively. Kyle Lowry did everything he could to keep up with the Bulls outstanding shooting performance. Lowry shot 12 - for - 22 from the field and 4 - for - 8 from the three - point line to score 34 points, while also adding six rebounds and three assists. He's now combined for 56 points over the last two games, as he continues to stay hot on the offensive side of the ball. Jonas Valanciunas also had a big game, scoring 20 points (8 - 18 FG, 4 - 6 FT) and grabbing nine rebounds. Like Lowry, his offensive game has improved over the last week, as Valanciunas is averaging 16 points over his last four games. Terrence Ross showed off his stroke as well, going 6 - for - 16 from the field and 5 - for - 11 from beyond the arc. He scored 17 points, before fouling out late in the fourth quarter. Louis Williams and Patrick Patterson had solid outings off the bench, with each adding 12 points respectively. The Bulls' next game will be on the road against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday, while the Raptors will travel to Los Angeles to play the Clippers on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "9"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Jazz": "33", "Nuggets": "16"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Jazz": "23", "Nuggets": "35"}, "Turnovers": {"Jazz": "9"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "12"}}, {"Points": {"Will Barton": "20", "Wilson Chandler": "20", "Gordon Hayward": "32", "Rudy Gobert": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "11"}}], "While this game remained close throughout the first half, the second half was full of swings. Utah actually dominated the third quarter, winning that 12 - minute stretch, 33 - 16. The Nuggets then followed that up with a 35 - 23 fourth quarter, but fell just short in the final minutes. While there were 12 ties and nine lead changes, Utah led for over 40 minutes of this game. Will Barton and Wilson Chandler led the Nuggets in scoring, as they dropped 20 points a piece. Gordon Hayward was the player of the game though, scoring 32 points on 9 - of - 18 shooting for the Jazz. Rudy Gobert scored just seven points, but added 11 rebounds and two blocks. Free-throw shooting was key for Utah, as they went 26 - of - 28 in the win. Three-point shooting is what kept the Nuggets hanging around, as they finished 13 - of - 24 from long distance and made seven three's in a row in the fourth quarter."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "35", "Pelicans": "41"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "120", "Pelicans": "112"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Heat": "35", "Pelicans": "33"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "33", "Pelicans": "27"}}, {"Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "3"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "27", "DeMarcus Cousins": "19", "Jrue Holiday": "11", "E'Twaun Moore": "18", "Goran Dragic": "33", "Wayne Ellington": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "8", "DeMarcus Cousins": "9", "Jrue Holiday": "4", "Hassan Whiteside": "17", "Goran Dragic": "5"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}, "Assists": {"Jrue Holiday": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"E'Twaun Moore": "12", "Hassan Whiteside": "11", "Goran Dragic": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"E'Twaun Moore": "8", "Hassan Whiteside": "9", "Goran Dragic": "11"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, 120 - 112, at American Airlines Arena on Wednesday. Despite the Heat leading for nearly the entirety of this game, this fixture was closer than it looks. In fact, there were eight ties and six lead changes in total, with a double - digit lead being held for just four of the 48 minutes. Rebounding was decisive, with Miami winning that battle, 45 - 38. Free-throw shooting was also key, with the Heat shooting 84 percent to New Orleans 68 percent. The Pelicans (27 - 41) continue to search for their rhythm with DeMarcus Cousins now in the fold, as they have just three wins in 10 games with him in the lineup. Cousins played well here though, finishing with 19 points, nine rebounds and two steals. Anthony Davis led the team, as he collected 27 points, eight rebounds, three steals and three blocks. Jrue Holiday amassed 11 points, four rebounds and eight assists. E'Twaun Moore came off the bench to provide 18 points on 8 - of - 12 shooting. On deck for New Orleans is a home matchup against the Houston Rockets on Friday. The Heat (33 - 35) have now won five of their last six games, with this win giving them a tie for the eight - seed in the east. Goran Dragic returned from his eye injury to lead Miami with 33 points and five rebounds on 11 - of - 18 shooting. Hassan Whiteside totaled 10 points and 17 rebounds on 9 - of - 11 from the field. Wayne Ellington led the bench with 19 points, while Tyler Johnson and James Johnson combined for 20 points, seven rebounds, 13 assists and three steals off the pine as well. Miami will look to keep rolling on Friday in a home matchup versus the Minnesota Timberwolves."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "15"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "36", "Raptors": "29"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "75", "Raptors": "87"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pistons": "9", "Raptors": "27"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "33", "Raptors": "40"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMarre Carroll": "1", "Serge Ibaka": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "6", "Cory Joseph": "6", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "6", "Jon Leuer": "2"}, "Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "12", "Serge Ibaka": "17", "Jonas Valanciunas": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "14", "Cory Joseph": "9", "Norman Powell": "11", "Tobias Harris": "14", "Andre Drummond": "8", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "9", "Reggie Jackson": "20", "Jon Leuer": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarre Carroll": "1", "Serge Ibaka": "9", "Jonas Valanciunas": "8", "DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Cory Joseph": "7", "Norman Powell": "2", "Tobias Harris": "7", "Andre Drummond": "22", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2", "Jon Leuer": "5"}, "Steals": {"DeMarre Carroll": "1", "Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "Tobias Harris": "1", "Andre Drummond": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "Cory Joseph": "1", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Jon Leuer": "1"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the Detroit Pistons, 87 - 75, at Palace at Auburn Hills on Friday. Both teams' defenses came out ultra - sharp, with only a combined 29 points scored in the first quarter. The game remained close throughout the second and third periods as well, and the Pistons (33 - 36) actually entered the fourth quarter with a 66 - 60 lead. That's when the light went on for the Raptors (40 - 29), who rattled off 27 points over the final 12 minutes while limiting Detroit to just nine points. Abysmal three - point shooting was part of the downfall for the Pistons, as they managed just a 15 percent success rate from behind the arc. The loss negated a mammoth 22 - rebound effort from Detroit's Andre Drummond. Serge Ibaka paced Toronto with 17 points, nine rebounds and one assist. DeMar DeRozan followed with 14 points, eight boards and six assists. DeMarre Carroll supplied 12 points, one rebound, one assist and one steal. Jonas Valanciunas chipped in with 10 points, eight rebounds, one steal and one block. Cory Joseph was productive as well with a full stat line of nine points, seven rebounds, six assists and one block. Norman Powell led the second unit with 11 points and two rebounds. Reggie Jackson led Detroit with 20 points and six assists. Tobias Harris provided 14 points, seven rebounds and one steal. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope registered nine points, two rebounds and two assists. Andre Drummond added eight points, two steals and one block in addition to his astounding rebound total. Jon Leuer led the second unit with 12 points, five rebounds, two assists and one block. The Raptors head back home to tangle with the Indiana Pacers on Sunday evening, while the Pistons remain home to face off with the Phoenix Suns on Sunday afternoon."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "1", "Kings": "4"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "111", "Kings": "110"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Grizzlies": "16"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "8", "Kings": "5"}}, {"Assists": {"Rudy Gay": "2", "Mike Conley": "11", "Courtney Lee": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gay": "1", "Courtney Lee": "0"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "2", "Mike Conley": "3", "Courtney Lee": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rudy Gay": "1", "Mike Conley": "1", "Courtney Lee": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "17", "DeMarcus Cousins": "17", "Mike Conley": "17", "Courtney Lee": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gay": "8", "DeMarcus Cousins": "8", "Mike Conley": "8", "Courtney Lee": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "8", "DeMarcus Cousins": "7", "Mike Conley": "6", "Courtney Lee": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Rudy Gay": "8", "DeMarcus Cousins": "6", "Mike Conley": "5", "Courtney Lee": "3"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gay": "25", "DeMarcus Cousins": "22", "Mike Conley": "22", "Courtney Lee": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "7", "DeMarcus Cousins": "12", "Mike Conley": "1", "Courtney Lee": "1"}, "Steals": {"Rudy Gay": "1", "Mike Conley": "1", "Courtney Lee": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Mike Conley": "1", "Courtney Lee": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Mike Conley": "1", "Courtney Lee": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Courtney Lee": "36"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Courtney Lee": "0"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (8 - 1) erased a 26 - point deficit to knock off the Sacramento Kings (5 - 4) 111 - 110 on Thursday night at the FedExForum in Memphis. The Grizzlies were down big early in this one, but made a massive fourth quarter comeback, which was complete with a tip - in alley - oop by Courtney Lee with just 0 seconds left. Memphis started out slowly at home in this one, but finally got it going late, and they were led by an impressive double - double from Mike Conley, who had 22 points (8 - 17 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT), 11 assists, one rebound and one steal. The bench production was big for the Grizzlies, and they can not only thank Lee for the tip - in game winner, but also for his 16 points (6 - 9 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), three assists, three steals and one rebound in 36 minutes. Memphis now gets a night off before taking on the Detroit Pistons at home Saturday. For the Kings, it was just a painful loss in a game that looked to be a blowout early on. Sacramento got solid production from four of their five starters, and DeMarcus Cousins posted yet another double - double, with 22 points (8 - 17 FG, 6 - 7 FT) and 12 rebounds. Rudy Gay led the team in scoring Thursday, and posted 25 points (8 - 17 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 8 - 8 FT), with seven rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block. The Kings were off to a hot start at the beginning of the season, but have lost three straight now, and will look to turn things around when they head back home to take on the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "44"}, "Losses": {"Timberwolves": "15", "Spurs": "4"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "91", "Spurs": "105"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "6", "Spurs": "18"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "15", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "11", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "3"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "31", "Andrew Wiggins": "11", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "11", "Zach LaVine": "25"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "11"}}], "The visiting San Antonio Spurs beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, 105 - 91, on Tuesday to remain undefeated on the road. San Antonio (18 - 4) is undergoing a polar shift from their 2015 - 16 campaign in which they went an NBA-record 40 - 1 at home. This season, the Spurs have been the league's most dominant road team, winning all 13 contests they have played outside of San Antonio. Oddly enough, the team sits at just 5 - 4 at home this season. On Tuesday, the Spurs made winning look easy, securing a double - digit win against the host Timberwolves. Forward Kawhi Leonard had 31 points on impressive 11 - of - 15 shooting to lead the team. Despite being out - rebounded, San Antonio was able to easily beat Minnesota thanks to lights - out shooting. The team shot over 52 percent from the floor in the game. Minnesota (6 - 15) remains near the bottom of the league for the third straight season despite the blossoming of some young talent. Center Karl-Anthony Towns had a career - high 47 points last week, and guards Zach LaVine and Andrew Wiggins have been averaging career - highs in scoring. LaVine led the way for Minnesota with 25 on Tuesday, though the Spurs were able to keep the other Wolves contained. Towns and Wiggins scored 11 each, and Towns shot just 3 - of - 16 on the game. As a team, Minnesota struggled, shooting under 44 percent from the field. The Wolves will visit Toronto on Thursday, while the Spurs will play in Chicago."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "43", "Grizzlies": "51"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "19", "Grizzlies": "14"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "98", "Grizzlies": "112"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "12"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "14", "Grizzlies": "22"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "49"}}, {"Assists": {"Chandler Parsons": "2", "JaMychal Green": "4", "Marc Gasol": "2", "Tony Allen": "1", "Mike Conley": "3", "Zach Randolph": "3", "Matt Barnes": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "8", "Darren Collison": "2", "Anthony Tolliver": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Chandler Parsons": "16", "Marc Gasol": "21", "Anthony Tolliver": "28"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "7", "JaMychal Green": "18", "Marc Gasol": "2", "Tony Allen": "11", "Mike Conley": "22", "Zach Randolph": "14", "Vince Carter": "14", "Troy Daniels": "11", "Matt Barnes": "20", "DeMarcus Cousins": "26", "Darren Collison": "16", "Anthony Tolliver": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Chandler Parsons": "1", "JaMychal Green": "7", "Marc Gasol": "2", "Tony Allen": "4", "Mike Conley": "8", "Zach Randolph": "6", "Vince Carter": "3", "Matt Barnes": "8", "DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Darren Collison": "4", "Anthony Tolliver": "6"}, "Steals": {"Chandler Parsons": "1", "JaMychal Green": "1", "Tony Allen": "1", "Vince Carter": "1", "DeMarcus Cousins": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Marc Gasol": "2", "Mike Conley": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Mike Conley": "1", "Vince Carter": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Mike Conley": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Mike Conley": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Mike Conley": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Mike Conley": "2"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Sacramento Kings, 112 - 98, at Golden 1 Center on Saturday afternoon. The Grizzlies (22 - 14) benefited from the return of star point guard Mike Conley, who'd missed the previous two contests with a toe injury. The veteran looked fully healthy and well - rested after his brief layoff, scoring a team - high 22 points on 8 - of - 11 shooting from the field, which included a 3 - of - 5 tally from three - point range. He complemented his offense with eight rebounds, three assists and a block. Memphis had the hot hand overall, posting respective success rates of 51 and 49 percent from the floor and behind the arc. Meanwhile, they played their typically stingy defense, holding the Kings (14 - 19) to 43 percent shooting and inducing 12 turnovers from them. JaMychal Green provided solid support for Conley, going for 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists and a steal. Tony Allen provided 11 points, four boards, an assist and a steal. Chandler Parsons continued his slow journey back to full health, posting seven points, two assists, a rebound and a steal over 16 minutes. Marc Gasol had a particularly quiet effort, amassing just two points on a pair of free throws and adding only two rebounds and two assists over 21 minutes. Zach Randolph co - led the second unit with 14 points, six rebounds and three assists to make up for some of that offensive void, while the ageless Vince Carter matched his point total and supplemented it with three rebounds, a steal and a block. Troy Daniels supplied 11 points in a reserve role as well. DeMarcus Cousins led the way for Sacramento with a game - high 26 points, along with eight assists, four rebounds and five steals. Matt Barnes got the start at small forward and totaled 20 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Darren Collison compiled 16 points, four rebounds and two assists. Anthony Tolliver came off the bench to register 16 points, six rebounds and two assists over 28 minutes. The Grizzlies next head to Los Angeles for a Tuesday evening date with the Lakers, while the Kings travel to Denver to take on the Nuggets on Tuesday night as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "21", "Magic": "40"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "105", "Magic": "100"}, "Rebounds": {"Raptors": "45", "Magic": "40"}, "Turnovers": {"Raptors": "10"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "48", "Magic": "29"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "48"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Victor Oladipo": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Victor Oladipo": "5"}, "Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "25", "Kyle Lowry": "18"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "7"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyle Lowry": "3"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (48 - 21) are now just a single game away from leading the Eastern Conference after a 105 - 100 win over the Orlando Magic (29 - 40) on Sunday. Key players Jonas Valanciunas and Cory Joseph sat out the game for rest, leaving the bulk of the burden up to Toronto's Sunday afternoon starting five. The squad measured up to the task, with All-Star DeMar DeRozan leading the game with 25 points. Fellow All-Star guard Kyle Lowry also impressed, scoring 18, dishing out seven assists, and stealing the ball three times. Toronto played strong, well - rounded ball, turning the ball over just ten times on the whole and outrebounding Orlando 45 - 40. Orlando, meanwhile, has slid far out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture after a hot start to the season, On Sunday, the backcourt of Evan Fournier and Victor Oladipo combined for 42 points, but the remainder of the Magic's starting five scored in single - digits. Despite superior 48 percent shooting, Orlando got into major fould trouble, sending Toronto to the line 45 times on the night. Orlando is now just a few games away from elimination from playoff contention. Orlando will visit Boston on Monday, while Toronto will host Boston on Wednesday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Devin Booker": "6", "Al Horford": "6", "Isaiah Thomas": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Devin Booker": "40"}, "Field goals made": {"Devin Booker": "21"}, "Points": {"Devin Booker": "70", "Jae Crowder": "13", "Al Horford": "15", "Isaiah Thomas": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Devin Booker": "8", "Jae Crowder": "10", "Al Horford": "10"}}], "While all the talk in this game will be about Devin Booker, it was the Celtics who took care of business in the standings. In fact, Boston pulled out a wire - to - wire win, as they held a double - digit lead for the final three quarters. Points in the paint really helped Boston, as they won that battle, 48 - 38. Booker was the star of the game, as he scored a franchise - record 70 points in the defeat. He did that damage on 21 - of - 40 shooting, while also adding eight rebounds and six assists to his tally. Alex Len and Alan Williams did a nice job at center, as they combined for 20 points and 20 rebounds. Isaiah Thomas led Boston, as he accrued 34 points and seven assists. Al Horford finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Jae Crowder also recorded a double - double, totaling 13 points and 10 rebounds."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "39"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "48"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "44", "Grizzlies": "36"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "119", "Grizzlies": "107"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Magic": "38"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "10"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "33", "Grizzlies": "41"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Matt Barnes": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Matt Barnes": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Matt Barnes": "17", "Nikola Vucevic": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Matt Barnes": "8", "Nikola Vucevic": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Matt Barnes": "3", "Nikola Vucevic": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Matt Barnes": "3", "Nikola Vucevic": "5"}, "Points": {"Matt Barnes": "24", "Zach Randolph": "15", "JaMychal Green": "11", "Evan Fournier": "22", "Victor Oladipo": "22", "Nikola Vucevic": "25"}, "Assists": {"Zach Randolph": "7", "Victor Oladipo": "2", "Nikola Vucevic": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Zach Randolph": "32", "JaMychal Green": "30", "Nikola Vucevic": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "7", "JaMychal Green": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Nikola Vucevic": "1"}, "Steals": {"Nikola Vucevic": "2"}}], "The Orlando Magic (33 - 44) defeated the visiting Memphis Grizzlies (41 - 36) 119 - 107, at the Amway Center on Sunday. The Grizzlies continue to struggle as they piled up their sixth loss in a row, this time to a feisty Orlando squad who have now won three straight at home and four of five overall. After a huge 38 - point second quarter, the Magic continued the intensity into the second half, to lead by as many as 20 points in the third quarter. The Grizzlies managed to cut into the lead and make it a 10 - point game with three minutes left, but the Magic hit two of their 10 made three - pointers in the last minute to put the game far out of reach. Three players scored over 20 points for Orlando as the Magic's offense was rolling in this one. Nikola Vucevic led the way with a game - high 25 points (10 - 19 FG, 5 - 7 FT), along with 10 rebounds, three assists, two steals and one blocked shot, in 32 minutes off the bench. Evan Fournier followed up with 22 points, while Victor Oladipo added 22 points of his own, to go along with seven rebounds and two assists. The Magic took goo care of the ball, with only 10 turnovers, while shooting 48 percent from the field and 39 percent from long range. Seven players contributed double digits in the points column for the Grizzlies but it was not enough to get them out of Orlando with a win. The Grizzlies came into this one barely hanging on to fifth place in the West, while another couple of losses could even have them slip beyond eighth place, if Houston, Utah and Dallas keep winning, that is. Matt Barnes was the only player to score at least 20 points for Memphis, as he finished with 24 points (8 - 17 FG, 5 - 10 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT). JaMychal Green finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds, in 30 minutes off the bench, while Zach Randolph finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, in 32 minutes. Next, the Grizzlies host the Bulls, who are also desperate for wins, on Tuesday The Magic will host the Pistons on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "1"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "102", "Nuggets": "107"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "0"}}, {"Assists": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "3", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "3", "Anthony Davis": "5", "Tim Frazier": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "13", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "9", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "2"}, "Points": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "23", "Will Barton": "22", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "11", "Anthony Davis": "50", "E'Twaun Moore": "10", "Tim Frazier": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Will Barton": "35", "Anthony Davis": "41", "Tim Frazier": "37"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}}], "The Denver Nuggets defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, 107 - 102, in their season opener Wednesday at Smoothie King Center. After holding a 12 - point lead at halftime and a 10 - point lead headed into the final quarter, the Nuggets (10) were able to hold off a surging Pelicans (0 - 1) team that got the game to within two points with just over two minutes remaining. Denver point guard Emanuel Mudiay scored the final five points for the Nuggets as they were able to play spoiler on New Orleans All-Star Anthony Davis' career night. Davis filled up every single category on the stat sheet, recording 50 points, 16 rebounds, five assists, seven steals and four blocks over 41 minutes in what was an unbelievable way to start the season for the big man. Davis scored nearly half of his team points and outscored the rest of the starting lineup by 21 points, as he single - handedly kept the Pelicans in the game. New Orleans' next highest scorer was starting point guard Time Frazier, who managed 15 points on top of 11 assists in 37 minutes. E'Twaun Moore, who scored 10, was the only other player in double figures for the Pelicans. For Denver, Jusuf Nurkic led the way with a team - high 23 points on an efficient 9 - of - 13 shooting from the field on top of nine rebounds. Starting shooting guard Will Barton was n't far behind, scoring 22 points of his own in 35 minutes. Mudiay struggled in the debut of his sophomore season, shooting just 2 - of - 8 from the field for 11 points on top of managing just three assists. In the end, the game was won on the glass, as the Nuggets managed to out - rebound the Pelicans 58 - 34 on the night. The Nuggets will head home Saturday to take on the Trail Blazers, while the Pelicans will stay at home Friday and go up against the Warriors."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "3", "Wizards": "2"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "118", "Wizards": "98"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "2", "Wizards": "3"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "41"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Wizards": "25"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Wizards": "25"}, "Turnovers": {"Wizards": "24"}}, {"Points": {"Bradley Beal": "24", "Kelly Olynyk": "19"}, "Assists": {"Kelly Olynyk": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kelly Olynyk": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kelly Olynyk": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Kelly Olynyk": "7"}, "Steals": {"Kelly Olynyk": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Kelly Olynyk": "3"}}], "After a strong start, the Boston Celtics (2 - 3) were able to comfortably beat the Washington Wizards (3 - 2) on Friday by a score of 118 - 98. The Celtics got off to a hot start, finishing the first half up 72 - 49. Center Kelly Olynyk excelled off the bench, stuffing the stat sheet for 19 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and four steals. Olynyk also knocked in three attempts from beyond the three - point line. The team went without sophomore guard Marcus Smart (toe) for the second straight game. However, Boston was able to make up for the absence of the guard's strong defense, holding Washington to just 41 percent from the field and forcing 24 turnovers on the night. Despite the tough loss, Friday's game marked the continuation of the emergence of Washington guard Bradley Beal. Beal posted a game - high 24 points, and has now racked up at least 24 points in each game of the season. With many teammates struggling to find their shots, Beal was able to lead the charge on offense. Now, the fourth - year guard is averaging over 25 points per game and is leading the Wizards in scoring. His rise to prominance should be an interesting story to watch as he shares the backcourt with All-Star John Wall. The Wizards will seek to brush off the blowout as they prepare to play Saturday. Washington will be taking on the 5 - 1 Hawks in Atlanta. Meanwhile, the Celtics will have a few days of rest before taking on the Bucks in Milwaukee on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "7", "Pacers": "18"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "102", "Pacers": "100"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "18", "Pacers": "8"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Roy Hibbert": "16", "CJ Miles": "35", "Lavoy Allen": "31"}, "Points": {"CJ Miles": "17", "Lavoy Allen": "12", "Blake Griffin": "31", "DeAndre Jordan": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Lavoy Allen": "14", "Blake Griffin": "16", "DeAndre Jordan": "23"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "9"}, "Steals": {"Chris Paul": "5"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (18 - 7) defeated the Indiana Pacers (8 - 18) 102 - 100 on Wednesday. Los Angeles is on a two - game win streak. Blake Griffin led the way with a game - high 31 points and 16 rebounds, while DeAndre Jordan put up 15 points and a season - high 23 rebounds. Chris Paul added nine assists and five steals. The Clippers will go on the road to face the Denver Nuggets on Friday. Indiana has lost nine of their last 10 games. Starting center Roy Hibbert played just 16 minutes, sitting out most of the fourth quarter with LaVoy Allen playing well. Allen earned extra run with Hibbert on the bench. Allen put up a 12 - point, 14 - rebound double - double in 31 minutes off the bench. C.J. Miles continued his stellar streak of games, putting up 17 points in 35 minutes off the bench. The Pacers will go on the road to face the Denver Nuggets on Saturday."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Nets": "26", "Warriors": "12"}}, {"Points": {"Kevin Durant": "26", "Zaza Pachulia": "15", "Klay Thompson": "23", "Stephen Curry": "15", "David West": "10", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "12", "Brook Lopez": "28", "Sean Kilpatrick": "14", "Jeremy Lin": "10", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "9", "Zaza Pachulia": "14", "Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "7", "Jeremy Lin": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "13"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Stephen Curry": "6"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "5"}}], "Kevin Durant led the way for a Golden State squad missing Draymond Green, posting a near double - double consisting of 26 points and nine rebounds. Klay Thompson was second with 23 points. Stephen Curry had one of his poorer shooting nights, going for only 15 points (6 - 19 FG, 3 - 13 3Pt) but adding seven assists, two rebounds and five steals. Zaza Pachulia supplied a 15 - point, 14 - rebound double - double. David West led the bench with 10 points. The Golden State defense was the other star on the night, as they elicited 26 turnovers from the Nets, while only committing 12 of their own. The Nets were paced by Brook Lopez's 28 points. Sean Kilpatrick totaled 14 points, and Bojan Bogdanovic tallied 12. Jeremy Lin put together a 10 - point, 11 - assist double - double. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson collected 13 points to lead the second unit."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "7", "Hornets": "8"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "88", "Hornets": "86"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "5", "Hornets": "4"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hornets": "28"}}, {"Assists": {"Al Jefferson": "2", "Lance Stephenson": "7", "Roy Hibbert": "2", "Donald Sloan": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Al Jefferson": "1", "Roy Hibbert": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Al Jefferson": "22", "Lance Stephenson": "12", "Roy Hibbert": "14", "Solomon Hill": "8", "Donald Sloan": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Al Jefferson": "12", "Lance Stephenson": "4", "Roy Hibbert": "7", "Solomon Hill": "3", "Donald Sloan": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Al Jefferson": "4", "Lance Stephenson": "4", "Roy Hibbert": "6", "Donald Sloan": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Al Jefferson": "4", "Lance Stephenson": "2", "Roy Hibbert": "4", "Donald Sloan": "5"}, "Points": {"Al Jefferson": "28", "Lance Stephenson": "10", "Roy Hibbert": "18", "Solomon Hill": "6", "Donald Sloan": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Jefferson": "8", "Lance Stephenson": "8", "Roy Hibbert": "11", "Solomon Hill": "5", "Donald Sloan": "9"}, "Steals": {"Al Jefferson": "1", "Donald Sloan": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Lance Stephenson": "2", "Solomon Hill": "2", "Donald Sloan": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Lance Stephenson": "0", "Solomon Hill": "0", "Donald Sloan": "0"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (5 - 7) knocked off the Charlotte Hornets (4 - 8) 88 - 86 at the buzzer on Wednesday night at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Hornets saw injuries hit their lineup, as they were without both Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Gary Neal. Gerald Henderson got the start, but had a brutal night, going 0 - 6 from the field with zero points. The lone bright spots on Wednesday for the Hornets had to be Al Jefferson, who scored 28 points (12 - 22 FG, 4 - 4 FT), to go along with eight rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block, as well as Lance Stephenson, who scored 10 points (4 - 12 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT), but also grabbed eight rebounds and dished out seven assists. Charlotte heads home to take on the Orlando Magic on Friday night next. The Pacers got an impressive buzzer - beating reverse lay - up from Solomon Hill off of an air ball to grab this win on Wednesday. Hill managed just six total points (3 - 8 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt) and five rebounds, just a few nights after posting 21 points and 12 rebounds in a win over the Chicago Bulls. Roy Hibbert led the charge for the Pacers, scoring 18 points (7 - 14 FG, 4 - 6 FT), along with 11 rebounds, two assists and one block, while Donald Sloan posted a nice stat line that included 11 points (3 - 8 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT), nine rebounds, six assists and one steal. The Pacers are off until Saturday, when the Phoenix Suns head to town."], [[{"Total points": {"Celtics": "101", "Wizards": "93"}, "Rebounds": {"Celtics": "49", "Wizards": "52"}, "Number of team assists": {"Wizards": "21"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "37"}, "Losses": {"Wizards": "6"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Wizards": "21"}, "Turnovers": {"Wizards": "19"}}, {"Points": {"Paul Pierce": "16", "Bradley Beal": "10", "John Wall": "17", "Rasual Butler": "22", "Jeff Green": "25", "Rajon Rondo": "13", "Marcus Thornton": "21"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "18", "Rasual Butler": "17", "Jeff Green": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"Bradley Beal": "4"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "14", "Rajon Rondo": "11"}, "Turnovers": {"John Wall": "6", "Rasual Butler": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Rasual Butler": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Rasual Butler": "4", "Rajon Rondo": "13"}, "Steals": {"Rasual Butler": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tyler Zeller": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Tyler Zeller": "4"}}], "Jeff Green scored 25 points and Marcus Thornton added 21, leading the Celtics to a 101 - 93 victory over the Wizards in Boston on Sunday. In a game in which Boston nearly blew a 25 - point second - half lead, Rajon Rondo recorded a triple - double (13 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists) as the Celtics won their third straight game. Rasual Butler paced Washington with 22 points and four rebounds, while John Wall had 17 points and 14 assists. Bradley Beal, who shot just 4 - of - 18 from the floor, finished with 10 points and Paul Pierce added 16 in his first game in Boston as a member of the Wizards. Washington shot a paltry 37 percent from the floor but converted 11 - of - 27 three - point attempts and won the rebounding battle 52 - 49. The Wizards turned the ball over 19 times, six of which were charged to Wall. Boston, which led by 17 entering the final period, allowed the Wizards to creep back into the game, and a Butler three - pointer with just under three minutes remaining sliced the lead to just one. After a pair of Tyler Zeller free throws, Wall responded with a lay - in on the other end, but Avery Bradley responded with a corner three - pointer to put Boston up by four. On the ensuing Washington possession, Wall turned the ball over and Boston was able to salt the game away at the free throw line. The teams will head south to the nation's capital for a rematch Monday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "21", "Cavaliers": "9"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "97", "Cavaliers": "101"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "12", "Cavaliers": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kevin Love": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "35", "Kevin Love": "25", "Kyrie Irving": "24", "TJ Warren": "27"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "14", "Kevin Love": "16", "JR Smith": "17", "Kyrie Irving": "22", "PJ Tucker": "14", "Brandon Knight": "18", "TJ Warren": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Love": "7", "TJ Warren": "5"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (20 - 9) defeated the Phoenix Suns (12 - 21) Monday 101 - 97 at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix. Even as the Suns go through coaching changes and mid - season struggles, they still put up a good fight against one of the NBA\u2019s best teams. However, despite a late rally in the fourth quarter, they were unable to top the East-leading Cavaliers. Kyrie Irving was limited in his time on the floor, but still managed to score a team - high 22 points in just 24 minutes. J.R. Smith added 17 points, while Kevin Love recorded 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists in 25 minutes. LeBron James shot just 4 - of - 10 from the field, and finished with 14 points and seven assists in 35 minutes. The team relied heavily on their three - point shooting, as 41 of their 71 shots were from behind the arc, and they finished with a respectable 42 percent shooting from there. T.J. Warren continued his impressive sophomore campaign for the Suns in Monday\u2019s losing effort, as he finished with a game - high 23 points and five rebounds off the bench in 27 minutes off the bench. However, it was the starters that did most of the damage for the team, as four of the five in the starting lineup finished in double figures. Brandon Knight led the way, scoring 18 points as a starter with Eric Bledsoe out, while Jon Leuer and and P.J. Tucker each scored 14 points. Up next, the Cavaliers will head to Denver Tuesday to take on the Nuggets, while the Suns will head to San Antonio Wednesday to play the Spurs."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "48"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hornets": "28", "Nets": "14"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nets": "24"}}, {"Points": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "16", "Brook Lopez": "24", "Sean Kilpatrick": "13", "Randy Foye": "11", "Quincy Acy": "14", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "17", "Cody Zeller": "12", "Nicolas Batum": "16", "Kemba Walker": "16", "Frank Kaminsky": "10", "Marco Belinelli": "14", "Ramon Sessions": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "14", "Cody Zeller": "9"}}], "The Nets trailed mounted a comeback despite trailing by a 28 - 14 margin after one quarter, but ultimately saw the Hornets pull away in the fourth period. Charlotte also tallied 48 percent shooting, including 48 percent from three - point range, and saw their bench contribute 43 points. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist co - led the Hornets with a 17 - point, 14 - rebound double - double and Ramon Sessions matched his point total. Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum chimed in with matching 16 - point efforts. Cody Zeller had a near double - double with 12 points and nine rebounds. Marco Belinelli registered 14 points, and Frank Kaminsky III supplied 10 points. Brook Lopez's 24 points led the Nets. Bojan Bogdanovic and Sean Kilpatrick posted 16 and 13 points, respectively. Quincy Acy led the second unit with 14 points, and Randy Foye generated 11 points off the bench as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "22", "Warriors": "11"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "110", "Warriors": "99"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Cavaliers": "20"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "37", "Warriors": "44"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "42"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "25"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "15"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "42", "Timofey Mozgov": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "11", "Timofey Mozgov": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Timofey Mozgov": "25"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (37 - 22) defeated the Golden State Warriors (44 - 11) 110 - 99 Cleveland's answer to Golden State's Splash Brothers was a dominant performance from LeBron James. James had a remarkable game with a season - high 42 points on 15 - of - 25 shooting from the field to go with 11 rebounds and five assists. When the first quarter ended, both teams were on pace to top 120 points on the night. From there, Cleveland pulled away and never let Golden State get too close. Whenever the Warriors seemed poised to make a run, the Cavaliers had an answer. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson combined for 31 points on just 10 - of - 30 from the floor. Golden State has now dropped two of its last three games against Eastern Conference opponents. Shooting was a major issue throughout this game, as Golden State could n't seem to get into an offensive rhythm, especially in the second half. The Warriors entered the game shooting just under 48 percent from the field as a team, but were held to 42 percent on Thursday and 37 percent from beyond the arc. Golden State draws another tough Eastern Conference opponent Friday with a matchup against Toronto. The Cavaliers rode James' dominant performance to their 11th straight at home. Cleveland has now won 18 of their last 20 games overall. Center Timofey Mozgov pitched in a double - double with 10 points and 10 rebounds in 25 minutes of action. The Cavaliers have a meeting in Indiana with the Pacers on Friday, the team that snapped their 12 - game winning streak earlier this month."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "24"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "4", "Grizzlies": "1"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "93", "Grizzlies": "92"}, "Rebounds": {"Bucks": "43", "Grizzlies": "40"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "3", "Grizzlies": "6"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "35"}}, {"Points": {"Zach Randolph": "22", "Marc Gasol": "18", "Courtney Lee": "11", "Tayshaun Prince": "8", "Jabari Parker": "13", "Larry Sanders": "4", "Brandon Knight": "14", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "14", "Marc Gasol": "4", "Jabari Parker": "4", "Larry Sanders": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Mike Conley": "8", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Larry Sanders": "18"}, "Assists": {"Brandon Knight": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Brandon Knight": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Brandon Knight": "1", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6"}}], "The Bucks (3 - 4) handed the Grizzlies (6 - 1) their first lost of the season Saturday night, pulling out a 93 - 92 victory at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. Milwaukee, which trailed by six entering the final period, took the lead on a pair of Giannis Antetokounmpo free throws with just under ten minutes remaining. The teams would trade baskets the rest of the way, and a Mike Conley free throw put Memphis up 92 - 90 with eight seconds to play. On the ensuing Bucks possession, Brandon Knight drove to the hoop, hit a layup and was fouled with just over a second remaining. Knight sunk the free throw, putting Milwaukee up one. After a flurry of timeouts, the Grizzlies inbounded to Courtney Lee, who missed an open look from the top of the key as time expired. The Bucks, who had 11 players see double - digit minutes, were led by 18 points from Antetokounmpo, who was at his best in the fourth quarter. The second - year swingman shot 6 - of - 11 from the field and 6 - of - 7 from the line. Knight finished with 14 points and six assist, s while Larry Sanders had four points and eight boards in 18 minutes. Jabari Parker contributed 13 points and four rebounds. Memphis, which shot a season - low 35 percent from the field, got 22 points and 14 rebounds from Zach Randolph. Marc Gasol added 18 points and four rebounds, and Mike Conley chipped in 11 points, eight rebounds and a pair of assists. Memphis also got eight points from Tayshaun Prince off the bench. The Grizzlies went 31 - of - 34 at at the free throw line, including 19 - of - 20 in the first half. Milwaukee attempted only 11 free throws but out - rebounded Memphis 43 - 40 while notching 24 assists on 40 field goals. The Bucks move on to host the injury - plagued Thunder on Tuesday, while the Grizzlies face the Lakers in Memphis, also on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "2"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "136", "Thunder": "139"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "0"}, "Turnovers": {"Thunder": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "8", "Victor Oladipo": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Durant": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Free throw percentage": {"Kevin Durant": "91"}, "Minutes played": {"Kevin Durant": "54", "Victor Oladipo": "51"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "43", "Russell Westbrook": "48", "Evan Fournier": "22", "Tobias Harris": "30", "Nikola Vucevic": "26", "Victor Oladipo": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "12", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Tobias Harris": "9", "Victor Oladipo": "13"}, "Turnovers": {"Kevin Durant": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Evan Fournier": "21", "Nikola Vucevic": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Evan Fournier": "8", "Tobias Harris": "9", "Nikola Vucevic": "10"}}], "In one of the most exciting games of the first week of the NBA season, the Thunder (20) were able to overcome an 18 - point deficit heading into the fourth quarter before eventually dispatching the Orlando Magic (0 - 2) in double overtime Friday by a score of 139 - 136. In an offense - laden affair, the Magic stormed to an early lead by shooting over 50 percent from the field through the first three quarters, but they faded late in the contest while the Thunder gained steam. Four players finished with 20 - plus points for the Magic, with Victor Oladipo\u2019s triple double (21 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists in 51 minutes) representing the most well - rounded stat line of the quartet. Oladipo also kept the Magic alive when all hope seemed lost, nailing a game - tying three - pointer as the first overtime period expired. Along with Oladipo, Nikola Vucevic, Tobias Harris, and Evan Fournier were the others who surpassed 20 points. Vucevic keyed the Magic\u2019s early success, nailing his first nine shots before finishing the night with 26 points on a 10 - for - 14 mark from the field, while Harris accumulated 30 points and nine rebounds. Fournier finished with 22 points on 8 - for - 21 shooting. As per usual, the Thunder\u2019s two stars, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, were the driving forces behind the team\u2019s comeback win, as the duo combined for 91 of the team\u2019s 139 points. It marked the first time since March 2012 that both players tallied more than 40 points in the same game. Durant was the steadier of the two from the field for much of the contest and churned out 43 points and 12 boards, but seemed to lose steam offensively down the stretch while playing a game - high 54 minutes. However, he found enough within himself to hold off a last - ditch effort by the Magic in double overtime, blocking two shots in the final three seconds. Westbrook, meanwhile, shook off some early shooting woes to lead all scorers with 48 points to go along with 11 rebounds and eight assists. Westbrook caught fire in the fourth quarter and the two overtime periods, most notably banking in a three - pointer in the waning seconds that sent the contest to the extra period. Oklahoma City will likely skip practice Saturday and return home for its next game Sunday against the Denver Nuggets, while the Magic will look to notch their first win Sunday in Chicago versus the Bulls."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "22", "Warriors": "6"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "106", "Warriors": "117"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Kings": "25"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "15", "Warriors": "32"}}, {"Points": {"Kevin Durant": "28", "Draymond Green": "9", "Klay Thompson": "18", "Stephen Curry": "30", "Rudy Gay": "23", "DeMarcus Cousins": "17", "Ty Lawson": "15"}, "Assists": {"Draymond Green": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Draymond Green": "9", "Klay Thompson": "19", "Stephen Curry": "22", "Ty Lawson": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Draymond Green": "4", "Klay Thompson": "8", "Ty Lawson": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "7", "Klay Thompson": "6", "DeMarcus Cousins": "10"}, "Steals": {"Draymond Green": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Ty Lawson": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Ty Lawson": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Ty Lawson": "22"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the Sacramento Kings, 117 - 106, at Golden 1 Center on Sunday. DeMarcus Cousins had the Kings (15 - 22) up 10 points with just about three minutes remaining in the second quarter before his frustrations got the better of him, leading to a technical foul and an outburst directed at the chair he was sitting on. Cousins did not see further penalty from the refs, but the Warriors (32 - 6) were able to rally behind their starters and retake the lead midway through the third quarter after Stephen Curry drained a 25 - foot three pointer. The Golden State bench was otherwise absent from the contest given the 22 total points contributed from the likes of David West and Andre Iguodala, but the scoring output was not in peril given the 30 and 28 points that Curry and Kevin Durant dropped, respectively. Draymond Green rounded out the box score again and finished with nine points, seven rebounds, 10 assists, two steals and two blocks on 4 - of - 9 shooting, while Klay Thompson added 18 points and six rebounds on 8 - of - 19 shooting. The Kings got most of their offensive production from their starters as well, led by Rudy Gay's 23 points and Cousins' 17 points and 10 boards. Ty Lawson contributed 15 points across 22 minutes off the bench on 4 - of - 8 shooting, while doing most of his damage from the free throw line, where he finished 7 - of - 8 in the contest. Both teams play their next game on Tuesday, as the Warriors host the Miami Heat, while the Kings host the Detroit Pistons."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "16", "Rudy Gobert": "15", "Shelvin Mack": "17", "Jonas Valanciunas": "18", "DeMar DeRozan": "23", "Kyle Lowry": "33"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "3", "DeMar DeRozan": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "16", "Jonas Valanciunas": "13", "DeMar DeRozan": "7", "Kyle Lowry": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "11", "DeMar DeRozan": "26", "Kyle Lowry": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "7", "DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Kyle Lowry": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "31", "DeMar DeRozan": "37", "Kyle Lowry": "41"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "5"}, "Steals": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "3"}}], "Kyle Lowry scored 16 points in the fourth quarter, on his way to a game - high 33 points on 10 - of - 17 shooting, along with six rebounds, five assists and three steals, in 41 minutes. DeMar DeRozan followed up with 23 points, although struggled shooting, going 8 - of - 26 from the field. DeRozan added seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block, in 37 minutes. Jonas Valanciunas came up big with 18 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting, and 13 rebounds, in 31 minutes. The Raptors shot only 39 percent from the field but made up for it in the hustle categories to come up with the win. Meanwhile, only three players scored in double figures for the Jazz. Shelvin Mack was the high - point man with 17, while Gordon Hayward added 16 points. Rudy Gobert was solid in the middle, with 15 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "41"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Dario Saric": "15", "Paul George": "17", "Myles Turner": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Dario Saric": "3", "Paul George": "7", "Myles Turner": "7"}, "Points": {"Dario Saric": "9", "Paul George": "21", "Myles Turner": "17"}, "Assists": {"Myles Turner": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Myles Turner": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Myles Turner": "16"}, "Steals": {"Myles Turner": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Myles Turner": "1"}}], "The host Indiana Pacers took down the 76ers on Sunday on the backs of strong defensive play. Center Myles Turner had one of his best performances of his sophomore season, shooting 7 - of - 9 for 17 points to go along with 16 rebounds. Turner also played stellar defense, coming away with two blocks and a steal. As a team, the Pacers shot just 41 percent from the field but held Philly to just 39 percent and forced 14 turnovers on the night. Star forward Paul George led the team with 21 points, despite shooting just 7 - of - 17. The Sixers had an off night on the offensive end despite better play of late. It was a particularly bad night for Rookie of the Year front - runner Dario Saric, who shot just 3 - of - 15 from the field en route to nine points. The team also shot just 71 percent at the free - throw line."], [[{"Total points": {"Warriors": "104", "Rockets": "78"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "1"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "1"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dwight Howard": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dwight Howard": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Stephen Curry": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Stephen Curry": "20"}, "Points": {"Stephen Curry": "24"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the Houston Rockets, 104 - 78, in Game 1 of the Western Conference first - round playoffs Saturday at Oracle Arena. It was a fair and foul game for reigning MVP Steph Curry. Though the superstar scored 24 points and nailed five three - pointers, he did so in just 20 minutes due to an early exit with an ankle injury. Curry also got into an early scuffle with opposing point guard Patrick Beverley, resulting in a double technical. This only seemed to fuel the noise in Oracle Arena, however, as the Warriors with and without Curry were able to breeze by the 8 - seeded Rockets. Forward Draymond Green was dominant on the boards and on defense, notching 10 rebounds and four blocks. After earning their history 73rd win on Wednesday, many questioned whether the grueling regular season would impact the Warriors in the playoffs. In Game 1, the team looked as fresh as ever, burying 10 three - pointers, pulling down 53 rebounds, and playing stingy defense. The Rockets, meanwhile, struggled mightily in the first contest of the series. The team coughed up 24 turnovers and commited 28 personal foulds, showing signs of sloppy play throughout the night. In particular, stars James Harden and Dwight Howard appeared weak, combining for 11 turnovers and 10 personal fouls. Saturday's contest also marked the first time in 148 games that Harden failed to reach the free - throw line. Forward Corey Brewer, meanwhile, also recorded an unfortunate statistic, having now gone 0 - for - 20 from three - point range in his last 10 outings. Game 2 will be held at Oracle Arena and will take place on Monday at 7:30 EST."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Grizzlies": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Grizzlies": "42"}}, {"Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "5", "Mike Conley": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "4"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "32", "Mike Conley": "17", "Zach Randolph": "17", "CJ McCollum": "18", "Damian Lillard": "33", "Allen Crabbe": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "8", "Zach Randolph": "13", "CJ McCollum": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "11", "Allen Crabbe": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ McCollum": "7", "Allen Crabbe": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Damian Lillard": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Damian Lillard": "10"}}], "After being left off yet another All-Star roster, Damian Lillard came through with a characteristically strong performance in response to the snub. Lillard dropped a game - high 33 points, including five three - pointers and 10 - of - 11 from the free - throw line. The point guard added five rebounds and six assists. Shooting guard C.J. McCollum, meanwhile, scored 18 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting to go with four rebounds. Off the bench, wing Allen Crabbe contributed 23 points on 8 - of - 12 shooting from the field. The team finished with 16 made three - pointers on the night. For Memphis, recently named All-Star Marc Gasol followed up a career - high 42 against Toronto with another 32 against Portland. Gasol stuffed the stat sheet, adding eight rebounds, five assists, and four blocks. Point guard Mike Conley, meanwhile, added 17 points and 10 assists. Off the bench, veteran Zach Randolph scored 17 points to go with 13 rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "8"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "103", "Magic": "92"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "26", "Magic": "13"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "29"}}, {"Steals": {"Devyn Marble": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Channing Frye": "10", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Channing Frye": "1", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Channing Frye": "32", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "36", "Chris Kaman": "20", "Meyers Leonard": "20"}, "Points": {"Nikola Vucevic": "34", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "25", "Meyers Leonard": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "16", "Meyers Leonard": "6"}, "Personal fouls": {"Chris Kaman": "5"}, "Assists": {"Meyers Leonard": "1"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (29 - 8) beat the Orlando Magic (13 - 26), 103 - 92. Tobias Harris and Evan Fournier did not play due to nagging injuries. Allen Crabbe was sidelined because of a left knee strain. The Magic converted 3 - of - 21 three - pointers in the loss. Nikola Vucevic scored a career - high 34 points and grabbed 16 rebounds for his league - leading 22nd double - double. Channing Frye replaced Kyle O'Quinn in the starting lineup and shot 1 - of - 10 from the field in 32 minutes. Roy Marble recorded five steals in his first NBA start. Chris Kaman was limited to 20 minutes after picking up five fouls. Backup Meyers Leonard provided 11 points, six rebounds, and one assist in 20 minutes. LaMarcus Aldridge led the team with 25 points on 10 - of - 22 shooting in 36 minutes for the team with the second - best record in the league. The Magic concludes their four - game Western Conference road trip Monday in Chicago. The Trail Blazers travel to Los Angeles to battle the Lakers on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "14", "76ers": "43"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "106", "76ers": "104"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "53", "76ers": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"Dario Saric": "6", "Draymond Green": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Dario Saric": "2", "Draymond Green": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dario Saric": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dario Saric": "2", "Jahlil Okafor": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"Dario Saric": "2"}, "Steals": {"Dario Saric": "2", "Draymond Green": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Jahlil Okafor": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Jahlil Okafor": "23"}, "Points": {"Jahlil Okafor": "22", "Draymond Green": "20", "Stephen Curry": "29"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"Stephen Curry": "8"}, "Turnovers": {"Stephen Curry": "5"}}], "The host Golden State Warriors squeaked by the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, 106 - 104. The win gave Golden State (53 - 14) control of the first seed in the West once again after a four - game losing streak caused the Warriors to fall behind San Antonio in the standings. While the Dubs looked destined to fall in a fifth straight contest on Tuesday, the team managed to come back from down by 16 in the third quarter to earn a narrow win. Much of Golden State's success was due to strong play from Draymond Green, who barely missed a five by five. Green led the team with eight assists, seven rebounds, six blocks, and four steals while scoring an impressive 20 points including several clutch free - throws in the fourth quarter. Green's performance helped to make up for some of reigning MVP Steph Curry's slumping. Curry, who celebrated his 29th birthday on Tuesday, led the team with 29 points but shot just 8 - of - 23 along with five turnovers. Philadelphia (24 - 43) nearly pulled off the stunning win but slowed down at the beginning of the fourth quarter. The team still had plenty of positive takeaways from the win, however. Rookie phenom Dario Saric scored in double digits for the 17th straight game, leading the team with 24 points. His output almost matched Green's, as he dished out six assists, had seen rebounds, blocked two shots, and came away with three steals. Sophomore center Jahlil Okafor was another bright spot for Philly. Okafor scored 22 points in just 23 minutes of play while shooting 8 - of - 15 from the field and 6 - of - 7 from the free - throw line. On Thursday, Golden State will host the Orlando Magic, while the 76ers will host the Dallas Mavericks on Friday in Nerlens Noel's return to Philadelphia."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "3", "Grizzlies": "2"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "89", "Grizzlies": "103"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Kings": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Kings": "35", "Grizzlies": "50"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "1", "Grizzlies": "3"}}, {"Points": {"Zach Randolph": "20", "JaMychal Green": "12", "Rudy Gay": "19", "Ben McLemore": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "11", "JaMychal Green": "12", "Rudy Gay": "5", "Ben McLemore": "2"}, "Assists": {"Rudy Gay": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Rudy Gay": "32"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ben McLemore": "5"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (3 - 2) defeated the Sacramento Kings (1 - 3) 103 - 89 on Tuesday. The Grizzlies bounced back nicely after a 50 - point loss Monday by handling the Kings rather easily. What really changed the game was the defense for Memphis in the second quarter, as they allowed just 11 points and scored 26 points of their own. The loss of big man DeMarcus Cousins clearly hampered the Kings down low, as they were outrebounded 50 - 35 while recording just one block. Grizzlies center Marc Gasol did n't return after halftime due to neck spasms, and his status is uncertain for the Grizzlies' next game on Thursday against Portland. Memphis showed Tuesday what makes them one of the top teams in the Western Conference, by rebounding from the blowout loss to the Warriors and responding with a resounding victory of their own on the road. Power forward Zach Randolph had his best game of the young season, as he tallied 20 points and 11 rebounds in the absence of Gasol. The Grizzlies also got a nice performance from JaMychal Green off the bench, as he recorded 12 points and 12 boards in the victory. The Kings really shot themselves in the foot in this matchup by shooting under 40 percent from the field and missing an unforgivable 15 free throws. The team was led by Rudy Gay, who accumulated 19 points, five rebounds and three assists across 32 minutes. Second-year player Ben McLemore continues to struggle for the Kings, as his two - point outing here brought his season averages to 4 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assists in nearly 19 minutes per game. Those are dreadful numbers, and if he continues to play like this, coach George Karl may opt to go to a two - point guard lineup that would see Darren Collison inserted into the starting five. The Kings will be without Cousins yet again on Wednesday when they take on the Phoenix Suns on the road."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "13", "Nuggets": "21"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "97", "Nuggets": "89"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "28", "Nuggets": "18"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "7", "Ty Lawson": "13"}, "Assists": {"Ty Lawson": "12", "Jameer Nelson": "7", "Rajon Rondo": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Ty Lawson": "3"}, "Points": {"Ty Lawson": "11", "Jameer Nelson": "14", "Dirk Nowitzki": "25", "Rajon Rondo": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Ty Lawson": "6", "Jameer Nelson": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "9", "Rajon Rondo": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Jameer Nelson": "28"}, "Steals": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "1", "Rajon Rondo": "1"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (28 - 13) beat the Denver Nuggets (18 - 21) 97 - 89 on Friday. Dirk Nowitzki led the Mavericks in scoring with 25 points to go along with nine rebounds and one steal. The Mavericks lost to the Nuggets on Wednesday, but Nowitzki did n't play, getting rest alongside Tyson Chandler. Rajon Rondo also sat out Wednesday's game, resting an Achilles injury. He was back on Friday as well, finishing with two points, nine rebounds, eight assists and one steal. Chandler made his presence known, recording 11 points, 16 rebounds and one block in 34 minutes. The Nuggets enjoyed a nice performance from newly - acquired point guard Jameer Nelson. He put up 14 points, four rebounds and seven assists in 28 minutes. Nelson began the season with the Mavericks until being traded to the Boston Celtics in mid - December in the Rondo deal. Ty Lawson had 11 points on 3 - of - 13 shooting from the field and also pitched in six rebounds, 12 assists and one steal. Jusuf Nurkic's seven - game streak of at least two blocks or more came to hault, as he failed to record any blocks on Friday. He averaged 3 blocks per game in that span. The Nuggets will face the Timberwolves on Saturday, and the Mavericks will take on the Grizzlies in Memphis on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Suns": "24", "Kings": "38"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "44", "Kings": "49"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "34", "Kings": "45"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "99", "Kings": "108"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "38", "Kings": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"Rudy Gay": "5", "Ray McCallum": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "3", "Ray McCallum": "1", "Nik Stauskas": "3", "Marcus Morris": "6", "Markieff Morris": "1", "Eric Bledsoe": "6", "Archie Goodwin": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rudy Gay": "0", "Ray McCallum": "0", "Nik Stauskas": "2", "Marcus Morris": "3", "Markieff Morris": "1", "Eric Bledsoe": "2", "Archie Goodwin": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "7", "DeMarcus Cousins": "19", "Ray McCallum": "11", "Nik Stauskas": "7", "Marcus Morris": "11", "Markieff Morris": "16", "Eric Bledsoe": "15", "Archie Goodwin": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gay": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "11", "Ray McCallum": "6", "Nik Stauskas": "5", "Marcus Morris": "7", "Markieff Morris": "9", "Eric Bledsoe": "7", "Archie Goodwin": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "9", "Ray McCallum": "2", "Nik Stauskas": "1", "Marcus Morris": "2", "Markieff Morris": "6", "Eric Bledsoe": "5", "Archie Goodwin": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Rudy Gay": "8", "Ray McCallum": "2", "Nik Stauskas": "1", "Marcus Morris": "2", "Markieff Morris": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "3", "Archie Goodwin": "3"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gay": "14", "DeMarcus Cousins": "24", "Ray McCallum": "14", "Nik Stauskas": "13", "Marcus Morris": "19", "Markieff Morris": "24", "Eric Bledsoe": "19", "Archie Goodwin": "15"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "11", "Nik Stauskas": "4", "Marcus Morris": "3", "Markieff Morris": "7", "Eric Bledsoe": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Nik Stauskas": "18", "Marcus Morris": "26", "Archie Goodwin": "26"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Marcus Morris": "3"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Marcus Morris": "50"}, "Steals": {"Markieff Morris": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Eric Bledsoe": "3"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (26 - 45) defeated the Phoenix Suns (38 - 34) 108 - 99 on Wednesday at the US Airways Center in Phoenix. After the Oklahoma City Thunder got destroyed by the San Antonio Spurs earlier Wednesday, this was a huge opportunity for the Suns to pick up a game on the Thunder, who remain three games ahead of them for the eighth and final projected playoff spot in the Western Conference standings. Instead, the Kings were the ones who came out with some fire and picked up their fourth straight win, despite having already been eliminated from the playoffs. The Kings were the superior shooters in this game, going 49 percent from the field and 38 percent from the three - point line, while the Suns finished at 44 percent from the floor and just 24 percent from deep. It was a team - effort win for the Kings, who had seven players reach double figures in points. DeMarcus Cousins led the way, going 11 - for - 19 from the field to score 24 points, while also adding 11 rebounds and a blocked shot. It was his third double - double over his last four games, a stretch where he's averaging 24 points and 12 rebounds. Rudy Gay struggled with his shot, but still added 14 points (3 - 7 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 8 - 9 FT) and five assists. He had scored over 20 points in nine straight games coming into Wednesday, so it was somewhat of a disappointing performance for Gay, but with so many players getting in the action offensively for the Grizzlies, they were still able to finish off with a win. Starting at point guard, Ray McCallum added 14 points (6 - 11 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and five assists. Despite averaging just 7 points per game on the year, this marked his third straight game in double figures. Coming off the bench, Nik Stauskas chipped in with an efficient 13 points (5 - 7 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT) and four rebounds in 18 minutes. Markieff Morris had the most production for the Suns, finishing with a team - high of 24 points (9 - 16 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT), to go along with seven rebounds and two steals. He's continued to stay very consistent for the Suns, averaging 20 points and 7 rebounds over his last seven games. The other Morris brother, Marcus, had a big game as well. He went 7 - for - 11 from the field and 3 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 19 points in 26 minutes. He's shot over 50 percent from the field in two of his last three games, as he's dialed in and gaining some momentum. Eric Bledsoe added 19 points (7 - 15 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 3 - 5 FT) of his own, while also pulling down five rebounds. He's riding a nice three - game stretch, where he's averaging 24 points and 5 assists. Archie Goodwin had a strong showing off the bench as well, scoring 15 points (6 - 12 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) in 26 minutes. The Kings' next game will be on the road against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, while the Suns will be at home against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "42"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "49"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "21"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "118", "Clippers": "109"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Raptors": "21"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "32"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Clippers": "31"}}, {"Blocks": {"Austin Rivers": "1", "Jamal Crawford": "2", "Jonas Valanciunas": "1"}, "Points": {"Austin Rivers": "22", "Blake Griffin": "26", "JJ Redick": "12", "Marreese Speights": "15", "Jamal Crawford": "14", "DeMarre Carroll": "9", "Jonas Valanciunas": "21", "DeMar DeRozan": "31", "Kyle Lowry": "24", "Cory Joseph": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Austin Rivers": "2", "Blake Griffin": "11", "JJ Redick": "4", "Marreese Speights": "2", "Jamal Crawford": "1", "DeMarre Carroll": "5", "Jonas Valanciunas": "12", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "4", "Cory Joseph": "4"}, "Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "11", "JJ Redick": "1", "Marreese Speights": "2", "Jamal Crawford": "3", "DeMarre Carroll": "2", "Jonas Valanciunas": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "8", "Cory Joseph": "2"}, "Steals": {"Blake Griffin": "1", "JJ Redick": "1", "Marreese Speights": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "7"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the Los Angeles Clippers, 118 - 109, at Air Canada Centre on Monday night. The Raptors (32 - 21) had been mostly floundering in the absence of DeMar DeRozan, who'd missed six of the previous seven games heading into Monday's contest with an ankle injury. The Clippers (31 - 20) certainly could relate, as they continue to be without star point guard and defensive wizard Chris Paul, who remains sidelined following thumb surgery. Toronto had the good fortune of getting their star back for Monday's marquee battle and it made all the difference, as DeRozan got right back into the swing of things with a game - high 31 points that he supplemented with five rebounds, two assists and one steal. He was an impressive 11 - for - 22 from the floor and even drained two of three tries from beyond the arc, a rarity for a player who primarily specializes in mid - range jumpers. Toronto shot a solid 49 percent from the floor overall, and 42 percent from three - point range. The Clippers were led once again by Blake Griffin, who produced a 26 - point, 11 - rebound, 11 - assist triple - double that also included one steal. The star forward was effective from all over the court, shooting 11 - for - 19 from the floor and 2 - for - 3 from long distance. Austin Rivers followed with 22 points, two rebounds and one block. Marreese Speights led the bench with 15 points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals. Jamal Crawford supplied 14 points, three assists, one rebound, two steals and two blocks. J.J. Redick pitched in with 12 points, four boards, an assist and a steal. Kyle Lowry played a complementary role with DeRozan back in action, registering 24 points, eight assists and four rebounds. Jonas Valanciunas rounded out a productive night for Toronto's Big Three with a 21 - point, 12 - rebound double - double that also included two dimes and a block. DeMarre Carroll filled out the stat sheet with nine points, five rebounds and a pair of assists. Cory Joseph led the second unit with 12 points, four rebounds and two assists. The Clippers remain on their East Coast swing with a trip to the Big Apple to tangle with the New York Knicks on Wednesday night, while the Raptors hit the road as well to do battle with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday evening."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "8", "Rockets": "7"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "111", "Rockets": "117"}, "Rebounds": {"Grizzlies": "44", "Rockets": "54"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "21", "Rockets": "21"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Rockets": "41"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "45"}, "Turnovers": {"Rockets": "14"}}, {"Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "15", "James Harden": "32", "Josh Smith": "21", "Marc Gasol": "29", "Beno Udrih": "17", "Quincy Pondexter": "14", "Vince Carter": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Ariza": "10", "James Harden": "8", "Josh Smith": "8", "Marc Gasol": "8"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"James Harden": "4", "Josh Smith": "2", "Marc Gasol": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"James Harden": "2", "Josh Smith": "0", "Marc Gasol": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "17", "Josh Smith": "21", "Marc Gasol": "21", "Beno Udrih": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "10", "Josh Smith": "9", "Marc Gasol": "12", "Beno Udrih": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Harden": "11", "Josh Smith": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"James Harden": "10", "Josh Smith": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "2"}}], "The Houston Rockets (21 - 7) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (21 - 8) 117 - 111 on Friday at Fed Ex Forum Arena in Memphis. In a meeting of Southwest Division foes, the Rockets were able to push past the Grizzlies in a tough overtime victory and move to the top of their division standings. Despite turning the ball over 14 times, the Rockets used a 54 - 44 rebounding advantage to secure the victory on the road. They also shot well from the floor, going 45 percent from the field and 41 percent from the three - point line. Continuing to build on a potential MVP season, James Harden again looked the part Friday. He went 10 - for - 17 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score 32 points, while also nearing a triple - double with eight rebounds and 10 assists as well. Without anyone who could stop him, Harden was able to get to the free throw line over and over again, finishing the game 10 - for - 11 from the line. Harden has gone on a tear the last two games, combining for 76 points, 11 rebounds and 17 assists over that span. In his first game with the Rockets after signing only a day before, Josh Smith had a very successful debut, scoring 21 points (9 - 21 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT) and grabbing eight rebounds. Although joining a crowded frontcourt, he still got off plenty of shots. Trevor Ariza also played well and recorded his second double - double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Despite the loss, Marc Gasol continued to have a fantastic season. He was able to shoot over 50 percent, going 12 - for - 21 from the floor and 1 - for - 1 from beyond the arc to score 29 points, while also grabbing eight rebounds. He's now recorded at least 23 points in five of his last six games, as he's one of the hottest centers offensively in the league at this moment. Coming off the bench, Beno Udrih also did everything he could to keep the Grizzlies in the game. In only 20 minutes he went 7 - for - 12 from the field to score 17 points. The 17 points were a season - high for him, as he's only averaged 7 points per game up until this point. Also coming off the bench were Quincy Pondexter and Vince Carter who scored 14 and 10 points respectively. The Rockets' next game will be on the road against the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, while the Grizzlies will travel to Miami to play the Heat on Saturday."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pistons": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Pistons": "63", "Suns": "47"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Suns": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "35"}}, {"Assists": {"Tyler Ulis": "11", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "8"}, "Points": {"Tyler Ulis": "17", "Alan Williams": "11", "Andre Drummond": "18", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "23", "Aron Baynes": "13"}, "Steals": {"Tyler Ulis": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Alan Williams": "12", "Andre Drummond": "18", "Aron Baynes": "17"}}], "This scoreline is unfair to Phoenix, as they played much better than a 17 - point defeat would indicate. In fact, they led by 12 points early in the third quarter, before Detroit responded with a 35 - 12 run to eventually pull away. The Suns really struggled shooting, as they hit just 35 percent from the field, 27 percent from three - point range and 63 percent from the free - throw line. Detroit also dominated the rebounding, winning that battle, 63 - 47. Tyler Ulis led the way for Phoenix, as he collected 17 points, 11 assists and three steals. Alan Williams recorded another double - double off the bench, totaling 11 points and 12 rebounds. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was the Pistons best player, as he accumulated 23 points and eight assists. Andre Drummond finished with 18 points and 18 rebounds. Aron Baynes was huge off the bench, as he provided 13 points and 17 rebounds in just 17 minutes."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Rockets": "17"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "37"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "3", "Mavericks": "4"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "95", "Mavericks": "92"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Rockets": "17", "Mavericks": "17"}, "Turnovers": {"Rockets": "17"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "10", "Mavericks": "10"}}, {"Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "8", "Dirk Nowitzki": "11", "Brandan Wright": "14", "Donatas Motiejunas": "14", "James Harden": "32", "Patrick Beverley": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Chandler Parsons": "8", "Brandan Wright": "11", "Donatas Motiejunas": "12", "James Harden": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Monta Ellis": "1"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"James Harden": "9"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "2"}}], "The Rockets (10 - 3) knocked off the Mavericks (10 - 4) 95 - 92 Saturday night in Houston. Houston, which led by nine entering the fourth quarter, allowed Dallas to creep back into the game but was able to close it out in the final minute. Down two with just over 30 seconds to play, James Harden made a jumper, plus the foul, to put the Rockets up 93 - 92. Monta Ellis turned it over on the other end, and Trevor Ariza was subsequently fouled, converting both free throws to give Houston a three - point advantage. Dirk Nowitzki then missed a three - pointer, and Ellis was unable to hit on a desperation shot as time expired. Harden led the way for Houston, pouring in 32 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Patrick Beverley added 20 points, while Donatas Motiejunas had a 14 - point, 12 - rebound double - double. The Rockets were without Dwight Howard for the second straight game as he continues to nurse a strained right knee. In his absence, Houston was out - rebounded 50 - 4. The Rockets shot just 37 percent as a team, compared to Dallas\u2019 40 percent and also struggled with turnovers, committing 17, nine of which were credited to Motiejunas and Harden. Dallas had five players in double - figures, led by Ellis\u2019 17 points. Nowitzki added 11, and Chandler Parsons chipped in eight points and eight rebounds. Brandan Wright had a 14 - point, 11 - rebound double - double off the bench. Up next, the Mavs host the Pacers on Monday night. Houston plays host to the Knicks, also on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "29", "Spurs": "23"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "74", "Spurs": "101"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "31", "Spurs": "36"}}, {"Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Kawhi Leonard": "32"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "22", "Danny Green": "12", "Boris Diaw": "12", "Aron Baynes": "12", "Brandan Wright": "3", "Marcus Morris": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "10", "Brandan Wright": "3"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3", "Brandan Wright": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Brandan Wright": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Brandan Wright": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Brandan Wright": "3"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (36 - 23) defeated the Phoenix Suns (31 - 29), 101 - 74. The Suns were held to a franchise - low 24 points in the first half. Brandon Knight exited in the first half due to a hip injury. The teams combined to shoot 9 - of - 35 from downtown. The Spurs concluded their nine - game rodeo road trip in decisive fashion. Kawhi Leonard added a team - high 22 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and two blocks in a team - high 32 minutes. Danny Green, Boris Diaw and Aron Baynes each scored 12 points. Marcus Morris scored 15 of his team - high 19 points in the fourth quarter. All active players, sans Danny Granger, played in the blowout loss. Brandan Wright missed all three of his shot attempts, and no one on the team shot better than 50 percent from the field. The Spurs have three days off before beginning a six - game homestand against the Sacramento Kings. The Suns start a four - game road trip against the Miami Heat on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "26"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "95", "Pacers": "92"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "45"}}, {"Minutes played": {"David West": "12", "Roy Hibbert": "35", "George Hill": "33", "Rodney Stuckey": "25", "Luis Scola": "31", "LeBron James": "39", "Kevin Love": "39", "Matthew Dellavedova": "17"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Roy Hibbert": "13", "George Hill": "15", "Rodney Stuckey": "11", "LeBron James": "26", "Kevin Love": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Roy Hibbert": "8", "George Hill": "9", "Rodney Stuckey": "2", "LeBron James": "13", "Kevin Love": "3"}, "Points": {"Roy Hibbert": "20", "George Hill": "24", "Rodney Stuckey": "6", "Luis Scola": "14", "LeBron James": "29", "Kevin Love": "11", "Timofey Mozgov": "12", "JR Smith": "11", "Kyrie Irving": "13", "Matthew Dellavedova": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Roy Hibbert": "8", "Luis Scola": "11", "LeBron James": "7", "Kevin Love": "13"}, "Assists": {"LeBron James": "5", "Matthew Dellavedova": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"LeBron James": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LeBron James": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"LeBron James": "1"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (45 - 26) defeated the Indiana Pacers (30 - 37) 95 - 92 on Friday in Cleveland. Cleveland had lost the last two matchups with Indiana this season, but this time around was different, as a LeBron James jumper put the Cavaliers up one with just over two minutes to go, and the Pacers were unable to score from that point on. All five Cleveland starters scored in double figures with James leading the way, putting up a game - high 29 points on 13 - of - 26 shooting, seven rebounds and five assists in 39 minutes. Kevin Love recorded a double - double in 39 minutes of play, putting up 11 points on just 3 - of - 9 shooting and 13 rebounds. Kyrie Irving (13), Timofey Mozgov (12) and J.R. Smith (11) round out the Cavaliers starters who scored in double figures, while Matthew Dellavedova recorded 11 points and five assists in 17 minutes off the bench. The win puts Cleveland comfortably in second place in the Eastern Conference playoff race, as they hold a 3 - game lead over the Raptors, but they are still 10 games behind Atlanta for first place. The Pacers were lead by George Hill, who scored a team - high 24 points on 9 - of - 15 shooting in 33 minutes. Roy Hibbert was not too far behind, scoring 20 points on 8 - of - 13 shooting and grabbing eight rebounds in 35 minutes. This was the first time since the beginning of January where Hibbert scored 20 - plus points. Louis Scola also added a double - double for Indiana, scoring 14 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in 31 minutes off the bench. No other Indiana players scored in double figures, and Rodney Stuckey, who usually provides a scoring spark off the bench for the Pacers, scored just six points on 2 - of - 11 shooting in 25 minutes. David West (illness) left Friday's game after playing just 12 minutes and did not return to action. The loss is Indiana's fourth in a row and they currently are on the outside of the playoff race in the East looking in, as they stand a half game behind the Boston Celtics for the final spot. Up next, the Cavaliers will head to Milwaukee Sunday to take on the Bucks, while the Pacers will play the Nets at home on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "24", "Pelicans": "18"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "98", "Pelicans": "94"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "13", "Pelicans": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"Tyreke Evans": "3", "Gerald Henderson": "6", "Marvin Williams": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Tyreke Evans": "3", "Marvin Williams": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Tyreke Evans": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Tyreke Evans": "2", "Kemba Walker": "2", "Marvin Williams": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "4", "Gerald Henderson": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Davis": "42"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "32", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "13", "Gerald Henderson": "16", "Marvin Williams": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "12", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "12", "Gerald Henderson": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Steals": {"Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Marvin Williams": "2"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (13 - 24) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (17 - 18) 98 - 94 on Wednesday. The Hornets pulled out a close one as Kemba Walker shouldered the scoring load with his third straight 30 point game. Walker also had the game - winning bucket with 2 seconds remaining, getting fouled on the shot and making his free throw to complete the three - point play. Gerald Henderson had a nice game, finishing with 16 points, seven rebounds, six assists and one block. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist pitched in with 13 points and a team - leading 12 rebounds. Charlotte has won three straight games without Al Jefferson (groin) and Lance Stephenson (pelvis). Anthony Davis had another monster game, finishing with 32 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks in 42 minutes. It was not enough to fend off a second half comeback by the Charlotte Hornets who were down by seven points at halftime. Down three with 2 seconds remaining, Tyreke Evans had his pass stolen by Marvin Williams to end any hope of salvaging a road victory for the Pelicans who are now 6 - 13 on the road this season. The Charlotte Hornets will travel to Toronto to play the Raptors on Thursday, and the Pelicans will head back home to face the Memphis Grizzles on Friday"], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "1", "Jazz": "2"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "120", "Jazz": "102"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "1", "Jazz": "0"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Derrick Favors": "35", "Enes Kanter": "20", "Trevor Booker": "19", "J.J. Barea": "19"}, "Points": {"Derrick Favors": "17", "J.J. Barea": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Derrick Favors": "11"}, "Assists": {"J.J. Barea": "3"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (1 - 1) defeated the Utah Jazz (0 - 2) 120 - 102 on Thursday at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Enes Kanter is the starter at power forward for the Jazz, but he appears to be in a time share with backup power forward Trevor Booker. Kanter played 20 minutes, and Booker received 19 minutes. While there does n't appear to be a position battle developing, as long as Booker is stealing a healthy dose of minutes from Kanter, the big man's production will remain somewhat limited. Derrick Favors played 35 minutes as the starting center and posted his first double - double of the season, finishing with 17 points and 11 rebounds. The Mavericks went full - Spurs and did n't play a single player over 29 minutes in the blowout win. They had a 25 point lead at halftime and did n't need much production from their starters deep into the game. J.J. Barea made his debut with the Mavericks after signing with the team earlier in the day. He played 19 minutes off the bench and finished with four points and three assists. The Jazz's next game in at home Saturday against the Phoenix Suns. The Mavericks' next game is on the road Saturday against the New Orleans Pelicans."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nuggets": "27"}}, {"Points": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "11", "Will Barton": "15", "Wilson Chandler": "27", "Nikola Jokic": "14", "Jamal Murray": "12", "Jameer Nelson": "14", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "19", "Trevor Booker": "15", "Brook Lopez": "24", "Sean Kilpatrick": "22"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Will Barton": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Will Barton": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Will Barton": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Wilson Chandler": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Wilson Chandler": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Wilson Chandler": "3"}, "Steals": {"Wilson Chandler": "1", "Trevor Booker": "1", "Sean Kilpatrick": "1"}, "Assists": {"Trevor Booker": "5", "Brook Lopez": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Booker": "12", "Brook Lopez": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "2"}}], "Wilson Chandler came off the bench to lead a second - half comeback for the Nuggets, posting a game - high 27 points, along with 15 rebounds and a steal. He spearheaded the second unit's 70 - point effort, which helped overcome three single - digit scoring tallies from the starting five. Will Barton led the Denver starters with 15 points, but did also turn the ball over a game - high six times. Jusuf Nurkic pitched in with 11 points. Jameer Nelson and Nikola Jokic managed a pair of 14 - point efforts and Jamal Murray supplied 12 points, all off the bench. Brook Lopez's 24 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two blocks paced Brooklyn. Sean Kilpatrick (22 points) and Bojan Bogdanovic (19 points) were also productive, while Trevor Booker supplied a 15 - point, 12 - rebound double - double with five assists and a steal."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Magic": "25"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "25"}}, {"Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "15", "Goran Dragic": "15", "Tyler Johnson": "10", "James Johnson": "19", "Wayne Ellington": "14", "Aaron Gordon": "21", "Nikola Vucevic": "25", "Elfrid Payton": "12", "Jeff Green": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "18", "James Johnson": "4", "Aaron Gordon": "10", "Nikola Vucevic": "9", "Elfrid Payton": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tyler Johnson": "14", "Wayne Ellington": "10", "Nikola Vucevic": "18"}, "Assists": {"James Johnson": "6", "Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"James Johnson": "34", "Wayne Ellington": "20", "Aaron Gordon": "32", "Nikola Vucevic": "32", "Elfrid Payton": "27"}, "Steals": {"James Johnson": "2", "Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Nikola Vucevic": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "11"}}], "Nikola Vuvecic led the way for the Magic with 25 points on 11 - of - 18 shooting, to go along with nine rebounds, three blocks, one assist and one steal, in 32 minutes. Aaron Gordon followed up with with 21 points and 10 rebounds in 32 minutes, while Jeff Green chipped in 11 points off the bench. Elfrid Payton filled the stat sheet with 12 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and three steals, in 27 minutes. Meanwhile, James Johnson led the way for Miami, with 19 points, six assists, four rebounds, two assists and two steals, in 34 minutes off the bench. Hassan Whiteside hauled in a monstrous 18 rebounds to go along with 15 points, while Goran Dragic also chipped in 15 points. The only other players to score in double digits for Miami were Tyler Johnson with 10, and Wayne Ellington with 14, in 20 minutes off the bench."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "50"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "19", "Hawks": "14"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "111", "Hawks": "97"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Knicks": "31"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "16", "Hawks": "21"}}, {"Points": {"Paul Millsap": "19", "Carmelo Anthony": "11", "Robin Lopez": "16", "Arron Afflalo": "38"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "9", "Robin Lopez": "11"}, "Turnovers": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Arron Afflalo": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Arron Afflalo": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Arron Afflalo": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Arron Afflalo": "14"}}], "The New York Knicks (16 - 19) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (21 - 14) 111 - 97 on Sunday. Nothing indicated that the Knicks would be able to hold up with the Hawks with the two teams recent form, but they were able to runaway with a much needed victory. New York shot over 50 percent from the field and dominated the rebounding margin 45 to 31. The strange part about this results is that the Knicks were playing some of their worst basketball of the season while the Hawks seemed to be getting hot. Atlanta's bugaboo all season has been rebounding and that bit them hard here yet again. They currently rank in the bottom - three in rebounding and they were dominated on the boards against this Knicks team. All five starters scored in double - figures, but no one scored more than 20 points. Paul Millsap was once again the best player, as he tallied 19 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and five steals in the loss. No one else on the team had more than four rebounds or four assists and that's a bad sign for an Atlanta team that moves the ball so well. The Hawks will have a shot at the Knicks again in Atlanta on Tuesday in their next game. New York has been struggling recently, but this team - win was a great sign. Carmelo Anthony had a great all - around line, as he amassed 11 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. He is actually assisting at one of the best rates of his career this season and it's no surprise his team is better in the win - loss column as well. The hero on the night was Arron Afflalo, who scored a season - high 38 points on an incredible 14 - for - 17 shooting. Robin Lopez also had one of his best games of the season, as he accumulated 16 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and two blocks. The Knicks will look to keep the momentum going against these same Hawks in Tuesday in a rematch."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "40"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "29", "Hawks": "16"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "97", "Hawks": "117"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "17"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "8", "Hawks": "22"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "4", "Dennis Schroder": "10", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "3"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "14", "Dwight Howard": "14", "Dennis Schroder": "19", "Kris Humphries": "13", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "16", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "10", "Brook Lopez": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "8", "Dwight Howard": "16", "Kris Humphries": "8", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "6", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Brook Lopez": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Brook Lopez": "8"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks defeated the host Brooklyn Nets, 117 - 97, at Barclay's Center on Tuesday. These two teams came into this matchup on the opposite ends of six - game runs, as the Hawks added to their win streak, while the Nets continued their losing streak. Atlanta took care of business in the first half, carrying an 18 - point lead into the locker room. This was actually a wire - to - wire win for the Hawks, as they held a double - digit lead for the final 30 - plus minutes. Defense was key, as they held Brooklyn to 40 percent shooting, while forcing them to commit 17 turnovers. In addition, Atlanta recorded 11 steals and 12 blocks. The Hawks won the shooting, rebounding, assisting and turnover differentials in a dominant performance. Atlanta (22 - 16) has now won seven - straight games, as they continue to revive their season. Dennis Schroder was the catalyst, leading the team with 19 points and 10 assists. Dwight Howard recorded a double - double, totaling 14 points and 16 rebounds. Paul Millsap accumulated 14 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks. Kris Humphries led the bench in scoring and rebounding, amassing 13 points and eight boards. The Hawks are off until Friday when they host the Boston Celtics for their next game. This gives Brooklyn (8 - 29) a seventh - straight loss, adding to their league - worst record. Brook Lopez led the team in scoring, dropping 20 points on 8 - of - 14 from the field. Bojan Bogdanovic was the team's best player, accruing 16 points, six rebounds and four assists. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson got his first start in over a month and contributed 10 points and seven rebounds. Sean Kilpatrick and Caris LeVert each scored in double figures off the bench. Brooklyn will host the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday for their next game."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "46"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nets": "27"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Brook Lopez": "18", "Jeremy Lin": "16", "Sean Kilpatrick": "27", "Trevor Booker": "12", "Thabo Sefolosha": "9", "Paul Millsap": "24", "Dwight Howard": "11", "Dennis Schroder": "31", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "16", "Ersan Ilyasova": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Trevor Booker": "27", "Ersan Ilyasova": "26"}, "Assists": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "3", "Ersan Ilyasova": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "8", "Dwight Howard": "14", "Dennis Schroder": "2", "Ersan Ilyasova": "7"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dennis Schroder": "2"}, "Steals": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "2"}}], "Despite committing 22 turnovers Wednesday, the Nets were n't put away until Dennis Schroder drained a pair of free throws with two seconds remaining. Brooklyn shot a solid 46 percent from the floor and 80 percent from the free - throw line, while also getting 55 points from a very productive second unit. Sean Kilpatrick's 27 points off the bench led Brooklyn. Brook Lopez was next with 18 points, while Jeremy Lin supplied 16. Trevor Booker registered 12 points in 27 minutes. Schroder scored a game - high 31 points and Paul Millsap tallied 24 to lead the Hawks. Tim Hardaway, Jr. posted a bench - leading 16 points. Dwight Howard managed an 11 - point, 14 - rebound double - double, while Ersan Ilyasova supplied 10 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals in 26 minutes. Thabo Sefolosha contributed nine points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "58"}}, {"Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "25", "Rudy Gobert": "5", "Rodney Hood": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "7", "Rudy Gobert": "5", "Rodney Hood": "9"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "27", "Rudy Gobert": "12", "Rodney Hood": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "6", "Rudy Gobert": "12"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rodney Hood": "5"}}], "The Jazz absolutely dominated the Thunder on both sides of the ball in Wednesday's blowout. Despite missing key contributors Alec Burks (ankle) and George Hill (toe), Utah shot 58 percent from the field and went 13 - of - 23 from beyond the arc. Guard Rodney Hood led the team with 25 points and shot 9 - of - 14 from the field, including five three - pointers. Center Rudy Gobert not only shot a perfect 5 - of - 5 on offense to score 12 points, but had a team - high 12 rebounds as well. Gobert also had three blocks and anchored the Jazz's defense that allowed just 36 percent shooting and six three - pointers. The Thunder, meanwhile, saw dramatic struggles on offense. For the second straight night, All-Star Russell Westbrook played below his averages, scoring 27 to go with only six rebounds and five assists. Though those numbers were all team highs, Westbrook went just 7 - of - 25 from the field and had five turnovers on the night. The team failed to move the ball effectively, recording just 14 assists on the night."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Knicks": "34", "Rockets": "54"}}, {"Points": {"Eric Gordon": "21", "James Harden": "30", "Montrezl Harrell": "17", "Carmelo Anthony": "21", "Kristaps Porzingis": "3", "Courtney Lee": "16", "Derrick Rose": "16"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Montrezl Harrell": "10"}}], "James Harden, already renowned for prolific stat lines at shooting guard, has taken matters to another level while manning the point. His 30 - point, 15 - assist double - double Wednesday was his second straight and third overall this season. Offseason acquisition Eric Gordon has proven to be the ideal complement, supplying a 21 - point effort of his own. Montrezl Harrell's 17 - point, 10 - rebound double - double off the bench also helped the Rockets to a sizable 54 - 34 rebounding edge overall. While the Knicks received a typically solid 21 - point outing from Carmelo Anthony, as well as matching 16 - point outings from the backcourt combo of Derrick Rose and Courtney Lee, they were clearly hurt by the lack of contributions from their frontcourt. Kristaps Porzingis and Joakim Noah combined for just three points (all from the former) on 0 - of - 6 shooting and a modest 10 rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "32", "Wizards": "28"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "99", "Wizards": "92"}, "Rebounds": {"Bucks": "58", "Wizards": "38"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "22", "Wizards": "23"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "39"}}, {"Points": {"Bradley Beal": "19", "John Wall": "15", "Khris Middleton": "27"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "10", "Khris Middleton": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Khris Middleton": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Khris Middleton": "6"}, "Steals": {"Khris Middleton": "5"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (22 - 32) took the game away from the Washington Wizards (23 - 28) in the fourth quarter, winning 99 - 92 on Thursday. Milwaukee has now won two in a row after upsetting the surging Bston Celtics on Tuesday. The Bucks saw their main advantage come on the boards, where they held a 58 - 38 edge over the Wizards. Shooting guard Khris Middleton had one of his most dominant performances of the season, scoring a game - high 27 points to go with six rebounds, nine assists, and five steals. Coach Jason Kidd opted to bring dominant center Greg Monroe off the bench in Thursday's contest. The offseason acquisition played 33 minutes, scored 12 points, and pulled down nine rebounds. Washington was unable to perform from the field, shooting just 39 percent as a team. Per usual, the Wiz were led by the backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal. Wall posted a 15 - point, 10 - assist double - double, while Beal led the team with 19 points. The team was nonexistent from behind the arc, shooting 6 - for - 32 from three - point territory. They also struggled on the glass, pulling down just 38 rebounds and nine offensive boards. Both teams will now enjoy rest as they head into the All-Star break."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "13"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "101", "Warriors": "108"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Harrison Barnes": "3"}, "Assists": {"Draymond Green": "6", "Stephen Curry": "9", "Andre Iguodala": "1", "Kevin Durant": "3", "Steven Adams": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "1", "Klay Thompson": "1", "Kevin Durant": "3", "Serge Ibaka": "3", "Andre Roberson": "3", "Enes Kanter": "1"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "12", "Klay Thompson": "41", "Stephen Curry": "31", "Andre Iguodala": "8", "Kevin Durant": "29", "Serge Ibaka": "13", "Steven Adams": "9", "Andre Roberson": "11", "Russell Westbrook": "28", "Enes Kanter": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "12", "Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "10", "Andre Iguodala": "7", "Kevin Durant": "7", "Serge Ibaka": "9", "Steven Adams": "9", "Andre Roberson": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "9", "Enes Kanter": "3"}, "Steals": {"Draymond Green": "3", "Klay Thompson": "1", "Stephen Curry": "2", "Andre Iguodala": "3", "Kevin Durant": "2", "Steven Adams": "1", "Andre Roberson": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Andrew Bogut": "3", "Kevin Durant": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "11"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Andre Iguodala": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andre Iguodala": "4"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the host Oklahoma City Thunder, 108 - 101, on Saturday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals. Both the reigning NBA champs and the newly - minted, two - time MVP rediscovered their elite form just in time to prevent elimination. The Warriors were staring at the very real possibility of a premature end to their season with 8 left in the fourth quarter, as they were on the short end of an 89 - 81 deficit. However, the vaunted Splash Brothers simply would not be denied a Game 7 at home, as they combined to drain 17 of 31 three - point attempts, including multiple off - balance shots in the final minutes. Klay Thompson set a new playoff record in the process with 11 treys, and Stephen Curry was just an assist shy of a triple - double in what was his most complete game of the series. Long-range shooting was certainly a key overall to the comeback victory, as the Warriors outperformed the Thunder from beyond the arc by a margin of 48 percent to 13 percent. Thompson led all scorers with 41 points, and he added four rebounds, a steal and a block. Curry was next with 31 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and a pair of steals. Draymond Green supplied a double - double of his own, registering 12 points, 12 boards, six assists, three steals and a block. Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut were n't called on to do too much offensively with the top three options so heavily involved, but did combine for 14 points. Andre Iguodala paced the reserves with eight points, seven boards, an assist and three steals. The Thunder were led by Kevin Durant's 29 points, which he supplemented with seven rebounds, three assists, three blocks and a pair of steals. Russell Westbrook was right behind him with 28 points, 11 assists, nine rebounds and four thefts. Serge Ibaka turned in another solid effort down low, tallying 13 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. Andre Roberson was in double digits once again, collecting 11 points, eight rebounds, three blocks and a steal. Steven Adams posted a near double - double with nine points and nine boards, and he also had an assist and a steal. Enes Kanter led the second unit with eight points, three rebounds and a block. The series heads back to Oracle Arena for a pivotal Game 7 on Monday night, with momentum firmly on the Warriors' side."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Clippers": "32", "Heat": "20"}, "Turnovers": {"Clippers": "11", "Heat": "15"}, "Number of team assists": {"Heat": "14"}}, {"Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "15", "Goran Dragic": "24", "DeAndre Jordan": "7", "Chris Paul": "19", "Marreese Speights": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "13", "DeAndre Jordan": "18", "Chris Paul": "6"}, "Assists": {"Goran Dragic": "5", "Chris Paul": "18"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chris Paul": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Chris Paul": "7"}}], "The Clippers were expected to win this game easily and they did just that. In fact, Los Angeles held a double - digit lead for the final 30 minutes. The second quarter is when they made their mark, outscoring Miami, 32 - 20. The assist - to - turnover ratio was decisive, with the Clippers recording 28 assists to 11 turnovers, while the Heat committed 15 turnovers to just 14 assists. Goran Dragic carried the load for Miami, leading the team with 24 points, five rebounds and five assists. Hassan Whiteside returned from a facial injury to total 15 points and 13 rebounds. Chris Paul was the player of the game, accumulating 19 points, six rebounds and 18 assists on 7 - of - 11 from the field. DeAndre Jordan scored just seven points, but snatched down 18 rebounds. Marreese Speights led all bench scorers with 19 points."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "53"}}, {"Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "11", "LeBron James": "13", "Kevin Love": "3"}, "Points": {"Damian Lillard": "40", "LeBron James": "31", "Kevin Love": "40"}, "Rebounds": {"Damian Lillard": "7", "LeBron James": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Love": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Love": "12"}}], "All the talk around this game will be about Kevin Love and rightfully so. While he finished with just 40 points, he set an NBA-record by dropping 34 points in the first quarter. He went 8 - of - 11 from three - point range in that first quarter and finished the game 12 - of - 20 from the field, struggling the final three quarters. LeBron James would n't be outdone though, as he accumulated 31 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists en route to a triple - double. Cleveland has made at least 10 three - pointers in every game this season and that's what carried them here. In fact, they went 21 - of - 36 from three - point range and shot 53 percent from the field. Damian Lillard did his best to keep Portland hanging around, as he tallied 40 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists in the defeat. Portland have now allowed at least 113 points in six - straight games and are allowing over 120 points a game in that span. This was a rare wire - to - wire win for the Cavs."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Suns": "28", "Thunder": "14"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "42", "Thunder": "27"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "118", "Thunder": "111"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Suns": "35", "Thunder": "27"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "20", "Thunder": "35"}}, {"Points": {"Steven Adams": "9", "Alex Abrines": "13", "Russell Westbrook": "48", "Enes Kanter": "11", "TJ Warren": "15", "Devin Booker": "17", "Eric Bledsoe": "18", "Alan Williams": "14", "Tyler Ulis": "14", "Leandro Barbosa": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Steven Adams": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "17", "Enes Kanter": "5", "TJ Warren": "7", "Devin Booker": "7", "Eric Bledsoe": "3", "Alan Williams": "13", "Tyler Ulis": "4"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "9", "Devin Booker": "3", "Eric Bledsoe": "5", "Tyler Ulis": "7"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "3", "Eric Bledsoe": "4", "Tyler Ulis": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Alan Williams": "3"}}], "The Phoenix Suns defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, 118 - 111, at Talking Stick Resort Arena on Friday. These are two teams going in opposite directions, but Phoenix put that to the side by upsetting Oklahoma City in this big win. After trailing for the entirety of the first quarter, Phoenix responded by leading for the final 30 - pus minutes. The assist - to - turnover ratio was key, as the Suns doubled up the Thunder, 28 - 14 in assists, while committing two less turnovers. Oklahoma City could n't crack 42 percent shooting, while Phoenix shot nearly 50 percent from the field. The Suns bench was huge too, outscoring the Thunder's bench, 55 - 22. The Thunder (35 - 27) had to play this game in the second half of a back - to back set and it was clear they did n't have the legs against this weak Suns team. Russell Westbrook had legs though, tallying 48 points, 17 rebounds, nine assists and three steals. Alex Abrines finished second on the team with 13 points. Steven Adams fell just shy of a double - double, totaling nine points and 10 rebounds. Enes Kanter led the bench with 11 points and five rebounds. The Suns (20 - 42) came into this game tied for the worst record in the west, so this win is a mixed result. Eric Bledsoe led Phoenix with 18 points, three rebounds, five assists and four steals. Devin Booker finished second on the team, accumulating 17 points, seven rebounds and three assists. The bench was huge, as Alan Williams, Tyler Ulis and Leandro Barbosa each scored 14 points a piece. Williams also added 13 rebounds and three blocks, while Ulis provided four rebounds, seven assists and three steals. T.J Warren also collected 15 points and seven rebounds."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "51", "Lakers": "39"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "62", "Lakers": "52"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "3", "Lakers": "10"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "140", "Lakers": "106"}, "Rebounds": {"Mavericks": "39"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "10", "Lakers": "3"}}, {"Field goals made": {"Chandler Parsons": "8", "Dirk Nowitzki": "8"}, "Points": {"Monta Ellis": "20"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (10 - 3) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (3 - 10) 140 - 106 on Friday. Dallas has won six straight games as they've been playing through one of the easier stretches of their schedule. Dirk Nowitzki, Chandler Parsons and Monta Ellis all scored 20 - plus points, and the Mavs had eight players finish in double figures for scoring. Dallas goes on the road Saturday to Houston to face the Rockets. Los Angeles had their swag back for two straight wins coming into Friday's game, but they did n't have enough swag to defeat the Mavericks. The Lakers performed well on offense, hitting 52 percent of their shots from the field and 39 pecent from beyond the arc, but they could n't get the job done on defense. They allowed the Mavs to shoot an eye - popping 62 percent from the field and 51 percent from beyond the arc. Los Angeles returns home to host the Denver Nuggets on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "8", "Warriors": "2"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "83", "Warriors": "120"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pacers": "21"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pacers": "21"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "7", "Warriors": "12"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "36"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "44"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "6", "Stephen Curry": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "2"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "14", "Klay Thompson": "25", "Stephen Curry": "22", "Thaddeus Young": "14", "Jeff Teague": "11", "Rodney Stuckey": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "11"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Durant": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "18", "Thaddeus Young": "14", "Jeff Teague": "14", "Rodney Stuckey": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Klay Thompson": "10", "Rodney Stuckey": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Klay Thompson": "26", "Stephen Curry": "30", "Rodney Stuckey": "24"}}], "The visiting Golden State Warriors defeated the Indiana Pacers, 120 - 83, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Monday. It was a fairly effortless victory for the Warriors (12 - 2), as the Pacers (7 - 8) entered without Paul George (ankle) and Myles Turner (ankle). From the start, Golden State was dominant, opening up a 13 - point lead by the end of the the first quarter and never looking back by winning every single period. Klay Thompson put together a incredibly efficient performance, scoring 25 points on 10 - of - 18 shooting from the field in just 26 minutes. Steph Curry was n't too far behind, scoring 22 points in 30 minutes, while Kevin Durant stuffed the stat sheet, posting 14 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocks. As a team, it was n't a prolific shooting night from the Warriors but it was enough to get the job done, as they shot 44 percent from the field and 36 percent from behind the arc. For the Pacers, it was a night to forget, with only three players managing to score in double figures. Rodney Stuckey, who looks to finally be back at full health, led the way scoring 21 points on 7 - of - 12 shooting in 24 minutes off the bench, while Thaddeus Young and Jeff Teague were the only other Indiana players to reach double figures, scoring 14 and 11 points respectively. However, the injury bug hit the Pacers once again when they needed it the least, as Jeff Teague left the game with a sprained ankle and did not return, but head coach Nate McMillan did say after the game that Teague could have returned if it was a competitive outing. Up next, the Warriors will head home Wednesday to avenge their loss early in the season to the Lakers, while the Pacers will look to get healthy in time for when they take on the Hawks on the same day."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "18", "Bucks": "25"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "102", "Bucks": "86"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Raptors": "36", "Bucks": "19"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "29", "Bucks": "21"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "30"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "39"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Kyle Lowry": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "19", "Jabari Parker": "21", "Matthew Dellavedova": "11", "Norman Powell": "19", "Kyle Lowry": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6", "Jabari Parker": "13", "Matthew Dellavedova": "2", "Norman Powell": "6", "Kyle Lowry": "3"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, 102 - 86, at Air Canada Center on Friday. Both of these teams have been struggling mightily headed into this matchup, but Toronto prevailed in a near wire - to - wire win. In fact, the Raptors led for the final 42 minutes, as they held a double - digit lead for the majority of that stretch. That's evident by the first quarter, in which Toronto outscored Milwaukee, 36 - 19. Despite all the statistics being close, the Raptors won nearly every one, as they led in shooting, rebounding, assisting, steals, blocks and turnover differentials. The Raptors defense was huge, as they held the Bucks to 39 percent from the field and 30 percent from three - point range. The Bucks (21 - 25) have now lost seven of their last eight games, as they continue to slide down the standings. Giannis Antetokounmpo once again carried the load, as he tallied 19 points, six rebounds, eight assists and three blocks. Jabari Parker was just as good, totaling 21 points and 13 rebounds. The only other player in double figures was Matthew Dellavedova, who dropped 11 points to accompany two rebounds and to assists. The Bucks will host the Boston Celtics on Saturday for their next game. The Raptors (29 - 18) had lost five - straight headed into this game, so a double - digit home win in just what the doctor ordered. Kyle Lowry had to carry the team in the absence of DeMar DeRozan (ankle), as he scored a game - high 32 points to go along with three rebounds and six assists. Norman Powell started for DeRozan and finished second on the team with 19 points and six rebounds. Jonas Valanciunas and Patrick Patterson combined for 18 points, 18 rebounds, three steals and three blocks as the starting frontcourt. Toronto will look to build of this win on Sunday in a home matchup against the Orlando Magic."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "2", "Jeff Teague": "9", "Markieff Morris": "3", "John Wall": "14"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "31", "Jeff Teague": "13", "Kevin Seraphin": "16", "Markieff Morris": "26", "Marcin Gortat": "14", "John Wall": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "4", "Jeff Teague": "4", "Kevin Seraphin": "7", "Markieff Morris": "10", "Marcin Gortat": "16"}}], "It's rare to see a game so close with only five ties and six lead changes, but that was the case here, as neither team grabbed a double - digit lead. Three-point shooting was the difference for Washington, with the Wizards going 10 - of - 29 and the Pacers hitting just 4 - of - 21 from long distance. Paul George led the Pacers with 31 points, adding four rebounds and two assists to his tally. Kevin Seraphin was second on the team, as he provided 16 points and seven rebounds off the bench. Jeff Teague finished with 13 points, four rebounds and nine assists. Markieff Morris scored a season - high 26 points, as he also provided 10 rebounds and three assists. John Wall also scored 26 points, handing out 14 assists to lead the team as well. Marcin Gortat recorded a double - double, totaling 14 points and 16 rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "14", "Magic": "9"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "74", "Magic": "85"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "8", "Magic": "12"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "43"}}, {"Assists": {"Victor Oladipo": "3", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Victor Oladipo": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Victor Oladipo": "33", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "22", "Will Barton": "38"}, "Points": {"Victor Oladipo": "11", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "6", "Will Barton": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Victor Oladipo": "3", "Will Barton": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Will Barton": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Will Barton": "3"}, "Steals": {"Will Barton": "4"}}], "The Orlando Magic (12 - 9) bounced back from having their five - game win streak snapped by the Clippers, defeating the struggling Denver Nuggets (8 - 14) by a score of 85 - 74. The Magic were able to withstand disappointing performances from starters Evan Fournier, who was held scoreless until he hit a single three - pointer late in the fourth quarter, and Channing Frye, who failed to score a point. With Fournier having an off - night, newly - implemented sixth man Victor Oladipo shouldered much of the load at shooting guard, playing 33 minutes and recording 11 points, three rebounds, three assists, and a mightily impressive four blocks. Orlando's defense was the true story of the night, as they held Denver to just 34 percent from the field. The stingy Magic defense also forced 17 turnovers. Their domincance on the defensive end made up for a rather lackluster offensive night, as the team shot only 43 percent and hit just one three - pointer. Denver's night was marked by the total inability to score the ball, particularly in the second half, where the Nuggets scored just 27 points over two quarters. There seemed to be a lid on the basket for Denver, as only three players cracked double - digits for scoring, and rising sixth man Will Barton (23 points, four rebounds, four steals) was the only player who scored over 13. While Barton provided a bright spot in a game - high 38 minutes off the bench, it seemed Denver could not manage to develop an offensive rhythm. Rookie Emmanuel Mudiay also continued to struggle, turning the ball over five times in just 22 minutes while scoring only six points and recording just four assists. Overall, Tuesday was a night the Nuggets would like to forget. They will hope to put it behind them as they take on the Timberwolves on Friday. Meanwhile, the surging Magic will face the second half of a back - to - back on Wednesday as they face the Suns in Orlando."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "5", "Bulls": "4"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "88", "Bulls": "113"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "14", "Bulls": "35"}, "Turnovers": {"Trail Blazers": "11"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "7", "Bulls": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Bulls": "67"}}, {"Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "27", "Jerian Grant": "18", "Damian Lillard": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "12", "Taj Gibson": "11", "Robin Lopez": "11"}, "Steals": {"Jerian Grant": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Damian Lillard": "7"}}], "The visiting Chicago Bulls demolished the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, 113 - 88. It was a rebounding extravaganza for Chicago (7 - 4), as the team pulled down a ridiculous 67 boards in the easy win. 19 offensive rebounds helped the team earn second - chance points left and right, and contributed to the Bulls jumping out to the early 35 - 14 lead. All-Star Jimmy Butler, fresh off a 37 - point outing against the Wizards, led the team in both points and rebounds, with 27 and 12 respectively. Forward Taj Gibson and center Robin Lopez also posted double - doubles, recording 11 rebounds each. Starting point guard Rajon Rondo was sidelined with an ankle sprain, but backup Jerian Grant was able to fill the starting role nicely, scoring 18 points and coming away with five steals. For Portland (7 - 5), it was an uncharacteristically cold shooting night. The league's second - leading scorer heading into the night, Damian Lillard, scored only 19 points on just 7 - of - 22 shooting. The stagnant offense went beyond Lillard, however, as the team shot just 35 percent from the floor and 26 percent from three - point range. Struggles extended to the free - throw line, where the team hit just 11 - of - 18 shots from the stripe. Despite an inability to get things going offensively, Portland was able to post a low total of just 11 turnovers in the fast - paced game. Both teams will head on the road Thursday, with the Blazers visiting Houston and Chicago seeing Utah."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nuggets": "29"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "34", "Celtics": "24"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "101", "Celtics": "121"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nuggets": "23"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "22", "Celtics": "33"}}, {"Points": {"Jared Sullinger": "16", "Avery Bradley": "20", "Isaiah Thomas": "22", "Danilo Gallinari": "17", "Nikola Jokic": "23", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Jared Sullinger": "11", "Nikola Jokic": "13"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Avery Bradley": "8", "Isaiah Thomas": "7", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Avery Bradley": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "2"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "12", "Nikola Jokic": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "16", "Danilo Gallinari": "11", "Nikola Jokic": "15", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "7", "Danilo Gallinari": "5", "Nikola Jokic": "10", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Danilo Gallinari": "10", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Danilo Gallinari": "7", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "6"}, "Steals": {"Nikola Jokic": "2"}}], "The Boston Celtics (33 - 24) steamrolled the Denver Nuggets (22 - 34) Sunday afternoon at Pepsi Center, 121 - 101. The Nuggets led or were tied through the games' first four minutes, but Boston closed the first quarter with a 26 - 8 run and never looked back. They carried a 15 - point lead into halftime and never led by fewer than 10 points in the second half. The Celtics were led by their starting back court, as Isaiah Thomas dropped 22 points (7 - 16 FG, 3 - 7 3PT) and 12 assists and Avery Bradley added 20 points on 8 - 15 shooting (3 - 8 3PT). Jared Sullinger added a double - double with 16 points and 11 rebounds as the Celtics dominated on the glass. They rebounded 15 of their 50 misses (30 percent) and allowed Denver to grab just six offensive rebounds on 39 missed shots (15 percent). Nuggets center Nikola Jokic scored 23 points (10 - 15 FG) to lead all scorers and added 13 rebounds, four assists and two steals. Emmanuel Mudiay scored an efficient 18 points (5 - 9 FG, 2 - 4 3PT, 6 - 6 FT) and Danilo Gallinari scored 17 points (5 - 11 FG, 7 - 10 FT). The Nuggets could n't find their deep shot, however, as they went just 6 - 21 (29 percent) from downtown and could n't keep up with the Celtics' churning offense. The Celtics continue their Western Conference road trip Monday against the Timberwolves. The Nuggets remain home for a matchup Tuesday against the Kings."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "27", "Pistons": "21"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "104", "Pistons": "101"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nuggets": "39", "Pistons": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Nuggets": "32", "Pistons": "51"}, "Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "8"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "17", "Pistons": "23"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pistons": "32"}}, {"Points": {"Marcus Morris": "20", "Andre Drummond": "4", "Danilo Gallinari": "30"}, "Minutes played": {"Andre Drummond": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Danilo Gallinari": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Danilo Gallinari": "1"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (17 - 27) defeated the Detroit Pistons (23 - 21) 104 - 101 on Saturday night. This game was full of big swings, but the Nuggets were able to make the final push to pull out a win. What really guided Denver to a win was a 39 - 20 third quarter, in which they were trailing by double - digits prior to that. This was a mental win for Denver, as they dominated the turnover margin and the free - throw shooting. In fact, Denver shot 83 percent on their free - throws to the Pistons 53 percent and committed half as many turnovers as Detroit in the victory. The Pistons actually dominated the rebounding, as they snatched down 51 boards to the Nuggets 32. Detroit came into this game as a small favorite, but couldn\u2019t muster up enough late to pull out the road win. The bench was the only reason they played so well, as they scored 41 bench points to go along with an impressive 27 rebounds. Andre Drummond had his worst game of the season, as he tallied just four points and eight rebounds in just 18 minutes of play. Drummond got in foul trouble early and Aron Baynes got the late minutes because he simply outplayed him. Baynes actually finished with a double - double in the loss. Marcus Morris led the team with 20 points and there were stretches when he was asked to ISO the offense and essentially carry the offense. When Reggie Jackson and Drummond struggle like this, they almost never win. The Pistons will stay in altitude, as they have to play the Jazz in Utah on Tuesday in their next game. Denver is now 4 - 3 in their current eight - game homestand, with all of the games coming down to the wire. The starters were all exceptional tonight for the Nuggets tonight, as they all played at least 32 minutes and combined for 82 points and 15 steals. Danilo Gallinari scored a game - high 30 points and is one of the top - five scorers in the NBA since the beginning of January. The rookies were fantastic for Denver as well, as Nikola Jokic and Emmanuel Mudiay combined for 35 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, three steals and four blocks in the win. The Nuggets will cap off their homestand on Monday against the Atlanta Hawks in what should be another close matchup."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "12", "Jazz": "19"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "119", "Jazz": "111"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "12", "Jazz": "6"}}, {"Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Rudy Gobert": "33", "Anthony Davis": "35", "Ryan Anderson": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "9", "Anthony Davis": "9"}, "Points": {"Dante Exum": "12", "Anthony Davis": "31", "Ryan Anderson": "28"}, "Personal fouls": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (12 - 12) defeated the Utah Jazz (6 - 19) 119 - 111 on Tuesday. New Orleans got their All-Star back Tuesday with Anthony Davis returning to the lineup after missing most of the previous two games. Davis was sitting out with a chest contusion suffered in the first half of Friday's 119 - 114 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was outfitted with a protective vest and finished with 31 points and nine rebounds in 35 minutes. Despite moving back to a bench role, Ryan Anderson put up 28 points in 27 minutes. Utah has lost three straight games, and in their last two games, they were playing without Derrick Favors, whom remains sidelined with a sprained ankle. Rudy Gobert has filled in as the starting center in Favors' absence, and on Tuesday, Gobert put up nine rebounds and three blocks in 33 minutes. Enes Kanter led the way for the Jazz, putting up 39 points in 36 minutes. Dante Exum scored a career - high 12 points off the bench. New Orleans will go on the road to Houston to take on the Rockets on Thursday. The Jazz will continue their road trip in Miami on Wednesday against the Heat."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "53", "Rockets": "41"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "105", "Rockets": "129"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "28", "Rockets": "40"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Rockets": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "56"}}, {"Assists": {"Dwight Howard": "3", "James Harden": "6"}, "Points": {"Dwight Howard": "19", "James Harden": "34", "Clint Capela": "10", "Zach LaVine": "21", "Nemanja Bjelica": "11", "Shabazz Muhammad": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "8", "Clint Capela": "10", "Nemanja Bjelica": "14"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "9"}}], "The Houston Rockets (40 - 41) took care of business against the Minnesota Timberwolves (28 - 53) on Monday in a 129 - 105 win. Only one of these teams had something to play for and it was evident by this result. Houston got at it early, as they had a 17 - point lead after the first quarter and 29 - point lead headed into the fourth. The offense was on point, as they shot 56 percent from the field and 50 percent from three - point range. The Rockets needed a win here to keep their playoffs hopes alive and they made no doubt of that here. James Harden stepped up big time, as he tallied 34 points and six assists in just three quarters of play. Dwight Howard played well too, as he totaled 19 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Clint Capela recorded a double - double off the bench, in a 10 - point, 10 - rebound outing. Houston's final game will be on Wednesday against the Sacramento Kings. Minnesota had nothing to play for in this game and the simply didn\u2019t show up. Shabazz Muhammad led the team with 23 points off the bench, as he went 9 - for - 13 from the field. Zach LaVine led the starters with 21 points. Nemana Bjelica contines to surprise, as he provided 11 points and 14 rebounds off the bench. The Timberwolves final game is on Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "3", "Clippers": "1"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "108", "Clippers": "110"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "6", "Clippers": "8"}}, {"Points": {"Blake Griffin": "25", "Chris Paul": "17", "Jamal Crawford": "19", "Austin Rivers": "7", "Domantas Sabonis": "12", "Victor Oladipo": "18", "Russell Westbrook": "29"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jamal Crawford": "3", "Domantas Sabonis": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jamal Crawford": "11", "Domantas Sabonis": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Jamal Crawford": "7", "Domantas Sabonis": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Domantas Sabonis": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "14"}}], "The visiting Los Angeles Clippers defeated the host Oklahoma City Thunder, 110 - 108, in a nail - biter on Friday. The Clippers (8 - 1) maintained their league - best record with the narrow win over the Thunder. Through nine games, the Clippers have now seen only one loss: a two - point defeat by the Thunder. Dominant bench play has contributed largely to Los Angeles's success, and was on full display on Friday. Reigning Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford scored 19 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting, including three three - pointers. Fellow bench guard Austin Rivers also contributed seven points on efficient shooting. Forward Blake Griffin, meanwhile, started and led the team with 25 points. All-Star point guard Chris Paul posted a double - double, scoring 17 and dishing out 10 assists. The Thunder (6 - 3), on the other hand, have started to slow after a surprising hot start. Point guard Russell Westbrook, however, is still running at full speed. Westbrook came just one assist from a triple - double on Friday, scoring 29 points and pulling down 14 rebounds. It was a strong night for most of the Thunder starting five, as rookie Domantas Sabonis scored 12 points on 4 - of - 5 shooting, with all four field goals coming from three - point range. Guard Victor Oladipo also delivered a solid performance with 18 points. The Thunder were able to keep the score close but trailed for much of the fourth quarter, ultimately forcing up a wild shot to attempt to win the game at the buzzer. The Clippers will visit the Timberwolves on Saturday, while the Thunder will host the Magic on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "42", "Bucks": "38"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "101", "Bucks": "110"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "34", "Bucks": "38"}}, {"Assists": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "7", "Evan Turner": "6", "Isaiah Thomas": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "3"}, "Points": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "8", "O.J. Mayo": "24", "Evan Turner": "6", "Isaiah Thomas": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "5", "Evan Turner": "6"}, "Steals": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "6", "Evan Turner": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Isaiah Thomas": "26"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (38 - 38) defeated the Boston Celtics (34 - 42) 110 - 101 on Friday. O.J. Mayo came off the bench and had a huge game for Milwaukee. He had his best game since coming back from a hamstring injury that forced him to miss twelve games between Feb. 24 and Mar. 24. In 29 minutes he put up 24 points, six assists, five rebounds and two steals against in Boston. As is the case on most nights recently, Michael Carter-Williams had a rough shooting night, coupled with a high turnover rate. He had eight points of 3 - for - 8 shooting to go along with a whopping six turnovers on Friday. However he was able to contribute in other areas to help lead his team back to a .500 record. He finished with seven assists, five rebounds, five steals and two blocks. Much like the Bucks, the Celtics have a high - scoring sixth man off the bench who lead them in points. Isaiah Thomas had 23 points and six assists in 26 minutes, but did turn the ball over five times. Evan Turner had three turnovers himself; he followed up his triple - double on Wednesday with a six points, six rebounds and six assists in a not so heavenly performance. Boston is trying to scratch and claw their way to a playoff birth but currently sit on the outside looking in at the Eastern Conference playoff picture. The Celtics will head to Toronto to take on the Raptors on Saturday, as the Bucks will host the Orlando Magic."], [[{"Total points": {"Bulls": "105", "Celtics": "99"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Bulls": "30", "Celtics": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Bulls": "55", "Celtics": "36"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "1"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "1"}}, {"Points": {"Isaiah Thomas": "25", "Terry Rozier": "8"}, "Assists": {"Terry Rozier": "4", "Dwyane Wade": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Terry Rozier": "4"}}], "The Chicago Bulls opened their season Thursday with a 105 - 99 victory against the visiting Boston Celtics. Chicago (10) jumped out to an early lead, finishing the first quarter with a 30 - 20 lead. The Bulls new - look backcourt of Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo quickly made contributions, with Wade scoring 14 points in the first half. The group managed to combat concerns about poor floor - spacing, with Wade and Rondo contributing five combined three - point makes. Chicago was able to keep the Celtics off the glass extremely effectively, winning the rebounding battle 55 - 36. The Bulls' edge was particularly pronounced on the offensive end, as they earned 18 offensive rebounds compared to Boston's three. Boston (1 - 1), meanwhile, managed to keep the game close throughout. All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas led the charge for the Celtics' offense, scoring 25 points. With bench guard Marcus Smart sidelined by injury, sophomore Terry Rozier saw 22 minutes coming off the bench. He made the most of his time on the floor, scoring eight points and recording four rebounds and four assists while recording no turnovers. Boston had a solid shooting night, converting on half of their shots from the floor overall. However, struggles on the glass ended up weighing the Celtics down despite keeping Chicago to just 40 percent shooting. The Bulls will face the Pacers on Saturday, while the Celtics will take on the Hornets."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "42", "Spurs": "54"}, "Losses": {"Timberwolves": "18", "Spurs": "5"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "11", "Spurs": "25"}, "Number of team assists": {"Spurs": "24"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Spurs": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2", "Tony Parker": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "19", "Tony Parker": "14", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "10", "Andrew Wiggins": "10", "Zach LaVine": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "11"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (25 - 5) rolled through the Minnesota Timberwolves (11 - 18) Wednesday night at the Target Center as they took home a blowout 106 - 83 victory. The Spurs jumped out to a 22 - 8 lead and never looked back, as the Timberwolves never got the game closer than eight points in the final three quarters. The Spurs shot the lights out, as they shot 54 percent from the floor and knocked down 10 three - pointers. Kawhi Leonard led all scorers with 19 points and added 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Tony Parker added 14 points and 6 assists. The Spurs finished with five players in double figures and dominated inside, with 54 points in the paint to Minnesota's 24. Zach LaVine was Minnesota's high scorer as he came off the bench to pour in 17 on a 7 - 13 shooting night. Karl-Anthony Towns recorded his third straight double - double with 10 points and 11 rebounds despite a rough shooting night (4 - 12). Andrew Wiggins was also awful from the field (2 - 11) and finished with just 10 points. As a team, Minnesota managed just 42 percent from the floor. San Antonio has won seven in a row and will look to make it eight Friday night against Houston. Minnesota has lost their last two and will look to turn it around Saturday at home against the Pacers."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "50"}}, {"Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "18", "Tobias Harris": "6", "DeMar DeRozan": "7", "Kyle Lowry": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "13", "Kyle Lowry": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Tobias Harris": "9", "Kyle Lowry": "5"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "24", "DeMar DeRozan": "26", "Kyle Lowry": "15"}, "Steals": {"Tobias Harris": "2"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Lowry": "4"}}], "The Pistons were firing on all cylinders as they launched a major comeback to beat the Toronto Raptors on Sunday. Forward Tobias Harris came off the bench but still led Detroit in scoring with 24 points on 9 - of - 13 shooting. Harris also grabbed six rebounds and two steals. Center Andre Drummond, meanwhile, pulled down a whopping 18 rebounds to lead the team. Detroit finished the night plus - three on the glass and grabbed 11 rebounds on the offensive end. Three members of the Detroit bench scored in double - digits. Toronto, meanwhile, saw a game - high 26 points from All-Star DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan also came down with seven rebounds. Point guard Kyle Lowry shot 5 - of - 10 for 15 points including four three - pointers. He also had six rebounds and five assists. As a team, the Raptors shot over 50 percent from the field and exactly 50 percent from three - point range."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Knicks": "13", "Heat": "30"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "35", "Heat": "42"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "14", "Heat": "7"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "79", "Heat": "86"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "20"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "4", "Heat": "9"}}, {"Points": {"Luol Deng": "10", "Chris Bosh": "20", "Dwyane Wade": "27", "Carmelo Anthony": "31", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Luol Deng": "10", "Chris Bosh": "9", "Dwyane Wade": "5", "Carmelo Anthony": "8", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "12"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Chris Bosh": "6", "Carmelo Anthony": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chris Bosh": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chris Bosh": "18", "Dwyane Wade": "18", "Carmelo Anthony": "26"}, "Field goals made": {"Chris Bosh": "7", "Dwyane Wade": "11", "Carmelo Anthony": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Chris Bosh": "6", "Dwyane Wade": "9", "Carmelo Anthony": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Chris Bosh": "4", "Dwyane Wade": "5", "Carmelo Anthony": "8"}, "Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "5", "Carmelo Anthony": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Dwyane Wade": "32", "Carmelo Anthony": "41"}, "Turnovers": {"Dwyane Wade": "7"}}], "The Miami Heat (9 - 7) defeated the New York Knicks (4 - 14) 86 - 79 on Sunday at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Heat were able to give themselves the advantage, as they came out and had a strong first half defensively, while also out - scoring the Knicks 42 - 34. The Heat shot 42 percent from the field and 30 percent from beyond the arc compared to the Knicks, who only shot 35 percent from the field and 13 percent from behind the three - point line. After sitting out the last seven games with a hamstring injury, Dwyane Wade was finally back with the team and was given a full games worth of work. In 32 minutes, he was able to shoot 11 - for - 18 from the floor and 5 - for - 9 from the free throw line to score 27 points. He also was able to record five rebounds and five assists. The points were a season - high for Wade, so it looks as if the injury is n't still affecting him. Chris Bosh was the other big contributor for the Heat. He finished with 20 points (7 - 18 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT) and nine rebounds, coming one rebound shy of a double - double. He's been heavily relied upon for scoring with Wade sitting out, so it's good to see his scoring continue even with Wade back. The only other player to reach double - digit points was Luol Deng. He contributed 10 points and 10 rebounds. Like Wade, Carmelo Anthony came into this matchup after sitting out two games with a back injury. The injury did n't seem to hurt Anthony either, as he played 41 minutes and finished with 31 points (11 - 26 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt, 8 - 10 FT), eight rebounds and two assists. It was only the second time Anthony has ecipsed the 30 - point mark this season. Amare Stoudemire was the only other Knick to reach double figures in points. He scored 19 of the 28 points contributed from the bench, wile also grabbing 12 rebounds. It was his third double - double on the year. The Knicks starters, minus Anthony, really struggled to get in a rhythm during this game, as they only finished with a combined 20 points. They needed more than that to give them a shot in this one. The Heat's next game will be on the road against the Washington Wizards on Monday, while the Knicks will be at home against the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "26", "Suns": "29"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "105", "Suns": "107"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "19", "Suns": "14"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Suns": "31"}}, {"Blocks": {"Marquese Chriss": "1", "Eric Bledsoe": "1", "Devin Booker": "1", "Joakim Noah": "1", "Courtney Lee": "1"}, "Points": {"Marquese Chriss": "15", "Tyson Chandler": "9", "Eric Bledsoe": "23", "Devin Booker": "26", "PJ Tucker": "15", "Brandon Knight": "11", "Carmelo Anthony": "31", "Kristaps Porzingis": "14", "Courtney Lee": "13", "Derrick Rose": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Marquese Chriss": "5", "Tyson Chandler": "16", "Eric Bledsoe": "5", "Devin Booker": "1", "PJ Tucker": "3", "Brandon Knight": "5", "Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Kristaps Porzingis": "1", "Joakim Noah": "15", "Courtney Lee": "4", "Derrick Rose": "3"}, "Steals": {"Marquese Chriss": "3", "Devin Booker": "1", "PJ Tucker": "3", "Brandon Knight": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "7", "Devin Booker": "2", "PJ Tucker": "2", "Brandon Knight": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Kristaps Porzingis": "2", "Joakim Noah": "3", "Courtney Lee": "3", "Derrick Rose": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Devin Booker": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Joakim Noah": "20"}}], "The Phoenix Suns defeated the New York Knicks, 107 - 105, at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night. Although both teams entered the game with losing records, they engaged in an exciting and tightly - contested offensive affair through three quarters. Both defenses clamped down in the final 12 minutes, however, and the Knicks (19 - 26) held a tenuous 105 - 102 edge with 1:32 remaining. That's when the Suns' Devin Booker went to work, draining two free throws to bring Phoenix within one, and then vaulting them back into the lead with a 24 - foot three - point jumper with 31 seconds left. Carmelo Anthony subsequently failed to pull the win out of the Knicks at the buzzer when his 25 - foot three - point attempt failed to find the net. Booker's 26 points led the way for the Suns (14 - 29), a total he supplemented with two assists, a rebound, a steal and a block. Eric Bledsoe followed with 23 points, seven assists, five rebounds and a block. Rookie Marquese Chriss contributed 15 points, five boards, three steals and a block. Tyson Chandler generated a modest nine points but hauled in 16 boards. P.J. Tucker paced the bench with 15 points, three rebounds, two assists and three steals, while Brandon Knight was productive as well with 11 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal. Anthony paced the Knicks with a game - high 31 points, seven rebounds, six assists and a steal. Derrick Rose was right behind him with 26 points, five assists and three rebounds. Kristaps Porzingis managed 14 points, two assists and a rebound. Courtney Lee celebrated a return to the starting lineup with 13 points, four boards, three assists and a block. Joakim Noah went scoreless over 20 minutes but did haul in 15 boards, dish out three assists and haul in a block. The Suns visit the Toronto Raptors on Sunday evening, while the Knicks visit the Indiana Pacers on Monday evening as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "25", "Raptors": "10"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "114", "Raptors": "123"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Lakers": "26"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "12", "Raptors": "23"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "56"}}, {"Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "31", "Kyle Lowry": "41", "Nick Young": "26", "D'Angelo Russell": "28"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyle Lowry": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Kyle Lowry": "9"}}], "The visiting Toronto Raptors defeated the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, 123 - 114. Toronto (23 - 10) needed the win after having dropped two straight games earlier in the week. The team was treated to a close game by the struggling Lakers, but pulled away in the fourth quarter due in large part to the play of All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry. Lowry scored 18 points in the fourth quarter and 41 overall to go with nine rebounds and seven assists. He shot 12 - of - 16, playing a big part in Toronto's 56 percent shooting on the night. Lowry was complemented by backcourt partner DeMar DeRozan, who had 31 points. Overall, the team shot impeccably, hitting 10 three - pointers and over 90 percent of its free - throws en route to the win. Los Angeles (12 - 25), meanwhile, has struggled mightily since starting the season at 8 - 8. The team put up a strong fight in the first three quarters but was buried by the Raptors' All-Star backcourt at the end of the game. The Lakers saw strong play from its own backcourt, as D'Angelo Russell and Nick Young scored 28 and 26 points, respectively. However, the team struggled to find true offensive rhythm, hitting just 40 percent of its shots on the night. The Raptors will close their road trip on Tuesday in San Antonio, while the Lakers will host the Grizzlies."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "43", "Heat": "43"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "112", "Heat": "89"}, "Rebounds": {"Pacers": "55", "Heat": "37"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "34", "Heat": "34"}}, {"Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "3", "Goran Dragic": "5", "CJ Miles": "2", "Paul George": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Dwyane Wade": "1", "CJ Miles": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dwyane Wade": "1", "CJ Miles": "1", "Paul George": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "2", "Goran Dragic": "2", "James Ennis III": "4", "Solomon Hill": "5", "CJ Miles": "10", "Paul George": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dwyane Wade": "0", "Goran Dragic": "1", "James Ennis III": "1", "Solomon Hill": "3", "CJ Miles": "5", "Paul George": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "21", "Goran Dragic": "10", "James Ennis III": "11", "Solomon Hill": "10", "CJ Miles": "13", "Paul George": "12", "Luis Scola": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwyane Wade": "11", "Goran Dragic": "6", "James Ennis III": "6", "Solomon Hill": "6", "CJ Miles": "6", "Paul George": "5", "Luis Scola": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "7", "James Ennis III": "4", "Solomon Hill": "4", "Luis Scola": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Dwyane Wade": "5", "James Ennis III": "4", "Solomon Hill": "4", "Luis Scola": "3"}, "Points": {"Dwyane Wade": "27", "Goran Dragic": "15", "James Ennis III": "17", "Solomon Hill": "19", "CJ Miles": "17", "Paul George": "13", "Luis Scola": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwyane Wade": "1", "James Ennis III": "5", "Solomon Hill": "6", "CJ Miles": "1", "Paul George": "2", "Luis Scola": "12"}, "Steals": {"Dwyane Wade": "2", "Paul George": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"James Ennis III": "28", "Paul George": "15"}, "Personal fouls": {"CJ Miles": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"CJ Miles": "2"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (34 - 43) defeated the Miami Heat (34 - 43) 112 - 89 on Sunday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. With both teams just barely on the outside looking in for the final spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race and less than 10 games left in the regular season, this marked another extremely important outing. The Pacers were able to come out victorious though, pulling even with the Heat in the standings and pushing themselves within striking distance at just one game back from the Boston Celtics for the eighth and final projected playoff seed. In order to seal the win, the Pacers used a superior rebounding performance, out - rebounding the Heat 55 - 37. After missing eight months with a broken leg, Paul George made his highly anticipated return to the court Sunday, playing in a limited 15 minutes of action. He was still quite productive despite the minutes restriction, going 5 - for - 12 from the field and 3 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 13 points. With the playoffs potentially in the future, it was a good sign for the Pacers, as they will need the former all - star's playmaing abilities during this final stretch of the season. Along with George, Luis Scola also put in a strong performance off the bench. In just 18 minutes, he was able to finish with a double - double, recording a team - high of 23 points (10 - 15 FG, 3 - 3 FT), to go along with 12 rebounds. After shooting less than 30 percent from the floor in each of his last two games, he was able to get dialed back in Sunday and help the Pacers come out on top. Solomon Hill led the starters offensively, posting 19 points (6 - 10 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and six rebounds. C.J. Miles chipped in with 17 points (6 - 13 FG, 5 - 10 3Pt) and two assists as well. While the Heat struggled to keep up with the Pacers in this one, Dwyane Wade still played well and continued his stellar season, recording a game - high of 27 points (11 - 21 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 5 - 7 FT), while also adding three assists. He's combined to shoot 22 - of - 39 from the field over his last two games while scoring 61 points, as his shot looks to be locked in. On the season, he's pushed his averages to 22 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists per game. Goran Dragic also had some success against this Pacer's team during the loss. He went 6 - for - 10 from the field and 1 - for - 2 from beyond the arc to score 15 points, to go along with five assists. The Heat's backcourt is going to be heavily relied upon to help get this team into the playoffs, so both Wade and Dragic will need to step their game up even further in the near future. Coming off the bench, James Ennis added 17 points (6 - 11 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and five rebounds in 28 minutes. The Pacers' next game will be on the road against the New York Knicks on Wednesday, while the Heat will be at home against the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "43"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "11", "Celtics": "23"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "109", "Celtics": "96"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "25", "Celtics": "12"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Jae Crowder": "22"}, "Points": {"Jae Crowder": "7", "James Johnson": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Jae Crowder": "3", "James Johnson": "10"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (25 - 11) defeated the Boston Celtics (12 - 23) 109 - 96 on Saturday at the Air Canada Centre. The Celtics had a nine - point lead in the second quarter evaporate when Toronto went on a 16 - 3 run to end the first half. Toronto dominated the paint throughout the night, outscoring Boston 54 - 42 in that area and had 10 blocks compared to Boston's three. The Raptors also had an impressive shooting performance from three - point range, shooting 43% from beyond the arc. Boston lost its second game in as many nights after a tough 107 - 103 loss in overtime on Friday night at Indiana. Jae Crowder got the start again at small forward, but managed just seven points and three rebounds in 22 minutes of action. The Celtics begin a three - game homestand on Monday when they take on the Pelicans. Toronto snapped its four - game losing streak Saturday night with solid performances from the likes of Kyle Lowry and Jonas Valanciunas. James Johnson, who got the start over Landry Fields, posted a double - double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Fields did not receive any playing time against the Celtics. Toronto will host Detroit on Monday in the third installment of a six - game homestand."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "30"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "7"}, "Points": {"Klay Thompson": "31", "Stephen Curry": "21", "Andre Iguodala": "20"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "11", "Andre Iguodala": "4"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Iguodala": "7"}}], "As has become usual for the historic Warriors offense, it was a big night on the offensive end. As a team, the Warriors shot over 54 percent while sinking a whopping 17 three - pointers and dishing out an impressive 30 assists. The team was led by shooting guard Klay Thompson, who scored 31 points on 10 - of - 18 shooting along with seven three - pointers made. Veteran forward Andre Iguodala had an excellent game as well, scoring 20 points to go along with seven rebounds and four assists. With the win, Golden State advanced to 160 on the season when Iguodala scores at least 20 points. Meanwhile, reigning two - time MVP Steph Curry had 21 points while dishing out an impressive 11 assists. Curry also came away with four steals on the defensive end in what was yet another stellar win for the Warriors."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "31", "Nuggets": "31"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "96", "Nuggets": "101"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Knicks": "20"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "23", "Nuggets": "21"}}, {"Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "19", "Nikola Jokic": "13", "Will Barton": "19", "Carmelo Anthony": "21", "Kristaps Porzingis": "21", "Langston Galloway": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Jokic": "6", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "4", "Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Kristaps Porzingis": "13", "Langston Galloway": "3"}, "Assists": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "9", "Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Kristaps Porzingis": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Carmelo Anthony": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Kristaps Porzingis": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "19", "Kristaps Porzingis": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Kristaps Porzingis": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Carmelo Anthony": "35"}, "Turnovers": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Kristaps Porzingis": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "2"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (21 - 31) defeated the New York Knicks (23 - 31) 101 - 96 at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. Carmelo Anthony (knee) returned to the starting lineup after missing Friday\u2019s game against the Memphis Grizzlies with knee soreness, but it was not enough to give the Knicks a needed spark, as they now own a five game losing streak. Anthony finished with 21 points, six rebounds and seven assists on 7 - of - 19 shooting in just under 35 minutes, but it was not the scoring output they needed to break New York out of a slump. Kristaps Porzingis struggled early, only completing two of his first nine attempts from the floor, and was a major part of Denver storming out to an eleven point lead at the end of the first quarter. Porzingis did finish strong on the shooting end to salvage what was close to his worst shooting performance of the season, as the lanky rookie scored 21 points on 10 - of - 23 shooting, to go along with 13 rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Langston Galloway went back to his bench role as Derek Fisher did not go with a three guard lineup with Anthony returning to the small forward slot, but Galloway still saw 20 minutes of game time and finished with six points, as both buckets came from behind the arc. The Knicks will look to end their skid when they host the Washington Wizards (22 - 27) on Tuesday. The Nuggets did not have a player score more than 20 points in the game, but their unselfish style of play lent way to an early first half lead and strong fourth quarter finish. Denver\u2019s only bad quarter came in the third quarter, where some tough shots just did not fall. Danilo Gallinari and Will Barton led the Nuggets with 19 points each, but rookie point guard Emmanuel Mudiay has been playing very well since returning from injury and it is beginning to have a great impact on the team. Mudiay is coming off a 22 point performance against the Bulls on Friday, and added 19 points on Friday, to go along with four rebounds and nine assists. The young Nuggets squad started another rookie alongside Mudiay, center Nikola Jokic, who scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds in 18 minutes. Denver was able to coast to a win in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter, doing most of their damage from the free throw line to consistently keep the Knicks out of reach. The Nuggets will play a back - to - back and hop from Manhattan to Brooklyn to take on the Brooklyn Nets (13 - 39) on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "38", "Bucks": "37"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "5", "Bucks": "3"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "86", "Bucks": "75"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "1", "Bucks": "4"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "12", "Wesley Matthews": "17", "J.J. Barea": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4", "Wesley Matthews": "3", "J.J. Barea": "8"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "11", "Jabari Parker": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Jabari Parker": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Harrison Barnes": "2", "J.J. Barea": "2"}}], "The host Dallas Mavericks won their first game of the season on Sunday, beating the Milwaukee Bucks 86 - 75 in overtime. It was a low - scoring affair for both sides, due in large part to cold perimeter shooting from both teams. For Dallas (1 - 5), the vast majority of the team's scoring came from guard J.J. Barea and forward Harrison Barnes, who scored a combined 55 points on the night. While Barnes hit half his shot attempts and Barea shot a respectable 8 - of - 18 from the floor with a pair of three - pointers, the Mavericks hit just 38 percent of their attempts from the floor. Shooting guard Wesley Matthews was particularly shaky from the field, hitting just 3 - of - 17 from the field on the night. The lead flipped back and forth throughout, with stagnant offense making it difficult for either team to establish a significant lead. Dallas finally appeared to get things going in overtime, however, as they were able to outscore Milwaukee 12 - 1 in the extra period. For Milwaukee (4 - 3), shooting was an equally significant struggle, as the team hit just 37 percent of its shots from the floor with only six three - pointers made. Point-forward Giannis Antetokounmpo had his quietest night of the season going just 4 - of - 12 from the field for only 11 points. It was a promising night for third - year forward Jabari Parker, however. The former second overall pick had 16 points and seven rebounds while hitting half his shot attempts. The Mavericks will visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, while Milwaukee will have a long break before facing the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "40"}}, {"Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "6", "JaMychal Green": "15", "Marc Gasol": "28", "Tony Allen": "6", "Mike Conley": "20", "Vince Carter": "12", "Markieff Morris": "17", "Marcin Gortat": "7", "Bradley Beal": "12", "John Wall": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"JaMychal Green": "13", "Markieff Morris": "12", "Marcin Gortat": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Mike Conley": "5", "Bradley Beal": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Mike Conley": "5", "Bradley Beal": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Mike Conley": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bradley Beal": "1"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Bradley Beal": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "14"}, "Minutes played": {"Bradley Beal": "37"}}], "John Wall and Otto Porter, Jr. posted matching 25 - point efforts to spearhead the Wizards' 18th home victory. Washington also held Memphis to sub - 40 percent shooting from the field and three - point range. Markieff Morris contributed a 17 - point, 12 - rebound double - double. Bradley Beal registered just 12 points over 37 minutes, going 4 - of - 14 from the field and 1 - of - 7 from three - point range. However, his two clutch free throws with 14 seconds remaining gave the Wizards a key cushion in their lead. Marcin Gortat mustered a modest seven points but hauled in 11 rebounds. Marc Gasol's 28 points paced Memphis. Mike Conley tallied 20 points but turned the ball over a game - high five times. JaMychal Green managed a 15 - point, 13 - rebound double - double, and Vince Carter supplied a bench - leading 12 points. Tony Allen and Chandler Parsons only mustered matching six - point efforts."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "51", "Magic": "36"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "107", "Magic": "98"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Lakers": "20", "Magic": "26"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Lakers": "39", "Magic": "26"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "14", "Magic": "27"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Evan Fournier": "11", "Victor Oladipo": "17", "Julius Randle": "16", "Jordan Clarkson": "17", "D'Angelo Russell": "19"}, "Minutes played": {"Evan Fournier": "40", "Julius Randle": "30"}, "Points": {"Evan Fournier": "23", "Aaron Gordon": "5", "Victor Oladipo": "26", "Julius Randle": "23", "Jordan Clarkson": "24", "D'Angelo Russell": "27"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Aaron Gordon": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Aaron Gordon": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "10", "Julius Randle": "9", "Jordan Clarkson": "9", "D'Angelo Russell": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Aaron Gordon": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Aaron Gordon": "2", "Julius Randle": "3", "Jordan Clarkson": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Aaron Gordon": "4", "Victor Oladipo": "4", "Julius Randle": "11", "Jordan Clarkson": "5"}, "Assists": {"Victor Oladipo": "2", "Jordan Clarkson": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Julius Randle": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Julius Randle": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jordan Clarkson": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "5"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers (14 - 51) defeated the Orlando Magic (27 - 36) 107 - 98 at Staples Center on Tuesday. The Lakers earned back - to - back home wins for the first time all season, as the starting trio of Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson and D\u2019Angelo Russell all eclipsed the 20 - plus point mark. With Kobe Bryant (shoulder) sidelined, the focus was once again on the rookies and sophomores to lead Los Angeles, and as the season has progressed, the young talent is showing signs of development. Save for the first quarter, where the Magic quickly got out to 90 run, the Lakers assisted and rebounded in stronger fashion, and dominated the third quarter, where they were able to put the game away after posting 39 points. Julius Randle finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds, which completed his 28th double - double of the season, and shot 9 - of - 16 from the field in 30 minutes. Jordan Clarkson flexed some range in the second half on his way 24 points on 9 - of - 17 shooting, including five treys, to go along with five boards and three dimes. D\u2019Angelo Russell led all scorers with 27 points on 11 - of - 19 shooting to continue his hot run of form. The Magic showcased the talent they possess as well, it just was not enough to keep pace with the Lakers game plan. Aaron Gordon may have only finished with five points in the contest, but two of those points came on a dunk of the year candidate, as Gordon channeled his inner Dominique Wilkins for a windmill jam. In terms of the box score, Victor Oladipo led his team, which is beginning to become a theme for the Magic in close games, as he finished with 26 points, four rebounds and two assists on 10 - of - 17 shooting in 35 minutes. Evan Fournier turned in an impressive shooting performance and scored 23 points on 11 shots in just under 40 minutes. The Orlando bench was uneventful, save for C.J. Watson\u2019s 10 points in 25 minutes, as Scott Skiles put the minutes burden on the starters. The Lakers will welcome LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers (44 - 18) on Thursday, while the Magic head north to face the Sacramento Kings (25 - 37) on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "40", "Nets": "40"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "88", "Nets": "91"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "30", "Nets": "30"}}, {"Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "3", "Cory Jefferson": "2", "Al Jefferson": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Brook Lopez": "26", "Deron Williams": "9", "Alan Anderson": "10", "Al Jefferson": "19", "Gerald Henderson": "19", "Kemba Walker": "13", "Mo Williams": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Brook Lopez": "16", "Deron Williams": "2", "Alan Anderson": "6", "Al Jefferson": "11", "Gerald Henderson": "10", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Mo Williams": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Brook Lopez": "2", "Deron Williams": "5", "Al Jefferson": "2", "Gerald Henderson": "4", "Kemba Walker": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Brook Lopez": "2", "Deron Williams": "5", "Al Jefferson": "1", "Gerald Henderson": "3", "Kemba Walker": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Brook Lopez": "2", "Gerald Henderson": "2"}, "Points": {"Brook Lopez": "34", "Deron Williams": "10", "Alan Anderson": "13", "Al Jefferson": "23", "Gerald Henderson": "23", "Kemba Walker": "11", "Mo Williams": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "10", "Deron Williams": "7", "Alan Anderson": "3", "Al Jefferson": "10"}, "Steals": {"Brook Lopez": "2", "Gerald Henderson": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Brook Lopez": "2", "Deron Williams": "2", "Al Jefferson": "2", "Gerald Henderson": "2"}, "Assists": {"Deron Williams": "14", "Al Jefferson": "2", "Gerald Henderson": "2", "Kemba Walker": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Deron Williams": "2", "Alan Anderson": "4", "Gerald Henderson": "1", "Kemba Walker": "1", "Mo Williams": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Deron Williams": "1", "Alan Anderson": "1", "Gerald Henderson": "0", "Kemba Walker": "0", "Mo Williams": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Alan Anderson": "25", "Mo Williams": "30"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets (30 - 40) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (30 - 40) 91 - 88 on Wednesday at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte. With the win, the Nets pulled their season record even with the Hornets, but both still sit on the outside looking in for the Eastern Conference playoff race. They're not far out though, as both are just a game behind the Boston Celtics for the eighth and final projected playoff seed, as well as two games back from the Miami Heat for seventh. With 12 games left in their schedules, each should have the opportunity to make a run during the last few weeks of the regular season to make thier case for a playoff bid. The Nets can credit this win to Brook Lopez, who posted a game - high of 34 points (16 - 26 FG, 2 - 2 FT), while also adding 10 rebounds and three blocked shots. He's been on an absolute tear of late, scoring 30 points or more in three of his last four games, while averaging 25 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks during that stretch. Lopez got some help from Deron Williams as well, who recorded a double - double of his own with 10 points (2 - 9 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT), seven rebounds and 14 assists. He's struggled with his shot recently, combining to go just 4 - for - 15 from the field and 1 - for - 4 from the three - point line over his last two games, but he continues to find his teammates at a high rate with 24 assists over those last two as well. Alan Anderson chipped in with a solid contribution off the bench, recording 13 points (6 - 10 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt) and three rebounds in 25 minutes. Al Jefferson and Gerald Henderson were the two reasons why the Hornets were even in this game to begin with. Jefferson finished with 23 points (11 - 19 FG, 1 - 2 FT), 10 rebounds and two blocked shots, while Henderson recorded 23 points (10 - 19 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) of his own, to go along with two steals. Jefferson struggled to just three points and five rebounds in Monday's game against the Chicago Bulls, so it was good to see him come out with a nice bounce - back performance Wednesday. He's now averaging 17 points, 9 rebounds and 2 assists on the season. The only other Hornet in double figures was Kemba Walker, who posted 11 points (4 - 13 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 3 - 5 FT) and six assists over 32 minutes. Coming off the bench, Mo Williams had an awful showing, going 2 - for - 10 from the field and just 1 - for - 6 from the three - point line, but still added nine points in 30 minutes. The Nets' next game will be at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, while the Hornets will travel to Washington to play the Wizards on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "3", "Hawks": "3"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "122", "Hawks": "119"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hornets": "22"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hornets": "23"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "3", "Hawks": "1"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Al Horford": "16", "Jeff Teague": "23", "Al Jefferson": "24", "Kemba Walker": "16", "Gary Neal": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Al Horford": "11", "Jeff Teague": "9", "Al Jefferson": "15", "Kemba Walker": "6", "Gary Neal": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Al Horford": "3", "Jeff Teague": "4", "Al Jefferson": "8", "Lance Stephenson": "2", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Gary Neal": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Al Horford": "2", "Jeff Teague": "3", "Al Jefferson": "4", "Lance Stephenson": "2", "Kemba Walker": "3", "Gary Neal": "8"}, "Points": {"Al Horford": "24", "Jeff Teague": "22", "Al Jefferson": "34", "Kemba Walker": "15", "Gary Neal": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Horford": "10", "Kyle Korver": "2", "Al Jefferson": "9", "Kemba Walker": "9", "Gary Neal": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyle Korver": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyle Korver": "2"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "15", "Al Jefferson": "3", "Kemba Walker": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jeff Teague": "4", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Gary Neal": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jeff Teague": "1", "Kemba Walker": "0", "Gary Neal": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Lance Stephenson": "2"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (3 - 3) hit a buzzer - beating three pointer to knock off the Atlanta Hawks (1 - 3) 122 - 119 in double overtime on Friday night. It took two full overtimes before we had a winner, but the Hornets walked away with another home win, their third of the 2014 season. If not for a deep three - pointer at the buzzer from offseason acquisition, Lance Stephenson, these two would have played a third overtime. The Hornets got big games from a few key players, including big man Al Jefferson, who had 34 points (15 - 24 FG, 4 - 8 FT) with nine rebounds and three assists. Kemba Walker fell just short of a triple - double with 15 points (6 - 16 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), with 10 assists and nine rebounds. The Hornets had four other players score in double figures, including Gary Neal, who scored 23 points (6 - 11 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 8 - 9 FT) off of the bench. The Hawks had to feel drained after losing this game, as they had the ball with just over two seconds left in the second overtime, but a moving screen was called on Kyle Korver. Atlanta got double digits from each of their starters, including double - double's from Jeff Teague with 22 points (9 - 23 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) and 15 assists, and Al Horford with 24 points (11 - 16 FG, 2 - 3 FT) and 10 rebounds. The Hawks take on the New York Knicks at home on Saturday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "22", "76ers": "38"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "119", "76ers": "113"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "21", "76ers": "5"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"76ers": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Robert Covington": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "1", "Ish Smith": "16", "Isaiah Canaan": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Kristaps Porzingis": "4", "Lance Thomas": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Robert Covington": "3", "Carmelo Anthony": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Robert Covington": "3", "Carmelo Anthony": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Robert Covington": "3", "Ish Smith": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "7"}, "Points": {"Robert Covington": "11", "Nerlens Noel": "18", "Jahlil Okafor": "20", "Ish Smith": "16", "Isaiah Canaan": "16", "Carmelo Anthony": "19", "Kristaps Porzingis": "16", "Robin Lopez": "16", "Arron Afflalo": "25", "Lance Thomas": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Robert Covington": "5", "Nerlens Noel": "13", "Jahlil Okafor": "7", "Ish Smith": "7", "Isaiah Canaan": "5", "Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Kristaps Porzingis": "12", "Robin Lopez": "10", "Arron Afflalo": "7", "Lance Thomas": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Robert Covington": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Nerlens Noel": "3", "Jahlil Okafor": "2", "Kristaps Porzingis": "3", "Lance Thomas": "1"}, "Steals": {"Nerlens Noel": "2", "Jahlil Okafor": "2", "Ish Smith": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Kristaps Porzingis": "1", "Arron Afflalo": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Ish Smith": "44"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Carmelo Anthony": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "28"}, "Personal fouls": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2"}}], "The New York Knicks (21 - 22) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (5 - 38) 119 - 113 in double overtime on Monday afternoon. Prior to the game, the Knicks received the good news that Carmelo Anthony, who missed the previous two contests with an ankle sprain, would be able to take the court. To say that his return was a mixed bag would likely be an understatement. The All-Star forward endured an extremely difficult afternoon from the field, draining only seven of his 28 attempts over six periods. One of those baskets was admittedly crucial, a 26 - foot three - point jumper with three seconds remaining that sent the game into overtime knotted at 96. Despite the heroics in regulation however, Anthony subsequently missed all four of his attempts in the first overtime, including an 11 - foot jumper with two seconds remaining that would have sent the Knicks home winners. He did tally two points in the second and final extra period, when New York was finally able to put away a game Sixers squad that has shown significant improvement in certain recent outings. Although he did n't lead Philadelphia in scoring, Ish Smith turned in a remarkable double - double performance with 16 points, 16 assists, seven rebounds and a pair of steals over a whopping 44 minutes. He scored half of his points over the two overtime periods, making good use of the extra opportunity. Jahlil Okafor topped the Sixers in points, tallying 20 and adding seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Nerlens Noel had an outstanding battle down low with rookie sensation Kristaps Porzingis, collecting 18 points, 13 rebounds, an assist, two steals and three blocks. Robert Covington put up a modest 11 points, but three of those came on a 25 - foot shot with three seconds left in the first overtime period to knot the game up at 107 and send it into the sixth quarter. Isaiah Canaan did n't draw a second consecutive start despite a solid performance in his first crack at replacing the injured Nik Stauskas, but still paced the Philadelphia bench with 16 points, five rebounds and an assist. The Sixers fell to 5 - 38 despite the valiant effort, and remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They continue their road trip in Orlando on Wednesday. Arron Afflalo led the home team's charge with 25 points, seven rebounds and a steal. Anthony managed 19 points despite his abysmal accuracy, and added seven rebounds, seven assists and a steal. Porzingis nearly matched Noel stat - for - stat with his own remarkable double - double, tallying 16 points, 12 boards, four assists, a steal and three blocks. The impressive stat line was generated over 34 minutes, as the rookie was forced to exit the contest with 2:40 remaining in the fourth quarter due to a sore right foot. Robin Lopez joined him in posting double - digit points and rebounds, amassing 16 points and 10 boards of his own. Lance Thomas led the Knicks' reserves with 12 points, four rebounds, two assists and a block. The Knicks improved to 21 - 22 and remain in third place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They'll be at home again on Wednesday for a date with the Utah Jazz."], [[{}, {"3-pointer percentage": {"Stephen Curry": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Stephen Curry": "22"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Stephen Curry": "27"}, "Points": {"Stephen Curry": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}}], "Steph Curry's shooting performance in Monday's blowout loss to the Nuggets was an uncharacteristic a performance you'll see in the NBA. Curry shot just 4 - of - 18 (22 percent) from the field en route to scoring just 11 points in 27 minutes. It's the first time in nine games where the point guard shot under 40 percent from the field, but oddly enough, it was n't even his worst shooting performance of this season. The only worse shooting performance Curry had this season was on Dec. 15 against the Knicks when the two - time defending MVP shot a brutal 3 - of - 14 (21 percent) from the field on his way to scoring a season - low eight points in 34 minutes. In that game, however, Curry also managed to record 10 rebounds and eight assists, and the Warriors went on to win by a comfortable 13 points."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "20", "76ers": "30"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "104", "76ers": "111"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Suns": "15", "76ers": "29"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "12", "76ers": "2"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Jerami Grant": "2", "Brandon Knight": "23"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jerami Grant": "5", "Nerlens Noel": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Nerlens Noel": "2", "Ish Smith": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Nerlens Noel": "2"}, "Points": {"Nerlens Noel": "14", "Isaiah Canaan": "22", "Ish Smith": "14", "Carl Landry": "16", "Nik Stauskas": "17", "PJ Tucker": "10", "Jon Leuer": "14", "Eric Bledsoe": "4", "Tyson Chandler": "10", "Devin Booker": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Nerlens Noel": "11", "Isaiah Canaan": "4", "Ish Smith": "2", "Carl Landry": "8", "Nik Stauskas": "4", "Jon Leuer": "9", "Brandon Knight": "3", "Eric Bledsoe": "2", "Tyson Chandler": "10"}, "Steals": {"Nerlens Noel": "3", "Isaiah Canaan": "1", "Ish Smith": "1", "Carl Landry": "1", "Brandon Knight": "3"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Canaan": "3", "Ish Smith": "5", "Nik Stauskas": "2", "Brandon Knight": "7"}, "Turnovers": {"Isaiah Canaan": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Ish Smith": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Carl Landry": "23", "Eric Bledsoe": "8", "Tyson Chandler": "15"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Brandon Knight": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Brandon Knight": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Brandon Knight": "7"}}], "The Philadephia 76ers (2 - 30) defeated the Phoenix Suns (12 - 20) 111 - 104 on Saturday. Philadelphia pulled off the shocking road upset with the help of an early exit from Suns offensive linchpin Eric Bledsoe, who suffered a sprained knee in the second quarter. However, it was their impressively fast start that set the tone, with the Sixers racing out to a 29 - 15 first quarter lead. Ironically, the visitor's starting lineup was markedly different on a couple of fronts from the one that has significantly struggled throughout the campaign, and the new blood and musical chairs may have provided a boost. Rookie standout Jahlil Okafor was forced to miss the contest with a knee injury, pressing Nerlens Noel into service at the five. Meanwhile, Ish Smith made his return to Philadelphia, and the starting lineup for that matter, after being traded on Christmas Eve from New Orleans to the team he spent part of the 2014 - 15 season with. His inclusion into the starting five shifted Isaiah Canaan over to the two - guard spot, while Noel's move to center brought Jerami Grant off the bench to start at power forward. It also provided veteran Carl Landry with an opportunity for expanded minutes in his reserve role. The changes were largely positive, and resulted in a rare victory for the worst team in the league. Canaan led the scoring with 22 points, and he added four rebounds, three assists, and a steal. Smith displayed some of the same scoring punch he'd flashed with the Pelicans earlier in the season, managing 14 points and adding five assists, two rebounds, a steal and a block. Noel came through with an impressive double - double, tallying 14 points, hauling in 11 boards, and adding three steals and a pair of blocks. Landry pitched in with 16 points, eight rebounds and a steal over a highly efficient 23 minutes, in only his second game of the campaign after offseason wrist surgery delayed his debut. Even former starter Nik Stauskas got in on the fun, pacing the Philadelphia bench with 17 points, four rebounds and a pair of assists. The Sixers improved to 2 - 30 but remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They now head to Utah to play the Jazz on Monday. The Suns only got eight minutes, four points and two rebounds out of Bledsoe before his injury, which will be the subject of an MRI in the coming days. Bledsoe's backcourt mate Brandon Knight attempted to pick up some of the slack but was inefficient in doing so, sinking only seven of his 23 shot attempts. He did add seven assists, three rebounds and three steals. Jon Leuer came within a rebound of a double - double, tallying 14 points and nine boards, while P.J. Tucker returned to the starting lineup with a 10 - point effort. 2015 first - round pick Devin Booker received extended opportunity off the bench due to Bledsoe's injury and contributed 19 points, the second - best scoring total of his brief career. Tyson Chandler joined him as the other double - digit scoring reserve, impressively amassing a 10 - point, 10 - rebound double - double in just 15 minutes of court time. The Suns fell to 12 - 20 and currently reside in fourth place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. They remain home for a Monday showdown with the reigning Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "2", "Nets": "3"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "107", "Nets": "97"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hawks": "33", "Nets": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Hawks": "43", "Nets": "35"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "3", "Nets": "2"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "8", "Alan Anderson": "4", "Jarrett Jack": "3", "DeMarre Carroll": "5", "Jeff Teague": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Joe Johnson": "3", "Alan Anderson": "4", "Jarrett Jack": "2", "DeMarre Carroll": "2", "Jeff Teague": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "15", "Brook Lopez": "13", "Alan Anderson": "11", "Jarrett Jack": "13", "DeMarre Carroll": "15", "Al Horford": "17", "Jeff Teague": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Joe Johnson": "7", "Brook Lopez": "4", "Alan Anderson": "9", "Jarrett Jack": "7", "DeMarre Carroll": "8", "Al Horford": "10", "Jeff Teague": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "2", "Brook Lopez": "7", "Jarrett Jack": "2", "DeMarre Carroll": "8", "Jeff Teague": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Joe Johnson": "1", "Brook Lopez": "7", "Jarrett Jack": "2", "DeMarre Carroll": "6", "Jeff Teague": "3"}, "Points": {"Joe Johnson": "18", "Brook Lopez": "15", "Alan Anderson": "23", "Jarrett Jack": "18", "DeMarre Carroll": "24", "Al Horford": "20", "Jeff Teague": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Joe Johnson": "9", "Brook Lopez": "3", "Alan Anderson": "7", "DeMarre Carroll": "7", "Al Horford": "15", "Jeff Teague": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "3", "Al Horford": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Alan Anderson": "32", "Jarrett Jack": "32"}, "Assists": {"Jarrett Jack": "6", "DeMarre Carroll": "3", "Jeff Teague": "8"}, "Steals": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2", "Al Horford": "2", "Jeff Teague": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Al Horford": "3", "Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jeff Teague": "3"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (3 - 2) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (2 - 3) 107 - 97 on Wednesday at Philips Arena in Atlanta during game five of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Hawks got off to an extremely quick start in this one, out - scoring the Nets 33 - 16 in the first quarter alone. The Nets were n't going to let that phase them though, and they slowly closed the gap throughout the second quarter and into the third. The Nets then went on a 90 run to start the fourth quarter to bring the score within three points, but the Hawks were able to rebound and hold off the Nets while kicking it into gear late to pull off the 10 - point victory in front of their home crowd. The Hawks now own a 3 - 2 advantage in the series, but they'll head to Brooklyn next, where they dropped both games previously this series. Jeff Teague and Al Horford were two players that really helped the Hawks close this game out down the stretch. Teague finished with 20 points (7 - 14 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), eight assists and three steals and he hit a few clutch shots late in the fourth with the Nets closing in. After struggling with his shot over the first three games of this series, Teague has really started to dial it in, considering he's combined for 40 points and 19 assists over his last two games while shooting over 40 percent from the field. Horford, on the other hand, recorded 20 points (10 - 17 FG) of his own, to go along with 15 rebounds and two blocked shots. His 15 rebounds were his best numbers so far in the playoffs and they helped the Hawks secure a 43 - 35 rebounding advantage over the Nets. DeMarre Carroll played a huge factor as well though. Carroll scored a team - high of 24 points (8 - 15 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 6 - 8 FT), while also adding seven rebounds and two steals. He's on fire right now as he's scored 20 points or more over his last three playoff games, while shooting over 50 percent from the field in each of those as well. The Nets surprisingly got their biggest production from their bench, as both Alan Anderson and Jarrett Jack were big in leading the Nets back from a large first quarter deficit. Anderson went a ridiculous 9 - for - 11 from the field and 4 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 23 points, to go along with seven rebounds in 32 minutes. It was the most minutes he's seen yet this postseason and he made it count with a very strong performance. Jack, on the other hand, chipped in with 18 points (7 - 13 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), six assists and three steals over 32 minutes. The Nets' bench out - scored the Hawks' bench 41 - 16, but their starters did n't do enough to take advantage of the extra help. Brook Lopez has dominated this series, but he shot just 4 - of - 13 from the field Wednesday. He did hit all seven of his free throw attempts though and finished with 15 points, three rebounds and three blocked shots. Joe Johnson chipped in with 18 points (7 - 15 FG, 3 - 8 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and nine rebounds as well. These two teams will play game six on Friday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "17", "Paul George": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "9", "Paul George": "11"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "26", "Derrick Rose": "20", "Paul George": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Derrick Rose": "40"}}], "The Knicks spread the scoring out amongst the starters, and although Kristaps Porzingis' night ended on a rough note after fouling out late in the fourth quarter, Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose were able to carry the weight. Anthony led the Knicks in scoring with 26 points, to go along with two assists and five rebounds on 9 - of - 17 shooting. Rose went on to score 20 points and led all players with 40 minutes of action. The Pacers were led by Paul George, who scored a game high 31 points on 11 - of - 24 shooting. The Pacers star forward fired 10 shots from behind the arc, but was only able to bury three of those long range shots. Myles Turner, save for a costly turnover with seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, played well on both ends of the floor. The young Pacers center went on to score 22 points and grab 10 rebounds, to go along with two blocks."], [[{"Total points": {"Spurs": "119", "Suns": "98"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "23"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "9"}}, {"Free throws made": {"Marquese Chriss": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Marquese Chriss": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Marquese Chriss": "2"}, "Points": {"Marquese Chriss": "13", "Devin Booker": "8", "Eric Bledsoe": "13", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "27", "Pau Gasol": "16", "Tony Parker": "20", "Manu Ginobili": "12", "David Lee": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Marquese Chriss": "2", "Devin Booker": "3", "Eric Bledsoe": "2", "TJ Warren": "6", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "8", "Pau Gasol": "10"}, "Assists": {"Devin Booker": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Devin Booker": "13", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "12", "Tony Parker": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Devin Booker": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "10", "Tony Parker": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Phoenix Suns, 119 - 98, at AT & T Center on Wednesday. While a Spurs blowout was the expected result, it took a monster second half to get there. In fact, there were six ties and eight lead changes in the first 30 - plus minutes, as neither team led by more than 10 points until the final six minutes. San Antonio actually outscored Phoenix, 61 - 34 in the second half to pull away in their 21 - point win. Rebounding was the biggest discrepancy, as the Spurs won that battle, 46 - 33. They dominated the paint through scoring as well, as San Antonio dropped 64 paint points in their win. Phoenix (9 - 23) did a great job of hanging around in this game, but the Spurs were simply too much to overcome in this lopsided matchup. All the starters struggled, as no one scored more than 13 points or played more than 28 minutes. Marquese Chriss and Eric Bledsoe were the only two starters in double figures, as they scored 13 points a piece. T.J. Warren led the team in scoring, as he accrued 24 points and six rebounds off the bench. Devin Booker had a game to forget, as he went 2 - of - 13 from the field en route to eight points, three rebounds and four assists. Phoenix will look to play better on Thursday in a home matchup against the Toronto Raptors. San Antonio (25 - 6) did n't play their best in the first half, but they really gave it to the Suns in the second half. Four starters scored in double figures, with Kyle Anderson failing to score in the absence of Kawhi Leonard (sickness). LaMarcus Aldridge continued his fantastic form. as he led the team with 27 points and eight rebounds on 10 - of - 12 shooting. Tony Parker was second on the team, as he scored 20 points on 10 - of - 16 shooting. Pau Gasol recorded a double - double, totaling 16 points and 10 rebounds. Manu Ginobili and David Lee scored 12 points a piece off the bench. On deck for the Spurs is a home matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Wizards": "15"}}, {"Points": {"Jae Crowder": "17", "Al Horford": "22", "Marcus Smart": "13", "Isaiah Thomas": "25", "Jonas Jerebko": "8", "Jaylen Brown": "8", "Markieff Morris": "19", "Bradley Beal": "31", "John Wall": "27", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Jae Crowder": "5", "Marcus Smart": "5", "Markieff Morris": "11", "Bradley Beal": "2", "John Wall": "7"}, "Assists": {"Marcus Smart": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "13", "Bradley Beal": "5", "John Wall": "7"}, "Steals": {"Marcus Smart": "4", "Bradley Beal": "2", "John Wall": "3"}, "Blocks": {"John Wall": "1"}}], "Washington's Big Three of John Wall, Bradley Beal and Markieff Morris combined for 77 points on 56 percent shooting, allowing the Wizards to overcome 15 turnovers. Beal 'game - high 31 points led the way, a total supplemented with five assists, two rebounds and two steals. Wall supplied 27 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, three steals and a block. Morris followed with a 19 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. Otto Porter, Jr. provided six points and four rebounds. Kelly Oubre, Jr. led the bench with 11 points. Isaiah Thomas' 25 - point, 13 - assist double - double paced the Celtics. Al Horford totaled 22 points, while. Jae Crowder managed 17 points, and Marcus Smart, drawing another start in place of Avery Bradley (Achilles), posted 13 points, five rebounds, an assist and four steals. Jonas Jerebko and Jaylen Brown led the bench with matching eight - point efforts."], [[{"Total points": {"Jazz": "105", "Bulls": "96"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "21"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bulls": "25"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bulls": "25"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "26"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Taj Gibson": "1"}, "Steals": {"Taj Gibson": "1", "Derrick Rose": "1", "Gordon Hayward": "1"}, "Assists": {"Pau Gasol": "3", "Jimmy Butler": "6", "Derrick Rose": "4", "Gordon Hayward": "7", "Rodney Hood": "3"}, "Points": {"Pau Gasol": "19", "Jimmy Butler": "26", "Derrick Rose": "14", "Gordon Hayward": "27", "Rudy Gobert": "16", "Rodney Hood": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "8", "Jimmy Butler": "7", "Derrick Rose": "3", "Gordon Hayward": "12", "Rudy Gobert": "12", "Rodney Hood": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Derrick Rose": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Derrick Rose": "1", "Gordon Hayward": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Derrick Rose": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Derrick Rose": "1"}}], "The Utah Jazz (23 - 25) defeated the Chicago Bulls (26 - 21) 105 - 96 in overtime at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Monday. The neck - and - neck matchup needed overtime to decide a victor and the thrilling game never saw either team really pull ahead until the overtime period. With just over two minutes remaining in regulation, Jimmy Butler drained a 25 footer and E'Twaun Moore followed up with pull up jumper to give the Bulls a four point lead. The Jazz were able to answer from the charity stripe to lock the game down at 90 points each, but on the following possession, Jimmy Butler brought up the ball, drived hard to the rim and kicked it out to a wide open Derrick Rose behind the arc. Rose nailed the three - point shot to give Chicago the edge with 18 left, but Gordon Hayward found his way back to the free throw line, and although he missed the second free throw, Taj Gibson did not box out appropriately, allowing the Jazz one more possession. Hayward got the layup to fall, which sent the game to overtime, where his unit was able to take care of business on the home court and win a tough game against one of the Eastern Conference\u2019s best teams. The Bulls were led by Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler and Pau Gasol, who all contributed strong performances reflected by the box score. Rose scored 14 points, including the go - ahead three - pointer, to go along with four assists and three rebounds, while Jimmy Butler added 26 points, six assists and seven rebounds. Gasol worked his way to the basket off some signature spin and post moves and totaled 19 points and eight rebounds before fouling out of the game. The Jazz turned to Gordon Hayward, who proved his worth to roster after leading the game with 27 points, alongside 12 rebounds and seven assists. Rudy Gobert pitched in a double - double with 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Rodney Hood collected 19 points, five rebounds and three assists before he joined Gasol in fouling out. Both teams play on Wednesday, as the Jazz will host the Denver Nuggets (18 - 30), while the Bulls will visit the Sacramento Kings (20 - 27)."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "41", "Grizzlies": "31"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "95", "Grizzlies": "82"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "30", "Grizzlies": "40"}}, {"Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "4", "Mike Conley": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "2", "Jrue Holiday": "6"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "10", "Mike Conley": "16", "Anthony Davis": "19", "DeMarcus Cousins": "41", "Jrue Holiday": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "8", "Mike Conley": "6", "Anthony Davis": "13", "Jrue Holiday": "3"}, "Steals": {"Marc Gasol": "2", "DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Memphis Grizzlies, 95 - 82, at Smoothie King Center on Tuesday. These are two of the hottest teams in the Western Conference right now and New Orleans showed that their season is still alive with this crucial win. It was a tale of two halves, as Memphis took a seven - point lead into the locker room, while New Orleans responded by winning the second half, 61 - 41. Rebounding was key for the Pelicans, as they won that battle, 51 - 42. The big men of New Orleans dominated in the paint, outscoring the Grizzlies, 46 - 32. The Grizzlies (40 - 31) had won four - straight headed into this matchup, but the Pelicans are a scary opponent to face right now. Mike Conley led Memphis, as he tallied 16 points, six rebounds and three assists. Marc Gasol totaled 10 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals. No one else on the roster had more than 12 points or four assists. The Pelicans (30 - 41) have now won five of their last six games, as they have the best defense in the NBA across their last 10 games based on efficiency ratings. DeMarcus Cousins had his best game for New Orleans, as he collected 41 points, 17 rebounds, two assists, two steals and three blocks. Anthony Davis finished second on the team, amassing 19 points and 13 rebounds. Jrue Holiday was the only other starter with more than five points, as he provided 11 points, three rebounds and six assists."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LeBron James": "14"}, "Free throws made": {"LeBron James": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "32"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "25", "Kevin Love": "21", "Kyrie Irving": "28", "Carmelo Anthony": "8", "Kristaps Porzingis": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "6", "Tristan Thompson": "20"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Tristan Thompson": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyrie Irving": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "5"}}], "It was a big night for the Cavaliers' big three on Wednesday, as Cleveland demolished the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. LeBron James, the All-Star and reigning Finals MVP, delivered 25 points, six rebounds and seven assists on 10 - of - 14 shooting in 32 minutes of play. James finished plus - 32 on the night, a team high. Kyrie Irving, meanwhile, led the team with 28 points and hit four three - pointers. His three - point total was matched by star forward Kevin Love, who scored 21 points on the night. As a whole, the team hit a whopping 22 three - pointers on 55 percent shooting. Big man Tristan Thompson also impressed, delivering 20 rebounds, including six on the offensive end. The Knicks, meanwhile, saw struggles from their stars. Carmelo Anthony scored only eight points on the night, the lowest he has ever recorded in 33 career matchups against LeBron James. Sophomore star Kristaps Porzingis, meanwhile, had 12 points but shot only 5 - of - 15."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Patrick Beverley": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Patrick Beverley": "9"}, "Points": {"Patrick Beverley": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Patrick Beverley": "12"}}], "Patrick Beverley entered the season injured, but he also entered the season knowing he would no longer be the Rockets' starting point guard, and while he had to take a minor step back in favor of the MVP candidate, he has remained a valuable part of Houston's season. His performance in Wednesday's 19 - point victory over the Clippers personified just how important the 6 - foot - 1 point guard is to his team, as he posted 14 points, 12 rebounds and four assists over 31 minutes. The key statistic there is the 12 rebounds, as Beverley's high activity on the boards has commonly led to success for Houston. Beverley has recorded at least nine rebounds in a game 10 times this season, and in those nine games, the Rockets are 9 - 1 and won those nine games by an average margin of 16 points."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "25", "Bulls": "14"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "103", "Bulls": "119"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "13", "Bulls": "27"}}, {"Assists": {"Taj Gibson": "2", "Pau Gasol": "4", "Jared Sullinger": "2", "Evan Turner": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Taj Gibson": "39", "Derrick Rose": "33", "Kelly Olynyk": "25", "Brandon Bass": "23"}, "Points": {"Taj Gibson": "13", "Pau Gasol": "20", "Jared Sullinger": "20", "Evan Turner": "11", "Kelly Olynyk": "14", "Brandon Bass": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Taj Gibson": "8", "Pau Gasol": "11", "Jared Sullinger": "8", "Evan Turner": "6", "Kelly Olynyk": "9", "Brandon Bass": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Pau Gasol": "2", "Jared Sullinger": "1"}, "Steals": {"Derrick Rose": "1", "Jared Sullinger": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jared Sullinger": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Jared Sullinger": "7"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (27 - 14) beat the Boston Celtics (13 - 25) 119 - 103 on Friday. Derrick Rose turned in another great performance scoring 32 points for the Bulls. He's averaged 26 points, 2 rebounds, 7 assists and 1 steal in 33 minutes per game since sitting out last Saturday with knee soreness. Taj Gibson stepped into the starting lineup in place of Joakim Noah (ankle). Gibson had 13 points, eight rebounds and two assists in 39 minutes. Pau Gasol has been a monster in January. He finished with 20 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Gasol is putting up 23 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 blocks in 34 minutes per game this month. Jared Sullinger had a nice game despite battling an illness. He led the Celtics with 20 points on 7 - of - 18 shooting from the field and eight rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block. Brandon Bass and Kelly Olynyk played well off the bench. Bass had 16 points and five rebounds in 23 minutes. Olynyk had 14 points and nine rebounds in 25 minutes. 2014 lottery pick Marcus Smart has been getting more minutes since the Rajon Rondo trade. In January, he is averaging 8 points, 2 rebounds. 4 assists and 1 steals in 26 minutes per game. Evan Turner had 11 points, six rebounds and eight assists. The Celtics will play the Clippers on Monday, and the Bulls will face the Hawks on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "18", "Mavericks": "21"}, "Turnovers": {"Trail Blazers": "17"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "13", "Mavericks": "8"}, "Number of team assists": {"Mavericks": "14"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "96"}}, {"Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "28", "Deron Williams": "23", "CJ McCollum": "13", "Damian Lillard": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Harrison Barnes": "7", "Deron Williams": "5"}, "Assists": {"Deron Williams": "5"}, "Steals": {"Damian Lillard": "1"}}], "The visiting Dallas Mavericks took down the host Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, 96 - 95.. Dallas (8 - 21) is now 6 - 8 in its last 14 games after a dismal 2 - 13 start. Though veteran star Dirk Nowitzki (Achilles) remains out, the team has seemingly begun to find its groove. On Wednesday, forward Harrison Barnes led the team with 28 points and added seven rebounds. Point guard Deron Williams also had 23 points along with five rebounds and five assists. Dallas excelled on the defensive end, forcing the Blazers to give up 17 turnovers. Portland (13 - 18) has seen the opposite trajectory of the Mavs, going ice cold after a hot start to the season. On Wednesday, guard Damian Lillard was a one - man show, scoring 29 points to lead the team. No other Blazer had more than 14, and star shooting guard C.J. McCollum was held to just 13. Portland was able to out - shoot its opponent from the field but struggled to keep the hall secure, holding a seven - turnover disadvantage. The Blazers have now lost four straight. On Friday, the Mavericks will visit the Clippers and the Blazers will host the Spurs."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "40"}}, {"Points": {"Wilson Chandler": "13", "Nikola Jokic": "27", "Gary Harris": "16", "Jameer Nelson": "12", "Will Barton": "12", "LeBron James": "27", "Kevin Love": "16", "Tristan Thompson": "13", "Kyrie Irving": "27", "Kyle Korver": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Jokic": "13", "Jameer Nelson": "8", "Kevin Love": "9", "Tristan Thompson": "13"}, "Assists": {"Jameer Nelson": "8"}, "Steals": {"Jameer Nelson": "2"}}], "LeBron James and Kyrie Irving led the way for Cleveland with matching 27 - point efforts. Kevin Love had a near double - double with 16 points and nine rebounds, while Tristan Thompson supplied a 13 - point, 13 - rebound double - double. Kyle Korver led the second unit with 14 points. The Cavs were excellent on both ends of the floor, posting success rates of 55 percent from the field and 50 percent from three - point range, while limiting Denver to respective tallies of 40 and 34. Nikola Jokic's 27 - point, 13 - rebound double - double paced the Nuggets. Gary Harris was next with 16 points. Jamal Murray matched Harris' scoring total to lead the bench. Wilson Chandle provided 13 points. Jameer Nelson supplied a full stat line of 12 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and two steals. Will Barton was productive as a reserve with 12 points."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Celtics": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Celtics": "51", "Bulls": "40"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "42"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Bulls": "28"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "38"}, "Turnovers": {"Bulls": "17"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Jimmy Butler": "2"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "5", "Bobby Portis": "12", "Robin Lopez": "13", "Dwyane Wade": "8", "Denzel Valentine": "13", "Cristiano Felicio": "10", "Jae Crowder": "5", "Al Horford": "12", "Avery Bradley": "17", "Isaiah Thomas": "22", "Kelly Olynyk": "11", "Marcus Smart": "12", "Jaylen Brown": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Bobby Portis": "8", "Jae Crowder": "10"}}], "Boston's defense spearheaded the win, as they limited Chicago to a 38 percent success rate from the floor and 28 percent from three - point range. They also forced 17 turnovers, outrebounded the Bulls by a 51 - 40 margin, posted 42 bench points and built a 46 - 26 halftime lead. Isaiah Thomas' 22 points led Boston. Avery Bradley provided 17 points, while Al Horford registered 12. Jae Crowder tallied a modest five points but hauled in 10 rebounds. Marcus Smart had a bench - leading 12 points, and Jaylen Brown and Kelly Olynyk pitched in with matching 11 - point efforts. Robin Lopez and Denzel Valentine led Chicago with matching 13 - point efforts. Bobby Portis turned in 12 points and eight rebounds. Dwyane Wade (eight points) and Jimmy Butler (five points, 2 - for - 11 shooting) notably underperformed. Cristiano Felicio was solid off the bench with 10 points."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "56"}, "Losses": {"Timberwolves": "48", "Kings": "44"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "113", "Kings": "104"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "23", "Kings": "27"}}, {"Blocks": {"Kosta Koufos": "2", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Kosta Koufos": "38", "Rajon Rondo": "38"}, "Points": {"Kosta Koufos": "15", "Rajon Rondo": "25", "Andrew Wiggins": "23", "Gorgui Dieng": "16", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "26", "Zach LaVine": "23", "Ricky Rubio": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Kosta Koufos": "15", "Rajon Rondo": "8", "Gorgui Dieng": "12", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "11", "Ricky Rubio": "5"}, "Assists": {"Rajon Rondo": "12", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "12"}, "Steals": {"Rajon Rondo": "3", "Ricky Rubio": "3"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (23 - 48) defeated the visiting Sacramento Kings (27 - 44) 113 - 104, Wednesday at Target Center. Karl-Anthony Towns took advantage of the fact that Sacramento was missing DeMarcus Cousins, who sat out with a sore knee. Towns piled up 26 points and 11 rebounds, as he led the Timberwolves in an impressive team win. The game went back - and - forth with 14 lead changes, before Minnesota began to widen the gap midway through the fourth quarter. The Timberwolves have now won all three match - ups versus the Kings this season, with one more on April 7th. Towns had four blocked shots and two assists to add to his already impressive stat line, but the contribution of Minnesota's other young stars was equally impressive. Ricky Rubio finished with 12 assists, seven points, five rebounds and three steals, despite foul trouble. Zach LaVine and Andrew Wiggins chipped in 23 points each, while Gorgui Dieng added 16 points and 12 rebounds. The Timberwolves missed 14 free throws but shot 56 percent from the field and 38 percent from deep, en route to the win. Sacramento had balanced scoring throughout the line - up as the bench stepped up in the absence of DeMarcus Cousins. Six players scored in double figures, including Rajon Rondo who led the way. Rondo finished with 12 assists, eight rebounds and three steals, along with his team - high 25 points. Kosta Koufos was solid in place of Cousins, as he finished with 15 points, 15 rebounds and two blocked shots, in 38 minutes. The Kings' bench was good for 40 points, but the effort came up short against the speedy Timberwolves squad. Next, the Kings host the Suns on Friday. The Timberwolves will play in Washington on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "41"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "50"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "18", "Magic": "20"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "117", "Magic": "104"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pacers": "27", "Magic": "17"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "17", "Magic": "15"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Aaron Gordon": "10", "Jeff Green": "12", "Myles Turner": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Aaron Gordon": "4", "Jeff Green": "7", "Myles Turner": "7"}, "Points": {"Aaron Gordon": "13", "Serge Ibaka": "17", "Nikola Vucevic": "18", "Jeff Green": "17", "Paul George": "19", "Myles Turner": "23", "Jeff Teague": "12", "Al Jefferson": "12", "Aaron Brooks": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Aaron Gordon": "6", "Nikola Vucevic": "11", "Paul George": "5", "Myles Turner": "12"}, "Assists": {"Paul George": "3", "Myles Turner": "3", "Jeff Teague": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Al Jefferson": "14"}}], "The Indiana Pacers defeated the Orlando Magic, 117 - 104, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday. Indiana got out to a hot start in the first quarter and they never looked back after that. In fact, the Pacers took a 27 - 17 lead after the first quarter, as they never trailed after that. The Indiana offense was as efficient as ever, going 50 percent from the field, 41 percent from three - point range and 92 percent from the free - throw line. Defensive rebounding was a huge factor as well, with the Pacers winning that battle, 38 - 32. Orlando (15 - 20) have not been able to get a winning - streak going this season, as their defense continues to falter. Serge Ibaka led the starters in scoring, as he totaled 17 points and eight rebounds in the loss. Nikola Vucevic led the team in scoring, as he accrued 18 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. Jeff Green provided 17 points on his own off the bench on 7 - of - 12 shooting. Aaron Gordon went just 4 - of - 10 from the field, to finish with 13 points and six rebounds. On deck for the Magic is a road matchup with the New York Knicks on Monday. Indiana (17 - 18) needed this win after a poor stretch and they did n't let fans down in this offensive showcase. Myles Turner was the player of the game, as he accumulated 23 points, 12 rebounds and three assists on 7 - of - 13 shooting. Paul George was second on the team, collecting 19 points, five rebounds and three assists. Jeff Teague scored just 12 points, but dished out nine assists in the win. Off the bench, Al Jefferson scored 12 points, while Aaron Brooks dropped 14 of his own. Indiana will look to keep rolling against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "40"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "25", "Raptors": "15"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "74", "Raptors": "91"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "10", "Raptors": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "22", "Kyle Lowry": "17", "Brook Lopez": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "11", "Kyle Lowry": "8", "Brook Lopez": "13"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Lowry": "0", "Joe Johnson": "1"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (22 - 15) sent the Brooklyn Nets (10 - 25) to their eighth consecutive home loss Wednesday with a 91 - 74 victory at Barclays Center. The Raptors gave up at least 115 points in their previous two games, both losses, but found their defensvie footing against the Nets, who shot just 40 percent from the field and committed 19 turnovers. Toronto, which has won 15 consecutive games when allowing less than 100 points, did it without DeMarre Carroll, one of its better defenders. Carroll is expected to be out six to eight weeks following arthroscopic surgery Wednesday on his right knee. Jonas Valanciunas totaled 22 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Raptors, while Kyle Lowry added 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists. The Raptors struggled from long range, however, shooting 4 of 22. Lowry was 0 for 7 on three - pointers. Brook Lopez finished with 24 points and 13 rebounds for Brooklyn, which last won at home Dec. 10 against the Philadelphia 76ers. Joe Johnson did not score until the third quarter, hitting a three - pointer to give him 919 consecutive games with a field goal, the longest active streak in the league."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "28", "Nets": "26"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "108", "Nets": "73"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "16", "Nets": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Jarrett Jack": "7", "Joe Ingles": "5", "Dante Exum": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Jarrett Jack": "34", "Dante Exum": "29", "Rudy Gobert": "20"}, "Points": {"Jarrett Jack": "16", "Gordon Hayward": "24", "Joe Ingles": "16", "Dante Exum": "13", "Trey Burke": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Jarrett Jack": "4", "Dante Exum": "4"}, "Steals": {"Jarrett Jack": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Brook Lopez": "9", "Gordon Hayward": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Brook Lopez": "2", "Gordon Hayward": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Joe Ingles": "4", "Dante Exum": "3"}}], "The Utah Jazz (16 - 28) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (18 - 26), 108 - 73. The Nets have lost back - to - back games by at least 30 points, ceding the final playoff spot in the East to the Charlotte Hornets by half a game. Derrick Favors played after missing the previous game due to personal reasons. The Jazz jumped out to a 58 - 37 halftime lead, and their starters accounted for 72 points, nearly matching the Nets' total. Gordon Hayward scored 24 points on 10 - of - 14 shooting. Recently demoted Trey Burke scored 19 points, and starting rookie point guard Dante Exum contributed 13 points, four rebounds, four assists and three three - pointers in 29 minutes. Rudy Gobert failed to block a shot for the first time all month, playing just 20 minutes in the blowout win. Aussie Joe Ingles recorded 16 points, a team - high five assists and four three - pointers. Brook Lopez was limited to 2 - of - 9 shooting. Jarrett Jack played a team - high 34 minutes, accumulating 16 points, seven assists, four rebounds and two steals. Kevin Garnett returned to the lineup after missing that last game in favor of rest. Deron Williams missed his eighth straight game because of a rib injury. The Nets take on the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday, and the Jazz play the Boston Celtics after a day off in the second of their four - game homestand."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "34", "Kings": "40"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "114", "Kings": "109"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Heat": "28", "Kings": "18"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "28", "Kings": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Rudy Gay": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "4", "Tyler Johnson": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gay": "2", "Tyler Johnson": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Rudy Gay": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "8", "Ben McLemore": "8", "Dwyane Wade": "3", "Tyler Johnson": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rudy Gay": "3", "Ben McLemore": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "1", "Tyler Johnson": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "24", "DeMarcus Cousins": "17", "Ben McLemore": "16", "Dwyane Wade": "18", "Tyler Johnson": "12", "Michael Beasley": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gay": "12", "DeMarcus Cousins": "10", "Ben McLemore": "7", "Dwyane Wade": "10", "Tyler Johnson": "7", "Michael Beasley": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "2", "DeMarcus Cousins": "8", "Tyler Johnson": "10", "Michael Beasley": "2"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gay": "27", "DeMarcus Cousins": "27", "Ben McLemore": "20", "Dwyane Wade": "28", "Tyler Johnson": "24", "Michael Beasley": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "8", "DeMarcus Cousins": "17", "Dwyane Wade": "4", "Tyler Johnson": "6", "Michael Beasley": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "7", "Tyler Johnson": "7", "Michael Beasley": "0"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2", "Ben McLemore": "2", "Tyler Johnson": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Ben McLemore": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "4", "Tyler Johnson": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Tyler Johnson": "1"}}], "The Miami Heat (28 - 34) defeated the Sacramento Kings (21 - 40) 114 - 109 on Saturday at American Airlines Arena in Miami. Down 78 - 68 coming out of the third quarter, the Heat started playing with some urgency and out - scored the Kings 28 - 18 to pull it even and force an overtime battle. The overtime period went back and forth all of the way, but with the Heat up just one, Tyler Johnson hit a clutch three - pointer with just 50 seconds left in overtime, putting the Heat up by four, and the Kings were never able to make up the deficit from there on out. A big help in the Heat's comeback was their defense, as they forced the Kings into 22 turnovers, while committing just 14 of their own. The Heat's chances of winning looked bleak after finding out they'd be without three starters, including Luol Deng, Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside. The duo of Dwyane Wade and Tyler Johnson came out and made up or the key losses though, as each notched a big game. Wade went 10 - for - 18 from the field and 1 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 28 points, while adding four rebounds and four assists. He's on a very strong stretch of four games, averaging 23 points, 6 assists and 3 steals over that span. Johnson, on the other hand, finished with 24 points (7 - 12 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 7 - 10 FT), six rebounds and six assists of his own. The rookie is starting to make his presence known, as this was the second time he surpassed the 20 - point mark over his last four games. He's still averaging just 7 points per game on the year. Recently acquired, Michael Beasley, also was a big factor in the victory. In 37 minutes off the bench, he recorded 18 points (9 - 17 FG, 0 - 2 FT) and seven rebounds before fouling out. In just his sixth game of the year, the points were a new season - high. Despite the loss, the Kings' starters were still quite effective, especially DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay. Gay went 12 - for - 24 from the field and 3 - for - 8 from the three - point line to score 27 points, to go along with eight rebounds and five assists. While the Kings continue to lose, he's been a force lately for this team, averaging 25 points over his last five games. Cousins, on the other hand, finished with 27 points (10 - 17 FG, 7 - 8 FT) of his own, while adding 17 rebounds before fouling out. It marked his second double - double in a row, as he's combined for 56 points and 29 rebounds over his last two games. He's now averaging 24 points and 12 rebounds on the season. Ben McLemore had a fantastic showing with his shot. He went 7 - for - 16 from the field and 3 - for - 8 from the three - point line to score 20 points in 44 minutes. He had gone a combined 3 - for - 13 from the field over his last two games, so it was good to see him get dialed in on Saturday. The Heat's next game will be at home against the Boston Celtics on Monday, while the Kings will travel to Atlanta to play the Hawks on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "9", "Heat": "8"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "111", "Heat": "114"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Wizards": "29", "Heat": "23"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "3", "Heat": "4"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Heat": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "51"}}, {"Assists": {"Josh Richardson": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "1", "Goran Dragic": "6", "Marcin Gortat": "4", "Bradley Beal": "4", "John Wall": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Josh Richardson": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "3", "Dion Waiters": "1"}, "Points": {"Josh Richardson": "15", "Derrick Williams": "12", "Hassan Whiteside": "18", "Dion Waiters": "16", "Goran Dragic": "22", "James Johnson": "17", "Marcin Gortat": "10", "Bradley Beal": "34", "John Wall": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Josh Richardson": "7", "Derrick Williams": "5", "Hassan Whiteside": "18", "Marcin Gortat": "16", "Bradley Beal": "5"}, "Steals": {"Josh Richardson": "1", "Goran Dragic": "1", "Bradley Beal": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Derrick Williams": "17"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Bradley Beal": "6", "John Wall": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"John Wall": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"John Wall": "5"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the Washington Wizards, 114 - 111, at Verizon Center on Saturday. An array of solid offensive performances across their roster helped the Heat (4 - 8) overcome a pair of standout efforts from the dynamic duo of John Wall and Bradley Beal. Miami saw all five members of the first unit post double - digit scoring, and they also saw James Johnson tally 17 points off the bench. They were able to tally 51 and 48 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively, which helped them withstand a late rally from the Wizards (3 - 9), who outscored them by a 29 - 23 margin in the fourth quarter. The Heat was led by Goran Dragic's 22 points, which he complemented with six assists, three rebounds and a steal. Hassan Whiteside turned in another dominating effort down low, posting an 18 - point, 18 - rebound double - double that also included an assist and three blocks. Dion Waiters supplied 16 points, eight boards and a block. Josh Richardson registered 15 points, seven rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block, while Derrick Williams compiled 12 points and five rebounds over 17 minutes while drawing the start at power forward. Wall and Beal paced the Wizards with a pair of 34 - point efforts, with the former adding eight assists and three rebounds and the latter also posting five rebounds, dishing out four assists and recording a steal. Wall was especially impressive from beyond the arc, draining five of his six three - point attempts. Marcin Gortat was the only other Washington player to manage double digits in the scoring column, totaling 10 points, 16 rebounds, four assists and five blocks. The Heat heads to Philadelphia for the next phase of their trek through the Northeast, as they take on the Sixers on Monday night. The Wizards remain home and await the Phoenix Suns for a Monday night matchup of their own."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "24", "Magic": "36"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "104", "Magic": "97"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Thunder": "21"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "24", "Magic": "15"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Magic": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Victor Oladipo": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "14"}, "Minutes played": {"Victor Oladipo": "34", "Dion Waiters": "41"}, "Points": {"Victor Oladipo": "22", "Dion Waiters": "24", "Russell Westbrook": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Victor Oladipo": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Steals": {"Victor Oladipo": "1"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (24 - 24) defeated the Orlando Magic (15 - 36) 104 - 97 on Monday. Russell Westbrook had another big game. He recorded his second triple - double of the season with 25 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds. The Thunder needed a big performance from him, as Kevin Durant (toe) sat out. It was Durant's third time sitting out in the last four games. Dion Waiters had his best game as a member of the Thunder, scoring 24 points in 41 minutes. His previous high with Oklahoma City was 21 points against the Warriors back on Jan. 16. After the win, the Thunder are still on the outside looking in at the Western Conference playoff picture. Victor Oladipo returned to the Magic starting lineup after missing Saturday's contest due to a sore right Achilles. He led the Magic with 22 points to go along with seven rebounds, four assists and one steal in 34 minutes. Orlando has now lost nine straight, and are seven and a half games back of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Magic will take their losing streak to San Antonio on Wednesday, and the Thunder will head to the Smoothie King Center to face the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "11", "76ers": "28"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "127", "76ers": "91"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "23", "76ers": "4"}}, {"Points": {"Tony Wroten": "27"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (23 - 11) beat the Philadelphia 76ers (4 - 28) on Saturday by a score of 127 - 91. The Clippers started to open up a sizable lead over the 76ers early in the game, but Philadelphia managed to cut Los Angeles' lead to four mid way through the third quarter. Los Angeles responded with a 20 - 8 run to put the game out of reach, however. Philadelphia has lost five games in a row, all of which have been by double digits. The 76ers were playing the second half of a back - to - back set which started Friday with a 112 - 96 loss at Phoenix. Guard Tony Wroten turned in another nice game, however, scoring 27 points and pulling down seven rebounds. Philadelphia will take the floor next when it hosts Cleveland on Monday. Los Angeles came into this game with two full days of rest and easily handled the 76ers. Five different bench players played at least 10 minutes and no starter logged more than 30 minutes on the floor. The Clippers are now 3 - 1 on their current home stand and will host the Atlanta Hawks on Monday."], [[{}, {"Minutes played": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "25", "Nicolas Batum": "31", "Kemba Walker": "29", "Frank Kaminsky": "27"}, "Points": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "11", "DeMar DeRozan": "23", "Kyle Lowry": "24", "Nicolas Batum": "13", "Kemba Walker": "32", "Frank Kaminsky": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "6", "Nicolas Batum": "4", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Frank Kaminsky": "8"}, "Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "6", "Kemba Walker": "8", "Frank Kaminsky": "1"}, "Steals": {"Nicolas Batum": "1", "Frank Kaminsky": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "16", "Frank Kaminsky": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Kemba Walker": "11", "Frank Kaminsky": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Frank Kaminsky": "1"}}], "Kemba Walker dominated the game, as he finished with a game - high 32 points on 11 - of - 16 shooting, to go along with eight assists and four rebounds, in 29 minutes. Five other players scored in double digits for the Hornets, including Frank Kaminsky III, who chipped in 16 points on 5 - of - 10 shooting, to go along with eight rebounds, three steals, one assist and one block, in 27 minutes. Nicolas Batum finished with 13 points, six assists, four rebounds and one steal, in 31 minutes. Meanwhile, the Raptors struggled offensively, leading to their lowest points total of the season. Kyle Lowry finished with 24 points to lead the Raptors, while DeMar DeRozan followed up with 23 points. The only other player to score in double digits for Toronto was Jonas Valanciunas, who finished with 11 points and six rebounds, in 25 minutes."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "39", "Trail Blazers": "51"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "27", "Trail Blazers": "23"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "87", "Trail Blazers": "108"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Lakers": "12"}, "Turnovers": {"Lakers": "10"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "15", "Trail Blazers": "17"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "18", "Luol Deng": "10", "Lou Williams": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ McCollum": "10"}, "Points": {"CJ McCollum": "25", "Damian Lillard": "20", "Luol Deng": "14", "Lou Williams": "10"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Damian Lillard": "8"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 108 - 87, Tuesday at Staples Center. Tuesday's outing for the Trail Blazers (17 - 23) was a lot closer than the final score would make it seem, as Portland actually found themselves down by two points heading into halftime. Then, a dominant third quarter completely opened the game up and they never looked back. C.J. McCollum led the way with an excellent shooting performance, scoring a game - high 25 points on 10 - of - 18 shooting from the field. His running mate in the backcourt, Damian Lillard, was not too far behind, scoring 20 points on top of eight rebounds and six assists. It was a great shooting night for the Trail Blazers overall, as the team shot an impressive 51 percent from the field. As for the Lakers (15 - 27), things did not go as smoothly after they put together a great performance in the first half. In the end, Luol Deng ended up as the only Los Angeles starter to score in double figures with his team - high 14 points, with Brandon Ingram scoring 12 points off the bench and Lou Williams adding 10 of his own. As a team, the Lakers shot horridly from both the field and the free throw line with percentages of 39 and 54, respectively. Up next, the Trail Blazers will head home Wednesday to play the Cavaliers, while the Lakers will head to San Antonio on Thursday to play the Spurs."], [[{"Total points": {"Cavaliers": "106", "Pistons": "101"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "1"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "52"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "51"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"Marcus Morris": "5", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "3", "Reggie Jackson": "7", "LeBron James": "11", "Kevin Love": "1", "JR Smith": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "6"}, "Points": {"Marcus Morris": "20", "Andre Drummond": "13", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "21", "Reggie Jackson": "17", "Stanley Johnson": "9", "LeBron James": "22", "Kevin Love": "28", "JR Smith": "9", "Kyrie Irving": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcus Morris": "2", "Andre Drummond": "11", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "2", "Stanley Johnson": "8", "LeBron James": "6", "Kevin Love": "13", "JR Smith": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "5"}, "Steals": {"Marcus Morris": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "1", "LeBron James": "2", "Kevin Love": "1", "JR Smith": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "1", "LeBron James": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "8", "LeBron James": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"LeBron James": "3", "Kevin Love": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kevin Love": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Kevin Love": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyrie Irving": "3"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Detroit Pistons, 106 - 101, in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first - round playoffs Sunday at Quicken Loans Arena. The Pistons gave the Cavaliers all they could handle in the opening game, and took a rather surprising 80 - 76 lead into the fourth quarter. That's when Cleveland's big three of Kyrie Irving, LeBron James and Kevin Love kicked things into high gear, and did just enough to secure the hard - fought victory. James actually played the role of facilitator to his other two superstar teammates, dishing out a game - high 11 assists. Meanwhile, Irving and Love were busy from long range, sinking nine of 18 tries from beyond the arc between them. Despite the disappointing outcome, Detroit should find plenty to take from the narrow defeat, as they found success against the stalwart Cavs defense, particularly in the first half. The Pistons were able to post impressive success rates of 51 percent from the field and 52 percent from three - point range, and saw four their starting five hit double - digit points. Detroit's attack was spearheaded by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who tallied 21 points, three assists and two rebounds. His scoring total included four made three - pointers in eight attempts. Marcus Morris followed closely behind with 20 points, five assists, two rebounds and a steal. Reggie Jackson filled out the stat sheet with 17 points, seven assists, two rebounds and a steal. Andre Drummond provided a 13 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included a block. With no starter playing under 34 minutes, it was a rather modest day for the reserves. Stanley Johnson paced the second unit with nine points and eight rebounds. Irving's 31 points led the Cavs, and he supplemented his game - high scoring total with six assists, five rebounds, two steals and a block. Love managed 28 points, 13 rebounds, an assist and a steal. James posted a 22 - point, 11 - assist double - double that also included six rebounds, two steals and two blocks. No other Cleveland player hit double - digit scoring, with J.R. Smith's nine - point total coming the closest. He added three rebounds, three assists and two steals. The two teams will reconvene for Game 2 on Wednesday night, which will once again unfold at Quicken Loans Arena."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "9", "Lakers": "15"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "104", "Lakers": "108"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Wizards": "22", "Lakers": "34"}, "Turnovers": {"Wizards": "23"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "7", "Lakers": "3"}}, {"Assists": {"Kobe Bryant": "3", "Bradley Beal": "6", "John Wall": "11"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kobe Bryant": "1"}, "Points": {"Kobe Bryant": "31", "Julius Randle": "15", "Jordan Clarkson": "18", "Marcin Gortat": "18", "Bradley Beal": "11", "John Wall": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Kobe Bryant": "2", "Julius Randle": "19", "Jordan Clarkson": "4", "Marcin Gortat": "10", "Bradley Beal": "2", "John Wall": "7"}, "Steals": {"Kobe Bryant": "1", "Jordan Clarkson": "3", "Marcin Gortat": "2", "Bradley Beal": "2", "John Wall": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Marcin Gortat": "1", "Bradley Beal": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"John Wall": "3"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers (3 - 15) got the win as they upset the Washington Wizards (7 - 9) by a score of 108 - 104. This was only the Lakers third win of the season but a vintage performance from Kobe Bryant made it one that Lakers fans and basketball fans can appreciate nonetheless. Kobe scored 12 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter, but it was a strong 34 - 22 start by the Lakers that gave them the advantage they needed to come out on top. After going back and forth Washington led 99 - 98 with 1:8 left in the game but Kobe came up clutch with a couple jumpers in the last minute to seal the deal. Kobe came out blazing with 18 points in the first half and led the Lakers on the night with a total of 31 points on 10 - 24 shooting, Bryant added three assists, two rebounds and one steal, in 35 minutes. Jordan Clarkson chipped in 18 points, four rebounds and three steals, also in 35 minutes. Julius Randle put up an impressive double - double consisting of 15 points and 19 rebounds, proving again to not only be a scorer but a beast on the glass. John Wall played well coming up with a huge three to bring the Wizards within two points with seven seconds left but it was not enough. Wall finished with 34 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds and two steals. Marcin Gortat contributed 18 points on 9 - 15 shooting, 10 rebounds, two steals and one block. Bradley Beal shot 4 - 12 and finished with 11 points, six assists, two rebounds, two steals and one block. The Wizards as a team had a sloppy 23 turnovers in the game. Washington will be hosting Phoenix on Friday, and will look to bounce back. The Lakers will continue their eight game road trip on Friday in Atlanta."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Jazz": "18"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "13", "Nuggets": "8"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "101", "Nuggets": "103"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Jazz": "34", "Nuggets": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Jazz": "48", "Nuggets": "39"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "5", "Nuggets": "9"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Wilson Chandler": "7", "Ty Lawson": "1", "Gordon Hayward": "6", "Alec Burks": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Wilson Chandler": "3", "Ty Lawson": "0", "Gordon Hayward": "3", "Alec Burks": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Wilson Chandler": "13", "Timofey Mozgov": "5", "Ty Lawson": "15", "Gordon Hayward": "18", "Alec Burks": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Wilson Chandler": "6", "Timofey Mozgov": "5", "Ty Lawson": "6", "Gordon Hayward": "7", "Alec Burks": "7"}, "Points": {"Wilson Chandler": "15", "Timofey Mozgov": "10", "Ty Lawson": "15", "Gordon Hayward": "25", "Enes Kanter": "17", "Alec Burks": "22", "Trey Burke": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Wilson Chandler": "4", "Timofey Mozgov": "10", "Ty Lawson": "4", "Enes Kanter": "15", "Alec Burks": "8"}, "Assists": {"Timofey Mozgov": "1", "Ty Lawson": "12"}, "Blocks": {"Timofey Mozgov": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Timofey Mozgov": "28"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Ty Lawson": "5", "Gordon Hayward": "8", "Alec Burks": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Ty Lawson": "3", "Darrell Arthur": "2", "Gordon Hayward": "8", "Alec Burks": "8"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (9 - 8) defeated the Utah Jazz (5 - 13) 103 - 101 on Monday at Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City. After going into halftime down 62 - 43, the Jazz came out firing in the third quarter, out - scoring the Nuggets 34 - 21 and closing the gap to just six points. After the Jazz were able to tie the game late in the fourth, Ty Lawson hit a go - ahead bucket with just under 30 seconds left. The Nuggets then had a huge block on the defensive side of the ball by Timofey Mozgov, while Darrell Arthur clinched the victory with two free throws on the other end. The Nuggets had seven players reach double figures in scoring, as they grabbed a solid team - effort win. Lawson was the leader on Monday with 15 points (6 - 15 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 3 - 5 FT) and 12 assists. It was his fifth double - double in a row and seventh in the last eight games, as he continues to go on a tear for the Nuggets. Wilson Chandler had 15 points (6 - 13 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt) of his own, while also adding four rebounds. He's now averaging 13 points and 6 rebounds on the year. Coming up huge for the Nuggets was Timofey Mozgov. Mozgov recorded his fifth double - double of the year, as he finished with 10 points (5 - 5 FG) and 10 rebounds in 28 minutes. He was a big reason Denver was able to sneak this one out, including his block in the final minute. Gordon Hayward did all he could to keep the Jazz in a position to steal a victory. Hayward shot 7 - for - 18 from the field and 3 - for - 6 from beyond the arc to score 25 points. He also got to the free throw line eight times, and converted on all eight attempts. Alec Burks had a big game, and finished with 22 points (7 - 15 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 8 - 10 FT), along with eight rebounds. The 22 points matched a season high for Burks, who's averaging only 13 points on the year. Enes Kanter was able to record 17 points and 15 rebounds. He helped the Jazz take a 48 - 39 rebounding advantage, which still was n't enough to push past the Nuggets. Trey Burke was the other Jazz player to reach double - digit points, as he finished with 18. The Nuggets' next game will be at home against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, while the Jazz will be at home aganist the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "1", "76ers": "2"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "93", "76ers": "81"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "1", "76ers": "0"}}, {"Assists": {"Nerlens Noel": "2", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "2", "Brandon Knight": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Nerlens Noel": "35", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "25", "Brandon Knight": "29", "O.J. Mayo": "28"}, "Points": {"Nerlens Noel": "14", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "6", "Brandon Knight": "13", "O.J. Mayo": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Nerlens Noel": "10", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "3", "Larry Sanders": "15", "Brandon Knight": "7"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Larry Sanders": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"O.J. Mayo": "5"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (1 - 1) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (0 - 2) 93 - 81 on Friday. Nerlens Noel recorded the first double - double of his NBA career, finishing with 14 points and 10 rebounds in 35 minutes. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute returned to action for the Sixers after being away from the team during the last week to be with teammate Joel Embiid back in the two players' home nation of Cameroon as the rookie Embiid is spending time with his family following the passing of his younger brother. Mbah a Moute came off the bench in his return, finishing with six points and three rebounds in 25 minutes. Michael Carter-Williams (shoulder) remains sidelined but has a tentative return date of Nov. 13. The Bucks started the same five players that they ran out in their season - opening loss to the Hornets. Larry Sanders had 15 rebounds and four blocks. Brandon Knight had a second straight game with good across - the - board numbers, finishing with 13 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists in 29 minutes. O.J. Mayo scored a team - high 25 points off the bench in 28 minutes and buried five three - pointers. The 76ers' next game is at home Saturday against the Miami Heat. The Bucks' next game is on the road Saturday against the Washington Wizards."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "22", "Hornets": "32"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "86", "Hornets": "98"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bulls": "21", "Hornets": "31"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "36", "Hornets": "23"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hornets": "20"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "12", "Al Jefferson": "17", "Mo Williams": "15", "Brian Roberts": "8", "Pau Gasol": "20", "Jimmy Butler": "11", "Aaron Brooks": "12", "Tony Snell": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "7", "Al Jefferson": "7", "Mo Williams": "7", "Brian Roberts": "5", "Pau Gasol": "11", "Jimmy Butler": "5", "Aaron Brooks": "4", "Tony Snell": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "6", "Al Jefferson": "4", "Mo Williams": "2", "Jimmy Butler": "5", "Aaron Brooks": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "4", "Al Jefferson": "2", "Mo Williams": "2", "Pau Gasol": "3", "Jimmy Butler": "4", "Aaron Brooks": "3"}, "Points": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "18", "Al Jefferson": "16", "Mo Williams": "17", "Brian Roberts": "12", "Pau Gasol": "25", "Jimmy Butler": "14", "Aaron Brooks": "12", "Tony Snell": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "12", "Al Jefferson": "7", "Pau Gasol": "13", "Jimmy Butler": "7", "Tony Snell": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Al Jefferson": "4"}, "Assists": {"Mo Williams": "5", "Brian Roberts": "3", "Jimmy Butler": "5", "Aaron Brooks": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Mo Williams": "4", "Brian Roberts": "5", "Jimmy Butler": "3", "Aaron Brooks": "5", "Tony Snell": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Mo Williams": "1", "Brian Roberts": "2", "Jimmy Butler": "0", "Aaron Brooks": "1", "Tony Snell": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Mo Williams": "26"}, "Personal fouls": {"Mo Williams": "3", "Pau Gasol": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Pau Gasol": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Jimmy Butler": "3"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (23 - 32) defeated the Chicago Bulls (36 - 22) 98 - 86 on Wednesday at the United Center in Chicago. After losing Derrick Rose to a meniscus tear in his right knee that will likely cost him the rest of the season, it did n't get much better for the Bulls, as they suffered a 12 - point loss in front of their home crowd Wednesday. They were down just two points coming out of the third quarter, but the Hornets took off in the fourth, out - scoring the Bulls 31 - 21 to finish the game. Coming into this outing riding a five - game losing streak, it was good to see the Hornets get things turned around and grab a win against a quality Chicago team, as they really had to get things turned around with the playoffs still in their sights. For the Hornets, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was on fire, going 7 - for - 12 from the field and 4 - for - 6 from the free throw line to score 18 points, while also adding 12 rebounds as well. Despite averaging just 11 points per game on the season, he's really started to turn it on for the Hornets, averaging 17 points and 7 rebounds over his last three games. Mo Williams played a big factor in the win as well. In 26 minutes, he posted 17 points (7 - 15 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and five assists. In the three games he's played with the Hornets since coming over from the Timberwolves at the trade deadline, he's averaged an impressive 20 points and 7 assists, as he's been a great addition on the offensive side of the ball. Al Jefferson had a strong showing, finishing with 16 points (7 - 17 FG, 2 - 4 FT) and seven rebounds. It was the first time over his last four games that he did n't reach double - digit rebounds, but it did n't matter, as the Hornets still pulled off the win. Coming off the bench, Brian Roberts chipped in with an efficient 12 points (5 - 8 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt) as well. Pau Gasol continued with his dominant season for the Bulls, going 11 - for - 20 from the field too score a game - high of 25 points, while also adding 13 rebounds and four blocked shots. It marked his third double - double in a row, a stretch where he's averaged 19 points and 12 rebounds per game. He's also had at least one block in each of his last five games. Jimmy Butler did his best to help Gasol out, posting 14 points (5 - 11 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT), seven rebounds and five assists. After going off for 30 points in the Bulls' first game following the All-Star break, he's slowed down a little bit, scoring below his season average in three straight games. He's now averaging 20 points and 6 rebounds on the year. Without Rose, Aaron Brooks got the start at point guard. He did n't have the best night shooting the ball, but still finished with 12 points (4 - 12 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 3 - 8 FT), to go along with four assists. Tony Snell, who just posted 20 points on Monday, added 10 points (4 - 8 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt) and three rebounds off the bench. The Hornets' next game will be on the road against the Boston Celtics on Friday, while the Bulls will be at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Lakers": "41", "Clippers": "56"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "39", "Clippers": "53"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "56"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "78", "Clippers": "106"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "20"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Matt Barnes": "7", "JJ Redick": "2", "Chris Paul": "3", "Wesley Johnson": "3", "Jabari Brown": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Matt Barnes": "4", "JJ Redick": "2", "Chris Paul": "1", "Wesley Johnson": "2", "Jabari Brown": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Matt Barnes": "8", "Blake Griffin": "14", "DeAndre Jordan": "9", "JJ Redick": "6", "Chris Paul": "7", "Wesley Johnson": "16", "Tarik Black": "5", "Jabari Brown": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Matt Barnes": "4", "Blake Griffin": "8", "DeAndre Jordan": "7", "JJ Redick": "4", "Chris Paul": "3", "Wesley Johnson": "6", "Tarik Black": "4", "Jabari Brown": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Matt Barnes": "2", "DeAndre Jordan": "8", "JJ Redick": "2", "Wesley Johnson": "2", "Tarik Black": "4", "Jabari Brown": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Matt Barnes": "2", "DeAndre Jordan": "2", "JJ Redick": "2", "Wesley Johnson": "2", "Tarik Black": "2", "Jabari Brown": "1"}, "Points": {"Matt Barnes": "14", "Blake Griffin": "18", "DeAndre Jordan": "16", "JJ Redick": "12", "Chris Paul": "7", "Wesley Johnson": "16", "Tarik Black": "10", "Jabari Brown": "10"}, "Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "5", "Chris Paul": "15", "Tarik Black": "1", "Jabari Brown": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"DeAndre Jordan": "30", "Chris Paul": "30", "Wesley Johnson": "32"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"DeAndre Jordan": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeAndre Jordan": "3", "Wesley Johnson": "1", "Jabari Brown": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "11", "Wesley Johnson": "4", "Tarik Black": "9"}, "Steals": {"DeAndre Jordan": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Wesley Johnson": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Wesley Johnson": "1", "Jabari Brown": "2"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (52 - 26) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (20 - 56) 106 - 78 on Sunday at the Staples Center. The Clippers came out with a very strong first half Sunday, grabbing a 49 - 36 lead by the half. Along with the quick start, the Clippers also used their superior shooting to help coast to the win. They went 53 percent from the field and 56 percent from the three - point line, while the Lakers finished at 39 percent from the floor and 41 percent from deep. With the win, the Clippers remain a half game ahead of the streaking San Antonio Spurs for the fifth projected playoff seed in the West, while the Portland Trail Blazers still own a game lead over the Clippers for the fourth spot. The Clippers' frontcourt was a huge factor in the win. Blake Griffin led the way, going 8 - for - 14 from the floor to post a team - high of 18 points. He's now pushed his season averages to 22 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists per game. DeAndre Jordan also played well, notching a double - double for the third time in as many games. He finished with 16 points (7 - 9 FG, 2 - 8 FT), 11 rebounds and four steals over 30 minutes. During his last three games, he's averaging 14 points and 15 rebounds. The four steals marked a new season - high for the center as well. While he did n't do much as a scorer, finishing with just seven points (3 - 7 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt) in 30 minutes, Chris Paul made up for it with his distributions to his teammates, as he added 15 assists in the victory as well. He's averaging 14 assists over his last three games. Both Matt Barnes (4 - 8 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and J.J. Redick (4 - 6 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) were in double figures as well with 14 and 12 points respectively. The Lakers really struggled to find any production offensively Sunday. Wesley Johnson was one of the few bright spots, posting 16 points (6 - 16 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and four rebounds over 32 minutes. While he had some decent production, he still continues to struggle with his shot, as he's shot less than 40 percent from the field in five of his last six games. He's averaging 10 points and 4 rebounds on the season. Tarik Black and Jabari Brown were the only other two Lakers in double figures. Black finished with 10 points (4 - 5 FG, 2 - 4 FT) and nine rebounds, while Brown added 10 points (4 - 9 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and an assist. Since being called up from the NBA D-League in early March, Brown has done everything he can to make his case for his future in the league. Over 13 games, he's averaging 9 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists, while playing just below 26 minutes per game. These two teams will play each other again on Tuesday in the second of back - to - back outings."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Pelicans": "19"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "17", "Wizards": "11"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "85", "Wizards": "92"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "17", "Wizards": "23"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "48"}}, {"Assists": {"John Wall": "12", "Eric Gordon": "5", "Tyreke Evans": "4"}, "Points": {"John Wall": "15", "Anthony Davis": "21", "Eric Gordon": "6", "Tyreke Evans": "21"}, "Minutes played": {"Eric Gordon": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"Eric Gordon": "4", "Tyreke Evans": "7"}}], "The Washington Wizards (23 - 11) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (17 - 17) 92 - 85 on Monday. Washington stopped the bleeding from their three - game losing streak with the win and ended their five - game West Conference road trip on a high note. John Wall paced the Wizards with a double - double of 15 points and 12 assists. While they shot a respectable 48 percent from the field, the Wizards allowed the Pelicans to stay in the game by giving up 19 easy points off of 12 turnovers. Washington will return home to host the New York Knicks on Wednesday. New Orleans has been trading wins for loses from game to game, going 6 - 5 over their last 11 games. After missing the last 21 games rehabbing a shoulder injury, Eric Gordon was cleared to return to action and was immediately placed back into the starting lineup at shooting guard. Tyreke Evans was questionable to play with an illness, but he fought through and began the game playing off the bench before moving back into the starting lineup at halftime. Gordon finished with six points, four rebounds and five assists in 33 minutes, continuing to play the passive game he adopted coming into the season. Evans tied Anthony Davis for the team - high in points with 21 and also collected seven rebounds and four assists. New Orleans will go on the road Wednesday to play the Charlotte Hornets."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Suns": "31"}}, {"Points": {"Marquese Chriss": "15", "Tyson Chandler": "9", "Eric Bledsoe": "23", "Devin Booker": "26", "PJ Tucker": "15", "Brandon Knight": "11", "Carmelo Anthony": "31", "Kristaps Porzingis": "14", "Courtney Lee": "13", "Derrick Rose": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyson Chandler": "16", "Joakim Noah": "15"}, "Minutes played": {"Joakim Noah": "20"}}], "Devin Booker's 26 points led the way for the Suns, and his three - pointer with 31 seconds left propelled Phoenix to their final margin of victory. Eric Bledsoe followed with 23 points, while rookie Marquese Chriss contributed 15. Tyson Chandler generated a modest nine points but hauled in 16 boards. P.J. Tucker paced the bench with 15 points, while Brandon Knight was productive in a reserve role as well with 11 points. Carmelo Anthony paced the Knicks with a game - high 31 points, but his missed three - pointer at the buzzer sealed New York's fate. Derrick Rose was right behind him with 26 points, and Kristaps Porzingis chipped in with 14. Courtney Lee celebrated a return to the starting lineup with 13 points, while Joakim Noah went scoreless over 20 minutes, but did bring in 15 boards."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "52"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "12", "Lakers": "21"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "126", "Lakers": "97"}, "Rebounds": {"Rockets": "52"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "12", "Lakers": "3"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Lakers": "25"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Kobe Bryant": "31", "Donatas Motiejunas": "15"}, "Points": {"Kobe Bryant": "25", "Larry Nance Jr.": "8", "Roy Hibbert": "10", "Lou Williams": "15", "D'Angelo Russell": "12", "Nick Young": "13", "Clint Capela": "11", "Dwight Howard": "18", "James Harden": "30", "Marcus Thornton": "18", "Donatas Motiejunas": "11"}, "Steals": {"Kobe Bryant": "3", "Lou Williams": "2", "D'Angelo Russell": "3", "Dwight Howard": "1"}, "Assists": {"Lou Williams": "3", "D'Angelo Russell": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Lou Williams": "5", "Clint Capela": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Clint Capela": "4", "Donatas Motiejunas": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Clint Capela": "4"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Dwight Howard": "88"}, "Free throws made": {"Dwight Howard": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Marcus Thornton": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "4"}}], "The Houston Rockets (12 - 12) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (3 - 21) 126 - 97 on Saturday. The Lakers' frontcourt has been manhandled throughout the season by opposing power forwards and centers, and Saturday night represented another situation ripe for the same type of outcome, considering that Los Angeles would be facing a motivated Dwight Howard. The Rockets' big man, who spent one tumultous season in Los Angeles during the 2012 - 13 campaign, brought his A-game against his former team after back - to - back lackluster performances. The 12 - year pro posted 18 points, 12 rebounds, a pair of assists, a pair of blocks and a steal. It was Howard's seventh double - double of the season, and featured his second - best shooting night of the campaign (88 percent). His dominance was a microcosm of the bigger picture, as Houston outscored the visitors in the paint 62 - 28 and outrebounded them 52 to 40. Los Angeles was led by Kobe Bryant, who managed one of his best games of the season with 25 points, seven assists, six rebounds and three steals over 31 minutes. Lou Williams was solid in another starting opportunity, tallying 15 points, five rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals. D'Angelo Russell could n't put together a third consecutive standout performance, but did pitch in with 12 points, four assists and and three steals. Roy Hibbert (10 points) and Larry Nance, Jr. (eight points) only managed modest contributions, and Nick Young paced the Los Angeles bench with 13 points. The Lakers fell to 3 - 21 and remain in last place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. They head home to face the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday. In addition to Howard's stellar effort, James Harden led the overall scoring for Houston with 30 points. Clint Capela also produced against the Lakers' vulnerable frontcourt, managing his own double - double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. While the remaining Houston starters only mustered single - digit points, Marcus Thornton paced the Rockets bench with 18 points, while Donatas Motiejunas had his best game since returning from offseason back surgery. The four - year pro managed an impressive 11 points in just 15 minutes, which was his highest allotment of playing time in the four games that he's been active this season. The Rockets improved to 12 - 12 and remain in fourth place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They travel to Denver to face off against the Nuggets on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "5", "Thunder": "20"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "121", "Thunder": "106"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "55", "Thunder": "42"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "7", "Stephen Curry": "4", "Shaun Livingston": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "1", "Serge Ibaka": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "17", "Stephen Curry": "25"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "11", "Steven Adams": "1", "Stephen Curry": "12"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kevin Durant": "1"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "32", "Serge Ibaka": "20", "Russell Westbrook": "22", "Harrison Barnes": "14", "Draymond Green": "14", "Klay Thompson": "21", "Stephen Curry": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "10", "Serge Ibaka": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "6", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Durant": "1", "Stephen Curry": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Kevin Durant": "9", "Stephen Curry": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Steven Adams": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Stephen Curry": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Stephen Curry": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Andre Iguodala": "14"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (55 - 5) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (42 - 20) 121 - 106 at Oracle Arena on Thursday. Stephen Curry (ankle) returned to the starting lineup after missing Tuesday\u2019s game. The reigning MVP did not take long to get going, as he put Kevin Durant on his heels with a behind - the - back dribble and drive early in the first quarter. Curry was not able to string together scoring runs, but still led all scorers with 33 points, which marked his fifth consecutive 30 - plus point game, and added four rebounds and four assists on 12 - of - 25 shooting. The awareness that has improved on Curry\u2019s end has been one of his best assets, as he was able to take advantage of a slacking Steven Adams and constantly find space on his way to the rim, especially when he started to struggle finding his range from behind the arc. Andre Iguodala (hamstring) also made his return, but did not look fully fit during the game, as reflected by his 14 minutes of playing time off the bench. Klay Thompson scored 21 points, while Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green pitched in 14 points each. The two forwards combined for 15 rebounds and 12 assists in their starting roles, and the constant mismatches made for a major advantage against the Thunder\u2019s weak defense. As for the bench, Shaun Livingston and Marreese Speights both eclipsed double figures, with Livingston adding eight assists in 20 minutes to aid Curry in the backup point guard role. The Warriors will continue to chase history when they visit the Los Angeles Lakers (12 - 50) on Sunday. The Thunder were demoralized and tired after giving up a 20 - plus point lead to the Clippers on Wednesday, but the theme of Billy Donovan\u2019s squad since returning from the all - star break has been weak fourth quarter play. Oklahoma City was able to put together some brilliant scoring runs, and had the Warriors down double figures late in the third quarter, but the aforementioned defensive miscues and cold shooting from their superstars late in the game resulted in dropping two straight games against high quality opponents. The box score reflects three strong performances from Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka. Durant fell one assist shy of a triple - double, scoring 32 points, to go along with 10 rebounds and nine assists on 11 - of - 17 shooting. In fact, Durant was additionally one turnover shy of a quadruple - double, as his nine errors were a rarity. Westbrook totaled 22 points, six boards and seven assists, while Ibaka 20 points and six rebounds. Ibaka played high IQ basketball, and was in the right place at the right time throughout most of the game, bailing out Durant and Westbrook when their shots would not fall, however, it was far from enough to stop the Warriors scoring runs in the fourth quarter. The Thunder have dropped to 4 - 6 in their last 10 games. Oklahoma City will look to bounce back when they visit Milwaukee Bucks (25 - 36) on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "22", "Mavericks": "21"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "115", "Mavericks": "104"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Rockets": "36"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Rockets": "14", "Mavericks": "29"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Rockets": "31", "Mavericks": "19"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "24", "Mavericks": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"Chandler Parsons": "3", "Raymond Felton": "2", "Trevor Ariza": "2", "James Harden": "10", "Patrick Beverley": "4", "Josh Smith": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "6", "Trevor Ariza": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chandler Parsons": "5", "Trevor Ariza": "6", "Josh Smith": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "15", "Dirk Nowitzki": "13", "Salah Mejri": "6", "Raymond Felton": "10", "Trevor Ariza": "15", "James Harden": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Chandler Parsons": "10", "Dirk Nowitzki": "7", "Salah Mejri": "4", "Raymond Felton": "6", "Trevor Ariza": "11", "James Harden": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "9", "Salah Mejri": "2", "James Harden": "6", "Josh Smith": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Chandler Parsons": "6", "Salah Mejri": "2", "James Harden": "6", "Josh Smith": "2"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "31", "Dirk Nowitzki": "19", "Salah Mejri": "10", "Raymond Felton": "16", "Trevor Ariza": "29", "James Harden": "23", "Patrick Beverley": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Chandler Parsons": "6", "Dirk Nowitzki": "3", "Salah Mejri": "11", "Raymond Felton": "8", "Trevor Ariza": "3", "James Harden": "15", "Patrick Beverley": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "27", "Salah Mejri": "29", "Raymond Felton": "34", "Trevor Ariza": "39"}, "Blocks": {"Salah Mejri": "3", "James Harden": "2", "Josh Smith": "2"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Ariza": "3", "Josh Smith": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Josh Smith": "2"}}], "The Houston Rockets (24 - 22) defeated the visiting Dallas Mavericks (25 - 21) 115 - 104 at Toyota Center on Sunday. Houston picked up right where they left off as they jumped out to a quick start in this one. Trevor Ariza fuelled the Rockets' 36 - point first quarter by scoring 16 points on 6 - 7 shooting from the field, including 4 - 5 from long range. The Mavericks turned things around in the second quarter, outscoring the Rockets 29 - 14, to take the lead 58 - 50 going into halftime, however they let their lead slip to 85 - 84 by the end of the third quarter. In the fourth the Rockets took over for good. They out - scored the Mavs 31 - 19 in the fourth, with eight of those points coming from recent re - acquisition Josh Smith. Houston has now won two straight, coinciding with the return of Josh Smith. Patrick Beverley made his return to the starting lineup after he missed a couple of games with a sprained ankle. Beverley finished with seven points, nine rebounds and four assists, in 30 minutes. Trevor Ariza was huge for the Rockets as he dropped 29 points (11 - 15 FG, 6 - 9 3Pt), along with three rebounds, three steals and two assists, in 39 minutes. James Harden recorded a triple - double with 23 points (7 - 18 FG, 310 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT), 15 rebounds and 10 assists, along with two blocked shots, in 35 minutes. Dwight Howard sat this one out with a sprained ankle. Chandler Parsons continued his strong play as of late, with 31 points (10 - 15 FG, 5 - 6 3Pt, 6 - 9 FT), six rebounds and three assists, in 35 minutes. Parsons has been a different animal lately as his scoring average in the last four games is about 17 points higher than it was through the first 40 games. Dirk Nowitzki put up 19 points (7 - 13 FG) and three rebounds, in 27 minutes. Raymond Felton played well in 34 minutes off the bench, finishing with 16 points (6 - 10 FG), eight rebounds and two assists. The Mavs went with a different look at the center position in this one, with Salah Mejri starting in place of Zaza Pachulia (leg). Mejri faired well as he tallied 10 points (4 - 6 FG, 2 - 2 FT), 11 rebounds and three blocked shots, in 29 minutes. The Mavericks have now lost two straight games. They will look to turn things around in L.A. on Tuesday when they play the Lakers. The Rockets will begin a three - game road trip in New Orleans on Monday. They will look to extend their win streak but will be faced with the challenge of playing on the second night of a back - to - back."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "20", "Raptors": "18"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "101", "Raptors": "99"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "27", "Raptors": "28"}}, {"Points": {"Norman Powell": "21", "Kyle Lowry": "29", "Marc Gasol": "42"}, "Rebounds": {"Norman Powell": "5", "Marc Gasol": "7"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "8"}}], "The host Memphis Grizzlies narrowly beat the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, 101 - 99. Memphis (27 - 20) earned a much - needed win on Wednesday, as it had dropped four of its last six contests heading into the game. The Grizzlies were able to prevail against a tough competitor, however, on the backs of strong play from center Marc Gasol. Gasol scored a career - high 42 points including 19 in the first quarter, and also pulled down seven rebounds. The veteran big man shot 14 - of - 25 and hit five three - pointers, effectively keeping the team's shooting afloat while the remainder of the roster had somewhat of an off night. Memphis also caught a bit of a break at the free - throw line, where Toronto made just 11 - of - 19 on the night. Toronto (28 - 18) has now lost five straight and is just half of a game ahead of Boston for second in the Eastern Conference. Part of the team's struggles has been the absence of star guard DeMar DeRozan (ankle), who missed action again on Wednesday. Guard Norman Powell provided stellar offense in his stead, scoring 21 points with five rebounds. Point guard Kyle Lowry led the team, scoring 29 and dishing eight assists. The team struggled to find its shot, however, hitting just 42 percent on the night. Containing Marc Gasol proved difficult for the Raptors as well, particularly out of the break. The team gave up two Gasol-led scoring runs at the start of each half. Toronto will host the Bucks on Friday, while the Grizzlies will visit Portland."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "52"}, "Losses": {"Timberwolves": "39", "Celtics": "25"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "124", "Celtics": "122"}, "Rebounds": {"Timberwolves": "51", "Celtics": "38"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "18", "Celtics": "33"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Celtics": "38"}}, {"Assists": {"Jae Crowder": "3", "Marcus Smart": "7", "Ricky Rubio": "8"}, "Points": {"Jae Crowder": "27", "Marcus Smart": "17", "Gorgui Dieng": "17", "Ricky Rubio": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Jae Crowder": "9", "Marcus Smart": "4", "Gorgui Dieng": "12", "Ricky Rubio": "8"}, "Steals": {"Marcus Smart": "4"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (18 - 39) defeated the Boston Celtics (33 - 25) 124 - 122 on Monday. Minnesota got out to an eight - point lead after the first quarter and that set a nice precedent for the rest of the game. They key for the Wolves was the shooting and rebounding, as they shot 52 percent from the field and outrebounded the Celtics 51 to 38. The three - point shooing was unconscious as well, with the Timberwolves going 8 - for - 15 from long distance. The Celtics actually made a furious comeback late by scoring 14 points in the final 100 seconds, but fell just shy by missing a three - point opportunity at the buzzer to win. Boston has low lost three of their last five, with all three losses coming to teams under .500. Jae Crowder played well in this game though, as he amassed 27 points, nine rebounds and three assists in the loss. Marcus Smart gave the team a nice spark off the bench, as he recorded 17 points, seven assists, four rebounds and four steals in an effort - filled performance off the bench. The Celtics next game will be on Thursday, when they play the Milwaukee Bucks. Minnesota got one of their best team performances of the season here against one of the best all - around teams in the NBA. All five starters scored in double figures in the win, with the two big men dominating. Karl Anthony-Towns totaled 28 points, 13 rebounds and four assists, while Gorgui Deng amassed 17 points and 12 rebounds of his own. Ricky Rubio flirted with a triple - double, as he accumulated 15 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in the victory. Minnesota will look to keep things rolling on Wednesday against the Toronto Raptors."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "34", "Cavaliers": "22"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "93", "Cavaliers": "102"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pistons": "12", "Cavaliers": "24"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "23", "Cavaliers": "36"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "11", "Reggie Jackson": "9"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "19", "Iman Shumpert": "8", "Tayshaun Prince": "7", "Reggie Jackson": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "7", "Tayshaun Prince": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "8"}, "Turnovers": {"LeBron James": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Iman Shumpert": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Iman Shumpert": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Kendrick Perkins": "2", "Tayshaun Prince": "31"}, "Steals": {"Tayshaun Prince": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (36 - 22) defeated the Detroit Pistons (23 - 34) 102 - 93 on Tuesday at The Palace of Auburn Hills. The Pistons led by nine at the half, but the Cavaliers doubled them up in the third quarter 24 - 12 to take the advantage. Detroit was stuck on 78 points for just five minutes in the fourth quarter as Cleveland began to salt the game away. These two teams will wrap up their season series on April 13th in Cleveland. Cleveland had its first truly competitive game since the All-Star break, but still managed to win by nine points. LeBron James had another strong outing with 19 points, 11 assists, and seven rebounds, but also had nine turnovers. Iman Shumpert played significant minutes, but managed just eight points on 2 - of - 10 shooting from the field. Kendrick Perkins saw his first minutes as a Cavalier on Tuesday, although he was only on the floor for two minutes. The Cavaliers have a marquee matchup Thursday when they play host to the Warriors. Detroit lost for the first time since the break after beating Chicago and Washington in its return to action. Reggie Jackson continued his excellent play as a Piston with 22 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds. Tayshaun Prince made his Pistons return Tuesday and contributed seven points, four rebounds, and two steals over 31 minutes. Detroit will return to the floor Friday when it plays host to New York."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "55"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Jeff Teague": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "34", "Mirza Teletovic": "17"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "20", "Malcolm Brogdon": "17", "Greg Monroe": "17", "Mirza Teletovic": "19", "Paul George": "13", "Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1", "Jeff Teague": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul George": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul George": "11", "Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul George": "4", "Jeff Teague": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Paul George": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jeff Teague": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Jeff Teague": "1"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers miraculously shot the exact same 35 - of - 73 from the field, while the Bucks did a significantly better job from long range in order to gain the advantage in the contest. The Bucks hit a season high 17 three - pointers, on only 31 attempts, to achieve a success rate of 55 percent. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way for the Bucks, with 20 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds, two blocks and one steal, in 34 minutes. the Bucks got a superb 55 - point contribution from their bench, as Mirza Teletovic chipped in 19, while Greg Monroe and Malcolm Brogdon added 17 each. Meanwhile, the Pacers struggled from the field, as Paul George finished with only 13 points on 4 - of - 11 shooting. Jeff Teague took only two shot attempts and hit one of them, as he finished with two points in the contest."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "29", "Celtics": "35"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "98", "Celtics": "104"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pelicans": "21"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "33", "Celtics": "25"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Celtics": "20"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Jae Crowder": "37", "Isaiah Thomas": "29", "Anthony Davis": "42"}, "Points": {"Jae Crowder": "11", "Isaiah Thomas": "27", "Anthony Davis": "29", "Eric Gordon": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Jae Crowder": "9"}, "Steals": {"Jae Crowder": "4", "Anthony Davis": "1"}, "Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "3"}}], "The Boston Celtics (25 - 35) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (33 - 29) 104 - 98 on Friday. Isaiah Thomas relished his bench role with the Phoenix Suns, and he continues to embrace it as member of the Boston Celtics. Thomas dropped 27 points in 29 minutes against the Pelicans in New Orleans. He helped his team to a 3 - 2 record over their last five games, averaging 21 points and 5 assists in that time. Jae Crowder was placed into the starting lineup due to the injury to Avery Bradley's elbow. Crowder finished with 11 points, nine rebounds and four steals in 37 minutes, and gave his team immense energy without committing a foul. The Celtics are still just a few games out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Anthony Davis does it all for his team, and that trend continued Friday with him recording 29 points, 14 points, two assists and one steal in 42 minutes. He also added to his all - time franchise record with three blocked shots. Eric Gordon did his best to help out Davis but his 20 points were n't enough to defend their home court against the Celtics. New Orlean's point guards Tyreke Evans and Norris Cole combined for 12 turnovers, which proved to be very costly in the end. The Pelicans are the first team on the outside looking in at the Western Conference playoff picture. New Orleans will host the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday and the Celtics will take on the Orlando Magic on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "20"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "39"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "6", "Bulls": "4"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "77", "Bulls": "85"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "7", "Bulls": "8"}, "Turnovers": {"Bulls": "8"}}, {"Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "20", "Dwyane Wade": "18", "Rudy Gobert": "16"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "15", "Rudy Gobert": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "3", "Rudy Gobert": "7"}}], "The visiting Chicago Bulls earned a narrow 85 - 77 win over the host Utah Jazz on Thursday. In a rare weak night on the boards, Chicago (8 - 4) posted a two - rebound deficit to the Jazz. This seemingly made no difference, however, as the Bulls were able to lock the Jazz down on the perimeter. Chicago held Utah to just 39 percent from the field and 20 percent from three - point range. All-Star Jimmy Butler once again led the team in scoring, posting 20 points. Veteran Dwyane Wade also had a strong scoring night, posting 18 points. Chicago was extremely careful with the ball, committing only eight turnovers on the night. The Jazz (7 - 6), meanwhile, received bad news before the game, as reports broke that star forward Derrick Favors will likely miss extended time with a knee injury. Starting point guard George Hill was also forced to miss the game with a thumb injury. Favors' scoring would have been of use for Utah on Thursday, as the team struggled mightily on the offensive end. Star small forward Gordon Hayward struggled in particular, going just 3 - of - 15 from the field. Center Rudy Gobert led the team in scoring with 16 points on an efficient 7 - of - 9 shooting. Both teams will be on the road Saturday, with the Bulls facing the Clippers and the Jazz seeing the Rockets."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "40", "Mavericks": "51"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "7", "Mavericks": "3"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "80", "Mavericks": "107"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hornets": "18"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "4", "Mavericks": "8"}}, {"3-pointer percentage": {"Chandler Parsons": "44"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Chandler Parsons": "50"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "4", "Monta Ellis": "6", "Gerald Henderson": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Chandler Parsons": "3", "Monta Ellis": "4", "Gerald Henderson": "1"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "17", "Monta Ellis": "18", "Jameer Nelson": "11", "Gerald Henderson": "18", "Al Jefferson": "6", "Kemba Walker": "11", "Jannero Pargo": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Chandler Parsons": "9", "Monta Ellis": "2", "Gerald Henderson": "5", "Al Jefferson": "5"}, "Assists": {"Monta Ellis": "2", "Jameer Nelson": "8"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Monta Ellis": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Monta Ellis": "2", "Jameer Nelson": "4", "Gerald Henderson": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Monta Ellis": "0", "Jameer Nelson": "3", "Gerald Henderson": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Monta Ellis": "17", "Jameer Nelson": "6", "Gerald Henderson": "14", "Al Jefferson": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Monta Ellis": "7", "Jameer Nelson": "4", "Gerald Henderson": "8", "Al Jefferson": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Monta Ellis": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Devin Harris": "10", "Jannero Pargo": "18"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (8 - 3) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (4 - 7) 107 - 80 on Monday at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte. With the victory, the Mavericks won their fourth consecutive game, inching them closer to the top of a stacked Southwest Division. They out - scored the Hornets 67 - 43 in the first half, giving them a comfortable lead to coast out the second half. They also were able to shoot 51 percent from the floor, compared to the Hornets who shot only 40 percent, which also helped contribute to the 27 - point victory. The Mavericks had all five starters score in double - figures. Monta Ellis led the charge with 18 points (7 - 17 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT), while also contributing two assists. He's now shot a combined 18 - for - 38 from the field for 48 points in the last two games. Chandler Parsons came one rebound shy of recording his first double - double of the season, as he contributed 17 points and nine rebounds, while shooting 50 percent from the floor and 44 percent from the three - point line. Jameer Nelson also found his stroke, shooting 4 - for - 6 from the field and 3 - for - 4 from beyond the arc to finish with 11 points and eight assists. Devin Harris had to leave the game after only 10 minutes with lower leg soreness. The Hornets were led by Gerald Henderson, who scored 18 points (8 - 14 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT) and grabbed five rebounds, after being pushed into the starting lineup. It was a season - high for Henderson, as he had n't reached double figures yet this year. Kemba Walker had the next highest scoring output with 11 points. He's now averaging 15 points and 5 assists on the season. Al Jefferson really struggled offensively, as he went 3 - for - 12 from the field to score only six points, while adding five rebounds. This was the first time he failed to reach double figures in scoring all year. Jannero Pargo was the lone bright spot off the bench, as he scored 11 points in 18 minutes. The Mavericks' next game will be on the road against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, while the Hornets will travel to Indiana to play the Pacers on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "32", "Bulls": "32"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "109", "Bulls": "95"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pistons": "30", "Bulls": "16"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "31", "Bulls": "31"}}, {"Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "4", "Cameron Payne": "3", "Reggie Jackson": "6"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "27", "Robin Lopez": "18", "Cameron Payne": "14", "Marcus Morris": "13", "Reggie Jackson": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "9", "Robin Lopez": "4", "Cameron Payne": "3", "Marcus Morris": "6", "Jon Leuer": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Reggie Jackson": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Reggie Jackson": "11"}}], "The Detroit Pistons defeated the Chicago Bulls, 109 - 95, at Palace of Auburn Hills on Monday. Despite Chicago leading for the majority of the first three quarters, Detroit made this look like a blowout in the fourth. In fact, Chicago rode a 30 - 16 fourth quarter to a 14 - point win, despite trailing by 12 after the first quarter. Rebounding was a huge factor, with the Pistons winning that battle, 48 - 37. They also took care of the ball, recording five more assists than Chicago, while committing four less turnovers. A 58 - 32 scoring in the paint advantage was huge for Detroit as well. The Bulls (31 - 32) had to play this game without Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo, as they simply did n't have enough bullets in the arsenal for this matchup. Jimmy Butler carried the load, as he collected 27 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Robin Lopez finished second on the team, totaling 18 points and four rebounds, while Cameron Payne was the only other Bull with more than 10 points, as he provided 14 points, three rebounds and three assists off the bench. On deck for Chicago is a road matchup with the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. The Pistons (31 - 32) need to win some games to maintain the eight - seed in the East and a comeback like this can only give them momentum going forward. Reggie Jackson was the hero, as he scored 24 of his team - leading 26 points in the second half to spark the comeback. He also handed out six assists, while going 11 - of - 16 from the field. Jon Leuer finished with 16 points and six rebounds, while Marcus Morris amassed 13 points and six rebounds of his own. Tobias Harris and Aron Baynes combined for 25 points, 15 rebounds and five assists coming off the bench. Detroit will be on the road for their next game, as they play the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday."], [[{"Total points": {"Spurs": "108", "Thunder": "94"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "35"}}, {"Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "14", "Kawhi Leonard": "4"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "27", "Kawhi Leonard": "36", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "6", "Kawhi Leonard": "8", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "8"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 108 - 94 Tuesday at AT & T Center. The Spurs avoided suffering from their first three - game losing streak in almost a year in pretty dominant fashion, as they opened with a big opening period and adopted a bend - but - don't - break mentality the rest of the way. San Antonio was carried by a pair of stellar performances from their stars in the frontcourt, with Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge shining from start to finish. Leonard finished with a game - high 36 points on top of eight rebounds and four assists, while LaMarcus Aldridge shot 8 - of - 15 from the field en route to scoring 25 points and grabbing six rebounds of his own. With the pair accounting for over half of the Spurs' points Tuesday night, no other San Antonio players managed to score in double figures, but six managed to score at least six points. For the Thunder, they could n't overcome a slow start to the game and one of their poorest shooting performances of the season. Overall as a team, Oklahoma City shot just 35 percent from the field and 25 percent from beyond the arc. Russell Westbrook managed to lead the way with a team - high 27 points on top of 14 assists and six rebounds, while the starting frontcourt of Steven Adams and Domantas Sabonis each recorded their own double - doubles, combining for 29 points and 22 rebounds. The Thunder have now dropped two straight against two of the NBA's best teams by a combined 30 points. Up next, the Spurs will remain home Thursday to take on the 76ers, while the Thunder will head home Wednesday and play the Bulls."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "33", "Raptors": "13"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "109", "Raptors": "119"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "8", "Raptors": "28"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "53"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "52"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMarre Carroll": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "6", "Cory Joseph": "4", "Terrence Ross": "2", "Fred VanVleet": "2", "Trevor Booker": "2", "Brook Lopez": "2", "Caris LeVert": "4", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "3"}, "Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "9", "Jonas Valanciunas": "7", "DeMar DeRozan": "36", "Cory Joseph": "33", "Terrence Ross": "15", "Fred VanVleet": "10", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "11", "Trevor Booker": "8", "Brook Lopez": "28", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "5", "Caris LeVert": "14", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarre Carroll": "3", "Jonas Valanciunas": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "11", "Cory Joseph": "4", "Terrence Ross": "4", "Fred VanVleet": "4", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "3", "Caris LeVert": "3", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "8"}, "Steals": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Terrence Ross": "1", "Fred VanVleet": "2", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "1", "Caris LeVert": "2", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Cory Joseph": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Cory Joseph": "15"}, "Blocks": {"Terrence Ross": "2", "Trevor Booker": "1", "Brook Lopez": "2", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Fred VanVleet": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Fred VanVleet": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Joe Harris": "18", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "26"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 119 - 109, at Barclays Center on Tuesday. The Raptors (28 - 13) opted to give Kyle Lowry the night off to rest assorted bumps and bruises that he'd recently endured, thrusting the capable Cory Joseph into the starting five. The talented point guard responded in fine fashion, checking second on the Raptors with 33 points, which he supplemented with four assists and four rebounds. Joseph shot an outstanding 15 - of - 22 from the field, more than making up for the absence of the All-Star-caliber player he replaced. His contributions, combined with those of DeMar DeRozan, spearheaded an offensive effort that saw Toronto tally a 52 percent success rate from the field, and an even more impressive 53 percent mark from three - point range. The Raptors were actually led by DeRozan, who went for 36 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and a steal. With Tuesday's production, he becomes the only other player besides Vince Carter in franchise history to register a total of 20 games with 30 more more points in a season. The only other two double - digit scoring efforts came from the bench in form of Terrence Ross, who led the second unit with 15 points and added four rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal, and Fred VanVleet, who posted 10 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals. DeMarre Carroll generated nine points, three boards, an assist and a pair of steals. Jonas Valanciunas produced a modest seven points but hauled in 10 rebounds. Brook Lopez's 28 points led the Nets (8 - 33), and he complemented the total with eight boards, two assists and two blocks. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was next with 14 points, eight boards, three assists, a steal and a block in 26 minutes off the bench. The emerging Caris LeVert followed with 14 points of his own, along with four assists, three rebounds and two steals in a reserve role as well. Bojan Bogdanovic was the only other member of the first unit with double digits in the scoring column, as he supplied 11 points, along with three boards and a steal. Trevor Booker pitched in with eight points, eight rebounds, two assists and a block. Spencer Dinwiddie could only muster five points, while Joe Harris notably went scoreless over 18 minutes. It was more of a successful night for the Nets' second unit, as they combined for 57 points overall. The Raptors head to Philadelphia to tangle with the Sixers on Wednesday night, while the Nets head to New Orleans to face the Pelicans on Friday night."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Mavericks": "9", "Grizzlies": "16"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "20", "Grizzlies": "36"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "29", "Grizzlies": "40"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "9", "Grizzlies": "5"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "64", "Grizzlies": "80"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Mavericks": "12"}, "Turnovers": {"Mavericks": "17", "Grizzlies": "12"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "2", "Grizzlies": "7"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Chandler Parsons": "23", "Jonathan Gibson": "20"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "12", "Marc Gasol": "11", "Zach Randolph": "10", "Harrison Barnes": "15", "Seth Curry": "11", "Jonathan Gibson": "11"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "3", "Zach Randolph": "3", "Seth Curry": "2", "Jonathan Gibson": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "3", "Zach Randolph": "8", "Harrison Barnes": "7", "Seth Curry": "4", "Jonathan Gibson": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Harrison Barnes": "5"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the host Dallas Mavericks, 80 - 64, at American Airlines Center on Friday. In a battle between two offensively inept teams, this scoreline looks more like a college score than an NBA one. Dallas really struggled offensively, as they shot 29 percent from the field and 20 percent from three - point range. The Mavericks were actually held to just 22 points between the second and third quarters, which is easily the lowest two - quarter stretch of any team this season. Memphis was n't much better, as they shot 40 percent from the field and 36 percent from three - point range. The assist - to - turnover ratio was huge as well, with Memphis recording 16 assists and 12 turnovers, while Dallas committed 17 turnovers to just nine assists. Memphis (7 - 5) put on a defensive display for the ages here, as they slowed this game down to a crawl. While no player scored more than 12 points, they had eight players score at least six in their win. Chandler Parsons led the team in scoring, as he dropped 12 points in 23 minutes of action in what was a revenge game for the former Maverick. Marc Gasol was the only other starter in double figures, totaling 11 points, three rebounds and three assists. Zach Randolph was a nice spark off the bench, amassing 10 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Memphis will return to action on Saturday, when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves for their next game. Dallas (2 - 9) is dealing with as many injuries as anyone right now, but there's no excuse for 64 points in an NBA game. Harrison Barnes led the team in scoring, as he totaled 15 points and seven rebounds on 5 - of - 17 shooting. Seth Curry was the only other starter in double figures, tallying 11 points, four rebounds and two assists. Jonathan Gibson led the bench in scoring in his first game with the Mavs, dropping 11 points, four rebounds and three assists in 20 minutes of action. Dallas will look to play better on Saturday, when they travel to Orlando to face the Magic."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "36", "Suns": "41"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "90", "Suns": "75"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "43", "Suns": "39"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Markieff Morris": "12", "Eric Bledsoe": "19", "Anthony Davis": "12", "Eric Gordon": "14", "Tyreke Evans": "14", "Dante Cunningham": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Markieff Morris": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "7", "Anthony Davis": "7", "Eric Gordon": "6", "Tyreke Evans": "6", "Dante Cunningham": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Markieff Morris": "29", "PJ Tucker": "33", "Eric Bledsoe": "39", "Anthony Davis": "23", "Omer Asik": "22", "Dante Cunningham": "31"}, "Points": {"Markieff Morris": "12", "PJ Tucker": "12", "Eric Bledsoe": "19", "Anthony Davis": "19", "Omer Asik": "3", "Eric Gordon": "15", "Tyreke Evans": "14", "Dante Cunningham": "12", "Norris Cole": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "11", "Anthony Davis": "9", "Omer Asik": "18", "Dante Cunningham": "9"}, "Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "7", "Anthony Davis": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Eric Bledsoe": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Anthony Davis": "5"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (43 - 36) defeated the Phoenix Suns (39 - 41) 90 - 75 on Friday in New Orleans. It was n't pretty, but the Pelicans were still able to pull out a much - needed win as the regular season winds down. Anthony Davis left the game in the second quarter after suffering a throat contusion and missed nearly half the game before returning. Despite the injury, Davis was still able to post 19 points (7 - 12 FG, 5 - 11 FT), nine rebounds and four assists in 23 minutes. Omar Asik made up for the rebounding hole Davis left when he was out of the game, as he grabbed 18 rebounds in just 22 minutes, but only managed to score 3 points. Eric Gordon and Tyreke Evans each shot 6 - of - 14 from the field and scored 15 and 14 points respectively. Dante Cunningham had a solid outing off the bench, shooting 6 - of - 8 from the field en route to 12 points and nine rebounds in 31 minutes. Norris Cole (12) was the only other New Orleans player to score in double figures. The victory keeps the Pelicans' playoff hopes alive, as they are currently tied for, and hold the tiebreaker over, the Oklahoma City Thunder for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Contrarily, the Phoenix Suns have been officially eliminated from playoff contention and do n't have much to play for as the regular season comes close to its end. Eric Bledsoe has had a rough final stretch of the season, but managed 19 points (7 - 19 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt) and seven assists in 39 minutes. Markieff Morris posted a double - double of 12 points (5 - 12 FG) and 11 rebounds in 29 minutes, while P.J. Tucker was the third and final Sun to score in double figures, scoring 12 points in 33 minutes. Up next, the Pelicans will travel to Houston for a tough matchup with the Rockets on Sunday, while Suns head to San Antonio Sunday to take on the Spurs."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "42", "Nuggets": "11"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "54", "Nuggets": "38"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "19", "Nuggets": "16"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "110", "Nuggets": "82"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "9", "Nuggets": "12"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Arron Afflalo": "3", "Ty Lawson": "3", "Kemba Walker": "5", "Gary Neal": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Arron Afflalo": "0", "Ty Lawson": "2", "Kemba Walker": "2", "Gary Neal": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Arron Afflalo": "12", "Ty Lawson": "15", "Al Jefferson": "13", "Kemba Walker": "12", "Gary Neal": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Arron Afflalo": "4", "Ty Lawson": "8", "Al Jefferson": "10", "Kemba Walker": "5", "Gary Neal": "5"}, "Points": {"Arron Afflalo": "9", "Ty Lawson": "18", "Alonzo Gee": "15", "Al Jefferson": "22", "Kemba Walker": "18", "Gary Neal": "13", "PJ Hairston": "10"}, "Assists": {"Ty Lawson": "4", "Kemba Walker": "9"}, "Turnovers": {"Ty Lawson": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Alonzo Gee": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Alonzo Gee": "2", "Al Jefferson": "7", "PJ Hairston": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Kemba Walker": "6"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (9 - 19) defeated the Denver Nuggets (12 - 16) 110 - 82 on Monday at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte. The Hornets came out firing in this game early, out - scoring the Nuggets 58 - 40 in the first half. They were able to play stellar defense all night, holding the Nuggets under 20 points in both the first and third quarters. They were also able to keep the Nuggets shooting percentage to only 38 percent from the field and 11 percent from the three - point line, while shooting 54 percent from the field and 42 percent from beyond the arc themselves. The Hornets were led by Al Jefferson, who shot 10 - for - 13 from the field to score 22 points, while also bringing in seven rebounds. He continues to be the team's most consistent player, as he's averaging 19 points and 8 rebounds on the year. Kemba Walker also had a solid all - around game. He came one assist shy of a double - double, as he recorded 18 points (5 - 12 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) and nine assists. He's averaging 24 points over the last five games, as his offensive output has really increased recently. The Hornets also got plenty of production off the bench. Gary Neal shot 5 - for - 8 from the floor and 1 - for - 1 from the three - point line to score 13 points, while PJ Hairston recorded his first double - double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds. The Nuggets had a tough night offensively Monday. Ty Lawson was one of the lone bright spots, as he went 8 - for - 15 from the floor and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 18 points. Despite averaging 10 assists on the season, he only had four in this one, and ended his five game streak of recording 10 or more assists. Alonzo Gee was the only other Nugget to reach double figures in points, as he finished with a surprising 15 - point performance off the bench. It was a season - high for Gee, who's only scored more than 10 points in two other games this season. Arron Afflalo did n't have his best night from the field, as he went only 4 - for - 12 from the field and 0 - for - 3 from the three - point line to finish with nine points. The Hornets' next game will be on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday, while the Nuggets will travel to Brooklyn to play the Nets on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "27", "Cavaliers": "13"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "124", "Cavaliers": "122"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "18", "Cavaliers": "30"}}, {"Points": {"LeBron James": "26", "Kevin Love": "22", "Kyrie Irving": "49", "Jrue Holiday": "33"}, "Assists": {"Jrue Holiday": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Jrue Holiday": "2"}, "Steals": {"Jrue Holiday": "3"}}], "Despite the absence of star Anthony Davis, 49 points from Kyrie Irving, and a triple - double from LeBron James, the host New Orleans Pelicans shocked the reigning champion Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday, 124 - 122. The Pelicans (18 - 27) bounced back from a 29 - point home loss to the league - worst Brooklyn Nets on Friday in a surprising manner, beating the defending champions despite the absence of their best player. Despite Davis (knee) sitting on the bench, New Orleans came out incredibly strong in the first half, establishing a 20 - point lead by halftime. Point guard Jrue Holiday and Terrence Jones shot a combined 17 - of - 19 in the half and scored 22 points each. Jones finished with a team - high 36 to go with 11 rebounds, two steals and three blocks. Holiday, meanwhile, scored 33 with 10 assists, three steals, and two blocks. Although the game proved to be a tale of two halves, New Orleans managed to hold on to its lead for the entirety of the game, despite the close final score. The Cavaliers (30 - 13) may be looking for answers after an unexpected outcome in New Orleans. The Eastern Conference's top team is now 5 - 6 in its last 11 games and is trending downwards despite strong play from its stars. It would have been hard for Cleveland's big three to perform much better than they did on Monday, as Kyrie Irving scored 49 points, the third - highest mark of his career. LeBron James scored 26 and finished with a triple - double, and Kevin Love finished with 22 points and 15 rebounds. In the end, it was weak bench play that sunk the defending champs. The Cavs' second unit combined for just 13 points on the night. Cleveland will host Sacramento on Wednesday, while New Orleans will host the Oklahoma City Thunder."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "14", "Lakers": "27"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "104", "Lakers": "112"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "18", "Lakers": "6"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Lakers": "47"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Lakers": "24"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Kobe Bryant": "2"}, "Points": {"Kobe Bryant": "15", "Jordan Clarkson": "24", "Isaiah Thomas": "24", "Evan Turner": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Kobe Bryant": "11"}, "Assists": {"Evan Turner": "8"}}], "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, wouldn\u2019t 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\u2019s 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 couldn\u2019t 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."], [[{"Wins": {"Heat": "7"}}, {"Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "5"}, "Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "28", "Goran Dragic": "18", "Maurice Harkless": "17", "CJ McCollum": "17", "Allen Crabbe": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "16", "Goran Dragic": "9"}, "Assists": {"Goran Dragic": "8"}}], "This was only the second time the Blazers did n't get at least 50 points from C.J. McCollum and Damian Lillard, but they rode a team - effort to a comeback win. Portland actually finished the game on a 14 - 1 run to win by seven. That spread ended up being a bad beat for those who bet it, as the Blazers came into this game as a six - point favorite. Hassan Whiteside and Goran Dragic carried the load for the Heat, as they led the team in scoring. Whiteside finished with 28 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks, while Dragic accumulated 18 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Miami were super shallow, as they played only seven players significant minutes and eight in total. Despite Lillard and McCollum not reaching 50, they did score 36 on a combined 13 - of - 37 shooting. Allen Crabbe and Maurice Harkless were big, as Harkless scored 17, while Crabbed dropped 16 points of his own."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "15", "Celtics": "13"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hornets": "33", "Celtics": "21"}, "Turnovers": {"Hornets": "10"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "6", "Celtics": "7"}}, {"Points": {"Jeff Green": "16", "Tyler Zeller": "13", "Rajon Rondo": "12", "Marcus Thornton": "16", "Al Jefferson": "23", "Lance Stephenson": "13", "Kemba Walker": "18", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyler Zeller": "8", "Rajon Rondo": "10", "Marcus Thornton": "2", "Al Jefferson": "14", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "6"}, "Assists": {"Rajon Rondo": "10", "Kemba Walker": "7"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Marcus Thornton": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Marcus Thornton": "2", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Marcus Thornton": "19", "Al Jefferson": "36", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Al Jefferson": "9", "Lance Stephenson": "6", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Lance Stephenson": "14"}, "Free throws made": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "3"}}], "The Hornets (6 - 15) used a third quarter run to send the Celtics (7 - 13) to their second consecutive loss. Charlotte, which has won two straight after dropping 10 in a row, outscored the Celtics 33 - 21 in the third quarter, opened the period on a 14 - 6 run, taking a 54 - 51 lead on a Gerald Henderson three - pointer with 7:37 remaining. The lead reached double - digits near the end of the third, but the Celtics battled back in the fourth quarter, pulling within two on a Marcus Thornton jumper with less than five minutes to play. However, Charlotte responded with nine straight points, all of which came courtesy of Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson, to put the game away. Jefferson led all scorers with 23 points and 14 rebounds in 36 minutes. Walker finished with 18 points and seven assists, and Lance Stephenson had 13 points on 6 - of - 14 shooting. After missing 12 games with a leg injury, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist returned to action, scoring nine points to go with six rebounds in 19 minutes. Rajon Rondo led Boston with his second triple - double in three games, putting up 12 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Jeff Green added 16 points, and Tyler Zeller added 13 to go with eight boards. Thornton finished with 16 points in 19 minutes off the bench."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "17", "Thunder": "13"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "92", "Thunder": "111"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "5", "Thunder": "10"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Steven Adams": "29"}, "Points": {"Steven Adams": "16", "Russell Westbrook": "34", "Andrew Wiggins": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Steven Adams": "11"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "18"}, "Personal fouls": {"Andrew Wiggins": "3"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (10 - 13) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (5 - 17) 111 - 92 on Friday. Oklahoma City has rattled off five wins in a row, and any concerns about the Thunder being at risk of missing the playoffs due to their slow start to the season have been erased. Kevin Durant remains on a minutes limit, but in the minutes he is playing, Durant has been his typical dominant and aggressive self. Russell Westbrook paced the team Friday, finishing with a game - high 34 points. Steven Adams had his best game of the season, putting up a double - double of 16 points and 11 rebounds in 29 minutes. The Thunder will try to extend their winning streak when they host the Phoenix Suns on Sunday. Minnesota has lost seven of their last eight games. They shocked the world Wednesday when they were able to steal a win from the Portland Trail Blazers 90 - 82. The Timberwolves continue to try and navigate the season with an injury - depleted roster that is missing three of their starters. Ricky Rubio (ankle), Kevin Martin (wrist) and Nikola Pekovic (wrist) are all expected to be out about another month, and Mo Williams has n't made much progress in his bid to return from back spasms. Andrew Wiggins has scored 18 or more points in three straight games, and he'll have to continue producing if the team wants to have a prayer at collecting wins. They'll get a bit of a reprieve Sunday when they host the beatable Los Angeles Lakers."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "35", "Warriors": "6"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "112", "Warriors": "130"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "34", "Warriors": "62"}}, {"Personal fouls": {"Klay Thompson": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Klay Thompson": "3"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "10", "Dirk Nowitzki": "4"}, "Points": {"Stephen Curry": "31", "Dirk Nowitzki": "24", "David Lee": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Stephen Curry": "9", "Dirk Nowitzki": "9", "David Lee": "16"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (62 - 6) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (34 - 35) 130 - 112 on Friday. The recent form of these teams would have indicated this result, as these two are going in opposite directions. While the score looks lopsided, the game was close throughout and it was a late run by the Warriors that really opened up the scoreline. The three - point shooting was the key for Golden State, as they went 22 - for - 38 from long distance. The Warriors continue to win games and the Splash Brothers did what they did best tonight. Klay Thompson and Steph Curry combined for 70 points, while hitting 16 three's. Curry actually flirted with a triple - double, as he finished with 31 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds in the win. Up next for Golden State is one of the games of the season, as they travel to Texas to face the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday. Dallas has now lost seven of their last eight and they are close to falling out of the playoffs all together. Dirk Nowitzki continued his good form though, as he tallied 24 points, nine rebounds and four assists in the defeat. David Lee had another great game off the bench, as he double - doubled in a 16 - point, 16 - rebound performance against his former team. The Mavericks will look to get a much needed win on Sunday against the Portland Trail Blazers for their next matchup."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "5", "Trail Blazers": "22"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "125", "Trail Blazers": "117"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "31", "Trail Blazers": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"Mason Plumlee": "4", "Draymond Green": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Mason Plumlee": "33"}, "Points": {"Mason Plumlee": "16", "Allen Crabbe": "18", "CJ McCollum": "35", "Kevin Durant": "30", "Draymond Green": "9", "Stephen Curry": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"Mason Plumlee": "10", "Draymond Green": "7", "Stephen Curry": "7"}, "Steals": {"Mason Plumlee": "3", "Draymond Green": "3"}, "Blocks": {"CJ McCollum": "2", "Draymond Green": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "13"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "5"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 125 - 117 at Oracle Arena on Wednesday. The Warriors (31 - 5) made it four in a row on their home court in a tilt that was fairly one sided before tip - off, given Damian Lillard (ankle) was sidelined. Lillard's backcourt teammate, C.J. McCollum picked up the weight and led the Trail Blazers (15 - 22) with a sharp shooting first half to the tune of 26 points, six rebounds, three assists and two blocks. McCollum went on to finish with 35 points, however, when Klay Thompson was made the focal point on defense, the matchup did not go in the Blazers shooting guards favor. The Warriors put the game away late in the fourth quarter after Kevin Durant drove the lane and received an and - 1 to put Golden State up 13 points with 2:5 remaining in the game. Stephen Curry matched McCollum's 35 points and went 5 - of - 13 from behind the arc. Kevin Durant also went for 30 points, while Draymond Green put up big box score numbers after he finished with nine points, 11 assists, seven rebounds, three steals and one blocked shot. All five Blazers starters finished in double figures scoring. Allen Crabbe contributed 18 points, while Mason Plumlee added 16 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three steals across 33 minutes. Next up, the Blazers play the second game of a back - to - back when they visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, while the Warriors host the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "17", "Magic": "20"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "98", "Magic": "81"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "25", "Magic": "20"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "35"}}, {"Assists": {"Elfrid Payton": "5", "Paul Millsap": "6"}, "Points": {"Elfrid Payton": "16", "Aaron Gordon": "18", "Paul Millsap": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Aaron Gordon": "7", "Paul Millsap": "12"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (25 - 17) stifled the Orlando Magic (20 - 20) en route to a 98 - 81 win on Monday. Orlando has been struggling mightily recently and it all came to a head here. They were manhandled by a better Atlanta team and just played horribly on Monday after their London trip. The Hawks defense has to get some credit though, as they held the Magic to just 35 percent shooting. Atlanta also recorded 30 assists on their 41 made baskets, which is a fantastic ratio. Orlando came into this game as the much better rebounding team, but the Hawks dominated that battle as well. This gives the Magic their seventh loss in their last eight games and the offense continues to be terrible. They are now averaging a league - worst 87 points per game in that eight - game span and no one can seem to find their rhythm. The starters here shot horrendously, as they combined to go 16 - for - 46 from the field in the loss. Elfrid Payton made his return to the starting lineup and tallied 16 points and five assists in a solid game. Orlando had to play this game without Victor Oladipo though and it's clear they miss their best playmaker. Aaron Gordon was a bright spot off the bench, as he amassed 18 points and seven rebounds in the defeat. Orlando has a great chance to get out of this rut on Wednesday, when they host the Philadelphia 76ers in their next game. Atlanta hasn\u2019t been playing their best ball as of late either, but they looked great here. It was their annual Martin Luther King game and this game means as much to Atlanta as anyone in the NBA, considering MLK's hometown is Atlanta. This was an all - around team effort, as the bench scored 49 points of their own with six players scoring in double - figures. In fact, 11 players recorded an assist, 12 players recorded a rebound, and seven players recorded a steal for the Hawks in this win. Paul Millsap had another great all - around game too, as he accumulated 13 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in the victory. Atlanta will look to build off this win on Wednesday when they take on the Portland Trail Blazers in their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "22", "Celtics": "14"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "87", "Celtics": "105"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "2", "Celtics": "8"}}, {"Assists": {"Tyler Zeller": "2", "Tony Wroten": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Tyler Zeller": "2", "Kelly Olynyk": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Tyler Zeller": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Rajon Rondo": "24", "Tony Wroten": "30", "Furkan Aldemir": "10"}, "Points": {"Kelly Olynyk": "30", "Furkan Aldemir": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Kelly Olynyk": "9", "Tony Wroten": "4", "Furkan Aldemir": "2"}}], "The Boston Celtics (8 - 14) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (2 - 22) 105 - 87 on Monday. Boston snapped their three - game losing streak with the win. Starting center Tyler Zeller picked up two early fouls, limiting his action, but backup Kelly Olynyk filled in exceedingly well off the bench, putting up a game - high 30 points to go with nine rebounds and two blocks. Rajon Rondo played just 24 minutes, as coach Brad Stevens has turned away from Rondo at times in recent games, an interesting development when taken in the context of the Celtics' roster on a given night, as it appears Stevens simply does n't see Rondo as capable of leading the team to a win against certain matchups. Philadelphia has dropped four straight games. They could n't get much to work offensively Monday. As a team, the Sixers shot 36 percent from the field and 14 percent from beyond the arc. Furkan Aldemir signed a four - year deal with the team Sunday and made his debut Monday, putting up two points and two rebounds in 10 minutes off the bench. Tony Wroten led the Sixers in minutes played with 30 off the bench but did not score and recorded just four rebounds and one assist. Boston will host the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. The Sixers have three days off before they'll host the Charlotte Hornets on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "4", "Nuggets": "4"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "108", "Nuggets": "107"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "4", "Nuggets": "3"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Danilo Gallinari": "3"}, "Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "21", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "23", "Marc Gasol": "19", "Vince Carter": "20"}, "Assists": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "3", "Marc Gasol": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "36", "Marc Gasol": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Marc Gasol": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Marc Gasol": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Marc Gasol": "1"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Denver Nuggets at the buzzer on Tuesday, 108 - 107, at FedExForum. For the Grizzlies (4 - 4), it was Marc Gasol who had the game - winning tip - in with just 1 seconds remaining on the clock. Memphis was lucky to be in that position, however, as that shot came off a steal with just over four seconds remaining and Denver seeming to have the game firmly in their grasp. After Denver's Emmanuel Mudiay tipped the ball out of bounds from Mike Conley's hands, all it took was a simple lob pass to Gasol from the baseline to steal a victory on Tuesday night. In the end, Gasol had a solid outing, recording 19 points and six rebounds in 30 minutes, but it was the veteran Vince Carter who led the way, scoring a team - high 20 points off the bench. For the Nuggets (3 - 3), it was another impressive outing for Mudiay, who scored a game - high 23 points along with seven assists and four rebounds in 36 minutes. Danilo Gallinari added 21 points of his own, while the other three Denver starters each recorded double - digit nights in the scoring column as well. It was n't enough however, as just 25 points from the Nuggets' bench did n't do them any favors as they fell short in the final seconds on Tuesday. Up next, the Grizzlies will have off until Saturday when they travel to Milwaukee to take on the Bucks, while the Nuggets will head home Saturday to play Golden State."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "45"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "118", "Mavericks": "108"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Rockets": "32", "Mavericks": "19"}, "Turnovers": {"Rockets": "13"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "1"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Mavericks": "36"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "0"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Chandler Parsons": "6", "Devin Harris": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "4", "Devin Harris": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chandler Parsons": "0", "Corey Brewer": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "15", "James Harden": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Chandler Parsons": "5", "James Harden": "4"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "10", "Tyson Chandler": "11", "Devin Harris": "2", "Corey Brewer": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Chandler Parsons": "6", "Tyson Chandler": "18", "Devin Harris": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Devin Harris": "10", "Dwight Howard": "17"}, "Turnovers": {"Devin Harris": "2"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Harden": "17"}, "Free throws made": {"James Harden": "15"}}], "The Houston Rockets (10) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (0 - 1), 118 - 108, in the opening game of their first round series Saturday at the Toyota Center. The all - Texas series opened with a game that featured several ebbs and flows. Houston got off to a torrid start to gain a 32 - 19 advantage at the end of the first quarter, but Dallas answered with 36 points in the second to cut the lead down to four at the half. Dallas hung close for the majority of the game, but Houston's big fourth quarter was too much for the Mavericks to overcome. Corey Brewer, who shot just 27 percent from beyond the arc during the regular season, provided a huge spark for the Rockets off the bench with three three - pointers in the fourth. Brewer scored 13 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter to help swing the game in Houston's favor. The Mavericks will look to even the series at one game apiece in game two on Tuesday at the Toyota Center. Dallas was aggressive in making Houston convert its free throws, but the Rockets converted 32 of their 45 attempts from the charity stripe, including 15 - of - 17 from James Harden. Chandler Parsons returned to the starting lineup after missing the last six games of the regular season with a knee injury, but had a quiet outing against his former team. Parsons finished with 10 points on 5 - of - 15 shooting from the floor and 0 - for - 4 from beyond the arc. Devin Harris re - aggravated his toe injury during the game and logged just 10 minutes on the floor. It's unclear whether Harris will be able to play in game two. Tyson Chandler turned in a dominant performance on the glass with 18 rebounds to go with 11 points. Houston managed to put up 118 points despite its star guard James Harden hitting four of his eleven attempts from the floor. Harden did his damage from the free throw line and also dished out 11 assists. Dwight Howard was limited to just 17 minutes on the floor, but that was attributed to foul trouble rather than issues with his knee. The Rockets played well on the defensive end as well, forcing 17 turnovers while also tallying 11 steals and nine blocks. Houston will look to gain a 20 advantage in the series Tuesday before it moves to Dallas for game three on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "50", "Grizzlies": "40"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "38", "Grizzlies": "37"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "103", "Grizzlies": "93"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "41", "Grizzlies": "42"}}, {"Points": {"Zach Randolph": "13", "Tony Allen": "25", "Justin Anderson": "19", "Raymond Felton": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "6", "Tony Allen": "7", "Justin Anderson": "10", "J.J. Barea": "1", "Raymond Felton": "6"}, "Steals": {"Tony Allen": "3", "Justin Anderson": "1"}, "Assists": {"J.J. Barea": "1", "Raymond Felton": "14"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"J.J. Barea": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"J.J. Barea": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"J.J. Barea": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"J.J. Barea": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Raymond Felton": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Raymond Felton": "1"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (41 - 38) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (42 - 37) 103 - 93 on Friday night. These are two teams going in opposite directions and this result shows just that. Dallas really turned it on in the second half, as they outscored the Grizzlies 57 to 44. The Mavericks got it done with defense, as they held Memphis to 40 percent shooting and shot 50 percent on their end. The Grizzlies continue to falter and this loss dropped them to the six - seed in the west. Tony Allen continued his resurgence though, as he led the team with 25 points in the loss, while also providing seven rebounds and three steals. No other player scored more than 13, with Zach Randolph tallying 13 points and six rebounds. It doesn\u2019t get much easier for Memphis, as they play the Golden State Warriors on Saturday in their next game. This gives Dallas six - straight wins and they are going into the playoffs with a fury. The unfortunate news is that J.J. Barea had to leave this game with a leg injury and he may miss some time after being the teams best player over recent weeks. Raymond Felton stepped up in his absence though, as he accumulated 11 points, 14 assists and six rebounds. Justin Anderson had one of the best games of his career as well, as he amassed 19 points and 10 rebounds. The Mavericks next game will be on Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "7", "Suns": "5"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "107", "Suns": "114"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "6", "Suns": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"Brandon Knight": "6", "Eric Bledsoe": "3", "Mirza Teletovic": "3", "Danilo Gallinari": "4", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "5"}, "Points": {"Brandon Knight": "38", "Eric Bledsoe": "22", "Mirza Teletovic": "15", "Danilo Gallinari": "15", "Gary Harris": "20", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Brandon Knight": "11", "Mirza Teletovic": "5", "Danilo Gallinari": "10"}, "Steals": {"Brandon Knight": "2", "Eric Bledsoe": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Danilo Gallinari": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Gary Harris": "28", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "29"}, "Turnovers": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "6"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (7 - 5) came out with the win against the Denver Nuggets (6 - 7) by a score of 114 - 107. Denver led most of the game and was up 81 - 69 with 4:21 left in the third but from then on Phoenix went on a 45 - 26 run to close out the game and finish on top. Phoenix's back court has been absolute fire so far this season and scorched the score card once again on Friday night. Brandon Knight led the way for Phoenix with a monstrous 38 points on 11 - 20 shooting, including 6 - 10 from deep and posted a double - double with 11 rebounds; he also had six assists. Eric Bledsoe did his part by contributing 22 points, three assists and two steals. Mirza Teletovic provided supplementary scoring in 20 minutes off the bench with 15 points on 6 - 10 shooting; he also grabbed five rebounds and dished three assists. The Suns as a team shot a solid 50 percent from the field. The Nuggets played well but collapsed in the second half as they conceded to the red hot Suns. Denver had five players score in double digits but had no one step up in the clutch to counter the Suns' punch. Rookie Emmanuel Mudiay had a great game, which is surely a bright spot for the Nuggets. Mudiay finished with 26 points on 10 - 16 shooting and five assists. He did however have an alarming six turnovers in 29 minutes. Gary Harris finished with 20 points on 8 - 13 shooting in 28 minutes. Danilo Gallinari posted a solid double - double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, along with four assists and two blocks, but shot a poor 4 - 14 from the field and could not come up clutch. Next up for Denver is a vist from the league leading Golden State Warriors on Sunday. The Suns will look to continue winning Sunday as they visit the lowly New Orleans Pelicans."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hawks": "26", "Kings": "37"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hawks": "27", "Kings": "14"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"Dwight Howard": "20"}, "Free throws made": {"Dwight Howard": "8"}}], "Sacramento was once again let down by their \u201cothers\u201d, as Rudy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins carried the load with 36 combined points. In fact, none of the three other starters have scored in double figures for the fourth - straight game. This particular matchup was full of swings in the second half, as the Kings outscored the Hawks 37 - 26 in the third, with Atlanta countering with a 27 - 14 fourth quarter of their own. Despite both teams failing to crack 70 percent from the free - throw line, the 16 more makes and 18 more attempts played a huge factor in the Hawks' win. Dwight Howard's 8 - for - 20 from the line was a major part of that, as the Kings were not allowing him to finish at the basket. Another key for Atlanta was offensive rebounding, as they snatched down 17 boards while holding Sacramento to just six of its own. The Hawks have feasted in the fourth quarter this season, outscoring their opponents by a combined total of 90 to 47."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "44", "Kings": "47"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "46"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "106", "Kings": "115"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "32"}}, {"Points": {"Rudy Gay": "25", "Darren Collison": "14", "Gary Harris": "19", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "9", "Darren Collison": "4", "Gary Harris": "4", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "3"}, "Assists": {"Darren Collison": "8", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Will Barton": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Will Barton": "0"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (31 - 45) defeated the Denver Nuggets (32 - 46) 115 - 106 on Saturday. Denver came into this game as a sizable favorite and endured a disappointing loss to a dilluted Sacramento team. A 16 - 2 run in the third and fourth quarter is where the game was decided, as the Nuggets reserves really let it get away. The Kings shot 47 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free - throw line in their win, while holding denver to under 44 percent shooting. The Kigs played this game without DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo, but still pulled out the season sweep against the Nuggets. Rudy Gay did step up though, as he scored 25 points while grabbing nine rebounds. The bench was key for Sacramento, as the three players who came off the pine combined for 43 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists. Darren Collison filled in nicely for Rondo, as he tallied 14 points, four rebounds and eight assists. Up next for the Kings is a matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday. This was a disappointing loss for Denver and an ugly performance. Will Barton really struggled, as he went 0 - for - 9, for his second - straight game without a made basket. Gary Harris led the team with 19 points, while also grabbing four rebounds. Despite fouling out for the first time in his career, Emmanuel Mudiay finished the game with 15 points, three rebounds and six assists. On deck for the Nuggets is a matchup against the Oklahpma City Thunder on Tuesday."], [[{"Total points": {"Raptors": "116", "Heat": "89"}, "Number of team assists": {"Heat": "16"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwyane Wade": "4", "Bismack Biyombo": "16"}, "Turnovers": {"Dwyane Wade": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Goran Dragic": "17", "Bismack Biyombo": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Goran Dragic": "6", "Bismack Biyombo": "6"}, "Points": {"Bismack Biyombo": "17", "Kyle Lowry": "35"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "9"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Lowry": "4"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the visiting Miami Heat, 116 - 89, on Sunday in Game 7 at Air Canada Centre to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in franchise history. Everything was on the line for the Raptors for the second time in the 2016 playoffs, as the team faced its second Game 7 in the first two rounds. Sudden death seemed to bring out the best in the Raptors' All-Star backcourt, as the dynamic duo of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan posted 63 points on the night. Lowry dominated every aspect of the court, also dishing out nine assists and recording four steals en route to a team - high plus/minus of 35. And 23 - year - old center Bismack Biyombo also stepped up, pulling down 16 rebounds and scoring 17 points on 6 - for - 8 shooting. The team played perhaps its best basketball of the playoffs in the win, earning a 27 - point blowout. The win comes in preparation for facing the reigning conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers, who remain undefeated through the first two rounds. The Heat, meanwhile, were hindered in the series by numerous injuries to key players. Veteran All-Star Chris Bosh was sidelined at the end of the regular season by a recurring blood clot issue. Defensive Player of the Year second runner - up Hassan Whiteside, meanwhile, was taken out of the series early with an MCL sprain. Toronto was able to lay waste to the injury - hampered team on Sunday, as no Heat player scored more than 16. Veteran Dwyane Wade struggled to get things going, as he turned the ball over four times. Point guard Goran Dragic, meanwhile, shot just 6 - for - 17 from the field, as the Heat as a whole struggled to find an offensive rhythm. Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals is Tuesday at Cleveland."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Wizards": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "50"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Wizards": "34"}}, {"Points": {"Avery Bradley": "21", "Isaiah Thomas": "23"}, "Free throw percentage": {"Bradley Beal": "50", "Trey Burke": "50"}, "Minutes played": {"Bradley Beal": "11", "Marcus Thornton": "34"}}], "A 34 - point first - quarter ambush on the part of the Wizards leveled the visiting Celtics early. Washington was up 18 - 2 by the 6:26 mark of the first quarter. Otto Porter's season - high 34 points and 14 rebounds led the way, while John Wall and Marcin Gortat combined for another 33 points. Bradley Beal left after just 11 minutes with a hamstring injury, but Marcus Thornton and Trey Burke contributed 34 combined bench points, helping the Wizards to 50 and 48 percent shooting success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively. Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley checked in with respective totals of 23 and 21 points, but the remainder of the Celtics starting five could only muster a combined 20 points. Marcus Smart matched that total himself while leading the bench, yet the Celtics fell woefully short."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "24", "Hawks": "33"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "109", "Hawks": "94"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "57", "Hawks": "48"}}, {"Assists": {"Kent Bazemore": "1", "Paul Millsap": "3", "Al Horford": "2", "Jeff Teague": "9", "LeBron James": "6", "Tristan Thompson": "1", "Matthew Dellavedova": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Kent Bazemore": "1", "Paul Millsap": "3", "LeBron James": "1", "Tristan Thompson": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Points": {"Kent Bazemore": "23", "Paul Millsap": "9", "Al Horford": "20", "Jeff Teague": "21", "LeBron James": "34", "Kevin Love": "10", "Tristan Thompson": "9", "Kyrie Irving": "35", "Matthew Dellavedova": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Kent Bazemore": "6", "Paul Millsap": "8", "Al Horford": "11", "LeBron James": "6", "Kevin Love": "14", "Tristan Thompson": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "4", "Matthew Dellavedova": "1"}, "Steals": {"Kent Bazemore": "3", "Al Horford": "1", "Jeff Teague": "1", "LeBron James": "2", "Kevin Love": "2", "Tristan Thompson": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Jeff Teague": "6", "Kyrie Irving": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Tristan Thompson": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Tristan Thompson": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Tristan Thompson": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (57 - 24) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (48 - 33) on Monday, 109 - 94, clinching first place in the Eastern Conference. With the top seed on the line and a chance to clinch it on their home court, the Cavs' top two stars stepped up to ensure victory. Kyrie Irving and LeBron James scored 35 and 34 points, respectively, to lead Cleveland. No other Cavalier managed to score more than 10 points, but it was all the Cavs needed to get the best of one of the other top defensive units in the conference. The Hawks were led by Kent Bazemore, who managed 23 points, six rebounds, an assist, three steals and a block. Jeff Teague followed with 21 points, nine assists and a steal, but committed six turnovers. Al Horford was next with a 20 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included two assists, a steal and two blocks. Paul Millsap, who'd posted some remarkable performances in recent games, could only manage a modest nine points, eight rebounds, three assists and three blocks. Atlanta retains a half - game lead over the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They close out the season at Washington on Wednesday night. Irving's point total paced the Cavs, and he added four rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block. However, like his counterpart Teague, he also committed six turnovers. James supplemented his scoring total with six rebounds, six assists, two steals and a block. Kevin Love only compiled 10 points, but did haul in 14 boards, dished out two assists and recorded two steals. Tristan Thompson, named the starter for the final two games at center, pitched in with nine points, 10 rebounds, an assist, three steals and a block. Matthew Delladedova led the bench with 10 points, three assists and a rebound. The Cavs close out the season with a home date against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "38"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "8", "76ers": "18"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "96", "76ers": "91"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "15", "76ers": "4"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"76ers": "23"}}, {"Assists": {"Nik Stauskas": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Nik Stauskas": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nik Stauskas": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Nik Stauskas": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Nik Stauskas": "38", "Dario Saric": "25", "Marc Gasol": "34"}, "Points": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "23", "Dario Saric": "17", "Marc Gasol": "26", "Zach Randolph": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "17", "Dario Saric": "7", "Marc Gasol": "12", "Zach Randolph": "14"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 96 - 91 Tuesday at FedExForum. While the Grizzlies (15 - 8) were able to walk away with a five - point victory, they were one shot away from the game heading to overtime, as 76ers (4 - 18) shooting guard Nik Stauskas had a wide open 3 - point attempt to tie the game at 94 with about five seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Stauskas made just one shot from behind the arc in 38 minutes Tuesday, and luckily for Memphis, that was n't one of them. Marc Gasol led the way for an injury - plagued Grizzlies team with a double - double of 26 points and 12 rebounds in 34 minutes, and while the rest of the Memphis starters struggled to put together solid outings, the team's bench more than made up for that, with the five reserves posting 38 of the team's 96 points. The most important contributor of the bench mob, Zach Randolph, made his return to the floor after missing the last seven games due to the loss of his mother and posted a double - double of 12 points and a team - high 14 rebounds. For the 76ers, they got a big performance out of starting power forward Ersan Ilyasova, who did everything he could to keep Philadelphia in the game against a big and tough Grizzlies frontcourt. Ilyasova finished the game with 23 points and 17 rebounds - - his fourth double - double since he joined the 76ers. The man who he replaced in the starting lineup, Dario Saric, had yet another great night, posting 17 points and seven rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench. In the end, Philadelphia left far too many points at the free throw line, as they shot a dreadful 13 - of - 26 from the stripe. Up next, the Grizzlies will stay at home Thursday to take on the Trail Blazers, while the 76ers look to notch their first road victory of the season Thursday at New Orleans against the Pelicans."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "35", "Raptors": "15"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "86", "Raptors": "91"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "8", "Raptors": "28"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Raptors": "15"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Raptors": "28"}}, {"Minutes played": {"DeMar DeRozan": "29", "Patrick Patterson": "30"}, "Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Patrick Patterson": "14", "Nerlens Noel": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Patrick Patterson": "13", "Nerlens Noel": "14"}, "Turnovers": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3"}, "Assists": {"Patrick Patterson": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Patrick Patterson": "6"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Patrick Patterson": "6"}, "Steals": {"Patrick Patterson": "2"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (28 - 15) defeated the Philadelhpia 76ers (8 - 35) 91 - 86 on Friday. The Raptors gave up 15 straight points to the 76ers to start the game. They succesfully dug themselves out of the hole ato take a 35 - 33 lead with 6:43 remaining in the second quarter on a Patrick Patterson three - pointer. Patterson was the Raptors' top performer, scoring 14 points to go with 13 rebounds, six of which came on the offensive end. In 30 minutes off the bench, he also recorded three assists and two steals. DeMar DeRozan has had a tough three - game stretch that is seeing him average just 5 points and 2 rebounds in 29 minutes. He finished Friday's game with only eight points and one rebound. Toronto is now 3 - 3 since DeRozan returned from a groin injury which he suffered on Nov. 28. The 76ers started hot but could n't hold on in the end as execution was a major issue down the strech. The Sixers got some good rebounding performances as each starter recorded five or more rebounds and no Toronto starter was able to grab more than five boards. Rookie Nerlens Noel was the game - leader in the rebound category, hauling in a career - high 14 to go with 12 points. Down by three with 10 seconds remaining, the Sixers had trouble inbounding the ball, nearly getting a five - second call. When the ball was finally passed in, it wound up in the hands of Henry Sims, who air - balled a three - pointer from the corner. The ball went out of bounds to the Raptors and the Sixers were forced to foul Kyle Lowry. Lowry hit both free - throws, ending any hopes the Sixers had of notching their fourth home victory of the season. The 76ers have now dropped three straight and will face the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday. The Raptors will take on the Detroit Pistons on Sunday."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "25", "Rodney Hood": "10", "Dante Exum": "10", "Joe Johnson": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "7"}, "Free throw percentage": {"Nikola Jokic": "50", "Wilson Chandler": "50"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Wilson Chandler": "50"}}], "Utah is missing some serious production with Derrick Favors and George Hill injured and it clearly hurt them here. They shot under 40 percent from the field against a weak Denver defense and had just one player score more than 10 points. That player was Gordon Hayward, who scored 25 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the loss. Dante Exum, Joe Johnson and Rodney Hood each scored 10 a piece. Denver's bench was huge in this game, as Wilson Chandler, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray all scored in double figures on over 50 percent shooting. Danilo Gallinari and Emmanuel combined to go just 9 - of - 27 from the field, but stuffed the stat sheet by combining for 23 points, 13 rebounds and 16 assists. Despite trailing two minutes into the game, the Nuggets led for the final 46 minutes and never looked close to relinquishing their lead. These two teams will have a rematch on Wednesday back in Denver."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "14", "Suns": "25"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "109", "Suns": "98"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "23", "Suns": "10"}}, {"Assists": {"TJ Warren": "2", "Devin Booker": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"TJ Warren": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Devin Booker": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Devin Booker": "4"}, "Points": {"Devin Booker": "13", "DeAndre Jordan": "9"}, "Steals": {"Devin Booker": "2"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "20"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Phoenix Suns 109 - 98 at Staples Center on Monday. The banged up Clippers (23 - 14) have gone through a brutal stretch of games, but erased a six game losing streak with a needed win at home. J.J. Reddick and DeAndre Jordan led Los Angeles in a variety of ways and staved off a late Suns (10 - 25) rally. A tight knit first half saw Los Angeles start to pull away in midway through the second quarter, but T.J. Warren tipped in a shot and Tyson Chandler followed up with a pair of free throws to cut the lead to six points with just over 3:0 remaining in the second quarter. The third quarter saw the Clippers pile on to the building lead, especially after an emphatic Jordan dunk that put Los Angeles up 19 points. Phoenix tried to chip away throughout the final period, and although they flashed signs of getting back into the game behind Eric Bledsoe's slashing to the rim and long three - pointer, they simply ran out of clock before any real drama could have occurred. Reddick led the Clippers with 22 points on 9 - of - 14 shooting across 34 minutes, while Jordan posted a line just one point shy of a massive double - double, as the big man scored nine points and added 20 rebounds and three blocks. Warren and Eric Bledsoe led the Suns in the scoring department, as the two players combined to go for 46 points, while Devin Booker finished with a lowly 13 points on a rough 4 - of - 15 shooting. The often exciting sophomore scorer also picked up a late technical foul after using the net to try and block one of Reddick's layups off the backboard. The Suns will play the second game of a back - to - back on Tuesday when they host the Miami Heat, while the Clippers host the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "50", "Jazz": "37"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "73", "Jazz": "80"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Lakers": "20"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "17", "Jazz": "31"}}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "22", "Jordan Clarkson": "8", "Jeremy Lin": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "7", "Jordan Clarkson": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jeremy Lin": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Jeremy Lin": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Jeremy Lin": "22"}}], "The Utah Jazz (31 - 37) held off the Los Angeles Lakers (17 - 50) 80 - 73 on Thursday at the Staples Center. It was a low - scoring affair in which the Lakers scored 20 points in a quarter just once as the Jazz were able to hold on late. Interestingly, Utah was not only outrebounded by Los Angeles, it was also outscored 46 - 22 in the paint. Thursday marked the rubber match between these teams with Utah taking the season series 2 - 1. Utah was playing the second half of a back - to - back Thursday after taking an 88 - 84 loss at home to Washington on Wednesday. Rudy Gobert, who had been nothing short of dominant on the glass since moving into the starting lineup, was held to just seven rebounds Thursday. It was the first time since Feb. 27 that Gobert recorded single digit rebounds. Gordon Hayward led all scorers with 22 points. He took a hard fall on a drive late in the fourth but was able to return to action. The Jazz are off Friday before traveling to the Oracle Arena to take on the Warriors. Los Angeles was able to hang with Utah for most of the game, but fell short in the end with another close loss. The Lakers have lost nine of their ten games in March, but none have been by more than seven points. Jordan Clarkson had a solid outing across the board with eight points, five rebounds, and an 8:1 assist: turnover ratio. Jeremy Lin managed to play 22 minutes despite back spasms, but his performance was clearly affected as he finished with just two points on 1 - of - 8 shooting. The Lakers will return to action Sunday against the 76ers."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "4", "James Ennis III": "2", "Mike Conley": "6", "Zach Randolph": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Paul George": "2"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "22", "Thaddeus Young": "16", "Aaron Brooks": "18", "Vince Carter": "21", "James Ennis III": "7", "Mike Conley": "36", "Zach Randolph": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "3", "Thaddeus Young": "13", "Vince Carter": "8", "James Ennis III": "10", "Mike Conley": "3", "Zach Randolph": "6"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "2", "James Ennis III": "2", "Mike Conley": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Vince Carter": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Vince Carter": "5"}}], "The Grizzlies held a double - digit lead for the final 35 minutes while cruising comfortably to a victory over the visiting Pacers. The starters for Memphis really dominated Indiana's, outscoring them 84 - 53. Paul George led the way for Indiana, as he tallied 22 points, three rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks. Thaddeus young was the only other starter in double figures, as he totaled 16 points and 13 rebounds. Aaron Brooks led the bench by dropping 18 points. Mike Conley carried the Grizzlies in the absence of Marc Gasol, as he collected 36 points, three rebounds, six assists and four steals. Zach Randolph was huge off the bench, as he amassed 17 points, six rebounds and three assists. Vince Carter had a vintage game, as he provided 21 points and eight rebounds on 5 - of - 8 from the field. James Ennis III started and accrued seven points, 10 rebounds, two assists and two steals."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Cavaliers": "19"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Cavaliers": "23", "Pelicans": "13"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "26"}, "Number of team assists": {"Pelicans": "26"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pelicans": "26"}}, {"Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "27", "Kevin Love": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "10", "Kevin Love": "5"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "20", "Buddy Hield": "20", "LeBron James": "26", "Kevin Love": "12", "Richard Jefferson": "12"}, "Assists": {"LeBron James": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kevin Love": "11", "Richard Jefferson": "12"}}], "With Kyrie Irving out of the lineup, Cleveland were lucky to escape with a comeback win. They had to turn on the defense late, as the Cavaliers outscored the Pelicans, 23 - 13, in the fourth quarter. Rebounding was the key for Cleveland, as they won that battle, 56 - 45. In addition, they dominated the bench scoring, as they got 44 bench points to New Orleans 19. The Cavaliers also dominated in the paint, scoring 40 paint points to the Pelicans 26. LeBron James carried the load for Cleveland, as he tallied 26 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Kevin Love was the only other starter with more than four points, as he totaled 12 points and 11 rebounds on 5 - of - 19 shooting. Richard Jefferson was a huge spark off the bench, totaling 12 points and 12 rebounds. Anthony Davis and Buddy Hield tied the team - lead in scoring for New Orleans, dropping 20 points a piece. Davis also added 17 rebounds and three blocks to his tally, while going 10 - of - 27 from the field."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "2", "Heat": "16"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "111", "Heat": "103"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "36", "Heat": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Luol Deng": "14", "Chris Bosh": "15", "Dwyane Wade": "20", "Draymond Green": "22", "Stephen Curry": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Luol Deng": "10", "Chris Bosh": "12", "Draymond Green": "12"}, "Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "11", "Draymond Green": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Dwyane Wade": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "27"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (36 - 2) defeated the Miami Heat (22 - 16) 111 - 103 at Oracle Arena on Monday. Miami entered the contest as 15 point underdogs and kept pace with the Warriors through all four quarters. The defending champions rarely shoot as low as 30 percent from behind the arc, but the wing defense played a crucial role in Miami keeping the game within striking distance. Justise Winslow started in place of Hassan Whiteside (knee), who was doubtful an hour before tip - off, as the Heat chose to go with a small lineup to match up with the league's best small ball team. Dwyane Wade, in signature fashion, kept finding his way to the charity stripe, which resulted in the game being slowed down, and at times, in favor of Miami. He finished with 20 points, six rebounds and 11 assists on 6 - of - 19 shooting, to go with a perfect 8 - of - 8 from the free throw line. Five Miami players matched Wade in double figures, including efficient performances from the bench combination of Gerald Green and Tyler Johnson. Chris Bosh completed a double - double, scoring 15 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, while Luol Deng added a double - double as well, with 14 points and 10 boards. Miami will look to end the Los Angeles Clippers (25 - 13) nine game winning streak at Staples Center on Wednesday. Once again, Draymond Green rounded out the box score with an all around impressive performance, scoring 22 points, grabbing 12 rebounds and dishing out six assists in 35 minutes. While Stephen Curry is campaigning for a second straight MVP, Green is doing as much, if not more, to bolster the Warriors historic season. Over his last 10 games, the Michigan State product is averaging 17 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists, including a lights out 54 percent from 3 - point range. His court vision is improving, as marked by the major jump in assists per game this season. Curry did drop 31 points on the Heat, which was good for his 16th 30 - plus point game of the season, although it took 27 shots, as Curry shot well below his 51 percent average. Curry's dagger trey put the Warriors ahead 110 - 101 with under a :30 to play. Brandon Rush remained in the starting lineup, as Luke Walton noted that his strong play is deserving while Harrison Barnes eases his way back. The Warriors will visit the Denver Nuggets (14 - 24) on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "3", "Lakers": "6"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "101", "Lakers": "88"}, "Rebounds": {"Heat": "47", "Lakers": "36"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "5", "Lakers": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Lakers": "17"}}, {"Points": {"Metta World Peace": "14", "Nick Young": "17", "Chris Bosh": "30", "Hassan Whiteside": "19", "Goran Dragic": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Nick Young": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nick Young": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Chris Bosh": "11", "Hassan Whiteside": "15"}, "Assists": {"Goran Dragic": "3"}}], "The Miami Heat (5 - 3) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (1 - 6) 101 - 88 on Tuesday. The Heat came into this matchup as double - digit favorites and they showed why here. Miami out - rebounded the Lakers 47 - 36 in the victory and thoroughly dominated them down low. The Lakers committed 17 turnovers in the loss and that's too many when you only draw 10 of your own. The Lakers made 11 - of - 22 three - pointers in this game, but that simply wasn\u2019t enough to get it done. With Kobe Bryant out of the lineup for rest, there was simply not enough punch in the starting five. In fact, the starting lineup amassed just 39 points in the loss with Metta World Peace leading the bunch with 14 points, No respect to World Peace, but if he's leading your starters in scoring, you're probably going to lose. They did get 17 points off the bench from Nick Young though, who hits five three - pointers on nine attempts. The Lakers will look to play better in their next game on Wednesday in the second half of a back - to - back against the Orlando Magic. The Heat got some great performances from Chris Bosh and Hassan Whitesside en route to an easy victory. Bosh tallied 30 points and 11 rebounds, while Whiteside totaled 19 points and 15 rebounds in the win. Guard Goran Dragic continued to struggle though, as he posted just four points and three assists in the victory. There is simply not enough ball to go around for Dragic right now and it remains to be seen if he can be successful in this system. In any case, a win is a win. The Heat will take on the Utah Jazz on Thursday in their next game."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "18", "Warriors": "46"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "40", "Warriors": "48"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "21", "Warriors": "11"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "89", "Warriors": "113"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Raptors": "11", "Warriors": "27"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "37", "Warriors": "45"}}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "2", "Klay Thompson": "5", "Stephen Curry": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Draymond Green": "5", "Klay Thompson": "8", "Stephen Curry": "4", "DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Lou Williams": "4", "Terrence Ross": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Draymond Green": "3", "Klay Thompson": "5", "Stephen Curry": "3", "DeMar DeRozan": "0", "Lou Williams": "1", "Terrence Ross": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Draymond Green": "9", "Klay Thompson": "18", "Stephen Curry": "13", "DeMar DeRozan": "16", "Lou Williams": "7", "Terrence Ross": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Draymond Green": "6", "Klay Thompson": "9", "Stephen Curry": "8", "DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Lou Williams": "2", "Terrence Ross": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Draymond Green": "2", "Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "3", "DeMar DeRozan": "6", "Lou Williams": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Draymond Green": "2", "Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "3", "DeMar DeRozan": "6", "Lou Williams": "7"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "17", "Klay Thompson": "25", "Stephen Curry": "22", "DeMar DeRozan": "14", "Lou Williams": "12", "Terrence Ross": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "9", "Stephen Curry": "6", "DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Lou Williams": "4"}, "Steals": {"Draymond Green": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Klay Thompson": "28", "Stephen Curry": "25", "DeMar DeRozan": "26", "Lou Williams": "26", "Terrence Ross": "24"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Terrence Ross": "50"}, "Free throw percentage": {"Terrence Ross": "50"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (45 - 11) defeated the Toronto Raptors (37 - 21) 113 - 89 on Friday at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. Already riding a three - game losing streak, it continued to get worse for the Raptors, taking a lopsided 24 - point loss to the Warriors. The Warriors got off to a really quick start, out - scoring the Raptors 27 - 11 after the first quarter and 54 - 31 by half. Along with the hot start, the Warriors also secured the shooting advantage, going 48 percent from the field and 46 percent from the three - point line, while the Raptors ended at 40 percent from the floor and a brutal 18 percent from deep. The Raptors just were n't able to keep up with the high - scoring offense of the Warriors. As has been the case for the majority of the season thus far, the Warriors' superstar backcourt duo of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson did the bulk of the work offensively. Curry went 8 - for - 13 from the field and 3 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score 22 points, while adding six rebounds and five assists as well. He could have had a lot higher numbers at the conclusion, but he only had to play 25 minutes, with such a large lead. He's averaged 24 points and 6 assists over his last three games. Thompson, on the other hand, posted a team - high of 25 points (9 - 18 FG, 5 - 8 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), to go along with five assists in 28 minutes. He's been hitting his three - point shot at a very high rate recently, going a combined 9 - of - 15 from deep over his previous three outings. He's now averaging 22 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists on the season. Draymond Green had a very efficient 17 points (6 - 9 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), while coming just shy of a double - double with nine rebounds and three blocked shots as well. He's had two solid showings in a row, combining for 33 points, 17 rebounds and seven steals. For the Raptors, DeMar DeRozan ended up as the only starter reaching double figures in points. He finished with 14 points (4 - 16 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) and three rebounds in 26 minutes on the court. It was the third time over his last four games shooting under 35 percent from the field, as he's struggled to get dialed in. With the rest of the starters combining for only 19 points, the Raptors turned to the bench for some offensive help. Terrence Ross was the biggest contributor, going 7 - for - 14 from the field and 3 - for - 8 from the three - point line to post 18 points in just 24 minutes. After failing to reach double figures in points for seven straight games, Ross finally got rolling and was able to convert on 50 percent (7 - 14 FG) of his shots. He's averaging 10 points and 3 rebounds on the season. The only other Raptor to reach double - digit points was Louis Williams, who also came off the bench. In 26 minutes, he finished with 12 points (2 - 7 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT) and four rebounds. On a side note, both Tyler Hansbrough and Festus Ezeli were ejected after they got into a shoving match. The Warriors' next game will be on the road against the Boston Celtics on Sunday, while the Raptors will travel to New York to play the Knicks on Saturday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Tony Parker": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tony Parker": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Tony Parker": "0"}, "Minutes played": {"Tony Parker": "25"}, "Points": {"Tony Parker": "4"}}], "After ranking first in defense last season, the Spurs held the Kings to an 8 - for - 32 stretch late in the fourth quarter Thursday that ultimately decided the game. Guard Tony Parker failed to record a single stat until the fourth quarter and finished with just four points and two assists on 0 - for - 6 shooting in 25 minutes. Center Pau Gasol played just 20 minutes and failed to reach double figures for his second straight game in a Spurs uniform. San Antonio's bench outscored the Kings' bench 43 - 18 after leading the league in bench points last season. Center DeMarcus Cousins and small forward Rudy Gay combined for 54 of the team's 94 points, while the Spurs had eight players score at least five points. These teams will see each other shortly, as they are scheduled for a Nov. 16 matchup back in Sacramento."], [[{}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jimmy Butler": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Jimmy Butler": "3", "Nikola Mirotic": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Dwyane Wade": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwyane Wade": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Doug McDermott": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Doug McDermott": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Doug McDermott": "25"}, "Points": {"Doug McDermott": "11", "Nikola Mirotic": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Nikola Mirotic": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nikola Mirotic": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Nikola Mirotic": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Nikola Mirotic": "1"}}], "The Chicago Bulls' defensive effort is what led them to a relatively easy victory in the second half of Monday's tilt with the Orlando Magic, but the three point shooting, which was a major proponent in their solid start to the season, was far from serviceable. Only Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade shot the three ball out of the starters, and combined for a 0 - of - 4 effort. The bench was no help in stretching the floor out to the perimeter, as Nikola Mirotic fired away six attempts from behind the arc and only came away with one to show for it. The team's 3 - of - 19 showing was the lowest three point shooting effort of the season for Chicago, so far. Notable three point specialist, Doug McDermott, was effective inside the perimeter off the bench, evidenced by his 5 - of - 8 shooting and 11 points in 25 minutes."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "13", "Raptors": "8"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "98", "Raptors": "104"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Jazz": "24", "Raptors": "32"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "18", "Raptors": "21"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "24", "Kyle Lowry": "20", "Rudy Gobert": "7"}, "Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "24", "Kyle Lowry": "36", "Gordon Hayward": "23", "Rudy Gobert": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyle Lowry": "15", "Rudy Gobert": "5"}, "Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "14"}}], "The Toronto Raptors took down the host Utah Jazz on Friday, 104 - 98. The Raptors (21 - 8) are in second place in the East and have been separating from the lower seeds in recent weeks. On Friday, the team squeezed out a narrow win against the Jazz thanks to a strong fourth quarter push. The Raptors trailed by two points heading into the fourth but outscored the Jazz 32 - 24 in the quarter. Toronto was led by star point guard Kyle Lowry, who scored 36 points on 15 - of - 20 shooting. The lights - out Lowry was complemented by 24 from shooting guard DeMar DeRozan.'The Quadruple Capital 'added six rebounds and four steals on the defensive end. The Jazz (18 - 13) appear to be in a bit of a slump, having now lost three straight games. The team lost its second straight on a fourth quarter collapse, as the team once again led heading into the game's final quarter. Center Rudy Gobert once again played strong basketball, scoring 13 points on 5 - of - 7 shooting and pulling down 14 rebounds. Forward Gordon Hayward led the team with 23 points and also had five assists. Both teams will break until after Christmas."], [[{}, {"Free throws attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Jimmy Butler": "10"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "32", "Tobias Harris": "22"}}], "After a fairly inconsistent start to the 2016 - 17 season, Tobias Harris has been on a bit of an offensive tear recently. After his 22 - point performance in Tuesday's win over the Bulls, Harris is now averaging 20 points per game while shooting 53 percent from the field overall and a scorching 48 percent from behind the arc. Meanwhile, the Bulls have their wing playing unconsciously on offense, as Jimmy Butler's 32 - point performance was the result of yet another great shooting night from the All-Star. Since scoring 40 points against the Lakers on Nov. 20, Butler has been scoring 29 points per game while shooting 49 percent from the field. And while that field goal percentage is n't as high as he may like, Butler has been making a living at the free throw line that stretch. After his 10 - of - 10 performance at the charity stripe Tuesday, Butler has now made his last 18 free throw attempts and 78 of his last 89 (88 percent) over that eight - game stretch."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Spurs": "19"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "37"}, "Losses": {"Spurs": "4", "Magic": "11"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "83", "Magic": "95"}, "Turnovers": {"Spurs": "18"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "14", "Magic": "7"}}, {"Points": {"Serge Ibaka": "18", "Evan Fournier": "13"}}], "The visiting Orlando Magic defeated the host San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday, 95 - 83. Orlando (7 - 11) came into the game the heavy underdogs, with a bottom - three offense in the league and a record five games below .500. Despite this, Orlando was able to put together an impressive defensive effort to slow the rolling Spurs. The Magic kept the Spurs to just 37 percent shooting and only five three - pointers. Orlando came away with 12 steals, finding ways to turn defense into offense consistently throughout the game. Forward Serge Ibaka led the team in scoring with 18 points, while guard Evan Fournier had 13. San Antonio (14 - 4), meanwhile, had won nine straight games heading into Tuesday's matchup. Interestingly, the loss drops the Spurs to 4 - 4 at home on the season. This figure comes on the heels of a 2015 - 16 season in which the Spurs became just the second team ever to win 40 regular season games at home. While forwards Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge combined for 37 points, the rest of the roster struggled mightily on offense. The team shot under 37 percent, turned the ball over 18 times, and had just 19 assists, in what proved to be one of the more dismal offensive outings for the Spurs all season. The Spurs will visit Dallas on Wednesday, while the Magic will see Memphis on Thursday."], [[{"Total points": {"76ers": "98", "Hawks": "126"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "15"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Kent Bazemore": "4", "Dennis Schroder": "6", "Nerlens Noel": "2", "Ish Smith": "7", "Jerami Grant": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Kent Bazemore": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "1", "Jahlil Okafor": "1", "Jerami Grant": "1"}, "Points": {"Kent Bazemore": "22", "Paul Millsap": "18", "Al Horford": "18", "Dennis Schroder": "14", "Mike Scott": "11", "Nerlens Noel": "9", "Jahlil Okafor": "21", "Ish Smith": "12", "Jerami Grant": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Kent Bazemore": "6", "Dennis Schroder": "4", "Nerlens Noel": "13", "Jahlil Okafor": "7", "Ish Smith": "1", "Jerami Grant": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kent Bazemore": "2", "Dennis Schroder": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "2", "Jahlil Okafor": "1", "Ish Smith": "1", "Jerami Grant": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Dennis Schroder": "19", "Jahlil Okafor": "27"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Nerlens Noel": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Jahlil Okafor": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jahlil Okafor": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jahlil Okafor": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Jahlil Okafor": "3"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (22 - 15) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (4 - 24) 126 - 98 on Thursday. Despite a blowout loss that somewhat negated the modest progress made by Philadelphia over the last six games, the team will be able to point to one silver lining, namely the performance of rookie standout Jahlil Okafor. It had been a rocky road for the 2015 third overall pick since over the last two weeks, with a knee injury costing him two games, and then having his minutes limited over the next three contests as he was eased back into action. Okafor drew the start in a home tilt versus the Timberwolves on Monday but underwhelmed, tallying only 10 points, three rebounds and two assists over 21 minutes. It was refreshing for the Sixers, therefore, to see him break out with 21 points, seven rebounds, a block and a steal over just 27 minutes against the Hawks. Notably, he managed the impressive numbers with Nerlens Noel alongside him in the frontcourt, who also posted a strong outing. With recent scuttlebutt about the two having trouble gelling when on the court together, the theory was disproven, at least for one game. As evidenced by the final score, the Hawks enjoyed prolific performances from multiple players. Kent Bazemore led the way with 22 points, six rebounds, four assists, a pair of steals and a block. Al Horford and Paul Millsap followed with a pair of 18 - point efforts. The former came just one rebound shy of a double - double and also added three apiece in the assists, steals and blocks categories, while the latter contributed six rebounds, four assists and two steals. With the comfortable lead, the reserves also got a bit more run than usual, and were paced by Dennis Schroder's 14 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals over just 19 minutes. Mike Scott also managed double - digit scoring off the bench with 11 points. The Hawks improved to 22 - 15 and vaulted into a first - place tie with the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They head back home to take on the Chicago Bulls in a Saturday night showdown. Ish Smith and Noel were the only other starters to make notable contributions in addition to Okafor. Smith continued his solid play at point guard since being acquired back from the Pelicans, pitching in 12 points, seven assists, a rebound and a steal. He's now posted double - digit points in five of the seven games he's played in his latest Sixers tenure. Noel posted a modest nine points, but complemented it with a solid 13 boards, along with a pair of assists, a pair of steals, and a block. Jerami Grant paced the Philadelphia reserves with 11 points, a pair of rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block. The Sixers fell to 4 - 24 and reside in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They remain home to face the Toronto Raptors on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "24", "Spurs": "8"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "101", "Spurs": "119"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Heat": "24", "Spurs": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Heat": "31", "Spurs": "43"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "29", "Spurs": "44"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "4", "Danny Green": "3", "Jonathon Simmons": "1", "Chris Bosh": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "5", "Goran Dragic": "6", "Beno Udrih": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Danny Green": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "2"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "23", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "28", "Danny Green": "15", "Jonathon Simmons": "10", "Boban Marjanovic": "11", "Luol Deng": "11", "Chris Bosh": "18", "Dwyane Wade": "20", "Goran Dragic": "10", "Hassan Whiteside": "14", "Beno Udrih": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "9", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "4", "Danny Green": "7", "Jonathon Simmons": "4", "Boban Marjanovic": "6", "Luol Deng": "2", "Chris Bosh": "5", "Goran Dragic": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "6", "Beno Udrih": "1"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3", "Danny Green": "3", "Boban Marjanovic": "1", "Luol Deng": "1", "Chris Bosh": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "1", "Goran Dragic": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Hassan Whiteside": "25"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (44 - 8) defeated the Miami Heat (29 - 24) 119 - 101 on Tuesday. An overmatched Heat squad surprised the Spurs out of the gate, managing to carve out a 24 - 20 lead after the first quarter. The visitors systematically went about their business the rest of the way however, and their top - ranked defense began to exert its will over Miami. San Antonio elicited 18 turnovers from the Heat, and outmuscled them down low. The Spurs outperformed the home team overall on the glass 43 - 31, and grabbed 11 offensive rebounds to Miami's one. The paint also belonged to San Antonio on Tuesday, where they outscored the Heat by a margin of 58 - 42. A big reason for the success near the basket came in the form of the Spurs' leading scorer, LaMarcus Aldridge. The 10 - year veteran continued to resemble the superstar he developed into in Portland, tallying 28 points, four rebounds, four assists and a block. Kawhi Leonard was just a rebound short of a double - double, supplying 23 points, nine boards, four assists, three steals and a block. Danny Green continued his improved play, contributing 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block. Boban Marjanovic paced the reserves with 11 points, which he supplemented with six boards and a steal. Reserve rookie guard Jonathon Simmons also managed double - digit scoring, contributing 10 points, four rebounds and an assist. San Antonio remains atop the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They visit Orlando on Wednesday for a date with the Magic. Miami's attack was spearheaded by Dwyane Wade, who put up 20 points, five assists and a steal against Green's tough defense a large part of the night. Chris Bosh was right behind with 18 points, five rebounds, a pair of assists and a steal. Luol Deng shook off a pregame illness to pitch in 11 points and a pair of rebounds, while Goran Dragic tallied 10 points of his own and supplemented them with six assists, a rebound and a steal. Hassan Whiteside overcame an ankle injury to post 14 points, six boards and two blocks off the bench over 25 minutes before being ejected early in the final period for elbowing Marjanovic, while Beno Udrih poured in 13 points, dished out three assists and brought in a rebound in a reserve role as well. With the loss, the Heat fell to second place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They're now off until Friday, February 19th, when they face the first - place Hawks in Atlanta in their first post - All - Star tilt."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "28", "Grizzlies": "20"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "107", "Grizzlies": "87"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Wizards": "26", "Grizzlies": "33"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Wizards": "34", "Grizzlies": "14"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "37", "Grizzlies": "45"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"JaMychal Green": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"JaMychal Green": "6"}, "Points": {"JaMychal Green": "13", "Marcin Gortat": "22"}, "Blocks": {"Marcin Gortat": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "9"}, "Steals": {"Marcin Gortat": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Otto Porter": "28", "Ramon Sessions": "27"}}], "The Washington Wizards (37 - 28) took advantage of a short - handed Memphis Grizzlies team (45 - 20) Thursday with an easy 107 - 87 win at the Verizon Center. Memphis rested Mike Conley, Zach Randolph, and Marc Gasol on Thursday after taking a tough 95 - 92 loss in Boston on Wednesday. The Grizzlies more than competed with the Wizards in the early going, taking a 33 - 26 lead into the second quarter. The Wizards woke up in the second quarter, however, outscoring the Grizzlies 34 - 14 in the period to take a commanding lead. Washington's Marcin Gortat was dominant with 22 points, nine rebounds, three blocks, and three steals as the Wizards cruised to their second straight 20 - point victory. Memphis has fallen back to earth a little bit after losing three of its last four games. The absence of Conley, Randolph, and Gasol was apparent as the Grizzlies shot just 38 percent from the floor. JaMychal Green stepped into the starting lineup at power forward and posted a team - high 13 points on 6 - of - 11 shooting. The Grizzlies will look to bounce back at home Saturday when they host the Bucks. Washington was missing one of its front court starters as well with Nene Hilario sat out for personal reasons. The Wizards used their big lead to give some minutes to their role players. Ramon Sessions and Otto Porter got the most time off the bench, playing 27 and 28 minutes respectively and combining for 15 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists. Washington will return to action Saturday when Sacramento comes to the Verizon Center."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "25", "Magic": "26"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "101", "Magic": "84"}, "Rebounds": {"Lakers": "60", "Magic": "36"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "12", "Magic": "13"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "17"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Nikola Vucevic": "28", "Jeremy Lin": "29"}, "Points": {"Nikola Vucevic": "14", "Victor Oladipo": "17", "Jeremy Lin": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "11", "Victor Oladipo": "2", "Jeremy Lin": "3"}, "Assists": {"Victor Oladipo": "3", "Jeremy Lin": "6"}, "Steals": {"Victor Oladipo": "2", "Jeremy Lin": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Carlos Boozer": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Jeremy Lin": "2"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers (12 - 25) defeated the Orlando Magic (13 - 26) 101 - 84 on Friday. Kobe Bryant (rest) sat again Friday and has now missed five of the Laker's last ten games. Wesley Johnson (hip) also sat out Friday but plans to return Sunday against the Trail Blazers. Jeremy Lin stepped up in their absence with 18 points, three rebounds, six assists, four steals and two blocks in 29 minutes. Lin started Wednesday but came off the bench for Friday's victory. Ronnie Price (face) returned to action and started at point guard after sitting out their last game. The Lakers went with a big lineup to start the game with Jordan Hill, Ryan Kelly and Ed Davis all getting starts against the Magic. All three ended up with at least ten points and eight - plus rebounds, and so did Tarik Black and Carlos Boozer off the bench. The Lakers out - rebounded the Magic 60 - 36. They are now 3 - 3 over their last six games. Victor Oladipo lead the Magic in scoring with 17 points and also put up two rebounds, three assists and two steals. Nikola Vucevic had 14 points and 11 rebounds in 28 minutes. Although they are struggling, the Magic find themselves just 4 games out of the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference standings. The Magic will take on the Blazers in Portland on Saturday, and the Lakers will host the Blazers in their next game Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "39", "Nuggets": "33"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "96", "Nuggets": "106"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "13", "Nuggets": "20"}}, {"Minutes played": {"JaVale McGee": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Carlos Boozer": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Carlos Boozer": "8"}, "Points": {"Carlos Boozer": "21"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers (13 - 39) fell to the Denver Nuggets (20 - 33) 106 - 96 on Tuesday at the Staples Center. Los Angeles' Wesley Johnson sunk a mid - range jumper with 2:45 left in the fourth quarter to cut Denver's lead to one point. From there, Denver's Ty Lawson took over. Lawson had 16 points in the fourth, including nine in the final two minutes to seal the victory for the Nuggets. The star point guard finished the game with 32 points and 16 assists to help Denver snap its six - game losing skid. Denver goes into the All-Star break on a high note after winning its first game since Jan.28. In addition to Lawson's remarkable performance, Denver got solid contributions from bench players such as Darrell Arthur, J.J. Hickson, and Randy Foye. JaVale McGee returned to action for the Nuggets after a four - game absence, but only logged one minute of playing time. Denver will return to action on Feb. 20 against Milwaukee. Los Angeles made a late charge in the fourth quarter with some big time shooting from Wesley Johnson and Nick Young, but was unable to complete the comeback as the Lakers failed to score a point in the final 1:37 of the game. The Lakers relied heavily on their bench throughout the game with five reserve players logging more than 20 minutes of playing time. Carlos Boozer led the team in scoring with 21 points on 8 - for - 15 shooting. The Lakers have one last chance to break their losing streak before the break with a matchup against the Trail Blazers on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "7", "Spurs": "3"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "103", "Spurs": "109"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Celtics": "32", "Spurs": "22"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "9", "Spurs": "13"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "4", "Pau Gasol": "2", "Danny Green": "2", "Patty Mills": "1", "David Lee": "3", "Jae Crowder": "5", "Al Horford": "4", "Avery Bradley": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2", "Pau Gasol": "1", "Al Horford": "3"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "25", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "10", "Danny Green": "11", "Patty Mills": "19", "David Lee": "15", "Davis Bertans": "15", "Jae Crowder": "18", "Al Horford": "12", "Avery Bradley": "19", "Isaiah Thomas": "24", "Marcus Smart": "9", "Kelly Olynyk": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "10", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "4", "Pau Gasol": "5", "Danny Green": "7", "Patty Mills": "1", "David Lee": "12", "Jae Crowder": "3", "Al Horford": "10", "Avery Bradley": "8", "Isaiah Thomas": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Pau Gasol": "17"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Patty Mills": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Patty Mills": "5"}, "Steals": {"Patty Mills": "1", "Jae Crowder": "1"}}], "The visiting San Antonio Spurs defeated the Boston Celtics, 109 - 103, at TD Center on Friday. The Spurs (13 - 3) put together a strong effort over the final three quarters after falling in a first - quarter hole to keep their road record unblemished. The Celtics (9 - 7) jumped out to a 32 - 22 advantage after the first 12 minutes, but San Antonio outscored their hosts by an 87 - 71 margin over the final three periods. Kawhi Leonard led the way with a 25 - point, 10 - rebound double - double, while the Spurs' second unit combined for 56 points, over half of the team's scoring total. The visitors were solid all the way around offensively, tallying respective 47 and 46 percent success rates from the field and three - point range. Leonard added four assists and two blocks to his team - high scoring total. Next among the starters was Danny Green, who posted 11 points, seven rebounds, two assists and four blocks. His final rejection of the afternoon was the most important, as he stuffed an Isaiah Thomas 25 - foot three - point attempt with 12 seconds left to insure the Celtics were kept at bay. LaMarcus Aldridge totaled 10 points, four rebounds, four assists and a block. Pau Gasol notably went scoreless over 17 minutes, but he did contribute five rebounds, two assists and a block. The bench more than made up for any scoring void on the part of the starting five, however, as Patty Mills led the way with 19 points, a rebound, an assist and a steal. Meanwhile, David Lee and Davis Bertans combined for a pair of 15 - point efforts, with the former also hauling in 12 rebounds and dishing out three assists. The Celtics were led by Thomas' 24 points, which he supplemented with eight assists and a rebound. Avery Bradley contributed 19 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Jae Crowder supplied 18 points, five assists, three rebounds and a steal. Al Horford registered a 12 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included four assists and and three blocks. Kelly Olynyk and Marcus Smart paced the bench with a pair of nine - point efforts. The Spurs continue their travels with a visit to Washington to take on the Wizards on Saturday night, while the Celtics are off until they face off with the Miami Heat on Monday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "18", "Cavaliers": "9"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "115", "Cavaliers": "121"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "15", "Cavaliers": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "4", "Tristan Thompson": "1", "JR Smith": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "3", "John Wall": "12", "Gary Neal": "1"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "1", "Kevin Love": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "34", "Kevin Love": "8", "Tristan Thompson": "12", "JR Smith": "25", "Otto Porter": "12", "Jared Dudley": "12", "Marcin Gortat": "12", "Garrett Temple": "21", "John Wall": "20", "Gary Neal": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "10", "Kevin Love": "9", "Tristan Thompson": "3", "JR Smith": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "5", "Gary Neal": "1"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "1", "Kevin Love": "2", "JR Smith": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"JR Smith": "10", "Garrett Temple": "5", "John Wall": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"JR Smith": "5", "John Wall": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"JR Smith": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Kyrie Irving": "34"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Garrett Temple": "5"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (24 - 9) defeated the Washington Wizards (15 - 18) 121 - 115 on Wednesday. Kyrie Irving has progressively improved since returning from the fractured kneecap he suffered in last season's Finals versus the Warriors. He's increased his playing time over the seven games he's played to date, and had gotten up to almost a full allotment, 29 minutes, in the Cavs' most recent contest versus the Raptors on Monday. The stage appeared set for the All-Star point guard to receive a regular share of minutes Wednesday, and Irving certainly did n't disappoint. He poured in 34 points, 19 of which came in an explosive final period, to lead Cleveland to a high - scoring victory. He also complemented the scoring with five rebounds, three assists, a pair of steals and a block, all over a robust 34 minutes that provided unequivocable proof that Irving is back at full strength and ready to contribute to a Cavs championship push. Despite his impressive performance, Irving was not the team - high scorer on the night. That honor unsurprisingly fell to LeBron James, who posted a monster 34 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. He added four assists, a steal and a block for good measure. J.R. Smith was a prolific third scoring wheel, pitching in with 25 points, three rebounds, an assist and three steals, his second straight 20 - point - plus performance. The effort included five three - pointers in 10 attempts, giving Smith an impressive 13 baskets from beyond the arc over the last two contests. Tristan Thompson continued his stretch of solid play at the center position, posting 12 points, three rebounds and an assist, while Kevin Love pitched in with eight points, nine rebounds, a pair of steals and a block. The Cavaliers improved to 24 - 9 and remain atop the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They head to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves on Friday. The home team received solid efforts from all five starters, and would have likely prevailed if they'd been up against almost any other team on Wednesday. They shot an outstanding 55 percent from the field, and a particularly stellar 58 from long range. The Wizards were led by Garrett Temple's 21 points. After five straight sub - par scoring efforts, it was Temple's first 20 - point - plus performance since Dec. 23 versus the Grizzlies. John Wall churned out yet another double double, tallying 20 points (including a perfect 4 for 4 from beyond the arc) and dishing out 12 assists. Meanwhile, Jared Dudley, Otto Porter, Jr. and Marcin Gortat all managed 12 - point efforts, and contributed solid shares of rebounds, assists and steals as well. Gary Neal paced the Washington reserves with 13 points, a rebound and an assist. The Wizards fell to 15 - 18 and remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They'll be at home again on Friday to take on the Toronto Raptors."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "29"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "111", "76ers": "91"}, "Rebounds": {"Pistons": "50", "76ers": "40"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "29"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"76ers": "40"}}, {"Assists": {"Jahlil Okafor": "1", "Marcus Morris": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jahlil Okafor": "1", "Hollis Thompson": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jahlil Okafor": "1", "Hollis Thompson": "3"}, "Points": {"Jahlil Okafor": "13", "Hollis Thompson": "19", "Tobias Harris": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Jahlil Okafor": "2", "Andre Drummond": "18"}, "Minutes played": {"Hollis Thompson": "32"}, "Steals": {"Hollis Thompson": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Hollis Thompson": "1"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (29 - 29) ran circles around the league - worst Philadelphia 76ers (8 - 48) on Wednesday, winning 111 - 91. The Sixers' starting five combined for just 31 points while allowing 74 to Detroit's starting unit. Rookie Jahlil Okafor was the only Philly starter to score in double - digits, and only one Sixer eclipsed 30 minutes played in the emphatic blowout. At .500 once again, the Pistons sit just one game out of the Eastern Conference playoffs, while the Sixers remain at the bottom of the NBA totem pole with just eight wins on the season. Newly-acquired forward Tobias Harris led the Pistons in scoring with 22 points, while all five Pistons starters reached double - digits. All-Star center Andre Drummond expanded his league - leading rebounding total by pulling down 18 boards, and forward Marcus Morris took on a playmaking role to dish out eight assists on the night. It was a true team victory for Detroit, as the team saw contributions across the board and managed to hold Philadelphia to below 40 percent from the field. Philly's leading scorer was Hollis Thompson, who was one of the team's sole bright spots in the brutal defeat. Thompson scored 19 points off the bench, going 3 - for - 4 from beyond the arc and logging a team - high 32 minutes. Rookie Jahlil Okafor also put up an efficient 13 points, but pulled down just two rebounds on the night. The Sixers could n't get it done on the glass, allowing the Pistons to edge them out 50 - 40 in rebounding. Philadelphia will host the Washington Wizards on Friday. The Pistons, meanwhile, will travel to Milwaukee for a divisional matchup on Saturday."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Bulls": "24"}}, {"Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "19", "Paul Millsap": "14", "Dennis Schroder": "25"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dennis Schroder": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Dennis Schroder": "11"}}], "The Hawks narrowly escaped a bench - fueled comeback from the Chicago Bulls on Friday. The answer for Atlanta seemed to be pesky defense, as the team came away with a whopping 16 steals on the night. All in all, the Bulls committed an unprecedented 24 turnovers in the game. On the offensive end for Atlanta, Dennis Schroeder led the team with 25 points on an impressive 11 - of - 14 from the field. Big man Paul Millsap scored 14 to go along with nine rebounds and two blocks. The Bulls, meanwhile, saw startlingly low output from their starters. Superstar Jimmy Butler contributed a team - high 19 points but went without a rebound on the night. As a whole, the Chicago starting five recorded only 13 rebounds and 42 points. 28 rebounds and three double - digit scoring performances off the bench, however, allowed the Bulls to keep the game close."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Points": {"Stephen Curry": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Stephen Curry": "10"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}}], "Following his great performance in Tuesday's road victory over the Rockets, the Warriors' Stephen Curry achieved something he had n't done in over two years. With 32 points and 10 rebounds Tuesday, Curry, for the first time since January of 2015, recorded his third straight double - double. The previous two, however, were with assists, and those two games were the first time since March of 2016 that Curry managed to record back - to - back double - doubles, making what has transpired over the last three games rare for the two - time league MVP. Curry finished Tuesday's game with seven assists as well, making it the seventh time this season that Curry has recorded at least seven assists and seven rebounds in the same game. The Warriors are 5 - 2 in those contests, with the two losses being surprising ones to the Lakers and Heat."], [[{"Total points": {"Clippers": "98", "Trail Blazers": "108"}, "Rebounds": {"Clippers": "45", "Trail Blazers": "53"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "2"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "3"}}, {"Points": {"Maurice Harkless": "19"}, "Blocks": {"CJ McCollum": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"CJ McCollum": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"CJ McCollum": "2"}, "Steals": {"Damian Lillard": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Damian Lillard": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "17"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the injury - riddled Los Angeles Clippers, 108 - 98, to take a 3 - 2 lead in their Western Conference first - round playoff series Wednesday night at Staples Center. It was business as usual for the dynamic duo of C.J. McCollum and Damian Lillard, as the backcourt pair combined for 49 points on the night. Both made an impact on the defensive end as well, with Lillard grabbing three steals and McCollum blocking two shots. The Blazers' starting frontcourt also made a splash, with Mo Harkless scoring 19 and Miles Plumlee pulling down 15 rebounds. It was a comfortable win for Portland, as the team held a 53 - 45 advantage on the boards and a 12 - 6 advantage in terms of three - point shooting. Los Angeles, meanwhile, has suffered a severe string of bad luck that threatens to cut its season short. All-Stars Blake Griffin (quad) and Chris Paul (hand) both had season - ending injuries announced earlier this week. The team went in shorthanded and without its normal superstar one - two punch on Wednesday, and the stars' absence showed. The team shot just 6 - for - 20 from three - point territory and saw disadvantages in rebounding, turnovers, assists, and free - throw shooting. While center DeAndre Jordan pulled down 17 rebounds, no other Clipper had more than six. The Blazers will attempt to sink the Clippers' ship on Friday as they return to Moda Center for Game 6."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "10", "Bucks": "17"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "103", "Bucks": "90"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "16", "Bucks": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"Bucks": "11"}}, {"Points": {"Jabari Parker": "14", "Michael Carter-Williams": "17", "O.J. Mayo": "17", "Blake Griffin": "15", "Chris Paul": "21"}, "Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "5", "Chris Paul": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "8", "Chris Paul": "6"}}], "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."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "50", "Mavericks": "33"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "52", "Mavericks": "42"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "8", "Mavericks": "18"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "128", "Mavericks": "114"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Warriors": "25", "Mavericks": "42"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "39", "Mavericks": "33"}}, {"Assists": {"Chandler Parsons": "4", "Klay Thompson": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "3", "Dirk Nowitzki": "4", "Monta Ellis": "4", "Klay Thompson": "10", "Stephen Curry": "16", "Leandro Barbosa": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chandler Parsons": "1", "Dirk Nowitzki": "1", "Monta Ellis": "0", "Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "10", "Leandro Barbosa": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "18", "Dirk Nowitzki": "15", "Tyson Chandler": "9", "Monta Ellis": "19", "Klay Thompson": "17", "Stephen Curry": "26", "Leandro Barbosa": "8", "Marreese Speights": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Chandler Parsons": "9", "Dirk Nowitzki": "4", "Tyson Chandler": "8", "Monta Ellis": "7", "Klay Thompson": "7", "Stephen Curry": "16", "Leandro Barbosa": "5", "Marreese Speights": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "9", "Dirk Nowitzki": "6", "Tyson Chandler": "6", "Leandro Barbosa": "4", "Marreese Speights": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Chandler Parsons": "5", "Dirk Nowitzki": "6", "Tyson Chandler": "5", "Leandro Barbosa": "1", "Marreese Speights": "4"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "24", "Dirk Nowitzki": "15", "Tyson Chandler": "21", "Monta Ellis": "14", "Klay Thompson": "18", "Stephen Curry": "51", "Leandro Barbosa": "14", "Marreese Speights": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Chandler Parsons": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "3", "Tyson Chandler": "17", "Leandro Barbosa": "3", "Marreese Speights": "6"}, "Steals": {"Klay Thompson": "2"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Stephen Curry": "63"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Stephen Curry": "62"}, "Minutes played": {"Stephen Curry": "37"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (39 - 8) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (33 - 18) 128 - 114 on Wednesday at Oracle Arena in Oakland. Despite being out - scored 42 - 25 in the first quarter, the Warriors dominated the rest of the game, out - scoring the Mavericks 103 - 72 in the final three quarters. The Warriors shot extremely well, going 52 percent from the field and 50 percent from the three - point line, while the Mavericks went 42 percent from the floor and 33 percent from beyond the arc. This game was all about Stephen Curry, who went 16 - for - 26 from the field and 10 - for - 16 from the three - point line to score a season - high of 51 points in 37 minutes. He was absolutely unstoppable, shooting an incredible 62 percent from the field and 63 percent from the three - point line. This marked his fourth straight game scoring 23 or more points. While in the shadow of Curry's huge night, Klay Thompson still had some strong numbers, finishing with 18 points (7 - 17 FG, 4 - 10 3Pt), five assists and two steals. While it was slightly less than his season scoring average, he just did n't have to do that much, as Curry just would n't cool off. The Warriors did receive some help from their bench though, as both Marreese Speights and Leandro Barbosa reached double figures in points. Speights finished with 14 points (5 - 10 FG, 4 - 4 FT) and six rebounds, while Barbosa had 14 points (5 - 8 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt, 1 - 4 FT) and three rebounds. Despite suffering the loss, the Mavericks did have six players reach double figures, including all five starters. Chandler Parsons led the way, posting 24 points (9 - 18 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 9 FT), four rebounds and four assists. He's recorded four impressive games in a row, averaging 21 points and 4 rebounds over that stretch. Tyson Chandler had a pretty big game, finishing with 21 points (8 - 9 FG, 5 - 6 FT) and 17 rebounds. After posting only six points in Monday's game against the Timberwolves, it was good to see him explode on the offensive side of the ball with a positive result. While it was n't his best day shooting the ball, Dirk Nowitzki still posted 15 points (4 - 15 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) and three rebounds. Monta Ellis had only 14 points (7 - 19 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt) in 38 minutes, despite being the scoring leader for this team. The Warriors' next game will be on the road against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, while the Mavericks will travel to Sacramento to play the Kings on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "3", "Rockets": "3"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "99", "Rockets": "101"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "5", "Rockets": "5"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Ryan Anderson": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Ryan Anderson": "36"}, "Points": {"Ryan Anderson": "20", "James Harden": "24", "Kawhi Leonard": "34"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "15", "Kawhi Leonard": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "12", "Kawhi Leonard": "7"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2"}}], "The Houston Rockets defeated the San Antonio Spurs 101 - 99 at AT & T Center on Wednesday. The Rockets (5 - 3) narrowly came away with a two point victory against a relatively banged up Spurs (5 - 3) team. James Harden's triple - double led the way, however, Kawhi Leonard fell a layup short of tying the game on the final possession. With 2:8 left in the fourth quarter, Ryan Anderson buried a 26 - foot three pointer to take a 101 - 97 lead. Leonard went on to make a midrange jumper to bring the Spurs within two points, but on the last play with time expiring, the San Antonio forward missed a driving layup to tie the game. It was still a strong performance from Leonard, who went on to score 34 points, to go along with seven rebounds, one assist and two blocks. James Harden rounded out the box score with another explosive performance, as the Rockets point guard finished with 24 points, 15 assists, 12 rebounds and one steal. Worth noting is Harden's eight turnovers, which matched his season high on the year. Ryan Anderson was lethal from behind the arc, burying four three pointers on his way to 20 points in 36 minutes. Tony Parker (knee) will return to the court on Friday and is still dealing with right knee soreness. The Rockets host the Spurs on Saturday, while the Spurs sandwich a game with the Detroit Pistons at home before the rematch."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "20", "Bulls": "16"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "108", "Bulls": "94"}, "Rebounds": {"Cavaliers": "54", "Bulls": "40"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "22", "Bulls": "27"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"LeBron James": "3", "Kevin Love": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LeBron James": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"LeBron James": "6", "Kevin Love": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Love": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Kevin Love": "30"}, "Points": {"Kevin Love": "16", "JR Smith": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Love": "12", "JR Smith": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"JR Smith": "6"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (22 - 20) beat the Chicago Bulls (27 - 16) 108 - 94 on Monday. The Cavaliers are now winners of three straight games after dropping their six previous games, including a 95 - 92 loss to the 76ers on Jan 5. Kevin Love (back) started and had 16 points and 12 rebounds in 30 minutes after missing Friday's victory over the Clippers. LeBron James has been averaging 34 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals in 39 minutes per game since his return from back and knee strains, with the Cavs going 3 - 1 in that time. J.R. Smith has scored 20 - plus points in three of his six games as a Cavalier. Smith has hit 20 of the 51 three - point shots he's taken since coming over in a trade from the Knicks. The Bulls are now 1 - 2 in Joakim Noah's absence. They certainly could've used him Monday, as they were outrebounded 54 - 40 by the Cavs. Rookie Doug McDermott was available after being out due to knee surgery since mid - December. The Bulls are now 5 - 6 in January after going 11 - 4 in December. They are currently leading the Central Divsion. The Cavaliers will take on the Utah Jazz (14 - 27) on Wednesday, and the Bulls will face the San Antonio Spurs (26 - 16) on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "26", "Heat": "22"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "95", "Heat": "98"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "24", "Heat": "29"}}, {"Points": {"Dwyane Wade": "22", "Hassan Whiteside": "10", "Marvin Williams": "27", "Nicolas Batum": "21"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "10", "Nicolas Batum": "6"}, "Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "7"}}], "The Miami Heat (29 - 22) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (24 - 26) 98 - 95 on the back of a 10 - point, 10 - rebound, 10 - block triple - double from center Hassan Whiteside. Miami has now won six of its last seven games. The Heat have slowly but surely worked their way up to tied for first in the Southeast Division, largely due to the play of All-Star starter and reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week Dwyane Wade. Wade delivered on Saturday with a team - leading 22 points. The real story, however, was defensive anchor Hassan Whiteside's rare points - rebounds - blocks triple - double. The recently - returned star provided a huge defensive spark off the bench for the Heat. Charlotte, despite the loss, has begun to turn things around after a horrendous start to the new year. The Hornets have now won five of their last eight despite the absence of center Al Jefferson. The team came close to a win on Friday, rolling with Miami to the very end of the fourth. Power forward Marvin Williams exploded for a game - high 27 points, leading the Hornets' scoring effort. Meanwhile, forward Nicolas Batum delivered 21 points to go with six rebounds and seven assists. The impressive efforts were not enough, however, to trump Miami. The Hornets will host Washinton on Saturday. Miami, meanwhile, does not see action again until Sunday, when they take on the Los Angeles Clippers."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "23"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "40"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "1", "Cavaliers": "1"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "93", "Cavaliers": "95"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "1", "Cavaliers": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "11"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "50"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "39", "Matthew Dellavedova": "9", "Klay Thompson": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "16"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "23"}, "Free throws made": {"Stephen Curry": "7"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (1 - 1) defeated the Golden State Warriors (1 - 1), 95 - 93, in overtime Sunday at the Oracle Arena to take Game 2 of the NBA Finals. With Kyrie Irving's knee injury to sideline him for the remainder of the Finals, few people gave Cleveland a chance to win a game, let alone a game on the road. LeBron James did everything he could to give the Cavaliers the victory in Game 2, however, and now the series is tied at one game apiece. James finished with 39 points, 16 rebounds, and 11 assists over 50 minutes on the floor to notch his fifth career triple - double in the Finals. Despite James' dominance, the Warriors still had a shot to win the game in overtime. Stephen Curry, who struggled from the floor throughout Sunday's contest, missed the potential go - ahead jumper with seven seconds remaining in overtime. This game will be one to forget for the MVP, who finished 5 - for - 23 from the floor and 2 - for - 15 from beyond the arc. Sunday's game marked the first time in NBA history that the first two games of the Finals went to overtime. Game 3 will take place Tuesday in Cleveland at the Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland had questions surrounding its supporting cast behind James, but its role players stepped up in a major way Sunday. Matthew Dellavedova, who was filling in at point guard for the injured Irving, was a difference maker on the defensive end and scored all nine of his points in the fourth quarter and overtime. He also made crucial plays on loose balls and rebounds all night, giving the Cavaliers extra possessions. The Cavaliers nearly let this game slip away due to questionable fouls by J.R Smith that let the Warriors cut into their deficit. Cleveland will need to minimize those miscues in Game 3, but for now, it's happy to be going back to its home court with the series tied. Golden State was dragged into a slower paced game Sunday which forced it away from its strengths. In addition to Curry's struggles from the floor, no bench player managed more than seven points in Game 2 and the Warriors shot just 40% from the flooor and 23% from beyond the arc. There were some positive takeaways from the Warriors on Sunday, namely Draymond Green's defense and Klay Thompson's 34 points. The Warriors will need Curry to bounce back in Game 3 on Tuesday in order to regain the series lead."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "43", "Cavaliers": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "49", "Cavaliers": "41"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "21", "Cavaliers": "11"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "89", "Cavaliers": "98"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "11", "Cavaliers": "18"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Love": "8", "LeBron James": "5", "Dion Waiters": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "1", "Evan Fournier": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Love": "3", "LeBron James": "0", "Dion Waiters": "0", "Victor Oladipo": "0", "Evan Fournier": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Love": "17", "LeBron James": "20", "Dion Waiters": "14", "Victor Oladipo": "14", "Evan Fournier": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Love": "7", "LeBron James": "10", "Dion Waiters": "6", "Victor Oladipo": "5", "Evan Fournier": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kevin Love": "5", "Dion Waiters": "5", "Victor Oladipo": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Kevin Love": "5", "Dion Waiters": "5", "Victor Oladipo": "3"}, "Points": {"Kevin Love": "22", "LeBron James": "29", "Dion Waiters": "17", "Victor Oladipo": "13", "Evan Fournier": "15", "Ben Gordon": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Love": "7", "Victor Oladipo": "4"}, "Assists": {"LeBron James": "8", "Victor Oladipo": "8"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "2"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (18 - 11) defeated the Orlando Magic (11 - 21) 98 - 89 on Friday at the Amway Center in Orlando. Despite suffering the nine - point loss, the Magic took the upper hand in shooting percentages. The Magic shot 49 percent from the field and 43 percent from the three - point line, while the Cavaliers went 41 percent from the field and only 27 percent from the three - point line. Although they finished with the superior shooting percentage, the Magic were forced into 17 turnovers, which ultimately may have been the difference in this one. The Cavaliers were led by LeBron James, who despite going 0 - for - 5 from the three - point line, was able to convert 10 - for - 20 from the field to score 29 points, while also contributing eight assists. In his last two outings, he's combined for 59 points and 16 assists, as he's been the Cavaliers' offensive focal point. Kevin Love also played a big part in this victory. He finished with 22 points (7 - 17 FG, 3 - 8 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT) and seven rebounds. He's now averaging 17 points and 10 rebounds on the year and was needed for scoring with Kyrie Irving sitting out. The only other player to reach double figures in points was Dion Waiters. Coming off the bench, he was able to score 17 points (6 - 14 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT). It was a nice bounce back game for him offensively, after scoring only eight points in 28 minutes on Thursday against the Miami Heat. The Magic on the other hand were led by the duo of Tobias Harris and Evan Fournier. Harris went 7 - for - 16 from the floor and 2 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 16 points, while Fournier went 5 - for - 10 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from beyond the arc to score 15 points off the bench. It was a nice turn around game for Fournier, who shot only 22 percent (2 - 9 FG) against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday. Victor Oladipo also had a solid contribution. He finished with 13 points (5 - 14 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), four rebounds and eight assists in 36 minutes. Like Fournier, Oladipo really struggled against the Celtics on Tuesday, shooting 13 percent (2 - 15 FG) from the floor, so it was again good to see a bounce back game from him. Ben Gordon had 10 points off the bench as well. The Cavaliers' next game will be at home against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, while the Magic will travel to Charlotte to play the HOrnets on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "17", "Trail Blazers": "17"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "126", "Trail Blazers": "121"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "11", "Trail Blazers": "13"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "27"}, "Turnovers": {"Trail Blazers": "8"}}, {"Points": {"Mason Plumlee": "27", "CJ McCollum": "36", "Damian Lillard": "24", "DeMarcus Cousins": "55"}, "Rebounds": {"Mason Plumlee": "13"}, "Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}}], "The host Sacramento Kings defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, 126 - 121, behind 55 points from All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins. It was an interesting night for Sacramento (11 - 17), as the team came away with the win despite an emotional roller coaster. Center DeMarcus Cousins was awarded a technical foul and ejected for spitting out his mouthpiece, but then saw the ejection rescinded. The confusing call seemed to have rubbed Cousins the wrong way, as he expressed anger at the \"ridiculous\" officiating in a heated post - game interview. While many will talk about the controversial mouthpiece call, Cousins had one of the best nights of his career en route to the Sacramento victory. The star center dropped 55 points to go along with 13 rebounds and three blocks. Cousins sealed the game with a clutch block on Blazers point guard Damian Lillard, ending what was truly a memorable performance. Portland (13 - 17) is heading in the wrong direction, having now lost seven of its last eight. The backcourt of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum shined in Tuesday's game, but did not perform well enough to seal the win. McCollum led the team with 36 points, while Lillard had 24 and dished out 15 assists. Blazers center Mason Plumlee scored 27 while delivering 13 rebounds as well. Plumlee saw things get heated between him and Cousins at points, as both centers delivered terrific performances in the close game. The Kings will visit Utah on Wednesday, while Portland will host the Mavericks."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "4", "Raymond Felton": "4", "Jamal Crawford": "5", "Al Horford": "6", "Isaiah Thomas": "8"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "23", "Raymond Felton": "16", "Jamal Crawford": "23", "Al Horford": "13", "Isaiah Thomas": "28", "Marcus Smart": "13", "Kelly Olynyk": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "8", "Raymond Felton": "5", "Al Horford": "15"}, "Steals": {"Jamal Crawford": "3"}}], "Boston has been rolling lately, as this wire - to - wire victory marks their seventh - straight win. They lived behind the three - point line, going 16 - of - 51 from long distance. Defensive statistics were huge, with Boston combining for 12 blocks and steals, while the Clippers could only muster up four. Blake Griffin was the only Los Angeles starter to play well, as he tallied 23 points, eight rebounds and four assists. The other four starters combined for just 20 points on 6 - of - 25 from the field. Jamal Crawford was great off the bench, providing 23 points, five assists and three steals. Raymond Felton also played well off the bench, collecting 16 points, five rebounds and four assists. Isaiah Thomas led the Celtics in scoring, accruing 28 points and eight assists. Al Horford finished with 13 points, 15 rebounds and six assists. Kelly Olynyk and Marcus Smart carried the bench, as they scored 13 points apiece."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "22"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "118", "Lakers": "109"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "16"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Lakers": "22"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Brandon Ingram": "6", "D'Angelo Russell": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Brandon Ingram": "3", "D'Angelo Russell": "6"}, "Points": {"Brandon Ingram": "11", "Julius Randle": "17", "Nick Young": "13", "D'Angelo Russell": "22"}, "Assists": {"Julius Randle": "5", "D'Angelo Russell": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Julius Randle": "9", "D'Angelo Russell": "4"}, "Steals": {"Julius Randle": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Nick Young": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nick Young": "3", "CJ McCollum": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"CJ McCollum": "3"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 118 - 109 at Moda Center on Thursday. The Trail Blazers (16 - 22) improved to 10 - 7 on their home court and saw a strong game from Damian Lillard, who returned to the lineup after a few missed games due to an ankle injury. LIllard's back court teammate, C.J. McCollum, was pullling the weight on the scoring front in Lillard's absence, and continued to pour in points with the back court now at full strength. The Blazers responded stronger in the second half, taking advantage of the Lakers pour ability to close out games, and scored 30 - plus points as a unit in each of the third and fourth quarters. McCollum's driving six foot jumper with just over four minutes remaining in the game put the Blazers up by one point, and the hot shooting McCollum dropped in a long distance three to add to the lead. Portland did not have to look back after that, doing the finishing touches from the free throw line. The Lakers best performer was D'Angelo Russell, who finished the game with 22 points, four rebounds and two assists on 6 - of - 18 shooting. Nick Young managed three buckets from behind the arc, but finished just 3 - of - 9 for the game and scored 13 points. Julius Randle rounded out the box score again, as he went for 17 points, nine rebounds, five assists and one steal. Brandon Ingram drew the start at small forward and finished with 11 points on 3 - of - 6 shooting. Next up, the Lakers play the second game of a back - to - back when they host the Miami Heat, while the Blazers visit the Detroit Pistons on Saturday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Hawks": "29"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "57"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "52"}}, {"Points": {"Paul Millsap": "21", "Dwight Howard": "16", "Kent Bazemore": "16", "Dennis Schroder": "24", "Jimmy Butler": "40", "Dwyane Wade": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "6", "Dwight Howard": "12", "Kent Bazemore": "6", "Jimmy Butler": "4", "Dwyane Wade": "4"}, "Assists": {"Kent Bazemore": "7", "Dennis Schroder": "9", "Jimmy Butler": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Kent Bazemore": "3"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "2"}}], "Chicago looked poised to pull out a wire - to - wire win, but Atlanta went on a huge run to take their first and only lead with less than two minutes left. In fact, the Hawks finished the game on a 19 - 4 run to win by five. Atlanta's offense was key, as they shot 52 percent from the field and 57 percent from three - point range, while handing out 29 assists. Six players on Atlanta score at least 16 points, with Dennis Schroeder leading the team with 24 points and nine assists. Paul Millsap was second on the team, totaling 21 points and six rebounds. Dwight Howard and Kent Bazemore each scored 16 points a piece, with Howard adding 12 rebounds and Bazemore contributing six rebounds, seven assists and three blocks. Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler carried the load for Chicago, as they combined for 73 points on 27 - of - 46 from the field, with the rest of the team going just 16 - of - 48. Butler led the team with 40 points, four rebounds three assists and three steals, while Wade finished with 33 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "18", "Bucks": "16"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "96", "Bucks": "116"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "16", "Bucks": "16"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "60"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "57"}}, {"Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7", "Jabari Parker": "1", "Taj Gibson": "1", "Robin Lopez": "1"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "35", "Jabari Parker": "27", "Malcolm Brogdon": "15", "Greg Monroe": "15", "Jimmy Butler": "26", "Taj Gibson": "11", "Robin Lopez": "12", "Dwyane Wade": "8", "Michael Carter-Williams": "4", "Doug McDermott": "13", "Nikola Mirotic": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9", "Jabari Parker": "5", "Greg Monroe": "12", "Jimmy Butler": "7", "Taj Gibson": "5", "Robin Lopez": "10", "Doug McDermott": "1", "Nikola Mirotic": "4"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Jabari Parker": "1", "Greg Monroe": "2", "Jimmy Butler": "2", "Doug McDermott": "1"}, "Assists": {"Jabari Parker": "3", "Malcolm Brogdon": "12", "Jimmy Butler": "8", "Taj Gibson": "1", "Robin Lopez": "1", "Michael Carter-Williams": "4", "Doug McDermott": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Jabari Parker": "40"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jimmy Butler": "1", "Michael Carter-Williams": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dwyane Wade": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "4", "Michael Carter-Williams": "4"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Chicago Bulls, 116 - 96, at United Center on Saturday. The dynamic duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker were at it again for the Bucks (16 - 16), as they posted over half of the team's scoring total while each played at least 40 minutes. Their combined 23 - of - 34 effort from the field spearheaded a red - hot Milwaukee offense that drained their buckets at a 57 percent clip, and that also was successful on 60 percent of their 15 attempts from behind the arc. Meanwhile, the Bulls (16 - 18) could only get one such standout effort, which came from Jimmy Butler. The offensive imbalance ultimately left them unable to keep pace as the game wore on, and accordingly, the Bucks outscored their hosts by a 67 - 45 margin in the second half. Antetokounmpo tallied a game - high 35 points, and added nine rebounds, seven assists, seven blocks and two steals in a remarkable performance. Parker followed with 27 points, five rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block. Malcolm Brogdon continued his rapid development, as he managed 15 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds, his first career triple - double. Greg Monroe led the bench with 15 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals. Butler's 26 points paved the way for Chicago, and he complemented them with eight assists, seven boards and two steals. Robin Lopez provided a 12 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included an assist and a block. Taj Gibson contributed 11 points, five rebounds, an assist and a block. Michael Carter-Williams, who drew the start for the struggling Rajon Rondo, and Dwyane Wade both struggled, as they only supplied four and eight points, respectively. Doug McDermott (13 points, three assists, a rebound and a steal) and Nikola Mirotic (10 points, four rebounds) helped make up for some of the scoring void off the bench. The Bucks head back home to host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night, while the Bulls remain home to face the Charlotte Hornets on Monday evening as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "36", "Bulls": "23"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "112", "Bulls": "105"}, "Rebounds": {"Timberwolves": "45", "Bulls": "31"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "16", "Bulls": "27"}, "Turnovers": {"Bulls": "11"}}, {"Assists": {"Pau Gasol": "3", "Derrick Rose": "10", "Gorgui Dieng": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Pau Gasol": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Pau Gasol": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Pau Gasol": "1"}, "Points": {"Pau Gasol": "25", "Derrick Rose": "18", "Gorgui Dieng": "24", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "8", "Derrick Rose": "5", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "17"}, "Steals": {"Pau Gasol": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Pau Gasol": "1"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (16 - 36) defeated the Chicago Bulls (27 - 23) 112 - 105 on Saturday. Chicago carried a six - point lead heading into halftime, but it was clear their tired legs let them down in the second half. The Timberwolves outscored the Bulls by 12 points over the final three minutes and that was truly the difference in the game. A key for the Wolves was the rebounding, as they snatched down 45 boards to the Bulls 31. Chicago had to play this game in the second half of a back - to - back set and it was clear this shorthanded roster couldn\u2019t muster up the energy to win. In fact, Chicago was missing Jimmy Butler, Nikola Mirotic and Joakim Noah for this game. Pau Gasol was able to play after a one - game absence, as he tallied 25 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks in the defeat. Derrick Rose also played well, as he accumulated 18 points, 10 assists and five rebounds in the loss. Chicago has now lost 11 of their last 16 games. Up next for the Bulls is a matchup against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday. This gives Minnesota a two - game winning streak, with both wins coming against very good teams. The Timberwolves were horrible from three - point range, as they went 1 - for - 12, but shot nearly 59 percent from inside the arc. The big men were key in this game, as Karl-Anthony Towns went for 26 points and 17 rebounds, while Gorgui Dieng amassed 24 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. Minnesota will look to extend their modest winning streak to three games on Monday when they host the New Orleans Pelicans."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "53"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "17", "Bucks": "19"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "111", "Bucks": "98"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hawks": "24"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "19", "Bucks": "16"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "23", "Bucks": "20"}}, {"Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Malcolm Brogdon": "1", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Dwight Howard": "1"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Jabari Parker": "1", "Malcolm Brogdon": "2", "Michael Beasley": "2", "Thabo Sefolosha": "3", "Dwight Howard": "1", "Kent Bazemore": "2", "Malcolm Delaney": "1"}, "Assists": {"Jabari Parker": "9", "Michael Beasley": "1", "Greg Monroe": "1", "Thabo Sefolosha": "3", "Paul Millsap": "5", "Dwight Howard": "2", "Kent Bazemore": "1", "Mike Dunleavy": "2", "Malcolm Delaney": "9"}, "Points": {"Jabari Parker": "8", "Malcolm Brogdon": "12", "Michael Beasley": "11", "Greg Monroe": "13", "Thabo Sefolosha": "10", "Paul Millsap": "18", "Dwight Howard": "16", "Kent Bazemore": "24", "Mike Dunleavy": "20", "Malcolm Delaney": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Jabari Parker": "10", "Greg Monroe": "1", "Thabo Sefolosha": "2", "Paul Millsap": "8", "Dwight Howard": "14", "Mike Dunleavy": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Malcolm Delaney": "26"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, 111 - 98, at Phillips Arena on Sunday. Giannis Antetokounmpo has undoubtedly been the linchpin of the Bucks' (20 - 19) attack all season, but over - reliance on any one player, even one as talented as the Greek Freak, can leave a team vulnerable. That was the case on Sunday, as the Hawks (23 - 17) were able to counter a 33 - point, eight - rebound, six - assist effort from Milwaukee's star with five double - digit scoring efforts, four of which came from the starting five. Atlanta was also on fire from the floor, as they posted respective 53 and 50 percent success rates from the field and three - point range. Their pinpoint accuracy helped them overcome a whopping 19 turnovers, as did the 16 they elicited from the visitors. Antetokounmpo added three blocks and two steals to his aforementioned stat line. Greg Monroe led the bench with 13 points, a rebound and an assist. Malcolm Brogdon was next with 12 points, two steals and a block. Jabari Parker was only able to muster eight points but did haul in 10 rebounds and dish out nine assists. He also added a steal. Michael Beasley was productive in a reserve role as well with 11 points. The Hawks were led by Kent Bazemore, who produced his second - best scoring total of the season with 24 points, which he supplemented with two rebounds, an assist and a pair of steals. The recently - acquired Mike Dunleavy chipped in off the bench with 20 points, three rebounds and two assists. Paul Millsap generated a full stat line of 18 points, eight rebounds, five assists and a pair of blocks. Dwight Howard supplied a 16 - point, 14 - rebound double - double that also included two assists, a steal and a block. Thabo Sefolosha turned in 10 points, three assists, two rebounds and three steals. Malcolm Delaney continued his recent surge with nine points, nine assists, a rebound and a steal in 26 minutes off the bench. The Bucks head back home to face off with the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday afternoon, while the Hawks tangle with the Knicks in New York on Monday afternoon as well."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Jazz": "14", "Nets": "23"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "30", "Nets": "42"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "96", "Nets": "98"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "28", "Nets": "17"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "48"}}, {"Points": {"Thaddeus Young": "21", "Wayne Ellington": "16", "Gordon Hayward": "27", "Rudy Gobert": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Thaddeus Young": "8", "Wayne Ellington": "6", "Rudy Gobert": "19"}, "Steals": {"Thaddeus Young": "3", "Wayne Ellington": "2"}, "Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "6"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets (17 - 42) upset the Utah Jazz (28 - 30) 98 - 96 on Saturday. Utah came into this game as a double - digit favorite and simply couldn\u2019t hold off a bad Nets team. The key for Brooklyn was their shooting, as they shot 48 percent from the field and 50 percent from three - point range against a dominant Jazz defense. The ball movement was huge as well, with Brooklyn dishing out 23 assists to the Jazz '14. Brooklyn has now won two - straight games without Joe Johnson, with both of them coming on the road. Thaddeus Young led the team with 21 points and also provided eight rebounds and three steals in the upset. Wayne Ellington played well too, as he tallied 16 points, six rebounds and two steals in the win. All the bench players had solid games, with all five of them scoring at least four points and combining for 20 rebounds and 13 assists. The Nets will look to keep up this good form against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday. This is a downright bad loss for the Jazz and they continue to fall deeper and deeper out of the playoffs. Gordon Hayward led the team with 27 points, while also dishing out six assists. Rudy Gobert was dominant down low, as he accumulated 12 points, 19 rebounds and six blocks in the defeat. In contrast to the Nets bench, the Jazz had six players combine for just 10 rebounds and two assists. Utah will look to bounce back in their next game against the Boston Celtics on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "16", "Pistons": "20"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "105", "Pistons": "98"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "17", "Pistons": "15"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pistons": "22"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Jon Leuer": "16", "Kyle Korver": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Jon Leuer": "9", "Kyle Korver": "7"}, "Points": {"Jon Leuer": "22", "Andre Drummond": "15", "Reggie Jackson": "20", "Paul Millsap": "26", "Dwight Howard": "10", "Dennis Schroder": "17", "Kyle Korver": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Jon Leuer": "6", "Andre Drummond": "15", "Dwight Howard": "15"}, "Assists": {"Reggie Jackson": "8", "Dennis Schroder": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Kyle Korver": "29"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks held off the Pistons to earn the 105 - 98 home win, at Phillips Arena on Friday. After trailing by 10 at halftime, the Pistons (15 - 20) battled back to make it a four - point game with four minutes to go, however the Hawks (17 - 16) executed down the stretch to hold on for their second straight win. The Hawks dominated the paint, where they outscored the Pistons 46 - 32. Atlanta's big men led the way, as Paul Millsap was the high - point man, with 26, while Dwight Howard tallied 10 points and 15 rebounds. Kyle Korver came up big with 22 points on 7 - of - 13 shooting, in 29 minutes off the bench, while Dennis Schroder helped ice the game with some clutch free throw shooting, and 17 points and seven assists in the contest. The Hawks improve to 9 - 7 at home and will look to keep the momentum going as they play host to the Spurs on Sunday. Despite all five starters scoring in double figures, the Pistons still came up short, in part due to a very limited contribution from the bench, as only three players came off the bench to combine for 15 points. Jon Leuer led the way in scoring for Detroit, as he totaled 22 points on 9 - of - 16 shooting, along with six rebounds. Andre Drummond chipped in 15 points and 15 rebounds, while Reggie Jackson struggled from the field, but still finished with 20 points and eight assists. This marks the second straight loss for the Pistons, as they fall to 6 - 12 on the road this season. They will look to get back on track as they go on to play in Miami on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "3", "76ers": "9"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "102", "76ers": "85"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "6", "76ers": "0"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Jahlil Okafor": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Jahlil Okafor": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Jahlil Okafor": "4"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "17"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (6 - 3) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (0 - 9) 102 - 85 on Friday night. This was a mismatch on paper and that ended up being the case in a blowout. The Sixers committed 17 turnovers in the loss and shot just 35 percent from the field. The Thunder didn\u2019t play well offensively without Kevin Durant, but they were carried once again by Russell Westbrook. Philadelphia scored only 61 points after the first quarter and defense is going to be the key for this Thunder squad going forward without Durant. The Thunder didn\u2019t have their best performance, but a win is a win. They were led by Russell Westbrook, who recorded yet another triple - double in a fantastic performance. Westbrook tallied 21 points, 17 rebounds and 11 assists in the victory. The defense was the key to the win though, as the Sixers shot under 35 percent from the field and had just three fast break points on the evening. The bench also had a nice game, as they outscored the Sixers bench 47 - 36 in the blowout. They'll look to continue this form on Sunday against the Boston Celtics in their next matchup. The Sixers had a rough game on Friday in whats already been a rough season. Jahlil Okafor had an especially bad game, as he shot 3 - for - 18 while committing four turnovers in the defeat. Philadelphia was led by Nerlens Noel, who returned from a wrist injury to post a double - double in the loss. Skeptics have to wonder how all these youngster can deal with all the losing and it's a wonder how they have any motivation at all at this point. There is some nice young talent on this team, but it will be some time before they compete for a playoff spot. The losing will likely continue on Sunday when the Sixers have to travel to San Antonio to take on the Spurs."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "53"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "20", "Warriors": "6"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "127", "Warriors": "115"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Thunder": "36"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "19", "Warriors": "31"}}, {"Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "18", "Marreese Speights": "20", "Klay Thompson": "32", "Stephen Curry": "19", "Kevin Durant": "36", "Serge Ibaka": "27", "Russell Westbrook": "17", "Dion Waiters": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Harrison Barnes": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "15"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marreese Speights": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Marreese Speights": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "3"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "6"}}], "Oklahoma City (19 - 20) got 36 points from Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook had a triple - double as the Thunder knocked off the West-leading Warriors (31 - 6) 127 - 115 on Friday. The Thunder found themselves trailing for much of the first half but went on an 11 - 2 run late in the second quarter that opened up a seven - point advantage. The lead was extended to nine at the half, but Golden State was able to keep it close in the third quarter and entered the final period down 98 - 91. Though he didn\u2019t score in the fourth quarter, Westbrook played a major role in putting the game away, as he recorded eight assists and six rebounds in the final 12 minutes. Westbrook finished with 17 points, 17 assists (career - high) and 15 rebounds (tied career - high), while Durant\u2019s 36 points led all scorers. Serge Ibaka tied his career high with 27 points, and Dion Waiters added 21 points off the bench. Oklahoma City, which had lost three of its last four, shot a sizzling 53 percent from the floor and knocked down 10 - of - 22 three - point attempts. The Warriors, meanwhile, had a solid offensive showing but simply could not stop the Thunder\u2019s big three. Klay Thompson led the Warriors with 32 points, including three three - pointers, and Stephen Curry added 19 points and six assists. Marreese Speights, starting in place of Andrew Bogut (rest) had 20 points (9 - 16 FG), and Harrison Barnes finished with 18 to go with six rebounds. Andre Iguodala was also rested by coach Steve Kerr, as the Warriors are in the midst of a four - games - in - five - nights slate. Up next, Golden State travels to Houston to take on the Rockets on Saturday. Oklahoma City is off until Sunday, when it faces the Rockets in Orlando to begin a five - game road swing. Seven of the Thunder\u2019s next eight games will be played away from Chesapeake Energy Arena."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Lakers": "18", "Nuggets": "30"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "4", "Nuggets": "2"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "109", "Nuggets": "120"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "0", "Nuggets": "2"}}, {"Personal fouls": {"Kenneth Faried": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Kenneth Faried": "15", "JJ Hickson": "7", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "2"}, "Assists": {"JJ Hickson": "2", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "10"}, "Blocks": {"JJ Hickson": "2"}, "Points": {"JJ Hickson": "17", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "12", "Jordan Clarkson": "30", "Lou Williams": "24"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Lou Williams": "19"}, "Free throws made": {"Lou Williams": "16"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (2 - 2) beat the Los Angles Lakers (0 - 4) 120 - 109 on Tuesday at the Staples Center. The Nuggets pulled off an unlikely feat Tuesday, by beating the Lakers for the fifth straight game at the Staples Center. That probably says more about where the Lakers are at this point more than the Nuggets, as the Lakers are still winless a week into the season. The referees may need to get new whistles after this game as well, as there were 53 combined fouls and 69 combined free - throw attempts Tuesday. Denver has really struggled over their last two games, suffering blowouts to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder, but showed up here against the hapless Lakers. The Nuggets got some great performances from their big men, as Kenneth Faried finished with 29 points and 15 boards, while fill - in J.J. Hickson tallied 17 points and seven rebounds. Those two also shot 18 - for - 21 from the field and had a lot of help from rookie Emmanuel Muiday, who recorded his first career double - double with 12 points and 10 assists. The biggest discrepancy in the stat line was that the Nuggets out - assisted the Lakers 30 - 18 and shot over 50 percent from the field. Denver will look to keep this momentum going against the Utah Jazz (2 - 1) on Thursday. The Lakers continue to struggle, as the defense is clearly one of the worst in the NBA. They are currently allowing about 117 points per game, which easily ranks near the bottom of the league. They did, however, have some nice offensive performances from Lou Williams and Jordan Clarkson in this loss. Williams scored 24 points off the bench while going 16 - of - 19 from the free - throw line, and Clarkson tied a career - high with 30 points in the loss. Things aren\u2019t going to get much easier for the Lakers though, as 16 of their next 20 games are on the road. They start that stretch by traveling to Brooklyn (0 - 4) on Friday in a battle of winless teams."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "50", "Knicks": "38"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "28", "Knicks": "40"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "21", "Knicks": "10"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Knicks": "21"}, "Turnovers": {"Knicks": "5"}}, {"Points": {"Jose Calderon": "15", "Lance Thomas": "14", "Joe Johnson": "13", "Kevin Garnett": "12", "Jarrett Jack": "20", "Brook Lopez": "22"}, "Minutes played": {"Lance Thomas": "29", "Kevin Garnett": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Joe Johnson": "11", "Kevin Garnett": "9", "Brook Lopez": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Garnett": "3", "Brook Lopez": "6"}, "Assists": {"Jarrett Jack": "8"}, "Turnovers": {"Jarrett Jack": "4"}}], "The Nets (21 - 28) held on to knock off the Knicks (10 - 40) \u2013 in Brooklyn on Friday. Brooklyn held an eight - point lead at the half but allowed the Knicks to get back into the game in the second half. New York outscored Brooklyn by 10 in the third quarter and entered the fourth with a two - point advantage. Brooklyn would battle back, however, opening the quarter on a quick 50 to retake the lead 73 - 72 with 11 minutes remaining. The Nets would not trail the rest of the way, though New York was within one with under 1:30 to play. Up 87 - 86 with 36 seconds on the clock, Jarrett Jack drilled a three to extend the Brooklyn lead to four. Carmelo Anthony got the basket for a layup on the other end, but Jack was then sent to the line and made both free throws to ice the game. Brook Lopez led all scorers with 22 points off the bench to go with nine rebounds and six blocks. Jack finished with 20 points and eight assists, while Joe Johnson added 13 points and 11 rebounds. Kevin Garnett turned back the clock, posting 12 points, nine rebounds and three blocks in only 22 minutes. The Knicks were led by Anthony\u2019s 21 points, while Jose Calderon chipped in 15. Lance Thomas was the only other player in double - figures, adding 14 points in 29 minutes off the bench. The Knicks shot just 38 percent as a team but committed only five turnovers, compared to Brooklyn\u2019s 14. Up next, the Knicks host the West-leading Warriors on Saturday. Brooklyn hits to road to take on the Wizards in Washington D.C., also on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "47", "Rockets": "40"}}, {"Assists": {"James Harden": "10", "Goran Dragic": "8", "James Johnson": "6"}, "Points": {"James Harden": "40", "Hassan Whiteside": "14", "Goran Dragic": "21", "James Johnson": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "12", "Hassan Whiteside": "15", "Goran Dragic": "8", "James Johnson": "8"}, "Steals": {"James Johnson": "3"}}], "The Rockets were expected to win this game easily, but the Heat showed some serious fight in a big upset win. A 20 - 3 run in the fourth quarter was the decisive stretch, as that gave Miami their largest lead of the game. Prior to that, no team led by more than seven points, as there were 15 ties and 19 lead changes in total. The Rockets shot just 40 percent from the field, while the Heat shot 47 percent. James Harden posted another monster triple - double, accumulating 40 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. No other player on the team had more than 13 points, as the other four starters combined for just 31 points. Goran Dragic was Miami's best player, accruing 21 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Hassan Whiteside totaled 14 points and 15 rebounds. James Johnson was huge off the bench, collecting 15 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "36", "Kings": "52"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "116", "Kings": "103"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "43", "Kings": "27"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Omri Casspi": "4", "Ben McLemore": "10", "Enes Kanter": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "4", "Anthony Morrow": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Omri Casspi": "2", "Ben McLemore": "4", "Enes Kanter": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "1", "Anthony Morrow": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Omri Casspi": "9", "Ben McLemore": "17", "Ray McCallum": "11", "Enes Kanter": "14", "Dion Waiters": "19", "Russell Westbrook": "19", "Anthony Morrow": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Omri Casspi": "4", "Ben McLemore": "8", "Ray McCallum": "8", "Enes Kanter": "9", "Dion Waiters": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Anthony Morrow": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Omri Casspi": "8", "Enes Kanter": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Omri Casspi": "5", "Enes Kanter": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Omri Casspi": "28", "Ben McLemore": "35", "Ray McCallum": "38", "Enes Kanter": "32", "Dion Waiters": "40", "Russell Westbrook": "38", "Anthony Morrow": "26"}, "Points": {"Omri Casspi": "15", "Jason Thompson": "5", "Ben McLemore": "20", "Ray McCallum": "17", "Derrick Williams": "17", "Enes Kanter": "25", "Dion Waiters": "22", "Russell Westbrook": "27", "Anthony Morrow": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Omri Casspi": "6", "Jason Thompson": "14", "Ray McCallum": "6", "Enes Kanter": "6", "Dion Waiters": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "5", "Anthony Morrow": "6"}, "Assists": {"Ray McCallum": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "10", "Anthony Morrow": "1"}, "Steals": {"Enes Kanter": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Dion Waiters": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Anthony Morrow": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Anthony Morrow": "1"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (43 - 36) defeated the Sacramento Kings (27 - 52) 116 - 103 on Friday in Oklahoma City. The Thunder picked up a much - needed win on the back of Russell Westbrook as they fight to keep their playoff hopes in the Western Conference alive. Westbrook scored and shot the ball well Friday night, posting a game - high 27 points (11 - 19 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt), 10 assists and five rebounds in 38 minutes. Enes Kanter also continued his strong offensive play, scoring 25 points (9 - 14 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 6 - 8 FT) and grabbing six rebounds in 32 minutes. Kanter is now averaging 22 points 12 rebounds in the month of April. Dion Waiters played one of his best games of the season, scoring 22 points (9 - 19 FG) in 40 minutes, while Anthony Morrow scored 19 points (7 - 17 FG, 5 - 10 3Pt) and grabbed six rebounds in 26 minutes off the bench. The win keeps Oklahoma City in the playoff hunt, but they are currently on the outside looking in. Despite holding the same record as the Pelicans for the final spot in the West, New Orleans holds the tiebreaker, so the Thunder will have to hope the Pelicans lose one of their final three games to even have a chance. The Kings are well out of the playoff race and ca n't stay healthy as they close out the regular season. Both DeMarcus Cousins (foot) and Rudy Gay (head) sat out for the second consecutive game, leaving Sacramento without their two best offensive players. Ben McLemore led the way for the Kings in the losing effort, scoring 20 points (8 - 17 FG, 4 - 10 3Pt) in 35 minutes. His running - mate in the backcourt, Ray McCallum, posted a solid stat line of 17 points (8 - 11 FG), six rebounds and four assists in 38 minutes. Filling in for Gay, Omri Casspi scored a solid 15 points (4 - 9 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 5 - 8 FT) and grabbed six rebounds in 28 minutes, while Jason Thompson, filling in for Cousins, scored just five points but managed to grab 14 rebounds in 26 minutes. Derrick Williams (17) was the only other Kings player to score in double figures Friday. Up next, the Thunder will travel to Indiana Sunday to play the Pacers, while the Kings will head to Denver and take on the Nuggets on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "9", "Raptors": "5"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "102", "Raptors": "99"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "5", "Raptors": "8"}}, {"Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "17", "Jonas Valanciunas": "23", "DeMar DeRozan": "12", "Kyle Lowry": "25", "Rudy Gay": "23", "DeMarcus Cousins": "19", "Darren Collison": "15", "Arron Afflalo": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarre Carroll": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "8", "Rudy Gay": "9", "DeMarcus Cousins": "10", "Arron Afflalo": "5"}, "Steals": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "2", "Rudy Gay": "1", "Darren Collison": "2"}, "Assists": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "6", "Rudy Gay": "4", "DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Darren Collison": "9", "Arron Afflalo": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "2", "Rudy Gay": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "15", "Rudy Gay": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Rudy Gay": "9"}}], "The Sacramento Kings defeated the Toronto Raptors, 102 - 99, at Golden 1 Center on Sunday. The outcome of the back - and - forth tussle was not certain even after the clock hit double zeros, as a three - pointer at the buzzer by Terrence Ross was reviewed on instant replay before being waved off for having failed to beat the clock. The last - second turn of events secured only the fifth victory of the season for the Kings (5 - 9), which shot over 40 percent from both the field and three - point range in a see - saw battle in which both teams alternated the advantage in each quarter. Rudy Gay led the way for Sacramento with 23 points, nine rebounds, four assists, three blocks and a steal while shooting an outstanding 9 - of - 13 from the field. The Raptors (8 - 5) were led by Kyle Lowry's 25 points, which he supplemented eight rebounds, six assists and two steals. Jonas Valanciunas was right behind him with a 23 - point, 14 - rebound double - double that also featured two assists and two blocks. DeMarre Carroll furnished 17 points, four rebounds and two steals. That trio of strong performances helped overcome DeMar DeRozan's season - low 12 points, which came as a result of 3 - of - 15 shooting. DeMarcus Cousins was second behind Gay with a 19 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included four assists. He also made a key deflection on the inbound pass to Ross in the closing seconds, delaying the process just enough to make his aforementioned three - point heave inadmissible. Darren Collison came within an assist of his own double - double, posting 15 points, nine assists and two steals. Arron Afflalo paced the reserves with 14 points, five rebounds and an assist. The Raptors head to Los Angeles on Monday night to take on the Clippers, while the Kings remain home to face off with the OKC Thunder on Wednesday evening."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "66", "Thunder": "37"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "113", "Thunder": "138"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Timberwolves": "29", "Thunder": "47"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "16", "Thunder": "45"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Enes Kanter": "17", "Dion Waiters": "23", "Russell Westbrook": "20", "Andrew Wiggins": "12", "Kevin Martin": "15", "Zach LaVine": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Enes Kanter": "11", "Dion Waiters": "12", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Andrew Wiggins": "6", "Kevin Martin": "9", "Zach LaVine": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Enes Kanter": "34", "Dion Waiters": "36", "Russell Westbrook": "32", "Nick Collison": "26", "Andrew Wiggins": "38", "Zach LaVine": "41"}, "Points": {"Enes Kanter": "25", "Dion Waiters": "33", "Russell Westbrook": "37", "Nick Collison": "12", "Andrew Wiggins": "23", "Kevin Martin": "29", "Zach LaVine": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Enes Kanter": "15", "Russell Westbrook": "8", "Andrew Wiggins": "6"}, "Assists": {"Dion Waiters": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "7", "Zach LaVine": "13"}, "Blocks": {"Dion Waiters": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dion Waiters": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Dion Waiters": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dion Waiters": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "17", "Andrew Wiggins": "13", "Zach LaVine": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Russell Westbrook": "13", "Andrew Wiggins": "11", "Zach LaVine": "6"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (45 - 37) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (16 - 66) 138 - 113 on Wednesday in Minnesota. The Thunder were fighting for their playoff lives, as they needed a win and a loss from the Pelicans in order to clinch the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. They got the win they needed on the back of Russell Westbrook, who helped Oklahoma City end the game in the first quarter by jumping out to a 47 - 29 lead after the first 12 minutes. Westbrook scored 23 points in that opening period and finished with 37 points (11 - 20 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 13 - 17 FT), eight rebounds and seven assists in just 32 minutes of play. That effort was enough for him to be the NBA scoring champion for the 2014 - 15 season. Dion Waiters was not too far behind, putting in one of his best performances of the season, scoring 33 points (12 - 23 FG, 5 - 8 3Pt) in 36 minutes. Enes Kanter posted a monster double - double of 25 points (11 - 17 FG) and 15 rebounds in 34 minutes. Nick Collison was the only other Thunder player to score in double figures with 12 points in 26 minutes. Despite the dominating victory, Oklahoma City did not get the loss from the Pelicans that they needed to reach the playoffs, as they defeated the Spurs, and the Thunder have been eliminated from playoff contention just one year after reaching the Western Conference finals. The Timberwolves could not end the season on a high note, but they still got great final performances out of both of their rookies. Andrew Wiggins scored 23 points (6 - 12 FG, 11 - 13 FT) and grabbed six rebounds in 38 minutes, while Zach LaVine recorded a double - double of 19 points (6 - 16 FG, 6 - 6 FT) and 13 assists in 41 minutes. Kevin Martin led the way scoring, putting up 29 points on 9 - of - 15 shooting from the field."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "21", "Pacers": "50"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "36", "Pacers": "29"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "99", "Pacers": "104"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Bucks": "22", "Pacers": "22"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "25", "Pacers": "32"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "15", "Jordan Hill": "19", "Rodney Stuckey": "15", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "22", "Jabari Parker": "18", "Khris Middleton": "23", "Greg Monroe": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "10", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Paul George": "7", "George Hill": "1", "Khris Middleton": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"George Hill": "1", "Khris Middleton": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jordan Hill": "12", "Rodney Stuckey": "7", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "16", "Jabari Parker": "15", "Khris Middleton": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Jordan Hill": "8", "Rodney Stuckey": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7", "Jabari Parker": "8", "Khris Middleton": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Jordan Hill": "23", "Greg Monroe": "29"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rodney Stuckey": "4", "Khris Middleton": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rodney Stuckey": "2", "Khris Middleton": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Rodney Stuckey": "4", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Khris Middleton": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Rodney Stuckey": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Khris Middleton": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Khris Middleton": "1"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (32 - 29) earned a road win Wednesday night over the Milwaukee Bucks (25 - 36) at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, 104 - 99. The Pacers exploded to begin the second quarter, breaking a 22 - 22 tie with a 14 - 2 run in the first four minutes of the period. The Bucks would n't cut it to a one possession game again until there were 16 seconds left in the fourth quarter, and after a pair of George Hill missed free throws, the Bucks had a shot to tie the game, but Khris Middleton missed a three - point attempt with 7 seconds remaining to seal the win for Indiana. Jordan Hill scored 19 points (8 - 12 FG) in just 23 minutes off the bench to lead the Pacers in scoring. The Pacers presented a balanced attack, as seven players including all five starters finished in double figures. Paul Gueroge notched a double - double with 15 points and 10 rebounds to go with five assists (but also seven turnovers). Rodney Stuckey scored 15 points (5 - 7 FG, 2 - 4 3PT, 3 - 4 FT) in just 18 minutes off the bench. The Pacers shot lights out from beyond the arc, nailing 10 of their 20 three - point attempts (50 percent). Middleton led all scorers with 23 (7 - 19 FG, 2 - 5 3PT, 7 - 9 FT), and Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 22 (7 - 16 FG, 8 - 8 FT) and added six rebounds, three asists, a steal and a block. Jabari Parker notched 18 points (8 - 15 FG) and Greg Monroe scored 16 in 29 minutes off the bench. But the Bucks could n't find their three - point shot at all (3 - 14, 21 percent) and they lost despite going 28 - 32 (88 percent) at the free throw line as a result. The Bucks host the Timberwolves on Friday. The Pacers continue their road trip Friday against the Hornets."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "36", "76ers": "46"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "107", "76ers": "94"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "37", "76ers": "27"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Dario Saric": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Dario Saric": "3"}, "Points": {"Dario Saric": "9", "Paul George": "21", "Myles Turner": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Dario Saric": "10", "Myles Turner": "16"}, "Blocks": {"Myles Turner": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Myles Turner": "2"}, "Steals": {"Myles Turner": "1"}}], "The host Indiana Pacers handily defeated the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, 107 - 94. Indiana (37 - 36) has been one of the most consistently average teams in the league, hovering around .500 since late January. There was nothing average about their performance on Sunday, though, as they took down the visiting Sixers with ease. Defense was the key to victory, as they held Philly to under 40 percent shooting on the night while also forcing 14 turnovers. Sophomore big man Myles Turner was the leader on that end of the floor, blocking two shots and adding a steal in addition to a massive 17 - point, 16 - rebound double - double. The promising young big shot an impressive 7 - of - 9 from the field. Star forward Paul George, meanwhile, led the team with 21 points. Philadelphia (27 - 46) remains near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings despite relative improvements of late. On Sunday, despite pouring in 14 three - pointers, the Sixers struggled on the offensive end. Philly shot only 39 percent from the field and saw no single player score above 16 points. It was a particularly off night for Rookie of the Year front - runner Dario Saric, who shot just 3 - of - 15 from the field on the night en route to only nine points. Despite this, Saric came away with 10 rebounds. Indiana will host the Timberwolves on Tuesday, while the Sixers will visit Brooklyn."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ McCollum": "4"}, "Points": {"CJ McCollum": "8", "Damian Lillard": "29"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "7"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Damian Lillard": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Damian Lillard": "1"}}], "Damian Lillard is well on his way to having the best scoring season of his short five - year career, and he has his play in the month of March to largely thank for that. While Tuesday's loss was an ugly one for the Trail Blazers, the team is still 5 - 2 through seven games in March and Lillard has been unstoppable offensively throughout. After scoring a game - high 29 points against the Pelicans, Lillard is now averaging 28 points per game in March, making him on pace to have his highest per - game average for a full month this season. His partner in the backcourt, C.J. McCollum, was also having a hot March, as the shooting guard came into Tuesday averaging 26 points per game in March. That hot streak came to a halting stop against New Orleans, however, as he shot just 4 - of - 12 from the field en route to scoring a season - low eight points."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "20", "Nets": "46"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "104", "Nets": "99"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Raptors": "14", "Nets": "35"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "42", "Nets": "18"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "50"}}, {"Assists": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "2", "Thaddeus Young": "1", "Brook Lopez": "3", "Willie Reed": "2", "Jason Thompson": "2", "Jonas Valanciunas": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "9"}, "Points": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "12", "Thaddeus Young": "14", "Brook Lopez": "35", "Willie Reed": "10", "Jason Thompson": "9", "Jonas Valanciunas": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "25", "Kyle Lowry": "23", "Patrick Patterson": "11", "Terrence Ross": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "5", "Thaddeus Young": "4", "Brook Lopez": "5", "Willie Reed": "4", "Jason Thompson": "5", "Jonas Valanciunas": "3", "DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Steals": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "2", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Willie Reed": "1", "Jason Thompson": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Thaddeus Young": "1", "Brook Lopez": "7", "Jason Thompson": "2"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (42 - 20) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (18 - 46) 104 - 99 on Tuesday. The Nets put a first - half scare into a superior Toronto squad, particularly in a second quarter in which they outscored the home team by a 35 - 14 margin. The rattled Raptors must have gotten the message at intermission, as they turned the tables in the third period and entered the final 12 minutes having shrunk their 16 - point halftime deficit to a mere two points. They kept the foot on the pedal to open the fourth, going on a 16 - 2 run that gave them a 94 - 82 lead they would n't relinquish. The hard - fought victory helped the Raptors edge to within two games of the top - seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference. Brooklyn enjoyed one of their best shooting nights from the field on the season, tallying 50 percent or better success rates from both the field and three - point range. They were led by Brook Lopez's game - high 35 points, which he supplemented with five rebounds, three assists, a steal and a mammoth seven blocks. Frontcourt mate Thaddeus Young was next in line with 14 points, four rebounds, an assist and a block. Bojan Bogdanovic managed to get back into double - digit scoring with 12 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Willie Reed followed up his solid spot start against the Timberwolves on Saturday with 10 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal to pace the reserves. The Nets remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head to Philadelphia to take on the last - place Sixers on Friday night. The dynamic backcourt duo of DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry spearheaded the Raptors' attack. DeRozan led the way with 25 points, three rebounds, two assists and four steals. Lowry was next with a near double - double of 23 points, nine assists, four boards and a steal. Jonas Valanciunas was next with 10 points, three rebounds and two assists, while Jason Thompson contributed nine points, five rebounds, two assists, a steal and a pair of blocks in his spot start in place of Luis Scola. Patrick Patterson and Terrence Ross paced the bench with a pair of 11 - point efforts. Both players also hit key three - pointers in the Raptors' second - half comeback. Toronto remains atop the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They're home again against the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "34", "Cavaliers": "23"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "93", "Cavaliers": "86"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "24", "Cavaliers": "37"}}, {"Assists": {"James Jones": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"James Jones": "30"}, "Points": {"James Jones": "6", "Matthew Dellavedova": "14"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Love": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kevin Love": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Love": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"JR Smith": "2", "Matthew Dellavedova": "10"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (24 - 34) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (37 - 23) 93 - 86 on Friday. George Hill recorded his first career triple - double against the Cavaliers, who were without LeBron James (back soreness) and Kyrie Irving (shoulder). Hill finished with 15 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. The Pacers now own two home victories against Cleveland this month, having beat them 103 - 99 back on Feb. 6. The Pacers are 7 - 2 over their past nine games and have put themselves in contention for playoff birth in was considered to be a disappointing season. Matthew Dellavedova stepped into the starting point guard role in place of Irving and had 14 points, five rebounds and like his counterpart Hill, also grabbed 10 rebounds. James Jones got the starting nod for LeBron James. Jones played 30 minutes but only managed six points and one assist. Kevin Love and J.R. Smith were forced to step up their games without the teams two leading scorers. Love and Smith combined for 38 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists. Their contributions were n't enough to surpass Indiana. The Cavs are undefeated this month when facing an opponent outside of the Central Division. Cleveland will head to Houston to face the Rockets on Sunday, as the Pacers will host the Philadelphia 76ers."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "9"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "109", "Warriors": "112"}, "Turnovers": {"Raptors": "6"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "12"}}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "6", "Stephen Curry": "7", "DeMarre Carroll": "1", "Luis Scola": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "7", "Lucas Nogueira": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Draymond Green": "5", "Klay Thompson": "7", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "14"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "16", "Festus Ezeli": "8", "Klay Thompson": "26", "Stephen Curry": "44", "DeMarre Carroll": "9", "Luis Scola": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "16", "Kyle Lowry": "41", "Lucas Nogueira": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "9", "Festus Ezeli": "10", "Stephen Curry": "2", "DeMarre Carroll": "6", "Luis Scola": "4", "Bismack Biyombo": "5", "DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "3", "Lucas Nogueira": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Klay Thompson": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Stephen Curry": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Stephen Curry": "7", "Kyle Lowry": "7"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Stephen Curry": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "1"}, "Steals": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "4", "Lucas Nogueira": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Luis Scola": "5", "DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Bismack Biyombo": "14", "Lucas Nogueira": "25"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "19"}, "Blocks": {"Kyle Lowry": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "10"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (210) remained perfect on Saturday afternoon, edging the Toronto Raptors (12 - 9) 112 - 109. In a tussle for the ages, the Warriors survived yet another threat to their record undefeated streak. Within what was a memorable, back - and - forth affair, Kyle Lowry and Stephen Curry waged a one - on - one battle that saw the Raptors point guard match the reigning MVP basket - for - basket until the closing seconds, and outperform him in other areas of the stat sheet. Lowry managed a career - high 41 points, and added seven assists, three rebounds, four steals and a block. The ten - year veteran had a terrific fourth quarter overall, scoring 14 of his points during a nip - and - tuck final period, but missed a crucial free throw with 44 seconds left that would have knotted the game at 106. Toronto was unable to catch Golden State from that point forward, as the Warriors converted on six consecutive attempts from the charity stripe to seal their 21st victory. Curry led all scorers with 44 points, seven assists and two rebounds, equaling a season - best with nine three - pointers and posting his second straight 40 - point performance. He also drained six consecutive free throws in the final minute, including two with five seconds remaining that extended the Warriors' razor - thin lead to 112 - 109. Meanwhile, backcourt mate Klay Thompson, who sank two crucial free throws himself with seven seconds left, provided Curry with the support that DeRozan failed to offer to Lowry. Thompson managed a season - high 26 points, his third consecutive game with 20 points or better. Draymond Green was the other starting five member to get into double digits, pouring in 16 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Festus Ezeli, starting for Andrew Bogut, was only able to pitch in eight points, but did haul in 10 boards. Golden State improved to 210 and naturally remains in first place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division, along with sporting the best record in the NBA. They now head to Brooklyn for a Sunday showdown with the Nets. With just a tad more support for Lowry, the Raptors could have conceivably put an end to the Warriors' perfect record. DeMar DeRozan had a frustrating day from the field, sinking only five of 19 attempts. He totaled 16 points, five assists and three rebounds. Luis Scola was the only other member of the Toronto starting five who managed double - digit scoring (10 points), and he needed two free throws in the closing minute to get there. He added four rebounds and a pair of assists. DeMarre Carroll managed to pitch in nine points, six rebounds, an assist and a pair of steals, while Bismack Biyombo was held scoreless for the second time in the last five games, and could only add five rebounds over 14 minutes. Biyombo ran into foul trouble early on, allowing Lucas Nogeira to come off the bench and contribute 14 points, four rebounds, three assists and a steal over 25 minutes. Toronto fell to 12 - 9 and momentarily are in a first - place tie with Celtics in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division, with the outcome of Boston's contest versus San Antonio later on Saturday potentially affecting their position. They remain home to face the Lakers on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Kings": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "39"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}, "Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "28", "CJ McCollum": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "8"}}], "No Lillard, no problem. The Portland Trail Blazers snapped their losing streak on Wednesday without their star player on the backs of uncharacteristically strong defensive play. The team blocked four shots and held the Kings to just 39 percent shooting from the field and 32 percent from beyond the arc. On offense, Portland found buckets despite Lillard's absence, with guard C.J. McCollum scoring a team - high 20. Six Blazers scored in double digits. The team also held a 45 - 39 advantage in the rebounding column. On Sacramento's side, the scoring load was much less evenly distributed. Only three players scored in double digits, and center DeMarcus Cousins doubled the next - highest scoring total with 28. Cousins also posted eight rebounds and six assists, continuing to play a jack of all trades role for Sacramento."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "7", "Celtics": "4"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "95", "Celtics": "111"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Rockets": "13", "Celtics": "32"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "4", "Celtics": "6"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Jae Crowder": "10", "Dwight Howard": "4", "James Harden": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Jae Crowder": "7", "Dwight Howard": "2", "James Harden": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Jae Crowder": "28", "Isaiah Thomas": "24", "Avery Bradley": "20", "Dwight Howard": "30", "James Harden": "30"}, "Points": {"Jae Crowder": "16", "Isaiah Thomas": "23", "Avery Bradley": "21", "Trevor Ariza": "19", "Terrence Jones": "15", "Dwight Howard": "5", "James Harden": "16"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "6", "James Harden": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Trevor Ariza": "9", "Terrence Jones": "8", "Dwight Howard": "12"}}], "The Boston Celtics (6 - 4) defeated the Houston Rockets (4 - 7) Monday 111 - 95 at the Toyota Center in Houston. The early - season struggles continue for the Rockets, while the Celtics continue to impress. Boston ended up winning in dominating fashion, as despite finishing the first half in a draw, a dominating third quarter that the C\u2019s won 32 - 13 ended the game before the final period could even start. Isaiah Thomas continues to thrive in his role as the starting point guard, as he finished with 23 points and six assists in just 24 minutes. He has now recorded 20 - plus points and six - plus assists in three straight games - all of which were won by Boston. Coming off the bench, Avery Bradley put in an efficient outing of his own, scoring 21 points in just 20 minutes. Jae Crowder was the only other Celtic to score in double figures, finishing with 16 points on 7 - of - 10 shooting in 28 minutes. On the contrary, the Rockets struggles were personified by the poor play of their two superstars. James Harden could not get anything going on offense, as he shot just 4 - of - 10 from the field and finished with 16 points and three assists in 30 minutes. Dwight Howard struggled even more, managing to hit just 2 - of - 4 shots and finishing with five points in 30 minutes. He did, however, finish with a game - high 12 rebounds. The lone bright spots from Houston came from Trevor Ariza, who finished with a team - high 19 points and nine rebounds, and Terrence Jones, who scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Up next, the Celtics will head home Wednesday to take on the Mavericks, while the Rockets stay at home Wednesday and play the Trail Blazers."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "50"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "94", "Spurs": "90"}, "Losses": {"Spurs": "13"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "41"}}, {"Points": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "15", "Kawhi Leonard": "36", "David Lee": "10", "Carmelo Anthony": "25", "Kristaps Porzingis": "16", "Willy Hernangomez": "12", "Derrick Rose": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "10", "Kawhi Leonard": "9", "David Lee": "7", "Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Kristaps Porzingis": "7", "Willy Hernangomez": "9", "Derrick Rose": "4"}, "Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4", "Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Derrick Rose": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4", "Willy Hernangomez": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "4"}}], "The New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs, 94 - 90, at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. The recent form of these teams would indicate an easy Spurs win, but the Knicks had other ideas. This game was close throughout, as there were nine ties and six lead changes, with neither team leading by more than 12 points. Shooting was the difference, with New York hitting 50 percent of their shots, while San Antonio could n't crack 37 percent. Three-point shooting was a big part of that, with the Spurs going just 6 - of - 29 and the Knicks hitting 9 - of - 14 from long distance. The Spurs (41 - 13) have been susceptible to duds like this, as they simply did n't have enough help for Kawhi Leonard in this game. Leonard scored a game - high 36 points to add to his nine rebounds, four assists and four steals. LaMarcus Aldridge was the only other starter in double figures, as he totaled 15 points and 10 rebounds. David Lee led the bench with 10 points and seven rebounds. San Antonio will be in action again on Monday in a road matchup against the Indiana Pacers. The Knicks (24 - 33) have been one of the most dysfunctional teams over recent weeks, but wins like this will surely quiet the skeptics for the time being. Carmelo Anthony led the team in scoring, as he tallied 25 points, seven rebounds and two assists. Derrick Rose was second on the team, accruing 18 points, four rebounds and two assists. Kristaps Porzingis shot just 4 - of - 10 from the field, but still collected 16 points, seven rebounds and four blocks. Willy Hernangomez got the start at center and amassed 12 points, nine rebounds and three steals. New York will be off until Wednesday, when they play the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road for their next fixture."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "3", "Hawks": "4"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "127", "Hawks": "94"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "5", "Hawks": "5"}}, {"Points": {"LeBron James": "32"}, "Turnovers": {"LeBron James": "3"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (5 - 3) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (5 - 4) 127 - 94 on Saturday. Cleveland has won four straight games, and in their last three games, they've scored at least 118 points. Their offense is firing on all cylinders, and coach David Blatt is using unconventional lineups to get the work done. He's regularly used LeBron James as the point guard. While James has always facilitated the offense, he has n't spent a lot of time at point guard, and using a 6 - 8 forward there is creating devastating matchup problems for the Cavaliers' opponents. James scored 32 points Saturday and has averaged 35 points over the last three games. Cleveland will host the Denver Nuggets on Monday. They've already played once this season. The Cavs defeated the Nuggets 110 - 101 in their first matchup. Atlanta was on a four - game win streak before they ran into the monolithic Cavaliers. The Hawks gave up 33 points on 19 turnovers, all but handing over the game to the Cavaliers. Cleveland was up 71 - 43 at halftime, and the Hawks were resigned to their fate. John Jenkins started the second half at shooting guard in place of Kyle Korver, who the Hawks decided to rest due to the game being a route. Atlanta's next game is Tuesday. They'll host the Los Angeles Lakers."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "23", "Cavaliers": "15"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "117", "Cavaliers": "132"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pacers": "18", "Cavaliers": "40"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "29", "Cavaliers": "36"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "55"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "9", "Kyrie Irving": "7", "Paul George": "6", "Jeff Teague": "14", "Monta Ellis": "3"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "25", "Kevin Love": "14", "Kyrie Irving": "29", "Kyle Korver": "29", "Paul George": "22", "CJ Miles": "23", "Jeff Teague": "22", "Monta Ellis": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "6", "Paul George": "8", "Jeff Teague": "5", "Monta Ellis": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kyrie Irving": "2", "Paul George": "2", "Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyle Korver": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyle Korver": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"CJ Miles": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"CJ Miles": "6"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the host Indiana Pacers, 132 - 117, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Wednesday. Despite the Pacers leading by 11 after the first quarter, the Cavaliers cruised to an easy win. The third quarter was the difference in the game, with Cleveland outscoring Indiana, 40 - 18. Efficiency was the key for the Cavaliers, as they shot 55 percent from the field and 92 percent from the free - throw line. The Cleveland bench was a huge spark as well, outscoring Indiana's bench, 50 - 28. The Cavaliers (36 - 15) have now won six of their last seven games, as this comeback shows just how scary they can be. Kyrie Irving was the player of the game, as he tallied 29 points, seven assists and two steals. Kyle Korver tied the team - high with 29 points, as he shot 10 - of - 12 from the field off the bench. LeBron James finished with 25 points, six rebounds and nine assists. Kevin Love shot just 4 - of - 11 from the field, but totaled 14 points and 11 rebounds. On deck for Cleveland is a road matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday. The Pacers (29 - 23) defeated the Cavaliers earlier this season without LeBron James, but this was a different story. C.J. Miles led the team in scoring, as he dropped 23 points on 6 - of - 9 from three - point range. Jeff Teague was Indiana's best player, as he accumulated 22 points, five rebounds, 14 assists and two steals. Paul George collected 22 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals. Monta Ellis was the only bench player with more than five points, as he provided 13 points, two rebounds and three assists. Indiana will be in Washington on Friday for their next game against the Wizards."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "37", "Nuggets": "17"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "41"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "6", "Nuggets": "11"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "96", "Nuggets": "84"}, "Rebounds": {"Hawks": "43", "Nuggets": "52"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "13", "Nuggets": "9"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Wilson Chandler": "12", "Arron Afflalo": "7", "Ty Lawson": "5", "Paul Millsap": "5", "Kyle Korver": "7", "Jeff Teague": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Wilson Chandler": "4", "Arron Afflalo": "2", "Ty Lawson": "0", "Paul Millsap": "4", "Kyle Korver": "3", "Jeff Teague": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Wilson Chandler": "22", "Arron Afflalo": "14", "Ty Lawson": "10", "Paul Millsap": "13", "Kyle Korver": "12", "Jeff Teague": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Wilson Chandler": "12", "Arron Afflalo": "4", "Ty Lawson": "1", "Paul Millsap": "6", "Kyle Korver": "6", "Jeff Teague": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Wilson Chandler": "3"}, "Points": {"Wilson Chandler": "29", "Timofey Mozgov": "14", "Arron Afflalo": "10", "Ty Lawson": "4", "DeMarre Carroll": "11", "Paul Millsap": "23", "Al Horford": "11", "Kyle Korver": "15", "Jeff Teague": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Wilson Chandler": "10", "Timofey Mozgov": "11", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Kyle Korver": "5", "Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Arron Afflalo": "2", "DeMarre Carroll": "2", "Paul Millsap": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Arron Afflalo": "0", "Paul Millsap": "7"}, "Assists": {"Ty Lawson": "10", "Jeff Teague": "7"}, "Steals": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (13 - 6) defeated the Denver Nuggets (9 - 11) 96 - 84 on Sunday at Philips Arena in Atlanta. The Nuggets had trouble scoring the ball in this one, shooting only 36 percent from the field and a meager 17 percent from the three - point line. The Hawks on the other hand shot 41 percent from the floor and 37 percent beyond the arc. Despite out - rebounding the Hawks 52 - 43, the Nuggets were n't able to overcome their shooting woes and suffered their third straight loss. Atlanta secured their sixth straight win behind Paul Millsap's big game. He went 6 - for - 13 from the field and 4 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score a team - leading 23 points. He also got to the free throw line 10 times, converting on seven of those attempts. He only recorded two rebounds though, which were a season - low for the forward. Kyle Korver was another key piece in this victory. He scored 15 points (6 - 12 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt) and contributed five rebounds in 33 minutes. It was a nice bounce back game for him after scoring only seven points Friday against the Nets. Both DeMarre Carroll and Al Horford pitched in 11 points, while also combining for 17 rebounds. Jeff Teague really struggled with his shot (4 - 13 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt) but still added nine points and a team - high of seven assists. He had combined for 41 points in the previous two games, so he cooled off a bit Sunday. The Nuggets received most of their offensive production from Wilson Chandler, who got off a season - high of 22 shots. He finished the game going 12 - for - 22 from the field and 4 - for - 12 from beyond the arc to score 29 points. He also recorded 10 rebounds, giving him his second double - double in the last three games. He's been on a roll of late, scoring a combined 67 points in the last three games despite only averaging 14 points on the year. Timofey Mozgov notched a double - double of his own, as he finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds. It was his sixth of the season. The only other Denver player to reach double figures in points was Arron Afflalo, who contributed an inefficient 10 points (4 - 14 FG, 2 - 7 3Pt, 0 - 2 FT). In an overall poor team - effort offensively Sunday, Ty Lawson had arguably the worst night of all, going only 1 - for - 10 from the field and 0 - for - 5 from the three - point line. He had four points, but did chip in 10 assists. The Hawks will travel to Indiana on Monday to play the Pacers, while the Nuggets will go on the road to Toronto to play the Raptors on Monday as well."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "47", "Magic": "52"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Magic": "25"}}, {"Points": {"Serge Ibaka": "10", "Bismack Biyombo": "14", "Evan Fournier": "10", "Nikola Vucevic": "10", "Elfrid Payton": "25", "Jeff Green": "20", "Jodie Meeks": "18", "Markieff Morris": "10", "Bradley Beal": "19", "John Wall": "52"}, "Rebounds": {"Bismack Biyombo": "13", "Nikola Vucevic": "10", "Marcin Gortat": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Jodie Meeks": "16"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Markieff Morris": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Markieff Morris": "2", "Marcin Gortat": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Bradley Beal": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Bradley Beal": "2"}}], "The Magic's second unit led the way on a night when John Wall posted a season - high 52 points. Orlando's reserves combined for 73 points, led by Elfrid Payton, who posted a team - high and season - best 25 points. The second - and third - highest scorers were also on the second unit, with Jeff Green compiling 20 points and Jodie Meeks compiling 18 points in just 16 minutes. Bismack Biyombo posted a 14 - point, 13 - rebound double - double. Evan Fournier and Serge Ibaka registered a pair of 10 - point efforts, and Vucevic managed a 10 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Bradley Beal (19 points) and Markieff Morris (10 points) were the other two Wizards starters with double - digit scoring, while Marcin Gortat hauled in 11 rebounds. Both Orlando (52 percent) and Washington (47 percent) were successful from the field, and both units also shot over 45 percent from beyond the arc on the evening."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "10", "Bulls": "5"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "95", "Bulls": "97"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Jazz": "36", "Bulls": "22"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "5", "Bulls": "9"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Pau Gasol": "20", "Jimmy Butler": "16", "Derrick Rose": "10", "Gordon Hayward": "11", "Derrick Favors": "17", "Trey Burke": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Pau Gasol": "11", "Jimmy Butler": "8", "Derrick Rose": "5", "Gordon Hayward": "2", "Derrick Favors": "10", "Trey Burke": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Pau Gasol": "3", "Derrick Rose": "8", "Derrick Favors": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Pau Gasol": "1", "Derrick Rose": "5", "Derrick Favors": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Pau Gasol": "37", "Enes Kanter": "33"}, "Points": {"Pau Gasol": "23", "Jimmy Butler": "25", "Derrick Rose": "18", "Nikola Mirotic": "10", "Aaron Brooks": "10", "Gordon Hayward": "6", "Derrick Favors": "21", "Enes Kanter": "19", "Trey Burke": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "9", "Derrick Favors": "15", "Enes Kanter": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "2", "Derrick Rose": "5", "Gordon Hayward": "3", "Trey Burke": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jimmy Butler": "1", "Derrick Rose": "3", "Gordon Hayward": "1", "Trey Burke": "1"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "4"}, "Assists": {"Trey Burke": "10"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (9 - 5) defeated the Utah Jazz (5 - 10) 97 - 95 on Monday at Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City. Despite out - scoring the Bulls 36 - 22 in the third quarter, the Jazz were n't able to complete the comeback and took the two - point loss to the Bulls. Gordon Hayward had a last second opportunity to win the game with a three - pointer at the buzzer, but he was n't able to find the magic touch that he's shown multiple times over his career. The Jazz have now lost three straight games. The Bulls were led by the duo of Jimmy Butler and Pau Gasol. Butler shot 8 - for - 16 from the field and 1 - for - 2 from the three - point line to score 25 points, while also recording four steals. After only scoring nine points in the previous game against the Blazers, it was a solid bounce back game for Butler. Gasol was also able to get his offensive output going. He scored 23 points (11 - 20 FG, 1 - 3 FT) and grabbed nine rebounds in 37 minutes, after returning from a calf injury that's forced him to miss games. Derrick Rose played well and scored 18 points (5 - 10 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 5 - 8 FT) in only 24 minutes. Like Gasol, it was his first game back from injury. The Bulls also had a few contributors off the bench with both Nikola Mirotic and Aaron Brooks contributing 10 points in the victory. Joakim Noah had to leave after getting poked in the eye, but was able to return later in the game. The Jazz had five players reach double figures in scoring. Derrick Favors was able to score 21 points (10 - 17 FG, 1 - 2 FT) and grab 15 rebounds, marking his sixth double - double of the season and second in as many games. Trey Burke also had a double - double of his own. He shot 8 - for - 14 from the field and 1 - for - 2 from the three - point line to score 18 points, while feeding his teammates with 10 assists. Despite the loss, Enes Kanter did n't dissapoint. He recorded a season - high 19 points and had eight rebounds in 33 minutes. Struggling tonight was Gordan Hayward, who shot a meager 2 - for - 11 from the field and 1 - for - 3 from the three - point line. He finished with only six points, while also missing the game - winning three pointer. The Bulls' next game will be on the road against the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, while the Jazz will travel to Oklahoma City to play the Thunder on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pelicans": "39", "Hawks": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "50", "Hawks": "45"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "22", "Hawks": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Pelicans": "52", "Hawks": "32"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "26", "Hawks": "40"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hawks": "20"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Kent Bazemore": "2", "Paul Millsap": "3", "Jeff Teague": "2", "Eric Gordon": "6", "Tyreke Evans": "2", "Ryan Anderson": "4", "Jimmer Fredette": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kent Bazemore": "0", "Paul Millsap": "0", "Jeff Teague": "1", "Eric Gordon": "4", "Tyreke Evans": "1", "Ryan Anderson": "1", "Jimmer Fredette": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kent Bazemore": "9", "Paul Millsap": "14", "Jeff Teague": "17", "Anthony Davis": "23", "Eric Gordon": "11", "Tyreke Evans": "14", "Ryan Anderson": "10", "Jimmer Fredette": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Kent Bazemore": "4", "Paul Millsap": "5", "Jeff Teague": "8", "Anthony Davis": "12", "Eric Gordon": "7", "Tyreke Evans": "7", "Ryan Anderson": "5", "Jimmer Fredette": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kent Bazemore": "3", "Paul Millsap": "6", "Jeff Teague": "5", "Anthony Davis": "7", "Eric Gordon": "2", "Ryan Anderson": "4", "Jimmer Fredette": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Kent Bazemore": "1", "Paul Millsap": "5", "Jeff Teague": "4", "Anthony Davis": "5", "Eric Gordon": "2", "Ryan Anderson": "4", "Jimmer Fredette": "2"}, "Points": {"Kent Bazemore": "9", "Paul Millsap": "15", "Kyle Korver": "12", "Jeff Teague": "21", "Dennis Schroder": "10", "Anthony Davis": "29", "Eric Gordon": "20", "Tyreke Evans": "15", "Ryan Anderson": "15", "Jimmer Fredette": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Kent Bazemore": "3", "Paul Millsap": "6", "Anthony Davis": "13", "Tyreke Evans": "5", "Ryan Anderson": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "2", "Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "7", "Eric Gordon": "7", "Tyreke Evans": "12", "Jimmer Fredette": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Davis": "34", "Eric Gordon": "28"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Eric Gordon": "4"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (26 - 22) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (40 - 9) 115 - 110 on Monday at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. Looking to extend their winning streak to 20 games Monday, the Hawks came out of this game dissapointed, as the Pelicans stepped up and took an impressive 15 - point victory. The Pelicans shot pretty well, going 50 percent from the field and 39 percent from the three - point line, while the Hawks went 45 percent from the floor and 32 percent from beyond the arc. The Pelicans were also able to finish with a 52 - 32 rebounding advantage, giving them a huge upperhand and contributing even further to the win. As he's done all season long, Anthony Davis continued to show himself as one of the best players in the league. In 34 minutes, he finished with 29 points (12 - 23 FG, 5 - 7 FT), 13 rebounds and and two blocked shots. It was his fifth double - double in a row, a stretch where he's averaged 27 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks per game. Eric Gordon had a really strong showing as well, going 7 - for - 11 from the field and 4 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 20 points, while also adding seven assists in 28 minutes. It was his second impressive game in a row, as he's combined for 48 points and 14 assists over those two matchups. Recording a double - double of his own, Tyreke Evans added 15 points (7 - 14 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt), five rebounds and 12 assists. He's recorded exactly 12 assists in four out of his last five games. The Pelicans had a huge effort off the bench as well. Ryan Anderson recorded 15 points (5 - 10 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and six rebounds, while Jimmer Fredette added 10 points (3 - 6 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and three assists. The Hawks saw their biggest contribution from Jeff Teague, who had a team - high of 21 points (8 - 17 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT), while also adding seven assists. He had an ugly showing in Saturday's game against Philadelphia, where he went just 3 - of - 12 from the field, so it was good to see him hit his shot more consistently Monday. Paul Millsap also did as much as he could to keep the Hawks alive, finishing with 15 points (5 - 14 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT), six rebounds and two blocked shots. He's now averaging 17 points and eight rebounds per game so far this season. Kent Bazemore continued to start at small forward with DeMare Carroll playing limited action off the bench due to general soreness in his body. Bazemore finished with nine points (4 - 9 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 1 - 3 FT) and three rebounds in 26 minutes. Both Kyle Korver and Dennis Schroder reached double figures as well, scoring 12 and 10 points respectively. The Pelicans' next game will be at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, while the Hawks will be at home against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday."], [[{}, {"Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Hassan Whiteside": "33", "Goran Dragic": "35", "Rajon Rondo": "33"}, "Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "20", "Goran Dragic": "21", "Jimmy Butler": "31", "Taj Gibson": "13", "Dwyane Wade": "28", "Rajon Rondo": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "8", "Goran Dragic": "5", "Taj Gibson": "7", "Rajon Rondo": "5"}, "Steals": {"Hassan Whiteside": "2", "Rajon Rondo": "2"}, "Assists": {"Goran Dragic": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Goran Dragic": "19", "Jimmy Butler": "15", "Dwyane Wade": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Goran Dragic": "10", "Jimmy Butler": "8", "Dwyane Wade": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "16", "Dwyane Wade": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Jimmy Butler": "15", "Dwyane Wade": "6"}}], "Jimmy Butler led the way for Chicago by pouring in 31 points on 8 - of - 15 shooing, while hitting 15 - of - 16 from the free throw line. Dwyane Wade came up big against his former team, with 28 points on 11 - of - 24 shooting and 6 - of - 7 from the free throw line. Taj Gibson was the only other player to score in double digits for the Bulls, with 13 points, to go along with seven rebounds. Rajon Rondo finished with four points, six assists, five rebounds and two steals, in 33 minutes. The Bulls went 1 - of - 8 from long range in the game, while the Heat did not do much better, going 5 - of - 20 from distance. Goran Dragic led the way for the Heat, with 21 points on 10 - of - 19 shooting, along with 11 assists and five rebounds, in 35 minutes. Hassan Whiteside tallied 20 points, along with eight rebounds, three blocks and two steals, in 33 minutes."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bulls": "35", "Kings": "17"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "53", "Kings": "47"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "20", "Kings": "33"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "104", "Kings": "86"}, "Turnovers": {"Bulls": "7", "Kings": "13"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "33", "Kings": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Rudy Gay": "5", "DeMarcus Cousins": "8", "Pau Gasol": "3", "Derrick Rose": "7", "Tony Snell": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "4", "Derrick Rose": "4", "Tony Snell": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rudy Gay": "1", "Derrick Rose": "1", "Tony Snell": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "18", "DeMarcus Cousins": "15", "Pau Gasol": "15", "Derrick Rose": "17", "Tony Snell": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gay": "10", "DeMarcus Cousins": "5", "Pau Gasol": "11", "Derrick Rose": "10", "Tony Snell": "9"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gay": "24", "DeMarcus Cousins": "15", "Ben McLemore": "11", "Ray McCallum": "11", "Pau Gasol": "26", "Derrick Rose": "23", "Tony Snell": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "7", "DeMarcus Cousins": "8", "Pau Gasol": "16"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "10", "Pau Gasol": "4", "Derrick Rose": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "5", "Pau Gasol": "4", "Derrick Rose": "2"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Pau Gasol": "73"}, "Personal fouls": {"Pau Gasol": "3"}, "Steals": {"Derrick Rose": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Tony Snell": "41"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (33 - 20) defeated the Sacramento Kings (18 - 33) 104 - 86 on Tuesday at the United Center in Chicago. The Bulls got off to a quick start in this one, out - scoring the Kings 57 - 49 in the first half. Along with their quick start, the Bulls also used their superior shooting to grab an advantage, going 53 percent from the field and 35 percent from the three - point line, while the Kings went 47 percent from the floor and a meager 17 percent from beyond the arc. To put the icing on the cake, the Bulls forced the Kings into 13 turnovers, while committing just seven of their own. Continuing his dominance of late, Pau Gasol had another huge game, finishing with 26 points (11 - 15 FG, 4 - 4 FT), 16 rebounds and three assists. Over his last three games he's averaging 24 points and 15 rebounds, while he's also posted 13 double - doubles in a row, so he's shown no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Derrick Rose also played a big factor in this game, recording 23 points (10 - 17 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT), seven assists and two steals. Like Gasol, he's turned it on offensively of late, posting 20 or more points in four of his last five games. Coming off the bench, Tony Snell was also able to surpass the 20 - point mark. He went 9 - for - 11 from the field and 4 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 24 points, to go along with two assists in 41 minutes. Between Gasol, Rose and Snell, they combined to score 73 of the 104 total points from the Bulls. The Kings got the majority of their production from Rudy Gay, who went 10 - for - 18 from the floor and 1 - for - 4 from beyond the arc to score 24 points, to go along with seven rebounds and five assists. After struggling to only four points and just one assist in Saturday's matchup with the Jazz, it was good to see him get things turned back around and have a decent performance. DeMarcus Cousins also played well, finishing with 15 points (5 - 15 FG, 5 - 10 FT), eight rebounds and eight assists. It was the first time in six games that he scored under 20 points and recorded under 10 rebounds, so that may have hurt the Kings chances a little bit. Both Ben McLemore and Ray McCallum reached double figures with 11 points each. It was a nice surprise for McCallum, who had n't scored more than eight points since January sixteenth. The Bulls' next game will be at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, while the Kings will travel to Milwaukee to play the Bucks on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "42", "Jazz": "42"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "25", "Jazz": "13"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "89", "Jazz": "101"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "15"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "8", "Jazz": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "3", "Rudy Gobert": "2", "Rodney Hood": "1", "Shelvin Mack": "2", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "1", "Trevor Booker": "2", "Sean Kilpatrick": "1", "Isaiah Whitehead": "1", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Gordon Hayward": "1", "Rudy Gobert": "3", "Trevor Booker": "1", "Brook Lopez": "2", "Isaiah Whitehead": "1"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "30", "Rudy Gobert": "15", "Rodney Hood": "15", "Shelvin Mack": "15", "Joe Johnson": "7", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "8", "Trevor Booker": "17", "Brook Lopez": "14", "Sean Kilpatrick": "8", "Isaiah Whitehead": "12", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "4", "Rudy Gobert": "16", "Rodney Hood": "3", "Shelvin Mack": "2", "Joe Johnson": "4", "Trevor Booker": "15", "Brook Lopez": "6", "Isaiah Whitehead": "6", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "1"}, "Steals": {"Gordon Hayward": "2", "Rudy Gobert": "1", "Shelvin Mack": "3", "Brook Lopez": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Gordon Hayward": "2", "Rudy Gobert": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Derrick Favors": "2", "Rodney Hood": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Rodney Hood": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Rodney Hood": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "14"}}], "The Utah Jazz defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 101 - 89, at Barclays Center on Monday. The duo of Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gobert has often been the bedrock of the Jazz (22 - 13) offense during the respective absences of George Hill, Rodney Hood and Derrick Favors this season, and the talented pair were at it again Monday, even with the latter two in the lineup. Hayward led the way with a game - high 30 points, while Gobert supplied a 15 - point, 16 - rebound double - double, the 13th occasion in which he's accomplished the feat over the last 14 contests. The French big man, who's rim - guarding prowess has earned him the nickname of Stifle Tower, added two assists, three blocks and a steal. In typical fashion, the Utah defense also stymied the Nets (8 - 25) overall, limiting them to a 42 percent success rate from the field and eliciting 15 turnovers from their hosts as well. Hayward supplemented his aforementioned scoring total with four rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. Shelvin Mack and Hood followed Gobert's lead with matching 15 - point efforts, with the former also tallying two rebounds, two assists and three steals, and the latter registering three rebounds and an assist. Joe Johnson led the Jazz second unit with a modest seven points, which he complemented with four boards. The Nets were paced by Trevor Booker's 17 - point, 15 - rebound double - double that also featured two assists and a block. Brook Lopez managed 14 points, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks in a tough matchup against Gobert. Isaiah Whitehead drew another start at point guard and went for 12 points, six boards, an assist and a block. Bojan Bogdanovic and Sean Kilpatrick put forth a pair of eight - point performances apiece, while Rondae Hollis-Jefferson continued to be productive in a reserve role with 11 points, a rebound and an assist in just 14 minutes. The Jazz are right back at it Tuesday night when they take on the Celtics in Boston, while the Nets are off until Thursday evening, when take on the Pacers in Indiana."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "24"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Spurs": "32"}}, {"3-pointer percentage": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "100"}, "Minutes played": {"Pau Gasol": "18"}, "Points": {"Pau Gasol": "2", "Klay Thompson": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Klay Thompson": "5"}}], "Despite the Warriors winning four of their last seven meetings against the Spurs, they have historically struggled against this franchise. In fact, they lost 22 of the previous 24 meetings against San Antonio and 32 of the last 37, prior to the last seven games. Klay Thompson continued to struggle against the Spurs, as he scored 11 points on 5 - of - 13 shooting in Tuesdays loss. That's now five consecutive games in which Thompson has shot less than 42 percent against the Spurs and has failed to score more than 15 points in any of those meetings. San Antonio is now 100 when LaMarcus Aldridge contributes at least 25 points and 10 rebounds. The Spurs led the league in defensive three - point percentage last season and they held the Warriors to just 7 - of - 33 from long distance Tuesday. Pau Gasol totaled just two points and four rebounds in 18 minutes, as he clearly couldnt keep up with the pace. These teams wo n't square off again until the calendar turns, as their next scheduled game is March 11."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "35", "Bucks": "27"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "82", "Bucks": "75"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "23", "Bucks": "32"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Zaza Pachulia": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Zaza Pachulia": "1"}, "Points": {"Zaza Pachulia": "2", "Rudy Gobert": "12", "Trey Burke": "23"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Rudy Gobert": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "10"}}], "The Utah Jazz (23 - 35) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (32 - 27) 82 - 75 on Saturday at the EnergySolutions Arena. The Jazz entered the fourth quarter with a three - point lead and extended that lead to nine with under four minutes to play. From there, the Jazz never let the Bucks cut the lead to under five points as they secured the victory. It was a sloppy game throughout, as neither team shot over 40 percent and both teams had more than 20 turnovers. The Jazz's victory gives them the season sweep over the Bucks. Milwaukee's four - game Western Conference road trip has gotten off to a rocky start with two straight losses to sub - .500 opponents. Zaza Pachulia got the start at center but managed just two points on 1 - of - 8 shooting. Four out of the five starters had three turnovers as the Bucks dropped their fourth game in five outings. The next stop on the road trip is in Denver on Tuesday. Utah got a 23 - point effort from Trey Burke off the bench as it notched its second straight victory. Rudy Gobert turned in a 12 - point, 10 - rebound double - double and added three blocks over 32 minutes on the floor. The Jazz will look to extend their win streak to three on Tuesday against the Grizzlies."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "28", "Pistons": "13"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "96"}}, {"Points": {"Tobias Harris": "24", "Andre Drummond": "13", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "19", "Ish Smith": "16", "Caris LeVert": "15", "Brook Lopez": "29", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "10", "KJ McDaniels": "11", "Archie Goodwin": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "17"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Brook Lopez": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Brook Lopez": "2"}}], "The Nets outscored the Pistons, 28 - 13, in the second quarter to erase a nine - point deficit. The Pistons overcame a 94 - 87 deficit themselves with 1:52 to play to tie the game at both 94 and 96 in the closing seconds. Taking the ball for a final possession with two seconds remaining, the Nets saw Brook Lopez drain a jumper off a Randy Foye assist as time expired for the win. Lopez's 29 points led Brooklyn. Caris LeVert supplied 15 points and. K.J. McDaniels led the bench with 11. Spencer Dinwiddie supplied 10 points and Archie Goodwin matched Dinwiddie's point total off the bench. Tobias Harris' 24 points led Detroit. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope followed with 19 points and Andre Drummond contributed a 13 - point, 17 - rebound double - double. Maurice Morris matched Drummond's scoringl and Ish Smith led the bench with 16 points."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "51", "Suns": "54"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "25", "Suns": "31"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "127", "Suns": "120"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "20", "Suns": "15"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Suns": "28"}}, {"Points": {"TJ Warren": "21", "Devin Booker": "24", "Eric Bledsoe": "28", "Brandon Knight": "17", "Danilo Gallinari": "25", "Nikola Jokic": "29", "Jameer Nelson": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"TJ Warren": "8", "Eric Bledsoe": "4", "Danilo Gallinari": "7", "Nikola Jokic": "14", "Jameer Nelson": "4"}, "Assists": {"Devin Booker": "6", "Eric Bledsoe": "5", "Brandon Knight": "4", "Nikola Jokic": "8", "Jameer Nelson": "9"}}], "The Denver Nuggets defeated the Phoenix Suns, 127 - 120, at Pepsi Center on Thursday. Despite there being just nine ties and eight lead changes, this game was close throughout. In fact, neither team was able to grab a double - digit lead, with the Nuggets overcoming a four - point deficit at the half. Both offenses were on point, with Denver shooting 51 percent and Phoenix hitting 54 percent of their shots. Rebounding was the decisive statistic for the Nuggets, as they won that battle, 46 - 28. Denver also controlled the game at the free - throw line, going 30 - of - 35 from the charity stripe. The Suns (15 - 31) put in a valiant effort on the road, but fell short, thanks to some lackluster defense. Eric Bledsoe did all he could for Phoenix, leading the team with 28 points, four rebounds and five assists. Devin Booker was n't far behind, accumulating 24 points and six assists. T.J. Warren totaled 21 points and eight rebounds. Brandon Knight led the bench in scoring and assists, amassing 17 points and four dimes. The Nuggets (20 - 25) have been much better over recent weeks, as this marks their sixth win in eight games. Nikola Jokic continued his tear, as he tallied 29 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists. Danilo Gallinari was second on the team, finishing with 25 points and seven rebounds. Jameer Nelson started for Emmanuel Mudiay (back) and accrued 13 points, four rebounds and nine assists in 41 minutes of action. Wilson Chandler was a huge spark off the bench, dropping 16 points to go along with two rebounds and four assists. These two teams will have a rematch on Thursday in Phoenix for their next fixture."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "42"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "44", "Cavaliers": "21"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "93", "Cavaliers": "107"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "30", "Cavaliers": "52"}}, {"Blocks": {"LeBron James": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "36", "Kevin Love": "34", "Carmelo Anthony": "39"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "27", "Kevin Love": "28", "Carmelo Anthony": "28", "Kristaps Porzingis": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "11", "Kevin Love": "12", "Carmelo Anthony": "9", "Kristaps Porzingis": "6"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "1", "Mo Williams": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Kristaps Porzingis": "1"}, "Assists": {"Kevin Love": "2", "Mo Williams": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Kristaps Porzingis": "3"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (52 - 21) defeated the host New York Knicks (30 - 44) 107 - 93, Saturday evening at Madison Square Garden. Coming off an embarrassing loss to Brooklyn and despite missing Kyrie Irving (rest), the Cavs came into this game focused and ready to play. Cleveland led the whole way, after building a substantial 56 - 32 lead by halftime. The Knicks came into the second half a lot stronger, out - scoring the Cavs 61 - 51, but it was still not enough to get within striking distance, as Cleveland would not relent. LeBron James notched a triple - double as he took over most of the ball handling duties, due to the absence of Kyrie. James totaled 27 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, two blocked shots and one steal, in 36 minutes of action. Kevin Love also stepped up, finishing with 28 points, 12 rebounds and two assists, in 34 minutes. The Cavs did an excellent job rebounding and held New York to only 42 percent shooting, from the field. Carmelo Anthony was up for the challenge, as he led his squad with 28 points, nine rebounds, two steals and one assist, in 39 minutes. Kristaps Porzingis followed up his big game with another strong performance, with 19 points, six rebounds, three assists and one steal, in 40 minutes. Derrick Williams was the only other Knicks player to score in double digits. Williams chipped in 11 points, along with eight rebounds, two assists and one steal, in 24 minutes off the bench. Next, the Knicks will visit New Orleans to face - off against the Pelicans on Monday. The Cavaliers will host the Rockets on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "12", "Clippers": "9"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "106", "Clippers": "110"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Timberwolves": "29", "Clippers": "39"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "8", "Clippers": "12"}}, {"Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "4"}, "Points": {"DeAndre Jordan": "20", "Jamal Crawford": "18", "Ricky Rubio": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "12", "Ricky Rubio": "5"}, "Assists": {"Jamal Crawford": "7", "Ricky Rubio": "7"}, "Steals": {"Ricky Rubio": "4"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (12 - 9) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (8 - 12) 110 - 106 on Friday thanks to some fourth quarter heroics. The Clippers pulled off an impressive win in Minnesota thanks to a 39 - point fourth quarter. Los Angeles outscored Minnesota 39 - 29 in those final 12 minutes and took an interesting strategy to a win. They continues to foul in the final 30 seconds when up by three and made it a free - throw competition. In fact, there were nearly 20 free - throw attempts combined in the final 30 seconds. The Clippers shot 26 - for - 19 from the charity stripe and that proved to be the difference in the game. The Clippers have now won five of their last six games and things are turning around. Chris Paul and J.J. Redick seemed very unlikely to play in this game, but both started and played well. DeAndre Jordan was the hero tonight though, as he tallied 20 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks in the win. Jamal Crawford also had a great game off the bench, as he contributed 18 points and seven assists as well. This team has all the talent in the world and it appears to be finally coming together. Los Angeles will look to add to this hot stretch when they take on the struggling Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday. The Timberwolves looked in control of this game in the third quarter, but couldn\u2019t hold off the Clippers. They are now 2 - 9 at home this season and that\u2019s something they'll need to figure out over time. The bench was a bright spot in the loss though, as they totaled 59 points between five players. The Wolves best player on Monday was Ricky Rubio, as he amassed 16 points, seven assists, five rebounds and four steals in the defeat. Even with the home struggles, they should have a good chance at a win when they host the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday in their next scheduled game."], [[{}, {"Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "24", "Kyle Lowry": "24", "Devin Booker": "19", "Eric Bledsoe": "22", "Tyler Ulis": "10"}, "Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Eric Bledsoe": "14", "Tyler Ulis": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "9", "Tyler Ulis": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Eric Bledsoe": "1"}, "Steals": {"Eric Bledsoe": "3"}}], "On Thursday, the Suns saw potent offense from point guard Eric Bledsoe en route to a big upset victory. Bledsoe scored 22 and dished out 10 assists while shooting 9 - of - 14 on the night. He added three steals and two blocks on the defensive end. Bledsoe averages over half a block per game on his career, ranking him as one of the league's best shot - blocking point guards. Shooting guard Devin Booker, meanwhile, scored 19 points. On the bench, rookie Tyler Ulis out of Kentucky came through for 10 points on 4 - of - 6 shooting. For Toronto, meanwhile, offense was sparse outside of the starting backcourt. Both Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan scored 24, combining for over half of the Raptors' points. The team struggled from the field, shooting just 40 percent, and also turned the ball over 18 times."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "6", "Cavaliers": "1"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "94", "Cavaliers": "105"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "2", "Cavaliers": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "5", "Kyrie Irving": "6", "John Wall": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"LeBron James": "1"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "27", "Kevin Love": "14", "JR Smith": "17", "Kyrie Irving": "29", "Markieff Morris": "20", "Marcin Gortat": "4", "John Wall": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "10", "Kevin Love": "16", "Markieff Morris": "5", "Marcin Gortat": "15"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyrie Irving": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyrie Irving": "11"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the host Washington Wizards 105 - 94 at Verizon Center on Friday. These are two teams going in opposite directions and this result shows exactly which direction. Despite Washington leading for the majority of the first half, Cleveland pulled away by holding the lead for the final 25 minutes. Three-point shooting really let the Wizards down, as they went 3 - of - 15, while the Cavaliers went 14 - of - 33. Aside from that, most statistics were fairly even. In fact, they tied in turnovers, assists and fouls, while coming within one rebound of one another. Cleveland (7 - 1) is off to one of their best starts in franchise history and LeBron James continues to fill up the record books. James finished this game with 27 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, while becoming the fastest player in NBA history to reach 27,0 points. Kyrie Irving led the team in scoring, dropping 29 points and six assists on 11 - of - 23 shooting. Kevin Love recorded a double - double, totaling 14 points and 16 rebounds. J.R. Smith was the only other Cavalier in double figures, scoring 17 points in the win. On deck for Cleveland is a home matchup against the surging Charlotte Hornets on Sunday. Washington (2 - 6) has been one of the disappointments of the season and a game like this is the last thing they needed. John Wall did all he could though, as he accumulated 28 points, three assists and two steals. Markieff Morris was second on the team, with his 20 points and five boards. Marcin Gortat scored just four points, but grabbed 15 rebounds in the defeat. Otto Porter provided 11 points, eight rebounds and five assists of his own. Washington will look to start digging out of this hole on Saturday, as they travel to play the Chicago Bulls for their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "13", "Magic": "15"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "120", "Magic": "131"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "12", "Magic": "11"}}, {"Points": {"Aaron Gordon": "7", "Serge Ibaka": "29", "Bismack Biyombo": "7", "Evan Fournier": "23", "D.J. Augustin": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "26", "Jeff Green": "16", "Jodie Meeks": "20", "Thabo Sefolosha": "17", "Paul Millsap": "17", "Dwight Howard": "20", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "12", "Dennis Schroder": "19", "Kyle Korver": "12"}, "Assists": {"Serge Ibaka": "2", "Evan Fournier": "6", "D.J. Augustin": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "14", "Jeff Green": "1", "Jodie Meeks": "2", "Thabo Sefolosha": "3", "Paul Millsap": "5", "Dwight Howard": "1", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "2", "Dennis Schroder": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "3", "Bismack Biyombo": "9", "Elfrid Payton": "3", "Jeff Green": "4", "Jodie Meeks": "4", "Thabo Sefolosha": "5", "Paul Millsap": "9", "Dwight Howard": "16", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "3", "Dennis Schroder": "1", "Kyle Korver": "1"}, "Steals": {"Serge Ibaka": "1", "Evan Fournier": "2", "Jodie Meeks": "2", "Thabo Sefolosha": "2", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Dennis Schroder": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Evan Fournier": "1", "Thabo Sefolosha": "1", "Paul Millsap": "1", "Dwight Howard": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"D.J. Augustin": "15", "Kyle Korver": "27"}, "Turnovers": {"Dwight Howard": "5"}}], "The Orlando Magic defeated the Atlanta Hawks, 131 - 120, at Phillips Arena on Tuesday. The Magic (11 - 15) had come in losers of three in a row, and were up against a Hawks squad that had shown some recent improvement by winning two consecutive contests after having lost seven straight. However, it was Orlando who snapped out of their doldrums Tuesday by posting a season - high scoring total. The most notable aspect of their outburst was that nearly half of their offense came from the second unit, with Elfrid Payton leading the way with career highs of 26 points and 14 assists, while adding three rebounds and a steal. That helped make up for a trio of single - digit scoring tallies from the starting five, as well as the absence of Nikola Vucevic, who missed the game with a back injury. Serge Ibaka paced the Magic on offense overall, contributing 29 points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal. Evan Fournier was next on the first unit with 23 points, six assists, two steals and a block. Aaron Gordon and Bismack Biyombo generated a pair of seven - point efforts, with the latter also bringing down nine rebounds. D.J. Augustin (three points, three assists) only played 15 minutes despite starting at point guard, as Payton's performance dictated heavy minutes. Jodie Meeks (20 points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals) and Jeff Green (16 points, four rebounds and an assist) rounded out the bench's stellar night. The Hawks (12 - 13) saw all five members of the first unit hit double digits in the scoring column and were led by Dwight Howard's 20 - point, 16 - rebound double - double that also included an assist and a block. Dennis Schroder supplied a 19 - point, 13 - assist double - double of his own, adding a rebound and two steals. Thabo Sefolosha and Paul Millsap tallied a pair of 17 - point efforts, with the former adding five rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block, and the latter furnishing nine rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block. Tim Hardaway Jr. logged another start and parlayed it into 12 points, three rebounds and two assists. Kyle Korver continued his solid stretch of play off the bench, registering 12 points and a rebound over 27 minutes. The Magic head home to face the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night, while the Hawks head north of the border to face the Toronto Raptors on Friday evening."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "46"}}, {"Points": {"Al Horford": "14", "Marcus Smart": "16", "Isaiah Thomas": "27", "Kelly Olynyk": "13", "Gerald Green": "14", "DeMarre Carroll": "11", "Jonas Valanciunas": "18", "DeMar DeRozan": "41", "Kyle Lowry": "24", "Lucas Nogueira": "7", "Cory Joseph": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Horford": "9", "Jonas Valanciunas": "23", "DeMar DeRozan": "13"}, "Steals": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2"}}], "DeMar DeRozan's 41 points led all scorers, a total he complemented with 13 boards and two steals. The effort included a 16 - of - 29 tally from the field. Kyle Lowry backed him up with 24 points. Jonas Valanciunas contributed an impressive 18 - point, 23 - rebound double - double, while DeMarre Carroll supplied 11 points. Lucas Nogueira and Cory Joseph paced the bench with matching seven - point efforts. Toronto's 46 percent success rate from long range was one of the keys to the comeback win. Isaiah Thomas' 27 points paced Boston. Marcus Smart logged another start for Avery Bradley (Achilles) and went for 16 points, and Al Horford managed a near double - double with 14 points and nine rebounds. Jae Crowder and Amir Johnson only mustered a combined 13 points, but Gerald Green (14 points) and Kelly Olynyk (13 points) filled in off the bench."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "28"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "45", "Rockets": "43"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "12", "Rockets": "19"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "104", "Rockets": "96"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hawks": "32", "Rockets": "15"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "48", "Rockets": "41"}, "Rebounds": {"Rockets": "41"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Terrence Jones": "11", "Jason Terry": "13", "Jeff Teague": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Terrence Jones": "8", "Jason Terry": "8", "Jeff Teague": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Terrence Jones": "37", "Donatas Motiejunas": "35", "Jason Terry": "28", "Paul Millsap": "33", "Jeff Teague": "31", "Dennis Schroder": "27"}, "Points": {"Terrence Jones": "18", "Donatas Motiejunas": "14", "Jason Terry": "21", "Paul Millsap": "16", "Jeff Teague": "25", "Dennis Schroder": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Terrence Jones": "8", "Donatas Motiejunas": "8", "Dennis Schroder": "4"}, "Assists": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "7", "Jeff Teague": "6", "Dennis Schroder": "8"}, "Steals": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "3"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (48 - 12) defeated the Houston Rockets 104 - 96 (41 - 19) on Tuesday in Atlanta. The Hawks' dominant fourth quarter led them to victory, outscoring the Rockets 32 - 15 in the final period. The Rockets were without MVP-candidate James Harden on Tuesday and could have used him down the stretch, such as when the game was tied at 96 with two minutes remaining and Atlanta ended the game on an 80 run because the Rockets did n't have a go - to scorer. The Hawks were led by Jeff Teague who, after sitting out their last game with a thigh injury, recorded a game - high 25 points on 7 - for - 12 shooting and six assists in 31 minutes. Atlanta was able to win the game at the free - throw line, going 18 - for - 21 while the Rockets shot just 4 - for - 9 from the stripe. Paul Millsap posted a double - double, putting up 16 points and 14 assists in 33 minutes, and Dennis Schroder had a nice performance off the bench for Atlanta, posting 16 points, eight assists, and four rebounds in 27 minutes. As a team, the Hawks shot 45 percent from the field and 28 percent from three. Jason Terry led the Rockets in scoring in Harden's absence, scoring 21 points on 8 - of - 13 shooting in 28 minutes off the bench. Houston's starting frontcourt of Terrence Jones and Donatas Motiejunas put together solid outings in the loss. Motiejunas had 14 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and three steals in 35 minutes, while Jones recorded 18 points on 8 - for - 11 shooting and eight rebounds in 37 minutes. As a team, the Rockets shot 41 threes, but only made 14 of them, and they shot 43 percent from the field overall. Up next, the Rockets will head back home Wednesday to take on the Grizzlies, while the Hawks will stay home to take on the red - hot Cavaliers on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "35", "Hornets": "24"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "82", "Hornets": "110"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "5", "Hornets": "15"}, "Turnovers": {"Hornets": "15"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Cody Zeller": "17", "Bismack Biyombo": "21", "Kemba Walker": "28", "Cleanthony Early": "30", "Quincy Acy": "22"}, "Points": {"Bismack Biyombo": "14", "Kemba Walker": "28", "Cleanthony Early": "6", "Quincy Acy": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Bismack Biyombo": "12", "Cleanthony Early": "2"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (15 - 24) defeated the New York Knicks (5 - 35) 110 - 82 on Saturday. Charlotte got whatever they wanted on offense. Kemba Walker finished with a game - high 28 points in just 28 minutes, and oft - derided big man, Bismack Biyombo scored a career - high 14 points to help grab a double - double with 12 rebounds in just 21 minutes. The Hornets have rattled off five straight wins with two of their starters out with injury. Al Jefferson remains sidelined with a groin injury that is expected to keep him out for about another three weeks, and Lance Stephenson (pelvic) has been perpetually close to returning for the last week but still remains without a clear return date. After sitting out their last game with a shoulder injury, Cody Zeller returned to action, playing 17 minutes as the starting power forward. Charlotte will return home to host the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. New York has lost 15 straight games with Saturday's loss to the Hornets. Cleanthony Early, the Knicks' top pick from the 2014 NBA Draft, made the first start of his career, putting up six points and two rebounds in 30 minutes. Quincy Acy led the team with 18 points in 22 minutes off the bench. The Knicks were down 62 - 31 at halftime and never had chance to come back. Carmelo Anthony is expected to undergo knee surgery at some point in the future, but president Phil Jackson said that Anthony expects to play in Thursday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks in London. Jackson also said that the All-Star Game is important to Anthony, implying that the Knicks' star player is simply holding off surgery in the hope that he'll make another All-Star team in February."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "35", "Mavericks": "17"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "93", "Mavericks": "108"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "15", "Mavericks": "32"}}, {"Assists": {"Monta Ellis": "13"}, "Points": {"Monta Ellis": "25", "Evan Fournier": "15", "Willie Green": "15"}, "Minutes played": {"Rajon Rondo": "2"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (32 - 17) defeated the Orlando Magic (15 - 35), 108 - 93. Both starting point guards, Rajon Rondo and Elfrid Payton, suffered game - ending injuries. Rondo played two minutes before receiving a Richard Jefferson knee to the head. Payton was slightly nudged from behind on a dunk attempt, landing awkwardly and was held out the rest of the contest. Victor Oladipo was unable to compete because of an Achilles issue. Evan Fournier started in his place, and joining him was Tobias Harris who replaced Channing Frye in the starting lineup. Thrust into primary ballhandling duty after the Elfrid Payton injury, seldom used Willie Green propelled the team into a competitive game by scoring nine of his 15 points in the fourth quarter. Ben Gordon was ejected for cursing at an official, and Nikola Vucevic earned his 29th double - double, second only to Paul Gasol. For the second straight game, Chandler Parsons did n't play due to illness. The Mavericks pushed ahead by as many as 27 points, leading 66 - 41 at halftime. Monta Ellis recorded 13 assists in Rajon Rondo's absence, piling in 25 points as well. The Magic begins a two - game road trip against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, and the Mavericks host the Minnesota Timberwolves after an off day."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "58"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "129"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"CJ McCollum": "6"}, "Points": {"CJ McCollum": "33", "Damian Lillard": "18"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Damian Lillard": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Damian Lillard": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Damian Lillard": "4"}}], "Brooklyn came into this game as the fastest - paced team in the league and it's clearly hurting their defense. They allowed Portland to shoot 58 percent from the field here, dropping 129 points on just 85 shots. Damian Lillard has shot below 42 percent from the field in four - straight games, but he cracked that trend here, with a 8 - of - 14 night for 18 points. C.J. McCollum carried the load for Portland, as he scored a game - high 33 points, thanks to a 6 - of - 10 night from three - point range. The bench was huge as well, as Evan Turner, Allen Crabbed and Meyers Leonard combined for 47 points, 17 rebounds and five assists. They all shot at least 50 percent from the field and scored at least 14 points a piece. The backcourt of Isaiah Whitehead and Sean Kilpatrick did not keep up with their counterparts, as they combined to go 3 - of - 19 from the field for 22 points."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "29", "Pistons": "50"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "109", "Pistons": "97"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "52", "Pistons": "31"}}, {"Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "3"}, "Points": {"Andre Drummond": "20", "LeBron James": "21", "Matthew Dellavedova": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "9", "LeBron James": "10"}, "Assists": {"LeBron James": "11", "Matthew Dellavedova": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"JR Smith": "8", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyrie Irving": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Matthew Dellavedova": "31"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (52 - 29) defeated the Detroit Pistons (31 - 50) 109 - 97 on Monday. J.R. Smith hit eight three - pointers to lead the Cavs past the Pistons. His teammate Kyrie Irving went 2 - for - 3 from three - point land, but sat out the second half as a precautionary measure when his hip tightened up. Matthew Dellavedova stepped in at point guard for Cleveland and finished with two points, five assists and no turnovers in 31 minutes. LeBron James had 21 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for his second triple - double of the season. The last one came against the Chicago Bulls back on Apr. 5. Cleveland has the second seed locked up in the Eastern Conference. They are just waiting to see who lands in the seventh spot when the regular season concludes on Wednesday. They're 4 - 2 in April and finish up with the Washington Wizards on Wednesday in Cleveland. The Pistons had all five starters plus Jodie Meeks score in double figures, but it was n't enough to stop the Cavs. Even with Irving out of the lineup in the second half, they could n't overcome the 15 - point lead Cleveland had at halftime. Andre Drummond lead Detroit with 20 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. It was the first time Drummond played 30 or more minutes and did n't record 10 rebounds since Feb. 28. The Pistons are 2 - 5 in April and will look to end their season on a positive note when they take on the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "7", "Suns": "9"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "120", "Suns": "104"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nuggets": "28"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nuggets": "28"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "4", "Suns": "3"}}, {"Blocks": {"Tyson Chandler": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tyson Chandler": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Tyson Chandler": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tyson Chandler": "2"}, "Points": {"Devin Booker": "24", "Brandon Knight": "32", "Kenneth Faried": "20", "Wilson Chandler": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Kenneth Faried": "15", "Wilson Chandler": "11"}, "Assists": {"Wilson Chandler": "5"}}], "The Denver Nuggets defeated the visiting Phoenix Suns, 120 - 104, at Pepsi Center on Wednesday. The Nuggets (4 - 7) essentially had control of the game from start to finish, holding off every Suns' (3 - 9) run en route to earning their first win at home this season. Wilson Chandler led the way off the bench for Denver, putting together his best game of the season, recording a team - high 28 points on top of 11 rebounds and five assists. It marks the first time Chandler has scored at least 28 points since April of 2015. Kenneth Faried also had what was easily his best game of the season, notching a double - double - - his second straight - - of 20 points and 15 rebounds. Over his last two games, Faried has totaled 38 points and 29 rebounds. For the Suns, Wednesday's loss was their third in a row and fifth in six games, as it was a struggle for the majority of the team's rotation. While Devin Booker put together a 24 - point performance, the rest of Phoenix's starters scored a combined 23 points. If it was n't for Brandon Knight's heroic 32 - point performance in 27 minutes off the bench, this game could have been even uglier for the Suns. In the end, the game was lost for Phoenix at the free throw line, where they shot an impressive 29 times and managed to convert just 18. Up next, the Nuggets will look to continue their winning ways against the Raptors on Friday, while the Suns will attempt to turn things around Friday against the Pacers."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "41", "Pacers": "43"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "100", "Pacers": "87"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "34", "Pacers": "32"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pacers": "16"}}, {"Minutes played": {"CJ Miles": "29", "Rodney Stuckey": "20", "Evan Turner": "35"}, "Points": {"CJ Miles": "12", "George Hill": "21", "Rodney Stuckey": "16", "Evan Turner": "13"}, "Assists": {"George Hill": "6", "Evan Turner": "12"}, "Field goals attempted": {"George Hill": "11", "Evan Turner": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"George Hill": "9", "Evan Turner": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"George Hill": "6", "Evan Turner": "11"}, "Personal fouls": {"Evan Turner": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kelly Olynyk": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kelly Olynyk": "3"}}], "The Boston Celtics (34 - 41) defeated the Indiana Pacers (32 - 43) 100 - 87 on Wednesday. Evan Turner turned in his third triple - double of the season in this matchup of two teams knocking on the door of playoff births. He had 13 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds in 35 minutes of action. Turner's shot was n't falling, he went 6 - for - 17 from the floor, but obviously found other ways to help lead his team to victory. The Celtics' two - headed center approach had success against the Pacers. The tandem of Tyler Zeller and Kelly Olynyk combined for 38 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals in 46 minutes. It was a shock that Olynyk was able to play after receiving an inadvertent elbow in the eye from Shavlik Randolph during shootaround earlier in the day. Olynyk showed true grit, and knocked three of his four shots from beyond the arc. His sight must've been just fine. The Celtics have won two very important games against the Pacers and Charlotte Hornets, the two teams they are battling with in search of reaching one of the final playoff spots. George Hill played a solid game in a losing effort; he scored a game - high 21 points to go along with six assists and six rebounds. He was on fire, hitting nine of his eleven shots from the field. He did n't get much help from his supporting cast, as the Pacers are a little banged up at the moment. C.J. Miles sprained his ankle on Tuesday but was able to score 12 points in 29 minutes on Wednesday. Rodney Stuckey has been dealing with a sore calf as well as a wrist injury he suffered over the weekend. He too was able to play. Stuckey scored 16 points to lead the Indiana bench attack in 20 minutes of play. Much like the Celtics, the Pacers have their eyes on the Brooklyn Nets and Miami Heat, the two teams that hold the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics will host the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, as the Pacers will welcome the Charlotte Hornets to town."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "39", "Knicks": "51"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "16", "Knicks": "24"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "106", "Knicks": "117"}, "Rebounds": {"Celtics": "33", "Knicks": "57"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "26", "Knicks": "19"}}, {"Points": {"Mindaugas Kuzminskas": "17", "Derrick Rose": "30", "Courtney Lee": "9", "Willy Hernangomez": "17", "Jae Crowder": "21", "Al Horford": "5", "Isaiah Thomas": "39"}, "Rebounds": {"Mindaugas Kuzminskas": "6", "Derrick Rose": "10", "Courtney Lee": "8", "Willy Hernangomez": "11", "Jae Crowder": "5", "Al Horford": "7", "Isaiah Thomas": "3"}, "Assists": {"Derrick Rose": "5", "Courtney Lee": "7", "Al Horford": "10", "Isaiah Thomas": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Derrick Rose": "2"}, "Steals": {"Derrick Rose": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Al Horford": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Al Horford": "2"}}], "The New York Knicks defeated the Boston Celtics, 117 - 106, at TD Garden on Wednesday. The Celtics were expected to win this game easily against a shorthanded Knicks team, but they were dominated in this shocking result. The rebounding was the glaring difference, with New York winning that battle, 57 - 33. The bench production was a major part of that, with the Knicks bench outrebounding the Celtics bench, 35 - 8. Shooting was also decisive, with the Knicks shooting 51 percent from the field, while the Celtics failed to crack 39 percent shooting. The Knicks (19 - 24) had to play this game without Kristaps Porzingis and Joakim Noah, but prevailed with an impressive road win. Derrick Rose had a vintage performance, tallying 30 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks. Willy Hernangomez was huge off the bench, providing 17 points and 11 rebounds. Courtney Lee collected nine points, eight rebounds and seven assists off the bench as well. Mindaugas Kuzminskas got the start for Porzingis and accrued 17 points and six rebounds. New York will play again on Thursday against the Washington Wizards. The Celtics (26 - 16) had won 13 of 16 games headed into this matchup, but this was simply a game where they did n't have it. Isaiah Thomas kept Boston hanging around, as he dropped a game - high 39 points, while adding three rebounds and two assists. Al Horford did hand out 10 assists and grab seven boards, but he scored just five points on 2 - of - 14 from the field. Jae Crowder was second on the team, dropping 21 points and five rebounds. Boston will be off until Saturday when they host the Portland Trail Blazers for their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "25", "Celtics": "38"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "101", "Celtics": "89"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "43", "Celtics": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Marcus Smart": "4", "Kawhi Leonard": "2", "Tim Duncan": "3", "Danny Green": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Marcus Smart": "23", "Jae Crowder": "32", "Tim Duncan": "20"}, "Points": {"Marcus Smart": "10", "Jae Crowder": "14", "Tim Duncan": "10", "Danny Green": "10", "Aron Baynes": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jae Crowder": "14", "Danny Green": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Jae Crowder": "5", "Danny Green": "2", "Aron Baynes": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Jerebko": "12", "Tim Duncan": "6", "Danny Green": "8", "Aron Baynes": "5", "Matt Bonner": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3", "Tim Duncan": "2", "Danny Green": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Tim Duncan": "1", "Danny Green": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Matt Bonner": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Matt Bonner": "2"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (43 - 25) are hitting their stride at the right time, winning for the ninth time in 11 games in their defeat of the Boston Celtics (30 - 38), 101 - 89. Marcus Smart was assessed a flagrant foul 2 and ejected for punching Matt Bonner. He's subject to additional discipline for striking Bonner in the groin area. Kawhi Leonard will not stop pilfering unsuspecting offensive players, adding three steals to keep his yearly average at 2 per game, tied with Russell Westbrook for most in the league. Aron Baynes returned to the rotation after missing two games with a rib contusion. He chipped in four points and five rebounds as a reserve. Tim Duncan was rested the final 17 minutes as the Spurs pulled away. He ended with 10 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block in 20 minutes. Even though Danny Green shot 2 - of - 10 from the field, he added 10 points, eight rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks. He\u2019s the only two players averaging at least one steal, one block, and two three - pointers per game. The Celtics lost their second straight contest, and before the night\u2019s over, they could fall a half game out of the playoff format if the Charlotte Hornets defeat the Sacramento Kings. Jae Crowder replaced Tyler Zeller in the second half starting lineup, accumulating 14 points on 5 - of - 14 shooting in 32 minutes. Before getting tossed, Marcus Smart scored 10 points and notched four assists in 23 minutes. Off the bench, Jonas Jerebko grabbed a team - high 12 rebounds. Brandon Bass and Kelly Olynyk didn\u2019t participate in the fourth quarter with the Spurs up 21 points entering the final period. The Spurs launch a two - game road trip Sunday against the Atlanta Hawks. The Celtics host the Detroit Pistons on Sunday before turning around for another road game."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "34", "Hornets": "34"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "100", "Hornets": "114"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "47", "Hornets": "47"}}, {"Assists": {"Marvin Williams": "1", "Al Jefferson": "2", "Kemba Walker": "6", "Jeremy Lin": "5", "Evan Turner": "1", "Marcus Smart": "3", "Kelly Olynyk": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Marvin Williams": "2", "Al Jefferson": "1", "Kemba Walker": "1", "Jeremy Lin": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Marvin Williams": "1", "Al Jefferson": "11", "Kemba Walker": "5", "Jeremy Lin": "7", "Troy Daniels": "1", "Evan Turner": "7", "Marcus Smart": "3", "Kelly Olynyk": "11", "RJ Hunter": "3"}, "Steals": {"Marvin Williams": "1", "Al Jefferson": "2", "Kemba Walker": "1", "Jeremy Lin": "5", "RJ Hunter": "1"}, "Points": {"Al Jefferson": "16", "Kemba Walker": "18", "Jeremy Lin": "25", "Troy Daniels": "11", "Avery Bradley": "17", "Isaiah Thomas": "17", "Evan Turner": "15", "Marcus Smart": "10", "Kelly Olynyk": "14", "RJ Hunter": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Jeremy Lin": "39"}}], "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."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "12", "Jazz": "11"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "97", "Jazz": "82"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "4", "Jazz": "5"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "19"}}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "24", "Reggie Jackson": "22", "Jeremy Lamb": "21"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Joe Ingles": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Joe Ingles": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Joe Ingles": "25", "Reggie Jackson": "33", "Jeremy Lamb": "24"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (4 - 12) defeated the Utah Jazz (5 - 11) 97 - 82 on Wednesday. Oklahoma City cracked their six - game losing streak with Wednesday's win. Reggie Jackson led the way with a team - high 22 points and eight rebounds in 33 minutes. Jeremy Lamb played well off the bench, putting up 21 points in 24 minutes. The Thunder's next game is Friday against the New York Knicks, and it's possible Russell Westbrook (hand) could return for that game. Utah has lost four straight games. They could n't buy a shot from downtown Wednesday as they shot 19 percent from beyond the arc. Gordon Hayward bounced back from his six - point performance Monday to score a game - high 24 points against the Thunder. Joe Ingles played 25 minutes off the bench but failed to score and only took two shots. The Jazz will return home to begin a four - game homestand that kicks off against the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Heat": "15", "Pistons": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Heat": "34", "Pistons": "48"}}, {"Points": {"Andre Drummond": "25", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "23", "Reggie Jackson": "27", "Josh Richardson": "14", "James Johnson": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "18", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "6", "James Johnson": "7"}, "Assists": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "5", "Josh Richardson": "8", "James Johnson": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Reggie Jackson": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Reggie Jackson": "10"}}], "Miami had a tough task here without three of their best players and it was evident they grew tired in the second half. In fact, they were outscored, 27 - 15 in the third quarter and scored just 32 points in the second half in total. Detroit let their presence be felt in the paint, as they won the rebounding battle, 48 - 34, and the points in the paint differential, 42 - 26. Reggie Jackson led the Pistons in scoring, as he dropped 27 points on 10 - of - 17 shooting. Andre Drummond recorded a double - double, totaling 25 points and 18 rebounds. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope capped off the starters with 23 points, six rebounds and five assists. Miami's top scorer came off the bench, as James Johnson accrued 20 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Josh Richardson played the majority of the point guard minutes, tallying 14 points and eight assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "8", "Bucks": "18"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "107", "Bucks": "109"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Spurs": "30"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Spurs": "18", "Bucks": "26"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "30", "Bucks": "19"}, "Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "52"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9"}, "Assists": {"Jabari Parker": "3", "Malcolm Brogdon": "6", "Michael Beasley": "4", "Pau Gasol": "4", "Tony Parker": "7"}, "Points": {"Jabari Parker": "22", "Malcolm Brogdon": "17", "Michael Beasley": "28", "Kawhi Leonard": "30", "Pau Gasol": "6", "Danny Green": "14", "Tony Parker": "14", "Jonathon Simmons": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Jabari Parker": "7", "Malcolm Brogdon": "6", "Michael Beasley": "5", "Kawhi Leonard": "7", "Pau Gasol": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Michael Beasley": "3", "Kawhi Leonard": "3"}, "Steals": {"Michael Beasley": "2", "Kawhi Leonard": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "10", "Tony Parker": "7"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the San Antonio Spurs, 109 - 107, at AT & T Center on Tuesday. The Spurs were expected to win this game easily, but Milwaukee fought back for a huge road win. The Bucks really turned it on in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Spurs, 26 - 18. The offense was extremely efficient, as Milwaukee shot 52 percent from the field, while recording 32 assists. San Antonio actually led for over 42 minutes of this game, as the Bucks never led by more than four points. Scoring down low was huge for Milwaukee as well, as they outscored San Antonio, 52 - 38 in the paint. Milwaukee (19 - 18) was a big underdog headed into this game and with Giannis Antetokounmpo leaving early because of a lingering illness, a win seemed nearly impossible. Michael Beasley stepped up big time though, as he led the team with 28 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals and three blocks off the bench. Jabari Parker led the starters, tallying 22 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Malcolm Brogdon got another start at point guard and accumulated 17 points, six rebounds and six assists. Antetokounmpo went scoreless in nine minutes of action. San Antonio (30 - 8) has been dominant this season, but losses like this simply do n't make sense. Kawhi Leonard did all he could to keep the Spurs in this game, as he led the team with 30 points, seven rebounds, three steals and three blocks on 10 - of - 16 shooting. Tony Parker, Jonathan Simmons and Danny Green all finished with 14 points apiece, while Parker added seven dimes to his tally. Pau Gasol scored just six points, but he provided 11 rebounds and four assists in the defeat."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "40", "Cavaliers": "24"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "105", "Cavaliers": "112"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "32", "Cavaliers": "47"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "55"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "11", "Kevin Love": "4", "Kyrie Irving": "7", "Marvin Williams": "2", "Cody Zeller": "3", "Nicolas Batum": "2", "Kemba Walker": "5", "Marco Belinelli": "2"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "2", "Marvin Williams": "1", "Cody Zeller": "2", "Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "32", "Kevin Love": "15", "Tristan Thompson": "8", "JR Smith": "9", "Kyrie Irving": "26", "Kyle Korver": "8", "Marvin Williams": "11", "Cody Zeller": "15", "Nicolas Batum": "19", "Kemba Walker": "28", "Marco Belinelli": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "9", "Kevin Love": "12", "Tristan Thompson": "7", "JR Smith": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "1", "Marvin Williams": "11", "Cody Zeller": "11", "Nicolas Batum": "2", "Kemba Walker": "2", "Marco Belinelli": "3"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "4", "Marvin Williams": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "3", "Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Kyle Korver": "20"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Charlotte Hornets, 112 - 105, at Spectrum Center on Friday night. The Cavaliers (47 - 24) have been flirting with losing their hold on the Eastern Conference's top seed and entered Friday's contest just one game ahead of the Boston Celtics. LeBron James had called out himself and his teammates out after their latest loss, which came at the hands of the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night. That made Friday's contest particularly important, and the Cavs responded like the defending champions they are. James spearheaded the charge with 32 points, 11 assists, nine rebounds, two blocks and one steal. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love were excellent in supporting roles as well, combining for 41 points in their own right, and Cleveland shot an excellent 55 percent from the field overall. Irving followed James with 26 points, seven assists, a rebound and four steals. Love posted a 15 - point, 12 - rebound double - double that also included four assists. J.R. Smith tallied nine points and two rebounds, while Tristan Thompson provided eight points and seven boards. Kyle Korver led the second unit with eight points over 20 minutes. Kemba Walker went toe - to - toe with Irving and posted 28 points, five assists, two rebounds, two steals and a block while leading the Hornets (32 - 40). Marco Belinelli was next with a bench - leading 22 points, which he supplemented with three rebounds and two assists. Nicolas Batum totaled 19 points, two boards, two assists and three steals. Cody Zeller posted a 15 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included three assists and two blocks. Marvin Williams accomplished the feat as well, managing 11 points, 11 boards, two assists, a steal and a block. The Cavaliers remain home to tangle with the Washington Wizards on Saturday night, while the Hornets remain home to face the Phoenix Suns on Sunday afternoon."], [[{}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Jerian Grant": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jerian Grant": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jerian Grant": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Jerian Grant": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Jerian Grant": "20"}, "Points": {"Jerian Grant": "7"}}], "The story behind Tuesday's box score was more about what did not happen, rather than what did, as it was evident that former Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams had played himself completely out of the team's rotation. Carter-Williams' logged a DNP (coach's decision) due to back - to - back awful performances over the weekend. In Chicago's back - to - back set Friday and Saturday, Carter-Williams shot a combined 2 - of - 12 from the field en route to scoring five total points in 39 minutes. What may be an even bigger issue for the Bulls now is their lack of effective point guard play. Second-year player Jerian Grant got the start and played 20 minutes against Orlando but managed to record just seven points on 1 - of - 4 shooting and zero assists. Offseason acquisition Rajon Rondo remains the backup, but he has n't scored over six points in his last seven games."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Trevor Ariza": "3", "James Harden": "10", "DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Trevor Ariza": "35", "Clint Capela": "30", "James Harden": "40", "DeMarcus Cousins": "30", "Kosta Koufos": "18"}, "Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "18", "Clint Capela": "17", "James Harden": "23", "Rudy Gay": "10", "DeMarcus Cousins": "32", "Kosta Koufos": "10"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Ariza": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Clint Capela": "2", "DeMarcus Cousins": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Clint Capela": "14", "James Harden": "18", "Rudy Gay": "12", "DeMarcus Cousins": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Clint Capela": "7", "James Harden": "6", "Rudy Gay": "4", "DeMarcus Cousins": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Clint Capela": "10", "DeMarcus Cousins": "9", "Kosta Koufos": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"James Harden": "11", "DeMarcus Cousins": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"James Harden": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "5"}}], "James Harden had a poor shooting night, going 6 - of - 18 from the field, including 3 - of - 11 from long range, but still led the Rockets with 23 points and made up for his poor shooting with 10 rebounds and 10 assists, in 40 minutes. Clint Capela notched a double - double with 17 points on 7 - of - 14 shooting, and 10 rebounds, along with two blocks, in 30 minutes. Trevor Ariza was solid with 18 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals, in 35 minutes. DeMarcus Cousins led the way for the Kings, with 32 points on 12 - of - 22 shooting, including 5 - of - 9 from long range, along with nine rebounds, five blocks and one assist, in 30 minutes. Rudy Gay struggled shooting, going 4 - of - 12 from the field on his way to 10 points. Kosta Koufos chipped in 10 points and five rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "19"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "35"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "36", "Nets": "57"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "92", "Nets": "107"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hawks": "24"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "20"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "37", "Nets": "16"}}, {"Points": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "11", "Brook Lopez": "23", "Jeremy Lin": "19", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "10", "Taurean Prince": "17", "Ersan Ilyasova": "9", "Dwight Howard": "19", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "16", "Dennis Schroder": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "13", "Brook Lopez": "7", "Jeremy Lin": "4", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "2", "Ersan Ilyasova": "18", "Dwight Howard": "16", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "4"}, "Assists": {"Jeremy Lin": "8", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "4", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "3", "Dennis Schroder": "8"}, "Steals": {"Jeremy Lin": "2", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "2", "Taurean Prince": "3", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "2", "Dennis Schroder": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "3"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets defeated the host Atlanta Hawks, 107 - 92, at Philips Arena on Sunday. Atlanta were expected to win this game easily, but when you're struggling, nothing is given. Brooklyn's defense really ratcheted up the intensity, holding the Hawks to 35 percent shooting from the field and 19 percent shooting from three - point range. In addition, Brooklyn recorded 13 steals and seven blocks, while forcing 20 turnovers from the Hawks. It was a dominating performance, with the Nets leading for the final three quarters, while holding a double - digit lead for over half of the game. Bench production was a huge factor as well, with Brooklyn winning that battle, 46 - 5. The Nets (16 - 57) have now won three of their last four games, as that marks one of their best stretches of the season. Brook Lopez led the way, as he tallied 23 points and seven rebounds. Jeremy Lin was n't far behind, accruing 19 points, four rebounds, eight assists and two steals. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson recorded a double - double, totaling 11 points and 13 rebounds. Spencer Dinwiddie was a nice spark off the bench, providing 10 points, two rebounds, four assists and two steals. Brooklyn will look to keep rolling on Tuesday against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Hawks (37 - 36) have now lost seven - straight games, as this is one of the worst defeats of the year, Dennis Schroder did all he could for Atlanta, as he led the team with 24 points, three rebounds, eight assists and two steals. Dwight Howard amassed 19 points and 16 rebounds. Taurean Prince started for Paul Millsap (knee) and accumulated 17 points, six rebounds and three steals. Ersan Ilyasova went just 3 - of - 14 from the field, but still contributed nine points and 18 rebounds. Tim Hardaway Jr. finished with 16 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals. The Hawks will look to get out of this slide on Tuesday in a home matchup versus the struggling Phoenix Suns."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Magic": "13"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "33"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "12"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "17", "Evan Fournier": "16", "Elfrid Payton": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "6", "Evan Fournier": "7", "Elfrid Payton": "1"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "20", "Rudy Gobert": "13", "Jeff Green": "4", "Evan Fournier": "21", "Elfrid Payton": "2", "Aaron Gordon": "9", "D.J. Augustin": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "10", "Rudy Gobert": "13", "Aaron Gordon": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "3", "Aaron Gordon": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Jeff Green": "23", "Evan Fournier": "38", "Elfrid Payton": "24", "Aaron Gordon": "25", "D.J. Augustin": "24"}, "Steals": {"Aaron Gordon": "2"}}], "The Magic really struggled offensively, shooting 33 percent from the field, and only tallying 13 assists in contrast to 12 turnovers. Only two players were able to hit double digits; D.J. Augustin with 19 points in 24 minutes off the bench and Evan Fournier who led they way with 21 points on 7 - of - 16 shooting, in 38 minutes. Only two other players scored more than four points. Elfrid Payton finished with only two points, on 1 - of - 5 shooting, in 24 minutes. Aaron Gordon was moved to the bench in favor of Jeff Green. Green finished with four points in 23 minutes, while Gordon added nine points, seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks, in 25 minutes. Gordon Hayward led the Jazz in scoring for the fourth game in a row, with 20 points on 6 - of - 17 shooting and neared a triple - double with 10 rebounds and eight assists. Rudy Gobert had a nice 13 - point and 13 - rebound double - double with three blocks."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "1", "Bucks": "2"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "98", "Bucks": "83"}, "Rebounds": {"Pistons": "58", "Bucks": "40"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "2", "Bucks": "1"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "39"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Bucks": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "17", "Jabari Parker": "13", "Greg Monroe": "11", "Tobias Harris": "16", "Marcus Morris": "11", "Andre Drummond": "20", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "21", "Ish Smith": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Jabari Parker": "6", "Tobias Harris": "5", "Andre Drummond": "23"}, "Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Andre Drummond": "37"}}], "The host Detroit Pistons defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 98 - 83 at Palace of Auburn Hills on Sunday. Detroit (2 - 1) put a defensive emphasis on this game and that was clear in the first half result. The Bucks (1 - 2) were held to just 39 points in the first half and trailed by 11 heading into the third quarter. The Pistons held the Bucks to 39 percent shooting from the field and 23 percent from three - point range for the entirety of the game. Detroit also dominated down low, winning the rebounding battle 58 - 40. The Pistons did a nice job in transition, as well, scoring 21 fastbreak points, while holding Milwaukee to just nine. Milwaukee was one of the worst rebounding teams in the NBA last season and that became glaringly evident against a frontcourt like the Pistons' in this defeat. Giannis Antetokounmpo was a lone bright spot for the Bucks, tallying 17 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Jabari Parker was second on the team with 13 points to go with six boards. Greg Monroe was the only other Bucks player in double figures, scoring 11 points off the bench. Andre Drummond notched his first 20 - rebound game in this dominating performance. Drummond finished the game with 20 points, 23 rebounds and three blocks in 37 minutes of action. All five starers scored in double - digits for Detroit. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led the team with 21, while Tobias Harris chipped in 16 points and five boards. Marcus Morris and Ish Smith provided 11 points each, though both struggled from the field. Both teams return to action on Tuesday, as the Bucks travel to New Orleans to face the Pelicans and the Pistons host the New York Knicks."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "32", "Trail Blazers": "31"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "114", "Trail Blazers": "98"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "50", "Trail Blazers": "51"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Allen Crabbe": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Allen Crabbe": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Allen Crabbe": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Tyson Chandler": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Tyson Chandler": "25", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "18"}, "Points": {"Tyson Chandler": "22", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyson Chandler": "15", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "6"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (50 - 32) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (51 - 31) 114 - 98 on Wednesday. Tyson Chandler led the Mavericks to victory in the final game of the regular season. He dropped 22 points, 15 rebounds and one block in 25 minutes on the Trail Blazers. He got some help from Amar'e Stoudemire, who came off the bench and scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds in 18 minutes. Dallas has been locked into the seventh seed in the Western Conference playoffs for some time now. They'll be taking on the second - seeded Houston Rockets (56 - 26) when they playoffs begin this weekend. It was the usual suspects getting it done for Portland against the Mavericks. Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge combined for 36 points, but it was n't enough to get it done on Wednesday. The Trail Blazers will be the number four seed in the Western Conference playoffs, and that was n't going to change regardless of the outcome of this game. Allen Crabbe was the lone starter to play more than 30 minutes and all four bench players who saw the floor played more than 23 minutes. The Blazers will host the fifth seeded Memphis Grizzlies (55 - 27) in the opening round of the playoffs."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "26", "Raptors": "14"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "94", "Raptors": "89"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"76ers": "22"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"76ers": "26"}, "Turnovers": {"76ers": "22", "Raptors": "9"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "14", "Raptors": "28"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "40"}}, {"Minutes played": {"DeMarre Carroll": "23", "Jared Sullinger": "14"}, "Points": {"Pascal Siakam": "2", "Jonas Valanciunas": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "25", "Kyle Lowry": "24", "Terrence Ross": "8", "Jared Sullinger": "8", "Robert Covington": "10", "Ersan Ilyasova": "18", "Joel Embiid": "26", "T.J. McConnell": "10", "Gerald Henderson": "9", "Dario Saric": "8"}, "Assists": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "6", "Kyle Lowry": "4", "Robert Covington": "2", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Joel Embiid": "2", "T.J. McConnell": "8", "Dario Saric": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "4", "Jared Sullinger": "3", "Robert Covington": "5", "Joel Embiid": "9", "T.J. McConnell": "5", "Gerald Henderson": "2", "Dario Saric": "9"}, "Steals": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "5", "Robert Covington": "2", "Joel Embiid": "1", "T.J. McConnell": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyle Lowry": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Robert Covington": "1", "Joel Embiid": "2", "Dario Saric": "2"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Toronto Raptors, 94 - 89, at Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday. The Sixers (14 - 26) have been mocked for some time for the \"Trust the Process\" slogan that has become associated with their seemingly never - ending string of losing seasons. However, that phrase seems to be carrying a little more weight these days, as Philadelphia, behind emerging star Joel Embiid, is starting to make some noise around the league. The latest team to get an up - close look at their improving squad was the Raptors (28 - 14), which suffered their eighth road loss of the season while seeing Embiid tally 26 points, nine rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal. Philadelphia still has plenty of room for improvement despite notching their seventh win in nine games, as they turned the ball over a whopping 22 times. However, they played superb defense, limiting Toronto to 40 and 25 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively. The Raptors were led by DeMar DeRozan, who compiled 25 points, six assists, three rebounds and a steal. Kyle Lowry, who returned from a one - game absence for rest purposes, posted 24 points, four rebounds, four assists, five steals and a block. Jonas Valanciunas generated a modest 10 points but hauled in 16 rebounds and dished out an assist. However, the remainder of the first unit, DeMarre Carroll (scoreless in 23 minutes) and Pascal Siakam (two points) significantly underwhelmed. The bench helped make up for some of the scoring void with a combined 28 points, led by matching eight - point efforts from Terrence Ross and the debuting Jared Sullinger, who also added three rebounds over his 14 minutes on the court. Ersan Ilyasova was second behind Embiid on the Sixers with 18 points, five rebounds and two assists. Robert Covington and T.J. McConnell supplied a pair of 10 - point efforts, with the former adding five rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block, and the latter posting eight assists, five rebounds and a steal. Gerald Henderson led the second unit with nine points and two rebounds, while Dario Saric was productive as a reserve as well with eight points, nine rebounds, an assist and two blocks. The Raptors head to Charlotte to take on the Hornets on Friday night, while the Sixers remain home to await the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday evening as well."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "51"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "15", "Bucks": "23"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "117", "Bucks": "111"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Rockets": "36", "Bucks": "23"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "35", "Bucks": "27"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4", "Brandon Knight": "11", "O.J. Mayo": "2", "James Harden": "5", "Josh Smith": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "11", "Donatas Motiejunas": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "27", "John Henson": "12", "Brandon Knight": "12", "O.J. Mayo": "11", "Jerryd Bayless": "13", "Jorge Gutierrez": "13", "Trevor Ariza": "24", "Donatas Motiejunas": "14", "Josh Smith": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "15", "Trevor Ariza": "6", "Josh Smith": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Trevor Ariza": "6", "James Harden": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "26"}}], "The Rockets (35 - 15) held on to defeat the Bucks (27 - 23) 117 - 111 in Houston on Friday night. Houston was on fire from downtown, knocking down 15 three - pointers on the night en route to 51 percent shooting as a team. The Rockets jumped out to a 36 - 23 first quarter advantage, and the lead stood at 12 points at the half. While the Bucks would battle back in the second half, the lead never fell below four points. Milwaukee had multiple open looks down the stretch but was simply unable to convert. The loss snapped a season - high five - game winning streak. Houston, which remains without Dwight Howard, was led by 22 points and five assists from James Harden, who hit three three - pointers on the night. Trevor Ariza added 24 points, including six threes, and Donatas Motiejunas finished with 14 points in 26 minutes. Three players scored in double - figures off the bench, led by 14 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists from Josh Smith. The Bucks also shot it well from the field, converting at a 50 percent clip. However, they connected on only 4 - of - 17 three - point attempts and attempted just 15 free throws. After scoring a career - best 25 points in Wednesday\u2019s win over the Lakers, Giannis Antetokounmpo set a new career high with 27 points to go with 15 rebounds and four assists. Antetokounmpo was 11 - of - 16 from the floor and 5 - of - 6 from the line. John Henson and Brandon Knight added 12 points apiece for Milwaukee, and Knight also chipped in 11 assists. The bench unit was led by 13 points from both Jorge Gutierrez and Jerryd Bayless, while O.J. Mayo finished with 11 to go with a pair of assists. The Bucks now return home to host the Celtics on Saturday night. Houston remains home and will face the Trail Blazers on Sunday evening."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Cavaliers": "17", "Bulls": "41"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "37", "Bulls": "44"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "12", "Bulls": "18"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "83", "Bulls": "96"}, "Turnovers": {"Cavaliers": "4"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "30", "Bulls": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"Taj Gibson": "1", "Pau Gasol": "6", "Jimmy Butler": "1", "Derrick Rose": "4", "Nikola Mirotic": "1", "Kevin Love": "2", "JR Smith": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Taj Gibson": "2", "Pau Gasol": "1", "Derrick Rose": "1", "LeBron James": "1", "JR Smith": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Points": {"Taj Gibson": "15", "Pau Gasol": "25", "Jimmy Butler": "20", "Derrick Rose": "12", "Nikola Mirotic": "17", "LeBron James": "26", "Kevin Love": "14", "JR Smith": "18", "Kyrie Irving": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Taj Gibson": "8", "Pau Gasol": "10", "Jimmy Butler": "9", "Derrick Rose": "4", "Nikola Mirotic": "6", "LeBron James": "13", "Kevin Love": "5", "JR Smith": "11", "Kyrie Irving": "3"}, "Steals": {"Pau Gasol": "1", "Nikola Mirotic": "1", "Kevin Love": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LeBron James": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Love": "6", "JR Smith": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"JR Smith": "7"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (25 - 18) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (30 - 12) 96 - 83 on Saturday. Any potential surge that the Cavs may have expected to receive from a fresh start under new coach Tyronn Lue was absent Saturday night, as the struggling Bulls managed to secure a victory in one of the most difficult arenas for road teams in the NBA. Cleveland entered the contest sporting a 16 - 2 record at Quicken Loans Arena on the season, while Chicago had lost three of their last four. However, the shooting made all of the difference in this one, as the Bulls found their stroke from the field. The Bulls tallied 44 - and - 41 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively, while Cleveland mustered 37 percent and 17 percent figures in those same categories. The visitors also received 22 points from their bench, while the Cavs' reserves could only contribute eight. Pau Gasol led the way for Chicago with a 25 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included six assists, a steal and a block. Jimmy Butler came within a rebound of a double - double of his own, managing 20 points, hauling in nine boards and dishing out an assist. Taj Gibson pitched in with a season - high 15 points, along with eight rebounds, an assist and a pair of blocks. Derrick Rose was the other starter to post double - digit scoring, pouring in 12 points and adding four rebounds, four assists and a block. Nikola Mirotic led the reserves with a 17 - point effort that also included six rebounds, an assist and a steal. With the victory, the Bulls hold on to second place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They face off with the Miami Heat back in Chicago on Monday. LeBron James looked a tad rejuvenated under his new head coach, posting a 26 - point, 13 - rebound double - double that was just an assist shy of his first triple - double of the season. J.R. Smith was next in line with his first double - double of the campaign, scoring 18 points and hauling in 11 boards. He also added an assist and a block. Kevin Love, who had posted six double - doubles of his own in his last seven contests, cooled off a bit with 14 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal. Kyrie Irving was the fourth member of the starting unit to manage double - digit scoring, collecting 11 points, three rebounds, three assists and a block. Despite the loss, Cleveland remains atop the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They are home again on Monday to face off against the Minnesota Timberwolves."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "47"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "49", "Hornets": "33"}}, {"Points": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "6", "Marvin Williams": "13", "Nicolas Batum": "13", "Kemba Walker": "12", "Marco Belinelli": "14", "Paul George": "22", "Myles Turner": "22", "Jeff Teague": "16", "Rodney Stuckey": "14", "CJ Miles": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "10", "Jeff Teague": "5"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Marco Belinelli": "33"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "11"}, "Steals": {"Jeff Teague": "1"}}], "Paul George and Myles Turner co - led the Pacers with 22 points on a combined 18 - of - 34 shooting. Jeff Teague turned in a 16 - point, 11 - assist double - double that also included five rebounds and a steal. Rodney Stuckey helped make up for the absence of Monta Ellis (groin) by pacing the second unit with 14 points. C.J. Miles was also strong in a reserve role with 11 points, and Indiana posted impressive 49 percent and 47 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively. The Hornets were led by a pair of 13 - point efforts from Marvin Williams and Nicolas Batum. Kemba Walker generated a modest 12 points, while Michael Kidd-Gilchrist only posted six points but did bring down 10 rebounds. Marco Belinelli paced the second unit with 14 points, but the Hornets shot just 33 percent overall."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "29", "Rockets": "14"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "87", "Rockets": "93"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "16", "Rockets": "33"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Rockets": "27"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Rockets": "9"}}, {"Points": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "26", "Marcus Thornton": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "12"}, "Free throws made": {"James Harden": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Marcus Thornton": "23"}}], "The Houston Rockets (33 - 14) defeated the Boston Celtics (16 - 29) 93 - 87 on Friday. Donatas Motiejunas stepped his game up in Dwight Howard's absence. Motiejunas had season highs of 26 points and 12 rebounds. The Rockets were in control for most of the game, and at one point led the Celtics by 19 points in the second quarter. However, a nine - point third quarter from the Rockets would give Boston a fighting chance. Marcus Thornton hit a shot to shorten the Houston lead to just three points with 27 seconds remaining. James Harden and Corey Brewer would go on to hit 3 - of - 4 free throws to seal the victory for the Rockets. The Celtics got another lightning - rod performance from Marcus Thornton. He led the bench attack for the second - straight game. Thornton scored 17 points in 23 minutes on Friday, after putting up 15 points in 14 minutes against the Timberwolves on Wednesday. Boston is now 3 - 6 over their last nine games, including three - straight losses at home. The Rockets have now won four straight and will play the Pistons in Detroit on Saturday. The Celtics will host the Miami Heat on Sunday."], [[{"Total points": {"Pelicans": "113", "Bucks": "117"}, "Rebounds": {"Pelicans": "42"}, "Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "30"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "48"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "2"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "2"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7", "Matthew Dellavedova": "8", "Greg Monroe": "6", "Solomon Hill": "4", "Tim Frazier": "9"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "24", "Jabari Parker": "21", "Matthew Dellavedova": "11", "Greg Monroe": "6", "Anthony Davis": "35", "Tim Frazier": "20", "Buddy Hield": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jabari Parker": "14", "Solomon Hill": "9", "Buddy Hield": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Jabari Parker": "7", "Solomon Hill": "5", "Buddy Hield": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Tony Snell": "10", "Solomon Hill": "6", "Anthony Davis": "15"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "3"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "3"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the host New Orleans Pelicans 117 - 113 at Smoothie King Center on Tuesday. In a battle between two struggling teams, the team with one win prevailed. The key for Milwaukee was their shooting, as they hit 48 percent of their shots and assisted on 30 of their 44 made baskets. The Bucks bench came up big as well, outscoring the Pelicans bench 35 - 19. Milwaukee also took care of business on the boards, grabbing 50 rebounds to New Orleans' 42. The Bucks (2 - 2) continue to ride Giannis Antetokounmpo at point guard and he continues to succeed, Antetokounmpo finished this win with 24 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, despite dealing with foul trouble all game long. Jabari Parker was second on the team, scoring 21 points on 7 - for - 14 shooting. Tony Snell recorded his first double - double for the Bucks, dropping 14 points and 10 rebounds. Matthew Dellavedova tallied 11 points, five rebounds and eight assists of his own. Greg Monroe continues to come off the bench, as he tallied six points, 11 rebounds and six assists. The Pelicans (0 - 3) have very little aside from Anthony Davis and that showed again here. Davis scored a game - high 35 points, while also providing 15 rebounds, three steals and three blocks in the loss. Tim Frazier continued his good play though, tallying 20 points, nine assists and four steals. Solomon Hill had his best game in a Pelicans uniform, as he dropped 14 points, six rebounds and four assists on 5 - for - 9 shooting. Buddy Hield was the only productive bench player, as he scored 10 points on 4 - for - 10 shooting. The Bucks return to action on Thursday when they host the Indiana Pacers, while the Pelicans travel to Memphis to play the Grizzlies on Wednesday for their next matchup."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "38", "Suns": "43"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "37", "Suns": "28"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "96", "Suns": "110"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nuggets": "26", "Suns": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"Nuggets": "40", "Suns": "65"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "20", "Suns": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Brandon Knight": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "6", "Gerald Green": "3", "Ty Lawson": "7", "Will Barton": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Brandon Knight": "3", "TJ Warren": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Brandon Knight": "8", "Eric Bledsoe": "3", "Gerald Green": "9", "Danilo Gallinari": "11", "Ty Lawson": "5", "Will Barton": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Brandon Knight": "3", "Eric Bledsoe": "1", "Gerald Green": "3", "Danilo Gallinari": "5", "Ty Lawson": "2", "Will Barton": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Brandon Knight": "16", "Eric Bledsoe": "15", "Gerald Green": "12", "TJ Warren": "8", "Danilo Gallinari": "16", "Ty Lawson": "12", "Will Barton": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Brandon Knight": "7", "Eric Bledsoe": "7", "Gerald Green": "5", "TJ Warren": "5", "Danilo Gallinari": "6", "Ty Lawson": "5", "Will Barton": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Brandon Knight": "2", "Eric Bledsoe": "3", "Gerald Green": "3", "TJ Warren": "2", "Danilo Gallinari": "3", "Ty Lawson": "2", "Will Barton": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Brandon Knight": "2", "Eric Bledsoe": "3", "TJ Warren": "0", "Danilo Gallinari": "3", "Ty Lawson": "1", "Will Barton": "7"}, "Points": {"Brandon Knight": "19", "Eric Bledsoe": "18", "Gerald Green": "15", "TJ Warren": "10", "Danilo Gallinari": "20", "Ty Lawson": "13", "Will Barton": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Brandon Knight": "3", "Eric Bledsoe": "6", "Gerald Green": "4", "TJ Warren": "7", "Danilo Gallinari": "7", "Will Barton": "8"}, "Turnovers": {"Brandon Knight": "2", "Gerald Green": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2"}, "Steals": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Gerald Green": "21", "Will Barton": "34"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (30 - 28) defeated the Denver Nuggets (20 - 37) 110 - 96 on Wednesday at the Pepsi Center in Denver. The Suns got off to a quick start in this one, out - scoring the Nuggets 35 - 26 right away in the first quarter. They were the superior shooters as well, going 43 percent from the field, while the Nuggets finished at just 38 percent from the floor. Along with the hot start, the Suns out - rebounded the Nuggets 65 - 40, giving them a hefty advantage, while also going a long way in making up for the 21 turnovers they committed. The Suns' backcourt duo of Brandon Knight and Eric Bledsoe were just too much for the Nuggets. Knight finished with a team - high of 19 points (7 - 16 FG, 3 - 8 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and six assists, while Bledsoe posted 18 points (7 - 15 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), six rebounds and six assists. While he was having a career year with the Bucks, Knight has continued his strong play since being traded to the Suns, averaging 17 points and five assists in the three games since his debut. Bledsoe has also been producing in bunches lately, combining for 39 points and six assists over his last two games. The Suns received a nice contribution off the bench from Gerald Green. In just 21 minutes, he went 5 - for - 12 from the field and 3 - for - 9 from the three - point line to score 15 points, while adding four rebounds and three assists as well. With the departure of Isaiah Thomas, Green has now become the best option for the Suns off the bench. Reaching double figures in points for just the second time in his career, rookie T.J. Warren had 10 points (5 - 8 FG, 0 - 2 FT) and seven rebounds in 19 minutes. Danilo Gallinari has yet to slow down, as he again posted some impressive numbers for the Nuggets. He went 6 - for - 16 from the field and 5 - for - 11 from the three - point line to score 20 points, while also adding seven rebounds as well. Despite averaging 9 points on the season, he's averaged 19 points over his last three games, while he's shot 45 percent or higher from the three - point line in each of those outings. Coming off the bench, Will Barton is another player who continues to play surprisingly well. In 34 minutes, he posted a team - high of 22 points (6 - 9 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT), to go along with eight rebounds and three assists. In the three games he's played with the Nuggets since coming over from the Trail Blazers, he's averaged 15 points and five rebounds. He failed to get very much playing time with his old team, so he's thriving in his new role. Jeoffrey Lauvergne played in just his third career NBA game Wednesday. The rookie played quite well, going 4 - for - 7 from the field and 1 - for - 1 from the three - point line to score 11 points, while grabbing nine rebounds. It was a new season - high in points for him. Ty Lawson posted 13 points (5 - 12 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and seven assists. The Suns' next game will be at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, while the Nuggets will be at home against the Utah Jazz on Friday."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Thunder": "56", "Trail Blazers": "44"}, "Number of team assists": {"Trail Blazers": "15"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "40"}}, {"Points": {"CJ McCollum": "19", "Damian Lillard": "29", "Russell Westbrook": "42"}, "Rebounds": {"CJ McCollum": "8", "Damian Lillard": "7", "Andre Roberson": "11", "Steven Adams": "13", "Russell Westbrook": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "22", "Steven Adams": "11", "Russell Westbrook": "34"}, "Field goals made": {"Damian Lillard": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "16"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "8"}}], "The Thunder saw yet another big night from league - leading scorer Russell Westbrook on Sunday in Oklahoma City. Westbrook shot 16 - of - 34 from the field for a team - high 42 points, while also leading the team with eight assists. Despite a season - low mark of four rebounds for Westbrook, the Thunder were monstrous on the glass, holding a 56 - 44 advantage. Shooting guard Victor Oladipo and center Steven Adams each pulled down 13 rebounds, while forward Andre Roberson added 11. Portland guard Damian Lillard bounced back from a weak Friday night with a team - high 29 points on Sunday. Lillard shot 9 - of - 22 and added seven rebounds for the Blazers. Fellow guard C.J. McCollum added 19 points and eight rebounds. As a team, Portland was able to knock down ten three - pointers, but shot just 40 percent and recorded only 15 assists on the night."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "12", "Harrison Barnes": "26"}, "Field goals made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4"}, "Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "34"}}], "Harrison Barnes has been enjoying a lot more offensive freedom with his new team. The former Warrior is averaging a career - high in both points and field goal attempts, both of which experienced boosts after Sunday's win. Barnes saw the third 30 - point game of his career and the second of the season, scoring 34 points on a team - high 26 attempts from the field. Interestingly, Barnes has seen his efficiency increase, as he hit half his shots yet again on Sunday. Another young and statistically dominant forward, Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo, had an off night on Sunday, going just 4 - of - 12 on the night. The'Greek Freak 'had been leading the Bucks in every major statistical category heading into Sunday. His teammates were forced to pick up his slack, however, as he posted numbers well below his averages, including just two assists."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "4", "Dario Saric": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "3"}, "Points": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "23", "Dario Saric": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "17", "Dario Saric": "7"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Dario Saric": "50"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Dario Saric": "50"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dario Saric": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Dario Saric": "4"}}], "When rookie forward Dario Saric was sent to the bench on Nov. 16 in favor of the newly - acquired Ersan Ilyasova, his production slowly started to dip. In fact, he went a three - game period where he scored a total of 10 points and made just three field goals. But as of late, it looks like Saric has finally hit his stride in his new role, and Tuesday's 17 - point, seven - rebound performance was yet another example of Saric carving out a legitimate role on a struggling Philadelphia team. After Tuesday's performance, Saric is now averaging 18 points and and 9 rebounds while shooting 52 percent from the field overall and a scorching 50 percent from behind the arc. Meanwhile, after Ilyasova's monster double - double of 23 points and 17 rebounds Tuesday, he is 19 points and 10 rebounds over those same four games, giving head coach Brett Brown, at least for now, the balance he was looking for at the power forward position when he made the move in mid - November."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Wizards": "40", "Warriors": "26"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Kevin Durant": "2"}, "Assists": {"Draymond Green": "14", "John Wall": "19"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "14", "Zaza Pachulia": "12", "Klay Thompson": "16", "Stephen Curry": "25", "Shaun Livingston": "14", "Otto Porter Jr.": "14", "Markieff Morris": "22", "Marcin Gortat": "12", "Bradley Beal": "25", "John Wall": "12", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "12"}}], "The Warriors overcame a Kevin Durant injury and 40 - 26 first - quarter deficit to outscore Washington by a 59 - 45 margin over the next two periods. Otto Porter snapped a 108 - 108 tie with 17 seconds remaining by draining a pair of free throws, and Klay Thompson's missed 26 - foot three - point jumper as time expired sealed the Wizards' win. Stephen Curry tallied a team - high 25 points, and Thompson was next with 16. Draymond Green posted a 14 - point, 14 - assist double - double. Shaun Livingston had 14 points of his own, and Zaza Pachulia managed 12 points. Bradley Beal's 25 points paced Washington. Morris was next with 22 points. Bojan Bogdanovic led the bench with 16 points, and Porter supplied 14. Marcin Gortat and John Wall posted matching 12 - point efforts, with the former adding 12 boards and the latter dishing out a game - high 19 assists."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Nuggets": "39", "Grizzlies": "49"}}, {"Points": {"JaMychal Green": "9", "Marc Gasol": "23", "Mike Conley": "31", "Zach Randolph": "20", "Danilo Gallinari": "24", "Wilson Chandler": "14", "Nikola Jokic": "10", "Gary Harris": "19", "Jameer Nelson": "12", "Jamal Murray": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"JaMychal Green": "10", "Mike Conley": "4", "Wilson Chandler": "9", "Nikola Jokic": "11"}, "Assists": {"Mike Conley": "5", "Wilson Chandler": "6"}, "Steals": {"Mike Conley": "2", "Wilson Chandler": "1"}}], "Mike Conley scored 13 of his game - high 31 points in the fourth quarter to seal the road win. Memphis also outrebounded Denver by a 49 - 39 margin and outscored their hosts 21 - 13 in second - chance points. Conley supplemented his scoring with five assists, four rebounds and two steals. Marc Gasol totaled 23 points, while Zach Randolph led the bench with 20 points. JaMychal Green had a near double - double with nine points and 10 rebounds. The Nuggets starting five all tallied double - digit scoring, led by Danilo Gallinari's 24 points. Gary Harris continued his stretch of strong play with 19 points. Wilson Chandler filled out the stat sheet with 14 points, nine boards, six assists and one steal. Jameer Nelson tallied 12 points, and Nikola Jokic posted a 10 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. Jamal Murray led the second unit with 11 points."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "44", "Spurs": "14"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "30", "Spurs": "10"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "99", "Spurs": "91"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pacers": "28", "Spurs": "30"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "34", "Spurs": "53"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "35"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "7", "Patty Mills": "10", "Paul George": "5", "Rodney Stuckey": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1", "Patty Mills": "3", "Paul George": "2", "Rodney Stuckey": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "23", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "20", "David West": "3", "Patty Mills": "13", "Paul George": "20", "Rodney Stuckey": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "9", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "9", "David West": "2", "Patty Mills": "6", "Paul George": "7", "Rodney Stuckey": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "5", "Paul George": "7", "Rodney Stuckey": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "5", "Paul George": "7", "Rodney Stuckey": "5"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "23", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "23", "Patty Mills": "17", "Paul George": "23", "Monta Ellis": "26", "Rodney Stuckey": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "12"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"David West": "3"}, "Assists": {"Monta Ellis": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Monta Ellis": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Monta Ellis": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Rodney Stuckey": "19"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (34 - 30) held off the San Antonio Spurs (53 - 10) for the victory Monday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, 99 - 91. The Spurs jumped out to a 40 lead, but the Pacers responded with a 14 - 4 run and led for the entirety of the game's final 45 minutes. The Spurs trailed by 11 heading into the fourth quarter and managed to make it close, as a LaMarcus Aldridge inside bucket with 1:55 to go pulled the Spurs within three at 87 - 90. But Indiana shot 5 - 5 from the line and 2 - 3 from the floor down the stretch and managed to close the game. Monta Ellis led all scorers with 26 points as part of an extremely efficient offensive night, as he shot 8 - 13 from the floor, 2 - 4 from three and a perfect 8 - 8 from the free throw line. Paul George added 23 points (7 - 20 FG, 2 - 5 3PT, 7 - 7 FT) and Rodney Stuckey added 12 (3 - 7 FG, 1 - 1 3PT, 5 - 5 FT) in just 19 minutes. Indiana shot a brutal 40 percent on two - point shots but made up for it with a 7 - 16 (44 percent) performance from downtown and a brilliant 28 - 30 (93 percent) shooting night at the free throw line. LaMarcus Aldridge managed a double - double with 23 points (9 - 20 FG, 5 - 5 FT) and 12 rebounds and Kawhi Leonard tied him for the team lead with 23 points of his own (9 - 23 FG, 1 - 7 3PT, 4 - 6 FT). Patty Mills was the only other player in double figures with 17 points (6 - 13 FG, 3 - 10 3PT). But the Spurs could n't find their shot as a team, as David West (2 - 3 FG) was the only Spur to shoot 50 percent or better and te team finished at just 35 percent from the floor and a horrific 4 - 28 (14 percent) from three. The Spurs continue their road trip Tuesday against the Timberwolves. The Pacers have four days off before they head on the road for a Saturday matchup against the Mavericks."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "29", "Grizzlies": "14"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "90", "Grizzlies": "104"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "1", "Grizzlies": "16"}}, {"Points": {"Matt Barnes": "12", "Marc Gasol": "19", "Courtney Lee": "15", "Mike Conley": "18", "Robert Covington": "8", "Jerami Grant": "9", "Jahlil Okafor": "18", "Isaiah Canaan": "15", "Tony Wroten": "7", "Hollis Thompson": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Matt Barnes": "10", "Marc Gasol": "6", "Mike Conley": "1", "Robert Covington": "8", "Jahlil Okafor": "5"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "5", "Mike Conley": "6", "Jahlil Okafor": "2", "Tony Wroten": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "1"}, "Steals": {"Marc Gasol": "3", "Mike Conley": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Courtney Lee": "6", "Zach Randolph": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Isaiah Canaan": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tony Wroten": "8"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (16 - 14) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (1 - 29) 104 - 90 on Tuesday. The Sixers have accomplished new levels of futility this season for a variety of reasons, and carelessness with the ball has certainly been a primary one. Philadelphia came into Tuesday's contest committing a league - worst 17 turnovers per game, and further cemented that reputation by tallying a whopping 28 of them against the Grizzlies, which lead to 36 points on the opposite end of the floor. While they certainly require drastic improvement in virtually every area, some of the Sixers' most glaring weaknesses directly relate to their fundamentals, with Tuesday's performance serving as a prime example. Memphis received balanced scoring efforts from the majority of their starting five, with four front - line players managing double digit - points. Marc Gasol led the way with a game - high 19 points, and added six rebounds, five assists, three steals and a block, continuing his recent stretch of particularly strong play. The veteran center also had an interesting matchup against standout rookie Jahlil Okafor, who managed to mostly hold his own against the Memphis big man. Mike Conley contributed his usual solid stat line, managing 18 points, six assists, a rebound and a steal. Matt Barnes posted a second consecutive double - double, collecting 12 points and hauling in 10 boards. Courtney Lee pitched in 15 points of his own, and Zach Randolph enjoyed his best game in the six contests he has come off the bench. The former starter tallied 14 points, eight rebounds, three assists and a steal over 25 highly efficient minutes. The Grizzlies improved to 15 - 11 and currently reside in third place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They head to Washington to face the Wizards on Wednesday. Okafor led the way for Philadelphia with 18 points, five rebounds and a pair of assists, while hanging tough against one of the top defensive centers in the league. It was an important performance for the 2015 first - round pick, after having been largely stymied by the Cavaliers' frontcourt on Sunday to the tune of nine points on 3 of 11 shooting. Isaiah Canaan was the only other Sixers starter with double - digit points (15), as the trio of Tony Wroten, Robert Covington and Jerami Grant could only manage modest totals of seven, eight and nine points, respectively. Hollis Thompson came off the bench to post a season - high 16 points to pace the Philadelphia reserves. The Sixers fell to 1 - 29, the worst record in the league. They reside in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division and now head to Milwaukee to face the Bucks on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "43", "76ers": "30"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "56", "76ers": "38"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "5", "76ers": "26"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "126", "76ers": "86"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "25", "76ers": "4"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"76ers": "23"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Nerlens Noel": "26", "Michael Carter-Williams": "38", "Marreese Speights": "24"}, "Points": {"Nerlens Noel": "8", "Marreese Speights": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Nerlens Noel": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "1"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (25 - 5) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (4 - 26) 126 - 86 on Tuesday. Golden State has won two straight, and Marreese Speights was the man to carry them Tuesday. He scored a game - high 23 points in just 24 minutes in the blowout as both teams extended their bench rotations once the game got out of hand. The Warriors shot 56 percent from the field and 43 percent from beyond the arc, decimating a Sixers defense that has found it's way of late and that should n't be looked at as an easy puzzle to crack. Golden State will have a couple days off before hosting the Toronto Raptors on Friday. Philadelphia has lost three straight as they wade through the middle of a seven - game road trip that started in Orlando on Dec. 21. The Sixers gave up a gut - wrenching 43 easy ponts off of 28 turnovers, and even when they did get a shot up, they were n't falling. Philadelphia shot 38 percent from the field and 30 percent from beyond the arc, with starting point guard Michael Carter-Williams shooting just 1 - for - 7 from the field and contributing little else despite playing 38 minutes. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (calf) and Hollis Thompson (illness) sat out the game. Nerlens Noel was questionable coming into the contest with a sprained ankle, but he was able to give it a go and put up eight points and seven rebounds in 26 minutes. Philadelphia will travel to Phoenix to take on the Suns on Friday."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "16", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "20", "Anthony Davis": "11", "Jrue Holiday": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "6", "Jrue Holiday": "10"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "23", "Anthony Davis": "16", "Jrue Holiday": "23", "Terrence Jones": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "14"}, "Assists": {"Jrue Holiday": "11"}}], "It was a big night for New Orleans as they blew out the Western Conference's second - ranked team. In an unusual turn of events, high - usage superstar Anthony Davis deferred much of the offensive load to his teammates, attempting only 11 shots on the night and scoring only 16. Davis did make a considerable impact on the boards, however, as he recorded a whopping 22 rebounds. Point guard Jrue Holiday, meanwhile, scored a team - high 23 points on 10 - of - 17 shooting. Holiday added 11 assists. Big man Terrence Jones had 21 off the bench. It was an off shooting night for the Spurs, who hit just 38 percent of their shots from the field. Superstar Kawhi Leonard led the team with 23 points but went just 6 - of - 16 from the field. Forward LaMarcus Aldridge, meanwhile, shot 6 - of - 20 but did have 14 rebounds on the night."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "7", "Bulls": "3"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "88", "Bulls": "111"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "0", "Bulls": "5"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Doug McDermott": "6", "Nikola Mirotic": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Doug McDermott": "3", "Nikola Mirotic": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Doug McDermott": "15", "Nikola Mirotic": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Doug McDermott": "7", "Nikola Mirotic": "6"}, "Points": {"Doug McDermott": "18", "Nikola Mirotic": "20", "Pau Gasol": "16", "Richaun Holmes": "11", "Jahlil Okafor": "21"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nikola Mirotic": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Nikola Mirotic": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Nikola Mirotic": "28", "Richaun Holmes": "28"}, "Personal fouls": {"Nikola Mirotic": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Mirotic": "10", "Pau Gasol": "9", "Richaun Holmes": "3", "Jahlil Okafor": "15"}, "Blocks": {"Pau Gasol": "6", "Richaun Holmes": "2"}}], "The Bulls (5 - 3) cruised to a 111 - 88 victory over the 76ers (0 - 7) at Wells Fargo Center on Monday. Nikola Mirotic led the way for Chicago, breaking out of a shooting slump to score 20 points (6 - 11 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt, 5 - 7 FT) and collect 10 rebounds in 28 minutes. Pau Gasol nearly posted his third consecutive double - double, but fell a rebound short, finishing with 16 points, nine boards and six blocks. With the loss, the Sixers remain winless this season, and turned in another awful performance on defense. Joakim Noah, who was expected to return to the Bulls starting five Monday, did not play due to soreness in his knee. Mirotic replaced Noah prior to tip - off and took advantage of the opportunity to prove he deserves the starting PF spot. It's unclear if Noah will miss more time, but he's dealt with plenty of injuries throughout his eight - year career. In his third start of the season, Doug McDermott shot 7 - of - 15 from the field and hit from distance three out of six times for 18 points. Philadelphia was also without a key big man, as Nerlens Noel did not play due to a wrist injury and is considered day - to - day. With Noel out, Richaun Holmes made the start, scoring 11 points with three rebounds and two blocks in 28 minutes. Jahlil Okafor continued his impressive rookie campaign with 21 points and 15 rebounds for his first career double - double. The Bulls will head back to Chicago for a matchup Friday against the Hornets. Philadelphia will wrap up a three - game homestand Wednesday against the Raptors."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Kings": "18"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "17", "DeMarcus Cousins": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "9", "DeMarcus Cousins": "6"}, "Points": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "28", "Paul Millsap": "25", "Dennis Schroder": "20", "DeMarcus Cousins": "22", "Ben McLemore": "22", "Darren Collison": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "6", "DeMarcus Cousins": "11"}, "Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "7", "Darren Collison": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ben McLemore": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Darren Collison": "4"}}], "The Sacramento Kings earned a narrow comeback win against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday. Point guard Darren Collison tied for the team - high scoring total with 22 points, including the game - winning shot with just 4 seconds remaining. His backcourt partner Ben McLemore added another 22 points, including six three - pointers. Superstar DeMarcus Cousins, however, led the team in just about every statistical category. Cousins scored 22 points to go along with 11 rebounds and seven assists, but shot just 6 - of - 17. Three-point shooting proved to be the team's bread and butter, as the Kings hit 18 threes on the night. The Hawks, meanwhile, saw strong play from their own starters. Shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 28 points and shot 9 - of - 17 from the field. All-Star Paul Millsap added 25 points and six rebounds, while point guard Dennis Schroeder had 20 points and six assists. However, the team had only 11 three - pointers to Sacramento's 18."], [[{"Total points": {"Clippers": "114", "Kings": "109"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "2"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Kings": "30"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "1"}}, {"Points": {"Rudy Gay": "20", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "8", "Rajon Rondo": "21", "Darren Collison": "15", "Blake Griffin": "37", "DeAndre Jordan": "15", "JJ Redick": "23", "Chris Paul": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "9", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "9", "Rajon Rondo": "5", "Blake Griffin": "9", "DeAndre Jordan": "18", "Chris Paul": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "1", "DeAndre Jordan": "7"}, "Steals": {"Willie Cauley-Stein": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "2"}, "Assists": {"Rajon Rondo": "8", "Darren Collison": "6", "Blake Griffin": "6", "Chris Paul": "11"}, "Free throw percentage": {"Rajon Rondo": "33"}, "Minutes played": {"Rajon Rondo": "33", "Darren Collison": "35"}}], "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."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "45", "Suns": "36"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "32", "Suns": "24"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "85", "Suns": "83"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "18", "Suns": "29"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Suns": "18"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Suns": "18"}}, {"Free throws made": {"Goran Dragic": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Goran Dragic": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Goran Dragic": "1", "DeMarcus Cousins": "12", "Ramon Sessions": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Isaiah Thomas": "39", "Ramon Sessions": "32"}, "Points": {"Isaiah Thomas": "26", "DeMarcus Cousins": "28", "Ramon Sessions": "10"}, "Steals": {"Isaiah Thomas": "1"}, "Assists": {"Ramon Sessions": "6"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (18 - 32) defeated the Phoenix Suns (29 - 24) 85 - 83 on Sunday. The Kings went up 2 - 1 on the Suns for the season series with the win, but former Sacramento teammate Isaiah Thomas did everything he could to try and take home the win for the Suns. Thomas started at point guard with Eric Bledsoe away from the team to attend the birth of his child. With one less guard in the rotation, Thomas played 39 minutes and scored 26 points. Only one other player (Goran Dragic) finished in double figures, with the Suns shooting a woeful 36 percent from the field and 18 percent from beyond the arc. Though the Kings shot better than the Suns from the field (45 percent), they also allowed the Suns to stay in the game by coughing up 17 turnovers and giving up 18 easy points off of them. DeMarcus Cousins led the way with a game - high 28 points and 12 rebounds. Ramon Sessions played well in his second straight spot start in place of Darren Collison (hip), putting up 10 points, seven rebounds and six assists in 32 minutes. Rudy Gay sat out the game with a sore left foot, allowing Omri Casspi to make a spot start in his place. The Suns and Kings will wrap up their season series in Phoenix on Mar. 25."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Warriors": "12"}}, {"Points": {"Kevin Durant": "27", "Draymond Green": "12", "Stephen Curry": "30", "Anthony Davis": "28", "Jrue Holiday": "10"}, "Assists": {"Draymond Green": "10", "Jrue Holiday": "6"}, "Steals": {"Draymond Green": "4", "Jrue Holiday": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "8"}}], "In a game with eight ties and 13 lead changes, neither of these squads were able to grab a double - digit lead for the entirety of the game. The Warriors won the turnover battle and that's evident through the shot attempts, as Golden State took 95 shots to New Orleans' 82. One strange stat is the fact that the Warriors committed 12 turnovers, while the Pelicans recorded 12 steals. That means Golden State had no turnovers that went out of bounds, thus limiting transition baskets and points off turnovers. Anthony Davis carried the load for the Pelicans once again, tallying 28 points, eight rebounds and five blocks. Jrue Holiday had a nice all - around game too, accruing 10 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals in the defeat. Draymond Green recorded his first triple - double of the season, accumulating 12 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists and four steals. Stephen Curry led the team with 30 points, while Kevin Durant dropped 27 of his own."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "43", "Knicks": "49"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "14", "Knicks": "9"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "103", "Knicks": "114"}, "Rebounds": {"Heat": "46", "Knicks": "53"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "7", "Knicks": "12"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "27"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "13"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "35", "Kristaps Porzingis": "14", "Joakim Noah": "10", "Derrick Rose": "10", "Wayne Ellington": "14", "Goran Dragic": "29", "Tyler Johnson": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "12", "Joakim Noah": "10", "Derrick Rose": "2", "Goran Dragic": "4", "Tyler Johnson": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Joakim Noah": "14"}, "Assists": {"Derrick Rose": "3", "Goran Dragic": "7"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Derrick Rose": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Derrick Rose": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Derrick Rose": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Derrick Rose": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "3"}}], "The New York Knicks defeated the host Miami Heat, 114 - 103, at American Airlines Center on Tuesday. These two teams totaled nine ties and 17 lead changes, as there was swing after swing in this tightly contested battle. Defense was key for New York, as they held Miami to 43 percent shooting. The Knicks shot 49 percent on their end and outrebounded the Heat, 53 - 46. New York (12 - 9) has finally been starting to gel over recent weeks and they received some big performances in a big road win. Carmelo Anthony was the player of the game, scoring a game - high 35 points on 13 - of - 27 shooting. Kristaps Porzingis recorded a double - double, totaling 14 points and 12 rebounds. Derrick Rose finished the game with 10 points, two rebounds and three assists before leaving early due to back spasms. Joakim Noah had one of his best games as a Knick, accruing 10 points and 10 rebounds in just 14 minutes of action. On deck for New York is a home matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. Miami (7 - 14) are starting to play better, but they ran into a hot Knicks bunch that did n't want to lose. Goran Dragic continued his fantastic form, accumulating 29 points, four rebounds and seven assists in the loss. Hassan Whiteside recorded yet another double - double, amassing 24 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks. Wayne Ellington was the only other starter in double figures, dropping 14 points. Tyler Johnson did provide 13 points and five rebounds off the bench. Miami will play again on Wednesday, as they travel to Atlanta to face the Hawks."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "25"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "2", "Timberwolves": "11"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "115", "Timberwolves": "102"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Warriors": "30", "Timberwolves": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"Warriors": "45"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "15", "Timberwolves": "5"}}, {"Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "16", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "18", "Zach LaVine": "31", "Kevin Durant": "28", "Kevon Looney": "6", "Klay Thompson": "23", "Stephen Curry": "34"}, "Assists": {"Kevon Looney": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Kevon Looney": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevon Looney": "3"}, "Steals": {"Kevon Looney": "1"}}], "The Golden State Warriors earned their 11th win in a row as they defeated the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves 115 - 102 on Saturday night at Oracle Arena. The Timberwolves came out strong on the second night of a back - to - back, leading 33 - 30 after one quarter, however they significantly dropped - off in the second and third quarters where they were out - scored 60 - 40. They fought back in the fourth but it was not enough as Golden State cruised to the win. The Warriors were also on the second night of a back - to - back, and were missing Draymond Green due to an ankle contusion that he suffered the previous night. The Warriors (15 - 2) got their 11th - straight win but saw their franchise - high 30 - assist streak come to an end at 10 - games as they tallied 25 assists on their 45 - made field goals. Stephen Curry finished with a game - high 34 points, while Kevin Durant followed up with 28 and Klay Thompson added 23, to combine for 85 points. Kevon Looney started in place of the injured Draymond Green and finished with six points, three rebounds, two assists and one steal, in 18 minutes. The Warriors are now 6 - 1 at home and can improve on that as they look forward to the second game of a five - game home stand on Monday versus the Hawks. After a solid win in Phoenix, the Timberwolves (5 - 11) slipped back into their old ways with a good start and then a lull period in the middle quarters. Karl-Anthony Towns was a good example of that as he scored 12 points in the first quarter and then did not score again until the final four minutes of the third quarter, only to finish the game with 18 points. Zach LaVine led the way offensively for Minnesota, with 31 points, while Andrew Wiggins chipped in 16 points. The Timberwolves have lost four of their last five games and fall to 2 - 7 on the road, however they head back home for two games, beginning with the Jazz on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "45"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "27", "Timberwolves": "31"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "116", "Timberwolves": "108"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pistons": "24", "Timberwolves": "18"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pistons": "29", "Timberwolves": "34"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "23", "Timberwolves": "19"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "24"}}, {"Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "21", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "24", "Zach LaVine": "20", "Shabazz Muhammad": "15", "Marcus Morris": "36", "Jon Leuer": "24", "Andre Drummond": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "11", "Andre Drummond": "18"}, "Minutes played": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "23"}, "Assists": {"Marcus Morris": "2"}, "Steals": {"Marcus Morris": "1", "Andre Drummond": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jon Leuer": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Jon Leuer": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "3"}}], "The Detroit Pistons defeated the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves, 116 - 108, at The Palace Of Auburn Hills on Friday evening. Marcus Morris poured in a career - high 36 points to lead the Pistons to a much - needed victory. It was a close contest the whole way, despite a 24 - 18 first quarter for Detroit, which proved to be the difference maker. The Pistons (23 - 27) won the first, third and fourth quarters, while they were outscored 34 - 29 in the second. They shot 45 percent from the field and 11 - of - 26 from long range, in order to pull off the win. Morris added six rebounds, two assists and one steal to his impressive point total, while Andre Drummond came up large with 12 points, 18 rebounds, three blocks and two steals. Jon Leuer added 24 points on 8 - of - 16 shooting, as the second - highest scorer for Detroit. Three other players scored in double digits to round out an all around good team win for the Pistons. They will go on to visit Indiana on Saturday for their second game in as many nights. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves (19 - 31) dropped their second straight game, despite outscoring the Pistons 60 - 36 in the paint. Karl-Anthony Towns led the way for Minnesota with 24 points and 11 rebounds. Andrew Wiggins followed up with 21 points, while Zach LaVine chipped in 20 points. Two other players scored in double digits for the T-Wolves, including Shabazz Muhammad, who continued his strong play with 15 points in 23 minutes off the bench. The Timberwolves will face the second night of a back - to - back, as they play host to the Grizzlies on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "27", "Jazz": "39"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "19", "Jazz": "32"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "104", "Jazz": "94"}, "Rebounds": {"Raptors": "45", "Jazz": "33"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "40", "Jazz": "28"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Jazz": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "6", "Derrick Favors": "1", "Rudy Gobert": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Gordon Hayward": "1", "Derrick Favors": "1", "Jonas Valanciunas": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "1"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "26", "Derrick Favors": "15", "Rudy Gobert": "10", "Raul Neto": "10", "Trey Burke": "11", "Jonas Valanciunas": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "31", "Kyle Lowry": "32", "Terrence Ross": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "3", "Derrick Favors": "7", "Rudy Gobert": "8", "Jonas Valanciunas": "8", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "4", "Terrence Ross": "3"}, "Steals": {"Rudy Gobert": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "3", "Terrence Ross": "2"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (40 - 19) defeated the Utah Jazz (28 - 32) 104 - 94 on Wednesday. A game that was expected to be a grind - it - out defensive battle largely fulfilled that prophecy, with Toronto finally able to pull away on the strength of a pair of standout efforts from their two best players, and an injury to one of their opponent's key pieces. Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan both tallied over 30 points, and Jazz shooting guard Rodney Hood exited the game in the second quarter after suffering a blow to the head, further dampening Utah's prospects. Despite Hood's absence for the entire second half, the Jazz battled throughout, and even managed to considerably outperform Toronto from three - point range by a margin of 39 percent to 27 percent. However, they were surprisingly outmuscled down low despite their formidable frontcourt, getting outrebounded 45 - 33 and outscored in the paint by a margin of 56 - 42. Gordon Hayward spearheaded the offensive attack for Utah with 26 points, half of which came in the first quarter. He added six assists, three rebounds and a block. Derrick Favors was next with 15 points, seven rebounds, an assist and a block. Rudy Gobert checked in with 10 points, eight boards, two assists and two steals. Trey Burke and Raul Neto paced the reserves with respective tallies of 11 and 10 points. The former added a rebound, while the latter also posted two rebounds, two assists and two steals. The Jazz sit in third place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division and are currently a game behind the eighth - seeded Houston Rockets. They head to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies on Friday night. Lowry paced the Raptors with 32 points, five assists, four rebounds, three steals and a block. DeRozan was right behind him with 31 points and five rebounds. Jonas Valanciunas collected 10 points, hauled in eight boards and recorded a block. Terrence Ross paced the Toronto reserves with 11 points, three rebounds and two steals. Toronto remains atop the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division, and possesses the second seed in the conference, two games back of the Cleveland Cavaliers. They're home again on Friday night for a showdown with the Portland Trail Blazers."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "10", "Warriors": "7"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "87", "Warriors": "79"}, "Rebounds": {"Spurs": "53", "Warriors": "37"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "59", "Warriors": "62"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "38"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Warriors": "14"}}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "8", "Kawhi Leonard": "4"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "11", "Klay Thompson": "15", "Kawhi Leonard": "18", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "26", "Boris Diaw": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "9", "Kawhi Leonard": "14", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "13", "Boris Diaw": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "7", "Stephen Curry": "12"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "1", "Stephen Curry": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Stephen Curry": "4"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (59 - 10) defeated the Golden State Warriors (62 - 7) 87 - 79 on Saturday. In one of the showcase games of the season, the teams didn\u2019t let up one bit. San Antonio showed what makes them so great, as they dominated defensively against the most potent offense in the NBA, holding them to a season - low 79 points. In fact, they held the Warriors to 14 points in the fourth and under 20 points in three separate quarters. The Warriors were also held below 38 percent shooting for the first time all year. The rebounding was key as well, as they Spurs brought down 53 boards to the Warriors 37. Golden State has been throttling teams, but this was easily their worst offensive performance of the year. No player scored more than 15 points and no player recorded double - digits in rebounds or assists. Steph Curry had a nightmare shooting night, as he went 1 - for - 12 from three - point range and 4 - for - 18 from the field. Klay Thompson also struggled, as he went 1 - for - 7 from long distance, but scored a team - high 15 points. Draymond Green flirted with a triple - double once again, as he accumulated 11 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Golden State will look to bounce back on Monday against the Minnesota Timberwolves in their next game. This extended the Spurs home winning streak to 44 games and it may have been the most impressive win in that span. LaMarcus Aldridge was huge, as he amassed 26 points and 13 rebounds. Kawhi Leonard was also majestic, as he tallied 18 points, 14 rebounds and four assists in the win. Boris Diaw started for Tim Duncan to match the Warriors small - ball and collected 14 points and eight rebounds in a quality performance and brilliant decision from Gregg Popovich. On deck for San Antonio is a matchup against the scorching hot Charlotte Hornets on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "24"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "114", "Wizards": "94"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Heat": "30", "Wizards": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Heat": "67", "Wizards": "45"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "31"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Wizards": "14"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "40"}}, {"Points": {"Marcin Gortat": "14", "Bradley Beal": "19", "Luol Deng": "27", "Goran Dragic": "24", "Hassan Whiteside": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "13", "Luol Deng": "10", "Goran Dragic": "7"}, "Assists": {"Luol Deng": "4", "Goran Dragic": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Goran Dragic": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Goran Dragic": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Hassan Whiteside": "1"}}], "The shorthanded Miami Heat (31 - 24) defeated the tired Washington Wizards (25 - 19) 114 - 94 on Saturday. Miami has played without its two best players since the All-Star break and is undefeated in the two games since. This marked Washington's third game in three days and it was obvious the Wizards didn\u2019t have their legs underneath them. The Wizards shot 40 percent from the field, 52 percent from the free - throw line and 14 percent from three - point range. The Heat got off to a 30 - 19 start in the first quarter and never looked back after that. One huge key for Miami was the rebounding, as they brought down 67 boards to the Wizards 45. Playing three games in three days is a rarity is today's NBA, but a cancellation earlier in the season brought up this unfortunate circumstance for the Wizards. Marcin Gortat recorded yet another double - double, as he amassed 14 points and 13 rebounds in the defeat. Bradley Beal led the team with 19 points, as he came off the bench yet again. The Wizards will have some needed time off before their next game, when they host the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday. Miami played this game without Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh and didn\u2019t miss a beat. Luol Deng played fantastic, as he tallied 27 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in the win. Goran Dragic also played well, accumulating 24 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Hassan Whiteside made his return from a one - game suspension and put up a ridiculous 25 - point, 22 - rebound line off the bench. Miami's next game will be on Monday when they host the Indiana Pacers."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "36", "Suns": "48"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "112", "Suns": "95"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "34", "Suns": "22"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Suns": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "35"}}, {"Blocks": {"TJ Warren": "2", "Andre Drummond": "2"}, "Points": {"TJ Warren": "15", "Tyler Ulis": "17", "Alan Williams": "11", "Marcus Morris": "16", "Andre Drummond": "18", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "23", "Aron Baynes": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"TJ Warren": "6", "Tyler Ulis": "3", "Alan Williams": "12", "Marcus Morris": "5", "Andre Drummond": "18", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "3", "Aron Baynes": "17"}, "Steals": {"TJ Warren": "3", "Tyler Ulis": "3"}, "Assists": {"Tyler Ulis": "11", "Marcus Morris": "3", "Andre Drummond": "2", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tyler Ulis": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Tyler Ulis": "7"}}], "The Detroit Pistons defeated the Phoenix Suns, 112 - 95, at Palace of Auburn Hills on Sunday. Detroit was expected to win this game easily, but it took a late run for them to prevail. In fact, the Pistons went on a 35 - 12 run in a 10 - minute span between the third and fourth quarters to overcome a 12 - point deficit and eventually pull away. The game was relatively close up to that point though, as there were nine lead changes, with neither team leading by more than 12 points until the final five minutes. Phoenix really struggled with their shots, as they went just 35 percent from the field, 27 percent from three - point range and 63 percent from the free - throw line. Rebounding was also key for Detroit, as they won that battle, 63 - 47. The Suns (22 - 48) had a tough task here without Eric Bledsoe and Devin Booker, as they did n't have enough ammunition to match with the Pistons. Tyler Ulis shot just 7 - of - 24 from the field, but still accrued 17 points, three rebounds, 11 assists and three steals. T.J. Warren finished with 15 points, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Alan Williams recorded a double - double off the bench, providing 11 points and 12 rebounds. On deck for Phoenix is a road matchup versus the Miami Heat on Tuesday. The Pistons (34 - 36) are in must - win mode every game out and this one was a bit too close for comfort. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was the player of the game, as he collected 23 points, three rebounds and eight assists. Andre Drummond was equally as good, accumulating 18 points, 18 rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Marcus Morris amassed 16 points, five rebounds and three assists. Aron Baynes was huge off the bench, totaling 13 points and 17 rebounds in just 17 minutes of action. Detroit's next game is a favorable one, as they play the Brooklyn Nets on the road on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "29", "Trail Blazers": "24"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "26", "Trail Blazers": "34"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "11", "Trail Blazers": "18"}, "Number of team assists": {"Trail Blazers": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "10", "Donald Sloan": "9"}, "Points": {"Damian Lillard": "33", "Brook Lopez": "25", "Donald Sloan": "15"}, "Minutes played": {"Brook Lopez": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "7", "Donald Sloan": "9"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (18 - 24) beat the Brooklyn Nets (11 - 29) 117 - 104 on Friday night. In a battle between two struggling teams, both squads played well in a hard fought game. The score is not indicative of the nature of this game, as Portland went on a late run to open up the scoreline. There wasn\u2019t much to differentiate the two teams on the stat sheet aside from the bench play, as the Blazers bench scored 47 points to the Nets 26. The three - point shooting percentages were nearly dead - even, but Portland doubled up the Brooklyn in the amount of makes they converted on. The Trail Blazers also shot over 50 percent from the field and this was the best their offense has looked in quite some time. The Trail Blazers came into this game as a rare road favorite and ended up living up to those expectations. It was tight throughout, but they ended up scoring 34 points in the final quarter to pull away with the much needed win. Damian Lillard was spectacular in this game, as he provided 33 points and 10 assists in the victory. Allen Crabbe, Ed Davis and Meyers Leonard provided some good production off the bench, as they combined for 41 points and 23 rebounds. The bench production has been down all year, so this is a great sign going forward. Portland has a good chance at another road win when they play the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday in their next game. It's been a rough year for Brooklyn and the home struggles continued here. They have now lost 11 of 12 in their home building, despite some great performances from some unlikely sources on Friday. Donald Sloan has taken over starting point guard duties recently and he had his game of the season here, as he tallied 15 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in a brilliant game. Brook Lopez also had a good game in just 28 minutes of play, as he scored 25 points to go along with seven boards. All five starters scored in double - figures, but they need more from their bench if they are to have any success this season. The Nets will play the Atlanta Hawks in their next game on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "56", "76ers": "33"}, "Losses": {"Wizards": "13", "76ers": "33"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "111", "76ers": "76"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Wizards": "26", "76ers": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Wizards": "53", "76ers": "30"}, "Turnovers": {"Wizards": "22"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "29", "76ers": "8"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Henry Sims": "10", "Robert Covington": "10", "Michael Carter-Williams": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Henry Sims": "5", "Michael Carter-Williams": "2"}, "Points": {"Henry Sims": "13", "Robert Covington": "10", "Michael Carter-Williams": "7", "Nene": "12", "Marcin Gortat": "20", "Bradley Beal": "10", "John Wall": "11", "Otto Porter": "10", "Kevin Seraphin": "14"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Robert Covington": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Nene": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Nene": "6", "Marcin Gortat": "8", "Kevin Seraphin": "9"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "10"}}], "The Wizards (29 - 13) took care of the 76ers (8 - 33) 111 - 76 in Washington, D.C. on Monday afternoon. Playing early in the day as the NBA celebrates Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the Wizards jumped out to a double - digit lead in the first quarter and never looked back. The advantage was 23 points at halftime, and Washington continued to pour it on in the second half, even with most of its regulars resting. The Wizards won every quarter and outscored Philadelphia 26 - 18 in the fourth en route to the 35 - point margin of victory. Washington had seven players in double - figures, including all five starters. Marcin Gortat\u2019s 20 points and eight rebounds led the way, while Nene added 12 points and six boards in 18 minutes. John Wall and Brad Beal chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively, and Wall added 10 assists. Otto Porter scored 10 points off the bench, and Kevin Seraphin added 14 to go with nine rebounds. The Wizards turned it over 22 times as a team but were able to compensate with 56 percent shooting and a 53 - 30 rebounding advantage. Philadelphia shot a measly 33 percent from the floor and knocked down only six of its 24 three - point attempts. While Henry Sims (13 points) and Robert Covington (10) turned in solid performances, the rest of the starting five combined for just 21 points on 8 - of - 31 shooting. Michael Carter-Williams, in particular, struggled, scoring just seven points on 2 - of - 13 shooting. The Sixers have now dropped two straight since beating the Pelicans on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"76ers": "39", "Suns": "32"}, "Losses": {"76ers": "39", "Suns": "32"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "113", "Suns": "103"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "7", "Suns": "14"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Suns": "26"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Alex Len": "12", "Nerlens Noel": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Alex Len": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Alex Len": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Alex Len": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Alex Len": "4"}, "Points": {"Alex Len": "16", "Archie Goodwin": "26", "Robert Covington": "19", "Nerlens Noel": "14", "Ish Smith": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Alex Len": "12", "Archie Goodwin": "6", "Nerlens Noel": "9"}, "Assists": {"Archie Goodwin": "6", "Ish Smith": "9"}, "Steals": {"Archie Goodwin": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Archie Goodwin": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Robert Covington": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Nerlens Noel": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Nerlens Noel": "5"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers (7 - 39) led final three quarters Tuesday to beat the Phoenix Suns (14 - 32) at Wells Fargo Center, 113 - 103. The game was decided at the three - point line, as the 76ers had a 15 - point advantage from downtown thanks to a sharp 11 - 28 shooting night (39 percent). The Suns, meanwhile, managed just 6 of 19 from deep (32 percent) and missed 10 of their first 13 attempts from beyond the arc, by which point it was too late to mount a comeback. Ish Smith scored 20 points and dished a game - high nine assists to spearhead the Philadelphia offense, and Robert Covington sunk five three - pointers to power his 19 - point effort, and Nerlens Noel had a solid all - around night inside, as he scored 14 points on an efficient 5 - of - 7 shooting night, grabbed nine rebounds, and recorded three steals and three blocks. Archie Goodwin led all scorers with 26 points on a strong all - around night for Phoenix, as he grabbed six rebounds, dished six assists, and notched two steals. Alex Len posted a double - double with 16 points and 12 rebounds, but nobody else got going, as just four Suns finished in double figures and nobody besides Goodwin or Len managed more than 12. The 76ers have won two of three and three of their last five, and they'll head on the road for a Wednesday game against the Pistons. The Suns will remain on the road for a Wednesday contest in Cleveland."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "1", "Trail Blazers": "1"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "113", "Trail Blazers": "115"}, "Rebounds": {"Nuggets": "61", "Trail Blazers": "45"}, "Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "17", "Trail Blazers": "15"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "1", "Trail Blazers": "2"}}, {"Blocks": {"CJ McCollum": "3"}, "Points": {"CJ McCollum": "23", "Damian Lillard": "37", "Nikola Jokic": "23", "Will Barton": "16", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"CJ McCollum": "10", "Damian Lillard": "5", "Nikola Jokic": "17", "Will Barton": "6", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "7"}, "Steals": {"CJ McCollum": "3", "Nikola Jokic": "4"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "7", "Will Barton": "3", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "4"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the host Denver Nuggets, 115 - 113, in an overtime thriller at Pepsi Center on Saturday. Damian Lillard continued his epic start to the season, by hitting a game - winning runner in overtime to defeat the Nuggets. Most of the statistics would indicate a Nuggets win, but that simply was n't the case. Denver dominated at the free - throw line, going 31 - for - 39, while holding Portland to 15 - for - 21. Rebounding was huge as well, as the Nuggets snatched down 61 boards to the Blazers 45. Denver shot under 40 percent from the field and lost the turnover battle 17 - 15 though. The Trail Blazers won despite failing to hit a shot for an eight - minute stretch in the third quarter, allowing Denver to go on a 170 run. Portland (2 - 1) had the tough task of playing an opponent in their home opener and they showed some resiliency at altitude. Damian Lillard carried the load, as he tallied 37 points, five rebounds, seven assists and three steals in the win. Despite shooting just 7 - for - 20 in regulation, C.J. McCollum finished strong, totaling 23 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks and three steals. Evan Turner and Allen Crabbe both scored in double figures off the bench, combining for 23 points, six rebounds and six assists. The Nuggets (1 - 1) went with a full team effort here, as all five starters scored between 12 and 23 points in their loss. Nikola Jokic recorded a double - double, tallying a team - high 23 points, a career - high 17 rebounds and four steals in the defeat. Emmanuel Mudiay provided 21 points, seven rebounds and four assists of his own. Mudiay actually scored 13 of his 21 points in the third quarter. In a revenge game for Will Barton, the Cincinnati product finished with 16 points, six rebounds and three assists. The Nuggets next game will be on the road, as they play the Toronto Raptors on Monday. The Blazers return to action on Tuesday, hosting the Golden State Warriors."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Trail Blazers": "51", "Hornets": "42"}}, {"Free throw percentage": {"Kemba Walker": "100"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Damian Lillard": "10"}, "Points": {"Damian Lillard": "27", "Allen Crabbe": "21"}, "3-pointers made": {"Allen Crabbe": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Allen Crabbe": "5"}}], "For Portland, Tuesday was a big night, as the team won its fourth game in its last five appearances. Star point guard Damian Lillard led the team with 27 points on 10 - of - 18 shooting from the field. Off the bench, sixth man Allen Crabbe poured in another 21 points to go with five rebounds. Crabbe hit three three - pointers. As a team, the Blazers hit a stellar 11 threes and held a 51 - 42 rebounding advantage, both contributing factors in their blowout win. Charlotte, meanwhile, saw a sub - par night from the field. While the starting backcourt of Kemba Walker and Nic Batum combined for 40 points, the team scored under 100 and shot only 39 percent. In particular, the starting frontcourt struggled, going a combined 5 - of - 17 from the field on the night."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "28", "76ers": "33"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "113", "76ers": "96"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "24", "76ers": "18"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"76ers": "18"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Jahlil Okafor": "11", "Marcus Morris": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Jahlil Okafor": "7", "Marcus Morris": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Jahlil Okafor": "26", "Dario Saric": "28"}, "Points": {"Jahlil Okafor": "16", "Dario Saric": "13", "Marcus Morris": "19", "Andre Drummond": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Jahlil Okafor": "4", "Dario Saric": "6", "Marcus Morris": "8", "Andre Drummond": "17"}, "Assists": {"Dario Saric": "4"}}], "The Detroit Pistons defeated the Philadelphia 76ers, 113 - 96, on Monday at Palace of Auburn Hills. The Pistons (24 - 28) continued to play the good basketball they've been playing as of late, notching their third win in four games. And they did so with great team basketball, as all five of their starters managed to score in double figures in what was a dominant game for the home team. Andre Drummond was a monster down low, recording yet another double - double of 16 points and 17 rebounds, while Marcus Morris led the way scoring for Detroit, posting 19 points on 9 - of - 16 shooting and grabbing eight rebounds of his own. In the end, eight different Pistons players managed to score in double figures in what was a fairly effortless victory. On the other hand, after a hot start to the new year, the 76ers (18 - 33) are slowing down once again, as they have now lost six of their last seven games following Monday's result, and it appears as though the absence of Joel Embiid (knee) has finally caught up to them. His replacement, Jahlil Okafor, on a night where he was subject to trade rumors, led the way for Philly, scoring 16 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting in 26 minutes. He did, however, manage to grab just four rebounds. Dario Saric was solid off the bench, recording 13 points, six rebounds and four assists, but overall, it was a forgettable night for a 76ers team that shot a brutal 18 percent from behind the arc on 28 attempts. Up next, the Pistons will look to keep up their winning ways Wednesday against the Lakers, while the 76ers will have a matchup Wednesday with the Spurs."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Mavericks": "13"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "6", "Suns": "8"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "106", "Suns": "118"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "15", "Suns": "12"}, "Turnovers": {"Suns": "13"}}, {"Points": {"PJ Tucker": "10", "Markieff Morris": "22", "Goran Dragic": "28", "Eric Bledsoe": "19", "Gerald Green": "15", "Marcus Morris": "11", "Dirk Nowitzki": "10", "Tyson Chandler": "15", "Monta Ellis": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "10", "Dirk Nowitzki": "4", "Tyson Chandler": "18"}, "Assists": {"Goran Dragic": "13", "Eric Bledsoe": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Goran Dragic": "10", "Gerald Green": "6", "Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Tyson Chandler": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Gerald Green": "6", "Dirk Nowitzki": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "10"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (12 - 8) emerged victorious over the Dallas Mavericks (15 - 6) 118 - 106 at the American Airlines Center on Friday. With Isaiah Thomas missing his fifth consecutive game with an ankle issue, Eric Bledsoe and Goran Dragic stepped up to lead the team to victory. Dragic had a season - high 13 assists to go with 28 points, while Bledsoe added 19 points, seven assist and two blocks of his own. Markieff Morris grabbed his fifth double - double of the season, tallying 22 points and 10 rebounds. The Suns had six players score in double digits, with Marcus Morris (11 points), Gerald Green (15), and P.J. Tucker (10) joining, Bledsoe, Dragic and Markieff Morris. Phoenix hit 13 of their 26 three - point attempts on the night, in stark contrast to the 4 - for - 19 Dallas went from deep. Phoenix takes on Houston on Saturday on the road, looking to extend their winning streak to three games. Dirk Nowitzki returned to action for Dallas, but his shot was a little off, hitting only two of his 10 attempts to finish with 10 points and four rebounds. Monta Ellis led all scorers on the night with 33 points, and Tyson Chandler's resurgent season continued, scoring 15 points while pulling down 18 rebounds. Chandler has grabbed 100 rebounds in his last six games. The Mavericks will aim to get another win streak started Sunday, when they take on the impressive Milwaukee Bucks."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "39", "Rockets": "51"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "19", "Rockets": "19"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "91", "Rockets": "107"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Grizzlies": "20"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Grizzlies": "22", "Rockets": "35"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "21", "Rockets": "20"}, "Number of team assists": {"Rockets": "21"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Rockets": "21"}, "Turnovers": {"Rockets": "14"}}, {"Points": {"Dwight Howard": "17", "James Harden": "25", "Terrence Jones": "20", "Tony Allen": "17", "Marc Gasol": "20", "Courtney Lee": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "14"}, "3-pointers made": {"James Harden": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Harden": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Terrence Jones": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Terrence Jones": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Terrence Jones": "10"}}], "The Houston Rockets (20 - 19) moved back over .500 for the first time since Dec. 21 with a victory Wednesday night over the Memphis Grizzlies (21 - 19) at FedEx Forum, 107 - 91. Terrence Jones exploded for 10 of his 20 points in a decisive 35 - 22 fourth quarter for the Rockets, his first 20 - point game since doing it twice in a row back on November 13 and 14. The Grizzlies worked their way back from a six - point deficit to begin the fourth quarter to tie it at 80 - 80, but one of Jones's two three - pointers of the period remaining gave the Rockets an 86 - 83 lead with 7:13 remaining, and they would n't relinquish it. Rockets star James Harden led all scorers with 25 points behind four three - pointers and a clean 9 - 10 performance from the free throw line. Dwight Howard's 14 rebounds led all players, and he added 17 points on a sharp 6 - 10 shooting (including a rare perfect 5 - 5 night from the free throw line). The Rockets shot a ludicrous 18 - 35 (51 percent) from the three - point line, too much shooting for the Grizzlies to overcome. Marc Gasol's 20 points on 8 - 15 shooting led the Grizzlies. Tony Allen added 17 points and Courtney Lee scored 16, each on 6 - 12 shooting nights. But the Grizzlies just could n't produce enough offense to stay with Houston's vicious three - point attack, despite a decent night from downtown themselves (7 - 18, 39 percent). The Rockets return home Thursday night to take on Minnesota. Memphis will continue their homestand Friday night against the Pistons."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "37", "Bulls": "15"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "111", "Bulls": "115"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "4", "Bulls": "23"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bulls": "24"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Mirotic": "13", "Jimmy Butler": "30"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Mirotic": "2"}, "Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "6", "Ish Smith": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "25"}, "Free throws made": {"Jimmy Butler": "21"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "53", "Kirk Hinrich": "5", "Ish Smith": "24", "Nerlens Noel": "8", "Robert Covington": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "10", "Nerlens Noel": "6"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Kirk Hinrich": "32", "Nerlens Noel": "24"}, "Blocks": {"Nerlens Noel": "3"}}], "Jimmy Butler scored a career - high 53 points as the Chicago Bulls (23 - 15) came from behind to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers (4 - 37) 115 - 111 in overtime. Butler attempted a season - high 30 shots, making half, and went 21 of 25 from the free - throw line. His tied the highest - scoring performance of the season, matching the 53 points dropped by Golden State's Stephen Curry on Halloween. Butler added 10 rebounds, six assists and three steals. Since the start of the new year, Butler has taken his game to the next level. The superstar is averaging 31 points per game in January and has also taken on a role as a distributor, averaging 7 assists per game in addition. Aside from Butler, the Bulls struggled on the floor. Starting point guard Derrick Rose sat out with left knee tendinitis, and backup Kirk Hinrich managed just five points and four assists in 32 minutes. Power forward Nikola Mirotic, meanwhile, shot a paltry 2 of 13 from the field. In the end, however, Butler was simply too superb for the Bulls to fall short. For Philadelphia, meanwhile, the loss comes in heartbreaking fashion for a team in desparate need of a win. The Sixers are on track for a historically poor season, as they now sit at 4 - 37 despite leading the Bulls by 24 points midway through the game. Philadelphia was disadvantaged, as sophomore Nerlens Noel was forced to come off the bench due to stomach problems. Noel was still able to put up eight points, six rebounds, and three blocks in 24 minutes of play. Recent addition Ish Smith had a strong outing, posting 24 points and eight assists, while forward Robert Covington came out of a slump to post 25 points. Philadelphia next faces Portland at home on Saturday. Chicago, meanwhile, has a back - to - back, and faces Dallas at home on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "20", "Bucks": "42"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "113", "Bucks": "104"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "51", "Bucks": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6", "Jabari Parker": "3", "Greg Monroe": "1", "Jerryd Bayless": "1", "John Henson": "1", "LeBron James": "8", "Kevin Love": "4", "Timofey Mozgov": "2", "JR Smith": "4", "Kyrie Irving": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1", "John Henson": "1", "LeBron James": "1", "Kevin Love": "2", "Timofey Mozgov": "1", "Tristan Thompson": "2"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "24", "Jabari Parker": "12", "Greg Monroe": "14", "Jerryd Bayless": "15", "John Henson": "12", "LeBron James": "26", "Kevin Love": "24", "Timofey Mozgov": "10", "JR Smith": "13", "Kyrie Irving": "16", "Tristan Thompson": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6", "Jabari Parker": "1", "Greg Monroe": "2", "Jerryd Bayless": "5", "John Henson": "3", "LeBron James": "6", "Kevin Love": "10", "Timofey Mozgov": "3", "JR Smith": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "8", "Tristan Thompson": "10"}, "Steals": {"Jabari Parker": "4", "Greg Monroe": "1", "John Henson": "1", "LeBron James": "2", "Kevin Love": "1", "JR Smith": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (51 - 20) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (30 - 42) 113 - 104 on Wednesday. The Cavs haven now clinched the Central Division title, but remain in a dogfight for the top seed in the Eastern Conference with the Toronto Raptors. With only a 2 - game lead coming in to the night, Cleveland finds itself in a must - win scenario for the time being every time they take the court. Fortunately, they were back at full health Wednesday, with Kevin Love back after a one - game absence due to an illness. The power forward was outstanding in his return, taking advantage of the Bucks' nototriously vulnerable frontcourt to post a 24 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included four assists, a steal and two blocks. Love and LeBron James helped the Cavs overcome some shooting struggles from long - range - - where they only tallied a 29 percent success rate - - to secure the key victory. The Bucks were spearheaded by Giannis Antetokunmpo, who managed 24 points, six assists, six rebounds and a block. Jerryd Bayless followed with 15 points, five rebounds and an assist. Greg Monroe was next with 14 points, two rebounds, an assist and a steal. Jabari Parker checked in with 12 points, three assists, a rebound and four steals. John Henson paced the reserves with 12 points, three rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block. The Bucks remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division, and are seven games back of the eighth - seeded Chicago Bulls. They head to Atlanta to take on the Hawks on Friday. James' 26 points led the Cavs, and he supplemented the game - high scoring total with eight assists, six rebounds, two steals and a block. Kyrie Irving contributed 16 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and a steal. J.R. Smith tallied 13 points, four assists, three rebounds and a steal. Timofey Mozgov managed 10 points, three rebounds, two assists and a block. Tristan Thompson paced the bench with a 13 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included a pair of blocks. The Cavaliers have clinched the Eastern Conference's Central Division, and are momentarily two games ahead of the second - seeded Raptors, pending the outcome of tonight's Toronto-Boston game. They head to Brooklyn to take on the Nets on Thursday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Harrison Barnes": "1", "J.J. Barea": "4", "Seth Curry": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Harrison Barnes": "1"}, "Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "20", "J.J. Barea": "17", "Seth Curry": "9", "Carmelo Anthony": "24", "Kristaps Porzingis": "24", "Justin Holiday": "16"}, "Steals": {"Harrison Barnes": "1", "Seth Curry": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"J.J. Barea": "1", "Seth Curry": "5"}}], "The Mavericks, which posted a season - low point total, were led by Harrison Barnes, who supplied 20 points, four rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block. J.J. Barea drew another start for Deron Williams (calf), registering 17 points, four assists and a rebound. However, Dallas shot just 39 percent overall, including just 18 percent (5 - of - 28) from beyond the arc. Seth Curry paced the bench with nine points, five rebounds, three assists and a steal. Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis led the Knicks with a pair of 24 - point efforts, but the trio of Noah, Derrick Rose and Courtney Lee combined for just 10 points on 4 - of - 15 shooting. Justin Holiday, who replaced an ineffective Joakim Noah to start the second half, helped key a 19 - 6 run early in the third quarter and posted 16 points overall."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "49", "Hawks": "13"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "92", "Hawks": "84"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "14", "Hawks": "49"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "44"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "39"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hawks": "16"}}, {"Points": {"Al Horford": "12", "Jeff Teague": "17", "Mike Scott": "11", "Dennis Schroder": "16", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "19", "Nerlens Noel": "11", "Isaiah Canaan": "12", "Hollis Thompson": "19"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "4", "Dennis Schroder": "6", "Isaiah Canaan": "8", "Hollis Thompson": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jeff Teague": "3", "Dennis Schroder": "3", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "7", "Isaiah Canaan": "9", "Hollis Thompson": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jeff Teague": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "1", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "3", "Isaiah Canaan": "2", "Hollis Thompson": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jeff Teague": "13", "Dennis Schroder": "13", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "16", "Nerlens Noel": "12", "Isaiah Canaan": "13", "Hollis Thompson": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Jeff Teague": "5", "Dennis Schroder": "6", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "8", "Nerlens Noel": "4", "Isaiah Canaan": "2", "Hollis Thompson": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jeff Teague": "6", "Dennis Schroder": "4", "Nerlens Noel": "6", "Isaiah Canaan": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Jeff Teague": "6", "Dennis Schroder": "3", "Nerlens Noel": "3", "Isaiah Canaan": "6"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jeff Teague": "3", "Dennis Schroder": "4"}, "Steals": {"Jeff Teague": "2", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "3", "Nerlens Noel": "17", "Isaiah Canaan": "5", "Hollis Thompson": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Hollis Thompson": "30"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers (14 - 49) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (49 - 13) 92 - 84 on Saturday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The Atlanta Hawks came into this game on a six - game win streak, while the Sixers had lost four in a row, so it was an extremely surprising result when the Sixers came out with the victory on Saturday. Despite the loss, the Hawks were the superior shooters, going 39 percent from the field and 44 percent from the three - point line, while the Sixers went 37 percent from the floor and just 35 percent from deep. The Sixers did the majority of their work in the second half though, where they out - scored the Hawks 45 - 31, helping push them to the eight - point victory in front of their home crowd. The Sixers were led by a strong bench performance from Hollis Thompson. In 30 minutes, he went 7 - for - 10 from the field and 5 - for - 7 from the three - point line to match a team - high of 19 points, to go along with nine rebounds and four assists as well. Averaging just 8 points per game on the season, it was a nice suprise for the Sixers, especially considering he had n't reached double figures in points for six straight games. Thompson received some help though, as Luc Mbah A Moute posted 19 points (8 - 16 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt) of his own, while adding three rebounds and a steal. He's turned his game up a notch lately, averaging 17 points and 6 rebounds over his last three games. Nerlens Noel was a big factor in the win as well, as he finished with 11 points (4 - 12 FG, 3 - 6 FT), 17 rebounds and five steals. The rebounds were a season - high for him, while he's also been extremely effective on the defensive side of the ball and has posted four or more steals in each of his last three games. Starting at point guard, Isaiah Canaan added 12 points (2 - 13 FG, 2 - 9 3Pt, 6 - 8 FT), five rebounds and eight assists. In the Hawks defense, they did decide to rest three of their starters, including DeMarre Carroll, Paul Millsap and Kyle Korver, as they have already locked up a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. With those guys out, Jeff Teague put it on himself to do the bulk of the work offensively. In 32 minutes, he finished with a team - high of 17 points (5 - 13 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT), while also recording four assists and two steals. He's had a good start to March, averaging 19 points and 4 assists over his last three games, but it was n't enough with the majority of his supporting cast on the sideline. The Hawks also received a solid contribution off their bench though, with Dennis Schroder posting 16 points (6 - 13 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) and six assists. He came in with a season average of 9 points per game on the year, but he's shown a lot of improvement lately and has averaged 16 points and eight assists over his last four games. Both Al Horford and Mike Scott reached double figures as well, adding 12 and 11 points respectively. The Sixers' next game will be at home against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, while the Hawks will be at home against the Sacramento Kings on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "19", "Trail Blazers": "25"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "120", "Trail Blazers": "101"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Wizards": "37", "Trail Blazers": "21"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "21", "Trail Blazers": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "12", "CJ McCollum": "12", "Damian Lillard": "22", "Evan Turner": "14", "Markieff Morris": "17", "Bradley Beal": "25", "John Wall": "24", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "18", "Tomas Satoransky": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Damian Lillard": "7", "Evan Turner": "3", "Markieff Morris": "13", "John Wall": "4", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "4", "Tomas Satoransky": "10"}, "Assists": {"Markieff Morris": "5", "Bradley Beal": "5", "John Wall": "7", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Bradley Beal": "7"}, "Steals": {"Bradley Beal": "3"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, 120 - 101, at Verizon Center on Monday. The Wizards have been one of the best teams in the league over recent weeks and they gave it to the Blazers in this dominating win. In fact, Washington pulled out a wire - to - wire victory, as they took a 37 - 21 lead after the first quarter, with the game never getting within 10 points after that. Three-point shooting was the difference, with the Wizards going 13 - of - 23, while the Blazers hit just 8 - of - 26 from long range. Washington dominated many of the statistics, winning the shooting, rebounding, assisting and turnover differentials. The Trail Blazers (18 - 25) have struggled on defense all season and a 75 - point first half allowed to the Wizards only adds to those troubles. Damian Lillard was the lone bright spot for Portland, as he tallied 22 points, seven rebounds and three assists. C.J. McCollum and Al-Farouq Aminu were second among starters, scoring 12 points a piece. Evan Turner led the bench in scoring, dropping 14 points to go along with his three rebounds. The Trail Blazers will look to play better on Wednesday in a road matchup with the Charlotte Hornets. The Wizards (21 - 19) have been dominant at home this season, as this marks their 17th win at Verizon Center. Bradley Beal scored a game - high 25 points, adding five assists and three steals on 7 - of - 11 shooting. John Wall was n't far behind, as he accumulated 24 points, four rebounds and seven assists. Markieff Morris recorded a double - double, totaling 17 points, 13 rebounds and five assists. Kelly Oubre Jr. was a nice spark off the bench, accruing 18 points, four rebounds and two assists. Tomas Satoransky recorded a 10 - point, 10 - rebound double - double off the bench as well. Washington will host the Memphis Grizzlies for their next game on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "12", "Hawks": "8"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "98", "Hawks": "107"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Clippers": "26", "Hawks": "21"}, "Turnovers": {"Clippers": "21", "Hawks": "12"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "23", "Hawks": "26"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "4", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Jeff Teague": "6", "Chris Paul": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "3", "Paul Millsap": "1", "Jeff Teague": "3", "Chris Paul": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "8", "Paul Millsap": "16", "Al Horford": "15", "Jeff Teague": "13", "Blake Griffin": "17", "DeAndre Jordan": "7", "Chris Paul": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "6", "Paul Millsap": "8", "Al Horford": "7", "Jeff Teague": "6", "Blake Griffin": "6", "DeAndre Jordan": "7", "Chris Paul": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "6", "Paul Millsap": "7", "Al Horford": "2", "Blake Griffin": "18", "Chris Paul": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2", "Paul Millsap": "6", "Al Horford": "2", "Jeff Teague": "5", "Blake Griffin": "14", "Chris Paul": "2"}, "Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "17", "Paul Millsap": "23", "Al Horford": "16", "Jeff Teague": "20", "Blake Griffin": "26", "DeAndre Jordan": "15", "Chris Paul": "10"}, "Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "2", "Jeff Teague": "9", "Blake Griffin": "6", "Chris Paul": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "8", "Al Horford": "5", "Blake Griffin": "10", "DeAndre Jordan": "16"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "2", "Jeff Teague": "4"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (26 - 8) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers (23 - 12) 107 - 98 on Monday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. After going into the half down two points, the Hawks were able to have a very strong second half, out - scoring the Clippers 63 - 52, therefore allowing them the nine - point victory. The win marks the fifth straight for Atlanta. While both teams shot similar percentages from the field, the biggest difference may have came in the turnover category, as the Hawks forced the Clippers into 21, while only committing 12 of their own. The Hawks were led by the duo of Paul Millsap and Jeff Teague. Millsap finished with a team - high of 23 points (8 - 16 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 6 - 7 FT), while also adding eight rebounds. He's now combined for 50 points over his last two games, so he continues to ride the hot hand. Teague on the other hand went 6 - for - 13 from the field and 3 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 20 points, while also adding nine assists and four steals. Like Millsap, he's also had a hot hand of late and is averaging 23 points over his last five games. The four steals marked a season - high for him as well. Al Horford had a strong showing, posting 16 points (7 - 15 FG, 2 - 2 FT) and five rebounds, while DeMarre Carroll got hot from the field and finished with an efficient 17 points (6 - 8 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 6 FT). The Clippers were led by an impressive performance from Blake Griffin, who neared a triple - double with 26 points (6 - 17 FG), 10 rebounds and six assists. He forced his way to the free throw line 18 times, and converted on 14 - of - 18. He's now averaging 22 points and 8 rebounds on the season. DeAndre Jordan was able to to notch a double - double and went a perfect 7 - of - 7 from the field to score 15 points and grab 16 rebounds. It was his thirteenth game in a row with 10 or more rebounds. Chris Paul had a double - double of his own, as he recorded 10 points (4 - 9 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and 10 assists. It was his second double - double in a row, despite not coming near is season scoring average. J.J. Reddick was another top scorer, as he had 14 points (5 - 9 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT) in 35 minutes. While their scoring was spread even throughout the team, they did n't play enough defense in order to get the victory. The Hawks' next game will be at home against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, while the Clippers will play the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "24", "Rockets": "40"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "22", "Rockets": "11"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "99", "Rockets": "113"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nets": "28", "Rockets": "37"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "16", "Rockets": "27"}}, {"Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "12", "Donatas Motiejunas": "18", "James Harden": "30", "Patrick Beverley": "11", "Josh Smith": "13", "Mason Plumlee": "24", "Jarrett Jack": "13", "Brook Lopez": "12"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "1", "James Harden": "7", "Josh Smith": "4", "Jarrett Jack": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "1", "James Harden": "4", "Josh Smith": "2", "Jarrett Jack": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "11", "James Harden": "13", "Josh Smith": "15", "Mason Plumlee": "11", "Jarrett Jack": "16", "Brook Lopez": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "8", "James Harden": "9", "Josh Smith": "5", "Mason Plumlee": "10", "Jarrett Jack": "6", "Brook Lopez": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "11", "Josh Smith": "6", "Mason Plumlee": "10"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "6", "Jarrett Jack": "6"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Josh Smith": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Josh Smith": "2", "Mason Plumlee": "4", "Jarrett Jack": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Josh Smith": "1", "Mason Plumlee": "4", "Jarrett Jack": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Josh Smith": "27", "Kevin Garnett": "4"}}], "The Houston Rockets (27 - 11) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (16 - 22) 113 - 99 on Monday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The Rockets had a strong start to this game, out - scoring the Nets 37 - 28 in the first quarter. Along with the strong start, the Rockets also secured an advantage from the three - point line, finishing at 40 percent from beyond the arc, while the Nets shot a meager 24 percent from deep. As has been the case time and again this season, James Harden took the lead for the Rockets. He went 9 - for - 13 from the field and 4 - for - 7 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 30 points, while also adding six assists. He's combined for 60 points and 11 assists over his last two outings, as he's had the hot hand lately. Continuing to start at the power forward position, Donatas Motiejunas also had an impressive night with his shot. He went 8 - for - 11 from the floor and 1 - for - 1 from beyond the arc to score 18 points, while adding 11 rebounds to go with. It was his second double - double in a row and fourth of the season thus far. Josh Smith provided a decent contribution off the bench with 13 points (5 - 15 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT), six rebounds and two blocked shots in 27 minutes. Both Trevor Ariza and Patrick Beverley reached double figures in points as well with 12 and 11 points respectively. While they may have suffered the loss, the Nets saw another very impressive outing from starting center Mason Plumlee. Plumlee was extremely efficient in this game, going 10 - for - 11 from the field and 4 - for - 4 from the free throw line to score 24 points, while also recording 10 rebounds in 28 minutes. The 24 points were a season - high for him, while the double - double was his third in the last four games. Jarrett Jack continued to start at point guard with Deron Williams sidelined indefinitely. Jack scored 13 points (6 - 16 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and handed out six assists in 38 minutes. Over his last five games he's averaging 13 points and 8 assists, even with a five point performance against the Detroit Pistons on Saturday. Coming off the bench, Brook Lopez went 5 - for - 8 from the field for 12 points in 23 minutes. Kevin Garnett played only four minutes, as he was ejected after a scuffle with Dwight Howard under the basket. The Rockets' next game will be on the road against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, while the Nets will be at home against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "25", "Clippers": "24"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "129", "Clippers": "99"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "42", "Clippers": "42"}}, {"Assists": {"Chris Paul": "7"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Chris Paul": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chris Paul": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Chris Paul": "33", "Austin Rivers": "24"}, "Points": {"Chris Paul": "11", "Tyson Chandler": "14", "Charlie Villanueva": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Chris Paul": "1", "Tyson Chandler": "12"}, "Steals": {"Chris Paul": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"J.J. Barea": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"J.J. Barea": "1"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (42 - 25) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers (42 - 24), 129 - 99, to tighten the race at the bottom of the Western Conference playoff standings. Chris Paul was assessed a flagrant foul 1 after whacking J.J. Barea across the head on a layup attempt. For just the second time post - All - Star break, Dirk Nowitzki converted more than half his shots in scoring a game - high 22 points. The Mavericks hit an impressive 15 three - pointers to claim half a half game lead over the San Antonio Spurs in the sixth seed. Tyson Chandler managed his first double - double since February 20th, compiling 14 points and 12 rebounds in 27 minutes. Charlie Villanueva continued his rampage against the Clippers, scoring 19 points after notching a season - high 26 against them in January. DeAndre Jordan hit the first three - pointer of his career, the lone Clippers' highlight in the blowout loss. The 30 - point loss won\u2019t help Jordan\u2019s claim to Defensive Player of the Year. Chris Paul, flagrant foul aside, registered 11 points, seven assists and five steals in 33 minutes. Austin Rivers led all reserves with 24 minutes, posting a team low minus 28 plus/minus. The Mavericks, who don\u2019t have a back - to - back stint the rest of the month, get two days off before hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Clippers begin a two - game homestand Sunday against the Houston Rockets."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "24", "Andrew Wiggins": "40"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "19"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "26"}}], "In their final back - to - back set before the All-Star break, Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns have carried the Timberwolves on their back offensively. In Wednesday's win over the Nuggets, Wiggins scored 40 points while Towns added 24 on top of his 19 rebounds. Those 64 points between the two accounted for 57 percent of their team's total points. And it was a similar story the night before. In their 116 - 108 home loss to the Cavaliers, Wiggins dropped 41 points with Towns adding another 26. The team scored 108 total points, meaning that the young duo accounted for a whopping 62 percent of their points. In both games, only one other player managed to reach double figures, which is a testament to many things for this Minnesota team, including lack of depth and how much the loss of Zach LaVine (torn ACL) hurts this team on the offensive end."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "28", "Spurs": "6"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "79", "Spurs": "106"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "18"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nets": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Nets": "30"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "10", "Spurs": "33"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Kawhi Leonard": "30", "Tim Duncan": "22", "Tony Parker": "25"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "17", "Boris Diaw": "11", "Boban Marjanovic": "13", "Joe Johnson": "16", "Brook Lopez": "18", "Wayne Ellington": "8", "Donald Sloan": "2", "Thomas Robinson": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "8", "Joe Johnson": "3", "Brook Lopez": "5", "Wayne Ellington": "3", "Thomas Robinson": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1", "Wayne Ellington": "2", "Thomas Robinson": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Joe Johnson": "3"}, "Assists": {"Brook Lopez": "2", "Donald Sloan": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "2", "Donald Sloan": "1"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (33 - 6) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (10 - 28) 106 - 79 on Monday. Brooklyn came into Monday's contest against one of the best teams in the NBA in utter turmoil. Fresh off the firing of head coach Lionel Hollins and the reassignment of GM Billy King on Sunday, interim coach Tony Brown decided there was no better time than the present to roll the dice with some lineup changes. Shane Larkin and Bojan Bogdanovic headed to the bench, giving way to Donald Sloan and Joe Johnson at their respective positions. Meanwhile, Wayne Ellington shifted into Johnson's customary shooting guard spot for the night. Unfortunately for the Nets, the moves amounted to the proverbial rearranging of chairs on the Titanic, with the veteran Johnson being the only one of the three to provide an offensive spark in the blowout loss. Brooklyn also had a difficult time keeping the ball out of the hands of the Spurs' suffocating defense, committing 19 turnovers that led to 30 San Antonio points. The visitors were increasingly dominant as the game wore on, and were led by a performance from LaMarcus Aldridge that was highly reminscent of his glory days in a Trail Blazers uniform. The veteran managed a game - high 25 points, and made it a double - double by hauling in 11 boards. He shot an outstanding 12 of 17 from the field, and also dished out two assists for good measure. Kawhi Leonard was the only other starter to tally double - digit scoring, amassing 17 points, eight rebounds and a steal over an efficient 30 minutes. Tim Duncan and Tony Parker were able to play only 22 and 25 minutes, respectively, with each posting modest totals while on the court. The former managed eight points, four rebounds, a pair of assists, a pair of blocks and a steal, while the latter contributed six points, four assists and one theft. Boban Marjanovic (13 points) and Boris Diaw (11 points) paced the San Antonio bench. The Spurs improved to 33 - 6 and remain atop the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They head to Detroit to take on the Pistons on Tuesday. The Nets were led by Brook Lopez's 18 - point effort, which he supplemented with five rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Despite Brooklyn's numerous difficulties this season, the big man has been the one constant in terms of offensive production. Johnson was right behind Lopez with a 16 - point outing that also included a trio of rebounds. Sloan and Ellington considerably underwhelmed in their starting opportunities, meaning that the Nets got next to nothing from their starting backcourt. Sloan only managed two points, five assists and a block, while Ellington could only pitch in eight points, three rebounds and a pair of steals. Thomas Robinson provided some unexpected production off the bench, registering 10 points, two rebounds and a steal. Brooklyn fell to 10 - 27 and remains in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They now await the Knicks for a Wednesday matchup."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "45", "Hawks": "19"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "105", "Hawks": "95"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "29", "Hawks": "56"}}, {"Field goals made": {"Al Horford": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Andre Drummond": "31", "John Lucas III": "22"}, "Points": {"Andre Drummond": "22", "John Lucas III": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "13"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (56 - 19) fell to the Detroit Pistons (29 - 45), 105 - 95, on Tuesday at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Both teams got off to torrid starts on the offensive end, with the Pistons opening the game shooting 10 - of - 11 from the floor and the Hawks hitting seven of their first 10 shots. The game remained relatively even through the first three quarters until Detroit began to pull away from Atlanta in the fourth. A 90 Pistons run midway through the fourth gave them a 16 point advantage to effectively put the game away. The Hawks cut into the deficit late, but the Pistons were never in any real danger of losing their lead. Despite the loss, Atlanta took the season series from Detroit 3 - 1. The Hawks opted to not rest their starters for the second game of a back - to - back set Tuesday, at least officially. Four of Atlanta's reserves matched the starters' playing time with 24 minutes on the floor. Al Horford had an excellent night from the floor in his truncated outing, hitting eight of his ten field goal attempts. Dennis Schroder did not travel with the team for Tuesday's game with a toe injury, but an MRI earlier in the day revealed that it's a sprain rather than a break. The Hawks will return to action Saturday when they host the Nets. Detroit bounced back from Sunday's loss to improve to 5 - 1 over its last six games. Andre Drummond had another dominant performance with 22 points and 13 rebounds in 31 minutes of action. John Lucas filled in admirably off the bench with 15 points in 22 minutes after rookie Spencer Dinwiddie, the usual backup point guard, went down with a sprained ankle. The Pistons will finish out their back - to - back set Wednesday in Charlotte before another back - to - back starts Friday in Chicago."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "14", "Wizards": "15"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "107", "Wizards": "105"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pacers": "29", "Wizards": "36"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "15", "Wizards": "12"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Wizards": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Marcin Gortat": "1", "Bradley Beal": "3", "John Wall": "10", "Paul George": "2", "Thaddeus Young": "2", "Jeff Teague": "10"}, "Points": {"Marcin Gortat": "21", "Bradley Beal": "22", "John Wall": "19", "Paul George": "27", "Thaddeus Young": "12", "Myles Turner": "20", "Jeff Teague": "23", "CJ Miles": "10", "Al Jefferson": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "13", "Thaddeus Young": "11", "Jeff Teague": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bradley Beal": "3"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "2", "Paul George": "1", "Thaddeus Young": "2", "Jeff Teague": "3"}}], "The Indiana Pacers defeated the Washington Wizards, 107 - 105, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Monday. An entertaining, high - scoring affair fittingly came down to the buzzer, as Bradley Beal misfired on a 22 - foot three - point jumper that would have sent the Wizards (12 - 15) home winners. With less than a second remaining, it has been Thaddeus Young who'd made a clutch basket for the Pacers (15 - 14) to snap a 105 - 105 deadlock. The game featured a strong first quarter from Washington in which they outscored their hosts by a 36 - 29 margin. However, Indiana roared back to outpace the visitors by a 59 - 43 margin over the second and third periods, before seeing the Wizards make a comeback over the final 12 minutes. Both teams saw their first units come through, as each boasted four double - digit scorers among their respective starting five. Beal led the way for the Wizards with 22 points, three assists and a rebound. However, he was only 3 - of - 11 from behind the arc, with his biggest miss being the aforementioned final attempt of the night. Marcin Gortat delivered a trademark 21 - point, 13 - rebound double - double that also included an assist. John Wall went for 19 points, 10 assists, five rebounds and a pair of steals. Otto Porter, Jr. had a near double - double of his own with 17 points and nine boards, along with three blocks and a steal. Paul George tallied a game - high 27 points for the Pacers, a haul that he complemented with nine boards, two assists and a steal. Jeff Teague enjoyed a stat - sheet - filling night with 23 points, 10 assists, four rebounds and three steals. Myles Turner registered 20 points and eight boards, while also recording a game - high five blocks. Young had a modest 12 points, but he did haul in 11 rebounds and drained the biggest shot of the night. He also recorded a pair of assists and two steals. C.J. Miles and Al Jefferson provided their typically solid work off the bench with matching 10 - point efforts. The Wizards remain on the road and next visit the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday evening, while the Pacers visit the New York Knicks on Tuesday night."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Cavaliers": "42"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "116", "Hornets": "105"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "10"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hornets": "24"}, "Turnovers": {"Hornets": "14"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "14"}}, {"Points": {"Cody Zeller": "17", "Kemba Walker": "24", "LeBron James": "44"}, "Rebounds": {"Cody Zeller": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Kemba Walker": "30", "LeBron James": "42"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers came out strong on the second night of a back - to - back to defeat the Charlotte Hornets, 116 - 105, at Quicken Loans Arena on Saturday evening. LeBron James absolutely dominated the game as he broke - out for 44 points, along with 10 rebounds and nine assists, in 42 minutes. It marks the 73rd time in his career that James has scored more than 40 points. Meanwhile, the Cavs earned their fourth straight win, and snapped the Hornet's three - game win streak. The Cavs (17 - 5) got out to a strong start and led 67 - 52 at halftime. They tallied 19 assists in the first half alone, and finished the game with 25. Cleveland shot a blazing 58 percent from the field and 42 percent from long range, while LeBron James, Iman Shumpert and Kyrie Irving combined to go 11 - of - 19 from downtown. The Cavs are 11 - 2 at home and will look to add to their win streak as they play host to the Grizzlies on Tuesday. Hornets (14 - 10) will hope for the best as Kemba Walker left the game with about three minutes left in the fourth after suffering a left knee contusion. Walker was the high - point man for Charlotte with 24 points, in 30 minutes. Cody Zeller followed up with 17 points and nine rebounds. The Hornets did well to force 18 turnovers from the Cavs but still gave up 14 of their own. They will look to get back on track as they face the second game of a five - game road trip, on Monday in Indiana."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "36", "Magic": "43"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "94", "Magic": "114"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "39", "Magic": "32"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Magic": "24"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"Evan Fournier": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "1", "Dewayne Dedmon": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "7", "Elfrid Payton": "5", "Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Andrew Nicholson": "3", "Paul George": "3", "Myles Turner": "2", "Ian Mahinmi": "3", "Monta Ellis": "1", "Lavoy Allen": "2"}, "Points": {"Evan Fournier": "25", "Aaron Gordon": "6", "Dewayne Dedmon": "8", "Victor Oladipo": "18", "Elfrid Payton": "10", "Nikola Vucevic": "24", "Andrew Nicholson": "11", "Paul George": "27", "Myles Turner": "8", "Ian Mahinmi": "6", "Monta Ellis": "13", "Lavoy Allen": "12"}, "Steals": {"Evan Fournier": "2", "Aaron Gordon": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "2", "Paul George": "5", "Ian Mahinmi": "2", "Lavoy Allen": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Aaron Gordon": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Andrew Nicholson": "1", "Myles Turner": "1", "Ian Mahinmi": "1", "Monta Ellis": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Aaron Gordon": "4", "Dewayne Dedmon": "6", "Victor Oladipo": "7", "Elfrid Payton": "7", "Nikola Vucevic": "6", "Andrew Nicholson": "5", "Paul George": "8", "Myles Turner": "8", "Ian Mahinmi": "7", "Monta Ellis": "3", "Lavoy Allen": "11"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Myles Turner": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Myles Turner": "1"}}], "The Orlando Magic (32 - 43) defeated the Indiana Pacers (39 - 36) 114 - 94 on Thursday. The contest featured the long - awaited return of Magic center Nikola Vucevic, who had missed all but three games during March with a groin injury. The standout big man came off the bench in his first game back but provided a starter's stat line, compiling 24 points, six rebounds, an assist and a block to lead the Orlando reserves and also serve as the second - highest scorer on the team. Vucevic's remarkable outing helped offset a dominant night from Paul George and secure the road victory for the Magic. Orlando was led by a standout effort from Evan Fournier, who contributed 25 points, an assist and two steals. Victor Oladipo was next among the starters with 18 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, two steals and a block. Elfrid Payton followed with 10 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Dewayne Dedmon (eight points, six rebounds and an assist) and Aaron Gordon (six points, four rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block) both turned in rather modest efforts. Besides Vucevic's impressive outing off the bench, Andrew Nicholson also played well in a reserve role, totaling 11 points, five rebounds, three assists and a block. The Magic remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They head to Milwaukee to face the Bucks on Friday. George's stellar performance consisted of a game - high 27 points, eight rebounds, three assists and five steals. Monta Ellis was the only other Indiana starter with double - digit scoring, supplying 13 points, three rebounds, an assist and a block. Myles Turner (eight points, eight rebounds two assists and a block) and Ian Mahinmi (six points, seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block) filled out the stat sheet despite not providing spectacular numbers in any one category. Lavoy Allen paced the reserves with a double - double that featured 12 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and two steals. The Pacers remain in third place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division, and are currently slotted in the eighth seed in the conference as well. They head to Philadelphia to face the Sixers on Saturday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "1", "Damian Lillard": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "21", "Willy Hernangomez": "10", "CJ McCollum": "17", "Damian Lillard": "17"}, "Points": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "18", "Willy Hernangomez": "10", "CJ McCollum": "20", "Damian Lillard": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "9", "Willy Hernangomez": "8", "Damian Lillard": "4"}, "Steals": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Willy Hernangomez": "5", "Damian Lillard": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Allen Crabbe": "34", "Evan Turner": "24"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers relied on their high scoring backcourt to carry them through a rather easy matchup with the Knicks, and went on to score 67 first half points as a unit and cruise through the remaining two period. Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum combined for 50 points, with each player taking 17 shots. Lillard led all scorers with 30 points, to go with five assists and four rebounds on 9 - of - 17 shooting, while C.J. McCollum added 20 points in the win. As for the bench, Evan Turner saw 24 minutes of action, while Allen Crabbe had a heavier workload and logged 34 minutes of play. The two combined for 21 points on 13 shots. Porzingis led all Knicks scorers with 18 points on 21 shots, while adding nine rebounds, one assist, one steal and three blocks. Hernangomez went 5 - of - 10 from the field, scored 10 points and added eight rebounds."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "41", "Warriors": "9"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "84", "Warriors": "89"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "12", "Warriors": "41"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "24"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "40"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Warriors": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "6", "Tim Frazier": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "6", "Stephen Curry": "12", "Leandro Barbosa": "1", "Robert Covington": "10", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "4", "Tim Frazier": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "1", "Stephen Curry": "3", "Leandro Barbosa": "1", "Robert Covington": "4", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "2", "Tim Frazier": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "14", "Stephen Curry": "20", "Leandro Barbosa": "7", "Robert Covington": "15", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "13", "Nerlens Noel": "8", "Tim Frazier": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "7", "Leandro Barbosa": "5", "Robert Covington": "7", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "5", "Nerlens Noel": "5", "Tim Frazier": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "4", "Leandro Barbosa": "7", "Robert Covington": "3", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "2", "Tim Frazier": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "3", "Leandro Barbosa": "5", "Robert Covington": "3", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "1", "Tim Frazier": "1"}, "Points": {"Klay Thompson": "13", "Stephen Curry": "20", "Leandro Barbosa": "16", "Robert Covington": "21", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "13", "Nerlens Noel": "11", "Tim Frazier": "10"}, "Personal fouls": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "3", "Robert Covington": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Leandro Barbosa": "6", "Robert Covington": "8", "Luc Mbah a Moute": "9", "Nerlens Noel": "7", "Tim Frazier": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Luc Mbah a Moute": "35"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (41 - 9) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (12 - 41) 89 - 84 on Monday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Both teams seemed to struggle shooting the ball in this one. The Warriors went just 40 percent from the field and 24 percent from the three - point line, while the Sixers finished at 42 percent from the floor and 29 percent from beyond the arc. While the Sixers may have ended with higher shooting percentages, they turned the ball over a ridiculous 27 times, which would be hard for any team to come back from and have any chance at a victory. Stephen Curry did most of the damage for the Warriors, recording 20 points (7 - 20 FG, 3 - 12 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), six assists and three steals. While this kind of offensive output is expected out of Curry, he also continues to be very consistent defensively, as he's posted two or more steals in nine out of his last ten games. Fellow backcourt superstar Klay Thompson did n't have his best outing, finishing with just 13 points (4 - 14 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and three assists. His field goal percentage was under 30 percent for the second straight game, as he's seemingly struggling with his shot. He'll look to get that dialed back in before Wednesday's matchup with the Timberwolves. In a surprise performance off the bench, Leandro Barbosa went 5 - for - 7 from the field and 1 - for - 1 from the three - point line to finish with 16 points and six rebounds in just 19 minutes. He was very efficient with his time and could be in line for more minutes going forward. The Sixers had all five starters reach double figures in this game, although their bench did n't find as much success and combined for just 19 points. Leading the team in scoring, Robert Covington finished with 21 points (7 - 15 FG, 4 - 10 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), to go along with eight rebounds and three steals. With Michael Carter-Williams out due to a toe injury, Covington became the go - to guy on the offensive side of the ball and did everything he could to keep the Sixers alive. Luc Mbah a Moute came just shy of notching a double - double, posting 13 points (5 - 13 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and nine rebounds in 35 minutes. He's had a strong stretch of three games where he's averaging 15 points and 6 rebounds, both of which are higher than his season averages up until this point. Nerlens Noel chipped in with 11 points (5 - 8 FG, 1 - 2 FT) and seven rebounds, while Tim Frazier replaced Carter-Williams at point guard and had 10 points (4 - 11 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT), six rebounds and seven assists. The Warriors' next game will be on the road against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, while the Sixers will be at home against the Indiana Pacers on Friday."], [[{}, {"Blocks": {"Markieff Morris": "3", "Nikola Mirotic": "2"}, "Points": {"Markieff Morris": "24", "Sheldon McClellan": "15", "Tomas Satoransky": "12", "Jimmy Butler": "37", "Nikola Mirotic": "17"}, "Minutes played": {"Sheldon McClellan": "35"}, "Assists": {"Tomas Satoransky": "9", "Jimmy Butler": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Tomas Satoransky": "4", "Jimmy Butler": "8", "Nikola Mirotic": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "3"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "3", "Nikola Mirotic": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Mirotic": "7"}}], "With John Wall resting in back - to - backs and Bradley Beal sitting due to a hamstring injury, the Wizards had a lot to overcome here and they fell just short. Markieff Morris had his best game in a Wizards uniform though, totaling 24 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks in 43 minutes of action. Sheldon McClellan had not played more than 12 minutes in any game before playing 35 - plus minutes here, as he scored a career - high 15 points. Tomas Satoramsky filled - in nicely for Wall as well, accumulating 12 points, four rebounds and nine assists of his own. The bench continues to struggle for the Wizards, as they combined for just 18 points in this loss. Jimmy Butler now has 96 points, 16 rebounds, 21 assists and 12 steals across his last three games, after he dropped 37 points, eight rebounds and nine assist in this win. Nikola Mirotic was a difference maker off the bench, amassing 17 points, 11 rebounds, two steals and two blocks on just seven shots."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "33"}}, {"Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "4", "Jusuf Nurkic": "6", "Damian Lillard": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Russell Westbrook": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "36", "Jusuf Nurkic": "10", "Damian Lillard": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "12", "Jusuf Nurkic": "7", "Damian Lillard": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "15", "Jusuf Nurkic": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Russell Westbrook": "15"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "45", "Jusuf Nurkic": "18", "CJ McCollum": "18", "Damian Lillard": "33"}, "Blocks": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "12", "Damian Lillard": "4"}, "Steals": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "2"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers overcame a whopping output from OKC's Russell Westbrook on Thursday thanks to stellar play from stars of their own. Portland's Damian Lillard led the team with 33 points while shooting 11 - of - 23, adding four rebounds and five assists. Shooting guard C.J. McCollum added another 18 points. Perhaps the most impressive outing for the Blazers, though, was that of newly - acquired big man Jusuf Nurkic. Nurkic shot 7 - of - 10 for 18 points to go along with 12 rebounds, six assists, five blocks, and two steals. The near five - by - five was one of the more impressive performances of Nurkic's young career. For OKC, meanwhile, superstar Russell Westbrook put on a show. Westbrook shot just 12 - of - 36 but went 15 - of - 15 from the line and had six three - pointers en route to a whopping 45 points. He added eight rebounds and four assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "8", "Bulls": "9"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "91", "Bulls": "99"}, "Turnovers": {"Wizards": "8"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "19", "Bulls": "19"}}, {"Points": {"Derrick Rose": "25", "Marcin Gortat": "14", "John Wall": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Derrick Rose": "2", "Marcin Gortat": "11"}, "Steals": {"Derrick Rose": "2"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "9"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (19 - 9) defeated the Washington Wizards (19 - 8) 99 - 91 on Tuesday. Chicago has won four straight and seven of their last eight. Everything is looking good for the Bulls right now. They're winning, and they were finally able to play back - to - back games with a fully healthy roster after struggling to have everyone available on the same night most of this season. Derrick Rose returned to action Monday against the Raptors, and in his two games back, he's put up 29 points and 25 points. The early - season rust seems to be breaking off, and if Rose can stay healthy, a great performance on Christmas Day could be on tap for Thursday's game against the Lakers. Washington has lost back - to - back games for just the second time this season. John Wall had his hands full with Rose all night but still finished with 18 points and nine assists. Marcin Gortat pulled down a double - double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, showing up well against the Bulls' army of big men. The competition will get a little easier for the Wizards when they take on the New York Knicks on Christmas Day."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "19", "Bucks": "27"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "104", "Bucks": "88"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "31", "Bucks": "21"}, "Turnovers": {"Bucks": "17"}}, {"Blocks": {"Jabari Parker": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jabari Parker": "1"}, "Points": {"Jabari Parker": "17", "Gordon Hayward": "27", "Rudy Gobert": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Jabari Parker": "7"}, "Steals": {"Jabari Parker": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gobert": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gobert": "9"}}], "The host Utah Jazz took down the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, 104 - 88. Utah (31 - 19) needed the win to bounce back from losing three of its previous four wins. One of the main issues for the Jazz had been finding offense, and on Wednesday center and defensive anchor Rudy Gobert came through with a surprising amount of scoring potency. Gobert shot 9 - of - 13 from the field and scored 26 points. Newly-minted All-Star Gordon Hayward, meanwhile, came out of a bit of a January slump, scoring a team - high 27 points. Utah's bread and butter as always, however, was its stellar defense. The team held the Bucks to 43 percent from the field and only 88 points while forcing a massive 17 turnovers on the night. The Bucks (21 - 27) probably needed the win even more than the Jazz, as they have now lost nine of their last ten games. On Wednesday, star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was as good as absent from the game. The \"Greek Freak\" shot just 2 - of - 10 for only nine points on the night. Third-year forward Jabari Parker was one of the lone bright spots for the Bucks as they struggled to find offense. Parker scored a team - high 17 points to go along with seven rebounds. The Bucks will visit Denver on Friday, while the Jazz will host the Hornets on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "33", "Bulls": "30"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "102", "Bulls": "89"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "27", "Bulls": "30"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Mario Hezonja": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Mario Hezonja": "37"}, "Points": {"Mario Hezonja": "21", "Aaron Gordon": "13", "Nikola Vucevic": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Mario Hezonja": "5", "Aaron Gordon": "15"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "24"}}], "The Orlando Magic (27 - 33) comfortably took down the struggling Chicago Bulls (30 - 30) on Wednesday night, winning 102 - 89. Rookie Mario Hezonja played a team - high 37 minutes en route to a career - high 21 points. The Croation wing was taken with the fifth overall pick in the most recent NBA draft, and had arguably the strongest performance of his young career against Chicago. Hezonja hit three three - pointers and pulled down five rebounds while not recording a single turnover in the game. Teammate Nikola Vucevic, however, was the team leader in points scored, recording 24 on the night. Breakout sophomore Aaron Gordon continued his streak of impressive play, notching a 13 - point, 15 - rebound double - double. For the Bulls, the loss is the fourth in a row and puts them a game outside the Eastern Conference playoff picture. The Bulls remain without All-Star Jimmy Butler, and his absence has shown, as the team has now allowed 100 or more points in 15 consecutive games. No Bull scored more than 16 in Orlando, and the team shot just 38 percent on the night. Orlando also established a sizable 51 - 43 advantage on the glass, as Chicago's big men simply could not perform on Wednesday. Chicago's next matchup will come on Saturday, as they host the equally disappointing Houston Rockets. The Magic will host the free - falling Phoenix Suns on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "9"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "127", "Suns": "122"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "10"}, "Number of team assists": {"Suns": "28"}}, {"Assists": {"Jon Leuer": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "9", "Marcus Morris": "3", "Reggie Jackson": "16"}, "Points": {"Jon Leuer": "20", "Brandon Knight": "22", "Eric Bledsoe": "21", "Marcus Morris": "24", "Ersan Ilyasova": "23", "Andre Drummond": "22", "Reggie Jackson": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Jon Leuer": "6", "Eric Bledsoe": "4", "Marcus Morris": "14", "Andre Drummond": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Brandon Knight": "8", "Eric Bledsoe": "8"}, "Steals": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2", "Marcus Morris": "2"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (10 - 9) won by a score of 127 - 122 versus the Phoenix Suns (8 - 10) after an over - time thriller at the Palace on Wednesday night. It was a close game the whole way. A perfect 2 - 2 trip to the free throw line by Andre Drummond tied the game up with 14 seconds to go and ultimately sent it to over - time. Reggie Jackson came up big in O.T., scoring eight points in the period, leading the way to victory for the Pistons. Reggie Jackson led the way with a monstrous double - double, consisting of 34 points and 16 assists. Marcus Morris logged a strong double - double with 24 points and 14 rebounds, he also added three assists and two steals. Andre Drummond finished with 22 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. Ersan Ilyasova chipped in 23 points and four assists. The Pistons had four players score more than 20 points, three players with double - doubles and shot over 50 percent from the field as a team. This was the second night of a back - to - back and third game of a six game road trip for Phoenix, who is coming off a loss in Brooklyn on Tuesday night. Six players scored in double digits for the Suns and they dished 28 assists as a team, both signs of a good team game, but it was not enough steal this one from Detroit. Eric Bledsoe filled the stat sheet with 21 points, nine assists, four rebounds and two steals. Brandon Knight finished with 22 points and four rebounds. Knight and Bledsoe however, shot a combined 16 - 41 from the field, scoring eight baskets each. Such a percentage will likely leave Phoenix winless any night. John Leuer continued his impressive play as of late, contributing 20 points on 8 - 13 shooting, along with six rebounds and five assists. Tyson Chandler sat this one out with a hamstring strain. Next up for the Suns will be a game in Washington on Friday, which will be their fourth game of a six game road trip. Detroit will host Milwaukee on Friday and look to establish dominance over their divisional competitor."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "40", "Nuggets": "26"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "52", "Nuggets": "36"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "25", "Nuggets": "35"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "119", "Nuggets": "94"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Thunder": "36", "Nuggets": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Thunder": "60", "Nuggets": "42"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "31", "Nuggets": "20"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "13", "Danilo Gallinari": "11", "Ty Lawson": "12", "Serge Ibaka": "18", "Enes Kanter": "12", "Russell Westbrook": "12", "Dion Waiters": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "5", "Danilo Gallinari": "5", "Ty Lawson": "6", "Serge Ibaka": "10", "Enes Kanter": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "8", "Dion Waiters": "7"}, "Points": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "10", "Danilo Gallinari": "16", "Ty Lawson": "17", "Serge Ibaka": "20", "Enes Kanter": "20", "Russell Westbrook": "21", "Dion Waiters": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "7", "Serge Ibaka": "8", "Enes Kanter": "12", "Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Danilo Gallinari": "6", "Ty Lawson": "2", "Serge Ibaka": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "3", "Dion Waiters": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Danilo Gallinari": "3", "Ty Lawson": "0", "Serge Ibaka": "0", "Russell Westbrook": "2", "Dion Waiters": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Danilo Gallinari": "19", "Serge Ibaka": "26", "Enes Kanter": "26", "Russell Westbrook": "27"}, "Assists": {"Ty Lawson": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "17"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Ty Lawson": "5", "Enes Kanter": "6", "Dion Waiters": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Ty Lawson": "5", "Enes Kanter": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "3", "Dion Waiters": "2"}, "Steals": {"Ty Lawson": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Serge Ibaka": "8"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (31 - 25) defeated the Denver Nuggets (20 - 35) 119 - 94 on Sunday at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City. The Thunder came out on fire in this game, out - scoring the Nuggets 36 - 18 in the first quarter alone, while eventually finishing the first half with a 67 - 42 lead. Adding to the strong start, the Thunder shot very well in this game, going 52 percent from the field and 40 percent from the three - point line, while the Nuggets finished at 36 percent from the field and a meager 26 percent from deep. To go along with their superior shooting, the Thunder also had a strong showing on the glass, securing a 60 - 42 rebounding advantage. The Thunder had three players reach the 20 - point plateau. As he's been doing all season long, the Russell Westbrook show continued, as he went 8 - for - 12 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line to finish with a team - high of 21 points, while adding eight rebounds and 17 assists in just 27 minutes. He was extremely effective, and could've had some even bigger numbers, if he was n't pulled due to a huge lead. Coming out of the All-Star break, he's picked up right where he left off, recording three double - doubles in a row, a stretch where he's averaged 29 points, 7 rebounds and 12 assists per game. Newly aquired center Enes Kanter played very well in his second game as a member of the Thunder. He posted 20 points (8 - 12 FG, 4 - 6 FT) and 12 rebounds, notching his second double - double in as many games with the Thunder. He's combined for 30 points and 25 rebounds during that span. Nearing a triple - double of his own, Serge Ibaka finished with 20 points (10 - 18 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt), eight rebounds and eight blocked shots in just 26 minutes. Just like Westbrook, he was extremely effective in a limited amount of minutes. Dion Waiters chipped in with 17 points (7 - 15 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) off the bench. The Nuggets struggled to get their offense going, with only three players reaching double figures in points. After sitting out of Friday's game against the Bucks for an undisclosed reason, Ty Lawson moved back into the starting lineup and led the team with 17 points (6 - 12 FG, 0 - 2 3PT, 5 - 5 FT), four assists and three steals in just 23 minutes. This was his first game since February tenth, so it was good to see there was n't much rust despite the lengthy absence. Starting at shooting guard, Danilo Gallinari also did as much as he could to keep the Nuggets alive. He went 5 - for - 11 from the field and 3 - for - 6 from the three - point line to post 16 points in 19 minutes. He shot a brutal 25 percent (3 - 12 FG) from the field in Friday's game against the Bucks, so it was good to seem him have better success with his shot this time around. The only other player in double figures was rookie center Jusuf Nurkic. He recorded 10 points (5 - 13 FG) and seven rebounds, but could n't do it defensively and was n't able to slow down the Thunder's bigs. The Thunder's next game will be at home against the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday, while the Nuggets will be at home against the Brooklyn Nets on Monday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Nets": "24"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "33", "Jazz": "24"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "86", "Jazz": "108"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nets": "23", "Jazz": "22"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "17"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nets": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Nets": "24", "Jazz": "40"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "11", "Jazz": "19"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "56"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "57"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "9", "Rudy Gobert": "3", "Rodney Hood": "1", "Raul Neto": "2", "Thaddeus Young": "1", "Wayne Ellington": "1", "Willie Reed": "2"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "21", "Rudy Gobert": "10", "Rodney Hood": "16", "Trevor Booker": "13", "Trey Burke": "12", "Thaddeus Young": "10", "Brook Lopez": "8", "Wayne Ellington": "11", "Willie Reed": "12", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "4", "Trey Lyles": "5", "Rudy Gobert": "7", "Rodney Hood": "5", "Raul Neto": "2", "Trevor Booker": "10", "Trey Burke": "3", "Thaddeus Young": "2", "Brook Lopez": "3", "Wayne Ellington": "1", "Willie Reed": "3", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "1"}, "Steals": {"Gordon Hayward": "1", "Trey Lyles": "1", "Brook Lopez": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Brook Lopez": "19"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Wayne Ellington": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Wayne Ellington": "2"}}], "The Utah Jazz (19 - 24) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (11 - 33) 108 - 86 on Friday. After the Nets carried a slight 23 - 22 advantage going into the second period, Utah took over on both sides of the ball and effectively dominated the remainder of the contest. The Jazz shot 57 percent from the field, and almost matched the number from long range, amassing a 56 percent success rate from beyond the arc. They held Brooklyn to 63 points over the last three quarters, including 17 apiece in the second and third periods. The visitors also established a distinct advantage down low, hauling in 40 boards to Brooklyn's 24, and outscoring them in the paint, 54 - 42. As has often been the case during forward Derrick Favors' extended absence, Gordon Hayward spearheaded the Jazz's attack. He posted 21 points, but also set up his teammates with scoring opportunities of their own by dishing out nine assists. The sixth - year pro also added four rebounds and a steal to his stat line. Rodney Hood, who's become a dependable secondary source of production, managed 16 points, five rebounds and an assist. Rudy Gobert did a solid job keeping the offensively proficient Brook Lopez in check, and pitched in with 10 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three blocks. Raul Neto and Trey Lyles matched Gobert's scoring total, with the former also adding a pair of rebounds and a pair of assists, and the latter hauling in five boards and recording a steal. Trevor Booker led the reserves with a 13 - point, 10 - rebound double - double, while Trey Burke pitched in with 12 points and three rebounds in a reserve role as well. With the win, Utah remains in second place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division. They head home to face off against the Pistons on Monday. Up against the Stifle Tower, Brook Lopez found himself largely stymied on the night. He registered eight points, three rebounds and a pair of steals in only 19 minutes of action, equaling his lowest allotment of playing time on the season. Bojan Bogdanovic actually led the Nets in scoring off the bench, amassing 14 points and hauling in a rebound. Willie Reed, also a reserve, was the second - leading scorer, collecting 12 points, three rebounds and a pair of assists. Wayne Ellington, who'd struggled offensively since taking over starting two - guard duties, tallied 11 points, a rebound and an assist. Thaddeus Young was the only other starter in double digits, totaling 10 points, two rebounds an an assist. By game's end, the bench had outscored the starting unit, 47 - 39. Despite the loss, Brooklyn holds on to fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They remain home to face the OKC Thunder on Sunday afternoon."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "53", "Lakers": "42"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "49", "Lakers": "63"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "110", "Lakers": "102"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "30", "Lakers": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Kobe Bryant": "4", "Dante Cunningham": "3", "Alexis Ajinca": "2", "Toney Douglas": "4", "Tim Frazier": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Kobe Bryant": "22", "Dante Cunningham": "34", "Alexis Ajinca": "37", "Toney Douglas": "33", "Tim Frazier": "26"}, "Points": {"Kobe Bryant": "14", "Jordan Clarkson": "26", "D'Angelo Russell": "32", "Dante Cunningham": "19", "Alexis Ajinca": "28", "Toney Douglas": "20", "Tim Frazier": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Kobe Bryant": "3", "Dante Cunningham": "1", "Alexis Ajinca": "15", "Toney Douglas": "6"}, "Steals": {"Kobe Bryant": "1", "Alexis Ajinca": "1", "Toney Douglas": "1", "Tim Frazier": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jordan Clarkson": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "5", "Toney Douglas": "1", "Tim Frazier": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jordan Clarkson": "15", "D'Angelo Russell": "16", "Alexis Ajinca": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "10", "D'Angelo Russell": "9", "Alexis Ajinca": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jordan Clarkson": "2", "D'Angelo Russell": "13", "Alexis Ajinca": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "1", "D'Angelo Russell": "11", "Alexis Ajinca": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dante Cunningham": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Alexis Ajinca": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Toney Douglas": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Toney Douglas": "1"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (30 - 49) defeated the visiting Los Angeles Lakers (16 - 63) 110 - 102, Friday night at Smoothie King Center. The Lakers road - losing streak was extended to 11 games, as Alexis Ajinca and the Pelicans spoiled Kobe Bryant's last visit to New Orleans. Ajinca recorded career - highs in rebounding and scoring as he led his team to their 21st home win. Ajinca finished with 28 points (12 - 17 FG, 4 - 4 FT) and 15 rebounds, along with two assists, two blocked shots and one steal, in 37 minutes. Toney Douglas was solid as he tallied 20 points, six rebounds, four assists and one steal, in 33 minutes, while Dante Cunningham added 19 points, three assists and one rebound, in 34 minutes. Tim Frazier dished 12 assists, one shy of his career - high, along with seven points, in 26 minutes off the bench. The Pelicans shot 53 percent from the field, 45 percent from long range and assisted on 29 - of - 42 field goals, en route to the win. Jordan Clarkson and D'Angelo Russell combined for 58 points, to provide the Lakers with a little bit of a bright spot in what has thus far been a very tough season. Clarkson finished with 26 points (10 - 15 FG, 5 - 8 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT), while Russell added 32 points (9 - 16 FG, 3 - 6 FT, 11 - 13 FT). Kobe chipped in 14 points, four assists, three rebounds and one steal, in 22 minutes. The Lakers shot 42 percent from the field, while assisting on 18 - of - 34 field goals. Next, the Lakers will head to Houston to face the Rockets on Sunday. The Pelicans will be right back in action as they host the Suns on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "44"}, "Losses": {"Bulls": "25", "Hawks": "24"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "90", "Hawks": "113"}, "Turnovers": {"Bulls": "18"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "27", "Hawks": "31"}, "Number of team assists": {"Hawks": "25"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "39"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hawks": "25"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hawks": "38"}}, {"Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "8", "Pau Gasol": "5"}, "Points": {"Jeff Teague": "17", "Dennis Schroder": "18", "Pau Gasol": "20", "Derrick Rose": "14", "Doug McDermott": "17"}, "Steals": {"Jeff Teague": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Dennis Schroder": "18"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Pau Gasol": "16", "Derrick Rose": "18", "Doug McDermott": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Pau Gasol": "9", "Derrick Rose": "6", "Doug McDermott": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "10"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (31 - 24) took down the Chicago Bulls (27 - 25) Wednesday night at the United Center, 113 - 90. The shorthanded Bulls, already playing without Jimmy Butler, lost Taj Gibson to a foot injury in the second half. The lack of depth ccaught up with them, as the Hawks increased their lead from three points at half time to 16 points heading into the fourth quarter behind an explosive 38 - point third period. The Bulls never got it within double - digits in the final quarter. Dennis Schroder came off the bench to score 18 points (6 - 10) to lead the Hawks despite playing just 18 minutes. Jeff Teague's 17 points led starters and he added eight assists, five rebounds and three steals. It was a team effort, as the Hawks recorded a brilliant 25 - to - 12 assist - to - turnover ratio as a team and nailed 13 of their 33 three - point shots (39 percent). Bulls center Pau Gasol led all scorers with 20 points (9 - 16 FG) and added 10 rebounds and five assists. Derrick rose scored 14 but struggled from the field (6 - 18 FG). Doug McDermott was a bright spot, as he came off the bench to score 17 points (6 - 12 FG). The Bulls offense was clunky, as they shot just 44 percent from the field and turned it over 18 times. The Hawks return home next Friday after the break to matchup against the Heat. The Bulls begin their second half next Thursday in Cleveland."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "41", "Bulls": "33"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "98", "Bulls": "91"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "24", "Bulls": "31"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bulls": "14"}, "Turnovers": {"Bulls": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "9", "Robin Lopez": "1", "Jerian Grant": "2", "Rajon Rondo": "6", "Cristiano Felicio": "1", "Terrence Ross": "1", "Evan Fournier": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "14", "Jeff Green": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Jimmy Butler": "1", "Robin Lopez": "2", "Rajon Rondo": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "2"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "21", "Robin Lopez": "10", "Jerian Grant": "13", "Rajon Rondo": "8", "Cristiano Felicio": "11", "Terrence Ross": "14", "Aaron Gordon": "13", "Evan Fournier": "20", "Elfrid Payton": "22", "Jeff Green": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "4", "Robin Lopez": "9", "Jerian Grant": "5", "Rajon Rondo": "5", "Cristiano Felicio": "2", "Terrence Ross": "3", "Aaron Gordon": "4", "Evan Fournier": "9", "Elfrid Payton": "14", "Jeff Green": "5"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "1", "Jerian Grant": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "2", "Evan Fournier": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "2", "Jeff Green": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Rajon Rondo": "28"}}], "The Orlando Magic defeated the Chicago Bulls, 98 - 91, at Amway Center on Wednesday evening. The Bulls (31 - 33) were in danger of playing Wednesday's contest without their two most talented players, as Jimmy Butler's (illness) availability suddenly came into question earlier in the day, while Dwyane Wade (thigh) was already ruled out. However, Butler persevered and took the court, posting a team - high 21 points that he supplemented with nine assists, four rebounds, one steal and one block. However, with no other player tallying more than 13 points, it was n't quite enough against a Magic (24 - 41) squad that had its starting backcourt of Elfrid Payton and Evan Fournier hitting on all cylinders. Orlando put together an excellent defensive effort as well, limiting the Bulls to 14 points in the fourth quarter and eliciting 16 turnovers from them. Jerian Grant was second on the Bulls with the aforementioned 13 - point total, and he added five rebounds, two assists and one steal. Cristiano Felicio posted a bench - leading 11 points that he supplemented with two rebounds and one assist. Robin Lopez contributed a near double - double of 10 points, nine rebounds, one assist and two blocks. Rajon Rondo (ankle), who had initially been deemed to be a game - time decision, took the floor and supplied eight points, six assists, five rebounds and one block in 28 minutes off the bench. Payton paced the Magic with a spectacular 22 - point, 14 - rebound, 14 - assist triple - double that also included two steals and two blocks. Fournier nearly accomplished a double - double himself with 20 points, nine boards, two assists and two steals. Terrence Ross registered 14 points, three rebounds and one assist. Aaron Gordon went for 13 points, four rebounds and two steals. Jeff Green led the second unit with nine points, five boards, two assists and one steal. The Bulls return home to tangle with the Houston Rockets on Friday night, while the Magic travel to Charlotte to take on the Hornets on Friday evening as well."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "52"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "13", "Timberwolves": "17"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "113", "Timberwolves": "99"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Celtics": "32", "Timberwolves": "19"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "15", "Timberwolves": "11"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Timberwolves": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"Gorgui Dieng": "3", "Zach LaVine": "2", "David Lee": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "12"}, "Blocks": {"Gorgui Dieng": "2", "David Lee": "1", "Kelly Olynyk": "1", "Avery Bradley": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Gorgui Dieng": "30", "Zach LaVine": "26", "David Lee": "22"}, "Points": {"Gorgui Dieng": "12", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "25", "Andrew Wiggins": "26", "Zach LaVine": "17", "Jae Crowder": "18", "David Lee": "13", "Kelly Olynyk": "19", "Avery Bradley": "13", "Isaiah Thomas": "8", "Tyler Zeller": "14", "Jonas Jerebko": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Gorgui Dieng": "5", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "16", "Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Zach LaVine": "3", "Jae Crowder": "10", "David Lee": "8", "Kelly Olynyk": "5"}, "Steals": {"Gorgui Dieng": "1", "Zach LaVine": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jae Crowder": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Jae Crowder": "8"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Jae Crowder": "62"}}], "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."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "12", "Hawks": "13"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "93", "Hawks": "87"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "18", "Hawks": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "2", "Jeff Teague": "4", "Thabo Sefolosha": "3", "Monta Ellis": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "5", "Monta Ellis": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul Millsap": "2", "Monta Ellis": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "17", "Monta Ellis": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul Millsap": "9", "Monta Ellis": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "5", "Monta Ellis": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul Millsap": "4", "Monta Ellis": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Paul Millsap": "38", "Jeff Teague": "35", "Lavoy Allen": "20", "Ian Mahinmi": "25", "Monta Ellis": "36"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "24", "Jeff Teague": "18", "Thabo Sefolosha": "14", "Lavoy Allen": "2", "Ian Mahinmi": "13", "Monta Ellis": "26", "Solomon Hill": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "7", "Jeff Teague": "5", "Thabo Sefolosha": "7", "Lavoy Allen": "6", "Ian Mahinmi": "9", "Monta Ellis": "3", "Solomon Hill": "3"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "4", "Thabo Sefolosha": "2", "Monta Ellis": "2", "Solomon Hill": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Jeff Teague": "6"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (18 - 12) snapped the Atlanta Hawks' (20 - 13) six - game win streak with a 93 - 87 victory Monday night in Indiana. This was the first match of the season between these two teams who both find themselves in the tight race for top spots in the East. After a strong first quarter by the Hawks, the Pacers finished the second quarter on a 16 - 4 run, to put themselves up 52 - 40 going into half. The Pacers held strong the rest of the way and came up with an impressive win. C.J. Miles was sidelined with a sore back so Lavoy Allen picked up the start for Indiana. Allen had two points and six rebounds, in 20 minutes. Monta Ellis came up big for the Pacers, with 26 points (10 - 20 FG, 4 - 9 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), two assists, three rebounds and two steals, in 36 minutes. Ian Mahinmi chipped in 13 points and nine rebounds, in 24 minutes while, Solomon Hill picked up some of the slack in the absence of Miles and finished with a season - high 10 points, three rebounds and two steals, in 25 minutes. The Hawks were not on their A-game as they gave up 13 turnovers, leading to 20 points for Indiana, in the first half alone. They gave up a total of 22 turnovers on the night. Paul Millsap led his team in scoring with 24 points (9 - 17 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT), along with seven rebounds, four steals and two assists, in 38 minutes. Jeff Teague finished with 18 points, five rebounds and four assists, but had six turnovers in 35 minutes. Thabo Sefolosha was efficient off the bench, shooting 6 - 8 from the field, on his way to 14 points. He also contributed seven rebounds, three assists and two steals, in 27 minutes. The Hawks will now move on to Houston, where they will play their second game of a three - game road trip, which will also be the second of a back to back, on Tuesday night. The Pacers will wait until Wednesday to engage in another big Eastern Conference match - up, this time on the road, in Chicago."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Hornets": "33", "Hawks": "45"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "32"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "15"}}, {"Points": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "11", "Dwight Howard": "13", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "11", "Dennis Schroder": "20", "Taurean Prince": "11", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "9", "Marvin Williams": "13", "Cody Zeller": "8", "Nicolas Batum": "16", "Kemba Walker": "16", "Frank Kaminsky": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "10", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "2", "Cody Zeller": "5"}, "Assists": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "3", "Marvin Williams": "3"}, "Steals": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "3"}}], "The Hornets' solid shooting, 64 - 49 run in the middle quarters, and strong defensive effort helped key the home win. The Hawks committed 15 turnovers and shot just 32 percent from long range. Charlotte prevailed by a comfortable margin despite losing the rebounding battle, 45 - 33. Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum posted 16 - point efforts to lead the Hornets. Marvin Williams managed 13 points, while Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (nine points, three assists, two rebounds, three steals) and Cody Zeller (eight points, five rebounds) turned in modest efforts.Frank Kaminsky III led the bench with 14 points. Dennis Schroder's 20 points led Atlanta. Dwight Howard followed with a 13 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Ersan Ilyasova drew another start for Paul Millsap (knee) and matched Howard's scoring total. Tim Hardaway, Jr. and Thabo Sefolosha provided matching 11 - point efforts. Rookie Taurean Prince's 11 points led the bench."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "47"}, "Rebounds": {"Knicks": "44", "76ers": "50"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Robert Covington": "10"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Robert Covington": "0"}, "Points": {"Robert Covington": "20", "Dario Saric": "19", "Jahlil Okafor": "28", "Nik Stauskas": "14", "Carmelo Anthony": "37", "Lance Thomas": "11", "Willy Hernangomez": "11", "Derrick Rose": "18", "Kyle O'Quinn": "9", "Justin Holiday": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Robert Covington": "10", "Dario Saric": "15", "Jahlil Okafor": "10", "Kyle O'Quinn": "5"}, "Steals": {"Carmelo Anthony": "0", "Kyle O'Quinn": "5"}, "Assists": {"Kyle O'Quinn": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Kyle O'Quinn": "2"}}], "Carmel Anthony's baseline jumper over Robert Covington with 0 seconds sealed the win. The Sixers erased an 11 - point deficit in the fourth quarter and had a 109 - 108 lead with nine seconds left after a Jahlil Okafor jumper. New York was outrebounded 50 - 44 but shot 47 percent from the floor. Anthony posted a team - high 37 points, while Derrick Rose managed 18. Lance Thomas and Willy Hernangomez drew starts for Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) and Joakim Noah (hamstring) and contributed 11 points apiece. Justin Holiday paced the bench with 14 points. Kyle O'Quinn managed nine points, five rebounds, five assists, five steals and two blocks. Okafor posted a 28 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Covington was next with 20 and 10 of his own. Dario Saric turned in 19 points and 15 rebounds, while Nik Stauskas led the bench with 14 points."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "1", "Cavaliers": "1"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "108", "Cavaliers": "114"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "1", "Cavaliers": "1"}}, {"Points": {"LeBron James": "36", "Kevin Love": "16", "Tristan Thompson": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "8", "Kevin Love": "16", "Tristan Thompson": "13"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Tristan Thompson": "36"}}], "The Celeveland Cavaliers (1 - 1) defeated the Chicago Bulls (1 - 1) 114 - 108 in overtime Friday. LeBron James was able to get his groove back in the Cavs' second game of the season Friday after putting up a subpar performance in his homecoming game Thursday. James finished with 36 points, eight rebounds, and four steals to lead the way for the Cavs as they secured their first win of the new LeBron James era in Cleveland. Kevin Love posted a second straight double - double, finishing with 16 points and 16 rebounds, while backup big man Tristan Thompson stepped up off the bench and posted a big double - double of his own, finishing with 16 points and 13 rebounds in 36 minutes. Derrick Rose sprained his left ankle when he came down on Kyrie Irving's foot after a shot attempt. Rose stayed in the game initially but was later removed and never returned to action, instead opting to ice the injury in locker room. It is unclear how severe the injury is at this time, but in an effort to avoid further injury, it would n't be surprising to see the Bulls err on the side of caution and keep Rose out of action until his ankle is back at full strength. Jimmy Butler (thumb) went through shootaround Friday but was not ready to lace up his shoes and get back on the court. Kirk Hinrich started in Butler's absence, and Hinrich's late - game heroics had the game all but locked up before the Cavaliers enjoyed a favorable foul call and a bad defensive foul by second - year player Tony Snellthat allowed them to tie it up and force overtime. The Cavaliers have three days off with their next game not coming until Tuesday at the Moda Center against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Bulls will finish off a back - to - back set when they play on the road against the Timberwolves on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "13", "Pacers": "15"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "118", "Pacers": "111"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "34", "Pacers": "24"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "15", "Pacers": "15"}}, {"Points": {"Thaddeus Young": "21", "Myles Turner": "21", "Jeff Teague": "17", "Al Jefferson": "18", "Carmelo Anthony": "35", "Kristaps Porzingis": "21", "Joakim Noah": "11", "Derrick Rose": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Thaddeus Young": "7", "Myles Turner": "9", "Jeff Teague": "7", "Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Kristaps Porzingis": "8", "Joakim Noah": "11", "Derrick Rose": "4"}, "Steals": {"Thaddeus Young": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Myles Turner": "4", "Kristaps Porzingis": "3"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "12", "Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Kristaps Porzingis": "1", "Derrick Rose": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Al Jefferson": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Al Jefferson": "8"}, "Turnovers": {"Joakim Noah": "1"}}], "The New York Knicks defeated the Indiana Pacers, 118 - 111, at Madison Square Garden on Monday. These are two teams who will likely compete for a playoff spot in the east and this game had a playoff atmosphere to it. New York really turned it on late to pull out the comeback, as they outscored Indiana, 34 - 24 in the fourth quarter. The key for New York was three point - shooting, as they went 13 - of - 23, while holding the Pacers to just 6 - of - 23 from long range. Defensive rebounding was a big advantage for the Knicks as well, winning that battle, 41 - 33. While there were only five ties and six lead changes, neither team led by more than 15 as it was a competitive game throughout. Indiana (15 - 15) have yet to have a winning streak of longer than two games and they were unable to crack that spell again here. Myles Turner continued his good form though, leading the team with 21 points, nine rebounds and four blocks. Thaddeus Young matched that 21 - point total, adding seven rebounds and two steals to his tally. Jeff Teague accumulated 17 points, seven rebounds and 12 assists in the defeat. Al Jefferson was a great speak off the bench, dropping 18 points on 8 - of - 11 shooting. The Pacers will host the Boston Celtics on Thursday for their next game. New York (15 - 13) had their first home game in quite some time, so they made fans happy with this crucial win. Carmelo Anthony had a vintage performance, as he tallied 35 points, four rebounds and four assists. Derrick Rose was n't far behind, as he accrued 24 points, four rebounds and six assists. Kristaps Porzingis finished with 21 points, eight rebounds and three blocks. Joakim Noah had one of his best games as a Knick, recording an 11 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. The Knicks will have another home game on Thursday against the Orlando Magic."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "29", "Jazz": "43"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "105", "Jazz": "111"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "51", "Jazz": "37"}}, {"Assists": {"Trevor Booker": "1", "Rodney Hood": "8", "Nicolas Batum": "8", "CJ McCollum": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Trevor Booker": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Trevor Booker": "4", "CJ McCollum": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Trevor Booker": "36", "Rodney Hood": "31", "Dante Exum": "23", "Meyers Leonard": "25", "CJ McCollum": "40"}, "Points": {"Trevor Booker": "36", "Rodney Hood": "21", "Chris Johnson": "11", "Jeremy Evans": "12", "Bryce Cotton": "11", "Elijah Millsap": "11", "Meyers Leonard": "12", "Robin Lopez": "21", "CJ McCollum": "26", "Damian Lillard": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Booker": "9", "Meyers Leonard": "4", "CJ McCollum": "8"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Booker": "2", "CJ McCollum": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Dante Exum": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nicolas Batum": "10", "Robin Lopez": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Nicolas Batum": "1", "Robin Lopez": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Meyers Leonard": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Meyers Leonard": "4"}}], "The Utah Jazz (37 - 43) eradicated the Portland Trail Blazer\u2019s (51 - 29) chances of hosting Game 1 in the postseason\u2019s first round with an 111 - 105 win. Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward were given the night off, the second game of a back - to - back set. The Jazz has the fifth best record since trading Enes Kanter, winning two - thirds of their games since the All-Star break. Trevor Booker and Joe Ingles started for Favors and Hayward. Booker shocked the NBA world with a career - high 36 points, nine rebounds, two steals, one block, one assist and four three - pointers in 36 minutes. The Jazz\u2019s first - round rookies offered dissimilar performances. Dante Exum recorded six turnovers in 23 minutes while Rodney Hood scored 21 points and dished out a career - high eight assists in 31 minutes. He\u2019s averaging 20 points on 51 percent shooting the last five games, challenging the Timberwolves\u2019 Andrew Wiggins for Western Conference Rookie of the Month. Elijah Millsap, Chris Johnson and Bryce Cotton all scored 11 points off the bench, topped by Jeremy Evans\u2019 12 points to give the Jazz\u2019s reserves 45 points. With the Blazers locked into the four seed as a division winner, they\u2019ve nothing to play for after falling three games behind the Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Clippers, and San Antonio Spurs with two games remaining. They were without Arron Afflalo and LaMarcus Aldridge, both suffering injuries in Thursday\u2019s loss to the Golden State Warriors. C.J. McCollum and Meyers Leonard started and found success on the offensive end. McCollum reached double - figure points for the seventh straight game, scoring 26 points, grabbing eight rebounds, acquiring three steals, recording three assists and hitting two three - pointers in 40 minutes. Leonard, curator of a 51 percent field goal mark, 42 percent three - point accuracy, and 93 percent free - throw marksmanship, scored 12 points and grabbed four rebounds but missed all four three - point tries in 25 minutes. Damian Lillard led the team with 28 points, Nicolas Batum supplemented his 1 - of - 10 shooting night with a team - high eight assists, and Robin Lopez found success against Rudy Gobert by scoring 21 points on 8 - of - 14 from the field. The Jazz get an off day before competing against the Dallas Mavericks. The Portland Trail Blazers begin a two - game homestand against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday to close out the season."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "55"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "51", "Spurs": "51"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "114"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "8"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Spurs": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "30", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "23", "Danny Green": "16", "Tony Parker": "11", "Davis Bertans": "11", "Nicolas Batum": "13", "Kemba Walker": "26", "Frank Kaminsky": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1"}}], "The Hornets' 114 points were the most scored against the Spurs this season, and came on the strength of eight players hitting double digits in the scoring column. They also tallied 51 and 55 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively, and saw their second unit score a collective 45 points. Kemba Walker paced Charlotte with 26 points, while Nicolas Batum contributed 13. Frank Kaminsky's 13 points led the reserves. Leonard collected 30 points, five rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block to lead San Antonio. Aldridge followed with 23 points, while Danny Green posted a season - best 16 points. Tony Parker totaled a modest 11 points but hit a clutch 23 - foot three - pointer with 22 seconds remaining to extend San Antonio's advantage to 115 - 110. Davis Bertans paced the bench with an 11 - point outing."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "4", "Jazz": "3"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "109", "Jazz": "114"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "2", "Jazz": "4"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "51"}}, {"Points": {"Derrick Favors": "13", "Rudy Gobert": "13", "Rodney Hood": "18", "George Hill": "23", "Joe Johnson": "10", "Carmelo Anthony": "28", "Kristaps Porzingis": "28", "Courtney Lee": "10", "Derrick Rose": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Derrick Favors": "6", "Rudy Gobert": "8", "Rodney Hood": "6", "Carmelo Anthony": "9", "Kristaps Porzingis": "8", "Courtney Lee": "6", "Derrick Rose": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "6"}, "Assists": {"Rudy Gobert": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Kristaps Porzingis": "1", "Derrick Rose": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "3", "Kristaps Porzingis": "2"}, "Steals": {"Rudy Gobert": "1", "Rodney Hood": "1", "Courtney Lee": "3", "Derrick Rose": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Courtney Lee": "5"}}], "The Utah Jazz defeated the New York Knicks, 114 - 109, at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. The Jazz (4 - 3) braced themselves for an offensive void when they lost Gordon Hayward to a finger injury in preseason, as he was slated to miss a minimum of six weeks. However, the standout forward beat the recovery timetable by at least two weeks, starting at the three on Sunday for Utah. He looked as if he had n't missed a beat, rattling off a team - high 28 points, along with five rebounds. While he only found the net on six of his 17 field - goal attempts, he impressively drained all 14 of his shots from the free - throw line. His effort spearheaded a highly productive day for the Jazz offense that saw all five members of the first unit hit double - digit scoring and Utah produce a collective 51 percent success rate from the field. George Hill, who's helped pick up a good bit of the offensive slack in Hayward's absence, continued to thrive despite the latter's return to the court, totaling 23 points, six rebounds, four assists and a steal. Rodney Hood was right behind with 18 points, six rebounds, four assists and a steal. Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors turned in a pair of 13 - point efforts from the frontcourt, with the former also contributing eight rebounds, an assist, three blocks and a steal, and the latter supplying six boards. Joe Johnson, who headed to the bench with Hayward's return, tallied 10 points to pace the bench. The Knicks (2 - 4) were co - led by a pair of 28 - point outputs for Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis. Anthony also registered nine rebounds and three assists, while Porzingis supplied eight boards, an assist and two blocks. Derrick Rose continued his strong stretch of play to open his tenure in the Big Apple, totaling 18 points, eight assists, four rebounds and a steal. Courtney Lee was the fourth member of the starting five to hit double digits in the scoring column, posting 10 points, six boards and three steals. The Jazz continue their trek through the Northeast with a Monday night visit to Philadelphia to face the Sixers, while the Knicks remain home to tangle with the inter - city rival Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday evening."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "38"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "37", "Suns": "44"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "98", "Suns": "100"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Mavericks": "23"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Mavericks": "22"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "28", "Suns": "22"}}, {"Points": {"TJ Warren": "16", "Devin Booker": "36", "Eric Bledsoe": "12", "Harrison Barnes": "23", "Dirk Nowitzki": "23", "Devin Harris": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Devin Booker": "20", "Harrison Barnes": "16", "Dirk Nowitzki": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Devin Booker": "12", "Harrison Barnes": "5", "Dirk Nowitzki": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Devin Booker": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "2", "Harrison Barnes": "7", "Dirk Nowitzki": "11", "Devin Harris": "3"}, "Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "6", "Devin Harris": "2"}}], "The Phoenix Suns defeated the Dallas Mavericks, 100 - 98, at American Airlines Center on Saturday. Dallas needed this game much more than Phoenix, but Devin Booker and the Suns played spoiler late. In fact, Booker scored the final eight points for Phoenix, as he hit a game - winning jumper at the buzzer to seal the win. There were 14 ties and 16 lead changes in total, with neither team leading by more than seven points. Defense was key for the Suns, as they held the Mavericks to 38 percent shooting, while Phoenix shot 47 percent on their end. Scoring in the paint was a huge factor as well, with the Suns winning that battle, 38 - 20. The Suns (22 - 44) have now won four of their last six games, as they continue to disappoint playoff contenders. Booker was the star, as he scored a game - high 36 points, including that game - winner. He did that damage on 12 - of - 20 shooting, while also bringing down five rebounds. T.J. Warren finished second on the team, totaling 16 points and eight rebounds. Eric Bledsoe accumulated 12 points, two rebounds and six assists. Tyler Ulis and Alan Williams came off the bench to combine for 18 points, eight rebounds, six assists, two steals and three blocks. On deck for Phoenix is a home matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday. The Mavericks (28 - 37) needed this game to stay within one game of the eight - seed in the west, but they allowed a 22 - win Phoenix team to play major spoiler. Dirk Nowitzki did all he could for Dallas, as he amassed 23 points and 11 rebounds on 10 - of - 14 shooting. Harrison Barnes shot just 5 - of - 16 from the field, but matched Nowitzki's 23 points, adding seven rebounds to his tally. Devin Harris was the only bench player in double figures, tallying 14 points, three rebounds and two assists. The Mavericks will return to action on Monday in a road matchup against the Toronto Raptors."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "8", "Rockets": "4"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "103", "Rockets": "117"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "10", "Rockets": "13"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "13", "James Harden": "14", "Jason Terry": "15", "Kostas Papanikolaou": "6", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "12", "Jabari Parker": "7", "Ersan Ilyasova": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "9", "James Harden": "9", "Jason Terry": "7", "Kostas Papanikolaou": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7", "Jabari Parker": "3", "Ersan Ilyasova": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "3", "James Harden": "13", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Jabari Parker": "14", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "2", "James Harden": "12", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Jabari Parker": "13", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2"}, "Points": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "20", "James Harden": "34", "Jason Terry": "18", "Kostas Papanikolaou": "12", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "17", "Jabari Parker": "19", "Ersan Ilyasova": "18"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"James Harden": "5", "Jason Terry": "8", "Kostas Papanikolaou": "2", "Ersan Ilyasova": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"James Harden": "4", "Jason Terry": "4", "Kostas Papanikolaou": "2", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "6", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "7", "Jabari Parker": "9"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "4", "Jabari Parker": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}, "Assists": {"Jabari Parker": "5"}}], "The Houston Rockets (13 - 4) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (10 - 8) 117 - 103 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on Saturday. With Dwight Howard (knee), Isaiah Canaan (ankle) and Patrick Beverley (hamstring) missing from action, James Harden lead the injury - ridden core. Harden finished with 34 points (9 - 14 FG, 4 - 5 3Pt, 12 - 13 FT), six boards, eight assists and four steals. The Rockets also had solid contributions from Donatas Motiejunas, who had 20 points (9 - 13 FG, 2 - 3 FT) and Jason Terry with 18 points (7 - 15 FG, 4 - 8 3Pt). Off the bench, rookie forward Kostas Papanikolaou scored an incredibly efficient 12 points (5 - 6 FG, 2 - 2 3PT). For Milwaukee, they were lead by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had 17 points (7 - 12 FG, 3 - 3 FT), seven rebounds and two blocks. Antetokounmpo's teammate Jabari Parker had a near double - double performance with 19 points (3 - 7 FG, 13 - 14 FT, nine rebounds, five assists and two steals. Off the Bucks bench, Ersan Ilyasova helped out with 18 points (7 - 14 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT). The Bucks will travel to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers on Tuesday, while the Rockets will head back home to square off against the Grizzlies on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "2", "Hawks": "2"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "101", "Hawks": "106"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "2", "Hawks": "2"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "6", "Al Horford": "3", "Jeff Teague": "8", "Bradley Beal": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Paul Millsap": "27", "Marcin Gortat": "31", "Bradley Beal": "44"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "19", "Al Horford": "18", "Kyle Korver": "6", "Jeff Teague": "26", "Paul Pierce": "22", "Marcin Gortat": "3", "Bradley Beal": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "5", "Al Horford": "10", "Kyle Korver": "2", "Marcin Gortat": "8", "Bradley Beal": "6"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "2", "Bradley Beal": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Paul Millsap": "2", "Al Horford": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Al Horford": "3", "Kyle Korver": "2", "Marcin Gortat": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Kyle Korver": "2", "Paul Pierce": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyle Korver": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyle Korver": "4", "Paul Pierce": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Korver": "2", "Bradley Beal": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyle Korver": "4", "Jeff Teague": "20", "Marcin Gortat": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyle Korver": "2", "Pero Antic": "3", "Marcin Gortat": "1"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (2 - 2) tied up the series with their 106 - 101 win over the Washington Wizards (2 - 2). Paul Pierce, unable to recreate his Game 3 heroics, missed the game - tying three - pointer with seven seconds remaining. The referees failed to call Kyle Korver for traveling on the ensuing possession, leading to two Paul Millsap free throws. Coach Mike Budenholzer reinserted Paul Millsap into the starting lineup after promoting Pero Antic in Game 3 due to Millsap\u2019s illness. Even though he was limited to 27 minutes with foul trouble, Millsap responded with 19 points, six assists, five rebounds and two steals. Jeff Teague had his best game of the Conference Semifinals, notching a team - high 26 points on 20 shots while dishing out eight assists. Al Horford, who was 7 - of - 23 from mid - range the previous three games, sank 6 - of - 11 from that zone in the Game 4 victory and recorded a double - double, finishing with 18 points and 10 rebounds. The Hawks' fourth All-Star, Kyle Korver, struggled to get open looks for the second straight game, scoring six points on 2 - of - 4 shooting. Even though he wasn\u2019t able to tie the game late, Paul Pierce scored 22 points and passed Dennis Johnson on the all - time playoff scoring list. Bradley Beal left his mark on the game, scoring a playoff career - high 34 points, recording a team - high seven assists, securing six rebounds, pilfering three steals, blocking a shot and knocking down four three - pointers in a game - high 44 minutes. His effort was much needed with John Wall missing the third straight game because of a fractured hand and wrist. Wall\u2019s absence has been doubly difficult on Marcin Gortat, who played 93 percent of his regular - season minutes with Wall on the court. In Game 4, Gortat was limited to three points on 1 - of - 7 shooting and a team - high eight rebounds in 31 minutes. It was the lowest point total on either side among players with at least five minutes of court time. Game 5 will take place in Atlanta on Wednesday night. It\u2019ll be broadcast on TNT."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "44", "Suns": "52"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "116", "Suns": "94"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "28", "Suns": "20"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "37"}, "Turnovers": {"Suns": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Alex Len": "14", "Devin Booker": "26", "DeMarcus Cousins": "29", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Alex Len": "7", "Devin Booker": "5", "DeMarcus Cousins": "11"}, "Assists": {"Devin Booker": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (28 - 44) defeated the Phoenix Suns (20 - 52) 116 - 94 on Friday. Usually the Kings let down in games where they are big favorites, but that wasn\u2019t the case on Friday. They really pulled away in the second and third quarters, as they outscored the Suns 64 - 40. The Sacramento defense was key, as they held Phoenix to 37 percent shooting and forced them to commit 22 turnovers. The Suns have been playing better recently, but this was an ugly performance. Brandon Knight was scratched minutes before tip - off and that really hurt them, as he was dealing with a stomach illness. Devin Booker was fantastic though, as he tallied 26 points, five rebounds and four assists. Alex Len scored 14 of his own, while also bringing down seven boards. On deck for the Suns is a matchup against the Boston Celtics on Saturday. The Kings haven\u2019t had many games like this, but it was one of their best performances of the season. Despite playing just three quarters, DeMarcus Cousins scored 29 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Willie Cauley-Stein had the best game of his young career, as he scored a career - high 26 points off the bench. Up next for Sacramento is a matchup with the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "3", "Pelicans": "8"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "100", "Pelicans": "81"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "7", "Pelicans": "1"}}, {"Points": {"Eric Gordon": "30", "Jrue Holiday": "19", "Ish Smith": "6", "Alexis Ajinca": "10", "DeMarre Carroll": "11", "Jonas Valanciunas": "20", "DeMar DeRozan": "15", "Kyle Lowry": "20"}, "Assists": {"Jrue Holiday": "3", "Ish Smith": "4", "DeMarre Carroll": "1", "DeMar DeRozan": "11", "Kyle Lowry": "5"}, "Steals": {"Jrue Holiday": "2", "DeMarre Carroll": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Ish Smith": "4", "Alexis Ajinca": "9", "DeMarre Carroll": "5", "Jonas Valanciunas": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "6", "Kyle Lowry": "6"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarre Carroll": "1", "Jonas Valanciunas": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "1"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (7 - 3) took care of business on Friday night as they defeated the struggling New Orleans Pelicans (1 - 8) by a score of 100 - 81. New Orleans had a quick start and jumped ahead in the first quarter but the Raptors out scored them 83 - 60 the rest of the way. The Pelicans were missing their star Anthony Davis for the second game in a row and simply could not stay consistent leading to another blowout loss. Eric Gordon did his best to step up, scoring 30 points on 11 - 22 shooting. Jrue Holiday contributed 19 points, three assists and two steals and was looking good, shooting 8 - 14 from the field. Alexis Ajinca played well off the bench, with 10 points and nine rebounds. Rookie Ish Smith put up some decent numbers across the board with six points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals. No one else scored more than five points for the Pelicans, who are in need of some major help. The Toronto Raptors turned it up after an ugly first quarter and took control of the game resulting in a 19 point win. Young big - man Jonas Valanciunas led the Raptors in scoring with 20 points on top of 10 rebounds and two blocks in only 27 minutes. DeMar DeRozan tallied a double - double as well, with 15 points and 11 assists, along with six rebounds. Kyle Lowry played a very well rounded game, finishing with 20 points, six rebounds, five assists, four steals and one block. Lowry shot 4 - 8 from deep. DeMarre Carroll did not shoot well at 5 - 14 from the field, but still managed to contribute in many ways with 11 points, five rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block. Next up for the Raptors is a trip to see former teammate Rudy Gay in Sacramento on Sunday. Sacramento has been somewhat dysfunctional as of late but that is no reason to expect an easy win. As for the Pelicans, they will be visiting New York to play the Knicks on Monday. If Anthony Davis is back, it will be a great match up to watch as he would take on fiery rookie Kristaps Porzingis."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Victor Oladipo": "19", "Russell Westbrook": "21", "Enes Kanter": "21", "Andrew Wiggins": "19", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "29", "Brandon Rush": "11", "Ricky Rubio": "14"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "12", "Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Ricky Rubio": "14"}, "Minutes played": {"Russell Westbrook": "36", "Andrew Wiggins": "36", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "37", "Ricky Rubio": "36"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "11", "Andrew Wiggins": "6", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "17", "Ricky Rubio": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "22", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "9", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "11"}, "Steals": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "4"}}], "Karl-Anthony Towns led the way for the winners, as he poured in 29 points on 11 - of - 17 shooting, to go along with 17 rebounds, three blocks, two steals and one assist, in 37 minutes. Andrew Wiggins followed up with 19 points on 9 - of - 22 shooting, and added six rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block, in 36 minutes. Ricky Rubio was solid as he chipped in 14 points and dished 14 assists, to go along with four steals and four rebounds, in 36 minutes. The only other player to score in double digits for the Timberwolves was Brandon Rush, who finished with 11. Meanwhile, Russell Westbrook filled the stat sheet as usual, with 21 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds to notch his 19th triple - double of the season. However, Westbrook gave up a disturbing 10 turnovers, in 36 minutes. Enes Kanter added 21 points, while Victor Oladipo chipped in 19 points."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "48", "Grizzlies": "43"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "29", "Grizzlies": "18"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "95", "Grizzlies": "89"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pelicans": "33", "Grizzlies": "17"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "34", "Grizzlies": "44"}}, {"Assists": {"Jeff Green": "3", "Mike Conley": "3", "Anthony Davis": "1", "Eric Gordon": "6"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jeff Green": "2", "Zach Randolph": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jeff Green": "3", "Mike Conley": "6", "Eric Gordon": "5", "Tyreke Evans": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jeff Green": "0", "Mike Conley": "3", "Eric Gordon": "3", "Tyreke Evans": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jeff Green": "18", "Mike Conley": "9", "Beno Udrih": "6", "Anthony Davis": "21", "Eric Gordon": "6", "Tyreke Evans": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Jeff Green": "8", "Marc Gasol": "2", "Mike Conley": "5", "Beno Udrih": "4", "Anthony Davis": "11", "Eric Gordon": "4", "Tyreke Evans": "10"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jeff Green": "2", "Anthony Davis": "1", "Tyreke Evans": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jeff Green": "3", "Zach Randolph": "2"}, "Points": {"Jeff Green": "20", "Mike Conley": "17", "Beno Udrih": "11", "Anthony Davis": "23", "Eric Gordon": "16", "Tyreke Evans": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Jeff Green": "4", "Zach Randolph": "2", "Mike Conley": "4", "Beno Udrih": "4", "Anthony Davis": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"Marc Gasol": "2", "Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Mike Conley": "4", "Beno Udrih": "3", "Anthony Davis": "1", "Eric Gordon": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Mike Conley": "4", "Beno Udrih": "3", "Anthony Davis": "1", "Eric Gordon": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Beno Udrih": "15", "Anthony Davis": "40", "Eric Gordon": "35"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "5", "Tyreke Evans": "1"}, "Steals": {"Tyreke Evans": "3"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (34 - 29) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (44 - 18) 95 - 89 on Saturday at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. Coming into this game sitting just one game back from the Oklahoma City Thunder for the final projected playoff seed in the Western Conference standings, the Pelicans pulled off a big win Saturday, bringing themselves to within a half game of the Thunder. Despite being down 50 - 38 at half, the Pelicans took off in the third quarter, out - scoring the Grizzlies 33 - 17 to help set themselves up for the six - point victory in front of their home crowd. The Pelicans were the superior shooters in this game, going 48 percent from the field, while the Grizzlies finished at just 43 percent. The Pelicans were led by the duo of Anthony Davis and Tyreke Evans in this one. Evans went 10 - for - 16 from the field and 3 - for - 8 from the three - point line to finish with a team - high of 26 points, to go along with seven rebounds and three steals. He struggled to just 11 points on Friday against the Boston Celtics, so it was good to see him rebound with a big performance. Davis, on the other hand, finished with 23 points (11 - 21 FG, 1 - 1 FT), 10 rebounds and five blocked shots in 40 minutes. After missing five games in a row with a shoulder injury, the Pelicans are loving what they're seeing from their superstar, as he's averaged 30 points, 12 rebounds and 5 blocks in the three games since his return. He's pushed his season averages to 24 points and 10 rebounds on the year. Eric Gordon also played a factor in the win, as he posted 16 points (4 - 6 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT) and six assists in 35 minutes. He's played well of late as well, combining for 36 points and eight assists over his last two games. For the Grizzlies, Jeff Green did the bulk of the work offensively. He went 8 - for - 18 from the field, but 0 - for - 3 from the three - point line to record 20 points, while adding four rebounds and three assists as well. He had shot less than 30 percent in two out of his last three games coming into Saturday, so it was good to see him get things turned around and have a productive showing from the field in this matchup. Mike Conley also had a strong showing, finishing with 17 points (5 - 9 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), four rebounds and three assists of his own over 30 minutes. He's been quite inconsistent with his scoring lately, but he was able to put up some decent numbers Saturday. With both Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol combining for just 15 points between the two, Beno Udrih was the only other Grizzlies' player in double figures for points. In just 15 minutes off the bench, he posted 11 points (4 - 6 FG, 3 - 3 FT) and four rebounds. With a few of their stars struggling in this one, the Grizzlies just were n't able to overcome the Pelicans' strong play. The Pelicans' next game will be on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, while the Grizzlies will travel to Chicago to play the Bulls on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "14", "Wizards": "11"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "101", "Wizards": "92"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "21", "Wizards": "22"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Wizards": "35"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Paul Pierce": "17", "Tim Duncan": "31", "Cory Joseph": "33"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tim Duncan": "8", "Cory Joseph": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Tim Duncan": "2", "Cory Joseph": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tim Duncan": "2", "Cory Joseph": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Tim Duncan": "0", "Cory Joseph": "3"}, "Points": {"Tim Duncan": "4"}, "Assists": {"Cory Joseph": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Cory Joseph": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Cory Joseph": "4"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (21 - 14) outscored the Washington Wizards (22 - 11) 101 - 92 to move to 9 - 1 against Eastern Conference opponents. The Wizards dropped their third straight game on their five - game Western Conference road trip. The two teams will meet again in ten days for the second and final time this season. The Wizards blitzed the Spurs for 35 points in the first quarter but were held to 34 second - half points. Both teams shot below 30 percent from downtown. The Spurs outscored their opponents in the paint, 52 - 32, but were destroyed on fast break points, 20 - 2. Paul Pierce played 17 minutes, sitting both ends of each half. Manu Ginobili slipped into the second - half starting lineup in favor of Marco Belinelli. Cory Joseph continues to start and produce with Tony Parker (hamstring) sidelined, supplying 10 points (8 - 10 FG, 3 - 4 FT), four rebounds, four assists and two blocks in 33 minutes. Tim Duncan was limited to a season - low four points (2 - 8 FG, 0 - 2 FT) in 31 minutes. The Wizards conclude their five - game Western Conference road trip Monday against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Spurs return to action Tuesday against the Detroit Pistons."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "40"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "16", "Suns": "29"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "103", "Suns": "115"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "28", "Suns": "15"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Devin Booker": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "1"}, "Points": {"Devin Booker": "20", "Eric Bledsoe": "40"}, "Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "13"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Eric Bledsoe": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Eric Bledsoe": "14"}, "Free throws made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "14"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "9"}}], "The visiting Phoenix Suns took down the host Toronto Raptors on Sunday, 115 - 103. Phoenix (15 - 29) has now won two straight and has seen excellent play from its young backcourt. Sophomore shooting guard Devin Booker followed up 26 points on Saturday with 20 against Toronto, including five three - pointers. Of course, Booker's excellent play was nothing compared to point guard Eric Bledsoe, who dropped 40 points and dished out 13 assists. Bledsoe shot 11 - of - 17 and was a perfect 14 - of - 14 on free - throws. Strong shooting was the story of the night for Phoenix, as the team shot over 50 percent from the field and knocked down almost 93 percent of its free - throws. In addition to strong offensive play, Bledsoe played a role in containing the powerful Toronto backcourt of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, who shot just 11 - of - 34 on the night. Toronto (28 - 16) was demolished by the Hornets on Friday and was unable to rebound from the loss on Sunday afternoon. In what was a surprising turn, both of Toronto's All-Star guards struggled, as the two normal top scorers made just 11 shots for 34 points. Lowry had a particularly tough performance, shooting just 1 - of - 9 from beyond the arc. The Raptors as a whole struggled from the field about as much as the Suns succeeded, as the team finished shooting under 40 percent on the night. In particular, Toronto went ice cold in the fourth quarter, getting outscored by 15 points in the period. The Raptors will host the Spurs on Tuesday, while the Suns will host the Timberwolves."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "11", "Nuggets": "18"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "102", "Nuggets": "106"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "22", "Nuggets": "13"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Nuggets": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Danilo Gallinari": "1", "Nikola Jokic": "4", "Gary Harris": "1", "Kenneth Faried": "1", "Will Barton": "6", "Jamal Crawford": "6", "Austin Rivers": "5"}, "Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "23", "Nikola Jokic": "24", "Gary Harris": "10", "Kenneth Faried": "8", "Will Barton": "23", "DeAndre Jordan": "12", "Austin Rivers": "19", "Raymond Felton": "10", "Brandon Bass": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Danilo Gallinari": "11", "Nikola Jokic": "10", "Gary Harris": "4", "Kenneth Faried": "10", "Will Barton": "8", "DeAndre Jordan": "11", "Jamal Crawford": "4", "Austin Rivers": "3"}, "Steals": {"Danilo Gallinari": "3", "Nikola Jokic": "3", "Kenneth Faried": "1", "DeAndre Jordan": "3", "Jamal Crawford": "2", "Austin Rivers": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Kenneth Faried": "19"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Will Barton": "6"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "1"}}], "The Denver Nuggets defeated the Los Angeles Clippers, 106 - 102, at Staples Center on Monday. The Clippers (22 - 11) came in to the game lacking some serious star power, as the starting backcourt of Chris Paul and J.J. Redick both joined Blake Griffin (knee) on the bench Monday night. That pushed ageless veteran Jamal Crawford and capable reserve Austin Rivers into the starting lineup, with both expected to play heavy minutes. That prognosis proved accurate, and the pair of guards turned in 24 and 19 points, respectively. However, the Nuggets (13 - 18) just had more firepower overall, as the duo of Nikola Jokic and Danilo Gallinari combined for a pair of double - doubles to lead the offensive attack. Gallinari sunk four key free throws in the last 16 seconds of the game to seal the win, Denver's seventh on the road this season. Jokic's 24 - point, 10 - rebound double - double led the way for the visitors, and he supplemented those numbers with four assists and three steals. Gallinari added 23 points, along with 11 rebounds, an assist and three steals. Will Barton chipped in off the bench with 23 points of his own, as well as eight boards and six dimes. Gary Harris contributed a modest 10 points, four rebounds and an assist. Kenneth Faried produced eight points, 10 rebounds, an assist and a steal in 19 minutes. Crawford complemented his aforementioned scoring total with six assists, four rebounds and two steals. Rivers supplied five assists, three rebounds and a steal in addition to his 19 - point tally. DeAndre Jordan tallied a 12 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included three steals and a block. Brandon Bass and Raymond Felton registered 11 and 10 points, respectively, off the bench. The Nuggets head back home to face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday evening, while the Clippers visit the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "1", "Hornets": "2"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "97", "Hornets": "94"}, "Rebounds": {"Hawks": "45", "Hornets": "54"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "2", "Hornets": "0"}}, {"Rebounds": {"Nicolas Batum": "11", "Marvin Williams": "12", "Al Jefferson": "11", "Kent Bazemore": "9", "Paul Millsap": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marvin Williams": "11", "Al Jefferson": "15", "Kemba Walker": "15", "Kent Bazemore": "13", "Jeff Teague": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Al Jefferson": "5", "Kemba Walker": "5", "Kent Bazemore": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "2", "Kent Bazemore": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Kemba Walker": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kent Bazemore": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kent Bazemore": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kent Bazemore": "2"}, "Points": {"Kent Bazemore": "19", "Paul Millsap": "18", "Al Horford": "18", "Jeff Teague": "14", "Dennis Schroder": "14"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (2 - 1) were able to pull out a 97 - 94 home victory over the Charlotte Hornets (0 - 2) on Friday. After a tight first half, the Hawks were able to claim a 14 - point lead with under six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, but a run of nine unanswered points by the Hornets resulted in an outcome that was too close for comfort. Still, Atlanta was able to make enough stops down the stretch to deny the late rally, as Kemba Walker missed the game - tying attempt from 25 feet to give Atlanta the victory. Though he only scored a combined five points in the team\u2019s first two games, Kent Bazemore was the Hawks\u2019 surprising scoring leader Friday, pouring in 19 points on 7 - for - 13 shooting, including a 4 - for - 5 mark from three - point range. He also tacked on nine rebounds for good measure, a total that was only second to Paul Millsap\u2019s 10 boards for the team lead. Millsap also accrued 18 points, while Al Horford (18), Jeff Teague (14), and Dennis Schroder (14) rounded out the double - digit scorers. Schroder made his first start of the season while Kyle Korver was rested for maintenance purposes in the second game of a back - to - back set. The winless Hornets were foiled by their top two offensive threats suffering from poor shooting nights. Al Jefferson and Kemba Walker both shot 5 - for - 15 from the field to combine for just 23 points between them, while no other scorer on the team exceeded 14 points. Charlotte was at least able to win the battle of the boards, 54 - 45, thanks to double - digit rebound efforts from Marvin Williams (12), Nicolas Batum (11), and Jefferson (11). The two teams will get together for a rematch Sunday, with that game to take place in Atlanta."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "15", "Pistons": "23"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "104", "Pistons": "105"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Spurs": "27", "Pistons": "23"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "21", "Pistons": "11"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Greg Monroe": "10", "Andre Drummond": "10", "Brandon Jennings": "18", "D.J. Augustin": "18", "Marco Belinelli": "8", "Tim Duncan": "12", "Danny Green": "10", "Jeff Ayres": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Greg Monroe": "7", "Andre Drummond": "8", "Brandon Jennings": "5", "D.J. Augustin": "8", "Marco Belinelli": "4", "Tim Duncan": "7", "Danny Green": "5", "Jeff Ayres": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Greg Monroe": "4", "Andre Drummond": "9", "Brandon Jennings": "2", "D.J. Augustin": "3", "Marco Belinelli": "2", "Jeff Ayres": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Greg Monroe": "3", "Andre Drummond": "4", "Brandon Jennings": "2", "D.J. Augustin": "2", "Marco Belinelli": "2", "Jeff Ayres": "6"}, "Points": {"Greg Monroe": "17", "Andre Drummond": "20", "Brandon Jennings": "13", "D.J. Augustin": "19", "Marco Belinelli": "12", "Tim Duncan": "15", "Danny Green": "13", "Tony Parker": "3", "Jeff Ayres": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Greg Monroe": "11", "Andre Drummond": "17", "Tim Duncan": "7"}, "Steals": {"Andre Drummond": "2", "Danny Green": "2"}, "Assists": {"Brandon Jennings": "7", "D.J. Augustin": "5", "Marco Belinelli": "2", "Tony Parker": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Brandon Jennings": "5", "D.J. Augustin": "3", "Marco Belinelli": "5", "Danny Green": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Brandon Jennings": "1", "D.J. Augustin": "1", "Marco Belinelli": "2", "Danny Green": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Marco Belinelli": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Tim Duncan": "2", "Danny Green": "1", "Jeff Ayres": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Danny Green": "2"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (11 - 23) defeated the San Antonio Spurs (21 - 15) 105 - 104 on Tuesday at the AT & T Center in San Antonio. Quite unexpectedly, the Pistons were able to keep their winning streak alive and extended it to six games in a row Tuesday. After the Pistons came out of the third quarter leading 82 - 77, the Spurs went on a fourth quarter run, out - scoring the Pistons 27 - 23. It was n't enough though, as the Spurs turned the ball over late when Tony Parker could n't handle an inbound pass from Tim Duncan and in turn Brandon Jennings took advantage, hitting a running bank shot with under a second left in the game to steal the victory. The Pistons had contributions from all over the court with six players reaching double figures in points. Andre Drummond led the charge, finishing with a monster line of 20 points (8 - 10 FG, 4 - 9 FT) and 17 rebounds. It was his second double - double in a row, as he's combined for 35 points and 31 rebounds over his last two outings. Greg Monroe notched a double - double of his own, going for 17 points (7 - 10 FG, 3 - 4 FT) and 11 rebounds. The Pistons' big men had their way in this game, as both were extremely efficient all night long. Along with the game - winning shot, Jennings had 13 points (5 - 18 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and seven assists. While it was n't his best night shooting, he came in clutch when it mattered, so you ca n't argue with his performance. Coming off the bench, D.J. Augustin had a strong game. He went off for 19 points (8 - 18 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT) and five assists, coming one point short of matching a season - high. For the Spurs, Tim Duncan did everything he could to combat the big night of the Pistons big men. Duncan went 7 - for - 12 from the field to score 15 points, while also adding seven rebounds and two blocks. He struggled to only four points in Saturday's game against the Wizards, so it was a nice bounce back outing for him. Having a big night off the bench was Jeff Ayres. Ayres went 5 - for - 8 from the field and 6 - for - 7 from the free throw line to score 16 points in only 16 minutes. It was far and away a season - high for him, after reaching double - digits in points only one other time this season. Tony Parker was able to get the start after missing the last five games with a hamstring injury. He ended up only playing 12 minutes though, and finished with three points and a pair of assists. Both Danny Green (5 - 10 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt) and Marco Belinelli (4 - 8 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 2FT) had strong shooting efforts in this one, finishing with 13 and 12 points respectively. The Pistons' next game will be on the road against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, while the Spurs will be at home against the Phoenix Suns on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "13", "Heat": "17"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "104", "Heat": "90"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "26", "Heat": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "4", "Gerald Green": "1", "Cole Aldrich": "3", "Chris Paul": "12"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "10", "Gerald Green": "14", "Paul Pierce": "10", "Cole Aldrich": "14", "Chris Paul": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwyane Wade": "6", "Gerald Green": "7", "Paul Pierce": "6", "Cole Aldrich": "7", "Chris Paul": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "9", "Cole Aldrich": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Dwyane Wade": "4", "Cole Aldrich": "5"}, "Points": {"Dwyane Wade": "16", "Gerald Green": "19", "Hassan Whiteside": "10", "Paul Pierce": "15", "Cole Aldrich": "19", "Chris Paul": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwyane Wade": "8", "Gerald Green": "2", "Hassan Whiteside": "11", "Cole Aldrich": "7", "Chris Paul": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Dwyane Wade": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Gerald Green": "8", "Chris Paul": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Gerald Green": "4", "Chris Paul": "2"}, "Steals": {"Gerald Green": "1", "Cole Aldrich": "1", "Chris Paul": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Cole Aldrich": "24", "Chris Paul": "30"}, "Personal fouls": {"Cole Aldrich": "1"}}], "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."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "15", "Nuggets": "52"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "133", "Nuggets": "126"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "67", "Nuggets": "30"}}, {"Points": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "17", "Klay Thompson": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "9"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Klay Thompson": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Klay Thompson": "16"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (67 - 15) defeated the Denver Nuggets (30 - 52) 133 - 126 on Wednesday. The Warriors clinched the Western Conference long ago and at this point were just trying to stay healthy for the playoffs. In a somewhat meaningless game for Golden State, no starter played more than 20 minutes, and no bench players saw the floor for more than 25 minutes. Despite playing just 16 minutes, Klay Thompson managed to lead the Warriors with 25 points on 8 - for - 12 shooting from the field and 5 - for - 7 from downtown. Golden State will take on the New Orleans Pelicans (45 - 37) when the playoffs commence this weekend. The Nuggets ended a second straight disappointing season with a loss to the top - seeded Warriors. Jusuf Nurkic finished an up and down season with 17 points and nine rebounds for Denver, as Kenneth Faried was held out of the regular season finale to rest. With a 30 win season, the Nuggets end 2014 - 2015 as the 12th best team in the Western Conference. They finished 15 wins behind the eighth - seeded New Orleans Pelicans."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "42", "Hornets": "36"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "24", "Hornets": "20"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "95", "Hornets": "92"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "14", "Hornets": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "7", "Jeremy Lamb": "1", "Nikola Jokic": "9", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "6"}, "Points": {"Nicolas Batum": "9", "Jeremy Lamb": "15", "Danilo Gallinari": "27", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Nicolas Batum": "6", "Jeremy Lamb": "8", "Danilo Gallinari": "6", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jeremy Lamb": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jeremy Lamb": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Danilo Gallinari": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "39"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (14 - 24) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (17 - 20) 95 - 92 on Sunday night In a game between two struggling teams, it was clear to see why in this game. Both teams really struggled with their strokes in this matchup, as the Nuggets shot 42 percent to Charlotte's 36 percent. The fourth quarter was especially ugly, as the teams combined for 29 points in a display of inefficiency. There's not much to differentiate the teams in the stat sheet and it was as simple as the Nuggets getting out to a double - digit lead early in the fourth quarter and holding on for the win. Charlotte shot 11 - for - 45 in the second half and that ultimately cost them the game as well. The Hornets have now lost eight - straight games and are really struggling on the road with a 4 - 13 record. The good news here is that Nicolas Batum returned from his four - game absence from a toe injury to tally nine points, six rebounds and seven assists in the defeat. The backcourt was terrible for the Hornets tonight, as Batum, Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lin combined to go 6 - for - 29 from the field while scoring just 22 points. The one bright spot was Jeremy Lamb, who amassed 15 points and eight rebounds off the bench. The Hornets will look to get out of this rut on Wednesday against the Atlanta Hawks. Denver needed this win desperately and what makes it even better is that it came at home. This team was just 5 - 11 at the Pepsi Center prior to this win and they need to make that home venue a safe haven if they want to have any success this season. Emmanuel Mudiay returned for this game after dealing with an ankle injury for some time and played an astounding 39 minutes, totaling 11 points, six assists and four rebounds. Danilo Gallinari was the hero though, as he scored 27 points in the win. He is now averaging over 25 points per game over his last six games. The big surprise was a nine - assist performance from Nikola Jokic, who is proving to be a nice asset in the frontcourt for Denver. The Nuggets will look to build off this win in a tough matchup, when they host the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday in their next game."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "44"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "56"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "48", "Bucks": "38"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "100", "Bucks": "109"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "20"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "18", "Bucks": "29"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bucks": "28"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "11"}, "Personal fouls": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "11", "Jabari Parker": "5", "Greg Monroe": "5", "Khris Middleton": "5", "Miles Plumlee": "7", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "5", "Thaddeus Young": "10", "Brook Lopez": "3", "Sean Kilpatrick": "1"}, "Points": {"Jabari Parker": "23", "Greg Monroe": "14", "Khris Middleton": "19", "Miles Plumlee": "12", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "13", "Thaddeus Young": "17", "Brook Lopez": "20", "Sean Kilpatrick": "19"}, "Steals": {"Jabari Parker": "1", "Khris Middleton": "5", "Thaddeus Young": "1"}, "Assists": {"Greg Monroe": "3", "Khris Middleton": "7", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "7", "Thaddeus Young": "4", "Brook Lopez": "2", "Sean Kilpatrick": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Miles Plumlee": "1", "Brook Lopez": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "7"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (29 - 38) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (18 - 48) 109 - 100 on Sunday. Despite playing a competitive game through four quarters, the Nets provided a textbook example of how statistics can sometimes be deceiving. They turned in a solid shooting night, tallying 56 and 44 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively. Both figures were superior to those of the Bucks in those categories, but one other area of the stat sheet largely did Brooklyn in Sunday. The Nets committed more than double the turnovers of the visitors, handing the ball over 20 times to the Bucks. The miscues led to 33 points by Milwuakee, which severely undermined Brooklyn's efforts to secure a victory. They also found themselves powerless to stop one of the game's emerging superstars in Giannis Antetokounmpo, who managed his fourth triple - double in the last 11 games. The Greek Freak spearheaded the Bucks attack with a spectacular line of 28 points, 14 assists, 11 rebounds, four steals and two blocks. Jabari Parker was right behind him with 23 points, five rebounds and a steal. Khris Middleton turned in another productive outing and was outstanding on both sides of the floor, compiling 19 points, seven assists, five rebounds and five steals. Greg Monroe was solid in another start at center, tallying 14 points, five rebounds and three assists. Miles Plumlee paced the reserves with 12 points, seven rebounds and a block. The Bucks remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division, and are 6 games behind the eighth - seeded Detroit Pistons. They head home to face the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night. Brooklyn was paced by Brook Lopez, who totaled 20 points, three rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Thaddeus Young put together a 17 - point, 10 - rebound double - double, and added four assists and a steal. Bojan Bogdanovic followed with 13 points, seven assists and five rebounds, but did commit a game - high seven turnovers. Sean Kilpatrick led the bench with 19 points, a rebound and an assist. The Nets remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They're home again on Tuesday night for a showdown with the Philadelphia 76ers."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "48"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "27", "Spurs": "26"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "101", "Spurs": "94"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Mavericks": "17", "Spurs": "29"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "45", "Spurs": "44"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Manu Ginobili": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Manu Ginobili": "16"}, "Points": {"Manu Ginobili": "7", "Monta Ellis": "38"}, "Rebounds": {"Manu Ginobili": "4"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (45 - 27) picked up a huge victory Tuesday with a 101 - 94 win over the San Antonio Spurs (44 - 26) at the American Airlines Center. San Antonio got off to a hot start and took a 29 - 17 lead to end the first quarter, but Dallas battled back. The Mavericks, led by Monta Ellis' 38 points, shot 48 percent from the field as a team and outscored the Spurs 52 - 38 in the paint. Dallas leads the season series 2 - 1, but San Antonio will have a chance to even it on Friday when these teams meet at the AT & T Center. These teams are in a race for the sixth seed in the Western Conference as the Spurs are just percentage points ahead of the Mavericks. The Spurs had their three - game winning streak come to an end Tuesday just days after routing the East's top team, the Hawks, on Sunday. Manu Ginobili returned to action in this game after missing four games with an ankle injury. Ginobili finished with seven points in just 16 minutes as Gregg Popovich is working him back into the rotation. The Spurs have a big matchup with the Thunder on Wednesday before Friday's rematch with the Mavericks. Dallas had lost two straight coming into Tuesday's contest, but got back on track with a very important victory. Monta Ellis' 38 point outing was important to the shooter's psyche after he was a frigid 4 - for - 22 on Sunday against Phoenix. Richard Jefferson was forced from the game with back spasms and did not return to the floor. The Mavericks will look to win the tiebreaker over the Spurs on Friday when they square off in San Antonio."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "4", "Trail Blazers": "3"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Suns": "27"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "1", "Trail Blazers": "2"}}, {"Points": {"CJ McCollum": "24", "Damian Lillard": "27", "TJ Warren": "27", "Devin Booker": "15", "Eric Bledsoe": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"CJ McCollum": "4", "Damian Lillard": "5", "TJ Warren": "7", "Eric Bledsoe": "7"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Devin Booker": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Devin Booker": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Devin Booker": "39"}}], "The Phoenix Suns defeated the Portland Trail Blazers at Talking Stick Resort Arena on Wednesday. The Suns (1 - 4) grabbed their first win of the season in emphatic fashion against a tough opponent in the Trail Blazers (2 - 3). A neck - and - neck performance from end to end resulted in not one, but two moments that got every Suns fan out of their seats. Eric Bledsoe drove the lane and sank a layup with 0:1 left in regulation to put the Suns up by two points, but Meyers Leonard was the end of a fantastic drawn up play to drop in the buzzer beating equalizer to send the Blazers and Suns to overtime. Phoenix pulled away by six points after T.J. Warren dropped in two free throws with just over :30 left in the overtime period, but the Blazers simply would not go away. After Damian Lillard drove the lane for his own layup, and grabbed the foul, to the tie the game at 115 - 115 with :6 left, Eric Bledsoe sank the game winning three - pointer to cap off a wild finish in Phoenix. T.J. Warren led the Suns in scoring with 27 points, to go along with seven rebounds, while Eric Bledsoe added 20 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Devin Booker tallied 15 points on 6 - of - 15 shooting in 39 minutes of action. Damian Lillard once again led the Blazers in scoring with 27 points, five assists and five rebounds. Lillard\u2019s backcourt partner C.J. McCollum also tallied a solid scoring mark with 24 points, four boards and five assists. Both teams play on Friday, as the Blazers head to Dallas to take on the Mavericks while the New Orleans Pelicans will welcome the Suns."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "5", "Magic": "4"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "89", "Magic": "91"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "0", "Magic": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Magic": "51"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "3", "Tony Wroten": "6", "KJ McDaniels": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tobias Harris": "0", "Tony Wroten": "4", "KJ McDaniels": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "18", "Ben Gordon": "11", "Brandon Davies": "11", "Tony Wroten": "16", "KJ McDaniels": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Tobias Harris": "8", "Channing Frye": "5", "Ben Gordon": "5", "Brandon Davies": "9", "Tony Wroten": "9", "KJ McDaniels": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "2", "Ben Gordon": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Tobias Harris": "2", "Ben Gordon": "5", "Tony Wroten": "5"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "18", "Channing Frye": "13", "Nikola Vucevic": "17", "Ben Gordon": "15", "Brandon Davies": "20", "Tony Wroten": "27", "KJ McDaniels": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "8", "Channing Frye": "11", "Nikola Vucevic": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Nerlens Noel": "17"}, "Assists": {"Tony Wroten": "8"}, "Personal fouls": {"Tony Wroten": "4"}, "Steals": {"Tony Wroten": "5"}, "Blocks": {"KJ McDaniels": "3"}}], "The Orlando Magic (1 - 4) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (0 - 5) 91 - 89 on Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. This was a battle of current Eastern Conference bottom feeders, as both teams came in looking for their first victory of the 2014 - 15 season. In a sloppy game, both teams committed over 20 turnovers, but the Magic were able to secure the victory after out - rebounding the Sixers 51 to 38. Channing Frye posted his first double - double of the season, scoring 13 points and securing 11 rebounds. Tobias Harris continued to lead the Magic in scoring as he finished with 18 points (8 - 18 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and eight rebounds. He's now scored in double figures in all five games for the Magic this season. Nikola Vucevic continued to post strong offensive numbers, chipping in 17 points to go along with five rebounds. This was the first game this season he had less than 10 rebounds. Coming off the bench, Ben Gordon went 5 - for - 11 from the field and 5 - for - 6 from the free - throw line to contribute 15 points. Tony Wroten continued his strong start to the season, finishing with 27 points and eight assists. He shot 9 - for - 16 from the field and 4 - for - 6 from the three - point line, but also comitted nine turnovers. He's now eclipsed the 20 - point mark in four out of five games this season. Brandon Davies had the next most points for the Sixers, as he had 20 points of his own, going 9 - for - 11 from the field. Coming off the bench, rookie K.J. McDaniels played 28 minutes and turned that into 12 points (5 - 10 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt) and three blocks. Uncharacteristic of a guard, he continues to provide blocks for the Sixers. Nerlens Noel had to leave after 17 minutes with a sprained left ankle and did not return. The Magic's next game will be at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, while the Sixers will play at home against the Chicago Bulls on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "47"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "23", "Suns": "33"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "102", "Suns": "117"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Rockets": "37", "Suns": "33"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "46", "Suns": "37"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Alex Len": "18"}, "Personal fouls": {"PJ Tucker": "2"}, "Points": {"PJ Tucker": "19", "Eric Bledsoe": "34", "Trevor Ariza": "15", "James Harden": "16"}, "Blocks": {"Brandan Wright": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Brandan Wright": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Brandan Wright": "2", "James Harden": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Brandan Wright": "9", "Trevor Ariza": "12"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "5"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (37 - 33) got a big win on the road Saturday against the Houston Rockets (46 - 23) by a score of 117 - 102. Phoenix held off a Houston run in the fourth quarter where the Rockets cut the Suns lead to five with five minutes to go. A big key in this game was Phoenix's ability to keep James Harden in check. Harden finished with 16 points on 5 - of - 19 shooting and more importantly, the Suns kept Harden off the free throw line, holding him to just five free throw attempts. Phoenix's Eric Bledsoe had a big game as well with 34 points to help keep the Suns' playoff hopes alive. Phoenix's win helps it pick up a half game on New Orleans and Oklahoma City in the race for the final playoff spot in the West. Alex Len returned to the lineup after missing time due to an ankle injury, but only played 18 minutes. Brandan Wright and P.J Tucker had big outings as Wright pulled down nine rebounds and blocked two shots while Tucker had 19 points and had a solid game defensively. The Suns will have another chance to get a win against a playoff team on Sunday when they take on the Mavericks. Houston had its three game winning streak snapped Saturday despite shooting 47 percent from the floor. Trevor Ariza was able to play despite an illness and posted a double - double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Josh Smith turned his ankle mid way through the fourth quarter and did not return to action. The Rockets will travel to Indiana to take on the Pacers on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"76ers": "36", "Hornets": "28"}, "Losses": {"76ers": "66", "Hornets": "31"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "85", "Hornets": "100"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "9", "Hornets": "43"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "44"}}, {"Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "12", "Ish Smith": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nicolas Batum": "16", "Cody Zeller": "8", "Ish Smith": "17", "Nik Stauskas": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Nicolas Batum": "8", "Cody Zeller": "7", "Ish Smith": "6", "Nik Stauskas": "4"}, "Points": {"Nicolas Batum": "19", "Cody Zeller": "18", "Kemba Walker": "16", "Robert Covington": "18", "Ish Smith": "15", "Nik Stauskas": "13"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Cody Zeller": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Cody Zeller": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Cody Zeller": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kemba Walker": "4", "Nik Stauskas": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Nik Stauskas": "5"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (43 - 31) made easy work of the Philadelphia 76ers (9 - 66) Tuesday night at Wells Fargo Center, 100 - 85. This one was competitive early, but nursing a 36 - 32 lead in the second quarter, the Hornets pushed it into high gear. Charlotte finished the half on a 16 - 4 run to take a 52 - 36 halftime lead that would prove to be insurmountable. The big run was powered by Nicolas Batum, who scored five points and dished a pair of assists in the 4:33 stretch. Batum recorded his second triple - double of the season with 19 points (8 - 16 FG), 12 rebounds and 12 assists. Cody Zeller added an efficient 18 points (7 - 8 FG, 4 - 4 FT) and 11 rebounds, and Kemba Walker knocked down four three - pointers and finished with 16 points. Charlotte shot poorly - - just 44 percent from the field and 7 - 25 (28 percent) from three - - but they dominated the defensive glass, grabbing 56 of Philadelphia's 66 missed shots, a brilliant 85 percent defensive rebound rate. Robert Covington launched from three - point land all night and led the 76ers with 18 points on 6 - 14 shooting from deep (6 - 16 overall). Ish Smith scored 15 (6 - 17 FG) and dished six assists and Nik Stauskas scored 13 (4 - 11 FG, 2 - 5 3PT) off the bench. Philadelphia shot 36 percent from three (16 - 44) but had no chance inside against Charlotte's solid interior defense, as they shot a brutal 14 - 52 (27 percent) on two - point attempts. The Hornets and 76ers will matchup again on Friday in Charlotte."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "28", "Mavericks": "38"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "100", "Mavericks": "78"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Raptors": "25"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Raptors": "25"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "39", "Mavericks": "28"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "28"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "37"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "16", "DeMar DeRozan": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Harrison Barnes": "7", "DeMar DeRozan": "10"}, "Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "18", "Dirk Nowitzki": "17", "Dwight Powell": "10", "Norman Powell": "19", "Jonas Valanciunas": "14", "DeMar DeRozan": "25"}, "Assists": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Norman Powell": "3", "DeMar DeRozan": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "7", "Dwight Powell": "10", "Norman Powell": "5", "Jonas Valanciunas": "12", "DeMar DeRozan": "6"}, "Steals": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2"}}], "The Toronto Raptors defeated the Dallas Mavericks, 100 - 78, at Air Canada Center on Monday. While this game was close in the first half, Toronto took care of business in the second half to cruise to a win. There were actually six ties and eight lead changes in the first half, as the Raptors then outscored the Mavericks, 50 - 32, in the second half. Rebounding was the glaring difference in the game, with Toronto winning that battle, 55 - 34. They also stifled Dallas with their defense, holding the Mavericks to 37 percent from the field and 28 percent from three - point range. The Mavericks (28 - 38) are battling for the eight - seed in the west and losses like this are devastating for that pursuit. Harrison Barnes led Dallas, as he scored 18 points on 7 - of - 16 shooting. Dirk Nowitzki was n't far behind, as he tallied 17 points, seven rebounds and two assists. Dwight Powell led the bench, as he provided 10 points and 10 rebounds. It was n't just a loss in the record book, as Wesley Matthews suffered a calf strain and was unable to return after 17 minutes of action. On deck for Dallas is a road matchup against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday. The Raptors (39 - 28) had lost four of six headed into this matchup, so this win is just what the doctor ordered. DeMar DeRozan led the way for Toronto, as he collected 25 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals on 10 - of - 17 shooting. Norman Powell finished second on the team, accruing 19 points, five rebounds and three assists. Jonas Valanciunas amassed 14 points and 12 rebounds en route to a double - double. Toronto will look to build off this win in a home matchup against the Oklahoma City thunder on Thursday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Spurs": "39"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Spurs": "60"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "124", "Thunder": "92"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Spurs": "43", "Thunder": "20"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "1"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "1"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Thunder": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "9", "Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Tony Parker": "12"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kevin Durant": "3"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "16", "Serge Ibaka": "19", "Russell Westbrook": "14", "Kawhi Leonard": "25", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "38", "Danny Green": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "8", "Serge Ibaka": "2", "Kawhi Leonard": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Danny Green": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Danny Green": "5"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder, 124 - 92, in Game 1 of the Western Conference second - round playoffs Saturday at AT & T Center. This was expected to be a close series, but this was an ugly Game 1. San Antonio led by 23 points after the first quarter and took a 33 - point lead into the second half. The Spurs shot 18 - for - 22 in a 43 - point first quarter, while holding the Thunder to 7 - for - 24 while scoring just 20 points on their end. San Antonio shot over 60 percent from the field in their win and recorded 39 assists on 51 made baskets. Oklahoma City had a tough task going into San Antonio, but they simply didn\u2019t show up in Game 1. Serge Ibaka led the team with 19 points, but grabbed just two boards and failed to record a block. Kevin Durant tallied 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists in just three quarters of action. Russell Westbrook shot just 5 - for - 19 and finished the game with 14 points and nine assists. The Spurs tied an NBA record with 40 home wins this season and they continued that dominance here. LaMarcus Aldridge amassed 38 points and six rebounds, despite not playing the fourth quarter. Kawhi Leonard also didn\u2019t play the fourth and still finished the game with 25 points, five rebounds and five assists. Tony Parker dished out 12 assists. Danny Green went 5 - for - 6 from three - point range and scored 18 points in the victory. Game 2 is Monday in San Antonio."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "15", "Trail Blazers": "28"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "116", "Trail Blazers": "105"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Warriors": "30", "Trail Blazers": "27"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "64", "Trail Blazers": "51"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "27"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "4", "Damian Lillard": "8", "CJ McCollum": "1", "Draymond Green": "3", "Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "10"}, "Blocks": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "CJ McCollum": "1", "Draymond Green": "2", "Klay Thompson": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "3", "Damian Lillard": "9", "CJ McCollum": "3", "Draymond Green": "4", "Klay Thompson": "5", "Stephen Curry": "13"}, "3-pointers made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "2", "Damian Lillard": "1", "CJ McCollum": "1", "Draymond Green": "1", "Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "24", "Damian Lillard": "22", "CJ McCollum": "14", "Draymond Green": "11", "Klay Thompson": "21", "Stephen Curry": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "11", "Damian Lillard": "9", "CJ McCollum": "8", "Draymond Green": "5", "Klay Thompson": "10", "Stephen Curry": "17"}, "Minutes played": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "35", "Arron Afflalo": "27", "Damian Lillard": "38", "CJ McCollum": "31", "Draymond Green": "36", "Klay Thompson": "36", "Stephen Curry": "35"}, "Points": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "27", "Arron Afflalo": "8", "Damian Lillard": "20", "CJ McCollum": "17", "Draymond Green": "11", "Klay Thompson": "26", "Stephen Curry": "45"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "6", "Damian Lillard": "6", "CJ McCollum": "2", "Draymond Green": "14", "Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Steals": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "CJ McCollum": "2", "Draymond Green": "1", "Klay Thompson": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}}], "The Warriors (64 - 15) defeated the Trail Blazers (51 - 28) 116 - 105 on Thursday. It was Stephen Curry\u2019s night. He scored 45 points and broke the NBA single - season record for three - pointers with 273, a record he set two years ago in Portland. The game was tied 84 - 84 at the end of the third quarter. In the fourth, Curry poured in 19 points, and the Warriors finally pulled away. Curry went 17 - for - 23 from the field and 8 - for - 13 from three - point range. He also recorded two rebounds and 10 assists in 35 minutes of action. Klay Thompson had 26 points (10 - 21 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt), four rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in 36 minutes. Draymond Green contributed 11 points (5 - 11 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt), 14 rebounds, three assists, one steal and two blocks in 36 minutes. LaMarcus Aldridge was the Trail Blazers\u2019 leading scorer with 27 points (11 - 24 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt), to go with six rebounds, four assists, one steal and two blocks in 35 minutes. Damian Lillard had 20 points (9 - 22 FG, 1 - 9 3Pt), six rebounds and eight assists in 38 minutes. C.J. McCollum contributed 17 points (8 - 14 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt), two rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block in 31 minutes. Aaron Afflalo notched 8 points in 27 minutes before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with a possible tear in his shoulder. The Warriors are the top team in the Western Conference, 11 games ahead of the second place Grizzlies. The Trail Blazers are fourth in the West. The Warriors have swept the season series with the Trail Blazers 30."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Suns": "11", "Nuggets": "21"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Wilson Chandler": "3"}, "Points": {"Wilson Chandler": "25", "Jameer Nelson": "21", "Nikola Jokic": "13", "Devin Booker": "30", "Eric Bledsoe": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"Wilson Chandler": "8", "Nikola Jokic": "11", "Tyson Chandler": "15", "Eric Bledsoe": "6"}, "Steals": {"Wilson Chandler": "3", "Eric Bledsoe": "2"}, "Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2"}}], "Injuries have given Denver's Wilson Chandler a chance to jump out on the stat sheet in the Nuggets' recent games. After a 32 - point double - double on Friday night, Chandler once again led the team in scoring on Sunday, pouring in 25 points. Chandler knocked down three three - pointers and also had eight rebounds and three steals. Sophomore big man Nikola Jokic, meanwhile, led the bench unit with a 13 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. Denver's starting backcourt combined for 40 points, including 21 for veteran guard Jameer Nelson. On the other side, Phoenix saw huge performances from its two star guards. Eric Bledsoe delivered one of his strongest stat lines of the season, scoring 35 points to go along with six rebounds, six assists, two blocks, and two steals. Sophomore Devin Booker, meanwhile, scored 30 points while turning the ball over just once. Phoenix also enjoyed 15 rebounds from center Tyson Chandler, who dominated the boards against the league's number one rebounding team. The Suns struggled with ball movement, however, totaling just 11 assists as a team."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Clippers": "33", "Grizzlies": "33"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "44", "Grizzlies": "41"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "20", "Grizzlies": "14"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "87", "Grizzlies": "90"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "37", "Grizzlies": "41"}, "Turnovers": {"Grizzlies": "10"}}, {"Assists": {"Jeff Green": "2", "Mike Conley": "7", "Chris Paul": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jeff Green": "6", "Mike Conley": "3", "Tony Allen": "1", "Chris Paul": "3", "Jamal Crawford": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jeff Green": "3", "Mike Conley": "1", "Tony Allen": "0", "Chris Paul": "2", "Jamal Crawford": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jeff Green": "12", "Zach Randolph": "12", "Marc Gasol": "11", "Mike Conley": "10", "Tony Allen": "10", "DeAndre Jordan": "4", "Chris Paul": "22", "Jamal Crawford": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Jeff Green": "5", "Zach Randolph": "2", "Marc Gasol": "6", "Mike Conley": "5", "Tony Allen": "4", "DeAndre Jordan": "4", "Chris Paul": "13", "Jamal Crawford": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jeff Green": "1", "Jamal Crawford": "1"}, "Points": {"Jeff Green": "16", "Zach Randolph": "7", "Marc Gasol": "14", "Mike Conley": "18", "Tony Allen": "10", "DeAndre Jordan": "9", "Chris Paul": "30", "Jamal Crawford": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Jeff Green": "6", "Zach Randolph": "10", "Marc Gasol": "6", "Tony Allen": "5", "DeAndre Jordan": "17", "Jamal Crawford": "3"}, "Steals": {"Jeff Green": "1", "Mike Conley": "2", "Tony Allen": "2", "Jamal Crawford": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Zach Randolph": "6", "Marc Gasol": "2", "Mike Conley": "8", "Tony Allen": "4", "Jamal Crawford": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Zach Randolph": "3", "Marc Gasol": "2", "Mike Conley": "7", "Tony Allen": "2", "Jamal Crawford": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "3", "DeAndre Jordan": "2", "Chris Paul": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Mike Conley": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Mike Conley": "34", "Tony Allen": "28"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jamal Crawford": "1"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (41 - 14) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers (37 - 20) 90 - 87 on Monday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. In a very evenly matched game, it was the Grizzlies who pulled out the close victory, as they took down a team that they could see again when the playoffs come around. Both teams had similar shooting percentages, with the Grizzlies going 41 percent from the field and 33 percent from the three - point line, while the Clippers went 44 percent from the floor and 33 percent from deep as well. The Clippers did turn the ball over 14 times, compared to only 10 turnovers from the Grizzlies, so those few extra mistakes may have cost them in this one. The Clippers got most of their production from Chris Paul on Monday. He went 13 - for - 22 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 30 points, while also adding 10 assists and two blocked shots. It was the fifth double - double over his last six games, a stretch where he's averaged 20 points and 12 assists. The only other Clipper to reach double figures in points was Jamal Crawford, who came off the bench for 15 points (4 - 15 FG, 3 - 8 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and three rebounds in 26 minutes. He had scored 20 or more points in six straight games leading up to this one, but he could n't keep the streak alive. It was still a solid line for the guard, who now owns a season average of 16 points per game. DeAndre Jordan went a perfect 4 - for - 4 from the field to score nine points, to go along with 17 rebounds and two blocked shots. He continues to be an absolute animal on the boards, grabbing 15 or more rebounds in each of his last five games. The Clippers put themselves in position to grab a win, but just could n't get it done in the end. For the Grizzlies, Mike Conley had a solid showing. He posted 18 points (5 - 10 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT), seven assists and two steals in 34 minutes. He's had a nice impact on the defensive side of the ball lately as well, recording two or more steals in four out of his last five games. Jeff Green shot the ball well in this one. He went 5 - for - 12 from the field and 3 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 16 points, while adding six rebounds. He's now averaging 16 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists on the season. Marc Gasol reached double figures as well, posting 14 points (6 - 11 FG, 2 - 2 FT), to go along with six rebounds and three blocked shots. It was his second straight game with three blocks. While he did n't have the best game offensively as he scored just seven points (2 - 12 FG, 3 - 6 FT), Zach Randolph made up for it by grabbing 10 rebounds. It was only the second time over his last 20 games he failed to reach double - digit points, but his teammates picked up the slack and the Grizzlies still came out with the win. Coming off the bench, Tony Allen chipped in with 10 points (4 - 10 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT), five rebounds and two steals in 28 minutes. The Grizzlies' next game will be on the road against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, while the Clippers will travel to Houston to play the Rockets on Wednesday."], [[{"Total points": {"Jazz": "100", "Timberwolves": "94"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "11", "Timberwolves": "5"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "17"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "10"}, "Points": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "30", "Gordon Hayward": "26"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Gordon Hayward": "36"}}], "Minnesota's woes continued Tueday when their losing streak was extended to nine games, falling to Utah by a score of 100 - 94. The Timberwolves let an eight - point lead with four minutes to go slip away as the Jazz scored 11 unanswered points to take control. In their Monday night loss to the Clippers, the Jazz's sub - par free throw shooting sunk them down the stretch, but they performed much better at the charity stripe Tuesday, burying 17 of their 22 free throws against the Timberwolves. Gordon Hayward had his third 20 - point game in his last four contests. Against the Timberwolves, he led the Jazz with 26 points in 36 minutes. Despite losing their ninth straight game, Minnesota has to be encouraged by Shabazz Muhammad's night. Muhammad scored a season - high 30 points on 10 - of - 17 shooting from the floor, including five three - pointers. The Timberwolves are idle Wednesday before hosting the Kings on New Year's Day. The Jazz, coming off a tough loss Monday night at the Clippers, were able to rally in the fourth quarter against the Timberwolves. Utah has now won five of their last seven games, including wins at the Heat and at the Grizzlies. The Jazz will have the next two nights off before hosting the Hawks on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Rockets": "16"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "8", "Spurs": "5"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "100", "Spurs": "102"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "21", "Spurs": "23"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4", "James Harden": "7", "Eric Gordon": "4"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "21", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "17", "Patty Mills": "13", "James Harden": "31", "Eric Gordon": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "10", "James Harden": "10"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"James Harden": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"James Harden": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "26"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "10"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Houston Rockets 102 - 100 Tuesday at Toyota Center. The Spurs (23 - 5) entered the fourth quarter down seven points after the Rockets (21 - 8) put together a dominant performance in the third period to take the lead. But San Antonio, being the road warriors they are, managed to extend their record away from home to 15 - 1 thanks to a game - winning Patty Mills jumper with just 12 seconds left. Eric Gordon and James Harden both had their shot at game - winners after that, but failed to convert on their home floor. Mills finished with 13 points off the bench for the Spurs, but it was Kawhi Leonard who once again led the way for his team, scoring a team - high 21 points on top of five rebounds, four assists and five steals. LaMarcus Aldridge added a double - double of 17 points and 10 rebounds. For the Rockets, Tuesday's defeat put an end to their 10 - game win streak, but, for the team being, they remain in third place in the Western Conference standings. James Harden led the way for Houston with 31 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, but he shot just 10 - of - 26 from the field and 1 - of - 11 from behind the arc. And that cold streak from 3 - point range was contagious, as the team as a whole shot a miserable 6 - of - 38 (16 percent) from long range after being nearly unstoppable from behind the arc over their win streak. Up next, the Spurs will look to continue their winning ways on the road Thursday when they take on the Clippers, while the Rockets look to get back on track Wednesday in Phoenix."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "15", "Magic": "12"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "99", "Magic": "107"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "26"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "14", "Magic": "16"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Magic": "26"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "19", "Victor Oladipo": "7", "Lance Thomas": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "13", "Victor Oladipo": "4", "Lance Thomas": "9"}, "Points": {"Nikola Vucevic": "26", "Elfrid Payton": "5", "Victor Oladipo": "12", "Lance Thomas": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "9"}, "Assists": {"Elfrid Payton": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Elfrid Payton": "10", "Victor Oladipo": "24"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Victor Oladipo": "5", "Lance Thomas": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Victor Oladipo": "4", "Lance Thomas": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Lance Thomas": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Lance Thomas": "3"}}], "The Magic (16 - 12) managed to outlast the Knicks (14 - 15) en route to a 107 - 99 victory at Madison Square Garden on Monday. Nikola Vucevic had 20 of his game - high 26 points after the third quarter while Evan Fournier was able to make a couple of huge baskets back - to - back to give the Magic a six point lead with two minutes remaining in the fourth, which ultimately put the Knicks out of reach. Vucevic abused New York down low, finishing 13 - of - 19 from the field with nine rebounds. Carmelo Anthony started off hot for the Knicks, but cooled off in the final frame. The Magic may have got the win Monday, but they lost point guard Elfrid Payton in the first quarter due to a sore left ankle. Prior to leaving, Payton was having a decent night with five points and three assists in 10 minutes of action. Orlando turned to Victor Oladipo in Payton's absence and he put together a nice game, scoring 12 points (4 - 7 FG, 4 - 5 FT) in 24 minutes. The Magic have been very good on the defensive side of the ball lately, but losing Payton will certainly affect those results should he be sidelined for an extended period of time. The Knicks were n't able to get a stop down the stretch, which led to their demise. They did however get an encouraging game from Lance Thomas, who matched his career high of 24 points - - which was also a season high - - while shooting a perfect 9 - of - 9 from the field (3 - 3 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT). Thomas has really come on in the month of December, averaging almost 12 points and a little over 20 minutes per game off the bench while having scored in double figures in six straight."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "12", "Mavericks": "24"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "104", "Mavericks": "89"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "48", "Mavericks": "40"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "37"}}, {"Assists": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Draymond Green": "4", "Stephen Curry": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Rajon Rondo": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "2"}, "Points": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "14", "Monta Ellis": "6", "Rajon Rondo": "14", "Harrison Barnes": "12", "Draymond Green": "18", "Klay Thompson": "16", "Stephen Curry": "22", "Marreese Speights": "12", "Shaun Livingston": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Monta Ellis": "14", "Draymond Green": "14", "Klay Thompson": "14", "Stephen Curry": "11", "Shaun Livingston": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Monta Ellis": "2", "Draymond Green": "8", "Klay Thompson": "5", "Stephen Curry": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rajon Rondo": "2"}, "Steals": {"Rajon Rondo": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Draymond Green": "31", "Klay Thompson": "31", "Stephen Curry": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "9", "Shaun Livingston": "10"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (48 - 12) dominated the Dallas Mavericks (40 - 24) en route to a 104 - 89 victory Friday in Oakland. It was an all - around brilliant team performance from the Warriors as six different players scored in double figures. Stephen Curry lead the way, recording 22 points on 6 - of - 11 shooting and seven assists in 31 minutes. Draymond Green also put together a solid outing, putting up 18 points on 8 - of - 14 shooting, nine rebounds, and four assists in 31 minutes. Klay Thompson struggled shooting from the field, but still managed 16 points on 5 - of - 14 shooting in 31 minutes. Harrison Barnes (12), Marreese Speights (12), and Shaun Livingston (10) rounded out the Golden State players who scored in double figures. The team improved to 26 - 2 at home this season and continue to have a hold on first place in the Western Conference. Nobody on the Mavericks could get anything going offensively. Rajon Rondo and Dirk Nowitzki led the team in scoring with 14 points each, but the two shot a combined 11 - of - 31 from the field. Monta Ellis had a horrendous shooting night, scoring just six points on 2 - of - 14 shooting. As a team, Dallas shot just 37 percent from the field and are currently in sixth place in the Western Conference after losing four of their last five games. Up next, the Warriors will stay at home and go up against the Clippers on Sunday, while the Mavericks will travel to Los Angeles Sunday to take on the Lakers."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "6", "Jazz": "35"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "115", "Jazz": "94"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Warriors": "34", "Jazz": "31"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "57", "Jazz": "29"}}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "16", "Trey Burke": "18", "Draymond Green": "17", "Klay Thompson": "23", "Stephen Curry": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "6", "Draymond Green": "7", "Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Steals": {"Gordon Hayward": "1"}, "Assists": {"Trey Burke": "1", "Draymond Green": "5", "Stephen Curry": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Trey Burke": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Trey Burke": "8", "Stephen Curry": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Trey Burke": "22", "Klay Thompson": "30"}, "Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Stephen Curry": "4"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (57 - 6) defeated the Utah Jazz (29 - 35) 115 - 94 at Oracle Arena on Wednesday. The Warriors continued their home dominance in the regular season and improved to 280 at Oracle Arena. The outlier as compared to most Golden State games this season was Stephen Curry, who started the game 0 - for - 5 from the field, but made up for his off shooting with six assists in the first quarter. Curry finished the night with just 12 points, three rebounds and 10 assists on 4 - of - 12 shooting, but was bailed out by splash brother Klay Thompson, who led all scorers in the contest with 23 points. Thompson added was absent from the box score in terms of rebounding and assists, but he buried 5 - of - 8 from deep in 30 minutes. Draymond Green seemed to end his skid of rough shooting on his way to 17 points, to go along with seven rebounds, five assists and three blocks. The rotating bench hero honors belonged to Leandro Barbosa and Marreese Speights, as their 29 combined points kept the Jazz on their heels throughout the second half. It\u2019s tough to put up a contest against the league\u2019s best team, especially when they are a lights out 57 percent shooting as a unit. Trey Burke pitched in one of his better performances of the season in his bench role, and outside of getting crossed over by Curry, who followed up with a 55 - foot halftime buzzer beating, bank shot, three pointer, he led the Jazz in scoring and outplayed the starting backcourt. Burke added 18 points, including a perfect 8 - of - 8 from the charity stripe, in 22 minutes. Utah played physically during the first quarter, but the Warriors pace proved to be too much for Gordon Hayward and the rest of the starters, who looked gassed after just one half of play. Hayward contributed 16 points and six boards, but his team shot a combined 41 percent, and that was on a night where Curry looked vulnerable. Rodney Hood (back) did not play, but could return as soon as Friday. Both teams play on Friday, as the Jazz will host the Washington Wizards (29 - 34), and the Warriors face one of the six teams that have beat them this season, the Portland Trail Blazers (34 - 31)."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "44", "Grizzlies": "24"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "111", "Grizzlies": "106"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "15", "Grizzlies": "34"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "30"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Grizzlies": "28"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Grizzlies": "30"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Grizzlies": "30"}}, {"Points": {"Zach Randolph": "19", "Mike Conley": "19", "PJ Tucker": "17", "Alex Len": "22"}, "Assists": {"Mike Conley": "8", "PJ Tucker": "7"}, "Turnovers": {"Mike Conley": "2"}, "Blocks": {"PJ Tucker": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"PJ Tucker": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"PJ Tucker": "11", "Alex Len": "16"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (15 - 44) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (34 - 24) 111 - 106 on Saturday. Not many people would have expected a Suns win in this game, but they got off to a hot start and held off the Grizzlies for a much needed victory. Phoenix led 25 - 17 after the first quarter and proceeded to carry a double - digit lead into the fourth quarter. Despite the Grizzlies making a furious run, the Suns held them off in the final seconds. The key for Phoenix was their big men, as they outrebounded Memphis 55 to 35. Memphis came into this matchup winning four of their last five and really should have made it five of six. They lost to a Suns team that is really struggling and were simply outhustled all evening long. Mike Conley and Zach Randolph tied the team lead with 19 points in the loss, despite the two combining to go 12 - for - 31 from the field. The ball movement and rebounding was terrible, as the team combined for just seven assists outside of Conley's eight and were nearly doubled up on the boards. Memphis will look to play better on Monday when they face the Denver Nuggets in their next game. The Suns had lost 28 of their last 30, so to say this win was needed would be a drastic understatement. Alex Len was fantastic, as he scored 22 points, while snatching down 16 rebounds in the win. P.J. Tucker flirted with a triple - double, as he accumulated 17 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in one of the best games of his career. The Suns wo n't play again until Tuesday, when they take on the Charlotte Hornets on the road."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "68", "Pacers": "36"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "102", "Pacers": "115"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "9", "Pacers": "40"}}, {"Points": {"Paul George": "20", "Lavoy Allen": "2", "Monta Ellis": "12", "George Hill": "11", "Rodney Stuckey": "17", "CJ Miles": "25", "Jerami Grant": "20", "Carl Landry": "19", "Isaiah Canaan": "24", "Ish Smith": "12", "Nik Stauskas": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "8", "Lavoy Allen": "1", "Ian Mahinmi": "12", "Monta Ellis": "2", "Rodney Stuckey": "1", "CJ Miles": "2", "Jerami Grant": "9", "Carl Landry": "6", "Isaiah Canaan": "4", "Ish Smith": "2", "Nik Stauskas": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Lavoy Allen": "13", "Rodney Stuckey": "22", "CJ Miles": "21", "Jerami Grant": "37"}, "Blocks": {"Ian Mahinmi": "1", "George Hill": "1", "CJ Miles": "1", "Jerami Grant": "1"}, "Steals": {"Ian Mahinmi": "1", "Monta Ellis": "1", "Rodney Stuckey": "1", "CJ Miles": "3"}, "Assists": {"Monta Ellis": "6", "George Hill": "1", "Rodney Stuckey": "5", "Jerami Grant": "3", "Carl Landry": "2", "Isaiah Canaan": "2", "Ish Smith": "6", "Nik Stauskas": "3"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (40 - 36) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (9 - 68) 115 - 102 on Saturday. Indiana coach Frank Vogel opted for a change in his starting five prior to Saturday night's contest, inserting Lavoy Allen into the first unit and sending rookie Myles Turner to the bench. However, it was a night where the reserves stood out more than the front line players, as C.J. Miles, Rodney Stuckey and Turner all outshined their starting counterparts. Miles led the Pacers overall with 25 points, two rebounds, three steals and a block in just 21 minutes off the bench. Stuckey was close behind him with 17 points, five assists, a rebound and a steal over 22 minutes. Meanwhile, Turner notably outperformed Allen, who only played 13 minutes and tallied two points and a rebound despite the starting assignment. The rookie finished with eight points, 10 boards, two assists and a block in 27 minutes of court time. Paul George led the way for Indiana's starters with 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Monta Ellis followed with 12 points, six assists, two rebounds and a steal. George Hill was close behind with 11 points, three rebounds, an assist and a block. Ian Mahinmi was only able to muster a modest six points, but did haul in 12 rebounds and record a steal and a block. The Pacers momentarily vault into a second place - tie with the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference's Central Division, pending the outcome of Saturday's Pistons-Bulls contest. Indiana is currently slotted in the seventh seed as well, and heads to New York to face off with the Knicks on Sunday. Isaiah Canaan paced the Sixers with 24 points, four rebounds and a pair of assists. Jerami Grant, who was supposed to be on a playing time restriction in his second game back from injury, provided 20 points, nine boards, three assists and a block over 37 minutes on the court. Carl Landry continued his solid work in Nerlen Noel's stead, tallying 19 points, six rebounds and two assists. Ish Smith supplied 12 points, six assists and a pair of boards. Nik Stauskas paced the bench with nine points, three assists and a pair of rebounds. The Sixers remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They remain home to face the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday."], [[{}, {"Minutes played": {"Corey Brewer": "16"}, "Points": {"Corey Brewer": "4", "James Harden": "32", "Eric Gordon": "11", "Markieff Morris": "7"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "15"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Markieff Morris": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Markieff Morris": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "9"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"John Wall": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"John Wall": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"John Wall": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"John Wall": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"John Wall": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"John Wall": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"John Wall": "2"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "2"}}], "Washington has really struggled on defense this season, as this marks the fourth time they've allowed at least 112 points. John Wall continues to struggle with turnovers, as he's committed at least five turnovers in all but one game this season. Wall compounded his problems with giveaways by committing two technical fouls in the contest. Opposing point guard James Harden was n't taking care of the ball either, as he committed eight turnovers in his 32 - point, 15 - assist outing. Harden actually has at least 30 points and 12 assists across each of his last four games. Markieff Morris really battled with his jumper all night long, going just 3 - of - 14 from the field in a seven - point, nine - rebound performance. The Rockets chose to start Corey Brewer over Eric Gordon for the first time this season, but Gordon still played 31 minutes and scored 11 points, while Brewer scored just four points in 16 minutes."], [[{"Total points": {"Cavaliers": "123", "Hawks": "98"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Cavaliers": "35", "Hawks": "20"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Cavaliers": "39", "Hawks": "18"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "1", "Thabo Sefolosha": "2", "Kris Humphries": "1", "Kevin Love": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "6", "Channing Frye": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "1", "Al Horford": "1"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "16", "Al Horford": "10", "Jeff Teague": "14", "Thabo Sefolosha": "10", "Mike Muscala": "10", "Kris Humphries": "12", "Kevin Love": "11", "JR Smith": "23", "Kyrie Irving": "19", "Channing Frye": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "11", "Al Horford": "3", "Jeff Teague": "3", "Thabo Sefolosha": "2", "Mike Muscala": "1", "Kris Humphries": "9", "Kevin Love": "13", "JR Smith": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "2", "Channing Frye": "5"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "1", "Kris Humphries": "1", "JR Smith": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "1", "Channing Frye": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "28", "JR Smith": "28"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"JR Smith": "13"}, "3-pointers made": {"JR Smith": "7"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the visiting Atlanta Hawks, 123 - 98, to take a 20 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals Wednesday at Quicken Loans Arena. The contest was such a blowout at one point that even the 25 - point final margin of victory belies the extent of Cleveland's domination. After building a 35 - 20 lead after one quarter, the Cavs broke open the game for good in a second period that they prevailed in by a score of 39 - 18. The 74 - 38 halftime lead rendered the second half a veritable formality, and even with the Hawks outscoring a disinterested Cleveland squad by a score of 60 - 49 over the final 24 minutes, they never got within striking distance of the home team. It was an all - around stellar effort from the Cavs, which shot 47 percent from the field and 56 percent from three - point range, and elicited 16 turnovers from an overmatched Atlanta unit. With the game turning into a hopeless cause for the Hawks by halftime, no member of the starting five played more than 27 minutes. Paul Millsap spearheaded the first unit with a 16 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included an assist, a steal and a block. Jeff Teague rebounded from a lackluster Game 1 to record 14 points, six assists and three rebounds. Al Horford was the third and final member to manage double - digit scoring, supplying 10 points, three rebounds, an assist and a block. The bench saw more action than usual, with Kris Humphries pacing the reserves with 12 points, nine rebounds, an assist and a steal. Thabo Sefolosha and Mike Muscala followed with a pair of 10 - point efforts, with the former adding two rebounds and two assists, while the latter also hauling in a rebound. Cleveland's starters were done early for the night as well, as they were paced by a pair of 28 - minute stints from J.R. Smith and LeBron James. The latter also led all scorers with 27 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals. Meanwhile, Smith followed with 23 points, two rebounds and a pair of steals. He also enjoyed his second straight prolific game from three - point range, as he sank seven of 13 attempts from beyond the arc. Kyrie Irving registered 19 points, six assists, two rebounds and a steal. Kevin Love turned in an 11 - point, 13 - rebound double - double that also included two assists. Channing Frye led the second unit with 12 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal. The series now shifts to Philips Arena in Atlanta for Game 3 on Friday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "18"}, "Turnovers": {"Celtics": "18", "Rockets": "17"}}, {"Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "12", "Ryan Anderson": "19", "Clint Capela": "12", "James Harden": "30", "Montrezl Harrell": "11", "Sam Dekker": "15", "Jae Crowder": "23", "Al Horford": "20", "Jaylen Brown": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "38", "Marcus Smart": "7", "Gerald Green": "7"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "12", "Al Horford": "9", "Isaiah Thomas": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Jae Crowder": "10", "Jaylen Brown": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "5"}, "Steals": {"Isaiah Thomas": "1"}}], "Isaiah Thomas continued his stellar play while leading the Celtics with 38 points, nine assists, five rebounds and a steal. Jae Crowder stepped up with a 23 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Al Horford supplied a near double - double of 20 points and nine assists. Jaylen Brown started over Marcus Smart but only contributed two points and three rebounds. Smart and Gerald Green led the second unit with matching seven - point tallies. James Harden's 30 - point, 12 - assist paced the Rockets. Ryan Anderson produced 19 points, while Trevor Ariza and Clint Capela followed with matching 12 - point efforts. Sam Dekker paced the second unit with 15 points, and Montrezl Harrell tallied 11 points in a reserve role as well. Both teams had a hard time hanging on to the ball, as Houston was guilty of 17 turnovers, while Boston gave it away 18 times."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "49", "Magic": "46"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "16", "Magic": "25"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "114", "Magic": "107"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Jazz": "29", "Magic": "42"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "26", "Magic": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"Aaron Gordon": "2", "Serge Ibaka": "2", "Nikola Vucevic": "3", "Jodie Meeks": "6", "Elfrid Payton": "9", "Gordon Hayward": "7", "Derrick Favors": "1", "Rudy Gobert": "2", "Rodney Hood": "2", "George Hill": "7"}, "Points": {"Aaron Gordon": "21", "Serge Ibaka": "13", "Nikola Vucevic": "15", "Jodie Meeks": "12", "Elfrid Payton": "28", "Jeff Green": "11", "Gordon Hayward": "23", "Derrick Favors": "17", "Rudy Gobert": "19", "Rodney Hood": "14", "George Hill": "14", "Joe Ingles": "8", "Alec Burks": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Aaron Gordon": "4", "Serge Ibaka": "5", "Nikola Vucevic": "8", "Jodie Meeks": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "9", "Jeff Green": "5", "Gordon Hayward": "5", "Derrick Favors": "6", "Rudy Gobert": "19", "Rodney Hood": "4"}, "Steals": {"Aaron Gordon": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "3", "Jodie Meeks": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "2", "Gordon Hayward": "1", "George Hill": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Elfrid Payton": "1", "Rudy Gobert": "2"}}], "The Utah Jazz defeated the Orlando Magic, 114 - 107, at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Saturday. The Jazz (26 - 16) have a well - earned defensive reputation, but they did a fine job lighting up the scoreboard on Saturday as well after falling behind early. All five members of their first unit tallied double digits in the scoring column, and Utah shot a stellar 49 percent from the field overall. The Magic (17 - 25) did a pretty good job of keeping pace, though, as they emerged from the first quarter with a 42 - 29 lead and managed a 46 percent success rate from the floor. However, Utah's vaunted defense asserted its dominance following their disastrous first 12 minutes, limiting Orlando to just 65 points over the last three quarters. Elfrid Payton led all scorers with 28 points, which he supplemented with nine rebounds, nine assists, two steals and a block. Aaron Gordon went for 21 points, four boards, two assists and a steal. Nikola Vucevic could n't quite duplicate his standout effort from Friday night versus the Suns, but did contribute a solid 15 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals. Serge Ibaka overcame a questionable designation due to a shoulder injury to take the floor and tally 13 points, five rebounds and two assists. Jodie Meeks notched a spot start in place of Evan Fournier (foot) and collected 12 points, six assists, three rebounds and a steal. Jeff Green led the bench with 11 points and five rebounds. Gordon Hayward paced the Jazz with 23 points, seven assists, five rebounds and a steal. Rudy Gobert was next with a monster 19 - point, 19 - rebound double - double that also included two assists and two blocks. Derrick Favors registered 17 points, six rebounds and an assist. George Hill and Rodney Hood turned in matching 14 - point efforts, with the former also dishing out seven assists and recording two steals, and the latter posting four rebounds and two assists. Joe Ingles and Alec Burks led the second unit with a pair of eight - point tallies. The Magic continue their road trip with a Monday afternoon showdown against the Denver Nuggets, while the Jazz travel to Phoenix to take on the Suns on Monday evening."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "38"}, "Rebounds": {"Hawks": "45", "Heat": "54"}}, {"Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Hassan Whiteside": "9", "Dion Waiters": "19", "Tyler Johnson": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Hassan Whiteside": "1", "Dion Waiters": "6", "Tyler Johnson": "9"}, "Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "2", "Dion Waiters": "14", "Tyler Johnson": "23", "Paul Millsap": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "10"}, "Steals": {"Hassan Whiteside": "2"}, "Assists": {"Dion Waiters": "10"}}], "The Miami Heat saw stellar play across the roster in Friday's win over the Atlanta Hawks. Bench guard Tyler Johnson led the team with 23 points and shot an astounding 9 - of - 11 from the field. Star center Hassan Whiteside disappeared on the offensive end, shooting 1 - of - 9 for two points, but was impressive in other areas, pulling down 10 rebounds to go along with two steals and a block. Guard Dion Waiters also struggled to find his shot, going 6 - of - 19 from the field for 14 points, but dished out 10 assists to help jump - start the Heat offense. For Atlanta, All-Star Paul Millsap led the way with 21 points. The veteran forward shot 6 - of - 9 but pulled down only four rebounds on the night. Rebounding and shooting both proved to be problem areas for Atlanta. The Hawks shot just 38 percent and were out - rebounded 54 - 45."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Lakers": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Lakers": "53", "Hawks": "38"}}, {"Points": {"Kent Bazemore": "21", "Dwight Howard": "19", "Mike Muscala": "10", "Nick Young": "17", "Lou Williams": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "9", "Nick Young": "1", "Larry Nance Jr.": "10"}, "Steals": {"Nick Young": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Lou Williams": "27"}}], "The Lakers' second unit's 65 - point tally represented well over the team's scoring total and they were led by Lou Williams' team - high 21 points over 27 minutes. Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance, Jr. combined for another 30 points off the bench, with the latter also hauling in 10 rebounds. Nick Young totaled 17 points, a rebound and a steal as the only starter to manage double - digit scoring, as the Lakers played without the injured D'Angelo Russell and Julius Randle. Kent Bazemore led Atlanta with 21 points, while Dwight Howard supplied 19 points and nine boards. However, Dennis Schroder and Paul Millsap could only combine for 20 points between them, while Mike Muscala was the high scorer off the bench with a 10 - point total. The Lakers also outrebounded the Hawks by a notable 53 - 38 margin despite Randle's absence."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Spurs": "27"}, "Losses": {"Spurs": "8", "Magic": "26"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "107", "Magic": "92"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "40", "Magic": "21"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "41"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Magic": "20"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "16"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Aaron Gordon": "31", "Nikola Vucevic": "31"}, "Points": {"Aaron Gordon": "12", "Nikola Vucevic": "20", "Victor Oladipo": "19", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "28", "Patty Mills": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Aaron Gordon": "16", "Nikola Vucevic": "10", "Patty Mills": "4"}, "Assists": {"Nikola Vucevic": "3", "Victor Oladipo": "7", "Patty Mills": "5"}, "Steals": {"Victor Oladipo": "5", "Patty Mills": "1"}, "Blocks": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Patty Mills": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Patty Mills": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Patty Mills": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Patty Mills": "1"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (40 - 8) took care of business against the Orlando Magic (21 - 26) in a 107 - 92 win on Monday. The Spurs came into this game as a 15 - point favorite and did exactly what they were expected to do. San Antonio outscored Orlando by 21in the first and fourth quarters and that was ultimately the difference in the game. The Magic actually dominated the rebounding, but were outshot 51 percent to 41 percent in the loss. San Antonio recorded 27 assists on their 40 made buckets in the victory as well. Orlando has broken an eight - game losing streak in their most recent win, but this was a tough task against the Spurs. The offense really struggled, as they barely cracked 40 percent shooting and committed 16 turnovers in the loss. Nikola Vucevic had a nice game though, as he tallied 20 points, 10 rebounds and three assists. Aaron Gordon has taken over the starting power forward duties recently and he showed why on Monday, as he scored 12 points and snatched down 16 rebounds in 31 minutes of play. Victor Oladipo was also extremely active, as he tallied 19 points, seven assists and five steals in the defeat. Up next for the Magic is a date with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday. The Spurs got a ton of production from their bench in this matchup, as most starters barely played half the game. The bench scored 56 points in all with Patty Mills dropping 22 points, four rebounds and five assists in a great performance. LaMarcus Aldridge had one of his best games as a Spur too, as he scored 28 points and swatted away five shots in the win. This took San Antonio to a 260 record at home this season and they'll look to keep that going on Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans in their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "17", "Nets": "15"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "107", "Nets": "109"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "10", "Nets": "13"}}, {"Assists": {"Jarrett Jack": "5", "Deron Williams": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Jarrett Jack": "34", "Deron Williams": "21"}, "Points": {"Jarrett Jack": "27", "Deron Williams": "8", "Jeff Green": "22", "Jared Sullinger": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Jarrett Jack": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Deron Williams": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Deron Williams": "2"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets (13 - 15) defeated the Boston Celtics (10 - 17) 109 - 107 on Friday. Brooklyn extended their win streak to three games with Friday\u2019s win, their longest streak of the season. Deron Williams returned from a two - game absence with a calf injury to come off the bench and score eight points with four assists in 21 minutes. Jarrett Jack, who started in Williams' place, carried this game to make an argument for bigger minutes going forward, finishing with 27 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in 34 minutes. The win further separated the eighth place Nets from ninth place Celtics as the Nets continue to position themselves for the playoffs as the team gets healthy. Brooklyn will return to the court Saturday to play the Pacers at home. Boston is heading in the opposite direction from the Nets as Friday\u2019s loss made it three in a row for the Celtics. Despite starting off the third quarter strong, Boston was unable to stop a second half push by Brooklyn to get back in the game. Compared to the previous two losses, the Celtics got solid all - around production from their starters. Jeff Green and Jared Sullinger both bounced back to score 22 and 19 respectively, after combining to score four points collectively against Orlando. Boston travels to Washington to face off against the Wizards on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "13", "Pelicans": "25"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "114", "Pelicans": "111"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "25", "Pelicans": "11"}}, {"Points": {"Ryan Anderson": "16", "Tyreke Evans": "26", "Jrue Holiday": "29", "DeAndre Jordan": "12", "Chris Paul": "25", "Wesley Johnson": "15", "Jamal Crawford": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Ryan Anderson": "10", "Tyreke Evans": "7", "Jrue Holiday": "11", "DeAndre Jordan": "11", "Chris Paul": "5", "Wesley Johnson": "4", "Jamal Crawford": "3"}, "Assists": {"Tyreke Evans": "7", "Jrue Holiday": "4", "Chris Paul": "11", "Wesley Johnson": "2", "Jamal Crawford": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tyreke Evans": "19", "Jrue Holiday": "27", "Chris Paul": "18", "Jamal Crawford": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Tyreke Evans": "9", "Jrue Holiday": "11", "Chris Paul": "10", "Jamal Crawford": "8"}, "Steals": {"Jrue Holiday": "3", "Wesley Johnson": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"JJ Redick": "1", "Chris Paul": "3", "Jamal Crawford": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"JJ Redick": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Chris Paul": "4", "Jamal Crawford": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Chris Paul": "4", "Jamal Crawford": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Chris Paul": "2", "Jamal Crawford": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Chris Paul": "40"}}], "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."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "25", "Timberwolves": "33"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "105", "Timberwolves": "80"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "17", "Timberwolves": "7"}}, {"Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "12", "Gerald Henderson": "17", "Al Jefferson": "8"}, "Assists": {"Lance Stephenson": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Lance Stephenson": "27", "Al Jefferson": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Jefferson": "5"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (17 - 25) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (7 - 33) 105 - 80 on Monday. Charlotte has turned their season around since the New Year, winning seven of their nine contests in 2015. While Kemba Walker was forced to sit out a second straight game with a knee issue, Al Jefferson returned from a nine - game absence with a groin injury. Jefferson played 25 minutes off the bench and put up eight points and five rebounds. Gerald Henderson scored a team - high 17 points, and Lance Stephenson handed out nine assists in 27 minutes off the bench. The Hornets sit just 1 games out of the final playoff spot in the East, and their next game will be at home against the Miami Heat on Wednesday. Minnesota ran into the wall that is the Hornets' defense. After scoring 17+ points in each of his last ten games, including a career - high 31 points Saturday, Andrew Wiggins was held to just 12 points Monday, putting a stopper on the Timberwolves' most consistent weapon of late. Kevin Martin (wrist) remains on the cusp of returning to action for the T-Wolves, and Nikola Pekovic Ricky Rubio are nearing returns as well. Though it remains to be seen how Minnesota will deploy their rotation once healthy, as the team has publicly announced their intention to build for the future. The Timberwolves will return home to host the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "38"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "109", "Bulls": "115"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hornets": "24", "Bulls": "36"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "29"}}, {"Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "11", "Robin Lopez": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "5", "Rajon Rondo": "6", "Denzel Valentine": "2", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "1", "Marvin Williams": "5", "Cody Zeller": "2", "Jeremy Lamb": "2", "Kemba Walker": "10"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jimmy Butler": "5", "Marco Belinelli": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "5", "Marco Belinelli": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Jimmy Butler": "5"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "23", "Bobby Portis": "5", "Robin Lopez": "6", "Dwyane Wade": "23", "Rajon Rondo": "20", "Denzel Valentine": "11", "Nikola Mirotic": "24", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "22", "Marvin Williams": "13", "Cody Zeller": "11", "Jeremy Lamb": "26", "Kemba Walker": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "6", "Dwyane Wade": "1", "Denzel Valentine": "5", "Nikola Mirotic": "11", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "6", "Marvin Williams": "18", "Cody Zeller": "7", "Jeremy Lamb": "4", "Kemba Walker": "4"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "2", "Rajon Rondo": "1", "Cody Zeller": "1", "Jeremy Lamb": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Dwyane Wade": "1", "Marvin Williams": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Rajon Rondo": "36"}, "Field goals made": {"Frank Kaminsky": "2", "Marco Belinelli": "2"}}], "The Chicago Bulls defeated the Charlotte Hornets, 115 - 109, at Spectrum Center on Monday night. The Bulls (31 - 35) had looked particularly sluggish during the five - game losing streak they'd come in to Monday with, as even the normally dependable Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade had appeared to fall victim to the malaise. In an attempt to shake matters up, head coach Fred Hoiberg opted to reinsert the mercurial Rajon Rondo into the starting lineup and bring Nikola Mirotic back into the rotation, with moves key to the road victory. Rondo provided 20 points, seven rebounds, six assists and one steal over 36 minutes to help complement resurgent performances on the first unit from Butler and Wade, while Mirotic ended up topping the team in scoring on the night. Chicago also got off on the right foot with a 36 - 24 lead after one quarter, a foundation that ultimately helped them hold on for the hard - fought win. Mirotic provided 24 points off the bench, which he supplemented with 11 rebounds. Butler and Wade led the way on the starting five with matching 23 - point efforts, with the former dishing out 11 assists, hauling in six rebounds and recording a pair of steals and blocks apiece, and the latter posting five assists, one rebound, two steals and one block. Denzel Valentine continued his recent stretch of solid play as a reserve with 11 points, five boards and two assists. Robin Lopez and Bobby Portis had quiet nights, tallying six and five points, respectively, while combining for nine rebounds and three assists. The Hornets (29 - 38) saw Jeremy Lamb, who drew the start for Nicolas Batum (migraine), lead the way with 26 points, a total he supplemented with four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was next with 22 points, six boards and one assist. Kemba Walker was right behind with a 21 - point, 10 - assist double - double that also included four rebounds. Marvin Williams produced a 13 - point, 18 - rebound double - double that also included five assists and one block. Cody Zeller managed 11 points, seven rebounds, two assists, three blocks and one steal. With such a productive night for the Charlotte starting five, the second unit produced a collective 16 points despite two players (Frank Kaminsky and Marco Belinelli) logging over 20 minutes. The Bulls head back home to face the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night, while the Hornets travel to Indiana for a Wednesday evening date with the Pacers."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "25"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Pistons": "58", "Bucks": "40"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "83"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "1"}}, {}], "Detroit was one of the best rebounding teams in the NBA last season, while the Bucks were one of the worst, and that showed in this game. In fact, the Pistons recorded 58 rebounds, while holding Milwaukee to just 40 of their own. Both teams struggled from long range, as they combined to go just 9 - for - 37, with neither team hitting more than 25 percent of its threes. This was the Pistons' second straight home game and in both contests they have allowed 83 points or fewer. Milwaukee had seven players play at least 11 minutes while scoring eight points or fewer. The Detroit starters outscored the Milwaukee starters 78 - 52, and every Pistons' players had a plus - minus rating of five or higher in their win. In the preseason, the Pistons held the Bucks to just 78 points, with Andre Drummond recording a double - double and Kentavious Caldwell-Pop leading the team in scoring, as was also the case Sunday night."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "52", "Mavericks": "53"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "6", "Mavericks": "5"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "117", "Mavericks": "114"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Thunder": "31"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Thunder": "27"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "8", "Mavericks": "9"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "53"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Mavericks": "27"}}, {"Assists": {"Zaza Pachulia": "6", "Deron Williams": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Steals": {"Zaza Pachulia": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "5"}, "Points": {"Deron Williams": "20", "Russell Westbrook": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Deron Williams": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "5"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (8 - 6) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (9 - 5) 117 - 114 on Sunday. In a nail - biter of a game, the Thunder were able to prevail thanks to some late heroics. The Thunder ended the game on a 13 - 4 run and that proved to be the difference. Both teams shot exceptionally well in the game, as Dallas shot 53 percent while the Thunder shot 52 percent. The major difference was the free - throw shooting though, as the Thunder hit 78 percent of their free - throws while Dallas shot just 57 percent from the charity stripe. Dallas was one of the hottest teams in the league coming into this game and they nearly escaped with their seventh - straight win. They simply didn\u2019t play enough defense throughout the game to hold off the Thunder though, as they allowed at least 27 points in every quarter. They were led by yet another double - double from Zaza Pachulia, who is proving to be one of the steals of the offseason. Deron Williams also had another nice game, as he tallied 20 points, six rebounds and six assists in the defeat. The Mavericks will try to start a new winning - streak on Tuesday against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Thunder had lost three of their last four games coming into this matchup, so the win was much needed. They got some serious help from their bench in this game, as three different players scored in double - digits. Oklahoma City was led by Russell Westbrook once again, as he totaled 31 points, 11 assists, five rebounds and five steals in the win. The return of Kevin Durant seems to be right around the corner as well, so things appear to be turning around for the Western Conference hopefuls. They'll hope Durant return's for Monday's game against the Utah Jazz in the second half of a back - to - back."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Celtics": "18"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "13", "Knicks": "18"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "100", "Knicks": "91"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Celtics": "22", "Knicks": "18"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "18", "Knicks": "14"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "37"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Jae Crowder": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "6", "Evan Turner": "2", "Marcus Smart": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Carmelo Anthony": "35", "Kristaps Porzingis": "28", "Derrick Williams": "23", "Jae Crowder": "34", "Evan Turner": "30", "Marcus Smart": "13"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "29", "Kristaps Porzingis": "16", "Derrick Williams": "10", "Jae Crowder": "18", "Isaiah Thomas": "21", "Evan Turner": "19", "Marcus Smart": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "10", "Kristaps Porzingis": "12", "Derrick Williams": "4", "Jae Crowder": "6", "Isaiah Thomas": "8", "Evan Turner": "5", "Marcus Smart": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "3"}, "Steals": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "2", "Jae Crowder": "1"}}], "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."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Maurice Harkless": "12", "CJ McCollum": "19", "Patrick Beverley": "8", "James Harden": "17", "Eric Gordon": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Maurice Harkless": "8", "CJ McCollum": "11", "Patrick Beverley": "5", "James Harden": "7", "Eric Gordon": "6"}, "Points": {"Maurice Harkless": "19", "CJ McCollum": "26", "Damian Lillard": "18", "Patrick Beverley": "11", "James Harden": "26", "Eric Gordon": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Maurice Harkless": "6", "Damian Lillard": "5", "Patrick Beverley": "2", "James Harden": "12", "Eric Gordon": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"CJ McCollum": "35", "Patrick Beverley": "25", "James Harden": "32", "Eric Gordon": "24"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "5", "Patrick Beverley": "3", "James Harden": "14", "Eric Gordon": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Patrick Beverley": "3"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "3"}}], "James Harden dominated the box score with his third triple - double of the season, consisting of 26 points, on 7 - of - 17 shooting, 14 assists, 12 rebounds and three steals, in 32 minutes of action. Patrick Beverley notched 11 points on 5 - of - 8 shooting, along with three assists, two rebounds and three blocks in 25 minutes during his season - debut. The Rockets tallied 25 fast break points and shot 14 - of - 32 from long range as their offense clicked on all cylinders. They also pulled down 17 offensive rebounds. Eric Gordon chipped in 16 points on 6 - of - 15 shooting, five rebounds and three assists in 24 minutes off the bench. The Blazers were led by C.J. McCollum, who finished with 26 points on 11 - of - 19 shooting, in 35 minutes. Damian Lillard was relatively quiet, with 18 points, five rebounds and five assists. Maurice Harkless finished with 19 points on 8 - of - 12 shooting, along with six rebounds. Portland was out - scored 56 - 48 in the paint."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "25", "Pacers": "27"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "80", "Pacers": "71"}, "Turnovers": {"Hornets": "7"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "16", "Pacers": "15"}}, {"Points": {"Roy Hibbert": "12", "Brian Roberts": "6", "Lance Stephenson": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Roy Hibbert": "14"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Rodney Stuckey": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Rodney Stuckey": "3", "Brian Roberts": "2", "Lance Stephenson": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Rodney Stuckey": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Rodney Stuckey": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Brian Roberts": "12", "Lance Stephenson": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Lance Stephenson": "20"}, "Steals": {"Marvin Williams": "3"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (16 - 25) defeated the Indiana Pacers (15 - 27) 80 - 71 in overtime on Saturday at the Time Warner Cable Arena. This game was marked by a combination of good defense and poor shooting as the final score would indicate. Both teams shot under 15 percent from beyond the arc and Charlotte shot just 30 percent from the floor overall. Marvin Williams hit a three to give the Hornets the lead late in the fourth quarter, but Rodney Stuckey answered with two free throws to send the game into overtime. The Pacers were held scoreless for the first four - and - a - half minutes of the overtime period as Charlotte pulled away. Indiana let this game slip away as its losing skid extended to four games. Roy Hibbert had a solid night with 12 points and 14 rebounds. George Hill is nearing a return and is expected to rejoin the lineup sometime during this five - game road trip. The Pacers will be idle Sunday before traveling to Houston to play the Rockets on Monday. Charlotte has now won six of its last seven games. Lance Stephenson, who returned to action Friday after missing time with a pelvic injury, played just 20 minutes but managed 13 points on 5 - of - 12 shooting. Brian Roberts got the start at point guard for the injured Kemba Walker, but produced just six points on 2 - of - 12 shooting. Walker is dealing with a cyst in his knee and is considered day - to - day. The Hornets will host the Timberwolves on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "38"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "37", "Warriors": "13"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "95", "Warriors": "108"}, "Turnovers": {"Bucks": "15"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "36", "Warriors": "60"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "6"}, "Points": {"Stephen Curry": "25", "Khris Middleton": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Khris Middleton": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Khris Middleton": "5"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (60 - 13) notched their 60th win of the season Saturday with a 108 - 95 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks (36 - 37) at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. With Saturday's victory, Golden State set a franchise record with 60 wins on the season. Steph Curry continued to make his case for MVP with a 25 point outing in which he hit six three - pointers. The Bucks took a 16 - 14 lead in the first, but that would be their last lead of the game as the Warriors eventually pulled away. Golden State swept the season series against Milwaukee 20. The Warriors have now won nine in a row. Eight of those nine wins have been by double digits with the lone single digit victory coming against the Lakers. The Warriors have topped 100 points in 11 straight contests as well. Golden State clinched the Western Conference with the victory and will have home court advantage through the playoffs. The Warriors will return to action Tuesday against the Clippers. Milwaukee simply did n't have the offensive fire power to match Golden State on Saturday. The Bucks shot just 38% from the floor as a team and committed 15 turnovers. Khris Middleton led the team in scoring with 14 points on 5 - of - 14 shooting. The Bucks have a matchup with the Hawks on the docket for Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "1", "Hornets": "3"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "100", "Hornets": "93"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "8", "Hornets": "6"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "38"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "38"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hornets": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "2", "Marvin Williams": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "7", "Kemba Walker": "4", "LeBron James": "8", "Kevin Love": "4", "Kyrie Irving": "4"}, "Points": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "11", "Marvin Williams": "16", "Nicolas Batum": "15", "Kemba Walker": "21", "LeBron James": "19", "Kevin Love": "17", "Tristan Thompson": "4", "Kyrie Irving": "19", "Channing Frye": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "10", "Marvin Williams": "6", "Nicolas Batum": "9", "Kemba Walker": "2", "LeBron James": "8", "Kevin Love": "11", "Tristan Thompson": "12", "Kyrie Irving": "3", "Channing Frye": "3"}, "Steals": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "2", "Kemba Walker": "1", "LeBron James": "1", "Kevin Love": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Nicolas Batum": "1", "LeBron James": "1", "Channing Frye": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LeBron James": "5", "Kyrie Irving": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kevin Love": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kevin Love": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Channing Frye": "25"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Charlotte Hornets, 100 - 93, at Quicken Loans Arena on Sunday. More often than not, the trio of LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving are essentially enough to overcome most opponents. It was a different story Sunday, however, as veteran Channing Frye actually led the way with a season - high 20 - point effort in 25 minutes off the bench. The aforementioned starters were n't necessarily underwhelming, as they combined for 55 points, including four total three - pointers from Love and James. Defense was also undeniably a factor, as Cleveland (8 - 1) held the Hornets (6 - 3) to 38 percent success rates from both the field and three - point range. The Hornets were led by Kemba Walker, who tallied 21 points, four assists, two rebounds and a steal. Marvin Williams posted 16 points, six rebounds and two assists. Nicolas Batum managed a near double - double with 15 points, nine boards, seven assists, two steals and a block. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist did get there, supplying 11 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and a steal. Frye added three rebounds and three blocks to his team - high scoring total. A pair of 19 - point efforts from James and Irving paced the starting five, with the former also filling out the stat sheet with eight rebounds, eight assists, a steal and a block and the latter dishing out four assists, posting three rebounds and recording a steal. Love was strong as well, pouring in 17 points and bringing in 11 rebounds, four assists and a steal. Tristan Thompson mustered a modest four points, but did bring in 12 rebounds. The Hornets move on to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves on Tuesday night, while the Cavaliers remain home to take on the Raptors on Tuesday evening as well."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Suns": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "47", "Kings": "51"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "15", "DeMarcus Cousins": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gay": "9", "DeMarcus Cousins": "6", "Matt Barnes": "6", "Garrett Temple": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "6", "Matt Barnes": "7"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Matt Barnes": "6"}, "Points": {"Dragan Bender": "10"}}], "Shooting efficiency was the key to the Kings success, while also being the downfall of any Suns comeback in a loss to Sacramento on Wednesday. The Kings shot 51 percent from the field, led by strong shooting performances from starters like DeMarcus Cousins (6 - of - 10) and Rudy Gay (9 - of - 15), in addition to the bench, where six of the seven players who received minutes shot above the 50 percent mark, including Matt Barnes and Garrett Temple. The Suns, on the other hand, finished 25 percent from behind the arc and a lowly 67 percent from the charity stripe. While Phoenix was able to create from the field (47 percent overall as a unit), the efficiency from deep and the free - throw line resulted in multiple failed comeback efforts. An interesting note on rookie Dragan Bender for Phoenix stood out with his plus - minus of plus - 10, the highest amongst all Suns players on the night."], [[{"Total points": {"Suns": "110", "Lakers": "122"}}, {"Assists": {"Brandon Ingram": "3", "Julius Randle": "4", "Devin Booker": "3", "Eric Bledsoe": "5"}, "Points": {"Brandon Ingram": "14", "Julius Randle": "13", "D'Angelo Russell": "28", "TJ Warren": "17", "Marquese Chriss": "18", "Devin Booker": "23", "Eric Bledsoe": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Brandon Ingram": "6", "Julius Randle": "8", "D'Angelo Russell": "4", "TJ Warren": "13", "Devin Booker": "6", "Eric Bledsoe": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Julius Randle": "1", "Eric Bledsoe": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Julius Randle": "32"}, "Steals": {"Julius Randle": "1", "Eric Bledsoe": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"D'Angelo Russell": "6", "Marquese Chriss": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"D'Angelo Russell": "20", "Devin Booker": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"D'Angelo Russell": "10", "Devin Booker": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Marquese Chriss": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Marquese Chriss": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Marquese Chriss": "3"}}], "D'Angelo Russell was the best player for Los Angeles in Thursday's win and finished with 28 points on 10 - of - 20 shooting, to go along with four rebounds and three assists, including six three - pointers. Brandon Ingram also impressed with 14 points, six boards and three assists for Los Angeles in the 122 - 110 win over the Phoenix Suns. Julius Randle added 13 points, eight rebounds, four assists, one steal and a block in 32 minutes of action. Devin Booker scored 23 points to lead all Suns scorers, and finished 10 - of - 21 from the field alongside six rebounds and three assists. Eric Bledsoe struggled to find a rhythm, but managed a quality stat line of 13 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block. T.J. Warren completed a double - double with 17 points and 13 rebounds, while rookie Marquese Chriss managed 18 points on 3 - of - 4 shooting from behind the arc."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "20", "Knicks": "28"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "142", "Knicks": "139"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "28", "Knicks": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Kristaps Porzingis": "1", "Joakim Noah": "5", "Courtney Lee": "2", "Brandon Jennings": "11", "Mindaugas Kuzminskas": "4", "Justin Holiday": "2", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "8", "Paul Millsap": "7", "Dennis Schroder": "15"}, "Blocks": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Kristaps Porzingis": "3", "Joakim Noah": "2", "Courtney Lee": "1", "Mindaugas Kuzminskas": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Dennis Schroder": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Courtney Lee": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "36"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "18", "Courtney Lee": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Courtney Lee": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Carmelo Anthony": "46", "Paul Millsap": "60"}, "Personal fouls": {"Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Paul Millsap": "4"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "45", "Kristaps Porzingis": "15", "Joakim Noah": "6", "Courtney Lee": "17", "Brandon Jennings": "18", "Mindaugas Kuzminskas": "13", "Justin Holiday": "15", "Paul Millsap": "37", "Dwight Howard": "19", "Kent Bazemore": "24", "Dennis Schroder": "23", "Mike Dunleavy": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "6", "Kristaps Porzingis": "5", "Joakim Noah": "14", "Courtney Lee": "9", "Brandon Jennings": "3", "Mindaugas Kuzminskas": "4", "Kyle O'Quinn": "12", "Justin Holiday": "9", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "5", "Paul Millsap": "19", "Dennis Schroder": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Courtney Lee": "1"}, "Steals": {"Joakim Noah": "3", "Courtney Lee": "2", "Brandon Jennings": "1", "Mindaugas Kuzminskas": "1", "Justin Holiday": "1", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "1", "Paul Millsap": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Courtney Lee": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Courtney Lee": "2"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks defeated the New York Knicks in quadruple overtime, 142 - 139, at Phillips Arena on Sunday. A game that started off with very little defense being played over the first two quarters ended up becoming much tighter over the third and fourth periods. After the Knicks (21 - 28) held a 65 - 61 lead going into halftime, the two teams combined for just 84 points in the second half. With four overtimes, there were plenty of opportunities for heroics, and Carmelo Anthony and Courtney Lee capitalized on three of them. Anthony's driving layup with two seconds left in regulation and 18 - footer with six ticks in the first overtime helped New York stay alive, while Lee's 26 - foot three - point jumper with one second on the clock in the second overtime sent matters into a third extra period. Dennis Schroder then turned the tables, draining a driving layup with three seconds remaining in the third overtime. Finally, it was Paul Millsap who put an end to the Knicks' first four - overtime tilt since 1951, pouring in a shot with 27 seconds remaining that gave Atlanta (28 - 20) a 141 - 139 lead they would n't relinquish. In all, four Knicks players, including Anthony, fouled out, while Millsap played a whopping 60 minutes. Anthony led the way for New York with a season - high 45 points, along with six rebounds, four assists and one block over 46 minutes, taking a whopping 36 shots in the process. Brandon Jennings, starting for Derrick Rose (ankle), totaled 18 points, 11 assists, three rebounds and one steal. Lee had a near double - double with 17 points, nine rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block. Kristaps Porzingis managed 15 points, five boards, one assist and three blocks. Justin Holiday stepped up with a bench - leading 15 points, which he supplemented with nine rebounds, two assists and one steal. Mindaugas Kuzminskas posted 13 points, four rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block in a reserve role as well. Kyle O'Quinn hauled in 12 boards off the bench, and Joakim Noah had a modest six points but added 14 rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks. Millsap paced Atlanta with a 37 - point, 19 - rebound double - double that also included seven assists, one steal and one block. Kent Bazemore managed 24 points and nine rebounds. Schroder posted a 23 - point, 15 - assist double - double that also included four rebounds, while Dwight Howard posted a 19 - point, 13 - rebound effort of his own. Tim Hardaway, Jr. matched Howard's point total while dishing out eight assists, hauling in five rebounds and recording a steal. Mike Dunleavy led the reserves with 12 points. The Knicks get a day off to rest before facing the Washington Wizards in the Nation's Capital on Tuesday evening, while the Hawks travel to South Florida to face the Heat on Wednesday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "19", "Timberwolves": "28"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "107", "Timberwolves": "104"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "21", "Timberwolves": "12"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Andrew Wiggins": "3", "James Harden": "10", "Terrence Jones": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Kevin Martin": "3", "James Harden": "2", "Terrence Jones": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "10", "Andrew Wiggins": "16", "Dwight Howard": "7", "James Harden": "22", "Terrence Jones": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "4", "Andrew Wiggins": "9", "Dwight Howard": "5", "James Harden": "8", "Terrence Jones": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "4", "Andrew Wiggins": "9", "Dwight Howard": "10", "James Harden": "11", "Terrence Jones": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "3", "Andrew Wiggins": "8", "Dwight Howard": "5", "James Harden": "9", "Terrence Jones": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "33"}, "Points": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "12", "Andrew Wiggins": "28", "Dwight Howard": "15", "James Harden": "27", "Terrence Jones": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "16", "Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Dwight Howard": "10", "Terrence Jones": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Dwight Howard": "2"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "11"}}], "The Houston Rockets (21 - 19) defeated the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves (12 - 28) 107 - 104 on Wednesday atToyota Center. This game marked a close affair between two Western Conference teams. With nine seperate lead changes, each team had their chance to make a run and close the game out, but in the end, the Rockets came out victorious. In the fourth quarter, down by seven with a minute and a half left in the game, the Timberwolves did everything they could finish strong. A bucket by Kevin Martin and a pair of free throws from Karl Anthony-Towns brought them within three. After a missed shot by the Rockets, Martin had a chance to tie the ball game at 107, but missed a three - pointer at the buzzer to take the loss on the road. It was James Harden, though, that led the way for the Rockets on Wednesday. Harden started the game out strong, scoring 16 points in the first half alone. He went on to finish the night with a team - high of 27 points (8 - 22 FG, 2 - 10 3Pt, 9 - 11 FT), while also getting his teammates involved and adding 11 assists. The double - double marked his eighth of the season, while it was the sixth time he's recorded double - digit assists. Notching a double - double of his own was Dwight Howard. Howard has dealt with lingering back spasms this season, but did n't show any ill effects Wednesday and added 15 points (5 - 7 FG, 5 - 10 FT), 10 rebounds and two blocked shots. While the above duo played well, they also received some help off the bench, as Terrence Jones chipped in with 16 points (7 - 11 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and nine rebounds. It was Andrew Wiggins who did everything he could to keep the Timberwolves close. He struggled in the first half, recording just 10 points and one rebound, but he ended up exploding in the second half and finished the outing with 28 points (9 - 16 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 8 - 9 FT) and a pair of boards. The second - year guard out of Kansas has really stepped it up offensively of late and is averaging 27 points over his last four outings. December's Rookie of the Month, Karl Anthony-Towns, also saw some success against the tough defensive bigs of the Rockets. Towns recorded 12 points (4 - 10 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 3 - 4 fT) and 16 rebounds over 33 minutes of action. The 16 rebounds matched a season - high for the rookie. The Rockets' next game will be at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, while the Timberwolves will remain on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "54"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "6", "Cavaliers": "7"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "99", "Cavaliers": "84"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "12", "Cavaliers": "13"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Love": "11", "JR Smith": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Love": "2", "JR Smith": "4"}, "Points": {"Kevin Love": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "19", "Tyler Johnson": "19"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Hassan Whiteside": "21"}}], "The Miami Heat (12 - 6) handily defeated the powerhouse Cleveland Cavaliers (13 - 7) on Saturday, winning 99 - 84. Cleveland star LeBron James was scratched from the lineup just a few hours before game time. Coach David Blatt told the media that he had to \"force the issue\" to get James to take the rest. The 30 - year - old superstar was coming off of a grueling overtime game in New Orleans the night before, so his absence is indicative of the team wanting to preserve their star's energy. Miami was able to capitalize on King James's absence, jumping out to a 12 - point lead by the end of the first quarter that they simply would not let go of. Things seemed to be firing on all cylinders for the Heat, as the team shot 54 percent from the field while holding their opponents to a measley 37 percent. Veteran Dwyane Wade and sophomore Tyler Johnson tied for the team lead in scoring, dropping in 19 points apiece. Meanwhile, center Hassan Whiteside, who was averaging a whopping 5 blocks per game coming into the matchup against the Cavaliers, continued his historic shot - blocking season, posting five blocks despite logging just 21 minutes. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, saw numerous underwhelming performances. All-star Kevin Love was held to just 2 - of - 11 from the floor, recording just five points. Shooting guard J.R. Smith also exhibited questionable shot selection at times, finishing just 4 - for - 12. Ultimately, it simply was not Cleveland's night. They will hope to fare better with a well - rested LeBron James as they take on the Trail Blazers on Tuesday. The Heat, on the other hand, will look to build upon the blowout of the Cavs. Their next matchup is at home on Monday against the Wizards."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "19", "Raptors": "15"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "88", "Raptors": "97"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Wizards": "21"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Wizards": "14"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "15", "Raptors": "23"}}, {"Points": {"Luis Scola": "11", "DeMar DeRozan": "35", "Kyle Lowry": "21", "Cory Joseph": "8", "Otto Porter": "16", "Marcin Gortat": "12", "John Wall": "21", "Ramon Sessions": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Luis Scola": "5", "DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Kyle Lowry": "10", "Cory Joseph": "4", "Otto Porter": "5", "Marcin Gortat": "10", "Ramon Sessions": "4"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "4", "Cory Joseph": "2", "Otto Porter": "3", "Marcin Gortat": "3", "John Wall": "4", "Ramon Sessions": "1"}, "Blocks": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "1", "Cory Joseph": "1", "Otto Porter": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "3", "John Wall": "3", "Ramon Sessions": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Ramon Sessions": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Ramon Sessions": "1"}, "Steals": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "4", "Cory Joseph": "1", "Otto Porter": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "6", "John Wall": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"John Wall": "1"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (23 - 15) defeated the Washington Wizards (15 - 19) 97 - 88 on Friday. If this keeps up, DeMar DeRozan's approval rating in Washington is going to sink faster than that of some politicans.The Raptors' shooting guard has been positively deadly against the Wizards this season, and particularly the last two games. Just eight days ago, he blasted Washington for 34 points, six rebounds, five assists, a pair of steals and a pair of blocks in Toronto. Friday, the nation's capital was the scene of the crime, with the 26 - year - old besting his prior effort by tallying 35 points, equaling his season high with eight rebounds, and adding an assist, a block and a steal. Factoring in his 20 - point outing in the season's initial meeting between the two teams back on Nov. 28, DeRozan has now averaged just under 30 points per contest against one of the worst defenses in the league versus shooting guards. Backcourt mate Kyle Lowry played second banana to DeRozan on this night, but still managed an impressive double - double. He totaled 21 points and added 10 boards, four assists, four steals and a block, with the only blemish being his six turnovers. Luis Scola was the only other starter whose points reached double figures, with the power forward posting 11 points and hauling in five rebounds. Corey Joseph led the reserves with eight points, four rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. The Raptors improved to 23 - 15 and remain atop the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head to Philadelphia for a Saturday showdown with the Sixers. As customary, John Wall led the way for Washington with 21 points, four assists and three blocks. However, like his counterpart on the Raptors, he was a bit careless with the ball, committing seven turnovers. Otto Porter was next on the totem pole, collecting 16 points, five rebounds, three assists, a pair of steals and a block. Marcin Gortat, who along with Wall has been one of the main sources of offensive production during Bradley Beal's absence, was the only other starter with double - digit points. The Wizards' big man posted a 12 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that he supplemented with three assists and three blocks. Ramon Sessions put together one of his typically productive efforts off the bench to pace the Washington reserves, pouring in 14 points and adding four rebounds, an assist and a block. The Wizards fell to 15 - 19 and remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They head to Orlando for a Saturday afternoon showdown versus the Magic."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "34", "Hornets": "31"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "112", "Hornets": "105"}, "Rebounds": {"Pistons": "62", "Hornets": "42"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "39", "Hornets": "41"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hornets": "29"}}, {"Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "7", "Marvin Williams": "2", "Kemba Walker": "5", "Jeremy Lamb": "1", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "7"}, "Points": {"Nicolas Batum": "10", "Marvin Williams": "7", "Kemba Walker": "29", "Jeremy Lamb": "11", "Marcus Morris": "20", "Andre Drummond": "18", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "21", "Reggie Jackson": "17", "Anthony Tolliver": "11", "Aron Baynes": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Nicolas Batum": "7", "Marvin Williams": "2", "Kemba Walker": "2", "Jeremy Lamb": "5", "Marcus Morris": "7", "Andre Drummond": "14", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "7", "Reggie Jackson": "6", "Anthony Tolliver": "8", "Aron Baynes": "8"}, "Steals": {"Nicolas Batum": "1", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Marvin Williams": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Marvin Williams": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Marvin Williams": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Marvin Williams": "22", "Jeremy Lamb": "22", "Aron Baynes": "19"}, "Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "3", "Anthony Tolliver": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "4"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (39 - 34) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (41 - 31) 112 - 105 on Friday. Both teams saw key starters make their return to the lineup for Friday's contest. Marvin Williams, the Hornets' sharpshooting big man, made it back after a one - game absence due to a knee injury, while the Pistons' Kentavious Caldwell-Pope returned from his own one - game sabbatical that had been brought about by an illness. The Detroit two - guard came out on the better end of things Friday, as he tallied a team - high 21 points, seven rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals. Meanwhile, Williams could only muster seven points, two rebounds and two assists over a modest 22 minutes of action. The Pistons also established a dominant presence down low, as they out - rebounded the visitors by the notable margin of 62 - 42, and outscored them in the paint, 50 - 32. Charlotte was led by Kemba Walker, who tallied 29 points, five assists and two rebounds. Nicolas Batum was the only other starter who managed double - digit scoring, totaling 10 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and a steal. Jeremy Lamb led the reserves as the only other Hornets player to score more than 10 points, amassing 11 points, five rebounds, an assist and a trio of steals over 22 minutes off the bench. The Hornets are currently in third place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division, and slotted in the sixth seed in the conference as well. They head to Milwaukee to take on the Bucks in a Saturday night tilt. Marcus Morris was right behind Caldwell-Pope's scoring total for the Pistons, extending a recent stretch of impressive play with 20 points and seven rebounds. Andre Drummond followed closely behind with an 18 - point, 14 - rebound double - double that also included three blocks. Reggie Jackson was typically efficient, collecting 17 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Aron Baynes paced the reserves with 16 points and eight rebounds in only 19 minutes, his third double - digit scoring effort over the last four games. Anthony Tolliver was also productive off the bench, registering 11 points, eight rebounds and a block. The Pistons have now vaulted into a second - place tie with the Pacers in the Eastern Conference's Central Division, and are slotted in the eighth seed as well. They're home again on Saturday night versus the Atlanta Hawks."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "3", "Suns": "14"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "138", "Suns": "109"}, "Rebounds": {"Warriors": "38"}, "Turnovers": {"Warriors": "17"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "17", "Suns": "6"}}, {"Assists": {"Devin Booker": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "4", "Kevin Durant": "8", "Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "1"}, "Points": {"Devin Booker": "21", "Eric Bledsoe": "27", "Brandon Knight": "14", "Kevin Durant": "20", "Klay Thompson": "26", "Stephen Curry": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Eric Bledsoe": "5", "Kevin Durant": "4", "Klay Thompson": "5"}, "Steals": {"Eric Bledsoe": "5", "Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Brandon Knight": "22"}, "Blocks": {"Klay Thompson": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Klay Thompson": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Klay Thompson": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Stephen Curry": "10"}}], "The host Golden State Warriors defeated the Phoenix Suns, 138 - 109, at Oracle Arena on Saturday. The Warriors came into this game as a monster favorite and they left very little doubt in who the better team was. Not only did they win all four quarters, they never relinquished the lead after the first quarter. Golden State were lights - out shooting, as they went 49 - of - 78 from the field and 14 - of - 21 from three - point range. Ball movement was key, as the Warriors assisted on 38 of their 49 made baskets. Many statistics were lopsided, as Golden State dominated the paint scoring, fastbreak points and points off turnovers. Phoenix (6 - 14) came in with a league - worst defense and they left feeling even more discouraged. Eric Bledsoe did continue his great run though, as he tallied 27 points, five rebounds, four assists and five steals in the defeat. Devin Booker was second on the team, scoring 21 points and dishing out five assists. No player on the team had more than five assists and no player reached double figures in rebounding. Brandon Knight led the bench in scoring, dropping 14 points in 22 minutes. Phoenix's next game is on Tuesday, when they play the Utah Jazz on the road. Golden State (17 - 3) were expected to win by 17 and they nearly doubled that spread with unstoppable offense. Stephen Curry led the team in scoring, dropping 31 points on 10 - of - 15 shooting. Klay Thompson had one of his best games of the season as well, accumulating 26 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals in the blowout win. Kevin Durant was n't far behind, tallying 20 points, four rebounds and eight assists. The bench combined for 45 points, as they were used for the majority of the fourth quarter. Golden State will play again on Monday, as they host the Indiana Pacers for their next game."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pistons": "23", "Hawks": "33"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "49"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "8"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "28"}}, {"Points": {"Paul Millsap": "17", "Al Horford": "19", "Kyle Korver": "11", "Thabo Sefolosha": "12", "Kyle Singler": "16", "Greg Monroe": "15", "Andre Drummond": "4", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "20", "Brandon Jennings": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Horford": "16", "Kyle Korver": "4", "Greg Monroe": "12", "Andre Drummond": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyle Korver": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyle Korver": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Korver": "3", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyle Korver": "4", "Brandon Jennings": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Thabo Sefolosha": "15", "Andre Drummond": "17"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Brandon Jennings": "14"}}], "The Hawks (28 - 8) put an end to the Pistons\u2019 (12 - 24) seven - game winning streak Friday, holding on for a 106 - 101 victory at home. Atlanta got off to a hot start, jumping out to a nine - point lead after the first quarter. The lead reached 19 points at the half, as the Hawks outscored Detroit 33 - 23 in the second quarter. Detroit was able to chip away at the deficit in third but still trailed by 15 entering the final period. The Pistons began the fourth on a 9 - 3 run spurred by back - to - back threes from Anthony Tolliver and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Atlanta responded, pushing the lad back to 14 points, but Caldwell-Pope answered back with seven consecutive points, and a pair of Greg Monroe free throws trimmed the deficit to just seven points with 2:35 remaining. Kyle Korver drilled a three - pointer to put the Hawks up 105 - 95 but Caldwell-Pope answered back again, converting back - to - back threes and brining Detroit back to within four. Following a DeMarre Carroll miss, the Pistons were unable to convert on the other end, and Atlanta controlled the rebound and salted the game away at the free throw line. The Hawks, who shot nearly 49 percent from the floor, placed all five starters in double - figures, paced by 19 points and 16 rebounds from Al Horford. Paul Millsap added 17 points, and Korver finished with 11 points (3 - 3 3Pt). Thabo Sefolosha added 12 points off the bench in 15 minutes. Detroit was led by 20 from Caldwell-Pope, who converted just 4 - of - 15 three - point attempts. Brandon Jennings added 14 points (6 - 14 FG), and Kyle Singler and Greg Monroe chipped in 16 and 15 points apiece. Monroe also added 12 rebounds. Andre Drummond was limited to just four points and five rebounds in 17 minutes, despite not being in foul trouble."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Dario Saric": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dario Saric": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Dario Saric": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Dario Saric": "28"}, "Personal fouls": {"Dario Saric": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Dario Saric": "8"}}], "With star center Joel Embiid still nursing a lingering knee bruise, the 76ers needed someone to step up in the frontcourt. Embiid's replacements, young centers Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel have, for the most part, failed to do so with each displaying their own glaring weaknesses. Over the last two games for Philadelphia, however, a different young frontcourt player has stepped up to the plate. First-year player Dario Saric played 28 minutes off the bench Wednesday, and each one of his 24 points and eight rebounds were necessary for the Sixers to end their five - game winning streak. Now, in his last two games, Saric has recorded a total of 44 points in 49 minutes while shooting a wildly impressive 16 - of - 26 (62 percent) from the field and 7 - of - 10 from behind the arc. He led the team in scoring both nights."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "39", "Spurs": "17"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "51"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "111", "Spurs": "97"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2", "Danny Green": "1", "Tony Parker": "3", "Kevin Durant": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "15", "Dion Waiters": "3"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "21", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "20", "Tony Parker": "22", "Boris Diaw": "11", "Kevin Durant": "41", "Steven Adams": "16", "Russell Westbrook": "14", "Dion Waiters": "17", "Enes Kanter": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "6", "Boris Diaw": "3", "Kevin Durant": "5", "Steven Adams": "11", "Dion Waiters": "3", "Enes Kanter": "8"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4", "Danny Green": "2", "Tony Parker": "1", "Kevin Durant": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "3", "Dion Waiters": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Tim Duncan": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Tim Duncan": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Danny Green": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Tony Parker": "1", "Steven Adams": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Steven Adams": "5"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the visiting San Antonio Spurs, 111 - 97, to even the Western Conference semifinals in Game 4 on Sunday at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Oklahoma City used an outstanding fourth quarter to pull away from an overwhelmed Spurs squad. Kevin Durant, who lead all scorers with 41 points, was particularly pivotal in the final minutes, draining several baskets that continued to extend the Thunder's lead seemingly every time San Antonio appeared to be making some headway. Oklahoma City was outstanding on both ends of the floor throughout the game, as they managed a 51 percent success rate from the field, and 39 percent from three - point range. They also suffocated the Spurs' long - range attack, limiting them to just 17 percent shooting from beyond the arc. San Antonio received a trio of 20 - point - plus efforts from their starting five, spearheaded by Tony Parker's team - leading 22 points. He added three assists, a steal and a block. Kawhi Leonard was right behind him with 21 points, which he complemented with six rebounds, two assists and four steals. LaMarcus Aldridge tallied 20 points and six rebounds. Both Tim Duncan and Danny Green, the other two members of the first unit, went scoreless over 40 combined minutes, with the latter being the only one of the two who attempted any field goals. Boris Diaw paced the reserves with 11 points and three rebounds. Durant supplemented his game - high point total with five rebounds, four assists and a steal. Steven Adams was next among the starting five with a 16 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included a pair of blocks. Russell Westbrook filled out the stat sheet with 14 points, 15 assists and three steals. Dion Waiters led the bench with 17 points, and added three rebounds, three assists and a steal. Enes Kanter achieved double - digit scoring in a reserve role as well, supplying 11 points and eight rebounds. The series now shifts back to San Antonio, where the deadlocked teams will meet for Game 5 at the AT & T Center on Tuesday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "12", "Lakers": "10"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "105", "Lakers": "88"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pelicans": "24"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "7", "Lakers": "9"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Julius Randle": "22", "Nick Young": "2", "Lou Williams": "22"}, "Points": {"Julius Randle": "12", "Lou Williams": "16", "Anthony Davis": "41", "Jrue Holiday": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Julius Randle": "10", "Anthony Davis": "16"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jrue Holiday": "4"}}], "The host New Orleans Pelicans handily defeated the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, 105 - 88. New Orleans (7 - 12) has been able to turn its season around after a horrendous 1 - 9 start. The return of point guard Jrue Holiday has been an integral part of the Pelicans' recent success. Holiday scored 22 points and hit four of New Orleans' eight three - pointers on Tuesday. Of course, the biggest factor for the Pelicans was All-Star forward Anthony Davis, who scored 41 points and grabbed 16 rebounds. Davis is currently the league's leading scorer and an emerging candidate for Defensive Player of the Year, a case Davis furthered with four steals and two blocks on Tuesday. The outing was Davis's 11th game of 25 points and 10 rebounds on the season. Thanks in large part to Davis's dominance, it was an easy win for New Orleans, which hopped out to a 24 - point lead by halftime. Los Angeles (9 - 10), meanwhile, has been surprisingly hot to start the season but saw an unfortunate night on Tuesday. Veteran Nick Young was forced to exit the game and was diagnosed with an Achilles strain after just two minutes of play. Guard D'Angelo Russell continues to sit with an injury to his left knee. The Lakers consequently saw big minutes from their bench on Tuesday, with five bench players tallying over 20 minutes. Sixth man Lou Williams led the team with 16 points, while starter Julius Randle scored 12 and had 10 rebounds in just 22 minutes. The Lakers will visit the Bulls on Wednesday, while New Orleans will host the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "19", "Celtics": "20"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "118", "Celtics": "113"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "24", "Celtics": "22"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Jae Crowder": "3", "Avery Bradley": "8", "Wesley Matthews": "8", "Deron Williams": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Jae Crowder": "3", "Deron Williams": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Avery Bradley": "4", "Wesley Matthews": "3", "Deron Williams": "2"}, "Points": {"Avery Bradley": "19", "Marcus Smart": "20", "Dirk Nowitzki": "31", "Wesley Matthews": "15", "Deron Williams": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Avery Bradley": "8", "Marcus Smart": "8", "Dirk Nowitzki": "11", "Deron Williams": "5"}, "Assists": {"Marcus Smart": "3", "Deron Williams": "6"}, "Steals": {"Marcus Smart": "2", "Dirk Nowitzki": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Deron Williams": "17"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Deron Williams": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Deron Williams": "4"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (24 - 19) defeated the visiting Boston Celtics (22 - 20) 118 - 113 in overtime at American Airlines Arena on Monday. The battle between two playoff caliber teams produced fireworks on Monday with a neck - and - neck second half and overtime period that eventually went in favor of the home town Mavericks. With :34 remaining in the 4th quarter, Jared Sullinger blocked Raymond Felton\u2019s floater, resulting in a Jae Crowder fast break layup to take a one point lead. A pair of Dirk Nowitzki free throws and Deron Williams free throws followed on the next two possessions, giving Dallas a three point advantage with :15 left. Boston inbounded and worked the ball to Jae Crowder, who pulled up for a 3 - point shot and was fouled on his follow through by Raymond Felton. Felton writhed on the ground after what looked to be a vicious, yet accidental, eye poke. Crowder sank all three from the charity stripe, forcing overtime. The overtime period was dominated by Deron Williams, who scored 10 points, including back - to - back 3 - pointers and an assist to Dirk Nowitzki in the corner for a third straight trey. Williams hot hand resulted in 20 points (7 - of - 17 FG, 2 - of - 5 3PT, 4 - of - 4 FT), five rebounds and six assists in 36 minutes. Nowitzki turned back the clock and led all scorers with 31 points, to go along with 11 rebounds. Wes Matthews helped the Mavs to get a solid first half lead with 15 points on 3 - of - 8 from behind the arc, but was mostly positioned in a defensive role down the stretch. The Mavericks will take a day off before hosting the Minnesota Timberwolves (13 - 29) on Wednesday. Brad Stevens continues to draw up crafty plays and facilitate a growing offense in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics produced six players in double figures, led by Isiah Thomas\u2019 20 points, four rebounds and seven assists. The 5\u20198\u201d point guard sliced and diced his way through the Mavericks defense, often disappearing amongst the big men and either finishing at the rim or dishing it out to Avery Bradley behind the arc. Bradley scored 19 points on 4 - of - 8 shooting from deep, while Marcus Smart turned in an all around, stat stuffed performance with 20 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals. Boston would not quit after Williams and Nowitzki all but sank their chances, as Kelly Olynyk and Jared Sullinger turned in a couple of buckets towards the end of the overtime period, but it was not enough to come away with a win. The Celtics will head north and visit the Toronto Raptors (26 - 15) on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "17", "Suns": "16"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "137", "Suns": "134"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "16", "Suns": "18"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Suns": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "51"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Suns": "29"}}, {"Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Eric Bledsoe": "42", "Kevin Durant": "40", "Russell Westbrook": "17"}, "Points": {"Eric Bledsoe": "29", "Kevin Durant": "44", "Russell Westbrook": "20"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Durant": "6", "Serge Ibaka": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Serge Ibaka": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Serge Ibaka": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Reggie Jackson": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Reggie Jackson": "4"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (16 - 17) defeated the Phoenix Suns (18 - 16) 137 - 134 in overtime on Wednesday. Oklahoma City has won three of their last four games. Kevin Durant returned from a six - game absence due to an ankle sprain and put up a season - high 44 points in 40 minutes. Russell Westbrook was ejected in the second quarter after collecting two technical fouls. He put up 20 points and four assists in 17 minutes before his ejection. Reggie Jackson started the second half at point guard with Westbrook unavailable. In a somewhat surprising development, Serge Ibaka has taken his 41 - percent shooting from beyond the arc this season and began upping his attempts. Over his last four games, he's converted at least three three - pointers in each contest. Oklahoma City will stay home to host the Washington Wizards on Friday. Phoenix has lost two straight close games to teams that are immediately trailing them in the Western Conference standings. Eric Bledsoe did his best to keep the Suns in the game, posting a team - high 29 points and eight assists in 42 minutes. Phoenix shot 51 percent from the field, 48 percent from beyond the arc and 83 percent from the charity stripe, but they committed 35 fouls on defense, giving the Thunder 49 trips to the free - throw line for 44 free points, which is likely the reason they lost the game. The Suns will return home to host the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "5", "Kings": "2"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "101", "Kings": "93"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "2", "Kings": "5"}}, {"Assists": {"Rudy Gay": "6", "DeMarcus Cousins": "1", "Jeremy Lamb": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "6", "Ish Smith": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "6", "Jeremy Lamb": "3", "Reggie Jackson": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rudy Gay": "1", "Jeremy Lamb": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "19", "DeMarcus Cousins": "15", "Jeremy Lamb": "13", "Reggie Jackson": "19", "Ish Smith": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gay": "9", "DeMarcus Cousins": "7", "Jeremy Lamb": "5", "Reggie Jackson": "6", "Ish Smith": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "4", "DeMarcus Cousins": "5", "Jeremy Lamb": "6", "Reggie Jackson": "10", "Ish Smith": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Rudy Gay": "4", "DeMarcus Cousins": "2", "Jeremy Lamb": "5", "Reggie Jackson": "9", "Ish Smith": "3"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gay": "23", "DeMarcus Cousins": "16", "Jeremy Lamb": "17", "Reggie Jackson": "22", "Ish Smith": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "10", "DeMarcus Cousins": "7", "Jeremy Lamb": "9", "Reggie Jackson": "2"}, "Steals": {"Rudy Gay": "2", "DeMarcus Cousins": "4"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jeremy Lamb": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jeremy Lamb": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Ish Smith": "8"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (5 - 2) were beaten by the injury - plagued Oklahoma City Thunder (2 - 5) 101 - 93 on Sunday night at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Kings have been a pleasant surprise to this point in the 2014 season, but lost one on the road to a Thunder team who is dealing with all kinds of injury issues. This is a team who definitely has some serious talent in players like DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay, for starters. Cousins put up 16 points (7 - 15 FG, 2 - 5 FT), with seven rebounds, four steals, two blocks and an assist, but had some foul troubles. Gay was the Kings' leading scorer on Sunday though, and posted a double - double with 23 points (9 - 19 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and 10 rebounds. He also chipped in six assists with two steals as well. The Kings are going to be on the road Tuesday against the Dallas Mavericks next. Not only are the Thunder without Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, but they've been forced to sign players just to have enough bench players to feel confident about their depth. Their most recent signing was Ish Smith, who played eight minutes and scored seven points (2 - 2 FG, 3 - 3 FT) with one assist. The Thunder were led offensively by point guard Reggie Jackson, who scored 22 points (6 - 19 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 9 - 10 FT), to go along with six assists and two rebounds. The Thunder used as much firepower as they had to beat the Kings, with nine players getting in on the action. The return of Jeremy Lamb recently has been a welcomed one, as he scored 17 points (5 - 13 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT) with nine rebounds and four assists. The Thunder will head to Milwaukee to take on the Bucks on Tuesday night next."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "38"}, "Turnovers": {"Cavaliers": "21"}}, {"Points": {"Kevin Love": "17", "Kyrie Irving": "18", "Andre Drummond": "11", "Tobias Harris": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Love": "14", "Kyrie Irving": "5", "Andre Drummond": "17", "Tobias Harris": "6"}, "Assists": {"Kyrie Irving": "8", "Andre Drummond": "4", "Tobias Harris": "4"}}], "This appeared to be a lopsided matchup on paper, but when LeBron James is taken out of that equation, the tables get turned. Detroit took care of business against the shorthanded Cavaliers too, as they won each individual quarter en route to a wire - to - wire win. Three-point shooting was the biggest factor for the Pistons, as they went 16 - of - 28 from long distance in the dominating win. The Cavaliers offense really struggled without James, as they went just 38 percent from the field and committed 21 turnovers in their loss. Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving did all they could though, as Love totaled 17 points and 14 rebounds, while Irving collected 18 points, five rebounds and eight assists. Tobias Harris continues to thrive in his new bench role, as he led the Pistons with 21 points, six rebounds and four assists. Andre Drummond was a force down low, accruing 11 points, 17 rebounds and four assists."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Hawks": "24"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "37"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "6", "Magic": "16"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "87", "Magic": "81"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hawks": "23", "Magic": "17"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "12"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "16", "Magic": "9"}}, {"Points": {"Tobias Harris": "13", "Evan Fournier": "18", "Victor Oladipo": "21", "DeMarre Carroll": "12", "Paul Millsap": "23", "Al Horford": "17", "Kyle Korver": "6", "Jeff Teague": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "11", "Evan Fournier": "6", "Paul Millsap": "8", "Al Horford": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Victor Oladipo": "3", "Kyle Korver": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Victor Oladipo": "3", "Kyle Korver": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Victor Oladipo": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Victor Oladipo": "8"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "5"}}], "The Hawks (16 - 6) extended their winning streak to nine games Friday, knocking off the Magic (9 - 16) 87 - 81 in Atlanta. Despite shooting just 37 percent from the field, Atlanta was able to hold on, outscoring Orlando 23 - 17 in the final period. The Hawks got 23 points and eight rebounds from Paul Millsap and 12 points from DeMarre Carroll. Al Hereford added 17 points and seven rebounds, while Jeff Teague had 13 points and five assists. Kyle Korver finished with six points, going 2 - of - 4 from beyond the arc. Atlanta committed just 12 turnovers and register 24 assists, compared to Orlando\u2019s 14. Victor Oladipo paced the Magic with 21 points, going 8 - of - 12 from the field and 3 - of - 3 from three - point range. Evan Fournier added 18 points and six boards, and Tobias Harris had a 13 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. Kyle O\u2019Quinn, starting in place of the injured Nic Vucevic had 14 points to go with 10 rebounds. Orlando got just seven points from its bench, which shot a cumulative 3 - of - 21 from the floor. Next up, the teams face off again Saturday, this time in Orlando."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "6", "Pistons": "4"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "107", "Pistons": "100"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "3", "Pistons": "4"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "36"}}, {"Points": {"Andre Drummond": "18", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "27", "TJ Warren": "18", "Eric Bledsoe": "21", "Jared Dudley": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "14", "Eric Bledsoe": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "22", "Jared Dudley": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "9", "Jared Dudley": "6"}, "Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Eric Bledsoe": "35"}, "Turnovers": {"Eric Bledsoe": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jared Dudley": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jared Dudley": "4"}}], "The Phoenix Suns defeated the Detroit Pistons 107 - 100 at Talking Stick Resort Arena on Wednesday. The Suns (3 - 6) survived a bit of a scare late in Wednesday's game, as after holding the lead throughout the third quarter, they gave up a 140 run that bled into the final period and they were down as much as six points. Phoenix then came roaring back to take a five - point lead with five minutes remaining, and that was a lead they never lost. Eric Bledsoe nearly had a triple - double on the evening, recording a team - high 21 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists in 35 minutes. Meanwhile, T.J. Warren continues to make a run at being the NBA's most improved player, scoring 18 points \u2014 the fourth time in five games he has done so. Additionally, Jared Dudley was tremendous off the bench, scoring 19 points while shooting 6 - of - 9 from the field and 4 - of - 6 from behind the arc. The Pistons (4 - 4) have now lost three of their last four games, as they continues to have consistency issues on both sides of the ball. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led the team in scoring, notching a game - high 27 points on 9 - of - 22 shooting from the field, while Andre Drummond recorded his third straight double - double and his sixth of the season, as he posted 18 points and 14 rebounds. As a team, despite being in the game until the very end, the Pistons shot a lowly 36 percent (32 - of - 89) from the field. Up next, the Suns will stay home to take on the Nets on Saturday, while the Pistons will head to San Antonio on Friday to play the Spurs."], [[{"Total points": {"Spurs": "96"}}, {"Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "20", "Seth Curry": "23", "Patty Mills": "17", "David Lee": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Harrison Barnes": "9"}}], "In recent years, San Antonio has become synonymous with scoring off the bench. The Spurs' second unit looked as strong as ever on Monday, supplying 42 of San Antonio's 96 points. Guard Patty Mills was second on the team in scoring with 17 points, while big man David Lee came off the bench to score 12. The bench also contributed numerous valuable defensive stops, combining for eight of the team's nine steals. The starting unit, meanwhile, was thin due to the absence of forward LaMarcus Aldridge (rest). Only two starters scored in double digits. For Dallas, young starters made major contributions that kept the game tight. Guard Seth Curry led the team with 23 points, while Harrison Barnes continued his stretch of strong performances by posting 20 points and nine rebounds."], [[{"Total points": {"Rockets": "104", "Celtics": "90"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "4"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "38"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "1"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "1"}}, {"Points": {"Jeff Green": "17", "Terrence Jones": "25", "James Harden": "26", "Isaiah Canaan": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Rajon Rondo": "10", "Terrence Jones": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Terrence Jones": "30", "James Harden": "31", "Isaiah Canaan": "35"}, "3-pointers made": {"Isaiah Canaan": "3"}}], "The Houston Rockets (30) defeated the Boston Celtics (1 - 1) 104 - 90 on Saturday. Terrence Jones bounced back nicely from a subpar performance in the Rockets' last game. He finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds in 30 minutes to record his second double - double of the season. James Harden scored a game - high 26 points in 31 minutes. Patrick Beverley sat out the game with a hamstring injury, and sophomore guard Isaiah Canaan filled in as the starting point guard, finishing with nine points and three three - pointers in 35 minutes. Jeff Green scored a team - high 17 points, and Rajon Rondo pulled down 10 rebounds, but the Celtics could n't find the hoop Saturday and shot just 38 percent from the field, including only four percent from beyond the arc. The Celtics's next game is on the road Monday against the Dallas Mavericks. The Rockets' next game is on the road Monday against the Philadelphia 76ers."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "44", "Warriors": "41"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "6"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "94", "Warriors": "103"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "7", "Stephen Curry": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "15"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "10", "Stephen Curry": "24", "Rudy Gay": "22", "Rajon Rondo": "14", "Marco Belinelli": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "9", "Stephen Curry": "6", "Rajon Rondo": "12"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "2"}, "Steals": {"Rajon Rondo": "4"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (70) defeated the Sacramento Kings (1 - 6) 103 - 94 on Saturday. This game was much closer than most people would have anticipated, as the Warriors had their worst shooting night of the season. The still ended up prevailing with the victory despite shooting 8 - for - 39 from three - point range. The most notable stat line was a triple - double from Rajon Rondo, as he accumulated 14 points, 12 rebounds, 15 assists and four steals in the loss. Both teams were playing the second half of a back - to - back and that really showed, as both the Kings and Warriors barely shot above 40 percent and committed 39 combined turnovers in what's usually a high - scoring matchup. The Warriors continued their raving success, despite MVP Steph Curry shooting 2 - for - 10 from long distance. He still managed to put up 24 points, six rebounds and three assists in the win despite the off shooting night. The key tonight for the Warriors was the defense, as they accumulated 13 steals and held the Kings to 44 percent shooting. Draymond Green also flirted with a triple - double, as he amassed 10 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in the victory. This team looks nearly unstoppable at this point and they'll look to stay undefeated in their next game against the Detroit Pistons on Monday. The Kings now fall to 0 - 5 without DeMarcus Cousins with this close loss to the NBA champs, but this may have been their best performance of the season. They appeared to have one of the worst defenses in the NBA coming into this matchup, but holding the Warriors to 103 points on 41 percent shooting is a win in its own right. Along with Rondo's triple - double, the Kings got matching 22 - point performances from Rudy Gay and Marco Belinelli. Even though it's a loss, this game can be something to build off of for this underperforming Kings squad. Sacramento's next game will be on Monday against the Spurs and they'll hope DeMarcus Cousins returns from his Achilles injury for that matchup."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "25", "Jazz": "23"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "109", "Jazz": "106"}, "Turnovers": {"Thunder": "14"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "35", "Jazz": "37"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "7", "Doug McDermott": "6"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "19", "Rudy Gobert": "13", "Rodney Hood": "18", "Russell Westbrook": "43", "Enes Kanter": "15", "Doug McDermott": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Russell Westbrook": "6", "Doug McDermott": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Enes Kanter": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Doug McDermott": "6"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Utah Jazz 109 - 106 Tuesday at Chesapeake Energy Arena. For majority of Tuesday's contest, it looked as if the Thunder (35 - 25) would be having no problems handling the Jazz (37 - 23), as they entered the final period with a comfortable 11 - point lead thanks in large part to their hot shooting start where, as a team, Oklahoma City hit 14 of their first 15 shots from behind the arc. Nevertheless, an 18 - 2 Utah run not only brought them back into the game, but gave them a three - point lead with just over two minutes remaining. From there, Russell Westbrook completely took over the game, scoring the next 10 points for the Thunder, which was topped off with a game - winning three - point play. Westbrook finished with yet another triple - double of 43 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in 38 minutes. It was his third straight triple - double, but it was n't all Westbrook Tuesday night, as the Thunder also got a pair of impressive performances off the bench. Doug McDermott had a great shooting night, hitting four of his six shots from outside en route to scoring 16 points with Enes Kanter adding 15 points of his own off the bench. For the Jazz, it was a solid team effort with six different players managing to score in double figures. All-Star Gordon Hayward led the way scoring for them, scoring 19 points but on just 7 - of - 17 shooting from the field. Rodney Hood added 18 points, while Rudy Gobert notched a double - double of 13 points and 10 rebounds. Up next, the Thunder will look to extend their win streak to five at Portland on Thursday, while the Jazz will return home Wednesday to take on the Timberwolves."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Bucks": "24"}, "Turnovers": {"Bucks": "13", "Magic": "24"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Magic": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Magic": "54"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5"}}], "The statistics in this game were bizarre to say the least and the swings alone show just why. Orlando started the game on a 16 - 2 run, but Milwaukee started the fourth quarter with a 16 - 2 run of their own. In fact, every quarter in the game was decided by at least seven points, with the Bucks winning the second and fourth quarters by 19 and the Magic winning the first and third quarters by 17. Milwaukee won this game despite being dominated in the rebounding, losing that battle 54 - 37.Turnovers are what got the Bucks their win, as they forced 24 of them, while committing just 13 of their own. That also led the Milwaukee winning the fastbreak differential, 27 - 12. Giannis Antetokounmpo was the player of the game, as he tallied 21 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, five teals and three blocks in an amazing performance."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "7", "Thunder": "7"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "111", "Thunder": "109"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Lakers": "20"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "8", "Thunder": "8"}}, {"Blocks": {"Steven Adams": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Steven Adams": "13", "Jose Calderon": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Steven Adams": "9", "Jose Calderon": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Steven Adams": "1"}, "Points": {"Steven Adams": "20", "Russell Westbrook": "34", "Nick Young": "17", "Jose Calderon": "12", "Jordan Clarkson": "18"}, "Steals": {"Steven Adams": "1", "Jordan Clarkson": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Steven Adams": "1"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jose Calderon": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jose Calderon": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Jose Calderon": "23"}}], "The host Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, 111 - 109, at Staples Center. Los Angeles (8 - 7) got off to a hot start, establishing a 13 - point lead by the end of the first quarter. Despite sophomore star D'Angelo Russell's absence due to a knee injury, the Lakers saw high output from the point guard position. Veteran Jose Calderon slid into the starting role, playing 23 minutes and shooting 4 - of - 5 from the field for 12 points. Meanwhile, bench guard Jordan Clarkson scored 18 points while snagging four steals on the defensive end. The Lakers were given a run for their money as the game ended, however, with the Thunder able to regain the lead with under 20 seconds to play. Luckily for Los Angeles, veteran wing Nick Young was able to drain a clutch three - point shot with five seconds remaining to win the game. The three - pointer was Young's fourth of the night and gave him 17 points. The Thunder (8 - 7) have now lost six of their last eight contests after a hot 6 - 1 start to the season. Tuesday's last - second loss was handed to OKC after coming back from double - digit deficits at multiple points during the game. Leading the comeback efforts was All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook, who put on a stunning offensive show in the fourth quarter. The guard had 15 points, including four three - pointers, in the quarter. Westbrook finished just shy of a triple - double, posting 34 points, 13 assists, and eight rebounds. Westbrook has become no stranger to such stat lines, as he entered the game averaging 32 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds per game. Big man Steven Adams complemented Westbrook by delivering one of his best performances of the season, scoring 20 points on 9 - of - 13 shooting. The Lakers will host the Warriors on Friday, while the Thunder will visit the Nuggets in Denver."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "44", "Jazz": "54"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "21", "Jazz": "24"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "108", "Jazz": "115"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "44", "Jazz": "41"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "4", "Joe Johnson": "2", "James Harden": "6"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "23", "Joe Johnson": "16", "Rudy Gobert": "23", "Rodney Hood": "19", "Clint Capela": "19", "James Harden": "35", "Lou Williams": "12", "Montrezl Harrell": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "7", "Joe Johnson": "2", "Rudy Gobert": "10", "Rodney Hood": "6", "Clint Capela": "12", "James Harden": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gobert": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gobert": "7"}}], "The Utah Jazz defeated the host Houston Rockets, 115 - 108, at Toyota Center on Wednesday. In a battle between two Western Conference contenders, the Jazz were able to escape with a huge road win. It was a dominating showing from Utah, as they led for 46 minutes in a near wire - to - wire win. Rebounding was a huge factor in the win for the Jazz, as they won that battle, 45 - 31. Shooting was also a big difference, as Utah hit 54 percent of their shots to Houston's 44 percent. The Rockets three - point shooting left them down too, as they went just 8 - of - 32 from long distance. The Jazz (41 - 24) had to play this game without Derrick Favors (knee) and George Hill (toe), but they still escaped with an impressive road win. Gordon Hayward tallied 23 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Rudy Gobert also scored 23 points, adding 10 rebounds on 7 - of - 8 shooting. Rodney Hood finished third on the team, accruing 19 points and six rebounds. Joe Johnson got a rare start and provided 16 points, two rebounds and two assists. On deck for Utah is a road matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday. The Rockets (44 - 21) had won eight of 11 headed into this game, but a date with this Jazz defense is one of the toughest in the league. James Harden did all he could for Houston, totaling 35 points, four rebounds and six assists. Clint Capela recorded a double - double, amassing 19 points and 12 rebounds. Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell each scored 12 points off the bench. Houston will look to bounce back on Friday in a road matchup with the Chicago Bulls."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "30", "Pistons": "32"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "78", "Pistons": "106"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "22", "Pistons": "21"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pistons": "23"}}, {"Points": {"Greg Monroe": "23", "PJ Hairston": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Greg Monroe": "12"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (21 - 32) routed the Charlotte Hornets (22 - 30) 106 - 78 on Tuesday at the Time Warner Cable Arena. In a game between two teams fighting for one of the last playoff spots in the East, Detroit dominated the third quarter to give the Pistons a decisive advantage. The Pistons entered the game ranked 21st in the league in scoring, but that was n't evident as they were able to top 100 points for the fifth time in six games. Detroit did n't only have an excellent offensive showing, it also played suffocating defense, holding Charlotte under 80 points. With Tuesday's victory, Detroit has now won four of its last six games. The Pistons got another big game from Greg Monroe, who finished with 23 points and 12 rebounds for another double - double. Detroit will host San Antonio on Wednesday before heading into the All-Star Break. Charlotte had quietly been playing very well of late, but dropped its third straight game Tuesday. The Hornets were missing Michael Kidd-Gilchrist again, as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury he suffered Saturday against Philadelphia. On the bright side, P.J Hairston had a career - high 16 points in 26 minutes on the floor. The Hornets head into the All-Star break sitting in the eighth spot in the East."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "50", "Jazz": "48"}, "Rebounds": {"Thunder": "43", "Jazz": "36"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "45"}}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "9", "George Hill": "9", "Trey Lyles": "10", "Dante Exum": "22", "Alec Burks": "21", "Taj Gibson": "15", "Steven Adams": "11", "Victor Oladipo": "22", "Russell Westbrook": "33", "Enes Kanter": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Steven Adams": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Victor Oladipo": "15"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "14"}}], "Russell Westbrook's 32nd career triple - double vaulted him into second place on the all - time leaderboard and led the Thunder. He compiled 33 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds. The Jazz posted respective success rates of 48 percent from the floor and 45 percent from behind the arc, and the Thunder shot 50 percent overall. Utah was outrebounded, 43 - 36, with Rudy Gobert (knee) out. No Jazz starter scored in double digits. Dante Exum's 22 points led the way and Alec Burks followed with 21. Trey Lyles posted 10 points. George Hill and Gordon Hayward turned in matching nine - point efforts. Rodney Hood, Joe Johnson and Jeff Withey combined for 11. Victor Oladipo contributed 22 points and Taj Gibson had 15. Steven Adams produced a near double - double of 11 points and nine rebounds. Enes Kanter's 16 points led the bench."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "2", "Cavaliers": "3"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "3", "Cavaliers": "2"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Cavaliers": "34"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "40"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "91"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "11", "JR Smith": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "34"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "45", "Timofey Mozgov": "9", "David Lee": "9"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "40", "JR Smith": "14", "Stephen Curry": "37"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "14", "Stephen Curry": "7"}, "Blocks": {"JR Smith": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "13"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "7"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Stephen Curry": "56"}, "Turnovers": {"Stephen Curry": "5"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (3 - 2) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (2 - 3) ,104 - 91, on Sunday at the Oracle Arena to win Game 5 of the NBA Finals. Golden State's Stephen Curry has had some up - and - downs throughout this series, but he reminded everyone on Sunday why he was the league MVP this season. Curry's stat line of 37 points on 56 percent shooting, including 7 - for - 13 from three point range, and seven rebounds does n't fully do his performance justice. The timeliness and degree of difficulty with which Curry buried his shots changed Game 5 and swung the momentum in Golden State's favor. When LeBron James gave Cleveland a lead midway through the fourth quarter on a 34 - foot three pointer, Golden State needed an immediate answer with the game hanging in the balance. Curry delivered, canning a deep three pointer of his own the next time down the floor to reclaim the lead. The Cavaliers now face elimination and will look to extend the series with a win in Game 6 on Tuesday at the Quicken Loans Arena. History is on Golden State's side after Sunday's win, however, as the winner of Game 5 when the series is tied 2 - 2 in the Finals have gone on to win the series 71 percent of the time. Cleveland attempted to match Golden State's undersized lineup with a small lineup of its own, but could n't sustain that style of play for the full 48 minutes. Coach David Blatt played center Timofey Mozgov just nine minutes on Sunday after Mozgov went for 28 points and 10 rebounds in Game 4. LeBron James turned in another incredible effort Sunday with his second triple - double of the series and sixth of his career in the Finals. James finished with 40 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists over 45 minutes of action. Despite James' unbelievable game, the Cavaliers had trouble finding another viable option on offense. J.R Smith got off to a hot start with 14 points in the first half, but went scoreless in the final two quarters. The Cavaliers will need to hold serve at home on Tuesday to extend the series to a seventh game. Golden State traded punches with Cleveland for much of the game Sunday, but its play in the fourth quarter allowed it to pull away and capture a pivotal win. In addition to Curry's undeniable shooting, role players like Leandro Barbosa, Andre Iguodala, and Draymond Green all turned in solid all - around efforts. Those contributions helped Golden State win the rebounding battle and also hold Cleveland to just 40% shooting as a team. The Warriors are now poised to win their first championship in 40 years and will have home court advantage for the decisive Game 7 if necessary."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "16"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "103", "Nets": "89"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pistons": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Pistons": "47", "Nets": "38"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Joe Johnson": "4", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Shane Larkin": "3", "Stanley Johnson": "1", "Ersan Ilyasova": "1", "Anthony Tolliver": "2"}, "Points": {"Joe Johnson": "14", "Thaddeus Young": "12", "Brook Lopez": "19", "Shane Larkin": "8", "Donald Sloan": "15", "Stanley Johnson": "8", "Ersan Ilyasova": "19", "Andre Drummond": "23", "Reggie Jackson": "23", "Anthony Tolliver": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Joe Johnson": "4", "Thaddeus Young": "9", "Brook Lopez": "7", "Shane Larkin": "1", "Donald Sloan": "2", "Stanley Johnson": "4", "Ersan Ilyasova": "13", "Anthony Tolliver": "3"}, "Steals": {"Thaddeus Young": "1", "Stanley Johnson": "2", "Ersan Ilyasova": "1", "Anthony Tolliver": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "3", "Stanley Johnson": "1", "Ersan Ilyasova": "1", "Andre Drummond": "2", "Anthony Tolliver": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Shane Larkin": "24", "Donald Sloan": "24"}, "Free throws made": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Andre Drummond": "2"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (21 - 16) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (10 - 26) 103 - 89 on Saturday. The game featured a showdown between two of the more offensive - minded centers in the NBA, Brook Lopez and Andre Drummond. The two big men did not disappoint, with each tallying or equaling the highest score on their respective teams. However, the frontcourt undercard was n't bad either, as Thaddeus Young and Ersan Ilyasova waged a fascinating battle of their own down low. When all was said and done, the Detroit tandem was able to claim victory, as the Pistons outscored the Nets 60 - 48 in the paint, and outrebounded the visitors 47 - 38 as well. Lopez managed 19 points, seven rebounds, an assist and three blocks to lead the Nets' offensive charge. Joe Johnson followed with another double - digit scoring performance, pitching in 14 points, four rebounds and four assists. Young was just a rebound shy of a double - double with 12 points, nine boards and a steal. Shane Larkin was a bit lackluster again in another start at point guard, contributing eight points, three assists and a rebound. He was outperformed by backup Donald Sloan, who managed a double - double off the bench with 15 points, 10 rebounds and two rebounds over 24 minutes, and might be making progress towards securing the top job. Brooklyn fell to 10 - 26 and remains in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head back home to face the Spurs on Monday night. The Pistons were co - led in scoring by Drummond and Reggie Jackson, who each managed 23 points. The former added 11 rebounds, three steals and a pair of blocks, while the latter contributed eight assists and three rebounds. Ilyasova turned in one of his most impressive performances to date in a Detroit uniform, posting 19 points, hauling in 13 boards, and adding an assist, a steal and a block. Rookie Stanley Johnson posted a modest eight points, four rebounds, an assist, a pair of steals and a block in a start in Marcus Morris' (knee) stead. Anthony Tolliver led the reserves with a 10 - point, three - rebound effort that also included a pair of assists, a steal and a block. Detroit improved to 21 - 16 but remains in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They now await the Spurs for a Tuesday night showdown at the Palace."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "18", "Timberwolves": "25"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "112", "Timberwolves": "105"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Wizards": "32", "Timberwolves": "20"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "17", "Timberwolves": "11"}}, {"Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Gorgui Dieng": "2", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "5", "Zach LaVine": "3", "Markieff Morris": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "1", "Bradley Beal": "3", "John Wall": "18", "Jason Smith": "2"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "41", "Gorgui Dieng": "15", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "18", "Zach LaVine": "8", "Brandon Rush": "10", "Markieff Morris": "15", "Marcin Gortat": "19", "Bradley Beal": "22", "John Wall": "18", "Jason Smith": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Gorgui Dieng": "11", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "10", "Zach LaVine": "5", "Markieff Morris": "6", "Marcin Gortat": "10", "Jason Smith": "3"}, "Steals": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Gorgui Dieng": "2", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "John Wall": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "3", "Jason Smith": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Zach LaVine": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Zach LaVine": "3"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, 112 - 105, at Verizon Center on Friday. The Wizards (17 - 18) came in to the contest with a superb 13 - 6 home mark, while the Timberwolves (11 - 25) had only mustered five wins in 17 tries on the road. This alone gave Washington a built - in edge going in, but Andrew Wiggins did his best to try and buck the odds Friday. The standout forward scored a game - high 41 points, which he supplemented with two assists, two steals and a rebound. However, the hosts countered with a balanced attack, as all five members of the first unit scored in double digits. Those efforts led to a stellar 58 percent success rate from the field, and a 55 percent mark from three - point range. A 32 - 20 edge in the fourth quarter propelled the Wizards to victory, after they'd entered the period facing an 85 - 82 deficit. Karl-Anthony Towns was a distant second on the Timberwolves with an 18 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included five assists, a steal and a block. Gorgui Dieng also accomplished the feat, posting 15 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and two steals. Zach LaVine endured a difficult shooting night as his 3 - for - 14 tally led to an eight - point effort. He also hauled in five boards and dished out three assists. Brandon Rush paced the bench with 10 points. Bradley Beal led the way for the Wizards with 22 points, three assists and two rebounds. Marcin Gortat turned in a customary stat line of 19 points, 10 boards, an assist and three blocks. John Wall turned in a 18 - point, 18 - assist double - double that also included two rebounds and two steals. Otto Porter supplied 17 points, six boards, two assists, two blocks and a steal. Markieff Morris rounded out matters for the starting five with 15 points, six rebounds and an assist. Jason Smith had a productive night off the bench, totaling 10 points, three rebounds, two assists and a pair of blocks, one of those a highlight - worthy stuff of Karl-Anthony Towns. The Timberwolves head back home for a Saturday night showdown with the Utah Jazz, while the Wizards visit the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday afternoon."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "51"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "33", "Lakers": "47"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "108", "Lakers": "101"}, "Rebounds": {"Bucks": "44"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "24", "Lakers": "11"}, "Turnovers": {"Lakers": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"Kobe Bryant": "2", "Jordan Clarkson": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10", "Jabari Parker": "4", "Khris Middleton": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "5", "Nick Young": "8", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1", "Khris Middleton": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kobe Bryant": "1", "Nick Young": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "0", "Khris Middleton": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "12", "Nick Young": "12", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "17", "Jabari Parker": "15", "Khris Middleton": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Kobe Bryant": "3", "Nick Young": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "12", "Jabari Parker": "7", "Khris Middleton": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "9", "Nick Young": "8", "Jabari Parker": "2", "Khris Middleton": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Kobe Bryant": "8", "Nick Young": "6", "Jabari Parker": "1", "Khris Middleton": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Kobe Bryant": "24", "Jabari Parker": "36", "Khris Middleton": "35"}, "Points": {"Kobe Bryant": "15", "Jordan Clarkson": "15", "Nick Young": "19", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "27", "Jabari Parker": "15", "Khris Middleton": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Kobe Bryant": "5", "Jordan Clarkson": "3", "Nick Young": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "12", "Jabari Parker": "9", "Khris Middleton": "2"}, "Steals": {"Jordan Clarkson": "2", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Khris Middleton": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (24 - 33) defeated the visiting Los Angeles Lakers (11 - 47) 108 - 101, Monday night at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Milwaukee led the whole way en route to their fourth win in five games. The Bucks came in averaging 110 points per game in their last three wins and almost reached that number again, which is surprising considering their offense was ranked bottom - five in the league for much of the season before the All-Star break. The Bucks have now won two in a row and improve to 16 - 9 at home. Seven players scored in double digits for Milwaukee, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, who tallied a triple - double as he led the way with a game - high 27 points (12 - 17 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 3 - 6 3Pt), along with 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Antetokounmpo also blocked four shots and nabbed three steals, in 41 minutes. Khris Middleton chipped in 18 points (5 - 15 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT), six assists, two rebounds and two steals, in 35 minutes, while Jabari Parker added 15 points (7 - 15 FG, 1 - 2 FT), nine rebounds and four assists, in 36 minutes. The Bucks shot 51 percent from the field thanks largely to their excellent job moving the ball, which resulted in 32 assists on 44 made field goals. The Lakers struggled to formulate any consistent offense as only 36 percent of their shots were successful. Nick Young tallied a team - high 19 points (5 - 12 FG, 3 - 8 3Pt, 6 - 8 FT), along with three rebounds, in 23 minutes off the bench. Jordan Clarkson scored 15 points, along with three assists, three rebounds and two steals, in 24 minutes. Kobe bid fairwell to the city of Milwaukee by dropping 15 points (3 - 12 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 8 - 9 FT), along with five rebounds and two assists, in 24 minutes, while fans chanted his name in the final minutes of the game. The Lakers gave up a sloppy 17 turnovers, leading to 20 points for the opponent. The Lakers will play next on Thursday, in Boston. The Bucks will head to Memphis for a date with the Grizzlies on Wednesday."], [[{"Wins": {"Raptors": "3", "Bucks": "0"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "26"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "42"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "3"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bucks": "30"}, "Turnovers": {"Bucks": "18"}}, {"Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1", "Greg Monroe": "2"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "20", "Greg Monroe": "14", "Kyle Lowry": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9", "Greg Monroe": "6"}, "Assists": {"Greg Monroe": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "7"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Greg Monroe": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Greg Monroe": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Lowry": "4"}}], "In the first of four games in their season series, the Toronto Raptors (30) remained undefeated against the Milwaukee Bucks (0 - 3) at home. The Raptors, rallying around a well - rounded performance from All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry in which he posted 15 points, 7 assists, and four steals, were able to maintain a steady lead on the visting Bucks throughout the game. Toronto thrived on the defensive end, forcing their opponents to turn the ball over 18 times and holding them to just 26 percent shooting from beyond the three - point line. The Raptors, despite being a bottom - 10 defense in 2014 - 15, have allowed an average of just 96 points to opponents in their first three games. Against the Bucks, the Raptors were able to effectively limit outside shooting, making it difficult for Milwaukee, a team that sometimes struggles with spacing, to pile up points. Despite the loss, the Bucks were able to take away strong performances from some young up - and - coming players. Third-year forward Giannis Antetenkoumpo posted his second 20 - point performance in as many games, while also recording 9 rebounds and a block. Offseason addition Greg Monroe also impressed, putting up 14 points, six rebounds, five assists, and missing only two shots. However, as a team, Milwaukee struggled mightily from beyond the arc and had overall issues with efficiency, shooting just 42 percent from the field. While the Raptors will look to keep their good fortunes going on Tuesday in Dallas, Milwaukee will be in need of better luck. The Bucks will hope to snap a three - game losing streak as they travel to Brooklyn on Monday to face the Nets."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "38"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "30", "Grizzlies": "20"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "85", "Grizzlies": "91"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Knicks": "18"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "23", "Grizzlies": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Zach Randolph": "1", "Marc Gasol": "1", "Mike Conley": "9", "Jeff Green": "2", "Matt Barnes": "1", "Arron Afflalo": "2", "Jose Calderon": "5", "Sasha Vujacic": "1"}, "Points": {"Zach Randolph": "10", "Marc Gasol": "10", "Mike Conley": "8", "Jeff Green": "16", "Matt Barnes": "12", "Arron Afflalo": "14", "Kristaps Porzingis": "17", "Jose Calderon": "18", "Sasha Vujacic": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "4", "Marc Gasol": "7", "Mike Conley": "2", "Jeff Green": "5", "Matt Barnes": "7", "Arron Afflalo": "5", "Kristaps Porzingis": "10", "Jose Calderon": "8", "Sasha Vujacic": "4"}, "Steals": {"Zach Randolph": "1", "Marc Gasol": "1", "Mike Conley": "1", "Jeff Green": "1", "Matt Barnes": "1", "Jose Calderon": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "1", "Matt Barnes": "1", "Kristaps Porzingis": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Jeff Green": "29"}, "Field goals made": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "6"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (30 - 20) defeated the New York Knicks (23 - 30) 91 - 85 on Friday. The Knicks found out before the contest that they would be significantly short - handed at small forward, with both Lance Thomas and Carmelo Anthony bowing out of the game with a concussion and sore knee, respectively. New York was neverthless ready to give the Grizzlies a battle, and saw two previously slumping players step to the forefront in the effort. Rookie Kristaps Porzingis, who'd been going through a difficult stretch over the last several games, bounced back with a double - double, while veteran Jose Calderon equaled his second - best scoring total of the season in his second game back from a groin ailment. Despite the valiant effort, New York was unable to muster enough offense in Anthony's absence to keep up with Memphis, as they shot 38 percent from the field overall. Memphis' top two scorers came from the second unit. Jeff Green led the way by pouring in 16 points, along with five rebounds, two assists and a steal in 29 minutes. Matt Barnes was close behind with 12 points of his own, which he supplemented with seven rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block. The frontcourt tandem of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph were close behind with a pair of 10 - point efforts. Gasol also posted seven rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block, while Randolph pitched in with four rebounds, an assist and a steal. Mike Conley managed a near double - double, supplying eight points, dishing out nine assists, and adding a pair of rebounds and a steal. The Grizzlies remain in second place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They head home to take on the Mavericks on Saturday. Calderon spearheaded the Knicks' attack with 18 points, which he complemented with eight rebounds, five assists and a steal. Porzingis' aforementioned double - double consisted of 17 points, 10 boards and six of his trademark blocks. Arron Afflalo had a productive night himself with 14 points, five rebounds and a pair of assists. Veteran sharpshooter Sasha Vujacic paced the reserves with 10 points, four rebounds and an assist. The Knicks remain in third place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They're home again on Sunday to tangle with the Denver Nuggets."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "1", "Thunder": "4"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "100", "Thunder": "88"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Raptors": "27", "Thunder": "18"}, "Turnovers": {"Raptors": "10"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "3", "Thunder": "1"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Thunder": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Serge Ibaka": "25", "Lance Thomas": "14", "Patrick Patterson": "14", "Jonas Valanciunas": "6", "DeMar DeRozan": "16", "Tyler Hansbrough": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "11", "Lance Thomas": "5", "Patrick Patterson": "8", "Jonas Valanciunas": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Tyler Hansbrough": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Lance Thomas": "11", "Kendrick Perkins": "3", "Patrick Patterson": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Lance Thomas": "6", "Patrick Patterson": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Nick Collison": "3"}, "Assists": {"Sebastian Telfair": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Sebastian Telfair": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Sebastian Telfair": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Patrick Patterson": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Patrick Patterson": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Patrick Patterson": "2", "Tyler Hansbrough": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Patrick Patterson": "2", "Tyler Hansbrough": "8"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (3 - 1) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (1 - 4) 100 - 88 on Tuesday at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. The Thunder turned the ball over 21 times compared to only 10 from the Raptors. They were also outscored 27 - 18 in the fourth quarter, which allowed the Raptors to secure the 12 - point victory. With Andre Roberson going down in Monday's game with a foot injury, the Thunder figured had to hope that would be the end of their bad luck. It turns out, that's not the case. After playing in 17 minutes, Perry Jones went down with a right knee contusion and had to be carried off the floor. Early reports have said it is n't too serious, but more should be known in the future. Serge Ibaka finished with his first double - double of the year, going for 25 points and 11 rebounds. With the mounting injuries, Lance Thomas got the start at small forward, and he went 6 - for - 11 from the field for 14 points and five rebounds. Nick Collison, Kendrick Perkins, and Sebastian Telfair were the only three players available to come off the bench in this, game and they combined for 22 points, but it was n't enough to keep the Thunder in the game. The Raptors were again led by DeMar DeRozan. He scored 16 points to go along with three rebounds and is now averaging 24 points and 7 rebounds on the year. With Amir Johnson (ankle) being held out again, Patrick Patterson got the start and found his stroke, going 5 - for - 9 from the field and 2 - for - 2 from beyond the arc for 14 points and eight rebounds. Tyler Hansbrough came off the bench and got to the line 10 times, converting on eight of his attempts. He had 12 points and seven rebounds. Suffering a facial contusion, Jonas Valanciunas had to leave the game after only 12 minutes, and he finished with six points and two rebounds in the limited time. The Thunder's next game will be at home against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, while the Raptors will go on the road to Boston to play the Celtics on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "20"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "41"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "39", "Knicks": "36"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "90", "Knicks": "101"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Magic": "16"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "22", "Knicks": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"Lance Thomas": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Kristaps Porzingis": "2", "Derrick Rose": "4", "Evan Fournier": "2", "D.J. Augustin": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Lance Thomas": "5"}, "Points": {"Lance Thomas": "11", "Carmelo Anthony": "17", "Kristaps Porzingis": "20", "Derrick Rose": "19", "Justin Holiday": "14", "Aaron Gordon": "10", "Nikola Vucevic": "14", "Evan Fournier": "22", "D.J. Augustin": "15", "Jeff Green": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Lance Thomas": "5", "Kristaps Porzingis": "9", "Justin Holiday": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "5", "Nikola Vucevic": "10", "Evan Fournier": "2", "D.J. Augustin": "4", "Jeff Green": "2"}, "Steals": {"Lance Thomas": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Kristaps Porzingis": "1", "Derrick Rose": "1", "Justin Holiday": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Jeff Green": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Justin Holiday": "1", "Jeff Green": "2"}}], "The New York Knicks defeated the Orlando Magic, 101 - 90, at Amway Center on Wednesday evening. Kristaps Porzingis made a somewhat surprising return to the starting lineup after missing the previous two games with an ankle injury, and did so at center, where Joakim Noah remains out following a procedure to clear out loose bodies in his left knee. The move paid dividends, as the seven - footer scored a team - high 20 points, which he supplemented with nine rebounds, two assists and one steal. The Knicks (25 - 36) were solid on the defensive side of the ball as well, limiting the Magic (22 - 39) to 41 percent shooting overall and 20 percent (5 - for - 25) from behind the arc. They were particularly stingy coming out of halftime, as they stymied their hosts to the tune of only 16 points in the third period. Derrick Rose was right behind Porzingis with 19 points, seven boards, four assists and one steal. Carmelo Anthony tallied a near double - double with 17 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two steals. Lance Thomas remained in the starting five at power forward despite Porzingis' return and produced 11 points, five rebounds, one assist and two steals. Justin Holiday led the second unit with 14 points, one rebound, one steal and one block. Evan Fournier paced Orlando with 22 points, which he supplemented with two boards and two assists. D.J. Augustin followed with a bench - leading 15 points, along with four rebounds and one assist. Nikola Vucevic supplied a 14 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included one steal. Aaron Gordon shook off a quad contusion to register 10 points and five boards. Jeff Green was productive as a reserve as well with 11 points, two rebounds, two blocks and one steal. The Knicks travel back north for a Friday night showdown with the Philadelphia 76ers, while the Magic remain home to tangle with the Miami Heat on Friday evening as well."], [[{"Total points": {"76ers": "109", "Pacers": "105"}, "Rebounds": {"76ers": "54", "Pacers": "40"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "5"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "4"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "4", "Thaddeus Young": "1", "Myles Turner": "2", "CJ Miles": "1", "Jeff Teague": "4", "Al Jefferson": "2", "Monta Ellis": "5", "Robert Covington": "3", "Joel Embiid": "2", "Gerald Henderson": "1", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Nik Stauskas": "1"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "26", "Thaddeus Young": "11", "Myles Turner": "5", "CJ Miles": "13", "Jeff Teague": "13", "Al Jefferson": "10", "Monta Ellis": "19", "Robert Covington": "10", "Joel Embiid": "25", "Gerald Henderson": "12", "Ersan Ilyasova": "14", "Nik Stauskas": "14"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "2", "Thaddeus Young": "1", "Myles Turner": "1", "CJ Miles": "1", "Jeff Teague": "3", "Monta Ellis": "4", "Robert Covington": "2", "Gerald Henderson": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Myles Turner": "21", "Jeff Teague": "35", "Al Jefferson": "22", "Monta Ellis": "36", "Joel Embiid": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Myles Turner": "5", "CJ Miles": "4", "Jeff Teague": "1", "Al Jefferson": "3", "Monta Ellis": "6", "Robert Covington": "4", "Joel Embiid": "7", "Gerald Henderson": "4", "Ersan Ilyasova": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Robert Covington": "1", "Gerald Henderson": "1", "Nik Stauskas": "1"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Joel Embiid": "33"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Joel Embiid": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Joel Embiid": "6"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Joel Embiid": "33"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Joel Embiid": "14"}, "Free throws made": {"Joel Embiid": "12"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Indiana Pacers in overtime, 109 - 105, on Friday at Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers (1 - 7) had taken the Pacers (4 - 5) to the limit just two nights prior before succumbing in overtime, 122 - 115. However, their second consecutive foray into an extra period against Indiana went much better, culminating in Philadelphia's first victory of the season. Joel Embiid led the way by playing a game - high 26 minutes and posting 25 points, seven rebounds, two assists and a block. While he shot just 33 percent (6 - of - 18) from the field, he successfully parlayed 12 of 14 visits to the free - throw line into points. The impressive third - year man helped spearhead a sizable advantage for the Sixers down low, as they outrebounded the Pacers by a 54 - 40 margin. Indiana was led by Paul George, who despite leaving the game in the first half temporarily with a left thumb sprain, totaled 26 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two steals. Monta Ellis was actually second in line despite coming off the bench, amassing 19 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals over 36 minutes. C.J. Miles, who drew the start at shooting guard, turned in 13 points, four rebounds, an assist and a steal. Jeff Teague was modestly involved on offense over 35 minutes, supplying 13 points, four assists, a rebound and three steals. Thaddeus Young had a near double - double with 11 points, nine boards, an assist and a steal. Myles Turner supplied only five points, five rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block over 21 minutes, but Al Jefferson chipped in with 10 points, three boards and two assists over 22 minutes. Philadelphia also saw Gerald Henderson compile 12 points, four rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block. Robert Covington checked in with 10 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. Ersan Ilyasova and Nik Stauskas paced the bench with a pair of 14 - point efforts, with the former also bringing in 11 rebounds, two assists and a block, while the latter also dished out an assist and recorded a block. The Pacers head back home to tangle with the Boston Celtics on Saturday night, while the Sixers now head to Atlanta to take on the Hawks on Saturday evening as well."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Celtics": "27"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "33", "Jazz": "29"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "25", "Jazz": "31"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "100", "Jazz": "95"}, "Turnovers": {"Celtics": "9"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "36", "Jazz": "28"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "38"}}, {"Points": {"Derrick Favors": "11", "Rudy Gobert": "12", "Shelvin Mack": "18", "Trey Lyles": "18", "Jae Crowder": "22", "Avery Bradley": "18", "Isaiah Thomas": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Derrick Favors": "16", "Rudy Gobert": "12", "Trey Lyles": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Shelvin Mack": "3", "Jae Crowder": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Shelvin Mack": "2", "Jae Crowder": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Shelvin Mack": "13", "Trey Lyles": "18", "Jae Crowder": "12", "Avery Bradley": "13", "Isaiah Thomas": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Shelvin Mack": "8", "Trey Lyles": "8", "Jae Crowder": "7", "Avery Bradley": "7", "Isaiah Thomas": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jae Crowder": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Jae Crowder": "5"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "9"}}], "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."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "48", "Hawks": "40"}, "Losses": {"Knicks": "7", "Hawks": "4"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "104", "Hawks": "94"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "6", "Hawks": "9"}}, {"Assists": {"Kent Bazemore": "5", "Paul Millsap": "5", "Kyle Korver": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Courtney Lee": "5", "Derrick Rose": "7"}, "Points": {"Kent Bazemore": "12", "Paul Millsap": "19", "Dwight Howard": "18", "Kyle Korver": "17", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "12", "Carmelo Anthony": "31", "Kristaps Porzingis": "19", "Courtney Lee": "14", "Derrick Rose": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Kent Bazemore": "3", "Paul Millsap": "7", "Dwight Howard": "18", "Kyle Korver": "4", "Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Kristaps Porzingis": "11", "Courtney Lee": "5", "Derrick Rose": "3"}, "Steals": {"Kent Bazemore": "1", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Kyle Korver": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Courtney Lee": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Carmelo Anthony": "5"}}], "The New York Knicks defeated the Atlanta Hawks, 104 - 94, at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. The Hawks (9 - 4) checked in to Sunday winners in six of their last seven, but the Knicks (5 - 7) were able to cool them off with a standout effort from Carmelo Anthony and strong production from the remainder of the starting five. New York came in handicapped down low, as Joakim Noah missed the game with an illness, but the duo of Kyle O'Quinn and Willy Hernangomez combined for 15 points and 15 rebounds, helping to make up for his absence. The Knicks were also able to post a solid 48 percent success rate from the field overall while limiting the Hawks to just 40 percent shooting. Atlanta was led by Paul Millsap's 19 points, which he complemented with seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks. Dwight Howard turned in another monster effort with 18 points, 18 boards and two blocks. Kyle Korver equaled a season - high with 17 points, and added four rebounds, an assist and two steals. Kent Bazemore registered 12 points, five assists, three rebounds and a steal, while Tim Hardaway, Jr. paced the bench with 12 points. Anthony equaled a season high with 31 points and supplemented his scoring total with seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Kristaps Porzingis continued to serve as a highly effective wing man for Anthony, posting a 19 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. The backcourt duo of Derrick Rose and Courtney Lee turned in a pair of 14 - point efforts, with the former also compiling seven assists and three rebounds and the latter providing five rebounds, five assists and a pair of steals. The Hawks return home to face the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday evening, while the Knicks are home against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday evening as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "6", "Bucks": "13"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "104", "Bucks": "97"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "20", "Bucks": "13"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "18", "Brandon Knight": "33", "Thomas Robinson": "29"}, "Points": {"Brandon Knight": "24", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "23", "Thomas Robinson": "15", "Damian Lillard": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "15", "Thomas Robinson": "16"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (20 - 6) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (13 - 13) 104 - 97 on Wednesday. Portland is on a three - game win streak, but Wednesday's win came with a special meaning for the Blazers as it was the first game they've played this season without Robin Lopez. Lopez is expected to miss up to two months with a broken right hand. LaMarcus Aldridge shifted over to center so that Thomas Robinson could step into the starting lineup at power forward. Robinson put up 15 points and 16 rebounds in 29 minutes. Aldridge put up a 23 - point, 15 - rebound double - double, and Damian Lillard scored a game - high 29 points. Milwaukee saw their two - game win streak snapped, and they too were playing without one of their key starters due to injury. Jabari Parker suffered torn ACL in his left knee in Monday's 96 - 94 win over the Phoenix Suns and will miss the rest of the season. To make matters worse, Giannis Antetokounmpo sprained his left ankle after 18 minutes of action and was not able to continue. The severity of the injury was not available after the game. Jared Dudley moved into the starting lineup with Parker out, and Brandon Knight finished with a team - high 24 points in 33 minutes. Portland will embark on a four - game road trip that begins in San Antonio on Friday against the Spurs. Milwaukee will continue their road trip in Sacramento on Thursday against the Kings."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "36", "Nuggets": "44"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "108", "Nuggets": "91"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "32", "Nuggets": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"Kenneth Faried": "2", "Ty Lawson": "12", "Goran Dragic": "5", "Michael Beasley": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Kenneth Faried": "2", "Jusuf Nurkic": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "2", "Goran Dragic": "1", "Michael Beasley": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Kenneth Faried": "35", "Jusuf Nurkic": "30", "Hassan Whiteside": "33", "Goran Dragic": "35", "Michael Beasley": "34"}, "Points": {"Kenneth Faried": "20", "Jusuf Nurkic": "16", "Hassan Whiteside": "14", "Dwyane Wade": "22", "Goran Dragic": "18", "Michael Beasley": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Kenneth Faried": "6", "Jusuf Nurkic": "7", "Hassan Whiteside": "10", "Goran Dragic": "8", "Michael Beasley": "8"}, "Steals": {"Kenneth Faried": "4", "Jusuf Nurkic": "2", "Hassan Whiteside": "2", "Goran Dragic": "2", "Michael Beasley": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Randy Foye": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Randy Foye": "4", "Michael Beasley": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Goran Dragic": "1"}}], "The Miami Heat (32 - 36) improved their playoff odds with a 108 - 91 win over the Denver Nuggets (26 - 44), running their winning streak to three games. Hassan Whiteside tallied his third straight double - double, compiling 14 points, 10 rebounds, two steals and two blocks in 33 minutes. He hasn\u2019t recorded an assist since the first game after the All-Star break. Michael Beasley played 34 minutes off the bench and nearly totaled a triple - double with nine points, eight rebounds, seven assists, three steals, one block and one three - pointer. Recently acquired Goran Dragic nearly matched Beasley\u2019s night, scoring 18 points, grabbing eight rebounds, dishing five assists, snatching two steals and blocking one shot in a team - high 35 minutes. Dwyane Wade, the leading 4th quarter scorer at 7 per, was held to four points in the final period, finishing with 22 points overall. Danilo Gallinari sat the second game of a back - to - back. Jusuf Nurkic claimed Gallinari\u2019s spot in the starting lineup, recording 16 points, seven rebounds, two steals and one block in 30 minutes. As a team, the Nuggets shot 7 - of - 27 from downtown, led by Randy Foye\u2019s 4 - of - 11 performance. Ty Lawson registered 12 assists, tying Chris Paul for second with 34 games of at least 10 assists. Kenneth Faried continued his second half surge, posting 20 points, six rebounds, four steals, two assists and two blocks in 35 minutes. The Heat embarks on a three - game road trip Sunday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. After a day off, the Nuggets finish up a two - game road trip against the Orlando Magic."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "52", "Bulls": "53"}}, {"Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "3", "Michael Carter-Williams": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "18", "DeMarcus Cousins": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwyane Wade": "12", "DeMarcus Cousins": "5"}, "Points": {"Dwyane Wade": "31", "Michael Carter-Williams": "21", "DeMarcus Cousins": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwyane Wade": "6", "Michael Carter-Williams": "6", "DeMarcus Cousins": "14"}, "Steals": {"Dwyane Wade": "1"}}], "Dwyane Wade was the most effective Bulls player on the floor Monday, and stepped up even with superstar Jimmy Butler sidelined because of a heel injury. Wade's 31 points came with six rebounds, three assists and one steal on 12 - of - 18 shooting, while Michael Carter-Williams, who drew the start in favor of Butler, went on to score 21 points, grab six rebounds and dish out four assists. DeMarcus Cousins needed more than his 18 points and poor shooting effort to make it a closer contest, but was a monster on the rebounding effort, evidenced by his 18 points and 14 rebounds. Cousins' 5 - of - 16 shooting fell far below his season average. Both teams shot efficiently from the floor as a unit, but the Bulls finished with a slightly better night, going for 53 percent shooting, compared to the Kings' 52 percent effort."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pelicans": "23", "Mavericks": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "37", "Mavericks": "43"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "23", "Mavericks": "15"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "91", "Mavericks": "100"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "11", "Mavericks": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Chandler Parsons": "6", "Raymond Felton": "6", "Anthony Davis": "7", "Tyreke Evans": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "5", "Raymond Felton": "6", "Anthony Davis": "3", "Tyreke Evans": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chandler Parsons": "0", "Raymond Felton": "3", "Anthony Davis": "0", "Tyreke Evans": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "16", "Raymond Felton": "14", "Dwight Powell": "9", "Anthony Davis": "25"}, "Field goals made": {"Chandler Parsons": "9", "Raymond Felton": "6", "Dwight Powell": "4", "Anthony Davis": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "3", "Raymond Felton": "7", "Dwight Powell": "6", "Anthony Davis": "5", "Tyreke Evans": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Chandler Parsons": "3", "Raymond Felton": "7", "Dwight Powell": "5", "Anthony Davis": "4", "Tyreke Evans": "3"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "21", "Raymond Felton": "22", "Dwight Powell": "13", "Anthony Davis": "26", "Tyreke Evans": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Chandler Parsons": "8", "Raymond Felton": "2", "Dwight Powell": "10", "Tyreke Evans": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Tyreke Evans": "35"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (21 - 15) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (11 - 23) 100 - 91 on Wednesday at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. Despite a close game throughout, the Mavericks ended up as the better shooters Wednesday, going 43 percent from the floor and 25 percent from the three - point line, while the Pelicans finished at 37 percent from the field and just 23 percent from deep. The Mavericks also dominated the boards, though, finishing with a 41 to 36 advantage. It was Raymond Felton who did the majority of the work for the Mavericks on Wednesday. Felton finished with a team - high of 22 points (6 - 14 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 7 - 7 FT), to go along with six assists and a pair of rebounds. His points total came just one point shy of a season - high for the 10th - year pro out of North Carolina. Chandler Parsons also put up some impressive numbers. He went off for 21 points (9 - 16 FG, 0 - 5 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), while also adding eight rebounds and six assists. Parsons is averaging just 9 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists so far this season, so it was a step in the right direction for him. Notching a double - double was Dwight Powell, who came off the bench for 13 points (4 - 9 FG, 5 - 6 FT) and 10 rebounds over 29 minuteus off the bench. For the Pelicans, superstar Anthony Davis did everything he could to keep the Pelicans alive. He went off for a game - high of 26 points (11 - 25 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT), to go along with 12 rebounds, seven assists and three blocked shots. Davis came just shy of a triple - double, but it was n't enough to propel the Pelicans to the victory. Tyreke Evans chipped in with 16 points (6 - 12 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), nine rebounds and five assists over 35 minutes as well. The Mavericks' next game will be on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, while the Pelicans will take on the Pacers at home in New Oreleans at the Smoothie King Center on Friday."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Kings": "31"}}, {"Assists": {"D'Angelo Russell": "4", "DeMarcus Cousins": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"D'Angelo Russell": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"D'Angelo Russell": "6"}, "Points": {"D'Angelo Russell": "17", "DeMarcus Cousins": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"D'Angelo Russell": "2"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers losing streak was extended to seven games, but Louis Williams also busted his scoring streak after failing to hit the 20 - point mark for a sixth consecutive game. Williams was keeping the Lakers in games, even though they were failing to come away with wins during the streak that the former Raptors' Sixth Man of the Year winner was enduring. The Lakers shooting guard finished with 14 points on 3 - of - 12 shooting in 26 minutes off the bench, although starting point guard D'Angelo Russell looked stronger after playing the second game of a back - to - back. Russell finished with 17 points, two rebounds and four assists on 6 - of - 10 shooting. Los Angeles did not have an answer for the remarkable stat line DeMarcus Cousins dropped on them, especially during the third quarter, as the Kings all - star center finished with 31 points, 16 rebounds, five assists, two steals and three blocks."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "4", "Knicks": "7"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "95", "Knicks": "78"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Heat": "26", "Knicks": "11"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "9", "Knicks": "8"}}, {"Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "21", "Kristaps Porzingis": "20", "Chris Bosh": "16", "Hassan Whiteside": "11", "Dwyane Wade": "16", "Goran Dragic": "13", "Tyler Johnson": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "8", "Kristaps Porzingis": "14", "Hassan Whiteside": "11", "Goran Dragic": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "37", "Goran Dragic": "31", "Tyler Johnson": "21"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "5"}, "Assists": {"Goran Dragic": "5"}, "Steals": {"Goran Dragic": "3"}}], "The Miami Heat (9 - 4) defeated the New York Knicks (8 - 7) Monday 95 - 78 at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami. The Heat pulled together a collective team effort, with five different players scoring in double figures, and they took control of the game from there very start. The lead ultimately opened up in the second quarter, where a huge scoring drought led the Knicks to lose to period 26 - 11. Miami was led by the play of starting point guard Goran Dragic, who scored 13 points, grabbed nine rebounds, dished out five assists and managed three steals in 31 minutes. Hassan Whiteside recorded yet another double - double of 11 points and 11 rebounds on top of five blocks, while both Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade added 16 points each. Tyler Johnson gave solid minutes off the bench as well, scoring 12 points in 21 minutes. Even in defeat, Kristaps Porzingis still shined for the Knicks, scoring 20 points and grabbing a game - high 14 rebounds in 37 minutes. It was the rookie\u2019s second straight game with at least 20 points and 14 boards. Carmelo Anthony added a game - high 21 points and eight rebounds, while the rest of the Knicks combined to score just 37 points. Up next, the Heat will head to Detroit Wednesday to take on the Pistons, while the Knicks will travel a short way to Orlando to play the Magic Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "43"}}, {"Points": {"Julius Randle": "12", "Lou Williams": "16", "Anthony Davis": "41", "Jrue Holiday": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Julius Randle": "10", "Anthony Davis": "16"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}, "Assists": {"Jrue Holiday": "5"}}], "Anthony Davis continues to post career numbers in his fifth season in the league. Davis scored 41 points to go with 16 rebounds, four steals, and two blocks in Tuesday's blowout win over the Los Angeles Lakers. The young superstar shot 14 - of - 27 from the field and 12 - of - 14 from the free - throw line. The game marked Davis's 11th outing with at least 25 points and 10 rebounds this season, and his fourth game of at least 40 points. Davis leads the league in scoring at 32 points per game. His strong play was complemented on Tuesday by Jrue Holiday, who scored 22 points and dished out five assists. Despite Davis's strong shooting, however, many Pelicans struggled from the field, as the team shot just 43 percent overall. On the Lakers side, no player recorded over 29 minutes played. The team saw contributions down the bench, as only three players actually ended up scoring in double - digits. Sixth man Lou Williams led the team with 16 points, while starter Julius Randle had a 12 - point, 10 - rebound double - double."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Timberwolves": "36", "Jazz": "43"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "38", "Jazz": "47"}, "Losses": {"Timberwolves": "49", "Jazz": "37"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "84", "Jazz": "93"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Timberwolves": "10"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "24", "Jazz": "36"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Derrick Favors": "2", "Rodney Hood": "4", "Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Gordon Hayward": "2", "Derrick Favors": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Gordon Hayward": "39", "Derrick Favors": "34", "Rodney Hood": "33"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "18", "Derrick Favors": "19", "Rodney Hood": "15", "Andrew Wiggins": "13", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "14", "Ricky Rubio": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Derrick Favors": "5", "Rodney Hood": "4", "Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "11", "Ricky Rubio": "5"}, "Steals": {"Ricky Rubio": "4"}}], "The Utah Jazz (36 - 37) defeated the host Minnesota Timberwolves (24 - 49) 93 - 84, Saturday evening at Target Center. This was a much - needed victory for the Jazz as they came into this game tied with Dallas for the eighth seed and only a half - game behind seventh place Houston. Their opponent, the Timberwolves, despite their record, have been a formidable foe over their last seven games, winning won four - of - seven, as well as their last two in a row. Minnesota started out terribly slow, with a 10 - point first quarter, but managed to cut the deficit to one by half time. The teams matched each other in the third quarter, leaving the fourth to decide the game. Utah used a 90 run, culminating at the 8:30 mark in the fourth quarter, in order to create some separation, which they were then able to maintain until the final buzzer. The Jazz used a balanced team effort to emerge victorious, as four players scored 15 or more points, while the team played solid defense and rebounded well. Gordon Hayward was solid, with 18 points, five rebounds, five assists and two blocked shots, in 39 minutes, while Derrick Favors added 19 points, five rebounds, two assists and two blocks, in 34 minutes. Rodney Hood finished with 15 points, four rebounds and four assists, in 33 minutes. The Jazz shot 47 percent from the field and 43 percent from long range, en route to their 14th victory on the road. The Timberwolves were not able to win their third straight, but still managed to put up a good fight, as they shot 38 percent from the field, 36 percent from deep and hit 16 - of - 19 free throws. Ricky Rubio led the Timberwolves in points, assists and steals, as he finished with 23 points, six assists, five rebounds, four steals and one blocked shot, in 30 minutes. Karl-Anthony Towns chipped in 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Andrew Wiggins added 13 points, four rebounds and two assists. No other Timberwolves players scored in double digits, as the rest of the team accounted for only 34 points. Next, the Timberwolves will host the Suns on Monday. The Jazz have an opportunity to grab another win and get closer to securing a spot in the top eight, when they host the Lakers on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "36", "Timberwolves": "43"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "116", "Timberwolves": "101"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "26", "Timberwolves": "19"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "14", "Khris Middleton": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "10", "Khris Middleton": "11"}, "Points": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "21", "Zach LaVine": "20", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "27", "Khris Middleton": "32"}, "Turnovers": {"Zach LaVine": "6"}, "Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "12"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (26 - 36) secured a 116 - 101 home win against the young Minnesota Timberwolves (19 - 43) on Friday. The Bucks have had a disappointing season thus far, after a surprising trip to the playoffs in 2014 - 15. However, the young core of Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jabari Parker have steadily gained experience over the course of the season. Middleton was a force to be reckoned with on Friday, leading the game with 32 points on 11 - for - 16 shooting. Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, approached a triple - double with 27 points, nine rebounds, 12 assists, three steals, and two blocks. The \"Greek Freak\" stuffed the stat sheet on Friday, just a week after his first career triple - double. Despite stellar shooting, 25 team turnovers killed the young and rising Timberwolves on Friday. Rookie of the Year frontrunner Karl-Anthony Towns led the team with 21 points on 10 - of - 14 shooting. However, the 20 - year - old star also contributed four turnovers in what was a messy offensive game for the Wolves. It was a similar story for sophomore Zach LaVine, who had 20 points but turned the ball over six times. The Wolves will play host to the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday, while the Bucks will have a home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "6", "Hornets": "8"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "96", "Hornets": "102"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bulls": "25"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "11", "Hornets": "11"}}, {"Points": {"Cody Zeller": "17", "Nicolas Batum": "24", "Spencer Hawes": "14", "Nikola Mirotic": "7", "Jimmy Butler": "25", "Derrick Rose": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Cody Zeller": "8", "Nicolas Batum": "11", "Spencer Hawes": "7", "Jimmy Butler": "8", "Derrick Rose": "7"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Nicolas Batum": "11"}, "Assists": {"Spencer Hawes": "4", "Derrick Rose": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Mirotic": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Mirotic": "3"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "2"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (11 - 8) won on the road Saturday, defeating the Chicago Bulls (11 - 6) by a score of 102 - 96. The Bulls' loss came just one night after they rose to the top of the Eastern Conference. The East remains tightly bunched, with the first and tenth seeds separated by less than three games. Despite the continued absence of big man Al Jefferson (calf), the Hornets had no problem competing with Chicago's loaded frontcourt, as forward Cody Zeller (17 points, eight rebounds) and reserve center Spencer Hawes (14 points, seven rebounds, four assists) both had big nights. The real star of the show, however, was small forward Nicolas Batum, who led the team in both points and rebounds, posting 24 and 11 respectively. Batum has settled nicely into a prominent role in his first year in Charlotte, averaging 17 points and 6 rebounds per game on the season, The Bulls, meanwhile, saw a disappointing loss in what has been an otherwise strong season thus far. Despite impressive efforts from the backcourt of Derrick Rose (19 points, seven rebounds, five assists) and Jimmy Butler (25 points, eight rebounds, two steals), the Bulls simply could n't get it done. A large part of the team's woes came at the free - throw line, where they shot just 68 percent on the night. Second-year forward Nikola Mirotic also struggled, shooting just 3 - for - 11 and recording only seven points. The Bulls will look for a bounceback performance as they prepare to take on the Suns on Monday. With the Eastern Conference seemingly up for grabs, Chicgo will be jocking for position with the conference's other heavy hitters. Charlotte, meanwhile, will look to carry the momentum from beating the top seed into their next game, a visit from Andre Drummond and the Pistons on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "35", "Rockets": "24"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "112", "Rockets": "115"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Thunder": "30"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Thunder": "30"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "42", "Rockets": "53"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Dwight Howard": "15", "James Harden": "22", "Josh Smith": "17", "Enes Kanter": "19", "Russell Westbrook": "29", "Anthony Morrow": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwight Howard": "10", "James Harden": "12", "Josh Smith": "7", "Enes Kanter": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "12", "Anthony Morrow": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Dwight Howard": "23", "James Harden": "38", "Josh Smith": "27", "Enes Kanter": "38", "Russell Westbrook": "41", "Anthony Morrow": "36"}, "Points": {"Dwight Howard": "22", "James Harden": "41", "Josh Smith": "14", "Enes Kanter": "21", "Russell Westbrook": "40", "Anthony Morrow": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "8", "James Harden": "6", "Josh Smith": "4", "Enes Kanter": "17", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Anthony Morrow": "4"}, "Steals": {"Dwight Howard": "2", "James Harden": "3", "Josh Smith": "2", "Anthony Morrow": "1"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "6", "Josh Smith": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "13", "Anthony Morrow": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"James Harden": "9", "Josh Smith": "3", "Anthony Morrow": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"James Harden": "6", "Josh Smith": "0", "Anthony Morrow": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Harden": "13", "Russell Westbrook": "15"}, "Free throws made": {"James Harden": "11", "Enes Kanter": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "12"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Enes Kanter": "1"}}], "The Rockets (53 - 24) took down the Thunder (42 - 35) 115 - 112 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on Sunday. The game was a showdown between two of the most prolific scorers in the league. Houston\u2019s James Harden put up 41 points (12 - 22 FG, 6 - 9 3Pt, 11 - 13 FT), to go with six rebounds, six assists and three steals in 38 minutes. Oklahoma City\u2019s Russell Westbrook had yet another tripe - double, with 40 points (12 - 29 FG, 4 - 11 3 Pt, 12 - 15 FT), 11 rebounds and 13 assists in 41 minutes. The Rockets were in control for most of the game, but, late in the fourth quarter, the Thunder staged a comeback. They tied the game 100 - 100 on a Westbrook three - pointer with 3:12 on the clock. Harden responded by scoring the Rockets\u2019 next eight points, bringing the score to 108 - 101. Westbrook continued to hit shots from beyond the arc to keep his team in the game, but was unable to sink a three that would\u2019ve tied the game as time expired. Harden\u2019s supporting cast included Dwight Howard, who had 22 points (10 - 15 FG), eight rebounds and two steals in 23 minutes. Josh Smith had 14 points (7 - 17 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt), four rebounds, four assists and two steals in 27 minutes. Oklahoma City\u2019s Enes Kanter had 21 points (9 - 19 FG), 17 rebounds and one block in 38 minutes. Kanter is averaging 27 points and 17 rebounds in 36 minutes over his last three games. Anthony Morrow came off the bench and scored 22 points (8 - 15 FG, 6 - 8 3Pt), four rebounds, two assists and one steal in 36 minutes. The Rockets are second in the Western Conference, 11 games behind the Warriors. The Thunder are currently eighth in the West, only a half - game ahead of the ninth place Pelicans. The Rockets have swept the Thunder in their season series 30."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Rockets": "11"}}, {"Points": {"James Harden": "20", "Will Barton": "17", "Wilson Chandler": "24"}, "Assists": {"Will Barton": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Will Barton": "7"}}], "It was a statistical down night for superstar James Harden, though matching his typical stat line is quite a high bar. Harden followed an impressive triple - double against the Warriors on Thursday with 20 points, six rebounds, and seven assists in Denver. Forwards Ryan Anderson and Trevor Ariza complemented Harden's offensive output by combining for 34 points and eight three - pointers. Bench players Eric Gordon and Sam Dekker combined for an additional 35. Overall, the Rockets' three - heavy offense was on full display, as the team shot over 50 percent and had 17 three - pointers. The Nuggets, meanwhile, characteristically won the rebounding battle, 52 - 42. However, the team struggled from three - point range, hitting just nine three - pointers. The team also turned the ball over 16 times, while forcing only 11 from the Rockets. Forward Wilson Chandler led the team in scoring off the bench with 24, while guard Will Barton slid into a starting role to provide 17 points, seven rebounds, and five assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "19", "Suns": "43"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "124", "Suns": "84"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "37", "Suns": "14"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "35"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Alex Len": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Alex Len": "4", "JJ Redick": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Alex Len": "4"}, "Points": {"Alex Len": "14", "Devin Booker": "5", "Ronnie Price": "12", "Paul Pierce": "11", "DeAndre Jordan": "17", "JJ Redick": "22", "Chris Paul": "16", "Jeff Green": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Alex Len": "8", "Ronnie Price": "5", "DeAndre Jordan": "11", "Jeff Green": "5"}, "Assists": {"Ronnie Price": "3", "Chris Paul": "14", "Jeff Green": "2"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeAndre Jordan": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"JJ Redick": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"JJ Redick": "14", "Jeff Green": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"JJ Redick": "7", "Jeff Green": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"JJ Redick": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Jeff Green": "24"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (37 - 19) defeated the Phoenix Suns (14 - 43) 124 - 84 at Staples Center on Monday. The Clippers were able to exploit the Suns defensive breakdowns which eventually led to a 40 points blowout win. Los Angeles burst out the gate and opened up a 19 point lead by the end of the first quarter. Phoenix was held under 20 points in both the first third quarters, as every matchup was a mismatch. The Suns shot 35 percent as a whole, and were led in scoring by Archie Goodwin, who came off the bench. Goodwin\u2019s 20 points in 37 minutes were far from enough to soften the deficit. Ronnie Price totaled 12 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Devin Booker pitched in a lowly five points to round out the backcourt. Alex Len started at the center position and added 14 points and eight rebounds, but simply got abused by DeAndre Jordan throughout the matchup. The Clippers strolled to victory behind Chris Paul and his 16 points and 14 assists. Paul almost out assisted the entirety of the Suns (20 - 14), as he showcased supreme ball movement and spacing. JJ Reddick was on the receiving end of many of Paul\u2019s dimes, and he turned the easy looks into 22 points on 7 - of - 14 shooting, including four baskets from behind the arc. DeAndre Jordan dominated the paint and added 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Paul Pierce pitched in 11 points in his starting role. None of the Clippers starters needed more than 27 minutes of game time, as the bench was able to hold the strong lead. Newcomer Jeff Green contributed 18 points, five rebounds and two assists on 6 - of - 10 shooting in 24 minutes off the bench, as he highlighted his ability to create off the dribble. The Clippers will continue their homestand and host the Denver Nuggets (22 - 34) on Wednesday, while the Suns host the Brooklyn Nets (15 - 41) on Thursday."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Grizzlies": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "9", "Avery Bradley": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "3"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "26", "Zach Randolph": "16", "Avery Bradley": "23", "Isaiah Thomas": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "4", "Zach Randolph": "10", "Avery Bradley": "7"}, "Steals": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}}], "Boston were expected to win this game against a shorthanded Memphis team and they did n't disappoint. The biggest discrepancy in the game was free - throw shooting, with the Grizzlies hitting just 69 percent of their free - throws to the Celtic's 91 percent. Rebounding was also key, as Boston won that battle, 47 - 37, in their victory. Marc Gasol did all he could to keep Memphis hanging around, as he accumulated 26 points, four rebounds, nine assists, two steals and three blocks in the defeat. Zach Randolph recorded a double - double off the bench, totaling 16 points and 10 rebounds. Avery Bradley was the Celtics best player, as he tallied 23 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Isaiah Thomas provided 21 points and seven assists of his own. Gerald Green and Marcus Smart were huge off the bench, as they combined for 32 points, nine rebounds and seven assists."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "48", "Hawks": "40"}}, {"Points": {"Kent Bazemore": "12", "Paul Millsap": "19", "Dwight Howard": "18", "Kyle Korver": "17", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "12", "Carmelo Anthony": "31", "Kristaps Porzingis": "19", "Courtney Lee": "14", "Derrick Rose": "14"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "18", "Kristaps Porzingis": "11"}}], "Carmelo Anthony equaled a season high with 31 points while Kristaps Porzingis continued to serve as his highly effective wing man, posting a 19 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. The backcourt duo of Derrick Rose and Courtney Lee turned in a pair of 14 - point efforts, while the duo of Kyle O'Quinn and Willy Hernangomez combined for 15 points and 15 rebounds in Joakim Noah's stead. The Knicks were also able to post a solid 48 percent success rate from the field overall while limiting the Hawks to just 40 percent shooting. Paul Millsap's 19 points led the Hawks, while Dwight Howard turned in another monster effort with 18 points, 18 boards and two blocks. Kyle Korver equaled a season high with 17 points and Kent Bazemore registered 12 points, a total matched by Tim Hardaway, Jr. off the bench."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "3", "Knicks": "4"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "109", "Knicks": "111"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "5", "Knicks": "4"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "9", "Cory Joseph": "8"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "25", "Lance Thomas": "17", "Langston Galloway": "15", "DeMar DeRozan": "29", "Kyle Lowry": "23", "Cory Joseph": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4", "DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Cory Joseph": "6"}, "Steals": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Robin Lopez": "4"}}], "The New York Knicks (4 - 4) defeated the Toronto Raptors (5 - 3) 111 - 109 on Tuesday. The Knicks held off the Raptors in a nail - biter on Tuesday thanks to some great bench performances. The Raptors shot 39 free - throws in the game compared to the Knicks 18, but New York still prevailed with some late heroics. It was a relatively clean game, as there were only 20 combined turnovers. The Knicks got 17 points from Lance Thomas and 15 points from Langston Galloway off the bench en route to a big victory. The team was led by superstar Carmelo Anthony, who tallied 25 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals in the win. They also got a nice performance from Robin Lopez, who neared a double - double with four blocks. They'll look to keep this momentum up against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday in the second half of a back - to - back set. Toronto started off the season 50, but have proceeded to lose three - straight since. The team was led by its guards on Tuesday, as Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan put in great performances once again. Lowry tallied 23 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, while DeRozan totaled 29 points and five rebounds in the loss. They also got a nice performance off the bench from Cory Joseph, who amassed 12 points, eight assists and six rebounds in the defeat. The Raptors will look to break this losing streak in a favorable matchup on Wednesday against the Philadelphia 76ers."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "46", "Suns": "39"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "11", "Suns": "6"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "122", "Suns": "116"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "3", "Suns": "7"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Tyson Chandler": "16"}, "Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "6", "Ish Smith": "8"}, "Points": {"Eric Bledsoe": "29", "Anthony Davis": "32", "Ryan Anderson": "29", "Ish Smith": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Eric Bledsoe": "7", "Anthony Davis": "19", "Ish Smith": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Ryan Anderson": "7"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Ish Smith": "7"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (3 - 11) defeated the Phoenix Suns (7 - 6) 122 - 116 on Sunday. This was an extremley high - scoring game and it was simply fun to watch, Both teams had well over 100 possessions in the game and the pace was at a ridiculously high level. There were also a ton of three - pointers taken, as both teams attempted a combined 66 threes. The biggest difference in the game was the shooting, as the Pelicans shot 46 percent while the Suns shot just 39 percent from the field. The Suns played good enough to win in this game, but they simply didn\u2019t shoot well enough to keep up with the Pelicans. Their defense was lacking as well, as they allowed twice as many paint points as they scored (44 - 22). Eric Bledsoe put in another all - around great performance though, as he tallied 29 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the defeat. He did miss the majority of the third quarter for an unknown injury, but he was able to return for the final 12 minutes. An interesting development is that of Tyson Chandler\u2019s playing time, as he saw just 16 minutes in the defeat. His minutes have been slowly dissipating as of late and it's mainly due to the fact that the Suns prefer to play small - ball. It will be interesting to see how this Chandler experiment will work in Phoenix. The Suns will have to play again on Monday in the second half of a back - to - back, as they'll have to travel to San Antonio to take on the Spurs. The Pelicans appear to be finally putting it all together and it's likely as simple as health. Anthony Davis played a full complement of minutes here and had a fantastic game. Davis totaled 32 points, 19 rebounds, four blocks and two steals in the victory. The bench also continued its recent success, as Ish Smith and Ryan Anderson put in some fine performances. In fact, Anderson had 29 points and that's his fourth consecutive 20 - point game, which is a fantastic sign considering he had just seven 20 - point outings all of last season. Smith flirted with a triple - double, as he collected 17 points, nine rebounds and eight assists off the bench. This is a very talented team and they are still feared no matter how bad their record looks. The Pelicans have now won two - straight and they'll look to add to that winning streak on Wednesday in a rematch with these Suns."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "25", "Pacers": "19"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "100", "Pacers": "106"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "16", "Pacers": "22"}, "Number of team assists": {"Pacers": "22"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Paul George": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul George": "8"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "24", "Jeff Teague": "22", "DeMarcus Cousins": "25"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "11", "DeMarcus Cousins": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jeff Teague": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Jeff Teague": "11", "DeMarcus Cousins": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Jeff Teague": "7", "DeMarcus Cousins": "12"}}], "The Indiana Pacers used a big second - half comeback to defeat the host Sacramento Kings, 106 - 100, on Wednesday at Golden 1 Center. The Pacers (22 - 19), who trailed by as many as 22 in the first half, were down 60 - 41 at halftime before rallying behind Paul George and Jeff Teague to outscore the Kings, 65 - 40, in the second half. George finished with 24 points on 8 - of - 15 shooting while Teague totaled 22 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. Teague, who was 11 of 11 from the free - throw line, hit two foul shots with 1:55 to play to give Indiana a 99 - 98 lead that it would not relinquish. Rudy Gay tore his left Achilles' tendon on a drive to the basket with 20 seconds left in the third quarter. He went down without contact and was carried off the floor. From that point, the Pacers outscored the Kings, 37 - 21. DeMarcus Cousins posted his fifth career triple - double, finishing with 25 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, but it was n't enough to keep the Kings (16 - 25) from losing for the eighth time in their last 10 games, including a 1 - 6 mark at home in that span. The Pacers travel to Los Angeles to face the Lakers on Friday while the Kings start a season - high eight - game road trip in Memphis."], [[{"Total points": {"76ers": "92", "Hawks": "99"}, "Rebounds": {"76ers": "40", "Hawks": "47"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "36"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "39"}}, {"Assists": {"Dwight Howard": "4", "Dennis Schroder": "5", "Kent Bazemore": "4", "Dario Saric": "4", "T.J. McConnell": "8", "Nik Stauskas": "7"}, "Points": {"Dwight Howard": "22", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "19", "Dennis Schroder": "14", "Kent Bazemore": "19", "Dario Saric": "15", "Richaun Holmes": "25", "T.J. McConnell": "13", "Nik Stauskas": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "3", "Dennis Schroder": "3", "Kent Bazemore": "4", "Dario Saric": "7", "Richaun Holmes": "8", "T.J. McConnell": "3", "Nik Stauskas": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Richaun Holmes": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Richaun Holmes": "11"}, "Steals": {"T.J. McConnell": "2"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks defeated the host Philadelphia 76ers, 99 - 92, at Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday. This game meant much more to Atlanta than Philly and that proved to be the case in the final scoreline. Despite the Hawks leading for the final 44 minutes, this game was close throughout, with the Hawks never leading by more than 11 points. Three-point shooting really killed the Sixers, as they went just 11 - of - 39 from long distance, while the Hawks went 9 - of - 18. Atlanta also took care of the rebounding, winning that battle, 47 - 40. Getting to the free - throw line also boosted Atlanta, as they went 22 - of - 26 from the charity stripe, while Philly went just 9 - of - 11. The Hawks (39 - 36) now have two - straight wins after an ugly seven - game losing streak, as they are finally putting some things together. Dwight Howard was the player of the game, as he totaled 22 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. Dennis Schroder finished with 14 points, three rebounds and five assists. Tim Hardaway Jr. accrued 19 points and three rebounds. Kent Bazemore was huge off the bench, providing 19 points, four rebounds and four assists. The Sixers (28 - 47) have struggled with the Hawks all season, as this marked a season sweep for Atlanta. Richaun Holmes got another start and he led the way with 25 points and eight rebounds on 11 - of - 16 shooting. Dario Saric accumulated 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists. T.J. McConnell tallied 13 points, three rebounds, eight assists and two steals. Nik Stauskas played well off the bench, amassing nine points, five rebounds and seven assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "41", "Thunder": "32"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "94", "Thunder": "89"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Jazz": "18"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "32", "Thunder": "41"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Enes Kanter": "34", "Russell Westbrook": "41", "Rudy Gobert": "41", "Trey Burke": "33"}, "Points": {"Enes Kanter": "18", "Russell Westbrook": "37", "Rudy Gobert": "13", "Trey Burke": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Enes Kanter": "11", "Rudy Gobert": "15", "Trey Burke": "6"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "6", "Trey Burke": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "9"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "16", "Trey Burke": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Gordon Hayward": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "4"}, "Steals": {"Rudy Gobert": "3", "Trey Burke": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Rodney Hood": "2"}}], "The Utah Jazz (32 - 41) staved off a late rally to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder (41 - 32), 94 - 89, in Enes Kanter\u2019s return to Salt Lake City. Derrick Favors was unable to play after injuring his back the night before. Treatment prior to the game did not alleviate the problem. Rodney Hood returned to the starting lineup after missing the previous two games with a stomach flu. Trey Burke continued his inefficient ways, scoring a team - high 22 points on 23 shots to go along with six rebounds, four assists and four steals in 33 minutes. Rudy Gobert, a nominee for Most Improved Player, supplied 13 points, 15 rebounds, four blocks, and three steals in 41 minutes without Favors to aid in frontcourt duties. Gordon Hayward was held to 4 - of - 16 shooting one night after scoring 24 points. The Thunder holds a two and a half game lead over the New Pelicans for the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Russell Westbrook, the league\u2019s leading scorer, continues to produce gross stats, even when his team loses. In 41 minutes, Westbrook was the first player the score at least 30 points against the Jazz since the All-Star break, contributing 37 points. He handed out six assists, all coming in the first quarter, and turned the ball over nine times. Former Jazz Enes Kanter notched his eighth straight double - double, compiling 18 points and 11 rebounds in 34 minutes. He was even hit with his fifth technical foul. The Jazz battle the Minnesota Timberwolves after a day off. The Thunder concludes a three - game road trip Sunday against the Phoenix Suns."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "10", "Evan Fournier": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3"}, "Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "31", "Kyle Lowry": "16", "Bismack Biyombo": "8", "Evan Fournier": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Kyle Lowry": "3", "Bismack Biyombo": "12", "Evan Fournier": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Bismack Biyombo": "3"}}], "These are two teams that have been polar opposites on the offensive end and that proved to be the case yet again here. Orlando took the early lead, but it fell apart in the middle of the second quarter. In fact, the Raptors outscored the Magic by 37 points after the first quarter. Three-point shooting is what really killed Orlando, as they went 3 - of - 21 from long distance in their defeat. DeMar DeRozan carried the load, as he dropped 31 points, five rebounds and four assists in just three quarters of action. Kyle Lowry also played well, providing 16 points and 10 assists. Evan Fournier was the only Magic starter with at least 10 points, as he accrued 15 points, three rebounds and three assists. Bismack Biyombo played well against his former team, as he totaled eight points, 12 rebounds and three blocks."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "25", "Hornets": "37"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "99", "Hornets": "92"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "43", "Hornets": "29"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hornets": "20"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hornets": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Al Jefferson": "2", "Mo Williams": "8", "Chris Paul": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Al Jefferson": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Al Jefferson": "19", "Gerald Henderson": "13", "Mo Williams": "15", "Kemba Walker": "8", "Blake Griffin": "12", "DeAndre Jordan": "6", "JJ Redick": "17", "Chris Paul": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Al Jefferson": "9", "Gerald Henderson": "5", "Mo Williams": "8", "Kemba Walker": "3", "Blake Griffin": "8", "DeAndre Jordan": "3", "JJ Redick": "10", "Chris Paul": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Al Jefferson": "5", "Gerald Henderson": "8", "Kemba Walker": "8", "Blake Griffin": "3", "DeAndre Jordan": "12", "Chris Paul": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Al Jefferson": "3", "Gerald Henderson": "6", "Kemba Walker": "7", "Blake Griffin": "3", "DeAndre Jordan": "6", "Chris Paul": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Al Jefferson": "1"}, "Points": {"Al Jefferson": "21", "Gerald Henderson": "16", "Mo Williams": "18", "Kemba Walker": "15", "Blake Griffin": "19", "DeAndre Jordan": "12", "JJ Redick": "23", "Chris Paul": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Jefferson": "6", "Mo Williams": "4", "Kemba Walker": "3", "Blake Griffin": "11", "DeAndre Jordan": "14"}, "Turnovers": {"Al Jefferson": "1", "Blake Griffin": "2", "Chris Paul": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Gerald Henderson": "1", "Mo Williams": "5", "Kemba Walker": "4", "JJ Redick": "4", "Chris Paul": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Gerald Henderson": "0", "Mo Williams": "2", "Kemba Walker": "2", "JJ Redick": "0", "Chris Paul": "4"}, "Steals": {"Gerald Henderson": "2", "Chris Paul": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Kemba Walker": "24"}, "Personal fouls": {"Chris Paul": "2"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (43 - 25) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (29 - 37) 99 - 92 on Tuesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. This marked a tough loss for the Hornets, as they're now a full game behind the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics for the final projected playoff seed in the Eastern Conference standings. They still have plenty of time left in the season to make their way into playoff contention, but they're trending in the wrong direction with two losses in a row. The Clippers, on the other hand, moved into the fifth spot in the Western Conference standings, as they own the tie breaker over the Dallas Mavericks. If they can continue with their winning ways, they'll have the opportunity to move into the top half of the playoff field, especially if any of the top four teams struggle in the last 14 games or so of the regular season. The Clippers were led by their backcourt duo of J.J. Redick and Chris Paul. Redick went 10 - for - 17 from the field, but 0 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score a team - high 23 points. With both Matt Barnes and Jamal Crawford out, he was again able to get off a ton of shots. Over his last seven games, he's averaging 21 points, despite averaging just 15 points on the season. Paul was just as successful though and finished with 21 points (6 - 16 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT) and eight assists. He's riding a nice two - game stretch where he's combined for 44 points and 13 assists. Blake Griffin notched a double - double with 19 points (8 - 12 FG, 3 - 3 FT) and 11 rebounds. In the two games he's played since returning from the injury that costed him just over a month, he's posted two double - doubles and has combined for 30 points, 22 rebounds and 12 assists. DeAndre Jordan pitched in with a double - double of his own, finishing with 12 points (3 - 6 FG, 6 - 12 FT) and 14 rebounds. The Hornets had six players reach double figures in points Wednesday, including all five starters. Al Jefferson led the way offensively, posting a team - high of 21 points (9 - 19 FG, 3 - 5 FT), to go along with six rebounds. He had scored 10 points or less in each of his last two games, so it was good to see the center get back on track in this one. Mo Williams continued to play well for the Hornets and finished with 18 points (8 - 15 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt), four rebounds and eight assists. Since joining the Hornets 14 games ago, he's averaging 20 points, 3 rebounds and 8 assists, as he continues to establish himself as a very valuable player. Gerald Henderson also added 16 points (5 - 13 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 6 - 8 FT) and two steals as a starter. While the Hornets' bench only combined for a total of 17 points, it pretty much all came from Kemba Walker, as he recorded 15 points (3 - 8 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT) and three rebounds in just 24 minutes off the bench. It was just his fourth game since returning from injury, so it was good to see him looking more comfortable out on the court. The Clippers' next game will be on the road against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, while the Hornets will travel to Sacramento to play the Kings on Friday."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Raptors": "28"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Raptors": "32", "Hornets": "44"}}, {"Points": {"Marvin Williams": "18", "Kemba Walker": "19", "Marco Belinelli": "21", "Jonas Valanciunas": "14", "DeMar DeRozan": "28", "Cory Joseph": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Marvin Williams": "12", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Jonas Valanciunas": "15", "DeMar DeRozan": "6", "Cory Joseph": "7"}, "Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Cory Joseph": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marco Belinelli": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Marco Belinelli": "7"}}], "Charlotte are trying to keep their playoff hopes alive and road wins like this are crucial for that pursuit. Three-point shooting was the difference, with the Hornets going 16 - of - 32 from long range, while the Raptors went just 11 - of - 31. It took a late run by Charlotte to come back, as they outscored Toronto, 44 - 32, in the fourth quarter. Marco Belinelli led the way for Charlotte, as he dropped 21 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting off the bench. Marvin Williams recorded a double - double, totaling 18 points and 12 rebounds. Kemba Walker accrued 19 points, four rebounds and two assists. DeMar DeRozan once against carried Toronto, as he tallied 28 points, six rebounds and eight assists. Jonas Valanciunas amassed 14 points and 15 rebounds. Cory Joseph started for Kyle Lowry (wrist) once again and provided 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Clippers": "22"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "38"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "91", "Pacers": "103"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Clippers": "21"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pacers": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "4", "Lance Stephenson": "3"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "31", "Lance Stephenson": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "10", "Lance Stephenson": "3"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "3"}}], "The Indiana Pacers defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 103 - 91 on Wednesday thanks to another fantastic Paul George performance. This wasn\u2019t 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."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "4", "Cavaliers": "2"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "73", "Cavaliers": "94"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Bulls": "31"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "2", "Cavaliers": "4"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Cavaliers": "15"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Cavaliers": "21"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"LeBron James": "1", "Pau Gasol": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"LeBron James": "1"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "15", "Iman Shumpert": "13", "JR Smith": "12", "Matthew Dellavedova": "19", "Pau Gasol": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Kyrie Irving": "12", "Matthew Dellavedova": "34", "Pau Gasol": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Matthew Dellavedova": "2", "Pau Gasol": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Pau Gasol": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Pau Gasol": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (4 - 2) routed the Chicago Bulls (2 - 4), 94 - 73, on Thursday in Game 6 to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bulls had a chance to bounce back on their home court to extend the series on Thursday, but the Cavaliers proved to be too much to handle. Cleveland was already missing Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving aggravated a knee injury, but its role players proved to be up to the challenge. Matthew Dellavedova filled in for Irving at point guard and was a key part of the Cavaliers pulling away in the second half. He finished with 19 points and two rebounds in 34 minutes off the bench, which made up for Irving's absence. With Thursday's win, LeBron James will play in the Eastern Conference Finals for the fifth straight season. The Conference Finals will begin Wednesday and the Cavaliers will face the winner of the Hawks-Wizards series. Cleveland built a sizeable lead by halftime and never relented. To emphasize how impressive the Cavaliers' victory was on Thursday, JeBron James was held to 15 points on 7 - of - 23 shooting and Kyrie Irving logged just 12 minutes of playing time. And yet, the Cavaliers still cruised to a 21 point victory. In addition to Dellavedova's big performance, J.R Smith added 12 points and Iman Shumpert scored 13 points. The Cavaliers will have nearly a week for their injured players to rest and rehab before taking the floor for the Eastern Conference Finals. Chicago's season came to an end on its home floor Thursday in blowout fashion. After an explosive 31 - point showing in the first quarter, the Bulls managed to score just 42 points over the last 36 minutes. Pau Gasol returned after a two game absence, but he was n't in his usual All-Star form. Gasol finished with just eight points and five rebounds over 24 minutes. Only two Bulls finished in double figures and no bench player scored more than seven points. This marks a disappointing end to the season for the Bulls, who viewed this series as one of their best opportunities in recent years to get past LeBron James to make the Conference Finals."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "41", "Nuggets": "47"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "98", "Nuggets": "84"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "34", "Nuggets": "28"}, "Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "6"}}, {"Points": {"Kenneth Faried": "19", "Will Barton": "13", "Derrick Favors": "19", "Rudy Gobert": "20", "Trey Burke": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Kenneth Faried": "10", "Will Barton": "7", "Trey Burke": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Will Barton": "23", "Derrick Favors": "25", "Dante Exum": "29", "Trey Burke": "25"}, "Steals": {"Will Barton": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Derrick Favors": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Rudy Gobert": "6"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Rudy Gobert": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Rudy Gobert": "3"}, "Assists": {"Dante Exum": "12", "Trey Burke": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Dante Exum": "3"}}], "The Utah Jazz (34 - 41) beat the Denver Nuggets (28 - 47) 98 - 84 on Wednesday. Rudy Gobert keeps impressing as the season winds down in April. Only three times since Feb. 20 has he failed to record double - digit rebound totals. Against the Nuggets he coupled his spectacular rebounding ability with his first 20 - point game of the season. His scoring has vastly improved and has now put up six straight double - doubles. His frontcourt mate Derrick Favors was thought to be in jeopardy of missing Wednesday's tilt with a back injury, but he proved the doubters wrong and finished with 19 points and three blocks in 25 minutes of action. Dante Exum put on a passing display, recording 12 assists with three turnovers in 29 minutes. His counterpart Trey Burke came off the bench and had 12 points, five rebounds and four assists in 25 minutes. The Jazz wo n't make the playoffs but their strong surge of late has really improved their feeling going into the offseason with a solid young core to build off of. The Nuggets had just one player finish with more than 30 minutes played and just three who reached double - digits in scoring. Kenneth Faried had his way on the boards as usual. He had 19 points and 10 rebounds, leading his team in both categories. Will Barton provided a spark off the bench for the Nuggets. In 23 minutes he recorded 13 points, seven rebounds and two steals. Denver's lost six of their last eight; like the Jazz they wo n't make the playoffs, but do n't seem to be heading in the right direction. The Nuggets will head to San Antonio to face the Spurs on Friday, as the Jazz will travel to Phoenix to face - off with the Suns on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "20", "Nuggets": "42"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "92", "Nuggets": "81"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Grizzlies": "18"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "47", "Nuggets": "26"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Wilson Chandler": "2", "Randy Foye": "6", "Jameer Nelson": "5", "Zach Randolph": "1", "Beno Udrih": "3", "Nick Calathes": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Wilson Chandler": "2", "Randy Foye": "2", "Jameer Nelson": "2", "Zach Randolph": "0", "Beno Udrih": "1", "Nick Calathes": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Wilson Chandler": "10", "Randy Foye": "14", "Jameer Nelson": "18", "Zach Randolph": "20", "Marc Gasol": "13", "Beno Udrih": "8", "Tony Allen": "10", "Nick Calathes": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Wilson Chandler": "4", "Randy Foye": "6", "Jameer Nelson": "11", "Zach Randolph": "9", "Marc Gasol": "4", "Beno Udrih": "4", "Tony Allen": "5", "Nick Calathes": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Wilson Chandler": "6", "Randy Foye": "2", "Zach Randolph": "4", "Marc Gasol": "8", "Tony Allen": "4", "Nick Calathes": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Wilson Chandler": "3", "Randy Foye": "2", "Zach Randolph": "3", "Marc Gasol": "6", "Tony Allen": "4", "Nick Calathes": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Wilson Chandler": "36", "Randy Foye": "33", "Beno Udrih": "24", "Tony Allen": "35"}, "Points": {"Wilson Chandler": "13", "Randy Foye": "16", "Jameer Nelson": "24", "Zach Randolph": "21", "Marc Gasol": "14", "Beno Udrih": "9", "Tony Allen": "14", "Nick Calathes": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Wilson Chandler": "8", "Jameer Nelson": "5", "Zach Randolph": "16", "Marc Gasol": "8", "Tony Allen": "9"}, "Steals": {"Randy Foye": "3", "Nick Calathes": "2"}, "Assists": {"Jameer Nelson": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Marc Gasol": "4"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (47 - 20) defeated the Denver Nuggets (26 - 42) 92 - 81 on Monday at Fed Ex Forum Arena in Memphis. After winning each of their last four games, the Nuggets could n't hold onto it any longer, as the Grizzlies were just too much for them. While they have n't technically been eliminated from the playoffs yet, they're currently 12 games back from the Oklahoma City Thunder, who sit in the final projected playoff seed in the Western Conference standings. The Grizzlies, on the other hand, are currently the second projected playoff seed in the West, six games back from the Golden State Warriors. With the Trail Blazers losing to the Wizards earlier Monday, the Grizzlies have extended their lead to two games over them. The Grizzlies got the bulk of their offensive production from their frontcourt duo of Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. Randolph finished with a team - high of 21 points (9 - 20 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), to go along with 16 rebounds. Randolph had gone four straight games without a double - double, so he was able to return to form Monday. He's now averaging 16 points and 11 rebounds on the season. Gasol recorded 14 points (4 - 13 FG, 6 - 8 FT) of his own, while adding eight rebounds and three blocked shots. He's scored less than his season average of 18 points in four of his last five games now, but the Grizzlies still keep on winning. The Grizzlies had some solid contributions from the bench as well, with both Tony Allen and Nick Calathes reaching double figures in points. Allen finished with 14 points (5 - 10 FG, 4 - 4 FT) and nine rebounds over 35 minutes, while Calathes posted 12 points (5 - 11 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and two steals. With Conley sitting out due to an ankle injury, Beno Udrih started at guard and finished with nine points (4 - 8 FG, 1 - 3 3PT) in 24 minutes. The Nuggets struggled to get much going offensively, as they held Kenneth Faried, Danilo Gallinari and Ty Lawson all out on a night of rest. Jameer Nelson was in the starting lineup for Lawson, as he went 11 - for - 18 from the field and 2 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 24 points to go along with five rebounds. It was a new season - high in points for the guard, who's averaging an impressive 20 points over his last three games. Randy Foye was the starter at shooting guard and finished with 16 points (6 - 14 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) of his own, while also adding three steals in 33 minutes. He's had a nice two - game stretch, combining for 36 points and 11 assists over his last two outings. The only other Nugget to reach double figures in points was Wilson Chandler, who chipped in with 13 points (4 - 10 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt, 3 - 6 FT) and eight rebounds over 36 minutes. The Grizzlies' next game will be on the road against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, while the Nuggets will travel to Houston to play the Rockets on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "1", "Wizards": "3"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "114", "Wizards": "99"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "7", "Wizards": "3"}}, {"Points": {"Bradley Beal": "11", "Kent Bazemore": "25", "Paul Millsap": "21", "Al Horford": "14"}, "Turnovers": {"Bradley Beal": "8", "John Wall": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kent Bazemore": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Horford": "9"}}], "Playing in their seventh game in 10 days, the Atlanta Hawks (7 - 1) were able to win their seventh straight, handily defeating the Washington Wizards (3 - 3) by a score of 114 - 99. Starter Kent Bazemore continued his impressive start to the season, leading the Hawks with 25 points while delivering an impressive performance on the defensive end. Bazemore, who many coming into the season considered a downgrade from last year's starter Demmare Carrol, has made a name for himself in the first eight games, helping to contribute to the Hawk's league - best seven wins thus far. As always, the Hawks were helped by their dynamic duo of big men, as both Paul Millsap (21 points, seven rebounds, six assists) and Al Horford (14 points, nine rebounds) had impressive nights. Breakout star Bradley Beal's hot start came to a screaching halt against the stingy Hawks' defense, as Beal scored just 11 points and turned the ball over a whopping eight times. Atlanta has been the only team to effectively keep Beal in check, as prior to Saturday the fourth - year guard had not scored fewer than 24 points in any game this season. Overall, Washington struggled to effectively control the ball, posting 25 turnovers as a team including seven more from All-Star point guard John Wall. Up-and-coming forward Otto Porter Jr. did provide a bright spot for Washington in the loss, as he posted 23 points on efficient 8 - for - 12 shooting. The Hawks have dominated through their first eight games, and currently sit atop the Eastern Conference. Atlanta wil hope to continue its seven - game win streak at home on Monday against Minnesota. Meanwhile, the Wizards prepare to take on the Thunder on Tuesday in Washington."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "1", "Hawks": "2"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "94", "Hawks": "92"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Spurs": "27", "Hawks": "15"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "2", "Hawks": "1"}}, {"Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "17", "Paul Millsap": "17", "Mike Scott": "12", "Tim Duncan": "17", "Tony Parker": "17", "Boris Diaw": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Jeff Teague": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jeff Teague": "2", "Tim Duncan": "2", "Manu Ginobili": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Dennis Schroder": "2", "Tim Duncan": "13", "Boris Diaw": "5"}, "Assists": {"Tony Parker": "7", "Manu Ginobili": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Tony Parker": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Boris Diaw": "34"}}], "The Spurs (2 - 1) had seven players in double - figures and got to the free throw line 38 times in Wednesday\u2019s 94 - 92 win over the Hawks (1 - 2). San Antonio, coming off of a 94 - 89 loss to the Suns on Friday, jumped out to an early 27 - 15 first quarter lead. The Hawks would slowly claw back into the game, though, trimming the lead to six entering the fourth quarter. The Spurs opened the fourth on a quick 60 to vault the lead back into double - digits, but the Hawks would respond. An 80 run capped by a Dennis Schroder layup brought Atlanta to within two with 9:4 remaining, causing the Spurs to call a timeout. After the timeout, the teams traded buckets virtually the rest of the way. Three Manu Ginobili free throws put the Spurs up 91 - 90 with a minute remaining. Tim Duncan added a free throw to push the lead to two, but Jeff Teague hit a short jumper to knot the score at 92 with 13 seconds to play. Ginobili then drove to the hoop and drew a foul, knocking down both of what would end up being the game - winning free throws with three seconds on the clock. It was an all - around effort from both teams, as no player scored more than 17 points. Paul Millsap and DeMarre Carroll each had 17 for Atlanta, while Mike Scott chipped in 12 off the bench. Tim Duncan (17 points, 13 rebounds) and Tony Parker (17 points, seven assists, seven turnovers) led the way for San Antonio, with Boris Diaw adding 11 points and five rebounds in 34 minutes off the bench. The Spurs now turn around and head to Houston to face the Rockets on Thursday night. Atlanta has a night off Thursday before facing the Hornets in Charlotte on Friday."], [[{"Total points": {"Celtics": "95", "Magic": "88"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Nikola Vucevic": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Elfrid Payton": "15"}, "Free throws made": {"Elfrid Payton": "4"}, "Points": {"Evan Turner": "30", "Avery Bradley": "10", "Phil Pressey": "10", "Kelly Olynyk": "13"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tyler Zeller": "8", "Avery Bradley": "16", "Kelly Olynyk": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Avery Bradley": "4"}, "Assists": {"Phil Pressey": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kelly Olynyk": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Kelly Olynyk": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Kelly Olynyk": "5"}}], "The Boston Celtics (27 - 36) held the Orlando Magic (21 - 45) to 38 second - half points in their 95 - 88 victory. Evan Turner led all scorers with a season - high 30 points on 12 - 20 shooting as the Celtics pull to within a game of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. The Celtics are riding a three - game winning streak with contributions from the entire roster. Without Isaiah Thomas, Phil Pressey recorded his third career double - double with 10 points and 10 assists. Avery Bradley was held to 10 points on 4 - of - 16 shooting, and Kelly Olynyk provided 13 points, five rebounds and three three - pointers off the bench in 20 minutes. Nikola Vucevic left briefly after a flagrant foul from Tyler Zeller opened up a gash on his forehead requiring eight stitches. Even though it\u2019s a team game, Elfrid Payton bears some responsibility for the loss. He shot 4 - of - 15 from the free - throw line after the Celtics decided to intentionally foul him in the second half, accounting for 11 of the team\u2019s 14 misses at the charity stripe. It wasn\u2019t all bad for the rookie, who finished with 20 points, nine assists, five rebounds, one steal, one block and a career - high two three - pointers. The Celtics travel to Indiana on Saturday night take battle the Pacers in order to buffer their playoff chances. The Magic host the Cleveland Cavaliers for a quick one - game homestand Sunday."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "16", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "16", "Ricky Rubio": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "7", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "9", "Ricky Rubio": "4"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "20", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "21", "Ricky Rubio": "11", "Dante Exum": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "15"}, "Assists": {"Ricky Rubio": "9"}}], "Minnesota saw an all - around offensive effort en route to a blowout of the Utah Jazz on Wednesday. Sophomore center Karl-Anthony Towns led the team with 21 points and 15 rebounds while shooting 9 - of - 16. Towns continued his dominance, as he had been averaging over 28 points and 13 rebounds per game in the month of February. Meanwhile, wing Andrew Wiggins scored 20 points on 7 - of - 16 shooting, and point guard Ricky Rubio had 11 points on 4 - of - 7 shooting to go with nine assists. The team shot a stellar 50 percent from the field, 50 percent from three - point range, and 80 percent from the free - throw line. Utah, meanwhile, saw a fairly dreadful offensive night. The team shot under 39 percent and made only four three - pointers. Dante Exum led the team in scoring with 15 points in 28 minutes off the bench. No Utah starter played more than 26 minutes."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "46"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "26", "Pacers": "37"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "111", "Pacers": "98"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "53", "Pacers": "42"}}, {"Points": {"Monta Ellis": "17", "Solomon Hill": "16", "Norman Powell": "27", "Cory Joseph": "18", "Delon Wright": "19"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Norman Powell": "4", "Delon Wright": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Norman Powell": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Norman Powell": "19"}, "Free throws made": {"Norman Powell": "14"}, "Personal fouls": {"Norman Powell": "2"}, "Assists": {"Cory Joseph": "9", "Delon Wright": "2"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (53 - 26) defeated the visiting Indiana Pacers (42 - 37) on Friday night, 111 - 98. The Pacers entered needing one win to clinch a playoff berth, but the Raptors made sure they left in the same position even though they played with mostly reserves. With Toronto, the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, resting DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry and Luis Scola, rookies Norman Powell and Delon Wright led the way. Powell scored a season - high 27 points, setting a team rookie record with 19 free - throw attempts. He converted 14 and hit 3 of 4 from three - point range. Wright added 19 points while Corey Joseph totaled 18 points and nine assists. Monta Ellis led the Pacers with 17 points, and Solomon Hill scored 16. Indiana entered as the league leader in 3 - point defense, allowing just 31 percent shooting from long range, but the Raptors shot 46 percent from distance. The Pacers will clinch a playoff berth with a Chicago Bulls loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday, or a win Sunday against the Brooklyn Nets. The Raptors, who led by as many as 19 points in the fourth quarter, set a franchise record with 31 home wins."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Lakers": "20", "76ers": "42"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "116", "76ers": "118"}}, {"Assists": {"Dario Saric": "5", "Jordan Clarkson": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Dario Saric": "1", "Jordan Clarkson": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Dario Saric": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dario Saric": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dario Saric": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Dario Saric": "10", "Jordan Clarkson": "10"}, "Points": {"Dario Saric": "29", "Jordan Clarkson": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Dario Saric": "7", "Jordan Clarkson": "6"}, "Steals": {"Dario Saric": "2", "Jordan Clarkson": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Jordan Clarkson": "34"}}], "Since center Joel Embiid was lost for the season with a torn meniscus in his left knee, Dario Saric has taken over in the middle for the 76ers. Saric entered Sunday averaging 19 points and 8 rebounds in his last 14 games. He then went off for a career - high 29 points in Philadelphia's 118 - 116 win at the Lakers on Sunday. Embiid averaged 20 points and 8 rebounds in 31 games before his injury, and Saric has barely missed a beat in his place. Saric shot 10 of 20 from the field, including 3 of 7 from 3 - point range. He added seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and a blocked shot in a do - everything performance. Jordan Clarkson also had a huge game, posting a career - high 30 points off the bench for the Lakers. He added six rebounds, eight assists, a steal and a block in 34 minutes and scored 10 of his points from the foul line. The 76ers killed the Larkers at the 3 - point line. Whereas Philadelphia shot 10 of 24 (42 percent) from beyond the arc, the Lakers finished 4 of 20 (20 percent)."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "23", "Pelicans": "26"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "97", "Pelicans": "109"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Kings": "19", "Pelicans": "28"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Kings": "32", "Pelicans": "19"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "15", "Pelicans": "12"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pelicans": "31"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pelicans": "31"}, "Turnovers": {"Pelicans": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "Eric Gordon": "6", "Rajon Rondo": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "2", "DeMarcus Cousins": "8", "Rajon Rondo": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Anthony Davis": "1", "DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "23", "Rudy Gay": "9", "DeMarcus Cousins": "30", "Rajon Rondo": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "8", "Rudy Gay": "5", "DeMarcus Cousins": "13", "Rajon Rondo": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "8", "DeMarcus Cousins": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Anthony Davis": "7", "DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Davis": "37", "Omri Casspi": "29"}, "Personal fouls": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "24", "Eric Gordon": "24", "Ryan Anderson": "18", "Norris Cole": "18", "Rudy Gay": "12", "DeMarcus Cousins": "32", "Rajon Rondo": "17", "Omri Casspi": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "10", "Eric Gordon": "5", "Rudy Gay": "6", "DeMarcus Cousins": "12", "Rajon Rondo": "5", "Omri Casspi": "6"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "2", "Eric Gordon": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Eric Gordon": "1"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (12 - 26) defeated the Sacramento Kings (15 - 23) 109 - 97 at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, CA on Wednesday. Anthony Davis made his return to the line up after missing two games with a bruised back. New Orleans lost both games without Davis but seemed completely rejuvenated by his return. Despite playing on the second night of a back - to - back and on the road, the Pelicans came out firing on all cylinders. They grabbed control of the game right from the start, with a 28 - 19 first quarter, followed up with 31 point second and third quarters. The Pelicans were up 90 - 65 going into the fourth. Sacramento responded with a big 32 - 19 fourth quarter but it was much too little, much too late. Anthony Davis led the way for the Pelicans as he logged 24 points (8 - 23 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT), 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals, in 37 minutes. Eric Gordon also finished with 24 points, while shooting an efficient 6 - 12 from distance. Gordon also chipped in six assists, five rebounds, three steals and one block, in 42 minutes. Ryan Anderson and Norris Cole tallied 18 points each, off the bench. The Pelicans did a very good job protecting the ball and only gave up seven turnovers. They also shot 48 percent from long range. Tyreke Evans left the game early with a sore right knee. DeMarcus Cousins led Sacramento in scoring and rebounding, with 32 points (13 - 30 FG, 3 - 8 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) and 12 rebounds, in 36 minutes. Rajon Rondo had a point guard's double - double with 17 points (7 - 11 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and 10 assists, along with five rebounds, in 29 minutes. Rudy Gay finished with 12 points (5 - 9 FG) and six rebounds. Omri Casspi returned to the line up after missing games with a sore upper back and finished with seven points and six rebounds, in 29 minutes off the bench. The Kings will begin a three - game road trip in Utah on Thursday. Utah sits just ahead of them in the standings and will also be on the second night of a back to back, making for a tough match - up. The Pelicans will host the Hornets on Friday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Grizzlies": "20", "Kings": "31"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "44", "Kings": "48"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "24", "Kings": "35"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "104", "Kings": "98"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Grizzlies": "24", "Kings": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"Grizzlies": "37", "Kings": "44"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "36", "Kings": "24"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Kings": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "6", "Rajon Rondo": "17", "Mike Conley": "5"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}, "Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "18", "Zach Randolph": "19", "Mike Conley": "24", "JaMychal Green": "15", "Mario Chalmers": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "16", "Zach Randolph": "8"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Mike Conley": "3", "JaMychal Green": "3", "Mario Chalmers": "3"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (36 - 24) defeated the Sacramento Kings (24 - 35) 104 - 98 on Wednesday. The statistics would indicate a Sacramento win, but they simply couldn\u2019t do enough to pull out a big road victory. The Kings outshot the Grizzlies 48 percent to 44 percent and outrebounded them 44 to 37. Sacramento also dominated the assisting numbers, as they dished out 31 assists to Memphis' 20. The key for the Grizzlies was their free - throw shooting, as they went 29 - for - 33, with the Kings going just 11 - for - 20. Despite trailing by 16 at the half, the Kings made a valiant effort in a close game. DeMarcus Cousins struggled with his shot, but still finished with 18 points, 16 rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocks in the loss. The bench was solid as well, with Marco Belinelli and Darren Collison combining for 33 points. Rajon Rondo did a great job of setting up the offense, as he handed out 17 assists to add to his league - leading total. Sacramento has a quick turnaround, as they play the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday in their next game. Memphis didn\u2019t play their best game here, but they continued their winning ways. Mike Conley was huge, as he tallied 24 points, five assists and three steals in the win. Zach Randolph also played well, as he amassed 19 points and eight rebounds. JaMychal Green and Mario Chalmers gave the team a nice spark off the bench, as they each scored 15 points and snatched three steals a price. Up next for Memphis is a matchup against the Utah Jazz on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "40"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "103", "Thunder": "112"}}, {"Points": {"Steven Adams": "14", "Russell Westbrook": "27", "Enes Kanter": "27", "Carmelo Anthony": "18", "Kristaps Porzingis": "21", "Derrick Rose": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Steven Adams": "10", "Enes Kanter": "10", "Derrick Rose": "7"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "14", "Derrick Rose": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Enes Kanter": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Enes Kanter": "28", "Carmelo Anthony": "34"}, "Turnovers": {"Enes Kanter": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "19", "Derrick Rose": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Derrick Rose": "10"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the New York Knicks 112 - 103 Monday at Madison Square Garden. The Thunder (10 - 8) managed to hand the Knicks (8 - 8) just their second loss at home this season behind the play of, as always, Russell Westbrook. With 27 points, 18 rebounds and 14 assists, Westbrook notched his third straight triple - double and his eighth of the season. Additionally, his 18 rebounds pushed him over 10 per game for the year, giving him a triple - double average for the second time this season. It was n't a one - man show, however, as Enes Kanter came off the bench to notch a double - double of 27 points and 10 rebounds in just 28 minutes. Starting center Steven Adams also managed to notch a double - double of his own, posting 14 points and 10 boards. As a team, Oklahoma put together one of their better shooting nights of the season, shooting 51 percent overall from the field. The same could not be said for New York, however, as the Knicks failed to shoot over 40 percent from the field as a team. Despite that, Derrick Rose managed to put together his best performance of the season, scoring a game - high 30 points on 10 - of - 20 shooting on top of seven rebounds and four assists. Kristaps Porzingis added 21 points of his own, while Carmelo Anthony struggled mightily, shooting just 4 - of - 19 from the field en route to 18 points in 34 minutes. Ultimately, while the New York starters played solid, they got little - to - no help from their bench, as the six reserves combined to score just 19 points. Up next, the Thunder will head home Wednesday to take on the Wizards, while the Knicks will travel to Minnesota on Wednesday and play the Timberwolves."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "29", "Magic": "38"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "107", "Magic": "99"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hornets": "26"}, "Turnovers": {"Hornets": "8", "Magic": "8"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "38", "Magic": "29"}}, {"Points": {"Dewayne Dedmon": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "25", "Nicolas Batum": "26", "Marvin Williams": "26", "Kemba Walker": "16"}, "Personal fouls": {"Victor Oladipo": "1"}, "Steals": {"Victor Oladipo": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Victor Oladipo": "1"}, "Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Kemba Walker": "8"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (38 - 29) defeated the Orlando Magic (29 - 38) on Wednesday, 107 - 99. The Hornets have now won eight of their last nine games, quickly rising up the Eastern Conference standings. A large part of Charlotte's push has been due to the play of point guard Kemba Walker, who is averaging 26 points and 7 assists over the team's last 10 contests. Walker made another big contribution on Wednesday, scoring 16 and pulling down a surprising eight rebounds. He was upstaged, however, by forwards Marvin Williams and Nic Batum, who posted 26 points apiece. Batum also facilitated the offense nicely, dishing out a team - high nine assists. For the Magic, meanwhile, any playoff hopes are beginning to slip away, as the team now sits nine games below .500. Guard Victor Oladipo scored 25 points in one of his stronger outings of the season. The scoring was needed, however, as the frontcourt combo of Aaron Gordon and Dewayne Dedmon combined for just one point on the night. The team struggled from the field as a whole, shooting just 42 percent. The Magic will host the Cavaliers on Friday, while the Hornets will visit Miami on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "30", "Nuggets": "33"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "107", "Nuggets": "125"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "30", "Nuggets": "27"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Nuggets": "43"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "56"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nuggets": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Danilo Gallinari": "22", "Wilson Chandler": "20", "Nikola Jokic": "19", "Gary Harris": "15", "Jameer Nelson": "12", "Jamal Murray": "14", "Jimmy Butler": "8", "Bobby Portis": "12", "Robin Lopez": "10", "Dwyane Wade": "19", "Rajon Rondo": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Danilo Gallinari": "3", "Wilson Chandler": "3", "Nikola Jokic": "16", "Gary Harris": "4", "Jameer Nelson": "2", "Will Barton": "8", "Jamal Murray": "2", "Jimmy Butler": "4", "Bobby Portis": "6", "Robin Lopez": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "4", "Rajon Rondo": "4"}, "Steals": {"Danilo Gallinari": "1", "Gary Harris": "2", "Jimmy Butler": "3", "Bobby Portis": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "3"}, "Assists": {"Wilson Chandler": "1", "Nikola Jokic": "10", "Jameer Nelson": "1", "Will Barton": "3", "Jimmy Butler": "3", "Bobby Portis": "1", "Robin Lopez": "4", "Dwyane Wade": "6", "Rajon Rondo": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Wilson Chandler": "1", "Nikola Jokic": "1", "Robin Lopez": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Jamal Murray": "18", "Rajon Rondo": "24"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Jimmy Butler": "3"}}], "The Denver Nuggets defeated the Chicago Bulls, 125 - 107, at United Center on Tuesday evening. The surprising victory may have well have been one of the best road victories for the Nuggets (27 - 33) this season, considering the environment and quality of opponent. Denver accomplished the rather improbable feat with a stellar offensive effort that saw seven players post double - digit scoring and the team collectively shoot an outstanding 56 percent from the floor and 43 percent from three - point range. Chicago's cause was significantly undermined by an atypically poor shooting night from Jimmy Butler, who posted only eight points on a 3 - of - 13 tally from the floor. Danilo Gallinari led the Nuggets with 22 points, three rebounds and one steal. Wilson Chandler followed with 20 points, three rebounds, one assist and one block. Nikola Jokic bounced back after some recent modest games by his lofty standards, exploding for a 19 - point, 16 - rebound, 10 - assist triple - double that also included one block. Gary Harris went for 15 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Will Barton matched Harris' point total while leading the second unit and added eight boards, three assists, two steals and one block. Jameer Nelson managed 12 points, two rebounds and one assist. Jamal Murray tallied 14 points, three assists and two rebounds over 18 efficient minutes off the bench. Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo paced the Bulls (30 - 30) with matching 19 - point efforts, with the latter achieving his scoring in 24 minutes off the bench. Wade added six assists and four rebounds, while Rondo dished out five assists, hauled in four boards and recorded three steals. Bobby Portis stepped up with 12 points, six rebounds, one assist and three steals. Robin Lopez supplied 10 points, four assists, three boards and two blocks. Butler supplemented his aforementioned scoring total with four rebounds, three assists and three steals. The Nuggets continue their trek through the Midwest with a Wednesday night showdown against the Milwaukee Bucks, while the Bulls remain home and await the Golden State Warriors on Thursday evening."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "37", "Thunder": "25"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "120", "Thunder": "115"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "27"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "43", "Thunder": "54"}}, {"Points": {"Anthony Morrow": "19", "Enes Kanter": "33", "Dion Waiters": "25", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "27", "CJ McCollum": "26", "Damian Lillard": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Enes Kanter": "1", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Enes Kanter": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Enes Kanter": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Enes Kanter": "18", "Dion Waiters": "19", "Damian Lillard": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Enes Kanter": "13", "Dion Waiters": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Enes Kanter": "20", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "6", "CJ McCollum": "3", "Damian Lillard": "3"}, "Steals": {"Enes Kanter": "1", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Enes Kanter": "1"}, "Assists": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "5", "CJ McCollum": "3", "Damian Lillard": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "37"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (43 - 37) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (54 - 25) 120 - 115 at Moda Center on Wednesday. Billy Donovan opted to rest most of his starters, as Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka were all sidelined with the playoffs around the corner. The matchup worked in favor of the Blazers, as they now are in a deadlock with the Memphis Grizzlies for the 5 - seed in the Western Conference. Portland had little trouble handling the Enes Kanter led Oklahoma squad until the fourth quarter. Kanter flashed his brilliant offensive play in his matchup, and led all scorers with 33 points, in addition to a whopping 20 rebounds, on 13 - of - 18 shooting. His defense has always been in question, but when the bench forward steps up that strong in the scoring and rebound department, it\u2019s tough to worry about his one sided game. Dion Waiters was given the green light with all stars Westbrook and Durant on the sideline, and turned in a 25 point performance on 10 - of - 19 shooting. Anthony Morrow drew the start as well, and added 19 points and three assists. Portland, who has surprised many this season after eclipsing their expected win total by 10 wins at this point in the season, rallied behind C.J. McCollum and Al-Farouq Aminu. The back court duo of McCollum and Lillard is dangerous to deal with at all points, but it was Lehigh shooting guard who turned in the bulk of the Blazers offense, as he finished with 26 points, three rebounds and three assists. Lillard struggled to find his stroke from the field and scored just 11 points on 13 shots, but he added nine assists and kept the ball movement in tact. Aminu has been a bright spot for Portland in the second half of the season, and contributed another strong performance with 27 points, six rebounds, five assists, three steals and one blocked shot in 37 minutes of action. Both teams play on Saturday, as the Blazers host the Minnesota Timberwolves (26 - 52), while the Thunder head south to take on the Sacramento Kings (31 - 47)."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Kyle O'Quinn": "3", "T.J. McConnell": "7"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Derrick Rose": "1"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "28", "Kristaps Porzingis": "7", "Joakim Noah": "7", "Courtney Lee": "7", "Derrick Rose": "25", "Kyle O'Quinn": "10", "Robert Covington": "13", "Ersan Ilyasova": "16", "Joel Embiid": "21", "T.J. McConnell": "8", "Gerald Henderson": "12", "Nerlens Noel": "13"}, "Steals": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Derrick Rose": "1", "T.J. McConnell": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Kyle O'Quinn": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Kyle O'Quinn": "15", "Joel Embiid": "14", "T.J. McConnell": "6"}}], "T.J. McConnell's 12 - foot basket at the buzzer sealed the home win for the Sixers. Joel Embiid's 21 - point, 14 - rebound double - double led Philadelphia. Ersan Ilyasova supplied 16 points, while Robert Covington and Nerlens Noel turned in matching 13 - point efforts. Gerald Henderson was productive in a reserve role with 12 points. McConnell compiled a modest but full stat line of eight points, seven assists, six rebounds and two steals. Carmelo Anthony's 28 points paced the Knicks and Derrick Rose, fresh off an infamous one - game absence, was right behind with 25 points. The remainder of the starting five, Courtney Lee, Porzingis and Joakim Noah, underwhelmed, as they were only able to produce a trio of seven - point efforts Wednesday. Kyle O'Quinn led the bench with a 10 - point, 15 - rebound double - double that also included three assists, two steals and two blocks."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Thunder": "11"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "34"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "1", "Mavericks": "1"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "84", "Mavericks": "85"}, "Turnovers": {"Thunder": "15"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "1", "Mavericks": "1"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "26"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Mavericks": "21"}}, {"Points": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "17", "Raymond Felton": "21", "Salah Mejri": "12", "Kevin Durant": "21", "Serge Ibaka": "12", "Russell Westbrook": "19"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Raymond Felton": "16", "Salah Mejri": "7", "Serge Ibaka": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Raymond Felton": "8", "Salah Mejri": "5", "Serge Ibaka": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Raymond Felton": "11", "Russell Westbrook": "14"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "11", "Serge Ibaka": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Kevin Durant": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Serge Ibaka": "2"}, "Assists": {"Steven Adams": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Steven Adams": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Steven Adams": "1"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks evened their Western Conference first - round playoff series against the host Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday with an 85 - 84 win in Game 2 at Chesapeake Arena. It looked like the Thunder had this one won on a Steven Adams tip - in at the buzzer, but the shot was waved off after replay showed the ball clearly in his hands after time expired, handing the Mavericks a narrow victory. After a brutal 38 - point blowout for Oklahoma City in Game 1, neither team held a lead larger than seven points at any point in Game 2, and with 10 ties and 17 lead changes - - not counting the final replay review - - this one was dramatic from opening tip to final buzzer despite both teams' struggles from the floor (38 field goal percentage combined). Raymond Felton stepped in for the injured J.J. Barea (groin) and was fantastic, as he scored a game - high 21 points (8 - 16 FG) for the Mavericks and pulled down 11 rebounds. Dirk Nowitzki added 17 points and Salah Mejri added a key 12 points (5 - 7 FG) off the bench. The Mavericks shot a brutal 5 - 19 (26 percent) from three and 10 - 19 (53 percent) from the free throw line, but they were able to hold Oklahoma City's superstar duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook to just 27 percent shooting, and it was that defense that evened this series for Dallas. Durant matched Felton's 21 points but shot a brutal 7 - 33 from the field and committed seven turnovers. Westbrook scored 19, added 14 rebounds and dished si assists but shot just 8 - 22 from the floor and 1 - 6 from three - point range. Serge Ibaka was the only other Thunder player to reach double figures with 12 points (4 - 7 FG, 2 - 4 3PT, 2 - 2 FG). The Thunder's lack of offensive options beyond Durant and Westbrook loomed large, as Oklahoma City's offense went completely cold - - the Thunder shot 34 percent from the field and commmitted more turnovers (15) than they recorded assists (11). The series moves to Dallas for Game 3, scheduled for Thursday night at 7:0 PM Eastern Time."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "11", "Celtics": "6"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "111", "Celtics": "101"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "3", "Celtics": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"Jared Sullinger": "3", "Avery Bradley": "1", "Jarrett Jack": "4"}, "Points": {"Jared Sullinger": "9", "Avery Bradley": "27", "Isaiah Thomas": "27", "Evan Turner": "13", "Joe Johnson": "17", "Brook Lopez": "23", "Jarrett Jack": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Jared Sullinger": "10", "Avery Bradley": "4", "Brook Lopez": "10", "Jarrett Jack": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Avery Bradley": "1"}, "Steals": {"Avery Bradley": "2", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Jarrett Jack": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Joe Johnson": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Brook Lopez": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Brook Lopez": "5"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Jarrett Jack": "64"}, "Minutes played": {"Jarrett Jack": "33"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets (3 - 11) defeated the Boston Celtics (7 - 6) 111 - 101 on Sunday. The Celtics learned before the game that they will be without guard Marcus Smart for up to two weeks due to a lower leg injury he suffered in their Friday victory over this same Nets squad. Smart's absence opens up a starting spot for Avery Bradley, who continued his outstanding play Sunday with a 27 - point, four - rebound effort that also included an assist, a block and a pair of steals. Bradley had averaged 18 points per game over the previous four outings, all in which he came off the bench. The 24 - year - old also drained a season - high seven three - pointers on 50 percent shooting overall from beyond the arc, leading a furious second - half comeback by the Celtics that ultimately fell short. Boston also received a matching 27 - point effort from Isaiah Thomas, which equaled his season high. However, the rest of the Celtics starters could only muster relatively meager contributions, a pivotal factor in the 59 - 42 deficit they faced at halftime. Starting forwards Amir Johnson and Jae Crowder only totaled seven points between them, while Jared Sullinger contributed nine points, 10 rebounds, and three assists. Evan Turner paced the Boston bench with 13 points, his second consecutive outing with double - digit scoring. The Celtics fell to 7 - 6 and currently reside in third place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head to Atlanta for a Tuesday tilt versus the Hawks. The Nets avenged the 120 - 95 drubbing by the Celtics on Friday with the help of solid production from their starting five. Brook Lopez, as he often does, led the way for Brooklyn with a double - double. Lopez tallied 23 points, 10 rebounds, and a steal for his sixth double - double in November. Jarret Jack was outstanding with 22 points of his own on a season - best 64 percent shooting, and added four rebounds, four assists, and a steal over 33 minutes. Thad Young posted his fourth double - double in five contests (11 points, 12 rebounds), while the ageless Joe Johnson pitched in with a 17 - point effort, his second - highest scoring total of the season. Andrea Bargnani reached double - figures in points for the first time since the opener to pace the Nets' bench. Brooklyn improved to 3 - 11 and remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They next head to Oklahoma City for a showdown with the Thunder on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "7", "Pelicans": "17"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "133", "Pelicans": "105"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "17", "Pelicans": "7"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Buddy Hield": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Buddy Hield": "2", "Chris Paul": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Buddy Hield": "36", "Chris Paul": "30"}, "Points": {"Buddy Hield": "15", "Tim Frazier": "20", "DeAndre Jordan": "19", "Chris Paul": "20", "Jamal Crawford": "22", "Marreese Speights": "17"}, "Assists": {"Tim Frazier": "11", "Chris Paul": "20"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tim Frazier": "13", "Chris Paul": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Tim Frazier": "6", "Chris Paul": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "9", "Chris Paul": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Chris Paul": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Chris Paul": "3"}, "Steals": {"Chris Paul": "3"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 133 - 105 at Staples Center on Saturday. Both teams were shorthanded in the contest, however. The Pelicans (7 - 17) were without Anthony Davis (rest), Jrue Holiday (toe) and E'Twaun Moore (toe), making the game very one sided from the gate. The New Orleans reserves played physical basketball and found scoring lanes in the first half, falling just six points short of the Clippers (17 - 7) at the end of the second quarter. The second half was a different story, as Los Angeles outscored the Pelicans by 12 points in the third quarter and 10 points in the fourth quarter. Chris Paul dropped one of the biggest double - doubles of the season, racking up 20 points and 20 assists, with 18 of those assists coming in the first three quarters of action. Paul added five rebounds and three steals on 8 - of - 16 shooting in 30 minutes of action, which was even more helpful given Blake Griffin's (knee) absence. DeAndre Jordan worked the pick and roll with Paul to perfection, and with no Anthony Davis clogging the lane on the other end, Jordan found his way to 19 points and nine rebounds rather easily. Jamal Crawford and Marreese Speights added scoring help from the bench, as they finished with 22 points and 17 points, respectively. Tim Frazier led the Pelicans on the other end, scoring 20 points and adding 11 assists on 6 - of - 13 shooting. Buddy Hield drew 36 minutes and contributed 15 points on 2 - of - 5 shooting from behind the arc. Next up, the Pelicans play the second game of a back - to - back when they visit the Phoenix Suns, while the Clippers host the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "18", "Trail Blazers": "17"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "111", "Trail Blazers": "101"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Mavericks": "26", "Trail Blazers": "13"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "35", "Trail Blazers": "34"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Chris Kaman": "16"}, "Points": {"Chris Kaman": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Chris Kaman": "5", "Dirk Nowitzki": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "11"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (35 - 18) pulled off a huge comeback to defeat the Portland Trail Blazers (34 - 17) 111 - 101 Saturday at the American Airlines Center. Portland held a 16 - point lead early in the fourth, but Dallas took advantage of the Trail Blazers' second unit and began to chip away at the deficit. The Trail Blazers could n't close out the Mavericks despite having plenty of chances to do so as they were doubled up in the fourth 26 - 13. Dirk Nowitzki canned an open three to tie it up with twenty seconds remaining in the fourth. Chandler Parsons was a huge difference maker in overtime, scoring 10 points and also securing a key offensive rebound that he then kicked out to Monta Ellis for a three - pointer. Dallas ended the game on a 28 - 7 run. The Trail Blazers appeared to be well on their way to a third straight win to help minimize the impact of their 3 - 8 stretch to end January, but let a huge lead slip away en route to their first overtime loss of the season. Chris Kaman returned to the rotation after sitting out Thursday, but only contributed four points and five rebounds in 16 minutes. Portland will finish its back - to - back set in Texas on Sunday with a matchup in Houston. Dallas' comeback victory puts the Mavericks one game ahead of the Trail Blazers in the win column. Dirk Nowitzki, who sat out of Thursday's contest against Sacramento, returned to action and turned in a clutch performance. He finished with 25 points on 11 - of - 19 shooting. Devin Harris and J.J Barea provided solid production at the point guard spot in Rajon Rondo's absence, combining for 23 points, 13 rebounds, and nine assists. Dallas remains undefeated in overtime games this season with a 50 record. The Mavericks will host the Clippers on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "29", "Grizzlies": "20"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "95", "Grizzlies": "110"}, "Turnovers": {"Pelicans": "9"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "18", "Grizzlies": "29"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "56"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Zach Randolph": "15", "Mike Conley": "7", "Jeff Green": "13", "Anthony Davis": "20", "Norris Cole": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Zach Randolph": "10", "Mike Conley": "5", "Jeff Green": "8", "Anthony Davis": "10", "Norris Cole": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Zach Randolph": "3", "Mike Conley": "6", "Jeff Green": "5", "Anthony Davis": "3", "Norris Cole": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Zach Randolph": "2", "Mike Conley": "6", "Jeff Green": "5", "Anthony Davis": "2", "Norris Cole": "2"}, "Points": {"Zach Randolph": "22", "Mike Conley": "17", "Jeff Green": "24", "Vince Carter": "13", "Anthony Davis": "23", "Norris Cole": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "12", "Mike Conley": "4", "Jeff Green": "7", "Anthony Davis": "9", "Norris Cole": "3"}, "Assists": {"Mike Conley": "10", "Anthony Davis": "3", "Norris Cole": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Mike Conley": "2", "Jeff Green": "4", "Anthony Davis": "2", "Norris Cole": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Mike Conley": "1", "Jeff Green": "3", "Anthony Davis": "1", "Norris Cole": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Mike Conley": "28", "Anthony Davis": "37"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "1"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "1"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (29 - 20) defeated the host New Orleans Pelicans (18 - 29) 110 - 95, on Monday at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. This was a tight game between two streaking teams that featured 14 lead changes and 11 ties. The Pelicans led 86 - 84 with seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter but the Grizzlies turned it up at that point, out - scoring the Pelicans 24 - 11 the rest of the way. Vince Carter was a big part of that late surge by Memphis as he exploded for 11 of his 13 points in the final five minutes. With this win the Grizzlies are 8 - 1 in their last nine games and have won four straight, while the Pelicans finished their seven - game home stand with a 5 - 2 record. The Grizzlies' bench contributed 48 points to the winning cause. Jeff Green led the team in scoring, with 24 points (8 - 13 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT), along with seven rebounds, in 33 minutes off the bench. Zach Randolph tallied a double - double with 22 points (10 - 15 FG, 2 - 3 FT) and 12 rebounds, in 32 minutes. Mike Conley also notched a double - double, with 17 points (5 - 7 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) and 10 assists, along with four rebounds, in 28 minutes. The Grizzlies shot 60 percent from the field and 56 percent from long range, including 5 - 6 from deep in the fourth quarter to run away with this one. The Pelicans were missing Tyreke Evans (knee) for the third straight game. Norris Cole did a good job starting in Evans' place, as he finished with 23 points (9 - 15 FG, 3 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), six assists and three rebounds, in 37 minutes. Anthony Davis tallied 23 points (10 - 20 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT) in 37 minutes as well. He also chipped in nine rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. No one else scored in double digits for the Pelicans as they saw their win streak stopped short at two games. Next the Pelicans will visit San Antonio for a Wednesday night contest. The Grizzlies will have a few days off before visiting New York to face the Knicks on Friday"], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "33"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "4", "Bulls": "2"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "66", "Bulls": "120"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "2", "Bulls": "4"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Zaza Pachulia": "18"}, "Points": {"Zaza Pachulia": "8"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (4 - 2) routed the Milwaukee Bulls (2 - 4), 120 - 66, Thursday at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Game 6 of their series to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. After Milwaukee had gotten back into the series with consecutive victories, Chicago closed out the series on the road Thursday. The Bulls got off to a big lead and never looked back, taking a 65 - 33 lead into halftime. Tensions ran high at points during Thursday's game, highlighted by Giannis Antetokounmpo's flagrant foul on Mike Dunleavy which resulted in an ejection for Antetokounmpo. The Bulls will face the Cavaliers in the Conference Semifinals starting Monday in Cleveland. Chicago played an impressive all - around game that resulted in a convincing victory to close out its Opening Round series. The 54 - point margin of victory is a franchise - high for a playoff game. Chicago now advances to the next round of the postseason with momentum on its side and will face a Cavaliers team that is missing J.R Smith for two games and Kevin Love. Milwaukee battled hard to stave off elimination on its home court in Game 4, but simply did n't have the fire power to force a Game 7 on Thursday. The Bucks shot 33% from the field for the entire game and only managed 20 points in the paint. Their leading scorer was center Zaza Pachulia, who posted eight points in 18 minutes on the floor. Despite Thursday's tough loss, the Bucks possess a talented young nucleus and are positioned to compete again in the 2015 - 16 season."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Nets": "19"}}, {"Points": {"Brook Lopez": "26", "Jeremy Lin": "10", "James Harden": "36", "Eric Gordon": "24"}, "Assists": {"Jeremy Lin": "7", "James Harden": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Harden": "12"}, "Free throws made": {"James Harden": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Eric Gordon": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Eric Gordon": "6"}}], "Houston's James Harden has been phenomenal as the Rockets have surged to third in the Western Conference, and the All-Star guard does not seem to be letting up. On Monday, Harden scored 36 points to go along with eight rebounds and 11 assists. The 36 points were despite his shooting just 8 - of - 12 from the line on the night, a sub - standard mark for the career 85 percent free - throw shooter. It was an off night for the team as a whole, as Houston hit just 58 percent of its free - throw attempts. Sixth man Eric Gordon, meanwhile, continued to shoot three - pointers at a historic rate. Gordon had 24 points and knocked down 6 - of - 10 attempts from beyond the arc. For Brooklyn, point guard Jeremy Lin came off the bench to score 10 points and had seven assists in his first game back from a hamstring injury. Brooklyn shot a whopping 52 percent as a team but hit only seven three - pointers and had 19 turnovers. Big man Brook Lopez led the team with 26 points."], [[{"Total points": {"Warriors": "110", "Spurs": "99"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Warriors": "27", "Spurs": "13"}}, {"Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "12", "Aron Baynes": "12", "Klay Thompson": "20", "Stephen Curry": "25"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "7", "Stephen Curry": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "11"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "4"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (42 - 9) beat the San Antonio Spurs (34 - 20) 110 - 99 on Friday. Steph Curry followed up his Three-Point Shootout championship with 25 points, including 4 - of - 8 from beyond the arc to go along with 11 assists and four steals. His fellow splash brother, Klay Thompson, also competed in the three - point contest, finished with 20 points going 3 - of - 7 for three in Friday's contest. Golden State currently holds the best record in the NBA this season. The Spurs went into halftime down by seven and then the Warriors poured it on the third quarter, outscoring San Antonio by a score of 27 - 13. Kawhi Leonard and Aron Baynes led San Antonio in scoring with 12 points. Seven of the eight Spurs' reserves scored at least seven points and played 11 or more minutes. The Warriors will come out and play the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday. The Spurs will head to Utah to face the Jazz on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Clippers": "7", "Spurs": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "47", "Spurs": "44"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "3", "Spurs": "2"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "107", "Spurs": "111"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "2", "Spurs": "3"}}, {"Assists": {"Tim Duncan": "4", "Manu Ginobili": "6", "Blake Griffin": "7", "Chris Paul": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tim Duncan": "13", "Kawhi Leonard": "16", "Patty Mills": "5", "Manu Ginobili": "8", "Blake Griffin": "25", "DeAndre Jordan": "9", "Chris Paul": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Tim Duncan": "8", "Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Patty Mills": "4", "Manu Ginobili": "3", "Blake Griffin": "10", "DeAndre Jordan": "7", "Chris Paul": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tim Duncan": "6", "Kawhi Leonard": "10", "Patty Mills": "1", "Manu Ginobili": "6", "Blake Griffin": "14", "DeAndre Jordan": "16"}, "Free throws made": {"Tim Duncan": "5", "Kawhi Leonard": "8", "Patty Mills": "1", "Manu Ginobili": "6", "Blake Griffin": "10", "DeAndre Jordan": "7"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Tim Duncan": "2", "DeAndre Jordan": "4"}, "Points": {"Tim Duncan": "21", "Kawhi Leonard": "18", "Patty Mills": "13", "Manu Ginobili": "14", "Blake Griffin": "30", "DeAndre Jordan": "21", "Chris Paul": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Tim Duncan": "11", "Kawhi Leonard": "9", "Blake Griffin": "14", "DeAndre Jordan": "14"}, "Steals": {"Tim Duncan": "3", "Blake Griffin": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3", "Patty Mills": "4", "Manu Ginobili": "4", "Blake Griffin": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "0", "Patty Mills": "4", "Manu Ginobili": "2", "Blake Griffin": "0"}, "Minutes played": {"Kawhi Leonard": "36", "Blake Griffin": "41", "Chris Paul": "41"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "2"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (3 - 2) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers (2 - 3) 111 - 107 on Tuesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. In a game five thriller, the veteran Spurs were able to pull off the victory and steal home court advantage as they head back to San Antonio. The Clippers were on the brink of taking the lead with just under four seconds left in the game, but a DeAndre Jordan tip - in was called off and ruled as goaltending. The floater from Blake Griffin looked like it was going to fall, but Jordan accidently touched it before it was able to go through the hoop. The Spurs finished this game shooting 44 percent from the field and 48 percent from the three - point line, while the Clippers went 47 percent from the floor and an awful seven percent from deep. The Spurs' bench also out - scored the Clippers' bench 48 - 17. The ageless wonder, Tim Duncan, again worked his magic for the Spurs. Duncan finished with a team - high of 21 points (8 - 13 FG, 5 - 6 FT), to go along with 11 rebounds and three steals. He constantly made big plays both offensively and defensively and even went as far as blocking Griffin two straight times during one point in the fourth quarter. Duncan continues to show no signs of slowing down this postseason, averaging 17 points and 11 rebounds while recording four double - doubles. Kawhi Leonard played a big factor in the win as well though as he recorded 18 points (5 - 16 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 8 - 10 FT) and nine rebounds over 36 minutes. While he did n't shoot the ball all that efficiently, he still got to the line enough to post a solid line in the end. The Spurs did see a very nice contribution from their bench, as Boris Diaw, Patty Mills and Manu Ginobili all reached double figures. Ginobili finished with 14 points (3 - 8 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) and six assists, while Mills added 13 points (4 - 5 FG, 4 - 4 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT) while nearly going perfect from the field. Keeping the Clippers close in this game was Blake Griffin, who finished with a game - high of 30 points (10 - 25 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 10 - 14 FT), while also adding 14 rebounds, seven assists and four steals. Griffin scored 21 of those points in the first half and he seemed to struggle during the fourth quarter, but he was still huge for this team as he did a little bit of everything despite the loss. Chris Paul had some very impressive plays, multiple times making defenders nearly fall over because of his crafty dribbling. Paul went 7 - for - 14 from the field but missed both of his three - point attempts to score 19 points, to go along with 10 assists over 41 minutes. Continuing his domination of the boards, DeAndre Jordan posted 21 points (7 - 9 FG, 7 - 16 FT), 14 rebounds and two blocked shots. He was fouled over and over again and sent to the line because the Spurs knew he has n't shot free throws well all year. It really payed off for them as Jordan made just 7 - of - 16 free throw attempts. The Clippers shot just 1 - for - 14 from the three - point line, which will always make it very tough to win. These two teams will take the court again on Thursday in San Antonio for game six."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "37", "Trail Blazers": "25"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "114", "Trail Blazers": "89"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "5", "Trail Blazers": "18"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Trail Blazers": "17"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "39"}}, {"Assists": {"CJ McCollum": "2", "Damian Lillard": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"CJ McCollum": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"CJ McCollum": "2", "Damian Lillard": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "8", "Jahlil Okafor": "10", "Richaun Holmes": "6"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Damian Lillard": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Damian Lillard": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Nerlens Noel": "4"}, "Points": {"Nerlens Noel": "4", "Jahlil Okafor": "25"}, "Steals": {"Nerlens Noel": "4"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers (5 - 37) blew out the Portland Trail Blazers (18 - 25) on Saturday, 114 - 89. This was easily the Sixers best performance of the season, as they took care of business against a hot Portland team. The game got our of hand early, as Philadelphia carried a 25 - point lead into halftime. Almost everything was clicking tonight for Philly, as the Sixers outshot the Blazers by 17 percent while also outrebounding, outassisting, and tying in the turnover battle. It's games likes these that give Sixers fans some hope for the future and this looks like a completely different team with Ish Smith in the fold. Portland was playing in the second half of a back - to - back here and it was clearly evident through their poor play. Damian Lillard and C.J McCollum have been carrying this team all year, but the two combined to shoot 10 - for - 36 from the field while accumulating just 27 points, four rebounds and four assists. No player on this team had more than 14 points, seven rebounds or five assists and that's a bad sign for success. The Blazers shot just 39 percent from the field and this will be one of those games they'd just like to get on the plane and forget forever. Portland will look to play better on Monday against the Washington Wizards in their next fixture. This Philadelphia team has been playing much better since the acquisition of Ish Smith and this performance emphasizes that fact. This Sixers team at the beginning of the season would have had no chance to beat a team by 25 points and this is a great sign going forward. Five different players scored at least 14 points tonight for Philly with all five combining to shoot over 50 percent from the field in the win. Jahlil Okafor was their best player tonight though, as he finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds. Nerlens Noel's four - point, eight - rebound line doesn\u2019t look great, but his four blocks and four steals were a huge game changer tonight. Richaun Holmes also had a nice game off the bench in garbage time, as he tallied 14 points and six rebounds. The 76ers will look to build off this dominating win when they take on the New York Knicks on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "26", "Hawks": "16"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "82", "Hawks": "97"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "11", "Hawks": "21"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hawks": "22"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hawks": "21"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Dwight Howard": "31", "Dennis Schroder": "29", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "31"}, "Points": {"Dwight Howard": "15", "Dennis Schroder": "20", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "22", "Dirk Nowitzki": "11", "Harrison Barnes": "21", "Devin Harris": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "20", "Dennis Schroder": "3"}, "Assists": {"Dennis Schroder": "3"}, "Steals": {"Dennis Schroder": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "13", "Harrison Barnes": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "7", "Harrison Barnes": "9"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks defeated the host Dallas Mavericks 97 - 82, at American Airlines Center on Saturday evening. The Hawks used a strong second half, where they outscored the Mavericks 52 - 40, in order to pull away and earn their sixth straight win. Tim Hardaway Jr. was the high - point man for Atlanta (21 - 16), finishing with 22 points on 7 - of - 13 shooting, in 31 minutes off the bench. Four other players scored in double digits for the Hawks, including Dennis Schroder, who added 20 points, three rebounds, three assists and one steal, in 29 minutes. Dwight Howard had a big game on the glass, as he hauled in 20 rebounds, to go along with 15 points, in 31 minutes. The Hawks shot 40 percent from the field but were efficient from long range, going 11 - of - 22. The Hawks are now 11 - 9 on the road, as they move on to the fourth and final game of their current road trip, when they take on the Nets in Brooklyn on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Mavericks (11 - 26) have now dropped two straight and fall to 7 - 11 at home, as they finished up a three - game home stand with a 1 - 2 record. Harrison Barnes was the high - point man for Dallas in the contest, with 21 points on 9 - of - 15 shooing, while Dirk Nowitzki and Devin Harris were the only other players to score in double digits, as they added 11 points each. The Mavs shot 39 percent from the field and only 9 - of - 36 from long range. They now look ahead to their next contest, which takes place in Minnesota on Tuesday, when they take on the likewise struggling Timberwolves."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "15", "Hawks": "8"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "99", "Hawks": "107"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bulls": "23"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "33"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Kyle Korver": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Korver": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kyle Korver": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Kyle Korver": "3"}, "Points": {"Kyle Korver": "24", "Derrick Rose": "23"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Derrick Rose": "22"}, "Minutes played": {"Derrick Rose": "37"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (33 - 8) defeated the Chicago Bulls (27 - 16) 107 - 99 on Saturday at the United Center. The Hawks continued their winning ways on the road and have not dropped a road contest since Nov. 15. Atlanta had a comfortable 12 - point lead mid way through the fourth quarter, but Chicago stormed back with a 10 - 3 run to stay in contention. However, Chicago was unable to get stops down the stretch as Atlanta took advantage of several open mid - range looks. The Hawks continued to show why they're the best team in the Eastern Conference and have now won 12 games in a row. More impressively, Atlanta improved to 14 - 5 against opponents with records of .500 or better. Kyle Korver was lights out from beyond the arc, shooting 7 - for - 9 from three en route to scoring 24 points on the night. On the injury front, Shelvin Mack left the game with a strained calf. The Hawks will return home on Monday to host the Pistons. Chicago has now dropped three out of its last four games, but remains securely fourth place in the East. The Bulls were without Joakim Noah, who has now missed two games in a row with a right ankle injury. Derrick Rose managed to play 37 minutes after logging 33 minutes on the floor on Friday. He led the Bulls in scoring with 23 points, but took 22 shots to reach that mark. The Bulls will take on a Cleveland Cavaliers team that appears to be rounding into form on Monday in Cleveland."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "48"}}, {"Points": {"Zach LaVine": "23", "Shabazz Muhammad": "14", "Cole Aldrich": "10", "Nemanja Bjelica": "17", "Carmelo Anthony": "29", "Kristaps Porzingis": "11", "Kyle O'Quinn": "20", "Justin Holiday": "13", "Derrick Rose": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Cole Aldrich": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "6"}, "Personal fouls": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2"}}], "Carmelo Anthony bounced back from recent shooting struggles with 29 points, including two key free throws with six seconds remaining. Derrick Rose posted 24 points, while Kyle O'Quinn aptly replaced Joakim Noah with a 20 - point, 13 - rebound double - double. Justin Holiday compiled 13 points. Kristaps Porzingis came back down to earth with 11 points. All five members of New York's first unit managed double - digit scoring and the Knicks shot 48 percent as a team. Zach LaVine's 23 - point effort paced Minnesota. Karl Anthony-Towns and Andrew Wiggins combined for another 39 points, but Gorgui Dieng and Ricky Rubio were only able to total a scant five points. The bench did pitch in 47 points overall, with Nemanja Bjelica (17 points) and Shabazz Muhammad (14 points) led the second unit, while Cole Aldrich contributed a 10 - point, 12 - rebound double - double."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "3", "Raptors": "2"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "96", "Raptors": "76"}, "Rebounds": {"Heat": "48", "Raptors": "38"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "4", "Raptors": "5"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "16"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Raptors": "16"}, "Turnovers": {"Raptors": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "8", "Goran Dragic": "3"}, "Points": {"Kyle Lowry": "15", "Chris Bosh": "23", "Goran Dragic": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Kyle Lowry": "6", "Chris Bosh": "8", "Goran Dragic": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Chris Bosh": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Chris Bosh": "7"}}], "The Miami Heat (4 - 3) defeated the Toronto Raptors (5 - 2) 96 - 76 on Sunday. The Raptors have gotten off to a fantastic start this season by playing clean basketball, but they simply made too many mistakes on Sunday against the Heat. Toronto committed 16 turnovers in the loss while shooting under 16 percent from long distance and under 40 percent from the field. The Heat won with their defense, as they out - rebounded the Raptors 48 - 38 and recorded 16 combined steals and blocks in the victory. The bench production was a key difference in the matchup as well, as the Heat's bench outscored the Raptors bench 33 - 14. The Heat played their best game of the season on Sunday and that can be attributed to a spectacular performance from Hassan Whiteside. The center tallied 20 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks in the dominating victory. Chris Bosh also put together a nice game, totaling 23 points and eight rebounds in the win. Miami has to be a bit concerned with point guard Goran Dragic though, as he continued to struggle in this matchup. He amassed just two points, two rebounds and three assists on Sunday and he is now averaging 11 points, four assists and three boards over his first seven games of the season. The Heat will look to keep this momentum going against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday. The frontcourt for Toronto is undoubtedly their weakness and that proved to be the case yet again on Sunday. Hassan Whiteside and Chris Bosh owned Luis Scola and Jonas Valanciunas down low and that could be a problem all season long. Small forward DeMarre Carroll missed this matchup with a foot injury and veteran James Johnson stepped in for him here. Toronto was led by All-Star Kyle Lowry who put together an all - around impressive line, tallying 15 points, eight assists and six rebounds in the loss. They'll look to bounce back in their next game against the New York Knicks on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "65", "Pelicans": "37"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "88", "Pelicans": "100"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Timberwolves": "15"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "16", "Pelicans": "44"}, "Number of team assists": {"Pelicans": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "5", "Zach LaVine": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "6"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "24", "Zach LaVine": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "11", "Zach LaVine": "5"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (44 - 37) beat the Minnesota Timberwolves (16 - 65) 100 - 88 on Monday. Anthony Davis had a special game, in which he led his team in all five major statistical categories. He had 24 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, six blocks and two steals in a do - it - all performance. His play brought his team to the winner's circle with a much needed victory to keep his team ahead of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference playoff race. The Pelicans have the same record as the Thunder, but hold the tie - breaker and would be admitted into the playoffs if the teams wind up with identical records. The Timberwolves had a rough second quarter and could n't quite climb out of the hole against New Orleans. They went into halftime down by 15 after trailing the Pelicans by two heading into the second. Zach LeVine led Minnesota with 24 points and seven assists to go along with five rebounds for the rookie. Decimated by injuries, the Timberwolve's frontcourt was manned heavily by Justin Hamilton, Adreian Payne and Arinze Onuaku. Those three combined for 18 points and 12 rebounds. Chase Budinger and Robbie Hummel helped pick up the slack. They had 29 points, 18 rebounds and five assists combined. Minnesota needs a win and a New York Knicks loss to avoid being the sole team with the worst record in the NBA this season. Minnesota will end their rebuilding year in Oklahoma City against the Thunder, as the Pelicans will travel to San Antonio to take on the Spurs on Wednesday. Each game has massive playoff implications. The Thunder need a win and a Pelicans loss. If the Pelicans win they secure the eighth seed. However, the Spurs are playing for the second seed in the Western Conference and likely wo n't rest their star players."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "25", "Heat": "30"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "88", "Heat": "100"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Bulls": "24", "Heat": "33"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "23", "Heat": "17"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Heat": "20"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Heat": "24"}}, {"Points": {"Rodney McGruder": "9", "Willie Reed": "20", "Dion Waiters": "19", "Goran Dragic": "26", "Wayne Ellington": "14", "Paul Zipser": "14", "Doug McDermott": "9", "Dwyane Wade": "15", "Rajon Rondo": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Rodney McGruder": "4", "Willie Reed": "5", "Dion Waiters": "5", "Goran Dragic": "5", "Paul Zipser": "5", "Taj Gibson": "5", "Doug McDermott": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "6", "Rajon Rondo": "7"}, "Assists": {"Willie Reed": "1", "Dion Waiters": "1", "Goran Dragic": "11", "Wayne Ellington": "2", "Taj Gibson": "2", "Doug McDermott": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "7"}, "Steals": {"Willie Reed": "1", "Dion Waiters": "1", "Goran Dragic": "3", "Wayne Ellington": "2", "Paul Zipser": "1", "Taj Gibson": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "2", "Rajon Rondo": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Wayne Ellington": "1", "Taj Gibson": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul Zipser": "1", "Rajon Rondo": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Paul Zipser": "2", "Taj Gibson": "1", "Rajon Rondo": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Paul Zipser": "1", "Doug McDermott": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Doug McDermott": "2", "Rajon Rondo": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Doug McDermott": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Doug McDermott": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Jimmy Butler": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Jimmy Butler": "33", "Dwyane Wade": "28"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Rajon Rondo": "1"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the Chicago Bulls, 100 - 88, at United Center on Friday evening. The Heat (17 - 30) checked in to Friday with only seven road wins in 24 games away from American Airlines Arena, but with a potential opportunity to steal a victory against a Bulls (23 - 25) squad currently besieged by internal spats between Rajon Rondo and team leaders Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade. Chicago head coach Fred Hoiberg had also made the suprising decision to bench the latter two to start the game in favor of Paul Zipser and Doug McDermott, putting the home team at a talent disadvantage to open the contest. Miami was able to capitalize, jumping out to a 33 - 24 lead after one quarter and then hanging on to outscore their hosts 67 - 64 the rest of the way. The temporary demotion seemed to affect Butler in particular, as he shot just 1 - for - 13 from the floor over 33 minutes. The Heat was also able to overcome the absence of Hassan Whiteside (ankle), as Willie Reed stepped up to tally 20 points, five boards, an assist and a steal. Goran Dragic's 26 points paced Miami, a total he supplemented with 11 assists, five rebounds and three steals. Dion Waiters continued his strong play with 19 points, five rebounds, an assist and a steal. Wayne Ellington was next with a bench - leading 14 points, which he supplemented with five boards, two assists, two steals and a block. Rodney McGruder totaled nine points, four boards and a trio of steals. Despite being relegated to the second unit, Wade's 15 points still served as the top score on the Bulls. He added six rebounds, three assists and two steals over 28 minutes. Zipser impressively took advantage of his starting opportunity, posting 14 points, five boards and a steal. Taj Gibson matched Zipser's point total and supplemented it with five rebounds, two assists, four blocks and a steal. Rondo had one of his more productive games, compiling 13 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals. McDermott registered nine points, five boards and two assists. The Heat return home to face the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night, while the Bulls remain home to take on the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday evening."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Heat": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "53"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "30", "Pistons": "26"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "116", "Pistons": "103"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "18", "Pistons": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Marcus Morris": "2", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "3", "Dion Waiters": "7", "Goran Dragic": "4", "Wayne Ellington": "2", "James Johnson": "5"}, "Points": {"Marcus Morris": "14", "Jon Leuer": "8", "Andre Drummond": "17", "Reggie Jackson": "24", "Ish Smith": "8", "Tobias Harris": "16", "Hassan Whiteside": "9", "Dion Waiters": "17", "Goran Dragic": "23", "Wayne Ellington": "19", "James Johnson": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcus Morris": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "7", "Ish Smith": "2", "Tobias Harris": "2", "Hassan Whiteside": "12", "Dion Waiters": "3", "Goran Dragic": "2", "James Johnson": "8"}, "Steals": {"Marcus Morris": "1", "Andre Drummond": "3", "Goran Dragic": "1", "Wayne Ellington": "1", "James Johnson": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Andre Drummond": "2", "James Johnson": "1"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the Detroit Pistons, 116 - 103, at Palace at American Airlines Arena on Saturday evening. The Heat (18 - 30) checked in to Saturday in the midst of their best stretch of the season, but faced a Pistons (21 - 26) squad that was surging in its own right, albeit a bit more modestly. Although Detroit was hot from the field - - as evidenced by a 57 percent success rate - - Miami countered by going 53 percent from the floor and 50 percent from three - point range. Four Heat players drained multiple threes, and seven players shot 50 percent or better. The spectacular offensive performances allowed the home team to pull away in the fourth quarter after they entered the period with a 91 - 90 deficit. Reggie Jackson paced the Pistons with 24 points, seven boards and three assists. Andre Drummond had his typically spectacular game against the Heat, generating 17 points, 20 rebounds, an assist, three steals and two blocks. Tobias Harris supplied a bench - leading 16 points, which he supplemented with two rebounds and a steal. Marcus Morris provided 14 points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal. Jon Leuer and Ish Smith registered matching eight - point efforts from the first unit and bench, respectively. Goran Dragic led the way for Miami with 23 points, a total he supplemented with four assists, two rebounds and a steal. Wayne Ellington led the bench with 19 points, two assists and a steal. James Johnson continued his strong play with 18 points, eight boards, five assists, two steals and a block. Dion Waiters tallied 17 points, seven assists and three boards. Hassan Whiteside contributed a modest nine points but hauled in 12 boards. The Pistons next head to Boston to face off with the Celtics on Monday evening, while the Heat remain home to tangle with the Nets on Monday night as well."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "53"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "35", "Celtics": "25"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "119", "Celtics": "99"}, "Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "18", "Celtics": "18"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "30", "Celtics": "41"}}, {"Assists": {"Al Horford": "2", "Avery Bradley": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "5", "Jaylen Brown": "1", "Marcus Smart": "2", "Danilo Gallinari": "1", "Wilson Chandler": "1", "Nikola Jokic": "7"}, "Points": {"Al Horford": "15", "Avery Bradley": "16", "Isaiah Thomas": "21", "Jaylen Brown": "14", "Marcus Smart": "13", "Danilo Gallinari": "20", "Wilson Chandler": "23", "Nikola Jokic": "21"}, "Steals": {"Al Horford": "1", "Avery Bradley": "3", "Marcus Smart": "1", "Danilo Gallinari": "2", "Nikola Jokic": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Avery Bradley": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "2", "Jaylen Brown": "2", "Marcus Smart": "7", "Danilo Gallinari": "5", "Nikola Jokic": "10", "Gary Harris": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Wilson Chandler": "1", "Nikola Jokic": "1"}}], "The Denver Nuggets defeated the Boston Celtics, 119 - 99, at Pepsi Center on Friday night. The Nuggets (30 - 35) were buoyed by the somewhat surprising active statuses of Nikola Jokic (illness) and Danilo Gallinari (vertigo), and both players proved pivotal to the win. Each eclipsed the 20 - point mark on the night, leading Denver to a stellar 53 percent success rate from the field. That helped them overcome 18 turnovers, as did their defense, which forced the same amount from the Celtics (41 - 25). The Nuggets also won the rebounding battle handily, outperforming Boston by a 49 - 33 margin down low. The Celtics were paced by Isaiah Thomas, who tallied 21 points, five assists, two rebounds and one steal. Avery Bradley posted 16 points, two rebounds, two assists and three steals. Al Horford generated 15 points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal. Jaylen Brown led the second unit with 14 points, two boards and one assist. Marcus Smart was productive in a reserve role as well, generating a typically full stat line of 13 points, seven rebounds, two assists and one steal. Wilson Chandler led the way for the Nuggets with 23 points, eight rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block. Jokic turned in a 21 - point, 10 - rebound double that also included seven assists, four steals and one block. Gallinari went for 20 points, five boards, one assist and two steals. Gary Harris and Jameer Nelson combined for only 17 points, and Jameer Nelson led the bench with 13 points and three rebounds. The Celtics return home to tangle with the Chicago Bulls on Sunday afternoon, while the Nuggets hit the road and face off with the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Lakers": "46", "Warriors": "46"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "52", "Warriors": "46"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "19", "Warriors": "4"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "115", "Warriors": "105"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Lakers": "20", "Warriors": "32"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "9", "Warriors": "23"}}, {"Field goals made": {"Harrison Barnes": "2", "Klay Thompson": "6", "Stephen Curry": "10", "Ed Davis": "7", "Carlos Boozer": "8", "Nick Young": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Harrison Barnes": "2", "Draymond Green": "2"}, "Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "5", "Draymond Green": "2", "Klay Thompson": "18", "Stephen Curry": "22", "David Lee": "12", "Ed Davis": "14", "Carlos Boozer": "18", "Nick Young": "15"}, "Assists": {"Draymond Green": "2", "Stephen Curry": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "8", "Stephen Curry": "5", "Nick Young": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "2", "Nick Young": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "15", "Stephen Curry": "14", "Ed Davis": "7", "Carlos Boozer": "11", "Nick Young": "13"}, "Turnovers": {"Stephen Curry": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"David Lee": "7", "Carlos Boozer": "9", "Nick Young": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nick Young": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Nick Young": "3"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers (9 - 19) defeated the Golden State Warriors (23 - 4) 115 - 105 on Tuesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Despite out - scoring the Lakers 32 - 20 in the final quarter, the Lakers were able to hold off the late comeback, and secure a victory in front of their home fans. The Lakers were able to shoot 52 percent from the field and 46 percent from the three - point line, while the Warriors shot 46 percent from the floor and 46 percent from beyond the arc. Even with Kobe Bryant sitting out on a day of rest, the Lakers were still able to pull off the victory, as they had seven players reach double figures in points. Carlos Boozer went 8 - for - 11 from the field to score 18 points, while also grabbing nine rebounds in the process. It was a nice outing for him, as he's averaged only 13 points thus far this season. Nick Young also had a solid contribution off the bench, scoring 15 points (5 - 13 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT) and pulling down five rebounds. While it was surprising he did n't get off a ridiculous amount of shots without Bryant in the game, he still was able to match his season average in points. Ronnie Price, Wesley Johnson and Ed Davis also were fundamental in the victory. They scored 17, 14 and 14 respectively, with Davis going a perfect 7 - for - 7 from the field. The Warriors were led by their superstar backcourt of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Curry went 10 - for - 14 from the field and 2 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score 22 points, while adding six assists. After an off game on Monday, this was a solid bounce back outing for Curry, although the seven turnovers he recorded was n't acceptable. Thompson on the other hand went 6 - for - 15 from the field and 4 - for - 8 from beyond the arc to score 18 points. While the two guards played well, they did n't receive much help from the rest of the team. David Lee had the most production of everyone else, scoring 12 points and pulling in seven rebounds. Starters Draymond Green and Harrison Barnes struggled to get anything going, scoring two and five points respectively. The Lakers' next game will be on the road against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday, while the Warriors will stay in Los Angeles to play the Clippers on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "1", "Trail Blazers": "1"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "110", "Trail Blazers": "92"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "1", "Trail Blazers": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Trail Blazers": "42"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ McCollum": "7"}, "Points": {"CJ McCollum": "16", "Damian Lillard": "24", "Markieff Morris": "13", "TJ Warren": "17"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Damian Lillard": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"TJ Warren": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"TJ Warren": "6"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (1 - 1) took care of the Portland Trail Blazers (1 - 1) in a 110 - 92 win in Phoenix on Friday. The Suns and Trail Blazers played the first half of a home - and - home against one another on Friday night, and the Suns looked like the much better squad. Phoenix had four players score 13 or more points in this game and it was a major bounce back after being blown out in their home opener against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday. The Blazers were outrebounded 54 - 43 in this game and just couldn\u2019t keep the Suns off the free - throw line. Portland committed 33 fouls and allowed 42 attempts from the charity stripe. The Trail Blazers had four starters score at least 15 points, but got only 21 combined points from the other eight players. They were led by Damian Lillard, who totaled 24 points, six assists, and seven turnovers in the loss. Phenom C.J. McCollum couldn\u2019t quite live up to his 37 - point outing in the opener, as he shot just 7 - for - 22 in his 16 - point game on Friday night. There's a lot on these two guards' shoulders this season, and it remains to be seen if they can hold that much weight for the full 82 - game schedule. This was Portland's first game of a back - to - back set against these same Suns, but the Blazers will be the hosts Saturday. The Suns had a nightmare home opener on Wednesday against the Mavericks as they lost 111 - 95, but they bounced back nicely here in a dominant win. They had major contributions from Eric Bledsoe, Markieff Morris, Tyson Chandler, Brandon Knight, and T.J. Warren in this game, as they all scored at least 13 points. What was most impressive was the defense, as the starters combined for nine steals and five blocks in the blowout victory. After Chandler and Morris combined for just seven points and seven rebounds in the opener, they played with some pride here, putting up 28 points and 21 rebounds between them. Warren collected 17 points and six rebounds in his 22 minutes off the bench and he's looking like a true breakout candidate this season. The Suns will look to duplicate this performance on Saturday when they travel to Portland to conclude this home - and - home set."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "5", "Bulls": "4"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "95", "Bulls": "98"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "2", "Bulls": "5"}}, {"Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "4", "Rajon Rondo": "6", "Justise Winslow": "6", "Goran Dragic": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jimmy Butler": "1", "Rajon Rondo": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jimmy Butler": "1", "Rajon Rondo": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jimmy Butler": "1"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "20", "Robin Lopez": "16", "Dwyane Wade": "13", "Rajon Rondo": "16", "Justise Winslow": "15", "Hassan Whiteside": "20", "Dion Waiters": "16", "Goran Dragic": "6", "Josh Richardson": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "4", "Robin Lopez": "9", "Dwyane Wade": "7", "Rajon Rondo": "12", "Justise Winslow": "5", "Hassan Whiteside": "20"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "3", "Justise Winslow": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwyane Wade": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rajon Rondo": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Rajon Rondo": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Goran Dragic": "22"}}], "The Chicago Bulls defeated the host Miami Heat 98 - 95 at American Airlines Arena on Thursday. In a battle between two Eastern Conference mainstays, there was n't a whole lot to separate these two squads. There were actually 14 ties and 19 lead changes in this tightly contested battle, with no team leading by more than eight points. The key for Chicago was the free - throw shooting, as they went 18 - of - 20, while Miami went just 10 - of - 15. Three-point shooting kept the Heat hanging around, as they went 13 - of - 29, with the Bulls hitting just 6 - of - 16. Chicago (5 - 4) came into this losing four of five, but they showed some resiliency in an important road win. Six of the nine players who took the floor for the Bulls scored in double figures. Jimmy Butler led the team, with his 20 points, four rebounds, five assists and three steals. Rajon Rondo had one of his best games in a Chicago uniform, tallying 16 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. Robin Lopez also finished with 16, adding nine boards as well. Dwyane Wade shot just 5 - of - 17 against his former team, but finished with 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists. The Bulls will host the Washington Wizards for their next game on Saturday. Miami (2 - 5) has gotten off to a rough start, but this was a great performance despite the loss. Hassan Whiteside carried the load, as he finished with 20 points and 20 rebounds in a dominating performance. Dion Waiters and Josh Richardson were second on the team, as they scored 16 a piece. Justise Winslow accumulated 15 points, five rebounds, six assists and four steals. Goran Dragic struggled and left early due to an ankle injury, finishing with six points and four assists in just 22 minutes of play. Miami returns to action on Saturday, when they host the Utah Jazz for their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "9", "Lakers": "17"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "111", "Lakers": "91"}, "Rebounds": {"Pistons": "61"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "12", "Lakers": "3"}}, {"Assists": {"Kobe Bryant": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kobe Bryant": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Kobe Bryant": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kobe Bryant": "1"}, "Points": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "22"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (12 - 9) destroyed the Los Angeles Lakers (3 - 17) 111 - 91 on Sunday. This game was a blowout from start to finish, as the scoreline was closer than the actual result. The Pistons had a 23 - point lead at the half and didn\u2019t even play most of their starters in the fourth quarter. The big difference in the game was the rebounding, as Detroit grabbed 61 boards to the Lakers 40 rebounds. That should be no surprise though, as the Pistons rank third in the NBA in rebounding. The Lakers played very poorly in this game and the frustration boiled over. Not only did Kobe Bryant leave with a stomach ailment, Nick Young was ejected in the fourth quarter for a shove. Bryant was just 2 - for - 15 from the field before leaving and that just adds to his horrific shooting woes. Julius Randle did record another double - double and he's proving to be one of the few bright spots on this Lakers team. Los Angeles will try to get out of this swoon when they take on the Toronto Raptors on Monday. The Pistons came out hungry and they shut down this beleaguered Lakers team in a hurry. They scored 65 points in the first half and the starters were just fantastic. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had a team - high 22 points while Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond scored a combined 38 points. These three are the core of this Detroit team and when they play like this, they are hard to beat. The Pistons will look to build off this win when they play the Charlotte Hornets on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Cavaliers": "37", "Warriors": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "48", "Warriors": "54"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "11", "Warriors": "4"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "98", "Warriors": "132"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Cavaliers": "21", "Warriors": "34"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "28", "Warriors": "38"}}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "10", "Andre Iguodala": "5", "LeBron James": "5", "Matthew Dellavedova": "6"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "16", "Stephen Curry": "35", "Andre Iguodala": "20", "LeBron James": "16", "JR Smith": "14", "Matthew Dellavedova": "11"}, "Turnovers": {"Draymond Green": "1", "Andre Iguodala": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "7"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Andre Iguodala": "1", "LeBron James": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Andre Iguodala": "1", "LeBron James": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Iguodala": "3", "LeBron James": "5"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "1"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "1"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (38 - 4) routed the Cleveland Cavaliers (28 - 11) Wednesday night at Quicken Loans Arena, 132 - 98. Golden State dominated from the opening tip, as they jumped out to a 12 - 2 lead in the game's first three minutes and enjoyed leads of 34 - 21 after the first quarter and 70 - 44 at halftime. The Warriors just could not be stopped offensively, as they shout a brilliant 54 percent from the floor, including an absurd 19 - 40 (48 percent) from three. Steph Curry paced all scorers with 35 points and added seven three - pointers to increase his league - leading total to 193 for the season. Andre Iguodala came off the bench to pitch in 20 on an ultraefficient 7 - 8 shooting, and Draymond Green notched 16 points and 10 assists and finished just three rebounds away from a triple - double. LeBron James led the Cavaliers with just 16 points on a lukewarm 7 - 16 shooting night, and he added five assists and five rebounds for one of his quieter games this season. J.R. Smith chipped in 14 on 6 - 9 shooting, and Matthew Dellavedova led Cavaliers reserves with 11 points and six assists. It was a mediocre shooting night for Cleveland (48 percent from the floor, 37 percent from three), nowhere near enough to keep pace with Golden State's perpetual motion machine of an offense. The Warriors continue an Eastern Conference road trip Wednesday night in Chicago. The Cavaliers will take to the road for a game Wednesday in Brooklyn."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "6", "Pelicans": "9"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "95", "Pelicans": "87"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "5", "Pelicans": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "1", "Jrue Holiday": "4", "Carmelo Anthony": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "36", "Alonzo Gee": "2", "Eric Gordon": "11", "Jrue Holiday": "7", "Ryan Anderson": "16", "Carmelo Anthony": "29", "Kristaps Porzingis": "10", "Langston Galloway": "15", "Kevin Seraphin": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "11", "Jrue Holiday": "3", "Ryan Anderson": "5", "Kristaps Porzingis": "4"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "1", "Jrue Holiday": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Alonzo Gee": "26", "Omer Asik": "13", "Jrue Holiday": "25", "Carmelo Anthony": "39"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "11"}}], "The New York Knicks (5 - 6) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (1 - 9) 95 - 87 on Sunday. The Pelicans got back superstar forward Anthony Davis after a two - game absence due to a hip injury, and he certainly did not disappoint, Davis posted his second - highest scoring total of the season with 36 points, and added 11 rebounds, an assist, four blocks, and a steal in an impressive double - double. The All-Star forward's valiant effort was for naught however, as his teammates were unable to lend much in the way of offensive support. Eric Gordon was the only other Pelicans starter to tally double - digit scoring with 11 points. Alonzo Gee flopped in a start at small forward with only two points over 26 minutes. Omer Asik was held scoreless in 13 minutes on the court, while Jrue Holiday pitched in seven points, four assists, three rebounds, and a steal in his season - high 25 minutes of playing time. Holiday continues to be brought along slowly in his return from last season's leg injury. The steady Ryan Anderson - - the only other Pelican to have some success offensively - - contributed 16 points and five rebounds off the bench. The Pelicans dropped to 1 - 9 and remain in last place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They head home for a date with the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday. Not to be outdone by Davis, Carmelo Anthony led the charge for a resurgent Knicks squad with a double - double of his own. Anthony totaled 29 points,13 rebounds, three assists, and a steal over 39 minutes. The All-Star posted solid 53 percent shooting from the field (11 - for - 21), and both his scoring total and field goal accuracy represented his second - best totals in each category to date in the new season. Rookie Kristaps Porzingis pitched in 10 points and four rebounds in his first encounter with Davis, while Kevin Seraphin (12 points) and Langston Galloway (15 points) had strong efforts off the bench. The Knicks improved to 5 - 6 and reside in third place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They remain home for a Tuesday date with the Charlotte Hornets."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "10", "Heat": "20"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "115", "Heat": "79"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "23", "Heat": "14"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Heat": "24"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Heat": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "27", "James Harden": "28", "Josh Smith": "28"}, "Points": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "12", "James Harden": "28", "Josh Smith": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Josh Smith": "7"}}], "The Houston Rockets (23 - 10) defeated the Miami Heat (14 - 20) 115 - 79 on Saturday. Houston got back on track with the big win after trudging through three losses over their previous four games. Josh Smith was in the starting lineup for their recent poor stretch, and coach Kevin McHale moved Smith back to a bench role Saturday, allowing the team to go back to the lineup they had success with before Smith was signed. Donatas Motiejunas reclaimed his starting spot at power forward and put up 12 points and three assists in 27 minutes. Smith finished with 12 points and seven rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench. James Harden scored a game - high 28 points in just 28 minutes. Houston will begin a three - game road trip against the Chicago Bulls on Monday. Miami has lost four straight games, but it's difficult to see why the team is struggling. Chris Bosh has been back in the active lineup for the last three games, though his return has n't helped the team secure more wins in the short term. The Heat gave up 22 points on 22 turnovers, were out - rebounded 46 - 33 and shot just 24 percent from beyond the arc, putting themselves out of contention Saturday. They'll return home to take on the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "2", "Trail Blazers": "8"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "93", "Trail Blazers": "80"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Spurs": "19"}, "Turnovers": {"Spurs": "6"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "8", "Trail Blazers": "4"}}, {"Points": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "17", "Damian Lillard": "27", "Kawhi Leonard": "19", "Tim Duncan": "10", "Tony Parker": "10", "Manu Ginobili": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "4", "Damian Lillard": "7", "Kawhi Leonard": "9", "Tim Duncan": "9", "Manu Ginobili": "4"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "6", "Kawhi Leonard": "3", "Tony Parker": "7", "Manu Ginobili": "3"}, "Steals": {"Damian Lillard": "1", "Kawhi Leonard": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "3"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (8 - 2) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (4 - 8) by a score of 93 - 80 on Monday night, handing them their sixth loss in a row. Meanwhile, the Spurs have now won five games in a row and are 40 at home. The Spurs had control for most of the game, holding a near 10 point cushion most of the way. Portland had an early lead and got close again in the fourth quarter but could not maintain anything consistent against the San Antonio machine. The Blazers were led by their back court Damian Lillard and C.J. MacCollum, but did not get enough contribution from the rest of the squad to compete with the well rounded Spurs. Lillard had 27 points, six assists and seven rebounds and shot 10 - 21 from the field. MacCollum dropped 15 points on 6 - 14 shooting, he also had two assists, three rebounds and one steal in 33 minutes. The only other Blazer to score in double digits was Al-Farouq Aminu, who had a strong game with 17 points on 7 - 14 shooting, 3 - 5 from deep and four rebounds. The San Antonio Spurs showed a balanced team effort as usual, with six players scoring in double digits. Notably, LaMarcus Aldridge was the only starter not to score in double digits for the Spurs, as he faced his former team. Kawhi Leonard was the high point man for the Spurs with 19, he also added nine rebounds, three assits, two steals and two blocks, in 30 minutes. Tim Duncan had 10 points and nine rebounds in 28 minutes. Manu Ginobili dropped 17 points, along with four rebounds and three assists, in 22 minutes off the bench. Tony Parker went 4 - 9 from the field and finished with 10 points and seven assists. The Spurs will look to stay perfect at home as the Nuggets come to town on Wednesday. Next up for Portland will be a visit to Houston for a match on Wednesday, where they will look to break their current slide."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "20", "Celtics": "16"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "100", "Celtics": "95"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "11", "Celtics": "10"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Jared Sullinger": "9", "Jameer Nelson": "30", "Elfrid Payton": "29"}, "Assists": {"Jameer Nelson": "11", "Elfrid Payton": "7"}, "Points": {"Jameer Nelson": "9", "Tobias Harris": "19", "Kyle O'Quinn": "18", "Nikola Vucevic": "18", "Elfrid Payton": "12"}, "Steals": {"Jameer Nelson": "4", "Kyle O'Quinn": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Kyle O'Quinn": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Kyle O'Quinn": "13", "Nikola Vucevic": "12"}}], "The Orlando Magic (11 - 20) defeated the Boston Celtics (10 - 16) 100 - 95 on Tuesday. Orlando put a stop to their four - game losing streak with the win. Tobias Harris scored a team - high 19 points, and both Kyle O'Quinn and Nikola Vucevic finished with double - doubles in the frontcourt. O'Quinn put up 18 points, 13 rebounds, two steals and one block. Vucevic posted 18 points, 12 rebounds and three assists. In his second game as the new starter at point guard, Elfrid Payton put up 12 points, seven assists and two steals in 29 minutes. The Magic plan to get a good look at this starting lineup that features O'Quinn and Payton for the foreseeable future, though the presence of Channing Frye and impending return of Aaron Gordon does put O'Quinn at risk of being marginalized again later this season. Orlando will host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday. Boston lost a second straight game and are now 1 - 2 in their three games since Rajon Rondo was traded to the Dallas Mavericks last Thursday. Jameer Nelson, who was acquired from the Mavs, started at point guard, pushing Marcus Smart back to a bench role. Nelson put up nine points, 11 assists and four steals in 30 minutes. Jared Sullinger played just nine minutes, and his role appears to be getting reduced as the Celtics' other big men continue to excel. Boston will host the Brooklyn Nets on Friday."], [[{"Total points": {"Bulls": "91", "Bucks": "82"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bulls": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Bulls": "64", "Bucks": "48"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "2", "Bucks": "0"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Bucks": "4"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4", "Michael Carter-Williams": "2", "Joakim Noah": "5", "Jimmy Butler": "2", "Derrick Rose": "9", "Nikola Mirotic": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Zaza Pachulia": "2", "Khris Middleton": "1", "Pau Gasol": "4", "Joakim Noah": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "11", "Zaza Pachulia": "6", "Khris Middleton": "6", "Michael Carter-Williams": "5", "Pau Gasol": "16", "Joakim Noah": "19", "Jimmy Butler": "9", "Derrick Rose": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Zaza Pachulia": "2", "Khris Middleton": "3", "Michael Carter-Williams": "3", "Pau Gasol": "6", "Jimmy Butler": "14", "Derrick Rose": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Zaza Pachulia": "1", "Khris Middleton": "3", "Michael Carter-Williams": "2", "Pau Gasol": "3", "Jimmy Butler": "8", "Derrick Rose": "5", "Nikola Mirotic": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Zaza Pachulia": "1", "Khris Middleton": "1", "Nikola Mirotic": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Zaza Pachulia": "2", "Pau Gasol": "1"}, "Points": {"Zaza Pachulia": "7", "Khris Middleton": "22", "Michael Carter-Williams": "12", "Pau Gasol": "11", "Joakim Noah": "6", "Jimmy Butler": "31", "Derrick Rose": "15"}, "Steals": {"Zaza Pachulia": "1", "Khris Middleton": "1", "Nikola Mirotic": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Khris Middleton": "7", "Michael Carter-Williams": "1", "Pau Gasol": "1", "Jimmy Butler": "9", "Derrick Rose": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Khris Middleton": "3", "Michael Carter-Williams": "0", "Pau Gasol": "0", "Jimmy Butler": "3", "Derrick Rose": "2", "Nikola Mirotic": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Khris Middleton": "20", "Michael Carter-Williams": "12", "Pau Gasol": "12", "Joakim Noah": "9", "Jimmy Butler": "19", "Derrick Rose": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Khris Middleton": "8", "Michael Carter-Williams": "5", "Pau Gasol": "4", "Joakim Noah": "3", "Jimmy Butler": "10", "Derrick Rose": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Khris Middleton": "38", "Jimmy Butler": "46"}, "Turnovers": {"Khris Middleton": "1"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (20) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (0 - 2) 91 - 82 on Monday at the United center in Chicago in game two of their first round matchup of the Eastern Conference playoffs. In a chippy game featuring seven technical fouls and an ejection (Zaza Pachulia), the Bulls were able to have a big fourth quarter to pull out the nine - point win and grab a two - game lead in the series. The Bucks had a strong defensive effort in the first half, forcing the Bulls into 11 turnovers before the break, but they were unable to get anything going offensively and the Bulls took a one - point lead into the half. It was the fourth quarter where the Bulls took the advantage though, as they went on a 130 run with six minutes left in the game to put them up 10 fueled by Jimmy Butler, who was nearly unstoppable in this outing. Including that huge final quarter, Butler finished with a game - high of 31 points (10 - 19 FG, 3 - 9 3Pt, 8 - 14 FT), while adding nine rebounds and two assists over 46 minutes. Butler got into a shoving match with OJ Mayo earlier in the second quarter which led to a few technicals, but that really seemed to fuel his intensity and he never looked back. Derrick Rose struggled mightily in the first half, going scoreless on 0 - for - 7 shooting from the field. He clearly made some adjustments at half though and salvaged his performance with 15 points (4 - 14 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT), seven rebounds and nine assists. Helping to give the Bulls an impressive 64 - 48 rebounding advantage was the duo of Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah, who combined to record 35 of the team's 64 rebounds. Gasol finished with 11 points (4 - 12 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 3 - 6 FT), 16 rebounds and four blocked shots, while Noah added six points (3 - 9 FG), 19 rebounds and five assists. After Nikola Mirotic went to the floor and got into a tussle with Zaza Pachulia, he had to leave with a knee injury, but it's unclear how that will affect his status moving forward. Khris Middleton did everything he could to keep the Bucks close. He went into the half leading all scorers with 12 points and then went on to score a team - high of 22 points (8 - 20 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), to go along with six rebounds and a steal over 38 minutes. Middleton had 18 points in game one on Saturday as well, but he just has n't gotten enough scoring help to stay even with the Bulls. The only other Buck in double - digit points was Michael Carter-Williams, who posted 12 points (5 - 12 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT), five rebounds and two assists. Both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Ersan Ilyasova struggled with their shots. They combined to shoot a meager 5 - for - 21 from the field and 0 - for - 3 from the three - point line for 14 points. Antetokounmpo added 11 rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots, but it just was n't enough in the end. Despite forcing the Bulls into 15 total turnovers, while committing just four of their own, the Bucks just could n't establish enough of an offensive presence to keep up in the end. These two teams will now head to Milwaukee for game three of the series on Thursday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "50", "Bucks": "29"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "52"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "5", "Bucks": "8"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "8", "Bucks": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Bucks": "23"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Paul George": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Michael Carter-Williams": "3", "Paul George": "6"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9"}, "Assists": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "3", "Paul George": "7"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "3", "Paul George": "6"}, "Personal fouls": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "3", "Paul George": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul George": "5"}}], "No Milwaukee player managed above 11 points as the Bucks (5 - 8) were pulverized by the Indiana Pacers (8 - 5) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Pacers have now won five or their last six, due in large part to the extremely high - caliber play of star small forward Paul George. Despite having an off shooting night (just 6 - for - 17), George contributed positively to the Indiana effort, tallying seven rebounds and seven assists whle playing outstanding perimeter defense. Indiana on the whole shot the lights out, hitting 52 percent of their shots from the field and 50 percent of their three - point attempts. Indiana's team defense also looked beautiful, as the Bucks were held to just 29 percent from beyond the arc and committed 23 turnovers. While things were firing on all cyllinders for Indiana, the same did n't hold true on the Bucks' side of things. 20 - year - old small forward Giannis \"The Greek Freak\" Antetenkoumpo had a rare inefficient night from the field, tallying just nine points on 3 - for - 8 shooting. Point guard Michael Carter-Williams also struggled, posting just three assists while turning the ball over three times. Saturday marked the Bucks' third straight loss, a trend they will look to combat as they prepare for a home matchup against the Pistons. The Pacers, meanwhile, will look to continue their hot streak as they travel to Washington to take on the Wizards."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "32", "Nets": "25"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "13", "Nets": "31"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "95", "Nets": "86"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Grizzlies": "32", "Nets": "15"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "39", "Nets": "21"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Joe Johnson": "4", "Deron Williams": "4", "Marc Gasol": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "1", "Alan Anderson": "5", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Deron Williams": "3", "Zach Randolph": "1", "Marc Gasol": "1", "Courtney Lee": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Joe Johnson": "0", "Alan Anderson": "2", "Brook Lopez": "0", "Deron Williams": "1", "Zach Randolph": "1", "Marc Gasol": "0", "Courtney Lee": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "13", "Mason Plumlee": "10", "Alan Anderson": "9", "Brook Lopez": "14", "Deron Williams": "9", "Zach Randolph": "17", "Marc Gasol": "9", "Courtney Lee": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Joe Johnson": "5", "Mason Plumlee": "6", "Alan Anderson": "5", "Brook Lopez": "5", "Deron Williams": "4", "Zach Randolph": "9", "Marc Gasol": "4", "Courtney Lee": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Joe Johnson": "1", "Mason Plumlee": "3", "Alan Anderson": "4", "Brook Lopez": "2", "Deron Williams": "2", "Marc Gasol": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Joe Johnson": "1", "Mason Plumlee": "3", "Alan Anderson": "3", "Brook Lopez": "2", "Deron Williams": "1", "Marc Gasol": "6"}, "Points": {"Joe Johnson": "11", "Mason Plumlee": "15", "Alan Anderson": "15", "Brook Lopez": "12", "Deron Williams": "10", "Zach Randolph": "19", "Marc Gasol": "14", "Courtney Lee": "15", "Beno Udrih": "13", "Tony Allen": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Joe Johnson": "8", "Mason Plumlee": "14", "Alan Anderson": "4", "Brook Lopez": "4", "Zach Randolph": "8", "Marc Gasol": "11"}, "Steals": {"Mason Plumlee": "3", "Zach Randolph": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Zach Randolph": "2", "Marc Gasol": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Courtney Lee": "26"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (39 - 13) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (21 - 31) 95 - 86 on Tuesday at Fed Ex Forum Arena in Memphis. The Grizzlies got off to a hot start in this matchup, out - scoring the Nets 32 - 15 in the first quarter alone. Along with the quick start, the Grizzlies used their three - point shooting to grab an advantage, going 32 percent from deep, while the Nets went just 25 percent from beyond the arc. The Nets were really sloppy in this game, and were forced into 20 turnovers, which ended up just being too much for them to come back from. In the victory, the Grizzlies saw Zach Randolph play well, finishing with a team - high of 19 points (9 - 17 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt), while also adding eight rebounds and three steals. After scoring 11 points or less in each of his last two games, it was good to see him get things going again on the offensive side of the ball. Courtney Lee was another player who had a successful showing Tuesday. He went 6 - for - 10 from the field and 2 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score 15 points in 26 minutes. He shot only 30 percent (3 - 10 FG) against the Hawks on Sunday, so it was a nice bounce back game for him. Notching a double - double, Marc Gasol posted 14 points (4 - 9 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 6 - 8 FT), 11 rebounds and two blocked shots. It marked his second double - double in a row, as he's combined for 30 points and 21 rebounds over those two games. Coming off the bench, both Tony Allen and Beno Udrih reached double figures as well, with 12 and 13 points respectively. The Nets got contributions from all over the court, with six players reaching double figures in points. Mason Plumlee led the team, posting 15 points (6 - 10 FG, 3 - 3 FT), 14 rebounds and three steals. It marked his first double - double since January sixteenth, while the three assists matched a season - high. Alan Anderson recorded 15 points (5 - 9 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) of his own, to go along with four rebounds. Considering he's averaging 7 points on the year, it was a nice suprise for the Nets despite the loss. Coming just short of a double - double, Joe Johnson finished with 11 points (5 - 13 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT), eight rebounds and four assists. He's now averaging 16 points and 5 rebounds per game on the season. The Nets saw some contributions from their bench as well. Brook Lopez had 12 points (5 - 14 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and four rebounds, while Deron Williams posted 10 points (4 - 9 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and four assists. The Grizzlies' next game will be on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, while the Nets will travel to Los Angeles to play the Lakers on Friday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kyrie Irving": "5"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "34", "Kyrie Irving": "28", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "25", "Jabari Parker": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "12", "Kyrie Irving": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "13", "Jabari Parker": "9"}}], "Despite Cleveland leading for over 40 minutes of this game, Milwaukee were able to force an overtime and nearly pull out the comeback win. The Bucks actually led by one with less than 30 seconds left, but allowed the Cavaliers to finish the game on a 70 run. Three-point shooting was the difference for Cleveland, as they went 17 - of - 40 from long distance, while the Bucks went just 7 - of - 27. LeBron James stepped up in the absence of Kevin Love, as he tallied 34 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. Kyrie Irving was n't far behind, accumulating 28 points, five rebounds and five assists of his own. Jabari Parker showed why he was a top draft pick, as he led the Bucks with 30 points and nine rebounds in the defeat. Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 25 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out in the overtime."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "6", "Suns": "4"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "111", "Suns": "112"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "0", "Suns": "2"}}, {"Points": {"TJ Warren": "18", "Devin Booker": "38", "Eric Bledsoe": "17", "Terrence Jones": "19", "Anthony Davis": "22", "Lance Stephenson": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"TJ Warren": "6", "Tyson Chandler": "18", "Eric Bledsoe": "7", "Terrence Jones": "7"}, "Steals": {"TJ Warren": "4"}, "Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "4", "Terrence Jones": "6", "Lance Stephenson": "7"}, "Blocks": {"Terrence Jones": "4", "Anthony Davis": "4"}}], "The Phoenix Suns defeated the host New Orleans Pelicans 112 - 111 in overtime on Friday at Smoothie King Center. In a game between two struggling teams, neither were able to grab a double - digit lead for the entirety of the contest, as it went into overtime. There were actually 12 ties and eight lead changes, with big shots being hit by both teams in regulation and overtime. The Pelicans defense was solid in the loss, as they forced the Suns to shoot 42 percent, while recording 14 blocks in the win. Free-throw shooting is what kept it close, as New Orleans went 15 - of - 28, with the Suns going 24 - of - 28. Rebounding propelled Phoenix, as they snatched down 58, while holding the Pelicans to 45. The Suns (2 - 4) have been to overtime three times this season and that's now a record for the first six games of the year. Devin Booker was the player of the game, scoring a career - high 38 points before fouling out in overtime. T.J. Warren hit the game - winning lay - up with eight seconds left in OT, as he finished with 18 points, six rebounds and four steals. Tyson Chandler double - doubled, totaling 15 points and 18 rebounds. Eric Bledsoe finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and four assists. On deck for Phoenix is a road matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. The Pelicans (0 - 6) have now started with six - straight losses for the second - straight season. It was n't for a lack of teamwork though, as seven players scored in double figures in this loss. Anthony Davis led the team, as he tallied 22 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks. Terrence Jones started at power forward, accumulating 19 points, seven rebounds, six assists and four blocks in his best game of the year. Lance Stephenson ran a lot of point guard off the bench, recording 10 points and seven assists in 27 minutes of action. It does n't get any easier for New Orleans, as they travel to Oakland to play the Golden State Warriors on Monday for its next game."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Spurs": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "57"}, "Losses": {"Spurs": "11", "Grizzlies": "32"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "110", "Grizzlies": "104"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "61", "Grizzlies": "41"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Grizzlies": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"JaMychal Green": "3", "Lance Stephenson": "3", "Tim Duncan": "7"}, "Points": {"JaMychal Green": "20", "Lance Stephenson": "17", "Tim Duncan": "12", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "32", "Kevin Martin": "13"}, "Steals": {"Lance Stephenson": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Tim Duncan": "8", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "12"}, "Blocks": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "3"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (61 - 11) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (41 - 32) 110 - 104 on Friday. San Antonio's defense was lacking for the first three quarters, but they really turned it on in the fourth. In fact, they held the Grizzlies to just 20 points on 35 percent shooting over the final 12 minutes. The Spurs offense was incredibly efficient, as they shot 57 percent from the field and recorded 25 assists on 44 made baskets. Memphis played this game extremely shorthanded and nearly pulled out a miraculous win. Zach Randolph, Mike Conley and Marc Gasol all missed this game and that's been the Grizzlies season in a nutshell. JaMychal Green led the team with 20 points, while also providing three assists. Lance Stephenson played well off the bench, as he tallied 17 points, three assists and three steals in the loss. Unfortunately for the Grizzlies, their next game is also against the Spurs on Monday. San Antonio didn\u2019t play their best game, but they are now 370 at their home building. LaMarcus Aldridge was a beast, as he tallied 32 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in the win. Tim Duncan turned back the clock, as he accumulated 12 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Kevin Martin got his first start for San Antonio, as he scored 13 points filling in for Danny Green. The Spurs next game will be on Saturday against the Oklahoma City Thunder."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "6", "Celtics": "12"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "133", "Celtics": "132"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Wizards": "18", "Celtics": "34"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "14", "Celtics": "7"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jeff Green": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jeff Green": "4", "Marcus Smart": "8", "Paul Pierce": "5", "Bradley Beal": "2", "John Wall": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jeff Green": "1", "Marcus Smart": "4", "Paul Pierce": "4", "John Wall": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jeff Green": "18", "Marcus Smart": "14", "Paul Pierce": "12", "John Wall": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Jeff Green": "8", "Marcus Smart": "7", "Paul Pierce": "9", "John Wall": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jeff Green": "11", "Marcus Smart": "5", "Paul Pierce": "6", "Kris Humphries": "2", "John Wall": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Jeff Green": "11", "Marcus Smart": "5", "Paul Pierce": "6", "John Wall": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jeff Green": "1", "Kris Humphries": "2"}, "Points": {"Jeff Green": "28", "Kelly Olynyk": "19", "Evan Turner": "18", "Brandon Bass": "19", "Marcus Smart": "23", "Paul Pierce": "28", "Kris Humphries": "17", "Marcin Gortat": "21", "Bradley Beal": "14", "John Wall": "26"}, "Turnovers": {"Jeff Green": "4", "John Wall": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Kelly Olynyk": "11", "Evan Turner": "6", "Brandon Bass": "9", "Marcin Gortat": "12"}, "Assists": {"Evan Turner": "8", "Marcus Smart": "5", "John Wall": "17"}, "Steals": {"Kris Humphries": "2", "Bradley Beal": "2"}}], "The Washington Wizards (14 - 6) defeated the Boston Celtics (7 - 12) 133 - 132 on Monday at the Verizon Center in Washington D.C. The Wizards had a comfortable lead going into the fourth quarter of this game, but were out - scored 34 - 18 in the fourth quarter, leading to not one, but two overtime periods. The Wizards were able to get a running layup from John Wall with just over 40 seconds left, who then hit his free throw to convert on the three - point play after being fouled by Evan Turner on the attempt. Turner then had a shot to win the game with a second left in the game, but missed, giving the Wizards their fourteenth victory of the season. The Wizards had all five of their starters score at least 14 points. Paul Pierce led all scorers as he had an outstanding game shooting, going 9 - for - 12 from the field and 4 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score 28 points. He also was a perfect 6 - for - 6 from the line pushing him to a season - high in points. John Wall really stuffed the stat sheet as well. He scored 26 points (10 - 17 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 8 FT) and recorded a wopping 17 assists, leading to his fourth double - double in the last five games. He did have a season - high of nine turnovers, so he'll look to trim those numbers down. Marcin Gortat had a double - double of his own, scoring 21 points and pulling in 12 rebounds. He's now averaging 14 points and nine rebounds on the year. The other two starters, Kris Humphries and Bradley Beal had 17 and 14 points respectively. Jeff Green led the Celtics with 28 points (8 - 18 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 11 - 11 FT), but the bench was just as huge in this one, with four players scoring at least 18 points. Rookie Marcus Smart had easily his best game of his career, as he scored 23 points (7 - 14 FG, 4 - 8 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT), while adding five assists. It was the most minutes he's played all season, and he cashed in on the extra playing time. Brandon Bass and Kelly Olynyk had 19 points each, with Bass chipping in nine rebounds, while Olynyk grabbed 11. Despite missing the game winner, Evan Turner was also successful off the bench, scoring 18 points and contributing eight assists and six rebounds. The bench had 82 of the 132 total points for the Celtics. The Wizards' next game will be on the road against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, while the Celtics will travel to Charlotte to play the Hornets on Wednesday as well."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "40", "Wizards": "40"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "3", "Wizards": "4"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "88", "Wizards": "86"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "3", "Wizards": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"Markieff Morris": "3", "Marcin Gortat": "2", "Bradley Beal": "3", "Tomas Satoransky": "3", "Evan Fournier": "2", "Jeff Green": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Markieff Morris": "2", "Bradley Beal": "1", "Jeff Green": "1"}, "Points": {"Markieff Morris": "18", "Marcin Gortat": "8", "Bradley Beal": "15", "Tomas Satoransky": "8", "Serge Ibaka": "11", "Evan Fournier": "13", "Jeff Green": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "14", "Tomas Satoransky": "2", "Serge Ibaka": "7", "Evan Fournier": "2", "Jeff Green": "5"}, "Steals": {"Marcin Gortat": "1", "Bradley Beal": "1", "Tomas Satoransky": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Evan Fournier": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Evan Fournier": "2"}}], "The Orlando Magic defeated the Washington Wizards, 88 - 86, at Amway Center on Saturday. A strong fourth quarter by Orlando (3 - 3) helped them overcome a sluggish night on offense that saw the Magic shoot just 40 percent from the field. Both teams checked in well below their scoring averages, with the Wizards (1 - 4) managing a 40 percent success rate on their 86 shot attempts, and a total of only five players in the game posting double - digit scoring. A pair of 18 - point efforts served as each team's high score, with Markieff Morris reaching the mark for the visitors and Jeff Green doing it for the Magic off the bench. Morris added eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks to his aforementioned scoring total, but missed a game - winning three - pointer at the buzzer. Bradley Beal supplied 15 points, three rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block. Otto Porter posted a 10 - point, 13 - rebound double - double, while Marcin Gortat complemented his eight - point output with 14 boards, two assists and a steal. Tomas Satoransky, starting at point guard for the resting John Wall, registered eight points, three assists, two rebounds and a steal. Green's season - high 18 points were supplemented by five rebounds, three assists and a block. Evan Fournier tallied 13 points, two rebounds and two assists, but shot only 2 - of - 8 from the field. Serge Ibaka joined him in double digits, amassing 11 points while also hauling in seven rebounds. The normally productive trio of Elfrid Payton, Aaron Gordon and Nicola Vucevic underwhelmed, however, posting a combined 21 points on 8 - of - 21 shooting. The Wizards head back home to take on the Houston Rockets on Monday night, while the Magic hit the road to take on the Bulls in Chicago on Monday evening as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Cavaliers": "14", "Kings": "27"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "112", "Kings": "116"}, "Turnovers": {"Cavaliers": "18"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "30", "Kings": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Garrett Temple": "2", "DeMarcus Cousins": "9", "Arron Afflalo": "3", "Darren Collison": "5", "Malachi Richardson": "1", "LeBron James": "11", "Kevin Love": "5", "Iman Shumpert": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "6", "Kyle Korver": "3"}, "Points": {"Garrett Temple": "12", "DeMarcus Cousins": "28", "Arron Afflalo": "14", "Darren Collison": "23", "Malachi Richardson": "12", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "8", "LeBron James": "24", "Kevin Love": "21", "Iman Shumpert": "16", "Kyrie Irving": "20", "Kyle Korver": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Garrett Temple": "4", "DeMarcus Cousins": "11", "Arron Afflalo": "2", "Darren Collison": "3", "Malachi Richardson": "3", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "10", "LeBron James": "13", "Kevin Love": "16", "Iman Shumpert": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "1", "Kyle Korver": "1"}, "Steals": {"Garrett Temple": "4", "DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Darren Collison": "2", "Malachi Richardson": "1", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "1", "LeBron James": "2", "Kevin Love": "1", "Iman Shumpert": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "2"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1", "Darren Collison": "1", "Willie Cauley-Stein": "1", "LeBron James": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "2", "Kyle Korver": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}}], "The Sacramento Kings defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in overtime, 116 - 112, at Quicken Loans Arena on Wednesday. The Cavs (30 - 14) came in to Wednesday's contest looking to right some of the ills that had plagued them over their previous seven games, a stretch in which they'd suffered five defeats. The Kings (18 - 27) may have initially looked like easy prey, considering their losing record and the fact that they'd recently lost their second - best playmaker, Rudy Gay, for the season with an Achilles injury. However, the old adage of \"that's why they play the games\" rang particularly true Wednesday, as Sacramento forced the Cavs into an uncharacteristic 18 turnovers and made the shots when it counted most to emerge as surprising victors. DeMarcus Cousins naturally played a pivotal role, posting a near triple - double with a game - high 28 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists, three steals and a block. He made a driving layup with three seconds remaining in regulation to send the game into overtime, and then made another in the extra period to help the Kings come back from a 111 - 106 deficit with 2:30 remaining. Darren Collison followed Cousins with 23 points, five assists, three rebounds, two steals and a block. Arron Afflalo posted 14 points, three assists and two rebounds. Garrett Temple supplied 12 points, four rebounds, two assists and four steals. Malachi Richardson led the second unit with 12 points, three rebounds, an assist and a steal. Willie Cauley-Stein was productive in a reserve role as well, tallying eight points, 10 boards, a steal and a block. LeBron James did his part for Cleveland, supplying a 24 - point, 13 - rebound, 11 - assist triple - double that also included two steals and a block. Kevin Love was next with a 21 - point, 16 - rebound double - double that also included five assists and a steal. Kyrie Irving rounded out the Big Three's night with 20 points, six assists, a rebound, two steals and two blocks. Iman Shumpert provided a nice complementary contribution of 16 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals. Kyle Korver paced the second unit with 12 points, three assists, a rebound and a block. The Kings head to Indiana to tangle with the Pacers on Friday night, while the Cavs are home against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday evening as well."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "45"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "6", "Heat": "29"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "107", "Heat": "95"}, "Rebounds": {"Warriors": "48"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "33", "Heat": "11"}}, {"Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "20", "Kevin Durant": "8", "Stephen Curry": "8"}, "Points": {"Tyler Johnson": "18", "James Johnson": "14", "Kevin Durant": "28", "Stephen Curry": "24"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"James Johnson": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Johnson": "14"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "9"}}], "The host Golden State Warriors beat the visiting Miami Heat on Tuesday, 107 - 95, at Oracle Arena. Golden State (33 - 6) was able to pull out a win on Tuesday despite the absence of All-Star guard Klay Thompson (rest). Even with the sharpshooting Thompson out, the Warriors shot a stellar 11 - of - 27 from three - point range. Though Miami kept the score close for the majority of the game, the Warriors were able to hold advantages in shooting and rebounding. Golden State shot 45 percent from the field and had 48 rebounds on the night, despite a monster 20 boards from Miami center Hassan Whiteside. Kevin Durant led the team with 28 points, while reigning MVP Steph Curry scored 24 points to go with eight rebounds and nine assists. Miami (11 - 29) saw superb play from recently - returned center Hassan Whiteside, but still walked away with the loss. In just his second game back after being held out with an eye injury, Whiteside scored 28 points on 13 - of - 17 shooting to go with 20 rebounds and two blocks. The Heat also saw strong play from their bench, with guard Tyler Johnson leading the second unit with 18 points. Forward James Johnson contributed 14, including a monster highlight dunk over the Warriors' Steph Curry. The Heat struggled mightily from beyond the arc, however, shooting just 6 - of - 30 from three - point range. The Warriors will host the Pistons on Thursday, while the Heat will travel to Milwaukee on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "40", "Lakers": "53"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "107", "Lakers": "99"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "32", "Lakers": "19"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Wayne Ellington": "30", "Deron Williams": "34"}, "Points": {"Wayne Ellington": "13", "Jordan Hill": "22", "Brook Lopez": "30", "Deron Williams": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Wayne Ellington": "5", "Brook Lopez": "11"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Brook Lopez": "3"}, "Assists": {"Deron Williams": "9"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets (32 - 40) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (19 - 53), 107 - 99, on Sunday at the Barclays Center. Brooklyn had a comfortable lead for much of the game until Los Angeles made its move in the fourth, cutting the deficit to four with a minute to go. However, Brook Lopez answered with two free throws to put the Nets up six. Lopez finished with 30 points and 11 rebounds, his second 30 point outing in his last three games. Lopez has been key to Brooklyn's playoff hopes, averaging 21 points and 9 rebounds over his last ten games while shooting 58 percent from the floor. The Nets are now percentage points behind the Celtics for the eighth seed in the East, but the Celtics won the season series 3 - 1 over the Nets. Los Angeles has now dropped seven of its last nine games, with the two wins coming over Philadelphia and Minnesota. Jeremy Lin was sidelined for this game with an upper respiratory infection, which allowed Wayne Ellington to move back into the starting lineup. Ellington had 13 points and five rebounds over 30 minutes on the floor. Jordan Hill returned to action for this game and had a huge outing off the bench with 22 points and 26 rebounds. The Lakers will finish out their five game road trip Monday when they take on the 76ers. Brooklyn is continuing to make a playoff push in the crowded Eastern Conference playoff picture. The Nets have won seven of their last nine, but have a tough schedule the rest of the way. Every team they play outside of the Knicks and Magic are either firmly in the playoffs or competing for a spot. Deron Williams (illness) was able to take the floor Sunday and posted 13 points and nine assists over 34 minutes. The Nets will return to action Tuesday against the Pacers."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "5", "Bulls": "3"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "97", "Bulls": "103"}, "Turnovers": {"Suns": "12", "Bulls": "19"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "6", "Bulls": "8"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Jimmy Butler": "43"}, "Points": {"Jimmy Butler": "32", "PJ Tucker": "20", "Brandon Knight": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Jimmy Butler": "6"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (8 - 3) defeated the Phoenix Suns (6 - 5) 103 - 97 thanks to the Butler hitting some big shots. It's rare to see a team lose a turnover battle 19 - 12 and win a game, but that's just what the Bulls did on Wednesday. Chicago shot just shy of 50 percent from the field while Phoenix shot just above 40 percent. The three - point shooting was the big difference though, as the Bulls went 9 - for - 19 while the Suns went 8 - for - 27. Jimmy Butler was the hero in this game though, as he scored 14 points in the final 12 minutes. The Bulls played this game without an ailing Derrick Rose and didn\u2019t miss a beat. They went with a Kirk Hinrich-Aaron Brooks committee and that worked out well for Chicago as they combined for 26 points and 11 assists in the win. Butler was the star of the show though, as he tallied 32 points and six rebounds in the victory while playing a Tom Thibodeau-like 43 minutes. Brooks did end up leaving this game with a hamstring injury and they ca n't afford to lose any more guards at this point. Chicago\u2019s next game should be a fun one, as they travel to Golden State to take on the undefeated Warriors on Friday. The Suns were down big early in this game and showed some perseverance to make it a close game at the end. It was the frontcourt once again that let down Phoenix, as Markieff Morris and Tyson Chandler combined for just 12 points in the loss. This is a trend that is becoming all too common for the Suns and they simply need more from these two, especially against teams like the Bulls. Brandon Knight led the team in scoring with 23 points, while Eric Bledsoe and P.J. Tucker each pitched in 20 - plus points of their own. This snapped a three - game winning streak for the Suns and they'll look to start a new one on Friday against the Denver Nuggets."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Spurs": "53"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "47", "Grizzlies": "33"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "94", "Grizzlies": "68"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Spurs": "24"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "2"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"Zach Randolph": "2"}, "Points": {"Zach Randolph": "11", "Tony Allen": "12", "Patty Mills": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "12"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Tony Allen": "2"}, "Steals": {"Tony Allen": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Tony Allen": "2"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the visiting Memphis Grizzlies, 94 - 68, to take a 20 series lead in the Western Conference first - round playoffs Tuesday at AT & T Center. The Spurs continued their home - court dominance, holding the Grizzlies to 68 points on 33 - percent shooting. The San Antonio offense was no slouch, though, as it shot 47 percent from the field, 53 percent from 3 - point range and 82 percent from the free - throw line. The Spurs have won all eight quarters of the series and have not allowed more than 24 points in any quarter. The Grizzlies scored a franchise low, which followed just 74 points in Game 1, as the team has totaled a mere 142 points in two games. Zach Randolph finished with 11 points and 12 rebounds but continued to struggle with double teams and the stifling San Antonio defense. Tony Allen led Memphis with 12 points, as Allen and Randolph were the only two Grizzlies in double figures. Nine players scored at least six points for San Antonio in an all - around team effort. The starting five combined for 38 points, as no starter played more than 26 minutes. Patty Mills led the team with 16 points off the bench. The series moves to Memphis for Game 3 on Friday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Celtics": "26", "Heat": "19"}, "Losses": {"Celtics": "25", "Heat": "26"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "101", "Heat": "89"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "35", "Heat": "32"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Heat": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "3", "Goran Dragic": "5", "Jared Sullinger": "4", "Evan Turner": "9", "Marcus Smart": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "1", "Goran Dragic": "4", "Marcus Smart": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dwyane Wade": "0", "Goran Dragic": "1", "Marcus Smart": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "19", "Goran Dragic": "15", "Hassan Whiteside": "9", "Jared Sullinger": "13", "Evan Turner": "12", "Marcus Smart": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Dwyane Wade": "7", "Goran Dragic": "9", "Hassan Whiteside": "5", "Jared Sullinger": "5", "Evan Turner": "6", "Marcus Smart": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "7", "Goran Dragic": "2", "Hassan Whiteside": "3", "Jared Sullinger": "2", "Evan Turner": "3", "Marcus Smart": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Dwyane Wade": "5", "Goran Dragic": "2", "Hassan Whiteside": "3", "Jared Sullinger": "2", "Evan Turner": "2", "Marcus Smart": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Dwyane Wade": "33", "Goran Dragic": "34", "Hassan Whiteside": "33", "Evan Turner": "28"}, "Points": {"Dwyane Wade": "19", "Goran Dragic": "21", "Hassan Whiteside": "13", "Jared Sullinger": "12", "Evan Turner": "14", "Marcus Smart": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwyane Wade": "5", "Goran Dragic": "5", "Hassan Whiteside": "15", "Jared Sullinger": "12", "Evan Turner": "6", "Marcus Smart": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "8", "Jared Sullinger": "3"}, "Steals": {"Jared Sullinger": "2", "Evan Turner": "1"}}], "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."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Dario Saric": "6", "Draymond Green": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Dario Saric": "2", "Draymond Green": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Jahlil Okafor": "23"}, "Points": {"Jahlil Okafor": "22", "Draymond Green": "20", "Klay Thompson": "28", "Stephen Curry": "29"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Draymond Green": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Draymond Green": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Draymond Green": "4", "Klay Thompson": "10", "Stephen Curry": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Draymond Green": "14"}, "Free throws made": {"Draymond Green": "11"}, "Personal fouls": {"Draymond Green": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "22", "Stephen Curry": "23"}, "Turnovers": {"Stephen Curry": "5"}}], "Golden State saw forward Draymond Green absolutely stuff the stat sheet in Tuesday's narrow win. Green led the team in assists with eight, rebounds with seven, blocks with six, and steals with four. On top of that, Green poured in 20 points and went a stellar 11 - of - 14 at the free - throw line. Reigning MVP Steph Curry, meanwhile, struggled a bit from the field. Despite leading the team with 29 points, Curry shot only 8 - of - 23 and had five turnovers on the night. Klay Thompson, meanwhile, was lights - out from the field, scoring 28 points on 10 - of - 22 shooting including five three - pointers. For the Sixers, rookie forward Dario Saric impressed almost as much as Green did. Saric led the team with 24 points and posted seven rebounds, six assists, two blocks, and three steals. Sophomore center Jahlil Okafor also put up big numbers, scoring 22 points on 8 - of - 15 shooting in just 23 minutes."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "40"}}, {"Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "6", "Tony Allen": "3", "Mike Conley": "9", "James Harden": "9"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "14", "Tony Allen": "22", "Mike Conley": "17", "Zach Randolph": "16", "James Harden": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "6", "Tony Allen": "4", "Mike Conley": "6", "Zach Randolph": "12", "James Harden": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Marc Gasol": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tony Allen": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Tony Allen": "9"}}], "The Grizzlies and Rockets have been rivals for a few years now and this game had a playoff atmosphere to it. The Rockets took a 13 - point lead headed into the half, but the Grizzlies outscored them by 18 in the second half for a comeback win. Shooting killed Houston, as they hit just 40 percent of their shots and went just 10 - of - 41 from three - point range. Rebounding was a huge factor for the Grizzlies, as they won that battle, 45 - 31. Tony Allen was the player of the game, as he led Memphis with 22 points, four rebounds and three assists on 9 - of - 10 shooting. Mike Conley provided 17 points, six rebounds and nine assists. Marc Gasol collected 14 points, six rebounds and six assists, despite committing six turnovers. Zach Randolph recorded a 16 - point, 12 - rebound double - double. James Harden was the only Houston player with more than 13 points, as he accumulated 27, while also adding three rebounds and nine assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "59", "Heat": "31"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "102", "Heat": "100"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "16", "Heat": "43"}}, {"Points": {"Luol Deng": "22", "Dwyane Wade": "26", "Kobe Bryant": "2", "Julius Randle": "13", "Jordan Clarkson": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Luol Deng": "11", "Dwyane Wade": "10", "Hassan Whiteside": "17", "Kobe Bryant": "2", "Julius Randle": "14", "Jordan Clarkson": "6"}, "Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "5", "Jordan Clarkson": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Dwyane Wade": "2", "Hassan Whiteside": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dwyane Wade": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Dwyane Wade": "2", "D'Angelo Russell": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Dwyane Wade": "2", "Julius Randle": "2", "D'Angelo Russell": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Dwyane Wade": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"D'Angelo Russell": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"D'Angelo Russell": "2"}, "Steals": {"D'Angelo Russell": "2"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers (16 - 59) defeated the Miami Heat (43 - 31) in overtime, 102 - 100, at Staples Center on Wednesday. Julius Randle, alongside the Lakers youth, led the charge with an impressive all around performance against the Heat. Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade faced off for the last time, and the Staples Center energy was alive and well given the improvement Randle and D\u2019Angelo Russell have shown through the past few week. Wade still has the clutch gene, and with 23 seconds left in overtime, he drove the lane and finished at the rim to tie the game at 100 points a piece, but Randle took what the defense gave him and showed off a filthy crossover - spin move combo, which led to the game winning floater with 2 seconds on the clock. D\u2019Angelo Russell may be dealing with some disturbances in the locker room, but he was instrumental in the overtime period, as he scored on back - to - back possessions, even with the Miami Heat clawing back and finding a way to answer the Lakers surge. Kobe Bryant exited the game before the end of the first half and it was listed as general soreness. Jordan Clarkson led all scorers and provided needed free throws in the fourth quarter. The sophomore guard finished with 26 points, six rebounds and one assist, while Julius Randle added his 33rd double - double of the season with 13 points and 14 rebounds. Wade matched Clarkson\u2019s 26 points, and added 10 rebounds and five assists to round out the box score, but it was Hassan Whiteside\u2019s monstrous 18 points, 17 rebounds and seven blocks that stuck out the most. The Heat were thin in terms of the roster, and Whiteside technically came off the bench even though he registered 38 minutes of action. Luol Deng looked to bust out of his scoring slump, and provided 22 points and 11 rebounds in the loss, although the veteran is averaging his lowest point total since his rookie year. The Heat will head north and face the Sacramento Kings (30 - 45) on Friday, while the Lakers will enjoy a few days off before hosting the Boston Celtics (43 - 31) on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "4", "Thunder": "3"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "101", "Thunder": "125"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "3", "Thunder": "5"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "51"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Kevin Durant": "17"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "14", "Russell Westbrook": "22", "Dion Waiters": "25", "John Wall": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "John Wall": "2"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "11", "John Wall": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dion Waiters": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Dion Waiters": "7"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (5 - 3) routed the Washington Wizards (3 - 4) 125 - 101 on Tuesday thanks to a Westbrook triple - double. In the Kevin Durant homecoming game, the Thunder shut down the Wizards despite an injury to Durant. The Washington native left at halftime with a hamstring injury and failed to return for the second half. Washington committed just seven turnovers in the loss, but allowed Oklahoma City to out - rebound and out - assist them in the loss. The Thunder also shot 51 percent from the field in theie victory. The Thunder grabbed a 14 - point lead in the first quarter and never looked back. They were led by another triple - double from Russell Westbrook, as he posted 22 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in the victory. Durant finished the game with 14 points and 10 rebounds before leaving in just 17 minutes of play. Dion Waiters was the big game - changer off the bench though, as he dropped 25 points on 7 - of - 10 shooting. The Thunder will take on the Philadelphia 76ers in a big mismatch on Friday in their next game. Bradley Beal missed this game with a shoulder injury and it clearly hurt the Wizards here in a blowout loss. The team shot below 40 percent from the field and below 21 percent from three - point range. Washington needed a huge game from John Wall in the absence of Beal and he likely played his worst game of the season, tallying just nine points, five assists and two rebounds. This is not the way Washington wanted to come out in the Durant homecoming game and they should be in a feisty mood for their next matchup against the Orlando Magic on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "8", "76ers": "25"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "115", "76ers": "96"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bulls": "34", "76ers": "12"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bulls": "30"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "14", "76ers": "1"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"76ers": "37"}}, {"Blocks": {"Robert Covington": "2", "Jahlil Okafor": "1", "Jimmy Butler": "1", "Joakim Noah": "2"}, "Points": {"Robert Covington": "15", "Jahlil Okafor": "22", "Tony Wroten": "12", "Tony Snell": "16", "Jimmy Butler": "23", "Joakim Noah": "5", "Doug McDermott": "13", "Nikola Mirotic": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Robert Covington": "6", "Jahlil Okafor": "8", "Tony Snell": "11", "Jimmy Butler": "3", "Joakim Noah": "15", "Doug McDermott": "8"}, "Assists": {"Jahlil Okafor": "1", "Tony Snell": "1", "Jimmy Butler": "3", "Joakim Noah": "8"}, "Steals": {"Jahlil Okafor": "1", "Tony Wroten": "1", "Tony Snell": "2", "Jimmy Butler": "2"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (14 - 8) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (1 - 25) by the convincing score of 115 - 96, on Monday night in Chicago. The Bulls are now 30, with two games to go on their current five - game home stand. Philadelphia has now lost six in a row. After a booming 37 point second quarter the 76ers had the lead 56 - 51 heading into half time. However, the Bulls responded with a 34 - 12 third quarter and crushed all chance of an upset. Jimmy Butler led Chicago in scoring, finishing with 23 points on 8 - 14 shooting from the field, along with three rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block, in 28 minutes. Tony Snell chipped in a solid double - double with 16 points and 11 rebounds, as well as one assist and two steals, in 36 minutes. Nikola Mirotic added 17 points, while Doug McDermott added 13 points and eight rebounds. Joakim Noah was electric off the bench, as usual, contributing five points, 15 rebounds, eight assists and two blocked shots, in 21 minutes. The 76ers had a strong start but unraveled after half time. Jahlil Okafor had a solid performance with 22 points on 9 - 17 shooting, eight rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block, in 33 minutes. Robert Covington added 15 points but struggled shooting, going 3 - 11 from behind the arc. He also had six rebounds and two blocked shots. Tony Wroten was easing back into things and finished with 12 points on 4 - 11 shooting, but zero assists, in 17 minutes. The 6ers have to hope for a little more from him going forward. Nerlens Noel sat this one out due to a corneal abrasion that he suffered in the previous game. The 76ers are still winless on the road this season and therefore should be glad to be finishing up their current three - game road trip with a match in Atlanta on Wednesday. Chicago will look to stay perfect on their current home stand as they host Memphis on Wednesday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Trail Blazers": "28", "Pelicans": "15"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "15", "Pelicans": "18"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "105", "Pelicans": "101"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Trail Blazers": "50", "Pelicans": "41"}, "Turnovers": {"Trail Blazers": "15"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "11", "Pelicans": "6"}}, {"Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "5"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "28", "Tyreke Evans": "19", "Mason Plumlee": "15", "Damian Lillard": "30"}, "Assists": {"Tyreke Evans": "5", "Mason Plumlee": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyreke Evans": "12", "Mason Plumlee": "13"}, "Steals": {"Tyreke Evans": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "12"}, "Free throws made": {"Damian Lillard": "11"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (11 - 15) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (6 - 18) 105 - 101 on Monday night. In a tightly contested game, the Blazers simply made more plays late than the Pelicans to pull out a big win. The teams both shot 44 percent from the field, but the big differences were on the glass and the ball movement. The Trail Blazers outrebounded the Pelicans 50 - 41 and outassisted them 28 to 15. The starting units were also a difference - maker, as Portland\u2019s starters scored 73 points to New Orleans 58 points. The Pelicans have had a rough season and the defense continues to let them down. They still rank dead - last in points allowed and struggle at rebounding as well. They are also 1 - 12 on the road this season, so that doesn\u2019t help their cause much either. Anthony Davis led the team with 28 points, nine rebounds and five blocks in the loss. Tyreke Evans also had another impressive outing, as he tallied 19 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and four steals. The talent is clearly there, but they simply need to play better defense if they want to win some games. New Orleans will play the offensively - challenged Utah Jazz on Wednesday and will look to get their defense going then. The Blazers continue to be led by point guard Damian Lillard and he is single - handedly carrying this team to victories right now. Tonight, he dropped 30 points while making 11 - of - 12 free throws. Mason Plumlee also had a great game, as he tallied 15 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists in the win. This is what they need, as the frontcourt has been subpar all season. This is an exciting team to watch with their guard - play, but it's not the recipe to win NBA games when they have no dominant post presence. Portland will look to build off this win when they play the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "28", "Grizzlies": "39"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "110", "Grizzlies": "84"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "53", "Grizzlies": "42"}, "Number of team assists": {"Grizzlies": "16"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "25"}, "Turnovers": {"Grizzlies": "16"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Zach Randolph": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Zach Randolph": "7"}, "Points": {"Zach Randolph": "14", "Blake Griffin": "12", "JJ Redick": "11", "Chris Paul": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "4", "Blake Griffin": "7"}, "Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "4", "Chris Paul": "13"}, "Minutes played": {"Blake Griffin": "23", "JJ Redick": "13", "Paul Pierce": "20"}, "3-pointers made": {"JJ Redick": "3"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (53 - 28) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (42 - 39) at Staples Center on Tuesday, 110 - 84. The Clippers shot lights out from the field, spread the ball, limited minutes as a whole and had six members finish in double figures on their way to a relatively easy win to close out their last home game of the regular season. J.J. Redick left the game with a bruised left heel, and it is unlikely that he will play in the Clippers' final game of the season Wednesday, but initial reports suggest it is only a minor setback before the playoffs. Before exiting, Redick added 11 points on three treys in just under 13 minutes. Chris Paul led the way with 12 points and 13 assists in 26 minutes, while Blake Griffin contributed 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists in 23 minutes. Jeff Green and Paul Pierce combined for 24 points off the bench and each saw a share of 20 - plus minutes. The Grizzlies were unable to find shot selection around the perimeter and finished 25 percent as a unit from behind the arc. The loss puts the 5 - seed in the Western Conference in the hands of the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, as a Blazers win locks the series against the Clippers in the first round of the playoffs, while the Grizzlies would be dealt the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs. It is impressive that the Grizzlies barely moved position, even with the onslaught of injuries to Dave Joerger\u2019s team. Zach Randolph led all Memphis scorers with just 14 points on 7 - of - 15 shooting, and added four rebounds, while the remaining starters were left below double figures. Chris Paul almost out - assisted the entirety of the Grizzlies, as they finished with just 16 as a whole after ball movement seemed stagnant. The Grizzlies need to win on the road against the Golden State Warriors (72 - 9) on Wednesday and receive help from both the Blazers and Mavericks to solidify a stronger seed in the playoffs. The Clippers close out the season on the road against the Phoenix Suns (22 - 59)."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "30", "Spurs": "11"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "91", "Spurs": "88"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hornets": "7", "Spurs": "28"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hornets": "29"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "40", "Spurs": "59"}}, {"Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "15", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "18", "Tim Duncan": "16", "Danny Green": "2", "Tony Parker": "19", "Patty Mills": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "15", "Cody Zeller": "6", "Courtney Lee": "17", "Jeremy Lin": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "12", "Tim Duncan": "10", "Tony Parker": "5", "Nicolas Batum": "6", "Cody Zeller": "14", "Courtney Lee": "2", "Jeremy Lin": "7"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2", "Tim Duncan": "2", "Danny Green": "1", "Tony Parker": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "1", "Cody Zeller": "1", "Courtney Lee": "4", "Jeremy Lin": "1"}, "Assists": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "5", "Tim Duncan": "2", "Tony Parker": "7", "Nicolas Batum": "3", "Cody Zeller": "3", "Courtney Lee": "2", "Jeremy Lin": "2"}, "Blocks": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Tim Duncan": "4", "Tony Parker": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Danny Green": "2", "Patty Mills": "2", "Courtney Lee": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Danny Green": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Danny Green": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Patty Mills": "2", "Courtney Lee": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Nicolas Batum": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jeremy Lin": "4"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (40 - 30) upset the San Antonio Spurs (59 - 11) 91 - 88 on Monday. Considering the way the game started, Monday night's outcome could well be one of the unlikeliest of the season. San Antonio, riding high after an 87 - 79 suffocation of the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night, thoroughly dominated the Hornets over the first 12 minutes. The Spurs led by the remarkable margin of 28 - 7 after one quarter, holding their hosts to 3 - for - 21 shooting and forcing five turnovers. However, Charlotte mounted a steady comeback throughout the rest of the game with Jeremy Lin, Courtney Lee and Nicolas Batum all playing key roles. Ultimately, the Hornets saw Lin score 15 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter, and they withstood two three - point attempts from Patty Mills and Danny Green at the end of regulation to hold on for the victory. The Spurs were led by Tony Parker's 19 points, which he complemented with seven assists, five rebounds, a steal and two blocks. LaMarcus Aldridge was right behind with 18 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and a block. Tim Duncan was excellent in his return to the starting lineup, posting a 16 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included two assists, two steals and four blocks. Kawhi Leonard pitched in with 15 points, six rebounds and two steals. The Spurs remain atop the Western Conference's Southwest Division, and currently hold the second seed in the conference as well. They'll be back home Wednesday to face off against the Miami Heat. Lin added seven rebounds, two assists and a steal to his game - high scoring total, which included four three - pointers. Lee was next with 17 points, two assists, two rebounds and four steals. Batum registered 15 points, six rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block. Cody Zeller could only contribute a modest six points, but did haul in 14 boards and dished out three assists. He also recorded a steal. The Hornets are currently in third place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division, and have a hold of the sixth seed in the conference as well. They head to Brooklyn to take on the Nets on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "14", "Kings": "17"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "113", "Kings": "99"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "12", "Kings": "11"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Kings": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "41"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Kings": "15"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "15"}}, {"Blocks": {"Rudy Gay": "1", "DeMarcus Cousins": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "5", "Marcin Gortat": "4"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gay": "16", "DeMarcus Cousins": "22", "Rajon Rondo": "2", "Darren Collison": "13", "Marco Belinelli": "15", "Jared Dudley": "13", "Marcin Gortat": "27", "Garrett Temple": "23", "John Wall": "12", "Kris Humphries": "15", "Ramon Sessions": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "7", "DeMarcus Cousins": "8", "Marcin Gortat": "16", "Garrett Temple": "5", "John Wall": "2"}, "Steals": {"Rudy Gay": "2", "DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "1", "John Wall": "4"}, "Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "9", "Garrett Temple": "3", "John Wall": "19"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rajon Rondo": "7", "Marcin Gortat": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Rajon Rondo": "1", "John Wall": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Marcin Gortat": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Garrett Temple": "42"}, "Field goal percentage": {"John Wall": "27"}}], "The Washington Wizards (12 - 14) defeated the Sacramento Kings (11 - 17) 113 - 99 on Monday. John Wall has unsurprisingly been outstanding in the absence of backcourt mate Bradley Beal while the latter is sidelined with a lower leg injury, but it was another Wizards stalwart that stole the show against the Kings. Marcin Gortat exploded for a 27 - point, 16 - rebound double - double in which he made a season - high 19 shot attempts. The scoring total was also a high - water mark on the season for the nine - year veteran, and he's now managed double - doubles in four of the last seven contests. While Wall and Garrett Temple each had notable contributions of their own, the Wizards' big man spearheaded the Washington attack with his best performance of the season. The visitors endured a sub - par night from their starting five, with only DeMarcus Cousins (22 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block) and Rudy Gay (16 points, seven rebounds, two steals and a block) managing double - digit scoring efforts. Rajon Rondo struggled through a 1 for 7 shooting performance that netted a season - low two points, and could only contribute nine assists and a steal otherwise. Quality reserves Marco Bellinelli and Darren Collison led the Kings' bench with 15 - and - 13 point outings, respectively. Sacramento could only muster 41 percent shooting from the field, and a 32 percent figure from beyond the arc. The Kings fell to 11 - 17 and remain in fourth place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. They face off against the Indiana Pacers in a Wednesday road tilt. Wall supplemented Gortat's breakout night with a career - high 19 assists, and added 12 points, a pair of rebounds and four steals. Although he shot particularly poorly (27 percent) for the third time in four games, the All-Star point guard proved his vast worth by setting up his teammates continuously for scoring opportunities. Temple also provided outstanding offensive support, managing his second straight 20 - point performance with a 23 - point, five - rebound, three - assist tally over a robust 42 minutes. Jared Dudley was the fourth Washington starter in double digits with 13 points, while Ramon Sessions and Kris Humphries paced the Wizards bench with a pair of 15 - point efforts. Washington improved to 12 - 14 but remains in last place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They are home again Wednesday for a showdown with the Memphis Grizzlies."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "13", "Thunder": "9"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "99", "Thunder": "100"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "16", "Thunder": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "7", "Chris Paul": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "10"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "24", "Serge Ibaka": "17", "Russell Westbrook": "33", "Blake Griffin": "15", "JJ Redick": "15", "Chris Paul": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "9", "Serge Ibaka": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "5"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Durant": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "3", "Chris Paul": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Kevin Durant": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Chris Paul": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chris Paul": "19"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Chris Paul": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Chris Paul": "6"}}], "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."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "50", "Wizards": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "46", "Wizards": "38"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "29", "Wizards": "28"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "91", "Wizards": "85"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "33", "Wizards": "35"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Paul Pierce": "9", "John Wall": "6", "Garrett Temple": "2", "Ramon Sessions": "1", "Ersan Ilyasova": "3", "Khris Middleton": "9", "Michael Carter-Williams": "1", "Jerryd Bayless": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul Pierce": "3", "John Wall": "2", "Garrett Temple": "1", "Ramon Sessions": "1", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Khris Middleton": "6", "Michael Carter-Williams": "0", "Jerryd Bayless": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul Pierce": "15", "Marcin Gortat": "7", "John Wall": "14", "Garrett Temple": "6", "Ramon Sessions": "7", "Ersan Ilyasova": "7", "Khris Middleton": "20", "Michael Carter-Williams": "11", "Jerryd Bayless": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul Pierce": "4", "Marcin Gortat": "5", "John Wall": "3", "Garrett Temple": "4", "Ramon Sessions": "4", "Ersan Ilyasova": "4", "Khris Middleton": "11", "Michael Carter-Williams": "6", "Jerryd Bayless": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul Pierce": "4", "John Wall": "5", "Garrett Temple": "4", "Ramon Sessions": "1", "Khris Middleton": "3", "Jerryd Bayless": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul Pierce": "3", "John Wall": "3", "Garrett Temple": "2", "Ramon Sessions": "1", "Jerryd Bayless": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Paul Pierce": "24", "Michael Carter-Williams": "27", "Jerryd Bayless": "21"}, "Personal fouls": {"Paul Pierce": "5"}, "Points": {"Paul Pierce": "14", "Marcin Gortat": "10", "John Wall": "11", "Garrett Temple": "11", "Ramon Sessions": "10", "Ersan Ilyasova": "10", "Khris Middleton": "30", "Michael Carter-Williams": "12", "Jerryd Bayless": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Pierce": "8", "Marcin Gortat": "9", "John Wall": "9", "Ersan Ilyasova": "5", "Khris Middleton": "9", "Jerryd Bayless": "4"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "6", "Michael Carter-Williams": "9", "Jerryd Bayless": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"John Wall": "2"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "2", "Khris Middleton": "2"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (33 - 29) defeated the Washington Wizards (35 - 28) 91 - 85 on Saturday at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee. With the game tied late in the fourth quarter, Khris Middleton came up clutch for the Bucks, and hit a three - pointer with just over 40 seconds left in the game to put them up three. After making a stop on the defensive side of the ball, they went on to hit their free throws, and sealed the six - point victory in front of their home crowd. This game marked a big win for the Bucks, who had lost four games in a row. They've now pulled within a game and a half of the Wizards for the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference standings. Helping secure the win, the Bucks shot 46 percent from the field and 50 percent from the three - point line, while the Wizards finished at 38 percent from the floor and just 32 percent from deep. Including the huge three - pointer in the closing minute of the game, Middleton went 11 - for - 20 from the field and 6 - for - 9 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 30 points, while adding nine rebounds and two steals as well. It was his first 30 - point showing of the season, as it marked a new season - high for the guard. He's averaging 21 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists over his last three games. Michael Carter-Williams also played a factor in the win, as he finished with 12 points (6 - 11 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt) and nine assists in 27 minutes. Often criticized for his shooting, it was good to see him shoot over 50 percent from the field for the fourth time over his last six games. Jerryd Bayless gave a solid contribution from the bench, recording 13 points (4 - 8 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), four rebounds and four assists in 21 minutes. The only other Buck reaching double figures in points was Ersan Ilyasova, who posted 10 points (4 - 7 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt) and five rebounds in 23 minutes as a starter. With Bradley Beal receiving the night off for rest, the Wizards seemed to struggle offensively. Paul Pierce led the team in scoring, finishing with 14 points (4 - 15 FG, 3 - 9 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT), to go along with eight rebounds in 24 minutes. He's now averaging 16 points and 4 rebounds over his last five games. John Wall struggled with his shot and recorded just 11 points (3 - 14 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 3 - 5 FT), but he did add nine rebounds, six assists and two steals, as he provided a little bit of everything else. It marked his second consecutive poor shooting performance, considering he's combined to go just 5 - for - 21 from the field and 2 - for - 9 from the three - point line over his last two games. He's still averaging 17 points and 10 assists on the season, so expect him to return to form in the next few games. The only other starter in double figures was Marcin Gortat, who posted 10 points (5 - 7 FG) and nine rebounds. Coming off the bench, Garrett Temple added 11 points (4 - 6 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT), while Ramon Sessions chipped in with 10 points (4 - 7 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT) of his own. The Bucks' next game will be at home against the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday, while the Wizards will travel to Charlotte to play the Hornets on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "16", "Grizzlies": "17"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "103", "Grizzlies": "95"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "24", "Grizzlies": "24"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "29"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "41"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Chandler Parsons": "18"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "14", "Marc Gasol": "9", "Mike Conley": "22", "Zach Randolph": "14", "Steven Adams": "12", "Victor Oladipo": "16", "Russell Westbrook": "24", "Enes Kanter": "19"}, "Steals": {"Chandler Parsons": "1", "Marc Gasol": "2", "Mike Conley": "3"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "7", "Mike Conley": "6", "Victor Oladipo": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "12"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Marc Gasol": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "7", "Mike Conley": "4", "Zach Randolph": "9", "Steven Adams": "8", "Victor Oladipo": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "13"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Russell Westbrook": "0"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "6"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Memphis Grizzlies, 103 - 95, at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Wednesday. Wire-to-wire wins in the NBA usually indicate a blowout, but that was far from the case here. In fact, the Thunder never led by more than 12, as this was a single - digit game for well over 40 minutes. Oklahoma City did most of their damage in the first half, as they took an 11 - point lead into the locker room. Memphis struggled with their shots all night, as they went 41 percent from the field, 57 percent from the free - throw line and 29 percent from three - point range. Defensive rebounding was key for Oklahoma City, winning that battle, 42 - 26. The Grizzlies (24 - 17) had a tough task against the Thunder and just could n't quite make a big enough run to grab that elusive lead. Mike Conley led the team, accruing 22 points, four rebounds, six assists and three steals. Chandler Parsons had one of his best games for Memphis, dropping 14 points in 18 minutes. Zach Randolph was huge off the bench, amassing 14 points and nine rebounds. Marc Gasol went just 4 - of - 12 from the field, but finished with nine points, seven rebounds, seven assists, two steals and two blocks. Memphis will be in Houston for their next game on Friday, as they look to slow down a potent Rockets offense. The Thunder (24 - 16) have now won three - straight games, as Russell Westbrook continues to add to his historic numbers. Westbrook recorded another triple - double, accumulating 24 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists. His efficiency numbers were n't pretty though, as he committed six turnovers and went 6 - of - 19 from the field and 0 - of - 7 from three - point range. Enes Kanter was second on the team, as he totaled 19 points and 13 rebounds off the bench. Steven Adams provided 12 points and eight rebounds, while playing elite defense against Gasol. Victor Oladipo was second among starters, collecting 16 points, three rebounds and two assists. The Thunder start a six - game road trip on Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "49", "Timberwolves": "46"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "107", "Timberwolves": "104"}, "Rebounds": {"Suns": "57", "Timberwolves": "36"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "18", "Timberwolves": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Zach LaVine": "1", "Ricky Rubio": "17", "PJ Tucker": "5"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "22", "Zach LaVine": "28", "Ricky Rubio": "13", "PJ Tucker": "23", "Tyson Chandler": "14", "Mirza Teletovic": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Zach LaVine": "3", "Ricky Rubio": "3", "PJ Tucker": "12", "Tyson Chandler": "11", "Mirza Teletovic": "8"}, "Steals": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "4", "PJ Tucker": "2", "Mirza Teletovic": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Zach LaVine": "7", "PJ Tucker": "6", "Mirza Teletovic": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Zach LaVine": "3", "PJ Tucker": "3", "Devin Booker": "1", "Mirza Teletovic": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Zach LaVine": "15", "PJ Tucker": "18", "Mirza Teletovic": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Zach LaVine": "10", "PJ Tucker": "9", "Mirza Teletovic": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Zach LaVine": "6", "PJ Tucker": "2", "Mirza Teletovic": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Zach LaVine": "5", "PJ Tucker": "2", "Mirza Teletovic": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Zach LaVine": "32", "Ricky Rubio": "36", "PJ Tucker": "40", "Tyson Chandler": "30", "Mirza Teletovic": "30"}, "Turnovers": {"Zach LaVine": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Tyson Chandler": "2"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (18 - 49) defeated the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves (21 - 46) 107 - 104, on Monday at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Timberwolves came into this game on a high, having defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in their last contest, but were met by an unrelenting Phoenix team that grinded until the very end of this one; a game that featured 14 lead changes, 15 ties and a wild, last - second finish. The Timberwolves were up by one, with nine seconds left when Zach LaVine attempted to use Minnesota's foul - to - give on Devin Booker. Booker however, managed to throw up a wild shot that dropped, leading to a three - point play that put the Suns up by two. The Timberwolves responded with a set play that had Andrew Wiggins driving to the basket for a lay up, but with 5 seconds on the clock the Suns immediately called timeout. Then off the inbound, Mirza Teletovic hit a fading three - point shot to give the Suns the win. Teletovic had the hot hand all game, as he finished with 21 points (7 - 12 FG, 5 - 9 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), along with eight rebounds and one steal, in 30 minutes off the bench. Meanwhile, it was P.J. Tucker who led the Suns in scoring and rebounding as he finished with a double - double, including 23 points (9 - 18 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), along with 12 rebounds, five assists and two steals, 40 minutes. Tyson Chandler had a solid game, with 14 points, 11 rebounds and two blocked shots, in 30 minutes. The Suns refusal to give up allowed them to overcome the odds, and their 24 turnovers in this one. Zach LaVine had a huge game for the Timberwolves, as he dropped 28 points (10 - 15 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT), in 32 minutes. Ricky Rubio tied a career and franchise - high for total assists as he dished 17 dimes along with 13 points, four steals and three rebounds, in 36 minutes. Karl Anthony-Towns also had a nice game with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Andrew Wiggins chipped in 22 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals. The Timberwolves were heavily out - rebounded, 57 - 36, which really made the difference, especially in the final minutes. Next, the Timberwolves will play in Memphis, on Wednesday. The Suns head to Utah for a contest on Thursday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Suns": "30"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "39", "Wizards": "44"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "56", "Wizards": "39"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "99", "Wizards": "106"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Suns": "20", "Wizards": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Suns": "56", "Wizards": "44"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "20", "Wizards": "37"}}, {"Points": {"Markieff Morris": "21", "Bradley Beal": "21", "John Wall": "22", "PJ Tucker": "18", "Tyson Chandler": "11", "Mirza Teletovic": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "9", "John Wall": "8", "PJ Tucker": "10", "Tyson Chandler": "15", "Mirza Teletovic": "12"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "10"}}], "The Washington Wizards (37 - 39) defeated the Phoenix Suns (20 - 56) 106 - 99 on Friday. In a battle between two bad defenses, the offenses really struggled. Especially Phoenix, as they shot 39 percent from the field and 30 percent from three - point range. The fourth quarter is where the Wizards really turned it on, as they outscored the Suns 29 to 20. The Suns actually dominated the rebounding, as they brought down 56 boards to the Wizards 44. Washington has seen its playoff hopes slip in recent weeks, but this win keeps some hope alive. The Wizards are now within three games of the final playoff spot in the East, albeit with only six games left. John Wall was huge in this must win, as he accumulated 22 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds. Markieff Morris made his return to Phoenix and destroyed his team to the tune of 21 points and nine boards. Bradley Beal also provided 21 points in the win. Up next for the Wizards is a matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. The struggles continue for Phoenix and these sort of games have been far too common. Brandon Knight missed yet another game, as he is dealing with a sports hernia. Tyson Chandler stepped up in his absence though, as he amassed 11 points and 15 rebounds. Mirza Teletovic led the team with 24 points off the bench and also snatched down 12 rebounds. P.J. Tucker provided 18 points and 10 rebounds of his own. On deck for the Suns is a matchup with the Utah Jazz on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pistons": "13", "Bucks": "7"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "88", "Bucks": "104"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "3", "Bucks": "10"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Larry Sanders": "11", "Ersan Ilyasova": "31", "Andre Drummond": "38"}, "Points": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "22", "Andre Drummond": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "20"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (10 - 7) defeated the Detroit Pistons (3 - 13) 104 - 88 on Friday. Milwaukee has won three straight games, and the deeper they get into the season, the more believable the Bucks' turnaround under coach Jason Kidd appears to be a sustainable change. The Bucks gave all five of the bench players they used at least 22 minutes. Ersan Ilyasova paced the team with 22 points in 31 minutes off the bench. Larry Sanders played just 11 minutes as the Bucks opted to use Giannis Antetokounmpo for stretches at center with Zaza Pachulia (personal) and John Henson (foot) unavailable Friday. They'll return home to host the Houston Rockets on Saturday. Detroit has dropped seven straight games. They were again without Brandon Jennings (sprained thumb) for a third straight game. Despite their struggles, the Pistons have watched Andre Drummond pick up his production over the last few games. Drummond posted game - highs of 26 points and 20 rebounds in 38 minutes Friday. The Pistons will stay home and host the Golden State Warriors on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "38", "Mavericks": "48"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "6", "Mavericks": "4"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "98", "Mavericks": "110"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "4", "Mavericks": "6"}}, {"Blocks": {"Terrence Jones": "3"}, "Points": {"Terrence Jones": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Terrence Jones": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Harden": "14"}, "Free throws made": {"James Harden": "14"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "6"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (6 - 4) defeated the Houston Rockets (4 - 6) 110 - 98 on Saturday. The Mavericks pulled off an impressive upset over a struggling Rockets team thanks to some depth and good defense. The biggest discrepancy in the game were the bench points, as the Mavericks bench outscored the Rockets bench 44 - 32 in the victory, which was a much more lopsided number until a late hot - streak from Jason Terry. Dallas also shot 48 percent from the field, while Houston could only hit 38 percent of their shots. Both these teams are going in opposite directions right now and this game is indicative of the team's recent forms. The Mavericks played well yet again on Saturday and they appear to be finding their rhythm. This now gives them four wins in their last five games and they have been averaging over 110 points a game in that stretch. The impressive part of this win is that they did it in the absence of Dirk Nowitzki, Chandler Parsons and Wesley Matthews, who were all resting on Saturday. Dallas got some great starts from Charlie Villanueva and Raymond Felton, who totaled 42 points and 11 rebounds in the absence of Nowitzki and Matthews. Most basketball fans wrote off the Mavericks at the beginning of the season, but they are proving to be a force to be reckoned with right now. They'll look to keep up the good form in a game where they'll be favored against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday The Rockets put in another poor performance once again at home in whats been a disappointing season thus far, The Rockets were led by Terrence Jones who tallied 23 points, six rebounds and three blocks in the loss. James Harden put together another good line, but it was a poor performance from the MVP candidate. In fact, he started with 11 straight misses and ended the game shooting 5 - for - 21 with six turnovers committed in the loss. He did got 14 - for - 14 from the free - throw line to salvage his line, but the Rockets need better shooting out of their superstar. This is not the same Rockets team from last year and they have some major work to do to pull themselves out of this hole they are digging. They'll start that digging against the Boston Celtics on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "2", "Grizzlies": "5"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "107", "Grizzlies": "111"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "10", "Grizzlies": "6"}}, {"Points": {"Marc Gasol": "26", "Mike Conley": "30", "Blake Griffin": "25", "JJ Redick": "29", "Chris Paul": "9"}, "Steals": {"Marc Gasol": "1"}, "Assists": {"Mike Conley": "8", "Blake Griffin": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Mike Conley": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Mike Conley": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"JJ Redick": "7"}}], "The visiting Memphis Grizzlies snapped the host Los Angeles Clippers' seven - game win streak with a 111 - 107 win on Wednesday. After a historically strong start to the season, the Clippers (10 - 2) took their second loss in heartbreaking fashion. Memphis came out strong in the second quarter, establishing a 15 - point lead by halftime. Los Angeles was able to fight back and hold the lead with under 30 seconds to go in the game. However, a foul and turnover put the Clippers up just one with 14 seconds remaining, at which point Grizzlies' (6 - 5) center Marc Gasol hit a game - winning three - pointer. The Clippers missed their opportunity to tie or win on the final possession, as the ball slipped out of guard J.J. Redick's hands to give Memphis the game. Memphis was able to do what no team had done to Los Angeles yet this season: score in bunches from beyond the three - point line. The Grizzlies hit 15 three - pointers on 57 percent shooting from beyond the arc. 11 of those makes came from point guard Mike Conley, who led the team with 30 points, and Gasol, who had 26 points and the game - winner. Conley was able to shoot 9 - of - 12 from the field while also dishing out eight assists and holding Clippers' All-Star Chris Paul to just nine points. Los Angeles, meanwhile, struggled in large part due to Paul's off night. The All-Star had just nine points on 3 - of - 11 shooting, and recorded only six assists. While Redick, who ultimately fumbled the potential game - winner, had a season - high 29 points, while he accounted for seven of the Clippers' nine three - pointers. All-Star forward Blake Griffin was integral in leading the comeback effort for LA, however, posting 25 points, eight rebounds, and three assists without a turnover. Both teams will take the road on Friday, with the Grizzlies visiting Dallas and the Clippers seeing Sacramento."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "50", "Cavaliers": "23"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "120", "Cavaliers": "125"}, "Turnovers": {"Lakers": "5"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "20", "Cavaliers": "46"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Cavaliers": "27"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Cavaliers": "43"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kyrie Irving": "3", "Julius Randle": "7", "D'Angelo Russell": "6"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "34", "Kevin Love": "21", "Kyrie Irving": "46", "Julius Randle": "10", "D'Angelo Russell": "40", "Jordan Clarkson": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "6", "Kevin Love": "15", "Kyrie Irving": "2", "JR Smith": "4", "Julius Randle": "7", "D'Angelo Russell": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyrie Irving": "21", "Richard Jefferson": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyrie Irving": "15"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"JR Smith": "4", "Julius Randle": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"JR Smith": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"JR Smith": "0"}, "Minutes played": {"JR Smith": "27"}, "Personal fouls": {"Julius Randle": "5"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 125 - 120 at Staples Center on Sunday. The Cavaliers (46 - 23) and Lakers (20 - 50) provided some showtime moments after LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and D'Angelo Russell put on a show at Staples Center. The competitive back - and - forth affair saw the Lakers up 10 points heading into the fourth quarter, but Irving proved too much to handle in crunch time as the Cavaliers dumped 43 fourth quarter points on Los Angeles. Irving knocked down a pair of free throws before hitting the step - back go ahead three pointer to extend a three point lead for Cleveland. LeBron James aided the close out for Cleveland throughout the leftover 4:0 minutes of action. Irving finished with a game high 46 points, to go with three assists and two rebounds on 15 - of - 21 shooting. James added 34 points, six boards and seven assists, while Kevin Love posted a double - double with 21 points and 15 rebounds. Cleveland opted to go four players deep on the bench, with both Richard Jefferson and J.R. Smith seeing 27 - plus minutes of play. Smith was unable to knock down a three - pointer in the contest where he finished 0 - of - 5 from deep. D'Angelo Russell scored 40 points, which marks a career high, and added six assists and two rebounds. All five Lakers starters finished in double figures scoring, with Jordan Clarkson leading the remainders with 19 points, while Julius Randle pitched in 10 points, seven assists and seven rebounds. Next up, the Lakers host the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, while the Cavaliers visit the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "19", "Suns": "39"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "96", "Suns": "69"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hawks": "17"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "58", "Suns": "39"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Suns": "17"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Suns": "26"}, "Turnovers": {"Suns": "15"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"PJ Tucker": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"PJ Tucker": "2", "Dennis Schroder": "2"}, "Points": {"PJ Tucker": "5", "Gerald Green": "15", "Mike Muscala": "16"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Mike Muscala": "2", "Dennis Schroder": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Mike Muscala": "2", "Dennis Schroder": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Mike Muscala": "7", "Dennis Schroder": "2"}, "Steals": {"Mike Muscala": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Dennis Schroder": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Dennis Schroder": "15"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (58 - 19) throttled the Phoenix Suns (39 - 39), 96 - 69, Tuesday at the Philips Arena to set a new franchise record for wins in a season. After looking a little sluggish in late March, the Hawks have opened April with two blowout victories. The Hawks dominated the glass even without Paul Millsap, out - rebounding the Suns by 17. The Suns struggled across the board on offense with a paltry 31.% field goal percentage. All of Phoenix's starters were held to single digit points and the only Phoenix player to score in double figures was Gerald Green with 15 off the bench. Atlanta completed its first season sweep of Phoenix since the 1991 - 92 season. Phoenix's already dim playoff hopes may have been extinguished Tuesday with a blowout loss. The Suns' starters combined for just 38 points, low - lighted by P.J Tucker's five points on 2 - of - 10 shooting. On the injury front, it was reported earlier Tuesday that point guard Brandon Knight would likely miss the remainder of the season as he continues to be hampered by lingering ankle injuries. The Suns will finish off their back - to - back set Wednesday in Dallas. Atlanta looked dominant throughout Tuesday's contest, holding Phoenix to under 20 points in three quarters and just 26 points in the second half. Mike Muscala got the start for Paul Millsap, who was sidelined with a shoulder injury. Muscala took advantage of the added playing time by putting up 16 points, seven rebounds, and four steals and finished with a plus - 28 +/ - rating. Dennis Schroder returned from a two game absence, but he was capped to just 15 minutes on the floor. The Hawks will head to Brooklyn to take on the Nets on Wednesday, their second matchup in under a week."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "1", "Thunder": "1"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "118", "Thunder": "91"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Warriors": "27", "Thunder": "20"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Warriors": "31", "Thunder": "19"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "1", "Thunder": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "12", "Harrison Barnes": "3", "Draymond Green": "7", "Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "3", "Festus Ezeli": "1"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "29", "Serge Ibaka": "3", "Steven Adams": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "16", "Harrison Barnes": "11", "Draymond Green": "10", "Klay Thompson": "15", "Stephen Curry": "28", "Festus Ezeli": "12", "Marreese Speights": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "6", "Serge Ibaka": "8", "Steven Adams": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "1", "Harrison Barnes": "6", "Draymond Green": "8", "Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "2", "Festus Ezeli": "5", "Marreese Speights": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Durant": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "2", "Draymond Green": "1", "Klay Thompson": "1", "Stephen Curry": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Kevin Durant": "8"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Serge Ibaka": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "2", "Festus Ezeli": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Marreese Speights": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Marreese Speights": "9"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, 118 - 91, in Game 2 on Wednesday at Oracle Arena to even the Western Conference finals. The Warriors entered in the unfamiliar position of having their backs against the wall in a playoff series, and after only one game to boot. They appeared determined to build a formidable lead early, and boasted a 27 - 20 advantage after the first 12 minutes. Despite the quick deficit, the Thunder battled back in the second period, and knotted the game at 49 with 1:35 left before halftime on a Kevin Durant jumper. However, the Warriors used the final 90 seconds before intermission to go on a game - turning 80 run that featured a \"you've got to be kidding\" and - one play by Andre Iguodola. Golden State then kept the momentum going in the third quarter, putting plenty of distance between them and the Thunder by outscoring them 31 - 19. The dominating stretch was more than enough to allow for a final period that was markedly more relaxed for the Warriors than that of Monday's Game 1. The Thunder were considerably top - heavy scoring - wise, a major handicap when going up against a team with as diverse an attack as Golden State. Durant led the way with 29 points, and he added six rebounds, an assist and a steal. However, he also committed a game - high eight turnovers. Russell Westbrook tallied a 16 - point, 12 - assist double - double that also included a rebound and two steals. No other starter or reserve was able to achieve double - digit scoring, but Steven Adams did notably compile nine points and 10 rebounds. Among the starting five, Serge Ibaka was only able to pitch in with three points, although he did haul in eight rebounds and record a trio of steals. In contrast, the Warriors saw four of five starters enjoy productive nights, led by Stephen Curry's 28 points. He added three assists, two rebounds, and a steal. Klay Thompson followed with 15 points, four assists, two rebounds and a steal. Harrison Barnes contributed 11 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Draymond Green had a quiet game by his standards, but still filled up the stat sheet by collecting 10 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and a steal. The second unit featured an additional three players with double - digit points, led by Iguodola's 14. He added three boards, an assist and three steals. Mareese Speights turned in one of his trademark ultra - efficient performances, supplying 13 points and a pair of rebounds in just nine minutes. Festus Ezeli got in on the fun as well, posting 12 points, five rebounds, an assist and a block. The two teams are now off until Sunday night, when they'll reconvene for Game 3 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City with the series knotted in a 1 - 1 tie."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "12", "Thunder": "20"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "28", "Thunder": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"James Harden": "10"}, "Points": {"James Harden": "31", "Patrick Beverley": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "9", "Patrick Beverley": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Patrick Beverley": "32"}}], "The Houston Rockets (28 - 12) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (18 - 20) on Thursday 112 - 10 in a game that was n't nearly as close as the score might indicate. Houston got out to a fast start, taking a commanding 44 - 18 lead by the 11 - minute mark in the second quarter. The Thunder cut the Rockets' lead to 10 early in the fourth, but Houston answered with a 120 run to effectively close out Oklahoma City. Houston ended the game shooting 47% from the floor, but was shooting above 50% for much of the contest. Oklahoma City came out flat after a long rest, having last played on Friday against Utah. Things wo n't get much easier for the Thunder, who host the Warriors on Friday before going on a five - game road trip next week against the likes of the Wizards and Hawks. Oklahoma City is now three and a half games behind Phoenix for the eighth seed in the West. Houston has now won both games against Oklahoma City this season, although Thursday's contest was drastically different than the 69 - 65 game in November where both teams shot under 30% from the floor. Point guard Patrick Beverley, who suffered a knee contusion Wednesday, was able to play 32 minutes and finished with 13 points and five rebounds. James Harden finished one rebound shy of a triple - double as he dropped 31 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds on the Thunder. Houston will host Golden State on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "34", "Knicks": "48"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "105", "Knicks": "82"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "26", "Knicks": "12"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Knicks": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Andrea Bargnani": "4", "George Hill": "6"}, "Points": {"Andrea Bargnani": "25", "Ian Mahinmi": "6", "George Hill": "21", "Rodney Stuckey": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrea Bargnani": "4", "Ian Mahinmi": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Ian Mahinmi": "24", "George Hill": "27", "Rodney Stuckey": "19"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (26 - 34) improved to over .500 at home this season with a 105 - 82 rout of the New York Knicks (12 - 48) on Wednesday at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana opened up a 24 - point halftime lead and never looked back en route to its third straight win. The Pacers had a season - high 65 points in the first half. George Hill had a big night with a season - high 21 points to go with six assists over 27 minutes. The Pacers have taken both meetings against the Knicks by an average margin of 22 points. New York dropped its second game in as many nights and both losses were ugly. The Knicks were routed by nearly 40 points Tuesday and came out flat again Wednesday. Andrea Bargnani was the lone bright spot for the Knicks, putting up 25 points, four rebounds, and four assists. The Knicks will meet the Pacers again on Saturday at Madison Square Garden. Indiana improved to 5 - 1 since the All-Star break and has won its last two games by a combined 43 points. Roy Hibbert was rested for this game and Ian Mahinmi moved into the starting lineup in his place. Mahinmi finished with 6 points and eight rebounds over 24 minutes. Rodney Stuckey contributed 17 points in 19 minutes off the bench. The Pacers will return to action Friday when they host the banged up Bulls."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "30", "Bulls": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "44", "Bulls": "54"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Mirotic": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Mirotic": "11"}, "Points": {"Nikola Mirotic": "28", "Jimmy Butler": "20", "Rajon Rondo": "18", "Khris Middleton": "14", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "22", "Malcolm Brogdon": "14", "Greg Monroe": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Mirotic": "8", "Jimmy Butler": "6", "Rajon Rondo": "9", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Greg Monroe": "4"}, "Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "14", "Rajon Rondo": "9", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4"}, "Steals": {"Jimmy Butler": "3"}}], "The recent form of these teams would indicate an easy Milwaukee win, but Chicago had other ideas. The Bulls ended up shooting 54 percent from the field and 48 percent from three - point range, while the Bucks shot just 44 percent from the field and 30 percent from long distance. Rebounding was a huge factor as well, with Chicago winning that battle, 49 - 34. Nikola Mirotic led the Bulls in scoring, as he tallied 28 points and eight rebounds on 11 - of - 14 from the field. Jimmy Butler accrued 20 points, six rebounds, 14 assists and three steals. Rajon Rondo flirted with a triple - double, collecting 18 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee with 22 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Greg Monroe came off the bench to provide 16 points and four rebounds. Malcolm Brogdon and Khris Middleton were the only other Bucks players in double figures, as they scored 14 points a piece."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "4", "Mike Conley": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "2", "Jrue Holiday": "6"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "10", "Mike Conley": "16", "Anthony Davis": "19", "DeMarcus Cousins": "41", "Jrue Holiday": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "8", "Mike Conley": "6", "Anthony Davis": "13", "Jrue Holiday": "3"}, "Steals": {"Marc Gasol": "2", "DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}}], "New Orleans has to win nearly every game to keep their playoff hopes alive, as this marks their fifth victory in six games. Interior play was huge, with New Orleans dominating the rebounding and scoring in the paint. In fact, the Pelicans outscored the Grizzlies, 46 - 32 in the paint, while winning the rebounding battle, 51 - 42. Mike Conley led the way for the Grizzlies, as he tallied 16 points, six rebounds and three assists. Marc Gasol accumulated 10 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals. No other player on the Memphis roster had more than 12 points or four assists. DeMarcus Cousins was the player of the game, as he collected 41 points, 17 rebounds, two assists, two steals and three blocks. Anthony Davis recorded a double - double, totaling 19 points and 13 rebounds. Jrue Holiday accrued 11 points, three rebounds and six assists."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "56"}}, {"Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "40", "John Wall": "33"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"John Wall": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"John Wall": "3"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"John Wall": "9"}}], "The Wizards continue to be let down by their defense, as they had no rim protection in this loss. Not only did they allow the Raptors to shoot 56 percent from the field, they also allowed them to accrue 68 points in the paint. The bench production was a huge factor as well, with Toronto's five bench players combining for 34 points, 14 rebounds, 11 assists and seven steals. In contrast, Washington's five bench players finished with just 11 points, four rebounds and four assists combined. The 40 - point outing marks DeRozan's fourth - straight game with at least 32 points and he's the only player in the league to score 30 - plus in every game so far. The 33 points and 11 assists from John Wall make for his best game of the year, but the nine turnovers are a season - worst as well. Wall now has double - digit assists in all three games this season."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "47", "Pelicans": "47"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "9", "Pelicans": "11"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "119", "Pelicans": "104"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "9", "Pelicans": "6"}}, {"Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "2", "Jrue Holiday": "5", "Damian Lillard": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Davis": "43", "Jrue Holiday": "29", "Meyers Leonard": "22"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "31", "Jrue Holiday": "16", "CJ McCollum": "24", "Damian Lillard": "27", "Meyers Leonard": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "13", "Jrue Holiday": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jrue Holiday": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jrue Holiday": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jrue Holiday": "13", "Meyers Leonard": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Jrue Holiday": "6", "Meyers Leonard": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jrue Holiday": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jrue Holiday": "4"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers held on to defeat the streaking New Orleans Pelicans, 119 - 104, on Friday night at Moda Center. The Trail Blazers (9 - 9) improve to 5 - 3 at home thanks to a much - needed and hard - earned win. Portland came into this game allowing a league - worst 113 points against per game but stepped up their defense by holding the Pelicans who had scored an average of 116 points in their last four games, to 104 points. Damian Lillard led the way with 27 points and 11 assists, while C.J. McCollum added 24 points. Myers Leonard came up with 15 points on 6 - of - 11 shooting, in 22 minutes off the bench. The Blazers shot 47 percent from the field and scored more than 30 points in three quarters as they were able to off a late rally from New Orleans. Portland will see the second game of a four - game home stand as they host the Rockets on Sunday This was the Pelicans (6 - 11) first loss with Jrue Holiday in the lineup, as their four - game win streak came to an end. Holiday finished with 16 points on 6 - of - 13 shooting, along with five assists and four rebounds in 29 minutes off the bench. Anthony Davis led the way for the Pelicans, wit 31 points, along with 13 rebounds, a monstrous five blocks and two assists, in 43 minutes. New Orleans shot a sizzling 13 - of - 23 from long range but struggled from the foul line, going 19 - of - 29. The Pelicans will look to get back on track as they visit Dallas on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "38", "Timberwolves": "52"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "105", "Timberwolves": "106"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "28", "Timberwolves": "21"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "43", "Timberwolves": "28"}}, {"Assists": {"Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "2", "Zach LaVine": "1", "Shabazz Muhammad": "1", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "1", "Mason Plumlee": "2", "CJ McCollum": "7", "Damian Lillard": "7"}, "Points": {"Andrew Wiggins": "23", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "27", "Zach LaVine": "10", "Nemanja Bjelica": "11", "Shabazz Muhammad": "12", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "10", "Mason Plumlee": "15", "CJ McCollum": "21", "Damian Lillard": "31"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2", "Zach LaVine": "1", "Nemanja Bjelica": "1", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "1", "Mason Plumlee": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2", "Damian Lillard": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach LaVine": "3", "Nemanja Bjelica": "10", "Shabazz Muhammad": "3", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "3", "Mason Plumlee": "15", "CJ McCollum": "2", "Damian Lillard": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Ricky Rubio": "2"}, "Steals": {"Nemanja Bjelica": "1", "Mason Plumlee": "1", "Damian Lillard": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Damian Lillard": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Damian Lillard": "3"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (28 - 52) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (43 - 38) 106 - 105 on Saturday. Minnesota, long eliminated from the playoffs, played as if they had something on the line Saturday. Down 28 - 21 after one quarter, the Timberwolves fought back to take a 53 - 49 lead by halftime. Both teams then played a nip - and - tuck second half, with the outcome of the game coming down to the closing seconds. Damian Lillard's 27 - foot three - pointer and subsequent free throw made it 105 - 104 Portland with three seconds remaining. However, Karl-Anthony Towns' basket off a Ricky Rubio pass with 2 seconds left made it 106 - 105 Minnesota, and when Damian Lillard's desperation 56 - foot three - point shot fell short, the Timberwolves had officially secured the hard - fought victory. The Timberwolves were led by Towns' 27 points, which he supplemented with nine rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Andrew Wiggins followed with 23 points, three rebounds and an assist. Zach Lavine pitched in with 10 points, three rebounds, an assist and a block. Shabazz Muhammad paced the reserves with 12 points, three boards and an assist. Nemanja Bjelica contributed a double - double off the bench, supplying 11 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, a steal and a block. The Timberwolves remain in last place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division. They're home against the Rockets on Monday. Portland was paced by Lillard's 31 points, which were complemented by seven assists, three rebounds and a steal. C.J. McCollum managed 21 points, seven assists and two rebounds. Mason Plumlee contributed a 15 - point, 15 - rebound double - double that also included two assists, two blocks and a steal. Al-Farouq Aminu posted 10 points, three rebounds, an assist and a block. The Trail Blazers remain in second place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division. They're home to close out the season against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "31"}}, {"Points": {"Tobias Harris": "9", "Marcus Morris": "7", "Andre Drummond": "8", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "9", "LeBron James": "21", "Kevin Love": "12", "Kyrie Irving": "25"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marcus Morris": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Marcus Morris": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Andre Drummond": "10", "Kevin Love": "13", "Tristan Thompson": "14"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jon Leuer": "1", "LeBron James": "1"}, "Blocks": {"LeBron James": "1", "Tristan Thompson": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"LeBron James": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Assists": {"Kevin Love": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "11"}, "Steals": {"Kyrie Irving": "1"}}], "A suffocating defense keyed the comfortable victory for Cleveland, which held the Pistons to a 31 percent success rate from the field. Only one Detroit player, Jon Leuer, managed double - digit scoring. Irving paced Cleveland with a 25 - point, 11 - assist double - double, while James posted 21 points in his return from a one - game absence due to rest. Love put together a 12 - point, 13 - rebound double - double that also included an assist, and Tristan Thompson brought in 14 boards and recorded four blocks. The Pistons' top scorers were Tobias Harris and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who each tallied a pair of nine - point efforts in the loss. Andre Drummond supplied a modest eight points, but he was able to haul in 10 rebounds, while Marcus Morris continued his offensive slump with a seven - point output on 3 - of - 11 shooting, making it his third straight game with single - digit scoring."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Suns": "13"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "32", "Warriors": "12"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "80", "Warriors": "98"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Suns": "19"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Suns": "15"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Suns": "19"}, "Turnovers": {"Suns": "18"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "33", "Warriors": "50"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Draymond Green": "34", "Alex Len": "28", "Brandon Knight": "13", "Eric Bledsoe": "36", "TJ Warren": "24"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "11", "Klay Thompson": "25", "Alex Len": "10", "Brandon Knight": "13", "Eric Bledsoe": "19", "TJ Warren": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "10", "Alex Len": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "19", "Eric Bledsoe": "11", "TJ Warren": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Klay Thompson": "8", "Eric Bledsoe": "6", "TJ Warren": "5"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (50 - 12) defeated the Phoenix Suns (33 - 32) 98 - 80 on Monday in Phoenix. It looked as if the Warriors were going to pull away in the second quarter, but a late run by the Suns helped them tie the game going into halftime. However, Golden State was able to pull away once again after a big third quarter gave them a 15 - points lead. The Warriors then pulled away for good in the final period with Stephen Curry leading the way. The MVP-candidate recorded a game - high 36 points on 14 - of - 24 shooting, six rebounds, five assists, and four steals. The other splash brother, Klay Thompson, added 25 points on 8 - of - 19 shooting. Draymond Green put together a triple - double of 11 points and 10 rebounds in 34 minutes and was the only other Golden State player to score in double figures. The win gives the Warriors their fourth straight win and extends their lead in the Western Conference over the Grizzlies to 6 games. Eric Bledsoe lead the way for the Suns in the losing effort, scoring 19 points on 6 - of - 11 shooting in 36 minutes. Bledsoe's running - mate in the backcourt, Brandon Knight, had 13 points in 13 minutes before going down with a sprained left ankle and he did not return. The severity of the sprain is currently unknown, but it is unlikely he sees the court in Phoenix's next game. Alex Len recorded a double - double, putting up 10 points and 11 rebounds in 28 minutes, and T.J. Warren played well off the bench, logging 11 points on 5 - of - 9 shooting in 24 minutes. As a team, the Suns recorded just 13 assists to 18 turnovers and the loss puts them three games back from the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Up next, the Warriors will head home Wednesday to take on the Detroit Pistons, while the Suns will stay home Wednesday and go up against the Minnesota Timberwolves."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Spurs": "33"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "49", "Nuggets": "39"}, "Losses": {"Spurs": "2", "Nuggets": "6"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "109", "Nuggets": "98"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "9", "Nuggets": "6"}}, {"Assists": {"Kenneth Faried": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kenneth Faried": "2"}, "Points": {"Kenneth Faried": "15", "Gary Harris": "15", "Nikola Jokic": "23", "Kawhi Leonard": "20", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "11", "Tim Duncan": "12", "Tony Parker": "25", "Patty Mills": "17"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Gary Harris": "3", "Patty Mills": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Gary Harris": "2", "Tony Parker": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Gary Harris": "2", "Tony Parker": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Gary Harris": "2", "Nikola Jokic": "12", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "12", "Tim Duncan": "11"}, "Steals": {"Gary Harris": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Jokic": "13", "Tony Parker": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Jokic": "8", "Tony Parker": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Tim Duncan": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Patty Mills": "3"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (9 - 2) defeated the visiting Denver Nuggets (6 - 6) 109 - 98 on Wednesday at AT & T Center. Tony Parker scored a season - high 25 points and Kawhi Leonard added 20 points as the Spurs won their sixth consecutive game. Parker was 9 of 14 from the field and 7 of 8 from the free - throw line. The Spurs led the throughout, shooting 49 percent from the field with 33 assists in a balanced offensive attack that was missing Manu Ginobili, who was out with bilateral hip tightness. Patty Mills, who was 3 of 6 from three - point range, scored a season - high 17 off the bench, while Tim Duncan (12 points and 11 rebounds) and LaMarcus Aldridge added (11 points and 12 rebounds) posted double - doubles. Duncan also had six blocks. Ginobili is expected to miss Friday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans but could play Saturday against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Nuggets were led by rookie reserve Nikola Jokic, who totaled 23 points on 8 - of - 13 shooting from the field, including his first three - pointer of the season, and 12 rebounds. Kenneth Faried and Gary Harris each scored 15 for the Nuggets, who have lost two of their last three. Denver shot just 39 percent from the field."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "2"}, "Points": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "17", "Zach LaVine": "22", "JaMychal Green": "19", "Andrew Harrison": "13", "Zach Randolph": "18"}, "Assists": {"Andrew Harrison": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Andrew Harrison": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Andrew Harrison": "4"}}], "Both teams shot less than 40 percent in a game that was dominated by defense, as the Grizzlies held an opponent to less than 72 points for the second game in a row. Memphis only hit 2 - of - 11 from long range but made up for it at the foul line where they went 33 - of - 38. The Grizzlies forced 19 turnovers and pulled down 13 offensive rebounds as they dominated the hustle game. Five players scored in double figures for Memphis. JaMychal Green was the high - point man with 19 points, followed up by Zach Randolph with 18. Rookie Andrew Harrison chipped in 13 points, seven assists and four rebounds, in 24 minutes off the bench. Zach LaVine and Karl-Anthony Towns were the only Timberwolves to score in double digits. LaVine finished with a game - high 22 points, while Towns added 17. Andrew Wiggins struggled, shooting only 2 - of - 11 from the field."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "47", "Spurs": "23"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "8", "Spurs": "14"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "95", "Spurs": "87"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "23", "Spurs": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Marco Belinelli": "1", "Cory Joseph": "3", "Marc Gasol": "5", "Mike Conley": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Marco Belinelli": "7", "Cory Joseph": "1", "Patty Mills": "4", "Mike Conley": "5", "Tayshaun Prince": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Marco Belinelli": "4", "Cory Joseph": "0", "Patty Mills": "0", "Mike Conley": "4", "Tayshaun Prince": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marco Belinelli": "13", "Cory Joseph": "13", "Patty Mills": "10", "Marc Gasol": "12", "Mike Conley": "13", "Tayshaun Prince": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Marco Belinelli": "7", "Cory Joseph": "9", "Patty Mills": "3", "Marc Gasol": "6", "Mike Conley": "10", "Tayshaun Prince": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Marco Belinelli": "35"}, "Personal fouls": {"Marco Belinelli": "1", "Cory Joseph": "3"}, "Points": {"Marco Belinelli": "18", "Cory Joseph": "18", "Patty Mills": "10", "Marc Gasol": "17", "Mike Conley": "30", "Tayshaun Prince": "12"}, "Steals": {"Marco Belinelli": "1", "Cory Joseph": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Cory Joseph": "1", "Patty Mills": "4", "Marc Gasol": "7", "Tayshaun Prince": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Cory Joseph": "0", "Patty Mills": "4", "Marc Gasol": "5", "Tayshaun Prince": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Cory Joseph": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Cory Joseph": "3", "Marc Gasol": "9", "Mike Conley": "7"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (23 - 8) defeated the San Antonio Spurs (19 - 14) 95 - 87 on Tuesday at Fed EX Forum Arena in Memphis. With the victory over the Spurs, the Grizzlies continue to make their case as one of the best teams in the Western Conference. Behind a strong first half, where Memphis out - scored San Antonio 52 - 38, the Grizzlies were able to coast to a victory in front of their home crowd. They also used a solid outing from the three - point line where they went 47 percent compared to the Spurs who went only 23 percent. Mike Conley was huge in this game and was the biggest reason the Grizzlies secured the victory. He went 10 - for - 13 from the field and 4 - for - 5 from the three - point line to finish with 30 points, while also adding seven rebounds and six assists. He's now combined for 54 points in his last two outings, as he's been dialed in with his shot. Marc Gasol also played well and came one rebound shy of a double - double. He finished with 17 points (6 - 12 FG, 5 - 7 FT), nine rebounds and five assists. While he did n't reach his season average of 20 points per game, it was still a very positive all - around effort. They only other player to reach double figures was Tayshaun Prince, who had 12 points (4 - 7 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) off the bench. The Spurs just did n't have their strongest offensive game in this one. With Tony Parker sitting out, Cory Joseph got the start at point guard and tied for a team - high of 18 points (9 - 13 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 0 - 1 FT). He's combined for 52 points over his last three outings, so he's done well lately. Marco Belinelli matched Joseph, going 7 - for - 13 from the field and 4 - for - 7 from beyond the arc to score 18 points in 35 minutes. It was one of his better games of the season, as he was averaging 10 points per game coming in. The only other player to reach double - figures was Patty Mills, who chipped in 10 points (3 - 10 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) off the bench. The Grizzlies' next game will be on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers, while the Spurs will be at home against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "18", "Cavaliers": "20"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "107", "Cavaliers": "100"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "23", "Cavaliers": "19"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Cavaliers": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "5"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "33", "JR Smith": "29", "Shawn Marion": "6", "Markieff Morris": "35"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "7"}, "Turnovers": {"LeBron James": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Shawn Marion": "22"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (19 - 20) fell to the Phoenix Suns (23 - 18) on Tuesday, 107 - 100 Cleveland got their star back as Lebron James returned to the lineup after missing the last two weeks with knee and back issues. Phoenix looked poised to spoil James' return, however, as the Suns built a 19 - point lead late in the third quarter. The Cavaliers went on an 18 - 5 run to close out the third quarter and cut the Suns' lead to six entering the final period. In the end, Phoenix and Markieff Morris proved too much for Cleveland. Even with James returning, the Cavaliers were unable to snap their five - game losing streak and are now under.500 for the first time since Nov. 24 when they were 6 - 7. James ended the night with 33 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. J.R Smith remained in the starting lineup and put up an impressive 29 points, but Phoenix held Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love in check. Shawn Marion returned to action after missing Friday's game with a hip injury and posted six points in 22 minutes. Cleveland will continue its Western Conference road trip on Thursday when the Cavaliers take on the Lakers. Phoenix got a huge game from big man Markieff Morris, who had a season - high 35 points Tuesday. The Suns gained some ground on the Spurs on Tuesday as San Antonio dropped their game to the Wizards. Phoenix will look to build Tuesday's win when the Timberwolves come to town on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "14", "Pelicans": "24"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "117", "Pelicans": "108"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Celtics": "36", "Pelicans": "20"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "23", "Pelicans": "14"}}, {"Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "2", "Buddy Hield": "3", "Jrue Holiday": "4", "Langston Galloway": "1", "Donatas Motiejunas": "4", "Jae Crowder": "2", "Al Horford": "8", "Marcus Smart": "6", "Kelly Olynyk": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "2", "Jrue Holiday": "1", "Al Horford": "2", "Marcus Smart": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "1"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "36", "Buddy Hield": "9", "Jrue Holiday": "13", "Langston Galloway": "20", "Donatas Motiejunas": "11", "Jae Crowder": "8", "Al Horford": "8", "Marcus Smart": "22", "Isaiah Thomas": "38", "Kelly Olynyk": "12", "Gerald Green": "15"}, "3-pointers made": {"Buddy Hield": "3", "Marcus Smart": "5", "Isaiah Thomas": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Buddy Hield": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Buddy Hield": "5", "Langston Galloway": "4", "Donatas Motiejunas": "5", "Jae Crowder": "6", "Al Horford": "7", "Marcus Smart": "5", "Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Kelly Olynyk": "4", "Gerald Green": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jrue Holiday": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "2"}, "Steals": {"Jrue Holiday": "2", "Donatas Motiejunas": "1", "Jae Crowder": "1", "Marcus Smart": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Jrue Holiday": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Langston Galloway": "22", "Donatas Motiejunas": "20"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Isaiah Thomas": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "11"}}], "The Boston Celtics defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, 117 - 108, at TD Garden on Saturday. The Celtics (23 - 14) learned earlier in the afternoon that they'd play without Avery Bradley, who'd tallied a team - high 26 points on Friday versus the Sixers. Marcus Smart entered the starting five in his stead and did n't disappoint, producing 22 points, six assists, five rebounds, two steals and a block. However, the high - scoring affair was a showcase for two of the game's brightest stars, as Isaiah Thomas (38 points) and Anthony Davis (36 points, 15 rebounds, two assists, two blocks) put on a spectacular show on opposite ends of the court. Ultimately, a 36 - point third quarter by Boston did in the Pelicans (14 - 24), which suffered their 13th road loss in 17 games this season. Langston Galloway was actually the second leading scorer on New Orleans in a bench role, posting 20 points, four rebounds and an assist over 22 minutes. Jrue Holiday was next with 13 points, five assists, two rebounds, two steals and a block. Rookie Buddy Hield totaled nine points, four rebounds and two assists, with all three of his baskets coming from three - point range. Donatas Motiejunas made his season debut and supplied 11 points, five boards, four assists and a steal over 20 minutes. Thomas added three rebounds, two steals and a block to his game - high scoring total, and was also notably 6 - of - 11 from behind the arc. Al Horford and Jae Crowder had matching eight - point efforts, with the former adding eight assists, seven rebounds and a pair of blocks, and the latter providing six rebounds, two assists and a steal. Gerald Green paced the bench with 15 points and three boards, while Kelly Olynyk offered 12 points, four assists and four rebounds in a reserve role as well. The Pelicans continue on their trek through the Northeast with a visit to the New York Knicks on Monday night, while the Celtics tangle with the Toronto Raptors north of the border on Tuesday evening."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "14", "Bucks": "21"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "116", "Bucks": "120"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pacers": "39"}, "Rebounds": {"Pacers": "35"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "18", "Bucks": "13"}, "Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "18"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "43"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "58"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bucks": "30"}}, {"Points": {"Jabari Parker": "14", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "14", "Greg Monroe": "23", "Khris Middleton": "33", "Michael Carter-Williams": "11", "Jerryd Bayless": "14", "CJ Miles": "19", "Lavoy Allen": "14", "Monta Ellis": "13", "George Hill": "15", "Rodney Stuckey": "8", "Myles Turner": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Jabari Parker": "3", "Greg Monroe": "3", "Khris Middleton": "5", "Michael Carter-Williams": "7", "CJ Miles": "5", "Lavoy Allen": "4", "George Hill": "6"}, "Assists": {"Khris Middleton": "4", "Michael Carter-Williams": "8", "CJ Miles": "1", "Paul George": "5", "Lavoy Allen": "3", "Monta Ellis": "7", "George Hill": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Khris Middleton": "1", "Michael Carter-Williams": "3", "Lavoy Allen": "1", "George Hill": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Khris Middleton": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Khris Middleton": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Khris Middleton": "4", "Paul George": "5"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Khris Middleton": "1"}, "Steals": {"Khris Middleton": "2", "Michael Carter-Williams": "3", "CJ Miles": "1", "Lavoy Allen": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Khris Middleton": "2"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (13 - 21) defeated the Indiana Pacers (18 - 14) 120 - 116 on Thursday. The New Year's Eve showdown between the two Central Division rivals was atypical in a number of ways. To begin with, one of the rarest sights in the NBA this season, a Bucks road victory, came to pass, and against a quality opponent to boot. The Pacers had entered Thursday's contest sporting an impressive 11 - 5 home record and playing quality basketball overall. Meanwhile, Milwaukee had managed a paltry three wins in 18 tries away from the Bradley Center, including consecutive road losses to the Mavericks and Thunder preceding Thursday's game. They'd also struggled offensively the majority of the year, often failing to even reach 100 points over the first 30 games of the season. However, the light has seemingly come on for Milwaukee, and their side of the scoreboard, over their last two outings. After tallying 123 points in the loss to Oklahoma City on Wednesday, the Bucks roared right back with another outstanding night on offense, shooting a stellar 58 percent from the field and 43 percent from beyond the arc. They also managed 35 of their points off 20 Indiana turnovers. As it turned out, they needed every one of those buckets before all was said and done, with the Pacers coming on strong with a 39 - point fourth quarter to make things close until the final seconds. Milwaukee was once again led by standout guard Khris Middleton, who is in the midst of one of the hottest shooting stretches of his four - year career. The Texas A & M product has now shot 63 percent from the field over his last two games, and collected 69 points in the process. Thursday, Middleton managed 33 points, five rebounds, four assists, a block and a pair of steals to lead all scorers, including an impressive 4 - for - 6 performance from three - point range. Greg Monroe pitched in with 23 points and three rebounds of his own, while Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo contributed a pair of 14 - point efforts. The former added three rebounds and an assist, while the latter had an outstanding defensive game as well, contributing six rebounds, four blocks and three steals. Michael Carter-Williams closed out a remarkable night for the starters with a stat - sheet - stuffing 11 - point, seven - rebound, eight - assist effort that also included three steals and three blocks. Jerryd Bayless paced the Bucks' reserves with 14 points as well. The Bucks improved to 13 - 21 but remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They now head to Minnesota for a Saturday showdown versus the Timberwolves. Indiana's starting five enjoyed a highly productive night, and were encouragingly led by a resurgent effort from All-Star Paul George, who'd been struggling considerably with his shot in recent games. The small forward exploded for 31 points on the strength of 8 of 13 shooting from the field, including a 5 - for - 9 performance from long distance. After having shot an abysmal 28 percent (23 - for - 83) over the previous five contests, Thursday's result was a particularly welcome sight for George and the Pacers. C.J. Miles shook off an ailing back to support George's effort with 19 points, five rebounds, an assist and a steal. George Hill followed with a 15 - point, six - rebound, three - assist night that also included a block. Lavoy Allen continued to thrive in his starting opportunities in place of the ailing Ian Mahinmi, collecting 14 points and supplementing the scoring with four rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block. Monta Ellis poured in 13 points and dished out seven assists, while Rodney Stuckey and Myles Turner led the reserves with a pair of eight - point efforts. The Pacers fell to 18 - 14 and currently reside in third place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They remain home to face the Detroit Pistons on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "36", "Hornets": "36"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "49", "Hornets": "42"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "33", "Hornets": "49"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "92", "Hornets": "87"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "49", "Hornets": "33"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hornets": "24"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Gerald Henderson": "1", "Kemba Walker": "5", "Troy Daniels": "13", "Terrence Ross": "13", "DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Gerald Henderson": "1", "Kemba Walker": "1", "Troy Daniels": "6", "Terrence Ross": "3", "DeMar DeRozan": "0", "Kyle Lowry": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gerald Henderson": "12", "Kemba Walker": "15", "Troy Daniels": "15", "Terrence Ross": "15", "DeMar DeRozan": "13", "Kyle Lowry": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Gerald Henderson": "7", "Kemba Walker": "6", "Troy Daniels": "7", "Terrence Ross": "5", "DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Kyle Lowry": "8"}, "Points": {"Gerald Henderson": "15", "Kemba Walker": "17", "Troy Daniels": "24", "Terrence Ross": "13", "Jonas Valanciunas": "18", "DeMar DeRozan": "16", "Kyle Lowry": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Gerald Henderson": "3", "Kemba Walker": "3", "Terrence Ross": "2", "Jonas Valanciunas": "5"}, "Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "4", "Terrence Ross": "3", "DeMar DeRozan": "6", "Kyle Lowry": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kemba Walker": "4", "Troy Daniels": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Kemba Walker": "4", "Troy Daniels": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Steals": {"Kemba Walker": "3", "DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Troy Daniels": "29"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Terrence Ross": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyle Lowry": "3"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (49 - 33) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (33 - 49) 92 - 87 on Wednesday at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. The Raptors came into this matchup as the projected fourth seed for the Eastern Conference playoffs, but were looking to move up into the third seed, where the Chicago Bulls currently sit. The win here puts them in position to take that spot, but only as long as the Bulls lose their matchup against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday as well. If the Raptors finish as the fourth seed, they'll play the Washington Wizards, but if they finish as the third seed, they'll take on the Milwaukee Bucks. The Hornets have been eliminated from the playoffs so this loss marks an end to their season. The Raptors were the superior shooters in this game, going 49 percent from the field and 36 percent from the three - point line, while the Hornets went 42 percent from the floor and 36 percent from deep. After struggling with his shot recently, Kyle Lowry finally broke out of his slump and went off for a game - high of 26 points (8 - 15 FG, 6 - 9 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), to go along with seven assists and three steals. He had combined to go just 13 - for - 46 from the field and 3 - for - 17 from the three - point line over his previous three games, so this was a much needed confidence booster heading into the playoffs. DeMar DeRozan had a solid showing in the win as well, posting 16 points (8 - 13 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt), six assists and two steals. He had to sit out of Tuesday's game due to a groin injury, so it was good to see him come back and get a full games worth of work without any setbacks. Jonas Valanciunas and Terrence Ross were the other two Raptors in double figures. Valanciunas finished with 18 points (9 - 11) and five rebounds, while Ross added 13 points (5 - 15 FG, 3 - 13 3Pt) and three assists. After combining to go just 3 - for - 10 from the field and 0 - for - 5 from the three - point line during Monday's game against the Rockets, Gerald Henderson and Kemba Walker had much better performances this time around. Walker finished with 17 points (6 - 15 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), four assists and three steals, while Henderson recorded 15 points (7 - 12 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt) and three rebounds. Neither wanted to end their season as poorly as they played Monday, so they'll be much happier with this performance despite taking the loss. The Hornets saw a nice contribution from their bench as well though, as Troy Daniels finished with a team - high of 24 points (7 - 15 FG, 6 - 13 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) over 29 minutes. the 24 points were a new season - high for the guard, who has received extra playing time due to the injuries that have taken a toll on this roster here at the end of the season. This marks the final regular season game for both teams."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "19", "Trail Blazers": "20"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "115", "Trail Blazers": "89"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "9", "Trail Blazers": "11"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "6", "Mason Plumlee": "6"}, "Points": {"Al-Farouq Aminu": "10", "Mason Plumlee": "8", "Allen Crabbe": "12", "CJ McCollum": "19", "Meyers Leonard": "15", "Eric Gordon": "11", "Tyreke Evans": "24", "Ryan Anderson": "13", "Jrue Holiday": "19"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Mason Plumlee": "6", "CJ McCollum": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Mason Plumlee": "12", "CJ McCollum": "5", "Meyers Leonard": "5", "Ed Davis": "12", "Eric Gordon": "4", "Tyreke Evans": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Allen Crabbe": "6"}, "Assists": {"CJ McCollum": "7", "Ed Davis": "1", "Eric Gordon": "6", "Tyreke Evans": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"CJ McCollum": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"CJ McCollum": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Meyers Leonard": "27"}, "Blocks": {"Ed Davis": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ed Davis": "9"}, "Steals": {"Ed Davis": "1"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (9 - 19) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (11 - 20) 115 - 89 on Wednesday. The Blazers have now lost four consecutive games, with the last pair of defeats coming with Damian Lillard sidelined with plantar fasciitis. Backcourt mate C.J. McCollum valiantly returned from his own ailment (two sprained ankles) on Wednesday to attempt to provide some offensive punch in the All-Star point guard's absence, but Portland fell woefully short overall, despite facing a Pelicans defense that came in yielding a league - worst 108 points per game. The Blazers have now failed to hit the century mark scoring - wise in both contests that Lillard has missed, underscoring how much the offensively - challenged team misses his 25 points and 7 assists per game. McCollum was able to muster 19 points, seven assists and five rebounds while serving as the point guard for the night in Lillard's stead. Allen Crabbe (12 points) and Al-Farouq Aminu (10 points) joined him in tallying double - digit points but went a combined 8 for 23 from the field. Mason Plumlee managed a modest eight points but did contribute 12 rebounds, the fifth time in the last six games he's hauled in double - digit boards. Meyers Leonard paced the Portland reserves with a productive 15 - point, five - rebound outing over 27 efficient minutes. While Portland did manage to outrebound New Orleans on the offensive glass by the significant margin of 22 to 8, their general inability to do much with their second chances served as a reflection of their current scoring struggles. The Trail Blazers dropped to 11 - 20 and currently reside in the last place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division. They head to Cleveland to take on the Cavs on Saturday. The home team was spearheaded by another monster double - double from All-Star Anthony Davis, who exploited the Trail Blazers' vulnerabilities in the frontcourt. Davis managed 28 points, 12 rebounds, an assist, a steal and three blocks. Meanwhile, Tyreke Evans was right behind him with a performance that was just an assist and a couple of rebounds short of a triple - double, compiling 24 points, nine dimes and eight boards. Eric Gordon was the third starter in double - digits, pouring in 11 points, six assists and four rebounds. Jrue Holiday (19 points) and Ryan Anderson (13 points) supported their efforts with a pair of formidable contributions from the bench. The Pelicans upped their record to 9 - 19 but remain in last place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They head to Miami to face the Heat in a Christmas Day showdown."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Timberwolves": "26"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "44"}, "Losses": {"Timberwolves": "48", "Warriors": "7"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "104", "Warriors": "109"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "22", "Warriors": "63"}}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "6", "Klay Thompson": "2", "Stephen Curry": "11", "Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "11"}, "Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "3", "Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Draymond Green": "1", "Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Ricky Rubio": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Draymond Green": "0", "Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Ricky Rubio": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Draymond Green": "13", "Andrew Wiggins": "21", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "19", "Ricky Rubio": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Draymond Green": "10", "Andrew Wiggins": "8", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "11", "Ricky Rubio": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Draymond Green": "8", "Andrew Wiggins": "11", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Draymond Green": "4", "Andrew Wiggins": "8", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Ricky Rubio": "7"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "24", "Klay Thompson": "17", "Stephen Curry": "19", "Andrew Wiggins": "25", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "24", "Ricky Rubio": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "9", "Klay Thompson": "5", "Stephen Curry": "7", "Andrew Wiggins": "5", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "11", "Ricky Rubio": "4"}, "Steals": {"Draymond Green": "3", "Klay Thompson": "1", "Stephen Curry": "3", "Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Ricky Rubio": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Ricky Rubio": "6"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (63 - 7) defeated the host Minnesota Timberwolves (22 - 48) 109 - 104, Monday at Target Center. The Timberwolves came out to play in this one, as they stayed neck - and - neck with the Warriors right to the wire. The score was 59 - 58 for Golden State at half but Minnesota came out tough in the third quarter, going up by eight after a 100 run, with 1:44 left in the quarter. The Timberwolves then held the lead for much of the fourth quarter until the Warriors took it back for the last time, with 1:47 left in the game, as they went up 103 - 101 on a dunk by Draymond Green. The Warriors avoided what would have been their first back - to - back losses of the season by hanging in there on a night their stars were struggling. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson shot a combined 11 - 31 from the field, however Klay went 5 - 5 from downtown. Curry finished with 19 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds and three steals, but shot only 2 - 9 from deep. Thompson totaled 17 points, five rebounds and two assists. Draymond Green was the one to pick up the slack, as he chipped in 24 points (10 - 13 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 4 - 8 FT), nine rebounds, six assists, three steals and three blocked shots, in 36 minutes. The Warriors gave up an uncharacteristic 17 turnovers, 14 of which came in the second half. Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins and Ricky Rubio each had big performances, as they almost showed - up the reigning champs. Towns posted 24 points (11 - 19 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT), 11 rebounds, two assists and a block. Ricky Rubio also notched a double - double, finishing with 20 points (5 - 9 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt, 7 - 7 FT), 11 assists, four rebounds and four steals, however he also gave up six turnovers. Wiggins added 25 points (8 - 21 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 8 - 11 FT), five rebounds, four assists, one steal and one blocked shot, in 40 minutes. The Timberwolves tallied 26 assists on 36 field goals, while shooting 44 percent from the field. Next, the Warriors will host the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. The Timberwolves host the Kings on Wednesday."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Mavericks": "26"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Paul George": "4", "CJ Miles": "9", "Harrison Barnes": "3", "Wesley Matthews": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul George": "3", "CJ Miles": "6", "Harrison Barnes": "3", "Wesley Matthews": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul George": "16", "CJ Miles": "9", "Harrison Barnes": "17", "Wesley Matthews": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul George": "8", "CJ Miles": "6", "Harrison Barnes": "10", "Wesley Matthews": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Paul George": "40", "CJ Miles": "28", "Dwight Powell": "21", "Seth Curry": "25"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "22", "Myles Turner": "18", "CJ Miles": "18", "Harrison Barnes": "25", "Wesley Matthews": "26", "Dwight Powell": "14", "Seth Curry": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul George": "7", "Myles Turner": "6", "Harrison Barnes": "8", "Dwight Powell": "5"}, "Assists": {"Harrison Barnes": "2", "Seth Curry": "6"}}], "Paul George had a slow second half but still was the high - point man for the Pacers, as he finished with 22 points on 8 - of - 16 shooting, including 3 - of - 4 from long range, along with seven rebounds, in 40 minutes. Myles Turner added 18 points and six rebounds, while C.J. Miles chipped in 18 points on 6 - of - 9 three - point shooting, in 28 minutes off the bench. Wesley Matthews led the way for the Mavericks as he finished with 26 points on 8 - of - 16 shooting, including 5 - of - 10 from long range. Harrison Barnes followed - up with 25 points on 10 - of - 17 shooting, including 3 - of - 3 from long range. Barnes added eight rebounds and two assists as well. Dwight Powell was solid in 21 minutes off the bench, with 14 points and five rebounds. Seth Curry played 25 minutes despite coming off injury, and finished with four points and six assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "13", "Nuggets": "15"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "92", "Nuggets": "85"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "8", "Nuggets": "8"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Nuggets": "22"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "41"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Danilo Gallinari": "11", "Wilson Chandler": "16", "John Wall": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Danilo Gallinari": "3", "Wilson Chandler": "2", "John Wall": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Danilo Gallinari": "4", "Jameer Nelson": "4", "Wilson Chandler": "8", "Nikola Jokic": "11", "Markieff Morris": "3", "Bradley Beal": "3", "John Wall": "7"}, "Assists": {"Jameer Nelson": "8", "Markieff Morris": "4", "Bradley Beal": "5", "John Wall": "5"}, "Points": {"Jameer Nelson": "10", "Wilson Chandler": "5", "Nikola Jokic": "17", "Markieff Morris": "15", "Bradley Beal": "26", "John Wall": "15"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "3"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the Denver Nuggets, 92 - 85, at Verizon Center on Thursday. In a game between two struggling teams, there was a lot of sloppy play in this game. In fact, there were 48 combined turnovers between the two teams and an NBA-high 29 turnovers committed by the Nuggets. Denver actually took an 11 - point lead after the first quarter, but proceeded to allow Washington to win the other three quarters by at least five points each. Defense was key for the Wizards, as they held the Nuggets to 41 percent shooting and the aforementioned turnover total. Shooting was bad all - around for the Nuggets, as they went 67 percent from the free - throw line and 22 percent from three - point range. There were only two ties and six lead changes in total. Denver (8 - 15) played this game without Emmanuel Mudiay and Kenneth Faried, as the offense really could n't get anything going. Nikola Jokic was the lone bright spot though, leading the team with 17 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. Danilo Gallinari was second on the team, with 13 points and four rebounds on 3 - of - 11 shooting. Jameer Nelson got the start for Mudiay and finished with 10 points, four rebounds and eight assists. Wilson Chandler had a nightmare game, going 2 - of - 16 from the field, en route to five points and eight boards off the bench. The Nuggets will look to play better on Saturday, when they travel to face the Orlando Magic. Washington (8 - 13) have had to lean heavily on their starters all season long and all five players played at least 33 minutes in this tight win. Bradley Beal led the team in scoring, dropping 26 points, three rebounds and five assists. John Wall went just 5 - of - 14 from the field, but still tallied 15 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals in the victory. Markieff Morris also scored 15 points, adding three rebounds and four assists. On deck for Washington is a home matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday."], [[{"Total points": {"76ers": "106", "Pistons": "136"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"76ers": "25", "Pistons": "33"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "32"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "30"}}, {"Points": {"Marcus Morris": "22", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "26", "Tobias Harris": "20", "Ish Smith": "11", "Dario Saric": "19", "Nik Stauskas": "24", "T.J. McConnell": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "11", "Nik Stauskas": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "9", "Nik Stauskas": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Tobias Harris": "32", "Ish Smith": "23", "Dario Saric": "29", "T.J. McConnell": "23"}, "Assists": {"Ish Smith": "13", "Dario Saric": "8", "T.J. McConnell": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Dario Saric": "6"}}], "The Detroit Pistons dominated the host Philadelphia 76ers 136 - 106, at Wells Fargo Center on Saturday evening. The Pistons were hot right from the start, jumping out to a 33 - 25 lead after one quarter. They went on to win the remaining three quarters, continually building on their lead on their way to a season - high 136 points. This was a big win for Detroit, as it looks to hang on to the eighth spot in the East. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was the high point man for the Pistons (30 - 32), with 26 points on hot 9 - of - 11 shooting from the field. Five other players scored in double digits for the Pistons, including Marcus Morris, who finished with 22 points, and Tobias Harris who chipped in 20, in 32 minutes off the bench. Ish Smith came up big with 13 assists and 11 points, in 23 minutes off the bench. The Pistons are now 4 - 2 in their last six games, and have improved to 11 - 20 on the road. They will head back home for their next contest though, as they play host to the Bulls on Monday. Meanwhile, this marks the fourth loss in the last five games for the Sixers (23 - 39). Nik Stauskas was the high - point man for Philly with 24 points on 10 - of - 15 shooting, while Dario Saric followed up with 19 points, a career - high eight assists, and six rebounds, in 29 minutes. T.J. McConnell chipped in 10 points to go along with eight assists, in 23 minutes. The 76ers are now 15 - 18 at home this season and will look to bounce back, as they play host to the Bucks on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "47"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "54", "Thunder": "29"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "104", "Thunder": "122"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "12", "Thunder": "38"}}, {"Points": {"Victor Oladipo": "21", "Russell Westbrook": "25", "Alex Abrines": "13", "Enes Kanter": "17", "Caris LeVert": "16", "Brook Lopez": "25", "Jeremy Lin": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Victor Oladipo": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "12", "Alex Abrines": "3", "Enes Kanter": "5", "Jeremy Lin": "2"}, "Steals": {"Victor Oladipo": "4", "Alex Abrines": "2"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "19", "Alex Abrines": "3", "Caris LeVert": "2", "Jeremy Lin": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "6"}, "Personal fouls": {"Russell Westbrook": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Caris LeVert": "23"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the host Brooklyn Nets, 122 - 104, at Barclay's Center on Tuesday. Despite the fact that Oklahoma City led for over 40 minutes of this game, it was close throughout the first three quarters. In fact, there were eight ties and 11 lead changes, as the Thunder did n't record a double - digit lead until the final minutes. It took a late run by the Thunder to open things up, as they outscored the Nets, 60 - 42, in the second half. Rebounding was key, with Oklahoma City wining that battle, 44 - 30. They also took care of business shooting the ball, hitting 51 percent of their shots to the Nets 47 percent. Oklahoma City took advantage of the assist - to - turnover ratio as well, recording 10 more assists than Brooklyn, while committing three less turnovers. The Thunder (38 - 29) got their winning streak up to three games with this victory, as Russell Westbrook continues to add triple - doubles under his belt. Westbrook collected 25 points, 12 rebounds and 19 assists, despite going just 6 - of - 18 from the field. Taj Gibson got the start and totaled 19 points and eight rebounds. Victor Oladipo finished with 21 points, three rebounds and four steals. Enes Kanter led the bench with 17 points and five rebounds, while Alex Abrines provided 13 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals of his own off the bench. On dck for Oklahoma City is a road matchup against the Toronto Raptors on Thursday. The Nets (12 - 54) are really struggling right now, but they fought hard here in this tough loss. Brook Lopez led the way, as he contributed 25 points and six rebounds. Jeremy Lin was n't far behind, accumulating 24 points, two rebounds and five assists. Caris LeVert played just 23 minutes, but still tallied 16 points, five rebounds, two assists and three steals. Brooklyn will look to play better on Thursday in a road matchup versus the New York Knicks."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Nets": "17"}}, {"Points": {"Kyle Anderson": "14", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "16", "Dewayne Dedmon": "10", "Danny Green": "9", "Dejounte Murray": "4", "Patty Mills": "20", "David Lee": "15", "Jonathon Simmons": "11", "Davis Bertans": "11", "Trevor Booker": "9", "Brook Lopez": "12", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "13", "Sean Kilpatrick": "17", "Isaiah Whitehead": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "9", "Dewayne Dedmon": "8", "Trevor Booker": "4", "Sean Kilpatrick": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Patty Mills": "20", "Brook Lopez": "21"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Isaiah Whitehead": "2"}}], "The Spurs' second unit combined for 59 points in the blowout win, led by 20 from Patty Mills over 20 minutes. LaMarcus Aldridge followed with 16 points and nine rebounds. David Lee totaled 15 points off the bench. Kyle Anderson, starting for Kawhi Leonard (hand), registered 14 points. Davis Bertans and Jonathan Simmons contributed matching 11 - point efforts as reserves. Dewayne Dedmon compiled 10 points and eight boards. Danny Green and rookie Dejounte Murray went for nine and four points, respectively. Isaiah Whitehead (19 points) and Sean Kilpatrick (17 points) were the top two Nets scorers, with the latter also hauling in 10 rebounds. Spencer Dinwiddie led the first unit with 13 points, and. Brook Lopez managed a modest 12 points in 21 minutes. Trevor Booker (nine points, four rebounds) was the only other contributor of note."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "48", "Kings": "53"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "29", "Kings": "35"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "101", "Kings": "104"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Mavericks": "21", "Kings": "31"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "33", "Kings": "25"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Kings": "31"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "5", "Rajon Rondo": "12", "Chandler Parsons": "5", "Dirk Nowitzki": "5", "Deron Williams": "5"}, "Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "22", "Rajon Rondo": "18", "Marco Belinelli": "16", "Chandler Parsons": "28", "Dirk Nowitzki": "16", "Deron Williams": "15", "David Lee": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "13", "Rajon Rondo": "5", "Chandler Parsons": "9", "Dirk Nowitzki": "6", "Deron Williams": "3", "David Lee": "11"}, "Steals": {"Rajon Rondo": "3"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (25 - 35) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (33 - 29) 104 - 101 on Thursday. The form of these two teams would have indicated a different result, but the Kings put in a great effort to pick up a needed road win. Defense was key, as the Kings held the Mavericks to 48 percent shooting and a dreadful 7 - for - 29 from three - point range. The second quarter was when Sacramento made their mark, as they outscored Dallas 31 to 21. The Kings came into this game as a heavy underdog and rode 53 percent shooting to a much needed victory. DeMarcus Cousins tallied 22 points, 13 rebounds and five assists to lead the Kings. Rajon Rondo also played great, as he acculturated 18 points, 12 assists, five rebounds and three steals. Marco Belinelli gave the team a nice spark off the bench, as he pitched in 16 points of his own. Up next is another tough matchup, as they play a San Antonio Spurs that hasn\u2019t lost at home all season. This loss snapped a three - game winning streak for the Mavericks, with all three wins coming against poor competition. Chandler Parsons was fantastic in the loss, as he totaled 28 points, nine rebounds and five assists. David Lee double - doubled off the bench, as he amassed 12 points and 11 rebounds. The only other notable stat lines were Deron Williams tallying 15 points, three rebounds and five assists, with Dirk Nowitzki pitching in 16 points, six rebounds and five assists. Dallas will look to bounce back on Sunday in their next game when they play the Denver Nuggets."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Rockets": "29"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "3", "Clippers": "2"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "124", "Clippers": "103"}, "Rebounds": {"Rockets": "58", "Clippers": "39"}, "Turnovers": {"Rockets": "11"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "2", "Clippers": "3"}}, {"Points": {"Blake Griffin": "30", "Josh Smith": "9", "Dwight Howard": "20", "James Harden": "26", "Corey Brewer": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "16", "James Harden": "11"}, "Turnovers": {"Blake Griffin": "1"}, "Assists": {"Josh Smith": "4", "James Harden": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Josh Smith": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"James Harden": "2"}}], "The Houston Rockets (2 - 3) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers (3 - 2), 124 - 103, in Game 5 of their series Tuesday at the Toyota Center. Houston had its back against the wall and faced elimination Tuesday after back - to - back blowout losses. The Rockets responded with a convincing victory of their own Tuesday to extend the series to a sixth game. Although his scoring output was similar to his previous two outings, James Harden had a much more impactful performance Tuesday to help the Rockets top the Clippers. He notched a triple - double as he tallied 26 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. Harden left the game late in the fourth quarter as he has been battling a cold, but it should not impact his status for Game 6. Los Angeles attempted to make a comeback, but not even the \"Hack-A-Rocket\" strategy could slow the game enough for the Clippers to threaten Houston's lead. Game 6 will take place Thursday at the Staples Center with the Rockets needing a win to force Game 7. Los Angeles was outplayed in several facets of the game Tuesday and was unable to take advantage of Blake Griffin's stellar outing. Griffin was one of the lone bright spots for the Clippers as he posted 30 points and 16 rebounds. The Clippers were badly out - rebounded, losing the battle on the boards 58 - 39 on the night. Los Angeles also failed to take advantage of Houston's 11 turnovers with just three points on fast breaks. The Clippers will look to bounce back on its home floor on Thursday. Houston had big contributions from several of its players to help extend the series. In addition to Harden's triple - double, Dwight Howard and Trevor Ariza each reached the 20 - point mark and Corey Brewer poured in 15 points off the bench. Josh Smith moved into the starting lineup in place of Terrence Jones. Smith finished with nine points and four assists, but his most impactful play was a three pointer in transition to put the Rockets up by 19 points in the fourth quarter. As a team, the Rockets dished out 29 assists, their highest mark of this postseason. The Rockets will need a similar performance Thursday in Los Angeles if they want to continue their playoff run."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "40", "Rockets": "23"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "100", "Rockets": "110"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "30", "Rockets": "47"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Rockets": "54"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "48"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "2", "James Harden": "8", "Corey Brewer": "2", "Josh Smith": "6", "George Hill": "6", "CJ Watson": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "1", "James Harden": "3", "Corey Brewer": "1", "Josh Smith": "4", "George Hill": "2", "CJ Watson": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "9", "James Harden": "21", "Corey Brewer": "6", "Josh Smith": "14", "David West": "13", "Roy Hibbert": "12", "George Hill": "15", "CJ Watson": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "6", "James Harden": "10", "Corey Brewer": "2", "Josh Smith": "7", "David West": "4", "Roy Hibbert": "8", "George Hill": "9", "CJ Watson": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "4", "James Harden": "22", "David West": "4", "Roy Hibbert": "2", "George Hill": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "4", "James Harden": "21", "David West": "2", "Roy Hibbert": "2", "George Hill": "0"}, "Personal fouls": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "4"}, "Points": {"Donatas Motiejunas": "17", "James Harden": "44", "Corey Brewer": "11", "Josh Smith": "18", "David West": "10", "Roy Hibbert": "18", "George Hill": "20", "CJ Watson": "23"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "7", "George Hill": "3", "CJ Watson": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"James Harden": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"James Harden": "4", "Corey Brewer": "2", "Josh Smith": "5", "Roy Hibbert": "10", "George Hill": "6"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "2", "George Hill": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Patrick Beverley": "20", "Roy Hibbert": "32", "CJ Watson": "30"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Roy Hibbert": "6"}, "Blocks": {"George Hill": "3"}}], "The Houston Rockets (47 - 23) defeated the Indiana Pacers (30 - 40) 110 - 100 on Monday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. After winning seven games in a row during the start of March and pushing themselves into the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference standings, the Pacers have now turned completely in the opposite direction and have gone on to lose six straight games. The loss does n't take them out of the playoff race though, as they sit just a game back from the Charlotte Hornets for the eighth and final projected playoff seed in the East. The Rockets, on the other hand, were on a poor streak of their own, as they were losers of four straight. The win gets them back on the right track though, as they still hold a two - game lead over the Portland Trail Blazers for the third projected playoff seed in the Western Conference. The Rockets shot fairly well in this game, going 48 percent from the field and 54 percent from the three - point line. James Harden was nearly unstoppable, as he went off for a game - high of 44 points (10 - 21 FG, 3 - 8 3Pt, 21 - 22 FT), to go along with four rebounds, seven assists and two steals. He continues to make his push for the league MVP, as this was the second time in three games that he's posted over 40 points. During that three - game stretch, Harden has averaged an impressive 37 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Donatas Motiejunas also played a big factor in the win, going 6 - for - 9 from the field and 1 - for - 2 from the three - point line to score 17 points. It was his third time shooting over 60 percent from the field during the last four games, as his shot is clearly dialed in at the moment. The Rockets also saw some solid contributions from their bench, with both Josh Smith and Corey Brewer reaching double figures in points. Smith finished with 18 points (7 - 14 FG, 4 - 6 3Pt) and five rebounds, while Brewer had 11 points (2 - 6 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt) and two rebounds. Also, Patrick Beverley had to leave the game with a wrist injury after just 20 minutes and was n't able to return, so it's questionable how severe his injury could be. C.J. Watson had a big performance off the bench for the Pacers. He went 7 - for - 10 from the field and 4 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score 23 points, while also adding five assists over 30 minutes. After going 0 - for - 6 from beyond the arc during Saturday's game against the Brooklyn Nets, Watson was able to turn things back around and get pointed in the right direction Monday. George Hill also played well despite suffering the loss. He led the starters with 20 points (9 - 15 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 0 - 1 FT), to go along with six rebounds, three assists, three steals and three blocked shots, as he did a little bit of everything for the Pacers. He's shot over 50 percent in each of his last three games, a stretch where he's currently averaging 21 points as the scoring leader for this team. Notching his first double - double in six games was Roy Hibbert, who posted 18 points (8 - 12 FG, 2 - 2 FT) and 10 rebounds in 32 minutes. David West also reached double - digit points with 10 (4 - 13 FG, 2 - 4 FT) of his own, despite struggling from the field. The Rockets' next game will be on the road against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, while the Pacers will travel to Washington to play the Wizards on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "50", "Bulls": "26"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "95", "Bulls": "104"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "14", "Bulls": "40"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Nikola Mirotic": "5", "Tony Snell": "4", "Aaron Brooks": "7", "Ish Smith": "7", "Robert Covington": "6", "Isaiah Canaan": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nikola Mirotic": "2", "Tony Snell": "1", "Aaron Brooks": "3", "Ish Smith": "3", "Robert Covington": "1", "Isaiah Canaan": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Mirotic": "13", "Pau Gasol": "25", "Tony Snell": "9", "Aaron Brooks": "20", "Ish Smith": "21", "Robert Covington": "13", "Isaiah Canaan": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Mirotic": "5", "Pau Gasol": "13", "Tony Snell": "2", "Aaron Brooks": "12", "Ish Smith": "9", "Robert Covington": "5", "Isaiah Canaan": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nikola Mirotic": "5", "Pau Gasol": "2", "Tony Snell": "7", "Aaron Brooks": "6", "Ish Smith": "2", "Robert Covington": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Nikola Mirotic": "4", "Tony Snell": "5", "Aaron Brooks": "4", "Ish Smith": "2", "Jerami Grant": "3", "Robert Covington": "1"}, "Points": {"Nikola Mirotic": "16", "Pau Gasol": "27", "Tony Snell": "10", "Aaron Brooks": "31", "Nerlens Noel": "8", "Ish Smith": "23", "Robert Covington": "12", "Isaiah Canaan": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Mirotic": "12", "Pau Gasol": "16", "Tony Snell": "10", "Aaron Brooks": "4", "Nerlens Noel": "15", "Ish Smith": "2", "Jerami Grant": "3"}, "Assists": {"Pau Gasol": "2", "Aaron Brooks": "5", "Ish Smith": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Pau Gasol": "43", "Tony Snell": "45", "Nerlens Noel": "36", "Ish Smith": "37", "Robert Covington": "21"}, "Blocks": {"Nerlens Noel": "2"}, "Steals": {"Nerlens Noel": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jerami Grant": "3"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (40 - 26) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (14 - 50) 104 - 95 on Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. With 43 seconds left in the game, Jerami Grant went to the free throw line and converted on both of his attempts to put the Sixers up by three. Aaron Brooks then went on to hit a three - pointer to tie the game at 92 with just over 30 seconds left in regulation. Luc Mbah A Moute had a shot to win it for the Sixers at the buzzer, but he missed and forced the game into overtime. Once overtime started though, the Bulls did n't look back, as they out - scored the Sixers 12 - 3 and finished the game with a nine - point win on the road in Philadelphia. Including the clutch three - point shot that helped the Bulls extend this game to overtime, Brooks also went on to post a team - high of 31 points (12 - 20 FG, 3 - 7 3PT, 4 - 6 FT), to go along with four rebounds and five assists. He has now shot over 40 percent from the field in three games straight, a stretch where he's averaged 23 points and four assists per game. Also playing a big factor in the win was Pau Gasol. Gasol went 13 - for - 25 from the field for 27 points, while adding a team - high of 16 rebounds in 43 minutes. The double - double marked his six straight, while he's posted 10 or more rebounds in each of his last 10 games as well. On the season, he's pushed his averages to 18 points and 12 rebounds per game. Notching a double - double of his own, Nikola Mirotic finished with 16 points (5 - 13 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT) and 12 rebounds as a member of the starting lineup. Joakim Noah had to sit out with an injury, forcing Gasol to move center, which opened a spot up for Mirotic at power forward. He's combined for 34 points and 24 rebounds over his last two games. The only other Bull to reach double figures in points was Tony Snell, who recorded 10 points (2 - 9 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 5 - 7 FT) and 10 rebounds in 45 minutes. With Isaiah Canaan dealing with an illness, the Sixers decided to bring him off the bench, while inserting Ish Smith as a starter. It was a successful switch for this team, as each scored 20 or more points despite the loss. Smith went off for 23 points (9 - 21 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and six assists in 37 minutes. The points were a new season - high for the guard, as it marked just the fourth time he's reached double - digits in points. Canaan, on the other hand, went 7 - for - 15 from the field and 4 - for - 8 from the three - point line for 20 points in 29 minutes off the bench, as his illness did n't seem to limit him much. While his season averages sit at 8 points and 2 rebounds per game, he's received many more opportunities since joining the Sixers at the trade deadline. Over 10 games with the Sixers, he's averaging 14 points and 4 assists. Nerlens Noel did n't do all too much offensively and posted just eight points, but he did chip in with 15 rebounds, four steals and two blocked shots in 36 minutes. Coming off the bench, Robert Covington added 12 points (5 - 13 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt, 1 - 3 FT) in 21 minutes off the bench. The Sixers' next game will be at home against the Sacramento Kings on Friday, while the Bulls will travel to Charlotte to play the Hornets on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "37", "Raptors": "23"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "112", "Raptors": "109"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "36", "Raptors": "48"}}, {"Points": {"Luis Scola": "16", "DeMar DeRozan": "18", "Jonas Valanciunas": "16", "Norman Powell": "13", "Kyle Lowry": "15", "Cory Joseph": "12", "Donatas Motiejunas": "11", "Patrick Beverley": "17", "Michael Beasley": "21"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Norman Powell": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "8", "Cory Joseph": "2", "Donatas Motiejunas": "1", "Patrick Beverley": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMar DeRozan": "5", "Norman Powell": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "2", "Cory Joseph": "3", "Donatas Motiejunas": "3", "Patrick Beverley": "4", "Michael Beasley": "5"}, "Steals": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Norman Powell": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "1", "James Harden": "1", "Michael Beasley": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Norman Powell": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "1", "Patrick Beverley": "2", "Michael Beasley": "2"}}], "The Houston Rockets (36 - 37) defeated the Toronto Raptors (48 - 23) 112 - 109 on Friday. Houston entered the game fighting for a playoff spot and reeling after a heartbreaking, last - minute 89 - 87 loss on Wednesday to the Jazz. The defeat had been their fourth in the last five contests, and their prospects for turning things around Friday did n't look too bright considering a motivated Raptors squad was in town. Despite having clinched a playoff berth via a Bulls loss on Wednesday, Toronto continues to chase Cleveland for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. In a pivotal contest and facing a superior team, the Rockets naturally turned to their linchpin, James Harden. The perennial All-Star tallied an impressive triple - double, collecting 32 points, 13 assists, 11 rebounds, a steal and a block to key the Rockets' attack. The Raptors saw all five starters post double - digit scoring, beginning with DeMar DeRozan, who tallied 18 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals. Luis Scola and Jonas Valanciunas were next with a pair of 16 - point efforts. The former added five rebounds, an assist and a steal, while the latter hauled in a massive 18 rebounds and added two assists, two steals and a block. A returning Kyle Lowry, who'd rested on Wednesday in a loss to the Celtics, pitched in with 15 points, eight assists, two rebounds, a steal and a block. Norman Powell, getting the start at small forward for the ailing Terrence Ross (hand), totaled 13 points, four rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. Corey Joseph paced the reserves with 12 points, three rebounds and two assists. Toronto remains atop the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division, and is now 3 games behind the top - seeded Cleveland Cavaliers. They head to New Orleans for a Saturday night showdown with the Pelicans. Michael Beasley followed Harden's game - high point total with a bench - leading 21 points. He added five rebounds, two blocks and a steal. Patrick Beverley registered 17 points, five assists, four rebounds and two blocks. Donatas Motiejunas was productive in his own right, supplying 11 points, three rebounds and an assist. The Rockets remain in third place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division, and are currently slotted in the seventh seed in the conference as well. They now head to Indiana for an Easter Sunday showdown with the Pacers."], [[{"Total points": {"Mavericks": "99", "Kings": "79"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "17"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "10"}}, {"Points": {"Ben McLemore": "5", "DeMarcus Cousins": "33", "Kosta Koufos": "6", "Garrett Temple": "5", "Darren Collison": "2", "Ty Lawson": "10", "Dorian Finney-Smith": "17", "Harrison Barnes": "15", "Wesley Matthews": "15", "Deron Williams": "15", "Devin Harris": "14", "Seth Curry": "13"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "1", "Harrison Barnes": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "6", "Kosta Koufos": "9", "Darren Collison": "1", "Ty Lawson": "2", "Dorian Finney-Smith": "2", "Harrison Barnes": "9", "Devin Harris": "7", "Seth Curry": "5"}, "Steals": {"Kosta Koufos": "2", "Ty Lawson": "1", "Dorian Finney-Smith": "1", "Harrison Barnes": "3", "Devin Harris": "1", "Seth Curry": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Garrett Temple": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Garrett Temple": "1"}, "Assists": {"Darren Collison": "3", "Ty Lawson": "3", "Dorian Finney-Smith": "3", "Harrison Barnes": "2", "Devin Harris": "1", "Seth Curry": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Darren Collison": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Darren Collison": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Darren Collison": "25"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Sacramento Kings, 99 - 79, at American Airlines Center on Sunday. The Kings (10 - 17) checked in to the contest short - handed, as both Rudy Gay (hip) and Omri Casspi (illness) were sidelined. That put the onus on DeMarcus Cousins even more than usual, and he did respond with a game - high 33 points, along with six rebounds and a block. However, it was far from enough to offset single - digit scoring tallies from the remainder of Sacramento's starting five. Meanwhile, the Mavs (7 - 20) saw six players hit double digits in the scoring column, while shooting a solid 45 percent from the field as a team. Kosta Koufos was the next most productive starter for the Kings, albeit a distant second to Cousins' standout effort. Koufos posted six points, nine rebounds and a pair of steals. Garrett Temple and Ben McLemore posted a pair of five - point efforts, and Darren Collison turned in a disappointing two points, three assists and a rebound on just 1 - of - 8 shooting over 25 minutes. Ty Lawson paced the bench with 10 points, three assists, two rebounds and a steal. Dorian Finney-Smith led the way for Dallas with 17 points, three assists, two rebounds and a steal. Harrison Barnes was just short of a double - double with 15 points, nine boards, two assists, three steals and a block. Deron Williams and Wesley Matthews also had matching 15 - point efforts, while shooting a combined 11 - of - 23. Devin Harris (14 points, seven rebounds, an assist and a steal) and Seth Curry (13 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals) were highly productive in reserve roles. Sacramento heads back home for a Tuesday evening date with the Trail Blazers, while the Mavericks travel to Denver to take on the Nuggets on Monday night."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "24"}}, {"3-pointer percentage": {"D'Angelo Russell": "20"}, "Field goals attempted": {"D'Angelo Russell": "14", "Jordan Clarkson": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"D'Angelo Russell": "3", "Jordan Clarkson": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Rodney Hood": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Rodney Hood": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Rodney Hood": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Rodney Hood": "6"}}], "After a record - setting perfect free - throw night on Tuesday for Utah, the Jazz struggled as a team from the line on Friday against the Lakers. The Jazz shot just 70 percent as a unit from the line, while also converting on only 24 percent of their shots from three - point range. The night was particularly tough for young wing Rodney Hood, who missed nine field goal attempts, six three - point attempts, and went just three - for - five at the free - throw line. Poor shooting seemed to be a theme of the night for both sides, as the Lakers' young stars struggled mightily on the offensive end. D'Angelo Russell went just 3 - of - 14 from the field, including hitting only 20 percent of his three - point attempts. Jordan Clarkson, meanwhile, hit just two of nine field goal attempts. The Lakers will hope to see more consistent shooting from their younger players going forwards."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "11", "Raptors": "7"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "98", "Raptors": "110"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Clippers": "20"}, "Turnovers": {"Clippers": "14"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "20", "Raptors": "23"}}, {"Points": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "22", "Kyle Lowry": "25"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "7", "DeAndre Jordan": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "20"}, "Turnovers": {"DeAndre Jordan": "2"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (23 - 7) defeated the Los Angeles Clippers (20 - 11) 110 - 98 on Saturday. Toronto has won seven of their last eight games. Kyle Lowry continues to carry the weight for the Raptors with DeMar DeRozan (adductor) still sidelined. Lowry posted a game - high 25 points to go with seven assists and three steals. Jonas Valanciunas helped him with 22 points of his own, for his second consecutive 20 - point game. Landry Fields (concussion) missed his third straight game, but he appears close to returning, and DeRozan is travelling with the team on their road trip which could mean he is nearing a return. Los Angeles has lost three of their last four as they hit one of the tougher bumps in their schedule. DeAndre Jordan worked the glass for his third 20 - plus rebound game in the last two weeks. The Clippers gave up 20 easy points on 14 turnovers, pointing to their greatest weakness Saturday and the primary reason for their loss. Spencer Hawes missed his ninth straight game with a bone bruise in his knee, and while some reports suggest he's close to returning, if George Hill's bone bruise in his knee was any clue, Hawes could miss considerably more time. Hill, of the Indiana Pacers, missed nearly two months with the injury after initially being projected to only miss about three weeks."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Bulls": "37"}}, {"Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "7", "Mike Conley": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "21", "Mike Conley": "12", "Dwyane Wade": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Marc Gasol": "10", "Mike Conley": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Marc Gasol": "37", "Mike Conley": "36", "Rajon Rondo": "35"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "27", "Tony Allen": "10", "Mike Conley": "27", "Jimmy Butler": "14", "Rajon Rondo": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "6", "Mike Conley": "9"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Mike Conley": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Mike Conley": "5"}, "Steals": {"Mike Conley": "1"}}], "Mike Conley led the way for the Grizzlies with 27 points on an efficient 8 - of - 12 shooting, including 5 - of - 8 from long range, to go along with nine rebounds, seven assists and one steal, in 36 minutes. Marc Gasol also finished with 27 points but took a few more shots to get there, as he went 10 - of - 21 from the field, to go along with seven assists and six rebounds, in 37 minutes. Tony Allen was the only other player to score in double digits for the Grizzlies, as he finished with 10 points. Meanwhile, the Bulls struggled from the field, shooting 37 percent, with Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade combining for 7 - of - 27 from the field. Butler finished with 14 points, while Wade chipped in 11. Rajon Rondo was the high - point man for Chicago with 17, in 35 minutes of action."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "17", "Grizzlies": "8"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "95", "Grizzlies": "103"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Heat": "25"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "14", "Grizzlies": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Mike Conley": "24", "Dwyane Wade": "25"}, "Minutes played": {"Shawne Williams": "17"}, "Assists": {"Dwyane Wade": "7"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (22 - 8) defeated the Miami Heat (14 - 17) 103 - 95 on Saturday. Memphis ended their four - game losing streak with the win. Zach Randolph (knee) was still out, but the Grizzlies used their depth to get out to a comfortable lead early. Six players scored in double figures with Mike Conley scoring a team - high 24 points. Memphis won the game at the foul line, going to the charity stripe 37 times to convert 28 of their free points. The Grizzlies will return home to host the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday. Miami has lost four of their last six games as they struggle to overcome the absence of Chris Bosh. Bosh has missed the last eight games with a calf strain. He was targeting a return for this game but was not ready to go. Shawne Williams was limited by a foot injury but was able to tough out 17 minutes. Dwyane Wade paced the team with a game - high 25 points and seven assists, but his great play on offense has n't been able to carry the Heat as much as it once did. Miami will host the Orlando Magic on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "9", "Lakers": "18"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "102", "Lakers": "93"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "13", "Lakers": "3"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Lakers": "22"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Lakers": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Kobe Bryant": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "16", "D'Angelo Russell": "12", "Julius Randle": "13", "Terrence Ross": "12", "Bismack Biyombo": "8", "Kyle Lowry": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Kobe Bryant": "8", "D'Angelo Russell": "4", "Julius Randle": "6", "Terrence Ross": "8", "Bismack Biyombo": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "9"}, "Points": {"Kobe Bryant": "21", "Larry Nance Jr.": "6", "D'Angelo Russell": "9", "Julius Randle": "15", "Terrence Ross": "22", "Bismack Biyombo": "15", "Kyle Lowry": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Kobe Bryant": "8", "Larry Nance Jr.": "6", "Julius Randle": "11", "Terrence Ross": "6", "Bismack Biyombo": "13", "Kyle Lowry": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"D'Angelo Russell": "21", "Terrence Ross": "39", "Bismack Biyombo": "29"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Julius Randle": "3", "Terrence Ross": "2", "Bismack Biyombo": "11", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Julius Randle": "3", "Terrence Ross": "2", "Bismack Biyombo": "7", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Terrence Ross": "6", "Kyle Lowry": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Terrence Ross": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Bismack Biyombo": "2"}}], "The Raptors (13 - 9) escaped the Lakers (3 - 18) with a 102 - 93 victory at Air Canada Centre on Monday. Los Angeles trailed by just a point after the third quarter, but Toronto was able to pull away with five minutes remaining in the game to end a two - game losing streak. The Raptors got plenty of contributions in the fourth quarter, but the guy who carried them all game was Terrence Ross, who scored a season - high 22 points (8 - 12 FG, 4 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) over 39 minutes while also grabbing six rebounds. Kobe Bryant had a decent night shooting the ball as he continues his farewell tour, scoring 21 points on 8 - of - 16 shooting with eight boards and four assists. Larry Nance Jr. replaced Julius Randle in the starting lineup, but failed to outperform him. Randle scored 15 points (6 - 13 FG, 3 - 3 FT) with 11 rebounds for his fifth double - double in six games. The other youngster moved to the bench was rookie D'Angelo Russell, who was replaced by Louis Williams alongside Jordan Clarkson in the backcourt. Russell played 21 minutes off the bench, scoring nine points on 4 - of - 12 shooting from the field. Nick Young was held out of the lineup again by coach Byron Scott. After suffering two close losses to the Nuggets and Warriors - - each at home - - the Raptors got back on track, albeit barely, against the Lakers. With center Jonas Valanciunas sidelined with a fractured hand, Bismack Biyombo has seen a bump in playing time, and finally made it count Monday. Biyombo finished with a season - high 15 points (4 - 8 FG, 7 - 11 FT) with 13 rebounds and two blocks over 29 minutes. Kyle Lowry was his usual self, scoring a game - high 27 points 9 - 19 FG, 5 - 11 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) with seven rebounds and six assists. The Raptors will have their hands full Wednesday when the Spurs come to town; the Lakers play the sixth game of an eight - game road trip against the T-Wolves."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "15", "Knicks": "19"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "101", "Knicks": "107"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "21", "Knicks": "17"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "23"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Arron Afflalo": "4", "Derrick Williams": "1", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Al Horford": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2", "Al Horford": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Carmelo Anthony": "2"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "23", "Kristaps Porzingis": "17", "Derrick Williams": "15", "Kent Bazemore": "15", "Paul Millsap": "19", "Al Horford": "13", "Kyle Korver": "12", "Jeff Teague": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "11", "Kristaps Porzingis": "11", "Arron Afflalo": "7", "Derrick Williams": "4", "Kent Bazemore": "5", "Paul Millsap": "7", "Al Horford": "10", "Kyle Korver": "3", "Jeff Teague": "1"}, "Steals": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Arron Afflalo": "1", "Paul Millsap": "1", "Jeff Teague": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Derrick Williams": "16"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kent Bazemore": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Paul Millsap": "3", "Al Horford": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyle Korver": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jeff Teague": "4", "Dennis Schroder": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Jeff Teague": "4"}}], "The New York Knicks (17 - 19) defeated the Altanta Hawks (21 - 15) 107 - 101 on Tuesday. The Knicks have shown considerable signs of improvement so far in the 2015 - 16 campaign, after losing a whopping 65 games last season. A tangible sign of that progress has come over the last two games, when New York managed to get the best of the first - place and playoff - caliber Atlanta Hawks in each team's home arena. Tuesday's victory may have been even more impressive than Sunday's, considering it was accomplished on the road at Philips Arena and that the Knicks were successfully able to withstand a late push from the home team and hang on for the win. The Hawks entered the final period trailing 84 - 71, but closed to within two after Dennis Schroder's free throw made it 103 - 101 with 40 seconds remaining. However, Carmelo Anthony secured the defensive rebound on Schroder's intentional miss of his second attempt from the charity stripe, and then drained two key free throws himself with 13 seconds to extend the lead to the final margin of 107 - 101. Anthony led the way for New York scoring - wise, tallying 23 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, a steal and a pair of blocks. Arron Afflalo, who decimated the Hawks on Sunday with a 38 - point barrage, put together a solid encore performance by matching Anthony's scoring output and adding seven rebounds, four assists and a steal. Kristaps Porzingis joined Anthony in the double - double department, collecting 17 points and hauling in 11 boards. Derrick Williams paced the Knicks' reserves with an efficient 15 points, four rebounds and an assist over just 16 minutes The Knicks improved to 17 - 19 and remain in third place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head to Miami to take on the Heat on Wednesday. Atlanta received double - digit scoring from all five starters, but it ultimately was n't enough. Paul Millsap spearheaded the attack with 19 points, seven rebounds, two assists and a steal, but missed a 26 - foot three - point running jumper with seven seconds left that would have brought the Hawks within three. Jeff Teague was next in line with 16 points, but could not contribute much else, failing to dish out any assists and only tallying a rebound and a steal otherwise. Kent Bazemore (15 points, five rebounds) and Kyle Korver (12 points, three rebounds) were productive, and Al Horford managed his third double - double in four games with 13 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and a pair of blocks. The Hawks fell to 21 - 15 and remain in second place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They head to Philadelphia for a showdown with the Sixers on Thursday."], [[{"Total points": {"Warriors": "127", "Nuggets": "119"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kevin Durant": "3", "Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "10"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "21", "Draymond Green": "15", "Klay Thompson": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "3", "Draymond Green": "10", "Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Assists": {"Draymond Green": "13"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Draymond Green": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Draymond Green": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Stephen Curry": "3"}}], "Draymond Green leads the Golden State Warriors in assists per game and the 127 - 119 win against the Denver Nuggets on Monday at Oracle Arena was further proof of how his court vision continues to grow with each year in the league. The Warriors ran most of the plays through Green at the top of the arc, and he was able to find Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry in multiple comfortable positions so that all three were able to finish with 20 - plus points. Green finished with 15 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds in the win. The big three scorers poured in 20 - plus point performances led by Thompson's 25 points, but Durant came away with the most efficient effort after going for 21 points on 10 - of - 19 shooting. Curry buried three shots from behind the arc on his way to 21 points."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "46"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "58"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "18", "Nuggets": "16"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "112", "Nuggets": "92"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "6", "Nuggets": "9"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "12", "Nikola Jokic": "12", "Wesley Matthews": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "6", "Nikola Jokic": "10", "Wesley Matthews": "10"}, "Points": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "17", "Nikola Jokic": "27", "Harrison Barnes": "18", "Wesley Matthews": "25", "Deron Williams": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Jokic": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Wesley Matthews": "5"}, "Assists": {"Deron Williams": "8"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks took down the visiting Denver Nuggets on Monday, 112 - 92. Dallas (6 - 18) still remains at the bottom of the NBA, though Monday's win showed some promise for the struggling team. The Mavericks shot 58 percent from the field and 46 percent on three - point attempts. At the helm of this offensive attack was shooting guard Wesley Matthews, who posted a terrific 25 points on 10 - of - 14 shooting with five three - pointers. Forward Harrison Barnes scored 18 points, while point guard Deron Williams had 17 points and eight assists. The team protected the ball respectably, turning it over only nine times on the night. Denver (9 - 16), meanwhile, saw shoddy offensive play in the crushing loss. The team shot just 42 percent from the floor and 28 percent from three - point range. Surprisingly, though, those issues did not stem from notoriously inefficient point guard Emmanuel Mudiay. Mudiay shot 6 - of - 12 and scored 17 points, the most of any Nuggets' starter. Sophomore big man Nikola Jokic also posted an efficient line off the bench, leading the team with a whopping 27 points and 11 rebounds on 10 - of - 12 shooting. Dallas will host the Pistons on Wednesday night, while Denver will host the Trail Blazers on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "16", "Grizzlies": "32"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "97", "Grizzlies": "90"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "55", "Grizzlies": "40"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Grizzlies": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Marc Gasol": "13", "Mike Conley": "22", "Kawhi Leonard": "19", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "10", "Mike Conley": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Mike Conley": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Mike Conley": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "10"}}], "The host San Antonio Spurs beat the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday, 97 - 90. The Spurs (55 - 16) look poised for a second straight 60 - win season as they continue to roll as the season draws to a close. San Antonio remains two games back from first place in the Western Conference, but still has plenty of time to overtake Golden State for the league's top record. On Thursday, All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge found his groove and helped lead the Spurs offense past the tough grit - and - grind Grizzlies. Aldridge led the team with 23 points on 10 - of - 16 shooting. Superstar Kawhi Leonard had a bit of an off night despite still pouring in 19 points. Leonard shot under 50 percent from the field and went a sub - par 4 - of - 7 from the free - throw line. Memphis (40 - 32) has now dropped two straight after a four - game win streak earlier in the month. The Grizzlies have fallen to seventh place in the Western Conference, allowing themselves to be eclipsed by the Thunder for sixth. Memphis struggled against the Spurs' top - ranked defense, shooting just 43 percent from the field on the night. Only two Grizzlies scored in double digits, with only Mike Conley eclipsing 20 points. Conley scored 22, while All-Star center Marc Gasol added 13 points and 10 rebounds. San Antonio will host the Knicks on Saturday, while the Grizzlies visit Golden State on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "35"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "20", "Cavaliers": "10"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "77", "Cavaliers": "91"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "21", "Cavaliers": "28"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "7", "Dwight Howard": "1"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "19", "Kevin Love": "11", "Kyrie Irving": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "7", "Kevin Love": "13"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyrie Irving": "17", "James Harden": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyrie Irving": "9", "James Harden": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Dwight Howard": "1"}, "Blocks": {"James Harden": "1"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (28 - 10) embarrassed the Houston Rockets (21 - 20) in a 91 - 77 win on Friday. It's not too often that an offense like the Rockets gets completely shut down, but that happened on Friday. They were held to just 35 percent shooting and shot just 6 - for - 25 from three - point range. Houston was held to just 51 points through three quarters while shooting under 30 percent as well and there was simply no juice in the building for the Rockets to build off of. The 77 points was a season - low for Houston and they were lucky to get to that total with the result out of hand very early. This was just one of those ugly NBA blowouts that's hard to watch and that's a frustrating sign for Houston with the recent success they have had. Cleveland was clearly frustrated by losing on Thursday to the San Antonio Spurs and put it to the Rockets here. What makes this so impressive is that this was the back end of a back - to - back after playing one of the most defensively aggressive teams the night before. All of the \u201cbig three\u201d played great for Cleveland here, as LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love all put up great lines. James finished with 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Irving finished with 23 points on 9 - for - 17 shooting and Love recorded an 11 point - 13 rebound double - double. The bench really struggled, but when these three are playing like this, it really doesn\u2019t matter. Up next for the Cavaliers is one of the showcase games of the year, as they host the Golden State Warriors on Martin Luther King Day. This was one of Houston's worst offensive games in years and it's no surprise it came against a stout defense like the Cavaliers. The bench was downright bad on Friday, as the six regular bench players combined for 24 points on 5 - for - 26 shooting, which included some garbage time scoring. It wasn\u2019t just the bench though, as no player scored more than 14 points. That player was James Harden, who shot 2 - for - 10 while committing seven turnovers in a nightmare game. The one bright spot would be a double - double from Dwight Howard, who has been playing his best ball of the year over recent weeks. This snapped a five - game wining streak for the Rockets and it doesn\u2019t get much easier on Monday, when they play the scorching hot Los Angeles Clippers."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "5", "Raptors": "6"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "93", "Raptors": "89"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "6", "Raptors": "7"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Luis Scola": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Luis Scola": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Luis Scola": "30", "Kyle Lowry": "37", "Gordon Hayward": "35", "Derrick Favors": "32"}, "Points": {"Luis Scola": "22", "Kyle Lowry": "20", "Gordon Hayward": "17", "Derrick Favors": "18", "Rodney Hood": "16", "Trey Burke": "10", "Alec Burks": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Luis Scola": "5", "Gordon Hayward": "7", "Derrick Favors": "11"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "6"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Lowry": "3"}}], "The Utah Jazz (6 - 5) defeated the Toronto Raptors (7 - 6) Wednesday 93 - 89 at the Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City. While it was the Raptors that entered the final quarter with a five - point lead, a Jazz run ultimately put them ahead. Toronto couldn\u2019t climb out of the hole and Utah ultimately walked away with a win that put them back over .500. It was a balanced offensive attack from the Jazz, who had five players finish in double figures. Derrick Favors led the way, recording a double - double of 18 points and 11 rebounds in 32 minutes, with Gordon Hayward not too far behind, recording 17 points and seven rebounds in 35 minutes. Rodney Hood (16) was the only other starter to reach double figures, while Alex Burks and Trey Burke scored 13 and 10 points respectively off the bench. Luis Scola led the way for Toronto in the losing effort, recording 22 points (10 - 15 FG) and five rebounds in 30 minutes. Kyle Lowry was close behind, scoring 20 points and recording six assists and three steals in 37 minutes. It was the starters carrying the load for the Raptors, as their bench managed to score just 15 total points. Up next, the Jazz will travel to Dallas to go up against the Mavericks Friday, while the Raptors will head to Los Angeles Friday and play the Lakers."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "15", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "8", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "16", "Kris Dunn": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "11", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "3", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "3", "Kris Dunn": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "7"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "31", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "6", "Patty Mills": "15", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "11", "Zach LaVine": "25", "Kris Dunn": "15"}, "Steals": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "3"}, "Assists": {"Patty Mills": "5"}}], "It was a lights - out shooting night for the surging San Antonio Spurs, as the team shot over 52 percent from the floor on Tuesday. Star forward Kawhi Leonard led the team with 31 points on 11 - of - 15 shooting and 7 - of - 8 from the free - throw line. The two - time Defensive Player of the Year also notched two steals. Bench guard Patty Mills added 15 points and dished out a team - high five assists. All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge, meanwhile, struggled on offense, scoring only six points on 3 - of - 8 shooting, but made an impact on the defensive end with three steals. For Minnesota, third - year guard Zach LaVine led the team with 25 points. Lottery pick Kris Dunn came off the bench and scored 15 on 6 - of - 7 shooting from the floor. Reigning Rookie of the Year Karl-Anthony Towns, however, struggled and was held to just 11 points on dismal 3 - of - 16 shooting. The team shot under 44 percent from the floor on the night."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "9", "Pacers": "13"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "102", "Pacers": "101"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "10", "Pacers": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"Rodney Stuckey": "3", "Darren Collison": "6"}, "Points": {"Rodney Stuckey": "14", "CJ Watson": "14", "Rudy Gay": "27", "Ryan Hollins": "8", "Darren Collison": "20"}, "Steals": {"Rodney Stuckey": "4", "Darren Collison": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"CJ Watson": "36", "Jason Thompson": "38", "Ryan Hollins": "21"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Rudy Gay": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rudy Gay": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Rudy Gay": "1", "Carl Landry": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Rudy Gay": "1", "Carl Landry": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Jason Thompson": "10", "Darren Collison": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Carl Landry": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Carl Landry": "4"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (10 - 9) outlasted the Indiana Pacers (7 - 13) 102 - 101 in overtime at Sleep Train Arena on Friday. The Kings held the lead for the majority of the contest, only to cede control to the Pacers in the final minute of overtime, needing a Carl Landry offensive rebound and put - back of a Rudy Gay miss with 1 seconds left on the clock to get the victory and snap a four game losing streak. Ryan Hollins started again in place of DeMarcus Cousins (illness), scoring eight points in 21 minutes. It was Rudy Gay and Darren Collison that led the Kings though, scoring 27 and 20 points respectively. Collison also added six rebounds, six assists and four steals. Jason Thompson played a season - high 38 minutes before fouling out, grabbing 10 rebounds in the process. The Kings now take on the Magic on Saturday and hope to continue this winning form. Rodney Stuckey played his second straight game as the starting point guard, tallying 14 points with three assists and four steals. C.J. Watson played the majority of the remaining backcourt minutes off the bench, scoring 14 points in 36 minutes, despite coming off the bench. For the second straight game, after starting at the point for the first 18 games of the season, Donald Sloan failed to get into the game. Ian Mahinmi was forced to leave the game in the first half with left foot soreness and will continue to be monitored. Indiana faces the red - hot Hawks on Monday."], [[{"Total points": {"Thunder": "108", "Mavericks": "70"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "1"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "1"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Mavericks": "18"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "15", "Kevin Durant": "15", "Serge Ibaka": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "7", "Kevin Durant": "7", "Serge Ibaka": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Points": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "18", "Kevin Durant": "23", "Serge Ibaka": "17", "Russell Westbrook": "24", "Enes Kanter": "16"}, "Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "5", "Serge Ibaka": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "5", "Enes Kanter": "13"}, "Blocks": {"Serge Ibaka": "3"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the visiting Dallas Mavericks, 108 - 70, in Game 1 of the Western Conference first - round playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Saturday. While Oklahoma City had little trouble creating shots and finding open lanes for ball movement, it was their defense that showed up big. As a team, the Thunder held the Mavericks to an atrocious 28 percent from the field. Frustration hit its boiling point for Rick Carlisle midway through the third quarter and he received a technical foul for arguing, but the game was long lost at that point. The trouble continued for Oklahoma City after JJ Barea (groin) reaggravated a strain. He is considered day - to - day according to the most recent reports. The Thunder\u2019s one - two punch that boasts Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook picked up right where they left off in the regular season and contributed 24 points and 23 points, respectively. Westbrook went on to add 11 assists and five rebounds on 7 - of - 15 shooting, while Durant contributed five assists and five boards. Serge Ibaka shot lights out from the floor and pitched in 17 points, nine boards and three blocked shots on 7 - of - 8 shooting in 27 minutes. The bench was led by Enes Kanter, as he helped the starters with a double - double to the tune of 16 points and 13 rebounds. Dirk Nowitzki was the only Mavericks player who was able to get any sort of offense going throughout the entirety of the game and finished with 18 points on 7 - of - 15 shooting, but the rest of the starters combined to shot 12 - of - 40 in the game. Carlisle turned to Raymond Felton after Barea went down and the veteran point guard was able to get some ball movement going, but failed to find any shots for himself. Game 2 will be held at Chesapeake Energy Arena and will take place on Monday at 5:0 EST."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Clippers": "25"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "19", "Rockets": "17"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "110", "Rockets": "95"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "35", "Rockets": "36"}}, {"Points": {"James Harden": "9", "DeAndre Jordan": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "20"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (35 - 19) defeated the Houston Rockets (36 - 17) 110 - 95 Wednesday at the Staples Center The Clippers were without Blake Griffin for the third game in a row, but that did n't stop them from notching their second straight victory. Los Angeles held James Harden, the league's leading scorer who was coming off of back - to - back 40 - point games, to just nine points. Houston tried to close the gap in the fourth by sending DeAndre Jordan to the line as many times as possible, but Jordan was able make enough free throw attempts to help ice the game. Jordan finished 12 - 26 from the line. While the free - throw shooting was far from stellar, Jordan still finished with 24 points and 20 rebounds. The Clippers have taken the first two meetings with the Rockets this season. They will meet again on Feb. 25. Houston was playing the second game of a back - to - back Wednesday after Tuesday's 127 - 118 track meet in Phoenix. The Rockets relied heavily on their three - point shooting, but to no avail as they shot just 9 - 44 from beyond the arc. The Rockets enter the break with the same record as the Trail Blazers at 36 - 17. Los Angeles came into the week looking like a team that was nearing panic - mode. The Clippers lost four in a row last week and lost Blake Griffin for at least three weeks with a staph infection in his elbow. However, the Clippers responded this week with impressive wins over the Mavericks and Rockets to head into the break. The Clippers will resume play on Feb. 19 against the Spurs."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"76ers": "22"}, "Losses": {"76ers": "23", "Pistons": "11"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "95", "Pistons": "107"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"76ers": "32", "Pistons": "23"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"76ers": "20", "Pistons": "31"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "13"}}, {"Points": {"Marcus Morris": "21", "Ersan Ilyasova": "15", "Andre Drummond": "18", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "13", "Reggie Jackson": "21", "Robert Covington": "18", "Nerlens Noel": "10", "Jahlil Okafor": "22", "Isaiah Canaan": "7", "Kendall Marshall": "5", "Jerami Grant": "8"}, "Assists": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2", "Isaiah Canaan": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Andre Drummond": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "8", "Andre Drummond": "16", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2", "Jahlil Okafor": "6", "Isaiah Canaan": "1"}, "Steals": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Andre Drummond": "2", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Isaiah Canaan": "23", "Kendall Marshall": "16"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (13 - 11) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (1 - 22) 107 - 95 on Friday. The Pistons came into the night trying to avoid a fifth straight road defeat, and were facing an ideal opponent to help them break that streak in the 76ers. Detroit was able to accomplish their goal, but did so through a see - saw game that saw each team seemingly forget how to play defense in alternating quarters. The visitors ambushed the Sixers early, building a 35 - 14 lead by the end of the first period. Philadelphia closed the deficit to 57 - 46 by halftime on the strength of a second quarter where they outscored Detroit by a score of 32 - 23. Coming out of intermission, it was the Pistons' turn to reestablish their dominance, and they managed to build their lead back up to 22 by outscoring the home team 31 - 20 during the period. Entering the fourth quarter, the one - win Sixers consequently found themselves down 88 - 66, and were able to only gain modest ground by winning the final 12 minutes, 29 - 18. The end result was a 107 - 95 final score, and Philadelphia's 22nd loss in 23 games. Detroit secured the victory on the strength of impressively productive and balanced nights from each of their starting five. They were led by stalwarts Reggie Jackson and Marcus Morris, who each managed 21 points. The former added five rebounds and four assists, while the latter pitched in with eight rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block. Andre Drummond posted a second consecutive 18 - point performance and double - double, adding 16 rebounds, four blocks and a pair of steals. The Pistons' superstar center has now hauled in 35 boards over the last two games alone. Ersan Ilyasova and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who have proven to be inconsistent at times this season, also made significant contributions. Ilyasova filled out the stat sheet with a second 15 - point effort in the last three contests, and eight rebounds, a pair of assists, a pair of blocks and a pair of steals. Meanwhile, Caldwell-Pope collected 13 points, two assists, two rebounds and three steals. The Pistons improved to 13 - 11 and remain in fourth place in the Eatern Conference's Central Division. They head home to face the Pacers on Saturday night. The Sixers encouragingly received another strong performance from first - rounder Jahlil Okafor, who has now put together back - to - back impressive outings after a sub - par return from his suspension last Monday against the Spurs. Friday, Okafor tallied 22 points and added six boards. Joining him in posting double - digit scoring were Nerlens Noel (10 points) and the dependable Robert Covington (18 points), who also came a rebound short of a double - double. Isaiah Canaan had a third straight poor outing, managing only seven points, two assists and a rebound over 23 minutes. Kendall Marshall made his season debut after knee surgery, and poured in five points over 16 minutes. Jerami Grant led the Sixers reserves with eight points. Philadelphia fell to 1 - 22 and remains in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head to Toronto to face the Raptors on Sunday afternoon."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "42", "Hornets": "33"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "83", "Hornets": "98"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "23"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "19", "Hornets": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"Mo Williams": "11", "Victor Oladipo": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Mo Williams": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Mo Williams": "38", "Bismack Biyombo": "14", "Victor Oladipo": "38"}, "Points": {"Mo Williams": "23", "Victor Oladipo": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Mo Williams": "2", "Bismack Biyombo": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Mo Williams": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Bismack Biyombo": "1"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (24 - 33) defeated the Orlando Magic (19 - 42) 98 - 83 on Sunday. Charlotte has won two of their last three games as they've started to find a groove with interim starting point guard Mo Williams. He scored 23 points and dished out 11 assists in 38 minutes against the Magic to record his second double - double since joining the Hornets five games ago. Williams has played well, but the Hornets are looking forward to getting Kemba Walker back in the fold. Walker underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee on Jan. 28 and was given a 4 - 6 week timetable to return. He'll be evaluated Wednesday by the Hornets, and if all goes well, a more definitive return date could be revealed to get Walker back in the lineup. Big man Bismack Biyombo returned to action Sunday after being out with a knee injury since Jan. 24. Biyombo put up three rebounds and one block in 14 minutes off the bench. The Hornets are tied with the Brooklyn Nets for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East, but they also have the Pacers, Celtics and Pistons within two games of them, fighting for the final playoff spot. Orlando is seven games behind the Hornet and Nets, putting them all - but out of the playoff conversation this late in the season. They've lost three straight, and while the team has played great defense recently, holding nine straight opponents to under 100 points scored, their struggles on offense have kept them out of the win column most nights. Victor Oladipo was the lone bright spot in the starting lineup Sunday, scoring a team - high 21 points and five assists in 38 minutes. The Magic won the first two games of their season series with the Hornets, but Charlotte tied everything up with Sunday's win to close up the season series in a 2 - 2 tie. Charlotte will return home to host the Lakers on Tuesday, and Orlando will host the Suns on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "41"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "59", "Kings": "48"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "101", "Kings": "105"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Suns": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Suns": "51", "Kings": "40"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "22", "Kings": "33"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Kings": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Rudy Gay": "15", "Ben McLemore": "14", "Seth Curry": "20", "Quincy Acy": "9", "Mirza Teletovic": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "6", "Ben McLemore": "7", "Seth Curry": "3", "Mirza Teletovic": "3"}, "Steals": {"Rudy Gay": "2", "Mirza Teletovic": "2"}, "Assists": {"Seth Curry": "15", "Mirza Teletovic": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Quincy Acy": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Quincy Acy": "2", "Mirza Teletovic": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Quincy Acy": "2", "Mirza Teletovic": "10"}, "Personal fouls": {"Quincy Acy": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Mirza Teletovic": "34"}, "Turnovers": {"Mirza Teletovic": "3"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (33 - 48) defeated the Phoenix Suns (22 - 59) 105 - 101 at Talking Stick Arena on Monday. With the season winding down and only a handful of games across the league left to play, the Kings came away with a road win without DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo. Cousins was shut down for the season and Rondo was written down for rest, although it is unlikely he plays the final game on the schedule. Sacramento had little trouble getting out to a lead before halftime, but poor foul shooting down the stretch and a lowly 18 point fourth quarter gave Phoenix some daylight to catch up. The Suns were also shorthanded, as Tyson Chandler (concussion) was sidelined alongside Brandon Knight and Archie Goodwin (ankle). Seth Curry had a career night and flashed some of his older brothers range and passing ability which had the commentators regularly saying \u201cwe have seen the before! \u201d. Curry finished with 20 points, which led all Kings scorers, and added 15 assists and three rebounds. Ben Mclemore joined Curry in the backcourt and contributed 14 points and seven rebounds, while Rudy Gay pitched in some highlight reel dunks on his way to 15 points, six rebounds and two steals. Quincy Acy was able to knock down the two needed free throws to prevent a last second chance for the Suns in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter and finished with nine points off the bench. The Phoenix starters mostly finished in double figures and that included three players who eclipsed 10 rebounds, but it was Mirza Teletovic who shined in 34 minutes off the bench. Teletovic added 26 points on 10 - of - 20 shooting, to go along with three rebounds, one assist and two steals. The undrafted 30 - year old forward has strung together an impressive five game stretch, where he has averaged 22 points on 47 percent shooting and proved to be a bright spot on the Suns underwhelming roster. Alex Len, Jon Leuer and P.J. Tucker finished with double - doubles in the points and rebounds department, and as a unit, Phoenix dominated the rebounding battle 51 - 40, but their 41 percent shooting kept them out of the game. Both teams play their final games of the season on Wednesday, as the Kings will visit the Houston Rockets (40 - 41) in a win or go home game for James Harden\u2019s crew, while the Suns host the playoff bound Los Angeles Clippers (52 - 28)."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "29", "Knicks": "42"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "109", "Knicks": "95"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "22", "Knicks": "10"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Chris Bosh": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Carmelo Anthony": "32", "Hassan Whiteside": "19"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "26", "Chris Bosh": "32", "Hassan Whiteside": "7"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Hassan Whiteside": "9"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Chris Bosh": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chris Bosh": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "2"}}], "The Miami Heat (22 - 29) defeated the New York Knicks (10 - 42), 109 - 95, on Monday. Chris Bosh filled the cup on Monday night, finishing with 32 points and six assists. He also hit 4 - of - 6 from the three - point line. Hassan Whiteside has been slowed down by an ankle injury of late. While he played just 19 minutes, he had seven points, nine rebounds and two blocks. The Heat were down by 14 points in the first half, but quickly erased the deficit and eventually gained a 14 - point lead on the Knicks. After missing the team's previous game Saturday against the Warriors as part of his schedule to rest during the second game of back - to - backs, Carmelo Anthony left Monday's contest with a knee injury. He had 26 points, four assists and four rebounds in 32 minutes before his departure. R egardless, Anthony is highly unlikely to play Wednesday against the Magic and now will take it easy during the All-Star break. On Wednesday, the Knicks will head to Orlando to face the Magic, while the Heat will play the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "30", "Magic": "43"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "108", "Magic": "97"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Heat": "26"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Heat": "31", "Magic": "12"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "42", "Magic": "29"}}, {"Assists": {"Evan Fournier": "2", "Dewayne Dedmon": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "7", "Andrew Nicholson": "1", "Luol Deng": "5", "Goran Dragic": "8", "Josh Richardson": "2"}, "Points": {"Evan Fournier": "20", "Dewayne Dedmon": "10", "Elfrid Payton": "14", "Andrew Nicholson": "19", "Luol Deng": "10", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "13", "Goran Dragic": "22", "Josh Richardson": "14", "Hassan Whiteside": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Evan Fournier": "7", "Dewayne Dedmon": "6", "Elfrid Payton": "7", "Andrew Nicholson": "6", "Luol Deng": "13", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "5", "Josh Richardson": "2", "Hassan Whiteside": "12"}, "Steals": {"Dewayne Dedmon": "1", "Luol Deng": "1", "Amar'e Stoudemire": "1", "Goran Dragic": "4", "Hassan Whiteside": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Luol Deng": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "5"}}], "The Miami Heat (42 - 30) defeated the Orlando Magic (29 - 43) 108 - 97 on Friday. A short - handed Magic squad surprised the Heat in the first half, mounting a 57 - 54 lead by intermission despite missing Nikola Vucevic (groin) and the sharpshooting Victor Oladipo, who sat out the game with a wrist injury. However, the tenor of the contest significantly changed in a crucial third quarter, which Miami won going away, 31 - 12. As has often been the case during Chris Bosh's extended absence due to blood clots, the duo of Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside stepped up significantly on offense. Both players eclipsed the 20 - point mark, and filled out the other areas of the stat sheet as well against the undermanned Orlando defense. The Magic were led by a strong effort from Evan Fournier, who supplied 20 points, seven rebounds and two assists. Andrew Nicholson was suprisingly right behind him, tallying a bench - leading 19 points, and also contributing six rebounds and an assist. Elfrid Payton followed up his triple - double in Orlando's last contest versus the Pistons by putting together a 14 - point, seven - rebound, seven - assist stat line. Dewayne Dedmon received another start at center in Vucevic's absence, and collected 10 points, six rebounds, an assist and a steal. Orlando remains in last place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They're home against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night. The Heat's attack was spearheaded by Whiteside, who posted 26 points, 12 rebounds, a steal and five blocks off the bench. Dragic followed closely behind with 22 points, eight assists and four steals. Josh Richardson also made strong contributions in a reserve role, managing 14 points, two rebounds and two assists. Amar'e Stoudemire tallied 13 points, five rebounds and a steal. Luol Deng, who started the day with a questionable designation due to a thigh injury, posted 10 points, 13 boards, five assists, a steal and a block. Miami remains in second place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division, and has a hold of the fifth seed in the conference as well. They're home again on Monday versus the Brooklyn Nets."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "16", "Wizards": "12"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "107", "Wizards": "105"}, "Rebounds": {"Pelicans": "41", "Wizards": "33"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "6", "Wizards": "9"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "50"}}, {"Assists": {"John Wall": "12", "Tyreke Evans": "4"}, "Points": {"John Wall": "26", "Tyreke Evans": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"John Wall": "7", "Tyreke Evans": "7"}, "Steals": {"Tyreke Evans": "2"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (6 - 16) defeated the Washington Wizards (9 - 12) 107 - 105 in a nail - biter on Friday. This was an exciting game that ultimately came down to the final shot. Gary Neal took the last shot at the buzzer to tie the game, but could n't quite come through for the Wizards. Both teams shot well, as they were both right around the 50 percent mark. The Pelicans outrebounded the Wizards 41 - 33 and that very well may have been the difference in the game The Wizards had to play this game with a multitude of injuries and that's a bad recipe to win on the road. Drew Gooden, Nene Hilario and Kris Humphries all were ruled out well before the game, but the big surprise was the late scratch of Bradley Beal. He was inactive due to some leg soreness and that's a major worry for Washington fans, as that's the same leg he had a stress fracture on just last season. That means John Wall had to step up and he did just that. Wall tallied 26 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds in a tough loss. This 9 - 12 record is not what Wizards fans hoped for and they need to get healthy first if they want to get any better. They'll travel to Dallas on Saturday to take on the Mavericks in the second half of a back - to - back. The Pelicans got a much needed win here, as the season has been slipping away since day one. This Pelicans roster was depleted just as much as Washington's just last week, but most of those guys are back now. Most notably, Tyreke Evans is back and playing brilliantly. Evans contributed 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals to carry his team to a victory. Jrue Holiday, Anthony Davis, Eric Gordon and Evans carried the load, as they combined for 79 points in the win. The struggling defense still allowed 105 points, but that actually lowered their season average, amazingly. New Orleans will look to keep this momentum going on Saturday, when they take on the Chicago Bulls in the second half of a back - to - back set."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "38", "Kings": "37"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "115", "Kings": "112"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pelicans": "17"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "24", "Kings": "25"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "49"}}, {"Points": {"Rudy Gay": "18", "DeMarcus Cousins": "40", "Rajon Rondo": "18", "Anthony Davis": "31", "Norris Cole": "23", "Jrue Holiday": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "10", "DeMarcus Cousins": "16", "Anthony Davis": "10", "Norris Cole": "7", "Jrue Holiday": "4"}, "Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Rajon Rondo": "10", "Norris Cole": "6", "Jrue Holiday": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3", "Dante Cunningham": "3", "Anthony Davis": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "0", "Anthony Davis": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "29", "Anthony Davis": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "16", "Dante Cunningham": "3", "Anthony Davis": "13"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "9", "Anthony Davis": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "8", "Anthony Davis": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "41", "Anthony Davis": "38", "Norris Cole": "40"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Anthony Davis": "3", "Norris Cole": "3", "Jrue Holiday": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Jrue Holiday": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Jrue Holiday": "3"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (24 - 38) defeated the Sacramento Kings (25 - 37) 115 - 112, Monday night at Smoothie King Center. This was a hard - fought battle between two floundering western squads. Sacramento started out strong but New Orleans battled back from a 17 - point deficit in the third quarter to eventually tie the game at 89 with 8:40 left in the fourth. New Orleans then continued the comeback with a 15 - 4 run in the last four minutes, capped off with a three by Dante Cunningham and clutch foul - line jumper from Jrue Holiday. The 17 - point difference that the Pelicans overcame to snap their four - game losing streak was the largest comeback they have completed all season. New Orleans has now won its last five contests against the Kings. Anthony Davis had his hands full doing battle against DeMarcus Cousins, but still found time to drop 31 points (13 - 21 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 4 - 9 FT), along with 10 rebounds and three steals, in 38 minutes on the floor. In the absence of Eric Gordon who is out with a broken finger, Jrue Holiday got the start at point guard. Holiday finished with an impressive 20 points and 10 assists, as well as four rebounds, four steals and one blocked shot, in 35 minutes, while Norris Cole chipped in 23 points, along with seven rebounds, six assists and three steals, in 40 minutes. In spite of the loss, DeMarcus Cousins put up a monstrous 40 points (16 - 29 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 8 - 9 FT) and 16 rebounds, as well as four assists and four steals, in 41 minutes. Rudy Gay and Rajon Rondo each contributed their own double - double; Rondo with 18 points and 10 assists and Gay with 18 points and 10 rebounds. The Kings shot a solid 49 percent from the field but it was not enough to compensate for their 24 turnovers, as the Pelicans sent them packing. Next, the Kings will host the Cavaliers on Wednesday. The Pelicans begin a five - game road trip in Charlotte on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Raptors": "28"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "37", "Kings": "53"}, "Losses": {"Raptors": "12", "Kings": "16"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "94", "Kings": "104"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "17", "Kings": "11"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Omri Casspi": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Omri Casspi": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Omri Casspi": "8", "DeMar DeRozan": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Omri Casspi": "6", "DeMar DeRozan": "10"}, "Points": {"Omri Casspi": "15", "Rudy Gay": "19", "DeMarcus Cousins": "15", "Rajon Rondo": "19", "James Johnson": "14", "DeMar DeRozan": "28", "Kyle Lowry": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "9", "DeMarcus Cousins": "9", "James Johnson": "6", "Bismack Biyombo": "13", "DeMar DeRozan": "7"}, "Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "5", "Rajon Rondo": "13", "DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (11 - 16) defeated the Toronto Raptors (17 - 12) 104 - 94 on Sunday. Sacramento darted out to a strong start and led Toronto by more than 20 points in the first quarter, but the lead never stretched to blow out pace, as the Raptors were able to keep the game close through the second half. After picking up a second technical foul for arguing with the ref, point guard Kyle Lowry was ejected from the game in the 3rd quarter. Lowry had scored 13 points and dished out four assists before his early departure. DeMar DeRozan handled most of the workload and was instrumental in keeping the Raptors in the game, as he finished with 28 points, seven rebounds and an assist on 10 - of - 24 shooting. James Johnson chipped in 14 points and six rebounds, while starting center Bismack Biyombo crashed the offensive and defensive glass to the tune of 13 boards. The Raptors slow start resulted in a poor shooting performance, as the team finished 37 percent from the floor and 28 percent from deep. The Kings were unable to keep the momentum after the explosive start, but did close out the game on a 12 - 4 run during the last five minutes. As a unit, the Kings shot 53 percent from the floor and six of the eight total players finished in double figures. Rajon Rondo scored 19 points, to go along with 13 assists, while Rudy Gay matched the point guards work in the scoring department and added nine rebounds. Rondo came into the game leading the league with 11 assists per game. DeMarcus Cousins continues to round out the stat sheet and contributed an all around dominant performance, with 15 points, nine rebounds, five assists, two steals and four blocks. Forward Omri Casspi utilized the long ball to extend the Kings lead on multiple occurrences, completing 3 - of - 4 from deep, alongside an efficient 6 - of - 8 from the floor, totalling 15 points in the win. The Kings will look to work their way back into the Western Conference playoff picture when they visit the Washington Wizards (11 - 14) on Monday, while the Raptors host the Dallas Mavericks (15 - 12) on Tuesday."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "6", "Mike Conley": "8"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Marc Gasol": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Marc Gasol": "4", "Mike Conley": "7", "JJ Redick": "7"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "26", "Mike Conley": "30", "Blake Griffin": "25", "JJ Redick": "29", "Chris Paul": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "6", "Blake Griffin": "8"}, "Steals": {"Mike Conley": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Mike Conley": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chris Paul": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Chris Paul": "3"}}], "The Grizzlies' Mike Conley received the largest contract in NBA history over this offseason, and on Wednesday he showed why. Conley dominated every aspect of the game, scoring 30 points including seven three - pointers, dishing out eight assists, and recording three steals while playing solid defense on All-Star Chris Paul. Conley was n't the only jack - of - all - trades displaying a wide array of skills on Wednesday, however. Center Marc Gasol scored 26 points and showed his newfound range with four three - point shots. Gasol also recorded six rebounds and six assists. For the Clippers, it was a season - best night for guard J.J. Redick, who scored 29 points and hit seven three - pointers. All-Star Blake Griffin also thrived, scoring 25 points and pulling down eight rebounds. Point guard Chris Paul, however, had an uncharacteristically poor night, shooting just 3 - of - 11 en route to only nine points."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Kings": "40", "Nuggets": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "55", "Nuggets": "45"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "1", "Nuggets": "3"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "131", "Nuggets": "109"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Kings": "40", "Nuggets": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Kings": "40", "Nuggets": "32"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "4", "Nuggets": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"Ty Lawson": "9", "Randy Foye": "2", "DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Points": {"Ty Lawson": "13", "Randy Foye": "19", "Rudy Gay": "29", "DeMarcus Cousins": "30", "Ben McLemore": "10", "Carl Landry": "18"}, "3-pointers made": {"Darrell Arthur": "2", "Randy Foye": "3", "Rudy Gay": "3", "Ben McLemore": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Darrell Arthur": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Darrell Arthur": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Randy Foye": "5", "Rudy Gay": "3", "Ben McLemore": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Randy Foye": "11", "Rudy Gay": "12", "Ben McLemore": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Randy Foye": "7", "Rudy Gay": "9", "Ben McLemore": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "11", "Carl Landry": "4"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (4 - 1) defeated the Denver Nuggets (1 - 3) 131 - 109 on Wednesday at the Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento. After getting the Kings secured the victory in the first game of these teams' back - to - back, home - and - home series on Monday, they looked even more impressive Wednesday, shooting 55 percent from the field and 40 percent from beyond the three - point line. In comparison, the Nuggets shot 45 percent from the field and 32 percent from beyond the arc. Led by DeMarcus Cousins, the Kings also out - rebounded the Nuggets 40 to 32. The Kings are quickly becoming the surprise of the Western Conference. Despite dropping their home - opener to the Warriors, they've now won three straight games and are gaining steam. Cousins continued his dominance in this one. After posting 19 points and five rebounds on the Nuggets on Monday, he exploded for 30 points and 11 rebounds Wednesday to give him his third double - double of the year. Rudy Gay was n't far behind and added 29 points of his own, shooting an outstanding 9 - for - 12 from the field and 3 - for - 3 from three - point land. Coming off the bench, Carl Landry had his second productive game in a row for the Kings, producing 18 points and four rebounds. Ben McLemore has struggled for much of the year but played well Wednesday. He shot 3 - for - 7 from the field and 2 - for - 5 from beyond the arc to score 10 points. The Nuggets could n't establish their defense in the two games against the Kings, as they gave up a combined 241 points over the two games. A lot of their production came from the bench in this one. Randy Foye had 19 points and two assists, as he went 7 - for - 11 from the field and 3 - for - 5 from three - point land in 27 minutes. Darrell Arthur and Nate Robinson were the other two bench players to hit double - digit scoring as they combined for 21 points. Ty Lawson started at point guard and came one assist shy of a double - double. He totaled 13 points and nine assists and did n't seem to have any trouble with his ankle that had been sore early in the week. The Kings' next game will be on the road against the Phoenix Suns on Friday, while the Nuggets will be at home against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Heat": "32", "Cavaliers": "16"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Kyle Korver": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyle Korver": "5", "Richard Jefferson": "5"}, "Points": {"Kyle Korver": "15", "Tristan Thompson": "10", "Deron Williams": "10", "Derrick Williams": "10", "Richard Jefferson": "11", "Channing Frye": "21", "Luke Babbitt": "9", "Hassan Whiteside": "20", "Goran Dragic": "23", "Tyler Johnson": "17", "Wayne Ellington": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "13"}}], "The Heat pulled away from the short - handed Cavs with a 32 - 16 second quarter and never looked back. Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside led the way for Miami with a combined 43 points, and the Heat reserves totaled 53 points while getting extra run in the blowout win. Dragic led the Heat with 23 points, while Whiteside tallied a 20 - point, 13 - rebound double - double. Tyler Johnson was next with a second unit - leading 17 points. Wayne Ellington chipped in 12 points. No other Miami player managed double - digit scoring, with Luke Babbitt (nine points) coming the closest. Channing Frye posted a team - high 21 points for the Cavs. Kyle Korver paced the starting five with 15 points, while Richard Jefferson provided 11 points as a reserve. Deron Williams, Tristan Thompson and Derrick Williams supplied a trio of 10 - point efforts."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "21", "Clippers": "35"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "30", "Clippers": "14"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "89", "Clippers": "94"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Jazz": "17", "Clippers": "26"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "16", "Clippers": "32"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "1", "Jamal Crawford": "7", "Chris Paul": "6", "Austin Rivers": "4", "Enes Kanter": "1", "Dante Exum": "5", "Trey Burke": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Blake Griffin": "0", "Jamal Crawford": "4", "Chris Paul": "1", "Austin Rivers": "2", "Enes Kanter": "0", "Dante Exum": "1", "Trey Burke": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "17", "Jamal Crawford": "14", "Chris Paul": "16", "Austin Rivers": "8", "Derrick Favors": "13", "Enes Kanter": "16", "Dante Exum": "6", "Trey Burke": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Blake Griffin": "7", "Jamal Crawford": "5", "Chris Paul": "8", "Austin Rivers": "5", "Derrick Favors": "8", "Enes Kanter": "8", "Dante Exum": "1", "Trey Burke": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "6", "Jamal Crawford": "7", "Chris Paul": "5", "Derrick Favors": "4", "Enes Kanter": "7", "Trey Burke": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Blake Griffin": "3", "Jamal Crawford": "7", "Chris Paul": "4", "Derrick Favors": "2", "Enes Kanter": "5", "Trey Burke": "1"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "17", "Jamal Crawford": "21", "Chris Paul": "21", "Austin Rivers": "12", "Derrick Favors": "18", "Enes Kanter": "21", "Dante Exum": "3", "Trey Burke": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "7", "Jamal Crawford": "3", "Chris Paul": "5", "Derrick Favors": "9", "Enes Kanter": "11", "Trey Burke": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jamal Crawford": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jamal Crawford": "2", "Enes Kanter": "3"}, "Steals": {"Jamal Crawford": "2"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Austin Rivers": "22", "Dante Exum": "26"}, "Blocks": {"Derrick Favors": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Enes Kanter": "3"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (32 - 14) defeated the Utah Jazz (16 - 30) 94 - 89 on Wednesday at Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City. While both teams shot very similar percentages from the field, the Clippers took the upper had from behind the three - point line, going 35 percent from deep, while the Jazz went just 21 percent from beyond the arc. Coming out of the third quarter, the Clippers were actually down 72 - 68, but they got hot in the fourth quarter, out - scoring the Jazz 26 - 17 to secure the five - point victory. With J.J. Redick sitting this game out with back spasms, Jamal Crawford jumped into the starting shooting guard position, matching a team - high in points with 21 (5 - 14 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt, 7 - 7 FT), while also adding two steals in 39 minutes. It was his second game in a row passing the 20 - point plateau, as he's combined for 44 points in those two matchups. Chris Paul was the other player to score 21 points (8 - 16 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT), while he also had five rebounds and six assists. Over his last three games he's averaged 20 points and 9 rebounds, as he's had the hot hand for the Clippers. Coming just shy of a double - double, Blake Griffin had 17 points (7 - 17 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 3 - 6 FT) and seven rebounds. He's now averaging 23 points and 8 rebounds on the season. Austin Rivers was the only player to score off the bench, posting 12 points (5 - 8 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt) in 22 minutes. The Jazz saw most of their production from their front court. Enes Kanter had another strong showing, scoring 21 points (8 - 16 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 5 - 7 FT) and grabbing 11 rebounds. He's turned it on offensively of late, scoring 20 or more points in four out of his last five games. Derrick Favors nearly recorded a double - double of his own with 18 points (8 - 13 FG, 2 - 4 FT), nine rebounds and two blocked shots. He's been playing good defense around the rim in his last three games, posting at least two blocks in each matchup. Trey Burke continued to come off the bench, with Dante Exum in as the starting point guard. Burke played more minutes though, notching 11 points (4 - 15 FG, 2 - 7 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT) and four rebounds in 30 minutes. Exum struggled to a meager three points, as he shot just 1 - of - 6 from the field and 1 - for - 5 from the three - point line in 26 minutes, so the Jazz will need better guard play if they want to have a better showing in their next game. The Clippers' next game will be on the road against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, while the Jazz will be at home against the Golden State Warriors on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Spurs": "50", "Kings": "60"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "51", "Kings": "51"}, "Losses": {"Spurs": "4", "Kings": "7"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "112", "Kings": "104"}, "Rebounds": {"Spurs": "33", "Kings": "46"}, "Turnovers": {"Spurs": "6", "Kings": "14"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "11", "Kings": "9"}}, {"Assists": {"Rudy Gay": "8", "Darren Collison": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Rudy Gay": "35", "Tony Parker": "38"}, "Personal fouls": {"Rudy Gay": "2"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gay": "23", "Tony Parker": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Darren Collison": "2"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (11 - 4) defeated the Sacramento Kings (9 - 7) 112 - 104 on Friday. San Antonio has won six straight games. Tony Parker scored a game - high 27 points in 38 minutes. The Spurs shot 51 percent from the field and 50 percent from beyond the arc. They were out - rebounded by the Kings 46 - 33, but they were able to overcome their deficiencies on the boards to grab the win. The Spurs begin a four - game road trip in Boston on Sunday against the Celtics. Sacramento has dropped two straight but have won four of their last seven games. DeMarcus Cousins sat out Friday's game with an illness. Rudy Gay (Achilles) and Darren Collison (quad) were able to return to action after sitting out the Kings' previous two games. Gay scored a a team - high 23 points and also collected eight rebounds and eight assists in 35 minutes. The Kings shot 51 percent from the field and 60 percent from beyond the arc, but they gave up 20 points on 14 turnovers to give away the game. They'll return home to host the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "36", "Pacers": "45"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "19", "Pacers": "29"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "108", "Pacers": "117"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Rockets": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Rockets": "39", "Pacers": "55"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "42", "Pacers": "31"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Paul George": "16", "James Harden": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul George": "5", "James Harden": "5"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "15", "Jeff Teague": "25", "James Harden": "25", "Lou Williams": "28"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "6", "James Harden": "12"}}], "The visiting Indiana Pacers took down the Houston Rockets on Monday, 117 - 108. Indiana (31 - 29) squeaked out the win over a tough Houston team. The Pacers currently sit amidst a wide - open Eastern Conference playoff race, and Monday's win will certainly help them as they jockey for positioning. It was a surprisingly lackluster night for star forward Paul George, who had just 15 points on 5 - of - 16 shooting. However, point guard Jeff Teague dominated the game, scoring 25 points to go with eight rebounds and six assists. The Pacers held a massive edge on the glass, out - rebounding Houston 55 - 39. Indiana also shot a stellar 45 percent while holding the Rockets to just 36 percent. Houston (42 - 19) had a lackluster night on the offensive end, shooting just 36 percent from the field on the night. Superstar James Harden went just 5 - of - 17 from the field, contributing to the Rockets' sub - par shooting night. It was still a fair night for Harden, who scored 25 points and dished out 12 assists. Harden also scored his 13,0th career point during the game. Lou Williams, a new addition to the Rockets' roster, scored a team - high 28 points off the bench. On Wednesday, the Pacers will visit San Antonio, while the Rockets will visit the LA Clippers."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "6"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "97", "Jazz": "86"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "2"}}, {"Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "5", "Roy Hibbert": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "3", "A.J. Price": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Gordon Hayward": "2", "A.J. Price": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "15", "Roy Hibbert": "21", "Donald Sloan": "9", "A.J. Price": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "11", "Roy Hibbert": "11", "Donald Sloan": "1", "A.J. Price": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "6", "Roy Hibbert": "7", "A.J. Price": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Gordon Hayward": "6", "Roy Hibbert": "7", "A.J. Price": "3"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "30", "Roy Hibbert": "29", "Donald Sloan": "2", "A.J. Price": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "8", "Roy Hibbert": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Roy Hibbert": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Roy Hibbert": "33", "A.J. Price": "25"}, "Steals": {"Roy Hibbert": "1"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (2 - 6) snapped a six - game winning streak, knocking off the Utah Jazz 97 - 86 on Monday night. The Pacers are currently without four starters, but it was the only starter who's left that led the charge Monday. Roy Hibbert put up 29 points (11 - 21 FG, 7 - 7 FT) with five rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal in 33 minutes. Indiana badly needed to find a way to get the win, as dropping to 1 - 7 would have been a difficult hole to climb out of. The Pacers got an impressive contribution from newly - signed A.J. Price, who scored 22 points (8 - 12 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) in 25 minutes off the bench. Starting point guard Donald Sloan, filling in for George Hill (knee) struggled mightily, contributing just two points on 1 - of - 9 shooting. For the Jazz, it's a disappointing double - digit loss to a vastly depleted team. Utah got an impressive performance from Gordon Hayward, who finished with 30 points (11 - 15 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) and added eight rebounds and five assists. While Hayward, Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter all scored in double figures, no other player on the team was able to do so, and the bench unit shot just 3 - of - 13 from the field. Next up, Utah remains on the road, heading to Atlanta to take on the Hawks on Wednesday night. The Pacers travel to Miami to take on the new - look Heat in a rematch of last season's Eastern Conference Finals."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "21", "Knicks": "16"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "104", "Knicks": "92"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pelicans": "31", "Knicks": "21"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "14", "Knicks": "16"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Knicks": "30"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "38"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Kristaps Porzingis": "3", "Justin Holiday": "4", "Jrue Holiday": "11", "Tyreke Evans": "4"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "26", "Kristaps Porzingis": "21", "Derrick Rose": "20", "Justin Holiday": "8", "Anthony Davis": "23", "Buddy Hield": "12", "Jrue Holiday": "12", "Tyreke Evans": "16", "E'Twaun Moore": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "13", "Kristaps Porzingis": "12", "Justin Holiday": "7", "Anthony Davis": "18", "Jrue Holiday": "4", "Tyreke Evans": "5"}, "Steals": {"Derrick Rose": "3"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the New York Knicks, 104 - 92, at Smoothie King Center on Friday. The Pelicans came out with some fire early on, as they would n't allow the Knicks to comeback in this game. In fact, New Orleans took a 31 - 21 lead after the first quarter, as the Knicks only had one lead after that, which lasted less than two minutes. Defense was key for the Pelicans, as the Knicks shot 38 percent from the field and 30 percent from three - point range. In addition, New Orleans won the assisting and turnover battles, en route to their 12 - point win. New York (16 - 16) got down early in this game and they simply could n't recover after that. Their \"big three\" did all they could though, as they each scored at least 20 points in the defeat. Carmelo Anthony led the team, as he tallied 26 points, 13 rebounds and three assists. Kristaps Porzingis also double - doubled, as he totaled 21 points, 12 rebounds and three assists. Derrick Rose dropped 20 points to go along with his three steals. Justin Holiday was the only player with more than five points, as he collected eight points, seven rebounds and four assists off the bench. On deck for the Knicks is a road matchup with the Houston Rockets on Saturday. New Orleans (14 - 21) has now won five of their last six games, as they continue to get healthy. Anthony Davis went off once again, as he led the team with 23 points and 18 rebounds. Tyreke Evans was second on the team, as he provided 16 points, five rebounds and four assists off the bench. Jrue Holiday recorded a double - double, as he accrued 12 points, four rebounds and 11 assists in the win. E'Twaun Moore and Buddy Hield scored 12 points a piece. The Pelicans will look to keep rolling on Tuesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"76ers": "47"}, "Losses": {"76ers": "6", "Bulls": "1"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "0", "Bulls": "5"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Mike Dunleavy": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Mike Dunleavy": "5", "Hollis Thompson": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Mike Dunleavy": "15", "Tony Wroten": "27"}, "Field goals made": {"Mike Dunleavy": "9", "Kirk Hinrich": "3", "Tony Wroten": "11", "Chris Johnson": "3"}, "Points": {"Mike Dunleavy": "27", "Pau Gasol": "17", "Kirk Hinrich": "13", "Taj Gibson": "11", "Henry Sims": "16", "Hollis Thompson": "21", "Tony Wroten": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "12", "Kirk Hinrich": "3", "Henry Sims": "8", "Hollis Thompson": "3", "Chris Johnson": "3"}, "Assists": {"Kirk Hinrich": "7", "Hollis Thompson": "1", "Chris Johnson": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kirk Hinrich": "3", "Chris Johnson": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kirk Hinrich": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Hollis Thompson": "1", "Tony Wroten": "2"}, "Steals": {"Hollis Thompson": "1", "Chris Johnson": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Hollis Thompson": "1", "Tony Wroten": "2", "Chris Johnson": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Chris Johnson": "1"}}], "The Bulls (5 - 1) extended their winning streak to four games with Friday\u2019s 118 - 116 win over the 76ers (0 - 6). Playing without Derrick Rose (ankles), Jimmy Butler led the way for Chicago. The Marquette product had 15 points in the first half, finishing with 23 to go with seven rebounds and five assists. It was Mike Dunleavy, however, who led in scoring, pouring in 27 points on 9 - of - 15 shooting, including 5 - of - 8 from three - point range. Kirk Heinrich added 13 points and seven assists, while Taj Gibson chipped in 11 points off the bench. Pau Gasol had a 17 - point, 12 - rebound double - double. Philadelphia, which shot over 47 percent from the field, trailed by 16 entering the final period. Chicago maintained the lead throughout the fourth but the Sixers would mount a furious comeback late. Down nine with 36 seconds remaining, Philadelphia got hot from beyond the arc, as Chris Johnson and Hollis Thompson combined to hit three consecutive three - pointers, cutting the Chicago lead to just one with five seconds to play. Kirk Hinrich hit a pair of free throws to extend it to three with two seconds remaining, and a K.J. McDaniels heave at the buzzer fell well short of the rim. The Sixers, whose last two losses have come by a combined five points, were paced by another strong performance by Tony Wroten. Filling in as the starting point guard for Michael Carter-Williams (shoulder), Wroten finished with 31 points but shot just 11 - of - 27 from the field. Thompson chipped in 21 points, while Henry Sims added 16 and eight rebounds. Nerlens Noel did not play after injuring his ankle against Orlando on Wednesday. Up next, the Sixers head to Toronto to take on the Raptors on Sunday evening. Chicago, meanwhile, travels back home to host the Celtics on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "14", "Nuggets": "15"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "97", "Nuggets": "88"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "11", "Nuggets": "11"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nuggets": "15"}}, {"Points": {"Joffrey Lauvergne": "12", "Will Barton": "16", "Gordon Hayward": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Joffrey Lauvergne": "13", "Gordon Hayward": "5"}, "Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "4"}}], "The Utah Jazz (11 - 14) held down the Denver Nuggets (11 - 15) in a 97 - 88 win on Friday, The Jazz are known as one of the best defensive teams in the league and that carried them on Friday. They held the Nuggets to just 15 points in the fourth quarter and to 6 - for - 28 shooting from three - point range in the game. Utah went on a 70 run in the middle of the fourth quarter and that really set the teams apart to give the Jazz the win. That snapped a four - game losing streak for Utah and a hot six - game stretch for Denver Denver came into this game winning five of their last six and played well enough to win here. They just could n't hit jumpers, as they shot below 25 percent on shots outside of the key. Will Barton led the team with 16 points scored off the bench and continues to show his versatility and growth. Joffrey Lauvergne also played well, as he recorded a 12 points - 13 rebound double - double in the loss. This team has been playing better lately and this is a tough task playing in Utah against a hungry Jazz team. The Nuggets will look to bounce - back when they host the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday. Utah had lost four - straight coming into this, so it was a much needed win. Gordon Hayward was the star in the game, as he tallied 26 points, five rebounds and four assists in the win. No other player scored more than 13 points, but they did have nine players score at least five points. The offense has really been struggling this season, but they'll hope a 47 percent shooting night will get the team going. Utah will look to keep this momentum going on Monday against the Phoenix Suns, another poor defensive team."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "47", "Trail Blazers": "37"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "107", "Trail Blazers": "115"}, "Rebounds": {"Kings": "34", "Trail Blazers": "49"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "19"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "31", "Trail Blazers": "42"}}, {"Field goal percentage": {"Maurice Harkless": "50"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Maurice Harkless": "7"}, "Points": {"Maurice Harkless": "20", "CJ McCollum": "30", "Damian Lillard": "22", "Rajon Rondo": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Maurice Harkless": "16", "CJ McCollum": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "10"}, "Assists": {"CJ McCollum": "3", "Damian Lillard": "8", "DeMarcus Cousins": "1", "Rajon Rondo": "12"}, "3-pointers made": {"CJ McCollum": "5", "DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Damian Lillard": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Damian Lillard": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"Damian Lillard": "1", "Rajon Rondo": "4"}, "Steals": {"Damian Lillard": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Rajon Rondo": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "6"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (42 - 37) defeated the Sacramento Kings (31 - 47) at Sleep Train Arena on Tuesday, 115 - 107. The Kings entered the contest winning four of their last six games, but narrowly fell to the Blazers, even with DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo in the lineup. The inconsistent Sacramento squad has been in the headlines over the past few weeks with Cousins being the center of attention after the strange strategy of sitting him during away games came up. Combine that with George Karl\u2019s decision to rest most of his team without having a shot at the Western Conference playoffs, and one might think the circus is in town. Even with the two superstars in the starting five, the Kings were shorthanded, as Rudy Gay (rest), Kosta Koufos (rest), Darren Collison (rest) and Marco Belinelli (foot) were all sidelined. Regardless of who was available, the Blazers are not a great road team. DeMarcus Cousins was able to bully his matchups with Maurice Harkless and Mason Plumlee. The big man scored 30 points and grabbed nine rebounds on 11 - of - 21 shooting. Rajon Rondo packed the box score on his way to a triple - double with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists. The Blazers looked sloppy in the first half, but C.J. McCollum\u2019s ability to change pace and cut corners on a dime kept the game close enough to take advantage of the shorthanded Kings in the second half. McCollum matched Cousins\u2019 30 points and added three rebounds, three assists and five three pointers in the contest. Damian Lillard took a few quarters to heat up, but the second half, particularly the fourth quarter, is named \u201cLillard Time\u201d for a reason. Portland\u2019s point guard scored 22 points, dished out eight assists and did damage from the free throw line where he knocked down 7 - of - 8 shots. Harkless was not exactly superb on the defensive end, but his willingness on the offensive end of the floor led to one of his best performances of the season, as he pitched in 20 points and 16 rebounds (seven of which on the offense) on 50 percent shooting. Neither team's bench shined in the game, but Portland heavily outrebounded Sacramento 49 - 34, while also forcing 19 turnovers. The Blazers will host the Oklahoma City Thunder (54 - 24) as part of the second game of a back - to - back on Wednesday, while the Kings welcome the Minnesota Timberwolves (25 - 52) on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "43", "Clippers": "26"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "101", "Clippers": "112"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "39", "Clippers": "56"}}, {"Points": {"DeAndre Jordan": "13", "Chris Paul": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "14"}, "Assists": {"Chris Paul": "6", "Eric Bledsoe": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Chris Paul": "29"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Markieff Morris": "2", "Eric Bledsoe": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2"}, "Steals": {"Eric Bledsoe": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (56 - 26) defeated the Phoenix Suns (39 - 43) 112 - 101 on Tuesday at the US Airways Center and are now guaranteed finish no lower than the third seed in the Western Conference playoffs. The Clippers led by as many as 30 points in this contest, but their reserves allowed the Suns to cut the lead down to 11 late in the fourth quarter. Still, the lead proved to be insurmountable as the Clippers notched a franchise - record eighth consecutive road win. Chris Paul finished with 22 points and six assists over 29 minutes of action and DeAndre Jordan had another double - double with 13 points and 14 rebounds. Paul played in all 82 games this season for the first time in his career. Los Angeles finished the regular season winning 14 of its final 15 games and seven in a row. While the Clippers starting lineup is loaded with star power, questions remain about their bench corps being an Achilles heel in the post season. The Rockets and Spurs, both sitting at 55 - 26, will finish their respective seasons Wednesday. Those games have major implications on the West's final standings, but the Clippers will be slotted no lower than third. Phoenix's disappointing second half came to an end Tuesday. The Suns had a legitimate chance at winning the eighth seed in the West when they moved to 38 - 33 in late March, but a 1 - 9 finish down the stretch eliminated them from contention. Phoenix started the year with a crowded back court that featured Goran Dragic, Isaiah Thomas, and Eric Bledsoe, but a flurry of trade deadline moves jettisoned Dragic and Thomas to the Eastern Conference and brought Brandon Knight to the Suns. Knight was hampered by an ankle injury for much of the second half of the season, causing him to miss all but one game after March 9. The Suns have narrowly missed the playoffs two years in a row, but players like Markieff Morris and Eric Bledsoe should keep them a competitive team next season."], [[{"Total points": {"Kings": "100", "Pacers": "106"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "52"}}, {"Points": {"Paul George": "24", "Jeff Teague": "22", "Rudy Gay": "21", "DeMarcus Cousins": "25"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "11", "DeMarcus Cousins": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Jeff Teague": "7", "DeMarcus Cousins": "12"}}], "Indiana rallied for a 106 - 100 victory at Sacramento behind Paul George's 24 points and Jeff Teague's 22 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. The Pacers could n't buy a basket in the first half, shooting 41 percent from the field and getting outrebounded 24 - 11. They turned it around in the second half, though, finishing at 52 percent shooting and gaining a 21 - 12 advantage on the boards in the final two quarters. The Pacers trailed by as many as 22 points in the first half, but outscored the Kings 65 - 40 in the second half. DeMarcus Cousins posted his fifth career triple - double, finishing with 25 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the Kings. Rudy Gay scored 21 points but left late in the third quarter with an Achilles' tendon injury. The Kings led 79 - 69 at that point but were outscored, 37 - 21, the rest of the way."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Lakers": "14", "Grizzlies": "24"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "41", "Grizzlies": "51"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "95", "Grizzlies": "112"}, "Rebounds": {"Lakers": "38", "Grizzlies": "47"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "41"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "23"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "34"}}, {"Assists": {"Zach Randolph": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Zach Randolph": "25"}, "Points": {"Zach Randolph": "15", "Vince Carter": "19", "Lance Stephenson": "14", "Julius Randle": "17", "D'Angelo Russell": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "10", "Lance Stephenson": "7", "Julius Randle": "7"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (34 - 23) blew out the host Los Angeles Lakers (11 - 48) 112 - 95 on Friday. There were times when this game was close, but certainly not late. The Grizzlies carried a 17 - point lead into halftime and got into garbage time before the fourth quarter began. Every statistic was extremely uneven, as Memphis dominated in every facet. The Grizzlies outrebounded the Lakers 47 - 38, outshot them 51 percent to 41 percent and outassisted them 24 - 14. The Grizzlies actually would have outscored the Lakers in every quarter as well if the Lakers didn\u2019t bury a meaningless three with seconds left. Memphis has been playing great ball as of late and they didn\u2019t let down here. P.J. Hariston led the team with 21 points, while playing 30 minutes in the victory Vince Carter played a bunch of garbage time and scored 19 points in a renaissance performance. Zach Randolph played just 25 minutes, but totaled 15 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in the win. Lance Stephenson continued to thrive for his new team, as he accumulated 14 points and seven rebounds off the bench. Up next for Memphis is another favorable matchup against the Phoenix Suns on Saturday. Garbage time has become far too common for this Lakers team, but it does allow the youngsters to play more and develop. D'Angelo Russell continued to start and put up a team - high 22 points in the loss. Julius Randle was the only other player who played well, as he totaled 17 points and seven rebounds in the defeat. Only one other player scored in double figures, as the Lakers had to play this game without Kobe Bryant who is recovering from a shoulder injury. Los Angeles gets a few days off until their next game, when it plays host to the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "45", "Bulls": "42"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "33", "Bulls": "21"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "100", "Bulls": "91"}, "Rebounds": {"Pistons": "42", "Bulls": "43"}, "Turnovers": {"Pistons": "10"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "22", "Bulls": "34"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bulls": "30"}}, {"Points": {"Pau Gasol": "12", "Joakim Noah": "10", "Jimmy Butler": "30", "Derrick Rose": "8", "Taj Gibson": "15", "Caron Butler": "20", "Greg Monroe": "20", "Andre Drummond": "18", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "8", "Taj Gibson": "9", "Andre Drummond": "20"}, "Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Derrick Rose": "31"}, "Turnovers": {"Derrick Rose": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andre Drummond": "13"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Andre Drummond": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "5"}}], "The Pistons (22 - 33) held off the Bulls (34 - 21) 100 - 91 in Detroit on Friday night. Playing without new acquisition Reggie Jackson, Detroit started Spencer Dinwiddie at point guard. The rookie out of Colorado scored 12 points and had nine assists in 31 minutes. Andre Drummond led the way with 18 points and 20 rebounds while helping to limit Joakim Noah to 10 points. Greg Monroe and Caron Butler each chipped in 20 points, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope finished with 12 points on 5 - of - 11 shooting. Detroit shot 45 percent from the field and committed only 10 turnovers, compared to Chicago\u2019s 20. The Bulls, who shot 42 percent from the field, were led by 30 points and five assists from Jimmy Butler. Pau Gasol added 12 points and eight rebounds, while Taj Gibson added 15 points and nine rebounds off the bench. Derrick Rose was limited to only eight points, with six turnovers, in 31 minutes. Chicago won the rebounding battle 43 - 42 but surrendered 13 offensive rebounds, nine of which came courtesy of Drummond. Next up, Detroit plays host to Washington on Sunday afternoon. Chicago returns home to face the new - look Suns on Saturday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "40", "Trail Blazers": "25"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "89", "Trail Blazers": "92"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "31", "Trail Blazers": "45"}}, {"Free throws made": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "36"}, "Points": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "19", "Damian Lillard": "23", "Elijah Millsap": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "9", "Damian Lillard": "8", "Elijah Millsap": "8"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "12", "Elijah Millsap": "2"}, "Steals": {"Elijah Millsap": "3"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (45 - 25) defeated the Utah Jazz (31 - 40) 92 - 89 on Wednesday. Iron man Damian Lillard led Portland with 23 points, 12 assists to go along with eight rebounds. He stepped it up as his team was without French swingman Nicolas Batum, who was out with a back injury. LaMarcus Aldridge has been dealing with hand and finger injuries all season but still manages to make the lineup on most nights. He sat out Tuesday night against the Golden State Warriors but was able to give it a go against the Jazz. He had 19 points and nine rebounds in 36 minutes. He and his fellow superstar teammate Lillard, were determined to end their losing streak at five games and scored 13 straight points to end the game. Despite their losing streak, that was snapped on Wednesday, they still hold a top five record in the Western Conference. The Jazz were without their leader Gordon Hayward for the second straight game, as he's dealing with a collarbone injury. Elijah Millsap was chosen to to start at small forward in his place. Millsap did a nice job; he scored nine points to go along with eight rebounds, three steals and two assists. Utah held a 10 - point advantage heading into the fourth quarter but could n't hold off the duo of Lillard and Aldridge. The Denver Nuggets will host the Jazz on Friday, and the Trail Blazers will head to Phoenix to take on the Suns."], [[{"Turnovers": {"Kings": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "15", "DeMarcus Cousins": "11"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "16", "Kevin Love": "15", "Kyrie Irving": "26", "Kyle Korver": "18", "DeMarcus Cousins": "26"}}], "On Friday, the Cavaliers saw each member of their big three succeed in different areas of the game. While LeBron James scored only 16 points, well below his season average, he dished out a whopping 15 assists. Kyrie Irving led the team in scoring with 26 points. Kevin Love, meanwhile, dominated in the paint with a 15 - point, 18 - rebound double - double. Veteran sharpshooter Kyle Korver had the best of his three games thus far as a Cavalier, scoring 18 points off the bench. The Kings, meanwhile, saw strong play once again from center DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins scored a team - high 26 points to go along with 11 assists and eight rebounds. The Kings shot an impressive 52 percent from the field as a team and held a slight edge in rebounding, but struggled with turnovers, committing 21 on the night."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "28", "Celtics": "22"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "89", "Celtics": "97"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Knicks": "18"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "23", "Celtics": "28"}}, {"Points": {"Jae Crowder": "16", "Isaiah Thomas": "20", "Kelly Olynyk": "13", "Evan Turner": "14", "Tyler Zeller": "16", "Carmelo Anthony": "16", "Kristaps Porzingis": "10", "Robin Lopez": "17", "Arron Afflalo": "18", "Sasha Vujacic": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Jae Crowder": "5", "Isaiah Thomas": "5", "Kelly Olynyk": "5", "Evan Turner": "10", "Tyler Zeller": "10", "Carmelo Anthony": "14", "Kristaps Porzingis": "5", "Robin Lopez": "13", "Arron Afflalo": "2", "Langston Galloway": "9", "Sasha Vujacic": "3"}, "Steals": {"Jae Crowder": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "1", "Tyler Zeller": "1", "Kristaps Porzingis": "1", "Arron Afflalo": "1", "Sasha Vujacic": "1"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "8", "Kelly Olynyk": "1", "Evan Turner": "4", "Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Robin Lopez": "2", "Arron Afflalo": "3", "Langston Galloway": "2", "Sasha Vujacic": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Kelly Olynyk": "1", "Kristaps Porzingis": "1", "Robin Lopez": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "2", "Arron Afflalo": "5", "Sasha Vujacic": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Langston Galloway": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Sasha Vujacic": "4"}}], "The Boston Celtics (28 - 22) defeated the New York Knicks (23 - 28) 97 - 89 on Tuesday. Boston came into Tuesday's contest off a difficult road loss to the Magic on Sunday, in which they gave up an uncharacteristic 119 points. Jae Crowder also entered the night nursing a bruised shin suffered in that contest, a particularly concerning development given that he would be charged with defending Carmelo Anthony. However, Crowder gutted it out and Isaiah Thomas rose to the occasion alongside him, as both players were the only starters with double - digit points. The paltry production from the rest of the first unit was offset by a prolific night from the reserves, who notably scored 47 points and had three players reach double figures in scoring. The Celtics were also highly efficient near the basket in securing the win, outscoring the Knicks in the paint by the sizable margin of 58 - 28. The visitors were led by Thomas' 20 points, which he supplemented with eight assists, five rebounds and a steal. Crowder was right behind him with 16 points, five rebounds and a steal. Tyler Zeller was the surprise of the evening off the bench, posting his first double - double in over a year. He tallied 16 points as well, along with 10 rebounds and a steal. Seven of the boards came on the offensive glass, giving Boston some key second - chance possessions. Evan Turner was a bit overshadowed by Zeller's rare feat, but he put together his own 14 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included four assists and a trio of steals. Not to be outdone, Kelly Olynyk supplied 13 points, five rebounds, an assist and a block in what was a remarkable outing for Boston's back - up centers. The Celtics remain in second place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They're back home on Wednesday to take on the Pistons. The Knicks received particularly productive efforts from three members of the starting five, beginning with Arron Afflalo, who amassed 18 points, three assists, two rebounds and a steal. Robin Lopez was outstanding down low against a vulnerable Celtics frontcourt, tallying 17 points, 13 rebounds (equaling a season high), two assists and three blocks. Anthony was a force throughout the contest, collecting 16 points, hauling in 14 boards and dishing out four assists. Kristaps Porzingis could not exactly duplicate the considerable success he'd enjoyed in his first two career meetings with Boston, but did contribute 10 points, five rebounds, a steal and a block. Even Langston Galloway, who received another start in place of the ailing Jose Calderon and could only pitch in a single point, managed to haul in nine rebounds and dish out a pair of assists. Veteran sharpshooter Sasha Vujacic paced the New York reserves with his third double - digit scoring effort in the last four contests, totaling 13 points, three rebounds, an assist and a steal. The Knicks remain in third place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head to Detroit for a Thursday showdown against the Pistons."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Rockets": "21", "Warriors": "35"}, "Losses": {"Rockets": "18", "Warriors": "2"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "110", "Warriors": "114"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "16", "Warriors": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "16", "Dwight Howard": "5", "James Harden": "5"}, "Points": {"Klay Thompson": "38", "Dwight Howard": "21", "James Harden": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Klay Thompson": "7", "Dwight Howard": "13", "James Harden": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Dwight Howard": "3"}, "Steals": {"Dwight Howard": "2"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (30 - 2) held off the Houston Rockets (16 - 18) to win 114 - 110 on Thursday night. This was a good old fashion Western Conference game with a ton of scoring and competitive play. Both teams offenses looked as efficient as ever, as they both were hovering around 50 percent from the field and over 40 percent from three - point range. No team really got a big lead in this game and it was nip - and - tuck throughout. The ball movement was the big difference for the Warriors, as they recorded 35 assists to the Rockets 21. That's no surprise with Golden State ranking first in the NBA in assists. Golden state looked like a shell of themselves in their last game without Steph Curry, but looked like the Warriors we all know and love here. The team was moving the ball around like they have been all season and playing the great team - ball they are known for. Draymond Green played distributor tonight en route to his fifth triple - double, as he dished out 16 assists to go with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Klay Thompson was great as well, as he recorded 38 points and seven rebounds. This small break without Curry may be just what this team needs to continue their historic run at that elusive 72 - win mark. The Warriors will take on the Denver Nuggets in their next game on Saturday. The Rockets played extremely well here, but fell just short against a better team. The combination of James Harden and Dwight Howard were the stars on Thursday and they need them to continue to play at this level all season. Harden tallied 30 points, five rebounds and five assists while Howard collected 21 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals. Those two playing at that type of level has been a rare sight this season and if they want to make another deep run, this form will need to carry over. Houston will have another tough task on Saturday, as they have to take on the San Antonio Spurs in a building where they haven\u2019t lost in this season. Not to mention that that's a revenge game with the Rockets beating the Spurs on Christmas."], [[{}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Lou Williams": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Lou Williams": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Lou Williams": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Lou Williams": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Lou Williams": "25", "DeMarcus Cousins": "35", "Omri Casspi": "24"}, "Points": {"Lou Williams": "27", "DeMarcus Cousins": "27", "Omri Casspi": "12"}, "Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "5"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4"}, "Steals": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "5"}}], "Before Thursday's contest between the Rockets and Pelicans, it was all about the players the two teams acquired at the trade deadline. After the game, it was a similar story, as each of the three players playing in a different uniform Thursday made their mark on a new team. First, the leading candidate to win Sixth Man of the Year, Lou Williams, led the way for the Rockets with 27 points in just 25 minutes off the bench on 9 - of - 16 shooting from the field and 7 - of - 11 shooting from behind the arc. On the other side, DeMarcus Cousins had a great all - around game in his debut with New Orleans, scoring 27 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, five steals and four blocks in 35 minutes. Additionally, Omri Casspi, who was shipped to the Pelicans in addition to Cousins, was the only player besides Cousins and Anthony Davis to score in double figures Thursday, scoring 12 points in 24 minutes off the bench."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "57", "Lakers": "53"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "111", "Lakers": "113"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "18", "Lakers": "20"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Lakers": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"Jordan Clarkson": "11", "Nerlens Noel": "4"}, "Points": {"Jordan Clarkson": "26", "Jabari Brown": "22", "Nerlens Noel": "19"}, "Steals": {"Jabari Brown": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Nerlens Noel": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Nerlens Noel": "14"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers (20 - 53) beat the Philadelphia 76ers (18 - 57) 113 - 111 in overtime on Monday. Jordan Clarkson not only led the Lakers with 26 points and 11 assists, but he also led them to victory with a game winning layup with less than a second remaining in overtime. Wayne Ellington assisted on Clarkson's layup and also scored seven points of his own in the extra period. Jabari Brown came off the bench and scored 22 points to help the Lakers achieve their 20th win of the season. Nerlens Noel had another nice game to help his bid for rookie of the year. He had 19 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, one steal, one block and scored the final six points for Philadelphia. However, it was n't enough to squeak by the Lakers, as these two teams compile ping pong balls for the NBA Draft Lottery in hopes of a bright future. The 76ers will play the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, as the Lakers will bring in the New Orleans Pelicans."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Kings": "50"}, "Losses": {"Kings": "32", "Hawks": "23"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "108", "Hawks": "107"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "18"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "22", "Hawks": "31"}}, {"Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "7", "Darren Collison": "4"}, "Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "22", "Ben McLemore": "22", "Darren Collison": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "11"}}], "The host Sacramento Kings stunned the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, coming back from down 22 to win, 108 - 107. Sacramento (22 - 32) had not led until the game's final minute, when the team finally pulled ahead by a single point. A back - and - forth battle in the final minutes culminated in a game - winner for Kings point guard Darren Collison. Collison, who was integral to Sacramento's home win against Boston on Thursday, scored 22 points and also dished out four assists. Young shooting guard Ben McLemore was another key piece of the win, as his 22 points helped spark Sacramento's comeback. Ultimately, however, it was the play of recently - suspended superstar DeMarcus Cousins that put the team over the top. Cousins wowed with 22 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists on the night. Sacramento's two big wins this week over tough opponents have helped them stay in the mix for the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoff race. Atlanta (31 - 23) is one of many Eastern Conference teams grappling for position in the tight playoff standings. Friday's blown lead, however, did not help the team's case. While the Hawks saw solid offense coming from multiple starters, a shoddy second - half effort cost the team the game. The team shot over 50 percent on the night and had three 20 - point scorers, but allowed a barrage of three - pointers to fuel a comeback for Sacramento. The Kings finished with 18 threes made on the night. The Hawks will visit Portland on Monday, while the Kings will host the Pelicans on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "8", "Pistons": "10"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "104", "Pistons": "84"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hornets": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Hornets": "57", "Pistons": "41"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "12", "Pistons": "12"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pistons": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Marcus Morris": "1", "Ersan Ilyasova": "1", "Andre Drummond": "1", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1", "Reggie Jackson": "1", "Cody Zeller": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "8", "Kemba Walker": "2", "Jeremy Lin": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Marcus Morris": "1", "Ersan Ilyasova": "1", "Kemba Walker": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Marcus Morris": "4", "Ersan Ilyasova": "4", "Andre Drummond": "4"}, "Points": {"Marcus Morris": "11", "Ersan Ilyasova": "15", "Andre Drummond": "9", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "16", "Reggie Jackson": "4", "Steve Blake": "9", "Marvin Williams": "14", "Cody Zeller": "20", "Nicolas Batum": "13", "Kemba Walker": "14", "Jeremy Lin": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcus Morris": "3", "Ersan Ilyasova": "13", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "4", "Marvin Williams": "12", "Cody Zeller": "6", "Nicolas Batum": "7", "Kemba Walker": "9", "Jeremy Lin": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "4", "Andre Drummond": "1"}, "Steals": {"Ersan Ilyasova": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "2", "Kemba Walker": "1", "Jeremy Lin": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andre Drummond": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Andre Drummond": "24"}, "Turnovers": {"Andre Drummond": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Reggie Jackson": "4"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (12 - 8) defeated the Detroit Pistons (12 - 10) 104 - 84 on Monday. Pistons center Andre Drummond has undeniably been one of the NBA's most improved and productive players of the 2015 - 16 campaign, having impressively tallied double - digit scoring in every game, as well as double - doubles in all but one contest. Meanwhile, a Charlotte defense that was ranked in the bottom 10 of the league in points and rebounds surrendered to opposing centers had recently been weakened even further by the loss of center Al Jefferson to a multi - week calf injury. However, the Hornets somehow managed to get Drummond into foul trouble Monday, limiting him to 24 minutes and prompting his first single - digit scoring night of the year. The home team surprisingly dominated overall down low, outscoring the Pistons 46 to 34 in the paint and outrebounding them 57 to 41. The unexpected success led Charlotte to post their third victory with a margin of 20 or more points this season. For Detroit, veteran power forward Ersan Ilyasova stepped up during Drummond's extended stint on the bench, totaling 15 points, 13 rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block for his first double - double of the season. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (16 points, four rebounds, an assist and a steal) and Marcus Morris (11 points, three rebounds, an assist and a block) joined Ilyasova as double - digit scorers, while Reggie Jackson and Drummond amazingly posted season - lows of four and nine points, respectively. Steve Blake paced the Pistons' bench with a second consecutive nine - point performance. Detroit dropped to 12 - 10 and currently resides in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They head to Memphis for a matchup versus the Grizzlies on Wednesday. The Hornets were lead by a second straight strong effort from Cody Zeller in Jefferson's stead, as he tallied a season - high 20 points and added six rebounds, an assist and a pair of steals. The outing comes on the heels of a 17 - point, eight - rebound performance by the third - year pro versus the Bulls. Marvin Williams supported Zeller in the frontcourt with a 14 - point, 12 - rebound double - double. Kemba Walker, questionable before the game with an illness, came within a rebound of his own double - double, totaling 14 points, nine boards, a pair of assists, a steal and a block. Nicolas Batum stuffed the stat sheet once again, amassing 13 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and a pair of steals. Jeremy Lin paced the Charlotte reserves with an efficient 13 - point, four - assist, three - rebound effort, while also adding a pair of steals. The Hornets improved to 12 - 8 and currently reside in second place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They remain home for a showdown with the Miami Heat on Wednesday."], [[{"Total points": {"Wizards": "99", "Heat": "97"}, "Turnovers": {"Wizards": "15"}}, {"Points": {"Tyler Johnson": "11", "Marcin Gortat": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "17"}}], "The Washington Wizards (34 - 27) beat an injury - depleted Miami Heat (27 - 33) lineup 99 - 97 on Friday. Marcin Gortat led the way for the Wizards with a double - double of 14 points and 17 rebounds, tying the season - high 17 rebounds mark he set last Saturday against the Pistons. Washington lost their first five games coming out of the All-Star break but have turned things around with wins in two of their last three games. They got a leg up on the Heat by scoring 20 easy points off of 17 Miami turnovers, while the Heat scored just 10 points off of 15 Washington turnovers. Miami had to use a patchwork lineup to get through Friday's matchup, as the team seemed more focused on the second game of their back - to - back set Saturday when they'll return home to host a Sacramento Kings team that will afford them a good chance to secure a win. Tyler Johnson, who was signed out of the D-League on Jan. 11, started at shooting guard in place of Dwyane Wade. Wade sat out the game with a sore right hip. They also had Luol Deng sitting out the game with a right thigh contusion, which led to Henry Walker starting at small forward. To triple - down on injuries for the evening, starting point guard Goran Dragic was forced to leave the game in the third quarter with a lower back contusion and could not return. It is unclear what any of their statuses will be for Saturday's game. In the nine games they've played since the end of the All-Star break, the Heat have won five games. After losing the first game of their season series on Opening Night, the Wizards took down the Heat in each of their final three matchups this season to win the season series 3 - 1. With the loss, Miami fell into a tie for eighth place in the Eastern Conference playoff standings, and with several teams hovering around the final playoff spot in the East, every game will be big for the Heat the rest of the way. The Wizards will begin a two - game road trip in Milwaukee on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "46"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "104", "Hawks": "96"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "29"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "36"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "7"}, "Points": {"DeMar DeRozan": "30", "Kyle Lowry": "19"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "7"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (41 - 20) killed some of the surging Atlanta Hawks' (36 - 29) momentum with a 104 - 96 win on Thursday night. The high - performing Raptors continued to dominate on Thursday while taking on one of the Eastern Conference's tougher teams. The red - hot Raptors are on pace for the first 50 - win season in franchise history, now needing to go just 9 - 12 to round out the season to accomplish the feat. Toronto is a viable contender for the top spot in the Eastern Conference, sitting just two games back from the Cleveland Cavaliers. Thursday was a testimate to Toronto's strong team play, as six Raptors scored in double digits while the team shot 46 percent from the field. All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan took the reigns for the Raps, contributing a game - high 30 points on 11 - for - 20 shooting. DeRozan was the clear focal point for Toronto's offense, while fellow All-Star Kyle Lowry took on distribution, doling out seven dimes. Lowry also pitched in 19 points. He and DeRozan have joined Steph Curry and Klay Thompson and Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum as one of just three backcourt duos in the association in which both players are averaging at least 20 points per game. The Hawks, meanwhile, had come into Thursday's matchup with five wins in their last six. No Hawk scored more than 20, as the team shot just 43 percent from the field. Al Horford led the team in scoring while fellow All-Stars Jeff Teague, Paul Millsap, and Kyle Korver all struggled to find their shooting stroke. Atlanta's loss furthers the down - to - the - wire battle that the Southeast Division has become, as the Heat, Hornets, and Hawks are all separated by just 2 games. The Hawks will host the Grizzlies on Saturday, while the Raptors will host the Heat."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Grizzlies": "27"}}, {"Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "3", "Tony Allen": "3", "Mike Conley": "12", "Zach Randolph": "6", "Kevin Durant": "4", "Stephen Curry": "6"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "23", "Tony Allen": "11", "Mike Conley": "27", "Zach Randolph": "27", "Kevin Durant": "27", "Klay Thompson": "17", "Stephen Curry": "40"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "5", "Tony Allen": "12", "Mike Conley": "4", "Zach Randolph": "11", "Kevin Durant": "13"}, "Steals": {"Marc Gasol": "1", "Tony Allen": "6", "Mike Conley": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Tony Allen": "48", "Mike Conley": "41", "Zach Randolph": "35", "Stephen Curry": "42"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Mike Conley": "19", "Stephen Curry": "27"}, "Field goals made": {"Mike Conley": "10", "Stephen Curry": "15"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "3"}}], "Mike Conley was the man for Memphis as he finished with 27 points on 10 - of - 19 shooting, along with 12 assists, four rebounds and one steal, in 41 minutes. Zach Randolph also finished with 27 points, while contributing 11 rebounds and six assists, in 35 minutes off the bench. Marc Gasol added 23 points, five rebounds, three assists and one steal, while Tony Allen was came up with some huge hustle plays and finished with 11 points, 12 rebounds, six steals and three assists, in 48 minutes. The Grizzlies outscored the Warriors 49 - 21 over the fourth quarter and overtime period to earn the impressive comeback win. Stephen Curry poured in 40 points on 15 - of - 27 shooting, along with six assists and four rebounds, in 42 minutes. Kevin Durant added 27 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and three blocks, while Klay Thompson chipped in 17 points."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "26", "Trail Blazers": "8"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "94", "Trail Blazers": "106"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "12", "Trail Blazers": "30"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Trail Blazers": "42"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Trail Blazers": "34"}}, {"Rebounds": {"Chris Kaman": "12"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "7", "Wesley Johnson": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Damian Lillard": "4", "Wesley Johnson": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Damian Lillard": "4"}, "Points": {"Damian Lillard": "34", "Wesley Johnson": "17"}, "Minutes played": {"Wesley Johnson": "31"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (30 - 8) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (12 - 26) 106 - 94 on Sunday. Portland is riding a four - game winning streak, and Damian Lillard led the way for them Sunday with a game - high 34 points and seven assists. Chris Kaman was given a fourth straight start at center with Joel Freeland (shoulder) and Robin Lopez (hand) out for the near future. Meyers Leonard did some damage off the bench, putting up 12 points and 12 rebounds in 19 minutes, aptly filling Kaman's bench role. The Blazers won the game almost despite themselves. As a team, they shot just under 40 percent from the field. Los Angeles did n't fare much better, shooting just 42 percent of their shots from the field as they collected their third loss in the last four games. Kobe Bryant was rested for the second straight game and the third time in the last four games. Bryant has missed six of the Lakers' last 11 games getting extra rest, but the purpose of the rest has been unclear. He's been rested on more than just back - to - back sets and has been rested more often at home than on the road. Wesley Johnson returned to action after missing the previous three games with a hip injury. He led the team in scoring with 17 points in 31 minutes. The Trail Blazers will return home to host the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday, while the Lakers will stay home to host the Miami Heat on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "46"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "5", "Grizzlies": "9"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "103", "Grizzlies": "86"}, "Turnovers": {"Cavaliers": "17"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "18", "Grizzlies": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"Troy Williams": "1", "Zach Randolph": "2", "Tony Allen": "1", "Andrew Harrison": "4", "Jarell Martin": "1", "LeBron James": "8", "Kevin Love": "3", "DeAndre Liggins": "4", "Channing Frye": "1"}, "Points": {"Troy Williams": "13", "Zach Randolph": "18", "JaMychal Green": "2", "Tony Allen": "8", "Andrew Harrison": "13", "Jarell Martin": "8", "LeBron James": "23", "Kevin Love": "29", "DeAndre Liggins": "3", "Channing Frye": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Troy Williams": "6", "Zach Randolph": "5", "JaMychal Green": "8", "Tony Allen": "1", "Andrew Harrison": "3", "Jarell Martin": "10", "LeBron James": "6", "Kevin Love": "13", "DeAndre Liggins": "5", "Channing Frye": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Zach Randolph": "1", "Andrew Harrison": "3", "DeAndre Liggins": "1"}, "Steals": {"Zach Randolph": "2", "Tony Allen": "3", "Andrew Harrison": "1", "LeBron James": "3", "Kevin Love": "2", "DeAndre Liggins": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Memphis Grizzlies, 103 - 86, at Quicken Loans Arena on Tuesday. The two teams square off again Wednesday night in Memphis in the second game of a home - and - home series, so the Grizzlies (17 - 9) opted to rest Marc Gasol on Tuesday. That left them even more short - handed than usual, given that star point guard Mike Conley is also out for the foreseeable future. That played right into the Cavs' hands, as they were able to put together a relatively comfortable home win despite sitting Kyrie Irving for rest purposes themselves. LeBron James and Kevin Love turned in their typical quality of performance, but the story was J.R. Smith, who'd essentially been mired in a month - long slump. The veteran guard posted a season - high 23 points on 8 - of - 17 shooting, including a stellar 6 - of - 10 tally from beyond the arc. Cleveland (18 - 5) shot 46 percent from the field overall, which helped them overcome 17 turnovers. The Grizzlies were led by Zach Randolph, who started at center for Gasol. He posted 18 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. Troy Williams and Andrew Harrison turned in a pair of 13 - point efforts, with the former adding six rebounds and an assist, and the latter posting four assists, three rebounds, three blocks and a steal. Tony Allen contributed eight points, a rebound, an assist and three steals, while JaMychal Green only poured in two points but brought down eight boards. Jarell Martin supplied eight points, 10 rebounds and an assist. Love led the way for Cleveland with 29 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and two steals. James registered 23 points, eight assists, six rebounds and three steals. DeAndre Liggins compiled three points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block while drawing the start for Irving, while Channing Frye led the second unit with eight points, a rebound and an assist. The Grizzlies and Cavs meet again on Wednesday evening at FedEx Forum in Memphis."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Wizards": "28", "Magic": "18"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Wizards": "43", "Magic": "40"}, "Losses": {"Wizards": "20", "Magic": "39"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "96", "Magic": "80"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Wizards": "24", "Magic": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Wizards": "53", "Magic": "33"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "33", "Magic": "16"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "10", "Victor Oladipo": "18", "Evan Fournier": "14", "Nene": "10", "Marcin Gortat": "6", "John Wall": "10", "Rasual Butler": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "6", "Victor Oladipo": "6", "Evan Fournier": "7", "Nene": "6", "Marcin Gortat": "5", "John Wall": "3", "Rasual Butler": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "1", "Nene": "2", "Marcin Gortat": "4", "John Wall": "3", "Rasual Butler": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "1", "Nene": "2", "Marcin Gortat": "4", "John Wall": "2", "Rasual Butler": "4"}, "Points": {"Nikola Vucevic": "14", "Victor Oladipo": "13", "Elfrid Payton": "11", "Evan Fournier": "18", "Nene": "14", "Marcin Gortat": "14", "John Wall": "9", "Rasual Butler": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "8", "Victor Oladipo": "4", "Nene": "3", "Marcin Gortat": "14", "John Wall": "10", "Rasual Butler": "3"}, "Assists": {"Victor Oladipo": "5", "Evan Fournier": "2", "John Wall": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Victor Oladipo": "6", "Evan Fournier": "5", "John Wall": "5", "Rasual Butler": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Victor Oladipo": "0", "Evan Fournier": "2", "John Wall": "1", "Rasual Butler": "3"}, "Steals": {"Elfrid Payton": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Evan Fournier": "33", "Rasual Butler": "27"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Rasual Butler": "2"}}], "The Washington Wizards (33 - 20) defeated the Orlando Magic (16 - 39) 96 - 80 on Monday at the Verizon Center in Washington. The Wizards came out and got a quick start in this one, out - scoring the Magic 24 - 16 right away in the first quarter. Along with the fast start, the Wizards also shot better than the Magic, going 43 percent from the field and 28 percent from the three - point line, while the Magic went 40 percent from the floor and a meager 18 percent from beyond the arc. To put the icing on the cake, the Wizards also secured a 53 - 33 rebounding advantage. The Wizards had a balanced attack against the Magic, with the bench adding some valuable contributions. Leading the team in points was Rasual Butler, who posted 15 points (4 - 14 FG, 3 - 9 3Pt, 4 - 5 FT) and three rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench. It was his second straight 15 - point game in a row, as he's been a big reason the Wizards have won each of their last two games. Marcin Gortat had a strong showing and finished with 14 points (5 - 6 FG, 4 - 4 FT) and 14 rebounds. He was a force on the boards and was a big help in securing such an impressive advantage in the rebounding category. Coming just shy of a triple - double, John Wall recorded nine points (3 - 10 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT), 10 rebounds and 10 assists. It was the first time he failed to reach double figures in points since December fifth, although he made up for it with a new season - high in rebounds. Nene added 14 points (6 - 10 FG, 2 - 2 FT) and three rebounds as well. Like the Wizards, the Magic's highest scorer was off the bench Tuesday, as Evan Fournier finished as the team leader in points. He went 7 - for - 14 from the field and 2 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score 18 points, while also adding two assists in 33 minutes. He continues to provide the Magic solid guard depth off the bench, as he's now pushed his season averages to 12 points and 2 assists per game. Nikola Vucevic came close to recording a double - double, finishing with 14 points (6 - 10 FG, 2 - 2 FT) and eight rebounds. After posting fourteen games in a row with at least 16 points, he's now posted less than that in two straight games, as his shot attempts were noticeably down during that stretch. Also reaching double - digit points was Victor Oladipo, who recorded 13 points (6 - 18 FG, 0 - 6 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT), four rebounds and five assists. Rookie Elfrid Payton contributed 11 points and a season - high of six steals, as he stepped it up defensively for the Magic. The Wizards' next game will be on the road against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, while the Magic will be at home against the New York Knicks on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "55", "Clippers": "25"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "98", "Clippers": "119"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "18", "Clippers": "48"}}, {"Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "6"}, "Points": {"DeAndre Jordan": "17", "Austin Rivers": "13", "Nerlens Noel": "30", "Ish Smith": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "20", "Austin Rivers": "5", "Nerlens Noel": "14"}, "Assists": {"Austin Rivers": "3", "Ish Smith": "9"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Austin Rivers": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Austin Rivers": "24"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Nerlens Noel": "5"}, "Steals": {"Nerlens Noel": "2"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (48 - 25) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (18 - 55) 119 - 98 on Friday. The Clippers were led by DeAndre Jordan, who put up another stellar performance, he finished with 17 points, 20 rebounds and two blocks. He's been the leading rebounder in every Los Angeles game dating back to Feb. 21. His play has helped lead them to six straight victories, three of which were on the road. Austin Rivers has seen an increase in minutes recently, most likely because the Clippers have been on the winning end of a couple blowouts, but it never hurts to be the coach's son. He played 24 minutes against Philadelphia and scored 13 points to go along with five rebounds and three assists. Nerlens Noel continued his streak of improved play as of late. He went for 30 points and 14 rebounds against a tough Clipper's interior defense. Over his past five games he's averaging 18 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2 steals. Much better than his season averages of 10 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 steals. Ish Smith seems to have found a home in the Philly starting lineup, for the time being. He had 18 point and 9 assists against Los Angeles. The Sixers will look to tie their season high for wins in a month when they take on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, but are much more likely to take a victory against the Lakers on Monday. Doc Rivers will bring his team to Boston to take on his former team the Celtics on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "12", "Nuggets": "28"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "99", "Nuggets": "69"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "34", "Nuggets": "19"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Nuggets": "8"}}, {"Minutes played": {"JaVale McGee": "15", "Zach Randolph": "30"}, "Points": {"JaVale McGee": "2", "Zach Randolph": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"JaVale McGee": "5", "Zach Randolph": "17"}, "Free throws made": {"Zach Randolph": "3"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (34 - 12) trounced the Denver Nuggets (19 - 28) 99 - 69 on Thursday at the FedEx Forum. This game can be summed up by a single possession halfway through the third quarter where Memphis' Zach Randolph missed three shots, but pulled down three offensive rebounds and drew a foul. He made both foul shots to give Memphis a 67 - 47 lead. This possession was indicative of the overall dominance of the Grizzlies in this game coupled with the overall ineptitude displayed by the Nuggets. Randolph finished the night with 15 points and 17 rebounds in just 30 minutes on the floor. Denver stopped the bleeding of a seven - game losing streak Wednesday night by beating New Orleans 93 - 85 in New Orleans. However, the Nuggets came out flat and were routed by one of the best teams in the West. They shot a paltry 2 - for - 26 from beyond the arc, which is good enough for 8 percent. On the injury front, JaVale McGee returned to the floor in a bench role Thursday and had two points and five rebounds in 15 minutes on the floor. Denver will host Charlotte on Saturday before playing six of its next seven on the road. Memphis is clearly cognizant of the teams breathing down its neck for the second seed in the West and certainly played like it Thursday with a dominant performance. Even without Mike Conley, who is battling a wrist injury, Memphis was able to build a big lead in the early goings. Vince Carter exited the game with a left foot injury and did not return, but the severity of his injury is unclear at this point. Memphis will look to extend its winning streak to six games Saturday when Oklahoma City comes to town."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Pacers": "26"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "26"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pacers": "26"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Clippers": "40"}, "Turnovers": {"Clippers": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Myles Turner": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Myles Turner": "12"}, "Assists": {"Al Jefferson": "2", "Rodney Stuckey": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rodney Stuckey": "2"}}], "Recent results would indicate a Clippers blowout win against a depleted Pacers squad, but that simply was n't the case. Indiana turned the tables on the elite Los Angeles defense, as they held them to 31 percent from the field and 18 percent from three - point range. In addition, the Pacers forced 20 turnovers in their win and assisted on 26 of their 40 made baskets. Those 26 assists look especially impressive, considering the Clippers made just 22 shots in the game. Chris Paul, J.J. Redick and Blake Griffin all struggled, as they combined to go 10 - of - 33 from the field. Myles Turner was the best player for the Pacers, scoring 17 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Glenn Robinson III started for the injured Paul George, scoring 17 points in a game - high 38 minutes. Rodney Stuckey and Al Jefferson were huge off the bench, totaling 28 points and 13 rebounds between the two."], [[{}, {"Minutes played": {"Brook Lopez": "22", "Sean Kilpatrick": "21", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "21", "LeBron James": "27", "Tristan Thompson": "26", "Mike Dunleavy": "22"}, "Points": {"Brook Lopez": "16", "Sean Kilpatrick": "12", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "13", "LeBron James": "19", "Tristan Thompson": "16", "Mike Dunleavy": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "3", "Tristan Thompson": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "10", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "7", "LeBron James": "16", "Tristan Thompson": "8", "Mike Dunleavy": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "4", "Spencer Dinwiddie": "6", "LeBron James": "7", "Tristan Thompson": "7", "Mike Dunleavy": "6"}, "Assists": {"LeBron James": "6"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "3"}}], "Seven players scored in double digits for Cleveland, led by LeBron James, who finished with 19 points on 7 - of - 16 shooting, six assists, five rebounds and three steals, in 27 minutes. Tristan Thompson followed up with 16 points on 7 - of - 8 shooting, and 11 rebounds, in 26 minutes. Mike Dunleavy added 14 points on 6 - of - 9 shooting, in 22 minutes off the bench. Both teams shot below 30 percent from long range but shot better than 83 percent from the free throw line, while the Cavs outscored the Nets 60 - 48 in the paint. Brook Lopez was the high - point man for the Nets, with 16 points, but only three rebounds, in 22 minutes. Spencer Dinwiddie added 13 points, on 6 - of - 7 shooting, in 21 minutes off the bench, while Sean Kilpatrick shot 4 - of - 10 on his way to 12 points, in 21 minutes."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "7", "Hornets": "27"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "126", "Hornets": "111"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "42", "Hornets": "23"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Nicolas Batum": "4", "Stephen Curry": "15"}, "3-pointers made": {"Nicolas Batum": "3", "Klay Thompson": "6", "Stephen Curry": "11"}, "Points": {"Nicolas Batum": "13", "Kemba Walker": "7", "Frank Kaminsky": "24", "Kevin Durant": "18", "Klay Thompson": "29", "Stephen Curry": "39"}, "Minutes played": {"Kemba Walker": "25"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Frank Kaminsky": "14", "Kevin Durant": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Frank Kaminsky": "9"}, "Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "8"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the Charlotte Hornets 126 - 111 at Oracle Arena on Wednesday. The Splash Brothers, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, took care of business leading the Warriors (42 - 7) in a rout over the Hornets (23 - 27) at home. Golden State scored 77 points in the first half, and the Curry-Thompson combination each scored 26 points. Curry went on to knock down 11 three pointers, while Thompson added six of his own. The Hornets had no answer for the hot shooting back court, granted, getting into a shootout with the Warriors when they are on fire is never something that has worked out for opponents in Oracle Arena. Frank Kaminsky put together the best performance for the Hornets in his bench role, as he scored 24 points on 9 - of - 14 shooting, while Kemba Walker was silenced to just seven points in 25 minutes. Nicolas Batum was also held to a lowly 13 points, however, he did hit 3 - of - 4 from behind the arc. Curry went on to finish with a game high 39 points on 11 - of - 15 shooting from behind the arc. The reigning MVP added eight assists and five rebounds. Thompson scored 29 points and cooled off in the second half. Kevin Durant scored 18 points on 17 shots, but added eight assists and eight boards. Next up, the Warriors play the second game of a back - to - back when they visit the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday, while the Hornets visit the Jazz on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "36", "76ers": "36"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "44", "76ers": "48"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "31"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "99", "76ers": "105"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "24"}}, {"Blocks": {"Robert Covington": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "2", "Dario Saric": "1", "Frank Kaminsky": "3"}, "Points": {"Robert Covington": "17", "Nerlens Noel": "12", "Gerald Henderson": "12", "T.J. McConnell": "14", "Nik Stauskas": "11", "Dario Saric": "18", "Frank Kaminsky": "12", "Nicolas Batum": "16", "Kemba Walker": "29", "Jeremy Lamb": "12", "Marco Belinelli": "8", "Brian Roberts": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Robert Covington": "5", "Nerlens Noel": "7", "Gerald Henderson": "4", "T.J. McConnell": "4", "Nik Stauskas": "6", "Dario Saric": "11", "Frank Kaminsky": "11", "Nicolas Batum": "1", "Kemba Walker": "7"}, "Steals": {"Robert Covington": "3", "Nerlens Noel": "3", "T.J. McConnell": "1", "Nik Stauskas": "1", "Frank Kaminsky": "1", "Nicolas Batum": "2", "Kemba Walker": "2", "Jeremy Lamb": "1"}, "Assists": {"Nerlens Noel": "1", "Gerald Henderson": "1", "T.J. McConnell": "7", "Nik Stauskas": "2", "Dario Saric": "3", "Frank Kaminsky": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "4", "Kemba Walker": "3"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Charlotte Hornets, 105 - 99, at Spectrum Center on Monday evening. The Sixers (21 - 34) are clearly an improved team this season, and Monday's game was a tangible example of such. In past seasons, even a Philadelphia squad at full strength would have found a win on the road a near impossibility. Take out two key players and a 30 - to - 40 - point defeat was a very real possibility. However, this season's unit is playing with a very different level of confidence, and that intangible was pivotal to the Sixers notching a hard - fought victory despite the absences of Joel Embiid (knee) and Jahlil Okafor (coach's decision). Six players managed double digits in the scoring column, and Philadelphia shot 48 percent from the field overall. They played strong defense as well, limiting the Hornets (24 - 31) to a 44 percent success rate from the field and 36 percent from three - point range. Dario Saric led the visitors overall with 18 points off the bench, which he supplemented with 11 boards, three assists and one block. Robert Covington tallied 17 points, five rebounds, two assists, three steals and one block. T.J. McConnell supplied 14 points, seven assists, four rebounds and one steal. Gerald Henderson and Nerlens Noel provided matching 12 - point efforts, with the former adding four boards and one assist, and the latter registering seven boards, one assist, three steals and two blocks. Nik Stauskas generated 11 points, six rebounds, two assists and one steal. Kemba Walker paced the Hornets with a game - high 29 points, which he supplemented with seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Nicolas Batum compiled 16 points, four assists, one rebound and two steals. Frank Kaminsky III posted a 12 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also included two assists, three blocks and one steal. Jeremy Lamb led the second unit with 12 points and one steal. Marco Belinelli and Brian Roberts were productive as well with matching eight - point efforts. The Sixers travel to Beantown for a Wednesday night date with the Boston Celtics, while the Hornets travel north of the border to tangle with the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday evening as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "24", "Celtics": "15"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "94", "Celtics": "103"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "10", "Celtics": "19"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Celtics": "19"}, "Turnovers": {"Celtics": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"Jae Crowder": "1", "Amir Johnson": "3", "Isaiah Thomas": "7", "Jared Sullinger": "2", "Joe Johnson": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Jae Crowder": "1", "Amir Johnson": "2", "Kelly Olynyk": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jae Crowder": "1", "Kelly Olynyk": "1"}, "Points": {"Jae Crowder": "25", "Amir Johnson": "12", "Evan Turner": "12", "Isaiah Thomas": "19", "Jared Sullinger": "12", "Joe Johnson": "21", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Jae Crowder": "6", "Amir Johnson": "4", "Evan Turner": "11", "Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Jared Sullinger": "10", "Joe Johnson": "6", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "12"}, "Steals": {"Jae Crowder": "3", "Amir Johnson": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "1", "Jared Sullinger": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kelly Olynyk": "1", "Jared Sullinger": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kelly Olynyk": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Kelly Olynyk": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jared Sullinger": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Jared Sullinger": "18"}}], "The Boston Celtics (19 - 15) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (10 - 24) 103 - 94 on Monday. After back - to - back losses to two inferior teams in the Lakers and this same Nets squad, the Celtics got back to playing fundamental team basketball Monday. They took outstanding care of the ball, only suffering seven turnovers on the evening, and received a highly balanced effort from their starting five. Boston needed one more point from Kelly Olynyk to have all five starters post double - digit scoring, and they received a double - double effort off the bench from Jared Sullinger. The visitors were also impressive near the basket, outscoring Brooklyn 54 - 40 in the paint. Jae Crowder furthered his case as one of the most improved offensive players in the league with 25 points, six rebounds, an assist, three steals and a block. The Celtics' small forward has now rattled off double - digit scoring efforts in 18 of his last 19 contests. Isaiah Thomas was next in line with 19 points, seven assists, three rebounds and a steal. Evan Turner, subbing for the injured Avery Bradley (hip), and Amir Johnson pitched in with a pair of 12 - point efforts. Turner made it a double - double by bringing in 11 rebounds, and he also added a trio of assists. Johnson managed four boards, three assists, a steal and a pair of blocks. Sullinger was highly efficient off the bench with 12 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and three steals in just 18 minutes. The Celtics improved to 19 - 15 and remain in second place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head to Detroit for a Wednesday showdown versus the Pistons. As they have all season, Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young did their part to try to insure a Nets victory. The latter led the way with a mammoth 23 - point, 15 - rebound double - double, while the former poured in 19 points and added five boards, an assist and a block. The seemingly ageless Joe Johnson continued to torment the Celtics, tallying 21 points, six rebounds and four assists after having hung 20 points on them Saturday. Meanwhile, Bojan Bogdanovic suprised with his first career double - double, which came on a 12 - point, 12 - rebound effort. The Nets fell to 10 - 24 and currently reside in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They remain home and await the Toronto Raptors for a Wednesday showdown."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "35", "Trail Blazers": "25"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "81", "Trail Blazers": "87"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "38", "Trail Blazers": "46"}}, {"Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "1", "Damian Lillard": "4", "Eric Bledsoe": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Nicolas Batum": "32", "Eric Bledsoe": "38"}, "Points": {"Nicolas Batum": "5", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "27", "Damian Lillard": "11", "Marcus Morris": "19", "Eric Bledsoe": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Nicolas Batum": "9", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "9", "Damian Lillard": "4", "Marcus Morris": "12"}, "Blocks": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "1"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (46 - 25) defeated the Phoenix Suns (38 - 35) 87 - 81 on Friday. LaMarcus Aldridge was able to give it a go on Friday despite a finger injury that's been bothering him for much of the season. His production was uncompromised as he was able to pour in 27 points to go along with nine boards, one assist and one block. The other fist of the one - two punch that makes up the Blazers attack is Damian Lillard. He did n't play his best basketball putting up 11 points, four rebounds and four assists. It helped to have French swingman Nicolas Batum back in the fold after missing some time with a back injury. Batum recorded five points, nine rebounds and five assists in 32 minutes in his return. The Suns were once again without Brandon Knight who sat out his seventh straight game with an ankle injury. The Suns were 5 - 2 without Knight until Friday's tilt with the Trail Blazers. Marcus Morris got the start in Knight's place and recorded 15 points and nine rebounds. His twin brother Markieff had 19 points and 12 rebounds. Eric Bledsoe had an illness that jeopardized his playing status but he was able to suit up and play. He finished with 13 points and seven assists in 38 minutes of action. The Suns will host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, as the Trail Blazers will welcome the Denver Nuggets to Portland on Saturday."], [[{"Wins": {"Spurs": "5"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"Marreese Speights": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Marreese Speights": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marreese Speights": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Marreese Speights": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Marreese Speights": "18"}, "Points": {"Marreese Speights": "15"}}], "Marreese Speights is proving to be one of the needed bench players to extend the Los Angeles Clippers depth, one in which they did not have last year after injuries decimated their lineup during the playoffs. Speights added 15 points on 4 - of - 8 shooting in 18 minutes off the bench in Saturday\u2019s win over the San Antonio Spurs, which will raise the averages he came into the game with through five contests this season. The ex - Warriors player is averaging 10 points and 4 rebounds in 15 minutes per game, and this includes just over one three pointer made per game as well. The efficient shooting will bring his average of 43 percent up and is a bright sign for Los Angeles going forward. Jamal Crawford picked up his third Sixth Man of the Year award last season with the Clippers, but was used almost as much as the starters in the rotation, and the thin bench did not extend too much past that last year."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "8", "Bucks": "15"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "77", "Bucks": "107"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hawks": "16"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hawks": "19"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "21", "Bucks": "15"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "42"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "51"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Zaza Pachulia": "9", "Brandon Knight": "11", "Jared Dudley": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Zaza Pachulia": "6", "Brandon Knight": "5", "Jared Dudley": "10", "Kyle Korver": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Zaza Pachulia": "2", "Brandon Knight": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Zaza Pachulia": "2", "Brandon Knight": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Zaza Pachulia": "26"}, "Points": {"Zaza Pachulia": "14", "Brandon Knight": "16", "Jared Dudley": "24", "Paul Millsap": "22", "Al Horford": "13", "Jeff Teague": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Zaza Pachulia": "8", "Brandon Knight": "5", "Paul Millsap": "11"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Brandon Knight": "6", "Jared Dudley": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Brandon Knight": "2", "Jared Dudley": "4", "Kyle Korver": "1"}, "Steals": {"Brandon Knight": "2", "DeMarre Carroll": "1"}, "Assists": {"Jared Dudley": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jared Dudley": "1", "DeMarre Carroll": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Jared Dudley": "1"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (15 - 15) defeated the Atlanta Hawks (21 - 8) 107 - 77 on Friday at Philips Arena in Atlanta. The Bucks shot very well in this one, going 51 percent from the field and 42 percent from the three - point line. They were able to use a strong defensive presence in the second half to hold the Hawks to only 16 in the third quarter and 19 in the fourth. The Bucks were also able to force the Hawks into 23 turnovers, even furthering their advantage in a 30 - point blow out win. The Bucks' bench played a key role in this one, with Jared Dudley ending as the star of the game. Dudley came off the bench and went a perfect 10 - for - 10 from the field and 4 - for - 4 from beyond the arc to score 24 points. Averaging only 6 points per game so far this season, it was a nice surprise for the Bucks, as the Hawks could n't find anyone who could slow him down from on the defensive side of the ball. Brandon Knight also continued with his strong play. He finished the game with 16 points (5 - 11 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) and five rebounds. Knight is now averaging 25 points in his last two outings, as he's really found his shooting stroke lately. Getting the start at center with Larry Sanders sitting out, Zaza Puchulia posted an efficient 14 points (6 - 9 FG, 2 - 2 FT) and eight rebounds in 26 minutes. The 14 points matched a season - high for him. Despite not playing the toughest defense, the Hawks also struggled offensively. After contributuing solid numbers all year, DeMarre Carroll and Kyle Korver really struggled in this one. They went a combined 1 - for - 14 from the field and 1 - for - 10 from the three - point line to score three points. Paul Millsap had the most success out of anyone. He finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds, marking his seventh double - double of the year. The only other Hawks to reach double figures in points were Al Horford and Jeff Teague, who scored 13 and 12 points respectively. The Bucks and Hawks will square off again on Saturday in their second of back - to - back games."], [[{"Total points": {"Warriors": "118", "Trail Blazers": "106"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Warriors": "37", "Trail Blazers": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Warriors": "55", "Trail Blazers": "40"}}, {"Assists": {"Mason Plumlee": "6", "Draymond Green": "11", "Klay Thompson": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Mason Plumlee": "7", "Damian Lillard": "26"}, "Field goals made": {"Damian Lillard": "8"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "23", "Klay Thompson": "37"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "13", "Klay Thompson": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "7"}}], "Klay Thompson scored 37 points and Draymond Green recorded a triple - double as the Golden State Warriors defeated the visiting Portland Trail Blazers, 118 - 106, on Sunday at Oracle Arena to take a 10 lead in the Western Conference semifinals. Although reigning MVP Stephen Curry remained sidelined with an MCL sprain, the Warriors had no trouble starting the series strong. After outscoring the Blazers 37 - 17 in the first, little doubt remained that the Warriors would take the lead to start the series. A big 37 - point performance from shooting guard Klay Thompson helped pave the way for the Golden State victory. Thompson dropped in seven three - pointers en route to the big scoring night, while also notching five rebounds and five assists. Rebounding was a major focal point in the Warriors' game plan, as the team crashed the boards 55 times while holding Portland to just 40 rebounds on the night. 13 of these rebounds came from Draymond Green, who also notched an impressive 23 points, 11 assists, and two blocks. All in all it was an emphatic victory for the 73 - win Warriors. Portland, meanwhile, is fresh off a six - game defeat of the injury - riddled Clippers. After a surprisingly strong regular season, Portland managed to back it up with solid play to kick off the playoffs. Things went a different direction on Sunday, however, as team star Damian Lillard shot just 8 - for - 26 and the team was outscored by 20 in the first quarter. Shooting was also a struggle for big man Mason Plumlee, who had 13 rebounds and six assists but missed all seven of his field goal attempts on the night. Game 2 will once again see a Curry-less Warriors take on the Blazers at Oracle Arena."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "22", "Nuggets": "43"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "118", "Nuggets": "108"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "46", "Nuggets": "26"}}, {"Points": {"Kenneth Faried": "19", "Ty Lawson": "12", "James Harden": "50", "Patrick Beverley": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Kenneth Faried": "12", "James Harden": "10"}, "Assists": {"Ty Lawson": "10", "Patrick Beverley": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Terrence Jones": "9", "James Harden": "40", "Patrick Beverley": "37"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Harden": "25"}, "Free throws made": {"James Harden": "22"}}], "The Houston Rockets (46 - 22) defeated the Denver Nuggets (26 - 43) 118 - 108 on Thursday at the Toyota Center. James Harden reminded everyone why he's an MVP candidate Thursday with his seventh outing of 40 or more points, setting a new career - high with 50 points. Fittingly, he hit two free throws to eclipse his previous career - high. Overall, he was 22 - of - 25 from the line against the Nuggets. For comparison's sake, the Nuggets were 11 - of - 19 from the charity stripe in this contest. With Thursday's win, the Rockets completed the season sweep of the Nuggets. Denver had its full complement of players available for this game after resting Ty Lawson, Danilo Gallinari, and Kenneth Faried on Monday. Faried recorded a double - double with 19 points and 12 rebounds and Lawson had a double - double of his own with 12 points and 10 assists. The Nuggets have two games remaining on their five - game road trip, which continues Friday in Miami. Houston has now won three in a row and five of its last seven. Patrick Beverley was able to play through elbow soreness and finished with 10 points and seven assists over 37 minutes. In addition to his 50 points, Harden also pulled down 10 rebounds to notch the double - double. Terrence Jones moved back into the starting lineup for this game, but exited with a rib injury after just nine minutes on the floor and did not return. The Rockets will be idle Friday before hosting the Suns on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Suns": "48"}}, {"Points": {"Kent Bazemore": "22", "Dwight Howard": "17", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "21", "Brandon Knight": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "14", "Brandon Knight": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Dennis Schroder": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Dennis Schroder": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Tim Hardaway Jr.": "9"}, "Assists": {"Brandon Knight": "2"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks fell just short of a road win against the Phoenix Suns, even with one of Dennis Schroder's best games of the season. The Hawks point guard scored 31 points on 13 - of - 23 shooting, to go along with four rebounds, nine assists and one block. Kent Bazemore and Dwight Howard joined Schroder in double figures, as Bazemore finished with 22 points and Howard had 17 points and 14 rebounds to complete the double - double. Both teams got great games from a bench player. Brandon Knight of the Suns pitched in 23 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals, while Tim Hardaway Jr added 21 points on 9 - of - 17 shooting. Phoenix was able to stave off the Hawks late runs with efficient three point shooting, as evidenced by the 48 percent shooting from behind the arc."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Nikola Jokic": "8", "CJ McCollum": "3"}, "Points": {"Nikola Jokic": "17", "Jameer Nelson": "23", "Jusuf Nurkic": "33", "CJ McCollum": "39"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Jokic": "8", "CJ McCollum": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "15", "CJ McCollum": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "12", "CJ McCollum": "15"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "11", "CJ McCollum": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "9", "CJ McCollum": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"CJ McCollum": "3"}}], "It was a huge night for Portland's young stars, and in particular, recently acquired big man Jusuf Nurkic. Nurkic had a career - high 33 points on 12 - of - 15 shooting and 9 - of - 11 at the free - throw line against his former team. Offense was n't the only thing Nurkic provided, though, as he pulled down a whopping 16 rebounds to go along with two steals and three blocks. The young center continues to grow in his new starting role with Portland. Nurkic was not even his team's high scorer, however, as shooting guard C.J. McCollum exploded for 39 points. McCollum shot 15 - of - 24 from the field and splashed home three three - pointers on the night. In addition, McCollum had five rebounds, three assists, and went 6 - of - 6 at the free - throw line. For Denver, young big man Nikola Jokic made an impact with 17 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. Veteran starter Jameer Nelson also contributed somewhat surprisingly with a team - high 23 points on the night."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "8", "Trail Blazers": "15"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "105", "Trail Blazers": "99"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "39", "Trail Blazers": "32"}}, {"Points": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "37", "Kent Bazemore": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "11", "Kent Bazemore": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Kent Bazemore": "40"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (39 - 8) passed one of the toughest tests they've gotten during their remarkable 18 - game winning streak, fending off the Portland Trail Blazers (32 - 15) 105 - 99 Friday at the Philips Arena. When it appeared that Portland was storming back, Atlanta got a huge contribution from an unlikely source. Up by just one point with momentum swinging in Portland's direction, Mike Scott buried a three - pointer to give Atlanta a four point lead. From that point on, Atlanta allowed just eight points in the last 4:11 of the fourth quarter to capture its 12th straight win over a Western Conference opponent. Portland has now dropped the first two games of a quick Eastern Conference road trip after coming up short Friday in Atlanta. LaMarcus Aldridge nearly willed his team to victory with his 37 point, 11 rebound performance against the Hawks. Portland's shooting faltered down the stretch, however, and the Trail Blazers were unable to close the gap. The Trail Blazers will try salvage their road - trip Saturday in Milwaukee. Atlanta entered the game without its usual starting forward, DeMarre Carroll, who was sidelined with soreness. His replacement, Thabo Sefolosha, had to leave the game in the first quarter with a calf strain and did not return. Kent Bazemore was then called into action, where he contributed 12 points and five rebounds in a team - high 40 minutes on the floor. Atlanta will have a quick turnaround as well, finishing off its back - to - back set on Saturday against Philadelphia."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "12", "Knicks": "19"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "108", "Knicks": "81"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bulls": "31", "Knicks": "8"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "19", "Knicks": "15"}}, {"Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "20", "Kristaps Porzingis": "9", "Jose Calderon": "18", "Nikola Mirotic": "17", "Jimmy Butler": "23", "Bobby Portis": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Jose Calderon": "4", "Nikola Mirotic": "5", "Jimmy Butler": "4", "Bobby Portis": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "4"}, "Assists": {"Jose Calderon": "4", "Nikola Mirotic": "7", "Jimmy Butler": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Nikola Mirotic": "2", "Jimmy Butler": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Nikola Mirotic": "1"}, "Steals": {"Nikola Mirotic": "2", "Jimmy Butler": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jimmy Butler": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jimmy Butler": "1"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (19 - 12) defeated the New York Knicks (15 - 19) 108 - 81 on Friday night. The Knicks rolled over the Bulls in their most recent matchup, but Chicago was having none of that here. They started off the game on a 23 - 6 run and ended it with a 31 - 8 fourth quarter. It actually got down to a two - point game in the third, but Chicago dominated in the fourth quarter for a runaway result. In fact, they outscored the Knicks 65 - 26 in the first and fourth quarters. The Bulls were scorching from long distance as well, as they went 10 - for - 16 in the win. The Knicks have lost four of their last five coming into this game and things just keep rolling downhill. They did a good job of competing, but they simply allowed the Bulls to go on too many lopsided runs. In fact, they allowed Chicago to start off three quarters in this game on a 60 run or larger. Carmelo Anthony was the teams best player, as he scored a team - high 20 points to go along with seven boards. Jose Calderon also had a nice game, as he tallied 18 points, four rebounds and four assists. Kristaps Porzingis shot continued to struggle here, as he went just 4 - for - 14 for just nine points in the loss. This once promising Knicks team is regressing hard right now and it may be tough for them to make the playoffs if they continue to play like this. New York will look to bounce - back on Sunday when they host the Atlanta Hawks. Chicago played this game without Derrick Rose and played well once again. This team is so used to playing without their star point guard that they don\u2019t miss a beat when he does miss time. Jimmy Butler stepped up in his absence, as he tallied 23 points, six assists and four rebounds in the win. Bobby Portis continues to breakout as well, as he dropped 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Nikola Mirotic has been struggling recently, but he had one of his best games of the season here, amassing 17 points, seven assists, five rebounds, two steals and two blocks in the victory. The depth of this team is simply amazing and they should be fine even with the injury bug biting them hard. Chicago will take on the Toronto Raptors in their next game on Sunday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Nets": "21"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "4", "Bucks": "3"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "96", "Bucks": "103"}, "Turnovers": {"Nets": "18"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "0", "Bucks": "1"}}, {"Points": {"Khris Middleton": "17", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "21", "Greg Monroe": "23", "Brook Lopez": "18", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Greg Monroe": "13", "Brook Lopez": "9", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Greg Monroe": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Greg Monroe": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Greg Monroe": "39", "Jerryd Bayless": "47", "Brook Lopez": "34", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "25"}, "Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "2"}, "Steals": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "2"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (1 - 3) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (0 - 4) on Monday by a score of 103 - 96 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Both teams were playing for their first win of the season, and the Bucks were able to pull away late in the fourth quarter behind a tremendous performance from Jerryd Bayless, who got the start in the backcourt as the Bucks continue to shuffle their lineup around. Bayless finished with a game - high 27 points after playing nearly the entire game at 47 minutes. Greg Monroe continues to be a force down low, as he recorded his second double - double of the season of 23 points (10 - 14 FG) and 13 rebounds in 39 minutes. Giannis Antetokounmpo added 21 points and eight rebounds of his own, while Khris Middleton scored 17 points. The Bucks starters dominating the playing time and the scoring, collecting 93 of the team\u2019s 103 points. Brook Lopez led the way in the losing effort for the Nets, recording 18 points and nine rebounds in 34 minutes. Bojan Bogdanovic was solid off the bench for the second straight game, scoring 14 points in 25 minutes, and he has now scored 33 total points in his last two contests. However, while seven Brooklyn players managed to reach double figures in points, the team\u2019s 18 turnovers to just 21 assists ultimately cost them. Up next, the Bucks will head home to take on the 76ers on Wednesday, while the Nets will travel to Atlanta on Wednesday and go up against the Hawks."], [[{"Total points": {"Cavaliers": "114", "Heat": "84"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "16"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Heat": "15"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"Rodney McGruder": "5", "Josh McRoberts": "4", "Wayne Ellington": "2", "Goran Dragic": "4", "Tyler Johnson": "2", "LeBron James": "8", "Kevin Love": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "3", "Iman Shumpert": "1"}, "Points": {"Rodney McGruder": "6", "Josh McRoberts": "6", "Hassan Whiteside": "8", "Wayne Ellington": "10", "Goran Dragic": "15", "Tyler Johnson": "12", "Derrick Williams": "17", "Willie Reed": "10", "LeBron James": "27", "Kevin Love": "28", "Kyrie Irving": "23", "Iman Shumpert": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Rodney McGruder": "8", "Josh McRoberts": "4", "Hassan Whiteside": "12", "Wayne Ellington": "1", "Goran Dragic": "3", "Tyler Johnson": "5", "Willie Reed": "11", "LeBron James": "8", "Kevin Love": "15", "Kyrie Irving": "1", "Iman Shumpert": "4"}, "Steals": {"Rodney McGruder": "2", "Tyler Johnson": "2", "LeBron James": "3", "Kevin Love": "1", "Iman Shumpert": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Goran Dragic": "1", "Kevin Love": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Tyler Johnson": "38"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Miami Heat, 114 - 84, at Quicken Loans Arena on Friday. With a roster still missing James Johnson, Justise Winslow, Dion Waiters and Josh Richardson, the Heat (7 - 16) came in to Friday's matchup against NBA champs already behind the eight - ball. Miami fought valiantly in the first half, however, and the Cavs (16 - 5) only held a relatively modest 57 - 46 lead at halftime. However, they pulled away in the second half, outscoring the visitors by a 57 - 38 margin over the third and fourth quarters. Kevin Love, who had been a game - time decision with a back injury, led the way with a 28 - point, 15 - rebound double - double that also included three assists, a steal and a block. The Cavs had the hot hand as a team, posting a stellar 55 percent success rate from the field. The Heat's first unit was led by Goran Dragic, who collected 15 points, four assists, three rebounds and a block. Wayne Ellington supplied 10 points, two assists and a rebound. Hassan Whiteside could only pour in eight points, but he did haul in 12 rebounds. Rodney McGruder and Josh McRoberts were only able to muster a pair of six - point efforts, with the former filling out the stat sheet with eight rebounds, five assists and two steals, and the latter registering four boards and four assists. The second unit was highly productive for Miami, with Derrick Williams pacing them with a team - high 17 points. Tyler Johnson pitched in with 12 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals in 38 minutes off the bench, while Willie Reed totaled 10 points and 11 boards in a reserve role as well. LeBron James checked in second behind Love against his former squad, posting 27 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and three steals. Kyrie Irving came through with 23 points, three assists and a rebound. Iman Shumpert led the second unit with 10 points, four rebounds, an assist and a steal. Overall, the Big Three of Love, James and Irving impressively combined to go 32 - of - 55 from the field on the night. The Heat next head to Chicago for a Saturday night date with the Bulls, while the Cavs await the Charlotte Hornets for a Saturday night showdown of their own."], [[{"Total points": {"76ers": "121", "Clippers": "110"}, "Number of team assists": {"Clippers": "17"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "17"}, "Turnovers": {"Clippers": "17"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "5", "DeAndre Jordan": "3", "Austin Rivers": "3", "Nerlens Noel": "5"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "12", "DeAndre Jordan": "10", "JJ Redick": "22", "Austin Rivers": "20", "Jamal Crawford": "27", "Robert Covington": "14", "Nerlens Noel": "19", "Dario Saric": "16", "Richaun Holmes": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "11", "DeAndre Jordan": "20", "Austin Rivers": "2", "Robert Covington": "8", "Nerlens Noel": "8", "Dario Saric": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "12"}, "Free throws made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jamal Crawford": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Jamal Crawford": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Robert Covington": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "3"}, "Steals": {"Robert Covington": "3", "Nerlens Noel": "2"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Los Angeles Clippers, 121 - 110, at Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday. With many important pieces missing this game for both teams, there were numerous swings that ultimately led to a Sixers win. It was a tale of two halves, with the Clippers leading by nine after the first half and the Sixers outscoring Los Angeles by 20 in the second half. The assist - to - turnover ratio was the decisive statistic, with the Sixers recording 35 assists to five turnovers, while the Clippers matched their assists and turnovers at 17 a piece. Scoring in the paint was extremely lopsided as well, with Philadelphia winning that battle, 66 - 20. Free-throw shooting also killed Los Angeles, as they went 26 - of - 41, while Philly went 21 - of - 22. The Clippers (30 - 17) got Blake Griffin back for this game, but it still was n't enough to beat a hungry Philly team. Griffin recorded a double - double in his return, totaling 12 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. Jamal Crawford was the teams best player, dropping 27 points on 9 - of - 14 shooting off the bench. J.J, Redick finished with with 22 points, while Austin Rivers tallied 20 points, two rebounds and three assists. DeAndre Jordan did collect 10 points, 20 rebounds and three assists, but went 4 - of - 12 from the free - throw line. The Sixers (16 - 27) played this game without Joel Embiid (knee) and Jahlil Okafor (knee), but they put in a valiant effort and pulled out an upset win. Nerlens Noel starter for Embiid and accumulated 19 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals and three blocks in his best game of the season. Robert Covington contributed 14 points, eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Richaun Holmes was second on the team in scoring, dropping 18 points off the bench. Dario Saric was also huge off the bench, amassing 16 points and eight rebounds. Sergio Rodriguez and T.J. McConnell played all the point guard minutes and combined for 18 points and 17 assists."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Ricky Rubio": "16"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Ricky Rubio": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Ricky Rubio": "2"}, "Points": {"Ricky Rubio": "5"}}], "This season, Ricky Rubio has proven to be a crucial member of Minnesota's offense with no legitimate backup point guards and now without the services of Zach LaVine (knee). However, while Rubio has been putting up big - time assist numbers as of late, he remains a liability scoring - wise. Tuesday's performance was yet another example for the Spaniard, as he posted a game - high 16 assists, which was his highest total since he dished out 17 on Jan. 11 against the Rockets. And while Rubio did an adequate job of getting his teammates involved, he struggled to get himself involved, scoring just five points on 2 - of - 8 shooting from the field. This was n't an aberration for the point guard either, as it was the seventh time this season that Rubio was able to record double - digit assists but not reach double - digit points."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "46", "Cavaliers": "36"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "20", "Cavaliers": "9"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "105", "Cavaliers": "76"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "12", "Cavaliers": "19"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Cavaliers": "36"}, "Turnovers": {"Cavaliers": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "5", "CJ McCollum": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"LeBron James": "13", "Allen Crabbe": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"LeBron James": "4", "Allen Crabbe": "8"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "12", "Kevin Love": "13", "Matthew Dellavedova": "10", "Richard Jefferson": "10", "Allen Crabbe": "26", "CJ McCollum": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "4", "Kevin Love": "5", "CJ McCollum": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Matthew Dellavedova": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Matthew Dellavedova": "2"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (12 - 20) defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (19 - 9) 105 - 76 on Saturday. Cleveland dropped their second straight, as part of a four game road trip that started at the Warriors on Christmas Day. The Cavs looked exhausted, and were without point guard Kyrie Irving (rest), who just returned from a knee injury stemming back to the NBA Finals. LeBron James struggled with his jump shot all night and finished with 12 points, four rebounds and five assists on 4 - of - 13 shooting. The all star forward also failed to contribute a 3 - pointer after misfiring three attempts. The loss is not entirely on James, as the team struggled as a whole. Kevin Love scored 13 points, to go along with five rebounds, while Matthew Dellavedova added 10 points on 2 - of - 4 3 - point shooting. Richard Jefferson provided 10 points off the bench, which rounded out the only players in double figures for the Cavs. Cleveland shot 36 from the floor and committed 17 turnovers (compared to the Blazers 9 turnovers) in the losing effort. Cleveland will look to bounce back when they visit the Phoenix Suns (12 - 19) on Monday. Portland was without Damian Lillard (foot), who missed only his third career game, but received an all around strong shooting performance from the starters in his absence. Allen Crabbe led all scorers with 26 points on 8 - of - 15 shooting, and C.J. McCollum pitched in a volume effort that resulted in 16 points, four rebounds and six assists. Meyers Leonard, Mason Plumlee and Al-Farouq Aminu finished in double figures to aid the Lillard-less Blazers. Portland took care of the ball, spaced the floor and took advantage of a tired Cavs team. The bench was not entirely efficient, but the Blazers shot 46 percent from the floor and continued to push the pace to keep a double digit lead for three quarters of play. Portland will visit the Sacramento Kings (12 - 17) on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "1", "Nets": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Spurs": "56", "Nets": "32"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "1", "Nets": "0"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Brook Lopez": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Brook Lopez": "6"}, "Points": {"Brook Lopez": "17", "Jarrett Jack": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "3", "Jarrett Jack": "6"}, "Assists": {"Jarrett Jack": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Jarrett Jack": "27"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (1 - 1) used a big third - quarter run to turn Friday\u2019s game against the Brooklyn Nets (0 - 2) into a laugher, claiming a 105 - 78 victory over the visitors. San Antonio trailed by five after an uninspired first half, but the team came out of the break with some fire. Tony Parker was instrumental in turning the game into a runaway, scoring the first eight points of the third quarter to spark a 28 - 11 run that flipped a five - point deficit into a 12 - point lead heading into the fourth. The Spurs would continue their dominance over the final 12 minutes to easily dispatch the Nets, relying on a rather balanced scoring attack to accomplish that feat. All five starters had between eight and 16 points, while coach Gregg Popovich used eight bench players, who combined for an impressive 43 points. What began as an encouraging start for the Nets resulted in a second consecutive 15 - point loss, putting the team in an early hole to begin the season. Brook Lopez led the team with 17 points on a respectable 6 - for - 11 from the field, but his inability to make an impact on the glass (three rebounds) was true for the rest of his teammates. The Spurs outrebounded the Nets by a 56 - 32 count. On a more fortunate note for Brooklyn, starting point guard Jarrett Jack was able to return to the court after missing the season opener with a hamstring injury. He turned in a solid showing, scoring 12 points to go along with seven assists and six rebounds over 27 minutes. The Nets will continue their road trip with a visit to Memphis on Saturday, while the Spurs will get a day off before squaring off with the Celtics in Boston on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "11", "Pistons": "23"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "95", "Pistons": "108"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Mavericks": "19"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Mavericks": "27", "Pistons": "34"}, "Rebounds": {"Mavericks": "43", "Pistons": "60"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "26", "Pistons": "12"}}, {"Assists": {"Greg Monroe": "6", "Brandon Jennings": "6", "Monta Ellis": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Greg Monroe": "16", "Brandon Jennings": "18", "D.J. Augustin": "16", "Chandler Parsons": "13", "Dirk Nowitzki": "19", "Monta Ellis": "17", "Devin Harris": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Greg Monroe": "11", "Brandon Jennings": "7", "D.J. Augustin": "9", "Chandler Parsons": "5", "Dirk Nowitzki": "8", "Monta Ellis": "6", "Devin Harris": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Greg Monroe": "5", "D.J. Augustin": "5", "Chandler Parsons": "3", "Dirk Nowitzki": "4", "Monta Ellis": "6", "Devin Harris": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Greg Monroe": "5", "D.J. Augustin": "4", "Chandler Parsons": "3", "Dirk Nowitzki": "3", "Monta Ellis": "4", "Devin Harris": "2"}, "Points": {"Greg Monroe": "27", "Brandon Jennings": "14", "D.J. Augustin": "26", "Chandler Parsons": "15", "Dirk Nowitzki": "19", "Monta Ellis": "16", "Devin Harris": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Greg Monroe": "18", "Andre Drummond": "19", "Brandon Jennings": "4", "Dirk Nowitzki": "5", "Monta Ellis": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Andre Drummond": "30", "Devin Harris": "21"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Brandon Jennings": "2", "D.J. Augustin": "5", "Chandler Parsons": "5", "Dirk Nowitzki": "3", "Monta Ellis": "4", "Devin Harris": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Brandon Jennings": "0", "D.J. Augustin": "4", "Chandler Parsons": "2", "Dirk Nowitzki": "0", "Monta Ellis": "0", "Devin Harris": "2"}}], "The Detroit Pistons (12 - 23) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (26 - 11) 108 - 95 on Wednesday at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. With a 74 - 68 lead at the end of the third quarter, the Pistons remained in control. They went on to out - score the Mavericks 34 - 27 in the fourth quarter, allowing them to end the Mavericks six - game winning streak and push their own to seven in a row. The Pistons were able to out - rebound the Mavericks 60 - 43, giving them an even greater advantage in the victory. Greg Monroe continued his stretch of impressive games. He went 11 - for - 16 from the field and 5 - for - 5 from the free throw line to score 27 points, while also chipping in with 18 rebounds and six assists. The double - double marked his fourth in a row, as he's averaging 18 points and 13 rebounds over that stretch of games. In another surprise performance off the bench, D.J. Augustin went 9 - for - 16 from the floor and 4 - for - 5 from beyond the arc to score 26 points. After scoring 19 points against the Spurs on Tuesday, he continued to sport the hot hand in the Pistons' second unit. Andre Drummond did n't have a big night offensively, but was again a hound on the boards with 19 rebounds in 30 minutes. He's now had at least 10 rebounds in 13 out of his last 14 games. Brandon Jennings reached double figures as well with 14 points (7 - 18 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt), while adding four rebounds and six assists. The Mavericks saw a big game from Dirk Nowitzki, who finished with 19 points (8 - 19 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) and five rebounds. It was right on par with his season average of 18 points per game. Monta Ellis had 16 points (6 - 17 FG, 0 - 4 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT) of his own, along with five rebounds and four assists. It was n't his best shooting outing of the year, but he still was able to put some points on the board. In a nice performance off the bench, Devin Harris went 5 - for - 8 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 14 points in 21 minutes. It was his best offensive showing since back in early December, so he'll hope to keep that momentum going. The only other Maverick to reach double figures in points was Chandler Parsons, who finished with 15 points (5 - 13 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT) in 35 minutes. The Pistons' next game will be at home against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, while the Mavericks will travel to Los Angeles to play the Clippers on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "49"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Raptors": "20"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Carmelo Anthony": "26", "Mindaugas Kuzminskas": "23", "Justin Holiday": "26", "Terrence Ross": "23", "Norman Powell": "24"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "18", "Joakim Noah": "1", "Derrick Rose": "16", "Mindaugas Kuzminskas": "9", "Justin Holiday": "17", "DeMarre Carroll": "20", "Jonas Valanciunas": "12", "DeMar DeRozan": "23", "Terrence Ross": "12", "Norman Powell": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "16", "DeMar DeRozan": "5"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "5"}}], "The Raptors outscored the Knicks by a 69 - 38 margin over the second and third quarters, keying the double - digit home win. The Raptors shot an impressive 49 percent from the field, while seeing three players eclipse the 20 - point mark. DeMar DeRozan paced the Raptors with 23 points, five rebounds and five assists. Norman Powell posted 21 points over 24 minutes off the bench. DeMarre Carroll went for 20, while Jonas Valanciunas posted a 12 - point, 16 - rebound double - double. Terrence Ross tallied 12 points in 23 minutes. Carmelo Anthony's 18 points led the Knicks, and Justin Holiday was the second - leading scorer with 17 points over 26 minutes. Derrick Rose was next with 16 points, and Joakim Noah notably contributed just one point but did haul in eight boards. Mindaugas Kuzminskas provided nine points in 23 minutes in a reserve role."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "47"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "48"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hornets": "38", "Suns": "18"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hornets": "31"}}, {"Points": {"TJ Warren": "21", "Marquese Chriss": "13", "Devin Booker": "23", "Tyler Ulis": "16", "Jared Dudley": "12", "Alan Williams": "11", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "14", "Marvin Williams": "21", "Cody Zeller": "16", "Nicolas Batum": "18", "Kemba Walker": "31", "Frank Kaminsky": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"TJ Warren": "10", "Alan Williams": "11", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Cody Zeller": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Cody Zeller": "5"}, "Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "10"}}], "Six Hornets players hit double digits in the scoring column and Charlotte shot 48 percent from the field and 47 percent from three - point range. They put their stamp on the game in the first quarter by jumping out to a 38 - 18 lead. Kemba Walker's 31 points led the Hornets. Marvin Williams managed 21 points, while Nicolas Batum pitched in with an 18 - point, 10 - assist double - double. Cody Zeller totaled 16 points, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist rounded out the starting five's productive afternoon with 14. Frank Kaminsky III paced the bench with 10 points. Devin Booker followed up his 70 - point effort from Friday with a team - leading 23 points. T.J. Warren followed with a 21 - point, 10 - rebound double - double.Tyler Ulis provided 16 points and Marquese Chriss tallied 13. Jared Dudley led the bench with 12 points. Alan Williams supplied an 11 - point, 11 - rebound double - double."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "13", "Warriors": "2"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "101", "Warriors": "106"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "4", "Warriors": "13"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Marreese Speights": "24", "Cody Zeller": "33", "Brian Roberts": "30"}, "Points": {"Marreese Speights": "27", "Cody Zeller": "15", "Brian Roberts": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Cody Zeller": "14"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (13 - 2) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (4 - 13) 106 - 101 on Friday. Golden State has won eight straight games. They were paced by Marreese Speights against the Hornets. He scored a game - high 27 points in 24 minutes off the bench. Leandro Barbosa (knee) and David Lee (hamstring) remained out Friday. The Warriors will wrap up their current five - game road trip against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday. Charlotte will be without Marvin Williams (shoulder) until next Wednesday. Cody Zeller stepped into the starting lineup at power forward Friday and put up 15 points and 14 rebounds in 33 minutes. P.J. Hairston played though his sprained thumb. Michael Kidd Gilchrist (foot) and Gary Neal (shoulder) sat out. Brian Roberts scored a team - high 20 points off the bench in 30 minutes. The Hornets have lost eight straight games. They'll travel to take on the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "9", "Bulls": "6"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "102", "Bulls": "109"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "4", "Bulls": "10"}}, {"Assists": {"Joakim Noah": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Joakim Noah": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Joakim Noah": "35", "Derrick Rose": "28", "Brandon Bass": "27"}, "Points": {"Joakim Noah": "15", "Derrick Rose": "21", "Jared Sullinger": "23", "Brandon Bass": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Joakim Noah": "14", "Jared Sullinger": "10", "Brandon Bass": "9"}}], "The Chicago Bulls (10 - 6) defeated the Boston Celtics (4 - 9) 109 - 102 on Friday. Chicago's footing came a little loose recently, as they've won just three of their last seven games, including this win over Boston. Taj Gibson (ankle) sat out a third straight game and will remain sidelined until his ankle has time to fully heal. Derrick Rose (hamstring) left Tuesday's loss to the Denver Nuggets as a precaution, but he was available Friday and put up 21 points in 28 minutes. Joakim Noah (eye) also returned to action. He had missed Tuesday's game as well. Noah played 35 minutes and finished with a double - double of 15 points and 14 rebounds while also collecting six assists and six blocks Friday. The Bulls will wrap up their current seven - game road trip with an afternoon game against the Broonlyn Nets on Sunday. Boston stole a win from the Bulls on Nov. 8, but they could n't muster the magic again. They've lost three straight games and six of their last seven. Jared Sullinger scored a game - high 23 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for a double - double. Kelly Olynyk got into foul trouble, giving Brandon Bass 27 minutes of run of the bench. Bass put up 16 points and nine rebounds in his extended minutes. Marcus Smart (ankle) is close to returning but sat out again Friday. The Celtics will host the San Antonio Spurs in a matinee matchup Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "35", "Kings": "23"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "93", "Kings": "112"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "9", "Kings": "18"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "48"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "22", "Rajon Rondo": "10", "Kobe Bryant": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "13", "Kobe Bryant": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "10"}, "Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "36", "Kobe Bryant": "15", "Brandon Bass": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "16", "Brandon Bass": "7"}, "Assists": {"Rajon Rondo": "17"}, "Minutes played": {"Kobe Bryant": "31"}, "Steals": {"Kobe Bryant": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"D'Angelo Russell": "1", "Brandon Bass": "1"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (18 - 23) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (9 - 35) 112 - 93 at Staples Center on Wednesday. The Kings improved to 6 - 4 over their last 10 games, as DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo continue to mesh in coach George Karl\u2019s system. While the Kings are still five games under .500 on the season, they are still in playoff contention and trail the Trail Blazers by two games for the 8 - seed in the Western Conference. DeMarcus Cousins was an unstoppable force in the win, as the Lakers had no way of matching up against him. Cousins finished with 36 points, 16 rebounds and five assists on 13 - of - 22 shooting. Many of Cousins buckets came off of Rajon Rondo\u2019s supreme court vision, in which the point guard dished out a whopping 17 assists. The Kentucky product is back on form halfway through the season after a mishap in Dallas last year, and over his last 10 games, Rondo is averaging 12 assists. Sacramento was efficient from the midrange and in the restricted area as shown by their 48 percent shooting as a unit. The Kings will host the Atlanta Hawks (26 - 17) on Thursday. The Lakers woes continued as they fell short of grabbing their 10th win of the season and are now owners of a four game losing streak. While they were able to improve upon their shot selection, the shots simply did not fall in their favor. Roy Hibbert was ineffective as a rim protector when matched up against Cousins, but he is not the only Lakers player to blame, considering Cousins trucked everybody in his path. Kobe Bryant (achilles) played 31 minutes in front of the hometown crowd, and as we are inching closer and closer to a Kobe-less Lakers, the precious moments of a truly great player become a little more heartwarming, or sickening, depending on how you look at it. Bryant scored 15 points on 4 - of - 13 shooting, while the backcourt duo of Jordan Clarkson and D\u2019Angelo Russell combined for 28 points and six assists. It was rewarding to see D\u2019Angelo Russell run the offense for most of the 3rd quarter, and maybe Byron Scott will lean towards developing the youth more and focusing on Kobe a little less. Brandon Bass had one of his better games of the season and contributed 18 points and seven rebounds off the bench. The Lakers will look to bust out of their slump when they host the San Antonio Spurs (36 - 6) on Friday."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hornets": "26"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hornets": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Hornets": "31", "Bucks": "42"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "62"}}, {"Assists": {"Khris Middleton": "1", "Malcolm Brogdon": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Khris Middleton": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "20", "Tony Snell": "26", "Malcolm Brogdon": "14", "Greg Monroe": "13", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "12", "Cody Zeller": "8", "Kemba Walker": "26", "Frank Kaminsky": "20", "Jeremy Lamb": "16"}}], "The Bucks jumped out to a 72 - 50 halftime lead and their stellar 62 percent shooting helped them stave off a second - half comeback. Charlotte outscored Milwaukee by a 58 - 46 margin over the third and fourth quarters and only turned the ball over twice, but the Bucks countered by winning the rebounding battle, 42 - 31. Tony Snell's 26 points led the Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo provided 20 points and eight boards, while Malcolm Brogdon posted a 14 - point, 10 - assist double - double. Khris Middleton matched Brogdon's scoring total and added five rebounds and an assist. Greg Monroe led the second unit with 13 points. Kemba Walker's 26 points led the Hornets. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist managed 12 points and Cody Zeller chipped in eight. Frank Kaminsky III led the bench with 20 points and Jeremy Lamb was also productive as a reserve with 16 points."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "36", "76ers": "64"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "108", "76ers": "105"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "38", "76ers": "9"}}, {"Assists": {"Hollis Thompson": "2", "Jerami Grant": "3", "Carl Landry": "1", "Ish Smith": "9", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "2", "Maurice Harkless": "1", "CJ McCollum": "5", "Damian Lillard": "7", "Gerald Henderson": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Hollis Thompson": "1", "Jerami Grant": "4", "Maurice Harkless": "1", "CJ McCollum": "1", "Gerald Henderson": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Hollis Thompson": "7", "Jerami Grant": "7", "Carl Landry": "2", "Ish Smith": "14", "Robert Covington": "11", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "8", "Maurice Harkless": "8", "CJ McCollum": "2", "Damian Lillard": "5", "Gerald Henderson": "3"}, "Steals": {"Hollis Thompson": "1", "Ish Smith": "1", "Robert Covington": "2", "Maurice Harkless": "1", "CJ McCollum": "5", "Gerald Henderson": "1"}, "Points": {"Jerami Grant": "13", "Carl Landry": "12", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "20", "Maurice Harkless": "16", "CJ McCollum": "25", "Damian Lillard": "16", "Gerald Henderson": "11"}, "3-pointers made": {"Ish Smith": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Ish Smith": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Ish Smith": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Robert Covington": "30"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (38 - 36) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (9 - 64) 108 - 105 on Saturday. Portland simply could n't put away a feisty Sixers squad that's made an occasional habit of giving playoff - caliber teams all they can handle this season. Even with Nerlens Noel missing a second straight game with a knee injury, Philadelphia found more than enough production from across their roster to keep them competitive. Four-fifths of their starting unit managed double - digit scoring, and the Sixers actually overtook the Blazers late in the fourth on the strength of back - to - back three - pointers by Hollis Thompson that gave them a 100 - 97 lead with 3:15 left. However, a subsequent 70 run by Portland, keyed by C.J. McCollum and Damian Lillard, gave the home team some short - lived breathing room. The Sixers managed to knot things up one more time, tying the Blazers at 105 with 23 seconds remaining on an Ish Smith jumper. A C.J. McCollum driving layup and subsequent free throw off a shooting foul on the play by Robert Covington then put Portland ahead for good with seven seconds remaining. The Sixers were led by a trio of 17 points efforts, two coming from members of their starting five. Smith added 14 rebounds, nine assists and a steal to his scoring haul, while Thompson also hauled in seven boards, dished out a pair of assists, and recorded a steal and a block. Covington contributed his scoring total off the bench over 30 minutes, and supplemented it with 11 rebounds and two steals. Jerami Grant was next with 13 points, seven rebounds, three assists and four blocks. Carl Landry, subbing for Noel on the night, pitched in with 12 points, two rebounds and an assist. Philadephia remains in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division with the worst record in the league. They head to Oakland to take on the Golden State Warriors on Easter Sunday. The Trail Blazers' attack was fronted by McCollum, who totaled 25 points, five assists, two rebounds, five steals and a block. Al-Farouq Aminu followed with 20 points, eight rebounds and two assists. Lillard and Maurice Harkless were next with a pair of 16 - point efforts. Lillard also registered seven assists and five rebounds, while Harkless complemented his scoring with eight boards, an assist, a steal and a block. Gerald Henderson paced the reserves with 11 points, three rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block. Portland remains in second place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division, and are currently slotted in the sixth seed as well. They're home again on Monday night to take on the Sacramento Kings."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "4", "Mavericks": "7"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "114", "Mavericks": "105"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "17", "Mavericks": "16"}, "Number of team assists": {"Mavericks": "19"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "10", "Monta Ellis": "3", "Jameer Nelson": "6", "Mike Conley": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chandler Parsons": "6", "Monta Ellis": "0", "Jameer Nelson": "4", "Mike Conley": "2", "Tayshaun Prince": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Chandler Parsons": "18", "Monta Ellis": "11", "Jameer Nelson": "9", "Zach Randolph": "18", "Marc Gasol": "14", "Mike Conley": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Chandler Parsons": "10", "Monta Ellis": "1", "Jameer Nelson": "6", "Zach Randolph": "6", "Marc Gasol": "9", "Mike Conley": "9"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "30", "Monta Ellis": "2", "Jameer Nelson": "18", "Jae Crowder": "13", "J.J. Barea": "17", "Zach Randolph": "17", "Marc Gasol": "30", "Mike Conley": "22", "Tayshaun Prince": "11", "Beno Udrih": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Chandler Parsons": "7", "Zach Randolph": "13", "Tayshaun Prince": "7"}, "Steals": {"Chandler Parsons": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jameer Nelson": "2", "Zach Randolph": "6", "Marc Gasol": "13", "Beno Udrih": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Jameer Nelson": "2", "Zach Randolph": "5", "Marc Gasol": "12"}, "Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "6", "Tayshaun Prince": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Tayshaun Prince": "2"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (17 - 4) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (16 - 7) 114 - 105 on Tuesday at Fed Ex Forum Arena in Memphis. Despite being out - scored 62 - 56 in the first half, the Grizzlies came out hot in the third quarter and scored 19 more points than the Mavericks, setting them up for the victory in front of their home crowd. Memphis was able to use their superior shooting to give them the advantage, which was just enough to secure the win. The Grizzlies were led by the duo of Marc Gasol and Mike Conley. Gasol had a game - high of 30 points (9 - 14 FG), while also contributing six assists and five rebounds. He was able to get to the free throw line a wopping 13 times, and converted on 12 out of those attempts. Conley on the other hand shot 9 - for - 13 from the field and 2 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score 22 points. He continued to shoot well after not missing a shot on Sunday against the Miami Heat. He's now averaging 17 points and 6 assists per game. Zach Randolph also had a big impact and scored 17 points (6 - 18 FG, 5 - 6 FT), to go along with 13 rebounds. It marked his twelth double - double of the year. Both Tayshaun Prince and Beno Udrih reached double figures off the bench with 11 and 10 points respectively. Chandler Parsons continued his hot shooting for the Mavericks. He went 10 - for - 18 from the field and 6 - for - 10 from beyond the arc to score a team - high of 30 points, while also grabbing seven rebounds. He's now combined for 58 points and 12 rebounds in the last two games, as he continued with his offensive momentum. Jameer Nelson also had a nice game from the floor, shooting 6 - for - 9 from the field and 4 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 18 points. Nelson had scored a combined seven points over his last two outings, so he was due for a breakout game. Monta Ellis had been on fire over the last week or so, but really struggled with his shot against the Grizzlies and finished with only two points (1 - 11 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt). Both Jae Crowder and Jose Barea had decent games off the bench with 13 and 17 points apiece. The Grizzlies' next game will be at home against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday, while the Mavericks will be at home against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Nets": "19"}}, {"Points": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "16", "Sean Kilpatrick": "15", "Trevor Booker": "12", "Klay Thompson": "24", "Stephen Curry": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "10", "Sean Kilpatrick": "10", "Trevor Booker": "10", "Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "5"}, "Assists": {"Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "5"}}], "The Warriors were expected to win this game easily, but this was no walk in the park. The 17 - point final margin is unfair, as the Nets never trailed by more than 19 and kept it a single - digit margin for much of the fourth quarter. The assist - to - turnover ratio was decisive, as the Warriors recorded five more assists than the Nets, while committing five less turnovers. Rondae Holiis-Jefferson was the Nets best player, as he tallied 16 points and 10 rebounds. Sean Kilpatrick and Trevor Booker each recorded double - doubles off the bench, as Kilpatrick totaled 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Booker provided 12 points and 10 boards. Stephen Curry accumulated 27 points, five rebounds and five assists to lead the Warriors. Klay Thompson finished with 24 points, four rebounds and four assists. No one else on the roster reached double figures in scoring, as the team shot just 42 percent from the field."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "40", "Magic": "46"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "8", "Magic": "12"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "90", "Magic": "93"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Suns": "32", "Magic": "24"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "10", "Magic": "7"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "2", "Evan Fournier": "5", "Victor Oladipo": "1", "Goran Dragic": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Tobias Harris": "1", "Evan Fournier": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "0", "Goran Dragic": "3", "Eric Bledsoe": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "18", "Evan Fournier": "8", "Victor Oladipo": "11", "Goran Dragic": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Tobias Harris": "8", "Evan Fournier": "5", "Victor Oladipo": "6", "Goran Dragic": "7"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "21", "Nikola Vucevic": "18", "Evan Fournier": "15", "Victor Oladipo": "12", "Markieff Morris": "18", "Goran Dragic": "22", "Eric Bledsoe": "13", "Gerald Green": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "8", "Evan Fournier": "5", "Markieff Morris": "10", "Goran Dragic": "8"}, "Assists": {"Evan Fournier": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "4", "Markieff Morris": "7", "Goran Dragic": "4", "Eric Bledsoe": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Evan Fournier": "4", "Goran Dragic": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Evan Fournier": "3", "Goran Dragic": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Markieff Morris": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Goran Dragic": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Goran Dragic": "1", "Eric Bledsoe": "5"}, "Steals": {"Eric Bledsoe": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Eric Bledsoe": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Gerald Green": "26"}}], "The Orlando Magic (7 - 12) defeated the Phoenix Suns (10 - 8) 93 - 90 on Sunday at the US Airways Center in Phoenix. After falling behind for the first three quarters, the Suns looked to be in trouble. In the fourth quarter they came out firing though and were able to out - score the Magic 32 - 24, coming up just three points short of completing their comeback. Orlando was able to shoot 46 percent from the field, while Phoenix shot 40 percent, giving the Magic just enough of an advantage to sneak out a victory on the road. Nikola Vucevic continued his extremely strong start to the season. He finished with 18 points and eight rebounds, giving him season averages of 19 points and 12 rebounds on the year. Tobias Harris was another big reason the Magic were able to get the win. He scored a team - high of 21 points, as he shot 8 - for - 18 from the field and 1 - for - 2 from the three - point line. Victor Oladipo and Evan Fournier were the other two Magic players to reach double - figures. Oladipo scored 12 points (6 - 11 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt) and handed out four assists, while Fournier scored 15 points (5 - 8 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) and grabbed five rebounds. With the vicotry, the Magic were able to snap a four - game losing streak and will hope to gain some confidence for the future. The Suns had a chance, but just did n't seem to get enough bench production to keep them in it. Goran Dragic led all scorers with 22 points (7 - 15 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT), while also grabbing eight rebounds and recording four assists. It was a solid bounce back game for Dragic after scoring only seven points in Denver on Sunday. Markieff Morris also did everything he could to keep the Suns close. He scored 18 points and contributed 10 rebounds and seven assists, giving him his fourth double - double on the year. Eric Bledsoe did n't have his most impressive night in this one, as he committed a game - high six turnovers and five fouls. He was still able to score 13 points though, while handing out six assists in the process. Gerald Green was the lone player on the bench to reach double - digit points, as he recorded 11 points in 26 minutes. The Magic's next game will be on the road against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, while the Suns will be at home against the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "23", "Clippers": "13"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "98", "Clippers": "109"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "15", "Clippers": "23"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "51"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul Pierce": "1", "Chris Paul": "19"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul Pierce": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul Pierce": "5", "Austin Rivers": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"Paul Pierce": "5"}, "Points": {"Paul Pierce": "17", "DeAndre Jordan": "14", "Chris Paul": "21", "Austin Rivers": "16", "Mason Plumlee": "19", "Allen Crabbe": "11", "Damian Lillard": "20", "Ed Davis": "12", "Meyers Leonard": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Pierce": "4", "DeAndre Jordan": "14", "Damian Lillard": "7"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"DeAndre Jordan": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Austin Rivers": "10", "Damian Lillard": "25"}, "Minutes played": {"Austin Rivers": "25"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (23 - 13) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (15 - 23) 109 - 98 at Moda Center on Wednesday. The Los Angeles Clippers extended their winning streak to seven games, as Chris Paul commanded the floor to the tune of 21 points and 19 assists, as part of a mostly easy victory over the Trail Blazers. Paul\u2019s court vision and ability to set up DeAndre Jordan underneath the rim, while also finding sniper J.J. Reddick, was instrumental in the road victory. The Clippers had to stave off a late comeback attempt, but Paul Pierce nailed five 3 - pointers on his way to 17 points, to go along with four rebounds and one assist, to hold off the late Blazers surge. DeAndre Jordan added 14 points and 14 rebounds, while Reddick contributed 20 points on 8 - of - 13 shooting. Austin Rivers is developing into a more efficient scorer, especially when the ball handling responsibilities are put more on Pablo Prigioni when Paul is off the floor. Rivers finished with 16 points on 7 - of - 10 shooting in 25 minutes. The Clippers shot 51 percent as a unit and are climbing their way towards the top of the Western Conference, as they are just one game behind the Thunder for the third spot. The Clippers will look to continue their winning streak when they host the Charlotte Hornets (17 - 17) on Saturday. Damian Lillard started his second game back from injury, but still struggled to find his shot, as the all star point guard scored 20 points on 25 shots, in addition to seven rebounds and nine points. In a strange clerical error, the Blazers were without backcourt partner C.J. McCollum, as they mistakenly submitted a roster with him on the inactive list, instead of teammate Luis Montero. Allen Crabbe started in favor of McCollum and contributed 11 points, while Mason Plumlee scored 19 points, including some late buckets to trim the Clippers game long lead in the 4th quarter. Ed Davis and Meyers Leonard were beneficial off the bench, adding 12 points and 10 points, respectively, in the losing effort. The Trail Blazers will welcome the reigning MVP, Stephen Curry, and the Golden State Warriors (33 - 2) on Friday."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Trail Blazers": "33", "Spurs": "45"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Spurs": "60"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "50"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "15", "CJ McCollum": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "10"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "33", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "18", "Patty Mills": "23", "CJ McCollum": "16"}, "Assists": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "14"}}], "It was an efficient night for the high - powered San Antonio offense in Friday's blowout win. The Spurs shot 50 percent from the field, 60 percent from three - point range, and 95 percent from the free - throw line en route to a 20 - point victory. Last year's MVP runner - up, forward Kawhi Leonard, delivered 33 points on 9 - of - 15 shooting with five three - pointers and perfect 10 - of - 10 shooting at the free - throw line. Forward LaMarcus Aldridge, meanwhile, dominated in big man Pau Gasol's absence, recording 18 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists. Sixth man Patty Mills added 23 points off the bench. Portland, meanwhile, struggled on both ends of the ball. Star guards Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum scored just 16 each and the team shot only 44 percent while allowing half its opponents shots to fall. The team also had issues on the glass, as the Spurs held a 45 - 33 rebounding advantage."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "11", "Kings": "20"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "104", "Kings": "116"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "24", "Kings": "14"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Quincy Acy": "5", "Marco Belinelli": "34"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Quincy Acy": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Quincy Acy": "1", "Marco Belinelli": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Quincy Acy": "1", "DeMarcus Cousins": "19", "Rajon Rondo": "9", "Marco Belinelli": "2", "Serge Ibaka": "7", "Steven Adams": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Marco Belinelli": "5", "Serge Ibaka": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "2", "Marco Belinelli": "2", "Serge Ibaka": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "27", "Marco Belinelli": "13", "Serge Ibaka": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "11", "Marco Belinelli": "6", "Serge Ibaka": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "10", "Marco Belinelli": "8", "Serge Ibaka": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "9", "Marco Belinelli": "7", "Serge Ibaka": "2"}, "Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "33", "Rajon Rondo": "13", "Marco Belinelli": "21", "Anthony Morrow": "20", "Serge Ibaka": "25", "Steven Adams": "15", "Russell Westbrook": "17"}, "Assists": {"Rajon Rondo": "19", "Marco Belinelli": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "15"}, "Steals": {"Rajon Rondo": "5", "Marco Belinelli": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Marco Belinelli": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Serge Ibaka": "5"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (14 - 20) came up with the 116 - 104 win against the host Oklahoma City Thunder (24 - 11) on Monday night. This was the Kings' first ever win in Chesapeake Energy Arena. Since the Supersonics franchise was relocated to Oklahoma before the 2008 - 9 season, the Kings had not been able to find a road win in OKC, until this one. The Kings also put an end to the Thunder's four - game winning streak After a back and forth first quarter the Thunder were up two but throughout the final three quarters the Kings outscored the Thunder 85 - 71, to achieve the upset victory. DeMarcus Cousins had a monster game, which was an impressive feat against the tough interior of the Thunder. Cousins finished with 33 points (11 - 27 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 9 - 10 FT) and 19 rebounds, in 37 minutes. Rajon Rondo was wheeling and dealing on his way to 13 points, a very generous 19 assists, nine rebounds and five steals, in 42 minutes. Marco Belinelli chipped in 21 points (6 - 13 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT) and two rebounds, in 34 minutes off the bench. Quincy Acy started in place of Omri Casspi, who sat this one out with a sore back, however he only logged five minutes and did not score. The Thunder were missing their top scorer Kevin Durant, who had to sit this one out with a sprained toe. In Durant's absence five players scored in double digits, which can be seen as a bright spot in this loss for OKC. Serge Ibaka led the way in scoring for the Thunder, finishing with 25 points (10 - 17 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT), along with seven rebounds and five blocked shots. Russell Westbrook shot only 6 - 23 from the field but still tallied an impressive 17 points, 15 assists and eight rebounds. Anthony Morrow started in place of KD and finished with 20 points, in 33 minutes. Steven Adams put up a solid 15 points and 10 rebounds, in only 26 minutes. Next the Thunder will host the Grizzlies on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Kings will be in Dallas on Tuesday for the second of back - to - back road games. Another win could put the Kings at the threshold of the top eight in the West."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Trail Blazers": "64", "Nets": "47"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "57", "Nets": "52"}, "Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "35", "Nets": "51"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "130", "Nets": "116"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "26", "Nets": "10"}}, {"Assists": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "5", "Jeremy Lin": "2", "Sean Kilpatrick": "5", "Maurice Harkless": "3", "Jusuf Nurkic": "5", "CJ McCollum": "5", "Damian Lillard": "11"}, "Points": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "12", "Brook Lopez": "26", "Jeremy Lin": "18", "Sean Kilpatrick": "20", "Maurice Harkless": "18", "Jusuf Nurkic": "17", "CJ McCollum": "31", "Damian Lillard": "19", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "8", "Brook Lopez": "5", "Jeremy Lin": "3", "Jusuf Nurkic": "6", "CJ McCollum": "5", "Damian Lillard": "5", "Al-Farouq Aminu": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "6"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 130 - 116, at Moda Center on Saturday. Portland were expected to win this game easily and they left no doubt with this near wire - to - wire win. In fact, the Nets only lead came in the first two minutes, as the Blazers held the lead for the rest of the game. Portland's offense was unstoppable, as they hit 57 percent of their shots from the field and 64 percent from three - point range. Brooklyn were n't far behind, as they shot 52 percent from the field and 47 percent from long distance on their end. The Trail Blazers barely edged out many of the statistics, winning the shooting, rebounding, assisting, steals and turnover differentials. The Nets (10 - 51) have now lost 19 of their last 20 games, as they continue to slide down the standings. Brook Lopez led the way for Brooklyn, as he tallied 26 points, five rebounds and two blocks. Jeremy Lin finished second among starters, accruing 18 points, three rebounds and two assists. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was the only other starter in double figures, accumulating 12 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Sean Kilpatrick provided 20 points and five assists to lead the bench on 6 - of - 7 from three - point range. On deck for Brooklyn is a road matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday. The Blazers (26 - 35) are battling for the eight - seed in the west and this win was much needed against some poor competition. C.J. McCollum led Portland with 31 points, five rebounds and five assists. Damian Lillard finished second among starters, collecting 19 points, five rebounds and 11 assists. Maurice Harkless amassed 18 points, three assists and three blocks. Jusuf Nurkic started at center and produced 17 points, six rebounds and five assists Al-Farouq Aminu led all bench players with 23 points and six rebounds. Portland's next game is crucial, as they play the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road Monday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "27", "Warriors": "4"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "95", "Warriors": "116"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "23", "Warriors": "44"}, "Turnovers": {"Warriors": "18"}}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "10", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Draymond Green": "9", "Klay Thompson": "18", "Carmelo Anthony": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Draymond Green": "9", "Klay Thompson": "14", "Carmelo Anthony": "8"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "20", "Klay Thompson": "34", "Carmelo Anthony": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "10", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Stephen Curry": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "5"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (44 - 4) destroyed the New York Knicks (23 - 27) on their own home court on Sunday, winning 116 - 95. For the Warriors, the win comes in the second half of a back - to - back following a near loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday. Coach Steve Kerr criticized the team heavily after the game, saying that he felt they were \"fooling around\" in the third quarter. All-Star forward Draymond Green accepted the blame for the team's season - low 35 points in the second half, admitting that he was chasing a triple - double. Ironically, Draymond secured his league - leading ninth triple - double of the season in the emphatic win over the Knicks. Green finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists while shooting a perfect 9 - for - 9 from the field. Golden State pulled away in the second quarter and never looked back, going on to outscore the Knicks 61 - 46 in the second half. The win is the Warriors' seventh in a row, and puts the team even closer to the 1995 - 96 Bulls' record of 72 wins. Reigning MVP Steph Curry, meanwhile, had an uncharacteristic poor shooting night. The point guard went just 5 - for - 17 from the field, while also hitting just 3 of 11 shots from behind the three - point arc. Curry also finished below his season averages in rebounds and assists, notching just four of each. Fellow \"splash brother\" Klay Thompson, however, took the reigns of the offense, leading the team with 34 points on 14 - for - 18 shooting and 5 - for - 6 from three - point territory. On the Knicks' end, however, shots simply could not fall. While superstar Carmelo Anthony poured in 24 points and shot a respectable 8 - for - 18, no other player scored more than 14 and the team shot just 37 percent on the night. Defensively, New York was able to force 18 turnovers; however, the team simply could not contest Golden State's red - hot perimeter shooters, as they allowed 58 percent of their opponents' shots to fall. The Knicks saw a 16 - 6 disadvantage in terms of three - pointers made, and shot 22 percent worse than their opponents from deep. The Knicks will visit the TD Garden on Tuesday night to take on their divisional rival, the Boston Celtics. Meanwhile, the Warriors visit the Washington Wizards on Wednesday before a marquee matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "26", "Warriors": "4"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "121", "Warriors": "134"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "21", "Warriors": "45"}, "Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "35"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "49"}, "Rebounds": {"Warriors": "49"}}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "12", "John Wall": "10"}, "Blocks": {"Draymond Green": "5", "Bradley Beal": "1", "Nene": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Draymond Green": "6", "Bradley Beal": "1"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "12", "Klay Thompson": "24", "Stephen Curry": "51", "John Wall": "41", "Bradley Beal": "18", "Nene": "12", "Ramon Sessions": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "10", "Bradley Beal": "1", "Nene": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "13", "John Wall": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "6", "Stephen Curry": "11", "John Wall": "3", "Bradley Beal": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Stephen Curry": "6", "Bradley Beal": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"John Wall": "25"}, "Field goals made": {"John Wall": "17"}, "Free throws attempted": {"John Wall": "6", "Bradley Beal": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"John Wall": "1", "Nene": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Bradley Beal": "29", "Nene": "19"}, "Steals": {"Nene": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Nene": "1"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (45 - 4) defeated the Washington Wizards (21 - 26) in a fast - paced, high - scoring contest Wednesday at Verizon Center, 134 - 121. Stephen Curry caught fire from beyond the arc, as he tied a career high with 11 made three - pointers on 16 attempts and scored 51 points to lead all scorers. It overshadowed a fantastic performance from John Wall who scored 41 points (17 - 25 FG, 3 - 3 3PT) and dished 10 assists, but it was n't enough to defeat the first place Warriors, who sunk 20 three - pointers as a team. Curry was backed up by another triple - double from Draymond Green (12 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds to go with five blocks), his NBA-leading 11th of the season. Klay Thompson unleashed his own three - point barrage, as he sunk six of his 13 attempts and scored 24 points. The Warriors' ball movement was on sharp display, as Golden State assisted on 35 of their 49 made field goals (71 percent). Wall was the only one of Washington's starters to reach double - digits, but Bradley Beal scored 18 points in 29 minutes off the bench, and Nene dropped an efficient 12 points and seven rebounds in just 19 minutes. Ramon Sessions added 12 points on 5 - 6 shooting. The Wizards made a respectable 8 of 23 three - pointers (34 percent), but that left them with a 24 - point deficit at the three - point line against Golden State, too much to make up. The Warriors have won eight straight and return home for a matchup against Oklahoma City on Saturday. The Wizards will take on the 76ers Friday in Washington."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Timberwolves": "45", "Nets": "33"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "51", "Nets": "48"}, "Losses": {"Timberwolves": "29", "Nets": "38"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "129", "Nets": "109"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Timberwolves": "37"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "18", "Nets": "9"}}, {"Points": {"Brook Lopez": "25", "Sean Kilpatrick": "14", "Andrew Wiggins": "23", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "37", "Zach LaVine": "20", "Shabazz Muhammad": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "7", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "13", "Zach LaVine": "7", "Shabazz Muhammad": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "25"}, "Assists": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1"}, "Steals": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the visiting Brooklyn Nets, 129 - 109 at Target Center on Saturday evening. Karl-Anthony Towns imposed his will on this one, as he poured in a game - high 37 points to help the Timberwolves dominate, as they won every quarter on their way to the 20 - point win over the struggling Nets. The Timberwolves (18 - 29) shot 51 percent from the field, as all five starters scored in double digits to lead the way. Karl-Anthony Towns grabbed 13 rebounds and recorded four blocked shots, to go along with his game - high 37 points. Andrew Wiggins followed up with 23 points, while Zach LaVine chipped in 20. Shabazz Muhammad came up big off the bench for Minnesota, as he finished with 18 points and seven rebounds. The Timberwolves will look to keep rolling, as they play host to the Magic on Monday. The Nets (9 - 38) outscored the T-Wolves 58 - 48 in the paint and 23 - 12 in fast - break points but were not able to compete as efficiently, as they shot 48 percent from the field, and 33 percent from deep, compared to the 45 percent the T-Wolves hit from deep. Brook Lopez was the high - point man for the Nets, with 25 points, to go along with seven rebounds. Three other players scored in double digits for Brooklyn, including Sean Kilpatrick, who added 14 points, in 25 minutes off the bench. The Nets will look to bounce back, as they visit Miami on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "56"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "25", "Dirk Nowitzki": "11", "Seth Curry": "21", "Yogi Ferrell": "11", "Paul Millsap": "18", "Dwight Howard": "14", "Kent Bazemore": "15", "Dennis Schroder": "17", "Ersan Ilyasova": "18"}, "Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "8", "Dwight Howard": "12"}}], "The two teams combined for a whopping 42 turnovers. The Hawks were guilty of 22, but overcame their mistakes with 56 percent shooting overall, including 48 percent from three - point range. All five members of Atlanta's first unit shot 50 percent or better, and four of them posted double digits in the scoring column. Harrison Barnes' 25 points led the Mavericks. Seth Curry followed with 21, while Dirk Nowitzki and Yogi Ferrell put together matching 11 - point efforts. The former also hauled in 10 boards, while the latter dished out nine assists. Paul Millsap had a near triple - double of 18 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds. Dennis Schroder was next with 17 points, while Kent Bazemore tallied 15. Dwight Howard chipped in with a 14 - point, 12 - rebound double - double. Ersan Ilyasova led the second unit with 18 points."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "29", "Warriors": "11"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "111", "Warriors": "119"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hawks": "24"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Hawks": "24"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "19"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "34", "Warriors": "52"}}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "6", "Klay Thompson": "3", "Stephen Curry": "9", "Andre Iguodala": "4", "Matt Barnes": "3", "Paul Millsap": "4", "Dennis Schroder": "3", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "5"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "12", "Klay Thompson": "13", "Stephen Curry": "24", "Andre Iguodala": "24", "Matt Barnes": "5", "Ian Clark": "10", "David West": "10", "Paul Millsap": "20", "Dwight Howard": "8", "Kent Bazemore": "18", "Dennis Schroder": "23", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "19", "Ersan Ilyasova": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "8", "Stephen Curry": "4", "Andre Iguodala": "5", "Matt Barnes": "7", "Paul Millsap": "10", "Dwight Howard": "19", "Kent Bazemore": "1", "Dennis Schroder": "4", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "4", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2"}, "Steals": {"Draymond Green": "4", "Andre Iguodala": "3", "Dennis Schroder": "1", "Tim Hardaway Jr.": "2", "Ersan Ilyasova": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Klay Thompson": "1", "Andre Iguodala": "1", "Matt Barnes": "1", "Paul Millsap": "1", "Dwight Howard": "1", "Kent Bazemore": "1", "Ersan Ilyasova": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Andre Iguodala": "35", "Matt Barnes": "18", "Ersan Ilyasova": "27"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the Atlanta Hawks, 119 - 111, at Phillips Arena on Monday evening. The Warriors (52 - 11) are continuing to find their way without Kevin Durant (knee), and they may be starting to hit their stride. After a rough first full game without their All-Star last Thursday against the Bulls, Golden State bounced back with a much better effort in a Sunday victory against the Knicks. They had a much tougher test in front of them Monday in the form of the Hawks (34 - 29), but managed a second straight win on the strength of matching 24 - point efforts from Stephen Curry and Andre Iguodala, as well a 19 - turnover tally on Atlanta's part. Curry added nine assists and four rebounds. Iguodala also supplied five rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block in 35 minutes on the second unit. Klay Thompson contributed 13 points, three assists and one block. Draymond Green filled out the stat sheet with 12 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals. David West and Ian Clark each poured in 10 points off the bench, while Matt Barnes contributed five points, seven rebounds, three assists and one block over 18 minutes in his third game in a Warriors uniform. Dennis Schroder paced the Hawks with 23 points, four rebounds, three assists and one steal. Paul Millsap posted a 20 - point, 10 - rebound double - double that also included four assists and one block. Tim Hardaway, Jr. led the bench with 19 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals. Kent Bazemore managed 18 points, one rebound and one block. Ersan Ilyasova was productive off the bench as well with 15 points, two rebounds, three steals and one block over 27 minutes. Dwight Howard pitched in with a modest eight points but hauled in a whopping 19 rebounds and recorded one block. The Warriors head back home and await the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night, while the Hawks remain home to tangle with the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday evening as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "15", "Wizards": "23"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "106", "Wizards": "89"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Raptors": "29", "Wizards": "32"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Raptors": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Raptors": "48", "Wizards": "35"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "30", "Wizards": "20"}, "Number of team assists": {"Wizards": "20"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Wizards": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Otto Porter": "15", "John Wall": "18", "DeMar DeRozan": "17", "Kyle Lowry": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Otto Porter": "8", "DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Steals": {"Otto Porter": "4"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "14", "DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "4"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (30 - 15) defeated the Washington Wizards (20 - 23) 106 - 89 on Tuesday for their ninth consecutive victory. The Raptors used the same recipe they always do, as they relied on their backcourt and defense to carry them. Outside of a 32 - point second quarter, the Wizards could only amass 57 points in the other three quarters and never scored more than 20 in any individual one. The second half was especially tough, as Washington scored only 39 point while shooting just 32 percent from the field. The rebounding was huge for Toronto as well, as they snatched down 48 rebounds to the Wizards 35. Washington has now had two dud performances in a row, which is quite concerning considering they appeared to be turning things around just last week. They had to play this game without Bradley Beal again, as he recovers from a facial injury and potential concussion. John Wall did all he could here, as he scored 18 points and dished out 14 assists in a great game. Otto Porter also had a good game, as he tallied 15 points, eight rebounds and four steals in an effort - filled outing. Up next for the Wizards is the Denver Nuggets on Thursday at Verizon Center. Kyle Lowry led the Raptors with 29 points, four rebounds and four assists, but left the game late in the fourth quarter, while throbbing in pain with what appeared to be a wrist injury. DeMar DeRozan totaled 17 points, four rebounds and four assists. Toronto will look to get its winning streak to double - digits on Thursday when it plays host to the New York Knicks in what's usually a competitive matchup."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pistons": "25"}, "Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "35"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "56"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "18", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "13", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "9"}, "Assists": {"Draymond Green": "12"}, "Points": {"Klay Thompson": "17", "Stephen Curry": "25", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "25", "Tobias Harris": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "7"}}], "The recent form of these teams would indicate a Golden State blowout, but this was one of the tightest games of the season. In fact, there were 10 ties and 18 lead changes, as neither team led by more than eight points. Golden State was efficient as ever, as they recorded 35 assists and shot 56 percent from the field. Free-throw shooting killed Detroit, as they hit 61 percent of their free - throws to Golden State's 92 percent. Kevin Durant continued his amazing efficiency, as he scored a game - high 33 points on 13 - of - 18 shooting. Draymond Green went just 1 - of - 8 from the field, but still provided 10 rebounds and 12 assists. Stephen Curry scored 25 points, while Klay Thompson dropped 17 of his own. Tobias Harris shifted to the bench for this game and led the Pistons with 26 points and seven rebounds. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led the Detroit starters in scoring, as he dropped 25 points on 9 - of - 18 shooting."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "30", "Hornets": "41"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "106", "Hornets": "110"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Raptors": "28"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Raptors": "32", "Hornets": "44"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "45", "Hornets": "34"}, "Turnovers": {"Hornets": "8"}}, {"Points": {"Marvin Williams": "18", "Nicolas Batum": "15", "Kemba Walker": "19", "Frank Kaminsky": "13", "Marco Belinelli": "21", "Serge Ibaka": "15", "Jonas Valanciunas": "14", "DeMar DeRozan": "28", "Cory Joseph": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Marvin Williams": "12", "Nicolas Batum": "4", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Frank Kaminsky": "4", "Serge Ibaka": "2", "Jonas Valanciunas": "15", "DeMar DeRozan": "6", "Cory Joseph": "7"}, "Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "3", "Kemba Walker": "2", "Frank Kaminsky": "2", "Serge Ibaka": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Cory Joseph": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marco Belinelli": "11", "Jonas Valanciunas": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Marco Belinelli": "7", "Jonas Valanciunas": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "3"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets defeated the host Toronto Raptors, 110 - 106, at Air Canada Center on Wednesday. This was a must win for Charlotte and it marked one of their biggest road victories of the season. Three-point shooting really carried the Hornets, as they went 16 - of - 32 from long distance, while the Raptors went just 11 - of - 31. Charlotte also did a much better job of taking care of the ball, as they committed just nine turnovers, while forcing 14 from Toronto. Despite there being just five ties and five lead changes in total, neither team was able to lead by more than 11 points in this close - fought battle. The Hornets bench was huge as well, as they outscored the Raptors bench, 52 - 28. It took a late run from the Hornets to cap off their win, as they outscored the Raptors, 44 - 32, in the fourth quarter. The Hornets (34 - 41) are within two games of the eight - seed in the east, as this win shows how dangerous they can be. Kemba Walker led the starters in scoring, as he tallied 19 points, four rebounds and two assists. Nicolas Batum accumulated 15 points, four rebounds and three assists. Marvin Williams amassed 18 points and 12 rebounds en route to a double - double. Marco Belinelli led the team in scoring off the bench, as he dropped 21 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting. Frank Kaminsky also played well off the bench, providing 13 points, four rebounds and two assists. On deck for Charlotte is a home matchup versus the Denver Nuggets on Friday. The Raptors (45 - 30) had won six - straight headed into this game, but playing against someone who has their lives on the line is a completely different animal. DeMar DeRozan once again led the way for Toronto, as he collected 28 points, six rebounds and eight assists. Cory Joseph accrued 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Serge Ibaka totaled 15 points, two rebounds and two assists. Jonas Valanciunas recorded another double - double, amassing 14 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks on 5 - of - 6 shooting. Toronto will look to start a new winning streak on Friday in a home matchup against the Indiana Pacers."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "48", "Clippers": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "43", "Clippers": "46"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "29", "Clippers": "23"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "108", "Clippers": "120"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Thunder": "30", "Clippers": "36"}, "Turnovers": {"Thunder": "20"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "35", "Clippers": "42"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Clippers": "20"}}, {"Blocks": {"Matt Barnes": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Matt Barnes": "7", "JJ Redick": "6", "Chris Paul": "8", "Serge Ibaka": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "6", "Anthony Morrow": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Matt Barnes": "6", "JJ Redick": "3", "Chris Paul": "5", "Serge Ibaka": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "3", "Anthony Morrow": "6"}, "Points": {"Matt Barnes": "22", "DeAndre Jordan": "18", "JJ Redick": "25", "Chris Paul": "33", "Serge Ibaka": "15", "Enes Kanter": "18", "Russell Westbrook": "24", "Anthony Morrow": "26"}, "Steals": {"Matt Barnes": "3", "JJ Redick": "3", "Chris Paul": "2", "Anthony Morrow": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "7", "JJ Redick": "14", "Chris Paul": "19", "Serge Ibaka": "13", "Enes Kanter": "12", "Russell Westbrook": "14", "Anthony Morrow": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "3", "JJ Redick": "6", "Chris Paul": "11", "Serge Ibaka": "6", "Enes Kanter": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "5", "Anthony Morrow": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "22", "JJ Redick": "10", "Chris Paul": "7", "Serge Ibaka": "2", "Enes Kanter": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "13", "Anthony Morrow": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "12", "JJ Redick": "10", "Chris Paul": "6", "Serge Ibaka": "2", "Enes Kanter": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Anthony Morrow": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"DeAndre Jordan": "17", "JJ Redick": "5", "Serge Ibaka": "3", "Enes Kanter": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "9", "Anthony Morrow": "3"}, "Assists": {"JJ Redick": "7", "Chris Paul": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"JJ Redick": "35", "Russell Westbrook": "36", "Anthony Morrow": "36"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "10"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (42 - 23) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (35 - 29) 120 - 108 on Wednesday at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City. The Clippers were able to come out and have a good start to this game, out - scoring the Thunder 36 - 30 in the first quarter, while grabbing a 65 - 57 lead by half. They came into the third quarter playing just as well and were able to use that momentum to coast to the 12 - point victory on the road in Oklahoma City. The Clippers were the superior shooters, going 46 percent from the field and 50 percent from the three - point line, while the Thunder finished at 43 percent from the floor and 48 percent from deep. What ultimately may have made the difference was turnovers though, as the Clippers forced the Thunder into 20, while committing just 14 of their own. Despite coming into this game questionable with a knee injury, Chris Paul showed no signs of being slowed down and recorded a game - high of 33 points (11 - 19 FG, 5 - 8 3Pt, 6 - 7 FT), to go along with nine assists and two steals. He struggled to just two points on 1 - of - 6 shooting during Monday's game against the Timberwolves, so it was good to see him return to form and have a ton of success on the offensive side of the ball. J.J. Redick continued to stay hot as well, finishing with 25 points (6 - 14 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 10 - 10 FT), seven assists and three steals in 35 minutes. He's really stepped up his game in the absence of Jamal Crawford, as Redick is averaging 23 points and 1 steals over his last five games. He's pushed his season scoring average to 15 points per game. Matt Barnes was dialed in as well, going 6 - for - 7 from the three - point line for 22 points, while also adding three steals and two blocked shots. It marked just the third time he's surpassed the 20 - point mark so far this season. Adding another double - double to his season totals, DeAndre Jordan posted 18 points (3 - 7 FG, 12 - 22 FT) and 17 rebounds, despite missing 10 free throws over the course of the game. Coming quite close to recording another triple - double, Russell Westbrook finished with 24 points (5 - 14 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 11 - 13 FT), nine rebounds and seven assists in 36 minutes. He did have 10 turnovers though, which may have overshawdowed his performance a bit. He's still one of the hottest players in the country right now and is averaging 35 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists over his last seven games, a stretch that includes an unheard of five triple - doubles. He's pushed his season averages to 27 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists on the year. Doing his best to help keep the Thunder alive as well, Anthony Morrow added a team - high of 26 points (8 - 12 FG, 6 - 9 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) in 36 minutes off the bench, to go along with three rebounds and three steals. It was the first time he's surpassed the 20 - point mark this season, giving himself a new season - high in points. Both Enes Kanter and Serge Ibaka reached double figures in points as well. Kanter finished with 18 points (6 - 12 FG, 6 - 9 FT) and five rebounds, while Ibaka posted 15 points (6 - 13 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and three rebounds. The Clippers' next game will be on the road against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, while the Thunder will be at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Suns": "14", "Mavericks": "10"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "124", "Mavericks": "115"}, "Rebounds": {"Suns": "44", "Mavericks": "49"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "16", "Mavericks": "20"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Mavericks": "41"}, "Turnovers": {"Mavericks": "20"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "1", "Charlie Villanueva": "9", "Goran Dragic": "6", "Eric Bledsoe": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Rajon Rondo": "1", "Charlie Villanueva": "4", "Goran Dragic": "2", "Eric Bledsoe": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "12", "Tyson Chandler": "8", "Rajon Rondo": "14", "Charlie Villanueva": "13", "Alex Len": "9", "Goran Dragic": "17", "Eric Bledsoe": "19", "Isaiah Thomas": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "7", "Tyson Chandler": "6", "Rajon Rondo": "6", "Charlie Villanueva": "7", "Alex Len": "6", "Goran Dragic": "10", "Eric Bledsoe": "6"}, "Points": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "22", "Tyson Chandler": "22", "Rajon Rondo": "13", "Charlie Villanueva": "18", "Alex Len": "17", "Goran Dragic": "25", "Eric Bledsoe": "16", "Gerald Green": "22", "Isaiah Thomas": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "5", "Tyson Chandler": "14", "Rajon Rondo": "6", "Alex Len": "7", "Eric Bledsoe": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tyson Chandler": "12", "Alex Len": "7", "Eric Bledsoe": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Tyson Chandler": "10", "Alex Len": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "3"}, "Assists": {"Rajon Rondo": "8", "Eric Bledsoe": "11"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Goran Dragic": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Goran Dragic": "1"}, "Steals": {"Goran Dragic": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Goran Dragic": "1"}}], "The Phoenix Suns (16 - 14) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (20 - 10) 124 - 115 on Tuesday at the US Airways Center in Phoenix. Despite a 41 - point fourth quarter, the Mavericks were n't able to buckle down defensively Tuesday and let the Suns score 124 points, giving them the nine - point victory. Despite shooting better from the field and out - rebounding the Suns 49 - 44, the Mavericks committed 20 turnovers, giving the Suns enough of an advantage to secure the victory at home. The Suns found production from all over the court. Goran Dragic led all scorers, going 10 - for - 17 from the floor and 2 - for - 6 from the three - point line to score 25 points. He's now averaging 16 points per game on the season. Despite struggling with his shot, Eric Bledsoe had a huge game, scoring 16 points (6 - 19 FG, 1 - 7 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT), while recording 11 assists and 10 rebounds, giving him his second triple - double of the season. He was getting everything he wanted in this one, and was a big reason for the Suns' victory. Alex Len also was big as he finished with 17 points (6 - 9 FG, 5 - 7 FT) and seven rebounds before fouling out. The bench had a strong showing from Gerald Green and Isaiah Thomas. Green totaled 22 points, while Thomas finished with 12. The Mavericks were led by the duo of Tyson Chandler and Dirk Nowitzki. Chandler was a force, scoring 22 points (6 - 8 FG, 10 - 12 FT) and grabbing 14 rebounds. It was his thirteenth double - double of the season and third straight game with at least 14 rebounds. Nowitzki shot 7 - for - 12 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from deep to score 22 points, while also grabbing five rebounds. It was the most points he's had in the last four games. In Rondo's third game with the team, he finished with 13 points (6 - 14 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt), six rebounds and eight assists, as he did a little bit of everything Tuesday. Also, coming off the bench, Charlie Villanueva had a strong showing, going 7 - for - 13 from the field and 4 - for - 9 from beyond the arc to score 18 points. The Suns' next game will be on the road against the Sacramento Kings on Friday, while the Mavericks will be at home against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Pelicans": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "4", "Anthony Davis": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jamal Crawford": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Jamal Crawford": "9"}, "Points": {"Jamal Crawford": "21", "Anthony Davis": "21", "E'Twaun Moore": "15"}}], "The Clippers are the far superior team and they showed the Pelicans why they're better. The starting units were the big difference, with Los Angeles' starters outscoring New Orleans starters, 77 - 48. The Clippers actually led for the entirety of the second half, as they led by 20 points at times in their win. Blake Griffin and Chris Paul carried the load for Los Angeles, as they combined for 44 points, 18 rebounds and 17 assists. Jamal Crawford was huge off the bench, as he dropped 21 points on 9 - of - 15 shooting. Anthony Davis was the only Pelicans starter in double figures, as he accrued 21 points, six rebounds and four assists. E'Twaun Moore and Terrence Jones played well off the bench for New Orleans, with Jones totaling 12 points and nine rebounds, while Moore scored 15 points."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "54"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "98", "Kings": "106"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Lakers": "15", "Kings": "32"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "14"}}, {"Turnovers": {"Darren Collison": "5"}, "Assists": {"Rajon Rondo": "12", "D'Angelo Russell": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Rajon Rondo": "1"}, "Points": {"Julius Randle": "14", "Jordan Clarkson": "12", "D'Angelo Russell": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Julius Randle": "11", "D'Angelo Russell": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jordan Clarkson": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "5"}, "Steals": {"D'Angelo Russell": "4"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (26 - 41) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (14 - 54) 106 - 98 at Staples Center on Tuesday. The Kings snapped a five game losing streak with a relatively easy win in Los Angeles behind DeMarcus Cousins, Rudy Gay and Darren Collison. Cousins was responsible for the dagger three pointer with just over four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, after the Lakers trimmed an almost game long double figure lead to seven points. It was Cousins\u2019 only attempt from behind the arc, but he made every bit of it count to put the game away. The Kentucky product finished with 22 points, eight rebounds, three assists and a beastly four blocks. Gay and Collison combined for 42 points on 19 - of - 30 shooting, proving that when the Kings shooters are efficient, or simply in a rhythm, they can close out games. Rajon Rondo dished out 12 assists, while Omri Casspi led the bench in scoring with 11 points, but failed to make a three pointer. The Kings will play the second game of a back - to - back when they return home to host the New Orleans Pelicans (24 - 42) on Wednesday. The Lakers were without Kobe Bryant (shoulder) and Brandon Bass (eye), but the missing two pieces were not entirely to blame for the lopsided game early on. Los Angeles was unable to get into any sort of rhythm out the gate, and fell behind in the first quarter 32 - 15 and only registered four points through the first six minutes of action. The young Lakers trio seemed to have cooled down after stringing together an improved set of games. D\u2019Angelo Russell scored 14 points, to go along with three rebounds, three assists and four steals, while Jordan Clarkson added 12 points on 5 - of - 16 shooting. Julius Randle went for his 29th double - double of the season after scoring 14 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Lou Williams and Larry Nance Jr were spark plugs off the bench and combined for 29 points while trying to make up for the brutal first half. The Lakers will look to bounce back when they host the Phoenix Suns (18 - 49) on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "38"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "14", "Pelicans": "33"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "121", "Pelicans": "95"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "40", "Pelicans": "20"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "43"}}, {"Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "2", "Jrue Holiday": "6", "Kevin Durant": "6", "Russell Westbrook": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "14", "Jrue Holiday": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "8", "Jrue Holiday": "11", "Kevin Durant": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "12", "Russell Westbrook": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Anthony Davis": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Davis": "31"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "23", "Jrue Holiday": "23", "Kevin Durant": "23", "Serge Ibaka": "18", "Russell Westbrook": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "Jrue Holiday": "4", "Kevin Durant": "3"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "2", "Jrue Holiday": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jrue Holiday": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jrue Holiday": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Jrue Holiday": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Serge Ibaka": "3"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (40 - 14) earned a home win Thursday at Chesapeake Energy Arena over the New Orleans Pelicans (20 - 33), 121 - 95. The Pelicans scored the game\u2019s first six points but lost the lead for good by the end of the first quarter. The Thunder were aggressive from the three - point line, launching 32 attempts from deep and making 12 (38 percent). The Pelicans made just three of their 16 attempts, and the 27 - point advantage Oklahoma City enjoyed from outside was the story of the game. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook notched 23 points apiece to lead the Thunder. Westbrook dished 10 assists and finished one rebound away from what would have been his fourth double - double in the past six games. Durant made 10 of his 17 field goal attempts and added six assists and three rebounds. Serge Ibaka scored 18 points and added three blocks. Anthony Davis (8 - 14 FG, 7 - 12 FT) and Jrue Holiday (11 - 20 FG) joined the four - way tie for the game high in points with 23. Davis added three rebounds, two steals and two assists, and Holiday dished six assists, nabbed five steals and pulled down four rebounds in his 31 minutes off the bench. But the Pelicans just couldn\u2019t get their shots going, as they made just 36 of their 88 field goal attempts (43 percent). The Pelicans return from the break next Friday at home against the 76ers. The Thunder welcome the Pacers next Friday in Oklahoma City."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Cavaliers": "15", "Heat": "23"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "20", "Heat": "34"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "98", "Heat": "106"}, "Rebounds": {"Cavaliers": "52", "Heat": "38"}, "Turnovers": {"Cavaliers": "17", "Heat": "7"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "42", "Heat": "30"}}, {"Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "2"}, "Points": {"Hassan Whiteside": "13", "Dion Waiters": "29", "Goran Dragic": "21", "Wayne Ellington": "18", "LeBron James": "30", "Kyrie Irving": "32"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "11", "Wayne Ellington": "4", "LeBron James": "17", "Kyrie Irving": "7"}, "Assists": {"Dion Waiters": "5", "Goran Dragic": "6", "Wayne Ellington": "4", "LeBron James": "6", "Kyrie Irving": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Andrew Bogut": "1"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the host Cleveland Cavaliers, 106 - 98, at Quicken Loans Arena on Monday. Miami is one of the hottest teams in the league right now and they showed Cleveland just that in this surprising win. The assist - to - turnover ratio was the decisive statistic, with the Heat recording 23 assists to seven turnovers, while the Cavaliers committed 17 turnovers to just 15 assists. Three-point shooting was a big key as well, with Miami hitting 16 - of - 35 from long distance, while Cleveland went just 9 - of - 27. The Cavaliers did dominate the rebounding though, winning that battle, 52 - 38. It was a near wire - to - wire win for Miami, as they led for the final 40 - plus minutes. The Heat (30 - 34) continue to be one of the hottest teams in the league, as this marks their 19th win in 23 games. Dion Waiters was the star, as he led the team with 29 points and five assists. Goran Dragic was n't far behind, totaling 21 points and six assists. Hassan Whiteside recorded a double - double, amassing 13 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks. Wayne Ellington was huge off the bench, providing 18 points, four rebounds and four assists. On deck for Miami is a home matchup against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday. The Cavaliers (42 - 20) have now lost four of their last six games, with this loss being one of the worst of that stretch. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving carried the load, as they combined for 62 points, 24 rebounds and nine assists. Irving led the team, accumulating 32 points, seven rebounds and three assists. James finished with 30 points, 17 rebounds and six assists. Andrew Bogut made his debut with the Cavs, but broke his leg in one minute of action. Cleveland will be off until Thursday, when they play the Detroit Pistons on the road."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Wizards": "54", "Magic": "40"}, "Losses": {"Wizards": "24", "Magic": "40"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "115", "Magic": "114"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "37", "Magic": "23"}}, {"Blocks": {"Terrence Ross": "2"}, "Points": {"Terrence Ross": "20", "Aaron Gordon": "15", "Bismack Biyombo": "14", "Evan Fournier": "18", "Elfrid Payton": "15", "Bradley Beal": "32", "John Wall": "19", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Terrence Ross": "4", "Aaron Gordon": "11", "Bismack Biyombo": "15", "Elfrid Payton": "5", "Bradley Beal": "3", "John Wall": "6"}, "Steals": {"Terrence Ross": "2", "Bradley Beal": "2"}, "Assists": {"Aaron Gordon": "3", "Elfrid Payton": "3", "Bradley Beal": "4", "John Wall": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Elfrid Payton": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Elfrid Payton": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "8"}}], "The Washington Wizards defeated the Orlando Magic, 115 - 114, at Verizon Center on Sunday. These two teams have now split their season series and there was very little to separate them in this game as well. Despite the Magic leading for over 44 minutes of this fixture, the Wizards took the most important lead at the buzzer. In fact, Washington's largest lead was just two points, as there were seven ties and seven lead changes in total. Washington ended up outscoring Orlando by 17 points in the second half to pull out the comeback win. Shooting was key for the Wizards, as they hit 54 percent of their three's and 92 percent of their free - throws. Orlando hit just 40 percent of their three - pointers and 63 percent of their free - throws. The Wizards also outasissted the Magic, 26 - 16. The Magic (23 - 40) have been in a rough stretch for seemingly months now and this tough loss only adds to those struggles. Terrence Ross led the way, as he tallied 20 points, four rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Aaron Gordon recorded a double - double, totaling 15 points, 11 rebounds and three assists. Bismack Biyombo got the start and contributed 14 points, and 15 rebounds. Evan Fournier finished second on the team with 18 points, while Elfrid Payton managed 15 points, five rebounds and three assists on 7 - of - 8 shooting. The Magic will host the New York Knicks on Monday for their next game. The Wizards (37 - 24) are one of the best home teams in the league and comeback wins like this show just why. Bradley Beal was the player of the game, as he accumulated 32 points, three rebounds, four assists and two steals. Bojan Bogdanovic came off the bench to provide 27 points, going 8 - of - 10 from three - point range. John Wall finished with 19 points, six rebounds and 10 assists. On deck for the Wizards is a road matchup against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "2", "Kings": "5"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "117", "Kings": "91"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bucks": "29"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "4", "Kings": "2"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "39"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "5"}, "Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "15", "Garrett Temple": "19", "Jabari Parker": "19", "Mirza Teletovic": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Garrett Temple": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8", "Jabari Parker": "6"}, "Assists": {"Garrett Temple": "4", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "8"}, "Steals": {"Garrett Temple": "3", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Mirza Teletovic": "7"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks blew out the Sacramento Kings to the tune of a 117 - 91 scoreline on Saturday at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Milwaukee took care of business against the Kings here, as they pulled out the rare wire - to - wire win. The first and third quarters is when they made their mark. In fact, the Bucks led by 10 after the first quarter and started the third quarter on a 21 - 3 run to really open things up. Milwaukee dominated with their defense, as they forced Sacramento to shoot 39 percent from the field. In addition to that, the Bucks recorded 10 blocks and 12 steals in the win, scoring 29 points off turnovers. Fastbreak points were a huge difference as well, with Milwaukee scoring 26 fastbreak points to the Kings one. Sacramento (2 - 5) has been playing better defense this season, but this was a dud of a performance. Without Rudy Gay in the lineup, there was no help for DeMarcus Cousins, as he was double teamed all night long. Cousins still finished with 15 points and four rebounds, but went just 5 - of - 12 from the field. Garrett Temple led the team in scoring, as he amassed 19 points, three rebounds, four assists and three steals off the bench. No other player scored in double figures, with 13 players featuring for Sacramento in their blowout loss. Milwaukee (4 - 2) continues to surprise folks, as this was their best defensive performance of the season. Giannis Antetokonmpo flirted with a triple - double, accumulating 19 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and four steals in the win. Jabari Parker played great too, totaling 19 points, six rebounds and four steals of his own. Mirza Teletovic was unconscious off the bench, hitting seven three - pointers en route to a 22 - point performance, with five of them coming in a row in the first half. Sacramento has the unfortunate task of playing again on Sunday, as they to travel to Canada to play the Toronto Raptors. As for the Bucks, they also have to travel on Sunday to play the Dallas Mavericks."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "40"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "10", "Celtics": "6"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "92", "Celtics": "111"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "4", "Celtics": "9"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Celtics": "40"}}, {"Assists": {"Jae Crowder": "1", "Al Horford": "8", "Avery Bradley": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "5", "Trevor Booker": "3", "Brook Lopez": "2", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "2", "Sean Kilpatrick": "3"}, "Points": {"Jae Crowder": "15", "Al Horford": "17", "Avery Bradley": "22", "Isaiah Thomas": "23", "Kelly Olynyk": "10", "Jonas Jerebko": "10", "Trevor Booker": "18", "Brook Lopez": "13", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "14", "Sean Kilpatrick": "23", "Joe Harris": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Jae Crowder": "5", "Al Horford": "5", "Avery Bradley": "7", "Isaiah Thomas": "1", "Trevor Booker": "12", "Brook Lopez": "3", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "8", "Sean Kilpatrick": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Al Horford": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "1", "Brook Lopez": "1", "Sean Kilpatrick": "3"}, "Steals": {"Al Horford": "1", "Avery Bradley": "5", "Trevor Booker": "4", "Brook Lopez": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "5", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "32"}}], "The Boston Celtics defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 111 - 92, at Barclays Center on Wednesday. The Celtics (9 - 6) received a pair of strong efforts from their dynamic backcourt duo of Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley to comfortably ride to their third straight win, and fifth road victory overall. The guard combo combined for 45 points on 43 shot attempts between them, a tally that included a 5 - of - 9 effort for Thomas from long range. Six Boston players managed double - digit scoring overall, while the defense held the Nets (4 - 10) to sub - 40 percent success rates from both the field and three - point range. Thomas added five assists, a rebound and a block to his team - high 23 points. Bradley was right behind with 22 points, seven rebounds, an assist and a game - high five steals. Al Horford registered 17 points, eight assists, five rebounds, two blocks and a steal. Jae Crowder continued to round back into form with 15 points, five rebounds and an assist. Kelly Olynyk and Jonas Jerebko co - led the reserves with a pair of 10 - point efforts. Sean Kilpatrick actually led the Nets off the bench, totaling 23 points, three assists, two rebounds and three blocks over 32 minutes. Trevor Booker was next and led the first unit with an 18 - point, 12 - rebound double - double that also included three assists and four steals. Bojan Bogdanovic supplied 14 points, eight boards and two dimes. Brook Lopez had a quiet game by his standards, tallying 13 points, three boards, two assists, two steals and a block. Joe Harris was productive off the bench as well, with 12 points and a trio of boards. The Celtics return home to face off with the San Antonio Spurs on Friday afternoon, while the Nets travel to Indiana to tangle with the Pacers on Friday evening."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "32", "Magic": "20"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "6", "Magic": "7"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "88", "Magic": "69"}, "Turnovers": {"Pacers": "9", "Magic": "14"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "5", "Magic": "4"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "32"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "12"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Nikola Vucevic": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Nikola Vucevic": "1", "Paul George": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Nikola Vucevic": "12", "Evan Fournier": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "7", "Aaron Gordon": "3", "Paul George": "6", "Thaddeus Young": "5", "Monta Ellis": "2", "Jeff Teague": "8", "CJ Miles": "4"}, "Assists": {"Evan Fournier": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "2", "Aaron Gordon": "1", "Paul George": "5", "Thaddeus Young": "1", "Jeff Teague": "5", "CJ Miles": "1"}, "Points": {"Evan Fournier": "14", "Elfrid Payton": "12", "Aaron Gordon": "11", "Paul George": "13", "Thaddeus Young": "11", "Monta Ellis": "13", "Jeff Teague": "11", "CJ Miles": "16"}, "Steals": {"Evan Fournier": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "2", "Paul George": "2", "Thaddeus Young": "2", "Jeff Teague": "1", "CJ Miles": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Paul George": "1", "Thaddeus Young": "1", "Monta Ellis": "1", "Jeff Teague": "3", "CJ Miles": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Paul George": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Paul George": "5"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Paul George": "20"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul George": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul George": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Paul George": "2"}}], "The Indiana Pacers defeated the Orlando Magic, 88 - 69, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Monday. The Pacers (5 - 6) were n't sure that they'd have Paul George (ankle) available to help try to break a two - game losing streak until late in the afternoon, but he ultimately was able to suit up and share the co - lead in scoring among the starting five. He also helped spearhead a defensive effort that saw Indiana limit the Magic (4 - 7) to a 32 percent success rate from the field and a 20 percent tally from three - point range, while also holding them to a season - low point total. They also elicited a total of 14 turnovers from Orlando while turning the ball over just nine times in their own right. The key for the Pacers was their play in the two middle quarters, as they outscored the visitors by a 55 - 38 margin over the second and third periods. Orlando was paced by Evan Fournier, who supplied 14 points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal. Elfrid Payton managed 12 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals, while Nikola Vucevic struggled through an uncharacteristic 1 - of - 10 effort from the field, an unsightly performance that he nevertheless managed to somewhat compensate for with 12 rebounds. Aaron Gordon was the only other Magic player to hit double digits in the scoring column, pacing the bench with 11 points, three boards and an assist. George and Monta Ellis each turned in 13 - point efforts, with the former posting six rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block, while the latter had a pair of rebounds and assists, to go along with a block. Thaddeus Young provided a solid complementary effort with 11 points, five rebounds, an assist, two steals and a block. Jeff Teague filled out the stat sheet with 11 points, eight rebounds, five assists, a steal and three blocks. C.J. Miles led the reserves with 16 points, four rebounds, an assist, two steals and two blocks. The Magic head back home to await the New Orleans Pelicans for a Wednesday visit, while the Pacers have their own Wednesday home date with the Cleveland Cavaliers."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "7", "Trail Blazers": "7"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "110", "Trail Blazers": "95"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "20", "Trail Blazers": "22"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Meyers Leonard": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Meyers Leonard": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Meyers Leonard": "32", "CJ McCollum": "27", "James Harden": "32", "Corey Brewer": "23", "Alexey Shved": "11"}, "Points": {"Meyers Leonard": "13", "CJ McCollum": "17", "James Harden": "44", "Corey Brewer": "12", "Alexey Shved": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Meyers Leonard": "4", "Corey Brewer": "4"}, "Steals": {"CJ McCollum": "3", "Corey Brewer": "5"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "7", "Corey Brewer": "4"}}], "The Houston Rockets (20 - 7) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (22 - 7) 110 - 95 on Monday. Houston put a stop to their two - game losing streak with the win. James Harden was n't going to let the Rockets lose a third straight game. He put up a game - high 44 points and seven assists in 32 minutes. Corey Brewer and Alexey Shved, acquired in a three - team trade on Friday, made their debuts with the team. Brewer put up 12 points, four rebounds, four assists and five steals in 23 minutes off the bench, while Shved put up three points in 11 minutes off the bench. The Rockets will go on the road Friday to take on the Grizzlies in Memphis. Portland saw their five - game winning streak come to an end with the loss. LaMarcus Aldridge sat out the game with an illness, thrusting Meyers Leonard into the starting lineup at power forward. Robin Lopez (hand) will remain out for about seven more weeks, so the Trail Blazers were running out their backup frontcourt of Leonard and Joel Freeland. Leonard finished with 13 points and four rebounds in 32 minutes. He even converted three three - pointers, showing off the new skill he developed in the offseason. With the game out of reach for most of the second half, coach Terry Stotts gave extra minutes to his bench. C.J. McCollum put on a show with 17 points and three steals in 27 minutes. Portland is on a back - to - back set, they'll play the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "30"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Rockets": "30"}}, {"Points": {"Trevor Ariza": "23", "Montrezl Harrell": "16", "Patrick Beverley": "16", "James Harden": "22", "Eric Gordon": "24", "Trevor Booker": "18", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Trevor Ariza": "8", "Patrick Beverley": "7", "Trevor Booker": "5", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "7"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Ariza": "2", "Trevor Booker": "3", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "3"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "11"}}], "The Rockets offense against the Nets defense looked like a mismatch of epic proportions on paper and that proved to be the case on the floor. Houston had a near wire - to - wire win, as they never trailed after the first three minutes. Not only that, they won each individual quarter and scored at least 30 points in all four quarters. The starters were the difference in the game, with Houston's starters outscoring Brooklyn's starters, 89 - 49. James Harden added another triple - double to his tally, accumulating 22 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. Eric Gordon led the team in scoring, as he dropped 24 points off the bench. Trevor Ariza provided 23 points, eight rebounds and two steals. Montrezl Harrell and Patrick Beverley each scored 16 points and brought down seven boards a piece. Trevor Booker led the Nets in scoring, tallying 18 points, five rebounds and three steals. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was a nice spark off the bench for Brooklyn, collecting 14 points, seven rebounds and three steals."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "33", "76ers": "46"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "121", "76ers": "114"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pelicans": "34"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "21", "76ers": "8"}}, {"Points": {"Jahlil Okafor": "14", "Nerlens Noel": "24", "Ish Smith": "12", "Anthony Davis": "34", "Jrue Holiday": "24", "Ryan Anderson": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Jahlil Okafor": "5", "Nerlens Noel": "9", "Ish Smith": "3", "Anthony Davis": "7", "Jrue Holiday": "3"}, "Assists": {"Nerlens Noel": "4", "Ish Smith": "7", "Jrue Holiday": "12"}, "Blocks": {"Nerlens Noel": "1", "Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nerlens Noel": "15", "Anthony Davis": "22", "Jrue Holiday": "17", "Ryan Anderson": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Nerlens Noel": "10", "Anthony Davis": "9", "Jrue Holiday": "8", "Ryan Anderson": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nerlens Noel": "5", "Anthony Davis": "20", "Jrue Holiday": "8", "Ryan Anderson": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Nerlens Noel": "4", "Anthony Davis": "16", "Jrue Holiday": "7", "Ryan Anderson": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Nerlens Noel": "36", "Ish Smith": "31", "Anthony Davis": "38", "Jrue Holiday": "33"}, "Steals": {"Nerlens Noel": "2", "Ish Smith": "4", "Anthony Davis": "2", "Jrue Holiday": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "2", "Jrue Holiday": "4", "Ryan Anderson": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Anthony Davis": "0", "Jrue Holiday": "1", "Ryan Anderson": "4"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (21 - 33) defeated the visiting Philadelphia 76ers (8 - 46) 121 - 114, on Friday night at Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans led the whole way in this game, despite a ferocious run by the 76ers, which cut a 22 - point lead to a one - point lead early in the fourth quarter. The Pelicans responded by rebuilding their lead to 10 with four minutes to go and hanging on the rest of the way. Both teams shot over 50 percent from the field, over 40 percent from long - range and over 80 percent from the foul line. With this win the Pelicans home record improves to 15 - 12. Anthony Davis led the way for New Orleans with 34 points (9 - 22 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 16 - 20 FT), seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks, in 38 minutes. Davis scored 18 of his points in the first quarter, giving his team the boost they needed to stay on top. Jrue Holiday was huge in 33 minutes off the bench, logging a double - double with 24 points (8 - 17 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 7 - 8 FT) and 12 assists, along with four steals and three rebounds. Ryan Anderson was even more potent with his scoring off the bench, as he chipped in 26 points (9 - 15 FG, 4 - 6 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), in 27 minutes. The 76ers had seven players contribute double digits in the points column, a stat which the struggling squad can find comfort in. Nerlens Noel was the anchor as he tallied 24 points (10 - 15 FG, 4 - 5 FT), nine rebounds, four assists, two steals and one blocked shot, in 36 minutes. Ish Smith finished with 12 points, seven assists, four steals and three rebounds, in 31 minutes, while Jahlil Okafor tallied 14 points and five rebounds, before fouling out. Philly gave up 20 turnovers, despite playing a good game in many other ways. The 76ers will now head to Dallas to face the Mavericks on Sunday. The Pelicans will go head to head with the Pistons, in Detroit on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "24", "Warriors": "8"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "114", "Warriors": "130"}, "Turnovers": {"Thunder": "19", "Warriors": "11"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "31", "Warriors": "46"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "53"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Warriors": "43"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "3", "Stephen Curry": "9", "Andre Iguodala": "3", "Andre Roberson": "1", "Domantas Sabonis": "3", "Victor Oladipo": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "34", "JaVale McGee": "16", "Klay Thompson": "26", "Stephen Curry": "26", "Andre Iguodala": "8", "Andre Roberson": "6", "Domantas Sabonis": "9", "Steven Adams": "13", "Victor Oladipo": "20", "Russell Westbrook": "47"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "9", "JaVale McGee": "3", "Klay Thompson": "1", "Stephen Curry": "8", "Andre Iguodala": "5", "Andre Roberson": "11", "Domantas Sabonis": "4", "Steven Adams": "3", "Victor Oladipo": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"JaVale McGee": "20"}, "Steals": {"Klay Thompson": "1", "Stephen Curry": "2", "Andre Roberson": "1", "Domantas Sabonis": "1", "Steven Adams": "1", "Victor Oladipo": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Andre Roberson": "3", "Domantas Sabonis": "1", "Steven Adams": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "11"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, 130 - 114, at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Saturday night. In a game laden with star power, all eyes were on Kevin Durant in his first game in Oklahoma City after having headed west this past summer in free agency. Durant came through in spectacular fashion in the emotional contest, posting 34 points, nine rebounds and three assists. His stellar performance spearheaded the Warriors' 53 - percent shooting night and paved the way to the blowout victory. Golden State (46 - 8) gained separation with a 43 - point second quarter, and the Thunder (31 - 24) committed 19 turnovers overall - - 11 on the part of Russell Westbrook - - undermining their chances against the best team in the NBA. Durant added nine rebounds and three assists to his team - high scoring total. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson checked in behind Durant with a pair of 26 - point efforts, with the former adding nine assists, eight rebounds and two steals, and the latter providing a rebound and a steal. JaVale McGee was highly efficient with 16 points and three rebounds over 20 minutes. Andre Iguodala led the bench with eight points, five rebounds and three assists. Westbrook led all scorers with 47 points, and supplemented the total with 11 rebounds, eight assists and one steal. Victor Oladipo supplied 20 points, four rebounds, four assists and one steal. Steven Adams registered 13 points, three rebounds, one steal and one block. Andre Roberson tallied six points, 11 rebounds, an assist, three blocks and a steal. Domantas Sabonis furnished nine points, four rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. The Warriors head to Denver to take on the Nuggets on Monday evening, while the Thunder travel to the Nation's Capital to tangle with the Washington Wizards on Monday night as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "23", "Thunder": "20"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "86", "Thunder": "94"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Heat": "17", "Thunder": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Heat": "36", "Thunder": "42"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "18", "Thunder": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "6", "Dwyane Wade": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "2", "Reggie Jackson": "3", "Chris Bosh": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "2", "Danny Granger": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kevin Durant": "0", "Russell Westbrook": "0", "Reggie Jackson": "2", "Chris Bosh": "1", "Dwyane Wade": "0", "Danny Granger": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "24", "Russell Westbrook": "17", "Reggie Jackson": "9", "Chris Bosh": "12", "Dwyane Wade": "18", "Danny Granger": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "8", "Reggie Jackson": "7", "Chris Bosh": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "8", "Danny Granger": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "4", "Chris Bosh": "6", "Dwyane Wade": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Kevin Durant": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "3", "Chris Bosh": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "2"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "19", "Steven Adams": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "19", "Anthony Morrow": "12", "Reggie Jackson": "16", "Chris Bosh": "16", "Hassan Whiteside": "10", "Dwyane Wade": "18", "Danny Granger": "9"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "10", "Chris Bosh": "7", "Hassan Whiteside": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Durant": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Chris Bosh": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Dwyane Wade": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Danny Granger": "25"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (21 - 20) defeated the Miami Heat (18 - 23) 94 - 86 on Tuesday at American Airlines Arena in Miami. Down just 50 - 49 at half, the Thunder used a strong third quarter to build themselves a lead, out - scoring the Heat 23 - 17. After grabbing a solid lead following that quarter, the Heat were never able to come back as the Thunder secured the eight - point victory on the road in Miami. Despite being out - shot by the Heat, the Thunder out - rebounded them 42 - 36 and forced Miami into 21 turnovers, which turned out to be the difference in this game. The Thunder were led by their superstar duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Durant nearly recorded a triple - double with 19 points (9 - 24 FG, 0 - 8 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT), eight rebounds and eight assists. He also notched a season - high of four steals, as he did it both offensively and defensively for the Tunder on Tuesday. Westbrook on the other hand finished with 19 points (8 - 17 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) of his own, while also recording 10 rebounds, six assists and four steals. It marked his second double - double in his last three games, along with the third time in the last four games that he's recorded four or more steals. Reggie Jackson was a big bench presence for the Thunder in this game. He went a very efficient 7 - for - 9 from the floor and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 16 points in 25 minutes. Both Steven Adams and Anthony Morrow reached double figures in points as well with 10 and 12 points respectively. Like Durant and Westbrook of the Thunder, the duo of Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh had the most production for the Heat. Wade finished with 18 points (8 - 18 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT) and six assists, while Bosh had 16 points (5 - 12 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT) and seven rebounds. Bosh has been unguardable in his last three games, averaging 24 points and seven rebounds over that span. Wade sat out the last two games with a hamstring injury, so it was good to see him come back and play a full minutes load. The only other member of the Heat to reach double figures in points was Hassan Whiteside, who started at center and recorded 10 points and two rebounds. Whiteside is averaging 7 points per game, but has now recorded double - digit points in seven of his last eight games. Coming off the bench, Danny Granger went 3 - for - 5 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from beyond the arc to score nine points in 25 minutes. The Thunder's next game will be on the road against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, while the Heat will travel to Charlotte to play the Hornets on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "11"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "10"}}, {"Assists": {"Klay Thompson": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "14"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "33"}, "Field goals made": {"Klay Thompson": "21"}, "Minutes played": {"Klay Thompson": "29"}, "Points": {"Klay Thompson": "60"}}], "The Warriors' Klay Thompson stole the show Tuesday with 60 points in 29 minutes, making for one of the most efficient scoring performances by any player in NBA history. The sheer volume of scoring in the rather minimal amount of time is what's most notable, as he smashed the previous record for most points in game while playing under 30 minutes, previously established by Celtics great Larry Bird (43 points). No matchup was able to slow down Thompson, even when the Pacers switched Paul George onto the red - hot shooting guard, as he finished the night with a 21 - of - 33 mark from the field, including 8 - of - 14 from behind the arc and 10 - 11 from the free throw line. Thompson sat out the entire fourth quarter, otherwise he may have been able to make a push to surpass Kobe Bryant's 81 - point effort for the second - most points ever in an NBA contest."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "5", "Grizzlies": "5"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "90", "Grizzlies": "105"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hornets": "23"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "8", "Grizzlies": "9"}}, {"Assists": {"JaMychal Green": "1", "Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"JaMychal Green": "4", "Frank Kaminsky": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"JaMychal Green": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"JaMychal Green": "31", "Frank Kaminsky": "20"}, "Points": {"JaMychal Green": "12", "Kemba Walker": "17", "Spencer Hawes": "14", "Frank Kaminsky": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"JaMychal Green": "8", "Spencer Hawes": "10"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Charlotte Hornets 105 - 90 at Spectrum Center on Monday. The Grizzlies (9 - 5) pulled out their fifth straight win behind a strong effort from Mike Conley. The floor general for the Grizzlies was an all around force from end - to - end, especially after losing James Ennis (calf). The calf injury flared up after returning to the lineup on Monday, and is another blow to the front court for Memphis given Chandler Parsons (bruised left knee) inability to play for roughly two more weeks. Memphis controlled the pace of the game from start to finish and never let the Hornets (8 - 5) get close enough to make it a game. The game got blow fully open after Conley buried a 27 - foot three point shot to take a 69 - 45 lead with just a few seconds left in the third quarter. The Grizzlies point guard finished with 31 points, four rebounds, two assists and three steals on 11 - of - 21 shooting. JaMychal Green had a great performance in the starting lineup with 12 points, eight rebounds and an assist on 4 - of - 4 shooting in 31 minutes. Kemba Walker led the starting lineup in scoring for the Hornets, but failed to provide enough to get his team back in the game after contributing 17 points and two assists. Charlotte got strong productivity from the bench, where Frank Kaminsky dropped 23 points on 11 shots in 20 minutes, while Spencer Hawes added 14 points and 10 rebounds. Both teams play on Wednesday, as the Hornets host the San Antonio Spurs, while the Grizzlies head to Philadelphia to take on the 76ers."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Pacers": "32", "Pelicans": "18"}}, {"Points": {"Anthony Davis": "16", "Buddy Hield": "10", "Jrue Holiday": "11", "Tyreke Evans": "12", "E'Twaun Moore": "15", "Terrence Jones": "15", "Paul George": "19", "Thaddeus Young": "17", "Myles Turner": "18", "Jeff Teague": "16", "Al Jefferson": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Buddy Hield": "15", "Terrence Jones": "26"}, "Steals": {"Thaddeus Young": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Myles Turner": "12"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"Jeff Teague": "7"}}], "The Pelicans overcame a 32 - 18 first - quarter deficit to pull within 54 - 52 by halftime, and had a chance to send the game into overtime at the buzzer. However, Tyreke Evans' missed three - point attempt sealed New Orleans' fate and the Pacers' win. Anthony Davis' 16 points led the Pelicans, despite a third - quarter exit with hip and thumb injuries. Terrance Jones tallied 15 points in 26 minutes, while E'Twaun Moore equaled his scoring. Evans provided 12 points, and Jrue Holiday offered a modest 11. Buddy Hield registered 10 points in 15 minutes. Paul George's 19 points led Indiana, and Myles Turner pitched in with an 18 - point, 12 - rebound double - double. Thaddeus Young's stat line included 17 points and a game - high six steals. Jeff Teague posted a 16 - point, 10 - assist double - double and a game - high seven turnovers. Al Jefferson's 10 points led the bench."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Spurs": "29", "Hornets": "18"}, "Turnovers": {"Spurs": "7", "Hornets": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"Jeremy Lamb": "3", "Kemba Walker": "3"}, "Points": {"Jeremy Lamb": "13", "Kemba Walker": "18", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "15", "Dewayne Dedmon": "15", "Davis Bertans": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Jeremy Lamb": "8", "Kemba Walker": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "11", "Dewayne Dedmon": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Davis Bertans": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Davis Bertans": "5"}}], "San Antonio were expected to win this game easily against a shorthanded Charlotte team and they left no doubt with a 17 - point win. The Spurs took care of business in the second half, outscoring the Hornets, 55 - 35. A 28 - 8 run in the third and fourth quarter was the decisive moment, as Charlotte led by two before that run. The assist - to - turnover ratio was the difference in the game, with San Antonio recording 29 assists to just seven turnovers, while Charlotte committed 15 turnovers to 18 assists. Davis Bertans led the Spurs in scoring, as he dropped 21 points on 5 - of - 6 shooting off the bench. Dewayne Dedmon came off the bench to record a 15 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. LaMarcus Aldridge also recorded a double - double, totaling 15 points and 11 rebounds. Kawhi Leonard led the team in scoring, dropping 18 points. Kemba Walker led Charlotte, tallying 18 points, two rebounds and three assists. Jeremy Lamb got the start for Nicolas Batum and contributed 13 points, eight rebounds and three assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "14", "Bulls": "10"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "107", "Bulls": "91"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "14", "Bulls": "15"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bulls": "21"}}, {"Points": {"Taj Gibson": "6", "Tony Snell": "7", "Jimmy Butler": "12", "Derrick Rose": "6", "Aaron Brooks": "11", "Carmelo Anthony": "27", "Kristaps Porzingis": "10", "Arron Afflalo": "18", "Lance Thomas": "13"}, "Minutes played": {"Tony Snell": "21", "Derrick Rose": "21", "Lance Thomas": "24"}, "Assists": {"Jimmy Butler": "5", "Aaron Brooks": "3", "Carmelo Anthony": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Aaron Brooks": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Kristaps Porzingis": "7"}, "Steals": {"Aaron Brooks": "1", "Carmelo Anthony": "1"}}], "The New York Knicks (14 - 14) defeated the Chicago Bulls (15 - 10) 107 - 91 on Saturday. The Bulls were a depleted team coming into the contest, having endured 68 minutes of basketball in a quadruple - overtime loss to the Detroit Pistons one night earlier. Center Pau Gasol did not even make the trip to New York, with Joakim Noah getting the starting call. Although the veteran was outstanding in Gasol's stead - - managing a 21 - point, 10 - rebound double - double - - - the rest of the Chicago starters looked understandably sluggish. Iron man Jimmy Butler was the only other member of the starting five to manage double - digit scoring, and he amassed only 12 points at that. Chicago was at a disadvantage from the start in this road contest, and New York was able to exploit their exhaustion for the relatively easy victory. The silver lining for Chicago having to give their starters more rest than usual was that it provided 2015 first - round pick Bobby Portis his first opportunity for extended action. The rookie responded in fine fashion, posting a 20 - point, 11 - rebound double - double over a highly productive 23 minutes. Aaron Brooks also tallied double - digit points in a reserve role, pouring in 11 and adding three assists, a rebound and a steal. A weary Derrick Rose could only muster six points over 21 minutes, while Tony Snell (seven points) and Taj Gibson (six points) underwhelmed as well. Chicago fell to 15 - 10 and currently resides in third place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They head home to face the Brooklyn Nets on Monday. The Knicks were lead by another stellar effort from Carmelo Anthony, who has begun to really hit his stride on offense over the last several games. He posted a game - high 27 points, seven rebounds, three assists and a steal. Arron Afflalo also continued his recent stretch of strong play, posting his fifth straight double - digit scoring performance with an 18 - point tally. Rookie Kristaps Porzingis was solid with 10 points and seven rebounds, while Lance Thomas made his customarily solid contributions from the bench with a 13 - point effort over 24 minutes. New York evened their record at 14 - 14 and currently reside in third place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They remain home to face the Orlando Magic on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "35", "Kings": "41"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "106", "Kings": "113"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hornets": "28", "Kings": "35"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "28", "Kings": "22"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Kings": "27"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Kings": "27"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "17", "DeMarcus Cousins": "17", "Ben McLemore": "16", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "12", "Mo Williams": "20", "Kemba Walker": "9"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gay": "9", "DeMarcus Cousins": "8", "Ben McLemore": "10", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "9", "Mo Williams": "8", "Kemba Walker": "2"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gay": "26", "DeMarcus Cousins": "20", "Ben McLemore": "27", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "23", "Gerald Henderson": "17", "Mo Williams": "20", "Kemba Walker": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "34", "Ben McLemore": "41", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "32", "Gerald Henderson": "34", "Mo Williams": "38", "Kemba Walker": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "14", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "9", "Gerald Henderson": "6"}, "Assists": {"Gerald Henderson": "11", "Mo Williams": "8"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (22 - 41) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (28 - 35) 113 - 106 on Wednesday in Charlotte. It was a close game after the third quarter, but a strong final period from the Kings led them to victory. Sacramento's winning effort was lead by Ben McLemore, who scored a season - high 27 points on 10 - of - 16 shooting in 41 minutes. Rudy Gay followed close behind, scoring 26 points on 9 - of - 17 shooting in 28 minutes. DeMarcus Cousins recorded his fifth straight double - double and his sixth in seven games, scoring 20 points on 8 - of - 17 shooting and grabbing 14 rebounds in 34 minutes. Over those last seven games, Cousins has averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist led the way for the Hornets in the losing effort, scoring 23 points on 9 - of - 12 shooting to go along with nine rebounds in 32 minutes. Kemba Walker returned to action for Charlotte after being out with a knee injury since late - January, playing just 16 minutes and scoring six points on 2 - of - 9 shooting in that time. While Walker still works his way back into the rotation, Mo Williams continues to start. He recorded 20 points on 8 - of - 20 shooting and eight assists in 38 minutes. Gerald Henderson also put together a nice stat line, recording 17 points, 11 assists, and six rebounds in 34 minutes. The loss puts the Hornets a half - game behind the Miami Heat and out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture for now. Up next, the Kings will head to Philadelphia Friday to take on the 76ers, while Charlotte will stay home to go up against the Bulls on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "6", "Bucks": "5"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "101", "Bucks": "85"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Magic": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Magic": "45", "Bucks": "38"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "4", "Bucks": "4"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Bucks": "19"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Bucks": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Brandon Knight": "5"}, "Points": {"Brandon Knight": "24", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "19", "Tobias Harris": "26", "Victor Oladipo": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Brandon Knight": "6", "Tobias Harris": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Victor Oladipo": "25"}}], "The Orlando Magic (4 - 6) put aside the second - half struggles they have had this season, and pulled away over the final 24 minutes to secure a 101 - 85 home victory over the Milwaukee Bucks (4 - 5) on Friday night. The Magic began to create separation mid - way through the third quarter, when Tobias Harris and Evan Fournier sparked a 13 - 2 run that saw Orlando's one - point lead extended to double - digits. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks on a fourth quarter charge, but Milwaukee was unable to come closer than seven points as the Magic came away with their fourth victory of the season. The Milwaukee loss comes in spite of a career night from Antetokounmpo, who notched a career - high 19 points on 9 - of - 15 shooting. Brandon Knight scored 24 to lead the Bucks, and also added six rebounds and five assists. Tobias Harris led the attack for Orlando with a 26 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Victor Oladipo (face) made his season debut. He played 25 minutes off the bench and scored 13 points. The two teams shot similar percentages from the field, but Orlando was able to come away with the win based on a 10 - 24 shooting night from downtown while adding 21 points from the charity stripe. The Magic also controlled the boards, out - rebounding Milwaukee 45 - 38."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "4", "Thunder": "6"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "94", "Thunder": "109"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "3", "Thunder": "3"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Thunder": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"Reggie Jackson": "8", "Anthony Morrow": "1", "Jared Sullinger": "6", "Rajon Rondo": "12"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Reggie Jackson": "5", "Anthony Morrow": "5", "Jared Sullinger": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Reggie Jackson": "2", "Anthony Morrow": "4", "Jared Sullinger": "0", "Rajon Rondo": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Reggie Jackson": "15", "Anthony Morrow": "16", "Jared Sullinger": "13", "Rajon Rondo": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Reggie Jackson": "8", "Anthony Morrow": "11", "Jared Sullinger": "7", "Rajon Rondo": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Reggie Jackson": "10", "Anthony Morrow": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Reggie Jackson": "10", "Anthony Morrow": "2"}, "Points": {"Reggie Jackson": "28", "Anthony Morrow": "28", "Jared Sullinger": "14", "Rajon Rondo": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Reggie Jackson": "3", "Anthony Morrow": "5", "Jared Sullinger": "11", "Rajon Rondo": "9"}, "Steals": {"Reggie Jackson": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Anthony Morrow": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Anthony Morrow": "1"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (3 - 6) got their first road win of the season, beating the Boston Celtics (3 - 4) 109 - 94 at the TD Garden on Wednesday. Depite playing without Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook, the Thunder were still able to get the job done. They showed up big on Wednesday, grabbing a 15 - point win over the Celtics. Oklahoma City was led by a big game from Reggie Jackson, who had 28 points (8 - 15 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 10 - 10 FT), along with eight assists, three rebounds and one steal. They also got an impressive performance off the bench from Anthony Morrow, who scored 28 points (11 - 16 FG, 4 - 5 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), with five rebounds and one assist. This was just one game after making his season debut, after being held out of the beginning of the year with an MCL injury. Oklahoma City heads back home now, and they'll take on the Detroit Pistons on Friday night. The Celtics saw all five of their starters score in double figures, but their bench could only manage 15 total points on Wednesday. They were led by a near triple - double from Rajon Rondo, who had 20 points (8 - 15 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt), 12 assists and nine rebounds. Jared Sullinger also had a nice game, scoring 14 points (7 - 13 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt), along with 11 rebounds and six assists for his own double - double. The Celtics will now get a night off before LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers come to town on Friday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "12", "76ers": "31"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "100", "76ers": "84"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "26", "76ers": "7"}}, {"Points": {"Nerlens Noel": "12", "KJ McDaniels": "10", "Michael Carter-Williams": "29", "Amir Johnson": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "20", "Kyle Lowry": "18", "Lou Williams": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Nerlens Noel": "8", "KJ McDaniels": "8", "Michael Carter-Williams": "7", "Amir Johnson": "16", "DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "7"}, "Assists": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "4", "DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "12"}, "Blocks": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"DeMar DeRozan": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Lou Williams": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMar DeRozan": "29"}, "Steals": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Lowry": "4", "Lou Williams": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyle Lowry": "4"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (26 - 12) ran away from the Philadelphia 76ers (7 - 31) in a 100 - 84 win Wednesday. In DeMar DeRozan's first contest since Nov. 28, when he suffered a torn left groin, he immediately entered the starting five and did n't miss a beat, supplying 20 points, four rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block in 29 minutes. His backcourt mate, Kyle Lowry, again powered the offense, notching a near triple - double - - 18 points, 12 dimes, and seven rebounds - - while drilling four of the Raptors' 10 three - pointers. Reserve guard Lou Williams matched Lowry's four treys en route to 19 points of his own. Down low, Amir Johnson busted out for 10 points and 16 boards, marking his second consecutive double - double. Toronto will aim for back - to - back victories, and their third in four games, during Friday's matchup against the Eastern Conference-leading Atlanta Hawks. Falling for the second contest in a row, the Sixers ultimately could n't keep pace with an intact Raptors rotation. Michael Carter-Williams did everything in his power to maintain a respectable result with a 29 - point, seven - rebound, four - assist effort, but his teammates combined to shoot less than 35 percent (19 - for - 55) from the field. While Robert Covington was a late scratch due to a right shoulder contusion, the night was n't all for naught, as both Nerlens Noel (12 points and eight rebounds) and K.J. McDaniels (10 points and eight boards) fell just shy of double - double territory. Upon their return to Philadelphia, the Sixers will face the New Orleans Pelicans for the first time this season."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "10", "Mavericks": "20"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "103", "Mavericks": "100"}, "Rebounds": {"Jazz": "41", "Mavericks": "27"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "17", "Mavericks": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Mavericks": "6"}}, {"Blocks": {"Rudy Gobert": "1"}, "Free throw percentage": {"Rudy Gobert": "80"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gobert": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "10"}, "Steals": {"Rudy Gobert": "1"}}], "The host Utah Jazz squeaked by the visiting Dallas Mavericks on Friday, 103 - 100. Utah (17 - 10) has seen success early in the season despite being consistently hampered by injuries. Despite the absence of point guard George Hill (toe) and bench guard Alec Burks (ankle) in Friday's game, the Jazz were able to pull out the narrow win. A large portion of Utah's recent success has been thanks to star center Rudy Gobert, who has shot over 80 percent in the team's last six games en route to almost 17 points per game. Gobert has also been the anchor for an ironclad Jazz defense that is holding its opponents to a league - best 95 points per game. On Friday, Gobert led the team with 16 points and 10 rebounds, also notching a steal and a block. Despite relatively low scoring totals, the Jazz shot a red - hot 56 percent from the field and drained eight three - pointers. Injuries have also held back the Mavericks (6 - 20), who have had less success in overcoming their misfortune. The team remains without star Dirk Nowitzki (Achilles) and center Andrew Bogut (knee), and sits at the bottom of the Western Conference. On Friday, the Mavericks looked in need of more big man depth, as the team was out - rebounded 41 - 27. Dallas did see solid play on offense, as the team committed only six turnovers and had 12 three - pointers. However, the team shot only 46 percent overall and allowed the Jazz to hit at a significantly higher clip. Dallas will host the Kings on Sunday, while the Jazz will visit Memphis to take on the Grizzlies."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "28"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "16", "Devin Booker": "12", "Brandon Knight": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "16"}, "Free throws made": {"Kevin Durant": "15"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Klay Thompson": "6", "Stephen Curry": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "0", "Stephen Curry": "5"}, "Points": {"Klay Thompson": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyson Chandler": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Devin Booker": "3", "Brandon Knight": "3"}}], "Stephen Curry's and Kevin Durant's stellar synergy was on display again Sunday, as they combined for 65 points on 19 - for - 33 shooting. Durant maximized his 16 visits to the free - throw line with 15 successful attempts, while Curry nailed five of eight three - point tries. Zaza Pachulia and Draymond Green excelled on the boards with a combined 23 rebounds, while Klay Thompson contributed 14 points. However, his 0 - for - 6 three - point tally played a large part in Golden State's uncharacteristic 28 percent success rate from behind the arc. T.J. Warren and Eric Bledsoe did a pretty good Durant-Curry impression with a combined 47 - point haul, but received little else in the way of offensive support. Tyson Chandler was strong down low with 18 boards, but Devin Booker and Brandon Knight could only contribute a combined 16 points on identical 3 - for - 12 shooting performances."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "29", "Bucks": "18"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "77", "Bucks": "97"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "5", "Bucks": "19"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Bucks": "47"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "54"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bucks": "20"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Khris Middleton": "2", "Brandon Knight": "7", "O.J. Mayo": "6", "Michael Carter-Williams": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Khris Middleton": "2", "Brandon Knight": "4", "O.J. Mayo": "2", "Michael Carter-Williams": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Khris Middleton": "9", "Brandon Knight": "12", "Jerryd Bayless": "6", "O.J. Mayo": "11", "Nerlens Noel": "10", "KJ McDaniels": "8", "Michael Carter-Williams": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Khris Middleton": "7", "Brandon Knight": "6", "Jerryd Bayless": "6", "O.J. Mayo": "6", "Nerlens Noel": "6", "KJ McDaniels": "5", "Michael Carter-Williams": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Khris Middleton": "2", "O.J. Mayo": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "2", "KJ McDaniels": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Khris Middleton": "2", "O.J. Mayo": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "1", "KJ McDaniels": "4"}, "Points": {"Khris Middleton": "18", "Brandon Knight": "18", "Jerryd Bayless": "12", "O.J. Mayo": "15", "Nerlens Noel": "13", "KJ McDaniels": "14", "Michael Carter-Williams": "5"}, "Steals": {"Khris Middleton": "5", "Jerryd Bayless": "2"}, "Assists": {"Brandon Knight": "5", "Jerryd Bayless": "4", "O.J. Mayo": "6"}, "Personal fouls": {"Brandon Knight": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Brandon Knight": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Jerryd Bayless": "5", "Nerlens Noel": "5", "KJ McDaniels": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Nerlens Noel": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Nerlens Noel": "28"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Nerlens Noel": "4"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (19 - 18) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (5 - 29) 97 - 77 on Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The Bucks out - shot the Sixers by a large margin in this one, going 54 percent from the field and 47 percent from the three - point line, while the Sixers went just 30 percent from the floor and a meager eight percent from beyond the arc. It was a sloppy game all - around though, as both teams turned the ball over more than 23 times. Despite shooting 18 less free throws, the Bucks still secured the 20 - point victory. The Bucks' backcourt of Brandon Knight and Khris Middleton did the bulk of the damage in this one. Knight went 6 - for - 12 from the field and 4 - for - 7 from the three - point line to score 18 points, while also adding five assists. He's had the hot hand lately and is averaging 21 points per game over his last five outings. Middleton on the other hand had a very efficient 18 points (7 - 9 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) of his own, but did it on the defensive side of the ball as well with five steals. The five steals were a season - high for Middleton. The Bucks did have a strong showing from their bench as well. O.J. Mayo recorded 15 points (6 - 11 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and six assists, while Jarryd Bayless went a perfect 6 - for - 6 from the floor to score 12 points of his own. Bayless did a little bit of everything in this game, as he also chipped in five rebounds, four assists and two steals. The Sixers had a brutal showing offensively, marked by a combined 2 - for - 25 from the three - point line as a team. They were led in scoring by rookie guard K.J. McDaniels, who went 5 - for - 8 from the field and 4 - for - 4 from the free throw line to score 14 points, while also adding six rebounds. He's now put together a couple of solid games in a row, with 26 points over those two games. The only other starter to reach double figures in points was Nerlens Noel. Noel had 13 points (6 - 10 FG, 1 - 2 FT), five rebounds and two blocks in 28 minutes. He's now had two blocks in three out of his last four games, continuing to make an impact on the defensive side of the ball. Michael Carter-Williams, who normally is the leader of this team, really struggled with his shot, going 1 - for - 13 from the field and 0 - for - 4 from the three - point line to finish with five points. The Bucks' next game will be at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, while the Sixers will travel to Brooklyn to play the Nets on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bulls": "8", "Warriors": "2"}, "Total points": {"Bulls": "102", "Warriors": "112"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Bulls": "22"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bulls": "22"}, "Wins": {"Bulls": "12", "Warriors": "17"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Draymond Green": "7"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "31", "Pau Gasol": "22", "Taj Gibson": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "20", "Taj Gibson": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Taj Gibson": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Taj Gibson": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Taj Gibson": "19"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (17 - 2) defeated the Chicago Bulls (12 - 8) 112 - 102 on Saturday. Golden State is on a 12 - game win streak, and they have n't taken their foot off the gas. While most of their recent wins came during an easy stretch of their schedule, the Warriors' handling of the Bulls put a cherry on top of their win streak. Draymond Green could n't be stopped Saturday, putting up career - highs with 31 points and seven three - pointers. The Warriors will finish off their two - game road trip against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday. Chicago has dropped two of their last three games. Pau Gasol did his best to keep the Bulls in the game Saturday, but it was n't enough, despite finishing with 22 points and 20 rebounds for an impressive double - double. Taj Gibson (ankle) returned from a six - game absence and put up 12 points and seven rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench. The Bulls will stay home and host the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "45", "Grizzlies": "34"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "91", "Grizzlies": "90"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Kings": "23", "Grizzlies": "22"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Kings": "23", "Grizzlies": "19"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "29", "Grizzlies": "40"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "19"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "34"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Grizzlies": "22"}}, {"Points": {"Mike Conley": "22", "Darren Collison": "23"}, "Assists": {"Darren Collison": "7"}}], "The host Sacramento Kings narrowly defeated the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, 91 - 90, thanks to clutch free - throws from point guard Darren Collison. Collison led the Kings (29 - 45) to their second straight win, posting team highs of 23 points and seven assists. Sacramento struggled mightily on the glass all game, allowing the Grizzlies a nine - rebound advantage and 19 offensive boards. Fortunately, shots just were n't falling for Memphis, as the Grizz were held to just 34 percent shooting from the field. The Kings, meanwhile, enjoyed fairly stellar offensive output. The team shot over 46 percent from the field and saw five players score in double figures. Three-point shooting was a problem, though, as the team hit just 25 percent of its shots from beyond the arc. Memphis (40 - 34) has hit a cold stretch in the season at an inopportune time, as the Western Conference playoff race continues to heat up. The team has now lost four straight games and looked lost on the offensive end on Monday. The Grizzlies were able to stay in the game and remain competitive despite stagnant offense. While point guard Mike Conley poured in 22 points, it was still an off night for Memphis in terms of scoring. What was particularly problematic was the team's shooting from long range, as they hit just 19 percent of their attempts from three - point range. Ball movement was another issue, with only 15 field goals coming off assists for Memphis. The Grizzlies will host the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, while the Kings will see the Utah Jazz."], [[{}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "10", "Gordon Hayward": "13", "Rudy Gobert": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Gordon Hayward": "8", "Rudy Gobert": "9"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "9", "Jabari Parker": "17", "Gordon Hayward": "27", "Rudy Gobert": "26"}, "Assists": {"Gordon Hayward": "5"}, "Steals": {"Gordon Hayward": "3"}}], "The Jazz turned their offensive woes around on Wednesday on the backs of their star players. Newly-minted All-Star Gordon Hayward led the team with 27 points on 8 - of - 13 shooting from the field. Hayward also dished out five assists and came away with three steals. Rudy Gobert, meanwhile, scored 26 points on impressive 9 - of - 13 shooting and also pulled down a team - high 15 rebounds. The team finished shooting over 46 percent and canned 11 three - pointers. The Bucks, meanwhile, saw struggles from their own star. Giannis Antetokounmpo shot just 2 - of - 10 from the field and scored only nine points. Few Bucks players saw success on Wednesday, as forward Jabari Parker had a team - high of only 17 points. The team shot just 43 percent and turned the ball over 17 times on the night."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "32", "Thunder": "36"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "44", "Thunder": "50"}, "Losses": {"Mavericks": "10", "Thunder": "17"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "112", "Thunder": "107"}, "Rebounds": {"Mavericks": "37", "Thunder": "53"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "22", "Thunder": "15"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Serge Ibaka": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "3", "Monta Ellis": "6", "Chandler Parsons": "9", "Dirk Nowitzki": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Serge Ibaka": "3", "Reggie Jackson": "1", "Monta Ellis": "1", "Chandler Parsons": "5", "Dirk Nowitzki": "2", "Rajon Rondo": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Serge Ibaka": "14", "Russell Westbrook": "23", "Reggie Jackson": "17", "Monta Ellis": "20", "Chandler Parsons": "16", "Dirk Nowitzki": "13", "Rajon Rondo": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Serge Ibaka": "11", "Russell Westbrook": "6", "Reggie Jackson": "10", "Monta Ellis": "6", "Chandler Parsons": "10", "Dirk Nowitzki": "8", "Rajon Rondo": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Serge Ibaka": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "9", "Monta Ellis": "5", "Dirk Nowitzki": "12", "Rajon Rondo": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Serge Ibaka": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "6", "Monta Ellis": "5", "Dirk Nowitzki": "12", "Rajon Rondo": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Serge Ibaka": "37"}, "Points": {"Serge Ibaka": "26", "Russell Westbrook": "18", "Reggie Jackson": "21", "Monta Ellis": "18", "Chandler Parsons": "26", "Dirk Nowitzki": "30", "Rajon Rondo": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "9", "Dirk Nowitzki": "5"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "9", "Monta Ellis": "5", "Chandler Parsons": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "7"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "5"}, "Turnovers": {"Reggie Jackson": "6"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (22 - 10) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (15 - 17) 112 - 107 on Sunday at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Despite the loss, the Thunder shot much better than the Mavericks as they finished 50 percent from the field and 36 percent from the three - point line, while the Mavericks shot 44 percent from the floor and 32 percent from beyond the arc. The Thunder also severely out - rebounded the Mavericks 53 - 37, but it still was n't enough to push them to the victory. What may have been the difference is free throws, as the Thunder made only 12 - of - 21 from the line. The Mavericks were led by the duo of Dirk Nowitzki and Chandler Parson. Nowitzki shot 8 - for - 13 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score a game - high of 30 points, while also adding five rebounds. He was able to get to the free throw line 12 times and converted on a perfect 12 of those attempts. With Tyson Chandler sitting out, Nowitzki started at center instead of power forward, but it only helped him in the end as the 30 points matched a season - high for him. Parsons on the other hand shot 10 - for - 16 from the field and 5 - for - 9 from beyond the arc to score 26 points. After not doing much offensively over his last three games, it was good to see Parsons get back on track. Both Rajon Rondo and Monta Ellis also played well. Rondo had 15 points (7 - 17 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 1 - 4 FT) and seven assists, while Ellis had 18 points (6 - 20 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT) and five assists. With Kevin Durant still sitting out, Russell Westbrook continued to take the bulk of the shots. Despite getting off so many shots, Westbrook shot only 6 - for - 23 from the field, but still scored 18 points, as he converted on 6 - of - 9 attempts from the free throw line. He nearly recorded a triple - double, as he finished with nine rebounds and nine assists, while even adding five steals. The player who had the biggest night though was Serge Ibaka, who has been somehwat quiet this season. He had an efficient 26 points (11 - 14 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and 10 rebounds in 37 minutes. The double - double was his second in a row and seventh on the season. Leading the bench in scoring, Reggie Jackson finished with 21 points (10 - 17 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt), but turned the ball over six times, which may have taken away from an otherwise solid performance. The Mavericks' next game will be at home against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday, while the Thunder will be at home against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Knicks": "30"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Knicks": "38"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "92"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Knicks": "23"}}, {"Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "26", "Kristaps Porzingis": "21", "Derrick Rose": "20", "Anthony Davis": "23", "Jrue Holiday": "12", "Tyreke Evans": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "13", "Kristaps Porzingis": "12", "Anthony Davis": "18", "Tyreke Evans": "5"}, "Steals": {"Derrick Rose": "3"}, "Assists": {"Tyreke Evans": "4"}}], "The Pelicans are in their best stretch of the season right now, as this marks their fifth win in six games. They got it done with defense here, as the Knicks shot 38 percent from the field and 30 percent from three - point range, Anthony Davis carried the load, as he totaled 23 points and 18 rebounds in the win. Tyreke Evans was second on the team, as he accumulated 16 points, five rebounds and four assists off the bench. Jrue Holiday recorded a 12 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. The \"big three\" for the Knicks all played well in this loss, as they combined for 67 of the teams 92 points. Carmelo Anthony led the team, as he collected 26 points and 13 rebounds. Kristaps Porzingis was n't far behind, recording 21 points and 12 boards. Derrick Rose caps off the \"big three\", with 20 points."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "17", "Kings": "13"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "89", "Kings": "120"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "4", "Kings": "8"}, "Number of team assists": {"Kings": "28"}}, {"Assists": {"Rudy Gay": "4", "DeMarcus Cousins": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gay": "8"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gay": "19"}}], "The Sacramento Kings blew out the host Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, 120 - 89. Sacramento (8 - 13) has struggled this season, though center DeMarcus Cousins has not.'Boogie 'has continued to play at an All-Star level and did so in Wednesday's win, scoring a team - high 24 points on 10 - of - 16 shooting. Cousins added 14 rebounds and seven assists in what was an impressive all - around effort for the star big man. Forward Rudy Gay, meanwhile, went 8 - of - 14 for 19 points while adding four assists and four steals. Sacramento showcased stellar ball movement, recording 28 assists on the night. The team shot the ball exceptionally well, hitting 56 percent of its shots from the floor. Dallas (4 - 17) has seen its worst start in years and remains just half a game above Philadelphia for the league's worst record. Veteran star Dirk Nowitzki (Achilles) remains out, leaving a hole in the lineup for the injury - riddled Mavs. One bright spot, however, has been the resurgence of wing Wesley Matthews. After an ice - cold start to the 2016 - 17 campaign, Matthews has seen a significant turnaround in recent weeks. On Wednesday, Matthews scored a team - high 20 points on 6 - of - 8 shooting from the field and 5 - of - 5 from the free - throw line. However, Matthews did commit four turnovers, a common theme for the Mavericks throughout the night. The team committed 20 turnovers as a whole. On Friday, the Kings will host the New York Knicks and the Mavericks will host the Indiana Pacers."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "48"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "25", "Pelicans": "37"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "118", "Pelicans": "110"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Thunder": "32", "Pelicans": "35"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "34", "Pelicans": "23"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pelicans": "24"}}, {"Points": {"Anthony Davis": "38", "DeMarcus Cousins": "31", "E'Twaun Moore": "10", "Steven Adams": "13", "Alex Abrines": "13", "Russell Westbrook": "41", "Enes Kanter": "20"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Russell Westbrook": "37", "Enes Kanter": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "11"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the visiting New Orleans Pelicans 118 - 110, at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Sunday evening. The Pelicans started off well, leading 35 - 32 after the first quarter but went on to fall short in each of the remaining three quarters. Meanwhile, history was made in a couple of ways, as Russell Westbrook tied Wilt Chamberlain for second - most 40 - point triple - doubles, while notching his 29th triple - double of the season. On another note, Anthony Davis set a Pelicans franchise record with 24 points in the first quarter. This marks the third straight win for the Thunder (34 - 25), as they have won both their games after the break. The Thunder shot 48 percent from the field and out - rebounded the Pelicans by 18. Russell Westbrook led the way for Oklahoma City with 41 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds, in 37 minutes. Enes Kanter followed up with 20 points in 24 minutes off the bench, while Alex Abrines and Steven Adams chipped in 13 points each. The Thunder go on to host the Jazz on Tuesday. Meanwhile, this marks the Pelicans (23 - 37) third straight loss in the DeMarcus Cousins era. Cousins and Anthony Davis continue to put up huge numbers but the lack of contribution from anywhere else is turning into a glaring problem. Davis led the way with 38 points, while Cousins followed up with 31. The only other player to score in double digits for New Orleans was E'Twaun Moore, who chipped in 10 points. The Pelicans will have a couple days to try to work things out before they go on to play host to the Pistons on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "20", "Grizzlies": "17"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "100", "Grizzlies": "102"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "41", "Grizzlies": "43"}}, {"Assists": {"Marc Gasol": "6", "James Harden": "13"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "21", "Terrence Jones": "21", "James Harden": "18"}, "Minutes played": {"Terrence Jones": "36", "James Harden": "41"}, "Rebounds": {"Terrence Jones": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "7"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"James Harden": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"James Harden": "1"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "1"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (43 - 17) defeated the Houston Rockets (41 - 20) 102 - 100 on Wednesday. James Harden returned from a one - game suspension that was levied against him for kicking LeBron James in the groin in the Rockets' overtime win over the Cavaliers on Sunday. Harden flashed brilliance passing the ball, handing out 13 helpers, but he was less prolific scoring the ball, finishing with 18 points on 7 - of - 16 shooting in his 41 minutes. Terrence Jones continues to excel with Dwight Howard (knee) sidelined. Jones scored a team - high 21 points and pulled down nine rebounds in 36 minutes. The Rockets and Grizzlies were evenly matched in most regards, but the Grizzlies gained an advantage by coaxing the Rockets into 15 personal fouls. There was a controversial no - call on Harden as he drove to the hoop and appeared to be fouled. The Grizzlies came away with the ball, called a timeout and advanced the ball before Marc Gasol hit a game - winning two - point shot. Memphis went to the line 17 times compared to the Rockets' five trips to the charity stripe. Zach Randolph (illness), Beno Udrih (illness) and Tony Allen (team - imposed suspension) were back in action after sitting out the Grizzlies' loss to the Jazz on Tuesday. Gasol led the way Wednesday, putting up a team - high 21 points to go with seven rebounds and six assists. The win moved the Grizzlies slightly closer to the West-leading Warriors, putting them just four games behind them for the top playoff seed. Houston dropped into a momentary tie for third place with the Trail Blazers that will change when the Blazers finish their big matchup with the Clippers later on the Wednesday slate. The Grizzlies will try to make it two straight wins when they return home to host the Lakers on Friday, and the Rockets will be looking to stop their two - game skid when they host the Pistons on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Warriors": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "59"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "13", "Ian Clark": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "11", "Ian Clark": "9"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "34", "Draymond Green": "3", "Ian Clark": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "11", "Draymond Green": "12"}, "Assists": {"Draymond Green": "13"}}], "In a battle between the best offense and the third - worst defense, the Warriors let it loose. Golden State shot 59 percent from the field and 50 percent from three - point range in their blowout win. Rebounding was a huge factor as well, with the Warriors winning that battle, 56 - 31. To further prove the dominance, Golden State pulled out the wire - to - wire win, as they won every single quarter by at least seven points. Damian Lillard and Maurice Harkless were the only Blazers to play well, as they combined for 37 points on 15 - of - 30 shooting. Kevin Durant was the player of the game, as he tallied 34 points and 11 rebounds on an impressive 11 - of - 13 shooting. Draymond Green scored just three points, but provided 12 rebounds and 13 assists. Ian Clark was drawing cheers late, as he dropped 23 points on 9 - of - 11 shooting off the bench."], [[{"Total points": {"Spurs": "96", "Mavericks": "91"}}, {"Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "20", "Seth Curry": "23", "Kawhi Leonard": "24", "Pau Gasol": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Harrison Barnes": "9", "Kawhi Leonard": "9", "Pau Gasol": "8"}, "Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Pau Gasol": "28"}}], "The host San Antonio Spurs earned their sixth straight win on Monday, defeating the visiting Dallas Mavericks, 96 - 91. Big man LaMarcus Aldridge sat out Monday's contest for rest, but the Spurs were able to make up for the All-Star's absence. Veteran big Pau Gasol posted 16 points and eight rebounds in just 28 minutes of play, while forward Kawhi Leonard had a strong performance, leading the team with 24 points. Leonard also added nine rebounds and four assists. The game remained close throughout, as the score was even after the third quarter. Strong play from San Antonio's stars helped the team pull out the win in the game's final minutes. For Dallas, long - time star Dirk Nowitzki remains sidelined with an Achilles injury. A leg injury has also kept veteran guard Deron Williams on the bench. With multiple key veterans out on Monday, some of Dallas's rising stars stepped up to keep the game competitive. Guard Seth Curry earned the start and scored 23 points, a team high. Recent acquisition Harrison Barnes continued his strong tenure with the Mavs, scoring 20 points and recording nine rebounds. The Spurs will visit Charlotte on Wednesday, while the Mavericks will host the Los Angeles Clippers."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pelicans": "37"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "24", "Pacers": "15"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "86", "Pacers": "91"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "11", "Pacers": "21"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "24"}, "Turnovers": {"Pacers": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul George": "4"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul George": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Paul George": "3"}, "Points": {"Paul George": "13", "Ian Mahinmi": "17", "CJ Miles": "15", "Tyreke Evans": "27", "Ryan Anderson": "21"}, "Steals": {"Paul George": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Paul George": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Ian Mahinmi": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Ian Mahinmi": "4"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Ian Mahinmi": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Ian Mahinmi": "10", "Anthony Davis": "1", "Ryan Anderson": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Anthony Davis": "3"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (21 - 15) picked up an interconference road win Friday night at Smoothie King Center as they downed the New Orleans Pelicans (11 - 24), 91 - 86. The Pacers endured a rare down night from star forward Paul George, who mustered just 13 points on a brutal 3 - 13 shooting performance, including 1 - 7 from three. Center Ian Mahinmi stepped up to the fill the void, as he scored 17 points, pulled down 10 rebounds and blocked four shots in just 24 minutes of action. It was a Mahinmi hook shot plus the foul that gave the Pacers an 84 - 82 lead with 4:46 remaining, and they would n't relinquish it. Indiana needed a mammoth defensive effort to overcome their poor offensive performance, as they shot just 5 - 21 from the three - point line and turned the ball over a staggering 24 times. They managed to stay in the game by grabbing 40 rebounds on the Pelicans' 48 missed shots (83 defensive rebound rate) and blocking seven shots. C.J. Miles's performance off the bench - - 15 points on 6 - 12 shooting - - helped give the Pacers just enough offense to make the effort on the other end stick. That defensive effort was made easier when Pelicans star Anthony Davis was forced to leave the game after just three minutes when he suffered a lower back contusion after diving into the stands during an attempt at a rebound. Tyreke Evans stepped up to fill the void, as he scored 27 points on an efficient 10 - 19 shooting night. Ryan Anderson filled Davis's big man shoes admirably, as he scored 21 points and grabbed six rebounds, but New Orleans shot just 37 percent as a team and did n't have enough firepower without its superstar. The Pacers have now won two straight and will look to make it three Sunday at Houston. New Orleans now owns a two game losing streak and will look to turn it around Sunday in Los Angeles."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "53"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Hawks": "24"}, "Turnovers": {"Hawks": "19"}}, {"Assists": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6", "Jabari Parker": "9", "Paul Millsap": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3", "Paul Millsap": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4"}, "Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "33", "Jabari Parker": "8", "Malcolm Brogdon": "12", "Michael Beasley": "11", "Greg Monroe": "13", "Thabo Sefolosha": "10", "Paul Millsap": "18", "Dwight Howard": "16", "Kent Bazemore": "24", "Mike Dunleavy": "20"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"Jabari Parker": "10", "Paul Millsap": "8", "Dwight Howard": "14"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Greg Monroe": "12"}}], "The Hawks countered a 33 - point, eight - rebound, six - assist, three - block, two - steal effort from Giannis Antetkokounmpo with five double - digit scorers, four of which came from the starting five. Atlanta posted respective 53 and 50 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, with their pinpoint accuracy helping overcome a whopping 19 turnovers. Kent Bazemore's 24 points led the Hawks. The recently - acquired Mike Dunleavy registered 20 points off the bench, while Paul Millsap generated a full stat line of 18 points, eight rebounds, five assists and a pair of blocks. Dwight Howard supplied a 16 - point, 14 - rebound double - double and Thabo Sefolosha turned in 10 points. Greg Monroe led the Bucks bench with 13 points, and Malcolm Brogdon followed with 12. Jabari Parker went for eight points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. Michael Beasley supplied 11 points as a reserve."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Rockets": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"James Harden": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Harrison Barnes": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"Harrison Barnes": "13"}, "Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "31"}}], "James Harden told coach Mike D'Antoni that he was \"trippin '\" after the coach said he expected Harden to double his assist numbers with his transition to point guard. After a 17 - assist debut and another eight Friday night against the Mavericks, the feat seems much more achievable than even he imagined. For the Rockets, D'Antoni's run - and - gun offensive approach has quickly translated to the box score. The Rockets combined for 15 three - pointers and dished 21 assists, with 14 assists coming from their backcourt duo. For Dallas, meanwhile, the absence of Dirk Nowitzki opened up even more opportunity for the newly - acquired Harrison Barnes to lead the offense. Barnes stepped up to the challenge, scoring a game - high 31 points. Barnes was impressively efficient, going 13 - for - 23 including 2 - for - 4 from beyond the arc. The increased output is likely a product of Barnes's increased role on the Mavericks versus the deeper Warriors squad he previously played with."], [[{"Losses": {"Nuggets": "2", "Kings": "1"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "105", "Kings": "110"}, "Rebounds": {"Nuggets": "42", "Kings": "50"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "1", "Kings": "3"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "42"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "13", "Ramon Sessions": "6", "Wilson Chandler": "15", "Danilo Gallinari": "6", "Nate Robinson": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gay": "4", "Ramon Sessions": "1", "Wilson Chandler": "5", "Danilo Gallinari": "0", "Nate Robinson": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "7", "Darren Collison": "13", "Ramon Sessions": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Rudy Gay": "6", "Darren Collison": "11", "Ramon Sessions": "10"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gay": "14", "DeMarcus Cousins": "19", "Darren Collison": "21", "Ramon Sessions": "13", "Carl Landry": "14", "Wilson Chandler": "14", "Kenneth Faried": "10", "Ty Lawson": "9", "Nate Robinson": "10"}, "Assists": {"Darren Collison": "6", "Ty Lawson": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Darren Collison": "4", "Wilson Chandler": "4", "Kenneth Faried": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Carl Landry": "23", "Ty Lawson": "35"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Wilson Chandler": "8", "Nate Robinson": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Wilson Chandler": "1", "Nate Robinson": "1"}}], "The Sacramento Kings (3 - 1) defeated the Denver Nuggets (1 - 2) 110 - 105 on Monday at the Pepsi Center in Denver. The Kings were able to overcome committing 18 turnovers and continued their positive momentum, winning their third straight game. They out - rebounded the Nuggets 50 to 42 and shot 14 more free throws, which allowed them to sneak out the victory. DeMarcus Cousins added 19 more points to his season total Monday. He's now averaging 24 points and 12 rebounds on the season. Getting to the free - throw line 13 times, Darren Collison converted on 11 of them and posted 21 points with six assists. He's now scored in double - digits in all four games this season. Rudy Gay only converted on 4 - of - 13 shots from the field but made 6 - for - 7 from the line and finished with 14 points. Ramon Sessions came off the bench to shoot 1 - for - 6 from the field but still scored 13 points after going to the free - throw line 10 times and converting on all 10 attempts. Carl Landry reached double - digit scoring for the first time this season, playing 23 minutes off the bench and scoring 14 points. The Nuggets made a minor change to the starting lineup coming into this game. Wilson Chandler replaced Danilo Gallinari as the starter at small forward. In his first start of the season, Chandler finished with 14 points (5 - 15 FG, 1 - 8 3Pt) and four rebounds. Gallinari struggled off the bench, going scoreless on 0 - for - 6 shooting from the field. Ty Lawson had some ankle soreness the past few days but was able to give it a go and notched 35 minutes. He only contributed nine points but had 12 assists to make up for it. Kenneth Faried had his second double - double of the season as he scored 10 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. He's now averaging 15 points and 12 rebounds on the year. In 12 minutes off the bench, Nate Robinson produced 10 points on 4 - of - 5 shooting from the field and 1 - of - 1 from the three - point line. Both teams will head to Sacramento for a rematch on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "1", "Nets": "5"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "101", "Nets": "87"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Hawks": "29", "Nets": "17"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "5", "Nets": "0"}}, {"Assists": {"Kent Bazemore": "3", "Al Horford": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Kent Bazemore": "2", "Al Horford": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kent Bazemore": "2", "Al Horford": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Kent Bazemore": "27", "Al Horford": "30"}, "Points": {"Kent Bazemore": "8", "Al Horford": "21", "Dennis Schroder": "20", "Jeff Teague": "16"}, "Steals": {"Kent Bazemore": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Kent Bazemore": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Al Horford": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Al Horford": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Al Horford": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Horford": "8"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks were able to handle the Brooklyn Nets (0 - 5) on Wednesday, 101 - 87. It was a close game heading into the final quarter, but Atlanta outscored the Nets 29 - 17 in the fourth to improve to 5 - 1. After losing their opening contest, the Hawks have gone on a five - game winning streak. Their biggest question heading into the season was how they'd replace Demarre Carroll, who fled to Toronto in free agency. They filled his position with Kent Bazemore, who has been successful early on in the season. He finished the night with eight points, three boards, three assists, three steals, and two threes in 27 minutes. Al Horford continued his hot start to the season by stuffing the stat sheet with 21 points, eight rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and one triple in 30 minutes of action. He was also an impressive 8 - for - 10 from the field. Dennis Schroder and Jeff Teague each chipped in with 20 and 16 points, respectively. Atlanta will look to continue their win streak Friday in New Orleans. Brooklyn's lone bright spot Wednesday evening was Brook Lopez. The big man put up 27 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, and one block in 36 minutes. The Nets will aim to capture their first win Friday against the Lakers, who are also searching for their first victory."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "37"}, "Turnovers": {"Suns": "19"}}, {"Points": {"Marquese Chriss": "23", "Alex Len": "11", "Devin Booker": "28", "Tyler Ulis": "10", "Leandro Barbosa": "11", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "5", "Brook Lopez": "19", "Jeremy Lin": "13", "Quincy Acy": "12", "Isaiah Whitehead": "11", "KJ McDaniels": "16", "Trevor Booker": "14", "Archie Goodwin": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Marquese Chriss": "11", "Alex Len": "11", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "16"}, "Assists": {"Tyler Ulis": "12"}}], "The Nets outscored their visitors, 74 - 48 in the second half. Eight players posted double - digit scoring, and Brooklyn limited the Suns to a 37 percent success rate from the field and 29 percent figure from three - point range while causing 19 turnovers. The Nets bench scored a collective 81 points. Brook Lopez's 19 points led the Nets. K.J. McDaniels followed with a bench - leading 16 points and Trevor Booker managed 14. Jeremy Lin tallied 13 points, while Archie Goodwin and Quincy Acy contributed matching 12 - point efforts. Isaiah Whitehead compiled 11 points. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson mustered a modest five points but hauled in 16 boards. Devin Booker's 28 points led the Suns. Marquese Chriss posted a 23 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. Alex Len followed with an 11 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. Tyler Ulis tallied 10 points and 12 assists. Leandro Barbosa's 11 points led the bench."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Pistons": "27"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "27"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "27"}}, {"Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "16", "Dirk Nowitzki": "24", "Deron Williams": "12", "Jon Leuer": "20", "Reggie Jackson": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Harrison Barnes": "5", "Dirk Nowitzki": "10", "Jon Leuer": "8"}, "Assists": {"Deron Williams": "6", "Reggie Jackson": "4"}, "Steals": {"Reggie Jackson": "2"}}], "Detroit looked poised for a blowout win, but Dallas fought back to make it a respectable scoreline. In fact, the Pistons led by 27 at the half, but the Mavericks actually got it down to a seven - point deficit, as the final buzzer sounded. Rebounding was key for Detroit, as they won that battle, 57 - 38. Dirk Nowitzki carried the Mavericks, as he led the team with 24 points and 10 rebounds. Harrison Barnes was second on the team, finishing with 16 points and five rebounds. Deron Williams totaled 12 points and six assists. Reggie Jackson led Detroit in scoring, as he provided 22 points, four assists and two steals. Jon Leuer was n't far behind, amassing 20 points and eight rebounds. Tobias Harris and Ish Smith both scored in double figures off the bench, combining for 23 points, seven rebounds and four assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "21", "Nets": "34"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "112", "Nets": "105"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Hornets": "28", "Nets": "14"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "23", "Nets": "9"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nets": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "3", "Brook Lopez": "4", "Sean Kilpatrick": "5", "Randy Foye": "5", "Quincy Acy": "1", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "1", "Cody Zeller": "3", "Nicolas Batum": "6", "Kemba Walker": "6", "Frank Kaminsky": "2", "Marco Belinelli": "5", "Ramon Sessions": "2"}, "Points": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "16", "Trevor Booker": "8", "Brook Lopez": "24", "Sean Kilpatrick": "13", "Randy Foye": "11", "Quincy Acy": "14", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "17", "Cody Zeller": "12", "Nicolas Batum": "16", "Kemba Walker": "16", "Frank Kaminsky": "10", "Marco Belinelli": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "3", "Trevor Booker": "9", "Brook Lopez": "5", "Sean Kilpatrick": "4", "Randy Foye": "2", "Quincy Acy": "4", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "14", "Cody Zeller": "9", "Nicolas Batum": "9", "Kemba Walker": "4", "Frank Kaminsky": "1", "Marco Belinelli": "1", "Ramon Sessions": "2"}, "Steals": {"Trevor Booker": "2", "Sean Kilpatrick": "2", "Quincy Acy": "2", "Nicolas Batum": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "2", "Quincy Acy": "1", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "2", "Cody Zeller": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Marco Belinelli": "22"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 112 - 105, at Spectrum Center on Saturday. The Nets (9 - 34) had to have come in to Saturday's contest with plenty of confidence, having compiled a season - high 143 points against the Pelicans on Friday night. However, the Nets' effort to record a second straight road win was undermined by a highly efficient offensive performance on the part of the Hornets (23 - 21). Seven Charlotte players hit double digits in the scoring column, and the Hornets reserves contributed a solid 43 points. Brooklyn did come back strong after falling behind by a 28 - 14 margin after one quarter, but ultimately saw the Hornets pull away in the fourth period. The home team also tallied 48 percent shooting overall, including 48 percent from three - point range. Brooklyn was led by Brook Lopez's 24 points, which he supplemented with five rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Bojan Bogdanovic totaled 16 points, three rebounds and three assists. Sean Kilpatrick supplied 13 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals, whileTrevor Booker provided eight points, nine rebounds and a pair of steals. Quincy Acy continued the strong start to his Nets tenure by leading the second unit with 14 points, four rebounds, an assist, two steals and a block. Randy Foye was also a solid contributor off the bench, generating 11 points, five assists and two rebounds. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist co - led the Hornets with a 17 - point, 14 - rebound double - double that also included an assist and two blocks. Ramon Sessions matched Kidd-Gilchrist's scoring total and supplemented it with two rebounds and two assists. Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum chimed in with matching 16 - point efforts, with the former adding six assists and four rebounds, and the latter hauling in nine boards, six assists and four steals. Cody Zeller had a near double - double with 12 points, nine rebounds, three assists and a block. Marco Belinelli registered 14 points, five assists and a rebound over 22 minutes, and Frank Kaminsky III was also productive in a reserve role, compiling 10 points, two rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. The Nets head back home to face off with the San Antonio Spurs on Monday evening, while the Hornets remain home to tangle with the Washington Wizards on Monday night."], [[{"Total points": {"76ers": "93", "Pelicans": "108"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"76ers": "23", "Pelicans": "15"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pelicans": "59"}, "Losses": {"Pelicans": "20"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Pelicans": "42"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "10"}}, {"Assists": {"Anthony Davis": "2", "Buddy Hield": "1", "Jrue Holiday": "9", "Terrence Jones": "3", "E'Twaun Moore": "2", "Gerald Henderson": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "2", "Joel Embiid": "1", "Gerald Henderson": "1", "Ersan Ilyasova": "1"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "31", "Buddy Hield": "10", "Jrue Holiday": "12", "Terrence Jones": "17", "E'Twaun Moore": "15", "Robert Covington": "11", "Joel Embiid": "11", "Jahlil Okafor": "11", "Gerald Henderson": "13", "Ersan Ilyasova": "14", "T.J. McConnell": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "16", "Buddy Hield": "1", "Jrue Holiday": "4", "Terrence Jones": "10", "Robert Covington": "8", "Joel Embiid": "6", "Jahlil Okafor": "7", "Gerald Henderson": "3", "Ersan Ilyasova": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Terrence Jones": "30"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Robert Covington": "7", "Joel Embiid": "6", "Jahlil Okafor": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Robert Covington": "6"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Philadelphia 76ers, 108 - 93, at Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday. The Pelicans (10 - 20) checked in to Tuesday with only three road victories, but with a 5 - 13 home record, the Sixers (7 - 21) did n't exactly shape up as very imposing. Accordingly, New Orleans used a standout effort from Anthony Davis (31 points, 16 boards, two assists, two blocks) and a 53 - point contribution from their bench to secure a 15 - point win. The Sixers jumped on the Pelicans early and won the first quarter by a 23 - 15 margin, but New Orleans' 42 - point second period gave them the momentum they used the rest of the way. The Pelicans' three - point shooting was particularly impressive, as they tallied a 59 percent success rate from behind the arc. Terrence Jones was New Orleans' second - leading scorer and accomplished it from the bench, posting 17 points, 10 rebounds and three assists over 30 minutes. E'Twaun Moore was next in a reserve role as well, supplying 15 points and two assists. Jrue Holiday's offensive downturn continued, but he did fill out the stat sheet with 12 points, nine assists and four rebounds, although he shot just 4 - of - 14 from the field. Buddy Hield drew the start and poured in 10 points, while also recording a rebound and an assist. Although Joel Embiid and Jahil Okafor started together once again, it was reserve big man Ersan Ilyasova who led the Sixers in scoring, totaling 14 points, four rebounds and a block. Gerald Henderson managed 13 points, three rebounds, an assist and a block. A trio of 11 - point efforts from Okafor, Embiid and Robert Covington followed, with the big men also contributing seven, six and eight rebounds, respectively. T.J. McConnell was also productive in a reserve role, supplying 10 points. The Pelicans visit the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night, while the Sixers hit the road to face the Phoenix Suns on Friday evening."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "53", "Bucks": "49"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "7", "Bucks": "9"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "111", "Bucks": "108"}, "Turnovers": {"Cavaliers": "19"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "9", "Bucks": "10"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Jabari Parker": "15", "Brandon Knight": "18", "Kevin Love": "16", "Kyrie Irving": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Jabari Parker": "11", "Brandon Knight": "10", "Kevin Love": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "10"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jabari Parker": "2", "Kevin Love": "2"}, "Points": {"Jabari Parker": "22", "O.J. Mayo": "14", "Brandon Knight": "27", "LeBron James": "26", "Kevin Love": "27", "Kyrie Irving": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Jabari Parker": "8"}, "Steals": {"Jabari Parker": "2", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Assists": {"Brandon Knight": "8", "LeBron James": "10", "Kyrie Irving": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Brandon Knight": "9", "Kevin Love": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"Brandon Knight": "5", "Kevin Love": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LeBron James": "21", "Kevin Love": "5", "Kyrie Irving": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"LeBron James": "14", "Kevin Love": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"LeBron James": "41"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Love": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kevin Love": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Kyrie Irving": "1"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (9 - 7) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (10 - 9) 111 - 108 on Tuesday at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. The Cavaliers were able to pull out the three - point victory at home, after going into the fourth quarter all tied up with the Bucks. Despite turning the ball over 19 times, Cleveland was able to shoot 53 percent from the field compared to Milwaukee, who shot 49 percent, giving them just enough of an advantage to come away with the victory. The Cavs big three came out in full force on Tuesday, combining to score 81 of the teams 111 points. Kyrie Irving shot 10 - for - 15 from the field and 8 - for - 10 from the free throw line to score 28 points, while also handing out six assists. He was very efficient in this one, as the Bucks just could n't find an answer. Kevin Love finished with 27 points (10 - 16 FG, 4 - 8 3Pt, 3 - 5 FT) and 10 rebounds, just one game after recording 28 points and 10 rebounds against the Pacers. Love has notched two double - doubles in as many games and has eight on the season. LeBron James did n't have his best shooting performance from the field, but he was still able to get to the free throw line 21 times, while converting on 14 of those attempts. He scored 26 points and had 10 assists in 41 minutes. The Bucks were kept close by the duo off Brandon Knight and Jabari Parker. Knight shot 10 - for - 18 from the field and 5 - for - 9 from the three - point line, giving him 27 points and eight assists on the night. After struggling in the Bucks' last few matchups, it was a nice bounce back game for Knight. Parker was also very efficient from the floor, and went 11 - for - 15 from the field to finish with 22 points and eight rebounds. He's now scored a combined 42 points in his last two games and is averaging 12 points and 6 rebounds on the year. Giannis Antetokounmpo and O.J. Mayo were the only other Bucks to reach double figures in points, as they both contributed 14 of their own. The Cavaliers' next game will be on the road against the New York Knicks on Thursday, while the Bucks will be at home against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "18", "Lakers": "15"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "103", "Lakers": "91"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"76ers": "23"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "1", "Lakers": "2"}}, {"Assists": {"Kobe Bryant": "2", "Julius Randle": "2", "Jordan Clarkson": "2", "Jerami Grant": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kobe Bryant": "26", "Jerami Grant": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Kobe Bryant": "7", "Julius Randle": "5", "Jerami Grant": "6"}, "Points": {"Kobe Bryant": "20", "Julius Randle": "12", "Jordan Clarkson": "19", "Robert Covington": "23", "Jerami Grant": "14", "Jahlil Okafor": "12", "Nerlens Noel": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Kobe Bryant": "5", "Julius Randle": "11", "Jordan Clarkson": "5", "Jerami Grant": "7", "Nerlens Noel": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Jerami Grant": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Nerlens Noel": "26"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers (1 - 18) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (2 - 15) 103 - 91 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on Tuesday. Despite trailing by eight points at halftime, Philadelphia took advantage of a stagnant Lakers offense to pull away for a comfortable win, outscoring Los Angeles 53 - 33 in the second half. This was the first victory of the season for the 76ers after they had tied the 2009 - 10 New Jersey Nets for the worst start in NBA history, while the Lakers have now dropped seven straight contests themselves. The 76ers saw six scorers reach double digits, with Robert Covington\u2019s 23 points leading the way. Nerlens Noel had 14 points and nine rebounds in just 26 minutes off the bench, and Jerami Grant was an efficient 6 - for - 7 from the field while tallying 14 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and four blocks. Rookie Jahlil Okafor\u2019s 12 points were well below his season average of 18, but he\u2019ll be happy to trade away personal accolades for his first taste of victory in the NBA. For the Lakers, not much went right besides Julius Randle recording a second straight double - double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Kobe Bryant led the team in scoring with 20 points, but hit just seven of the 26 shots he attempted, and finished a game - worst - 21 in plus/minus. Jordan Clarkson\u2019s 19 points gave him at least that many for the fourth time in five games, but he managed just two assists as his team was out - assisted 28 - 15 in the game. Both teams will be right back in action Wednesday, as the Lakers travel to Washington while the 76ers face the Knicks in New York."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "46", "Pelicans": "52"}, "Losses": {"Suns": "8", "Pelicans": "11"}, "Total points": {"Suns": "114", "Pelicans": "120"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Suns": "39", "Pelicans": "25"}, "Wins": {"Suns": "7", "Pelicans": "4"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Pelicans": "46"}}, {"Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "2", "Eric Bledsoe": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "14", "Eric Gordon": "11", "Ish Smith": "16", "Ryan Anderson": "13", "Brandon Knight": "21", "Eric Bledsoe": "16", "Jon Leuer": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "11", "Eric Gordon": "6", "Ish Smith": "9", "Ryan Anderson": "7", "Brandon Knight": "10", "Eric Bledsoe": "5", "Jon Leuer": "9"}, "Personal fouls": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "Brandon Knight": "1"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "26", "Eric Gordon": "23", "Ish Smith": "20", "Ryan Anderson": "20", "Brandon Knight": "29", "Eric Bledsoe": "18", "Jon Leuer": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "17", "Ish Smith": "5", "Ryan Anderson": "6", "Brandon Knight": "4", "Jon Leuer": "12"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Eric Gordon": "9", "Ish Smith": "2", "Ryan Anderson": "3", "Brandon Knight": "9", "Eric Bledsoe": "2", "Jon Leuer": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Eric Gordon": "4", "Ish Smith": "2", "Ryan Anderson": "1", "Brandon Knight": "4", "Eric Bledsoe": "1", "Jon Leuer": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Eric Gordon": "35", "Brandon Knight": "42"}, "Assists": {"Ish Smith": "11", "Brandon Knight": "10", "Eric Bledsoe": "7", "Jon Leuer": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Ish Smith": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Ryan Anderson": "7", "Eric Bledsoe": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Ryan Anderson": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "7"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Brandon Knight": "1", "Eric Bledsoe": "1"}, "Steals": {"Brandon Knight": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Brandon Knight": "1"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (4 - 11) defeated the Phoenix Suns (7 - 8) 120 - 114 on Wednesday at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix. The Suns came out strong, out - scoring the Pelicans 39 - 25 in the first quarter. The Pelicans were able to fight back, though, and secure the six - point victory, giving them their third straight win. After starting the sesason 1 - 12, the Pelicans look as if they've found some momentum and are finally back on the right track. The Pelicans shot an impressive 52 percent from the field and 45 percent from the three - point line, while the Suns went 46 percent from the floor and 38 percent from beyond the arc. Anthony Davis has been the biggest factor in turning around the Pelicans' awful start to the season. He scored 26 points (11 - 14 FG, 4 - 6) Wednesday, while also adding 17 rebounds and two blocked shots. In his first three games since returning from a shoulder injury, Davis has dominated his way to averages of 26 points, 18 rebounds and 3 blocks over that stretch. Davis was n't alone in having a big day, as Eric Gordon posted a strong showing as well. In 35 minutes, Gordon went 6 - of - 11 from the field and 4 - of - 9 from the three - point line to score 23 points. The seventh - year guard out of Indiana is now averaging 19 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists on the season. The Pelicans also had a huge bench performance Wednesday as both Ryan Anderson and Ish Smith combined for 40 points. Anderson finished with 20 points (7 - 13 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 7 FT) and six rebounds, while Smith added 20 points (9 - 16 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt) and 11 assists. Anderson has scored 20 or more points in five straight games now, as he continues to provide an important spark off the bench. Brandon Knight did everything he could to keep the Suns in this game. Knight went 10 - for - 21 from the field and 4 - for - 9 from beyond the arc to score a game - high of 29 points, while also adding 10 assists and four steals over 42 minutes. The four steals matched a season - high for the guard, while the 10 assists gave him his second double - double of the season. Eric Bledsoe has been dealing with some soreness in his knee and had to sit out of Monday's game against the Spurs. He returned to the court Wednesday, though, and successfully made his way to 18 points (5 - 16 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 7 - 7 FT), seven assists and two blocked shots. He's now averaging 23 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists on the season. Jon Leuer had one of the better games of his career in the loss off the bench. He chipped in with 20 points (9 - 15 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt) and 12 rebounds, both of which were season - highs for the forward out of Wisconsin. The Suns' next game will be at home against the Golden State Warriors on Friday, while the Pelicans will travel to Los Angeles to play the Clippers on Friday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "40"}, "Losses": {"Cavaliers": "1", "Knicks": "3"}, "Total points": {"Cavaliers": "96", "Knicks": "86"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Cavaliers": "18", "Knicks": "32"}, "Wins": {"Cavaliers": "4", "Knicks": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Knicks": "12"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "18", "LeBron James": "23"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "6", "LeBron James": "9"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "17", "Kristaps Porzingis": "13", "Langston Galloway": "12", "LeBron James": "23"}, "Minutes played": {"Langston Galloway": "29", "LeBron James": "35"}, "Assists": {"LeBron James": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LeBron James": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"LeBron James": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LeBron James": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"LeBron James": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "5"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "4"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (4 - 1) defeated the New York Knicks (2 - 3) by a score of 96 - 86 on Wednesday at Quicken Loans Arena. After taking a 32 - 18 lead after the first quarter, the Knicks were unable to deal with the Cavaliers' defense and caved in during the second half. LeBron James did an excellent job containing Carmelo Anthony, who finished with just 17 points on 6 - of - 18 shooting from the field. James registered 23 points (9 - 23 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt, 4 - 7 FT), while adding five rebounds, four steals, and three assists in 35 minutes. The two superstars are now tied in their careers against each other with 12 wins apiece. The Knicks rolled with a 12 - man rotation Wednesday, and it did n't help them find much offense in a dismal second half. Rookie Kristaps Porzingis was New York's second - leading scorer with 13 points, which just was n't enough secondary scoring to keep up with the Cavaliers. Langston Galloway had 12 points in 29 minutes off the bench, but the Knicks' backcourt contingent left a lot to be desired. The Cavs were a tough frontcourt matchup for Robin Lopez and company, so expect them to bounce back Friday against the Bucks. With J.R. Smith (knee) sidelined for the second consecutive game, the Cavaliers did n't miss a beat, getting another big performance from Mo Williams. The veteran guard poured in 22 points (8 - 19 FG, 2 - 8 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT), six rebounds, and four assists in 36 minutes. Williams has really stepped up for the Cavs with Kyrie Irving out. Cleveland really showed why they are a championship contender by suffocating the Knicks on defense, but they had a very off night shooting the ball, finishing 33 - for - 83 from the field (40 percent). The Cavaliers host the Sixers on Friday after defeating them 107 - 100 earlier in the week."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Courtney Lee": "20", "Lance Thomas": "17", "Kristaps Porzingis": "14", "Derrick Rose": "12", "Willy Hernangomez": "14", "Kyle O'Quinn": "11", "Aaron Gordon": "17", "Bismack Biyombo": "10", "Evan Fournier": "25", "Elfrid Payton": "16", "Jeff Green": "15"}, "Assists": {"Lance Thomas": "1", "Elfrid Payton": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Lance Thomas": "4", "Willy Hernangomez": "8", "Kyle O'Quinn": "8", "Bismack Biyombo": "14", "Elfrid Payton": "11"}, "Steals": {"Lance Thomas": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Willy Hernangomez": "18"}}], "The Knicks overcame a 92 - 85 deficit in the fourth quarter to pull away for the eight - point victory. The win snapped an 11 - game losing streak for New York in contests Carmelo Anthony missed. Courtney Lee led the way with 20 points, while Lance Thomas continued his strong play with 17 points, four boards, two steals and one assist. Kristaps Porzingis supplied 14 points and Willy Hernangomez matched his scoring total and added eight rebounds in just 18 minutes. Rose compiled 12 points, and Kyle O'Quinn registered 11 points and eight boards as a reserve. Evan Fournier paced Orlando with a game - high 25 points. Aaron Gordon tallied 17 points, and Elfrid Payton posted a 16 - point, 11 - rebound, 10 - assist triple - double. Bismack Biyombo, starting once again for Nikola Vucevic (Achilles), posted a 10 - point, 14 - rebound double - double. Jeff Green's 15 points paced the bench."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "25", "Nuggets": "46"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "120", "Nuggets": "114"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "47", "Nuggets": "28"}}, {"Field goals made": {"Kenneth Faried": "3", "Jameer Nelson": "9", "Damian Lillard": "4"}, "Points": {"Kenneth Faried": "14", "Jameer Nelson": "22", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "32", "Arron Afflalo": "21", "Damian Lillard": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Kenneth Faried": "10", "Damian Lillard": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "35", "Arron Afflalo": "29"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "10"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Damian Lillard": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "11"}, "Turnovers": {"Damian Lillard": "3"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers (47 - 25) outscored the Denver Nuggets (28 - 46), 120 - 114. As planned, Danilo Gallinari was given the second night of a back - to - back off. J.J. Hickson started in his place. The Trail Blazers won their third straight and eighth consecutive match against the Nuggets. They hold a six and a half game lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Northwest Division with 10 games left. They\u2019re currently locked into the four seed because they lead their division, even though they have a worse record than the five seed Los Angeles Clippers. Their magic number to clinch a playoff berth is one game. LaMarcus Aldridge scored a game - high 32 points on 30 shots in 35 minutes. Arron Afflalo scored his most points since joining the Blazers, adding 21 points in 29 minutes. Damian Lillard had a lackluster performance, shooting 4 - of - 11 and dishing out 10 assists. After averaging 8 points and 6 rebounds over the previous three contests, Kenneth Faried salvaged his week with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Jameer Nelson scored a team - high 22 points and is averaging 17 points per game over the last nine games. The Nuggets had seven players reach double - figure scoring. The Blazers battle the Phoenix Suns on Monday for their fifth game in seven nights. The Nuggets don\u2019t play again until April, taking on the Utah Jazz, a team they recently defeated."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Thunder": "14"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "2", "Spurs": "1"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "96", "Spurs": "100"}, "Turnovers": {"Thunder": "14", "Spurs": "8"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "2"}}, {"Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "31", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "24", "Tony Parker": "19", "Kevin Durant": "26", "Serge Ibaka": "15", "Russell Westbrook": "31"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "11", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "8", "Tony Parker": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "9"}, "Assists": {"Tony Parker": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "18", "Russell Westbrook": "31"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "10"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 100 - 96 in Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals to take a 2 - 1 lead on Friday at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The statistics indicate an easy Spurs win, but this was a tight game throughout. San Antonio held the lead for well over 40 minutes of this game, but only led by double - digits for less than five minutes. They held the Thunder to just 41 percent shooting and won the turnover battle 14 to eight. San Antonio also hit over 50 percent of their three - point attempts, with Oklahoma City making the same amount of threes on 11 more attempts. The Spurs never played dominantly in this game, but they thoroughly out - executed the Thunder to a crucial road win. Kawhi Leonard led the team with 31 points and also grabbed 11 rebounds in the win. LaMarcus Aldridge provided 24 points and eight rebounds of his own. Tony Parker tallied 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the victory. No other player scored in double figures for the Spurs, as the other seven players combined for 26 points. Oklahoma City pulled off a shocking road win in Game 2, but lost that momentum with this home defeat. Russell Westbrook finished the game with 31 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, but shot just 10 - for - 31 from the field. Kevin Durant scored 26 of his own on 10 - for - 18 shooting. Serge Ibaka was the only other Thunder player in double figures, as he scored 15 points. Game 4 will be on Sunday, as the Thunder look to defend their home building."], [[{}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2"}, "Points": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "18", "Norman Powell": "18", "Kyle Lowry": "18", "Terrence Ross": "12", "Fred VanVleet": "15", "Serge Ibaka": "20", "Evan Fournier": "20", "Elfrid Payton": "10", "C.J. Watson": "18"}, "Assists": {"Terrence Ross": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Terrence Ross": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Terrence Ross": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Terrence Ross": "4", "Serge Ibaka": "12", "Evan Fournier": "10"}}], "Orlando managed to limit Toronto to sub - 40 - percent tallies from both the floor and three - point range, while also holding two members of Raptors' starting five, Patrick Patterson and DeMarre Carroll, scoreless. Serge Ibaka co - led the Magic with a 20 - point, 12 - rebound double - double, while Fournier stepped up with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Nikola Vucevic followed with18 points, while Elfrid Payton poured in 10. C.J. Watson led the second unit with 18 points. The Raptors were led by a trio of 18 - point efforts from Jonas Valanciunas, Kyle Lowry and Norman Powell. Carroll and Patterson were a combined 0 - of - 4 from the field over a total of 25 minutes. Fred VanVleet led the bench with 15 points, and Terrence Ross chipped in with 12 points, four rebounds, one assist and one block over 28 minutes as a reserve."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "55", "Celtics": "25"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "95", "Celtics": "98"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "13", "Celtics": "44"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Celtics": "24"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Jae Crowder": "35", "Brook Lopez": "31"}, "Points": {"Jae Crowder": "24", "Avery Bradley": "16", "Marcus Smart": "12", "Brook Lopez": "23", "Randy Foye": "14", "Andrew Nicholson": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Jae Crowder": "12", "Al Horford": "8", "Avery Bradley": "5", "Marcus Smart": "3", "Brook Lopez": "5"}, "Assists": {"Al Horford": "4", "Marcus Smart": "5", "Brook Lopez": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Al Horford": "4", "Brook Lopez": "2"}, "Steals": {"Al Horford": "1", "Avery Bradley": "1", "Marcus Smart": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Brook Lopez": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Brook Lopez": "8"}}], "The Boston Celtics defeated the host Brooklyn Nets, 98 - 95, at Barclays Center on Friday evening. The Celtics led 45 - 37 after a low - scoring first half but the Nets came out strong in the second half and were able to gain the lead for a few minutes in the fourth. The Celtics quickly took the advantage once more, leading by eight with 2:9 left in the game. However, the Celtics would not get away easy, as the Nets brought it back to a one - possession game, with a chance to inbound the ball with nine seconds remaining. They got two three - point attempts within that final nine seconds that could have tied it up, yet thankfully for Boston, neither of them fell, allowing the Celtics to escape with the win. Five players scored in double digits for the Celtics (44 - 25), led by Jae Crowder, who double - doubled with 24 points and 12 rebounds, in 35 minutes. Avery Bradley followed up with 16 points and five rebounds, while Al Horford chipped in 12 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four blocks and one steal. The Celtics were without their all star, Isaiah Thomas (knee), but Marcus Smart stepped in to run the point, contributing 12 points, five assists, three rebounds and three steals. The Celtics look ahead to their next contest on Sunday in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, Brook Lopez led the way for the Nets (13 - 55) with 23 points on 8 - of - 18 shooting, to go along with five rebounds, four assists and two blocks, in 31 minutes. Five other players scored in double digits for Brooklyn, including Randy Foye, who added 14 points and Andrew Nicholson, who chipped in 11 off the bench. The Nets go on to host the Mavericks on Sunday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "48", "Kings": "34"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "19", "Kings": "35"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "126", "Kings": "99"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Clippers": "24", "Kings": "29"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Clippers": "42", "Kings": "18"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "37", "Kings": "19"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "25"}, "Points": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "21", "JJ Redick": "24", "Jamal Crawford": "23", "Austin Rivers": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers (37 - 19) throttled the Sacramento Kings (19 - 35) 126 - 99 on Saturday at the Staples Center. The Clippers nearly reached 100 points by the end of the third quarter as they took a commanding 97 - 65 lead into the fourth. Los Angeles shot just under 48 percent from the floor while the Sacramento was held to just 34 percent (30 - 88 FGM-A). Austin Rivers led all scorers with 28 points, which is a new career - high for the young guard. The Clippers have now won four in a row in Blake Griffin's absence. George Karl's second game as the Kings' head coach did n't go as smoothly as his debut as his team was outscored 42 - 18 in the second quarter after leading 29 - 24 at the end of the first. Ray McCallum made another start at point guard with Darren Collison sidelined with a hip injury and Ramon Sessions' departure. He finished with x and y. DeMarcus Cousins had 21 points, but was only 6 - for - 19 from the floor and managed just four rebounds over 25 minutes on the floor. The Kings will look to rebound from this defeat Wednesday against the Grizzlies. Los Angeles exploded for 73 points in the second and third quarters to win its second game against Sacramento this season. The Clippers connected on 14 of their 35 attempts from beyond the arc. In addition to Rivers' big night, the Clippers got big performances from Jamal Crawford and J.J Redick, who scored 23 and 24 points respectively. The Clippers will go for their fifth - straight win Monday against the Grizzlies."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "30", "Victor Oladipo": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Victor Oladipo": "17", "Russell Westbrook": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Victor Oladipo": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "13"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Russell Westbrook": "3"}}], "As the season has gone on, stat lines like Wednesday's have come to be expected from superstar Russell Westbrook. The All-NBA point guard has maintained a triple - double average and the league's best scoring average throughout the season. On Wednesday, he delivered yet another triple - double, scoring 38 points to go along with 14 rebounds and 12 assists. Even more impressively, Westbrook shot 13 - of - 22 from the field and 3 - of - 5 from three - point range. Shooting guard Victor Oladipo complemented the performance well, scoring 21 points on 9 - of - 17 shooting. As a team, OKC hit 12 three - pointers and held a 48 - 38 advantage on the boards. For New York, meanwhile, newly - named All-Star Carmelo Anthony scored a team - high 30 points to go with four rebounds and four assists. The team also saw a solid 23 points from point guard Derrick Rose."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "48"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "103", "Raptors": "91"}, "Turnovers": {"Heat": "7", "Raptors": "8"}}, {"Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "5", "DeMar DeRozan": "23", "Kyle Lowry": "36", "Dwyane Wade": "22", "Goran Dragic": "30", "Josh McRoberts": "10"}, "Assists": {"DeMar DeRozan": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "5", "Goran Dragic": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "1", "Kyle Lowry": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "4", "Goran Dragic": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "0", "Kyle Lowry": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "1", "Goran Dragic": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "21", "Kyle Lowry": "27", "Luol Deng": "5", "Dwyane Wade": "21", "Goran Dragic": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Kyle Lowry": "12", "Dwyane Wade": "8", "Goran Dragic": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "7", "Kyle Lowry": "10", "Dwyane Wade": "6", "Goran Dragic": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMar DeRozan": "7", "Kyle Lowry": "9", "Dwyane Wade": "5", "Goran Dragic": "4"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMar DeRozan": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "4", "Dwyane Wade": "6", "Goran Dragic": "7", "Josh McRoberts": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Kyle Lowry": "37", "Dwyane Wade": "37", "Goran Dragic": "38", "Josh McRoberts": "18"}, "Blocks": {"Dwyane Wade": "3"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the visiting Toronto Raptors, 103 - 91, on Friday at American Airlines Arena to force a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference semifinals. After a tight first quarter, the Heat outscored the Raptors by eight in the second quarter and went on to hold the lead for the rest of the game. Miami's offense was rolling; responding every time the Raptors began to close the gap. DeMarre Carroll and Luol Deng were back in their respective line - ups after they both had to leave Game 5 with wrist injuries. However, the point guards stole the spotlight in this game, as Kyle Lowry and Goran Dragic each led their teams in scoring. Dragic poured in 30 points (12 - 21 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) along with seven rebounds and four assists, in 38 minutes, to lead the Heat to a season - saving win. Dwyane Wade struggled shooting but still finished with 22 points (8 - 21 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT), six rebounds, five assists and three blocked shots, in 37 minutes. Josh McRoberts was solid off the bench, finishing with 10 points and five rebounds, in 18 minutes. The Heat took very good care of the ball, only giving up seven turnovers and shot 48 percent from the field in order to force Game 7. Kyle Lowry was a bulldog for Toronto, finishing with a hard - earned 36 points (12 - 27 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 9 - 10 FT), four rebounds and three assists, in 37 minutes. DeMar DeRozan followed up with 23 points (8 - 21 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 7 - 7 FT), four rebounds and two assists, in 42 minutes. No other player scored in double figures for the Raptors, who struggled on both ends of the floor. The series now heads back to Toronto for Game 7 on Sunday. The winner will go on to face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "40", "Nets": "47"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "44", "Nets": "53"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "28", "Nets": "51"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "109", "Nets": "122"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Grizzlies": "18", "Nets": "34"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "36", "Nets": "11"}}, {"Points": {"Caris LeVert": "14", "Brook Lopez": "8", "Randy Foye": "14", "Jeremy Lin": "18", "Sean Kilpatrick": "23", "Marc Gasol": "18", "Mike Conley": "32", "Zach Randolph": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "4", "Jeremy Lin": "4", "Sean Kilpatrick": "5", "Marc Gasol": "6", "Mike Conley": "3", "Zach Randolph": "7"}, "Assists": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "3", "Marc Gasol": "4", "Mike Conley": "6", "Zach Randolph": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Marc Gasol": "2"}}], "The Brooklyn Nets defeated the host Memphis Grizzlies, 122 - 109, at FedEx Forum on Monday. This looked like an easy win for Memphis on paper, but Brooklyn had other ideas with this shocking win. The Nets really took it to the Grizzlies in the fourth quarter, winning it, 34 - 18. Shooting was key, with Brooklyn hitting 53 percent from the field and 47 percent from three - point range. Memphis only shot 44 percent from the field and 40 percent from three. The 12 steals and five blocks from Brooklyn was huge as well, as Memphis could only muster up seven steals and two blocks. The Nets (11 - 51) have easily turned into the worst team in the league and this win over a gritty Grizzlies bunch is a shocking one to say the least. Sean Kilpatrick led Brooklyn, as he provided 23 points, five rebounds and three assists off the bench. Jeremy Lin led the starters with 18 points and four rebounds. Caris LeVert and Randy Foye scored 14 points apiece in starting roles, while Brook Lopez totaled just eight points and four rebounds. On deck for the Nets is a road matchup with the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. The Grizzlies (36 - 28) are now below .500 across their last 11 games, with this loss being the worst of the season. Mike Conley did all he could for Memphis, as he accumulated 32 points, three rebounds and six assists. Marc Gasol finished second on the team, collecting 18 points, six rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Zach Randolph was the only bench player in double figures, accruing 10 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Memphis will look to play better in their next game on Thursday against the Los Angeles Clippers."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "51", "Wizards": "43"}, "Turnovers": {"Celtics": "14"}}, {"Points": {"Markieff Morris": "14", "Marcin Gortat": "10", "Bradley Beal": "35", "John Wall": "9", "Jason Smith": "13", "Jae Crowder": "20", "Al Horford": "16", "Marcus Smart": "9", "Isaiah Thomas": "38", "Terry Rozier": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "9", "Marcin Gortat": "9"}, "Field goals attempted": {"John Wall": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"John Wall": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Isaiah Thomas": "38"}}], "Bradley Beal and Isaiah Thomas put on a pair of spectacular dueling performances, with the former posting 35 points and the latter providing 38, 20 of which came in the crucial fourth quarter. While the Celtics' 14 turnovers were double that of the Wizards' tally, Boston notably outperformed the visitors from the field, 51 percent to 43 percent. Jae Crowder supplied 20 points, while Al Horford compiled 16 points. Marcus Smart drew another start in place of Avery Bradley (Achilles), managing nine points. Terry Rozier led the second unit with 11 points. Otto Porter, Jr. compiled 20 points, Markieff Morris registered 14, and Marcin Gortat produced a near double - double with 10 points and nine boards. John Wall was only 4 - of - 21 from the field, mustering just nine points. Jason Smith paced the bench with a 13 - point tally."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "53"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Mavericks": "47"}}, {"Points": {"Markieff Morris": "13", "Marcin Gortat": "12", "Bradley Beal": "25", "John Wall": "27", "Harrison Barnes": "26", "Dirk Nowitzki": "11", "Wesley Matthews": "12", "Deron Williams": "21", "Devin Harris": "17"}, "Assists": {"Marcin Gortat": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Marcin Gortat": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "16", "Dirk Nowitzki": "9"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "9"}}], "Harrison Barnes' and Deron Williams' combined 47 points helped overcome a pair of standout efforts from John Wall and Bradley Beal. Barnes scored nine of his team - high 26 points in the fourth period, including a 24 - foot three - pointer with 24 seconds remaining to seal the home win. Williams compiled 21 points, Wesley Matthews chipped in with 12 points and Dirk Nowitzki contributed a near - double - double with 11 points and nine boards. Devin Harris posted 17 points to lead the bench, and Dallas generated 47 and 53 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively. Wall's 27 points led the Wizards, and Bradley Beal followed with 25 points. Markieff Morris and Otto Porter, Jr. produced matching 13 - point efforts, while Marcin Gortat continued to excel down low with 12 points, 16 boards, four assists and a block."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "23", "Cavaliers": "18"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "90", "Cavaliers": "114"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "42", "Cavaliers": "47"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Cavaliers": "49"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Cavaliers": "49"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "5", "Chris Paul": "10"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "27", "Kyrie Irving": "17", "Chris Paul": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "6", "Channing Frye": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"JR Smith": "5", "Channing Frye": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Channing Frye": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Channing Frye": "5"}}], "The visiting Cleveland Cavaliers (47 - 18) dealt a crushing blow to the Los Angeles Clippers (42 - 23) on Sunday, winning 114 - 90. The Cavaliers focused on their range in Sunday's win, hitting 18 three - pointers for 49 percent from long - range. The mark matches Cleveland's season high in made three - pointers, and sharpshooters J.R. Smith and Channing Frye contributed five makes each. Star LeBron James was the game's true MVP, however, as he led the contest with 27 points while also pulling down six rebounds and dishing five assists. All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving also chipped in 17 points. The Cavs have now won six of their last seven, and will hope to continue their hot play as the race for first place in the Eastern Conference remains tight. For the Clippers, shooting was an issue, as the team hit just 40 percent from the field. Superstar Chris Paul led the team's offensive effort, scoring 17 points while simultaneously dishing out 10 assists. Paul continued to take on the brunt of the offensive load for the Clippers, as his partner in crime Blake Griffin remains out with a broken hand. Guard J.J. Reddick also contributed 19 points on efficient 7 - for - 11 shooting. The Cavs will visit Utah on Monday, while the Clips will visit San Antonio on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Kings": "49", "Warriors": "51"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "6", "Stephen Curry": "6", "DeMarcus Cousins": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "4", "Rudy Gay": "2", "DeMarcus Cousins": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kevin Durant": "1", "DeMarcus Cousins": "4"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "28", "Stephen Curry": "30", "Rudy Gay": "23", "DeMarcus Cousins": "17", "Ty Lawson": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "7", "Stephen Curry": "4", "DeMarcus Cousins": "10"}, "Steals": {"Kevin Durant": "1", "Rudy Gay": "2", "DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Kevin Durant": "1", "Stephen Curry": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Stephen Curry": "5", "DeMarcus Cousins": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "29", "Ty Lawson": "22"}}], "The Warriors saw most of their offensive production come from their starters, led by the duo of Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry. Durant added one of his four emphatic blocks on DeMarcus Cousins, to go with his 28 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Curry led all scorers with 30 points, which included five three - pointers, four rebounds and six assists. Rudy Gay led the Kings in scoring with 23 points, while Cousins went on to finish with 17 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks across 29 minutes. Ty Lawson added another strong performance off the bench, where he scored 15 points in 22 minutes of action. The Warriors outshot the Kings from the field, evidenced by the 51 percent shooting as a unit, compared to that of Sacramento's 49 percent shooting effort."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "10", "Magic": "14"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "96", "Magic": "105"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "10", "Magic": "9"}}, {"Points": {"Tobias Harris": "27", "Darren Collison": "22"}}], "The Orlando Magic (9 - 14) defeated the Sacramento Kings (10 - 10) 105 - 96 on Saturday. Orlando has won back - to - back games, also taking a win over the Utah Jazz 98 - 93 on Friday. Nikola Vucevic (back) missed a fourth straight game. Tobias Harris has taken on more of the scoring load in Vucevic's absence. He put up a game - high 27 points Saturday, after having put up a game - high 22 points Friday. The Magic's next game is Wednesday against the Washington Wizards, and Vucevic could be back for that game. Sacramento has lost five of their last six games, playing five of those without their franchise center DeMarcus Cousins. Darrren Collison finished with a team - high 22 points. Ryan Hollins has been filling in at center, but the Kings have mostly used a committee approach to replace Cousins, which has n't gotten the job done. Cousins has been sidelined with a viral infection and is targeting a return Monday against the Utah Jazz."], [[{"Losses": {"Rockets": "13", "Warriors": "6"}, "Total points": {"Rockets": "106", "Warriors": "131"}, "Wins": {"Rockets": "28", "Warriors": "32"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Andrew Bogut": "20"}, "Points": {"Andrew Bogut": "2", "Klay Thompson": "27", "Stephen Curry": "27", "James Harden": "12"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "4"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (32 - 6) blew out the Houston Rockets (28 - 13) by a score of 131 - 106 on Saturday. The Warriors led by just five points at halftime but opened a commanding 22 - point lead heading into the fourth quarter. Golden State shot 54% from the field as the Warriors cruised to another easy victory. Golden State bounced back from a tough loss Friday in Oklahoma City to beat a Rockets team that beat that same team 112 - 101 the previous night. Steph Curry and Klay Thompson scored 27 points apiece. Andrew Bogut returned to the starting lineup but managed just two points in 20 minutes on the floor. The Warriors will return home on Monday to host the Nuggets. Houston has now dropped all three of its games against Golden State this season. James Harden was held in check on Saturday as he managed just 12 points on 4 - for - 15 shooting. The Rockets will look to bounce back from this loss on Monday when they take on the Pacers. These two teams will meet again on Wednesday to finish the season series."], [[{"Total points": {"Suns": "137", "Lakers": "101"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "38"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "39"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "19"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"D'Angelo Russell": "20", "Lou Williams": "13", "Devin Booker": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"D'Angelo Russell": "7", "Lou Williams": "7", "Devin Booker": "9"}, "Points": {"D'Angelo Russell": "21", "Lou Williams": "21", "Devin Booker": "23", "Eric Bledsoe": "25"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Lou Williams": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Lou Williams": "1"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Devin Booker": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Devin Booker": "4"}, "Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Eric Bledsoe": "10"}}], "The Phoenix Suns defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 137 - 101 Wednesday at Talking Stick Resort Arena. It did n't take long for the Suns to grab ahold of this game, as they managed to open the game on a 27 - 8 run and never looked back. After winning the opening quarter by 17 points, Phoenix continued to pile it on and effectively ended the game by halftime. The Suns' backcourt was efficient and dominant offensively in the victory, with Eric Bledsoe leading the way with a triple - double of 25 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds. Devin Booker added 23 points of his own on 9 - of - 14 shooting from the field and 4 - of - 7 shooting from behind the arc. In the end, all 13 Phoenix players managed to score against a struggling Lakers (19 - 39) defense. Those Lakers have now dropped two games in a row and three of their last four following Wednesday's embarrassing defeat that ended with the team shooting just 38 percent from the field. Lou Williams was one of the lone bright spots for Los Angeles, as he increased his trade value yet again with 21 points off the bench on 7 - of - 13 shooting from the field. D'Angelo Russell added 21 points of his own, but he shot a subpar 7 - of - 20 from the field Wednesday. With the loss, the Lakers sit just a half - game behind the Suns for the worst record in the West but remain nine games behind the Nets for the worst record in the NBA. The teams will now both head into the All-Star break, with both resuming play on Friday, Feb. 24."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Grizzlies": "17"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Grizzlies": "38"}, "Losses": {"Grizzlies": "30", "Hawks": "29"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "90", "Hawks": "107"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "36", "Hawks": "37"}}, {"Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "6", "Dennis Schroder": "8", "Taurean Prince": "2", "Marc Gasol": "2", "Mike Conley": "5"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "16", "Dennis Schroder": "16", "Taurean Prince": "17", "JaMychal Green": "20", "Marc Gasol": "8", "Mike Conley": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "11", "Dennis Schroder": "7", "Taurean Prince": "3", "JaMychal Green": "11", "Marc Gasol": "6", "Mike Conley": "1"}, "Steals": {"Dennis Schroder": "3", "Taurean Prince": "2", "Mike Conley": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Taurean Prince": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Taurean Prince": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Mike Conley": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Mike Conley": "1"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks defeated the host Memphis Grizzlies, 107 - 90, at FedEx Forum on Saturday. It's rare to see Memphis dominated at home so badly, but that's just how things have been going for the Grizzlies over recent weeks. This one was over early, as Atlanta took an 18 - point lead after the first quarter and led by double - digits for the entirety of the second half. It ended up being a wire - to - wire win for the Hawks as well. Defense was key for Atlanta, as they held Memphis to 38 percent from the field and 17 percent shooting from three - point range. The Hawks also took care of the defensive rebounding, winning that battle, 40 - 28. The Hawks (37 - 29) have now won three - straight, as this marks one of their best victories of the season. Paul Millsap collected 16 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. Dennis Schroeder was just as good, accumulating 16 points, seven rebounds, eight assists and three steals. Taurean Prince was a huge spark off the bench, providing 17 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals on 5 - of - 6 shooting. Atlanta will be in action again on Monday in a road matchup versus the San Antonio Spurs. The Grizzlies (36 - 30) are really struggling right now, as this marks their fifth - straight loss. Mike Conley accrued 16 points, five assists and five steals as one of the only effective players for Memphis. JaMychal Green started and led the team by totaling 20 points and 11 rebounds. Marc Gasol could only muster up eight points, six rebounds and two assists. The Grizzlies will look to get out of this slide on Monday in a home matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "3"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "120", "Warriors": "134"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "0"}}, {"Assists": {"Draymond Green": "4", "Stephen Curry": "9", "Jrue Holiday": "6", "Toney Douglas": "4"}, "Free throw percentage": {"Draymond Green": "50"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "21", "Klay Thompson": "19", "Stephen Curry": "53", "Anthony Davis": "26", "Jrue Holiday": "22", "Toney Douglas": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "6", "Anthony Davis": "15", "Toney Douglas": "3"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Klay Thompson": "50"}, "Minutes played": {"Stephen Curry": "36"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Toney Douglas": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Toney Douglas": "2"}}], "In this high scoring game the Golden State Warriors (30) came out on top against the New Orleans Pelicans (0 - 3) with a 134 - 120 victory. A fast paced high scoring game is exactly the style of ball that Golden State has thrived on and it was just that which led them to a smooth win over the Pelicans. The game was punctuated by a 28 point third quarter from the scoring machine Steph Curry. The Warriors were up to business as usual running and gunning their fast paced offence leading to some great opportunities at the rim and of course tons of good looks from beyond the arc. Curry shot a stellar 17 - 27 from the field, 8 - 14 from distance and a perfect 11 - 11 from the free throw line, totalling 53 points, all while dishing nine assists and he did it all in only 36 minutes. Curry reminds us just about every game that he is the real MVP. Klay Thompson had a calm 19 points on 50 percent shooting, while Draymond Green filled the stat sheet as usual with 21 points, six rebounds and four assists. As a team Golden State shot an impressive 54 percent from the field and 56 percent from long range. As for the Pelicans, who have not fared well so far this season, taking their third loss in a row, resulting in a 0 - 3 record, frustration seems to be mounting. Anthony Davis picked up a technical foul towards the end of the game as he thought he should have been heading to the line for a perceived foul against him. Despite not getting all the whistles he would have liked Davis had as good a game as you could ask of the young man, scoring 26 points on 8 - 17 shooting and hauling in a monstrous 15 rebounds. Davis had help from Jrue Holiday who has been easing back into form after recovering from injury throughout the off season. Holiday contributed 22 points on 8 - 19 shooting and dished six assists. Tony Douglas proved himself a good addition in his first game for New Orleans scoring 17 points, 3 rebounds and four assists. The Pelicans picked up Douglas after waiving Nate Robinson, in an effort to field a more two - way player. Next up for Golden State is a date with Memphis at home on Monday, while the Pelicans wait until Tuesday, when they will try to scrap out a win against the feisty Orlando Magic."], [[{"Losses": {"Celtics": "5", "Cavaliers": "3"}, "Total points": {"Celtics": "121", "Cavaliers": "122"}, "Wins": {"Celtics": "3", "Cavaliers": "4"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Cavaliers": "38"}}, {"Points": {"LeBron James": "41"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dion Waiters": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Dion Waiters": "2"}}], "The Cleveland Cavaliers (4 - 3) defeated the Boston Celtics (3 - 5) 122 - 121 on Friday. Cleveland has won three straight games after starting the season 1 - 3. Their offense is starting to fire on all cylinders with the Cavaliers scoring 110 points or more in each of their last three games. Dion Waiters sat out Monday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans with a back contusion, but he was able to return to action Friday. Last Saturday, Boston pulled off a win over the Chicago Bulls without Rajon Rondo in the lineup, but they've dropped two straight games since his return. Too much should n't be read into the correlation, but it's worth mentioning, because if the team does n't like the direction they're heading with Rondo this season, he could end up on the trade block with his contract set to expire. The Celtics were up 17 points going into the fourth quarter, but a 38 - point fourth for the Cavaliers helped them to complete the comeback behind a game - high 41 points from LeBron James. The Cavaliers will finish off a back - to - back set at home Saturday against the Atlanta Hawks. Boston has the next two days off before hosting the Phoenix Suns on Monday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "40"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "7", "Nets": "17"}}, {"Blocks": {"Brook Lopez": "5", "Serge Ibaka": "5"}, "Points": {"Brook Lopez": "22", "Jeremy Lin": "17", "Serge Ibaka": "18", "Evan Fournier": "21", "Nikola Vucevic": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Brook Lopez": "6", "Jeremy Lin": "3", "Evan Fournier": "4", "Nikola Vucevic": "10"}, "Assists": {"Jeremy Lin": "3", "Nikola Vucevic": "4"}}], "These are two teams that have struggled all season, but it's not for a lack of effort. In this matchup, there were 15 ties and 15 lead changes in total, with no team leading by more than nine points. Despite Orlando barely cracking 40 percent, they took 14 more shots than Brooklyn. The reason for that was the offensive rebounding (13 - 6) and turnovers (17 - 7), as they dominated both of those statistics. Jeremy Lin played just 19 minutes off the bench as he continues to recover from injury, but tallied 17 points, three rebounds and three assists in his second game off injury. Brook Lopez led the Nets in scoring, as he dropped 22 points, six rebounds and five blocks. Nikola Vucevic led the Magic in scoring, as he accrued 21 points, 10 rebounds and four assists off the bench. Evan Fournier also scored 21 points, adding four rebounds as well. Serge Ibaka recorded an 18 - point, 10 - rebound double - double, while adding five blocks in the victory."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "26", "Mavericks": "17"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "72", "Mavericks": "93"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Heat": "12", "Mavericks": "33"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "20", "Mavericks": "31"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Mavericks": "20"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Richard Jefferson": "21", "Charlie Villanueva": "23"}, "Points": {"Richard Jefferson": "7", "Charlie Villanueva": "20", "Hassan Whiteside": "16"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Hassan Whiteside": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Hassan Whiteside": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Hassan Whiteside": "24"}, "Turnovers": {"Hassan Whiteside": "3"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (31 - 17) beat the Miami Heat (20 - 26) 93 - 72 on Friday. Charlie Villanueva led the Mavericks in scoring with 20 points in 23 minutes off the bench to go along with a 29 plus/minus. He scored 10 points in the fourth quarter as part of a 33 - 12 final period against the Heat. Richard Jefferson started for Chandler Parsons, who was out with an illness. Jefferson played 21 minutes and finished with seven points. No starter scored more than 12 points for the Mavs who had dropped four straight games coming in to Friday. The game was tied 60 - 60 going into the fourth quarter, but Miami could n't stop Villanueva, and the Mavs pulled away to win by 21 points. Hassan Whiteside continued to impress. He grabbed a career - high 24 rebounds to go along with 16 points. Over his past three games, he's averaged 15 points, 18 rebounds and 4 blocks. The Heat are 6 - 7 in January and will have to continue without one of their veteran leaders the next couple weeks, as Dwyane Wade is expected to be sidelined with a hamstring injury for at least the next two to three weeks. The Heat will travel to Boston to face the Celtics on Sunday. The Mavericks will make the short trip to Orlando for the second game of their back - to - back tilt in Florida."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "42", "Warriors": "9"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "91", "Warriors": "94"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "11", "Warriors": "42"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Draymond Green": "36"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "3", "Klay Thompson": "14", "Stephen Curry": "25", "Ricky Rubio": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "13", "Ricky Rubio": "9"}, "Assists": {"Stephen Curry": "8"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (42 - 9) narrowly escaped an upset loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves (11 - 42), barely edging them out 94 - 91. Minnesota went on a 120 run in the fourth quarter to pull within two points of the Warriors, but was unable to finish the comeback. Golden State's Steph Curry finished with 25 points and eight assists and Klay Thompson was held to 14 points. The Warriors survived a scare against to enter the All-Star break on having won six of its last seven games. Draymond Green was able to play despite a sprained ankle. Green finished with 13 rebounds and three points in 36 minutes on the floor. The Warriors have a three - game cushion over the Grizzlies for the top seed in the Western Conference. Minnesota lost its second straight game Wednesday, but both of those losses came to the top seeds in the Eastern and Western conference. Ricky Rubio finished with 18 points and nine rebounds and Nikola Pekovic finished with a double - double. The Timberwolves will resume play Feb. 20 against the Suns."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "4", "Knicks": "12"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "103", "Knicks": "90"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Warriors": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"Warriors": "57"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "23", "Knicks": "14"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "4"}, "Points": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "8", "Justin Holiday": "15", "Klay Thompson": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "4"}}], "The host Golden State Warriors easily defeated the visiting New York Knicks on Thursday, 103 - 90. The Warriors (23 - 4) hold the league's top record through 27 games now for the third straight season. It was a low - scoring night on Thursday for the league's top offense, but the Warriors still had no problem getting the win, outscoring the Knicks by 14 in the first half and holding on in the second. Golden State oddly got to the free - throw line only eight times on the night and made just half of their attempts. It was a dismal night from the line for both teams, as New York went 9 - of - 19 on free - throws as well. Aside from the line, though, Golden State shot well, hitting 46 percent of its attempts. Shooting guard Klay Thompson led the team with 25 points and had four three - pointers. It was a monster rebounding night for the Warriors, as they pulled down 57 boards. Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, and Draymond Green all pulled down double - digits in the rebounding column. For the Knicks (14 - 12), forward Carmelo Anthony (shoulder) and guard Derrick Rose (knee) found themselves injured at an inopportune time. The Knicks' offense needed all the help it could get, as no starter scored more than 10 points. The team hit only 40 percent of its shots and had just five three - pointers. Sophomore star Kristaps Porzingis had an off night, scoring only eight points on 4 - of - 13 shooting to go with five rebounds. Bench guard Justin Holiday led the team with 15 points and also had an impressive five steals. The Warriors will host the Trail Blazers on Saturday, while the Knicks will visit Denver to take on the Nuggets."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Hornets": "30"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Hornets": "39"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hornets": "49"}, "Losses": {"Hornets": "33", "Lakers": "43"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "104", "Lakers": "103"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "25", "Lakers": "16"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Carlos Boozer": "8", "Jordan Clarkson": "19", "Jeremy Lin": "16", "Al Jefferson": "19", "Gerald Henderson": "15"}, "Minutes played": {"Carlos Boozer": "25", "Jeremy Lin": "30", "Al Jefferson": "37", "Gerald Henderson": "38"}, "Points": {"Carlos Boozer": "15", "Jordan Clarkson": "19", "Jeremy Lin": "23", "Wesley Johnson": "10", "Jordan Hill": "10", "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "12", "Cody Zeller": "10", "Al Jefferson": "21", "Gerald Henderson": "21", "Mo Williams": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Carlos Boozer": "11", "Jeremy Lin": "6", "Al Jefferson": "16"}, "Assists": {"Jeremy Lin": "8", "Gerald Henderson": "5", "Mo Williams": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Jeremy Lin": "9", "Al Jefferson": "9", "Gerald Henderson": "8"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "5"}, "Steals": {"Gerald Henderson": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Mo Williams": "8"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (25 - 33) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (16 - 43) 104 - 103 on Tuesday. The two teams went wire - to - wire, but the Hornets were able to pull away just enough in the final five minutes of the game. Charlotte held a five - point lead with just seven seconds remaining, and the Lakers just ran out of time in attempting a last - second comeback. Mo Williams scored eight of Charlotte's final nine points in the last minute of the game and finished with 20 points and a game - high 13 assists. Al Jefferson was also very effective in the winning effort for the Hornets, putting up 21 points on 9 - of - 19 shooting and 16 rebounds in 37 minutes. Gerald Henderson played a game - high 38 minutes and recorded 21 points on 8 - of - 15 shooting, five assists, and three steals. All five Hornets starters scored in double figures, with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (12) and Cody Zeller (10) rounding out the five. Charlotte shot 49 percent from the field and had 30 assists on 39 made field goals. The Lakers were lead by Jeremy Lin coming off the bench for a game - high 23 points on 9 - of - 16 shooting, eight assists, and six rebounds in 30 minutes of play. Carlos Boozer had his first double - double in eight games, posting 15 points and 11 rebounds in 25 minutes. Jordan Clarkson (19), Wesley Johnson (10), and Jordan Hill (10) rounded out the Lakers who finished in double figures. Up next, the Hornets will hit the road to take on the Nets on Wednesday in Brooklyn, while the Lakers will travel to Miami on Wednesday to take on the Heat."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "20", "Kings": "27"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "121", "Kings": "117"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "28", "Kings": "20"}}, {"Assists": {"Rudy Gay": "3", "Rajon Rondo": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Rudy Gay": "12", "Marc Gasol": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Rudy Gay": "6", "Marc Gasol": "7"}, "Points": {"Rudy Gay": "21", "DeMarcus Cousins": "17", "Rajon Rondo": "15", "Tony Allen": "12", "Jeff Green": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gay": "7", "DeMarcus Cousins": "14", "Rajon Rondo": "6", "Tony Allen": "5", "Jeff Green": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Rajon Rondo": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Rajon Rondo": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Rajon Rondo": "2"}, "Steals": {"Rajon Rondo": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Marc Gasol": "34"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (28 - 20) defeated the Sacramento Kings (20 - 27) 121 - 117 at FedEx Forum on Saturday. DeMarcus Cousins left the game late in the fourth quarter after injuring his left leg under the basket, but was a key part in sparking a failed comeback effort throughout the final period. The Kings fell behind early in the game and allowed the Grizzlies to pile on a 20 - point lead. Cousins did most of his damage from the free throw line, and finished with 17 points and 14 rebounds before exiting the game. Rudy Gay found a rhythm late in the game, knocking down jumper after jumper to dent the double digit lead and pull the game within two points with 5:0 remaining in the fourth quarter. Gay finished with 21 points, seven rebounds and three assists on 6 - of - 12 shooting. Rajon Rondo fouled out of the game, which dealt a heavy blow to the Kings chances with their two superstars sidelined, but rounded out the box score with 15 points, eight assists and six rebounds. The Kings will host the MIlwaukee Bucks (20 - 29) on Monday. Memphis got off to a hot start behind Tony Allen and Jeff Green, who outpaced the Kings up and down the court throughout the first quarter. The Grizzlies started to break down defensively during the fourth quarter, and DeMarcus Cousins was simply bullying his way to the free throw line, but Courtney Lee was clutch from the charity stripe when Sacramento needed to foul. Jeff Green led all scorers with 29 points, two rebounds and two assists, while Tony Allen earned most of his 12 points early and added five rebounds. Marc Gasol led the front court and finished with six points and five rebounds on 7 - of - 14 shooting on 34 minutes. The Grizzlies will visit the New Orleans Pelicans (18 - 28) on Monday."], [[{"Rebounds": {"Cavaliers": "46", "Celtics": "29"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Avery Bradley": "3", "Kevin Love": "6"}, "Points": {"Avery Bradley": "23", "Isaiah Thomas": "31", "LeBron James": "23", "Kevin Love": "30", "Kyrie Irving": "32"}, "Steals": {"Avery Bradley": "4"}, "Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "9", "LeBron James": "11", "Kyrie Irving": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "8", "Kevin Love": "15"}}], "On Thursday, the Cavaliers beat the surging Boston Celtics on the backs of strong play from its big three. Kyrie Irving led the team with 32 points and dished out 12 assists, also a team high. Kevin Love trailed not far behind Irving with 30 points, including six three - pointers. Love also pulled in a team - high 15 rebounds, contributing heavily to Cleveland's 46 - 29 advantage on the glass. LeBron James, meanwhile, continued to dominate with 23 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds. The Cavs as a team shot over 51 percent and nailed 14 three - pointers. Boston, meanwhile, made 12 threes and shot over 50 percent from the field. All-Star Isaiah Thomas had 31 points and dished out a team - high nine assists. Avery Bradley added 23 points including three three - pointers and also came away with four steals."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Mason Plumlee": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Mason Plumlee": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Mason Plumlee": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Mason Plumlee": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Mason Plumlee": "4"}, "Steals": {"Mason Plumlee": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Mason Plumlee": "1"}}], "Mason Plumlee's performance against the Clippers on Monday night was only replicated by two other NBA players this season - - Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo. That's fairly elite company to belong to, especially considering the fact that both Durant and Antetokounmpo are wings that have the ball a lot, while Plumlee is not seen as a ball - dominant center. But while the company is elite, the stat line is n't totally shocking considering the numbers Plumlee has posted this season, especially, shockingly enough, in the assist column. Monday was the eighth time in 26 games this season where the big man has posted at least six assists, the 10th time he's dished out at least five assists and the 19th time he's had at least four assists. In fact, his average is currently 4 per game. For a big man, that's a very impressive number, and given Plumlee's ability to dish out the ball for scores on a consistent basis, this may not be the last time the Duke graduate posts a stat line like the one he had on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "17"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "111", "Pacers": "103"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Mavericks": "26"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "5"}}, {"Points": {"Paul George": "22", "CJ Miles": "18", "Dorian Finney-Smith": "12", "Harrison Barnes": "25", "Wesley Matthews": "26", "Deron Williams": "16", "Dwight Powell": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Dorian Finney-Smith": "8", "Dwight Powell": "5"}, "Assists": {"Harrison Barnes": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Harrison Barnes": "17", "Wesley Matthews": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Harrison Barnes": "10", "Wesley Matthews": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Wesley Matthews": "10"}, "3-pointers made": {"Wesley Matthews": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Dwight Powell": "21"}}], "The host Dallas Mavericks showed no quit as they held on to defeat the travel - worn Indiana Pacers 111 - 103 at American Airlines Center on Friday evening. The Mavericks used a 34 - 13 run during the middle quarters, during which Wesley Matthews out - scored the entire Pacers team 16 - 13, to take the lead and did not look back, on their way to their fourth home win of the season and third win in their last seven games. Matthews was the high - point man for the Mavericks (5 - 17), finishing with 26 points on 8 - of - 16 shooting, including 5 - of - 10 from long range. Harrison Barnes followed up with 25 points on fantastic 10 - of - 17 shooting, along with eight rebounds and two assists. Deron Williams chipped in 16 points, while Dorian Finney-Smith added 12 points and eight rebounds. Dwight Powell had another solid game, with 14 points and five rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench. Things could be starting to look up for the Mavs, who had been pummeled by injuries early on but have shown improvement as guys like Williams and Devin Harris have returned. The Mavericks will face the second night of a back - to - back as they travel to Houston to take on the Rockets on Saturday. Meanwhile, despite shooting 14 - of - 25 from long range and 25 - of - 26 from the foul line the Pacers still came up short in their fifth and final game of a grueling West-coast swing. Paul George led Indiana with 22 points in the contest, while Myles Turners and C.J. Miles both chipped in 18. The Pacers fell to 3 - 8 on the road with this loss but will look to get back on track as soon as possible as they return home to face the second night of a back - to - back as they play host to the Trail Blazers on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "34", "Bulls": "24"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "98", "Bulls": "84"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pacers": "32", "Bulls": "18"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "27", "Bulls": "39"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Pau Gasol": "17", "Tony Snell": "5", "Aaron Brooks": "11", "Doug McDermott": "17", "Solomon Hill": "10", "David West": "8", "Rodney Stuckey": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Pau Gasol": "7", "Tony Snell": "2", "Aaron Brooks": "2", "Doug McDermott": "8", "Solomon Hill": "5", "David West": "5", "Rodney Stuckey": "5"}, "Points": {"Pau Gasol": "18", "Joakim Noah": "4", "Tony Snell": "8", "Aaron Brooks": "4", "Doug McDermott": "16", "Solomon Hill": "16", "David West": "10", "CJ Miles": "10", "Rodney Stuckey": "12", "Ian Mahinmi": "14", "CJ Watson": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "10", "Joakim Noah": "7", "Solomon Hill": "5", "David West": "10", "Rodney Stuckey": "7", "Ian Mahinmi": "11"}, "Assists": {"Joakim Noah": "11", "Rodney Stuckey": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Doug McDermott": "16", "Solomon Hill": "26", "David West": "24", "Rodney Stuckey": "32", "Ian Mahinmi": "27"}, "Steals": {"Solomon Hill": "3"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (27 - 34) defeated the Chicago Bulls (39 - 24) 98 - 84 on Friday. The two teams went into the final period all tied up, but a big fourth quarter for the Pacers where Indiana outscored the Bulls 32 - 18 helped them prevail. Indiana was lead by Soloman Hill, who had a team - high 16 points on 5 - of - 10 shooting, five rebounds, and three steals in 26 minutes. Both David West and Ian Mahinmi recorded double - doubles, with West recording 10 points on 5 - of - 8 shooting and 10 rebounds in 24 minutes, while Mahinmi put up 14 points and a game - high 11 rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench. Rodney Stuckey also continued to make strong contributions off the bench, recording 12 points on 5 - of - 13 shooting, seven rebounds, and five assists in a team - high 32 minutes. C.J. Watson (11) and C.J. Miles (10) round out the Pacers scoring in double figures. The win puts Indiana in a tie with Miami for the eight - seed in the Eastern Conference, with the tiebreaker currently giving the edge to the Pacers. They will travel to Madison Square Garden Saturday to take on the struggling New York Knicks. Paul Gasol recorded his seventh consecutive double - double in the Bulls' losing effort, putting up 18 points on 7 - of - 17 shooting and 10 rebounds in 34 minutes. Gasol's partner in the frontcourt Joakim Noah recorded a game - high 11 assists, but only managed four points and seven rebounds. Aaron Brooks, who continues to start for Derrick Rose (knee), struggled mightily, recording just four points on 2 - of - 11 shooting. Tony Snell, who is starting for Jimmy Butler (elbow) also struggled, scoring eight points on 2 - of - 5 shooting. Rookie Doug McDermott took full advantage of his playing time on Friday, scoring 16 points in 16 minutes on 8 - of - 17 shooting. The loss puts Chicago in a tie for the two - seed in the Eastern Conference, but they have just a half - game lead over Toronto in the four - spot. Chicago will next travel to San Antonio Sunday to take on the Spurs."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "48"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "8", "Trail Blazers": "16"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "106", "Trail Blazers": "90"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Thunder": "31", "Trail Blazers": "26"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "17", "Trail Blazers": "11"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Mason Plumlee": "14", "Enes Kanter": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Mason Plumlee": "4", "Enes Kanter": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Mason Plumlee": "6", "Enes Kanter": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Mason Plumlee": "6", "Enes Kanter": "6"}, "Points": {"Mason Plumlee": "14", "Damian Lillard": "20", "Kevin Durant": "24", "Russell Westbrook": "13", "Dion Waiters": "18", "Enes Kanter": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Mason Plumlee": "10", "Russell Westbrook": "3", "Dion Waiters": "6", "Enes Kanter": "13"}, "Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "4", "Russell Westbrook": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Kevin Durant": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Kevin Durant": "29"}, "Steals": {"Russell Westbrook": "2"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (17 - 8) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (11 - 16) by a score of 106 - 90, Wednesday night in Oklahoma. The Thunder had control for most of the game. They were up 31 - 26 after a back and forth first quarter and held the lead for the rest of the way. This was the sixth win in a row for the Thunder The Thunder had six players score in double digits and shot 48 percent from the field as a team. Kevin Durant led the way in scoring, with 24 points. He also had seven rebounds, four assists and one blocked shot, in 29 minutes. Enes Kanter put up a nice double - double in 24 minutes off the bench, with 12 points (3 - 6 FG, 6 - 8 FT), and 13 rebounds. Dion Waiters shot 6 - 10 from the field and finished with 18 points and six rebounds, in 27 minutes. Russell Westbrook struggled shooting, going 5 - 15 from the field, however he still contributed a healthy 13 points, five assists, three rebounds, two steals and two blocks, in only 26 minutes. Portland could not find the rhythm in this game, as they shot only 34 percent from the field as a team. C.J. MacCollum was one of the few players to shoot at least 50 percent in the game for Portland and led the way with in scoring with 24 points (9 - 18 FG, 4 - 7 3Pt), along with four assists and four rebounds, in 35 minutes. Damian Lillard shot 6 - 20 from the field, including 4 - 8 from distance, to finish with 20 points, along with five assists and two rebounds. Mason Plumlee was the only other player to score double digits for the Blazers. Plumlee finished with a nice double - double including 14 points (4 - 14 FG, 6 - 6 FT) and 10 rebounds. Next up the Trail Blazers will head to Orlando to play the second game of a current five - game road trip on Friday. The Thunder will be right back in action with a game in Cleveland Thursday night."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Pacers": "55"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "118"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nets": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Brook Lopez": "20", "Sean Kilpatrick": "16", "Glenn Robinson III": "20", "Myles Turner": "16", "Monta Ellis": "14", "Jeff Teague": "9"}, "Assists": {"Sean Kilpatrick": "7", "Jeff Teague": "8"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Glenn Robinson III": "5"}, "Blocks": {"Myles Turner": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Myles Turner": "11", "Monta Ellis": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Myles Turner": "6", "Monta Ellis": "6"}, "Steals": {"Myles Turner": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Jeff Teague": "9"}}], "No Paul George, no problem. The Pacers seemed to be clicking just fine on offense without their star player on Friday, shooting over 55 percent from the field en route to a 118 - point blowout win. Starting five placeholder Glenn Robinson III impressed not only with a team - high 20 points, but also by playing 14 minutes more than any other Pacer. Sophomore center Myles Turner, meanwhile, dominated on both ends, scoring 16 points on 6 - of - 11 shooting while recording a steal and four blocks. Shooting guard Monta Ellis scored 14 points on 6 - of - 6 shooting, and point guard Jeff Teague neared a triple - double with nine points, nine rebounds, and eight assists. For Brooklyn, big man Brook Lopez led the offense with 20 points. Guard Sean Kilpatrick also stepped up for 16 points and seven assists. The team struggled from the free - throw line, however, shooting just 60 percent on the night."], [[{"Points in 4th quarter": {"Hornets": "28", "Trail Blazers": "13"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Trail Blazers": "26"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Trail Blazers": "35"}}, {"Points": {"CJ McCollum": "18", "Damian Lillard": "21", "Nicolas Batum": "17", "Kemba Walker": "23"}, "Steals": {"CJ McCollum": "4", "Kemba Walker": "3"}, "Assists": {"Damian Lillard": "6", "Nicolas Batum": "7", "Kemba Walker": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Damian Lillard": "7", "Nicolas Batum": "7"}}], "The Hornets had lost five - straight games headed into this matchup, so a dominating home win is just what the doctor ordered. The fourth quarter is where they did their most damage, winning that quarter, 28 - 13. Defense was key for Charlotte, as they held Portland to 35 percent from the field and 26 percent from three - point range. The Hornets also dominated the assist - to - turnover ratio, recording 10 more assists, while committing three less turnovers. Damian Lillard was the lone bright spot for Portland, as he accumulated 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists. C.J. McCollum was the only other Blazer in double figures, providing 18 points and four steals. Kemba Walker scored a game - high 23 points to go along with five assists and three steals. Nicolas Batum accrued 17 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Marco Belinelli, Roy Hibbert and Frank Kaminsky combined for 40 points and 14 rebounds off the bench."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Timberwolves": "31", "Hawks": "48"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "45", "Hawks": "51"}, "Losses": {"Timberwolves": "41", "Hawks": "10"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "105", "Hawks": "117"}, "Rebounds": {"Timberwolves": "50", "Hawks": "36"}, "Turnovers": {"Timberwolves": "16"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "11", "Hawks": "43"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "3", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Kevin Martin": "5", "Shabazz Muhammad": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "2", "Paul Millsap": "1", "Andrew Wiggins": "0", "Kevin Martin": "3", "Shabazz Muhammad": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "13", "Paul Millsap": "13", "Al Horford": "18", "Andrew Wiggins": "14", "Nikola Pekovic": "13", "Kevin Martin": "13", "Shabazz Muhammad": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "9", "Paul Millsap": "8", "Al Horford": "11", "Andrew Wiggins": "6", "Nikola Pekovic": "6", "Kevin Martin": "7", "Shabazz Muhammad": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMarre Carroll": "6", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Al Horford": "7", "Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Nikola Pekovic": "2", "Shabazz Muhammad": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"DeMarre Carroll": "6", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Al Horford": "6", "Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Nikola Pekovic": "2", "Shabazz Muhammad": "3"}, "Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "26", "Paul Millsap": "19", "Al Horford": "28", "Andrew Wiggins": "15", "Nikola Pekovic": "14", "Kevin Martin": "21", "Shabazz Muhammad": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarre Carroll": "4", "Paul Millsap": "9", "Al Horford": "8", "Andrew Wiggins": "6", "Nikola Pekovic": "8", "Kevin Martin": "5", "Shabazz Muhammad": "8"}, "Steals": {"DeMarre Carroll": "3"}, "Assists": {"Paul Millsap": "7", "Kevin Martin": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Al Horford": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kevin Martin": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kevin Martin": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Shabazz Muhammad": "24"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (43 - 10) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (11 - 41) 117 - 105 on Monday at the Target Center in Minneapolis. The Hawks shot really well in this one, going 51 percent from the field and 48 percent from the three - point line, while the Timberwolves went 45 percent from the floor and just 31 percent from beyond the arc. Despite out - rebounding the Hawks 50 - 36, they turned the ball over 16 times, which was enough to get themselves in just enough of a hole, that they were n't able to make a run at a comeback. Despite receiving only 20 points from their bench, the Hawks saw all five of their starters reach double figures in scoring. The Hawks frontcourt was the difference in this one, out - scoring the Timberwolves' frontcourt 73 - 40. Al Horford led the charge, finishing with 28 points (11 - 18 FG, 6 - 7 FT), eight rebounds and two blocked shots. It was a new season - high in points for him and a nice bounce back outing, after posting only six points in Sunday's loss to the Grizzlies. DeMarre Carroll also had himself a game, recording 26 points (9 - 13 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT), four rebounds and three steals. Like Horford, it was a new season - high for Carroll, along with a nice surprise for the Hawks, as he's averaging just 12 points per game so far this season. Nearly recording a triple - double, Paul Millsap finished with 19 points (8 - 13 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), nine rebounds and seven assists. The seven assists matched a season - high for him. The Timberwolves were led by Kevin Martin, who went 7 - for - 13 from the field and 3 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score 21 points, while also adding five rebounds. He's had two solid games in a row, combining for 45 points and 14 rebounds over that span. After missing a month with an oblique injury, Shabazz Muhammad made his return to the court. In a limited 24 minutes, he played very well and posted 18 points (7 - 14 FG, 1 - 4 3Pt, 3 - 6 FT) and eight rebounds. As long as he did n't suffer any setbacks, he should most likely get an increase in playing time moving forward, which would go a long way in helping the Timberwolves improve their offense. Coming just shy of a double - double, Nikola Pekovic finished with 14 points (6 - 13 FG, 2 - 2 FT) and eight rebounds, while Andrew Wiggins chipped in with 15 points (6 - 14 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 3 - 4 FT) and six rebounds. The Hawks' next game will be on the road against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, while the Timberwolves will be at home against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Magic": "26"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "44", "Rockets": "24"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "52"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "12", "Rockets": "15"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "104", "Rockets": "101"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "17", "Rockets": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"Dwight Howard": "2", "James Harden": "7", "Ty Lawson": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Dwight Howard": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dwight Howard": "2", "Ty Lawson": "2"}, "Points": {"Dwight Howard": "12", "James Harden": "31", "Ty Lawson": "11", "Tobias Harris": "19", "Nikola Vucevic": "21", "Aaron Gordon": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Dwight Howard": "7", "Ty Lawson": "2", "Tobias Harris": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"James Harden": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"James Harden": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Ty Lawson": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"Ty Lawson": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Aaron Gordon": "12"}}], "The Orlando Magic (17 - 12) survived a back - and - forth fourth quarter to take home the victory Wednesday night at the Amway Center, 104 - 101 over the Houston Rockets (15 - 15). Evan Fournier hit the go - ahead bucket to give the Magic a 102 - 101 lead with 14 seconds left to end a raucous comeback attempt from the Rockets. Down by 13 to begin the fourth, Houston rallied behind 10 points and three assists from star James Harden to take a 101 - 100 lead with just 26 seconds to go, their first lead since the second quarter. But it was short - lived, and two late Rockets three - point attempts went begging to seal the deal. The Magic brought a balanced attack, as six players finished in double figures. Nikola Vucevic led Orlando with 21 (10 - 16 shooting). Tobias Harris scored 19 points on an ultra - efficient 8 - 10 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds. Aaron Gordon came off the bench to score 14 in just 12 minutes. The Magic shot the lights out as a team, finishing at 52 percent from the field and a sharp 44 percnet from three - point land. Harden scored 31 to lead all scorers on a sharp 12 - 18 shooting, and he also led the Rockets with seven assists. Harden did n't get much help, as the team's next high scorer was Dwight Howard with 12 points to go with seven rebounds and three blocks. Ty Lawson came off the bench to score 11 points on 4 - 6 shooting and dish three assists, his first double - digit scoring effort since December 2 against New Orleans. The Rockets were sunk by an inability to hit from deep - - they finished just 24 percent (7 - 29) from three - point land. The Rockets had a three - game winning streak snapped by the loss and will look to right the ship Friday at home against the Spurs. The Magic improved to a robust 10 - 5 at home and will look to keep that success going with another home date Saturday against the Heat."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "12", "Thunder": "8"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "99", "Thunder": "102"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "10", "Thunder": "14"}}, {"Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "12", "Kent Bazemore": "3", "Dennis Schroder": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "22"}, "Points": {"Russell Westbrook": "32", "Paul Millsap": "24", "Dennis Schroder": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Russell Westbrook": "13", "Paul Millsap": "5", "Dennis Schroder": "6"}, "Personal fouls": {"Paul Millsap": "3"}, "Steals": {"Paul Millsap": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kent Bazemore": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kent Bazemore": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"Kent Bazemore": "3"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Atlanta Hawks by a score of 102 - 99 on Monday at Philips Arena. It was another win for the Thunder (14 - 8) and another triple - double for superstar point guard Russell Westbrook. Westbrook finished Monday's game with 32 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists in 33 minutes, and he had the triple - double fulfilled halfway through the third quarter. It was Westbrook's sixth straight triple - double and his 11th in 22 games this season as he continues to be more explosive than he ever has in his career. Coincidentally, not only was it Westbrook's sixth straight triple - double, but it was also Oklahoma City's sixth straight victory. The Hawks (10 - 12), on the other hand, are headed in a much different direction than the surging Thunder, as they have now lost seven in a row and 10 of their last 12 games overall. Monday's loss came despite the fact that Paul Millsap returned to the starting lineup after missing three games with a hip injury and led the team in scoring with 24 points on top of five rebounds and five assists. Dennis Schroder managed to add 17 points, eight assists and six rebounds, but the other three Atlanta starters scored a combined 12 points, with starting small forward Kent Bazemore failing to score a single point. Even so, the Hawks fell just short in the end, playing catch up in the closing moments when it was just too little too late. Up next, the Thunder will look to notch their seventh straight win against the Rockets on Friday, while the Hawks will look to end their win drought Wednesday when they take on the Heat."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "8", "Spurs": "4"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "92", "Spurs": "121"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "3", "Spurs": "8"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Tony Parker": "25"}, "Points": {"Tony Parker": "28"}, "Field goals made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Andrew Wiggins": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Andrew Wiggins": "4"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (8 - 4) defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (3 - 8) 121 - 92 on Friday. San Antonio has won three straight games. Their schedule was weighted with tough games to start the season, but as they've hit a lighter group of competition, the Spurs have excelled. Tony Parker tied his season - high of 28 points in 25 minutes. The Spurs return home to finish their back - to - back set Saturday as they host the Brooklyn Nets. Minnesota was missing four of their five starters, leaving only rookie Andrew Wiggins as their lone healthy starter to suit up for Friday's loss. Kevin Martin will be out indefinitely with a fracture in his wrist. Ricky Rubio (ankle), Thaddeus Young (personal) and Nikola Pekovic (wrist) were also out. None of them will be available Saturday as the Timberwolves finish off their back - to - back set Saturday at home against the Sacramento Kings."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Pacers": "28", "Rockets": "21"}, "Losses": {"Pacers": "22", "Rockets": "16"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "120", "Rockets": "101"}, "Turnovers": {"Pacers": "10", "Rockets": "15"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "25", "Rockets": "35"}, "Percentage of 3 points": {"Rockets": "28"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Rockets": "41"}}, {"Points": {"Ryan Anderson": "27", "James Harden": "15", "Eric Gordon": "14", "Paul George": "33", "Myles Turner": "18", "Jeff Teague": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Ryan Anderson": "7", "James Harden": "5", "Paul George": "9", "Myles Turner": "10"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "8", "Eric Gordon": "3", "Paul George": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"James Harden": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"James Harden": "3"}, "Turnovers": {"James Harden": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Myles Turner": "4"}, "Steals": {"Myles Turner": "3"}}], "The Indiana Pacers defeated the Houston Rockets, 120 - 101, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday. Indiana got out to a hot start early and they never looked back after that. In fact, the Pacers led by 13 after the first quarter, as they never relinquished the lead from there. Defense was key for Indiana, as they held Houston to 41 percent from the field (34 - of - 83) and 28 percent from three - point range (11 - of - 39). The Rockets were killed in the assist - to - turnover ratio, with Houston committing 15 turnovers to 21 assists, while the Pacers handed out 28 assists to 10 turnovers. Despite the Pacers shooting just 5 - of - 21 from three point range, they finished the game 47 - of - 87 from the field. The Rockets (35 - 16) had to play this game in the second half of a back - to - back set and they were clearly tired in this loss. Ryan Anderson led the team in scoring, as he dropped 27 points to go along with seven boards. James Harden accumulated 15 points, five rebounds and eight assists, but committed eight turnovers and shot 3 - of - 17 from the field. Eric Gordon led the bench in scoring, providing 14 points and three assists. On deck for Houston is a home matchup against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday. The Pacers (25 - 22) are now 18 - 6 at home, as they continue to thrive in Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Paul George was the player of the game, as he accrued 33 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Myles Turner was second on the team, totaling 18 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and four blocks. Jeff Teague amassed 17 points and 13 assists as the starting point guard. Glenn Robinson III and Lavoy Allen combined for 24 points and eight rebounds on 11 - of - 13 shooting off the bench. The Pacers will look to keep rolling on Wednesday against the Orlando Magic."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pistons": "26"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "39"}, "Losses": {"Pistons": "17", "76ers": "18"}, "Total points": {"Pistons": "101", "76ers": "108"}, "Wins": {"Pistons": "3", "76ers": "2"}}, {"Free throws made": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "4", "Robert Covington": "4"}, "Points": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "20", "Robert Covington": "25", "Kyle Singler": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Robert Covington": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Robert Covington": "29", "Kyle Singler": "40"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers (2 - 18) defeated the Detroit Pistons (3 - 17) 108 - 101 in overtime on Saturday. Philadelphia dropped their first 17 games of the season, but over their last three games, they hit a light part of their schedule and have secured two wins. The recently - signed Robert Covington scored a game - high 25 points in 29 minutes off the bench, putting up a nice game on the back of his 21 - point performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday. Michael Carter-Williams finished two rebounds shy of collecting his second triple - double of the season, finishing with 20 points, eight rebounds and 16 assists. The Sixers will continue their road trip against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, and they might get backup point guard Tony Wroten (knee) back after he missed the last four games. Detroit is on an 11 - game losing streak, and they continue to sputter on offense. They could n't buy a bucket against the Sixers, shooting 39 percent from the field and 26 percent from beyond the three - point line. Kyle Singler, the current starter at small forward, tied his season - high with 21 points in 40 minutes. The Pistons will host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday to finish off their back - to - back set."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "8", "Trail Blazers": "11"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "102", "Trail Blazers": "87"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "10", "Trail Blazers": "7"}}, {"Assists": {"CJ McCollum": "10", "Blake Griffin": "6", "Chris Paul": "6"}, "Points": {"Blake Griffin": "23", "DeAndre Jordan": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "8", "DeAndre Jordan": "24"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeAndre Jordan": "34"}}], "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 didn\u2019t 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\u2019s 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."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "43", "Nets": "39"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "103", "Nets": "98"}, "Rebounds": {"76ers": "42", "Nets": "36"}, "Turnovers": {"76ers": "14", "Nets": "19"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "8", "Nets": "13"}}, {"Assists": {"Thaddeus Young": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Thaddeus Young": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Thaddeus Young": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Thaddeus Young": "1"}, "Points": {"Thaddeus Young": "22", "Brook Lopez": "17", "Nerlens Noel": "18", "Jahlil Okafor": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Thaddeus Young": "10", "Nerlens Noel": "4", "Jahlil Okafor": "17"}, "Steals": {"Thaddeus Young": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Brook Lopez": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Brook Lopez": "7"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Nerlens Noel": "11", "Jahlil Okafor": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Nerlens Noel": "8", "Jahlil Okafor": "9"}, "Turnovers": {"Nerlens Noel": "3"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers (8 - 43) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (13 - 39) 103 - 98 on Saturday in a matchup of the Eastern Conference's bottom two teams. It was a joint effort between Philadelphia's pair of young big men, Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor, that pushed the Sixers over the top against Brooklyn. Okafor led the team with an efficient 22 points on 9 - for - 16 shooting to go along with a whopping 17 rebounds (a season high). Noel, meanwhile, was fiesty on the defensive end, stealing the ball four times and blocking three shots. The sophomore currently leads the entire NBA in \"stocks,\" or steals plus blocks, since the start of the new year. Noel also poured in 18 points on a highly - efficient 8 - for - 11 from the field. As a whole, the Sixers were able to cope with the absence of starting point guard Ish Smith (left ankle) who sat the game out due to injury. Many have credited Smith for Philadelphia's turnaround, as seven of the Sixers' eight wins have now come since Smith's midseason acquisition. The Nets came into Saturday's matchup riding positive momentum after a win against Sacramento on Friday. Unfortunately for Brooklyn, however, the Sixers simply won out in all measurable advantages in the game; Philly held a 42 - 36 advantage in rebounds, a 54 - 40 advantage in points in the paint, a 14 - 19 advantage on turnovers, and made 10 three - pointers in comparison to Brooklyn's five. Things were not as one - sided as one may imagine, however, and the play of power forward Thaddeus Young was a major reason why. Young posted a double - double with a team - leading 22 points and 10 rebounds. The veteran's rebounding renaissance has continued deep into the 2015 - 16 season, as Young is now averaging 9 rebounds per game, almost three better than he has ever averaged before in his career. Center Brook Lopez also had a strong showing, as he posted 17 points and went 7 - for - 7 from the free - throw line. Brooklyn will take on the Denver Nuggets on Monday at Barclays Center. Philadelphia will host the Los Angeles Clippers in their next matchup, which is also on Monday."], [[{"Points in 2nd quarter": {"Nuggets": "30"}}, {"Assists": {"Elfrid Payton": "12", "Nikola Jokic": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Elfrid Payton": "3", "Nikola Jokic": "5"}, "Points": {"Elfrid Payton": "20", "Nikola Jokic": "30"}, "Rebounds": {"Elfrid Payton": "4", "Nikola Jokic": "11"}, "Turnovers": {"Elfrid Payton": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Nikola Jokic": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Nikola Jokic": "36"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Nikola Jokic": "3"}, "Steals": {"Nikola Jokic": "3"}}], "Following the Nuggets victory over the Magic on Monday, a pair of performances from two young players in the league stood out. First, for Denver, Nikola Jokic posted 30 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in 36 minutes. That performance was his third consecutive double - double and yet another great performance to Jokic's hot start to the new year. In the five games he's played in January so far, Jokic is averaging 22 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists per game. For the Magic, it was Elfrid Payton who shined, recording 20 points, 12 assists and four rebounds to notch his second double - double in January. Payton has been playing his best basketball of the season over the last three games, as he is averaging 22 points, 9 assists and 6 rebounds 34 minutes in those three contests."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "8", "Spurs": "3"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "105", "Spurs": "110"}, "Rebounds": {"Kings": "46", "Spurs": "37"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "4", "Spurs": "9"}}, {"Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Pau Gasol": "3"}, "Points": {"Pau Gasol": "24", "DeMarcus Cousins": "26"}, "Assists": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "17"}}], "The visiting San Antonio Spurs defeated the Kings, 110 - 105, at Golden 1 Center on Wednesday. The Spurs (9 - 3) lead by double - digits at halftime and were able to maintain control until late in the fourth quarter. All three starting members of San Antonio's frontcourt scored 20 or more points in the win, with veteran big man Pau Gasol scoring a season - high 24 to lead the team. Despite San Antonio's offensive dominance in the paint, the team struggled in the rebounding column, being edged out 46 - 37. This was largely due to a strong showing from Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins, who posted a game - high 17 rebounds. Despite this, strong scoring inside helped lift the Spurs to a tight victory. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard also shored up San Antonio's defense with four steals. The Spurs remain situated at third in the Western Conference. Sacramento (4 - 8), meanwhile, continues to struggle early in the season despite strong play from their stars. In addition to his superb rebounding, Cousins scored a game - high 26 points and dished six assists. The rest of the starting five struggled, however, combining for just 22 points. Despite the loss, Sacramento was able to make the game promisingly close against a strong Spurs team. The Kings' bench also showed promise, scoring 47 points on the night. The Spurs will visit the Lakers on Friday, while the Kings will host the Clippers on Friday as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "21", "Nuggets": "20"}, "Total points": {"Kings": "108", "Nuggets": "118"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "15", "Nuggets": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"Darrell Arthur": "2", "DeMarcus Cousins": "4", "Darren Collison": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Darrell Arthur": "28", "Jusuf Nurkic": "22", "DeMarcus Cousins": "39"}, "Points": {"Darrell Arthur": "11", "Jusuf Nurkic": "16", "Arron Afflalo": "22", "Ty Lawson": "22", "DeMarcus Cousins": "32", "Darren Collison": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Darrell Arthur": "2", "Jusuf Nurkic": "8", "DeMarcus Cousins": "13"}, "Steals": {"Darrell Arthur": "2", "DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "3", "DeMarcus Cousins": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "8"}, "Turnovers": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "7"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (17 - 20) beat the Sacramento Kings (15 - 21) 118 - 108 on Friday. The Nuggets were lead by strong backcourt performances from Ty Lawson and Arron Afflalo each chipping in 22 points. Jusuf Nurkic came back strong after a lackluster performance Wednesday. He made 8 - of - 11 shots for 16 points to go along with eight rebounds and three blocks in 22 minutes. Wilson Chandler (knee) sat out Friday, and Darrell Arthur was moved into the starting lineup, finishing with 11 points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals in 28 minutes. Denver has won four in a row. They wo n't play again until next Wednesday, Jan. 14 against the Mavericks. Sacramento was without Ramon Sessions (back) for the eighth straight game. Omri Casspi (knee) sat out Friday as well. Darren Collison had a solid performance, recording 15 points and seven assists. His shooting has been great lately, with him hitting 52 percent from the field and 41 percent from beyond the three - point line over his past five games. DeMarcus Cousins had 32 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, three steals, four blocks and seven turnovers in 39 minutes for the Kings. Sacramento started this season 9 - 5 but have gone just 6 - 16 since. The Kings will host the Cavs on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "20"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "104", "76ers": "113"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "20"}}, {"Points": {"Robert Covington": "11", "Joel Embiid": "22", "Sergio Rodriguez": "10", "Jahlil Okafor": "10", "Gerald Henderson": "11", "Chasson Randle": "10", "Dario Saric": "17", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "23", "Jabari Parker": "23", "Greg Monroe": "14"}, "Blocks": {"Joel Embiid": "5", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Joel Embiid": "18"}, "Steals": {"Joel Embiid": "2", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Jabari Parker": "2"}, "Assists": {"Sergio Rodriguez": "6", "Dario Saric": "4", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Dario Saric": "9", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "6", "Jabari Parker": "5", "Greg Monroe": "6"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the host Milwaukee Bucks, 113 - 104, at BMO Harris Bradley Center on Monday, In a battle between two young and talented teams, Philadelphia were able to prevail with a huge road victory. The key run for the Sixers was a 16 - 3 spurt in the middle of the fourth quarter that put distance between them and the Bucks. There were 12 ties and 11 lead changes in total, as this game was close throughout. Rebounding was the biggest factor for the Sixers, as they won that battle, 51 - 38. Free-throw shooting really killed the Bucks too, as they went 15 - of - 22, while the Sixers went 29 - of - 36 from the charity stripe. The Sixers (13 - 26) have been a different team with Joel Embiid in the fold and he was a huge factor yet again here. Embiid tallied 22 points, 12 rebounds, two steals and five blocks, with 18 of those points coming in the second half. Sergio Rodriguez got the start for T.J. McConnell (wrist), as he accrued 10 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Dario Saric was huge off the bench, providing 17 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Chasson Randle, Jahlil Okafor, Robert Covington and Gerald Henderson all scored between 10 and 11 points as well. On deck for Philly is a home matchup against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday. The Bucks (20 - 20) finally got above .500, but a loss to the Sixers shows the natural growing pains for a young team like this. Giannis Antetokounmpo was Milwaukee's best player, accumulating 23 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and three blocks. With that said, he scored just two points in the second half, going 1 - of - 8 from the field before fouling out with three minutes left. Jabari Parker finished with 23 points, five rebounds and two steals. Greg Monroe was the lone Milwaukee bench player in double figures, totaling 14 points and six rebounds. Milwaukee will travel for their next game, when they play the Houston Rockets on Wednesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Nuggets": "56"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Knicks": "22"}}, {"Assists": {"Carmelo Anthony": "3", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Carmelo Anthony": "14", "Kenneth Faried": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"Carmelo Anthony": "10", "Willy Hernangomez": "5", "Kenneth Faried": "10"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1"}, "Points": {"Carmelo Anthony": "29", "Willy Hernangomez": "17", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "22", "Kenneth Faried": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Carmelo Anthony": "4", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "7", "Kenneth Faried": "7"}, "Steals": {"Carmelo Anthony": "1", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Willy Hernangomez": "1", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "1"}}], "Denver has now scored 259 points in their last two games and the offense is clicking on all cylinders. In this win, they shot 56 percent from the field en route to a wire - to - wire win. The Nuggets dominated in the interior, winning the rebounding battle, 41 - 34, and outscoring the Knicks in the paint, 68 - 32. Carmelo Anthony did all he could against his former team, as he tallied 29 points, four rebounds and three assists on 10 - of - 14 shooting in the loss. Guillermo Hernangomez had one of the best games of the season, as he totaled 17 points and 10 boards off the Knicks bench, All five starters scored in double figures for the Nuggets, as Emmanuel Mudiay led the starters with 22 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Kenneth Faried led the team in scoring, as he dropped 25 points and seven rebounds on 10 - of - 11 shooting off the bench."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "44"}, "Losses": {"Clippers": "23", "Spurs": "13"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "97", "Spurs": "105"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "35", "Spurs": "44"}}, {"Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "21", "Pau Gasol": "17", "Blake Griffin": "29"}, "Blocks": {"Pau Gasol": "1"}, "Assists": {"Blake Griffin": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Blake Griffin": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Blake Griffin": "9"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Blake Griffin": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "9"}}], "The visiting San Antonio Spurs took down the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday, 105 - 97. San Antonio (44 - 13) has now won three straight games and continues to sit comfortably as the second seed in the Western Conference. Veteran big man Pau Gasol has spent much of the season on the sidelines after suffering a broken finer, but returned in stellar fashion on Friday. Gasol earned a double - double, recording 17 points and 11 rebounds along with a blocked shot. As per usual in San Antonio, the leading scorer was superstar forward Kawhi Leonard, who had 21 points on the night. It was a below - average offensive night for the Spurs, but the team made up for it with solid defense. San Antonio held LA to under 100 points while grabbing nine steals and blocking seven shots. The Clippers (35 - 23), meanwhile, followed a blown lead against Golden State on Thursday with a disappointing loss to the Spurs on Friday. The two adversaries made for a difficult back - to - back, though All-Star forward Blake Griffin appeared full of energy against San Antonio. Griffin was the game's high scorer with 29 points on 9 - of - 17 shooting. He added nine rebounds and five assists. The Clippers had a tough time shooting the ball overall, hitting just 44 percent of their shots and only making seven three - pointers on the night. On Sunday, the Spurs will visit the Los Angeles Lakers, while the Clippers will host the Charlotte Hornets."], [[{"Losses": {"Bucks": "23", "Mavericks": "16"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "96", "Mavericks": "95"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bucks": "17", "Mavericks": "20"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "15", "Mavericks": "21"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "10", "Devin Harris": "7"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "4", "Devin Harris": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "17", "Devin Harris": "12", "Khris Middleton": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "6", "Devin Harris": "7", "Khris Middleton": "10"}, "Points": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "20", "Zaza Pachulia": "9", "Devin Harris": "19", "Khris Middleton": "27", "Michael Carter-Williams": "15", "John Henson": "16"}, "Rebounds": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "9", "Zaza Pachulia": "15", "Devin Harris": "2", "Michael Carter-Williams": "12"}, "Assists": {"Zaza Pachulia": "3", "Devin Harris": "3", "Michael Carter-Williams": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "41", "John Henson": "20"}, "Steals": {"Michael Carter-Williams": "5"}}], "The Milwaukee Bucks (15 - 23) emerged with the 96 - 95 home win against the Dallas Mavericks (21 - 16), Friday night. The Bucks held the lead for most of the game and were up by as many as 17 but Dallas battled back when it counted to make it a tight finish. The Mavs pulled ahead 95 - 94 with 30 seconds left, which was their first lead since being up 8 - 6 in the first quarter. However, some clutch defense by the Bucks got them a steal and a fast break layup that put them up one, for the win. Milwaukee broke a six - game losing streak against the Mavericks and also broke their three - game losing streak with this win. Khris Middleton continued his impressive play for Milwaukee. Middleton had 17 points by halftime and finished with a total of 27 points (10 - 18 FG. 7 - 9 FT), five assists and three rebounds, in 39 minutes. Michael Carter-Williams recorded a double - double with 15 points and 12 rebounds, along with eight assists and five steals, in 41 minutes. John Henson came up with some clutch defense during the last possessions and was a nearly perfect 8 - 9 from the field on his way to 16 points, in 20 minutes off the bench. The Mavericks shot an NBA season - high 26 three - point attempts in the first half and finished the game 14 - 44 from beyond the arc. Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas in scoring with 20 points (6 - 17 FG, 4 - 10 3Pt) and also pulled down nine rebounds, in 35 minutes. Devin Harris provided a spark in 18 minutes off the bench with 19 points (7 - 12 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt), two rebounds and three assists. Zaza Pachulia was solid against his old team as he finished with nine points, 15 rebounds and three assists, in 31 minutes. Next the Mavericks will wrap up their current three - game road trip in Minnesota on Sunday. The Bucks will visit New York to face the Knicks on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "8", "Lakers": "28"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "134", "Lakers": "94"}, "Rebounds": {"Spurs": "46", "Lakers": "29"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "31", "Lakers": "15"}}, {"Assists": {"Julius Randle": "5", "Pau Gasol": "6"}, "Points": {"Julius Randle": "22", "Jordan Clarkson": "14", "Kawhi Leonard": "31", "Pau Gasol": "22"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jordan Clarkson": "11", "Kawhi Leonard": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Jordan Clarkson": "6", "Kawhi Leonard": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Kawhi Leonard": "26"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Pau Gasol": "9"}}], "The host San Antonio Spurs blew out the Los Angeles Lakers, 134 - 94, at AT & T Center on Thursday. The Spurs (31 - 8) jumped out to a major lead to start the game, holding a double - digit advantage in the first quarter. They only built on that lead from there, shooting a whopping 60 percent as a team en route to their highest - scoring game of the season. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard led the team with 31 points on 10 - of - 13 shooting and came away with a pair of steals in 26 minutes. Veteran big man Pau Gasol added 22 points to go with nine rebounds and six assists. Everything seemed to be clicking for the Spurs, as the team dished out 31 assists and held a 46 - 29 rebounding advantage. Los Angeles (15 - 28) lost its second straight in ugly fashion on Thursday. The team shot only 41 percent with six three - pointers and was massively out - rebounded. Power forward Julius Randle led the team with 22 points, but the remainder of the starting five combined for just 20. Bench guard Jordan Clarkson also put together a decent outing, shooting 6 - of - 11 for 14 points. Los Angeles simply was lost on defense, however, as the team allowed 28 or more points in every quarter. Both teams will play on Saturday, with the Spurs visiting Phoenix and the Lakers taking on the Clippers."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "2", "Grizzlies": "1"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "103", "Grizzlies": "112"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pacers": "20"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "0", "Grizzlies": "1"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Grizzlies": "39"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Marc Gasol": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Marc Gasol": "7", "Monta Ellis": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Marc Gasol": "7"}, "Points": {"Marc Gasol": "20", "Jeff Green": "12", "Brandan Wright": "9", "Paul George": "18", "Jordan Hill": "4", "George Hill": "20", "CJ Miles": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Marc Gasol": "8", "Jordan Hill": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Matt Barnes": "7", "Monta Ellis": "12"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul George": "2", "CJ Miles": "4"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Monta Ellis": "25"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Monta Ellis": "25"}, "Personal fouls": {"George Hill": "2"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (1 - 1) defeated the Indiana Pacers (0 - 2) by a score of 112 - 103 on Thursday. The Pacers shifted Paul George back to his typical small forward spot before Thursday\u2019s game, and gave offseason acquisition Jordan Hill his first start at power forward. The series of moves left opening night starting small forward, C.J. Miles, in a bench role, but the change did n't affect the veteran\u2019s offense. Miles equaled his opening night scoring total of 18 points, and drained another four buckets from three - point range, just as he had versus the Raptors on Wednesday. After a dismal offensive showing in the opener versus the Cavaliers, the Grizzlies put together a balanced offensive attack to derail the Pacers, benefiting from a particularly productive night from their bench. Three veteran subs - - Jeff Green, Matt Barnes, and Beno Udrih - - tallied double - digit scoring, while Brandan Wright came just short with a nine - point effort. Marc Gasol led all Grizzlies starters with a gritty performance that saw him collect 20 points while hauling in eight boards, including a team - high seven on the defensive glass. Much like Miles, his Pacers counterpart at small forward, Green thrived in a reduced role after having started on opening night, coming in second in bench scoring for Memphis on Thursday with 12 points. The Grizzlies evened their record at 1 - 1 and momentarily slot a half game behind the Dallas Mavericks for first place in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference, pending the late Thursday outcome of the Mavericks-Clippers contest. Memphis heads home to face off against the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday. The Pacers put together a respectable offensive showing, but faltered down the stretch for their second consecutive defeat. Indiana entered the fourth quarter nursing a 75 - 73 lead, but saw the Grizzlies explode for 39 points in the final period to pull away. With two starters scoring in the single digits, Indiana placed the primary offensive load on the shoulders of Paul George and George Hill, who contributed 18 and 20 points, respectively. Miles also made his contributions off the bench to help keep the Pacers close for the majority of the game. Jordan Hill hauled in six boards in his first start but struggled offensively, amassing only four points. Fellow offseason signing Monta Ellis had trouble finding the net for the second consecutive game, shooting only 25 percent from the field (3 - for - 12) after a 27 percent night in the opener Wednesday. The Pacers fall to 0 - 2 and a last - place tie with the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference\u2019s Central Division. They head home for a date with the Utah Jazz on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "34", "Nuggets": "44"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "105", "Nuggets": "109"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Grizzlies": "37"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "41", "Nuggets": "32"}}, {"Points": {"Emmanuel Mudiay": "17", "Will Barton": "25", "Zach Randolph": "26"}}], "In a game with little impact on shaping the playoff picture, the Denver Nuggets (32 - 44) beat the banged - up Memphis Grizzlies (41 - 34) 109 - 105. The Nuggets, though not mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, sit six games back from the eighth spot in the West. Wednesday's contest did help their case, however, as they were able to stave off a 37 - point fourth quarter from the Grizzlies and win. Rookie Emmanuel Mudiay led the starters with 17 points, while Sixth Man of the Year contender Will Barton exploded for 25 off the bench. The entire team saw efficient and effective shooting, hitting over 48 percent from the floor and sinking 13 three - pointers. The Grizzlies, meanwhile, have suffered due to the loss of star center Marc Gasol and point guard Mario Chalmers to injury. The team still sits at fifth in the West, but the Trail Blazers have crept within three games of the spot. On Wednesday, the team was carried by veteran Zach Randolph's 26 points. Forward Jeff Green also contributed 13 points and 12 rebounds off the bench. The team struggled from the line, however, hitting just 63 percent of its free - throws. The Nuggets will travel to New Orleans Thursday, while the Grizzlies will take on Toronto on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "39", "Spurs": "12"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "86", "Spurs": "88"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "39", "Spurs": "65"}, "Turnovers": {"Spurs": "8"}}, {"Field goals made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "18", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "14", "Rodney Hood": "23", "Joe Ingles": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "7"}, "Steals": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "4"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (65 - 12) defeated the Utah Jazz (39 - 39) 88 - 86 on Tuesday. In a game between the two - best defenses in the league, they both showed what makes them so stingy. The teams played at a snail - like pace, as there were only 140 shots taken. The key for the Spurs was their ability to force turnovers, as they forced 16 turnovers while committing just eight turnovers of their own. The game was decided in the final seconds, as Kawhi Leonard hit a game - winning jumper with five seconds left. The Spurs didn\u2019t play their prettiest game, but they escaped with a win. Kawhi Leonard not only hit the game - winner, but led the team with 18 points. LaMarcus Aldridge continues his good form, as he tallied 14 points, seven rebounds and four steals. The bench was solid as well, with Patty Mills, David West, Manu Ginobili and Kyle Anderson combining for 40 point, 10 assists and nine rebounds. Up next for San Antonio is a matchup with the Golden State Warriors on Thursday. This loss put the Jazz within a game of missing out on the playoffs, but they still sit a half game up in the eight - seed. Rodney Hood was the only player who could find some rhythm, as he scored a game - high 23 points. Joe Ingles had a nice game off the bench, as he scored 13. Utah's next game isn\u2019t until Friday, when they play the Los Angeles Clippers in what's a crucial game for the Jazz."], [[{"Losses": {"Kings": "20", "76ers": "31"}, "Turnovers": {"Kings": "22"}, "Wins": {"Kings": "12", "76ers": "3"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Nerlens Noel": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Nerlens Noel": "7"}, "Points": {"Nerlens Noel": "20", "DeMarcus Cousins": "21", "Rajon Rondo": "8", "Marco Belinelli": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Nerlens Noel": "9", "Rajon Rondo": "5"}, "Steals": {"Nerlens Noel": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Jahlil Okafor": "20"}, "Blocks": {"DeMarcus Cousins": "3"}, "Assists": {"Rajon Rondo": "14"}, "Turnovers": {"Rajon Rondo": "7"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers (3 - 31) upset the Sacramento Kings (12 - 20) 111 - 105 on Wednesday night. In a battle of two bad teams, poor execution was on display. Most notably, the shooting was bad all - around. Both teams shot shy of 62 percent from the free - throw line and both teams shot right around 30 percent from long distance. The Sixers are the most turnover prone team in the NBA, but they dominated that battle here, committing 13 to the Kings 22. The pace was incredible in this game as well, as there were a combined 168 shots and 75 combined free - throws. The Sixers are a revived team as of late and it directly correlates with the addition of Ish Smith. They have been competitive in three - straight games and committing far less turnovers. That's what a veteran point guard will bring to a team and it's clear they made a good move here after numerous poor decisions in the past. He was Philly's best player tonight, as he tallied 18 points, nine assists, three rebounds, two steals and two blocks in the win. Nerlens Noel also had a good game, as he collected 20 points, nine rebounds and four steals. Jahlil Okafor also made his return here from a knee injury and put in a double - double off the bench in just 20 minutes of play. In addition, Jerami Grant was extremely active in this game, as he recorded a double - double and pitched in seven combined blocks and steals in the game. Philadelphia has a good chance to continue their recent good stretch against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. This sort of game is a microcosm of the Kings season. The talent discrepancy on paper in this game was truly unfair, yet this game was close throughout and they trailed for the entirety of the second half. The sloppy play really killed this team, as they shot well but committed 22 turnovers. DeMarcus Cousins was Sacramento's best player, as he totaled 21 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in the loss. Rajon Rondo also had a good game despite committing seven turnovers, as he amassed eight points, 14 assists and five rebounds. Marco Belinelli also had an impressive game off the bench, scoring a season - high 28 points. There were many instances throughout the game where the fans were booing their home team and that's a sad indication of where this franchise is right now. They'll host the Phoenix Suns in their next game on Saturday in a battle of disgruntled teams."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "51"}, "Losses": {"Spurs": "9", "Pistons": "30"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "97", "Pistons": "81"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Spurs": "27"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "51", "Pistons": "31"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Pistons": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Tobias Harris": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "3", "Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Andre Miller": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "16", "Kawhi Leonard": "22", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Tobias Harris": "7", "Kawhi Leonard": "13", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tobias Harris": "2", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Tobias Harris": "1", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Tobias Harris": "38", "Marcus Morris": "32", "Reggie Jackson": "31", "Kawhi Leonard": "36", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "35"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "16", "Marcus Morris": "16", "Andre Drummond": "9", "Reggie Jackson": "11", "Kawhi Leonard": "27", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "23", "Tim Duncan": "12", "Tony Parker": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "6", "Andre Drummond": "14", "Reggie Jackson": "3", "Kawhi Leonard": "6", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kawhi Leonard": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kawhi Leonard": "1"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "2"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (51 - 9) defeated the visiting Detroit Pistons (31 - 30) 97 - 81, Wednesday night at AT & T Center. With this win the Spurs have clinched a post - season berth for the 19th season in a row, tying the Boston Celtics franchise (1951 - 1969) for the fourth longest streak of its kind. This also marks the earliest point in any of the previous 19 seasons that the Spurs have clinched. Meanwhile, the Pistons came in a formidable foe, as winners of four straight, but were held to 39 percent shooting from the field by the renowned Spurs defense. The Spurs have now won six straight and are a remarkable 290 at home this season. Dating back to last season the Spurs have won 38 in a row at home, which ties yet another Celtics record (1985, '86) for third most consecutive home victories. Kawhi Leonard led San Antonio in scoring, totaling 27 points (13 - 22 FG, 1 - 6 3Pt), along with six rebounds, five assists and two steals, in 36 minutes. LaMarcus Aldridge followed up with a double - double, including 23 points (10 - 16 FG, 3 - 3 FT) and 10 rebounds, in 35 minutes. The only others to score double digits for the Spurs were Tim Duncan, who had 12 and Tony Parker with 10, however the bench kept up defensively and helped get the job done. Andre Miller made his debut with the squad after being signed last Monday. Miller played seven minutes, with two assists and zero turnovers. The Spurs shot a solid 51 percent from the field, showing they can do more than just defend. Detroit had its promising four - game win streak halted by the Spurs and remains amidst a heated battle for eighth in the East. Newest member of the Pistons, Tobias Harris racked up 16 points (7 - 16 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT), six rebounds and four assists, in 38 minutes, while Marcus Morris added another 16, in 32 minutes. Andre Drummond hauled in 14 boards, along with nine points, while Reggie Jackson was relatively quiet, finishing with 11 points, three rebounds and three assists, in 31 minutes. The Pistons missed 10 free throws and turned the ball over 16 times as they were stifled in San Antonio. Next, the Pistons will enter New York to face - off against the Knicks on Saturday. The Spurs head straight to New Orleans for the second of a back - to - back, Thursday."], [[{}, {}], "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud e xercitation ullamc o laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "31", "Warriors": "13"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "110", "Warriors": "123"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "46", "Warriors": "63"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Draymond Green": "30"}, "Points": {"Draymond Green": "5", "Stephen Curry": "11", "Andre Iguodala": "18", "Marreese Speights": "18"}, "Rebounds": {"Draymond Green": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Stephen Curry": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Stephen Curry": "4"}, "Assists": {"Rajon Rondo": "5"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (63 - 13) continued their march to the playoffs with another convincing win Saturday, defeating the Dallas Mavericks (46 - 31), 123 - 110, at the American Airlines Center. Despite a quiet night from Steph Curry, the Warriors were able to cruise to their 12th straight victory. Curry finished with just 11 points on 4 - of - 12 shooting, but Marreese Speights and Andre Iguodala scored 18 apiece off the bench to help offset Curry's outing. Dallas could n't overcome a big fourth quarter deficit and never got closer than 12 points. With the win, Golden State completed the season sweep over Dallas. Golden State has lost just one game since early March, when it fell 114 - 103 to Denver on the 13th. The Warriors have been finding different ways to win, ranging from comebacks to nights where their stars are n't performing at their best. Draymond Green returned to action Saturday after being sidelined earlier in the week with a shin injury. Green finished with five points and six rebounds over 30 minutes on the floor. The Warriors have another big test on the horizon with a matchup against the red - hot Spurs set for Sunday. Dallas was missing Chandler Parsons (knee) coming into Saturday's tilt and lost another starter when Rajon Rondo left the game with a hyperextended knee. J.J Barea and Devin Harris filled in at point guard for the injured Rondo and combined for 20 points and five assists. The Mavericks struggled from three point range, going just 3 - for - 16 from beyond the arc. Dallas will have three days off to get healthy before returning to action Wednesday against Phoenix."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Jazz": "50"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Jazz": "46", "Magic": "50"}, "Losses": {"Jazz": "15", "Magic": "14"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "93", "Magic": "98"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "5", "Magic": "8"}, "Turnovers": {"Magic": "8"}}, {"Points": {"Tobias Harris": "22", "Kyle O'Quinn": "13", "Victor Oladipo": "20", "Derrick Favors": "21", "Enes Kanter": "16", "Rodney Hood": "15", "Trey Burke": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "7", "Derrick Favors": "13", "Trey Burke": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Kyle O'Quinn": "18", "Rodney Hood": "26"}, "Assists": {"Victor Oladipo": "6", "Trey Burke": "11"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Victor Oladipo": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Victor Oladipo": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Derrick Favors": "5"}, "Personal fouls": {"Derrick Favors": "3"}}], "The Orlando Magic (8 - 14) defeated the Utah Jazz (5 - 15) 98 - 93 at EnergySolutions Arena on Friday. Even without their best big man, Nikola Vucevic, who sat out with back spasms, the Magic eased past the struggling Jazz. Kyle O'Quinn started in place of Vucevic and scored 13 points in his 18 minutes on the court, but it was Victor Oladipo and Tobias Harris who did most of the heavy lifting for the Magic. Harris had 22 points with seven rebounds, while Oladipo had 20 points with six assists on an efficient 9 - for - 12 shooting performance. Orlando hit 50 percent of their shots and an equally impressive 85 percent of their free throws, which when compared to the 46 percent from the field and 62 percent from the line the Jazz shot, gives a solid indication as to why the result went the way it did. The Magic continue their road trip Saturday, taking on the Sacramento Kings. The Jazz have now lost eight straight games, after being a respectable 5 - 7 after their first 12 contests. Rodney Hood, making his second career start in place of Alec Burks, scored a career - high 15 points in 26 minutes and joined Derrick Favors (21 points), Enes Kanter (16), and Trey Burke (13) in scoring double digits. Favors added five blocked shots, while Burke ran the offense, distributing 11 assists. Burke is now averaging 9 assists in his last three games. The Jazz next play Monday, when they travel to Sacramento to try and snap their losing streak."], [[{"Total points": {"Thunder": "113", "Spurs": "99"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "43"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Spurs": "12"}}, {"Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "5", "Kevin Durant": "2", "Andre Roberson": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "12"}, "Points": {"Kawhi Leonard": "22", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "18", "Tim Duncan": "19", "Kevin Durant": "37", "Russell Westbrook": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Kawhi Leonard": "9", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "14", "Tim Duncan": "5", "Kevin Durant": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Tim Duncan": "34"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "24"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "12"}, "Blocks": {"Steven Adams": "1"}, "Free throws made": {"Andre Roberson": "1"}, "Steals": {"Andre Roberson": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "2", "Enes Kanter": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Russell Westbrook": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Enes Kanter": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Enes Kanter": "1"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the visiting San Antonio Spurs, 113 - 99, in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals to advance to the Western Conference Finals at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Thursday. The rout was on and it was on early for the Thunder, who came out firing on all cylinders. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were spectacular, as they have been all season and series long, but it was the role players who continue to thrive with every playoff game. Enes Kanter, Steven Adams and Andre Roberson were instrumental in the Thunder pulling off the series upset against one of the best regular season teams of all time. After taking a six point lead into the second quarter, Oklahoma City poured in basket after basket in the second quarter and held the Spurs to just 12 points. The third quarter proved to be the same as the first half, and save for one five minute lapse midway through the final period, the Thunder handled business on their home court. San Antonio looked to pressure the Durant and Westbrook midway through the fourth quarter, and although Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green forced multiple turnovers, which reached a climactic moment after Westbrook Was called for a flagrant foul on Danny Green in transition. The series of events put the Spurs within 10 points of the Thunder, but that was as close as they would get. Durant led all scorers with 37 points, to go along with nine rebounds and two assists on 12 - of - 24 shooting. Westbrook rounded out the box score with 28 points, three rebounds, 12 assists, two steals and six turnovers. Steven Adams and Andre Roberson combined for 29 points and 18 rebounds to aid the superstar duo. San Antonio shot 43 percent from the floor as a unit, but they only cracked 40 percent after the impressive scoring run in the fourth quarter. Kawhi Leonard added 22 points, nine boards and five assists, while Tim Duncan saw 34 minutes of action on his way to 19 points and five boards. LaMarcus Aldridge contributed 18 points and 14 rebounds, while nobody off the bench hit double figures in scoring. The Conference Finals schedule has not been released, but Game 1 will take place between the Thunder and Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "42", "Kings": "51"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "103", "Kings": "91"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "36", "Kings": "27"}}, {"Points": {"Omri Casspi": "16", "Carl Landry": "16", "Jason Thompson": "12", "Ben McLemore": "16", "Derrick Williams": "14", "Gordon Hayward": "4", "Derrick Favors": "18", "Rudy Gobert": "12", "Rodney Hood": "20", "Dante Exum": "12", "Trey Burke": "11", "Joe Ingles": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Carl Landry": "11", "Jason Thompson": "13", "Derrick Favors": "13", "Rodney Hood": "14", "Dante Exum": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Carl Landry": "6", "Jason Thompson": "5", "Derrick Favors": "9", "Rodney Hood": "7", "Dante Exum": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Carl Landry": "35", "Jason Thompson": "32", "Derrick Williams": "29", "Gordon Hayward": "20", "Derrick Favors": "22", "Rudy Gobert": "30", "Rodney Hood": "33", "Dante Exum": "33", "Trey Burke": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Jason Thompson": "11", "Derrick Williams": "5", "Derrick Favors": "11", "Rudy Gobert": "10", "Rodney Hood": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Derrick Williams": "7", "Rodney Hood": "7", "Dante Exum": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Derrick Williams": "3", "Rodney Hood": "3", "Dante Exum": "4"}, "Steals": {"Derrick Williams": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Derrick Favors": "6"}, "Assists": {"Joe Ingles": "6"}}], "The Utah Jazz (36 - 42) defeated the Sacramento Kings (27 - 51) 103 - 91 on Wednesday in Salt Lake City. Derrick Favors led the way for the Jazz, recording a double - double of 18 points (9 - 13 FG) and 11 rebounds in just 22 minutes. The double - double is Favors' first over his last six games. Rudy Gobert also posted a double - double, putting up 12 points and 10 rebounds in 30 minutes. Rodney Hood continues to impress as of late, and Wednesday night was no different, as he scored a game - high of 20 points (7 - 14 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt) and grabbed eight rebounds in 33 minutes. Dante Exum was also able to make a solid contribution offensively, shooting 4 - of - 10 from the field (4 - 9 3Pt) en route to 12 points in 33 minutes. Gordon Hayward struggled mightily, scoring just four points in 20 minutes, but it ended up not having a significant impact on Utah's team performance. Off the bench, Trey Burke scored 11 points in 21 minutes, while Joe Ingles' 10 points rounds out the six Jazz players in double figures. The Kings were without DeMarcus Cousins (foot) and Rudy Gay (head) Wednesday, and considering those are their two best offensive players, they did not have as bad of an effort as they could have. Carl Landry and Jason Thompson got the start in place of Gay and Cousins, and both had solid performances. Landry finished with 16 points on 6 - of - 11 shooting in 35 minutes, while Thompson posted a double - double of 12 points (5 - 13 FG) and 11 rebounds in 32 minutes. Omri Casspi and Ben McLemore each scored 16 points in defeat and combined to shoot 10 - of - 21 from the field. Derrick Williams was the only other Kings' player to score in double figures, scoring 14 points (5 - 1 FG, 3 - 7 3Pt), grabbing five rebounds and recording three steals in 29 minutes off the bench. Both teams are well out of playoff contention, but up next, the Jazz will take on the Grizzlies at home on Saturday, while the Kings will travel to Oklahoma City to play the Thunder on Saturday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "34", "Jazz": "28"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "107", "Jazz": "100"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "36", "Jazz": "43"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Gordon Hayward": "24", "Paul George": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Gordon Hayward": "16", "Paul George": "6"}, "Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "38", "Paul George": "19", "Jeff Teague": "21"}, "Turnovers": {"Paul George": "3"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Jeff Teague": "5"}}], "The Indiana Pacers defeated the Utah Jazz 107 - 100 Monday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Paul George struggled for most of Monday's contest, but when the Pacers (36 - 34) needed him the most, the All-Star came though. With just 20 seconds remaining in the contest and his team up three, George let the clock wind down before pulling up from just behind the foul line. The jumper was good, and George's shot gave the Pacers their fifth straight home victory. George finished with 19 points on a poor 6 - of - 20 shooting from the field, but that sixth made field goal was all Indiana needed. Jeff Teague ended up leading the way offensive for the team, scoring a team - high 21 points to go along with 5 rebounds and five assists. As for the Jazz (43 - 28), they got a heroic performance from their own All-Star, Gordon Hayward, as he put up a career - high 38 points on 16 - of - 24 shooting from the field, but in the end, it just was n't enough. That was thanks in large part to the lack of depth Utah showed Monday night, as the seven reserves that saw for the floor for the Jazz combined to score just 17 points while four of the five starters scored in double figures. The Jazz have now lost three straight games to end their road trip out east, but they still sit 2 games ahead of the Clippers for the No. 4 seed. Up next, the Pacers will head to Boston on Wednesday to take on the Celtics, while the Jazz will head home Wednesday to take on the Knicks."], [[{"Losses": {"Warriors": "2", "Suns": "8"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "133", "Suns": "120"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "8", "Suns": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Suns": "38"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"TJ Warren": "18", "Devin Booker": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"TJ Warren": "10", "Devin Booker": "6"}, "Points": {"TJ Warren": "20", "Devin Booker": "19", "Eric Bledsoe": "20", "Klay Thompson": "30", "Stephen Curry": "30"}, "Steals": {"TJ Warren": "4"}, "3-pointer percentage": {"Devin Booker": "20"}, "Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "5", "Stephen Curry": "5"}}], "The Golden State Warriors defeated the visiting Phoenix Suns on Sunday, 133 - 120. It was a close game throughout, with just two points separating the teams with five minutes to go. Strong play late from forward Kevin Durant helped the Warriors (8 - 2) secure the double - digit victory. The former MVP contributed 29 points, nine rebounds, and five assists to the effort. Despite the high scoring total for Durant, he was just the third - highest scorer on the team. The'Splash Brothers, 'Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, scored 30 points each, both hitting five three - pointers en route to the victory. It was a fast - paced and high scoring game for both teams, with little defense played on either side. Both teams were able to shoot over 51 percent from the floor. A key piece to the Suns' (3 - 8) strong shooting was small forward T.J. Warren. Warren has been enjoying a breakout season thus far, and once again led Phoenix in scoring on Sunday. Warren finished with 20 points on 10 - of - 18 from the field, also recording four steals. Sophomore Devin Booker had 19 points, but on a much less efficient 6 - of - 18 from the field, while point guard Eric Bledsoe scored 20 and dished out five assists. The absence of center Tyson Chandler was certainly felt by Phoenix, as the team recorded just 38 rebounds on the night. Chandler missed the game following the passing away of his mother earlier in the week. Both teams will travel for their next matchups on Wednesday, with the Suns visiting Denver and the Warriors traveling to Toronto."], [[{"Total points": {"Rockets": "103", "Pistons": "93"}, "Turnovers": {"Pistons": "12"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Greg Monroe": "13", "Andre Drummond": "16", "Reggie Jackson": "16", "Terrence Jones": "14", "James Harden": "21", "Corey Brewer": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Greg Monroe": "7", "Andre Drummond": "4", "Reggie Jackson": "7", "Terrence Jones": "7", "James Harden": "10", "Corey Brewer": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Greg Monroe": "30", "Terrence Jones": "32", "Corey Brewer": "26"}, "Points": {"Greg Monroe": "19", "Andre Drummond": "8", "Reggie Jackson": "17", "Terrence Jones": "17", "James Harden": "38", "Corey Brewer": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Greg Monroe": "8", "Andre Drummond": "21", "Terrence Jones": "8", "James Harden": "12"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Andre Drummond": "12", "James Harden": "1"}, "Assists": {"Reggie Jackson": "7", "James Harden": "12"}, "Free throws attempted": {"James Harden": "18"}, "Free throws made": {"James Harden": "16"}, "Personal fouls": {"James Harden": "1"}, "Steals": {"James Harden": "1"}}], "The Houston Rockets (41 - 20) defeated the Detroit Pistons (23 - 37) 103 - 93 on Friday. James Harden put the Rockets on his back, recording a triple - double in his second game back from his one - game suspension. The MVP-candidate put up 38 points on 10 - of - 21 shooting, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists, leading his team in each category. Harden also shot 16 - of - 18 from the free throw line. Terrence Jones (back) played his usual amount of minutes despite being listed as questionable coming into Friday's game. Jones continued his solid play in Dwight Howard's (back) absence, recording 17 points on 7 - of - 14 shooting and eight rebounds in 32 minutes. Corey Brewer was the only other Houston player to score in double figures, scoring 15 points on 7 - of - 12 shooting in 26 minutes off the bench. The Rockets now find themselves as the four - seed in the Western Conference and are just 3 games behind the Grizzlies for the two - seed. They will next travel to Denver on Saturday to take on the Nuggets. Greg Monroe lead the way in Detroit's losing effort, recording 19 points on 7 - of - 13 shooting and eight rebounds in 30 minutes. Andre Drummond struggled from the field, managing just eight points on 4 - of - 16 shooting, but managed to grab a game - high 21 rebounds with 12 of them coming on the offensive glass. Reggie Jackson was the only other Pistons player to score in double figures, recording 17 points on 7 - of - 16 shooting and seven assists. The Pistons, now losers of five straight games, are falling fast. They are four games out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and will head back home on Sunday to go up against the Charlotte Hornets."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "27", "Bucks": "22"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "112", "Bucks": "96"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Magic": "29", "Bucks": "19"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "18", "Bucks": "20"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Bucks": "41"}, "Turnovers": {"Bucks": "12"}}, {"Points": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "17", "Jabari Parker": "25", "John Henson": "8", "Tony Snell": "2", "Malcolm Brogdon": "16", "Rashad Vaughn": "8", "Aaron Gordon": "17", "Serge Ibaka": "13", "Nikola Vucevic": "13", "Elfrid Payton": "20", "Jeff Green": "18", "D.J. Augustin": "10", "Bismack Biyombo": "13"}, "Rebounds": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "14", "John Henson": "5", "Tony Snell": "1", "Malcolm Brogdon": "2", "Rashad Vaughn": "2", "Serge Ibaka": "4", "Nikola Vucevic": "6", "Elfrid Payton": "4", "D.J. Augustin": "2", "Bismack Biyombo": "13"}, "Steals": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "1", "Tony Snell": "1", "Malcolm Brogdon": "1", "Rashad Vaughn": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "2", "Serge Ibaka": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "3", "Jeff Green": "1", "Bismack Biyombo": "1"}, "Assists": {"Jabari Parker": "6", "John Henson": "2", "Tony Snell": "1", "Rashad Vaughn": "1", "Aaron Gordon": "3", "Serge Ibaka": "1", "Nikola Vucevic": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "6", "Jeff Green": "2", "D.J. Augustin": "8"}, "Blocks": {"John Henson": "1", "Bismack Biyombo": "4"}}], "The Orlando Magic defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, 112 - 96, at Amway Center on Friday night. Both teams came in to Friday with three - game losing streaks, and the Magic (18 - 27) had the added obstacle of being down their top two shooting guards in Evan Fournier (heel) and Jodie Meeks (thumb). However, a balanced offensive effort that saw seven players tally double - digit scoring and a strong defensive performance propelled Orlando to victory. They forced the Bucks (20 - 22) into 12 turnovers, while also limiting them to 41 percent shooting overall. The third quarter was pivotal for the Magic, as they outscored Milwaukee by a 29 - 19 margin during the period to help them pull away. The Bucks were paced by Jabari Parker, who managed a game - high 25 points, six rebounds and six assists. Giannis Antetokounmpo provided a 17 - point, 14 - rebound double - double that also included five assists and a steal. Malcolm Brogdon posted 16 points, five assists, two rebounds and a steal. John Henson provided eight points, five rebounds, two assists and a block, while Tony Snell supplied just two points, a rebound, an assist and a steal. Rashad Vaughn registered a bench - leading eight points, two rebounds, an assist and a steal. Elfrid Payton led the way for Orlando with 20 points, six assists, four rebounds and three steals. Aaron Gordon was right behind with 17 points, eight boards, three assists and two steals. Serge Ibaka and Nikola Vucevic totaled matching 13 - point efforts, with the former adding four rebounds, an assist and two steals, and the latter offering six rebounds and two assists. Jeff Green led the second unit with 18 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal. Bismack Biyombo tallied a 13 - point, 13 - rebound double - double that also included four blocks and a steal. D.J. Augustin managed 10 points, eight assists and a pair of boards. In all, the bench contributed 44 points on the night. The Bucks head down to South Florida for a Saturday night showdown with the Miami Heat, while the Magic remain home for a showdown with the Golden State Warriors on Sunday afternoon."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Nuggets": "15"}, "Losses": {"Nuggets": "6", "Pistons": "5"}, "Total points": {"Nuggets": "95", "Pistons": "106"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Nuggets": "21", "Pistons": "36"}, "Turnovers": {"Nuggets": "15", "Pistons": "9"}, "Wins": {"Nuggets": "3", "Pistons": "5"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Pistons": "51"}}, {"Assists": {"Tobias Harris": "3", "Marcus Morris": "3", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2", "Ish Smith": "8", "Danilo Gallinari": "1", "Kenneth Faried": "1", "Gary Harris": "4", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Tobias Harris": "1", "Kenneth Faried": "2", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "2"}, "Points": {"Tobias Harris": "19", "Marcus Morris": "17", "Andre Drummond": "14", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "14", "Ish Smith": "10", "Jon Leuer": "14", "Danilo Gallinari": "18", "Kenneth Faried": "8", "Gary Harris": "13", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "19", "Jameer Nelson": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Tobias Harris": "4", "Marcus Morris": "1", "Andre Drummond": "12", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "1", "Ish Smith": "3", "Jon Leuer": "10", "Danilo Gallinari": "4", "Kenneth Faried": "8", "Gary Harris": "4", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "5"}, "Steals": {"Tobias Harris": "2", "Marcus Morris": "2", "Andre Drummond": "2", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "2", "Ish Smith": "2", "Emmanuel Mudiay": "2"}, "Field goals made": {"Ish Smith": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "17"}}], "The Detroit Pistons defeated the Denver Nuggets, 106 - 95, at Pepsi Center on Saturday. A truly balanced offensive attack, superior ball security and stingy defense are a winning combination more often than not, and such was the case for the Pistons (5 - 5) on Saturday. All five members of Detroit's starting five tallied double - digit scoring, and super - reserve Jon Leuer pitched in off the bench with a 14 - point, 10 - rebound double - double as well. The Pistons also committed only nine turnovers while eliciting 15 from the Nuggets (3 - 6), and tallied a stellar 51 percent success rate from the field. The visitors also built themselves a cushion early, winning the first quarter by a 36 - 21 margin that would serve them well the rest of the way. Tobias Harris posted 19 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block to lead the Pistons. Marcus Morris chipped in with 17 points, three assists, a rebound and two steals. Andre Drummond and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope supplied a pair of 14 - point efforts, with the former also hauling in 12 rebounds and recording two steals and the latter posting a rebound, and a pair of assists and steals apiece. Ish Smith rounded out the strong night for the starting five with 10 points, eight assists, three rebounds and two steals. The Nuggets were spearheaded by Emmanuel Mudiay's 19 points, which he supplemented with five rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks. Danilo Gallinari registered 18 points, four rebounds and an assist. Gary Harris compiled 13 points, four boards and four assists. Jusuf Nurkic was notably held scoreless over 17 minutes, while Kenneth Faried collected eight points, eight rebounds, an assist and a pair of blocks. Jameer Nelson paced the bench with an 11 - point effort. The Pistons head back home to face off with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night, while the Nuggets head to Portland for a tussle with the Trail Blazers on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "23", "Celtics": "22"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "107", "Celtics": "103"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "15", "Celtics": "12"}}, {"Assists": {"Jae Crowder": "2", "Evan Turner": "7", "Roy Hibbert": "4", "Rodney Stuckey": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Jae Crowder": "1", "Roy Hibbert": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Jae Crowder": "27", "Roy Hibbert": "36", "Rodney Stuckey": "29", "CJ Watson": "32"}, "Points": {"Jae Crowder": "11", "Roy Hibbert": "19", "Rodney Stuckey": "6", "CJ Watson": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Jae Crowder": "7", "Evan Turner": "15", "Roy Hibbert": "11", "Rodney Stuckey": "4", "CJ Watson": "8"}, "Steals": {"Jae Crowder": "2", "Evan Turner": "2", "Rodney Stuckey": "1", "CJ Watson": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Evan Turner": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Evan Turner": "3"}}], "The Indiana Pacers (12 - 22) beat the Boston Celtics (15 - 23) 107 - 103 in overtime Friday. The Pacers found a way to close out the Celtics after failing to do so in regulation. Roy Hibbert was dominant with 19 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and five blocks in 36 minutes. Hibbert tweaked his ankle in Indiana's previous game against the Warriors on Wednesday and only played six minutes. Rodney Stuckey returned Friday after missing Wednesday's game with a sore groin. He finished with six points, four rebounds, four assists and a steal in 29 minutes. Ian Mahinmi was available after being out since Dec. 5 with a foot injury but did not see the floor. C.J. Watson (foot) was questionable to play Friday but started and finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and one steal in 32 minutes The Boston Celtics are now 1 - 4 in January after finishing December with a 7 - 8 record.Jae Crowder started his first game of the season, finishing with 11 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block in 27 minutes for the Celtics. Evan Turner shot just 3 - of - 15 from the field, but pitched in with 15 rebounds, seven assists and two steals. Jeff Green is on the cusp of being traded and did not play. Brandan Wright, who was recently acquired from the Dallas Mavericks, was traded to the Phoenix Suns on Friday. The Celtics will play the Toronto Raptors on Saturday, and the Pacers move on to face the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Spurs": "51"}, "Losses": {"Spurs": "3", "Suns": "7"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "98", "Suns": "84"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Spurs": "20"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Spurs": "24"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "11", "Suns": "7"}, "Turnovers": {"Suns": "28"}}, {"Assists": {"Markieff Morris": "4", "Brandon Knight": "8", "Kawhi Leonard": "4", "Danny Green": "4", "Tony Parker": "8"}, "Points": {"Markieff Morris": "28", "Brandon Knight": "18", "TJ Warren": "16", "Kawhi Leonard": "24", "Danny Green": "18", "Tony Parker": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Markieff Morris": "8", "Kawhi Leonard": "13", "Danny Green": "6"}, "Turnovers": {"Markieff Morris": "6", "Brandon Knight": "8"}, "Minutes played": {"Brandon Knight": "38", "TJ Warren": "26", "Tony Parker": "32"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "4", "Tony Parker": "3"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (11 - 3) cruised to a win over the streaky Phoenix Suns (7 - 7) with a final score of 98 - 84 on Monday night. The Spurs had the lead after the first quarter and held on to it the rest of the way, as Phoenix's young core was out - matched by the steady Spurs. Tony Parker was way too much for the Suns and he sliced and diced through their defense for 20 points on 10 - 13 shooting, as well as eight assists. Parker also nabbed three steals in 32 minutes. Kawhi Leonard led the Spurs in scoring with 24 points and had a double double with 13 rebounds; he tallied four assists and four steals as well. Danny Green chipped in 18 points, six rebounds and four assists, going 4 - 9 from three point range. David West started his second game in a row, covering for LaMarcus Aldridge, who remains side - lined with an ankle sprain. The Spurs shot a strong 51 percent from the field and looked great as a team. Phoenix was missing half of their starting back court as Eric Bledsoe sat out with a sore knee. Brandon Knight did what he could with 18 points and eight assists in 38 minutes but tallied a dangerous eight turn overs against the solid Spurs defense. Markieff Morris had a huge game with 28 points on 12 - 15 shooting, including 2 - 3 from deep, eight rebounds and four assists. Morris also had a disturbing amount of turnovers with six. the Suns as a team finished with 28 turn overs. T.J. Warren finished with 16 points in 26 minutes off the bench. The rest of the team combined for only 22 points. Up next the Spurs will defend home on Wednesday versus state rivals and top Western team, Dallas. Phoenix will head home to host New Orleans on Wednesday. The Pelicans have been heating up and could surprise the Suns."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "61", "Raptors": "26"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "96", "Raptors": "103"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "21", "Raptors": "56"}}, {"Assists": {"Norman Powell": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Norman Powell": "18", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "17"}, "Field goals made": {"Norman Powell": "12", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "10"}, "Points": {"Norman Powell": "30", "Terrence Ross": "24", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "29"}, "Rebounds": {"Norman Powell": "9", "Terrence Ross": "10"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (56 - 26) closed out their best season in franchise history on Wednesday with a 103 - 96 win over the Brooklyn Nets (21 - 61). Rookie Norman Powell blew up for a career - high 30 points on 12 - for - 18 shooting on Wednesday. With several starters resting, the point guard had plenty of chances to showcase his skills. Powell also added nine rebounds and five assists. Wing Terrence Ross, too, had a big night, recording 24 points off the bench. Ross coupled the scoring outburst with 10 rebounds. The Raptors have had the two seed locked up for weeks, and will look to take on the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the playoffs. The Nets, meanwhile, closed out a disappointing season with their tenth loss in a row. The team finishes with the NBA's third - worst record. On top of the dismal finish, Brooklyn will be gifting its first - round pick to Boston as part of an earlier trade. Guard Bojan Bogdanovic, however, went out with a bang, scoring 29 points on 10 - for - 17 shooting. No other Net scored more than 12 on the night."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "20", "Celtics": "18"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "123", "Celtics": "108"}, "Turnovers": {"Wizards": "15"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "25", "Celtics": "26"}}, {"Assists": {"Jae Crowder": "3", "Al Horford": "4", "Marcus Smart": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "13", "Markieff Morris": "4", "Bradley Beal": "5", "John Wall": "7"}, "Points": {"Jae Crowder": "17", "Al Horford": "22", "Marcus Smart": "13", "Isaiah Thomas": "25", "Jonas Jerebko": "8", "Jaylen Brown": "8", "Markieff Morris": "19", "Bradley Beal": "31", "John Wall": "27", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "11"}, "Steals": {"Jae Crowder": "1", "Marcus Smart": "4", "Isaiah Thomas": "2", "Bradley Beal": "2", "John Wall": "3", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Al Horford": "1", "Markieff Morris": "2", "John Wall": "1", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Al Horford": "2", "Marcus Smart": "5", "Isaiah Thomas": "1", "Markieff Morris": "11", "Bradley Beal": "2", "John Wall": "7", "Kelly Oubre Jr.": "3"}}], "The Washington Wizards (25 - 20) defeated the Boston Celtics (26 - 18), 123 - 108, at Verizon Center on Tuesday. The two teams checked in to Tuesday's tilt heading in opposite directions, as Boston had dropped two straight contests while Washington had prevailed in five of their previous six. That trend persisted through the opening 12 minutes, as the home team emerged from that period with a 33 - 24 advantage. Although the Celtics battled back in the second quarter, the Wizards won the second half by a 57 - 49 margin to pull away for a 15 - point victory. Washington's Big Three of John Wall, Bradley Beal and Markieff Morris combined for 77 points on 56 percent shooting, allowing the Wizards to overcome 15 turnovers. Isaiah Thomas paced the Celtics with a 25 - point, 13 - assist double - double that also included a rebound and two steals. Al Horford totaled 22 points, four assists, two rebounds and a block. Jae Crowder managed 17 points, six rebounds, three assists and a steal. Marcus Smart drew another start in place of Avery Bradley (Achilles) and posted 13 points, five rebounds, an assist and four steals. Jonas Jerebko and Jaylen Brown led the second unit with a pair of eight - point efforts. Beal led the way with a game - high 31 points, which he supplemented with five assists, two rebounds and two steals. Wall supplied 27 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, three steals and a block. Morris followed with a 19 - point, 11 - rebound double - double that also featured four assists and a pair of blocks. With his three talented teammates tallying such high usage rates, Otto Porter, Jr. provided a modest six points and four rebounds. Kelly Oubre, Jr. continued his strong play off the bench with 11 points, three rebounds, a steal and a block. The Celtics head back home to face off with the Houston Rockets on Wednesday evening, while the Wizards travel to Atlanta to battle with the Hawks on Friday night."], [[{"Total points": {"Knicks": "105"}, "Rebounds": {"Knicks": "52", "Pistons": "40"}, "Number of team assists": {"Pistons": "19"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "22"}, "Field goals made": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "13"}, "Points": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "35", "Joakim Noah": "7"}, "Assists": {"Joakim Noah": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Joakim Noah": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Joakim Noah": "15"}}], "Despite Detroit shooting better from the field and free - throw line, they were dominated down low by the Pistons. In fact, they were out - rebounded 52 - 40 and were out - blocked 9 - 1. The offensive rebounding really killed Detroit, as they allowed 19 offensive rebounds, while grabbing just eight of their own. The benches were rarely used in this game, with the two teams combining for just 47 bench points. Kristaps Porzingis was the player of the game, as he scored a career - high 35 points on 13 - of - 22 shooting. Joakim Noah outplayed Andre Drummond down low, as Noah finished the game with seven points, 15 rebounds, three assists and three blocks in the win. No bench player on New York scored in double figures, as Porzingis, Derrick Rose and Carmelo Anthony combined for 72 of the teams 105 points. Detroit is now 1 - 6 on the road and 50 at home."], [[{"Points in 1st quarter": {"Wizards": "31"}}, {"Points": {"Otto Porter Jr.": "20", "Marcin Gortat": "14", "Bradley Beal": "31", "John Wall": "23", "Jason Smith": "15", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "21", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "13", "Brook Lopez": "20", "Trevor Booker": "14", "Sean Kilpatrick": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Otto Porter Jr.": "10", "Marcin Gortat": "14", "Bradley Beal": "6", "John Wall": "6", "Rondae Hollis-Jefferson": "11", "Sean Kilpatrick": "4"}, "Assists": {"Bradley Beal": "2", "John Wall": "12", "Sean Kilpatrick": "2"}, "Steals": {"Bradley Beal": "2"}}], "The Nets battled back from a 59 - 49 halftime deficit to tie the score at 100 with 41 seconds remaining. The game remained close in overtime until Otto Porter, John Wall and Bradley Beal drained a pair of free throws apiece to seal the win. Beal's 31 points, which he supplemented with six rebounds, two assists and two steals, led Washington. Wall posted a 23 - point, 12 - assist double - double, while Porter provided a 20 - point, 10 - rebound double - double of his own. Marcin Gortat went for 14 and 14 himself, while Jason Smith led the second unit with 15 points. Bogdanovic's 21 points led Brooklyn. Brook Lopez provided 20 points, while Rondae Hollis-Jefferson registered a 13 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. Booker continued to be highly productive off the bench, tallying a 14 - point, 11 - rebound double - double. Sean Kilpatrick managed 10 points, four rebounds and two assists."], [[{"Points in 3rd quarter": {"76ers": "21"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Celtics": "50"}}, {"Assists": {"Avery Bradley": "2", "Isaiah Thomas": "7", "Ersan Ilyasova": "2", "Sergio Rodriguez": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Avery Bradley": "16", "Isaiah Thomas": "19", "Dario Saric": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Avery Bradley": "9", "Isaiah Thomas": "11", "Dario Saric": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Avery Bradley": "32", "Ersan Ilyasova": "30", "Sergio Rodriguez": "32", "Dario Saric": "27"}, "Points": {"Avery Bradley": "20", "Isaiah Thomas": "37", "Ersan Ilyasova": "18", "Sergio Rodriguez": "15", "Dario Saric": "21"}, "Rebounds": {"Avery Bradley": "9", "Isaiah Thomas": "4", "Ersan Ilyasova": "6"}, "Steals": {"Avery Bradley": "1", "Isaiah Thomas": "1", "Sergio Rodriguez": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Dario Saric": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Dario Saric": "3"}}], "Isaiah Thomas matched a season - high with 37 points on 11 - of - 19 shooting, along with seven assists and four rebounds to lead the Celtics on Saturday night. Avery Bradley continued his strong play as he finished with 20 points on 9 - of - 16 shooting, along with nine rebounds, two assists and one steal, in 32 minutes. The Celtics shot 50 percent from the field and scored 40 points in the paint. Meanwhile, rookie Dario Saric led the way for the 76ers as he tied his career - high with 21 points on 7 - of - 12 shooting, including 3 - of - 6 from long range, along with 12 rebounds, in 27 minutes off the bench. All five starters scored in double digits for the Sixers, including Ersan Ilyasova, who finished with 18 points, along with six rebounds and two assists, in 30 minutes. Sergio Rodriguez tallied a career - high 15 points, along with eight assists and two steals, in 32 minutes."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Thunder": "44", "Suns": "36"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Thunder": "51", "Suns": "43"}, "Losses": {"Thunder": "11", "Suns": "19"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "114", "Suns": "101"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "16", "Suns": "8"}}, {"Points": {"Marquese Chriss": "8", "Tyson Chandler": "10", "Devin Booker": "31", "Eric Bledsoe": "12", "Alex Len": "8", "Jared Dudley": "8", "Andre Roberson": "11", "Domantas Sabonis": "9", "Steven Adams": "19", "Anthony Morrow": "11", "Russell Westbrook": "26", "Enes Kanter": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Marquese Chriss": "8", "Tyson Chandler": "9", "Devin Booker": "3", "Eric Bledsoe": "3", "Andre Roberson": "1", "Domantas Sabonis": "4", "Steven Adams": "7", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Enes Kanter": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tyson Chandler": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "7"}, "Steals": {"Tyson Chandler": "1", "Devin Booker": "1", "Andre Roberson": "3", "Domantas Sabonis": "1", "Steven Adams": "2", "Anthony Morrow": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "2"}, "Assists": {"Devin Booker": "5", "Eric Bledsoe": "4", "Steven Adams": "2", "Russell Westbrook": "22", "Enes Kanter": "1"}, "3-pointers made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Field goals made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "4"}, "Personal fouls": {"Eric Bledsoe": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Domantas Sabonis": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "1", "Enes Kanter": "1"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Russell Westbrook": "7"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Phoenix Suns, 114 - 101, at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Saturday. Russell Westbrook has been virtually unstoppable the majority of the season, but had been somewhat human the last three games after seeing a streak of seven consecutive triple - doubles snapped against the Celtics on Dec. 11. However, matched up Saturday against one of the most porous defenses in the league, especially against point guards, the perennial All-Star exploded for 26 points, a career - high 22 assists and 11 rebounds, his 50th career triple - double. He added two steals and a block as well. His spectacular performance helped negate a remarkable effort on the other side from Devin Booker, who broke out of some recent scoring doldrums in impressive fashion with a game - high 31 - points. The caliber of Westbrook's production was such that it enabled the Thunder (16 - 11) to post a double - digit victory despite getting outshot by the Suns (8 - 19) 51 to 43 percent from the field and 44 percent to 36 percent from three - point range. Booker added five assists, three boards and a steal to his aforementioned scoring haul. Eric Bledsoe, who was tormented by Westbrook for four quarters, finished with 12 points, four assists and three rebounds. Tyson Chandler came within a rebound of one of his trademark double - doubles, posting 10 points and hauling in nine boards. Marquese Chriss was productive with an eight - point, eight - rebound tally, while Jared Dudley and the returning Alex Len paced the reserves with a pair of matching eight - point efforts themselves. Steven Adams was solid in support of Westbrook offensively, compiling 19 points, seven boards, two assists and two steals. Anthony Morrow produced 11 points and two steals while drawing the start at shooting guard in place of the sidelined Victor Oladipo (wrist), while Andre Roberson matched his point total and added a rebound and three steals. Domantas Sabonis contributed nine points, four rebounds, a steal and a block, and Enes Kanter led the bench with 12 points, five rebounds, an assist and a block. The Suns next head to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves on Monday night, while the Thunder remains home to take on the Atlanta Hawks on Monday evening as well."], [[{"Losses": {"Thunder": "15", "Pelicans": "13"}, "Total points": {"Thunder": "99", "Pelicans": "101"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Thunder": "18", "Pelicans": "25"}, "Turnovers": {"Thunder": "16"}, "Wins": {"Thunder": "13", "Pelicans": "14"}}, {"Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "1", "Ryan Anderson": "9", "Russell Westbrook": "6", "Reggie Jackson": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Anthony Davis": "0", "Ryan Anderson": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "0", "Reggie Jackson": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Anthony Davis": "22", "Ryan Anderson": "15", "Russell Westbrook": "27", "Reggie Jackson": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Anthony Davis": "16", "Ryan Anderson": "5", "Russell Westbrook": "10", "Reggie Jackson": "7"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Anthony Davis": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "Ryan Anderson": "1"}, "Points": {"Anthony Davis": "38", "Jrue Holiday": "11", "Ryan Anderson": "14", "Perry Jones III": "12", "Steven Adams": "12", "Russell Westbrook": "29", "Reggie Jackson": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Anthony Davis": "12", "Jrue Holiday": "1", "Ryan Anderson": "1", "Steven Adams": "10", "Reggie Jackson": "6"}, "Steals": {"Anthony Davis": "1", "Jrue Holiday": "4"}, "Turnovers": {"Anthony Davis": "3", "Russell Westbrook": "6", "Reggie Jackson": "1"}, "Assists": {"Jrue Holiday": "15", "Ryan Anderson": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "8", "Reggie Jackson": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jrue Holiday": "1", "Ryan Anderson": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "1"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Ryan Anderson": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Ryan Anderson": "1", "Russell Westbrook": "9"}}], "The New Orleans Pelicans (14 - 13) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (13 - 15) 101 - 99 on Sunday at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City. At the end of the third quarter, the Thunder led 81 - 76, but the Pelicans were able to get hot in the fourth quarter and out - score the Thunder 25 - 18, to steal the victory on the road. The Thunder were forced into 16 turnovers, while the Pelicans only had 12. The Pelicans were led by superstar Anthony Davis, who went 16 - for - 22 from the field and 0 - for - 1 from the three - point line to score 38 points, while also grabbing 12 rebounds. Davis has now scored at least 30 points in three out of the last four games and has recorded fifteen double - doubles on the season. He's now averaging 25 points and 10 rebounds on the year. Jrue Holiday was able to record a double - double of his own. He added 11 points and 15 assists, giving him his fifth one of the year. He also played well defensively and was able to snatch four steals thorughout the game. Coming off the bench, Ryan Anderson shot 5 - for - 15 from the field and 3 - for - 9 from the three - point line to score 14 points. As one of the best sixth men in the league, Anderson is now averaging 16 points and 5 rebounds. Guards Russell Westbrook and Reggie Jackson kept the Thunder in a good position in this one. Westbrook shot 10 - for - 27 from the field, but 0 - for - 6 from beyond the arc to score 29 points. He was able to get to the line 11 times and converted on nine of those 11 attempts. While he did have eight assists, the six turnovers hurt his overall game. Jackson on the other hand shot 7 - for - 13 from the field and 3 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score 19 points off the bench, while also adding six rebounds and five assists. Both Perry Jones and Steven Adams chipped in 12 points, with Adams grabbing 10 rebounds and giving him a double - double. The Pelicans' next game will be on the road against the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday, while the Thunder will be at home against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Mavericks": "55"}}, {"Assists": {"Julius Randle": "10", "D'Angelo Russell": "4", "Seth Curry": "5", "Yogi Ferrell": "7"}, "Points": {"Julius Randle": "13", "D'Angelo Russell": "22", "Jordan Clarkson": "22", "Dirk Nowitzki": "25", "Seth Curry": "18", "Yogi Ferrell": "16", "Nerlens Noel": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Julius Randle": "18", "Dirk Nowitzki": "11"}, "Steals": {"D'Angelo Russell": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "9"}, "Blocks": {"Nerlens Noel": "3"}}], "This was a wire - to - wire win for Dallas, as they held a double - digit lead for the final 35 minutes. Shooting was key, as they hit 52 percent from the field and 55 percent from three - point range. Julius Randle was a bright spot for the Lakers, as he collected 13 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists en route to his third career triple - double. D'Angelo Russell led the starters with 22 points, four assists and four steals. Jordan Clarkson also scored 22 points, doing that damage off the bench. Dirk Nowitzki was the star, as he scored a game - high 25 points en route to becoming the sixth player in NBA history to reach 30,0 points. He also added 11 rebounds on 9 - of - 13 shooting. Seth Curry finished with 18 points and five assists. Yogi Ferrell provided 16 points and seven assists. Nerlens Noel was a nice spark off the bench, totaling 11 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Timberwolves": "44"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "5"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Jazz": "24"}}, {"Points": {"Gordon Hayward": "24", "Rudy Gobert": "16", "George Hill": "24", "Zach LaVine": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Rudy Gobert": "17", "Karl-Anthony Towns": "12", "Zach LaVine": "8"}, "Assists": {"Zach LaVine": "8"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Zach LaVine": "1"}, "Steals": {"Zach LaVine": "1"}}], "These are two teams going in opposite directions, as the Jazz were able to add to the Timberwolves recent struggles. Utah shot over 50 percent in their win, while holding Minnesota to just 44 percent on their end. Bench production was huge as well, with Utah scoring 32 bench points to Minnesota's 21. George Hill and Gordon Hayward carried the load for the Jazz, scoring 24 points a piece. Rudy Gobert was a monster down low, finishing with 16 points and 17 rebounds of his own. All five starters scored in double figures for the Timberwolves, with Zach LaVine leading the team with 28 points. LaVine also added eight rebounds and eight assists in one of the best games of his career. Karl-Anthony Towns totaled 17 points and 12 rebounds in his battle with Gobert."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Magic": "19", "Hawks": "32"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "41", "Hawks": "43"}, "Losses": {"Magic": "51", "Hawks": "17"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "83", "Hawks": "95"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Magic": "19"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "22", "Hawks": "54"}}, {"Points": {"DeMarre Carroll": "11", "Paul Millsap": "25", "Al Horford": "10", "Kyle Korver": "13", "Jeff Teague": "16", "Nikola Vucevic": "16", "Victor Oladipo": "16", "Elfrid Payton": "19"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "4", "Kyle Korver": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "5", "Kyle Korver": "9", "Jeff Teague": "3", "Victor Oladipo": "2", "Elfrid Payton": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul Millsap": "2", "Kyle Korver": "3", "Jeff Teague": "2", "Victor Oladipo": "0", "Elfrid Payton": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "20", "Kyle Korver": "12", "Jeff Teague": "12", "Nikola Vucevic": "15", "Victor Oladipo": "10", "Elfrid Payton": "19"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul Millsap": "9", "Kyle Korver": "5", "Jeff Teague": "7", "Nikola Vucevic": "8", "Victor Oladipo": "4", "Elfrid Payton": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "5", "Victor Oladipo": "9", "Elfrid Payton": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul Millsap": "5", "Victor Oladipo": "8", "Elfrid Payton": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Millsap": "11", "Kyle Korver": "8", "Jeff Teague": "3", "Nikola Vucevic": "12", "Elfrid Payton": "9"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "9", "Victor Oladipo": "4", "Elfrid Payton": "7"}, "Personal fouls": {"Nikola Vucevic": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Nikola Vucevic": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Elfrid Payton": "35"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (54 - 17) defeated the Orlando Magic (22 - 51) 95 - 83 on Wednesday at the Amway Center in Orlando. Taking their second loss in a row, the Magic were finally eliminated from playoff contention in the East. The Hawks, on the other hand, continued to build their lead as the top overall projected playoff seed. Despite losing five of their last ten games, they're still eight and a half games ahead of the second place Cleveland Cavaliers. Both teams struggled shooting the ball, as the Hawks went 43 percent from the field and 32 percent from the three - point line, while the Magic finished at 41 percent from the floor and just 19 percent from deep. Paul Millsap led the way for the Hawks, finishing with 25 points (9 - 20 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT), 11 rebounds and four blocked shots. It was his second consecutive impressive performance, as he's now combined for 47 points and 18 rebounds over his last two games. Jeff Teague shot the ball well, going 7 - for - 12 from the field and 2 - for - 3 from the three - point line to score 16 points, while also adding nine assists. He has n't necessarily been scoring all too much lately, considering he recorded 12 points or less in each of his last three games, so it was good to see the point guard have a little more success Wednesday. Nearly recording a double - double, Kyle Korver added 13 points (5 - 12 FG, 3 - 9 3Pt), eight rebounds and two blocked shots. He's now pushed his season averages to 12 points and 4 rebounds on the year. Both Al Horford and DeMarre Carroll reached double figures in points as well with 10 and 11 points respectively. The Magic received another strong contribution from Elfrid Payton, who nearly triple - doubled with 19 points (7 - 19 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 5 - 7 FT), nine rebounds and seven assists over 35 minutes. He's been filling up the stat sheet of late and doing a little bit of everything, as he's averaging 14 points, 9 rebounds, 10 assists and three steals over his last three games. Nikola Vucevic also did his best to keep the Magic in this game, finishing with 16 points (8 - 15 FG) and 12 rebounds. He's had a couple solid games in a row, combining for 36 points and 20 rebounds over his last two games. Victor Oladipo did n't necessarily have the best night shooting the ball, but chipped in with 16 points (4 - 10 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 8 - 9 FT) and four assists as well. Over his last three games, he's averaging 21 points, 6 rebounds and five assists, but is shooting just 38 percent from the field. The Hawks' next game will be at home against the Miami Heat on Friday, while the Magic will be at home against the Detroit Pistons on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Grizzlies": "1", "Lakers": "6"}, "Total points": {"Grizzlies": "107", "Lakers": "102"}, "Wins": {"Grizzlies": "7", "Lakers": "1"}}, {"Assists": {"Jordan Hill": "3", "Kobe Bryant": "6", "Marc Gasol": "9", "Mike Conley": "3"}, "Blocks": {"Jordan Hill": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jordan Hill": "1", "Kobe Bryant": "10", "Mike Conley": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Jordan Hill": "0", "Kobe Bryant": "3", "Mike Conley": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jordan Hill": "17", "Kobe Bryant": "26", "Marc Gasol": "10", "Mike Conley": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Jordan Hill": "6", "Kobe Bryant": "10", "Marc Gasol": "3", "Mike Conley": "7"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Jordan Hill": "2", "Kobe Bryant": "6", "Marc Gasol": "2", "Mike Conley": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Jordan Hill": "1", "Kobe Bryant": "5", "Marc Gasol": "2", "Mike Conley": "7"}, "Points": {"Jordan Hill": "13", "Kobe Bryant": "28", "Marc Gasol": "8", "Mike Conley": "23"}, "Rebounds": {"Jordan Hill": "14", "Kobe Bryant": "7", "Marc Gasol": "8", "Mike Conley": "1"}, "Steals": {"Jordan Hill": "2", "Kobe Bryant": "4", "Mike Conley": "3"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (7 - 1) were able to hold off a late push from the Los Angeles Lakers (1 - 6) with a finishing score of 107 - 102 for their seventh win of the season. The Lakers just ca n't seem to get over the hump, and are off to a tough start through their first seven games of the season. Even with Kobe Bryant lighting up the box score with 28 points (10 - 26 FG, 3 - 10 3Pt, 5 - 6 FT), to go along with seven rebounds, six assists and four steals, it just was n't enough. The Lakers got some solid production from their starters, with all five players scoring in double figures, but the bench totaled just 14 points in the loss. Jordan Hill posted a double - double with 13 points (6 - 17 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and 14 rebounds, while also contributing three assists, two steals and two blocks. The Lakers now head to New Orleans to take on the Pelicans on Wednesday. The Grizzlies on the other hand are looking like a serious contender right now, and a large part of that is thanks to their consistency across the board. Six players scored in double figures, but every player who was on the floor contributed in some manner when they were out there. Mike Conley led the way scoring 23 points (7 - 16 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 7 - 7 FT), with three assists, three steals and one rebound. Even the lone starter who did n't score in double figures, Marc Gasol, nearly had a triple - double, with eight points (3 - 10 FG, 2 - 2 FT), nine assists and eight rebounds. The Grizzlies get a night off before taking on the Sacramento Kings at home on Thursday."], [[{"Losses": {"Magic": "16"}, "Total points": {"Magic": "108", "Clippers": "113"}, "Wins": {"Magic": "11"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Clippers": "50"}}, {"Assists": {"Austin Rivers": "2", "Blake Griffin": "3", "Chris Paul": "10", "Aaron Gordon": "2", "Evan Fournier": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Austin Rivers": "12", "Aaron Gordon": "21"}, "Field goals made": {"Austin Rivers": "9", "Aaron Gordon": "13"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Austin Rivers": "1", "DeAndre Jordan": "18"}, "Personal fouls": {"Austin Rivers": "2"}, "Points": {"Austin Rivers": "25", "Blake Griffin": "23", "DeAndre Jordan": "22", "Chris Paul": "16", "Aaron Gordon": "33", "Jeff Green": "19"}, "Steals": {"Austin Rivers": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Austin Rivers": "1"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Blake Griffin": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Blake Griffin": "7"}, "Blocks": {"DeAndre Jordan": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"DeAndre Jordan": "12"}}], "The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the host Orlando Magic, 113 - 108, at Amway Center on Wednesday. While there were a lot of stars in this game, it's some of the undervalued players who had career nights. Both Aaron Gordon and Austin Rivers led their teams in scoring, as these are two teams that desperately need more contributions from their role players. Shooting was the difference for the Clippers, as they shot 50 percent from both the field and from the free - throw line. Despite this game being close throughout, the Clippers led for every minute after the first quarter. In fact, neither team held a double - digit lead, as there were just seven ties and four lead changes. Los Angeles (19 - 7) is starting to recapture their early season form and road wins like this only add to their impressive resume '. Austin Rivers was the star, as he scored a team - high 25 points on 9 - of - 12 shooting. Blake Griffin was n't far behind, as he tallied 23 points, seven rebounds and three assists. DeAndre Jordan had one of his best scoring games of the year, totaling 22 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks, while going 12 - of - 18 from the free - throw line. Chris Paul recorded a 16 - point, 10 - assist double - double. Los Angeles will return to action on Friday in a road matchup against the Miami Heat. Orlando (11 - 16) has now lost six - straight games at home, as they continue to disappoint. Aaron Gordon did all he could though, dropping a career - high 33 points on 13 - of - 21 shooting. Evan Fournier accumulated 23 points and eight assists as the primary ball - handler for Orlando. Jeff Green was the only other Magic player in double figures, as he scored 19 points off the bench. Serge Ibaka and Bismack Biyombo both fell just shy of double - doubles, as they combined for 17 points and 20 rebounds in the defeat. Orlando's next game will be on Friday, when they host the Brooklyn Nets."], [[{"Losses": {"Trail Blazers": "10", "Pacers": "10"}, "Total points": {"Trail Blazers": "131", "Pacers": "109"}, "Wins": {"Trail Blazers": "10", "Pacers": "9"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pacers": "23"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Glenn Robinson III": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Glenn Robinson III": "6"}, "Points": {"Glenn Robinson III": "15", "Myles Turner": "19", "Jeff Teague": "25", "Al Jefferson": "13", "Maurice Harkless": "23", "Damian Lillard": "28"}, "Rebounds": {"Glenn Robinson III": "4", "Myles Turner": "10", "Jeff Teague": "5", "Al Jefferson": "1"}, "Assists": {"Jeff Teague": "8", "Al Jefferson": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Jeff Teague": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Jeff Teague": "34"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Al Jefferson": "1"}, "Personal fouls": {"Al Jefferson": "1"}}], "The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Indiana Pacers 131 - 109 at Moda Center on Wednesday. The Blazers (10 - 10) had little trouble handling the Pacers (9 - 10) after three straight quarters above 30 points, including an explosive second quarter where Portland ran away with the game. The Blazers took 73 - 58 halftime lead and expanded on it in the third quarter. The final period had one moment where the Pacers looked to climb back into the game after Al Jefferson dropped in a short turn around hook shot to cut the lead to 13 points. Damian Lillard responds with a driving layup and the Blazers did not have to look back. Six Blazers players finished in double figures scoring, as Maurice Harkless, Mason Plumlee, Lillard and C.J. McCollum cracked double digits. Harkless and Lillard led the way 23 points and 28 points, respecitvally, but it was McCollum's hot hand in the second half that staved off the Pacers comeback attempts. Evan Turner and Allen Crabbe rounded out the rest of the double digit scorers, with both players combining for 28 points on 9 - of - 15 shooting. The Pacers were led by Jeff Teague, while Paul George (ankle) was sidelined. Teague finished with 25 points, eight assists, five rebounds and one block in 34 minutes. Myles Turner completed a double - double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Glenn Robinson III continued to play effective minutes amongst the starters with 15 points and four rebounds on 6 - of - 10 shooting. Next up, the Hawks host the Detroit Pistons on Friday, while the Pacers visit the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pelicans": "30", "Nuggets": "41"}, "Total points": {"Pelicans": "111", "Nuggets": "118"}, "Wins": {"Pelicans": "36", "Nuggets": "26"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Kenneth Faried": "2", "Ty Lawson": "5", "Will Barton": "6", "Jameer Nelson": "8", "Anthony Davis": "1", "Tyreke Evans": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kenneth Faried": "0", "Ty Lawson": "1", "Will Barton": "3", "Jameer Nelson": "4", "Anthony Davis": "0", "Tyreke Evans": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kenneth Faried": "17", "Ty Lawson": "18", "Will Barton": "16", "Jameer Nelson": "16", "Anthony Davis": "28", "Tyreke Evans": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Kenneth Faried": "7", "Ty Lawson": "9", "Will Barton": "10", "Jameer Nelson": "7", "Anthony Davis": "16", "Tyreke Evans": "11"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kenneth Faried": "6", "Will Barton": "2", "Anthony Davis": "6", "Tyreke Evans": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Kenneth Faried": "6", "Will Barton": "2", "Anthony Davis": "4", "Tyreke Evans": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kenneth Faried": "4", "Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Points": {"Kenneth Faried": "20", "Ty Lawson": "19", "Will Barton": "25", "Jameer Nelson": "18", "Anthony Davis": "36", "Tyreke Evans": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Kenneth Faried": "10", "Will Barton": "9", "Jameer Nelson": "5", "Anthony Davis": "14", "Tyreke Evans": "9"}, "Assists": {"Ty Lawson": "9", "Jameer Nelson": "6", "Anthony Davis": "7", "Tyreke Evans": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Will Barton": "47", "Jameer Nelson": "38"}, "Steals": {"Jameer Nelson": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Anthony Davis": "9"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Anthony Davis": "12"}, "Turnovers": {"Anthony Davis": "2"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Tyreke Evans": "55"}}], "The Denver Nuggets (26 - 41) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (36 - 30) 118 - 111 on Sunday at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. With 12 seconds left in the game, Anthony Davis came up clutch for the Pelicans, hitting a jumper to put them up by two. On the next possession down, Kenneth Faried matched Davis and converted on a layup to tie the game up with just four seconds left in regulation. Davis then had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but his shot was long and rattled out of the hoop. In overtime, the Pelicans again had a three - point lead with just under 10 seconds left. Will Barton was the savior this time around and tied the game with a huge three - pointer for the Nuggets on the next possession, forcing it into a second overtime. The Pelicans struggled offensively in the second overtime, with Tyreke Evans scoring their only two points, and they went on to take a seven - point loss. This was a tough loss for the Pelicans, who are in a fierce battle for the eighth and final playoff seed in the Western Conference standings. They now sit a full game back from Oklahoma City for that eighth seed, so they'll need bounce back with a win on Tuesday. Despite taking the loss, Davis continued to play extremely well, as he finished with a game - high of 36 points (16 - 28 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt, 4 - 6 FT) to go along with 14 rebounds, seven assists and nine blocked shots. He did a little bit of everything in this game, nearly recording a quadruple - double by the end. Davis recorded his fifth double - double of his last six games, a six - game stretch where he's averaged 31 points, 11 rebounds and 5 blocks. Evans came just short of a triple - double of his own and posted 25 points (11 - 20 FG, 1 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 4 FT), nine rebounds and 10 assists. He's shot extremely well of late, finishing 55 percent or higher from the field in each of his last three games. Along with making a game - tying bucket at the end of regulation, Faried also posted 20 points (7 - 17 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) and 10 rebounds in the win. With Jusuf Nurkic returning to the starting lineup at center, Faried was able to move back to his natural power forward position. The Nuggets also saw a strong bench effort, with both Barton and Jameer Nelson reaching double figures. Barton recorded 25 points (10 - 16 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT) and nine rebounds in 47 minutes while Nelson posted 18 points (7 - 16 FG, 4 - 8 3Pt) and six assists in 38 minutes. Since joining the Nuggets at the trade deadline, he's averaged 14 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steals over 13 games. Ty Lawson chipped in with 19 points (9 - 18 FG, 1 - 5 3Pt) and nine assists in his return to action after sitting out the Nuggets' last game with an illness. The Pelicans' next game will be at home against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday, while the Nuggets will travel to Memphis to play the Grizzlies on Monday."], [[{}, {"3-pointers made": {"Wesley Matthews": "3"}, "Points": {"Wesley Matthews": "27", "Yogi Ferrell": "32"}}], "It was a big night for the Mavericks behind the arc, as the team shot a whopping 17 - of - 31 from three - point range. Nine of these threes came from D-League call - up Yogi Ferrell, who led the team with a career - high 32 points. Sharpshooter Wesley Matthews, meanwhile, scored 27 points and splashed in three three - pointers on the night. The Mavs also shot a respectable 82 percent from the free - throw line and 47 percent from the field in what was a stellar night on the offensive end for the team. For Portland, star point guard Damian Lillard delivered what was possibly his worst statistical night of the season. The All-Star went just 4 - of - 20 from the field and turned the ball over three times. His fellow guards, Evan Turner and C.J. McCollum, picked up the slack, however, as they combined for 52 points on the night."], [[{"Losses": {"Mavericks": "19", "Timberwolves": "31"}, "Total points": {"Mavericks": "106", "Timberwolves": "94"}, "Wins": {"Mavericks": "25", "Timberwolves": "13"}, "Turnovers": {"Timberwolves": "17"}}, {"Assists": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "3", "Andrew Wiggins": "3", "Chandler Parsons": "2", "Wesley Matthews": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "6"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Chandler Parsons": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Chandler Parsons": "3"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "19", "Andrew Wiggins": "17", "Shabazz Muhammad": "16", "Chandler Parsons": "20", "Zaza Pachulia": "7", "Wesley Matthews": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "12", "Andrew Wiggins": "9", "Shabazz Muhammad": "6", "Chandler Parsons": "13", "Zaza Pachulia": "4", "Wesley Matthews": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "2"}, "Points": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "27", "Andrew Wiggins": "23", "Shabazz Muhammad": "14", "Chandler Parsons": "30", "Zaza Pachulia": "12", "Wesley Matthews": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "17", "Andrew Wiggins": "7", "Shabazz Muhammad": "7", "Chandler Parsons": "8", "Zaza Pachulia": "4", "Wesley Matthews": "6"}, "Steals": {"Karl-Anthony Towns": "1", "Chandler Parsons": "1", "Zaza Pachulia": "3", "Wesley Matthews": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Andrew Wiggins": "40", "Shabazz Muhammad": "35", "Wesley Matthews": "40"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (25 - 19) defeated the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves (13 - 31) 106 - 94 in overtime at American Airlines Center on Wednesday. This game was close the whole way, tied at halftime and tied at the end of 48. However, Dallas turned it up for the overtime period, outscoring the Timberwolves 17 - 5 to win its second consecutive in OT. The Mavs were shorthanded, missing Dirk Nowitzki (knee), and Raymond Felton (eye). Zaza Pachulia was listed as questionable, with a sore Achilles but ended up starting and logging 12 points (4 - 7 FG), four rebounds and three steals, in his 33 minutes. Chandler Parsons carried the offensive load for Dallas. He led all scorers with 30 points (13 - 20 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt), along with eight rebounds, two assists and one steal, in 45 long minutes. Wesley Matthews finished with 15 points (6 - 16 FG), six rebounds, four assists and two steals, in 40 minutes. Dallas got beat in almost every category, as the Timberwolves shot better, had more rebounds, assists and blocks. However, the Mavericks had 11 steals and forced Minnesota into 17 turnovers, which was enough to give them the edge. Karl-Anthony Towns had perhaps the best game of his short career thus far. Towns finished with 27 points (12 - 19 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT), 17 rebounds, six blocked shots, three assists and one steal, in 36 minutes. Andrew Wiggins tallied 23 points (9 - 17 FG), seven rebounds and three assists, in 40 minutes. Shabazz Muhammad was impactful in 35 minutes off the bench, finishing with 14 points (6 - 16 FG) and seven rebounds. Although, the Timberwolves did a good job competing in Dallas, too many turnovers meant their woes continue, as they are now 1 - 9 in their last 10. Minnesota will have a couple days rest before the Grizzlies come to town on Saturday. The Mavericks will have their hands full when they host the surging OKC Thunder on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"76ers": "68", "Pelicans": "48"}, "Total points": {"76ers": "107", "Pelicans": "93"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"76ers": "21", "Pelicans": "29"}, "Wins": {"76ers": "10", "Pelicans": "29"}}, {"Assists": {"Luke Babbitt": "3", "Dante Cunningham": "1", "Tim Frazier": "9", "James Ennis III": "2", "Robert Covington": "3", "Jerami Grant": "1", "Isaiah Canaan": "2", "Carl Landry": "1"}, "Points": {"Luke Babbitt": "16", "Dante Cunningham": "19", "Alexis Ajinca": "12", "James Ennis III": "11", "Robert Covington": "12", "Jerami Grant": "10", "Isaiah Canaan": "16", "Nerlens Noel": "4", "Nik Stauskas": "13", "Hollis Thompson": "13", "Carl Landry": "22"}, "Rebounds": {"Luke Babbitt": "8", "Dante Cunningham": "2", "Alexis Ajinca": "10", "Tim Frazier": "6", "James Ennis III": "1", "Robert Covington": "9", "Jerami Grant": "3", "Isaiah Canaan": "2", "Nerlens Noel": "6", "Carl Landry": "9"}, "Steals": {"Tim Frazier": "3", "Robert Covington": "4", "Jerami Grant": "2", "Isaiah Canaan": "1", "Carl Landry": "2"}, "Blocks": {"James Ennis III": "1", "Robert Covington": "1", "Nerlens Noel": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Nerlens Noel": "18"}}], "The Philadelphia 76ers (10 - 68) defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (29 - 48) 107 - 93 on Tuesday. A battle of last place teams turned into a surprisingly easy victory for the normally tough - luck Sixers, who got Nerlens Noel (knee) back on the court for the contest. Noel was on a pre - announced playing time restriction of 20 minutes, and actually came just short of that. He managed four points, six rebounds and a block over 18 minutes, making good on his vow to return to action before the conclusion of the regular season. Philadelphia, which has given several playoff - caliber teams trouble this season, came back from a 29 - 21 deficit after one quarter to trample the Pelicans in the second and third periods by a combined score of 67 - 44. They received a highly productive effort from their bench, which accounted for 55 of their 107 points on the night. The Pelicans were paced by a 19 - point effort from Dante Cunningham, who also added a pair of rebounds and an assist. Luke Babbitt turned in another productive effort at small forward, managing 16 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. Alexis Ajinca, getting a start at center over Omer Asik, tallied a 12 - point, 10 - rebound double - double. Tim Frazier matched Ajinca's point total and added nine assists, six rebounds and three steals. James Ennis continued his solid play off the bench by leading the reserves with 11 points, two assists, a rebound and a block. New Orleans remains in last place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division. They had to Boston to take on the Celtics on Wednesday. Philadelphia was led by a 22 - point effort from Carl Landry, who also added nine rebounds, an assist and two steals off the bench. Isaiah Canaan followed by leading the starting five with 16 points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal. Robert Covington was next with a near double - double consisting of 12 points, nine boards, three assists, four steals and a block. Jerami Grant pitched in with 10 points, three rebounds, an assist and a pair of steals. Nik Stauskas and Hollis Thompson were also productive in reserve roles, managing a pair of 13 - point efforts. The Sixers remain in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They're home again on Friday night to face off with the New York Knicks."], [[{"Total points": {"Pistons": "136"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Marcus Morris": "15", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "11", "Tobias Harris": "16", "Nik Stauskas": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Marcus Morris": "8", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "9", "Tobias Harris": "8", "Nik Stauskas": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Marcus Morris": "34", "Tobias Harris": "32", "Ish Smith": "23", "Dario Saric": "29", "T.J. McConnell": "23"}, "Points": {"Marcus Morris": "22", "Kentavious Caldwell-Pope": "26", "Tobias Harris": "20", "Ish Smith": "11", "Dario Saric": "19", "Nik Stauskas": "24", "T.J. McConnell": "10"}, "Assists": {"Ish Smith": "13", "Dario Saric": "8", "T.J. McConnell": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Dario Saric": "6"}}], "The Pistons scored a season - high 136 points, as they went on to rout the 76ers. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led the way for the Pistons with 26 points on impressive 9 - of - 11 shooting from the field. Five other players scored in double digits for the Pistons, including Marcus Morris, who finished with 22 points on 8 - of - 15 shooting, in 34 minutes. Tobias Harris chipped in 20 points on 8 - of - 16 shooting, in 32 minutes off the bench. Ish Smith was solid in 23 minutes off the bench, with 13 assists and 11 points. Meanwhile, Nik Stauskas was the high - point man for Philly with 24 points on 10 - of - 15 shooting. Dario Saric followed up with 19 points, a career - high eight assists, and six rebounds, in 29 minutes, while T.J. McConnell chipped in 10 points to go along with eight assists, in 23 minutes."], [[{"Losses": {"Nets": "36", "Heat": "30"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "106", "Heat": "109"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Nets": "17", "Heat": "38"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "9", "Heat": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Dion Waiters": "8", "Goran Dragic": "9", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "2", "Brook Lopez": "3", "Caris LeVert": "4"}, "Points": {"Dion Waiters": "24", "Goran Dragic": "17", "Wayne Ellington": "22", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "17", "Brook Lopez": "33", "Caris LeVert": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Dion Waiters": "5", "Goran Dragic": "9", "Wayne Ellington": "4", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "5", "Brook Lopez": "4"}, "Steals": {"Bojan Bogdanovic": "2"}}], "The Miami Heat defeated the host Brooklyn Nets, 109 - 106, at Barclay's Center on Wednesday. This was a game that appeared to be over headed into the fourth quarter, but Miami had other ideas. In fact, Brooklyn led by 18 points headed into the fourth quarter, as the Heat outscored the Nets, 38 - 17, to pull out an amazing comeback win. The statistics tell the story, with Miami winning the shooting, rebounding, assisting and turnover differentials. Three-point shooting was a huge factor as well, with the Heat hitting 11 - of - 23, while the Nets went just 13 - of - 35 from long range. The Heat (16 - 30) have now won five - straight games, with this victory being the most satisfying of the bunch. Goran Dragic fell just shy of a triple - double, as he accumulated 17 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Dion Waiters led the team in scoring for the third - straight game, as he tallied 24 points, five rebounds and eight assists. Wayne Ellington was huge off the bench, dropping 22 points and adding four boards. Willie Reed and Okaro White were also nice sparks off the bench, combining for 24 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks. Miami will look to keep rolling on Friday against the Miami Heat. The Nets (9 - 36) have had a rough season, as epic meltdowns like this show just how bad they're struggling. Brook Lopez did all he could though, as he scored a game - high 33 points, to go along with four rebounds and three assists. Bojan Bogdanovic was second on the team, as he accrued 17 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Caris LeVert was the only bench player in double figures, providing 12 points and four assists. The Nets will play the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday for their next game."], [[{"Losses": {"Hornets": "31", "Thunder": "25"}, "Total points": {"Hornets": "103", "Thunder": "110"}, "Wins": {"Hornets": "22", "Thunder": "30"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Enes Kanter": "32", "D.J. Augustin": "23"}, "Points": {"Enes Kanter": "10", "Mo Williams": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Enes Kanter": "13", "D.J. Augustin": "3"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "10", "D.J. Augustin": "2", "Mo Williams": "12"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "27"}, "Field goals made": {"Russell Westbrook": "12"}, "Steals": {"Michael Kidd-Gilchrist": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Mo Williams": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Mo Williams": "3"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (30 - 25) continued to roll Saturday, defeating the Charlotte Hornets (22 - 31) by a score of 110 - 103 With Kevin Durant sidelined with soreness in his foot, Russell Westbrook once again was tasked with carrying the load for the Thunder. Westbrook notched his 14th double - double of the season by putting up 31 points (12 - 27 FG) and 10 assists. The game was tied at 94 with just under six minutes remaining, but Oklahoma City pulled away in the end. Oklahoma City had several players make their Thunder debuts Saturday, including Enes Kanter, Kyle Singler, and D.J Augustin. Kanter, who was acquired at the trade deadline, finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds over 32 minutes in his first appearance as a member of the Thunder. Augustin saw 23 minutes of playing time and contributed 13 points, three rebounds, and two assists. Oklahoma City could be getting Durant back for Sunday's matchup with Denver. Charlotte's Mo Williams played his first game in a Hornets uniform Saturday after being acquired prior to the All-Star break. Williams got the start at point guard and had a team - high 24 points to go with 12 assists. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist returned to the lineup after a hamstring injury sidelined him shortly before the break. In other injury news, Kemba Walker is targeting a mid - March return date as he recovers from surgery on his torn meniscus and Bismack Biyombo has been cleared to resume basketball activities and should miss just three more games. The Hornets will finish up their back - to - back set Sunday against the Mavericks."], [[{"Total points": {"Wizards": "107"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Wizards": "27", "Mavericks": "39"}}, {"Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "22", "Dirk Nowitzki": "20", "Seth Curry": "19", "Nerlens Noel": "12", "Nicolas Brussino": "11", "Marcin Gortat": "8", "Bradley Beal": "24", "John Wall": "26", "Bojan Bogdanovic": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Harrison Barnes": "9", "Nicolas Brussino": "9", "Marcin Gortat": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Nerlens Noel": "23", "Nicolas Brussino": "23"}, "Steals": {"Nicolas Brussino": "2"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "11"}, "Field goal percentage": {"John Wall": "50"}}], "Dallas outscored Washington by a 39 - 27 margin in the final 12 minutes to seal the comeback win. The Mavs shot 51 percent from the field and 44 percent from three - point range. Their effort overcame the dynamic duo of John Wall and Bradley Beal, who combined for 50 of the Wizards' 107 points. Harrison Barnes' near - double - double of 22 points and nine rebounds led Dallas. Dirk Nowitzki contributed 20 points, while Seth Curry pitched in 19. Nerlens Noel led the bench with 12 points and Nicolas Brussino supplied 11 points, nine boards and two steals in 23 minutes. Wall's 26 - point, 11 - assist double - double led the Wizards. Beal was right behind him with 24 points, while Bojan Bogdanovic paced the bench with 19. Otto Porter, Jr. posted a 14 - point, 10 - rebound double - double and Marcin Gortat mustered eight points and 10 boards."], [[{}, {"Assists": {"Chris Paul": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Chris Paul": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"Chris Paul": "25"}, "Personal fouls": {"Chris Paul": "1"}, "Points": {"Chris Paul": "24"}, "Rebounds": {"Chris Paul": "6"}}], "Chris Paul's terrific start to the 2016 - 17 season has been a rather effortless one, as while he is averaging 19 points, 9 assists and 6 rebounds, he is doing so in just 30 minutes per game. Monday night was yet another example of Paul doing a lot in such a little amount of time, as he managed to record 24 points, eight assists and six rebounds in a mere 25 minutes. Paul has never averaged less than 32 minutes per game in a season, but he's remaining just as productive as he has been in seasons where he plays upward of 36 minutes. Paul is n't getting any younger and managing minutes is key for a player who has dealt with numerous injuries in his past, but the Clippers wo n't be losing a step for as long as Paul's efficiency goes up even as his minutes may go down."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Nets": "6", "Celtics": "27"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Nets": "36", "Celtics": "51"}, "Losses": {"Nets": "40", "Celtics": "39"}, "Total points": {"Nets": "91", "Celtics": "110"}, "Wins": {"Nets": "29", "Celtics": "31"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Celtics": "31"}}, {"Assists": {"Evan Turner": "12", "Deron Williams": "10"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Evan Turner": "2", "Avery Bradley": "4", "Jonas Jerebko": "2", "Kelly Olynyk": "5", "Thaddeus Young": "2", "Deron Williams": "2"}, "3-pointers made": {"Evan Turner": "0", "Avery Bradley": "2", "Jonas Jerebko": "0", "Kelly Olynyk": "3", "Thaddeus Young": "1", "Deron Williams": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Evan Turner": "13", "Avery Bradley": "16", "Jonas Jerebko": "12", "Kelly Olynyk": "12", "Thaddeus Young": "12", "Brook Lopez": "19", "Deron Williams": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Evan Turner": "9", "Avery Bradley": "8", "Jonas Jerebko": "5", "Kelly Olynyk": "7", "Thaddeus Young": "5", "Brook Lopez": "12", "Deron Williams": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Evan Turner": "2", "Avery Bradley": "3", "Kelly Olynyk": "2", "Thaddeus Young": "1", "Brook Lopez": "7", "Deron Williams": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Evan Turner": "1", "Avery Bradley": "2", "Kelly Olynyk": "1", "Thaddeus Young": "1", "Brook Lopez": "7", "Deron Williams": "6"}, "Points": {"Evan Turner": "19", "Tyler Zeller": "18", "Avery Bradley": "20", "Jonas Jerebko": "10", "Kelly Olynyk": "18", "Thaddeus Young": "12", "Brook Lopez": "31", "Deron Williams": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Evan Turner": "10", "Tyler Zeller": "7", "Avery Bradley": "7", "Jonas Jerebko": "6", "Kelly Olynyk": "5", "Thaddeus Young": "9", "Brook Lopez": "4", "Deron Williams": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Tyler Zeller": "30", "Avery Bradley": "32", "Kelly Olynyk": "17", "Brook Lopez": "35", "Deron Williams": "34"}}], "The Boston Celtics (31 - 39) defeated the Brooklyn Nets (29 - 40) 110 - 91 on Monday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The Celtics got a big win Monday, as they jumped the Charlotte Hornets for the eighth and final projected playoff seed in the Eastern Conference standings. They now sit tied with the Hornets, but own the tiebreaker, while also trailing the Miami Heat by just a game and a half. The Nets, on the other hand, are still in the thick of things as well, considering they're only a game and a half behind the Celtics for that final spot. It's a tight race for those final two projected playoff spots, with the Heat, Celtics, Hornets, Pacers and Nets all within three games of each other. The Celtics were the superior shooters in this game, going 51 percent from the floor and 27 percent from the three - point line, while the Nets went just 36 percent from the field and an embarrassing six percent from beyond the arc. The win was a true team effort for the Celtics though, with six players reaching double figures. Avery Bradley led the way, finishing with a team - high of 20 points (8 - 16 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT), to go along with seven rebounds in 32 minutes. After shooting just 30 percent (3 - 10 FG) from the field during Sunday's matchup with the Pistons, it was a nice bounce - back game for Bradley. Evan Turner came up with a surprise triple - double, finishing with 19 points (9 - 13 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT), 10 rebounds and 12 assists. It was his third straight impressive game, averaging 20 points, 6 rebounds and eight assists during that span. Coming just shy of double - double, Tyler Zeller posted 18 points (9 - 13 FG) and seven rebounds in 30 minutes. The Celtics also had a strong bench showing with Kelly Olynyk recording an efficient 18 points (7 - 12 FG, 3 - 5 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT) and five rebounds in just 17 minutes, while Jonas Jerebko added 10 points (5 - 12 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt) and six rebounds of his own. The Nets received nearly all of their production from center Brook Lopez, who went off for a game - high of 31 points (12 - 19 FG, 7 - 7 FT), to go along with four rebounds over 35 minutes. He's been an absolute beast for the Nets over his last three games and has averaged 30 points and 9 rebounds during that span. Deron Williams nearly matched Turner with a triple - double of his own, posting 10 points (2 - 6 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT), nine rebounds and 10 assists in 34 minutes. He's now pushed his season averages to 13 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists per game on the year. The only other Net in double figures was Thaddeus Young, who finished with 12 points (5 - 12 FG, 1 - 2 3Pt, 1 - 1 FT) and nine rebounds. The Celtics' next game will be at home against the Miami Heat on Wednesday, while the Nets will travel to Charlotte to play the Hornets on Wednesday."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Bucks": "22", "Hornets": "13"}, "Losses": {"Bucks": "33", "Hornets": "26"}, "Total points": {"Bucks": "95", "Hornets": "98"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Bucks": "17", "Hornets": "28"}, "Turnovers": {"Bucks": "22"}, "Wins": {"Bucks": "22", "Hornets": "28"}}, {"Points": {"Cody Zeller": "23", "Kemba Walker": "25", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "18", "Jabari Parker": "23", "Greg Monroe": "4"}, "Assists": {"Kemba Walker": "4", "Giannis Antetokounmpo": "4", "Jabari Parker": "2", "Greg Monroe": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Kemba Walker": "6", "Jabari Parker": "11"}, "Minutes played": {"Al Jefferson": "23"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Jabari Parker": "2"}, "Turnovers": {"Giannis Antetokounmpo": "2", "Greg Monroe": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Jabari Parker": "1"}, "Steals": {"Jabari Parker": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Greg Monroe": "2"}}], "The Charlotte Hornets (28 - 26) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (22 - 33) 98 - 95 on Friday. All the statistics made this look like a Bucks win, but that simply wasn\u2019t the case. Milwaukee outrebounded the Hornets 47 - 38 and also outassisted them 22 to 13. It was the fourth quarter that made the difference for Charlotte, as they outscored the Bucks 28 - 17 over the final 12 minutes. The benches were not used very much in this contest, as only seven bench players were used between the two teams. Charlotte had won five of six going into the All-Star break and this comeback win is a great catalyst for the rest of the season. Al Jefferson made his long awaited return from a foot injury and played 23 minutes in the win. His replacement, Cody Zeller, obviously played with a chip on his shoulder, as he tallied a career - high 23 points and nine rebounds in the win. Kemba Walker had a nice all - around game, as he accumulated 25 points, six rebounds and four assists in the victory. Up next for the Hornets is a date with the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday. Milwaukee has been using a different lineup recently and it's unclear if it's paying any dividends. Jabari Parker had one of his best games of the season though, as he amassed 23 points and 11 rebounds in the loss. Giannis Antetokounmpo finished the game with 18 points, 11 rebounds and four assists of his own. Greg Monroe had a terrible game off the bench, as he scored a measly four points while attempting just two shots and committing four turnovers in the defeat. Milwaukee's next game will be on Saturday when they take on the Atlanta Hawks."], [[{"Losses": {"Hawks": "5", "Pelicans": "10"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "94", "Pelicans": "112"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "9", "Pelicans": "5"}}, {"Assists": {"Tim Frazier": "14", "Kent Bazemore": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tim Frazier": "12", "Kent Bazemore": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Tim Frazier": "7", "Kent Bazemore": "0"}, "Minutes played": {"Tim Frazier": "35", "Kent Bazemore": "18"}, "Points": {"Tim Frazier": "21", "Kent Bazemore": "1", "Kyle Korver": "14", "Dennis Schroder": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Kent Bazemore": "1"}}], "The visiting New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Atlanta Hawks, 112 - 94, at Philips Arena on Tuesday. It did n't take long for this game to get out of hand, as the Pelicans (5 - 10) opened on a 26 - 10 run and ultimately pushed their lead to 20 points by the end of the first quarter, a lead they held onto for the rest of the evening. Tim Frazier helped them hold onto that lead, as the starting point guard finished with 21 points on 7 - of - 12 shooting and 14 assists in 35 minutes. Frazier's performance was necessary too, as Anthony Davis left in the second quarter with a right knee injury after diving into the crowd for a loose ball. Luckily for the Pelicans, the All-Star power forward did return later in the game, ultimately finishing with 13 points and three rebounds in 19 minutes as New Orleans won their third straight game. As for the Hawks (9 - 5), they have now dropped their third game in a row in ugly fashion. The starting backcourt of Dennis Schroeder and Kyle Korver led the way in scoring with 14 points each, while the frontcourt pairing of Paul Millsap and Dwight Howard, who have led the team in scoring so far this season, managed to score just a combined 18 points. The final starter, Kent Bazemore, shot 0 - of - 6 from the field and finished with just one point, one assist and one rebound in 18 minutes. In the end, it was a night to forget for the Hawks, who continue to slide after a hot start to the season. Up next, the Pelicans will look to earn their fourth win in a row against the Timberwolves on Wednesday, while the Hawks will travel to Indiana on Wednesday to take on the Pacers."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Lakers": "34"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "120", "Rockets": "114"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Ryan Anderson": "15", "Eric Gordon": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"Ryan Anderson": "6", "Eric Gordon": "7"}, "Points": {"Ryan Anderson": "14", "Clint Capela": "16", "Eric Gordon": "19", "James Harden": "34"}, "Minutes played": {"Clint Capela": "26"}, "Rebounds": {"Clint Capela": "9"}, "Assists": {"James Harden": "17"}}], "The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets, 120 - 114, at Staples Center on Wednesday. The Lakers (10) brought in Luke Walton as their new head coach for the 2016 - 2017 season, and the new offense that involved an expected volume shooting from the perimeter, was effective enough to aid Los Angeles to a good start. The Lakers took 35 shots from behind the arc and sank 12 of them, and the 34 percent efficiency was enough to constantly keep Los Angeles within striking distance. The Rockets led for most of the game, but never by a controlling amount. Jordan Clarkson drained a 29 foot three - pointer with 1:47 left in the fourth quarter to take 116 - 112 lead, and followed Nene's banker with a quick two pointer to hold the lead at four points. D'Angelo Russell's sloppy turnover with seconds left gave the Rockets a bit of life, but they were unable to capitalize and the Lakers ran out the clock. James Harden was named point guard, and although his usage percentage was point guard - esque last season, the official designation was backed up by 17 assists. Harden made use of quick passes in transition and threaded the needle time and time again in the first half. The Rockets star player added 34 points and eight rebounds to his strong start to the season. Newly acquired Eric Gordon (19 points on 7 - of - 15 shooting) and Ryan Anderson (14 points on 6 - of - 15 shooting) were effective in the Harden led system. Clint Capela wasted no time taking Dwight Howard's spot under center with 16 points and nine boards in 26 minutes. Both teams hit the road on Friday, as the Rockets visit the Dallas Mavericks, while the Lakers visit the Utah Jazz."], [[{"Losses": {"Timberwolves": "47", "Trail Blazers": "20"}, "Total points": {"Timberwolves": "121", "Trail Blazers": "113"}, "Wins": {"Timberwolves": "14", "Trail Blazers": "41"}}, {"Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "8", "Damian Lillard": "7", "Andrew Wiggins": "4", "Ricky Rubio": "8"}, "Blocks": {"Robin Lopez": "3", "Andrew Wiggins": "1"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Robin Lopez": "3", "Gary Neal": "11"}, "Free throws made": {"Robin Lopez": "3"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Robin Lopez": "3"}, "Assists": {"Arron Afflalo": "1", "Damian Lillard": "8", "Andrew Wiggins": "2", "Kevin Martin": "2", "Ricky Rubio": "15"}, "Minutes played": {"Arron Afflalo": "32", "Damian Lillard": "38", "Andrew Wiggins": "41", "Gary Neal": "21"}, "Points": {"Arron Afflalo": "14", "Damian Lillard": "32", "Andrew Wiggins": "18", "Kevin Martin": "29", "Ricky Rubio": "13", "Gary Neal": "27"}, "3-pointers made": {"Damian Lillard": "4", "Andrew Wiggins": "1", "Kevin Martin": "1"}, "Field goal percentage": {"Damian Lillard": "48"}, "Steals": {"Damian Lillard": "1", "Andrew Wiggins": "3"}}], "The Minnesota Timberwolves (14 - 47) defeated the Portland Trail Blazers (41 - 20), 121 - 113. Gary Neal sparked the Timberwolves with a season - high 27 points on 11 shots in 21 minutes, including 17 points in the fourth quarter. The Timberwolves\u2019 scored 70 points in the first half, and their bench scored 46 points. Ricky Rubio fell two rebounds shy of a triple - double, supplying 13 points, 15 assists, eight rebounds and a three - point dagger with one minute left in the game. Kevin Martin scored a team - high 29 points, and rookie Andrew Wiggins added 18 points, four rebounds, three steals, two assists, one block, and one three - pointer in 41 minutes. Arron Afflalo started his first game with the Trail Blazers following Wesley Matthews\u2019 season - ending injury. Afflalo contributed 14 points and one assist before fouling out in 32 minutes. Damian Lillard nearly notched a triple - double, compiling 32 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, one steal and four three - pointers in 38 minutes, scoring 11 points in the final 48 seconds. Robin Lopez blocked a game - high three shots, and LaMarcus Aldridge grabbed a team - high eight rebounds in the loss. The Timberwolves begin a four - game road trip Monday against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Trail Blazers have three days off before they host the Houston Rockets."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "35", "Suns": "50"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "103", "Suns": "69"}, "Turnovers": {"Jazz": "16", "Suns": "21"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "33", "Suns": "18"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "34"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Suns": "17"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Suns": "16"}}, {"Assists": {"Alex Len": "2", "Brandon Knight": "2", "Joe Ingles": "2", "Shelvin Mack": "10", "Trey Lyles": "1"}, "Points": {"Alex Len": "10", "Brandon Knight": "17", "Jon Leuer": "14", "Joe Ingles": "15", "Derrick Favors": "12", "Shelvin Mack": "15", "Trey Lyles": "17"}, "Rebounds": {"Alex Len": "12", "Brandon Knight": "8", "Jon Leuer": "8", "Joe Ingles": "4", "Derrick Favors": "5", "Shelvin Mack": "8", "Trey Lyles": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Brandon Knight": "1"}, "Steals": {"Jon Leuer": "2", "Joe Ingles": "6", "Derrick Favors": "2", "Trey Lyles": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Trey Lyles": "19"}}], "The Utah Jazz (33 - 35) defeated the Phoenix Suns (18 - 50) 103 - 69 on Thursday. A thoroughly dominating performance by Utah was perhaps to be expected, considering that the Jazz came into the contest surrendering the second - lowest amount of points per game (97), while the Suns checked in with the second - highest turnover rate (16) on a nightly basis. Both figures proved to be prophetic Thursday, as the Jazz held Phoenix to a season - low scoring total, and also set a season - best total in points surrendered. The Jazz elicted 21 turnovers from the Suns as well, and held them to 34 percent and 25 percent success rates from the field and three - point range, respectively. Utah's domination was even more evident in the second half, when they held the helpless visitors to 31 total points. The Suns were led by Brandon Knight's 17 points, which he suppplemented with eight rebounds, two assists and a block. Alex Len was the only other starter to manage double - digit points, amassing 10 points, 12 rebounds and two assists. Jon Leuer paced the bench with 14 points, eight rebounds and two steals, as the third and final Phoenix player to score in double digits. The Suns remain in fourth place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. They head to Los Angeles to face the Lakers on Friday. With such a comfortable second - half lead, it was a reserve, Trey Lyles, who paced the Jazz in scoring with 17 points over 19 minutes. He added two rebounds, one assist and two steals. Shelvin Mack and Joe Ingles co - led the starters with a pair of 15 - point efforts. Mack also supplied 10 assists and eight rebounds, while Ingles, getting the start in Gordon Hayward's (foot) stead, registered four rebounds, two assists and a career - high six steals. Derrick Favors was next with 12 points, five rebounds and two steals. The Jazz remain in third place in the Western Conference's Northwest Division, and are just a game behind the eighth - seeded Dallas Mavericks. They head to Chicago to face the Bulls on Saturday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "41", "Hornets": "34"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "113", "Hornets": "98"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "39", "Hornets": "46"}}, {"Assists": {"Nicolas Batum": "4", "Marvin Williams": "3", "Kemba Walker": "7", "Markieff Morris": "2", "Marcin Gortat": "4", "Ramon Sessions": "11", "Marcus Thornton": "4", "Jared Dudley": "3"}, "Points": {"Nicolas Batum": "10", "Marvin Williams": "14", "Kemba Walker": "16", "Frank Kaminsky": "18", "Al Jefferson": "10", "Otto Porter": "10", "Markieff Morris": "11", "Marcin Gortat": "21", "Ramon Sessions": "15", "Marcus Thornton": "16", "Jared Dudley": "11", "Nene": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Nicolas Batum": "5", "Marvin Williams": "6", "Kemba Walker": "3", "Frank Kaminsky": "11", "Al Jefferson": "7", "Otto Porter": "2", "Markieff Morris": "2", "Marcin Gortat": "13", "Ramon Sessions": "5", "Marcus Thornton": "5", "Jared Dudley": "7", "Nene": "5"}, "Steals": {"Nicolas Batum": "2", "Kemba Walker": "1", "Markieff Morris": "1", "Ramon Sessions": "1", "Marcus Thornton": "1", "Jared Dudley": "4"}, "Blocks": {"Kemba Walker": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "1", "Jared Dudley": "2", "Nene": "2"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Ramon Sessions": "5"}}], "The Washington Wizards (39 - 41) defeated the Charlotte Hornets (46 - 34) 113 - 98 on Sunday. The Wizards were unsuccessful in their bid to garner a playoff spot, but entered Sunday trying to finish the season off on a positive note. With the postseason out of reach, John Wall sat out a third consecutive game with his knee injury. Ramon Sessions was in the starting five again in Wall's stead, and acquitted himself well once more. He contributed a 15 - point, 11 - assist double - double, and added five rebounds and a steal. The bench was also highly productive, contributing 53 points on the day. The Hornets were led by Frank Kaminsky III in a reserve role, as he pitched in 18 points and 11 rebounds. Kemba Walker led the starting five with 16 points, seven assists, three rebounds, a steal and a block. Marvin Williams pitched in with 14 points, six boards and three assists. Nicolas Batum tallied 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals. Al Jefferson was efficient on the second unit as well, managing 10 points and seven rebounds. Charlotte remains in third place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division, and are slotted in the sixth seed as well. They head to Boston to take on the Celtics on Monday night. The Wizards were paced by Marcin Gortat's 21 - point, 13 - rebound double - double, which was supplemented with four assists and a block. Markieff Morris managed 11 points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal. Otto Porter, Jr. supplied 10 points and two rebounds. Marcus Thornton led the reserves with 16 points, five rebounds, four assists and a steal. Nene Hilario was next with 12 points, five rebounds and two blocks. Jared Dudley filled out the stat sheet off the bench as well, registering 11 points, seven rebounds, three assists, four steals and two blocks. Washington remains in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division. They travel to Brooklyn to take on the Nets on Monday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "4", "Pacers": "9"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "106", "Pacers": "100"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "10", "Pacers": "6"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Ian Mahinmi": "5", "Rodney Stuckey": "20", "Chris Copeland": "10", "Kawhi Leonard": "12", "Tim Duncan": "10", "Manu Ginobili": "18"}, "Field goals made": {"Ian Mahinmi": "4", "Rodney Stuckey": "9", "Chris Copeland": "4", "Kawhi Leonard": "8", "Tim Duncan": "7", "Manu Ginobili": "10"}, "Minutes played": {"Ian Mahinmi": "23", "Manu Ginobili": "26"}, "Points": {"Ian Mahinmi": "8", "Rodney Stuckey": "22", "Chris Copeland": "12", "Kawhi Leonard": "21", "Tim Duncan": "17", "Manu Ginobili": "28"}, "Assists": {"Rodney Stuckey": "4", "Manu Ginobili": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Rodney Stuckey": "5", "Chris Copeland": "2", "Kawhi Leonard": "6", "Tim Duncan": "6", "Manu Ginobili": "7"}, "Free throws made": {"Rodney Stuckey": "4", "Chris Copeland": "2", "Kawhi Leonard": "3", "Tim Duncan": "3", "Manu Ginobili": "6"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Chris Copeland": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Chris Copeland": "4", "Kawhi Leonard": "2", "Manu Ginobili": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chris Copeland": "2", "Kawhi Leonard": "2", "Manu Ginobili": "2"}, "Rebounds": {"Tim Duncan": "6"}, "Steals": {"Manu Ginobili": "2"}}], "In a hard - fought game, the San Antonio Spurs (10 - 4) were victorious over the Indiana Pacers (6 - 9) in a 106 - 100 game at the AT & T Center on Wednesday. San Antonio was lead by the extremely consistent and veteran presence of Manu Ginobili. In only 26 minutes, Ginobili scored 28 points (10 - 18 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 6 - 7 FT), while also contributing four assists and two steals. Future Hall-of-Famer Tim Duncan had a solid 17 - point (7 - 10 FG, 3 - 6 FT) and six rebound performance as well. Kawhi Leonard had his fourth double - double performance of the year, and finished with 21 points (8 - 12 FG, 2 - 2 3Pt, 3 - 6 FT) and 12 rebounds, which included eight points in the fourth quarter. Despite the defeat, the Pacers were still able to be effective on the offensive end. Rodney Stuckey lead the way with 22 points (9 - 20 FG, 4 - 5 FT) and four assists. Off the bench, Chris Copeland was able to contribute an additional 12 points (4 - 10 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt, 2 FT). Also, with Roy Hibbert sitting out, Ian Mahinmi got the start at center and went 4 - for - 5 from the floor to score eight points in 23 minutes. San Antonio will look to continue their winning ways, as they travel to Sacramento to take on the Kings on Sunday night. Meanwhile, Indiana will travel to Orlando to square off against the Magic."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Hawks": "23"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Hawks": "41"}, "Losses": {"Hawks": "2", "Wizards": "3"}, "Total points": {"Hawks": "82", "Wizards": "81"}, "Wins": {"Hawks": "3", "Wizards": "2"}}, {"Turnovers": {"Paul Pierce": "1", "Bradley Beal": "5", "John Wall": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Marcin Gortat": "10", "Bradley Beal": "21", "Paul Millsap": "14", "Al Horford": "18", "Kyle Korver": "5", "Jeff Teague": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Marcin Gortat": "7", "Bradley Beal": "9", "John Wall": "7", "Paul Millsap": "6", "Al Horford": "10", "Kyle Korver": "1", "Jeff Teague": "6"}, "Points": {"Marcin Gortat": "14", "Bradley Beal": "23", "John Wall": "15", "Paul Millsap": "14", "Al Horford": "23", "Kyle Korver": "3", "Jeff Teague": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Marcin Gortat": "8", "Bradley Beal": "7", "Paul Millsap": "7", "Al Horford": "11", "Kyle Korver": "5"}, "Assists": {"Bradley Beal": "4", "John Wall": "7", "Jeff Teague": "5"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Bradley Beal": "7", "Kyle Korver": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "5", "Paul Millsap": "3", "Al Horford": "1", "Kyle Korver": "5", "Jeff Teague": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Bradley Beal": "1", "Paul Millsap": "0", "Al Horford": "1", "Kyle Korver": "1", "Jeff Teague": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Bradley Beal": "5", "John Wall": "2", "Paul Millsap": "3", "Al Horford": "2"}, "Free throws made": {"John Wall": "1", "Paul Millsap": "2", "Al Horford": "2"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "4", "Kyle Korver": "6"}, "Blocks": {"Paul Millsap": "1", "Al Horford": "5"}, "Minutes played": {"Al Horford": "37"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (3 - 2) defeated the Washington Wizards (2 - 3) 82 - 81 on Wednesday at Philips Arena in Atlanta. After going back and forth all game long, the fourth quarter continued that trend. It started off with an 80 run by the Wizards, which was then followed up by a 140 run by the Hawks to put them up five with two and a half minutes left in the game. With just over 14 seconds left in regulation, Paul Pierce turned the ball over and DeMarre Carroll was able to get a fast break layup. Pierce then made up for the turnover though and hit a three - pointer from the corner to put the Wizards up one with just eight seconds left. The hero was Al Horford though. Horford was able to grab an offensive rebound with just over a second left and drop it back in for the game - winning bucket, giving the Hawks a 3 - 2 lead in the series. The Hawks shot 41 percent from the field and just 23 percent from the three - point line, while they also committed 25 turnovers, but were still able to come out with the victory. A large amount of that credit goes to center Al Horford. Along with his game - winning bucket, Horford finished with 23 points (10 - 18 FG, 1 - 1 3Pt, 2 - 2 FT), 11 rebounds and five blocked shots over 37 minutes. After struggling in their first round matchup with the Brooklyn Nets, Horford has really made his presence felt here in the semifinals, as he's averaged 18 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks so far this series. That five - game stretch includes four double - doubles. Millsap received some help from both Paul Millsap and Jeff Teague though. Millsap posted 14 points (6 - 14 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT), seven rebounds and a blocked shot, while Teague recorded 14 points (6 - 13 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt) and five assists. The two did combine to record a whopping 13 of the team's 25 total turnovers though, so they'll have to clean that up before game six. Kyle Korver shot just 1 - of - 5 from the three - point line to score only three points, but he did notch six steals, marking a new playoff - high. Despite having five non - displaced fractures in his left wrist and hand, John Wall made his return to the lineup and finished with 15 points (7 - 15 FG, 0 - 2 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT), seven assists and four steals. He also had six turnovers though, so it was n't all good for the guard. Wall did n't seem to show any apprehension with his hand injury, often diving for loose balls and looking to grab a rebound in traffic, so that was good news for the Wizards even though they eventually came out with the loss. Fellow backcourt member Bradley Beal also did as much as he could to lead this team to a win. He went 9 - for - 21 from the field but just 1 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score a team - high of 23 points, while also adding seven rebounds and four assists. Beal has hit at least two three - pointers in seven out of eight games this postseason, but he could n't get into a rhythm Wednesday. So far this series, Beal is averaging 24 points over five games. Marcin Gortat chipped in with 14 points (7 - 10 FG, 0 - 1 3Pt) and eight rebounds as well. Game six will be played on Friday in Washington."], [[{"Losses": {"Clippers": "31", "Wizards": "29"}, "Total points": {"Clippers": "133", "Wizards": "124"}, "Points in 4th quarter": {"Clippers": "23"}, "Wins": {"Clippers": "45", "Wizards": "46"}}, {"Assists": {"John Wall": "8", "Blake Griffin": "9", "Chris Paul": "13"}, "Points": {"John Wall": "41", "Blake Griffin": "26", "DeAndre Jordan": "23", "JJ Redick": "31", "Chris Paul": "27"}, "Rebounds": {"John Wall": "7", "Blake Griffin": "10", "DeAndre Jordan": "18", "Chris Paul": "3"}, "Personal fouls": {"Blake Griffin": "3"}}], "The host Los Angeles Clippers took down the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, 133 - 124. LA (45 - 31) held a comfortable lead for the majority of the second half thanks to strong offensive play. Four Clippers scored at least 23 points each, with shooting guard J.J. Redick posting a team - high 31 points. LA's \"big three\" of Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan, meanwhile, all posted impressive stat lines. Paul had 27 points to go along with 13 assists, while Jordan had 23 points and a whopping 18 rebounds. Griffin narrowly missed a triple - double, finishing with 26 points, nine assists, and 10 rebounds. As a team, the Clippers saw over 56 percent shooting and knocked down 12 three - pointers. The Wizards (46 - 29) remain in third place in the East thanks to a Toronto loss earlier in the night. The Wiz were unable to replicate their astounding comeback from Tuesday night, in which they overcame a double - digit fourth - quarter deficit against the Lakers. Despite the loss, superstar point guard John Wall led the team with an impressive 41 points while also notching seven rebounds and eight assists. It was a good night for Washington on offense as well, as they shot over 49 percent from the field while draining 13 three - pointers. However, they could not defend the astounding offensive output that LA put forward. The Clippers will visit Phoenix on Thursday, while the Wizards will see Utah on Friday."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "14", "Raptors": "4"}, "Total points": {"Jazz": "104", "Raptors": "123"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "5", "Raptors": "15"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "6"}, "Field goals made": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "4", "Kyle Lowry": "13"}, "Points": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "9", "Kyle Lowry": "39", "Derrick Favors": "19", "Enes Kanter": "19"}, "Rebounds": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "6", "Kyle Lowry": "5", "Derrick Favors": "6"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Kyle Lowry": "4"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "22"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kyle Lowry": "9"}, "Free throws made": {"Kyle Lowry": "9"}, "Minutes played": {"Kyle Lowry": "38"}, "Steals": {"Kyle Lowry": "1"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (15 - 4) went into Utah and took down the Jazz (5 - 14) 123 - 104 on Wednesday night at EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City. The Raptors got the job done, even without the injured DeMar DeRozan. Led by another impressive performance from point guard Kyle Lowry, Toronto continued their incredibly impressive year. Lowry scored 39 points (13 - 22 FG, 4 - 5 3Pt, 9 - 9 FT) to go with five rebounds, four assists and one steal in 38 minutes. He had a monster game, but Lowry had a bit of help as well. In total, six players scored in double figures for the Raptors, including four starters, while Jonas Valanciunas had nine points. Toronto showed how well - rounded they are in this win, and that they're a team to be feared. The Jazz have taken some tough losses to this point, but they were just outplayed in the first half and could n't manage to get back into it during the second half. They did see six players score in double figures, with Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors leading the way. Both Kanter and Favors had 19 points, and combined, they brought in 15 rebounds. The offense was spread out nicely, but after falling behind 69 - 53 at halftime, it was too much to overcome. The Jazz will look to bounce back at home against the Orlando Magic on Friday night."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Pacers": "52"}}, {"Assists": {"Ed Davis": "2", "Damian Lillard": "9", "Thaddeus Young": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Ed Davis": "1", "Thaddeus Young": "3", "Myles Turner": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Ed Davis": "34", "CJ McCollum": "37", "Damian Lillard": "37", "Thaddeus Young": "40", "Myles Turner": "33"}, "Points": {"Ed Davis": "6", "CJ McCollum": "34", "Damian Lillard": "33", "Paul George": "37", "Thaddeus Young": "24", "Myles Turner": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Ed Davis": "10", "Thaddeus Young": "9", "Myles Turner": "8"}, "Steals": {"Ed Davis": "2", "Thaddeus Young": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "11", "Paul George": "10", "Thaddeus Young": "8"}, "3-pointers made": {"CJ McCollum": "7", "Paul George": "5", "Thaddeus Young": "6"}, "Field goals attempted": {"CJ McCollum": "22", "Damian Lillard": "24", "Paul George": "27", "Thaddeus Young": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"CJ McCollum": "12", "Damian Lillard": "10", "Paul George": "13", "Thaddeus Young": "9"}}], "Paul George went 13 - of - 27 from the field, including 5 - of - 10 from long range on his way to a season - high 37 points, including 15 points in a row during an impressive fourth quarter comeback by the Pacers. Thaddeus young tied his season - high, with 24 points, and added nine rebounds, three blocks, two assists and two steals, in 40 minutes. Young shot a brilliant 9 - of - 13 from the field and 6 - of - 8 from long range. Myles Turner was solid with 14 points, eight rebounds and three blocks, in 33 minutes. The Pacers shot 52 percent from long range and 23 - of - 28 from the free throw line. Meanwhile, C.J. McCollum paced the Blazers with 34 points, on 12 - of - 22 shooting, including a blistering 7 - of - 11 from distance, in 37 minutes. Damian Lillard added 33 points on 10 - of - 24 shooting, along with nine assists, in likewise 37 minutes. No other player scored in double figures for the Portland but Ed Davis was solid as he grabbed 10 rebounds to go along with six points, two assists, two steals and a block, in 34 minutes."], [[{"Losses": {"Spurs": "12", "Raptors": "25"}, "Total points": {"Spurs": "102", "Raptors": "95"}, "Wins": {"Spurs": "64", "Raptors": "51"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Raptors": "50"}}, {"Free throws attempted": {"Norman Powell": "5"}, "Points": {"Norman Powell": "17", "Kawhi Leonard": "33", "LaMarcus Aldridge": "31"}, "Assists": {"Kawhi Leonard": "7"}, "Steals": {"Kawhi Leonard": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"LaMarcus Aldridge": "15"}}], "The San Antonio Spurs (64 - 12) set a franchise record for wins in a season on Saturday, beating the Toronto Raptors (51 - 25) 102 - 95. With the win, San Antonio remains undefeated at home, needing just two more wins to become the first team in NBA history without a homecourt loss. Emerging star Kawhi Leonard hit a new career high on Saturday, scoring 33 points to lead the team. Leonard complemented the scoring outburst with a career - high seven assists and an impressive three steals on the defensive end. Equally impressive was teammate LaMarcus Aldridge, who dropped in 31 points and pulled down 15 rebounds as well. With the win, San Antonio's home win streak extends to 48, the longest active streak and the second - longest of all time behind the recently - ended mark of 54 games from the Golden State Warriors. Toronto only narrowly missed the chance to keep the Spurs from making history despite sitting All-Stars Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. With the duo resting, rookie Norman Powell slid into the starting five and delivered an impressive 17 points. The team as a whole shot a whopping 50 percent of the field, making it look easy against the stingy San Antonio D. Toronto, too, has eclipsed a franchise - best win total, and is still in contention for the first seed in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors will host the Hornets on Tuesday, while San Antonio will visit the Jazz in Utah."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "26", "Suns": "34"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "102", "Suns": "84"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "23", "Suns": "14"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Suns": "41"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Suns": "21"}}, {"Assists": {"Devin Booker": "3", "Jordan McRae": "4", "Arron Afflalo": "3", "Langston Galloway": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Devin Booker": "6", "Arron Afflalo": "6"}, "3-pointers made": {"Devin Booker": "3", "Arron Afflalo": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Devin Booker": "15", "Arron Afflalo": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Devin Booker": "8", "Arron Afflalo": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Devin Booker": "3", "Kristaps Porzingis": "2", "Arron Afflalo": "3"}, "Free throws made": {"Devin Booker": "2", "Arron Afflalo": "3"}, "Points": {"Devin Booker": "21", "Jordan McRae": "12", "TJ Warren": "12", "Arron Afflalo": "17", "Langston Galloway": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"TJ Warren": "2", "Langston Galloway": "7"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "2"}, "Steals": {"Kristaps Porzingis": "2", "Langston Galloway": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Arron Afflalo": "29"}}], "The New York Knicks (23 - 26) defeated the visiting Phoenix Suns (14 - 34) 102 - 84, on Friday night at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks led just about the whole way as they snapped their four - game losing streak with a decisive home win. The return of Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis sure was a big boost to the reeling Knicks squad. Melo had missed two games with a sore knee, while Porzingis was out last game with an illness. This was the Suns' third straight loss and their ninth loss in 10 games. The Suns have now dropped their last 15 on the road and are 4 - 21 on the road this season. Melo was two assists shy of a triple - double in his return. He finished with 19 points (5 - 14 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 7 - 7 FT), 10 rebounds and eight assists, along with four steals, in 30 minutes. Arron Afflalo tallied 17 points (6 - 13 FG, 2 - 6 3Pt, 3 - 3 FT) and three assists, in 29 minutes. Langston Galloway started in place of Jose Calderon who remains out with a sore groin. Galloway did a nice job with 11 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals, in 27 minutes. As a team the Knicks only gave up nine turnovers and capitalized on 23 of 26 free throws. Devin Booker has had the chance to shine lately due to some injuries on the Phoenix roster and was at it again as he finished with a game - high 21 points (8 - 15 FG, 3 - 6 3Pt, 2 - 3 FT), along with three assists, in 26 minutes. T.J. Warren was in action despite a sore ankle. Warren finished with 12 points and two rebounds, in 19 minutes off the bench. Jordan McRae chipped in 12 points and four assists off the bench. Brandon Knight missed his sixth straight game with a sore groin. The Suns struggled shooting, hitting 41 percent from the field. They went 0 - 7 from deep in the first quarter and finished the game 7 - 26 from beyond the arc. Next the Knicks will host the Golden State Warriors on Sunday. The Suns will look to snap their unflattering streak but will be against the odds as they visit Dallas on Sunday."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "33", "Thunder": "22"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "111", "Thunder": "115"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Pacers": "33"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "36", "Thunder": "48"}}, {"Assists": {"Kevin Durant": "8", "Russell Westbrook": "14", "George Hill": "9"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "33", "Russell Westbrook": "14", "Enes Kanter": "15", "Paul George": "45", "George Hill": "20"}, "Rebounds": {"Kevin Durant": "13", "Russell Westbrook": "11", "Enes Kanter": "10"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Russell Westbrook": "8"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Russell Westbrook": "17", "Paul George": "29"}, "Minutes played": {"Enes Kanter": "24"}}], "The Oklahoma City Thunder (48 - 22) narrowly edged out the host Indiana Pacers (36 - 33) on Saturday 115 - 111 behind point guard Russell Westbrook's league - leading 14th triple - double. Westbrook has now set the highest mark for triple - doubles in a season since Magic Johnson's 17 in 1988 - 89. Despite contributing just 14 points, well below his season average, Westrbook dished out 14 assists and pulled down 11 rebounds. He leads all guards in rebounding on the season with an average of 8 per game. The triple - double was n't the only story for OKC, a team that has finally gotten its mojo back following a rocky star after the All-Star break. Former MVP Kevin Durant lit up the Indiana defense for 33 points, while still pulling a game - high 13 rebounds and dishing out eight assists. Sixth man Enes Kanter also made his presence knowing, going for 15 points and 10 rebounds in just 24 minutes of play. The Thunder recently became the NBA's third team to clinch playoff berth, and will now fight to maintain the third seed in the West over the powerhouse Los Angeles Clippers. With four wins in a row under their belt, the Thunder will look to keep up solid play as the NBA season winds down. Indiana, meanwhile, is jockying for position at the bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff picture. The Pacers currently hold the seventh spot in the East. Superstar Paul George was the story for Indiana, as he delivered a whopping 45 points on a team - high 29 shot attempts from the field. Indiana's offense was heavily reliant on George, as the All-Star forward shouldered the heavy load for the struggling team. Point guard George Hill also had a noteworthy 20 points and nine assists. OKC will host the Houston Rockets on Tuesday, while Indiana will take on the hapless Philadelphia 76ers on Monday."], [[{"Losses": {"Lakers": "38", "Mavericks": "21"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "90", "Mavericks": "92"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "9", "Mavericks": "26"}}, {"Minutes played": {"Chandler Parsons": "35"}, "Points": {"Chandler Parsons": "17", "J.J. Barea": "18", "Julius Randle": "16", "Jordan Clarkson": "18", "D'Angelo Russell": "12"}, "Rebounds": {"Chandler Parsons": "9", "J.J. Barea": "4", "Julius Randle": "11", "Jordan Clarkson": "6"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "3", "Julius Randle": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Dirk Nowitzki": "3"}, "Assists": {"J.J. Barea": "4", "Jordan Clarkson": "7"}}], "The Dallas Mavericks (26 - 21) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (9 - 38) 92 - 90 at Staples Center on Tuesday. The Mavericks have owned the Lakers over the past three seasons and Tuesday marked the 10th straight loss for Los Angeles against the Dirk Nowitzki-led Mavs. With 1:36 left in regulation, Jordan Clarkson hit a floating jump shot to tie the game at 90, and it took another 1:34 before Dirk Nowitzki drained a vintage baseline jumper with :2 remaining to take a two point lead. On the ensuing possession, Julius Randle received an inbound pass at the top of the three - point line and his shot went off the side of the rim as time expired. The Lakers are now owners of a seven game losing streak. Nowitzki was far from efficient, but has not lost his clutch factor, proven by his fadeaway game winner. The Mavericks leader finished with 13 points and six rebounds on 5 - of - 14 shooting in 30 minutes. J.J. Barea led all Mavericks in scoring with 18 points off the bench, to go along with four rebounds and four assists. Chandler Parsons got off to a hot start, but cooled down in the second half, but scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds 35 minutes. The Lakers were without Kobe Bryant (shoulder), but competed with Dallas for the entirety of the game. Julius Randle is starting to show signs of improvement and has strung together five good games entering the contest (9 points and 10 rebounds), and added his 16th double - double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Jordan Clarkson rounded out the box score with 18 points, six rebounds and seven assists, while rookie D\u2019Angelo Russell finished with 12 points and zero assists. The Lakers will look to end their seven game skid when they host the Chicago Bulls (25 - 19) on Thursday, while the Mavericks play the second game of a back - to - back when they visit the Golden State Warriors (41 - 4) on Wednesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Jazz": "14", "Suns": "18"}, "Wins": {"Jazz": "12", "Suns": "12"}, "Number of team assists": {"Suns": "12"}, "Turnovers": {"Suns": "13"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Eric Bledsoe": "10"}, "Field goals made": {"Eric Bledsoe": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Eric Bledsoe": "26", "Brandon Knight": "35", "Mirza Teletovic": "21", "Derrick Favors": "33", "Rodney Hood": "35"}, "Points": {"Eric Bledsoe": "8", "Brandon Knight": "26", "Mirza Teletovic": "17", "Gordon Hayward": "24", "Derrick Favors": "18", "Rodney Hood": "14", "Trey Burke": "11", "Alec Burks": "13"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Gordon Hayward": "3"}, "Rebounds": {"Gordon Hayward": "3", "Derrick Favors": "9"}}], "The Utah Jazz (12 - 14) defeated the Phoenix Suns (12 - 18) Monday 107 - 81 at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City. The Jazz maintained control of the game from the very start, opening up a 12 - point lead at the end of the first quarter and never looking back. They were led by Gordon Hayward\u2019s game - high 24 points, and the small forward has now recorded at least 20 points in three straight games. Derrick Favors was also effective, recording 18 points and nine rebounds in 33 minutes. Rodney Hood scored 14 points in 35 minutes, while Alex Burks (13) and Trey Burke (11) each reached double figures off the bench. It was a disastrous night from the Suns\u2019 starters, as the unit combined to score just 30 points, with Eric Bledsoe scoring just eight points on 2 - of - 10 shooting in 26 minutes. The only reason the team put up a somewhat respectable point total was Brandon Knight\u2019s effort in his new role off the bench, as he scored a game - high 26 points in 35 minutes as a reserve. Mirza Teletovic scored 17 points in 21 minutes off the bench and was the only other Phoenix player to score in double figures. Overall, it was simply too inefficient of a night for the Suns, as they shot under 40 percent from the field and recorded just 12 assists to 13 turnovers. Up next, the Jazz will travel to Oakland Wednesday to take on the Warriors, while the Suns will head home Wednesday to play the Nuggets."], [[{"Number of team assists": {"Warriors": "32", "Thunder": "17"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Warriors": "51"}, "Losses": {"Warriors": "3", "Thunder": "14"}, "Total points": {"Warriors": "114", "Thunder": "109"}, "Wins": {"Warriors": "22", "Thunder": "12"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Kevin Durant": "10"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Kevin Durant": "7"}, "Minutes played": {"Kevin Durant": "19", "Russell Westbrook": "40", "Stephen Curry": "42"}, "Points": {"Kevin Durant": "30", "Russell Westbrook": "33", "Stephen Curry": "34"}, "Assists": {"Russell Westbrook": "8", "Stephen Curry": "9"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "4"}}], "The Golden State Warriors (22 - 3) defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder (12 - 14) 114 - 109 on Thursday. Golden State had their 16 - game win streak end in Tuesday's 105 - 98 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, but they quickly got back in the win column. Stephen Curry scored a game - high 34 points and also had nine assists and four steals in 42 minutes. The Warriors shot 51 percent from the field and recorded 32 assists, compared to the Thunder's 17 assists. Golden state has the weekend off before they host the Sacramento Kings on Monday. Oklahoma City had their seven - game win streak snapped, and they lost Kevin Durant to a sprained ankle after the MVP rolled his ankle coming down on Maurice Speights' foot. Durant underwent X-rays that came back negative, and the sprain was graded as being mild, but he was held out of the second half as a precaution. Even in just 19 minutes of action Thursday, Durant scored 30 points on 10 - of - 13 shooting from the field. Russell Westbrook finished with a team - high 33 points and eight assists in 40 minutes. It's possible the Thunder could continue to take the cautious route Friday and hold Durant out of their game against the Los Angeles Lakers."], [[{"Losses": {"Pacers": "6", "Wizards": "2"}, "Total points": {"Pacers": "90", "Wizards": "97"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Pacers": "14", "Wizards": "32"}, "Wins": {"Pacers": "1", "Wizards": "5"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Wizards": "19"}}, {"Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Paul Pierce": "4"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Paul Pierce": "5", "Chris Copeland": "10"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul Pierce": "13"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul Pierce": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul Pierce": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul Pierce": "8"}, "Rebounds": {"Paul Pierce": "5", "Solomon Hill": "6", "Donald Sloan": "4"}, "Points": {"Nene": "17", "John Wall": "18", "Kevin Seraphin": "13", "Solomon Hill": "28", "Donald Sloan": "13"}, "Assists": {"John Wall": "4"}, "Steals": {"John Wall": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Chris Copeland": "1"}}], "The Wizards (5 - 2) rebounds from a loss to Toronto on Friday, knocking off the Pacers (1 - 6) for the second time in four nights. Washington, which won in Indianapolis on Wednesday night, jumped out to a big first quarter lead en route to the 97 - 90 victory. The Wizards led 32 - 14 after one and held a 19 - point lead at the half. The Pacers would come storming back, however, trimming the lead to single digits by the end of the third. Washington led by just five with 21 seconds to play, but Paul Pierce was able to knock down four straight free throws to salt the game away. John Wall led the way for Washington, scoring a team - high 18 points to go with four assists and four steals. Nene added 17 points, while Kevin Seraphin chipped in 13 off the bench. It was a rough night for Pierce, who connected on only 2 - of - 13 field goals (8 - 10 FT). As a team, Washington went 2 - of - 11 from beyond the arc, compared to Indiana\u2019s 8 - of - 24. The Pacers, losers of six straight since topping Philadelphia on opening night, got 28 points from second - year swingman Solomon Hill. The Arizona product made 10 - of - 19 field goals and added six rebounds in 43 minutes. Donald Sloan, who scored 31 points in Wednesday\u2019s meeting, was limited to 13 points and four rebounds. Chris Copeland struggled to find his shooting stroke, converting only 1 - of - 10 attempts from three - point range. Looking ahead, the Wizards are off until Wednesday, when they host the Pistons. Indiana faces the Jazz at home Monday before traveling to Miami to take on the Heat on Wednesday."], [[{}, {"Rebounds": {"Tyson Chandler": "18"}, "Points": {"Devin Booker": "22", "Eric Bledsoe": "26", "Brandon Knight": "17", "Alex Len": "14", "Harrison Barnes": "19", "Deron Williams": "20"}, "Assists": {"Eric Bledsoe": "7", "Deron Williams": "6"}, "Minutes played": {"Alex Len": "17"}}], "Phoenix saw strong play across positions as it gained its second straight win. Point guard Eric Bledsoe led the team with 26 points and also notched seven assists. Sophomore guard Devin Booker scored 22 of his own. The real strength for Phoenix came in the rebounding column. The team held a 53 - 31 advantage on the glass and saw a whopping 18 boards from veteran center Tyson Chandler. Strong bench play also bolstered the Suns' play, as Alex Len and Brandon Knight came off the bench for 14 and 17, respectively. Meanwhile, Dallas saw another solid 19 - point outing from reliable scoring option Harrison Barnes. Barnes has upped his averages considerably since making the move to Dallas in the offseason. Veteran point guard Deron Williams scored a team - high 20 points and dished out six assists."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "15", "Knicks": "26"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "103", "Knicks": "93"}, "Points in 2nd quarter": {"Raptors": "26", "Knicks": "22"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "31", "Knicks": "22"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Knicks": "20"}}, {"3-pointers made": {"Arron Afflalo": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Points": {"Arron Afflalo": "20", "Sasha Vujacic": "13", "Jerian Grant": "13", "Jonas Valanciunas": "11", "DeMar DeRozan": "26", "Kyle Lowry": "26"}, "Minutes played": {"Sasha Vujacic": "24"}, "Steals": {"Sasha Vujacic": "2", "Jerian Grant": "2", "Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Assists": {"Jerian Grant": "6", "Kyle Lowry": "10"}, "Rebounds": {"Jerian Grant": "4", "Jonas Valanciunas": "18", "Kyle Lowry": "6"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Jonas Valanciunas": "8", "Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "8", "Kyle Lowry": "8"}, "Turnovers": {"DeMar DeRozan": "3", "Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"Kyle Lowry": "3"}, "Field goals made": {"Kyle Lowry": "8"}}], "The Toronto Raptors (31 - 15) picked up a win over their division rival New York Knicks (22 - 26) Thursday night at Air Canada Centre, 103 - 93. The Raptors led for the entirety of the final three quarters as the Knicks were playing shorthanded without Kristaps Porzingis (illness) and Carmelo Anthony (knee) in uniform. The lack of depth showed, as every member of the Knicks bench was forced to play at least nine minutes, with Derrick Williams, Sasha Vujacic and Jerami Grant all forced on the court for at least 24 minutes. Raptors guards DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry took advantage of the Knicks' thin lineup, as they tied for the game high with 26 points apiece. Lowry was the real engine for the Raptors offense, as he also dished out 10 assists and grabbed six rebounds (three offensive). Jonas Valancunius scored 11 points on a poor shooting night (4 - 16) but was a beast on the glass, as he grabbed 18 rebounds (eight offensive). Arron Afflalo led the Knicks with 20 points on 7 - 17 shooting, as he sunk all three three - pointers he attempted. Langston Galloway was the only other starter to go over double - digits. Reserves Grant and Vujacic scored 13 points apiece, and Grant filled up the box score with six assists, four rebounds, and two steals. Despite being undermanned, the Knicks would have had a chance had they hit their free throws - - they finished 10 - 20 at the free throw line in a 10 - point loss. The Knicks will return home for a matchup Friday against the Suns. The Raptors continue their homestand Saturday against Detroit."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Heat": "29", "Celtics": "26"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "47", "Celtics": "40"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "15", "Celtics": "15"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "100", "Celtics": "84"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "13", "Celtics": "10"}, "Turnovers": {"Celtics": "15"}}, {"Points": {"Jeff Green": "13", "Tyler Zeller": "22", "Kelly Olynyk": "13", "Luol Deng": "23", "Norris Cole": "15", "Mario Chalmers": "11", "James Ennis III": "16"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Tyler Zeller": "15", "Luol Deng": "15", "Mario Chalmers": "13", "James Ennis III": "8"}, "Field goals made": {"Tyler Zeller": "10", "Luol Deng": "9", "Mario Chalmers": "5", "James Ennis III": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Tyler Zeller": "3", "Luol Deng": "4", "Mario Chalmers": "4", "James Ennis III": "6"}, "Free throws made": {"Tyler Zeller": "2", "Luol Deng": "4", "Mario Chalmers": "1", "James Ennis III": "6"}, "Rebounds": {"Tyler Zeller": "8", "James Ennis III": "8"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Luol Deng": "2", "Mario Chalmers": "3", "James Ennis III": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"Luol Deng": "1", "Mario Chalmers": "0", "James Ennis III": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Norris Cole": "37"}, "Assists": {"Mario Chalmers": "10"}}], "The Miami Heat (13 - 15) defeated the Boston Celtics (10 - 15) 100 - 84 on Sunday at the American Airlines Arena in Miami Florida. The Heat did most of their damage in the first half, out - scoring the Celitcs 52 - 42. They were able to finish the game shooting 47 percent from the field and 29 percent from the three - point line, while the Celtics shot 40 percent from the floor and 26 percent from beyond the arc. The Heat were able to force the Celitcs into 15 turnovers, giving them an even greater advantage to take home the victory. The Heat had six players reach double figures in points in this one. Luol Deng led all scorers with 23 points, after shooting 9 - for - 15 from the field and 1 - for - 2 from the three - point line. He also went a perfect 4 - of - 4 from the free throw line. With Dwyane Wade sitting out, Mario Chalmers got pushed into the starting lineup, where he took advantage of the extra playing time and recorded his fourth double - double of the season with 11 points (5 - 13 FG, 0 - 3 3Pt, 1 - 4 FT) and 10 assists. Although it was n't his best day shooting from the floor, he still made up for it with the opportunities he gave to his teammates. Norris Cole also benefitted from some extra playing time and scored 15 points in 37 minutes. The fifteen points were the most he's had since scoring 23 points in the season opener and the minutes played was near a season - high. James Ennis also provided a big boost off the bench with 16 points (4 - 8 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT) and eight rebounds. It was a season - high in points for him as he has only reached double figures in points once before. The Celtics struggled to find any consistent offense in their young lineup. Tyler Zeller did most of the damage for them as he went 10 - for - 15 from the floor and 2 - for - 3 from the free throw line to score 22 points, while also grabbing eight rebounds. It was only the second time Zeller has broken the 20 - point mark this season. Both Jeff Green and Kelly Olynyk chipped in 13 points of there own, but without much contribution from the bench, the Celtics came up a quite a bit short. The Heat's next game will be at home against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, while the Celitcs will travel to Orlando to play the magic on Tuesday."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Lakers": "41", "Grizzlies": "45"}, "Losses": {"Lakers": "12", "Grizzlies": "2"}, "Total points": {"Lakers": "93", "Grizzlies": "99"}, "Points in 3rd quarter": {"Lakers": "23", "Grizzlies": "34"}, "Turnovers": {"Lakers": "11"}, "Wins": {"Lakers": "3", "Grizzlies": "13"}}, {"Field goals attempted": {"Zach Randolph": "10", "Mike Conley": "11", "Kobe Bryant": "15", "Nick Young": "14"}, "Field goals made": {"Zach Randolph": "7", "Mike Conley": "6", "Kobe Bryant": "5", "Nick Young": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Zach Randolph": "4", "Jordan Hill": "2", "Kobe Bryant": "10"}, "Free throws made": {"Zach Randolph": "2", "Kobe Bryant": "10"}, "Points": {"Zach Randolph": "16", "Marc Gasol": "19", "Mike Conley": "19", "Jordan Hill": "11", "Kobe Bryant": "22", "Jeremy Lin": "14", "Nick Young": "13", "Ronnie Price": "11"}, "Rebounds": {"Zach Randolph": "9", "Marc Gasol": "11", "Ronnie Price": "2"}, "Assists": {"Mike Conley": "7"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Mike Conley": "4", "Kobe Bryant": "5", "Nick Young": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Mike Conley": "1", "Kobe Bryant": "2", "Nick Young": "2"}, "Personal fouls": {"Jordan Hill": "2", "Ronnie Price": "2"}, "Steals": {"Jeremy Lin": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Nick Young": "27"}}], "The Memphis Grizzlies (13 - 2) defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (3 - 12) 99 - 93 on Wednesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Despite being down 51 - 46 at halftime, the Grizzlies were able to out - score the Lakers 34 - 23 in the third quarter, giving them enough of an edge to get the victory on the road in Los Angeles. The Grizzlies also out - shot the Lakers 45 percent to 41 percent from the field, which also may have given them just enough of an advantage to take the win. The Grizzlies' big three did most of the damage in this game. Mike Conley went 6 - for - 11 from the field and 1 - for - 4 from the three - point line to score 19 points and hand out seven assists. It was a much needed bounce - back game for Conley, who had only seven points on Sunday. Marc Gasol also contributed 19 points of his own, while recording 11 rebounds. It was his second straight double - double and fourth on the year. Zach Randolph came one rebound short of a double - double and finished with 16 points (7 - 10 FG, 2 - 4 FT) and nine rebounds. He's now averaging 16 points and 12 rebounds on the year. In the loss, Kobe Bryant led all scorers for the Lakers. He went 5 - for - 15 from the field and 2 - for - 5 from the three - point line to score 22 points. He also got to the line 10 times, and converted on a perfect 10 - of - 10. Jeremy Lin was the other starter in the backcourt and managed to finish with 14 points, five assists and two steals. Nick Young continued to come off the bench since returning from injury. He shot 4 - for - 14 from the floor and 2 - for - 5 from beyond the arc to score 13 points in 27 minutes. Ronnie Price and Jordan Hill were the only other two Lakers to reach double figures in points, as each finished with 11. The Grizzlies' next game will be on the road against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday, while the Lakers will be at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday."], [[{}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"JR Smith": "3"}, "3-pointers made": {"JR Smith": "0"}, "Field goals attempted": {"JR Smith": "15"}, "Field goals made": {"JR Smith": "4"}, "Free throws attempted": {"JR Smith": "1"}, "Minutes played": {"JR Smith": "25"}, "Steals": {"JR Smith": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"JR Smith": "1"}}], "After signing a $57 million contract this offseason, J.R. Smith has had an unreliable, up - and - down season so far for the Cavaliers. While he has battled a knee injury in this young season, he's been hit or miss, literally, whenever he has been healthy and on the floor. Wednesday night was a miss, a big one, as he shot just 4 - of - 15 from the field and 0 - of - 3 from behind the arc in 25 minutes. That performance marked the seventh time this season that Smith has shot under 30 percent from the field and from long range. Smith is coming off a career - best 40 percent mark from behind the arc last season, and while he is still shooting a respectable 35 percent on three - pointers this season, he is shooting even a worse percentage overall at 33 percent. That would qualify as the worst mark of his career since his second season in the league in 2005 - 6."], [[{"Percentage of 3 points": {"Heat": "58"}, "Percentage of field goals": {"Heat": "55"}, "Losses": {"Heat": "29", "Cavaliers": "20"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "122", "Cavaliers": "101"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Heat": "31", "Cavaliers": "19"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "40", "Cavaliers": "49"}}, {"Assists": {"LeBron James": "3", "Kyrie Irving": "4", "Matthew Dellavedova": "3", "Richard Jefferson": "1", "Joe Johnson": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "4", "Goran Dragic": "11", "Hassan Whiteside": "2", "Josh Richardson": "2"}, "Points": {"LeBron James": "26", "Kyrie Irving": "14", "Matthew Dellavedova": "10", "Richard Jefferson": "20", "Joe Johnson": "18", "Dwyane Wade": "24", "Goran Dragic": "18", "Hassan Whiteside": "16", "Josh Richardson": "19"}, "Steals": {"LeBron James": "1", "Kyrie Irving": "3", "Richard Jefferson": "1", "Joe Johnson": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "1", "Goran Dragic": "1", "Josh Richardson": "1"}, "Rebounds": {"Matthew Dellavedova": "1", "Richard Jefferson": "4", "Joe Johnson": "3", "Dwyane Wade": "4", "Goran Dragic": "4", "Hassan Whiteside": "13", "Josh Richardson": "2"}, "Blocks": {"Hassan Whiteside": "2", "Josh Richardson": "1"}}], "The Miami Heat (40 - 29) handily defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (49 - 20) 122 - 101 on Saturday. The Heat ambushed their unsuspecting visitors right from the jump, and kept the foot on the gas the rest of the way. Miami won the first quarter by a margin of 31 - 19, and had built up a 65 - 44 lead by halftime. They tallied one of their best point totals of the season through superior shooting, as they managed a 55 success rate from the field, and an even more impressive 58 percent figure from beyond the arc. Dwyane Wade stepped up to lead the starters, and Josh Richardson and Hassan Whiteside were outstanding contributors off the bench. LeBron James did manage an impressive effort at the scene of some of his greatest career accomplishments, posting 26 points, three points, three assists and a steal. Kyrie Irving contributed 14 points, four assists and three steals. Richard Jefferson paced the bench with 20 points, four rebounds, an assist and a steal. Matthew Delladedova also managed double - digit scoring off the bench, supplying 10 points, three assists and a rebound. Despite the loss, Cleveland remains atop the Eastern Conference's Central Division, and the conference as well, albeit by a slim 2 games ahead of the Toronto Raptors. They head back home to face off against the Denver Nuggets on Monday night. Wade totaled 24 points, four rebounds, four assists and a steal. Goran Dragic and Joe Johnson were next with a pair of 18 - point efforts. Dragic also dished out 11 assists, hauled in four rebounds and recorded a steal, while Johnson posted three boards, two assists and two steals. Richardson led the bench with 19 points, two rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. Whiteside managed a 16 - point, 13 - rebound double - double, which also included two assists and two blocks. Miami is currently in second place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division, and is presently slotted in the fourth seed as well. They travel to New Orleans to face the Pelicans on Tuesday."], [[{"Losses": {"Raptors": "24", "Trail Blazers": "34"}, "Total points": {"Raptors": "112", "Trail Blazers": "106"}, "Wins": {"Raptors": "35", "Trail Blazers": "24"}}, {"Assists": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "2", "Damian Lillard": "8"}, "Free throws made": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "2", "DeMar DeRozan": "15"}, "Minutes played": {"Jusuf Nurkic": "21"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Damian Lillard": "20", "DeMar DeRozan": "16"}, "Field goals made": {"Damian Lillard": "10", "DeMar DeRozan": "9"}, "Points": {"Damian Lillard": "28", "Serge Ibaka": "18", "DeMar DeRozan": "33"}, "Rebounds": {"Serge Ibaka": "10"}, "Steals": {"Serge Ibaka": "2"}, "Free throws attempted": {"DeMar DeRozan": "16"}}], "The host Toronto Raptors edged out the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday, 112 - 106. Toronto (35 - 24) has now won three straight after a complete collapse during the month of January. The Raps are tied with Washington for third in the East and trail Boston by three games for the second seed. Despite missing star point guard Kyle Lowry, Toronto was able to hold on for the win on Sunday. This was largely due to the play of All-Star DeMar DeRozan, who led the team with 33 points on 9 - of - 16 shooting and a stellar 15 - of - 16 from the free - throw line. The Raptors offense as a whole functioned at a very high level throughout the game. The team shot almost 54 percent from the field and saw an additional 18 points come from newly - added big man Serge Ibaka. Ibaka also had 10 rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. Portland (24 - 34) is quickly losing ground in the tight Western Conference playoff race. Sunday did the team no favors, as they were defeated quite narrowly by the Lowry-less Raptors. Damian Lillard led the team with 28 points and shot an efficient 10 - of - 20. He added eight assists. The team was relatively quiet on the inside, due in part to center Jusuf Nurkic being limited to just 21 minutes of play. Nurkic, a relatively new Trail Blazer who was acquired in a trade with deadline, had two teeth knocked out during a collision in the game. It did not keep him out of commission for too long, however, as the young big man simply handed the teeth to a trainer and readied himself to play again. The Blazers will visit Detroit on Tuesday while Toronto will see New York."], [[{"Losses": {"Heat": "26", "76ers": "55"}, "Total points": {"Heat": "103", "76ers": "98"}, "Wins": {"Heat": "37", "76ers": "8"}}, {"Points": {"Hollis Thompson": "16", "Carl Landry": "18", "Ish Smith": "21", "Isaiah Canaan": "17", "Joe Johnson": "14", "Luol Deng": "12", "Dwyane Wade": "23", "Goran Dragic": "23", "Hassan Whiteside": "14"}, "Rebounds": {"Hollis Thompson": "4", "Jerami Grant": "8", "Carl Landry": "7", "Ish Smith": "4", "Isaiah Canaan": "3", "Joe Johnson": "5", "Luol Deng": "14", "Dwyane Wade": "3", "Goran Dragic": "8", "Hassan Whiteside": "13"}, "Assists": {"Jerami Grant": "2", "Ish Smith": "5", "Isaiah Canaan": "4", "Joe Johnson": "1", "Luol Deng": "4", "Dwyane Wade": "3", "Goran Dragic": "5", "Hassan Whiteside": "1"}, "Blocks": {"Jerami Grant": "2", "Luol Deng": "1", "Hassan Whiteside": "7"}, "Steals": {"Carl Landry": "1", "Ish Smith": "1", "Joe Johnson": "1", "Luol Deng": "2", "Dwyane Wade": "2"}, "Minutes played": {"Ish Smith": "38"}, "Personal fouls": {"Isaiah Canaan": "5"}, "Field goals made": {"Luol Deng": "5"}}], "The Miami Heat (37 - 26) defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (8 - 55) 103 - 98 on Sunday. For the second time in three nights, Miami dealt with a short - handed Sixers squad that nevertheless hung with them for four quarters. Philadelphia was once again without its starting frontcourt of Nerlens Noel (knee) and Jahlil Okafor (shin), but received strong performances from their replacements, Carl Landry and Jerami Grant. Miami was able to pull away in the last three minutes of the final period with some outstanding defensive work on the part of Hassan Whiteside, who tallied a whopping seven blocks. The Heat equaled their 2014 - 15 win total with the victory, while Philadelphia still has only a pair of triumphs over Eastern Conference rivals this season. The Sixers were led by Ish Smith, who collected 21 points, five assists, four rebounds and a steal over 38 minutes. It was a second consecutive impressive outing for the Philadelphia point guard against one of the toughest units in the league versus the position. Landry was able to avoid the foul trouble that plagued him in the game against the Heat on Friday night, and finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and a steal. Hollis Thompson tallied 16 points and four rebounds in another start at shooting guard. Grant amassed a near double - double, registering nine points, eight boards, two assists and two blocks. Isaiah Canaan paced the reserves with 17 points, four assists and three rebounds, although he did pick up five fouls. Philadelphia continues in last place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They head back home to face off against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night. Miami was led by a pair of 23 - point efforts from their backcourt duo of Goran Dragic and Dwyane Wade. The former supplemented his scoring with eight rebounds and five assists, while the latter also supplied three rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals. Joe Johnson registered 14 points, five rebounds, an assist and a steal, while Luol Deng rounded out a productive night for the starting five with a 12 - point, 14 - rebound double - double that also included four assists, two steals and a block. Whiteside was outstanding once again in pacing the Heat reserves, posting 14 points, 13 rebounds, an assist and the aforementioned seven rejections. The Heat remains in first place in the Eastern Conference's Southeastern Division, and currently have possession of the fourth seed in the conference as well. They head to Milwaukee to take on the Bucks on Wednesday night."], [[{"Losses": {"Knicks": "6", "Hawks": "3"}, "Total points": {"Knicks": "85", "Hawks": "91"}, "Wins": {"Knicks": "2", "Hawks": "3"}}, {"3-pointers attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "4", "Kyle Korver": "9", "Carmelo Anthony": "5", "Iman Shumpert": "4"}, "3-pointers made": {"Paul Millsap": "3", "Kyle Korver": "3", "Carmelo Anthony": "0", "Iman Shumpert": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "14", "Kyle Korver": "13", "Carmelo Anthony": "25", "Iman Shumpert": "12"}, "Field goals made": {"Paul Millsap": "6", "Kyle Korver": "4", "Carmelo Anthony": "11", "Iman Shumpert": "8"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Paul Millsap": "4", "Kyle Korver": "6", "Carmelo Anthony": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"Paul Millsap": "4", "Kyle Korver": "6", "Carmelo Anthony": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Paul Millsap": "34", "Kyle Korver": "33", "Carmelo Anthony": "42", "Iman Shumpert": "30"}, "Points": {"Paul Millsap": "19", "Kyle Korver": "17", "Carmelo Anthony": "25", "Iman Shumpert": "18"}, "Assists": {"Kyle Korver": "2", "Carmelo Anthony": "7", "Iman Shumpert": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"Kyle Korver": "8", "Carmelo Anthony": "9", "Iman Shumpert": "3"}}], "The Atlanta Hawks (3 - 3) went to New York and beat the Knicks (2 - 6) 91 - 85 on Monday night at Madison Square Garden. The Hawks got a strong road win to even up their record at 3 - 3 on the year, and they have a well - rounded offensive performance to thank for it. Every player who touched the floor for the Hawks ended up scoring, and they were led by 19 points (6 - 14 FG, 3 - 4 3Pt, 4 - 4 FT) in 34 minutes from Paul Millsap. Kyle Korver also had a strong night, scoring 17 points (4 - 13 FG, 3 - 9 3Pt, 6 - 6 FT), with eight rebounds and two assists in 33 minutes. The Hawks now head back home to take on the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night. The Knicks just could n't get it going offensively, and have now lost five straight games, including back to back losses to the Hawks. New York was led by none other than All-Star Carmelo Anthony, who had 25 points (11 - 25 FG, 0 - 5 3Pt, 3 - 5 FT) with nine rebounds and seven assists in 42 minutes. Iman Shumpert also did a little of everything, scoring 18 points (8 - 12 FG, 2 - 4 3Pt), with five assists and three rebounds in 30 minutes. The Knicks now try to end their losing streak against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night at home."], [[{}, {"Points": {"Harrison Barnes": "12", "Dirk Nowitzki": "15", "Seth Curry": "13", "JR Smith": "3"}, "Minutes played": {"Seth Curry": "26"}, "Rebounds (Defensive)": {"LeBron James": "5"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"LeBron James": "5", "Kyrie Irving": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"LeBron James": "5"}, "Free throws made": {"LeBron James": "5"}, "Rebounds": {"LeBron James": "5"}, "Field goals attempted": {"JR Smith": "11"}, "Field goals made": {"JR Smith": "1"}}], "Four of the five members of the Cavs' first unit posted double - digit scoring, led by a combined 71 points from the Big Three of Kevin Love, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. Love, James and Tristan Thompson all posted double - doubles as well. J.R. Smith was notably the only member of the first unit to struggle, posting just three points on 1 - of - 11 shooting. The Cavs managed an excellent 51 percent success rate from the field overall and equally impressive 47 percent tally from beyond the arc. Dirk Nowitzki paced the Mavs with 15 points. Harrison Barnes was the only other double - digit scorer among the starters, collecting 12 points. Wesley Matthews, Deron Williams and Andrew Bogut combined for just 12 points overall themselves. Seth Curry supplied 13 points over 26 minutes, seeing extra minutes due to the blowout."], [[{"Percentage of field goals": {"Magic": "37"}}, {"Points": {"Nikola Vucevic": "10", "Evan Fournier": "12", "Elfrid Payton": "13", "Jeff Green": "13", "Draymond Green": "9", "Klay Thompson": "29", "Stephen Curry": "25"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Jeff Green": "9", "Klay Thompson": "20"}, "Field goals made": {"Jeff Green": "6", "Klay Thompson": "12"}, "Minutes played": {"Jeff Green": "18", "Draymond Green": "25"}, "Rebounds": {"Jeff Green": "4", "Draymond Green": "11", "Klay Thompson": "4", "Stephen Curry": "1"}, "Assists": {"Draymond Green": "6", "Klay Thompson": "5", "Stephen Curry": "9"}, "3-pointers made": {"Klay Thompson": "5"}, "Steals": {"Stephen Curry": "3"}}], "The Warriors rout of the Magic looked similar to the Warriors of 2015 - 2016 where they put on a three - point shooting display and finished their jumpers inside the arc at a remarkable rate. Golden State shot 58 percent from the floor, which was no match for the Magic's 37 percent effort as a unit. Klay Thompson dumped in 27 points by halftime, and went on to finish with 29 points, five assists and four rebounds on 12 - of - 20 shooting, including five three pointers. Stephen Curry added 25 points, nine assists, one board and three steals, while Draymond Green rounded out the box score with nine points, 11 rebounds and six assists across 25 minutes. Orlando played with many rotations once the rout was on and had 10 players see at least 17 minutes of action. Elfrid Payton led all Magic scorers with 13 points, while Evan Fournier's 12 points and Nikola Vucevic's 10 points were no match for the starters of the Warriors. Jeff Green was the strongest bench player, and added 13 points and four rebounds on 6 - of - 9 shooting across 18 minutes."], [[{"Losses": {"Wizards": "22", "Celtics": "21"}, "Total points": {"Wizards": "91", "Celtics": "116"}, "Points in 1st quarter": {"Wizards": "20", "Celtics": "22"}, "Turnovers": {"Wizards": "20"}, "Wins": {"Wizards": "20", "Celtics": "25"}}, {"Assists": {"Isaiah Thomas": "9", "Marcus Smart": "5", "Evan Turner": "3", "Otto Porter": "2"}, "3-pointers attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "3", "Marcus Smart": "5"}, "3-pointers made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "2", "Marcus Smart": "2"}, "Field goals attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "14", "Marcus Smart": "11", "Evan Turner": "11", "Otto Porter": "11", "Marcin Gortat": "5", "Jared Dudley": "7"}, "Field goals made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "8", "Marcus Smart": "5", "Evan Turner": "7", "Otto Porter": "6", "Marcin Gortat": "3", "Jared Dudley": "5"}, "Free throws attempted": {"Isaiah Thomas": "5", "Marcus Smart": "2", "Evan Turner": "5", "Marcin Gortat": "4"}, "Free throws made": {"Isaiah Thomas": "5", "Marcus Smart": "1", "Evan Turner": "4", "Otto Porter": "1", "Marcin Gortat": "4"}, "Minutes played": {"Isaiah Thomas": "28", "Marcus Smart": "32", "Marcin Gortat": "29", "Jared Dudley": "31"}, "Points": {"Isaiah Thomas": "23", "Marcus Smart": "13", "Evan Turner": "18", "Otto Porter": "15", "Marcin Gortat": "10", "Jared Dudley": "15"}, "Rebounds": {"Isaiah Thomas": "4", "Marcus Smart": "6", "Evan Turner": "5", "Otto Porter": "6", "Marcin Gortat": "11"}, "Steals": {"Marcus Smart": "2"}, "Rebounds (Offensive)": {"Otto Porter": "1"}, "Turnovers": {"Otto Porter": "1"}}], "The Boston Celtics (25 - 21) defeated the host Washington Wizards (20 - 22) 116 - 91 at Verizon Center on Monday. This was the second game in as many nights for the Celtics but they showed no signs of fatigue. Contrarily, the Wizards came into this game after a four - day break. The extra long time between games was a result of their last game being cancelled due to inclement weather. Boston played a great team game, with six players scoring in double digits. Three of those players came from the bench and contributed to a total 60 bench points. Isaiah Thomas led the Celtics in scoring with a game - high 23 points (8 - 14 FG, 2 - 3 3Pt, 5 - 5 FT), along with nine assists and four rebounds, in 28 minutes. Evan Turner came up big off the bench. Turner tallied 18 points (7 - 11 FG, 4 - 5 FT), five rebounds and three assists. Marcus Smart was also strong off the bench, as he finished with 13 points (5 - 11 FG, 2 - 5 3Pt, 1 - 2 FT), six rebounds, five assists and two steals, in 32 minutes. Boston has now extended its win streak to three games and its record versus the Wizards this season to 40. Despite getting Drew Gooden and Otto Porter back in the lineup, the Wizards were not able to keep up with the Celtics in this one. They gave up 20 turnovers and only shot 42 percent from the field as a team. Porter started in place of Jared Dudley and finished with a solid 15 points (6 - 11 FG), six rebounds and two assists, in 29 minutes. Jared Dudley pitched in 15 points (5 - 7 FG), in 31 minutes off the bench. Marcin Gortat finished with a double - double including 10 points (3 - 5 FG, 4 - 4 FT) and 11 rebounds, in 29 minutes. Bradley Beal left the game early in the first half after being hit in the face and suffering a bleeding nose. The Wizards head straight to Toronto, where they will play their second game in two nights. The Raptors have been hot lately and pose another Atlantic Division threat to Washington. The Celtics have a day off before they host the Nuggets on Wednesday."]]
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